Date: 14 Jun 2017 16:00

Subject: My dear i will like to know more about you

Cc:



DEAREST ONE



Firstly I thank you for your reaction to mine email; in-line with the message, which I have sent to you.

How was your night over there in your country,i believe you had a wonderful night and that the atmosphere over there in your country is very nice today? Mine is a little bit warm over here in Dakar Senegal.



My name is Roseline E. Apia, I was born in 1990 but age doesn' t matter in a real relationship, so i am comfortable with your age, I am from Ivory Coast in West Africa ,5.8ft tall, fair in complexion single,(never married ) and presently i am residing here in Dakar as a result of the civil war that was fought in my country some years ago.



My late father (Dr Williams Apia) was the managing director of Apia and Associates (Ltd) and he was the personal adviser to the former head of state before the rebels attacked our house one early morning and killed my mother and my father in cold blood.



It was only me that is alive now and I managed to make my way to a near by country Senegal where i am leaving now as a refugee under a Reverend-Pastor' s care and i am using his computer to send these message to you.

I would like to know more about you. Your likes and dislikes.



PLEASE Do not be offended for this message that comes from me please, fair which to me obliged to put simple trust on you due to my situation here as a refugee and I shall demand most your conscientiousness after yours to know about me, I shall really grow fond we to have good In spite attitudes therefore I have this as a trust which i believe that you can not betray it at the end. I have communicated you because of my difficult situation here in this refugee camp; Its just like one staying in the prison and i hope by Gods grace I will come out here soon.



I don' t have any relatives now whom I can go to. all my relatives ran away in the middle of the war the only person i have now is Rev- George David , who is the pastor of the (Christ for all Churches) here in the camp he has been very nice to me since i came here but i am not living with him rather i am leaving in the women hostel because the camp have two hostels, one for men the other for women.

I will tell you more about myself in my next mail. Attached here is my picture and your own picture i will be highly appreciated please send one for me, i will be hoping to hear from you again.

I remain yours Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 14 Jun 2017 16:00Subject: My dear i will like to know more about youCc:











Date: 17 Jun 2017 16:02

Subject: With love and trust this is my full life story

Cc:



Dearest Good One,

How are you today, l hope you are fine?my day is very boring over here Dakar Senegal in this missionary we find it hard to go out because we are not allowed to do so but l hope by God' s grace l will come out of here soon.



The Pastors Tel number is ( +221-776-918-818 ) . if you call and tell him that you want to speak with me he will send for me in the hostel. As a refugee here i don' t have any right or privilege to any thing be it money or whatever because it is against the law of this country. You can call me anytime of your choice though the Reverend' s line ok. My dear one I want to go back to my studies because i only attended my first year before the tragic incident that lead to my being in this situation now took place.



Please listen to this(please it' s a secret, even no one knows about it except the Reverend that knows about it),i have my late father' s statement of account and death certificate here with me which i will send to you later, because when he was alive he deposited some amount of money in a leading Foreign bank which he used my name as the next of kin, the amount in question is $5.7M (Five Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars).



So i will like you to help me transfer this money to your account and from it you can send some money for me to get my traveling documents and air ticket to come over to meet with you. I kept this secret to people in the camp here, the only person that knows about it is the Reverend because he is like a father to me. So in the light of above i will like you to keep it to yourself and don' t tell it to anyone for i am afraid of loosing my life and the money if people gets to know about it.



Dear i will like to have your full information' s such as:



your full name. . . . . . . . .



your occupation. . . . . . . .



phone number. . . . . . . . . .



As soon as i have all this information' s i will give you the bank contact where the money is deposited for you to contact them on my behalf for the transfer.



Remember i am giving you all this information due to the trust i deposed on you. I like honest and understanding people, truthful and a man of vision,hardworking and GOD fearing people. My Favorite language is English but our language is French but i speak English very fluently. Meanwhile i will like you to call me like i said i have a lot to tell you. Have a nice day and think about me. l hope to hear from you soonest.

i still remain yours in Love Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 17 Jun 2017 16:02Subject: With love and trust this is my full life storyCc:



Date: 18 Jun 2017 17:51

Subject: Dear here is the bank contact

Cc:



My Dearest,

How are you today? I believe you' re having a great day. Ask of me, am fine, just managing to cope with the hard life here in this prison called refugee camp,

hoping that by the special grace of God that i will be out very soon and join you over there for a better living and to continue back with my education.



DEAR, I will so much appreciated your willingness to assist me to see that i get this BALANCE left in my late father' s foreign Bank account transferred to your position, pending our arrival to meet with you to start up a new life.

As i told you in my previous mail, i am presently living in this refugee camp here in Dakar Senegal as a result of the death of my parents.



I suggest that we first of all get the fund transferred to your account and then we start making arrangement on how am going to come over there to start up a new life with you because if i may say, things are very difficult here in Dakar Senegal and all my hopes is for you to assist me transfer this (5.7Million US Dollars) deposited by my late father at (ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND) to your position so that you can send some money from there for me to prepare my traveling documents and air ticket to meet with you.



This is the contact information of the bank;

Name: ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND PLC .

The name of transfer officer: Mr.Paul Leeds.



Email ( royalbank_customerdepartment @yahoo.co.uk <royalbank_customerdepartment@yahoo.co.uk> )



Or ( info@uk-rbos.com )



Personal Number To Mr.Paul Leeds

Tel Number .+447-977-622-964

Fax Number. +44-703-1971-731 .

The account information' s are as follow :-

A/c Name; Dr Williams Apia

Amount Deposited; (5.7 Million US Dollars)

Next of Kin; Miss Roseline Apia

A/C No, BLB745008901546/QB/91/A.



I have earlier informed ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND about my plans to claim this money and all they told me is to look for a foreign partner who will stand on my behalf due to my refugee status here in Senegal. As a refugee, am not allowed direct claim of the money but only through an appointed representative as the united nations refugee law governing refugees all over the world states.



In this regards i will like you to contact the Bank as soon as you can with this information, telling them that you are my foreign partner and that you want to know the possibilities of assisting me transfer the money deposited by my late father Dr Williams Apia to your Bank account.

God will bless you as you contact the bank today,

Sincerely Yours

in Love Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 18 Jun 2017 17:51Subject: Dear here is the bank contactCc:



Date: 21 Jun 2017 13:58

Subject: I will send you a lawyer' s contact soon

Cc:



Hello darling,

Darling i received your mail and i was very happy for all your love and kindness towards me, my lovely one thank you very much for bringing my life back to me again, i really do not know how to show my appreciation but i promise to do my best for you when we will come together as one. darling I have received a mail from the bank today and i have gone through it and see their requirements before they will proceed with the transfer. I already submitted to the bank my Father' s Death certificate and the Deposit Certificate which i will also attached for you on my next mail. so the little problem we have now is the Power of Attorney and Affidavit of Oath, and i have told the Reverend what the bank required from us, and the Reverend promise to look for a good lawyer who will assist us to prepare the two remaining documents for us.



Darling what you have to do now is to wait so that i will send to you the la wyer ' s contact when the Reverend comes back ok. please as soon as i send the lawyer ' s contact to you i will like yo u to try your best to make sure that you contact him immediately and ask him the possibility of getting those remaining documents for us which is the Power of Attorney and the Affidavit of oath. whenever he replies you then try to let me know on what he said to you .

Yours in love

Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 21 Jun 2017 13:58Subject: I will send you a lawyer' s contact soonCc:



Date: 26 Jun 2017 21:21

Subject: I NEED YOUR FULL INFORMATION

Cc:



ATTENTION

SEQUEL TO THE MAIL WHICH WE RECEIVED TODAY IN MY NOBLE LAW-FIRM ON HOW TO GET AND PREPARE A POWER OF ATTORNEY IN YOUR NAME FOR YOU TO STAND ON BEHALF OF YOUR PARTNER MISS ROSELINE APIA AND TRANSFER SOME MONEY FROM ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND TO YOUR ACCOUNT.

MY NOBLE LAW FIRM WISH TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT BEFORE WE CAN PROCEED WITH THIS SERVICES WE WILL WANT YOU TO FORWARD TO THIS LAW FIRM YOUR FULL INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY AS YOU WANT IT TO APPEAR ON THE POWER OF ATTORNEY

YOUR FULL INFORMATION

FULL NAME : . . . . . .

ADDRESS : . . . . . . .

COUNTRY : . . . . . .



PHONE NO : . . . .

OCCUPATION : . . . . . . .

DATE OF BIRTH : . . . . . . . . .

SO THAT, I WILL GO TO THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT HERE TO ASCERTAIN THE COSTS OF THE AUTHENTICATION OF THE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF OATH BEFORE IT BECOMES VALID FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT. . . . .

AFTER WHICH MY LAW-FIRM WILL CONTACT YOU BACK WITH THE REQUIRED COSTS BEFORE ACCEPTING TO RENDER THE REQUIRED LEGAL PROCESS TO YOU. Yours sincerely in service, (Principal Partner).(ESQ) No 101 Leopold Sedar Senghor Airport Way. (2nd-floor)Dakar,Senegal.

Tel:phone (+221-765-655-311)

( barrister.amingolawchambers@ yahoo.com)

From: " Barrister kelvin Amingo" < barrister.amingolawchambers@yahoo.com Date: 26 Jun 2017 21:21Subject: I NEED YOUR FULL INFORMATIONCc:

Date: 26 Jun 2017 22:37

Subject: Thanks for contacting the lawyer

Cc:



Hello my lovely one,

How are you doing today over there in my dream country, I hope all is moving well with you and also your business and your health which is the most important thing to me, if so thanks be to God. as for me i am fine but still suffering in this prison called refugee camp with all hope to come out soon as long as you have come into my life.



Darling thank you very much for your lovely reply to my mail which i am so much happy to hear that you have contacted our lawyer to know the possibilities of getting those remaining documents prepared for us as soon as possible. my love, i really do not know how to show my appreciation for all your love, kindness and effort towards my freedom. but surely i promise to make you the most happiest person over there in your country as soon as the transfer is completed and i come over.



Please i will stop here for now with all hope to hear from you soon on how far you have gone with our lawyer concerning those remaining documents, because the bank are still waiting to hear from us.

Yours faithfully

Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 26 Jun 2017 22:37Subject: Thanks for contacting the lawyerCc:



Date: 28 Jun 2017 01:06

Subject: THE COST OF THE DOCUMENTS FROM AMINGO CHAMBERS

Cc:



ATTENTION

Sequel to your mail to my noble law-firm on how to prepare a power of attorney and swear an affidavit of oath from the Federal high court here for you and your partner Miss Roseline Apia was in my office with Rev.George David to discuss about the issuing to you an authorization letter and affidavit of oath that will enable you to stand on her behalf to transfer her money from ( ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND ) to your account in your country or elsewhere. Prior to my inquiries from the bank and high court here in Dakar Senegal I was made to understand from the bank that you have to prepare documents (power of attorney) required by the bank before the transfer of the money to your account.

1. A copy of Death certificate of her late father.( Dr. Williams Apia ) 2. A copy of His Deposit of account.(WHICH SHE PROMISED TO SEND TO YOU) . . .It' s now remaining the other two documents. Which is power of attorney and the affidavit of oath which will enable the Bank to deal with you on behalf of your partner.

In view of above and from my Inquiries, it will cost the sum of 330 dollars for authentication of the Power of Attorney, 270 dollars for swearing of the the Affidavit of Oath at the Federal High Court here before it becomes valid, 250 dollars for notary stamping at the notary office (before the bank can accept it). and my legal processing fee of 100 dollars .

Total of ( 950 US dollars only ) to get everything done. YOU ARE TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY TODAY THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OR MONEY GRAM WITH MY SECRETARY' S NAME BELOW:

Receiver Name. . . Fredick Kamara



Country. . Dakar Senegal

Address. . No 101 Leopold Sedar Senghor Airport Way.

MAKE SURE YOU INFORM ME IMMEDIATELY YOU TRANSFER THE MONEY TODAY, SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT WITH YOUR FULL CONTACT DETAILS WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY SENT AND START THE PREPARATION OF THE DOCUMENTS. (WHICH WILL BE READY BY THE NEXT TWO WORKING DAYS). NOTE: (THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT RECEIVE PAYMENT BEFORE RENDERING SERVICES)

MY PRIORITY IS TO RENDER THE BEST SERVICES TO MY CLIENTS.

Yours sincerely in service, No 101 Leopold Sedar Senghor Airport Way. (2nd-floor)Dakar,Senegal.

Tel:(+221-765-655-311 )

Email :( barrister. amingolawchambers@yahoo.com) From: " Barrister kelvin Amingo" < barrister.amingolawchambers@yahoo.com Date: 28 Jun 2017 01:06Subject: THE COST OF THE DOCUMENTS FROM AMINGO CHAMBERSCc:

Date: 28 Jun 2017 01:47

Subject: THANKS FOR SENDING YOUR INFORMATION TO OUR LAWYER

Cc:



My beloved ,



How are you today? hope your fine and better than me here in the camp.

Honey, i saw your mail and the letter you received from the lawyer demanding for your contact information' s for the preparation of the needed documents.

I am very happy to see that you are solidly behind me for the transfer of my late fathers deposit to your account after which i shall come and meet with you.



Honey, i am also happy that you have send your information' s to our lawyer for him to start preparing the needed documents for us. I believed you and trusted you with all my heart.

You have really made my day, i cant wait to hear that the documents are ready and my late fathers deposit has been transferred to your account.



Honey, it has always been my dreams to stay out of this uncomfortable place and meet with someone special like you.



I shall wait to hear from you again.Take good care of yourself for me and always remember that i love you and ever ready to prove my love for you.

with much love, trust and my kisses.

Yours love forever

Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 28 Jun 2017 01:47Subject: THANKS FOR SENDING YOUR INFORMATION TO OUR LAWYERCc:



Date: 28 Jun 2017 20:23

Subject: Darling please try and do your best ok

Cc:





Hey Sweetheart.



It is my pleasure and gratitude receiving your mail it was quite understood and charming my dearest one, this gives me new hope and life coming to understand the meaning of some one loving and caring about some one across the other side of sea love, thinking of you brings joy to my soul, bone and face l woke up this morning smiling while l am thinking and dreaming of you l wish am there now we both can touch and hold each other sweetheart.



My love after finished reading the mail you sent to me,i contacted the lawyer through the phone of my pastor and he told me everything how he will help us and get those documents.



Darling l am so sorry for putting you in this problems.But,please for my future and for my life, help me out, since the bank are now waiting for us to send them this document, there is no need to be wasting time and since the lawyer have promise to help us to get all this document, please for the sake of my future help me out to see how you get the money and send it to the lawyer so that he will get this documents ready for us ok.



Firstly all this mentioned documents by the bank gives you the legal authority to represent me, The problem is how to get this documents which i have giving you a contact of a law firm who will first, draft the power of attorney bearing my signature, and empowering you to act on my behalf which will be fully notarized.



Secondly, The same lawyer will represent us to get the affidavit of support from the federal high court, he will stand to take an Oath on our behalf,which also will be fully signed by the federal magistrate bearing the signature of a notary public. This documents mentioned above gives you full authority and credibility to represent me to the bank and to anywhere.



Everything concerning this transaction is completed only to send this documents to the bank and once they receive it the bank will make the transfer. Please call him immediately and talk to him so that he will start up the process, there is no need for us to delay our self since the bank are now waiting for us,



My love what ever you might spend in this matter, l will certainly pay you back when we get the money. for me right now l am not thinking so much in the money rather our future you are all over me right now l come to feel the important of being in love so don' t worry about it l will pay you back plus what we agreed on before from the total sum of the money.



My dear I' m wishing you a happy day and all the best of luck. hope to hear from you so soon my dear one.

Yours beloved one

Roseline From: " Roselyn Apia" < roselynapia@gmail.com Date: 28 Jun 2017 20:23Subject: Darling please try and do your best okCc:

If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more....
EASTON, Pa. (AP)  A man convicted of killing his stepdaughter and having sex with her corpse is contesting the terms of a divorce from her mother.

Appearing in court via video feed from his Pennsylvania prison cell, 55-year-old Gregory Graf said Monday that he never agreed to terms that would give him 25 percent of the shared assets.

Graf's attorney, Jack McMahon, tells The (Allentown) Morning Call (http://bit.ly/2uyMV7U) that Graf was happy with the agreement when it was reached in February, but Graf says McMahon didn't give him the proper information.

In light of the comments, McMahon said he may reconsider representing Graf in a lawsuit filed by the husband of Jessica Padgett.

Graf was convicted of killing the 33-year-old woman in 2014 and recording video of himself abusing her corpse.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Albuquerques Board of Ethics voted 7-0 Monday to investigate a complaint alleging that City Council candidate Javier Benavidez used fraudulent tactics to obtain about $38,000 in public campaign financing.

The board also set an Aug. 30 hearing on the complaint and directed the citys Office of the Inspector General to complete the investigation by Aug. 25.

Albuquerque attorney Pat Rogers filed the complaint July 10 on behalf of two registered city voters, including Stella Padilla, who filed a lawsuit against the city earlier this year in an unsuccessful attempt to get her name on the Oct. 3 mayoral ballot.

Padilla said after the hearing that she brought the complaint against Benavidez because my whole campaign has been about fraud, waste, abuse and corruption in New Mexico.

Molly Schmidt-Nowara, Benavidezs attorney, said she and Benavidez welcome the investigation, which she predicted will show that Benavidez did nothing improper to obtain public campaign funds.

We know that Javier has never directed anyone to do anything improper, or do anything in violation of the campaign finance laws, Schmidt-Nowara said after the hearing.

This complaint was brought to harass Mr. Benavidez and suppress the vote for Javier Benavidez, she told board members during the hearing.

Benavidez contends he was unfairly targeted because he is a self-described progressive champion affiliated with social advocacy groups, including the Southwest Organizing Project, or SWOP.

Rogers, who served as a Republican National Committeeman from 2008 to 2016, has denied that he targeted Benavidez because of his political views and seeks only legal use of public funding.

Benavidez is one of six City Council candidates who qualified in May for public campaign financing. To qualify, candidates must collect $5 donations from 1 percent of the registered voters in their districts.

A candidate in District 1 in far northwest Albuquerque, Benavidez had to collect $5 donations from at least 381 voters. He collected a total of 455 donations, of which 399 were accepted as valid by the City Clerks Office, qualifying him to receive $38,131 in public funds.

The complaint alleges that Benavidez and other campaign workers did not require some voters to donate $5 as required. Rogers provided the board with affidavits that he says show that some voters were not required to pay the donation.

Rogers told board members Monday that an investigation will show that Benavidez committed fraud, and he asked the board to strike Benavidezs name from the Oct. 3 ballot and require him to repay the public funding.
SANTA FE  The sister of a Santa Fe man who was shot and killed by Santa Fe Police earlier this month has filed a petition to be his personal representative in a potential wrongful death lawsuit.

Anthony Benavidez, 24, died July 19 after officers Jeremy Bisagna and Luke Wakefield fired a combined 17 shots  all but one from Bisagna  into Benavidezs apartment at the Tuscany at St. Francis complex near Siringo Road and St. Francis Drive. Benavidez was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Benavidez had broken into an apartment hed been evicted from and during a standoff with police threw two items described as homemade explosives at police. They didnt blow up.

Bisagna fired 16 shots from his handgun about 13 seconds after Sgt. Nick Wood broke out an apartment window and officers started shouting commands for Benavidez to come out with his hands up.

Although the shooting is shown on lapel camera video from other officers, Bisagnas lapel camera  which possibly could have shown a perspective of Benavidez inside the apartment  had been turned off minutes before. SFPD Chief Patrick Gallagher said the department will investigate why Bisagnas camera didnt capture the shooting.

Roseanne Lopez, Benavidezs sister, filed a petition Friday in Santa Fe District Court through the Kennedy Kennedy & Ives law firm in Albuquerque to be personal representative for Benavidezs estate to pursue a wrongful death claim. Attorney Shannon Kennedy said her firm is also going to look into why Bisagnas lapel camera wasnt on and will investigate what kind of treatment Benavidez  who had been receiving services from social workers  got at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center the day before his death.

She said it could take months before an actual wrongful death complaint is filed and that there are no specific defendants right now. Were just doing our due diligence, Kennedy said.

Benavidez had evicted from his apartment by Santa Fe County deputies the day before the shooting and was taken to the hospital for an evaluation. He was released and later broke into the apartment through a window.

I have many questions about the decedents mental health and the services he received, Kennedy said. He should have been released to a facility. Clearly he was in a mental health crisis.

Benavidez stabbed a social worker from the Santa Fe Community Guidance Center, who was there to help get him out of the apartment, the morning he was killed. The worker was treated and later released from the hospital. Benavidez then barricaded himself in the apartment and ignored police commands to come outside.

SWAT officers moved in to arrest Benavidez after he had thrown two handmade explosives, one that was described as a cylinder on fire or a mixture of fireworks and a propane container and another that was described as a bottle of ammonia.
Editors note: Los Alamos National Laboratorys recent mistakes in shipping plutonium were among dozens of incidents involving mislabeled or wrongly shipped materials associated with the nuclear weapons program.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  Plutonium capable of being used in a nuclear weapon, conventional explosives, and highly toxic chemicals have been improperly packaged or shipped by nuclear weapons contractors at least 25 times in the past five years, according to government documents.

While the materials were not ultimately lost, the documents reveal repeated instances in which hazardous substances vital to making nuclear bombs and their components were mislabeled before shipment. That means those transporting and receiving them were not warned of the safety risks and did not take required precautions to protect themselves or the public, the reports say.

The risks were discovered after regulators conducted inspections during transit, when the packages were opened at their destinations, during scientific analysis after the items were removed from packaging, or  in the worst cases  after releases of radioactive contaminants by unwary recipients, the Center for Public Integritys investigation showed.

Only a few, slight penalties appear to have been imposed for these mistakes.

In the most recent such instance, Los Alamos National Laboratory  a privately run, government-owned nuclear weapons lab in New Mexico  admitted five weeks ago that in June it had improperly shipped unstable, radioactive plutonium in three containers to two other government-owned labs via FedEx cargo planes, instead of complying with federal regulations that required using trucks to limit the risk of an accident.

Before shipping the plutonium, Los Alamos failed to properly complete a checklist of dangerous goods that FedEx requires customers to fill out, according to the Energy Department. It used air transport on the grounds that one of the other labs  located in Livermore, California  needed the plutonium urgently, according to the initial explanation that Los Alamos filed with the government on June 23.

But that claim of urgency was false, the recipient told the Center for Public Integrity. There was no urgency in receiving this shipment  this notion is incorrect, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory spokeswoman Lynda Seaver said in an email message on July 13.

The incident  which came to light after a series of revelations by the Center for Public Integrity about other safety lapses at Los Alamos  drew swift condemnation by officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration in Washington, D.C., which oversees U.S. nuclear weapons work. It also provoked the Energy Department on June 23 to order a halt to all shipments out of Los Alamos, the largest of the nuclear weapons labs and a linchpin in the complex of privately-run facilities that sustains Americas nuclear arsenal. Shipments of non-hazardous, non-radioactive materials out of Los Alamos resumed July 14, according to NNSA spokesman Gregory Wolf.

The lab  which is operated and managed by an industrial consortium that includes Bechtel, BWXT Government Group, Inc., AECOM (since its 2014 acquisition of URS) and the University of California  has since been allowed to ship things out only after specially scrutinizing every item, said Los Alamos spokesman Matthew Nerzig.

All of those involved from the individual contributor level up the management chain have been held accountable through actions that include terminations, suspensions, and compensation consequences, Nerzig added, without offering details. No radioactive contamination occurred in the June plutonium air shipments, which went to Livermore and Savannah River in South Carolina.

But the documents show that Los Alamos, in particular, has been a repeat offender in mislabeling its shipments of hazardous materials: In a previously undisclosed 2012 case, for example, it sent unlabeled plutonium  a highly carcinogenic, unstable metal  to a University of New Mexico laboratory where graduate students sometimes work, according to internal government reports. The plutonium accidentally was opened there, leading to a contamination of the lab that required cleaning by the university and disposal of the debris by Los Alamos.

Los Alamos told the government it was not primarily at fault in that episode because the shipment had originated elsewhere and been mislabeled before it reached Los Alamos. But it acknowledged that its personnel should have checked the package more closely before sending it onward.

In total, 11 of the 25 known shipping mistakes since July 2012 involved shipments that either originated at Los Alamos or passed through the lab. Thirteen of the 25 incidents involved plutonium, highly-enriched uranium (another nuclear explosive), or other radioactive materials. Some of the mislabeled shipments went to toxic waste dumps and breached regulatory limits on what the dumps were allowed to accept, according to the reports.

In many instances, there were no consequences for the associated private nuclear weapons contractors. One possible explanation is that responsibility for policing such hazardous shipments is fractured within the federal Transportation Department, with ground movements of nuclear weapons materials under the purview of the departments Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and air shipments policed by its Federal Aviation Administration.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which arguably has more experience with the handling and transport of radioactive materials than any other government entity, has no jurisdiction over nuclear weapons-related work by the NNSA or its contractors. Instead, the Energy Department (of which the NNSA is a semi-autonomous part) regulates all the sites on its own, as well as the contractors that manage them.

Patricia Klinger, a spokeswoman for DOT hazardous materials regulators, said in a telephone interview that ensuring that all shipments are accurately labelled is vital to emergency personnel, whose safety and ability to protect the public in the event of an accident rely on correct knowledge of whatever theyre trying to clean up or contain. But she did not respond to questions about why the department only rarely appears to have imposed fines.

Internal NNSA records indicate that in the 25 incidents since July 2012, contractors drew just three fines, for example. DOT fined the Energy Departments Savannah River site $17,650 in 2016 for incomplete hazardous material descriptions and insufficient security training of personnel. The New Mexico Environment Department imposed an $80,100 fine against Los Alamos last year for an array of hazardous waste violations, including several shipments with unlabeled containers of hazardous waste and incomplete waste descriptions. Utah environmental regulators also fined Los Alamos $1,500 in 2015, when bolts holding hazardous waste containers shut came loose during a shipment to a dump in that state.

But in more than 20 instances, the contractors were not directly fined by regulators in enforcement actions stemming from the shipping errors, according to government reports.

Los Alamos tells Washington another labs pressure caused its mistake

In the most recent shipping snafus by Los Alamos, the Federal Aviation Administration and FedEx are still conducting investigations, according to FAA spokeswoman Lynn Lunsford and FedEx spokeswoman Jennifer Caccavo. But Lunsford said the remedy will likely be administrative since government agencies dont assess civil penalties against one another.

Ensuring the compliance of all packages in the FedEx network is a top priority, and we are working closely with the customer to determine what happened with these shipments, Caccavo said.

Los Alamoss June 23 report to the NNSA blamed one of the mistaken shipments on pressure from Livermore to provide the fissile material quickly. Normally, a shipment of plutonium would take shape over the course of three months and be delivered by ground, Los Alamoss report said, however, LLNL [Livermore] advised they needed this delivered within three days.

But Livermore spokeswoman Seaver disputed Los Alamoss excuse for making the mistake. Seaver said, We have a single point of contact here who worked with LANL [Los Alamos] regarding this shipment and at no time was any urgency expressed.

Asked about the discrepancy, Los Alamos spokesman Nerzig said in an email that after a thorough internal investigation of the event, we found no evidence of time pressure to make the shipment. But he did not provide any other explanation for the mistaken shipment or explain why Los Alamos had initially told the government that it was only responding to Livermores urgent demands.

Referring to the incident, Nerzig emailed that the Laboratory has acknowledged this as a mistake, taken an initial set of actions to address the situation, and plans on taking additional measures to dramatically reduce the possibility of something like this from happening again.

NNSA spokesman Wolf said the agency is looking closely at the accuracy of initial reporting by Los Alamos. He said a shipping facility employee had failed to follow established procedures that would have prevented the improper shipments, and that a thorough review by the lab of what it was about to send out was bypassed. In addition, checklists that FedEx requires customers to complete for dangerous goods were not filled out properly, he said.

NNSA has uncompromising standards for our laboratories, plants, and sites to perform work in a safe and secure manner that protects our employees, our facilities and the public  and that includes shipping operations, Wolf said. We look closely at any errors in shipping to identify and correct deficiencies and make appropriate notifications to Congress, government agencies and the public when errors do occur.

Nerzig also declined to comment about the July 2012 incident in which Los Alamos supplied unlabeled plutonium to the University of New Mexicos nuclear engineering program, normally a direct academic pipeline to careers at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories (which also works on nuclear weapons) in Albuquerque.

According to records obtained under the states Inspection of Public Records Act, the university had expected to receive dummy metal sheets without radioactivity that faculty used to test radiation detectors Los Alamos had commissioned the university to develop. Although students have access to the room, none were present during the contamination, Dianne Anderson, a university spokeswoman, said. The samples originated at Oregon State University and were not tested at Los Alamos before being shipped to the University of New Mexico, according to an internal government report that Los Alamos contractors submitted to the Department of Energy.

Oregon State University vice president Steve Clark said in an email that while his school is paid by Los Alamos to produce both radioactive and nonradioactive samples, it is not able to determine conclusively whether it was responsible for failure to note radioactive material in the package labeling.

When one of the samples crimped during handling, it released radioactive particles that contaminated the room that housed the detector, but no one was harmed, according to the Los Alamos report to the Energy Department. The lab was cleaned within a few days, but disposal and retrieval of the debris oddly took more than a year, according to University of New Mexico emails obtained by the Center.

Cathy Anderko, the universitys chief radiation safety officer at the time, told officials at Los Alamos in an Aug. 2013 email  13 months after the incident  wow  you really work fast. She was being sarcastic, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. When the waste was shipped out a few weeks later, Anderko told members of the campus safety staff in an email that the disposal was very difficult due to the high radio-toxicity of the radionuclide.

Asked in July about the gravity of the incident, UNM spokeswoman Anderson gave a different appraisal, however: This low-level activity was easily removed, she said.

The New Mexico Environment Department acts as the NRCs surrogate in that state and licenses the University of New Mexico to possess radioactive materials for medical purposes and other uses. But it imposed no fine in this case due to the small quantity of plutonium involved, according to New Mexico Environment Department spokeswoman Allison Majure.

Contractors shipment record fails to improve

Ken Niles, an assistant director for nuclear safety in Oregons Department of Energy, said mislabeling of such shipments greatly complicates the task of first-responders in the event of accidents or spills. When caustic and radioactive items arent noted in the descriptions, he said, That is a huge, huge error and mistake. There need to be some consequences for doing that, because they would be putting people at risk.

In the past three months alone, however, nuclear weapons contractors have made at least three shipping errors besides the errant FedEx plutonium shipments, according to Energy Department records.

In June, the Pantex plant in Amarillo, Texas, accidentally shipped an unsafe quantity of high explosives to an unspecified off-site laboratory, according to an internal Energy Department report dated June 27. In May, the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee shipped unlabeled radioactive materials to an unspecified destination, a DOE report said. And in May, Los Alamos sent inaccurately labelled highly acidic waste to a Colorado chemical disposal site, according to New Mexico Environment Department records. In Aug. 2014, Los Alamos was temporarily forbidden from shipping waste to the same Colorado dump after the lab sent two shipments with paperwork that didnt note the highly corrosive and acidic makeup of the waste.

In its appraisal of Los Alamoss performance for 2016, the NNSA singled out the accuracy of shipping descriptions as a weakness. In two instances the Laboratory shipped weapon related product that did not meet labeling and marking quality requirements associated with shipping documentation, the performance evaluation report said.

The previous December, shipping personnel at Savannah River sent a container of tritium gas  which is used to boost the potency of a nuclear detonation  to the wrong place. It was supposed to be shipped to Lawrence Livermore, but instead was delivered to Sandia. In an email message last week, Angeline French, a spokeswoman for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, the contractors that operate the Savannah River site, said the company maintains very high standards in the execution of the hundreds of hazardous materials shipments it conducts each year. And in Sept. 2014, the contractors that operate the Nevada National Security Site sent unlabeled radioactive material to their own satellite office at Livermore, which lacked a radiation control expert trained to reckon with such a surprise, according to an internal Energy Department report.

The Nevada contractors claim they properly labeled the package, but the shipping company they hired repackaged it, the contractors spokeswoman Tracy Bower, said in an email message. Spokesmen for Los Alamos, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Pantex Plant and Idaho National Laboratory declined to comment about specific shipping errors identified in internal Energy Department reports. A similar shipping and labelling error preceded the notorious radiation leak at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico on Valentines Day in 2014, which exposed 21 workers to low levels of radiation and shut down the nations only repository for radioactive nuclear weapon waste for years. It resulted from the explosion of a drum of waste from Los Alamos that was improperly packaged and inaccurately described in the paperwork that accompanied it.

For the mistakes at Los Alamos and WIPP that led to the radioactive release, the New Mexico Environment Department imposed an unprecedented $73.25 million in fines, but the Energy Department  not Los Alamos  wound up paying it.

The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit investigative news organization. CPI was the winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting.
MEXICO CITY  A journalist celebrating his 29th birthday was shot dead early Monday at a bar in the Mexican resort city of Rosarito.

Luciano Rivera Salgado, who covered crime for a Baja California television channel and published a news website called El Dictamen, is at least the eighth journalist to be killed this year in a country that ranks among the most dangerous for members of the media.

The motive behind the killing  including whether Rivera Salgado was killed because of his journalistic work  was still unclear.

A police official told Zeta newspaper that Rivera Salgado was shot in the head at 1:40 a.m. at La Antigua Bar, an upscale drinking establishment a few blocks from the ocean. Security camera footage from outside the bar shows several men racing out shortly after the shooting.

The official who spoke to Zeta said authorities would investigate the motive but that it appeared Rivera Salgado may have been killed because of a dispute between the reporter and his aggressors at the bar. A reporter in Baja California said camera footage from inside the bar suggested Rivera Salgado may have angered other patrons when he defended a group of women whom he believed were being harassed.

Determining exactly why a journalist was killed can be difficult in Mexico, where reporters are frequently targeted because of the stories they publish, but where more general violence is also becoming increasingly widespread.

Mario Rivera, the director of CNR TV, where Rivera Salgado worked for nearly 10 years, said it was essential that authorities look closely at whether Rivera Salgados work played a role in his killing.

He often criticized the security situation here, the director said of Rivera Salgado. We as a station have been very tough critics.

We are looking at all of the lines of investigation, he said, adding that the station is checking to see whether Rivera Salgado had recently received any threats.

Of the seven other journalists killed in Mexico this year, at least four were slain in direct retaliation for their work, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which has named Mexico the most dangerous country in the Western Hemisphere for journalists. Only Iraq has seen more journalists killed.

The recent killings include the midday slaying in May of investigative reporter Javier Valdez as well as the March shooting of journalist Miroslava Breach, who had investigated links between organized crime and political candidates in the state of Chihuahua.

Their deaths have prompted an international campaign aimed at Mexicos top leaders, with news outlets from around the world calling on President Enrique Pena Nieto to do more to investigate the killings. Like most slayings in Mexico, those targeting media workers are rarely solved.

One of the most recent stories published on Rivera Salgados El Dictamen website marked the anniversary of the unsolved killing two years ago of Mexican photographer Ruben Espinosa.

Violence targeting journalists is part of a larger crime wave sweeping the country, which is on track to record more killings this year than at any point in the last two decades. Baja California, which has been the site of a turf battle between warring drug cartels, has been especially hard hit.

Government statistics show that 185 people were killed in the state in May, which equates to an annual rate of 67 deaths per 100,000 people  or roughly 11 times that of Los Angeles in recent years.
A cancer diagnosis brings changes that go beyond coping with the stress of doctors appointments and treatment regimes, but many patients dont know where to turn for help.

When former business consultant Lena Karunamaya learned her ovarian cancer had returned and metastasized, her oncologist advised her not to work during treatment. She feared she might not have enough savings to last. Friends and family advised her to apply for Social Security Disability Benefits. But how and where to begin? she wondered.

A nonprofit that helps women cancer patients referred her to Cancer Services of New Mexico whose Legal, Insurance, and Paperwork Assistance (LIPA) program helps patients navigate through the myriad nonmedical issues they encounter after their diagnosis and during treatment.

Launched 11 years ago, the program has three part-time employees that provide services to about 1,500 clients annually. Clients are referred by cancer centers, or contact LIPA directly by phone or email. The program is funded by grants from corporations and various foundations. All the services are free.

Were available to any New Mexican coping with cancer, or their family, or for the family after the patients death, said Blaire Larson, co-founder of Cancer Services of New Mexico.

Program Manager Stephanie Michnovicz and her colleagues work individually with clients to assist with their specific needs.

Karunamaya said she was impressed by the extent of Michnovicz experience.

She is incredibly knowledgeable about cancer treatments, medical issues people face, life issues, said Karunamaya.

Michnovicz said she prefers in-person appointments but she works with clients from all over the state and can help them by phone or email.

Problems she frequently handles include helping patients apply for Social Security Disability or Medicaid benefits, medical billing problems, legal issues and financial issues such as wills or completing Power of Attorney documents. Michnovicz has developed worksheets to help clients assemble documents they need to apply for benefit programs. She can also draw on the expertise of an extensive network of health care, legal, financial planning and medical billing professionals.

Karunamaya said Michnovicz helped her with the benefit application process and pointed out an additional benefit she was eligible for because of the seriousness of her cancer.

I was so grateful to find out about it,Karunamaya said.

She believes the information she received from the LIPA program helped expedite her application. She said its normal for applicants to wait up to six months. She received her benefits in less than one month.

Karunamaya also attended a Cancer Services of New Mexico Retreat. The educational retreats, held in the spring and fall at the Marriott Pyramid hotel in Albuquerque, aim to help cancer patients and their families to cope with the medical and social challenges associated with the diagnosis.

Cancer Services of New Mexicos Legal, Insurance, and Paperwork Assistance (LIPA) Program

Phone: 505-999-9764, or 888-668-2766 (toll free)

Web: www.NMCancerHelp.org

Cancer Services of New Mexico Family Cancer Retreat

When: Sept. 8-10

Where: Marriott Pyramid hotel, Albuquerque

For information or to register call: 505-239-4239
(Sgt.) Buck Eversole has no hatred for Germans. He kills because hes trying to keep alive himself. The years roll over him and the war becomes his only world, and battle his only profession. He armors himself with a philosophy of acceptance of what may happen.

Im mighty sick of it all, he says very quietly, but there aint no use to complain. I just figured it this way, that Ive been given a job to do and Ive got to do it. And if I dont live through it, theres nothing I can do about it.

 Ernie Pyle column written from Italy, Feb. 21, 1944

World War IIs best-known American newspaper correspondent, who had settled in Albuquerque just prior to his death at the hands of a Japanese machine gunner in April 1945, will be honored here Thursday during Ernie Pyle Day at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana SE.

Pyle, an Indiana native, wrote in a conversational, down-home style about the soldiers, places and events of war for the Scripps Howard newspaper chain. He was on the front lines in the North Africa campaign, the invasion of Sicily, the D-Day landings at Normandy and the invasion of Okinawa. He reached millions of readers who came to regard him as friend, confidant and teller of truth, and his columns  which Pyle believed never adequately conveyed the horror of war to his readers  won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1944.

Thursday would have been Pyles 117th birthday. Gerald Maschino, a member of the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation, says, Our mission is simple: Ensure the legacy of Ernie Pyle. The foundation was launched in 2013 in an effort to ensure Pyle is remembered for generations to come, in part by gaining nationwide support for a National Ernie Pyle Day.

Thursdays free events begin at 9:30 a.m. and will include music by the American Legion Band, a JROTC color guard from Ernie Pyle Middle School, a reading of the National Ernie Pyle Day proclamations signed by Mayor Richard Berry and Gov. Susana Martinez, and the presentation of Ernie Pyle, A One Man Show by Baldwin G. Burr, a Los Lunas author, educator and consulting historian at the Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts who, incidentally, resembles Pyle.

The keynote address will be given by Joseph Galloway, a Vietnam War correspondent, columnist and co-author of the bestselling 1992 book We Were Soldiers Once  And Young, which led to the 2002 movie We Were Soldiers, which starred Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear and Sam Elliott. A free hot-dog lunch with all the trimmings will follow.

Some of Pyles closest living relatives, including Mona Benson of Santa Fe and Wynne Maschino of Lincoln, Calif., are scheduled to attend.

Before heading to the Pacific, Pyle and his wife, Jerry, settled in Albuquerque, buying a modest home at 900 Girard SE. The house later became Albuquerques first public branch library and remains so today. Displays in and around the Ernie Pyle Library tell much of his story, and its well worth a visit. Ernie Pyle Middle School in the South Valley also honors our citys most famous newspaper correspondent, who once made the cover of Time magazine. The University of New Mexico has a scholarship named for the famed journalist.

Pyle was killed by a Japanese machine gunner on April 18, 1945, on the Pacific island of Iejima, then known as Ie Shima. He was accompanying units with the 77th Infantry Division during the battle for the Japanese island of Okinawa. The nation mourned his loss like no other casualty of the great war. In 1983, Pyle was awarded a Purple Heart  a rare honor for a civilian  by the 77th Army Reserve Command. He is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

For more information about the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation, go to www.erniepylefoundation.org.

If you go

WHAT: National Ernie Pyle Day celebration

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 3

WHERE: N.M. Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana SE

COST: Free, includes free hot-dog lunch

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.
Newly installed New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Kenneth Nava was once again honored Monday morning as Gov. Susana Martinez promoted him from brigadier general to major general.

Its our responsibility as leaders to set an example that reflects the highest standards, Martinez said. Today, Im pleased to have the opportunity to recognize an officer who does exactly that, day in and day out.

Hundreds of National Guardsmen and Airmen, state officials, and family and friends packed into the Albuquerque Journal Theatre at the National Hispanic Cultural Center for the promotion ceremony.

Nava was installed as the National Guard adjutant general on July 8.

He is absolutely the right officer for the job, National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Jerry Garcia said. Hes a great man and a great officer. As the states top military officer, Nava oversees more than 4,000 soldiers and airmen and serves as the governors senior military adviser.

Nava said he wont be spending much time in Santa Fe, however.

He said he plans to travel throughout the state, ensuring National Guard operations are running properly.

I look forward to applying the leverage that comes with this rank to help the New Mexico National Guard reach its fullest potential, Nava said.  I promise you were going to make the New Mexico National Guard the best its ever been.

Nava has been with the New Mexico National Guard since 1988, when he began his career as a private.

Starting Thursday, Nava will lead the states National Guard in a massive, weeklong training exercise in northern New Mexico that will simulate a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Gov. Susana Martinez, who decided in 2013 to accept federal funding to expand New Mexicos Medicaid rolls, continues to take a cautious approach to the roiling federal health care debate that could have a big impact on the state.

While some other Republican governors who accepted Medicaid expansion  like Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Ohio Gov. John Kasich  have been outspoken critics of the GOP-led push to repeal Obamacare, Martinez has largely avoided the fray.

When asked Friday about her position on the latest Republican health care overhaul proposal to stall in the U.S. Senate, the states two-term governor issued a statement calling on Congress to keep working on legislation to eliminate taxes and fees established by Obamacare, which she described as a complete disaster thats led to increased health care premiums.

Lawmakers need to find a solution that abolishes the damaging fees imposed on working families and businesses by Obamacare and removes several taxes that hurt New Mexicans, like taxes on medicine and medical devices, said Martinez spokesman Joseph Cueto. Theres clearly much more work to be done.

She did not address a key part of the legislation that would lead to an estimated $235 billion less being spent by the federal government on Medicaid over the next decade due to the repeal of an individual mandate in the health care law.

In May, Martinez said it would be irresponsible to express an opinion on House-approved legislation that she said was likely to change, adding said her administration was monitoring the situation.

And Martinez did not sign a letter from a group of 10 bipartisan governors  five Democrats and five Republicans  sent last week that urged the U.S. Senate to reject a federal health care overhaul proposal.

The stakes are certainly high for New Mexico.

More than 898,000 New Mexico low-income adults, children and disabled individuals were covered under Medicaid as of June, according to the Human Services Department. Thats up from 560,000 individuals in January 2013, when Martinez made the announcement she would accept additional federal funding to expand Medicaid eligibility  a key Obamacare provision.

With more than 40 percent of the states population currently covered by Medicaid, any loss of federal dollars  the federal government currently pays 95 percent of the cost of those receiving benefits under Medicaid expansion  could hit New Mexico hard.

Longtime New Mexico political observer Brian Sanderoff described the fate of Obamacare, officially called the Affordable Care Act, as a political hot potato in states like New Mexico.

We have a governor whos sticking to the political message that Obamacare is a disaster, but being cautious because more than a quarter-million New Mexicans have received health insurance under the laws Medicaid expansion program, said Sanderoff, who is also the president of Research & Polling Inc.

While President Donald Trump and other critics have claimed the existing health care law has led to increased premiums and skyrocketing costs for individuals with private insurance, Democrats have said repealing the law would remove a safety net for millions of vulnerable Americans who got coverage under Obamcare and increase the rates of the uninsured.

Democratic members of the states congressional delegation have pushed Martinez to take a stand on the Republican health care proposals, and sent the governor a letter in March expressing their concern about the legislation eliminating key parts of Obamacare.

The states delegation  with the exception of U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican  has over the last several months consistently opposed GOP-led efforts to repeal or reshape the landmark health care law.

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, the states senior senator, said New Mexico would be among the hardest hit states if Medicaid funding were to be cut.

Governor Martinez hasnt lost her opportunity to weigh in on this extraordinarily important public policy debate about health care and the economy, Udall told the Journal on Monday. The input of governors in similar states, like Nevada and Colorado, has been extremely influential and helped bring some common sense to the debate.

A Martinez spokesman said Monday the governor has spoken at length with Trump administration officials and several congressional leaders on health care issues, but did not provide specific details.

The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, has subsidized private health insurance available in all 50 states, and an optional Medicaid expansion has been accepted by 31 states, including New Mexico, and the District of Columbia. The two components cover more than 20 million people.

After several recent bills were stymied in the Senate, the White House is insisting senators try again to pass health care legislation. Multiple efforts are underway in Congress to try to find new ways to reshape parts of Obamas health law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  State Sen. Mimi Stewart had some harsh words for New Mexicos ability to teach its poorest students when she spoke at a national conference last month about the challenges facing students and teachers.

We dont know how to teach kids from poverty, Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat and the chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, said during a panel discussion. They come with no skills  well, they have street-fighting skills. Theyve got a lot of skills; theyre just not academic skills.

The conference was aimed at how states were complying with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which was then-President Barack Obamas replacement for No Child Left Behind. New Mexico has received high marks from independent experts about the implementation of its plan for being much further along than most states.

But while the other panelists, who represented Louisiana and Kansas, touted their states efforts, Stewart portrayed much of New Mexicos work in a negative light and criticized the state Public Education Departments process for creating its plan.

One of her criticisms was that New Mexico set high standards but has failed to provide enough funding to reach them.

Her comments drew a pointed rebuke Monday from Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, who described Stewart as a liberal elitist.

I believe all children can learn and unfortunately many liberals believe some children are destined to fail, Martinez said in a written statement. It speaks to the mentality that says we should keep passing children from one grade to the next when they cant read.

Martinez and Stewart have been at odds for years over education policy in New Mexico. The governor, for instance, has pushed to hold back third-graders who cant read proficiently  a measure repeatedly rejected by Democrats in the Legislature.

Stewart accused the governor on Monday of trying to discredit her by taking her comments out of context. She said she never suggested impoverished students cant learn, only that teachers need more help learning how to reach them.

Its important for us to be honest about what teachers are being asked to do in a classroom, Stewart said in an interview Monday, and its important that we understand teachers arent given the resources they need to teach everyone they need to in their classroom.

Stewarts initial comments came during a panel discussion in mid-July  part of a national conference in New Orleans sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education, a group that focuses on at-risk high school students.

At one point, the panel moderator asked Stewart about New Mexicos efforts to close the achievement gap and prepare every student for a meaningful career. The moderator said she admired New Mexicos plan.

Stewart responded by saying that New Mexico sets ambitious goals but doesnt do enough to help teachers and public schools reach those lofty goals. New Mexico does well at some things  such as teaching students just learning English  and not so well at others, such as teaching students coming out of poverty, she said.

Then she made her comment about street-fighting skills.

We have a lot of things were struggling with, Stewart told the audience.

The Governors Office alerted the Journal to the video, which was posted on the Facebook page of the Alliance for Excellent Education. Martinez later issued a written statement about Stewarts comments.

Its sad, but sums up the difference between my approach and the thinking of liberal elitists like Stewart, the governor said.  Again, I believe all children can learn and thats why I support helping struggling students reach high standards, rather than embracing the ideology that lowers expectations and accepts failure.

The state has said it provides sufficient funding for education but that not all districts make the best use of it by failing to embrace data-driven programs.

Stewart said shes dedicated much of her life to helping students. As an elementary school teacher, she focused on special education and helped students learn to read, she said.

And as a legislator, Stewart said, she believes the state needs more resources in early grade classrooms to help students from impoverished backgrounds. Many of these students arrive at school with street smarts  good at handling bullies  but without ever having been read to in English or able to identify letters and numbers, Stewart said.

They can learn just as well as anyone else, Stewart said. They need teachers who know how to teach them.

Its unfair, she said, for the governor to single out her comments from the conference.

Im really tired of being attacked by people who dont understand education, Stewart said.
WACO, Texas  Authorities in Waco say one person is dead and a police officer critically injured when an SUV struck and then pinned the policeman, requiring other officers to lift the vehicle to free him.

Waco police said in a statement that tactical officers were attempting to stop a suspect Tuesday in an effort to serve a search warrant when the suspect fled in the SUV.

Authorities say the driver intentionally struck the officer before being shot multiple times by members of the tactical team.

Both the officer and the suspect were taken to a hospital where the suspect died. The officer was listed in critical but stable condition following surgery.

A drug enforcement unit was involved in the shooting but it wasnt clear why the person in the SUV was being sought.
INDIANAPOLIS  A man charged Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a police officer in Indianapolis was dangling upside down in his overturned car following a crash when he suddenly became agitated as the officer tried to help him and opened fire, striking the officer 11 times, according to court documents.

Jason D. Brown, 28, was charged Tuesday with one felony count of murder in the July 27 slaying of Southport police Lt. Aaron Allan. He also faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. Authorities havent disclosed a possible motive in the killing.

But a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges states that other officers and witnesses said Allan approached the overturned car, stuck his head inside and told Brown to be calm and that help was on the way. The Indianapolis man became hysterical, it states, before allegedly grabbing a handgun and opening fire, shooting Allan 11 times, including in the heart.

A man who was a passenger in Browns car told officers he and Brown had just left a gas station when Brown inexplicably began driving at a high rate of speed, the affidavit states. Brown then began maneuvering around cars when his vehicle drove over a median, struck a curb and overturned in the yard in front of a home, with Brown hanging upside down inside, secured by his seatbelt.

The passenger was outside the overturned car, sitting on the grass, when the shooting occurred.

A nurse who stopped to help told officers that she told Brown not to move because he could further injure himself. She said that Brown became very agitated and belligerent and began cussing shortly before she heard several gunshots ring out.

Officers later found 13 baggies of suspected marijuana inside Browns car, according to the affidavit.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry said in a statement Tuesday that Allans death was a tragic loss for the community.

Allan, a 38-year-old father of two, was a six-year veteran of the police department in Southport, an enclave on Indianapolis south side and he had nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

Brown was hospitalized after two other officers opened fire on him following Allans shooting. He suffered gunshot wounds to his face, left arm and right clavicle and remains hospitalized. Hes scheduled for a Thursday initial court hearing on the charges.

A judge has ordered him held without bond. Court records do not list an attorney for Brown.

Brown doesnt have an Indiana criminal record of violence. His only previous criminal conviction stems from a 2013 misdemeanor marijuana possession arrest in Hendricks County, just west of Indianapolis, for which he was sentenced to 30 days in jail, according to a statewide online courts database.
PEARLAND, Texas  A 40-year-old Houston-area woman has been convicted of intoxication manslaughter for a two-vehicle crash that killed a Pearland police officer last year.

A Brazoria County jury deliberated two hours Tuesday before finding Amber Willemsen, of Friendswood, guilty in the June 2016 death of Officer Endy Ekpanya. Evidence showed Willemsen was driving on the wrong side of a suburban Houston road and that her blood alcohol content was more than twice the Texas legal limit of 0.08 when she collided head-on with his patrol car.

The former assistant principal who worked in a Houston strip club was free on bond on a drug charge at the time. Records show in 2014 she completed two years probation for another drunken driving case. She now faces from five to 99 years in prison.
New Mexicos only level 1 trauma center and academic medical center is going to need a new leader.

University of New Mexico Hospitals CEO Steve McKernan is retiring on Oct. 1 after 37 years with the hospital. A Health Sciences Center spokeswoman could not immediately provide details about how or when UNM would choose McKernans permanent replacement, though the school has selected administrator Michael Chicarelli to serve as interim CEO.

Journal attempts to reach McKernan on Tuesday afternoon were unsuccessful. But UNMs announcement indicated the CEO is eager to spend more time with his wife, his four kids and their families scattered around the United States.

I must say that working with the staff of UNM Hospitals and the faculty and leadership of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences Center has been the job of a lifetime, McKernan said in the written statement. I am very fortunate to have found a professional home and a family at the Health Sciences Center. I look forward to watching the hospital, the Health System and the Health Sciences Center, continue to grow.

And McKernan, who started at UNMH in 1980 as an accountant, is not severing all ties this fall: He plans to stay around as emeritus CEO through the end of the fiscal year, June 30, and continue in a consultant capacity as needed beyond that, according to the announcement issued Tuesday by the UNM Health Sciences Center.

His retirement comes amid the schools latest push to build a new hospital  a facility administrators say is needed to replace outdated and inefficient adult-care units at its existing hospital. A similar effort died about five years ago when the Gov. Susana Martinez-led State Board of Finance  which must OK such construction projects  failed to hold a vote on the proposal.

UNMs latest effort remains in the early stages.

HSC Chancellor Paul Roth in a statement credited McKernan for helping to grow UNM Hospitals to provide the level and specialties of care that are only available in the biggest teaching hospitals in the country.

Tuesdays news caught some people in the health care realm by surprise, including New Mexico Hospital Association President Jeff Dye. He said he was kind of shocked.

I just feel its going to be a tremendous loss to our health care community, Dye said. Others will step up, and we have a lot of experienced people throughout the state running health care institutions, but Steves really been a mainstay and guiding light for many of us that have been involved with him through the years.

Mel Eaves, a former UNM regent who later served on the Health Sciences Center board of directors, said he also was surprised about McKernans decision, but lauded him as a brilliant manager.

And to be brilliant in that job, you not only have to know health care and the operation of hospitals and a lot about the medical profession, but you have to be very, very smart when it comes to finance and accounting  and he had it all, Eaves said.
FOR THE RECORD: This story has been corrected to reflect that Tiffany Boyer died on August 19 or 20, 2015.

An Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder in the death of Tiffany Boyer, who disappeared after claiming she was raped by a man known as Machete Bob.

Stephanie Stepp, 27, is one of four arrested in Boyers death and under the terms of her plea agreement, she will be sentenced to 24 years in prison. She also agreed to offer truthful statements about the events surrounding Boyers death.

Detectives said they were told that Boyer was angry at Robert Machete Bob McGuire and told another person that McGuire raped her. Soon after, McGuire went missing. According to police, he was later found dead in a shallow grave in Valencia County, and might have been killed with a crossbow.

Police said that McGuires friends killed Boyer when they learned that her allegations might have led to his disappearance. Her body was found in November 2015 in Torrance County.

According to police, Stepp and three others took Boyer and her boyfriend to a home in Northeast Albuquerque on August 19 or 20, 2015, where they covered the floor with plastic before beating her to death with a hammer. Stepp, police said, attempted to strangle the woman but it didnt work. Boyers boyfriend was bound and gagged and locked in a closet during the beating.

In addition to second-degree murder, Stepp pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and kidnapping. She will be sentenced after her co-defendants cases are resolved.
NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Last week, at the 7th annual Saving Lives at Birth DevelopmentXChange, Gradian Health Systems was awarded a "transition to scale" grant for a project to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Zambia. The two-year project  valued at nearly $1 million  will strengthen emergency care during childbirth by equipping more than 30 Zambian hospitals with Gradian's Universal Anaesthesia Machine (UAM) and offering specialized training courses for anesthesia providers and biomedical technicians.

Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development is a partnership led by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and governments of Canada, Korea, Norway and the United Kingdom. Offering seed, validation and scaling grants for innovative solutions to lower maternal and newborn mortality, Saving Lives at Birth selected 15 innovations at last Thursday's ceremony from more than 550 initial proposals.

Gradian's project  a partnership that includes the Society of Anaesthesiologists of Zambia (SAZ), Tropical Health & Education Trust (THET), Sonergy Diagnostics, the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) and the Nick Simons Foundation  was awarded a grant to scale up the UAM  the world's only internationally-certified anesthesia machine designed to work without electricity and medical oxygen.

"We're absolutely honored to have this opportunity," said Stephen Rudy, Gradian's Chief Executive Officer. "We have the chance to demonstrate the central role of anesthesia in emergency obstetric care and surgical care more broadly  paving the way for our Zambian colleagues to take the project forward and deliver an early win for the country's new surgical policy."

The Zambian Ministry of Health recently launched the world's first National Surgical, Obstetric and Anaesthesia Strategic Plan to help overcome high maternal and newborn mortality rates and limited access to surgical care, such as C-sections. Gradian's Saving Lives at Birth project seeks to overcome this challenge by equipping 33 hospitals in four provinces with the UAM, providing specialized clinical courses on obstetric and pediatric anesthesia and offering a technical workshop on devices required for safe surgical and obstetric care.

"Improving Zambia's capacity to deliver safe anesthesia care could have a significant impact on reducing maternal and newborn mortality," said Dr. Abel Mwale, anesthesiologist and acting president of SAZ. "As a Society, we're thrilled to have the chance to upgrade the clinical skills of anesthesia providers through this Saving Lives at Birth award!"

The project is set to roll out in 2018 and lay a foundation for national expansion. For more information on this year's Saving Lives at Birth award nominees, see the official announcement.

Media Contact: Adam Lewis, Gradian Health Systems, +1-212-537-0330, alewis@gradianhealth.org

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE Gradian Health Systems
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunshine and beautiful beaches aren't the only things that come free in Fort Lauderdale. The Sun Trolley is offering Florida residents free rides on the Las Olas Link from July 1 to September 30, 2017, with presentation of a valid Florida ID.

"Summertime is fun, the kids are out of school and we want Florida residents to live like tourists and explore all that Fort Lauderdale has to offer via our quaint red and yellow trolleys," said Robyn Chiarelli, Executive Director of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association (TMA), which administers the Sun Trolley.

Fares for the Las Olas Link are normally $1 per ride or $3 for an all-day pass. The Las Olas Link travels east along Las Olas Boulevard from the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, all the way to A1A on Fort Lauderdale Beach, then north to Vistamar Street and back south to Seabreeze Boulevard. Guests can enjoy Las Olas's world-renowned shops and restaurants, and they can transfer easily from the Las Olas Link to the Beach Link at Vistamar Street and at the Gallery at Beach Place.

To catch a ride on the Sun Trolley, wave at the trolley driver from a safe location anywhere along the routes, and the driver will pick you up. The trolleys also have bike stows so that you can Bike 'n' Ride.

"We hope that by promoting free rides, our guests will be more likely to take the trolley in the future to get to their local destination," Chiarelli said. "Roll down the windows and take in the ocean breeze as you kick back, relax and leave the driving to us all summer long!"

To learn more, visit www.suntrolley.com or call 954-TROLLEY. To track the trolleys in real time, download the free Sun Trolley Tracker App on your Apple or Android device. Like what Sun Trolley is doing? Show it at facebook.com/sun-trolley.

ABOUT TMA (Transportation Management Association)

Founded in 1992, the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association (TMA), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, manages the Sun Trolley and the Riverwalk Water Trolley. Approximately 40,000 passengers per month utilize the TMA's eight routes connecting residents, tourists and working professionals from Fort Lauderdale's neighborhoods to Broward County Transit and Tri-Rail as well as destinations such as Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale Beach, the Broward County Courthouse and the Galleria at Fort Lauderdale. TMA services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin. For more information, visit www.suntrolley.com or call 954-TROLLEY.

Conceptual Communications, (954) 732-0754, info@conceptual-communications.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sun-trolley-offers-free-rides-for-florida-residents-this-summer-300497658.html

SOURCE Sun Trolley
Googles Clock app has received an update on the Google Play Store. The changelog is pretty limited, although there is one feature worth noting, as the updated version brings with it support for Android O. Which essentially means that the Android O Clock app is now available through the Google Play Store. Although you will need a compatible device to be able to install/update the app. What is interesting though, is that you do not necessarily have to be running Android O to update the Clock app to the latest version. So for instance, owners of the Google Pixel or the Pixel XL should be able to update their Clock app now, and be running the latest version with Android O support included.

While clock-apps dont often undergo major redesigns, this particular one is seeing a fairly significant visual change, largely due to this update also bringing with it a dark theme. As a result, the entire presentation of the Clock app interface changes with this update. Adopting a much darker look overall, which is largely understood to be in use to aid better nighttime use of the app, compared to the apps previous blue/purple coloring.

As the interface is a lot darker now, this has also resulted in some knock-on changes as well. So for instance, with the main color changing from blue/purple to the now-black/grey, toggle switches and buttons now appear in blue (compared to their previous red coloring). While the font has also been softened a little to correspond with the more optimized use for late-night/early-morning use. Visual changes aside, there does not seem to be much change in the actual functionality of the app, with the general features and app navigation the same as it was before. You can check out the latest updated version through the Google Play Store link below. Or of course, if you have a compatible device, simply update the Google Clock manually from its App info page in settings. If you are already running the Android O developer preview, then this is the same version of the Clock app that is already installed on the preview-running device  as it was introduced along with the third developer preview update.
Samsungs Galaxy Note 8 has just leaked in a Midnight Black color. This appears to be a press render of the device and comes from Evan Blass on Twitter, who is commonly known for leaking pictures of some of the most high-profile devices like Samsungs Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ that launched earlier this year. While this is by no means the very first leak of the Galaxy Note 8 in any capacity at all, it is the most recent leak, and it provides a good look at the front side of the device complete with the Infinity Display, the front-facing camera, and bevy of sensors, though conveniently lacking the front fingerprint sensor. That said its been widely suspected for a while now that the fingerprint sensor would be on the back of the device just like Samsungs two earlier flagships this year, and there have been plenty of leaked images to support this, so this isnt really a surprise.

What is new information is the official name for this particular color of the phone, which is apparently going to be called Midnight Black as mentioned above. This is also only one of a handful of likely color options as Samsung is expected to launch the device in a few different colors altogether.

You cant see the back of the phone as there is only the one image, but you can vaguely see the cutout for the S Pen in one of the bottom corners and you can make out the volume, power, and dedicated Bixby buttons on either side of the phone. Samsung is going to officially announce the Galaxy Note 8 at its next Unpacked for the year, which is due to take place on August 23rd, so the unveiling of the device is only a few weeks away. Other than the Infinity Display, which the exact dimensions of are still unclear, the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to come powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor for the U.S. model while its likely going to sport an Exynos chip for the international markets. Its also rumored to come with a dual camera module on the back, and come with at least 64GB of internal storage space alongside 4GB of RAM.
Android Auto has gotten a new app update, bringing it to version 2.5, and it has now been torn apart to see whats new in the update, as well as hints at what could be coming soon to the app. Google and other companies usually will add in some new features into APKs well before they are announced, by getting the code ready so that it can turned on by a server switch. Which is what appears to be going on here again with the Android Auto app.

According to the tear down done by Android Police, this version of Android Auto is apparently getting ready to tie in with Google Calendar, or whichever calendar you have installed on your smartphone. Apparently, it will tie into Calendar and show relevant cards. For instance, if you have a meeting later today on the other side of town, the cards could show you directions to that meeting, as well as telling you when you need to leave so that you will arrive on time. These are things that Google Now has been doing for years, literally, so its good to see it finally coming to Android Auto. Its a bit surprising that it hadnt already been available on Android Auto.

Otherwise, this update to v2.5 seems to be pretty much a small update for Android Auto. Bringing in the usual bug fixes, performance improvements and such for the app. So theres nothing really new in the app right now. The news here is whats coming to the app in the near future. Android Autos app has really gotten a lot of work in the past year or so. Coming from being essentially just a companion app for Android Auto, to being full-fledged Android Auto, where you can simply mount your smartphone in your car and have Android Auto available at your fingertips, which has arguably really increased adoption of this platform, which isnt surprising. Since not everyone is buying a new car, and not everyone wants to buy a new head unit for their vehicle at this point. The update is available in the Google Play Store right now.
The highest-resolution PC VR headset available.

As a fairly new type of consumer technology, VR is always evolving, and there are plenty of niches a manufacturer can choose when introducing a product into the category. Aukey is out with what it claims to be the industrys first 4K VR headset for the PC. While there are many elements to what makes a VR headset good, resolution is certainly one of the more important ones, as it ultimately creates a clearer picture and helps keep the user focused on content instead of pixel structure. Is this your next VR headset purchase? Lets take a look.

For this review we used a PC running Windows 10, build 1703, with 8GB DDR3 RAM, an Intel Core i5-3570k processor, and a GeForce GTX970 4GB card, along with an SSD drive.

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Video Review

In the Box

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The Aukey Cortex 4K VR Headset retails for $399, and that includes the headset itself and a few extras as well. The headset itself features built in, non-removable USB and HDMI cables, but everything else is detachable. Three straps hold the unit on your head, and two over-the-ear style headphones are included, both of which attach to the headsets straps and include the 3.5mm cables necessary to plug them in. Theres a pair of manuals and not much else inside the box.

Headset

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Visually the headset doesnt distinguish itself too much from the rest of the pack out there. It looks most similar to the Oculus Rift, with flat edges and a flight curve to the front where the display is housed. Along the top youll find volume adjust buttons, as well as a power button, giving easy access to these important features without having to pull up a menu. Two of the three straps connect to the side of the display unit itself, and feature circular swiveling connectors for comfort. The third strap velcros around a plastic connector on top, and all three straps meet together at the back where a separate padded piece sits.

This padded piece adds some extra comfort and support that other headsets with straps dont offer, as its a strong, yet comfortable way of helping secure the straps to the back of the cranium. The biggest difference in the design is the way the included headphones mount onto the unit. Each earpiece is a separate circular can style, and features strap holes near the back to thread the straps through. This means they are inherently tied to your head as the unit is attached, as they become part of the straps. These are over-the-ear can style headphones, which cup the ear and bring about extra support for the unit as a whole, keeping it stabilized when swinging your head around to see something in VR. These headphones connect to the headset via built-in 3.5mm audio cables, and plug into each side of the headset via the same sized 3.5mm ports. Sound quality from these headphones is actually quite good too, delivering great bass response, and a good range of sound thats sure to please most consumers.

Mounted to the face is a plush foam padding, similar to other headsets out there, and feels comfortable on the face. While foam pads are more comfortable than a pleather like material, they tend to trap sweat and heat more, leading to a necessity of buying additional pads if the unit is shared, or for longer play sessions if it really gets sweaty. Many times this extra heat will build up inside the headset itself, fogging up the lenses and forcing the user to wipe them down periodically.

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Aukey states in its specs that it has an auto demist function, which presumably keeps the lenses from fogging, which appears to be done by some simple breathing holes around the perimeter of the unit itself. At the very least the Cortex 4K seemed to fog far less than other headsets Ive used. Theres also a sensor inside that detects whether or not a face has been inserted into the unit, and keeps the screen off if nothing is detected. Theres enough room inside the unit for glasses, although theres no way to expand the space inside to fit more into it. Instead Aukey relies on the IPD adjustment to help with focus, as the lenses have a fixed focal point.

Display and Motion Detection

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Considering the display is part of the name of the product, one would imagine this is a killer panel inside the Aukey Cortex 4K. While it sounds nice on paper, and indeed it is higher resolution than other panels on the market, the display itself is fairly mediocre for VR purposes. First off this is an LCD display, not an OLED one. Headsets like Vive and Oculus ship with OLED displays for a reason; they offer a far better experience for VR content for a number of reasons. OLEDs feature true blacks, as the pixels individually turn off, better contrast ratios, punchier colors, and most importantly in VR, a lower persistence rate of the pixels.

Its this last part thats the only truly offensive part of the Aukey Cortexs 4K display, and one that will ultimately make this unit impossible to use for some folks. Displays with a higher pixel persistence rate create a type of blur thats not as noticeable when its on a phone or TV display, but is irritating, or even sometimes sickening, when in a VR unit. This is because your eyes are right next to the display, and any imperfections like this are very noticeable. The image blur here is very noticeable in some titles with bright colors, like Luckys Tale for instance, but not so much in ones with more dull colors or less object detail, like Battlezone.

Users with VR motion sickness will likely have issues because of this, and the standard 60Hz refresh rate doesnt help that either. Aukey supports 90Hz asynchronous projection though, and if enabled will likely help some users significantly in this regard. Asynchronous projection essentially takes a game thats rendering at 45 frames per second and interpolates that to a 90Hz output, making things feel more smooth than they actually are. This needs to be enabled in SteamVR instead of the PiPlay software the headset requires for use. Many users find that asynchronous projection significantly helps make titles feel less janky, and at this resolution youre going to need it.

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Speaking of resolution, the 4K panel on the Cortex 4K is a bit of a misnomer, not because the panel itself isnt actually 4K, but because the included HDMI 1.4 cable is incapable of outputting the correct resolution. Instead of games split rendered in 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution, theyre actually rendered in 2560 x 1440 (2K) and then subsequently upscaled to 4K. Images are noticeably more crisp and clean than youll find on the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift CV1, but maybe not quite as much as the jump to 4K would make you think. While its not actually rendering in 4K, the jump to a 4K panel means that the screen door effect found on other VR headsets, like the Vive and Oculus, is almost completely gone. This means pixels are almost completely unnoticeable, and in general text and distance detail is clean and clear.

This is definitely a big jump up from other headsets, and so long as you have the hardware to support the resolution bump, youll benefit significantly from the advances here. That pixel persistence rate is still an issue though, and youll find colors are less vibrant, and the panel overall is darker than the ones found on the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. On the bright side for some users, the lenses here are not Fresnel lenses, meaning no weird rings or God rays like youll see on the aforementioned headsets, but it also means a smaller sweet spot for clear viewing.

Aukeys lenses provide a 110-degree field-of-view (FOV), one thats not quite as wide as the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, but is wider than mobile VR solutions like the GearVR and Google Daydream View. Theres also proper IPD adjustments found in the PiPlay software that allow users to adjust the distance between pupils. Thats incredibly important for anyone whos eyes are further apart or closer together than the average human, of which I fit in that spectrum. Without IPD adjustment, users like myself get terrible headaches, as you need to cross your eyes or look awkwardly at the screen.

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Motion interpolation is restricted to simple head movements though; swiveling and tilting, but not panning or vertical movements. This is because the headset relies entirely on the built-in gyros instead of using an outside camera or lighthouse unit as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets do. Essentially this is a high resolution Oculus DK1, and movement will feel extremely restrictive if youve ever used any of the newer Oculus units, not to mention something like the Vives out-of-the-box room scale. Not being able to look under or around objects makes the virtual world feel oddly restrictive, but different games will handle this better than others.

Since theres no room scale or movement of any kind, youll be forced into seated experiences 100% of the time. This works fine for movies and other seated games, but ones that require more significant head motion, or motion controllers of any kind, are completely out. Still this is a great way to experience lots of VR content, so long as you can get past the blur that some things will inherently have thanks to the display.

Interface and Setup

Aukey uses the PiPlay app to interface with the headset itself. Designed for Windows-based PCs, this app seems to have primarily been developed in Chinese and has decent enough English translation throughout. Installation is simple, with a 620mb download from the PiMax website, as instructed in the installation guide included with the headset. Everything in the installation is automatic, including the Java, C++ and DirectX prerequisites, which is good since there are so many software prerequisites to get the product working.

Once installed youll configure most of the headsets properties through here, and can even launch any installed games from SteamVR or the Oculus Store here. ReVive is also installed for compatibility with Oculus games out of the box, although theres no guarantee of this always working in the future as a way to play Oculus Store content. This support for any SteamVR content or Oculus content out of the box is incredibly important, and one of the things that makes the Cortex 4K such a viable piece of VR hardware.

Integration with SteamVR is pretty tight too, as itll show up with the Cortex 4K logo inside of the SteamVR status window, and all the options that are built into SteamVR are supported by the Cortex 4K. This includes special rendering methods like asynchronous projection, always on reprojection, super sampling and the rest of the gamut inside SteamVR. While in VR, the Steam VR Big Screen interface can be called up by pressing home button on your controller of choice. Thats usually the X logo on an Xbox controller, the Steam logo on a Steam controller, and so on and so forth.

Games and Apps

As the Cortex 4K completely supports Oculus and SteamVR content out of the box, the only real restriction youll run into are games that require specific motion support. Many driving games, platformers and VR experiences should work with this, including titles like Luckys Tale (an Oculus exclusive), Battlezone (the 2017 VR version on Steam), Detached and more. Games like Detached have options for multiple different types of headsets, and considerably change the interface and input modes depending on the headset attached.

During the review I tried about a dozen or so titles, most of which worked pretty well. Titles like Battlezone, Trackmania Turbo, Special Delivery, Luckys Tale, Thumper, Marble Mountain and Detached worked perfectly without any issues at all. In fact the only title where the high pixel persistence was even super noticeable was Luckys Tale, and after a while it melts away a bit as your brain gets used to it. Other titles like Chronos, for instance, wouldnt work at all because they required spatial positioning of the headset, which requires a camera or other object to detect where the headset is physically in the room. Games that require motion controllers cannot be played either.

I swapped between the Steam Controller and an Xbox 360 controller for the entirety of the review period, depending on which I preferred for a specific game. Both controllers work perfectly for various titles, and if youve ever used either youll know which games work better for each type of controller. Again since theres no motion controller support, youll be somewhat limited in what can be played, but given the fact that the Oculus Rift didnt support more than just an Xbox One controller for the first 8 months, theres no shortage of seated content that works with a controller.

Comfort and Longevity

The Aukey Cortex 4K headset is incredibly comfortable, partly thanks to the great strap design and support on the back of the head, and also thanks to the fact that it weighs less than 500g. Another great part about the design is that there are no batteries to charge or replace; everything is powered by the USB cable, including the headphones. The entire package is about as simple as VR on a PC can get thanks to a simple strap system, and since the headphones are built into the straps, theres not much to adjust either.

Given the lenses are high quality and theres IPD adjustment, theres not much in the way of bad design to keep this headset on your face for hours at a time. The biggest hangup, as was discussed in the display section, is the relatively higher persistence rate of the panel, which leaves behind trails on some moving objects, depending on their color and contrast with other objects in the vicinity. 90Hz asynchronous projection helps alleviate some strain that could be caused by a janky frame rate, caused by the higher resolution of the panel

The Good

Excellent resolution

Comfortable headset

Built-in headphones

No batteries or charging required

Compatibility with SteamVR and Oculus Store out of the box

Plug and play compatibility with existing VR applications and games

Good driver support and frequent updates

The Bad

High pixel persistence on the display

Limited range of movement options

No support for motion controllers

No support for room scale VR

Unofficial Oculus support means it might not always work

High price for the value

Final Thoughts

The Aukey Cortex 4K seems to be a rebranding of the Pimax 4K headset in every way, but it doesnt seem that Aukey did too much to improve upon that design. The $399 price tag of the Cortex 4K makes this headset feel worse than it actually is, if only because its priced far too close to the competition. For about $50 more, which is the cost of the needed controller anyway, you could get an Oculus Rift CV1; a headset that comes with a controller and a camera, giving it proper spatial awareness and movement thats needed in many games. Other headsets also offer the ability to add in motion controllers, something the Cortex 4K doesnt support in any capacity, and makes the $399 price tag here simply seem too steep. If it were even $100 less it would be much easier to recommend the Cortex 4K as an entry-level VR system, but as it stands the negatives and restrictions here are far too many to consider at this price.
The Moto X4 is yet another Motorola-branded smartphone that has been a subject of rumors and leaks lately, and that handset has just popped up on POSTEL, which is Indonesias certification agency, think of it as an equivalent to the FCC. Phones usually pop up on POSTEL before they hit the Indonesian market, and afterwards they usually make their way to India, Malaysia and other Asian countries.

So, by the looks of it, the Moto X4 is about to get released in Asia soon, and it is clearly visible in the provided image down below, that this phone comes with a model number Motorola-XT1805, which is the Moto X4 it seems. Now, the Moto X4 had surfaced a number of times in the last couple of weeks and if a recent rumor is to be believed, this will be the first non-Google smartphone to offer Project Fi compatibility. Based on the leaked specs, the Moto X4 will sport a 5.2-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) display, and it will pack in 3GB / 4GB of RAM and 64GB of native storage. Qualcomms Snapdragon 630 64-bit octa-core SoC will fuel this smartphone, and a 3,000mAh battery will be included in this package as well. Android 7.1.1 Nougat will come pre-installed on the device, and this phone will ship with a dual camera setup on the back. If rumors and leaks are accurate, the Moto X4 will sport a 12-megapixel shooter on the back, which will work in collaboration with an 8-megapixel snapper. A single 16-megapixel camera will be included on the front side of this phone, and the device is also rumored to offer water and dust resistance (IP68 rating).

Now, as far as the design is concerned, the Moto X4 will sport a physical home key below the display, and that button will act as both the phones home button and its fingerprint scanner. The Moto branding will be included on both the front and back sides of this smartphone, and the dual camera setup on the back will be implemented in a rather recognizable oreo, along with a dual-LED, dual-tone flash. The Moto X4 is rumored to cost around 350 in Europe, but we still dont know what will its price be in Asia.
The internal hardware of the Nokia 9 has been detailed after being listed on the website of popular benchmark application AnTuTu. The model tested using the aforementioned benchmark carries the model number TA-1052, which is also among the devices recently listed on the GFXBench website. According to the AnTuTu Benchmark, the device currently named as the Nokia 9 will likely sport the Snapdragon 835 chipset from Qualcomm, which is manufactured using the 10nm process node technology, and is Qualcomms current flagship processor which is fueling a number of flagship smartphones out there, like the Galaxy S8, for example. The said chipset incorporates eight 64-bit cores, which are grouped into four high-performance cores clocked at 2.45GHz and another four power-efficient cores clocked at 1.9GHz. The Adreno 540 GPU is also included in the chipset.

The AnTuTu benchmark listing also notes that the device will have a display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440. While the benchmark did not identify the screen size of the handset, it has been previously rumored that the smartphone may sport a 5.7-inch display. The Nokia 9 will sport 64GB of internal flash storage and 4GB of RAM, although the benchmark did not state whether the internal storage of the device can be expanded by a microSD card. AnTuTu listing also states that the device will have a 13-megapixel shooter at the back and another 13-megapixel camera at the front. A recent GFXBench listing of the handset has also noted that the device may sport a single rear camera, which is interesting since recent renders and leaks of the Nokia 8 have shown that the flagship offering of HMD Global will sport dual rear cameras.

The Nokia 9 will have Android 7.1.1 Nougat installed. HMD Global, the manufacturer of Nokia-branded smartphones, decided to retain most of the features of stock Android while only implementing slight changes to the aesthetic of the operating system. The handset is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance. The confusion regarding the naming and the specifications of the Nokia-branded flagship handset will likely be clarified on the devices launch, which could take place on August 16. The handset will likely be priced at around $500 once launched.
Sony Corporation on Tuesday announced its consolidated financial results for the second quarter of the calendar year, i.e. the first quarter of its 2017 fiscal year, boasting a massive surge in profits driven by its recovering imaging sensor business. The Japanese tech giant recorded $1.43 billion in profit in the three-month period ending June 30, 2.8 times more than it did in the same quarter last year. The figure also surpassed the companys all-time record quarterly profit of $1.1 billion posted in 2007, indicating that its operations may be set to experience a historic year in terms of income. The Minato, Tokyo-based conglomerate said that its sensor business is the biggest factor that benefitted its recent performance, having recovered from a massive earthquake that it suffered through in 2016. The Kumamoto earthquake that occurred in mid-April last year essentially shut down one of Sonys five imaging sensor factories, causing $1.03 billion in damages for the firm, according to its internal estimates.

Sony already outlined its road to recovery this spring, specifically mentioning its imaging business as a resurging revenue growth engine that will help it improve its bottom line, and that prediction is now seemingly coming true. The semiconductor manufacturing unit of the tech giant posted $501.8 million in profit over the same period, thus improving its bottom line by almost $1 billion compared to the first quarter of the firms 2016 fiscal year and returning to the black. This particular division that also manages the production of image sensors is expected to maintain its steadily increasing performance in the coming months, the Japanese original equipment manufacturer (OEM) said.

Based on its latest consolidated financials, Sony reiterated its previous forecast of 500 billion yen ($4.52 billion) in profit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, thus expecting to post the highest bottom line since 1998. Back in the early 90s, the companys income was largely generated through sales of PlayStation-branded hardware and software, though its business is more diversified today and continues to expand, with the tech giant announcing that it acquired Funimation, the distributor of the English versions of One Piece and Dragon Ball Z animes. The firms consumer electronics unit will continue focusing on profitability without trying to ramp up its sales figures in the immediate future, Sony said.
Australias first national flag has returned to Newcastles Christ Church Cathedral with aid from a top insurance-specialist firm. Sparke Helmore said it is proud to have supported the return to Newcastle of the Birdwood Flag, which was reconsecrated in a religious service on 30 July. The flag was flown from 1917 onward at the World War I western front by General William Riddell Birdwood, who was the commander of the Australian Imperial Force in Europe.After the war, the flag was returned to Dora Sparke, the daughter of Sparke Helmore founder William Sparke and leader of the group of Newcastle women who created the flag. She then gave the flag to the cathedral, which showcased it until it was lost.The flag was rediscovered in 2013, tucked away in an unassuming cardboard box inside one of the cathedrals vaults. However, it had disintegrated into what looked like a pile of rubbish, dean and parish priest Stephen Williams told ABC. The Birdwood Flag was restored in an 18-month project.The flag became an emblem of Australian soldiers during the war and is of high national historic significance. Sparke Helmore is incredibly proud to have supported the return of such an important piece of Australian history that has strong ties to the Hunter as well as to the founder of our firm, said Greg Guest, Sparke Helmores Newcastle office managing partner.William Sparke opened his first office on Hunter Street, Newcastle in September 1882.
Bruce Sewell

Paul Cappuccio

Denise Keane

Alan Braverman

Thomas Sabatino

J. Michael Luttig

Avrohom Kess

Bradford Smith

Lawrence Tu

Laureen Seeger

Americas largest law firms may be handsomely paying partners , but these sums are dwarfed by the total compensation of top-earning corporate counsel in the country.Bloomberg Law has released a list of the 30 highest-paid general counsel in America in 2016, showing large corporates in the country are paying top lawyers top dollar.The top 10 alone earned US$116.4m last year, while the whole group earned more than US$240m. An in-house lawyer needs to earn at least US$8.4m to enter the top 10, and more than US$5m to enter the top 30.Bloomberg Law does say, however, that it only looked at the proxy reports for the 500 largest US companies by revenue, recording total compensation if a lawyer appeared on a reports compensation table, which usually show compensation for the CEO and the CFO, and the next three highest-paid executives. It also said that while everyone on the list is a lawyer, some of them also have responsibilities that go beyond what a normal GC would have.The top earner for a second straight year is Apples Bruce Sewell, whose total compensation last year was US$22.81m. Next is Time Warners Paul Cappuccio, with a total compensation of US$16.27m. At third is Altria Groups Denise Keane, who earned a total of US$11.6m.A curious case in this years list is Avrohom Kess, who joined Travelers Insurance in December from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. His salary last year was listed as US$3,257, but due to other compensation, bonuses, and stock awards and options given by the company to lure him from BigLaw to in-house practice, his total compensation ballooned to US$8.71m, earning him the seventh spot in the list. This also demonstrates how other compensation makes up the bulk of these lawyers total compensation.Americas top 10 highest-paid GCs in 2016 are:AppleTotal compensation: US$22.81mSalary: US$1mTime WarnerTotal compensation: US$16.27mSalary: US$1.4mAltria GroupTotal compensation: US$11.59mSalary: US$938,500Walt DisneyTotal compensation: US$11.12mSalary: US$1.55mAetnaTotal compensation: US$10.99mSalary: US$502,874BoeingTotal compensation: US$9.37mSalary: US$903,673Travelers InsuranceTotal compensation: US$8.71mSalary: US$3,257MicrosoftTotal compensation: US$8.61mSalary: US$704,167CBSTotal compensation: US$8.57mSalary: US$1.2mAmerican ExpressTotal compensation: US$8.39mSalary: US$800,000
Angelia Chia

Ben Sandstad

Mayer Brown JSM has lured two senior lawyers from a top bank to jointly lead the firms pan-Asia trade finance, structured finance, and governance and advisory services team.The firm has appointed Angelia Chia and Ben Sandstad as partners in Singapore. The duo, which boasts more than 40 years of combined experience, comes from Standard Chartered, where they led separate global legal teams for years.Their arrival comes at a time when intra-regional trade in Asia is growing in importance, new entrants and technologies are revolutionising products and services, and increased oversight and regulatory capital requirements continue to pressure capital consumption and prioritise management of risk, said Mayer Brown JSM.Angelia and Ben have exceptional track records in handling sophisticated trade finance and structured finance transactions, said Richard Stock, co-leader of Mayer Browns global Banking & Finance practice. Their ability to advise on the full spectrum of issues pertaining to trade and debt finance products, coupled with their unique combination of senior in-house and private practice experience, will significantly enhance the firms capabilities in Asia and around the world."Sandstad, who earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Sydney , is a Mayer Brown JSM alumnus. He led the firms structured finance team in Asia from 2010 to 2013, when he joined Standard Chartered.He was the banks head of legal for commercial, corporate, and institutional clients in Greater China and North-East Asia, before transitioning to become its global head of legal for credit, lending, and governance at the banks client legal business.Sandstad  who has extensive experience giving advice on credit risk mitigation, securitisations, and risk management and governance  specialises in the origination, governance, and distribution of debt, particularly lending, open account trade finance including supply chain finance, and structured finance. He is a qualified lawyer in both Hong Kong and New South Wales.Chia, who was also previously an in-house counsel for Cargill and JPMorgan Chase, has extensive experience in trade and trade finance around the world. Her experience includes the sale and purchase of goods and services across industries, provision of financing using a variety of financing products from traditional to open account, including supply chain finance techniques, and the distribution of risks arising from such sales, Mayer Brown JSM said.Chia  who earned her undergraduate degree in law from the University of London  is a member of the International Chamber of Commerce Legal Committee and Bankers Association for Finance and Trade Asia Trade Committee. She is qualified in Singapore.
Companies seeking to buy growth in mature industries were among the key drivers of Australian M&A activity in 2016/17 according to a report from MinterEllison.The firms Directions in Public M&A report shows that private equity also saw a rebound in a financial year with 39 deals announced above AU$50 million, 29 of which were in the mid-range of $50-$400 million.The total deal value was $24.4 billion and the average value was $635.8 million. There were 4 mega deals of $1 billion or more."Overall, FY2017 was a dynamic year shaped by heightened volatility on the global stage and an increasingly complex regulatory landscape domestically," said MinterEllison partner and public M&A specialist Alberto Colla."Pleasingly, this didn't deter strategically driven acquirers, who were prepared to look past external market shocks and execute transformational deals. There was strong appetite to offer healthy premiums to acquire targets that can deliver immediate access to new geographic regions, complementary products or know-how, he added.Most of the deals (85%) were friendly and but hostile deals were back in vogue."Some bidders conclude that trying to engage with the target board to strike a friendly, recommended deal can be too protracted and potentially futile because the board might insist on a disproportionately high premium," MinterEllison M&A partner Ron Forster.The report also reveals that cash was dominant with 72% of the deals offered as all cash.Looking ahead, MinterEllison forecasts five key sectors set to be hot in FY2018: Health & Aged Care; IT & Software Services; Food agribusiness; Financial Services; and Infrastructure."Opportunism will remain a key driver; and private equity players will continue to bid for ASX-listed companies," added Forster.Two partners start work in the Singapore office of HFW on Tuesday (1st August) as the firm bolsters its shipping practice in Asia Pacific.Toby Stephens and John Forrester join the office from London bringing significant experience to the international firms capabilities in the region. Their move coincides with the hiring of Manik Verma, who will be joining HFW Singapores ship finance team from WFW Singapore.HFW now offers one of the largest asset finance teams in Asia Pacific with teams in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney.The High Court in England will not allow a civil case to be brought against former UK prime minister Tony Blair over the Iraq War by Saddam Hussains former chief of staff.The case had been filed at the Magistrates Court last year accusing Mr Blair of a crime of aggression which a court ruled in 2006 does not exist under English law.The Law Society Gazette reports that Abdel Waheed Shannan Al Rabbat, represented by Michael Mansfield QC, wanted a judicial review with the prospect of the Supreme Court over-ruling the previous ruling.However, the High Court said that it was for parliament to decide what constitutes criminal behaviour in domestic law.
Nevertheless, you can have Doug DeMuro review the retro Prancing Horse halo car, which means you'll get to find out quite a lot of its quirks.And, as anybody with even a remote interests in Maranello machines is well aware, the F40 has its fair share of oddities.Given the fact that we're looking at a symbol of Italy, one might be surprised to find out that owning such a Fezza requires German rigor. And we're not even talking about the $1.3 million price tag of the example Doug drove, or the financial black hole that is the maintenance of this machine.Instead, we're referring to the three keys one must have at hand when driving the Ferrari F40, with these operating no less than eight locks.Oh, and if you happen to share a car like this with your SO, she'd better be the kind who's not afraid to lift a pound or two.Twin-turbo Fezzas might seem normal these days, with the entire supercar industry having moved towards forced induction in pursuit of reduced emissions. But we'll remind you that all the Prancing Horses that followed the F40 were naturally aspirated and the power delivery in this car might just remind you of the Group B rally machines.Speaking of which, if you've never enjoyed a Ferrari F40 review before, the driving part of this adventure might deliver a surprise.P.S.: Acting normal (whatever that means) around the Ferrari F40 is almost impossible, which is probably why it seems that Doug tries to fist the thing.
SUV

AMG

Previewed at the 2012 Paris Motor Show and in production since 2014, the only full-electric Mercedes-Benz in the lineup is manufactured at Rastatt in Germany with Tesla-sourced bits and pieces. The Franken-Merc will die off after the 2017 model year, though, as confirmed to Automotive News by company spokesman Rob Moran. Although the official didnt go into detail about the EQ-branded successor, he did mention something interesting.After the B-Class Electric Drive assembly line comes to a halt, the Rastatt-based plant will be converted to accommodate production of next-generation compact vehicles in 2018. This course of action certainly has something to do with Mercedes-Benzs $11 billion investment in more than 10 EQ-branded electric vehicles , which are scheduled to arrive on the market by 2022.In the United States, the Stuttgart-based premium automaker sold something like 3,651 units of the B-Class Electric Drive since the order books opened in December 2013. The upcoming EQ family of models, meanwhile, intends to do better with more driving range, less charging time, the whole nine yards.Mercedes-Benz is already testing an electricdressed with GLC body panels, but word has it the entry-level model will debut under the name of EQ A Concept next month at the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show. The production-ready variant of the hatchback-bodied concept will reportedly ride on the companys brand-new MEA, which is short for Modular Electric Architecture.Mercedes-called dibs on electrification as well, with performance-oriented models confirmed to bear the EQ Power+ name in keeping with the 2017 Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 racecar. Regular electric vehicles from M-B, meanwhile, will be complemented by the EQ Power suffix.
Boeing has created its own in-house avionics shop, called Boeing Avionics, to develop and produce its own avionics, the Seattle Times reported on Monday. In a memo to employees, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said the move is a strategy to build targeted vertical capability. Boeing had created its own in-house avionics until 2003, when it launched the 787 program. Creating the new unit is tantamount to an admission that Boeing made a mistake, according to the Times. Boeing currently outsources its avionics to Rockwell Collins, Honeywell and United Technologies.

Boeing said it has 120 employees in the enterprise avionics organization, with plans to go up to around 600 by 2019. The unit will focus on avionics for the Boeing fleet, but could sell to other aircraft manufacturers eventually, according to Reuters.
NASA F-18

NASA plans to fly an F-18 at supersonic speeds above Floridas coastal waters later this month, producing sonic booms for a test program. The aircraft will fly at or above 32,000 feet when it goes supersonic. The flightpath is designed to keep the strongest-sounding sonic booms away from residential areas, while still producing booms above Kennedy Space Center, where the sound will be collected by 32 microphones on the ground. The booms will be loudest on the beaches north of KSC, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station will hear quieter booms. Residents will hear a sound resembling the rumble of distant thunder, said NASA, in areas including Port Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Port St. John, Titusville, Mims and Scottsmoor. People in those areas may hear an occasional muted sonic boom, NASA said.

The F-18, which is based at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, in California, will take off from Kennedys Shuttle Landing Facility and fly off the coast of Cape Canaveral. The F-18 will fly a designated flight path where it will exceed Mach 1, the speed of sound, and produce a sonic boom. Meanwhile, NASA also will fly a TG-14 motorized glider equipped with a wingtip microphone, at an altitude between 4,000 to 10,000 feet. At the test point, the TG-14 will temporarily shut down its motor and glide. This will enable the wingtip microphone to pick up a clean, accurate sonic-boom signature before it travels through any turbulence. NASA said it expects to fly the F-18 two to three times per day, starting Monday, Aug. 21, and continuing until the end of the month or early September. The research plan calls for at least 33 sonic booms.
While Apple's business was down yet again in Greater China, CEO Tim Cook says he is encouraged that business there is improving, especially in mainland China.

"We were very encouraged by the results this quarter," Cook said on a conference call with analysts. "We improved as we thought we would from previous quarters." (Sales were still down year-over-year for Greater China, but less so than in recent quarters.)

Cook noted that sales in mainland China were actually flat year over year and, were it not for currency fluctuations, would have been up 6%.

Other notes on China:

Cook said the iPad and Mac grew much more than the overall Chinese market for tablets and computers

iPhone sales were relatively flat year on year, Similar to the broader market.

Services grew extremely strongly during the quarter

"We see all of those as very encouraging signs," Cook said.
Amy Harder passed along this dispatch...

For my latest Harder Line column about EPA chief Scott Pruitt, I reached out to several former EPA chiefs and interviewed five. I asked them what surprises them most about Pruitt's leadership so far. Here is a snippet of what they said:

Gina McCarthy, EPA chief under President Obama:

"I did not think that there would be such a tremendous lack of transparency. If I didn't have my schedule posted every day, someone would have called."

Christie Todd Whitman, EPA chief under President George W. Bush:

The red team blue team [climate change debate] is just mind-boggling to me.

Carol Browner, EPA chief under President Bill Clinton:

The comments on "back to basics" [Pruitt's slogan]...We can't go back.

Bill Reilly, EPA chief under President George H. W. Bush:

It's unprecedented that the EPA administrator was the administration's leader in wanting to disavow the Paris climate deal. That's certainly had to have astonished the EPA staff.

Bill Ruckelshaus, first EPA chief under President Nixon and served again under Ronald Reagan:

His determination to dismantle the regulatory system that has been put in place for over 40 years. That didn't happen by accident. Mountain of court cases, both pro and con in that system.

Absent:

Lisa Jackson, Obama's first EPA chief, was traveling and not available. Stephen Johnson and Mike Leavitt, two of Bush's EPA chiefs, declined to be interviewed.
Massachusetts has the best public schools in the country, per WalletHub, which looked at the overall quality and safety of public schools in each state according to 21 different factors.

Top 5: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Vermont

Worst 5: Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, D.C., Mississippi (See the full list, here.)

Spending: While 4 of the 5 top states for quality were among the 10 states who spend most on education, a higher level of spending did not necessarily correlate to higher quality of publics schools. For example, D.C. came in third for spending, but has some of the worst public schools according to the study.

Data: WalletHub; Chart: Andrew Witherspoon / Axios

Factors: The study took into account graduation rates for low income students, drop out rates, median ACT and SAT scores, reading and math test scores, number of students participating in violence and number of reported bullying incidents among other factors.

Highlights:
Two prominent Venezuelan opposition leaders were "dragged from their homes" early this morning by intelligence agents following an election Sunday that was criticized as a power grab by President Nicolas Maduro, the Telegraph reports.

The opposition, which boycotted Sunday's vote , claimed leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma had been "kidnapped." Lopez's wife said "Maduro is responsible if anything happens to him." Both men had already been under house arrest and, per the Telegraph, this "appears to herald the beginning of the crackdown on opposition 'terrorists' that Maduro had vowed would follow the constituent assembly vote."

, claimed leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma had been "kidnapped." Lopez's wife said "Maduro is responsible if anything happens to him." Both men had already been under house arrest and, per the Telegraph, this "appears to herald the beginning of the crackdown on opposition 'terrorists' that Maduro had vowed would follow the constituent assembly vote." The U.S. personally sanctioned Maduro yesterday , with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin saying the election confirmed his status as a "dictator."

, with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin saying the election confirmed his status as a "dictator." Why it matters: Venezuela is a powder keg, with violent clashes between government and protestors and the economy in shambles, and a new constitution expected to consolidate Maduro's power. Moves like this can only escalate a dangerous situation.
Armenian law-enforcement authorities were hunting on Tuesday for a man who killed four people and wounded seven others in a village about 50 kilometers west of Yerevan.

The gunman went on a shooting spree after bursting into a building in the Yazidi-populated village of Shamiram where hundreds of men gathered in the morning for a Yazidi religious feast. He fled the scene but left his empty car on the village outskirts.

A guy approached one of our men and fired the first gunshots, an eyewitness told reporters. The moment we heard the gunfire we all ducked under the tables.

Police officers and forensic experts cordoned off the crime scene in the following hours. In a statement, the Armenian police said the gunman opened fire with a hunting rifle. Measures are being taken to track down the suspect, said the statement.

Another police statement released later in the day, identified the suspect as Telman Kalashian, a 50-year-old resident of another village. The mans photograph was attached to the statement.

Another law-enforcement body, the Investigative Committee, said that large-scale investigative and search operations are underway. It said the mass shooting resulted from the gunmans unfriendly personal relations with the victims but did not elaborate.

Some Shamiram residents suggested that a financial dispute was behind the killings that shocked the country. One man who was present at the ill-fated dinner said the shooter shouted give me my money back before firing the first gunshots.

Other villagers confirmed that the gunman is not a Shamiram resident.They said that two of the victims lived in Shamiram while the two others were visitors from Russia.
1 August 2017 11:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

A special investigative group has been created over the Alkhanli tragedy.

Azerbaijans Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov said that the investigative group will investigate murder of two Azerbaijani civilians, 18-month-old Zehra and her grandmother following the Armenian armed forces shelling of the village with heavy artillery.

Garalov reminded that the Armenian armed forces, flagrantly violating all norms of international humanitarian law and the ceasefire regime, fired the Alkhanli village with heavy artillery on July 4. As a result, 51-year-old Sahiba Allahverdiyeva and her toddler granddaughter Zahra Guliyeva were killed. In addition, 52-year-old Salminaz Guliyeva suffered shrapnel wounds, and the personal property of citizens was deliberately destroyed.

Thus, the Fuzuli Region Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case under relevant articles on all these facts, and an investigative group was created to carry out urgent investigative actions.

Azerbaijans villages in Fuzuli, Agdam, Jabrayil, Tartar and other frontline regions frequently face destructive acts by Armenian soldiers. By committing such provocations, the Armenian side deliberately seeks to cause harm to Azerbaijani people by making life at the border difficult and risky for them.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.

Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. within the OSCE Minsk Group have produced no results so far.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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1 August 2017 18:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has begun a communication on a lawsuit filed by Firuza Askarova and Albina Veysalova, spouses of Azerbaijani hostages Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev.

Asgarov and Guliyev are the two Azerbaijanis, who are kept hostages by Armenian militaries in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan for more than three years.

Attorney Fariz Namazli told APA on August 1 that the ECHR addressed questions to the Armenian government with regard to the violation of articles 3 (No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.), 5.2 (Everyone who is arrested shall be informed promptly, in a language which he understands, of the reasons for his arrest and of any charge against him.), 5.3 (Everyone arrested or detained in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 (c) of this Article shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release pending trial. Release may be conditioned by guarantees to appear for trial.), 5.4 (Everyone who is deprived of his liberty by arrest or detention shall be entitled to take proceedings by which the lawfulness of his detention shall be decided speedily by a court and his release ordered if the detention is not lawful.), 6.1 (In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law. Judgment shall be pronounced publicly but the press and public may be excluded from all or part of the trial in the interests of morals, public order or national security in a democratic society, where the interests of juveniles or the protection of the private life of the parties so require, or to the extent strictly necessary in the opinion of the court in special circumstances where publicity would prejudice the interests of justice.), 6.2 (Everyone charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.), 6.3 item a (Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following minimum rights: to be informed promptly, in a language which he understands and in detail, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him;), 6.3 item b (to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defense;), 6.3 item e (to have the free assistance of an interpreter if he cannot understand or speak the language used in court.), 8 (Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.), 2nd article of the protocol No.4 (Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence.), if this liberty of movement is considered as a criminal action according to the 7th article, 14 article (The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, color, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.).

The rights of the hostages spouses are being defended by Anar Bagirov.

ECHR also demanded the Armenian government to provide documents on the health conditions of Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev.

The two Azerbaijanis were detained by the Armenian armed forces in July 2014 while visiting their native places and graves of loved ones in the occupied Azerbaijani Kalbajar region. Moreover, Armenian forces killed the third captivated Azerbaijani, Hasan Hasanov.

Later, Guliyev and Asgarov were judged illegally by the unrecognized courts of a separatist regime in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Following an expedited judicial process in December 2015, Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment and Guliyev to 22 years. Attempts of Azerbaijan to provide justice and to free the hostages are still unsuccessful.

Azerbaijans State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and other agencies have repeatedly urged international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to assist in release of Guliyev and Asgarov, whilst the problem remains topical yet.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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1 August 2017 11:43 (UTC+04:00)

Serbia-based TransConflict online portal has published an article by Indian scientist Hriday Ch. Sarma headlined "Azerbaijan's 'Digital Trade Hub' set to bind Regional and Eurasian Markets".

The article says: "Azerbaijan, a small country in South Caucasus, will launch a Digital Trade Hub Project (DTH) starting August 2017,Azertac reported.

Azerbaijan will also start offering an electronic-signature service and all types of government issued (ASAN) signature certificates through the DTH. At present, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, the Ministry of Taxes and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are jointly-coordinating their efforts with diplomatic missions and consulates of the Republic of Azerbaijan to achieve this technological milestone. The DTH is being implemented with the purpose of strengthening Azerbaijan's position as a key digital trade hub in the South Caucasus region as it now attempts to discard its traditional image of an oil and gas exporting country."

"In recent times, Azerbaijan has been striving to cope with falling global oil price and the need to finance new revenue generating projects for maintaining calm and prosperity among its citizens. Therefore, its government is endeavouring to address this shaky situation by implementing a number of new initiatives, including Azerbaijan DTH, and participating in a number of international projects, including the International North-South Transportation Corridor," the article says.

"The digitization of Azerbaijan's trade with the coming into operational of the DTH will build regional value chains in South Caucasus and across Eurasia. This will benefit big Azerbaijani industries that have an export potential to deeply tap into South Caucasian and Eurasian markets by moving towards internationally acceptable quality standards, including environmental safeguards," the article adds.

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1 August 2017 10:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Armenias growing cooperation with NATO shows that Yerevan is trying to play on two fronts, Sergey Markov, Russian presidents confidant, member of Russian Civic Chamber, told Trend July 31.

NATOs multinational military exercises, Noble Partner 2017, began in Georgia July 31. Armenian servicemen are also taking part in the exercises. The opening ceremony of the Noble Partner 2017 exercises took place at the Vaziani Air Base July 31. The exercises, which involve eight NATO member countries and partners, will last until August 12. The US Vice President Mike Pence, who will arrive in Tbilisi July 31, is expected to attend the exercises.

Markov noted that Armenias participation in the multinational NATO-led exercises indicates that Armenia is trying to maintain the best possible relations not only with Russia, but also with the Western coalition.

Many countries today maintain cooperation with NATO. We see that Georgia is a full ally of the NATO, and Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus have close relations with the Western coalition, said the expert.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan says more clearly and honestly that it maintains relations with both parties  Russia and the West, he noted, adding that Russia accepts this position with understanding.

Armenia says that it is an ally of Russia, but in fact, it carries out a different policy, namely, a policy of in-depth cooperation with NATO, said Markov.

He noted that Armenia uses Russia as an ally in a very selfish way.

According to Markov, Armenias such policy based on interaction with NATO countries is a response to the position of Russia, which prefers to step up its in-depth cooperation with Azerbaijan, rather than with Armenia.

Thus, the Armenian leadership demonstrates that it doesnt like the cooperation of Russia with Azerbaijan, particularly, the sale of Russian weaponry to Azerbaijan, which significantly strengthens Azerbaijans military power, added Markov.

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31 July 2017 14:36 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev received Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US State of Arizona Javan Mesnard in Baku on July 31, Azertac reported.

Speaker of the House of Representatives of the US State of Arizona Javan Mesnard said he has been in Azerbaijan already for a few days and has had an opportunity to familiarize himself with Baku and other regions. I am very happy to be in your marvelous country. Azerbaijan is a very beautiful country. I am visiting it for the first time. People show friendship and hospitability everywhere. I will share my impressions with everyone when Im back to the U.S., he said. Javan Mesnard added that the majority of Arizona legislators heard much about Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev said that as Javan Mesnard has visited Baku and the regions he will be able to have wider information on the country. The head of state noted that organizing more visits from the U.S. to Azerbaijan is highly crucial in expanding the contacts between people and in the two nations` knowing each other more closely. This will also strengthen cooperation between the two countries, President Ilham Aliyev said.

The head of state hailed the bilateral relations in the areas of politics, economy, energy, security as well as the countrys cooperation with different U.S. states. At the same time, President Ilham Aliyev noted that in some parts of the U.S. society is not fully informed about Azerbaijan, stressing the importance of spreading the country`s realities.

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1 August 2017 10:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Over the past years, the government of Azerbaijan has taken more steps in the social sphere than expected. President Ilham Aliyev paid special attention to infrastructure projects to improve the social status of the population, MP Fazil Mustafayev said.

The parliamentarian stressed that the government has taken certain steps to address the problems of poor, unemployed and people with disabilities.

"Formation of the Azerbaijan Mortgage Fund (AMF), simplification of mortgage conditions, creation of opportunities for solving housing problems of the population, commencement of construction of social housing, construction of houses for invalids, allocation of apartments to journalists - all these issues relate to the social category," Mustafayev told Trend.

He emphasized that in recent years many of the shortcomings that existed in the social sphere have been eliminated, and many negative phenomena revealed in the sphere of granting social benefits were abolished.

The state always takes care of those living under hard conditions. For that purpose the targeted social assistance program is being implemented.

The improvement of housing conditions of people is the important component of the social reforms held under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. The newly-established State Housing Agency is an integral part of reforms towards improved livelihood of country population. Besides, Strategic Road Map on development of housing at affordable prices reflects reforms to be conducted by government in this particular field.

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1 August 2017 15:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Moroccan Ambassador to Baku Mohamed Adil Ambarch has affirmed his country`s backing for Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.

He spoke at a reception organized by the embassy to celebrate Morocco`s Throne Day, Azertac reported.

Adil Ambarch emphasized the role of high-level reciprocal visits in the development of relations between the two countries. He underlined that both Azerbaijan and Morocco were centers of tolerance and multiculturalism in their regions.

The ambassador also highlighted Morocco`s achievements over the past years.

Chairman of Azerbaijan`s State Committee on Work with Religious Associations Mubariz Gurbanli hailed bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries in the spheres of tourism, agriculture and energy.

He lauded Morocco for supporting Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

Gurbanli also underlined that trade between Azerbaijan and Morocco had increased 50 times in recent years.

Mohamed Adil Ambarch earlier said that that his country considers Azerbaijan as a platform for regional cooperation, emphasizing Morocco can also play the role of a platform for the establishment of relations with African countries.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Morocco amounted to about $1.74 million in January-June 2017, increased by $566.510, or 48.2 percent, as compared to the same period of last year, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

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1 August 2017 16:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The capital assets of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Relief Fund exceeded 84 million manats ($50 million) as of August 1, 2017.

Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported that the Funds dollar account has accumulated over $212,873, the euro account reached 8,036 euros, while the ruble account made up 5,000 rubles.

The Armed Forces Relief Fund, established in 2002, targets to ensure development of the Armed Forces in accordance with the contemporary requirements, strengthening the material and technical base and financing the necessary social measures.

The Armed Forces Relief Fund is formed on the basis of voluntary donations of individuals and legal entities and at the expense of the other donations not prohibited by the national legislation.

Today, Azerbaijani Army is one of the most powerful, highly disciplined armies in the world and the leading in the region, which is equipped with modern military machinery. Azerbaijan leaves behind many CIS and regional countries to take its place among the first 60 strongest militaries of the world, according to the U.S.-based Global Firepower survey center.

Azerbaijan provides the national Army with sufficient military budget every year. Defense spending of Azerbaijan determined in the state budget for 2017 made up 2.64 billion manats ($1.5 billion), which exceeds the spending for 2016.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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1 August 2017 16:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

A delegation of Australian businessmen plans to visit Baku on October 17-21.

During the visit to Azerbaijan, Australian businessmen will have an opportunity to get acquainted with economic opportunities, advantages of investing in the country and industrial enterprises of the country, according to Report.az.

Currently, program of the visit is being prepared and participants are being determined.

Most recently, Baku hosted the event dedicated to 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two states .

The event was attended by Minister for International Development and the Pacific of the country Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and other officials of Australia, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Samad Seyidov, Head of the Azerbaijan-Australia interparliamentary friendship group and others.

Moreover, Fierravanti-Wells met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and the sides discussed ways to boost the ties.

Fierravanti-Wells expressed great interest in expanding relations with Azerbaijan in political and trade-economic areas, underlining the importance of developing inter-parliamentary cooperation, which is an important component of interstate relations.

The Commonwealth of Australia recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on December 26, 1991. Diplomatic relations between two countries have been established on June 19, 1992.

Azerbaijan exports crude oil to Australia. Butter is imported from Australia.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Australia amounted to $1 million in January-March 2017, according to Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee.

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1 August 2017 12:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbaova

Crude prices continue to rise in the world markets amid reports of possible expansion of sanctions by the U.S. against Venezuela.

Brent crude futures up 0.15 percent, at $2.8 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $50.27 per barrel, up 0.2 percent on August 1, according to RIA Novosti.

A day earlier oil prices exceeded the maximum for two months following a decrease in the U.S. inventories, as well as the threat of sanctions against OPEC-member Venezuela.

Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas after Sunday's vote creating a new legislative superbody with the power to dissolve state institutions such as the opposition-run Congress. Many countries denounced the vote while Washington called it a "sham."

But, traders and analysts said the sanctions, in their current state, would not affect oil flows to or from Venezuela.

"The latest sanctions are more symbolic than anything else, as the oil sector remains exempted," said UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Reuters reported that Washington is still considering broader sanctions against Venezuelas oil industry, which could prove devastating for a country which is already in a state of economic free fall.

The targeted sanctions against Maduro send a loud message that the US is prepared to get tough, said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based think tank.

The sanction package that is being considered in Washington may include a ban on access to the U.S. banking system for the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA, sources familiar with the White House discussion told CNBC.

The Commerzbank survey reported that Venezuela is the largest oil supplier to the U.S. The imposition of sanctions on the Venezuelan oil industry can create a deficit of heavy oil for the U.S. refineries.

The country now sells more than 700,000 barrels of oil a day to the United States, out of a total production of roughly two million barrels a day, or just over 2 percent of world production. Energy experts say Venezuela could eventually replace the American market, by exporting more heavy oil to China and India, though at a discount.

Data from the U.S. Department of Energy on the average daily production in the country, published on July 31 also hold back the growth of world oil prices. The extraction of "black gold" in the U.S. rose by 3.6 percent in May in annual terms - to 9,169 barrels per day. Growth in monthly terms was fixed at 0.6 percent.

Moreover, investors consider reports that the Technical Committee of OPEC+ experts will hold meetings in Abu Dhabi on August 7-8 with some participants of the agreement on oil production reduction to discuss the fulfillment of their obligations under the deal.



OPEC and other major producers made a deal in December 2016 to remove 1.8 million barrels a day from the market. The cartel and its allies, trying to reduce a crude glut, agreed in May to extend the supply cut through March 2018.

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1 August 2017 14:52 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

SOCAR Polymer, one of the biggest companies in Azerbaijans petrochemical industry, will launch new production lines.

By early 2018, it is planned to open up polypropylene production line with a capacity of 180,000 tons per year based on Canadian technology and a production line for high density polyethylene with a capacity of 120,000 tons based on Austrian technology.

SOCAR Polymer Director Farid Jafarov announced about this at an event, organized by Azerbaijans Economy Ministry, "Support of domestic production on the basis of inter-industry relations".

Jafarov noted that low density polyethylene is produced in the country for export, while the country itself imports high density polyethylene. The main goal of the SOCAR Polymer project is to eliminate imports in this sector.

The products will be exported to the Turkish and European markets along with the domestic market, he said.

Deputy Economy Minister Niyazi Safarov, in turn, noted that in industrial parks, which are an important factor in the development of industry, the necessary infrastructure is being created, which attracts more and more entrepreneurs.

Moreover, the government issues document of investment incentives to improve the business climate in the country.

He went on to say that recently Azerbaijans Economy Ministry has issued 182 investment incentive documents worth 1.6 billion manats ($940.7 million). The implementation of these projects will help to create 12,000 new work places. About 62 percent of these projects relate to industry.

Azerbaijan businessmen became eligible to get the investment incentives documents following the approval of amendments proposed to the Tax Code of the country.

Under the investment incentives document, half of the revenue of an individual entrepreneur, profits of legal entity are exempted from income tax for seven years. Import of equipment for the implementation of the projects is also exempt of VAT and customs duties.

Vilayat Valiyev, Director of the Institute for Scientific Research on Economic Reforms (ISRER) under the Economy Ministry noted the importance of SOCAR Polymer and added that it is important to create clusters around the company in the future.

SOCAR Polymer was founded on July 16, 2013 in order to reinforce the development of the chemical industry of the country. The companys production facilities consisting of polypropylene and high density polyethylene plants are under construction within the territory of the Sumgayit Chemical Industrial Park.

SOCAR is a wholly state-owned national oil company headquartered in Baku, Azerbaijan. The company produces oil and natural gas from onshore and offshore fields in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea.

The company includes such production associations as Azneft (the enterprises producing oil and gas onshore and offshore), Azerikimya (the chemical enterprises) and Azerigas (distributor of gas produced in the country), as well as oil and gas processing plants, service companies, and the facilities involved in geophysical and drilling operations.

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1 August 2017 10:43 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Russian envoy to Tehran has said that Moscow will probably remove visa requirements for Iranian nationals over the next two months.

Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Dzhagaryan has said that under an agreement with Irans Foreign Ministry, Iranian citizens will be able to travel visa-free to the Russian Federation within the next two-three months, Tasnim news agency reported.

Under a previous agreement, Iranian tourists, in groups of 5 to 50 people, can travel to Russia without an entry visa for a stay of up to 15 days.

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1 August 2017 10:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

At least seven militants of Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia) were killed as a result of a drone strike in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province, Sputnik reported, citing provincial police chief Maj. Gen. Jumma Gul Himmat.

The NATO-operated drone strike that targeted a terrorist hideout in mountainous Talona area of Watapur district at approximately 11 a.m. local time (06:30 GMT), left seven militants killed, including a commander, the Pajhwok news agency reported.

Afghanistan has been experiencing significant political, social and security-related instability for decades, as terrorist organizations, including Daesh and the Taliban radical movement (also banned in Russia) continue to stage attacks against civilian and military targets.

The United States and its allies launched a military operation in Afghanistan in 2001 following 9/11 terror attacks. The mission in Afghanistan ended on December 28, 2014. On January 1, 2015, NATO announced its new mission in the country, called Resolute Support, to train and assist the Afghan security forces.

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1 August 2017 12:03 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Iran is preparing to inaugurate today the 170-km Damghan-Sari pipeline with 40 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of transit capacity, a source in Irans Oil Ministry has told Trend.

He added that the pipeline will cut dependence on Turkmen gas import.

The project is worth about $250 million. The entire amount is paid by local companies.

Turkmenistan stopped gas export to Iran in January 2017 due to Irans long-delayed $2 billion debt.

Iran imported about 5.86 bcm of gas from Turkmenistan during 2016, about 53 percent less than the previous year, according to an official document prepared by Iran's Oil Ministry and seen by Trend.

Iran has defined a project for building the 11th cross-country pipeline worth $4.3 billion, but it hasnt started the construction. The capacity of the pipeline is projected to be 110 mcm/y. It is meant to transit gas from South Pars field in Persian Gulf to Irans northeast regions. Irans gas production capacity in northeast regions stands at about 14 bcm/y, about 12 bcm/y less than the demand.

Irans gas consumption rises in winter due to the housing sectors increasing demand. In warm seasons, the country injects about 2 bcm/y of gas to Shourijeh and Sarajeh underground gas storage facilities, placed in northern regions, and re-extracts it during winter.

Iran plans to invest $3 billion to increase the underground gas storage capacity at five facilities from about 11.5 bcm by 2018. All of these storage facilities  Sarajeh, Shourijeh, Yurtesha, Nasrabad and Ghezel Tapeh  are in the north and northeast of Iran, according to an official document prepared by Irans Oil Ministry.

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1 August 2017 16:15 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

Qatar has filed a legal complaint at the World Trade Organization against a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, Qatar's WTO office head Ali Alwaleed al-Thani told Reuters.

Doha formally requested consultation with the three countries, demanding to resolve the situation in 60 days or to proceed with the case at the WTO.

"We've given sufficient time to hear the legal explanations on how these measures are in compliance with their commitments, to no satisfactory result," al-Thani said.

"We have always called for dialogue, for negotiations, and this is part of our strategy to talk to the members concerned and to gain more information on these measures, the legality of these measures, and to find a solution to resolve the dispute."

Dohas complaint is addressed to three countries Saudi, Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, excepting Egypt which is also a member of coalition against Qatar, which is accused of allowing terror financiers to operate within the country.

The boycotting countries have previously told the WTO that they would cite national security to justify their actions against Qatar, using a controversial and almost unprecedented exemption allowed under the WTO rules.

Previously in the light of the conflict, Saudi Arabia blamed Qatar for its demand to internationalize the Muslim hajj pilgrimage.

"Qatar's demands to internationalize the holy sites is aggressive and a declaration of war against the kingdom," Adel al-Jubeir was quoted saying on Al Arabiya's website.

Doha, in its turn, refused this accusation, stating that there was no official report from any of Qatari structures about internationalizing of holy sites.

"We are tired of responding to false information and stories invented from nothing," Qatari FM Sheikh Mohammed told Al Jazeera TV.

The crisis around Qatar erupted in June when the four countries severed diplomatic and travel links, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and regional foe Iran. Qatar denies the accusations.

Earlier, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) in Qatar has hired a Swiss law firm to investigate thousands of cases of human rights violations from a Saudi-led blockade on Qatar and seek compensation.

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1 August 2017 16:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Ali Mustafayev

The largest number of foreign visitors came to Turkey from Russia since early 2017.

The number of Russian tourists in resorts of Antalya, Turkey hit 2 million since the beginning of the year, according to RIA Novosti.

The rate of the foreign tourists arrival in Turkey showed 62 percent increase since early 2017 compared to the same period of 2016. As of July 28, 2017, over 5 million foreign tourists visited Turkish resorts, which are almost 84 percent of the total number of travelers, who visited Turkey in 2016.

Governor of Antalya Munir Karaloglu earlier stated that the resort region expects to welcome about 10 million tourists in total in 2017, which would be close to the result of 2015.

The most intensive rise in the tourists arrival is shown by Russian market. General index shows 1.3 million Russian visitors as of June and over 2 million visitors as of July, Karaloglu stated.

Except for the peak periods, when the rate of the tourists can reach 68,000 per 24 hours, the daily average of tourists arrival to the resort is 61.500 people, according to Antalya airport.

The association of hoteliers of Turkey earlier stated that the average occupancy of the hotels in June, 2017 was 53.3%, which is 0.3% more than the previous year. The average price of the hotel rooms is 101.2 euro, which is 19.2% more than in 2016.

Income per one hotel suite increased from 46,8 euro in June, 2016 to 56 euro in June, 2017.

Turkish tourism restores after a troubled period related to incident with the shooting of Russian aircraft by Turkish military forces. After resolution of the conflict between Ankara and Moscow, Russian travel companies restored the travel packages to Turkey.

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey dropped to 25.3 million in 2016. That is a 30 percent drop compared to 2015.

Turkeys tourism revenue dropped to $22.1 billion in 2016, a 29.7 percent decrease compared to 2015, as the number of foreign arrivals to the country witnessed a dramatic plunge, the official data showed.

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By Trend

Refuting Western media reports, Irans Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan has said the recent launch of the satellite carrier Simorgh has been successful.

We have attained our goals [regarding the launch], but we do not expect American officials to say anything of this success, he said, IRNA news agency reported August 1.

Iran on July 27 launched its domestically-manufactured Simorgh carrier, whose mission is to put Iranian satellites into the orbit.

Simorgh satellite carrier is able to put satellites weighing as much as 250 kilograms into an orbit about 500 kilometers above the Earths surface.

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1 August 2017 17:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Iran has filed a complaint against the United States for violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) through a recent set of sanctions, according to Irans Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

He noted that a statement by the Joint Committee overseeing the JCPOA that followed the complaint points to the fact that the US has really violated the nuclear deal, ICANA news agency reported August 1.

According to Larijani, the Joint Committee is going to further address the case in an expected ministerial-level meeting.

The parliamentarian further noted that Iranian lawmakers are processing a legislation that is devised to counter the US sanctions.

The National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament July 28 passed the general outlines of a motion to reciprocate the US sanctions on the country.

The motion, if ratified in the Parliaments open meeting, will "counter the terrorist and adventurous measures of the United States in the region," Iranian media reported.

It also envisages measures to support the Iranian armed and security forces as well as those Iranians who would be affected by the United States actions, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who had attended the meeting of the commission, was quoted as saying.

Araqchi described the motion as an appropriate measure in response to the "hostile and malicious" policies of the United States.

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1 August 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova



Nakhchivan, the land of the ancient Azerbaijan, is one of the places of civilization and cultural centers in the world.

This beautiful place has plenty of fantastic tourist attractions and unique sights to offer. Visitors from all over the world travel to this wonderful land to see architectural treasures and fascinating places of natural beauty.

The geographical position, unique climate, fauna and flora, and the ancient cultural monuments of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic lead the auspicious development of tourism.

Talking about tourism potential of Nakhchivan, Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev said that the coordination of travel companies is one of the important tasks ahead.



I am absolutely sure that we will be able to present Nakhchivan as the capital of Islamic culture to the world community, he said. The announcement of Nakhchivan as the capital of Islamic culture and the organization of a number of events confirm how strong Azerbaijan's position in the Islamic world is.

The capital of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Nakhchivan city is situated on the Nakhchivan River Embankment, very close to the Iranian border, and 536 km away from Baku.

However, a folk legend says the city takes its beginning from Noahs time, and Noah himself laid a foundation of the city after the Flood. There is Noahs Mausoleum preserved in the southern part of the city. A temple once stood here, but unfortunately, it was destroyed, and the Mausoleum that people can visit today occupies the lower floor of the destroyed temple. There are names of pilgrims who once visited this place engraved upon the walls of this unique monument.

The splendid 12th-century Momine Khatun mausoleum, which is the city's icon, is perhaps the finest single antique monument in Azerbaijan. Built in 1186 by Acami Abubakiroglu Nakhchivani above a vaulted crypt it sits on a shallow base made of large blocks of red diorite. A flat roof raised on a tapering, decagonal drum covers the slightly pointed inner dome.

The extraordinary view of the Alinjagala (Alanjik) fortress attracts many foreign visitors. The fortress, which is perceived as a symbol of strength and military strategy, for centuries has been a critical geostrategic castle.

The walls of the fortress begin from the slopes of the Alinja Mountain and rise until fully embracing the top of the mountain. Its foundations were built of big stones and burned bricks brought from the nearby villages.

Fortress is on the top of the mountain of the same name, on the right bank of Alinjachay, Julfa region. In the oldest sources it is written in many versions such as "Erinjag", "Erinjik", "Alanjik", "Alinja", and "Alanjug".

There are different assumptions about the construction date of the castle. Some historians think that it is 2,000-year castle. Alinja is depicted as strong fortress in "Kitab-i Dada Gorgud" epos.

The remainders of the beautiful palaces and buildings belonging to the feudals in the Alinjagala were depicted in the literature of the XIX century. It was possible to keep a herd of horses and cattles before and other military ammunition in the fortress. In the rein of Atabaylar-Eldagizlar dynasty in the territory of Azerbaijan, the importance of the Alinjagala rose turning the place a shelter for the security of the rulers families, which was considered the most strategic military fortification.

In accordance with the Decree of the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on February 11, 2014, "On the restoration of historical monument Alinjagala", the castle was restored and granted a status of historical and cultural museum-reserve.

The region abounds with historical monuments, including ancient Gamigaya, Farhad house, Ajhabi-Kahf, Yusuf ibn Kuseyr tomb,Tomb of the Gulistan, Khanagah tomb, Qazanchi bridge, Nakhchivan Juma Mosque, and Qesariyya monument.

Nakhchivans main attraction for tourists today is the therapeutic salt caves of Mount Duzdag located at a height of 1,173 meters above sea level. Those who suffer with respiratory disease find great results of treatment procedures here.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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1 August 2017 12:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

A record number of Azerbaijani tourists travelled to Turkey this summer, up 30 percent over last year, according to Turkish government data.

The data reveals that 243,421 Azerbaijani tourists visited the neighboring and brotherly country in January-May. The figure is more by about 30 percent compared to the same period of 2016.

In January-May 2016, the number of Azerbaijani tourists visiting Turkey decreased by 10.37 percent to 188,761, compared to the same period of 2015.

Azerbaijan Tourism Association Chairman Nahid Bagirov said that, this year the largest number of Azerbaijani tourists head to Turkey for summer holidays.

In Azerbaijan, outbound tourism has not recorded such a high growth so far. The number of Azerbaijanis, who left for Turkey last year or in previous years had somewhat decreased, but in July this year it was difficult to find air tickets to Turkey. Moreover, it is impossible to find tickets even for August, Bagirov told Trend.

The head of AzTA noted that direct flights to Bodrum, Antalya and Izmir are carried out from Baku, adding that sometimes 2-3 flights per day are carried out in these directions, and this is still not enough, because most tourists from Azerbaijan prefer to have a rest at these Turkish resorts.

As for trips to Istanbul, Bagirov added that Azerbaijani tourists traveling to Bodrum and Antalya through Istanbul stay there for several days, continuing their journey to the final destination. However, due to the weather conditions observed recently in Istanbul, Azerbaijani tourists do not stay there for long.

In general, according to Bagirov, this year, like in previous years, Azerbaijani tourists prefer to rest in Turkey, rather than in other countries.



"Nevertheless, our compatriots also travel to European countries, in particular Italy, France, Greece and the Czech Republic, where there are direct flights," the head of AzTA noted.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

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For Immediate Release, August 1, 2017 Contact: Jenny Loda, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7100 x 336, jloda@biologicaldiversity.org

Kelly Davis, Save Our Springs Alliance, (512) 477-2320 x 306, kelly@sosalliance.org Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration's Approval of Texas Highway Project Project Threatens Two Rare Salamanders, Golden-cheeked Warbler AUSTIN, Texas A federal district court in Texas today granted a motion by the Center for Biological Diversity and Save Our Springs Alliance to expand their existing lawsuit to challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's approval of a highway project in Austin that threatens three endangered species. The construction of the MoPac Intersections Project across the environmentally sensitive Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, in southwest Austin, risks harming the federally protected Barton Springs salamander, Austin blind salamander and golden-cheeked warbler. This project would do real harm to these precious salamanders, the golden-cheeked warbler and the sensitive Edwards Aquifer itself, said Jenny Loda, a biologist and attorney with the Center who's dedicated to protecting rare amphibians and reptiles. Unchecked sprawl and transportation projects have already pushed these unique little guys toward extinction. It's crucial to ensure that any new highway projects are not going to accelerate the threats that are quickly wiping them out. In response to previous efforts by the Center and Save Our Springs, the Texas Department of Transportation initiated consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service in June 2016, putting forth an inadequate assessment that concluded the project was not likely to adversely affect these protected species. One year later the Fish and Wildlife Service concurred with that baseless determination, violating the Endangered Species Act and Administrative Procedure Act. In making its decision to concur with the state transportation department, the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to consider the impacts of encountering caves during excavation, the broad range of likely pollutants, and additional impacts of other highway projects in the Barton Springs recharge zone. The new complaint filed today continues to challenge the state's failure to ensure the Intersections Project will not violate the Endangered Species Act by jeopardizing the survival of the Barton Springs salamander, Austin blind salamander or golden-cheeked warbler. The failure by Texas officials to fully consider the impacts of this project on protected species reflects their pattern of incomplete and woefully deficient evaluations of the environmental effects of highway projects in the Barton Springs Recharge Zone, said Kelly Davis, an attorney with Save Our Springs Alliance. It's frustrating to see the Fish and Wildlife Service follow suit in its decision to approve an inadequate analysis that is not supported by science for the MoPac Intersections Project. Central Texas' Edwards Aquifer region provides habitat for more than 50 species of animals and plants living nowhere else in the world. Since the Edwards Aquifer also provides much of San Antonio's water supply and about 50,000 people rely on Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer for their drinking water, the cleanliness of the aquifers is a critical issue for people as well as wildlife.
Heard About The Market For Used Underwear? Pulse oi-Syeda Farah

With everything being sold online these days, people need not hit a store to buy anything. From grocery to medicines, everything is just a click away.

With so many portals being available online these days, people are making the best use of online market to sell anything and everything!

Have you heard about the online market where you can sell your used panties too? Well, you can on an online selling site that is specialised in selling used underwears!

WHAT!! Can Over Masturbation Ruin Your Life?

No people, we ain't cracking a disgusting joke here! There is an online store that actually sells used underwear.

Want to know more about it? Then, continue reading...

How Did It All Start? The idea of selling used panty was actually a part of a NETFLIX show; after which people started checking online to see if used underwears were available in real, and this was a great opportunity for people to start a business of selling used underwears! It Is a Lucrative Business! Women are selling their used underwear to male customers for thousands of pounds online. Even though the market seems niche, it has proven to be very lucrative with women earning up to $5000 (3850) for a single pair! Woosh, that's a big amount! Different Requirements Are Customised! Customers look for different types of lingerie, as a few even prefer buying lengthy wear, and then there are those customers as well who look for an underwear that has been worn to the gym or the one used during making out. pulse Reasons Why Men Masturbate Prices Differ According to the sources, the prices of the lingerie can range from completely complimentary to $5000 (3,850) with longer wears. Pants that have been worked out in or masturbated in are sold at higher prices. The highest price of $5000 was sold, in which the seller claimed to have worn it for three weeks straight. Why Exactly Do People Buy Them? The online sellers claim that they have had men who just wanted these used panties, so that they could masturbate using them, while others wanted to wear them, and to add on, there were those that wanted to put them around in their house, to make their friends think they'd slept with a lot of women. So, what do you think about this bizarre online market? Do share your thoughts on the same in the comment section below.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 17:47 [IST]
The Legend Associated With The Varamahalakshmi Vrata Festivals oi-Lekhaka

The auspicious month of Aashada is symbolic because it holds the calendar date of the Varamahalakshmi festival - the festival heralding gaiety and prosperity till the conclusion of the next year. This year, in 2019, it will be observed on the 9th August, 2019.

This auspicious festival is celebrated on the shravan month of Hindu Calendar. The very onset of this sacred festival is a fervour of bright flowers, colours and bright coloured rangoli everywhere. The market holds abundant varieties of decorative items - ranging from threshold decorations to small and intricate jewellery for the decoration of the Goddess of Wealth - Sri Mahalakshmi.

Brisk commercial business and activities are in great galore, while every household and business gear themselves up for this joyous welcoming of Goddess of wealth - Sri Mahalakshmi.

The young and the old alike, fondly await this festival of colour and prosperity. The women consider this day to be very auspicious to welcome the Goddess to their house and pray for the well-being and long life of their beloveds and their progeny.

In India, the southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh participate in this festival and welcome the Goddess and seek her benevolence.

Goddess Lakshmi And The Legend Associated With Her Birth

Goddess Lakshmi is Lord Vishnu's beloved wife. Her sacred throne is the Lotus flower, and her posture on the lotus is the Padma asana or the Lotus pose.

The birth of the Goddess is traced to the Padma Purana, a Hindu spiritual text. In the story, the Gods get defeated by the demons and approach Lord Narayana. They prayed to get rid of from the torture of the demons. Lord Narayana advised the Gods to churn the Mandara Mountain in the ocean - Kshira Sagara.

He also advised that the mountain be churned with the help of the demons and bound the Mandara with Sheshnag, the sacred snake bed of the Lord, as the rope. The Mandara was placed on the back of the Koorma - Tortoise.

The Gods held the tail end, while the demons held the head of the large snake. The tortoise was none the less -Lord himself. As the mountain started to churn, the Ksheera Sagara brought out Kamadhenu or holy cow, Varuni (intoxicating drink), Airavat, Parijat, Chandra and Goddess Mahalakshmi.

The Goddess resplendent in her captivating beauty emerged seated in the Padma asana style on the Lotus flower. As the Gods chanted the Sri Sukta, the Goddess entered the heart of her beloved - Lord Narayana or Vishnu. The demons were defeated in the battle and the Gods retrieved all that was lost.

Varamahalakshmi - The Eternal Truth

Vara means "good wishes" or ''blessings'' and Maha Lakshmi is the personification of the Ashta Lakshmi. Hence, celebrating the Varamahalakshmi festival symbolizes the entry and longevity of the eight forms of blessings in life. The festival is celebrated by all to welcome the Goddess of wealth and good wishes.

The Ashta Lakshmi Forms

The eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi or the Astha Lakshmi are:

Adi Lakshmi - The Primal

Dhanya Lakshmi - The Goddess of Grains

Dhairya Lakshmi - The Goddess of Satisfaction

Gaja Lakshmi - The Goddess of Power and Authority

Santana Lakshmi - The Goddess who blesses couples with progeny

Vijaya Lakshmi - The Goddess of Victory

Vidya Lakshmi - The Goddess of Knowledge

Dhana Lakshmi - The Goddess of Monetary Wealth

Legends Associated With The Festival

The legend of Shiva Parvati and Chitranemi

Lord Shiva and His wife Parvati were rolling dice and they had a small dispute as to who is the winner. An honest Brahmin, who was the creation of Shiva- Chitranemi was asked to give his judgement, and he pronounced Lord Shiva to be the winner.

Much annoyed by this judgement, Parvathi cursed Chitranemi that he may suffer with leprosy. Lord Shiva pleaded her to take Her curse back, and then Parvathi said that the curse will be lifted only if the brahmin observes vrata on Varamahalakhmi puja day.

Every year, women observe fast and invite Mahalakshmi to their homes on this sacred day of the last Friday in the month of Shravan.

The legend of Charumathi

Another belief is that in the Maratha Kingdom, a lady Charumathi led a very pious and righteous life. She was duty-bound and took a good care of her parents-in-law. Her every action and speech was full of love and respect.

She used to look after her husband and children with love, care and affection. Above all these worldly duties, she rendered her heart and soul in true worship of Goddess Lakshmi. One night, the Goddess appeared in her dream and asked her to perform the Varalakshmi puja. Charumathi shared this dream with her husband, in-laws and other ladies in the village and all of them performed this puja and attained the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi.

Continuing with this legend, today also married women worship and welcome Goddess Lakshmi on this auspicious day to their homes and pray that Ashta Lakshmi remains with them at all times.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A travellers disturbing attempt to seduce a stranger in the street has brought him a $300 fine.

While asking a woman for directions, David Vaillancourt masturbated in front of her to see if she wanted to have some fun.

Its of huge concern that you would even consider this type of behaviour with a stranger and in a public location, Judge John Combs said.

Vaillancourt, 36, received the above fine as he pled guilty on Monday to performing an indecent act.

Crown attorney Marnie Evans said a woman was walking home from the grocery store on Friday, along Ninth Street, when a man in a car pulled up beside her.

The driver, Vaillancourt, asked for directions to Walmart but during the discussion he started to masturbate in front of the victim.

Vaillancourt then drove off, but the woman was able to provide police with a description of the car, which Evans said was packed to the roof.

Police caught up with the car as it was heading east along the Trans-Canada Highway.

Evans said Vaillancourt admitted to police that hed been flirting with the victim and masturbated to see if she wanted to have some fun.

He was held in jail until Mondays sentencing.

Defence lawyer Melanie Cannon said that Vaillancourt was moving from B.C. to Quebec when he made his stop in Brandon.

Cannon said Vaillancourt has a history of mental illness and wasnt taking his medications consistently at the time of the incident.

 ihitchen@brandonsun.com
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 27/07/2017 (1934 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A physician in Virden is no longer concerned some of the responsibilities once shouldered by staff at the communitys laboratory are being transferred to machinery in Brandon.

Jan Roux, a doctor at Virden Medical Associates, wrote a letter on behalf of the clinics six physicians to Diagnostic Services of Manitoba (DSM) last month about worries the organization was reducing even more services at our lab than before.

He noted the Virden lab would no longer conduct a test on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which reveals inflammatory activity in the body, and examine fecal occult blood, where stool samples are checked for hidden blood.

Months earlier, the clinic discontinued the PTT test, which measured the time it takes for blood to clot. Thus, heparin therapy is no longer being offered in Virden.

The Brandon Sun obtained a copy of the letter from a person who wanted to remain anonymous.

In response to the physicians disappointment, clinic staff met with DSM representatives, who explained the organizations rationale.

Roux found their answers satisfactory.

We understand that with all the cuts to the budget that it might be a better use of time and manpower to use a machine to do some tests rather than to use human beings to do it.

If we send the blood into Brandon and a machine does it, it leaves our lab personnel available to do the things that we need them to do right now, he elaborated.

Roux has been assured the movement of these services will not result in any staffing decrease.

While he did not know how many lab technologists the clinic had, he said two job openings are available at the moment.

These jobs were posted in a time when many jobs were not posted when they are empty, Roux said.

Concern over losing services was initially seen as a step back, akin to approximately a decade ago when Virden lost its X-ray capabilities. They were promised the service would return but it never did.

He wants Virden to continue to be a medical hub for smaller communities surrounding it.

We want to ensure that we can afford the best possible patient services, so we dont want to be losing things that we might need, Roux said.

Petr Kresta, DSM chief operating officer, said hes pleased with the change, enabling lab technologists to focus on other work that they need to do.

He acknowledged the difficulties in recruiting lab technologists, which ebbs and flows at all labs. The reasoning is situational and can range from geographic matters to wage disparity.

He said he was not aware of any recruiting challenges in Virden.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org

In Nairobi, Don Bisson, don.bisson@cartercenter.org

NAIROBI  The Carter Center International Observation Mission in Kenya offers its condolences to the family of Mr. Christopher Msando, ICT manager at Kenyas Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The Centers technical experts enjoyed a productive relationship with Mr. Msando and are personally saddened by the loss.

We all wish to honor Mr. Msandos dedication to transparent elections, said former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Security for the elections and all election administrators throughout the electoral process is paramount for the conduct of credible and democratic elections. We hope that his death will not have a chilling effect on voters and electoral authorities.

Secretary Kerry and former Senegalese Prime Minister Aminata Toure will arrive in Nairobi soon to co-lead the Carter Centers short-term observation delegation.

We urge Kenyan authorities to provide full protection for the IEBC and their professional staff so that they can continue preparations for the elections without fear for their safety, Toure said.

The Carter Center joins with other stakeholders in urging an independent and comprehensive investigation into Mr. Msandos death. The Center further implores politicians to refrain from politicizing this event. Attacks on the IEBC and other independent institutions, whether verbal or physical, remain an unacceptable form of public discourse.

The Carter Center also encourages the IEBC to go forward with the nationwide KIEMS test now scheduled for Wednesday. The success of KIEMS remains an essential step toward increasing stakeholder confidence in the election.

###

"Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope."

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Ugandan government supports new cement plant

ICR Newsroom By 01 August 2017

China National Materials Group (Sinoma) is seeking to invest UGX1.8tr (USD500m) in a new cement factory to be located at Mbale Industrial Park in eastern Uganda, 225km from Kampala.



Details of the new plant have not been released and final approval will depend on the company securing the limestone deposit to supply the factory.



A Ugandan government delegation visited Beijing in July and confirmed its support for the project. We will provide land, licence for limestone and other incentives, a government spokesperson said, according to a report by Daily Monitor (Uganda).



As government, we are going to do our part. We also want you to do your part because we dont want delays.



Under the administration of President Museveni, the government of Uganda is supporting investment into the cement industry in the hope of reducing cement prices, which are currently reported at UGX36,000 per 50kg bag (US$200/t).

There are currently four cement factories operating in Uganda with a combined capacity of 4.85Mta, while demand was estimated at 2.45Mt in 2016, according to The Global Cement Report, 12th Edition.

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Lucky Cement FY17 profit rises 5.78%

01 August 2017

Lucky Cement has reported a 5.78 per cent YoY increase in full-year profit of PKR13.69bn (US$129.8m) versus PKR12.94bn in FY16, the company informed the Pakistan Stock Exchange.



Gross sales increased to PKR61.6bn during FY17 from PKR 55.92bn in the previous year. The company said it incurred distribution costs of PKR1.703bn and administrative expenses of PKR1.021bn versus PKR2.01bn and PKR1.10bn incurred, respectively in FY16.



Sales volumes rose by 3.1 per cent YoY to 7.15Mt. While its local dispatches climbed by 13.9 per cent YoY to 6.07Mt, exports declined by 32.7 per cent YoY to 1.08Mt.



The company pointed out that during the period under review, the cost of sales increased by one per cent, compared to the previous year with the increase mainly attributed to an increase in coal prices.



Lucky Cement reiterated progress on its 1.25Mta brownfield project in the south of Pakistan and 2.3Mta greenfield project in the north. The southern expansion in Karachi is expected to come online by December 2017 while the Punjab project is yet to receive approval by the government of Punjab.

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How is the Hebrew Bible different from the Christian Old Testament?

I've encountered many Bible believing tourists in my over 17 years living in Israel. This happens often in bookshops.

I once encountered a tourist who wanted to buy a Bible from the Holy Land and after learning I was a believer and had lived here for many years, he began to ask my opinion.

'Which Bible has a real "holy land" feel?' he asked.

'Well, why not a Hebrew Bible, which was the Bible which our Lord Jesus made reference to in Luke 24: 44-45?' I answered.

'A Hebrew Bible? What is that?' he asked.

Then I proceeded to explain that a Hebrew Bible contains the exact equivalent to what Protestant Christians call the 'Old Testament'. I also explained that this is the Bible that observant Jews accept as the Word of God today. They call it in Hebrew, the TANAK, which is an abbreviation taking the first letter from each of the following words for: Torah (Law of Moses), Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Holy Writings).

This interested my tourist friend very much. 'Can you recommend one?' he asked.

Then, I gave him a very nice edition to look at called The Jerusalem Bible published by Koren Publishers here in Jerusalem.

'This is a Hebrew Bible, but I do need to point out that while this Bible has the same books that are found in the King James Version and all other Protestant Bible versions, you will note that the design is different,' I said.

When I gave my new friend the Hebrew Bible, he first noticed that the front cover was where he expected the back cover to be. I then explained that all books that are written in Hebrew like this one was (it also had an English translation) the writing is from right to left and the books are designed opposite to our Western styles.

Then he opened the Hebrew Bible and the first thing he saw was the book of Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. 'This doesn't appear any different from my King James Bible at all,' he said.

I agreed. 'Yes, the first five books are the same, but in the next section of the Hebrew Bible, known as the 'Prophets' section, here you will notice some differences to your King James Bible,' I said.

He began to look at this section and he was surprised. He noticed that there was no I and II Samuel or I and II Kings, just two books called Samuel and Kings. Then he expected I and II Chronicles to be next in order, but instead he found Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and then the Twelve Minor Prophets found in the King James Bible from Hosea to Malachi in the order he expected.

'Wow. This is different!' he exclaimed. 'Yes, it is. But, in fact, this is the Bible that our Lord Jesus referred to in Luke 24:44-45.

Continuing on, we then looked at the last section known as the Writings (or called sometimes the Psalms section because the book of Psalms is the first book of that section).

Here he found Psalms, Proverbs, Job, then Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther followed by Daniel, Ezra/Nehemiah (as one book) and the two books of Chronicles also merged into one.

After seeing the final section, my friend was relieved to find all of the precious books of the Old Testament that he knew so well, but this relief was replaced with a little confusion over this unfamiliar design.

'Do you know why it is so different than our King James Bible in design?' he asked.

I answered that when the Hebrew and Greco-Roman civilizations some 300 years before Christ came into closer contact with each other, a Greek translation of the Bible was made and the Greeks had a tendency to classify things according to subject, like an encyclopedia, so all of the books of history would be in one section, all of the books about prophecy in another and all of the wisdom books in another.

Later, when the Christians began to make their first complete Bibles in the 4th century, early Latin versions relied on these earlier Greek translations from the Hebrew and they had the tendency to retain the new organisation and numeration.

So instead of the original 22 books (which became 24 books in current Hebrew Bible versions by separating several books into two and combining others), now Christians had 39 separate books that we call the Old Testament and we also had a new design for the books.

'What an amazing story,' he said. 'This Hebrew Bible will make a lovely gift and perfect show and tell for Sunday School. Thank you for sharing God's truth.'

Samuel Martin is an internationally known Christian practical theologian living in Israel. His book on corporal punishment of children in the Biblical context (free via his website) has received international acclaim for its conclusions. See www.biblechild.com. Connect with him on Twitter: @byblechyld
'An eye for an eye': What the Bible tells us about revenge

'An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind,' said Gandhi.

He probably didn't, in fact  at least, no one has been able to find the exact quote. But the saying demonstrates an uneasiness with a biblical quote that seems to approve of taking violent revenge on someone who has done you an injury.

The law of 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth' is found in Exodus 23: 23-25, Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. The rule seems to have applied to social equals rather than relationships between masters and slaves  in Exodus 21:26, if a master blinds a servant in one eye he must let the servant go free rather than having his own eye knocked out.

The rule is also found in other ancient law codes too - notably the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi  and what they all have in common is that the law is about limiting revenge rather than promoting it. It's a way of controlling the human instinct towards a spiral of violence, with an injury provoking a worse injury, which provokes a worse injury in return. Yes, the desire for justice is legitimate and has to be satisfied, but that's not excuse for surrendering to our instincts for violent revenge.

Furthermore, in the New Testament Jesus takes this one step further. Rather than just limiting revenge, he seems to forbid it entirely. In Matthew 5: 38-39 he says: 'You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth." But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.'

Some have taken this as a command to absolute pacifism. Others have pointed out that a slap on the right cheek from a right-handed person is a backhander, an insulting cuff  perhaps from a Roman to a Jew. But what's clear is that an injury is to be met with a different kind of response. Instead of exacting the full recompense due under the law, the believer is to take a different line entirely. Believers are to forgive rather than punish.

It's fairly easy to see what this might mean in personal relationships  no grudges, no brooding over old wrongs, an open-hearted willingness to let bygones be bygones.

But what does this mean for life in the world, where issues of crime and punishment are always pressing? Should a repentant criminal simply go free? And what about international relations, where one nation might oppress another? In other words, can we scale up Jesus' command?

Perhaps not so easily. But there are nevertheless hints of a direction of travel. In Jesus' words it's arguably implied that the action of the believer in not taking revenge will have an effect on the one who's done the injury  just as Paul says in Romans 12:20, 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head' (a possible reference to an Egyptian ritual showing repentance by carry on the head a dish containing burning charcoal).

So when we think of how to treat wrongdoers, we should be guided not by a desire for revenge, but by a desire for reform. Prison is a punishment  but in a society influenced by Christianity, it should above all be a place of reform, where people are enabled to repent and change.

Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods
Baghdad churches close as Iraq's Christians continue to leave

Eight churches in Baghdad have closed their doors permanently due to the mass exodus of believers from Iraq.

The decision, made by the Vatican earlier this year, comes after seven years of falling or no attendance and is symbolic of the wholesale emigration of Christians from the Middle East.

Amounting to nearly 10 per cent of Iraq's population at the start of the 21st century, Christians made up 40 per cent of those fleeing from the start of the Iraq War in 2003 to 2007, leaving just a handful behind.

International Christian Concern, a persecution charity, has documented this decline and points to three stages of Christians fleeing Iraq, the first from 2005-2007, the second in 2010 when extremists attacked a church during Sunday mass and the third stage in 2014 when ISIS attacked the Nineveh Plain.

As Iraq descended into sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia groups after the removal of Saddam Hussein, Christians became an easy target for both sides, ICC says.

One former resident, Seza, told the watchdog: 'In early 2006, we forcibly left our house because we got an envelope tell[ing] us, 'You have to leave within 48 hours, all you have to take is your clothes, if you t[ake] anything else we will kill you.

'Still I have the envelope and the three bullets we received from the gang.'

Another, Sargon, told ICC: 'I used to see dead bodies for unknown people every day when I come back from work; our sons used to sleep at their friends' or relatives' houses sometimes because, in 2005, if time passed 6 pm, most probably you will be killed if you come to our house or, if you are lucky, you will find the road blocked, anyway.

'A check point for Islamic extremists [was] established 20 metres from our house in January 2006,' Sargon continued.

'A week later, they connected an explosive device to our external door. The next morning, my wife was getting out to purchase some vegetables and an explosion took place. The explosion wasn't too huge, but it was enough to kill the one who open[ed] the door; it's good my wife [is] still beside me.'

The second major blow to Christianity in Iraq came in 2010 when six jihadists stormed Sunday evening mass at the Sayedat al-najat Syriac Catholic Church in Baghdad.

When Iraqi security forces arrived they detonated their suicide belts, killing 58, and wounding 78 more.

'We've lost part of our soul,' Rudy Khalid, age 16, told the New York Times at the time. 'Our destiny, no one knows what to say of it.'

ISIS' invasion represents the third stage of assaults on Christians in Iraq, leaving just a fragment behind.

'It's important to recognise that ISIS is not solely responsible for this,' an ICC statement reads.

'Christians have faced various forms of persecution and discrimination from a wide variety of perpetrators throughout the past 15 years.'

The closure of the eight churches is emblematic of a broader picture. There are fewer and fewer Christians left in Iraq to fill them and take their place in what was once a religiously diverse country. Unless their prospects change soon, Christianity will survive only in the history books of a country that was one of its birthplaces.
Christian men who date and marry outside the church explain why they chose an unbeliever over a believer

Christians disagree on all kinds of things but there's one thing that most Christians do agree on and that's that they should marry other Christians.

Marrying a non-believer remains a taboo in the church, largely thanks to the verse in 2 Corinthians 6:14 that says: 'Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.'

Even if this verse doesn't exist, believers would still appreciate the many practical advantages of being yoked with a fellow believer, like being able to go to church together, pray together, read the Bible together. In other words, live out their faith together.

For that reason, many Christians look for a spouse within the church. And when they don't, it comes as something of a shock for their fellow believers.

So just why would a Christian look outside the church for their life partner when they could find someone inside the church? That's the interesting question put forward by Judi Mason at Black And Married With Kids. She got a ton of responses and some of them are not easy for the church - or church women - to hear.

Here are some of them below:

Too Sanctimonious.

Ouch! This is a tough one for us women to swallow but it's only right we hear them out. Some men said there is only one God in their life and they didn't want or need the woman they marry acting like a second God. They feared a Christian woman would only end up judging them or even worse than that, badgering them to constantly raise their spiritual standards as if they weren't good enough.

Not submissive.

Here's another tough one for Christian women to digest as it's the bedrock of Christian teaching on what it means to be a good wife. But some say they didn't see any submission during the dating stage, so what were the chances that these women were going to be submissive wives?

Not feminine enough.

Yikes! These men felt that women have lost their feminity and are no longer soft, friendly and fun loving - some of the most attractive qualities to a man.

Unrealistic expectations

These men felt that some Christian women's expectations about the men they marry are so lofty that they are completely unrealistic. Their perception of what Christian women want is: if their husband isn't a perfect replica of Jesus, then he should at least be like their pastor. But these men, at least, just want room to make mistakes and be human.

To read more intriguing reasons as to why some Christian men date and marry outside the church, click here.
Christianity could become 'a focus' of UK Government's ill-defined counter-extremism strategy, Bishop warns

Christians in the UK could be targeted by the Government's counter-extremism strategy, a Catholic bishop has warned.

In a sermon at Lourdes, Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury said the Government strategy 'struggles to define arbitrary values which might preserve society now confronted by aggressive ideologies and homicidal terror'.

Referring to a recent poll, Davies argued that the problem lies in how 'extremism' is defined. The poll, he said, 'allows [us] to glimpse what lies at the heart of this confusion: a ComRes Poll found that one in three Britons now regard the claims of Christianity and even the person of Jesus Christ as representing extremism'.

The poll, carried out for the Evangelical Alliance, found that 13 per cent of 2,004 respondents thought the Dalai Lama could be considered an extremist, 20 per cent said Gandhi could be considered in the same category, while 25 per cent thought Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela could be considered as such. More than 40 per cent said that people who believed marriage was only between a man and a woman might be considered extremist.

'There is a destructive extremism we ought to fear, one which seeks not only to deconstruct marriage and the family, but the very identity of the human person; which calls for medical experimentation with no reference to ethical boundaries; that decrees the unborn may live only to terms fixed by man, and demands legal protections be removed from the sick and the aged,' said Bishop Davies. 'It is such extremism which surely threatens the foundations of society.'

He added: 'It is even possible that the very faith in Christ on which our nation was built might become a focus of the Government's counter-extremism agenda.'

Under the Government's 'Prevent' programme, public sector workers are expected to report individuals at risk of radicalisation to local authority panels.
Faith, works and a way out of the guilt trap

I was 22 and had believed myself a Christian my whole life, but now I wasn't sure. I was studying for an MA in theology at Regent College in Vancouver. We had a visiting speaker that day and he wasn't holding back. 'Faith without works is dead,' he roared. 'God's heart is for the marginalised, the poor, the oppressed. True worship is meeting the needs of the world.'

Needless to say, he had a very impressive story of his own to share  giving up a comfortable, half-hearted life in Canada to live four days' donkey ride into a poverty-stricken Latin American country as far as I recall, returning to set up a cutting edge social justice charity. Shame caused my face to burn and a feeling of hopelessness settled in the pit of my stomach. I was studying full time and had three part-time jobs. I had no capacity for more commitments but oh, how I wanted to be a Christian, and the longer he spoke, the more I doubted my right to claim that label.

The needs of our world are endless, the suffering unending. The challenge to respond comes from passionate ambassadors for specific causes, from Facebook posts, from news bulletins and personal encounters. Drug addicts. Refugees. Orphans. The homeless. Prisoners. The mentally ill. Give your money, your time, your expertise, your spare room, give until you bleed, spend yourself until you are used up and even then keep giving. Otherwise your declarations of faith are empty words.

One of the most frightening things Jesus ever said was 'Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven' (Matthew 7:21).

I stumbled out of the lecture hall, tears blurring my vision, and walked straight into another professor. This minor kerfuffle was my saving grace. I left our short encounter deeply reassured. This is the essence of what he said, mixed in with some of what I have gleaned over the subsequent years:

God convicts, he doesn't condemn

Discipleship is worked out in gritty, costly obedience and there is no getting around that. However, love comes first  God's love towards us, primarily. Psalm 103 says, 'He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him' (10, 11) .

We are not supposed to do everything ourselves

The English language has a major limitation: there is no plural 'you'. This means we read every imperative as an individual challenge, but clearly no individual can respond to every need. We are together the body of Christ and together we can cover all the bases.

For everything there is a season

As a student, my priority was to study. As a mother of tiny children, my priority was to care for them. If we are not careful, in an effort to tick all the boxes at once we take on too much and do everything badly (at best) or burn out (at worst).

We are never going to be able to earn our way into God's favour by good works  the glorious truth is that his favour is there for the least deserving as pure gift: 'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith  and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast' (Ephesians 2:8-9). The more deeply we understand that, the more joyfully we will find our part to play in responding to the needs of our world.

Jo Swinney is an author, speaker and editor of Preach Magazine. Her latest book, Home: the quest to belong (Hodder & Stoughton) is out now. www.joswinney.com @joswinney
Israeli police raid Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, arrest 33 over Temple Mount clashes

Thirty-three people including seven minors have been arrested in East Jerusalem after dozens of Israeli police raided the homes of those suspected of involvement in the violent clashes over security at the Temple Mount.

The suspects, who were arrested on Sunday night, were taken for interrogation, according to the respected Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz. The police carried out the raids in the neighbourhoods of Tur, Shuafat, Beit Hanina, Wadi Joz, Ras al-Amud, Isawiya and Jerusalem's Old City.

The youngest of the minors to be arrested was 13, according to the report.

The police said that during the protests over the past two weeks, dozens of people blocked roads and threw Molotov cocktails, stones and other objects.

'We arrested the core group of rioters who took an active part in the violent riots directed against the security forces,' the Israel Police said in a statement.

But police faced criticism for the raids. 'As an Israeli, it is worrying that the police continue to behave in the same aggressive ways that recently failed so badly on Temple Mount,' said Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at the leftist nonprofit organisation Ir-Amim. 'The mass arrests that occur regularly for Jewish holidays, such as Tisha B'Av, are another example of trampling basic Palestinian rights. They buttress Palestinian claims that the Temple movements, which aspire to profoundly change the situation on the Temple Mount, enjoy the protection of the police.'

On July 14, three Israeli Arabs killed two border police officers in an attack at the Temple Mount.

The following day, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that metal detectors be installed at the site, on the recommendation of Israel Police.

However, Muslim worshippers refused to pass through the metal detectors, praying outside the entrances and in the streets. Violent clashes erupted, in which three Palestinians were killed. Israeli authorities ended up removing the metal detectors and security cameras, and the Palestinians announced that the status quo had been restored.

Netanyahu has faced criticism on the Israeli right for removing the metal detectors, which he said was a 'difficult' decision.
Lesbian mom wants Christian judge removed from divorce case because of his religious views; he's refusing to go

A lesbian mother in Alabama has asked the judge presiding over her divorce case to be removed because of his Christian views on homosexuality.

According to AL.com, Tiara Brooke Lycans is unhappy about Judge Shaunathan C. Bell's Christian views, which the news network says are described as 'conservative' in politics and 'Baptist' when it comes to religion.

She has twice petitioned the judge to recuse himself from the divorce case because she thinks his religious views may influence his decision when it comes to the custody of her child.

Twice he has refused to go.

She then took her case to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, citing the fact that he has been a preacher for 15 years, even staying in the position after becoming a judge.

Lycans argued that the judge's 'publicly expressed belief that homosexual relationships and marriages are contrary to God's law' may influence how he rules on the custody of her child from her marriage to Zachary Lycans.

Bell granted joint custody of the child with Mr Lycans in his initial pending ruling.

According to AL.com, he ruled the same way in two other divorce cases involving lesbian mothers.

However, it seems for now, Bell is the judge as the appeals court also turned down Lycans's request for him to be removed from her divorce case on Thursday.

Accoring to RT.com, Bell was sworn in as a judge to the Circuit Court in 2013 and serves as a pastor at Liberty Hill Baptist Church.

The news outlet reports that passages of Scripture were read from the Bible during his swearing-in ceremony.
31 July 2017 | 10:15 PM

Matthew McConaughey has talked about what inspired him to name his first son Levi and reveals that the Bible had a hand in it.

The 'Dark Tower' actor said on Good Morning America that he and his wife's choice of name for their son was influenced by the Bible and particularly his favorite verse Matthew 6:22 - 'The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.' (NIV)

'Levi's another name for Matthew in the bible,' the 'Dark Tower' actor said on 'Good Morning America.' 'We had talked about possibly Matthew, Jr. if he was a boy. And my favorite [verse] in the bible is Matthew 6:22.'

McConaughey, a Christian, revealed that Levi was one out of seven options that he and wife Camila Alves had on the table for their son, who turns nine this month. In the end, they settled on Levi because the numbers in the verse perfectly lined up with the time of his birth - 6:22am.

'We find out he's a boy when he's born. You're not thinking about the name, right?' he continued. 'An hour later, the doctor comes up and he hands you that card to fill out: 'Blank was born at 6:22 p.m.' So we went, 'It's Levi.''

Interestingly, Matthew 6:22 is the same verse that McConaughey has engraved on his wedding band - a nod to the person who brought him back to his Christian faith.

McConaughey previously admitted to drifting away from his church roots when he became famous and even stopped going to church altogether after finding super stardom in Hollywood, but later he found his way back - all thanks to his wife Camila's faith. The couple gone on to have three children together, Vida, Levi and Livingston.

Since rediscovering his faith, McConaughey has been very open about it in interviews and public appearances. When he gave his acceptance speech for his 2014 Best Actor Oscar, God also got a very big mention.

'First off I want to thank God, because He's the one I look up to,' he said.
Nearly 100 evangelical leaders visited Trump's White House for briefings last week

Donald Trump's White House expanded its engagement with faith leaders last week by holding three different 'listening sessions' featuring nearly 100 different Christian leaders and activists, according to The Christian Post (CP).

Just weeks after a gathering of around 30 evangelical leaders met for an all-day session in Washington on July 10 that was marked by the evangelicals praying over the President in the Oval Office, the White House Office of Public Liaison expanded its evangelical outreach by inviting faith leaders who have not yet been involved in previous meetings with the administration to voice their concerns, CP reported.

The prominent evangelical Johnnie Moore, who serves as an informal adviser to the White House, told CP that he attended all three meetings held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington.

'The White House has continued to have listening sessions with evangelical leaders and they had three more this week. Almost 100 evangelicals [participated],' said Moore, who heads a public relations company that gives voice to many notable evangelical pastors. 'Each listening session was about two hours and involved briefings from administration officials and an opportunity for folks to express their thoughts on various issues.'

Moore said that a meeting last Thursday morning featured a multi-denominational group of ministry leaders while the Thursday afternoon meeting featured mostly leaders from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

'It wasn't just the group from two weeks ago, it was other people,' Moore added. 'The White House is interested in hearing from a large group of leaders.'

Others who participated in the meetings were the California evangelist Greg Laurie, the social conservative radio host and apologist Michael Brown and former SBC presidents Jack Graham and Ronnie Floyd.

Moore told the CP that Anne Graham Lotz, an evangelist and daughter of Billy Graham, was also present for at least one of the meetings.

The Florida televangelist Paula White, one of Trump's most favoured faith advisers, also participated.

Floyd told the CP that he participated in both of the meetings on Thursday. 'The goal has been evidently to try and widen the circles,' he said.

Moore explained that the listening sessions included quick briefings on various issues from officials in the White House's legislative and judicial affairs departments and that most of the sessions consisted of open-table discussions between the leaders with White House officials taking notes.

'It's a listening session,' Moore said. 'It's not about these leaders coming so they can be lectured to. It's about actually making an opportunity to come to the White House as citizens and faith leaders and talking about what was on their mind.'

Moore claimed that in due course, there 'will be more' such meetings between administration officials and the faith leaders.

'What I understand is they intend on inviting lots and lots and lots of leaders to listening sessions among various constituencies,' he said. 'There will be more of them. They want this to be people's house and they want to make sure there is no problem getting in touch with them and expressing points of view and those points of view are taken into account.'

Floyd concurred, saying that there will be 'deeper engagement' between the White House and faith leaders.

'Regardless of what people say...there are two things we need to be encouraged [about],' he said. 'First, this administration has proven that they care about what people of faith want and what people of faith are concerned about and they are addressing them. It is very obvious that they are addressing them. Secondly, this administration ... is zealous for people to pray for them. Obviously, they need it and we all need it in our country and they are very willing to pursue God about matters in this relationship and asking people to pray for them.'
Plea for Katie Hopkins to apologise after she was photographed with former Holocaust denier

The Board of Deputies has called on Katie Hopkins to apologise after she was photographed with a former Holocaust denier.

Hopkins, who recently addressed Church and Media Network Conference, and is a columnist with Mail Online, was pictured in a photo together with Peter Sweden, who has posted a number of contentious tweets in the past, including one stating that 'The claim that 6 million jews were gassed seem highly unprobable. The concentration camps didn't have the facilities for that'. However, Sweden has subsequently changed his mind and no longer holds these views.

It's weird. Why would Katie be afraid to be seen hanging around with little Peter? pic.twitter.com/99mgRlZJXa  Tom (@CcwTom) July 18, 2017

Ms Hopkins tweeted a photo of herself and Sweden but then deleted it, and tweeted another with a different photograph.

Hopkins, who was recently fired by LBC radio in London after she called for a 'final solution' in response to the Manchester terror bombing, has been in Sicily investigating unproven allegations that charities helping migrants and others in danger in the current refugee crisis are actually working with people traffickers.

Marie Van der Zyl, Vice President of the Board of Deputies, told the Jewish Chronicle that it was 'distressing' to see Katie Hopkins posing for a photo with Sweden, as part of her trip to support the 'Defend Europe' campaign.

'This follows Ms Hopkin's previous call for a "final solution". Ms Hopkins should apologise,' she added.

Dr Edie Friedman, executive director of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, also told the JC: 'Freedom of speech is precious. Using this freedom to preach hate and division should be consigned to the dustbin of history.'

Sweden has himself issued a statement stating that he no longer holds his former views on the Holocaust:

I have had opinions in the past that I strongly regret. Please retweet. pic.twitter.com/sf8CBRVQwW  PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) July 19, 2017

This article has been corrected to reflect the fact that Peter Sweden is no longer a Holocaust denier, and that he strongly abhors such views. Sweden has asked Christian Today to point out that these views were from over a year ago and that a year is a long time when a person is only 22 years old.
Pope Francis allies lash out at Trump-supporting religious conservatives, condemn 'ecumenism of hate'

Close allies of Pope Francis have attacked the role of religion in American politics, taking aim at both ultra-conservative Catholics and evangelical Protestants.

Antonio Spadaro and Marcelo Figueroa condemned 'Manichaean language that divides reality between absolute Good and absolute Evil' in an article they wrote together on the 'surprising ecumenism' between the two groups.

Spadaro is a Jesuit priest who edits La Civilta Cattolica and Marcelo Figueroa is a Presbyterian pastor who is editor-in-chief of the Argentinian edition of L'Osservatore Romano. Spadaro's paper is considered the official voice of the Vatican and its contents are approved before publication by the Vatican secretary of state.

Fundamentalists, they say, 'do not hesitate to base the economic growth of the country on a literal adherence to the Bible. Over more recent years this current of thought has been fed by the stigmatization of enemies who are often "demonized".'

This is epitomised in the rhetoric of President Trump, they say, and is reflected in the targeting of migrants and refugees. They also refer to the indifference of evangelical fundamentalists to the environment and issues of climate change: 'Theirs is a prophetic formula: fight the threats to American Christian values and prepare for the imminent justice of an Armageddon, a final showdown between Good and Evil, between God and Satan... Such a unidirectional reading of the biblical texts can anesthetize consciences or actively support the most atrocious and dramatic portrayals of a world that is living beyond the frontiers of its own "promised land".'

In their critique of evangelical fundamentalist politics they take aim at President Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon, a 'supporter of an apocalyptic geopolitics', as well as prosperity theology and the warped understanding of religious liberty.

Furthermore, they say, evangelicals and 'Catholic Integralists' are being brought together by 'the same desire for religious influence in the political sphere'. This is 'an ecumenism of conflict that unites them in the nostalgic dream of a theocratic type of state', say Spadaro and Figuerao.

They add that 'the most dangerous prospect for this strange ecumenism is attributable to its xenophobic and Islamophobic vision that wants walls and purifying deportations. The word "ecumenism" transforms into a paradox, into an "ecumenism of hate".'

This approach stands in sharp contrast to Pope Francis' emphasis on mercy, they stress.

The two single out ultra-conservative US Catholic website Church Militant for particular criticism, noting its support for President Trump and comparison of him with the Emperor Constantine: 'This is a very direct message that then wants to condition the presidency by framing it as a divine election.'

They say: 'The fundamentalist theopolitical plan is to set up a kingdom of the divinity here and now. And that divinity is obviously the projection of the power that has been built. This vision generates the ideology of conquest.' Pope Francis, they say, is fighting against the manipulation of 'this season of anxiety and insecurity'.

Michael Voris, founder of Church Militant, responded: 'The hypocrisy of Fr. Spadaro is shocking. He accuses Church Militant of using theology to advance a political agenda  which isn't true  while he spends every waking hour using the Vatican and the Church to publicly advance a left-wing agenda.'

The article reflects alarm at President Trump's agenda  Pope Francis listed the US among the countries with a 'distorted view of the world' in an interview during the G20 conference and he has implicitly criticised him for his views on migrants and climate change. However, it also reveals concern at the influence of conservative Catholic pressure groups which make common cause with evangelicals over issues such as abortion, gay marriage and what they believe is the waning Christian influence over American politics.
Pope Urges Venezuelan Leader To Negotiate With Opposition Amid Crisis

Pope Francis has urged the embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to alleviate people's suffering and negotiate with the opposition to solve his country's crisis.

The private, evening meeting took place in the context of the "worrying" situation in Venezuela which was "weighing heavily on the entire population", a Vatican statement said.

It said the pope had urged Maduro to "courageously take up the path of sincere and constructive dialogue to alleviate the suffering of the people, most of all the poor, and to promote a climate of renewed social cohesion, which will allow people to look to the future of the nation with hope".

Pope Francis played a key role in facilitating the recent rapprochement between Cuba and the US, and he made a highly significant visit to the Central African Republic last November despite frequent outbreaks of violence there.

Despite its oil wealth, Venezuela has plunged into economic crisis, with many people skipping meals due to shortages and soaring prices.

Maduro was on a tour of oil-producing countries and first notice of his presence in Italy came in the Vatican statement.

Significantly, the meeting with the pope came as a joint announcement in Caracas said the government and the opposition would hold talks on Sunday. It was not clear if Maduro would attend.

Venezuela has seen a worsening political stand-off and protests since the suspension of a referendum drive to remove the unpopular Maduro.

Critics say Maduro, 53, has veered openly into dictatorship by side-lining the opposition-led congress, jailing opponents and then leaning on compliant judicial and electoral authorities to stop a recall referendum.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
Venezuela: Archbishop decries government block on church aid for suffering Venezuelans

Thousands of people in Venezuela are experiencing severe hunger due to the economic meltdown that hit the South American country, yet their own leaders will not allow Roman Catholic organisations to send help.

The move to block aid by the Venezuelan government under President Nicolas Maduro has prompted a top prelate from the country to openly criticise their leaders.

In a speech at the Venezuelan Conference of Catholic Bishops' recent plenary assembly, Archbishop Diego Padron of Cumana slammed Maduro's administration for preventing the Church and other groups from assisting in solving the country's food crisis.

"The interests of the government are not the interests of the country," Padron said, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency.

The Roman Catholic official also said that the Venezuelan government had no "moral authority" to lead the country in this time of need.

"The ungovernability, aside from the brutal repression, the lack of serious and stabilising responses that would be more than improvisational and provisional, create the widespread perception that the global crisis is getting more acute and is being prolonged with no end in sight," he added.

He claimed that instead of creating hope, the government is creating "uncertainty, hopelessness, depression, anger and social violence."

Padron said Roman Catholic groups like Caritas Venezuela could do a lot to help alleviate the suffering being experienced by Venezuelan people now, for example by bringin in much-needed medication.

"The ability of Caritas Venezuela to pull together resources and the cooperation of private institutions  and not of government entities  makes us capable of receiving and adequately distributing the many offers we receive daily from the outside," the Archbishop said.

"This is not the ultimate solution but it would provide relief that we shouldn't be waiting for any more," he added.
'You are the heart and love of the Church': Archbishop of Canterbury praises Mothers' Union in Sudan

The Archbishop of Canterbury has paid tribute to the Mothers' Union (MU) in Sudan, saying: 'I recognise the importance of Mothers' Union in Sudan. You are the heart and love of the Church. May God bless you.'

In a sermon at the inauguration of the Anglican Communion's newest and 39th Province  Sudan  on Sunday, Justin Welby added: 'Provinces of Mothers' Union around the world are praying for you today and always.'

The Province's first Archbishop and Primate, Ezekiel Kondo, also thanked the MU for its support and for 'always being there'.

During the service, prayers for peace were read by Mama Samira, the MU's elected leader for Khartoum. She was once a beneficiary of the MU's literacy and financial education programme and was elected leader after learning to read and write.

Sudan's MU leaders sent a message thanking the four-million-strong membership globally and called on them to pray for the province and for Sudan. Many MU members from as far afield as Trinidad and Tobago to New Zealand took to social media to welcome the new province.

In a letter to the new Archbishop Kondo, the MU's president, Lynne Tembey said: 'May all who lead the Church in the newly formed Province of Sudan, guide and direct those within their care with love and compassion seeking God's guidance in all things. I pray too for all people in Sudan. May the light of Christ continue to be your light, your guide and pathway.'

The MU's development team from the UK spent the week prior to the ceremony in a workshop run by the MU's Sudan leadership. The leaders, who represented dioceses from across the new province, mapped out their priorities for the future, which included education and developing good leaders within the MU.

The MU's head of development and policy, Nicola Lawrence, said: 'We have met with Mothers' Union leaders from across Sudan listening to their joys, challenges and the hopes and dreams they have for the future. Every day I have been humbled and inspired by the passion and commitment of the members who selflessly and sacrificially serve others in the community from visiting those who are sick in hospital or in their homes, supporting those in prison, to building the capacity of women through literacy, skills training and savings groups.'

She added: 'Please pray for Mothers' Union Sudan as they move forward together as a new province working together to be salt and light within their communities.'

The MU supports families and communities both in the UK and around the world. Since 1876, when Mary Sumner first brought together parents in her own parish to build their confidence in bringing up their children in the Christian faith, the MU has grown to over four million members worldwide. Its members work in more than 80 countries around the world as part of the volunteer base of local churches.
Its hardly news that teachers union honchos oppose any type of school choice, especially the kind that lets public money follow a child to a public school. But while making her case recently, American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten descended down a rabbit hole.

It started with an event on school vouchers and racism hosted by the AFT and the Center for American Progress, a leftist research and advocacy organization financially supported by both the AFT and the National Education Association. CAP had just released a report claiming that educational vouchers were born in the effort by Southern states to resist racial integration after the Supreme Courts 1954 Brown v. Topeka Board of Education ruling. In what segregationists termed massive resistance, Virginias Prince Edward County closed its public schools in 1959, and then gave vouchers to white families, which were used to pay tuition at segregated private schools. This ugly case represents the sordid history of school vouchers, as CAP sees itconveniently overlooking the G.I. Bill, the countrys first significant voucher program, which was signed into law in 1944, 15 years before Prince Edward Countys gambit.

Taking the podium just a few days after the release of the CAP report, Weingarten declared that the ideas and proposals of school-voucher advocates were only slightly more polite cousins of segregation. She described the powerful teachers unions as defenders of Americas public education system, locked in a David versus Goliath battle, and in this battle, we are all David.

Weingartens outrageous comments did not sit well with school-choice advocates. Jeanne Allen, president of the Center for Education Reform, called Weingartens speech not just ill-advised hyperbole, it is a deeply offensive, highly inflammatory insult to all the parents and peopleof all races, backgrounds, and regionswho have worked to bring options, opportunities and reforms to an education system that has failed them for generations. Kevin Chavous, founding board member of the American Federation for Children, said that Weingartens comments spat in the face of every African-American and Hispanic child whos trapped in a school that doesnt serve [him or her] well.

While Weingarten cites the segregationists of Prince Edward County, she declines to mention labor unions own racist history. As Herbert Hill wrote in Commentary in 1959, in various industries trade unions practice either total exclusion of the Negro, segregation (in the form of Jim Crow locals, or auxiliaries), or enforce separate, racial seniority lines which limit Negro employment to menial and unskilled classifications. . . . In the South, unions frequently acted to force Negroes out of jobs that had formerly been considered theirs. Racism in unions was historically a much greater factor than it has ever been in the voucher movement.

Weingarten also ignores the popularity of private-school choice among minorities, the ostensible victims of these supposedly racist voucher programs. She is mum on the latest report from EdChoices Greg Forster, who regularly surveys the empirical research on private-school-choice programs. Ten empirical studies have examined school choice and racial segregation in schools, he writes. Of those, nine find school choice moves students from more segregated schools into less segregated schools, and one finds no net effect on segregation. No empirical study has found that choice increases racial segregation. Think Progress, a progressive news site associated with CAP, reports that American public schools are more segregated now than they were in 1968.

Indeed, government- and union-run schools are much more segregated than the voucher schools that Weingarten disdains. Less recognized, but equally pernicious, is the structural segregation all across America, where zoned school systems maintain racial and economic segregation, writes Peter Cunningham, who worked at the Department of Education during the Obama administration. Cunningham also pointed out that New York City, where Weingarten formerly ran the teachers union, has one of the nations most segregated school systems.

Weingarten engaged in a telling Twitter exchange with her nemesis, Education secretary Betsy DeVos. @BetsyDeVosED says public $ should invest in indiv students, Weingarten wrote. NO we should invest in a system of great public schools for all kids. DeVos fired back: They have made clear that they care more about a systemone that was created in the 1800sthan about individual students. They are saying that education is not an investment in individual students. They are totally wrong. Weingarten and her cronies are more interested in keeping the government-union duopoly in place than in educating children. Protecting the system takes priority.

Responding to critics of her speech, Weingarten held her ground. The negative reaction to the speech has been completely ideological, with personal invectives thrown at me, which reinforces my point that no amount of facts or evidence will sway voucher proponents from their agenda to starve public schools to the breaking point, then criticize their deficiencies and let the market handle the rest, all in the name of choice, she said.

Weingarten has reason to be worried: with a pro-school-choice education secretary and looming Supreme Court decisions that could eradicate forced unionism and eliminate laws that states have used to thwart vouchers and other privatization programs, teachers unions face a considerable loss of power.

What Weingarten and her allies consistently overlook is that wealthy people will always have school choice. Parents of means can afford to move to an area with a superior public school, or they can send their kids to a private school. Poor parents dont have these options, primarily because teachers unions fight furiously to prevent educational choice. It is no small irony that the organization howling loudest about racial inequality in education campaigns against the one policy that has been shown to ameliorate it.

Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
The Charity Finance Group has said that a clean Brexit, which sees the UK leave the single market and the customs union, poses less risk for charities than other options because it gives the government the flexibility to reform tax rules that have been holding back the sector.

In A Brexit that works for everyone, which was published last week, CFG assesses the risks and benefits of a clean Brexit versus a model where the UK remains in the single market and customs union. It concludes that clean Brexit would be best for charities as it means the government could reform VAT.

CFG warns that remaining in the single market and the customs union risks the worst of both worlds, as the UK would have to follow the EU's tax, state aid and procurement policies without being able to influence them.

The report says that remaining in the single market and customs union might be good for big businesses, but could hold back the ability of charities to deliver public goods and support the most disadvantaged communities.

NCVO has criticised the report, describing its framing as unhelpful.

Six-point plan

CFG argues that reducing the tax burden on charities could create 50,000 extra jobs in the sector, but only if the government takes action.

It has developed a six-point plan for government to explain what a good Brexit for charities would involve:

1. A deal where the UK has complete freedom to change VAT rules, for example, creating new zero-rates, options to tax and a comprehensive rebate mechanism.

2. The UK government to commit at a minimum to fund to the same level services that are currently funded by the EU, with improvements in delivery of funding.

3. A deal where the UK is still able to flexibly pool resources to access EU funds in key areas such as international aid.

4. A deal which allows the reform of state aid so that it focuses on enforcing competition in real markets rather than tying up charities and social enterprises in red-tape [and] working in broken or non-functioning markets.

5. Greater flexibility on public procurement so that more grants and contracts are awarded on the full social, economic and environmental value that could be created, not just on cost.

6. An immigration system which is flexible and enables charities to continue to hire the workers that they need in order to carry out their objectives effectively.

Speaking about the report, Caron Bradshaw, chief executive of CFG, said: It is no secret that most charities wanted the UK to remain in the EU, but the debate has moved on and charities are beginning to think about the benefits of Brexit.

If the government makes the right decisions, Brexit could provide a huge opportunity for the charitable sector to flourish. Sadly, according to our research with the public, only 2 per cent believe that disadvantaged people and communities are a top priority in Brexit for the government.

The voluntary sector has been hindered in the past by VAT rules and state aid, and now is the chance to overcome this and change the regulatory environment in which it works.

Charities can thrive post-Brexit, but it is down to the government working with charities to deliver this.

NCVO: Framing is unhelpful

Brendan Costelloe, the senior external relations officer who leads NCVO's Brexit work, criticised the report for taking a binary view of the options on offer for the UK.

The most likely scenario is that there will be a bespoke trade deal with the EU", he said, adding that while there may be some benefit to changing the VAT rules, we dont think that should trump getting a suitable trade deal.

He added that the framing is a bit unhelpful. For example, he said, the focus on cutting red tape contrasts with many organisations' concern that regulation should be put in place to protect the vulnerable in society.

Reach out to new audiences

CFGs report was picked up by pro-Brexit news outlets over the weekend, and Andrew OBrien, head of policy and engagement, has written a blog to answer some questions that have subsequently arisen.

He said that CFG used the term 'clean' Brexit rather than hard or soft because we thought that clean Brexit was most likely to get a hearing in those Brexit-supporting audiences where charities have not yet been able to make themselves heard.

OBrien also said that the aim of the report is to encourage the government to act on the issues raised should a clean Brexit take place.




Anchor and reporter at NBC is a job most journalists dream of having. Anthony Ponce left just such a gig last year to be a Lyft driver and create an independent podcast.

Many of his bosses and colleagues thought he was crazy, but his wife (who was pregnant with their first child at the time) and family supported his decision. Ponce grew up in a TV news familyhis father Phil Ponce hosts WTTWs Chicago Tonight and his brother Dan works at WGN-Channel 9 as a morning anchor. But Ponce grew disillusioned with traditional media and wanted to escape the formulaic nature of local news. Feeling compelled to make a deeper impact, Ponce quit his job at NBCowned WMAQ-Channel 5 in Chicago to create and host his storytelling project, Backseat Rider.

On the podcast, Ponce picks up Lyft riders in his Chevrolet Equinox and they dive into conversations sparked by thought-provoking question of the week such as: Do you believe in signs? and What keeps you up at night? After starting the project in October 2016, Backseat Rider has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times, with an average of about 30,000 downloads per episode. The show is on Podcast One, the largest advertiser-supported digital audio network.

RELATED: Equipment youll need to start your own podcast

In an interview with CJR, Ponce talked about leaving mainstream news media to create the podcast, turning a passion project into a business, and how he hopes to see journalism move into a model of aggressive listening as opposed to repetitive news coverage. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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What sparked you to leave a high-profile and stable job to pursue a passion project like Backseat Rider?

I feel like theres this formula for local that gets repeated over and over again. It felt like I was a part of this machine that helped create that dynamic, and I didnt feel good about that. I noticed that I would find myself talking to my Uber or Lyft driver all the time, and I kind of had a light-bulb moment. Theres a renewable resource not being captured, and that is great conversation where people connect. Great conversations are happening all the time, and I wanted to capture it with Backseat Rider.

Listening to the podcast, it feels like Studs Terkels Working or Division Street America in a taxi. What is it about the setting that helps you get really profound answers from relatively simple questions?

In an intimate environment like that where you only have an audio mic and no big cameras, people speak with candor. It goes beyond man-on-the-street soundbites; its just me and the passenger in the car. It throws people off-guard that Im aggressively listening to every single world coming out of their mouth. Some get in the car and theyre skepticalwhat is this guy doing? But as soon as they realize that Im listening, they open up. I think its obvious when journalists dont forge that connection, and thats when you get formulaic answers. But the magic happens when the interview morphs into a conversation. My goal is to bottle that magic every week and bring it to the public.

The magic happens when the interview morphs into a conversation. My goal is to bottle that magic every week and bring it to the public.

Have you ever had riders who just want to get taken to their destination in silence, maybe arent in the mood to speak, or feel the topic may be too intrusive?

Ive given about 500 Lyft drives so far, and Id say 80 to 90 percent were fine with speaking with me and being recorded. There are people who dont want to be interviewed, and when thats the case, I stop recording. And even for those who consent at first, if at the end they dont want to use it, Ill scrap it. I want it to be no-pressure.

That being said, there has been one passenger who took exception to my line of questioning. It was a shared ride, and I was having a conversation with a guy. The topic of the week was What keeps you up at night? Him and I got into a really deep conversation when another rider got in the car. I gave her the spiel (what I was doing, the podcast, etc.), and she said she didnt want to be recorded. So the guy and I continue the conversation, and when we got to her stop, she got out and said Just so you know, its rude to ask trauma survivors what keeps them up. I respected that. That made me rethink what topics I ask when there are more than one person in the car, if Im already having a deep convo with one person when another gets in the car, etc.

Leaving your job at NBC, youre moving into a different business model of journalism. Do you make a living strictly off the podcast?

I make nowhere close to what I made at NBC. Now, if I was a single guy living in an apartment, I could do this for a living, but Im a family guy. I moved my family back in with my parents. My wife and I are renting out our house, and I also took a job part-time on-air stuff with a company called Dose for a morning show on the CW. The podcast hasnt grown audience-wise where it could be my full-time gig  yet. But the podcast is profitable, and it has a big audience. But I consider it still in the runway phase, and its getting more traction every week.

Im doing my dream job. Those moments of connecting with people that were rare at my previous job are happening all the time with this project. Its work, but it doesnt feel like work because I generally love it. On the fulfillment side, on a scale from 1 to 10, Im at a 10.

Is there any distinction between the type of storytelling you do with the podcast and more traditional reporting? Where do you see your podcast on the business side of journalism?

Its not journalism in the classic sense. Its not news per se, it doesnt always have to do with current events  although sometimes it does. After President Trumps locker-room talk comment was made public, I asked all the female riders how they reacted to it, and if they wanted to share their own personal experiences.

So while its not journalism in the classic sense of the word, it is a form of journalism that reaches into much deeper territory, and I hope its public service for the current environment. What drives me is achieving a level of authenticity that I think is missing in journalism, not clicks and shares. Were in a weird landscape, but I think theres a healthy balance between things that can get you those metrics, and journalism that is important in the truer sense of the word.

Did you have any broader goals you wanted to achieve with this podcast?

I think journalism has an authenticity and credibility problem. I wanted to address that with this podcast. The second part of it is, weve never been more divided in terms of our national dialogue. I want to remind people that we are all sharing the human experience. What I constantly hear from my listeners is the podcast reminds them that we are not all that different. We may disagree on topics or issues on the national stage, but I guarantee we can speak and have so much in common about other things that have happened in our livesdating, family, or traveling experiences; the feeling of being angry, or excited, or jealous. Its my mission to capture those things. I wanted to create new form of journalism that reminds us that we are not all that different.

What advice would you give to other journalists who wanted to take that leap of faith to pursue their creative passions?

I recognize that Im saying this with a lot of privilege and flexibility. A lot of people arent in the financial position to walk away from a job with benefits, insurance, and a good salary when you have a wife and kid. But the advice I would give is to ask yourself two questions. The first is what problem do you want to solve? and work backwards from that. The second is this  theres a guy named Tim Ferriss who, instead of goal-setting, he talks about fear-setting. What he means is, if you take the leap and the worst thing that could happen happened, how long would it take for you to get back to the status quo?

I took an inventory, and said I break away from NBC and become an independent podcaster who drives a Lyft, what would it take for me to get back to where I am right now as a reporter and anchor at NBC? And the answer was it would take some time, but I could get back there in a couple of years. There is some sacrifice. Some days I get down in the dumps, and insecure about what I was doing. And then Im talking to people who are opening up about their struggles with cancer or their parents passing, and it puts my little professional struggle in perspective. So take that inventory, and nine times out of 10, the worst-case scenario isnt that bad, and you can always get back to the status quo if you need to.

RELATED: 9 podcasts for keeping up with Trump

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Joshua Adams is a writer, journalist, and adjunct instructor at DePaul University. He holds a B.A. in African American Studies from the University of Virginia and a Journalism M.A. from the University of Southern California.
At-home DNA-testing company 23andMe is recruiting 25,000 people for a study to determine how genes influence brain functions in people diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorders.

The Google -backed company's latest project is a collaboration with the Milken Institute, a medical research nonprofit, and Lundbeck, a drug developer, to study the genetics -- and also symptoms, behavior and other environmental factors --- associated with bipolar and major depressive disorders.

In interviews with CNBC, the company describes its goal as finding out how genes influence brain processes, like attention and visual perception, for those with these conditions.

23andMe is currently recruiting 15,000 people with major depressive disorder and 10,000 people with bipolar disorder to participate in the study. Those who apply must have received a diagnosis from a physician, currently have a prescribed medication and live in the United States. The company is soliciting participants both from its own database of customers who have consented to participate in research, and from other sources such as online forums where people discuss their symptoms.

The study will last for 9 months, and involves both monthly assessments and surveys. 23andMe research manager Anna Faaborg describes it as the "most intensive yet."

23andMe caused a big splash in 2016 when its study of more than 450,000 customers found a number of genetic clues linked to depression. For a long time, it wasn't clear that it had a genetic component, said the company's vice president of business development Emily Drabant Conley.

But 23andMe proved otherwise: "It turned out that we just needed a really big data-set to see them," she said.

23andMe can more easily recruit participants for its studies than researchers at academic institutions as it can email information out to its huge database of consumers, and it offers its surveys via a smartphone. Traditional research often requires participants to travel to research sites.

This new research is intended to build on 23andMe's findings about the genetic links to depression by looking at other variables, including environmental ones.

23andMe's Drabant Conley said the results might ultimately influence how pharmaceutical companies develop drugs to treat these conditions. "It might change the way that symptoms are treated," she said.
With Washington lawmakers still at odds over health care and tax reform and unpredictable agents like North Korea seemingly gaining power, it can be tough for Jim Cramer to stay bullish.

"It's really hard to stay positive about this market in the face of conventional wisdom that is so darned negative," the "Mad Money" host said.

But while Cramer has written off Congress' gridlock and saved some cash in case the hermit kingdom somehow prevails, Wall Street's increasingly skeptical outlook on stocks escapes him.

Analysts and investors alike have criticized equities for being overpriced, particularly Cramer-faves like FANG, the stocks of Facebook , Amazon , Netflix and Google, now Alphabet , and Nvidia , after which the "Mad Money" host named one of his dogs.

Cramer agreed that the FANG stocks have floated into "overvalued" territory, particularly after their earnings reports, but thought people were being too negative on Nvidia, one of the market's hottest names.

"Here, again, though, you need to understand that the the key to this bull is its rotational nature," Cramer said.

The "Mad Money" host pointed to the cable bull market lifting on news of a possible takeover of Charter Communications by SoftBank, drug stocks getting a boost despite a weaker-than-expected quarter from Bristol-Meyers Squibb , and money flowing out of high-flying cloud stocks into cheaper tech stocks like Texas Instruments , Intel , Microsoft and Qualcomm .

Cramer also cited capital flowing into the rest of retail after Amazon's earnings miss, sending shares of Wal-Mart close to their yearly highs and pushing the stock of Costco to break out.

"As far as the aging and allegedly senile nature of the bull? I think that's the top down talking," Cramer said. "I analyze the actual stocks [from] the bottom up and things look OK."

Still, Cramer's positive notions fall largely on deaf ears, so the "Mad Money" brought up an old anecdote from 1929, just before the Great Depression, to support his point.

"Every book about the great crash of 1929 mentions how the shoeshine boys around the New York Stock Exchange were playing stocks with borrowed money right up until the crash," he said. "That kind of thing is cited as the sure sign of a top."

On Monday, the man shining Cramer's shoes told him he sold what he considered to be risky stocks in favor of names like General Motors , Ford and Verizon because all of them had healthy dividends.

"In '29, it was safety last. Now, it's safety first," Cramer said. "In the end, maybe that's what's really keeping stocks up. Maybe that's what's propelling us higher. The bottom line? The skepticism has been so darned thick that until we get others naming their pets after cloud plays or touting stocks while shining shoes, I'm going to remain constructive on the future, the future of the best-performing asset class, the future of equities."
Video captured from a rooftop camera in Japan appears to show North Korea's Hwasong-14 ICBM reentering the atmosphere, then breaking up and destroying the reentry vehicle.

A former United Nations missile inspector said Monday that North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile reentry vehicle "did not survive" last week's test, meaning the hermit regime needs more tests.

Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-14 is pictured during its second test-fire in this undated picture provided by KCNA in Pyongyang on July 29, 2017.

"You see small bright radiant objects that are shedding off the reentry vehicle  and then it suddenly begins to turn very dim," Michael Elleman, a 38 North think-tank analyst and consulting senior fellow for missile defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told reporters in a conference call Monday. "That should not occur. Most likely it broke up into pieces."

On Friday, North Korea test-fired its Hwasong-14 missile, which flew about 45 minutes and splashed down off the northern coast of Japan. A rooftop camera operated by Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, appeared to have captured the missile's descent back to earth  and it shows what Elleman said is convincing proof of the reentry failure.

Pyongyang's first known launch of the long-range ballistic missile took place on July 4, but it's still unclear if that test survived the reentry phase. However, the Friday launch led to video of a critical stage of an ICBM missile's return to earth when the heat and stress on the weapon would be the greatest.

"In short, a reasonable conclusion based on the video evidence is that the Hwasong-14 reentry vehicle did not survive during hits second test," Elleman wrote on 38 North blog Monday. "If this assessment accurately reflects reality, North Korea's engineers have yet to master reentry technologies and more work remains before Kim Jong Un has an ICBM capable of striking the American mainland."

Similarly, Elleman said that if a nuclear device had been on the missile, then it probably wouldn't have survived the full journey. Elleman's past experience includes serving as a United Nations commission weapons inspector in Iraq, and a scientist at U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin as well as government services giant Booz Allen Hamilton in programs working with the Pentagon, among others.

"If the bomb itself were exposed to these very severe conditions, it would be torn apart," said Elleman. "In short, if the reentry vehicle breaks up, the bomb is not going to be useful  and it's not going to detonate."

That said, if the North Koreans have trouble making a survivable warhead they could still detonate the device at around 10 km altitude (or about 6.2 miles), Elleman speculated. "It would lose a lot of its effectiveness but that's an option. But I don't think that's what they would ultimately want their nuclear-armed missile to do."

On Friday, physicist David Wright of the Union of Concerned Scientists estimated that half, if not most, of the continental U.S. was within range of the North's Hwasong-14 ICBM missile. However, he said at the time it wasn't clear if the North Koreans reduced the weight of the payload from the Friday test to give it a longer range than the earlier ICBM test on July 4.

Another way to reduce the weight is to use lighter materials  perhaps on portions of the reentry vehicle. Having a perceived longer range on the missile (even if it can't support a weapon's reentry) could be something desired by the regime for sheer propaganda value.

Indeed, Elleman said he can't rule out that the reentry vehicle broke up because the North Koreans may have used lighter materials or a design to maximize the range.

Elleman said if the North took out key structural elements as well as some of the reentry vehicle's heat shielding, that would make that reentry vehicle lighter and "could certainly play a very dramatic role in causing this one to fail."

"My guess is they need to do another handful of tests [on the ICBM]," said Elleman. Nonetheless, he said, "An early deployment next year is possible."
Republican president-elect Donald Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. embrace after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City.

President Donald Trump "personally dictated" his son's statement responding to the revelation that he met with a Russian lawyer in June 2016, which left out key details about why Donald Trump Jr. took the meeting, The Washington Post reported Monday, citing "multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations."

The early July statement to The New York Times, crafted as the president and his advisors returned from the G-20 summit in Germany, said the meeting was primarily about a "program about the adoption of Russian children." The statement went on to say that "it was not a campaign issue at the time."

As more details about the meeting emerged in subsequent reports, the younger Trump eventually released emails showing that he accepted the meeting after receiving an offer of compromising information on his father's opponent, Hillary Clinton. The information was offered as part of "Russia and its government's support" for the Trump campaign.

The latest revelation comes as President Trump is open about his frustration with the investigation into Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election and whether his campaign colluded with the Kremlin. The Post described the president's role in the statement as part of "a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy."

Jay Sekulow, one of the elder Trump's lawyers, told the newspaper that "apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent."

President Trump lawyer John Dowd said in a statement to NBC on the Post's report: "Fake news, incorrect and misinformed of no consequence."

The White House has declined to comment.

For more on the situation, see The Washington Post's report.
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As the leader of the world's third-largest economy battles an acute crisis of confidence, questions over his future and his namesake economic program loom large. Public backlash over suspected cronyism on the part of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed support for the 62 year-old to under 30 percent  his lowest level ever. Since May, the Liberal Democratic Party head has been accused of helping Kake Gakuen, an educational institution headed by a longtime friend of Abe's, win approval for a veterinary school in a special economic zone. The PM has denied granting any favors but the affair  his second school scandal this year  still cost the ruling LDP a historic defeat in July's Tokyo assembly election. Abe's popularity has also been weighed down by general disillusionment with his leadership and issues at the defense ministry: Last week, former Defense Minister Tomomi Inada resigned over concerns she helped conceal records that exposed the dangers faced by Japanese peacekeepers in South Sudan.

A rally against Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in front of parliament in Tokyo on July 25, 2017. KAZUHIRO NOGI / AFP / Getty Images

The PM is now due to reshuffle his cabinet in a bid to strengthen ratings but it's not yet clear whether he can remain in office until the LDP presidential election in September 2018. "There is now a real chance that Mr. Abe will be out of office before the next legislative elections," Capital Economics said in a recent note. "Should he leave office, one of the most important questions for investors is whether his plan to revitalize Japan's economy, commonly known as Abenomics, will go down with him."

Reform momentum stalled

Fiscal policy, monetary easing and structural reforms make up the three pillars of Abenomics. Tokyo has delivered on the first two, but the latter remains in progress. But as Abe's political clout weakens, reforms are now expected to take a backseat as the embattled leader concentrates on restoring his reputation.

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"The scandal is a serious threat to Abenomics because the approval rate fell even before important reforms were implemented," said Kohei Iwahara, economist at Natixis Japan Securities. "The government needs a high approval rate from the citizens to implement the necessary reforms, which could inflict pains to its citizens through job losses." Indeed, Abe now has less ability to move controversial structural reforms  known as the Third Arrow  through the political process, explained Tobias Harris, Japan vice president at Teneo Intelligence. "Strong public support gave Abe political capital with which to pursue controversial reforms, but it also made him reluctant to use his political capital lest he risk his public support. Now, with his support falling, it's that much harder for Abe to take risky policy decisions." Key reforms still pending include changes in the labor market to increase wages and social security incentives to boost female participation in the work force. As of late, "the Third Arrow has run out of steam with no major reforms on the agenda," Capital Economics said. "As such, while we don't have high hopes for structural reform if Mr. Abe stays in office, nor do we if he were to leave."

President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the White House on February 10, 2017 in Washington, DC. Mario Tama | Getty Images

Could Abenomics continue without Abe?

No stranger to transgressions, Abe cut short his first term in office back in 2007 amid a series of scandals in his cabinet. But even if history repeated itself this time, Abenomics is still expected to survive. "The same old bottle will simply be relabeled from Abenomics to XXnomics, with XX being the new PM's name," said Iwahara. "Unfortunately, there is no meaningful policy debate in Japan that can be an alternative to Abenomics, so the important ingredients of Abenomics will remain intact." Should Abe depart before the end of his term, foreign minister Fumio Kishida is likely to be his successor, projected Harris. "Having served under Abe, Kishida will be hard pressed to abandon Abe's legacy entirely. He has articulated a mild critique of Abenomics focused on inequality issues, but this would lead to a kinder, friendlier Abenomics rather than a decisive break with Abenomics."

Markets could question sustainability of Japan PM's 'Abenomics': Market researcher
Owners of private companies may not have to pay attention to earnings season, but there's at least one big lesson they can learn from some of the billionaire-run public companies: how to lose money the right way. A common quarterly complaint from shareholders of public companies is how richly valued success stories like Netflix, Amazon, Salesforce and Tesla can fail to turn a profit. But often, especially in the early days of new companies, losing money is part of the plan. Some of these companies have the ability to go back to the capital markets for more cash, as Elon Musk has done multiple times. Many of these tech companies also have long-term, institutional shareholders who buy into the CEOs' grand plan and are willing to ride out the ups and downs in quarterly financials. Amazon, now a mature technology giant but long known for not worrying about short-term financials, last week announced a 77 percent decline in second-quarter profit as it invests heavily in video content and global expansion. There are some advantages the big guys get that don't apply equally to all business ventures, especially outside the tech sector. Few banks are going to give a small business the amount of running room stock investors have given Amazon and Tesla. And private business owners are more likely to be forced into a sale of their own equity than find a way to hold on when times get tough. But there are good reasons for a healthy business to lose money. It falls under the general theme, especially early on, of investing for the long run. The recent CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey found that when asked to cite critical issues, business owners, especially younger ones, put customer demand ahead of any costs. And the youngest subset of owners  those under age 35  are the most confident about current business conditions. Both private and public sources of capital understand that losing money is a known path to success and will work with promising companies that aren't quite at profitability. Here are five ways losing money has helped create billionaire empires for the likes of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

1. It's worth losing money early to solidify market position.

This lesson applies mostly to technology and new media companies, notably Facebook and Google (now Alphabet). It's the now familiar management idea known as "first-mover advantage," which dates from the dot-com gold rush of the late 1990s, and it still works sometimes. Facebook took over social networking for many reasons, but one of them was that it hit the market early and raised enough capital to hit the opportunity hard, investing in new products and the technology to make its system serve millions of people. Done one way, this approach can lead to consistent and widening profitability as the need for fresh investment either wanes, or shrinks in significance, because the business gets so much larger. That's the Facebook/Google model.

In the next 12 months, do you expect your businesss revenue to increase, stay the same, or decrease? All respondents Under 35 owners Owners 55-64 Increase 55% 62% 49% Stay the same 36% 30% 42% Decrease 9% 7% 9%

Source: CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, Q2 2017

Amazon did it another way: Any time it threatened to make much money, CEO and founder Jeff Bezos would cut prices or enter new businesses, pushing for even more growth over approaching near-term profit, just as he vowed in his first letter to Amazon shareholders back in 1997.

2. It might raise eyebrows, but borrowing now for profits later can work.

Netflix takes grief from skeptics who point to the company's giant losses in free cash flow as a result of its spending  for example, the $6 billion this year slated for new original content. It becomes quickly forgotten that the company reported a $245 million profit in the first half of this year. "We are in no rush to push margins up too quickly, as we want to ensure we are investing aggressively enough to continue to lead internet TV around the world," the company states to investors on its own website. But how can it both spend a ton and be profitable? Simple. On its cash-flow statement, Netflix reports spending all of the money this year, which is true. But the spending shows up on the income statement more gradually as the company writes off the value of the programming over its useful life. Writing off its current-year investment gradually is how the company makes a profit while still bleeding cash. Some investors will be skeptical, but markets mediate conflicts between those who believe the original content will create long-term customer relationships and those who don't. More from the Small Business Survey:

A 60-year-old founder who took her business from zero to $500M

A secret many business owners share with Mark Zuckerberg

Top 15 cities in America to start a business in 2017 The idea is that cash-flow losses are seen as investments in the future profitability and cash flow of the business  in Netflix's case, grabbing so many new subscribers that it pays back money the company borrows to pay for programming. To make it work, Netflix, like any business large or small, has to be able to forecast some point when the investment slows down. The question to ask yourself: Is this spending really an investment in long-term customer relationships or just plugging gaps in a business that's not fundamentally working?

3. Worry about cash flow, not accounting losses.

Many businesses that don't make a profit under formal accounting rules are actually perfectly sound cash generators. Their losses reflect gradual depreciation of money spent long ago, which is proving the value of a company's investments over time. Many manufacturing companies fit this description, at least early in their lifetimes, and it's true of even many big, established real estate development companies. It's routine for office buildings, hotels and warehouses to be built with borrowed money, and annual write-downs of projects can continue while they generate cash. But in the long run, loans to build the facilities are paid off and the depreciation is complete, and positive cash flow gives way to profits. In the meantime, the cash flow from the building, or from products made there, is more than enough to repay the loans if done right.

What is the most critical issue currently facing your business? All respondents Under 35 owners Owners 55-64 Taxes 25% 20% 26% Regulation 14% 12% 13% Customer demand 14% 16% 14% Cost of employee health care 14% 9% 19% Cost of capital/debt 10% 14% 6% Cost of labor 7% 11% 6%

Source: CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, Q2 2017

This is one issue at Tesla, where reported losses last year were inflated by more than $1 billion in depreciation, much of it from the Gigafactory where the company makes batteries, which didn't open until the second half of the year. Remember: Most businesses are valued based on cash flow, not accounting profits. That's especially true for closely held companies.

4. You can grow at a loss as long as you have a plan to explain it.

The previous accounting examples may give business owners pause  and they should. But there are a few straightforward business factors to consider that don't require mastery or arcane accounting principles. Both public and private companies often find that they can run at a loss, as long as they either generate cash or have a plausible plan for it. The key is to know where the money to cover the losses will come from and to understand the conditions, either formal or informal, that financiers are demanding in order to keep the credit or equity investment flowing. Stock markets have tolerated start-up losses throughout the internet era, now 20 years old. Even companies that have had plenty of time to get profitable, like Amazon and Salesforce.com, have been allowed to lose money under accounting rules for a decade or more without seeing investors bail out.

Which, if any, do you use to finance innovations related to marketing, product, technology, or business expansion? (Select all that apply.) All respondents Under 35 owners Owners 55-64 Cash or cash equivalents 41% 45% 36% Business credit card 33% 31% 31% Loan/financing 20% 21% 19% Rewards points 11% 19% 9%

Source: CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, Q2 2017

That's also been true for companies going through leveraged buyouts, which often lose money while paying down the debt taken on for the deal. They have to rely on banks, which have turned that kind of lending into a big business.

5. The one thing no investor will overlook is lack of credibility.

This certainly applies to public companies who would like their stock price to climb, but it's even more crucial for private-company managers who rely on credibility in relationships with lenders and trading partners. One crucial reason Netflix has always been a Wall Street favorite even as it loses money is that CEO Reed Hastings has a reputation as a straight shooter. Right now analysts are taking Hastings at his word that growth will overcome losses in Netflix's international business, because its progress so closely resembles what happened in the United States  just as Netflix has gradually rolled out globally, so it once rolled out city by city in the U.S. New cities (and now countries) take a predictable amount of time to produce profits.

In the next 12 months, do you expect your businesss staff of full-time employees to increase, stay the same, or decrease? All respondents Under 35 Owners 55-64 Increase 27% 35% 20% Stay the same 63% 52% 72% Decrease 8% 11% 8%

Source: CNBC/SurveyMonkey Small Business Survey, Q2 2017
Brexit is happening and with it Europe needs to decide where to relocate the two European agencies currently based in the United Kingdom. Eight cities have applied to become the next host of the European Banking Authority (EBA) - an organization with 159 employees that assesses risks and vulnerabilities in the banking sector. Another 19 applications were submitted to host the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which oversees medicines across the member bloc. The remaining 27 member countries of the EU will decide on the relocations at a meeting due in November. The criteria for their decisions include: Guarantees that the agency will be operational when the U.K. exits the Union

Schools for the children of the staff

Access to the labor market and health care for employees' families

Geographical spread Here are the cities that have proposed hosting the EBA:

Brussels

Dario Pignatelli | Bloomberg | Getty Images

It's already considered the European capital, hosting most of the European institutions, including the European Commission and the European Council.

Dublin

Dublin may become the next big financial center in Europe as London exits the E.U. 2c image | Getty Images

The Irish capital has been one of the most vocal trying to convince businesses from the City of London to choose Dublin as their European headquarters. The Irish government has also offered 10 million euros ($11.82 million) to host the European Medicines Agency.

Frankfurt

The new ECB headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. Wolfgang Rattay | Reuters

A strong argument supporting Frankfurt's application is that it is the headquarters for the European Central Bank, which controls monetary policy in the euro zone. Several banks in the City of London have mentioned Frankfurt as the most likely city to benefit if they do move jobs away from London.

Paris

Mike Hewitt | Getty Image

France has also been one of the strongest campaigners in persuading banks from London to relocate to Paris. The recently elected government has unveiled a series of measures aimed at making Paris "Europe's leading financial center after Brexit."

Prague

Prague, Czech Republic Sylvain Sonnet | Getty Images

The capital of the Czech Republic might not be the first city that springs to mind when thinking about European banks. However, Prague argues that its central geographical position is a key argument to host the EBA. The government in the Czech Republic also wants to show its commitment to the single market and the EU in general and, as result, to distinguish itself from other eastern European countries that are currently taking a less EU-friendly approach.

Luxembourg

Jasper Juinen | Bloomberg | Getty Images

It might be a small city but Luxembourg, one of the founding members of the EU, hosts several European institutions. The European Investment Bank, the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors and the Eurostat statistics agency are among those headquartered in Luxembourg. The government in Luxembourg has also made its case for banks in London to relocate there.

Vienna

The christmas market at the town hall of Vienna is seen during sunset on December 5, 2016 in Vienna, Austria. Getty Images

The Austrian capital argues it is the best possible location for the EBA due to a high quality of life, good business infrastructure, a well-developed education system and synergies with other international institutions, including the World Bank.

Warsaw

Piotr Malecki | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Warsaw might be a surprising application given the government's slight Euroskeptic stance. The European Union has stepped up its procedures against Poland last week for implementing laws deemed as risky to democracy. The Polish application might therefore be seen as an attempt by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party to become closer to the EU.

European Medicines Agency

Perry Mastrovito | Getty Images
The City of London at sunset Allan Baxter | Photolibrary | Getty Images

The U.K. could lose up to half of its investment banking jobs over the next few years if the government continues to pursue a hard-line exit from the EU, a new report has warned. As many as 40,000 sales and trading and investment banking roles could move from the City of London to other European finance hubs as banks scramble to maintain access to the European single market once Britain leaves the bloc in 2019, according to estimates from consultancy Oliver Wyman. Already a number of banks, including Citigroup , UBS and Barclays , have announced plans to relocate thousands of jobs to new subsidiaries across the EU. Financial services firms were given until July 14 to present the Bank of England with their contingency plans. Initially these moves are expected to take between 12,000 and 17,000 wholesale banking jobs out of the U.K. capital. However, this number could rise to 40,000 over the longer-term as wholesale banks face uncertainty over clearing and seek to improve collaboration between staff.

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"Banks have been working hard to design 'Day 1' operating models to ensure continuity of client service in the event of a hard Brexit. Although some banks may take the opportunity to restructure their European footprint more broadly, most are looking to minimize expense and disruption by relocating as little as possible in the first instance," the report released Tuesday noted. Over the medium term, however, pressures are likely to grow for banks to move beyond their initial 'Day 1' operating models," it added. "These pressures are likely to lead wholesale banks to increase their presence inside the EU over time." The wholesale banking industry, which includes sales, trading and investment banking, accounts for 80,000 jobs in the U.K., according to Oliver Wyman estimates. The consultancy separately estimates that the wider financial services industry, including insurers and retail banks, will lose 31,000 to 35,000 jobs over the medium term. The impact of such job losses would be striking, not just for the industry but the U.K. economy as a whole. The financial services industry is one of the largest contributors to U.K. gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 22 percent of London's GDP alone. British Prime Minister Theresa May has been pushing for a so-called 'hard Brexit', which would remove the U.K. from the single market and end the free movement of people. Finance minister Philip Hammond has proposed a 'transition period' of up to three years to help businesses navigate the new framework once Britain leaves the union. However, the report insists that the financial services industry will not be able to wait until then to gain clarity.

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Chinese ride-sharing company Didi Chuxing has teamed up with Uber rival Taxify to grow its network across Europe, Africa and Asia.

The transport giant will collaborate with and provide investment to help Europe's Taxify extend its reach across a range of markets from Hungary and Romania, to South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.

"Taxify provides innovative, high-quality mobility services across many diverse markets. We share a strong commitment to harnessing the power of mobile technology to satisfying rapidly evolving consumer demands and revitalizing traditional transportation industry," Didi Chuxing's founder and Chief Executive Will Cheng Wei said in a press announcement Tuesday.

"I believe this partnership will contribute to cross-regional smart transportation linkages between Asian, European and African markets."
U.S. stock futures were setting up for a strong start to August. The Dow on Monday logged its 30th record high close of 2017, finishing July about 108 points away from 22,000. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq were riding three session losing streaks. (CNBC)



* June personal income and spending at 8:30 a.m. ET

* July ISM manufacturing and June construction spending at 10 a.m. ET

* The nation's automakers release July sales throughout the morning

July on Wall Street was the best month since February. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained nearly 2 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. The Dow advanced about 2.5 percent for the month. August has not been very bullish this decade. (CNBC)

A largest driver of the Dow in recent weeks has been Boeing (BA). Shares of the U.S. aircraft maker gained nearly 22.8 percent in July, the best month since October 1982. Boeing has added more than 300 points to the Dow in the past month. (CNBC)

Pfizer (PFE), another Dow stock, reported this morning a mixed quarter with earnings that beat expectations but revenue that missed. However, the main event comes after the bell when Apple (AAPL) issues its fiscal third quarter results. Solid gains are expected. (CNBC)

Under Armour (UAA) this morning reported a 3 cent per share quarterly loss, half the red ink than was expected. Revenue also beat. But the athletic apparel maker warned on full-year results and announced a restructuring. Shares were lower in the premarket. (CNBC)
The decline of manufacturing jobs across the U.S. has hollowed out communities and depressed the working classes across broad swathes of the country, but it has also had an unexpected social side effect: fewer .

That's the conclusion of economist David Dorn of the University of Zurich, who wrote a paper with colleagues David Autor and Gordon Hanson, titled "When Work Disappears: Manufacturing Decline and the Falling Marriage Market-Value of Men."

Like other social scientists have, the team noted "a steep decline in the prevalence of marriage among young adults, and a sharp rise in the fraction of children born to unmarried mothers or living in single-headed households." They expected that "a potential contributor to both phenomena is the declining labor-market opportunities faced by males, which make them less valuable as marital partners."

Indeed, they found that "trade shocks to manufacturing industries have particularly negative impacts on the labor market prospects of men and degrade their marriage-market value along multiple dimensions."

In an article about this research, Thrive Global points out that, "since 1980, a full third of all manufacturing jobs  five million since 2000  have evaporated, making guys less appealing as potential husbands in the process." Many American men who lost steady, relatively well-paying factory jobs, Dorn found, became cash-strapped and opioid-addicted. As he tells Thrive Global, they "become less attractive partners because they have less money and start doing drugs."

"Remarkably, half of unemployed men in the U.S. are on some sort of painkiller," writes Thrive Global. "Unremarkably, all that makes long-term monogamy less appealing."

In response, fertility rates in those areas went down, the economists noted, and women who did have kids were more likely to proceed with parenthood alone, even though they didn't have a lot of resources. Forty percent of all babies now are born to single moms or to unmarried partners. That's a problem, Dorn and his colleagues write, because "poverty is far more prevalent among single-headed than married households."

In short, the closing of factories can be devastating: "The loss of jobs  for men especially  is the root cause of the social anomie found in poor communities."
Artificial intelligence researchers in recent days have been speaking out against media reports that dramatize AI research that Facebook conducted.

An academic paper that Facebook published in June describes a normal scientific experiment in which researchers got two artificial agents to negotiate with each other in chat messages after being shown conversations of humans negotiating. The agents' improvement gradually performed through trial and error.

But in the past week or so, some media outlets have published reports on the work that are alarmist in tone. "Facebook shuts down robots after they invent their own language," London's Telegraph newspaper reported. "'Robot intelligence is dangerous': Expert's warning after Facebook AI 'develop their own language,'" as London's Sun tabloid put it.

At times some of the chatter between the agents did deviate from standard correct English. But that wasn't the point of the paper; the point was to make the agents effectively negotiate. The researchers finished their experiment, and indeed they noticed that the agents even figured out how to pretend to be interested in something they didn't actually want, "only to later 'compromise' by conceding it," Mike Lewis, Denis Yarats, Yann Dauphin, Devi Parikh and Dhruv Batra of Facebook's Artificial Intelligence Research group wrote in the paper.

On Monday evening Batra weighed in on the situation in a Facebook post:

While the idea of AI agents inventing their own language may sound alarming/unexpected to people outside the field, it is a well-established sub-field of AI, with publications dating back decades. Simply put, agents in environments attempting to solve a task will often find unintuitive ways to maximize reward. Analyzing the reward function and changing the parameters of an experiment is NOT the same as "unplugging" or "shutting down AI." If that were the case, every AI researcher has been "shutting down AI" every time they kill a job on a machine.

Batra called certain media reports "clickbaity and irresponsible." What's more, the negotiating agents were never used in production; it was simply a research experiment.

Other researchers have been critical of the fear-mongering reports on social media in recent days.

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Researchers at Alphabet and Elon Musk-backed OpenAI are among those who have recently explored the field of agent-to-agent chat -- one of many areas where AI is being applied today -- and at times the agents have developed their own styles of communication, which researchers have been able to subsequently modify.

Notably Facebook released the underlying software and data set for its experiment alongside the academic paper. In other words, if Facebook were trying to do something in secret, this wasn't it.
Home price gains are accelerating again, and in some cities those values are overheating.



Four of the nation's largest cities are now considered overvalued, according to CoreLogic. Home prices in Denver, Houston, Miami and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area now exceed sustainable levels.

To determine if a market is overvalued, CoreLogic compares current prices to their long-run, sustainable levels, which are supported by local economic fundamentals like disposable income. An overvalued market is one in which home prices are at least 10 percent higher than that level. The rest of the top 10 markets are considered "at value," but none are undervalued, as prices are higher in all of them compared with a year ago.

"With no end to the escalation in sight, affordability is rapidly deteriorating nationally," said Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic. "While low mortgage rates are keeping the market affordable from a monthly payment perspective, affordability will likely become a much bigger challenge in the years ahead until the industry resolves the housing supply challenge."
Goldman Sachs Chief Financial Officer Marty Chavez said on Tuesday that the market for fixed income trading has not improved much since the second quarter.

Chavez said on a call with fixed income investors that low volatilitywhich caused a slump in trading revenue for Goldman during the second quarterhad "essentially continued into this quarter."

Goldman in the second quarter reported a 40 percent drop in bond trading revenue and posted the weakest commodities results in its history as a public company.

Chavez faced questions on the call from three investors about the future of the fixed income, currencies and commodities business at Goldman and how the firm planned to turn it around. One investor also wondered if further deterioration in the business over the next two to four quarters could damage Goldman's credit rating.

Goldman is focused on engaging with clients about areas it can improve on, Chavez said.

We are "asking them how we're doing with them, what's working, what's not, what they like to see more of and less of," he said. Goldman is particularly focused on courting large corporations and asset management firms as clients. In the past it tended to focus more on relationships with hedge funds.

Goldman is also pushing more cross-selling with the investment bank, he said, as well as using technology to build out cash services to clients.

Goldman's trading performance during the second quarter was worse than peers including JPMorgan , Bank of America and Morgan Stanley .

Many of Goldman's clients are active asset managers, like hedge funds, that have broadly been struggling to post strong returns. Those clients have been trading less, representing revenue to Goldman.
Trump and the GOP are heading for war. Here's how it will be fought 3:58 PM ET Tue, 1 Aug 2017 | 01:02

From the collapse of the health bill to squabbles over congressional investigations, the uneasy marriage between President Donald Trump and the Republican Party seems to be coming undone. There are signs that this isn't going to be an amicable divorce. It could even devolve into all-out war.

If that happens, President Trump has some distinct advantages that go beyond holding the office of the presidency. Those advantages are what led to Trump's stunning and clear victories over more than a dozen establishment Republicans in the 2016 primaries.

Just to recap the facts, remember that Trump bashed those Republicans with a constant fury and he still won primary after primary in the supposedly establishment GOP stronghold of the South just as easily as he did in the Northeast and Midwest.

After Trump won the nomination, establishment leaders like House Speaker Paul Ryan openly bemoaned their differences with Trump on more than one occasion.

But after Trump'a general election victory, there were efforts to reconcile the new administration with the Republican Party. The new administration's hiring of now-former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who had been the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, was the most obvious of those efforts.

We now know the detente isn't working out well for either side.

With that in mind, here are three battlefields where President Trump and the GOP could go to war in the coming days and months:

Health Coverage

President Trump acted as a non-detail oriented cheerleader for the Republican's efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare in Congress. His lack of specific guidance, along with a mix of crony capitalism and cowardice by several GOP senators, doomed those efforts. But even if a new bill is never introduced, there's plenty President Trump can do to change the health insurance game.

First off, he's already threatened on more than one occasion to rescind the federal subsidy payments to health insurance companies. He's even referred to them as bailouts. That would likely outrage many Republicans including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who kept insurance company lobbyists on board while crafting the Obamacare replacement bill.

But even more up close and personal is President Trump's threat that the government will stop paying subsidies for Congress's higher-end health insurance plan premiums.

Finally, the White House is reportedly looking into several other actions the president could undertake via executive orders including allowing association health plans like anti-establishment Republican Senator Rand Paul has been pushing.

It's important to note that most of President Trump's possible weapons on health care would anger and harm Democrats in Congress too. But for the White House that wouldn't be a negative, that would be icing on the cake.

Middle East

Remember when candidate Trump bashed the $6 trillion we've spent on wars in the Middle East? The comment was a bit shocking coming from a so-called Republican when it was Republican Presidents George H.W. and George W. Bush who brought the U.S. into those wars. It was that bashing of those wars that served as a launching point for several current and former U.S. military and intelligence officials to openly oppose the Trump candidacy. And yet it's a claim President Trump has repeated a few times this year.

President Trump has been far from a pacifist since taking office, with the most stark example being his ordering of a cruise missile strike on a Syrian government airbase connected to a gas attack on rebel forces. But he's also reportedly moved to make significant cutbacks to the C.I.A.-provided arms to Syrian rebels. That decision drew severe criticisms from Republicans, led by none other than Senator John McCain. That would be the same Senator McCain who voted to kill the Senate's Obamacare repeal effort just a few days after his comments blasting Trump's Syria decision.

But that move proves just how much the Trump team can mess with the GOP military agenda overall. As Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, there's a lot President Trump can do without congressional approval when it comes to using or not using deadly force.

Special elections and midterms

And the final and most lethal weapons President Trump can use in a war with the establishment Republicans is his ability to threaten their job security. So far, the president has been a cheerleader for Republicans running in special elections since his own election back in November. He tweeted or appeared at rallies for winning GOP candidates like Senator John N. Kennedy in Louisiana and Representative Karen Handel in Georgia.

But President Trump can turn that help into harm in current and future elections very easily. He could, for example, decide to back a GOP candidate other then the McConnell-backed Luther Strange in the Alabama special election for the U.S. Senate.

Strange's two opponents, Representative Mo Brooks and former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, are both pitching themselves as decidedly anti-establishment Republicans. He could also simply sit that election out, which would be almost as serious a snub to McConnell.

In the 2018 midterm elections, where all of the House and a third of the U.S. Senate are up for grabs, President Trump could easily exercise either one of those options. And he wouldn't be the first sitting President to quietly enjoy seeing his own party lose control of Congress. As the late presidential biographer Stephen Ambrose told me in a 1994 radio interview, President Dwight Eisenhower was pleased by the GOP's loss of Congress in 1954 as he believed he could accomplish more without them in charge on the Hill.

Whether President Trump could get anything done with the current Democratic Party in a majority position in Congress seems more like a stretch today. But if the White House can't get much legislation passed with the Republican majority, what would be the effective difference?

The funny thing about this is that Trump's potential war with the Republicans may not bring very different results than what we see when presidents are supposedly in step with their political parties. An analysis released this week by the political research group Ballotpedia shows that just four sitting presidents over the last 100 years have actually helped improve their party's electoral fortunes overall.

In other words, 13 of the last 17 presidents have seen their party lose a net total of congressional seats, gubernatorial elections, and seats in state legislatures. Having your guy in the White House, even if he isn't a bomb thrower like President Trump, is usually more of a curse than a blessing for the rest of the elected leaders in the party.

But things can always get worse when you have something to lose. President Trump can intentionally or unintentionally finish what he started during the primaries and strip the establishment Republican Party of whatever political power and influence it has left. It's that reality that should lead more GOP leaders to try to find a new way to either make peace with the White House or prove they can work effectively on their own.

Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
The Republican health care bill failed in the Senate after the defections of three key GOP members. But those votes  and many of the other obstacles that ultimately tripped-up the attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act  did not come out of thin air. They were enabled by a massive grassroots protest movement against any major cuts to health coverage that was organized mostly by and for women.

While Sen. John McCain of Arizona defected from GOP leadership because of his objections to the unorthodox legislative process, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska repeatedly cited the enormous outcry from their constituents as a reason for their consistent opposition. Thousands of new activists all across the country have spent the last seven months staging protests, visiting offices, writing postcards and making phone calls to urge their Senators to oppose the GOP health care plan. According to organizers, the vast majority of them were women.

Republicans have been promising to repeal and replace Obamacare for years, but extreme pressure from constituents made it harder than they ever imagined. To attribute the failure of the bill to internal politics alone is to ignore the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have spent the last six months begging their representatives not to slash their health care.

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Planned Parenthood says its volunteers have made more than 200,000 phone calls to members of Congress against the health care bill, organized more than 2,200 events across the country in opposition to ACA repeal, and delivered more than a million petitions to members of Congress urging them not to defund women's health care. Indivisible, a resistance organization that is dedicated to obstructing President Trump's agenda, has been focusing on stopping the GOP health plan for the last six months-- 74% of their email subscribers are female, and most of their local groups are led by women. There are 16 Indivisible groups in Alaska, 62 in Maine, and 141 in Arizona. And according to a survey by DailyAction, an anti-Trump group that sends text-message reminders to call Congress, 86% of their users are women.

Women didn't just flood the phone lines-- they showed up to confront Senators and their staff in person in overwhelming numbers. Michelle Morrison and Elena Hung led the Little Lobbyists, a group of parents that spent weeks touring Capitol Hill with their chronically-ill children urging the Senate to preserve Obamacare. Angela Lorio and Jessica Michot piled their disabled children into a bus to drive 25-hours from Louisiana to beg Sen. Bill Cassidy to vote "no" on the Senate bill (he voted yes). A West Virginia reverend came to Washington to urge Sen. Shelley Moore Capito to vote "no" on repeal for the sake of her cancer-stricken daughter (she voted yes). A 10-year old diabetic girl in Maine traveled to Collins's Bangor office with her mother to urge the Senator to preserve the ACA. After Collins came out against the bill, her constituents started making memes of her as "Wonder Woman," urging her to stay strong.
Scaramucci understands failure; after graduating from Harvard Law School, he failed the bar exam twice. After that, he got fired from Goldman Sachs after just 18 months on the job, on February 1, 1991, a date seared into his memory.

We then discussed how to be fired with dignity, which after today, is eerily prescient.

When I began hosting interviews for Salon.com, he had just launched his book, "Hopping over the Rabbit Hole: How Entrepreneurs Turn Failure into Success," which has useful advice for millennials on how to build resilience. (His book has been endorsed by everyone from Tony Robbins to Arianna Huffington.)

I first met Scaramucci through our mutual acquaintances in the Fox News orbit, and we discussed my television news startup Bold. I sought his advice because he successfully built his own show and sold it to Fox Business. I've hosted him on our Bold politics talk show , where he gave an eloquent defense of President Trump's economic policies, invoking intellectuals like Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Milton Friedman.

The Twitterverse is exploding with schadenfreude at the rapid downfall of Anthony Scaramucci , President Trump's ill-fated communications director who got axed after just 10 days following a foul-mouthed tirade to The New Yorker. And while I disagree with his language in that interview (as my mom taught me: Loose lips sink ships), there's been too much mockery of Scaramucci for it to really be fair.

"I was crestfallen," Scaramucci told me. "I had just graduated from Harvard Law School, this was my first big job, I had school debt, and I was panicked, I was like 'What am I going to do now?'"

Thankfully, Goldman gave Scaramucci two months to find another gig, and rather than blowing up, he humbly parlayed the loss into another role at the same firm.

"You have to get fired with dignity," he said during our Salon Talk. "Thank god I handled the firing properly  I want young people that read this, sometimes I'm reading these magazines and it's this fully sanitized version of success. There's a 45 degree angle to their success, they had it all figured out at the age of three, they were playing Mozart, all that other stuff. And it didn't happen like that for me. I was awkward, self-conscious. I had tremendous anxiety when I joined Goldman Sachs. Listen, I guess I'm comfortable talking about it today because I've done reasonably well, but I had these feelings of inadequacy."

After our interview on firing, I felt empowered, as if he and I shared a common trajectory and that I would continue to find success. I had been fired early in my professional life too, and it was a hellish ordeal, but one that ultimately made me stronger. The firing put me on a different career path that today, oddly, makes me grateful for that early hiccup, and it was nice to be reminded of that by Scaramucci.

Now looking back on this video today, I'm hoping for the best for Scaramucci. Even if things may have been heated after his dismissal, I hope that he's able to cool off and handle today's firing in a similar fashion as his more youthful self.

Scaramucci is a master of reinvention. He doesn't see failure; he sees opportunity. I'm sure that after taking some time to decompress, he'll be hard at work planning his next reinvention. After all, "If you're going through hell, keep going."

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Don't Miss: This 27-year-old got fired and went from making $50,000 to over $100,000 as an Instagram star

This article originally appeared on Bustle.
Matsumoto read the note out loud in the courtroom after prosecutors and defense lawyers were handed copies of it.

The jury sent out the note just before 2 p.m., about five hours after beginning discussions about a verdict. The only prior they had sent was late Monday, when they asked when they were expected to recess for the day.

Jurors ended their second day of deliberations on Tuesday afternoon without reaching a verdict, and without querying the judge about any further evidence or legal issues.

The question of whether the note was in fact good news for the defense remains to be seen.

Brafman had argued strongly in his closing statement last week that Shkreli lacked criminal intent in actions that are the subject of the criminal charges in the case.

As Brafman then leaned over to tell Shkreli what it said, he appeared to be mouthing the words "this is a great note" or is "good news."

Shkreli's lawyer Benjamin Brafman was smiling broadly in the courtroom in Brooklyn, NY, federal court when he silently read the note containing the questions.

Jurors in the Martin Shkreli securities fraud trial on Tuesday asked their first substantive questions to a judge during deliberations, focusing on the size of the assets the "pharma bro" handled.

Jurors asked the judge for a legal definition of the investment term "assets under management."

They also asked whether such a term refers to the assets in "a particular fund being discussed or to all the assets managed by the portfolio manager/general partner."

That question could be crucial because Shkreli had told the investors he is accused of defrauding that either one of his two hedge funds had anywhere between $30 million and $100 million in assets under management, depending on to whom he was speaking and when he was doing so.

In reality, evidence has shown, the two funds at their peak did not have much more than $3 million apiece in assets, and most of the time had much less than that.

Shkreli's lawyer Benjamin Brafman noted to Mastumoto that Shkreli had told would-be investors that he was also managing the money of a wealthy investor, Josiah Austin. The implication is that Shkreli could have in good faith believed he was managing more than just the money held by his hedge funds when he solicited new investments.

But Matsumoto told jurors in response to their question that there was no legal definition of assets under management that was introduced during the trial.

The judge also said that the question of what Shkreli intended when he talked about assets under management to investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission and alleged co-conspirators "is an issue in dispute for you to resolve."

In their third question, jurors asked Matsumoto, "Can you expand or elaborate your definition of fraudulent intent?"

Brafman suggested to jurors in closing arguments that Shkreli lacked criminal intent in connection with the conduct for which he is charged, and thus should be found not guilty of charges that include securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud.

Prosecutors say he defrauded hedge-fund investors by lying about the amount of money he had under management, and by misleading them about the returns he was making on their money with his stock-trading strategy.

Prosecutors also claim he looted the drug company he founded, Retrophin , out of stock and cash to repay hedge-fund investors their money, which he had either lost or used to capitalize Retrophin, without their knowledge.

Brafman, in his closing arguments, suggested that Shkreli did not in his mind intend to defraud the investors, and did all he could to turn Retrophin into a success so that he could make good on his promise to handle the investors' money well.

Matsumoto, in answering the jurors' question about intent, referred them to specific pages in the legal instructions that she read them after closing arguments last week.

After hearing about the note, Shkreli looked at a copy of a biography about legendary investor Warren Buffett that he had been toting around Tuesday. The 1995 book, "Buffett: The Making of An American Capitalist," was written by Roger Lowenstein, a former Wall Street Journal reporter.

"How ... improbable," Lowenstein wrote CNBC in an email when asked about Shkreli's choice of his tome during jury deliberations.

Shkreli also spent time playing cards in the courthouse cafeteria Tuesday while jurors huddled over his fate.

Lowenstein said he believed his book noted some fatherly advice Buffett gave one of his sons: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."

By "differently," Lowenstein said, Buffett meant doing things "more carefully, especially when it comes to avoiding cutting corners."

"Advice we could all benefit from, the defendant included," Lowenstein said.

Shkreli has a dismal reputation with the general public  and has been accused in a federal criminal indictment of cutting a whole bunch of corners when it came to investors and Retrophin.

The Manhattan resident first gained national attention in 2015 when the company he was running at that time, Turing Pharmaceuticals, raised the price of the anti-parasite drug Daraprim by more than 5,000 percent. Daraprim is used to treat toxoplasmosis, a condition found in pregnant women, infants and people with HIV.

"This isn't the greedy drug company trying to gouge patients, it is us trying to stay in business," Shkreli told The New York Times that year. "This is still one of the smallest pharmaceutical products in the world. ... It really doesn't make sense to get any criticism for this."

But Shkreli got a ton of criticism from patient groups, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and members of Congress.

Despite his initial defense of the drug price being raised to $750 per pill from $13.50 per pill, he soon said he would lower the price. However, Daraprim's price reportedly was $375 per pill for many patients in 2016, and the drug price comparison site GoodRx says Daraprim can cost almost $49,000 for a 60-pill bottle at some pharmacies.

Turing, which Shkreli left as CEO in 2015 after his arrest on fraud charges, offers financial assistance programs to some people who use Daraprim, who under certain conditions have to personally pay nothing or at most $10 for the drug.
A supporter of Britain leaving the EU, attends an event in London, Feb. 19, 2016.

Voters who supported the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union seem adamant that they made the right decision last year.

A recent YouGov poll found that 61 percent of people who voted to leave the EU said Brexit would be worth "significant damage to the British economy."

The poll comes as Prime Minister Theresa May advocates for a so-called hard Brexit, which would end the free movement of goods, services and people between the U.K. and European Union.

Amid Britain's uncertain economic future, a number of companies have already said they are considering relocating their regional offices to other major European cities. Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that London could see 40,000 sales, trading and investment banking jobs relocate to other financial centers in Europe.

When asked if leaving the EU would be worth causing the respondent or their family members to lose their job, 39 percent of Brexit supporters said that it would be a price worth paying.

The 2016 referendum to exit the EU saw broader support among older generations. Pollsters found that high turnout among older white, working-class people helped drive the win for the Leave campaign.

YouGov's most recent poll echoed those findings, even among those with similar ideological leanings.
Natalia Vodianova, 35, is one of the world's most celebrated models, featuring on 71 Vogue covers, appearing in campaigns for Calvin Klein, Versace, Guerlain and L'Oreal and earning around $5.5 million in 2016, according to Forbes. The Russian has five children, two with her partner Antoine Arnault, the chief executive of Berluti and president of Loro Piana. Vodianova's story is one of rags to riches. She was raised in a poor neighborhood of Nizhny Novgorod (then called Gorky) a city around 400km east of Moscow, helping her mother make ends meet by working on a fruit stand, and wondering where her next meal would come from. Her home town was cut off from the rest of the country under Soviet rule and she was cruelly teased at school for being badly dressed and skinny. Her sister Oksana was born with cerebral palsy and autism and her mother Larisa gave up work to look after her, rather than send her to an institution. Model ambitions At the age of 17, Vodianova was scouted by a model agent and left Russia for Paris and then New York. Her first major campaign was for designer Marc Jacobs, a controversial image that showed her lying in the grass in shorts and a top that revealed her pregnant stomach.

Natalia Vodianova at the Christian Dior Haute Couture show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 3, 2017 in Paris, France. Edward Berthelot | Getty Images

But Vodianova says that aged 21, she felt her gilded life needed more meaning. "When it didn't have purpose, my life was a little bit hard. When I became very successful for a short period of time it's really fun. The world is your oyster; you can do whatever you want. You are invited everywhere, you just pick and choose. And everything is so fun and fabulous," she told CNBC's "Trailblazers," while showing anchor Tania Bryer around Moscow. "You cannot just suddenly stop and say now, at age 21, now I do nothing and I just enjoy the rest of my life. Well it's not me, it's not who I am I was really unhappy I was questioning, why did I have this (past) and why do I have this success now, why such extremes?" Vodianova's foundation After the Beslan school siege in 2004 when 186 children died, Vodianova felt she had to do something to help and set up the Naked Heart Foundation, a charity that builds accessible playgrounds as well as support centers for parents of children with special needs. She looked to her past to work out what would be important for the children's futures. "It was driven by a heart. It was just a reaction to a great tragedy at the time I was questioning why not me. And that's when I really connected with my cause, I went back to my childhood and I said: what was really lacking?" "I had my mother's love and felt pretty safe as a child with that. However, the play, I needed that So many children live in Russia, in the world, with some kind of trauma, difficulties And every child, just for healthy development, needs to play."

Naomi Campbell, Natalia Vodianova and Izabel Goulart take part in the Running Hearts charity race in Moscow in May 2017, in aid of the Naked Heart Foundation Kommersant Photo | Getty Images
A day where shoppers don't even have to think about what they need to purchase  let alone push a button  is quickly approaching, Chieh Huang, Boxed co-founder and CEO, said Tuesday on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

"The machine learning algorithm is getting better and better" in being used in e-commerce, he said.

Boxed, started in 2013, is a bulk-items e-retailer currently working on rolling out new features that are primarily being tested in a business-to-business capacity, for now. The website has more than 1,400 SKUs, ranging from Pepsi products to paper towels to General Mills' Cheerios. And everything is sold in bulk, at a discount.

Similar to Amazon 's Dash Button, Boxed is working on its own, easy reorder system. The company has been playing with artificial intelligence to take the idea to the next level  where no "push of a button" is required, Huang said.

Amazon's Dash Button, with one click, will send Prime Members their favorite, most-used products  ranging from Pampers diapers and Bounce detergent, to Gatorade and Cheez-Its.

Boxed is learning to determine when customers are going to run out of items, and when they will want more. A pilot test called Boxed Concierge automatically fulfills shoppers' items in bulk, shipping them without even asking for approval on the receiving end.

It seems like a risk, but Huang said Boxed hasn't received any returns or complaints, thus far. It's easier shipping items automatically in a business-to-business relationship, he said, but business-to-consumer becomes tricky and still requires a little bit of interaction.

"You tell us 'snooze,' you don't like the item, you don't like the price ... we learn more about you," he said.

Boxed brings in more than $100 million in annual revenue, and about 80 percent of its shoppers fall between the ages of 25 and 44.

Should Boxed's pilot test prove successful, it threatens to encroach on brick-and-mortar wholesale retailers' businesses. Huang said he envisions a world where people don't need to visit warehouse clubs anymore.
While arguing against getting rid of the Affordable Care Act, Ezekiel Emanuel, an oncologist and former health policy advisor in the administration of Barack Obama, told CNBC on Tuesday that Republicans and Democrats need to put politics aside to tweak urgent problems with the 2010 health-care law.

"We need to have a timeline that's over the next few months that's going to stabilize the exchanges, but primarily try to bring the premiums down in the exchanges," said Emanuel, an architect of the ACA, better known as Obamacare. He's currently chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Emanuel said on "Squawk Box" that the United States needs to change the way health care is administered, rather than going down the road the Republicans want to travel to repeal and replace Obamacare.

"We have to get the costs overall of the health-care system down. That needs to be the focus. That's actually a bipartisan issue. And that requires changing how we deliver care. That requires changing the financial incentives," he said.

Republicans have been trying to dismantle Obamacare for seven years. But now, even with control of the House, Senate and White House, party infighting has thus far thwarted those efforts.

Last week, the so-called skinny Obamacare repeal failed in the Senate, with three GOP defections  Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John McCain of Arizona  sinking the measure in a 49-51 vote.

In May, after fits and starts, the House narrowly passed its version of legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare in a 217 to 213 vote. That was an even slimmer margin considering the GOP holds a much larger 47-seat majority in the House.

Emanuel admits mistakes were made in setting up the ACA, which led to some problems that need to be fixed around the edges.

"All of us thought that the exchanges would be much more active," he said, also citing the troubled rollout of the federal marketplace healthcare.gov. "We could also talk about the situation of allowing  and I'm just as much at fault  the deductibles to go up."

But Emanuel said those knock-on effects are not reasons to abandon the health law, or as President Donald Trump has threatened to let it "implode" if Republican leaders on Capitol Hill can't deliver a repeal measure.

In a recent Slate interview, Emanuel said he met with Trump three times on health care and "a lot more" with his aides.

Emanuel told Slate he believes in the overall structure of Obamacare, including the requirement that all Americans have health insurance or face a tax penalty. He said he'd like to see the mandate "vigorously" enforced.

The mandate, however, is one of the top Obamacare pillars that Republicans on Captiol Hill and Trump object to the most. The GOP does not want to make people buy coverage, but rather provide everyone with the option to acquire insurance.
Oil prices plunged back below $49 a barrel on Tuesday after more reports that OPEC's output rose last month despite the cartel's deal to slash production.

A survey of analysts conducted by Bloomberg News suggested OPEC's July output rose by 210,000 barrels a day. Separately, market-monitoring firm Petro-Logistics said the producer group's output was up by 145,000 barrels a day last month.

On Monday, Reuters reported its own survey implied a jump of 90,000 barrels a day from OPEC members.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude prices tumbled to a session low of $48.37 and ended Tuesday's session down $1.01, or 2 percent to $48.16. The contract hit a nearly 10-week high at $50.43 earlier in the session, after breaking above the key $50 level for the first time in two months on Monday.

U.S. WTI two-day performance

International Benchmark Brent crude futures were trading down $1.04, or 2 percent, at $51.68 per barrel, by 2:39 p.m. ET (1839 GMT), after earlier slipping from a nearly 10-month high just below $53 a barrel.

Prices were mostly lower on Monday, but surged ahead of the session's close to settle above $50 a barrel for the first time since May. Analysts told CNBC crude oil futures face resistance to further gains after surging about 9 percent last week.

"I think that we were poised for a sell-off because at above $50 the market looked frothy," said Tamar Essner, director of energy and utilities at Nasdaq Corporate Solutions.

"I think that the recent runup in prices reflected that the market sentiment had gone from bad to less bad but not outright bullish with any conviction."

U.S. crude prices hit technical resistance near the session high of $50.40, according to John Kilduff, founding partner at energy hedge fund Again Capital.

The rise in OPEC production was not unexpected following Monday's Reuters survey, he said, but the sharp drop on Tuesday indicates that investors perhaps bid up oil too much after Saudi Arabia vowed export cuts last week.

"People keep taking them at their word and giving it to much credit, and then the rug gets pulled out," Kilduff said.
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Growth in U.S. oil production is slowing, but will continue to blunt OPEC's efforts to cut supply and normalize global inventories, keeping benchmark prices capped at around $50 a barrel this quarter, according to a CNBC poll of energy strategists, traders and economists. De facto OPEC leader Saudi Arabia is leading calls to deepen production cuts as it battles perceptions of falling compliance. Doubts over OPEC's commitment to supply curbs tipped benchmark oil futures into a bear market in June. Elsewhere, OPEC is also squaring off against familiar rivals. Attempts to prop up the price of oil by the producer group have encouraged U.S. suppliers to put more oil onto an already over-supplied market. But bulls say that's changing as American production shows signs of leveling out and recent declines in U.S. inventories point to market re-balancing.

President Donald Trump gestures as Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (R) stands next to him during a reception ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 20, 2017. Bandar Algaloud | Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court | Reuters

"It's still sheikhs versus shale," said John Driscoll, director of JTD Energy Services in Singapore and a former oil trader whose career spans nearly 40 years. "I would put an average price for [the third quarter] at just under $50. In the past year it's like Brent was following the U.S. speed limit: 55 max." The "wild card" for oil markets, Driscoll said, remains output from tight oil formations such as the Permian Basin in the U.S. southwest. Brent crude will average $50 a barrel in the July to September period, according to the median response in CNBC's survey of 21 strategists, traders and economists. The lowest call was for $40 oil, while the highest was $56. Brent  the benchmark for two-thirds of the world's oil  averaged $50.79 in the second quarter.

UBS bullish oil

Warren Gilman, CEO of CEF Holdings offered the lowest forecast at $40 a barrel for the third quarter. "Growing supply will require further cuts from OPEC if they want a higher price," Gilman said. Oil bulls UBS expected prices to hit $60 a barrel in the second-half while BMI Research said prices will likely average $55.20 from the July to December period. Seasonal factors may prove supportive in the current quarter: Gulf producers could hold back oil from the export market to feed higher demand from domestic power generators during the summer, coinciding with strong U.S. gasoline demand. "U.S. demand seems pretty steady despite low oil prices and the lowest summer gas prices in years," said Rachel Ziemba, managing director of emerging markets research at 4CAST-RGE. "I'm a tad more constructive on India and China."

Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister and OPEC conference president Khalid al-Falih, and OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo attend a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producing countries in Vienna, Austria, May 25, 2017. Leonhard Foeger | Reuters

OPEC is not ruling out extending supply cuts. Together with stabilizing U.S. inventories, Brent crude futures rose to a two-month high of $52.68 on July 28, rounding off its strongest week so far this year. Crude inventories chalked up their fourth weekly decline, falling 7.2 million barrels in the week ending July 21, as improved product margins encouraged U.S. refiners to process more crude. That put total crude stockpiles below 2016's level for the first time this year. Still, U.S. crude inventories remain stubbornly above the five-year average. "Since oil inventories are the barometer by which the oil market judges OPEC's success in rebalancing the market, a decline in stocks will be positive for market sentiment and the oil price, which on a WTI basis, stands a good chance to once again trade above $50," said BNP Paribas head of commodity strategy Harry Tchilinguirian.

Saudi and Russian energy ministers in St. Petersburg in July discussed extending their deal to cut output by 1.8 million barrels a day beyond March 2018 if necessary. The level of actual OPEC compliance rates divided survey respondents. "We see Brent prices sustained at or slightly above $50 per barrel over the next few months," said Johannes Benigni, chairman and founder of JBC Energy. "However, this hinges on compliance not only in terms of reported production figures but also in terms of actual arrivals at consumer hubs ... otherwise the credibility of the deal and outright oil prices will suffer." JTD Energy's Driscoll said he expected "greater threats" to OPEC and non-OPEC supply cuts. "Any perception that there will be 'leakage' will take air out of the balloon." UBS, meanwhile, projected that OPEC will remain "steadfast" in its commitment to restrain oil output, but assigned a 20 to 30 percent probability of a breakdown in the OPEC deal, which could translate to a short-term price drop to between $30 and $35. Notably, few survey respondents were willing to venture levels over $50 in the current quarter. "The price range seems to be shifted downwards because of greater efficiencies, new supply and demand not being strong enough to pick up all that extra supply," said Daniel Yergin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning energy historian and vice chairman of IHS Markit.

Shale slows

Although productivity and efficiency gains driven by innovation helped U.S. producers ride out the oil price collapse, evidence is emerging of renewed financial stress. Depressed prices are forcing some operators to cut capital spending. That's slowing U.S. production growth, offering some support to the oil market. "Oilfield services bottlenecks and low prices over [the second quarter of the year] will constrain drilling and completion activity in U.S. shale plays over [the second half of 2017], paring back on growth," said Peter Lee, oil and gas analyst at BMI Research in Singapore. Baker Hughes' closely watched weekly U.S. rig count numbers in late June declined for the first time since January, while more recent numbers showed only modest increases. "While a single data point is not a trend, it may confirm that the low prices seen in recent weeks are not sustainable for U.S. shale producers," said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Workers line up pipe while drilling for oil in the Bakken shale formation outside Watford City, N.D. Getty Images
It was an obvious move for newly appointed White House chief of staff John Kelly to boot communications director Anthony Scaramucci, a former chief of staff for President Barack Obama told CNBC on Tuesday.

"Scaramucci proved he was not a communications guy with his tirade last week. I think Kelly sent a message but it's probably the end of 'The Gong Show' of the last 10 days," Bill Daley said on "Squawk Box."

"The Gong Show" was an 1970s-era talent contest TV program, featuring often ridiculous acts judged by celebrities who could stop the performances by striking a large gong. The show got a reboot in the summer of 2017.

Daley spoke a day after President Donald Trump dismissed Scaramucci from his post only 10 days after he was named to the position. Kelly, who Trump appointed last week, requested Scaramucci's removal, according to The New York Times, which first reported the move.

The move came days after Scaramucci unloaded on former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon in an expletive-laden rant to a New Yorker reporter.

Daley said in theory Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, will bring order to the White House. "But you still have some very large players on that team who have strong opinions, and Kelly who is a well-respected military person has got a lot to prove," said Daley, also Commerce secretary under President Bill Clinton.

Daley added that Kelly did a good job with Scaramucci but is now tasked with pushing through some of Trump's policy proposals. "That's a place where Kelly has not had a lot of experience," he said.

Also Tuesday on "Squawk Box" was former senior aide to President George W. Bush, Sara Fagen. She said Scaramucci's dismissal was an important opportunity for Kelly to put his foot down and say, "I'm in charge. There are new guardrails on how this West Wing is going to operate."

Fagen, now a partner at DDC Public Affairs, said to not be surprised if Scaramucci appears back in government sometime down the road.
Don't be surprised if President Donald Trump's axed White House communications director appears back in government sometime down the road, political strategist Sara Fagen told CNBC on Tuesday.

On Monday, Trump dismissed Anthony Scaramucci from his post only 10 days after he was appointed. It came days after Scaramucci unloaded on former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon in an expletive-laden rant to a New Yorker reporter.

"Donald Trump has a long history of people exiting and re-entering his orbit," Fagen, a former senior aide to President George W. Bush, said on "Squawk Box." "Just because Anthony Scaramucci is gone today  I don't think he'll come back to the West Wing  but he may be back in a prominent role in government sometime down the road."

Fagen said Scaramucci's dismissal was also an important opportunity for newly appointed chief of staff John Kelly to put his foot down and say, "I'm in charge. There are new guardrails on how this West Wing is going to operate."

Trump said Friday that Reince Priebus was out as White House chief of staff and Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, will succeed him. Kelly had been secretary of Homeland Security. He served in the Marine Corps for 45 years, ending his career as commander of the U.S. Southern Command.

Kelly requested Scaramucci's removal, according to The New York Times, which first reported the move.

"If you think about Gen. Kelly and the way he's conducted himself throughout his professional life. If you think about the way virtually every member of the military conducts him or herself, these things were incongruous. I don't see how Anthony Scaramucci could report to Gen. Kelly or certainly report around him," said Fagen, a partner at DDC Public Affairs.

In a statement on Monday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Scaramucci felt it was best to give Kelly "a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best."

In a later press briefing Monday, Sanders said Scaramucci has "no role at this time in the Trump administration."
U.S. Senate Democrats offered to work with Republicans on a bipartisan tax reform package on Tuesday but only if it does not cut taxes for the wealthy, add to the federal deficit or allow Republicans to enact legislation on their own.

The conditional offer may not attract immediate response from Republicans. But it adds to growing signs of interest in bipartisan cooperation since the collapse of Republican health-care legislation in the Senate last week.

In an Aug 1 letter to President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in the Senate, 45 lawmakers led by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said a bipartisan effort would raise wages for workers, grow jobs, promote investment and modernize the tax system for U.S. businesses.

"We are writing to express our interest in working with you on bipartisan tax reform," said the letter, which then cited "prerequisites" for Democratic participation that Republicans would likely find hard to swallow.

Trump, along with Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives, has called for major tax cuts for businesses and individuals, saying that lower tax rates would drive the economy and grow jobs.

Senator Orrin Hatch, Republican chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, told Reuters on Monday that bipartisanship may be necessary to ensure that tax reform succeeds but blamed Democrats for slowing down the legislative process.

In Tuesday's letter, Democrats said bipartisan tax reform should offer no relief for the wealthy, citing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's assertion last November that there would be no absolute tax cut for the upper class.

"We hope you agree. Tax reform cannot be a cover story for delivering tax cuts to the wealthiest," the Democrats said.

The Democrats also demanded that Republicans abandon their strategy of passing tax legislation in the Senate with a simple majority under a parliamentary procedure called reconciliation.

Republicans control the Senate by a slim 52-48 margin and say they need reconciliation to avoid a Democratic filibuster. They were unable to pass healthcare legislation last week, even with a simple majority.

Democrats also said they would not support deficit-financed tax cuts, which some Republicans view as a viable option.

Forty-three Senate Democrats and two independents signed the letter. Absent were the names of three Democrats facing reelection next year: Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
FBI director nominee Christopher Wray prespares to testify during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee July 12, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm Christopher Wray, President Donald Trump's choice to run the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The vote was 92 to 5.

In June, Trump nominated Wray to succeed James Comey as FBI director.

During his confirmation hearing, Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would strive for independence.

"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," Wray said in July.

His comments came after Comey alleged that Trump had asked him for loyalty.

Trump terminated Comey in May amid a federal probe into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Moscow. Trump later said he ousted Comey while thinking about the "Russia thing."

Wray, 50, is a white-collar lawyer who served as assistant attorney general during the George W. Bush administration. He previously led the federal investigation of Enron and represented Gov. Chris Christie in the Bridgegate scandal.

 CNBC's Ted Kemp and Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
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The chairman of the Senate's key health committee urged President Donald Trump to continue making payments on subsidies that reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income Obamacare plan enrollees, and urged his fellow Republican lawmakers to fund those subsidies through 2018. "Without payment of these cost-sharing reductions Americans will be hurt," said Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., in announcing hearings next month to come up with a short-term bipartisan plan to stabilize markets, noting that insurers have said they will have to raise premium rates up to 20 percent if the subsidies are cut. "If the president over the next two months, and Congress over the next year, take steps to provide certainty that there will be cost-sharing subsidies, that should allow insurance companies to lower the premiums that they have projected," said Alexander. The Senator is proposing that Congress enact a temporary one-year stabilization funding plan by mid-September, ahead of the Sept. 27 deadline for insurers to commit to sign contracts to provide coverage on health insurance exchanges for 2018. "It sounds a little late, doesn't it?" said Peggy O'Kane, president of the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a non-profit health firm that works with large employers, doctors and health plans on health quality measures. "We are at a point of tremendous urgency to get this resolved," O'Kane said, with insurers facing deadlines to file their final rate requests over the next two weeks.

Deadline looms for CSR payment

In the meantime, the Trump administration is facing a deadline when it comes to CSRs the week of Aug. 20. That's when the next payments to insurers are due to be made. The president has repeatedly threatened to cut off the payments, citing a federal judge's ruling in favor of House Republicans that said CSR funding had not been authorized by Congress. His latest threat came via Twitter in the wake of the Senate's failed Obamacare repeal vote. That lawsuit, originally brought against the Obama administration, has been on hold while Republicans and the White House worked on repealing Obamacare. The administration and House leaders will need to update the judge on how they want to proceed with the case within the next three weeks. Additionally, a U.S. appeals court on Tuesday granted a motion filed by 16 attorneys general to defend the subsidy payments, Reuters reported. Presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway said on CNN last Sunday that the president would make an announcement this week. "It's unclear to me if decisions have been made at the administration level about this because of hurt feelings" following last week's vote, O'Kane said.

Price impact of CSR uncertainty

The Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated that insurers would need to raise premiums on mid-tier "silver" exchange plans nearly 20 percent for 2018, if CSRs are eliminated. To account for the risk that the administration could pull the plug on CSRs, many states instructed insurers to submit two sets of rate requests. As a result, some states are now showing just how the Trump administration's decision on the subsidies will directly impact premiums next year. Covered California, the Golden State's health exchange entity, said that if payments were stopped, exchange plan insurers would be allowed to impose a "CSR surcharge" of 12.5 percent on silver plans next year  which would result in a rate increase of up to 27 percent. "A decision by the federal government is needed in the next few weeks," said Peter Lee, executive director of Cover California, in a news release. "Without clear confirmation from the administration that these payments are secured, we will be forced to have health insurance companies in California add a CSR surcharge to the Silver-tier rates." Most exchange plan enrollees who receive tax credits may not feel the full brunt of the increases, because higher premium rates would also result in higher tax credits. "The federal funds will simply shift to (tax credits) from CSR, and continue to support eligible individuals," said analyst Deep Banerjee, of S&P Global ratings, in a note to research clients,. He added, those who don't receive tax credits "will feel the full brunt of the increase, resulting in a mix of dis-enrollment and buy-downs (to cheaper plans)."

State waiver requests

States are also presenting the Trump administration with a challenge to provide funding to stabilize their markets. Last spring, amid the debate over repealing Obamacare, HHS encouraged states to apply for so-called 1332 waivers. Minnesota is one of three states that is hoping to get approval for a reinsurance program. The state wants to use the funding to help underwrite insurers' most expensive claims on the exchanges. If the waiver is approved, the state's insurance commissioner says exchange rates in the state could fall as much at 40 percent for 2018. Oklahoma and Maine have also submitted 1332 waiver requests. Alexander is hoping that the urgency of the situation will push Congress to act on at least a temporary measure. "We need to put out the fire in these collapsing markets wherever these markets are," he said.

WATCH: Mayor says US cities want a health-care partner
Mock physical bitcoins arranged on a table. Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The rift set for Tuesday could hurt efforts to increase adoption of the currency, and could also increase its volatility, some tech leaders said. Bitcoin is set to undergo a possible upgrade on Tuesday that would see the digital currency split into two  the original bitcoin, as well as a completely new asset, Bitcoin Cash. The move aims to improve the digital currency's network capacity and transaction efficiency. However, it could also hurt bitcoin's long-term prospects, according to Vinny Lingham, CEO of tech start-up Civic. "My biggest concern with bitcoin being split at this point is just the brand dilution of bitcoin," Lingham said. Bitcoin's brand has contributed to its relatively high stability as a cryptocurrency thus far, according to Lingham. "You always had the situation where you knew which bitcoin you wanted," he said. "But having a fork at this point, you have two bitcoins."

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And this situation could be confusing for consumers, he said, which might threaten efforts to expand adoption and usage of bitcoin. However, others are supportive of the split. Anatoliy Knyazev, co-founder of investment company Exante, told CNBC he is in favor of these kinds of splits as they are how bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies are supposed to work. "(This is) decentralized governance in action. Anyone can try to lead and the market will figure it out," he told CNBC via email. He recommends bitcoin investors hold their new tokens for the time being.

How will the split affect the price?

Bitcoin prices are also likely to become more volatile, according to Dominic Williams, president at blockchain computing firm DFINITY. He believes that the new strand, Bitcoin Cash, is likely to trade at around 10 percent of the price of bitcoin. "That may not impact the bitcoin market (capitalization) very much, but if it looks like Bitcoin Cash is gaining momentum and people want it, we could see some major volatility and swings between the two versions of the currency," he added. On Monday, future values for the new cryptocurrency were listed at $292.42 on website Coin Market Cap. Bitcoin was trading at $2,837.91, close to its all-time high. Should the split go through, all direct owners of bitcoin will hold both versions of the currency. The value of Bitcoin Cash will depend on several factors, according to Garrick Hileman, research fellow at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance. "The price level will depend on an interplay between how much mining support Bitcoin Cash attracts, which platforms support Bitcoin Cash, how much selling pressure and buying support we see, and other factors," he told CNBC via email. Mining is the process of creating new bitcoins and verifying bitcoin transactions.

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Hileman says the support for Bitcoin Cash is being driven by financial opportunism, with some seeing it as "free money."

Should bitcoin investors hold or sell these new tokens?

The advice from most bitcoin experts is to hold onto their new tokens. "You receive Bitcoin Cash for free and there is no reason to give them up," Bram de Haas, managing editor of The Black Swan portfolio, told CNBC via email. "There appears to be decent support in Asia." However, others plan to get rid of their tokens quickly, either for the initial profit or to show their support for the original bitcoin. Erik Voorhees, a bitcoin advocate and entrepreneur, declared this on Twitter as his reason for dumping Bitcoin Cash. TWEET The new token will be almost like a free dividend, according to Charles Hayter, founder of digital currency comparison website CryptoCompare. He says the current bitcoin price is trading with this dividend priced in. "When the fork occurs it can be expected that the price of bitcoin will drop by the price of Bitcoin Cash, however these are crypto markets and nothing is ever certain," he told CNBC via email.

WATCH: Here's why a BitcoinIRA is enticing some to risk their savings
With college costs rising, simply paying the tab is a serious problem when it comes to picking a school.

At public four-year institutions, costs for the 201516 school year rose to $19,548 from $16,178 five years ago, according to the College Board. Tuition plus room and board at four-year private universities was much higher: $43,921, on average.

The top concern parents and students said they now share is the amount of debt they are about to take on to pay for a degree, according to The Princeton Review.

To that end, the college-ranking site compiled a list of the best schools in terms of how much financial aid is awarded and how satisfied students are with their packages.

"Some schools that are heart-stoppingly expensive are bringing it down to what they are likely going to pay for a state university," said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief. The report is based on survey data from 137,000 students.

These schools are doing "a herculean task of making college affordable for the average student and family," he said. Here are the best of the best:
The ouster of Anthony Scaramucci will not set back President Donald Trump's pro-business agenda, an administration advisor said.

"I think that this administration has shown itself to be one of the most pro-business and American worker administrations in U.S. history," Reed Cordish, a special assistant to the president on intragovernmental and technology initiatives, told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Tuesday.

Scaramucci was removed from his position as White House communications director on Monday after only 10 days on the job.

"The president is 100 percent focused and dedicated to strengthening American business and, in doing so, strengthening job opportunities for the American worker," Cordish said. "One person, even a talented person like Anthony Scaramucci, does not make an administration."

Cordish also praised Gen. John Kelly, who requested Scaramucci's removal, in his newly appointed role as White House chief of staff.

"There's no question in my mind and in our minds here that General Kelly is the right man and the right leader to make sure that we operate perfectly as a team, to best serve the president and best serve the country," Cordish said.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was told "off the record" by Foxconn chairman Terry Gou that the company plans to spend $30 billion on a new U.S. plant  which would be three times the amount of money the company has previously pledged.

Trump's comments came a press conference during small business event at the White House.

"He told me off the record he may go [to] $30 billion  $30 billion  think of this," Trump said Tuesday. "But he told me that off the record, so I promised I wouldn't tell anybody."

Chinese company Foxconn said last week it would to spend $10 billion on a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Wisconsin, and create 3,000 jobs in the process. Another, larger facility is also under negotiation.

The firm, which helps build iPhones among other consumer electronics, will make screens for automobiles, health care, and other devices at the plant.

"As we announced last week, we are thrilled to be building a state-of-the art display fabrication plant in America's heartland, and, as we said at that time, our investment in Wisconsin will be the first of a series of facilities we will be building in several states as part of a robust electronics ecosystem we will be creating in the United States," Foxconn told CNBC. "We have not yet announced our investment plans for other sites. We will provide an update as soon as we have finalized those plans."
Fox published the Rich story on May 16 and retracted it a week later, saying it was "not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all of our reporting." Prominent Fox host Sean Hannity had pushed the debunked theory about the 27-year-old Rich's 2016 murder even over the protests of his family. Rich was shot and killed in Washington in what is believed to have been a botched robbery that remains unsolved.

The suit against Fox, filed by Rod Wheeler, a contributor for the news network, alleges that wealthy Trump backer Ed Butowsky and Fox aimed to use the story about Seth Rich to deflect attention from the probe into Russian attempts to influence the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin. Wheeler accuses Fox reporter Malia Zimmerman, "with the knowledge and support of Butowsky," of making up two quotes from him suggesting he knew of evidence that Rich may have coordinated with Wikileaks on sharing Democratic Party emails last year. The lawsuit, obtained by CNBC, cites a purported text from Butowsky to Wheeler shortly before the story's publishing and airing that suggests Trump saw the article and supported Fox writing it. The text reads: "Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you. But don't feel the pressure."

A lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that White House officials including President Donald Trump knew about a since-retracted Fox News story about a Democratic National Committee staffer's death before it was published.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday said Trump "had no knowledge" of the story. She called the implication that White House officials were involved "completely untrue."

"The accusation that FoxNews.com published Malia Zimmerman's story to help detract from coverage of the Russia collusion issue is completely erroneous. The retraction of this story is still being investigated internally and we have no evidence that Rod Wheeler was misquoted by Zimmerman. Additionally, FOX News vehemently denies the race discrimination claims in the lawsuit  the dispute between Zimmerman and Rod Wheeler has nothing to do with race," Fox's president of news, Jay Wallace, said in a statement.



Wheeler, who is black and has been a Fox contributor since 2005, is also suing Fox for racial discrimination. He said similar law enforcement experts who are white received higher pay and more opportunities.

Butowsky did not immediately comment to CNBC for this article.

The theory about Rich's role as the source of the leaked DNC emails became a popular right-wing conspiracy even before Fox published the story. Those emails shook up the 2016 presidential race when released by Wikileaks last year. U.S. intelligence officials have said hackers linked to the Russian government breached the DNC, according to multiple reports. Wikileaks' Julian Assange has denied getting the emails from the Russian government. Russia has denied trying to influence the election.

The lawsuit accuses Butowsky and Fox's Zimmerman of aiming to "debunk reports that Russians were responsible for the DNC hacks."

"In turn, Butowsky and Zimmerman hoped that, if they could shift the blame for the DNC hacks from the Russians to Seth Rich, this would undermine reports of collusion between Russia and the Trump Administration," the lawsuit reads.

The suit alleges that Butowsky "kept in regular contact" with then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer and chief strategist Steve Bannon about the Rich story before its publication. Wheeler and Butowsky met with Spicer about a month before the story published and the press secretary "asked to be kept abreast of developments," the lawsuit alleges.

Spicer, who recently left the White House, acknowledged to NPR he met with Wheeler and Butowsky. He told the outlet "it had nothing to do with advancing the president's domestic agenda" and "they were just informing" him of the Fox story.

Spicer told NPR he did not know of any contact between Butowsky and Trump. Butowsky told the outlet that he did not share a draft with Trump and he was "joking" about the president's involvement.



 The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Correction: This story was updated to reflect that Wheeler is still a Fox News contributor.
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It looks like the next CEO of Uber will be a man. According to a weekend report by Recode, there are only 4 candidates on Uber's shortlist, and none of them are women. To be fair, Uber's board of directors considered several women, but they didn't want the job. Most recently, HP Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman publicly announced she wouldn't be taking the job, after reports emerged that she had been talking to Uber and offering advice. It's a hard sell, given Uber's cultural and regulatory challenges and its massive ongoing losses. Nonetheless, it seems hard to believe that Uber couldn't find any women to take the job. So we asked dozens of female tech company founders to find out who they'd like to see in the top spot. 25 responded. The vast majority voted for fellow women, which would be a symbolic choice for a company that is grappling with its "bro" culture. Here are their top picks:

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO (6 votes)

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg at 2017 MAKERS Conference Jerod Harris | Getty Images

As our founders pointed out, Sandberg has the leadership experience, "likeability" factor, and is personally passionate about diversity in the workplace. That would make her a dream get for Uber, a company that needs to figure out a path to viability while cleaning up its brand. Why her? Michel Feaster, CEO of Andreessen-Horowitz backed UserMind, points out that Sandberg knows how to lead multibillion-dollar M&A deals, which might be increasingly useful to Uber; she's managed different business units; and she takes a "firm social standing on diversity" to boot. SohoMuse founder Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin adds: "She's been able to overcome incredible adversity in her life" after her late husband's death. Shanna Tellerman, founder and CEO of start-up Modsy, said Sandberg is a " strong operator, understands consumer businesses at scale and a great leader." Ultimately, "she doesn't deserve to be number two," to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, said serial entrepreneur Dana Denis-Smith. "This is a great step out of operations to CEO." Could it happen? Almost certainly not. All reports indicate that Sandberg did not want to be considered for the role.

Marissa Mayer, former Yahoo CEO (2 votes)

Bloomberg | Getty Images

Mayer might have struggled at Yahoo during her tenure, but several female founders told CNBC that she should get a second chance to shine. And she might well be on the market for her next high-profile gig. Why her? Sarah Cone, who started the investment firm Social Impact Capital, is ready to see Mayer excel in her next role. "She needs another chance to prove she's an amazing CEO," Cone told us. Another founder, who requested anonymity as the company has a partnership with Uber, also picked Mayer: "She focused a lot on Yahoo's culture, I've heard more than people realize." Could it happen? Mayer rushed to former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick's defense in the wake of criticism for his handling of Uber's cultural problems, which included allegations of sexual misconduct. That might have impressed key members of the board. But reports say this appointment is unlikely to happen, as Mayer lacks the "real-world logistics" experience to run a company like Uber.

Arianna Huffington, Uber board member and CEO of Thrive Global (2 votes)

Arianna Huffington Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Uber director Huffington is rapidly emerging as the public face of the company. Her influence is being felt internally at Uber, according to multiple reports, and she's getting praise for her effectiveness. Not only that, Huffington is a media mogul who has described diversity as like "fresh air" and pushed for more women to be brought into leadership positions. Why her? As Kristine Ashcraft from medical start-up YouScript, puts it: "Her goal is to fix the systemic culture in Silicon Valley -- and Uber is a great place to start." Mary O'Brien, founder of another medical start-up called VideDoc, described Huffington as the right person to deal with the controversy. "She's unrelenting in her pursuits," said O'Brien. Could it happen? Apparently not. Huffington's comms chief told Recode: "Arianna has zero interest in the CEO role."

Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo CEO (2 votes)

Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi speaks at The New York Times DealBook Conference Bryan Bedder | Getty Images

Nooyi has been with Pepsi since 2006 -- and in that time, has kept up a steady drumbeat of growth while also keeping an eye on costs (unlike Uber, which spends more than it makes). As she puts it, her job has been to keep "innovating the hell" out of her company. Pepsi, like Uber, doesn't have the most positive brand connotation. But that has stopped Nooyi from pushing for healthier products and a more culturally diverse workplace. Oh, and she might be looking for a successor. Why her? "She is not only incredibly brilliant, but is a double minority like myself and open minded toward all people," says Carolyn Aronson, founder of Its a 10 Haircare. Others recognized Nooyi for adapting Pepsi's strategy to meet consumers where they are: "As the appetite grew for healthier options, she shifted Pepsi's strategy," said Lisa Pearson, CEO of data management start-up Umbel. Could it happen? Nooyi hasn't been floated much, if at all, for the position. The focus thus far is on tech leaders. But former CEO Kalanick and Nooyi might have a connection by serving on Donald Trump's business council.

Honorable mentions

Apple CEO Tim Cook: "He's an operational master," and a "very socially conscious leader who is well versed in navigating politics and regulation the right way." (Holly Shelton, MoveWith) Uber chief brand officer Bozoma Saint John: "Why not CEO? She's played a pivotal role in her last positions at Apple and PepsiCo, and shown a track history of leadership in enhancing brands at scale." (Ciara Clancy, Beats Medical) Intel group president Diane Bryant: "Bryant keeps Intel alive as head of the company's most profitable and fastest-growing unit, its Data Center Group. The company's new focus on the Internet of Things puts Bryant at the forefront of Intel's potential for innovation." (Shannon Ong, The Catch) Google veteran Shona Brown: "Her main beliefs can best be summarized as people make the company. A woman does not have to run Uber, but Shona is immensely qualified and has a track record of helping big companies improve their culture." (Angela Sutherland, Yumi) Arista Networks CEO Jayshree Ullal: "Her global experience is what Uber needs to gain customer's trust outside the USA for a continuation of growth" (Maja Zecevic, Opionato) Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky: "He has the skills necessary to build a new product for an old problem...and he has figured out how to deal with the challenges of a highly public and controversial product with professionalism." (Kate Hiscox, Venzee) Lyndon Rive, former Solar City CEO and co-founder. "I think his vision for putting solar panels on every roof could be transferred to a passion for replacing the way we think of transportation today." (Lynn Perkins, UrbanSitter) Former Ford CEO Alan Mulally: "Uber's issue isn't a technology problem, it's a values and culture problem. Alan is skilled at instilling a value based culture in the work place and executing on that culture, which is exactly what Uber needs." (Anne Marie Faiola, Bramble Berry) A second chance for Travis Kalanick: "My first reaction is that is should be Travis, as he is the heart of the company - in sickness and in health. Also all the gender stuff seems a bit overblown compared to what happens elsewhere, like the VC firms of Silicon Valley." (Anonymous) With additional reporting by Matt Rosoff, Sally Shin, Lora Kolodny, Michelle Castillo and Ari Levy.

WATCH: Jeff Immelt emerges as candidate for Uber CEO: WSJ's Greg Bensinger
Air Force Capt. Michele Rollins, a spokesperson for the strike command, told CNBC the U.S. military schedules four test-launches per fiscal year and the actual schedule is created several years in advance so it is unrelated to the recent developments. "Planning for this particular launch started a little over a year ago," she said.

On Friday, North Korea test-launched its Hwasong-14 missile, marking the second time the secretive regime had fired an ICBM. In response to the Friday launch by Pyongyang, President Donald Trump warned Friday "the United States will take all necessary steps to ensure the security of the American homeland and protect our allies in the region."

"The purpose of the ICBM test launch program is to validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system," the Air Force Global Strike Command said a statement.

The U.S. is scheduled to conduct a test of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from California on Wednesday, less than a week after North Korea test-fired its own long-range missile.

Even so, the Minuteman III test is still seen as a reminder to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and others of the nuclear options the U.S. military has in its arsenal. Last month, the U.S. also sent two B-1 long-range bombers over the Korean Peninsula in a show of strength and is known to have nuclear submarines in the region.

The Minuteman III missile will be test-launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base about 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The missile is expected to land about 4,800 miles away in the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, which was formerly known as Kwajalein Missile Range, in the Marshall Islands. The U.S. has more than 400 Minuteman III missiles in underground silos at three bases, and the weapons have a range in excess of 8,000 miles.

The Air Force's ground-based Minuteman III, which was first deployed in the 1970s, is one leg of the nation's nuclear triad  land, sea and air-based capabilities. The U.S. military has spent more than $7 billion since 2000 to modernize the aging Minuteman III weapons but it's scheduled to be replaced in a decade with a follow-on system known as Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD).

The Arms Control Association, a Washington-based research and advocacy group, notes that an independent Department of Defense estimate indicated that the GBSD could cost "as high as $140 billion," although it comes at a time when superpowers such as Russia and China are modernizing their weapons. Also there are rogue countries such as North Korea that also are a nuclear threat with missile development programs.

"The Minuteman III remains a reliable system," said Reif Kingston, director of disarmament and threat reduction policy for the ACA. "While DOD is moving forward with replacing the existing system, it has yet to make a compelling case as to why the Minuteman III force can't be reduced and the missile life extended beyond 2030."

However, in Senate testimony in February the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, Gen. Stephen Wilson, said GBSD "must proceed as planned in order to ensure the ground leg of the nuclear triad remains credible and effective in the decades ahead."

Boeing was the original prime systems integrator and manufacturer of the Minuteman-series missiles for the Air Force and is a contender for the next-generation GBSD system competition. Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin also are contenders.

The president's fiscal 2018 budget request includes just more than $200 million for the GBSD program, above the $114 million budgeted for the current year ending Sept. 30. Most of the money the Pentagon has allocated so far for the ground-based missile replacement program has been in research and development costs rather than outright acquisition.
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The U.S. government held its fire against Venezuela on Monday, choosing not to slap sanctions on the oil-dependent nation's energy sector, but analysts say those penalties could still be coming. The U.S. Treasury Department instead sanctioned embattled President Nicolas Maduro after he held a vote over the weekend to overhaul the nation's legislative body and sweep away the political opposition. The vote was a prelude to rewriting Venezuela's constitution, which would fortify Maduro's grip on power as his nation remains mired in economic crisis and rocked by deadly street clashes. But the sanctions against Maduro himself are unlikely to knock him off the course he's plotted toward dictatorship, making it likely the United States will eventually impose economic sanctions, analysts say. "Maduro is not going to be deterred, so the question is what happens when the new constituent assembly starts dismantling the existing institutions or we have further bloodshed. I think we will start to see escalating economic measures," Helima Croft, head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told CNBC.

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While the penalties put Maduro in a notorious club with sanctioned dictators like North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, those leaders are still in power, analysts noted. "Personal sanctions make it harder for the elite to benefit from corruption and increase the punishment associated with it. But, as the experience of sanctions elsewhere shows, it can take a long time to achieve the desired effect," Stuart Culverhouse, chief economist at frontier market investment firm Exotix Capital, said in a recent research note. Sanctions against Venezuela's oil industry could have ripple effects across the energy sector, creating winners and losers from American gas pumps to African export terminals. They could also contribute to a total collapse in Venezuela, rather than an orderly transition of power, some say.

Risky business

It's risky for the United States to hit Venezuela where it hurts because the two nations' oil industries are intertwined. Many U.S. Gulf Coast refineries are configured to process the heavy crude that Venezuela pumps. In 2016, the United States imported about 740,000 barrels a day from Venezuela, which sits on the northern coast of South America, a relatively short trip to the Gulf Coast.

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The most severe measures would bar U.S. imports of Venezuelan crude or prevent state oil giant Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., or PDVSA, from transacting in U.S. dollars. But the Treasury Department is considering less severe penalties, The Wall Street Journal reported. One measure reportedly under review is a ban on sales of U.S. light crude oil and condensate to Venezuela, which PDVSA uses to dilute its heavy crude before selling the oil to refineries. That would force PDVSA to buy those light grades from further afield, potentially Libya, Algeria and Nigeria, according to Andrew Lipow, president at Lipow Oil Associates. "The fact is that U.S. supplies are five days away from Venezuela, whereas these other suppliers are several weeks away," said Lipow. "The cost would increase." Venezuela's oil production has already fallen as PDVSA struggles to fund investments, so any higher costs would only ratchet up the pressure. But market disruptions could raise crude prices and squeeze profit margins for Gulf Coast refiners, including those owned by top users of Venezuelan crude like Valero , Phillips 66 , Chevron and the Venezuelan state-owned Citgo. It could also make winners out of firms that operate tanker ships such as Frontline and Nordic American , who would benefit from booking trips to Africa rather than the Gulf Coast, Lipow said. The United States shipped about 75,000 barrels a day of these petroleum products to Venezuela last year.

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The White House has reportedly suffered yet another embarrassing episode, this time at the hands of an email prankster who posed as staff in order to solicit responses from officials including the newly ejected Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci.

The British man apparently posed as ex-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in a series of heated exchanges with the then communications director Scaramucci, according to emails shared by the hacker with CNN. Scaramucci was removed from his post late Monday, just 10 days into the role, though the decision is not thought to be related to the email hack.

"At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy," the fake Priebus wrote to Scaramucci via a Microsoft Outlook account, in an run of emails which referenced his replacement by incoming Chief of Staff John Kelly.

TWEET

"You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize," the real Scaramucci replied, later advising Priebus to read Shakespeare's "Othello", a play centered on themes of deceit.

TWEET

The hacker, who goes by the Twitter handle @SINON_REBORN but who claims no threatening motives, also posed as President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and managed to gain the personal email address of a Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert.

The White House was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC Tuesday. However, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told CNN it takes "all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further."

Read the full report on CNN's website here.
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Faced with deep divisions within the Republican party, the White House and some conservative groups are targeting red-state Democrats in hopes of winning support for a sweeping rewrite of the nation's tax code and salvaging their economic agenda. White House legislative director Marc Short told reporters Monday that he is making the case for tax reform to Democratic lawmakers in the Upper Midwest and from states with strong manufacturing industries, such as Pennsylvania. Americans For Prosperity President Tim Phillips said his group, a conservative advocacy shop funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, will pressure Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana. Its sister group, Freedom Partners, has called out West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin for previously supporting lower tax rates. The strategy is an acknowledgement that Republicans' fractious caucus has been unable to reach consensus on key issuesmost notably the long-sought effort to repeal and replace Obamacarebut also the budget and raising the debt ceiling. In the House, Short said he has met with the centrist Blue Dog Democrats and the Problem Solvers Caucus, which is spearheading a bipartisan health care bill. Even in the Senate, where Republicans only need a simple majority to pass tax reform using special parliamentary rules, victory is far from guaranteed. Republicans hold a narrow control of just 52 seats, turning the backing of just one or two Democrats into a possible game-changer. "We've learned how difficult it is to thread the needle with 52 senators," Short said at an tax reform event Monday sponsored by the Koch groups.

"Unrig the Economy"

Even the event's theme"Unrig the Economy"mirrored language that Democrats have been using as they roll out their platform for 2018. On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined the party's priorities in any rewrite of the tax code in a letter to the White House and GOP leadership that was signed by all but three Democratic senators, Donnelly, Manchin and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, all of whom hail from red states and are up for re-election next year. "Senator Heitkamp is approaching tax reform with an open mind, and she wants work across the aisle to help make reforms that will grow the economy and support working families," a spokesperson said.

Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind. Tom Williams | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images

An aide to Donnelly said he supports a bipartisan process for tax reform and is "ready to exchange ideas with others in Congress and the Trump administration." Manchin did not return a request for comment. Democrats were united in opposing the health care bill, which not only would have left millions without insurance but was also viewed as an attack on one of President Obama's signature achievements. Tax reform does not carry the same political symbolism, however. Holding the line could test the strength of Democratic leadership.

Schumer's letter listed three requirements for cooperation on tax reform: preventing a tax hike on the middle-class, passing legislation through regular order rather than special rules known as reconciliation and ensuring that tax cuts do not add to the deficit. "We are confident that, by working together, we could modernize our tax system to increase working families' wages, improve middle-class job growth, promote domestic investment, modernize our outdated business and international tax systems and put in place sound fiscal policy that raises the revenue needed to meet the needs of our country," the letter states. Jim Manley, a former top aide to Sen. Harry Reid, said the bar for winning over any members of the other party is higheven for the letter's holdouts. The chaos surrounding the Trump administration has chipped away at the president's leverage, he said, making it harder for Republicans to woo red-state Democrats. "No one's afraid of the guy anymore. No one sees the need to try to cut deals with him," Manley said. "No one's afraid of getting on the wrong side of a Trump tweet storm anymore."

WATCH: Focus will return to tax reform in fall
In spite of agreeing to production cuts last November, crude oil prices, as recently as last week, were back to where they were prior to OPEC's ineffective "agreement." There are plenty of things that I dislike about today's oil markets but there are also plenty of things that make me like it in the next six to 12 months.

The oil market was impatient waiting for world oil inventories to decline and had become besides itself in bearishness. Ever increasing production from big producers like Libya and Nigeria and the U.S., and even small producers like Ecuador, created the impression that supplies would continue to rise. Iran's desire to increase production from 3.7 to 4 million barrels per day by the end of the year hasn't helped. Meanwhile, some OPEC and non-OPEC producers will meet in Abu Dhabi next week to discuss production compliance issues, and all eyes will be on Iraq, which has been notorious for producing over its allotment this year.

This seeming barrage of bearish news has actually made me bullish on oil prices.

Here's why. The news of further production increases is priced into the market. Libya and Nigeria are back, but it is unlikely to see more production out of them. In fact, it would not surprise me to see some unrest in each country that takes oil off the market. Venezuela production continues to decline thanks to the political unrest in the country.

The market's pricing has little to no geopolitical risk premium in it.

The Trump Administration may react to the July 30 Venezuela vote to overhaul its constitution by banning exports to and imports from Venezuela into the USA. While this does not take oil off the market, it will be bullish for pricing as Venezuelan crude will seek sales in Europe and Asia while U.S. refiners seek additional supplies from the Persian Gulf and elsewhere. It will take six to eight weeks for the world refining system to rebalance.

Crude oil and petroleum product inventories are declining. In the US, crude oil inventories have declined over 50 million barrels (from 535 to 483 million) since the end of March and another 15 million has come out of the Strategic Petroleum reserve this year as refiners ramped up runs to meet demand. Gasoline inventory is down 28 million barrels since its peak in February.

In addition, demand does not look so bad anymore. For the balance of 2017, it looks like U.S. gasoline demand will be on a par with 2016 levels. In fact the Energy Information Administration just reported that May 2017 gasoline demand is up 1.6 percent from May 2016 while distillate demand was up a whopping 6.0 percent. The previous decline in gasoline demand appears to be a first quarter phenomenon. The International Energy Agency has forecast world oil demand to rise to 1.4 million barrels per day in 2017 versus 2016 with continued draws in OECD inventories in June.

With all of these different factors affecting the market, I now expect Brent crude to reach $53 to 55 by early 2018 and I can see West Texas Intermediate reaching $51 to $53. Capping the rally will be interest from oil producers to hedge their future production.

The beneficiaries of the price rise include oil producers in the Permian basin. Occidental (OXY), EOG Resources (EOG) and Diamondback Energy (FANG) should see gains. I like the companies that transport oil: Plains All American Pipeline (PAA), Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP) LP, Nustar (NS) and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD).

If the United States were to ban the export and import of crude oil and petroleum products to and from Venezuela, shipping companies would be the biggest beneficiaries. Five day voyages between the two countries would be replaced with voyages of 15 to 25 days to and from Europe and Asia as short haul supplies are replaced with more distant sources.

The beneficiaries of these bans would be companies such as Teekay (TK), Frontline (FRO), Tsakos (TNP) and Nordic American (NAT).

Commentary by Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.

Disclosure: Andy Lipow and Lipow Oil Associates do not own or trade any of the stocks mentioned above.

For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.


Artificial intelligence (AI) effectively remedies each of these pain points. Many experts predict that over the coming decades, AI will empower mankind to vastly improve the human condition and the state of the planet we inhabit.

One such authority is Fabrice Fischer. The founder and CEO of Blu Ltd, a leading AI consultancy that helps companies harness artificial intelligence, Fischer was previously the CFO of Sentient Technologies, one of the worlds best funded AI solutions providers.

We are undergoing a revolution. AI allows us to go through a massive amount of data and find patterns and optimums, and that opens up a lot of opportunities, Fischer says. When you find a pattern, you can automate the response to that pattern. The most serious effect this can have is in the reduction of wastage. Today, we waste a massive amount of resources  gas, electricity, food, water, all kinds of things. Fischer says that via AIs ability to slice and dice information (cut a large segment of data into smaller parts until the correct level of detail for analysis is arrived at), you can find what is useful and whats not. You can stop behaviour patterns that lead to wastage.

Moreover, he says, You can not only find what is wrong, you can find which patterns are the best, and you can improve a pattern that is not optimum and bring it to its optimum. Thats going to be super useful in everything from transportation, motors, manufacturing, and the generation of energy.

A longtime partner of major energy companies (as well as the oil and gas, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and iron and steel industries, among others), leading Japanese industrial automation (IA) and control specialist Yokogawa Electric is investing significantly in the development of new technologies that will allow customers to innovate and thrive in the changing business landscape AI is shaping. Yokogawa believes its automation systems will contribute greatly to the more efficient generation and use of energy.

On a related note, Fischer says he believes well soon enjoy far more affordable, cleaner power, Because we are innovating ways to do it more cheaply, well make tremendous progress in that thanks to optimization and ending wastage, optimization of power generation, conservation and transport. Youll have an increased supply at lower cost, and decrease of demand, or at least not a massive increase. I expect decrease of demand, because today our capacity to waste energy is tremendous.

AI, Fischer believes, will help us identify ways to generate energy closer to the end user, better store excess energy and maximize the effectiveness of the supply we possess. If you are an energy company, you really need to be focusing on the innovation side. Thats the only way, or you will be out of business soon enough, Fischer remarks.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut.
The following companies are subsidiares of SAP: Abakus, Abakus Europe Limited, Abakus Ukraine Limited Liability Company, Adatfeldolgozasban Informatikai Kft., Altiscale, Ambin Properties Proprietary Limited, AppGyver, Ariba, Ariba Czech s.r.o., Ariba Inc. Palo Alto, Ariba India Private Limited, Ariba International, Ariba International Holdings, Ariba International Singapore Pte Ltd, Ariba Slovak Republic s.r.o., Ariba Software Technology Services (Shanghai) Co., Ariba Technologies India Private Limited, Ariba Technologies Netherlands B.V., Beijing Zhang Zhong Hu Dong Information Technology, Business Objects, Business Objects Holding B.V., Business Objects Option LLC, Business Objects Software Limited, CNQR Operations Mexico S. de. R.L. de. C.V., Callidus Software, CallidusCloud, Christie Partners Holding C.V., Clear Standards, ClearTrip Inc., ClearTrip Inc. (Mauritius), Cleartrip MEA FZ LLC, Cleartrip Private Limited, Coghead, ConTgo Consulting Limited, ConTgo Pty. Ltd., Concur (Austria) GmbH, Concur (Canada), Concur (France) SAS, Concur (Germany) GmbH, Concur (Japan) Ltd., Concur (New Zealand) Limited, Concur (Philippines) Inc., Concur (Switzerland) GmbH, Concur Czech (s.r.o.), Concur Holdings (France) SAS, Concur Holdings (Netherlands) B.V., Concur Technologies (Australia) Pty. Limited, Concur Technologies (Hong Kong) Limited, Concur Technologies (India) Private Limited, Concur Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Concur Technologies (UK) Limited, Concur Technologies Inc. Bellevue, Contextor, Coresystems, Crystal Decisions (Ireland) Limited, Crystal Decisions Holdings Limited, Crystal Decisions UK Limited, Emarsys, EssCubed Procurement Pty. Ltd., Extended Systems, Factory Logic, Fedem Technology AS, Fieldglass Europe Limited, Financial Fusion, FreeMarkets Ltda., Frictionless Commerce, Gigya, Gigya Australia Pty Ltd, Gigya Ltd., Gigya UK Ltd, GlobalExpense Limited, Highdeal, Hipmunk, Hybris (US) Corp., Hybris GmbH, Inxight Federal Systems Group, KXEN, Khimetrics, LLC "SAP Labs", LLC "SAP Ukraine", LLC SAP CIS, MaXware, Merlin Systems Oy, Multiposting Sp.z o.o., Nihon Ariba K.K., OpTier, OutlookSoft, OutlookSoft Deutschland GmbH, PLAT.ONE, PT SAP Indonesia, PT Sybase 365 Indonesia, Pilot Software Inc., Plat.One Inc., Plat.One Lab Srl, Plateau Systems LLC, Quadrem Africa Pty. Ltd., Quadrem Brazil Ltda., Quadrem Chile Ltda., Quadrem Colombia SAS, Quadrem International Ltd., Quadrem Netherlands B.V., Quadrem Overseas Cooperatief U.A., Quadrem Peru S.A.C., Qualtrics, Recast.AI, Right Hemisphere, Roambi, Ruan Lian Technologies (Beijing) Co., SAF, SAP (Beijing) Software System Co., SAP (Schweiz) AG, SAP (Schweiz) AG Biel, SAP (UK) Limited, SAP (UK) Limited Feltham, SAP AZ LLC, SAP America, SAP America Inc. Newtown Square, SAP Andina y del Caribe, SAP Argentina S.A., SAP Asia (Vietnam) Co., SAP Asia Pte Ltd, SAP Australia Pty Ltd, SAP Australia Pty Ltd. Sydney, SAP Belgium NV/SA, SAP Beteiligungs GmbH, SAP Brasil Ltda, SAP Brasil Ltda Sao Paulo, SAP Bulgaria EOOD, SAP Business Compliance Services GmbH, SAP Business Services Center Nederland B.V., SAP CR, SAP Canada, SAP Chile Limitada, SAP China Co., SAP China Co. Ltd. Shanghai, SAP China Holding Co., SAP Colombia S.A.S., SAP Commercial Services Ltd., SAP Concur, SAP Costa Rica, SAP Customer Experience, SAP Cyprus Limited, SAP Danmark A/S, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG, SAP Deutschland SE & Co. KG Walldorf, SAP Dritte Beteiligungs- und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, SAP EMEA Inside Sales S.L., SAP East Africa Limited, SAP Egypt LLC, SAP Erste Beteiligungs- und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, SAP Espana - Sistemas Informatica, SAP Estonia OU, SAP Fieldglass, SAP Financial, SAP Finland Oy, SAP Foreign Holdings GmbH, SAP France, SAP France Holding, SAP France Levallois Perret, SAP Global Marketing, SAP Hellas S.A., SAP Holdings (UK) Limited, SAP Hong Kong Co., SAP Hosting Beteiligungs GmbH, SAP Hungary Rendszerek, SAP India (Holding) Pte Ltd, SAP India Private Limited, SAP India Private Limited Bangalore, SAP Industries, SAP Industries Inc. Newtown Square, SAP International, SAP International Panama, SAP Investments, SAP Ireland Limited, SAP Ireland US - Financial Services Designated Activity Company, SAP Israel Ltd., SAP Italia Sistemi Applicazioni Prodotti in Data Processing S.p.A., SAP Italia Sistemi Applicazioni Prodotti in Data Processing S.p.A. Vimercate, SAP Japan Co., SAP Japan Co. Ltd. Tokyo, SAP Kazakhstan LLP, SAP Korea Ltd., SAP Labs, SAP Labs Bulgaria EOOD, SAP Labs Finland Oy, SAP Labs France SAS, SAP Labs India Private Limited, SAP Labs Israel Ltd., SAP Labs Korea, SAP Latvia SIA, SAP MENA FZ L.L.C., SAP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SAP Malta Investments Ltd., SAP Mxico S.A. de C.V., SAP National Security Services PA, SAP Nederland B.V., SAP Nederland B.V. s-Hertogenbosch, SAP Service and Support Centre (Ireland) Limited, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP d.o.o., SeeWhy, Signavio, SuccessFactors, SuccessFactors Inc. South San Francisco, SwoopTalent, Sybase, Syclo, TopTier Software, Triversity, Vimercate, Virsa Systems, Visiprise, Wicom Communications, and conTgo limited.

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First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its marketed products include Calquence, Enhertu, Faslodex, Imfinzi, Iressa, Koselugo, Lumoxiti, Lynparza, Orpathys, Tagrisso, and Zoladex for oncology; Brilinta/Brilique, Bydureon/Byetta, BCise, Byetta, Crestor, Evrenzo, Farxiga/Forxiga, Komboglyze/Kombiglyze XR, Lokelma, Onglyza, Qtern, and Xigduo/Xigduo XR for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases; Bevespi Aerosphere, Breztri Aerosphere, Daliresp/Daxas, Duaklir Genuair, Fasenra, Pulmicort, Saphnelo, Symbicort, and Tudorza/Eklira/Bretaris for respiratory and immunology; and Andexxa/Ondexxya, Kanuma, Soliris, Strensiq, and Ultomiris for rare diseases. The company's marketed products also comprise Synagis for respiratory syncytial virus; Fluenz Tetra/FluMist Quadrivalent for Influenza; Seroquel IR/Seroquel XR for schizophrenia bipolar disease; Nexium, and Losec/Prilosec for gastroenterology; and Vaxzevria and Evusheld for covid-19. The company serves primary care and specialty care physicians through distributors and local representative offices in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. It has a collaboration agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize small molecule medicines for obesity; Neurimmune AG to develop and commercialize NI006; Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop eplontersen, a liver-targeted antisense therapy in Phase III development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis; Proteros Biostructures GmbH to jointly discover novel small molecules for the treatment of hematological cancers; Sierra Oncology, Inc. to develop and commercialize AZD5153. The company was formerly known as Zeneca Group PLC and changed its name to AstraZeneca PLC in April 1999. AstraZeneca PLC was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. manufactures and sells motorcycles. The company operates in two segments, Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services. The Motorcycles and Related Products segment designs, manufactures, and sells Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including cruiser, touring, standard, sportbike, and dual models, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and related services. This segment sells its products to retail customers through a network of independent dealers, as well as e-commerce channels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The Financial Services segment provides wholesale financing services, such as floorplan and open account financing of motorcycles, and parts and accessories; and retail financing services, including installment lending for the purchase of new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as point-of-sale protection products comprising motorcycle insurance, extended service contracts, and motorcycle maintenance protection. This segment also licenses third-party financial institutions that issue credit cards bearing the Harley-Davidson brand. Harley-Davidson, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes generic medicines, specialty medicines, and biopharmaceutical products in North America, Europe, and internationally. The company offers sterile products, hormones, high-potency drugs, and cytotoxic substances in various dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, transdermal patches, ointments, and creams. It also develops, manufactures, and sells active pharmaceutical ingredients. In addition, it focuses on the central nervous system, pain, respiratory, and oncology areas. Its products in the central nervous system include Copaxone for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; AJOVY for the preventive treatment of migraine; and AUSTEDO for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia and chorea associated with Huntington disease. The company's products in the respiratory market comprise ProAir, QVAR, ProAir Digihaler, AirDuo Digihaler, and ArmonAir Digihaler, BRALTUS, CINQAIR/CINQAERO, DuoResp Spiromax, and AirDuo RespiClick/ArmonAir RespiClick for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Its products in the oncology market include Bendeka, Treanda, Granix, Trisenox, Lonquex, and Tevagrastim/Ratiograstim. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has a collaboration MedinCell for the development and commercialization of multiple long-acting injectable products, a risperidone suspension for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The company was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.
The RCGS Resolute will grow One Ocean Expeditions capacity by some 40 to 50 percent come 2019 when she operates a full year of service alongside the Akademik Ioffe and Akademik Sergey Vavilo, a pair of Russian research vessels.

The Canadian brand is on a growth trek and is chartering the former Hanseatic, with options extending through 2028.

Were planning to run the vessel at 146 passengers. Our Arctic program this year is sold out and our Antarctic program last year was sold out, and is heading that way again, said Andrew Prossin, managing director.

Were feeling pretty good about it. There is a lot of interest from new and existing markets, Prossin told Cruise Industry News.

He said the new ship will offer a more comfortable product for passengers. That onboard experience wont differ much, however, with a pure expedition program including scientists working aboard combined with a high level of service that is not formal, Prossin said.

Path to the Ship

The charter deal negotiations started more than a year ago, according to Prossin.

He said the decision was based on the ships profile.

Its got a good ice rating and a high caliber of construction with a great rating under the new Polar Code. It has similar engineering to our existing ships, having been built in the same shipyard but being five years newer.

Prossin said the company looked at multiple vessels and even considered a newbuilding program.

When (RCGS Resolute) became available, this is the one we decided to pursue, he noted.

The ship will debut in One Ocean Expeditions colors into the Antarctica market in November 2018. She sails her final voyage for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises in September 2018.

Weve got more forward sales than ever before and more contracted sales, an upbeat Prossin continued.

Source markets are expanding, with growth coming for One Ocean in Canada, Australia, England, the United States and Asia. There is also more interest in expedition voyages into Eastern Canada, which Prossin described as a wild area.

Its not just Polar travel, but other types of expedition cruising, including remote areas. Were seeing a great deal of interest, Prossin said.

Hanseatic

The RCGS Resolute was ordered in 1989 for Society Expeditions for a June 1991 delivery as the Society Adventurer, with a second ship planned to follow a year later.

The company was owned by Germany-based Discover Reederei and had Abercrombie & Kent as its sales agent in the United States.

But news unfolded a week before delivery as Society announced it would not take delivery of the ship and blamed the shipyard. The title of the vessel was then transferred back to a subsidiary of the shipyard. Previous to this, the second ships contract was cancelled despite positive comments from the cruise line regarding the ships construction in local press.

Rauma Yards then put the 8,200-ton expedition ship up for sale, noting it could cruise for two months without taking fuel or provisions with an operating range of 8,500 nautical miles.

1992 saw Society Expeditions file for bankruptcy while in September, Germanys Hanseatic Tours signed a two-year charter deal for the ship, with operations starting in March 1993. The ship was renamed Hanseatic and Hanseatic Tours was eventually purchased by Hapag-Lloyd in 1997.

*RSCG: Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Royal Caribbean Cruises was able to edge out gains on ticket and onboard revenue, while cutting costs in onboard spending, payroll, food, fuel, marketing and other operating expenses, driving an improved second quarter (Q2) performance.

People have bought all the stuff they need and are looking at buying more experiences, said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, speaking on the companys Tuesday morning Q2 earnings call.

A strong 2017 provides quite difficult comparables to 2018, Fain said, calling it a nice problem, but real issue. Were also seeing powerful drivers coming from the unique positioning from our special brands. All of our brands are performing at a level weve never seen.

Revenue increased from $2.1 billion in 2016s second quarter to just under $2.2 billion for 2017, while total cruise operating expenses were down from $1.3 billion to $1.25 billion.

Per Day

Gross revenue per passenger day was $220.61 for Q2 ended June 30, 2017, up from $210.94 last year. Gross ticket revenue was $158.92 this year, compared to $151.95 last year, and onboard spending was $61.69, up from $58.99.

Net revenue per passenger day was $173.10 this year, compared to $163.77 last year. Net ticket revenue was $124.72 and net onboard was $48.38 this year, up from $118.43 and $45.34 respectively last year.

Bullish on Europe

Jason Liberty, CFO, said new bookings were up in the double digits at higher prices over the previous year.

And Europe may be coming back, according to Liberty, who said there was a surge in demand for European sailings from North American guests driven by stable airfare pricing and a stable geopolitical environment.

He noted that there would be a higher percentage of North American guests on Europe sailings than in any year prior. That will also drive pricing as European consumers will need to pay more to cruise, he said. Liberty also went on to say the third quarter will benefit from the demand for Europe.

While demand is good for Europe, supply has also been limited by the company, as both the Royal Caribbean and Celebrity brands have significantly less capacity deployed in Europe this year, according to the 2017-2018 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

Alaska was referred to as a record yield product area by Liberty.

Fain noted the suspension of last-minute discounting had been very positive to the bottom line.

As a result net income rose for the second quarter, with last years performance of $229 million eclipsed by this years $369 million.

Investors were happy to hear the news which included the Miami-based companys note that it will increase full-year earnings guidance.

After market open, Royal Caribbean shares were up 3.92% just prior to the lines scheduled earnings call.

China

In China, the Quantum of the Seas has become synonymous with cruise, according to Fain. And while the Mariner will leave the market, Quantum-plus will arrive in China in 2019, giving the market the latest technology.

Fain said that China was now behaving closer to a typical cruise market, with ups and downs, and the company remains focused on the market, driving the evolution of distribution and destination development.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said the China market was an opportunity and capacity withdrawals may be tactical.

Changes in the deployment are in the short-term. We dont consider them particularly meaningful in the development of the market, said Bayley, adding the decision to remove the Mariner of the Seas in 2018 was linked to a drydocking.

Future

We see lots of reasons to be optimistic about the future. Demand is good, were developing new markets and our employees are happy, Fain added.
Cruise.co, which operates what is calls the UK's largest cruise website, has announced the completion of its acquisition of the German cruise travel agency Kreuzfahrtberater.de, in a transaction totalling 25 million euro.

The acquisition is resulting in the company having operations in the two largest cruise markets in Europe.

According to Crusie.co, the new combined company will have cruise sales of 250 million euro, making it the largest cruise travel agency in Europe. The companys websites, Cruise.co.uk, Cruises.uk, Kreuzfahrtberater.de and Seascanner.com, will have a combined annual traffic of over 37.5 million visits and feature over 260,000 real customer reviews and opinions.

The UK ocean cruise market totalled 1.89 million passengers in 2016 and the German market was 2.02 million.

Cruise.co was formed 10 years ago when Seamus Conlon led a MBO (management buy-out) from Carnival Corporation in 2007, when its turnover was 18 million pounds. Bridgepoint Development Capital subsequently acquired Cruise.co in 2016 in a transaction totalling 52 million pounds.
Dont let a string of high-profile settlements fool you: Like Rick in Casablanca, your credit union is contractually bound with all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world that your member comes into this Summer; at least if she uses a credit card you issued her.

This means that your credit unions ability to recover for losses suffered as a result of a data breach caused by merchant malfeasance remains fundamentally limited: It is dependent on a patchwork of state laws and legal nuances. This is not a new development. But every so often a case pops up that demonstrates yet again why Congress needs to impose national data protection standards on merchants.

The latest example is SELCO COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION, v. NOODLES & COMPANY, Defendant., No. 16-CV-02247-RBJ, 2017 WL 3116335, (D. Colo. July 21, 2017). The case involves a group of credit unions that sued Noodles & Company for negligence after members were allegedly victimized by a data breach. The credit unions contended that the restaurant failed to upgrade so that it could accept chip card technology and failed to comply with standard industry data protection baselines such as the PCI Standards.
Citigroup Inc. is one of the worlds largest financial institutions. It is the 13th largest bank globally by assets and 8th by market cap with operations in consumer and institutional banking. In the US, Citigroup is the 3rd largest bank by assets and one of the Big Four deemed systemically important and too big to fail.

Citigroup Inc. was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York. The bank was run by Samuel Osgood who led the company with success for many years, even throughout the War of 1812. The bank was later renamed the National City Bank of New York in 1865 and by 1895 is the largest bank in the US. In 1913 it was the first contributor to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a few years later it began to expand into overseas territories.

The bank became the First National City Bank of New York after another merger in 1955 and then later, the New York part was dropped off as part of the 150th-anniversary celebration. By 1974 the company is known as Citicorp which is still the operational branch of the business and a global banking powerhouse. A merger with Travelers insurance group in 1998 resulted in the name Citigroup but the joint venture did not last. By 2002 Travelers was publicly traded once again but Citigroup retained the new name.

Today, the company is headquartered in New York, New York but boasts more than 200 million customer accounts in 160 countries worldwide. As of mid-2022, it operated 2,649 branches in the United States, Mexico, and Asia. The company reports nearly 725 branches in the US and 1499 in Mexico with the rest scattered throughout its territory. Total annual revenue topped $75 billion in 2022.

Citigroup is a diversified financial services holding company that owns Citicorp among other assets. The companys mission is to serve as a trusted partner providing responsible financial solutions to its clients. Citigroup provides financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions. The company operates in two segments, Global Consumer Banking (GCB) and Institutional Clients Group (ICG).

The GCB segment offers traditional banking services including deposit and saving accounts, credit cards, personal loans, home loans, and investment services. This segment operates through local branches and digital means. The ICG segment offers wholesale banking products and services to corporate, institutional, public sector, and high-net-worth clients.
Derwent London plc owns 83 buildings in a commercial real estate portfolio predominantly in central London valued at 5.4 billion (including joint ventures) as at 30 June 2020, making it the largest London-focused real estate investment trust (REIT). Our experienced team has a long track record of creating value throughout the property cycle by regenerating our buildings via development or refurbishment, effective asset management and capital recycling. We typically acquire central London properties off-market with low capital values and modest rents in improving locations, most of which are either in the West End or the Tech Belt. We capitalise on the unique qualities of each of our properties - taking a fresh approach to the regeneration of every building with a focus on anticipating tenant requirements and an emphasis on design. Reflecting and supporting our long-term success, the business has a strong balance sheet with modest leverage, a robust income stream and flexible financing. As part of our commitment to lead the industry in mitigating climate change, in October 2019, Derwent London became the first UK REIT to sign a Green Revolving Credit Facility. At the same time, we also launched our Green Finance Framework and signed the Better Buildings Partnership's climate change commitment. The Group is a member of the 'RE100' which recognises Derwent London as an influential company, committed to 100% renewable power by purchasing renewable energy, a key step in becoming a net zero carbon business. Derwent London is one of only a few property companies worldwide to have science-based carbon targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Landmark schemes in our 5.6 million sq ft portfolio include 80 Charlotte Street W1, Brunel Building W2, White Collar Factory EC1, Angel Building EC1, 1-2 Stephen Street W1, Horseferry House SW1 and Tea Building E1. In 2019, the Group won several awards including EG Offices Company of the Year, the CoStar West End Deal of the Year for Brunel Building, Westminster Business Council's Best Achievement in Sustainability award and topped the real estate sector and was placed ninth overall in the Management Today 2019 awards for 'Britain's Most Admired Companies'. In 2013 the Company launched a voluntary Community Fund and has to date supported over 100 community projects in the West End and the Tech Belt. The Company is a public limited company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The address of its registered office is 25 Savile Row, London,
Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA provides dialysis care and related dialysis care services in Germany, North America, and internationally. It offers dialysis treatment and related laboratory and diagnostic services through a network of outpatient dialysis clinics; materials, training, and patient support services comprising clinical monitoring, follow-up assistance, and arranging for delivery of the supplies to the patient's residence; and dialysis services under contract to hospitals in the United States for the hospitalized end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and for patients suffering from acute kidney failure. The company also develops, manufactures, and distributes dialysis products, including polysulfone dialyzers, hemodialysis machines, peritoneal dialysis cyclers, peritoneal dialysis solutions, hemodialysis concentrates, solutions and granulates, bloodlines, renal pharmaceuticals, and systems for water treatment; and non-dialysis products, such as acute cardiopulmonary and apheresis products. In addition, it develops, acquires, and in-licenses renal pharmaceuticals; offers renal medications and supplies to patients at homes or to dialysis clinics; and provides vascular, cardiovascular, endovascular specialty, vascular care ambulatory surgery center, and physician nephrology and cardiology services. The company sells its products to dialysis clinics, hospitals, and specialized treatment clinics directly, as well as through local sales forces, independent distributors, dealers, and sales agents. As of February 23, 2022, it operated 4,171 outpatient dialysis clinics in approximately 150 countries. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Bad Homburg, Germany.
According to a study recently published in The Review of Economic Studies, access to legal marijuana may significantly reduce academic performance.

The study took advantage of a natural experiment in the Dutch city of Maastricht. In 2011, the city sought to pull back some of the marijuana tourism going to its coffee shops, where marijuana sales are legally tolerated. So through the local association of cannabis shop owners, it banned some foreigners of certain nationalities from buying pot at these venues.

This let researchers Olivier Marie and Ulf Zolitz, in the cleverly titled High Achievers? Cannabis Access and Academic Performance, compare the academic outcomes of Maastricht University students with varying levels of access to legal pot.

What they found: The students who werent allowed to legally access marijuana saw their grades significantly improve, especially in classes that require numerical and mathematical skills.
Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops and provides a portfolio of healthcare products worldwide. The company offers peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis, and additional dialysis therapies and services; intravenous therapies, infusion pumps, administration sets, and drug reconstitution devices; remixed and oncology drug platforms, inhaled anesthesia and critical care products and pharmacy compounding services; parenteral nutrition therapies and related products; biological products and medical devices used in surgical procedures for hemostasis, tissue sealing and adhesion prevention; and continuous renal replacement therapies and other organ support therapies focused in the intensive care unit. It also provides connected care solutions, including devices, software, communications, and integration technologies; integrated patient monitoring and diagnostic technologies to help diagnose, treat, and manage a various illness and diseases, including respiratory therapy, cardiology, vision screening, and physical assessment; surgical video technologies, tables, lights, pendants, precision positioning devices and other accessories. In addition, the company offers contracted services to various pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies. Its products are used in hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, doctors' offices, and patients at home under physician supervision. The company sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through independent distributors, drug wholesalers, and specialty pharmacy or other alternate site providers in approximately 100 countries. It has an agreement with Celerity Pharmaceutical, LLC to develop acute care generic injectable premix and oncolytic molecules. Baxter International Inc. was incorporated in 1931 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.
BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Energizer Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and distributes household batteries, specialty batteries, and lighting products worldwide. It offers lithium, alkaline, carbon zinc, nickel metal hydride, zinc air, and silver oxide batteries under the Energizer and Eveready brands, as well as primary, rechargeable, specialty, and hearing aid batteries. The company also provides headlights, lanterns, and children's and area lights, as well as flash lights under the Energizer, Eveready, Rayovac, Hard Case, Dolphin, Varta, and WeatherReady brands. In addition, it licenses the Energizer and Eveready brands to companies developing consumer solutions in gaming, automotive batteries, portable power for critical devices, LED light bulbs, generators, power tools, household light bulbs, and other lighting products. Further, the company designs and markets automotive fragrance and appearance products, including protectants, wipes, tire and wheel care products, glass cleaners, leather care products, air fresheners, and washes to clean, shine, refresh, and protect interior and exterior automobile surfaces under the brand names of Armor All, Nu Finish, Refresh Your Car!, LEXOL, Eagle One, California Scents, Driven, and Bahama & Co; STP branded fuel and oil additives, functional fluids, and other performance chemical products; and do-it-yourself automotive air conditioning recharge products under the A/C PRO brand name, as well as other refrigerant and recharge kits, sealants, and accessories. It sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, and wholesalers; and through various retail and business-to-business channels, including mass merchandisers, club, electronics, food, home improvement, dollar store, auto, drug, hardware, e-commerce, convenience, sporting goods, hobby/craft, office, industrial, medical, and catalog. Energizer Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.
The following companies are subsidiares of Harsco: 21st Century Environmental Management of NV LLC, 21st Century Environmental Management of RI LLC, AERC Acquisition Corporation, AES Asset Acquisition Corporation, Accelerated Remediation Kinetics LLC, Advanced Remediation & Disposal Technologies of Delaware LLC, Allied Environmental Group LLC, Allworth LLC, Altek, Altek Europe Holdings Ltd., Altek Europe Limited, Altek LLC, Altek Melting Solutions Limited, AluServ Middle East W.L.L., Alusalt Limited, Assessment & Remedial Design Technologies Inc, Ballagio S.a.r.l., Burlington Environmental LLC, CEHI Acquisition LLC, CEI Holding LLC, Calrissian Holdings LLC, Carteret Asphalt Corporation, Chemical Pollution Control of Florida LLC, Chemical Pollution Control of New York LLC, Chemical Reclamation Services LLC, Clean Earth Dredging Technologies LLC, Clean Earth Environmental Services Inc., Clean Earth Environmental Services Inc., Clean Earth Environmental Solutions Inc., Clean Earth Holdings LLC, Clean Earth Inc., Clean Earth LLC, Clean Earth Mobile Services LLC, Clean Earth Specialty Waste Solutions Inc., Clean Earth of Carteret LLC, Clean Earth of Georgia LLC, Clean Earth of Greater Washington LLC, Clean Earth of Maryland LLC, Clean Earth of Michigan LLC, Clean Earth of New Castle LLC, Clean Earth of North Jersey Inc., Clean Earth of Philadelphia LLC, Clean Earth of Puerto Rico LLC, Clean Earth of Southeast Pennsylvania LLC, Clean Earth of Southern Florida LLC, Clean Earth of West Virginia LLC, Clean Earth of Williamsport LLC, Clean Rock Properties Ltd, Czech Slag- Nova Hut s.r.o., ESOL TOPCO LLC, Environmental Soil Management Inc, Environmental Soil Management of New York LLC, Environmental Solutions (ESOL) Business, Excell Africa Holdings Ltd., Excell Americas Holdings Ltd S.a.r.L., Faber Prest Limited, Gardner Road Oil LLC, GasServ (Netherlands) VII B.V., General Environmental Management of Rancho Cordova LLC, HLWKH 517 Limited, Harsco (Australia) Pty. Limited, Harsco (Beijing) Fertiliser Co. Ltd, Harsco (Gibraltar) Holding Limited, Harsco (Mexico) Holdings B.V., Harsco (Peru) Holdings B.V., Harsco (Tangshan) Metallurgical Materials Technology Co. Ltd, Harsco (Tangshan) Metallurgical Materials Technology Co. Ltd. - GuYe Branch, Harsco (Tangshan) Metallurgical Materials Technology Co. Ltd. - Leting Branch, Harsco (Tangshan) Renewable Resources Development Co. Ltd, Harsco (U.K.) Limited, Harsco (UK) Group Ltd, Harsco (York Place) Limited, Harsco APAC Rail Machinery (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Harsco Americas Investments S.a.r.l., Harsco Belgium SRL, Harsco Brazil Investments SRL, Harsco Canada Corporation Societe Harsco Canada, Harsco Canada General Partner Limited, Harsco Canada Limited Partnership, Harsco Chile Investments SRL, Harsco China Holding Company Limited, Harsco Defense Holding LLC, Harsco Environmental S.R.L., Harsco Europa B.V., Harsco Fairways Partnership, Harsco Finance B.V., Harsco Financial Holdings Inc., Harsco France S.A.S., Harsco Holdings Inc., Harsco India Metals Private Limited, Harsco India Private Ltd., Harsco India Services Private Ltd., Harsco Industrial Grating China Holding Co. Ltd., Harsco Infrastructure B.V., Harsco Infrastructure CZ s.r.o, Harsco Infrastructure Construction Services B.V., Harsco Infrastructure Group Ltd., Harsco Infrastructure Holdings Inc., Harsco Infrastructure Hong Kong Ltd, Harsco Infrastructure Industrial Services B.V., Harsco Infrastructure Services Ltd., Harsco Infrastructure South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Harsco International Finance S.a.r.l., Harsco Investment Ltd., Harsco Investments Europe B.V., Harsco Leatherhead Limited, Harsco Luxembourg S.a.r.l, Harsco Metals (Ningbo) Pty. Ltd., Harsco Metals (Thailand) Company Ltd., Harsco Metals 373 Ltd, Harsco Metals 385 Ltd, Harsco Metals Argentina S.A., Harsco Metals Australia Holding Investment Co. Pty. Ltd., Harsco Metals Australia Pty. Ltd., Harsco Metals Belgium S.A., Harsco Metals CTS Prestacao de Servicos Tecnicos e Aluguer de Equipamentos LDA Unipessoal, Harsco Metals CZ s.r.o, Harsco Metals Chile S.A., Harsco Metals D.O.O. Smederevo, Harsco Metals Egypt L.L.C., Harsco Metals Emirates Partnership, Harsco Metals Germany GmbH, Harsco Metals Gesmafesa S.A., Harsco Metals Group Limited, Harsco Metals Guatemala S.A., Harsco Metals Holding LLC, Harsco Metals Holdings Limited, Harsco Metals Holland B.V., Harsco Metals Ilanga Pty. Ltd., Harsco Metals Intermetal LLC, Harsco Metals Investment LLC, Harsco Metals Limitada, Harsco Metals Luxembourg S.A., Harsco Metals Luxequip S.A., Harsco Metals Lycrete S.A., Harsco Metals Middle East FZE, Harsco Metals Norway A.S., Harsco Metals Oostelijk Staal International B.V., Harsco Metals Operations LLC, Harsco Metals Peru S.A., Harsco Metals Polska SP Z.O.O., Harsco Metals RSA Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Harsco Metals Reclamet S.A., Harsco Metals SRH Mill Services (Pty.) Ltd., Harsco Metals SRI LLC, Harsco Metals Saudi Arabia Ltd., Harsco Metals Slovensko s.r.o., Harsco Metals South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Harsco Metals SteelServ (Pty.) Ltd., Harsco Metals Sweden A.B., Harsco Metals Transport B.V., Harsco Metals Turkey Celik Limited Sirkety, Harsco Metals VB LLC, Harsco Metals Zhejiang Co. Ltd., Harsco Metals and Minerals France S.A.S., Harsco Metals de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Harsco Metro Rail LLC, Harsco Mexico Holdings S.A. de C.V., Harsco Minerais Limitada, Harsco Minerali d.o.o., Harsco Minerals Arabia LLC (FZC), Harsco Minerals Deutschland GmbH, Harsco Minerals Europe B.V., Harsco Minerals Technologies LLC, Harsco Minnesota Finance Inc., Harsco Minnesota LLC, Harsco Mole Valley Limited, Harsco Nederland Slag B.V., Harsco Nova Scotia Holding Corporation, Harsco Rail Emirates Maatschap/Societe de Droit Commun, Harsco Rail Europe GmbH, Harsco Rail LLC, Harsco Rail Limited, Harsco Rail Ltda, Harsco Rail Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Harsco Rail Pty. Ltd., Harsco Rail Switzerland GMBH, Harsco Steel Mill Trading Arabia LLC, Harsco Sun Demiryolu Ekipmanlari Uretim Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Harsco Switzerland Holding GmbH, Harsco Technologies LLC, Harsco Technology China Co. Ltd., Harsco Track Machines and Services Private Limited, Heckett Bahna Co. For Industrial Operations S.A.E., Heckett Comercio de Rejeitos Industriais Importacao e Exportacao Ltda, Heckett MultiServ (FS) Pty Ltd, Heckett MultiServ Bahna S.A.E., Heckett MultiServ China B.V., Heckett MultiServ Far East B.V., Heckett Multiserv MV & MS CA, Hunnebeck Group GmbH, Iductelec Limited, Ilserv S.R.L., Luntz Acquisition (Delaware) LLC, MKC Acquisition Corporation, Mastclimbers Ltd, Metal Reclamation SPV (Pty.) Ltd., Minerval Metallurgic Additives B.V., MultiServ (Sweden) AB, MultiServ Finance B.V., MultiServ International B.V., MultiServ Limited, MultiServ Logistics Limited, MultiServ Oy, MultiServ Technologies (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Nortal Limited, Northland Environmental LLC, Nortru LLC, PSC Environmental Services LLC, PSC Recovery Systems LLC, Phillip Reclamation Services Houston LLC, Protran Technology LLC, Real Property Acquisition LLC, Republic Environmental Recycling (New Jersey) LLC, Republic Environmental Systems (PA) LLC, Republic Environmental Systems (Transportation Group) LLC, Rho-Chem LLC, SGB Holdings Limited, SGB Investments Ltd., SGB Scafform Limited, Shanxi TISCO-Harsco Technology Co. Ltd., Short Brothers (Plant) Ltd., Slag Processing Company Egypt (SLAR) S.A.E., Slag Reductie (Pacific) B.V., Slag Reductie Nederland B.V., Solvent Recovery LLC, Tosyali Harsco Geri Kazanim Teknolojileri Anonim Sirketi, and United Retek of Connecticut LLC.

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Iran: Public Image Versus Historical Reality - Part 1: An Abridged History to the 20th Century

Part I, traces historical events which have shaped Irans evolution and development from its great Persian empire of over two thousand years ago to those taking place in the 20th century.

Over the last several decades Iran has been labeled by the United States a terrorist state, a state that needs to be restricted or otherwise controlled. Consequently, Iran has been under frequent, broad and severe sanctions over the last several decades, whereby it was impeded from selling its oil to generate revenues, and foreclosed to use the SWIFT system of international money transfer. It is a state, according to the international community, which cannot be permitted to develop nuclear arms. President George W. Bush identified Iran as part of a global axis of evil. More recently President Trump has noted on his recent trip to the Middle East that Iran is the biggest sponsor of terrorism, and that Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. He called on all nations of conscience to isolate Iran.

What is it exactly about Iran that generates such acrid convictions from world leading countries such as United Kingdom and the United States? In the U.S. we continue to be exposed only to negative press about Iran. With so much fake news being uncovered today on almost all newsworthy items, what is the likelihood that some of this negative information on Iran is misguided or intentionally released for some selfish geopolitical reasons? What do the public and its average citizen really know about Iran and its history? It is said that our perceptions of any country, events, or people are based on our individual and limited knowledge about them. If we had additional truthful, or insightful information  possibly our opinions would change. Accordingly, knowing more about Irans past and recent history might influence our perceptions and views. This article attempts to provide such information to those who previously have not had the time or interest to become more informed about Iran  in order that they can form their own fact-based opinions on a topic that often appears in the news.

Irans ancient history, and influence on its civilization.

According to archeologists, Iran as defined by its present borders had people residing in it perhaps as long as 100,000 years ago. Some 5,000 years ago there were active settlements dedicated to farming. So the territory of present day Iran has a very long history  preceding the evolution of Western Civilization. Persia, as this land was known then, was a participant and sometime leader of this Middle East civilization. It is the land where recognizable names such as Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes ruled. It is the land where Persians, Mongols and Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, have fought great battles. Persians also fought with ancient and powerful Greece, and Rome.

At that time there were numerous plundering bands of tribesmen, tribal and village communities, city states, petty kingdoms, larger kingdoms, dynasties and empires all rising or collapsing from almost a constant state of war. Leaders were most often deposed through wars. In the infrequent case where a leader continued to overcome his adversaries, the then short natural life span of man meant that upon his passing a war of succession, or invasion by an outside force usually followed. The point to be observed here is that over thousands of years the Persian/Iranian people have fought so frequently that fighting (resistance or aggression) likely has become a part of their genetic code. We can surmise that proud people of this historical empire over centuries have developed a fierce resistance to domination by outsiders, and today are steadfast in regaining and maintaining their independent policies of a sovereign country.

When Persia was at its pinnacle of power, their ancient prescient leader Darius had built roads and bridges to bind their empire together, and established a tax system and uniform gold coinage for payment, as he tolerated multiple religions or Gods to be worshiped. Persias culture was highly developed and embraced its own religion, Zoroastrianism, which had evolved with written scripture, including concepts of a single creator-god, angels, heaven and hell, judgment after death, with each soul spending eternity in paradise or perdition, yet providing for free human choice and eternal struggle between good and evil  some six centuries before Christianity.

Arab conquest and Islam

As has been the case historically with every previous empire on this planet, eventually because of internal corrosion, it ultimately loses power and is supplanted by its successor. In 480 B.C., Xerxes invaded the Greek city states but after taking Athens had to retreat. William McNeil in his masterful book The Rise of the West states that

The sovereign polis won its greatest successes in the Persian Wars. The surprising outcome of Xerxes invasion no doubt proved to many - that under the gods, free men organized into city-states need fear no military danger from without and could be trusted to develop a more perfect individual manhood and a more glorious collective greatness than could possibly arise in a politically authoritarian society.

In 334 B.C., Alexander the Great conquered Persia and burned its capital Persepolis bringing an end to its previously great empire, initiating Greek civilization into ascendancy.

In about 610 A.D., Mohammad received his first revelations or divine messages, and over the next several decades Islam became a new religion to be followed by the common masses. Its teachings codified in the Quran unified the Arab world, which quickly spread its religious and military dominance over the Middle East. To the then relatively cultured Persians, an invasion and conquest by what appeared to be religious barbarians was to further erode their previous cultural achievements over future centuries. In addition, over time their religion Zoroasterism was replaced by Islam. Their language, Farsi, did survive even though it came to be written in Arab script.

In 1220 A.D. Genghis Khan and the pagan Mongol hordes invaded and ravaged Iran. The growing influence of Islam had ascended such that by 1295 the Mongols themselves had converted to this militaristic religion. Thus, Iran came to be ruled by foreign monarchs, Islam, Caliphs (meaning successor to religious Muslim leadership) and foreign cultural influences over countless future centuries.

When Mohammad died, his friend became the first Caliph. However, different Muslim tribes or groups had views that succession should have come from Mohammads family line, being closer to the Prophet, rather from popular choice among qualified Muslims. Sunni orthodox Islam refers to those following the Islamic creed where the next caliph is chosen without regarding a line of succession, whereas Shia indentifies with followers supporting Mohammads descendants. Shiism had become the official State religion in 1501, but since that time Shia Muslims themselves became an increasingly persecuted minority within states run by Sunni Muslims, to eventually becoming adversaries.

Today over one billion people in the world identify themselves as Sunni Muslims. Wahhabism, a small fundamentalist movement within Sunnism, applies the strictest and most extreme principles of Islam to its followers. Of the rest, most identify themselves as Shia Muslims, the largest number of whom are living in or around Iran. According to Wikipedia, a significant percentage of the population of Afghanistan, Lebanon, Yemen, Turkey and Pakistan are Shia Muslims, perhaps numbering between 100-200 million people in total. Iran appears to maintain a strong national culture but it is not strictly a homogeneous nation as it contains Kurd, Azeri and other minorities.

Both Sunni and Shia Muslims utilize terrorism to bring attention to their separate and distinct causes, but it is only the Sunnis who practice suicide with body strapped bombs or driving bomb-laden trucks into their targets. Still, Shias have a duty and willingness to embrace martyrdom at the hands of Gods enemies selflessly carrying out its religious obligation. Quite telling of their national character is seen in their dogmatic religious processions which portray injustice and betrayal, self-flogging, and impending gloom  perhaps the result of centuries of oppression.

The teachings of Islam are easily available to familiarize with or study today by a simple

search on the Internet. Such reading reveals many aggressive, violent and murderous verses in the Quran all to be committed against nonbelievers in the name of Allah. In his book The God Delusion author Richard Dawkins notes that It is pretty hard to defend absolutist morals on grounds other than religious ones. As the distinguished Spanish film director Luis Bunuel said, God and Country are an unbeatable team; they break all records for oppression and bloodshed. It is hardly arguable that even today a large share of conflicts, wars and atrocities in the world are still related to the theocratic intersection of religion and government.

Shiite Muslim religion has evolved to be less deterministic and more open to reason when compared Sunnis, which somewhat explains their mutual antagonism, including internecine war. In his book A history of Iran, British author Michael Axworthy states

Integral to Shiism is the belief that rulers may hold power only as long as they are just. Ultimately, its belief gave the Shiite masses, and by extension their religious leaders, the political and emotional power to bring temporal regimes crashing down. Armed with the Shiite principle that endows the ordinary citizen with inherent power to overthrow despotism, and with the ideals of the emerging new world, Iranians rebelled in a way their forefathers never had. Their demands were as astonishing as their rebellion itself: an end to the countrys domination by outside powers and a parliament to express the popular will. This was the most radical program Iranians had ever embraced.

The preceding quote refers to the year 1905, when revolutions were also occurring in parts of Europe with the goal of containing or overthrowing monarchs.

British colonialism

Colonialism is an ugly business, for it requires subjugating people of other nations while exploiting and plundering their natural resources, which in turn requires a completely contemptuous attitude toward indigenous people and their desires, hopes and aspirations. Yet despite its ugly principles, colonialism had become a commonly accepted practice centuries ago as most large European countries had acquired colonies. However, it was Britain that had become the most successful and most frequent practitioner of despotic colonialism and imperialism.

In 1912, the British Navy recognizing the leap in efficiency from using oil as opposed to coal as a power source, and in order to keep its dominance of the seas, switched their ships from coal to oil. However, England itself had no oil within its boundaries, when it formed the Anglo-Persian Oil Company in order to exploit Irans oil. When Winston Churchill helped to seize Irans oil industry in the 1920s, he called its a prize from fairyland beyond our wildest dreams. Britain had maintained its world power because of its persistence in exploiting natural resources of nations such as Iran. The British government had a fantastically lucrative monopoly on the production and sale of Iranian oil, and it was Britains most profitable enterprise. The injustice of it was that most Iranians lived in abject poverty while the wealth that flowed from Irans oil maintained Britain as a world power.

With respect to Britains geopolitics at that time, Mr. Kinzer, author of the book All the Shahs Men notes that

The British were concerned also to contain, or if possible overturn, the new communist regime in Russia. All of this came at a time of greatly reduced financial means, as a result of the crippling debt incurred during the war, and with the United States under Woodrow Wilson preaching a new philosophy of international relations  essentially a democratic principle of self-determination - that appeared to undermine the very foundation of British imperialism. Iranian nationalists welcomed Wilsons principles, and again were encouraged to think of the United States as Irans great hope among the great powers.

Both Britain and Russia as imperial powers interfered in Iranian government so persistently that the then Shahs independence of action were actually severely limited.

Iranian Democracy

In the late 1800s, the then profligate Iranian monarch (Nasir al-din Shah) was having difficulty with inadequate state revenues when he conceived the idea to sell several important concessions to foreign businessmen and governments. In 1901 he sold a sixty year concession for oil development to a private individual that by 1914 became a majority owned property of the British government. Clearly, the monarch could not have imagined that this single decision would dominate and impact Irans subsequent history for over a century to the present day.



Concerned Iranian citizens recognizing egregious policies of the monarch saw a need to limit his powers by establishing a constitution. This constitution was written and adopted in 1906. In addition to limiting the Shahs powers, this secular document tried to expel the intrusion of foreign powers. Enlightened reformers tried also to secularize law and education, which created a clash with clerics who feared losing their power and influence. Clerics were concerned that the study of science would undermine faith, and modern law negates religion-based sharia law. Some people supported a democracy, others a monarchy; clerics could not accept constitutionalism and rejected a monarchy - it was a time of revolution and great struggle for power.

With respect to their constitution, Stephen Kinzers outstanding book, All the Shahs Men describes this constitutional structure in the following way:

their constitution was based on the Belgian constitution, which stated explicitly that the Shahs sovereignty derived from the people as a power given to him in trust, not as a right bestowed directly from God. Shiism was declared to be the state religion, sharias law was recognized, clerical courts were given a significant role, and there was a five man committee of senior ulema (Muslim scholars) to scrutinize legislation passed by the Maijles (parliament) to confirm spiritual legitimacy.



Iran had the first and only democratic government in the Middle East, which had developed naturally and internally by their own people, rather than through the attempted impositions of foreign governments in other Middle East countries over a century later. Mr. Kinzer makes profound observations regarding events that were to affect and shape history of the Middle East and the subsequent geopolitics of the rest of the world.

If the United States had not sent agents to depose Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953, Iran would probably have continued along its path toward full democracy. Over the decades that followed, it might have become the first democratic state in the Muslim Middle East, and perhaps even a model for other countries in the region and beyond. That would have profoundly changed the course of history  not simply Iranian or even Middle Eastern history, but the history of the United States and the world.

The 1953 intervention in Iran may be seen as a decisive point in twentieth-century history. By placing Mohammad Reza Shah back on his Peacock Throne, the United States brought Irans long, slow progress toward democracy to a screeching halt. The Shah ruled with increasing repression for twenty-five years. His repression produced the explosion of the late 1970s, later known as the Islamic Revolution. That revolution brought to power a radical clique of fanatically anti-Western clerics who have worked relentlessly, and often violently, to undermine American interests around the world.

Intrusion of imperial powers.

Historically, Iran partly may have been a victim of its geography, as its lucrative trade routes of the past made it a target for invaders  even before there was an understanding or appreciation for the fabulous wealth created by oil. Over the last several hundred years weaker nations were always at the mercy of militarily strong imperialist nations such as Britain and Russia as colonialism became a popular practice. For example in 1907, totally ignoring Irans newly adopted constitution, Britain and Russia signed a treaty simply dividing Iran between them. Britain assumed control of southern provinces which contained the oil, while Russia took control northern provinces closer to Russia. In a neutral zone sandwiched between these two territories Iranians could rule as long as they did not act against the interests of their occupiers. In a showing of total contempt for Iran and its government was the fact that it was not included in any negotiations nor consulted, but was simply informed of this fait accompli arrangement after the treaty was signed in St. Petersburg.

A decade later, in 1919 as the British began to fully understand the incredible value of its oil concession and in order to more fully control it, Britain imposed a constricting Anglo-Persian Agreement through which the British took control of Irans army, treasury, transport system, and communications network - essentially eliminating Irans sovereignty. It was a brazen move, typical of colonialist England at the time, which only gained enmity for them from Iranian citizens. There was little that Iran could do as it was mainly a country of illiterate peasant villages, tribes, and small towns with little industry and a weak army. England had not considered nor applied the laws of its most famous citizen, Isaac Newton, who noted that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. His laws, of course, were formulated for properties of motion, but even little reflection will convince that they also apply well to colonialist oppression. Thus it was that the continuing arrogance and tyranny of the British was such that Iran was no more than a vassal state.

As the dislike and hatred of the British continued to grow, with Germany starting its rise and expansion in the 1930s the Shah welcomed Germans to operate in Iran. On the premature premise that Germans might launch an attack on Russia from Iran, the Allied forces, including American troops, invaded Iran and maintained control through WWII. Allied planes dropped leaflets from planes which said We have decided, that the Germans must go, and if Iran will not deport them, then the English and the Russians will. Haughty stuff. Perhaps Britain did not yet understand the dynamics of a changing world, and that its style of colonialism was coming to a close, even as during the period of occupation open dissent was subdued against all occupiers.

Americas participation in Irans occupation did have the desirable effect of supressing Soviet influence from without, as well as Irans pro-communist party Tudeh, but it destroyed the image America previously earned as a virtuous country supporting freedom and sovereignty. The United States no longer had credibility as a purveyor of democracy to Iran or other nations because of its active participation in destroying Irans democracy in 1953. Since then, Iranians have come to believe that the United States is replacing a declining colonialist Britain, and wants to control and extract its oil and build military bases on its soil - as it has done in other Middle East countries. There was ample evidence for Iran to take this position. In his book Myths, Lies, and Oil Wars author F. William Engdahl states:

A quid pro quo for the CIA helping their British cousins, Washington extracted a heavy price on behalf of the Rockefeller oil group. What had been in the sole domain of British oil since 1908 now had to be shared with the American Rockefeller companies. British Petroleum, as the company was renamed after the coup, would henceforth get a mere 40% share of Irans oil. Each of the five Rockefeller-linked US sister got 8% or a total of 40%, and Shell got 14%, while the weaker French CFP got 6%.

The coup also had significance in a number of other ways, because it established the United States in Iran as the prime ally and protector of the Reza Shah Pahlavi regime. But it also took away much of Iranian citizen respect and previous openness to representatives of American government and its Iran policy.

In Part 2 of this analysis on Iran we see in greater detail what happened to Iran in the last century. How England and later the United States took advantage of a resource rich but democratic-institution poor country. We see how the deposition of a monarch leads to the installation of a radical Islamist regime, and how it impacts the development of a more civil Iranian society.

Raymond Matison

Mr. Matison is a U.S. patriot who immigrated to this country in 1949. With a B.S. in engineering physics, an M.S. in Actuarial Science, work in the actuarial field, and as a financial analyst at Legg, Mason Inc., Lehman Brothers, and investment banking at Kidder Peabody, and Merrill Lynch provides a diverse background for experience. First-hand exposure to fascism, socialism, and communism as well as the completion of a U.S. Army military intelligence course in the 1960s have inspired a continuing interest in selected topics in science, military, and economics. He can be e-mailed at rmatison@msn.com

Copyright  2017 Raymond Matison - All Rights Reserved



Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilizing methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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Several Saudi royals and religious leaders have laid into the United Arab Emirates envoy to Washington for comments hinting at the establishment of secular governments in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, a kingdom governed by the Sharia law.

Youssef al-Otaiba, in a diatribe against Qatar, in an interview with US TV network PBS on Saturday, noted that the expectation is to see secular governments taking over from Islamic regimes in the region.

What we would like to see is more secular, stable, prosperous, empowered, strong governments, he said.

In the past ten to 15 years, we saw Qatar supporting groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Taliban and the Islamic militias in Syria and Turkey. This is the opposite direction which we want the region to go, he added.

Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt have severed ties with Qatar, early June, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Rejection of the UAE ambassadors remarks was not long to come. Saudi Princess, Fahda bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, a daughter of late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz claimed that al Otaibas remarks were evidence of a conspiracy against the kingdom, adding that royals and religious leaders of the kingdom are ready to confront it.

There is a conspiracy against Saudi Arabia and Islam and this has become clear in the world, she said in a tweet.

There are those who call for secularizing the country of the two holy mosques and those who call for internationalizing the country with the two holy mosques, but we the people of Saudi Arabia and its leadership will protect the two holy mosques, she added.

Saudi Arabia is a state ruled through Sharia. We have the right to question the silence of the Ministry of Information about the statement of the UAE ambassador, which affects the sovereignty of our country and religion.

Another Saudi royal, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd, the son of King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz lambasted the Emirati envoy, calling on Muslims to bar the move.

Every Muslim who believes in God, his religion and Mohammed must fight secularism and liberalism with advice, then with the statement and then with the blade under the banner of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, he wrote on Twitter.

Al-Otaiba is said to be close to Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi who is also said a strong ally of Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia will offer Haj to 1,000 family members of Egyptian soldiers who died defending their country against Islamist militants.

The families will be the Saudi monarchs own guests during the religious ritual to start early September, Saudi media reported.

Egyptian security forces have been facing insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula since 2013, following the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi by current President al-Sisi who was then defense minister.

Hundreds of security forces were killed in the Peninsula. Attacks have also spilled to capital Cairo and other urban areas. The army claims having killed thousands of militants.

Early last month, King Salman granted 1,800 Mecca visas to Egyptian parliamentarians, as a reward for their endorsement of the handover of the Red Sea Tiran and Sanafir Islands to Saudi Arabia.

If shared equally, each lawmaker will receive three visas.

Egypt this year will receive 78,138 visas against 62,511 last year.
The European Unions Trust Fund for Africa adopted last week a program worth 46 million to reinforce the integrated migration and border management capacities of the Libyan authorities.

The new actions respond to the measures proposed early July under the European Commissions Action Plan to support Italy to address the migratory flows along the Central Mediterranean Route, the European Commission said in a press release.

The program aims at stepping up activities in support of the Libyan Border- and Coast Guards, to enhance their capacity to effectively manage the countrys borders. The program will be implemented by the Italian Ministry of Interior and co-financed by Italy.

Security and stability in Libya are key for the Libyans, the region and Europe, and they come also by better managing the borders and strengthening the resilience of the population, High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini was quoted as saying in the press release.

Mogherini who renewed the EUs resolve to keep working to reach a political solution to the political crisis in Libya and to continue to support the communities and the Libyan authorities to address the migration flows and related problems, said this new program is part of a comprehensive approach, covering increased border management, sustainable socioeconomic development of local communities, as well as protection, assisted voluntary returns and reintegration of migrants.

This new program complements the 90 million package adopted in April 2017 to reinforce the protection and resilience of migrants, refugees and host communities in Libya.

Under this program, a particular focus goes to improving the conditions for migrants and fostering the respect of human rights, improving the conditions in reception centers and working towards alternatives to detention.

Overall, 136 million have been committed to Libya under the Trust Fund since January 2017, the press release noted.
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.
There's a chill in the air as the Fall of 2022 has arrived in the Miami Valley. Leaves are starting to fall off the trees, pumpkins are being harvested and turned into jack-o-lanterns, and Dayton Local has unearthed some of the most horrifying and best haunted houses around Dayton.



Prepare to be terrified as you venture through the scariest haunted houses in Dayton Ohio.

To add events to this page, click here.
Easyhotel announced it will convert the top floors of its Old Street, London hotel into offices and refurbish the remaining space to its 'new look' format, similar to those at its Birmingham and Manchester hotels, in order to maximise the property's value.

Following a meeting with the Islington Borough Council, the company said it would close the 3rd and 4th floors at Old Street hotel in early October, leaving the first two for use as guest accommodation, and apply for planning permission to add more floors for use as office space.

As a result, the number of rooms at Old Street would be reduced from 162 to 92.

"After undertaking extensive due diligence and considering all the options available to it, the Board considers the retention of the 92-bedroom hotel, together with an extension to the upper floors for additional office accommodation, to be the best outcome for shareholders," said EasyHotel chief Guy Parsons.

The company also said revenues per available room were expected to increase as a result, although earnings would take a hit in the short-term as work was carried out.

As a result of management's decision and delays at Ipswich, analysts at Investec marked down their forecasts for the company's EBITDA over the next two financial years by 1.2m and 0.9m, respectively.

According to the same broker, the company's revenues would be 1.6m and 1.1m lower in each of those years too.

However, Investec kept its'buy' recommendation and 135.0p target price unchanged.

Old Street generated approximately 1.7m of earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation in the financial year ending on 30 September 2016, the company said in a statement.

As of 1600 BST shares in EasyHotel were 0.995 higher to 102.0p.
China, Indonesia and United States focused oil and gas development company Empyrean announced on Tuesday that it has been informed by Sacgasco , the operator of the Dempsey 1-15 well in the Sacramento Basin, onshore California, that it plans to commence drilling the Dempsey 1-15 well on 1 August.

The AIM-traded firm said Dempsey 1-15 is expected to take 30-40 days to drill to around 10,000 feet, targeting the 1Tcf Dempsey natural gas prospect in which Empyrean has a 30% interest.

It said the Dempsey prospect contains over seven stacked conventional sandstone reservoir targets.

The offset wells have had gas shows and production from Kione and Princeton Canyon formations above the Forbes producing reservoirs, Empyrean said, adding that Dempsey 1-15 is the first well to test the primary reservoir formations in this part of the under-explored Sacramento Basin.

With drilling now expected to be underway at Dempsey within hours, we look forward to the next 30 to 40 days as the 1Tcf+ prospect is targeted, said CEO Tom Kelly.

Similar reservoirs have been interpreted to indicate pipeline quality dry gas which bodes well should Dempsey 1-15 be successful as the well is located next to existing gas metering and surface infrastructure that is owned by the joint venture.

I look forward to reporting on the drill progress over the coming weeks with the hopes of adding another discovery to our portfolio in 2017 following the success of our Mako South-1 well offshore Indonesia.
Analysts at Liberum were undeterred in their positive view on AA' s shares despite news of the ouster of its boss, Bob McKenzie, for "gross misconduct" and the company's decision to guide towards a full-year performance in-line with expectations.

Although it might be lost on investors on Tuesday, there was tangible evidence that the firm was being successfully turned around, they said, emphasising that the company's free cash flow generation continued to be "very strong".

"The transformation may have taken longer but there is tangible evidence of improvement. Expect a negative reaction today but the [estimated free cash flow] yield should provide a floor."



Deutsche Bank said the recent decline in IAG's earnings per share relative to Deutsche Lufthansa and Air France-KLM was unwarranted, reiterating its 'buy' recommendation and 650.0p target in the process.

It did have higher operational and financial gearing in comparison to those two rivals.

Yet according to the investment bank, it was also a "better quality" business and was just as exposed to the same positive demand and supply dynamics.

In particular, Deutsche Bank said, the outlook for the second half was now more "uncertain", but not for IAG.

On a related note, analysts at Deutsche pointed to the positive second quarter update from Delta, with the US carrier having touted how UK had been a "bright spot" with strength expected to be sustained through the summer.



Analysts at Jefferies cut their target price for AstraZeneca's shares following various updates from the company, especially as regards its MYSTIC clinical trial for its anti-lung cancer tumour treatment Imfinzi.

The broker cut its target from 4,900p to 4,400p, telling clients it continued to believe it was "highly unlikely" that either the company's mono or combo arms for Imfinzi would meet statistical significance as compared to chemotherapy on rates of progression-free-survival.

There also continued to be "limited visibility" on the firm's core earnings per share, with 'one-off' externalisation and OOI contributions still driving roughly between 20% and 40% of the broker's estimates for operating profits in the next few years.

In April 2017, Jefferies downgraded the stock, due to its concerns around MYSTIC and the company's "uncomfortable" level of dependence on asset sales and outlicensing in order to prop up its ongoing operations and dividend payout.

Furthermore, Astra's deal with Merck to develop and market its Lynparza treatment for multiple types of cancer would hit the company's profitability.
US President Donald Trump has sacked his communications director Anthony Scaramucci just 10 days after his appointment to the White House position.

Scaramuccis departure came just hours after the appointment of former marine John Kelly as the new chief of staff, with the general having a reputation of implementing a tight line of discipline.

Former financier Scaramucci, known as 'the Mooch', had been lambasted for a foul-mouthed outburst against several other members of the US administration, including the departed chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Trumps government has been hit with a number of high-profile departures in recent weeks, with press secretary Sean Spicer resigning following Scaramuccis appointment.

The President denied that his administration had been plunged into chaos with the raft of exits, saying on Monday that it was "a great day at the White House".

The President denied that his administration had been plunged into chaos with the raft of exits

Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement on Monday.

Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.

The former Wall Street bankers comments to The New Yorker last week was easily the defining moment of his brief stint as communications director, with Sanders saying that his comments were deemed inappropriate by Kelly.

Trump was adamant that the White House was in perfect working order in a series of tweets on Monday following the firing of Scaramucci.

Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, SC: No WH chaos! Trump tweeted.

A great day at the White House! he added.
Land Securities and Deutsche Bank exchanged a pre-let agreement for the bank's new London headquarters at 21 Moorfields, EC2 on a 25-year lease, the companies announced on Tuesday, with the agreement conditional on planning permission.

The FTSE 100 company said it worked closely with Deutsche Bank on the design of a 564,000 sq ft building.

It said the bank would retain flexibility over the amount of space it will occupy in the new building and has committed to take a minimum of 469,000 sq ft under the deal.

Landsec said 21 Moorfields is situated directly above Moorgate underground station and the western entrance to the Liverpool Street Crossrail station.

The building would provide Deutsche Bank with floors offering up to 50,000 sq ft of workspace, supported by a highly resilient and flexible services infrastructure, it added.

We are delighted that Deutsche Bank chose to build on its existing relationship with us when it was selecting the site for its new London headquarters, said Landsecs London managing director Colette O'Shea.

We are looking forward to continuing our partnership approach and working with Deutsche Bank to meet its design requirements and business needs as we deliver its London headquarters.

The agreement was building on Landsec's existing partnership with Deutsche Bank, including the relocation of the bank's Asset Management and Wealth Management divisions to The Zig Zag Building in London SW1.

Landsec acquired a long leasehold interest in the 21 Moorfields site in 2012, and obtained planning permission for two buildings totalling 522,000 sq ft on the site in 2016.

It said it would submit a planning application for the revised scheme later this year, and was targeting practical completion in November 2021.
Morrisons has inked a wholesale supply deal with convenience store chain McColl's 1,650 shops from January, which it expects to make a small contribution to profit next year.

McColl's will eventually move its entire grocery supply to Morrisons, taking both national brands and Safeway products, the brand that Morrisons last year revived 11 years after shelving it post a 2.9bn takeover.

Morrisons said the deal will take its wholesale supply sales to more than 1bn "in due course", with a phased programme beginning in January.

By the end of 2018, the FTSE 100 company expects to see total annualised wholesale sales from all its wholesale partners, which includes Amazon, to be in excess of 700m including. tobacco.

"We expect this new initiative to make an initial profit contribution in 2018/19, and increase thereafter," Morrisons said.

Chief executive David Potts said: "We are very pleased to partner with McColl's, and look forward to developing a long and successful relationship together. We are also pleased to be reviving the Safeway brand which we know customers will enjoy.

"This new partnership is a further example of Morrisons leveraging existing assets to access the UK's growing convenience food market in a capital light way. Wholesale supply will help make us a broader, stronger business."

Last November, Potts revealed that the company was developing a range of convenience products for wholesale to independent retailers, using the Safeway brand.

Although Potts made selling the company's convenience arm one of his priorities when he took over -- and completed the sale in September 2015 -- the company has continued to work closely with this subsector of the grocery market via partnerships and wholesale contracts, most notably being signed up by Amazon in February last year and expanded not in November.

In March, Morrisons reported an underlying profits before tax for the first time in five years.

House broker Shore Capital noted that wholesaling "forms a key part" of Potts strategy to broaden the business in a capital light manner, with a plan to eventually deliver 50-100m of incremental profit stream outside the core supermarkets.

Analysts left their current year forecasts unchanged but nudged up 2019 pre-tax profit estimates by 5m to 407m and earnings per share by circa 1% to 11.9p.

"We see this as an excellent development, which sweats existing assets and further bolsters the growth, the cash flows and returns of Morrisons, so supporting our broader investment thesis on a stock that has the capability to be durably shareholder friendly."
Britain's Serious Fraud Office has opened a formal investigation into possible historic bribery by British American Tobacco in Africa.

The FTSE 100 company has been investigating allegations through its law firm and after informing the SFO it reported on Tuesday that the specialist prosecuting authority has now opened a formal investigation.

"BAT intends to co-operate with that investigation," the company said, with reports that the maker of Lucky Strike and Rothman cigarettes bribed African government officials to influence tobacco legislation.

The original allegations were made towards the end of 2015, when the BBC reported that BAT had a lobbyist arrange bribes for three public officials in Rwanda, Burundi and the Comoros Islands.

Earlier this year the board said that it had created a sub-committee of the board to specifically monitor matters, as it felt it needed to "ensure active oversight of, and support for the investigation between board meetings".
Thirteen Louisiana residents who live in the shadow of one of the most toxic factories in the country recently filed a lawsuit against the facilitys co-owners, DuPont and Denka, in an attempt to stop or reduce the production of an air pollutant linked to serious health problems, including cancer.

The plaintiffs are currently seeking approval from a local judge to file a class action lawsuit that would allow anyone who has lived, worked or attended school within a defined boundary around the plant over the past five years to take legal action against the plants owners.

The plant, located along a stretch of land between New Orleans and Baton Rouge known as Cancer Alley, has long been operated by DuPont, a notorious U.S.-based chemical company with a history of endangering public health and the environment. However, DuPont sold the majority of its stake in the facility to a subsidiary of the Japanese chemical giant Denka in 2015, though the company still owns part of the land.

Though some state and local political leaders have touted the plant as a success story and a win for the local community, many residents have become increasingly concerned with the plants release of chloroprene, a chemical used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber, into the air.

In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed chloroprene as a carcinogen, stating that exposure levels greater than 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air lead to an increased risk of cancer. They also found that short-term exposure to high levels of the chemical can cause headaches, dizziness, respiratory irritation, chest pain, hair loss, gastrointestinal disorders, rashes, corneal damage and fatigue.

We are being killed by chemicals that the state is allowing Denka and DuPont to pollute our air with, Robert Taylor, founder of Concerned Citizens of St. John, told Julie Dermansky of DeSmog. We are fighting for our lives, and our childrens lives.

Residents have become even more vocal about the plants chloroprene output after EPA data recorded in subsequent years revealed that emissions have, at times, reached up to 765 times the upper limit of acceptability set by the EPA.

More confirmation of the plants dangerous output of carcinogenic pollutants came last December, when the EPAs National Air Toxic Assessment, which estimates exposure for 180 air toxins nationwide, found that residents living around the plant have the highest potential risk of cancer from airborne pollutants of any community in the country.

Then, in April, a preliminary report prepared by federal investigators found that the plant had violated the Clean Air Act an estimated 50 times. Just one month after the damning report, nearby residents were found to have been exposed to chloroprene at levels that were 12 to 58 times the legal limit.

Despite the federal governments consensus on the dangers of chloroprene and the high rate of exposure faced by residents, state regulators assert that no proof exists that shows immediate health risks near the plant, arguing that the long-term effects of chloroprene exposure are still not well-understood.

The plants current operators have stressed that both companies that have operated the plant in recent years have done so in compliance with its air permits. Though true, these permitted emission levels were issued before the EPAs findings concerning chloroprenes carcinogenic properties.

This year, in the wake of increased concern about the plants chloroprene production from federal regulators and local residents, Denka has hired government relations firm Bracewell LLP.

The lobbyists listed include Edward Krenik, a former EPA employee, and Scott Segal, a partner at a firm that has advised the Trump administration and endorsed Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Segal has worked with Pruitt in the past in attempts to reverse certain EPA regulations.

Reposted with permission from our media associate MintPress News.
Our chances of keeping warming under dangerous levels by the end of this century are increasingly slim, according to two new studies published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.

The first study took a statistical approach to examine likely warming scenarios by 2100, finding a less than five percent chance of holding warming below two degrees C and a less than one percent chance of keeping it under 1.5 degrees.

There is a lot of uncertainty about the future, our analysis does reflect that, but it also does reflect that the more optimistic scenarios that have been used in targets seem quite unlikely to occur, statistician Adrian Raftery of the University of Washington, Seattle, told the Washington Post. Raftery conducted the study with researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Upstart Networks.

The second study, conducted by researchers in Germany and Colorado, calculated emissions already baked in to Earths atmosphere. Researchers estimated that ceasing all carbon emissions today would still result in a 1.3 degree rise by the end of the century.

As reported by CNN:

These studies are part of the emerging scientific understanding that were in even hotter water than wed thought, said Bill McKibben, an environmentalist not affiliated with either study. Were a long ways down the path to disastrous global warming, and the policy responseespecially in the United Stateshas been pathetically underwhelming.

For a deeper dive:

Both studies: Washington Post, CNN, USA Today, Gizmodo. Statistics study: Reuters, The Guardian, Boston Globe, Newsweek, Project Earth, Health Day, Business Insider. DE & CO study: Denver Post

For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ordered Scott Pruitts U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Monday to enforce safeguards limiting methane pollution from new oil and gas operations.

Pruitt had attempted to stay implementation of the rule for 90 days, regardless of the impact such a delay would have on public health and the climate. A 3-judge panel of the court earlier ruled that Pruitt did not have the legal authority to stay the rule. In a 9-2 vote, the full court ordered that the mandate be issued, lifting the EPA stay, while the court considers industrys petition for rehearing. Industry now will be required to comply with the safeguards immediately. In the meantime, EPA is taking another shot at relieving industry of its obligations by preparing to issue a separate two-year stay of the same rule.

The courts order is a victory for our communities health and the safety of our climate, Joanne Spalding, Sierra Clubs chief climate counsel, said. Donald Trump and Scott Pruitts attempt to delay the implementation of these crucial protections had no basis in law, and we are glad to see their effort to do the bidding of the fossil fuel industry fail once again.

Trump and Pruitt have repeatedly overreached in their efforts to undermine environmental protections and prop up the oil and gas industry, and the Sierra Club will continue to fight to hold them accountable in court.
By Carey Gillam

Four months after the publication of a batch of internal Monsanto Co. documents stirred international controversy, a new trove of company records was released early Tuesday, providing fresh fuel for a heated global debate over whether or not the agricultural chemical giant suppressed information about the potential dangers of its Roundup herbicide and relied on U.S. regulators for help.

More than 75 documents, including intriguing text messages and discussions about payments to scientists, were posted for public viewing early Tuesday morning by attorneys who are suing Monsanto on behalf of people alleging Roundup caused them or their family members to become ill with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. The attorneys posted the documents, which total more than 700 pages, on the website for the law firm Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, one of many firms representing thousands of plaintiffs who are pursuing claims against Monsanto. More than 100 of those lawsuits have been consolidated in multidistrict litigation in federal court in San Francisco, while other similar lawsuits are pending in state courts in Missouri, Delaware, Arizona and elsewhere. The documents, which were obtained through court-ordered discovery in the litigation, are also available as part of a long list of Roundup court case documents compiled by the consumer group I work for, U.S. Right to Know.

It was important to release the documents now because they not only pertain to the ongoing litigation, but also to larger issues of public health and safety, while shedding light on corporate influence over regulatory bodies, according to Baum Hedlund attorneys Brent Wisner and Pedram Esfandiary.

This is a look behind the curtain, said Wisner. These show that Monsanto has deliberately been stopping studies that look bad for them, ghostwriting literature and engaging in a whole host of corporate malfeasance. They [Monsanto] have been telling everybody that these products are safe because regulators have said they are safe, but it turns out that Monsanto has been in bed with U.S. regulators while misleading European regulators.

Esfandiary said public dissemination of the documents is important because regulatory agencies cannot properly protect public and environmental health without having accurate, comprehensive and impartial scientific data, and the documents show that has not been the case with Monsantos Roundup herbicide and the active ingredient glyphosate.

When reached for comment, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., one of the plaintiffs lawyers said, This trove marks a turning point in Monsantos corporate life. They show Monsanto executives colluding with corrupted EPA officials to manipulate and bury scientific data to kill studies when preliminary data threatened Monsantos commercial ambitions, bribing scientists and ghostwriting their publications, and purchasing peer review to conceal information about Roundups carcinogenicity, its toxicity, its rapid absorption by the human body, and its horrendous risks to public health and the environment.

We can now prove that all Monsantos claims about glyphosates safety were myths concocted by amoral propaganda and lobbying teams, Kennedy continued. Monsanto has been spinning its lethal yarn to everybody for years and suborning various perjuries from regulators and scientists who have all been lying in concert to American farmers, landscapers and consumers. Its shocking no matter how jaded you are! These new revelations are commensurate with the documents that brought down big tobacco.

Several of the document discuss a lack of robust testing of formulated Roundup products. In one email, Monsanto scientist Donna Farmer writes you cannot say that Roundup is not a carcinogen  we have not done the necessary testing on the formulation to make that statement. The testing on the formulations are not anywhere near the level of the active ingredient.

The release of the documents Tuesday came without the blessing of Judge Vince Chhabria, who is overseeing the multidistrict litigation moving its way through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In March, Chhabria did agree to unseal several other discovery documentsover Monsantos objectionsand those documents prompted a wave of outrage for what they revealed: questionable research practices by Monsanto, cozy ties to a top official within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and indications that Monsanto may have engaged in ghostwriting, of research studies that appeared to be independent of the company.

The revelations within those documents prompted an investigation by the EPAs Office of Inspector General into possible Monsanto-EPA collusion, and roiled Europe where regulators now are trying to decide whether or not to reauthorize glyphosate, which is the most widely used herbicide in the world and is found in numerous products in addition to Roundup.

The lawyers said they are sending copies of the documents to European authorities, to the EPAs OIG and to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which has been sued by Monsanto for moving to list glyphosate as a known carcinogen

Monsanto has fought to keep most of the documents it turned over in discovery sealed, complaining to Judge Chhabria that in several court filings plaintiffs attorneys presented discovery materials out of context and tried to exploit the information to influence public opinion. Chhabria has both chided Monsanto for trying to improperly seal certain documents and warned plaintiffs attorneys against unfairly publicizing certain documents. It is unclear how Judge Chhabria will react, if at all, to the law firms release of these more than 75 documents.

Baum Hedlund attorneys said they notified Monsanto on June 30 of their intent to unveil the 75+ documents and gave Monsanto the legally required 30-day window to formally object. That period expired Monday, clearing the way for them to make the release early Tuesday, said Wisner.

Concerns about the safety of glyphosate and Roundup have been growing for years amid mounting research showing links to cancer or other diseases. But the lawsuits only began to accumulate after the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015 classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. The plaintiffs in the lawsuits allege that the combination of glyphosate with certain surfactants used in Monsanto-branded Roundup products is even more toxic than glyphosate alone, and Monsanto has sought to cover up that information.

Monsanto has publicly denied that there are cancer connections to glyphosate or Roundup and said 40 years of research and scrutiny by regulatory agencies around the world confirm its safety.

Monsanto has made billions of dollars a year for decades from its glyphosate-based herbicides, and they are the linchpin to billions of dollars more it makes each year from the genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant crops it markets. The company is currently moving toward a planned merger with Bayer AG.
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
Tobacco manufacturers are offering retailers incentives to promote their products in a bid to mitigate the effects of the advertising ban, a University of Stirling study has found.

The research discovered tobacco companies are offering rewards - such as cash bonuses, iPads and hospitality - to small businesses that attempt to boost sales of their brands.

Twenty-four small independent tobacco retailers in Scotland - including convenience stores, newsagents and petrol stations - were interviewed for the study, which followed the country's ban on the open display of tobacco in April 2015.

Retailers reported being offered, and accepting, a range of incentives in return for preferential practices. These included retaining a tobacco unit, maintaining stock availability, positioning products to maximise prominence, a push on sales, trialling new stock and particular brand promotions.

Lead author Martine Stead, Deputy Director of the Institute of Social Marketing, said: "The tobacco industry has, for many years, incentivised retailers to stock and sell tobacco, and to display particular brands prominently on their shelves.

"We might have expected that these practices would decline following the ban on open displays because customers can no longer see the products. However, our study suggests that is not the case.

"The tobacco companies rely on retailers even more to promote tobacco, now that displays are covered up. They are still offering them payments and rewards, including substantial lump sums to make verbal recommendations to customers to try a particular brand."

The study, conducted by the DISPLAY team, a collaboration between the Universities of Stirling, St Andrews and Edinburgh, and ScotCen, follows reports of similar incentive-driven schemes in Australia and Canada, where point-of-sale bans are also in place.

The Scottish team found incentives were often incorporated into existing partnership or loyalty schemes with points redeemable against cash or gifts, including hospitality, iPads and business equipment. Some of the retailers also received a cash bonus for keeping a gantry in their store.

As part of one promotion, retailers were told they would be visited by a mystery shopper who would ask for a rival brand. Retailers who instead recommended another product that the company wished to promote would receive a lump sum as a reward.

Most of the retailers - 17 out of the 24 - were given assistance by tobacco companies before the ban took effect to adapt their gantries to comply with the legislation, which requires tobacco products to be kept out of plain sight in units behind doors or roll down covers.

While the researchers acknowledge that the sample was small, they said it suggested that "the strategies identified in our study are likely to be adopted in other countries with, or planning to implement, a display ban".

The team acknowledged that using incentives to drive sales within the tobacco industry is not a new phenomenon. However, they found companies are now adapting these practices "to work within the context of the display ban".

"The rationale for bans on tobacco promotions and displays at point of sale is to reduce the ability of tobacco companies to exploit the retail environment in this way," they wrote.

"However, this study demonstrates that display bans do not prevent [them] from attempting to exert influence on retailers via their sales reps."

The team said this influence might be even more critical in the era of plain packaging, introduced in Scotland earlier this year.

The study suggests the practice could be ended by introducing a complete ban on company payments to retailers, reducing the number of shops selling tobacco in any given area, banning sales near schools and offering retailers incentives to stop selling tobacco.

The interviews took place in four Scottish communities in June and July 2015 and over the same period in 2016.

The research paper, Tobacco companies' use of retailer incentives after a ban on point-of-sale tobacco displays in Scotland, is published in the British Medical Journal's Tobacco Control journal.

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The DISPLAY study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is led by Professor Sally Haw, University of Stirling.
Washington, DC - August 1, 2017 - For the first time, researchers have used whole genome sequencing to identify the cause of a zoonotic infection that sparked a national epidemic. In a study published this week in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers describe their use of whole genome sequencing to determine the cause of a respiratory disease that ripped through a population of native horses in Iceland several years ago.

"Our study showed that you can use genomic sequencing to tell epidemic strains from endemic strains," said principal study investigator Andrew Waller, PhD, head of bacteriology, Animal Health Trust, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

The Icelandic horse population is geographically isolated, arising from animals introduced by settlers in the ninth and tenth centuries. Virtually no horses have been imported in the last thousand years. This isolation has kept Icelandic horses free from the most common contagious equine diseases. In 2010, a respiratory disease of unknown origin spread through almost the entire population of 77,000 native horses in Iceland. The disease involved coughing, nasal discharge, and high morbidity. "Iceland was so worried about what was causing it that they stopped exporting horses to the rest of the world," said Dr. Waller. "It had a big impact on their economy, as they breed and sell a lot of horses each year."

A team of scientists at the University of Reykjavik performed microbiological investigations and ruled out known viral agents, but identified the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus zooepidemicus from almost all of the nasal swabs taken from coughing horses and from the diseased tissues of occasional fatal cases. The bacteria is routinely isolated from healthy horses and widely considered to be commensal, but because it was so ubiquitous during the outbreak, the researchers began to think it could be the culprit.

Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute performed whole genome sequencing on 305 isolates of S. zooepidemicus: 257 from the epidemic including from 100 horses, two cats, one dog, and three people. They compared the recent isolates to ten archived Icelandic isolates of S. zooepidemicus from seven horses, two sheep and a dog to provide insight into the identity of historical isolates of S. zooepidemicus from Iceland, and to 38 isolates, which represented the wider population diversity of the bacteria beyond Iceland.

The majority of S. zooepidemicus isolates recovered during the epidemic fell into four distinct clades. "ST209 stood out as likely to be responsible for the epidemic," said Dr. Waller. The epidemic ST209 strain was also recovered from a cat and the blood sample of an Icelandic woman who had suffered a miscarriage.

Network analysis of affected farms identified a single common training yard as a primary center of transmission and demonstrated how a novel strain can spread rapidly through a susceptible population devoid of sufficient cross-protective immunity, despite a background of concomitant colonization with endemic strains. The most likely route of transmission of the epidemic strain at this yard, a water treadmill that horses used on a daily basis, did not contain disinfectant and was changed on a once- or twice-weekly basis. This provided ideal conditions for the transmission of S. zooepidemicus between visiting horses. Adding chlorine coupled with regular cleaning and disinfection of water treadmills may minimize or eliminate the transmission of S. zooepidemicus or other infectious agents via this route.

Previously, researchers have used whole genome sequencing to determine how germs spread through a hospital, but this is the first time the technology has been used to track the outbreak of a zoonotic disease. "This study enabled us to identify which strains were normally present in the Icelandic horse population and which was the epidemic strain that was causing the problem and that is very new," said Dr. Waller. "It was great to be able to show that this particular strain had spread so quickly through the whole population, and as far as we are aware, that has not been done before using whole genome sequencing."

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The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 50,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences.

ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications and educational opportunities. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences.
New research shows that resistance training protects the brain in persons with multiple sclerosis, which may delay the development of the disease

In the past, multiple sclerosis patients were advised not to exercise for fear of exacerbating the illness. However, it is now known that physical training can relieve many of the symptoms, including the excessive fatigue and mobility impairments that are often seen. New research now shows that resistance training may protect the nervous system and thus slow the progression of the disease.

This is the main finding of a study conducted by a research partnership between Aarhus University, Aarhus University Hospital, the University of Southern Denmark and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, that has just been published in Multiple Sclerosis Journal.

The study shows that resistance training has a number of positive effects on the brain, which go beyond what can be achieved through effective disease specific medication.

"Over the past six years, we have been pursuing the idea that physical training has effects on more than just the symptoms, and this study provides the first indications that physical exercise may protect the nervous system against the disease," says one of the researchers behind the study, Associate Professor Ulrik Dalgas from the Department of Public Health at Aarhus University.

"For the past 15 years, we have known that physical exercise does not harm people with multiple sclerosis, but instead often has a positive impact on, for example, their ability to walk, their levels of fatigue, their muscle strength and their aerobic capacity, which has otherwise often deteriorated. But the fact that physical training also seems to have a protective effect on the brain in people with multiple sclerosis is new and important knowledge," says Ulrik Dalgas.

In the study, the researchers followed 35 people with multiple sclerosis for six months. Half of the group engaged in resistance training twice a week, while the other half continued to live their lives normally without systematic training.

Prior to and following the six-month period, the test subjects had their brains MR-scanned, and the researchers could see that there was a tendency for the brain to shrink less in those patients who undertook resistance training.

"Among persons with multiple sclerosis, the brain shrinks markedly faster than normal. Drugs can counter this development, but we saw a tendency that training further minimises brain shrinkage in patients already receiving medication. In addition, we saw that several smaller brain areas actually started to grow in response to training," says Ulrik Dalgas.

The researchers behind the study are still unable to explain why training has a positive effect on the brain in people with multiple sclerosis. A bigger and more in-depth on-going study will help to clarify this, and may also lead to improved treatment options, says Ulrik Dalgas. However, he stresses that the aim is not to replace medication with physical training.

"Phasing out drugs in favour of training is not realistic. On the other hand, the study indicates that systematic physical training can be a far more important supplement during treatment than has so far been assumed. This aspect needs to be thoroughly explored," says Ulrik Dalgas.

It is not yet clear whether all people with multiple sclerosis can benefit from this type of exercise, as it has not been sufficiently tested in the more severely affected patients. Therefore, Ulrik Dalgas is not recommending that all multiple sclerosis patients throw themselves into intensive physical training regimes without first seeking professional advice.

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Facts,

Multiple sclerosis is an incurable disease of the central nervous system.

There are about twice as many women as men with multiple sclerosis.

Eighty per cent of people with multiple sclerosis live with the disease for more than 35 years.

The disease is found in both aggressive and more benign forms.

The cause of the illness is unknown, but both genetic and environmental factors play a role.

Source: http://www.scleroseforeningen.dk
Washington, DC, August 1, 2017 - Adolescent depression increases the risk of violence, suggests a study published in the August 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).

The study examined the longitudinal association between depression and subsequent violence from three representative samples in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Finland. Researchers for these three cohorts used complementary measures of depression, including self-report and clinical diagnoses, and different measurements of violence including informant reports of violence and official convictions for violent crimes.

The research team, led by Professor Seena Fazel, from the Forensic Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, found modest increases in risk of violence in depression. In absolute terms, for instance, in the Finnish sample, 7.1% of individuals with depression were convicted of one or more violent crimes, compared with 3.6% in the general population without depression.

In relative terms, across samples and measurements, the study shows a consistent pattern of increased relative risk of later violence. In the Dutch and UK samples, an increase in depressive symptoms was associated with a significant elevated risk of later violence. In the Finnish sample, the odds of violence in individuals with a diagnosis of depression were increased two-fold, compared to those without depression. These findings highlight the need for active and early treatment of depression in adolescents and young people. The mechanisms behind this link need further investigation, and may involve increased impulsivity, hostility and poor self-regulation.

"We know that high rates of depression have been reported among adolescents in juvenile detention and correctional facilities (e.g.,11% in boys and 29% in girls)," said Dr. Rongqin Yu, lead researcher at the Forensic Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. "However, the longitudinal link between depression and violence was unclear. Our longitudinal design allowed us to take into account previous violence, enabling us to test whether adolescent depression is associated with changes in violence over time. We found a consistent pattern of increased risk of later violence across samples. Both depression and violence are prevalent in adolescents and young adults; our findings indicate the importance of early detection and treatment of depression."

Professor Fazel said: "This research is important for two main reasons. First, it adds to the evidence of the many potential harms of untreated depression in young people. Second, it suggests that closer liaison between criminal justice and mental health might prevent violence in high-risk individuals."

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Notes for editors

The article is "Depression and Violence in Adolescence and Young Adults: Findings From Three Longitudinal Cohorts," by Rongqin Yu, Mikko Aaltonen, Susan Branje, Tiina Ristikari, Wim Meeus, Katariina Salmela-Aro, Guy M. Goodwin, and Seena Fazel (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.05.016). It appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, volume 56, issue 8 (August 2017), published by Elsevier, as an open-access article.

Copies of this paper are available to credentialed journalists upon request; please contact Mary Billingsley at mbillingsley@aacap.org or +1 202 587 9672. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact Dr. Rongqin Yu, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, at rongqin.yu@psych.ox.ac.uk or +44 (0)1865 618281.

About JAACAP

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) is the official publication of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. JAACAP is the leading journal focusing exclusively on today's psychiatric research and treatment of the child and adolescent. Published twelve times per year, each issue is committed to its mission of advancing the science of pediatric mental health and promoting the care of youth and their families. http://www.jaacap.org

The Journal's purpose is to advance research, clinical practice, and theory in child and adolescent psychiatry. It is interested in manuscripts from diverse viewpoints, including genetic, epidemiological, neurobiological, cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, social, cultural, and economic. Studies of diagnostic reliability and validity, psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological treatment efficacy, and mental health services effectiveness are encouraged. The Journal also seeks to promote the well-being of children and families by publishing scholarly papers on such subjects as health policy, legislation, advocacy, culture and society, and service provision as they pertain to the mental health of children and families.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a global information analytics company that helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 35,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a global provider of information and analytics for professionals and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com

Media contact

Mary Billingsley

JAACAP Editorial Office

+1 202 587 9672

mbillingsley@aacap.org
Key takeaway:

The enzyme--DGAT1--ensures that toxic fats don't damage a key organelle within cells

Boston, Mass. - A new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Howard Hughes Medical Institute sheds light on how a key fat-producing enzyme helps protect cells from a toxic form of fat.

The new finding contributes to a fuller understanding of the fundamental biology that underlies common metabolic diseases related to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart failure, and could lead to new insights on how to better treat such diseases.

The study will be published online August 1, 2017 in Cell Metabolism.

"We are excited about these findings--they solve a mystery and show how fat synthesis protects cells from dysfunction and disease," said Robert Farese, Jr., professor of genetics and complex diseases at Harvard Chan School.

Lead author of the study was Harvard Chan research fellow Chandramohan Chitraju.

The researchers looked at what happens to triglycerides (a type of fat) in cells during lipolysis, the process through which the triglycerides are broken down into fatty acids and transported for energy use to other tissues in the body. For decades, scientists have wondered why some triglycerides, after being broken down into fatty acids, wind up back in the cells in the form of triglycerides--a process known as "re-esterification."

By examining cell processes both in mice and in human cells, the researchers found out why: Re-esterification helps protect a key cell organelle called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER helps make cellular products such as proteins and lipids and it can be damaged by fatty acids--but not by triglycerides. The researchers also found that an enzyme called DGAT1 (diacylglycerol acyltransferase) is crucial to the re-esterification process, acting as a sort of cell police officer to ensure that toxic fatty acids stay away from the ER.

"To better understand what happens when cells are overwhelmed with fat during obesity, we first have to understand how the system normally deals with fluctuations in lipids," said Tobias Walther, professor of genetics and complex diseases at Harvard Chan and co-senior author of the study. "Our findings will hopefully spark new ideas on how to prevent the health consequences of obesity."

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Harvard Chan School's Niklas Mejhert was also a co-author.

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants (R01 DK101579, R01 DK056084, R01 GM097194), the American Diabetes Association, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and seed funding from the Gladstone Institute.

"Triglyceride Synthesis by DGAT1 Protects Adipocytes from Lipid-Induced ER Stress during Lipolysis," Chandramohan Chitraju, Niklas Mejhert, Joel T. Haas, L. Grisell Diaz-Ramirez, Carrie A. Grueter, Jason E. Imbriglio, Shirly Pinto, Suneil K. Koliwad, Tobias C. Walther, Robert V. Farese, Jr., Cell Metabolism, August 1, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.07.012

Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people's lives--not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America's oldest professional training program in public health.
Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen today announced a research collaboration with a company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) to develop solutions for preventing early aging. The aim of this partnership is to develop medicines to prevent and cure a broad range of diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cardiovascular diseases.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cardiovascular diseases are strongly associated with aging and share many characteristics on the molecular level. Experts in the genetics of aging at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine partnered with the Baltimore-based company, Insilico Medicine, specializing in AI to find molecules that can be developed into drugs to cure and prevent these diseases. The objective of this collaboration is to increase health span for everyone on the planet. "Many of the diseases of aging are associated with the failure of the DNA repair mechanisms. The aging processes accelerate as the DNA repair mechanisms lose function. The collaboration with Insilico Medicine will allow us to find the molecules that repair DNA and prevent accelerated aging", said the head of the biology of aging lab and assistant professor Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, Center for Healthy Aging.

Extended Lifespan for All

Insilico Medicine develops the advanced AI algorithms to study the aging processes and discover new interventions in aging. Many of these molecules aim to induce the expression of certain genes involved in the endogenous repair processes to slow down and even reverse some of the aging-associated diseases. By applying a specific branch of artificial intelligence called Deep Learning (DL) on multi-modal data, the company aims to discover molecules that can stimulate the repair of the DNA.

"Deep learning systems are outperforming human abilities in many tasks including image recognition and autonomous driving. But one area, where AI will have the most impact is drug discovery and we are deeply honored to be able to partner with professor Scheibye-Knudsen's group at the University of Copenhagen, which is one of the most advanced in the world. I hope that together we will be able to find new molecules to extend healthy longevity and make humans more resistant to the various stress factors", said Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, Inc.

At the advanced laboratories in Copenhagen, the research teams will be able to test the molecules identified using the artificial intelligence methods to select the most effective ones for joint development into novel medicines.

"We hope that cooperation can lead to the development of some new drugs that can prevent early aging, thus ensuring increased health spans for everyone. If we can find molecules that repair our DNA, it is not inconceivable that we can increase the upper limit to how old we may be, "says Morten Scheibye-Knudsen.

Insilico Medicine was the first company to apply deep generative adversarial networks (GANs) to generation of new molecular structures with specified parameters and published a seminal papers in Oncotarget and Molecular Pharmaceutics. Another paper published in Molecular Pharmaceutics in 2016, demonstrated the proof of concept of the application of deep neural networks for predicting the therapeutic class of the molecule using the transcriptional response data, received the American Chemical Society Editors' Choice Award.

The pharmaceutical industry is expected to benefit from the recent advances in AI. Insilico Medicine was profiled in the recent article in Nature Biotechnology titled "AI-powered drug discovery captures pharma interest" among the other companies utilizing machine learning for drug discovery. The agreement with Juvenescence is expected to set a precedent for the new molecules discovered using the new generation of artificial intelligence by a team of expert drug developers.

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About Insilico Medicine, Inc

Insilico Medicine, Inc. is an artificial intelligence company located at the Emerging Technology Centers at the Johns Hopkins University Eastern campus in Baltimore, with R&D resources in Belgium, Russia, and the UK sourced through hackathons and competitions. The company utilises advances in genomics, big data analysis, and deep learning for in silico drug discovery and drug repurposing for ageing and age-related diseases. The company is pursuing internal drug discovery programs in cancer, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, diabetes, sarcopenia, and ageing. Through its Pharma.AI division, Insilico provides advanced machine learning services to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and skin care companies, foundations and national governments globally. In 2017, NVIDIA selected Insilico Medicine as one of the Top 5 AI companies in its potential for social impact.

Brief company video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l62jlwgL3v8

About the Scheibye-Knudsen Laboratory

The growing proportion of the elderly population represents an increasing socioeconomic challenge, not least because of age-associated diseases. It is therefore increasingly pertinent to find interventions for age-associated diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cardiovascular diseases. Although the cause of aging is currently unknown accumulation of damage to our genome, the DNA, may be a contributing factor.

In the Scheibye-Knudsen lab we try to understand the cellular and organismal consequences of DNA damage with the aim of developing interventions. We have discovered that DNA damage leads to changes in certain metabolites and that replenishment of these molecules may alter the rate of aging in model organisms. These findings suggest that normal aging and age-associated diseases may be malleable to similar interventions. The hope is to develop interventions that will allow everyone to live healthier, happier and more productive lives.

Laboratory website: http://scheibye-knudsen.com/

About the University of Copenhagen

With over 40,000 students and more than 9,000 employees, the University of Copenhagen is the largest institution of research and education in Denmark and among the highest ranked universities in Europe. The purpose of the University - to quote the University Statute - is to 'conduct research and provide further education to the highest academic level'. Approximately one hundred different institutes, departments, laboratories, centres, museums, etc., form the nucleus of the University.

University website: http://introduction.ku.dk/presentation/

Contact:

Insilico Medicine

Dr. Qingsong Zhu

zhu@insilicomedicine.com

University of Copenhagen

Dr. Morten Scheibye-Knudsen

mscheibye@sund.ku.dk
On the 25th of June 2016 at 22:40:16 p.m. GMT NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (USA) registered a gamma-ray burst, which thereafter turned out to be just a giant burst precursor. In 31 seconds the Russian robotic telescope from the Global MASTER net of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, located in the Canary Islands (the Observatory of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Tenerife, Spain), got Fermi's message and in another 26 seconds started scanning square errors with the help of optical cameras.

Despite great mistakes in initial coordinates of the gamma-ray burst, the whole square errors was covered by the extra-wide field cameras of MASTER-SHOCK - the terrestrial counterpart of SHOCK cameras, set up at the Lomonosov Space Observatory. Due to this fact, MASTER already targeted at the place of interest when in 131 second after the first message NASA's Space Observatory registered the very disaster with high coordinate accuracy. Now a new Global Net Center - the Crimean Taurida - MASTER of the Lomonosov Moscow State University - has joined the Canaries' MASTER. At that moment this center was operating in test mode. Taurida- MASTER got first frames at 22:44:30 p.m. - in 12 seconds after the receipt of refined coordinates.

The main task was to detect polarization of intrinsic optical radiation of gamma-ray bursts. Intrinsic radiation is optical radiation, emerging in synchrony with gamma ray radiation. Intrinsic optical radiation observation refers to the most complicated tasks of modern experimental astrophysics since it requires complete robotization of the observation process along with original design of the telescope itself.

As a result, MASTER not only did the whole movie about the burst with the best time resolution but also registered for the first time ever polarization of optical radiation of a gamma-ray burst at that moment when the burst was still lasting.

GRB160625B gamma-ray burst turned out to be one of the most powerful space bursts, emerged in a narrow stream of relativistic particles, accelerated by electromagnetic field of a rapidly rotating black hole, developing right before our very eyes at the other end of the Universe.

Vladimir Lipunov, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor at the Astronomy Division of the Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Head of Space Monitoring Laboratory at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute and MASTER project supervisor says: "Detected polarization of intrinsic optical radiation has revealed that the vent of the most powerful space cannon is developed by ordered powerful magnetic field, formed by the emerging black hole."

15 years ago, in spring 2002 a scientific team from the Lomonosov Moscow State University under the leadership of Professor Vladimir Lipunov and funded by Optika Moscow Association started elaborating a first Russian completely robotic telescope, called MASTER. The target was to make it capable of observing the most powerful and very short bursts in the Universe - namely, gamma-ray bursts, which generally last for several tens of seconds. First observations were made already in autumn 2002. During six subsequent years the team of enthusiasts registered only two gamma-ray bursts.

This large-scale astrophysical experiment became successful due to cooperation between scientists from several countries. They elaborated unique robotic equipment in gamma rays, infrared radiation and in the world's only Global MASTER optical robotic telescopes search Net, established within the framework of the development program of the Lomonosov Moscow State University with support from Optika Moscow Association. The majority of the article authors (namely, 8 people) are comprised of Russian scientists. The project has been done in collaboration with researchers from Spain, RSA, USA, Mexico, Great Britain, Italy, Israel and Australia.

By this time 8 MASTER robotic observatories, located in four continents both in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, are launched. Global MASTER Net has become a leader in early optical observations of gamma-ray bursts in the world. Besides that, MASTER has discovered more than a thousand burst events in the Universe. It has also made a decisive contribution to optical search for the source of the first gravitational wave burst, detected by LIGO (USA). Moreover, it cooperates with large neutrino facilities like ICECube (USA) and ANTARES (France). Simultaneously Global MASTER Net has discovered eight potentially dangerous asteroids.

Registration of optical radiation polarization, synchronous with gamma ray radiation, turns to be a great scientific achievement, which has been a dream for the MASTER team for long 15 years from the project start. Moreover, it's also an evidence of high quality of Russian innovation technologies, elaborated with the participation of the Lomonosov Moscow State University scientists and private sector, presented by OAO Optika Moscow Association.

Unique mathematical support, designed by Russian scientists, could be used for solving both fundamental and application research problems. Among them one could distinguish struggle with space threats, near space monitoring, space debris observation.

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The following organizations take part in the Lomonosov Moscow State University project: the Blagoveschensk State Educational University, Irkutsk State University, Crimean Astronomical Station of the Lomonosov Moscow State University and Kislovodsk Solar Station of the Pulkovo Observatory, South African Astronomical Observatory (RSA), Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (Spain), Astronomical Observatory of the National University of San Juan (Argentina).
Snowshoe hares in Pennsylvania -- at the southern end of the species' range -- show adaptations in fur color and characteristics, behavior and metabolism, to enable them to survive in less wintry conditions than their far northern relatives, according to a team of researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

These evolved, organic survival strategies, they say, suggest snowshoe hares possess at least a limited ability to adjust to a warming climate.

Understanding adaptations of non-hibernating mammals to cope with extreme cold and snow -- and then, the lack of those conditions -- is important because climate-induced changes in winter temperatures and snow cover are predicted to become more pronounced in the future, noted team member Duane Diefenbach, adjunct professor of wildlife ecology.

Animals living in the Arctic and Boreal regions -- especially those adapted to survive harsh winters -- are particularly vulnerable because these regions are experiencing the greatest changes in winter conditions, said Diefenbach, leader of the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State.

"Understanding how a species has adapted to the different winter temperatures experienced across their range can offer insight into how a species might respond to future changes in winter conditions," he said.

Striking examples of that variability were documented by Diefenbach's team in findings published online in the Canadian Journal of Zoology. They compared winter coat characteristics and heat production of snowshoe hares in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, Monroe County, to hares in Canada's Yukon, in the southwestern Kluane region, to investigate how hares might respond to changing environmental conditions.

The study also investigated how hares in Pennsylvania altered movement rates and resting-spot selection to cope with variable winter temperatures.

To accomplish the analysis, data from a study of Yukon snowshoe hares collected in 2007 by research team member Michael Sheriff, assistant professor of mammalogy and ecology, was contrasted with information collected from 70 Pennsylvania hares trapped in 2014-15 by lead researcher Laura Gigliotti. Some were fitted with radio collars that monitored location, movement and animal temperatures.

A master's degree student in wildlife and fisheries science when the research was done, Gigliotti is now a doctoral degree student at Clemson University.

The researchers discovered that hares in Pennsylvania had shorter, less-dense and less-white winter coats than their northern counterparts, suggesting lower coat insulation. Hares in the southern population had lower coat temperatures, indicating that they produced less heat than those in the northern population.

In addition, hares in Pennsylvania did not select for resting spots that offered thermal advantages, instead selecting locations offering obstruction from predators. Hare-movement rates were related to air temperature, with the smallest movements occurring at the lower and upper range of observed ambient temperatures -- the animals did not move much in winter when it was very cold or very warm.

Snowshoe hares are ideal to investigate the potential for species to alter winter adaptations in response to climate change, explained Gigliotti, because unlike other small mammals that hibernate, group huddle, or use nests as means of coping with cold temperatures, hares remain active on the surface throughout winter. And they are active at night when temperatures are typically the lowest.

"Snowshoe hares also have well-documented morphological and physiological adaptations to cope with winter, such as an increase in fur density -- in addition to their coat color change -- and a low metabolic rate," she said. "Hares also have a broad geographic range, which permits comparison of winter adaptations from populations that experience very different conditions."

Pennsylvania hares were, on average, significantly larger than hares in the Yukon, Gigliotti pointed out, and to their surprise, researchers found specimens that did not completely molt, or change coloration from brown to white, in the winter. That development, of course, helps hares camouflage and elude predators in winters with scant snowfall.

"We trapped three hares in January that were almost completely brown, and it's the first time that has been recorded in eastern North America," she said. "There are hare populations in the Cascades in Washington that don't molt completely, but that had not been documented elsewhere."

Researchers, right now, can only speculate over what time scale Pennsylvania snowshoe hares' adaptations to warmer winters have occurred, and they don't know, yet, whether genetic modifications are triggering the changes. But, in tandem, the adaptations may allow hares to survive warming long term, Gigliotti hopes.

"Our results indicate that snowshoe hares may be able to adapt to future climate conditions via changes in pelage characteristics, metabolism and behavior," said Gigliotti. "Unfortunately, we don't know if they can adapt as quickly as climate change is occurring."

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The Pennsylvania Game Commission supported this research.
A chemical process that allows color images to be printed on specially coated paper and then erased so that different images can be printed on the same paper has been developed by researchers at Rice, Yonsei and Korea universities.

The researchers explain the technique in a paper that will be published in the Aug. 4 issue of the journal Advanced Materials, which will feature images printed with this process on the cover.

The technique makes use of structural colors, which have different properties than the ink dyes used for standard printing. The standard dyes absorb all the colors of the spectrum except for the color that is visible to the eye, such as red or blue, and the colors fade over time. Structural colors are determined by the selective reflections of certain colors at certain angles. They're made from one-dimensional stacks of layered polymers, called block copolymers.

"Copolymers are soft, stretchable and deformable," said Ned Thomas, Rice's Ernest Dell Butcher Professor of Engineering and professor of materials science and nanoengineering, of chemical and biomolecular engineering and of chemistry. "You can swell or shrink them and change their shape and dimensions, which will affect which color they reflect."

Thomas said one of his former Ph.D. students at MIT, Cheolmin Park, who is now a professor at Yonsei University, wanted to collaborate on developing printable and rewritable copolymer structural colors.

The researchers found that they could use a single, colorless, water-based ink based on ammonium persulfate (APS) to control how the copolymers cross-link in various locations, which impacts their subsequent thickness and hence the structural colors that are reflected. APS stops the swelling of the copolymers, and the thin layer reflects blue. Ethanol was used to thicken the copolymers, which reflected red. By applying varying amounts of ethanol and APS to paper that is coated with copolymers, the researchers were able to control the swelling and shrinking of the molecules and generate the colors and patterns needed to create a picture. Large amounts of APS stopped all swelling, which resulted in black images because there was no reflection.

The researchers also discovered that applying hydrogen bromide to the paper removed or erased the APS, so the reflections were neutralized, which "reset" the system so that the paper could be used again. They printed and erased images more than 50 times on the paper, with resolution similar to that of a commercial office inkjet printer.

Thomas said refinements will be needed before this technique is commercially viable. Because ethanol evaporates, the reflective patterns disappear, so the researchers are looking for a substance that is less volatile and will maintain the colors indefinitely. They also need to find an alternative to hydrogen bromide, which is toxic and not environmentally friendly.

Thomas thinks the technique has the potential to be cost-effective because it will require only one ink -- the APS -- and a modified inkjet printer that uses paper coated with copolymers, which should cost "pennies per sheet," he said. "This could be really useful when you want to reconfigure, recolor and reshape messages on signs or clothing."

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In addition to Thomas and Park, co-authors of the paper included Han Sol Kang, Jinseong Lee, Suk Man Cho, Tae Hyun Park, Min Ju Kim, Chanho Park, Seung Won Lee, Kang Lib Kim and Du Yeol Ryu, all of Yonsei University, and June Huh of Korea University.

The research was funded by the Samsung Research Funding Center of Samsung Electronics and the William and Stephanie Sick Chair at Rice.

Read the Advanced Materials paper at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201700084/full.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations on Twitter @RiceUNews.

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,879 undergraduates and 2,861 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.
Scientists probing under the seafloor off Alaska have mapped a geologic structure that they say signals potential for a major tsunami in an area that normally would be considered benign. They say the feature closely resembles one that produced the 2011 Tohoku tsunami off Japan, killing some 20,000 people and melting down three nuclear reactors. Such structures may lurk unrecognized in other areas of the world, say the scientists. The findings appear today in the print edition of the journal Nature Geoscience.

The discovery "suggests this part of Alaska is particularly prone to tsunami generation," said seismologist Anne Becel of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who led the study. "The possibility that such features are widespread is of global significance." In addition to Alaska, she said, waves could hit more southerly North American coasts, Hawaii and other parts of the Pacific.

Tsunamis can occur as giant plates of ocean crust dive under adjoining continental crust, a process called subduction. Some plates get stuck for decades or centuries and tension builds, until they suddenly slip by each other. This produces a big earthquake, and the ocean floor may jump up or down like a released spring. That motion transfers to the overlying water, creating a surface wave.

The 2011 Japan tsunami was a surprise, because it came partly on a "creeping" segment of seafloor, where the plates move steadily, releasing tension in frequent small quakes that should prevent a big one from building. But researchers are now recognizing it may not always work that way. Off Japan, part of the leading edge of the overriding continental plate had become somewhat detached from the main mass. When a relatively modest quake dislodged this detached wedge, it jumped, unleashing a wave that topped 130 feet in places. The telltale sign of danger, in retrospect: a fault in the seafloor that demarcated the detached section's boundary landward of the "trench," the zone where the two plates initially meet. The fault had been known to exist, but no one had understood what it meant.

The researchers in the new study have now mapped a similar system in the Shumagin Gap, a creeping subduction zone near the end of the Alaska Peninsula some 600 miles from Anchorage. The segment is part of a subduction arc spanning the peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. Sailing on a specially equipped research vessel, the scientists used relatively new technology to penetrate deep into the seafloor with powerful sound pulses. By reading the echoes, they created CAT-scan-like maps of both the surface and what is underneath. The newly mapped fault lies between the trench and the coast, stretching perhaps 90 miles underwater more or less parallel to land. On the seafloor, it is marked by scarps about 15 feet high, indicating that the floor has dropped one side and risen on the other. The fault extends down more than 20 miles, all the way to where the two plates are moving against each other.

The team also analyzed small earthquakes in the region, and found a cluster of seismicity where the newly identified fault meets the plate boundary. This, they say, confirms that the fault may be active. Earthquake patterns also suggest that frictional properties on the seaward side of the fault differ from those on the landward side. These differences may have created the fault, slowly tearing the region off the main mass; or the fault may be the remains of a past sudden movement. Either way, it signals danger, said coauthor Donna Shillington, a Lamont-Doherty seismologist.

"With that big fault there, that outer part of the plate could move independently and make a tsunami a lot more effective," said Shillington. "You get a lot more vertical motion if the part that moves is close to the seafloor surface." A rough analogy: imagine snapping off a small piece of a dinner plate, laying the two pieces together on a table and pounding the table from below; the smaller piece will probably jump higher than if the plate were whole, because there is less holding it down.

Other parts of the Aleutian subduction zone are already known to be dangerous. A 1946 quake and tsunami originating further west killed more than 160 people, most in Hawaii. In 1964, an offshore quake killed around 140 people with landslides and tsunamis, mainly in Alaska; 19 people died in Oregon and California, and waves were detected as far off as Papua New Guinea and even Antarctica. In July 2017, an offshore quake near the western tip of the Aleutians triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami warning, but luckily it produced just a six-inch local wave.

As for the Shumagin Gap, in 1788, Russian colonists then living on nearby Unga Island recorded a great quake and tsunami that wiped out coastal structures and killed many native Aleut people. The researchers say it may have originated at the Shumagin Gap, but there is no way to be sure. Rob Witter, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has scoured area coastlines for evidence of such a tsunami, but so far evidence has eluded him, he said. The potential danger "remains a puzzle here," he said. "We know so little about the hazards of subduction zones. Every little bit of new information we can glean about how they work is valuable, including the findings in this new paper."

The authors say that apart from Japan, such a fault structure has been well documented only off Russia's Kuril Islands, east of the Aleutians. But, Shillington said, "We don't have images from many places. If we were to look around the world, we would probably see a lot more." John Miller, a retired USGS scientist who has studied the Aleutians, said that his own work suggests other segments of the arc have other threatening features that resemble both those in the Shumagin and off Japan. "The dangers of areas like these are just now being widely recognized," he said.

Lamont seismologists have been studying earthquakes in the Aleutians since the 1960s, but early studies were conducted mainly on land. In the 1980s, the USGS collected the same type of data used in the new study, but seismic equipment now able to produce far more detailed images deep under the sea floor made this latest discovery possible, said Becel. She and others conducted the imaging survey aboard the Marcus G. Langseth, the United States' flagship vessel for acoustic research. Owned by the U.S. National Science Foundation, it is operated by Lamont-Doherty on behalf the nation's universities and other research institutions.

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The other coauthors of the study are Spahr Webb, Mladen Nedimovic and Jiyao Li of Lamont-Doherty; Matthias Delecluse and Pierre-Henri Roche of France's PSL Research University; Geoffrey Abers and Katie Keranen of Cornell University; Demian Saffer of Penn State; and Harold Kuehn of Canada's Dalhousie University.

The paper, "Tsunamigenic structures in a creeping section of the Alaska subduction zone," is available from the authors or from Nature.

Scientist contacts:

Anne Becel annebcl@ldeo.columbia.edu 845-365-8813

Donna Shillington djs@ldeo.columbia.edu 845-365-8818

More information: Kevin Krajick, Senior editor, science news, The Earth Institute/Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory kkrajick@ei.columbia.edu 212-854-9729

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is Columbia University's home for earth science research. Its scientists develop fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world, from the planet's deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu | @LamontEarth

The Earth Institute, Columbia University mobilizes the sciences, education and public policy to achieve a sustainable earth. http://www.earth.columbia.edu.
A University of British Columbia computer scientist has created a new software that can create a design sketch of an everyday object, addressing the challenge of accurately describing shapes.

The program, called FlowRep, was designed by computer science professor Alla Sheffer, in cooperation with Adobe Research and Washington University in St. Louis.

"If you try to explain what your computer mouse looks like to someone who has never seen a mouse before, you're going to struggle to verbally describe its shape," said Sheffer, who unveiled the new program today at SIGGRAPH 2017, the world's largest computer graphics and interactive techniques conference. "Humans are good at verbally describing colour or dimensions, but cannot easily articulate geometric properties. The easiest way to describe shapes is to sketch them."

To create the program, Sheffer used insights from a field of psychology known as Gestalt psychology that explains how humans interpret visual content and understand depth from two-dimensional drawings. The algorithms she developed based on these insights help turn diverse shapes like airplanes, cars, coffee makers and mugs into sketches.

"All you need is a dozen strokes or less and people will be able to envision the geometry of an object," she said. "This program answers the question about which surface curves we need to trace so that human observers can imagine a shape."

This research builds on earlier algorithms that Sheffer and her colleagues developed that can turn sketches and drawings into 3D shapes. Together, these methods can be used to recreate objects around us and has implications for fields like 3D printing and fabrication.

Sheffer's program has worked well in user studies. The sketches and 3D curves produced by the algorithm were deemed comparable to those produced by professional designers. Sheffer is now looking to explore additional applications of the system.

Since the current algorithm is best suited for man-made rather than natural shapes, Sheffer is also looking into improvements that will allow the system to produce top quality sketches of natural shapes.

Watch a video about FlowRep: https://youtu.be/en7ICJRGzH0

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'Celebrity' Twitter accounts - those with more than 10 million followers - display more bot-like behaviour than users with fewer followers, according to new research.

The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, used data from Twitter to determine whether bots can be accurately detected, how bots behave, and how they impact Twitter activity.

They divided accounts into categories based on total number of followers, and found that accounts with more than 10 million followers tend to retweet at similar rates to bots. In accounts with fewer followers however, bots tend to retweet far more than humans. These celebrity-level accounts also tweet at roughly the same pace as bots with similar follower numbers, whereas in smaller accounts, bots tweet far more than humans. Their results will be presented at the IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining (ASONAM) in Sydney, Australia.

Bots, like people, can be malicious or benign. The term 'bot' is often associated with spam, offensive content or political infiltration, but many of the most reputable organisations in the world also rely on bots for their social media channels. For example, major news organisations, such as CNN or the BBC, who produce hundreds of pieces of content daily, rely on automation to share the news in the most efficient way. These accounts, while classified as bots, are seen by users as trustworthy sources of information.

"A Twitter user can be a human and still be a spammer, and an account can be operated by a bot and still be benign," said Zafar Gilani, a PhD student at Cambridge's Computer Laboratory, who led the research. "We're interested in seeing how effectively we can detect automated accounts and what effects they have."

Bots have been on Twitter for the majority of the social network's existence - it's been estimated that anywhere between 40 and 60% of all Twitter accounts are bots. Some bots have tens of millions of followers, although the vast majority have less than a thousand - human accounts have a similar distribution.

In order to reliably detect bots, the researchers first used the online tool BotOrNot (since renamed BotOMeter), which is one of the only available online bot detection tools. However, their initial results showed high levels of inaccuracy. BotOrNot showed low precision in detecting bots that had bot-like characteristics in their account name, profile info, content tweeting frequency and especially redirection to external sources. Gilani and his colleagues then decided to take a manual approach to bot detection.

Four undergraduate students were recruited to manually inspect accounts and determine whether they were bots. This was done using a tool that automatically presented Twitter profiles, and allowed the students to classify the profile and make notes. Each account was collectively reviewed before a final decision was reached.

In order to determine whether an account was a bot (or not), the students looked at different characteristics of each account. These included the account creation date, average tweet frequency, content posted, account description, whether the user replies to tweets, likes or favourites received and the follower to friend ratio. A total of 3,535 accounts were analysed: 1,525 were classified as bots and 2010 as humans.

The students showed very high levels of agreement on whether individual accounts were bots. However, they showed significantly lower levels of agreement with the BotOrNot tool.

The bot detection algorithm they subsequently developed achieved roughly 86% accuracy in detecting bots on Twitter. The algorithm uses a type of classifier known as Random Forests, which uses 21 different features to detect bots, and the classifier itself is trained by the original dataset annotated by the human annotators.

The researchers found that bot accounts differ from humans in several key ways. Overall, bot accounts generate more tweets than human accounts. They also retweet far more often, and redirect users to external websites far more frequently than human users. The only exception to this was in accounts with more than 10 million followers, where bots and humans showed far more similarity in terms of the volume of tweets and retweets.

"We think this is probably because bots aren't that good at creating original Twitter content, so they rely a lot more on retweets and redirecting followers to external websites," said Gilani. "While bots are getting more sophisticated all the time, they're still pretty bad at one-on-one Twitter conversations, for instance - most of the time, a conversation with a bot will be mostly gibberish."

Despite the sheer volume of Tweets produced by bots, humans still have better quality and more engaging tweets - tweets by human accounts receive on average 19 times more likes and 10 times more retweets than tweets by bot accounts. Bots also spend less time liking other users' tweets.

"Many people tend to think that bots are nefarious or evil, but that's not true," said Gilani. "They can be anything, just like a person. Some of them aren't exactly legal or moral, but many of them are completely harmless. What I'm doing next is modelling the social cost of these bots - how are they changing the nature and quality of conversations online? What is clear though, is that bots are here to stay."

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A biologist at The University of Texas at Arlington has received a national funding for a project which uses frogs as a model to investigate how differences in habitat such as living above or below ground affect the functions and development of the eye.

Results from the research will be exhibited in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Natural History Museum in London - the two most-visited natural history museums in the world, with over 13 million combined annual visitors. The project will also generate a free interactive E-book for a general audience on the integrative nature of biodiversity research with a specific focus on vision biology.

"As the interface between the environment and the organism, the eye plays an important role in modulating an individual's responses to visual cues," said Matthew Fujita, UTA assistant professor of biology and principal investigator on the $714,992 National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology grant.

"Because environments can vary immensely across the world, including terrestrial, aquatic, above ground, and below ground habitats, eyes have evolved a multitude of ways to adapt to these distinct conditions," he added.

Rayna Bell, a research zoologist in the Department of Vertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and Jeffrey Streicher, a curator of amphibians in the Department of Life Sciences at the Natural History Museum in London, are co-principal investigators of the study. Streicher received his doctorate from UTA in 2012 and was a postdoctoral researcher in Fujita's lab in 2012-13.

Fujita and his colleagues hope the study's results will provide "deep insight into the constraints and opportunities of vision systems to evolving novel solutions to new life history modes and behaviors, a topic of primary importance in understanding drivers of diversification throughout the tree of life."

"This project aims to understand the evolution of the frog eye using genomic, morphological, physiological, and spectrophotometric or light absorbance data," Fujita said. "The diversity of life history strategies of frogs - which include nocturnal, diurnal, arboreal (living in trees), and fossorial (living underground) lifestyles - provides an excellent opportunity to investigate how differences in habitat and behavior affect the functions of the eye."

One example, Fujita says, is frogs that live underground tend to have small eyes because of their reduced environmental complexity compared to visual signals experienced by frogs living above ground. While these frogs exhibit the morphological reduction in eyes, do they also have a reduction in the genetic machinery that allow eyes to function? Fujita hopes that this is one of many questions the project will answer.

"Frogs are thus an excellent system to understand how the eye evolves in the face of vast differences in life history that reflect adaptations to distinct habitats," Fujita said. "Our integrative approach will provide detailed and comprehensive insight into vision evolution across life history transitions in frogs and addresses a central gap in our overall understanding of vertebrate vision evolution."

In order to understand vision systems at a broad scale first, the researchers will collect data across 27 families to generate a comprehensive appreciation of vision diversity and evolution in frogs. Molecular evolutionary studies will provide a genomic perspective on vision evolution with the expectation that visually-oriented frogs exhibit greater levels of natural selection, gene duplication, and retention of vision genes.

Characterizing the physiology and molecular underpinnings of vision in species with aquatic tadpoles and terrestrial adults will reveal how the visual system adapts to distinct visual environments during metamorphosis. These broad studies will provide a framework for more focused investigations that target transitions in sexual dichromatism - the difference in coloration of sexes within a given species - and fossoriality.

The NSF grant will also support several graduate research assistants in Fujita's lab, including T.J. Firneno, who will help establish a data management plan to consolidate all of the different data types that the project will utilize. Fujita and his students have already started collecting frog and toad specimens from Texas. They plan to continue collecting specimens in the United States and in Gabon this fall, and in Brazil, Australia and Ecuador over the next year.

The project will provide graduate, undergraduate and high school students with research experience that includes fieldwork, morphological measurements of specimens, molecular lab procedures including sequencing at UTA's Genomics Core Facility, and computational analysis, Fujita said.

Clay Clark, professor and chair of the UTA Department of Biology, said the project has the potential to fill in significant gaps in scientists' knowledge about the effects of evolutionary processes on vision, and also furthers the University's goal to do important research in data-driven discovery, one of the main pillars of its Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact.

"With this project, Dr. Fujita and his collaborators could answer some key questions about how changes in vision are influenced by the habitat in which an animal lives," Clark said. "The fact that he is leading this project which includes scientists from two of the pre-eminent research museums in the world speaks volumes about Dr. Fujita's skills as a researcher and about the caliber of work being done in the College of Science."

Fujita came to UTA in 2012. He received a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the University of California at Berkeley in 2009. His research focuses on genomics, systematics, and herpetology. The goal of his lab group is to understand patterns and processes that generate the tremendous biodiversity found in reptiles and amphibians at multiple phylogenetic, geographic, and genomic scales.

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PULLMAN, Wash.--Jean-Sabin McEwen knocks out a web search for "North Dakota," "night sky" and "flaring," and quickly finds a picture from space showing a glowing cluster bigger than Minneapolis. It's from oil and gas fields burning off methane, producing as much greenhouse gas in a year as 1 million cars.

"It's a big problem because not only do you waste energy, but you produce CO 2 ," says Su Ha, a Washington State University associate professor of chemical engineering and director of the O.H. Reaugh Laboratory for Oil and Gas Research. "So the question is: Is there something you can do better than that?"

Ha and McEwen, a WSU assistant professor of chemical engineering, say they have a solution: a small reactor that inexpensively breaks water and methane into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can be used for energy and industrial products. They report their discovery in the journal ACS Catalysis.

Methane, the primary component of natural gas, is a frequent byproduct of oil drilling. It is also a greenhouse gas 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide over the course of a century.

Piping it from remote areas is expensive, so energy companies burn off about one-third of the gas they produce in bright flares that can be seen from space. U.S. and Russian researchers in 2015 said flares around the planet accounted for 3.5 percent of the world's natural gas consumption.

McEwen and Ha's solution involves breaking down the methane in the field.

Ordinarily, methane is such a tightly bonded molecule that breaking it apart requires a lot of water and temperatures of about more than 1,800 F. But McEwen and Ha found that they could use much lower operating temperatures and an inexpensive nickel catalyst in the presence of an electrical field to orient methane and water in a way that makes them easier to break apart.

"It's like a combination lock," said Ha. "When you apply the right combination, when you apply the electric field with the right strength and right direction, it's like you are applying a combination to a lock and click, it opens."

At the end of the process, the researchers end up with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, the ingredients of syngas, or synthetic gas. The product can be used to make gasoline, or the reactor could be attached to fuel cells that convert and store the energy as electricity.

"The idea is to have something that is better suited to these remote areas than a large-scale reactor," said McEwen.

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Graduate students Fanglin Che and Jake Gray contributed to the research, which was funded in part by the USDA/NIFA Hatch Project, the O.H. Reaugh Endowment Fund and the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund.

The work is in keeping with Washington State University's Grand Challenges, a suite of initiatives aimed at addressing large societal problems. It is particularly relevant to the energy and water themes of the Sustainable Resources challenge.
Study shows when parents are partners in therapy with children, they experience improvements in their own depression, emotion regulation

TORONTO, August 1, 2017 - Parents of children with autism experience a greater impact from their child's therapy than once thought, according to new research out of York University's Faculty of Health.

Jonathan Weiss, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and CIHR Chair in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Treatment and Care Research, discovered that parents who participate in cognitive therapy with their children with autism also experience a real benefit that improves the family experience.

Approximately 70 per cent of children with autism struggle with emotional or behavioural problems, and may benefit from cognitive behaviour therapy to improve their ability to manage their emotions.

"Most of the time when parents bring in their kids for cognitive behaviour therapy, they are in a separate room learning what their children are doing, and are not being co-therapists," said Weiss. "What's unique about what we studied is what happens when parents are partners in the process from start to finish. Increasingly we know that it's helpful for kids with autism, specifically, and now we have proven that it's helpful for their parents too."

Parents who took part in the study were involved in a randomized controlled trial. They were asked to complete surveys before and after the treatment and were compared to parents who had not begun therapy.

Weiss and Ph.D student Andrea Maughan, examined changes in parent mental health, mindfulness, and perceptions of their children, during a trial of cognitive behaviour therapy for 57 children with ASD aged 8-12 who did not have an intellectual disability. The study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, showed that parents who participated in cognitive therapy with their children, experienced improvements in their own depression, emotion regulation, and mindful parenting.

"The research showed that parents improved their abilities to handle their own emotions and to see themselves in a more positive light," said Weiss. "It helped them to become more aware of their parenting and all of the good they do as parents."

In the study, parents were co-therapists with their child's therapist and were tasked with employing the same strategies alongside their children. This allowed the parents to learn to help themselves in the process. Parents were required to write down their childrens thoughts during activities.

"As a parent participating in the SAS:OR Program, I have grown as much as my son did. I used to use a "one size fits all" strategy with my son - now he and I have many tools to manage through difficult moments," said Jessica Jannarone, a parent involved in study. "The ability to talk about our feelings, identify triggers, and think proactively about approaches has brought both positivity and comfort to our lives. Watching my son develop in this program and find a way to start handling his feelings has been the greatest gift of all."

Weiss added the findings also speak to the importance for health care providers to involve parents in the process of delivering care to children with autism.

"We know parents of children with autism, in addition to all the positive experiences they have, also experience high levels of distress. So if we can do something to reduce that, we have a responsibility to try to do so."

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Watch an interview with parent involved in study talk about her experience with her son: https://youtu.be/y2ZeytXw_Pk

Interviews with parents and Professor Jonathan Weiss are available.

York University is known for championing new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-discipline programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. York students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world's most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. York U is an internationally recognized research university - our 11 faculties and 26 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, York is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 295,000 alumni. York U's fully bilingual Glendon campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.
Hundreds of Senegalese voters were prevented from casting their ballots in parliamentary elections on Sunday, after a tense campaign between rival coalitions, local media reports.

About 6 million voters head to the polls on Sunday July 30 in Senegal parliamentary elections, however, some voters were prevented to vote due to delays in issuing identity cards.

Interior Minister Abdulaye Daoudada Diallo said early last week that 30 percent of the cards had not been distributed yet.

What happened is a shame for a country like Senegal that has been voting since 1848, said Abdoulaye Wade, the 91-year-old former President and opposition candidate.

There are 165 seats to be filled in the National Assembly, and voters will choose from a record 47 lists, casting their ballots by party rather than for individual candidates.

Fifteen seats are being set aside for Senegalese expatriates  the first time that the countrys diaspora, estimated at 500,000 people, will have direct representation.

President Macky Sall is seeking to bolster his parliamentary majority as he eyes a second term next year.

Many observers see the vote as a sort of referendum on the current government of President Macky Sall and a preview of his potential challengers for the top job in 2019.
The vice-president of France's biggest farming union has said European Union farmers could lose billions in subsidy payments when the UK leaves.

Arnold Puech-d'Alissac, from FNSEA, told France 24 that the biggest concern was calculating how much the next CAP budget will be in light of Brexit.

"We could lose some billions," he said.

"But if you lose some billions out the EU budget the UK will lose all the European markets for its financial services, for example.

"That will be a big problem for the UK, the negotiations just started, we've got 18 months for an agreement, they will find an agreement."

Mr Puech-d'Alissac also voiced concern over the Irish border and potential non-EU goods crossing it.

"You need to find a solution, to have a border between these two countries is impossible.

"But maybe at the exit you can have strict control," he said.

'Hard border'

In May the president of another French farming union said there should be a hard border between the two countries to prevent non-EU food entering the EU.

Christophe Hillairet, who has been president of the Chamber of Agriculture of Ile de France for over 10 years, said the British government will sign deals to import food from Commonwealth countries post-Brexit and that those products could then be transported across a future EU land border via Northern Ireland.

Mr Hillairet expressed fears to Agra Europe that lamb from New Zealand could arrive in Northern Ireland and cross a 'soft' border into the Republic of Ireland, before entering the mainland EU markets.

Irish Creamery president John Comer said the only people enjoying Mr Hillariet's comments were anti-EU British eurosceptics.

"That must not happen, and with respect to our French friends, we would prefer them to reflect on the common good and not just on their own particular sectoral interests."

Speaking from Leinster House, Sinn Feins agriculture spokesman, Martin Kenny expressed deep concern at the remarks.

"We can assure him that Irish farmers do not want an influx of non-EU produce either, but it is a pity that, instead of listening to us and supporting designated special status for the North within the EU in order to secure the integrity of the customs union, he should take a Franco-centric approach.

"Calls for a hard border are not helpful."
A North Yorkshire farmer in his 60s has been trampled to death by a bull in a field.

Police were called to a field south of Hutton Rudby, near Stokesley, following reports of a man who had been trampled by a bull on Monday aternoon (31 July).

The man who died at Doddle Hill Farm was named locally as Brian Swales.

Hambleton Inspector David Murray said: Police are investigating this tragic incident but believe there are no suspicious circumstances.

The mans family is being supported by specially-trained officers at this incredibly difficult time.

The incident comes only days after the end of Farm Safety Week (July 24-28).

The Farm Safety Partnership said many farmers never stop to consider why animals behave as they do and, more importantly, what this behaviour could mean to their personal safety.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures from the 2016/17 period showed agriculture is the most dangerous UK profession, with 27 work-related.

Last year, 30 people were killed in agriculture, compared with 29 the year before.
A farmer has been issued with a 36,000 confiscation order from the Environment Agency after allowing tonnes of waste to be dumped on his land.

The farmer, Matthew Brown from Carr Farm in Rochdale, allowed hundreds of tonnes of waste to sit on his land.

The waste began to emit an odour associated with a landfill, according to the Environment Agency.

432 tonnes of waste were dumped on his farm, which included plastic, glass and textiles.

An investigation found that Mr Brown had allowed third parties to bring waste onto his land where it had been deposited and used to infill areas of the farm.

The Environment Agency had previously warned Mr Brown against the waste dumping because he did not have a permit or exemption for the tipping.

In September last year, Mr Brown was handed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work due to the unlawful waste operation.

The Environment Agency then proceeded with a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation. 36,720 has thus been confiscated from Mr Brown.
Rural areas will lose out if BT Openreach fails to deliver its universal high-speed broadband plans across the country, farmers have warned.

The government has said it may abandon plans to implement its Universal Service Obligation (USO) that ensures everyone in Britain has a legal right to request minimum speeds of 10Mbps by 2020.

But president of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Ross Murray said the plans should not be replaced by 'one company' delivering connections how it saw fit.

"We will fight any attempt to water down the hard won legal right to broadband for rural homes and businesses," he said.

"For too long, rural areas have been at the back of the queue when it comes to investment in infrastructure and that is why this legal principle is not something to compromise on.

"Accountability for delivering the rollout of broadband has been a closed shop discussion between the industry and the regulator for too long."

'Real barrier'

Poor connectivity is a longstanding issue in rural communities.

The lack of high quality broadband services in rural areas means that farmers, rural business owners and their families are being left behind.

But BT's boss Gavin Patterson said: "We already expect 95 per cent of homes and businesses to have access to superfast broadband speeds of 24Mbps or faster by the end of 2017. Our latest initiative aims to ensure that all UK premises can get faster broadband, even in the hardest to reach parts of the UK."

Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has said the government will look at both plans and make sure the consumer gets the 'best deal.'

Guy Smith, Vice-President of the body, commented: "More than ever farmers need to use digital technologies to help farm more efficiently and fully utilise emerging digital technology such as robotics and GPS.

"Yet no signal for mobile phone voice or text and a severe lack of broadband coverage is creating a real barrier for those farm businesses and putting them at a disadvantage."
A new report by a leading thinktank has set out the once in a generation chance the UK has to reform Britains environmental policy and approach to farming after Brexit.

Farming Tomorrow, a major report from Policy Exchange, says the Common Agricultural Policy has reduced agricultural productivity by lessening competition and supporting inefficient farmers, and increased costs for consumers.

Outside the EU, the thinktank says the UK will be free to abolish tariffs on food products, which will help unlock new trade deals, help developing countries and deliver cheaper food for consumers.

The report says the UK can also reform the agricultural subsidies regime so that it rewards farmers who deliver public goods, like biodiversity and flood prevention, rather than rewarding wealthy landowners.

A senior government adviser has recently called for an end to the subsidy addiction farmers have.

Defra secretary Michael Gove has insisted that farmers will, in future, be paid subsidies assessed on environmental and public benefits the land brings rather than simply how much land is owned.

However, a farming union has labelled his vision for farming under a 'Green Brexit' guise as a cause for concern .

'Phase out tariffs'

The report says that after leaving the EU Customs Union, the UK should unilaterally phase out tariffs that increase consumer food prices and complicate new trade deals.

The UK is being urged to replace the CAP with a new British agricultural policy which focuses on payments for ecosystem services (or natural capital) and phases out production subsidies and income support by 2025.

The report says that any remaining subsidies should be redirected towards protection for natural and public goods, and increasing R&D to boost innovation and the sectors long-term productivity.

Government is also being urged to ensure that its Industrial Strategy reflects the needs of the rural economy, and should redirect some agricultural subsidies towards rural infrastructure and connectivity and agricultural R&D.

The report states that the UK should review and reform EU rules such as the crop diversification rule and transpose key environmental directives to ensure continuity of protection for the environment.

Finally, the thinktank says the Food Safety Agency should be given new powers to collate, commission, and review scientific evidence on food safety and animal welfare.

'Support public goods'

Policy Exchanges Director of Research Warwick Lightfoot, who co-wrote the report, says the primary goal of government intervention in agriculture should be to support public goods, and to preserve high standards for environmental protection, food safety, and animal welfare.

He said: But while we are in the EU, 87% of UK farming income comes from subsidies, a perverse and unsustainable state of affairs.

Leaving the European Union allows us to think again about agricultural policy from first principles. The starting point for policy reform must be the consumer. The EUs historic reluctance to open up trade in food products has repeatedly stymied trade deals and led to higher prices for consumers and a distorted farming industry. The UK can now lead the world in cutting tariffs and being a champion of free trade in agriculture.

Reform of the CAP also offers a once in a generation chance to reform Britains environmental policy, and ensure that we leave the environment better than we found it. For the first time in over 40 years, we can have a proper land management policy which balances agriculture with other land uses like forestry: outside the EU we can plant more trees.
Actor Saif Ali Khan, who is gearing up for his next film Kaalakaandi which is widely shot in Mumbai, says the city has a cinematic vibe to it.

He feels the movie's director Akshat Verma has shown the city in the film wonderfully.

"I think Mumbai is really cinematic, and Akshat has shown it wonderfully. Bandra particularly has a lot of character and personality. You feel it's shot in a real place and you feel that instant connect to the place," Saif said in a statement.

The 46-year-old actor will be seen portraying Rileen in the film.

Kaalakaandi is a Marathi slang for when things go disastrously wrong. The film is a dark comedy about life, death and karma.

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It also stars Amyra Dastur, Akshay Oberoi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Deepak Dobriyal, Neil Bhoopalam and Vijay Raaz. The story unravels over one night in Mumbai with each character trying to be wackier than the other.
Star Plus' New Show

According to the reports, the new show is a romantic drama that revolves around a girl, who is the 51st (Ikyavan) child in the family. According to Hindu norms, she is considered lucky!

Star Plus' New Show's Story...

The boy belongs to the business family and is least interested in joining his father's business. Apparently, to avoid joining his father's business, the boy fails repeatedly in his exams.

Prachi Tehlan

Prachi Tehlan, who was seen on Diya Aur Baati Hum, has been roped in to play the female lead on the show.

Namish Confirms...

Namish confirmed the reports and was quoted by BT as saying, "Yes, I am back on Indian TV with Ikyawann after seven months. I will play Satya on the show. My character belongs to an affluent family. The show is set in Ahmedabad."

Namish's Character On The Show...

"My character belongs to an affluent family. The show is set in Ahmedabad."

Namish Adds...

Talking about his role, he further added, "He is the most handsome guy in the college. Since he doesn't want to join his father's business, he keeps failing in his exams."
Ingenia Communities Grouphas acquired it fourth Brisbane lifestyle community property for $25 million, which is close to a major Westfield shopping centre and the Brisbane CBD.The real estate investment trust exchanged contracts for the Sheldon Caravan Park, in Eight Mile Plains, Brisbane, in conjunction with a fully underwritten $74 million capital raising.The group expects settlement will occur at the end of August and the property will be accretive to FY18 earnings.Ingenia says the accommodation currently offers 241 park owned rental homes and 35 tourist cabins and sites, as well a pool and BBQ area.Shares in Ingenia Communities Groupare trading flat at $2.57.
During the second quarter Genesee & Wyoming (GWR) closed two acquisitions, which, when combined with other recent transactions, helped drive revenue growth. Meanwhile, the company's underlying profitability also improved, thanks to those deals as well as a turnaround in its U.K./Europe business, though higher interest expenses and taxes masked that improvement for the time being.

Genesee & Wyoming results: The raw numbers

Metric Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Year-Over-Year Change Revenue $540.4 million $501.4 million 7.8% Adjusted net income $47.0 million $49.9 million (5.8%) Adjusted EPS $0.80 $0.81 (1.2%)

What happened with Genesee & Wyoming this quarter?

Recent acquisitions continue to drive results:

Revenue in North America edged up 3.6% to $315.7 million versus the year-ago period thanks to the contribution of the Heart of Georgia Railroad acquisition, which closed during the quarter, as well as the recently integrated Providence & Worcester Railroad. The company also benefited from higher revenue from shipping agricultural products, minerals, and stones. That said, despite the bump in revenue, adjusted operating earnings were flat at $81.1 million due primarily to higher labor costs.

The company's Australia segment delivered a 38.9% year-over-year increase in revenue, which rose to $76.8 million thanks to the impact of its Glencore Rail joint venture, as well as higher revenue from shipping metallic ores. Those factors drove adjusted operating income up 99% to $20.3 million.

The U.K./Europe segment showed some improvements during the quarter as revenue rose 4.5% to $148 million. Driving that increase was a $25.5 million top-line boost from the recently completed Pentalver Transport Limited transaction. However, without that transaction, revenue from the segment would have declined $7.3 million -- even after adjusting for an $11.8 million negative impact from foreign exchange rate fluctuations -- due to the continued restructuring of its ERS Railways operations. The legacy issue aside, the Pentalver deal helped boost the bottom line of the U.K./Europe segment as adjusted operating income jumped 73.5% to $5.9 million.

While revenue and adjusted operating income rose thanks to the impact of the company's recent transactions, adjusted net income slumped. One of the culprits was an increase in interest expenses, which rose from $17.7 million to $25.8 million due to the incremental debt needed to facilitate the acquisitions. In addition, the company's income taxes rose from $22 million to $29.6 million as a result of the increased operating income.

The company generated robust free cash flow of $94.3 million during the quarter, pushing its year-to-date total to $154.3 million. That's up from $85 million at this point last year.

What management had to say

CEO Jack Hellmann summed up the company's second-quarter results:

In the second quarter of 2017, we closed on the acquisitions of the Heart of Georgia Railroad in the United States and Pentalver in the United Kingdom, we completed the restructuring of ERS in Continental Europe, and we reported financial results that were modestly stronger than expected, with reported diluted EPS of $0.74 and adjusted diluted EPS of $0.80. In North America, same railroad revenues remained flat overall while we maintained an operating ratio of approximately 75%. In Australia, our 51%-owned business performed well in the second full quarter since the acquisition of Glencore Rail, with higher same railroad shipments of iron ore and manganese and an operating ratio of approximately 74%. In the U.K./Europe, the turn-around in our financial performance became increasingly visible, a trend that we expect to continue through 2017 and beyond.

Genesee & Wyoming has completed several transactions over the past couple of quarters that have strengthened each of its operating areas. Those deals drove a noticeable improvement in revenue during the second quarter and should continue to do so in future periods. Also of note is the progress of the company's U.K./Europe business restructuring, which is on track, and the segment should start seeing improved profitability as a result. These factors lead the company to believe that its financial results should continue chugging along in 2017.

Looking forward

While the company has its hands full integrating its recent acquisitions, that hasn't deterred it from seeking out new opportunities. Hellmann stated that "our year-to-date free cash flow was strong," which gives the company the capacity to continue evaluating "a range of acquisition and investment opportunities across our global footprint of railroads."
Our smart pump measures only 25 square millimeters, making it the worlds smallest pump. That said, it still has a high compression ratio, says Dr. Martin Richter, department head of micro dosing systems at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFT in Munich.



Richter and his team use the piezoelectric effect, which converts an applied electrical field into mechanical strain, to generate pressure in the pump chamber. Alternating the voltage helps move the silicon membrane up or down, which in turn draws in ambient air through a valve and compresses it in the pump chamber before expelling it.

Using tricks to increase pressure

Conventional micro diaphragm pumps powered by piezoelectricity generate only relatively low pressure with air; the asymmetry of the piezo effect means a lot of room is required in the pump chamber to move the membrane. This inevitably results in a high dead volume, in other words a high volume of residual gas within the chamber. Richter and his team came up with a trick to reduce this dead volume and increase the pumps suction capacity. We use the piezo effect to specifically preload the diaphragm when assembling the piezoceramic. The advantage of this is that we no longer need a deep pump chamber. This trick enables us not only to build micropumps with high compression ratios but also to make them smaller in size.



Not just the diaphragm but also the flap valves and the pump chamber are made of monocrystalline silicon, which offers numerous benefits over metals and plastics. For one, the metalloid  which is also used to make solar cells and computer chips  is pliable and fatigue-free. For another, the individual pump components can be etched from the silicon layer with a high degree of precision and subsequently joined together.



However, its disadvantage is the relatively high cost of silicon, which is why it is crucial to make the pump as small as possible. Our goal is to reduce the size of the pump to 10 square millimeters to make its mass production profitable. We are well on track to achieving this, Richter says.



Currently, what makes it even more difficult to integrate gas sensors into smartphones is the fact that reaction times for these sensors are far too long. The smart pump would be able to deliver air specifically to the gas sensors, which would reduce the reaction time from several minutes to just two seconds. They could measure not only the concentration of particulate matter but also, for instance, whether the air in a room is stale and a window should be opened for ventilation. In principle, it could also analyze breath, for instance to measure its alcohol content. However, this requires a high degree of measurement accuracy, which has not yet been achieved. Otherwise someone might decide to get behind the wheel of a car believing they measure just 0.3 per mille, when in fact they measure 0.9 per mille, Richter warns.

Multiple applications

The micropump could also be used in medicine, for instance as a medical patch to continuously deliver tiny amounts of hormone or pain killer. Or as an implant to help regulate pressure within the eye in treating glaucoma. The pump could also supply machines with precise doses of lubricant. This is an application that we are currently developing with a partner from industry.



As part of Fraunhofers Discover funding program, which supports unconventional and original ideas, Richter and his team is also looking into an additional application: adding scent information to audio and video files. A headset fitted with our smart pump could deliver precise doses of different scents close to the nose. The gaming industry has already expressed an interest in this. Richter adds that the smart pump should be an interesting prospect for anyone looking to deliver precise, tiny doses of liquids or gases.



The smart pump project is being funded by the Fraunhofer Future Foundation, which aims to strengthen innovation and employment in Germany by licensing research results to companies.
Self-exiled opposition leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Moise Katumbi last weekend backed calls for protests, inviting Congolese to hit the streets against incumbent President Joseph Kabila.

Civil Society movement Lucha called for protests on Monday, July 31, against the continued stay in power of Kabila whos constitutionally mandated second term ended last year.

Congolese, this July 31st, let us all stand to save our country. Full support for the peaceful mobilization called by Lucha, the former governor of Katanga province tweeted over the weekend.

Katumbi who is actually in Belgium did not disclose when exactly he will return to the DR Congo but says it will be as quick as possible.

In power since 2001, Kabila has repeatedly rejected calls to step down following the end of his term in December 2016. The subsequent wave of protests was met with a relentless crackdown that led to the death of at least 40 people earlier this year.

The country is Africas largest copper producer and western mining companies have invested heavily there since a 2003 peace agreement ended years of conflict.

The DRC is nearly two-thirds the size of Western Europe and has a population of more than 79 million. Since it won independence from Belgium in 1960, there has never been a peaceful, democratic transition of power in the country.
When hackers targeted the German Parliament in 2015, it made headlines. The worrying thing about it was that the attack went undetected for a considerable period of time. In fact, it was only discovered by chance, by which time 16 gigabytes of data  consisting mainly of documents, e-mails and keyboard logs  had already landed in unauthorized hands. Cyberattacks like this one frequently hit authorities, businesses and other organizations. As an initial entry point, attackers often use phishing e-mails to gain access to the recipients computer, or they infect websites regularly visited by the victim. As things stand, IT security experts can do little to prevent it. Although many organizations are collecting security-related event logs in their security information and event management (SIEM) systems, these systems also contain vast amounts of data about legitimate day-to-day operations, such as details of which users have logged in and logs of websites visited. It is simply not feasible for computer experts to fish out the alerts indicating a potential attack from this endless sea of data. In reality, SIEM systems often resemble data graveyards.

Detection and correlation of indicators from event logs

In the future, it will be possible to uncover network attacks more quickly. This is thanks to profile-based anomaly detection software for SIEM systems  PA-SIEM  which is being developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Communication, Information Processing and Ergonomics FKIE in Bonn, who are collaborating with colleagues at OTH Regensburg and NETZWERK GmbH. The PA-SIEM project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research BMBF. Instead of relying only on predefined rules to detect cyberattacks, PA-SIEM calculates typical attack patterns from incomplete or weak indicators, says Rafael Uetz, a scientist at FKIE. This enables us to detect cyberattacks considerably more quickly and effectively.

The scientists are basing their work on a three-step process: First, the SIEM software gathers event logs from individual PCs and servers, as usual. Then, in the second step, special algorithms scan these logs for any anomalies or known threat indicators  essentially any deviations from standard behavior. The search results may indicate an attack, but not necessarily. Indications of an attack, for example, could be that a computer suddenly starts sending conspicuously large volumes of data to the internet. However, it could also simply be an employee sending unusually large files to a customer. Systems that detect such anomalies already exist, but they usually have a high false-positive rate. Even if this rate is only one per mille  meaning that one alert in every thousand is incorrectly identified as a threat  it can, depending on the size of the company, quickly set off several thousand false alarms in just one day.

Chains of events pave the road to success

But its essentially the third stage that makes the difference: we combine the indicators, which allows us to greatly reduce the error rate, explains Uetz. This can be demonstrated with a simplified numerical example: for an indicator that in 90 percent of cases is triggered by an attack, the false-positive rate would be ten percent. If two such indicators occur in close succession, say, if an e-mail comes in with a PDF attachment and then later the volume of data being sent to the internet spikes  this rate has already been reduced from ten percent to one percent. And if a third incident is then added to the chain, the false-positive rate is reduced again, now to just 0.1 percent. Incidentally, the German Parliament had fallen victim to a similar chain of events, which experts refer to as an intrusion kill chain: The attackers first sent a spear-phishing e-mail to install malware, which in turn captured passwords and administrator credentials, thus giving them all the information they needed to steal, delete and manipulate data. PA-SIEM software could have detected the whole incident much more quickly.


Top Samsung smartphones powered by Android Nougat to buy In India Features oi -Harish Kumar Grab the best Android Nougat run Samsung smartphone.

Although many manufacturers, especially Chinese ones have entered the Indian smartphone market today, Samsung still remains the most preferred brand in the country. Not only India, the Samsung is the world's top smartphone manufacturer.

Anyway, the topic of our discussion will be the Android Nougat run Samsung smartphones that are available in India. As most of you know, Android Nougat has brought in a slew of changes and new features. It offers support for split screen multitasking or multi-window mode. This split screen view allows for more than one apps to be arranged in the said mode.

Top 10 smartphones with high-speed 2.45 GHz CPU

Other than that, the addition of the Quick Reply feature will let users reply from the notification bar itself without opening any app. The Android Nougat run devices also have a better battery life and overall performance.

So now that you know the advantages of Android Nougat run smartphones, scroll down to know the top Samsung smartphone powered by the OS to buy in India.

Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro Buy At Price of Rs 20,290

Key Features

5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD Super AMOLED 2.5D curved glass display

1.6GHz Octa-Core Exynos 7870 processor with Mali T830 GPU

3GB LPDDR3 RAM

64GB internal memory

expandable up to 256GB with microSD

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Dual SIM

Samsung Pay

13MP rear camera with LED flash

13MP front camera with LED flash

4G VoLTE

3600mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J7 Nxt Buy At Price of Rs 11,490

Key Features

5.5-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) HD Super AMOLED display

1.6GHz Octa-Core Exynos 7870 processor with Mali T830 GPU

2GB RAM

16GB internal memory

expandable up to 256GB with microSD

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Dual SIM

13MP rear camera with LED flash

5MP front camera with LED flash

4G VoLTE

3000mAh battery Samsung Galaxy On Max Buy At Price of Rs 16,900

Key Features

5.7-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD TFT IPS 2.5D curved glass display

MediaTek Helio P25 Lite Octa-Core (2.39GHz + 1.69GHz) 64-bit 16nm processor with ARM Mali T880 GPU

4GB RAM

32GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Dual SIM

Samsung Pay Mini

13MP rear camera with LED flash

13MP front camera with LED flash

Fingerprint sensor

4G VoLTE

3300mAh battery Samsung Galaxy J7 Max Buy At Price of Rs 17,900

Key Features

5.7-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD PLS TFT LCD 2.5D curved glass display

1.6GHz MediaTek Helio P20 Octa-Core (MT6757V) 64-bit processor with ARM Mali T880 GPU

4GB RAM

32GB internal memory

expandable up to 128GB with microSD

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Dual SIM

Samsung Pay Mini

13MP rear camera with LED flash

13MP front camera with LED flash

Fingerprint sensor

4G VoLTE

3300mAh battery Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus 128GB Buy At Price of Rs 64,900

Key Features 6.2 Inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Display

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Octa Core Exynos 9/Snapdragon 835 Processor

4/6GB RAM With 64/128GB ROM

Dual Pixel 12MP Rear Camera

8MP Front Camera

Iris Scanner

Fingerprint

IP68

3500 MAh Battery Samsung Galaxy S8 Buy At Price of Rs 57,900

Key Features

5.8 Inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Display

Octa Core Exynos 9/Snapdragon 835 Processor

4/6GB RAM With 64/128GB ROM

Dual Pixel 12MP Rear Camera

8MP Front Camera

Iris Scanner

Fingerprint

IP68

3000 MAh Battery Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus Buy At Price of Rs

Key Features 6.2 Inch QHD+ Super AMOLED Display

Android 7.0 (Nougat)

Octa Core Exynos 9/Snapdragon 835 Processor

4/6GB RAM With 64/128GB ROM

Dual Pixel 12MP Rear Camera

8MP Front Camera

Iris Scanner

Fingerprint

IP68

3500 MAh Battery

Best Mobiles in India
A court in Malawi on Monday issued an arrest warrant against the countrys former president, Joyce Banda, in relation to a corruption scandal that took place during her tenure as president.

The Malawi police wishes to inform Malawians that its Fiscal and Fraud Section conducted some investigations on the suspected involvement of the former President in cashgate cases and unearthed credible evidence, a statement released by the southern African nations police read.

The evidence gathered raises reasonable suspicion that the former President committed offences relating to abuse of office and money laundering, the statement added.

Mrs Banda, southern Africas first female head of state, became the Wests darling for her reformist agenda after the death of her autocratic predecessor.

The cashgate saga is on record as the countrys biggest financial scandal. It is said to have involved loss of about $250 million and has swallowed up to a third of the budget of the impoverished country.

Malawi, since the establishment of a multi-party democratic system in 1994, has been struggling to set its economy, largely based on agriculture, on a path of development.

Since 2013, international lenders and donors have stopped their support after it was discovered that several politicians and public bureaucrats, including Mrs Banda, had plundered large amounts of cash from public finances.

Malawi police reportedly asked for INTERPOLs assistance in arresting Mrs Banda, who is currently out of the country.
Nokia 9 TA-1052 with single 13MP rear camera hits AnTuTu News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu A variant of Nokia 9 visits AnTuTu.

Recently, there have been many twists in the upcoming smartphones that HMD Global is all set to unveil sometime soon.

So long, the Nokia 9 was expected to be the flagship smartphone to be launched in the third quarter with a premium price tag. However, the Nokia 8 slated for an August 16 launch is claimed to be the flagship smartphone from HMD with high-end specifications and features on board.

As per a recent Weibo post spotted by TheAndroidSoul, it looks like the Nokia 9's AnTuTu benchmark listing has been leaked online showing the potential specs we can expect. The Nokia 9 with the model number TA-1052 has been spotted on the benchmark database. Most specs of this model appear to be identical to that of the TA-1004 variant. Instead of a dual camera setup, the TA-1052 will sport a single camera, tips the benchmark listing.

The Weibo user has also posted a screenshot of the AnTuTu benchmark listing and a render of how the Nokia 9 TA-1052 might look like. The image also misses out on the dual camera system at the rear.

The screenshot shows that the Nokia 9 will be launched with a 5.5-inch QHD 1440p display that is not bezel-less as seen on the other high-end and flagship smartphones. Under its hood, it is believed to make use of a Snapdragon 835 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage capacity. The other aspects listed by the AnTuTu benchmark database include Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS and two 13MP sensors - one at the front and the other at the rear.

Best Mobiles in India
Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge Independence Day sale includes up to Rs. 20,000 discount News oi -Abhinaya Prabhu You can now buy the Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge at a significant discount.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge, the 2016 flagship smartphones are one of the best sellers in the high-end smartphone market. Both these smartphones have received accolades for their superior camera, design, features, and performance.

While many consumers are already interested in buying the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge for the performance and other highlights as mentioned above, it looks like there is one more reason for the same. The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge will be available at a significant discount during the Independence Day sale. As a part of this sale, you can buy this smartphone at up to Rs. 20,000 off.

Samsung is all set to offer interesting discounts and deals on the yesteryear flagship smartphones to lure the prospective buyers. Going by the same, Samsung will offer a flat cash back of Rs. 4,000 on the debit card and credit card transactions and an exchange offer that will give up to 12,000 additional discounts on trading in your old smartphone to buy either the Galaxy S7. Eventually, the Galaxy S7 priced at Rs. 39,400 will be available starting from Rs. 23,400.

On the other hand, the Galaxy S7 edge (32GB) buyers will get a flat cash back of Rs. 8,000 and an exchange offer up to Rs. 12,000. This will bring down the price of the smartphone to Rs. 22,900. The 128GB variant of the Galaxy S7 edge costing Rs. 48,900 can be purchased at as low as Rs. 28,900. Apart from the exchange offer and cash back giving up to Rs. 20,000 discount, Samsung is also providing up to 24 months EMI option to the buyers of the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.

Notably, these offers will be available via both the offline and online retail channels. We can expect the Samsung exchange and cash back offers to go live in the coming days.

Best Mobiles in India




Haiti - News : Zapping...





The minimum wage to 350 Gdes risk aggravating the crisis

The deputy Jean Marcel Lumerant (Grand-Goave), a member of the "Group of Independent Parliamentarians" (GPI) and President of the Social Affairs, Labor and Family Commission, believes that President Moses could have considered more the workers' demands, convinced that the decision to fix the minimum wage to 350 Gourdes risks aggravating the crisis.



DR : The Consulate of Haiti and the PNRE are talking

On Friday, following the one-year suspension granted by the Dominican Government to Haitians enrolled in the National Regularization Plan for Foreigners (PNRE) to complete their registration and avoid deportation to their country of origin https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21624-haiti-flash-ultimate-reprieve-for-haitian-in-dr-registered-with-the-pnre.html Jean Tholbert Alexis, Minister Counselor of the Consulate General of Haiti in Higuey (Dominican Republic), met Osvaldo Guerrero, Director of the PNRE, without he informed the purpose of this meeting...



Moise on inspection visit of Vincent bridge

On Saturday, President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by the Deputy of Leogane, Jean Wilson Hyppolite, paid an inspection visit on the Vincent bridge in Leogane. It was for the Head of State to inform himself personally of the condition of this bridge in order to consider the measures to take to strengthen it.



PM receives doctors from the diaspora

This weekend, as part of the strengthening of the health system, the transfer of skills and the accelerated increase in medical specialists in Haiti, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant received a large delegation of Haitian doctors from the Diaspora.



Reform of public finances

On Friday, Aviol Fleurant the Minister of Planning and his colleague Jude A. Patrick Salomon, Minister of Economy and Finance (MEF), chaired a working session organized by the Commission for the Reform of Public Finances, to draw up the state of the public finances and evoke decision files.



Moise in Miragoane

On Saturday in Miragoane, President Moise , accompanied by the Departmental Delegate of the Nippes and some parliamentarians, met with the Mayors and members of the Boards of Communal Sections (CASEC) of Nippes on the various problems they face. The interconnection of communes in the Nippes department, drinking water, clearing rivers, building housing and the supply of equipment for the departmental public works department was at the heart of the discussions.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Army : Follow-up of the Ministry of Defense





Monday, as part of the "Mondays of the Press", Colonel Louis Marcelin Daniel, Director General of the Ministry of Defense, accompanied by the Director of the Military Engineering Corps, Captain Louicin Dieudonne, responsible for recruitment, presented the arrangements made in the remobilization process of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FADH).



Captain Louicin Dieudonne recalled that several phases are planned in the process of recruitment of the first class of soldiers, specifying that 2,350 young people of which 350 girls have enrolled and that 1,850 boys and 305 girls have already undergone the medical test whose the results will be available on Friday 4 August.



August 7 is the date set for the intellectual tests "The psychological, physical exams are the other steps that the postulants will have to pass after the intellectual trial" added the person in charge of the recruitment.



As for former demobilized soldiers, Colonel Daniel pointed out that they were not rejected in the reintegration process which will start next month according to established criteria. He said that the first-class youths who will be recruited will be accompanied and trained by former soldiers.



He recalled that "the mission of the Haitian Armed Forces of National Defense is maintained, while taking into account the evolution of society according to the road map submitted by the Prime Minister" https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20508-haiti-flash-roadmap-for-the-establishment-of-the-haitian-army.html mentioning that the army will be present on the border to help combat human trafficking, drugs and smuggling.



Concerning the new general regulations of the new army, he assures that they are ready, specifying that they are inspired by some principles of the old army and especially the White Paper elaborated at the national symposium on the remobilization of the Army in 2014 [ https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Livre_Blanc.pdf ]. Adding "These new regulations will be submitted to the Council of Ministers by the Minister of Defense and then transmitted to Parliament".



Regarding the General Staff he wanted to be clear "It is not for the Ministry of Defense to choose the members of Staff. The choice of the Commander-in-Chief and the General Staff will be done according to the laws of the Republic."



Download the White Paper on Security and National Defense : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/Livre_Blanc.pdf



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20508-haiti-flash-roadmap-for-the-establishment-of-the-haitian-army.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15914-haiti-flash-official-remobilisation-of-the-armed-forces-of-haiti.html



Action Plan of the Ministry of Defence (2013-2016) (PDF) (in french) :

https://www.haitilibre.com/images/plan-d-action-2013-2016.pdf



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Health : First case of leprosy in Chile diagnosed in a Haitian patient





The first case of leprosy in Chile was confirmed on Monday 31 July in Valdivia. The disease was diagnosed in a 28-year-old Haitian resident in Panguipulli. The test results arrived at Base Valdivia Hospital last week and were publicly confirmed by the Director of the Department of Health, Dr. Patricio Rosas.



Dr. Patricio Rosas said that the analyzes confirmed that it was leprosy, a disease that has become very rare in Chile. He confirmed that the patient was under treatment and that the disease could be effectively cured by multidrug therapy consisting of three antibiotics, which eliminates leprosy over a period of a few months.



The Chilean Minister of Health, Carmen Castillo, reassured the population and indicated that only 3 other cases had been reported at the national level and that the patients were currently under treatment.



Learn more about leprosy :

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium "Mycobacterium leprae" which causes skin and nerve damage. Without treatment, these lesions progress and become permanent and disabling, affecting the skin, the nerves, the limbs and the eyes. Symptoms include clear or red skin lesions, reduced sensitivity and numbness in the hands and feet. The incubation period of the disease is 5 years on average, but the symptoms can sometimes appear only after 20 years.



The treatment advocated by the WHO since 1981 makes it possible to cure the sick and to avoid, if administered early of disabilities. In addition, patients are no longer infectious from the first dose of treatment and their ability to transmit leprosy is therefore interrupted.



HL/ HaitiLibre
























Haiti - Social : Violence against Haitians in DR, the GAAR denies





The Group of Support for Returnees and Refugees (GARR) calls on the Haitian population to be cautious about false information circulating on the social networks.



Indeed, the GAAR observes for several days that "a certain situation of panic develops in the minds of the Haitian population both in Haiti and abroad, due to the dissemination of information (vocals, videos and photos) on social networks, which show scenes of violence against Haitian migrants living in the Dominican Republic..."



GARR has contacted several representatives of its partner organizations in the Dominican Republic "According to them, the information presented as current facts are totally false. Some of these are events that took place in 2015 in the neighboring Republic in particular, in Ortega, in the municipality of Moca."



The GAAR emphasizes that "the propagation of these false information is likely to cause a climate of tension between Haiti and the Dominican Republic."



While calling for vigilance, GARR urges those affected by the dissemination of these conflicting messages to promote a culture of peace and friendliness in order to foster harmonious relations between the two Nations of the island.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Ghanas Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful on Monday issued an ultimatum to state agencies and employees to stop using private email domains for official communications.

According to the minister, all government agencies should fully migrate onto the government domains by the end of the year to prevent unauthorized access to public information, as the situation could pose security threats to the country.

By the end of this year, we dont want to receive any official communication from any ministry, department or agency on any email platform either than .gov.gh. Owusu-Ekuful warned.

In her words, that information is not your personal information, it is official communication, and it is governments work so that must be on the governments platform, she insisted.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said another challenge with using private emails for official transactions is that when a public official leaves his post, official data is taken along.
Doing Homework on Vaccines this Back-to-School Season? Here are 10 Ways to Separate Fact from Fiction.
New Delhi : Amid the military stand-off in Doklam, the Chinese troops recently entered a disputed stretch along the international border with India.

The alleged incursion took place on July 26 at Barahoti in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.

On July 19 also, the Chinese troops had violated the border in Chamoli district and were seen camping along with arms.

Reports said that Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) troops had sent back a team led by Chamoli District Magistrate and others, including officials from ITBP, who had gone for a survey of Barahoti ground. The Chinese troops had claimed that it was their land.

In another incident, a helicopter of PLA violated the Indian air space in Uttarakhand on July 19.

After hovering over the Indian airspace for nearly five minutes, the helicopter disappeared and flew back to the Chinese airspace.

Uttarakhand shares a 350-kilometer long boundary with China.

India and China are currently at loggerheads over Doklam plateau in Bhutan.

The military tension over the Himalayan tri-junction between the two countries that share a 3,500-km boundary started in June when Indian troops stopped Chinese soldiers from building a road at the stretch where India and China connect with Bhutan.

The stand-off has hit India-China ties with Chinese experts threatening a war if New Delhi did not buckle.

Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran had on Thursday called the month-long military stand-off between India and China at Doklam part of a mind game. He added that there was a possibility of a prolonged impasse.

Source : Zee News
Resort operator Six Senses has named Dr Jitendra Varshney as the new Spa Director of its Laamu resort in the Maldives. Dr Varshney first joined Six Senses Laamu as a wellness practitioner and spa manager in June 2015, and has now been promoted to oversee all spa and wellness operations at the facility. A postgraduate in ayurvedic medicine and a certified yoga and reiki master, Dr Varshney specialises in integrated wellness consultations, guest treatment plans and Reiki therapies. Prior to joining Laamu in 2015, Dr Varshney spent the 11 years in India managing spas and wellness centres, including Leo Juventa Medi Spa, Three Graces by Amatraa Spa and Ananda in the Himalayas.
EY Announces New Leadership Promotions in San Diego

Posted by Press Releases on Tuesday, 08-01-2017 3:27 am

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Graeme Reid named partner and Lily Kordic named executive director.SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA (PRWEB) JULY 28, 2017Ernst & Young LLP recently announced the promotions of Graeme Reid to partner and Lily Kordic to executive director in its San Diego office.Our new partner and executive director have dedicated their careers to delivering exceptional client service, to the pursuit of quality and technical excellence, and to living the EY purpose of building a better working world, said Robert Bruning, Partner, Ernst & Young LLP and the EY San Diego Office Managing Partner. We commend them on this impressive and hard-earned career milestone.Bruning added that Reid and Kordic exemplify the EY commitment to being a purpose-driven organization, building a better working world and leading a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone can achieve their full potential.Graeme Reid provides a wide range of assurance services to market leading public and private clients in the real estate ...

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HR Tech World announces first line up of speakers for Amsterdam October 2017 show

Posted by Press Releases on Tuesday, 08-01-2017 3:08 am

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Amsterdam, 31 July, 2017 -- HR Tech World, the fastest growing international show on the Future of Work, has announced the latest line up of speakers for its largest European show which will take place at the Amsterdam RAI from 24-25 October, 2017. Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, will deliver the headlining keynote. Featured in the Forbes list of The Worlds 100 Most Powerful Women, Huffington will discuss redefining success and the critical importance of health and well-being in the workplace. The following influencers in the HR and HR Tech space were also added to the agenda: .Josh Bersin, Principal and Founder, Bersin by Deloitte .Peter Hinssen, Chairman and Co-Founder, Nexxwork .Anat Markus, Head of Global HR Operations and Services, Teva Pharmaceuticals .Kerstin Wagner, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Deutsche Bahn .Olivier Blum, CHRO, Schneider Electric .Daniel Thorniley, President, DT Global Business Consulting .Corinne Vigreux, Co-founder, Tom...

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Intentional investments in organizational culture drive business performance Culture eats strategy for breakfast. Nobody is sure where this maxim originated, but who cares? We agree with it. Culture is an organizations shared values and beliefs, including the full range of behaviors that are expected, valued, rewarded, punished, tolerated or ignored. Culture is not static. It is constantly evolving. Because you, as a senior leader, have the most power, your biases, values, beliefs and behaviors will have the greatest impact on how your organizations culture evolves. The alignment between what you say the organization values and what you actually do when those values are tested matters. Research shows that when employees perceive higher integrity to stated values in leadership and management, organizations tend to achieve higher productivity and profitability, better industrial relations, and greater attractiveness to prospective employees. Culture drives business performance so leaders should intentionally invest in shaping organizational culture. Walk Your Talk Purposefully shaping your culture begins with defining your organizations fundamental values and the behaviors that embody those values. Most organizations have a written document expressing their mission, vision and values. The best documents of this sort are not merely slick advertising copy. The best documents authentically express the passion, ...
MS-13's most vicious 'animals': The brutal gangsters still on the run including one who murdered a fellow member and another who shot dead his ex-girlfriend

Carlos Flores Garcia and Victor Alfonso Argueta are wanted for stabbing to death two men in Maryland whom they mistook for members of a rival gang

Robert Morales, 39, is wanted by FBI for murders of two men in Los Angeles and an attempted murder of a woman

Sole MS-13 member to have made it onto FBI's Ten Most Wanted list is Walter Yovaniy Gomez, accused of stabbing a man 17 times and cutting his throat

Founded in by Salvadoran immigrants in Los Angeles in 1980s, MS-13 is now estimated to have 10,000 members in US

MS-13 has emerged as America's most brutal street gang, sowing terror wherever it's got a foothold and leaving a trail of mutilated corpses in its wake.

The Latino gang's ultra-violent criminal activities have drawn the attention of President Donald Trump , who vowed to eradicate the criminal enterprise in a controversial speech delivered last week in Long Island, New York , where MS-13 units, known in Spanish as 'clicas,' have been holding towns in fear through acts of murder and bloody retribution.

'They kidnap. They extort. They rape and they rob,' Trump told an audience of police officers on Friday. 'They stomp on their victims. They beat them with clubs, they slash them with machetes, and they stab them with knives. They have transformed peaceful parks and beautiful quiet neighborhoods into bloodstained killing fields. They're animals.'

Scroll down for video



+4 Gang crackdown: President Donald Trump delivered a strongly-worded speech in Long Island, New York, Friday and vowed to wipe out MS-13



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In that speech, Trump suggested that police should not be 'too nice' to suspected MS-13 'thugs' and condoned using 'rough' methods when dealing with accused gangsters - words that have been met with sharp criticism by many law enforcement officials across the nation.

Having been started by Salvadoran immigrants on the streets of Los Angeles in the 1980s, MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, is now estimated to have some 10,000 members in the US, many of them teenage boys and young men from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

As Fox News first reported, among the gangsters there are currently five men considered to be the most-wanted affiliates of MS-13 in the country, suspected of slaying both rival and fellow gang members.

Walter Yovaniy Gomez, 28, is accused of stabbing a fellow MS-13 member 17 times in the back and cutting his throat

Walter Yovany Gomez: The 28-year-old undocumented immigrant from Honduras is the only member of MS-13 who has earned a spot on FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Yovaniy Gomez, dubbed 'Cholo,' is wanted for his alleged involvement in the murder of a man in Plainfield, New Jersey, in May of 2011. The victim was suspected of socializing with a rival gang and had been ordered to be killed by MS-13 leaders. It is alleged that Gomez and another gang member, after an evening of socializing with the victim, attacked him. The victim was struck in the head numerous times, had his throat cut, and was stabbed 17 times in the back. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Gomez in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, on September 19, 2013, after he was charged with violent crime in aid of racketeering. He was last seen in Maryland after he was driven there from New Jersey. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest.



+4 Robert Morales, 39, is wanted for murders of two men in Los Angeles and an attempted murder of a woman

Robert Morales : The 39-year-old, known as 'Casper,' is believed to be a member of the Coronado clique of MS-13. He is wanted for the alleged murder of two men and the attempted murder of a woman in Los Angeles. On July 31, 2000, Morales allegedly shot and killed a man waiting at a bus stop. On November 9, 2000, Morales allegedly shot and killed a fellow MS-13 gang member, and fired several shots at the victim's girlfriend. On January 22, 2001, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County issued an arrest warrant after Morales was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. A federal warrant charging Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution was issued on January 17, 2007.

Morales has a long criminal history including several assaults, burglary, narcotics transportation, and domestic violence. He has ties to El Salvador.

Carlos Flores Garcia, 30, is wanted in a double murder

Carlos Flores Garcia and Victor Alfonso Argueta: Garcia, 30, and Argueta, 31, both of El Salvador, are wanted for their alleged involvement in a double murder in Baltimore County, Maryland.

On January 8, 2006, the men were at a club in South Baltimore when they met the two male victims. It is believed the murders occurred because the suspects thought they saw one of the victims flash a rival gang sign. Law enforcement investigation revealed that the victims had no gang affiliation.

When the two victims left the club, they were approached by the suspects and agreed to meet them behind a local school. The two male victims were then stabbed multiple times with knives and died.

Victor Alfonso Argueta, 31, is believed to be Garcia's accomplice in the 2006 killing

Garcia was charged in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County with two counts of first degree murder on September 11, 2006. A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Garcia and he has been charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

Argueta was charged in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County with accessory to commit first degree murder after the fact and conspiracy to act as an accessory to commit first degree murder after the fact on September 11, 2006. A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Argueta and he has been charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.



+4 Carlos Alberto Gonzalez-Barahona, 26, is wanted for killing his estranged girlfriend and kidnapping a truck driver

Carlos Alberto Gonzalez-Barahona : The 26-year-old El Salvadorian national has been deported multiple times from the US and is wanted for killing his estranged girlfriend in June, earning him a spot on Texas Department of Public Safety's Ten Most Wanted list.

In 2010, Gonzalez-Barahona was convicted of Burglary of a Habitation after an incident in Harris County. In October 2013, he was deported from the United States back to El Salvador.

Then on June 18, Gonzalez-Barahona allegedly shot and killed his estranged girlfriend at their apartment in northwest Houston. After the shooting, he reportedly fled the Harris County area and abandoned a pickup truck he was driving in Wharton County. His whereabouts since then are not known. Prior to abandoning the truck on June 20, he allegedly kidnapped the driver of the truck at gunpoint in Brazoria County.

On June 20, the Harris County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Gonzalez-Barahona's arrest for Murder, followed by another warrant issued in July for Aggravated Kidnapping.

MS-13 works as an umbrella grouping of units, some of which are larger and more violent than others.
We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
New Delhi, Aug 1 (IBNS) : Arvind Panagariya, the first vice-chairman of Niti Aayog announced his resignation from office on Tuesday, media reports said.

August 31 is likely to be his last working day in Niti Aayog.

While the exact reasons behind Panagariyas departure couldnt be known so far, he had reportedly informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his decision to quit 2 months ago.

Panagariya was considered to be Prime Minister Narendra Modis personal pick for economic reforms,

According to CNBC Awaaz, PM Modi had tried dissuading Panagariya from leaving. However, the University was not willing to extend his leave.

It is said that he will return to academic life in the US, from where he came for the Niti Aayog assignment.

The 62-year-old Panagariya is an Indian-American economist and Professor of Economics at Columbia University.

Image: Wikimedia Commons
Mumbai/ Kolkata, Aug 1 (IBNS): Tata Steel UK on Tuesday announced it has completed the sale of its 42- and 84-inch pipe mills in Hartlepool to Liberty House Group.

The sale covers the 42-inch and 84-inch pipe mills, also known as the Submerged Arc Weld (SAW) mills, where about 140 employees manufacture pipeline for gas and oil projects around the world.

The two mills are fed with steel plate sourced from outside Tata Steel, so the mills were independent of the companys strip products supply chain.

Tata Steel will retain its 20-inch tube mill at the same Hartlepool site, where a further 270 people work.

The 20-inch mill makes tubes for a range of markets, including construction, infrastructure and machinery.

To further strengthen the 20-inch mill, Tata Steel will be making a 1 million investment to increase its capability to make high-strength steel tubes. The 20-inch mill is supplied with steel coils from Tata Steels European steelworks and is part of its strip products supply chain.

Bimlendra Jha, CEO of Tata Steel UK, said: I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make today possible. As a responsible seller it was important for us to find the most sustainable future for the 42- and 84-inch pipe mills."

"With this sale, Tata Steel UK completes its portfolio restructuring to focus on the strip products supply chain linked to Port Talbot, said he.

He added: I wish everyone involved in the new business the very best for the future.

Tata Steel will continue to be the largest steelmaker in the UK following the sale of the 42- and 84-inch pipe mills. It will employ almost 8,500 people in the UK, manufacturing advanced products for sectors like automotive and construction.

Tata Steel has invested more than 1.6 billion in its UK business since acquiring Corus in 2007, including 100m over the last year to enable advanced steel manufacturing in a number of UK sites.


At least 26 persons, including nine Policemen, were killed and another 56 were injured, in a suicide blast near the Arfa Karim IT Tower on Ferozepur Road, Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, in the afternoon of July 24, 2017. The suicide attack was carried out during the demolition of the old fruit and vegetable market. The suicide bomber, aged between 16 and 18 years, apparently riding a motorcycle, reached the spot where the Police were standing guard to avert any retaliation from the owners of the buildings being demolished. The bomber - wearing a suicide jacket containing at least 12 kilogrammes of explosives and shrapnel - triggered the blast at 3:55 pm (PST). An hour after the incident, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it had been carried out by its member Fida Hussain Sawati, and released his photograph on social media. However, on July 25, law enforcement agencies identified a new terrorist network, Taliban Special Group (TSG), an offshoot of TTP, as being responsible for the July 24 attack. This was the first assault by TSG, which reportedly includes some highly trained suicide attackers.

This was the third suicide attack targeting Lahore in 2017. Six people, including four Army soldiers and an off-duty Air Force airman, lost their lives after a suicide bomber targeted a census team in the Bedian Road area of Lahore on April 5, 2017. At least 19 others were injured in the attack. TTP claimed responsibility.

On February 13, 2017 at least 14 persons were killed and 85 injured when a suicide bomber struck around 6pm outside the Punjab Assembly on Mall Road, Lahore, during a protest. Six Police officials were among the dead, including two senior officers: Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Traffic, Lahore, Captain (Retd.) Ahmad Mobin and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Operations, Zahid Gondal of Punjab Police. A large group of chemists and pharmaceutical manufacturers were gathered in front of the Provincial Assembly to protest a Government crackdown against the sale of illegal drugs. There was a significant presence of SFs in the area while the protest was ongoing. Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Chief Dr Mohammad Iqbal disclosed, "The suicide attacker was on foot." The Jama'at-ul-Ahrar (JuA) faction of TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

Though the first seven months of 2017 were relatively peaceful in comparison to the corresponding period of 2016, the succession of suicide attacks on law enforcement personnel in the provincial capital come as a reminder of persisting terrorist capacity disrupt the fragile peace. According to partial data compiled by the Institute for Conflict Management, the Province has registered a 33.83 per cent decrease in overall fatalities, from 198 persons killed in the first seven months of 2016, down to 131 such fatalities in the corresponding period of 2017. While fatalities in the civilian and terrorist categories saw 64.63 and 19.79 per cent declines, respectively, in the corresponding period, a 25 per cent rise in the SF category was worrying.

The report of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) released on July 11, 2017, corroborated a 33 per cent decrease in terrorism incidents in Punjab during the period. The PILDAT report observed that Punjab had apparently improved its performance in the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) during first quarter (January-March) of 2017 as compared to the performance in the previous two years (2015-2016), noting: "Punjab had witnessed 12 major terrorist attacks during 2015-2016, bringing the average to 1.5 during each quarter, compared to one terrorist incident during the first quarter of 2017. Of the 15 points pertaining to the performance of Punjab on the implementation of the NAP (20 points), the first quarter of 2017 has recorded upward progress on the implementation of points No 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14, 15 in Punjab." NAP points in which progress has been noted principally include constraints on operation and finance of terrorism, containment of terrorist formations, steps against religious persecution, the regulation of religious seminaries and measures relating to the abuse of the internet and social media by terrorists. Points on which performance has remained unchanged relate to the implemented of death sentences for terror convicts, performance of special courts and reform of the criminal justice system, various steps against the media to neutralize promotion of terrorism and glorification of terrorists, dismantling terrorist communication networks, effective action against sectarian terrorists.

The decline in terrorism-related incidents can be attributed to the launch of a Province-wide crackdown on terrorist groups following the February 14-suicide attack on Mall Road, Lahore. The Provincial Intelligence Centre of the Punjab Home Department had issued a letter directing the Police leadership to beef up security in different cities of the Province. The letter was circulated among the Divisional Commissioners, Regional Police Offices (RPOs), Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) of Lahore, Deputy Commissioners, Central Police Offices (CPO) and District Police officers.

Further, on February 19, 2017, during a Provincial Apex Committee meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Punjab Government decided to seek support from the Rangers to combat terrorism in Punjab. On February 22, the Federal Government approved a request forwarded by the Government of Punjab for the deployment of Rangers personnel in the Province. The decision was taken by Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan during a high-level meeting attended by National Security Adviser Nasir Khan Janjua, Federal Secretary of the Interior Arif Ahmad Khan, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed and other officials of the Punjab Government. Punjab had requested the deployment of over 2,000 Rangers in the Province, with policing powers to conduct Intelligence-based Operations (IBOs) against terrorists, wherever required and with full authority. 10 companies of Rangers have been posted in Punjab with Police powers for the next 60 days under the Anti Terrorism Act.

After receiving the official notification on February 22, the Rangers conducted their first combing operation in the Rawalpindi area of Punjab. By February 26, they had conducted over 200 search operations in various areas including Karor, Layyah and Rawalpindi, and had arrested over 600 suspects.

During this period of 60 days (between February 19-April 22), 53 terrorists were killed across the Province in intelligence based operations, including the following prominent actions:

February 19: CTD killed five JuA terrorists in a shootout in Dera Sami Patti area of Chubara tehsil (revenue unit) in Layyah District.

February 24: CTD conducted an operation in which six terrorists were killed in the Patti Sultan Mahmood area of Muzaffargarh District.

March 29: Five terrorists affiliated to al Qaeda and TTP were killed by CTD during an encounter in the Kanja area of Gujarat District.

April 7: CTD killed 10 JuA terrorists in the night in the Manawan area of Lahore.

April 9: Five terrorists and one Pakistan Ranger were killed while one Rangers Deputy Superintendent received injuries during an IBO in Chhera Thal area of Dera Ghazi Khan District.

April 15: At least nine terrorists and three Pakistan Rangers personnel were killed during an exchange of fire in Basti Dadwani near the Choti Zareen area of Dera Ghazi Khan.

April 19: CTD personnel killed eight terrorists, neutralizing a 'big' TTP cell in the Narang area of Sheikhupura District. Two CTD officials were injured in the shootout.

Encouraged by these results, the Interior Ministry gave approval for a further extension of 60 days for the deployment and powers of the Rangers in Punjab on April 19, 2017. A Ministry statement noted that the 'present powers' of the Rangers were to end onApril 22. Three days before the expiry of the period, the Federal Government issued a notification for the extension on the request of the Punjab Government under the Anti-Terrorism Act of1997.

Despite the success of the counterterrorism operations, there at least 113 'most-wanted terrorists' from various Districts of Punjab still in operation, according to a April 23 Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control (MINC) report. According to the document, 19 most-wanted terrorists hail from Lahore; eight each from Sargodha and Faisalabad Districts; six from Rawalpindi, a city located next to the Federal capital; five each from Rahim Yar Khan, Sheikhupura, Bhakkar, Multan and Attock Districts. No terrorist on the 'most wanted' list belonged to Sialkot, Jhelum, Hafizabad, Vehari, Narowal, Okara, Chiniot, and Rajanpur in Punjab. However, some suspected terrorists from these Districts have been added to Schedule Four of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, which allows for terrorism suspects to be brought under observation.

The MINC document divides wanted terrorists into three categories, with about 22 potential suicide attackers. The Punjab Home Department has also notified head money of PKR 50.33 million for 73 wanted terrorists out of the 113 listed, according to the report. The second category contains profiles of 62 alleged Sunni terrorists, while the third is of 29 alleged Shia extremists. Of the total of 62 terrorists, nine are from Lahore; eight from Faisalabad; five from Rahim Yar Khan District; three each from Multan, Mianwali, Rawalpindi and Sargodha.

The recent suicide attack has blown holes in the Government's measures to contain terrorism. Reports indicate that the Punjab Police had been warned in advance about possible terrorist attacks in Lahore, with an advisory not to concentrate deployments at one place. At least 72 hours ahead of the July 24 terrorist attack in Lahore, the Punjab Police had been warned, but the message was either not taken seriously or not communicated to the grass root level in time. The suicide attack occurred just a few meters away from 180-H Model Town - the Punjab Chief Minister's camp office, exposing the called combing operations and vulnerabilities of the provincial metropolis.

Security experts have been dismayed at the failure to follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by Provincial police units across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, resulting in such tragic incidents. In a number of recent attacks, policemen were hit by terrorists while they were sitting in clusters, often at lunch, without proper guard and without due vigilance against possible attackers.

Further, whenever operations have been launched against terrorists in the tribal areas, they have retaliated in the major cities. The recent launch of Operation Khyber-4 in the Rajgal Valley area of the Khyber Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on July 16, inevitably drew the terrorists' wrath upon major cities, and security agencies appear to have failed to have taken necessary preventive measures against such retaliatory operations. By targeting Lahore, the terrorists have demonstrated that they are far from being eliminated, contrary to what both the civilian and military leaderships have regularly claimed.
Patna, Aug 1 (IBNS): Taking a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Congress said that the former does not enjoy a similar status in the BJP coalition he had in the Grand Alliance, reports said.

ANI news agency quoted Congress leader PL Punia as saying, "Nitish Kumar always had a respectable persona. But now he does not have that same figure in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government as he used to have in the grand alliance as the Chief Minister. He is just trying to fit in the BJP."

Nitish, who on July 26th ended his alliance with the RJD-Congress coalition, joined hands with the BJP later in the day as Sushil Kumar Modi was sworn in as the deputy Chief Minister of the state while the former kept his position.

Interestingly, Nitish had severed his ties with the BJP in 2013, after the party named Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.

A year later the BJP swept the general elections breaking several poll records.

However, following the renewal of his friendship with the BJP, Nitish has gone on records to praise Modi.

On Monday he was quoted in the media as stating that Modi is the 'biggest leader' in the country and that no one has the ability to 'defeat him'.

Both Modi and Nitish have exchanged barbs in the past, but have seemingly reconciled.

Meanwhile, following Nitish's shift in alliance, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has castigated both Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, blaming the latter for disrespecting the people's mandate.

Lalu has also invited Janata Dal (United) co-founder Sharad Yadav to join hands with him and fight against the Modi-Nitish duo.
Srinagar, Aug 1 (IBNS): In a major setback for Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, its Kashmir chief Abu Dujana were among the three militants killed in a gunfight with security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday morning.

Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hakripora village, security forces launched a cordon-and-search-operation in the area, a police official said.

The militants opened fired during the operation, prompting retaliation from the forces, which triggered a gunbattle resulting in the death of Dujana and other two associates, including a young local boy, identified as Arif Lilhaari, who recently joined the group.

Meanwhile, intense clashes between protesters and government forces erupted near and around the encounter site, sources said.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Guwahati, Aug 1 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Guwahati on Tuesday morning to review the flood situation in the state.

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said PM Modi will take part in a review meeting with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, other state ministers, top officials at Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati.

He will also address a legislators meeting of BJP and its ally parties Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) at the same venue, the Assam minister said.

The current wave of flood has claimed 82 lives and affecting over 2.5 million people of 29 districts.

The Assam minister said that, the state government will submit a memorandum to the PM for seeking permanent measures of flood and erosion in the state.

Meanwhile, tight security has been arranged in Guwahati for PM visit.

Image: File.
Beijing, Aug 1 (IBNS) : China will never compromise on its sovereignty, security or development interests, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday at an Army Day celebration, Xinhua news agency reported.

Xi Jinping's comments came in the middle of a sustained standoff between India and China at Dokalam near the Sikkim Sector, which China claims to be its own territory where India has deployed troops.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organization or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army, which falls on August one.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," he added.

The people's army should firmly safeguard the CPC's leadership and the socialist system, protect national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional and world peace, he said.

He urged the PLA to focus on war preparedness to forge an elite and powerful force that is always "ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win."
New Delhi/Srinagar, Aug 1 (IBNS): Reacting to the killing of Lashkar chief Abu Dujana in an encounter on Tuesday morning in Pulwama district, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said security forces did a commendable work.

While interacting with the media, Abdullah said: "Security forces have done a commendable work. Hope we all can live in peace in the state (Jammu and Kashmir)."

In a major setback for Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, its Kashmir chief Abu Dujana were among the three militants killed in a gunfight with security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday morning.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in Hakripora village, security forces launched a cordon-and-search-operation in the area, a police official said.

The militants opened fired during the operation, prompting retaliation from the forces, which triggered a gunbattle resulting in the death of Dujana and other two associates, including a young local boy, identified as Arif Lilhaari, who recently joined the group.

Meanwhile, intense clashes between protesters and government forces erupted near and around the encounter site, sources said.

Image: File.
New Delhi, Aug 1 (IBNS) : Pulling up party MPs at the weekly meeting, BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday asked them to ensure attendance in Parliament as long as the two Houses are in session, media reports said.

His admonition came as the party took a serious view of the absence of BJP MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Monday when a Constitutional Amendment Bill on backward classes was being voted upon.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters that Shah was sore with the fact that the Government had to drop a crucial clause from the Bill as the number of opposition members outweighed those from the BJP.

The amendments, that had the support of 74 Opposition MPs, were easily passed against NDAs 52 MPs.

"It is not good thing in the democracy as people have elected them to represent in the House. It sends a wrong message," Amit Shah said,

The incident proved to be a major embarrassment for the NDA which commands at least 78 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, excluding 10 members of the JD(U), the BJPs new ally.
New Delhi, Aug 1 (IBNS): The Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday that General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff, is on a visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan from between Aug 1 and 6, 2017.

The General and the high level delegation team travelling with him will be visiting important military installations and meet a number of high ranking dignitaries of both the nations.

During the visit to Kazakhstan from Aug 1 to 3, General Bipin Rawat will meet Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry along with Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces of Kazakhstan.

The delegation will also visit elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University at Astana where he shall be inaugurating the Indian Military Art Room.

General Bipin Rawat's visit to Turkmenistan from Aug 4 to 5 will be the first such visit by a Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army to the country

During the visit, General Bipin Rawat will be meeting Minister of Defence & Secretary, National Security Council, First Deputy Minister & Chief of Gen Staff alongwith Commanders of Land, Naval, Air & Air Defence Forces of Turkmenistan.

The delegation will also visit the prestigious Military Institute & Military Academy of Turkmenistan.

Image: ADG PI- Indian Army/Twitter
Guwahati, Aug 1 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high level meeting on Tuesday in Guwahati, Assam, to review the flood situation and the relief operations in the North Eastern states.

The Prime Minister is also meeting the chief ministers and top officials of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland to review the flood situation in these states.

The Prime Minister arrived in Guwahati on Tuesday and was received by the Governor of Assam Banwarilal Purohit and the state's Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

On Monday, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Prime Minister will also address a legislators' meeting of BJP and its ally parties, including Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF).

According to tweet from the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, Narendra Modi announced rupees two lakh each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives in the floods in Assam. He also announced Rs. 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods.



images: PIB
New Delhi, Aug 1 (IBNS) : India and Somalia on Tuesday signed a bilateral agreement for transfer of sentenced persons.

"An important step in deepening humanitarian cooperation,India and Somalia sign bilateral agreement for transfer of sentenced persons," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Yusuf Garaad Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia.

"Furthering coopn with an imp. African partner. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Mr. Yusuf Garaad Omar, Min. of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia," Baglay tweeted.

Omar arrived here on Monday on a five-day visit at the invitation of Sushma Swaraj. This is his first visit to India since he assumed office earlier this year.

According to reports, the two sides will discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Image: MEA
@alextdaugherty

Last week, Carlos Curbelo ventured across the Capitol to see his hero, Arizona Sen. John McCain, speak about the need for compromise in Congress.

The moderate from Miami listened intently as the maverick from Arizona. who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, chided colleagues from both parties on the Senate floor about the dangers of naked partisanship.

Just had the special privilege of being in the Senate Chamber to welcome John McCain back to D.C., Curbelo tweeted. He's a national hero & one of my heroes.

But less than 72 hours later, McCain cast the crucial vote against a narrowly tailored Obamacare repeal bill  a vote that will likely give headaches to moderate House Republicans like Curbelo ahead of the 2018 elections.

Curbelo and others like him took a politically tough House vote in May to replace Obamacare. But that bill is now dead. The political ads are yet to come.

In the wake of the legislative failure, Curbelo, whose Miami-to-Key West district is the most Democratic-leaning in the country currently held by a Republican, is now talking bipartisanship.

It's critical to our democracy for Members of Congress to put politics aside and come together to find solutions to the issues affecting our constituents, Curbelo, who declined an interview request, said in a statement. Our healthcare system needs reform and I've been committed to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find market-based solutions that would result in increased coverage and lower costs.

Curbelo is part of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of 43 House Republicans and Democrats who released a bipartisan health care plan on Monday.

Among other things, the plan calls for creating a stability fund that states can use to reduce health insurance premiums, requiring that businesses with more than 500 employees provide health insurance  instead of the current 50 employees  repealing the medical device tax and providing guidelines for states that want flexibility in the existing exchanges.

But hours before McCains vote, Curbelo said he was ready to proceed with the repeal of Obamacare if the Senate passed it.

Most Republican senators did not support the so-called skinny repeal. They viewed it as a way to start negotiations between House and Senate leaders to come up with a better plan.

Curbelo was unconvinced that any more negotiations among Republicans would work, and was ready to vote for a scaled-down repeal of Obamacare that pleased few within the GOP.

Though Curbelo doesnt have any legislative victories to show for his Obamacare vote, the Republican Party is ready to support a potentially vulnerable incumbent who voted in favor of one of the partys biggest priorities.

For Curbelos part, he has always been consistent in his messaging for healthcare, said National Republican Campaign Committee spokeswoman Maddie Anderson. His vote in the House was a way to keep the debate and the conversation going forward. He was aware that he thought it needed work.

Obamacare figures to be a huge campaign issue in 2018 for Curbelo and whoever challenges him for his seat, as 92,500 people in his district are enrolled in Obamacare, the second-highest figure for any congressional district in the country, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Read more here.
Guwahati, Aug 1 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, announced a relief package of over Rs 2,000 crore for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation measures in the flood-affected North-Eastern states.

The PM arrived in Guwahati, Assam, earlier in the day, to meet the chief ministers of the various north eastern states and review the flood situation and progress of relief work in Assam,

Through the course of the day, the Prime Minister held separate, detailed review meetings on the situation in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.

Chief Ministers of the respective states, and senior officials were present at the meetings.

A memorandum was received from the Chief Minister of Mizoram, who could not make it to the meeting in person.

Over Rs. 1200 crore will be given by the Union Government for the infrastructure sector alone. The funds will be utilized for repair, maintenance, and strengthening of roads, highways, bridges, and other damaged infrastructure.

Rs. 400 crore will be provided for improving the water holding capacity of the Brahmaputra River, which will assist in flood control.

In the current financial year, the Union Government has approved Rs. 600 crore as central share of SDRF. Out of this, Rs. 345 crore has already been released, and the remaining will be released immediately, to assist the States in relief and rehabilitation work.

The Union Government will also provide Rs. 100 crore for carrying out a study to synergize efforts towards finding time-bound long term solutions to recurrent floods in the region.

The North-Eastern region, with eight percent of India's land area, contains one-third of the country's water resources.

The Union Government will constitute a High Level Committee, with representation from Central government Ministries and the states, for proper management of the region's vast water resources.

An ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs. 50,000/- to each of those seriously injured due to the floods, has been sanctioned under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

Image: PIB
Patna, Aug 1 (TheBiharPost/IBNS): In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a petition seeking cancellation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumaras membership of state Legislative Council for allegedly hiding a murder case pending against him.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar agreed to hear the case after it was filed on Monday.

The case has been filed by advocate ML Sharma.

Questioning the Chief Minister's act of concealing the case from the Election Commission and then continuing in office without seeking bail despite facing such a serious criminal charge, the petitioner has sought immediate cancellation of Nitish Kumar's House membership.

The Chief Minister has been accused of killing a local Congress leader and injuring four others during the 1991 Lok Sabha elections for Barh seat.

The lawyer has sought cancellation of Kumar's membership as per the Election Commission's 2002 order making it mandatory for candidates to disclose criminal cases against them in their affidavits annexed to nomination papers.

thebiharpost.com
An 'area committee member' of the Aheri Dalam (armed squad) of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), identified as Mangru aka Ram Chinna Portet (48), was killed during an encounter with personnel of C-60, the Maharashtra Police counter-insurgency commando unit, in the forest area of Kopewancha near Rajaram Khanla village under Aheri taluka (administrative division) in Gadchiroli District on July 23, 2017. One 12 bore gun and some Naxal [Left Wing Extremism (LWE)]-related literatures were recovered from the encounter site. Portet had been involved in the 'movement' for more than two decades and had more than 40 offences registered against him. He carried a reward of INR 600,000 on his head. Portet was shifted to Aheri (he had earlier been working in the 'medical unit' of the outfit elsewhere) in Gadchiroli as a 'doctor' a couple of years ago by senior Maoist leaders in order to help strengthen the base of the party in his home taluka.

On July 12, 2017, two women cadres of CPI-Maoist were killed during an anti-Naxaloperation in the Yengao Forest area of Gadchiroli District. Though the identity of the slain cadres was yet to be established, large amounts of weapons, along with ration items, besides a cache of torches and batteries, were recovered from the encounter site.

On July 10, 2017, a woman Maoist cadre was killed in an encounter with the Police near Ranwahi village in Dhanora tehsil (revenue unit) of Gadchiroli District. Following intelligence inputs, the Police descended on the Ranwahi Forest, and the encounter ensued. A press note issued by Gadchiroli Police stated, "During the search operation, Maoists suddenly opened fire on the Police. The Police retaliated. After a while the Maoists, feeling the pressure, decamped. A woman Naxalite was found dead on the spot from where the police have also recovered a rifle and a lot of other material". The identity of the woman Maoist cadre was yet to be established.

According to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), Maharashtra has recorded 10 killings, including four civilians, one trooper, and five Maoists, in LWE-linked violence since the beginning of 2017 (data till July 30, 2017). During the corresponding period of previous year, the State accounted for 21 killings, including eight civilians, two Security Force (SF) personnel and 11 Maoists. A total of 26 such fatalities (12 civilians, two SF personnel and 12 Maoists) were recorded through 2016.

The numbers clearly suggest that civilian population is more secure. In terms of civilian fatalities, Maoist violence in the State was at its peak in 2011, when 34 civilians were killed, of which 27 were killed between January 1 and July 30, 2011. Civilian fatalities recorded in 2011 were the highest ever deaths registered in this category in the State since the formation of the CPI-Maoist on September 21, 2004. After registering decline between 2012 and 2014, on year on year basis, civilian fatalities started to rise in 2015, though the increase was marginal.

On the other hand, the SFs continued to record a superior success ratio against the Maoists on the ground, with a positive kill ratio of 1:5 in the current year. During the corresponding period of 2016, the ratio was 1:5.5. Through 2016, the SFs had achieved a ratio of 1:6 trooper:Maoist fatalities.

Meanwhile, SFs continue to arrest an increasing number of Maoists, with at least 10 such arrests in the current year. Most recently, on June 17, 2017, SFs arrested Pawanaka Soma Phoda Weladi (35), a member of the Maoists' Gariabandh 'divisional committee' in Gadchiroli District. The number of arrests through 2016 was two (one onMay 23 and the other on September 17). Five Maoists have surrendered in 2017, so far.

Noticeably, despite the Maoists' call for a boycott of the polls in the Gadchiroli District, about 68.27 per cent polling was registered in the second phase of Zilla Parishad(District Council) and Panchayat Samiti (block-level local self government institution) elections in the four highly restive tehsils of the Aheri Division in Gadchiroli District on February 21, 2017.

Significantly, all the incidents of LWE-linked killing in Maharashtra in 2017, thus far, have occurred in the Gadchiroli District. Through 2016, all 26 fatalities in the State were also reported from Gadchiroli District. In fact, the last LWE-related fatality in Maharashtra outside Gadchiroli, was reported way back on June 19, 2013, when CPI-Maoist cadres killed a medical store owner, identified as Lekhram Sabu Lilhare, in Darekasa village of Salekasa taluka in the neighbouring Gondia District.

According to the SATP database, out of a total of 472 fatalities (161 civilians, 143 SF personnel and 168 Maoists) reported from Maharashtra since September 21, 2004, 455 fatalities (154 civilians, 134 SF personnel and 167 Maoists) were in Gadchiroli District alone, i.e. a staggering 96.39 per cent. The remaining 17 fatalities were reported from Gondia [14 fatalities (five civilians, and nine SF personnel], Aurangabad (one civilian), Bhandara (one civilian) and Nagpur (one Maoist).

Gadchiroli is the epicenter of Maoist violence in the State. The reason for the strong Maoist presence here is that the District serves as a transit between Telangana [shared borders with two Districts, Adilabad and Karimnagar] and Chhattisgarh [shared borders with four Districts, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon], which are strategically crucial for the Maoists. Moreover, the District has a 78.40 per cent forest cover, i.e. 11,694 square kilometres, out of a total area of 14,412 square kilometres, making the task of locating and neutralising Maoists hideouts quite difficult.

Moreover, the Maoists are escalating their efforts to increase influence and areas of operation in and around Gadchiroli. According to a May 20, 2017, report, Waman Mandavi (19), a member of the Chetna Natya Mandali (CNM), the CPI-Maoist cultural wing, who was arrested from Gondia District in the last week of April 2017 (no specific date was mentioned), revealed that the old North Gadchiroli-Gondia-Balaghat-Rajnandgaon (NGGBR) zone/division has now been converted into the Gadchiroli-Rajnandgaon-Balaghat (GRB) zone/division. This is an effort to widen Maoist presence in the whole of Gadchiroli, and not just its Northern part, as in the past, and is expected to provide an opportunity to 'utilize' the facilities available in strong Maoist 'base areas' of the bordering Districts of Chhattisgarh, such as Kanker, Narayanpur and Bijapur, falling under the Bastar Division of Chhattisgarh, the epicenter of Maoist violence. The Maoists are already reported to have started surveying and recruiting in the GRB zone/division, which is currently headed by Surendra, Dama and Santosh, who were earlier associated with the Malajkhand and Tada dalams in the Balaghat District of Madhya Pradesh.

Governments - both at the Union and State - have recognized the consequent imperatives of further strengthening the security apparatus to counter the potential threat. In a review meeting of LWE-affected States held in New Delhi on May 8, 2017, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had pointed out the need for better connectivity to fight Naxalism. Fadnavis disclosed that, while the State Government had installed 37 mobile towers in the LWE-affected areas of Gadchiroli and Gondia in a first phase, which was launched in December 2014, work on another five was to be completed by end-May. No update is available regarding the completion of the five mobile towers. The state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited's (BSNL) had decided to install 42 mobile towers in the first phase in these two (Gadchiroli and Gondia) Districts. Apart from BSNL's usual capacity addition plans, another 40 towers for connectivity in LWE-affected areas of the State are to be installed in the second phase. An unnamed BSNL official disclosed on May 10 2017, that the second phase, work on which was to be launched 'soon', was expected to be completed by March 2018.

In addition, according to a April 19, 2017, report, Gadchiroli District will have Closed-Circuit Television (CCTVs) in around 25 villages for surveillance on Naxalites. These cameras would make the images of these remote places - from Kamlapur in the Aheri division to Hedri in Etapalli division - available at the local Police Station as well as at the District Police control room at Gadchiroli, more than 100 kilometers away. In the first phase, the more sensitive south Gadchiroli is being covered, with distant villages like Challewada, Kodselgudam, Tarigudam and some others already connected.

Further, according to a January 23, 2017, statement Maharashtra was to get 40 anti-mine vehicles worth INR 12.5 million each, and 146 imported night-vision cameras and 76 thermal imagers, among others, to assist SFs in night combat operations, by February 2017. No update is available regarding the actual acquisition and transfer of this equipment to SFs. Earlier, on January 22, 2017, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP, Special Operations), Bipin Bihari, had disclosed, "With only 15 outdated night vision cameras, which are seldom of any use, we were reduced to conducting night operations merely banking on ground experience, making the force vulnerable."

If the promised measures are implemented as a priority, in a time bound manner, they will go far in enabling SFs to contain the Maoist efforts to engineer a resurgence in the troubled Gadchiroli District. Any loss of this focus at the present stage, which finds the Maoists in a state of extreme weakness, would result in unacceptable future costs in lives and resources.
Mumbai, Aug 1 (IBNS): If you are still wondering if Jordan merits a visit, take a look at the recent Bollywood musical, Munna Michael.

The mesmerising background of most of the dance sequences have been shot in Jordan.

Take the song Pyar Ho. According most of the cine-goers it was impossible to miss the red hued stone carved dwelling.

That is Petra, popularly known as the Rose City.

The delightful reddish hue of sandstone amidst the maze of huge stone caverns is what makes Petra look magnificent.

Described as a "rose-red city half as old as time" by poet John William Burgon, Petra in southern Jordan is a World Heritage Site and also made it to the Seven Wonders of the World list in 2000.

The Munna Michael song also reveals another captivating site from Jordan; the desert wilderness of Wadi Rum.

It features dramatic sandstone mountains with valleys that cut into the sandstone and granite rock faces offering vivid views and a landscape resembling that of Mars.

It is because of its unique topography that many shots depicting Mars in the recent Hollywood film "The Martian" were shot in Jordan.

So instead of pondering, it is time to put on your travelling shoes and head to Jordan, Soon you will know why directors around the globe are homing in on Jordan to locate their shots.
New York, Aug 1(Just Earth News): The fight against racism must be unremitting to be successful, according to the oldest of the United Nations treaty-monitoring bodies, which opened its latest session in Geneva on Monday.

Many people face institutional and systemic forms of racism in areas such as access to justice, education, health, employment, or housing. Many people are the target of racist hate speech and hate crimes, whereas the community is now viewed more as a threat than as a force, said Adam Abdemoula, Director of the Division of the Council and the Treaty Mechanisms of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) opening the ninety-third session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) at the UN Headquarters in Geneva.

We are living in an alarming period in which racism is rehabilitated and legitimized in the name of security and nationalism, Abdemoula explained.

The 178 States Parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which marked its fiftieth anniversary last year, commit themselves to ending all forms of racial discrimination  defined by the Convention as any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin. The Committee monitors implementation of the treaty.

Abdemoula pointed out that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has recalled that although the ratification of a treaty is primarily a commitment to their people, many States do not respect their reporting obligations, adding that in this case, a very large number of outstanding reports remain.

The Director of the Division of Counsel and Treaty Mechanisms encouraged the Committee to work with States Parties to reduce the number of overdue reports. Abdemoula recalled that the Program for Strengthening and Improving the Functioning of the Organization, which supports States parties in strengthening their capacity to fulfill their treaty obligations, has produced concrete results to improve the reporting rate.

Noting that it was not necessary to yield to the hierarchy of oppression, Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the Committee, expressed regret that there had been no significant improvements in the racial discrimination suffered by many around the world.

On the one hand there is little room left for hope, but on the other hand there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel for people who help each other and for those who believe that it is possible to arrive at a fair and equitable world, she explained.

Crickley denounced the global toxic discourse of justification of the processes of strengthening security, including the profiling against Muslims globally, and that the legacy of the slavery of people of African descent continues. She also rejected the hierarchy of oppression.

The Committee, an 18-person expert body, monitors compliance with the Convention, assessing to what extent each State party is meeting its obligations, and making recommendations for Convention implementation.

The current session is set to review the implementation of the Convention by Kuwait, Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Djibouti, Tajikistan, Canada and New Zealand.

UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 1(Just Earth News): The top United Nations peacekeeping official is in the Central African Republic where he on Monday discussed the security situation and the political process, while paying homage to three UN 'blue helmets' killed in the line of duty in recent days.

The security dimension is important but it is only part of the solution, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said at a press conference in Bangui, stressing the importance of the political process in the country.

During his 48-hour visit, Lacroix met with President Faustin Touadera, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and engaged with the President of the National Assembly.

He also met with representatives of religious groups and civil society, as well as the diplomatic corps.

We need Central African leadership so that these processes can continue and progress, he said, stressing the importance of national ownership.

According to the UN Peacekeeping Mission in the country, known by its French acronym MINUSCA, he also urged prioritizing implementation of the ceasefire that was agreed upon in Rome on 20 June.

Speaking to the press, he warned against messages of hatred and division that advocate polarization on ethnic or religious grounds within Central African society: It is a poison and it is a duty to condemn these messages and stress that those who sow hatred will answer for their actions.

During the visit, Lacroix also met with the staff of the UN Mission and paid tribute to the three peacekeepers killed during attacks by alleged anti-Balaka fighters in Bangassou last week.

He also met with new troops from Tanzania and Zambia who recently joined MINUSCA.

Their arrival provides more force and greater flexibility for redeployment, and will make it possible to more effectively protect the population, the senior UN official said.

UNMISCA is implementing its robust mandate and is reorganizing to implement it further, he said.

Lacroix is expected to leave the CAR on Monday and proceed next to South Sudan.

Photo: MINUSCA

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 1(Just Earth News): The United Nations has scaled up its efforts to tackle the humanitarian crisis in northeast Nigeria, through a visit by its top migration official and the allocation of $10.5 million from a new fund.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly two million people fled their homes to escape Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria. More than half of the displaced are children and 133,000 infants.

We've seen the suffering of the people. We've seen their resilience. We've seen their courage. We've seen their patience, said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing during his visit to the area from 28 July to 30 July.

This crisis is competing with about eight others, including that of Syria, Yemen and South Sudan, for the world's attention, he added.

IOM's emergency response is based in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno and the birthplace of Boko Haram. Swing's visited Maiduguri and other main cities that have been devastated by the whole Boko Haram conflict, and the first camp for the internally displaced in the region.

Swing met with the deputy governor of Borno state and discussed IOM's increasing focus on livelihood interventions for displaced Nigerians, such as sewing, knitting and barbershop work.

IOM has built tarpaulin shelters for nearly 11,000 families, about 102,000 people in Borno state. A few hundred other households were given shelter kits to expand or repair their spaces in Adamawa, the other state devastated by the conflict.

Swing also met with Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja to discuss ways to prevent irregular migration.

According to IOM, about 37,000 Nigerians arrived in Italy by sea last year and more than 9,000 so far this year. Most travel to find work in Europe. But more than 2,000 migrants have died on the precarious Central Mediterranean route they follow from Libya to Italy in 2017.

The idea is not to stop migrants. It's about trying to save lives by counselling them about the risks of putting their lives in the hands of a smuggler, Swing said, explaining that IOM opened a migrant information office in Agadez, Niger, last year to try to engage migrants heading north from Nigeria to Libya and the Mediterranean Sea on the dangers many face.

IOM has helped more than 1,800 Nigerians return home safely from Libya this year through the organization's Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration programme.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated $10.5 million to life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable, including those in the hard-to-reach and newly accessible areas.

It will fund about 15 different projects, including the provision of safe drinking water, emergency shelter and health services.

Some 8.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the three worst-affected Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe; of them, 6.9 million people are targeted for humanitarian assistance.

Photo: Julia Burpee/UN Migration Agency (IOM)

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 2(Just Earth News): The conflict in South Sudan has to end in order to give the peace process there aa better chance of success,a the top United Nations peacekeeping official said on Tuesday, kicking off a three-day trip to the African country.

In the South Sudanese capital, Juba, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix met with with senior Government officials including the First Vice-President Taban Deng, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deng Alor and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Martin Lomuro, as well as other ministers.

The peacekeeping chief said that there was a shared understanding with the Government that actions and initiatives to advance peace are important and that they have to be put in place to accelerate the implementation of the Peace Agreement and bring sustainable peace to the world's youngest nation.

Lacroix underlined that the peace process could not move forward if fighting continued.

The UN peacekeeping chief commended efforts made by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and neighbouring countries, such as Uganda, to revitalize the implementation of the Peace Agreement and to bring stakeholders together.

The conflict in South Sudan began in December 2013 and since then a humanitarian crisis has developed which has left more than 5.5 million people in need of aid. Some 1.7 million refugees have also fled to neighbouring countries.

The UN is here to help move forward efforts to achieve peace in South Sudan and to help the people of South Sudan, said Lacroix. UN humanitarian agencies are doing their best to help South Sudanese and we look forward to further cooperation with the Government so that we can access populations in distress wherever the needs are.

UN Photo/Isaac Billy

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 2(Just Earth News): The top United Nations human rights official on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the detention of two opposition leaders by Venezuelan authorities after Sunday's elections for a Constituent Assembly convened by President NicolAs Maduro.

I am deeply concerned that opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma have again been taken into custody by Venezuelan authorities after their house arrest was revoked, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a statement issued by his Office (OHCHR).

He urged the Government to immediately release all those being held for exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression, noting that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention considers the detention of both Lopez and Ledezma to be arbitrary.

President Maduro has declared victory in Sunday's elections for the new body, which could replace the current National Assembly.

Zeid also expressed his regret that at least 10 people reportedly died over the weekend amid demonstrations over Sunday's polls, calling for a prompt, effective and independent probe into these deaths.

He urged the authorities not to make an already extremely volatile situation even worse through the use of excessive force, including through violent house raids that have occurred in various parts of the country.

I appeal to all parties to refrain from the use of violence, he said.

Photo: Helena Carpio/IRIN

Source: www.justearthnews.com
New York, Aug 2(Just Earth News): Describing the situation in Yemen as avery bleak,a with ano end in sight,a a senior United Nations official envoy on Tuesday said the war-torn country, already reeling from malnutrition and dwindling health care, is plummeting into further distress amid a deadly cholera outbreak and looming famine.

Historically, Yemen has been one of the poorest Arab nations  if not the poorest with rapid poverty and corruption, poor governance and poor infrastructure. The war has simply made it much worse, said Auke Lootsma, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director, briefing journalists in New York via teleconference from the capital, Sana'a.

He compared the situation in the country to a bus racing towards the edge of a cliff. Instead of hitting the brakes and turning around, Lootsma said, the one controlling the direction of the bus keeps going and pushes the accelerator, all but certain to crash.

He stressed that the Yemeni people are enduring incredible hardship, with 70 per cent of the population  some 20 million people  in need of humanitarian assistance. Additionally, some 400,000 cases of cholera recorded in the past few months have resulted in 1,900 deaths.

Lootsma emphasized that due to the scope of the crisis combined with a lack of funding and access, humanitarians are asked to cover gaps that are well beyond their mandates and capacities.

The country is on the brink of famine, with 60 per cent of the population not knowing where its next meal is coming from, according to the UN envoy.

He made clear that the current food security crisis is a man-made disaster not only resulting from decades of poverty and under-investment, but also as a war tactic through economic strangulation.

Pointing out that Yemen imported 90 per cent of its food even before the crisis, he painted a picture of the difficulty in bringing food into the country now.

Although food may be physically available in the market, it is actually financially out of reach for many of the poor families at this point in time, explained Lootsma.

The UNDP Country Director said that while cholera is not new to Yemen, the collapse of the health, water and sanitation sector due to a lack of salaries and damaged infrastructure exacerbated the situation.

Time is running out to 'stop the bus from going off the cliff'

He added that almost half of the health facilities are no longer functioning because they are partly or completely damaged, a situation made worse because doctors and nurses are not coming to work because they have not been paid and looking for income elsewhere.

With almost 1.2 million civil servants having not been paid since September 2016, many businesses have collapsed.

The conflict continues unabated as remaining infrastructure continues to be shattered garbage is piling up and water treatment facilities are marginally functioning, creating ideal conditions for diseases  and civilian casualties continue to mount, rendering Yemen as the world's largest cholera crisis, according to Lootsma.

With its population set to double by 2050, pressing development challenges  including changing climate, negative production and malnutrition  will have a great impact on Yemen's future.

Lootsma called on the international community to redouble their efforts, warning that time is running out to find the brakes to stop the bus before it goes off the cliff.

Photo: Giles Clarke for UNOCHA

Source: www.justearthnews.com
For weeks, House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, planned to shake things up at Florida's state-run property insurer, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Then Citizens got wind of Corcoran's plan and it all fell apart.

As speaker, Corcoran gets two plum appointments to Citizens' nine-member board that decides insurance rates for homeowners in much of Florida. His choice for one of them was his friend Mike Fasano (pictured), the Pasco tax collector, who as a Republican lawmaker was a persistent thorn in the insurance industry's well-heeled side.

Corcoran wanted Fasano to take the place of Chris Gardner, an Orlando insurance executive and ally of Citizens chief executive Barry Gilway, whose term expired Monday. Fasano was sure to make life miserable for Gilway.

But before Corcoran could appoint Fasano, two Gilway advisers raised a red flag, that because Fasano is an elected constitutional officer, his membership on Citizens' board might violate Florida's ban on dual officeholding by public officials, who can't simultaneously hold two positions with sovereign political power.

"They raised a question of whether that would be an issue," Citizens spokesman Michael Peltier said of Citizens' top lawyer and legislative affairs director. "They said, 'There may be issues here that you may want to take a look at.'"

Peltier said Citizens board members have power to approve assessments -- in effect, taxes -- on most lines of insurance if Citizens' cash surplus is drained after a major storm. But the question is whether a Citizens board membership constitutes an "office," with sovereign power, under the state Constitution.

This issue should have been checked out long ago, but apparently wasn't. A Times/Herald request for a legal opinion turned up nothing Monday. But if Corcoran insisted on appointing Fasano and a court later found that it violated the dual officeholding ban, Fasano could lose his $144,000-a-year tax collector's job. That's too big a risk, but Fasano also doesn't want Citizens blocking him by raising speculative questions.

The obvious solution: ask Attorney General Pam Bondi for an advisory legal opinion. In 2013, Bondi ruled that an elected Aventura city official could also serve on the special district board that runs Tri-Rail, the commuter train in South Florida. Florida's dual officeholding prohibition is nebulous and subject to interpretation and officials often are guided by the Supreme Court's rulings on it.

Corcoran could not be reached Monday. The speaker's office declined to comment. Fasano called the episode "absurd" and said: "Nobody in Tallahassee is challenging Citizens. Nothing has changed. The special interests are still in charge."

Photo credit: Scott Keeler, Tampa Bay Times
Toronto, Aug 1 (IBNS): Several deaths due to drug overdoses in the last week prompted Toronto to take the decision of setting up three safe injection centres with an aim to curb the loss of lives, media reports said.

In the last week, between Thursday and Sunday, twenty people were reportedly overdosed with the drug intake while four others died in downtown Toronto.

Apart from the safe injection centres, the city will also have pharmacies with nalaxone, an antidote to neutralise overdoses.

The death has prompted police to issue a public alert.

Though the number of deaths were lesser than the figure recorded by Vancouver in June, people who deal with drug problems do not want to take the matter lightly.

In June, Vancouver registered 25 deaths due to drug overdoses.

Jason Altenberg, program director at Toronto's South Riverdale Community Health Centre was quoted by CTV News: "The number of deaths in the last week or two alone due to any single cause would be considered a public health crisis anywhere."

Altenberg also considered the social geography as a reason for lesser number of deaths in Toronto compared to Vancouver. He cited the lower concentration of poverty in Toronto as a reason behind the number.

"In Toronto, we don't see the same concentration of poverty and drug use in one postal code or neighbourhood" he said.

Speaking about the decision to create injection centres, Altenberg said: "When we first decided that we needed supervised injection services, we didn't have this level of crisis....The three clinics that will host safe injection sites, including South Riverdale, were approved based on data collected in 2012."

Though the actual reason is not yet confirmed, the police opined the death may be linked to heroin laced with fentanyl.

Urging not to intake drugs alone, Health Canada suspected fentanyl might be present in illegal drugs.

"Illegal drugs can be tainted with #fentanyl. Never use alone #StopOverdoses " Health Canada tweeted.

Commenting on the whole development, Toronto Mayor John Tory said: "I continue to be extremely concerned about the number of drug overdoses taking place in Toronto, a number of which have been fatal."

I continue to be extremely concerned about the number of drug overdoses taking place in Toronto, a number of which have been fatal.  John Tory (@JohnTory) July 30, 2017

Toronto's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, highlighted a figure of 73% increase in preventable deaths caused due to the drug overdoses.

Following the deaths in last week, Toronto has decided to open the safe injection centres this fall. The move has also been approved by the Health Canada.

(Reporting by Souvik Ghosh)

Images: Creative Commons.
Lawmakers in Connecticut gave final approval to a bill that updates gaming agreements with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe

The tribes updated their agreements to address their new commercial casino . They want to make sure the development doesn't impact their existing gaming rights.

Once again, state legislators have stood up to defend Connecticut jobs and revenue, Mashantucket Chairman Rodney Butler said in a statement, The New London Day reported. We want to thank the House and Senate and the governor for approving these changes and doing the right thing for the state.

The revised agreements can now be sent to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for review. The Trump administration, in an advisory letter, has already indicated that it will approve them.

Were confident that the BIA will follow in the steps of the General Assembly, and that work will get underway very soon, Mohegan Chairman Kevin Brown said in the statement quoted by The Day.

The New England Casino Race: Tribal and commercial gaming facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island

The tribes joined forces and secured approval, under state law, to open a new casino in East Windsor. The project is meant to counteract competition from Massachusetts, where a $950 million commercial facility is going up right across the border.

The tribes anticipate opening their casino in the fall of 2018, around the same time as the facility in Massachusetts.

The bill that ratifies the tribal agreements is H.J. No. 301

Read More on the Story:

Senate approves amended gaming agreements between state, tribes (The New London Day 7/31)

Connecticut Senate OKs changes needed for new tribal casino (AP 7/31)

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@patriciamazzei @alextdaugherty

Months after Democrats began calling him a top national target, Carlos Curbelo has drawn a serious 2018 challenger.

Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who ran a stronger-than-expected state Senate campaign in 2016, will run for Congress. She plans to hold a news conference announcing her candidacy Wednesday.

Its shocking that the people in Washington are trying to strip healthcare from millions of Americans, Mucarsel-Powell told the Miami Herald in an interview Monday, taking a jab at Curbelo. The person that Im running against voted for Trumpcare.

She claimed Curbelo has voted more than 86 percent of the time with Trump, but also insisted: I dont want to focus my entire energy on whats happening with the president.

The bilingual Mucarsel-Powell, 46, was born in Ecuador, where she lived until she was 14. Thats when she and her single mother and three sisters moved to southern California. Mucarsel-Powell followed a sister to South Florida in 1996.

Now married with a stepdaughter, a daughter and a son, Mucarsel-Powell lives in Pinecrest, which is outside the 26th congressional district, a stretch of Westchester to Key West. She rents property in the Florida Keys, she said. Curbelo lives about a mile from the districts boundaries in West Kendall.

After years of working in various nonprofit organizations, at ZooMiami and for Florida International University, Mucarsel-Powell opened a consulting firm on strategic planning.

Ive spent my entire life in nonprofits trying to bring change, positive change, she said. People are really charged. Theyre angry. Theyre frustrated. They want change.

For months, national Democrats have labeled Curbelo a top target, citing his districts Democratic-leaning makeup. It favors Democrats by 6 percentage points, according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, making Curbelos district the most Democratic in the country currently held by a Republican. Last year, Hillary Clinton bested Trump in the district by 16 points.

But Curbelo defeated Democrat Joe Garcia by 12 points, a 28-point swing showing Curbelos crossover appeal among Democrats and independents. Hes also a prolific fundraiser who had $1.1 million in his campaign account as of June 30 and consistently posts among the highest fundraising hauls of House members in both parties. Mucarsel-Powell said she expects to have to raise at least $4 million to compete.

Curbelos support in May for the American Health Care Act, House Republicans proposed replacement for the Affordable Care Act, was political manna for Democratic Party leaders, who see the vote as one of Curbelos biggest electoral weaknesses in a district where 92,500 people get health insurance through Obamacare  one of the highest rates in the country. Republicans have already vowed to spend millions of dollars defending Curbelo and other Republicans in competitive districts who backed the legislation.

Read more here.
From the Archive Big in Japan

Burmas Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing visits Japan in 2014.

Last week, Burma Army Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing paid his first official visit to Japan at the invitation of General Shigeru Iwasaki, Chief of Staff of Japans Self-Defense Forces. This marked the first visit by a commander-in-chief to Tokyo since Gen Ne Win visited Japan in the 1960s.

The recent visit will be seen as part of the Burmese armed forces outreach to alliesnew and old after the political opening in the country. Under Ne Wins socialist government, Japan was Burmas largest donor but scaled down its assistance and aid programs after the US and other Western nations imposed sanctions on the regime following the crackdown on the 1988 democracy uprising.

But after recent reforms in Burma, Tokyo has not missed the chance to renew its old friendship, including by boosting defense ties between the two nations.

In May, Japans military chief, Gen. Shigeru Iwasaki, met with President Thein Sein in Naypyidaw where the two officials reaffirmed their countries goals of enhancing defense cooperation and exchanges at all levels.

During his four-day visit, the Japanese general also met with Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, holding discussions on security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japans sovereignty row with China over the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, as well as territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where China has been aggressively asserting its claims.

The Japanese Defense Ministry released a statement at the time saying that the two generals discussed bilateral defense cooperation and agreed on the importance of exchanges at every level between the Self-Defense Forces and Myanmar Armed Forces.

During his recent trip, Min Aung Hlaing also paid a visit to the tomb of the late wartime Japanese officer Col Suzuki Keiji and his old residence.

Col. Suzuki, who ran a special operations directorate known as Minami Kikan, played a key role in British-ruled Burma during the early stages of World War II when late independence hero Gen Aung San, then a young nationalist fugitive, sought overseas military assistance to liberate the country.

When he was in Amoy, now known as Xiamen, in southern China, Japanese intelligence officers intercepted Aung San. There, the young nationalist leader met Col Suzuki who convinced him to receive military assistance from the Japanese for an uprising in Burma. Col Suzuki, whose Burmese name was Bo Mogyo (Thunder), had earned the respect and trust of Burmese nationalists.

Aung San subsequently brought a group of young men known as the legendary Thirty Comrades to be trained by Japanese officers in 1941. This was the beginning of the Burma Independence Army or BIA.

The Kempeitai (the Japanese armys military police) and other sections of Japans security forces also trained Ne Win, one of the Thirty Comrades who became chairman of the now defunct Burma Socialist Programme Party. Many officers who were trained by Japanese forces in the early 1940s also served as ministers in the Ne Win government.

Ne Win maintained close relations with Suzuki and Minami Kikan members until Suzuki passed away in 1967.

In 1981, Ne Win bestowed the remaining six veterans of Minami Kikan with honorary awardsthe Aung San Tagun or Order of Aung Sanat the presidential palace in Rangoon. Colonel Suzukis widow showed up for the ceremony. Even after he resigned as party chairman in 1988, Ne Win held gatherings of old Minami Kikan members as late as the mid-1990s.

Japanese forces invaded Burma from Thailand to liberate the country from the British in 1942. Burma was then under Japanese occupation, headed by a puppet government. Aung San then formed an anti-fascist organization and joined with British and allied forces to drive out the Japanese in 1945.

During the war, Japan lost 190,000 soldiers in Burma. Thus, it is safe to say that Burma holds a special place in many Japanese hearts.

With the recent opening in Burma, it is also part of Burmas strategic interests to balance against its powerful neighbor, China. Naypyidaw hasnt wasted any time patching up, or initiating, relations with former or prospective allies. Since assuming the position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Min Aung Hlaing has visited several countries in the region including the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, and Thailand (twice), and is currently visiting South Korea.

Last year saw significant developments in Japan-Burma relations. In May 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Burma, the first visit by a Japanese PM since 1977. During the visit, Abe wrote off nearly US$2 billion in debt and pledged up to US$498.5 million in new loans. Thein Sein then travelled to Japan in December. Training vessels from Japans Maritime Self-Defense Force also made a first ever port call to Burma, for a five-day mission, in September.
Burma Analysis: Behind NLD Spokespersons Hospitalization

U Win Htein in June in Naypyitaw. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

U Win Htein, spokesperson of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), has been confined to Zabu Thiri Specialist Hospital with reporters barred from meeting him, according to sources close to the prominent politician.

Despite the fact he has been admitted for more than two weeks, there has been no public statement about his condition, though NLD sources told The Irrawaddy that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself advised U Win Htein to undergo a medical examination that resulted in his hospitalization.

The close ally of the State Counselor is allegedly expected to spend two months in hospital, but appeared well as he attended the NLDs Central Executive Committee meeting in Naypyitaw on July 22.

NLD sources, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Irrawaddy that during the medical checkup, doctors advised U Win Htein to rest and showed him to a room, complete with cable TV, to take a long break.

Reporters close to the spokesperson said they had, uncharacteristically, been shooed away by U Win Htein when they attempted to visit him.

Seventy-five-year-old U Win Htein is thought to be in relatively good healthhis most significant problems in the last few months have been run-ins with the media and the military.

Early this year, rumors spread on social media that U Htin Kyaw, appointed President by the NLD and a close friend of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, would be resigningthey proved to be false.

Confronting the rumors, U Win Htein said, its hard to guess if it was [spread] by the USDP [Union Solidarity and Development Party] or some military organizations, or IT guys who hate us.

The Myanmar Army seriously condemned the ruling party spokespersons suggestion that there had been military involvement.

A press release by the Military Information Team stated that a groundless reply based on suspicion seriously harms the militarys dignity, regarding U Win Hteins comment.

Such an act, the military said, could harm national unity, especially during a time when the government is committed to national reconciliation, adding, we will make the necessary responses.

It was not clear how NLD leaders, including U Win Htein, resolved this friction, but later in May at the Union Peace Conference, a smiling U Win Htein was seen rushing to greet army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

U Win Htein, a former army officer who spent years in prison after joining the NLD in 1988, has been loyal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and is a key party member. His hospitalization comes amid tense relations between military leaders and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party.

In early July, Yangon chief minister U Phyo Min Thein caused friction between military and civilian arms of the government by equating Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing with the low government rank of a director-general and said treating him as a top leader was not democracy.

The army soon filed a complaint with the NLD government and asked that they take necessary actions against the chief minister.

U Phyo Min Thein swiftly sent an apology letter to the military and was personally reprimanded by U Win Myinta senior NLD member now serving as speaker of the Lower House.

These controversies took place as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her administration attempted to develop good relations with the army as part of the one-year-old governments quest for national reconciliation.

The Nobel Laureate has had several meetings with military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in recent years, presumably to build trust.

A female senior NLD member, who spent several years in prison, told The Irrawaddy last week that remarks like those of U Win Htein and U Phyo Min Thein have not been helpful, as army leaders and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have been trying to build trust and confidence.
Burma Bodies Found, Arrests Made in Tense Northern Rakhine

Construction materials, equipment and food discovered by security forces in Mayu mountain range. / State Counselors Office / Facebook

YANGON  Police are investigating after the discovery of three mutilated dead bodies in Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State on Monday afternoon as another arrest of a suspected militant was made in the region, according to the State Counselors office.

Of the three victimsnamed as Iman Nusaw, 54, Nawra King, 18, and Nora Long, 15one had been decapitated and two had been partly decapitated, according to the Monday statement. They were found near Chook Pyin village, the statement read.

In a separate incident, on the evening of July 27, security forces arrested resident of Ahtet Nanya village in Rathedaung Township Anna Tular on suspicion of completing militant training in the Mayu mountain range, according to a separate statement from the State Counselors Office.

Government officials say Muslim Rohingya insurgents are behind a slew of killings in northern Rakhinean area that has been racked by violence in recent months, with security forces accused of committing atrocities against civilians during clearance operations following attacks on border guard posts in October 2016.

Security forces also discovered a camp in the Mayu mountain range of Rakhine States Maungdaw Township on Sunday, according to another State Counselors Office statement.

The tents, construction materials, rice, cooking oil, betel nuts, and World Food Programme (WFP) biscuits were found in a search for U Than Htay, who went missing from Chutpyin village of Rathedaung Township, the statement said.

The Rakhine State government has launched an investigation, it added.

Last month, national security adviser U Thaung Tun highlighted a recent increase in violence in the area, some of which stemmed from incidents between the Myanmar Army and suspected militants.

At least 44 civilians have been killed and 27 have been kidnapped or gone missing in northern Rakhine in the past nine months, U Thaung Tun told diplomats in Yangon, adding that Muslim militants were targeting Muslim villagers who were perceived to be collaborating with the government.

On June 20, Myanmar Army troops and border police raided a suspected militant training camp in a forest of the Mayu mountain range, resulting in three dead suspected militants and the seizure of 20 dummy guns, two homemade guns and bags of corn seed and rice.
Burma Chinese Troops Sent to Myanmar Border, says TNLA

A panoramic view of Panghsang from a surrounding hilltop. / J Paing / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Chinese troops are positioning along the China-Myanmar border in preparation of further conflict between the Tatmadaw and rebels, according to an ethic armed group.

Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers have been deployed along the border areas near Mongko, Kyukote (Pang Hseng) and Namhkam townships in Shan State since July 25, said brigadier general Mai Phone Kyaw, spokesman of the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

The security from the China side has increased because China was given the wrong information from the Myanmar side that our troops would be attacking and bombing in Lashio and Muse, he said.

The TNLA, along with its Northern Alliance partners the Kachin Independent Army (KIA), Kokangs Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army (AA), launched an operation on the 105-mile border trade zone in on November 20, 2016.

With fighting ongoing between Tatmadaw troops and the MNDAA and TNLA in northern Shan State, the Chinese may have anticipated another operation by the Northern Alliance and readied their forces in order to avoid an impact on China, said U Maung Maung Soe, an analyst on federal and ethnic affairs.

Before, the Chinese would prepare security on its border after fighting had occurred. Now they inquire about the information first, and then plan for the security on their border, said the analyst.

China had received incorrect intelligence warning of a Northern Alliance attack on border townships, said brigadier general Mai Phone Kyaw, adding that the Chinese government had asked them for confirmation about another possible attack recently.

The brigadier general explained that although there were clashes with the Tatmadaw in areas controlled by the MNDAA and TNLA, the alliance has no plans to conduct another operation similar to that of November 20.

We told the Chinese [intelligence department and foreign affairs ministry] that now is the rainy season and that it is true there has been heavy fighting but we would not carry out such an act without necessity, said Mai Phone Kyaw.

The Irrawaddy could not reach the public affair and psychological warfare directors office under the defense ministry for government comment on the reports of a coming attack.

Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw, an expert on Myanmar affairs who is based on the China-Myanmar border, told The Irrawaddy, The peace process has become broken but it can be fixed again. It will not be straightforward. As now is the rainy season, there wont be any operations, but we dont know what will come after the rain is over.

The KIA, TNLA, MNDAA and AA are also members of the Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which was formed with seven ethnic armed groups and led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) to hold peace talks with the government.
Burma Jailed for Journalism

(Left to right) The Voice Daily chief editor Kyaw Min Swe, Myanmar Now chief editor Ko Swe Win, The Irrawaddy senior reporter Lawi Weng, DVB senior reporter Ko Aye Nai, and DVB reporter Pyae Phone Aung. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  The arrest of esteemed investigative reporter Ko Swe Win at Yangon International Airport on Sunday evening temporarily raised the total number of journalists detained in Myanmar for doing their job since June to five.

Out of the five, Ko Swe Win, the chief editor of news agency Myanmar Now, is the only one who is not being sued by the militaryinstead, a follower of the banned nationalist group Ma Ba Tha is prosecuting him for posting on Facebook an article which criticized ultranationalist monk U Wirathu.

Ko Swe Win has since been granted bail from Maha Aung Myay Township Court in Mandalay, but his four colleagues are still imprisoned.

All of the arrests are directly linked to the work of the reporters, exacerbating fears of a clampdown on independent media and casting serious doubts over whether the country is opening a new chapter on press freedom.

Ko Aye Nai, Senior Reporter

Democratic Voice of Burma

Veteran reporter Ko Aye Nai, 52, has been working for DVB for 11 years, some of them spent in Chiang Mai, Thailand, while the news outlet was in exile. Healong with and three men who drove them through the areawere charged under Article 17(1) of the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act for contacting the by ethnic armed group the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and were placed in detention in Hsipaw prison. They face sentences of up to three years. We dont even have a pen sharp enough to be a weapon, he said at the first court hearing. We can die any time by stepping on landmines or being shot. We take risks for our work.

Lawi Weng, Senior Reporter

The Irrawaddy

Since joining The Irrawaddy a decade ago, Lawi Weng, 39, has been at the forefrontand often the frontlineof reporting on ethnic conflicts in Myanmar. In the last year he has reported on the Northern Alliance offensive in northern Shan State and clashes between a Democratic Karen Benevolent Army and the Myanmar Army-aligned Border Guard Force in Kachin State. Last Friday, the judge presiding over the case accepted the bail request and said he would rule at the next court date on Aug. 4.

Ko Pyae Phone Aung, Assistant Broadcast Journalist

Democratic Voice of Burma

The 24-year-old reporter Ko Pyae Phone Aung joined DVB one year ago. The journalists first appearance was initially scheduled for July 11, but the reporters were unexpectedly taken on July 7 to the court, where their remand was extended. The reporters were originally arrested on June 26 in Namhsan on their way back from covering a drug-burning ceremony held by the TNLA to mark the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse.

Ko Swe Win, Chief Editor

Myanmar Now

Former political prisoner Ko Swe Win, 39, was a senior reporter for The Irrawaddy from 2010-2012. Last year he was honored by the government for his reporting on the abuse suffered by two child maids in a Yangon tailor shop. He was charged Article 66(d) after Mandalay resident U Kyaw Myo Shwe, a follower of ultranationalist monk U Wirathu, claimed the chief correspondent insulted the monk in a Facebook post. Ko Swe Win faced a second lawsuit later in March for comments made at a press conference concerning the Article 66(d) charge. In March, the journalist was threatened by three unidentified men.

U Kyaw Min Swe, Chief Editor

The Voice Daily & Weekly

U Kyaw Min Swe, 47, has worked for The Voice Daily for 18 years and is currently chief editor. He was arrested along with satire columnist Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing after the Myanmar language publication printed an article which questioned the countrys armed struggle and peace process. The pair were charged both under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Act and then Article 25(b) of the Media Law after Lt-Col Lin Tun of the Myanmar Army filed a suit against them at the Bahan Township police station on May 17. Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing was later released.
Burma Shan Women Appeal for Govt Support

A Shan woman at a refugee camp along the Thailand-Myanmar border. / Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  A group of women over the age of 60 in Shan State have urged the government to confront the issues plaguing the regionincluding conflict and drug abusein an open letter on July 31.

The Senior Women of Shan State (SWSS) listed seven categories outlining the hardships facing people in the state: peace and conflict, drugs, environment, land, youth, cultural heritage, and food/medicine. The SWSS also listed recommendations for each set of issues.

The group collected information for the letter from 30 of its members at a meeting in the Shan capital of Taunggyi from June 26-28. The attendees shared their concerns from their respective areas.

Formed by Shan women in April 2014, SWSS takes initiatives on issues in the state, and carried out preservation activities at the famous attraction Inle Lake in 2015.

In the conflict zone, the children are uneducated, and their health is in a worrisome state. They are in mud, are dirty and have no soap to clean their clothes. Everything is concerning regarding their health, social development and education, but they have no one to get help from, said SWSS member Dr. Daw Hnin Yee Aye.

Boys around the age of 13 risk being recruited by soldiers, she said, pushing mothers to hide their children.

Men are recruited as porters. Women have to watch their children and cannot go out, so they cannot even go to buy food. They feed their children with rice gruel and fruits but the mothers have nothing to eat, said the doctor.

In northern Shan State, she said, armed groups are committing human rights violations, as such extorting money from locals.

The peace process is prioritized in the open letter, which states that locals are also suffering because of woes in the economy, education, healthcare, transportation, security, and rule of law due to clashes between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups.

SWSS member Daw Sao Haymar Thaik, said, As a woman, I see that women and children suffer more of the burdens in the conflict zone. As there is no security, women are being abused, therefore we women want peace more than men.

The SWSS recommended the government negotiate with ethnic armed groups based in northern Shan State to free locals from the troubles of conflict.

The letter also urged the government to arrest and charge drug producers and to arrange for the rehabilitation of addicts.

Reflecting on environmental issues, it stated that plans to construct hydropower plants threaten locals. The letter asked the government to boost public awareness against littering and to support renewable energy such as solar power, rather than non-renewables.

Other issues damaging the state are land grabbing and a lack of job opportunities for young people, according to the letter, which pushed for the building of libraries and the restoration of cultural sites that have been destroyed.

The health ministry, read the letter, should educate people about safe food and take action against those producing and selling harmful or unsanitary food.

Most young women in the state are uneducated and face unemployment, said Dr. Daw Hnin Yee Aye, adding that many work in karaoke bars and massage parlors, making them vulnerable to trafficking and drug abuse.

The government needs to create jobs for young people who do not have a formal education, read the letter.

Our people are facing hardship. We want to know what our leaders are doing and we want to say please meet the people, said Dr. Daw Hnin Yee Aye.
Burma Withdraw Troops So IDPs Can Return Home, Karen Groups Urge

Ethnic Karen civilians take shelter in a Myaing Gyi Ngu monastery in September 2016. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  Karen National Union (KNU) representatives and civil society groups in Karen States Mutraw District urged Myanmar Army troops to withdraw from Papun Township on Monday so that displaced persons in imminently closing E-Tu Hta camp can return to their homes safely.

As international funds dry up, E-Tu Hta camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) will close in September this year, leaving thousands of displaced people anxious for a possible return to homes they fled due to armed conflict.

Residents are torn between dwindling food rations at the camp and battles for land rights in their homeland due to Myanmar Army occupation in the region, according to Padoh Nay Tha Blay, board member of the newly-formed Internally Displaced Persons Supporting Committee.

We want the Tatmadaws troops to withdraw from farmlands and villages as it is a threat to returnees livelihoods, and we want the international community to reconsider cutting funding for Karen IDPs, he said.

About 100 IDPs have voluntarily returned home, but between 1,000 and 2,000 remain, according to Padoh Nay Tha Blay.

Local residents of Taungoo Township in Bago Division and Papun Township in Karen Statehome to KNU brigades No. 2 and No. 5 respectivelysought shelter in E-Tu Hta camp after clashes in 2005 and 2006.

The Internally Displaced Persons Supporting Committees Monday statement urged stakeholders to sort out the political problem causing displacement.

Even though KNU signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in October 2015 and there is a roadmap to implement the ceasefire and repatriate displaced persons, the programs have not yet begun in the region.

Padoh Nay Tha Blay said there was a lot left to be negotiated, including the removal of landmines and land rights issues.
Mark Silva, longtime Tallahassee bureau chief for the Miami Herald who went on to cover the White House for the Chicago Tribune, died early Tuesday at his home in Alexandria, Virginia. He was 63 and recently diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Silva led the Heralds capital bureau from the mid-1980s through the 1990s and became the papers political editor through the 2000 presidential election, a contest decided only after a pivotal Florida recount that brought the state global fame.

He joined the Orlando Sentinel as political editor in 2001, moving to Washington three years later to cover the George W. Bush White House. Later, he was an editor with Bloomberg News and most recently an editor with U.S. News & World Report, where he led a team examining politics and policies in the 50 states at the organizations Best States project.

Silva leaves his wife of 33-years, Nina, and two children, Dylan and Lisa and a grandson, Noah.

Silva was a force in Tallahassee during a newspaper heyday when Florida dailies maintained robust capital bureaus that competed fiercely over every inch of political, legislative and policy territory. Silva was rarely beaten  and he often beat others.

With a relentless work ethic and a passion for collecting news tips from lobbyists drinking see-through at Clydes, Silva could power out a steady stream of dailies and weekenders. He also could turn a phrase.

One of the first reporters to carry a bulky, brick cellphone at the Capitol, Silva was around long enough for cellphones to shrink in size but expand in capability. Noting the change, Silva once wrote for the Herald that cellphones were one of the few things male lobbyists bragged about who had the smallest.

Few knew more than Silva about Floridas politics and the personalities it attracted. As a political reporter, he scoured the state, clocking miles as a tireless traveler from his Tallahassee base, always willing to share a tale or offer advice to younger reporters.

Working for the Orlando Sentinel 16 years ago, Silva was assigned early morning media pool duty during a President Bush visit to a second-grade classroom in Sarasota. On that Sept. 11 morning, Silva was a witness to the president reading The Pet Goat to school children, then being told that terrorist-commandeered aircraft had struck New Yorks World Trade Center.

When he moved to Washington, Silva was among the first to write a well-regarded must-read political blog. He traveled the globe with the president and first lady Laura Bush, including a four-country Africa trip that crossed the equator twice and more than 40 countries logged in his passport.

Along the way, he made friends and earned admirers, even among those he covered with a relentless search for truth.

He was always straight, fair and even-tempered, said Jim Scott, former Florida Senate president from Fort Lauderdale. He was a great guy.

Silva described himself in his Twitter account, @NewsmanSilva, as a Wayward Floridian, Devout Bluesman. He had a passion for guitar, a talent for writing, a devotion to his family and a determination to see all things clearly.

He was the author of two books, When Were 64: Reflections on the Real World, a memoir that he described as a collection of essays about rediscovering the natural world after a life devoted to the working world, and McCain: The Essential Guide to the Republican Nominee, with the Tribune staff.

James Warren of the Poynter Institute included the news in his morning newsletter on Tuesday.

Mark Silva was as smart, decent and collegial a reporter-editor as youll ever find, he wrote. Out of the blue, he was diagnosed recently with several bad brain tumors, fought valiantly and passed away at 3:30 a.m. at home in Virginia with his family. They dont come any better.

-- Mary Ellen Klas with John Kennedy

Photo above: Mark Silva, outside the Miami Herald's former building. Courtesy of Mark Silva.

Photo below: At Silva's farewell from Tallahassee party at Clydes. Courtesy of Steve Bousquet
News Senior Chinese Official to Visit Myanmar

Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in August 2016 in Naypyitaw. / Supplied / Chinese Embassy

A senior official from China will visit Myanmar on Wednesday and hold talks with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior officials, according to sources in Naypyitaw.

Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China will fly in tomorrow, but beyond a reported meeting with the State Counselor, the details of his scheduled visit remain unclear.

Song Tao last visited Myanmar in August 2016. During his four-day trip, he held talks with several key leaders in the country, including former military supreme leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, former President U Thein Sein, National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesperson U Win Htein, and representatives from the Union Solidarity and Development Party, according to the official statement made by the Chinese embassy at the time.

Since the NLD government came into power in 2016, there have been a series of visits by senior government officials between China and Myanmar.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi was the first foreign state official to visit Naypyitaw in April last year, at the invitation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Both President U Htin Kyaw and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have visited China separately.

During the State Counselors own visit in August 2016, a joint statement from the two countries said that discussions during the trip included a focus on cooperation to ensure national reconciliation within Myanmar and the strengthening of law-based management along the countries shared border.

China promised to assist in Myanmars peace process, and last May, a Chinese special envoySun Guoxianghelped to negotiate a trip involving members of several armed ethnic groups to Naypyitaw so that they could attend a government-sponsored peace conference.

Just before the meeting, Sun Guoxiang engaged in quiet shuttle diplomacy between the State Counselor, the Myanmar Army chief, and representatives from ethnic armed groups active along the China border.

With Chinas blessing, members of the armed groups forming the coalition known as the Northern Alliance flew to Naypyitaw. Beijing organized a charter flight to transport the representatives from Kunming, in Yunnan Province.

During her visit to attend Chinas Belt and Road Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that China would continue to help the country achieve peace, and called for both sides to maintain stability on their shared border.

China is willing to continue to provide necessary assistance for Myanmars internal peace process, the President said.

Tension along the border has remained high and last March, thousands of people were forced to seek refuge in China due to intensified armed conflict in Myanmar. China responded by holding military drills in the region, and asking for a ceasefire to be enacted between ethnic militias and Myanmar security forces.

When President U Htin Kyaw visited China in April, he reportedly discussed the fate of the multi-billion dollar Myitsone dam project with his Chinese counterparts. Myanmars NLD government established a group called the Myitsone Commission to assess the overall environmental impact of the controversial Chinese hydropower project, located at the confluence of the Irrawaddy River in Kachin State. In November 2016, the commission submitted a report to President U Htin Kyaw, but its content was not made public. China is also heavily invested in the Kyaukphyu deep sea port in troubled Rakhine State.

During U Htin Kyaws official visit, the two sides also signed an agreement on a crude oil pipeline running from the Kyaukphyu port to southwest Chinas Yunnan Province.

It is expected that Song Taos upcoming visit will cover a wide range of issues including those mentioned above, as well as rising tension in the north, the crisis concerning the Rohingya people in Myanmar, issues regarding migrants from neighboring Bangladesh, and concerns about Muslim militancy in troubled Rakhine State.

UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee recently concluded a 12-day visit to Myanmar in late July and expressed her disappointment in conditions in the country in her end-of-mission statement. Myanmar today is reminiscent of rule under the military regime, she said.

The State Counselors Office fired back, stating that it was also disappointed with the Special Rapporteurs conclusions and declared that Lees statement contained many sweeping allegations and factual errors.

Myanmar has also refused to grant access to a UN-sanctioned fact-finding mission. China and Russia voted against the UN Human Rights Council resolution to dispatch the mission, which was formed to investigate reports of widespread human rights abuses by security forces in Myanmar at large and in Rakhine State in particular.
Guest Column Language Diversity in MyanmarA Blessing in Disguise?

Ethnic Kayah women hold National League for Democracy party flags un Shan State. / Reuters

My father told me a story that happened to two of his friends on a tram in Warsaw in the 1980s. Both men were from the Podlasie region in northeast Poland and were having a conversation in their local dialect, which is a mixture of Polish, Ukrainian and Belarusian. At some point one of the passengers nearby whispered loudly to his neighbor: Can you hear them? They must be Russian!

The nearby passengers comment is somewhat understandable, because Poland is predominantly a monolingual country and a potential dialect might raise a few eyebrows. Those who speak a dialect always speak the official language of the country, which is Polish. Dialects are not taught at schools, though they sometimes serve as the first language for children in the countryside (at least in some parts of the Podlasie region). In Myanmar, however, it is a well-known fact that citizens speak various languages on an everyday basis and not all local-language speakers are proficient in the official language of Myanmar. As has been suggested in the Myanmar Country Report: Language, Education and Social Cohesion (LESC) Initiative, local-language speakers proficiency reflects highly variable rates of knowledge of its standard forms and literacy. It is worth emphasizing that more often than not, in the Myanmar context, we talk about a variety of languages rather than just a variety of dialects. It is not a subtle difference. Local languages in Myanmar are usually not inter-intelligible, for example, Kachin language speakers will not understand the representatives of the Shan linguistic community.

This language variety in Myanmar has been reflected in the countrys legislation as well. Article 21 of the Constitution of the Union of Burma from 1974 stipulated that all national races have the right to develop their language, provided that the exercise of this right will not be in conflict with the public interest. The official language at that time was called Burmese. The constitution also mentioned that Burmese language shall be used in the administration of justice. While the use of ethnic languages was possible, in such cases, the support of interpreters would be required. It seems that at that time, there was no strong focus on providing education in the ethnic languages. As Article 152 suggests, Burmese is the common language. Languages of the other national races may also be taught. So, they can, but they dont have to.

With further research, it becomes obvious that the use of ethnic languages in any public sphere was discouraged. As long as it is accepted that the central organs of the state need to communicate in one language, Article 198 of the same constitution might sound surprisingthe use of ethnic languages was also discouraged between the organs of the state at the lowest level. Only if necessary, could the ethnic languages be used. When thinking about the practical aspect of this law, it seems only natural that lower level officials in the far regions of Shan or Kachin states would speak their mother tongues in such contexts. Even though the constitution from 1974 (and any constitution, in fact) is a far cry from a poetical text, we can read between the lines nonethelesslocal languages were merely tolerated in the public sphere and their use was accepted only if necessary. The Constitution from 2008 seems to put more responsibility on the state to support the cultivation of ethnic languages. Article 22 mentions that the Union shall assist to develop language () of the National races ().

The results of the 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census show the ethnic and religious variety of Myanmar, yet language is not directly addressed in the questionnaire. It is merely touched upon in question no. 19: Can (Name) read and write in any language? where literacy is understood as the ability to read and write in any language. Only in this respect does the questionnaire suggest that there might be more than one language spoken in Myanmar. Nevertheless, from a technical perspective, language variety did play an important role in the preparation of the census. The choice of persons who conducted the national census, recruited (mainly teachers recruited by the Ministry of Education and Township Census Committees) was dictated by their knowledge of local languages and communities. In order to ensure the data quality and gain certainty that the meaning of the census was understood, publicity materials were also translated into a variety of local languages. Despite good intentions, conducting the census in various linguistic communities was not free of challenges. While language identification and diversity even within a community/ethnic group led to problems of final categorization/classification of the ethnicity, not all teachers were proficient in local languages, which resulted in the fact that some replies might have gotten lost in translation.

Having briefly presented the language policy in Myanmar, I would like to take a step further and throw some light on how its results are represented in the everyday life. It is undeniable that language variety in Myanmar has a direct impact on the educational sector, and in the long-term perspective, on the quality of life of Myanmar citizens. Those who speak Myanmar are usually more likely to succeed in their education. As the quotation below suggests, language is a factor that impacts the overall educational outcomes:

There are multiple and complex, and often context-specific, reasons for children dropping out of school at primary and secondary levels, of which poverty, language difficulties, disability and lack of interest are the most common.

This powerful sentence comes from the National Education Strategic Plan 2016-2021 (NESP) which (published in 2017) is a ground-breaking document that introduces a series of serious changes to the Myanmar education system and is supposed to restructure the educational sector within 5 years, with its full implementation in 2030. Also, the Thematic Report on Education (Census Report Volume 4-H) from the 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census suggests that a language barrier is a significant factor that causes children from minority groups to drop out of school, especially during the transition from primary to lower secondary school, as well as from lower to upper secondary school. A positive sign is that the NESP encourages the teaching of ethnic languages and their use as the language of instruction. Moreover, it mentions the need to develop the local curriculum and textbooks in the local languages at the level of the basic education, which is a big step forward in shaping the inclusive national language policy. Authors of these local languages textbooks are also supposed to receive training on curriculum development.

Fortunately, in addition to the government initiated reports and roadmaps, grassroots initiatives that encourage a better language policy appear in Myanmar as well. For example Myanmar/Burma Indigenous Network for Education was established in 2014 in order to promote the rights to use the native languages as the means of instruction and it unites 22 organizations from Myanmar. There are also voices suggesting the decentralization of the educational system that could give local authorities influence on the curriculum and the language of instruction at schools, as suggested in the Myanmar Country Report. Language, Education and Social Cohesion (LESC) Initiative. Given the efforts of the current government to acknowledge ethnic, religious and cultural diversity, yet with a strong focus on the central role of the Union government in Naypyitaw, this initiative sounds highly unlikely.

Language can be an instrument of exclusion, as the examples from the educational sector have shown. Nevertheless, there is also a possibility that an inclusive approach towards national languages, stimulated by the Myanmar government and locally supported, might contribute to establishing peace in the ethnic -based conflicts in Myanmar. By offering more space to local languages at school, minority children will gain confidence that their language, culture and values matter and are respected. The strength of Myanmar lies in its richness and diversity. It is true that the language situation is complex, but bilingual education in the traditionally non-Myanmar speaking areas is a good introduction to learning foreign languages. On the other hand, learning about minority languages and their users teaches respect and tolerance that can also be transferred on the international level in the future, when kids grow up. Managing a complicated language policy only adds to the challenges that the new Myanmar government is currently facing. Nevertheless, it is a positive sign that language diversity has been addressed as one of the priority topics in the groundbreaking educational reform initiated within the NESP. In the times of democratic reforms and opening up of the country, Myanmar citizens dream of equal opportunities abroad. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the current government took the right path in creating equal opportunities in the Myanmar schooling system. After all, equality also begins at home.

Joanna Dolinska is a PhD student from the University of Warsaw researching Altaic languages. This article originally appeared in Tea Circle, a forum hosted at Oxford University for emerging research and perspectives on Myanmar.
Vodafone Australia is touting a spend of $2 billion on development and expansion of its Australian mobile network over the full year 2017 despite a year-on-year loss of $81.5 million for the first half.

Australias third placed mobile provider after Telstra and Optus says it is outlaying the $2 billion to boost its network in both metropolitan and regional areas of the country, increasing coverage, capacity, performance and competition for Australian mobile customers.

The telco  a joint venture between Hutchison Telecommunications and Vodafone (VHA)  reported its total customer base grew by nearly 190,000 to 5.7 million in the six months to the end of June, with total revenue climbing 3% year-on-year to $1.6 billion, with EBITDA up 15.9% to $477.3 million.

And despite recording the $81.5 million loss for the first half, the loss was a decrease of 50.3% from the same period the previous year, when it reported a loss of about $163 million.

Vodafone's chief financial officer James Marsh told a media briefing on Tuesday that the company was looking to grow revenue and returns over the remainder of this year, and beyond, by driving long-term customer satisfaction.

We are pleased with the overall performance and the positive step up in post-paid, pre-paid and other segments.

Marsh said the investment includes spending on building new mobile sites or upgrading 450 sites in both regional and metro areas.

Already, the VHA network reaches more than 22 million Australians, and is recognised as the top-performing network in cities with populations above 100,000. And were only going to build on that into the future.

In 2017, we are putting close to $2 billion into mobile technology, including almost 1800 new and upgraded sites, spectrum licence payments, and our continued fibre transmission rollout.

Our customers know how good our network is, and this positive customer sentiment is reflected through our Net Promoter Score. We are committed to giving customers an even better experience in more places, and offering them even more great value.

Marsh said Vodafone welcomed the entry of TPG into the Australian mobile market.

We welcome TPGs launch of its mobile business. We believe in strong collaboration between carriers and that it is inefficient for one party to build a mobile business. We are bullish about our performance with three or four players in the market. Independent verification shows we have the best network in metro areas and we are open to any competition.

According to Marsh, Vodafone had produced pleasing results, despite what he said were regulatory barriers to effective competition in many areas of the Australian market.

Driving our performance is our fantastic network, complemented by great value products. New and existing customers are drawn to our generous data inclusions and unrivalled $5 Roaming and free New Zealand roaming.

Marsh says Vodafone has seen data growth of 60% every year and needs to keep up investment in its network because of this.

You have constantly seen high spending by Vodafone, with the losses reflecting our huge investment in the network. We have the most amazing network and will continue to invest accordingly.
Brisbane City Council has been asked to provide details of an independent report on the IT project with TechnologyOne that it cancelled last Friday.

A report in The Australian said TechnologyOne founder and executive chairman Adrian Di Marco said the Council was in possession of the report, and "if its truly damning TechnologyOne, then publish it".

He claimed that he knew the report clearly blamed the Council for the lack of progress in the deal, and "they did not know their business process and they put their B-team on the job".

Di Marco accused the Council of trying to hide the report and choosing arbitration after calling off the $122 million deal to replace its business systems.

They have made it clear to me that this will never go to court and what they are doing is that by going to arbitration things will never be made public, the findings and the settlement will not be made public, Di Marco told The Australian.

If they were really genuine they would have gone to arbitration before they cancelled the contract.

The contract was awarded in June 2015, but earlier this year the mayor of Brisbane said he would seek to have it renegotiated as the rollout would end up 18 months behind schedule and $60 million over budget.

TechnologyOne was issued a first show-cause notice by the Council on 2 May and responded on 29 May with what it said was a detailed response. On 20 June, the Council informed TechnologyOne that it would not be terminating the contract.

TechnologyOne then issued a show-cause notice to the Council on 30 May over the non-payment for work on two phases of the project, Milestones 7 and 8. Payment of $750,000 was received on 23 June, remedying this issue.

The second show-cause notice issued by the Council was on 26 June.
A Sydney man has been sentenced to 4 years in prison for possessing and selling thousands of DVDs on which films and TV programmes were recorded without the consent of the licence holders.

Mosaic Defredes was selling the DVDs on eBay. He will be able to apply for parole on 4 April 2019.

His associate, Allison Daniel, is being assessed to see if she can be given an intensive correction order to be served in the community.

The pair appeared at the Parramatta District Court today. A total of 1.2 million DVDs were seized from them in 2013.

Investigators from the Australian Screen Association, a lobby group for the copyright industry, provided support to detectives from Quakers Hill Police in the matter.

The police found that Defredes had also sold more than 65,000 DVDs, valued at $1.6 million. A factory unit in Kings Park was used to assemble and package the discs.

ASA assistant managing director Greg Fraser said: "This was a massive commercial scale operation conducted by the accused without any regard to the many legitimate businesses in the area who do their best to provide a quality service, give people an opportunity to earn a living, pay their taxes and play by the rules.

"It also took advantage of the goodwill of eBay customers who rightly expect that the items they purchase are legitimate and of genuine quality.

Foster said there were no winners in such operations. "Consumers are being ripped off by not receiving genuine products; small retailers suffer; and the copyright holders and thousands of people that have worked hard to make a film are seeing their proceeds go to criminals, he said.
Nvidia H100 GPUs set new records in all eight of the MLPerf Training benchmarks, while the A100 came top in the latest round of MLPerf
The Australian Centre for Robotic Vision Team ACRV has won the 2017 Amazon Robotics Challenge held at RoboCup in Nagoya, Japan.

The ACRV, headquartered at Queensland University of Technology, was awarded US$80,000 for winning the finals.

The skills challenge attracted 16 teams of researchers from 10 countries to compete and they were with tasked to build their own hardware and software to successfully pick and stow items in a warehouse.

While Amazon is able to quickly package and ship millions of items to customers from their network of fulfilment centres, the commercial technologies to solve automated picking in unstructured environments are yet to be developed.

Eight teams made the finals, with the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision placing fifth after the picking and stowing rounds.

It was a tense few hours, according to the Centres chief operating officer Dr Sue Keay. Our team top scored early with 272 points on the final combined stowing and picking task but we then had to wait on the results for five other teams, many of whom had outperformed us in the rounds, before it became clear that we had won.

Not bad for a robot that was only unpacked and reassembled out of suitcases a few days before the event, with at least one key component held together with cable ties.

The ACRV developed its own Cartesian robot Cartman for the challenge.

We were the only team with a Cartesian robot at the event. Cartman was definitely a large reason for our success, said team leader Dr Juxi Leitner from QUT.

He says Cartman can move along three axes at right angles to each other, like a gantry crane, and featured a rotating gripper that allowed the robot to pick up items using either suction or a simple two-finger grip.

Fifteen members of the Centres 27-strong team of researchers, from QUT, The University of Adelaide and the Australian National University, were in Japan for the event.

We feel brilliant, we say thank you very much for all the support weve received. The competition was a lot of work but really rewarding and a lot of fun, said Adam Tow, a doctoral researcher with the Centre, based at QUT.

The team invested more than 15,000 hours in the project and, according to Dr Chris Lehnert, a roboticist at QUT, the time and effort paid off.

Everything from the robot design, vision systems and grasping system worked flawlessly in the finals. The competition was tough, so many of the improbable scenarios that we thought would never occur did occur.

The Centre's team was sponsored by Osaro and Photoneo.
The spate of negative coverage that the NBN has received appears to have finally had some effect in Canberra, with the federal government announcing today that the Australian Communications and Media Authority would conduct research and collect data on the NBN customer experience.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said in a statement that the ACMA would commission research to obtain data from customers to find out how they had fared before, during and after they connected to the NBN.

The move was welcomed by Internet Australia executive director Laurie Patton and the Communications Alliance chief executive John Stanton. But Labor shadow communications spokesperson Michelle Rowland questioned why it had taken so long for the government to make such a move.

A spate of complaints has beenfrom various sections of the community over the past few months, with customers experiencing slower speeds on the NBN than they had obtained on their old, copper connections.

Fifield said the ACMA would also use its powers under the Telecommunications Act to collect information from businesses across the NBN supply chain.

There has been a back-and-forth between the retail service providers and the NBN Co, with each blaming the other for the slow connections.

Twenty-one industry participants in the NBN build  including retailers, wholesale providers and the NBN Co  would be notified about the need to supply data on fault handling, connection timeframes, keeping appointments, porting of telephone numbers and other similar issues.

"This information will be used to identify where customer issues most commonly arise and how those issues can be either avoided or resolved more quickly," Fifield said. "It will also help reduce the passing of customer complaints between retailers and NBN Co."

The initiatives have come from a working group led by the Department of Communications and the Arts and including the ACMA and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Rowland commented: "Why has it taken until August 2017 for the government to pursue research on the systemic root causes impacting experience on the NBN?

"The Turnbull Governments initiatives appear to simply follow the media cycle  there is no authenticity or integrity in the commitment to consumers.

Patton said the move was something that IA had been calling for and praised Senator Fifield "for acknowledging that this project has serious problems".

"In recent days we've seen NBN Co boss Bill Morrow out on what some have called a 'charm offensive'. Clearly the government has realised what most observers have noted. It's not working," said Patton, who has been a critic of the multi-technology mix of the current rollout.

"Morrow has been spinning so vigorously he must be getting giddy. But the fact remains that customer complainants are continuing to rise the more they roll out their inferior, trouble-plagued network.

"They're using inferior technology, employing ageing copper wires that just can't deliver, and they're wholesale pricing regime is flawed. All up, this means customers are being delivered a product they clearly don't like much."

Stanton said he believed all stakeholders, including industry, government, regulators and consumers were committed to working to improve the experience of customers as they migrated their services to NBN-based networks and subsequently used those networks to meet their broadband needs.

NBN Co and retail service providers continue to work intensely behind the scenes to identify and address any process or co-ordination issues during service migration and to optimise the ongoing service performance.

Communications Alliance is also reviewing the outputs of our relevant working committees, that have generated co-regulatory instruments such as Industry Codes and Guidelines, to see whether improvements or further work are needed."

Stanton said the working committees had looked at:
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By Pamela Abbott, Andrea Teti and Kevin M. DeJesus | (The Conversation) |  

With the defeat of the so-called Islamic State (IS) on the battlefield looking imminent, Iraq is confronting a monumental challenge: to repair a deeply fractured society fraught with ethno-religious, geographic and socio-economic divisions. It must end infighting within its political power blocs, and navigate the dangers of assorted regional conflicts. The state must also earn legitimacy among traumatised people, liberated from the areas formerly held by IS, many of whom felt disenfranchised even before the group took hold in 2014. Some estimates say that at least 3.1m people  10% of the population  are displaced, while 11m need humanitarian assistance.

On top of all this, Iraq faces an economic crisis, with high government debt, falling oil prices and high unemployment, meaning the state is unable to provide security or even the most basic of public services. The costs of immediate humanitarian assistance will eat into both the normal economy and plans to rebuild the country for the future; in June 2017, the Abadi government announced a ten-year reconstruction plan, but the funding in place or pledged is totally inadequate.

To keep Iraq from imploding into a new state of civil conflict a clear political strategy is necessary to build an effective, inclusive society that meets peoples common demands for security, economic opportunity, services and equal citizenship.

Post-IS nation-building will require negotiation among political elites with strong sectarian identities. But the long-term stability of any settlement they reach depends crucially on their ability to address popular priorities and national interests, not sectarian ones. And fortunately for those tasked with the job, there is clear evidence of what the Iraqi public want.

As they see it, a significant barrier is poor governance, and in particular corruption. According to Transparency International, Iraq is one of the most corrupt countries in the world; systematic corruption pervades all levels of government and is widely accepted as the price of doing business, and extortion and patronage networks are a major impediment to stabilisation, reconstruction and the delivery of basic services. Beyond draining the treasury and wasting public money, corruption also breeds resentment and violence; when a democratic government is seen as weak, illegitimate and corrupt, extremism flourishes.

In 2015 there were mass protests across the country demanding better public services and an end to corruption, but promised reforms to fight corruption have yet to materialise.

Judging by what Iraqis themselves say about their country, this is a major missed opportunity.

Just fix it

Recent data from the Arab Transformations nationwide public opinion survey, on which we ourselves worked, indicate that what people want is stability, jobs, decent services, and an end to corruption. And crucially, these concerns cut across ethno-religious lines.

The survey included districts in Iraqs Kurdish autonomous region, central region and southern region: those living in the Kurdish districts were virtually all Sunni Muslim, those in the southern ones Shiite, and those in the central area roughly evenly divided between the two. This allowed us to look at the relative impact of region and ethno-religious identity on peoples views.

Most people of all identities agree that corruption is pervasive: between 88% and 98% identify it as a problem, regardless of regional location or religion. Only around 10% thought that the government was making a concerted effort to tackle corruption, varying from 13% of Shiites in the south to 7% of Sunnis in the Kurdish region. Even the highest levels of confidence that government was making at least some effort to work towards tackling corruption  among Shiites in the central and southern regions  remain troublingly low, at 50% and 40% respectively. And as far as employment goes, between 86% and 97% thought it was generally necessary to have wasta (patronage) to get a job, regardless of region or ethno-religious identity.

Perhaps not surprisingly, trust in central government was also worryingly low nationwide. Only around a third of Shiites in the southern and central regions consider it trustworthy, with rates far lower among Iraqs Sunnis. Satisfaction with the governments performance was even lower: only just over a quarter of Shiites in the southern and central regions rated it as good, and this fell to a fifth in the Kurdish region and a mere 7% among central Sunni.

Local government was considered more trustworthy, especially among Shiites, but satisfaction with its performance was rated as good by just 47% of southern Shiites, with a low of just 10% among central Sunnis. The governments performance at creating jobs and inclusive development opportunities was universally rated as poor, winning the praise of less than a fifth of the central regions Shiites and only 7% of its Sunnis.

On providing basic utilities the government fared slightly better, but even then its best performance was mediocre: just 57% of southern Shiites thought the government was performing at least quite well. This fell to just a quarter among central Sunnis.

Rocky road

Its easier to say what should be done than to come up with a concrete plan for doing it. Iraqs sectarian divisions run deep, the legacy of sectarianised politics and political marginalisation. The United Nations Development Programme and the Iraqi government are already working to stabilise communities liberated from IS, but commendable as their efforts are, more work is urgently required.

Governance and development are both politically sensitive and practically complex, and the territorial defeat of IS complicates this dynamic, rather than reducing it. As the country reclaims territory from IS and moves on, it must quickly strike a national compact of non-violence and co-operation to follow one common struggle with another.

Tackling corruption, meanwhile, promises to boost economic growth and legitimise both the federal government and the political forces who support it. But the sad fact is that corruptions main beneficiaries are Iraqs political elites and political parties.

Nonetheless, the data above show that Iraq has a major opportunity on its hands. Simply recognising that peoples concerns are not determined by their identity alone can help forge a socially, economically, and politically inclusive social contract. Both Saddam Husseins Sunni-centric regime and the Shia-centric post-2003 government proved that governing along sectarian lines is a road to ruin. However its done, sorting out the way Iraq is governed is the surest way to secure peace.

Pamela Abbott, Director of the Centre for Global Development and Honorary Professor of Sociology, University of Aberdeen; Andrea Teti, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Aberdeen, and Kevin M. DeJesus, Assistant Professor, Johnson & Wales University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trek Mining Inc. (TSX-V:TREK) (Trek Mining or the Company) is pleased to announce the results of the feasibility study (FS) for its 100% owned Aurizona Gold Mine (Aurizona or the Project) located in northeastern Brazil. All amounts are in US dollars, unless otherwise indicated.

HIGHLIGHTS

After-tax NPV 5% of $197.1 million and IRR of 34% at $1,250/oz gold

of $197.1 million and IRR of 34% at $1,250/oz gold Low initial capital cost of $130.8 million, with LOM sustaining capital cost of $51.3 million

LOM gold production of approximately 886,000 ounces at an average gold recovery of 91%

Average annual gold production of approximately 136,000 ounces

Average LOM AISC of $754/oz, placing Aurizona in the lowest quartile of the industry average

Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves of 19.8 million tonnes at 1.52 g/t gold for 971,000 ounces of gold

FS supports the viability of a mine restart plan with an upgraded 8,000 tonnes per day crushing and grinding circuit to treat all ore types

First gold pour targeted for year-end 2018

The FS is based on a new mine plan and updated Mineral Reserve estimate and outlines the design of an open-pit gold mine producing on average approximately 136,000 ounces of gold per year, with an initial 6.5-year mine life and significant exploration upside, as demonstrated with recent drill results. Initial capital to fund construction and commissioning is estimated at a modest $130.8 million due to the Companys ability to leverage significant existing infrastructure in place at the brownfields mine site. Life-of-mine (LOM) sustaining capital is estimated at $51.3 million, including closure costs. All-in-sustaining costs (AISC) are estimated at $754 per ounce ($/oz) over the life of the Project, which is in the lowest quartile of the industry average. The Project demonstrates strong returns in the current gold price environment, with an after-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of 34% and an after-tax net present value using a 5% discount rate (NPV 5% ) of $197.1 million using a base case gold price of $1,250 per ounce ($254.3 million and 42% at $1,350/oz gold price).

The FS was prepared by Lycopodium Minerals Canada Limited with the support of three other globally recognized engineering firms: AGP Mining Consultants Inc. (AGP), SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. (SRK) and BVP Engenharia in partnership with Walm Engenharia e Tecnologia Ambiental. The FS is being summarized into a technical report that will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101).

Christian Milau, CEO, stated, The feasibility study outlines a robust, construction-ready, open-pit gold mine that we can rapidly advance to production. This new mine plan supports the original conviction of Trek Minings executive team that we are developing a low-cost, high-margin operation that will provide substantial cash generation for the Company, producing on average 136,000 ounces of gold per year at respectably low all-in sustaining costs. Further, based on recent drill results we are confident that we can extend the mine life with exploration success, bringing additional value to both our shareholders and community partners.

David Laing, COO, added, This feasibility study reflects extensive engineering and technical work conducted over the last two years. With much of the necessary infrastructure already in place, initial capital to restart Aurizona is significantly less than other similar-size projects, resulting in quick project payback. With the feasibility study complete, we will turn our attention to engineering, procurement and construction activities to get Aurizona back into production.

BASE CASE HIGHLIGHTS

The 100%-owned Project, located in Maranhao State in northeastern Brazil, is a 223,000-hectare property containing a past-producing open-pit mine and gold processing plant, the Piaba and Boa Esperanca gold deposits and numerous exploration targets. The FS provides a compilation of the engineering and geological studies performed in 2016 and 2017, which incorporated the results from drilling conducted in 2015 and additional geotechnical and geochemical site characterization work carried out in 2016 and 2017. FS highlights are summarized in the table below.

Feasibility Study Highlights Gold price (base case) $1,250/oz Exchange rate (Brazilian Real to US Dollar) 3.3:1 Average annual gold production (LOM) 136,000 ounces Total gold production (LOM) 885,700 ounces Average gold grade 1.52 grams per tonne (g/t) Strip ratio 5.7:1 (waste:ore, tonnes) Average gold recovery 91% Throughput 8,000 tonnes per day (tpd) Initial mine life 6.5 years Cash costs (LOM) $691/oz Direct operating costs (LOM) Mining - $2.44/tonne mined;

Processing - $8.43/tonne milled;

G&A - $2.88/tonne milled;

Non-recoverable taxes - $0.89/tonne milled AISC (LOM) $754/oz Cash flow (after tax) (LOM) * $286 M Initial capital $130.8 M ($148/oz) Sustaining capital, including closure costs $51.3 M ($54/oz) NPV 5% (after tax) $197.1 M (base case), $254.3 M ($1,350/oz gold) IRR (after tax) 33.8% (base case), 41.6% ($1,350/oz gold) Payback (after tax) 2.8 years

* Net of initial capital cost.

ECONOMIC SENSITIVITIES

Using the base case gold price of $1,250/oz and incorporating only Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves of 971,000 ounces of gold, the Project has an after-tax NPV 5% of $197.1 million and an after-tax IRR of 33.8%. The Projects economics are most sensitive to fluctuations in the gold price and foreign exchange rate, as summarized in the tables below.

Aurizona Mine Sensitivity to Gold Price Gold price ($/oz) $1,000 $1,150 $1,250 $1,350 $1,500 NPV 5% (after tax) $49.2 M $139.6 M $197.1 M $254.3 M $339.8 M IRR (after tax) 12.3% 25.6% 33.8% 41.6% 52.9% Payback period (years) 5.2 3.4 2.8 2.3 1.8

Aurizona Sensitivity to Brazilian Real:US Dollar Exchange Rate Foreign exchange (BRL/US$) 3.1:1 3.2:1 3.3:1 3.4:1 3.5:1 NPV 5% (after tax) $165.9 M $182.0 M $197.1 M $211.2 M $224.6 M IRR (after tax) 28.1% 31.0% 33.8% 36.5% 39.2%

CAPITAL & OPERATING COSTS

Initial capital to fund construction and commissioning is estimated at a modest $130.8 million due to the Companys ability to leverage significant existing infrastructure in place at the brownfields mine site. Most major mine and processing elements are already in place, including a tailings storage facility (TSF) and waste dumps, a dedicated power line, camp offices and accommodations, water, roads and communications.

The re-engineered plant includes an entirely new 8,000 tpd crushing and grinding circuit that will allow all known types of mineral bearing rock at Aurizona to be processed through the gold recovery plant. Procurement and construction of the new components and equipment for the mine restart are expected to take up to 18 months, with first gold pour targeted for year-end 2018.

Initial and sustaining capital costs reflect the use of contractor mining, eliminating the need to purchase a new mining fleet.

Aurizona Capital Cost Estimate

(Including duties and taxes) Initial Capital $M Sustaining Capital $M Mining 22.5 Mining 10.6 Treatment plant & repairs 49.3 Tailings dam 35.8 Reagents & plant services 12.0 Owners costs 1.2 Tailings dam 3.1 Closure costs (net of salvage value) 3.7 Owners costs * 29.0 Management costs 6.7 Construction indirects 7.7 Waste storage facilities 0.5 Total Initial Capital $130.8 Total Sustaining Capital $51.3

* Includes pre-production costs, working capital and power substation upgrade activities.

Aurizona Operating Cost Estimate

(Including non-recoverable taxes and excluding recoverable taxes) Onsite Operating Costs Cost Per Ounce Cost Per Tonne Milled Cost Per Tonne Mined Mining $355 $15.83 $2.44 Processing $189 $8.43 - G&A $64 $2.88 - Non-recoverable taxes $20 $0.89 - Total Direct Operating Costs $628 $28.03 - Refining & transport $14 - - Total Operating Costs $642 - - Royalties $49 - - Total Cash Costs * $691 - -

* For IFRS accounting purposes, some stripping costs may be capitalized and included in sustaining capital instead of in operating costs.

Mineral Reserves and Resources

Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves are estimated at 971,000 ounces of gold contained in 19.8 million tonnes of ore at a diluted grade of 1.52 g/t of gold. These Mineral Reserves support an initial 6.5-year mine life with excellent potential to expand the reserve base and extend the mine life with exploration success.

Aurizona Mineral Reserve Estimate

Effective Date May 29, 2017 Proven Probable Total Ore Type Tonnage

(kt) Gold

Grade

(g/t) Contained

Gold

(oz) Tonnage

(kt) Gold

Grade

(g/t) Contained

Gold

(oz) Tonnage

(kt) Gold

Grade

(g/t) Contained

Gold

(oz) Laterite 122 1.94 8,000 539 0.98 17,000 661 1.16 25,000 Saprolite 1,684 1.52 82,000 1,310 1.38 58,000 2,994 1.46 140,000 Transition 2,553 1.34 110,000 1,363 1.18 52,000 3,916 1.29 162,000 Fresh Rock 4,079 1.46 192,000 8,186 1.72 452,000 12,265 1.63 644,000 Total 8,438 1.44 392,000 11,398 1.58 579,000 19,836 1.52 971,000

Proven Probable Total Pit Tonnage

(kt) Gold

Grade

(g/t) Contained

Gold

(oz) Tonnage

(kt) Gold

Grade

(g/t) Contained

Gold

(oz) Tonnage

(kt) Gold

Grade

(g/t) Contained

Gold

(oz) Piaba 8,088 1.43 373,000 10,286 1.60 529,000 18,374 1.53 902,000 East 350 1.68 19,000 585 1.87 35,000 935 1.80 54,000 Boa Esperanca 527 0.84 14,000 527 0.84 14,000 Total 8,438 1.44 392,000 11,398 1.58 579,000 19,836 1.52 971,000

Notes: This Mineral Reserve estimate has an effective date of May 29, 2017 and is based on the Mineral Resource estimate dated January 5, 2017 by SRK. The Mineral Reserve calculation was completed under the supervision of Gordon Zurowski, PEng of AGP, who is a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. Mineral Reserves are stated within the final design pit based on a $1,056 per ounce gold price pit shell with a $1,200 per ounce gold price for revenue. The cut-off grade was 0.60 g/t Au for the Piaba pit area and 0.41 g/t Au for the Boa Esperanca area. The mining cost averaged $2.32/tonne mined, processing averaged $11.30/tonne milled and G&A was $2.84/tonne milled. The process recovery averaged 90.3%. The exchange rate assumption applied was R$3.30 equal to $1.00. The FS scope only considers the Piaba and Boa Esperanca open pit mineralized zones. The Mineral Reserve estimates contained herein may be subject to legal, political, environmental or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of such Mineral Reserves. Mineral resources that are not included within the Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

The combined Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources are estimated at 1,431,000 ounces of gold (inclusive of reserves) contained in 28.3 million tonnes at a grade of 1.57 g/t gold, with additional Inferred Resources in the open pit of 45,000 ounces of gold contained in 880,000 tonnes at a grade of 1.61 g/t gold and underground Inferred Resources of 490,000 ounces of gold contained in 5.1 million tonnes at a grade of 2.99 g/t gold.

Aurizona Mineral Resource Estimate

Effective Date January 5, 2017 Deposit Area Category Tonnes

(kt) Gold

(g/t) Gold

(oz) Piaba Open Pit Measured 8,860 1.46 415,000 Indicated 19,030 1.64 1,002,000 Measured and Indicated 27,890 1.58 1,417,000 Inferred 740 1.56 37,000 Boa Esperanca Open Pit Indicated 370 1.14 14,000 Inferred 140 1.88 8,000 Total Open Pit M&I 28,260 1.57 1,431,000 Inferred 880 1.61 45,000 Piaba Underground Inferred 5,090 2.99 490,000

Notes: This Mineral Resource estimate has an effective date of January 5, 2017 and was prepared by Mr. Marek Nowak, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. of SRK, who is a qualified person under NI 43-101. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Mineral Resources that are not included within the Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Open pit mineral resources are reported at 0.6 g/t gold cut-off and underground resources are reported at 2.0 g/t gold cut-off. Tonnes are rounded to the nearest 10,000; ounces are rounded to the nearest 1,000. Small tonnage and grade differences may be found due to rounding. The Mineral Resource estimates contained herein may be subject to legal, political, environmental or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of such Mineral Resources.

The Company believes there is considerable potential to expand the reserve and resource base and extend the mine life through exploration success. The Projects 223,000-hectare land package includes the Aurizona mining license, brownfields exploration properties proximal to the Aurizona mine site, and earlier-stage greenfields exploration properties that are under option to AngloGold Ashanti Holdings plc. Near-mine, drill-ready exploration targets include Piaba West, which has the potential to extend the existing Piaba deposit 900 metres to the southwest, and Tatajuba, which is situated on the same Piaba structure and represents a potential four-kilometre extension along strike from Piaba West.

AURIZONA MINE PLAN

The mine plan is based on the current Mineral Reserve model and calls for conventional truck and excavator/front end loader open-pit mine operations with a waste-to-ore stripping ratio of 5.7:1. The new mine plan continues mining in the existing Piaba open pit, deepening the pit and mining all rock types.

The mine plan was developed to provide a practical mining sequence while optimizing net present value, and incorporates early mining of the Boa Esperanca pit which, on completion, will provide water storage capacity as part of the overall site water management plan. Primary mining activities will take place in the Piaba pit.

Mining will be performed by a mining contractor, based on quotes received from a variety of experienced mining contractors. The grade control function will be performed by Aurizona personnel.

Mining costs, including the mining contractor charges and Aurizona supervision and grade control, are estimated to average $2.44 per tonne mined (excluding taxes) over the current LOM.

Fresh rock accounts for 62% of the Mineral Reserves, while saprolite/laterite and transition account for 18% and 20%, respectively. The mine schedule estimates delivery of 19.8 Mt of ore grading 1.52 g/t gold to the mill over the LOM. Waste tonnage totaling 113.2 Mt will be placed in the north, west, and south waste rock storage facilities.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

The production schedule reflects a mine plan that provides a practical mining sequence, ensures the availability of sumps at the appropriate times of year and provides ore stockpiles on the run of mine pad to supplement plant feed during the rainy season. The LOM production schedule is presented in the table below.

Aurizona Production Schedule Year Pre-Prod 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total Ore to Plant kt 2,918 3,208 3,006 2,920 2,920 2,920 1,944 19,836 Gold Grade g/t 1.49 1.50 1.66 1.65 1.43 1.43 1.47 1.52 Direct to Mill kt 1,841 2,110 2,501 2,920 2,400 2,920 1,147 15,839 To Stockpile kt 1,073 1,572 708 644 0 0 0 0 3,997 From Stockpile kt 0 1,077 1,098 506 0 519 0 797 3,997 Waste kt 3,517 26,122 29,582 29,063 12,680 8,817 3,058 386 113,226 Total Mined kt 4,590 29,535 32,400 32,208 15,600 11,218 5,978 1,533 133,062 Recovery % 92.8% 91.9% 92.0% 90.4% 90.4% 90.0% 90.2% 91.2% Gold to Dore oz 130,082 142,161 147,952 139,733 121,876 120,824 83,069 885,696

PROCESS PLANT

The FS is based on a process plant capable of treating 8,000 tpd of fresh rock through a combination of conventional gravity concentration and leach/CIP (carbon in pulp) cyanidation processes. The design includes a new comminution circuit which comprises a primary jaw crusher, SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill, ball mill and pebble crusher. This circuit will treat more than 8,000 tpd of ore as the proportion of saprolite increases. The plan also calls for the repair, refurbishment and improvement of the existing process plant equipment. This will include new hydro-cyclones, a new intensive leach reactor, three new leach tanks, a refurbished CIP circuit, a new pressurized elution circuit, a new carbon regeneration kiln and a new high rate thickener. Additional improvements to the existing process plant include upgrades to the cyanide destruction and tailings deposition system, gravity recovery circuit, electrical supply and distribution system, instrumentation and controls, and plant infrastructure.

Average cost to process a tonne of ore is expected to be $8.43 per tonne milled over the current LOM. The cash cost varies dependent on the blend of the three main ore types being processed, with variations in power, steel, cyanide and lime consumption due to differences in hardness, abrasiveness and mineralogy.

METALLURGY

The process gold recovery is based on previous production from 2010 to 2015, and additional test work conducted from 2011 through to 2016. The test work has been consistent across the various campaigns and laboratories and shows that gold is readily recovered using conventional cyanide leaching with a design retention time of 30 hours. Using a P 80 100 m grind size, gold recoveries of between 90% and 97% are expected over the LOM. Design recoveries by metallurgical domain are presented in the table below.

Aurizona Gold Recoveries Process and Mineralization Au Recovery Piaba Saprolite 93.1% Piaba Transition 94.1% Piaba Fresh Rock 90.0% Boa Esperanca Saprolite 91.8% Boa Esperanca Transition 97.1%

Leaching reagent consumption ranges from 0.45 to 0.54 kg/t NaCN and 0.80 to 3.71 kg/t lime.

TAILINGS STORAGE FACILITY

The Project will expand the capacity of the existing Vene TSF in three lifts. The first expansion will be carried out before the restart of the process plant, followed by two additional lifts approximately every two years thereafter. Construction of a new tailings facility, Ze Bolacha, will start in year four. Both facilities are designed as unlined, compacted earth fill structures with sand chimneys and blanket drains. Following neutralization, tailings slurries (approximately 40% solids) will be pumped via pipeline to the TSF and spigoted from the dam crest to maintain the water pool towards the rear of the reservoir area and away from the main dam embankment. Water will be recovered and pumped back to the process plant or the Boa Esperanca pit reservoir.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Given the brownfields nature of the Project, Aurizona is endowed with considerable infrastructure, which includes the back end of the plant, offices, warehouses, laboratories, communications and a camp. It also benefits from the existing road access from Belem (440 km) and Sao Luis (320 km), as well as access to the electrical grid (with a powerline to site) via the Maranhao power distribution utility, which provides access to lower-cost, free-market power supplies.

The site-wide water balance work has indicated that the operation has access to sufficient fresh water for uninterrupted operations in extreme drought conditions, and the storage and discharge capacity to contain flooding from extreme wet periods.

LABOUR

There is abundant labour in the region and, as a prior operator, the Project has access to previously trained local and regional staff. The Company has continued with its human resources programs during the care and maintenance period, in anticipation of restarting operations. Training programs for a variety of administrative and technical skills will benefit the project by increasing the pool of skilled labour, and benefit local community members through the development of transferable skills. The Company will provide up to 500 jobs during both construction and operations, and expects that substantially all employees and contractors will be Brazilian.

PERMITTING

The Project was placed on care and maintenance in the third quarter of 2015. The Company has maintained its licenses and permits in compliance with regulatory requirements and has requested that the existing License to Operate (LO) be amended to cover changes to the operating parameters, including the increased plant throughput to 8,000 tpd and raises to the Vene TSF. Receipt of the License to Install (LI) is anticipated in the third quarter of 2017 and will allow full construction to commence, keeping Aurizona on track to restart operations by the end of 2018.

ENGINEERING, PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Trek Mining has awarded the project EPCM work to Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. (Ausenco), a private, diversified engineering, construction and project management company with extensive experience in the fit-for-purpose design and cost-effective construction of gold plants and mining projects globally, including a number of recent study, basic engineering and construction projects in Brazil. Ausenco will provide EPCM services to the project from its Vancouver and Belo Horizonte offices and will be complemented by Trek Minings team.

TAXES AND TAX CREDITS

The financial model incorporates assumptions about the expansion and extension of the income tax reduction benefit made available under a government economic stimulus program (the SUDENE) to companies for industrial projects developed in northeastern Brazil. The income tax rate is 15.25%. The financial model also incorporates recovery of certain Brazilian value-added type taxes, primarily ICMS and PIS/COFINS.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The most significant opportunity to add value at Aurizona is through exploration success. Near-mine exploration targets have the potential to extend the Piaba deposit up to five kilometres along strike to the southwest. Early results from the planned 30,000-metre 2017 drilling program have successfully demonstrated that significant gold mineralization persists below the shallow, westernmost reserve pit and that the Piaba gold deposit extends along strike at least 350 metres to the west. The Company will continue to test mineralization along strike and also at depth, with the objective of increasing the reserve and resource base and extending the mine life.

Subsequent to completing the Vene TSF design for the FS, engineering work has demonstrated that additional lifts to the Vene TSF to accommodate the entire LOM tailings are feasible at a substantially lower cost than building the Ze Bolacha TSF. Work is ongoing to complete this design and cost estimate.

TECHNICAL REPORT PREPARATION

The FS was prepared by several independent Qualified Persons (QPs) and was consolidated by Lycopodium Minerals Canada Limited (Lycopodium). The Mineral Resources and the new geological block model were prepared by SRK. The Mineral Reserves, mine plan and mining sections of the study were prepared by AGP, and the geotechnical and environmental matters were led by SRK. The TSF was designed by BVP Engenharia in partnership with Walm Engenharia e Tecnologia Ambiental. The QPs involved in preparation of the FS were Mr. Michael Royle, MAppSci, PGeo, of SRK; Mr. Marek Nowak, MASc, PEng, of SRK; Mr. Esteban Hormazabal, Min Eng, MSc, MAusIMM, of SRK; Mr. Stephen Day, MSc, BSc, PGeo, of SRK; Dr. James Siddorn, PhD, PGeo, of SRK; Mr. Jeff Parshley, PG, CPG, CEM, of SRK; Mr. David Hoekstra, PE, of SRK; Ms. Sindy Cheng, PEng, of Lycopodium; Mr. Miguel Tortosa, PEng, of Lycopodium; Mr. Neil Lincoln, PEng, of Lycopodium; Mr. Paulo Cella, PhD, MSc, of Walm Engenharia e Proyectos; and Mr. Gordon Zurowski, PEng, of AGP. The FS is being summarized into a technical report that will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days, in accordance with NI 43-101.

CONFERENCE CALL / WEBCAST

The Company will host a webcast and conference call on August 1, 2017 to present the FS results and provide an opportunity for investors and analysts to ask questions about next steps at Aurizona. The webcast and presentation slides will also be archived and accessible on Trek Minings website. Please register five to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time and ask to join the Trek Mining conference call.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 10 am EDT (7 am PDT)

Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: 1-800-319-4610

International callers: +1 604-638-5340

Webcast: www.trekmining.com

ABOUT TREK MINING INC.

Trek Mining is a Canadian mining company with a portfolio of production, near-production and exploration-stage projects in North and South America. The Company is producing gold from its Koricancha Mill, a custom-built gold and silver ore processing facility in Peru, and expects to commence construction in the second half of 2017 at its past-producing Aurizona Gold Mine in Brazil with the objective of pouring gold at Aurizona by the end of 2018. Trek Minings exploration properties include both near-mine and district exploration opportunities at Aurizona; the Warintza porphyry copper-molybdenum exploration project in Southeastern Ecuador; the Ricardo porphyry copper-molybdenum exploration project in Chile; and Elk Gold, a past-producing high-grade gold mine in British Columbia, Canada. Further information about Trek Minings business strategy and portfolio of assets is available at www.trekmining.com.
@PatriciaMazzei

In an unusual move possible only for a bilingual U.S. senator, Florida Republican Marco Rubio got to make a speech late Monday night on an independent Venezuelan TV news channel in which he expressed solidarity for opponents of President Nicolas Maduro, who was sanctioned by the Trump administration Monday as a "dictator."

"There is no U.S. economic blockade on Venezuela. Yet the economy of a rich nation is in shambles, because the Maduro government has given away your oil and much of your sovereignty to Cuba," said Rubio, who is fluent in Spanish. "For Nicolas Maduro, who I am sure is watching, the current path you are on will not end well for you."

The address, taped in Washington, aired on Globovision, which is expected to continue playing the speech Tuesday.

"While the people of Venezuela struggle each day to feed their families, have you noticed how many of your leaders have gained weight?" Rubio said, pointing to periodic food shortages that have plagued the oil-rich South American nation.

Hours after the speech's initial airing, Venezuelan state security agents took two political prisoners who were under house arrest into custody. On Sunday, Maduro's government carried out a violent-marred election widely seen as fraudulent for a new all-powerful constituent assembly.

"Go ahead," Maduro said in a televised speech Monday evening. "Bring on your sanctions, Donald Trump."

Rubio noted in a Tuesday statement that Vice President Mike Pence had spoken to one of the prisoners, high-profile opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, by phone Friday. The other prisoner is former Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma.

There should be no doubt that his arrest is a direct challenge to President Trump," Rubio said.
TORONTO, July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (the Company) (TSX:GCM) announced today that it is continuing to execute its contingency plans and to negotiate in good faith with the Mesa Minera of Segovia and Remedios toward formalizing activities of illegal mines operating within its mining title despite the actions being taken by certain illegal miners to disrupt the Companys operations.

Over the last ten days, the Company has been monitoring the actions of the Mesa Minera, a local mining collective comprised in its majority by illegal miners, as they attempted to convene a civil disruption and protest in response to the increased measures being implemented by the Colombian government to restrict illegal mining. Although the Mesa Minera has been in discussion with the various levels of government and the Company since last year, they have not yet been able to reach a resolution. Discussions are ongoing and the Company is committed to achieving its objectives through this process despite the coercive actions of certain local interests.

While the Companys employees are not directly involved in this dispute, the escalation in the civil disruption in recent days has impeded their ability to safely report to work. The Company estimates that approximately 30 to 40 per cent of its workers are currently able to attend. In addition, over the weekend, an explosion damaged a pipeline owned by the Company that supplies water to 1,200 residents in Remedios. The Company is taking appropriate measures and has implemented the necessary security procedures, focusing on critical needs to continue its mining and plant operations while deferring certain development projects. There are also increased numbers of governmental authorities present to aid in controlling the situation. The civil disruption did not have a significant impact on the Companys expected production in July. However, production guidance for the balance of the year may be impacted if the local civil disruption continues for a prolonged period.

About Gran Colombia Gold Corp.

Gran Colombia is a Canadian-based gold and silver exploration, development and production company with its primary focus in Colombia. Gran Colombia is currently the largest underground gold and silver producer in Colombia with several underground mines in operation at its Segovia and Marmato Operations. Gran Colombia is in the midst of an expansion and modernization project at its Segovia Operations.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 1, 2017) - CKR Carbon Corporation. (TSXV: CKR) (FSE: CB81) ("CKR" or the "Company") a graphite development company, is pleased to announce the acquisition of a further 11% interest in Exclusive Prospecting License 3895 which covers the Aukam vein graphite deposit in Southern Namibia. The Company now holds a 63% interest in Exclusive Prospecting License 3895 (see the Press Release dated January 17, 2017 for further particulars).

The 63% interest was acquired by making exploration and development expenditures totalling US$1.1 million and making cash payments to Next Graphite Inc. ("Next") of US$180,000 as called for in a binding Farm Out Agreement between Next and CKR.

Work carried out on the project by CKR since July 2015, has involved detailed and regional geological mapping, geophysical surveys, sampling and assaying of graphite veins and dump material, metallurgical test work, bulk sampling, underground drilling and environmental impact assessments.

"The acquisition of the 63% interest in Aukam is a significant milestone for the company" said Sheldon Inwentash, Executive Chairman of CKR Carbon Corporation. "We look forward to continuing to develop the project in co-operation with our joint venture partner."

About CKR Carbon Corporation

CKR Carbon Corporation is an advanced materials company focused on mine to market commercialization of graphite products most notably high value graphene based components for a range of mass market products. We are collaborating with a leading European manufacturer of graphenes to use Aukam graphite to manufacture graphene products for commercialization on an industrial scale. The company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol CKR.

About the Aukam Project

The Aukam property covers a past producing vein graphite deposit and associated graphite occurrences. CKR is currently undertaking technical studies to support an application for a mining license. The company maintains high safety and environmental standards and has a comprehensive strategy of social engagement.
August 1, 2017 / JMN Wire / Condor Gold plc (AIM:CNR / OTCQX: CNDGF), is pleased to announce the completion of a detailed soil geochemistry survey (soil survey) over the entire 313 km La India Project, Nicaragua. Samples were collected along 100 m, 200 m or 400 m spaced, north-south oriented, lines and at intervals varying from 50 m to 400 m along each line over a 3 year period (see Figure 1 below). The soil survey is a key component of a multi-disciplined approach, including geological mapping and airborne geophysics, to prove a major gold district at the Project, which currently hosts a high grade mineral resource of 18.08 M tonnes at 4.0 g/t for 2.31 M oz gold.

Highlights

Soil survey completed over entire 313 km La India Project

Soil results map major geological features, including two major feeder zones that run across the tenement in a northwesterly direction, the La India and Andrea Corridors, an east-west linking structure, and a major eroded caldera.

Complex structural geological setting is indicative of a major gold district

Soil results also identify preferentially mineralized targets within these features

142.4 g/t gold rock chip sample identified approximately 30 m along strike from a 53.9 g/t gold rock chip on the Los Limones prospect at the northern end of a 12.5 km mineralised corridor, 9 km north of the main La India open pit reserve.

Mark Child CEO comments:

"The completion of a soil geochemistry survey over the entire 313 km La India Project is a major milestone in proving La India Project hosts a major Gold District. It forms part of a multi-disciplined approach of generating new targets utilising the knowledge from over 70,000 m drilling and 28,000 m trenching to date in the core areas, while importantly building on the airborne geophysics survey of 2014, the detailed structure geological model of 2015, and on-going traditional geological mapping and drilling programme.

Major gold districts tend to be discovered in complex structural settings. The soil geochemistry survey has identified two major, mineralised basement feeder zones running NW to SE through the Project, cut by the Highway Fault, which down-throws the southeastern part of the District, which is in turn cut by an east-west link structure, to produce such a complex structural setting. Condor's multi-disciplined approach and a boots-on-the-ground philosophy, is generating several new drill targets and will eventually contribute to the global gold resource."

Background

A total of 13,194 samples were analysed during 2015, 2016 and 2017. They were collected along north-south lines at 100 to 400 m spacing and at intervals of 50 to 400 m. The survey covers both 'virgin' territory, with no mapped epithermal veins, at the broader spacing; and areas of known mineralization, such as the La India, America and Mestiza Vein Sets at the tighter spacing. La India Project has approximately 105 km strike length of veins, of which about 55 km have been trenched or mapped in any detail; only 13.2 km have been drill tested. The intention was to provide baseline data that can be used to generate new targets. A detailed report, describing methods, laboratory techniques and results, is available on request. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Unlike most low sulphidation epithermal gold veins, those at La India Project tend to have very narrow, and weak, hydrothermal alteration haloes. This is confirmed by recent SpecTerra (Short Wave Infrared) work on drill core, which showed limited hydrothermal clay development. The veins are also very low in sulphides (e.g., pyrite and arsenopyrite) and have correspondingly low levels of associated metals.

Interpretation

The above weak alteration and low sulphide content of the epithermal system is reflected in narrow and subtle soil geochemical anomalies, even around high-grade gold veins, such as La India vein. Like the veins, the soils have very low contents of base metals (e.g., copper, zinc, lead) and associated pathfinder elements (e.g., mercury, arsenic). Consequently, the best pathfinder for gold is gold, although low level anomalism in the traditional pathfinder elements (e.g., silver, arsenic, antimony, tellurium and thallium) does define important targets.

An analysis of the entire dataset shows two main corridors of anomalous geochemistry, referred to as La India Corridor and Andrea Corridor (Figure 1). These extend for over twenty kilometres and coincide with major basement structures seen in the airborne magnetics dataset. They probably represent fundamental basement structures, each acting as a feeder for ascending hydrothermal fluids.

The known veins occur along these corridors, but are clearly shown to have better continuity than is apparent from geological mapping. For example, the Andrea vein has much greater continuity than previously thought, extending for at least 4 km.

The corridors converge in the far northwest in an area with significant soil anomalies of gold, thallium and silver. This coincides with a "hinge zone" seen in the airborne magnetics data. It is near Los Limones, where rock sampling has reported veins with including two samples, 30m apart of 53.9 g/t gold and 142.4 g/t gold (Figure 3). This area is earmarked for early ground checking, as intersection zones are generally prospective target areas.

The Highway Fault, a northeast striking post-mineral fault (Figures 1 and 2), drops down the entire epithermal system to the southeast. This is reflected in weaker anomalies and a dominance of high level pathfinder elements. It is believed that areas southeast of the Highway Fault contain concealed targets and that the down-thrown block preserves the top of the system at Cacao, which includes sinter and phreatic breccias, indicating the paleosurface. There is also the possibility that the strike extension to La India vein continues to the south, but is similarly down-thrown.

High level pathfinder elements also map a linking structure, coinciding with Cacao and Santa Barbara, both targeted for additional drilling (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Demonstrates Two Major Basement Feeder Zones.

Note: Figure 1 above: Gridded plot of antimony in soils, with gridlines at 10 km intervals

The data also support the interpretation of an eroded caldera to the west near the town of Santa Rosa De Penon. This is mapped by arcuate anomalies of arsenic, antimony, mercury and bismuth. There are two main anomalies of interest that will require follow up. The first is a broad, 3 x 5 km wide, zone of elevated arsenic, antimony, thallium, tungsten, lead and molybdenum on the western margin of the caldera where La India Corridor intersects the caldera margin. The second is a more focussed, 1.5 x 3 km wide, zone of elevated arsenic, thallium, molybdenum, antimony with a bismuth halo within the caldera in an area covered by young, intra-caldera ignimbrite. Both anomalies merit further mapping.

One of the most useful tools for exploration of epithermal vein systems is commonly the gold:silver ratio. High gold relative to silver suggests hydrothermal upflow zones, generally with better gold grades. To test this concept, soil samples below 5 ppb gold were removed and the remaining 3,547 samples gridded. Figure 2 clearly shows elevated values at La India, the central part of America/Guapinol, and 'Big Bend' at Mestiza (currently being drilled). There are also encouraging values at Santa Barbara and West of Los Limones.

Figure 2 Symbol plot of gold:silver ratio, with gridlines at 10 km intervals.





Condor geologists are continuing to work with the soil data and analyse it in more detail with the other available datasets, including airborne magnetics and radiometrics, and geological mapping, to generate more targets. Follow up mapping is focussing on the initial inventory of targets that reflect the high grade, narrow vein mineralisation that comprises the current resource base. This includes anomalies west of Los Limones, Santa Barbara and southeast of La India.

142.4 g/t Gold and 53.9 g/t Gold Rock Chip Samples 12 km from Open Pit Reserve

Los Limones prospect, including two rock chip samples 30 m apart of 53.9 g/t gold and 142.4 g/t gold was identified during the soil survey. The rock chips are located in a remote area in the far north of the concession package, approximately 12 km from the nearest mineral resource at Cristalitio-Tatescame and the Highway Fault. Condor is applying for a drilling permit and plans detailed geological mapping of Los Limones prospect in 2017 (See Figure 3 below)

Figure 3





Competent Person's Declaration

The information in this announcement that relates to the mineral potential, geology, exploration results and database is based on information compiled, and reviewed, by Mr Peter Flindell, Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Member of the Society of Economic Geologists. Mr Flindell is a geologist with over thirty years of experience in the exploration of precious metal mineral resources. Mr Flindell is a non-executive director on the Board of Condor Gold plc who also provides technical leadership to the technical team in Nicaragua and has considerable experience in epithermal mineralization, the type of deposit under consideration, and sufficient experience in the type of activity that he is undertaking to qualify as a 'Competent Person' as defined in the June 2009 Edition of the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr Flindell consents to the inclusion in this regulatory announcement of technical disclosure, which he has read and approved, in the form and context in which it appears and confirms that this information is accurate and not false or misleading.
Moon to call Trump, Abe to draw up tougher sanctions

By Jun Ji-hye

The presidential office and relevant ministries are studying ways of imposing the country's own sanctions on North Korea after Pyongyang's test-firing of another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

But policymakers are apparently finding this difficult to do as there seem to be few options left for the Moon Jae-in administration to use against the Kim Jong-un regime.

Soon after the North launched the Hwasong-14 ICBM Friday night  the second such test  President Moon ordered his aides to look for ways to impose unilateral sanctions on Pyongyang in addition to those from the international community.

Moon said every possible means should be mobilized to find measures to give the North serious pain, but the so-called May 24 Sanctions, imposed by the former Lee Myung-bak administration, already severed almost all economic ties with the North at the time, except for cooperation at the joint industrial park in the North's border city of Gaeseong.

These sanctions were in retaliation for the North's torpedo attack on the South Korean Navy frigate Cheonan in 2010, which resulted in the deaths of 46 sailors.

Then early last year, the former Park Geun-hye government shut down the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, which was considered Seoul's last resort, in response to the North's fourth nuclear test.

Government officials admit that they have few cards to play against the isolated state.

Ministry of Unification spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said at a regular briefing Monday, "Our working-level officials are reviewing what options we can take. But nothing has been decided."

A Cheong Wa Dae official, asking not to be named, also just said, "We are thinking about economic sanctions."












By Yi Whan-woo



The government will decide by the end of the year whether to renegotiate a controversial accord reached between Korea and Japan over former Korean sex slaves, the chief of the foreign ministry's taskforce reviewing the deal said Monday.



Oh Tai-kyu, who heads the nine-member team created to uncover the hidden details behind the sex slavery agreement made in December 2015, said his team will primarily listen to the surviving victims in making its decision.



The team was formed in line with President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledge to go over the 2015 agreement: Many in Korea criticized the deal for being reached without consulting the victims.



"We will try to come up with a result by the end of the year for the government to decide on whether to completely revise the deal, partially do so, or leave as it is," Oh said during a press meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Seoul after the team's official launch and first meeting.



Oh said the process may take longer as the team would look into the case thoroughly.



"We don't have any specific result in mind," he said. "The foreign minister will make a conclusion after we submit the report to her, and based on that, the government will set its stance toward the deal."



Reached between the governments of then-President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in December 2015, the deal was criticized for being hastily made without reflecting the victims' opinions.



The taskforce's jobs will include revealing what happened before the foreign ministers of the two countries verbally agreed on the deal. The two governments said at the time that with the deal, the issue would be resolved "finally and irreversibly," and the team plans to find out how the term was included and who was in charge.



The team will also find out why the two sides have interpreted the agreement differently, especially concerning a statue of a girl symbolizing the former sex slaves.



The Abe administration claims the Seoul government, in line with the 2015 agreement, should remove the girl statues installed outside its embassy in Seoul and consulate in Busan, in exchange for receiving 1 billion yen aimed at helping the surviving victims. But Korea says it is not obliged to remove the statues but would only make relevant efforts concerning them.



The nine members of the team are comprised of scholars and officials.



Oh, a former liberal journalist, worked for Moon as a social issues adviser on the presidential transition team. Others include Paik Ji-ah, president of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security under the wing of the foreign ministry, and Korea Human Rights Foundation Chairwoman Sun Mi-ra.




One of the Mongolian woman bagging clothes in her "specially designed" bag. / Yonhap



By Lee Han-soo

Two Mongolian women have been arrested in Busan for stealing clothes from large stores, using bags specially designed to bypass security alarms, according to Busan Geumjeong Police Station, Monday.

The two, known to be hometown friends, allegedly stole 287 clothing items and 12 perfumes worth 14.4 million won ($12,400) from 10 clothing stores since March.

Police said the bags were made to bypass theft-alert devices placed around the store entrances.

This allowed the women to steal 221 items worth 8.8 million won from seven clothing stores on July 21 alone.

The stores were unaware that they had been robbed because their alarm systems failed to activate.

"The two used the fact that large clothing stores relied on doorway theft alarms to stop any crimes," said a police official. "They said they took the garments back to Mongolia and sold them for half their original price."

Police urged large clothing stores to check for customers with suspicious bags.
By Jung Min-ho

An appeals court upheld a lower court ruling Monday that sentenced a man from Uzbekistan to six months in prison for sexually assaulting a Korean woman last year.

According to the appellate division of the Busan District Court, it upheld the term for the man, who was found guilty of groping a woman at Busan's Haeundae Beach in July 2016.

The court said in its ruling the defendant hadn't paid the woman compensation.

He was arrested after hugging and molesting the woman in the water against her will. He reportedly claimed his innocence despite many witnesses.

In another case, the court sentenced a Sri Lankan man to six months in prison for touching the buttocks and thighs of three Korean women at the same beach in August 2016.

As the number of foreigners living in Korea increases, crimes by them have also been on the rise. According to the Korean Institute of Criminology, the number of foreigners arrested for violations of the law jumped to 38,674 in 2014 from 13,834 in 2005.
South Korea officially launched a task force to review an agreement with Japan reached in 2015 to settle a long-standing bilateral feud over Japan's imperial-era mobilization of Korean women as sex workers, the foreign ministry said Monday.



The TF is tasked with fact-finding and assessing the processes leading up to the signing of the so-called comfort women deal, as well as its terms, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.



The launch of the special team is in line with President Moon Jae-in's campaign promise to revisit the bilateral agreement, which has been widely criticized for lacking Japan's official apology and pledge of liability for its forced sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II.



The previous administration of impeached President Park Geun-hye signed the agreement with Japan on Dec. 28, 2015 to end bilateral feuds stemming from the history of Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula once and for all.



Under the deal, Japan injected 1 billion yen (US$9 million) to a South Korean foundation dedicated to supporting victims.



Up to 200,000 Asian women, mostly from Korea, were believed to have been forced into sexual servitude for the imperialist Japanese troops during World War II as comfort women during the world war.



Several of the dozens of living South Korean comfort women victims refused financial compensation from the foundation in defiance of the bilateral deal which was forged without their consent and called for the removal of a symbolic comfort woman statue in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.



Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told the nine-member team to thoroughly vet the agreement from the perspective of the comfort women victims, according to the ministry.



The TF plans to make the result of its assessment public by the end of this year, the ministry said. Upon the result, the Moon administration is expected to make a final decision whether to retain or opt out of the deal.



The team is headed by Oh Tai-kyu, formerly a progressive journalist who advised Moon on social issues while on the president's transition team, and staffed with eight other experts on diplomacy, human rights and international law, as well as ministry officials.



They held their inaugural session earlier in the day where future plans and directions of the TF were discussed, the foreign ministry said.



For its part, Japan has repeatedly called on Seoul to stay with the agreement, urging faithful implementation of it. (Yonhap)




By Jhoo Dong-chan

ZURICH, Switzerland _ Several global carmakers have entered the premium auto market using their own technologies, but Mercedes-Benz is still considered the first pick when it comes to luxury sedans thanks to its flagship S-Class.

Introducing its facelift for the S-Class models, the Stuttgart-based premium automaker invited reporters from around the world to Zurich, Switzerland.

During the three-day event, Mercedes-Benz offered test drives of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan models as well as its performance division vehicles, the Mercedes-AMG S63 and S65 models. Of these, The Korea Times reporter was given a choice between three models _ the S560, S400D and AMG S63.

The S560 sedan





The Mercedes-Benz S560 sedan was road-tested near the German-Swiss border on July 21. / Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz



The reporter drove the Mercedes-Benz S560 sedan, with a 4.0-liter V8 bi-turbo gasoline engine, across the German-Swiss border, for about 190 kilometers.

A Mercedes Benz official said the bi-turbo was among the world's most economical V8 gasoline engines. It uses up to 6 percent less fuel than its predecessor. To lower fuel consumption, four cylinders of the new V8 are deactivated simultaneously under partial load with the help of the carmaker's latest CAMTRONIC valve-lift adjustment system that reduces the pumping losses while improving overall efficiency of the remaining four cylinders by shifting the operating point toward higher loads.

While maintaining its fuel efficiency through the valve-lift adjustment system, the S560 sedan produces combined CO2 emissions of just 181 gram per kilometer.

Despite its efficient and eco-friendly features, the model can produce 469 horsepower and reach 100 k/ph hour in 4.7 seconds. While inheriting the exterior design philosophy of its predecessor model, the 2018 S560 sedan features a new radiator grille in combination with multi-beam LED headlamps.

Inside, a 12.3-inch high-resolution dashboard blends with another 12.3-inch navigation in the center fascia to form a so-call "widescreen cockpit."

The infotainment system can be operated via a touchpad, using the controller in the center console, and by voice, which now understands more than 450 commands in English.

The passenger seats were extremely comfortable, featuring heating, cooling and massage systems. The sedan model's Magic Body Control with the Road Surface Scan system in the suspension, which recognizes road bumps in advance and compensates for them, also helped ease fatigue.

The advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are another step up from other global carmakers' technologies.

The range _ including the Active Braking Assist, Crosswind Assist, Attention Assist and Traffic Sign Assist _ kicked in smoothly when sensing possible dangers.

When a vehicle suddenly approached from the side during the test drive, the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive helped maneuver the steering wheel to evade a collision.

The S400d





The S400d sedan at the Neuhausen ob Eck Airport, Germany, July 21. / Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz



Mercedes-Benz offered the S400d sedan as the second test drive vehicle during its production exhibition and expert conference at the Airport Neuhausen ob Eck, a halfway point of the test-drive event.

The reporter drove the model on a winding road near the airport for about 50 kilometers.

The S400d has a 3.0-liter V6 in-line diesel engine that produces a maximum 340 horsepower. It takes 5.3 seconds to reach 100 k/ph.

The official said although the output had increased noticeably compared to the preceding model, the new engine used up to 7 percent less fuel. The engine is designed to comply with future emissions legislation in Europe.

Despite the diesel engine, it was not easy to hear the engine noise while idling. Thanks to its powerful 700 Nm torque, it offered punchy acceleration at low speed, and felt much easier to drive than the S560 sedan.

Like the S560, the 2018 S400d features various comfort systems, including Energizing Comfort Control, to suggest the best driving environment for the driver.

Introduced for the first time, the system offers various onboard comfort features such as climate control, ambience lighting, massage and fragrance functions, and allows customers to configure a specific set-up to suit their mood or need.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class program director Stefan Herdtle said the function helps transform the S-Class model into not just a means of transport but a place of relaxation.

Six programs can be selected:: freshness, warmth, vitality, joy, comfort and training. The vehicle adjusts its various settings _ such as interior lights, seat massage and music _ based on the driver's needs.

The AMG S63 performance sedan





The AMG S63 performance sedan at the German-Swiss border, July 21. / Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz



The racing performance division has drawn much attention from Korea's luxury auto market, which has grown strongly in recent years.

In 2014, the AMG topped the performance market in Korea by selling 776 cars. This increased to 1,688 in 2015 and 2,057 in 2016. In the first half of this year, 1,390 cars had been sold, up 18.3 percent from last year.

The face-lifted AMG S63, the flagship model in performance, has inherited the performance family's DNA of explosive acceleration at all speeds, but also has the all-round features of a regular sedan.

The model was the last to be test-driven _ on a German autobahn with no speed limits through the German-Swiss border to Zurich, Switzerland.

Replacing its predecessor's a 5.5-liter V8 bi-turbo, the 2018 Mercedes-AMG S63 has a 4.0-liter V8 b-iturbo engine with cylinder shutoff.

Despite its smaller displacement, the engine develops 612 horsepower with maximum torque of 900 Nm.

The Mercedes-AMG S63's exhaust was not as howling as that of its sister model, the C63, but maintains its zippy performance to reach 100 kilometers per second in 3.5 seconds.

Acceleration was maintained up to 250 k/ph. Even at such an extremely high speed, the vehicle firmly held its traction. Steering remained responsive, even at high speeds on winding roads.

The S63 comes with four drive modes _ comfort, sport, sport plus and individual. When in the comfort mode, the luxury performance car turned into a superb regular sedan thanks to the carmaker's latest active variable damper suspension. The exhaust was also suppressed in this mode.

The S-Class in Korea

A Mercedes-Benz Korea official says it has not yet been decided which S-Class models will be introduced here in September.

Having already sold 37,723 cars in Korea from January-June, up 54 percent from the previous year, Mercedes-Benz Korea is also expected to have little trouble achieving this year's sales target of 60,000 cars with the new versions of the S-Class models included.

Korea has been one of Mercedes-Benz's most successful markets. In fact, Korea is the world's third-largest market for the Mercedes Maybach, the ultra-luxury edition of the S-Class.

Korea is the fifth-largest market for all Mercedes models.
The concept of zero, both as a placeholder and as a symbol for nothing, is a relatively recent development.

Though people have always understood the concept of nothing or having nothing, the concept of zero is relatively new; it fully developed in India around the fifth century A.D., perhaps a couple of centuries earlier. Before then, mathematicians struggled to perform the simplest arithmetic calculations. Today, zero  both as a symbol (or numeral) and a concept meaning the absence of any quantity  allows us to perform calculus, do complicated equations, and to have invented computers.

"The Indian [or numerical] zero, widely seen as one of the greatest innovations in human history, is the cornerstone of modern mathematics and physics, plus the spin-off technology," said Peter Gobets, secretary of the ZerOrigIndia Foundation, or the Zero Project. The foundation, based in the Netherlands, researches the origins of the zero digit.

Early history: Angled wedges

Zero as a placeholder was invented independently in civilizations around the world, said Dr. Annette van der Hoek, Indiologist and research coordinator at the Zero Project. The Babylonians got their number system from the Sumerians, the first people in the world to develop a counting system. Developed 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, the Sumerian system was positional  the value of a symbol depended on its position relative to other symbols.

Robert Kaplan, author of "The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero," suggests that an ancestor to the placeholder zero may have been a pair of angled wedges used to represent an empty number column. However, Charles Seife, author of "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea," disagrees that the wedges represented a placeholder.

The Sumerians' system passed through the Akkadian Empire to the Babylonians around 300 B.C. There, Kaplan agrees, a symbol appeared that was clearly a placeholder  a way to tell 10 from 100 or to signify that in the number 2,025, there is no number in the hundreds column. Initially, the Babylonians left an empty space in their cuneiform number system, but when that became confusing, they added a symbol  double angled wedges  to represent the empty column. However, they never developed the idea of zero as a number.

Zero in the Americas

Six hundred years later and 12,000 miles from Babylon, the Mayans developed zero as a placeholder around A.D. 350 and used it to denote a placeholder in their elaborate calendar systems. Despite being highly skilled mathematicians, the Mayans never used zero in equations, however. Kaplan describes the Mayan invention of zero as the "most striking example of the zero being devised wholly from scratch."

India: Where zero became a number

Some scholars assert that the Babylonian concept wove its way down to India, but others, including those at the Zero Project, give Indians credit for developing numerical zero independently. "We are of the view that in ancient India are found numerous so-called 'cultural antecedents' that make it plausible that the mathematical zero digit was invented there," said Gobets, whose organization is composed of academics and graduate students devoted to studying the development of zero in India. "The Zero Project hypothesizes that mathematical zero ('shunya', in Sanskrit) may have arisen from the contemporaneous philosophy of emptiness or Shunyata," said Gobets. If philosophical and cultural factors found in India were important to the development of zero as a mathematical concept, it would explain why other civilizations did not develop zero as a mathematical concept, said van der Hoek.

According to the book "The Crest of the Peacock; Non-European Roots of Mathematics," by Dr. George Gheverghese Joseph, the concept of zero first appeared in India around A.D. 458. Joseph suggests that the Sanskrit word for zero, sunya, which meant "void" or "empty" and derived from the word for growth, combined with the early definition found in the Rig-veda of "lack" or "deficiency." The derivative of the two definitions is Sunyata, a Buddhist doctrine of "emptiness," or emptying one's mind from impressions and thoughts.

"From this philosophy, we think that a numeral to use in mathematical equations developed," said van der Hoek. "We are looking for the bridge between Indian philosophy and mathematics."

"Zero and its operation are first defined by [Hindu astronomer and mathematician] Brahmagupta in 628," said Gobets. He developed a symbol for zero: a dot underneath numbers. "But he, too, does not claim to have invented zero, which presumably must have been around for some time," Gobets added.

An inscription on a temple wall in Gwalior, India, dates back to the ninth century, and has been considered the oldest recorded example of a zero, according to the University of Oxford. Another example is an ancient Indian scroll called the Bhakshali manuscript. Discovered in a field in 1881, researchers thought it also had originated in the ninth century. However, recent carbon dating has revealed that it was probably written in the third or fourth century, which pushes the earliest recorded use of zero back 500 years.

Marcus du Sautoy, a professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford, said, "Today we take it for granted that the concept of zero is used across the globe and is a key building block of the digital world. But the creation of zero as a number in its own right, which evolved from the placeholder dot symbol found in the Bakhshali manuscript, was one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of mathematics.

"We now know that it was as early as the third century that mathematicians in India planted the seed of the idea that would later become so fundamental to the modern world. The findings show how vibrant mathematics have been in the Indian sub-continent for centuries."

From the Middle East to Wall Street

Over the next few centuries, the concept of zero caught on in China and the Middle East. According to Nils-Bertil Wallin of YaleGlobal, by 773, zero reached Baghdad where it became part of the Arabic number system, which is based upon the Indian system.

A Persian mathematician, Mohammed ibn-Musa al-Khowarizmi, suggested that a little circle should be used in calculations if no number appeared in the tens place. The Arabs called this circle "sifr," or "empty." Zero was crucial to al-Khowarizmi, who used it to invent algebra in the ninth century. Al-Khowarizmi also developed quick methods for multiplying and dividing numbers, which are known as algorithms  a corruption of his name.

Zero found its way to Europe through the Moorish conquest of Spain and was further developed by Italian mathematician Fibonacci, who used it to do equations without an abacus, then the most prevalent tool for doing arithmetic. This development was highly popular among merchants, who used Fibonacci's equations involving zero to balance their books.

Medieval religious leaders in Europe did not support the use of zero, van der Hoek said. They saw it as satanic. "God was in everything that was. Everything that was not was of the devil," she said.

Wallin points out that the Italian government was suspicious of Arabic numbers and outlawed the use of zero. Merchants continued to use it illegally and secretively, and the Arabic word for zero, "sifr," brought about the word "cipher," which not only means a numeric character, but also came to mean "code."

By the 1600s, zero was used fairly widely throughout Europe. It was fundamental in Rene Descartes' Cartesian coordinate system and in calculus, developed independently by Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhem Liebniz. Calculus paved the way for physics, engineering, computers and much of financial and economic theory.

"The concept of emptiness is now central to modern physics: the entire known universe is seen as 'zero sum game' by among others, such as Stephen Hawking," said Gobets.

The numeral and concept of zero, imported from India, has manifested in various ways. "So commonplace has zero become that few, if any, realize it astounding role in the lives of every single person in the world," said Gobets.

Additional resources
Firefighters in Ohio were forced to decapitate a pet boa constrictor last week that had latched its teeth onto a woman's nose and wound its serpentine body around her neck, according to news sources. The woman survived, but the incident raises the question: Do boas typically attack the faces and necks of people?

The answer is no, largely because the Boa constrictor is usually found slithering on the ground, far from the faces and necks of people, said Scott Boback, an associate professor of biology at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, who was not involved with the woman's case.

"It's not typical for [boa constrictors] to, one, strike someone in the face and, two, to wrap around their neck," Boback told Live Science. "If that animal bit her in the nose, I really think that her face was too close to the animal. That's the error that was made." [7 Shocking Snake Stories]

Terrifying attack

In the incident ,which occurred on July 27, the woman couldn't pry the 5.5-foot-long (1.6 meters) snake off, so she called 911 at 2 p.m. local time. She told emergency workers that she had taken on two boa constrictors as "rescue snakes" the day before and had 11 snakes total in her home, according to audio of the emergency call.

"Please hurry  it's on my nose," said the woman, who wasn't named. "There's blood everywhere."

Firefighters found the woman lying on her driveway. Boa constrictors are not venomous, but "it was wrapped around her neck and biting her nose and wouldn't let go," Sheffield Lake Fire Chief Tim Card told the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. "They had to cut its head off with a knife to get it to let go of her face."

The woman was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Chronicle-Telegram. A reporter from the Chronicle-Telegram who later visited the house found an empty glass cage on the sidewalk and a small puddle of blood on the driveway.

Risky behavior

It's unclear what the woman was doing when the snake bit her, but snakes can bite people in the face if they're close enough, Boback said. For instance, if a person has a snake wound around his or her shoulders  a feat of braggadocio usually done to get pictures of the daring act  the snake can easily strike the person's face or the face of a nearby person, Boback said.

However, snakes must bite first and coil second, he noted. As a snake lunges forward to bite, it generates momentum that helps it glide into a constriction loop, bending its chin downward and going into a sort of somersault as it curls around the prey's body. [Image Gallery: Snakes of the World]

Boa strike and coil application (opens in new tab) from Scott Boback (opens in new tab) on Vimeo (opens in new tab).

So, it's likely the snake bit the woman's face first and then coiled around her neck, Boback said.

He noted that there are ways to remove a snake other than decapitating it. Snakes' teeth are curved and backward-pointing. "It's designed not to fall off of the prey, "Boback said. "It's hooked back like a fish hook."

That means "to remove that from her nose, you actually have to move the head of the snake forward," Boback said.

Sliding a credit card under the snakes' teeth can help detach it, Boback said. "You can push a credit card from the snout to the back of its mouth to help dislodge the teeth," he said.

Another strategy involves submerging the snake's head in water, though this works only if the snake has bitten a part of the body that can also be submerged, such as a hand or foot, Boback said. If the snake can't breathe, it will release the prey and surface for air, he said.

Boback added that it's best to avoid handling snakes when they're digesting meals or molting, as they're more likely to strike at those times, because they're feeling irritable or vulnerable. While many boa constrictors have found their way into terrariums, the snakes are originally from the region spanning from Mexico to Argentina. They're not endangered, but could soon become vulnerable because of the relentless animal pet trade, Boback said.

Original article on Live Science.
King Tutankhamun, the pharaoh who ruled Egypt more than 3,300 years ago, slept on the forerunner of our modern camping bed, according to a study presented at the latest international conference on the boy king in Cairo.

British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the unique three-fold bed  made of lightweight hardwood  when he entered King Tut's treasure-packed tomb in 1922.

The piece of furniture was smaller and sat lower to the ground than the other five regular beds found in the burial chamber of King Tut. Nevertheless, it featured a remarkable level of comfort, boasting a rather elegant design as well as a sophisticated technology, researchers have now found in the first study of the bed. [In Photos: The Life and Death of King Tut]

Indeed, the bed folded up into a Z shape, thanks to an ingenious mechanism, the study showed.

"No detailed study has been made of this bed since Carter sketched it almost a hundred years ago," architect Naoko Nishimoto, who researches ancient furniture and woodworking at Musashino University in Tokyo, told Live Science.

"This is the only real-size camping bed that has ever been found. No other pharaohs but King Tut had such [a] bed. It is intriguing," she added.

Here, a look at King Tut's "camping bed." (Image credit: Griffith Institute/University of Oxford)

A model of a two-fold bed from Gebelein, in Egypt, that measures about 5 inches by 12 inches (13 by 30 centimeters) and dates to the 18th Dynasty, suggests that two-fold beds may have existed or at least were being designed before King Tut's camping bed came to be.

But the boy king's three-fold bed was revolutionary, the researchers said, adding that it was steadier, more comfortable and much more compact to carry than the two-folds.

"Traces of trials and errors tell us that the artisans involved in the bed production did not have any other three-fold beds for reference. The camping bed was made especially for King Tut," Nishimoto said.

Form and function

King Tut's camping bed would have sported lion-like legs with special hinges. (Image credit: Naoko Nishimoto)

Her investigations into the technical features of the folding bed revealed a unique interplay of form and function. [7 Amazing Archaeological Discoveries from Egypt]

"The result was a comfortable hybrid system made of a wooden frame, bronze hinges and a weaving mat," Nishimoto said.

The bed features four wooden "lion" legs (with paws) that rest upon copper-alloy drums and would have supported the weight of a person.

However, given the elaborate shape of the legs, folding up the bed was tricky. To solve the problem, the ancient artisans devised some ingenious hinges and placed them over the four auxiliary legs.

In this way, the legs took the strain off the hinges," when the bed was in use, Nishimoto said.

The complex folding system required two different types of hinges: Single hinges with stoppers were used on the middle and end pairs of legs near the footboard, while a system of double hinges was designed for the foremost pair of the auxiliary legs.

"The double-hinged legs could be turned inwards simultaneously when the bed was folded," Nishimoto said.

Trial and error

Stretching across the frame from end to end, a mat was woven with a set of three thin-cut strings of linen.

Holes can still be seen around the double hinges. "They were made with the intention to pass strings through them, but they were not used after all," Nishimoto said.

Indeed, the bed could not be folded if the strings were passed through those holes.

King Tut's bed folded up into a Z shape, thanks to an ingenious mechanism (Image credit: Naoko Nishimoto)

"This trial-and-error process clearly shows that this three-fold bed was the first ever made," Nishimoto said.

The bed not only reveals the high level of craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptian artisans, but it also provides an insight into the aspirations of the young Tutankhamun, according to Nishimoto.

"Even though the frail young king may never have participated in long-distance or strenuous expeditions, he nevertheless loved the idea of hunting and camping," Nishimoto said. (Research has suggested the boy king suffered from malaria and had a club foot, requring him to use a cane.)

"His camping bed is inherently poetic," she added.

Original article on Live Science.
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by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 31, 2017

A federal judge has rejected Montana resident Noah Duguid's request to revive his lawsuit accusing Facebook of an anti-spam law by repeatedly sending him text messages.

The ruling, issued last week by U.S. District Court Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco, leaves in place a previous order dismissing the lawsuit.

The battle between Duguid and Facebook dates to March of 2015, when Duguid alleged in a class-action complaint that Facebook repeatedly sent him text messages, although he never used the social networking service. Duguid, who apparently had been assigned a recycled phone number, alleged that Facebook repeatedly notified him via SMS that his account had been accessed.

Duguid contended that the company violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits companies from using automated dialers to send text messages to people without their consent.

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But Tigar ruled in February that Duguid's complaint lacked enough information to support his conclusion that Facebook sent the messages with a robo-dialer.

The following month, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a separate lawsuit that also alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The appellate court said at the time that equipment "does not need to dial numbers or send text messages 'randomly'" to be considered an autodialing system.

Duguid then asked Tigar to reconsider his earlier ruling. Tigar rejected that request, ruling that the facts of the two cases were "similar," but "not identical."

Duguid is appealing the ruling to the 9th Circuit.

Facebook currently faces at least two other lawsuits alleging violations of the robo-texting law. District of Columbia resident Christine Holt, who says she doesn't have a Facebook account, is suing the company for allegedly sending her unwanted SMS messages after she obtained a cell phone from MetroPCS. Also, Florida resident Colin Brickman, alleged that the company is violating the anti-spam law by sending users messages about their friends' birthdays.

Trial judges in both of those matters rejected Facebook's arguments to dismiss the lawsuits at an early stage. Facebook has asked the 9th Circuit to hear an appeal of those rulings.
by Tanya Gazdik , August 1, 2017

Land Rover has launched two adventure travel experiences in Namibia and Utah, both featuring the Discovery.

The eight-day Land Rover Namibia Adventure includes some of Africas unique scenery and wildlife, while the Utah Adventure offers five days of even more challenging driving amid a memorable backdrop. The trips afford the opportunity for guests to meet and share stories with fellow explorers.

The Namibia Adventure starts when guests get to know the Discovery with a briefing from a Land Rover Experience instructor. Guests can photograph epic sand dunes, spot the continents great beats in Etosha National Park and enjoy scenery where the Namib desert meets the South Atlantic Ocean. It departs on May 1 and costs $6,943 per person, based on double occupancy.

For those wanting even more of an off-road challenge, Land Rovers Utah Adventure offers exhilarating drives around the south-western city of Moab. Red rock landscapes and the stark beauty of Arches National Park and the Canyonlands provide a dramatic backdrop for an action-packed drive. Guests will tackle the Seven Mile Rim, Poison Spider Mesa and the Hells Revenge Trails where they will put the vehicles through their paces. It starts on Oct. 21 and costs $5,250 per person, based on double occupancy.

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Both trips include all Land Rover driving activities, accommodation, meals and airport transfers.

These driving adventures will offer an exceptional driving experience where our customers will get the chance to push the vehicle to its limits and enjoy unforgettable surroundings, says Mark Cameron, global experiential marketing director at Jaguar Land Rover, in a release.

The trips are being promoted online at a Land Rover microsite.
by Philip Rosenstein , August 1, 2017

Super-PACs supporting Senate Republicans have raised $17 million in the first six months of 2017.

With $22 million on hand from the GOP-backed Senate Leadership Fund, part of the nonprofit group One Nation, Congressional Republicans are waging war against members of their own party. It is retaliation for negative comments about the president and GOP leadership.

The starkest example is a Senate Leadership Fund ad attacking Republican Congressman Mo Brooks. Brooks is running to fill the Alabama Senate seat left vacant by embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

According to Politico, the PAC has already spent millions attacking Brooks, while supporting his opponent Luther Strange, appointed to fill the vacant Senate seat. There will be a primary in August followed by a special election.

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This most recent TV ad takes aim at Brooks:

Mo Brooks said we cant trust Donald Trump. You know what I dont trust, career politicians like Mo Brooks.

According to Advertising Analytics, a firm that tracks TV ad spend, the ad titled Back first aired on July 29, with $80k behind it on broadcast and cable, as of July 31. The Senate Leadership Fund has $851k booked from August 1 through August 14 on broadcast and cable.

Based on that spending total, I assume they are planning to air this ad through next Monday, before switching out the creative, Advertising Analytics told MediaPost's Television Daily News. That would put the estimated total spending for this ad at about $500k.

Mo Brooks has faced a barrage of attack ads from the Leadership Fund.

He has been critical of both President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a central player in the super-PACs strategy. Brooks has gone so far as to call for the removal of McConnell from his Senate leadership position.

"Mitch McConnell does not like principled conservatives," Brooks told AL.com. "He much prefers a career lobbyist who is pliable to the whims of those who pay the money to finance Mitch McConnell's political operation."

There is an interesting dynamic at play.

Trump rose to office on an anti-establishment wave; at the same time, Brooks is being attacked for standing up to the establishment. Ads have gone so far as to try to connect Brooks to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the common denominator in Republican hatred of the Democratic Party.

Brooks is short on cash  he will be unable to counter the spending against his candidacy. Sporting 16% in the polls, he is a strong third to interim Sen. Strange and former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who are polling at 33% and 26%, respectively.
by Wayne Friedman , August 1, 2017

Beverly Hills, Calif. -- Gleaning data from Nielsens evolving Total Content Ratings, CBS touts strong time-shifted viewing from traditional TV platforms for the recently completed 2016-2017 TV season.

The announcement was made at the Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills, California.

CBS says for the full TV season, time-shifted viewing boosted its initial airing of TV episodes by 53%, totaling an average of 12.1 million prime-time viewers for Nielsens metric of live program-plus 35 days of time-shifted viewing across multiple platforms -- VOD, TV, and DVR.

CBS live-plus same-day time-shifted viewing averages 7.9 million viewers. The 35-day metric is also 15% more than the 10.5 million live-program plus seven-day average.

This is not the total picture, as it does not include online and mobile viewing.

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But David Poltrack, chief research officer of CBS Corp. and president of CBS Vision, stated: Now that YouTube TV and Hulus new TV streaming services are being counted by Nielsen, we expect an even greater boost in our viewership numbers going forward, along with more opportunities to monetize delayed viewing.

Among the biggest shows gaining the full 35-day metric: Big Bang Theory improved 66% from its initial live air to total 23.3 million; NCIS was up 43% to 21.0 million; Bull added 57% to 17.9 million; Blue Bloods gained 64% more to 16.3 million; and NCIS: New Orleans soared 60% to 15.3 million.
Dakar (AFP) - The ruling coalition of Senegal's President Macky Sall won a widely expected landslide in a legislative election, his prime minister said Monday, bolstering Sall's prospects for re-election in 2019.

The Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) coalition swept all but three of the country's 45 electoral departments, Prime Minister Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne told the public Senegalese press agency APS ahead of the official release of results.

The ruling coalition had "emerged victorious" following the vote on Sunday, Dionne said, while the turnout was 54 percent among Senegal's 6.2 million registered voters, an increase on voting in 2012.

Dionne said President Sall's opponents were likely to be ahead in the departments of Kedougou, Saraya and possibly Mbacke, but otherwise the BBY list of candidates "had been voted in by the Senegalese people".

However supporters of Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall (no relation), who is in jail awaiting trial for what supporters say are politically motivated embezzlement charges, claimed his coalition had taken the capital.

The full official results are expected on Wednesday or Thursday.

There were a record 47 lists of candidates contesting the election, with 165 lawmakers due to take seats in parliament.

Some voters complained of being left off the electoral rolls on Sunday, and there were delays to voting in several places, partly due to bad weather.

'Electoral hold-up'

An electoral worker shows a ballot during counting on July 30, 2017 in Dakar

Sall's main threat to increasing his power in parliament was posed by ex-leader Abdoulaye Wade, 91, who was aiming to drum up support for his own list of candidates and his son, Karim, who is not on the ballot but has ambitions for the presidency.

Wade won in the central department of Mbacke, the APS agency reported.

Back in Dakar, Cheikh Gueye, a key figure in Mayor Khalifa Sall's campaign, said the victory of his candidate's list in the capital was "as clear as the midday sun."

Warning they would stand their ground both politically and legally, he added: "We will not accept an electoral hold-up," responding to the prime minister's claim of victory.

Mayor Sall had been seen as a key contender for 2019 and a potential threat to the president in parliament. Then in March with allegedly misappropriating 1.83 billion CFA francs ($2.85 million, 2.7 million euros) in city funds.

In the central town of Touba, police arrested three members of Wade's list after angry voters sacked a voting centre, . They were released later Monday, a source there told AFP.

On Sunday, the governor had extended voting there after long delays worsened by heavy overnight storms.

"These are the worst organised elections since independence," in 1960, said Bamba Fall, a leading member of Mayor Fall's list, from Dakar.

Police fired tear gas and arrested dozens during at times violent campaigning that left several injured in a country normally known for its peaceful democratic traditions.

Controversy also erupted over the failure to deliver enough new biometric ID cards needed to vote, which hundreds of thousands of Senegalese did not received in time.
Malawi's former President Joyce Banda, pictured voting in 2014, is "suspected of abusing her office". By AMOS GUMULIRA (AFP/File)

31.07.2017 LISTEN

Blantyre (Malawi) (AFP) - Malawi police on Monday issued an arrest warrant for former president Joyce Banda in connection with the country's "Cashgate" corruption scandal, which involved large-scale looting of government coffers.

"Malawi fiscal and fraud police have unearthed credible evidence which raises reasonable suspicion that the former president committed offences relating to abuse of office and money laundering," national police spokesman James Kadadzera told AFP.

Banda has been living in self-imposed exile since she lost to President Peter Mutharika in the 2014 election.

Kadadzera said Banda is "suspected of abusing her office" in the Cashgate scandal.

He said the warrant of arrest came into "force" from Monday.

Cashgate is the biggest financial scandal in Malawi's history and helped push Banda out of power in 2014.

That came after she ordered an audit the previous year which discovered that $30 million had been looted by officials in less than six months in 2013.

Dozens of civil servants, business people and politicians have since been implicated in the scam, and some have been jailed.

International donors pulled the plug on aid of around $150 million over the scandal.
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Over 200 delegates from Ghana and the United Kingdom recently met at a 2-day trade and investment forum that showcased business opportunities in Ghana.

The forum highlighted the renewed interest in Ghana by British businesses and investors.

Organized by the UK- Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) in partnership with the Developing Markets Association (DMA), the forum attracted top government officials from Ghana like the Ghanaian High Commissioner to the UK, Papa Owusu - Ankomah, Ghanas Senior Minister, Hon. Yaw Osafo-Marfo and the Prime Ministers Trade Envoy to Ghana, Hon. Adam Afriye. It was the forth in series but the first with Ghanas new government.

A number of specific investment sectors including railways, energy and infrastructure were discussed at the forum.

Ghanas Senior Minister, Hon. Osafo Marfo in his remarks expressed the need for Ghanaian businesses established in the UK to invest in the various sectors of Ghana.

He said Ghana is open for business. The government is private sector focused and keen to grow the economy through the private sector with support from the public sector.

Ghana is ready to do business to help improve her economy and foster development for the benefit of all parties. He added.

The CEO of UKGCC, Tony Burkson said, This is the very reason the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce was formed - to act as a platform for Ghanaian businesses and UK businesses and UK government and Ghana government to interact in an open and transparent way. The chamber is taking this particular mandate very seriously and continues to promote interaction between our two countries.

Businesses already invested and businesses looking forward to invest in Ghana had the opportunity to engage with the relevant ministers and officials present.

Some of the government officials present at the forum included the Deputy Minister of Energy, Hon. Joseph Cudjoe, Minister of Railway Development, Hon. Joe Ghartey, CEO, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong, and the CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) R. Yofi Grant.

The Forum was supported by: Ghana International Bank; INTL FCStone; Tullow Oil; Appolonia; Unity Link and Quantum Power.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Kigali (AFP) - Frank Habineza is an environmentalist running to become Rwanda's president for the first time after an eight-year struggle to register his party and obtain a spot on the ballot paper.

The 40-year-old leader of the Democratic Green Party has faced death threats and seen supporters beaten up, imprisoned and forced into exile during his bid to enter Rwanda's tightly controlled political space.

"It has been a very difficult journey, and also a very dangerous journey," he told AFP at an interview in his stark office in the capital Kigali, where a bodyguard keeps watch on the balcony.

Born to a Hutu father and a Tutsi mother in exile in Uganda, he returned to Rwanda to study public administration. He also became an active member of civil society, campaigning for environmental protection.

Habineza was a member of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), but defected to join opposition politics in 2009 to introduce an alternative to the iron-fisted party.

President Paul Kagame has come under fire for severely restricting free speech and muzzling critical opposition parties. Aside from Habineza's Green Party, all registered opposition parties routinely back Kagame.

"When we started a party we were physically beaten at some of our meetings by people who had guns, people were detained, imprisoned ... others went into exile," said Habineza.

His party was blocked from registering before the 2010 polls, and shortly before the election the Green Party's vice president Andre Rwisereka's body was found nearly decapitated.

Habineza, who said he had also received death threats, decided to flee to Sweden a month later where his family was eventually granted citizenship.

'A big risk'

In 2012 he decided to return to Rwanda. He said leaving his wife and children -- including a one-year-old baby -- was "the hardest thing I have ever done".

"It was a big risk to come back because some of my people were in prison... the party was dying," he said.

The party was finally able to register in 2013, just a month before parliamentary elections, in which Habineza chose not to participate due to the lack of time to prepare.

In 2015 he was the only one to contest a constitutional reform allowing Kagame to seek a third term in office. However a referendum went ahead, with 98 percent of the country voting in favour of the change.

Habineza gave up his Swedish citizenship in order to run in the 2017 election and has continued to face hurdles at every turn. In 2016 he was evicted from his office and home without notice.

Mounting a campaign has also been a battle. As per electoral law he only had one week to raise funds after being confirmed as a candidate, and three weeks to campaign.

Neither Habineza nor little-known third candidate Philippe Mpayimana are expected to unseat Kagame, who himself declared "the election is over" after the referendum.

'Political maturity'

Several observers see the opposition candidates as a front to appease Western donors and give the impression that democracy is alive and well in Rwanda.

Habineza is painfully aware of this view, which he rejects.

"We have struggled for this space... we have made a lot of sacrifices to be here, even blood sacrifices. It is not a favour, it is not something small," he said.

Habineza says he wants to bring true democracy to Rwanda and allow for respect of human rights and freedom of expression.

However he is criticised for not having clear alternative ideas to what Kagame offers, and of censoring himself in his opposition to the president.

"They call it political maturity," he said.

"If you know that every time you do a demonstration you'll be put in prison, then you stop doing that. Or if you know you are doing something that will lead you to be killed, you know you don't achieve much when you are in the grave so you change some strategies."
A former Deputy Finance Minister has projected a national debt figure under the current administration that will far exceed the previous administrations figure after four years.

Kweku Ricketts-Hagan believes if the current borrowing pattern under the Nana Akufo-Addos administration continues, Ghanas debt stock in 2020 will exceed 2016 figures by at least GH18 billion.

Since they came to office, the debt that they inherited, 122 billion, is now GH137 billion. Which means that in the in the six months that they have been in office, they have borrowed GH15 billion, which translates to GH3 billion a month.

Therefore, if this pattern continues, in 12 months this government would have borrowed GH36 billion. If they continue for the four years that they will be in office, they would have borrowed GH140 billion. That would be more than the 122 billion that we left them with, he said, comparing the performance of the former National Democratic Congress (NDC)-led administrations debt profile to the current one led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He suggests that the country could be plunged into a dangerous national debt situation, with total debt stock exceeding GH200 billion under the Nana Akufo-Addo administration by 2020, if the current borrowing does not pay off existing debts.

The former Deputy Finance Minister made the comments Monday on PM Express on the Joy News channel (Multi TV) during a discussion on the mid-year budget review presented to Parliament by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

Related: Finance minister has revised 'Asempa' budget to ' asembone budget'

Presenting the mid-year budget review, the Finance Minister revealed that Ghanas debt stock increased from GH9.5 billion at the end of 2008 to GH122.3 billion at the end of 2016  an increase of debt stock by 1,154%.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta said the debt servicing payments arising from Ghanas accumulated amounts to some 45 percent of total domestic revenue.

Unfortunately, our economy would have to live with this burden for some time as we make efforts to repair the damage. The revised 2016 nominal GDP of GH167.3billion, puts the public debt-to-GDP ratio at 73.1 percent of GDP against the 72.5 percent reported in the 2017 Budget presented to this House earlier in March this year, the Minister said.

FULL TEXT: Finance minister presents mid-year budget review

However, speaking on PM Express, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan said the Finance Minister was only giving excuses for the countrys worsening debt situation -- even though the NPP promised not to add to the debt stock during the 2016 electioneering campaign.

This is a government who said they wont borrow; this a government who said they can find revenue. When we were there, we never said we wouldnt borrow...They said the money is here they wont borrow. They came and they have realised that that is not the situation, he criticised.

However, a Member of Parliaments Finance Committee and MP for Bantama, George Aboagye, who was also on the show, fended off the attack on the current administration by Mr Ricketts-Hagan. He said the President Akufo-Addo-led administration has an elaborate plan to undo the "mess" caused by the NDC.

Watch the full programme in the video link below.



Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
Right Reverend Kofi Asare Bediako

01.08.2017 LISTEN

The Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana, Right Reverend Kofi Asare Bediako, has suggested to the NPP government to set up an Educational Endowment Fund to support the Free Senior High School policy.

The bishop said the endowment fund would allow individuals, philanthropists, companies, organizations and well meaning Ghanaians, both living home and abroad to contribute their quota to support the Free Senior High Education policy, which the government has promised to implement in September this year.

Right Rev. Asare Bediako made this suggestion when he was speaking on the Space FM Morning Flightshow Hosted by Dickson Smith on Monday.

The Methodist Bishop commended the government for introducing the Free SHS policy, which he said is bold and feasible, but asked the government to make the policy, discriminatory free policy.

The Clergy suggested that the Educational Endowment Fund should be at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District levels.

He said the Methodist Church has more public educational institutions across the region and their examination results as compared to the private schools are not good at all.

He fears that if the policy is going to be implemented based on aggregates of the students, then, it will not auger well for the poor or less privileged in the society.

Bishop Asare Bediako said if the policy is going to be pro-poor, then much attention should be given to the public schools in the rural areas in the country because resources available to the public schools in the urban cities are not the same as those in the rural and deprived communities.

The reverend minister was hopeful that the Free Senior High Education policy can be workable in September this year, though it may face some challenges and difficulties, but called for prayers, total and non partisan support for the policy.

He also asked the government to resource the Technical and Vocational schools in the country, so that students, who cannot use their brains effectively, can use their hands to gain employable skills.

The Free Senior High education policy was a campaign promise by the New Patriotic Party during the electioneering campaign.

Last week the minister of Education Mr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh announced that the government will start the implementation of the policy in September this year.
Dr. Samuel Okyere

01.08.2017 LISTEN

An Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminology at the School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom (UK), Dr. Samuel Okyere, has blamed successive governments for not doing much to alleviate the problems mining communities in the country are facing.

Dr. Okyere expressed worry that properties and livelihood of Ghanaians living in mining communities have been destroyed by the Mining Companies operating in the country, adding that human rights are not being protected and promoted in mining communities.

He cited Kenyase Number one, Kenyase Number Two, Ntotroso, Wamahinso and Gyedu as a typical examples of communities suffering from Mining operations in the country.

According to him, compensations paid to farmers in those areas in exchange for their farms lands are nothing to write home about.

Dr. Okyere who was speaking on the Space FM Morning Flight 877 show on Friday hosted by Kwadwo Owusu-Ansah stated that local and international laws protecting the rights of people living in the mining communities have been abused by the mining companies.

He noted that his researches into the agreement between farmers of the five communities and Newmont Ghana, a mining company operating in the Ahafo Mine Area, have revealed that, there were issues of threat and intimidation , when the company was taking over their lands for mining almost a decade ago.

The research, he stated, was to find a lasting solution to the suffering of the people living in the mining communities.

He said the rights of the people in that area were trampled upon by the company, because access to some socio amenities was blocked by the company.

Dr. Okyere blamed some traditional authorities and the government for failing to fight for the rights of the people in the catchment area of the company.

He said the deficit of the people living in the mining communities is very huge and there is a disjuncture between what the traditional authorities and government derive from the royalties the mining companies pay to them and the communities in the mining areas in the country.

He therefore asked the government to have the political will and fight for the interest of the people in mining communities in the country, and do annual socio audit for them and limit the government interest in only the revenue generated from the mining companies.
I didnt initially want to chronicle this. But after my friend, Comrade Aloysius Emeka Attah alerted the nation to the fact that Anambra State was pregnant and that it was pretty uncertain what kind of baby it was going to deliver of, I decided to chip in a few memories of what I know actually transpired in those days immediately after Nigeria had self rule, and how much all that has impacted and is likely to impact on the goings-on today.

In so doing, it is my hope that the young men and women in Nigeria who have been agitating for the resuscitation of the Biafra nation will be able make an informed decision on what they sincerely believe would be the best recourse for the Igbo as a people, given their current dilemma in Anambra State, and indeed in Nigeria.

This revelation becomes even more poignant when it is recalled that all the truth about what led to hostilities in Nigeria that ultimately led to civil war has never been told in its entirety. It is doubtful if the narrative can ever be exhausted. But like the history of every other people, talking or writing about the Nigeria-Biafra war would be like watching a masquerade display in a village arena. The way you see the events will depend on your angle of elevation or your location.

Even as we speak, most Nigerians either do not have a critical knowledge of the overt and covert events that led to that war or they decided, for whatever reason, to become economical with the facts. And yet, we know that there is nothing as more dangerous or more damaging as for a person who should be knowledgeable to keep groping in the dark about a situation or a condition he or she is most passionate about.

I was 20 years old when the Nigeria-Biafra war erupted. I was in the first year of my advanced level studies. So, I was quite able to understand and grapple with what was going on at the time.

I recollect that when the British ruled Nigeria as its colony, our people had absolutely nothing to worry about. There was constant electricity in the cities. There was water in the taps in the cities. Streams and rivers were there in the rural areas to contain the domestic needs of people who drank water or used it to cook, wash clothes and kitchen utensils or to bathe. The roads in every nook and cranny of the country were maintained on daily basis. There was the Public Works Department (PWD) which undertook the repair of all the roads from rural agricultural producing to urban consuming areas. Students and non-employed youths within the catchment areas of local councils were deployed to scoop sand and stones to fill in ditches on our roads on daily basis. And they were paid daily. So, there was daily employment for Nigerian youths who wanted to get some money to spend on a daily basis. In short, the infrastructure Nigerians needed at the time was largely available for their use. Nigerians never complained because there was just no reason for it.

By 1957, the wind of the quest for self rule among West African nations had begun to blow its way into Nigeria from Ghana. Nigerians watched Ghanaians secure and celebrate their independence that year. The sheer pride and happiness that engulfed Ghana motivated Nigerian politicians to double their efforts and put more pressure on the British government to grant the country self rule. Eventually, independence for Nigeria came in 1960. Three regions made up the country and they were the Eastern Region, the Northern Region and the Western Region. A fourth region, the Mid-West, was later added.

Nigerian politicians managed the country. Political alliances were forged. But just two years into Nigerian independence, trouble started. The crisis that erupted between Chief Obafemi Awolowo, leader of the Action Group Party and Chief Samuel Akintola who was also in the party led to the 1962 State of Emergency in Western Region. It is well documented and has become part of the dark spots in the countrys history.

Many Nigerians knew that the disagreement that erupted during the annual congress of the Action Group in Jos, Northern Nigeria on 2 February 1962 was not a sudden event. The misunderstanding was not like it was goaded by the spur of the moment instincts of the state actors. It had been building up, gradually but steadily, soon after Nigeria was granted self rule by the British. It was the political battle that laid the foundation of all other battles that have continued to bedevil the entire Nigerian political horizon ever since.

When the British left, even the army felt liberated. The political alliances in the country and even the army formation at the time were normal people who were always eager to manifest their new-found strengths and relevance in the new dispensation.

Within the political parties, there were personal ambitions on the part of the politicians which led to scheming and manipulations. There was a desire to consummate those ambitions expeditiously, which led to impatience. There was the fact that not many of the politicians thought that building up a nation would take time and patience. There was insensitivity on the part of the politicians flouting their wealth and big new cars in public which was not a part of the British legacy and which attracted public disgust. And so, idealism came in conflict with realism.

In both the army and the political circles, there was courage and there was cowardice that culminated in betrayals. There was intellectual leadership and there was financial leadership, both attracting their followers. There was hate and there was love, sometimes manifest and at other times covert. There was magnanimity and there was pettiness that fanned self aggrandisement on the part of the political class. And so, there was trust and there was mutual suspicion within the polity.

The deteriorating political situation in the West had far reaching effects. One of those effects was that it gave rise to a new dimension in the vision of the khaki boys in the Nigerian Army. In that chaos, Igbo boys in the Nigerian army saw both a loophole and a possibility. And they began to nurse the ambition of the Igbo being the ones who should step into the shoes of the British colonial masters, now that they had left. Majors Kaduna Nzeogwu and Emmanuel Ifeajuna who masterminded the first coup that unseated the First Republic were both Igbo who grew up in the Northern Region. They knew the terrain and the relationships between the Easterners and the Northerners very well.

For the records, it is important to note that these army boys were very decent about their ambition. They meant to maintain the standards the country inherited from the British  the civil service, the banks, the agricultural enterprises, the roads and other infrastructure and if possible, improve upon them for Nigerians.

Their ambition was nursed by the fact that throughout the country at that time, the Igbo were the ones occupying all the viable positions in the country just the same way as Asians are doing in contemporary United Kingdom. They were there in the banks as workers and managers. They were there in schools as students and teachers. They were there in the markets as business men and women. They were there in the civil service as staff and permanent secretaries. They were there in the transportation industry. They were there in the hospitality industry. In Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna, wherever you went, the Igbo practically dominated the national economy. And for that reason, the Igbo boys in the army convinced themselves that only the Igbo could conveniently step into the shoes of the British and rule Nigeria with equity and the fear of God. And they became committed to this objective.

However, the objective was a sort of internal arrangement. They couldnt possibly disclose this to those non-Igbo colleagues of theirs with whom they planned to embark on the first coup de tat Nigeria was to experience. It was their internal arrangement which no outsider was to know about. But they still had to enlist the support of their military colleagues. And together they sacked the government of President Nnamdi Azikiwe and Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa thereby redirecting the political and military focus of the country.

In the North, key political actors like the Saduarna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello and the first Nigerian Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa were murdered in the coup. In the West, some key actors like Chief Samuel Akintola and Chief Festus Okotie Eboh, the Minister of Finance were also killed. But in the East, principal actors like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr Akanu Ibiam and Dr Michael Okpara who the coup plotters had slated for death were not seen at home when the army boys went for the operation. It was strongly suspected that the plan had been leaked to them. So, not one Igbo leader was touched during that first coup.

This situation could have corroborated the internal plan of the Igbo military officers to get the Igbo to step into the shoes of the white man who was now gone. They saw that the cap fitted and were eager to wear it. So, the highest ranking army officer, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi was installed Head of State after the coup. Ironsi was an Igbo, from Umuahia. But the plan back-fired after those they executed the coup with now had an afterthought. Not one Igbo leader was killed during the coup. It was then construed that it was an Igbo coup and the Northerners staged a counter-coup.

Subsequent coups that culminated in the unstable position Nigeria finds itself at this time manifested all the threats we have already noted: courage and cowardice, betrayals, scheming and manipulations, mutual trust and mutual suspicions, and so on. All these led to distrust, the killing of Easterners in the North and the subsequent declaration of Biafra by the Igbo and the war that followed. But on January 15, 1970, Biafra surrendered.

Now, we need to do a little bit of reflection and ask ourselves some pertinent questions. For instance: was it a mere coincidence that the first coup was staged by Igbo majors Nzeogwu and Ifeajuna on 15 January and despite everything that happened, the genocide and the war, Biafra surrendered and the war ended on January 15? Was January 15 mere coincidence or was the hand of God in all of this?

That notwithstanding, there were several reasons why the Igbo could not secure Biafra at that time. First was diplomatic empathy. Many countries that had the colonial experience were on the side of the British who did not want to see Nigeria torn apart so soon after they had self rule. Except for her traditional rival, France, which recognised Biafra, most other countries in Europe and America were on the side of Britain and refused to recognise Biafra. They refused to sell arms to Biafra. So, while many Igbo were willing to fight for their liberation, they didnt have enough arms and ammunition to prosecute the war. The atmosphere now is quite different because the leader of the IPOB has succeeded in creating a wider awareness globally about the desire to resuscitate Biafra. That is important in the Igbo struggle for self determination and every Igbo should readily credit Nnamdi Kanu with that success.

There was the disagreement between Ojukwu and the Chinese government which offered to fight and win the war for Biafrans if the crude oil in Biafra would be leased to China for 99 years. Ojukwu felt that 99 years was such a long time to commit the destiny of a people. Had he realised that none of the people who would have signed the agreement would live for 99 years and that at some point, when those who signed the original agreement would have given way, a new government could decide to nationalize all the oil in the country. And had Ojukwu, given this knowledge, agreed to sign the document asking the Chinese to fight for Biafra, the story would have been a far cry from what it is today.

Despite all that, Biafrans at a point were advancing towards Nigeria. They were taking the battle into Nigerian land. But half way, Banjo betrayed the Biafran course and reversed all the gains the Biafran troops recorded. He paid for that betrayal with his life. Coupled with that was Ojukwus refusal to bomb civilian populations. While Nigeria was doing everything to frustrate Biafra, bombing schools, markets, churches and wherever there was a concentration of civilians, Ojukwu refused the advice to bomb big markets in Lagos like Alaba, Idumota, Oshodi, Onyingbo or Mile 12. If he had done so, the Western Region would have given up their romance with the North, allowed Biafrans to go and possibly declared Oduduwa Republic. But being a British-trained Igbo, Ojukwu insisted on fighting the war with the military ethic that was globally recognized as best practice. He refused to bomb civilian populations in Nigeria in retaliation.

The last straw that broke the camels back was when Ojukwu had a misunderstanding with Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. Following that rift, Dr Azikiwe defected from Biafra to Nigeria. And that was it. Our people say that the man who does not know where the rain started beating him will never know where he dried his body. A few days after the defection of Dr Azikiwe to Nigeria, we were in the forward location fighting. I was at the Oguta sector. Then signals went out all through Biafra land that the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) had raised a massive army that was marching down on us. We thought: if we were unable to beat Nigeria, how could we possibly face the OAU? In our state of exhaustion, no one remembered that the OAU didnt even have an army. All of us, soldiers, dropped our guns, some at the forward location, and headed for our various homes. Biafra collapsed. Biafrans were tricked into surrender by one old and wise man who felt unduly humiliated by the words the Biafran leader said about him. He accepted those words as a challenge to prove his superiority. And again, the course of history in Nigeria was redirected.

Yes. History repeats itself. But this time I am sure that Igbo leaders can avert this vicious repetition if the hand of God is truly with them. One would have thought that with the current arms twisting between the leaderships of IPOB and Ohaneze, lessons would have been learnt from our past experiences in Nigeria. But it doesnt seem that any lessons have been learnt. For one thing, the success of the 30 May sit-home injunction was firstly because most Igbo are sentimentally attached to that date: the day the Republic of Biafra was declared. Another reason was that business men and women were afraid that hoodlums would raid and loot their shops if they opened them on that day.

The scenario in the case of the Anambra gubernatorial election is quite different. Even if the Igbo refuse to vote on 12 November, it will have no impact whatsoever on the status quo in Nigeria. Only Anambra people will suffer the consequences because the action will either prolong the stay of the incumbent governor unconstitutionally, or the federal government will capitalise on that situation to declare a state of emergency in Anambra State, or Anambra state will stay without a governor. Whichever way the pendulum swings, it is only the people of Anambra state who will bear the brunt.

A more meaningful and effective strategy would have been for the Igbo to plan to boycott the presidential election in 2019. Should that happen, it could be difficult for a president to emerge in Nigeria given the constitutional requirement that such a candidate must secure at least 25% of votes in not less than 24 states (two-thirds) of the countrys 36 states. And should that happen, perhaps the federal government will begin to reverse its position and begin to reconsider restructuring of the country by dispensing with tribal leadership altogether or officially giving tribes autonomy. That will not necessarily mean the death of Nigeria. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

Sadly, I have watched video clips of both Nnamdi Kanu and other young people using abusive languages on elders of Igbo land. And I hope that after what they now know, they will speak in public with some respect for their elders. Today, Mazi Kanu is consummated with the quest for Biafra. What if tomorrow his son disagrees with him because the younger man thinks the world is shrinking into a global village and as such all Africa must come together to form a United States of Africa? Just in case that happens and the younger Kanu tells his father he is an idiot because he does not see that the world is turning into a global village, how would the senior Kanu feel? Please, my people, there is reason for caution in public utterances and there is reason to handle the Igbo issue with a sense of maturity. We must learn to confide in us and not wash our linen in public.

It reminds me of those days we were in the thick of battle at the Aba sector. One of our regimental police boys decided to take a risk to go over to the Nigerian side. We wanted to know who we were actually fighting. The boy stayed four days in the enemy camp and we thought they had killed him. But on the night of the fourth day, he came back to our rendezvous. The Nigerians had kitted him with a new camouflage uniform, a new beret, new boots and some money. They told him to tell us we need to come together and see who we were fighting. So, they mapped out a rendezvous half way between their location and ours. And here we met and drank beer and ate rice  things we had no access to in Biafra. But no guns were allowed. You had to drop your gun at the base if you were to enjoy the get together.

We were all young men between the ages of 17 and 26. And we began to ask ourselves questions: why are we young people fighting and killing each other while General Gowon and General Ojukwu who caused the war were in the comfort zones of their homes drinking tea and enjoying the company of their wives and children? Ojukwu was told that we compromised with the enemy, and on the 9th night, we were moved from the Aba sector to Owerri at midnight.

That was how I left the second battalion of S Division and was redeployed in 48 battalion of 14 Division of the Biafran Army. It was here that we were tricked into believing that the OAU was invading us and we were all scared and we all dropped our guns and headed for our various villages and homes. Who would have thought that the OAU had no standing army?

Today, my friend Aloysius Emeka Attah has alerted us to the pregnancy of Anambra State. 12 November is still a few weeks away, enough time for the leaderships of Ohaneze and IPOB to make amends, and to speak to the Nigeria and the world as a people with one voice. This, they need to do before our dawn rudely awakens us and the rest of Nigeria and the world to our reality, the truth of who we can be as Igbo nation!
The three former officials under the John Mahama government whose homes were raided in search of documents on the AMERI power agreement are expected to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service for questioning.

They are former Power Minister, Kwabena Donkor; former Deputy Power Minister, John Jinapor and former Deputy Attorney General, Dominc Ayine.

Although Citi News cannot immediately confirm the content of their submissions, our sources say the three were made to submit their statements on the matter to the police.

The three were earlier scheduled to report to the department yesterday but it was postponed to enable the three, who are Members of Parliament to participate in yesterday's reading of the mid-year budget review.

Dominic Ayine had his home raided by some security officers who said they had secured a court warrant to conduct the search for some evidence related to the AMERI power agreement signed under the former government.

Kwabena Donkors home was subjected to a thorough search for the same evidence.

The security officials took away his laptop and some flash drives.

About the AMERI agreement

The John Mahama-led administration in 2015 agreed to rent the 300MW of emergency power from AMERI at the peak of the country's power crisis.

It later emerged that the government had been shortchanged by AMERI as they presented an overpriced budget and government overpaid by $150 million.

The New Patriotic Party government which assumed office in January said it would look into the matter and prosecute former state officials found be complicit in the deal.

Minority on raids

The Minority in Parliament have expressed their displeasure at the way in which the state security is carrying out their investigations.

According to them, the raid and seizure of personal gadgets were inappropriate.

A private legal practitioner and NDC Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini described the practice as illegal and must be stopped.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament is said to have constituted a committee to look into the development which he has criticised.

A private legal practitioner and a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nii Kpakpo Samoa described the raids as illegal and has urged the affected former government officials to sue.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Management of HFC bank has dismissed reports that the laying off, of drivers of the bank follows its interest to acquire two local banks  Capital and UT Bank in Ghana.

The bank, last week, initiated moves to lay off all of its drivers and blamed the move over its growing cost of operations and increasing competition in the banking industry.

A letter sighted by Citi Business News from management to drivers stated that it had taken a concrete decision to terminate your contract with HFC bank with effect from 1st August 2017 which also serves as your notice period. Your last working day with HFC Bank is therefore 31st August 2017.

In keeping with our decision you will be paid 2 months for each completed year of service. You will also be paid any outstanding leave commuted to cash.

But the layoffs has however angered some of the staff who say the development is due to moves by the bank to acquire UT Bank and Capital Bank.

The workers also alleged that workers of the customer service wing of the bank will be laid off next and will be replaced by PR Firm Stratcom.

But reacting to the allegations the Managing Director of HFC Bank Mr Robert Le Hunte said the reports are untrue.

He told Citi Business News Editor Vivian Kai Lokko that there is no truth in the allegations about arrangements between myself and UT Bank or Capital Bank.

He added that I can emphatically say to you that there is no truth to that statement, there is no truth in the allegations about arrangements between myself and UT Bank or Capital Bank. There is no deal by the trustees to acquire Capital Bank neither is there a deal by the trustees to acquire UT Bank.

Again for clarity sake we are in no conversation with Stratcom as our PR consultant or communication consultant. We are in no conversation with Stratcom or any service provider with regards to outsourcing of our customer service officers. There is entirely no truth to the matter that is being spread by mischievous people who are trying to work on the fears of people.

Banks Performance

The Bank recently announced that it had been able to cover 65 percent of its Non Performing Loans(NPL) in the first half of 2017.

It also announced that it declared a profit after tax of 26.5 million cedis, representing an increase of 52 percent for the same period.

Speaking to journalists the MD of the bank Mr Robert Le Hunte assured that the bank has returned to improving its profitability after making a loss of 80 million dollars for two years.

After 2 years of losses and GH150 million in provision, HFC Bank returned to profitability producing the best first half year results in the history of their 27 years of existence. Additionally, the Bank now boasts of having one of the highest cover ratio i.e. provision to non-performing loans of over 65% which provides the Bank with protection against future shocks going forward, he observed.

Mr. Le Hunte attributed the good results to the hard work of the Staff and the focus on recoveries over the past two years.

Even though he admitted the work was far from over, Mr. Le Hunte also stated that the bank was now in a better position than 2 years ago when Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) took over control.

During the two year period, over US$30 million was spent on upgrading the Information Technology infrastructure and refurbishment of the branch network. In addition, investment was made in training and developing the Staff with the assistance of RFHL, he said.

He announced that the board of the bank recently concluded a meeting, and approval was given to approach the shareholders of the Bank on two significant matters, to increase the level of capital of the Bank by 50 million cedis and secondly to change the name of the Bank to Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited in keeping with the new ownership structure.

This new capital together with the BBB+ S&P rating of Republic Bank Limited makes the Bank one of the strongest in the industry and puts them in a better position to build on the strong foundation in the housing industry and the future prospects in the oil and gas industry, he said.



By: Vivian Kai Lokko/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 31, GNA - Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, has reaffirmed government's commitment towards making Ghana a leading entrepreneurial nation on the African Continent.

He said government was injecting 10 million dollars as a seed-capital into the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP) which was launched recently to support start-up and early-stage businesses.

The NEIP is also expected to raise additional 100 million dollars in private capital and multilateral funding to fund its programmes which include business development services, incubator hubs and business accelerator services.

Presenting a 61-page Mid-Year Budget for 2017 in Parliament on Monday, Mr Ofori-Atta says the NEIP would be managed by a Private Sector Implementation Partner, which would be incepted in three weeks.

'It is envisaged that NEIP will have several self-contained modules on ICT, Tourism, Agriculture, Health and other similar critical areas that will be managed by subject-area specialists,' the Finance Minister said.

He explained that this is to ensure value-creation and youth employment to reduce the unemployment rate.

He said as part of its effort to improve the business environment for investments, government had launched a comprehensive programme for business regulatory reform to make the country business-friendly.

The reform, he said, aims at improving Ghana's rankings on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index and to establish an electronic register for business regulations, legislation and processes which would provide a complete repository of business laws and regulations.

It will also help in conducting a rolling review of business regulations and develop a centralised web portal which will provide an interactive platform for public consultations.

The design targets regulatory reliefs for Small and Medium Enterprises in order to reduce entry barriers for young entrepreneurs and start-ups and seeks to establish Regulatory Reform Units within MDAs to conduct Regulatory Impact Assessments.

Mr Ofori-Atta said this would lead to the creation of a permanent system of quality control for the introduction of new business regulations.

GNA
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 31, GNA - Mr Ken Ofori Atta, the Finance Minister, on Monday said despite the measures being taken to maintain fiscal discipline, government will strongly forge ahead to growing the economy and deliver services to strategic allocations through efficient use of resources.

He said its flagship programmes such as the Free Senior High School Policy, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), School Feeding, the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP), and the Planting for Food and Jobs, would be protected.

Mr Ofori Atta said this when he presented the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2017 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Monday.

He said Ghana's total Revenue and Grants had been revised downwards by 0.9 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from GH44.5 billion to GH43.1 billion.

He said the revision emanated from revisions made to Corporate Income Tax, Import Value Added Tax, Import Duty, as well as the reclassification of expected non-tax revenue inflows from the sale of government shares of GH500 million as financing.

The total Expenditure, he said, had also been revised downwards by 1.1 per cent of GDP from GH58.1 billion to GH55.9 billion.

Mr Ofori-Atta said the key revisions to expenditures include: 0.4 per cent of GDP (GH867.0 million) adjustment to Goods and Services; 0.3 per cent of GDP (GH553.2 million) reduction in total transfers to Other Government Units, which comprise all statutory and earmarked funds; and 0.3 per cent of GDP (GH683.0 million) adjustment to Capital Expenditure.

He said notwithstanding the expenditure cuts, key Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication programmes such as the One District, One Factory; One Village, One Dam; Small Business Development; Agricultural Infrastructure; Water for All and Sanitation Projects would take off before the end of the year.

GNA

By Christabel Addo, GNA
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, July 31 GNA - Mr Sam Okudzeto, a Member of the Council of State, has called for dialogue between the Council and Parliament to strengthen the ties between the two bodies.

He said collaboration between the two would go a long way to deepen the country's democracy.

Mr Okudzeto made the called when he led the Legal Committee of the Council of State to call on the Speaker, Prof Aaron Michael Oquaye, at his office in Parliament House.

The visit was to strengthen ties between Parliament and the Council as well as discuss issues of national interest.

Some members of the delegation were Justice Georgina Wood, Alhaji Mogtari Sahanun, Nana Owusu-Nsiah, Kuoro Richard Babini Kanton VI, Nana Somuah Mireku Nyampong III, and Bo-Naa Professor Samuel Yakubu Nantogmah.

Mr Okudzeto said Parliament, as an institution, had an obligation to pass bills that were presented to the House.

He said though the Council, under the Constitution, was mandated to counsel the President, Parliament and Ministers of State, it did not have access to contribute to the bills.

Prof. Oquaye, on his part, called on Members of the Council of State to add their voices to return the Assembly Press (Ghana Publishing) back to Parliament to help in publication.

He expressed confidence that the Council of State would develop strong system to serve as a check on the activities of the Executive.

Prof. Oquaye also assured the Council that Parliament would inform the public about very important bills so as to make inputs.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader, commended the members for the visit adding that it was important for the Council to follow the bills that are brought to Parliament and, if possible, make their input.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, and Mr Alban Bagbin, the Second Deputy Speaker, commended the Legal Committee of the Council for calling on the Speaker.

Mr Bagbin said though the House could make available gazetted bills to the Council, it was, however, constrained in terms of resources.

GNA

By Christopher Arko, GNA
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina is scheduled to pay a working visit to Ghana, from August, 1-3.

He will be accompanied by Ghanas Executive Director at the Bank and Senior Advisors.

The visit will afford the AfDB President the opportunity to discuss the government development agenda and priority programmes, and ascertain the impact of the African Development Bank Groups interventions in the country.

While in the country, Dr. Adesina will meet with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana, Finance Minister, Development Partners as well as key sector Ministers to discuss priorities and challenges in their various sectors.

The visit will also offer the AfDB President the chance to network with leaders in the financial and banking industry. Dr. Adesina will tour some AfDB funded projects such as the Airport Terminal 3 project. He would also tour the Cocoa Processing Companys facility in Tema.

The AfDBs ongoing portfolio in Ghana currently consists of ten (10) projects with a total commitment of US$410.95m and cummulative disbursement of US$135.12m. In addition, the Bank has a number of commercial projects under its private sector window.

Dr. Adesina, is a distinguished development economist and agricultural development expert with 25 years of international experience. Prior to his appointment, he was Nigerias Minister of Agriculture, a position he held from 2011.

Since becoming the AfDB President in September 2015, he has led the Bank to refocus its efforts in five key priority areas which have been identified as crucial for accelerating Africas economic transformation.

The five priority areas initiative termed the High 5sare: Light up and power Africa (energy), Feed Africa (agriculture), Industrialize Africa (industry), Integrate Africa (trade) and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa (inclusive economic growth).

To prosper, Africa needs a massive, concerted, ambitious effort to transform our economies. We need growth that benefits everyone. The High 5 priorities will get us there more quickly, he said.

The African Development Bank Group was established in 1964 to promote sustainable economic growth to reduce poverty in Africa.

The Bank Group comprises the African Development Bank (AfDB) which is the commercial window, and two concessional lending arms  the African Development Fund (ADF) established in 1972 and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF), set up in 1976.

Fifty-four African countries, including Ghana and 27 non-African countries are shareholders.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
01.08.2017 LISTEN

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) will, on Wednesday August 2, 2017, host Media and Business Executives at a special forum at Alisa hotel in Accra. The forum will be the first edition of a periodic convening by MFWA known as Media and Business Development Series (MBD  Series).

Wednesdays forum will feature the Minsietr for Business Development, Honourable Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, as the Guest of honour and Keynote Speaker. Other speakers will be Nana Kwesi Gyan-Apenteng, Chiarman of the National Media Commission and Mrs Matilda Asante-Asiedu, Group Head of Corporate Banking, Access Bank.

The MBD-Series is a special initiative of the MFWA that seeks to bring the media and businesses closer to explore ways in which the media and the business community can forge stronger partnerships for for development of the business sector (including media businesses) in Ghana.

The maiden edition of the MBD-Series on Wednesday will be under the theme: Business Development in Ghana  The Role of the Media.

The media have a significant role to play in promoting Ghanaian businesses and the business environment. But the media themselves must also survive as businesses and their survival also depends on having a thriving business environment that is able to support media advertising. So its crucial to periodically bring the two sectors together to deliberate on how they can support each other, Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the MFWA explained.

The forum will also see the launch of the MFWAs West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA), which will be held on October 27 and 28, 2017 in Accra.

The WAMECA event will bring the media community in West Africa together to discuss the state of journalism and the media industry in the region. The event will be climaxed with an awards event to honour journalists from across West Africa whose excellent works is impacting lives in the region.
SEELEY LAKE  The smoke poured from a distant ridgeline, the daytime air quality was downgraded to hazardous, the waters were closed and it was Tuesday in Seeley Lake.

Several foursomes strolled the Double Arrow golf course, Roveros jumped with activity all day and, at least in the morning, kids swam in the lake.

Meanwhile, three miles northeast of town, the Rice Ridge fire doubled in size, to an estimated 4,000 acres. All around western Montana, the wildfire scene took another turn for the worse Tuesday as smoke blanketed most of the valleys and mandatory evacuation orders were issued in Granite County on two different complexes. Residents along Lolo Creek and Highway 83 north of Seeley Lake in Missoula County were put on watch.

At Seeley, ridgelines quickly faded and disappeared into the haze of the lower third of the sky. A handful of Hotshots walked through wooded stands overlooking cabins and outbuildings, laying hose, setting up sprinklers, felling trees, clearing brush. Their once-yellow shirts stained with the forest were a permanent darker brown, something like charred Dijon mustard rubbed in dirt.

On Morrell Creek Road, Lisa VanDeHey led the way up the wood stairs to a cabin her father built on leased Forest Service land back in the 1950s. Stuck to a little metal pole near the road was a pre-evacuation notice.

Long lines of white hose weaved across the property, metal Y-connectors enabling thin strands to slither off into corners, next to sheds and outbuildings.

Sprinklers aimed at the structures; mostly the house, but one sat right outside the outhouse door, much to VanDeHeys amusement.

Gotta save the outhouse, she laughed.

VanDeHey and her husband, D.C. Haas, drove down from Kalispell Tuesday morning to gather up certain items from the cabin  mostly family photos  turn off the propane tanks, and cross our fingers.

They came up in time to welcome a Hotshot crew laying hose and bulldozing a wide fuel break about 100 feet from the cabin. The chopped scar ran in an arc around their neighbors' places.

Ive got two teenaged kids at home and theyre crying that the cabins going to burn down, VanDeHey said. Its not the structure, its the memories.

Haas chimed in from the porch.

I think theyve got a heckuva plan in place," he said. "Im feeling very optimistic.

Yeah, if they cant keep it with all these hoses VanDeHey trailed off.

Though it was allowed, the two were hesitant to spend the night, as were their neighbors, Tim and Cindy Hoag.

Well stay downtown tonight, Tim Hoag said as he packed a horse trailer with belongings. The wind could switch on us and I wouldnt sleep good, anyways.

The Hoags had been up at their cabin all summer, from their yearlong home in Florida. Other neighbors, a couple from Delaware, cut their vacation short Tuesday in the face of the wall of smoke visible from the yard.

Tim Hoag said the trailer, filled with mounts, golf clubs, a lawn mower, a ladder and other items from his shed and shop, would stay at a friends house for the foreseeable future.

I just hope I have to haul it all back, he said, swinging shut the metal door.

To the west, across the lake at River Point Campground, just hours before it was closed to the public so air crews could dip from the lake, the smoke churning in the mountains opposite the water gave the impression of an especially apocalyptic beach day.

Back in town, the Incident Command Post set up in Seeley Lake Elementary School saw a steady stream of locals walking in to pore over the oversize maps set up in the gymnasium and put their questions to public information officer Gabrielle Kenton.

Evacuation warnings were centered toward the south of the Rice Ridge fire, which is burning parallel to Highway 83. They were handed out in door-to-door patrols by sheriffs deputies; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks rangers and the Forest Service.

Wind shifts, anything can happen, Kenton said in her classroom-turned-office, where a sleeping bag on a small air pad lay next to her desk. You never know. Fire is relatively unpredictable.

Kenton thought it unlikely Seeley proper would be threatened as the fire was burning to the east, but a northeasterly wind was expected Tuesday night.

A Type II incident command team will take over the fire in a day or so, bringing even more personnel and equipment to the small lakeside town.

Its really touch-and-go sometimes, Kenton said.

***

The evacuation warnings and orders came as a red-flag warning for Tuesday evening and the first three hours of Wednesday kept fire crews throughout the region on edge. Three neighborhoods ringing the Sunrise fire in Mineral County are already deserted as the top priority fire in the nation flamed aggressively to the north and east.

Sapphire Complex: Residents in a 10-mile stretch of Rock Creek from Hogback Homestead south to the Kyle Borhnsen Memorial Bridge west of Philipsburg were ordered to leave early Tuesday evening by the Granite County Sheriffs Office.

The red mandatory evacuation order came in conjunction with a yellow evacuation warning for those from the Hogback Homestead, a historic Forest Service rental cabin, to Butte Cabin Creek, another 11 miles downstream.

The Little Hogback fire is the southernmost of three fires in the Sapphire Complex to the east of Rock Creek. As of Tuesday morning it had burned 5,300 acres and was listed at zero percent contained. The fire has been making its way toward Rock Creek Road, information officer Sara Rouse said shortly after 5 p.m.

It was fairly active this afternoon, and theyre thinking its going to get close to the road probably by this evening, Rouse said. With operations needing to take place, they want to make sure people have time to leave.

The threat came on the heels of another mandatory evacuation order earlier in the day by Granite County farther upstream for Moose Lake area residents. The Whetstone Ride and Myers fires are burning out of control 25 miles southwest of Philipsburg near the South Fork of Rock Creek. The lightning-caused fires have burned some 3,700 acres.

It also spurred into motion the largest contingents of firefighters on a fire in Montana. Personnel on the Sapphire Complex number 555, including 14 ground crews of 20 people each. Theyre tapping the services of 23 engines and six helicopters for a fire that had steady growth during the day and was expected to surpass a combined 1,200 acres in size on the Goat Creek, Sliderock and Little Hogback fires. That was some 7,000 acres larger than a week ago.

Back burns have been performed along the east side of Rock Creek Road to prevent the northernmost Goat Creek fire from burning down to the road.

Crews have reached a burnt-out area of the Sliderock fire to better assess the loss of structures.

One cabin and nine outbuildings associated with the cabin (were lost). Theyre all on one property, information officer Erin OConnor said, adding This happened at the very beginning.

They are the only 10 structures reported lost among all the fires burning in western Montana.

The Sliderock and Little Hogback fires were reported on July 13. Goat Creek flared up six days later. Rock Creek Road remains closed to all but residents and fire personnel.

The troops have done a really, really good job with structure protection and keeping it away from homes, OConnor said.

Whetstone Ridge-Myers Complex: The lightning-caused fires have burned some 3,700 acres. Smoke from the lightning-caused fires has affected Butte and is expected to continue to do so all week, according to the Montana Standard.

The fires had already forced the closure of nearby Copper Creek campground. A Type II team under Mike Alma took command Tuesday. The previous teams structure group had triaged or prepared 82 structures nearest the fire. A fire break of more than 20 miles has been constructed or designated, with more to come. It includes 1.5 miles of hand line, 6 miles of dozer line and 13 miles of shaded fuel break.

Lolo Peak fire: The confounding fire burning in largely inaccessible terrain high above Highway 12 established itself on the north face of Lantern Ridge. That was a trigger point for the Missoula County Sheriffs deputies to starting going door to door to warn some 70 residences on the south side of Highway 12 to be prepared to move out quickly.

The warning applied to those in a 5 -mile stretch from Fort Fizzle west to Elk Meadows Road.

Theyve been trying for days to keep the fire on the south side of Lantern Ridge and it finally slopped over to the north side. Its about 50 acres and growing, said fire information officer Mark Struble. The fire operations people came in about four hours ago (2 p.m.) and got together with the sheriffs office. Theyre concerned with the red flag and higher winds and said lets just give everyone down in the canyon a heads-up.

There was no immediate danger, Struble stressed.

Rice Ridge and Liberty fires: Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott issued yellow evacuation warnings to residents along Highway 83 from just north of the town of Seeley Lake at Cottonwood Lakes Road to Rice Ridge Road, above which the Rice Ridge fire was growing rapidly to the southeast.

More warnings were issued for North and South Placid Lake roads, Shining Shirt Road, and Beaver Creek Road in advance of the approach of the Liberty fire that burned east off the Flathead Indian Reservation in the Mission Mountain range over the weekend. It's charging down Boles Creek, one of the tributaries to Placid Lake.

Sunrise/Burdette fires: Travelers on Interstate 90 and residents of Superior to the north and Alberton to the east experienced periods of thick smoke and poor visibility Tuesday morning. After an afternoon respite, smoky conditions were expected to return in the evening as the red flag warning went into effect. Air quality monitors have been placed in Superior and Quartz Creek.

Another public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Lozeau Lodge Pavilion.

The fires remain No. 1 and No. 2 on the national priority list. The Sunrise fire had ballooned more than 3,000 acres to 9,900 in two days. It was burning aggressively Tuesday on either side of Sunrise Mountain in the Quartz Creek and Sunrise Creek drainages. Fire growth to the north, east and south threatened structures in Quartz Creek, where residents were evacuated on Friday, and Sunrise, where residents have been out of their homes for a week.

Some 60 structures are at risk, but none has been lost.
Seven eager students, undergraduate and masters, as well as two faculty members embarked on a journey of identity development the 22nd of June 2017. They came from the University of Washingtons School of Social Work for a study abroad program and worked collectively with a local, non-profit, non-governmental organization called Cheerful Hearts Foundation (CHF). The group, or Sankofa VI, were welcomed and blessed by the Chief of Gomoa Nyanyano Dr. Nana Obeng Wiabo V. Chief Wiabo has supported CHF since its beginning and is well known for his efforts to better the community.

CHF has three projects centered around the organizations mission for an improved sustainable standard of living--to educate and empower rural citizens through human rights, public health and education initiatives. First-hand experience is a wonderful opportunity for Sankofa VI to make a lasting social change. The students completed community service each focusing on aspects of the CHF mission that best fit their studies. Some were within the public health project assisting physicians in a clinic. Others were involved as teaching assistants in orphanages; and, one preventing child Labor and trafficking in the Fettah, Senya, and Nyanyano areas of Ghana. All, surely, impacting their projects as well as providing innovative solutions and assistance.

In addition, Sankofa VI received lectures on African traditional governance. Researching pre-colonial era, colonial, post-colonial and its functions before and after colonization as lessons for understanding some of the root causes for life in Ghana today. Twi lessons were incorporated into their studies. Though English is primarily taught in schools understanding local dialect is necessary for acclimating into the culture. In accordance with Sankofa, Twi for go back and get it, the group enjoyed lectures about going back to your roots from Renee C. Neblett, founder and Ex. Director of Kokrobite Institute. Credits were distributed to each student upon delivering their personal research.

The group had the opportunity to meet with the student leadership of the University of Ghana comparing the campus life of both their universities and views of contemporary issues. Coursework and supplements were balanced with other cultural enrichment activities including visiting various historic and tourist sites such as; the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah memorial park, Cape Coast Slave dungeon, W.E B. Dubois museum, Kakum National Park, Independence Square and various markets. Judging by the bright African prints each student donned towards the closing of their trip they appreciated being able to have tailored clothing designed.

Their four-week stay concluded with a farewell hosted by Eric Opoku Agyemang, co-founder of CHF. The celebration was filled with Ghanaian live music and cultural dancing some of which they might have recognized from their brief interactive sessions. Local food was served and gifts and certificates exchanged. Dr. Gloria Burgess, author of Dare to Wear Your Soul On the Outside; Mr. David Burgess; Co-director Dr. Margaret Spearmon, Chief Officer for Community Engagement and Outreach; Bilen Millions, MSW Program Coordinator; the Cheerful Hearts Foundation Staff, and Sankofa VI meda ase paa [thank you very much] for the time well spent.

Sankofa In African Prints For Last Day Dinner Party

Drumming And Dance Lessons
The Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Joe Anokye, has been honoured with the Humanity Magazine International Award for excellent and transformational leadership.

The honour is in recognition of Mr. Anokye's tireless effort in restoring transparency and stakeholder confidence in the operations of the NCA within a short period of time.

A certificate presented to the NCA boss reads in part that, "this is in recognition of your timely intervention in restoring transparency at the NCA which has reaffirmed stakeholder confidence. Ghana appreciates you".

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Humanity Magazine International, Mr. Yahaya Alhassan, presenting the award at a ceremony in Accra said that the NCA as a vital state institution needs to be managed by highly competent professionals.

"Indeed Mr Anokye and his team of dedicated staff have proved to us that they can be trusted to manage the NCA for Ghanaians and we therefore appreciate their sacrifices" he said.

Mr. Alhassan was optimistic that Anokye, a former telecommunication engineer at the US space agency, NCA, will ensure that telecom companies offer the best service at affordable prices to the ordinary Ghanaian.

According to him the successes of the calm NCA boss do not come as a surprise as Mr. Anokye will bring all his rich experiences in telecom engineering to bear at the NCA.

He made it known that Humanity Magazine International aims at promoting quality leadership by recognising the achievements of public and private institutions, to serve as shining examples for other managers to emulate.

"At Humanity Magazine International we also promote African business by encouraging such business to team up with their counterparts in other parts of the world, for these indigenous businesses to expand and create jobs for the youth" he added.

Mr. Alhassan encouraged other managers of state owned institutions and private enterprises to emulate the qualities of Mr. Anokye and other winners of the Humanity award by aiming for greatness.


Three former ministers in the previous Mahama administration, whose homes were raided by operatives of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service over the ongoing AMERI $510 million probe, yesterday reported themselves to the police.

The former ministers, who are all Members of Parliament (MPs), reported themselves upon request by the CID to assist in investigations into the AMERI power deal brokered by the previous Mahama administration.

They are Dr Kwabena Donkor, MP for Pru East in the Brong-Ahafo Region and former Minister for Power; John Abdulai Jinapor, MP for Yapei Kusawgu in the Northern Region and former Deputy Minister for Power and Dr Dominic Ayine, former Deputy Attorney General who is the MP for Bolgatanga East in the Upper East Region.

Mr Kwabena Donkor was the first to report at the CID headquarters at about 9:30 am.

He was seen moving to the office of the Deputy Director General of the CID, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Danquah, after which three investigators also followed to the same office.

After spending close to 15 minutes with the deputy CID boss, Dr Donkor, according to information gleaned by DAILY GUIDE, was given a form to write his statement to the police on a later date.

At about 11:00 am, Dr Dominic Ayine also reported himself and went through the same procedure after which he was also given a form to present his statement.

The last to arrive was Mr John Jinapor at about 1:30 pm.

Speaker Notified

Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE at the CID headquarters indicated that the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, was duly notified before the operatives raided the various residences of the three NDC MPs.

Sources at the CID headquarters indicated that official letters were sent to him, as well as the minority and the majority leaders two weeks ago before the search team, with warrant from the court, stormed the homes of the MPs.

Professor Oquaye on Friday gave an assurance on the floor of parliament that he would invite the appropriate security officials to discuss matters relating to the dawn raids of the homes of the three members of the house.

This was after Muntaka Mubarak, minority chief whip, had called on him to restrain the security personnel from raiding the homes of the MPs on the minority side, who are linked to the AMERI power deal.

Police sources, however, indicated that the security agents followed due process before embarking on the search.

Apart from the three MPs, Francis Dzata, Technical Advisor to the Power Ministry, also had his residence searched by warrant-holding officers a week ago.

Dr Donkor had his laptops and pen drives seized by the officers when they went to his residence at the Spintex Road, while Francis Dzata also had his laptops seized.

However, Mr Jinapor only had his mobile phone (an iPhone) seized by the security operatives when the search was conducted in his house at Tema Community 12 last Friday.

Checks at the CID headquarters indicated that the seized items were not given to them when they reported at the headquarters.

The Mahama administration, in the heat of the dumsor (erratic power supply) in February 2015, entered into a $510 million deal with AMERI for the supply of power plants to mitigate the power crisis.

But media reports indicated that the cost of the project was outrageously high, thus compelling the Akufo-Addo government to set up a committee to look into the contract.

The committee, led by a private legal practitioner, Phillip Addison, disclosed in its report that it had found technical and financial lapses in the contract and called for its abrogation.

On the financial side, the committee found out that although AMERI secured the deal, the developer that built and financed the plant charged $360 million, yet AMERI forwarded a bill of $510 million in the agreement.

By Linda Tenyah Ayettey

([email protected])
A Public health lecturer at the University of West London, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Dr. Da Costa Aboagye has urged government to immediately develop a strategic arrangement to export nurses officially to countries where their services are needed.

According to Dr. Aboagye, Ghana could make some foreign exchange from such exports.

Dr. Aboagye explained that such nurses could also improve the economic fortunes of their families through their remittances adding that it would also reduce the unemployment rate in Ghana.

His suggestion comes on the back of persistent protest staged by some nurses in the country in damnd of postings.

A group calling itself the coalition of registered nurses and midwives picketed at the Health Ministry on Monday to demand financial clearance from government.

According to the nurses, they have been unemployed for over a year despite completion of their academic studies and mandatory rotation.

Dr. Aboagye told Citi News that there is currently shortage of nurses in industrialized nations due to increased demand for healthcare.

He cited the National Health Service in United Kingdom's warning of inadequate nurse staffing levels across the United Kingdom and a call by UK ministers to recruit such service providers from oversees through comprehensive programmes.

The Philippine government has a formal arrangement with the United Kingdom to export nurses. Other countries like Cuba have similar arrangements with some governments of developed and developing countries to export nurses. Ghana can thus learn from how these countries have succeeded in exporting nurses to countries like the United Kingdom , the United States, Norway, Australia and Ireland, who are currently in despite need of nurses due to the huge demand for healthcare, he added.

Figures from the Ministry of Health suggests that Ghana as at 2014 had about 40,859 nurses across the country.



By: citifmonline.com/Ghana
He has made himself a bit unpopular by his chronically cantankerous behavior; still, Mr. Daniel Bugri-Naabu, the Northern Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), is indisputably the eyes and pulse of the party in his jurisdiction. And so his concern that some NPP-Members of Parliament are viciously subverting the authority of President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, barely six months into his administration, ought to be taken with all the seriousness that it deserves. Mr.Bugri-Naabu may very well be exaggerating the true picture of things on the ground a bit; but at least he has creditably established his bona fides as a straight-shooter whose concerns may only be ignored at a great peril to the fortunes of the party in the region (See NPP Losing Ground in Northern Region  Party Chairman Warns MyJoyOnline.com 7/31/17).

In his latest report, the NPPs Northern Regional Chairman claims that some party parliamentarians are smack behind the recent rejection of several Akufo-Addo nominees for the post of District Chief Executive (DCE). We thought this sort of teething problem was well behind us. For the information of these alleged party wreckers, the 1992 Constitution clearly spells out the especial prerogative of the elected President of our Republic to select appointees for the posts of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs).

However, out of the goodness of his own heart and the imperative need to both enhance and advance the quality of Ghanaian democracy, President Akufo-Addo has decided to ensure that within the shortest possible time, all these local executive positions would become elective. Indeed, it probably would be happening right now, except for the fact that a few constitutional hurdles need to be negotiated.

By attempting to subvert the present system for selecting and appointing our local executive administrators, the allegedly subversive NPP-MPs may be pushing their luck too hard and making an already difficult problem even worse, if not impossible. The party chiefs in the region, and at the national level as well, need to call the recalcitrant MPs to order. Those who adamantly refuse to budge, or see reason, may have to be targeted for either expulsion or outright elimination from the partys ticket altogether.

The preceding observations notwithstanding, it also bears reminding Mr. Bugri-Naabu that it will take quite a while for some members of the electorate to fully and staunchly rally behind the Akufo-Addo Administration. Ghanaians are quite notorious for their impatience; and so there is absolutely no reason for party stalwarts like the Northern Regions NPP Chairman to panic or resort to unnecessary political hiccupping and alarmism.

It is not going to be smooth sailing or a jolly ride through and through, as it were. There are going to occur a few bumps and rough rides here and there, now and again, until the desired goals and results are achieved. Till then, let all of us haunch down, dirty our hands with the sort of heavy-lifting that produces good and quick results.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
01.08.2017 LISTEN

The Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana, Right Reverend Kofi Asare Bediako, has suggested to the NPP government to set up an Educational Endowment Fund to support the Free Senior High School policy.

The bishop said the endowment fund would allow individuals, philanthropists, companies, organizations and well meaning Ghanaians, both living home and abroad to contribute their quota to support the Free Senior High Education policy, which the government has promised to implement in September this year.

Right Rev. Asare Bediako made this suggestion when he was speaking on the Space FM Morning Flight show Hosted by Dickson Smith on Monday.

The Methodist Bishop commended the government for introducing the Free SHS policy, which he said is bold and feasible, but asked the government to make the policy, discriminatory free policy.

The Clergy suggested that the Educational Endowment Fund should be at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District levels.

He said the Methodist Church has more public educational institutions across the region and their examination results as compared to the private schools are not good at all.

He fears that if the policy is going to be implemented based on aggregates of the students, then, it will not auger well for the poor or less privileged in the society.

Bishop Asare Bediako said if the policy is going to be pro-poor, then much attention should be given to the public schools in the rural areas in the country because resources available to the public schools in the urban cities are not the same as those in the rural and deprived communities.

The reverend minister was hopeful that the Free Senior High Education policy can be workable in September this year, though it may face some challenges and difficulties, but called for prayers, total and non partisan support for the policy.

He also asked the government to resource the Technical and Vocational schools in the country, so that students, who cannot use their brains effectively, can use their hands to gain employable skills.

The Free Senior High education policy was a campaign promise by the New Patriotic Party during the electioneering campaign.

Last week the minister of Education Mr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh announced that the government will start the implementation of the policy in September this year.
It's amazing how it's WHAT people say, or write, rather than anything else about their person, that we remember most when we think about those who are no more.

I remember, for instance, that one of the most remarkable statements I ever heard being made was from the lips of a journalist whose output was not particularly brilliant. It happened like this: when the Ghana Government was negotiating with Kaiser Aluminium Company of the USA on the agreement under which VALCO was to be established to buy some of the power to be generated from the Akosombo Dam, Kaiser invited some Ghanaian journalists to go to see some of Kaiser's US operations.

The need for the journalists to see Kaiser's work at first hand had become imperative because at the time, Ghana was in a state of political schizophrenia and needed a dose of psychiatric help. Kaiser offered to be the dctor!!

Political schizophrenia? Yes. Ghana was led by Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who had received his University education in the home of capitalism  the USA  but had -- paradoxicaly -- returned home a socialist. However, the majority of the members of his Cabinet, as well as his senior civil servants, were capitalist-minded, having been educated by the British, either here at home, or in British Universities, and become so Anglophile that a British writer, Richard West, once described Ghanaian administrators as The Last Englishmen!

Not many of the journalists Nkrumah employed at the party press had been to University, and so, quite a few could be trusted to relay his political message to the people of Ghana wholesale, without much independent analysis. But the socialist message they preached was meant for a people highly steeped in capitalism, albeit at its elementary stages.

Throw into the mix, the modifications Nkrumah was making to his own political philosophy and you have schizophrenia writ large. He espoused a socialism that sought to distance itself, willy-nilly, from the scientific socialism practised by the Socialist Countries of Eastern Europe and China. He aso dabbled in a concept based on ''he African personality'', which he loosely tried to morph into a philosophy called Consciencism!

A few people grew grey hairs trying to reconcile the competing ideologies of the time. As a result of so many diverse opinions being expressed by people who tried to interpret what was going on  or trying to go on  we had an administration that sometimes couldn't tell its left hand from its right hand.

Fr example: a Cabinet Minister, Krobo Edusei, was quoted as rendering the meaning of socialism in his language, Twi, as di bi na menni bi! (chop some and let me too chop some). This was largely taken to mean that the proceeds of corruption should be shared equally between the big men of the party and the small men, and not be cornered by just a few individuals!

But not only people like Krobo Edusei were confused. I was good friends with Eric Heymann, editor of the EveningNews,and often, he'd mutter to me at the Accra Press Club, (after he had come back from an ideological huddle with The Old Man at the Flagstaff House  then, as now, the seat of government): Comrade, the line is not straight!

Well, the Kaiser CEO, Edgar Kaiser, in consultation with the US State Department, decided to take a hand in trying to straighten the line before he put his considerable financial weight behind the Volta River Project. So he got Nkrumah to agree to a tour of Kaiser plants in the US by some of the leading journalists who manned Nkrumah's party press. Among them was T D Baffoe, editor of The Ghanaian Times.

Now, Baffoe was an interesting guy  a walking example of intellectual schizophrenia if ever there was one. In private, he was a fun-loving guy with a wicked sense of humour and a preference for the more wistful songs of Dusty Springfield. His laughter often rang louder than anyone else's at the Press Club. But because The Ghanaian Times was the vehicle that Nkrumah mostly used to attack those in his party who did not tow the line, Baffoe acquired a sense of self-importance that was ill-suited to his natural tendency to be the clown in the crowd. His column, Adanko digs to find out, was one of the most feared at the time for it gave vivid accounts of ministerial extra-marital affairs, as well as of ministerial corruption. He once described a Minister as a "Tshombe-faced nincompoop!"

I think the US impressed TD greatly  helped no doubt by Kaiser's hospitality. Indeed, when he came back, he could hardly say anything without peppering it with an imitation of American slang and quoting American witticisms he had absorbed. One of these, whose context I never quite found out, was this: Between Circle K and Oakland  a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do! Did this allude to an occasion when he had had to stop by the roadside and have a pee -- or what?

Then there was this from Baffoe: If they give you hell, yougive them hell! He would cackle loudly whenever he said this. I never got to know whether it was advice that Edgar Kaiser had given him regarding how he should react to criticisms from the US embassy in Ghana, or what.

Well, whether the sentiment was passed on to TD by Edgar Kaiser or not, I feel like giving hell back to certain people who have been making my life an imitation of hell in the past few weeks. They are the employees of  MTN and Vodafone.

I'll start with Vodafone. I connected to their service by a device called VODAFONE MOBILE WI-FI R205. I inherited it so I don't know whether it's outmoded, or has been superseded by a more powerful one or whatever.

The thing is, it makes my money melt like shea butter that's been placed near a hot stove!

I don't do much browsing when I am travelling  I just stream a but of radio news and browse the websites of a few overseas newspapers, and one Ghana news portal. Yet I calculate that I paid more for this service in one month than I pay for a whole month of 24/7, very fast, unlimitedservice in the UK. Why?

The worst part of it is that the device doesn't warn you that you're about to run out of credit. It just cuts you off! And you then read from your browser that YOU'RE NOT CONNECTED! or THERE IS NO INTERNET CONNECTION.

What?

Why?

I moved to MTN from Vodafone because someone I thought knew about these things said they were better. But they too have been cutting me off without warning and for reasons I don't understand. Apparently they have (1) a data service (2) an internet bundle and a mixture of the two with talk whose name I'd never heard before anywhere else, called something-mash! How did they come by these confusing packages?

Then they have different rates for one day, one week, and one month. If you know the difference between the rates, fine. But if like me you don't know what's what and think that just buying what you consider to be enough credit would give you reasonable service, you are out for a shock.

I am sick to the stomach of the companies' machinations. Obviously, they create so many different packages to suit different pockets, but in doing so, they confuse people who don't know which of the different packages to choose from. My first MTN purchase  at which time I knew absolutely nothing about the different packages  was sold to me as a standard package, although I had emphasised to the salesgirl that I would be using the service mostly on internet connections. My email was consequently cut off at a very awkward moment, although I had plenty of unused credit on my talk account!

I feel really depressed when I see how these companies cheat developing countries. If this were done in the UK, OFCOM would descend on the companies with a ton of bricks. How can you differentiate beween "data" and "Internet bunde"? Is it necessary? But over here, the companies know that the Government doesn't care two hoots about what they do. So long as they don't offend the Government itself, they're OK. The populace can go hang.

.
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Africa-USA relations have never been a static symbiotic relationship since time in memorial. Depending on the party or president in power, USA had related with Africa differently at different point in time. Now there is a new president in charge of the USA. President Trump has brought a new perspective to governance in USA. His administration largely seeks to restore the economic and political integrity of USA. This demands that a new relation be forged between the USA and Africa.

Historically USA has tried to facilitate the socioeconomic and political development of Africa by providing loans, grants, aids and other forms of support to African countries. This has substantially contributed to the development of Africa. However, it has also led to the breeding of corruption among African elites who callously loots the financial resources given by US taxpayers to African Nations. President trumps administration must demand accountability from African nations as to how they used financial supports given them in the past. The president must go beyond this by withdrawing grants and aids to African countries that have wasted money of US taxpayers through corruption. In the long term, President Trumps administration must make a conscious effort in building the capacity of African countries.

African nations would not develop to the level expected of them if they continue to be Aid dependent. Hence the President must work to empower African leaders to a level where they can develop their countries without external support.

Democracy in Africa must also be of great importance to President Trumps administration. Predecessors of President Trump used various measures to ensure that democracy is achieved and sustained in Africa. Some of the measures involve covert military operations which have had disastrous consequences for some African nations. The most recent example is the overthrow of Gadhafis regime in Libya by former President Obama in 2011. This has led to the absolute collapse of Libya. Going forward, President Trump must not do business as usual.

He must avoid using covert military operations as solution to taking out dictatorial regimes in Africa. His government must first of all empower citizens of countries under dictatorial regimes in Africa so as to enable them to change their governance system on their own. Secondly the President must initiate positive engagement with dictatorial regimes with the aim of convincing them to let their respective countries to transition into democratic states.

President trump needs to support Africas quest to have a permanent seat in the UNs Security Council. Historically, the African continent and its people have been exploited by colonial imperialist. This has weakened the socioeconomic and political clout of the continent. Africa as a continent has mostly been voiceless when it comes to major security decisions that have been made at the international level. President Trump must strongly advocate for South Africa to be given a permanent sit as a representative of Africa in UNs Security Council.

Conclusively, since the inauguration of President Trump as the President of the US, little has been heard concerning his policy on Africa. It is imperative for President Trump to make known to both citizens of the US and Africa what his policy direction is as far as Africa is concerned. This would ensure that a new dynamism is brought into US-Africa relation.
A lawyer for one of the accused persons in the trial over the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) scandal has hinted of dragging some government officials before the court.

According to Kweku Paintsil, the said government officials have some documents being required by the court.

In the view of the lawyer of Philip Akpeena Assibit  the Managing Consultant of Goodwill International Group (GIG)  he might be compelled to subpoena the said persons after the cross-examination of his client.

Mr. Pantsil dropped the hint yesterday during further evidence by Assibit. He is in the dock alongside the former National Coordinator of GYEEDA and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Chiana Paga, Abuga Pele. They are being tried for the various roles they allegedly played in the GYEEDA scam.

The Attorney General's (AG's) Department claims that the accused persons caused huge financial loss to the state by their roles.

Mr Assibit is being accused of putting in false claims that he had secured $65 million World Bank funding for the creation of one million jobs for the youth, which led government to part with GH41.1 million.

He stated that some of GIG's contracts with the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) were physical deliverables while others were in the form of documents, including an exit plan which was part of the documents the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) took from him.

He disclosed that the deliverables of the contracts also saw the establishment of the office for Resource Mobilization and Project Management with a manual that defined the organisational organogram, the process of flow chart and the description of the various sectors under each unit.

The GIG Managing Consultant further disclosed that under the introduction of the World Bank, there was a trip to Latin America.

This, he stated, was for public officers and other parties to be involved in the project implementation and for understanding of the same type of programmes being implemented in some Latin American countries.

Mr Assibit stated that among the people on the Latin American trip were Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the then Local Government Minister; Gladys Ghartey (a witness in the case); Sam Pee Yarley, a lawyer at the Labour Ministry and a certain boss of Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET).

Sitting continues on October 23, 2017.

[email protected]

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson


It has emerged that the Mahama led NDC govt was only in discussions with companies that wanted to sell Natural Gas to Ghana and that no completed binding Contracts were signed for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) nor for a Floating Storage Regassification Unit (FSRU).

This reveals yet another untruth being peddled by the Akufo Addo government to tarnish the reputation of his predecessor.

The only signed Gas contract was with eniGhana/VITOL to develop the Sankofa Gye Nyame fields (SGN) in the eniGhana operated OCTP block;

All the three companies were to provide their own LNG and regassification units (FSRU).

Checks at GNPC indicate that they were even prepared to give two of the companies (excluding the Sahara led Consortium) some security structure (LCs and guarantees) so that they could all raise the financing to provide the FSRU.

GNPC had signed some form of pre-Facility Utilization Agreements (FUA) which had Conditions Precedents for the suppliers to meet which they all have not met.

Therefore the spurious savings the minister of finance, Ken Ofori Atta, is talking about does not arise. Per the eni/VITOl field development contract, the contractor (signed in Dec 2014 under President Mahama) was to use the ACTUAL AMOUNT spent in developing the field in arriving at the final price of Gas and not the POD estimates which was used at arriving at the preliminary nominal Gas price.

So, there is no renegotiation as purported by Mr Ken Ofori Atta, but rather an actual price using final development expenditure as against the forecast prices used in the PoD to arrive at the nominal price of $9.80.
HELENA  The U.S. government awarded $4.6 million in aid on Tuesday to retrain hundreds of Montana coal workers, many of whom will soon be out of jobs because of a partial closure of the coal-fired Colstrip power plant.

The money was allocated after President Donald Trump declared earlier this year that the "war on coal" was over and signed an executive order rolling back Obama-era regulations.

Still, the coal industry and its workers remain in upheaval because of slumping coal markets and mounting pressure to develop cleaner forms of energy.

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock's office said $2 million of the money for retraining will be immediately available to begin workforce retraining. He said the funds are critical for the futures of the workers.

"Workers in the coal industry have been left to fend for themselves, so this is very important," said Al Ekblad of the AFL-CIO, which represents hundreds of coal workers. "We need to be able to retrain them for good quality jobs to raise their families."

The aid arrived months after a failed attempt by some state legislators to require two owners of the power plant to compensate Colstrip and surrounding communities for economic losses when two of its four units shut down by 2022.

The closure is part of an agreement between environmentalists and plant co-owners Talen Energy and Puget Sound Energy of Washington state.

While the focus is on Colstrip, the money from the U.S. Department of Labor could benefit 1,700 coal industry workers across 21 counties in eastern Montana, the governor's office said. The money will be disbursed to training facilities at community colleges, tribal colleges, labor unions and other community groups.

The funding is due in part to a collaboration launched a year ago between unions and the environmental community.

Union officials want to retain jobs, but some acknowledged that political and market forces are putting pressure on their members to prepare for changes in the energy sector.

Environmental groups have sought less reliance on fossil fuels such as coal and pushed for workforce development in renewable power and other cleaner forms of energy production.

Part of the money will go toward building a workforce for reclamation projects, including cleaning up ash ponds near the Colstrip power plant and reclaiming coal mines.

"Obviously it will take many years to reclaim the land and reclaim the water, and these kinds of jobs will be there for a long time," said Mark Fix, chair of the coal task force for the Northern Plains Resource Council.

The money will provide a much-needed infusion of cash into coal-reliant communities, said state Sen. Duane Ankney, a Republican and retired coal mine superintendent who represents Colstrip.

"It's a good thing to prepare now, instead of reacting later," he said. "It will help prepare for the event when there will be significant layoffs."
The Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament has recommended that government implement the mandatory tow tax.

This follows the Transport Ministrys decision to consult the Committee after the implementation was halted initially following public outcry.

Chairman of the Road and Transport Committee of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, Samuel Ayepaye, however, indicated the Ministry must intensify its sensitization activities before the programmed is rolled out.

Suspension of implementation tow tax

The government had plans of implementing the tow tax but subsequently suspended it after the Roads and Transport Committee of Parliament met with the Road Safety Commission, the DVLA and other stakeholders over the matter.

The Ranking Member on the Committee, Kwame Agbodza had explained that the committee wants to probe the issues surrounding the implementation and possibly recommend the recall of the Legislative Instrument supporting the fee.

Some MPs including the Deputy Minority Leader, James Avedzi Klutse, had earlier called for the policy to be scrapped following these reactions. But Osei Owusu said the critics lack understanding of the issue.

Prior to the suspension, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei-Owusu, had described as narrow-minded, arguments against the mandatory towing fee.

The NRSC was expected to begin a nationwide towing programme in July 2017, to ensure that all vehicles that breakdown on highways were cleared off the roads.



By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Northern Regional Secretariat of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has received the first consignment of relief items for onward distribution to last Tuesdays flood victims.

The Regional Coordinator, Alhaji Abdullah Hindu confirmed receipt of the items in a Citi News interview, Tuesday August 1, 2017.

He disclosed that additional four trucks load of relief items were headed for the Northern Region.

He assured the victims of fair distribution of the items but emphasized that the worse affected victims would be given preferential treatment.

Alhaji Abdullah Hindu bemoaned NADMOs inadequate resources and thus called for philanthropic support.

Background

Over 3,000 people were affected by recent flooding which ravaged six districts in the Northern Region including the Tamale Metropolitan Area.

Two persons including the late Hajia Fati Bapuni and a pupil of Tamale Methodist primary school were reported dead.

Several thatch houses submerged while livestock, farmlands and other valuables were carried away.

Portions of the eastern corridor road and some feeder roads linking communities to major towns and cities were cut off.

Vice President, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia toured some of the affected communities within the Tamale Metropolitan Area.



By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The President and Leader of the Tijaniyya Muslim Council of Ghana has lauded the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo, for not relenting in his fight against the illegal mining phenomenon, known as galamsey.

"We hail and appreciate your efforts in combating the menace of galamsey in the country. And, if you want to know, the populace of the country are happy about that. Congratulations sir, Sheikh Khalifa Abul-Faidi Abdulai Ahmad Maikano said.

He said this on Monday when he paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo to congratulate him on his victory in the December 2016 election, as well as pledge the support of the Tijaniyya Muslim Council for the vision of the President.

Lamenting the neglect of the Tijanniya Muslim Council by the previous administration, Sheikh Khalifa Maikano indicated that we have been forgotten, notwithstanding all efforts by my late father, who instituted annual Quaranic recitations to ensure peace in Ghana.

Sheikh Khalifa Maikano stated that when means of transport were distributed to religious organisations and some Chiefs, we were conspicuously left out. Again, he added that the Council was not invited for national events, largely because of their association with the then leader of the opposition, Nana Akufo-Addo.

Efforts he put in place to drive investment into the country in previous years, he indicated, were also thwarted by obstacles.

Nonetheless, the Tijaniyya Leader was hopeful that under the Akufo-Addo-led administration, greater collaboration would exist between government and the Tijaniyya Muslim Council to aid in the creation of jobs for the teeming masses of Ghanaian youth.

On the potential of Prang, a town in the Brong Ahafo Region which serves as the Headquarters of Tijanniya Muslims in the country, Sheikh Khalifa cited the examples of Algeria, Morocco and Senegal, countries with high numbers of Tijanniya Muslims, which have become tourist destinations for Tijanniya Muslims around the world.

Prang cannot be left out, he said, explaining that with 1.5 million visitors to the town annually, tourism can become a major avenue for the creation of jobs for the youth.

Touching on agriculture, Sheikh Khalifa Maikano stated that the Tijaniyyas possess vast tracts of lands in all regions of the country, and, thus, advocated for partnership with government in the cultivation of cashew, cocoa, rubber, maize and soya beans, as a means of diversifying the countrys agriculture.

The Tijaniyya Muslim Council of Ghana, Sheikh Khalifa stressed, is endowed with creative and talented members who can be put at the disposal of government for the realisation of its developmental agenda.

He also appealed to the government to consider members of the Tijaniyya Muslim Council to serve on the advisory boards of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and the Ghana Education Service.

On his part, President Akufo-Addo thanked Sheikh Khalifa Maikano for the courtesy call and for the important work that he is doing for our country. I have been to Prang and I know how hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians take their spiritual nourishment from him.

He assured that his government will hold discussions with the Tijaniyya Muslim Council and explore ways by which Prang can be developed fully into a major tourist destination for the country, and also engage the sect in other areas of co-operation.

President Akufo-Addo assured Sheikh Khalifa Maikano that the friendship we had even before I got here (Presidency) will become even greater now that I am here. I will continue to expect him to pray for me and my government, that God will give us wisdom and a good heart to carry out the task given to me.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
A Senior Research Fellow of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), Dr Said Boakye, has cast doubts over the governments plan to increase its revenue target by 48% before the end of the fiscal year.

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta during the presentation of the mid-year-review budget last Monday, admitted a shortfall in revenue mobilization and indicated a 48% upward adjustment in order to make up.

But speaking on the Super Morning Show Tuesday, Dr. Said Boakye observed a lot of loopholes" in the review which the government would have to reconsider.

He said the planning process to determine targets has to be more accurate.

The Financial Analyst commended the Finance Minister for trying to scale down on revenue projection but cautioned that that could also come with a cost.

It is very good that you try to tame your spending but if your revenue planning is wrong, you are going to contain your expenditure48% increase in revenue into the second quarter is getting into the realm of impossibility".

The fiscal illusion

Senior Lecturer, Economics Department & Head, Department of Distance Education, University of Ghana, Dr. Eric Osei Asibey who was part of the discussants, observed many loopholes in the revenue system which must be plugged in order to sustain fiscal stability.

Dr. Osei Asibey called for the establishment of monitoring institutions that will enforce and track the performance of governments instead of relying on politicians.

More often than not we turn to get this fiscal illusion where politicians will tell one thing and do the other.

That difficulty is always there when it comes to balancing politics and prudent fiscal management, said the Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

Former Deputy Finance Minister, Fifi Kwetey wants the government to exercise caution in patting itself the back for ensuring fiscal discipline.

He said the benefits of stabilising the economy should be felt at the local economies of the district and municipal levels.

If you are unable to provide them [district and municipal assemblies] with the means and wherewithal; you are literally holding the country [and] retarding the country, the former Transport Minister for Transport in the erstwhile John Mahama administration.

The Ketu South MP says, the real issues are how these gains are translated into increasing productivity and creating jobs for Ghanaians that are the real issues.

However, Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says the government is determined to maintain this level of fiscal stability because thats where the real meat is.

Admitting that government did not pump much money into the goods and services sector where it recorded a shortfall of about 30%, Mr. Nkrumah is hopeful the figures will peak up by the end of the fiscal year.

Listen to an excerpt of the discussion in the audio attached:

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Jerry Tsatro Mordy | Email: [email protected], Twitter: @jerrymordy
Police in the Eastern Region have arrested one middle-aged man, Joseph Sarpong, for being in possession of a substance believed to be cannabis.

According to the Eastern Regional Police PRO, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, two other accomplices are currently on the run.

He said that his team who were on patrol on the Kpong highway received some information and laid ambush on the suspects on the University Of Ghana farm at Kpong.

The two accomplices who were assisting Joseph Sarpong to transport the substance, according to reports took to their heels when he was arrested by the regional patrol team.

ASP Tetteh stated that, these suspects were seen packaging and were about to load the consignments into a KIA RENO which contained fertilizer sacks which were overshadowed by about 100 bags of mobile ice sachet water and covered with a black plastic.

The suspect, Joseph Sarpong has been taken to court and has been charged with possession of narcotics without lawful authority.

Meanwhile, we are searching for the accomplices to get them arrested to aid in further investigations, ASP Tetteh said.

The three were said to be transporting 2000 parcels of the substance to the Tema Harbour when the police charged on them.



By: Rita Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Seth Terkper

01.08.2017 LISTEN

Assessing the mid-year budget review presented by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, the former Minister was glad there is some continuation of the former governments debt management strategies.

Seth Terkper said although Ken Ofori-Atta called it re-profiling, it is the same as re-financing which was used when he was Finance Minister between 2013 and 2017.

He said a similar re-profiling strategy was used in 2013, 2014 and 2015 beginning with using $250m of a 2013 bond to refinance a domestic bond.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) government had to use an entire $1bn bond exclusively to re-finance debts which he said, resulted in declining Treasury Bill rate.

Seth Terkper said he is also gratified that the NPP has not dismantled the sinking fund and plans to use it for the same purpose as the NDC used to re-finance debts.

The former Finance Minister also pointed out, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration has embraced Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System ( GIFMIS ) began by the NDC in September 2009, to monitor public financial management.

Under GIFMIS, the government is able to instill fiscal discipline in the management of public funds because it helps stop the practicing of giving out contracts that have not been budgeted for by the Finance Ministry.

The Minister provided humble suggestions to his successor to continue with GIFMIS by completing the database of contracts binding governments which have not been entered into the system.

He lamented Ministries have had too much freedom in entering into contractual agreements binding the state without express approval from the Finance Ministry.

The Minister, one of the few who was never reshuffled under the John Mahama administration, said he was happy that the NDC has brought some calm on the labour front by following through with the Single Spine Pay Structure which the NPP government designed.

He said for at least two years, negotiation of salaries has not been as financially destabilising for the government as it used to be.

Seth Terkper recalled the challenges his government faced in the election year when commodity prices were plummeting, affecting government revenue.

He pointed out, there was virtually no revenue inflows from Jubilee oil fields for the first half of 2016 which forced the government to revise its last budget.

He said problems within the structure of Ghanas economy still persist and it should be possible to talk about them.

The former Minister revealed he got some flak from within the government, whenever he spoke about challenges the economy faced.

I used to talk about these challenges and even within, it was said that I was painting a negative picture but I believe that we must be bold.

-Myjoyonline


President Akufo-Addo has praised his predecessor John Agyekum Kufuor describing him as a man noted for taking good decisions.

In his view, the appointment of former Chief Justice Georgina Wood is one of the prudent decisions the former president took.

President Kufuor was a man noted for taking good decisions. For the eights years that he spent as President, there are many good decisions that he made about appointments and policies and I think his judgment in elevating Georgina Theodora Wood to be the 12th Chief Justice of our Republic has been fully justified and vindicated, the president told members of the Ghana Bar Association at an event to honour the retired Chief Justice in Accra Monday.

He urged the lawyers to emulate the standards set by Mrs Theodora Wood.

It is good that we have gathered here once again to commend the former Chief Justice and to say that for those of you who are now coming if you behave well and conduct yourself well, you may get some of this honours for your work. That must be the inspiration for all of us that if you conduct yourself well and brighten your corner, leave according to principle and ensure excellence and determination in everything you are doing, you peers will recognize and commend you the President stated.

The Award

The Ghana Bar Association has instituted a new award which it has named  The Legal Profession lifetime Achievement award. The first Recipient of the award is her ladyship Justice Rtd Georgina Wood. Her award was presented to her at the maiden award ceremony making the former Chief Justice the first recipient of the award.

Justice Retired G. Wood

The awardee, Justice Rtd. Georgina Wood expressed her gratitude to the Ghana Bar Association for the award and for their support throughout the 10 years she served as Chief Justice.

-Starrfmonline
The Minority in Parliament has staged a walk-out protesting the Speaker's decision to refer a motion for a rescission of the $510m AMERI power deal to the Mines and Energy Committee for consideration.

The Majority caucus booed, shooed and chanted 'away, away,away' as the NDC MPs filed out of the chamber in anger and frustration.

Minutes before the walk-out, the Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu was seen furiously gesticulating at his opposite number after the Speaker had shot down his objections to a motion on the AMERI deal.

Haruna Iddrissu had challenged the motion on the rescission of the AMERI deal. He said no where in the Standing Orders are motions referred straight to a committee without debating it.

KT Hammond had early on moved the motion which was seconded by the deputy Majority leader Adwoa Safo.

The Minority Leader's move to stop the motion was over-ruled by the Speaker. Effectively, the motion was moved and seconded without debate, something the Minority members were not happy about.

More soon...

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected]
Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema East Constituency is promising a complete restoration of Ghanas industrial city of Tema during the Akufo-Addo presidency.

At the first town hall meeting by the Information Ministry in Tema, Daniel Nii Kwatei Titus-Glover said government intends to build a new 100-bed capacity hospital for the city and boost revenue collection.

Tema was crafted and built by the Kwame Nkrumah government but theres worry the citys infrastructure has seen a little facelift.

But Mr Titus-Glover says the situation will change.

The population in the metropolis is overgrown, and we are overstretched which means the Assembly has to do a lot of things to satisfy our people.

Where people are not supposed to transact businesses they have encroached that and a lot of things are going on that are not right, he said.

He believes the restoration agenda is a good opportunity to share with the public, ideas on how the Assembly can transform the Tema metropolis.

Mr Glover disclosed that a company is speaking to the government to resuscitate the nations once proud national shipping company, the Black Star Line.

I was so glad because growing up, I saw what the contribution of Black Star Line and the State Fishing Company did to the local economy of the Tema metropolis.

We believe that with the proposals and support of the Ministry, and subsequent approval of Cabinet, we will start flying the national flag on some of these vessels that will call on the ports to create jobs and revenue, he said.

Also, Mr Titus-Glover expressed worry about how the privatization of some companies in Tema has resulted in low revenue for the assembly.

These include VALCO, Nestle Ghana, GTP, GHACEM, ALUWORKS, TOR among others which have all been privatized.

This is making the Assembly lose a high chunk of money that we would have used for development, he said.

According to him, he is talking to the appropriate authority to reverse that arrangement so all the monies go to the Assembly to use for its development activities.

Watch video report below:



Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
Government has set an ambitious target to complete payments of all arrears owed contractors by 2019.

This follows a validation process to audit the arrears bequeathed the NPP by the erstwhile NDC administration.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta disclosed this during his midyear budget review to Parliament on Monday.

According to him, the settlement of the debts should afford some respite to meet other expenditure needs of the government.

Speaking on the development, a Deputy Finance Minister, Kweku Kwarteng explained to Citi Business News the ministry is hoping to complete the auditing of the arrears by October.

We are validating some of them and so far some of them have proven to be illegitimatethe validation is being led by the Auditor General. Already, we have started with the statutory ones like the NHIS and GETFund.

We are taking steps to ensure not only that arrears development in the economy are suppressed but also those commitments we met, provided they prove to be legitimate, are paid off, he added.

According to the Deputy Minister, the government inherited arrears estimated at 7 billion cedis.

Ghana's debt stock as at May 2017 stood at 137.2 billion cedis.

This translates into a debt to GDP ratio of 67.5%.

Meanwhile Mr. Kwarteng maintains the government will work to break what he describes as the cyclical accumulation of debts.

Ultimately we are trying to reduce the development of arrears in the economy so that down the years, we do not expect that people do business for government and those people cannot be paid because government says it does not have money. It's a culture we are confronting in the development of arrears in the economy; it's a weakness we have tolerated for so long.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Some angry youth in Kenyasi in the Brong Ahafo Region on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 blocked all roads leading to and from the community.

They were demonstrating against mining company, Newmont, and demanding immediate employment.

The irate youth also say they are unhappy about the company's alleged pollution of some water bodies and the destruction of their homes.

Citi News' Brong Ahafo regional correspondent, reported that the youth also besieged the premises of the company and prevented workers from going in to work.

Some of them who spoke to Citi Business News also lamented what they say is a breach of agreement entered into with the mining company.

When Newmont came they asked for our land in promise that they will provide us jobs and even if we cannot work, our children will benefit, but the promises were not fulfilled. On December 13th, 2016, we met with Newmont and EPSA when they wanted to extract minerals from our land but we told them until they train our young ones to be skilled to work in the company, they will not have access to the land, one of the leaders remarked in an interview with Citi Business News.

He added, The elders of the land as well explained that if they refused and the youth took action, they will support them.

The residents also claim they have been battling some health complications due to the consumption of the unwholesome water and food crops.

They blame their plight on the alleged pollution of the water bodies and farmlands in the community and surrounding towns.

Research has revealed that our food crops and water bodies have been polluted so we ask that the government comes to our aid, another resident claimed.

Newmont Ghana engages residents on issue

The company in question, Newmont Ghana has however been reacting to the concerns by the youth of the area.

In an interview, the Senior Director, Communication and External Relations, Adiki Ofeibea Ayitevie told Citi Business News that the company has been engaging all stakeholders in the issue of employment.

According to Newmont, though it admits that it cannot employ all the youth in the area, past employments have largely been conducted to favour eligible residents.

Citi Business News understands that currently, 42% of the national workforce is Ahafo locals while 47% of the people employed by Newmont's underground contractor, AUMS, for the upcoming Subika underground mine are also locals from the communities.

An additional 100% of unskilled jobs for the underground project have equally been filled with locals from the 10 host communities in Ahafo.

Commenting on the protest, Madam Adiki Ofeibea Ayitevie said,

We recognize that as a business we are committed to serving as a catalyst for local economic development and as well responsive to the environment. But we also recognize that we are unable to provide employment opportunities for all the youth to work with us hence we will continue to explore alternative ways through discussions to further stimulate sustainable development in our host communities through responsible mining.

We've made a conscious effort to adhere to our mining permit and we also make sure we undertake mining in a sustainable manner, she added.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/Mashoud Kombat/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
01.08.2017 LISTEN

MTN Ghana Foundation has officially handed the new multi-purpose classroom block to management of Street Academy after the old structure was demolished to pave way for the construction as part of their 21 days of Yello Care.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Corporate Service Executive, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor said for 21 days in June, staff volunteers from MTN Ghana visited various communities investing in education through the provision of learning materials, digitising teaching and learning as well as the provision of a school structure.

She noted that for the fifth consecutive year, MTN employees united under the theme Investing in Education for All, identified projects aimed at brightening the lives of their stakeholders in the country.

Mrs. Lumor indicated that MTN Ghana staff volunteers defied all odds to reconstruct and equip the Street Academy School with a new multi-purpose classroom block.

She added that in partnership with British Council, they provided five deprived institutions with online supplementary reading materials to aid teaching and learning.

According to her, they donated over 5000 books ranging from story books to dictionaries, science, maths, social studies and English text books to about 16 basic schools in Ghana.

Volunteers also organised reading clinics and helped the pupils to read and answer questions on the books read. Empowered teachers in special schools by creating a resource center with teaching aids. Volunteers also donated computers and MiFi to nine schools and helped to network and connect some of the institutions on the internet, she stated.

Mrs. Cynthia Lumor emphasised that through this edition of 21 days of Yello Care, MTN staff volunteers have impacted over 6000 pupils in about 30 schools across Ghana.

She urged the management of the School to take care of the facility and items donated so they may be preserved for those that come after them.

Nii Ataa Lartey, the Founder and Headmaster of the School expressed his gratitude to MTN Ghana Foundation for the greater show of support towards the construction of a new school block.

He assured the staff of MTN of his hardwork to ensure that the facility is used to the full benefit of the children in the community.

Img-20170731-wa0037

Img-20170731-wa0038
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Techimantia, (B/A), Aug. 1, GNA - The Presbyterian Relief Service and Development (PRS&D), has inaugurated a mechanised bolehole for Techimantia Senior High School(SHS) in the Brong -Ahafo Region.

The project is estimated at  2,000 pounds sterling.

There was jubilation from the students and staff when the water project was inaugurated by the Reverend Dr Ofosu-Addo, Regional Chairperson of Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

Mr Emmanuel Nyarko Ankamah, the National Co-ordinator of the PRS&D, said for a very long time, the school had battled with water scarcity.

He said the School was also saddled with huge debt with Ghana Water Company.

Mr Ankamah said the project was supported by the Church and the Ghanamma Congregation in the UK through Rev Ben Larsey, who was posted to that country.

Rev Ofosu-Addo, expressed gratitude to the PRS&D and the Ghanamma Congregation for extending a supporting hand to the needy in the society.

He appealed to other partners to extend similar support to other schools.

Mr Evans Asare, the Headmaster expressed gratitude for the assistance. GNA
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - Reverend David Kwadwo Fianko Sakyi, Minister-In-Charge of the Petroleum Estate Methodist Church, has urged Ghanaians not to resort to mob justice since it is against the laws of the country.

He said mob justice was not only an affront to human dignity but was also a show of disrespect to the justice delivery system.

Rev. Sakyi was speaking at the inauguration of the Singing Band and the induction of officers of the Petroleum Estate Singing Band of the Akweteman Circuit of The Methodist Church in Accra on Sunday.

The officers are Madam Comfort Hutchison, President, Mr Prince Anokye, Vice President, and Mr Richmond Ofori, Financial Secretary.

Others are Mr Reindorf Mensah, Secretary, Madam Cynthia Odoom, Assistant Secretary, Mr Patrick Coffie, Band Master and Madam Mary Alokpe, Treasurer.

The rest are Madam Faustina Arthur, Band Mother, Madam Juliana Nyarkoa, Organizer, Rev. David Fianko Sakyi, Chaplain, Madam Linda Ampong, Assistant Chaplain and Madam Joyce Mensah, Member.

Rev. Sakyi recalled the recent murder of the Late Major Maxwell Mahama, an Army Officer on national duties at Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region.

He noted that instant justice or mob justice has never helped and will never stop crime in the country or anywhere, adding that everybody deserved the right to be tried through due legal process of the country.

Rev. Sakyi urged the executives to use music as an effective tool to change society for the better.

'Through songs we can effect a positive change in the lives of the people,' he said.

Rev. Sakyi tasked them to produce songs that entertained, praised God and uplifted the spiritual well-being of the people. GNA
Gwollu, Aug. 01, GNA - Mr. Mohammed Bakor, Sissala West District Chief Executive (DCE) has expressed concern that over 80 per cent of adults in the district are illiterates according to data by the USAID Monitoring Evaluation and Technical Support Services (USAID-METSS).

He said it was not surprising that the District was also the poorest among the 11 districts in the Upper West Region as there was a direct relationship between education and poverty.

Mr. Bakor expressed this concern during the 'Let Girls Learn; End Child Marriage Campaign' launched in Gwollu, by Community Development Alliance (CDA-Ghana) with funding from STAR Ghana, under the Gender and Social Inclusion programme window.

The DCE noted that before the situation could be changed, there was the need for parents to prioritise their children's education over any other thing and also make sacrifices to ensure that all their children especially girls went to school and stay till completion.

He said for him, educating the girl child was more beneficial because successful girls arguably took better care of their parents than the boys, because of the herculean task the boy child have in building his own family.

Mr. Bakor lamented over issues of child marriage in the District and appealed to community leaders to enact laws to punish perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others in order to help end child marriage in the District.

Mr. Salifu Issifu Kanton, the Executive Director of CDA, said the high illiteracy rate in the Region, with women constituting the larger number, was the major reason why the Region had been tagged as the poorest in the country.

He said the provision of educational infrastructure would be useless, if girls would not be allowed to go to school and stay to complete successfully, against child marriage.

Madam Cecelia Kakariba, the Sissala West District Director of Health, disclosed that the district had no good record in the area of adolescent (14 - 19 years) pregnancies.

She said usually when they go for community sensitization on adolescent pregnancies; men often put the blame on the women for not bringing up the girls well, adding that until men accepted that they had a responsibility towards the upbringing of their children, adolescent pregnancies would continue to persist.

Madam Kakariba noted that adolescent pregnancies were contributing significantly to maternal mortality in the District and the Region at large, as some girls often had their uterus ruptured during delivery, because they are not matured enough to carry pregnancy.

The overall goal of the project was to end the practice of child marriage, while enabling girls to pursue their educational and vocational aspirations.

It will directly benefit 10 communities in the district namely Wasai, Duwie, Kuntulo, Du-West, Nyentie, Bullu, Kankaduali, Tiiwi, Desima and Timmie.

GNA

By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA
Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo left Accra on Tuesday for Abuja, Nigeria on a day's official visit.

His visit is on the behest of the Acting Nigerian President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as a Guest of Honour at Nigeria's National Defence College's Silver Jubilee Anniversary and the graduation ceremony of participants of Course 25 of the Institution.

President Akufo-Addo is billed to deliver the keynote address on the topic; "Africa's Economic Integration and Regional Security".

The 133 graduands of Course 25, who are senior military officers of the rank of Colonel in the Army or its equivalent in sister services of the Armed Forces, underwent an 11 month strategic level training programme conducted by the College.

The course aims to develop the skill and expertise of senior military/paramilitary officers and third civilian counterparts for higher responsibilities at operational and strategic levels.

A number of Ghanaian officers took part in the Course.

The President returns later on Tuesday.

GNA

By Ken Sackey, GNA
The Chiefs of Upper Denkyira West in the Central Region want the government to quickly determine the fate of their suspended District Chief Executive (DCE), Daniel Appianing, in order to ensure development there.

Daniel Apiannin has been on suspension since June 1, 2017 following public comments he made in the aftermath of the lynching of Major Maxwell Mahama.

The Deputy Central Regional Minister has been acting in his stead since the suspension.

It is unclear what governments investigation into the matter has uncovered. But the absence of a DCE, the chiefs say, is hindering development.

The Protocol Chief in the Denkyira Traditional Area also known as the Dabehene, Nana Otaa Panyin III speaking to Citi News lamented that our road are in tatters, likewise other roads to the adjoining villages.

It's a very big problem for us because we don't have a DCE. If they've found out that there is no wrongdoing on the part of the DCE, he should be recalled. He was our hope. I think that if he were there the roads would have been good by now. Even if they are not able to tar the road they should have by now graded it, he added.

Capt. Mahama was lynched by residents of Denkyira-Obuasi after he was mistaken for an armed robber.

The DCE of the area was subsequently suspended by the President for accusing the military officer for his own death since Major Mahama and his team were there to protect illegal miners; a claim which has been disputed.



By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey & Umaru Sanda/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The deputy Minister for Agriculture, William Quaitoo has said that farmers are not cooperating with the Ministry in the fight against fall army worm.

According to him, some farmers do not report cases of the invasion on their farms on the onset for the necessary action to be taken.

He said the situation has led to the continuous spread of the outbreak and the seeming difficulty in controlling it.

Many farmlands in the country have been devastated by the invasion of fall army worms.

Regions that have been affected by the development are the Upper East, Volta, Upper West, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the government has made provision for chemicals and experts to control the situation on the affected farms but needed farmers to report their situation to enable government assist them.

The problem is farmers not report because we are ready with chemicals. People have been trained and ready so if they do not report to them, we may not know that you have a problem. They shouldn't sit in their villages and complain, they should report the cases, Mr. Quaitoo said.

Meanwhile, some farmers have lamented that they are unable to access chemicals from the government to help them curtail the armyworm outbreak.

This is despite government claims that the situation is being brought under control with the distribution of the adequate chemicals to all affected areas.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The Medical Superintendent of New Abirim Government Hospital Dr. Osei Bonsu has been arrested for allegedly stealing items belonging to the hospital.

The items were being conveyed by one Edward Damptey from Abirim to a private hospital in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, which is said to belong to Dr. Osei Bonsu.

According to Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, the items impounded include a delivery lamp, three hospital beds and a hosepipe all belonging to the Abirim Government Hospital.

During interrogation, Dr. Osei Bonsu claimed the items were scraps which he was depositing at his private facility in Kumasi.

He pleaded with the police to free him because it was his first time of indulging in such offense.

ASP Ebenezer Tetteh said, police are investigating the matter and may charge Dr. Osei Bonsu with stealing if found culpable.

Dr. Osei Bonsu has since been granted bail while investigations continue.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Maxwell Kudekor
The Computerized School Selection and Placement System secretariat says it is committed to transparency in its work as the government rolls out the Free Senior High School policy.

National Coordinator, Mark Sasu, says the system has undergone some transformation to position it well for the task ahead.

The CSSPS Was introduced in 2005 by the Ghana Education Service to replace manual system of selecting basic school graduates into second-cycle institutions.

The Secretariat, however, has had its short comings.

Candidates' refusal to accept placement in schools other than their first-choice options, sometimes amid allegations of bribery, are some of the issues the Secretariat has had to deal with.

Officials, however, say everything is being done to make operations of the CSSPS transparent.

National Coordinator, Mark Sasu is assuring the public of improved quality service delivery.

"Many at times, parents or candidates refuse to accept postings and that's our major problem that we have. The school that the person has set his mind just to go, if you place him outside that school, he doesn't accept it and he would be going around making noise and those kind of things, "says Mr. Sasu.

He says school heads will receive free laptops and dongles to enable them access information on placements from a common platform.

Mr Sasu says the effort is to avoid chaos associated with the release of senior high school placements.

"This time we want transparency to come in CSSPS. I am not saying that previously there was no transparency. What I am trying to say is that we want to improve the service delivery in terms of quality service delivery."

Though the CSSP Secretariat anticipates some challenges, it wants public support in resolving them for a smooth process.

Mr. Sasu appeals to students to accept placements to ensure sanity in the system.

"We have Free SHS Implementation Secretariat whereby we have a Call Centre set up in there to ensure that those who have problems, they call in and their problems would be answered. They should have patience for us," he emphasized.
Four trucks carrying various relief items have arrived at Tamale in the Northern Region, Myjoyonline.com has gathered.

The items which include mattresses, bags of rice and maize are expected to be distributed to victims of last Tuesdays rainstorm in Tamale and its environs.

Regional National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Coordinator, Alhaji Abdalah Hindu told Joy News Northern Regional Correspondent, Martina Bugri four more trucks are on their way from Accra.

The Regional NADMO boss made this disclosure when he took delivery of 20 bags of Aduanehene Jasmin rice and 10 bags of maize from Wienco Ghana for the flood victims.

Many residents totaling 3,000 in Sanerigu, Gushegu, Sabooba North, Nanumba, Kariga and Cheriponi were displaced following last weeks torrential rains.

The residents were left stranded with no assistance, resulting in health issues as more people defecated in the open.

But seven days after they were left to fend for themselves, the residents will have some respite as governments assistance finally arrives.

The Regional NADMO boss said his outfit will take stock of the items received and map out the distribution modalities.

Northern Regional Coordinating Council Director, Alhaji Alhassan Issahaka said the government is committed to resolving the perennial flooding in the Region.

Wienco Representative, Dominic Duku told the media the relief items formed part of their contribution to improving the situation of victims.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | [email protected] | Instagram: @realbrakopowers
President Nana Akufo-Addo says with West Africa and Africas population set to reach 500 million and 2 billion people in 20 years, respectively, the process of regional and continental integration should be in the interest of all Africans and must no longer stall.

He said West Africa and Africas projected populations mean that genuine regional and continental markets in Africa should be in our mutual economic interests, for these markets will present immense opportunities to bring prosperity to the peoples in our region and continent with hard work, creativity and enterprise.

Functioning, common regional and continental markets, he added, have to be very fundamental objectives of Ghanaians, Nigerians, and, indeed, of all the peoples and governments in the region and on the continent, objectives that will consolidate the processes of structural transformations of our national economies on which we must be engaged.

We cannot persist with economic structures that are dependent on the production and export of raw materials, if we are to bring prosperity to the masses of our peoples, he added.

The President said this on Tuesday when he delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony of Course 25 participants of Nigerias National Defence College, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The President noted that for a continent that has made the choice of pursuing integration, we have not done much as we should have in liberalising and promoting trade amongst member countries.

Indeed, research has shown that countries or groups of countries with the largest share of world trade are located within regions with the highest share of intra-regional trade. Trade between African nations remains low compared to other parts of the world.

In 2000, intra-regional trade accounted for 10% of Africas total trade and increased marginally to 11% in 2015. Trading amongst members of the European Union, for example, amounted to 70% in 2015.

"With these very low levels of trade and investment co-operation in Africa, we must put in place deliberate measures at expanding trade and business collaborations to improve the prospects for prosperity of our peoples.

For my part, I have made it clear on several occasions, and in the countries I have visited so far in the region and on the continent, that I am willing to do whatever I can to strengthen the ECOWAS and AU communities, the President said.

He continued, It is extremely important for the welfare of the 1.2 billion people of the continent that we, the leaders, demonstrate strong political will to make the project of integration, at the regional and continental levels, economic and political successes, and make them realities in the lives of our peoples.

President Akufo-Addo stressed that if the Ghana and Nigeria consider the benefits of the full implementation of ECOWAS and AU Treaties on trade, free movement of goods and persons, customs, taxation, statistics, money and payments, then the two countries would both benefit in far better ways.

It surely makes more sense for Nigeria to import its salt from Ghana than from Brazil. When we think of Africa before our own countries, we are not just being pan-Africanists, we are being true nationalists because what makes Africa better will make each of our countries better and more prosperous, he said.

Follow EU example

President Akufo-Addo noted that nearly seven decades ago, on May 9, 1950, a few nations of Europe, in response to a proposal from French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, embarked on a new journey.

When he made the proposal that has today led to the European Union, the European continent was just five years removed from the Second World War; a war that had broken the back of Europe and spilled the blood of so many, including some of our own, he said.

Currently, according to President Akufo-Addo, the European Union has a market of 508 million people or 7.3% of the world population - the worlds third largest population after China and India -, one currency, and the free movement of goods, services and people across twenty-seven countries, albeit with Great Britain having voted to exit the Union, and beginning the processes for BREXIT.

The EU in 2016 generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of 16.5 trillion US dollars, constituting approximately 23% of nominal global GDP, which is the second largest economy by GDP in the world.

"The single currency, the EURO, has increased efficiency, lowered the cost of doing business and improved transparency in pricing. The overall effect has been to make Europe a much stronger economic and political player on the world stage, he said.

Nigeria must provide leadership

President Akufo-Addo noted that West Africa and Africa cannot make the bold transformative changes they need to make without visionary political leadership.

We need leadership that is focused on the region and continent, and not on individual countries. The European Union took off because the political leadership of France and Germany decided to make it work.

"Once the political will is evident, we can then work together to make out of ECOWAS and the AU true regional and continental markets, he said.

President Akufo-Addo was of the view that Nigeria must provide the political leadership and passion to translate the ECOWAS and AU dreams into reality.

You have the numbers, you have the economic muscle and, dare I say it, you owe it to the region and continent, he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
A total of 436 Out of School Children in some deprived communities in the Kassena-Nankana West District in the Upper East Region, have suceessfully graduated and will be intergrated into some primary schools in the District.

The children, most of whom have never been to school, were taken through the Complementary Basic Education under the Ghana Education Service for nine months and were taught in their mother tongues languages to aid easy understanding of basic numeracy and literacy.

The Kassena-Nankana West District had a total of 18 deprived communities selected to participate in the Complementary Basic Education under the supervision of LINK Community Development. Out of the 450 children who formed this batch, only 14 dropped out before the graduation and intergration ceremony in the various communities.

LINK Community Development over the past two years, has supervised the training and integration of hundreds of out of school children into mainstream schools and ensured that, they continued to stay in school in the Kassena-Nankana West and Bawku West Districts.

At the Kayoro-Wuru Community, all the 25 children who started the programme stayed through and will be attending the Kayoro-Wuru Primary School from the 2017/2018 Academic Year.

Community Facilitator, Achana Stephen believes his pupils will be able to match up with their colleagues, when they finally start learning under the mainstream Education system.

He commended the Kayoro-Wuru Primary School Management Committee members for their interest in the Complementary Basic Education programme and pleaded with them to make it a point to help monitor the pupils, especially the girls, to ensure that, they do not drop out of school to marry or work.

The District Complementary Basic Education Coordinator for LINK Community Development, Madam Cecilia Kyibeletu advised the children not to see themselves as inferior to other pupils they will be meeting at the mainstream when they begin the 2017/2018 academic year.

She advised the parents that witnessed the event and the elders of the Community, to prioritize the education of their children and endeavour to keep them in school, especially the girls.

We will do our part to ensure that, your children are educated and integrated into schools. It is up to you parents and Community leaders, to ensure that, they are encouraged to learn and continue to be in school. Lets us try to invest in our childrens education so as to curb the poverty levels in our families.

The Chairman of the Kayoro-Wuru School Management Committee, Alhassan Abanungbawuni called on the Kassena-Nankana West District Assembly to provide more desks for the Kayoro-Wuru Primary School.

The Children at the Lower Primary either sit or lay of the bear floor to read and write during school hours. The SMC Chairman fears the children could contract diseases as a result of the cold floor.

A similar event took place in the Bawku West District, where over 400 children graduated from the Complement Basic Education programme and will also be integrated into some selected Primary Schools across the district, come the

2017/2018 Academic year.



One of the pupils receiving CBE Certificate



From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Kayoro-Wuru
Forty-six percent of Ghanaian Businesses expressed confidence in the economy for the second quarter of 2017, this is according to the AGI business barometer report.

The report which surveys about 461 businesses in the country indicates that more businesses have high expectations in the next quarter.

Addressing the media, AGI president, James Asare Adjei, therefore commended government for its efforts in stabilizing the economy to enhance business confidence.

Out of the result, high cost of electricity tariffs, cost of credit and access to credit are the topmost challenges of businesses.

The high cost of electricity continues to render industry uncompetitive even though business confidence continues to rise from 103.8 to 109.2 in the second quarter of the year.

This is attributed to governments effort towards ensuring macroeconomic stability in the first half of the year.

"AGI reiterate its commitment to work with the Ministry of Energy to dealing with tariff issues" AGI President, James Asare Adjei said.

However, 12 percent of businesses think the economy did not help businesses in the second quarter.

"Average lending rates are still high despite drop in policy rate" he added. Calling on government to ensure that policy rate reduction at the bank of Ghana is aligned with the lending rates.

Mr. Asare Adjei also pressed on government to expedite action on easing port clearance procedures under the single window system and in line with best practices.

Meanwhile the AGI, described as laudable the plan by government to seed 51 percent of the concessionary arrangement for local participation in the energy sector and believes it will go a long way in resolving the cost of power for industry.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that the successes being chalked as a result of the collaboration taking place amongst countries in West Africa and Africa in the fight against terrorism and armed groups are significant.

According to President Akufo-Addo, countries such as Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin have joined Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, with the leaders of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso, known as the G5 du Sahel, launching a multinational force to fight armed groups in the Sahel region

The co-ordination of activities between the armies and the intelligence agencies these countries, he added, is absolutely essential to a successful battle against terrorism.

African countries are co-operating in the fight against terrorism and achieving results, and this should spur us on in our collective drive towards an integrated and united Africa, he said.

President Akufo-Addo made this known on Tuesday, August 1, 2017, when he delivered the keynote address at the graduation ceremony of Course 25 participants of Nigerias National Defence College, in Abuja, Nigeria.

Making reference to the strides made by the European Union (EU), President Akufo-Addo indicated that the EU was given the Nobel Peace Prize for its role in the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe, transforming most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace, and the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights.

The President noted that it is a widely acknowledged fact that the EU has helped prevent war amongst its current members since the end of World War II in 1945. History tells us that Britain, France, Germany and Italy had for centuries waged wars over religion, territory and power.

He continued, Thus, the creation of a free market, concealing economic and geographical borders, would erode the justification for using war as the quickest avenue to wealth and power, and lessen its appeal. That was the vision that inspired the idea behind the European Economic Community, now the EU, in 1957.

President Akufo-Addo, thus, indicated that Africa should be inspired by this, and hasten her efforts towards integration.

If Europe, through the formation of the EU, was able to stop the vicious cycle of violence that had plagued them for centuries, and lead them onto the path of advancement, wealth and prosperity for all, Africa can no longer dither, he said.

Ghana, Nigeria must work together

With France and Germany being the keys to the success of the European Union, President Akufo-Addo stated that, in the same vein, Ghana and Nigeria, working together, can be the engine for growth of West Africa and Africa.

Our respective armed forces have co-operated successfully in joint peacekeeping operations in several conflict situations in the region and on the continent, which have enabled peace and security to be re-established. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote dIvoire, Guinea Bissau, Togo, Sudan, Somalia, Mali and, most recently Gambia, all come to mind, he said.

President Akufo-Addo, thus, urged the two countries to now work together to unleash the energy and ingenuity of the African, and with a market of 1.2 billion people, soon to reach 2 billion, the sky will be the limit. Let us work towards the day when all of us will look to doing business, first in our region and continent, before looking to Europe, Asia or the Americas because we have the men and women, the goods, the services and the quality.

The way forward, he stressed, is to implement regional and continental decisions, such as the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the Continental Free Trade Area, recognising that ultimately the benefits are in everyone's interest.

Those of us who believe strongly in integration can do no better than to give our full support to regional and continental decisions. Through this, we will build institutional confidence and integrity in the structural organs of ECOWAS and the AU, he added.

All governments in the region and continent, the President stressed need to collaborate to ensure that the countries of Africa adhere to and maintain common values of governance, i.e. the principles of democratic accountability, respect for individual liberties and human rights, and the rule of law. Such commonality will facilitate immeasurably the process of bonding amongst the nations of our region and continent.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called on government to increase investments in agro-ecology farming to improve on the agriculture sector.

Mr Charles Kwowe Nyaaba, the Programmes Officer of PFAG, said there was the need for Agro-ecology farming, because there was a failure of current concept of focusing on industrial agriculture as solution to food security challenges.

Mr Nyaaba was speaking at two separate dialogue meetings with farmers and officials of districts assemblies in the Brong Ahafo and Upper East Regions in Techiman and Paga respectively.

The purpose of the meeting was to promote Agro-ecology farming practice through increased budgetary allocation of district assemblies in support of sustainable agriculture.

The meetings formed part of activities on a two-year Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) funded project titled 'Agro-ecology Farming, Food Systems and Political Participation of Small Scale Farmers in Ghana.'

He explained that Agro-ecology farming practice as a situation where there was limited application of external chemical inputs.

'This type of farming is environmentally friendly, have potential for poverty reduction in rural areas and provides nutrition for local people due to mixed cropping and mixed farming approach,' he added.

He said the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, the Fertilizer Subsidy Project and recent government flagship programme ('Planting for Food and Jobs') have all failed to factor in environmental sustainability and climate change resilient and adaptation.

He, therefore, appealed to the local assemblies to include climate change related issues and capacity building of farmers in agro-ecology farming in their annual action plans.

Mr Maamah James, the Techiman South Director of the Department of Agriculture expressed the willingness to support the promotion of agroecology farming in Techiman.

He tasked PFAG members in the District to present a detailed proposal for consideration in developing the District level agriculture budget.

Nana Ameyaw, the Regional Focal Person for PFAG in the Brong Ahafo said government should focus more on small scale farmers because they fed the nation as compared to the large scale/commercial farmers who exported their produce.

He suggested that, government should nominate a representative of PFAG to the District Assembly to help promote agriculture.

Mr Isaac Babia, PFAG Focal Person for Paga, said with agro-ecology farming, farmers could rely on other crops for survival in case of main crop failure.

He, therefore, appealed to officers of the district assemblies to help promote the concept of agro-ecology in order to help preserve the environment.

After the deliberations, the participants were conducted to PFAG's Agro-ecology Demonstration farms to have first-hand experience of agro-ecology concept.

PFAG is currently constructing a farm house and seed bank at the demonstration farms to host farmers' Credit Union and also serve as a Seed Bank to preserve seeds of economic value that are getting extinct.

GNA
Stephen Asante, GNA

Kumasi, Aug. 01, GNA - Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited has launched two new credit cards to as part of continued effort make business transactions more convenient for its customers.

'Visa Infinite' and 'Visa Platinum' are innovative products that provide customers with a wide range of options in doing business.

Mr. Henry Baye, Head of Retail Banking, West Africa, speaking at the official launch in Kumasi, said it was determined to bring cutting-edge digital banking services to the people.

The 'Visa Infinite' Card - the first of its kind to be introduced in the country, he indicated, 'comes with a lot of benefit', including a complimentary travel insurance of up to US$2.5 million, air ticketing payment and worldwide emergency services.

The 'Visa Platinum' card, on the other hand is designed to make business transaction relating to buying and selling, easy for customers.

Mr. Baye said the Cards had been encoded with unique security features to protect the identity and personal data of users.

He added that such innovative technologies, were being pursued by the bank with the view to transforming the culture of doing business in the country.

It is a move towards creating a cashless society.

Mrs. Mansa Nettey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited, encouraged customers to go for the Cards and said it was for their own convenience.

She said the bank, which had been operating in Ghana for 120 years would continue to put the customer at the heart of its thinking and actions.

Good customer care remained its major priority and that the management was determined to go the extra mile to help more people to adopt the culture of saving their money with the banks.

This, she said, was the way forward to create wealth, reduce poverty and promote economic growth.

GNA
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Accra, Aug. 1, GNA - Madam Sera W. Kariuki of the USAID Partnership for Education (Innovating), has called on parents to complement the efforts of teachers by supporting their children at home to develop a culture of reading.

She said in doing so the parents would be helping to transform the lives of the children to perform better at school.

Madam Kariuki made the call in an interaction with the media as the USAID Partnership for Education prepares to launch an Innovating programme in Accra on Wednesday to support Ghanaian families and communities to inculcate the reading culture into children in the early grades of primary school.

She said the Innovating is a four-year activity being funded by USAID with a 10.4 million dollar grant.

Madam Kariuki said the programme would serve as a catalyst to support widespread public awareness on the importance of reading for the individual and national development, and the benefits of learning in the local language.

It would also promote public action to encourage good reading habits at home as a complement to classroom instruction.

She said the Innovating would work closely with the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service and would focus on the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western, Volta, and the Northern regions.

Madam Kariuki said key activities to be rolled out include the conduct of local and national media campaigns to emphasise the value of reading, and share best practices which families could use to help improve reading.

They would work with community organisations and volunteers to build a strong network of early-grade reading champions; grow public-private partnerships, support home and community-based reading; and award grants to more than 800 communities to support early-grade reading activities.

She said other partners to play key roles in the activities of the Innovating were Education Development Centre Inc.; Participatory Development Associates, local media outlets, and businesses.

Mr George Kwasi Appiah, the Education Specialist, says the Innovating is a programme to urge parents to interact with their children when they come back from school.

He said encouraging children to read story books built their confidence and sharpen their intellect.

Mr Appiah expressed the hope that parents would cooperate with the Innovating to make the programme a success.

GNA
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Winkongo (U/E), Aug. 1, GNA -Thirty teachers in basic schools in the Talensi and West Mumprusi Districts in the Upper East and Northern Region respectively, have been honoured for employing Information Communication Technology (ICT) models to teach.

The teachers including Circuit Supervisors, Head teachers and school pupils took home a number of computers and printers among others as their reward and participatory schools that employed the technology were also rewarded.

The Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) with funding support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)contracted the Open Learning Exchange (OLE) Ghana to pilot the project dubbed 'Teacher Empowerment Through Support and Technology' in schools in the two districts last year .

Presenting the findings on the outcome of the project, Mr Kofi Essien, the Executive Director of Open Learning Exchange (OLE) Ghana, said the project has contributed significantly to improving teaching and learning.

He said under the model, his outfit deployed digital libraries, focusing attention on the prescribed teaching and learning syllabus and materials of the school and empowered teachers with the technology to teach what they downloaded.

Mr Essien said the use of ICT materials to teach did not only make teaching and learning more practical, but it also afforded the teachers from various schools, the chance to exchange ideas on the platform, on how to effectively teach.

The project targeted 120 teachers from the 20 schools in the two districts but exceeded that target by 240 teachers and also exceeded the 480 pupils by 45 per cent in addition to uploading of more than 500 teaching and learning materials on portal for the teachers to use, he said.

He said apart from the increase in enrolment and retention of the school pupils, the teachers who had large number of pupils were able to teach more effectively by employing the model.

'For instance the audio and visual aids that were uploaded into the portal for teachers to download to teach contributed a lot to addressing the needs of children with special needs and also increased girls' enrolment in schools in the two districts.

He said although the project has ended, the developed portal, teaching content and the teacher Performance Development Platforms created, would sustain the project for a while and appealed to the leadership of the two District Directorates of Education to help contribute to the substance of the project.

The District Directors in charge of the two districts where the project was piloted, Hajia Mase Sulemana and Mrs Stephanie Mosore, lauded the efforts of VSO and SNF for supporting the implementation of the project.

Mr Eric Duorinaah, the Programme Manager of VSO, said education is among the core values of VSO adding that over the years his outfit through a number of partners have implemented various interventions such as Tackling Education Needs Inclusively (TENI).

Ms Avril Abena Kudzi, the Country Director of VSO, said VSO was happy that the project had made a significant impact adding that an external Independent body has been contacted to evaluate the project to help chart the way forward. GNA

By Samuel Akapule, GNA
Cape Coast, Aug. 1, GNA - Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi, Deputy Minister of Education, has described as worrying the number of uncompleted school projects by successive governments.

She said this after inspecting some abandoned school projects in the Cape Coast North Constituency on Monday.

Mrs Ayisi said it is unclear why some of the school blocks which have been completed some years back, were left unused and were deteriorating.

The inspection, carried out on the instance of the Minister, was as a result of an investigations made during the 2016 campaign period to identify such projects in order to find means to complete them.

Mrs Ayisi has inspected four of the abandoned schools including a six unit classroom block at Efutu Kokwado, which was completed three years ago, but is still not in use, Bessakrom, Ebubonko and Nkanfua.

In spite of a constitutional provision that successive governments shall continue to execute projects and programmes commenced by the previous administration, it was not being adhered to.

'It looks like we have not been doing the right thing over the years so it is difficult to know which organisation is responsible for which project. In most cases the assemblies do not even know that a project is going on in their jurisdiction and this is wrong,' she said.

Mrs Ayisi said the Ministry was determined to embark on accelerated programmes to complete all abandoned school projects by the next academic year.

The Ministry would liaise with the assemblies to ensure the continuity of all projects to facilitate the development process of the country and implored all stakeholders to provide the needed support.

Going forward, she said, all relevant stakeholders must be briefed on projects in their communities to ensure continuity even after a change of Government so that the resources invested would not go waste.

GNA
Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Aug. 1, GNA - Mr Gordon Asubonteng, a former Dormaa Central Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has advised stakeholders of education in the area to help bring about the needed reformation in the sector.

Mr Asubonteng said this over the weekend at the first Graduation ceremony of Dormaa-Ahenkro Municipal Assembly Primary School in the Brong-Ahafo Region, saying that the necessary reformation could be initiated without waiting for the government.

The event was under the theme: "Education, the Tool for Nation Building", and was attended by teaching and non-teaching staff of the school, parents and guardians and members of the general public.

A total of 135 children consisting of 37 Kindergarten two and 98 primary six pupils advanced to the next level of their education.

Mr Asubonteng commended the Management and staff of the school for not only teaching grammar and numeracy but imparting practical knowledge and skills in the production of some basic domestic needs and items to the pupils.

"I saw some detergents on a table on my arrival and I learnt it was produced by the pupils themselves, this is the type of education we want", Mr Asubonteng said.

He said character formation of school children remains an important sign post in the reformation agenda and was paramount to driving the nation on the path of industrialisation and self-dependency.

Mr Jacob Atta, a Circuit Supervisor in Dormaa-Ahenkro, appealed to parents and guardians to effectively complement the efforts of teachers by providing the necessary learning materials to the pupils and students to make learning easy and enjoyable for them.

He urged the pupils to develop the right behaviour and character and always nurse the desire to further their education.

GNA

By Robert Tachie Menson, GNA
01.08.2017 LISTEN

Kumasi Aug 01, GNA - A 24-year old man standing trial in a manslaughter case has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by the Kumasi High Court Four, presided over by Justice Adjei Wilson.

Kwaku Amankwaa had stabbed another man with a knife during a fight, resulting in his death at the Esuowin Health Centre in the Amansie West District.

The incident happened on May 11, 2014, at about 0900 hours, at Moseaso and the convict pleaded not guilty to the crime.

A Principal State Attorney, Madam Gyamfua Sarpong said Amankwaa was a tenant in the family house of the deceased, Akwasi Addai.

The two had picked a quarrel over accusation by the deceased that the convict had turned his room into a gambling place.

As the quarrel degenerated into a fight, an uncle of Addai attempted to restrain him from battering the convict and all of a sudden he (Amankwaa) removed a knife and stabbed him in the stomach.

The injured man was rushed to the Esuowin Health Centre but he died of his wounds.

Amankwaa managed to flee the place but was later arrested by the police at Manso-Nkwanta.

An autopsy report said the deceased died of severe penetrating sharp edge wounds in the lung and aorta, and hemorrhagic shock.

His counsel, Mr. Oduro Konadu, earlier pleaded with the court to consider his age, the fact that he was not only a first offender but turned himself in.

GNA

By Gifty Amofa/ Jefferson Olarbi, GNA
The newly-released Fortune Global 500 Index for 2017 reaffirms the ever-increasing role that emerging markets are playing as a driver of growth across the world economy and the pull they are exerting on many of the biggest international companies.

Oxford Business Group (OBG), which has long served as a valuable point of reference for investors seeking in-depth analysis and data on the emerging markets shaping the future balance of economic power, once again saw its subscriptions from the worlds biggest companies increase.

Representatives from 336, or 67% of companies listed on the index, are now using the international publishing, research and consultancy firm as a source of reference for their operations, up from 309, or 61% in 2016. Research also showed that business leaders from eight of the top 10 companies appearing on the 2017 Fortune Global 500 Index hold subscriptions with OBG.

The number of top firms either relocating to emerging economies or extending their reach into these dynamic markets has been rising steadily since the turn of the millennium. According to data compiled by EY, 132 of the worlds largest companies were headquartered in emerging markets in 2014, up from 21 in the year 2000.

Oliver Cornock, OBGs Editor-in-Chief, said that while emerging markets have been increasing their share of global GDP since the fall of the Berlin Wall, their expansion had accelerated markedly over the past two decades, buoyed by favourable tax environments and other competitive advantages.

Corporate income tax imposed on non-US-headquartered companies fell from 39.2% in 2000 to 28.1% in 2014, while the share of Fortune Global 500 companies based in the US declined from roughly 36% to 26% over the same period, he said. Other factors fuelling the relocation of these companies to emerging economies include local market potential, maturity of the industry, logistical capabilities, level of infrastructure, political stability, the quality of the employment market and ease of business entry.

Cornock noted that data also pointed to a rise in the number of new firms from within emerging markets earning a place on the Fortune Global 500 list, especially state-owned enterprises (SOEs). According to a report by PwC, the proportion of SOEs on the index grew from 9% in 2005 to 23% in 2014. SOEs from China are playing a key part in steering this shift, which is expected to continue, according to Cornock.

Privatisation and partial divestments of state-owned firms and assets in the years to come will undoubtedly result in more companies finding their way onto the Fortune Global 500 list, he said.

Cornock added that emerging markets were expected to dominate the development and composition of the index in the years to come. Research suggests that emerging economies share of the Fortune Global 500 companies will jump to more than 45% by 2025, a trend we will be tracking closely for our growing number of subscribers, who include heads of state, CEOs, institutional investors, analysts and academics, all looking for macro information on emerging markets, he said.

Basak Pasali, OBGs Director of Communications, welcomed the rise in subscriptions from the worlds biggest firms, noting that many of the Groups readers were themselves employed by or did business with Fortune Global 500 companies.

As a trusted provider of foreign direct investment insight at a time when emerging markets are dominating the global growth story, Oxford Business Groups analysis and understanding of these and other worldwide economic trends makes us an invaluable resource to international companies across the sectors, she said. Im delighted that we now have subscribers at 336 of the companies on the Fortune Global 500 list and am confident that they will continue to draw on our business intelligence when making their investment decisions.

The Fortune Global 500 Index is an annually-produced list of the worlds 500 largest corporations, ranked by revenue for the fiscal year ended on or before March 31. Its latest list was published on July 20.

About Oxford Business Group

Oxford Business Group is a global research and consultancy company with a presence in over 30 countries, from the Middle East, Africa and Asia to the Americas. A distinctive and respected provider of on-the-ground intelligence on many of the worlds fastest growing markets, OBG has offices in London, Berlin, Dubai and Istanbul, and a network of local bureaus across the countries in which we operate.

Through its range of products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, tourism, energy, transport, industry and ICT. OBG provides business intelligence to its subscribers through multiple platforms: Economic News and Views, OBG Business Barometer - CEO Survey, Roundtables and conferences, Global Platform - exclusive video interviews, The Report publications and its Consultancy division.
In 2015, at the peak of what I call the worst energy crisis in the history of Ghana, cabinet approved a deal with AMERI, under BOOT (Build Own Operate and Transfer) to solve the problem. This agreement was sent to parliament, as a requirement under the 1992 constitution, for ratification.

I do remember that the Energy ministry sent the agreement and all other options available to govt. The select committee on Energy had several consultations with the ministry and experts and unanimously concluded that BOOT was the best option at the time. This was affirmed by the house at plenary without any objection. This empowered government to seal the deal with AMERI.

This notwithstanding, the largest opposition party, NPP raised all sorts of allegations why the deal was a bad one. Now in Government, Ghanaians are expecting NPP to as a matter of urgency, proceed to court with the evidences they had to prosecute the "corrupt" public officials who entered into the deal. Surprisingly, they are now at sea looking for evidence. This, in itself is not bad since it's always 'better late than never'.

However, some of the reasons this government is giving makes one wonders whether governance has been reduced to a concert party.

A Motion for Parliament to Resend Its Approval. First of all, I can't say on authority that Parliament has the right to relook at decision taking by an earlier parliament. I will leave that to the lawyers. My difficulty though, is when this motion is being brought by a member of parliament on the ticket of the ruling party and most importantly on the basis of FRUAD. I'm not a lawyer and therefore, have no legal opinion to proffer. However, making use of my Contract Law under my Advance Level Business Management (thanks to my BM teacher, the late Mr Asare who passed away just last month), I know that a contract is rendered VOID (note; not Voidable) if it's entered under any of the following; a) FRUAD b) DURESS and c) Lack of Capacity i.e. Minor. I have been wondering if indeed the MP has chanced upon any fraud as he claimed, what prevent him to forward same to government to use as a basis to walk out of the agreement. After all, that has been their desire from day one. Won't that spare us from the excessively partisanship of our parliament? Ministerial Committee on AMERI. One of the first major tasks of the current Energy minister, was to set up a ministerial committee, though at the blind side of Ghanaians, to look into the AMERI deal. We were later told and indeed confirm by the chairman of the committee, Mr Addison, that as part of their investigation process, they went to Dubai at the expense of AMERI, a company they were tasked to investigate. At the end of the investigation, one of the outstanding recommendations in the unsigned committee report was that the deal should be renegotiated because it was overpriced. I then asked myself a question that what if the company AMERI, refuses to renegotiate, what was going to be government's next cause of action? I knew that government was at a disadvantage in law since in contracts, 'Consideration Need Not Be Adequate'. In other words, under a contract, the objects of exchange doesn't necessarily have to be equivalent in value. For instance, If i sell my 2015 Toyota Corolla for $1,000, i cannot go back and claim that the value of the car is more than a $1,000 and therefore, the agreement should be set aside. The opposite is also true. If the buyer agreed to pay a $100,000 for same, s/he cannot later come back to set the agreement aside simply because the car doesn't worth that much. The interesting aspect of the committee's recommendation is the basis of the claim that the deal was overpriced. They compared the current factory price of the equipment if we had bought it outright, to the amount Ghana would have paid by the end of five (5) years. Again, isn't this laughable? There are three ways by which one can possess a car; a) outright purchase. This is the most desirable but if one doesn't have ready cash, then he or she has to decide on the next two options. b) leasing. Here, the individual is expected to be paying a predetermined monthly amount (with a mileage limit). At the end of the leasing period, the car goes back to the dealership. The leasee doesn't own the car. c) financing/ high purchase. I equate the AMERI deal under this option. The buyer pays a predetermined price over a period. The buyer own the car. The problem under this option is that the the amount the buyer would have at the end of the period could be as much as twice that of outright purchase. The reason being that, the bank that is financing the car for you will besides adding interest, will also express the future value of what they are paying today. Since a "dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow", the bank wouldn't want to lose the value of the money they are paying today by the time you finished paying. Therefore, if somebody look at the amount you would have paid by the end of the period and compare it to how much you would have paid if you had paid cash, and tells you that the financing bank is cheating you, then either the person is kidding or is ignorant and I wouldn't want the 'competent' people we elected, to fall in either category.

Conclusion

I believe strongly that the noise about AMERI deal is much ado about nothing. The motion before parliament is just a continuation of political posturing of NPP in opposition. If NPP actually meant business, they would straight away used the evidence of Fraud to repudiate the agreement as they desired. Again, the BNI investigations is also just to play to the gallery. I doubt if a govt appointee could be charged with 'Willfully Causing Financial Lost to the State', when s/he just carried out an agreement that emanated from cabinet and approved by parliament, except s/he went outside the terms and conditions under the contract.

On the ministerial committee report, I won't hesitate to say that it's a joke. If indeed they authored such a report, then its proper place is the dust bin. The only benefits we can boast of about the Addison committee is that some Ghanaians (committee members) benefited from the largess of AMERI. The per diem AMERI gave to them will certainly be spend in Ghana.

Justice Tettey

Philadelphia, USA.
Reigning Queen Of Aso Universe, Blessing Oluchi Ruby Uche has released overwhelming photos with amazing colourful costumes to mark her birthday. The young beauty queen who added a year older today is also the CEO of Ruby's Signature.

Queen Ruby as she is fondly called was also decorated as the Face Of Naija Green Card on the night of her coronation a year ago. The Imo state born model has done several humanitarian projects and partnered with high profile government agencies while her reign lasted.

As she marks her birthday today with an exclusive celebration, she looks forward to handing over her crown over the weekend in a colourful ceremony.
Nollywood actor cum producer, Amb. Nwabuisi Prince Uche, has been honoured by the Liberian government with the award of Outstanding Producer 2017 and Goodwill Ambassador.

The actor was not alone in the award ceremony as Veteran actress, Ngozi Ezeonu, was awarded the Legendary Actress award, while actor Diamond Okechi won Best Creative Actor Award.

The event which was held in Liberia saw lots of important dignitaries in attendance including the countrys honourable minister of culture and Heritage, the honourable minister of information and her Excellency.
Yosemite National Park, CA  Park officials say the body of a woman who was reportedly hiking the Pacific Crest Trail has been found in Yosemite National Park.

Park officials are offering few other details at this time, confirming only that the location of the finding was in the northwestern portion of the park.

The Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches 2,650 miles between Mexico and Canada through the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains and Mojave Desert, includes 70 miles of Yosemite lands and overlaps the parks John Muir Trail. At Yosemites southern border is the Donahue Pass portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, which, exceeding 11,000 feet in elevation, comprises the highest point of the journey in its entirety.

Just last Monday (July 23) that Kings Canyon Park officials, after Pacific Crest Trail hikers in the area sighted a body submerged in the south fork of the Kings River, recovered remains later identified as Rika Morita, a 32-year-old hiker who had been missing for about two weeks and was last reported a being sighted in the Rae Lakes area.

Still missing, presumably within Yosemite National Park is Alexander Sevier, 24, a hiker and active member of the US Navy. As reported here, he disappeared in early May. Last seen at his Housekeeping Camp site, he was known to day hike alone out of Yosemite Valley. Too, last October, Peter Jackson, a 74-year-old a White Wolf Campground day hiker was reportedly headed to Yosemite on foot when he disappeared and has reportedly not been seen or located since.
Nov. 3, 1914-July 9, 2017

Mary Cann died peacefully on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Billings.

She was born in Whitman County, Washington, to her parents, Clarence and Florence Flood, on Nov. 3, 1914. When she was 5 years old her family moved to Butte, Montana. She graduated from Butte High School and attended Butte Business College.

In 1936 she married Ted Cann and they raised three daughters. Mary was an active member of First Presbyterian Church teaching Sunday school and as an officer in Presbyterian Womens Association, Eastern Star (Ruth Chapter), Rainbow for Girls advisory board, and Girls Scouts and she joined Ted in supporting many community and nonprofit organizations. After retirement Mary and Ted enjoyed traveling as well as hosting many family gatherings and she continued her church activities, high school class gatherings and her lifelong interests in reading, word puzzles, sewing and intricate needlework.

Ted died in 2006 and Mary moved to Billings in 2008 to be closer to her family. She is predeceased by her parents, siblings Anna and Clarence, husband, and son-in-law, Gary Edson.

She is survived by her daughters, Mary Lou (Vern) Van Bruggen, Joan Edson, and Lois (Jerry) Dalton, five grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

The family thanks the staff at Highgate for their thoughtful care of Mary.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 4, in Butte at the First Presbyterian Church. Memorials may be made to the church, 901 W. Platinum St, Butte (59701) or the donors choice.
- The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) recently sent a message of goodwill to the presidency concerning Buhari's health

- In a reply to the message, the presidency commended CAN, and said it was deeply touched

The Nigerian presidency has replied the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) saying it was touched by a message from the religious group concerning Muhammadu Buharis health.

The presidency said it was touched by the message from CAN at the weekend which expressed joy at the news of Muhammadu Buhari's recovery from illness.

In a statement in Abuja obtained by Legit.ng, Garba Shehu, Buharis spokesperson, confirmed that the president received the goodwill message from Rev Dr Samson Supo Ayokunle, the head of CAN.

READ ALSO: Fashola lists 44 highways, 63 roads to be repaired in Nigeria

The CAN President referred to the news of President Buhari's recovery from sickness as a 'rejuvenation of hope', and congratulated Nigerians on the joy of having their president back soon," Malam Shehu said in the statement.

He added that such messages of goodwill from respected religious bodies like CAN meant so much at a time some people with ill intentions were struggling to divide the country along religious lines.

Shehu also thanked CAN for its continued prayers for the president's health.

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He said: The presidency looks forward to further collaborations with CAN to ensure that Nigerians of all ethnic and religious groups benefit from the policies of the President Buhari administration which are aimed at improving the welfare of every single citizen of our great country.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nasarawa state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) setup a committee to intensify prayers for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari currently on medical vacation in London.

The states CAN Chairman, Bishop Joseph Masin, made this known in an interview with in Lafia on Thursday.

Watch this video as Femi Fani-Kayode reveals what he says Buhari told him:

Source: Legit.ng
- One of the state governors who was among the delegation that visited President Buhari in London says the president needed to stay back and be fit enough before returning to the country

- The source states that this was to prevent a recurrence of what happened in March 2017 when Buhari returned from his medical trip abroad but was unable to resume duties

- The governor hints that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo might soon be tasked with carrying out more serious assignments

One of the state governors who was among the delegation that recently visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Abuja House in London has dismissed hopes of the presidents immediate return.

The governor whose identity was not revealed, told This Day on Monday, July 31 that President Buhari needed to stay back and be fit enough before returning to the country.

READ ALSO: Presidency commends CAN for goodwill message on Buhari's health

The source said this was to prevent a recurrence of what happened in March 2017 when Buhari returned from his medical trip abroad but was unable to resume duties and appear at public functions for weeks.

The governor said: The truth is that the president is in a very fit state of mind. His sense of humour is back and the rate of recollection is encouraging with a very keen presence of mind. But I think the reason he has been asked to stay behind is to observe sufficient rest to be able to regain some more physical strength, away from his present gaunt look.

You know, the problem is that the last time he was home, he barely attended public functions, including the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting as well as the Friday Jumat service, which he had been attending before he stopped showing presence. That created a lot of controversy as members of the public were genuinely worried.

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If you see him now, although he is still very lean and gaunt but sharp and smart, I mean, for his age. However, if he comes back now, he might still be staying back in the house and avoiding public functions. That again will elicit anxiety amongst the Nigerian people, so, he would take sufficient rest and return when he is certified fit to go home by his doctors.

The governor stated that he had been worried by unconfirmed reports on the health of the president which claimed that he had begun to suffer memory loss and was difficult to communicate with.

The source added that he had feared that some people could seize power on Buharis behalf if there was an iota of truth in such reports.

He however noted that such worries were dispelled after he met with the president in London as the president established old discussions with him and recalled everything to his surprise.

The source reiterated that the president was well and fit, but noted that he was not coming anytime soon as some people were saying.

He also described reports that president had been on life support and about to die as claims made to overheat the polity.

The sources hinted that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo could soon be tasked with carrying out more serious assignments now, albeit on the instructions of the president.

Just watch out. The acting president will start carrying out some functions of the office of the president to further ease administrative bottlenecks, calm nerves and allay unfounded fears. The truth is that the presidency is one and the same and the ploy by some fifth columnists to create avoidable gulf has already been defeated by the unbreakable chemistry between the president and his deputy. What we have is the Muhammadu Buhari presidency and it is living up to expectations, he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has stood by his earlier statement that President Muhammdu Buhari was on life support in London.

The governor also called on Buhari to declare his state of health, adding that the presidents health should be an open book for all to read. Fayose made the statement in a video which surfaced online on Monday, July 31.

He said the recent visit by some governors and APC officials to Buhari in London does not negate his earlier statement that Buhari was incapacitated.

In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians what they have to say about Buhari's continued absence from the country.

Source: Legit.ng
- Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike has responded to allegations he has forged documents to nail his predecessor in court

- Wike said there are authentic documents connecting the former governor to massive fraud

- He also alleged that the ex-governor has confessed publicly to the fraud

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has announced that he has authentic evidence to sentence the immediate past governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to jail for fraud.

Wike's reaction follows Amaechi's allegation that the governor has perfected plans to present forged documents in court to nail him for fraud.

He accused the former governor who is now the minister of transportation, of diverting money realized from selling state turbine gas.

READ ALSO: Buhari needs to regain more physical strength - Governor

He said: All the documents that proved Amaechis corrupt acts are authentic. We never forged documents. The former governor himself admitted that he paid out $39m to Clinotech, without a single block laid anywhere. Is that a document he claims was forged? Where is the hospital?

He has agreed in different interviews that he sold the state gas turbines for $309m. Convert $309m to naira and you will understand the level of fraud. Amaechi left only $204,000 in the state account.

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The bank statements of the pattern of withdrawals from that account are there for all to see. Can that be forged? The dates and amounts withdrawn are clearly written."

Meanwhile, Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) criticised Governor Nyesom Wike for saying that President Muhammadu Buharis government has not done much for Rivers state and the Niger Delta Region.

Reports state that it was made known through a statement signed by Ibiamu Ikanya, the state party chairman, saying that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan who is a son did not even think about the region during his six years as the President of Nigeria.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Rotimi Amaechi giving a summary of the Buhari administration:

Source: Legit.ng
- Governor Emmanuel Udom revealed why he was part of the governors who visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London

- Governor Udom said the governors went to meet President Buhari to show that the entire country wished him well

- He said they visited him to also prove that Nigerians care and love him as a father

Akwa Ibom state governor Udom Emmanuel has revealed why he was among the delegation from the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) that visited ailing President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

Governors on the trip included Abdullaziz Yari of Zamfara state, Dave Umahi, Ebonyi, Kashim Shettima, Borno, Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo, Umar Ganduje, Kano, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom state.

According to reports, Emmanuel said the governors went on behalf of Nigerians to show the President that the entire country loved and wished him well.

READ ALSO: Buhari needs to regain more physical strength - Governor

''On behalf of all Nigerians, we needed to show him that Nigerians care and we love him as a father and that we care for him, we pray for him.

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He made this known in Akwa Ibom, the state capital, Emmanuel said with the conclusion of elections in 2015, what leaders owe the people is good governance and not political party interest, adding that the President is the father of the nation.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that seven governors who left Nigeria on Tuesday, July 25 met with President Muhammadu Buhari who was visibly in high spirit as he received them on Wednesday, July 26.

The governors were selected to represent the six geo-political zones in the country and were led by the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Governor AbdulAziz Yari of Zamfara.

In the video below, Legit.ng TV asked some Nigerians what they have to say about President Buharis absence away from the country for so long

Source: Legit.ng
The entire landmass of Delta state was recently agog when a 22-year-old student, Mr. Joshua Aghogho Erubami, emerged the overall best graduating student of Delta State University and was immediately offered an automatic employment by the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

In this exclusive interview with Legit.ngs Austin Oyibode, the premiere first class graduate of Mass Communication in DELSU speaks on how he succeeded at surmounting all odds to clinch an amazing 4.86 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and shows prospective students the leeway to academic excellence. Excerpts:

Please let us into your background

I grew up in Oghara town, Ethiope West local government area of Delta state. I was raised under the direct guidance of my father, Chief Samuel Erubami, and my elder siblings. I had my primary education at St. Peters Nursery and Primary School while my secondary education was at Oghareki Model Secondary School, both in Oghara.

My father was a large scale farmer and, just like my siblings, I offered the support that was commensurate with my age and physical strength during the planting and harvesting seasons. Practically, I spent most of my primary school holidays offering support at my fathers farms. Besides, I engaged in several childhood acts with my peers and I think I savoured each and every moment of my childhood.

What was growing up like?

As a growing child, I would say I got the basic support anyone could need to become a literate. My tuition fees were paid quite regularly, just as sundry other educational expenses were duly attended to. After I passed the common entrance to secure admission into Oghareki Model Secondary, I spent the whole of the six years in a boarding system and that exposed me to some levels of healthy academic competition among my peers and those outside my school.

Were you heavily assisted financially while on campus?

I will admit I received financial assistance while in school but I doubt if such assistance amounts to your concept of heavy. Basically, I got my tuition and accommodation fees from my father but besides these, I catered for virtually all financial needs myself. By providence, I wont say I came from a poor home; at least my father could afford virtually all my family needs. However, I grew up with the orientation of not begging for things that ought to be my right.

READ ALSO: Presidency commends CAN for goodwill message on Buhari's health

Erubami graduated with a degree in Mass Communication from Delta State University. Photo credit: J. Erubami

While I was growing up for instance, my father gave me money for my upkeep without me requesting it and I grew up with such orientation. So, when I was in the university, I barely called home for money other than my tuition and accommodation fees which, often than not, I got before resumption. I was not on any regular allowance from my parents or anyone at all, unlike most of my friends.

While on campus, there were quite a number of things I engaged in just to get money. In my first year, I was into photography for some months before delving into the printing press which I did for less than two months because I realised it was negatively affecting my studies. Besides that, I was also into commercial proof reading for some authors within Abraka town, most of whom were staff of the university. All these helped take care of some of my needs. So, while I will admit to receiving some financial assistance, I cannot adjudge that to be a heavy financial assistance.

Erubami became the best graduating student of his set with 4.86 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Photo credit: J.Erubami

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You were recently pronounced the overall best graduating student of DELSU during the 11 convocation ceremony of the institution held on Saturday, 22 July. How did you achieve such feat?

Firstly, I wish to thank the Almighty God whose spirit and grace spared our lives to see that day. To me, that was one of the most important days of my life. It was a day hard work was recognized and given its due place in our contemporary world.

I wouldnt say I did anything extra-ordinary to clinch that feat. I attended lectures, did my assignments and tests and prepared for examinations almost same way other students did. Perhaps, what is most likely to be the difference was the purpose of study. I have observed that most students read simply because they want to pass their examinations and make good grades; that was not my sole preoccupation. The basic reason I read vigorously transcended the desire to pass examinations and make good grades. I read because I really wanted to know about the theories and actual practice of whatever I was taught.

As I earlier noted, I worked for most of the money I spent on campus and that ordinarily made me to ensure that I derived the maximum satisfaction from each and every naira and kobo I spent on campus. I bought virtually all my textbooks and other relevant materials from my personal purse; so, I took it as a point of duty to read virtually all the contents of the books I bought because I saw it as the only way to justify whatever resource I may have expended on them.

Ordinarily, I enjoy reading about things I had no prior knowledge of and I believe that there is actually no hard and fast rule to getting academic excellence; it is a matter of understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are, then you leverage on them to get whatever you want. One exceptional thing I did in school was my quite earlier resumption date. For each semester, I resumed a week earlier than the set resumption date and throughout that week, I will run through all we are supposed to learn for the semester. Thus, I go for lectures prepared ahead of time and over my colleagues.

How many hours did you read a day?

My daily reading target was seven hours which I spread into the morning, afternoon and evening. But there is no specific duration for any of my reading schedules, although I try to make it a minimum of seven hours each day. However, Saturdays are my D days. Usually, I read from around 8am to 4pm before going for Christian fellowship activities. There are times I didnt maintain my reading schedules during the week, but there was seldom anytime I failed my Saturday reading engagement.

Besides your seven hour reading, what else aided you in clinching the result that catapulted you to the top?

The major inspiration was the desire to satisfy my curiosity and gargantuan appetite for knowledge. Besides that anyway, it was my desire to win the students financial assistance scheme floated by the administration of Prof. Eric Arubayi, the former Vice Chancellor of Delta State University. The scheme awards a certain amount of money to the best three students in each faculty.

One of my lecturers, Dr. Lucky Ojoboh, had informed us about the scheme and urged us to work hard in order to benefit from it. I did work hard towards it and in 2014, I was announced the best 100 level student in the faculty of Social Sciences with a cash prize of N50,000. That event was specifically significant to me because I was privileged to give an impromptu valedictory speech on behalf of other awardees.

At the end of my speech, Prof. Victor Peretomode and Prof. Aloamaka who were Deputy Vice Chancellors then were so amazed that they gave me an extra cash of N5,000 each. That event offered me the first opportunity to exchange handshakes with the VC and the DVCs who advised me not to rest on my laurels. I felt honoured!

Apart from that, you will agree with me that success is sweet. I had already tasted success in DELSU during my pre-degree programme. I emerged as the overall best student at the end of the programme, having scored well above 500 points on a scale of 600. There is a popular saying that he who is on the ground needs fear no fall, so if you are on top, you must be duly guided by the taunting trepidation of falling. Having got to the top, I was quite disturbed by the possibility of sliding away from this path of excellence, hence the need to study harder and remain on top.

He attributed his success to hard work. Photo credit: J. Erubami

Also, I received immense support and encouragement from lecturers and my course mates who simply believed that I was cut out for something exceptional. I realised that most of them reposed so much confidence on me that I could not afford failing them. Many a time my lecturers came to class and said Joshua you can make it to the top if and only if you keep doing what you have already started. My lecturers were very understanding with me and were readily available to offer any legitimate assistance.

Specifically, the Head of my department, Dr. Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, also showed a keen interest in my success; he would invite me to his office and offer words of advice to me. Perhaps, because of my age and physical endowment, my lecturers feared that I might easily get distracted by frivolities, hence the need to always prop me into the right track.

My department never churned out a first class graduate until I emerged one. While on campus, I saw the yearning of my department to have a graduate with a first class degree but because of the high standard they maintain, they could not risk giving to someone who may not be able to defend the quality of such certificate. So, seeing my prospect of breaking such record, they simply offered their best which has handsomely paid off today.

Did you actually expect this grade when you were writing your exams?

I started my academic career in DELSU on a very good note. But for one course, I had A in all the courses I took in my first year; I also had a similar experience in my second year. I had both a long and short term expectations. My short term expectation was to hit a 5.00 GPA every semester while my long term expectation was to break records in the school by bagging a first class degree from my department.

Initially, my dream of making a first class degree seemed like a wild goose chase considering the backdrop that no one had made such grade in the history of Mass Communication department in the university. Again, some lecturers openly told us that it was impossible to make a first class degree in the department and that the best anyone could have was a second class upper division.

The reality was that, I was sure of making an A in each course I took and if I make an A in all my courses, that will ordinarily translate to 5.00 GPA which was my immediate target. So, I just pursued my immediate target and allowed providence to decide what should happen next. Quite surprisingly, I observed a growing interest of everybody on my result.

At a time, it became a talk on campus to the point that many students from other departments and faculties knew my name and exact CGPA, although many of them did not know me facially. Some even got to the extent of searching out my mobile telephone number and were seeking my counsel on how to study.

The hallmark of it was when a very senior lecturer in my department, Dr. (Chief) Esirirune Mojaye invited me to his office and said, Joshua you have been making us proud. At the level you are now, I will be totally disappointed at you if you fail to make a first class degree at the end of your undergraduate programme here.

Further, the Head of my department, Dr. Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, who is coincidentally my friend and mentor, told me that it was very possible for me to record such feat. I can still recall him saying, Joshua, work hard to be on a safer side. It is better to be envied than to be pitied. These words of encouragement coming from them stirred in me the consciousness of making a first class degree. So, I went for it.

In all of these, did you pass through any stressful moment or day during your stay on campus?

Well, I think the way and manner the Delta State University is structured is the one that prepares students towards real life challenges and tasks that may not be easy to surmount. There are rigorous processes you must pass through in order to be wholly refined to become a worthy owner of DESLU degree certificate. You must be fit in knowledge, character and service before you can be awarded a degree in DELSU; that alone suggests that I had several stressful moments but I tackled each of them with the conviction that they were meant to be.

I did not suffer much academic stress though but there were times when student unionism put me in a very tight corner. The most dramatic of them was in my last semesters when some political opponents mounted undue pressure on me. The issue at hand was so severe that I saw myself attending meetings on the eve of my examination dates till 11pm or even later than that.

At a point, I feared such development would mar my performance for that semester and, of course, it did. I had my first and only C in that semester but had I A in other courses.

What was your most exciting moment on campus?

I had several exciting moments while on campus. Each time I met my semester target of making a 5.00 GPA, I felt wholly gratified and I recorded that feat in my first, second and third years in school. For each of these times, a very close friend of mine, Rachel Osifoh, got me gifts as reward for hard work.

Another moment was December 3, 2015, the day I won SOSSA presidency. Beyond the personal victory of defeating two opponents, I felt happy that the Mass Communication Department was able to produce a faculty president after about two decades.

But the day I consider as most rewarding on campus is March 31, 2016, the day my completed research project was assented to by my Supervisor, Dr. Patrick Akpoghiran, and my HOD, Dr. Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri. On that day, I doubt if any student in the whole of DELSU had gone beyond the chapter three of their research work. Looking at the work on that day, I could not stop smiling because, indeed, it was the child of my brain, the fruit of my labour and the product of my determination to complete my project work before anyone on campus. On this, I must specially commend my supervisor who worked tirelessly to ensure that feat.

You have made a significant academic breakthrough, what would be your advice to prospective students on how to behave on campus so as to achieve their goals?

My advice is that they should be purposeful. Abuse becomes inevitable when purpose is not defined. After gaining admission, they should seat down and ask themselves what they wish to graduate with at the end of their academic sojourn on campus. They should study not only to pass examinations but to show themselves approved in their chosen field of study. They should strive for natural intelligence by reading hard and also paying rapt attention to their lecturers.

Humility is key to success. You can only learn more when you are humble to those ahead of you. I benefitted from some of my senior colleagues on campus despite the fact that my result was quite better than theirs. As a student, being sociable is part of learning but you must know when to curtail your excesses. Treat your lecture and study time like the oriental cow; ensure you do not defy them. If you can do this, just watch what shall become of your academic pursuit.

Some students tend to blame lecturers for their failures; do you think they are right?

The average Nigerian is a blame trader. To me, each individual is the major stakeholder and architect of his/her destiny. It is true that some lecturers are responsible for the failures of some student; in fact, some supposed lecturers actually have no business being in the classroom in the first place. However, I think bulk of the reasons students fail are traceable to them. It will be very difficult for a student to fail a course he wrote very well simply because the lecturer wants him to fail.

For instance, a lecturer says he does not like your face as it is said in the local parlance, and, rather than study hard, you start panicking, believing that you have failed already, you will certainly fail that course. If every student studies hard, attends lectures and does his/her assignments very well, there is no way he will fail. Besides, if you feel uncomfortable with the outcome of your examinations, you can seek redress at the quality assurance centre which I expect to be in every institution. So, rather than blame lecturers, I will advise that students should pay more attention to their studies.

What would you tell the governor who offered you automatic employment?

I am grateful to Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa for, once again, serving the course of excellence. I know that singular declaration has inspired many students who had lost hope and are gradually receding from the path of excellence in our contemporary society where the educationally backward seem to be making it faster than the learned ones. I will want him to continue on that path of rewarding excellence despite the debilitating economic fortune of our country.

I wish to also appreciate the management of DELSU led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victor Peretomode; my wonderful Dean of Faculty of the Social Sciences, Prof. Christian Ewhrudjakpor; my friend, father and the Head of Mass Communication Department, Dr. Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri and the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Augustus Atubi. I know these people were very strategic to that employment offer. I wish to specially thank all mass communication students who were privileged to be in the class of 2016; I love them all and wish them the best in all they do.

Watch video of Ex-prisoner advocating for the release of inmates:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Anambra state PDP legal adviser, Barr. Afam Akonanya, stated that party officials were dumbfounded over the sealing off of the secretariat

- He stressed that this is not a time for the activities of the party in the state to be disrupted

- Another party official, Barr. Osita Igbokwe, wondered if the police action was due to the recent dissolution of the state executive by the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee

- The police public relations officer in the state Nkiruka Nwode said that the command was only ensuring that there is no problem in the state

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Anambra secretariat located at Udoka Housing Estate, Awka, was sealed off by the police on Monday, July 31, citing orders from above.

According to reports, as party officials convened for their Executive Council meeting, the building was besieged by about 12 officers from the state command.

READ ALSO: We have evidence against Amaechi - Governor Wike insists

The policemen prevented the party officials from gaining access into the building, as they claimed that they had been deployed to the secretariat to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Briefing newsmen in front of the building, the PDP legal adviser for the state, Barr. Afam Akonanya, stated that they were dumbfounded over the incident.

According to Akonanya, peace had been restored to the party since the Supreme Courts ruling; and factions no longer existed.

He stated: This is a crucial period in Anambra politics, and it is not the time to disrupt the activities of our party.

We have been told by the policemen that they are acting based on orders from above, and as law abiding citizens we do not want to force our way inside, but we will return and re-strategize.

The PDP chairman in Aguata, Barr. Osita Igbokwe, also spoke on the situation. He wondered if the police action was due to the recent dissolution of the state executive by the Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

He said: Our leaders have not told us of any dissolution. Our brother, Senator Ben Obi is a member of the NCC, and he did not mention it to us.

By the way, how can they even dissolve Anambra state exco when we were all elected at the same time with other state executives?

Why would they dissolve us in isolation if it is true they did?

This is a crucial period in Anambra politics, and instead of the NCC to consolidate on the existing peace we have achieved here, they are talking of dissolution.

We will not let that happen because they are trying to cause confusion in the party.

Mrs. Nkiruka Nwode, the police public relations officer of Anambra state command who spoke about the incident stated: We moved in to forestall a breakdown of law and order. That is all that we did, and we are only ensuring that there is no problem in the state.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Lagos secretariat was sealed off by policemen on Thursday July 27.

The secretariat, located on Adekunle Fajuyi Way in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, had been taken over by heavily armed policemen earlier in the day.

The police-takeover occured amidst the tussle between factions of the party loyal to Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of a PDP woman lamenting about the state of the nation

Source: Legit.ng
Police reports

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Police hoped to get an arrest warrant issued Monday for a man who jumped up and down on top of a womans car late Sunday night, took off in it, crashed it into fencing at a local park, and ultimately got away on foot.

Police say the suspect is a 25-year-old homeless man, but they did not release his name because a warrant and arrest are pending.

The man was banging on the door of a residence on the 800 block of South Main Street around 11 p.m. Sunday when a woman drove up and went inside. The suspect went to her car, which she left running, and started jumping on the roof before getting behind the wheel and taking off, police said.

At one point, he sped down Iron Street then crashed the car into fencing at Koprivica Park off of Second Street. The car kept going for a bit but apparently died on the 1800 block of Locust Street, where it was abandoned by the driver.

Police spotted the suspect walking in the area of Grand and Florence avenues. He walked toward the officers but then took off a plastic motocross chest-protector vest and threw it at them before running away. Officers lost him as he ran between several houses.

URINATING IN PUBLIC

Police say 34 people were arrested in Butte-Silver Bow County from Thursday to Sunday, although most were not associated with the three-day Evel Knievel Days festival.

But alcohol-related incidents did occur in the festivals footprint Uptown, including a Layton, Idaho, man who apparently thought it was OK to urinate in front of people at the corner of Broadway and Wyoming streets Friday afternoon.

Nicholas Frederick Hadnagy, 34, was given a ticket for disorderly conduct for doing that and was told to leave the area but did not, police said. He resisted officers attempts to cuff him, but that didnt work, so he was booked on misdemeanor complaints of resisting arrest and failing to disperse. He posted $520 on Saturday and was released.

DRUNK WITH CHILD

Samantha Jean Sullivan, 23, was still in jail Monday morning after being arrested late Friday night on multiple complaints, including felony criminal endangerment for allegedly carrying a 2-year-old around while she staggered in the street drunk.

Police say Sullivan was arguing with a man on North Main Street near the Original Mine yard and, after officers got them separated, came back and yelled some more. She was pushing a 2-year-old in a carriage but took the child out and was walking with it in the street.

She cursed at officers and took off running, kicking at police as they were cuffing her. She was booked for criminal endangerment and felony assaulting an officer as well as misdemeanor complaints of resisting arrest and contempt for having a warrant out.

JUST STAY OUT OF IT

A woman was arrested outside the Party Palace at Park and Main early Saturday, then another woman with the same last name tried to interfere and found herself behind bars, too.

Police say Cammie Jo Hardesty, 26, of Butte got into a fight with another woman outside and was told to leave the area. But she went back into the Party Palace, and when police followed her, Jessica Rae Hardesty, 29, of Butte began kicking at officers.

As she was being booked for obstructing justice, police found a substance believed to be methamphetamine and a pipe, so she also faces a felony complaint of possessing dangerous drugs and a misdemeanor count of having drug paraphernalia. She remained in jail late Monday morning. Cammie Hardesty was arrested for failing to disperse and posted bond Saturday.

Police were not sure if the two women were sisters.
- Senator Shehu Sani has reported attack on him to the leadership of APC

- He alleged that someone in Kaduna is playing god

- Sani said the APC may soon collapse if the crisis in the party is not resolved on time

Senator representing Kaduna Central at the Senate, Shehu Sani, has urged the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intervene in the crisis rocking the Kaduna chapter.

The senator spoke to newsmen on Monday July 31 in Abuja, after a closed-door meeting with the National Chairman of APC, John Odigie-Oyegun.

Legit.ng gathered that Sani, in company of some APC members in Kaduna, including Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), also reported Sundays attack on him and others to Oyegun.

The lawmaker said the thugs acted in concert with the police in the state.

READ ALSO: UPDATE: 2 Nigerian senators attacked during press briefing (photos)

If we continue on this part, where one person feels he is a god, I think we are simply repeating the very problem that destroyed the party we ejected out of power.

We are here in the spirit of that, and we hope that we will get the cooperation of the national partys leadership to come to the rescue of the party in Kaduna before it is too late, he said.

Sani reports attack on him, others to APC, says someone in Kaduna playing god

He lamented that Saturdays local delegates elections in the state did not hold; alleging that list for the election was doctored.

They sat down in the palace of their gods to write names and sent it down here for us to accept; that can never happen, he said.

The senator warned the APC not to go the same way as the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which led to their crisis.

This was the seed of the destruction of the PDP, where individuals considered themselves as gods and any other person a slave; that will never happen in Kaduna state.

We are here to present our case and to appeal to the instrument of leadership of this party to intervene in the Kaduna issue before it becomes too late.

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We are here to also state it to the partys national leadership that we are under siege in Kaduna

The use of thugs and violence by agents and close associates of the state government is one thing we cannot tolerate, Sani said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that two Nigerian senators, Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi, on Sunday, July 30, were reportedly attacked by thugs during a press briefing in Kaduna.

Watch this Legit.ng video on Governor Nasir El-Rufai below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Chief of army staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has arrived Maiduguri in line with the directive of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo

- Also expected is the chief of air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who is due to arrive by an aircraft

- The directive that service chiefs relocate to Borno state was prompted by a deadly Boko Haram attack on soldiers and oil exploration workers in the state

Some service chiefs have arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital following the directive by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that they relocate to the state.

READ ALSO: Buhari needs to regain more physical strength - Governor

Channels TV reports that chief of army staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai was the first to arrive in Maiduguri early on Tuesday, August 1.

He was followed by chief of air staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who arrived by an aircraft.

Legit.ng recalls that sequel to recent spate of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had ordered two service chiefs to immediately relocate to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

Osinbajo ordered Tukur Buratai, chief of Army staff, and Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air staff, to relocate to Maiduguri, Borno state capital, with immediate effect, according to a report by Vanguard.

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It was learnt that Osinbajo gave the directive after an emergency meeting with some service chiefs on Thursday, July 27.

The directive was prompted by a deadly Boko Haram attack on soldiers and oil exploration workers in Borno state.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, on Monday, July 31, assured the NNPC that it would not abandon the search for commercial hydrocarbon deposits in the Chad basin in spite of the recent insurgent attack on lecturers of the university.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some members of staff of the NNPC, five lecturers of the university, soldiers and civilian members of the JTF were attacked by Boko Haram insurgents on July 25.

The group was on explorative mission to the Chad basin in Borno to search for hydrocarbon deposits.

A number of soldiers and others were killed while the lecturers were abducted by Boko Haram.

A statement on Monday said Njodi gave the assurance in Maiduguri when receiving a delegation from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the NNPC.

In the video below, Nigerian Air Force gives an update on operations against Boko Haram in 2017.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigeria Police Force said it tried the officer, a corporal, and found him guilty of the allegation

- Police commissioner in Abia state, Leye Oyebade, confirmed the development

- The police did not state if the officer will be facing further prosecution

The police corporal, Iroh Orji, who reportedly shot two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at Aba, Abia state recently, has been sacked.

The revelation was made by the commissioner of police in Abia state, Leye Oyebade.

Oyebade, who spoke with journalists on the activities of the command, said Orji was tried and found guilty of the offence and was dismissed from the police.

READ ALSO: Presidency commends CAN for goodwill message on Buhari's health

The command and the police hierarchy condemned the action of the corporal. Police do not advise its members to use their arms, he said.

The FRSC also confirmed the development.

Legit.ng had reported earlier how the Orji was the orderly to Speaker Chikwendu Kalu of Abia state and he was accused of shooting at the two FRSC officials at their duty post on July 15.

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Any armed police officer is expected to protect people not to shoot at them, the police commissioner said.

Watch this video and find out what people think about the police being one's friend:

Source: Legit.ng
- Igbo Renaissance Agenda says Nigeria would not survive if anything happens to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)

- The group was said to have declared this in reaction to the calls made by the Arewa Youth Assembly to the Acting President to arrest Nnamdi Kanu

- IRA said the calls proved that the real enemies of Nigeria are the several Arewa groups being used to achieve some sinister agenda by their elders

An southeast group known as Igbo Renaissance Agenda (IRA), on Monday, July 31, warned that if anything happens to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nigeria ''would not survive it, even a minute longer''.

Reports have it that the group issued the warning while reacting to a recent call by Arewa youths asking the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to arrest the IPOB leader for what it termed ''threat to national security.

Legit.ng gathered that the group made warning known in a statement by its Coordinator, Jude Ndukwe and Secretary, Amaka Ekwo, described the call as ''hypocritical and callous''.

READ ALSO: Buhari needs to regain more physical strength - Governor

The statement read: ''Following the call last week by the Arewa Youth Assembly to the Acting President to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for what they termed threats to national security arising from his movements in parts of his country, we, the Igbo Renaissance Agenda, IRA, wish to state that such calls are not only hypocritical and callous but also prove that the real enemies of Nigeria are the several Arewa groups being used to achieve some sinister agenda by their elders.

''We are alarmed that while the dreaded Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen terrorists designated as the most dangerous and fourth most dangerous terrorist groups in the world respectively are having a field day killing innocent Nigerians almost on a daily basis especially the latest one in Maiduguri where oil explorers, university lecturers, staff of NNPC and our security agents were mowed down in cold blood, some still missing while some others were kidnapped.

''The concern of Arewa groups is an Nnamdi Kanu who is non-violent, never kidnapped anyone, nor requested for ransom from anybody unlike terrorist groups from Arewas enclave.

While the Arewa controlled military and other security forces keep releasing dangerous terrorists into the society in the name of de-radicalisation, they also empower them by giving them huge sums of money in exchange for kidnap victims thereby compromising the general safety and well being of law abiding Nigerians.

The non-prosecution of a good number of these criminals and their funding by Arewa-led government agencies in the name of ransom payment have the unimaginable propensity to embolden the them to carry out the kind of brazen attacks they did in Maiduguri and other places in recent days. This should be the concern of any reasonable Arewa group.

Rather than face the cankerworm and work assiduously to tackle the menace of terrorism, abject poverty, illiteracy, disease, laziness (a vice that makes them threaten to acquire properties of Igbo by seizure) etc that ravage their region, they are so obsessed with the legendary Nnamdi Kanu who has always conducted himself peacefully everywhere he goes.

We know the main objectives of the Arewa youths and their elders. We know that their other target is Osinbajo.

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''They are looking for ways of pushing Osinbajo into making monumental errors that are capable of imploding the nation so that they would turn around to say he lacks the capacity to lead thereby using that alibi to create chaos that could see him ousted and have any of their kinsmen replace him.

This is why they stated in their vexatious release that This level of lawlessness has left us with no option than to doubt the ability of our Acting President to successfully preside over the affairs of our country. We know where they are going but we shall stop them in their tracks.

They are trying to push Osinbajo into the kind of stark indiscretion deployed by Buhari in mishandling the agitations all over the country today. The Acting President surely would not fall for such cheap trap.

Our message to the Arewa youths and their elderly sponsors is simple: we dare anyone to touch Nnamdi Kanu and see if the nation would survive it even a minute longer.''

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Friday, July 28, said that the secessionist group will order Rochas Okorocha, the Imo state governor to leave the state for Jos in 2019.

Kanu made this known in Owerri when he was welcome by hundreds of thousands of his supporters, Punch reports.

In the video below, Legit.ng TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualization of the Republic of Biafra:

Source: Legit.ng
- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala referred to the stories as being spurious and nefarious, as she urged Nigerians to disregard them

- The former finance minister warned the various news outlets carrying the stories to cease and desist from their misleading actions

- Various news outlets had carried a story which claimed that the former minister stated that Nigerias recession was caused by the presidents unguided rhetoric and uncultured body language

Nigerias former finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has denied making statements allegedly indicting president Muhammadu Buhari for the economic situation in the country.

In a post on her Facebook page, the recently appointed director at UKs Standard Chartered Bank urged Nigerians to disregard all such stories.

READ ALSO: Lauretta Onochie praises Buhari for goodwill to pensioners

She stated: My attention has been drawn to a spurious and nefarious story circulating on the internet.

The story makes false claims of utterances against President Buhari.

I had earlier debunked the same fake news on Jan 5, 2017, but it is obviously in some people's interest to see this falsehood circulate again.

Please see https://www.facebook.com/NgoziOkonjoIweala/posts/1360512913998969.

"Kindly ignore this. These junk news outlets are hereby warned to cease and desist.

In a previous post made on January 5 2017, Iweala had stated via her media adviser: The comments on the performance of the Nigerian economy being circulated by unknown persons and attributed to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala were not made by her.

Like the previous fake audio by an imposter pretending to be her, this is another desperate action by mischievous persons.

The former minister doesn't need anyone to speak for her because, as everyone knows, she is very capable of speaking for herself. We urge the media and Nigerian public to ignore these petty gimmicks.

Various news outlets had carried a story which claimed that the former minister made comments against Buhari during a media appearance.

They claimed that she stated that Nigerias recession was caused by the presidents unguided rhetoric and uncultured body language."

According to the now discredited rumors, the minister further bashed the president for creating instability with his unguided statements about how everyone is corrupt and how everyone is going to jail.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Nigerias former minister of finance and coordinator of the economy Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was reappointed as the chair of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Gavi is a global health initiative of billionaire Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, set up with the aim of saving childrens lives and protecting peoples health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in third world and developing countries.

Announcing her reappointment, the organization on its website stated that Okonjo-Iweala was re-appointed for another 3-year term due to her instrumental leadership.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video asking if Buhari has taken Nigeria out of recession

Source: Legit.ng
Health summit set at UM Western

DILLON  The Beaverhead County Mental Health Local Advisory Council along with the Madison County LAC will host the first annual Big Sky Behavioral Health Summit Sept. 6-7 at the University of Montana Western in Dillon.

A world-class panel of presenters along with a panel of some of Montanas most distinguished experts in the field of trauma informed care and education are expected.

The keynote speaker is renowned mental health advocate Jessi Close, the author of the critically acclaimed book "Resilience: Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness." She is the sister of actress Glenn Close.

The cost for the summit is $125. In addition, 13 CEs and CEUs will be available at no additional cost to attendees, and one undergraduate EDU credit will also be available through the Montana Western School of Outreach for an additional $115.

This event is limited to the first 185 people who register. Online registration and summit information can be found at eventbrite.com.

Mining museum to host market

The World Museum of Mining is turning its grounds into a Miner's Art and Antique Market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19.

Art vendors and antique vendors will be on the museum grounds selling their wares. Jewelry, apparel, soap, fiber art and more will be featured as well. The Chateau Quilt Guild will also bring a special quilt show into St. Helena's Church on the museum grounds.

The cost, which includes admission into the museum, the vendor market, and quilt show, is $8.50 for adults; $7.50 for seniors; and $5 for youth.

Limited vendor space is available. Details: 406-723-7211.

Smoke also hurts your pets

As the smoke continues to fill the skies in and around Butte, the Butte-Silver Bow Animals Services Department would like to remind pet owners that the smoke can negatively affect your pets health and well-being.

If you notice that your pet is having trouble breathing, coughing, sneezing or wheezing; or if you notice increased squinting, redness or a discharge from your dogs or cats eyes, contact your local veterinarian to discuss care options.

Allow your pet time outside to go to the bathroom and then bring them back inside out of the smoke. Also, ensure that you provide fresh water and a comfortable place for your furry friend to relax.

Details: Animal Services at 406-497-6525.

Relay for Life set Sept. 16 in Butte

American Cancer Society is calling on community members to participate in the annual Relay For Life of Butte Silver Bow on Sept. 16 at the Butte Plaza Mall (Stage).

The Relay For Life movement is one of the worlds largest fundraising events to save lives from cancer.

During Relay For Life events, members of each team take turns walking around the track/path. Teams participate in fundraising leading up to the event.

Every passionate step taken demonstrates courage and strength, said Jenean Kujawa, event co-chair. Together, we are bigger than cancer, and funds raised by local teams help the American Cancer Society bring cancer to its knees.

Money raised helps the American Cancer Society provide free information and support for people facing the disease, and funds cancer research.

Teams and individuals can learn more and sign up for the Relay For Life event by visiting www.RelayForLife.org/buttemt or for event information call Jenean Kujawa at 406-496-5591.
- Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos expressed his anger at the Senate when he hosted health minister Prof Isaac Adewole

- Akiolu did not actually state his area of anger concerning the activities of the Senate

- Adewole was at the palace to seek royal blessings concerning some government projects

The Senate must be prepared to improve or get set for attack by hungry and angry Nigerians, Oba Akiolu of Lagos has warned the senior lawmakers.

Legit.ng learnt that Oba Akiolu issued the warning when he received the minister for health, Professor Isaac Adewole, in his palace on Monday, August 1.

Premium Times reports the Oba as saying: There is still room for improvement and I appeal to them to do what Nigerians want because the way we are going, I will not pray for a situation where Nigerians will rise and go attack them in the Senate as it is getting to that stage as Nigerians are hungry and angry.

READ ALSO: Presidency commends CAN for goodwill message on Buhari's health

Let me make it loud that majority of right thinking Nigerians are annoyed with them on the recent decision to sit on certain matters.

Though the senior monarch did not mention his complaints against the Senate, the report said the upper chamber recently began probing the availability of dr*gs from the European Union in the Nigerian market.

It was learnt that Adewole was at the palace seek for the Obas support for the Coordinated Warehouse Centre in Lagos as well as the National Dr*g Distribution Guidelines.

Under the guidelines, the federal government proposes that dr*g sellers in a community will operate from one location, the report said.

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Legit.ng reports that the Senate recently passed the whistle-blowers protection bill which many think is meant to give more protection to alleged looters.

The bill was passed by the upper chamber during plenary on Wednesday, July 19, after it was read for the third time.

Watch this video and see how Nigerians react to whether the Senate should be scrapped:

Source: Legit.ng
Wednesday, Aug. 2

WESTERN AT RIALTO

The Rialto Community Theatre in Deer Lodge will host the the 1939 classic "Colorado Sunset" with Gene Autry and June Storey. At 7 p.m., a National Park Service ranger will give a brief introduction to the film, explaining where it was accurate historically and pointing out parts where it was less true to western history. The movie begins at 7:30. Admission is free. Details: 406-846-7900.

VETS PICNIC

The Anaconda American Legion Post 21 Auxiliary and Anaconda DAV Memorial Chapter 13 will co-host their annual picnic at 5 p.m. at the Washoe Park pavilion. Those with last names beginning A-L are encouraged to bring a dessert or appetizer, M-Z a salad. Meat will be provided. Bring your own utensils.

PRODUCE SALE

The National Center for Appropriate Technology will sell fresh produce from 3 to 6 p.m. at NCATs headquarters, 3040 Continental Drive. The produce comes from NCATs SIFT Demonstration Farm. Details: 406-494-8675.

SHAKESPEARE IN BOULDER

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks presents Macbeth at 6:30 p.m. at the Boulder Fairgrounds. Admission is free. www.shakespeareintheparks.org, call 406-225-3234.

CLUBS AND MEETINGS

BUTTE

Butte High School Class of 1961 meets for lunch at 11:30 a.m. at Christinas Cocina, 2201 Silver Bow Blvd.

Butte Sunrise Kiwanis Club meets at 7 a.m. at Perkins. Guest speaker will be Frank Walsh, chairman of the upcoming An Ri Ra Irish Festival.

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

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

Al-Anon meetings: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Gold Hill Lutheran Church; 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Sharing and Caring, 2100 Farragut (rear entrance).
- The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has pledged to protect Igbos in the north

- Arewa had earlier issued three month quit notice to Igbos living in the region

- Former Governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Kalu, who hosted the group said that the group promised to sheath its swords and embrace peace

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has finally made U-turn from the three months quit notice it issued to Igbos to leave the north before October 1.

The group led by its chairman, Alhaji Shettima Yerima made the pledge in Abuja on Tuesday August 1 while paying a courtesy visit to the former governor of Abia state, Dr. Orji Kalu.

READ ALSO: Jonathan removed CRK from education syllabus, not Buhari - FG declares

Legit.ng gathered that Dr. Kanu in his Facebook post explained that: It is the same group that made the Kaduna declaration in which three months quit notice was given to the Igbo living in the North.

Arewa youth during their visit to ex-governor of Abia, Dr. Orji Kalu, Credit: Facebook, Dr. Orji Kalu

The quit notice has actually been a source of worry to me because I knew the commitments of our people around the world not to talk more of being economic migrants in nature.

The unnecessary uprising caused by the quit notice inundated me to call them to order as nothing is too much to be sacrificed for peace.

Arewa youth during their visit to ex-governor of Abia, Dr. Orji Kalu, Credit: Facebook, Dr. Orji Kalu

"I believe the actions of these youth were borne out of frustration and I am happy that they have promised me today that they will further consult to sheath their swords and denounce their declaration.

Today, they have given me their word of embracing peace and maintaining that no harm shall befall any of our people in the North.

"I believe in a united Nigeria where fairness, equity and justice are instituted. I also believe that our lives are sacrosanct and no Igbo blood should be spilled at any slightest provocation again.

Arewa youth during their visit to ex-governor of Abia, Dr. Orji Kalu, Credit: Facebook, Dr. Orji Kalu

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Dr. Kalu predicted that the agitation by IPOB for Biafra under its leader Nnamdi Kanu is not possible and so Igbos should face how to win the presidency.

Watch Acting President Yemi Osinbajo talk about the unity of Nigeria on Legit.ng TV below:

Source: Legit.ng
- Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria's former vice president, tongue-lashed his party, the All Progressives Congress, and others for lack of internal democracy

- Atiku noted that even though democracy had taken root in Nigeria, elements from the military still wield power in the country

- The former vice president noted that any party that stifles the freedom of its members cannot provide freedom for the country

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, has described his party as undemocratic in the way its leaders carry out their activities.

Legit.ng learnt that Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, lamented the alleged refusal of the party to organise statutory meetings for the organs of the party.

The Sun reports the former vice president, who spoke at the second Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) annual conference 2017 on internal democracy, complained about the alleged lack of internal democracy in the APC and other parties.

Atiku said: The issue of internal democracy in our political parties has been with us for a long time, indeed since the restoration of civilian rule in 1999.

In long-established democracies those statements would seem trite. But I recognise that our democracy is young, and our parties are also rather young.

As a result, they are still wrestling with issues of party building, party structures, internal democracy and the nature of the relationship between parties and members, parties and legislatures and parties and government as well as among parties themselves.

We had a very long period of authoritarian rule in Nigeria, ending in 1999. The legacy of that period is still with us as can be seen in our various governance institutions.

Indeed even elements of that authoritarian past still wield power and influence in our country as we try to transition from that legacy.

READ ALSO: Presidency commends CAN for goodwill message on Buhari's health

Also the structure of our economy is such that the state remains the most important source of economic opportunity.

This heightens the struggle for state power and helps to shape the relationship between parties and members, among parties and among the various arms of government.

It is, therefore, a huge challenge to democratize governance and the political parties in our country.

But, as the theme of this conference makes clear, internal democracy in our political parties is very important for the parties, their members and for the country.

The absence of internal democracy in our parties is a major reason our democracy remains fragile and why the quality of leadership that we produce has not matched our expectations and the challenges facing us as a nation.

"It is also one of the reasons it has been very difficult to hold leaders to account. Internal party democracy is important enough that it was one of the areas addressed by the Electoral Reform Committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais many years ago.

But we know that power wielders hardly voluntarily enlarge the democratic space. That is why Ive often opined that internal party democracy will only come with genuine electoral reforms in the country.

"Such reforms, broadly along the Justice Uwais Committee Recommendations, which will further strengthen the independence of INEC and ensure that votes count, will encourage parties to field popular candidates in elections.

And that in turn will encourage parties to allow internal democracy so members have the freedom to choose and express their opinions. Thus the role of godfathers and executive intrusion in the affairs of parties and elections will be diminished.

In my view, there is a close relationship between democracy within political parties and democracy within the nation. Put simply you cannot give what you dont have.

You cannot build democracy on a substructure of dictatorship and intolerance.

A political party that constricts the freedom of its members cannot really offer freedom to the citizens of the nation. Democracy is not just an idea; is a cultural practice.

For a number of years now we have had political parties, even governing ones, which hardly hold meetings of their important organs, including those meant for the democratic selection of their leadership, or even constitute institutions prescribed in their constitution.

Atiku said that was not party building but party bullying.

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And its certainly not a way to democratise parties and aggregate their members opinions, interests and aspirations.

This means that efforts to deepen Nigerias democracy must include efforts at democratising our political parties.

The institutionalisation of democracy in our internal party processes will help us deepen democracy in Nigeria.

Leaders are more likely to tolerate opposition from citizens and other parties if they tolerate it within their own party.

The lack of internal democracy in political parties is one of the reasons for the fraught relationships among parties and their elected representatives and the legislature and the executive.

The loyalty of some in the legislature and executive lies not with the party but with a godfather who sponsored them, and the godfather may even be in a rival political party.

Such anomalies will reduce if internal democracy flourishes in our political parties, and by extension the wider society.

The selection of leaders in a democracy is a serious business because so many other things ride on it. Whenever we get it wrong the nation or a part thereof suffers.

We must strive to get it right most of the time. And it is the voters who should freely make that determination. I therefore thank the IPAC for organising this conference and for inviting me to chair it.

Legit.ng recently reported that Atiku Abubakar hit back at those criticizing his position on restructuring, saying the United Nations planned phase out of petrol and diesel-run cars by 2040 has vindicated him.

Source: Legit.ng
- A US security report indicated that security agencies in Nigeria were not sharing intelligence

- This is hampering the fight against terrorism

- It noted that IDPs were being return to their homes without adequate security

The United States government has said the inability of security agencies in Nigeria to share intelligence report because of animosity is affecting the success in the fight against Boko Haram.

Premium Times reports that this was contained in the Country Report on Terrorism 2016 published by the US Department of States Bureau for Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism.

READ ALSO: We will join Biafra agitators to fight Nigeria with missiles  Militants

It noted that the State Security Services (SSS) which is responsible for counter terrorism sometimes fail to share intelligence report with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) making it harder to investigate Boko Haram financing.

While the Nigerian military had primary responsibility for combating terrorism in the northeast, several government agencies performed counterterrorism functions, including the Department of State Security (DSS), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and the Ministry of Justice.

Counterterrorism activities of these agencies and ministry were ostensibly coordinated by the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA). The level of interagency cooperation and information sharing was limited and at times hindered overall effectiveness.

The report blamed the EFCC and the ministry of justice over delay in prosecuting financiers of terrorists although the federal government shares the names of known terrorists and terrorist organisations to banks and other financial institutions.

The report stated: Despite gains made by the MNJTF, much of its reported progress was merely duplication of failed efforts carried over from the end of the last dry/fighting season. The Nigerian military was unable to hold and re-build civilian structures and institutions in those areas it had cleared.

It said IDPs were being returned to their homes without proper security and appropriate conditions being put in place for safe and voluntary returns.

There was no evidence in 2016 of the implementation of a coordinated plan to restore civilian security in recaptured territories.

The NPF also stood up the Special Program for Embassy Augmentation and Response, which is a specialized selection and training program for local police dedicated to the security of the U.S. Embassy and other diplomatic missions throughout Abuja.

The Nigerian government worked with the FBI to investigate specific terrorism matters, predominantly through the DSS, and provided improvised explosive device components to the FBI for analysis at the Terrorist Device Analysis Center. ONSA, DSS, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Emergency Management Agency, and NPF explosive ordnance and post blast personnel worked with FBI special agents and special agent bomb-technicians in-country. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and NPF also received crime scene training relevant to counterterrorism investigations.

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The Nigerian government actively cooperated with the United States and other international partners to prevent further acts of terrorism in Nigeria against U.S. citizens, citizens of third countries, and Nigerian citizens. Nigerian law enforcement agencies cooperated with the U.S. FBI to assist with counterterrorism investigations, including disruptions, information sharing, and interviews.

Meanwhile, The United Nations reportedly set up a new fund called Nigeria Humanitarian Fund in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.

Legit.ng reports that the north-east is primarily the most affected part of Nigeria in terms of insecurity caused by the terrorists.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is reporting that the global organisation allocated more than $10.5 million to help women, children and men in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of the operation of the Air Force against Boko Haram:

Source: Legit.ng
- Senator Bukola Saraki has informed Kogi state to stop paying him pension as former governor

- This was sequel to complaints from groups and individual that som former governors were still collecting pension as ministers and senators

- The Senate President urged others who were like him to also follow suit to help the country

After many complaints that former governors who are currently senators or ministers were still receiving pension and salary in their new jobs, the president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said he has stopped collecting pension in Kwara as a former governor.

Saraki said that he wrote a letter to the state government to stop the payment of the pension after the complaints arose.

Some of the outcry emanated from a civil society organisation known as Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which accused the former governors of receiving double pay illegally.

Saraki said: No, Im not collecting pension; the moment I saw that allegation, I wrote to my state to stop my pension.

So, I speak for myself on that part; Im not doing that, I am not receiving pension from my state."

READ ALSO: US rights group arrives Nigeria over call to ban Saraki, 10 others from entering US

According to NAN, when he was asked about other senators affected, he said: I think I will leave everybody to their individual decision.

Morally, if you have got another job, you should give it up until when you are truly a pensioner.

Some of these oversights are not addressing the issues. What the states should do is to go and amend their laws to say that if you have another appointment then you are not entitled to that benefit.

With this, we will just simplify the matter.

He also said there were a lot of complaints that budgetary allocation to health and education was too low, attributing it to the fact that much money was being invested in infrastructure development.

What should happen is that we should try and get private sector to take over some of these infrastructure so that the money can go into education and health.

By doing that, banks like Bank of infrastructure will come in.

We are really pushing the idea of, particularly, the Lagos-Ibadan road, that appropriating that project from the budget does not show seriousness.

READ ALSO: Saraki fails to meet President Buhari in London

This is a road that is very viable; that is centre of the commercial activity and we should see how private sector can participate.

For example, even if you go by the budgetary allocation on that road, last year was N30 billion, this year, after back and forth, we took it back to N20 billion.

This was done so that if they dont find private funding, we will take it up, he said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Saraki has debunked certain media reports that a civil servant was sacked for criticizing him.

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In a statement posted on his social media pages on Friday, July 28, the Senate President said the reports are untrue.

He also said he is unfazed by criticisms, stressing that he learns from constructive criticisms.

Watch this Legit.ng video to see what Nigerians think of the Senate:

Source: Legit.ng
- Some Biafra agitators accused of killing Chinese men were released

- The court noted that they had spent enough time in detention

- The leader of the group vowed to continue with the Biafra agitation

The Onitsha High Court has given final judgement to 17 Biafra agitators who were accused of kidnapping and killing some Chinese men working for Innoson Group of Companies.

The accused were discharged and acquitted by the court on Tuesday, August 1 on the ground that they had stayed in prison since 2009 which was enough time to be detained even if they had been found guilty.

READ ALSO: Nigeria will not survive if anything happens to Nnamdi Kanu - Igbo group threatens

Mr. Innocent Orji who is the leader of the Biafra Nation Guard (BNG) who was detained alongside his members said he was roped into the case due to his agitation for an independent Biafra state.

Appart from Mr Orji, Sabastinre Amadi Amah Onu and Chukwuebuka Ikenwa were discharged and acquitted since they have case to answer.

Others who were also discharged from Onitsha Court but still have case to answer at Awka the state capital are Casmir Odakwe, Ojemba Anyanwu, Eni Kalu Ndubuisi Okam, Ikechukwu Chikwem, Emmanuel Orji Chukwuma Kalu, Chidiebere Ezekwem, Maduabuchi Asika, Uche Idikaigbo, Uchenna Nicholas, Peter Igbokwe and Ikechukwu Aghara.

The BNG leader expressed gratitude to God for his release and thanked the court for its justice.

He promised not to betray the trust of the Biafra agitators who facilitated his release.

He said: As for the Biafra restoration struggle, we must continue, no going back, we all shall march together until we reach to our final destination and our promise land which is Bifran nation. I must comment all the efforts of pro Biafra groups towards achieving Biafra restoration and sovereignty these ten years of my incarceration.

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My gratitude goes to Benjamin Onwuka, a lawyer and pro Biafra activist leading Biafra Zionist Federation group, the indefatigable leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB in the person Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Mazi Uche Mmefor, and IPOB worldwide, leader of MASSOB , Comrade Uchenna Madu and other Biafra agitators for their sensitization, awakening the consciousness for the restoration of Biafra.

I must also commend the effort of Biafra People National Council, BNPC, for their unity, alliance, coalition and collectively endorsing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as the Biafran Supreme leader to speed up our struggle for Biafra restoration.

Meanwhile, a new militant group threatened to fight with Biafra agitators against Nigeria.

The group Adaka Boro Avenger (ABA) described Nigeria as a failed stated.

The militants said it will join effort with the agitators to fight Nigeria with chemical weapons and missiles.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below on Nnamdi Kanu speaking about his Biafra agitation

Source: Legit.ng
- Former deputy governor of Bauchi state, Alhaji Garba Muhammad-Gadi, is dead

- The former deputy governor died in an India hospital on Tuesday August 1

- He died at the age of 70 and is survived by by three wives and 15 children

A former deputy governor of Bauchi state, Alhaji Garba Muhammad-Gadi, has died at the age of 70 years, a family source disclosed on Tuesday, August 1.

A close relative to the deceased, Alhaji Abdurrahman Nuhu-Bayero disclosed this in Zaria that Muhammad-Gadi died in an India hospital.

He said the late politician is survived by three wives and 15 children.

He also said arrangements were at an advanced stage to transport the body home for burial.

The former deputy governor died in an India hospital on Tuesday August 1. Photo credit: NBF topics

Muhammad-Gadi, who is the Danburan Katagum, served as deputy governor under the administration of Gov. Isa Yuguda from 2007 to 2011.

He was also the National Chairman, Merger Committee which supervised the fusing of CPC with other political parties that gave birth to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Legit.ng had reported that Gadi, a former deputy governor of the state, stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government left behind a high rate of poverty and indiscipline in Bauchi state.

Speaking on a Hausa live radio programme Zamani Riga in Bauchi yesterday, Gadi said the APC government under Barrister Muhammad Abubakar will inherit abject poverty and indiscipline among the people of the state.

Meanwhile in this video by Legit.ng, a Nigerian laments voting for the APC.

Watch the video:

Source: Legit.ng
- Governor Rochas Okorocha described the APC as the best party in the country

- He noted that the party took over when the country was on the brink

- He promised that the party will continue to deliver

Mr. Rochas Okorocha has said that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are the best in the history of the country.

The Punch reports that Okorocha who is the chairman of the APC governors forum said it was too early to judge the APC administration and begged Nigerians to give it time.

READ ALSO: US releases report on why Boko Haram has not been defeated

He said at the opening of a retreat on policy cooperation between states and the Federal Government, holding in Birnin Kebbi: We want to appeal to Nigerians not to judge us from past sins or within the two years we have been in the saddle of leadership of this great country.

You should judge us when the mandate entrusted to us expires.

He reminded Nigerians that the party took over when the country was on the brink of a collapse.

He said: Our party has the best governors ever produced in the history of this country  from Sokoto, Adamawa, Kebbi, Lagos, Imo, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kogi and others.

When you visit those states, you will know that Nigerians have not made mistake electing us to lead their state of affairs.

We have resolved to fix the economy and it has already been fixed.

We are united and Nigeria will always remain an indivisible nation.

We dont know who is Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo. Our determination is only to stamp out hunger and bring democratic dividend to our citizens.

Hate statements should not be taken seriously or regarded from anyone.

Okorocha applauded Kebbi farmers for their focus in agriculture and saving the country foreign exchange especially though rice production.

Governor Atiku Bagudu promised that the governors will continue to line with the partys manifesto insisting they will do everything they can to end poverty.

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He said: The enthusiasm and patriotism of President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, demonstrate that Nigeria is getting its footsteps right.

All that helps Nigeria to develop is now brought to debate and discussion table, and we should always cherish what we discuss significantly in order to enhance our development.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Okorocha made a call for oneness, outlining his roots in the east, north and west of Nigeria.

The Imo state governor made his comments at the Progressive Governors Forum currently taking place in the Kebbi state capital, Birnin Kebbi.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of a Nigerians accusing the APC of being the worst party in the country.

Source: Legit.ng
Toxicology Supervisor Scott Larson will become the next director of the Montana State Crime Lab after longtime leader Phil Kinsey leaves later this month.

Attorney General Tim Fox announced the appointment Tuesday afternoon in a news release and on Twitter. Sheriffs, coroners, county attorneys and other members of the criminal justice community who rely on the lab for forensic analyses were notified in a letter last Wednesday. Larson will take over Saturday, Aug. 12, the day after Kinsey leaves.

This transition period will allow us time to make sure lab services will continue uninterrupted and in the same spirit of improvements and efficiencies, Fox wrote in the letter.

Larson, a board-certified toxicologist, earned his bachelors of science degree from the University of Montana in 1999 and went on to earn a masters in pharmacology in 2005. He started at the Missoula-based state crime lab as a graduate student intern and was hired to lead the toxicology section about four years ago. He previously had worked as a toxicologist in the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System in Maryland and as the deputy chief Toxicologist for Washington, D.C.

Scott (Larson)s supervisory role in the Lab has played a big part in the improvement of its toxicology testing turn-around times, Fox said in a written statement.

Larson said Tuesday that he hopes to build upon the improvements secured by Kinsey at the crime lab that provides forensic analysis and autopsy services to law enforcement statewide.

Over the past several years, the lab has struggled with turnover, months-long testing times, tensions with county coroners about fees and quality of service, and an employee who stole narcotics from the evidence room. The lab has seen successes, too: securing tough-to-get international accreditation, cross- training its staff to avoid backlogs, helping to coordinate testing for a statewide backlog of untested rape kits, and restructuring the medical examiners office to clarify chain of command as well as to improve service to rural, eastern Montana communities. Recently, the lab became the 26th in the country to earn accreditation for its breath alcohol testing.

Something Phil Kinsey really instilled in me is creating efficiency in the testing processes and monitoring the metrics of our performance to be as efficient as we can with the resources we have, Larson said.

He will be paid an annual base salary of $99,486.40. Kinsey was paid the same base rate, but collected $102,960 in his final year with the lab because of longevity pay, said Fox Spokesman Eric Sell.
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
GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us.
The high-profile quest to spot moons orbiting distant planets has been a series of let-downs, with each hint of an exomoon fading under closer inspection. So astronomer David Kipping, at Columbia University in New York City, didnt want to reveal his teams detection of another possible exomoon, until they could confirm it using the Hubble Space Telescope.

That plan was abandoned a few days ago, after news of the teams request for Hubble time rocketed around social media. It culminated in the announcement that exomoon candidate Kepler-1625 b I had been observed orbiting a planet 4,000 light years (1,230 parsecs) from Earth, in an arXiv preprint1 posted on 27 July. That paper, reporting the results of a 5-year search for exomoons, was hastily amended to include the exomoon claim.

Kepler-1625 b is a candidate planet that Kepler, NASAs flagship exoplanet mission, had previously observed. Periodic dips in the host stars brightness indicated that a massive object was crossing the line of sight from the star to Earth; but the dips were lopsided, suggesting that perhaps instead of one object there were two: a Jupiter-sized planet with a Neptune-sized moon in tow. If this were indeed an exomoon, it would have been a long-awaited discovery. But it was still a big if.

Another astronomer noticed that Kippings team had requested time on the Hubble Space Telescope in October and shared the news on Twitter. Kipping is one of the most prominent astronomers in the hunt for exomoons. So if he wanted to use the Hubble, there was only one possible reason.

Kipping says he does not blame the colleague for tweeting about something that was in the public record. But then, on 25 July, his phone started to ring: journalists were wondering whether Kipping had made the big discovery he had focused his whole career on.

So, to pre-empt speculation, the team decided to be transparent about what it had found  and about what it hadnt. We figured the only option we had was to get ahead of the story, says Kipping. As news reports appeared, one of the authors of the arXiv preprint, Alex Teachey, wrote a guest-blog post for Scientific American to explain his teams decision.

Lets be clear: were not just trying to save ourselves from embarrassment, Teachey wrote. The announcement and subsequent retraction of potentially ground-breaking results has the effect of eroding public trust in science over time, and we are chiefly concerned with not contributing to that problem.

Jean Schneider, an exomoon hunter at the Paris Observatory, says that the authors were right to make this candidate public. Now, he says, other people can re-analyse the Kepler data for Kepler-1625 b and make their own opinion.

Arxiv  HEK VI: On the Dearth of Galilean Analogs in Kepler and the Exomoon Candidate Kepler-1625b I

Exomoons represent an outstanding challenge in modern astronomy, with the potential to provide rich insights into planet formation theory and habitability. In this work, we stack the phase-folded transits of 284 viable moon hosting Kepler planetary candidates, in order to search for satellites. These planets range from Earth-to-Jupiter sized and from ~0.1 to 1.0 AU in separation  so-called warm planets. Our data processing includes two-pass harmonic detrending, transit timing variations, model selection and careful data quality vetting to produce a grand light curve with a r.m.s. of 5.1 ppm. We find that the occurrence rate of Galilean-analog moon systems can be constrained to 95% confidence for the 284 KOIs considered. A single-moon model of variable size and separation locates a slight preference for a population of Super-Ios, ~0.5 R_Earth moons orbiting at 5-10 planetary radii. However, we stress that the low Bayes factor of just 2 in this region means it should be treated as no more than a hint at this time. Splitting our data into various physically-motivated subsets reveals no strong signal. The dearth of Galilean-analogs around warm planets places the first strong constraint on exomoon formation models to date. Finally, we report evidence for an exomoon candidate Kepler-1625b I, which we briefly describe ahead of scheduled observations of the target with the Hubble Space Telescope.
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We can see it. We can feel it. But when we breathe the wildfire smoke filling the Missoula Valley lately, what do we taste?

Ammonia is always present in wildfire smoke, but thats something that wasnt previously measured, said Vanessa Selimovic, a University of Montana graduate student who helped crunch piles of data revealing whats in those plumes rising around Missoulas horizon. Theres acetic acid. Theres formaldehyde and methanol. And its hard to say what happens as those compounds age. We dont know if it gets worse or better if it sits in a valley overnight.

We do know that Missoulas airshed will fill and spill regularly this week as fumes blow in from the Sunrise fire (6,400 acres), Lolo Peak fire (4,792 acres), Liberty fire (1,843 acres), Rice Ridge fire (1,100 acres) and Sapphire Complex (11,911 acres). At least for the next few days, we should get some occasional respite as breezes and temperature changes churn the haze downwind.

This time of year, our dispersal is pretty good, Missoula County air quality specialist Sarah Coefield said on Monday. The smoke builds up but moves on. We dont tend to get days-long pollution in one area. Although there was that time in 2015, when a high-pressure ridge locked in and we had a solid week where nothing got out and more came in.

Communities like Seeley Lake have been smothered in smoke as fires to the east and west pump particulate clouds into the Seeley-Swan drainage. On Monday the Sunrise fire put up so much smoke, the incident command grounded its helicopters for lack of visibility. Seeley Lake air quality was classified as unhealthy for most of Monday.

Selimovic and UM research professor Robert Yokelson participate in a nationwide wildfire smoke project that has revealed much about what goes into those plumes, what happens to the chemical fumes as they age and what that means for land managers. Yokelson said the good news is wildfires dont typically produce enough of those toxic chemicals to exceed human health risk levels during a fire season. The bad news is wildfires produce far more fumes than prescribed burning during the spring or fall.

Weve done a lot of measurements since the 1990s flying through wildfire smoke plumes, Yokelson said. NASA and the Department of Energy had research aircraft, and we got them to include wildfires on their target list. We found that when we flew through wildfire, you make a lot more pollution from the same amount of fuel. If you think about an acre on way up to Snowbowl, if it burns during wildfire rather than a prescribed fire, we make 10 times more pollution.

Yokelson said wildfires consume much more fuel per acre during the hot days of summer, including a lot more of the dead-down rotten logs that burn inefficiently and release lots of smoke. Prescribed burns during cooler, wetter times of year would reduce the fuel loads while clearing out forest litter that has no commercial value, Yokelson said.

That has implications for land managers who want to improve air quality, Yokelson said. Every forest ecosystem has a tendency for flammable fuels to build up over time. Its mostly small stuff that dries out quickly in summer that causes fire danger.

The health dangers remain less understood. While air-quality monitors like Missoula Countys know wildfire smoke contains nasty stuff, theyre not well-equipped to measure chemical composition as precisely as they can particulate size.

A lot of peoples initial reaction to wildfire smoke  what makes them feel kind of yucky, like the scratchy eyes, nausea, and headaches  comes from the organic chemicals released from combustion, Coefield said. But we dont have the tools to measure that running on constant basis. What we measure is particulate pollution, especially particles 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller.

Sucking those tiny particles into the lungs can cause respiratory and heart problems, regardless whether they contain poisonous compounds. The potential for wildfire smoke to produce a cocktail of toxins that do more damage in combination than individual substances might by themselves remains a topic of intensive research. One thing that Yokelson and Selimovic want to know more about is how specific fires might differ, depending on where and what they burn.

For example, a study of tree growth downwind of New York City found that forests farther from the source of smog grew slower than those closer to the urban area. Researchers determined that it took a while for the smog components to transform into ozone, which inhibits tree health.

Yokelson wonders if similar effects show up downwind of forest fires. In a 2013 experiment, he spent two days in an airplane following the smoke plume of Californias Rim fire in Yosemite National Park to Winnipeg, Manitoba. The flight included touch-and-go landings in Missoula, Great Falls and Bozeman where the plane would dive from the top of the plume to ground level and climb back again to sample all strata of the smoke.

Were trying to understand the physics of the smoke, and thats really complex, Yokelson said. It has to do with the energy of the fire and the stability and structure of the atmosphere and the complexity of the topography. With an airplane, you have a lot of flexibility to follow the plumes.

So far, most of Missoulas smoke comes from the fires everyone can see on the horizon. Missoula Countys Coefield said that may start to change soon as August heat grinds in.

This is the first time in seven years Ive ever seen this many fires in the immediate area, Coefield said. But were starting to see more fires forming in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. If those fires take off, I wouldnt be surprised if we get some out-of-town flavor to the smoke.
Congress is in crisis, and some members of the U.S. Senate suggest fundamental changes that would forever alter the future of that esteemed body. In one dramatic proposal, Montanas own Senator Steve Daines has proposed getting rid of the historic Senate filibuster rule:

"These are archaic rules from the past that are creating, are going to create barriers for the Senate to act on behalf of the American people. It is time to blow up the filibuster. ... I was pleased to see the president tweet that out."

-- Senator Steve Daines, July 18, 2017

Since Daines proposal to make it possible to pass any legislation in the Senate on a simple majority vote would hurt Montana in addition to harming America and doom any efforts to build a bipartisan consensus to solve any major national problem, we set pen to paper to articulate an opposing view.

In the midst of our drafting efforts, Arizonas 30-year Senator John McCain, genuine American hero who was diagnosed with a deadly form of brain cancer just days earlier, returned to the Senate and offered a stunning and passionate view that stands in stark contrast to the views of our very junior Senator. We trashed most of our draft opinion piece to make room for some excerpts from Senator McCains remarks instead. If you agree with Senator McCains views and feel that Montanas Congressional delegation should be working for more bipartisan cooperation, not more senseless, partisan, petty dysfunction, we encourage you to let Senator Daines know that.

Selected excerpts from Senator John McCains remarks to the United States Senate, July 25, 2017:

Our responsibilities are important, vitally important, to the continued success of our Republic. And our arcane rules and customs [which include the filibuster] are deliberately intended to require broad cooperation  The most revered members of this institution accepted the necessity of compromise in order to make incremental progress on solving Americas problems and to defend her from her adversaries 

Our deliberations today  not just our debates, but the exercise of all our responsibilities  authorizing government policies, appropriating the funds to implement them, exercising our advice and consent role  are often lively and interesting. They can be sincere and principled. But they are more partisan, more tribal more of the time than any other time I remember

Incremental progress, compromises that each side criticizes but also accepts  isnt glamorous or exciting. It doesnt feel like a political triumph. But its usually the most we can expect from our system of government, operating in a country as diverse and quarrelsome and free as ours 

I hope we can again rely on humility, on our need to cooperate, on our dependence on each other to learn how to trust each other again and by so doing better serve the people who elected us 

This place is important. The work we do is important. Our strange rules and seemingly eccentric practices that slow our proceedings and insist on our cooperation are important. Our founders envisioned the Senate as the more deliberative, careful body that operates at a greater distance than the other body from the public passions of the hour 

Daines thought to get rid of the filibuster would help to fundamentally change the U.S. Senate from the worlds most deliberative legislative body to a vehicle for the rapid passage of whatever radical agenda might be emerging from the passions of the political arena. That, in fact, by design of our Founding Fathers, is the role of the House of Representatives, not the Senate.

Those with historical perspective understand that the Senate needs to be slower and more dispassionate  that smaller states, by right of state sovereignty acknowledged by the Founders, have a stronger voice in the Senate than in the population-driven House. They understand that the filibuster has been part of insuring the structure that not only empowers smaller states like Montana but also guarantees deliberativeness in the Senate. Senator Daines needs to look further back into history than his 2012 election and drop this crazy idea to get rid of the filibuster and make the US Senate less than Senator John McCain so compellingly advocates.

-- Evan Barrett of Butte recently retired after 47 years at the top level of Montana economic development, government, politics and education.

-- Andrew Person of Missoula is an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, former Montana State representative, and former legislative assistant to Senator Max Baucus.
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Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
From The Hill



Donald Trump - Caricature

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Today President Trump berates, insults, attacks, undermines and humiliates Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in my view as part of a plan to remove Sessions and fire special counsel Robert Mueller. These aggressive acts of obstruction of justice would violate the presidential oath of office, the president's duty to preserve and protect the constitution, the president's duty to faithfully execute the laws of the land, and the president's duty to protect the nation from foreign enemies.

Ernest Hemingway advised authors to write one true sentence. Among the truest words describing the Trump presidency were written by Professor Laurence Tribe of the Harvard Law School, in an op-ed in The Washington Post discussing impeachment and obstruction of justice. He wrote that "in Nixon's case, the list of actions that together were deemed to constitute impeachable obstruction reads like a forecast of what Trump would do decades later."

All who believe in preserving and protecting American democracy should read the full text of the obstruction of justice article of impeachment against Richard Nixon. You will see that Professor Tribe is right about the unmistakable similarities between what Nixon did then and what Trump does now.

As Trump stands on the precipice of triggering a constitutional crisis by firing yet one more leader of the investigation protecting American democracy from foreign attacks against us, Congress and leading constitutional authorities representing all points of view should begin a serious national discussion of exactly what would constitute the impeachable offense of obstruction of justice.

Today, Trump wages political wars against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and special counsel Robert Mueller.

Previously the president fired New York U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara while his office was investigating Russia and money laundering related matters. He fired former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates shortly after she warned the White House about grave danger to national security from the Russia scandal. He fired former FBI Director James Comey, threatened him with the lie that he might have taped their crucial meetings, and bragged to the Russian foreign minister that by firing Comey he cut short investigations involving Russia.

Trump has sought to bully, intimidate, threaten, influence or fire material witnesses to potential crimes and leaders of every major investigation of the Russia scandal.

Trump has made assertions of unlimited presidential power to pardon any person for any crime, which reasonable people might believe is an attempt to influence suspects and material witnesses to potential crimes to refuse to accept plea bargains or to commit perjury, by leading them to believe they will be pardoned for whatever crime they commit out of loyalty to him.

Trump aggressively abuses his power by pressuring Sessions to pursue a partisan investigation of Hillary Clinton.

Trump repeatedly makes false statements about matters central to the Russia investigation. And he aggressively tries to hide crucial information, including his tax returns and full details about any business ties to Russia, that could clear him and others of wrongdoing or provide probative evidence of wrongdoing if it occurred.

Trump has compared intelligence services battling Russian espionage against America to Nazi Germany while he attacks leaders of the Justice Department and the FBI.

I am not advocating here that the president should be impeached. I am proposing that congressional leaders and constitutional scholars immediately begin a profound, informed and nonpartisan discussion about exactly what would constitute an impeachable offense, and evaluate Trump's past and future actions by that standard.

Republican leaders would be well advised, in the interest of their party and our country, to join Democrats and prevent Trump from firing and replacing Sessions through a recess appointment, which would enable Trump to fire Mueller and trigger the firestorm of national outrage and constitutional crisis that would inevitably result.

When Benjamin Franklin was asked whether our America is a monarchy or republic, he replied: "a republic, if you can keep it." Let us never forget those timeless words.
From Reader Supported News

I feel like I've entered Bizarro World. Do you remember Bizarro World from the Superman comics? Everything was opposite. Up was down, night was day, good was bad. The (now former) new presidential press secretary went on the record last week in The New Yorker to describe (now former) presidential chief of staff Reince Priebus as "a f**king paranoid schizophrenic." And he compared himself to presidential adviser Steve Bannon by saying, "I'm not Steve Bannon. I'm not trying to suck my own c*ck."

And so, deeply immersed in Bizarro World, I'm going to come out in support of Jared Kushner. It's not what you think, though. This is about crime and sentencing reform. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Kushner, who, of course, is President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, is working with Congressional Republicans to write a new bill that would promote sentencing reform and would reduce mandatory minimum sentences, particularly in drug cases. This would be in direct conflict with the position of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Unlike the embattled Attorney General, who has sequestered himself inside the Justice Department as his career hangs by a thread, Kushner has been on Capitol Hill meeting with every elected official who means anything to the issue of sentencing reform, including House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah). Kushner has also met quietly with the leaders of a number of organizations involved in criminal justice reform on both the right and the left.

Kushner has a personal reason to focus on sentencing reform. In 2005 his father, Charles Kushner, was sentenced to two years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion. The elder Kushner was prosecuted by an ambitious prosecutor trying to make a name for himself -- Chris Christie. It was the younger Kushner who then sought revenge for his father by effectively blocking Christie from having a job in the new administration. Payback is sweet. But what would be sweeter would be to reform the laws that put Kushner's father behind bars in the first place. What would be sweeter yet would be to reform the entire mandatory minimum sentencing schedule which, since the Clinton administration, has been written in stone.

Mandatory minimums are not just a base amount of time that someone convicted of a crime must serve. They're much more cynical than that. Here's how it works. Let's say I get caught manufacturing methamphetamine. I decide to go to trial because I think I've been overcharged -- that is, charged with a multitude of crimes that I didn't commit. I would plead guilty to a lesser charge, but that hasn't been offered to me. So I go to trial and I'm found guilty.

My mandatory minimum is 57 months. But that's not all. The judge then levies something called "enhancements." First I get a "two-point" enhancement for "failure to accept responsibility." After all, I said I was innocent and I went to trial. That raises me from a mandatory minimum sentencing level 25 to a 27. (Please see the chart here.)

Meanwhile, the rats that I used to work with testified in my trial that I was a "leader" in our conspiracy. That raises me another two points to a 29. I cleaned up my lab after a cook, which the feds call "obstruction of justice," and which bumps me up to a level 30. And as it turns out, I had a DUI charge when I was in college. That raises me from a Category 1 to a Category 2 in terms of "criminal history." All of a sudden my mandatory minimum is 108-135 months. And that's against the 42-48 months that the prosecutor probably offered me in the very beginning, before the trial. It's no wonder our prisons are full.

There's only one reason that I'm at all optimistic that there might be any positive movement on this awful problem. It's that, during the Obama administration, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to allow a bipartisan sentencing reform bill to come to the floor of the Senate for a vote because he didn't want Obama to have yet another legislative victory. With Trump's legislative agenda in utter disarray, maybe it's time for this low-hanging fruit to be picked.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.
From Consortium News



Oliver Stone interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin in Showtime's 'The Putin Interviews.'

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Not surprisingly, the U.S. mainstream media, which has obsessed over the Russia-gate "scandal" for months, is bashing director Oliver Stone for his four-part series of interviews with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the grounds that Stone should have been tougher.

But Stone's subtle and probing interviews of Putin -- The Putin Interviews airing on Showtime -- give the viewer a revealing inside look at the Russian leader, who is by all accounts extremely popular among Russians with approval ratings of around 80 percent.

I spoke with Stone at his Los Angeles offices on July 25th, soon after he was honored with the Gary Webb Freedom of the Press Award by Consortiumnews.com, hosted by award-winning investigative reporter, Robert Parry.

Stone also will receive the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award "for his extraordinary contribution to the art of film" at the 23rd Sarajevo Film Festival in August.

Dennis Bernstein: Oliver Stone, how important was it for you to win the Gary Webb Freedom of the Press Award? Gary Webb, for those who don't know, was the reporter who broke the story about the CIA's relationship to drug traffickers.

Oliver Stone: Gary Webb was a hero of mine, as is Bob Parry. Bob has been with ConsortiumNews for many years. I met him when he was investigating the Iran-Contra affair back in the early 1990s.

DB: Of course, Gary Webb was shredded for the way in which he was able to document the end result of the CIA's involvement with drug traffickers. For a moment he was lauded, but then he was very quickly run out of the trade.

OS: The Iran-Contra affair is a typical example of this country's hypocrisy. It was a huge story and what Reagan did was impeachable. The mainstream press didn't want another shake-up of the government after Nixon. There was never any proper investigation of that mess. When you hear this latest Russian hacking business, it makes you even angrier because the stuff that truly deserves to be is not investigated.

DB: Why did you choose to interview Putin at this time?

OS: While I was in Moscow talking to Edward Snowden a couple years back, I met with Mr. Putin and asked him about Snowden. He was very forthcoming and gave me his very sensible take on the whole affair. I thought it would be a good idea to continue the interviews, though I wasn't sure he would cooperate. We did a series of four visits over two years, starting in June of 2015 and ending in February 2017. I am sure that if he had not been optimistic about the project he wouldn't have continued. We would be in Moscow for just two or three days and it was difficult to see him for more than a couple hours at a time.

Of course, at the time, the 2016 election was supposed to be in the bag for Mrs. Clinton. We went back in February to interview Putin about the election results, which became notorious. Our intention was to make a profile of a world leader who had been villainized by the United States in an almost cartoon fashion since 2006-2007. The fact that the election blossomed into this huge issue only added fuel to the fire. You've seen the criticism of the film in the mass media here.

DB: The corporate mainstream reporting on the Ukraine has been amazing.

OS: It is an historical inaccuracy. If you read the accounts at the time in the Washington Post and the New York Times, there was zero coverage from the other side. Reporters were dismissing these stories as conspiracy theories and this was "on the day of." It was so evidently a coup, the Europeans knew it. Yet, in the United States, we seemed, as we often do, to be blissfully ignorant of the other side of the story.

We are looking for some justification for restarting the Cold War. It was almost as if we were back to confronting the Soviet Union again. We have been stalking Putin since he starting putting the economy back together again. Around 2004 you start to see the earliest criticism of him as a dictator and an embezzler, and so on.

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This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com.

Scandinavia in Maryland?

Medicare for All in One State

By Ann Jones

You may have noticed that quite a few of the formerly united states of America have been choosing to go their own way. My own state, Massachusetts, now blooms with sanctuary cities sworn to protect residents from federal intrusion. Its attorney general, Maura Healey, was among the first to raise the legal challenge to President Trump's Muslim bans. She also sued Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Department of Education for abandoning rules meant to protect students from exploitation by private for-profit schools. (Think Trump University, for instance.) Even my state's Republican governor, Charlie Baker, announced well before the presidential election that he wouldn't vote for Donald Trump.

It's been like the Boston Tea Party all over again, with citizens and public officials refusing to abide by the edicts of their supposedly lawful rulers. And Massachusetts is not alone. Hawaii, Washington State, New York, Minnesota, and Oregon all joined the legal battle against Muslim bans, while many other states have denounced federal policies that threaten the nation's international reputation, the environment, or what's left of democracy itself. So far at least 10 states (as well as Puerto Rico) and more than 200 cities have committed themselves to work toward the environmental goals of the Paris Accord, just as the United States as a nation had promised to do before Trump trashed the deal.

We should recall that our founding fathers cobbled together our federal union -- our United States -- because they were convinced that the revolutionary colonies, each standing on its own, could not survive. For a time, the Civil War did then tear the union apart, and, a century and a half later, here we are, overstretched and teetering under the rule of an administration whose allegiances, if any, are far from clear. But there's no denying a new spirit in many states worthy of the Gadsden Flag of revolutionary times which warned, beneath a drawing of a distinctly American rattlesnake: Don't Tread on Me .

Some prospective political challengers to the current feckless crew in Washington go even further. Take, for example, Ben Jealous, former head of the NAACP, a Democrat now vying to become governor of Maryland in 2018. He's not the only Democrat running for that position, but he's the one endorsed by Bernie Sanders. Jealous advocates something a bit vague called "climate action" plus a $15 minimum wage, an end to mass incarceration, the protection of immigrants, and -- get this -- statewide single-payer Medicare for All.

Let's talk about that health care possibility. Recent polls and reporting by the New York Times indicate that a lot of voters -- including Trump voters -- who opposed Obama's Affordable Care Act have changed their minds. They now not only like Obamacare but want to keep it and improve upon it. As one man in Pennsylvania told the Times, "I can't even remember why I opposed it." What's more, a Pew survey reports that fully 60% of Americans now say that health care for all is the responsibility of the government.

This awakening has been prompted by the unexpectedly enlightening spectacle of belligerent Republicans smuggling tax cuts for the rich into their very own totally man-made plan to deprive tens of millions of Americans of their bodily well-being. West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, drove a stake through the heart of her party's second "health" care plan with a single comment: "I didn't come to Washington to hurt people." (After Trump harangued a crowd of 40,000 at the Boy Scout Jamboree held in Capito's home state, telling them that they "better get Senator Capito to vote for" a third Republican health care plan, she changed her mind, opting to hurt people rather than the President.)

The Stars Align

This combination of circumstances -- the newly rebellious spirit of the states, the collapse of the corrupt Republican Congress, and the absence of executive leadership (as opposed to tweetstorms) -- comes as part of a propitious realignment of astral constellations in America's natal chart. It suggests an opportunity to change course and take action.

Bernie Sanders argued for just such a change during the Democratic presidential debates last year. Remember? He tried hard to push lessons to be learned from the Scandinavian social democracies: Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Every international evaluation rates those countries among the most successful and happiest on the planet, but Sanders proved unable to sell their ideas to Americans. His own understanding of social democracy was on the foggy side and that taboo word "socialist" kept getting in his way. But right now might be just the moment to try again.

Take Ben Jealous and his statewide Medicare for All plan. We're talking about a single-payer universal system that would cover every resident of his state, regardless of the condition of his or her health, and with no insurance companies jockeying for profits in the mix. Such a simple system is the one used by all the Scandinavian countries. If Maryland and other states adopted it, they would be delivering at the state level what most developed nations already provide for their citizens.

Isn't it worth a try? American politicians who refuse to learn lessons from Scandinavia usually dismiss those countries as too "small" to be relevant to America's exceptionally grand experience. And they do have a point: it's surely easier to implement a big plan on a smaller scale.

If that's true, however, then applying Medicare for All at the state level should be easier. And of all the states, only eight have a population greater than that of Scandinavia's biggest country, Sweden (nine million), while 30 states have fewer residents, most far fewer, than either Denmark (5.5 million) or Norway (5.3 million). In short, the most popular argument against single-payer health care for the nation -- the contention that we're way too big for such a system -- simply vanishes if you start at the state level.

But hold on. If a state becomes a single payer, where does it get the money?

Taxes, of course. Progressive income taxes. And let's not forget taxes on corporations and financial transactions. In most states, the money's there, even if it has a way of clinging to the pockets of the rich and disappearing from circulation. The job of any good government should be to collect its fair share of the wealth and redistribute it for the good of all. That's what social democracies do. That's why they're called social democracies.
On July 13 Baxter Dmitry claimed that a former CIA agent, Malcolm Howard had confessed when he learned that he had only weeks left to live, that the CIA blew up WTC tower 7, the third building that was destroyed on September 11, 2001.

It is of course highly questionable whether this story has a reliable background or not. Baxter Dmitry, as it turns out, does not seem to be a reliable source of information. However, in this case, it is of no importance. What matters is that the entire hoax of 9/11 has now come back into people's attention. It was front-page news for a few days, even though of course not on the MSM, the mainstream media.

It did in the meantime become far too obvious to the public that Al Qaeda would never have been able to pull off such a monstrous and gigantic set of events. The truth is more likely that the Saudis and Mossad, the Israeli Intelligence Agency, were the ones who carried out the horrendous deeds on that fateful day that was going to change the course of history -- most likely on the initiative and the backing of the U.S. government.

It is, however, starkly clear who has benefited from this catastrophe. It opened the way for the neocons to start the wars that have all been in the name of anti-terrorism, in spite of the absence of proof of any terrorism whatsoever. Washington has always been the supporter of terrorism and if they claimed to fight 'terrorism' it was always a smokescreen to hide the real fact that they were heading for regime change or utter destruction of a sovereign nation -- or just intending to install fear and meekness in their own people. The word 'terrorism' became current usage after 9/11 and it has served Washington extremely well.

To an astute observer, it is perfectly clear that no foreign power all by itself could possibly have managed to prepare a scenario of this minute kind without very important assistance from the U.S. government.

Let us see what really happened. Planes took off from Logan Airport, Boston, from Dulles Airport, Washington D.C., and from Newark International Airport. At some point in the air the planes changed their planned flight route without any air traffic controllers taking notice or warning some central command. That alone is unheard of. As soon as a plane leaves its planned flight course, the air traffic controllers get into action. Unless they have been told under strict orders and heavy threats to do nothing.

Secondly, NORAD, North American Aerospace Defense Command, did NOTHING as hijackers all over the eastern coast took over passenger planes and crashed them into WTC towers, the Pentagon and, due to fighting in the cockpit (according to the official story), crashed in Pennsylvania, 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

These two striking facts, that no one did anything to prevent what happened from happening, ought to be quite sufficient proof, under ordinary circumstances, to make people see that this was not a matter of attacks by some Arab terrorists.

Now to the technical aspect of this devastating massacre fraught with a web of lies and crimes against the U.S. people and against the entire world as well.

An important addition to the points I have already made is what whistle-blower, Major General Albert Stubblebine III, says in the video, (Published on Apr 1, 2017 -- mentioned several timesagain below) "All of the air defense systems in that part of the country had been turned off that day -- ALL of the air defense systems had been turned off. Why? Apparently because the Vice President was out in Colorado, and he ordered them turned off." End of quote.

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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 []
By Edward Curtin

From edwardcurtin.com

A Wrinkle in Time

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"Man is tormented by no greater anxiety than to find someone quickly to whom he can hand over that great gift of freedom with which the ill-fated creature is born."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky, "The Grand Inquisitor"

It is heartening to know that there are young children still reading books. While a growing majority of parents, who aren't, have been seduced into destroying their children's imaginations by placing them in front of screens, there are still holdouts who realize that if their children are ever to become free- thinking adults, they must grow up expanding their minds in the meditative space of beautiful literature on paper pages. Only there will they find the freedom to dream, to stop and close their eyes as they travel through unknown realms of wonder.

I know young children who are doing that; my grandchildren are. They are doing a most dangerous thing: they are thinking. They are purposely cut-off from the madding crowd that is lost in the disorienting madness of electronic cyberspace.

I have seen some children reading a book that has them thinking about the meaning of freedom, what it means to be an autonomous and courageous individual in a country in which brainwashing has been refined to a fine psychological art, and normality has been proffered as a great achievement by a corporate media serving as stenographers for the power elite. They are learning a profound lesson: that the crowd is untruth and that to be a person one must of necessity stand out.

No, they are not reading Kierkegaard, Orwell, or Dostoevsky. They are reading a writer who sounds the same themes but speaks the language of 9-12 year olds, a supremely intelligent writer of beautiful prose who never condescends to write down to them. They are reading Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.

"You should read it, Papa," my daughter said to me decades ago when she had read it. "You would really like it."

Valuing her judgment and knowing she was asking me to share an experience she felt important to us both, I did just that. And I can gladly report that it is a book of profound importance, a beautiful and exciting "children's" book for children of all ages. I found in reading and rereading it that I better understood the pressures to conform, to give up the struggle for an essential self, that my twelve-year- old daughter and other young people were subjected to. Those pressures, aided and abetted by today's nefarious high-tech social media and their promoters, have increased a hundred-fold. It is supremely ironic that the pressures to conform that L'Engle wrote about in 1962, when the book was published, have become so much more intense because those who became adults in the following years became such conformists themselves by embracing all the high-tech gadgetry they have subsequently placed in their children's vulnerable hands. Books may help one become a Self, but freedom's just another word for most people of any era, who far prefer being part of the crowd and losing themselves in it.

From L'Engle's book I came to see anew the meaning of love and respect for people -- their sacred, inviolable dignity -- that means nothing to tyrants of all sorts who manipulate and abuse people to satisfy their machinations. Rather than just being obvious and crude, today these tyrants are part and parcel of a triumphant therapeutic, celebrity culture that advises: "Just relax and don't fight and it will be much easier for you. Don't stress." In other words, shrink to fit. But their guile and bad faith is so sophisticated that their conformism is advertised as freedom and self-affirmation. "Don't shrink to fit." "Be yourself." "Be Free." Every school child in the country is urged to become "a critical thinker," as they are molded to the rule of group think that dominates the nation's schools. When all have achieved the pedagogues' goal of "critical thinking," there will be no independent thinkers among them.

Since 1962, A Wrinkle in Time has sold over 14 million copies. In its essence it is the story of Meg Murry, a young teenager who feels dumb and ugly and very different from her schoolmates, and who, as fate decrees, must set out on a long journey in search of her true self. "I hate being an oddball," she says, "I try to pretend, but it isn't any help."

Her "problem" is that she is too straightforward and can't, unlike so many of those around her, pretend to be what she isn't, a phony actor. She values honesty over pretense, but finds this is not the way of the so-called normal world, where pretense and living lies prevail. Luckily for her, however, she has a highly precocious and independent five-year-old brother, Charles Wallace, who loves and understands her better than she does herself, and whose support is instrumental in her finally coming to accept and celebrate her own uniqueness and how it is tied to the search for truth in all things.

As the story begins, Meg is confused and hurt because someone or something has caused her father, to whom she is extremely close, to disappear. She misses and yearns for him, but no one, including her mother, can or will tell her anything about his mysterious disappearance. Authority figures, such as the school principal, urge her to give him up for dead, something she adamantly refuses to do.

So with the help of Charles Wallace with his uncanny powers, they meet three wonderful and mysterious figures -- Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. This trinity helps them travel through space and time to the planet Camazotz where their father, a scientist, is held captive by the malign force IT, a pulsing brain that has brainwashed all the inhabitants into being identical automatons with no wills of their own. On Camazotz everyone is comatose; it is a place where everyone has given in, where everyone is alike and no differences are allowed. The brainwasher, IT, the ultimate tyrant, has convinced people to hand over their freedom and wills for a painless existence. It tells the children:

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Simon Bolivar

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The Left and Venezuela was written by Caudio Katz, and appears on ICH. I didn't post it as a Quick-Link, because it is not easy reading at all, and is very long. In fact, after reading it, I cut and pasted it - including all the notes, and e-mailed it to myself. That way I cculd take the time to understand the many inferences and nuances the Author makes about the "Left" in South America and elsewhere.



After I sliced and diced this, I marked up the copy I printed. It doesn't actually discuss 'what' the Left consists of today, but the Author is very clear on one point, it does not include the Social Democrats. He says Social Democrats [My definition: Sweden, Norway, The 'Sandernistas'], are neither Socialists nor Leftists. In his opinion they are Capitalists with a veneer - mostly of linguistics, not firm principles or economic philosophy... I do agree with that, altho many people think they are much better than nothing.



That said, the article makes a clear distinction between the supporters of The Bolivarian Revolution, and the Opposition. It is a distinction I also agree with wholeheartedly.

Maduro is far from perfect. He has made far too many concessions to the Oligarchy. Yet, Maduro refuses to give up or quit. I'd imagine that after being chosen by Hugo Chavez as his Heir, Maduro cannot quit, or surrender, and continue to live with himself. Chavez may have seen more in this man than is apparent to many of us, but in one important thing he was 100% right: Maduro is NOT a Quitter!



Given the result of the Election for the Constituent Assembly, there is no question that the Bolivarian Revolution has the support of the People of Venezuela, if not the Oligarchy.



A couple of other points the Article makes: If the Opposition 'wins' in Venezuela it will end the Bolivarian Revolution, at least for now. Simon Bolivar died some 200 years ago and still his Revolution continues today. I doubt if it ends as a result of yet another loss, at least not while the Ideal remains in the hearts and minds of the people. But with the multitude of disasters on the horizon, that may be a 'distinction without a difference'.





When I watched some of the Videos of the turnout it truly was heartening. One of the earliest Voters got there around 4:00 a.m. to cast her Ballot. After waiting patiently for hours to do so, she was interviewed by TeleSur. Turns out this Chavista is 101 Years Old!



That kind of dedication and support may make the difference in the very unequal fight between the Empire of Greed, and the Believers in Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution. Let's hope and pray that it does!
From Moyers & Company

Yes, our health system is broken, but broken systems can be fixed -- not easily, but they can be fixed.



A portrait of Lyndon B. Johnson by Peter Hurd.

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Watching the craziness in the Senate this week, as Mitch McConnell and the GOP's zealots drove their clown car into a brick wall and yet another effort to take away health care coverage from millions crashed and burned, I thought back to a different turn of events.

It was 52 years ago Sunday -- July 30, 1965. Two American presidents celebrated the birth of Medicare, the most significant advance toward national health insurance in America's history.

I was a White House assistant at the time, working for President Lyndon B. Johnson as he coaxed, cajoled, badgered, buttonholed and maneuvered Congress into enacting Medicare for the aging and Medicaid to help low-income people. For all the public displays over the years of his outsized personae and powers of persuasion, this time he had kept a low profile, working behind the scenes as his legislative team and career health care experts practically lived on Capitol Hill, negotiating with members of Congress and their staffs.

From the White House, LBJ worked the phones; invited senators and representatives singly and collectively in for coffee, drinks or dinner; listened attentively in private to opponents and proponents from interests as varied as business, labor, medicine and religion; and kept in his head a running tally of the fluctuating vote count.



As it had been for decades, it was a tough fight down to the wire. A look back is instructive, not only to show how long it can take to move a legislative dream to reality but also to illustrate how a president with a grasp of history and knowledge of how government works is crucial to making success possible.

In 1935, when President Franklin Roosevelt first tried and failed to get health insurance included as part of Social Security, I was one year old and my family was broke. The Great Depression had ended my father's tenant farming. He took a job for a dollar a day as a laborer on the construction of a highway in southeast Oklahoma.

Earlier, my mother had lost twin girls -- one at birth, the other some months later -- because the nearest doctor was too far away to arrive in time to help. My parents moved into town. To pay the doctor who delivered me, my father lugged large stones by hand to the site the physician had bought to build his first office. It's still there.

At about this time in Washington, Republicans, conservative Democrats and the American Medical Association (AMA) were winning their fight to sink President Roosevelt's proposal for health insurance. Congress was intimidated, and in August 1935 FDR gave up, signing the Social Security Act without health coverage.

Eight years later, in the midst of World War II, he once again called for social insurance "that will extend from the cradle to the grave." And again, his proposal went nowhere.

On FDR's death, Harry Truman became president. In his 1948 Message to Congress on the State of the Union, he said:

"This great nation cannot afford to allow its citizens to suffer needlessly from the lack of proper medical care. Our ultimate aim must be a comprehensive insurance system to protect all our people equally against insecurity and ill health."

Congress still refused to budge. Running for election in his own right that year, and way behind in the polls, Truman won an upset victory after demanding that health care insurance and civil rights be included in the Democratic Party platform. That same year, congressman Lyndon Johnson of Texas, whose home district was Democratic and liberal in a state turning increasingly Republican and conservative, was running for election to the US Senate. He opposed Truman's health care plan as socialistic and was elected.

In 1952, Republicans won control of Congress for the first time since 1932 and hardened their stand against a national health care program. War hero Dwight Eisenhower won the presidency for the Republicans. He, too, opposed the plan that had been shelved by Congress before Truman left office.

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From Paul Craig Roberts Website

We should be scared to death that Sally Q. Yates served as a prosecutor in the Justice (sic) Department for 27 years. In the New York Times Sally takes high umbrage to Trump's criticism of his attorney general, Sessions, and blows Trump's disappointment with Sessions into an attack by Trump on the rule of law.

Sally has it backwards. The rule of law is being attacked by the appointment of a special prosecutor to find something on Trump in the absence of any evidence of a crime.

In 1940 US attorney general Robert Jackson warned federal prosecutors against "picking the man and then putting investigators to work, to pin some offense on him. It is in this realm -- in which the prosecutor picks some person whom he dislikes or desires to embarrass, or selects some group of unpopular persons and then looks for an offense -- that the greatest danger of abuse of prosecuting power lies. It is here that law enforcement becomes personal, and the real crime becomes that of being unpopular with the predominant or governing group, being attached to the wrong political views or being personally obnoxious to, or in the way of, the prosecutor himself."

Robert Jackson has given a perfect description of what is happening to President Trump at the hands of special prosecutor Robert Mueller.

Trump is vastly unpopular with the ruling establishment, with the Democrats, with the military/security complex and their bought-and-paid-for Senators, and with the media for proving wrong all the smart people's prediction that Hillary would win the election in a landslide.

From day one this cabal has been out to get Trump, and they have given the task of framing up Trump to Mueller. An honest man would not have accepted the job of chief witch-hunter, which is what Mueller's job is.

The breathless hype of a nonexistent "Russian collusion" has been the lead news story for months despite the fact that no one, not the CIA, not the NSA, not the FBI, not the Director of National Intelligence, can find a scrap of evidence. In desperation, three of the 17 US intelligence agencies picked a small handful of employees thought to lack integrity and produced an unverified report, absent of any evidence, that the hand-picked handful thought that there might have been a collusion. On the basis of what evidence they do not say.

That nothing more substantial than this led to a special prosecutor shows how totally corrupt justice in America is.

Furthermore the baseless charge itself is an absurdity. There is no law against an incoming administration conversing with other governments. Indeed, Trump, Flynn, and whomever should be given medals for quickly moving to smooth Russian feathers ruffled by the reckless Bush and Obama regimes. What good for anyone can come from ceaselessly provoking a nuclear Russian bear?

The new Russian sanctions bill passed by Congress is an act of reckless idiocy. It was done without consulting Europe, which will bear the cost of the bill and might reject it, thus sending shock waves through the fragile American empire.

Congress' thoughtless bill is a violation of the separation of powers. Foreign policy is the executive branch's arena. The feckless Obama put the sanctions on. Obviously, if a president can put sanctions on, a president can take sanctions off.

Trump should take his case to the American people, not via Twitter, but with a major speech. Fox News and Alex Jones, either of which has a larger audience than CNN and the New York Times, would broadcast Trump's speech. Trump should make the case that Congress is over-reaching its constitutional authority and also preventing a reduction in dangerous tensions between nuclear powers. Trump should ask the American people forthright if they want to be driven into war with Russia by gratuitous provocation after provocation.

Because of the powers that Bush and Obama thoughtlessly gave the presidency, Trump can declare a national emergency, cancel Congress, and arrest whomever he wishes. Of course, the presstitute media would do everything possible to sway the people and the US military against the state of emergency, but if there were a real "Russian collusion," Trump would have Putin initiate a major crisis that would bring the people and the military to Trump's side. That no such thing will happen is total proof that there is no "Russian collusion."

Even the Washington Post, an initiator and leader of the breathless "Russian collusion" lie has now published an article, "The quest to Prove Collusion is Crumbling," that concludes that the entire orchestration is a hoax.

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Over 200 delegates from Ghana and the United Kingdom have recently attended a 2-day trade and investment forum. The objective of the forum was to showcase Ghana and her business opportunities as a continuing re-energized and dynamic Sub Saharan African business partner.



The forum highlighted the renewed interest in Ghana by British businesses and investors.



Organized by the UK- Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) in partnership with the Developing Markets Association (DMA), the forum attracted top government officials from Ghana like the Ghanaian High Commissioner to the UK, Papa Owusu - Ankomah, Ghanas Senior Minister, Hon. Yaw Osafo-Marfo and the Prime Ministers Trade Envoy to Ghana, Hon. Adam Afriye. It was the forth in series but the first with Ghanas new government.



A number of specific investment sectors including railways, energy and infrastructure were discussed at the forum.



Ghanas Senior Minister, Hon. Osafo Marfo in his remarks expressed the need for Ghanaian businesses established in the UK to invest in the various sectors of Ghana.



He said Ghana is open for business. The government is private sector focused and keen to grow the economy through the private sector with support from the public sector.



Ghana is ready to do business to help improve her economy and foster development for the benefit of all parties. He added.



The CEO of UKGCC, Tony Burkson said, This is the very reason the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce was formed - to act as a platform for Ghanaian businesses and UK businesses and UK government and Ghana government to interact in an open and transparent way. The chamber is taking this particular mandate very seriously and continues to promote interaction between our two countries.



Businesses already invested and businesses looking forward to invest in Ghana had the opportunity to engage with the relevant ministers and officials present.



Some of the government officials present at the forum included the Deputy Minister of Energy, Hon. Joseph Cudjoe, Minister of Railway Development, Hon. Joe Ghartey, CEO, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr. Kofi Koduah Sarpong, and the CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) R. Yofi Grant.



The Forum was supported by: Ghana International Bank; INTL FCStone; Tullow Oil; Appolonia; Unity Link and Quantum Power.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









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The opening ceremony of the 7th cohort for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) West Africa was held on Sunday July 30, 2017 at GIMPA where its Regional Leadership Centre is situated.



120 participants from 9 West African countries have since commenced their leadership training at the Centre. These participants were selected after months of recruitment and careful planning. The ceremony took place at the GIMPA Executive Conference Hall.



In her welcome speech, the Director of YALI West Africa, Shola Safo-Duodu (Ph.D) mentioned that the centre had trained 1657 participants in the previous cohorts who are excelling in their diverse fields of endeavour. She was confident that this years will be no different. She indicated that her goal has been and still is to make the RLC, a world-class leadership training institute.



Participants, between ages 18 and 35 years from Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Burkina Faso and Cameroon, were selected through a highly transparent and competitive process. They will undergo a 5 week residential innovative leadership training from the 30th of July to the 1st of September, 2017. The sessions will feature ethics, contemporary Issues affecting Africa and three specialization tracks of study namely: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civil Society Leadership, and Public Management. The training will be followed by 12-weeks of Mentoring and Internships in their various countries.



Dr. Safo-Duodu thanked partners namely: USAID, the MasterCard Foundation, The Private Enterprise Foundation, Africa 2.0., Microsoft, The DOW Chemical Company, GIMPA and other potential supporters such as Care International, YNG interns Africa, TY Danjuma Foundation, GLOBACOM, Guinness, Integriti PR and Impact Hub. She also hinted that centre aims to attract more partners to pursue this all important mission of grooming more African leaders. It therefore welcomes corporate and private institutions who want to help chart this course.



She announced on-going efforts at enacting global networking opportunities between YALI West Africa and institutions such as the Harvard Business School and the Saginaw Valley State University. YALI was launched by former President Barack Obama as a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. In July 2014, President Obama announced the creation of four YALI Regional Leadership Centres in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Senegal.



According to the Head of Corporate Affairs at YALI West Africa (Accra RLC), Mrs. Sefa Gohoho-Boatin, The Centre provides and promotes collaboration and a forward-leaning culture of diversity that entails dreaming and thinking differently to define and realise ones potential. The three available tracks are inclusive embracing future leaders regardless of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion or disability.



The YALI Regional Leadership Centres are a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in close partnership with the MasterCard Foundation and other local and international partners across Africa.



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The ownership and management of the Ghanaian media is male dominated, however, three women are proving to be trailblazers in the sector.



A research conducted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) dubbed the Media Ownership Monitor project has found that of the 25 monitored media companies only two have female owners: Stella Wilson Agyepong for Oman FM Limited and Edith Dankwa for Business and Financial Times Limited.



According to the research, women also rarely hold management positions: out of the 21 identifiable CEOs, only three are female: Edith Dankwah for Business and Financial Times Ltd., Carol Anang for state-owned New Times Corporation, and Gina Blay for Western Publications.



GAB Productions Limited owned by Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko and his wife Nana Adjoa Hackman Otchere-Darko as well as Western Publication Limited owned by The Blay Family - Frederick Blay, Gina Blay and Kwame Blay - list a woman as minority shareowner. Both are wives of the majority shareholder of the respective companies.



The gender ratio for board members of media organizations also followed a similar pattern.



Edith Dankwa (Business & Financial Times)



Edith Dankwa has developed Business & Financial Times Limited into an award-winning Superbrand (2012) that was adjudged as the Best Newspaper for Social Security Reporting by Ghanas pensions organisation, the Social Security and Insurance Trust in 2012 and 2013.



For her achievements, Edith Dankwa was declared Best Print Media Entrepreneur in 2011. She was also recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Personalities in Ghana for 2013.



Edith Dankwa has formerly served on a number of boards including TV3, Ghanas biggest private TV network, and the International Chamber of Commerce (Ghana). She is also the chairperson of the African Business Leaders Foundation. Besides being invested in media management positions, she is board member of Unilever Ghana.



In 2016, she also founded the Executive Women Network, together with five other successful business women. They aim to encourage women to strive for success and take responsibility on the national and international level.



She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management Studies, a Post Graduate Certificate in Marketing as well as in Newspaper Management, and an Executive MBA from the GIMPA Business School. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Business Administration (International Business).



Mrs Stella Wilson-Agyapong (Kencity Media)



Mrs Stella Wilson-Agyapong is the registered owner of Oman FM Limited (Kencity Media) which manages Oman FM and Net 2 TV, according to the National Communications Authority.



She is married to Kennedy Ohene Agyapong. They are involved in the KenCity Group of Companies, which comprises of 13 companies stretching from media, cold stores to real estate.



Kennedy Agyapong is the CEO of KenCity Media, his wife Stella operates as the companys owner according to the National Communication Authority. There is, however, no company profile at Registrar General on Oman FM Limited or Kencity Media.



She was a Council Member of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) from 2010 to 2012. She was nominated as Media Entrepreneur of the Year, for an award for the media entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional media entrepreneurship skills in 2013.



Mrs Stella Wilson-Agyapong is the owner of Mina D'Oro Ventures and Messrs Imperial World Business Limited and all subsidiaries of KenCity Group of Companies.



Ms Carol Annang (New Times Corporation)



The National Media Commission (NMC) in consultation with President John Dramani Mahama appointed Ms Carol Annang, the Chief Executive Officer of New World Securities, as the Managing Director of New Times Corporation (NTC) in 2015.



Her appointment, which took effect on January 2, 2015 and will expire in four years (2019).



Ms Annang, is a product of Achimota School and the University of Ghana, holds a B.Sc Administration in Accounting and a Masters degree in Business Administration, with a Marketing option.



Nana Adjoa Hackman Otchere-Darko (GAB Productions Limited)



Nana Adjoa Hackman Otchere-Darko is married to Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko and both practice in a law firm called Africa Legal Associates as senior partners and managing partners, respectively.



The couple also owns shares in a company called GAB Productions Limited, according to the Register General. GAB Productions Limited publishes The Statesman newspaper.



Nana Adjoa was not known much in the public space until recently when she was appointed a member of the board of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). She owns GAB Productions Limited.



Gina Blay (Western Publication Limited)



Gina Blay is a Ghanaian journalist and diplomat married to Frederick Blay.



She is currently Ghana's ambassador to Germany and also doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of Western Publication Limited a print media house. The main publication of the house is Daily Guide Newspaper.



She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and survived the ailment after a series of chemotherapy treatments.



Gina Blay is married to the acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay.

Source: Daily Graphic









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Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas awarded a $7.2 million contract Aug. 1 to Tikigaq Construction LLC of Alaska, for a landfill closure capping system on Andersen Air Force Base.

"This contract award is consistent with our strict adherence to environmental rules and regulations as we prepare to close the municipal solid waste landfill on Andersen Air Force Base," said Cmdr. Warren LeBeau, NAVFAC Marianas executive officer. "It is an excellent example of our commitment to environmental stewardship and I'm pleased that we've identified a qualified small business partner for this significant initiative."

The work includes construction of a final cover system, passive landfill gas venting system, final cover slope protection drainage system, upgrades to the leachate system, and an all-weather access road with a lined drainage swale.

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In addition, the scope of work includes installation of additional groundwater monitoring wells as required by applicable laws and regulations; construction of a perimeter roadway and perimeter subsurface drainage system to facilitate long-term maintenance and monitoring of the landfill cover system.

This contract also includes an option to process and dispose of approximately 5,000 tons of scrap wood and green waste to a Guam EPA permitted solid waste management facility in Guam.

This is a firm-fixed-price contract and work is expected to be completed by February 2019.
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The global aerogel market is on the rise due to increased applications of aerogel in industries such as oil & gas, marine, automotive, and aerospace. Aerogel is an extremely low density solid material, mainly composed of air, and is manufactured using conventional gel. Global aerogel market consists of material exhibiting numerous properties, making it suitable for the applications in aforementioned industries. These properties include thermal & acoustic damping, low density, high degree of porosity and other desired properties in various applications industries. In addition to the abundant uses of aerogel in industrial applications, one of the key reasons for increasing global aerogel market is due to the fact that the material is being witnessed as a good replacement for thermal insulation materials, since it is providing cost competitiveness to other high performance thermal insulating materials.Aerogel Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing demand of aerogels by the end users such as oil & gas, automotive, marine & aerospace , etc. are driving the global aerogel market. Growing globalization leading to an increase in investments, new establishments for construction and properties of aerogel such as high insulation, being cheap and abundant availability of the raw material are some of the factors driving the growth of global aerogel market. High production cost is the major challenging factor for the growth of global aerogel market.Aerogel Market: SegmentationIn terms of application industry, the global aerogel market is segmented into key applications:Oil & gasMarine & aerospacePerformance coatingsLVHSDay-lightingAutomotiveConstructionWithin these applications, the oil & gas industry accounts for a leading share in the global aerogel market. Among other applications, wherein significant growth is likely to be witnessed is automotive and construction applications, wherein thermal insulation properties of aerogel material are being exploited.On the basis of product types, the global aerogel market is can be segmented into:SilicaPolymerCarbonThese different types of aerogel are being utilized in the global marketplace, wherein polymer type of aerogel is expected to witness the highest growth in coming years. In terms of market share, the global aerogel market has been dominated by silica type aerogel, which is likely to continue its dominance through the forecast period as well.On the basis of forms, the global aerogel market has been segmented into:MonolithBlanketArticlePanel formThe global aerogel market is dominated by blanket form of aerogel, which is widely used for thermal insulation applications across the industries. The global aerogel market is expected to witness the tremendous growth in particle form of aerogel, which is expected to contribute towards the growth in demand for aerogel in global aerogel market during the forecast period.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-927 On the basis of processing segment, the global aerogel market has also been segmented into:Virgin processedFabricatedIn terms of processing, within the global aerogel market, virgin aerogel is witnessed to be the dominating processing segment. This is due to the fact that virgin aerogel is free from composites and additives, which enables its applications in research & development activities. Further virgin aerogel is accompanied with high commercial availability in the global aerogel market.Aerogel Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global aerogel market has witnessed increased growth in North American region, which accounts for a leading share in the global aerogel market. Followed by North America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region accounts for the second leading regions in terms of aerogel consumption across the globe, which is due to high amount of consumption in China. However, the European market is likely to be the leading region, in terms of annual growth, in years to come.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-927 Aerogel Market: Key PlayersThe global aerogel market is dominated by major players such as Cabot Corporation, Aerogel Technologies LLC, Aspen Aerogels, Inc. and BASF SE, to name a few.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 16:53:01



In one year, ERI Scientific Beta has seen its assets under replication grow by 60%

ERI Scientific Beta, the smart beta index provider offshoot of EDHEC Risk Institute, has announced that assets tracking its smart beta indices had reached USD 16.46bn at June 30, 2017. In terms of geographical distribution, these assets come from North America (51%), Europe (46%) and Asia-Pacific (3%).

Compared to June 30, 2016, this amount of assets under replication represents growth of 60%.

An important driver of the growth in assets replicating Scientific Beta indices is live performance. The first generation Scientific Beta multi-smart-factor indices created in 2013 have a live track record for over 3 years that shows annualised outperformance of 2.20%1.

Commenting on the announcement Noel Amenc, CEO of ERI Scientific Beta, said, "Scientific Beta's success over the past four years is due in no small part to the fact that its investment philosophy has proven attractive to major institutional investors throughout the world. This investment philosophy is based on three major principles: the importance of controlling the risks of the investment, because the alternative choice to the cap-weighted index means that one takes different risks, and these risks must be controlled; the essential diversification of the specific risks of the benchmark to produce robust risk-adjusted performance and avoid good long-term investment ideas being called into question by poor short-term performance due to poor diversification; and the concern for robustness, which implies that the design of an index must rely on academic consensus and not on innovations drawn from optimising the returns or the in-sample characteristics of the strategy proposed."



ERI Scientific Beta, 1 George Street, #15-02, Singapore 049145. For further information, please contact: E-mail: As part of its policy of transferring know-how to the industry, EDHEC-Risk Institute has set up ERI Scientific Beta. ERI Scientific Beta is an original initiative which aims to favour the adoption of the latest advances in smart beta design and implementation by the whole investment industry. Its academic origin provides the foundation for its strategy: offer, in the best economic conditions possible, the smart beta solutions that are most proven scientifically with full transparency of both the methods and the associated risks.ERI Scientific Beta, 1 George Street, #15-02, Singapore 049145. For further information, please contact: E-mail: contact@scientificbeta.com , Web: www.scientificbeta.com

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: EDHEC-Risk Institute via Globenewswire









# 717 Words



The average live outperformance across all Scientific Beta developed regions of Scientific Beta Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy (Equal Weight and Equal Risk Contribution) indices is 2.19% and 2.21%. This live analysis is based on daily total returns in the period from December 20, 2013 (live date) to June 30, 2017 for all diversified multi-strategy indices that have more than 3 years of track record for all available developed world regions - USA, Eurozone, UK, Developed Europe, Developed Europe ex UK, Japan, Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan, Developed ex UK, Developed ex USA and Developed. The benchmark used is a cap-weighted portfolio of all stocks in the respective Scientific Beta universes.
Automotive Composites Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 06:23:00

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# 652 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

The growing technological advancement and consistent focus on high performance vehicle has surged demand for automotive composites. A composite is a composition of two or more chemically different phases and insoluble materials which are of high performance fiber like carbon or glass in a matrix material like epoxy polymer that when combined with each other provides much more enhanced properties as compared with the properties of the individual materials itself. Such composites when deployed in automobiles and automotive are then called automotive composites. The main advantage of using automotive composites in the manufacturing of vehicles like cars, trolleys, trucks etc. is that they are approximately 60% lighter than steel or iron and are good in terms of stiffness and strength. Moreover, automotive composites are corrosion resistant unlike steel. Vehicle weight is an important factor in respect to performance of a vehicle. Automotive composites can significantly increase the fuel economy of the vehicle by reducing the vehicle weight. Automotive composites can be added to the vehicles body in a single layer as well as in multiple layers. One material between two other materials when mixed gives a sandwich composite which can be used in the construction of the roof and inner coatings of the vehicle. The automotive composites are used in the manufacture and refurbishing of vehicles like cars, utility vehicles, and inner coatings of vehicles, trucks, buses and vehicle interiors. Automotive composites increase the vehicles resistance to heat as well as reduces the external impact on the vehicle.Global Automotive Composites Market: SegmentationOn the basis of composite material type, the global automotive composites market can be segmented into:Metal CompositesPolymer CompositesNatural Fiber CompositesGlass Fiber CompositesCarbon Fiber CompositesCeramic Matrix CompositesOn the basis of manufacturing process, the global automotive composites market can be segmented into:Compression ProcessInjection ProcessManual ProcessOthersOn the basis of composite component application, the global automotive composites market can be segmented into:Engine ComponentsDrivetrain ComponentsInterior ComponentExterior ComponentsOthersRequest Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1216 Global Automotive Composites Market: Drivers & RestraintsIncreasing urban population is the key factor driving the growth of the global automotive composites market. Moreover, rising industrialization in developing countries like India, China etc. is a key element encouraging the deployment of automotive manufacturing facilities in these countries. Increasing automobile production globally is a major factor fuelling the growth of the overall global automotive composites market. Further, increasing carbon emissions from vehicles is promoting the governmental bodies to revamp several aspects in a way to adhere to environmental regulations and norms thus boosting the growth of the global automotive composites market. Since deployment of automotive composites in vehicles increase the vehicles fuel efficiency and reduces the vehicle weight by 60%, customers are more tending towards vehicles made of automotive composites thus driving the growth of the global automotive composites market. Increased demand for electric and hybrid vehicles are also boosting the growth of the market.The high cost of manufacturing composite materials is the major challenge faced by the global automotive composites market. Moreover, use of automotive composites in high end vehicle models is acting as a challenge to the growth of the global automotive composites market as customers prioritize to buy mid-range vehicles instead of high end vehicles. Moreover, manufacturing of automotive composites take a much longer time than steel and aluminum thus this factor is also acting as a minor restraint in the market.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1216 Global Automotive Composites Market: Key PlayersThe key players identified in the global automotive composites market are:Owens CorningToray Industries IncJohns ManvilleCytec Market IndustriesSGL GroupNippon Sheet Glass CompanyTeijin LimitedJushi Group Co, Ltd.SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KGJohnson Controls, Inc.E.I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyUFP Technologies, Inc.Scott Bader Company Ltd.Koninklijke Ten Cate N.V.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 09:04:01

BearingPoint joined forces with Continental ITS on a breakthrough project to design a digital platform for drivers, enabling Continental to redefine its customer relationships

BearingPoint: Continental Transforms Its Business with a Digital Service Model

BearingPoint

Alexander Bock, +49 89 540338029

Manager Communications

alexander.bock@bearingpoint.com

Customer experience is a big driver of connected vehicles, and just as consumers expect seamless digital solutions from their banks and fashion retailers, so too do they have the same expectations from their road vehicles. Continental ITS worked with management and technology consultancy BearingPoint to develop new digital service offerings for drivers and, in so doing, deepened the relationship with customers.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708010056

BearingPoint: Continental Transforms Its Business with a Digital Service Model (Photo: Business Wire)

Commenting on the teams goal of positioning Continental ITS as an end-to-end service provider, Arno Semmelroth, Director of Ideation, Continental AG, said, With BearingPoints help we were able to rapidly accelerate and professionalise the process of becoming a digital ecosystem.

Continental already had an extremely successful business of supplying vehicle parts to service centers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In addition, it could communicate directly with customers by sending data messages to onboard units, which reported on fuel consumption, range and efficiency. But with technological advancements and dynamic markets, the company did not want to squander its chance to develop its value network further: it has set up a smart mobility platform for its customers.

Using eHorizon, a state-of-the-art dynamic mapping system that updates the cars digital map in real-time, Continental had a basis for enhancing its communications with customers. The system harnesses swarm intelligence to continuously supply the digital map in the back-end with accurate and up-to-date information. This ensures drivers are informed in advance of obstacles along their route, such as roadwork, debris and traffic jams.

The sticking point was which digital services it should focus on. Together with BearingPoint, a team was assembled to devise the right digital services specifically for motorcyclists.

BearingPoints Digital Innovation Generator formed the heart of the approach to transform Continental ITS from a traditional service to a digital service model business. In the words of Rene Korner, Senior Manager Strategy & Business Development, Continental AG, BearingPoints Digital Innovation Generator considers all relevant facets of a service offering. In this way we were able to reduce learning curves and use a structured framework to convince all participants of our approach.

Beginning with Continentals current position, the tool uses a tailored, iterative methodology to tackle product service development and business model definition, and concludes with implementation support.

Some of the key benefits that arose from the project:

Setting up new value propositions for both existing customers (automotive OEMs, etc.) and new customers (motorcyclists) by launching eHorizon

Developing the business concept eHorizon for motorcycles with Continental ITS as an end-to-end service provider

Creating a sophisticated digital service offering that forms the basis of a broader digital ecosystem

This digital ecosystem will enable the business to participate in such areas as smart cities

Presenting Continental ITS as an orchestrator in smart mobility by combining hardware and software

The project has equipped Continental with the mindset and toolset to quickly identify and capture business opportunities in the future for exceptional market share growth, said Stefan Penthin, Global Leader Operations at BearingPoint.

For more information, you can download the case study here: https://www.bearingpoint.com/en/our-success/client

About BearingPoint

BearingPoint is an independent management and technology consultancy with European roots and a global reach. The company operates in three units: Consulting, Solutions and Ventures. Consulting covers the advisory business; Solutions provides the tools for successful digital transformation, regulatory technology and advanced analytics; Ventures drives the financing and development of start-ups. BearingPoints clients include many of the worlds leading companies and organizations. The firm has a global consulting network with more than 10,000 people and supports clients in over 75 countries, engaging with them to achieve measurable and sustainable success.

For more information, please visit:

Homepage: www.bearingpoint.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bearingpoint

Twitter: @BearingPoint

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708010056
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 09:03:01

Bicycle Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team with Appointment of Lee Kalowski as Chief Financial Officer

Ten Bridge Communications (U.S.)

Sarah Sutton, +1-518-932-3680

Sarah@tenbridgecommunications.com

or

Consilium Strategic Communications (EU)

Mary-Jane Elliott / Chris Gardner / Ivar Milligan, +44 20 3709 5700

Bicycle@consilium-comms.com

Bicycle Therapeutics, a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of therapeutics based on its proprietary bicyclic peptide (Bicycle) product platform, today announced the appointment of Lee Kalowski as Chief Financial Officer.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708010055

Bicycle Therapeutics Expands Leadership Team with Appointment of Lee Kalowski as Chief Financial Officer (Photo: Business Wire)

We are delighted to welcome Lee to the Bicycle team at this exciting time for our company, said Dr. Kevin Lee, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Bicycle Therapeutics. He brings a wealth of experience working with biotech companies at all stages of their evolution, both as a Wall Street research analyst and as a public company CFO, and his insights will prove invaluable as we continue to grow our business, expand our pipeline and move our lead candidate, BT1718, into clinical development.

Prior to joining Bicycle, Mr. Kalowski served as the Chief Financial Officer of Tokai Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he helped lead the companys $105 million initial public offering in 2014. Previously, he was vice president, global biotechnology equity research at Credit Suisse, where he served as a senior research analyst covering the biotechnology sector. Before that, he worked in mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson and in global pharmaceutical equity research at Sanford C. Bernstein and Prudential Equity Group. Mr. Kalowski received a B.A. in biology and economics from Union College and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Bicycle has pioneered a revolutionary platform that has generated a new class of drugs designed to target diseases more effectively, said Mr. Kalowski. I am thrilled to be joining the company as the pipeline continues to expand and as the company transitions into a clinical-stage biotech company.

About Bicycle Therapeutics

Bicycle Therapeutics is developing a new class of medicines to treat oncology and other important diseases based on its proprietary bicyclic peptide (Bicycle) product platform. Bicycles exhibit the affinity and exquisite target specificity usually associated with antibodies. Their small size enables rapid and deep tissue penetration, allowing tissues and tumours to be targeted from within. Their peptidic nature provides a tuneable pharmacokinetic half-life and a renal route of clearance, thus avoiding the liver and gastrointestinal tract toxicity often seen with other drug modalities. Bicycle Therapeutics is rapidly advancing towards the clinic with its lead programs using Bicycle Drug Conjugates to selectively deliver toxins to tumours. Bicycle Therapeutics is collaborating in oncology and other areas to realise the full potential of the technology. Bicycle Therapeutics unique intellectual property is based on the work initiated at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, U.K., by the scientific founders of the company, Sir Gregory Winter and Professor Christian Heinis. Bicycle Therapeutics is headquartered in Cambridge, U.K., with a U.S. subsidiary in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.bicycletherapeutics.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708010055
Catharanthine Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 06:14:57

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# 578 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Medicinal plants today form a major portion of rich biodiversity globally and are still not explored to its potential. The need for the new medicinal products out from the plant has received a great interest in the present research world due to high cost and the higher side effects that are associated with the chemically manufactured drug. Catharanthine is defined as an alkaloid which is isolated from catharanthus roseus, which is a potent medicinal plant for many of the pharmacological reactions such as antimicrobial, antioxidant and antidiabetic effect amongst others. The essential chemical, can be used as a starting material for the synthesis of the anti-tumour drugs vinblastine and vincristine. It stimulates the release of amylase from pancreatic fragments and causes extensive degranulation of pancreatic acinar cells. Catharanthine finds a number of application in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. It is highly utilized in the treatment of childhood cancer. Catharanthine is less known in the market and hence is at the initial stage of advancement showcasing high potential over the forecast period. Catharanthine is relatively new to the market and hence, the global catharanthine market is very niche. Moreover, with the increasing awareness among market players about the benefits of catharanthine, the market is anticipated to witness a high growth over the forecast period.Global Catharanthine Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global catharanthine market is mainly driven by the growth in the medical and pharmaceutical industry. Currently, the global healthcare expenditure represents 10.6% of the overall GDP and is anticipated to register a steady CAGR of 5% in the next five years. Catharanthine finds major application in healthcare industry. The rise in chronic diseases has led to the increase in the demand for pharmaceutical products, which in turn is projected to boost the global catharanthine market by the end of forecast period. Moreover, some of the other macro-economic factors affecting the global catharanthine market are aging population, changing lifestyle of people and the increase in disposable income of people. The global catharanthine market is anticipated to grow with the technological advancements undertaken by most of the global manufacturers. More and more players are expected to invest in the catharanthine production in the coming years.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1197 Global Catharanthine Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the global catharanthine market is segmented intoCatharanthine sulfateCatharanthine tartrateOn the basis of end use industry, the global catharanthine market is segmented intoFood & beveragePharmaceuticalGlobal Catharanthine Market: Region-wise OutlookIn terms of geography, the global catharanthine market has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. The catharanthine market is concentrated in North America region and is expected to contribute maximum market share as North America contributes maximum share in the global pharmaceutical industry. This is typically due to the prominent role of US pharmaceutical sector. Asia Pacific is also expected to demonstrate highest growth rate in the global catharanthine market. This is basically due to the growing pharmaceutical industry in emerging economies such as India and China. The European countries are also expected to contribute a prominent share in the global catharanthine market.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1197 Global Catharanthine Market: Key PlayersKey players in the global catharanthine market include AK Scientific Inc, Stanford Chemicals, Cayman Chemicals, Bio Vision Inc, Enzo Biochem Inc, Hainan Yueyang Biotech Co Ltd, Abcam and ChemFaces.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 14:03:02

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crown Bioscience, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crown Bioscience International (TWSE: ticker 6554) and a global drug discovery and development services company providing translational platforms to advance oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic disease research, announces the launch of pre-clinical models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to help inform decision making in pre-clinical drug development. These models mark the first of many the company plans to release as part of our commitment to serve autoimmune and inflammatory disease researchers.

CrownBio has developed mechanistically diverse models of RA and IBD to drive pre-clinical drug development. The models have been scientifically designed to evoke the similar clinical features observed in humans suffering from these conditions, making them ideal systems for pre-clinical researchers developing IBD and RA therapeutics.

The IBD models include, acute dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) challenge and T cell transfer models of IBD, develop symptoms indicative of IBD, including weight loss, colon shortening and an associated inflammation in the gut. While RA models include collagen-induced arthritis and collagen antibody-induced arthritis models that develop the clinical features of arthritis including swollen and inflamed joints.

"Millions of patients endure the pain and discomfort caused by RA and IBD," said Laurie Heilmann, SVP of Global Strategy, Marketing & Business Development. "Our team led by Joel Tocker, Head of Inflammation, has over 40 years of drug discovery experience in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases to help build ideal models that lead to therapeutic advancements."

"CrownBio is excited to expand the unique advantages of our scientific technology platform into autoimmune and inflammatory disease research," said Jean Pierre Wery, Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to growing our therapeutic portfolio in this area and delivering valuable insights which drive new discoveries that bring drugs to market, achieving our mission of connecting science to patients."

About Crown Bioscience Inc.

Crown Bioscience is a global drug discovery and development solutions company providing translational platforms to advance oncology and metabolic disease research. With an extensive portfolio of relevant models and predictive tools, Crown Bioscience enables clients to deliver superior clinical candidates.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Crown Bioscience Inc. via Globenewswire









# 490 Words



Media Enquiries:Jody BarbeauCrown Bioscience Inc.marketing@crownbio.com
Food Grade Phosphates Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 07:05:05

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# 601 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAnalyst1-347-918-3531

Food grade phosphates are used for various application in the food processing industry as discoloration inhibitors, emulsifiers, and buffers. Food grade phosphates are also used in frozen meat, bakery products, milk, powdered food, cheese, petfood, cereal, dehydrated potatoes, fisheries and animal feed products. Food grade phosphates are broadly classified into blended and specialty phosphates. Food grade phosphates market is consolidated market. For instance, Prayon SA acquired Augusta, Ga., which produces various types of phosphates including sodium phosphates, calcium phosphates and potassium phosphates. Food grade phosphates are used for various applications including retention of water in the fish.Food Grade Phosphates SegmentationGlobal food grade phosphates are segmented on the basis of type, application and region. Based on the product type food grade phosphates segmentation includes sodium phosphates, potassium phosphates and calcium phosphates. Of which sodium phosphate is expected to be the dominating segment, followed by potassium and calcium phosphates. Among all the segments of food grade phosphates type, sodium phosphates segment is expected to contribute maximum revenue over the forecasted period. However, calcium phosphates segment is expected to witness fastest growth in the next four to five years due to the various benefits associated with the consumption of calcium phosphates. However, potassium phosphates is expected to experience flat growth in the forthcoming years due to the more preference of consumers to consume sodium and calcium phosphates. Based on the application, food grade phosphates are segmented into bakery, food and beverage, dairy products and meat products. Of which meat product segment is the leading segment and expected to contribute highest revenue during the next four to five years, followed by bakery segment. Bakery segment is also expected to contribute significant revenue to the overall revenue of the food grade phosphates market. Global food grade phosphates market is segmented on the basis of region into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-894 Food Grade Phosphates: Region-wise OutlookThe global food grade phosphates market is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period due to the rising needs of the increasing population coupled with the rising disposable income of the consumers. Globally, among all regions, North America is expected to contribute highest market share, followed by Europe over the forecast period. In North America, U.S. is expected to contribute maximum market share due the high disposable income of the consumers. However Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness highest growth owing to the rising disposable income of consumers in various countries.Food Grade Phosphates: DriversFood grade phosphates market is expected to exhibit healthy CAGR during forecast period. Major factors that fuel the growth of food grade phosphates includes growing needs of increasing population coupled with rising consumer awareness regarding the benefits associated with the consumption of food grade phosphates. Major factor that restraints the growth of food grade phosphates market are the high price associated with the food grade phosphates.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-894 Food Grade Market: Key PlayersMajor companies operating in food grade phosphates market are Aditya Birla Chemicals, TKI Hrastnik, d.d., GUIZHOU QIANLIN PHOSPHATES INDUSTRY CO.,LTD , ICL Performance Products, Prayon SA, PhosAgro, ChemSol, LLC, CRU Group, Rotel Domestic and Foreign Trade Co. Companies operating in food grade phosphates market are mainly adopting strategy to enter new markets and also to increase its production capacity. For instance, ICL Performance Products, in 2015 set up new production unit in Israel in order to cater to the rising need of the consumers in the region
Fruit Snacks Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 07:07:09

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# 615 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAnalyst1-347-918-3531

Fruit snacks is the type of processed food eaten as a snack in various countries. Fruit snacks includes various types of candies that are usually high in sugar content and includes apple and grape juice. Fruit snacks market is increasing drastically especially among kids due to the health benefits associated with the consumption of fruit snacks. Fruit snacks imparts high nutritional value to the consumers especially kids.Fruit Snacks Market SegmentationGlobal fruit snacks market is segmented on the basis of application, distribution channel and region. Based on the application fruit snacks market segmentation includes beverages, dairy, sweets and savoury and others. Among all the segments of the fruit snacks market sweet and savoury is expected to be the dominating segment over forecast period ,followed by other fruit snacks segments owing to the high preference of consumers for the processed food that are rich in nutritional content in comparison to other regular processed food. However, dairy segment of the fruit snacks market is anticipated to witness significant growth in comparison to other segments of the fruit snacks market over the forecast period. On the basis of distribution channel fruit snacks market is segmented into supermarkets, convenience stores, general stores, online and others. Among all the segments of fruit snacks market general store is expected to be the dominating segment, followed by other segments over the forthcoming years. However, online distribution channel for the fruit snacks market is expected to experience noticeable growth in the coming four to five years. Global fruit snacks market is segmented on the basis of region into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-896 Fruit Snacks Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global fruit snacks market is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period due the high nutritional content present in the fruits added to the various products. Globally, among all regions, North America is expected to be the dominating segment in terms of revenue contribution ,followed by other regions especially Europe during the forecast period. In North America, U.S. is the most dominant country that contributes the maximum market share to the overall fruit snacks market in North America. However other regions especially Asia Pacific is expected to show fast growth owing to rising disposable income of the consumers in the developing regions coupled with health awareness among consumers related to the consumption of the food rich in nutritional content.Fruit Snacks Market: DriversMajor factors that fuel the growth of fruit snacks market includes the health benefits related to the consumption of the snacks rich in fruit content and rising consumer awareness related to the consumption of fruit based products such as snacks. Other factor that is expected to boost the growth of the fruit snacks market is the rising disposable income among consumers in the developing region such as India. Major restraint that hinders the growth of fruit snacks market is the increasing perception among consumers related to the harmful effects of the consumption of various processed food.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-896 Fruit Snacks Market: Key PlayersMajor companies operating in fruit snacks market are Welch Foods Inc., General Mills Inc., SunOpta, Kellogg Co., Sunkist Growers, Inc., Crunchies Food Company. Companies operating in the fruit snacks market are promoting product innovation by investing huge amount in the product development activities in order to cater the demand of the existing and also potential customers. For instance company such as SunOpta are investing huge amount for launching new products in order to increase its market presence and also grab the potential untapped market
Genetically Modified Foods Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 06:53:45

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# 460 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAnalyst1-347-918-3531

The global genetically modified food market has been significantly growing due to the rise in demand for healthy and nutritional food products by consumers of different age group. Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods which are derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in such a way that it does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms). Foods produced from by using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods. The major advantages of genetically modified foods are better texture, flavor and high nutritional value along with longer shelf life. However, unusual taste over non-GM food and safety concerns as it might interfere with the body normal functioning are some of the disadvantages of genetically modified food.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-889 Genetically Modified Foods: Drivers and RestraintsThe major factors driving the genetically modified food market are high nutritional content in the food, high production quantity and less requirement of pesticides. However, damage to beneficial insects and soil fertility coupled with genetic pollution, absence of any centralized government regulation and lack of awareness about the benefits of GMO are factors which are restraining the market potential growth. Rising demand for healthy food products, year round and easy availability of genetically modified food are main trends in the genetically modified food market globally.Genetically Modified Foods: SegmentationGenetically modified food market is segmented on the basis of type and region. On the basis of type genetically modified food is segmented into crops, vegetables, fruits and animal products. Corn and Soya are widely cultivated in genetically modified form as compared to other crops in the US. Furthermore, on the basis of region the market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-889 Genetically Modified Foods: Key PlayersMajor players operating in this category are Monsanto US, DuPont US, Syngenta Switzerland, Bayer Crop Science Germany, Sakata Japan, BASF Gmbh, Group Limagrain France to name a few. The global players are focused on partnership and collaboration with other companies in order to increase its product portfolio, industry offering and global presence. The global giant in genetically modified food are actively involved in collaboration with the Advanced Research Institutes (ARIs) in the industrial countries such as Brazil, Argentina, China, India, Malaysia and the Philippines for significant R&D program in biotechnology and transgenic crops. Companies are also increasing their R&D in some of the African countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt and Uganda in order to cater the growing demand for genetically modified food in Africa
Gourmet Salts Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 07:10:07

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Shrikant Ghuge

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# 617 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAnalyst1-347-918-3531

Gourmet salts are unrefined and high quality salts used in cuisine in order to enhance taste and appeal of the food. Gourmet salts are used for to enhance the texture and flavor. In addition, these type of salts possess better solubility and also high mineral content. Gourmet salts are also blended with other type of herbs, spices and flavors in order to enhance the flavor and color of spices. Gourmet salts are used in various applications such as bakery, savoury, confectionery, poultry and sea food. Fleur de sel is one of the widely used gourmet salts, which is used in variety of food products such as roasted meat, vegetable dishes and salads. Gourmet salts are also used in for preserving canned food products in order to store food item for longer duration.Gourmet Salts Market: SegmentationGlobal Gourmet salts market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and region. Based on the product type segmentation includes fleur de sel, Himalayan salts, sel gris, and flake salts. Of which, fleur de sel is used widely in various food applications such as meat and salads. Fleur de sel is anticipated to be the dominating segment during the forecasted period, followed by other gourmet salts. On the basis of application, gourmet salts is segmented into savoury, bakery and confectionary, poultry and seafood products and others. However, among all the segments, bakery and confectionary segment is expected to contribute maximum revenue to the overall gourmet salts market. Global gourmet salts market is segmented on the basis of regions into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan. Gourmet salts market is dominated by European region, followed by North America and Asia Pacific excluding Japan. In Europe, France and Spain are expected to contribute maximum revenue share to the overall gourmet salts market. However North America is projected to witness fastest growth in the next four to five years owing to the high disposable income of consumers in this region.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-898 Gourmet Salts Market: Region-wise OutlookThe Global gourmet salts market is expected to witness vigorous growth during the forecasted period due to the rising awareness among consumers related to changing food or cuisine preferences among consumers .Globally, among all regions, Europe is expected to witness significant growth in the gourmet salts market and contribute maximum market share, followed by North America and Asia Pacific over the forecasted period. However, North America is expected to experience fast growth due the high disposable income of the consumers, which results in buying patterns for products rich in gourmet salt. Since, these products are expensive in nature.Gourmet Salts Market: DriversVarious factors that fuel the growth of gourmet salts market includes rising living standard of consumers, increasing commercialisation of food industry by various media shows and also awareness regarding benefits of gourmet salts in the traditional food. However, factors that hampers the growth of gourmet salts market are high price associated with gourmet salts in comparison to conventional salts. Other major factor that restraints the growth of gourmet salts market that hinder the growth of gourmet salts market is lack of awareness among consumers in developing countries. Companies operating in gourmet salts market are mainly adopting new product development strategy in order to enhance their product portfolio and also to expand into new markets.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-898 Gourmet salts Market: Key PlayersMajor companies that operate in gourmet salts market includes Cargill Inc., Morton Salt Inc., Murray River Salt, Alaska Pure Sea Salts Co., Infosa, Amagansett Sea Salt Co., Maldon Crystal Salt Co., Pyramid Salt Pty. Ltd.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-07-31 23:01:01

Points of view drawn from research conducted by Interbrand across the Asia-Pacific

Interbrand Releases First-Ever Best Asia Brands Study: Engage to Grow

Interbrand

Alyssa Carfi, +1-212-798-7547

+1-973-897-6264

Senior PR Associate

alyssa.carfi@interbrand.com

For the first time, Interbrand has carried out a comprehensive analysis of the best brands in Asia. The 2017 study compiles insights from Best Japan Brands, Best China Brands, Best Korea Brands and Best India Brands, while delving into how brands are growing within Australia and the markets of Southeast Asia also.

The study points to the growth of each major Asian market, as determined by Interbrand data conducted over the last five years. Analysis and research highlights that we have entered a period of accelerating change, or a new age. An over-riding theme that has emerged centers around: changing consumer behavior, digitization and how brands are responding, or are not responding, to these changes.

In the overview, Interbrands Chief Executive Officer for Asia-Pacific, Stuart Green, notes that due to rapid technological advancement and demographic shifts, customer expectations are changing, and addresses the opportunities for Asian brands moving forward.

Stating that, Each market in the Asia region has its own unique way of conducting business and its own unique cultural characteristics. Brands in Asia will win and engage better with customers if they use big data in a more meaningful way.

Green believes that tech companies more than most are leading the way in this respect by leveraging technology tools in ways that are relevant to consumers, to drive choice, loyalty, and ultimately better business performance.

The study also highlights insights from interviews with key business leaders from some of Asias most successful brands, such as Rakuten, KIA, Telstra and Aviva.

To learn more about Asia and how each region is accelerating, please see here.

About Interbrand

At Interbrand, we believe that growth is achieved when an organization has a clear strategy and delivers exceptional customer experiences. We do both, through a combination of strategy, creativity, and technology that helps drive growth for our clients brands and businesses. With a network of 24 offices in 17 countries, Interbrand is a global brand consultancy, and publisher of the highly influential annual Best Global Brands and Breakthrough Brands reports, and Webby Award-winning brandchannel. Interbrand is part of the Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) network of agencies. For more information, please contact us, or follow Interbrand on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201707310057

Just launched: Best Asia Brands. Find out the most valuable Asian brands & how each region is accelerating. #BAB2017
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 11:04:01

MILPITAS, Calif., Aug. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. (ISSI), a leader in semiconductor solutions for the automotive market, has been honored with the Bosch Global Supplier Award from Robert Bosch GmbH. ISSI received the award in the Innovation and Semiconductor Components category. In all, this year Bosch has given awards to 44 suppliers out of thousands of suppliers from eleven different countries.

This marks the fifteenth time that Bosch, a supplier of technology and services, has honored outstanding performance in the manufacture and supply of products or services - notably in the areas of quality, costs, innovation, and logistics. Bosch presented the coveted awards before an audience of some 100 representatives of the supply industry. The theme of this year's award ceremony was "Partners in Success." Bosch's suppliers have long been more than mere deliverers of parts and components: they are also partners in development and innovation who help Bosch stay competitive.

"Our goal is to achieve supply chain excellence, which requires maintaining the highest quality standards. In the future, we must react even more quickly and flexibly to the demands of the market and of our customers. This will work only when all partners are intelligently connected with one another, working closely together with the aid of automated processes," said Dr. Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, deputy chairman of the Bosch board of management and in charge of purchasing and logistics.

"Bosch's success is based in no small part on competitiveness, innovative strength, and agility - qualities we can achieve only with fruitful international partnerships," said Dr. Karl Nowak, president of the Bosch corporate sector for purchasing and logistics.

"Being the leader in the automotive and industrial market segments, ISSI is delighted to win this prestigious award to be recognized for our leadership in quality, logistics, costs, support and innovation from the world's market leader in automotive and industrial products," said Lyn Zastrow, Vice President Automotive Business Unit at ISSI.

About ISSI

ISSI is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets high performance integrated circuits for the following key markets: (i) automotive, (ii) communications, (iii) industrial, and medical, and (iv) digital consumer. ISSI's primary products are SRAM, DRAM, Flash memory which includes NOR flash, NAND flash and managed NAND solutions (eMMC), and analog and mixed signal integrated circuits. ISSI provides high-quality semiconductor products and has been a committed long-term supplier of memory products. ISSI is headquartered in Silicon Valley with worldwide offices in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, China, Europe, Hong Kong, India, and Korea. Visit our web site at http://www.issi.com/

Contact:



Lyn Zastrow

Vice President Automotive Business Unit

(408) 969-6600

lzastrow@issi.com



Ron Kalakuntla

Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing

(408) 969-6600

rkalakuntla@issi.com

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc. via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 17:53:01

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lectra appoints Rodrigo Siza, Regional Director of Spain and Portugal

Rodrigo Siza will develop new regional synergies to support local fashion, automotive and furniture businesses

Paris, August 1, 2017 - Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rodrigo Siza to the role of Regional Director of Spain and Portugal.

Based in Porto, Portugal, Rodrigo Siza will focus on nurturing new regional collaborations to benefit the needs of Lectra's customers, and faciliate their success in the Industry 4.0 era. Rodrigo will rely on Lectra's highly experienced teams located in the region.

"Rodrigo has very effectively established long-term partnerships with our fashion and apparel, automotive and furniture customers in Portugal. He has helped

our customers to emerge stronger from the world crisis which heavily impacted them. After 10 successful years as head of Lectra Portgual, Rodrigo is now also in charge of meeting the expectations of our Spanish customers," stated Daniel Harari, Lectra Chairman and CEO.

Players in the region are witnessing a strong dynamic, notably fashion brands in Spain and fashion and automotive industrialists with heightened added-value in Portugal. With the recent announcement of a new strategy to focus on Industry 4.0, Lectra is in a strong position to support these businesses in the digitalization of their processes.

For industries faced with more demanding consumers and ever-shorter product development and manufacturing cycles, integrating all steps along the extended supply chain, from design to cutting, is now a top priority. This is particularly apparent in Spain and Portugal, two countries positioned, in their own way, at the heart of Europe's fashion and automotive industries.

Rodrigo started his career at Tradetex, a trading company of textiles for clothing, as a textile designer. From 1991 to 1999, he was an associate of V-Sistemas Informatica, specialized in the development and distribution of technical solutions for the textile industry. In 2000, he joined Lectra Portugal as a design and merchandising manager, and then evolved into the position of international consultant in 2004. He left Lectra in 2005 to take the position of Sales Director of RPB Texteis e Vestuario, a company that makes clothes, before returning to Lectra in 2007 to take over the management of the Portuguese subsidiary. Rodrigo has a masters in marketing from Minho University and a degree in design and communication from Porto University, both located in Portugal.

About Lectra

Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions (software, automated cutting equipment, and associated services) specifically designed for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles, and composite materials to manufacture their products. It serves major world markets: fashion and apparel, automotive, and furniture as well as a broad array of other industries. Lectra's solutions, specific to each market, enable customers to automate and optimize product design, development, and manufacturing. With more than 1,600 employees, Lectra has developed privileged relationships with prestigious customers in more than 100 countries, contributing to their operational excellence. Lectra registered revenues of $288 million in 2016 and is listed on Euronext.

For more information, please visit www.lectra.com

Contact - Lectra Headquarters / Press Dept.: Nathalie Fournier-Christol

E-mail: n.fournier-christol@lectra.com

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 64 42 37 - Fax: +33 (0)1 53 64 43 40





This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: LECTRA via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 00:02:02

New research from Western Union reveals the huge productivity cost faced by Australian universities receiving payments from international students*

A survey among 100 financial personnel from some of Australias leading universities reveals at least 57 working days may be lost annually per university due to finance staff matching, processing and reconciling overseas payments.

30% of universities say that time and human resources required to process international payments was their biggest challenge.

34% of universities say that their biggest challenge was students being unable to use the payment method in their home country

Over 46% of Australias international students say they had a negative experience when paying their university fees.

New Research Reveals Opportunity for Leading Australian Universities to Gain Time and Money on International Payments

FleishmanHillard Australia

Vicky Shepherd, 0475 464 143

Vicky.shepherd@fleishman.com.au

Australian universities could potentially gain almost one working week (4.8 days) per month, or 57 days every year, with the developments in processing and reconciling payments from international students, according to new research* released from Western Union.

Western Unions research, which surveyed 100 finance teams at universities across Australia, showed that almost a third (30%) of respondents cited the amount of time and number of people required to process international payments from students as their biggest challenge when receiving these types of payments.

Its not just universities that could gain precious time and money, respondents also stated that almost half of international students (46%) have encountered difficulties when paying their university fees, leading to further challenges for institutions and also highlighting a potential risk for the international student market.

Western Union Head of Australia and New Zealand, Mark Davis, said, This new research shows a key challenge faced by Australian universities, and a great opportunity to continue to increase efficiencies with regards to the processing and reconciling of international payments, which are often made by a variety of methods depending on the students country of origin.

With international education being Australias third largest export, the success and continued attractiveness of Australia as the destination of choice for international students is vital for these institutions  particularly as the landscape with regards to funding and resources continues to change. We work closely with many universities, such as The University of Sydney, to improve these systems through the implementation of new and innovative payment platforms.

The University of Sydney agreed that this was an industry-wide problem, currently being addressed as a key financial priority. University of Sydney Treasurer, Laurence Zanella says, While Australia is an incredibly attractive destination for international students, the reality is that we still compete for student interest against countries like the UK, the US and Canada. Its therefore vital that we make the student experience as seamless as possible and this includes being able to offer prospective students an affordable, reliable and easy to use money transfer platform like Western Unions GlobalPay for Students.

Western Union, serving more than 100,000 businesses globally with foreign exchange, risk management, and global payment gateway solutions, recently launched its enhanced GlobalPay for Students platform, which has been developed to improve the way education institutions reconcile, refund and track payments from international students, allowing clients (education institutions) to receive payments from multiple platforms and view all payment activity on one dashboard. The platform is designed to help these organisations simplify the reconciliation of incoming international payments, which can be a complex and time-consuming process. The mobile-first interface has also been developed with student input to improve the user experience.

* Notes to editors

The study was conducted by OnePoll between 9th June - 22nd June 2017 and polled Australian adults with Admissions and Finance responsibilities in University institutions. Participants were recruited online and were paid to participate.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2017, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 550,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 150,000 ATMs and kiosks, and included the capability to send money to billions of accounts. In 2016, The Western Union Company completed 268 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $80 billion of principal between consumers, and 523 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201707310058
Permeate Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 07:15:30

Press Information

Future Market Insights

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United States



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Shrikant Ghuge

Analyst

1-347-918-3531

email

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/permeate-market





# 622 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAnalyst1-347-918-3531

Permeate is a dairy ingredient rich in lactose content which is produced after the removal of protein and other ingredients from milk or whey. Whey and milk permeates are used in various food application to enhance the salty flavor. Permeate is considered as the cost effective alternative to the other expensive ingredients used to add salty flavor to the food products. Owing to the rising demand of consumers for low sodium products, which results to the increasing use of permeate in various applications including bakery, prepared meals, soup and others. Moreover, high lactose in permeate results in brown appearance and caramelized aroma in baked products. Whey permeate is formed as a co-product of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. However, milk permeate is a formed as the co-product of milk protein isolate and milk protein concentrate. Permeate is used as an alternative to ingredients such as whole milk powder and skim milk. Overall dairy industry is much consolidated market with various small players operating in it. Permeate market is expected to contribute significant growth in the next four to five years due to the evolving needs related to the milk coupled with the rising population in the forthcoming years.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-900 Permeate Market SegmentationGlobal permeate market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and region. Based on the product type global permeate segmentation includes whey and milk. Of which, whey permeate is expected to be the dominating segment over forecast period ,followed by the milk permeate segment due the various benefits associated with it such as it is less sweet than sucrose, absorbs synthetic and natural pigments, absorbs volatile flavor compounds and comparatively more moisture resistant. On the basis of application permeate market is segmented into, soups and sauces, dairy foods, beverages and meat. Among all the segments of permeate market dairy food is the leading segment, followed by other segments over the forecast period. Permeate market is expanding especially in Asia Pacific due to the rising awareness among consumers regarding the health benefits associated with the consumption of dairy products which includes high protein content coupled with increasing number of upper middle class population in the Asia Pacific region. Global permeate market is segmented on the basis of region into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Permeate Market: Region-wise OutlookThe Global permeate market is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period due the various health benefit related to the consumption of permeate. Globally, among all regions, North America is expected to contribute the maximum market share during the forecast period. In North America, U.S is the dominating segment that contributes highest market share owing to the increasing production of permeate in U.S. However Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness significant growth owing to the rising awareness among consumers related to benefits of dairy ingredient such as permeate coupled with rising high income consumers in region such as India and China.Permeate Market: DriversMajor factors that fuel the growth of permeate market includes increasing consumption of milk and rising awareness among the consumers related to the health benefits associated with the consumption of permeate in the mature markets. However factor that hinder the growth of permeate market include lack of awareness among consumers in the emerging countries related to the benefits of the dairy ingredient such as permeate.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-900 Permeate Market: Key PlayersMajor companies operating in permeate market are Arla Foods Ingredients Inc., American dairy product institute, Fonterra Co-Operative Group, Nestle S.A, Silwan International General Trading LLC , La Belle Inc. and Volac International Limited
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 09:02:01

New research from Western Union reveals the huge financial and human resources cost faced by UK universities receiving payments from international students*

Survey among 100 U.K. universities reveals international tuition payments made by credit card incur an average 1.39 percent transaction fee

With 438,000 international students in the U.K., the collective bill in credit card fees for universities could be over 80 million a year

Moreover, 67 working days may be lost annually per institution to university staff matching, processing and reconciling overseas payments

UK Universities Paying Out Tens of Millions in Transaction Fees to Receive International Tuition Payments

Western Union

Liesl Smith

Phone: +44 (0) 208 563 6347

Mobile: +44 (0) 7710 185864

Liesl.smith@westernunion.com

or

FleishmanHillard Fishburn

Frankie Matthews

Phone: +44 (0) 208 618 2828

francesca.matthews@fhflondon.co.uk

U.K. universities could be facing over 80 million in credit card transaction charges every year while receiving and processing tuition payments from international students, according to new research* from Western Union, a leader in global money transfer and payments services. In addition to the monetary cost, the survey found that nearly ten and a half hours a week are lost to matching, processing and reconciling payments from international students - the equivalent of 67 working days every year.

Western Unions research, in which 100 finance and admissions teams at universities across the U.K. were surveyed, shows that nearly half (44 percent) said the charges incurred from payments is the biggest challenge their institution faces when processing international tuition fees. Nearly a third of those surveyed (30 percent) said the time spent and human resources required to process overseas payments was their biggest challenge when receiving international tuition fees.

Today, nearly one fifth (18 percent) of the U.K.s student population is from overseas, accounting for 12.7 percent of the total higher education income received by U.K. institutions, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency. With the higher education landscape becoming increasingly globalised, however, universities need to be prepared for an expected increase in international students, with the Institute of International Education predicting that there will be 75 percent more students studying abroad by 2025.

With such anticipated growth in international student populations, universities will likely be faced with more costly transaction charges and an increasingly cumbersome administrative burden. However, one fifth (21 percent) of those surveyed do not feel their institutions are fully prepared to accept payments from international students. Furthermore, despite the growing popularity of e-wallets and alternative payment methods, few respondents (5 percent) cited that their institutions offer these options to students  demonstrating a distinct lack of adoption within the industry.

Managing payments from international students can be a complex and time-consuming process for U.K. universities, said Western Unions President of Global Payments Jean Claude Farah. This new research shows the real challenge faced by universities and colleges. In addition to the charges they may incur, many also lose valuable staff time matching and processing payments made by a variety of methods depending on the students country of origin.

With funding and resources an ongoing concern for universities across the U.K. and international students becoming a more significant income stream, having access to an efficient and cost-effective process to accept payments from around the globe has never been more important, Farah said.

Western Union recently launched its enhanced GlobalPay for Students platform, which has been developed to improve the way universities reconcile, refund and track payments from international students, allowing clients to receive payments from multiple platforms and view all payment activity on one dashboard. The platform is designed to help universities simplify the reconciliation of incoming international payments, which can be a complex and time-consuming process. The mobile-first interface has also been developed with student input to improve the user experience.

Notes to editors

*

Based on 1.39 percent average transaction fee on payment made by credit card.

Calculations based on tuition fee of 13,000 and 438,000 non-U.K. domiciled students in higher education  student numbers from U.K. Council for International Student Affairs.

The study was conducted by OnePoll between 9th June - 22nd June 2017 and polled U.K. adults with finance and admissions responsibilities in universities/higher education institutions. Participants were recruited online and were paid to participate.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of March 31, 2017, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of over 550,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 150,000 ATMs and kiosks, and included the capability to send money to billions of accounts. In 2016, The Western Union Company completed 268 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $80 billion of principal between consumers, and 523 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201708010050
PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 07:32:01

's-Hertogenbosch, 1 August 2017

In the period from 25 July 2017 until 31 July 2017 Van Lanschot Kempen has repurchased 4,500 of its own shares. The shares were repurchased at an average price of 25.23 per share for a total amount of 113,527.

These repurchases are part of the share buy-back programme for at most 150,000 of own shares, which was announced on 7 June 2017. The total number of shares repurchased to date is 48,500.

More information, including a detailed overview of the repurchase transactions under this programme, is available on www.vanlanschotkempen.com/sharebuyback.

Media Relations: +31 20 354 45 85; mediarelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

Investor Relations: +31 20 354 45 90; investorrelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

About Van Lanschot Kempen

Van Lanschot Kempen, a wealth manager operating under the Van Lanschot, Evi and Kempen brand names, is active in Private Banking, Asset Management and Merchant Banking, with the aim of preserving and creating wealth for its clients. Van Lanschot Kempen, listed at Euronext Amsterdam, is the Netherlands' oldest independent financial services company with a history dating back to 1737.

vanlanschotkempen.com

Disclaimer

This document does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the sale, purchase or acquisition in any other way of or subscription to any financial instrument and is not an opinion or a recommendation to perform or refrain from performing any action.

This document is a translation of the Dutch original and is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of any disparities, the Dutch version will prevail.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Van Lanschot Kempen via Globenewswire


Auto giant Toyota and Vital Alert Communications look to new positioning technology to keep cities safe and smart

PR-Inside.com: 2017-08-01 19:59:55

Press Information

Vital Alert Communication Inc.

2 Bloor Street East, Suite 3500



Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8



Michael Homer

CEO

1-888-998-4825

email

http://www.vitalalert.com





# 343 Words

2 Bloor Street East, Suite 3500Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8CEO1-888-998-4825

Vital Alert Communication Inc. announced an award for the second phase of a research agreement with Toyota-ITC to evaluate position measurement using VLF (Very Low Frequency) beacons in Smart City environments.The need for robust position measurement at road intersections is a critical component to the safety application of smart vehicles. Leveraging Vital Alert's in-depth expertise in VLF technology, Toyota-ITC and Vital Alert have validated the capability of VLF technologies for position location at intersections in urban environments and GPS denied areas. This application has the potential to reduce traffic accidents, especially in relation to bicycle and pedestrian collisions at intersections in urban spaces. Pedestrian positioning data is used to alert Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) vehicles of a presence at intersections.During Phase 1, Vital Alert and Toyota-ITC successfully demonstrated positioning capability across an entire intersection in an urban setting. In Phase 2, the goals are to improve accuracy and size reduction of the receiver hardware."This award validates Vital Alerts leadership in VLF technology. We have been able to successfully leverage the extensive work we have done in the communication field to the autonomous vehicle and Smart City markets." said Michael Homer, Vital Alert CEO.Toyota InfoTechnology Centre is a research and development company. In order to develop new innovative technologies, Toyota InfoTechnology Center actively seeks to build open and effective relationships with pioneers of advanced and promising technologies working at universities, research organizations, and IT companies around the world.VITAL ALERT is a technology company that provides solutions using VLF technology and builds innovative products that enable positioning technology for smart cities and autonomous vehicles. Vital Alert also provides emergency and day-to-day data and voice communications in RF denied areas, including some of the most difficult communication environments in the world including mines, tunnels, sewers, subways, buildings and search and rescue events.VITAL ALERT COMMUNICATION INC. is a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and incorporated in 2002. The U.S. subsidiary, VITAL ALERT TECHNOLOGIES INC. is located in Independence, Ohio.Michael HomerVital Alert Communication Inc.1-888-998-4825
For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME.

Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire.

Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III.





to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever.





Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation.





View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




Fueling Dreams. Driving Success. Partnerships for Impact. That's the mission of BUF Michigan.

By: BUF Michigan

drives and dreams

Media Contact

Pam Perry

***@pamperrypr.com

(248) 690-6810 Pam Perry(248) 690-6810

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-- As Detroiters "motor around" looking at and driving classic cars during the Woodward Dream Cruise, theevent is in the mix. It's the organization's fourth annual fundraiser and will be Saturday, August 19 from 7pm to Midnight.Presented by AAA and supported by Prestige Cadillac, the annual fundraiser party will celebrate BUF's 47-year history and its mission of funding and administering programs that address the needs of our community."This party with a purpose will celebrate BUF's mission to uplift the community with programs. BUF presents Drives & Dreams, a classic car and networking extravaganza to round out Dream Cruise weekend at the brand new ultra-sleek Prestige Cadillac," said Kenneth Donaldson, President & CEO, BUF of Michigan. Prestige Cadillac is located at 29900 Van Dyke in Warren.The program will begin at 7:00 pm with a classic car showcase and a "Best in Show" contest followed by mix and mingle networking with a live band and strolling performance artists. All attendees with receive premium gifts and indulge in hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Cocktails will also be served. Tickets are $35 and available online at https://www.bufmi.org/ events/drivedreams "With the partnership of AAA of Michigan and Prestige Cadillac, the event promises to be a one of a kind Dream Cruise afterglow, with a unique blend of networking, great food, drinks, cool music, and of course, hot cars. Our target audience is Detroit's car enthusiast community, philanthropists and lovers of style and fashion," said Donaldson.About BUF: Black United Fund of Michigan, Inc. is an alternative funding resource for nonprofit community service organizations and programs that focus on education, community development, cultural enrichment and economic improvement.For more information, contact the BUF office 313 894-2200 and www.bufmi.org
IT Outsourcing has been a staple for many businesses. It allows these companies to focus on tasks like product development and customer service, while an IT outsourcing company takes care of key IT tasks.

Contact

Denver Wanigasekera

***@dbsit.com.au

892782953 Denver Wanigasekera892782953

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--has been a staple for many businesses. It allows these companies to focus on tasks like product development and customer service, while an IT outsourcing company takes care of key IT tasks.But there has recently been a change in the industry, and companies are using IT outsourcing providers for some new tasks. Perth software development companyhas weighed in on the IT outsourcing trends we can expect to see this year.There are a number of strategies, technologies, and shifting customer demands which are changing IT outsourcing, along with some of the traditional methods which are no longer popular.According to a spokesperson from, rapid software development is becoming increasingly important. Businesses are rapidly becoming agile and require fast development cycles. This requires close coordination between IT outsourcing companies and businesses focusing on digital transformation.Cloud integration is also becoming increasingly necessary. "Businesses are moving more workloads into the public cloud. But they're also running certain applications in private clouds for competitive, regulatory or security reasons. That means they're looking for IT providers that can seamlessly integrate and manage these hybrid cloud environments."The spokesperson said.IT outsourcing providers are also seeing an increase in consultancy roles. This has led to a demand for more advisors and specialists in IT outsourcing. For this reason, talent acquisition and retention are becoming priorities. According to, the spectrum of skills needed is becoming more focused. And the skills shortage means that providers hoping to compete will need to focus on attracting top talent.Another big trend is cost savings and efficiencies due to "digital labour". Companies are now expecting their IT outsourcing providers to provide automation capabilities."Not only does this provide increased efficiencies,"says the spokesperson, "but it also means a proactive capability so issues are dealt with before they impact the business. This adds huge value, beyond the usual opportunities for decreased costs."This automation is causing disruption and ensuring that service providers use an "automation first" approach. That means that instead of looking at what human activities can be automated, digital labour will be used as the starting point.As for the trends we're leaving in the past? According to, traditional remote infrastructure management will slowly begin to decrease. This is because traditional IT outsourcing companies simply won't be able to compete on price when compared with the public cloud.We can also expect to see fewer low-cost call centres and service desks. As chat bots and virtual agents become more prevalent, we may soon see more on-site, integrated, and creative solutions.At the same time, the service desk has been made relevant again as business owners realise that it's crucial that the face of their business is outsourced to a reputable company.Get in touch with DBS IT Australia today.Visit us at https://www.dbsitsoftware.com.au/
Acacia Car Rentals based in Namibia, offers brand new, top of the range vehicles, at the same time prioritizing their drivers' safety and service experience, to give them an unforgettable holiday.

By: Frotcom

Acacia Car Rentals

Contact

Frotcom Marketing team

***@frotcom.com Frotcom Marketing team

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-- With the goal of continuous improvement, Acacia's desire for safety is at the forefront of their vision.After a thorough web-based research for car monitoring systems and tracking in Namibia, Mr. Tikila Munashimwe, Vehicle and Rented Properties Administrator of Acacia Car Rentals, chose Frotcom because "we needed accurate records of the speed travelled by each vehicle and complete details of the journeys made to ensure that the risk of theft and damage were mitigated".The implementation of Frotcom was smooth, a technician was sent out to install the devices, and the user profiles created for the list of vehicles contained all the necessary information. Staff training was smoother still as verified by Mr. Munashimwe, "Hands on training is the perfect way for our employees to absorb the ins and outs of the Frotcom program's main headings and subheadings on the panel. The support has been excellent and completely proactive."Since implementing Frotcom, driving behavior has definitely improved, as have communications with staff and rental customers. Vehicle misuse has decreased dramatically and speeding has become a thing of the past. Tracking and monitoring, as well as notebook features, allow the administrator and other users to post up to the minute updates on vehicles, and drivers at a specific time without deleting any records. This minimizes risk, creates a one-to-one communication channel with the driver and enables any company member to access the information for record keeping purposes.Frotcom reports offer feedback on vehicle activity, which is imperative for the organization to budget for future growth.According to Mr. Munashimwe, "Risks to Acacia were minimized as Frotcom provided us with a one-to-one communication channel with every driver and enabled our staff to access any required information for record keeping purposes. Our vehicles make trips through the deserts of Namibia and South Africa, having predefined zones. If a vehicle passes the limit defined, an alert is sent to the owner, by email or SMS through Frotcom. The increased efficiency we have enjoyed since fitting Frotcom has created a marked improvement to our bottom line."Frotcom's technology also helped Acacia to mitigate the risk of theft and damage to vehicles, reducing operational costs. They can also use Frotcom to prove to customers and staff (who drive the vehicles), the validity of speeding fines or fines for other traffic violations.With their focus on putting safety first, Acacia is increasing customer service levels and improving business operations. We wish them the best of luck, for what appears a very bright future.
Commercial flooring company Mats Inc. hires Colorado and Utah Regional Sales Manager.

Contact

Allison Lindgren

***@matsinc.com Allison Lindgren

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-- Mats Inc. announced the hiring of Patrick Allen as the new Regional Sales Manager, Matting for Colorado and Utah. The addition accelerates Mats Inc.'s plan for nationwide expansion in the matting market.Patrick Allen previously worked for Essendant as an Account Executive managing business in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. With experience representing office, safety and janitorial supplies, Patrick will drive relationships with janitorial representatives, flooring dealers and end users in the Denver and Salt Lake City areas. Before joining Essendant, Patrick spent six years working for Fastenal as a General Sales Manager and Solutions Sales Specialist targeting large accounts within the education, healthcare and corporate business market segments."We are thrilled to welcome Patrick to the Mats Inc. sales team," stated Tommy Wright, National Sales Manager at Mats Inc. "Patrick will allow us to further develop our existing relationships in Colorado and Utah and better serve and grow our West Coast customer base."Founded in 1971, Mats Inc. is a privately held business headquartered in Massachusetts with additional distribution facilities in Georgia and sales offices throughout the United States. With award-winning product designs, deep stocking levels, and world-class service, Mats Inc. has delivered quality commercial matting and flooring solutions for more than 45 years. For more information about Mats Inc., visit www.matsinc.com
About 80 acres of land with high ecological value will be preserved

By: North Florida Land Trust

Media Contact

Kelly White

kelly.white@ cfmedia.net

904-232-3001 Kelly White904-232-3001

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-- North Florida Land Trust has acquired just under 80 acres of land along the Ortega River on Jacksonville's Westside. The land conservation organization was interested in the land for its high ecological value. It is within the 112,346 acres of land NFLT had identified in their Preservation Portfolio, which identifies land in critical need of preservation within NFLT's seven-county focus area."This land is not something that would be desirable for developers, but for us it is an important part of the area's ecological makeup," said Jim McCarthy, president of NFLT. "It is part of the large natural floodplain swamp which is important to the resiliency of the Ortega River. The wetlands filter out pollutants, buffer upland areas from flood events and provide freshwater habitat for wildlife."The land is located along Collins Road near I-295 and Blanding Boulevard. Most of the land is wetlands, but McCarthy said there is one upland location that would be suitable as a kayak or canoe launch. NFLT had previously targeted the land for preservation, but were not able to reach a deal with the landowner. Doug Davis with Fletcher Davis Management Group brought the project back to NFLT a few months ago and helped NFLT and the landowner reach an agreement.North Florida Land Trust is a non-profit organization who serves as a champion of land conservation primarily in Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns, Union and Volusia counties. NFLT was founded in 1999 and has protected thousands of acres of environmentally significant land including land at Big Talbot Island, the River Branch Preserve, Pumpkin Hill, Moccasin Slough, along the St. Mary's River and other valued natural areas in Northeast Florida. NFLT is funded largely by private and corporate contributions and works closely with private landowners and other public agencies at all levels of government, not-for-profit partners, and foundations. For more information, visit www.northfloridalandtrust.org
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-- On an otherwise normal summer morning, a dedicated and loving southside Chicago father dropped his ten-year-old son off at school and went to work with plans to pick his son up that afternoon. However, little did this father know that this would be the last time that he would see his son for a long time. While this father was hard at work to provide for his family, the boy's mother removed the child from school without his knowledge, headed directly to the airport where she immediately boarded a flight with the boy bound for Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.This terrified father only became aware of this mother's nefarious and intricate plan when his son text messaged him that his mother had taken him. Fearful for the safety of his son, this devastated father called Fathers' Rights Attorney Jeffery M. Leving for help. Leving's fierce litigators Austin Vandeveer and Arthur Kallow rushed to Court where they obtained an emergency court order calling for the immediate return of this little boy to his father's possession, but unfortunately the boy was already airborne on a one-way flight bound for Abu Dhabi. This devastated father felt that all hope was lost and feared he would never see his son again. "He was wrong," said Leving.This dad's legal team would not give up. They went to court again and again never giving up hope of recovering this boy and through careful and methodic legal maneuvering were able to reunite this father with his son. They won; the boy is now back in America with his dad. The Leving legal team secured a very powerful court order prohibiting the mother from removing the child from America again, and requiring her to turn over the child's passport to ensure that this boy would remain by his father's side in the United States.Through the relentless work of Leving and his legal team this loving dad has been reunited with his son after almost a year of painful separation and is now finally able to create new memories with his little boy.To improve the well-being of all America's children, we must restore paternal involvement as a global norm, and never forget that any man's loss of a child is a loss to mankind. For more information on law and fatherhood, follow Leving on Twitter @fathersmatter ( https://twitter.com/ fathersmatter ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/ FathersRightsMovement/ ).
H&H Products Company announced today the purchase of well known brand and thirty year old Florida native company called Florida Key West, Inc.

By: H&H Products Company

Contact

Brittany Dellinger

Marketing Manager

***@hhproductscompany.com Brittany DellingerMarketing Manager

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-- H&H Products Company, manufacturer of premium food service beverages, pancake and waffle syrups, daiquiris and smoothie mixers, and juice products announced today the purchase of well known brand and Florida native company  Florida Key West, Inc. This purchase includes their line of Lemon and Key Lime Juices and their full line of cocktail mixers.Having worked with Florida Key West, Inc in the past, H&H Products Company is well acquainted with their product profiles and will maintain the brand image and quality.has been in business for over thirty years and specialized in Original and Authentic Key Lime Juice. They began producing Lemon and Key Lime Juice in 1986. Before their purchase, Florida Key West, Inc produced products for all segments including Foodservice, Retail, Industrial, Baking, Convenience Stores, Correctional Facilities and Military distribution. Previously located in Ft. Myers, Florida, the Florida Key West, Inc. brand is well known for its juices used in Key Lime and Lemon Meringue Pies. Morris Hartley,Founded in 1964, H&H Products Company is a family owned and operated bottling manufacturer in Orlando, Florida. H&H Products has grown over the past fifty three years and is a leader in beverage, juice concentrate, and syrup manufacturing. As one of the largest manufacturing facilities of its kind in the Southeast United States, H&H Products Company manufacturers its own line of branded products for the food service industry including Hartley's Brand, Betty Jeans, Mile Marker 0, MOH, Freeze O Saurus, Juiceburst and Venetian Classics. In addition to in house manufacturing, H&H Products Company specializes in co-packing products for private label. For more information visit their website at: http://www.HHProductsCompany.com
GAVDI Polska will change its office location in Katowice. The company decided to lease an office in the GPP Business Park in Katowice. Knight Frank acted on behalf of the tenant in the lease process. GAVDI Polska is a specialized consulting company offering integrated products and services in managing human

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Satellite television operator DirecTV has reached a multi-territory agreement in Latin America to add Nat Geo Kids and Baby TV to its line-up.





The deal, which will strengthen DirecTVs child-focused portfolio, will see Nat Geo Kids landing in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and the Caribbean, while Baby TV will be added to the same territories, apart from Venezuela. Both channels will be added immediately.The National Geographic network was released in Latin America at the beginning of July and has rapidly gained position in the portfolios of the main regional operators. The network aims to motivate kids interest in science through programmes such as Ready Jet Go! and The Adventures of Blinky Bill.The FOX Networks Group channel Baby TV will be broadcast in HD and will take to DirecTV viewers preschool series like Charlie and the Numbers, Hungry Henry and Big bugs band.
Digicel chairman Denis OBrien has publicly stated the need to create a level playing field for players in the digital world across the Caribbean and Latin America.





Speaking at the 17th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), held in Nassau, the Bahamas, the executive highlighted that new developments in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, algorithms and robots are changing the world, and that the unregulated nature of the Internet has been credited with much of this innovation.The internet and the digital age it supports are now dominated by a handful of giant corporations, stated OBrien. Giants such as Amazon, Facebook, Google and Skype have argued from the outset that they should be exempt from local in-country regulation, while the rest of us in the telecommunications industry must obey the law and build networks.The issue has been a hot topic across the region for over a year, with few countries making a move or planning to in order to even out competitive conditions for over-the-top (OTT) and telecom players. In fact, at the beginning of the year, Colombia sanctioned an innovative regulation that is being taken as a model by other Latin American countries.As part of any new deal, all network providers  whether they are telecoms operators or anyone else  need to be given a revenue share from advertising and OTT services so they can fund broadband networks in the most rural parts of Africa, the CALA region and South East Asia, concluded OBrien
Filming has begun in Snowdonia on Hidden/Craith the latest Wales-based crime series which is set to be shown by BBC Wales and S4C in early 2018.





Filmed back-to-back in Welsh and English, the series tells the story of detective DI Cadi John who returns to north Wales to care for her ailing father. However, when the body of a young woman is found in a local river, Cadis world and that around her is changed forever.A Severn Screen production, the project brings together series creators Mark Andrew and Ed Talfan and director, Gareth Bryn, all of whom worked on the award-winning drama series Y Gwyll/Hinterland . The producer on the series is Hannah Thomas. Writers on the series include co-creator Mark Andrew, Welsh novelist Caryl Lewis and BAFTA Cymru-winning writer Jeff Murphy.BBC Wales and S4C broadcasters have been backed in the venture by all3media international, and the eight-part crime serial will premiere in the Welsh language on S4C in 2018 as Craith. Hidden, the bilingual version will follow on BBC One Wales.We are thrilled to be filming in North Wales. I know from the experience of shooting Y Gwyll/Hinterland in mid-Wales how important the landscape can be in helping to define a series, said Severn Screen creative director Ed Talfan. I fully expect the breath-taking landscape in and around Snowdonia to stamp itself on this series in the same way.Added Gethin Scourfield, S4C drama content commissioner said: With a highly-celebrated writing and production team and the dramatic Snowdonia scenery as a backdrop, Hidden/Craith is a series that will set your pulse racing. Combining a star cast and highly celebrated writing and production team, this story will thrill, intrigue and enthral.Maartje Horchner, EVP Content at all3media international also remarked: We are delighted to support S4C and BBC Wales on this show. We are confident that the success of Hinterland has paved the way for high quality Welsh crime drama to travel well beyond its national borders.
Broadcast media services provider Olympusat has chosen PlayBox Technologys AirBox Neo as the basis of a major expansion of its playout system to handle 30 full high-definition channels.





Olympusat is a full-service house offering high grade broadcast facilities from production, post-production and content archiving right through to transmission and will be running AirBox Neo on servers located at its engineering resource in Culver City, California, operated from the master control room at its headquarters in Florida.Supporting Ultra HD, HD and SD playout, AirBox Neo is designed for 24/7 unattended operation and can also be operated manually, including the ability to handle live-to-air throughput. Parallel outputs allow two or more SDI or IP streaming SD/HD feeds to run simultaneously. Changes to the playlist can be made during an on-air session. Clips in the playlist, except the one which is currently playing, can be trimmed, edited or repositioned.PlayBox Technology USA has worked closely with us to integrate the Neo platform with our WideOrbit ad sales management solution, explained Olympusat operations manager Michael Kohl. The result is a unified system that provides all the information our staff require, exactly when and where they need it. Neo itself enables us to work on a fully automated basis while retaining the ability to over-ride the playout schedule at any time with up-to-the-minute interstitials or live input."Our latest generation servers have the CPU power to handle two full HD channels in a single chassis, fully functional with all specified modules such as graphics, up-conversion, down-conversion and IP streaming, added PlayBox Technology US director of operations Van Duke. Each server can alternatively be configured to handle four standard-definition channels or in a mixed combination of one high definition plus two standard definition channels.Also forming part of the Olympusat installation is TitleBox Neo which provides interactive on-air graphics and titling capabilities such as horizontal crawling text, vertically rolling credits and messages, still and animated logo graphics, analogue and digital clocks, banner slideshows and chat text with automated horizontal or vertical scrolling. The feature set can be manipulated live.
A U.S. government watchdog says Afghan security forces remain "complicit" in the sexual abuse of young boys despite previous warnings and strict penalties for such activities laid out recently by Afghanistan's president.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), an office that audits and monitors Afghan reconstruction projects, made the fresh allegations in a report released on July 30 that highlights Afghanistan's struggle to root out human rights violations within the U.S.-trained armed forces.

SIGAR said it had filed a classified report to Congress into claims of child sex abuse by the Afghan security forces and whether the American military was turning a blind eye to the practice.

SIGAR, created by Congress in 2008, and other groups have warned in the past about the resurrection of the practice of "bacha bazi" -- literally, dancing boys -- in which wealthy or powerful men exploit underage boys as sexual partners. The victims are often orphans or boys from poor families as young as 10.

Powerful religious and social conservative elements in Afghanistan have banned women from dancing in public, so young boys are sometimes dressed as girls and made to perform. The boys are often sexually abused and raped.

'Terrible Practice'

Human rights groups say the worst offenders include security forces, U.S.-trained militias, and former warlords and strongmen, who often act with impunity.

"Afghan officials remain complicit, especially in the sexual exploitation...of children by Afghan security forces," SIGAR said.

Under U.S. law, the Pentagon and the State Department are prohibited from providing assistance to any unit of a foreign country's security forces if there is credible information that the unit has committed any gross violations of human rights, according to SIGAR.

"The U.S. military has long known about the involvement of senior Afghan commanders and other figures in this terrible practice but has done little to curb it even as U.S. forces continue to train and fund Afghan forces," Patricia Gossman, a senior researcher on Afghanistan at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said.

"The U.S. has an obligation to do so and to stop supporting any Afghan forces who engage in this practice, investigate all reports of it, and press for prosecution of those responsible," she added.

There are about 8,400 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, providing training and assistance to Afghan security forces under the NATO mission.

The practice of bacha bazi has reportedly spread since the fall of the Taliban, who declared it un-Islamic. It has now spread from rural areas to big cities, including Kabul.

Strict Penalties

In February, President Ashraf Ghani laid out strict penalties against bacha bazi for the first time in a revised penal code. Punishments range from seven years in jail for sexual assault to the death penalty for aggravated cases in which more than one child is involved.

But the government has yet to present a time frame for when the revised penal code will be enforced.

In 2016, a former dancing boy told RFE/RL that he was kidnapped and taken to a village, where he said two men raped him. Faisal said he danced for two years before he turned 18, when most dancing boys are considered men and tossed aside.

The SIGAR report comes at a time when U.S. officials are describing Afghan security forces' battle against the Taliban as a "stalemate."

The report found that Afghan forces continue to suffer high casualty rates, with 2,531 killed in action and another 4,238 wounded between January 1 and May 8. SIGAR said at least 6,785 Afghan soldiers and police had been killed in the first 10 months of 2016.

SIGAR also said government forces control 59.7 percent of the country's 407 districts, the same as the last quarter, suggesting efforts to recapture territory lost to the Taliban and other militants have failed.
Police in Armenia have identified a man who was being sought on charges of using a hunting rifle in an attack on a funeral ceremony that killed four people on August 1.

Authorities said late on August 1 that they are still searching for the suspect, who was named as 50-year-old Telman Kalashian.

Kalashian is accused of breaking into the hall for funeral ceremonies in the village of Shamiram in the Aragatsot region.

Three people were killed at the funeral hall and five were hospitalized with injuries. One of the injured victims died later on August 1 at a hospital.

Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS


A Chechen official has rejected a report by a respected Russian newspaper that 27 Chechens had been executed without trial.

Dzhambulat Umarov, press and information minister for Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya, said on July 31 that Chechen authorities detain people suspected of terrorist activities on a regular basis and the newspaper's reports had not proven that any detained individuals had been executed.

Umarov made his comments hours after the Novaya Gazeta report was published.

Novaya Gazeta's story built on a report it published earlier in July about 27 individuals allegedly executed without trial after they were implicated in December 17 shootouts with police in Chechnya's capital, Grozny.

The second report included more details, including photographs, of 24 of those men based on materials reportedly obtained from police in Chechnya, which has been led by Kremlin-backed strongman Ramzan Kadyrov for a decade.

The report also alleged that relatives of the missing Chechens were forced to sign papers saying the individuals had left Chechnya and that they have no grounds for filing missing-person reports.

Novaya Gazeta has angered Kadyrov with a series of reports alleging grave abuses -- including torture and executions -- by the law enforcement and paramilitary forces he oversees.

They have included recent reports of an alleged campaign of violence targeting gay men in Chechnya.

Kadyrov and other senior officials in Chechnya have repeatedly rejected these reports as untrue.

With reporting by rbc.ru
A correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Turkmenistan was threatened with death by a man who identified himself as a police officer, RFE/RL reported on July 31.

While en route to report on Turkmenistan's Day of Bicycles on July 29, Soltan Achilova said the man warned her against taking photographs or she will be "finished."

The previous week, Achilova, 68, said a man tried to steal her cellphone as she was about to take a photo.

The two recent attacks follow several incidents of harassment against Achilova in November 2016, RFE/RL said.

"Journalism is not a crime, in Turkmenistan or elsewhere in the modern world. Soltans life has now been explicitly threatened in an effort to stop her from doing her job in Turkmenistan, said RFE/RL President Thomas Kent.

The Turkmen government must immediately put an end to the persecution of Soltan Achilova and assure her safety.

Achilova is one of the main contributors to RFE/RL's Turkmen Service website of photos and videos from within Turkmenistan.

Attacks against RFE/RL contributors have intensified in recent years in the Central Asian nation, which is one of the world's most closed societies and is ranked "not free" in Freedom House's 2017 press freedom survey.
Vladimir Putin's regime acts like it owns the memory and the narrative of the Second World War.

The Kremlin appears to believe that it has the right to dictate how other countries mark, remember, and commemorate World War II.

And the latest example of this came just this week.

According to the pro-Kremlin daily Izvestia, Russia is now threatening to impose sanctions on Poland if it goes ahead with plans to remove Soviet-era war monuments.

The Russian Foreign Ministry accused Warsaw of "Russophobia" and of attempting to "belittle the Soviet Union's role as liberator."

Now this, of course, overlooks the inconvenient fact that Poland, like the Baltic states, views the Red Army in World War II not as liberators but as conquerors and occupiers.

It conveniently ignores the pesky fact that before Moscow fought against the Nazis, it collaborated with them to invade and partition Poland and to occupy the Baltics.

And it is willfully indifferent to the fact that for these countries, World War II was a battle against two of history's most nefarious regimes: Adolf Hitler's Germany and Josef Stalin's Soviet Union.

The current tension with Poland is ominously reminiscent of Moscow's reaction to Estonia's decision 10 years ago to remove a Soviet-era war monument from central Tallinn.

Then, Russia responded with a massive cyberattack against Estonia and with orchestrated riots by ethnic Russians on the streets of Tallinn.

The Kremlin's attempts to control the narrative about World War II is more than an academic exercise and it's more than about preserving Russia's national pride.

At its heart, it's an attempt to legitimize Moscow's postwar occupation and dominance of its neighbors.

It's nothing short of an attempt to sanctify an autocratic empire.

Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page.
Germanys economics minister on July 31 urged the European Union to fight back against new sanctions by the United States that could penalize Western companies doing business with Russia.

The new sanctions targeting Russia's energy firms were included in legislation passed overwhelmingly by Congress last week and expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump.

The provisions affecting Europe would allow Trump to impose sanctions on Western businesses working with Russia's Gazprom to build the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline between Russia and Germany through the Baltic Sea.

European leaders say the sanctions will jeopardize their energy security and hurt their economies.

"We consider this as being against international law, plain and simple," German Economics Minister Brigitte Zypries said in an interview published by the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain on July 31.

"The Americans cant punish German companies because they have business interests in another country, Zypries said. "Of course, we don't want a trade war. But it is important the European Commission now looks into countermeasures."

Zypries said Berlin had repeatedly asked Washington not to include the provisions affecting European companies in a broader bill targeting Russia with sanctions over its alleged interference in the U.S. presidential election, aggression in Ukraine, and other matters.

"Unfortunately, that is exactly what they are doing. That means that it is right that the European Commission now considers countermeasures," she said.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned last week that "if our concerns are not taken into account sufficiently, we stand ready to act appropriately within a matter of days" of the provisions taking effect.

The United States has for years opposed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, saying it will only increase European dependence on Russia for natural gas when Western allies should be diversifying their energy sources away from Russia.

But the sanctions bill represents the first time Washington has taken concrete action in its opposition to the pipeline that could lead to punitive measures against European companies.

The new sanctions are also coupled with provisions encouraging European countries to purchase liquefied natural gas from the United States as an alternative to relying on Russian gas.

"One is left with the sense that the United States is looking to its own economic interests," Volker Triere, the head of the Germany Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said last week.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned last week that Germany will not tolerate sanctions against European companies involved in the Nord Stream project.

Some German business groups are advocating countersanctions against the United States if Trump decides to impose sanctions on European companies.

U.S. lawmakers had modified the bill after initial complaints by European leaders that it was too harmful to companies working with Russia on Nord Stream.

Meanwhile, Russia retaliated on July 28 over the sanctions in the bill by ordering the United States to reduce its diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people.

Late on July 31, the White House said it was mulling a response to the Russian order.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told a news briefing that the administration is looking at possible options and would say something more definitive at a later date.

Vice President Mike Pence, who is visiting Eastern Europe and Georgia this week, said "we hope for better days, for better relations with Russia" eventually, despite Trump's plans to sign the sanctions bill.

With reporting by Reuters, Newsweek, and TASS


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
Afghan officials say two victims were killed by an attack on the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul that was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.

"All the attackers have been killed," the Interior Ministry said in a statement issued on July 31, nearly four hours after the militants launched their assault.

The Afghan ministry initially said that one police officer suffered minor injuries and no embassy staff were harmed.

But it later confirmed that one woman and an embassy guard were killed during the attack.

The ministry said the attack started when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the main gate of the embassy, allowing three gunmen to enter the building located in the central Shar-e-Naw neighborhood.

As Afghan security forces were still battling the attackers, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat in Kabul was evacuated to the Egyptian Embassy and that attempts were under way to remove two Iraqi staffers.

The attack came two weeks after the Iraqi Embassy held a news conference to celebrate the government's recapture of the city of Mosul from IS fighters.

With reporting by AFP and dpa


ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A court in Kazakhstans largest city, Almaty, has sentenced a former opposition leader to two years of restricted freedom.

Olesya Khalabuzar, leader of the Spravedlivost (Justice) party, was sentenced on August 1 after she pleaded guilty to inciting ethnic hatred.

Khalabuzar told RFE/RL she does not plan to appeal the sentence, which is, in effect, a suspended sentence with parole-like restrictions.

Khalabuzar's party was established in 2015 and it has positioned itself in opposition to the Kazakh government. The party has not been officially registered.

In March, the party's offices, Khalabuzar's apartment, and her mother's home were searched by police and afterwards she was charged with inciting ethnic hatred.

In May, Khalabuzar announced her decision to quit politics. Many suggested she was pressured into making the announcement.
ASTANA -- Kazakhstan has sent an official protest note to Egypt asking the government to explain why it has detained six Kazakh citizens.

Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman Anuar Zhainaqov said on August 1 that Astana also demanded that Cairo allow Kazakh diplomats to meet with the detained men.

Zhainaqov added that Egyptian officials have not given any explanations regarding the July 19 detention of the Kazakh students, who were studying Arabic and lived together in a Cairo apartment.

Only two of the detained students have thus far been identified.

Zhainaqov said earlier that the students are not thought to be Islamic extremists.

Kazakhstan says hundreds of its citizens have joined extremist groups in Syria and Iraq in recent years.
BISHKEK -- A total of 59 people have filed papers with Kyrgyzstans Election Commission to become candidates for president.

Eleven of the would-be candidates were nominated by political parties and 48 are independents, the commission reported at the July 31 deadline.

Each perspective candidate must now collect at least 30,000 signatures in support of his/her candidacy, pay a deposit of 1 million soms ($14,600), and pass a Kyrgyz-language test.

A candidate selected by the opposition Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party, leader Omurbek Tekebaev, is on trial on charges of bribe-taking. His papers were not accepted by the Election Commission.

Several of Tekebaev's supporters launched a hunger strike on July 31, demanding his registration be accepted.

Tekebaev and his party supporters say the charges against him are politically motivated to keep Tekebaev off the ballot.

A final list of officially registered presidential candidates will be made public on September 10. The election is scheduled for October 15.

President Almazbek Atambaev, who has been in office since December 2011, is constitutionally barred from running for a second term.




U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has reaffirmed Washington's support for Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity during a visit to Tbilisi and denounced Russias aggression and occupation of Georgian territory.

America stands with Georgia," Pence said on August 1 at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

Today, Russia continues to occupy one-fifth of Georgian territory, Pence said. So, to be clear -- the United States of America strongly condemns Russia's occupation on Georgia's soil."

The Kremlin recognized Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries after fighting a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008. Russia maintains thousands of troops in the two regions.

"The United States supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, Pence added. And under President Donald Trump, the United States of America will object to any claim at any time by any nation that undermines this enduring principle."

Pence said Trump will very soon sign legislation that would impose additional economic sanctions on Russia.

The sanctions bill was overwhelmingly passed by Congress last week, and in response Moscow demanded that Washington drastically reduce its diplomatic staff in Russia.

"We hope for better relations with Russia, Pence said. But the recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow, I can assure you, will not deter the commitment of the United States to our security, that of our allies, and the freedom-loving nations around the world, like Georgia."

The relationship between Washington and Moscow has been badly damaged by Russia's aggression in Ukraine, its role in the war in Syria, and its alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Pence also reiterated that the United States strongly supports the Caucasus countrys aspirations to become a NATO member.

"I commended the prime minister for Georgia's democratic development, which has brought Georgia closer to unity with Europe and membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, he said. Further progress on the goals that the prime minister has set will bring Georgia even closer and NATO even closer to your grasp and it will strengthen the bond between our nations."

Pence also met on August 1 with the leaders of the Georgian opposition and addressed troops participating in NATO joint military exercises being conducted in Georgia, saying, "We stand here today in the gap -- on a front line of freedom, a front line compromised by Russian aggression nearly a decade ago."

Pence was accompanied by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili during the troop review at the Vaziani military air base outside Tbilisi.

Margvelashvili highlighted the fact that Russian troops remain deployed as occupiers in Georgia's breakaway separatist regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia where they are supporting separatist leaders.

"Some dozen kilometers away there are barb wire fences built and installed to prohibit citizens of my country from free movement," Margvelashvili said. "Just a few kilometers [from here], people are persecuted just because they are Georgians."

"Twenty percent of my nation's territory is occupied because Georgia decided to be a free and independent nation," Margvelashvili continued. "And this has been continuing for a quarter of a century. The response of the international community appeared not to be enough to stop Russia from treating its neighborhood like its backyard. This policy has no limits unless we stop it. The occupation of Georgian territories must become a game changer [in an effort to] end the confrontation paradigm and the paradigm of spheres of privileged interests."

About 800 Georgian and 1,600 U.S. troops are taking part in the Noble Partner 2017 drills, along with soldiers from Britain, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Slovenia, and Armenia.

Pence met earlier on August 1 with the leaders of the Georgian opposition and was also planning to attend NATO joint military exercises being conducted in Georgia. About 800 Georgian and 1,600 U.S. troops are taking part in the Noble Partner 2017 drills there.

At an official dinner in the Georgian capital late on July 31, Pence said, We stand with you, for your freedom and for our shared values.

Kvirikashvili said the United States has a dedicated friend in Georgia, a stable geopolitical ally, and a strategic partner.

In comments released earlier by the Georgian government, Kvirikashvili described Pence's visit as "an important milestone in the bilateral relationship as we work to further strengthen security, economic, and trade cooperation between our two countries."

Pence arrived in Tbilisi from Estonia, where he reaffirmed Washington's solidarity with the Baltic nations and accused neighboring Russia of seeking to "redraw international borders" and "undermine democracies."

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are members of NATO and were under Moscow's rule during the Soviet era.

The three countries have expressed concerns about Russia's intentions, as have Georgia and the third ally on Pence's itinerary: new NATO member Montenegro.

"No threat looms larger in the Baltic states than the specter of aggression from your unpredictable neighbor to the east," Pence said. "At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to redraw international borders by force, undermine the democracies of sovereign nations, and divide the free nations of Europe against one another."

Pence also said the U.S. administration stands firmly behind Article 5 of the NATO treaty -- the provision stating that an attack on one NATO country is an attack on all members of the alliance.

On August 2, he will attend the Adriatic Charter Summit in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, U.S. officials said.

Montenegro accession to NATO in June was adamantly opposed by Russia.

Pence was expected to highlight the U.S. commitment to the Western Balkans and stress the need for good governance, political reforms, and rule of law in the region.

The leaders of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia are also scheduled to attend the summit.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, civil.ge, and Interfax
Is there a terror threat in Turkmenistan? That's the big question as the Turkmen government takes actions that appear to support the idea.



The authorities seem more obsessed with security than normal lately, and that's saying a lot considering how tight the government's grip over society has been since independence in late 1991.

This heightened anxiety comes as Turkmenistan prepares to host an international event later this year but suddenly faces increased extremist activity just across, and possibly even within its borders.



Turkmenistan's government has reason to be worried -- there is fighting in every one of the Afghan provinces it borders.

According to local Afghan officials, local military commanders, and villagers, the Taliban controls or exerts influence in dozens of districts -- from Jowzjan Province in the east, through Faryab and Badghis, to Herat Province in the west.

And it's not only the Taliban.

On June 20, fighters from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed to have captured Darzab district in Jowzjan Province, and government officials and the Taliban each admitted the IS was in Darzab.

The IS militants were driven out, attacked by government troops and, from different directions, by the Taliban, but it marked the first time IS had laid claim to a district in northwest Afghanistan.

Undeniable Presence

It seems undeniable now that IS has a presence in northwest Afghanistan, though it was already known that Taliban and members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) who had sworn allegiance to IS had scattered across the area after being badly defeated in a battle with traditional Taliban forces in Herat Province at the end of 2015.

Many expect IS fighters fleeing Iraq and Syria could find their way to Afghanistan, and some may have already done so, judging by their more noticeable presence in northwest Afghanistan in recent months.

That brings us back to Turkmenistan, where it appears the government in Ashgabat is worried about IS or an IS-type of attack.

Turkmenistan's government has not said anything about this, of course. They never do.

Turkmen officials deny there is any problem along the border with Afghanistan, despite Afghan media reports that fighting sometimes happens right along the Turkmen frontier.

A source in Turkmenistan's Defense Ministry, speaking under condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from the government because no officials are authorized to speak with foreign media, told RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, that four militants crossed into Turkmenistan from Afghanistan's Herat Province in June.



The source said the four were captured in the Kakha district not far from where Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran meet, and they were headed for Turkmenistan's city of Mary.

And he said they were IS militants.

A security-services officer who took part in the operation to capture the suspected militants, also speaking under condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk, said all four were ethnic Turkmen and citizens of Turkmenistan.

The officer, who was familiar with the interrogation, said the four had initially gone to Turkey and from there went to Iraq and Syria to fight.

He also said that, when they were caught, the militants were waiting for more of their comrades to cross the border and meet up with them, and the officer added that reconnaissance had shown there were more militants in places along the border in Afghanistan.

The area is sparsely inhabited but largely desert so Turkmen security forces are keeping constant watch over wells.

The news that a few IS militants might have made their way into Turkmenistan seems shocking, but it may not be surprising to Turkmen authorities.

In June, Azatlyk heard from sources inside Turkmenistan's law-enforcement agencies that an undisclosed country (likely Turkey) had apprehended and handed over to Turkmen authorities four Turkmen nationals suspected of being linked to IS.

The four were sent to Turkmenistan in May along with information that a possible terrorist attack was being planned against Turkmenistan, according to those sources.

At the start of July, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov told members of the country's security council: "It is the duty of every military servicemen to guard the legal government structure and carry on an unrelenting battle with any violators of the law."

There is a good reason why Turkmenistan would not be a logical choice for a terrorist attack.

Turkmenistan is an isolationist country. It is difficult to get information about what is happening there.

An attack could happen in Turkmenistan and chances are that nobody outside the country would ever know much about it.

Briefly In The Spotlight

But for a brief few days in September that is about to change.

Turkmenistan is hosting the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG). It's a vanity project of President Berdymukhammedov and not only foreign athletes, but foreign media and spectators are coming.

Turkmen authorities want international attention for this event and it is not inconceivable that an extremist group such as IS would consider an attack during AIMAG would gain some needed publicity as the militant group continues to suffer losses in the Middle East.

Turkmen authorities have already imposed a series of measures designed to ensure security.

There are the regular residency checks to ensure only registered residents of Ashgabat are in the Turkmen capital.

No vehicles with license plates from regions outside the Turkmen capital are allowed into Ashgabat.

Workers from the regions, many of whom are feverishly working to complete facilities for AIMAG are housed on the outskirts of the city.

And following Berdymukhammedov's July speech on protecting the government, new rules require any foreign workers in Turkmenistan to give Turkmen authorities three photographs of themselves, a document showing official permission to work in Turkmenistan from the local administration in the region where they are performing their work, a copy of their rental contract from their residence in Turkmenistan, documents from their employer, and information about any bank accounts they have in Turkmenistan.

Curious Incident

An official in Turkmenistan's Migration Service, the organization tasked with ensuring that the new measures are carried out, told Azatlyk under condition of anonymity that: "In Turkmenistan, people are worried about possible ties of the population with the Islamic State and they [authorities] ... are obtaining more precise information about the possible contacts of [foreign] workers with organizations potentially linked to IS."

This is not the first time terrorism and militants had a Turkmen connection.

One of the first videos of foreign militants caught in Syria was in June 2013 and showed four men who claimed they came from Turkmenistan.

Syria's Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassun claimed there were 360 citizens of Turkmenistan fighting alongside "mercenaries" in his country.

And there was the curious incident inside Turkmenistan in 2008 when a gunman killed and wounded several Turkmen police and members of the security forces.



But terrorism is still something new to Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan has relied on its UN-recognized status as a neutral nation to keep the country out of conflicts but non-state actors are now appearing in Afghanistan and neutrality might no longer be the shield it once was, something officials in Ashgabat are now realizing.

RFE/RL's Turkmen Service and Mustafa Sarwar and Qadir Habib of RFE/RL's Afghan Service contributed to this report

The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL.


Russia and China hit back at the United States on July 31 after U.S. leaders blamed them for not doing enough to rein in North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea over the weekend tested a missile with the capability of hitting the U.S. mainland, prompting Trump to tweet that he was "very disappointed" that China had done "nothing" to help the United States punish Pyongyang.

"China could easily solve this problem," Trump said, while U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called China and Russia "the principal economic enablers" of North Korea because of their ongoing trade ties.

"We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the U.S. and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of [Pyongyang]," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on July 31.

"It was the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China that developed a joint road map that rules out any use of force or a threat to use force and envisages a comprehensive solution to all problems of the Korean Peninsula, including the nuclear problem, through political and diplomatic methods," the ministry said, urging all sides to "immediately" resume dialogue.

China also lashed out at the U.S. accusations, saying that Washington and Pyongyang hold "the primary responsibility" for today's escalating tensions, as well as for efforts to cool tensions.

"No matter how capable China is, China's efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties," Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi said at the United Nations in New York.

Liu said both Washington and Pyongyang have ignored calls by the UN Security Council to de-escalate tensions and relaunch six-party negotiations as proposed by Beijing and Moscow.

North Korea has continued its missile tests, Liu said, while the United States has raised tensions by refusing to rule out military options and deploying an advanced antimissile system to South Korea that challenges the security of China and Russia as well.

The Chinese ambassador, in criticisms aimed at the United States, said implementation of Security Council resolutions is also being hampered by unilateral sanctions and "preconditions put to starting the dialogue" with Pyongyang.

The Trump administration has been pursuing a strategy of pressuring Pyongyang through new unilateral sanctions and appealing to China to use its influence while declaring that all options, including a targeted military strike, are on the table to block North Korea from carrying out threats against the United States and its allies in the region.

China has proposed that both sides back down from their current course toward military confrontation, with North Korea refraining from any further missile or nuclear tests, and the United States refraining from further military exercises or deployments in the region.

Liu said he also is negotiating with U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley over a possible new round of economic sanctions on North Korea.

But Haley has dismissed the "road map" offered by China and Russia, saying Washington is "done talking about North Korea."

In a phone call between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 30, the White House said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far."

It said Trump "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment" to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, "using the full range of United States capabilities."

Abe expressed doubts about finding a negotiated solution to the crisis after the phone call.

"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," he said.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and Interfax


Moscow city officials say that some 5,144 Soviet-era apartment buildings will be demolished in the Russian capital in a controversial massive urban renewal project.

The plan on the Moscow Mayor's Office website on August 1 says more than 350,000 apartments will be demolished and the owners will get new apartments by 2032.

Reports said earlier that the controversial plan envisioned the demolition of some 4,500 apartment blocks.

Despite public protests against the renovation plans, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law authorizing the renovation plan on July 1.

The plan had brought thousands of protesters into the streets of central Moscow in May and June.

Moscow authorities have said the buildings -- most of which are known as Khrushchyovka -- are dilapidated and outdated, although many residents and activists see the plans as an excuse for the lucrative construction of high-rises in an already congested city with shrinking amounts of green spaces.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says he plans to meet with Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov in Manila during the weekend of August 5-6.

Tillerson made the announcement on August 1, saying that Washingtons relationship with Russia "continues to be under considerable stress."

But he said Washington is working with Russia and others to try to create conditions for Syria peace talks to move forward.

He said Washington still has the view that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has no future in governing Syria, and that Iranian fighters who are helping Assad's forces fight rebels in Syria should return home.

Despite Russias moves to dramatically reduce the number of staff at U.S. diplomatic compounds in Russia in response to a possible fresh wave of U.S. sanctions against Moscow, Tillerson said Russia and the United States still share an interest in fighting terrorism.

The U.S. State Department says Tillerson will travel to the Philippines on August 5 as part of a five-day tour of Southeast Asia that also will take him to Thailand and Malaysia.

In Manila, Tillerson is to meet with diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations where the State Department says he will discuss the "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, and counterterrorism."

Tillerson said he does not blame China for North Korea's development of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

But he said Washington wants China to use its economic influence on Pyongyang.

Tillerson also said on August 1 that Washington is not seeking regime change in North Korea.

But he said he would like to have a dialogue with North Korean leaders at some point.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP


U.S. President Donald Trump told his son to say that his meeting last year with a Russian lawyer focused primarily on the issue of Russian adoptions and not the presidential campaign, The Washington Post reported on July 31.

The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said Trump personally dictated a statement for his son to present to the press about the June 2016 meeting when it was first disclosed last month.

The statement proved to be misleading when Donald Trump Jr. later released e-mails showing that he eagerly agreed to the meeting with lawyer Natalya Veselnitskaya and several other Russians because he was told they would give him information that would be damaging to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Also present at the meeting were Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.

The meeting has become a central focus of investigations in Congress and at the Justice Department over alleged Russian attempts to meddle in the presidential election.

Trump attorney Jay Sekulow issued a statement in response to The Washington Post report, saying: Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent.

Based on reporting by Reuters, and AFP
Ukrainian officials and local residents moved to stabilize conditions in the freshly recaptured southern city of Kherson, as Russian symbols were being torn down and with the restoration of Ukrainian radio and television service and a new police presence.

Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

The action on November 12 came after months of occupation by Russian forces following their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February and as Ukrainian and Western officials hailed Kyivs latest extraordinary battlefield success and Moscows strategic failure.

Separately, Russian occupying forces said late on November 12 that they were preparing to leave the city of Nova Kakhovka, the site of a damaged dam on the Dnieper River, to a safer location, according to Russian state-run TASS news agency.

As jubilant Kherson residents awoke the morning following the arrival of the first Ukrainian troops, Ukraines military said it was putting stabilization measures in place to ensure safety.

Ihor Klymenko, chief of the National Police of Ukraine, said about 200 officers were at their posts in Kherson and that checkpoints had been set up. Authorities also began seeking out any evidence of possible Russian war crimes, he said in a Facebook post.



The Ukrainian communications watchdog said national TV and radio broadcasts had resumed in the strategic southern city and officials said aid supplies had begun to arrive from nearby regions.

Social media postings on November 12 showed local residents removing memorial plaques put up by Kremlin-installed authorities during the occupation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other officials warned that while special forces had entered central Kherson, the full deployment of Ukrainian troops was still under way and that some Russian soldiers could have shed military uniforms for civilian clothing and remained in the city.

Even when the city is not yet completely cleansed of the enemys presence, the people of Kherson themselves are already removing Russian symbols and any traces of the occupiers stay in Kherson from the streets and buildings, Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.

But he said that medicine, communications, social services are returning. Life is returning.

WATCH: Local residents welcomed Ukrainian soldiers into Snihurivka on November 10, as advance forces of the Ukrainian military recaptured the town in the southern Mykolayiv region.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, speaking to world leaders at an ASEAN summit in Cambodia, warned that the celebratory mood could turn grim with the possible discovery of war crimes evidence in Kherson.

Such evidence was discovered after Russian troops pulled out of the Kyiv and Kharkiv regions months ago.

Every time we liberate a piece of our territory, when we enter a city liberated from the Russian Army, we find torture rooms and mass graves with civilians tortured and murdered by the Russian Army in the course of the occupation of the territories," he said. "Its not easy to speak with people like this. But I said that every war ends with diplomacy and Russia has to approach talks in good faith.

The White House on November 12 hailed Russias withdrawal from Kherson as an "extraordinary victory" for Ukraine.

"It does look as though the Ukrainians have just won an extraordinary victory where the one regional capital that Russia had seized in this war is now back under a Ukrainian flag -- and that is quite a remarkable thing," U.S. national-security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters as he accompanied President Joe Biden to the ASEAN summit.

Sullivan said that the Russian retreat would have "broader strategic implications," including relieving the longer-term threat by Russia to other southern Ukrainian cities such as Odesa.

"It's a big moment, and it's due to the incredible tenacity and skill of the Ukrainians, backed by the relentless and united support of the United States and our allies," Sullivan said.

Asked about reports that the Biden administration has started to press Zelenskiy to explore negotiations with Moscow, Sullivan said Russia, not Ukraine, was the side that has to decide whether or not to go to the table.

"This whole notion, I think, in the Western press of, 'When's Ukraine going to negotiate?' misses the underlying fundamentals," Sullivan said.

Russia, he added, continues to make "outlandish claims" about its self-declared annexations of Ukrainian lands, even as it retreats from Ukrainian counterattacks.

"Ultimately, at a 30,000-foot level, Ukraine is the party of peace in this conflict and Russia is the party of war. Russia invaded Ukraine. If Russia chose to stop fighting in Ukraine and left, it would be the end of the war. If Ukraine chose to stop fighting and give up, it would be the end of Ukraine," he said. "In that context, our position remains the same as it has been and fundamentally is in close consultation and support of President Zelenskiy.

Separately, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said on November 12 that Moscow's "strategic failure" in Kherson will sow doubt among the Russian public about the point of the war in Ukraine.

"Russia's announced withdrawal from Kherson marks another strategic failure for them. In February, Russia failed to take any of its major objectives except Kherson," Wallace said in a statement. "Now with that also being surrendered, ordinary people of Russia must surely ask themselves: 'What was it all for?'"

Meanwhile, Pavel Filipchuk, the head of the occupation government in Nova Kakhovka, told administrators and residents that Russian forces will be pullng back from the city on the right bank of the Dnieper River.

He cited concerns that the key dam could be damaged by missiles, which would result in flooding.

Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of planning to blast the dam, which has already been severely damaged.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has arrived in Montenegro on the final leg of a tour of Eastern Europe.

Pence's visit to Podgorica is seen as a show of U.S. support after Montenegro's entrance into NATO earlier this year sparked bitter opposition from Moscow.

Pence was greeted upon his arrival in Podgorica by Prime Minister Dusko Markovic.

He was scheduled to attend a dinner with President Filip Vujanovic and other officials on August 1.

On August 2, Pence was due to attend the Adriatic Charter summit -- a gathering that also brings together leaders from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Earlier on August 1, during a visit to Tbilisi, Pence reaffirmed Washington's support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity -- denouncing what he called Russia's "aggression" and "occupation" of Georgias breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

On July 31, during a visit Estonia, Pence said Washington would not lessen its commitment to its allies because of the Kremlin's retaliatory move to reduce staff at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia over looming U.S. sanctions.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian president and Odesa regional governor who was recently stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, says he intends to return to Ukraine.

In a video press conference organized by his Movement of New Forces opposition party in its headquarters in Kyiv on August 1, Saakashvili, who is currently in the United States, said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's decision to annul his citizenship earlier in July was "illegal" and "weakened democracy in Ukraine."

Saakashvili urged Ukrainian authorities and Poroshenko to allow him to come back to legally prove in court that his citizenship had been illegally taken away from him.

"That move had a single goal, which is to remove a key player from the political scene in Ukraine," said Saakashvili, adding that the action had "weakened Ukraine in its fight against its current enemy -- Putin's Russia."

Saakashvili also was sharply critical of Poroshenko, a former friend of his who granted Saakashvili Ukrainian citizenship and installed him as governor of Odesa.

"Poroshenko's move made it clear that the commander in chief of the Ukrainian armed forces is a coward," he said. "A coward, who while I was not home changed the lock on my home door and threw all my belongings out of the window."

Saakashvili, who went to university in Ukraine and served his Soviet military duty in the country, added that he remains a Ukrainian who will do everything he can to make sure that corruption and lawlessness are eradicated in "our Ukraine."

"I do not plan to use the protection of the United States or any other country. I will come back," Saakashvili said, adding that his return would not be incognito.

Saakashvili also stated that his party's plan to stage mass protests in autumn remain unchanged.

Saakashvili, 49, is an adamantly pro-Western reformist who was swept to power in Georgia by the peaceful Rose Revolution protests of 2003 and served two terms as president in 2004-2013.

His popularity declined in his later years in office, in part because of a five-day war with Russia during which Moscow's forces drove deep into the South Caucasus country, and his long-ruling party was voted out of power in a 2012 parliamentary election.

Saakashvili was stripped of his Georgian citizenship in 2015, after becoming governor of the Odesa region -- a post that required him to take Ukrainian citizenship.

Georgia is seeking his extradition to face charges -- which he says are politically motivated -- connected to the violent dispersal of protests and a raid on a private television station.

He resigned as Odesa governor in November 2016, complaining of official obstruction of anticorruption efforts, accusing Poroshenko of dishonesty, and charging that the central government was sabotaging crucial reforms.

Without citizenship, Saakashvili cannot seek political office in Ukraine, where his party is calling for early parliamentary elections. A presidential vote is to be held in March 2019.

Based on the YouTube live stream of Saakashvili's press conference
WASHINGTON -- Someone had to clean the toilets. Someone had to lug that fresh milk into the embassy. And it couldnt be the ambassador.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's order that the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia cut 755 staff members was a return to a tactic that hasnt been seen in bilateral relations in years.

Thirty-one years, to be precise.

In October 1986, Soviet authorities ordered a reduction of some 200 employees of the U.S. mission.

At the time, the second-in-charge was Richard Combs. Now long retired from U.S. foreign service and a life of diplomacy, Combs recalls in an interview with RFE/RL what happened in October 1986 when diplomats fluent in multiple languages or steeped in Kremlinology found themselves driving school buses or schlepping around crates of fresh milk.

RFE/RL: What do you recall from that time when the order came down, from the Soviet Foreign Ministry, that there would be an expulsion?

Richard Combs: In 86, what they did was withdraw all of the Soviet local employees -- I think there were about 200 total. These folks did all the heavy lifting. We employed Soviets as maids and cooks and cleaning people and chauffeurs and mechanics and plumbers and all of that stuff. So obviously we had to figure out how to fulfill all of those essential functions ourselves.

It had a funny -- or not-so-funny -- impact to the social side of diplomacy. How can you have a dinner party or a reception when youve got nobody to cook, nobody to serve, and nobody to clean up except for yourself?

And that was a big problem because it involved a lot of heavy lifting, among other things. Its astounding how much heavy stuff comes into the embassy on a daily basis, and somebody has to schlep that stuff from the train station to customs to the embassy and so forth. That was the major problem: the logistics of operating a large, important embassy, without suddenly some 200 local, Soviet employees.

RFE/RL: So there were no diplomats per se who were expelled...?

Combs: No. Over the years, of course, diplomats had been expelled. But in this instance the Foreign Ministry and the Soviet government decided to remove all of the locals. We had grown quite dependent on them for the operating of the embassy and the consulate in Leningrad.

RFE/RL: What was the atmosphere like in Moscow in 1986?

Combs: There had been some tit-for-tat expulsions that led up to this. We had actually been warned informally that if we continued to expel Soviets from the United States, we were very vulnerable because we had all these locals employed...

In terms of the atmosphere, most Americans who served in Moscow were there in a dedicated way. You know, we were on all the front lines of the Cold War and all that stuff. So esprit de corps was pretty high in the embassy. So the initial reaction was, "Goddammit, well make this thing run ourselves and to hell to the Russians, the Soviets."

And that was fine for a while. But we had to establish rosters of work duties, such as cleaning toilets and moving crates of milk, and all that sort of thing, that included everybody in the embassy except for the ambassador and me. So that meant on any given day a fair number of embassy officers and staff put on work clothes and did menial tasks for the day. So that got tiresome after a while. That was No. 1.

No. 2, it had a funny -- or not-so-funny -- impact to the social side of diplomacy. How can you have a dinner party or a reception when youve got nobody to cook, nobody to serve, and nobody to clean up except for yourself? So the nonessential part of the embassy operation suffered more than the essential...by which I mean gathering information, reporting it, the substantive side of the embassy. But the social side, which is important in diplomacy, we couldnt do very much for the reasons I mentioned.

Also, there was a kind of a safety element as well. We had to keep our automobiles and school buses in repair. Somebody had to drive the school buses to get the kids to school, as well. There were some real-life implications that had to do with safety, and we had to cope with that as best we could.

RFE/RL: So you would have a low-level junior member of the diplomatic staff getting behind the wheel of a minivan to drive the kids to school?

Combs: We had one or two larger buses...and somebody had to drive those as well. What helped us a lot is that we had a separate bilateral agreement with the Soviets, as I dimly recall. They were building a new embassy in Washington at the time, and we were building a new embassy building in Moscow, and we had a fairly large contingent of Seabees (the U.S. Navys specialized construction battalion) to oversee construction. And, thank God, these guys were skilled mechanics and in construction, so they pitched in and helped a lot.

We also found interesting ways around this problem. For example, the embassy of the Philippines had a fairly large staff and a lot of dependents, and we immediately hired some of them to work because they were not, obviously, Soviet locals, and there was no restriction on how many people we could hire as long as they were not Soviet locals. So we found workarounds, but it had a major impact.

RFE/RL: Were there any amusing recollections of diplomatic staff doing interesting or unusual tasks from the time?

Combs: Skilled, well-qualified diplomats were carrying furniture and a lot of things. We brought a lot of stuff in from Helsinki, Finland, like fresh milk and fresh fruit and vegetables from the Stockmanns department store up there. Somebody had to go down to the train station, lift that stuff off of the train cars, put it on trucks, bring it to the embassy, lift it off the trucks, and put it into the refrigerators or wherever it went. And this went on day after day after day. That got awfully tiresome after a while.

The initial reaction was, "Well make this work, goddammit. Were Americans" -- national pride and all that. And that held up for a while, but then it got tiresome, having to clean urinals every day.

The amount of stuff that comes into an embassy, we found out, is quite mind-boggling. I mean, even mail and boxes and stuff. We ordered a lot of stuff from Sears routinely. We had a work detail, on a roster, every day, mainly foreign-service officers along with secretaries and the embassy doctor and everybody else. That was just a lot of physical work. Of course, someone had to clean the toilets and the urinals at the embassy building, to clean the embassy itself, that locals had done, and we had taken it for granted, obviously, for many years.

Its interesting, by the way, that this was a fairly clever move on the Soviets part, because they hire no American employees in their embassy and their consulate, so we were not in a position to retaliate. Obviously, the locals we had had to cooperate with the KGB, and we knew that, but somebody made a decision many, many years ago to put up with that problem in order to keep the American staff [numbers] down.

[The order to cut the U.S. diplomatic workforce came just eight months after Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev made his announcement about glasnost and perestroika -- the new policies of openness and economic restructuring that lay the groundwork ultimately for the Soviet collapse. Despite the thawing rhetoric at the time, on the front lines, at the embassies and elsewhere, the Cold War still very much remained.]

Combs: [The withdrawal] was a tactical move on the Soviets part, that they warned us about. And that was typical Soviet behavior. But that was contrary to what Gorbachev was doing at that time. Nobody expected they would really follow through with it.

RFE/RL: There must be some funny stories from that period, when you had erudite, multiple-language-speaking people cleaning urinals or taking the trash out...

Combs: We didnt see it as all that humorous at the time. Of course, we all cleaned our own apartment, and [the ambassador and his wife] had to clean Spaso House (the historic U.S. ambassadorial residence in Moscow). They had some help. What we quickly did is we hired other third-country folks living in Moscow who were willing to come and work for pay, of course, and they did not fall under the restrictions because they obviously were not Soviet citizens. So we found a fair number of workarounds.

But we also put a fair number of American spouses and dependents to work. The initial reaction was, "Well make this work, goddammit. Were Americans" -- national pride and all that. And that held up for a while, but then it got tiresome, having to clean urinals every day. The main thing is we did our best to keep it equitable, to put everyone on the work rosters. I probably should have been on there, but the ambassador thought that we should stay in our spiffy clothes in case we had to go over to the Foreign Ministry. He and I were the only exceptions. But literally everybody else, the admiral in charge of the defense office, the embassy doctor, [and] everybody were on work rosters.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity
U.S. Senator John McCain (Republican-Arizona) says he will propose a plan for a U.S. strategy in Afghanistan as an amendment to a defense authorization bill later this year.

McCain, an influential Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Service Committee, said in a July 31 statement that more than six months after U.S. President Donald Trump took office, "there still is no strategy for success in Afghanistan."

"When the Senate takes up the National Defense Authorization Act in September, I will offer an amendment based on the advice of some our best military leaders that will provide a strategy for success in achieving America's national interests in Afghanistan," he said.

McCain, who has been undergoing treatment for brain cancer that was diagnosed earlier in July, also criticized the Afghanistan policies of Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, saying "eight years of a 'don't lose' strategy has cost us lives and treasure" in the war-torn country.

McCain, the former Republican presidential nominee who lost to Obama in 2008, was part of a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators who visited Afghanistan in early July and called for a new strategy to turn the tide against an increasingly strong Taliban insurgency and end the longest U.S. war.

With reporting by Reuters and AP


Uzbekistan's recently launched 24-hour television news channel has expressed rare criticism of the policies of the late President Islam Karimov on its analytical program.

The critical comments, aired on July 30, were the first public criticism of Karimov's policies inside Uzbekistan since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Although Karimov's name was not mentioned in the program, analysts on the program said current President Shavkat Mirziyaev "has to fix and rectify all the [domestic and international policy] mistakes of the previous leadership."

According to the program's anchor and the analysts, Uzbekistans "previous leadership" created tensions with neighbors and only now under new leadership is the country opening up to other Central Asian countries.

"The [new] leadership's announcement from the very beginning that the ties with the close neighbors does not mean the fight for superiority but, on the contrary, a sincere and respectful attitude to each other, made it possible to improve and strengthen Uzbekistan's trustworthy relations with the Central Asian republics," the program's anchor said.

The program also criticized "the old leadership's" internal economic, social, and monetary policies.

Mirziyaev has taken some steps to open up the long-isolated country of some 30 million since he became president after longtime autocrat Karimov's death was announced in September 2016.
The 2017 Perseid meteor shower  which peaks Aug. 12  will be sandwiched between a lunar eclipse and the much-heralded 2017 total solar eclipse, marking a month of excitement in the night (and daytime) sky.

The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most-watched showers of the year when it peaks each August; during that time, its rate can reach from 80 to 100 meteors per hour, and it's known for bright fireballs in the sky. This year, because of a bright, waning moon, visibility for observers will be closer to 40 or 50 meteors per hour  but it will still be a vivid show for viewers on the nights of Aug. 11 to 12 and Aug. 12 to 13.

"The Perseid peak is expected to occur at around 1 p.m. EDT on Aug. 12 this year, which is in the middle of the day," NASA asteroid expert Bill Cooke told Space.com in an email. "This means there will be good rates on either side. I think things may be slightly better in the pre-dawn hours of the 12th, but there should still be a decent show on either night." [How to See the Best Meteor Showers of 2017]

Astrophotographer Eric Bender sent in a photo of 3 Perseid meteors and the Milky Way, shot near Payson, AZ. Photo submitted August 9, 2013. (Image credit: Eric Bender)

Before settling in for the Perseids' peak, on the evening of Aug. 7 to 8, skywatchers will be treated to this month's full moon, known as the Full Sturgeon Moon. And for lucky skywatchers in Africa, Asia and Australia, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible as well, as Earth's shadow passes over the moon.

That event happens when the moon has set over the United States, but don't worry; lunar and solar eclipses come in pairs, and the following total solar eclipse, on Aug. 21, is set to cross the continental United States coast to coast. Read our 2017 total solar eclipse guide to prepare for it and learn what the eclipse will look like in your area.

The Perseid meteor shower peaks before dawn on Saturday, August 12. It is always the most reliable in the year, but this year the waning gibbous moon will hamper viewing efforts. (Image credit: SkySafari App

Eclipses are reminders that the Earth and moon are constantly in motion; meteor showers further show that Earth is not moving around the sun in isolation. The Perseid meteor shower occurs every year as Earth passes through the trail of dust and debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun in a much more oblong path than Earth's. The comet last passed by Earth in 1992 and will swing by again in 2126.

The meteor shower's intensity is determined by the thickness of the stream on a given year  last year, for instance, the meteor shower was in "outburst," and so there were a higher rate of meteors than usual. Researchers have only had the computer power to predict Perseid outbursts since the 1990s.

Even with the moon dampening the proceedings, the Perseids should still be an impressive show, according to Cooke.

"The good news is that the Perseids are rich in fireballs; otherwise, the moon would really mess with them," Cooke said. [Perseid Meteor Shower 2017: When, Where & How to See It]

The Perseids appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, and they are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, although they can also be seen down into the midsouthern latitudes. They should be visible after about 10 p.m. local time Aug. 11, and they will increase in frequency all the way to dawn. Then, the next night, the Perseids rates will slowly decrease.

Remember, though they appear to radiate from one spot, the Perseids can appear all over the sky; to see them, lean back and look upward, and make sure you give yourself time to adjust to the dark. The naked eye is a better choice than a telescope or binoculars for viewing them, because the more of the sky you can see at once, the more likely it is you'll see the meteors and fireballs streak by. Ideally, Cooke said, you should devote a few hours at least to get the most out of the Perseids' peak  just don't fall asleep!

Editor's Note: This article was corrected to reflect that the moon will be waning, not waxing. However, it will still be bright enough to interfere with observations.

Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
A pair of objects drifting in interstellar space may look like a rogue "double planet," but it's actually two failed stars, a new study finds.The duo is the most lightweight binary system ever discovered and may be the closest approximation of a free-floating "double planet" that astronomers have found so far.

The object, named 2MASS J111932541137466, is located about 95 light-years from Earth, in the constellation Hydra. A 2016 study suggested it was a free-floating planet-like body  a "rogue" object without a parent star.

This previous research estimated that the mass of this object, also known as 2M1119, was four to eight times that of Jupiter. This suggested it was a brown dwarf, also known as a failed star. [Brown Dwarfs: Strange Failed Stars of the Universe Explained (Infographic)]

Brown dwarfs, like regular stars, begin as clouds of gas and dust that collapse under their own gravity. However, brown dwarfs lack the mass to squeeze atoms enough to trigger nuclear fusion. Instead, they are not quite planets and not quite stars.

Now, with the aid of the Keck II telescope in Hawaii, scientists have found that 2M1119 is actually two brown dwarfs, of equal brightness, orbiting each other.

"The fact that it was a binary, not another boring single system, was completely new," study co-author Trent Dupuy, an astronomer at the University of Texas at Austin, told Space.com. "Maybe it means that planetary-mass objects can form like stars and also, very rarely, form like binary stars."

To learn more about this binary, the researchers analyzed a collection of a few dozen 10-million-year-old stars located about 23 light-years from the pair. Known as the TW Hydrae Association, this is the youngest group of stars near Earth's solar system. It measures about 260 light-years across and, as a whole, is about 130 to 195 light-years from Earth, Dupuy said.

Based on the position and motion of 2M1119, the scientists found that there was an 82 percent chance that it was a member of the TW Hydrae Association. This suggested that 2M1119, too, was about 10 million years old. This knowledge, in combination with the spectrum of light detected from 2M1119, helped the researchers calculate other properties of the brown dwarfs.

The scientists estimated that the brown dwarfs in this pair are separated by about 334 million miles (538 million kilometers), or slightly less than four times the distance between Earth and the sun. The mass of each brown dwarf is about 3.7 times that of Jupiter, which makes the pair the lowest-mass binary system discovered to date outside Earth's solar system.

A newly scrutinized brown-dwarf binary system appears to be a member of the so-called TW Hydrae Association, about two dozen young stars that move together near the sun's neighborhood. (Image credit: David Rodriguez/University of Western Ontario/Carnegie Institution of Washington DTM)

"No one has ever found a binary brown dwarf that has components that are this low in mass," said study lead author William Best, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii at Honolulu. "We weren't sure a binary like this could even exist."

Whether these newfound bodies should be called planets or brown dwarfs is a tricky question, Best said.

"The components of 2M1119 fit the International Astronomical Union definition for planet  less than 13 Jupiter masses  and similar single objects have recently been called 'lonely planets' or 'rogue planets,'" Best told Space.com. "But we also commonly think of planets as things that are orbiting stars. In that sense, 'rogue planets' are not planets at all because they are not orbiting stars  they are floating out in space by themselves, and almost certainly formed like stars do. So, objects like this challenge our definitions of planet and brown dwarf.

"Bottom line  2M1119 does not obviously fit into either of the planet and brown dwarf boxes," Best added. "I think the most accurate description for 2M1119 is 'planetary-mass binary brown dwarf.' I realize that's an unpoetic mouthful  'lonely double planet' is certainly prettier. Hopefully, we'll develop a better definition in the future."

Brown dwarfs are thought to form the way stars do, Best said. "One open question in astronomy is, 'What is the smallest-mass brown dwarf that can form, and what is the lowest-mass binary that can form  that is, how low can star formation go?'" Best said. "This discovery sets a new record for binaries. Anyone working on the theory of how stars and brown dwarfs form needs to be able to explain how this binary formed. And there may be even lower-mass ones out there."

The scientists detailed their findings online June 23 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
An instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of a curl of moist air licking the coast of Portugal on July 16, 2017.

A curling tongue of clouds reaches out to taste the Iberian Peninsula in a new satellite image.

The striking shot comes courtesy the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite and NASA's Earth Observatory, which released the image Tuesday (July 25). It shows a cyclone, or low-pressure system, off the coast of Portugal. The system produced little to no rain, but pulled dry air from over the land into an atmospheric dance with moist ocean air, forming a spiral, Peter Knippertz, a meteorologist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, told the Earth Observatory.

Knippertz told the Earth Observatory that this weather pattern on July 16 occurred during a heat wave, when Portugal and Spain were experiencing temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). The heat contributed to the temperature difference between the continent and the ocean.

The conjunction of land and water often gives rise to strange and beautiful cloud formations. In 2015, the MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite (Terra's sister satellite) captured sweeping cirrus clouds off the coast of Chile, sculpted by swift winds in the upper atmosphere. Gravity wave clouds often form off coastlines, as in this 2016 shot off of West Africa; in this instance, dry, cool nighttime air from the desert buoyed moist ocean air upward into the atmosphere, where it condensed, dropped under the influence of gravity, hit the rising dry air and rose again, creating the wave-like pattern.

Off Alaska, ocean winds sometimes sculpt clouds into parallel "streets." And marine upwelling that brings frigid water from deep in the Pacific Ocean up to the surface causes frequent bumpy fog off the coast of Peru when water vapor in the air condenses on contact with the cold ocean surface.

Original article on Live Science.
Final Frontier Medical Devices' tricorder won first place, and $2.6 million, in the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize competition in April 2017.

A tricorder may soon be an essential part of every voyaging astronaut's tool kit, and not just on "Star Trek."

Handheld diagnostic devices akin to the tricorders famously wielded by doctors in the "Star Trek" universe are poised to find their way into people's homes, emergency rooms, refugee camps, battlefield hospitals and perhaps even the final frontier, developers of the gear say.

"All of this is all going to be possible in a short period of time," Philip Charron, a member of the Final Frontier Medical Devices (FFMD) team that developed a prototype tricorder, said Monday (July 31) at the 69th AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in San Diego. [13 Things 'Star Trek' Got Right Wrong) About Space Tech]

"It would be amazing if the tricorder actually made it back out into space again," he added, specifically citing NASA's stated goal of putting boots on Mars. "That would be a great application for something like this."

In April, FFMD took home first place (and $2.6 million) in the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize competition. Teams that entered the contest set out to create an easy-to-use, lightweight (less than 5 lbs., or 2.3 kilograms) device that would allow laypeople to monitor their vital signs and diagnose a variety of common health conditions.

Charron's talk at the meeting focused on Pennsylvania-based FFMD's winning entry, which the team calls DxtER (pronounced "Dexter.") The team approached DxtER's design from the perspective of an emergency-room doctor, Charron said, which makes sense, considering that's the profession of FFMD co-founder Basil Harris.

This decision entailed building out artificial intelligence based on the standard, noninvasive ER diagnostic method, Charron said; taking samples of blood, urine or other substances would be done only if absolutely necessary.

"From a 'Star Trek' perspective, this is less like Dr. McCoy, who was in the original 'Star Trek' series, and more like the doctor from 'Star Trek: Voyager,'" Charron said. (The nameless doctor on "Voyager" is a hologram, said Charron, who described himself and other FFMD team members as "'Star Trek' nerds.")

FFMD wasn't the only X Prize tricorder team represented at the conference. Chung-Kang Peng of second-place finisher Dynamical Biomarkers Group spoke Monday, as did Eugene Chan, of finalist DNA Medical Institute (DMI). Chan's presentation highlighted the space potential of real-life tricorders as well; team DMI created its device, dubbed the Reusable Handheld Electrolyte and Lab Technology for Humans (rHEALTH) sensor, with the aid of NASA funding.

"Developed to monitor astronaut health on the International Space Station (ISS) and during long-term spaceflight, terrestrial applications for this groundbreaking technology include point-of-care (POC) diagnostics at a patient's bedside, in a doctor's office or hospital," NASA officials wrote in an rHEALTH fact sheet.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
This autographed photo of Albert Einstein with his tongue out was sold at auction for $125,000.

The image of Albert Einstein sticking his tongue out is probably one of most ubiquitous (and memorable) photos of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist. For decades, it has papered the walls of middle-school science classrooms and college dorm rooms. But now, someone has purchased the real thing for $125,000.

The autographed print was sold Thursday (July 27) by the Los Angeles-based Nate D. Sanders auction house to an unnamed buyer.

The picture had been taken after Einstein's 72nd birthday party at Princeton University on March 14, 1951.

As the story goes, Einstein stuck his tongue out at a group of photographers who were trying to get the scientist to pose for them as he left the party. Photographer Arthur Sasse of the wire service UPI got the lucky shot. [8 Ways You Can See Einstein's Theory of Relativity in Real Life]

Einstein himself was a fan of the photo and even asked UPI for nine prints to use as personal greeting cards, according to the auction house.

Most of the prints were cropped to include only Einstein's face, but the 7x 10-inch print that was sold this week offers a slightly more extended view, showing Einstein between Frank Aydelotte, an English professor and head of the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton University, and Aydelottes wife, Marie Jeanette.

The print is even signed by Einstein along the left margin, "A. Einstein .51."

Prints, letters and other memorabilia associated with Einstein often draw high bids at auctions. Earlier this year, someone spent nearly $54,000 on Einstein's 1953 written response to a physics teacher who seemed to have questions about the theory of special relativity. An Einstein-inscribed Bible was sold for $68,500 in 2013. And a 1939 letter Einstein wrote to a New York hat merchant who helped Jews escapethe Nazi regime sold for $12,500 in 2014.

The auction of Einsteins "God letter" was perhaps the most remarkable in recent years. The letter, in which Einstein expresses his views that religious beliefs are "childish," sold for just over $3 million on eBay in 2012.

Original article on Live Science.
"Cosmic Girl," a 747-400 aircraft is being modified to launch rockets into space for Virgin Orbital. Here, the aircraft arrives in Long Beach, where the company is headquartered.

LONG BEACH, Calif.  A Boeing 747-400 aircraft that previously flew passengers for Virgin airlines is one step closer to serving as a mobile rocket-launching platform.

Yesterday (July 31), the spaceflight company Virgin Orbit flew the commercial aircraft  named Cosmic Girl  to Long Beach, home to the company's headquarters. There, work will begin to outfit the aircraft with the external equipment to carry one of Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rockets and launch it into space from an altitude of 35,000 feet (10,700 meters).

"This is like the first piece of the puzzle," Lt. Col. Kelly Latimer, a pilot for Virgin Orbit, told Space.com yesterday at a welcome event for Cosmic Girl. [Virgin Galactic's LauncherOne Rocket in Photos]

Virgin Orbit has spent more than a year inspecting and modifying the 747-400, stripping nearly 70,000 lbs. (31,750 kilograms) of unnecessary weight from the interior of the plane and adding electrical systems that will ultimately support the addition of a rocket mount (called a pylon) to one of Cosmic Girl's wings.

"In the last 16 months, our team has focused down and in, and done an incredible job with a broad team of experts and industry partners, to make this modification," Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, said at the event in Long Beach. "It's been a huge, monumental activity."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Cosmic Girl an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate, which means the plane is approved to start making test flights, company representatives said in a statement.

Inside Cosmic Girl's cockpit: (l to r) Virgin Oribt CEO Dan Hart, Virgin Orbit pilot Kelly Latimer, and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. (Image credit: Virgin Orbit)

A challenging flight

"When we put the pylon and rocket on, this will probably be the most challenging flight test that I've gotten to do," said Latimer, who flew Cosmic Girl from the desert city of Mojave, California to Long Beach. "This'll be something that is so much more new and different than ever has been done before."

Latimer worked previously as a test pilot for NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, where she "conducted experimental flight test and test support" in vehicles including the 747SP (smaller than the 747-400) and the 747-100 that was used to carry NASA's space shuttle orbiters around the country. She has also flown T-38s, C-17s, BE200s and T-34s.

Latimer said that multiple factors will make the modified Cosmic Girl a challenging vehicle to fly, including the "size and weight of the rocket on the wing," the fact that said rocket will be full of explosive rocket fuel, and the fact that the nose of the aircraft will have to be tilted to a rather extreme angle in order to set the rocket on an upward path toward space.

"I think the challenges will be when we actually put on the pylon and rocket, and see what kind of drag and lift effects we have on that wing," she said. "We know from the fluid dynamics data that there's going to be quite a bit of drag added. We're hoping that the prediction is close to what it really is, because [if there's more drag] then it'll be a little bit challenging at high altitudes to get the speed we need to be able to pull the nose up."

Virgin Orbit employees toast the arrival of Cosmic Girl in Long Beach. (Image credit: Virgin Orbit)

By using an aircraft instead of a traditional, stationary launch pad, Virgin Orbit will gain more flexibility in terms of launch schedule because it doesn't have to compete with other launches, company representatives have said. In addition, launch pads typically need to undergo inspections between launches, whereas airline runways do not. The aircraft can also "operate through or around weather conditions and other impediments that delay traditional launches," according to the company's website.

Modified 747s have been used for various space-related purposes over the decades; a 747 was used during drop tests of the very first space shuttle, Hart said, as well as to ferry shuttles around the country between landings and launches. A modified 747 is also used for NASA's aerial telescope, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).

"A 747 is perhaps the most reliable and versatile aircraft in its family," Hart said. "[It's] a terrific aircraft  that will serve our launch purposes for years and years to come."

Virgin Orbit is one of three spaceflight companies that are part of the Virgin Group portfolio, along with Virgin Galactic and the Spaceship Company. Virgin Orbit's objective is to build an aircraft that can serve as a mobile launch pad for the company's LauncherOne rockets, which can be used to send small satellites into orbit.

Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
N early 100 MPs studied history at university. I would say that this is a message of hope  not about the past but about the future.

One of the most bizarre decisions of the Blair era was made when the Foreign Office disposed of its historic library, on the assumption that a forward-looking government did not need to bury its head in the past. This was nothing in comparison with the violent destruction of history that still continues elsewhere. Maos revolutionaries tried hard to destroy the monasteries and manuscripts of Tibet and then (in the Cultural Revolution) of China itself, an act of vandalism paralleled by Islamic States demolition of Palmyra.

Another important lesson from the past that the Foreign Office would have done well to learn is that you can only understand other countries by understanding how they see their own past, and by taking a suitably critical look at it  what they imagine they see and the real past are often very different things.

You cannot understand Germanys obsession with a united Europe without taking into account the genuine fear many Germans feel at reverting to their dark past as a stridently nationalistic state whose relationship with its neighbours was characterised by war, not peace.

You cannot understand why Russia is so involved in Ukraine without going right back to the foundations of the Russian state in early medieval Kiev  which then gets you into terrible trouble, as you might make the cardinal error (but it isnt one) of suggesting that Russia was founded by Scandinavian Vikings rather than Slavs. China bases its claim to islands in the South China Sea on maps going back to the 17th century. History constantly hits us in the face.

Nowadays the past has become a blame game. Studying history teaches you to stand back as you observe events in the past, and it teaches you to attempt to be accurate in the way you describe them  there is a fake past as well as fake news. Just consider the distortions of the past peddled by Ken Livingstone, whose gross misunderstanding of the history of German anti-Semitism has been strongly coloured by his extreme distaste for Israel. A good historian doesnt rewrite the past to suit modern political fashions.

The roots of so many of our institutions go far back into the past: our monarchy, legal system, parliament, banks, universities, religions. They do not and should not remain immobile in this country or any other. But if we ignore their history, we are pulling them up by the roots. If we do not bother to find out about our past, we have no future.

David Abulafia is professor of Mediterranean history at Cambridge University
P olice are hunting two moped muggers after a man was sprayed in the face in a suspected acid attack robbery close to Harrods and rushed to hospital.

The 47-year-old victim was walking through Knightsbridge when he was confronted by two men on a high powered moped who attempted to rob him before spraying liquid into his face at 8.30pm last night.

Police and fire crews rushed to treat the victim at the scene for a suspected acid attack and he is not thought to have suffered any serious injury.

Witnesses describe how the latest acid-type incident took place when robbers targeted a pedestrian for his expensive watch outside a row of multi-million pound properties in Walton Street close to the junction with Pont Street.

The shirtless victim is treated in the street after being sprayed with the liquid during a robbery

Fouzi Kebir, 46, a chauffeur, told how he rushed out to help the victim from one of the houses after hearing a disturbance in the street. He said the attack was carried out by men on black moped.

He said: We heard someone screaming like they were being attacked. I looked out and there was a guy on the bike going up and down the street.

Police at the scene of the robbery near Harrods

"There was another who was attacking the man, spraying something in his face from a bottle or a spray gun, I cant be sure.

The attackers were dressed head to toe in black, they had their helmets on so you couldnt see their faces.

The victim was trying to fight back, he was holding his hands up defending his face. There was a black taxi driver who tried to ram the bike, the victim ran off down the middle of the road towards Harrods.

Police presence: the aftermath of the incident in Knightsbridge / BBC

The two attackers drove off, they had flipped up their number plate so you couldnt see what their number plate was, they looked like professionals. I took a photo of the bike driving off.

Mr Kebir said he ran to help the victim and he and the taxi driver used water to douse the mans face. He said : The liquid was burning in his eye, it was completely red. It looked like they had sprayed whatever it was into his eyes.

He added: The guy was panicking, shaking, he was really in agony, but I dont think there was any long term damage.

He said: He told me they were after his watch, he was willing to give it them ,he said it wasnt worth being hurt for, but after they attacked him he tried to fight back to keep himself safe from the acid.

Mr Kebir escorted the man, a Qatari national, to meet friends he had left in Harrods to make a phone call when he was attacked.

Emergency services arrived and the man was then treated by them, including firefighters removing his shirt and him being sprayed with water.

A resident who saw the attack said: Its really terrifying this is happening round here, I guess they are targeting the area cease there are wealthy people here. Whats scary is it could happen to anyone and anyone could be a victim. I try not to go out showing any valuables.

The Met say they are trying to establish what the man was sprayed with but it did not appear to be a concentrated acid substance.

Walton Street was cordoned off for several hours as police officers and fire crews investigated.

The attack comes as police in London are responding to a surge in the number of muggings and attacks involving corrosive substances such as acid.

A recent Evening Standard investigation revealed the ease with which sulphuric acid as strong as 95 per cent can be bought from hardware stores with no questions asked.
T hree people standing trial were shot dead by security guards during a botched escape attempt at a Moscow court.

Shots were fired during the trial of a gang of nine men accused of terrorising the citys roads, killing dozens of motorists, Reuters news agency reported.

Five handcuffed defendants attempted to escape as they were escorted into the Moscow Regional Court by two guards on Tuesday, officials from Russia's Investigative Committee said.

One of the defendants tried to strangle one of the guards, and the defendants managed to escape and seized the guards' weapons, the investigative body said in a statement.

The trio were killed during a shootout which also left two guards injured.

The men on trial - dubbed the "Grand Theft Auto gang" - are accused of terrorising Moscow motorists for months in 2014.

Prosecutors said gang members were placing spikes on roads, forcing motorists out of their vehicles and shooting them dead.

The nine men, all from Central Asia, are charged with 17 murders and two attempted murders.

Lawyer Sofia Russkaya told TASS news agency: "We were at a different session when heard shots fired. More than 20 shots were made. We began to be evacuated. I saw a wounded woman bailiff, her face in blood. Later somebody said that an armed guard had been injured."

Spokeswoman for the court Natalia Osipova said people has been evacuated from the building,
E asyJet has apologised to dozens of British passengers who were left stranded on a Greek island for two days because of rules protecting endangered turtles.

Around 180 passengers were stuck in Zante after a London-bound easyJet flight was cancelled on Sunday due to a technical fault.

Engineers were unable to fix the problem on Monday and a replacement aircraft could not be sent due to a night curfew rule at the airport, which is reportedly in place to protect the island's loggerhead turtles from lights and noise.

The majority of the passengers were left stranded on the island until Tuesday.

Stranded: There is a curfew in place to protect local turtles from noise and light pollution / omantourism.gov.om

A spokesman for the airline said: "The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and we will only operate if it is safe to do so.

"We do all possible to try and minimise delays and as such planned to send a replacement aircraft.

"Unfortunately, due to the night curfew rule at the airport, we were unable to get the replacement aircraft into the airport yesterday. The flight departed Zante and arrived at London Gatwick today.

"We are very sorry for the delay and thank customers for their understanding."

A number of passengers affected by the disruption expressed anger on social media.

Rebecca Clark tweeted easyJet on Monday asking: "Can you let us know what's going on? Day two stuck at Zante airport. Now replacement flight isn't going. No staff coming to see us!"

One passenger wrote on Twitter: "Families stuck in zakynthos for two days. No easyjet help, no accommodation, families tired and hungry."

EasyJet said passengers affected by the delays will be entitled to compensation.
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In early June North Korea test fired what it described as a new cruise missile called the Kumsong-3. It was obvious (from the pictures) that the missile was a Russian Kh-35 that had had been seen on one or two of the four of five large (over 1,000 ton) surface warships the North Korean Navy has that are capable of going to sea (but rarely do). The June test was from a mobile launcher (on tracks, carrying four missiles in canisters) and that was sort of new. The missile shown not only looked like a Russian Kh-35 but the data North Korea released showed it performing like a Kh-35, which Russia has been busy upgrading and marketing since the late 1990s.

By 2008 the Kh-35 (also known as the SS-N-25 or Switchblade) could be fired from helicopters, aircraft, ships, or land. Russia denies it sold the missiles to North Korea thus the only other likely source is one of the known foreign customers (Algeria, Azerbaijan, Burma, India, Iran, Venezuela, and Vietnam). Vietnam is building Kh-35 under license and Iran may be doing so without a license. Iran could have sent one or two Kh-35s to North Korea (the two countries have long exchanged missile tech) via air freight in the knowledge that North Korea had the resources to build its own unauthorized copies of Kh-35. The few Kumsong-3 Kh-35 clones seen in action could be using 1970s technology to do what they obviously did. These missiles use a simple jet engine and travel at up to 700 kilometers an hour. They can use inertial guidance or GPS and be programmed to change course. Terminal guidance can be as primitive as a 1960s era radar homing system. North Korean propaganda indicates the Kumsong-3 was far more high tech than it actually is. This sort of media stunt is something else Iran is good at and since the 1990s North Korea has been using this sort of thing a lot more. The media love it but historians note that it is an ancient scam. That is not news.

The Kh-35 is similar to the American Harpoon but lighter (610 kg/1,340 pounds, compared to 728 kg/1,600) and has less range (130 kilometers compared to 224 for the latest version of Harpoon). A 2015 Russian upgrade for the Kh-35 extended range to 260 kilometers and improved the guidance system (with two way communications for course changes and improved terminal homing).

The Harpoon entered service in 1977 and became one of the most widely used (and emulated) anti-ship missiles in the world, mainly because of reliability and constant upgrades. The Kh-35 was the Russian response and development did not begin until 1983. Work was stalled with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia announced the Kh-35 was available for export in 1996 but the Russian Navy did not start using it until 2003 and that was about when export sales and deliveries began to happen. In 2006 Russia announced it had put into service a land-based version of Kh-35 that could be operated from fixed or mobile (trucks or tracked vehicles) launchers. This is what North Korea did with its Kumsong-3 in 2017.

The June test was given considerable media exposure by the North Koreans. They knew that these tests are closely watched by the U.S., Japan and South Korea. North Korea wanted everyone to think that they had something similar to the latest (2015) version of the Kh-35. But it was also possible that all they had done was extend the range (a simple mod) and used an older terminal guidance system. North Korea had a small target ship out at sea, equipped with a radar enhancement device (which made the ship look larger, as if to imply an American destroyer or carrier). But the North Korean target was not moving and had no countermeasures. So it was a simple matter for a North Korean copy of the original (1990s) Russian Kh-35 design was used. In combat Western warships, which have lots of experience with missiles like this, have countermeasures and use them regularly in training.
Palestinians measure and reward success differently than most people. Currently Fatah, the group that runs the West Bank, is enjoying some success in generating popular enthusiasm for widespread violence via false accusations of Israeli threats against the al Aqsa mosque (which is just above the Wailing Wall, a popular Jewish holy place and tourist attraction) in Jerusalem. The al Aqsa is in danger campaign began in 2014. Seeing an opportunity to grab more headlines , sympathy and, hopefully cash contributions from the Moslem world, the Palestinian leadership (Fatah) invested some effort and cash to get something going. This sort of thing has been tried before, actually it is attempted regularly but this time it caught on in a big way. The Palestinian propaganda explicitly called for individual (lone wolf) efforts by young men to carry out an increasing number of attacks against Israelis. The success of the current campaign is largely a fluke. There were two successful lone wolf attacks in 2014 and Islamic terror groups have been increasingly calling for this sort of thing because their organized efforts in the West and Israel have failed. Despite all that there have been no successful lone wolf campaigns. Fatah leaders may not know that these lone wolf campaigns dont last long and come with long-term costs. Then again, Fatah leadership have never been known for effective long-term planning.

This latest terror campaign against Israelis is fundamentally a side effect of the struggle between Hamas and Fatah for control over all Palestinians. These two groups keep score by how many Israelis they can kill as does mass media in Moslem nations. While there were fewer than ten terror related deaths a year in Israel in 2012 and 2013 (and only 21 in 2011) the war with Hamas raised this to 41 in 2014 and this made Fatah, which runs the West Bank, look bad in comparison. Thus the importance of the new campaign. The current effort will be a success if it can kill enough Israelis to justify Palestinians continuing to support Fatah rule in the West Bank. This is bad news for the Palestinians because both Hamas and Fatah are corrupt and incompetent administrators who are more concerned with their own power than with the welfare of the Palestinian people.

Palestinian leaders dont even try to hide what they are doing as Palestinian media regularly runs stories encouraging Palestinians and Israeli Arabs to use whatever kind of violence they can to attack and kill or injure Israeli Jews. Palestinian leaders get on TV and tell teenagers that throwing rocks and fire bombs at Israelis, especially those in cars or busses, is a patriotic obligation and is justified resistance to Israeli repression. The Palestinian politicians further encourage the teenagers by pointing out that if Israel uses force against rock throwers and kills or injures any of them it is the Israelis who will be guilty of war crimes. Naturally this encourages a lot more Palestinian teenagers to throw rocks. There are rewards as those that manage to injure or kill Israelis are considered heroes in Palestinian media and throughout the Moslem world (and in some Western media as well).

Palestinians are also attracted to the financial rewards, which are considerable for many impoverished (by Fatah corruption) young residents of the West Bank. Palestinians who are jailed, injured or killed (martyred) while trying to hurt Israelis receive large payments from Fatah. For example families of dead terrorists get an immediate payment of $1,700 from Fatah plus monthly payments for the life of immediate family. These monthly payments ($400 to over $1,000 depending on the number of wives and children) can make a family relatively affluent and open new opportunities, like enough cash to afford a people smuggler who can get one or more family members to the West.

There is also a bonus ($86 a month) if you are a legal resident of Israel and a similar monthly bonus if you were a resident of Jerusalem. Fatah is currently paying about $200 million a year to the families of over 26,000 martyrs as well as smaller payments to 6,000 badly injured while trying to kill Israelis. Monthly payments to jailed Palestinians vary according to how long they have been in jail, how many dependents they have and if they are from Israel or Jerusalem. There are also bonuses for how many Israelis the prisoner killed or injured. Some of these convicts get over $50,000 a year. Fatah currently spends about $160 million a year to reward over 6,000 jailed terrorists. Fatah considers this payment program a success even though fifty Palestinians have died in the Fatah-promoted violence this year. These attacks have left a dozen Israelis dead and for Fatah that is political gold as far as Arab language media is concerned.

With this approach Fatah and Hamas together currently spend over $400 million a year to make murder economically attractive to many young Palestinians. Most of it comes from Fatah although Hamas is trying to make more payments to Palestinians in the West Bank who support Hamas and attack Israelis in the name of Hamas. The Arab language media throughout the Middle East take for granted that these payments are just and necessary for the war against Israel. Until recently Western donors, who contribute most of the aid that keeps Fatah and Hamas going, generally refused to believe that much of their money went to reward terrorism. That is changing as a growing number of Western foreign aid donors are trying to prevent their aid from being diverted to this terrorism financial incentive program.

These economic and media attention incentives have always encouraged many Palestinian men (and some women) to join the violence. These financial incentives have become common since the 1990s and some countries used to openly boast of making them (as Saddam Hussein did up until 2003). That sort of support is more covert these days because local media is more often monitored and reported on by foreign media, often via individuals finding choice items and spreading that news via the Internet.

The Northern Front

Israeli leaders recently revealed that their warplanes had attacked Iranian arms shipments in Syria dozens of times since 2011 and would continue doing so if Iran attempted to establish a permanent presence in Syria. Israel complains that its Western allies do not take the Iranian threat here seriously enough. This is especially true when it comes to the Iranian effort to establish a secure land route from Iran, via Iraq and Syria, to Lebanon. Israel is supported in this by Arab states.

There is also some support from Russia. This can be seen in the Russian monitored neutral zone in southern Syria, along the Jordanian and Israeli borders. Since established on July 7th this zone is apparently working and being monitored by 400 Russian military police. The problem is Iran and most Islamic terrorists, especially al Qaeda and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) have not agreed to observe the neutral zone. To deal with that threat Israel made it clear that it was not bound by the neutral zone rules either. Yet since this neutral zone was declared Iran has behaved. This has something to do with Russian refusal to act against the increasingly loud and frequent Israeli reminders that their air force will attack any Iranian attempt to set up operations near the Israeli border. This is just the beginning of a long-term struggle for who will control what in Syria. Meanwhile further west in Lebanon Iranian controlled Hezbollah is more active on the Israeli border, even if some of these moves violate the UN agreement that ended the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.

With ISIL gone the only thing left to fight over is how much of Syria will a post-war Syrian government control. Turkey wants to control most of the northern border, as least the parts that border Turkey. The control is currently disputed by the Syrian Kurds, who want to control northeastern Syria (their ancestral homeland) and at least have access to the rest of the northern border, if not control of smaller border areas that were traditionally mostly Kurdish. Iran wants free access to southern Syria, especially the main roads from Iraq to southern Lebanon and areas along the Israeli border. Russia has a lease on a naval base on the Syrian coast and wants to hold onto that.

Israel is openly hostile to a permanent Iranian presence in Syria and Turkey quietly agrees with that. Russia agrees with Turkey and Israel on this but does not say so (much) in public. Yet Turkey and Russia also back the Assads and coordinate their military operations with Iran. The Sunni Arab states are more open in opposing Iranian plans here. Despite all that Iran is determined to have a land route from Iran to Lebanon and military installations in post-war Syria. Israel has made it clear that it will, and can, make sure that does not happen. Turkey and Russia recognize that Israel is not only the stronger military power here but also has the most at stake. For decades has called for the destruction of Israel and that does not sit well with Turkey and Russia because both nations have had clashes with aggressive Iranian ambitions over the past few centuries.

Iran already has got the Assads agreeing to a long-term lease on one of the recently recaptured airbases in central Syria. Iran would pay to rebuild the base and would be free to use it without Syrian interference. Iran is seeking a similar deal for a port on the Mediterranean coast. Iran has also been seeking 5,000 Shia mercenaries for the post-war Iranian controlled force to guard the airbase and port as well as operations on the Israeli border. Israel knows that Iran wants to establish a pro-Iranian militia in Syria similar to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Assads know this would mean they would have to share power in Syria with Iran. Most Syrians dont care for this, just as most Lebanese dont care for the Hezbollah presence since the 1980s. No one, including Russia, Turkey and Israel, want another Hezbollah established in Syria. Iran will not back down on this and that has damaged their relationships with their allies.

Paranoia Runs Deeper In Gaza

In Gaza Hamas had three more Gazans executed in late May after convicting them of being Israeli informants. The trouble is one of those executed (a veteran Hamas member who had once served as bodyguard for people like Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas) is widely believed to be innocent and was executed because Hamas needed someone prominent to get punished for the late March murder of Mazen Faqha. A senior Hamas terrorism official, Faqha was shot dead in Gaza by someone using a pistol equipped with a silencer. Hamas blamed Israel but the Israelis denied any involvement. Faqha was in charge of Hamas terror operations in the West Bank. Many believe Faqha was killed by one of the many Palestinian groups in Gaza that oppose Hamas rule. There are also factions within Hamas that are feuding and those feuds sometimes turn violent. Two days after Fuqha was killed Hamas banned anyone from leaving Gaza. That made it easier to carry out the search for the killers of Faqha. The killers were never caught but Hamas arrested 45 suspects and declared that it had disrupted a large Israeli informant network that included Palestinians responsible for the Fuqha killing. The trials for the three executed were closed and the defendants were not allowed any outside help in defending themselves.

Normally during one of these criminal investigations some of those arrested will avoid execution by cooperating with the investigation. Those who dont cooperate often cannot or simply will not because they are innocent. These prosecutions have become more common since 2010, when there were two of them. Back then over a dozen Gaza Palestinians were being sent to prison for spying each year, apparently avoiding execution by collaborating with the investigation. Israel has always had a large network of informants in Gaza, who provide data on military, economic and political events, as well as targeting information for air attacks. There are three death penalty crimes in Gaza; murder, drug trafficking and collaborating with Israel. Most of the actual executions are for collaborating. In 2013 Hamas announced a new campaign to find and arrest people providing information to Israel. Gazans who oppose Hamas (especially members of rival Fatah) saw this as directed at them. The informants provide details of the problems Hamas is having in Gaza, like the impact of most Gaza government employees not being paid regularly, if at all since 2014 because of disagreements with the West Bank Fatah government. Hamas and Fatah agreed in 2014, on paper, to form a united Palestinian government. That merger was never carried out and Fatah refused to pay government employees in Gaza. Hamas has been hustling to make partial payments ever since but even Arab donors were reluctant to help out with this.

In desperation Hamas has been negotiating a peace deal with Egypt. This will involve formal trade deals and a permanent reopening of the only official crossing from Gaza to Egypt. In return Hamas will shut down any anti-Egyptian Islamic terrorist groups in Gaza and keep it that way. Details have been worked out over more than a month of negotiations and the final deal is expected before the end of August.

July 30, 2017: In the West Bank Israeli police raided the home of a terrorist who had killed an Israeli civilian (and himself died to avoid capture). Police seized an automobile and other assets purchased with a cash reward Hamas paid to the family of the killer. Seizing assets like this is increasingly common because the Palestinian knife terrorism campaign has resulted in Since September 2015 when the Palestinian knife terrorism campaign began over 260 Palestinian attackers have been killed and many more jailed or injured because of terrorist activity. Fatah and Hamas have been spending a lot more money to reward the attackers and encourage more Palestinians to emulate them.

July 29, 2017: In Egypt police seized a truck entering Sinai (over one of the three bridges that cross the Suez Canal) because it was trying to smuggle in explosives (apparently more than 100 kg/220 pounds).

July 28, 2017: In the south dozens of young Palestinians staged violent demonstrations near the Gaza border fence with Israel. One Palestinian got too close to the fence and was shot dead. Hamas encourages this sort of spontaneous violence as a way to compete with Fatah for support from all Palestinians. Even larger and more violent demonstrations took place in the West Bank. There was one death among the attackers and 25 Palestinians were wounded as were several Israeli soldiers.

In Jerusalem Israel is reinstating age limits (males must be at least 50 years old to get in) to reduce violence at al Aqsa. Israel had tried to use metal detectors and more security cameras instead but this caused even more violent protests. The unspoken reason for the outrage was that the metal detectors and security cameras would make it permanently more difficult to smuggle weapons, explosives and anything else into al Aqsa. Besides the metal detectors were seen by many Moslems as recognition that this was mainly about Islamic terrorism not anything the Israelis have done. Many Moslems had no problem with the metal detectors and cameras but young men in the area outside the entrance made it clear that Moslems who sought to enter would face retaliation (for being un-Islamic and so on).

July 25, 2017: In Egypt the security forces completed a week of raids on Islamic terrorist groups. At least 40 Islamic terrorists were killed and many more arrested. Most were associated with ISIL, although some were believed to be local Bedouins the military did not like. The security forces suffered at least ten dead and over a dozen wounded during the week of intense operations. This effort was in reaction to a July 7 ISIL suicide car bomb attack on a checkpoint that left 21 soldiers dead. In the week following that attack over forty Islamic terrorists were killed as security forces sought to find and eliminate the group responsible for the car bomb attacks. That resulted in information making possible more raids, which continue.

July 23, 2017: In Jordan a local teenager tried to kill an Israeli security guard near the Israeli embassy. The Israeli killed the attacker and another Jordanian who appeared to be helping the attacker (but apparently wasnt). Israel ordered its embassy staff back to Israel despite Jordanian efforts to detain the Israeli embassy guard (who had diplomatic immunity) and in response to that Jordan said it would not allow the embassy staff back into Jordan until there was a more thorough investigation of the attack. Palestinians and Islamic conservative Jordanians declared that the incident was actually Israeli violence against Jordanians and pressured the government to cancel the peace treaty with Israel and sever all diplomatic and other relationships with Israel. The government compromised and promised an investigation. Israel offered to pay compensation to the family of the Jordanian who was not actually attacking the Israeli guard. That second Jordanian was apparently an innocent bystander. Because of generations of intense anti-Israel and anti-Semitic propaganda throughout the Middle East even countries that have diplomatic relations with Israel have to play along when there is local outrage against Israel.

In the West Bank Israeli soldiers and police arrested 29 Hamas terrorism suspects, including six senior Hamas terrorism operatives.

July 22, 2017: In the West Bank two Palestinians were killed by Israeli security forces as hundreds of Palestinians (many of them teenagers) rioted over the increased Israeli security outside the al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Many of the rioters throw stones and fire bombs at the Israelis who are allowed to use lethal force if the violence escalates too far. In this case one of the Palestinians died when the fire bomb he was preparing to use went off prematurely.

In Egypt the army opened a new military base on the coast near the Libyan border. The opening was attended by senior Libyan military commanders including the most effective one, general Khalifa Hiftar.

July 21, 2017: In the West Bank a Palestinian got into an Israeli settlements and went into a home and attacked four adults with a knife. Three of the Israelis died and the other was seriously wounded. The 19 year old attacker was shot and wounded by an off-duty soldier and arrested.

In Syria Russian military police (MPs) began establishing checkpoints in southern Syria to prevent Iranians or Iranian mercenaries (especially Hezbollah) from getting too close (as in 12 kilometers or less) to the Israeli border along the Golan Heights. The Russian MPs have only set up two checkpoints and ten observation posts so there is nothing to really stop Iranian forces from getting to the border.

July 20, 2017: In the West Bank a Palestinian man was shot dead as he tried to stab a soldier at a checkpoint.

July 19, 2017: In Egypt security forces intensified operations along the Libyan border and in two weeks seized 22 trucks operated by smugglers. At least 28 of the Egyptian smugglers were arrested.

July 18, 2017: Air India wants to start flying directly from India (Delhi) to Israel but Israel objects to flights passing over Pakistan because if the aircraft had any problems it would have to make an emergency landing in Pakistan and Israeli citizens would be subject to abuse, even kidnapping, by the Pakistanis. But using a direct route that avoids Pakistan makes the flights longer and more expensive.

July 17, 2017: In Gaza Hamas arrested six of its members (from the Qassam Brigades) who were attempting to leave Gaza using one of the tunnels into Egypt. The six wanted to join ISIL. Hamas has been losing more and more of its most fanatic members to ISIL. This has been noticed by Egypt, which had identified a growing number of ISIL members it killed as known members of Hamas in the past. Hamas checked its own records and determined at as many as twenty Hamas members had got into Egypt without permission and joined ISIL. Hamas has lost personnel via the tunnels regularly but those cases were usually just desertion with the Hamas man disappearing into the Egyptian population and seeking a better life. Egypt never cared about that sort of thing but made it clear to Hamas that better economic relations with Egypt depended on Hamas keeping their Islamic terrorists out of Egypt.

July 16, 2017: In the south a rocket was fired from Gaza and landed in Israel near the security fence. The rocket caused no damage as it was an uninhabited area. Israel retaliated with tank gun fire against a known Hamas outpost in Gaza.

Elsewhere in the south an Israeli patrol boat off the Gaza coast shot and wounded two Palestinian fisherman. These incidents occur regularly and some of the arrested Palestinian fishermen admit that they had been using fishing boats to smuggle in explosives and other bomb making components since 2012. It was a lucrative business and worth the risk of arrest and damage or destruction of their boats when caught operating outside the agreed upon fishing areas. The Israelis knew this smuggling was still going on but had been unable to catch enough smugglers in the act to stop it. Hamas has been offering more cash for successful smuggling efforts since the mid-2014 50 Day War and the subsequent destruction of most of the smuggling tunnels into Egypt. This explains why in 2015 alone the Israeli coast guard arrested 71 Palestinian fishermen and confiscated 22 fishing boats off Gaza. The much higher incidence of fishing boats operating outside permissible fishing areas led to several incidents a week of Israeli coast guard boats firing on Palestinian fishing boats to force them to stop. During 2015 these incidents led to 24 Palestinians wounded and 16 fishing boats damaged. Most of these incidents occurred at night and it was believed that smugglers were tossing contraband overboard when detected. The situation continued in 2016 but was expected to die down in 2017 once a new Hamas peace deal with Egypt takes effect.

In Jerusalem Israel said it would reopen the al Aqsa mosque compound quickly and with better security (metal detectors and more surveillance cameras).

In the West Bank an overnight police raid to arrest a Palestinian man who had fired on an Israeli settlement twice the day before ended in a gun battle. The suspect was killed and his weapon recovered. The day before one of the shots he fired wounded a Palestinian man.

July 15, 2017: In the south a rocket was fired from Gaza and exploded while in the air and never set off the Israeli rocket attack alarm. The Israelis did not retaliate.

In Egypt Air Force F-16s found and destroyed 15 vehicles trying to smuggle weapons in from Libya.

July 14, 2017: In Jerusalem the al Aqsa mosque was closed after three Islamic terrorists attacked the Israeli security force and shot dead two Israeli policemen. The three attackers were shot dead and the mosque compound was closed. The three attackers apparently smuggled weapons into the mosque, a common occurrence throughout the Islamic world.

In Egypt (Giza) Islamic terrorists attacked a checkpoint killing five police and then getting away. Police had a lot of tips and information on who the attackers were and soon found where four were hiding but none would surrender and were killed in the gun battle. Two other Islamic terrorists were found elsewhere in the area and arrested.

Elsewhere in Egypt Islamic terrorists attacked German tourists in an Egyptian Red Sea resort killing two tourists with knives and wounding four others. This and several similar attacks on foreign tourists will halt the resurgence of tourist business. Attacking the economy is a favorite tactic of Islamic terrorists.

July 12, 2017: In the West Bank two Palestinians died and one was wounded when they attacked soldiers who were searching a refugee camp for weapons (which were found and removed).

July 7, 2017: The president of India completed a three day visit to Israel. This was a historic first because an Indian head-of-state had never visited Israel before. Aside from the symbolism, India announced more trade deals with Israel, which has become a major military supplier for India. Thus among the trade deals was an Indian order for the Israeli Iron Dome anti-rocket/artillery system (which would be very useful in Kashmir). This visit marked the official end of 70 years of India deferring to its Moslem population (which is larger than that of Pakistan) and decades of close ties with Moslem states at the expense of good relations with Israel. Israel offered India help dealing with Islamic terrorists that Pakistan began using aggressively against India in the 1990s. India noted that Israel was a major supplier of military equipment worldwide and was especially good when it came to border security and dealing with Islamic terrorism. The alliance between Israel and India has grown stronger since 2001 and now India is quite open about it. There are more and more signs of shifts in long-established alliances involving Israel.
Tourists visiting a Rotorua geothermal attraction are disturbing populations of one of New Zealands most threatened bird species.

This comes just months ahead of the critical breeding time for the black billed gulls.

Rotorua is home to three different gull species, two of which are classed as threatened.

The black-billed gulls are classed as nationally critical  one step away from extinction and more threatened than kiwi.

Although relatively common in Rotorua, the worldwide population of black-billed gulls has been steadily declining at a rapid rate, leading to the species being tagged as the worlds most threatened gull species.

Department of Conservation rangers have received multiple reports of groups of tourists disturbing black-billed gulls, causing them to take flight towards nearby commercial operations.

Both the water and the rocky shore around Sulphur Bay have Wildlife Refuge Status or Wildlife Sanctuary status  the highest order of protection in New Zealand.

Weve previously erected warning signs in the area to let visitors know entry into the Sanctuary is unauthorised. Weve also added an interpretation panel which raises awareness of the threatened bird species, says DOC Ranger Supervisor Caraline Abbott.

Although there may be thousands of black-billed gulls in Sulphur Bay, the recent fledgling rate from this population has been low and this is likely partially due to disturbance from humans.

DOC has been monitoring this population for numerous years because of its threat status and its unfortunate that people do not recognise disturbing this bird as an issue  particularly if they are nesting.

Rotorua Lakes Council administer a walkway around the bay and into Sanitorium Reserve, but visitors have been known to cross barriers and wander into unauthorised areas.

Visitors crossing walkway barriers are not only compromising their own safety by being in geothermal areas, but are contradicting legislation established to protect our native species, says Caraline.

While the gulls are commonly found at the lakefront where they regularly encounter human disturbance, they are unlikely to nest in this area and are more likely to nest in the quieter parts of the bay.

Black-billed gull nests are camouflaged against the geothermal landscape, making them susceptible to being trampled by foot traffic.

While some gull species are found in multiple countries, black-billed gulls are only found in New Zealand.

Red-billed gulls has a conservation status of declining

The large black-backed gull is the gull species most likely to be found scavenging at landfills and ports. This species is not classed as threatened.
The UK government isn't a fan of encryption. This year's terrorist attacks in London and Manchester led to renewed calls for backdoors in encrypted messaging services, which former Prime Minister David Cameron said he'd ban in 2015. Now, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has argued that "real people" don't care about security features such as end-to-end encryption found in software like WhatsApp.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Rudd claims the UK government has no intention of banning encryption and won't be asking firms to create back doors. But she does want tech companies to come up with "options" that will help security agencies with their surveillance of terrorists and criminals.

Rudd suggests that so-called "real people" don't care about someone potentially reading their private messages, as long as the apps aren't too complicated. "Real people often prefer ease of use and a multitude of features to perfect, unbreakable security," she writes.

"Who uses WhatsApp because it is end-to-end encrypted, rather than because it is an incredibly user-friendly and cheap way of staying in touch with friends and family? Companies are constantly making trade-offs between security and 'usability', and it is here where our experts believe opportunities may lie."

Back in March, Rudd called WhatsApp "a secret place for terrorists." But even if the encrypted messaging services could offer a solution whereby agencies can eavesdrop on specific conversations, there's nothing stopping criminals from switching to another app that doesn't adhere to the UK government's rules.

Assuming messaging apps agreed to such a system, which is unlikely, companies say that what Rudd is suggesting can't be done. "I know some will argue that it's impossible to have both - that if a system is end-to-end encrypted then it's impossible ever to access the communication," she said. "That might be true in theory. But the reality is very different."

Unsurprisingly, Rudd's statements have been slammed by digital rights organizations. "The suggestion that real people do not care about the security of their communications is dangerous and misleading," said Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group.

"Some people want privacy from corporations, abusive partners or employers. Others may be worried about confidential information, or be working in countries with a record of human rights abuses. It is not the Home Secretary's place to tell the public that they do not need end-to-end encryption."
MIAMI, Aug. 1, 2017 -- To celebrate its commitment to the greater Charleston community and to mark National Ice Cream Month, Carnival Cruise Line hosted a "FunDay Sundae" celebration on board Carnival Ecstasy yesterday for kids from the Connie Maxwell Children's Home in Charleston, South Carolina. The event, which was attended by 40 children between the ages of 11 and 16, included water park fun, lunch, a magic show and an ice cream sundae bar with almost endless toppings.

During the event, Randy McManus, campus director of Connie Maxwell Children's Home, accepted Carnival's charitable donation of $20,000 to support the organization's mission of providing hope for South Carolina's children and families in need since 1892.

"Charleston is a very important year-round embarkation port for Carnival, and we like to demonstrate our appreciation for our homeport communities by supporting vital local organizations," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "For 125 years, the Connie Maxwell Children's Home has offered hope and healing to this community and it was our great pleasure to welcome the center's children on board and provide them with an enjoyable day and special reason to celebrate."

Participants enjoyed sliding and splashing throughout Carnival Ecstasy's WaterWorks aqua park complete with a 300-foot-long water slide. After lunch, the kids were treated to a FunDay Sundae Bar where they could create the ice cream sundae of their dreams with a boundless array of flavors and toppings while watching and learning magic tricks.

Carnival Cruise Line carries approximately 150,000 guests per year from the Port of Charleston with the 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy offering four- to 12-day cruises to The Bahamas, Caribbean and Bermuda.

Carnival Sunshine will also offer select voyages from Charleston later this year including four- to seven-day itineraries to the Bahamas and eastern Caribbean.

For additional information and reservations, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

Carnival can also be found on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival

YouTube: www.youtube.com/carnival

Instagram: www.instagram.com/carnival

Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, www.carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CarnivalPR.

About Connie Maxwell Children's Home

For 125 years, Connie Maxwell Children's Home has provided hope for South Carolina's children and families in need. Established in 1892 as a ministry of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, Connie Maxwell is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization accredited by the Council on Accreditation. The mission of Connie Maxwell Children's Home is to care for children while developing and strengthening positive relationships in a Christian environment. Connie Maxwell accomplishes its purpose by offering hope and healing through child care, counseling and family service programs designed to meet physical needs, improve personal, family and spiritual relationships, teach wholesome and productive living, and to encourage acceptance of and growth in the Christian faith.

About Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc , is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line" with 25 ships operating three- to 16-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Europe, Cuba, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Two 133,500-ton Vista class ships are currently scheduled for delivery - Carnival Horizon in 2018 and an as-yet-unnamed vessel in 2019. Additionally, two new 180,000-ton ships are scheduled to enter service in 2020 and 2022.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carnival-cruise-line-tops-off-national-ice-cream-month-with-a-funday-sundae-celebration-aboard-carnival-ecstasy-for-kids-from-charlestons-connie-maxwell-childrens-home-300497508.html

SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line

CONTACT: Christine de la Huerta/Jennifer de la Cruz, media@carnival.com, 305-406-5464 - phone, 305-807-3054 - day of event mobile phone

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A young man was sentenced in Steinbach court last Thursday to 18 months of unsupervised probation for an offence committed when he was a teenager: sexual interference involving a young boy.

The incidents, which occurred in a southeastern Manitoba home six years ago, would never have come to light if not for the man coming forward himself last November to confess his actions to police.

The case was dealt with as a youth court matter and as such the accused, who is now an adult, cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. A publication ban also protects the identity of the victim.

The man shared with police that he had convinced a young boy, who often visited the home, to touch the mans penis and put it in his mouth. He later removed the boys pants and underwear and told him he wanted to put his penis in (his) ass. In another incident, he masturbated in front of the boy while the pair played video games.

Hes a man of faith, a devout Christianhe didnt feel right in a church praying knowing what he had done, said defence lawyer Sheldon Pinx of his client.

The victim was contacted by police to verify the mans claim. The boy, who is now receiving therapy, told police he was too young to know what happened was wrong.

Pinx argued against a Crown submission for supervised probation. He noted the man is considered a low risk to reoffend according to a counselling report provided to the court.

I am so sorry for what I did and nothing can take it backIm trying to make it right with him and hopefully one day he can forgive me, the man told the court.

Judge Ken Champagne made a point of addressing the accused by his first name as a reminder to himself, the judge said, that he was dealing with a youth matter.

Champagne acknowledged the unusual nature in which the case came to court was a mitigating factor in this instance.

It tells me that he does in fact have a conscience and was bothered by his actions, he said.

That said, Champagne was clear that, had this occurred when the man was older, the result would have been different, regardless of the confession.

Had this happened when he was an adult, I would not hesitate in sending him to jail.

As part of the mans 18 months of unsupervised probation, he is barred from contact with the victim and must provide police a DNA sample.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 04/07/2017 (1957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After more than a year of planning and debate inside Steinbach city hall, and fundraising and discussions outside of it, the proposal to build a $24.3 million downtown performing arts centre died in less than three minutes.

Tuesdays city council meeting almost slipped by without anyone addressing the elephant in the room: the fact that the city had not received responses to its provincial and federal funding requests before its self-imposed June 30 deadline.

Just before the meeting adjourned, Mayor Chris Goertzen broached the topic. After briefly summarizing the projects journey, he confirmed it had reached its end.

Results of community surveys regarding the Steinbach performing arts centre were released at Tuesday's meeting of Steinbach city council.

The project will not move forward in its present form, Goertzen stated. We as council will begin consultations over the next few months to determine future recreation and cultural plans, however.

He reiterated councils commitment to grow its recreation and culture reserve fund by over $1 million per year. The fund currently contains approximately $750,000, Goertzen said. He closed by thanking council for their hard work on the subject. No further discussion followed Goertzens remarks.

Theres disappointment that we cant move forward, he said, following the meeting.

Future consultations will be of an informal nature, he confirmed, and will pave the way for future recreation and cultural plans that are prudent for the entire city.

But for now, this project is no more, he said, adding no alternate proposal to the performing arts centre yet exists.

The mayors message to those who supported the project, whether financially or from a distance, was one of thanks. Referencing the hard work of the Friends of the SPAC, Goertzen suggested their efforts have left a lasting imprint that will extend beyond the failed proposal.

We saw clearly that theres a passion for the arts in our community, Goertzen said. But we need to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place.

The mayor declined to speculate on the reasons why the second phase of the Building Canada fund has not been announced, noting others have been left waiting too.

Were not alone. Its the entire province, he said, later acknowledging council did expect the two levels of government to act more quickly.

Moving forward, Goertzen pledged to continue with recreation and culture efforts that are achievable, and called the citys ongoing financial commitment substantial.

He also considered the value of the sunset clause, implemented in December, which attached the June deadline to the project.

I think having deadlines on things, pushing us to move forward, is not inappropriate, he said.
Aetna Inc. operates as a health care benefits company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Health Care, Group Insurance, and Large Case Pensions. The Health Care segment offers medical, pharmacy benefit management service, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans on an insured and employer-funded basis. It also provides point-of-service, preferred provider organization, health maintenance organization, and indemnity benefit plans, as well as health savings accounts and consumer-directed health plans. In addition, this segment offers Medicare and Medicaid products and services, as well as other medical products, such as medical management and data analytics services, medical stop loss insurance, workers' compensation administrative services, and products that provide access to its provider networks in select geographies. The Group Insurance segment offers life insurance products, including group term life insurance, voluntary spouse and dependent term life insurance, group universal life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance products; and long-term care insurance products, which provide the benefits to cover the cost of care in private home settings, adult day care, assisted living, or nursing facilities. The Large Case Pensions segment manages various retirement products comprising pension and annuity products primarily for tax-qualified pension plans. The company provides its products and services to employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. Aetna Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in Hartford, Connecticut.
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.
One of Railas diehard supporters, Japheth Moroko of the baba while you were away slogan could be a nominated member of parliament after the August 8 General Election.

Mr Moroko has been proposed for nomination as a member of the Nairobi County Assembly.

Moroko, the grandson of freedom fighter Dedan Kimathis deputy, rose to fame in May 2014 when he coined the slogan to welcome home and inform Raila on the failings of Jubilee government following his three-month sojourn in the United States.

He made headlines again in May 2016 when he was badly injured by the police during street demos organized by CORD seeking to disband the then Ahmed Issack Hassan-led electoral commission.

Mr Maroko has, however, hinted that he will not accept the nomination if Raila fails to clinch the presidency in the August 8 General Election.
Invesco Ltd. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides its services to retail clients, institutional clients, high-net worth clients, public entities, corporations, unions, non-profit organizations, endowments, foundations, pension funds, financial institutions, and sovereign wealth funds. It manages separate client-focused equity and fixed income portfolios. The firm also launches equity, fixed income, commodity, multi-asset, and balanced mutual funds for its clients. It launches equity, fixed income, multi-asset, and balanced exchange-traded funds. The firm also launches and manages private funds. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. The firm also invests in alternative markets, such as commodities and currencies. For the equity portion of its portfolio, it invests in growth and value stocks of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies. For the fixed income portion of its portfolio, the firm invests in convertibles, government bonds, municipal bonds, treasury securities, and cash. It also invests in short term and intermediate term bonds, investment grade and high yield bonds, taxable and tax-free bonds, senior secured loans, and structured securities such as asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, and commercial mortgage-backed securities. The firm employs absolute return, global macro, and long/short strategies. It employs quantitative analysis to make its investments. The firm was formerly known as Invesco Plc, AMVESCAP plc, Amvesco plc, Invesco PLC, Invesco MIM, and H. Lotery & Co. Ltd. Invesco Ltd. was founded in December 1935 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia with an additional office in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Princess Diana. Photo: Anwar Hussein/WireImage

In a world torn by conflict and blame, theres still a yawning gap, a public wound that continues to speak to her absence, writes journalist Tina Brown in the introduction of Remembering Diana: A Life in Photographs, out August 1 from National Geographic. So deep was the bond of compassion she forged with her admirers that her death in August 1997 at the age of 36 was a universal bereavement  one that no one who experienced those days will ever forget.

The book commemorates the iconic life of Diana, Princess of Wales, 20 years after her death. A series of quotes appears alongside the photographs, which show snapshots of her childhood spent diving into her familys pool at Park House, and pictures of the Peoples Princess waving to the paparazzi en route to charity galas. One section details her wedding to Prince Charles, titled Inside the Fairy Tale, and shows images of Diana walking up the steps of St. Pauls Cathedral in her ivory-taffeta-and-antique-lace gown by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the 25-foot train trailing behind her.

I didnt have any idea what I let myself in for, Diana said. One day, I was going to work on a Number 9 bus, and the next, I was a princess. Though she was part of an aristocratic family with strong ties to the throne, she lived an alienated childhood after her parents separation and suffered from feelings of intellectual inferiority from never having attended college. To the public, her rise to fame as a royal made her life seem like a dream.

But she was also troubled by fame and tensions within the royal family, and quickly became the target of tabloids around the world. In a famously candid interview with BBCs Panorama in 1995, Diana described her struggles with depression, bulimia, and her marriage, which ended in a groundbreaking divorce in 1996. Before the arrival of social media, Princess Di helped usher in the crumbling of Englands ivory tower, a figure of modernity who defied class-bound constrictions.

In 2007, Tina Brown asked thenPrime Minister Tony Blair what, if anything, Dianas life had signified. A new way to be royal? No, he replied without hesitation. A new way to be British.

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Photo: (Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux/(Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux

Diana poses in a family photo, circa 1967-1969.

Photo: (Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux/(Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux

Diana sits on her suitcases as she prepares to go to boarding school at Riddlesworth Hall in 1970.

Photo: (Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux/(Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux

Diana holds her pet guinea pig during a 1972 pet show in Sandringham.

Photo: (Spen/AL)/Camera Press/Redux Pictures

Jumping off a slide into the familys pool at Park House.

Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Diana at age 14 with her pet Shetland pony Souffle on the Isle of Seil, off Scotlands west coast, in 1974.

Photo: Anwar Hussein/WireImage

Dressed in plaid at the Braemar Highland Games in Scotland in 1982.

Photo: Tim Graham/Tim Graham/Getty Images

At the Highgrove manor house in 1986.

Photo: BRUCHET Patrick/Paris Match via Getty Images

In France in 1994 for the second International Night of Childhood, waving to the paparazzi from a car.

Photo: Tim Graham/Tim Graham/Getty Images

Diana attends a gala charity dinner for cancer research at Londons Bridgewater House in November 1995, the same day as her candid BBC Panorama interview aired.

Photo: Pool/Tim Graham Picture Library/Tim Graham/Getty Images

Diana walking through an active minefield in Angola in 1997 on behalf of the charity HALO Trust.
This short book took me back to reading Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark at camp and scaring myself so much I couldnt walk to the bathroom alone at night. Schweblin tells the story of Amanda, a woman on her deathbed in a clinic in rural Argentina. Shes having a conversation with this incredibly creepy child, David, about how she wound up sick and nearly dead. Its part surreal ghost story and part political critique. As you meander toward an end, the questions pile up: What happened to David? What happened to Nina? What are the worms? Who is talking? What the hell did I just experience and why do I need a hug? Its a beautifully hallucinatory and dreadful experience. Enjoy!  Allison Davis, Senior Writer
Luo Benga artist Tom Mboya Anganga, best known as Atomy Sifa, has fled Kenya claiming his life is in danger.

The musician produced a song in praise of President Uhuru Kenyatta together with little-known musician Tede ja Kenya. He told the Nation that he relocated to Tanzania following threats to his life.

People called me, threatening that they will kill me for insulting Raila Odinga in the song, said Mr Sifa.

The song, titled Uhuru Nyale -Dholuo for Uhuru is Capable  blames Raila for ills bedeviling the Luo community.

In the song, Atomy and Tede advise members of the Luo community to stop paying allegiance to Odinga and support President Kenyattas re-election.

Speaking to the Nation on Saturday, Sifa denied composing the song. He said he was passing next to where Tede was producing the video and he was asked to join because of his popularity.
U.S. Embassy in Yemen. Photo: MOHAMMED HUWAIS/Stringer/AFP/Getty

On Monday, a former U.S. diplomat who had been posted at the U.S. Embassy in Yemen was found liable  for the second time  for enslaving and sexually trafficking a housekeeper from Ethiopia. The former envoy, Linda Howard, and her Australian husband, Russell Howard, were also found liable for trafficking another Ethiopian housekeeper five years ago, the Washington Post reports.

Howard and her husband were posted in Sanaa, Yemen, in 2007 while she worked as a foreign service officer at the U.S. embassys information program center. They allegedly promised the Ethiopian housekeeper known as Sara Roe in the proceedings  a monthly salary of $150, visa assistance, medical care, help for her daughter, and the chance to join the family in Germany. Yet, according to the Post, Roe was forced to work up to 90 hours a week, had her passport taken, was dragged to a hospital to get an IUD, and was repeatedly raped by both Linda Howard and her husband.

I cried all the time, Roe wrote in an affidavit. She also reportedly worried about the social and legal consequences she could face in Ethiopia of being raped by a woman, since it is shameful and illegal to have homosexual contact there, she wrote. Eventually, after seven months, Roe was allegedly kicked out of the Howards house. Linda Howard helped her get a job at a restaurant on the compound  but Roe believes that was done with the intention of keeping her silent.

A Virginia federal jury on Monday found Linda Howard, who left the State Department in 2013, and her husband, who died in 2012, liable for enslaving and trafficking Roe. The Post notes that the ex-diplomat denied the charges and tried to argue in court that Roe couldnt sue under a human-trafficking law that didnt pass until 2008.

According to the Post, the allegations made by Roe are quite similar to those made by Jane Doe, another housekeeper who won a civil suit against the Howards in 2012 for being repeatedly raped, isolated, and threatened by the couple. When Jane Doe fled in the middle of the night, Russell Howard reportedly followed her and filed charges against her in Ethiopia. They were ordered to pay Doe $3.3 million, but they had already fled to Australia to contest the judgment, and the case was reportedly settled in 2015.

Attorneys for Howard and Roe didnt respond to the Posts request for comment.
The cast of Siesta Key. Photo: MTV

Last night, as part of an effort to reclaim some of its mid-aughts glory, MTV premiered a glossy new pseudo-reality show: Siesta Key. Set in the moneyed island community off the coast of Sarasota, Florida, the program features a cast of 20-something models and would-be models ready to live it up for the summer. Its like The Hills, in that a majority of the story lines seem to have been scripted. Its also like The Hills predecessor Laguna Beach, in that most of the cast members still live with their parents. The scenes are shot like EDM videos, with lots of slo-mo entrances and close-ups of womens butts.

I do not blame MTV for trying to re-create some of the old magic. It has been too long since we have had an overproduced, perfectly soundtracked reality show about young people being rich and upset with each other. (Though The Vineyard certainly tried to fill the void in 2013. Who remembers?) I am concerned, however, that Siesta Key has a fatal flaw.

Laguna Beach found quick success because viewers were transfixed by the love triangle at the center of the show: Would sweet Lauren finally win over her crush, Stephen? Or would he go back to his ahem, more worldly ex-girlfriend Kristin? Stephen was cute and real and cunning enough that you understood why the women were fighting over him.

Siesta Key also opens with a love triangle. This one, however, hangs on one of the most charmless 22-year-old men to ever appear onscreen. Alex. Alex? Its Alex. He has a souped-up white truck and small teeth, and he is the star of this show. Alex is sort of the king of our crew, says his almost-girlfriend Juliette in a voice-over at the beginning of the premiere episode, while we watch Alex sit on a boat and then sit in a pool. He has the most amazing house right on the beach, and everyone wants to party with him. He can pretty much date any girl he wants. Of course, Alexs ex-girlfriend Madisson, spelled just like that, is plotting to steal him back.

Alex!!!!!! Photo: MTV

But is she really? After watching one episode, it is hard to see how, exactly, Alex makes the ladies crazy. He does not do much in the way of talking. (After a date, he tells Juliette, Rainbows are pretty. But not as pretty as you.) His main activities seem to be lounging in his bed in his parents house and lounging at the pool at his parents house. He tells Madisson he might go to law school. (I mean.) Even the secondary cast members struggle to pinpoint why Alex is the de facto leader of the island. Over pedicures, a blonde named Amanda tells a blonde named Chloe, Alex has standards. Like, the girls that he hooks up with are usually really pretty.

Still, Juliette hangs on him during his birthday party, and Madisson walks down to the beach to cry about it. There are objectively hot guys in the cast  Brandon, Garrett  but the women only seem to be concerned with impressing Alex.

My guess is this has less to do with Alexs beautiful, blank eyes and more to do with the fact that his dad funded the pilot. The reality behind the reality show: Gary Kompothecras, a wealthy chiropractor and Sarasota celebrity known for his 1-800-ASK-GARY commercials, hired a production company to shoot a pilot featuring his son and his friends and sent it out to networks. MTV responded a little over a year later, and now we have Siesta Key, Alexs star turn. Gary has an executive-producer credit on the show. (By contrast, MTV found the mesmerizing stars of Laguna Beach at an open casting call at Laguna Beach High School.)

My son has such a nice lifestyle. I didnt, growing up, Gary recently told the Tampa Bay Times. Seeing how much fun him and his friends were having, it felt like a good idea to show a positive image of growing up.

The jurys out on whether or not Siesta Key will manage to show a positive image of growing up, but you can bet Alex, and the women who are dying to be with him for their own private reasons, will be featured heavily in each episode. Will this be fun to watch? Depends on how desperate everybody gets for screen time.

Of course, Gary makes a few appearances on the show. At the end of the first episode, he drops in to look out over his sons birthday party in the backyard of his 9-million-square-foot Beaux-Arts mansion, and he addresses the crowd of bikini-clad revelers thusly: When I die, I wanna come back as Alex, thats all I gotta say. Wouldnt we all?
Tanzania superstar Diamond Platnumz has jumped to the defence of his partner Zari Hassan after she was criticised for moving on fast after the loss of her mother and former husband.

Zari Hassan, whose mother Halima Hassan, died on July 20, has lost two loved ones in a span of three weeks.

During this time, Zari has been active on her popular social media pages and has been bashed for appearing happy despite the losses.

One online user posted: Its barely two weeks since Zari Hassan lost her mother. She lost her ex-husband on May 25, 2017. However, she is acting all happy on social media. Who moves on from a mothers death that fast?

According to Islamic practice, which her mother was inclined toward, a mourning period should last 40 days, after which, the bereaved can resume their normal lifestyle.

Diamond Platnumz, however, says those criticising Zari are imposing an unwarranted tradition on her.

Taking to Instagram, the hitmaker posted a photo of the couple on vacation in Mombasa, and said that Zari deserves to be pampered for the trying times she has faced.
Mama Sarah Obama has reportedkly urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to visit Kogelo village in Siaya county.

According to the Star, Obamas step-grandmother wants Uhuru to lay a foundation stone for Barack Obama University College.

Mama Sarah said the institution will be a landmark project in memory of her grandson and former first black US President Barack Obama.

She was speaking during a visit by the US-based professor Michael Muiga  the founder of Barack Obama University.

A 50-acre piece of land has been set aside for the ambitious project,said Mama Sarah.

She said the university will serve all Kenyans devoid of their political, social and tribal inclinations.

Mama Srah further decried the sorry state at the Barack Obama schools.

Both the primary and secondary school sections are in bad state. We need to support them as they will act as reservoirs for local brains being prepared to join the Barack Obama University.

Additional Reporting by The Star
With exactly one week to the election, voters are all but decided. Though the polls put the numbers of undecided at around 5%, it is likely that those respondents chose to withhold their choice.

In just one week, we will find out whether it will be another 5 years for Jubilee, or Raila will become our 5th president.

Contrary to what some people think, there will be no run off. For the country to go into a second round, there needs to be a strong 3rd candidate to eat away Raila and Uhurus numbers. As it stands, all the other candidates will be lucky to get 1% combined. Therefore, this election will be decided next Tuesday.

Both Uhuru and Raila have made tremendous gains in enemy territories; counties they did not do too well in 2013. The county polls by the various pollsters present very different results, but the trend is clear. Not a single county has shifted from the 2013 voting pattern in its entirety. Of course with the exception of Mudavadis counties which now belong to Raila.

But going with recent events, these are 5 counties we can expect President Uhuru to perform better than 2013. (Tomorrow we look at counties Raila will perform better than in 2013)

Mombasa

2013: Raila  70.5%, Uhuru  23.8%

Uhuru has spent more time in Mombasa than probably any other county with exception of Nairobi. Despite his differences with Governor Joho, Uhuru has literally made Mombasa his second home.

The best part for Jubilee is that most of Uhurus visits to the county have been development-based and highly publicized because of his feud with Joho.

Apart from the programmes which benefit all counties, Mombasa has received a few new and better roads, a refurbished market etc. It will also be one of the primary beneficiaries of the SGR train service, both directly and indirectly.

On the other hand, Joho his dealing with poor sanitation issues. Many residents are particularly unhappy with the way he has handled the garbage problem in the coastal city.

Make no mistake. Joho will win by a huge margin. But in my view, Uhurus 2013 numbers have only gone up.

Mombasa 2017 prediction: Uhuru  30-40%.

Machakos

2013: Raila  87%, Uhuru  9.7%

This is another county that Jubilee has courted actively. Governor Alfred Mutua is doing quite well in opinion polls, but whether his votes translate to Uhurus votes is a whole nother issue.

It is likely that Mutua may have swayed a few of his supporters from believing in Kalonzo. It is also likely that some people in Ukambani read betrayal in Raila dishonoring the 2013 agreement with Kalonzo. Johnstone Muthamas public disagreements with Kalonzo have not helped matters, and there probably are a few who no longer think that Kalonzo is strong enough a leader.

But the main reason I believe Jubilee will do better this time round in Machakos, is the power of incumbency. You see, when you read a few comments on Twitter about the state of the country, you think its all doom. However, I bet there are quite a substantial number of people that Jubilee touched individually. Is it by providing a new borehole, paying for maternity, electricity, a new road.. etc.

These are the people that will boost Jubilees numbers in Machakos.

In 2013, Uhuruto performed so dismally in Machakos, that it will take a miracle to beat those numbers. Indeed, Raila with 87% in 2013 did not leave himself too much room to grow this time round.

Machakos prediction 2017: Uhuru  20-30%

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Kilifi

2013: Raila  84.7%, Uhuru  10.3%

Without a doubt, the entire coast region is a place Jubilee is determined to raid. In 2013, Raila ran away with the region, and this time round it will be no different. However, just like Machakos county, Raila performed so well here in 2013, that it will be very hard to maintain or improve on those numbers. Especially not with the direct offensive launched by Uhuruto.

Governor Kingi will take it easily. But between Gideon Mungaro and Kazungu Kambi, both vying for the governor seat and supporting Uhuru, they will definitely influence a substantial number of voters. Some polls already have them at over 30% combined.

Once again, the power of incumbency will play a big role. It is easier to show people what has been done than tell them what has not been done. Which presents an almost impossible task for Raila to maintain or improve on the 2013 numbers.

Kilifi 2017 Prediction: Uhuru  25-40%.

Kwale

2013: Raila  81.4%, Uhuru  14.1%

By now you can see the trend. Coast is likely to be more favourable to Uhuru this time round than it was in 2017.

In Kwale, Jubilee can point to several national government developments, and there is a big likelihood a few residents who did not vote for Uhuru appreciate.

As if things could not get better for Jubilee in Kwale, Governor Salim Mvurya defected from ODM. His re-election is not cast in stone like Johos, but it would be very unwise to dismiss his influence. Whether his personal votes translate into Uhurus votes remain to be seen, but one thing any analyst will tell you is that it looks much better for Jubilee than in 2013.

Kwale 2017 Prediction: Uhuru  30-40%

Busia

2013: Raila  86.5%, Uhuru  3.7%

Well, the reasons here should be self explanatory. For an incumbent to do worse than 3.7%, he must have failed totally. As much as Jubilee has many flaws, they also have many things to show.

While most of Nasa saw the Sigiri Bridge collapse as God-sent, what did Busia people think of it. The fact that Uhuru made a pledge (and almost fulfilled) to once and for all stop the deaths on that river; what did residents think about this deed. Only a fool would think it did not win him a few votes.

What about Ababu Namwamba? Has he brought anything to the Jubilee table?

Probably nothing substantial, but if I were a betting person, I would say that a sitting president will get more than 3.7% this time round.

Busia 2017 Prediction: Uhuru  10-20%

Tomorrow will look at counties Raila will perform better than 2013.

The above analysis is an opinion based on observation of the mood, and not supported by any scientific numbers.
BP posted earnings that beat expectations by analysts Tuesday, despite profits being more than halved from the first quarter of 2017 after a big charge from its project located in Angola that proved unsuccessful.

Profits at the British oil giant were down from the 2017 first quarter of $1.5 billion and less than the $721 million posted from the same period one year ago. Shares of the oil behemoth moved up over 3.5% during Tuesday morning trading.

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Bob Dudley the CEO at BP said the company was continuing to reposition for a new oil price environment continuing to focus on its costs, discipline in its capital spending and overall efficiency.

Results by BP were pulled down by a write off of $750 million that was in connection to its failed project in Angola. BP gave up its stake of 50% in a project off the coast of the African nation because he was declared no longer commercially attractive.

Big oil companies have come under pressure from their investors to show them progress had been made in covering spending as well as dividends with generation of cash.

Further to that, continually low gas and oil prices have caused companies to grapple with portfolios to be more competitive.

On Tuesday, BP said that no material impact from the write off was felt in its cash flow,

BP has currently one of the highest prices for breakeven amongst its oil peers, after a number of acquisitions at the beginning of 2017 pushed up spending plans.

The estimated price of oil, at which BPs upstream assets could offset costs, stands at a per barrel price of $60, which is higher than the rate for the market of $50 per barrel.

While analysts warned that BP would not return to level of production of before, they believe that the company is coming to the end of dealing with losses connected to its Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster at Deepwater Horizon.

Payments by BP related to the settlement for the Gulf of Mexico disaster could reach $4.5 billion to $5.5 billion during 2017, while another $2 billion will likely be paid during 2018.

The company has paid thus far a total before taxes of more than $63.1 billion in costs for the cleanup and in penalties.

The latest figures for BP easily surpassed expectations of analysts, joining peers in Europe like Royal Dutch Shell and Total in posting results that beat forecasts for their second quarters.
The self-proclaimed Kenyas King of Turn Up has spoken up about the recent break in at his apartment in Lavington.

After a two-week summer holiday in the U.S, the Kiss FM presenter returned on Saturday morning(22 July) to find most of his household items gone.

According to Shaffie, the losses from the robbery amount to Sh 3.5 Million.

This is an inside job. It is becoming a common problem in Kileleshwa and Lavington where gangs collude with security to break into residents houses while they are away, Shaffie told Pulse.

I thank God that at least one of my cars was at my Baby Mamas while the other was at my cousins. They could not drive away the bike either, but, how they managed to carry everything else from the house is questionable. The estimate of this loss is over Sh3.5 million.

He said the gang cleaned the house and among the valuables they stole were jewellery and designer watches amounting to more than Sh1.5 million, a 47-inch TV screen, dozens of designer belts and shoes and his trademark designer jackets.

This can only challenge me to work hard and restock. I mean, its all gone but Im not down. However, there is need for investigation as these cases are becoming very rampant down here, he said.
CBCs flagship nightly news program The National will have a new look, a new way of telling stories across the country and a smattering of familiar faces handling hosting duties when it relaunches on Nov. 6.

The public broadcaster revealed Tuesday the four journalists who will replace former host Peter Mansbridge as anchor: CBC veterans Adrienne Arsenault and Ian Hanomansing in Toronto, Rosemary Barton based in Ottawa and relative newcomer Andrew Chang hosting from Vancouver.

CBC News general manager and editor-in-chief Jennifer McGuire says that all will host portions of the show, but also be involved in field reporting, and bringing what they are known for to the show.

I think thats what appealed to all of us, we dont have to give up who we are and what we do, says Arsenault, who is best known for her international reportage. It is just a way to do more of it and do it differently.

Read more: CBCs The National needed a shakeup  but this one? Wong

Departing CBC anchor Peter Mansbridge.







Even beyond how the show will actually look and what the digital integration will be, there were more questions that the quartet and McGuire had to face Tuesday at the news conference at the CBCs Toronto headquarters. When asked if this was an extended audition for the four new hosts, they all laughed and looked to McGuire.

It is the decision. Are we going to tie them to this show for 30 years? Those days are gone, but we think this is the right mix for the show that we want to do. Theyve all made me a commitment of three years at least. It is not an audition, said McGuire.

The three-year commitment may have come as a surprise to at least some of the foursome. Hanomansings face wrinkled at the comment and Barton chimed in with a Not me.

Also unclear is what role, if any, Steve Ladurantaye will play. The former Globe and Mail journalist and Twitter employee was set to be the managing editor for the new-look National, but was reassigned after he chimed in on a series of tweets surrounding cultural appropriation.

Right now, Steve is not with The National team, but he is still an active part of CBC news, and he is working with us on defining some of our digital strategies, said McGuire. In September, I will reassess his connection to the program. The National will have a managing editor at the end of the day, but it wont be until September until I decide if its Steve or somebody else.

There have been many rumours that many CBC rank-and-file employees are unhappy with how Ladurantaye was handled.

Well, I will tell you as the manager involved, the consensus is equally split. There are groups of people who felt we werent hard enough, there are groups who felt we were too hard, and there are a smattering of people in the middle, said McGuire. But it was clear, the tweet in question stepped over our journalistic policies and our expectations of judgment as a leader, and created an impact that was real and felt through the building and had to be dealt with in some way. And I honestly think we dealt with it fairly fairly.

The four journalists played down any jockeying for position in the months since Mansbridge announced last year that he was stepping down. Asked what kind of behind-the-scenes Game of Thrones-type intrigues they had to engage in, they responded with jokes.

Well, weve already cleaned up the blood, joked Barton.

It would surprise a lot of people of how little of that jockeying there had been, said Chang, currently the host of CBCs Vancouver supper-hour broadcast, News at 6. I wish there would have been an obstacle course.

Splitting up the job might provide a bit of cover for the new guard. The last high-profile host change in this country a few years ago  when Rogers swapped in George Stroumboulopoulos for Ron MacLean at the head of the Hockey Night in Canada  was not well received at all, and eventually undone.

Mansbridge, 69, announced in September 2016 that he would be leaving his role as chief correspondent and anchoring duties, after nearly 30 years in the role, after replacing Knowlton Nash in 1988. Hes is planning to stay on with the CBC hosting occasional specials.

The Star reported in June that Mansbridges The National has an average nightly audience of 525,000 viewers this season on so-called linear television. By comparison, its rival CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme, the top-rated newscast in the country, pulls in an average of one million viewers, despite airing an hour later. (The numbers, provided by both networks, do not include repeats or showings on CBC News Network and CTV News Channel, respectively.)

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Have you ever felt burned out at work when you came back from vacation?

Im not talking about being exhausted from fighting with your family at Disney World. Im talking about how you knew the whole time walking around Epcot Center that a world of work was waiting upon your return.

Can I say something?

Our vacation systems are completely busted.

They dont work.

The classic corporate vacation system goes like this: You get a set number of vacation days a year, you fill out some form photocopied from 1988 to apply for time off, you get your bosss signature and file it with a team assistant or log it into some terrible database. Its an admin headache and that doesnt even include the frantic cramming of extra work into the week before you go away.

What a nightmare!

Its no wonder absenteeism remains a massive problem for most companies, with payrolls dotted with sick leaves, disability leaves, and stress leaves. In the U.K., the Department for Work and Pensions says absenteeism costs their economy more than 100 billion pounds ($162 billion) a year. And a white-paper published at The Workforce Institute and produced by Circadian, a workforce solution company, calls absenteeism a bottom-line killer that costs employers $3,600 per hourly employee and $2,650 per salaried employee per year.

Read more:

Canada loses 80,000 working days a year due to sleep deprivation

What to do when your dream vacation leaves you with the post-travel blues

Would it help if we got more paid vacation?

Not necessarily.

According to a study done by an organization called Project: Time Off together with GfK, a market research firm, just more than 40 per cent of us dont plan to use all our paid time off, anyway. The biggest reason? Fear of returning to a mountain of work.

So whats the progressive approach?

Its the Adobe, Netflix, or Twitter policies that say take as much vacation as you want, whenever you want it. Open-ended, unlimited vacation  sounds great on paper, doesnt it? Very progressive, right? No, its broken too. What happens in practice? Warrior mentality. Peer pressure. Social signals that say youre a slacker if youre not in the office.

German Tech company Travis CI CEO Mathias Meyer wrote about his company ultimately abandoning unlimited vacation because: When people are uncertain about how many days its OK to take off, youll see curious things happen. People will hesitate to take a vacation as they dont want to seem like that person whos taking the most vacation days. Its a race to the bottom instead of a race towards a well rested and happy team. (He decided to try minimum vacation time, instead.)

The point is in unlimited vacation time systems you dont actually take a few weeks to travel through South America after your wedding, because theres too much social pressure against going away for so long. s

So whats the solution?

Recurring, scheduled, mandatory vacation.

Yes, thats right  an entirely new approach to managing vacation. And one that preliminary research shows works much more effectively.

Famed designer Stefan Sagmeister said in his TED Talk, The Power of Time Off, that every seven years, he takes one year off. In that year, he said, we are not available for any of our clients. We are totally closed. And as you can imagine, it is a lovely and very energetic time. He does warn that the sabbaticals take a lot of planning and benefit most after youve worked a significant amount of time.

Why does he do this? He says, Right now we spend about the first 25 years of our lives learning, then there are another 40 years that are really reserved for working. And then  tacked on at the end of it  are about 15 years for retirement. And I thought it might be helpful to basically cut off five of those retirement years and intersperse them in between those working years.

As he says, that one year is the source of his creativity, inspiration, and ideas for the next seven years.

So I recently partnered with Shashank Nigam, the CEO of SimpliFlying, a global aviation strategy firm of about 10 people, and we asked ourselves a question:

What if we force people to take a scheduled week off every seven weeks?

The idea was that this would be a microcosm of the Sagmeister principle of one year off every seven years. And its entirely mandatory. In fact, we designed it so that if you contact the office while youre on vacation via email, WhatsApp, Slack messages, or anything, you dont get paid for that vacation week. We tried to build in a financial punishment for working when you arent supposed to be working in order to establish a norm about disconnecting from the office.

The system is designed so you dont get a say in when you go. Some may say thats the downside, but for this experiment we outlined the benefits as helping put a structure in place. The team and clients would know well ahead of time when someone would be taking a week off. And the point is you actually go. And everybody goes. So there are no questions, paperwork, or guilt involved with not being at the office.

After this experiment was in place for 12 weeks, we had managers rate employee productivity, creativity, and happiness levels before and after mandatory time off. And what did we find out?

Creativity went up 33 per cent, happiness levels rose by 25 per cent and productivity increased 13 per cent. In some cases, returning team members were able to produce detailed standard operating procedure documents in a day as opposed to over two days.

What did people do with their time off? Employees wrote blog posts talking about how they finally found time to cross things off their bucket lists. Finally holding an art exhibition, learning a new language, or travelling somewhere theyd never been before.

Now this is a small company, and we havent tested the results in a large organization. But the question is: could something this simple work in your workplace?

There were two points of constructive feedback that came back from the test:

1. Frequency was too high. Employees found that once every seven weeks (while beautiful on paper) was just too frequent for a small company. Its competitive advantage is agility and having staff off too often upset the work rhythm. CEO Shashank Nigam proposed taking vacation every 12 weeks. But with employee input, we redesigned it to once every eight weeks. Thats where it stands now.

2. Staggering was important. Lets say that two or three people work together on a project team. We found that it didnt make sense for these people to take back-to-back time off. Batons get dropped if there are consecutive absences. We revised the arrangement so that no one can take a week off right after someone has just come back from one. So the high-level design is important and needs to work for the business.

This is still early research, but it confirms something I believe in passionately after a decade working in HR: Vacation systems are broken, and arent actually doing what theyre supposed to do. If you show up drained after your vacation, that means you didnt get the benefit of creating space.

Why is creating space so important?

Consider this quote from Tim Kreider, who wrote The Busy Trap for The New York Times:

Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body, and deprived of it we suffer a mental affliction as disfiguring as rickets. The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration  it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done.

Fix your vacation system.

Youll be doing better, more important work.

Neil Pasricha is the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation. His new journal Two-Minute Mornings contains his exact two-minute practice for starting each day. His bi-weekly column helps us live a good life.

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We will experience more technological changes in the next two years than we have in the last 30.

I love technology, and find it not only enriches my life but also simplifies it.

For example, the information we have available on the Internet expands our knowledge, having our entire digital life in our pocket provides convenience and the safety measures in our vehicles give us peace of mind.

We need to balance the cost of technology and our loss of privacy with the benefits. Privacy is a big concern for many of us as we share more information online than in the past.

Technology is bringing about significant shifts in all facets of real estate from the way we use it to the construction methods used or the way we buy and sell. The changes in the retail industry and how we use office space are currently going through a transition.

No interruption for the retail disruption

You may have heard of the disrupters in the retail industry stemming from online e-commerce companies like Amazon. It is a real threat to many of our banks, department stores, pharmacies, supermarkets and malls.

However, one key is for these industries to rethink how they do business.

Retail bank storefronts are slowly going away in the United Kingdom as more consumers move accounts online. Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens will need to reconstruct themselves now with the convenience of prescription drug delivery through the mail.

Many stores will close while others will refocus the way they do business. Large department stores like Sears and Macys may have a difficult time steering in another direction and end up closing. Other stores will continue to grow their online presence while supplementing the shopping experience with their brick and mortar stores.

It will be interesting to see how the behemoth Amazon changes the grocery shopping experience with the pending acquisition of Whole Foods Market. Unlike a clothing store where touching and trying on clothes is part of the decision-making process, the same is not so for food.

Malls are closing and are going through a repurposing as lifestyle centers bringing together services, colleges, retail, restaurants and even medical uses under one roof.

Collaborative offices are cool

The way we work is changing with the growth of the freelance economy and being an 8 to 5 employee becoming a thing of the past.

Not only are companies creating more of a lifestyle environment for their employees many will work in a more open and fluid co-working environment, at the coffee shop or employees home.

We see a tremendous growth in the hub environment with companies like WeWork and LiquidSpace offering the collaborative workspace.

As real estate costs go up for employers, office space size will decrease, coworking space will be more the norm and working outside the office will continue to grow.

In part 2, we will look at transportation, urbanization, certification and optimization.
OTTAWAA Toronto lawyer who was recently appointed a Superior Court judge donated more than $1,800 to the governing federal Liberal party in the months before he was named to the bench, a string of giving that included the purchase of a ticket to fundraising dinner.

Between March 2016 and March 2017, Andrew Sanfilippo gave $1,878.87 to the Liberal party. The founding partner at the downtown law firm ODonnell, Robertson & Sanfilippo became a judge in late June and the government announced his appointment July 18.

According to online records from Elections Canada that go back to 2006, Sanfilippos first political contribution was $478.87 on March 31, 2016. He acknowledged in a statement through a Superior Court spokesperson that this was for a Liberal fundraising dinner  the same price as tickets for a dinner with Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould that was hosted by the Torys LLP law firm on April 7, 2016.

The fundraiser drew controversy at the time, with Conservative MPs decrying how the minister was soliciting partisan money from stakeholders in her portfolio. Ottawas ethics commissioner Mary Dawson highlighted the event in her 2016 annual report and determined that while it raised questions about the appropriateness of the way the fundraisers were organized, it did not break Parliaments ethics rules.

It is not unusual for judicial appointees to have made political donations, nor does it break any rules.

In his statement through the court spokesperson, Sanfilippo stated that he did not actually attend the fundraising dinner, and that he bought the ticket after being solicited by a legal colleague.

He has never met, spoken to, or communicated with Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and believes that he has never attended any Liberal fundraising event, the statement said.

Sanfilippo went on to donate $299 to the party on Dec. 5, 2016 and then $701 on Dec. 30  meaning he gave the party $1,478.87 in 2016. He also gave $400 in March of this year.

Individuals cannot donate more than $1,550 to a political party each year, according to federal law.

David Taylor, a spokesperson for Wilson-Raybould, said in an emailed statement that Sanfilippo was appointed on the recommendation of the governments judicial advisory committee in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as after consulting the Chief Justices of Ontario and the Ontario Superior Court.

At no point during the judicial appointment process was Justice Sanfilippos political donation history considered, Taylor wrote. His merit was assessed based on the strength of his judicial application, the totality of his career and expertise.

Judges are technically appointed by the governor general, who acts on the advice of cabinet and the justice minister, according to the departments website. The government overhauled its judicial appointment process last October, explaining at the time that they would make the regional committees that consider applications for appointments more diverse and independent.

Using the Elections Canada online database of contributions, the Star found that 13 people with names and locations matching those of new judges appointed this year by Ottawa have donated money to political parties since 2006. Of these, two involved contributions to the Conservatives, and the rest were to the Liberal party.

The government has appointed 58 judges this year.

Richard Devlin, a professor of law at Dalhousie University and co-author of the recent book Regulating Judges, said that the government should consider a cooling off period so that people applying for political appointments would have to refrain from making partisan donations for a certain period before they can be selected.

You dont want to say people cant be politically active, but there is certainly the optics (problem) of large cash donations prior to ones appointment, he said.

Rocco Galati, a Toronto lawyer who led the 2013 challenge that rejected one of Stephen Harpers Supreme Court appointments, said he believes politics has been part of the judicial appointment process for years.

He pointed to an example unearthed by the left-leaning Broadbent Institute in 2015 that raised concerns about judicial appointments by then-justice minister Peter MacKay for people with whom he had partisan or personal ties.

The whole system should be raising your eyebrows right to the back of your head, Galati said.

Malcolm Mercer, an adjunct professor who teaches judicial ethics at Osgoode Hall law school, said he doubts public confidence is affected by the few lawyers who make donations and are appointed as judges.

We should be encouraging participation in our democratic process rather than seeing political involvement as a bad thing, he said. It is more important to focus on appointing talented judges with diverse perspectives.

The Liberal partys cash-for-access fundraising practices came under intense scrutiny last year, when opposition critics assailed the government for its practice of holding private events where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet would meet donors who paid sometimes hundreds of dollars to attend.

In April, the Liberal party started publicly announcing these events in advance and has also started posting guest lists online. Party spokesperson Braeden Caley said in an emailed statement that the other major parties in Ottawa havent followed suit.

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The city of Thunder Bay, Ont., and First Nations leaders in the region have signed a pledge to fight racism in the northern Ontario community, which has been plagued by tensions between Indigenous residents and local police.

The statement acknowledges systemic racism exists in Thunder Bay and says it must be challenged by all members of the community.

We recognize the urgent need to improve relations among the Indigenous population who reside in and visit (Thunder Bay) to access education, medical and health care, employment, cultural and recreational activities, and the non-Indigenous population, the statement reads.

The statement, signed by the city, Fort William First Nation and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, states the need to improve safety for Indigenous students attending school in Thunder Bay. Indigenous students from outside of Thunder Bay must relocate to the city to complete high school or post-secondary education, the statement said.

Read more: Thunder Bay police need outside help to solve deaths of Indigenous youth: Editorial

SIU investigating the death of First Nations man in Thunder Bay

Indigenous leaders call for RCMP to investigate deaths of young people in Thunder Bay

It calls for leaders to develop an anti-racism campaign for the city and includes a promise to work together on short-term measures to protect students for the coming school year.

The statement also calls for all three communities to band together and provide dedicated space for Indigenous gatherings, and demands that the Ontario and federal governments provide funding to support their efforts.

First Nations leaders say Thunder Bay has recently seen several acts of violent racism against Indigenous people, including the case of an Indigenous woman who died after being struck by a trailer hitch earlier this year.

Barbara Kentner, 34, told police she and her sister were walking in a residential neighbourhood when someone threw the hitch from a moving car. Her sister, Melissa Kentner, said she heard someone in the vehicle say: I got one.

Kentner underwent emergency surgery after the incident on Jan. 29, but never recovered.

In a meeting last month, Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a group of 49 First Nations communities in northern Ontario, also cited the deaths of seven First Nations high school students between 2000 and 2011.

The issue received national attention after the bodies of a 17-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy were found in a river in May. Local police chiefs have criticized the handing of both deaths by Thunder Bay police.

Fiddler said in an email that the statement represents a commitment to peaceful coexistence and reconciliation.

A Statistics Canada report from June states 29 per cent of all anti-Indigenous hate crimes across Canada in 2015 were committed in Thunder Bay.

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A man left in pain and naked in a Brantford police station holding cell for hours has filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against the Brantford Police Services Board, the chief of police and six police officers.

Ontario Court Justice Kenneth Lenz stayed Philip Alafes criminal charges in April after ruling he was subjected to cruel and unusual treatment over the July 2015 night in the cell.

Security videos of the cell were made court exhibits at the hearing and released to the Toronto Star.

Read more: Charges stayed against Toronto man after cruel and unusual treatment by officer

Lenz criticized Staff Sgt. Cheney Venn, one of officers named in the lawsuit, for taking away Alafes mattress, blanket and, after a violent struggle, his police-issued jumpsuit.

Lenz also found the police officers failed to provide Alafe with the medical attention he requested and his medication, despite Alafe informing the booking officer that he had mental health issues as well as sickle-cell anemia, a hereditary disease that causes him excruciating pain and is exacerbated by cold temperatures.

A statement of claim filed with the Superior Court in Toronto alleges the defendants maliciously, intentionally, unlawfully and/or without justification subjected the plaintiff to an escalating course of punishment, deprivation of basic needs, physical assault, infliction of mental anguish and other infliction of harm.

The allegations in the statement of claim have not been proven in court. No statement of defence has yet been filed.

A spokesperson for the Brantford Police Service said no comment would be made due to the pending litigation.

Police board chair Deb Cockerill said in a statement that the board will be undertaking a review of material related to the case and has asked the chief to report back on his findings as they relate to training, and prisoner care and handling. The statement said the board couldn't comment further because of the lawsuit.

An internal police investigation sparked by the criminal court ruling remains ongoing.

The allegations in the lawsuit include the use of excessive force in taking away Alafes jumpsuit and that he was made to spend the night in extreme pain due to his sickle cell disease.

Alafe entered the cell with no suicidal thoughts, according to the statement of claim. But after more than 10 hours in the cell, three with no clothes, blanket or mattress, he attempted to tie his socks into a noose around his neck. Two minutes later, an officer took his socks away.

The officers were negligent for not swiftly intervening despite a plainly visible suicide attempt, then they failed to offer him any assistance, leaving Alafe alone in his cell, stark naked, and visibly in physical and mental distress, the lawsuit alleges.

Alafe claims that as a result of his treatment that night his sickle-cell anemia and depression are worse and he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The lawsuit also claims Alafe was discriminated against based on his race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, and/or disability.

Alafe, who lived in Etobicoke at the time of the incident, is from Nigeria and is seeking refugee status in Canada.

The statement of claim alleges one officer, Const. Jason Barber, told Alafe he didnt speak African.

Barber, who is also named in the lawsuit, firmly denied saying this according to Lenzs decision.

The lawsuit also claims Brantford police Chief Geoff Nelson was negligent for failing to ensure his officers carried out their duties lawfully and in accordance with the policies set out by the Brantford Police Services Board.

Our client hopes this case will improve the way police deal with people in medical distress. He also hopes it will improve police accountability. These events did not happen in a dark alley. They happened in a brightly-lit police cell, in plain view and on camera, said Alafes lawyer Kelley Bryan who represents him in his civil case.

The lawsuit claims punitive damages of $500,000 are necessary to deter this kind of conduct by police officers in the future.

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Toronto's condos are going to the dogs, and the city is looking for ways to ease the transition.

Staff are hiring a consultant to develop pet-friendly design guidelines, said urban design manager James Parakh, who'll look at best practices from North America and around the world.

We do know that we have a growing number of dogs moving into our downtown, said Parakh, and from a planning perspective what we'd like to do is to make sure that we can accommodate them as best as we can.

The review will also look at possible cat-friendly measures, such as ways to make ventilation better for litter boxes in tight spaces.

It would be mainly to guide new buildings, but certainly the findings would be, I think, of benefit to all, including potentially condominium corporations of existing buildings, added Parakh.

Some condos already have doggie services, such as the Parade buildings in CityPlace, which have pet spas built into the lower floor where owners can wash off their dogs. There are plans for a pet spa and an outdoor dog run in the upcoming Concord Canada House, according to developer Concord Adex.

But Gilleen Witkowski, owner of dog-walking business Walk My Dog Toronto, said she often sees a bit of a gap between how many dogs there are downtown and the number of services to support them.

Sometimes the buildings find themselves a little bit overrun and a little bit struggling with how to cope, she said.

Witkowski has seen many young couples, who 10 years ago might have waited to get a dog until they bought a house, now squeezing a pet into a small space. She pointed to a few features that can help: wash stations, outdoor plants that can survive being peed on as well as policies to make sure dog walkers are welcome.

Last summer, Metro reported on a condo board at CityPlace that was proposing a ban on new owners bringing in pets. That's the kind of conflict Witkowski believes can be avoided.

Instead of getting angry, let's think ahead, she said. With some creativity, everybody and their dogs can got along.

By the numbers

CityPlace developers Concord Adex recently commissioned a survey of 1,000 people and found 23 per cent of its residents have a pet at home. Of those:

53 per cent have dog

40 per cent have a cat

3 per cent have both a dog and cat

4 per cent have a pet other than a dog or cat

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The TTC was jubilant Monday night as crowds packed into Union Station and later on to a subway train to celebrate Emancipation Day  the day slavery was abolished in the British Empire.

Now in its fifth year, the Underground Freedom Train Ride is a symbolic subway ride commemorating the experience of escaping slaves who made the harrowing journey to Canada along the Underground Railroad.

It is recognition of a historic date, Emancipation Day, and it is a celebration of the power and potential of people of African descent, said organizer Itah Sadu, who called the ride a way of connecting the past and the present.

Drums played as the crowd gathered at Union Station for the opening ceremonies Monday night before a subway train traveled to Sheppard West, arriving in the early hours of Emancipation Day on August 1.

The event included drumming, dancing, songs, speeches and spoken word, all in the spirit of liberation and celebration through a difficult time in our history, said Louis March, one of the organizers.

Mayor John Tory spoke at the ceremony, but was interrupted by journalist and activist Desmond Cole, who spoke out about how Cole was treated at a July 27 police board meeting. That meeting was temporarily halted when Cole demanded to speak about the Defonte Miller case. Cole was then escorted from the building where the police board meeting was held, fined and warned not to return.

I dont think that anybody here should be stopped from riding the liberation train, not even you, he said at the Monday event. But if youre going to be here tonight you have to hear and see what black liberation actually means.

Tory responded that he agreed there are many people in our society who are not fully free, and said he is committed to eradicating anti-Black racism.

The crowd briefly erupted into a chant of Black lives matter, before the ceremony continued.

The event is presented by A Different Booklist bookstore, and is the brainchild of Sadu. It is supported by the TTC and drew a crowd of all ages and ethnicities.

Each year organizers select a conductor for the train, and choose a woman leader in the community who represents the spirit of renowned Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman. This years conductor was Zanana Akande, the first black woman elected to Ontarios legislative assembly and the first black woman to serve as a cabinet minister. Akande called the event an opportunity to look back and remember the issues that we have been able to overcome.

You say, well weve come this far, we can certainly go further, she said. We can achieve those things which we still need to achieve.

A plaque commemorating the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was presented at the opening ceremony. A permanent Heritage Toronto plaque, sponsored by the Coalition of Black Trade Unions, will be mounted at Roundhouse Park, 255 Bremnar Blvd., once renovations are complete.

Beyond celebration, the ride is also an opportunity for education, said March.

The history books have not really done justice to the full scope of the African Canadian experience. Everybody talks about the Underground Railroad, but its not personalized, its not humanized, he said.

There was courage, there was conviction. There was still family. There were still emotions. All of this stuff has been sort of left out.

The TTC provided the subway car for the train ride. Tory and TTC Chair Josh Colle joined in after the opening ceremony.

Emancipation Day gives us an opportunity to explore and celebrate the rich African-Canadian history that has helped build our city, said Tory in a press release. It is also a day to recognize their struggle for human rights.

The Slavery Abolition Act took effect on August 1, 1834, and abolished enslavement in most British colonies.

Correction  August 1, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said a plaque commemorating the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters will be mounted at Union Station. In fact, it will be mounted at Roundhouse Park.

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The family of a man who has been missing since Friday is appealing to the public for help locating him.

Domingos Martins, 83, was last seen on July 28 at around 4:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Ave. W. and Jane St. area.

His family said they are worried about him because he needs his medication for Alzheimers disease.

We are asking the public to please check your sheds, check the backyard, bushes, surrounding parks and green spaces because thats where hed gravitate too, said Martins daughter-in-law Samantha Martins in a news conference Monday.

She said Martins, who only speaks Portuguese, also goes by the name Bronco.

Police have received several leads regarding Martins possible location but nothing has come up.

Martins is described as five-foot-four, 180 to 200 pounds, bald, and has difficulty walking. He was last scene wearing a black shirt with Martins written on it.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

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Despite having access to a municipal water supply, Statistics Canada has estimated that almost one in five Toronto area households drank primarily bottled water in 2015.

The survey results, which were included in a data report focused on the environment released last week, show bottled water was the main source of drinking water for close to 20 per cent of GTA homes between 2009 and 2015, after dropping down from 34 per cent in 2007.

Between 2009 and 2015 the number of homes drinking mostly bottled water varied from a low of 18 per cent in 2015 to a high of 22 in 2013.

Meanwhile, just eight per cent of households in the Ottawa area and 36 per cent in the Windsor area were estimated to rely primarily on bottled water in 2015. Though, Statistics Canada notes that the estimates for both Ottawa and Windsor are less exact than the estimates provided for Toronto.

Water advocate Maude Barlow said she finds the statistics disturbing but not surprising.

People have bought into the myth, largely promoted by the bottled water industry that our tap water isnt safe, said Barlow, who is also the honourary chairperson for the Council of Canadians.

With a few exceptions, tap water in Canada is very safe, she said.

While that does include tap water in Toronto, at least 31,000 homes in the city still have lead water pipes, which can contaminate clean drinking water flowing from the citys water treatment facilities before it reaches the tap.

For Adam Wynne and his roommates, who discovered the tap water in their Little Italy rental had lead levels almost 10 times higher than the national recommended levels, thats meant a new reliance on bottled water.

I have very mixed feelings over it because I personally have always tried to avoid using plastic bottled water, said Wynne. Its just very wasteful.

He and his two roommates are going through about 20-25 four litre bottles of water a week for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene like washing their faces and brushing their teeth.

Until they install a water filter or their landlord changes the pipes the alternative is drinking water contaminated with lead.

Wynnes worried now that more people may turn to bottled water when they hear concerns about lead pipes in Toronto. For most people, though, it shouldnt be a concern. Only homes built before the mid-1950s might have lead pipes.

Toronto has amazing tap water, Wynne said. He, like Barlow, wants to see more people drinking it.

Households in similar situations to Wynne and his roommates might account for some of the bottled water drinkers in the Toronto area, but not all of them, said Barlow.

While a UN resolution in 2010 recognized the human right to water and called on governments around the world to provide it, Barlow is concerned some people may want to stop paying for public drinking water if they become too reliant on bottled water.

At the same time, disposable plastic water bottles are having a shocking impact on the global environment, with many bottles polluting lakes and oceans around the world.

Franz Hartmann, the executive director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, said hed like to see bottled water companies take responsibility for their waste through a deposit return system.

I wish the companies that provided bottled water behaved as responsibly as the Beer Store, he said.

In Ontario,bottled water companies came under close scrutiny last year after Nestle Waters Canada bought a well that Centre Wellington Township wanted to secure the areas water supply.

The controversy led the Government of Ontario to raise fees for bottled water companies from $3.71 per million litres to $500 per million litres and impose a moratorium on new groundwater permits until Jan. 1, 2019.

At the time Premier Kathleen Wynne questioned the prevalence of bottled water.

Do all of us need to be using bottled water? I think we need to have a bigger look at the whole industry, and our role in regulating it, she said.

Hartmann said he believes fewer people would drink bottled water if there was easier access to tap water where they live, work, and play.

Things are moving forward, he said.

Torontonians are becoming more conscious and understand weve got great water here in the city, lets make sure we have easy access to it wherever we are.

With files from Robert Benzie

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In what is being described as an unprecedented move, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada changed an order this week from one of her colleagues that would have excluded all LGBTQ groups from participating in two upcoming appeals that deal with discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Justice Richard Wagner had decided Friday that the groups would not be permitted to intervene in the cases involving Trinity Western University.

The private Christian university in British Columbia is facing challenges in having its proposed law school accredited in some provinces due to what critics say is a homophobic community covenant that bans students from having sex outside of heterosexual marriage.

Wagners order Friday faced backlash throughout the weekend on social media, with lawyers and LGBTQ activists expressing outrage over the exclusion of LGBTQ groups.

Some groups representing religious interests were granted leave to intervene, including the Christian Legal Fellowship and the National Coalition of Catholic School Trustees, although other religious groups were excluded.

As is customary, Wagner did not provide reasons for his decision.

Then on Monday, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin surprised the parties by issuing a new order that varied Wagners order, declaring that the appeals would be heard over two days, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, and granting leave to intervene to all 26 groups, including those representing LGBTQ voices.

She also provided no reasons.

LGBTQ groups in Ontario were taken aback by the initial refusal, given that some were permitted to intervene in the case in Ontario at the Divisional Court and Court of Appeal levels.

Were quite delighted that we can continue this case forward to its conclusion, said lawyer Paul Jonathan Saguil, who represents Start Proud (formerly Out on Bay Street), which supports young LGBTQ professionals including lawyers, and OUTlaws, a coalition of LGBTQ student groups at Canadian law schools.

Our focus at this point is on next steps, said lawyer Marcus McCann, who represents LGBTOUT, a queer student association at the University of Toronto. Our clients are looking forward to putting their perspective before the court in a way thats useful and provides assistance to the court.

It is the chief justices responsibility to manage the courts calendar, including adding a second day for an appeal hearing that would make time to hear from more interveners, said lawyer Owen Rees, former executive legal officer at the Supreme Court.

This is not an overruling, he told the Star. It was a varying of an order, and I fully expect that in this context, this would have been a collegial decision and one where the judge who made one order and the chief justice would have been on the same page.

Lorne Sossin, dean of Osgoode Hall Law School, also pointed out its possible that more interveners were added simply because an extra day was set aside for the hearing.

It may also be that the impression left by Justice Wagners initial decision, which granted intervention to some groups bringing additional perspectives on religious freedom, but not groups whose focus was more aligned with LGBTQ and equality rights, could have deprived the court from having the fullest possible array of perspectives for a case that has and will generate significant scrutiny, he wrote in an email.

Whatever the rationale or rationales, it is always preferable, in my view, to have some reasons provided where an initial decision is modified.

The Law Society of Upper Canada, which regulates the legal profession in Ontario, voted 28-21 in 2014 to deny accreditation to Trinity Western because of the community covenant, meaning potential graduates would not be able to practise law in this province.

Law societies in Nova Scotia and British Columbia made similar decisions, but they were later overturned by the courts in those provinces. Meanwhile, the Ontario decision has been upheld by the provinces Court of Appeal. The Appeal Court endorsed the criticism around the covenant last year.

My conclusion is a simple one, wrote Justice James MacPherson for a unanimous three-judge panel in a 50-page judgment. The part of TWUs community covenant in issue in this appeal is deeply discriminatory to the LGBTQ community, and it hurts.

Trinity Western appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, while the Law Society of British Columbia appealed from its loss in the B.C. courts.

Interveners are not parties to a case, but have an interest in the matter and can bring a certain perspective to help the court in its decision. They are not permitted to raise new issues and have only five minutes each to present their case before the justices.

McLachlins decision Monday to change Wagners order regarding interveners left lawyers wondering if this had ever been done before. It would seem not.

It was a very unusual reversal, said Ottawa criminal defence lawyer Michael Spratt. The chief justices act certainly left many court watchers and experts scratching their heads  But decisions on leave to intervene or appeal should be more transparent. This may be an opportune time to reconsider some of these procedures.

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A Toronto police officer and his brother charged in the beating of Black teen Dafonte Miller are accused of misleading investigators, according to newly obtained court documents.

The charges against Michael Theriault, a 25-year-old constable with the Toronto police force, and his 21-year-old brother, Christian Theriault, include aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in relation to the incident, which took place Dec. 28 in Whitby.

Both men were also charged with public mischief. According to information filed in court, the Special Investigations Unit alleges the Theriaults did with intent to mislead, cause a peace offer to enter upon or continue an investigation and thereby commit public mischief.

Read more: Two police probes into beating of Dafonte Miller fall short: Editorial

If Toronto police are serious about restoring our faith they need to root out the bad-apple cops: Keenan

The date of the alleged offence  Dec. 28  suggests that the SIU, a police oversight body, is alleging Theriault and his brother misled Durham police officers, who responded to the scene in the early morning hours. The SIU was not informed of the incident until April. Neither the SIU nor Durham police would comment Tuesday.

According to the section of the Criminal Code under which the Theriaults have been charged, someone has committed public mischief if they report an offence that hasnt occurred, make a false statement accusing someone of an offence, or do anything meant to cause someone to be suspected of a crime or divert suspicion from himself.

The brothers are currently out on bail and scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 10. Michael Theriault has been suspended with pay from the Toronto police.

Millers lawyer, Julian Falconer, has provided an account of what allegedly happened in the early morning hours of Dec. 28, none of which has yet been tested in court.

Miller and his friends, Falconer said, were walking down Erickson Dr., a quiet suburban street north of Dundas St. E., before 3 a.m., when they were confronted by the brothers, who were in the garage of their family home. According to property records, the home is owned by the Theriaults father, John Theriault  a longtime Toronto police detective currently assigned to the professional standards unit.

Michael Theriault, Falconer alleged, identified himself as a police officer and asked what the group of friends were doing. The Theriaults chased Miller and his friends, eventually catching up to Miller and beating him with a metal pipe, the lawyer said.

Miller called 911 as the attack continued, Falconer has said. The call history from his phone, captured in a photo provided to the Star and other outlets, shows a call to 911 at 2:52 a.m., which lasted just over a minute.

According to Falconer, Michael Theriault grabbed the phone and told the operator he was a police officer and had made an arrest. Falconer told the Star he has personally listened to the 911 recording, which has not been released publicly.

When Durham police arrived at the scene, Falconer said, Michael Theriault told them he and his brother had heard noises coming from a car in their driveway, and saw Miller and one of his friends running away from a Theriault family car.

Michael Theriault told Durham police that change used for grocery money was missing from the car, Falconer said.

Michael Theriaults lawyer, Michael Lacy, declined to comment on his clients charges.

Durham police charged Miller on Dec. 28 with theft under $5,000, assault with a weapon described as a pole, and possession of a small amount of marijuana. Those charges were withdrawn by the Crown in May, before going to trial.

Durham officers interviewed multiple people, collected evidence and took photographs during their investigation of the Dec. 28 incident, Durham Chief Paul Martin said in a news release Friday.

Neither Toronto police nor Durham police notified the SIU, the body called in to investigate cases of death, serious injury or alleged sexual assault involving police. It was not until Falconer contacted the police watchdog in April that it began an investigation.

Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders has repeatedly defended his services decision not to contact the SIU. Members of the Toronto police professional standards unit decided, based on the information they had at the time, that the Theriault case did not meet the threshold to report to the police watchdog, Saunders told reporters.

Saunders announced Thursday that Waterloo police had been called in to conduct a third-party investigation into the circumstances of Millers beating.

Martin has announced an internal review, led by his deputy chief Uday Jaswal, to examine whether Durham officers acted correctly in arresting Miller and in not contacting the SIU.

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A complicated patchwork of regulations governs the land at 14 Scarborough Pickering Townline, and untangling it falls on a review taking place after next weeks meeting of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

The last tenant of the home, which sits on expropriated land thats transferred ownership several times, was Joyce Anna Scott. After her death in May, the conservation authority offered a continued lease agreement to her family  but if they dont want to become rental tenants, they have to leave the house by Sept. 1.

Now, Joyces daughters are picking up their mothers crusade to re-purchase the house, and theyll make a presentation to the conservation authority next week.

In response, the conservation authority will launch an investigation, Associate Director Rick Sikorski said. But decisions arent theirs alone.

From TRCAs perspective, the property in question is TRCA owned, Sikorski said. But the conservation authority is bound by other contracts.

When the land was transferred to them in 2004 as part of a land holding agreement, the province retained an option to purchase and a first right of refusal, or exclusive rights to enter business agreements before a third-party.

Even though we own it, we are not free to do whatever we want with it, Sikorski said.

In 2012, the lands ownership became even more complex. The property was included within the boundaries of the proposed Rouge National Urban Park. According to a memorandum of agreement on the project, land included within the parks boundaries would be transferred to the federal government.

To allow the family to re-purchase the land, the conservation authority has to consult each of the stakeholders in that tangled process. Thats sort of the big picture background in terms of that property, Sikorski said.

The house in question sits on the town line between Pickering and Scarborough. It was first expropriated by the provincial government in the 70s in support of a simultaneous federal expropriation for the proposed Pickering airport, transferred to the Ontario Land Corporation and later to the conservation authority.

Laura Alderson and Melissa Preston grew up on the four-hectare property, which their parents rented out post-expropriation. Since the 80s, the couple had made inquiries into re-purchasing their home to no avail.

Mary Delaney, the chair of the Land Over Landings advocacy group, said that while dealing with federally expropriated lands can be messy, dealing with lands that have been transferred between political bodies is even worse.

Theyre dealing with lawyers at every level of government, she said. While Land Over Landings now primarily communicates with Transport Canada, the Scotts home has jostled between provincial, municipal, and federal jurisdictions  each with their own spokespeople.

Delaney also noted that she spoke with Joyces daughters several weeks ago. While she couldnt help, Delaney said she offered her sympathy over the bureaucratic tangle at-hand  their confusion, to her, is familiar.

The meeting between the sisters and conservation authority executive committee is slated for Aug. 11 and a staff recommendation will be presented back to the committee at a later date.

There is no designated timeline for staff review and submission of recommendations, Sikorski added later in an email.

Sikorski was unable to comment on why renting out the home was more compatible with the governments plan than independent ownership.

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If youve been paying attention, you know about Mobilegeddon, Googles 2015 algorithm change that assigned preferential search results for mobile websites.

While Google rolls out an estimated 500 algorithm changes a year, this was one had important consequences for business owners and their (mobile) websites.

What this really meant was that Google assigned favored results for mobile sites, punishing those whose websites didnt translate to mobile devices.

How do you know if a site is mobile friendly?

If you have to scroll, click and fool around trying to read a site on your phone, its not mobile-friendly. That site is not meeting the design specs for responsive designadapting to all devicesdesktop, tablet and phone.

All of this is, of course, in response to the overwhelming growth of users who access everything from their phones, which is now more than 60 percent.

A scramble to become mobile-friendly

The result? A mad scrambling to convert sites to mobile.

In many cases, businesses are able to do some workarounds rather than having to create a whole new website, which is always a major undertaking.

Ive worked on quite a few WordPress conversion projects, successfully salvaging the old site to make it mobile-friendly, rather than starting from scratch and building a whole new website. Big savings in terms of time and money.

Look out for Mobilegeddon 2017: A mobile-first strategy

Google is rolling out a mobile-first index thats being called Mobilegeddon 2017.

As with Mobilegeddon 2015, site effectiveness and search results will be affected unless youre prepared.

Mobilegeddon 2017 is Googles new mobile-first index. Google is changing their index of web pages from desktop pages to mobile pages. No longer will a user be served up two different experiences.

Why does Mobilegeddon 2017 matter?

As with the algorithm change in 2015, If you dont optimize your website for mobile, your audience wont find you unless they stay on their mobile devices.

he organic traffic on your website will nosedive. Your site will not show up in search results as well as on those that are optimized for mobile.

Adapting to or preparing for Mobilegeddon 2017

Does your website meet Googles ever-changing algorithms? Copy and paste your url into Googles Mobile Testing Tool website for a quick analysis.

Youll get three ratings: one for overall mobile-friendliness, one for loading speed on mobile and one for desktop.

While the mobile-friendly ranking is most important, the loading-speed time is important as well. If your site takes too long to load, your audience will give up and go elsewhere.

Failed the mobile-friendly test? An opportunity

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Ontario will not be handing Mayor John Tory a blank cheque to deal with a backlog of repairs needed in crumbling Toronto Community Housing units, says the new minister of housing.

The province is waiting to see Torontos plan to reconfigure the agency before any money is forked over, Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn said Monday as Premier Kathleen Wynne promoted him to her cabinet.

The city allowed our community housing to lose its focus, said Milczyn, a former city councillor first elected to the Legislature in 2014.

That plan is crucial as to how we move forward because simply writing a blank cheque is not going to improve the quality of housing for the tenants, he added.

The province will certainly be a partner with the city in helping that move forward with investment and the right support.

Tory, who has warned that hundreds of community housing units are at risk of closure within two years because $1.73 billion in repairs are needed, has been pressing Wynne and Toronto MPPs to step up with cash in an escalating war of words that began in the spring.

This is an urgent situation, he wrote to them in open letters in June, citing a critical state of disrepair and blaming the province for passing the responsibility for social housing to the city.

Toronto Community Housing manages almost 60,000 units in 2,100 buildings, from apartments to houses. The long list of repairs includes roofs, structural problems, elevators and substandard plumbing.

If units are closed, the residents must be housed at other TCH properties while another 181,000 people are stuck on waiting lists.

Milcyzns predecessor Chris Ballard, who was moved to the environment and climate change portfolio Monday to replace the retiring Glen Murray, has told Tory the province has repeatedly invested in affordable housing stock, but the money hasnt filtered down to Toronto Community Housing.

I appreciate that Mayor Tory is a strong advocate for the city  thats his job, said Milczyn. Ive been happy to point out to him, though, where sometimes the rhetoric doesnt line up with reality.

Milczyn, an architect who trained at the University of Toronto, was raised in the Mimico neighbourhood of his riding and won his first election in 1994 for the former borough of Etobicoke. He served 17 years in municipal politics.

He got the call about the cabinet post Saturday evening as he was finishing dinner with his wife and daughter, who attended his swearing-in and subsequent news conference Monday.

Since being elected to the Legislature three years ago, he has served as parliamentary assistant to the ministers of labour, infrastructure and francophone affairs.

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Friday, July 21: U.S. President Donald Trump hires cable-TV loyalist and Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci to be his new communications director.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigns, reportedly unwilling to work under Scaramucci.

In his first White House news conference, Scaramucci repeatedly tells reporters he loves the president. Scaramucci also dismisses reports of a rift with chief of staff Reince Priebus, saying the two men are brothers.

Read more: Donald Trump fires Anthony Scaramucci over his vulgar remarks, unpredictability

Divorce report caps Anthony Scaramuccis explosive week in the Trump White House

Anthony Scaramucci calls Trumps chief of staff a paranoid schizophrenic, tosses foul insults at top strategist

Good riddance to another of Donald Trump's frat boys: Teitel

July 22: Scaramucci purges his twitter account of objectionable tweets, among them a message that says walls dont work to stop illegal immigration.

July 24: Scaramucci accompanies Trump to the National Scouts Jamboree in West Virginia. The president tells tens of thousands of children his election victory is tribute to you and all the other millions and millions of people that came out and voted for Make America Great Again.

Scaramuccis wife gives birth to their second child, a son.

July 25: Asked how he plans to tackle White House leaks, Scaramucci tells reporters, Im going to fire everybody  thats how.

Scaramucci tells Politico he is firing assistant press secretary Michael Short, a close ally of Priebus. Scaramucci, the source or the leak, later complains that Short did not know of his firing before the news came out.

July 26: Trump declares, via Twitter, that transgender people will be barred from serving in the U.S. military.

Scaramucci conspicuously tags Priebus in tweet asking the FBI and Department of Justice to investigate White house leaks. Scaramucci later deletes the tweet.

July 27: When I said we were brothers from the podium, that's because were  some brothers are like Cain and Abel, Scaramucci tells CNN about his relationship with Priebus. The comment is reference to the Book of Genesis story in which Cain kills his brother Abel.

The New Yorker releases its account of a profane phone interview with Scaramucci from the previous night. In it, Scaramucci calls Priebus a paranoid schizophrenic and refers to a vulgar act of self-love in reference to senior Trump strategist Steve Bannon. In the same interview, Scaramucci says he had called the FBI directly to investigate leaks, a remarkable breach in protocol.

Scaramucci tweets:

He later adds:

July 28: At 1:29 a.m., a stripped-down version ofTrumps signature health bill fails to pass the Senate, ending the GOPs seven-year fight to repeal Obamacare.

Under immense pressure from Scaramucci, Priebus resigns as Trumps chief of staff. Trump appoints retired Marine Corps general John Kelly to be his replacement.

The New York Posts Page Six column reports that Scaramuccis wife has filed for divorce. Family does not need to be drawn into this, Scaramucci tweets.

Trump tells a Long Island, N.Y., gathering of police officers please dont be too nice when arresting suspects.

July 31: Trump defends his White House in an early morning tweet: No WH chaos! he writes.

Kelly is sworn in as chief of staff. He requests that Scaramucci be removed as communications director, The New York Times reports.

Trump fires Scaramucci.

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YPRES, BELGIUMThe Belgian and British royal families, Germanys foreign minister and descendants of some of those who died in one of the First World Wars bloodiest battles gathered Monday in western Belgium to mark the centenary of the assault known as Passchendaele.

More than half a million Allied and German troops were killed or wounded in the Third Battle of Ypres, an assault that has come to be synonymous with the futility of war. The Allied campaign, fought by British and Commonwealth forces from July to November 1917 in the mud-slicked battlefields of Flanders, barely moved the front line against the Germans.

Gathered at the Tyne Cot Cemetery, where almost 12,000 soldiers are buried, representatives from nations whose soldiers fought, and members of their families, paid homage to those who died.

Britains Prince Charles said the gathering was to honour their sacrifice and to promise that we will never forget.

When the battle started on July 31, 1917, the First World War was entering its fourth year. Both sides were desperate for a breakthrough after suffering hundreds of thousands of casualties the year before at Verdun and the Somme in northern France, two other battles that vie with Passchendaele as the most costly of the war.

Britains Sir Douglas Haig was convinced he could force a breakthrough at Ypres, even though two earlier battles there had failed. The goal was to shut down German submarine operations on the Belgian coast. Haigs plan to take the village of Passchendaele in a few days and move on to the coast turned out to be wildly ambitious.

With rain turning the swampy terrain to mud and the Germans armed with mustard gas, it would take until November for the Allies to capture the village. They never got close to the ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said that the battle of Flanders stands like Verdun for the senseless horror of war.

Diplomacy must never again fail as it did in 1914, there must never again be war in the middle of Europe, and never again must the youth of our continent be slaughtered, Gabriel said in a statement.

He recalled that there has never before been a period in Europe of more than 70 years without war and destruction.

Today it is more true than ever in a world full of crises and conflicts that Europe is far more than a single market, Gabriel said. Europe is a project of peace. Europe is our future. Only united can we succeed in protecting our interests and defending our values.

Earlier, at dawn, around 100 people gathered at the Welsh memorial in Langemark, near where the battle began, as a cannon salute marked the start of commemorations.

Welshman Peter Carter-Jones says the ceremony, and other commemorations held over the weekend, were very moving.

He said all this has been done for those thousands of young men who died here so we can live in freedom. That is what it is about. It is for them, not for us.

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Analysts examining video of North Koreas launch on Friday of an intercontinental ballistic missile that appeared capable of reaching the west coast of the United States say they saw evidence of a setback the North never mentioned: the mock warhead on the missile shattered into pieces during its fiery re-entry to Earth.

If the analysis is correct, it would mean that North Korea suffered a significant, but not decisive, setback. It suggests that the country, for all its success as it works toward its goal of putting U.S. cities under threat, has not yet mastered the difficult aerodynamics of designing a warhead that can survive re-entry.

News of the video analysis came as U.S. President Donald Trump, asked about the launch for the first time, offered vague assurances that he was on top of the problem. Well handle North Korea, he said, heading into a cabinet meeting. Were going to be able to handle them. It will be handled. We handle everything.

Trumps statements fell well short of describing a strategy, and his aides were working to develop an approach that goes beyond the largely symbolic flight of B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula last weekend, in response to the test. The bombers accompanied South Korean and Japanese fighters, in a sign of solidarity.

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The United States has also agreed to negotiate with South Korea over permitting it to develop longer-range missiles, which could strike all parts of North Korea. But that would do little to address the problem of the Norths apparent new ability to reach the continental U.S.

The findings about the Norths difficulties with a re-entry vehicle came from Michael Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. He said the malfunction of the warhead as it re-entered the Earths atmosphere casts doubt on the Norths ability to shield a nuclear warhead from the blistering heat and vibrations as it heads to its target at the high speeds that intercontinental ballistic missiles typically achieve.

In a news conference on Monday, Elleman said North Korea would have to conduct a minimum of two or three more ICBM test flights to make sure its rocket designers have fixed the warhead problem. Still, he said, the nation will probably be able to develop a workable missile with a reliable warhead by early next year.

That would put the country within the rough time period described in recent U.S. intelligence analyses, which predicted that some time in 2018 all the technologies needed by the North were likely to come together in a single weapon.

Fixing the design flaw might take them another six months, Elleman told reporters on a conference call organized by 38 North, a research institute at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. But the key is that theyll have to do additional flight tests.

The need for more tests creates an opening for the Trump administration.

Under president Barack Obama, North Korean missile tests were regularly subject to cyber- and electronic attacks. Among its military options, the Trump administration could accelerate those attacks, but they appeared less effective over the past six months.

The United States could also position more naval craft in international waters off the North Korean coast. That would give it the option of conducting pre-emptive attacks on missiles on their launch pads  a risky approach because it could incite a war  or trying to shoot down test missiles as they are rising through the atmosphere.

The videotape of the warheads breakup came from the Japanese television station NHK. An affiliate in Muroran City, a port in Hokkaido, Japans northernmost large island, keeps a weather camera mounted on a roof. On Friday, in a stroke of luck, the camera was trained on the area of the sky where the mock warhead appeared to plunge back to earth, about 200 kilometres from the Japanese coast.

The incoming mock warhead, Elleman said, should have shone brightly and continuously as it fell  like a shooting star streaking to Earth. But in this case, he said, the video shows the bright incoming projectile starting to shed into small radiant objects. Then, quite suddenly, it dims and disappears altogether.

It should have continued to glow until it hit the ocean, he told reporters. Most likely it broke up, he said.

How long it will take the North to fix the design, Elleman said, depends largely on how much they learn from this particular test. His six-month estimate, he said, assumes that the Norths engineers have the ability to correctly diagnose the technical problem and fix it.

It could be done in three months, he said. It may take six months. If they continue to fail, however, it could take a longer period of time. We just dont know.

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On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, U.S. President Donald Trumps advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trumps oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign  a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

But within hours, at the presidents direction, the plan changed.

Read more:

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Donald Trump Jr. farce makes Russia story more ridiculous, more serious: Analysis

Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared a story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was not a campaign issue at the time.

The claims were later shown to be misleading.

Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his fathers campaign.

The extent of the presidents personal intervention in his sons response, the details of which have not previously been reported, adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the presidents direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.

This was ... unnecessary, said one of the presidents advisers, who, like most other people interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. Now someone can claim hes the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesnt want you to say the whole truth.

Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia probe.

He fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the president asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBIs Russian investigation  a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Muellers work.

Although misleading the public or the press is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told the Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.

Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

He refuses to sit still, the presidential adviser said. He doesnt think hes in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself.

Trump has said that the Russia probe is the greatest witch hunt in political history, calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain Clinton losing an election she should have won.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

The White House directed all questions for this story to the presidents legal team.

One of Trumps attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of the presidents actions and his role in crafting his sons statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from the Post.

Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate and not pertinent, Sekulows statement read.

Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told the Post that he and his client were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed.

Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, I have no evidence to support that theory. He described the process of drafting a statement as a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers.

Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administrations leak of CIA operative Valerie Plames identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump Jr.s statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said.

The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president, Zeidenberg said. They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem ... What they dont seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them.

The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organizations began to ask questions about it.

Kushners legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people.

Kushners lawyers came across what they immediately recognized would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign  one he had failed to disclose. Trump Jr. had arranged it and then-campaign chairperson Paul Manafort had also attended.

To compound what was, at best, a public relations fiasco, the emails, which had not yet surfaced publicly, showed Trump Jr. responding to the prospect of negative information on Clinton from Russia: I love it.

Lawyers and advisers for Trump, his son and son-in-law gamed out various strategies for disclosing the information to try to minimize the fallout of these new links between the Trump family and Russia, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the presidents most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesperson who works closely with Kushner and Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushners lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

In one scenario, these people said, Kushners team talked about sharing everything, including the contents of the emails, with a mainstream news organization.

Hicks and Raffel declined to comment. Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell also declined to comment.

The presidents outside legal team, led by Marc Kasowitz, had suggested that the details be given to Circa, an online news organization the Kasowitz team thought would be friendly to Trump. Circa had inquired in previous days about the meeting, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The presidents legal team planned to cast the June 2016 meeting as a potential setup by Democratic operatives hoping to entrap Trump Jr. and, by extension, the presumptive Republican nominee, according to people familiar with discussions.

Kasowitz declined to comment for this article, as did a Circa spokesperson.

Circumstances changed when the New York Times began asking about the Trump Tower meeting, though advisers believed the paper knew few of the details. While the president, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were attending the G-20 summit, the Times asked for White House comment on the impetus and reason for the meeting.

During breaks away from the summit, Kushner and Ivanka Trump gathered with Hicks and Raffel to discuss Kushners response to the inquiry, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Kushners legal team joined at times by phone.

Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, Kushners team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

The discussions among President Trumps advisers consumed much of the day, and continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.s meeting.

The president directed that Trump Jr.s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue  the adoption of Russian children.

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m., about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his sons statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

In the early afternoon, Eastern time, Trump Jr.s team put out the statement to the Times. It was four sentences long, describing the encounter as a short, introductory meeting.

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, the statement read.

Trump Jr. went on to say, 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.

Over the next hour, word spread through emails and calls to other Trump family advisers and lawyers about the statement that Trump Jr. had sent to The Times.

Some lawyers for the president and for Kushner were surprised and frustrated, advisers later learned. According to people briefed on the dispute, some lawyers tried to reach Futerfas and their clients and began asking why the president had been involved.

Also on the flight, Kushner worked with his team  including one of his lawyers, who called into the plane.

His lawyers have said that Kushners initial omission of the meeting was an error, but that in an effort to be fully transparent, he had updated his government filing to include this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr. Kushners legal team referred all questions about the meeting itself to Trump Jr.

The Times story revealing the existence of the June 2016 meeting went online around 4 p.m. Eastern time. Roughly four hours later, Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Trumps family members and advisers departed the plane, and they knew the problem they had once hoped to contain would soon grow bigger.

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SRINAGAR, INDIALarge anti-India protests and clashes spearheaded mostly by students erupted in disputed Kashmir on Tuesday after government forces killed two senior militants in a gun battle and fatally shot a protester during an ensuing demonstration demanding an end to Indian rule.

The protests following the killings spread across the region and were led mostly by students, after which authorities ordered the closure of educational institutions.

Police Inspector-General Muneer Ahmed Khan said the two militants were killed after police and soldiers on a tip cordoned off southern Hakripora village early Tuesday.

Khan said the trapped militants fired at the troops, triggering a gun battle which lasted at least two hours.

Villagers said troops blasted two civilian homes with explosives during the operation.

As the gun battle raged, residents defied the security lockdown and clashed with government forces near the site of the fighting in an attempt to help the trapped militants escape.

A young man was killed and scores of others were injured in the clashes in the village.

Large protests and clashes against Indian rule spread to several other places across Kashmir, including the Himalayan regions main city of Srinagar, as students boycotted classes and hit the streets.

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Dozens injured after Kashmir students clash with Indian troops

Chanting pro-rebel slogans and demanding the end of Indian rule, the students hurled rocks at government forces after being stopped outside schools and colleges.

Troops fired shotgun pellets and tear gas, leading to pitched battles, including in Srinagars main commercial hub, where streets were strewn with rocks and broken bricks and the stench of tear gas filled the air.

Dozens more were injured in subsequent clashes.

Authorities closed all educational institutions for a day as a precautionary measure, said Baseer Khan, a top civilian administrator.

Officials also blocked internet service in the region to stop activists from using social media to rally support against Indian rule.

Separatist leaders, who challenge Indias sovereignty over Kashmir, called for a shutdown Wednesday to protest the killings.

Police described one of the slain militants as a top commander of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and identified him as Abu Dujana. India blames the group for a 2008 attack that left 166 people dead in Indias commercial capital of Mumbai.

Khan, the police inspector-general, described the rebel commanders death as good riddance to a nuisance and said counter-insurgency operations would continue despite civilian protests.

In recent years, Kashmiris, mainly youths, have displayed open solidarity with anti-India rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations against the militants. The anti-India protests and clashes have persisted despite the Indian army chief warning recently that tough action would be taken against stone throwers during counter-insurgency operations.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for the Indian-administered portion to become independent or merge with Pakistan. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in Kashmirs mostly Muslim population and most people support the rebels cause against Indian rule.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, which Pakistan denies.

Rebel groups have largely been suppressed by Indian forces in recent years and public opposition to Indian rule is now principally expressed through street protests.

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Climate change is essentially tied with Daesh as the most-feared security threat across much of the world  except in the United States, where cyberattacks are considered a greater danger than global warming, according to a Pew Research Center report released on Tuesday.

Residents of 13 countries, including Canada, ranked climate change as the greatest threat to national security, while in 17 countries the Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, was considered a more immediate problem.

Compared to other Western countries, the poll found Canada relatively unconcerned by the threat of terrorism: just 55 per cent of Canadians named Daesh a major threat to the country, a lower rate than anywhere else in Europe, Australia or North America except Sweden. Canadians also polled near the bottom in worry over the Middle East refugee crisis, at just 25 per cent. Canadians biggest worry, climate change, was named a major threat by 60 per cent of those surveyed.

In the United States, a gaping partisan divide pushed climate change to third-most severe perceived threat, after Daesh and cyberwarfare. Just 56 per cent of Americans surveyed identified global warming as the most serious threat to the country, compared to 71 per cent for cyberwarfare and 74 per cent for Daesh attacks.

The U.S. intelligence community concluded that Russia used cyberweapons to interfere with the presidential election last year, perhaps accounting for the heightened sense of threat. The Trump administration has consistently played down the dangers of a warming climate and has withdrawn the United States from the Paris accord on climate change signed by nearly 200 nations.

Jacob Poushter, Pews senior researcher and a co-author of the study, said that in most countries terrorism and climate change were seen as the most pressing dangers. The United States was an exception, he said.

The stark partisan divide between those on the left and the right means there is a large portion in the United States that doesnt see climate change as a threat, Poushter said. But theres a large percentage that does, so that lowers the number.

The survey of 41,953 people in 38 countries was conducted from February through May. Beyond the top line figures, the survey offers other insights about how people around the world view global warming.

Latin America is deeply worried about climate change

While Latin America is certainly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, its countries rarely rank among the most at risk. That unfortunate distinction tends to go to Chad, Sudan, low-lying island states and other places where poverty and civil strife meet rising seas, floods and drought. So its not surprising perhaps to see so many countries in Africa put climate change at the top of their worry list.

But 74 per cent of people surveyed in seven South American and Latin America countries cite climate as their top global concern, the highest of any region surveyed.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change offers some clues, citing significant trends in precipitation and temperature across the region. Paula Caballero, global director of the climate change program at the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based think tank, noted the multiple devastating floods this spring in her native Colombia.

In Latin America the impacts of climate change both in terms of extreme events as well as the intensity and frequency of events has really gained momentum, said Caballero, who formerly served as Colombias lead United Nations negotiator on climate change.

Even in Venezuela, the only Latin American country surveyed that did not name climate change as its top concern, global warming came in just below worries about the economy. In the midst of its own political and economic crisis this month, Venezuelan leaders ratified the Paris agreement.

Russians are among the least concerned about warming

The Russian heat wave of 2010 was made three times more likely by climate change, a study later found. But Russians are generally apathetic about rising greenhouse gas emissions, the Pew survey confirmed. The country backed the Paris agreement on climate change but the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, did not denounce President Donald Trump for abandoning the accord as so many other world leaders did.

Putins views on the subject are opaque, though. Before the Paris accords he told world leaders that global warming was one of the gravest challenges humanity is facing.

Russia ranked climate change fifth among its global concerns in the Pew survey, below Daesh, the economy, the refugee crisis and the influence of the United States.

What do the Russians worry about even less than climate change? Cyberattacks.

American opinion on climate change is highly partisan

We have long known Americans break heavily along party lines over the causes, solutions and very existence of man-made climate change. The Pew study lays that chasm bare.

Among Americans who consider themselves left-leaning, 86 per cent cite rising emissions as a dangerous threat, compared to only 31 per cent on the right. That 55 per cent divide is larger than the partisan split on Daesh and on the refugee crisis.

Terrorism is the biggest worry for Americans, with 74 per cent putting Daesh as the top threat to the country. Close behind are cyberattacks.

Poushter noted the surveys were conducted in the spring amid national attention on the finding that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election by hacking Democrats emails and distributing online propaganda.

Climate change is ranked third among Americans with 56 per cent of people surveyed believing it is a major threat.

Lower levels of concern about climate change were found in Poland, Russia, India, Israel, Jordan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ghana, Nigeria and Venezuela.

Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication at Yale University, said the ideological split in America underscores the divisions he has witnessed in his own studies of how Americans perceive climate change.

Climate change is in many ways a small skirmish in the midst of a much larger political struggle thats been going on in this country since its founding, he said. Whats the relationship between government and a society of free individuals? Thats playing out across the board on a lot of other issues from tax policy to health care.

Coal importers and exporters have divergent views

Pew did not survey many of the top oil exporters other than Russia, so its hard to know how people feel in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates or Kuwait. But among the worlds biggest coal exporters the story is a fairly nuanced one.

Citizens of Indonesia, a top coal exporter in 2014 according to the World Coal Association, listed Daesh as their highest concern. Attacks in Jakarta this spring have set people on edge, and the countrys military chief has warned that Daesh has so-called sleeper cells all over country. But climate is still seen as the third biggest threat, after the economy. Australia, also a coal exporting giant, cited climate change as the second greatest threat after Deash.

And among the big coal importers? Only 47 per cent of people in India surveyed named climate change as a top concern, but that was enough to put the issue second after Daesh. In South Korea, 79 per cent of people are worried about the climate.

Poushter said Pew did not survey China this year because of a law restricting research by foreign organizations. But a similar survey Pew conducted in 2015 found 19 per cent of Chinese people polled considered themselves very concerned about climate change. That is low, particularly compared to the 79 per cent of Indians who were very concerned about warming at the time. But it also was the highest level of worry Chinese residents assigned to any global threat.

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CARACAS, VENEZUELAMasked security forces carried out pre-dawn raids Tuesday and hauled away two top Venezuelan opposition leaders, suggesting an expanded crackdown on dissent after widely denounced elections aimed at boosting the authoritarian government.

The moves against Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma, who were already under house arrest, could intensify the international fallout after Sundays election, which created a new super congress stocked with backers of the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The vote for the Constituent Assembly was decried as fraud-ridden by the opposition and prompted the Trump administration on Monday to slap sanctions on Maduro. A blitz of videos related to the arrests emerged, adding a cinematic quality to a turn of events that opponents decried as the actions of a fast-cementing dictatorship.

In one video posted online by Ledezmas wife, security forces apparently drag the opposition leader between the glass doors of a building. A man cries Help! before another voice shouts, Theyre taking Ledezma!

A woman screams, Dictatorship! Dictatorship! as Ledezma, 62, is carried into the darkness by troops from the intelligence services in camouflage.

Both men were taken to Ramo Verde military prison southwest of Caracas, aides and family members said. The heavily guarded hilltop complex is a notorious detention centre for political and military prisoners.

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Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland called for the release of Lopez and Ledezma, saying their detention is proof of the Maduro regimes dictatorial intentions.

Freeland also said Maduro must accept the authority of the existing National Assembly and restore its full powers.

Canada calls on the government to respect the democratic rights of Venezuelan citizens and enter into meaningful negotiations to restore constitutional order in Venezuela, she said in a statement.

The White House on Tuesday denounced the arrests and Maduros outrageous seizure of power through sham elections. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the U.S. government considered Maduro personally responsible for the health and safety of both men.

After the election results were announced Sunday, Maduro gave a bellicose victory speech on national television that included threats to jail political leaders who were encouraging protests. Maduro, the anointed successor of leftist president Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013, also said that a truth commission would be created to take parliamentary immunity from the legislators who shouldnt have it.

The newly minted legislators from Sundays vote, including Maduros wife and son, are set to take over the National Assembly building from lawmakers of the opposition-dominated body Thursday.

The outgoing lawmakers held a defiant session Tuesday, condemning the election as a farce and claiming that the government invented millions of votes. Opposition politicians also denounced the raids on Tuesday.

Imprisonments and persecution of the leadership will not stop the rebellion, tweeted Freddy Guevara, vice-president of the National Assembly and a member of Lopezs party.

Already near-worthless, the local currency  the bolivar  continued to collapse, with its black-market rate against the dollar falling nearly 10 per cent overnight. Government channels, meanwhile, showed images of people celebrating the results of Sundays vote.

The pro-government election commission said the names of at least 364 of the 545 new Constituent Assembly members have been sent to Maduro. But the government also suffered defections. Three leftist legislators in the opposition-led National Assembly publicly disagreed with the governments legislative bloc.

Were socialists and believe in Bolivarian ideals, said Eustoquio Contreras, one of the dissenting legislators, using the term reserved for Chavezs ideology. Our difference is in the way of confronting the crisis.

On Tuesday, the sole government critic on the countrys election commission, Luis Rondon, broke with the bodys stance validating Sundays vote.

I cant guarantee the veracity of the results, said Rondon, one of the commissions five directors.

At a news conference, he said the commission had not published voting tallies from each polling station.

The controls in our electoral system were, for the most part, relaxed, and in some parts, even eliminated, he said. I cant have confidence in the figures

In a sign of the socialist governments growing isolation, ambassadors from Britain, France, Spain and Mexico went to the National Assembly on Tuesday to support the opposition lawmakers. We diplomats are here to show support, said Frances ambassador, Romain Nadal. The Venezuelan people want peace, democracy and its institutions, and we are here to help.

In a statement, the pro-government supreme court said it revoked Lopezs and Ledezmas house arrest after verifying violations of the terms of detention. It said intelligence officials had uncovered escape plots of both men. The court also said the conditions of the house arrest prohibited political activity or declarations.

Authorities last month released Lopez, 46, after nearly 3 years behind bars and placed him under house arrest. At the time, the government called the decision a humanitarian gesture, citing his poor health, though supporters saw the move as an attempt to reduce international pressure.

In a video posted on Twitter by Lilian Tintori, Lopezs wife, masked security forces in riot gear can be seen in front of what appears to be the familys house, leading a man through the door and putting him in an official car shortly after midnight.

Maduro is responsible if something happens, Tintori tweeted.

Venezuelas most prominent political prisoner and the former mayor of a district in Caracas, Lopez was arrested in early 2014 and handed a 13-year jail term after being convicted of inciting violence during a street protest. He became a symbol of resistance for opponents of the government, his portrait printed in bright colours on the T-shirts and flags of protesters who chanted, Free Leopoldo!

At the time of his release, Lopez, who was forbidden to speak to the media, issued a statement saying he was ready to return to prison to fight for freedom.

Lopezs family on Tuesday tweeted a pre-recorded video of the opposition leader that was made for release in the event he was seized.

Sitting with his wife in their home, he called on the nation to continue the fight. And he announced that his wife is pregnant with their third child.

Despite knowing the risks were putting our family in, were willing to advance and continue, he said.

In an interview, Ledezmas wife, Mitzy Capriles de Ledezma, said a Twitter video that her husband posted Monday may have been one reason he was hauled away.

In the video, Ledezma, with a Venezuelan flag in the background, called the just-elected Constituent Assembly a fraud and assailed the armed forces and supreme court. Ledezma also critiqued the opposition for its lack of strategy.

One more time Nicolas Maduro shows off his dictator-like qualities, Capriles de Ledezma said Tuesday.

Ledezmas daughter, Oriette Ledezma, issued a video statement saying her father was kidnapped by Maduros forces.

He was in his pyjamas, she said. A group of masked men in camouflage took him . . . We make the regime responsible for his life and physical integrity.

Antonio Ledezma was previously arrested in December 2015. Maduro at the time said he was part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government. In May of that year, he was remanded to house arrest after undergoing surgery for a hernia.

In 2013, Ledezma, from the Alianza Bravo Pueblo party, was re-elected mayor of Caracas. In January 2017, Maduro created a higher executive post in the city, chief of the greater state of Caracas, and named a pro-government official to the job.

With files from The Canadian Press

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ANKARA, TURKEYTurkey put nearly 500 people on trial Tuesday on charges of leading last years failed coup, parading dozens of the men into a courthouse as protesters threw stones and shouted Murderers!

The trial is part of a post-coup crackdown that has imprisoned 50,000 people and seen another 110,000 fired from their government jobs. Many of the suspects Tuesday face life in prison for crimes including murder and attempting to overthrow the government.

The main defendant in the case is being tried in absentia, U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the Turkish government blames for the deadly July 15, 2016 coup. Gulen has denied involvement.

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The other defendants include generals and fighter jet pilots at the Akinci airbase, on the outskirts of Ankara, the capital, who are accused of directing the coup and bombing key government buildings, including the parliament.

The trial, which is expected to last at least a month, is one of dozens underway in Turkey in relation to the coup attempt that resulted in 249 deaths. Some 30 coup-plotters were also killed.

The government says the coup-plotters used Akinci airbase as their headquarters. Turkeys military chief Gen. Hulusi Akar and other commanders were held captive for several hours at the base on the night of the coup.

On Tuesday, a group of 41 defendants were made to march from their jail to a courthouse that was especially built at a prison complex to try the coup plotters. They were handcuffed, with two paramilitary police officers on each arm, and protected by armed special force officers.

About 300 people  including some families of those killed or wounded during the coup attempt and ruling party supporters  staged a protest Tuesday at the site. Some threw ropes toward the defendants, demanding that the government reinstate the death penalty and that those convicted be hanged. Others threw stones or tried to break through police lines to reach the suspects, shouting Murderers!

One group of protesters tried to climb over a barbed wire fence screaming Let the traitors hang! and We want the death penalty! but were blocked by police. A total of 1,300 security personnel were deployed inside and outside the courtroom.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Akar, the military chief, submitted petitions requesting to be named as plaintiffs in the case, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

A total of 461 defendants are behind bars while 18 were freed pending the outcome of the trial. Seven others, including Gulen and an alleged top operative in his movement, are still wanted by the Turkish authorities and are being tried in absentia.

Ozturk, the former air force commander, is also on trial in a separate case, accused of being a ringleader of the coup.

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The good news in the profoundly disturbing case of teenager Dafonte Miller is that both the Toronto and Durham Region police forces have announced that investigations will be held into how they handled events surrounding his beating.

The bad news is that both investigations are problematic. Both fall short of the standard for independence and transparency that is needed for the public to have full confidence in them.

If the police forces and their political leaders want to make sure that the air is well and truly cleared in this matter, they will have to take further steps to ensure that the investigations are fully independent and that the findings are shared as widely as possible with the public.

Anything short of that risks looking like at an attempt at a cover-up, and will only fuel public doubts about how the forces conducted themselves.

By now the outline of the incident involving Miller, who is 19 years old and Black, is well known. He was walking with friends on the night of last Dec. 28 in a neighbourhood in Whitby when he was involved in a confrontation with two men, one of whom identified himself as an off-duty police officer.

Miller ended up with serious injuries, including a broken nose, broken orbital bone, fractured right wrist and an eye so badly damaged that it will have to be surgically removed.

At first Miller himself was arrested and charged. But months later those charges were dropped and charges of assault were laid instead against Michael Theriault, a Toronto police officer who lives in Whitby, and his brother Christian Theriault.

At question in both of the investigations now underway is why neither the Toronto police, which employs Theriault, nor the Durham force, on whose territory the alleged assault took place, alerted Ontarios Special Investigations Unit. It is tasked with investigating whenever a police officer is involved in an incident that involves serious injury, death or an allegation of sexual assault.

Instead it was left up to Millers lawyer, Julian Falconer, to alert the SIU in April.

After the incident became public and charges were laid against Theriault, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders called inWaterloo Regional Police to investigate how his department handled it.

Its good that Saunders turned to an outside force rather than rely on an internal investigation. And its also good that Mayor John Tory has promised the eventual report will be made public.

But one police force investigating another is not a truly independent investigation. It would be far preferable for a completely impartial authority, such as a judge, to oversee an investigation. That would ensure it is completely free of police influence.

Worse, Durham Region Chief Paul Martin has simply ordered a secret, internal review of his officers actions.

As former SIU director Howard Morton argues, that will not satisfy anyone. I dont think this will be a true investigation and, even if it is, the publics perception will be that it is not, he says.

He is right. The public needs to know that both police forces want to  and will  get to the bottom of how they handled the events of Dec. 28, and why they didnt contact the SIU immediately.

Not notifying the SIU is not an oversight that can be swept under the rug. The delay in notifying the unit is so serious, in fact, that three former directors  Andre Marin, Ian Scott and Morton  have raised concerns about it.

Until proper investigations are held, the public  and especially the Black community  will be left wondering whether the police forces were more concerned with protecting their own than with protecting citizens.

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The multi-front political and legal war over the direction of Californias immense public school system has a new front.

The state Board of Education  and inferentially, Gov. Jerry Brown and the education establishment  want to take a minimalist approach to complying with the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Civil rights and education reform groups dont like it. They had hoped that compliance with the federal law governing accountability for academic achievement, particularly among poor and non-white students, would beef up what they say is weak oversight by the state.

Under the law, passed late in the Barack Obama presidency but now enforced by Donald Trumps regime, the state is supposed to tell Washington how it will spend $2.5 billion in federal funds to improve outcomes for poor kids who make up the majority of Californias six-plus million public school students.

The plan being readied for adoption by the school board would give the feds minimal information, basically just filling in the blanks as required but offering little detail. State officials say they are wary of giving more specifics because they dont know yet how Trumps Department of Education will enforce the new law.

That irritates the reformers, who have battled with the board for years over how schools will be held accountable for the extra money they receive  billions of dollars each year  specifically to raise academic achievement of poor and/or English learner students.

Brown and the board have adopted a multiple measures system of accountability that gives local schools maximum flexibility to spend the money without, the critics say, having to prove that its being spent effectively.

The battle has been fought in lengthy state school board meetings, in the Legislature and in the courts via lawsuits alleging that districts have diverted the Local Control Funding Formula money to purposes other than helping the targeted students.

The reformers had hoped that the federal law, which superficially requires tighter accountability than the states system, would be a lever to tighten up state oversight, but the minimalist approach being taken seemingly thwarts that goal.

After months of feedback and engagement, the current plan doesnt address the core issues that we know are absolutely essential to support high-needs students, Samantha Tran of Children Now, one of the reform advocates, told EdSource, a website devoted to California school issues. The state seems to be abdicating an essential civil rights role, and its disheartening.

If the board finalizes the current draft of the response, or makes only tiny changes, this phase of Californias years-long war over schools will shift to Washington. Its likely that the critics will petition the Trump Department of Education to reject the states plan as inadequate and compel a rewrite that would reopen the issue in Sacramento.

It would be difficult to overstate the importance of the underlying issue. Roughly 60 percent of Californias K-12 public school students are considered at risk, and it goes as high as 100 percent in some districts. Those 3.5-plus million kids are our future and if they are not adequately educated we all will pay the price in crime, social dislocation and economic stagnation.

Brown and those he appoints seem unwilling to make sure that the extra money he championed is actually spent on those kids, and in a manner that does improve their academic outcomes. Therefore, it falls on the education reform and civil rights organizations to stand up for them.
Uber Technologies Inc. may end up shooting itself in the foot yet again.

The embattled ride-hailing startup is in the process of selecting its next CEO, with Uber reportedly saying it will nominate former chief executive Travis Kalanick's successor by Labor Day. As onlookers speculate who will take on the job, a short list of potential candidates has materialized. The five-person list is rumored to include outgoing General Electric (GE) - Get Free Report CEO Jeff Immelt, but no longer Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (HPE) - Get Free Report CEO Meg Whitman (she put an end that speculation in a tweet last week).



The final list of possible CEOs also doesn't include any women, Recode reports, citing sources close to the situation. According to some experts, that move could prove to be a big mistake.

For the past several months, Uber has been trying to steer itself out of a myriad of controversies, ranging from its shady business tactics, mounting criticism from consumers and, perhaps its biggest issue, allegations of a culture of sexual harassment. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and his law firm opened an investigation into Uber after former engineer Susan Fowler penned a blog post detailing how the company was plagued with a sexist and discriminatory corporate culture. The investigation's findings, among other factors, eventually led to Kalanick's resignation last month.

At the same time, Uber faces intense, growing pressure from investors to deliver growth supporting its nearly $70 billion valuation. Uber has raised nearly $12 billion from investors, according to TechCrunch, and was speculated to be close to landing a multi-billion dollar investment from Japan's SoftBank Group (SFTBY) , before those rumors were denied on Monday.

Several experts said that Uber is doing itself a disservice by not having any women among its final CEO candidates. Appointing a woman would send a clear message that Uber's bro culture is no longer an acceptable norm at the company.

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"In terms of gender, while the board should pick the best person available, most of Uber's problems are related to its culture and not the business itself," said Bradley Tusk, founder of Tusk Ventures, who was an early adviser to and investor in Uber beginning in 2011. "So a female CEO would certainly send a strong message."

Aside from Whitman, several other women have been pegged as possible candidates for the job. Facebook Inc. (FB) - Get Free Report COO Sheryl Sandberg was once thought to be a good fit, but she's unlikely to take the job. Former Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer also surfaced in some speculation, but Mayer said in June that Uber hasn't approached her about the role.

Current Uber board member Arianna Huffington has also been floated as a potential nominee, as well as Bank of America (BAC) - Get Free Report vice-chairman Anne Finucane. One pie-in-the-sky scenario has Susan Wojcicki, CEO of Alphabet's (GOOGL) - Get Free Report YouTube, pegged to be Uber's next CEO, but those rumors have been denied on several occasions.

Uber is expected to appoint women in board member roles or as top executives instead of at the helm of the company, Recode noted. The startup has recently experienced a flood of departures by high-level executives, leaving its COO, CFO, CMO and senior vice president of engineering roles vacant.

"The best thing they could do would be to hire a great woman as CEO," said Vivek Wadhwa, an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University and a director of research at Duke University. "There are many choices. But Uber has never let what is right get in the way of what they do, so they may get this wrong as well."

Wadhwa said he suspects Kalanick is "still pulling some strings" in Uber's CEO search and "wants someone like himself" to run the company. Kalanick still sits on Uber's board of directors and is part of the search committee.

Kalanick has reportedly played a role in making the CEO search more difficult. The ex-CEO has his own preferred candidates for the job that differ with those outlined by many of the company's directors, the New York Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. He told investors he had hopes of "Steve Jobs-ing" the process -- namely, returning from his ouster to lead the company, as former Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report CEO Steve Jobs once did.
Bitcoin is making a split on Tuesday, but that may not mean investors should, too.

Bitcoin's transaction history and blockchain will fork on Tuesday, giving everyone who stores bitcoins in a participating wallet or exchange an equivalent number of coins in a brand new cryptocurrency, Bitcoin Cash. According to the future's market, Bitcoin Cash will be valued at around $300. Bitcoins are more than $2,800 each, up more than 180% in 2017 to date.

As a part of a years-long debate over how Bitcoin records transfers, groups of developers are creating Bitcoin Cash to accommodate more transactions. Bitcoin has one megabyte per block, which allows it to process about five transactions every second. Bitcoin Cash, however, will have eight megabytes per block and should be able to process 30 transactions every second, Sean Walsh, partner at Redwood City Ventures, told TheStreet.

"It's one of the most exciting developments in Bitcoin over the last five years," Walsh said. "Those of us that have millions of dollars invested in Bitcoin and Bitcoin ecosystem, we want to see this thing grow into a global network. But when you only have 500,000 people who have at least one Bitcoin, that density [processing five transaction per second] of the fabric is too slow."

For that reason and having had conversations with long-time investors in Bitcoin who are supporting the new cryptocurrency, Walsh said he is bullish on the unexpected "dark horse" currency, because it solves this challenge. He said he thinks the ratio between the bitcoins could flip by this time next year.

According to Bitcoin Cash's website, 15 exchanges and eight wallets are participating in the endeavor. Coinbase, the world's largest Bitcoin exchange, however, is not supporting the new currency, saying in a blog post its policy is to support only one version of a digital currency.

Marc Van der Chijs, a Dutch serial entrepreneur and vulture capitalist, said he is more cautious about Bitcoin Cash. Both he and Walsh agreed that the next few days will likely be volatile, but Van der Chijs said he thinks it is the developers of Bitcoin Cash who are the ones who stand to benefit from the fork.

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"No one really knows what's going to happen," he said. "It's good for the people behind Bitcoin Cash. In the end for the market, it's a bad thing."

Van der Chijs added that he thinks Bitcoin Cash's arrival has poor timing. Bitcoin developers and miners recently agreed to a plan called SegWit2x, which would expand Bitcoin's block size from one megabyte to two in November.

"SegWit was just approved by the miners, so the timing is really bad," he said. "I think it's more of a selfish thing. Everybody wants this, but an external group comes in and says, 'We're going to fork anyway. We don't like SegWit.'"

Van der Chijs said he feels some people's self-interest has galvanized this sea-change and that ultimately the split will confuse people.

Charles Hayter, co-founder of the exchange service CryptoCompare, agreed. He said Bitcoin is being bought right now like stock, as people look to take advantage of the split, but ultimately having two cryptocurrencies from each other with similar names will be confusing, which could make entry into the market more difficult.

"Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin are very similar," Hayter said. "That can cause a little confusion, and it's already a very confusing sphere. Bitcoin will have a dual personality. That can be seen in the two philosophies going forward."

Walsh, Van der Chijs and Hayter all agreed, however, that they see Bitcoin, enabled by a devout community, will continue to exist. Whether or not that is true for Bitcoin Cash is yet to be answered.

A similar schism occurred last year on the ethereum blockchain, when members of that network created a new cryptocurrency in opposition to design decisions.

Van der Chijs said he expects Bitcoin to fall temporarily, but he thinks it will rebound. He added that he recommends waiting out the volatility for a day or two to see what happens.

"I think peoples should not panic," Van der Chijs said. "This is normal thing in crypto-land. If you own Bitcoin, keep them in wallet or exchange. Don't touch them. Wait until it's clear what happens."

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As Gov. Jerry Brown travels the nation and world posing grandly as the Anti-Trump and the ultimate champion of the battle against climate change, hes plainly very conscious of the legacy he will leave behind when hes termed out for good after next year.

An email controversy that has dogged him for almost two years remains and it may sully the grand record of accomplishment Brown wants to take with him into retirement.

More than a year after the state Supreme Court unanimously ruled that text messages and emails sent by public officials on their personal devices are public records if they deal with public business, Brown has still not moved to end his problem.

No one but him and the recipients knows whether thats because theres something untoward in 63 of his or his offices communications with the state Public Utilities Commission at the time of the 2013 agreement that saddled consumers with 70 percent of the costs for shutting down the ruined San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, about $3.3 billion.

When she was state attorney general, current U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris announced investigations both into that agreement and into whether Brown would have to turn over his emails. Ms. Harris is long gone from her former office, Brown having heartily endorsed her Senate bid. Her successor, Xavier Becerra, draws headlines for opposing President Trump at every turn, but refuses to say anything about those two investigations, which he has apparently allowed to fizzle.

The inaction of both Harris and Becerra raises the question of conflict of interest for them. Said Becerras press office in an email, We are the governors lawyer (in this matter). So the question of whether Brown should be forced to release his emails is being decided by his own lawyer, which may be why the announced investigation has stalled.

Consumer advocates led by former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre persist in their efforts to learn whether theres a smoking gun in those emails. Its already well documented that executives of San Onofre operator Southern California Edison Co. met with former PUC President Michael Peevey (himself a former Edison president) and hashed out the agreement the PUC eventually passed.

Aguirre has been boosted by a friend-of-the-court brief from the city of San Bruno, site of the 2010 explosion of a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. natural gas pipeline explosion that killed eight persons and destroyed dozens of homes. Well aware that documents show a close relationship between PG&E and officials of the PUC including Peevey, San Bruno officials wonder why no one at PG&E was punished even though the company was convicted of criminal negligence in the pipeline blast.

So the city cites the PUCs long history of trying to stonewall the production of documents. It clearly hopes that if an appeals court orders production of the Brown emails, it will also lead to opening of yet more secret communications about PG&E and the San Bruno detonation.

Meanwhile, current PUC President and former Brown advisor Michael Picker ignored a request to answer questions about both cases. Aguirres brief in his appeal for release of the Brown emails cites conflicting Picker testimony about how he decided to vote for the San Onofre settlement.

I base my decisions on the evidentiary record of the proceeding, Picker told a state Assembly committee in 2014. Yet, the PUC later said in refusing to divulge the emails that they reflect discussions betweenPicker and his advisors, the disclosure of which would reveal (his) thought process regarding thematter. Picker, of course, did not tell the Assembly committee about those discussions, which may have included communications with Brown.

In short, Picker changed his story, and the Brown emails may show why.

Says Maria Severson, Aguirres law partner, The PUC claims the public interest in withholding the records outweighs the public interest in disclosure, an argument often made by government officials during cover-ups.

Brown must realize that the emails will eventually emerge, even if its years after he leaves office. If there is no evidence of wrongdoing in them, why not quit stonewalling and just open them up right now?
The cruise industry is swimming along just fine.

For the full 2017 year, Carnival Corp. (CCL) - Get Free Report , citing a "strong wave season," said bookings are "well ahead" of expectations and anticipates its revenue to increase 3.5% from 2016 and earnings in the range of $3.60 to $3.70 a share, compared to its previous guidance of $3.50 to $3.70 a share.

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With one month left of summer and construction having recently begun on its newest 3,974-passenger ship to debut in 2019, Carnival CEO and President Arnold Donald chatted with TheStreet on Tuesday, August 1, about what's been hot in the industry this season and what cruisers can look forward to in the coming months.

Here's a condensed and edited version of the interview.

Question: Do millennials take cruises?

Answer: Absolutely millennials take cruises. We have lots of multi-generational families traveling across all 10 of our brands. We also have lots of weddings onboard, and, of course, a lot of millennials, given their age group, are the ones getting married. We have lots of millennial groups on board for bachelorette, bachelor parties and others, reunion and travel. Cruising has turned out to be a preferred form of vacation experience for millennials and that's no surprise because cruising brings people together. Whether it's guest to guest, guest to crew, guest to the vacation, millennials are a very experiential bunch and cruising is, perhaps, the greatest vacation experience. And it certainly has great value. It's affordable and accessible to millennials, and it provides the type of immersion experience they seem to prefer.

Q: What are millennials doing on cruises?

A: Millennials are like everyone else. They don't fit in a little unique box. For example, on our Carnival Cruise line, we have comedy clubs, lots of experiential-crew-interacting-with-guests type of activities on board, whether it's water activities, dining activities or the shows and theater. People participate in all of those things in their own way, and millennials are no different. They're very interested in the destination, in adventure. On board they may be signing up for the yoga classes or some of the other fitness activities and then ashore, or near shore, they may sign up for kayaking, or swimming with dolphins or stingrays. Generally speaking, though, they take advantage of everything just like any other group.

Q: In gaining approval to sail to Cuba, how excited are you to have regular access there and who's taking those trips?

A: The exciting thing for us was not only being the first company in over 50 years to sail from the U.S. to Cuba and back but to actually be a part of Cuban decisions to change a long-standing practice that they had of no Cuban born, no matter where they lived in the world, could come or go by sea. They changed that long-standing practice and they referenced our company in the change when they made the announcement to all of the people of Cuba. That was a very special moment for us, only exceeded by the moment when Arnaldo Perez [Carnival general counsel] and his wife, both Cuban-born, were the first to step off the ship onto Cuban soil in over 50 years. That was a dramatic moment that the whole world saw. Cuba is very small for us todayyou won't find it on any of our financial numbersbut it's the beginning. And it's the idea of what we do with cruising, which is bringing people together. We're very proud of it, but we know it's just the beginning and we're working with authorities on both sides to to expand and allow more people to visit, and of course, to allow people from Cuba to sail to the U.S.

Who's going? Anyone who is interested in going is going. So, you have a big gamut from millennials to people who have long desired to go to Cuba, but either couldn't or weren't comfortable [about it]. And now they know they have great accommodations, they've got views and angles and perspectives from the ship that they would never see from land. Sailing in the Havana harbor is one of the most dramatic visual experiences you can create. And then curated experiences onshore are very enriching and fun.

Q: You've talked a lot about making the new Ocean Medallion smart technology [launching on Nov. 12] "invisible." What exactly does that mean and why is that important?

A: The whole idea of a cruise is the experience. The experience you want is not to have to fool around and figure out technology. That's not what people are going on a cruise for. So it needs to be seamless. The idea is that the guest feels everything is engineered for them with no effort on their part. Things just happen the way they want it to happen. They don't have to learn a new way to do anything. It's better than getting a new phone, which, because it's upgraded, it's got different features. We don't want anyone to have to learn anything. You walk on, you walk off.

Q: You mentioned you got a new phone. Which one?

A: In the corporate world, we're always upgrading. So I have a new [Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report ] iPhone 7, without a headset plugin. It has wireless, so I went to plug in my headset [earlier in the interview] and I had nothing to plug it into. That's how antiquated I am.

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Q: The cruise industry is becoming more popular. Research [from the Cruise Lines International Association] shows that the number of people taking cruises has increased annually over the past 10 years. Do you think, with uncertainty abroad, heightened fear of terrorism, cruising provides a safer option for people compared to them vacationing on their own?

A: I wouldn't say that. What I would say is safety is job one. The beauty of cruising is that it's mobile. We can move things. We can change plans. If you want to go to this port, if there's issues there, controversy, we can always redirect the ship somewhere else. We focus on safety, for both the crew and guest, and because our access is very mobile, we have a lot of flexibility. Despite the various things going on in the world today, the world continues. There are unfortunate events and crime in American cities, but that doesn't mean people don't go to cities. People want to travel. As long as the guests want to goand, of course, we are totally linked in with every security reinforcement, intelligence community in the worldand we know there's no imminent danger, then we will take them there. We've changed some ports because people don't want to go there and we have certainly redirected ships when we've gotten intelligence that says there's going to be a heightened level of activity in that region. That's what we do. We're connected 24-seven. We monitor nonstop.

Q: Is there any market where you'd want a bigger presence in or where you're seeing a growing interest for other than Cuba?

A: Every market in the world is large and underpenetrated. In terms of the popular destinations, they continue to be the Caribbean; Alaska; the Baltic, especially this time of the year, for people all around the world; the Mediterranean will always be, with all of the rich history there, and then the Far East, China, Australia. These places are all desirable destinations. If you go to Antarctica, you experience basically the sea-equivalent of being on a safari in Kenya. It's just an amazing planet and there's so many wonderful places to see and cultures to experience and that's what cruising is all about.

Q: What's behind your recent push into TVthe launch of programs on ABC, NBC and CW networks?

A: It is to increase awareness and consideration for cruise. We have four original programs. We're developing some others. We're doing it outside of the U.S., as well. The idea is just to expose people to travel from different points of view and to share with them what guests on these ships experience. That's the objective and so far, so good. Along with the most powerful driver of all, word of mouth, we're exceeding our guest expectations every day. Doing that has certainly increased consideration for cruise over the past several years. The entire industry has benefited and certainly we have.

Here's More of What's Trending on TheStreet:
Shares of NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) - Get Free Report are trading north of $110 Tuesday, one day before the company reports earnings on Wednesday after the close. It's perhaps odd trading, given that Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM) - Get Free Report has already agreed to purchase NXPI for $110 per share.

"Qualcomm desperately needs NXPI," TheStreet's founder Jim Cramer, who also manages the Action Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio, said on Tuesday from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

What does the share price trading north of the tender offer mean? "That to me is a sign that people are not going to tender the takeover," Cramer explained, "and we're not recommending that people tender."

NXP Semiconductor is a holding in the Action Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio.

Look at companies like Skyworks Solutions Inc (SWKS) - Get Free Report , Qorvo Inc (QRVO) - Get Free Report , Broadcom Ltd (AVGO) - Get Free Report and Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) - Get Free Report , then look at what NXP Semi is doing in automobiles, near-field communications and Internet of Things. One could make a "very strong case that NXPI should be up another $10" from current levels, Cramer reasoned.

Qualcomm needs NXPI in order to diversify away from smartphones. Speaking of Qualcomm, Cramer said an options trade may be presenting itself, if it can beat Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report in its current lawsuit.

While Cramer fully acknowledged that he's not sure if Qualcomm can pull it off, the $45 and $55 call options expiring in a few months might be a good way to play.

Qualcomm shares were up 0.4% to $53.41 on Tuesday afternoon.

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:

At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had a position in NXPI, QCOM and AVGO.
On August 31, 2016 then President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff was ousted from office following a massive corruption scandal. Now a year later her successor, Michel Temer, is facing his own challenge as the lower house of Brazil's congress votes on charges of corruption against him.

If a two-thirds majority votes yes then the president will be suspended for 180 days and face a Supreme Court trial. Congress is scheduled to begin voting on Wednesday.

It is expected that Temer should get enough support from lawmakers in order to avoid a trial, the Wall Street Journal reports. But many of those lawmakers are also under investigation.

Temer is not popular among Brazil's voters, he has a 5% approval rating. He was charged back in June with taking bribes from a meatpacker in exchange for granting state-backed funding and additional favors.

Temer refuses to resign and denies he did anything wrong.

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:
LONDON  Thomson Reuters has completed enhancements to its FXall and FX Trading desktops to ensure clients trading on Thomson Reuters Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) remain fully compliant with the new MiFID II execution requirements for FX derivatives that will take effect in January 2018. The enhancements enable Thomson Reuters to add MTF-support for FX forwards, swaps, NDFs and options trading on FXall as well as continue support for swaps trading on Thomson Reuters Matching.

Thomson Reuters has now begun the transition process for customers to its enhanced MTF and is releasing new interfaces to both FXall and FX Trading that accommodate new data fields as well as improve post-trade STP feeds to assist customers with reporting and record-keeping requirements. Thomson Reuters will meet its obligations as an MTF-operator for trade reporting by partnering with Tradeweb for APA services.

As a well-established MTF-provider, Thomson Reuters is committed to helping its customers successfully navigate the road to compliance for MiFID II, said Neill Penney, managing director, co-head of Trading at Thomson Reuters. This has been a collaborative process, making sure that we work in synch with our customers compliance programs. Our customers understandably have questions regarding MTF trading under MiFID II and we have put considerable work into guiding them through this process while minimizing disruption to their operations.

Thomson Reuters FXall is a dealer-to-client FX market place used by over 2,300 institutional clients and 180 market makers. Thomson Reuters Matching is an anonymous electronic trade matching system for FX used by thousands of market participants in every region of the world to access and trade on deep liquidity in over 80 currency pairs. Collectively, Thomson Reuters FX platforms support average daily trading of over $350bn.

Thomson Reuters has recently announced several initiatives designed to help its clients achieve MiFID II compliance including: a partnership with BestX for FX transaction cost analysis; the launch of an enhanced analytics platform for best execution and SI determination (Velocity Analytics 8.0); plans to provide a holistic set of MiFID II services including multi-asset best execution, SI (Systematic Internaliser) determination, research valuation, market data aggregation and bespoke reference data services; a collaboration with Tradeweb for APA (Approved Publication Arrangement) services; and enhancements to its Tick History feed.

Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges (symbol: TRI). For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com.

CONTACT

Brian D. Bertsch

Public Relations Manager

Thomson Reuters | Financial & Risk

+1-646-223-5985 (office)

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Brian.Bertsch@thomsonreuters.com
General Mills, Inc. manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. The company operates in five segments: North America Retail; Convenience Stores & Foodservice; Europe & Australia; Asia & Latin America; and Pet. It offers ready-to-eat cereals, refrigerated yogurt, soup, meal kits, refrigerated and frozen dough products, dessert and baking mixes, bakery flour, frozen pizza and pizza snacks, snack bars, fruit and salty snacks, ice cream, nutrition bars, wellness beverages, and savory and grain snacks, as well as various organic products, including frozen and shelf-stable vegetables. It also supplies branded and unbranded food products to the North American foodservice and commercial baking industries; and manufactures and markets pet food products, including dog and cat food. The company markets its products under the Annie's, Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Blue Buffalo, Blue Basics, Blue Freedom, Bugles, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Cookie Crisp, EPIC, Fiber One, Food Should Taste Good, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-Ups, Gardetto's, Go-Gurt, Gold Medal, Golden Grahams, Haagen-Dazs, Helpers, Jus-Rol, Kitano, Kix, Larabar, Latina, Liberte, Lucky Charms, Muir Glen, Nature Valley, Oatmeal Crisp, Old El Paso, Oui, Pillsbury, Progresso, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Totino's, Trix, Wanchai Ferry, Wheaties, Wilderness, Yoki, and Yoplait trademarks. It sells its products directly, as well as through broker and distribution arrangements to grocery stores, mass merchandisers, membership stores, natural food chains, e-commerce retailers, commercial and noncommercial foodservice distributors and operators, restaurants, convenience stores, and pet specialty stores, as well as drug, dollar, and discount chains. The company operates 466 leased and 392 franchise ice cream parlors. General Mills, Inc. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci did not last a fortnight.

Two recently ousted White House advisers, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and former press secretary Sean Spicer, may have been incompetent in their posts, but they knew enough to know Scaramucci would be a disaster. Grabbing the limelight away from the president is never a good idea, but dribbling profanity all over the New Yorker (as he acknowledged he was attempting to leak rather than go on the record) shows just how lacking in judgment, class and professionalism - even in this White House - he was.

His firing was immediately taken as a sign that new Chief of Staff John Kelly is on top of things. The Washington Post reported:

"The abrupt decision signals that Kelly is moving quickly to assert control over the West Wing, which has been characterized by interpersonal disputes and power struggles during Trump's six months in office.

"The retired Marine general, who was sworn in Monday morning, was brought into the White House in the hope that he will bring military-style disciple to Trump's staff. He has been fully empowered by the president to make significant changes to the organization, White House officials and outside advisers said."

But let's back up for a moment. Recall who pushed for Scaramucci - Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. One wonders how many dumb ideas and mistakes (e.g., firing James Comey, meeting with a Russian banker, failing to disclose his Russian meetings, mucking around in Qatar policy) Kushner in particular can rack up before the chattering class stops fawning over the first son-in-law and Kelly suggests Kushner go back to his New York business (which remains a source of conflicts of interest) full-time.

But, of course, Kushner, like Scaramucci, is just a younger version of President Donald Trump. Trump's reliance on generals and billionaires, vengeful instincts, refusal to understand (or learn!) the skill set needed for government service, undisciplined outbursts and willful ignorance have resulted in one disaster after another. Perhaps the serial failures and humiliations will empower Kelly and diminish the influence of those such as Kushner who encourage rotten decision-making.

If Kelly want to professionalize the White House staff and shed staffers' image as a gang of grifters and sleazy salesmen peddling untruths, he'll need to do more than boot out Scaramucci. He will need to rid the airwaves and the halls of the West Wing of reflexive liars such as Kellyanne "Alternative Facts" Conway and obnoxious, unqualified characters such as Sebastian "Couldn't Even Get a Security Clearance" Gorka. He'll need to silence the attacks from the president on his own attorney general and end talk about firing special counsel Robert S. Mueller. He'll need to give the president an ultimatum - no unsupervised tweets or thuggish asides in speeches, or he (Kelly) goes.

Right now, Trump needs Kelly a whole lot more than Kelly needs the job. That gives Kelly unusual leverage with the president. That influence may not last, but as Trump teeters on the brink of political self-immolation, Kelly might be able to convince Trump that this is his last chance to turn things around.

Firing Scaramucci is a good start for Kelly. Scaramucci's hiring, however, should serve as a road map to root out dim advisers, poor decision-making and contempt for expertise.
BASF SE operates as a chemical company worldwide. The company operates through six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care, and Agricultural Solutions. The Chemicals segment provides petrochemicals and intermediates. The Materials segment offers advanced materials and their precursors for applications and systems, such as isocyanates and polyamides, as well as inorganic basic products and specialties for plastic and plastic processing industries. The Industrial Solutions segment develops and markets ingredients and additives for industrial applications, such as polymer dispersions, pigments, resins, electronic materials, antioxidants, light stabilizers, oilfield chemicals, mineral processing, and hydrometallurgical chemicals. The Surface Technologies segment offers chemical solutions and automotive OEM, which include refinish coatings, surface treatment, catalysts, battery materials, and precious and base metal services for the automotive and chemical industries. The Nutrition & Care segment provides nutrition and care ingredients for food and feed producers, as well as pharmaceutical, cosmetics, detergent, and cleaner industries. The Agricultural Solutions segment offers crop protection products and seeds, such as fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, and biological crop production products, as well as seed treatment products. The company has strategic partnerships with Contemporary Amperex TechnologyCo., Limited on battery materials solutions, including cathode active materials and battery recycling. BASF SE was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany.
Owens Corning manufactures and markets insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composite materials in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Composites, Insulation, and Roofing. The Composites segment manufactures, fabricates, and sells glass reinforcements in the form of fiber; and glass fiber products in the form of fabrics, non-wovens, and other specialized products. Its products are used in building structures, roofing shingles, tubs and showers, pools, flooring, pipes and tanks, poles, electrical equipment, and wind-energy turbine blades applications in the building and construction, renewable energy, and infrastructure markets. This segment sells its products directly to parts molders, fabricators, and shingle manufacturers. The Insulation segment manufactures and sells insulation products for residential, commercial, industrial, and other markets for thermal and acoustical applications; and glass fiber pipe insulation, flexible duct media, bonded and granulated mineral fiber insulation, cellular glass insulation, and foam insulation products used in construction applications. This segment sells its products primarily to the insulation installers, home centers, lumberyards, retailers, and distributors under the Thermafiber, FOAMULAR, FOAMGLAS, Paroc, Owens Corning PINK, and FIBERGLAS Insulation brand names. The Roofing segment manufactures and sells aminate and strip asphalt roofing shingles, oxidized asphalt materials, and roofing components used in residential and commercial construction, and specialty applications, as well as synthetic packaging materials. This segment sells its products through distributors, home centers, lumberyards, retailers, and contractors, as well as to roofing contractors for built-up roofing asphalt systems; and manufacturers in automotive, chemical, rubber, and construction industries. Owens Corning was incorporated in 1938 and is headquartered in Toledo, Ohio.
When the sign went up at the corner of Deer Park Road and Silverado Trail this spring, the news spread quickly. Dinwiddies Peach Orchard is for sale.

The first concern, of course, was for Dr. Wendell Dinwiddie, the retired St. Helena Hospital surgeon who owned the 2.6 acres that backed up to the Napa River. News of his death on June 9 was naturally upsetting. He was a well-known and well-liked surgeon, who for 30 years had worked at the hospital. And, subsequently, there were numerous letters in the Star remembering the doctors kindness, his generosity, and, of course, his glorious peaches.

According to a 2011 interview, Dr. Dinwiddie started planting the peach trees around 1987 after experimenting with several other crops. Dinwiddie, who said that both his grandfathers had been farmers, mused in the interview that perhaps farming was in his blood. His maternal grandfather had farmed in San Jose when it was still called the valley of hearts delight, and his paternal grandfather homesteaded in North Dakota and Saskatchewan, Canada.

But the real story about the peaches was more than a convenient crop. As the peach orchard grew over the years, Dinwiddie began to see the same customers returning season after season, and that syncopated summer rhythm led him, he said, to evaluate the actual reasons he kept growing and selling peaches at the corner of Silverado and Deer Park.

Its a service to the community, he said in 2014. So many people count on it and I enjoy the customers  so many people in town I would never see otherwise, and very interesting people in the valley I would never have come across without the fruit stand.

With vineyards on all sides, the Dinwiddie peach orchard had become a curiosity in a valley that had become shoulder-to-shoulder, mono-culturally farmed wine grapes. So, according to June Ferguson, who has managed the orchard stand for the last 10 years, people have expressed real concern that the orchard would suffer the fate of becoming yet another Napa Valley vineyard.

Andy Wild said he had been coming down from Calistoga for the peaches for years, and the thought that he and his son Porter wouldnt be able to get their boxes of sun-ripened peaches would be a disruption of a family tradition. We keep coming back, trying to keep up with the peaches, he said recently.

And keeping up with the peaches isnt exactly a simple job. The peach stand isnt open every day. Customers have to keep an eye out for the sign beside the stand that announces when the next peach harvest will come in. It might be Sunday, or it might be Friday, or it might be Wednesday. But never Saturday because, according to Ferguson, the orchard workers wont work Saturdays.

And with the Dinwiddie peach trees planted so that the peaches ripen sequentially, rotating eight different varieties up through Labor Day growing season, loyal customers have been trained to keep an eye on the sign announcing the day of the week when peaches will be ready and the stand will be open. (On Monday, the sign said the fruit stand would be open on Friday, Aug. 4.)

In 2011 Dinwiddie said, We try to have them as ripe as possible before we sell them. That makes them better than they are in the store because in the store they have to pick them greener and they dont have the flavor. We dont rate our peaches commercially because we dont ship.

And of course, when those peaches are gone, it will be another whole year before more will be available.

And what about the For Sale sign? By July 1, the sign had disappeared and the fruit stands Open Next Sunday sign suddenly reappeared.

June Ferguson, standing behind the counter, explained. Michael and Michelle Loughlin bought the orchard, she said. They have a house in Calistoga, and theyre hoping to keep things the way theyve always been. Evidently, Dr. Dinwiddie and Mr. Loughlin had been talking for some time.

Michael Loughlin is listed on Bloomberg as chief risk officer and senior executive vice president at Wells Fargo & Company. At the time of this writing, he was traveling and unavailable for an interview.

However, at the fruit stand, June Ferguson is continuing the tradition of selling the eight varieties of peaches with her daughter Kathleen Floodman.

In the corner of the fruit stand is a small table filled with peach jam jars in front of a smiling photograph of Dr. Dinwiddie. People stop there, too, including Beth Pryor, who is a neighbor of the Dinwiddies. She had come by to purchase a box of peaches with her son George.

As she exchanged news with Ferguson, George selected a piece of fruit and was working diligently to get every bit of it. As the peach juice dripped down his fingers and as he wandered between the fruit stalls, one got the impression that this was exactly the kind of peach stand that Dr. Dinwiddie had always imagined.

Peaches will be sold at the fruit stand on selected days until Labor Day.
LAS VEGAS  Are you an internet privacy fanatic? Do you block browser tracking cookies? Do you use Duck Duck Go for anonymous web searches?

(Image credit: Pathdoc/Shutterstock)

It doesn't matter. Your internet service provider (ISP) or your browser extensions can collect and sell your web-browsing history even if you take the above precautions. And anyone who obtains that data, whether the data is anonymized or not, will likely be able to figure out your real name and see exactly what you do online.

Those were the findings of German television journalist Svea Eckert and data scientist Andreas Dewes, who spoke at the DEF CON 25 hacker conference here last Friday (July 28).

Given a month's worth of browsing history from 3 million supposedly protected German citizens, the researchers identified individuals by correlating the anonymized data with public information scraped from social-media postings.

They found a German politician who searched for an herbal supplement to stimulate an aging brain; a police detective who mixed personal and business activities on his work computer; and a judge who visited many porn sites at the same time he shopped for a baby stroller.

The only ways to keep your web browsing history truly private, Eckert and Dewes told DEF CON, is to either run the Tor anonymizing protocol through multiple exit nodes, or to use a virtual-private-network (VPN) service that rotates proxy servers.

If that sounds inconvenient, it is. But now that the U.S. Senate has revoked privacy-protection rules for ISPs, every American's browsing history  and, by inference, identity  is up for sale to the highest bidder.

MORE: Best Identity-Protection Services

Stopping the collection

German ISPs are bound by strict privacy laws from collecting such personal information without permission. But what about American users, whose ISPs have no such constraints? Eckert and Dewes said that one solution would be to constantly run Tor, the freely available but sometimes difficult-to-use web-anonymization protocol.

Another would be to use a VPN service  but Dewes warned to do some research before signing up with one, because some VPN services also collect and sell user information.

In either case, your ISP wouldn't be able to see where you were going online. But you would have to make sure that the "exit" IP addresses  the exit nodes in Tor, or the proxy servers in the VPN  would be regularly changing so that the exit IP address did not become associated with a particular user.

Getting the data

Eckert and Dewes did their research for a feature called "Naked on the Net" that aired on the German television news magazine Panorama in November 2016. They knew that hundreds of companies buy and sell web-browsing data collected by websites and search engines.

Huge amounts of this data can be bought openly as long as information that would identify individual users, such as a computer or smartphone's Internet Protocol (IP) address, is stripped out.

To obtain that data, Eckert and fellow reporters created a fake online-marketing firm, complete with a slick website full of corporate buzzwords and staffers with fake LinkedIn profiles.

Posing as representatives of the firm, they approached about 150 online-data brokers with an interest to buy browsing data. However, they were told many times that because of strict German privacy laws, such information might be difficult to obtain.

"They said U.S. or U.K. data would be no problem, but that Germany was hard," Eckert said.

Finally, one company said it had browsing data from German residents. It offered Eckert and Dewes one month's sample for free, but didn't tell them where it came from. The data set consisted of 3 billion visits to 9 million websites by 3 million Germans.

Crunching the numbers

Each user was identified only by a number, with no corresponding IP address. But Eckert and Dewes knew that with so much data, anonymization was impossible. They used a method developed in 2008 by data scientists at the University of Texas, who had crunched user data provided by Netflix to positively identify thousands of supposedly anonymous users.

The technique is simple. Each user's entire browsing history for a month was in the anonymized data set. The researchers built up a second data set corresponding to the same month by "scraping" publicly posted data from Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google Maps and other online services.

Every time someone linked to, commented on or recommended a website, it went into the second data set. Finally, a computer algorithm looked for matches between the two data sets.

Statistically, millions of people may click on a single specific website in a given month. But a smaller number of people are going to click on two of the same websites in a month.

Make that three, then four, then five matching websites, and so on, and the numbers get whittled down to fewer and fewer people until only person is left. If those matches come from social-media sources, as they did in this instance, then the anonymous user suddenly has a name.

It was pretty easy to have a computer program sift through the data and come up with many exact matches, Eckert and Dewes said. In some cases, it took only one match.

Dewes found that only a logged-in Twitter user could access his or her own account-analytics page, which has a unique URL. The same was true of the German business-networking service Xing, which mandates the use of real names. So if either URL appeared in an anonymized user's history, the researchers could be pretty certain he or she was the account owner.

MORE: How Anonymous Shopping Data Reveals Your Identity

Unmasking the users

Using these methods, the researchers found that Valerie Wilms, a member of the German federal parliament, had searched for Tebonin, an herbal supplement meant to increase blood flow to aging brains.

"You can see everything  sh*t!" Wilms exclaimed when Eckert showed the politician her browsing history on camera. "This is really bad to see something like this  especially if it is connected with my own name."

Wilms had tried to protect her privacy by using the Duck Duck Go search engine, which unlike Google or Bing does not log user search data. But the Duck Duck Go search string for Tebonin was right there in her anonymized user data.

The researchers identified a police detective who searched for a used car at the same time he was writing an email to send to a foreign ISP regarding a cybercrime investigation. The email itself didn't show up in the data, but the detective used Google Translate to translate his draft from German into English.

It turns out that Google Translate puts the text being translated right into the URL (try it yourself). The detective had copied and pasted the entire draft email, including his own name, email address and telephone number, into Google Translate.

Worst of all was the case of a judge who visited some raunchy porn sites.

"He has really specific tastes," Eckert dryly commented as the judge's browsing history appeared on the DEF CON projection screens.

The same man also looked for baby strollers and vacation spots to which a couple with a young child could travel.

"He's not doing anything criminal at all. He's just a normal guy," Eckert said. "But you see how sensitive this could be, and how he could be blackmailed, especially in his position."

Who collected the data

You might imagine that using a browser's "private" or "incognito" mode, or a tracker blocker, might stop such collection of browsing history. But a private mode simply stops the browser itself from collecting the history; it doesn't stop the ISP from collecting it.

Likewise, a tracker blocker only stops websites from logging that you've visited them, and doesn't stop your ISP from seeing that you've visited them.

However, Eckert and Dewes were pretty certain that the data they'd bought hadn't originally come from German ISPs.

In Germany, personal information such as names, addresses, IP addresses and email addresses cannot be collected by private companies without the explicit agreement of the persons concerned. (The rules killed by the U.S. Senate in April would have made American ISPs do the same.)

So where had such detailed information, which seemed to evade tracker blockers and anonymous search engines, come from? With the assistance of a security researcher, Eckert and Dewes found that a browser extension called Web of Trust had been collecting and selling the data.

Ironically, Web of Trust is meant to vet websites for "reputation and safety information" and protect users with "secure browsing while shopping and surfing," according to its page in the Chrome Web Store. The people whose browsing history Eckert and Dewes had obtained had installed the Web of Trust extension to guard against the very thing the extension was doing.

Web of Trust had done this entirely legally. Its posted privacy policy said it might collect a user's IP address, device type, operating system and web-browsing history, all of which would be anonymized. But no one read the fine print.

Following the Panorama broadcast in November, Web of Trust was removed from the Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Opera extension stores. The extensions returned a few months later with a new feature  one that let users opt out of having their personal information collected.

"High-dimension user-related data is very hard to anonymize," Eckert said. "The increase in public information on many people make deanonymization even easier."
While we know GTA 6 is officially in development, Rockstar has given us basically nothing about the game's setting, characters, features and more. The reason for that, we now know, is that the company wants the unveiling of the game to "exceed players' expectations" and requires a little more time in the over to get there.

Those plans went a tad awry recently when a hacker illegally accessed and downloaded confidential data from Rockstar's servers that included over 90 videos of unfinished gameplay. The breach was confirmed by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier (opens in new tab) who spoke to a confidential source who says the event is a "nightmare for Rockstar".

A Message from Rockstar Games pic.twitter.com/T4Wztu8RW8September 19, 2022 See more

In a letter to the public, Rockstar says that it is "extremely disappointed" with the data leak, but says that work on GTA 6 will continue as planned and that the company will have more to share soon on the game's development.

All that said and accounted for, we still think that GTA 6 is very likely some years away from release yet, but we're hoping to hear more about the game before the end of the year. Until then, we've gathered what we could from various leaks and rumors across the web to put together this article; just bear in mind we've indulged in a good bit of speculation here as well.

GTA 6 is definitely in development. The only question is when precisely developer Rockstar Games will decide to launch the new installment. Rockstar has said "stay tuned," although off the record, some employees think that 2024 seems reasonable.

However, there are also rumors that GTA 6 could be released in 2023. This is based on publisher Take-Two's large expected marketing budget for the 12-month period ending on 31 March 2024, detailed in a recent financial statement. However, Rockstar has refuted this rumor, telling Gamesindustry.biz (opens in new tab) that those projections are related to third-party commitments.

That's not the only thing we can glean from these financial reports. Take-Two is also expecting a 14% growth rate within its fiscal year ending March 2024 which could be an indication of when GTA 6 will release.

An analyst from Jefferies reacted to the financial reports by saying: There are only a handful of titles that can provide management with the confidence to put out such a strong guidance; we believe there is at least one Rockstar IP set to be released by FY24. In all likelihood, this game would be GTA 6.

Of course, adding some confusion to the mix we now have rumors suggesting that GTA 6 is slated for a 2025 release date. This is based on a recent tweet from Adrian Perea, who has a solid track record when it comes to game release predictions.

Finally, a recent job post on Rockstar's careers page for a "Cinematic Gameplay Capture Artist" might be interpreted as a good sign for upcoming news. This position, essentially an individual who will record gameplay trailers, could indicate Rockstar has plans to reveal some GTA 6 gameplay in the near future.

We may at least get some teases before the release date is officially announced. A YouTuber has recently claimed that a GTA 6 trailer could be coming soon. But, it's worth noting that the internet personality in question doesn't provide any evidence to back up their claims, so this should be taken with a large grain of salt.

GTA 6 platforms: PS4, PS5 and more

As for the consoles you'll be able to play it on, the potential 2023/4 release means we'll be firmly into the PS5/Xbox Series X generation. But it's possible that Rockstar will release a version for the PS4 and Xbox One if it's feeling generous.

Rockstar has ported both GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 to PC after their respective console releases too, so an eventual PC port also seems likely.

GTA 6 characters and story leaks

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

The GTA series doesn't follow one particular set of characters or even a single location through all its games. So anyone hoping to see more of Michael, Franklin and Trevor should temper their expectations.

The same thing goes for the city and environs of Los Santos too. A recent slew of leaks suggest that the game may be set in Vice City  Rockstar's fictional city that bears some resemblance to Miami, Florida  and that could line up with a rumor from a Twitter user who purports to be an insider claims that the game will be called GTA Vice, with the letters V and I being potentially capitalized to indicate the roman numeral for six.

There have been rumors that Rockstar had been taking an interest in Tokyo, but since Rockstar's vice president Dan Houser has said that he believed "GTA is America", it's unlikely we'll see the game cross virtual borders in that way.

As for the beats of the narrative, there's no doubt you'll be indulging in the usual mix of crimes and heists with the odd look into the strange lives of the heroes and villains.

One leak from last year claimed we would get a story similar to that of Netflix series Narcos, heavily focused on the operations of gangs and cartels on both sides of the US/Mexico border through the eyes of a player character named Ricardo.

The so-called "Project Americas" leaks had fans very excited with claims of a game in development for almost eight years, with three cities to explore; namely Liberty City, Vice City and a new Rio de Janeiro-inspired location, set in the 1970s-80s. However it's become pretty clear that the leaker couldn't back up what they were saying, so while it's fun to imagine what this game would have been like, it's not what we'll end up getting.

More recently, a leak has claimed the story would revolve around a Latina protagonist involved in a "Bonnie and Clyde"-style plot. There's potential that this story could be woven in with the previous leaks, but with this many different alleged plots, we'll either need another multi-character story like GTA V, or some of these leaks aren't going to turn out to be true.

In September 2022 there was a massive leak of 90 videos from a hacker showing early test footage for GTA 6. Rockstar has since confirmed that the footage leaked was authentic. While we did cover the leak, we are not revealing any information from the videos given the manner by which they were obtained.

GTA 6 setting

It was thought that GTA 6 could take place in the 1980s, effectively seeing the game return to Vice City, which is basically Rockstar's take on 80s Miami. But that theory may not come to fruition.

A new job post at Rockstar India hints at a modern-day setting for GTA 6, further backed up by speculation for rather reliable tipster Tom Henderson. What form this modern-day setting will take has yet to be made clear; we're hoping for a London setting.

As it stands a lot is open to speculation rather than hard facts and solid leaks. Either way, you can expect large areas to explore and a lot of satire.

GTA 6 online

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

GTA V has enjoyed a long life after its original release in 2013 thanks to the regularly updated GTA Online mode. This lets you play a large variety of game modes or to just free-roam around the map with other players, gaining money you can then spend on cars, clothing, weapons and player housing.

It's therefore very likely we'll see a sequel arrive alongside GTA 6. However it's possible that the two experiences will end up separate. GTA Online originally arrived a month after the single player portion of the game launched, and with consoles now capable of installing specific parts of a game rather than the whole package, it's possible Rockstar will decide to separate the two out.

Either way, hopefully there will be some way for long-time players of GTA Online to transfer their in-game earnings and items into the new game. Rockstar has earned a huge amount of money from players spending money on microtransactions in GTAO, and no doubt some players don't want this to all disappear with the move to a new generation.
Iraq's Erbil International Airport (EIA) has partnered with Lufthansa Consulting, part of the Lufthansa Group, to support the development and implementation of its masterplan, a report said.



The contract, funded by EIA, will secure for the airport key expertise across a range of airport disciplines from project management, through planning, design, cargo, security and safety, said a report in Iraq Business News.



The expertise that Lufthansa Consulting can bring is essential as we seek to develop and expand infrastructure and services at EIA. Managing projects, keeping them on time and to budget is vital part of developing Kurdistans gateway to the world, Talar Faiq, director general, EIA, was quoted as saying in the report.



In the coming months EIA will re-calibrate its masterplan to take into account new realities, of passenger growth, the anticipated increase in cargo activity and the very real increase in aircraft movements.



Once our priorities are defined EIA will develop design and implementation tenders and will, where appropriate, offer investment opportunities to the private sector. Lufthansa Consulting will support the airports own team, and will deploy their experts as needed.



From September, EIA will commence several projects developed over the last three years including repairs to terminal roof, airfield infrastructure, landscaping, fuel farm rehabilitation and water treatment plant, the report said.



The range of projects to be delivered in the coming months demands the highest level of project management. Lufthansa Consulting will provide the support we need to deliver on behalf of Kurdistan. 



Lufthansas Catrin Drawer said: Lufthansa Consulting was honoured to develop a new masterplan in 2014. We look forward to supporting EIA and the KRG with expert resources as they seek to manage a range of complex projects across the airport site to upgrade the infrastructure and services for further business development and attracting potential investors.
The pace of project implementation in Kuwait cooled somewhat in the second quarter (Q2) of this year as bidding on major projects faced some delays, said a report.



Contracts worth KD600 million ($1.989 billion) were awarded in Q2, according to Meed Projects. This is half the 2016 quarterly average, said the NBK report. Award activity in the quarter was dominated by the power and transport sectors.



NBK said it expected implementation to improve in the remainder of the year as more delayed projects move ahead. The second half of 2017 could see KD3.5 billion ($11.6 billion) in new contracts.



According to Meed, the Ministry of Electricity and Water (MEW) awarded the largest contract in the GCC in June 2017, a project worth KD176 million ($583.35 million) for the third phase of the Subiya combined-cycle gas turbine project. It was awarded to Alghanim International.



Other major awards during the quarter included three road projects by the Ministry of Public Works (MPW). These were the Northern Regional Road (KD92.8 million), the South Surra Road upgrade (KD85.2 million), and the road linking Mina Abdulla and Wafra (KD84.9 million).



Some delays in the bidding process have affected the construction, transport, power, and oil sectors. Close to KD2.4 billion worth of contracts that were expected to be awarded in Q2 were postponed. This included 14 contracts worth a total of KD808 million in the construction sector, eight contracts for KD850 million in the transport sector, nine contracts valued at KD456 million in the power sector, and four contracts for KD230 million in the oil sector, the NBK report said.



Transport: The transport sector dominated project awards in Q2 accounting deals worth KD280 million. Another KD1.1 billion worth of awards are expected in the rest of 2017. The MPW is expected to open bidding on nine separate contracts this year related to the northern section of the Regional Road, roads at South Al Mutlaa, the southern section of the Regional Road, and other road works. Seven road projects were supposed to be awarded by the end of Q2 but were delayed, it said.



Four contracts related to the northern Regional Road are expected to be awarded this year at a value of KD448 million. According to Meed Projects, Combined Group Contracting is believed to be the lowest bidder for the central part of the southern Regional Road, submitting a bid of KD197 million; the project is due to be awarded soon. Combined Group was also awarded the South Surra Road upgrade, which is expected to be completed in three years.



Power: The power sector saw KD226 million in awards in Q2, with another KD1.1 billion in the bidding process and expected to be awarded later in 2017. Five contracts were awarded in Q2 in the power sector, three of which by the MEW, including the Subiya Gas Turbine, which alone made up 78 per cent of the Q2 awards in the sector.



The sector awaits two large power projects which could be awarded before the end of the year. The much-anticipated Phase Two of the Al-Zour North IWPP (independent water and power project) power plant had been expected in Q2, but now could happen later in the year. Still, according to Meed Projects, the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) has yet to decide on whether to proceed with this project or with the Khairan IWPP.



The Al-Zour North plant contract is expected to be worth close to KD530 million. Another significant public-private partnership (PPP) project in the sector is the Kabd Municipal Solid Waste. Similar to Al-Zour, no date for the commercial bidding has been set; the project is expected to cost KD267 million.



Construction: Only one contract was awarded in the construction sector in Q2, though KD1.7 billion in contracts are in the bidding process. In Q2, Mabanee awarded Phase 4B of The Avenues at KD63.7 million to Ahmadiah Contracting & Trading Company.

Meanwhile, the KD363 million contract for the Jahra Ministries Complex has been delayed but could be awarded later in the year - making it the largest award in the sector in 2017. According to Meed Projects, the MPW may change the location of the project to South Al Mutlaa, but there hasnt been any official confirmation of this yet.



The Amiri Diwan tendered the new Palace of Justice building for bidding at an expected cost of KD303 million. The project, to be executed on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, is expected to be the worlds tallest and largest judicial building. Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons is the lowest bidder at KD288 million, and bids are under evaluation.



Oil: There was hardly any activity in the oil sector in Q2, but a total of KD935 million worth of contracts is expected in H2. Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) awarded one contract in Q2 worth KD7.3 million. KOC has opened bidding on eight separate contracts that are expected to be awarded in 2017. They include the feed pipeline for the new refinery in Al Zour. Bids have been submitted and are currently under evaluation. The lowest bidder is Saipem with KD255 million ($842 million), the NBK report said quoting Meed Projects.






(Natural News) Last December, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser officially signed into law the Death and Dignity Act of 2016, which essentially allows doctors and physicians to give terminally ill patients above the age of 18 life-ending medication. Now, roughly seven months later, that law is finally being implemented.

Of course, there are some regulations. In order for a person to legally commit suicide in Washington D.C., that individual must be working closely with licensed doctors and pharmacies that are morally okay with the idea of giving one of their patients life-ending medication.

In addition to this, patients are required to speak with their doctor and ask for permission to end their life two times, with fifteen days between each request. Before the second request, the patient must fill out an official city form confirming that they do in fact wish to commit suicide.

The program, which will be overseen by the Department of Health in Washington D.C., will also not allow a person to take his or her life in public for obvious reasons. To do so would not only be unnecessary, but also very disturbing for those who would be forced to witness it.

The debate over assisted suicide has been going on for many years now, and needless to say, there are some significant ethical problems with it. Just because something is legal does not necessarily mean it is moral  abortion is legal in all fifty states but it is quite possibly one of the most immoral practices our society takes part in. And if theres one thing that our Founding Fathers made clear during the time of Americas birth, its that our society simply cannot go on unless the people and those who govern them are moral in nature.

Human beings should not play God. They shouldnt be the ones that determine how and when someone dies, nor should they support laws that legalize that kind of a process. It is impossible to know with one hundred percent certainty what someones fate will be, even if they are terminally ill and expected to die. That being said, what gives someone the right to prematurely take the life of another human being, regardless of whether or not they are asking for it?

In the year 1994, Jeannette Hall of King City, Oregon, voted to legalize physician-assisted suicide in the United States. I thought, hey, I wouldnt want anyone to suffer, Hall said in an interview back in 2015 with The Daily Signal. So I checked it. Then it became legal.

Jeanette would never have thought that just six years after voting to legalize assisted suicide, she would be diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer. After hearing the bad news, Hall said that the doctors asked her to choose between chemotherapy and ending her life with a lethal dose of barbiturates, a drug that is most commonly used as a central nervous system depressant.

I wasnt going to do it, Hall said of the chemotherapy. I looked for the easy way out. However, Dr. Kenneth Stevens, one of Halls two cancer doctors, was determined to convince her to choose life over death. He believed that Jeanette, who was only in her mid 50s at the time, had so much more to live for.

Stevens eventually found out that Jeanette had a son who at the time was going through training to become a state trooper. Wouldnt you like to see him graduate? Wouldnt you like to see him get married? Stevens asked Hall in one last attempt to save her life.

Hall later explained to The Daily Signal how the thought of never being able to see her son grow up and live a happy life ultimately deterred her from going through with the assisted suicide. Hall instead chose to fight the cancer with chemotherapy and went on to live for another 15 years.

Assisted suicide is not something that our society should be embracing. Instead, we should be encouraging people to live their lives to the fullest and to never give up hope, because as long as there is hope, anything is possible  even beating the odds against a terminal illness.

Sources include:

WTOP.com

DailySignal.com
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- Police have revealed the identity of the man who attacked the home of Deputy President William Ruto

- The attacker has been identified as Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed from Mandera county

- The man had held siege the DP's rural home in Sugoi for nearly 20 hours before he was killed by Recce squad officers

- A GSU officer died during the attack with another officer left seriously injured during the attack

The man who carried out a daring attack on Deputy President William Ruto's rural home in Sugoi on Saturday, July 29, has finally been identified.

Police said the attacker has been identified as Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed from Mandera County.

READ ALSO: Terror attack at Deputy President William Ruto's House, GSU shot

Abdullahi was identified after extensive fingerprint and DNA testing process.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Ndengwa Muhoro.Photo: Robin Njogu.

He is reported to have masqueraded as a hawker before attacking GSU officers manning the highly guarded facility.

READ ALSO: Police reveal who attacked DP Ruto's Sugoi home in Eldoret

DCI boss Ndegwa Muhoro had earlier revealed that the attacker was masquerading as a hawker before launching his attack using a machete.

RECCE squad officers engaged the attacker in a fierce gun fire for 18 hours.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Ndengwa confirmed the name of the attacker in an official statement.

READ ALSO: UPDATE: Fierce exchange of fire at Ruto's house as elite cops enter home

Photo: Daily Nation

Kenyans, however, have expressed their dissatisfaction at the statement by the police. Some believe the attack is a ploy to divert attention from the damning allegations made by the opposition NASA on KDF being used to rig the August 8 polls in favour of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

READ ALSO: We know where William Ruto's daughter was when someone attacked their rural home in Sugoi (photos)

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko has rubbished a list online of his 'preferred cabinet members'

- The outrageous list surprisingly included former radio personality Caroline Mutoko

- Sonko termed the list as "Lazy imagination" from his rivals

A list of potential cabinet members to be taken in by gubernatorial aspirant Mike Sonko should he become governor has taken the internet by storm.

Nairobi Senator and gubernatorial aspirant Mike Sonko has completely rubbished the list that has been doing rounds on social media of alleged individuals he is lining up for jobs if elected the next Nairobi governor.

Sonko made it clear on social media that he has made no list whatsoever of anyone he intends to work with as governor.

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko addressing a rally: Facebook.com/MikeSonko

READ ALSO: 7 perish in a terrible Maungu accident (Photo)

Through his official social media handles, Sonko termed the fake list as an Lazy Imagination by corrupt cartels.

The list purported that the Senator was lining up the likes of Caroline Mutoko, former Nairobi Senatorial aspirant Kavemba Mutinda, former Kamkunji MP Simon Mbugua among others.

While distancing himself from the list, Sonko said he was fully committed to an all-inclusive county government.

"The architects of the same seem to completely lack creativity and an understanding of the people, of the challenges they are facing, I urge all my supporters in Nairobi to treat this as propaganda," Sonko said.

Here is the list:

Kavemba Mutinda - Public works, roads and Transport executive

Former KFF boss Sam Nyamwea - Finance Economic Planning executive

John Muhoho - Urban renewal executive

Bruce Odhiambo - Trade Industry and Tourism executive

Washington Makodingo - Health Services Executive

Mllicent Omanga - Public Service Management executive

Caroline Mutoko -Urban Planning executive

This is not the first time Sonko is crying foul over alleged sabotage in his quest to govern Nairobi. Only a day ago, he was on a live radio station where he alleged that his rivals were hiring thugs to dress up in Jubilee branded shirts and harass women and children in his name.

Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke

Watch a report of Msandos murder:

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- NASA leaders have sensationally claimed President Uhuru's Jubilee govt knows who killed Chris Msando

- Raila Odinga also maintained that KDF spokesperson Joseph Owuoth is missing

- NASA leaders were speaking in Kisii

National Super Alliance (NASA) leaders have now claimed President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee administration is privy to the cold blood murder of IEBC's ICT manager Chris Msando.

Speaking in a campaign rally on Tuesday, August 1, in Kisii county, the leaders led by flag bearer Raila Odinga, the leaders said the government cannot deny that it knows who killed Msando, the man in charge of electronic vote transmission.

Raila said that Msando was apparently killed because he refused to be part of the rigging scheme by Jubilee.

The late Msando Photo: Kenya News

READ ALSO: KDF spokesperson who confirmed NASA's 'claims of military being used to rig elections' denies he is missing

"Walimuua Msando, kijana ambaye alikuwa anhakikisha uchaguzi utakuwa wa huru na haki (they killed Msando, the person who would ensure free and fair elections)," Raila claimed.

His sentiments were echoed by Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula who said no amount of intimidation and killings will kill the resolve of Kenyans.

Msando was found murdered in a thicket by police and his body moved to the City Mortuary in Saturday, July 29.

READ ALSO: Jubilee party's reaction to the killing of IEBC ICT manager Chris Msando

His family discovered the body on Monday, July 31.

On claims by a section of NASA leaders that KDF spokesperson Joseph Owuoth had gone missing after admitting NASA's claims on KDF planning to help Uhuru rig elections, Raila reiterated that Owuoth is missing despite the soldier denying the claims.

KDF spokesperson Joseph Owuodh Photo: Courtesy

The claims were made by Kisumu Senator Anyang Nyong'o who said Owuoth's family was looking for him after he was sent on compulsory leave.

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However, Owuoth, through a phone call to media house, denied he has gone missing.

But Raila insisted Owuoth is still missing and the Jubilee administration should be held accountable.

The drama comes just a week to the August 8 polls.

Who killed Chris Musando?

Have something to add to this article or suggestions? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
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(Natural News) Backers of marijuana use for recreational purposes won another court victory this week as a state court ruled that police cannot stop or arrest someone just because they smell pot in a suspects vehicle.

As reported by The Grand Junction Sentinel in Colorado, indications by drug-sniffing police dogs that there are controlled substances in a vehicle is in and of itself not sufficient probable cause for officers to then search the vehicle, the state Court of Appeals ruled on Thursdays.

The case, which observers said will set a precedent, perhaps beyond Colorados borders, involved a resident of Moffat County. The three-judge appeals panel agreed with the defendant that police need more of a cause to search a vehicle without the owners permission.

Why? Because, the court ruled, there could be legal marijuana in the car.

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, said Judge Daniel Daily for the panel, a ruling joined by Judges Jerry Jones and Michael Berger.

A dog sniff could result in an alert with respect to something for which, under Colorado law, a person has a legitimate expectation of privacy, the court noted further. Because a dog sniff of a vehicle could infringe upon a legitimate expectation of privacy solely under state law, that dog sniff should now be considered a search for purposes of (the amendment) where the occupants are 21 years or older.

Recreational and medical use of marijuana in any amount remains against federal law, but neither the Obama administration nor the Trump Justice Department, so far at least, intervened when Colorado and Washington State voters approved measures legalizing its recreational use a few years ago. At the time Obama told ABC News the administration had bigger fish to fry. Thus far, President Donald J. Trump has not given any indication what he will do on the matter, nor has Attorney General Jeff Sessions. And Congress has yet to take up the issue of whether to change the law legalizing recreational pot use in all states. (Related: Could marijuana help fight obesity in America?)

As for the Colorado case, the local paper noted further:

In this February 2015 case, Craig Police Cpl. Bryan Gonzales had followed a truck driven by Craig resident Kevin McKnight that was leaving a home that had been searched for drugs nearly two months earlier.

Gonzales testified that he pulled the truck over because McKnight allegedly made a turn without using a turn signal. He later called in Sgt. Courtland Folks with the Moffat County Sheriffs Office and his drug-detection dog, Kilo.

Kilo is trained to detect cocaine, heroin, esctasy, methamphetamine and marijuana.

After Kilo detected something in the vehicle, it was searched by police, revealing a glass pipe commonly used to smoke meth.

McKnights attorney had filed a motion to suppress the search, but Moffat County District Judge Michael OHara nevertheless allowed the evidence to be entered into the court proceedings. McKnight was later convicted of possessing drug paraphernalia as well as possession of a controlled substance.

However, the paper noted, the appeals court ruled that due to state law legalizing a certain amount of marijuana, and since the dog was not able to indicate to officers just what substance he detected, police, therefore, did not have sufficient probable cause to conduct their search of McKnights vehicle.

Though Berger and Jones concurred, they each wrote separate opinions in the case. Berger said in his opinion that Amendment 64 handed state residents an enforceable expectation of privacy. However, Jones said the amendment has really added a level of ambiguity for police as they attempt to gather evidence to make drug cases.

What really needs to happen is one of two things: 1) The Justice Department should enforce federal law as written, so there is no ambiguity; 2) Congress should pass legislation overturning the current federal marijuana ban and defining how it can be used recreationally.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

CannabisCures.news

GJSentinel.com
The President General of the NUGFW and NATUC, James Lambert says, too many people in the cou
Militants launched 18 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in ATO area in Donbas over the past day.

This is reported by the ATO press center.

In Luhansk direction, militants used 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and small arms to fire at Ukrainian strongholds near Krymske (42.5km north-west of Luhansk).

In Donetsk direction, positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine came under grenade launcher and heavy machine gun fire outside Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk).

In Mariupol direction, illegal armed formations shelled ATO troops near Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol) and Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol), using grenade launchers.

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The free trade agreement between Ukraine and Canada officially comes into force on August 1, and Canada will now cancel customs duties on 99.9% of Ukrainian imports.

"Canada made a present to us on the Constitution Day: we received a government note on the completion of all internal procedures for the entry into force of the free trade agreement," Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said, announcing the launch of the free trade area.

He recalled that from August 1, the agreement cancels 98% of tariffs for Ukrainian goods that will be sold to Canada. Some 72% of tariffs are immediately canceled for Canadian goods, and in the next seven years duty free exports will grow to 98%. The agreement also mutually opens up public procurement markets. Certain sections of the document protect e-commerce and intellectual property.

The agreement was signed on July 11 last year during a visit by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Kyiv.

The Ministry for Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine predicts that in the short-term the Ukrainian producers of sunflower oil, confectionery, alcoholic beverages and beer, juices, clothing, ceramics, as well as Ukrainian metallurgical and chemical plants, will benefit from the free trade agreement with Canada.

At the same time, officials estimated that the cancellation of Ukrainian customs duties on Canadian goods would lead to $1.2 million worth of losses for the state budget in the first year of the effect of the agreement, but expects that later this will be offset by increased foreign investment. According to government forecasts, due to the liberalization of trade with Canada, Ukraine could receive 3.5 percent of the growth of exports. The Ukrainian government hopes that the free trade area with Canada will help create up to 600 new jobs in Ukraine every year.

op
The White House believes that the agreement on coal supplies to Ukraine will help Ukrainians to become independent of "volatile neighbors" and ensure reliable diversification in this field.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders made such a statement at a press briefing on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"This partnership will provide Ukraine with a secure, reliable, and competitive alternative energy source, helping to stabilize an energy supply which has historically been at the mercy of the country's volatile neighbors," the official representative of the US presidential administration said.

Ukrainian state-owned PJSC "Centrenergo" signed a contract with the American Xcoal Energy & Resources company on the supply of 700,000 tons of coal to Ukraine by the end of the year. The first ship with 85,000 tons of coal aboard should enter the port Yuzhny (Odesa region) as early as the beginning of September. According to the contract terms, next 120,000 tons will arrive until the end of September. A total of 700,000 tons of coal will be delivered from the USA to Ukraine by the end of 2017.

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The People's Republic of China plans to increase imports of Ukrainian food products, in particular those that meet the standards of quality and safety.

This has been reported by the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.

China intends to increase the volume of imports of such [food] products, and the stake is made precisely on the quality and safety indicators, and the products of Ukrainian origin meet these criteria, reads the report.

In particular, the work has been already launched on signing the protocols of sanitary and phytosanitary requirements regarding the export of sunflower meal and beet marc from Ukraine to China.

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January-July 2017, Russian gas transit amounted to 52.3 billion cubic meters, which is 22.8% more than over the same period last year and the largest volume in last six years.

This has been posted on Facebook page of PJSC Ukrtransgaz.

"Russian gas transit grew by 22.8% to a record level of 52.3 billion cubic meters for the last six years. The gas imports from Russia have been zero for 613 days already," Ukraine's gas transmission system operator stresses.

At the same time, the gas imports from European countries increased 2.4 times compared to last year and have amounted to 8.1 billion cubic meters as of August 1. In addition, the domestic gas production grew by 2.7% and reached the level of 12 billion cubic meters for seven months of this year.

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Ukraine condemns the attempts by the Venezuelan government to usurp power and supports the efforts of the world community aimed at resolution of the crisis in this country, in particular, by holding democratic elections.

This is stated in a statement made by the Foreign Ministry on the situation in Venezuela regarding elections to the National Constituent Assembly, the text of which is available to Ukrinform.

"Ukraine is concerned about the escalation of political tension and violence in Venezuela amid the deepening of economic and food crisis. We resolutely oppose the attempts by the Venezuelan government to usurp power, as well as to violate basic democratic rights and freedoms of its citizens, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression," the document reads.

According to the Foreign Ministry, it is not for the first time when Venezuela shows disrespect for democratic norms and principles of international law. In its time, Venezuela did not support Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity during the voting of the UN GA Resolutions, which were equally important for Ukraine and the whole civilized world.

"Ukraine strongly supports the appeals and efforts of the global community aimed at resolution of the crisis in Venezuela, including by means of holding free and democratic elections," the Foreign Ministry noted.

ish
First Deputy Verkhovna Rada Chairperson Iryna Gerashchenko says she is initiating the process of bringing the Ukrainian legislation in the sphere of ecology in line with the European standards so that to strengthen responsibility of local administrations for the absence of garbage bins in public places and introduce mandatory sorting of garbage.

In a post on her Facebook page, she stressed that introducing a bill on increasing fines for throwing garbage in unintended places is only the first step of the plan "For a clean Ukraine!"

The second is to strengthen the responsibility of local administrations for uninstalled garbage bins in public places. The third is mandatory sorting of garbage. We are working to improve the Ukrainian legislation in the sphere of ecology, bring it to the European regulations and standards," Gerashchenko said.

In addition, she noted that she had prepared inquiries to all regional state administrations to provide a full report on the use of environmental fees.

iy
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has sent a note to the Russian side over drunk driving by a Russian diplomat, ministry spokesperson Mariana Betsa has said.

"We have sent a note to the Russian Federation over a Russian diplomat driving a car in the state of alcoholic intoxication. This is a flagrant violation of the Vienna Convention and the laws of Ukraine," she wrote on Twitter.

In the early hours of Monday, July 31, police stopped a car with Russian diplomatic plates in the vicinity of Bortnychi near Kyiv, as there was a report that the driver was drunk.

According to the media, the driver was Ruslan Tribunsky, an employee of the Russian Consulate and a representative of the border service of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).

Subsequently, the police confirmed the report.

op
Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman says that the cooperation between Ukraine and Canada will become stronger.

In a post on his Facebook page, Groysman wrote that a Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Canada came into effect today, August 1. The prime minister also said that due to this, Ukrainian entrepreneurs will get new opportunities as the agreement opens duty-free access for Ukrainian exporters to 98% of commodity markets.

Im sure that cooperation between our countries will become stronger, Groysman stressed.

As Ukrinform earlier reported, the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine was signed on July 11, 2016 during a visit of Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Kyiv.

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(Natural News) Chessington World of Adventures, a theme park, zoo and sealife center at Chessington, U.K., was recently accused of lying to its customers and remaining mum about a recent fox attack that killed eight of its Humboldt Penguins. According to reports, the attack happened at the end of June when an urban fox infiltrated the penguins enclosure. Following the incidence, the zoo management allegedly decided to quietly close off the Penguin Bay and put a sign at the entrance, stating that the unfortunate animals where placed somewhere else as the zoo made alterations to the attraction.

The zoo was accused of covering up the attack by using the sign. It was also reported that theme park employees were warned against talking about the incidence. The attack happened at the end of June when the night security and zoo staff were not monitoring as they should have been. There is CCTV footage on site at the park. The male penguins can be seen trying to protect the babies from the attack, sadly all bar one of the males were killed as well as all the babiesNot only are these poor animals are now dead, but the customers are being lied to, a source said in an article on The Telegraph website.

However, a spokesperson for the zoo defended the managements decision not to inform the public, stating that Chessington was not under any obligation to divulge the details of the animals. The reports also noted that the officer did not specify the preventive measures in place to protect the penguins. This, despite the zoo insisting that the Penguin bays enclosure met all specifications stated in licensing standards.

According to the spokesperson, the alterations on the enclosure were being carried out in order to prevent future incidents. The official also noted that investigations are underway to determine how the fox got inside the enclosure. The attraction was opened in 2015 in partnership with Dreamworks in celebration of the release of the animated film Penguins of Madagascar. (Related: Despite massive petition to free the animal, worlds saddest polar bear remains imprisoned in Chinese shopping mall, longing for natural habitat.)

Zoo owns up to the penguin massacre

The zoo management eventually owned up to the incident. It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of eight of our Humboldt penguins, which it is apparent were killed by an urban fox that infiltrated their home at Penguin Bay overnight at the end of June. We are investigating why this happened, as Penguin Bay, only built in 2015, had special measures put in place specifically to deter foxes and therefore we are shocked and saddened at this news. The eight Humboldt penguins, five adults and three infants, were part of a group of 28 here at the resortOur remaining penguins have been moved to a secure area while we take additional measures to secure Penguin Bay, which we hope to reopen as soon as possible, Lisa Britton, assistant zoo manager at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, said in an article on The Guardian website.

According to Britton, the health, safety and welfare of the animals are a top priority for the zoo. The official also stressed that Chessington is a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), both of which maintain strict protocols and ethics in animal conservation, management, operations, and education research.

The recent attack was not the first reported incidence of animal deaths inside the zoos parameters. Early this year, a spate of animal killings at Delhi Zoo in India was also blamed on illegal animal capture and negligence by zoo officials.

Sources include:

Telegraph.co.uk

TheGuardian.co.uk
The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has renewed the agreement on nuclear safety cooperation with the United States.

This is reported by the press service of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine.

"Borys Stoliarchuk, the head of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine signed the agreement on renewal of the agreement between the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the exchange of technical information and cooperation in the field of nuclear safety," the statement reads.

According to Stoliarchuk, the exchange of technical information will contribute to the development of the domestic nuclear security.

The agreement on cooperation between the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine and the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission was initially signed on April 10, 2006 in Rockville, Maryland (USA). The amended agreement was signed on September 21, 2011 in Vienna (Austria).

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German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel is maintaining contact with his U.S. counterpart Rex Tillerson on a new sanctions package that has been seriously criticized in Germany, according to a statement made by Gabriel on Tuesday.

"I am in close contact with Rex Tillerson," the minister said.

Berlin will use this opportunity to influence the White House decision and hopes that there is still time until U.S. President Donald Trump finally determines how he will strengthen sanctions against Russia. The law provides for consultations with Europeans before this can happen, Gabriel said.

The German vice chancellor stressed that Germany would clearly defend its point of view: "It's about overcoming the crisis in Ukraine and exerting political pressure with the help of sanctions against Moscow. This is possible only when we are united and act together."

"But we will defend ourselves against the America First industrial policy under the pretext of sanctions," the minister said.

Gabriel, a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, has repeatedly expressed concern over a new draft law by the United States and became the first German politician to publicly oppose the document.

Brigitte Zypries, who replaced Gabriel as economy minister, earlier urged "countermeasures" against the United States for anti-Russian sanctions.

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(Natural News) Earlier this month in the Pyrenees, an investigation confirmed that 169 sheep threw themselves over the edge of a cliff in a desperate attempt to escape the wrath of a pursuant brown bear. Authorities said that they were able to confirm that it was a bear that chased them over the edge because of the fur they found on one of the dead sheep at the bottom of the cliff.

What was an unfortunate end for dozens of sheep in the Pyrenees is also a perfect metaphor for the progressive agenda and the overall political climate Americans have been living under for the past eight years. Just as the bear was able to scare the sheep right over the cliff, the modern day leftists routinely use fear and scare tactics to coerce the American people into doing exactly what they want them to do.

To give just one example out of many, the liberals constantly use scare tactics to advance their radical anti-gun, anti-Second Amendment agenda. As the left wing narrative goes, unless Americans come to their senses and surrender their firearms to an all-powerful centralized government, then innocent people, including young children, will die.

Not long after the tragic shooting that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, Barack Obama delivered a speech on the need for more gun control while standing next to four young people, all of whom had supposedly written letters to the president asking him to take action.

These are some pretty smart letters from some pretty smart young people, Obama said. He then went on to read an excerpt from a letter written by one of the kids, who happened to be in third grade: I feel terrible for the parents who lost their children, Obama quoted from the letter. I love my country, and I want everybody to be happy, and safe.

Obama then went on to quote a child named Grant, who wrote in his letter, I think there should be some changes. We should learn from what happened at Sandy Hook. I feel really bad. Next, he read part of a letter written by a girl named Julia: Im not scared for my safety, Im scared for others. I have four brothers and sisters, and I know I would not be able to bear the thought of losing any of them. Obama concluded the letter readings by saying, And these are our kids. This is what theyre thinking about.

Clearly, the message that the former president was trying to convey was that our children would die unless the lefts anti-gun agenda is implemented. It was nothing more than a scare tactic meant to coerce people into surrendering their Second Amendment rights. Barack Obama and his army of bureaucrats are the bears, and the American people are the sheep being chased right over the cliff.

Another example of how the government scares the people into doing exactly what they want is whenever a radical environmentalist claims that the world will come to an end unless we embrace the agenda laid out by leftists like Al Gore, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton. If you are a conservative that has ever spoken to a liberal about climate change, chances are you have heard them make the false claim that the polar bears are going extinct, or that the sea levels will rise and flood Americas coastlines unless we decrease the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere. These, too, are nothing more than talking points used by the left to get you to surrender your liberty and bow down to a big, bloated federal government.

Instead of running like sheep, the American people should turn around and fight the bears that are chasing them towards the edge of the cliff. To go over the edge is to surrender your liberty and your independence, which will one day lead to the end of America as we know it.

Sources include:

RT.com

Breitbart.com
YOROSSO, Mali, 31 July 2017  Show me how you breastfeed your child, says Aminata as she faces Batoma. A group of women look on, while sitting on a mat under the shade of a mango tree.

That's good, Aminata says with a reassuring voice. You have a good position: belly-to-belly, your arm supporting the babys body and his buttocks in your hand. She adds one final piece of advice: Do not forget to smile at him, never forget to show him your love.

This Tuesday morning, Aminata and Batoma are acting out a play in front of an audience of mothers who have come to a weekly meeting at the health centre in Yorosso village in southern Mali. Both are members of the local nutrition support group, whose role is to advise families on proper nutrition for their little ones.

Not everyone in the community knows that the first 1,000 days of life are when the most brain growth occurs. Many of the women also do not know that breastmilk is the best food for babies.

>> Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding
UNICEF/UN065254/

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 1 August 2017  No country in the world fully meets recommended standards for breastfeeding, according to a new report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Global Breastfeeding Collective, a new initiative to increase global breastfeeding rates.

The Global Breastfeeding Scorecard, which evaluated 194 nations, found that only 40 per cent of children younger than six months are breastfed exclusively (given nothing but breast milk) and only 23 countries have exclusive breastfeeding rates above 60 per cent.

Evidence shows that breastfeeding has cognitive and health benefits for both infants and their mothers. It is especially critical during the first six months of life, helping prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia, two major causes of death in infants. Mothers who breastfeed have a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer, two leading causes of death among women.

Breastfeeding gives babies the best possible start in life, said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. Breastmilk works like a babys first vaccine, protecting infants from potentially deadly diseases and giving them all the nourishment they need to survive and thrive.

The scorecard was released at the start of World Breastfeeding Week alongside a new analysis demonstrating that an annual investment of only US$4.70 per newborn is required to increase the global rate of exclusive breastfeeding among children under six months to 50 per cent by 2025.

Nurturing the Health and Wealth of Nations: The Investment Case for Breastfeeding, suggests that meeting this target could save the lives of 520,000 children under the age of five and potentially generate US$300 billion in economic gains over 10 years, as a result of reduced illness and health care costs and increased productivity.

Breastfeeding is one of the most effective  and cost effective  investments nations can make in the health of their youngest members and the future health of their economies and societies, said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. By failing to invest in breastfeeding, we are failing mothers and their babies  and paying a double price: in lost lives and in lost opportunity.



The investment case shows that in five of the worlds largest emerging economiesChina, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Nigeriathe lack of investment in breastfeeding results in an estimated 236,000 child deaths per year and US$119 billion in economic losses.

Globally, investment in breastfeeding is far too low. Each year, governments in lower- and middle-income countries spend approximately US$250 million on breastfeeding programs; and donors provide only an additional US$85 million.

The Global Breastfeeding Collective is calling on countries to:

Increase funding to raise breastfeeding rates from birth through two years.

Fully implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and relevant World Health Assembly resolutions through strong legal measures that are enforced and independently monitored by organizations free from conflicts of interest.

Enact paid family leave and workplace breastfeeding policies, building on the International Labour Organizations maternity protection guidelines as a minimum requirement, including provisions for the informal sector.

Implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in maternity facilities, including providing breastmilk for sick and vulnerable newborns.

Improve access to skilled breastfeeding counselling as part of comprehensive breastfeeding policies and programmes in health facilities.

Strengthen links between health facilities and communities, and encourage community networks that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

Strengthen monitoring systems that track the progress of policies, programmes, and funding towards achieving both national and global breastfeeding targets.

Breastfeeding is critical for the achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals. It improves nutrition (SDG2), prevents child mortality and decreases the risk of non-communicable diseases (SDG3), and supports cognitive development and education (SDG4). Breastfeeding is also an enabler to ending poverty, promoting economic growth and reducing inequalities.

###

Note to editors

Multimedia content is available http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AM408T9GZW5

Visit http://uni.cf/breastfeeding to download The Global Breastfeeding Scorecard and The Investment Case for Breastfeeding.

For more information contact:

Yemi Lufadeju, UNICEF New York, +1 917 213 4034, glufadeju@unicef.org

Kimberly Chriscaden, WHO Geneva, tel: +41 22 791 2885, mob: +41 79 603 1891, chriscadenk@who.int

Olivia Lawe Davies, WHO Geneva, tel: +41 22 791 1209, mob: +41 79 475 5545, lawedavieso@who.int
(Natural News) Its one of the most controversial issues in modern agriculture: persistent crop chemicals of a highly toxic nature that spread unabated beyond the field. The experts call this drift, and one herbicide in particular thats causing major problems in this regard is dicamba, also known as Xtend, a broad-leafed Monsanto weedkiller product commonly applied to genetically-modified (GM), dicamba-resistant crop seeds.

Though dicamba has been on the market for several decades, its historically been used only as a pre-emergent, meaning it was applied to soils before crop plantings. But farmers are now applying this noxious chemical product to crops after theyve been planted  and reports indicate that theyre doing so illegally, as dicamba isnt approved for post-planting use.

The reason for this is that dicamba is highly volatile, meaning it easily takes flight in the air and spreads with the wind. Monsanto had supposedly reformulated a safer version of the product back in November 2016 to address this problem. That product was approved for use beginning in the 2017 planting season, however these claims about its improved safety have yet to be verified.

Meanwhile, Monsanto has released dicamba-resistant GM crop seeds to farmers despite the fact that dicamba still isnt legal for post-planting use. And perhaps not surprisingly, farmers have begun applying it profusely in violation of the law, which is causing major drift problems all throughout the farm belt.

If dicamba lands on a field that isnt planted with Monsantos dicamba-resistant crops, the impact can be devastating, explains Modern Farmer.

Non-resistant soybeans that come into contact with dicamba suffer from puckered leaves, buckled pods, and stunted growth. Farms from Arkansas to North Carolina have been hit; millions of acres have been affected. Monsanto has been sued over this; the lawsuits are ongoing. Theres already been one report of a murder over dicamba spraying. Seriously.

Federal crop insurance doesnt cover damage caused by dicamba drift

If thats not bad enough, these affected farms reportedly arent covered by federal crop insurance in the event that their crops are damaged by dicamba. The only disasters covered by federal crop insurance are those designated as natural, such as drought or flood.

This means that if a farmer loses his entire yield because the field next door was blasted with dicamba that spread with the wind, he will have no recourse other than to file a lawsuit and hope that hes assigned a sympathetic judge and jury.

Patience is beginning to wear thin on these folks, especially if you have been drifted on multiple times, says Larry Steckel, a weed specialist at the University of Tennessee. Steckel has reportedly encountered many farmers throughout his state who are sustaining damages from the Monsanto chemical.

These farmers are said to be losing anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of their yields from dicamba, especially when the chemical lands in their fields multiple times. There comes a point when damages are so perpetual that they add up to major financial losses and potential bankruptcy for farmers, many of whom are ready to start lashing out against Monsanto, the guilty party in all this.

Dicamba, it turns out, is much more volatile than even Roundup (glyphosate), the multinational companys other major weedkiller thats been in the news many times for causing damage to both the environmental and human health.

Supposedly, Monsanto instructed farmers not to spray the new soybeans with dicamba, adds Modern Farmer, but apparently the temptation was too great: An estimated 200,000 acres of soybeans in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri have been affected by dicamba drift so far this summer.

Sources for this article include:

ModernFarmer.com

DTNPF.com

NaturalNews.com
Five aid groups that operate migrant rescue ships in the Mediterranean refused to sign up to the Italian government's code of conduct on Monday, the Interior Ministry said, but three others backed the new rules.

Charity boats have become increasingly important in rescue operations, picking up more than a third of all migrants brought ashore so far this year against less than one percent in 2014, according to the Italian coast guard.

Italy fears the groups are facilitating people smuggling from North Africa and encouraging migrants to make the perilous passage to Europe, and it proposed a code containing around a dozen points for the charities.

Those who refused to sign the document had put themselves "outside the organized system of sea rescues, with all the concrete consequences that can have", the ministry said.

Italy had previously threatened to shut its ports to NGOs that did not sign up, but an Interior Ministry source said in reality those groups would face more checks from Italian authorities.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which has taken part in many of the rescues of some 95,000 migrants brought to Italy this year, attended a meeting at the Interior Ministry but refused to sign the code.

MSF objected most strongly to a requirement that aid boats must take migrants to a safe port themselves, rather than transferring people to other vessels, which allows smaller boats to stay in the area for further rescues.

"Our vessels are often overwhelmed by the high number of [migrant] boats ... and life and death at sea is a question of minutes," MSF Italy's director Gabriele Eminente wrote in a letter to Interior Minister Marco Minniti.

"The code of conduct puts at risk this fragile equation of collaboration between different boats," Eminente continued, adding that MSF still wanted to work with the ministry to improve sea rescues.

But Save The Children gave its backing, saying it already complied with most of the rules and would monitor constantly to be sure that applying them did not obstruct their work.

"We would not have signed if even one single point would have compromised our effectiveness. This is not the case, not one single point of the code will hinder our activities," Save The Children Italy director Valerio Neri said after the meeting.



The Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) and Spanish group Proactiva Open Arms agreed to the conditions, but Germany's Sea-Watch, Sea-Eye and Jugend Rettet, and France's SOS Mediterranee abstained.

MSF, SOS Mediterranee and Jugend Rettet also called for clarity on the rules and took issue with a clause in the code which would oblige groups to accept police officers on board.

"For us the most controversial point ... was the commitment to help the Italian police with their investigations and possibly take armed police officers on board," Jugend Rettet coordinator Titus Molkenbur said. "That is antithetical to the humanitarian principles of neutrality that we adhere to, and we cannot be seen as being part of the conflict."
Australia's government said Tuesday that it had asked the United States to explain why a state lawmaker with dual Australian-Syrian citizenship was refused entry last week.

Victoria lawmaker Khalil Eideh, a 62-year-old who was born in Lebanon to Syrian parents, was on a trip on government business with other state legislators when he was not allowed to fly from Vancouver, Canada, to Denver.

At the foreign minister's request, Australia's embassy in Washington made urgent enquiries of the U.S. authorities as to what happened, and why Mr. Eidah was refused entry to the United States last week, Foreign Minister Julia Bishop's office said in a statement. The U.S. authorities are following up on our request for information.

Eideh returned to his hometown of Melbourne on Saturday and told reporters: I've been discriminated against. I'm very, very disappointed and frustrated.

Eideh said he had a U.S. visa and was given no explanation for why he was denied entry.

To me it is unacceptable, because I'm representing the Australian people, the Victorian people, he said.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Eideh had a U.S. visa and was part of a group of Victoria lawmakers examining the effectiveness of drug laws and regulations in Europe and North America.

President Donald Trump has faced court challenges to temporarily ban visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Brazil is investigating a plane crash in which three environmental enforcement agents were killed, a government spokesman said on Monday, a case which is the latest blow to efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest.

The plane carrying agents with Brazil's environment enforcement agency (IBAMA) crashed earlier this month in Roraima, Brazil's least populated state, on the country's northern border with Venezuela.

Three environmental enforcement agents and a pilot died in the crash while on a mission to combat illegal mining, deforestation and other crimes, officials said. One agent survived with severe burns.

IBAMA spokesman Tiago Costa told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that federal officials are investigating the cause of the crash but it is unclear when they will report their findings.

Olavo Perim Galvao, Alexandre Rochinski and Sebastiao Lima Pereira Junior dedicated their lives to the defense of the environment with extreme professionalism and commitment, IBAMA said in a statement commemorating the dead agents.

The rate of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rose by 29 percent last year to the highest level in eight years, according to government data.

Most of this deforestation is caused by illegal activity, according to IBAMA.

The rise in deforestation comes alongside an increase in deadly conflicts over land and resources in the Amazon, according to campaigners, who blame impunity and other factors for worsening conditions.

All across the Amazon, crimes against local communities and the environment are spiraling out of control, Marcio Astrini, a spokesman for Greenpeace in Brazil said in a statement earlier this month. The people who call the forest home, and the forest itself, have always been victims of a lack of governance.

Brazil is the world's most dangerous nation for land rights and environmental activists, according to a report from the London-based campaign group Global Witness released this month.

At least 49 land rights campaigners were killed in Latin America's largest country last year, with more than 80 percent of those killings taking place in the Amazon.
China's U.N. ambassador urged the international community on Monday to support President Xi Jinping's new four-point proposal to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establish an independent Palestinian state.

Liu Jieyi said at a news conference that China's future diplomatic efforts will focus on trying to move toward a negotiated solution based on the four proposals.



Xi signaled China's stepped-up engagement in the Middle East when he met about two weeks ago in Beijing with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and outlined the plan.

The four points are:

 Advancing the two-state solution based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital of a new Palestinian state.

 Upholding the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, immediately ending Israeli settlement building, taking immediate measures to prevent violence against civilians, and calling for an early resumption of peace talks.

 Coordinating international efforts to put forward peace-promoting measures that entail joint participation at an early date.

 Promoting peace through development and cooperation between the Palestinians and Israel.

China views both Israel and the Palestinians as important partners in its One Belt, One Road initiative, a mammoth Chinese-funded push to develop transport routes including ports, railways and roads to expand trade in a vast arc of countries across Asia, Africa and Europe, the ambassador said. China has also proposed launching a China-Palestine-Israel tripartite dialogue mechanism in order to coordinate the implementation of major assistance programs in Palestine, he said.

But the gaps between Israeli and Palestinian leaders remain wide, preventing any meaningful talks since 2009.

China to host seminar

Tensions escalated recently after Arab gunmen killed two Israeli police officers at the major holy site in Jerusalem on July 14, prompting Israel to install security devices that sparked Arab outrage and clashes. Under intense pressure, Israel removed the metal detectors last week and prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque ended peacefully on Friday.



Liu said China plans to hold a seminar for Israeli and Palestinian peace activists this year, seeking to contribute wisdom for the settlement of the Palestinian question.''

He urged the international community to respond positively to the proposals made by China because we believe these four proposals once fully implemented will really go a long way towards helping the issue to be solved through negotiations, and also contribute to stability of the relations between the two sides."
The acting director of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has chastised President Donald Trump for urging law enforcement officers not to be "too nice" when physically detaining criminal suspects, urging DEA agents to maintain "the very highest standards" when involved in such situations.

Acting Director Chuck Rosenberg emailed a memo to DEA personnel on Saturday, one day after Trump seemingly encouraged excessive police force when addressing police in Brentwood, New York.

"When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just want them thrown in, rough. I said, please don't be too nice," Trump said, drawing applause and laughter from the officers.

The president's remarks drew criticism from many local law enforcement agencies, as well as Rosenberg's memo to DEA agents.

"I write to offer a strong reaffirmation of the operating principles to which we, as law enforcement professionals, adhere," Rosenberg wrote. "I write because we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong."

Rosenberg was the first head of a federal agency to object to the president's remarks. The White House and the Justice Department, which oversees the DEA, have declined to respond to the memo.

Rosenberg is a holdover from the administration of President Barack Obama and was not nominated by Trump. He is a longtime Justice Department official who was twice a U.S. attorney in the administration of George W. Bush. Rosenberg said the memo was not politically motivated, but only a reminder to his agents to maintain their core values of integrity and accountability.

Police brutality and law enforcement killings of black suspects have long triggered protests throughout the U.S., prompting many police departments in recent years to begin using body cameras to record interactions between police and the public.

During his presidential campaign, Trump was endorsed by several police unions after he promised to be tough on crime and more supportive of police than Obama.
The U.S. government oversight agency for operations in Afghanistan has requested the Pentagon declassify a report detailing alleged sexual abuse of children by Afghan soldiers.

The request from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says the report, which recently was issued to Congress, is classified because much of the information upon which it is based is classified.

According to SIGAR, Afghan officials are failing to properly deal with the sexual abuse and, in some cases, the Afghan government has arrested and prosecuted victims of sexual abuse.

"Afghan officials remain complicit, especially in the sexual exploitation and recruitment of children by Afghan security forces," SIGAR said in a published document outlining the Congressional report.

The issue now, according to SIGAR, is determining whether the U.S. is ignoring the abuse in violation of the Leahy Laws, which forbid U.S. agencies from providing support to foreign government organizations credibly suspected of committing human rights violations.

A spokesman for the Defense Department called child sex abuse "heinous," but said that each case needs to be handled on an individual basis.

"Child rape is always heinous and certainly could constitute a gross violation of human rights; however, each case requires a factual and legal review to determine whether it is a credible allegation of a gross violation of human rights under the Leahy Law," spokesman Adam Stump said.

The report also noted that violence in Afghanistan has increased by more than 20 percent since March 1, and revenue from the sale of opium in the country doubled between 2015 and 2016, spiking above $3 billion.
U.S. President Donald Trump took part in drafting a statement issued in his son's name last month, about a meeting that Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump campaign officials had with a Russian attorney, the White House said Tuesday.

However, Trump's spokeswoman said, the president did not dictate the content of the statement, which within days turned out to be misleading.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Trump, while flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, "weighed in as any father would on the limited information that he had," and played a role in preparing a statement that was released by his eldest son. The statement said the younger Trump had "primarily discussed" adoption of Russian children with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya during a June 2016 meeting in the midst of the U.S. presidential campaign.

"The statement that was issued was true," Sanders said, "and there were no inaccuracies." She disputed an account by The Washington Post that President Trump had "personally dictated" the statement claiming the meeting with a group of Russians was not related to the Republican's presidential campaign.

Within a few days, and under a barrage of questions about his account of the meeting, the younger Trump released a chain of emails disclosing that the Trump team actually had met with a group of Russians about supposed negative information the visitors claimed to have gathered about Trump's opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

An intermediary for Veselnitskaya had promised she would hand over incriminating information about Clinton. She was portrayed to Trump's son as a "Russian government attorney" who, with her associates, was part of the Kremlin's efforts to ensure Trump's victory in the November election.

Trump Jr. enthusiastically agreed to the meeting, telling the intermediary he would "love it" if he got material that would damage Clinton's presidential hopes. The younger Trump also called on Paul Manafort, the overall manager of candidate Trump's campaign at the time, and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a close adviser, to join the meeting in New York with Veselnitskaya and her Russian associates.

The younger Trump has since said Veselnitskaya produced no incriminating information about Clinton, and that their conversation 13 months ago turned toward Moscow's complaints about U.S. sanctions, as well as the Russian government's subsequent ban on the adoption of Russian children by Americans.

New questions

On Capitol Hill Tuesday, Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the president's actions raised new questions.

Warner said it appeared Trump was "urging his son to put out a statement that deliberately hid all the facts, making it sound like it was about [Russian] adoptions when everyone who looked at the [email] headline knows the subject was about trying to offer bad information about Hillary Clinton."

The allegations triggered by The Washington Post account of President Trump's involvement in preparing his son's statement, Warner said, "involve individuals in the White House that were involved in trying to undercut the evidence about Russian intervention in our elections. This is a pattern that we continue to see, and why both [the Intelligence Committee's] investigation and [Special Counsel Robert] Mueller's investigation continue to be so important."

Public relations 'stunt'

At Tuesday's White House briefing, Sanders contended the controversy over the meeting last June was due to partisan political motives.

"The Democrats want to continue to use this as a [public relations] stunt," the White House press secretary said, "and they're doing everything they can to keep this story alive and in the papers every single day. The president, the American people, they voted America first, not Russia first, and that's the focus of our administration."

President Trump has been engulfed in months of investigations in Washington about Russian interference in the election aimed at helping him win the White House, with numerous congressional investigations under way. One of their focal points has been the younger Trump's meeting in New York with the Russian lawyer.

Criminal investigation

Meanwhile, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is conducting a criminal investigation into whether Trump campaign aides colluded with Russian interests during the campaign and whether President Trump obstructed justice when he fired FBI director James Comey while he was heading the agency's Russia investigation before Mueller took over.

Trump said within days of ousting Comey that he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he decided to fire him.

Trump has been dismissive of the Russia probes, describing them as a "witch hunt" and an excuse by Democrats to explain his upset victory over Clinton.
Russian authorities are now barring American diplomats and their families from a U.S. recreational residence on the outskirts of Moscow, part of sweeping retaliatory measures announced by Kremlin leader Vladmir Putin.

The Russian president ordered the U.S. on Sunday to cut its overall staff of more than 1,200 in Russia by 755 people, in response to new U.S. sanctions imposed against Moscow for its interference in the 2016 presidential election. It is believed to be the single largest cut ever imposed on the U.S. embassy in Moscow and consulates elsewhere in Russia, although many of those to be dismissed are likely Russians working in support positions.

Putin said the cuts would leave both Russia and the U.S. with the same number of staff and diplomats in Washington and Moscow, respectively  455.

President Donald Trump has been silent on the issue since Putin announced his retaliatory action.

Asked about this Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "Right now we are reviewing our options, and when we have something to say on it we will let you know."

WATCH: Putin's Move Surprises Experts

No response yet to Putin

The White House has said Trump intends to sign into law the new round of sanctions against Russia that Congress passed last week, but he has not yet done so.

The U.S. State Department said the order to reduce the number of American diplomats in Russia was "a regrettable and uncalled for act." A spokesman said U.S. officials are assessing how to respond to Putin.

A Russian analyst, Nikolai Petrov of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, said the move reflects the Kremlin's disillusionment with Trump: "These measures are tough, and it is linked to a deep disappointment that came after the euphoria linked to the arrival of Donald Trump [to power], and to the idea that today we will start our relations anew."

Another Russian analyst, Gleb Pavlovsky, said a return to Cold War-era hostilities with the U.S. will only boost Putins popularity at home ahead of another likely bid for the Russian presidency next year.

Pavlovsky, a former political consultant for the Kremlin who now is president of the Foundation for Effective Politics in Moscow, explained how U.S. efforts to "punish" Putin may have the opposite effect: "American sanctions naturally are causing a definite mass reaction [in Russia]  an anti-American, pro-Putin reaction." If Putin wished, Pavlovsky added, he could make the American sanctions the centerpiece of his re-election campaign next year.

Russians also will feel cutback

Other experts say the vital work of the U.S. embassy in Moscow will continue despite the massive cuts.

Steven Pifer, a former U.S. diplomat now with the Brookings Institution, told VOA that Russians also may discover some unintended consequences of their president's crackdown on U.S. diplomacy.

"My assumption is hundreds of Russians are going to lose their jobs now," Pifer said. "And when youre looking at priority functions of the embassy, you know, visa functions are important but theyre not as important as other functions. So my guess is that those Russians [who] want to travel to the United States are going to find that visa processing is going to take longer than usual because of reduced staff in the consular section."

Pifer was assigned to the U.S. embassy in Moscow in 1986, at a time when there were several back-and-forth expulsions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. He later served on the National Security Council under former President Bill Clinton, and was ambassador to Ukraine from 1998-2000.

During his time in the Russian capital, Pifer said, American staff were called upon for "all-purpose duty" at times when Russian support staff were unavailable for political reasons.

"So, five or six days out of every seven, I would work on my normal portfolio, which is arms control," Pifer recalled. "And then one day, Id drive a truck. And the embassy got by. There was actually this incredible spirit in the embassy that we were going to show the Soviets that this kind of action was not going to cramp the embassy."

Pifer said he expects the same determined spirit from U.S. embassy personnel now.

Congress approved the new sanctions against Russia last Thursday, as part of a package that also included new measures against Iran and North Korea. Russia's foreign ministry denounced the U.S. for "extreme aggression" in international affairs and signaled the coming counter-measures the next day, two days before Putin personally announced the cutbacks in diplomatic staff.

In addition to sharply trimming the size of the U.S. mission, Russia reclaimed two U.S. facilities, a recreational retreat near Moscow and a storage facility in the city.
Fear of Boko Haram attacks has driven at least 7,000 people from Niger to seek refuge in Chad in the last week, and thousands more may cross the border if the violence escalates, the United Nations said Monday.

The recent arrivals in Chad's Lake region felt compelled to leave Niger after attacks by Islamist Boko Haram militants on their village and neighboring communities in the southeastern Diffa region, according to the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR.

Diffa has seen intense fighting over the past year between Niger's army and Boko Haram militants. The region hosts almost a quarter-million uprooted people, from Niger and Nigeria, who have been forced to flee their homes by the violence.

"The new arrivals fled into Chad because they were scared of Boko Haram attacks ... after a few took place recently," UNHCR official Edward O'Dwyer told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"They also said they felt exposed after Chad scaled back the number of troops in Niger due to a lack of resources," he added.

Those who crossed the border into Chad said at least 10,000 more people could follow suit imminently because of fears for their safety in southern Niger, according to the U.N. agency.

Suicide attack

Suspected Boko Haram fighters killed nine people and abducted dozens more in southern Niger last month, while female bombers killed two and wounded 11 at a U.N.-managed camp for the displaced in the first suicide attack in the region in a year.

This violence has stoked fears about Niger's inability to stop Boko Haram militants crossing the desert border from their bases in Nigeria, with the frequency of the militants' attacks having ramped up recently as their eight-year insurgency rages on.

Their bid to carve out an Islamic caliphate in the Lake Chad region has killed 20,000 people and forced at least 2.7 million to flee their homes across Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

"We are concerned that if the security situation deteriorates in Niger, more and more people will flee to Chad," said O'Dwyer, adding that the UNHCR had a contingency plan prepared to provide aid in case of a spike in arrivals.

The U.N. agency said it had delivered items such as plastic tarpaulin and blankets to those uprooted from Niger, who have set up an informal camp near a site hosting Nigerian refugees.

Chad's Lake region is home to at least 100,000 Chadians uprooted by violence, and 8,000 Nigerian refugees, says the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi took the oath of office Tuesday as Pakistans new prime minister to replace Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified by the countrys highest court last week on corruption charges.

The 58-year-old Abbasi is a staunch Sharif ally and senior member of his ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, or PML-N, party.

Earlier in the day, Abbasi won 221 votes in the 342-member legislative lower house of parliament, or National Assembly, which is dominated by PML-N and its allied parties.

His closest rival, Syed Naveed Qamar, from the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party, secured 47 votes.

Pakistan was plunged into political uncertainty Friday when a five-member panel of the Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from holding public office. The panel forced Sharif to quit, saying he failed to disclose a monthly salary from a Dubai-based company owned by his son.

Sharif, 67, has denied wrongdoing. His previous two stints as prime minister of Pakistan in the 1990's also were cut short, and he was ousted over allegations of corruption.

Sharifs party won the 2013 election, bringing him to power for a record third time. His latest stint was due to end in June 2018, when the next national elections in Pakistan also are due.

In a speech to parliament, Abbasi dismissed suggestions the anti-Sharif judicial verdict caused divisions in the ruling party or undermined its political credentials.

"There was no dissension in our ranks. There were no defections. The party stands united as it was whomever the prime minister (Nawaz Sharif) named was supported unanimously," Abbasi said.

Abbasi also dismissed concerns of political and economic instability resulting from Sharifs dismissal.

"Within four days, the democratic process is back on track, he said.

Abbasi, however, confirmed he assumed office on an interim basis for 45 days. The ruling party wants to elect Sharifs younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as the permanent successor, according to party officials.

Shahbaz Sharif, 65, is the chief minister of Pakistans most populous Punjab province. He is expected to contest by-elections due next month to win a parliamentary seat before he takes over from Abbasi as the country's chief executive.

Opposition parties, independent analysts and newspaper editorials have criticized the political maneuvering as dynastic and undemocratic.

In past years, political turmoil encouraged the military to stage coups to oust elected governments and seize power; but analysts say that for the first time, the judiciary has dismissed an elected prime minister on corruption charges, in a country where the powerful until now have escaped prosecution.

The judicial verdict also has triggered calls for holding other state institutions, including the Pakistan military, accountable for their actions.
(Natural News) An evergreen plant that grows abundantly throughout Southeast Asia contains a powerful compound that outperforms a clinically-used drug against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a study in the Journal of Natural Compounds revealed. The plant, known as willow-leaved justicia, is native to China and is found to grow extensively in India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

Researchers said a newly-identified chemical called patentiflorin A, extracted from different parts of the plant, was more effective in inhibiting an HIV enzyme compared with the commercial drug azidothymidine (AZT). The drug was introduced and approved in 1987 and works by mitigating the reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme, a harmful compound needed by HIV in order to incorporate its genetic code into a cells DNA. AZT remains to be a key component for various anti-retroviral drugs that help slow down the progression of the disease.

To carry out the multi-year research, a team of health experts from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Hong Kong Baptist University, and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology collected samples of the plants leaves, stems, and roots. The research team then analyzed the extracts along with thousands of other plant extracts to determine new drugs for various diseases including HIV. The results showed that the plants patentiflorin A compound was superior than AZT in inhibiting the RT enzyme.

Patentiflorin A was able to inhibit the action of reverse transcriptase much more effectively than AZT, and was able to do this both in the earliest stages of HIV infection when the virus enters macrophage cells, and alter infection when it is present in T cells of the immune system. If we can make the drug in the lab, we dont need to establish farms to grow and harvest the plant, which requires significant financial investment, not to mention it has an environmental impact. Patentiflorin A represents a novel anti-HIV agent that can be added to the current anti-HIV drug cocktail regimens to increase suppression of the virus and prevention of AIDS, lead co-author Lijun Rong said in an article on the Medical News Today website.

Another plant also shows greater potency than HIV drugs

The study on willow-leaved justicia was only the most recent one in a vast number of research that have identified countless natural compounds that fend off HIV. For instance, a study published in 2008 revealed that a traditional Chinese herbal medicine called astragalus showed potential in treating the virus. As part of research, a team of health experts from the University of California Los Angeles examined the herbal medicine and found that it prevented the progressive shortening of telomeres.

The problem is that when were dealing with a virus that cant be totally eliminated from the body, such as HIV, the T-cells fighting that virus cant keep their telomerase turned on forever. They turn off, and telomeres get shorter and they enter this stage of replicative senescenceThis has the potential to be either added to or possibly even replace the HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), which is not tolerated well by some patients and is also costly, said co-author Rita Effros, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the UCLA AIDS Institute.

Sources include:

Sci-News.com

MedicalNewsToday.com

ScienceDaily.com

NaturalNews.com
Germany on Monday lent support to France's push to make operational a new multinational military force that will tackle Islamist militants in Africa's Sahel region and urged other powers to contribute funds at an Autumn donor conference.

On a joint visit to Niger's capital, Niamey, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and her French counterpart, Florence Parly, said the Sahel force was West Africa's best hope for defeating the militants.

Some observers see the G5 Sahel force  comprised of troops from Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad  as forming the basis of an eventual exit strategy for around 4,000 French troops deployed in the volatile region.

France has said it has no plans to withdraw them  a stance reiterated by Parly in Niamey.

"We need to find other European partners. Italy, Spain and others have already expressed an interest," the German minister said before leaving Niamey, where she announced the supply of military equipment to Niger.

Parly and Von der Leyen's trips are the latest show of tightening defense and security cooperation between Berlin and Paris since Emmanuel Macron became French president in May.In mid-July Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel unveiled plans on Thursday to develop a European fighter jet, burying past defense industry rivalries in a move designed to give fresh impetus to Franco-German relations.

Macron wants the roughly 5,000-strong Sahel force to be fully operational by the autumn.

Paris considers the Sahel a breeding ground for militants and traffickers who pose a threat to Europe. Yet the force faces obstacles, including financing, arms and training.

The European Union has pledged about 50 million euros ($59.20 million) and France has said it would contribute about 8 million euros by the end of the year. The force will cost between 400 and 500 million euros per year.

The ministers announced plans for a September donor conference in Berlin. French diplomats hope to bring Washington on board.

"We have to offer them a business model, which allows them to contribute money bilaterally, behind the scenes," one French diplomat said. "They want to cut funding for international organizations but have more flexibility when it comes to bilateral aid."

Parly met the presidents of Chad and Niger. She will travel on Tuesday to a French military base in the northern city of Gao in Mali before heading to Bamako where she will meet up with Von der Leyen again.

($1 = 0.8447 euros)
At least one other state offered Foxconn more than the $3 billion incentives package Wisconsin used to lure a plant that will be the electronics giant's first in the U.S., Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday.

Walker said "at least one if not several other states were prepared to give the Taiwan-based company more money, although the governor added "it wasn't a huge gap.'' He didn't indicate which state or states topped the offer or signal how he learned about it.

Foxconn also considered sites in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. The company said in a press release last week when it announced that Wisconsin had been selected that it was the first of several expected investments in the country.

The company is expected to invest $10 billion on the plant, which will produce liquid-crystal display panels that are used in televisions and computer screens, with the potential for 13,000 jobs created in southeastern Wisconsin.

Walker's comments came before he was set to meet privately with Republican state lawmakers as the GOP-controlled Legislature began its process for considering the tax break bill. A public hearing on the measure was expected later in the week, with votes in the Legislature as soon as next week.

The discussions over Foxconn are happening at the same time lawmakers are trying to reach a deal on a new two-year state budget, which is a month overdue. Walker said he wants "to see progress on the budget run parallel to'' the work on Foxconn. The incentives package needs to be finalized by September 30 and while the budget is late, state spending continues at current levels until there is a new deal.

The Foxconn bill includes $252 million in new borrowing backed by the state's general fund to pay for rebuilding Interstate 94, which connects Milwaukee to Chicago and would run near where the Foxconn plant is considering building. Road funding, including how much to borrow for projects like the I-94 work, has been the biggest snag in reaching a budget deal.

The state could only spend money from the borrowing if it receives additional federal money for the I-94 work, which Walker has previously said he would seek.

Concerns have been raised both about the cost to taxpayers and other provisions designed to accommodate Foxconn, like the waiving of numerous environmental permitting requirements and other regulations.

But Walker insisted Tuesday that the company still has "to abide by all the rules of the federal government in the same way they have to abide by the laws of the state.''

Foxconn plans to produce liquid-crystal display panels that are used in televisions and computer screens at a location in southeastern Wisconsin that's yet to be announced.
On the latest leg of his first official tour of Eastern Europe, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence assured regional allies the United States will stand by their side.

Facing a crowd of Georgian and international journalists at government offices in Tbilisi, Pence, standing alongside his host, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, said America first does not mean America alone.

President Trump has sent me with the simple message to you and to the people of Georgia, we are with you, we stand with you ... America stands with Georgia, said Pence.

The vice president came to Georgia, the only non-NATO member country on his itinerary, from Estonia, a model of a successful EU-leaning transformation, before heading to Montenegro, NATOs newest member.

Pence is the highest-ranking American official of the current administration to visit Georgia and the larger Caucasus region.

Thanks to your help, Georgia is no longer a Soviet or a post-Soviet country, said Kvirikashvili at Tuesdays joint press conference. Today we are a democracy closely associated with the European Union.

Kvirikashvilis comments, in which he touted Georgias role as a key strategic partner of America, come amid an ongoing partial Russian occupation.

About 60 kilometers from the news conference, Russian tank units maintain control over 20 percent of Georgian terrain, a holdover from the August 2008 five-day war.

Pence reiterated the U.S. non-recognition policy regarding the Russian-occupied zone, condemning Moscows presence on Georgian soil, what many observers describe as an evolving, creeping occupation.

President Trump has called on Russia to cease its destabilizing activities, Pence said, adding that President Donald Trump will soon sign sanctions against Russia.

Our country prefers a constructive relations with Russia, based on cooperation and common interest. But the president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia: a better relationship, lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse actions that caused sanctions to be imposed in the first place.

'Reset' jitters

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Georgia about a year after the 2008 war. Bidens visit came shortly after the Obama administrations reset policy with Russia, which caused concern among many Europeans that the United States would give Moscow a pass for its invasion of Georgia.

Years later, Russia annexed Crimea and destabilized Eastern Ukraine, which led the West to unilaterally impose sanctions on Russia.

Both Georgia and Ukraine are aspiring NATO members. Some observers argue Georgias 2008 war and Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea could have been avoided if those countries hadnt been denied Membership Action Plan status at NATOs Bucharest summit in April, 2008.

President Trump and I stand by the 2008 NATO Bucharest statement, which made it clear that Georgia, one day, will become a member of NATO, said Pence.

According to recent nationwide polls carried by National Democratic Institute, 66 percent of Georgias population approves of the governments stated goal to join NATO. Sixty-two percent of Georgians say the country should join the European Union. Both organizations are largely seen as security instruments that would protect Georgia independence and development.

2017 represents the 25th anniversary of U.S.-Georgian diplomatic relations.

George W. Bush is the only U.S. president who has visited Georgia, which he called a beacon of democracy.
Kenya's president took to social media to proclaim he was "deeply shocked and saddened" by killing of a senior election official ahead of next week's presidential vote.

Uhuru Kenyatta warned on Facebook and Twitter to urge that investigation into Christopher Msando's killing should be allowed to "proceed calmly,'' even as dozens of protesters marched to the electoral commission offices Tuesday in central Nairobi, demanding justice.

Msando was in charge of managing information technology systems at the electoral commission. He had publicly sought to reassure voters that the results of the August 8 election would not be tampered with.

He was found dead Monday after going missing Friday. According to the head of Kenya's electoral commission, Msando was tortured before he was killed.

The main opposition group has charged that Kenyatta wants to rig the upcoming election, an accusation the presidency has denied. The National Super Alliance called Msando's death an assassination and an attempt to disrupt the vote.

Anti-corruption campaigner John Githongo says Msando's killing was meant to derail the electoral process. "The timing of his torture and murder serves to undermine Kenya's elections management body at this most crucial time in the work of the IEBC [Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission]," Githongo said.

The U.S. and British diplomats in Kenya have expressed grave concern over Msando's death.

The U.S. and the U.K. are gravely concerned by the murder, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec and British High Commissioner Nic Hailey said in a joint statement from Nairobi. We have offered our assistance in the investigation.

Elections in Kenya are often fraught with accusations of fraud. A dispute over the outcome of a 2007 vote triggered two months of violence that left 1,100 people dead.

Last month, Kenyas main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, accused the IEBC of plotting to rig the election. The former prime minister, whos challenging incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta, has warned there may be violence if the electoral authority fails to ensure this years process is credible.

VOA's Mohammed Yusuf contributed to this report.
Malawi police have issued an arrest warrant for former president Joyce Banda, saying they wish to question her about her suspected involvement in the 2013 Cashgate corruption scandal.

The arrest warrant for Malawi's former president comes nearly four years after the Cashgate scandal first broke.

In 2013, a British auditing firm hired by the government discovered $32 million in government funds had been paid fraudulently to contractors, in particular private construction companies, for goods and services that were never delivered.

Ten people have been convicted of theft and money laundering, including the supposed ringleader, former ruling party official Oswald Lutepo. In all, about 70 people have been arrested.

Police say investigations have continued and they have unearthed credible evidence of the involvement of former president Joyce Banda and need to question her.

Malawi police spokesperson, James Kadadzera, spoke to VOA.

The evidence gathered raised reasonable suspicion that the former president committed offenses relating to abuse of office and money laundering, he said.

Kadadzera said Malawi police have notified all Interpol member countries of the arrest warrant.

The Cashgate scandal was a major blow to Bandas administration. Malawi temporarily lost much of its foreign aid, and Banda lost her bid for re-election in 2014. She had ascended to the presidency just two years earlier after her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, died in office. Banda was his VP.

Banda left the country to pursue personal business interests and is currently in the United States.

Banda's spokesperson Andekuche Chanthunya told VOA Banda is yet to be served with a warrant.

When we see the warrant and when we get that confirmation, she will make herself available to the police, said Chanthunya.

The timing of the arrest warrant has left some Malawians, like this business owner, asking  why now?

Issues to do with Joyce Banda being connected to the Cashgate have been there since she went out power. If the government is committed to arrest her, there were so much talks, evidence given in court during that time. It is much more political than the fight against corruption, said Lizinet Bandawe, a business owner in Blantyre.

In the wake of the Cashgate scandal, the current government pledged to crack down on corruption to reassure foreign donors.

In mid-July, police arrested former agriculture minister George Chaponda and two other individuals in connection to another scandal, known as Maizegate. They are accused of illegally procuring 100,000 tons of maize from neighboring Zambia.
U.S. Senator John McCain was back in Arizona on Monday to begin treatment for brain cancer, but his situation did not stop him from again slamming the Trump administration for having "no strategy for success in Afghanistan" more than six months after the presidential inauguration.

"When the Senate takes up the National Defense Authorization Act in September, I will offer an amendment based on the advice of some our best military leaders that will provide a strategy for success in achieving America's national interests in Afghanistan," McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement released Monday.

"Eight years of a 'don't lose' strategy has cost us lives and treasure in Afghanistan," the Republican added. "Our troops deserve better."

Defense Secretary James Mattis had promised to deliver to Congress a strategy by mid-July, yet no finished strategy has materialized. The administration is still debating a plan that could send up to 5,000 more American troops to Afghanistan, where the U.S. has been fighting the Taliban since 2001.
Brazilian engineering company Odebrecht agreed to pay $220 million in fines and will cooperate with investigators probing bribes of Panamanian officials, the Central American country's attorney general said on Tuesday.

The fine included $100 million for using the banking system for illicit activities, said Panama's attorney general, Kenia Porcell.

"This is a clear message to all that you can not use Panamanian banks to realize acts of money laundering," Porcell told a news conference.

Representatives of Odebrecht Panama were not immediately available for comment.

Odebrecht allegedly paid hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes in association with infrastructure projects in 12 countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and Panama between 2002 and 2016.

Panamanian officials are investigating 43 people related to projects contracted during the last three presidential administrations. Authorities have frozen $56 million in assets in Switzerland and Andorra in relation to the probe.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says diplomatic actions taken by Russian in response to fresh sanctions will not deter U.S. commitment to its security and that of its allies.

Speaking Tuesday during a visit to Georgia, Pence said the sanctions bill President Donald Trump will soon sign sends a "very clear message" that with Russia's activities in Ukraine and its support for Iran and Syria, its "posture has to change."

Congress overwhelmingly passed the sanctions bill punishing Russia for interference in the 2016 U.S. election, while also imposing new measures on Iran and North Korea. Russia responded by ordering the U.S. to cut its overall staff of more than 1,200 in Russia by 755 people.

"The president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia: a better relationship, the lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse the actions that required sanctions to be imposed in the first place," Pence said.

Pence is on a multi-nation tour meant to show U.S. support for its allies in the region.

He said after a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Tbilisi that the United States will work with Georgia to counter Russian aggression and "seek a peaceful resolution" that restores the country's internationally recognized borders.

In 2008, Russia intervened militarily in Georgia, and later recognized the breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. A few other countries also recognize that independence, though the vast majority of nations consider the areas still as part of Georgia.

"The United States supports Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and under President Donald Trump the United States of America will reject any claim at any time by any nation that undermines this enduring principle," Pence said.

The vice president is also traveling Tuesday to Montenegro, NATO's newest member.

No response yet to Putin

Russia's retaliation for the U.S. sanctions is believed to be the single largest cut ever imposed on the U.S. embassy in Moscow and consulates elsewhere in Russia, although many of those to be dismissed are likely Russians working in support positions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the cuts would leave both Russia and the U.S. with the same number of staff and diplomats in Washington and Moscow, respectively - 455.

President Donald Trump has been silent on the issue since Putin announced his action. Asked about this Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, "Right now we are reviewing our options, and when we have something to say on it we will let you know."

The U.S. State Department said the order to reduce the number of American diplomats in Russia was "a regrettable and uncalled for act." A spokesman said U.S. officials are assessing how to respond to Putin.

A Russian analyst, Nikolai Petrov of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, said the move reflects the Kremlin's disillusionment with President Trump: "These measures are tough, and it is linked to a deep disappointment that came after the euphoria linked to the arrival of Donald Trump [to power], and to the idea that today we will start our relations anew."

Another Russian analyst, Gleb Pavlovsky, said a return to Cold War-era hostilities with the U.S. will only boost Putins popularity at home ahead of another likely bid for the Russian presidency next year.

Pavlovsky, a former political consultant for the Kremlin who is now president of the Foundation for Effective Politics in Moscow, explained how U.S. efforts to "punish" Putin may have the opposite effect: "American sanctions naturally are causing a definite mass reaction [in Russia] - an anti-American, pro-Putin reaction." If Putin wished, Pavlovsky added, he could make the American sanctions the centerpiece of his re-election campaign next year.

Russians will feel cutback

Other experts say the vital work of the U.S. embassy in Moscow will continue despite the massive cuts. Steven Pifer, a former U.S. diplomat now with the Brookings Institution, told VOA that Russians also may discover some unintended consequences of their president's crackdown on U.S. diplomacy.

"My assumption is hundreds of Russians are going to lose their jobs now," Pifer said. "And when youre looking at priority functions of the embassy, you know, visa functions are important but theyre not as important as other functions. So my guess is that those Russians [who] want to travel to the United States are going to find that visa processing is going to take longer than usual because of reduced staff in the consular section."

Pifer was assigned to the U.S. embassy in Moscow in 1986, at a time when there were several back-and-forth expulsions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. He later served on the National Security Council under former President Bill Clinton, and was ambassador to Ukraine from 1998-2000.

During his time in the Russian capital, Pifer said, American staff were called upon for "all-purpose duty" at times when Russian support staff were unavailable for political reasons.

"So, five or six days out of every seven, I would work on my normal portfolio, which is arms control," Pifer recalled. "And then one day, Id drive a truck. And the embassy got by. There was actually this incredible spirit in the embassy that we were going to show the Soviets that this kind of action was not going to cramp the embassy."

Pifer said he expects the same determined spirit from U.S. embassy personnel now.
Several dozen protesters marched to the electoral commission offices Tuesday in central Nairobi, demanding justice for election official Chris Msando.

Msando was found dead Monday after going missing Friday. According to the head of Kenya's electoral commission, Msando was tortured before he was killed.

Anti-corruption campaigner John Githongo says Msando's killing was meant to derail the electoral process.

"The timing of his torture and murder serves to undermine Kenya's elections management body at this most crucial time in the work of the IEBC [Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission]," Githongo said.

The nationwide vote is one week away, and the organization of the elections has been a source of tension during the past year. Msando was to oversee the use of biometric voter technology.

Kenya Human Rights Commission Executive Director George Kegoro helped organize the march.

"Even as the investigation gets on its way, we remind the state of its duty to take whatever necessary measures it finds possible to secure the safety of IEBC commissioners and all its staff," Kegoro said. "An intimidated and fearful staff cannot fully deliver its mandate or respect its oath to act without fear or favor in carrying out their important responsibilities  [as] entrusted by the citizens of Kenya."

Political parties on both sides have condemned Msando's killing.

The ruling Jubilee coalition issued a statement urging police to investigate, while one of the leaders of the main opposition alliance, Musalia Mudavadi, spoke to reporters.

"Chris [Msando], on television last week, assured Kenyans that they need not worry about the Kenya Integrated Electronic [Elections] Management System [KIEMS], as he was sure it would work," Mudavadi said. "That no effort was made to camouflage this killing as an accident shows the determination of the killers to send a chilling message that they will stop at nothing to ensure the outcome that they desire."

Electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati met with protesters and said the commission is determined to do its job.

"We are mourning with the family, we are mourning with the IEBC family, but this country is bigger than all of us [and] we have a mandate to deliver to the Kenyan people," Chebukati said.

Kenya's inspector general of police called Msando's killing "a crime of grave proportions" and said a team has been assembled to follow what he called "several crucial leads" to bring the murderers to justice. The United States and Britain have offered to assist Kenya in the investigation.
Qatar filed a wide-ranging legal complaint at the World Trade Organization on Monday to challenge a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, the director of Qatar's WTO office, Ali Alwaleed al-Thani, told Reuters.

By formally "requesting consultations" with the three countries, the first step in a trade dispute, Qatar triggered a 60-day deadline for them to settle the complaint or face litigation at the WTO and potential retaliatory trade sanctions.

"We've given sufficient time to hear the legal explanations on how these measures are in compliance with their commitments, to no satisfactory result," al-Thani said.

"We have always called for dialogue, for negotiations, and this is part of our strategy to talk to the members concerned and to gain more information on these measures, the legality of these measures, and to find a solution to resolve the dispute."

The boycotting states cut ties with Qatar  a major global gas supplier and host to the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East  on June 5, accusing it of financing militant groups in Syria, and allying with Iran, their regional foe. Doha denies these allegations.

The boycotting countries have previously told the WTO that they would cite national security to justify their actions against Qatar, using a controversial and almost unprecedented exemption allowed under the WTO rules.

They said on Sunday they were ready for talks to tackle the dispute, the worst rift between Gulf Arab states in years, if Doha showed willingness to deal with their demands.

The text of Qatar's WTO complaint cites "coercive attempts at economic isolation" and spells out how they are impeding Qatar's rights in the trade in goods, trade in services and intellectual property.

The complaints against Saudi Arabia and the UAE run to eight pages each, while the document on Bahrain is six pages.

No reaction

There was no immediate reaction from the three to Qatar's complaint, which is likely to be circulated at the WTO later this week.

The disputed trade restrictions include bans on trade through Qatar's ports and travel by Qatari citizens, blockages of Qatari digital services and websites, closure of maritime borders and prohibition of flights operated by Qatari aircraft.

The complaint does not put a value on the trade boycott, and al-Thani declined to estimate how much Qatar could seek in sanctions if the litigation ever reached that stage, which can take two to five years or longer in the WTO system.

"We remain hopeful that the consultations could bear fruit in resolving this," he said.

The WTO suit does not include Egypt, the fourth country involved in the boycott. Although it has also cut travel and diplomatic ties with Qatar, Egypt did not expel Qatari citizens or ask Egyptians to leave Qatar.

Al-Thani declined to explain why Egypt was not included.

"Obviously all options are available. But we have not raised a consultation request with Egypt yet," he said.

In its WTO case, Qatar would also draw attention to the impact the boycott was having on other WTO members, he added.

Many trade diplomats say that using national security as a defense risks weakening the WTO by removing a taboo that could enable countries to escape international trade obligations.

Al-Thani said governments had wide discretion to invoke the national security defense but it had to be subject to oversight: "If it is self-regulating, that is a danger to the entire multilateral trading system itself. And we believe the WTO will take that into consideration."

Aviation group

Qatar also raised the boycott at a meeting of the U.N. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Monday, al-Thani said.

In comments to Qatar-based Al Jazeera television later Monday, Qatar's transport and information minister said the boycotting countries had discriminated against Doha in violation of an international agreement guaranteeing overflights.

"These countries have used this right arbitrarily and imposed it on aircraft registered only in the \state of Qatar," Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti said.

Qatar in June asked Montreal-based ICAO to resolve the conflict, using a dispute resolution mechanism in the Chicago Convention, a 1944 treaty that created the agency and set basic rules for international aviation.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain said Sunday that they would allow Qatari planes to use air corridors in emergencies.
A new Human Rights Watch report accuses nine leaders in both of South Sudans warring parties of committing serious rights violations and possibly war crimes during 2016 and 2017.

It recommends placing sanctions on all nine men, including President Salva Kiir, former First Vice President Riek Machar, and former army chief of staff Paul Malong.

Jehanne Henry of Human Rights Watchs Africa division, says that based on HRW's research, the leaders are implicated in abusive operations across the country.



We have come to the conclusion now after almost four years of conflict in South Sudan, that there is mounting evidence of the role of key commanders in the ongoing atrocities," Henry told VOA's South Sudan in Focus.

"There are two components to it. First is overseeing troops that are committing these atrocities, which gives a certain liability to the top commanders. But the second is failing to prevent them or stop them, she said.

HRW is also recommending sanctions on South Sudanese army Lieutenant General Bol Akot, and General Johnson Olony, an opposition commander who allegedly recruited child soldiers in the Upper Nile region.



The rights group has long called for an arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions against top leaders in the government and opposition forces.

Six individuals are already on the U.N. sanctions list, which includes a travel ban and an assets freeze.

Alleged ethnic killings

Tuesdays report focused on civilian testimony from KajoKeji in the former Central Equatoria state as well as Pajok in neighboring Eastern Equatoria state, involving events between June 2016 and this past May.

The report said government soldiers committed serious crimes against civilians on the basis of their ethnicity. Witnesses described at least 47 unlawful killings by government soldiers in KajoKeji, telling researchers they saw soldiers enter the homes of neighbors, and shoot and kill the elderly and people with disabilities.

Henry said researchers believe the number of cases is actually much higher.

People are very afraid to remain and even to go back. We met with refugees living in the settlements in northern Uganda and they almost all said that they were afraid to return home and those few who did were collecting food or for guarding their livestock reported facing various types of dangers as well, Henry said.

Denials

Kiirs spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny denies the president or his generals bear any responsibility for the crimes documented in the report.

There are a number of individual violations that may happen, individuals may take laws into their hands but that doesnt mean that the government has a policy of killing the civilians, Ateny said.

The report said government soldiers deployed to fight rebels in counter insurgency operations committed many crimes against civilians including arbitrary detention, torture, and enforced disappearances.

General Oyet Nathaniel, the SPLA-In Opposition designated governor of Imatong State, denied Riek Machar bears any responsibility for the rights violations described in the report.

Our chairman Dr. Riek Machar is innocent. He is a victim of human rights [violations] himself. He cannot be sanctioned together with perpetrators of human rights [abuses]. It is Salva Kiir and his government that deserve sanctions because they blocked the peace agreement, Nathaniel said.

In January, a report by the Office of the High Commissioner and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan said during the renewed violence in Juba that erupted a little over a year ago, both government and rebels committed serious human rights violations and abuses, and violations of international humanitarian law, some possibly amounting to war crimes.



Human Rights Watch reiterated the commissions mandate to collect and preserve evidence that can be used to prosecute those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in fair and credible trials.



Under the Obama administration, a U.S.-backed U.N. resolution to enact an arms embargo and sanctions on South Sudan failed in December. Russia, China and 6 other Security Council members abstained from voting, effectively killing the resolution.



In April, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Hayley urged the Security Council to impose an arms embargo and additional sanctions on South Sudan.
Iran successfully launched a satellite-carrying rocket into space on Thursday, the country's state media reported without elaborating.



Iranian state television described the launch as involving a "Simorgh" rocket that is capable of carrying a satellite weighing 250 kilograms (550 pounds). The state media report did not elaborate on the rocket's payload.



"Simorgh" means "phoenix" in Farsi.



The website YJC.ir, which is affiliated with Iranian state television, as well as the semi-official Fars news agency, also reported the launch on Thursday, saying it was successful.



The launch comes as the United States has criticized Iran's ballistic missile tests.



Such tests are allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran struck with world powers. However, American officials argue that they violate the spirit of the accord that saw the Islamic Republic limit its uranium enrichment program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.



Iran has pursued a satellite launch program for years. The U.S. and its allies worry that the same technology could be used to develop long-range missiles.



The country has sent several dummy satellites into orbit over the past decade, and in 2013 launched a monkey into space. But it recently abandoned plans to potentially send humans into orbit, saying in late May that the cost of doing so was prohibitive.



Iran's satellite-launch program falls under the responsibility of the defense ministry, which has denied that the space program is a cover for weapons development.



The head of Iran's space agency in October expressed for the first time interest in cooperating with NASA. Iran has offered to share its scientific findings and satellite data with other countries.



In February 2015, Iran announced the launch of a satellite atop a different type of rocket, known as Fajr. That launch happened while Iran was negotiating the nuclear deal.
America's top envoy is sending a message to North Korea that "we are not your enemy," while the White House continues to assert that all options remain on the table to halt Pyongyang's ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.

During a rare appearance at a State Department media briefing Tuesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States does not "seek regime change, we do not seek a collapse of the regime, we do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, we do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th Parallel."

WATCH: Tillerson on US-North Korea relations



Despite what Tillerson termed North Korea's "unacceptable threat" to the U.S., "we hope that at some point they will begin to understand that and we would like to sit and have a dialogue with them."

But James Kim, a research fellow at the Seoul-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies, says Pyongyang's continued ICBM testing underscores its rejection of the U.S. approach..

"Until North Korea agrees to sit down under the terms laid out by the United States," Kim told VOA's Victor Beattie, "to first, freeze and then to eventually denuclearize, then I believe the talks will be a difficult proposition for the United States."

Patience in growing thin, however, among some U.S. lawmakers.

Senator Lindsay Graham, a Republican member of the armed services committee, told reporters on Tuesday that "a war with North Korea would be devastating to the region, but it may be the only way to stop their missile program."

Earlier in the day, Graham said during a U.S. television appearance (NBCs Today) President Donald Trump has told him, There will be a war with North Korea over their missile program if they continue trying to hit America with an ICBM.

Graham quoted Trump as saying, "if thousands die, theyre going to die over there.



Asked about Grahams comments, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders initially repeated a statement the administration has used frequently in the past, All options are on the table.



She was then specifically asked whether destroying the country, like Lindsay Graham says, is an option," and replied, Thats not what Im saying.

Sanders said the president has been very outspoken about the need to stop North Korea. Weve been very focused on stopping the nuclear program, stopping the missiles, stopping the aggression.

'False sense of urgency'

Even talk about the possibility of a first military strike on North Korea is alarming some analysts.



It would also result in millions of casualties and trillions of dollars in economic damage, perhaps triggering a worldwide depression, said Joel Wit, senior fellow at the U.S.-Korea Institute at the School of Advanced International Studies, part of Johns Hopkins University.

"Given those consequences, we have to seriously ask ourselves: Have we exhausted all possible options for dealing with the North including dialogue and diplomacy? The answer is no," Wit tells VOA.

Frank Jannuzi, president and CEO of the Mansfield Foundation, agreed, saying the idea that they cant be deterred is fueled by the assumption the North Koreans are crazy, which they are not. They are rational actors.



If eliminating Kim Jong Uns regime is the goal that indeed might require full-scale war, according to Georgetown University Adjunct Assistant Professor Balbina Hwang. And I doubt anyone in the Trump administration is remotely ready, at this time, to pursue any such a course of action, Hwang told VOA.



This is a classic example of false sense of urgency. Its how we got into the Iraq war, Jannuzi tells VOA. For the last 11 years the North Koreans have had a nuclear weapon and could have put it on a freighter and sailed it into Long Beach [California] harbor.
Three days before the presidential election in Rwanda, the country's electoral commission says it is not bothered by people who suggest the outcome is a fait accompli.



"It is not a foregone conclusion and we are not wasting money," said the commission's executive secretary, Charles Munyaneza, in an exclusive interview with VOA's Central Africa service.



"We are not bothered as a commission and I also think Rwandans are also not bothered," he said. "... We are running elections, we are spending money because we want to build a system we have started as Rwandans."



At campaign stops, President Paul Kagame's supporters have been heard saying the election is over and they are simply waiting to show their approval on Election Day.



Kagame is widely expected to score an easy victory in the Friday vote. Neither of his challengers  Frank Habineza of the Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana  has a large base of support nor has attracted large crowds during the campaign.And Kagame won at least 93 percent of the vote in the last two presidential elections.



Under his rule, Rwanda has enjoyed a decline in poverty and steady economic growth based on agriculture, construction, mining and tourism, although human rights groups accuse the president of continually suppressing dissent.



In Northern Province, where Kagame campaigned Tuesday, he told a gathering of more than 100,000 people that election time used to be about insecurity and killings but now they happen in an atmosphere of safety.



"We used to have politics that divided people and impoverished people. We were told that is the democracy we deserved," said Kagame.



He urged residents of Gicumbi District not to accept what he called "useless lessons."



The commission announced Tuesday it has finished dispatching voting materials, including ballot papers, voter lists and electoral ink to districts across the country and to Rwandan embassies all over the world.



More than 6.9 million Rwandans have registered to take part in the third post-genocide election. The number of new voters has increased by 1.7 million people since the last poll in 2010. Women make up the majority of registered voters at 54 percent.



The European Union announced earlier this year that it would not send observers to Rwanda; however, Munyaneza said most of the EU member countries will be represented.



"What they have not done is send observers from Europe," Munyaneza said. "We have accredited observers from each and every European embassy accredited in Rwanda."



Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. local time on Friday.



"We hope to announce at least 70 percent of the results on election night," he said.
Being a journalist in Somalia carries both risk and reward. The risk comes from al-Shabab militants and other armed groups who have killed at least 26 reporters in the last five years, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The reward is having a job with one of the many independent media outlets that have sprung up despite chronic violence and the absence of any journalism schools in Somalia.

Somalia's National University is trying to fill the education void by reopening its journalism school for the first time in 26 years. The Faculty of Journalism and Communication Science could begin classes as early as next month, instructing up to 60 students.

Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire addressed  and challenged  prospective students at a relaunch ceremony Tuesday in Mogadishu.

"The first students who will have the opportunity to attend this faculty will get the chance to be part of the Somali history," Khaire said. "You will have to write a new history for the Somali people, and be part of the rebuilding of the country."

Khaire said he hopes graduates will provide "healthy reporting" about Somalia. He said journalists are required to be truthful and to base their work on facts, even if their reporting is not beneficial to the country.

Facing death, restrictions

Somali journalists face a uniquely challenging environment. Covering the frequent ambushes, bombings and suicide attacks by al-Shabab exposes them to danger, especially in Mogadishu.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has recorded the killing of 62 journalists since 1992.

On top of that, parliament passed a media law that requires working reporters to have a journalism degree  a difficult document to obtain in a country without journalism schools.

After an outcry, the government now says it will recognize all practicing journalists as media professionals. Human Rights Watch welcomed the move, but says a proposed revision to the media law still gives the government power to control news organizations.

HRW says the draft law has "vague and overbroad restrictions," including a ban on "propaganda against the dignity of a citizen, individuals or government institutions."

The rights group wants the draft revised again to make sure it reflects a commitment to promote free and vibrant media.

Pathway to a good living

National University's old journalism school ceased operations in 1991 following the collapse of the government and the start of Somalia's civil war.

Soon after the war began, however, the first independent newspapers popped up in Mogadishu, with as many as dozens in 1991 alone. Today, a variety of TV, radio and news outlets cover major events in the country, competing with large, well-funded international media organizations.

Working for local media, journalists can earn up to $500 per month, which is a decent living in Somalia. If they get hired by a large news agency such as Reuters or The Associated Press, they can make up to four times as much.

Many current Somali journalists graduated only from high school, with any further education coming from the so-called school of experience.

National University hopes to change that, offering broadcast and print journalism classes that provide both theoretical teaching and practical training.

The head of the school, Abdulkadir Mohamed Dhi'isow, told VOA Somali that the first few months of the course will focus on improving the language and writing skills of the students.

"We expect the demand to be high," he said.
Spain's National Court has recommended the extradition to the United States of a Russian computer programmer accused by U.S. prosecutors of developing malicious software that stole information from financial institutions and caused losses of $855,000.

Stanislav Lisov, 31, was arrested January 13 in the Barcelona Airport while on honeymoon in Europe. Prosecutors accuse him of developing the NeverQuest software that targeted banking clients in the United States between June 2012 and January 2015.

The Spanish court said Tuesday that Lisov could face up to 25 years in prison for conspiracy to commit electronic and computer fraud. The extradition hearing took place July 20.

The court said its ruling can be appealed by Lisov.

The extradition, if finally decided upon, must be approved by the government.
At least two heavily armed suicide bombers have attacked a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in western Afghanistan, killing at least 29 worshippers and wounding 40 others.



The assault took place Tuesday night in the city of Herat, bordering Iran.

Doctors confirmed the death toll to VOA and said they expected it to increase.



Afghan media quoted local officials and witnesses as saying the incident began with one assailant blowing himself up outside the mosque, while another stormed the building and opened fire.



An Interior Ministry spokesman confirmed the attack occurred, but did not provide further details.



Residents say at least 1,000 people were inside the mosque attending a special religious ceremony.



There were no immediate claims of responsibility.



Islamic State has claimed previous attacks on Shi'ite places of worship and rallies in Afghanistan. Tuesday's suicide attack came a day after four suicide bombers stormed Iraq's embassy in Kabul.



IS took credit for plotting Monday's violence that Afghan officials said wounded six people.



The nearly four-hour-long siege ended after Afghan forces gunned down three attackers. A fourth one blew himself up at the start of the raid.



The Iraqi ambassador, along with other diplomatic staff, also were safely rescued.
People identify so-called Islamic State (IS) and climate change as the most pressing global threats of 2017, according to a Pew Research Center survey published Tuesday.

The survey asked people in 38 countries about eight possible threats  IS, climate change, cyberattacks, the global economy, and the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crisis  as well as U.S., Russian or Chinese power and influence.



IS and climate change are identified as major threats by about 60 percent of those surveyed.



Pew said IS was named the top threat in 18 countries, most of them concentrated in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia  places that have experienced frequent terror attacks in the past year.



Climate change is identified as the leading threat in 13 countries, many from Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa. In Europe and Asia climate change is widely viewed as the second most pressing global threat.



In the United States, only 56 percent see climate change as a major issue, according to the poll.



Pew identifies a stark ideological divide in the U.S. on climate change, with 86 percent of liberals seeing it as a major threat versus only 31 percent of conservatives saying so. A similar right-left divide also exists in Canada, the Netherlands, Britain, Sweden, and Germany, although not to the same degree.

Cyberattacks and the condition of the global economy are also identified as major threats to national security by 51 percent of those surveyed.



In Spain and Greece, countries long mired in economic crises, 72 and 88 percent of respondents identify the global economy as a major threat to national security.



Widespread concerns over cyberattacks from other countries are mainly clustered in countries like the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Britain where large cyberattacks have taken place in recent months.



In the U.S., 47 percent of respondents list Russia as a major threat over concerns that Russia interfered in the America's 2016 presidential election linger.



Meanwhile, the poll shows a surge in global concerns about U.S. power. About 38 percent see the U.S. as a threat to global security, up from only 25 percent in 2013  the last time a similar survey was conducted by Pew.



In Turkey, 72 percent of respondents list the U.S. as a major threat. Turkey has accused U.S. based cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating last year's failed coup, allegations that Gulen has denied.



China's power and influence is rated the top concern in South Korea and Vietnam, and concerns about Russian aggression are highest in Poland.



The report notes, however, that global concerns about Russia, China, and the U.S. remain far lower than the other five threats.



"It's worth noting that worries about all three countries trail concerns about other tested threats," the report said. "People are much more likely to feel threatened by ISIS and climate change, in particular, but also by the condition of the global economy, cyberattacks and refugees from countries like Iraq and Syria."
Syria's government says Saudi authorities continue to place restrictions on Syrian citizens looking to take part in this year's hajj, accusing the kingdom of politicizing the annual Muslim pilgrimage.

Tuesday's statement from the Ministry of Religious Endowments criticized what it described as Riyadh's political and financial exploitation of the pilgrimage.

Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with President Bashar Assad's government and since 2012 requires Syrians seeking to make the hajj to obtain visas in third countries through the Syrian High Hajj Committee, which is controlled by the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political group.

The statement, carried by Syria's Arab News Agency or SANA, says the right to perform pilgrimage is being politicized by Saudi authorities.
An attempted escape from a Moscow courthouse has left three gang members dead, authorities said Tuesday.



Russia's Investigative Committee said the ill-fated incident occurred at the Moscow Regional Court as the defendants were being escorted under guard in an elevator. Officials say a suspect attacked one of the guards and tried to strangle him before the defendants seized the weapons from the guards.



A shootout with court guards erupted once the elevator doors opened, leaving three of the suspects dead and two wounded. At least two guards also were injured, authorities said.



The trouble happened prior to a hearing for the defendants, who are accused of killing 17 motorists over the course of a few months in 2014.



Prosecutors said the men would lay spike strips across roads as cars were driving by, popping the tires and forcing the drivers to exit their vehicles.



When the drivers left their cars, the gang, totaling nine members, would shoot them dead, investigators said.
Nearly 500 people suspected of involvement in an unsuccessful coup attempt in Turkey last year went on trial Tuesday, where they face the prospect of the death penalty if found guilty.

Those on trial Tuesday include top Army generals and pilots who are accused of directing the coup and bombing government buildings. They face charges that include murder and attempting to overthrow the government.

The main defendant named in the case is the U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, whom has been blamed of masterminding the coup attempt. He has denied any involvement and is being tried in absentia.

The trial is expected to last at least a month and comes amidst a massive post-coup crackdown that has seen more than 100,000 government workers fired and the imprisonment of around 50,000 people.

Protesters lined the street outside the courthouse as a group of 41 defendants were made to march there from the jail where they were being held.

A total of 461 suspects are currently being held in jail, while another 18 have been freed while they await trial. Seven others, including Gulen, are being tried in absentia as the Turkish government works to track them down.
U.S. President Donald Trumps White House is under new management. Retired Marine Corps General John Kelly has taken over as White House chief of staff after serving as the secretary for Homeland Security. Trump supporters and critics alike are wondering if Kelly, who was sworn in on Monday, can bring a sense of order to a White House that has been rocked by turmoil in recent weeks.

He will do a spectacular job, I have no doubt, as chief of staff, Trump said as he sat next to Kelly in the Oval Office. Trump later told a Cabinet meeting that Kellys appointment will get his administration back on track. It is all about making America great again."

Kelly replaces Reince Priebus, who clashed with the presidents then-communications chief, Anthony Scaramucci. After fewer than two weeks working at the White House, Scaramucci was fired on Kellys first day on the job, a move seen as a signal that Kelly is serious about ending months of White House infighting and instituting some order and discipline in how the senior staff goes about its business.

Empowering Kelly

Analysts and staffing experts believe Kellys appointment potentially could turn out to be a positive development.

You cant run the White House the way you run a Manhattan family real estate firm, with a whole bunch of advisers coming and going and no chain of command and nobody empowered to carry out your agenda, said author Chris Whipple on a recent edition of VOAs Press Conference USA.

Whipple is the author of The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency. He said that historically, the most effective chiefs of staff were empowered by the president they served.

Every president learns, often the hard way, that you cannot govern effectively without empowering your White House chief of staff as first among equals in the White House to do a whole host of things, Whipple told show host Carol Castiel. But most importantly, to execute your agenda and to tell you what you dont want to hear.

WATCH: Trump Turns to Kelly to Take Control

Seeking a Turnaround

The president maintained in a Monday tweet that there was no chaos at the White House; but, during his first six months in office, Trump has been plagued by low poll ratings, the Russia investigation and a stalled congressional agenda that includes the recent health care defeat in the Senate.

A new Morning Consult/Politico poll found that only 10 percent of the voters surveyed believe that the administration is running very well. Sixty percent of those polled said the Trump White House was running either very chaotically or somewhat chaotically."

Despite the weak polls, Trump continues to diligently court his political base, and many remain loyal.

We just need to support President Trump. He is doing the best he can, said a Trump supporter in Youngstown, Ohio.

A Tizzy over Twitter

Some analysts suggest Kelly may try to rein in the president, especially his habit of venting on Twitter; but, on Tuesday, the president tweeted that he sees it as the only way for me to get the truth out. Trump said the only ones who wanted him to quit social media were the Fake News Media and Trump enemies.

Trying to break the president of his Twitter habit could be a real challenge.

President Trump feels he can get directly to the American public and share his thoughts, said Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress. But he doesnt quite grasp the many unintended consequences, legal and political, that those statements may have.

Some analysts note that the presidents approval rating improves slightly when he stays off Twitter.

If he could ever sort of discover some tranquility, I suspect that the public might be a little more forgiving of him, but that has not happened a whole lot during his presidency, said University of Virginia analyst Kyle Kondik.

Kellys appointment comes a time when even some Republicans are expressing alarm about the course of the Trump presidency. Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Karl Rove, former President George W. Bushs top political strategist, argued that Trump's recent criticism of Attorney General Jeff Sessions was unfair and stupid.

Rove warned that if Trump continued his self-destructive behavior, he could blast his presidency to bits before the end of the year.

Kelly now joins Trump in the public spotlight as the 45th president looks to regain his political footing after a difficult first six months.
After the prominent lawyer U Ko Ni was gunned down in broad daylight as he departed Yangons airport on January 29, authorities moved quickly, arresting four suspects and later holding a rare news conference to share details about the investigation.

Senior law enforcement officials attributed the motive to extreme patriotism, saying the suspects felt resentful over Ko Nis political work, leading many to believe the lawyers efforts to amend the 2008 military-drafted constitution had inspired the plot.

Big questions loom

But six months after the assassination, as the trial drags on in Yangon and the alleged mastermind remains at large, there are more questions than answers, raising concerns whether justice will be done.

The fundamental question that many are starting to ask is, 'Do the police really want to find any additional culprits? Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia Division, said in an email. Right now, it appears that the investigation is deliberately spinning its wheels and the situation will get worse if something urgently is not done.

The defendants in custody include the alleged shooter Kyi Lin, who is also accused of killing taxi driver Nay Win before being apprehended at the airport, and Aung Win Zaw, Zeya Phyo and Aung Win Tun.

The fifth suspect, Aung Win Khaing, is still on the run. The government believes he organized the plan with his brother Aung Win Zaw and Zeya Phyo. Aung Win Tun is accused of harboring one of the suspects.

Questions for the army

While no one is accusing the military of direct involvement, the case raises uncomfortable questions for the institution, known as the Tatmadaw in Burmese.

Ko Ni was a legal adviser to Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy, which at the time of his death had been in power less than a year after winning historic elections in 2015, jolting Myanmar out of decades of military rule. But the 2008 constitution that Ko Ni was working to change ensures the military retains parliamentary power even under a civilian government by reserving 25 percent of seats for Tatmadaw-appointed MPs.

Aung Win Khaing, the missing fifth suspect, was last seen in the capital, Naypyitaw, almost two weeks after the assassination. At least three of the suspects, including Aung Win Khaing, are retired army officials.

The authorities have put forward the theory that disgruntled plotters may have wanted to create friction between the military and Suu Kyis newly-elected government amid a delicate transition.

We have to think about a lot of things, Minister of Home Affairs Lt. General Kyaw Swe was quoted as saying at the briefing in late February. Why are the suspected conspirators former army officers? Was this an attempt to cause discord between the military and the government?



Officials did not respond to requests for additional comment.



Religious connection

There are a few facts surrounding the case that observers say are being glossed over.

Ko Ni was not only a prominent lawyer, he was a prominent member of the country's Muslim community, which has faced increased persecution in recent years in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Many people believe his faith was at least a partial motive, making him an easier target.

There also remains to be heard the full narrative from the side of the defendants, which may differ from the government's version as the case proceeds.

But it is the elusive Aung Win Khaing who has loomed largest over the case. I think authorities should try to capture the fugitive, prosecuting attorney Nay La said.

Authorities say they have tried, telling reporters they distributed images of him to nearby countries and issued an INTERPOL red notice.

Nay La said 11 witnesses have testified since hearings began in March, and 70 more are on the list, promising a long trial.

Meanwhile, the families of Ko Ni and taxi driver Nay Win, who was killed trying to pursue the suspected shooter, wait for answers.

It's good to have the truth in the case as soon as possible, then it will be good for both of us, said Su Thet Khine, 31, Nay Wins widow. If we finish the case, we can all see the rule of law in the country."
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has called an emergency meeting this Wednesday in South Africa of all countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Aid workers are concerned what this could mean for food security in the region, where a fall armyworm invasion and drought have decimated crops in recent years.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says besides Zimbabwe, the other countries in the region hit by the avian influenza outbreak are the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa.

While officials havent released figures for the numbers of birds affected, the FAO said the outbreak is currently concentrated in one province of Zimbabwe and three in South Africa. Earlier this year, the FAO issued a warning to the SADC regional bloc, after the virus was detected in the Lake Victoria area in East Africa.

David Phiri, the head of FAO in Southern Africa, told VOA it is urgent to contain the outbreak.

Avian influenza is a trans-boundary pest and disease, and it can move from one country to another, from one site to another. So there is a possibility, very easily that it could spread in those particular countries or even beyond the borders. For this reason, we need to control it and to also ensure that there is also prevention measures  both by the countries affected and other countries that have not been affected."

"Poultry is what a lot of families depend on for protein. It is the cheapest protein. It [The outbreak] is also coming in the backdrop of two years of heavy droughts, last being affected by El Nino. That was a disaster itself for the sub-region. More recently, we have had an outbreak of fall armyworm which has affected some farmers very, very badly. So we cannot afford another very serious outbreak that could reduce food security and livelihoods in the sub-region, he said.

Dr. Unesu Ushewokunze-Obatolu, chief veterinary officer of the Zimbabwe Ministry of Agriculture, has this advice for farmers.

Just make sure that birds that are produced do not have contact with anything from outside that is not well-managed. Sometimes in traditional systems, people receive poultry as gifts and they put it among the poultry that they are having at home. That is very dangerous. Normally, some of these viruses can cause diseases in people, but this one is a bit different. That gives a bit of joy, but it is not easy to deal with because it spreads very quickly and it kills birds. So those doing businesses with high numbers of birds are very, very susceptible, said Obatolu.

In recent years, African countries have responded to avian flu outbreaks by closing their borders to poultry imports and culling large numbers of exposed birds.
U.S. senators renewed calls on Tuesday for President Donald Trump to promptly sign sweeping sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea that both houses of Congress overwhelmingly approved last week.

The White House has repeatedly indicated the presidents intention to sign the legislation into law, but no date has been set nor has a signing ceremony been announced for a bill that already prompted retaliation from Moscow.

Its a concern now. Im not sure that there is any rational or defensible reason for not having signed it already, said Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, who serves on the Intelligence Committee probing Russian meddling in last years U.S. election. Its long past time that this administration send the signal that they are serious about dealing with Russia as the adversary it is.

Asked about a possible signing ceremony, Republican Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado urged President Trump to hurry up and do it.

The sanctions bill has tremendous congressional support, Gardner said. I dont think anybody here is worried about how Russia is going to retaliate. What we care about is Russia abiding by international law and the norms of behavior we expect them to abide by.

At Tuesdays White House briefing, Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed Trump has yet to sign the bill, but insisted the president will do so.

Theres nothing holding him back, Sanders said. Theres a review process, a legal process. They are going through that and he [Trump] will sign the bill and well let you guys know.

For some Democrats, any hesitation by the president to sign legislation offensive to Moscow looks suspicious in light of a series of widely-reported contacts between Russian figures and members of Trumps inner circle.

Its very troubling. The president has gone literally from saying there was no collusion to so what? said Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon.

They [Trump administration] havent wanted it [Russia sanctions] since the beginning. A failure to sign this bill starts to come close to an admission of guilt, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told VOA. This has no Republican opposition here in the Congress. It seems like a no-brainer for the president to sign.

While senators expressed impatience with the White House, Vice President Mike Pence spoke as though new sanctions were a foregone conclusion.

"The president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia: a better relationship, the lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse the actions that required sanctions to be imposed in the first place," Pence said during a visit to Georgia Tuesday.

Back in Washington, senators of both parties stressed the bill will become law, one way or another.

If he doesnt sign it, it will be the quickest override in the history of overrides, said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

"The Trump administration is never predictable. I dont know what theyre doing, said Democratic Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland. I do know this: I expect hell sign the bill [but] if he doesnt sign it, well override his veto.
A U.S. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter suffered mechanical problems that resulted in a hard landing during operations near Achin, Nangarhar early this morning, a spokesman for NATO's Resolute Support mission said.

Rescue personnel safely recovered the crew. Two crew members suffered minor injuries in the landing and are receiving treatment at a coalition medical facility, the spokesman said.

The aircraft is being recovered and the incident is under investigation.



Earlier, a Taliban spokesman claimed the helicopter crashed shortly after foreign occupation forces launched a pre-dawn operation against fighters of the Islamist insurgency in the Spin Gear area of the province.

He asserted the accident killed all the people on board and forced the foreigners to abandon their raid.



The insurgent group has often made claims that later turned out to be baseless.

The Afghan region where the U.S. military was conducting operations also hosts militants linked to the Islamic State terrorist group.

Meanwhile, officials say heavy fighting erupted in Saydabad district of the central-eastern Maidan Wardak province after Taliban insurgents assaulted government outposts there.

The clashes have blocked traffic on the main highway, which links the Afghan capital, Kabul, to southern Afghanistan, a provincial government spokesman, Abdur Rehman Mangal, told VOA.



Hundreds of vehicles, including passenger buses and cargo trucks transporting essential commodities, have been stranded with many of them returning to Kabul, drivers said.

Ahead of launching their attack, Taliban insurgents overnight warned transporters and passengers not to travel on the Kabul-Kandahar highway, residents and traders said.

The insurgents have made territorial gains and inflicted heavy casualties on Afghan forces during this years fighting season. A U.S. government agency reported Tuesday a total of 2,531 Afghan security forces were killed and 4,238 wounded in the first four months of 2017.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan, or SIGAR, says the figures were consistent with casualty figures from the same period last year. Afghan forces lost about 6,800 personnel in the first 10 months of 2016, SIGAR said in its report for the previous year.
American and Japanese ships and aircraft are searching for a missing American sailor in the South China Sea, the U.S. Navy said.

The sailor, whose name is being withheld, was reported missing from the USS Stethem destroyer around 9:00am local time Tuesday. The ship was conducting routine operations in the South China Sea at the time, according to a Navy statement.

Sailors aboard the vessel have carried out multiple searches of the ship to try to locate the sailor.

The Joint Personnel Recovery Center Hawaii also is assisting with this search, the Navy said.

This is the Navys second effort to find a missing sailor in the Asia-Pacific region within the last two months.

In June, a sailor on the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh was reported missing off Okinawa, and a 50-hour search ensued. The sailor was discover days later hiding in one of the ships engineering spaces.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he is holding Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro "personally responsible" for the health and safety of two opposition leaders seized by police in the middle of the night.

"The United States condemns the actions of the Maduro dictatorship," Trump said in a statement late Tuesday. "Mr. Lopez and Mr. Ledzema are political prisoners being held illegally by the regime... we reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners."

WATCH: VP Mike Pence condemns Venezuela's actions



Twitter video shows intelligence agents dragging Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma out of their homes and shoving them into cars. Ledezma was still in his pajamas.

The two were under house arrest for previous opposition activities. The Venezuelan Supreme Court says "official intelligence sources" warned that Lopez and Ledezma were planning to flee. The court said they broke the terms of their house arrest by "political campaigning" and "making statements to the media," encouraging protests against the Maduro government.

Lopez's lawyer, Juan Carlos Gutierrez, denied his client violated his house-arrest regulations. He said Lopez was only forbidden from talking about his own case.

Lopez supporters released a video shot last week, showing him rubbing his pregnant wife's belly and saying he would likely be arrested again.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the arrests "unjust" and said they follow Maduro's "outrageous seizure of power through a sham election"  a reference to Sunday's vote for an assembly to rewrite the constitution, which is opposed by 70 percent of Venezuelans.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the opposition leaders' arrests "very alarming." The two men each had posted videos urging their followers to boycott Sunday's election.

Lopez and Ledezma, both former mayors, were under house arrest for various charges. Lopez previously spent three years in jail on charges of instigating violence during anti-Maduro street protests in 2014; Ledezma was convicted in 2015 on charges of plotting a coup against Maduro.

Sanctions against Venezuela

The U.S. imposed sanctions Monday against Maduro for what it called his "illegitimate" election of an assembly to rewrite the constitution. All of Maduro's assets in the U.S. have been frozen and Americans are forbidden from doing any business with him.

Maduro says he does not care. He raged on Venezuelan television: "They don't intimidate me. The threats and sanctions of the empire don't intimidate me for a moment. ... Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump."

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino dismissed U.S. charges that Maduro is a dictator. He said dictators do not hold elections, invoke the constitution and work for peace to avoid civil war.

Jennifer McCoy, a distinguished professor at Georgia State University and former director of the Carter Center's Americas program, said some legislators who are members of Maduro's party have distanced themselves as a critique of Sunday's vote and the government's actions.

"There have been some other defections from former Chavistas who are also critical of what the government has been doing," McCoy told VOA. "If a group of dissident Chavistas grows, that provides sort of a third or a middle ground. If they united with the opposition, then that isolates the government further along with the international isolation that seems to be growing. With those two tendencies we may see eventually a willingness for real talks to begin."

McCoy also said that so far the Venezuelan military has supported Maduro.

The Maduro government is determined to form the 545-member constituent assembly.

The government said more than 8 million people cast ballots; the opposition, which boycotted the vote, said the turnout was much lower. Reporters on the ground in Caracas said dozens of polling places were almost deserted Sunday.

If 8 million people did cast ballots, that would be less than half of all registered voters. Pre-election polls showed more than 70 percent of all Venezuelans opposed the assembly.

Details on what might be included in a new constitution are unclear. Maduro has said it is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its severe economic and social crisis and curtail political violence.

The opposition contended the vote was rigged in order to pack the assembly with Maduro supporters who could dissolve the opposition-controlled national assembly, and fire officials who disagree with the government. Maduro's opponents are demanding early presidential elections.

Violence, corruption

Violence and protests for and against the election killed at least 10 people, bringing the total number of deaths in four months of anti-government protests to more than 120.

The drop in global energy prices and political corruption have destroyed Venezuela's oil-rich economy. Gasoline, medicine and such basic staples as cooking oil, flour, and sugar are scarce, and many Venezuelans cross into neighboring Colombia and Brazil to buy food.

Maduro has blamed the country's woes on what he calls U.S. imperialism and its supporters inside Venezuela. He has warned against intervention by the Organization of American States, saying that would surely lead to civil war.

A spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the U.N. chief is urging Venezuelans, particularly their leaders, to make all possible efforts to de-escalate tensions, saying the "only way forward is a political solution."
The Trump administration will allow American journalists, Red Cross employees and other humanitarian workers to apply for exemptions to a ban on travel to North Korea.

The ban will take effect on September 1, 30 days after the regulations are published Wednesday in the Federal Register. A preview of the documents was posted online on Tuesday. The preview says that in addition to journalists and humanitarian workers, Americans whose travel to North Korea "is otherwise in the national interest'' will be considered for exemptions.



Last month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson decided to impose a "geographical travel restriction" on the use of U.S. passports to visit North Korea following the death in June of American university student Otto Warmbier, who fell into a coma while in North Korean custody.
Jabulani Zilawe lost all 11 of his children to AIDS. Now he is the only one left to care for their orphans.

"This has become my life  with my grandchildren. All their parents died. AIDS killed them. I had 11 children, six of them were girls who had moved to South Africa to seek better life, but they all came back dead  one after the other," Zilawe told the Thompson Reuters Foundation as he surveyed his small grandchildren scrambling around him.

Zilawe lives in a dilapidated homestead outside Norton, a town 40 kilometers from Harare, the Zimbabwean capital.

His bedroom is a thatched mud hut that sits near 12 mounds marking the remains of his wife and children.

"My sons, who became illegal gold miners, also suffered from AIDS before they died. You can see the graves here; the additional one belongs to my wife, who also died some two years ago, leaving me to look after our orphaned grandchildren," said Zilawe, 76.

Nearby, some of his grandchildren wrestled over a pot of leftover porridge. None is in school; instead, like their grandfather, each child passes the day at the homestead, idling and seeking a spot to bask in the sunshine.

Some of the little ones fall ill  regularly, said Zilawe, who didn't know whether any carried the virus that had killed their parents.

"I don't know anything about my grandchildren's HIV status; maybe they have the disease or maybe not," he said.

Ailing caregivers

His life is tough. Yet many other Zimbabweans in Zilawe's age bracket are not just caregivers but are also coping with AIDS diagnoses of their own.

"It's sad. It's worrying when you look at the rate of HIV/AIDS amongst aged persons here. The percentage of elderly persons aged 60 years and above living with HIV is around 15.3 percent," said Marck Chikanza, national coordinator of the National Age Network of Zimbabwe (NANZ), an organization that caters to older people's needs.

NANZ said more than 115,000 older people are living with HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe, one in 10 of the 1.2 million Zimbaweans who the United Nations says are living with HIV/AIDS.

"There has been a decline in the rate of people living with HIV across all age groups except in the 50+ age group, where there has been a rise from 13.8 percent to around 14.3 percent," said Tadiwa Pfupa-Nyatanga of the NAC organization, which coordinates the government's response to HIV/AIDS.

According to 2016 official statistics, about 185,000 AIDS-orphaned Zimbabwean children are living under the guardianship of their grandparents  people like Zilawe, who struggle to cope.

"Most aged persons here hardly have the capacity to produce or buy food on their own. And most of the orphaned kids they look after are far too young to be working to produce food for their families. And the burden, at the end of the day, rests with the grandparents  who, in a true sense, are also dependents," Anatalia Mabeza, who chairs an HIV/AIDS support group in Norton, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation..

Some orphaned children say their grandparents offer little or no medical help for the health problems they inherited.

"I was openly told by my mother before she died that I was born with the HIV/AIDS condition, but now as I live with my grandmother, who is in her 60s, she has never bothered to monitor my condition," said Lillian Muranda, 14, who lives in Caledonia informal settlement, 25 kilometers east of Harare.

'I was bewitched'

"She tells me I was bewitched, but I'm always ill and absent from school most of the time," Muranda told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

As Muranda delved deeper into the bewitching story, her grandmother, Agnes Muranda, stepped in sharply to intervene: "Why do you bother her? You newsmen are very bad. You want to rule out witchcraft from my granddaughter's illness. Leave us."

Superstitious beliefs like this hinder government efforts to combat AIDS, and even if a grandparent has good information and plenty of intent, it doesn't mean that help will follow.

"We have no means to support our AIDS-orphaned grandchildren besides the treatment drugs they receive from government health care centers. What we can only do is to make sure they take their medication. Remember, we are also victims of a failing economy and there are also many amongst aged persons who are living with HIV," said Jonathan Mandaza, who chairs the Zimbabwe Older Persons' Organization.

As Zilawe sees it, he is shunned as an aging irrelevance yet is left to pick up the pieces of his children's lost lives.

"As older persons, we are not consulted on HIV and AIDS issues, yet there is also a strong misconception that sex matters don't concern us. As such, access points for condoms and other HIV/AIDS services only favor younger people, leaving us out," said Zilawe.
Police in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have arrested more than 100 protesters in cities across the country who were calling for presidential elections to be held by the end of the year.

Demonstrations took place Monday in the capital, Kinshasa, the eastern city of Goma, and at least a half dozen other cities.

In Goma, witnesses said police used tear gas to disperse protesters, while in Kinshasa, media groups said several journalists covering the protests were briefly detained.

The U.N. Joint Human Rights Office in Congo condemned Monday's arrests, saying that "arbitrary arrests are incompatible with the right to information and right of freedom of assembly" guaranteed in Congo's constitution.

The youth movement Struggle for Change (LUCHA) organized the protests, timed to mark the July 31 deadline set by the country's election commission for conclusion of a voter registration program, which was not met.

WATCH: Protesters Arrested in Goma

The group's spokesman in Goma, Justin Muhiwa, told VOA that Congo's election commission needed to set a date for the vote because it was the right of the Congolese people to hold an election.

President Joseph Kabila's second and final constitutional mandate expired last December, leading to growing political tensions in the country.

An agreement reached last year by the president and the opposition said Kabila could remain in office until elections were organized, and it set a deadline of the end of 2017. However, the election commission announced this month that it would not be possible to organize elections by the end of December.

Kabila's government has faced a wave of protests in recent months over the election issue. Growing unrest in the country has raised fears of a return to civil war, which ravaged the DRC for nearly a decade beginning in the late 1990s, leading to the deaths of millions of people.



Austere Yalala Malivika Joseph in Goma and Mohammed Yusuf in Nairobi contributed to this report.
Tweeting that there is "no chaos" in the White House, President Donald Trump brought in a no-nonsense retired Marine Corps general, John Kelly, as his chief of staff Monday to restore order to an administration shaken by six months of policy setbacks, personnel changes and media leaks.

Within hours, White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci had been given his walking papers, in a sign that Kelly would assert authority in a way his predecessor Reince Priebus was unable to do as Oval Office gatekeeper.

Scaramucci's abrupt dismissal came little more than a week after he was brought in with great fanfare to head the battered White House communications shop. In his short time on the job, he threatened to fire anyone suspected of leaking information to the press and unleashed a profanity-laced rant after telephoning a reporter for The New Yorker.

Scaramucci's departure was announced in a terse statement issued by Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director. Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best."

A short time later, Sanders, who had been named press secretary by Scaramucci on his first day in the job, told reporters, "The president certainly felt that Anthony's comments [to The New Yorker] were inappropriate for a person in that position."

Sanders said Scaramucci had been relieved of all duties in the White House, including a position with the Export-Import Bank that he held before being named communications director.

'Good move' by Kelly

She also made clear that "the president has given full authority to General Kelly" to determine who has access to the Oval Office.

David Cohen, a political scientist at the University of Akron who has studied the office of the chief of staff, said Kelly's first day bodes well for his mission of righting the White House ship.

"If Kelly has been granted the power to hire and fire and to control access to the president, that is a good thing for the country," Cohen said, "because he can restore some discipline and restore some sanity to the chaos that is gripping the White House."

On Capitol Hill, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine applauded the changes. "I was pleased to learn of [Scaramucci's] departure, and this shows me that General Kelly is taking firm control, and that he is not going to tolerate the kind of unacceptable behavior that Mr. Scaramucci has exhibited in just 10 days on the job.

"I salute General Kelly for making this one of his earliest moves," Collins said. "I believe General Kelly will impose discipline and order on a rather chaotic and conflict-ridden White House staff. This is a good move."

WATCH: Trump Talks to Media About Kelly

Next challenge: Stopping leaks

Among Kelly's biggest challenges will be stopping the leaks to reporters that have bedeviled Trump during his first six months in office, and controlling access to the Oval Office.

During his six months in the job, Priebus was known to have been unable to keep a number of White House officials, including the president's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, from walking in on Trump unannounced, often with the intention of influencing administration policy. News reports this week said both Kushner and Ivanka Trump had given their blessing to Kelly's selection.

Akron University professor Cohen says Trump "must have a different version of reality" if he thinks there is no chaos in the White House, but he also knows he needs a strong voice to control his impulsiveness.

"I think what we're going to see is, over time, the chief of staff and the president butting heads quite a bit," Cohen said. "I don't know if it'll be a relationship that will be successful in the long run."

WATCH: Trump on His Hopes for Kelly

Will Kelly last in new job?

Kelly's ability to succeed ultimately depends on whether Trump gives him full authority, the political scholar added, saying: "I have grave doubts whether President Trump will be able to change his management style."

Trump praised his new chief of staff Monday during a swearing-in ceremony, saying he had no doubt Kelly would be "an absolutely superb chief of staff."

At a Cabinet meeting a short time later, Trump effusively praised Kelly's work as secretary of homeland security  the job the general held during the first six months of the administration. "What he has done has been nothing short of miraculous," the president exclaimed, crediting Kelly for a significant drop in illegal border crossings into the U.S. this year.

"Even the president of Mexico called me," Trump said. "They said [at] their southern border, very few people are coming because they know they're not going to get through our border, which is the ultimate compliment."

Scaramucci was little known to the American public before arriving on the Washington political scene in mid-July.

He quickly made national headlines with his vulgar, sexually suggestive comments to The New Yorker, in which he railed against Priebus and the president's chief strategist, Stephen Bannon.
President Robert Mugabe has ordered Zimbabwes cash-strapped government to reinstate 2,000 youth linked to the ruling Zanu PF party, who were retrenched due to lack of funds, saying the move was made without cabinet approval.

Speaking at a so-called Presidential Youth Interface Rally in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West, on Saturday, Mr. Mugabe said members of the Zanu PF Youth League have cried foul over the retrenchments.

The president said Zimbabwe has enough resources to cater for the needs of these youth believed to be a backbone of the ruling party, especially during elections.

According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, Mr. Mugabe said it was unacceptable for the government to retrench the youth

We have not been told about this issue  and we dont accept things like that, said the 93-year-old Zimbabwean leader.

He claimed that Zimbabwes economy is recovering and therefore there was no need to retrench the youth, who are known as youth and gender officers and are mainly based in rural areas where they campaign for Zanu PF.

Villagers have over the years claimed that the youth terrorize them during elections. This has been dismissed by the ruling party as untrue and machinations of opposition parties to discredit youth linked to Zanu PF.

The International Monetary Fund and other international finance institutions recommended that Zimbabwe should trim its civil service, which gobbles at least 80 percent of the countrys national budget.
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Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team, read the official statement on Anthony Scaramuccis ouster from the White House. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

How many ways can you not say tumult, dysfunction and confusion? The White House, and all the presidents ex-men, have employed a number of honey-coated phrases to describe the resignations, firings and defenestrations that have occurred during President Trumps first six months in office, including Mondays shake-up:

 A clean slate. Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House Communications Director, the White House said in a statement Monday after Scaramucci was forced out by new chief of staff John F. Kelly. Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.

Clear the slate. Scaramucci, upon taking over as White House communications director on July 21, said he respected press secretary Sean Spicers decision to resign (because he objected to working with Scaramucci): Sean decided that he thought it would be better to go. And for me, as it relates to Sean, it speaks volumes to who he is as a human being, who he is as a team player. So, his attitude is, if Anthonys coming in, let me clear the slate for Anthony. And I do appreciate that about Sean, and I love him for it.

A totally clean slate. Spicer understood that the president wanted to bring in and add new people to the team, and Sean felt like it would be best for that team to start with a totally clean slate, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (who replaced Spicer) said on July 21.

A new slate. I wanted to give the president, and the new team, a new slate, Spicer told CNN after resigning.

Just look at his great TV ratings. I am grateful for Seans work on behalf of my administration and the American people, Trump said in a statement after Spicers resignation. I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities  just look at his great television ratings.

Hit the reset button. The president wanted to go in a different direction, Reince Priebus told CNN on Friday, after he was driven out as Trumps chief of staff and replaced by Kelly. A president has a right to hit a reset button. I think its a good time to hit the reset button. I think he was right to hit the reset button.

A tremendous asset. The White House issued a statement after deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh, a Priebus protege, left her job in March after less than three months: Katie Walsh has accepted a position with an outside organization. She has been a tremendous asset to the President and we are confident she will be so in her new role as well. (Walshs departure, by the way, wasnt a signal that Priebus was in trouble, a top White House official told Politico at the time: Reince is not next, the official said).

But, to be sure, it was great to be part of the administration. At least for a few days or weeks:

Honored to have served. I am tendering my resignation, honored to have served our nation and the American people in such a distinguished way, wrote Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser, after being forced out for lying to Vice President Pence. Flynn served for 24 days.

Great honor to serve. The reasons for my departure are personal, but it has been my great honor to serve President Trump and this administration, wrote Communications Director Michael Dubke upon resigning in May, less than six months into the job. It has also been my distinct pleasure to work side-by-side, day-by-day with the staff of the communications and press departments.

Of course, these are the people the president likes, or liked. Other have gotten rougher treatment.

Not able to effectively lead. While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau, Trump told FBI Director James B. Comey in a letter upon firing him in May.

Betrayed the Department of Justice. The acting attorney general, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States, the White House said in an official statement after Trump fired Yates in late January after she declined to enforce his travel ban. The statement continued: Ms. Yates is an Obama administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Carolyn Quattrocki. She is a deputy state attorney general, and is no longer executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The article has been corrected.

A Maryland state panel established by lawmakers to monitor and respond to Republican attempts to overhaul the health-care system met for the first time Tuesday, hearing testimony about the effects that legislation in Congress would have locally.

The Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission, co-chaired by Sen. Brian J. Feldman (D-Montgomery) and Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-Prince Georges), is set to issue legislative recommendations by the end of the year. Its job is complicated by the constantly shifting prospects of the stalled federal health-care legislation.

We know its chaos, Pena-Melnyk said. We are constantly being threatened, so we have to be vigilant, and we have to assess the impact of actual and potential federal changes.

The leader of Marylands state-run health insurance marketplace told the commission that the Affordable Care Act was instrumental in cutting the states uninsured rate in half to about 6.6 percent, after the state exchange recovered from a disastrous launch.

But she warned that enrollment is hampered by the Trump administrations decision to relax enforcement of the mandate to buy health insurance and the presidents threat to withhold monthly payments to insurers for covering the lowest-income customers.

Even the uncertainty creates issues, and the actual withholding of those payments would really be quite devastating, said Carolyn Quattrocki, a deputy state attorney general and former executive director of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange. The signals coming out of the administration are mixed at best.

Quattrocki said regulators were working to find more insurers willing to sell on the exchange after several departures left consumers with only Care First, which wants to increase rates 50 percent, and Kaiser, which is not sold in 13 of Marylands less-populated counties.

UnitedHealth Group pulled out of most state exchanges, including Marylands, in 2016, while Cigna announced earlier this year that it would drop out of Maryland.

Evergreen, which began as a nonprofit and provides health insurance to about 25,000 residents, has been going through financial turmoil. The Maryland Insurance Administration last week issued an order barring Evergreen from selling or renewing insurance policies, a preliminary step for receivership.

Health care is shaping up as a major issue ahead of the 2018 elections. Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who is up for a second term, has criticized GOP attempts to repeal the federal health-care bill and called on Congress to start over and find a bipartisan way to boost insurance markets.

Several Democrats seeking to challenge Hogan are embracing calls by their partys progressive wing for more active government involvement in health care.

Former NAACP president Ben Jealous called for the state to establish a single-payer health-care system, while state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (Montgomery) and entrepreneur Alec Ross have called for a state-run public option to compete with private plans.
Several Facebook users sued Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and two of his aides in federal court on Tuesday for silencing them on the governors official Facebook page.

The blocked Facebook users, who are represented by the ACLU of Maryland, argue that Hogan arbitrarily censored their free speech by deleting their comments and blocking them from his Facebook page after they questioned his position on education policy and President Trumps controversial travel ban.

It is the latest effort to test in court how much control government officials may have over what is posted on their official social media sites.

The highest purpose of the First Amendment is to protect the right of Americans to engage in political speech and to petition the government to address their concerns, said Deborah Jeon, legal director for the Maryland ACLU. It violates both the First Amendment and Marylands own social media guidelines for government officials to block out any voices of dissent or those simply raising questions about positions taken by public officials sworn to serve.

Hogan spokeswoman Amelia Chasse called the lawsuit frivolous and a waste of taxpayer dollars and said the comments and users removed from the page were either hateful or part of an orchestrated campaign.

The governors office has a very clear social media policy, and we will continue to remove all hateful and violent content and coordinated spam attacks to foster an open and constructive dialogue, she said.

But several people interviewed by The Washington Post after being blocked this winter say they sent the messages on their own and used clean language.

The ACLU of Kentucky recently filed a similar lawsuit against Gov. Matt Bevins (R) over his use of Facebook and Twitter. And a group of Twitter users has sued Trump for deleting their access to his Twitter page.

Last week, in one of the first rulings on the topic, U.S. District Court Judge James C. Cacheris in Alexandria said that the chairman of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors violated a constituents free speech when she banned him from her Facebook page.

Bradley Shear, a Bethesda-based privacy and social media attorney, said the issue of when a person can be deleted or blocked from an elected officials account will likely end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

People have a right to make certain comments on an official account, Shear said. But there is the question of where you draw the line. . . Were just at the beginning of the legal process of where the law is going to end up.

Hogan came under fire earlier this year after several Facebook users noticed that their posts were deleted or that they had been blocked from the governors page.

Doug Mayer, the governors director of communications and a named defendant in the lawsuit, said at the time that the governors office had blocked 450 people since Hogan took office two years ago. About half were blocked for using hateful or racist language, he said. The rest were blocked after the 2014 riots in Baltimore or in the days following the announcement of Trumps travel ban  each time, Mayer said, because the governors office thought the postings were part of a coordinated attack.

Meredith Phillips, a Howard County resident and one of the four plaintiffs, said she was blocked after she asked the governor to make a public statement about Trumps travel ban. She added her comment to a post on the page about the Chinese New Year.

Her post was deleted twice, according to the lawsuit. In her second post, she added that she was a Democrat who crossed party lines to vote for Hogan in 2014. When she tried to post the comment a third time, she realized that her access was restricted and that she had been blocked from the page.

I couldnt believe Governor Hogan would block people who disagreed with him, but who werent rude or threatening, Phillips said in a statement. Deleting any comment from constituents that doesnt praise or agree with Governor Hogan is a violation of free speech.

The lawsuit says the governors social media policy, both on its face and as applied, unlawfully restricts constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the citizens of this State to free expression, and strikes at core protections for political speech and petitioning the government.
A tree in Kemp Mill hangs over the road after it was trimmed to avoid power lines. Residents say many of the trees in the neighborhood were left looking deformed. (Rachel Siegel/The Washington Post)

When the bright orange trucks returned to her neighborhood of Kemp Mill Estates, Maria Honeycutt knew to expect weeks of tree-trimming. The familiar vehicles were manned by Asplundh Tree Expert and contracted by Pepco to cut down branches and limbs snaking through overhead power lines.

Honeycutt, 43, had applauded past efforts by Pepco to reduce power outages in Silver Spring, especially after her family had lost power for five days following the 2012 derecho, one of the most destructive thunderstorms ever to sweep through the D.C. area.

But this time, Honeycutt was shaken by the butchering of her neighborhoods maples and oaks.

Workers cut down healthy branches nowhere near the power lines, she said, but ignored dead limbs hovering dangerously over the sidewalk. A geologist who has lived in her home for 12 years, Honeycutt sternly challenged the Asplundh workers on which limbs they were pruning until the crew summoned its cherry picker down from above and moved to the next house.

I expect some not-so-beautiful trees among the power lines, and I want power and am willing to accept that, Honeycutt said. But when they left these lonesome branches over the street, its particularly jarring to see whats no longer there.

Rick Quinn of Kemp Mill stands beneath one of the recently trimmed trees in his neighborhood. (Rachel Siegel/The Washington Post)

Pepco, which serves customers in the District and the Maryland suburbs, has worked for years to increase service reliability.

A 2010 analysis by The Washington Post found that the average Pepco customer endured 70 percent more outages than users of other utilities in major cities who took part in a 2009 survey.

Tens of thousands lost power for days that year after snowstorms in February and thunderstorms in July. After the June 2012 derecho, Pepco reported 420,000 customers without electricity  more than half of the 778,000 homes and businesses the company served.

Among the main culprits: trees.

We are executing our most comprehensive reliability plan in our history, said Jerry Pasternak, Pepcos region vice president. A major component of that reliability effort is the vegetation management that includes pruning trees and removing trees in order to maintain clearance from the power lines.

Five years ago, the Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates Pepco, adopted new quality and reliability standards that included protocols for tree-trimming.

Pasternak said the first step of the process is to have an arborist inspect trees along power lines and identify those that need to be pruned or removed. After Asplundh completes the job, Pepco returns to inspect the site.

On July 26, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda) sent a letter to Pasternak questioning the aggressive tree maintenance work in Kemp Mill Estates.

It was not the first time he has raised concerns about the issue with Pepco. In 2015, homeowners in Potomac complained bitterly when the utility company clear-cut hundreds of trees from residents back yards in the name of maintaining power.

Berliner said the council has tried to pass legislation that would give the county control over how its trees are trimmed but has met pushback from the Public Service Commission.

We have literally no authority other than that of persuasion, Berliner said, adding that Pepco should be able to address reliability in a way that is sensitive to the trees and the community.

On July 27, Pasternak responded to Berliners letter saying he had driven in the neighborhood to see Asplundhs work firsthand. In the letter, Pasternak said Pepco was willing to meet with customers to address specific concerns.

Joshua Schwartz, 65, who has lived in Kemp Mill Estates since 1980, says he remembers when the county planted a tree at the front of his lawn 20 years ago.

He questioned the decision to place an oak  which are supposed to grow straight and tall  directly beneath his streets power lines.

One day in July, Asplundh cut out the healthy, central limbs of the tree. The oak no longer reaches the highest power lines run by Pepco, but its branches do wrap around a thick, black cable Schwartz says is managed by Verizon. He says the cable company has done nothing about the branches despite a number of complaints.

You have Pepco being too aggressive because they really dont want more outages, and you have Verizon and they dont care, Schwartz said. If you think about it, none of this problem would have happened if they planted a cherry or a crab apple tree.

Rick Quinn, 65, has called Kemp Mill Estates home since 1960. He said he understands and appreciates Pepcos reliability concerns but worries that, someday soon, one of the branches left dangling by the trimming will cause damage or injury.

Honeycutt said she considered calling Pepco or the county to register her complaint directly, but the damage had already been done.

This is our neighborhood, she said. We live here, my children are growing up here, and look at what you are leaving behind for us to look at everyday. Its awful.
De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

Enviado: lunes, 14 de noviembre de 2016 09:29 a.m.

Asunto: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >lunes, 14 de noviembre de 2016 09:29 a.m.Your package have arrive El Alto Airport This is Tony Obi the UN diplomatic agent conveying your consignment

box worth of $1.490.000.00 usd from Africa (Nigeria) right now i am at

El Alto Airport with your package fund.



The Bolivia Inspection officer at the airport have screen and inspect

the package and request for the consignment key to be confirm from you

for further investigation to avoid terrorist attacks but i told them i

am not with consignment key.



You are to make swift contact to Rev. Schedrack T Johnson of United

Bank for Africa contact him with this email

(unitedbankcashprocesingunit@gmail.com) or call + 2348136922332.



Ask him to send you the consignment key and once the Inspection

officer confirm you have the consignment key they will approved the

clearance because this is the only delaying your package delivery.



I will wait to hear from you.



Agent Tony Obi

UN Diplomatic Agent.



De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

> Enviado: lunes, 14 de noviembre de 2016 11:04 a.m.

> Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport

>

> Attention.

>

> This is Tony Obi the UN diplomatic agent conveying your consignment

> box i am still at the airport.

>

> You have to call or email Rev. Schedrack T Johnson to send the

> consignment key to you immediately because the inspection officer will

> not allowed me to complete this delivery without you confirming the

> receipt of the key.

>

> Contact him with this email ( united Bank cash processing unit

> agnail.com). or call him + 2348136922332.

>

> Let me know once you received the key.

>

> Thanks.

>

> Agent Tony Obi

> UN Diplomatic Agent. De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

Enviado: lunes, 14 de noviembre de 2016 07:53 p.m.

Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >lunes, 14 de noviembre de 2016 07:53 p.m.Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport No they can only allow me to proceed to your house only when you

confirm the receipt of the consignment key and code.



So try and get the key and code to the consignment from Rev. Schedrack

T Johnson today.



I will be waiting for your update.



Thanks.



Tony Obi

UN Diplomatic agent.

On 11/15/16, DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com > wrote:

> This is Tony Obi the UN Diplomatic agent conveying your package fund,

> i am still waiting for you to know if you have receive the consignment

> key.

>

> You have to try and work with Rev. Schedrack T Johnson to make sure

> the key is sent to you because without it i will not be allow out of

> the airport terminal with your package.

>

> Let me know immediate you receive the key to enable the Inspection

> officer in charge clear the package to allow me proceed with the

> delivery to your home.

>

> Agent Tony Obi

> UN Diplomatic Agent. De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

Enviado: miercoles, 16 de noviembre de 2016 12:10 p.m.

Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >miercoles, 16 de noviembre de 2016 12:10 p.m.Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport This is Tony Obi the UN diplomatic agent conveying your consignment

box, why are you keeping here waiting if after today nothing is done i

will go back and left your package here because I can't continue

waiting while nothing to get the key is been done.



Regards



Tony Obi On 11/16/16, DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com > wrote:

> This is Tony Obi the UN diplomatic agent conveying your package fund.

>

> Now i no your not serious because you just lied, how do you

> investigate me who are you trying to manipulate here.

>

> Listen let me tell you , you didn't investigate anything and you are

> just shying away from your responsibility.

>

> I have to go immediately because you're not ready to claim your package

> fund.

>

> Tony Obi De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT <

Enviado: sabado, 15 de julio de 2017 07:31 a.m.

Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com sabado, 15 de julio de 2017 07:31 a.m.Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport Attention



This is Tony Obi the UN diplomatic agent conveying your $5.5 Million

usd consignment box from Africa (Nigeria).



I have been waiting to hear from you to know when you will be sending

the fee for the clearance paper of your fund package which is the only

thing delaying the delivery of your fund to you right now.



Kindly update me as soon as possible because i have only 72 hours to

stay here at the airport.



Agent Tony Obi

UN Diplomatic Agent.

Offshore Courier Service.



De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

Enviado: domingo, 16 de julio de 2017 01:17 a.m.

Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >domingo, 16 de julio de 2017 01:17 a.m.Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport

This is Tony Obi right now i am at the airport with your package fund and the Custom request for the international clearance certificate which to be obtain from the place of Origin of your fund package Nigeria.

To obtain the clearance paper will cost $720 and you are to send the fee through our office in Nigeria to help us get the request paper work and forward it to me here for the clearance before the security agent will allow me proceed with the delivery package to your location.

Get back to me to give you the payment instructions.

Thank you and God bless.

Agent Tony Obi UN Offshore Delivery Agent.





Hello , De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

Enviado: lunes, 07 de agosto de 2017 09:04 a.m.

Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >lunes, 07 de agosto de 2017 09:04 a.m.Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport Thank you for your mail.



The package consignment box containing the sum of $5.5 Million usd is

set for delivery to you in cash once the $95.00 usd is paid.



The package will be at your door step within 12 hour's of payment

confirmation from you.



Regards,



Agent Tony Obi

UN Offshore Delivery Agent.

De: DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >

Enviado: lunes, 07 de agosto de 2017 12:11 p.m.

Asunto: Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport DIPLOMATIC COURIER AGENT < dtonyobi@gmail.com >lunes, 07 de agosto de 2017 12:11 p.m.Re: Your package have arrive El Alto Airport

They said i have to get the clearance papers before i will be allowed to proceed with the delivery to your location.









I am not allow to make calls the security agent at the airport . If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more....
A man from Florida wearing a Make America Great Again hat was arrested over the weekend after D.C. police said he beat three people near Dupont Circle during a heated argument over President Trumps politics.

Police said that the 32-year-old suspect straddled one man and pounded him in the face 20 times with a closed fist and left and right forearms. Two others were also struck in the face when they intervened, police said.

Police identified the suspect as Louis Samuel Travieso, of Riverview, Fla., about 20 miles south of Tampa. Police charged him with three counts of felony assault, classifying the incident as a suspected hate crime. Prosecutors later reduced the charges to misdemeanors but did not indicate why.

Travieso was released from jail Monday and ordered to return for a hearing on Sept. 18. His attorney did not return calls seeking comment.

Two of the men, both from Manassas, Va., could not be reached or did not respond to interview requests. The third man declined to comment Monday.

Police said the fight occurred Saturday about 6:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW, outside a restaurant where both Travieso and the men had visited. But the argument that preceded the fight began inside after one of the men commented on Traviesos hat. Police did not describe the exchange, but said a heated political argument ensued, and then ended, with Travieso leaving the restaurant with his family.

The affidavit says Travieso got into an Uber vehicle but by that time the men were outside and the argument resumed. Police said Travieso got out of the Uber at a red traffic light and attacked the three men. A police report says numerous bystanders reported Travieso as the aggressor.

Two of the men were treated at a hospital; the other was treated by paramedics at the scene.
The girl and her mother would typically walk the dog together through their Maryland apartment complex, but the morning of May 12, 2015, the 12-year-old asked to head out on her own for a little bit of responsibility.

The self-described helicopter mom reluctantly agreed, figuring she could keep an eye on her from their eighth-floor balcony.

But as the girl returned home with her little terrier, she encountered a stranger in the lobby. He jumped into the elevator with her, grabbed her by the hair and shoulders and forced her to perform a sex act.

Two years later, a jury ordered Oakcrest Towers to pay the girls family $8 million in damages, finding that security lapses at the apartment complex allowed the assault to occur. The award issued this month is believed to be one of the largest against a property management company over apartment security in Prince Georges County, said Timothy Maloney, the attorney who represented the girls family.

[Im not fighting you! Jury awards $100,000 to family of girl in school bus assault.]

Were hoping that this verdict will be a wake-up call to get improved security at the apartment complex, Maloney said. The jury took a very strong stand in terms of tenant safety.

The girls mother said in an interview that she believes the man  who had been previously banned from the property  got into the building through an unsecured door. The Washington Post generally does not identify victims of sexual assault and is not naming the mother to protect the girls identity.

They dropped the ball in a lot of places, the mother said. I dont even know where to begin.

Scott Management, the property management company that operates Oakcrest Towers, declined to comment on the jury award. But in court filings, the company said it was a bold assertion to assume that apartment management had a duty to protect tenants from crimes perpetrated by trespassers in common areas.

Oakcrest Towers, which describes itself on its website as Resort style high-rise living, is a sprawling apartment complex that sits on more than 35 acres just outside the District in Forestville.

The family had been living in one of the apartment buildings for about nine months when the attack occurred, according to the girls mother.

After waving up to her mother, who was standing at the balcony that morning in May, the girl walked back to the apartment with the dog to get ready for school.

That is when she encountered Isiah Bogan of Forestville in the lobby.

Bogan exposed himself and grabbed the girls hand to force her to touch him, according to court documents. She tried to flee into the elevator to escape, but as the elevator doors began to close, Bogan stuck his foot into the opening and forced his way into the elevator before assaulting the girl.

The man fled, and the girl ran off the elevator to her familys apartment.

 Im 12 years old, and theres no way I should be sexually assaulted,  the mother remembered her daughter screaming after the incident.

Bogan eluded authorities for days. He later pleaded guilty to a second-degree sex offense and is serving a 10-year prison sentence.

Maloney said Oakcrest Towers and Scott Management had a history of shoddy security in the high-crime community.

The man who assaulted his client had previously been banned from the property, Maloney said, but somehow managed to make his way back.

Police had been called to the apartment complex more than 5,000 times in the past five years, including for a homicide and the rape of a woman in a laundry room by a stranger, Maloney said. Yet Oakcrest Towers failed to fix broken door locks, offer adequate security or maintain video surveillance that would prevent trespassers from entering the community, Maloney said in court filings.

If you have a history of crime, it tells you the deterring measures are not working and you need to do more, Maloney said.

[In a community of million-dollar homes, a fight over a $500 mailbox ends in court]

In its court filings, the company asserted that the doors to the building were functioning securely and that it was not responsible for the actions of a third party on its property.

The company also said the man could have entered the building any number of ways.

He could have come in through the front door or any of the side entrance doors simply by piggy backing on the entry of another resident, the company wrote in court filings.

Oakcrest Towers also said the 5,000 calls to police was misleading evidence. The reports included calls wherein the caller just hung up the phone and spoke with no one, so that there is no accurate tally of how many of those calls led to a verified complaint, how many took place near the property, and how many took place inside of the buildings.

The family has since moved from Oakcrest Towers.

After the assault, children at the girls school found out about the incident and teased her, according to her mother. And the once honor roll student saw her grades slip.

The girl, who is now 14, is slowly improving emotionally and academically, her mother said. But the trauma of the attack remains.

I know she is going to need a lifetime of therapy, her mother said. I told her she is strong and . . . I know she has been through a lot.
A man arrested in connection with a cellphone robbery now faces charges related to a double homicide in Fairfax County last month, police said.

[Two men are found dead in car in Lorton, Va.]

At about 3:30 a.m. July 26, officers went to the intersection of Dolsie Grove Drive and Pohick Road in Lorton for a report of a suspicious vehicle, Fairfax County police said in a statement.

They found 19-year-old Gregory Dennis and 20-year-old Ryan Cross, both of Dumfries, in the vehicle with upper-body trauma, and they were pronounced dead at the scene of what police said was a drug-related homicide, the statement said.

In a separate incident, 21-year-old Kelsey Jordan McCrimmon of Lorton was arrested Monday and charged with robbing a man of his cellphone at gunpoint on July 2 after answering an online advertisement to buy the phone, according to the statement.

Tracking D.C.-area homicides Mapping homicides in the District and the surrounding suburbs since 2000.



On Tuesday, McCrimmon was charged with two counts of second-degree murder related to the July 26 homicides.

Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 703-246-7800.
A man was found dead on the Suitland Metro platform Monday afternoon in Prince Georges County, officials said.

At around 4:30 p.m., emergency responders found a man on the platform who was not breathing and did not have a pulse, Mark Brady, a spokesman for Prince Georges County Fire, said. The responders performed CPR for 20 minutes before the man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Brady.

The mans death was not believed to be suspicious, according to Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly. No information about the mans age or identity or the circumstances of his death was immediately available, Ly said.
The bodies thought to be those of a woman and two children who had vanished last week in Loudoun County were found Monday. They were in their car which plunged into a stream in what officials said appeared to be a tragic accident. (iStock/iStock)

A car belonging to a missing Virginia woman was found partly submerged in a creek in Loudoun County on Monday afternoon, and the three people found dead in it appeared to be the woman and the two children for whom authorities had been searching.

Officials said they saw no indication of foul play and thought the three deaths stemmed from what Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman described as a tragic accident.

The bodies found in the car were thought to be those of Courtney Ashe, 27, of Suffolk, Va.; her son, Cameron A. Martin, 5; and her cousin, Jaylen C. Sills-Russell, 9, said Kraig Troxell, spokesman for the sheriffs office.

They had last been seen in the Ashburn area late Friday, when they set out to drive to Leesburg.

A search for them began, and the car was found in Sycolin Creek off Evergreen Mills Road and near Hogeland Mill Road in the Leesburg area, the sheriffs office said.

Ashe and Jaylen had gone from the house of the womans uncle in Leesburg to another relatives home in Ashburn to pick up the younger boy.

They left about 11 or 11:30 p.m. and were to return to Leesburg, Chapman said.

But they never arrived, and authorities were notified a little before noon the next day.

It remained unclear late Monday just what had happened to the car, a 2002 Taurus, and its three occupants, who apparently were traveling in the darkness through what may have been heavy rain.

Torrents of rain fell in much of the Washington region Friday and Saturday morning  with three to seven inches being reported.

The winding two-lane road on which the three were driving is not a great road to navigate in normal conditions, Chapman said.

He told a news conference near the scene that it was a notoriously tough road when it comes to weather conditions.

Indications were that the vehicle may have been driving in bad weather, crossed the center line of the road and struck a guardrail, officials said.

It appeared that it went over the rail and down an embankment into the water.

At some point, it flipped and was half-submerged when discovered about 5 p.m. Monday. Chapman said foliage made it more difficult to see.

He said that family members came from New Jersey after Ashe was reported missing, and that it was one of them who apparently spotted the vehicle Monday afternoon and notified authorities.

The vehicle was perhaps 25 yards from the road, he said.

When first seen Monday, it was about half underwater, and the creek may have been deeper during the weekends rain and in its immediate aftermath, the sheriff said.

In the vehicle, Chapman said, we found a woman and two children we believe are the people we are looking for.

It appeared, he said, to be a tragic end to a tragic scenario.

The matter, he said, remained under investigation.

Formal identifications of the three had yet to be made, and an effort will be made to determine what happened to the vehicle and just why it ended up in the creek.
A second man has died from a shooting early Sunday near Sherman Circle in Northwest Washington, according to D.C. police. The first victim died at the scene.

The death brings to four the number of people killed over a violent weekend. Police have not made any arrests in the cases.

Authorities said the double shooting occurred about 2 a.m. in the 4800 block of Kansas Avenue NW.

The victim who died at the scene was identified as Juan Carlos Osorio-Herrera, 24, of Northwest. On Tuesday, police said David Santiago Amaya-Medano, 23, of Northwest, had also died.

In an unrelated shooting police said Jermaine Richards Jr., 17, was fatally shot Sunday shortly before 3 p.m. in the 4400 block of Quarles Street NE. Also Sunday, police said Demond Marcel Rush, 39, of Southeast, died from stab wounds he suffered Saturday in an attack in the 3600 block of 22nd Street SE.

At least six others were shot and wounded across the District between early Saturday and Monday afternoon. Three more people were shot, none fatally, Monday night and early Tuesday.

[Three killed in weekend violence in D.C .]

Those shootings include a man shot during a dispute about 8:45 p.m. Monday in the 100 block of L Street NW. Police said it occurred outside the Northwest One Library. The victim was from Southeast Washington, and police said his injuries did not appear life-threatening.

Shortly past 10 p.m., police said, a man was shot during a gun battle that involved as many as nine people in the 3600 block of 22nd Street SE. Three vehicles were damaged by bullets, according to a police report.

The shooting occurred in the same block as Saturdays fatal stabbing. Police have not said whether the two incidents are related. The victim of the shooting was treated at a hospital and released.

Police are also investigating a shooting that occurred about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 4400 block of Ponds Street NE. Authorities had no details but said the victim was conscious and breathing when he went to a hospital.
A police officer in Baltimore County, Md., was involved in a fatal shooting Tuesday morning.

Baltimore County police said the incident happened around 3:53 a.m. near Route 40 and Rolling Road in the Catonsville area after the police officer confronted a person getting into a vehicle.

In a Twitter message, police said the officer was dragged about 100 feet by the vehicle and shot at the driver while being dragged. The officer is in good condition, officials said.

Police did not say why the officer confronted the suspect.
Citizens helped a Virginia state trooper who tried to make an arrest after a chase and crash in the Manassas area Monday (iStock/iStock)

A motorist drove away from police in Northern Virginia at more than 120 mph Monday before causing a seven-vehicle chain-reaction crash, crashing again, and then running away, state police said.

When a state trooper caught up with the man in the Manassas area of Prince William County, he began to fight, and four people came to the troopers aid before an arrest was made, state police said.

It all began when a state trooper tried to stop a Nissan Pathfinder that was speeding on Interstate 66 at the Route 234 bypass about 4:20 p.m., state police said. But the car sped away from the trooper at speeds in excess of 120 mph, the state police said in a written statement.

Near the bottom of the ramp for exit 47, police said, the Pathfinder encountered traffic that had slowed. The Pathfinder struck one vehicle in the rear, causing a seven-car chain reaction crash. No serious injuries resulted from the crash, police said.

After the crash, the Pathfinder ran off the road, struck a street sign, and halted against an embankment. Its driver ran, but the trooper grabbed him nearby, state police said.

When the driver resisted the troopers efforts to take him into custody, and began to fight, four citizens came to the troopers aid, the state police said.

No detailed account of their efforts were available.

But with the assistance of a second trooper, an arrest was made, police said.

They said Rodney Leroy Nelson, 33, was charged with eluding police, hit-and-run, driving on a suspended license and reckless driving. No address was available for Nelson. Police said he declined to give a current address.

A woman and four children had been passengers in the Pathfinder, police said. The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries and the children were not harmed, the police said. The children were turned over to relatives, police said.
A federal judge on Tuesday declined to temporarily bar President Trumps voting commission from collectingvoter data from states and the District, saying a federal appeals court likely will be deciding the legality of the request.

U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District denied an emergency motion by Common Cause, a nonprofit government watchdog group. The group alleged the request for voting history and political party affiliation by the Trump administration violates a Watergate-era law that prohibits the government from gathering information about how Americans exercise their First Amendment rights.

Lamberth advised the group to flesh out its claims by documenting the commissions activity at a recent July 19 meeting while the lawsuit continues.

Im just a way station [to an appeals] judge who will get to decide the matter, Lamberth said, urging the parties to build a fuller record for higher courts.

[Trumps voter-fraud commission wants to know voting history, party ID and address of every voter in the U.S.]

Then president-elect Donald Trump met with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach in November. (Mike Segar/Reuters)

The decision came in the latest attempt by opponents to block the commissions request for the voting information of more than 150 million registered voters.

Commission officials have said 30 states have agreed to share at least some data, adding that it requested only publicly available data and would anonymize any information it released.

[Why almost every state is partially or fully rebuffing Trumps election commission]

Trump formed the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after repeatedly suggesting that millions of illegal voters cost him the popular vote against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Studies and state officials of both major parties have found no evidence of widespread voting fraud.

Some state leaders expressed objections saying the effort could reveal personal information, suppress voter participation and encroach on states oversight of voting laws. Privacy experts warned registered voters would face increased risks, potentially identifying home addresses of military families, partial Social Security numbers used as passwords for commercial services and individuals felony records.

[Trump challenges states on voter fraud: What are they trying to hide?]

Another federal judge in Washington, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, last month ruled the commission is a White House advisory panel and so, exempt from requirements to conduct a privacy impact review before it gathers the data. That decision has been appealed.

[Federal judge allows Trump commissions nationwide voter data request to go forward]

Common Cause argued the commissions request is substantively unlawful, not merely procedurally flawed.

The suit alleges the commission, led by Vice President Pence, with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) as vice chairman, recently described new actions that make it a federal agency under the law.

[Trumps voter commission hasnt even met  and its already off to a rough start]

Kobach, for example, at the July 19 meeting compared the commissions work to an Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck program under which 30 states pool data to identify, purge, and potentially prosecute voters registered in two states.

The Common Cause suit claims Kobach also directed staff to collect whatever data there is within the federal government that might be helpful to the investigation, including information kept by the departments of Justice and Homeland Security and U.S. Census Bureau.
A federal judge will hear arguments Tuesday over whether a Watergate-era law prohibiting the government from collecting data on how Americans exercise their First Amendment rights bars President Trumps Election Integrity Commission from Americans voting records.

U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the District set the hearing Monday after Common Cause, a nonprofit government watchdog group, alleged that the Trump administration was violating the Privacy Act of 1974 by seeking the quintessentially First Amendment-protected political party affiliation and voter history data of every American.

The court could rule on the request for a temporary restraining order as early as Tuesday.

The action marks the latest attempt by opponents to block the commissions request for the voting information of more than 150 million registered voters. Trump created the commission after alleging that widespread fraud cost him the popular vote in November.

State leaders from both parties have voiced objections to the efforts potential to reveal personal information, suppress voter participation and encroach on states oversight of voting laws.

Administration officials have said 30 states have agreed to share at least some data, adding that the commission requested only publicly available data and would anonymize any information it released.

[Trumps voter-fraud commission wants to know voting history, party ID and address of every voter in the U.S.]

Earlier in July, another federal judge in Washington rejected an effort by the Electronic Privacy Information Center to block the commissions request. That judge ruled that the commission is not required to review the proposals impact on privacy because it is a White House advisory panel exempt from such requirements. EPIC has appealed that ruling by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

The Common Cause suit takes a different tack, arguing that the commissions request is substantively unlawful, not just procedurally flawed.

The suit alleges that the commission, led by Vice President Pence, with Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) as vice chairman, recently described new actions that it planned to take that make it less of an advisory board and more like a federal agency.

For example, the lawsuit states that at the commissions first public meeting July 19, Kobach compared its work to an Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck program that he runs as Kansas chief elections official, under which 30 states pool data to identify, purge, and potentially prosecute voters registered in two states.

The suit claims that Kobach also directed staff to collect whatever data there is within the federal government that might be helpful to the investigation, including information kept by the departments of Justice and Homeland Security and U.S. Census Bureau, including data about individuals immigration and citizenship status.

The suit also names as defendants DHS and the Social Security Administration, which keeps records of individuals deaths.

[Federal judge allows Trump commissions nationwide voter data request to go forward]

Most of the time, advisory bodies call experts  they dont themselves assemble a national voter file with personal identifying information on more than 100 million people  or broadly compare hundreds of millions of records against data sets of hundreds of millions of other records,  said Loyola University law professor Justin Levitt, a former U.S. Justice Department civil rights division attorney in the Obama administration who has questioned the commissions request.

That is much closer to what other agencies might do in the course of their official duties  such as conducting law enforcement duties, Levitt said.

A spokesman for the commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday.

In a statement, Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause, said, The commission cannot be trusted, it has already shifted its explanation on where, and how, this First Amendment protected data will be stored. This is an attempt to evade post-Watergate privacy laws and undermines our electoral system and the privacy rights of millions of Americans.

Trump formed the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after repeatedly suggesting that millions of illegal voters cost him the popular vote against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Studies and state officials of both parties have found no evidence of widespread voting fraud.

[Why almost every state is partially or fully rebuffing Trumps election commission]

Trump has championed the commissions work as a way to strengthen up voting procedures by identifying vulnerabilities  that could lead to improper voter registrations and improper voting. Conservative board members have advocated stricter federal election laws, alleging that a bias in U.S. enforcement has benefited liberals.

The panels June 28 letter to the states requested that they turn over publicly available voter roll data, including names, addresses, dates of birth, party registrations, partial Social Security numbers and voting, military, felony and overseas histories, among other data.

On July 10, the White House clarified that it had scrapped plans to use a Pentagon-operated website to accept the data and had designed a system inside the White House to take the submissions.

[Trumps voter commission hasnt even met  and its already off to a rough start]

Critics said the proposal would increase privacy risks to every registered voter, including in particular military families whose home addresses would be revealed, people whose partial Social Security numbers are used as passwords for commercial services, and people with felony convictions.

Opponents view the commissions work as forming a pretext for federal laws to suppress voter participation, including by racial minority groups and poor people.

Kollar-Kotelly said EPIC could continue its lawsuit, but wrote that for now, the only added risk to privacy was if the White House computer systems are more vulnerable to security threats than those of the states, or that its de-identification process would be inadequate.

Kollar-Kotelly added, To the extent the factual circumstances change, however  for example, if the  powers of the Commission expand beyond those of a purely advisory body  this determination may need to be revisited.

The commission, which had asked states to hold off submitting the voter data the panel had requested pending the court decision, renewed its request on July 27.

[Trump challenges states on voter fraud: What are they trying to hide?]

Although the May 11 executive order stated that the commission would be supported by the General Services Administration  a federal agency subject to privacy requirements  the administration said in fact data would be downloaded onto White House computers, with an employee of Pences office and White House information technology staff responsible for collecting and storing it.

Common Cause questioned that arrangement, adding that White House Communications Agency, a joint-service military agency under the administrative control of the Defense Information Systems Agency  which is subject to the Privacy Act  provides information services for the president, vice president, and executive office of the presidency.

[Trumps voting commission asked states to hand over election data. Some are pushing back.]
THE DISTRICT

Second man dead after NW shooting

A second man has died after a shooting early Sunday in the 4800 block of Kansas Avenue NW, according to D.C. police. The first man died there.

The second mans death brings to four the number of people killed over a violent weekend in the city.

The man who died at the scene was identified as Juan Carlos Osorio-Herrera, 24, of Northwest Washington. On Tuesday, police said David Santiago Amaya-Medano, 23, of Northwest, had also died.

In an unrelated shooting, police said Jermaine Richards Jr., 17, was killed Sunday shortly before 3 p.m. in the 4400 block of Quarles Street NE. Also Sunday, police said Demond Marcel Rush, 39, of Southeast, died of stab wounds inflicted Saturday in the 3600 block of 22nd Street SE.

 Peter Hermann

Council member is amassing cash for run

D.C. Council member Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1) is off to a strong start amassing cash for her 2018 reelection campaign, according to recent campaign finance reports.

Nadeau, a first-term council member who has attracted early challengers, raised $189,923 between February and the end of July, according to a report her campaign filed Monday night with the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance.

By contrast, one of the two candidates who have announced their bids for Nadeaus seat  former D.C. Superior Court magistrate judge Lori E. Parker  raised $14,995, according to campaign finance filings.

VIRGINIA

Lorton man charged in double slaying

A Lorton man has been charged in connection with a double homicide in Fairfax County last month, police said.

Authorities said as Kelsey Jordan McCrimmon, 21, of Lorton, was charged with two counts of second degree murder.

He was charged in the deaths of Gregory Dennis, 19, and Ryan Cross, 20, both of Dumfries, who were found in a vehicle about 3:30 a.m. July 26 at Dolsie Grove Drive and Pohick Road in Lorton. Police said the case is drug-related.

 Justin Wm. Moyer

CVS managers death seen as homicide

Authorities said they are investigating as a homicide the death of a Warrenton CVS manager whose body was found near a dumpster outside the store.

Rex Mack Olsen, 64, of Reva, worked at the CVS Pharmacy on Blackwell Road in Fauquier County, where his body was found Wednesday night, Warrenton police said.

 Dana Hedgpeth

Police: Church camp volunteer solicited sex

A Virginia man has been arrested and charged with soliciting sex from a juvenile he met while working as a volunteer at a churchs summer camp.

The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office said Richard N. Hearns, 19, of Ashburn, volunteered last summer at the Oak Grove Baptist Church camp in Sterling. He met at least one victim last summer and in September solicited the juvenile via cellphone for sex, according to a statement from authorities.

Officials said they learned of the incident last month when Hearns was again volunteering at the camp.

Hearns was charged Friday with proposing a sexual act by a communications system to a victim under the age of 15.

 Dana Hedgpeth

Dulles has rainiest July recorded there

Last month was the rainiest July ever recorded at Dulles International Airport, the National Weather Service said.

The 8.80 inches was almost an inch more than the record of 7.85 inches, set in 2005. Dulles records go back to 1960.

 Martin Weil
When Mike Maloney discovered unmarked headstones outside Sacred Heart Cemetery in Bowie this year, he knew he had to make some calls.

One was to Elm Street Development, which has a contract to buy land surrounding Sacred Heart Church with an interest in rezoning and developing it. Maloney also contacted Jennifer Stabler, the archaeology planner and coordinator for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which oversees parks and planning in Prince Georges and Montgomery counties.

Am I a preservationist? Yes, I would say so, said Maloney, a 30-year Crofton resident. My role is really to bring this issue to the attention of legislators, the media, preservationists.

Although Elm Streets archaeology consultant and Stabler independently concluded these headstones were not on the property for sale, the situation sheds light on an ongoing process to find, record and preserve burials in Anne Arundel and Prince Georges.

Stabler has been in charge of a cemetery survey in Prince Georges since 2006, but the job is far from over.

We still have more that are out there that we dont know exactly where they are, Stabler said.

Maryland state law makes it illegal to disturb a burial site or remove human remains unless the states attorneys office authorizes an exception, but county code addresses burials differently. Developers in Anne Arundel must preserve resources listed in the county inventory of historic properties, a list that includes some cemeteries.

Stabler said a similar process in Prince Georges involves reporting historic cemeteries to the Maryland inventory of historic properties, kept by the Maryland Historical Trust.

Jane Cox, chief of cultural resources for Anne Arundels Office of Planning and Zoning, calls this a second layer of protection for historic cemeteries.

Its working to balance the needs of what the code says and the respectful thing to do with the cemetery, Cox said.

Cox has the help of Tina Simmons, the cemetery committee chair for the Anne Arundel Genealogical Society. The society is not part of county government, but Simmons and Cox often share findings.

Simmons initially joined the society to research her family history, but soon she was asked to take on a project: updating a record of all the cemeteries in the county. She has done this for more than 20 years.

Although she does not have a background in archaeology, Simmons calls herself a researcher by trade from her days doing administrative work in the field of medicine. Much of her cemetery searching comes from word-of-mouth across the county.

She says acquaintances have developed a new way of talking about her: How long did you know Tina before she started asking you about cemeteries?

Its my little civic duty, Simmons said.

There are 237 recorded cemeteries in Prince Georges, and Stabler says the true total could be around 300. Simmons, meanwhile, has more than 500 on record in Anne Arundel. She thinks that the discrepancy between the counties is partly due to immigrants arriving by boat in the Anne Arundel region first, before moving west.

Cox said that Prince Georges experienced more suburban development during an earlier time when cemetery protection was less commonplace. She said that at least once a month, her office gets word of a cemetery not on record. Stabler gets similar reports once every few months. But if they confirm they dont have a site recorded, they still face challenges.

Because many stones dont survive for decades or centuries, theres often not a lot of aboveground information on where the graves themselves, or the extent of the cemetery, is located, Cox said.

Sometimes subsurface testing is needed to confirm a burials location, but the presence of vegetation common to cemeteries, such as vinca and yucca, also can provide a hint. When trying to identify an unmarked grave, the women often find clues such as death certificates, funeral records and land records. Stabler even keeps a GIS (geographic information system) map of Prince Georges that she updates.

Stabler notes another challenge: families unwilling to share information about their private burials.

I guess they figure were going to make them historic sites or something, and make them do something to maintain them or clean them up, which they perceive as an extra cost to them, Stabler said.

Not every cemetery automatically qualifies as a historic site in either county.

Simmons, although she does not represent a government agency like Stabler, says she has a similar issue when people are territorial with records of their family cemeteries. Sometimes she knows a record exists and cannot access it.

Some people say, Well, theyre dead. Why worry about it?  Simmons said.

These women worry about it because keeping track of burials is important not only when developers want to alter the land but also to preserve history. In recent years, local graves have been cause for headlines.

Descendants of slaves owned by the Jesuit order of Catholic priests gathered in Bowie this year and toured Sacred Heart Church and its cemetery, where many of their enslaved ancestors were buried. Local historian Janice Hayes-Williams has worked to learn about and commemorate those who were buried at Crownsville State Hospital, which was once the Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland.

And in 2012, archaeologists discovered a Native American burial site at Pig Point on the shore of the Patuxent River, with human bones that dated to as early as 230 B.C.

Simmons said the oldest known cemetery in Maryland lies in Anne Arundel  at St. Jamess Parish in Lothian, where some headstones are from the mid-1600s.

However old or recent they are, protecting and honoring cemeteries gives people an opportunity to better understand the founding families, the people who came before us, Cox said.

Everybody knows Anne Arundel County has an incredibly rich history, she said, but its a very visual way of feeling that heritage.
Eric H. Holder Jr., then the U.S. attorney general, is seen with President Barack Obama in 2015. Obama has made investing in Democratic victories at the state level to counter Republican control of legislative maps a top priority, with Holder chairing a group devoted to the effort. (Mike Theiler/Reuters)

An initiative backed by former president Barack Obama to end Republican control of legislative maps by targeting state-level contests has raised more than $10.8 million this year.

On Monday, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee announced its fundraising haul through the end of July as it geared up to spend on gubernatorial and state legislative campaigns ahead of the 2020 redistricting cycle, when states will draw new maps for congressional and state legislative districts.

Democrats see these efforts as crucial to rebuilding the party. The NDRC, which is chaired by former U.S. attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr., is debuting its campaign efforts by supporting Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) for governor of the commonwealth this November against Ed Gillespie, the former Republican National Committee chairman.

The NDRC has yet to directly donate to Northams campaign, but Holder headlined a June fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Virginia.

[Holder: Virginia at the epicenter of political universe in 2017]

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Holder and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe were among the high-profile Democratic leaders raising money for the redistricting initiative, meeting donors in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and the District. Obama headlined a fundraiser in the District for NDRC in July, marking his formal return to the political fray six months out of office.

The NDRC released a portion of its donor list to the Internal Revenue Service on Monday, disclosing the source of more than $2.5 million donated to its 527 political organization. Financial disclosures for other entities, including political nonprofit groups and a federal political action committee, are due later.

Democratic Party mega-donors Fred Eychaner and Donald Sussman each gave $500,000, while Jon Stryker donated $200,000 and Martha Samuelson gave $175,000. Movie director J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, each donated $125,000.

The NDRCs significant fundraising in its first six months will allow us to take on gerrymandering and reform our electoral system, Holder said in a statement.

The redistricting committee is also funding legal challenges to district lines drawn by Republicans and plans to support ballot measures to establish independent commissions to draw legislative maps.
Inspired by a recent Supreme Court ruling, two entrepreneurs offended by the n-word filed to trademark the epithet to keep it out of the hands of racists.

The court ruled in June that disparaging words can receive trademark protection. It said rejecting disparaging trademarks violates the First Amendment, clearing the way for an Asian American rock group called the Slants to trademark its name  and for the Washington Redskinss maligned moniker to stay protected as well.

[The government cant deny full trademark protection to allegedly racially offensive marks]

Steve Maynard, an Alexandria attorney, and Curtis Bordenave of Columbus, Miss., filed to trademark a variation of the n-word the same day the court decision came down.

Bordenave sought use of the term in retail store services featuring clothing, books, music and general merchandise, among other uses, according to one of his trademark applications.

Curtis Bordenave (ChimeInChipInFollow.com)

His goal: To prevent racist groups from making money from the word.

If an individual organization tries to use it to gain finances for their organization . . . that is not something we think is right, were going to protect our mark, he said.

Bordenave, 47, said he was inspired to censor the n-word because of his experiences as a black man living in the South, particularly when a police officer in New Orleans used the slur during a traffic stop nearly two decades ago.

I was so humiliated, embarrassed, he said. For him to talk to me in that way in front of my children was a real big problem.

Maynard, who also filed to trademark the Nazi swastika, said he wanted to quash hate by getting the rights to it.

We hope to flood the market with T-shirts and clothing and end up opening up a discussion, said Maynard, who described himself as having a light skin tone, but was reluctant to disclose his skin color because of threats he said he has received related to his trademark application.

Gene Quinn, founder of the intellectual property blog IP Watchdog, said trademarking epithets to limit their use was a laudable purpose, but difficult to achieve.

Simon Tam, the founder and bassist of the band the Slants, poses for a portrait during a recording session in Eugene, Ore., in 2016. (Amanda Lucier/For the Washington Post)

To be maintained, trademarks must be used in interstate commerce, he said, and are awarded in different classes, such as clothing, food or video games. Anyone trying to erase these words from the marketplace would simultaneously need to put them into the marketplace.

I doubt theyre going to want to use the n-word in commerce themselves, he said. If theyre going down this path, theyre going to be in real trouble.

A spokesman for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said the office does not comment on trademark applications. Applications for trademarks flagged under a scandalousness provision can still be denied, the spokesman said.

Bordenave said he has filed many trademarks for phrases and logos that might prove profitable  radio frequencies, for example, and the phrase New Orleans Tricentennial. (The city will celebrate its 300th birthday next year.)

His idea: Build a brand around the n-word by including it discreetly  in T-shirt collar tags or fine print on water bottles, for example  on products emblazoned with larger, positive messages like UNITY. He said consumers would learn that, by buying such products, they were keeping the epithet out of more visible circulation.

We can change the meaning of it, you know, in any way we choose, Bordenave said.

Maynard  of Snowflake Enterprises, named for a common insult of someone with thin skin, he said  planned to co-opt the swastika by including it on baby products. Such social satire, he said, could change its meaning and restrict its usage among hate groups.

One of the hopes is that people look at the swastika flag in 10 years and think: baby wipes, he said.

Before the Supreme Court decision in the Slants case, there was precedent for a hateful word without trademark protection falling into the wrong hands.

Heeb, which calls itself a Jewish culture magazine, was founded in 2001. Though the satirical publication was able to secure a trademark, its founders were denied one for Heeb-branded clothing because the term was deemed scandalous and immoral by the trademark office, according to Heeb co-founder Joshua Neuman.

Then, the story took a turn: About 10 years ago, a neo-Nazi group obtained some Heeb readers emails and invited them to a faux Heeb event not associated with the magazine. But, without a trademark on the term, the magazine could not do anything about it.

We should have been allowed to use the word heeb because we would have used it better, Neuman said.

Simon Tam, the bassist of the Slants, said the ability to trademark words some consider hateful is important, even if racists can trademark them. Trademark applications, after all, are public information.

Its a lot better to deal with a known enemy . . . than to have someone leave anonymous notes at my door, he said.

[Im doing the best I can: A black inventor takes on musical notations racial history]

At the trademark office, the battle for ownership of the n-word is not new. More than a decade ago, comedian Damon Wayans became perhaps the most famous person to fail to trademark the slur, in his case, for a clothing line and retail store.

But since the Slants decision, at least three other people besides Bordenave and Maynard have filed for phrases that include the n-word.

Marlon Andrews, using a D.C. address, filed to trademark a variation of the word the day the Slants decision came down. Another man, 25-year-old Ian Scott of New York, filed to trademark a phrase containing the word last week, but said he was unaware of the decision in the Slants case.

Scott, who said he graduated from Virginia State University and works in corporate retail, said the phrase was a reminder that members of minority groups still face racism when they succeed.

Racism still exists even though we came a long, long way, he said. Thats all it is. Im not trying to offend nobody.

Mike Lin, an Asian American entrepreneur from California whos called himself the Banksy of trademarks, filed his application because he thought he would just go for one of the most incendiary words, he said.

Bordenave said he likes his chances of getting the trademark. He questioned whether anyone who is not African American could have a legitimate claim to the word.

I dont think its affected him like its affected me, Bordenave said of Maynard. I dont think hes been called this word.
ENVIRONMENT

Court: Interior cant take wolves off list

A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled against the Interior Departments decision to strip protections from a regional population of endangered gray wolves and allow states to openly hunt them.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, arguably the nations most important appellate court after the Supreme Court, upheld a lower courts decision that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of Interior, has the authority to group wolves in the western Great Lakes region into a segment as it did in 2011, but does not have the power to simply remove them from the endangered species list without considering the moves impact on the entire species of gray wolves in their range.

When a species is already listed, the service cannot review a single segment with blinders on, ignoring the continuing status of the species remnant, the court ruled.

In affirming the lower court ruling, the judges added to a succession of losses by Interior in an ongoing attempt to delist gray wolves mostly in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as a few in other states  such as Ohio, North Dakota and Indiana  since 2003.

At that time, Fish and Wildlife divided the nations population of gray wolves into three segments  western, eastern and southwestern. When district courts in Oregon and Vermont struck down the divisions after legal challenges from conservationists, Fish and Wildlife tried another maneuver. It ruled that a western Great Lakes population of wolves no longer deserved protections and struck them off the endangered list.

 Darryl Fears

PENNSYLVANIA

School district to allow transgender lavatories

A Pennsylvania school district will allow students to use restrooms that correspond to their consistently and uniformly asserted gender identity in settling a federal lawsuit brought last year by three transgender students.

Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund announced the settlement Tuesday in Pittsburgh with the Pine-Richland School District in the citys North Hills suburbs.

A federal judge in February blocked the Pine-Richland School District from enforcing interim rules that made bathroom use conditional upon a students biological gender only. U.S. District Judge Mark Hornak said then that the district had not demonstrated its policy advances an important governmental interest. Nor was there evidence that personal privacy was being threatened save for a complaint by a parent whose child reported a boy in the girls bathroom in October 2015, according to the judge.

Two students born anatomically male who now identify as female and one born anatomically female who identifies as male sued in October to overturn the policy.

The transgender students, Juliet Evancho, Elissa Ridenour and another identified only by the initials A.S., were all seniors and have since graduated.

The school district confirmed the settlement. Schools spokeswoman Rachel Hatthorn said board members approved the settlement and related policies at a meeting July 17.

 Associated Press

ILLINOIS

Governor vetoes school funding plan

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) used his veto power Tuesday to strip millions of dollars for Chicago Public Schools from a school funding overhaul, a move that could mean no districts get state money before classes begin. Rauner removed help for Chicago Public Schools pensions along with money the district formerly received in the form of a block grant, along with other rewrites.

The bill now returns to the Democrat-controlled legislature, where a three-fifths vote in both chambers is needed to either override Rauners changes or approve them to be able to send money to schools this year. Both options will be difficult.

A new school formula is required as part of a state budget deal that legislators approved in July over Rauners veto, ending an impasse that reached a third year. Without the new school funding legislation, districts wont get paid. The first payment to schools is due Aug. 10.

 Associated Press

Judge allows mental evaluation of shooters wife: A judge in Florida is permitting the wife of the Florida nightclub shooter to get a mental evaluation from an expert chosen by prosecutors. The federal judge in Noor Salmans case said Tuesday that she can be evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist picked by prosecutors since her defense attorneys plan to introduce evidence related to her mental health. Salman has pleaded not guilty to obstructing the investigation and aiding and abetting her husband, Omar Mateen, who opened fire at the Pulse nightclub in June 2016. Forty-nine club patrons were killed in the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Salmans trial is set for March.

 Associated Press
FRANCE

Macron campaign emails leaked online

WikiLeaks published Monday a cache of more than 70,000 emails related to the recent election campaign of French President Emmanuel Macron and other correspondence going back to 2009.

There were no immediate bombshell disclosures in the latest major online dump of leaked material, but the publication of the material appeared certain to bring further scrutiny to online security among political campaigns and other organizations.

The documents  dated between 2009 and April 24, 2017, the day of the French elections first round  include many routine exchanges such as travel schedules and appointments. But it could be days before all the documents are reviewed.

Just minutes before campaigning closed in the final round of the presidential election in May, the Macron campaign claimed it had been the victim of a major hacking operation in which thousands of emails and other internal communications were thrust into the public domain.

On Monday, Macrons party suggested that there was a link between the latest leaked emails and the others disclosed in May.

Although the first Macron data dump had virtually no effect on the results of the election  Macron easily defeated far-right Marine Le Pen  it stoked fears of a Russia-backed cyberattack, given that the Kremlin had openly supported Le Pen in the election.

 James McAuley

AFGHANISTAN

2 killed in attack on Iraqi Embassy in Kabul

Gunmen stormed the Iraqi Embassy compound in Kabul after a suicide bomber blasted open the gates to the site Monday, forcing diplomats and others to flee as Afghan security forces battled the attackers, officials said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danesh said two Afghan employees of the embassy were killed and three police officers were injured, the Associated Press reported. The three gunmen were killed in the shootout, which lasted nearly four hours.

The Islamic State-affiliated news agency Amaq asserted that militants from the group carried out the assault and killed at least seven guards.

Danesh said all embassy staff were moved to a safe location.

The attack began with an explosion outside the embassy, authorities said. Then the gunmen entered the compound.

Militants have hit Western installations on various occasions in Afghanistan, and the targeting of the Iraqi mission was a rare strike against an Islamic nation. The Islamic States claim of responsibility did not include a motive, but Iraqi forces last month ousted the group from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

 Sayed Salahuddin

SOMALIA

Al-Shabab commander thought killed in strike

The U.S. military said Monday that it carried out a drone strike in Somalia that killed a member of al-Shabab, while Somalias government said it believes the strike killed a high-level commander of the extremist group responsible for deadly bombings in the capital.

A U.S. Africa Command statement said the airstrike occurred over the weekend near an al-Shabab stronghold in the Lower Shabelle region.

President Trump has approved expanded military operations against al-Shabab, including more- aggressive airstrikes. Al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamist extremist group in Africa. The U.S. statement said the airstrike was carried out in coordination with regional partners as a direct response to al-Shabab actions.

Somalias Information Ministry said the government believes that Ali Mohamed Hussein died in the operation. Ali had served as al-Shababs shadow governor for the capital, Mogadishu.

 Associated Press

Turkey detains more than 1,000 in raids: Turkish authorities detained 1,098 people over the past week on suspicion of links to militant groups or last years coup attempt, the Interior Ministry said. It said 831 of those were seized on suspicion of ties to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the July coup attempt. Forty-six people were detained over alleged links to the Islamic State, the ministry said.

Teen found guilty in Polish mans death in Britain: A 16-year-old was convicted of manslaughter in the killing of a Polish man whose death raised concerns about hate crimes in Britain. A jury found the boy guilty of punching 40-year-old Arkadiusz Jozwik, who struck his head as he fell outside a pizza parlor north of London last August. Jozwik died in a hospital.

 From news services
This summers big movie is Dunkirk. Since its July 21 opening, it has taken in more than $100 million in North America and been hailed by ecstatic critics everywhere. I have seen the film twice, admiring it even more the second time. It is a stupendous achievement, although more than a little odd. Its a war film for the Trump era. It is deaf to history.

Dunkirk is the French port on the English Channel where both British and French troops were trapped by the Germans in May 1940. The allies had their backs to the Channel, always an obstreperous body of water. Across the Channel lay England, which Hitler was intent on conquering. Winston Churchill, the new prime minister, was fully aware of the stakes. There would be no chivalrous surrender ceremony. Every member of his cabinet, he wrote, was ready to be killed quite soon. This was a war of extermination.

Aside from an opening scroll, none of that is mentioned in Dunkirk. More startling, neither are the Germans. Throughout they are called the enemy. Dolts seeing this movie could conclude the British and the French were fighting the Irish or Latvians. They would not know how dire the stakes were for Britain or, as Franklin D. Roosevelt understood, for the rest of the world. An evilly rapacious regime was on the march. Hitler was intent on murder without end.

The movies omissions are not inadvertent. Director Christopher Nolan said he didnt want to make something that wasnt relevant to todays audiences. He not only didnt want to show generals and admirals pushing toy armies around a large table, but he didnt want to get bogged down in the politics of the situation, either. But the politics of the situation has to include Auschwitz and Coventry and, later, the 1944 massacre of 84 American POWs at Malmedy in Belgium. The enemy did that.

In her Wall Street Journal essay on Dunkirk, Dorothy Rabinowitz chastised Nolan for minimizing Churchills role in turning the debacle of Dunkirk into a rousing call to arms. The British and the French were trounced, but an armada of English pleasure boats and fishing vessels crossed the Channel and plucked around 340,000 men off the beach. Many lives were saved; maybe England itself.

But to my mind, Nolans most egregious error was to white-out the Germans. I am not a German bitter-ender. I am, though, a German never-forgetter. In my several visits to Germany I have written in admiration of that countrys strenuous efforts to face its past and make amends. In that regard, it has done better than France, whose complicity in the roundup and murder of its Jews was only tardily acknowledged. America, too, has been reluctant to come to terms with the horrors of slavery.

Germanys crimes were recent and of such a scale and depravity that, unless constantly faced, they will come to seem fictitious. Germany is special because in the pre-Nazi era it was  as it has again become  a center of European culture, not just the inevitable cliches about Beethoven and Brahms, but of avant-garde cinema, gay night life, vibrant journalism, great theater and Daimlers swooshing down Berlins Unter den Linden. In a blink of an eye, all but the cars were gone. Germany went mad.

Nolan had an obligation to suggest this context  and film reviewers had an obligation to note his reluctance. But not a single reviewer Ive read faulted Nolan for removing Dunkirk from its context, or his insistence that ignorance is a cinematic virtue and that politics  which in this case was about who shall live and who shall die  would only muddy things up. This is especially the case in the age of President Trump when it is necessary to appreciate that the ugliness he has exploited could escape its confines and metastasize. Contrary to Nolans insistence, the politics of Dunkirk remains not only relevant, but also urgent. Ignore it, and it will take you by the throat.

No British soldier called the men shooting at him the enemy. I checked with Michael Korda, author of a forthcoming book on Dunkirk (Alone: Britain, Churchill, and Dunkirk: Defeat Into Victory). The British called the Germans Jerries. They were real, upfront killers and included units of the SS who, at Dunkirk, murdered at least 80 British prisoners. These Germans fought in the cause of a huge evil and, because they lost, I write today. The enemy? It was then Germany. It is now ignorance.

Read more from Richard Cohens archive.
DURING REPUBLICANS unilateral push to replace Obamacare with a flimsier system, they insisted that they were on a rescue mission to save a collapsing policy the Democrats had forced on the country. In reality, Obamacare was not the disaster they described, and their plans to replace it would have been far worse for needy people. The GOP effort fell apart, deservedly, last week.

Fortunately, a bipartisan group of lawmakers was at the same time quietly discussing how to fix, rather than replace, Obamacare. This group, the Problem Solvers Caucus, is split about evenly between Democrats and Republicans, and it released on Monday a modest plan that, if Washington were working, would be a viable bipartisan compromise focused on stabilizing health-care markets rather than enforcing one partys will on the nation. Inasmuch as Obamacare needs rescuing, this is what a real rescue plan looks like.

Seeking bargaining leverage, President Trump has roiled health-care markets by threatening to withhold important federal payments to insurers, which fund a program that reduces out-of-pocket costs for low-income people. Without these cost-sharing reduction payments, insurers would have to raise premiums in order to finance the program or abandon markets that might become unprofitable to them. Insurance companies have made clear that Trump-induced uncertainty surrounding these payments has already forced them to raise prices. The caucuss plan would fully fund the cost-sharing payments, immediately relieving uncertainty that is harming peoples access to insurance coverage.

The proposal would also set aside money that states could use to bolster their individual insurance markets in other ways. They could, for example, create reinsurance programs and other schemes that helped insurers cope with customers who required a great deal of expensive care. This would drive down premiums generally.

Though Republicans embraced these sorts of ideas in their repeal-and-replace bills, they would be unlikely to do so again absent a broader reform package. The compromise, therefore, includes some proposals more congenial to Republicans. It would curtail the mandate on employers to provide health insurance to their workers; advance states ability to band together into regional compacts in which insurance could be sold across state lines; and, expand the opportunity for states to experiment with different ways of covering their people.

Finally, the caucuss plan sweetens the deal for the GOP by proposing to eliminate Obamacares medical device tax. This is its least defensible element. The multiyear drive to kill the tax is nothing more than an effort to please a special-interest industry with some powerful protectors in Congress.

The caucuss plan is not the only conceivable Obamacare fix, but it is a serious, generally sensible proposal. Lawmakers should quickly approve it  or a comparable plan  before insurers finalize their premiums for next year.
Ted Cruz, a Republican, represents Texas in the U.S. Senate.

Four years ago, North Koreas Rodong newspaper released a photograph of Kim Jong Un sitting in front of an intercontinental-ballistic-missile targeting map depicting Washington, Los Angeles and Austin. What once may have sparked laughter is no longer a joke. Kims latest successful ICBM test, last week, could make the entire continental United States vulnerable to a nuclear strike from Pyongyang.

We can no longer defer our response to this crisis. North Korea has demonstrated time and again that it may upend the tenuous armistice along the 38th parallel at any moment and drag the United States and our allies into a devastating conflict. What the United States needs now is swift action backed by a realistic strategy to secure the denuclearization and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

We can achieve this if we effectively nullify Pyongyangs ability to target the United States and our allies, freeze the resources that North Korea funnels to its ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, and send a signal to disenchanted Korean Workers Party elites that they could have a future in a reunified Korea.

Today, only the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system  designed to intercept ICBMs as they travel through space  protects the United States from nuclear attack. The Terminal High-ltitude Area Defense system, calibrated to destroy medium-range missiles as they reenter Earths atmosphere, defends South Korea. Both platforms, and accompanying missile-interceptor programs such as the Multi-Object Kill Vehicle, must remain top priorities, but North Koreas ICBM tests necessitate new measures.

We must now take missile defense into space.

Although the Institute for Defense Analysis reported in 2011 that the United States possesses the requisite technology to field a space-based interceptor (SBI) program within 10 years, little progress has been made in the six years since. Legislating to advance SBI and expand the scope of the Missile Defense Agency has been a critical priority for me on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Only with a serious space-based capability can we target missiles in their boost phase and maximize discrimination of decoys during midcourse flight.

Our aim must be to outpace the North Korean threat by orders of magnitude, not merely to keep up with it. Space-based missile defense can get us there.

However, simply defending against North Korean projectiles is insufficient. We must also deprive Pyongyang of the resources it directs to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Unfortunately, during the Obama administration, the White House was more interested in securing a climate deal with China than enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang.

President Trump is right when he says that China holds unique sway over North Korea. Beijing is effectively its only real trading partner, and the illicit network that finances North Koreas atomic pursuits runs through Chinese banks and companies.

I applaud the Treasury Department for recently designating the Bank of Dandong as a primary money laundering concern; now is the time to take further action against other key violators that bankroll the North Korean mafia state, including Bank of China. U.N. reports, Justice Department documents and nongovernmental organization research have proved that Kim depends on the U.S. financial system to pay his elites, generals, security forces and soldiers. We must, through our financial regulations, compel U.S. banks with correspondent accounts linked to North Korean entities to begin mapping out the complex financial web of beneficial ownership that Pyongyang obscures with Chinese assistance.

Yet even a sanctioned North Korea remains a threat. Endemic to the regime is the enduring Juche ideology that deifies the Kim family and promises reunification of Korea in a communist utopia. Like all authoritarian regimes before it, the Korean Workers Party propagates these lies in a vacuum of truth.

Reauthorization of the North Korea Human Rights Act (which I am co-sponsoring) can enable the United States to reach the people of North Korea with targeted messages of hope and support, as well as examples of the freedoms we enjoy every day. We should take this a step further and begin to initiate targeted information operations focusing on North Korean political elites who, like everyday North Koreans, have also felt the brunt of Kims paranoid persecution. We must begin to quietly signal to these elites that there is a future for them if they are prepared to do the right thing when it matters most.

The only way to degrade the growing power of Pyongyang is through a coordinated approach that nullifies North Koreas missile advances, stymies its illicit cash flow and challenges the lies that underpin Kims hold on power. This would turn the tables on Pyongyang and give us back the advantage.
Foolish optimists expected Ivanka Trump to be a moderating force in the White House. But by now it should be clear that shes not part of any solution, which by definition means shes part of the problem.

Can anyone tell me why, other than nepotism, she has an office in the White House and a back-bench seat at meetings of the Cabinet? Washington is full of people who are smart, successful, well-educated  and actually have experience in developing and implementing government policy, which Ivanka completely lacks.

It is true that the presidents daughter was once seen as the socially acceptable face of the Trump brand. She and her husband, Jared Kushner, were identified with the progressive social views of the rarified social circles in which they traveled. No less an authority on daughterhood and the White House than Chelsea Clinton, whom Ivanka describes as a very good friend, said before the inauguration that we have so much more in common than we have disagreement about.

Ivanka promised to champion issues of concern to women, including paid family leave. And it was hoped that she could hold President Trump to his former live-and-let-live views when it came to issues such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.

Wrong, apparently.

Ivanka Trump. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The presidents sudden decision last week to bar transgender individuals from military service was just the latest example of Ivankas lack of influence. She was reportedly taken by surprise when the president announced the ban in an early-morning tweet. So was almost everyone, including the military officials who are supposed to enforce the new policy of discrimination, which they dont much seem to like. But the mean-spirited decree must have been especially galling for Ivanka, who in June had tweeted that she was proud to support my LGBTQ friends and the LGBTQ Americans who have made immense contributions to our society and economy.

Ivanka and Jared reportedly lobbied Trump not to abandon the Paris climate change accord, seen by most scientists and world leaders as the most significant step to date in limiting the heat-trapping carbon emissions that are rapidly warming the planet. The president pulled out of the pact anyway.

She had no discernible influence in the health-care battle, which perhaps should be no surprise. Trump pledged health insurance for everybody but became so desperate for a legislative win that he would have settled for health care for nobody, which is roughly what was in the bill the Senate rejected last week.

Ivanka has continued to advocate a national program of guaranteed paid family leave, similar to those in many other industrialized countries, which she described in a recent letter in the Wall Street Journal as not an entitlement but an investment in Americas working families. She did have enough juice to get budget director Mick Mulvaney to allocate some money for such a program  $25 billion over 10 years  but it is unclear whether the funding will survive the appropriations process.

If it does, Ill congratulate her. If not, she might want to work to help Democrats take control of both the House and the Senate in 2018. Im sure they would be happy to vote for a much better family leave program, covering not just childbirth but also other family needs such as elder care.

Where Ivanka does apparently have real influence is in matters of personnel. She and Jared are reported to have urged Trump to bring in foul-mouthed Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director. Seriously, thats the guy you wanted shaping the administrations message? Scaramucci was dismissed Monday after just 10 days on the job. He had only two things to offer: North Korean-style hosannas to the strength, wisdom and general magnificence of his dear leader, President Trump; and an undeniable talent for imaginative swearing.

Ivanka is also said to have supported the defenestration of Reince Priebus in favor of John F. Kelly as chief of staff. It is true that Priebus didnt do a very good job, but thats mostly because he wasnt allowed to  and Ivanka was one of his headaches, though perhaps not the worst. She is one of many aides who enjoy unfettered access to the president. If Kelly is not allowed to function as a gatekeeper, he, too, will fail.

1 of 68 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Ivanka Trump: A life in the spotlight View Photos Ivanka Trump has become an anchor of the Trump brand, often offering a noncontroversial counterpoint to the polarizing presence of her father, Donald. Heres a look at her early life of privilege and transformation into a businesswoman, first daughter and now adviser to the president. Caption Heres a look at Ivanka Trumps early life of privilege and transformation into a business executive, first daughter and adviser to the U.S. president. July 16, 2014 Ivanka Trump poses for a portrait at Trump Tower in Manhattan. Yana Paskova/For The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Meanwhile, Ivankas line of shoes, clothing and accessories  conspicuously not Made in America  has come under new scrutiny. And one disillusioned friend of hers told me she and Jared must have drunk the Kool-Aid. In her White House role, shes not helping the nation, and shes sure not helping herself.

Read more from Eugene Robinsons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. You can also join him Tuesdays at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A.
John Podesta, the chair of Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign, served as counselor to President Barack Obama and chief of staff to President Bill Clinton.

As a former White House chief of staff, the best advice I could have given Gen. John F. Kelly has been overtaken by events: Dont take the job.

Kelly, who has rendered extraordinary service and sacrifice to the nation, just signed up for what may truly be an impossible mission: bringing discipline, order and strategic focus to the chaos that is the Trump White House.

To have any chance of succeeding, he will have to accomplish three extraordinary tasks, all at odds with President Trumps instincts.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. (Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency)

First, discipline. Theres no doubt the decision to replace Reince Priebus with Kelly was based on the hope that a former four-star Marine general could get this menagerie in line. You dont have to compare the Trump White House to no-drama Obama or the buttoned-down Bush operations to know there is simply no precedent in modern history for the current White House culture of factionalism, infighting and lack of respect among senior staff members. Of course, most of Trumps team are simply modeling their behavior on that of the boss. His demeaning treatment of Priebus and Attorney General Jeff Sessions signals that there are no boundaries in Trumpland, leading to the unprofessional actions of now-former communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Indeed, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders informed the public that the president encourages such behavior.

Kelly is walking into a White House that looks more like a cock fight than an episode of The West Wing. (See Mooch, you can use that word without being profane.) The White House culture will have to be shaken to its core. Kelly must be able to fire anyone at will, including to enforce a no-tolerance policy for behavior unbecoming a senior government official. Scaramuccis departure Monday is a good start, but Kelly will have to keep a tight rein on a White House staff that is used to few boundaries. And if there is going to be an exception for Trumps relatives, Kelly should get an explicit commitment that even Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump report through him  no end arounds.

The most difficult discipline problem for Kelly, though, will not be the staff but Trump himself. Early signs are not auspicious. The day after appointing Kelly, Trump ranted on Twitter against Senate Republicans for failure to pass their horrific health-care bill, which would have denied care to millions of Americans and raised costs for millions more. I have no doubt that Kelly, unlike Priebus, can say no to power, but whether power will listen is another matter.

Kellys second task will be to restore strategic direction to Trumps haphazard policy-making process.

In domestic affairs, that will mean reestablishing relationships with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. Trumps current strategy of partisan bullying has been disastrous, producing almost no significant legislation in what has generally been the most productive part of a new presidents time in office. Other than rolling back some Obama regulations on behalf of special interests, the only bill of significance that has passed is the Russia sanctions bill that the White House opposed.

Kelly cannot outsource the job of establishing a working relationship with congressional leaders to Vice President Pence or his congressional liaison. The new chief of staff is known as a man of his word, and he has to use that reputation to establish a rapport and find common ground with Republicans and Democrats on issues such as infrastructure, tax reform and, yes, even a bipartisan approach to improving the Affordable Care Act.

In international affairs, he has to help national security adviser H.R. McMaster and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis focus on the clear priorities of Russia, the Middle East and North Korea. With respect to the last, he might start by asking why the White House has not even nominated an ambassador to South Korea or filled any of the senior regional posts for Asia at State or Defense.

(The Washington Post)

Kellys third task might be the hardest.

He has to protect the integrity and independence of the Justice Department and special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation from constant interference by the president and the White House. He has to be resolute in defending our constitutional norms and the rule of law. While it may not endear him to the president, Kelly will actually be helping Trump stay out of even more trouble.

I began by noting that Kelly may have embarked on mission impossible, but the good news is that he does have a strong hand to play. The truth is that the president needs Kelly more than Kelly needs him. Trump simply cannot afford to have Kelly walk without disastrous consequences. The new chief of staff should use that power to restore discipline and dignity to a White House sorely in need of both.
Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie, at the lectern, calls for a crackdown on gangs and sanctuary cities at a news conference in front of the Loudoun County Courthouse last week. (Fenit Nirappil/The Washington Post)

Regarding the July 28 Metro article Gillespie urges eradicating gangs, sanctuary cities:

With his attack on MS-13, Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie was pandering to the President Trump/Corey Stewart base, which is disgraceful and should have been pointed out. There is no evidence that undocumented immigrants commit violence or property crimes at a higher rate than the general population.

Emile Schepers, Woodbridge

The writer is international relations secretary

of the Communist Party of the USA.
OF ALL the irresponsible things that President Trump has said  and there have been far too many  perhaps nothing threatens to do greater damage than his remarks encouraging police to use excessive force. That was demonstrated by the swift public condemnations of his comments from police officials, who understand better than anyone that public safety is not well served if police are seen to be above the law and distrusted.

Please dont be too nice was Mr. Trumps admonition, to a gathering of law enforcement officials, about arresting and transporting suspects. When you guys, he said Friday at an event on Long Island, put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Like, dont hit their head, and theyve just killed somebody  dont hit their head. I said, you can take the hand away, okay? As alarming as his comments were, even more jarring was the spectacle of officers in uniform cheering and applauding. Do they need a reminder of 25-year-old Freddie Gray and how he died from a spinal injury after transport in a Baltimore police van in 2015?

It was heartening, though, to see police officials from across the country distance themselves from  with many firmly denouncing  the presidents comments giving a seeming wink and nod to police brutality. New Yorks Suffolk County Police Department, which had officers present at the Friday event, said it has strict rules and procedures that dont tolerate the roughing up of prisoners. New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison said unreasonable or unnecessary use of force erodes trust at a time when we need support from our local communities the most. Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger was, as he bluntly writes on this page, appalled to hear such comments from the president of the United States.

Unfortunately and to its discredit, the national union representing police rank and file attempted to give Mr. Trump a pass for his unacceptable remarks. Off the cuff comments . . . are sometimes taken all too literally by the media and professional police critics, said a statement from National Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury. His cavalier attitude disserves his unions members, most of whom conscientiously follow the law while performing their difficult and dangerous duty.

Given that the Justice Department under Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signaled its lack of interest in bringing needed reform to troubled police departments, in the name of law and order, it is hard not to be concerned by the presidents comments. And even if Mr. Trump really didnt mean what he said  the all-too-convenient excuse used by his apologists  we agree with former D.C. and Philadelphia police chief Charles H. Ramsey (hardly a professional police critic) that words matter. Mr. Trumps paean to gratuitous use of force sends the wrong message to police and to the communities they serve.
Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like youve never been hurt and live like its (sic) heaven on earth.

 Mark Twain, as told to Anthony Scaramucci.

It was a fall of biblical proportions.

Huge! Like, bigger than Jericho falling to Joshua.

I said we were brothers, Scaramucci, the newly named White House communications director, said last week of his rivalry with Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff. Thats because were rough on each other. Some brothers are like Cain and Abel.

Anthony Scaramucci. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Scaramuccis retelling of Genesis had a twist: It was a murder-suicide. Priebuss Abel was indeed slain by Scaramuccis Cain; the chief was ousted Friday. But Cain met the same fate Monday afternoon; his buffoonery, self-aggrandizement and foul mouth caused him to be sacked after just 10 days on the job. He wasnt officially supposed to start until Aug. 15, so his tenure, technically, was minus 16 days.

Much too soon, The Mooch is gone. As the Good Book says: What the &@%$#? Those &@%$# can go &@%$# themselves with a &@%$#.

Never was a man more devoted to a cause than the Mooch was to the Donald. He sold his business. He gave up his political beliefs. He apparently gave up his wife. He definitely surrendered his reputation and his dignity. All for President Trump, who thanked him by saying, Youre fired. Only hours after tweeting to the world: No WH chaos!

The Moochs tenure was such a whirlwind that its tempting to describe them as Ten Days That Changed the World. But the Mooch didnt really change anything. He just made everything wildly entertaining.

As word leaked on July 21 that Scaramucci had been given the communications job, press secretary Sean Spicer quit. Scaramucci immediately gave a televised news conference, blowing a kiss to the cameras and planting many kisses on the wonderful human being who is Trump.

Two days later, he was on CNN, boasting to Jake Tapper about a secret source and saying, I wont tell you who. When Tapper didnt take the bait or ask who it was, Scaramucci blurted out: How about it was the president, Jake? . . . He called me from Air Force One.

So devoted was the Mooch to his patron that he tried, with all the subtlety of the Soviets, to airbrush his previous criticism of Trump  whom hed called a hack and a bully  and Trumps beliefs. Full transparency, the Mooch tweeted. Im deleting old tweets. And so, in the name of transparency, he tried to erase a past in which he thought well of Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, gun control, abortion rights, Islam and climate-change science.

1 of 37 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Members of President Trumps administration: Moments that made headlines View Photos White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions during Trumps administration. Caption White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions in the early days of the administration. Sarah Huckabee Sanders comments on slavery Things got testy when April Ryan, a White House reporter for American Urban Radio Networks, asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to comment on slavery at Wednesdays news briefing. READ THE STORY Al Drago/Bloomberg Wait 1 second to continue.

But the Mooch let stand one of his best tweets: his false claim that Mark Twain had uttered the dance like no one is watching quotation, which actually had its origins in 1980s pop music. The parodies poured in:

Na na na na na na na nana Na na na na nana Gettin jiggy wit it  Nelson Mandela.

Love. Love will keep us together. Think of me, babe, whenever.  Jesus Christ.

Bailamos! Let the rhythm take you over.  Christopher Columbus.

Nothings gonna stop us, nothings gonna stop us now. Ernest Hemingway.

Then there were the photos: The Mooch giving a thumbs up on Air Force One (en route to Youngstown, Ohio, where Trump would muse about his place on Mount Rushmore), and the Mooch with thumbs in his belt loops, facing off against Priebus in the Oval Office.

Wednesday night brought a tweet suggesting that Priebus was responsible for the leak of my financial info which is a felony. Turns out the financial information was public record.

Thursday, the New Yorkers Ryan Lizza reported on a phone call in which Scaramucci said top Trump strategist Stephen K. Bannon was trying to [expletive] his own [expletive], that Priebus was a [expletive] paranoid schizophrenic who was trying to [expletive]-block rivals. He said he wanted to [expletive] kill all the leakers, who, he said, are going to have to go [expletive] themselves.

On Friday, the New York Post reported that Scaramuccis second wife, in late-stage pregnancy, had filed for a divorce in early July. The report suggested her husbands involvement with Trump had something to do with it. She gave birth to a boy on Monday, but it took Scaramucci four days to meet his son.

Can the Mooch pick himself up after this fall? I believe he is Abel. As Mark Twain once said:

I see a little silhouetto of a man

Scaramooch, Scaramooch, will you do the fandango?

Thunderbolt and lightning  very very frightening me

Galileo, (Galileo), Galileo, (Galileo), Galileo Figaro

Twitter: @Milbank

Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Correction: An earlier version of this column incorrectly described a group that claims Sebastian Gorka as a sworn member. It is a Hungarian nationalist group. This version has been updated.

Mirror mirror on the wall, whos the most dangerous White House official of them all?

The Mooch may be out of the running, but theres still a lot of competition.

Its not the guy in charge of our nuclear arsenal, who may or may not have realized that was the core of his job description before accepting the post (Rick Perry).

Nor is it the woman meeting with mens rights advocates (Betsy DeVos).

And its not the guy who keeps adding financial assets and meetings with Russian officials to his federal disclosure forms (Jared Kushner).

Mick Mulvaney. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)

Its neither of the guys rolling back climate change regulations and sidelining scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department (Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke, respectively).

Its not the guy who worries that homeless shelters are too comfortable (Ben Carson). Not the guy arguing to dismantle lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights (Jeff Sessions). Not the mastermind of the Bowling Green Massacre (Kellyanne Conway).

Strangely enough, its not the fellow who built a media empire by playing footsie with the alt-right (Stephen K. Bannon). Nor is it even the guy whom a Nazi-allied Hungarian nationalist group claims as a sworn member (Sebastian Gorka).

To be sure, all these aides and bureaucrats are doing damage. They are degrading norms, enacting bad policy and putting our country and planet at grave risk.

But right now the most dangerous title belongs  aside from the tweeter in chief, of course  to someone in a much less sexy job, with a much less scandalous background.

Its Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In terms of both immensity and immediacy, the threat Mulvaney presents is far greater than any of the slow-motion train wrecks happening elsewhere in the administration. Thats because he seems hell-bent on wreaking a global crisis within the next two months.

(Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

Not a century from now. Not a decade from now. In two months.

Thats when the government will run out of money needed to pay bills Congress has already incurred, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, if Congress does not act to raise the debt limit.

What would follow? Just a constitutional, political and global financial crisis.

Arguably, the U.S. government would be in violation of the 14th Amendment (The validity of the public debt of the United States . . . shall not be questioned). The governments ability to continue paying Social Security checks, interest on the debt and other basic obligations would likewise be at risk.

Most important, this would irrevocably destroy the United States sterling reputation as a borrower.

U.S. debt is considered the safest of safe assets, and as such, Treasury securities are the benchmark of the global financial system. Causing creditors to question whether theyll receive full and timely payments would trigger panic in markets throughout the world.

Technically, we already hit the debt ceiling in March. In the months since, Treasury has engaged in extraordinary accounting measures to avoid outright default. But come early fall, those measures will be exhausted. The United States will become a deadbeat.

The debt ceiling is a product of the misguided belief that limiting the official borrowing capacity of the government would force legislators into frugality. In reality, it has done nothing to curb financial profligacy. Its chief effect is to periodically offer some political faction  sometimes the minority party, sometimes the nuttier fringe of the majority party  the power to take a very valuable hostage.

Mnuchin has urged Congress to pass a debt-limit hike with no strings attached. The government would thereby dodge default with minimal drama and without spooking markets.

But Mulvaney has other plans.

During his six years in Congress, he voted against raising the debt limit four times. One might hope he was merely posturing, since he was able to cast such votes with the knowledge that his colleagues would ultimately pass the bills.

Unfortunately, as OMB director, Mulvaney has continued to be breathtakingly irresponsible with the creditworthiness of the United States.

In May, he publicly contradicted Mnuchin by arguing that a debt-ceiling increase should be coupled with divisive spending cuts, which would inevitably complicate an already politically fraught process.

And on Sunday, he told CNNs Jake Tapper that Congress must not pass any legislation  not even a debt-ceiling hike  until the notoriously impossible Obamacare repeal is done. President Trump echoed this thinking on Twitter as well.

No surprise, given that the self-proclaimed King of Debt has also been cavalier about the full faith and credit of the United States.

So long as Mulvaney still has the presidents ear, were all living dangerously.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches a Day of the Sun parade in Pyongyang on April 15. (How Hwee Young/European Pressphoto Agency)

Regarding the July 29 editorial The options for North Korea:

We already have arrows at the ready in our quivers. Reliable and accurate. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is putting on a grand show. We can easily beat him at his own game with better showmanship.

Announce that we will launch an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile. This will arrive at some undisclosed point nearby, in South Korean waters. Its arrival will be closely monitored.

Broadcast the launch, whose timing is a surprise, as it occurs. Follow this with the predicted arrival time of that missile-in-flight. Arrange for video capture of this event (smoke would be nice) at that location.

Drive home the realization that we have the capability to put one of these in Mr. Kims hip pocket wherever that hip pocket is. This might be something of a deterrent to errant behavior on his part.

Check your watch. You have minutes to live.

John Hebbe, Fairfax Station
President Trump fired communications director Anthony Scaramucci on Monday at the urging of new White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, a clear sign that the retired Marine general is being empowered to manage what has been an unwieldy West Wing operation.

Kelly demanded Scaramuccis departure after he attacked former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus in a profanity-laced interview last week that quickly became a public symbol of the vicious infighting that has helped define the first months of the administration.

Trumps willingness to dismiss Scaramucci  whom he hired just 10 days ago  was viewed by many in the West Wing as an indication that he is eager to impose order and is giving Kelly the tools to do so.

General Kelly has the full authority to operate within the White House, and all staff will report to him, said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Left unclear is whether Kelly will be able to curb the presidents inclination to subvert pecking orders, his tendency to encourage rivalries among his staff and his insistence on managing his own message through social media in ways that have often undermined his aides strategic planning.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

This is a president that loves feedback and information, and he doesnt like getting it through a chain of command, said Trump friend Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax Media. I dont think thats going to change.

But Kellys arrival signals that Trump is putting his confidence in someone he perceives to have the stature and experience to be a forceful leader in a White House characterized by competing power centers.

After swearing in Kelly to his role during an Oval Office ceremony, Trump treated him to the formalities typically reserved for visiting heads of state. As the two sat shoulder to shoulder in armchairs for the benefit of cameras, Trump leaned in and effusively praised Kelly, who previously served as Trumps homeland security secretary. He later lavished more praise on him during a Cabinet meeting.

I predict that General Kelly will go down, in terms of the position of chief of staff, one of the greatest ever, the president said. We all know him, we respect him, admire what hes done.

Priebus was viewed inside the White House as being ineffective and having little control over other top aides, and the president had mused for months about replacing him. In one of the strongest indications that Kelly will have greater authority than his predecessor, Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner  both of whom advocated for Kelly to be hired  have expressed their willingness to support any structural changes Kelly might make, according to a White House official. Sanders confirmed that they, too, will report to Kelly, as will all other officials.

A Kelly-led senior staff meeting Monday morning was well received, said people close to the White House who described aides as feeling optimistic that he might create stability in the West Wing.

Hes an adult and a disciplinarian, said Barry Bennett, who was a Trump campaign adviser. He walks in with respect. I dont think people will go to war with him.

(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post)

But Kelly is planning to bring at least one senior adviser from the Department of Homeland Security with him to the White House. There are signs that these new hires may be met with a chilly reception, two people familiar with the matter said, raising questions about who will hold influence in a White House overloaded with aides competing for influence.

The White House has for months been dominated by warring factions, including a New York-based wing led by Ivanka Trump and Kushner, establishment Republicans, and Trump-allied conservatives inside and outside the administration, among them chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon.

Ivanka Trump and Kushner were instrumental in bringing Scaramucci into the White House in large part to oust Priebus, who led the establishment wing. After Scaramuccis explosive interview with the New Yorker, in which he angrily accused Priebus in vulgar terms of leaking to the media, they soured on him and were supportive of Kellys efforts to oust him.

Over the weekend, Kelly told associates that he was dismayed by Scaramuccis interview and found it abhorrent and embarrassing for the president. Removing him from the communications post is part of an effort to change the culture of the White House and to signal to staff members that their comments reflect on the president.

This was the president showing General Kelly that hes in charge and he has the ball and this has fingerprints of a clear sign that people need to fall in line, said Blain Rethmeier, who helped Kelly with his confirmation process earlier this year after he was nominated to lead the Homeland Security Department. One thing youll see is a new level of discipline and respect restored.

The move comes as the White House is trying to jump-start the presidents stagnant agenda and focus lawmakers and supporters on passing tax cuts. Earlier Monday, three top administration officials, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and legislative director Marc Short, each said they planned to press aggressively for the tax plan, which Trump considers a centerpiece of his domestic agenda.

Shortly after Kelly was sworn in, Trump presided over a Cabinet meeting in which Cohn said the White House is focused primarily on how to push the tax overhaul through Congress. Meanwhile, Short called on conservatives to pressure Senate Democrats in competitive states such as Indiana and North Dakota to support their plan. Mnuchin said the White House would be willing to jettison numerous unspecified tax breaks to make up for some of the revenue the government would lose by lowering tax rates.

While the administration has not been able to move forward on priorities such as tax reform, overhauling the health-care system and spending on infrastructure projects, Trumps tenure has been dominated by investigations of Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether any members of his campaign colluded with Moscow.

The president and top aides have blamed the White House communications operation for not doing a better job of pushing back against the Russia story and promoting his agenda  a situation Trump has often made more difficult with his statements on Twitter.

No other post in the White House has experienced as much upheaval as the communications director job. It was first given to Jason Miller, a Trump campaign aide who stepped down during the transition. It was then given to Republican operative Michael Dubke, who resigned in May. In the intervening weeks, Sean Spicer had taken on those responsibilities in addition to his role as press secretary until Scaramucci was named to the position.

Scaramuccis tenure led to upheaval in the West Wing from the start, with Spicer resigning rather than working with the New York financier. Within days of entering the White House, Scaramucci threatened to stop White House leaks by firing everyone in the press office until the unauthorized disclosures ended.

Quickly, however, his feud with Priebus became his main focus. Scaramucci had at one point described their relationship as being like brothers. Later, he clarified that they were like Cain and Abel, two biblical brothers whose tumultuous relationship ended in tragedy. Cain murdered Abel, and was punished by God and condemned to a life of wandering.

When the New Yorker published Scaramuccis profane tirade against Priebus and vulgar criticism of Bannon, he found himself on the defensive.

But it was Priebus who was let go Friday, making it look as though Scaramucci had won their power struggle. It was a short-lived victory.

On Monday, Sanders said Trump thinks Scaramuccis comments last week went too far.

The president certainly felt that Anthonys comments were inappropriate for a person in that position, she said.

Trump was eager on Monday to move beyond the criticism that his six months in office have been marked by tumult and dysfunction.

Early in the day, he tweeted that there is no chaos in his White House.

Late in the evening as the dust settled on the latest staff turnover, he tweeted: A great day at the White House!

Robert Costa and Philip Rucker contributed to this report.
On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Trumps advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trumps oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign  a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

But within hours, at the presidents direction, the plan changed.

Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said that he and the Russian lawyer had primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared an article, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was not a campaign issue at the time.

The claims were later shown to be misleading.

(Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the news media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his fathers campaign.

The extent of the presidents personal intervention in his sons response, the details of which have not previously been reported, adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

As special counsel Robert S. Mueller III looks into potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the presidents direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.

This was . . . unnecessary, said one of the presidents advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. Now someone can claim hes the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesnt want you to say the whole truth.

Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia investigation.

He fired FBI Director James B. Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the president asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBIs Russian investigation  a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Muellers work.

1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  A look at the second half, so far, of President Trumps first year in office View Photos Scenes from the Republicans second six months in the White House. Caption A look at the second half of the presidents first year in the White House. Jan. 24, 2018 President Trump speaks to a group of mayors in the East Room of the White House. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

[Top intelligence official told associates Trump asked him if he could intervene with Comey on FBI Russia probe]

Although misleading the public or the news media is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told The Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.

Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

He refuses to sit still, the presidential adviser said. He doesnt think hes in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself.

Trump has said that the Russia investigation is the greatest witch hunt in political history, calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain why Clinton lost an election she should have won.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

[Trumps legal team faces tensions  and a client who often takes his own counsel]

The White House directed all questions for this article to the presidents legal team.

One of Trumps attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of the presidents actions and his role in crafting his sons statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from The Post.

Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent, Sekulows statement read.

Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment. His attorney, Alan Futerfas, told The Post that he and his client were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed.

Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, I have no evidence to support that theory. He described the process of drafting a statement as a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers.

Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administrations leak of CIA operative Valerie Plames identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump Jr.s statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said.

The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president, Zeidenberg said. They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem. . . . What they dont seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them.

Advocating for transparency

The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organizations began to ask questions about it.

Kushners legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people.

Kushners lawyers came across what they immediately recognized would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign  one he had failed to disclose. Trump Jr. had arranged it, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had also attended.

To compound what was, at best, a public relations fiasco, the emails, which had not yet surfaced publicly, showed Trump Jr. responding to the prospect of negative information on Clinton from Russia: I love it.

Lawyers and advisers for Trump, his son and son-in-law gamed out strategies for disclosing the information to try to minimize the fallout of these new links between the Trump family and Russia, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

[Trump Jr.s Russia meeting: What we know and when we learned it]

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the presidents most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushners lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

In one scenario, these people said, Kushners team talked about sharing everything, including the contents of the emails, with a mainstream news organization.

Hicks and Raffel declined to comment. Kushner attorney Abbe Lowell also declined to comment.

The presidents outside legal team, led by Marc Kasowitz, had suggested that the details be given to Circa, an online news organization that the Kasowitz team thought would be friendly to Trump. Circa had inquired in previous days about the meeting, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The presidents legal team planned to cast the June 2016 meeting as a potential setup by Democratic operatives hoping to entrap Trump Jr. and, by extension, the presumptive Republican nominee, according to people familiar with discussions.

Kasowitz declined to comment for this article, as did a Circa spokesman.

Consensus overruled

Circumstances changed when the New York Times began asking about the Trump Tower meeting, though advisers believed that the newspaper knew few of the details. While the president, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were attending the G-20 summit in Germany, the Times asked for White House comment on the impetus and reason for the meeting.

During breaks away from the summit, Kushner and Ivanka Trump gathered with Hicks and Raffel to discuss Kushners response to the inquiry, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Kushners legal team joined at times by phone.

Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, Kushners team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

The discussions among the presidents advisers consumed much of the day, and they continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.s meeting.

The president directed that Trump Jr.s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue  the adoption of Russian children.

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m.  about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his sons statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

In the early afternoon, Eastern time, Trump Jr.s team put out the statement to the Times. It was four sentences long, describing the encounter as a short, introductory meeting.

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, the statement read.

Trump Jr. went on to say: 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.

Over the next hour, word spread through emails and calls to other Trump family advisers and lawyers about the statement that Trump Jr. had sent to the Times.

Some lawyers for the president and for Kushner were surprised and frustrated, advisers later learned. According to people briefed on the dispute, some lawyers tried to reach Futerfas and their clients and began asking why the president had been involved.

Also on the flight, Kushner worked with his team  including one of his lawyers, who called in to the plane.

His lawyers have said that Kushners initial omission of the meeting was an error, but that in an effort to be fully transparent, he had updated his government filing to include this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr. Kushners legal team referred all questions about the meeting itself to Trump Jr.

The Times story revealing the existence of the June 2016 meeting was posted online about 4 p.m. Eastern time. Roughly four hours later, Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Trumps family members and advisers departed the plane, and they knew the problem they had once hoped to contain would soon grow bigger.

Alice Crites contributed to this report.
Senate Republican leaders signaled Monday that they intend to move on from health care to other legislative priorities, even as President Trump continued to pressure lawmakers to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

The discord comes amid uncertainty in the insurance industry and on Capitol Hill about what will come next after last weeks dramatic collapse of the GOPs effort to scrap the seven-year-old landmark law. Trump on Monday threatened to end subsidies to insurers and also took aim at coverage for members of Congress.

But the White House insistence appears to have done little to convince congressional GOP leaders to keep trying. One after another on Monday, top GOP senators said that with no evidence of a plan that could get 50 votes, they were looking for other victories.

Weve had our vote, and were moving on to tax reform, said Sen. John Thune (S.D.), one of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells top lieutenants, speaking of the next big GOP legislative priority.

Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.), another member of the Republican Senate leadership, put it this way: I think its time to move on to something else. Come back to health care when weve had more time to get beyond the moment were in  see if we cant put some wins on the board.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has proposed restructuring how federal money is distributed under the ACA. (Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters)

McConnell did not address health care in his remarks opening Senate business on Monday afternoon. His top deputy, Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), brushed back comments White House budget director Mick Mulvaney made on CNN on Sunday urging Republicans not to vote on anything else until voting on health care again.

I dont think [Mulvaneys] got much experience in the Senate, as I recall, said Cornyn as he made his way into the Senate chamber. And hes got a big job. He ought to do that job and let us do our job.

Mulvaney was echoing what Trump tweeted Saturday: Unless the Republican Senators are total quitters, Repeal & Replace is not dead! Demand another vote before voting on any other bill!

On Monday, Trump tweeted: If Obamacare is hurting people, & it is, why shouldnt it hurt the insurance companies & why should Congress not be paying what public pays? He was referencing subsidies that members of Congress receive to help offset their coverage costs purchased through the Districts exchanges, as required under the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Monday that based on a conversation he had with Trump, the president is considering taking executive action on health care, Reuters reported. A Paul spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and it was not clear what such an action could be. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price indicated over the weekend that he was considering using his regulatory authority to waive the Affordable Care Acts mandate that all Americans buy coverage or pay a tax.

Some rank-and-file Republican lawmakers have used the collapse of repeal-and-replace to offer new fixes and improvements to health care, but there was no sign their leaders were engaged. On Monday, Price met with fellow physician Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who has proposed restructuring how federal money is distributed under the Affordable Care Act. Separately, a bipartisan group of 43 House members released details of their own plan.

We had a productive meeting. All involved want a path forward, said Cassidy in a statement after his White House meeting, also attended by several governors. In addition to turning over federal funds to the states, Cassidy and Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) have proposed repealing key mandates and a tax under the law.

(Daron Taylor/The Washington Post)

But there are no signs that plan will be put to a vote any time soon. It has not been scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Its unclear how many Republicans would vote for it. And McConnell is working on confirming Trumps nominees this week.

A growing number of Republican lawmakers have raised the prospect of working with Democrats on health care. The collection of centrist House Republicans and Democrats unveiled a proposal Monday calling for revisions they said would help stabilize the individual insurance market.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), a co-chair of the centrist Republican and Democratic Problem Solvers Caucus, which released the plan, said he and his colleagues have been working on a draft for about three weeks, as they saw the writing on the wall that the Senate bill was likely to fail.

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) did not champion the plan. AshLee Strong, his press secretary, said in an email: While the speaker appreciates members coming together to promote ideas, he remains focused on repealing and replacing Obamacare.

Strong did not respond to a follow-up question about how that ought to happen. The House passed a sweeping rewrite of the Affordable Care Act this year, with only Republicans voting for it.

The Senate tried to pass its own version but was unable to reach an accord, even on a more modest bill that was meant to keep the talks alive in both chambers. That bill was rejected Friday when Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) joined two other Republicans to sink the legislation in a tension-filled vote that happened while most of the country was asleep.

In their outline, Reed and his colleagues said federal cost-sharing subsidies should be placed under congressional oversight and that mandatory funding should be assured. Now such disbursements are up to the Trump administration, which has been paying them monthly but has threatened to withhold them.

Top Democrats and Republicans warned against that.

Right now, as insurers prepare to lock in their rates and plans for 2018, the Trump administration is dangling a massive sword of Damocles over the heads of millions of Americans  threatening to end payments the administration is supposed to make that would lower deductibles and out-of-pocket costs for so many Americans, said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) on the Senate floor.

Thune said he was hopeful the administration would keep making the payments.

After Fridays vote, some Democrats have felt more empowered to talk about changes to the Affordable Care Act. The centrist House lawmakers want to repeal the 2.3 percent tax on medical device manufacturers and loosen the employer mandate under the Affordable Care Act. The law says companies with 50 or more full-time employees must offer coverage. They want to raise the threshold to 500.

They also said they want to create a state stability fund to reduce premiums and spur more innovation at the state level.

Getting health-care legislation backed only by Republicans to Trumps desk by the end of August is all but impossible, even if they suddenly put aside their disagreements. The House is in recess until September. The Senate is scheduled to be in session the first two weeks of August.

The prospects of a bipartisan deal were just as doubtful, amid fierce partisanship that has gripped the Capitol in the Trump era, which has shown no signs of abating. Even those pushing for one were tempering expectations.

Were not stupid, Reed said. Those partisan swords  theyre going to be out there.

Paige Winfield Cunningham contributed to this report

Read more at PowerPost
For two years, lobbyists for doctors and their insurers met regularly around a conference table a few blocks from the Capitol to draft an overhaul of the nations medical malpractice laws. The resulting legislation proposed strict limits on damages for some plaintiffs and sharply lower fees for their attorneys.

Last month, with no public hearings and few modifications, the House voted to approve the measure  outraging victims rights advocates, who accused lawmakers of acting in secret to slam the courtroom door on people who have been grievously injured by doctors.

It isnt unusual for industry stakeholders to draft legislation. But in this case, lobbyists were able to rapidly shepherd their bill to House passage with minimal input from the public or even members of Congress. Lobbyists then crowed about the achievement, boasting that the House-passed measure was nearly identical to one they provided to the House Judiciary Committee and that Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) introduced on Feb. 24.

There wasnt a dramatic change in how we wrote it, said Mike Stinson, a lobbyist for the Physician Insurers Association of America. But, he added, there are always some tweaks.

With Republicans in full control of Washington for the first time in 10 years, lobbyists for business and conservative causes are pushing aggressively for changes in laws and regulations long resisted by Democrats. After just six months, they have scored dozens of victories. In February, Trump signed a measure, championed by the National Rifle Association, that rolled back Obama-era rules making it harder for people with mental illnesses to buy guns. In April, Trump signed a bill, backed by large Internet providers, that killed rules blocking the companies from selling consumers browsing histories to third parties.

Leaders of a coalition of doctors and their insurers say their odds of overhauling the nations medical malpractice laws have also greatly improved. Trumps health secretary, Tom Price, is a former congressman and orthopedic surgeon who has long complained that frivolous lawsuits are driving up the cost of health care. And GOP leaders in both the House and Senate have cast medical malpractice reform as a key part of their strategy for making health care more affordable.

Since passing the House, the measure has stalled in the Senate, traditionally more hostile territory. However, doctors and their insurers held out hope that last months collapse of a broader GOP campaign to overhaul the Affordable Care Act would persuade Senate leaders to look to the medical malpractice bill as a surer path to victory.

The failed Senate bill to rewrite the ACA was also drafted without public hearings. Norman J. Ornstein, a nonpartisan ethics scholar with the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said Republican lawmakers are becoming increasingly willing to act with little or no public debate. At the same time, Ornstein said, lobbyists are becoming increasingly vocal about claiming credit for their political victories.

This is a reflection of the new Trump, in-your-face era, said Ornstein, who has written numerous books on Congress. The way its supposed to work is you meet with outside groups that would be affected by it. You hold hearings, but you write the bills.

Legal experts, former members of Congress and former Hill staffers say it is rare for a bill to move through a chamber virtually unchanged  and rarer still for a bill as complicated as tort reform to proceed with no public hearings, where victims rights groups, trial lawyers and others would have had a chance to weigh in.

Democrats said the speed and secrecy of the process favors special interests.

Large business groups are writing these bills, said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). This has got to stop.

King, the lead sponsor of the medical malpractice bill, acknowledged that the industry provided a draft of the bill and helped craft the final version. But he said his very talented staff also played an important role.

As for the lack of hearings, King said Congress has scrutinized the medical malpractice system on dozens of occasions.

I hear their complaints, King said of critics. But, he added: I just dont want to have to ride that horse again. Lets get er done.

Some Republicans have long backed tort reform as a way to drive down medical costs. The measure that passed the House would make it more difficult for people to sue doctors and, in some cases, to collect large awards. The bill would set a federal cap of $250,000 for non-economic damages, which offer compensation for such things as pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement or other serious disabilities that may not interfere with the ability to work.

The bill would force states to set caps, or submit to having the federal standard imposed on them  even in states where supreme courts have ruled caps on non-economic damages unconstitutional.

Some of these state supreme court rulings are bad rulings, King said, adding that his staff made changes to the legislation that added important nuances to address the rights of states.

Stinson, the lobbyist for the Physician Insurers Association of America, a trade association for medical malpractice insurers, said the coalition presented the measure to the House Judiciary Committee shortly after Trumps inauguration. Weeks later, King introduced his bill.

Just four days later, on Feb. 28, the Judiciary Committee passed the measure.

And on June 28, the measure passed the House 218 to 210, with 19 Republicans and 191 Democrats voting no.

We still had a few things we were tinkering with, but with this opportunity, obviously we couldnt delay anymore, Stinson said.

Added Katie Orrico, the coalitions vice chair and lobbyist for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons: Ultimately, they ran with it. It moved fast.

In the days and weeks before the House vote, at least three members of the coalition took public credit for their role in drafting the legislation. On May 11, Brian Atchinson, chief executive of the group Stinson represents, said in a webinar that the bill was something his team had in fact, helped Hill staff draft.

And in a June 23 newsletter to members, the Doctors Company  the nations largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer  said its group and other members of the coalition worked to draft new federal medical liability legislation.

Stanley Brand, a Washington-based lobbyist who served as general counsel to longtime Democratic House speaker Thomas P. Tip ONeill Jr., said such public pronouncements by lobbyists are relatively new.

Look, when I worked for Tip ONeill, the definition of a good lobbyist was like a German U-boat  they only come up at night for air, Brand said. They didnt speak publicly about the role they played in a bill.

Members of the medical malpractice coalition defended their actions.

I dont think any of us would want to live in a society where all laws are imposed by regulators, a judge, a congress, a president, said Richard E. Anderson, chairman and chief executive of the Doctors Company. We want to live in a society where the laws meet the needs of those they are meant to govern. Ideally, it should be a collaborative process in the context of the overall national interest.

Stinson, who served for more than a decade as a Republican staffer on the Hill, said those who criticize the role of lobbyists dont understand how Washington works.

Staff and members cant be fully versed on every single issue that is coming up, he said. Interest groups approach them, and say here is a problem that needs to be resolved, heres the legislation that we think can take care of it. Thats often how it happens.

Alice Crites contributed to this report.

Read more at PowerPost
Senate Democrats issued a call Tuesday for bipartisan talks on a sweeping rewrite of the nations tax code amid growing pressure from the White House for Republicans to implement aggressive tax cuts before years end.

Democrats unveiled their request in a letter calling on the GOP to work with them to update the tax code without reducing federal revenue or cutting taxes on the wealthy. The entreaty comes as President Trump and his Cabinet demanded that Republicans in Congress deliver steep tax cuts for businesses and individuals, with or without the help of Democrats.

The letter follows a call from White House legislative director Marc Short for conservative activists to pressure vulnerable Democrats to support the tax overhaul plan or face political peril in the 2018 midterm elections.

Were confident right now that we will be able to earn their support with our tax reform agenda, he said, sitting beside Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at an event hosted by Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners, two conservative groups backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch.

Short pointed to several states where Democrats are facing tough reelection bids, including Montana, North Dakota, Ohio and Indiana. The White House hopes that Congress will be ready for a House vote in October, followed by votes on a similar Senate bill in November, according to accounts from several White House officials who were granted anonymity to discuss strategy.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

[Trump to GOP: Show me the BIG tax reform]

But Senate Democrats hope that Republicans will be wary of an aggressive push on taxes following last weeks dramatic failure of the GOP effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. That measure imploded when three GOP senators rejected a scaled-down effort by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, released a letter signed by 45 of the 48 Senate Democrats calling on McConnell and Trump to launch bipartisan talks. The letter identifies three basic demands: any tax legislation should be drafted under the regular bipartisan committee process; the legislation should deliver relief to middle-class families without tax cuts for the rich; and any tax changes should include at least as much revenue as is collected today.

Democrats plan to unify around policy demands that they say will be appealing enough to keep the entire party in line, according to interviews with Democratic aides and senators. Many Democrats say the badly fractured GOP wont be able to pass a complex tax bill on its own and GOP leaders will be forced to accept Democrats conditions to start bipartisan talks.

But, two of the three Senate Democrats missing from the letter, Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), and Joe Donnelly (Ind.) are also running for reelection next year in states referred to Monday by the White House. The other, Sen. Joe Manchin III (W.Va.), faces difficult reelection prospects of his own.

Wyden dismissed any concerns about lack of unity among Democrats ahead of the letters release.

I think Democrats generally, and you see in what weve said in the last couple of weeks, are going to be very united about saying the centerpiece has got to be to focus on middle folks, Wyden told reporters Monday, ahead of the letters release. The middle class drives the economy.

[White House, business groups start major push to cut taxes]

Several other Senate Democrats running for reelection in states where Trump won in 2016, warned that the combative White House plan on taxes resembled the tactics that led to last weeks dramatic failure on health care in the Senate.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said Monday that he hoped Senate Republicans would learn from their health-care failure and work with Democrats to craft a long-term solution to the problems in the nations tax code. Brown dismissed any threats from the White House with the sarcastic retort, thats a really good way to get bipartisan cooperation.

The letter comes amid a concerted push by Republicans to mobilize support for their plan to pursue a large tax overhaul package this year, with Trump pressing Cabinet members about the goals in the morning and three top advisers mapping out the road ahead later in the day.

Short and Mnuchin, as well as White House National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, each described an aggressive sprint forward in the coming weeks to try to snowball support for their tax plan, though they have been careful not to release too many details of what they will back.

The White House in April issued a one-page outline for how it wanted to rework the tax code. The plan included cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent, simplifying the taxes individuals and families pay, eliminating the estate tax and jettisoning the alternative-minimum tax. White House officials called for cutting many unspecified deductions, but there has been fierce resistance to this from many outside groups.

Democrats are skeptical of many elements of the White House plan, citing the lack of detail and fears that the proposals would lead to huge reductions in federal revenue. Outside budget groups have speculated that Trumps ideas would reduce revenue by $5 trillion over 10 years, leading to a major expansion of the federal debt.

[The other GOP stalemate on Capitol Hill: House budget gridlock imperils tax reform]

Many Republicans have also questioned whether it is possible to make good on Trumps promises. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) in particular has all but dismissed the possibility of reaching Trumps goal to slash the corporate tax rate.

It would be kind of miraculous if we could get it down to 25 percent or less, Hatch said in a recent interview with Reuters. I think the odds are, were going to be lucky to get it down at all.

Mnuchin said Monday that the White House would support eliminating or curbing numerous tax breaks to offset some of the lost revenue from cutting tax rates. But he also said the package would rely in part on assumptions about future economic growth that often prove controversial because critics of the White House plan have said it grossly overestimates how much new revenue tax cuts could bring in.

Mnuchin and Cohn have met for months with more than 200 members of Congress and numerous business groups, but neither top adviser has experience in helping muscle a giant piece of legislation through Congress.

The pair has set a self-imposed deadline of the end of the year for the tax overhaul to be completed.

We will have success, Mnuchin said. This is a pass-fail exercise. And we will pass tax reform.

Read more at PowerPost
American humanitarian agencies that work in North Korea and Americans with relatives there are expressing grave concerns about the new restrictions on U.S. citizens traveling to the country.

The restrictions, set to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, will require all American citizens who hope to travel to North Korea to apply to the State Department for a passport with a special validation.

This, some say, will mean that previously private and nonpolitical work  sometimes already viewed with suspicion by the regime in Pyongyang  will now have a literal U.S. government seal of approval.



When the North Koreans look at our delegation, they cannot assume that we got permission from anybody, said Stephen Linton, an American who heads the EugeneBell Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that treats thousands of people with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis inside North Korea.

His is one of about 25 American humanitarian groups that are active in North Korea, trying to relieve ordinary peoples suffering. The EugeneBell Foundation administers medicines to TB patients who have proved resistant to previous rounds of treatment, and the treatment must follow a strict schedule to be effective.

As soon as you have a licensing system, the immediate question is: Why did you get permission? said Linton, who has been working inside North Korea since 1979. What was in it for the U.S. government to issue you the permission to come here? And theres nobody in North Korea that Ive ever met who would believe that the U.S. government would issue that permission purely for humanitarian reasons.

[ North Korean TB patients at risk as sanctions hamper medicine shipments ]

The new geographic travel restriction will come into effect in 30 days time.

It is a direct response to the treatment of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old Ohio man who went to North Korea as a tourist and was arrested there, spending 17 months in a coma before being returned to the United States in June. He died less than a week later.

Three other U.S. citizens  one a businessman and two affiliated with a private American university  remain in North Korean custody.

Every year, about 1,000 Americans had been going to North Korea on organized tours, but tourism will be banned for U.S. citizens starting next month.

This new rule is much stricter than the policy the Trump administration has implemented toward Cuba, which Americans are still allowed to visit if they travel with a licensed tour company under U.S. jurisdiction. Independent travel is still allowed for Americans to visit their family members in Cuba and for religious activities and humanitarian projects.

Just four categories of Americans will be allowed the special endorsed passports: journalists, Red Cross representatives on official missions, humanitarian workers and anyone else whose trip is in the national interest.

Those who are approved will be issued a limited validity U.S. passport permitting one-time travel to North Korea, according to the State Department.

[ After Otto Warmbiers death, tourism to North Korea comes under scrutiny ]

Humanitarian groups have been appealing to the State Department not to make the new rule bureaucratically burdensome. Some are asking for a system where blanket approval can be given to their organization, rather than every person having to get approval for every trip.

U.S. humanitarian workers have been providing relief to the poorest and most deprived of North Koreas population for over 20 years, said Keith Luse, executive director of the National Committee on North Korea, a Washington-based NGO that promotes cooperation between the United States and North Korea.

A majority of them have built meaningful relationships with North Koreans at the local level and not been confronted by the authorities, Luse said. As travel-ban details are finalized, we hope the State Department will consider their experience.

Amid years of failed nuclear talks and an enduring reluctance to engage with North Korea, private-sector activities such as humanitarian work have been the only positive aspect in the relationship between the United States and North Korea, said Linton, of the EugeneBell Foundation.

Make no mistake  if the American private sector is now banned from travel, it will be another major step toward the diminishing of U.S. influence in East Asia, Linton said. Asians are well aware of this downward trend and are already thinking about how to resolve challenges related to North Korea should the U.S. government and its private sector be unwilling or unable to play a major role in the region.

[ State Department: U.S. to block Americans from traveling to North Korea ]

The new rules will particularly affect Korean Americans. Between 200 and 500 Korean Americans travel to North Korea each year, a significant proportion of them for reunions with family members from whom they were separated during the Korean War. Many of them travel to North Korea as tourists, and they would not appear to qualify for travel permission under the new restrictions.

There are also as many as 100 Korean Americans living or working in North Korea at any given time. Most are associated with Kim Il Sung University or the private American-run Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Two of the Americans detained in North Korea earlier this year, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song, were affiliated with the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was started by Korean American Christians.

The third detainee, Kim Dong-chul, was working in the Rajin-Sonbong Special Economic Zone in the northeast of the country near the Chinese border and has now been held for almost two years. Efforts to free the men are continuing.

But there are also some Americans who live in North Korea permanently in the Rajin-Sonbong zone.

To the extent that the permanent residents need to travel back and forth to the U.S. from time to time, the travel ban would adversely impact them, said Sam Yoon, executive director of the Council of Korean Americans.

There are about 1.8 million Korean Americans in the United States, according to population estimates from the Census Bureau.

One could argue that the travel ban  especially for families  would in fact hurt them the most, Yoon said.

The National Coalition for the Divided Families voiced similar concerns.

Rather than just an exemption so that Americans wont be punished for searching for their long-lost loved ones in North Korea, the coalition called for the U.S. and North Korean governments to organize state-approved reunions for our divided families before its too late.

The Korean War ended in 1953, leaving members of many families stuck on opposite sides of the armistice line. Those separated siblings and parents are now elderly.

Since the mid-1980s, North and South Korea have had 20 rounds of reunions. The U.S. and North Korea [have had] zero, said Jeane Noh of the divided-families coalition. Today, President Trump can make it happen.

Read more:

North Korea fires another missile as it works to put the U.S. within reach

North Korea could cross ICBM threshold next year, U.S. officials warn

Where are the bodies buried in North Korea?

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
A suicide attacker burst into a crowded Shiite mosque in the western Afghan city of Herat during evening prayers Tuesday, spraying the worshipers with gunfire and then killing himself, officials said.

At least 20 people were initially reported killed, and scores were wounded. A security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said later that 29 people had died and 64 were injured.

A spokesman for the Taliban, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, said the group had no hand in the attack. A number of previous suicide attacks on mosques in Afghanistan, including one that killed 30 people last November, have been claimed by a regional affiliate of the Islamic State, an extremist Sunni militia.

The Herat attack followed a terrorist assault Monday on the embassy of Iraq in Kabul in which two assailants were killed after a five-hour gun battle with police.

The embassy had celebrated the recapture of the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters last month. Afterward, there were reports that Islamic State officials warned Shiites in Afghanistan that they would be targeted.

Tuesdays attack, however, was the first such assault on a Shiite mosque in Herat, a gateway to the Afghan border with Iran and a historic center of Shiite faith among the Hazara ethnic community. There has been little history of religious conflict between local Shiites and Sunnis, but the Islamic State has previously stated its intent to divide Afghan Muslim sects.

Abdul Ahad Walizada, a spokesman for the Herat police, described the incident as a terroristic attack that killed more than 20 of our countrymen while they were praying. He said he did not know the motive. Some witnesses described hearing a second explosion about 10 minutes after the first.

One legislator who arrived soon after the Tuesday bombing at the Javadia mosque, just south of Herat city, described a ghastly scene of bloodied bodies and wounded survivors scattered through the building, where about 300 people had gathered.

After the attack, dozens of angry residents confronted police, complaining that they had failed to intervene while the attack was in progress. There is a police station just 150 feet from the mosque, but the legislator, Mehdi Hadid, said the police were too frightened to take action and remained outside.

A spokesman for the provincial governor, Jalani Farhad, said people pelted the police station with stones and set it on fire.

In the past year, there have been numerous attacks on Shiite places of worship and communities, most claimed by the Islamic State. Last October, during the period of Shiite commemoration known as Ashura, a remote-controlled bomb exploded at a mosque in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, killing 17, and gunmen invaded the famous Karte Sakhi shrine in Kabul as it was filled with women and children, killing 10 and wounding many others.

Sayed Salahuddin contributed to this report.

Read more

An Afghan bird refuge comes back to life after decades of neglect

On July 4 visit to Kabul, GOP senators say U.S. needs to win in Afghanistan

Storm brews in Afghanistan as officials from ethnic minorities break with president

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news


Children play soccer in the old city of Tripoli. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

The line at the bank was two blocks long and Abdul bin Naji was once again praying for the doors to open. He desperately needed his $60.

With Libya in the throes of a currency crisis, that was the weekly limit for withdrawals. For the past month, though, the bank hadnt had any cash. That didnt stop bin Naji and hundreds of others from arriving every night to get a good spot in line.

On this morning, the unshaven airline employee was third from the door. At 10 a.m., the bank still hadnt opened. Thirty-two days and no money, he sighed.

Excruciatingly long bank lines are the latest misfortune for Libyans trapped in a cycle of war and economic upheaval.

Six years after the revolution that toppled dictator Moammar Gaddafi, the mood in this volatile capital is a meld of hopelessness and gloom. Diplomatic and military efforts by the United States and its allies have failed to stabilize the nation; the denouement of the crisis remains far from clear. Most Libyans sense that the worst is yet to come.

Increasingly, decisions that were once mundane are potentially life-

altering.

Is it safe to visit parents in a neighborhood across the city? Which car will kidnappers be less likely to notice? Will a $60 bank withdrawal stretch until the next one is available?

Every day, our future is getting darker and darker, said bin Naji, 57, leaning against an ATM that hasnt worked in years.



People line up in front of a bank. Because of a currency crisis, banks limit the amount of cash customers can withdraw, and some days they don't open at all. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Under Gaddafi, the oil-producing country was once one of the worlds wealthiest nations. Even as the economy struggled in his last years, Libyans enjoyed free health care, education and other benefits under the eccentric strongmans brand of socialism.

The insecurity that followed Gaddafis death has ripped apart the North African country. Rival governments and an array of armed groups compete for influence and territory. The economy is on the verge of collapse. Criminal gangs prey on the vulnerable.

In Tripoli, parliament and other buildings are concrete carcasses, shattered by heavy artillery fire, rocket-propelled grenades and tank shells. Clashes often erupt suddenly, trapping residents in their homes and creating new no-go zones.

A journey through the city revealed how Libyans are adapting to the vicissitudes of the civil war.



A building is left unfinished in Tripoli. Since the start of the revolution in 2011, many construction projects have been abandoned. Investors involved in the oil-rich country during the regime of Moammar Gaddafi left shortly after his fall because of the poor economic situation and lack of security. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

A contest for control

In the southern Tripoli district of Salaheddin, a main thoroughfare bustles during the day but is deserted at night.

Surrounded by what was once a typical middle-class enclave, the street has become a focal point of the contest to control the capital. On one side, militiamen aligned with a self-declared, Islamist-leaning government operate checkpoints. The other side is overseen by fighters loyal to a U.N.-installed unity government.

By 9 p.m., many residents have locked themselves inside their homes. Gunfire usually starts around that time, residents said. Those who dare to venture out are careful not to bring any valuables.

I leave my iPhone and carry a cheap Nokia, said Ibrahim el-Worfali, 31, a shop owner. All these guys have guns and they can do anything they want to you.

At the western entrance to the city, fighters with the Knights of Janzour, a militia aligned with the unity government, stop and search cars for weapons being funneled to their rivals.

Its obvious they want to control the capital, said Mohammed Bazzaa, 29, the militias thickset commander, who wore tan camouflage fatigues and stood next to a pickup truck mounted with a heavy machine gun.



Soldiers check cars at the western entrance to Tripoli. The coastal road west of the capital has been closed at times and lacks security because of the militias that control sections of it. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

One of the militias biggest rivals is a group led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter, whose army controls much of eastern Libya. Hifter, who lived in exile in Northern Virginia for two decades, is aligned with a third government based in the east.

Hes another Gaddafi, said Bazzaa, who fought in the revolution.

But the militias primary threat, Bazzaa said, are the fighters from a rival tribe controlling an enclave less than two miles down the main highway between Tripoli and the city of Zawiyah. Last year, they fought fiercely. Now, they are both aligned with the unity government.

The tensions and mistrust, however, still run deep.

They are motivated only by money, Bazzaa said of his rivals.



Posters in Tripolis Martyrs' Square express opposition to Gen. Khalifa Hifter. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Not far from the checkpoint, Sulaiman Abu Hallala was kidnapped.

He was pulled from his car by three masked gunmen and taken to a farm outside the capital. Held there for 19 days, he was deprived of his diabetes medication until his family agreed to pay an $11,000 ransom.

I was so scared, recalled Hallala, a businessman who is in his 80s. My nephew was kidnapped three months earlier. He was killed after we paid the ransom.



Sulaiman Abu Hallala sits in the garden of the house he built with revenue from his businesses. He was kidnapped last year and held for 19 days at a farm outside Tripoli. After his family paid a hefty ransom, he was released. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Kidnappings have become so common in the capital that residents constantly trade detailed information about the enclaves and roads where they have occurred. Once predominantly motivated by political or tribal rivalries, abductions have become a criminal enterprise fueled by the worsening economy.

All they want is money, said Mohamed Grabli, another businessman. There are shortages of cash in the country. There are no jobs.

Grabli was kidnapped last year and held for 63 days in a room smaller than a walk-in closet, with a steel door and iron bars on the windows. His hands were cuffed with cable wire, and his legs were chained, he said. His captors fed him pieces of bread like a dog. His family paid about $31,000 for his release.



Mohamed Grabli stands in his house in Tripoli. He was kidnapped on the way back from Sabratha and held for 63 days. His family paid $31,000 for his release. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

The robe Grabli wore during the three months he spent in captivity. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Revolution not the right thing

Osama Labib has not driven his maroon Lamborghini in months.

The architect has been waiting for spare parts, which take weeks to arrive because fewer ships are willing to dock in Tripoli. But even if he repairs the car, he plans to keep it under a tarpaulin behind the high walls of his compound near Salaheddin.

If I drive it, it will draw too much attention, he said. If I enter Salaheddin in this car, I am never coming out.

Many Libyans are keeping their expensive cars out of sight, said Ali Kabous, a luxury auto dealer. Others, he added, have sent their cars to neighboring Tunisia to keep them safe.

Osama Labibs red Lamborghini hasnt been driven for months because the needed spare parts had to be shipped from abroad. But Labib says hes afraid to drive it anyway, because it could make him a kidnapping target. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

His worst-selling vehicle these days is a Toyota Land Cruiser. Its the most dangerous car to drive, Kabous said. The militia commanders really like them.

Some customers, he said, are buying luxury cars and sending them outside Libya because they dont trust leaving their money in the banks.

Its a way of safeguarding your money, he said.

But few residents of Tripoli have such options.

As he stood in the snaking bank line, Allama el-Motamed lamented his declining health, and the money he must spend on doctors. But what makes him more despondent, he said, are the deepening social and cultural divisions he has noticed.

Before, we never asked where a person is from. We always saw ourselves as part of one country, said the 67-year-old airline employee, a colleague and friend of bin Najis. Now, when someone stops you, he asks, Where are you from? 

Sometimes he will kill you if you are, for example, from the east, he said. Or maybe he will kill you if you are from the west.

At that moment, bin Naji interrupted, expressing a sentiment shared by many in the capital.

The revolution was not the right thing, he said. Before, people were happy. Before, I was a king. I had a job. I felt like a man. Now, I cant even take out my own money.

At 11 a.m., the bank was still closed.

They planned to return again at night.



A man walks in Tripolis old city. (Lorenzo Tugnoli/For The Washington Post)

Read more:

They are not treated like humans: Migrant abuse is becoming systematic in Libya

A day in Libyas capital, just as the civil war reignites

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
President Trump said nothing Monday in response to Russias planned expulsion of hundreds of American diplomats, announced over the weekend by President Vladimir Putin.

Right now were reviewing our options, and when we have something to say on it, well let you know, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday after Trumps silence continued through several public appearances.

Asked when Trump would sign the bill passed last week by Congress that would levy new sanctions on Russia and that precipitated the Kremlins move, Sanders said, Well let you know when thats going to happen.

Whatever Trump decides to do in response, the fast-moving series of events appeared to leave the administration with no substantive Russia policy and without a clear idea of what direction to take.

It was left to Vice President Pence, on a visit to NATO member Estonia, to note obliquely that we hope for . . . better relations with Russia, but that recent diplomatic action by Moscow will not deter U.S. defense of its Baltic allies against Russian aggression.

Putin said in a Moscow television interview late Sunday that he expected U.S.-Russia relations to worsen and that Russia may come up with other forms of sanctions retaliation.

Just as Trump did not mention Russia on Monday, Putins spokesman indicated that Trump was irrelevant to the Kremlins decision to retaliate before the new sanctions bill took effect. Passed with massive majorities in the House and Senate, it will de facto become a law even if the U.S. president does not sign it, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. So there was no need to wait, he said. Things are pretty obvious.

While Russia remains interested in improvements  promised by Trump during his campaign  relations for now are far from this ideal, Peskov said.

Putin waited half a year to respond to a decision by President Barack Obama, in the waning days of his administration, to sanction Russia with diplomatic expulsions and property seizures in retaliation for cyber-intrusions in the U.S. electoral campaign. Trump has repeatedly expressed doubts about Moscows culpability, and the Russians were clearly expecting a change in policy.

Russia had demanded the return of two diplomatic compounds in this country, labeled intelligence outposts by Obama, and applied for visas to send replacements for the 35 diplomats the previous administration kicked out.

But not only was no progress made on either issue but Trumps inability to stop the new sanctions legislation apparently led Putin to recalculate.

The Russian government, I think, has largely written off Trump as a person who can deliver, said Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who dealt with Russia policy in the Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush administrations.

But by the same token, they think theres no benefit in truly antagonizing him, and so theyll jolly him along for the indefinite future, Weiss said.

The chain of events began last summer when U.S. intelligence told the Obama White House that Russia was behind email hacking and the spread of false news stories designed to promote chaos in the U.S. election and ultimately to benefit Trump. In late December, Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats and the FBI took possession of Russian recreational compounds on Marylands Eastern Shore and on New Yorks Long Island.

Surprisingly, Putin said he would not respond. Within weeks, the Justice Department became aware of conversations between Russias Washington ambassador and top Trump aide Michael T. Flynn  soon to become Trumps first national security adviser  in which Flynn appeared to indicate that Trumps Russia policy would be more amenable to Moscow.

Over the ensuing months, as investigations into Russian electoral behavior and Trumps campaign expanded, U.S.-Russia relations had ups and downs. At the United Nations, Russia has stood fast against new sanctions on the Syrian government and North Korea, even as it negotiated a partial Syrian cease-fire with the United States.

In early July, Trump held his first face-to-face meeting with Putin, at the Group of 20 summit in Germany. The White House said that Trump confronted the Russian leader over election meddling and that Putin had denied it. Putin said Trump accepted his denials. Both said they had agreed to move on to other subjects during their initial two-hour session.

In his readout of the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described it as very specific, extending through North Korea, Syria, Ukraine and cybersecurity, and down into the weeds of Russias long-standing demands that the United States release two long-jailed Russian nationals  arms dealer Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot arrested in Liberia for arms smuggling and extradited to this country.

We are continuing to work on this issue, Lavrov said. We expect our American counterparts to make the right choice.

Nowhere has Russia been more adamant about the right choice than in its demands that the United States return its Maryland and New York properties. Although the administration had indicated to Moscow that it was willing to do so, under certain circumstances, no deal was struck. Putin clearly grew tired of waiting.

Its always been just a matter of time before the Russians decided to do something to punish the United States for the expulsions and the seizure, Weiss said. The sanctions legislation is a complicating factor that basically precipitated a new low in the relationship, he said, but weve been marking time in many respects.

Unlike Obama, who ordered the expelled Russians to leave this country within 72 hours, the Kremlin said that it would wait until Sept. 1 for 755 U.S. diplomatic employees to wind up their affairs, and that Washington could choose which ones would leave. Although there are more than 1,200 people working at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and three consulates, only about 300 are believed to be Americans. The rest are foreign nationals, most of them Russians working in administrative and other areas.

The Russian government is also seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties  a dacha, or country house, outside Moscow, and a warehouse.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Tuesday for a dialogue with North Korea and acknowledged that U.S. relations with Russia have worsened during the Trump administration.

During wide-ranging comments at the State Department marking six months since his confirmation, Tillerson told reporters that the United States does not aim to depose the government in Pyongyang or use military force.

We do not seek a regime change, we do not seek a collapse of the regime, we do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, we do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th Parallel, he said.

We are trying to convey to the North Koreans: We are not your enemy, we are not your threat. But you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond. 

Tillerson added that the United States hopes that at some point, North Korea will understand and sit down for a dialogue.

The secretary of state said the administration has been attempting to exert peaceful pressure on North Korea, because the options available to us are limited, particularly if we think we are operating under a short period of time.

Tillerson talked to reporters during a surprise appearance in the briefing room, his first since becoming secretary six months ago. He expressed concern about Irans regional ambitions, unrest in Venezuela and war in Ukraine. He also said he has a good relationship with President Trump, who calls him daily, including late at night and on weekends, when something comes to his head.

Tillerson said that despite the United States deteriorating relationship with Russia, the countries still can cooperate on Syria and counterterrorism, items that will be on the agenda when Tillerson meets Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov this weekend at a summit in the Philippines.

I dont think the American people want us to have a bad relationship with a huge nuclear power, but I think they are frustrated, he said.

Tillerson quoted Trump telling Lavrov, We need some good news with Russia, when they met in the Oval Office. Tillerson said he has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov that the situations bad, but believe me, it can get worse. And it just did.

Putins decision to slash the staff at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Tillerson suggested, was a play to domestic politics after Barack Obama expelled Russian diplomats and seized two Russian properties in the closing weeks of his presidency.

He felt he had to do something, Tillerson said of Putin. Does it make our life more difficult? Of course it makes our life more difficult.

Tillerson voiced skepticism about whether the nuclear deal with Iran, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, has value for the United States.

Its an agreement that should serve Americas interests first and foremost, and if it doesnt serve that interest, then why would we maintain it? Tillerson said.

Iran was supposed to become a good neighbor, but instead has continued its ballistic missile program, he said.

The spirit of the agreement has been violated, Tillerson said, adding that that view is shared among the European countries that were also parties to the agreement.

Do we want to tear it up and walk away? he said. Do we want to make the point to Iran that we expect you to get back in line with the spirit of the agreement, and were going to stay here and hold you accountable to it?

Tillerson has argued that the deal is flawed but should be maintained, at least for now, because the alternative is worse.

I think there are a lot of alternative means with which we use the agreement to advance our policies in the relationship with Iran, he said. And thats what the conversation is around, generally, with the president, is what are all those options.

Tillerson also expressed alarm about Venezuela, and suggested that the United States would be pleased if President Nicolas Maduro decided to leave office.

The situation from a humanitarian standpoint is already becoming dire, Tillerson said.

He brushed off the criticism of his management of the State Department. Hundreds of senior positions are unfilled, and some of his positions have been rebutted by the White House or a presidential tweet. The criticisms have fed rumors that he is frustrated about sparring with the White House over policy and complaints within the department he is trying to redesign for the 21st century, and that has considered resigning. But Tillerson sounded resolute Tuesday, describing his relationship with Trump as very open.

Its one in which I feel quite comfortable telling him my views, he said. He and I have differences of views on things like [the Iran nuclear deal] and how we should use it. I think if were not having those differences, Im not sure Im serving him.
Masked security forces carried out predawn raids Tuesday and hauled away two top Venezuelan opposition leaders, suggesting an expanded crackdown on dissent after a widely denounced election aimed at boosting the authoritarian government.

The moves against Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma, who were already under house arrest, could intensify the international fallout after Sundays election, which created a new super-

congress stocked with backers of the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The vote for the Constituent Assembly was decried as fraud-ridden by the opposition and prompted the Trump administration on Monday to slap sanctions on Maduro. A blitz of videos related to the arrests emerged, adding a cinematic quality to a turn of events that opponents decried as the actions of a fast-cementing dictatorship.

In one video posted online by Ledezmas wife, security forces apparently drag the opposition leader between the glass doors of a building. A man cries Help! before another voice shouts, Theyre taking Ledezma!

A woman screams Dictatorship! Dictatorship! as Ledezma, 62, is carried into the darkness by troops from the intelligence services in camouflage.

Both men were taken to Ramo Verde military prison southwest of Caracas, aides and family members said. The heavily guarded hilltop complex is a notorious detention center for political and military prisoners.

President Trump denounced the arrests Tuesday, calling the two men political prisoners being held illegally by the regime.

The United States holds Maduro  who publicly announced just hours earlier that he would move against his political opposition  personally responsible for the health and safety of Mr. Lopez, Mr. Ledezma, and any others seized, Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.

After the election results were announced Sunday, Maduro gave a bellicose victory speech on national television that included threats to jail political leaders who were encouraging protests. Maduro, the anointed successor of leftist president Hugo Chavez, who died in 2013, also said that a truth commission would be created to take parliamentary immunity from the legislators who shouldnt have it.

[Options shrink for Venezuelas opposition]

The newly minted legislators from Sundays vote, including Maduros wife and son, are set to take over the National Assembly building from lawmakers of the opposition-dominated body Thursday.

Placards depicting Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez during a rally against President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas on July 9. (Andres Martinez Casares/Reuters)

The outgoing lawmakers held a defiant session Tuesday, condemning the election as a farce and claiming that the government invented millions of votes. Opposition politicians also denounced the Tuesday raids.

Imprisonments and persecution of the leadership will not stop the rebellion, tweeted Freddy Guevara, vice president of the National Assembly and a member of Lopezs party.

Already near-worthless, the local currency  the bolivar  continued to collapse, with its black-market rate against the dollar falling nearly 10 percent overnight. Government channels, meanwhile, showed images of people celebrating the results of Sundays vote.

The pro-government election commission said the names of at least 364 of the 545 new Constituent Assembly members have been sent to Maduro. But the government also suffered defections. Three leftist legislators in the opposition-led National Assembly publicly disagreed with the governments legislative bloc.

Were socialists and believe in Bolivarian ideals, said Eustoquio Contreras, one of the dissenting legislators, using the term reserved for Chavezs ideology. Our difference is in the way of confronting the crisis.

On Tuesday, the sole government critic on the countrys election commission, Luis Rondon, broke with the bodys stance validating Sundays vote.

I cant guarantee the veracity of the results, said Rondon, one of the commissions five directors.

At a news conference, he said the commission had not published voting tallies from each polling station.

The controls in our electoral system were, for the most part, relaxed, and in some parts, even eliminated, he said. He added, I cant have confidence in the figures

In a sign of the socialist governments growing isolation, ambassadors from Britain, France, Spain and Mexico went to the National Assembly on Tuesday to support the opposition lawmakers. We diplomats are here to show support, said Frances ambassador, Romain Nadal. The Venezuelan people want peace, democracy and its institutions, and we are here to help.

In a statement, the pro-government supreme court said it had revoked Lopezs and Ledezmas house arrest after verifying violations of the terms of detention. It said intelligence officials had uncovered escape plots by both men. The court also said the conditions of the house arrest prohibited political activity or declarations.

Authorities last month released Lopez, 46, after nearly 3 years behind bars and placed him under house arrest. At the time, the government called the decision a humanitarian gesture, citing his poor health, though supporters saw the move as an attempt to reduce international pressure.

In a video posted on Twitter by Lilian Tintori, Lopezs wife, masked security forces in riot gear can be seen in front of what appears to be the familys house, leading a man through the door and putting him in an official car shortly after midnight.

Maduro is responsible if something happens, Tintori tweeted.

Venezuelas most prominent political prisoner and the former mayor of a district in Caracas, Lopez was arrested in early 2014 and handed a 13-year jail term after being convicted of inciting violence during a street protest. He became a symbol of resistance for opponents of the government, his portrait printed in bright colors on the T-shirts and flags of protesters who chanted Free Leopoldo!

At the time of his release, Lopez, who was forbidden to speak to the media, issued a statement saying he was ready to return to prison to fight for freedom.

Lopezs family on Tuesday tweeted a video of the opposition leader that was made for release in the event he was seized.

Sitting with his wife in their home, he called on the nation to continue the fight. And he announced that his wife is pregnant with their third child.

Despite knowing the risks were putting our family in, were willing to advance and continue, he said.

In an interview, Ledezmas wife, Mitzy Capriles de Ledezma, said a Twitter video that her husband posted Monday may have been one reason he was hauled away.

In the video, Ledezma, with a Venezuelan flag in the background, called the just-elected Constituent Assembly a fraud and assailed the armed forces and supreme court. Ledezma also criticized the opposition for its lack of strategy.

One more time Nicolas Maduro shows off his dictator-like qualities, Capriles de Ledezma said Tuesday.

Ledezmas daughter, Oriette Ledezma, issued a video statement saying her father was kidnapped by Maduros forces.

He was in his pajamas, she said. A group of masked men in camouflage took him. . . . We make the regime responsible for his life and physical integrity.

Antonio Ledezma was previously arrested in December 2015. Maduro at the time said he was part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government. In May of that year, he was remanded to house arrest after undergoing surgery for a hernia.

In 2013, Ledezma, from the Alianza Bravo Pueblo party, was reelected mayor of Caracas. In January 2017, Maduro created a higher executive post in the city, chief of the greater state of Caracas, and named a pro-government official to the job.

Rachelle Krygier and Mariana Zuniga contributed to this report.

Read more:

How a new kind of protest movement has risen in Venezuela

In Venezuela, prisoners say abuse is so bad they are forced to eat pasta mixed with excrement

Things are so grim in Venezuela that people are rationing toothpaste

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
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It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of...
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This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An exaggerated school psychologists report on a girls special needs that was worded as negatively as possible in order to secure school division funding was used by federal immigration officials to reject her and her familys bid to stay in Canada, says a memorandum filed in Federal Court on Monday.

Jon and Karissa Warkentin moved their family from Colorado after buying a tourist lodge in Waterhen, Man., and resettling to Canada in 2013 with plans to make it their permanent home. That dream was dashed after immigration officials denied the familys application for permanent resident status, saying six-year-old Karalynn is medically inadmissible because of a 2015 school psychologists assessment. Her parents, whose work visas expire Nov. 24, hired an immigration lawyer who has already filed a motion for leave to have a Federal Court judge review their case.

On Monday, Alastair Clarke said he filed a 27-page memo with the Federal Court arguing the immigration officials decision was based on a report by a school psychologist rather than a pediatric specialist, as directed by immigration guidelines.

The Warkentin family (left) at home in their lodge in Waterhen, Man. The familys lawyer, Alastair Clarke (right), says an exaggerated report from a school psychologist should not have been the basis to judge an immigration application.

It points to a Frontier School Division psychologists November 2015 report that said Karalynn  who started having seizures in 2014  was showing signs of global developmental delay (GDD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of his assessment, he said, was to determine Karalynns specific strengths and areas of challenges. It was not an immigration medical examination or for diagnostic purposes or in any way conclusive, says the memo filed with the court. Federal immigration officials, however, based their conclusion that Karalynn is medically inadmissible on the report which said she had signs of GDD and ADHD, the memo said.

To be fair, (the school psychologist) wrote that report without knowing immigration was an issue, the Warkentins lawyer said in an interview Monday. That report was used for securing school funding  for getting all the required services for the student and to notify the government about what services might be required, Clarke said.

The error was on the part of the officer who relied on that report for immigration, said Clarke. When it comes to reviewing applications from families with children with a developmental delay, there is an immigration directive that explicitly states that the officer should refer the applicant to a pediatric specialist.

That didnt happen, said Clarke. Instead, the federal immigration authorities relied on the one-time observation of a school psychologist who watched Karalynn in class for 20 minutes then met with her briefly, said the memo filed in Federal Court. The psychologist named in the court document now works for another school division and attempts to contact him by email Monday were unsuccessful.

In an affidavit, Jon Warkentin identified a teacher at Karalynns school who told him that the psychologists report was drafted as negatively as possible for the best chance at securing funding for the school. His intent was to provide justification for the school to request a new iPad for the school and funding for the position of an educational assistant, said the memo filed in Federal Court.

The Warkentins application for permanent residency was denied in late 2016 by Canadian immigration officials because of a section of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that states a foreign national is inadmissible on health grounds if their condition might reasonably be expected to cause excess demand on health or social services.

The school psychologists report from 2015 was the primary source of the officers concerns, the court memo said. This report does not diagnose Karalynn with either GDD or ADHD. The child was never assessed or diagnosed with having either, it noted.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg immigration lawyer Alastair Clarke.

Before hiring a lawyer, the family in January asked immigration officials to reconsider their decision. The Warkentins submitted documents showing their ability to pay for any extra services Karalynn might need, how their business is helping a remote northern community and letters of support from the school principal and the mayor of Waterhen.

In April, they received a refusal letter from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The family then hired an immigration lawyer. Clarke told them they needed additional medical reports and to submit a request for reconsideration based on Karalynns much-improved condition, the exaggerated school psychologists report, their remoteness and lack of access to immigration professionals and that more time is needed for a conclusive diagnosis of Karalynns condition so an immigration officer can make a sound decision, the court document shows.

In May, that request was refused. Clarke has since filed a motion for leave to have a Federal Court judge look at the Warkentins case and decide if the immigration officer erred in refusing their request for reconsideration. Karalynn has an appointment with a pediatric specialist near the end of August, he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
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Manitoba Hydro has received permission to boost consumer electricity rates by 3.36 per cent  less than half the increase it sought.

The Public Utilities Board ordered the interim rate hike late Monday afternoon. It takes effect today.

Manitoba Hydro, which is facing a huge debt due to the ongoing construction of the Keeyask Generating Station and the Bipole III transmission line, had requested a 7.9 per cent increase.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The $5 billion Bipole III project will come into service in July of 2018.

The PUB rejected the request and tied strings to how the increase it is permitting can be used. The regulator said the added revenues must be placed in a deferral account established a few years ago to cushion future consumer rate hikes because of the $5 billion Bipole project.

In a 29-page order, the PUB said its decision was not unanimous. One board member, who was not named, objected to any increase at all for Hydro until the PUB conducts public hearings this fall and issues a permanent order.

The PUB noted that Manitoba Hydros financial situation for the current fiscal year and the next fiscal year has improved by $119 million compared with what it forecast in 2016.

We are pleased that the PUB recognized the need for an interim rate increase, said Kelvin Shepherd, president and CEO of Manitoba Hydro.

However, we are concerned that the PUB has not taken quicker action to begin to address the serious financial challenges and risks facing Manitoba Hydro. This order gives the PUB more time to review our full rate application and consider all the evidence on some very important issues that we believe need to be addressed in any final rate decision.

Byron Williams, a lawyer representing the Manitoba branch of the Consumers Association of Canada, said its clear the PUB listened to the wishes of thousands of Manitobans who voiced their opposition to Hydros request.

Certainly from our clients perspective, the interim order provides independent confirmation that Hydros claims of imminent financial catastrophe are materially overstated, he said.

At the same time, the 3.36 per cent increase still imposes significant hardship on stressed household budgets, including our most vulnerable citizens and those who use higher amounts of electricity and have no other means of heating their homes, Williams said.

He said Manitoba Hydro has to come to grips with new market-place realities and bring modern, rational management to its day-to-day spending and its large capital expenditures. Manitoba consumers should not have to pay the price for poor hydro management decisions, he added.

On Friday, Manitoba Hydro reported a $71-million profit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017. It said $20 million of that total came from a land sale to the City of Winnipeg for the construction of the southwest transit corridor.

The Crown corporation is also projecting a $92-million profit for the current fiscal year.

The PUB said it did not consider the 2016-2017 Hydro financial statements in setting the interim rate; however, it will take them into account when it decides on a permanent rate.

The PUB noted that since its last interim rate order in 2016, the cost of the Bipole III transmission project has escalated by $389 million.

This capital project is largely being debt financed, the PUB said in its order. There will be significant annual financing costs in addition to annual depreciation expense after Bipole III comes into service in July of 2018.

Shepherd explained that Manitoba Hydro needs additional revenue to fully fund its operations, including investing in the replacement and upgrading of its aging infrastructure. Additional revenue would also help the utility withstand the risks of rising interest rates and drought.

With our debt already having increased to $16 billion and scheduled to grow by another $8 billion over the next five years, its imperative we increase our financial capacity to fund our ongoing operations, rebuild equity in our company, and have sufficient free cash flow to ensure that our debt is considered self-sustaining, said Shepherd.

In addition to seeking a 7.9 per cent hike for the current year, Hydro has also let it be known it wants to see rates go up by just under eight per cent for the next four years.

The PUB, in its ruling, seemed to question Hydro managements timetable for improving the corporations debt-equity ratio. Hydro is seeking to achieve a 25 per cent equity level within 10 years, while the PUB noted that in the past it set a 20-year target.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca
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OTTAWA  Omnitrax is pushing back against Ottawas insistence that the company ensure the flooded rail line to Churchill remains operational.

The company suggested Monday that government meddling and extreme weather absolved any obligation to repair the Hudson Bay Railway, which became inoperable in late May after heavy flooding washed out numerous bridges.

On July 18, Omnitrax said it would cost $20 million to $60 million to repair the track, which the company deemed not economically viable. Yet Ottawa insists the Denver-based company is obliged to maintain rail service.

Omnitrax Handout Government meddling and extreme weather absolved any obligation to repair the rail line to Churchill, Omnitrax says.

In 2008, Ottawa, the Manitoba government and Omnitrax pledged $20 million each to repair longstanding issues along the line between The Pas and Churchill. A 2013 assessment showed the repairs sped up passenger trains by 39 per cent and freight trips by a quarter.

The 2008 contract, obtained under freedom-of-information laws, states Omnitrax shall assume full responsibility for the operation, maintenance and repair of the rail line until October 2018. It states Ottawa is entitled to have the funding returned if the company proposes to significantly reduce, discontinue or abandon the rail line or port.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doubled down over the weekend, telling reporters Saturday that hes looking at all options to enforce the 2008 contract.

Omnitrax has legal obligations to clean up and to repair the tracks, Trudeau said.

But the contract also says incidents such as floods exempt Omnitrax from its obligations, for as long as reasonable required to adjust for the effects of a natural disaster.

On Monday, Omnitrax told the Free Press that too much has changed since the 2008 contract.

Circumstances relevant to that agreement have fundamentally and adversely changed in ways not contemplated at the time, the company wrote, citing three issues.

Omnitrax pointed to the federal governments 2012 decision to dissolve the Canadian Wheat Board, which controlled the sale of grain and amounted for most of the Port of Churchills shipping traffic. (Ottawa had pledged $4.1 million in 2012 to keep the port operating.)

The company also cited the provinces 2015 dismantling of the Churchill Gateway Development Corporation (CGDC), which marketed the port and tried enticing foreign shipments with limited success.

It also blamed this springs unprecedented floods, which it suggested amounted to a force majeure. The term refers to contract clauses that absolve liability for extraordinary events, such as a war, flood or riot. The company first used the term in a June 9 statement

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files Churchill Mayor Michael Spence says time is of the essence.

Omnitraxs comments will likely further antagonize residents of Churchill, whose grocery bills have soared despite federal and provincial subsidies. On July 20, gas prices jumped 30 per cent overnight, but Omnitrax reversed the price hike within hours, saying it was a mistake.

In a Monday statement, Churchill Mayor Michael Spence said Ottawa needs to back up its words with action before the fall freeze. Governments need to force that or step in, as time is of the essence.

Former federal cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy, who was part of the CGDC, says the importance of an Arctic port is being missed in the tic-tac-toe of whos responsible for what.

Two separate First Nations groups have asked to take over the rail line, which Axworthy said would be an act of reconciliation.

Its important to be positive about this and not get into legal wrangles, he said. I look from the outside and I just think, opportunity lost.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
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Famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall is returning to Winnipeg to talk about her legendary research with chimpanzees.

Goodall will give a lecture at the Burton Cummings Theatre on Sept. 29, with proceeds in support of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canadas conservation, humanitarian and youth engagement programs. JGI Canada was founded in 1994 and is connected with the other JGIs around the world which support habitat conservation and chimpanzee protection programs in Africa.

Tickets range from $40 to $125.

In this April 7, 2017 photo, British primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist Jane Goodall poses for a portrait in New York to promote the Disneynature film, "Born in China." (Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP)

Goodall was last here in 2015 to be part of the Axworthy Lecture Series on Social Justice and the Public Good.

Goodall was 26 when she began studying African wildlife in Tanzania. Her research changed peoples attitudes and perception towards animal behaviour.

Goodall will speak about how close chimpanzees are to humans, with a genetic difference of less than two per cent, and how their natural habitat is under attack. She will also tell personal stories about her interactions with animals and her scientific breakthroughs.

To purchase tickets go to https://janegoodall.ca/join-us/events/
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This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Searches of Premier Brian Pallisters phone and email records from the past year suggest he carried out little government business while away in Costa Rica.

The findings  the result of repeated media and Opposition NDP freedom of information (FIPPA) filings  have produced evidence of only two telephone conversations the premier had with staff during more than 30 days out of the country. The two calls were made using a family cellphone.

The phone and email records belie Pallisters claim that he stays in regular contact with government officials while on forays to his out-of-country getaway.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Brian Pallister

Pallister has said he travelled three times to Costa Rica since last summer: in early-to mid-July last year, in late August to early September, and from mid-December to early January.

Requests for records showing the premiers use of government-issued phones or government email while in Costa Rica have produced no evidence he conducted government business while out of the country.

In May, Pallister told reporters that he pays every single nickel of the cost of communicating with staff in Manitoba while hes away. He also admitted that he used non-government devices, which dont cost the taxpayer a single cent.

It was only after the NDP  with the help of the provincial Ombudsmans office  secured records of Pallisters business conversations using a private cell phone that it was learned that the premier appeared to have had only two phone conversations involving government business that coincided with his Costa Rican trips. Both calls took place Dec. 19. They lasted a total of 15 minutes.

NDP Minto MLA Andrew Swan, a former justice minister, said the cellphone revelations prompt several concerns.

He said the premiers use of a private cellphone rather than a government-issued device could have been an attempt to do an end-run around freedom of information laws, something that, if true, proved to be unsuccessful.

However, Swan said what the FIPPA results also suggest is that the premier, contrary to past assurances, is not doing a lot of government work while he is away.

It now appears that he was simply trying to hide the fact that our allegation that he does very little government business when hes down in Costa Rica is actually the right one, he said.

Pallister was not available for comment on Tuesday.

His press secretary, Chisholm Pothier, said in a statement that when the Progressive Conservatives took office in the spring of 2016 there was no specific policy on the use of mobile devices for government business.

The premier  used personal devices as he felt it appropriate to cover his own communication costs while on vacation, Pothier said.

A new government policy directive, which took effect July 14, requires that members of cabinet and government staff use government-assigned email accounts, phones and text and messaging applications when conducting government business.

The new directive was developed by Fred Meier, acting clerk of the executive council (the provinces top bureaucrat).

When questions arose about the premiers methods of communication, he asked that a review of security policies and guidelines be conducted, Pothier said. That review revealed a gap in policies and guidelines regarding the use of mobile devices for government business.

The same day that the new directive took effect, the government provided its latest response to the NDPs FIPPA request, releasing information about business phone conversations the premier had with staffers using a personal cellphone. In response to another media outlet, Pothier referred to the private telephone that was used as a family phone. It is not registered to the premier.

Swan said previous NDP premiers and cabinet ministers, including himself, used common sense in the absence of a detailed government policy on the use of cellphones and email accounts. They used government-issued devices when conducting government business, he said.

Pallister has said in the past that he was following government protocols when using communication devices abroad, Swan said.

By doing this (unveiling the new directive) the premier is now admitting that this was not true. There was no protocol, there was no particular security protection that he had, the NDP MLA said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A class-action lawsuit seeking compensation for Manitobas Indigenous children who were victims of the 60s Scoop is moving forward in court, but some observers are concerned it could exclude victims who were living off-reserve when they were taken from their homes and placed for adoption.

Manitobas Court of Appeal recently ruled there can only be one class-action lawsuit representing 60s Scoop victims even though two different law firms had taken legal action on behalf of the Manitoba victims. It agreed with a lower courts decision to dismiss one of the suits  one against Manitoba and Canada that described the 60s Scoop as cultural genocide  and move ahead with a narrower claim against the federal government alone.

The class-action lawsuit still needs to be certified by the courts in order to go ahead, but Garth Myers, a Toronto-based lawyer with Koskie Minsky, the firm pursuing the claim, said hes confident it will move forward.

John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES A woman shows a peace sign as Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger apologizes for what has become known as the '60s Scoop at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg in 2015.

The time its taken to get this far  its been too long, and were looking forward to taking Canada to court as soon as possible, Myers said. We can hold Canada to account for the historical wrongs theyve committed.

Myers could not yet say how many Manitoba 60s Scoop survivors would be included in the proposed $200-million class-action lawsuit.

Koskie Minsky filed its Manitoba 60s Scoop claim, known as Meeches and Garnett vs. the Attorney General of Canada, last year based on a similar class-action suit in Ontario that is now working its way through settlement negotiations for Indigenous children who were scooped up from their homes between the 1960s and mid-1980s and put up for adoption within non-Indigenous families. Ontarios Superior Court of Justice ruled earlier this year that the federal government must be held liable for failing to protect the cultural identity of those children.

The wording of the claim going forward in Manitoba applies to all Indian, non-status Indian and/or Metis children who were living on-reserve in Manitoba on or after Sept. 2, 1966 when they were adopted into non-Indigenous homes. But that would exclude Indigenous children  including Metis  who lived off reserve before they were adopted.

The Meeches claim is so narrow that it doesnt cover the important actors in the matter, said Merchant Law Group lawyer Norman Rosenbaum, whose firm fought to have its proposed class-action 60s Scoop claim considered by the court. Merchant Law Groups claim, first launched in 2009, was against the provincial and federal governments and alleged negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and cultural genocide. The Court of Queens Bench and now the Court of Appeal decided that claim should be dismissed in favour of pursuing the Meeches lawsuit.

The appeal court acknowledged it is regrettable that the proposed class-action lawsuit may exclude some 60s Scoop survivors, but said they could file their own individual claims in court.

Rosenbaum said Merchant Law now plans to seek leave to appeal that decision at the Supreme Court, arguing that Metis and off-reserve Indigenous children dont have equal access to justice.

If theyre excluded from the class-action suit and have to launch their own lawsuits, Rosenbaum said, it can be extremely expensive for them. A long, hard fight.

Not taking action against Manitobas provincial government in addition to the federal government, Rosenbaum added, could be risking the entire (case) for everybody.

Across Canada between the 1960s and 1990s, more than 20,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families by childrens aid workers acting on federal government policies and were adopted into non-Indigenous homes. Anywhere between 5,000 to 10,000 of those children may have been from Manitoba, many of them sent to live with families in the U.S.

Manitoba Metis Federation President David Chartrand said hes disappointed the proposed class-action lawsuit appears to exclude Metis 60s Scoop survivors and others who didnt live on reserves, especially given the fallout from Metis residential school survivors being excluded from mass residential-school settlements that were designed to represent those who lived on reserve.

The trickery of one word can change so much. And so well be taking very close watch over this, Chartrand said, adding this case may present an opportunity for the federation to negotiate directly with political leaders.

I think this will end up being a political decision at the end of the day no matter what, Chartrand said.

The exact number is unknown, but Chartrand said a very large number of Manitoban 60s Scoop victims were Metis.

They were actually selling our children by the thousands to the United States, he said.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Opinion

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This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I agree with Corrine L. Masons conclusion that there does not appear to be a compelling reason, if ever there was one, to maintain the sex field on birth certificates (Time for gender-neutral birth certificates, July 27).

Her core argument is that changing ones prior sex designation in official documents is, or can be, an emotionally stressful and financially burdensome exercise for transgender individuals later in life. Her argument is further strengthened by the fact (made in the comments section of the online edition) that the registration of the birth of a child  not the birth certificate itself  is used in aggregate form by health and other officials to develop public policy. On balance, the proposed change would likely result in greater social good, while having little if any negative consequences.

What I found unsettling in Masons piece was her apparent hostility toward the facticity of human biology. When her child was born, she states that It never occurred to us to ask, to check or to care (about the sex of their baby newborn). She and her partner were steadfast that hospital staff not reveal to anyone, not least themselves, the sex of their child at birth.

It was not until much later in our hospital stay that my partner and I found out the sex designation of our child by medical personnel.

My wife and I have a two-year-old son. I say that he is my son because he was born with male genitalia. My wife and I often talk to him about the differences between boys and girls. These facts, we believe, are essential antipodes that help him make sense of his natural and, yes, social universe (in the same way that tigers have stripes and that eggs are ovals, although not quite). My wife and I fully appreciate that he may, in the course of his development  and in fact at a very young age  develop affinities favouring a female gender identification. We accept that his gender choice could involve gender reassignment surgery at some point in life. In the meantime, I have enjoyed watching him push around a bright-pink, baby-doll stroller for hours and will certainly do nothing to prevent or discourage him from similar gender transgressions.

While I agree that children are genderless throughout their infancy, they are certainly not sexless. When my son was born, I inspected him fully and completely in his perfect nakedness  exactly as he arrived in the world. His body and mind, including his genitalia, constituted all of his being as he took his first breaths. I accepted everything that he was then, as I accept him today with all of his flaws and further commit, as a parent, to love him unconditionally for the rest of his life. He is my son, because that is the sex qualifier that most accurately defines him, at least at this genderless stage of his life.

We may collectively overplay the differences between infant boys and girls and we certainly impose gender biases at an early age (boys wear blue, girls wear pink, etc.). That said, there is an inevitable interplay between sex and gender. Mason states: I would rather give our child an open window for gender exploration than find out that a M or F marker on their birth certificate made them feel like that door was closed.

An open window or untethered nothingness? Sex is that substrate out of which gender is socially constructed and which we use, as subjects, at least in part, to shape our subjective identity. Deliberately disavowing or obfuscating a childs sex, I would argue, will ultimately hinder a childs ability to grasp his natural and social environment, including the differences between himself and others. These important markers and other points of reference are fundamental.

Finally, as we saw so patently last week, the LGBTTQ* community has far more serious battles to be fought than the birth certificate issue  battles around which far more allies are likely to rally.

Stephane Allard holds a masters degree in political studies from the University of Ottawa and writes on literature and politics. A former Manitoban, he lives in Gatineau, Que.
Opinion

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This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump sent out a series of tweets to the effect that the American military will no longer allow or accept transgender personnel in its ranks. At the time of sending out the transgender tweets, Trumps White House was in the midst of the most vicious infighting since The Donald was sworn into office on Jan. 20.

If, by sending out these unexpected tweets, Trump was hoping to generate controversy for the purpose of deflecting the media focus from his embattled regime, then the U.S. president is not as crazy as he looks. The transgender ban blew up in immediate backlash from Human Rights groups and LGBTTQ+ activists worldwide.

The sheer shocking content of Trumps transgender ban messages caused pundits to forget that the U.S. military is governed by congressionally approved policies, not by presidential tweets. In response to the growing controversy, it was none other than U.S. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who advised the media that there will be no modifications to the current policy regarding the employment of transgender personnel.

Ron Sachs / Sipa USA Files U.S. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week Pentagon policy on transgender troops would not change for the time being.

Under a year-old plan, brought in by former president Barack Obama, there are currently an estimated 15,000 personnel in the U.S. military who identify as transgender and, of that number, 6,000 are on active duty. No doubt Trumps proclamation that the United States government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military will be incredibly worrisome to this veritable legion of transgender people already in uniform.

The two reasons Trump cited for the ban were the tremendous medical costs and the disruption to unit cohesion that these individuals generate.

Number crunchers were quick to calculate that the currently serving transgender personnel cost the military health services between US$2.4 million and US$8.4 million a year. While this is not chump change, to keep things in perspective, the U.S. military annually spends in excess of US$84 million on drugs such as Viagra to remedy erectile dysfunction.

As for Trumps allegations that transgender soldiers would be a disrupting factor within their units, one need only take a short walk down memory lane.

Up until 1948, racial segregation was the official policy of the U.S. military. Throughout the U.S. Civil War, the First World War and the Second World War, black volunteers were segregated into their own units  most often with white officers  and usually relegated to a support role rather than frontline combat duties.

Canada similarly segregated black people and Asians into labour battalions during the First World War, as the racist attitudes of the day led to the common belief that they made inferior soldiers and would be a disruptive factor if merged with the predominantly Anglo-Saxon combat regiments.

Canada was ahead of the U.S. in terms of racial integration, and in 1982 we took a major step in terms of sexually integrating our armed forces by allowing women into heretofore men-only combat arms trades. Previous rationale for keeping women out of the front lines was that their presence would be a disruption. The Canadian militarys performance in the Balkan peacekeeping missions of the 90s and the decade-long deployment to Afghanistan have since proven the merit of co-ed combat units.

The U.S. military quietly followed our lead and began allowing females into combat trades in 2013.

Canada lifted the ban on LGBTTQ* personnel serving in uniform in 1992 and has subsequently funded dozens of sexual reassignment surgeries over the past 20 years. It is estimated that around 200 personnel serving in the Canadian Armed Forces identify as transgender.

Previous thinking was that LGBTTQ* soldiers would be a disruption to their units. Again, experience on the battlefield and in garrison has proven that this is not the case.

Soldiers put more stock in their comrades professionalism and dedication, rather than the colour of their skin, their gender or sexual preference. But, having never served in uniform himself, Trump has no way of knowing that.

Scott Taylor is the founder and publisher of Esprit de Corps magazine. He is a bestselling author and award-winning documentary filmmaker.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 01/08/2017 (1929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Now that the ruling Republicans in Washington, D.C. have tried and failed to repeal the health insurance reforms of the previous Democratic administration, Canadians are left to wonder what to expect next from a rudderless republic. How can Canada deal with the United States when nobody, apparently, is in charge?

U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration appeared to be in charge. They were bound and determined to repeal and replace Obamacare  the 2010 Affordable Care Act that requires people to buy health insurance, forbids health insurance companies to turn away clients with pre-existing illnesses and provides public subsidies to help working families meet health-care expenses.

Under relentless prodding from President Trump, the Republican majority in the Senate last week brought a series of repeal bills to a vote and all of them failed. All of the proposed measures would have left millions of Americans without health insurance. A great many Republicans still dont like requiring citizens to buy health insurance. That, however, is a point of principle. The harsh political reality is that Obamacare brought health insurance to millions of families. They love it and the Republicans dare not take it away.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / The Associated Press Files U.S. President Donald Trump

President Trump has tweeted darkly about withholding the government subsidies that help working families with their health-care costs. He may or may not have the authority to do that, but it would be politically suicidal. The same voters who did not want Congress to repeal Obamacare will also not want the subsidies cancelled, which would accomplish the same goal by other means.

The upshot is that former president Barack Obamas health insurance reforms are now irreversible, a fixed feature of U.S. law and policy. Mr. Trump dreams of sabotaging the system, but the public clearly wants him to make it work. He and his party imagined they had a better idea, but they had none. Like it or not, Mr. Trump and the United States are stuck with Obamacare.

So if Mr. Trump and the Republicans cannot repeal Obamacare, what can they do? Can they, for example, reform U.S. tax law? Can they write a new trade treaty with Canada and Mexico? Is it worth Canadas while to negotiate with an administration that cant get a long-nurtured measure through Congress and cant manage a complex legislative project?

The trade deal with Canada and Mexico is less complex than the health-insurance law and arouses less passion in the public. The administration may be able to handle it. Tax reform, however, is a lot like health-care reform  endlessly complex and politically contentious. The health-insurance failure provides a warning that the big talk about tax reform may go nowhere.

The health-insurance failure has to erode President Trumps authority over his party and his country. He has lost what, in a parliamentary democracy, we would call a vote of confidence, but the U.S. political system gives him no opportunity of dissolving Congress and calling fresh elections. He and his country are stuck with each other for another three and a half years though he is now, in a special sense, a lame-duck president.

Mid-term elections 16 months from now may show whether Mr. Trump still has weight to throw around beyond the walls of the White House. In the meantime, Canada has a trade treaty to negotiate, keeping in mind that Mr. Trumps opinions about it may not matter much.
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.
Moog Inc. designs, manufactures, and integrates precision motion and fluid controls and controls systems for original equipment manufacturers and end users in the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets worldwide. The company's Aircrafts Controls segment offers primary and secondary flight controls for military and commercial aircrafts; aftermarket support services; and ground-based navigation aids. Its Space and Defense Controls segment provides controls for satellites, space vehicles, launch vehicles, armored combat vehicles, tactical and strategic missiles, security and surveillance, and other defense applications; and gun aiming, stabilization, and automatic ammunition loading for armored combat vehicles. This segment also offers controls for steering tactical and strategic missiles, and naval surface ships and submarines; and weapons stores management systems for light attack aerial reconnaissance, ground, and sea platforms, as well as slip rings, fiber optic rotary joints, and motors. The company's Industrial Systems segment provides components and systems for applications in injection and blow molding machinery, metal forming presses, and heavy industry customers in steel and aluminum production; supplies electromechanical motion simulation bases for the flight simulation and training applications; and supplies solutions for power generation applications, as well as custom test systems and controls for automotive, structural, and fatigue testing. This segment also offers systems and components for applications in oil and gas exploration and production; components for wind turbine applications; components and systems for diagnostic imaging CT scan medical equipment, sleep apnea equipment, oxygen concentrators, infusion therapy, and enteral clinical nutrition; and hydraulics, slip rings, rotary unions and fiber optic rotary joints, motors, and infusion and enteral pumps. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in East Aurora, New York.
Canadas pseudo left groups are seeking to provide the pro-big business, pro-war New Democratic Party (NDP) with some desperately needed left cover.

With working-class anger mounting against austerity and ever widening social inequality, as shown in the recent 175,000-strong Quebec construction workers strike, groups like Fightback, Socialist Action, and the International Socialists (IS) have seized on the NDPs ongoing leadership campaign to propagate the fatal illusion that this right-wing, capitalist party can be transformed into a fighting working class organization.

The pseudo lefts primary goal in this is to prevent the emergence of an independent movement of the working class, by harnessing the growing anti-capitalist sentiment among workers and youth to the trade union apparatuses and the social-democratic NDP.

As proof that the NDP can be returned to its purported left-wing roots, Fightback, Socialist Action, and the IS all point to Bernie Sanders phony political revolution and Jeremy Corbyns winning of the British Labour leadership on a pledge to oppose austerity.

The pseudo left groups have been shamelessly appealing to the union bureaucracy and NDP parliamentarians to bring forth a Canadian CorbynFightback speaks of corbynizing the NDParguing such a development would boost the NDPs electoral fortunes and galvanize opposition to austerity.

In reality Sanders and Corbyn, with the full-throated support of the international co-thinkers of Fightback, Socialist Action and IS, are working might and main to contain social opposition within traditional parties of the capitalist establishment and under conditions where the ruling elite is hurtling to the right pursuing a more aggressive, militarist foreign policy, while seeking to destroy what remains of the social gains workers made through the mass struggles of the last century.

Sanders deployed socialist phrases during his presidential election campaign to divert workers and youth hostile to capitalism into the Democratic Party. He then promptly threw his support behind the preferred candidate of Wall Street and the military-intelligence apparatus, Hillary Clinton, helping pave the way for the election of Trump. Corbyn has capitulated on every major policy issue to the Blairite right wing of Britains Labour Party, including by allowing free votes on Britains bombing of Syria and the renewal of its Trident nuclear weapons systems, and ordering Labour-controlled local authorities to impose Tory-dictated austerity.

Fightback shills for Nikki Ashton

Immediately after the NDPs first televised leadership debate last March, Fightback, the Canadian section of the misnamed International Marxist Tendency, identified Niki Ashton, a Manitoba MP who ran an unsuccessful 2012 leadership bid against Thomas Mulcair, as its prime candidate to be Canadas Corbyn. Ashton, enthused Fightback leader Alex Grant, had staked out a position as the most left-wing of the contenders and has gone out of her way to make a break with the past.

This is a pack of lies. Neither Ashton nor any of the other leadership hopefuls, all of whom held high profile positions in the NDP during Mulcairs tenure, are opposed to the right-wing, pro-corporate and pro-war policies advocated under his leadership. Mulcairs name has been conspicuously absent from almost all of the debates thus far. None of the contenders have made anything but the most banal and superficial criticisms of the Harper-lite campaign the party waged in 2015, which included pledges to balance the budget, keep taxes on the rich at their lowest level ever, and form a coalition with the Liberals in the event of a hung parliament.

Ashton is proposing a package of meager reforms, including raising corporate taxes to the level to which Paul Martin had slashed them, a $15 an hour federal minimum wage and increased public ownership. Of course, she does not address, let alone answer, why the NDP and its sister social-democratic parties around the world have been in the forefront for the past three decades of dismantling the public and social services that in any earlier period they held up as proof capitalism could by humanized through parliamentary reforms and collective bargaining

Ashton upholds the alliance between the NDP and the trade union bureaucracy, which has systematically suppressed the class struggle, imposing since the 1980s round after round of concessions and job cuts, and which played a pivotal role in electing the pro-war, big business Liberals in 2015.

None of this troubles Fightback. It functions, as it has for decades, as a loyal NDP faction, providing advice and window-dressing for the social-democrats. Fightback, like Socialist Action, maintains the preposterous position that the NDP can serve as a vehicle in the fight for socialism.

In late June, Fightback published a laudatory interview with Ashton along with its formal endorsement of her campaign to succeed the one-time Quebec Liberal cabinet minister Muclair as NDP leader. According to Fightback, A victory for Ashton would represent a victory for the left in Canada and open up the possibility of the development of a movement analogous to those sparked by Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders.

The issue of the growing danger of war has been all but blacked out of the NDP leadership race, a fact that is hardly surprising given the partys pro-war record. Ashton managed to issue a mealy-mouthed protest at one of the most recent debates in Sudbury, admonishing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his readiness to spend more money on the military. But there was not a peep of opposition from her or any of the other candidates to the declaration by Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland that hard power, i.e. war, would be a key part of Canadas foreign policy.

Fightback, for its part, did not ask Ashton, during their lengthy interview, a single question about the resurgence of great-power conflict and war and Canadas leading role in the US-led military-strategic offensives in the Middle East and against Russia and China.

Socialist Actions promotion of ex-OFL President Sid Ryan

Socialist Action, whose members lead the NDPs anemic Socialist Caucus, have taken a slightly different tack. Initially they helped spearhead a high-profile campaign to convince Sid Ryan, the former head of the Ontario Federation of Labour, to contest the NDP leadership.

Ryan is a seasoned union bureaucrat, who for decades spouted left demagogy while isolating and suppressing worker struggles, but Socialist Action dolled him up as a workers leader.

As OFL president, Ryan played a pivotal role in the Anybody but Hudak campaign, in which the unions and pseudo left united, in the name of stopping the Tories, to secure the reelection of Kathleen Wynnes budget-cutting and wage-slashing Liberals in the 2014 Ontario election. This initiative pioneered the strategy the unions employed in 2015, when they championed the Trudeau Liberals as a progressive alternative to Harpers Conservative government.

Having had its hopes dashed by Ryans refusal to enter the race, Socialist Action has now turned its attentions to pressuring the remaining candidates to the left.

IS exploits its formal organizational independence from the NDP to subordinate left-moving workers and youth to its rotten politics all the more firmly. It advances the spurious argument that the NDP, and even Trudeaus big business Liberals, will respond to pressure from the streets by shifting to the left. In this way, IS desperately seeks to cover up its endorsement of the right-wing, anti-worker agenda advanced by the unions and NDP with radical-sounding rhetoric.

This was exemplified in an interview published on its web site in May with Ashton, which assumed the form of a cozy chat among friends. The IS breathlessly reported on Ashtons meet-and-greet event in Toronto, where she was introduced by outspoken socialist and veteran NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo. DiNovo is a long-time NDP legislator who finally found the courage to criticize Mulcair after he led the party to an electoral debacle.

IS offered Ashton a platform to promote a Canadian nationalist strategy to uphold the interests of the countrys corporate elite in the face of growing competition and protectionism. Referring to Trump, Ashton remarked, This is not a leader who reflects many of the values that we believe in as Canadians, and certainly not a leader that has the best interests of Canadians at all in mind. Im very concerned by the way Justin Trudeau for example has cheerleaded Trumps bombing in Syria, has not stood up with backbone to Trumps threats on softwood lumber or the dairy industry.

IS embrace of Canadian nationalism and loyalty to the NDP were demonstrated by its decision to invite Avi Lewis to lead a session on the Leap Manifesto at its misnamed One Solution: Revolution event in April. Lewis, the son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, presented his climate change manifesto in the lead-up to the 2015 federal election with the explicit aim of having it endorsed by the NDP and other sections of the ruling elite, including the Trudeau Liberals.

As the World Socialist Web Site wrote at the time, the Leap Manifesto is a pro-capitalist document which blends environmentalist policy with a heavy dose of economic nationalism (See: Canadas pseudo-left pledges loyalty to pro-war, pro-austerity NDP).

The pseudo lefts support for such a right-wing, nationalist program dovetails with the agenda of the trade union bureaucracy to which they and the NDP are wedded. Unions like Unifor have hailed the prospect of renegotiating NAFTA as an opportunity to advance Canadian interests, i.e. boost the profits of Canadas corporate elite and press for the reorganization of the North American auto industry at the expense of Mexican workers. At the same time, they exploit the threat of the outsourcing of jobs to low-wage locations to ram through concessions contracts in the face of hostility from their members.

The NDP was always a right-wing social-democratic party, an instrument for politically controlling and suppressing the working class. Like social-democratic parties around the globe, in response to the collapse of the post-Second World War boom and globalization, it renounced long ago any association even with social reform, advancing pro-war and big business polices virtually indistinguishable from those of the Liberals and Conservatives.

Attempts by the pseudo left to revive the tattered credentials of this party among workers are not the result of a mistaken policy. Rather they reflect the social interests of the privileged sections of the middle class which make up the constituency of groups like IS, Socialist Action and Fightback. These layers have grievances with the top 1 percent, but are utterly hostile to the independent political mobilization of the working class, because it would threaten their own privileges.

In 2015, these groups all hailed the election of Syriza (Greeces Coalition of the Radical Left), claiming that its promises to oppose austerity were genuine, although it was a capitalist party, and, as such, utterly opposed to mobilizing the European working class against the austerity demands of the bankers and their EU. When Syriza foully betrayed the hopes of the workers who had propelled it to power, Fightback and company blithely moved on to promoting Corbyn and Sanders. Their specific function is to use socialist rhetoric, to derail the growing leftward movement of the working class and harness it to the pro-capitalist unions and NDP.
The American Southwest has seen a number of wildfires crop up in the last month. Though they have not hit major population centers, they have caused significant damage in rural areas and have displaced several thousand people.

This year alone, there have been approximately 3,200 fires covering over three times the average annual acreage. The five-year average for California fires at this time of year is 2,600 fires covering 37,000 acres of land.

The increase in fires can be traced to the ending of the states five-year drought this year. Above average rainfall during the winter months led to sharp growth in grasses and other underbrush. As temperatures rose during the late spring and early summer months, that newly-dried out underbrush provided massive amounts of kindling for trees and old forest that had been severely dried out and devastated by the drought.

Future wildfires on such a large scale can be expected to continue throughout the summer and into the fall.

Eleven major wildfires raged throughout the state this past week, requiring some 5,000 firefighters to contain them. The largest of these fires, dubbed the Detwiler Fire, spans over 80,000 acres and has come close to Yosemite National Park. It is now nearly contained, but it has destroyed 63 homes and at least 40 additional buildings.

At its peak the fire threatened 1,500 buildings in the nearby city of Mariposa, leading Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency and a series of evacuation orders across Mariposa county. As of this writing, the last evacuation order has been lifted and residents are continuing to return.

While most wildfires are naturally occurring and are expected seasonally, the extent of their destruction is a function of the resources allocated to containing them. When fire budgets are cut, response times go down and the effectiveness of firefighting efforts is diminished.

In the case of the Detwiler Fire, the majority of the personnel had to be brought in from Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadenanearly 300 miles awayto stop the fire from growing out of control. According to a statement from the Glendale fire department, firefighters worked 24-hour shifts to contain the fire. While 24-hour shifts are standard fare for a city firefighter, whose responsibilities include maintaining their station and equipment, those working on wildfires typically only have 16-hour shifts to accommodate the more continuous fieldwork.

Recent California budgets have cut about 5 percent from CalFIREs budget over the last two years, despite anticipating an increased risk of wildfires driven by global warming. To make up for these cuts, the state has increasingly relied on prison labor.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) operates a system of conservation camps where inmates can  volunteer  to help fight wildfires in exchange for time off their sentences. Inmates who participate in this program are paid about $1.45 a day when doing preventive work, and $1 per hour when on the line fighting fires. They work 24-hour shifts much more frequently than their counterparts and account for nearly a third of the states forest firefighters.

The CDCR website boasts that in an average year they supply 3 million person-hours responding to fires and other emergencies. They further boast their conservation camps are saving California taxpayers approximately $100 million each year.

The work is quite dangerous. In May, Michael Beck, 26, died when he was struck by a falling tree while trying to contain a fire in Del Norte County. He had been serving a six-year sentence for burglary and was set to be paroled in October. Last year a 22-year-old woman was killed by a falling boulder while fighting fires for the CDCR in Malibu.

At the local level, cities dealing with financial difficulties have slashed fire budgets to stay solvent. The City of San Bernardino, which exited its five-year bankruptcy proceedings in June, has virtually dissolved its own fire department, and is relying on the county fire department for its fire coverage.

Wildfires are natural disasters but the ability to prevent and contain them is a social question. The chronic underfunding and understaffing of firefighters in the wealthiest state in the country sets the objective conditions for a real catastrophe.
Below-Average Temperatures Expected For Most Of The Lower 48 States
By Asif Shahzad ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A close ally of ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday submitted papers in parliament to become the new premier, part of a two-part plan by the ruling party for a smooth transition that will see Sharif's brother take the reins later. Former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is expected to be elected the new prime minister on Tuesday by Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party's majority of lawmakers. Pakistan's Supreme Court ordered Sharif disqualified from office last week over unreported income uncovered during a sweeping investigation of his finances. The court also ordered a separate criminal investigation into Sharif and his family in its ruling, which Sharif's allies have portrayed as political meddling but opposition leader Imran Khan has hailed as a victory for the rule of law. Abassi on Monday stressed he would continue Sharif's policies. His tenure is expected to last only about two months until Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, becomes eligible to be prime minister by winning a parliamentary by-election. "Our party will succeed with our majority, God willing," Abassi told reporters inside parliament after filing the official nomination papers. "The policies we had until Friday, we will continue with that," he added. Sharif's PML-N party won elections in 2013 and holds a majority of 188 seats in the 342-member parliament, so it should be able to swiftly install its choice of premier, barring defections from its own ranks. Over the weekend Sharif said he was shocked by Friday's Supreme Court ruling disqualifying him over unreported income from a company owned by his son in Dubai. Sharif said the monthly salary - equivalent to $2,722 - was nominal and he never actually received any of it. Sharif's two previous stints in power were also cut short, the second ending in a military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999. Initially placed under house arrest, Sharif went into exile before returning to win a resounding victory in 2013 elections. The Supreme Court employed the little-used Article 62 of the Constitution, which calls for the dismissal of any lawmaker deemed dishonest, to remove Sharif. His allies believe the verdict smacks of judicial overreach. Others say privately that elements of the military had a hand in the process. (Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez)
Scaramucci didn't serve in the White House for very long: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

Anthony Scaramucci has been removed from his position as White House communications director, just 10 days after taking over the post and sparking a wave of changes in the West Wing.

The former hedge fund owners appointment to the head communications post  complete with walk-in privileges to the Oval Office  was one of the first major shakeups of the White House in an administration that has been marred by rumours of unrest and infighting.

In a White House that has elevated otherwise behind-the-scenes players into the spotlight, Mr Scaramucci still managed to register in headlines over his brief tenure serving the Oval Office. Here are the highlights from his stint in public service.

July 21: Mr Scaramuccis hiring was a bit too much for former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who abruptly resigned from his post.

Mr Scaramuccis first public act as communications chief was to hold a press conference. During that event, Mr Scaramucci said that he had a strong belief in the President, and mostly signalled that he had changed his mind on previous critical statements about Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign.

It was one of the biggest mistakes I made, Mr Scaramucci said. I was an unexperienced person in politics, I was supporting another candidate. I should have never said that about him,

It was one of the biggest mistakes I made, Scaramucci said. I was an unexperienced person in politics, I was supporting another candidate. I should have never said that about him.

July 22: Mr Scaramucci announces that he is deleting his old tweets to avoid a media distraction.

July 23: Mr Scaramucci gave a CNN interview to Jake Tapper, and attempted to cast doubt on claims that Russia had interfered in the 2016 US presidential election by quoting an anonymous source for the information.

Mr Scaramucci said that somebody (I wont tell you who) had told him that the US wouldnt know if Russia tried to interfere  because the Russian deception machine is too sophisticated.

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But, Mr Tapper cut in, asking him where the information came in. At that point, Mr Scaramucci spilled the beans and said his source was Mr Trump himself  a man whose campaign is reportedly under investigation for potential ties to the Russian government.

How about it was the president (who said it), Jake? Scaramucci said when Mr Tapper pressed. I talked to him yesterday. He called me from Air Force One and he basically said to me, 'Hey, you know, this is  maybe they did it. Maybe they didn't do it.

July 24: Mr Scaramucci says that the TV cameras will be back on at the daily White House press briefings. Mr Trumps communications team under Mr Spicer had been frequently criticised for its apparent secrecy, and the administration had broken away from tradition of airing the briefings live in favor of off-camera press conferences.

July 25: Mr Scaramucci signals that he may be moving toward a purge in his communications staff. At this point in his tenure, White House aides were describing him as something akin to family to Mr Trump.

July 26: Mr Scaramuccis financial disclosure forms appear to show that he could still profit from his ownership stake in his investment firm SkyBridge Capital. The communications chief said then that his leaked financial disclosure forms amounted to a felony offence  even though those documents would have become public eventually anyway.

July 27: A report from the New Yorker details a late night phone call Mr Scaramucci conducted with Ryan Lizza, a reporter at the magazine and a CNN contributor. During the call, Mr Scaramucci attempted to force Mr Lizza to disclose an unnamed source that had notified Mr Lizza of a dinner between Mr Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Sean Hannity, former Fox News executive Bill Shine, and Mr Scaramucci.

During the interview, Mr Scaramucci threatened to fire everybody on his staff, said that Mr Priebus might be asked to resign soon, alleged that Mr Priebus had c***-blocked him from getting a White House job for six months, and called Mr Priebus a f****** schizophrenic, a paranoiac.

July 28: Mr Scaramuccis New Yorker interview landed him in some hot water. He told journalists that its better not to comment on the story, and was forced to drop out of Politicon  the Comicon of politics.

July 28: Mr Scaramuccis feud with Mr Priebus ends up with the former chief of staff being pushed out of his post. Mr Trump immediately tweeted who he planned on replacing his outgoing chief with: John Kelly.

July 31: Mr Scaramucci, just 10 days after it was announced that hed the reins of the White House communications office, is removed from his post. Technically speaking, actually, he wasnt supposed to start his post until mid-August.
Anthony Scaramucci has returned home to visit his newborn son for the first time since his birth, days after it emerged that his wife was divorcing the bombastic White House communications director.

Deidre Ball Scaramucci filed for divorce on July 6 in Nassau County Supreme Court on Long Island, according to Page Six. The news of the split came Friday, days after she gave birth.

Read: Mooch on the Loose! Scaramucci's Wife Files for Divorce Over His 'Naked Ambition': Report

Deidre, 38, gave birth last Monday to a boy named James, just two weeks before her due date, while her husband was in West Virginia with President Trump at the Boy Scout jamboree.

He reportedly texted his wife: "Congratulations, Ill pray for our child."

On Friday, Scaramucci boarded Air Force One to fly to Long Island with President Trump, but his first stop wasn't the hospital to see his newborn son. It was to Trump's speech before a group of law enforcement officials at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood.

Once news of his divorce became public, he tweeted to leave civilians out of this. I can take the hits, but I would ask that you would put my family in your thoughts and prayers & nothing more.

Leave civilians out of this. I can take the hits, but I would ask that you would put my family in your thoughts and prayers & nothing more.  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 28, 2017

On Saturday, he added: Family does not need to be drawn into this.

Family does not need to be drawn into this. Soon we will learn who in the media has class and who doesn't. No further comments on this.  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 29, 2017

Deidre and Anthony Scaramucci were married in 2014 and began dating in 2011.

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Read: Don't Mess With the Mooch: Anthony Scaramucci Making Waves After Just 6 Days on the Job

Friends and family were spotted arriving at the Scaramucci home over the weekend bearing gifts. Deidre was also seen shopping nearby.

The couple has two children together, including the newborn. Scaramucci has two additional children from his previous marriage.

Watch: Former Miami Dolphins Cheerleader Divorces Democratic Politician Husband Over Trump

Related Articles:
The Mooch, in all his glory - REUTERS

On historys leaderboard of the worst-ever 10 days at work, Anthony Scaramuccis calamitous start as White House Communications Director may be rivalled only by Lady Jane Grey.

To recap: Scaramucci, a 53-year-old, Jordan Belfort-style investment banker who calls himself The Mooch, was appointed to the position on July 21 without any prior political experience. Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned in protest the same day, while the Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, raised vehement objections to his appointment. The Mooch then instantly caused controversy by deleting all his old tweets - many of which were critical of Donald Trump - in a move he said proved he was transparent.

After details of his extraordinary wealth were leaked, he said that he was prepared to "fire everybody" in the press office to prevent further disclosures; he touched Emily Maitlis over and over in a cringe-inducing interview; and then he rang a New Yorker journalist and told him, on the record, that Priebus was a paranoid schizophrenic, that he had contacted the FBI to have colleagues investigated, and that Steve Bannon was performing an act that urban legend says Prince removed ribs to facilitate.

A real rollercoaster, then, but at what personal cost?

Anthony Scaramucci with his wife, Deidre Credit: Jared Siskin

A lot, it turns out. Over the weekend it was reported that since he started his new job, the Moochs wife of three years, Deidre Bell, has filed for divorce, citing his naked political ambition as cause for the split. When Bell then gave birth to the couples second child on Monday, the New York Post alleges Scaramucci responded to the news by text message, specifically saying, Congratulations, I'll pray for our child.

In reality, perhaps we should all pray for that infants upbringing. Among other (less polite but equally true) labels, it seems Scaramucci is a total and utter workaholic. He isnt alone, either.

Numerous viciously-ambitious men close to the Oval Office  Trump included  have had multiple wives, while James Mad Dog Mattis, the current Secretary of Defence, is a lifelong bachelor who was once jilted at the altar because his fiancee supposedly didnt wish to get in the way of his career.

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Profile | Anthony Scaramucci

According to Natalie Holt, an occupational psychologist, the condition of workaholism is simple, but potentially deadly for relationships.

It means what is says: working compulsively, and often in place of enjoyment, she says. Instead of choosing to work or needing to work, you feel physically and psychologically compelled to, all the time, meaning its a real addiction that changes the values a person has.

Power, money and motivations are what drives workaholics, and the dynamic threatens your real life. When youre married to your work, thats when youre emotionally unavailable for other people, and dont feel satisfaction from relationships. People use work as a way of avoiding life responsibility.

While Holt is more in favour of a work-life blend, in which people acknowledge that work is a significant part of life and attempt to mix it with leisure in a healthy way as opposed to creating a strict divide, she appreciates any imbalance is a problem.

America appears to be the capital of workaholism, with rich men like Scaramucci (net worth: more than $50m) the greatest offenders. Between 1985 and 2010, the weekly leisure time of university-educated men fell by 2.5 hours, far more than any other demographic and far more than the same group in European countries. Its no surprise to learn that the Mooch reportedly paid $100,000 to have a cameo in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, since he doesnt seem to sleep, either.

The signs of a workaholic, or someone heading that way, are easy to spot, Holt says. You take a lot of work home and at weekends, you think about work when you sleep, you zone out when others are talking to focus on work matters, and you are more excited for work events than family things. Overworking has so many negative impacts on physical health and wellbeing, but not least on your energy levels at home and at work.

Holt argues that its fine to be ambitious and career-driven, as Scaramucci undoubtedly is; what is problematic is when your priorities change for the worse. The Moochs decision to attend a boy scout event (at which he fundamentally failed in his brief to PR manage the president, incidentally) rather than the birth of his child is a fairly emphatic example of this.

Enjoying your career is one thing, as is going above and beyond occasionally, but its consistent behaviour that has an impact," says Holt. "Its not sustainable, and nor is constantly thinking about the next thing, the next goal, or the next promotion.

Some have suggested that Bell's reported dislike of Trump was a factor in her filing for divorce. Though Scaramucci won't acknowledge it, now he has pledged full allegiance to the Republican president, he campaigned for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the past.

You need to have boundaries [as a couple], and identify them early. If the relationship is strong enough, then you know where you stand, and can be supportive by working out whats OK and whats not," Holt says. Then you need to decide, what's more important: the job or the boundary?

In the Mooch's case, the answer was emphatically the former. But what comes first for you? Take the test to find out...
From Popular Mechanics

The chief of staff of the U.S. Army discussed what he'd like to see in a future tank to replace the M1 Abrams. Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. last week. Chief of Staff Mark Milley mentioned railguns, a reduced crew or no crew at all, so-called active protection systems, and a super strong yet lightweight armor that could dramatically lower the weight of future tanks.

Quoted in Breaking Defense, Milley made it clear he wanted the tank that follows the 40 year old M1A2 Abrams tank to have "breakthrough"-as opposed to incremental-technologies. An incremental technology tank would have, for example, a 140-millimeter main gun, a more efficient turbine or diesel engine, and more armor but perhaps nothing more extreme than that.

The problem with incremental technologies is they're just going to make a heavier, less mobile tank. The Abrams tank began its career as a 58 ton tank with a 105-millimeter gun, and today is a 70 ton tank with a 120-millimeter gun. A bigger gun will be heavier, a more powerful conventional engine will be heavier, and heavier armor will be the heaviest of all.

Breakthrough technologies, on the other hand, could be both smaller and more powerful, resulting in a more agile, more easily transportable tank. A tank-mounted railgun could mean less bulk while providing even more tank-killing power. A remotely controlled, crewless tank could go into hazardous situations too risky for human crews.

Lighter, better protecting armor, Milley said, would be the "Holy Grail" for a tank. An armor capable of shrugging off kinetic energy and shaped charge (high explosive, anti-tank) rounds would allow the new tank to shrug of main gun rounds, anti-tank missiles, and infantry anti-tank weapons.

Photo credit: Sergei Savostyanov / Getty

Milley also wants a tank that could be driverless, allowing the remaining crew to concentrate on fighting the enemy, or even completely crewless.

Milley commented on the new technologies in response to questions about Russia's T-14 Armata tank. The chief of staff said that while the U.S. Army has a "good, solid tank" today in the Abrams, the Army will need a new tank within the next 25 years.

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Breakthrough technologies, although full of promise, have their own problems. Often in military procurement the technologies are adopted before fully mature-for a recent example, look no further than the radar, catapult, and aircraft arresting gear on the Navy's latest carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford. The Ford ended up billions over budget and years behind schedule.

This is the Army's third attempt to build a replacement for the M1. From 1999 to 2008, the U.S. Army spent $18.1 billion trying to create an entire family of vehicles to replace the Abrams tank, Bradley fighting vehicle, and other platforms only to have the program cancelled without a single vehicle being fielded. The program, called Future Combat Systems, was too technologically ambitious to be viable. A second program, the Ground Combat Vehicle, was cancelled in 2014, again without a single vehicle reaching operational status.

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Warning: This recap for the Men Tell All episode of The Bachelorette contains spoilers.

Welcome to the penultimate week of Rachels journey, rose lovers!

Yep, its time to revisit all the drama and controversy and heartbreak from the past 9 weeks  which will be far more tolerable if you play the take a shot every time some dude you dont recognize speaks drinking game. Were lookin at you, pal.

But first, filler!

Did any of us really need to relive those moments featuring Kasey, Kalon, Clint, Chad, some random dudes from Andis season, Kaitlyns hate tweets  and the highly awkward gender reveal of Ashley and JPs baby? Of course not. That time would have been better spent grilling Dean about his weird tsunami hairdo.

Still, the crowd LOVES him.

At last, its time for the awkward reunions.

Lucas says he still doesnt understand why Blake was obsessing over him in the house, but before Blake can really respond, Adam jumps in with the joke he must have been practicing in front of the mirror for weeks: There was so much Whaboom, where it should just kind of been like, Whabye. Nailed it, bro!

Chris Harrison then turns the conversation to DeMario  who, it should be noted, will only make one very oblique reference to the Bachelor in Paradise s**tshow tonight, because Team Bachelorette is apparently saving that for a separate DeMario-Corinne interview special. Instead, DeMario is here tonight to defend himself against Girlfriendgate.

Sure, says DeMario, I had sexual relations with that woman  but she was nothing more than a side chick.

You can boo me, but Im keepin it real, DeMario tells the crowd.

Harrison counters that DeMario told him on tape that he and Lexi had dated, but DeMario just continues to deny it, while also dropping some kind of expletive-laded reference to President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Dean, bless his heart, puts an end to the discussion by declaring that while DeMario made some stupid decisions, at least hes not a piece of human garbage like Whaboom or Lee. Solid point, sir. Lets move on.

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Oh God, now its Iggys turn to defend himself.

We feel you, Josiah.

Look, I have no problem being opinionated, says Iggy. My responsibility at the time was to be honest with this woman that I was really, really attracted to I would do it again. I wonder if he would say the same thing about choosing to wear that Mr. T chain to the taping.

If you went to refill your wine glass during Iggys brief moment in the spotlight, hustle on back to the couch now, because its time for Kenny vs. Lee. Or more accurately, its time for the other guys to talk s**t about Lee and his less-than-inclusive attitudes. Kenny might have been the most well-liked guy in the house, and its hard to say the same about Lee, says Dean, who was apparently nominated by Team Bachelorette to be their Spokesperson Against Racism. And when you have literally 30 people on your side versus one person, its clear who the person in the right is and who is wrong.

While Adam jumps in to say that Lees claim that Kenny tried to pull him out of a van in Hilton Head was simply not true, DeMario comes to the tiny white Southerners defense: When all my s**t was going on, Lee reached out to me first, he says. The Lee I know was a very genuine guy. Will agrees, saying that he had a decent relationship with Lee for most of the show, and that he was surprised and disappointed to learn about Lees racist tweets. Even Kenny notes that his conflict with Lee didnt feel like racism It really just felt like, this dudes out of his league.

This goes on and on, with the Kenny asserting that he did his best to take the high road so as not to disgrace himself in the eyes of his daughter, McKenzie, and the guys insisting that they never once witnessed Kenny being aggressive. Lee, meanwhile, hasnt said anything  and when he finally does start talking, its clear hes in Redemption Tour mode. First, Lee admits that Kenny didnt actually try to pull him out of a van (Yeah, no s**t, notes Kenny drily), and then he apologizes for not being a better friend.

Okay thanks, Captain Understatement. And then, in an effort to wash away all the bitterness of the Lee-Kenny feud, Harrison surprises Kenny with the news that McKenzie is actually backstage. And you guys, shes carrying a rose for her Dad.

Dammit, I hate when this stupid show makes me cry! Im proud of you, McKenzie tells her Dad. You were, like, number eight. And her little face, when Chris Harrison announces that the show is sending them to Disneyland to celebrate Kennys birthday?

My stone-cold heart just cant handle this much sweetness. Good thing its time to talk to Lee.

I should have been a better friend, Lee repeats, after noting that sometimes his facetious sense of humor does not come across well. Yeah, the guys arent buying it. While the episodes were airing, you did not take to social media once to denounce anything that you were saying or doing, snaps Dean. In fact, you were promoting your actions every single time on Instagram Now that youre in the hot seat, now that 18 people are calling you on your s**t, this is the moment when youre saying sorry. Deans got an excellent point, but I almost missed it because I was so busy puzzling over his bizarre hair.

Anyhow, all the guys want Lee to truly apologize  not just for ruffling feathers in the house, but also for things like this:

For me to read that out loud makes me feel unbelievable uncomfortable, says Harrison. When you see it now how do you feel about it? Oh, you know, Lee feels like he has a lot to learn in that area (meaning, what, common human decency?) and that his statements were inconsiderate. But once again, the Men Tell Alls titular men are not having it. Everybodys sorry when they get caught, says Kenny. Josiah takes it a step further, walking on to the stage and sitting down next to Lee on the couch. If Lee really believes the NAACP is like the KKK  people who hung my ancestors, notes Josiah  why did he come on a show with a black Bachelorette?

I dont like racism at all, counters Lee. And when I woke up and I saw that those [tweets] came out, it hurt me a lot, and I started thinking about how reckless

At this point, Lee is shouted down by the other bachelors, who know they didnt just hear Lee say those racist tweets hurt him. When you woke up the next day and you realized that you sent those racist-ass tweets, the next day did you go, I, Lee, denounce these tweets? asks DeMario. Or did you wait a year and nine days to be on this stage right now, and now are you saying it?

Clearly the answers to those questions are No and yes, but instead Lee mumbles something about not intending for it to come out the way that it did. It cut it in half when it released it onto Twitter from my Facebook. Okay, so the message was truncated  so what did Lee intend for it to mean, in its full and glorious context?

Yeah, Lees got nothin  unless, for some reason, Team Bachelorette edited his answer out. He will say he denounces those tweets, and reiterates that the KKK tweet was only part of his full post on FB. (But what did the rest of that post say? He doesnt explain, and as far as I can tell his personal profile page is private.) So Anthony tries the direct approach to get Lee to say something  anything  reflective about his past behavior: Are your actions motivated by racist thoughts that are implicitly embedded in your mentality?

Short answer: Maybe? I was lacking, and I did things that were wrong, says Lee. I am grateful that I have people in my life now that make me not like I was when I made a racist comment. I completely denounce that, and I denounce that Lee. And I want to learn. Lee adds that hes sorry for being ignorant in those subjects  and the guys finally decide to accept his apology.

Okay, great. Let us never speak of this drama again. We have more pressing matters to cover: Like Deans heartbreak. (And his camo tux.) ((And his hair.)) I know, I know, I should leave the poor guy alone  especially when hes talking so thoughtfully about his very emotional hometown visit. That was the realest, most raw moment that I had throughout the entire experience, says Dean. Had I not gone there with Rachel, I dont think that I ever would have addressed the feelings that I had suppressed for so long. Harrison doesnt dwell too long on the catharsis, though, because he wants to make sure everyone knows Dean will be in Paradise with these bozos come August 14:

Hey, look whos here  the Queen herself!

Rachels barely up there a minute though before Dean joins her to learn more about why she sent him packing in Dallas. I am just still kind of confused about why you told me you were falling in love with me, and then I got the boot, like, four days later. Of course, as Rachel tries to explain herself, all I could do was study Deans entire lewk.

Though Rachel insists she meant it when she said she was falling in love with him too, Dean wonders now if she just said it because she felt bad for him after the disastrous family visit. Im sorry thats how you feel, she responds. But if you know me, I never say anything just to say something  at all.

They hug it out, and Harrison pivots to DeMario. Who? asks Rachel jokingly.

Rachel dismisses her former suitor with a shrug. For me, the dishonesty was like, All right, you gotta go. Roger that!

As for The Kenny and Lee Situation, Rachel tells Kenny she was disappointed in how he handled it  because hes clearly the bigger man (literally and figuratively). Lee was Lee, she says. I wish you could have just realized that was background noise.

As for Lee? Well, sir, dont come for our Bachelorette (or her men) unless she sends for you. Id be more than happy to give you a black history lesson, says Rachel. A lesson on womens rights  you know what Im saying?

God willing, this will be the last we hear from this dude.

Harrison wraps things up by letting some of the other guys ask whatever burning questions they have for Rachel  but mostly they all just want to say how great she is and how they understand why she made the choices she did. All of them, that is, except for Fred. Hes pretty annoyed that Rachel didnt give him a chance. I thought that because I knew you, that I could bring a level of comfort to you, he says. But the reaction that you gave me was one that I least expected. Still, hes so happy to see her happy, so yay?

Lets give Kenny the last word.

Damn right. Now, on to the bloopers!

The best of the bloopers involve food: Josiah stuffing his face with oysters and Norwegian hors doeuvres, Rachel munching chips while preparing to send Josiah home, and Deans disgusting gum storage. (How is that gross? Its my ear. Blech.)

Speaking of gross, Team Bachelorette made sure to zoom in on DeMario just as Harrison faked out the crowd by announcing a sneak peek of the exciting and already controversial new season of Bachelor in Paradise.

You can exhale, pal  the promo wont air until next week.

Welp, rose lovers, weve almost made it to the end  and I want to know what you thought about tonights Men Tell All. Did Lee redeem himself at all? Should Dean skip Paradise and head right to the Bachelor mansion? And am I paranoid to think that Mike Fleiss is already grooming McKenzie to be the Bachelorette in about 15 years? Post your thoughts now! And stay tuned for Chris Harrisons behind-the-scenes blog, coming Tuesday. Now if youll excuse me, Im going to go watch that Dave Chappelle routine about OJ.

The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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The Prince of Wales spoke of the "courage and bravery" of British soldiers killed at Passchendaele as he led centenary commemorations of the First World War battle.

Exactly 100 years after thousands of British and Commonwealth troops went "over the top", Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prime Minister Theresa May joined the King and Queen of Belgium and some 4,000 descendants of those who fought, for a ceremony at the enormous Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres.

In his address to the gathering, the Prince said: "We remember it not only for the rain that fell, the mud that weighed down the living and swallowed the dead, but also for the courage and bravery of the men who fought here."

Prince Charles arrives for the ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Commisions's Tyne Cot Cemetery Credit: Darren Staples/Getty

He added: "In 1920, the war reporter Philip Gibbs - who had himself witnessed Third Ypres - wrote that 'nothing that has been written is more than the pale image of the abomination of those battlefields, and that no pen or brush has yet achieved the picture of that Armageddon in which so many of our men perished.'

"Drawn from many nations, we come together in their resting place, cared for with such dedication by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, to commemorate their sacrifice and to promise that we will never forget."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visiting the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery on Monday Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA

More than 100 days of fighting in the summer and autumn of 1917, starting on July 31, left more than half a million men dead or injured on both sides.

The Tyne Cot cemetery is the largest Commonwealth burial ground in the world, with 11,971 servicemen buried and remembered there - 8,373 of whom are unidentified.

Kate, dressed in a peach-coloured outfit, then joined Belgian Queen Mathilde and German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel in laying wreaths at the graves of four German soldiers buried in Tyne Cot.

The Duchess of Cambridge at a cemetery on the outskirts of Ypres, Belgium Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA

Mrs May, sombrely dressed, read a Bible passage from Ecclesiasticus.

The ceremony also included singing and the Calling Of The Names, personal stories of some of the thousands of British and Commonwealth soldiers and others present at the battle, including nurses and stretcher-bearers.

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They also included a letter written by a German soldier. They included an account by Private Bert Ferns, of the Lancashire Fusiliers, who fought in the battle, read by Fusilier Shaun Mclorie.

He said: "I staggered up the hill and then dropped over the slope into a sort of gully.

"It was here that I froze and became very frightened because a big shell had just burst and blown a group of lads to bits; there were bits of men all over the place, a terrible sight, men just blown to nothing.

"I just stood there. It was still and misty, and I could taste their blood in the air."

Prime Minister Theresa May in Ypres Credit: Yui Mok/PA

William completed the Calling Of The Names by reading that of the Unknown Soldier, saying he was "A soldier of the Great War, known unto God."

Charles and King Philippe then led the laying of wreaths at the cross of remembrance.

Former servicemen at the Commonwealth War Graves Commisionss Tyne Cot Cemetery Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty

It comes after William and Kate joined Mrs May to represent Britain at the Menin Gate and a later show in the Gross Markt square.

William spoke as the daily Last Post was played at the towering edifice, inscribed with the names of the missing from three years of hard fighting around Ypres a century ago.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate on Sunday Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty

Watched by some 200 descendants of those who fought, he said: "During the First World War Britain and Belgium stood shoulder to shoulder.

"One hundred years on, we still stand together, gathering as so many do every night, in remembrance of that sacrifice."

Sunday's poignant Last Post was the 30,752nd time it has been played since 1928.

The towering Menin Gate in the Belgian town is covered with the names of 54,391 British dead who have no known grave, according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

In just over three months of conflict there were more than half a million casualties - 325,000 Allied soldiers and 260,000 to 400,000 Germans - in the Belgian battlefields.

Later, dignitaries and hundreds of guests watched the show, led by Dame Helen Mirren, which included testimony from soldiers projected on to the walls of the Cloth Hall.

Passchendaele Map
London (AFP) - Edward Enninful took over as editor of British Vogue on Tuesday, launching a new Snapchat edition as he seeks to reinvigorate the fashion bible that one ex-staffer warned was losing its relevance.

The 45-year-old former model and stylist is the 101-year-old magazine's first male, first black and first gay editor, and is known for his political activism, provocative shoots and A-list friends.

He has lost no time in bringing in a new team, including his close friend, model Naomi Campbell, award-winning filmmaker and artist Steve McQueen and Grace Coddington from US Vogue and is also launching a new Snapchat edition

"British Vogue is a great magazine with a legacy of creativity and innovation," he said. "I look forward to continuing to produce an exciting beautiful magazine for its readers."

On his first official day in the job, the magazine made its debut on Snapchat's Discover platform, promising editions on the application three times a week as it seeks to reach out to new audiences.

Many more changes are expected from the new boss, who cuts a sharply different figure from his predecessor, Alexandra Shulman, who edited Vogue for 25 years.

While she is a down-to-earth figure who largely avoided the spotlight, Enninful regularly posts updates on social media of his celebrity lifestyle.

His dog Ru, a Boston terrier named after drag artist RuPaul, has more than 11,000 followers on Instagram.

Jonathan Newhouse, head of Vogue publisher Conde Nast International, described Enninful as "an influential figure in the communities of fashion, Hollywood and music which shape the cultural zeitgeist".

- 'Irrelevant for most people' -

Several senior staff members have left Vogue since Enninful's appointment was announced in April.

One newspaper dubbed it a "Posh Girl exodus" that looks set to change the largely white, middle-class and female face of the magazine.

But one of those who was fired, fashion director Lucinda Chambers, has acknowledged the need for change -- admitting she had not read the magazine for years.

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Saying the clothes featured in fashion shoots were "irrelevant for most people - so ridiculously expensive", she also warned it had lost its authority.

"In fashion we are always trying to make people buy something they don't need," she said in a candid interview with industry publication Vestoj.com.

"We don't need any more bags, shirts or shoes. So we cajole, bully or encourage people into continue buying."

- 'Revitalise the brand' -

Born in Ghana and brought up in west London with five siblings, Enninful was scouted as a model at the age of 16, and began his career as a stylist.

He became the youngest fashion director in the industry when he joined i-D, a British youth culture magazine, at the age of 18.

He later worked at Vogue US and as contributing editor at Vogue Italia, before moving to "W" magazine as creative and fashion director in New York in 2011.

Enninful has long pushed for greater diversity in fashion, creating a ground-breaking "All Black" issue for Vogue Italia in 2008.

He has styled next year's Pirelli calendar featuring exclusively black stars including actress Lupita Nyong'o and rapper-turned-businessman Diddy.

Enninful also helped orchestrate a short film in protest against US President Donald Trump's travel ban, entitled "I am an immigrant" and starring 81 fashion figures.

Enninful was awarded an OBE for services to fashion last year -- after which Campbell and Kate Moss threw him a huge party.

"In his attitude towards celebrity and social media, Enninful is something of a bridge between the traditional fashion establishment and the next generation," the Business of Fashion website wrote in an editorial earlier this year.

But it added: "Enninful's core skill, however, is in creating powerful and memorable imagery, which will put him in good stead to revitalise the Vogue brand for a new generation of readers  and followers."
Anthony Scaramucci was apparently tricked by the British

A British "email prankster" reportedly tricked a number of White House officials, including Anthony Scaramucci and the president's point person on cyber security.

The individual, who describes himself as a "lazy anarchist" on Twitter, posed as recently fired chief of staff Reince Priebus when he emailed Mr Scaramucci, days after the new White House director of communication had lambasted Mr Priebus in a foul-mouthed tirade to a reporter.

Using a mail.com account, he messaged Mr Scaramucci on Saturday, CNN reported, the day after Mr Priebus's departure.

"I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free," wrote the fake Mr Priebus, who shared the correspondence with the US broadcaster.

"But after reading your tweet today which stated how; 'soon we will learn who in the media who has class, and who hasn't', has pushed me to this.

Family does not need to be drawn into this. Soon we will learn who in the media has class and who doesn't. No further comments on this.  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 29, 2017

"That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy, yet you believe that's the standard by which everyone should behave towards you? General (John) Kelly will do a fine job. I'll even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don't expect a reply."

Not realising the email was a hoax, Mr Scaramucci responded: "You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologise."

Reince (me) giving @Scaramucci something to think about. He never replied haha pic.twitter.com/hutjACmogR  EMAIL PRANKSTER (@SINON_REBORN) August 1, 2017

The email exchange reportedly ended with Mr Scaramucci, who was himself fired on Monday, saying: "Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there. My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me."

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As well as fooling Mr Scaramucci a second time, this time posing as Ambassador to Russia-designate Jon Huntsman, the prankster is said to have caught out Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert, the White House official tasked with cyber security.

Posing as Jared Kushner, the person apparently even received Mr Bossert's private email address unsolicited.

"Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August," the fake Mr Kushner reportedly wrote, using an Outlook account. "It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible (sic) quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening."

Bossert wrote back: "Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse. Also, if you ever need it, my personal email is" (redacted).

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders acknowledged the incidents and told CNN they were being treated seriously. "We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further," she said.

Mr Hunstman was also reportedly fooled by the prankster, who posed as the president's son, Eric Trump.

The only person who realised he was a hoaxer was Eric Trump. After initially believing he was being emailed by his brother Donald Trump Jr, he soon caught on and responded: "I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here."
China said Monday the US should not link trade to discussions about North Korea's nuclear programme, after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of failing to restrain Pyongyang despite profiting from business with America.

"We believe that the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are two issues that are in two completely different domains," Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming told a press briefing, adding the issues "are not related, and should not be discussed together".

"In general, China-US trade, including mutual investment, is mutually beneficial, and both China and the United States have gained great profits from bilateral trade and investment cooperations," he said.

The comments came in response to a question about tweets from Trump Saturday warning that he would no longer allow China to "do nothing" on North Korea, after Pyongyang launched its second intercontinental ballistic missile test.

Trump, who is at loggerheads with Beijing over how to handle Kim Jong-Un's regime, has repeatedly urged China to rein in its recalcitrant neighbour, but Beijing insists dialogue is the only practical way forward.

In his critique, Trump linked trade woes with the Asian giant to policy on North Korea.

"I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk," Trump wrote.

"We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!"

A commentary by Beijing's official Xinhua news agency Monday labelled Trump's position as "absurd" and complained that he "still chooses to unfairly blame China" for North Korea's behaviour.

"The crux of the matter is the decades-long animosity between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," it said, using the official name for its neighbour.

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An editorial in China's Global Times, a state-run nationalistic tabloid, had even sterner words for Trump.

"Such a statement could only be made by a greenhorn US president who knows little about the North Korean nuclear issue," it said.

China, Pyongyang's main economic and diplomatic ally, opposes any military intervention and calls for a resolution through dialogue.

The United States has blamed the unbalanced commercial relationship -- marked by a trade deficit with China of $309 billion last year -- on Beijing's policies that impede access to its market.

China says Washington's own rules restricting US high-tech exports are partially to blame.
Liu Jieyi, Chinas ambassador to the United Nations - AP

China has hit back at Donald Trump over North Korea, with a top official blaming Washington and Pyongyang for raising tensions, while state media warned the US not to stab China in the back.

The US president said in two angry tweets at the weekend that he was very disappointed with China and that he would no longer allow Beijing to do nothing over North Korea.

Mr Trump has long believed that China holds the key to forcing North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme, given that Beijing is Pyongyangs only diplomatic backer and a key trading partner.

I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

But Liu Jieyi, Chinas ambassador to the United Nations, said: "No matter how capable China is, China's efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties.

"They (the United States and North Korea) hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China," he told a news conference at the end of China's month-long presidency of the Security Council.

How how much of a nuclear risk does North Korea pose in 2017?

Mr Trumps furious comments came after North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in defiance of United Nations sanctions on Friday.

Nikki Haley, Washingtons ambassador to the UN, said on Sunday that the US was "done talking about North Korea" and that it was time for China to act.

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Nikki Haley Credit: AFP

Meanwhile, Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State said: China and Russia bear unique and special responsibility for this growing threat to regional and global stability.

Chinas official state news agency, Xinhua, also waded into the row with a commentary which poked fun at the US President for his use of Twitter.

Trump is something of a character, and he enjoys tweeting, the commentary said. But an emotional response cannot be the guiding policy to solve the Korean peninsulas nuclear issue.

In order to solve the nuclear issue on the peninsula, relevant parties should use practical action and show sincerity, stop shirking responsibility, and especially should not stab China in the back.
Https%3a%2f%2fvdist.aws.mashable.com%2fcms%2f2017%2f7%2f2b68b99a d179 090f%2fthumb%2f00001

Much of the conversation around climate change is focused on what will happen or what could happen, but the truth is that you don't have to peer into the future to witness its dramatic toll.

You could, for example, just take a look at what's happening right now in Miami Beach, Florida.

SEE ALSO: Al Gore is back in theaters, with a powerful, anti-Trump message on climate change

In a new clip from An Inconvenient Sequel, mayor Philip Levine shows Al Gore around the streets of Miami  which are under several inches of water, thanks to rising sea levels. The city's methods for dealing with flooded streets include pumping out the water ("it's not very effective," admits Levine) and raising the roads.

But Levine's sensible enough to realize they can only do so much. "It's going to get worse and worse as the tide comes up," he says.

And as Gore dryly notes, "It's kind of hard to pump the ocean."

An Inconvenient Sequel hit theaters July 28.
By Brian Ellsworth CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday celebrated the election of a new legislative superbody that is expected to give the ruling Socialist Party sweeping powers and mocked U.S. criticism that the vote was an affront to democracy. At least 10 people were killed on Sunday in protests against the unpopular Maduro, who insists the new body known as the constituent assembly will bring peace after four months of protests that have killed more than 120 people. Countries across the Americas, as well as the European Union, denounced the creation of the assembly, which will have the power to rewrite the constitution. The United States - the top market for the OPEC nation's oil - called the vote a sham, and officials in Washington said they were preparing oil-sector sanctions. "A spokesperson for emperor Donald Trump said that they would not recognize the results of Venezuela's constituent assembly election," Maduro told a crowd of cheering supporters following the completion of the vote. "Why the hell should we care what Trump says?" he added. "We care about what the sovereign people of Venezuela say." Opposition leaders call the election a naked power grab meant to keep the Socialist Party in office despite anger over an economic crisis that has spurred malnutrition and left citizens struggling to obtain basic consumer products. The country's elections authority said more than 8 million voters went to the polls on Sunday, while the opposition estimated only 2.5 million ballots were cast. Allies of the Socialist Party won all 545 seats in the new assembly, which will also have the power to dissolve state institutions such as the opposition-run Congress and sack dissident state officials. Maduro promised that the new assembly would quickly "restructure" the office of the chief prosecutor. The current top prosecutor, Luisa Ortega, was harshly critical of plan to create the new assembly. Opposition leaders decried the vote as a fraud and called on supporters to protest again as of midday. "The constitutional assembly will not resolve any of the country's problems, it just means more crisis," opposition leader Henrique Capriles said on Sunday. "As of tomorrow, a new stage of the struggle begins." Latin American nations from Argentina to Mexico, which are historically wary of siding with Washington in hemispheric disputes, sharply condemned the vote. Several refused to recognize the results, while Spain and Canada joined in the condemnation. The EU said the constituent assembly could not be part of the negotiated solution to the country's crisis, noting it was elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances.. Socialist party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello on Sunday hinted that the constituent assembly would hold sessions in the same legislative palace as the existing congress, which the opposition took over in a landslide 2015 victory. "They kick us out the door we come back through the window," he told a news conference. "We never surrender. We insist and insist until we win. Today we feel victorious." The opposition organized an unofficial referendum over Maduro's plan earlier in July, when more than 7 million voters overwhelmingly rejected his constituent assembly and voted in favor of early elections. (Additional reporting by Fabian Cambero, Diego Ore and Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Paul Tait and W Simon)
No one does drama like the Los Angeles Dodgers. Minutes before the trade deadline expired on Monday, the Dodgers turned what was destined to be considered an underwhelming deadline day for them into a potential landscape-changing day for the entire league by acquiring Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish.

As part of the deal, and first reported by Yahoo Sports Jeff Passan, the Dodgers will send a trio of prospects that include Willie Calhoun, A.J. Alexy and Brendon Davis back to Texas.

MLB Networks Ken Rosenthal was the first to report a Darvish deal was coming, dramatically posting DARVISH TRADED on his Twitter feed moments after the deadline had expired. He soon followed with news that Los Angeles would be Darvishs destination, which sent a shot of exhilaration through Dodgers fans and a chill throughout every other organization.

Make no mistake, the Dodgers had been busy on Monday. As the deadline grew near, they acquired a pair of veteran left-handers, but both fell short of what would be considered a marquee addition.

Yu Darvish puts the Dodgers in World Series-or-bust position. (AP)

Tony Watson was brought over from the Pirates in exchange for minor leaguers Angel German and Oneil Cruz. Though an All-Star previously and a proven commodity as a late-inning reliever, Watson is not an elite reliever like Baltimore Orioles closer Zach Britton. Many thought Britton would be traded for sure, with Los Angeles as the likely landing spot. Instead, Britton stayed put in Baltimore.

The Dodgers later added Tony Cingrani, an inconsistent left-hander who finally found a home in the Cincinnati Reds bullpen. Cingrani, 28, was an intriguing addition for the upside he still possesses as a reliever, but it again fell short of the splashy move most anticipated the 74-31 Dodgers would make to solidify their position as World Series contenders.

Adding Darvish changed the tone entirely.

Of course, acquiring Darvish at any point during this process would have sent a strong message that the Dodgers consider this their year to strike. That they acquired him as time literally ran out at the deadline perhaps sends an even stronger message. It certainly establishes that the Dodgers wont be happy simply winning a fifth straight division title or earning home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Its World Series or bust now, and theyll take on all comers.

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Darvish joins a loaded rotation that already includes Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood and Rich Hill. Kershaw is making faster than expected progress from his recent back injury, so its possible well see how fierce this rotation can be well before October.

Of course, Darvish has a few kinks of his own to work out. In his final start for Texas, he allowed a career-high 10 runs over 3 2/3 innings against the Marlins. Yahoo Sports Jeff Passan reported that scouts believed Darvish was tipping his pitches, so that would indicate the fix could be an easy one.

Darvish, who turns 31 in August, will be a free agent this winter. This deal could also give Los Angeles the leg up in that sweepstakes, helping them to establish a dominant rotation for years to come.

No one in Los Angeles is worried about that now though. Theres a 29-year-old World Series drought there to be broken and this is by far the Dodgers best chance to do it. Anything less would be considered a major disappointment and would have to leave the Dodgers wondering what it could possibly take to get over that hump.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

      

Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Donald Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr - REUTERS

The White House said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump had a role in producing a statement in which his son denied that a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer was related to the 2016 presidential campaign.

The comments were later shown to be misleading.

Sarah Sanders, White House spokesman, told a briefing that Trump "certainly didn't dictate (the statement), but ... he weighed in, offered a suggestion like any father would do."

"The statement that was issued was true and there were no inaccuracies in the statement," Sanders said, even though emails later released by Donald Trump Jr. showed that the subject of the meeting was to be possible damaging information about Republican Trump's rival for the presidency, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that Trump's advisers discussed the statement about the meeting and agreed that Trump Jr. should issue a truthful account of the episode so that it "couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged."

Donald Trump Jnr emails related content

But the president, who was flying home from Germany on July 8, changed the plan and "personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had 'primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children,'" the Post said, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the deliberations.

Trump Jr. released emails in July that showed he eagerly agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father. The New York Times was first to report the meeting at Trump Tower in New York.

Mr Trump had rushed to his son's defence, applauding his "transparency" and lambasting what he calls a political "witch hunt."

In defending his son, Mr Trump said: "I think from a practical standpoint most people would have taken that meeting... Politics is not the nicest business in the world, but it's very standard."

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It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Mr Trump Jrs meeting, the Washington Post said.

David Sklansky, a professor of criminal law at Stanford Law School, said that if Mr Trump, as reported by the Post, helped craft a misleading public statement about the meeting, he may have bolstered a potential obstruction of justice case against himself.

To build a criminal obstruction of justice case, federal law requires prosecutors to show that a person acted with "corrupt" intent. A misleading public statement could be used as evidence of corrupt intent, Mr Sklansky told Reuters.

"Lying usually isn't a crime," he said. But "it could be relevant in determining whether something else the president did, like firing (former FBI Director James) Comey, was done corruptly."

The Post said advisers worry that the extent of Mr Trump's direct involvement in his son's response could put the president - already under fire for other alleged efforts to undermine the Russia probe - and key advisers in legal jeopardy.

"This was... unnecessary," one presidential adviser told the Post on condition of anonymity.

"Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Suggesting Mr Trump is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, the adviser added: "He refuses to sit still.

"He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."
A former Philadelphia police commissioner is lashing back at comments from President Trump that seemed to encourage officers to use excessive force during arrests, saying the remarks reinforce a negative stereotype of police that weve been trying to overcome.

Charles Ramsey denounced Trumps remarks Monday morning in an appearance on CNNs New Day and expressed concern over how they might affect public perception of law enforcement in a time when trust in police has dipped.

At a Friday speech addressing law enforcement, the president vowed to crack down on the gang MS-13 and told cops in attendance they dont have to be too nice when dealing with suspected gang members.

When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough. I said, Please dont be too nice, Trump said.

Like when you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head. You know, the way you put their hand over, he continued, raising his hand over his head. Like, dont hit their head, and theyve just killed somebody. Dont hit their head. I said, You can take the hand away, OK.

The White House said Monday that Trump was joking.

Ramsey said the picture painted of officers could not be further from the truth.

I was very concerned when I first heard those remarks because I believe it reinforces a very negative stereotype of police that weve been trying to overcome, and that is that police use excessive force on a regular basis, we violate peoples constitutional rights, and nothing could be further from the truth, Ramsey said.

I think that gave an impression that we just do not need, he added.

When retired NYPD detective Harry Houck, another guest on the program, suggested Trump was joking, Ramsey passionately rejected that defense.

This is the president of the United States, hes commander in chief, not a standup comic, he spat back. Words matter, and theres responsibility that goes along with leadership.

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After Trumps speech, a number of police departments and law enforcement organizations issued statements seeking to distance themselves from his comments. The Suffolk Country Police Department, which presides over the Long Island suburb where Trump delivered his remarks and had a number of officers in attendance Friday, said it will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners.

The SCPD has strict rules & procedures relating to the handling of prisoners. Violations of those rules are treated extremely seriously.  Suffolk County PD (@SCPDHq) July 28, 2017

As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners.  Suffolk County PD (@SCPDHq) July 28, 2017

In Trumps hometown of New York, Police Commissioner James ONeill issued a highly critical statement reading, To suggest that police officers apply any standard in the use of force other than what is reasonable and necessary is irresponsible, unprofessional and sends the wrong message to law enforcement as well as the public.

Trump has not publicly commented on the backlash, besides retweeting a clip of the Suffolk County Sheriff praising him.

Read more from Yahoo News
New York (AFP) - HBO said Monday its network was victimized by a cyberattack, and media reports said the hack resulted in the leak of a script of the popular series "Games of Thrones" and content from other productions.

A statement by the Time Warner-owned TV group said a "cyber incident" resulted in "the compromise of proprietary information," and that the company had contacted law enforcement and outside cybersecurity firms.

The statement did not indicate what was compromised, but several media reports said hackers obtained the script of a new episode of the award-winning fantasy series as well as unaired episodes of two other programs, "Ballers" and "Room 104."

"Any intrusion of this nature is obviously disruptive, unsettling and disturbing for all of us," HBO chief Richard Plepler said in a memo to staff.

"I can assure you that senior leadership and our extraordinary technology team, along with outside experts, are working round the clock to protect our collective interests. The efforts across multiple departments have been nothing short of herculean."

Some media journalists, including one from AFP, received emails from an unidentified address boasting of the breach and proposing unaired content from "Game of Thrones."
BERLIN (Reuters) - New sanctions against Russia proposed by U.S. lawmakers and which could harm European firms violate international law and the European Commission should consider counter-measures, the German economy minister was quoted on Monday as saying. "We consider this as being against international law, plain and simple," Brigitte Zypries told the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain. "Of course we don't want a trade war. But it is important the European Commission now looks into countermeasures." The German government and business leaders have said the new sanctions passed this month by the U.S. House of Representatives could prevent German companies from working on pipeline projects that they say are essential to Germany's energy security. (Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Trumps communications director began his tenure with an air-kiss to the White House press corps. Less than two weeks later, he was dumped

Anthony Scaramuccis tenure as White House communications director was as short as a four-letter word and just as shocking.

His stint began with such promise: an appearance in the briefing room where he repeatedly declared his love for the president and parted with an air-kiss to the White House press corps. A summers fling, it was over almost before it had begun.

Anthony Scaramucci (10 days)

Named director of communications after having been denied a White House role earlier, the New York financier and Republican fundraiser promptly threatened to fire everyone in his team over leaks. He also staged a combative and contradictory briefing room debut and talkshow tour; sought to bat away questions about suspiciously liberal pronouncements in his past and support for Trumps Republican enemies; deleted tweets; warred openly with the former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and seemingly forced him out; compared the struggle to take healthcare away from millions of Americans to Lincolns battle against slavery; poured obscene invective about leakers, Priebus and Steve Bannon down the phone to a New Yorker reporter; missed the birth of his son; saw his wife file for divorce; and was asked to resign.



Michael Flynn (23 days)





Trumps first national security adviser  one of four generals the president has employed  resigned after it was revealed he misled Vice-President Mike Pence over his contacts with Russians during the election campaign. It was later reported that Yates had warned the White House Flynn was vulnerable to Russian blackmail.





James Comey (110 days)





The most shocking firing of them all. Trump sacked his FBI director, by messenger rather than in person, as congressional and justice department investigations into links between Trump aides and Russia gathered pace. Lest anyone retain any doubt about why Trump pressed the big red button, he told NBC in a primetime interview the firing was tied to this Russia thing. The reverberations will be felt for some time yet.

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Sean Spicer (183 days)

The long-suffering but loyal surrogate for the president handed in his resignationin response to Scaramuccis appointment. A Republican insider and Priebus ally, he never settled into the press secretary role after an infamous debut in which he angrily insisted Trumps fantastic version of crowd sizes at the inauguration were true. Achieving by way of Melissa McCarthys lethal Saturday Night Live impression a somewhat dubious celebrity, his days at the White House were long rumoured to be numbered. His departure on a point of principle having seemingly been justified only 10 days later, he may now claim a sort of hollow vindication.

Reince Priebus (189 days)

The former Republican National Committee chair stayed loyal  at least in public  to Trump through Friday, when he was told his time was up. He stayed loyal after handing in his resignation too, rhapsodising about the president and his mission in interviews with CNN and, of course, Fox News. But it seemed Priebuss card had alway been marked, less over his initial blocking of Scaramucci, which enraged the Mooch, or by his closeness to the House speaker, Paul Ryan, than by his private advice to Trump to quit the presidential race after 8 October, when the infamous Access Hollywood Gropegate tape was published. The Washington Post reported that Priebus was thus never considered a member of the Oct 8th coalition, a name for the inner cabal of Trumpites who have never wavered, however low their bosss reputation has sunk.



21 July

Scaramucci, loyal and telegenic but lacking a traditional communications background, was named White House communication director, a move that immediately prompted the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer.

Ever the showman, Scaramucci smiled and charmed from behind the lectern as reporters peppered him with questions. But he was only ever performing for an audience of one, a president with a predilection for plot twists.



At the press briefing, his first appearance before reporters outlined a familiar strategy: let Trump be Trump.

I think its super important for us to let him express his personality, Scaramucci explained.

In a statement, Trump praised Scaramucci: Anthony is a person I have great respect for, and he will be an important addition to this administration. He has been a great supporter and will now help implement key aspects of our agenda while leading the communications team.

22 July

Before pledging to Make America Great Again, Scaramucci had a different view of Trump. The Mooch spent his first Saturday on the job cleaning up his Twitter feed to remove historic tweets critical of the president and his agenda.

Hes gonna be president of, you can tell Donald I said this: the Queens County Bullies Association, Scaramucci once said during a segment on Fox Business in August 2015. You are an inherited-money dude from Queens County. Bring it.



Full transparency: I'm deleting old tweets. Past views evolved & shouldn't be a distraction. I serve @POTUS agenda & that's all that matters  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 22, 2017

23 July

The Mooch showed off his charm on the Sunday morning shows. He promised a witch-hunt to root out leakers and said anyone found to be sharing unauthorized information with the press would be fired.

We are strong as our weakest link, Scaramucci said on CBS Face the Nation. And Ill say it a little differently in a pun. Were strong as our weakest leak.



On State of the Union, Scaramucci cited an anonymous source on Russian hacking of the election, and then revealed that the source was the president.

Somebody said to me yesterday  I wont tell you who  that if the Russians actually hacked this situation and spilled out those emails, you would have never seen it, he said. You would have never had any evidence of them, meaning that theyre super confident in their deception skills and hacking. Pressed on the provenance of the claim, he replied: How about it was the president?

24 July

Scaramuccis estranged wife, Deidre Ball, gave birth to their second child in New York. Scaramucci traveled on Air Force One with the president to West Virginia, where Trump delivered a politically charged speech before thousands of Boy Scouts. (A Boy Scouts official later apologized for allowing political rhetoricat their annual jamboree.)

A great night in W Va. we have great momentum. pic.twitter.com/2Cb4OBhsMf  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 25, 2017

25 July

Thumbs up and smiles aboard Air Force One on the way to Youngstown, Ohio, where the Mooch told reporters onboard: If the leaks continue, then Ive got to let everybody go.

Aboard Air Force One pic.twitter.com/juZo3runTo  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 26, 2017

26 July

Scaramucci dined at the White House with the president, the first lady, Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Fox News executive Bill Shine. After dinner, he placed a fateful call to New Yorker writer, Ryan Lizza.

He then tweeted: In light of the leak of my financial info which is a felony. I will be contacting @FBI and the @TheJusticeDept #swamp @Reince45.

27 July

The New Yorker published that conversation. Highlights include:

Im not Steve Bannon, Im not trying to suck my own cock, he said of the White House chief strategist.

Reince is a fucking paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac, he said of the White House chief of staff, who Scaramucci insinuated was behind some of the most damaging leaks.

What I want to do is I want to fucking kill all the leakers and I want to get the Presidents agenda on track so we can succeed for the American people.

Scaramucci also referred to himself in the third person, by his nickname. OK, the Mooch showed up a week ago, he told the magazine. This is going to get cleaned up very shortly, OK?

As a world which thought it was, by now, immune to surprises from Trumps White House digested his unique communication style, the director of communications conceded he did not know the call was on the record.

I sometimes use colorful language. I will refrain in this arena but not give up the passionate fight for @realDonaldTrump's agenda. #MAGA  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 27, 2017

28 July

Another ride on Air Force One. The destination: his native Long Island.

New York Posts Page Six reported that Scaramuccis infatuation with Trump was a catalyst for his wifes decision to file for divorce while nine months pregnant with their second child after three years of marriage.

Leave civilians out of this. I can take the hits, but I would ask that you would put my family in your thoughts and prayers & nothing more.  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 28, 2017

29 July

Family does not need to be drawn into this. Soon we will learn who in the media has class and who doesn't. No further comments on this.  Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) July 29, 2017

30 July

He spent Sunday mostly below the radar, though he tweeted about a call with Republican chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Looking forward to building even stronger relationship, he wrote.

31 July

Scaramucci watched as John Kelly was sworn in as the presidents new chief of staff.

Hours later, the White House announced that Scaramucci was out as White House communications director, reportedly at the urging of Kelly.

Former WH Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci is seen in the Oval Office as @realDonaldTrump meets w/ new Chief of Staff Gen. Kelly pic.twitter.com/slMNikxNNF  Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) July 31, 2017

Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.

During the daily briefing, Sanders said Scaramucci does not have an administration role at this time.
ELDORET, Kenya (Reuters) - A gunman and a police officer were killed in an attack on the home of Kenya's deputy president in the western town of Eldoret, a senior administrator said on Sunday, just over a week before a national election. Deputy President William Ruto and his family were not at home at the time of the Saturday attack, police said. Ruto is the running mate of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking a second and final term in office in the Aug. 8 elections. "From the exchange of fire we thought it was more than one attacker, because he used different firearms, but after we subdued him, we found only one man dead, plus our officer who he had killed," Wanyama Musiambo, Rift Valley Regional Coordinator, told reporters at the scene on Sunday. Musiambo declined to comment when asked about the motive of the attack, or the attacker's identity. The deputy president's residence is guarded by an elite paramilitary police unit. Musiambo said the attacker initially had no gun but managed to break into the police armoury once inside the compound. "I want to say that after the operation we discovered that it was one gunman, but because he was inside there, he could change position and firearms because he had access to the guns. And the guns he was using were ours," he said. "We have however launched investigations into the issue, to find out if he conducted the attack alone or he was with others who may have escaped." Late on Saturday, police had initially said the attacker was armed with a machete and had injured one police officer before holing himself up in an outbuilding. Ruto and Kenyatta spent Saturday campaigning in the counties of Kitale, Kericho and Narok, the president's office said in a statement. Neither commented on the incident. A Reuters reporter near Ruto's compound said he saw several police vehicles going in and out of the compound, as well as one armoured vehicle in the compound. The reporter said he also saw one armoured vehicle in the compound. (Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Keith Weir)
Tel Aviv (AFP) - A military court on Sunday rejected an appeal by an Israeli soldier convicted of manslaughter and upheld his 18-month prison sentence for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant, Israeli media reports said.

The reports said military judges also rejected an appeal by prosecutors to increase the 18-month sentence for Elor Azaria, a sergeant and military medic at the time of the incident.

Azaria was convicted in January and sentenced the next month.

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.
Chris Musando, IT manager at the Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) - REUTERS

Kenyas opposition said it had abandoned all hope of a free and fair general election next week after a key official responsible for protecting the vote from electronic manipulation was found dead.

The apparent murder of Chris Msando, the electoral commissions acting technology director, raised fears that an already acrimonious poll could be marred by the type of violence that killed 1,300 people in Kenya ten years ago.

Two days after Mr Msandos disappearance, colleagues at the commission said they had formally identified his battered body after finding it at a mortuary in the capital Nairobi.

Wafula Chebukati, the commissions chairman, said it was clear that Mr Msando had been tortured before his death. There were injuries to the dead mans head, back and belly, deep cuts on both hands and one arm appeared to be broken, according to witnesses who saw the corpse.

Unidentified relatives of Chris Musando, cry after seeing his body at the city mortuary, in Nairobi

With tension already mounting ahead of next Tuesdays election, Mr Msandos death could undermine the credibility of the result even though there is as yet no proof to link the killing to the vote.

Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, has already repeatedly accused Uhuru Kenyatta, the president, of trying to rig the vote in order to secure a second five-year term.

Salim Lone, Mr Odingas spokesman, said that the killing had removed the one last hope of an honest election.

It is unbelievable, he said. It shows that those who want to subvert this election will stop at nothing to achieve their goal and they do not care if Kenyans know what they are doing. Mr Msando held the encryption codes that ensured the integrity of results transmitted from polling stations to the electoral commissions central headquarters.

Were the codes to be compromised, the results could potentially be tampered with  although observers also said that any such fraud would be quickly identified.

Campaign posters of candidates for the role of local representative are seen on a water tank in the Barut ward, Nakuru Credit: REUTERS

Mr Msando had only recently been appointed to the post after the suspension of his predecessor, James Muhati, who was accused by auditors of impeding them from assessing electronic systems.

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In a country deeply divided by tribal animosities, suspicions have been further fuelled by the ethnicity of the two men. Mr Muhati is a Kikuyu, like the president, while Mr Msando is a Luhya, an ethnic federation that mostly supports the opposition.

The death is the latest in a series of mysterious killings blamed  not always credibly, critics say  by the opposition on the government.

Mr Kenyatta, who holds a narrow advantage in opinion polls, has accused his rival of making unsubstantiated claims and has persistently denied any plan to rig the election. Nonetheless Kenya has a history of questionable elections.

The most dubious was in 2007 which led to widespread ethnic violence after a badly flawed poll saw Mr Odinga beaten into second place.

Amid fears of a repeat, some people  particularly Mr Msandos fellow Luhyas  have begun fleeing slums in Nairobi for the countryside.
Donald Trumps election team could not have colluded with Russia because they were barely talking to each other, according to Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and top White House advisor.

They thought we colluded, but we couldnt even collude with our local offices, Kushner told congressional interns during a private talk at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington on Monday afternoon.

Kushners meeting with the interns had been rescheduled from two weeks ago, shortly after which he had to appear before Congress to give testimony about the Russia investigation.

A source provided a copy of written notes on Kushners talk and question-and-answer session to Foreign Policy.

For investigators attempting to determine whether Trumps associates knowingly worked with Russia to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, a defense claiming chaos and confusion might be the key difference between criminal behavior and incompetence.

This month, news broke that Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer tied to the Kremlin to discuss dirt on Hillary Clinton. But Trump Jr. says the meeting wasnt valuable, and Kushner later said he didnt even read the emails about the meeting and left early.

President Trump has said that most people would have taken that meeting, which he described as opposition research.

After his talk, Kushner answered questions from interns on issues including the investigation into the Trump campaigns potential ties to Russia and his SF-86 clearance forms.

We dont know where its going, he said, when asked about special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into the Trump campaigns possible collusion with Russia.

Kushner also downplayed his failure to report more than a hundred instances of foreign travel and contacts with foreign officials on his security clearance forms, which he updated twice to include meetings with Russian officials. There are 127 pages on the SF-86, but there are only two you guys have to worry about, he said. Make sure you guys keep track of where you travel.

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Kushner said he didnt track contacts because he didnt expect to get into politics, though he worked on his father-in-laws campaign from the early stages.

He also bragged about the release of an Egyptian-American charity worker who had been trapped in Cairo. The worker, Aya Hijazi, was freed when President Trump publicly embraced autocratic President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Kushner said they made a great deal with Sisi, who had basically destroyed the Muslim Brotherhood, by taking him aside and asking for a better arrangement.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Before the lecture, the intern director warned those present not to leak the contents of the speech, which was given off the record. The director had apparently heard rumors that attendees wanted to livestream the event or hand off notes to their congressional offices to leak to journalists.

Im a lot more comfortable talking to you guys today cause there isnt any press, Kushner said.

Photo credit: WIN McNAMEE/Getty Images
Venezuela remains divided after Sundays vote to pick the members of the Constituent Assembly, which will have the power to rewrite the countrys constitution. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory, while the opposition says the election was a fraud.

We have a Constituent Assembly, Maduro said in his claim to victory, according to CNN. I said, come hell or high water  and hell and high water came  and the Constituent Assembly arrived from the hand of the people, from its conscience.

However, the legitimacy of this vote is disputed both within Venezuela and abroad. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Spain all rejected the results of the election.

Nikki R. Haley, the United States ambassador the the United Nations told the New York Times it that it was a sham election, and the United States reinforced its threats of sanctions to the Venezuelan economy.

The opposition claims that the election is illegitimate, arguing that normal procedures to prevent voter fraud, such as marking voters fingers with indelible ink to prevent multiple trips to the ballot box, were not followed. Critics also noted the ballot offered no option to reject the creation of the Constituent Assembly; it simply asked voters to choose the members.

The election comes amid mass protests, and just days after the United States threatened sanctions against President Maduro. At least 10 people died in protests on Sunday, and the opposition has called for continued protests Monday.

By Sunday night, electoral officials claimed that the vote was 41.5 percent for a Constituent Assembly, but the opposition said that that 88 percent of voters abstained from voting, according to the BBC. Those elected to the Constituent Assembly included Maduros wife, Cilia Flores, and several close Maduro confidants.

The Constituent Assembly is widely regarded as part of a return to the policies of Hugo Chavez, the former president and mentor to Maduro. In the past three months, Maduro has amassed power by removing dissenting voices from the government.

A request for a comment from the Venezuelan embassy was not returned; the voice mailbox of its press office was full.

Photo credit: ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP/Getty Images
ELDORET, Kenya (Reuters) - A man armed with a machete attacked the country home of Kenya's deputy president and injured a guard before holing himself up in an outbuilding, police said on Saturday, 10 days before presidential and legislative elections. Deputy President William Ruto was out with his family at the time of the attack in the western town of Eldoret. Ruto is the running mate of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking a second and final term in office in the Aug. 8 elections. "In circumstances that are yet unclear, he hit an officer on duty ... with a machete and managed to enter a farm complex," Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said in a statement, adding that officers were still trying to arrest the assailant. "Other officers were quickly mobilised, and the intruder was forced to hide at a building that is still under construction next to the gate," Boinnet said. Local television stations had reported earlier that gunmen were behind the attack on Ruto's home, with NTV News and KTN News reporting that gunshots were heard at the scene. "The injured officer is undergoing treatment and is in a stable condition," Boinnet said, adding that Ruto's house was secure. Typically the deputy president's residence is guarded by an elite paramilitary police unit. Kenya will hold legislative and regional county representative elections at the same time as the presidential vote. Ruto and Kenyatta spent Saturday campaigning in the counties of Kitale, Kericho and Narok, the president's office said in a statement. Neither commented on the incident. Officials from Ruto's office were not available for immediate comment. (Additional reporting by George Obulutsa and Humphrey Malalo in Nairobi; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Kudryavtsev, senior officer of the Media Relations Department at the National Guard of Russia addresses the media - TASS

A shooting in a courthouse in a Moscow suburb resulted in three assailants dead and two heavily injured on Tuesday afternoon.

Two convoy officers, a man and a woman, also sustained injuries, as did an officer of the National Guard, Russias newest law enforcement task force.

A bailiff stands behind a fence at the main entrance of Moscow Regional Court Credit: Andrey Nikerichev/Moscow News Agency

The shooters were alleged members of the so-called GTA gang - a reference to the popular video game Grand Theft Auto - a mysterious crime group that used to terrorise drivers heading south on the M4 highway that connects Moscow and Rostov-on-Don.

Between 2013 and 2014 the gang was reported to stop cars on the highway by using different methods to damage their tyres, including shooting at the wheels. Gang members would then approach drivers, pretending to offer help but instead robbing and brutally murdering them.

In November 2014 the Investigative Committee reported arresting the supposed gang members. In August 2016, a trial of nine of them began in the Moscow Region Court located in a northwestern suburb of the capital.

Police officers walk towards Moscow Regional Court Credit: Andrey Nikerichev/Moscow News Agency

The accused were charged with 17 counts of murder, as well as robbery, banditry, illicit firearms trafficking and document forgery.

On Tuesday, five of the accused were being transported to the courtroom by two convoy officers, a man and a woman, for another court hearing of the case. In the elevator, it is reported that one of them attacked one of the convoy officers, while the others seized the officers guns.

Once the elevator arrived to the third floor of the courthouse, the accused started shooting at the National Guard officers waiting for them in the hall in an attempt to flee from the courthouse. Both of the convoy officers were injured, as well as one National Guard officer.

The other National Guard officers tried to disarm and stop the shooters, killing three of them and heavily injuring two in the process.

Five members of the gang, suspected of killing more than a dozen of motorists, grabbed firearms from security officers Credit: Alexander Shcherbak\\TASS via Getty Images

Lawyer Sofia Rubasskaya, who was in the courthouse on another case, told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that she heard at least 20 gunshots.

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According to the statement National Guard issued on the heels of the shooting, no one among civilians present at the courthouse at the moment was hurt thanks to the brave and professional actions of the National Guard officers.

The prosecutors office of the Moscow region opened a criminal probe into the accident. Moscow region prosecutor Alexei Zakharov promised to investigate possible violations of the convoy procedure.

Perpetrators of the shooting are likely to face additional charges of attempt at murder of a law enforcement officer, stealing firearms and attempt at fleeing custody.

The shooting happened at the Moscow Regional Court, around 12 miles from the centre of Moscow
Washington (AFP) - North Korea could field a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile able to strike America by next year, but Pyongyang must first overcome important technological hurdles, a US expert warned Monday.

North Korea has alarmed the international community by the pace and progress of its missile development program, and this month leader Kim Jong-Un conducted two tests of an ICBM.

The first of these trials, which Kim described as a gift to "American bastards," showed the rocket had the potential range to hit Alaska.

But a second rocket test last week flew even longer and could have reached as far as America's West Coast, experts say.

Michael Elleman, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the 38 North Analyst think tank, said it appears that the "re-entry vehicle" that would carry a warhead back into Earth's atmosphere from space had failed during the second test.

"Most likely it broke up into pieces," he said.

"Prior to completely breaking up, it appears to have been shedding some of the outer layers, and then it must have finally disintegrated."

Elleman's assessment was based on video shot in Japan's Hokkaido that shows an object in the night sky breaking up at an altitude of about six to 2.5 miles (four to 10 kilometers).

Without a proper protection during a re-entry stage, a missile's warhead could burn up.

Still, Elleman said Pyongyang is learning fast and that depending on North Korea's testing schedule, a deployment next year is possible.

Citing US officials, The Washington Post last week said the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) now believes North Korea will be able to deploy an ICBM capable of carrying a nuclear weapon as soon as next year -- two years earlier than the agency's previous estimate.

"I tend to believe the recent (DIA) assessment that, by late this year or sometime next year, they should have a system that's what I call 'reliable enough,'" Elleman said in a conference call with reporters.
The mayor of Nashville said Sunday that her 22-year-old son had died from an apparent overdose.

Mayor Megan Barry and her husband Bruce mourned their son Max, who they said died late Saturday in Denver.

We received news that no parents should ever have to hear, the couple said in a statement. We cannot begin to describe the pain and heartbreak that comes with losing our only child. Our son was a kind soul full of life and love for his family and friends.

The parents said they are trying to begin to understand a world without his laughter and love in our lives. Max graduated in June from the University of Puget Sound.

Its unclear what he overdosed on. The Jefferson County Coroners Office, which is conducting an autopsy, said results were not yet available.

The Barry family planned a memorial for Aug. 1.
North Korea likes putting on a big show of testing its missiles. The small country has conducted tests with increasing frequency, and recently rolled out the advanced Hwasong-14, which some analysts think think could could soon carry a small payload halfway around the world  far enough to reach New York City or Washington D.C.

Its frightening to think that US cities could be within shooting range of North Korean nuclear-tipped rockets. But most foreign policy experts see the DPRKs nuclear buildup as a method to gain negotiating power over the United States, not the run-up to a catastrophe.

Still, its worth understanding how the Hwasong-14 works.

What defines an ICBM?

An intercontinental ballistic missile isnt really one thing. You can build a rocket however you want, and as long as it can cross an ocean to strike your enemies on the other side, itll earn an ICBM designation.

The HS-14, as best as anyone can tell from photos, is a two-stage rocket. Its got a large lower stage to do some initial heavy thrustin and a smaller top stage to accelerate it further toward its target.

Why North Korea Missile Tests Always Go Into Space

If youre a North Korean rocket scientist getting ready to launch a missile, youve got a few questions to answer. The first, and most important: Where do you want the missile to go?

Keep in mind, the whole region surrounding North Korea is bristling with detectors and military weaponry trained at the isolated state. Japan, South Korea, and their powerful ally the United States are ready to respond with overwhelming force to a North Korean attack at a moments notice.

So you dont want to do anything that even might look like an attack, and find yourself responsible for a swarm of nuclear-tipped LGM-30 Minuteman missiles screaming through the outer atmosphere in the direction of your base.

That rules out overflying Japan to the east, or South Korea to the south. To the west and north, youve got China and Russia  who probably wouldnt be too thrilled about an HS-14 crashing down in their territory either.

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In other words, youre left with one remaining direction to go: Straight up in the air, into space.

How North Korea Tests Its ICBMs

North Korea rolled a very big truck into the middle of a spot of bare land in Chagang Province on Friday, in the north of the country. Heavy lifters at the back of the truck pushed, and the large missile on its back tilted straight up into the air. This missile was refined and souped-up, prepared for a much more dramatic display than its first July 4th test  a test that already shocked analysts, and travelled more than seven times higher than the International Space Station.

An image from the July 4th test.

At 11:41 p.m. local time, or Friday morning on the East Coast of America  an unusual nighttime launch  the missile test began.

Liquid fuel stored in the rockets midsection coursed downward. Most of it ignited and exited under pressure through a single engine at the bottom of the vehicle. The tremendous force of the hot fuel ejecting pushed the rocket upward, accelerating it toward its top speed.

A small portion of that fuel diverted, igniting and shooting out through four smaller angled thrusters. Those thrusters kept the rocket stable, and allowed for course corrections. Within seconds, the whole contraption was forcing itself through the atmosphere far above its launch site.

For a brief while, probably no more a minute or two based on similar equipment, the rocket motored its bulk upward. At some point, the first stage ran out of fuel and detached, and the second stage ignited, taking advantage of the reduced weight to loft the warhead even higher.

Then that stage died as well, and still the rocket shot upward. It passed the orbit of the ISS and our planets other low satellites, then doubled it, then tripled it  eventually topping out at 2,300 miles.

Along the way it drifted a bit, out over the ocean and toward Japan. And on the way down, it kept drifting, likely guided by what appear to be eight retrorockets in its nose cone.

Down it fell, accelerating faster and faster. A shroud covering its payload fell away. Analysts dont know for sure what it revealed. Their best guess though is whats a blunt body re-entry vehicle  a payload carrier with a big flat surface pointing downward, like a smaller version of the cones NASA used on the Apollo missions to carry people.

When that blunt surface struck the atmosphere, it generated immense energy and heat, but the shape created a shock wave that travelled in front of the rapidly descending payload, distributing heat away from its surface. If a nuclear bomb were inside, that bow shock would have protected it from burning up before it could detonate.

Soon after re-entering the atmosphere, the payload splashed down into the water 621 miles from its launch site  and well within Japanese-controlled waters. It was 47 minutes after the rockets ignition.

The Rest of the World Determines What Happened

North Korea doesnt put out key statistics that would let international observers precisely calculate the potential of its rockets. So analysts have to rely on pictures put out through state propaganda and observations from afar.

That propaganda is designed to provoke a response from the rest of the world, and its already succeeded.

Without knowing the exact size and weight of the missile or its payload, theres room for quibbling about its range. Most folks have agreed since the July 4th test that if the HS-14 were aimed at an easterly angle and took advantage of the Earths rotation, it could likely hit Alaska or Hawaii.

This test went a lot higher.

More conservative analysts like John Schilling over at 38 North said then that thats about the limit of the rockets demonstrated potential, but that with some tweaking it might be able to carry a 500-kilogram payload to San Diego.

Jeffery Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies was a bit more alarmist, arguing that the missile could likely strike New York or D.C. He took to Twitter to say Fridays more dramatic test confirms his suspicions.

The United States does have some missile defenses, which might be able to shoot an ICBM out of the sky about half the time. So the next steps in North Koreas ICBM program may be less rocket power than figuring out ways to fool those defenses.

That North Korean engineers about to end up in a race with Americans to weight that coin flip in their favor.

Photos via KCNA
Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon on Monday criticized Turkey's plans to purchase a Russian air-defense system instead of investing in NATO technology.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in talks to get Russia to supply Ankara with its latest S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the Pentagon had concerns over its NATO ally's purchase of the Russian technology because it might not work with other equipment used by the 29-nation alliance.

"Generally speaking it's a good idea for allies to buy inter-operable equipment," Davis said.

"With any ally, with any partner with whom we inter-operate ... we want them to buy things and invest in things that will further invest in our alliance."

Turkish media have in recent days reported that the deal is being finalized with Russia.

If it is completed, it would be a significant step after the two countries repaired relations damaged by Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane on the Syrian border in 2015.

The S-400 system has a range of about 400 kilometers (250 miles) and is designed to shoot down enemy aircraft.
Business is booming for space burials, with more people dying to be launched into Earth orbit or marooned on the moon as advancements in technology bring their funeral dreams within reach.

Charles Chafer, the CEO of the Houston-based space burial company Celestis, told the Orange County Register his company expects to send up to 500 urns of cremated remains into space this year.

There are different versions  across different price ranges  of the burial, from having a gram of a persons ashes launched to the moon or deep into outer space, to sending a small amount into low-Earth orbit or high up into the planets atmosphere, where air meets space.

Read: The Weirdest Things Launched Into Space

Ashes sent into orbit eventually make their way back into the atmosphere, where they burn up completely.

According to Chafer, it has become cheaper and easier to send up private payloads, which makes space burials more accessible: Were in the tsunami phase of new space activities, he told the OC Register.

By next year, Celestis and partner Argos Funeral Services in Torrance, California, plan to hop onto private space company Moon Express lunar mission; ashes and DNA will tag along on the trip to the moon.

Although the human remains will be passengers on the ride, Moon Express has a more primary objective: It aims to build an entire fleet of spacecraft that can go to the moon and back, digging up minerals and other resources while on its surface. The company recently announced its plans to launch the future spacecraft from New Zealand aboard private space company Rocket Labs Electron rocket. Moon Express goal is to build an unmanned lunar outpost to mine for those resources to sell back on Earth, while Rocket Lab plans to bring New Zealand into the space race by eventually launching commercial cargo from the South Pacific island nation about once a week.

earth-moon

Photo: NASA/JSC

But these higher aspirations give other people an opportunity to venture out into space themselves, even if its post-mortem. Only a dozen people have set foot on the moon  all Americans, and all decades ago  but the ashes of space enthusiasts will bring a human presence back to Earths natural satellite, even if its not the same as having a living, breathing person walking around.

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Its not all that different from scattering ashes at sea, Chafer told the OC Register. Everybody dies. So its a huge market.

Space burials are not a new idea  theyve been around for about 20 years, even though theyve been much harder to attain.

Mercury Seven astronaut Gordon Cooper; the actor James Doohan who played Scotty on Star Trek; NASA engineer Bob Shrake; and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry have all had their remains jettisoned into space over the years, among hundreds of others.

Read: Has the First Exomoon Been Found?

An ounce of ashes from the father of astrogeology, Gene Shoemaker, was crashed into the moon in 1999 on a NASA craft, as part of the space agencys Lunar Prospector Mission to better understand the moons evolution. When it went down near the moons south pole, scientists on Earth looked for evidence of water in the plume of material that rose from the impact.

Every time its a full moon you can look up in the sky and youll always see your loved one, Argos Funeral Services founder Judah Ben-Hur told the OC Register. When I finally pass away, I plan on having my cremated remains  or, if possible, I would like to have my full body  shot straight into space so that the Borg from Star Trek can take my body and re-energize it into something else. So I can finally be captain of my own starship.

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TheBlast

Controversial yet famous comic Gallagher has sadly passed away. The late comedian, whose real name is Leo Anthony Gallagher, made a name for himself by smashing watermelons as part of his act. His unfortunate passing at 76 was confirmed by his family. Comedian Gallagher Dies At 76 After A Long Career A rep for the []
In this summers smash hit Spider-Man: Homecoming, Tom Holland came of age as webcrawler Peter Parker. For his next act, hell go back to the Middle Ages in the religious dramatic thriller, Pilgrimage.

Set in early-13th century Ireland, Pilgrimage follows a group of monks embarking on a dangerous mission across war-torn lands to transport their monasterys holiest relic to Rome. In their way stand clashing tribes and Norman invaders.

Hollands Brother Diarmud (whose curly locks recall another famous sacred object-bearing adventurer, Frodo of The Lord of the Rings) is clearly the wettest behind the ears of these monks. As you see in Yahoo Movies exclusive clip above, this leads to a spiritual smackdown of the highest order from his elder Brother Geraldus (Outlanders Stanley Weber).

Directed by Brendan Muldowney (Savage, Love Eternal) and written by Jamie Hannigan, Pilgrimage also stars Richard Armitrage, Jon Bernthal, John Lynch, and Tristan McConnell. The film opens in theaters and on video on demand Aug. 11.

Watch our 15 Questions interview with Tom Holland:





Read more from Yahoo Movies:
At the New York premiere of the Netflix series Marvels The Defenders, star Krysten Ritter was certainly turning heads with a skintight red sequined cutout dress that was more Jessica Rabbit than Jessica Jones. But there was another heroine on the red carpet who deserves a little more attention: Lila Darville, wife of actor Eka Darville, who wore a black halter top that bared her very pregnant belly in a surprisingly elegant manner.

Lila doesnt seem like a shy, retreating type. She is the pleasure director for Magic Mike Live in Las Vegas, and shes launching a website called O. Woman, which promises to revolutionize the way women think about sex. It was also rather steamy in New York on Monday, with a high of 88 degrees, and that cant be comfortable for someone with an extra person inside her. Still, it takes a special kind of body pride to show off a bare pregnant belly in a semiformal public setting. Very few celebrities have gone before her.

Kate Hudson at the Venice Film Festival in 2003. (Photo: Getty Images)

There was Kate Hudson, who sported a lavender feathered crop top at the Venice Film Festival premiere of The Divorce in 2003.

Kerry Washington at the SAG Awards in 2014. (Photo: AP)

Kerry Washington showed just a little peek of skin in a Prada two-piece at the 2014 SAG Awards, when she was six months pregnant. I dont have anything to hide anymore, so Im having a little fun tonight, she told People.

That same year, Omarions then-girlfriend, Apryl Jones, attended a New York screening of Lucy wearing a top with chains draped over her bare midsection.

Laura Perlongo at the MTV VMAs. (Photo: Getty Images)

The boldest red carpet bump-baring to date was at last years MTV VMAs, where Laura Perlongo, Catfish creator Nev Shulmans fiancee, wore a tan bomber jacket open to reveal her completely bare torso. It provided Shulman with plenty of opportunities to kiss her belly for the cameras.

As anyone who has been pregnant (or has just seen a pregnant person up close) knows, a womans belly isnt always the perfect, shiny globe you see when celebrities pose topless for magazine covers or carefully styled Instagram shoots. They get stretch marks, pushed-out belly buttons, dark lines, and even hair. Rather than hiding these new developments from the world, it seems that women like Darville are celebrating their bodies real-life superpowers.

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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.




An Indiana police officer killed in the line of duty last week saw his son off to school hours before his death, an interaction seen in a touching photo released by his department.

Southport Police Department Lt. Aaron Allan walked his son to the bus stop on his first day of kindergarten on the day he was killed, police said.

Read: Police Officer Buys Diapers for Young Mother Caught Trying to Steal Them

The child, nor his father, knew this would be the last time they saw each other, the Fremont Police Department wrote on Facebook along with the photo.

Allan, who has two sons, was responding to the scene of a car crash in Southport to aid a driver who crashed through a fence and flipped his car.

But the driver, 28-year-old Jason Brown, then allegedly shot Allan multiple times.

Allan later died at a local hospital.

He was one of the best weve had, John Benton, an officer with the Southport Police Department, told InsideEdition.com. He was fair and he showed that fatherly side to the people that he came across.

Allan was an officer with the department for six years and had worked in law enforcement for 20 years.

Anytime that you are in law enforcement or public safety setting, with him being a father, theres something a little different that we have to go through, Benton said. He was a fantastic police officer.

Read: Police Officer Recovering After Being Shot for Third Time in His Law Enforcement Career

Brown is facing a preliminary murder charge in connection with Allans death, police said. He is set to appear in court on Tuesday.

It is not clear why he allegedly shot Allan.

A GoFundMe has been set up for Allans family.

Watch: 5-Year-Old Girl Who Loves Police, Celebrates Birthday With Her Favorite Officer

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Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson - Getty Images North America

Rex Tillerson has said the US does not blame China for escalating tensions with North Korea and would like to seek a dialogue with Kim Jong-un's regime.

The US secretary of state's diplomatic tone directly contradicted President Donald Trump, who tweeted two days ago that he was "very disappointed" with China and accused Beijing of doing nothing over Pyongyang's military ambitions.

Sec. Tillerson: US doesn't seek regime change in North Korea, "would like to sit and have a dialogue with them about the future." pic.twitter.com/KhIaF0actz  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 1, 2017

Mr Tillerson said that that relations between the US and China were "at a bit of a pivot point", but that Washington had "sought to partner" with Beijing over the growing threat from North Korea.

An 'underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile' conducted at an undisclosed location in North Korea Credit: EPA

"We do not seek a regime change, we do not seek a collapse of the regime, we do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, we do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th Parallel," Mr Tillerson said in the rare press address at the state department.

"We are not your enemy ... but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond. And we hope that at some point they will begin to understand that and we would like to sit and have a dialogue with them."

China has become increasingly frustrated with US and Japanese criticism that it should do more to rein in Pyongyang.

Concerns have increased over North Koreas willingness to continue to test its military hardware in defiance of US sanctions.

A US military source reportedly claimed yesterday that Pyongyangs submarine force had been carrying out highly unusual and unprecedented levels of activity.

The defence official told CNN that three ejection tests were carried out on land at Sinpo Naval Shipyard in July. Another test was carried out earlier this year at the base, which is the headquarters of the Maritime Research Institute of North Koreas Academy of National Defence Science.

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A submarine-launched ballistic missile is displayed in Kim Il-sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang Credit: AP

An ejection test is designed to assess the cold-launch system which is required to propel a missile away from its tube on the submarine before the missile engine ignites, so protecting the boat.

The ground-based tests also coincide with a North Korean Romeo-class submarine carrying out unusual activities off the east coast of the peninsula for at least one week in late July.

The US and South Korea monitored the activities of the 1,800-ton diesel boat, which is armed with 14 torpedoes and up to 20 mines. The submarine travelled more than 60 miles from the North Korean coast and into international waters, something which no submarine has been observed doing previously.

Graphic: North Korea missile launch

North Korea first successfully tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile in August 2016. Pyongyang is believed to be aiming to deploy a missile-capable submarine as an additional threat to the US. Achieving a successful cold-launch ejection test, even from land-based tubes, is a critical step forward, said Lance Gatling, a defence analyst and president of Tokyo-based Nexial Research Inc.
A Republican congressman described as one of the most conservative politicians in the country, has called for special prosecutor Robert Meuller to stand down.

Trent Franks, of Arizona, has said Mr Mueller, who is currently overseeing a federal probe into possible links between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged attempt to interfere in the 2016 election, should resign because of what he claimed was a conflict of interest.

Mr Franks, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, claimed Mr Mueller had a friendship with former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by Mr Trump in May. Reports suggest Mr Mueller is investigating a possible obstruction of justice by by Mr Trump as a result of the firing.

Those who worked under them have attested he and Jim Comey possess a close friendship, and they have delivered on-the-record statements effusing praise of one another, Mr Franks said in a statement.

No one knows Mr Muellers true intentions, but neither can anyone dispute that he now clearly appears to be a partisan arbiter of justice.

Mr Franks as a reputation as one of the most conservative members on Capitol Hill (AP)

Mr Mueller and Mr Comey worked closely together in the Department of Justice under President George Bush, though it is far from clear they are close friends.

In recent weeks there has been much talk that Donald Trump has been considering firing Mr Mueller, himself a one-time Director of the FBI. He told the New York Times he was angry with his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from the investigation, a move he believes then led to the appointment of Mr Mueller.

Mr Trump suggested he was concerned Mr Mueller would not look simply into what happened during the election campaign but also probe his personal finances.

In the interview with the Times, Mr Trump was asked if Mr Muellers investigation would cross a red line if it expanded to look at his familys finances.

I would say yes, he said. I think thats a violation. Look, this is about Russia.
By Trevor Hunnicutt NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Rockefeller Foundation is helping to finance a startup hoping to build exchange-traded funds for nonprofit organizations and direct the profits back to their causes, officials from the group said with a plan to announce the initiative later on Tuesday. The foundation awarded a $300,000 grant to Impact Shares Corp, a Dallas-area organization that aims to offer charities the ability to create ETFs that will be sold to the public. ETFs give investors the ability to buy a basket of stocks or other assets with a single trade. Many of the funds track a broad market index, rather than trying to outperform. Charities working with Impact Shares would include in their ETF whichever companies perform well on the environmental, social or governance (ESG) criteria that matter most to them. For instance, a veterans organization might support companies with policies to hire people who have left the military. The goal is to create a fund that will perform roughly in line with the broader market, according to Impact Shares founder Ethan Powell. "If you really can organize corporate America around specific causes then you can make a meaningful difference," said Powell. "The end goal is that every social issue is represented by a major nonprofit." Wall Street is increasingly championing ESG in an effort to appeal to younger investors and institutions like university endowments that want to align their portfolios with their values. U.S. fund managers have launched 22 "socially responsible" ETFs over the last 12 months, up from 13 a year ago and just five the year before that, according to FactSet Research Systems Inc . Powell, a former chief product strategist for Highland Capital Management LP, said many investors have lost faith in Wall Street's ability to deliver outperformance, but that many want investment companies to help them do good for society. Powell wants Impact Shares to become the first nonprofit to sponsor an ETF. He registered Impact Shares as a nonprofit in Texas and is seeking tax-exempt status from the U.S. federal government. Being a nonprofit helps ease other charity's concerns about partnering with an organization that would profit from their brand, Powell said. Rockefeller managing director Saadia Madsbjerg told Reuters the foundation's innovative finance team is aiming to create new ways to mobilize private capital for public good. Powell plans to announce partnerships with charities and start registering funds with U.S. regulators this year. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Jennifer Ablan, Bernard Orr)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry accused the United States of trying to "shift responsibility" for developments on the Korean peninsula onto Russia and China, following another missile test by Pyongyang. The United States said on Friday that Moscow and Beijing were the principal economic enablers of North Koreas nuclear weapon and missile program and that they bore special responsibility for the growing threat. "We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the U.S. and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea)," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. Earlier China also rebuffed the U.S. criticism, saying the North Korean problem had not arisen because of China and that all countries should work together to find a solution. (Reporting by Polina Devitt; writing by Maria Tsvetkova; editing by Gareth Jones)
Mustapha Ibrahim, an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. (Photo: Mike Bradley for Yahoo News)

Earlier this year, Mustapha Ibrahim, a freshman at the University of Rochester in New York, had been planning to celebrate the end of Ramadan last weekend with his family in Somalia.

Ibrahim had intended to return home over the summer after he finished his first year of school in the U.S., which also marked the first time hed set foot in America.

Instead, the 20-year-old is spending his summer break on campus. Hes one of thousands of international students whose summer plans were put in limbo earlier this year by two successive executive orders prohibiting entry into the U.S. by citizens of several Muslim-majority countries for 90 days.

Since the orders were issued, universities have been on the frontlines of the fight against them. Theyve stood up for their students and faculty from the countries listed in the orders, opposing the bans with protests and statements in the courts, and with advice and workshops with immigration lawyers.

After federal judges blocked the nationwide enactment of the first ban and then of its successor, the U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will hear arguments in the case this October. In the meantime, the justices upheld the ban for foreigners who have no relationship to the U.S. and who have not previously visited the country. Those with ties to America, presumably including students at American colleges, will be allowed in, for now.

Todays unanimous Supreme Court decision is a clear victory for our national security. It allows the travel suspension for the six terror-prone countries and the refugee suspension to become largely effective, President Trump wrote in a statement Monday.

President Trump signing an executive order establishing the extreme vetting of people coming to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Federal courts had previously ruled that the travel bans had violated the First Amendment, and that Trump had overstepped his authority as president.

But even while the orders were entirely halted by the courts, students felt threatened by the possibility of delays at customs, detention at airports or rejected visa applications. And there were concerns that a future executive order could bar them from the country, leaving them stranded and unable to complete their schooling.

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More than one million international students study in the U.S. According to 2015 data from the Department of Homeland Security, there are 23,763 international students in the U.S. who would have been affected by the first version of the travel ban, which shut out citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The revised ban, which does not apply to citizens of Iraq, would have affected 22,688 students, according to the 2015 data.

More than 50 university presidents, including all of those of the Ivy League, signed a February letter calling on Trump to rectify or rescind the first executive order. The American Association of University Professors, which represents professors at more than 500 campuses nationwide, condemned both travel bans, calling the first executive order unconstitutional and discriminatory.

When you ban people, you threaten academic freedom, the AAUP wrote in response to the second order.

Rutgers University anthropology professor David Hughes said hes only seen this level of activism on campuses during anti-apartheid demonstrations in the mid-1980s.

Trumps policies are an existential threat to our learning environment, Hughes said, explaining that faculty members felt obligated to take action against the executive orders.

We have long-term responsibilities, Hughes said. It takes six years or so to get a degree. We like to advise and mentor students that go well beyond the classroom or semester.  Trumps policies were going to divide us from our responsibilities and our duties. We said Trump could only get to these students by going through us and we were not going to let him get through us.

Rutgers University students and supporters gather at a prayer rally to protest Trumps proposed travel ban, Jan. 31, 2017, in New Brunswick, N.J. (Photo: Mel Evans/AP)

After the initial protests and statements, universities took to the courts. In the first months of the legal battle against the bans, more than 30 universities  including all eight Ivy League institutions  jointly filed amicus curiae briefs against both of the executive orders in court. Though the universities are not involved directly with any of the lawsuits, the intent behind an amicus brief is to influence the courts decision.

The Executive Order has serious and chilling implications for amicis students, faculty, and scholars, a March 31 brief filed against the second executive order reads. [The order] impairs the ability of American universities to draw the finest international talent, and inhibits the free exchange of ideas.

For international students, the travel bans prompted many to remain in the U.S. over the summer rather than face the potentially arduous task of reentry.

Their families would be calling them and telling them we dont want you to come home because we dont want to risk this opportunity for you, said Molly Jolliff, director of international student engagement at the University of Rochester.

Several institutions have stepped in to help international students, offering free or subsidized housing, helping students find summer jobs or arranging summer classes. Those schools include Ithaca College in New York and Ohio University, which have provided housing to students. Northeastern University, in Boston, which has about 250 international students, advised its students to remain in the U.S. over the summer.

Arrangements to help students at the University of Rochester have become so comprehensive that the school has jokingly started to refer to the arrangements as ban camp, Jolliff said. But its more accurately described as a support program for students trying to do what they came to the U.S. to do: gain skills and a degree.

As Jolliff continued to work with students affected by the bans, she realized that summer brought Ramadan, a month-long holiday of fasting and prayer for Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset  but dining areas on the University of Rochesters campus werent necessarily open when Muslim students could eat.

So Jolliff brought them fridges, which allowed the students to store food and eat on their own schedule.

We wanted to make sure if we were supporting them to stay here that they were well taken care of, she said. I just saw a student posting [on social media] this week, because it is Ramadan, and they were expecting to be home with their family, that the political climate is not warm and welcoming to them, so theyre feeling isolated. They didnt expect this level of uncertainty, scrutiny [or] risk.

It has been a really tough time not being able to go home and see family, Ibrahim said. But he knows he probably wont be able to return home until 2018, since he doesnt want to risk rejection of his visa application for reentry, especially in this uncertain political climate.

Molly Jolliff, director of international student engagement, and Mustapha Ibrahim, a student at University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., June 27, 2017. (Photo: Mike Bradley for Yahoo News)

The travel bans have caused some other international students to question whether they should attend U.S. institutions in the fall, with nearly 40 percent of colleges reporting an overall decrease in applications from international students this year compared to the previous year, according to a survey of more than 275 colleges by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Applications from students in the Middle East have been particularly affected. But 35 percent of schools reported an increase in international student applications, suggesting its too early to conclude that theres a definite decline in international student enrollment. The report concluded that the data do suggest an early-warning sign of potential declines.

After the 2016 election cycle, Joseph Helble, dean of the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, began noticing substantial declines in the number of international graduate student applications. He contacted more than 25 deans at other engineering schools, who reported similar declines in applications.

Weve not seen a situation like this in my 20-plus years as an academic, when international applications have declined dramatically, other than in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Helble said.

The dean knew that he had to do something to retain the international students who had been offered admission, so he recruited faculty and students to engage with admitted students and reassure them that theyre welcome at a U.S. institution.

You are the worlds best and brightest, Helble tells them. He noted that he wont have comprehensive data about whether those retention efforts have been successful until the fall semester, when students arrive on campus.

Because the composition of engineering programs tends to be heavily international, they can more accurately reflect trends on how international students view education in the U.S., Helble said.

The Dartmouth engineering dean remains optimistic about the short-term effects  noting that he thinks the yield of accepted students who choose to attend his program will remain the same as in previous years. But hes worried about the potential long-term effects, noting that its not just about colleges, but about the U.S. economy.

Protesting the travel ban at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., March 7, 2017. (Photo: Charles Krupa/AP)

Engineering, science, STEM grad students are the next generation of tech developers [and] leaders, Helble said. If we cut that talent out, were starting far fewer companies, not offering economic growth opportunities.

Even before they enter the workforce, international students contribute to the U.S. economy. In the 20152016 academic year, students added about $32.8 billion to the economy by spending money to support themselves during their education, according to a study by the nonprofit group NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Their presence helps support more than 400,000 jobs in the U.S. economy  such as those in higher education and transportation.

Ali Khaledi, a graduate student at Ohio University, had planned to build a life in the U.S. after completing a doctorate in physics. But with the introduction of the travel ban and an increasingly volatile political climate, hes wondering whether he should pursue opportunities abroad instead.

Theres a cloud of uncertainty above my career, Khaledi said. When I came to the U.S., I was planning on staying here, doing research, having a family at some point. Now Im really wondering [if] this is a place that I want to be.

Khaledi pointed to a shooting earlier this year in Kansas, where an Indian man was shot and killed in a bar because the shooter believed he was Iranian.

These types of incidents make me wonder, Khaledi said. I changed my lifestyle, I try to avoid going places that I cant see a lot of international students because I am afraid. What if they dont like the way I look?

One of Khaledis friends, a doctoral candidate from Iran, left the country to visit home despite his fear that he wont be allowed back in. His father has had two surgeries, and it might be the last time he is able to see him. Even though his family downplayed his fathers condition and urged him to stay in the U.S., Khaledi said his friend is still choosing to return home.

Khaledi and Ibrahim both affirmed that international students endure emotional and mental strain from the executive orders and the worry over whether to stay in the U.S.

Mustapha Ibrahim at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., June 27, 2017. (Photo: Mike Bradley for Yahoo News)

When I was making the decision to stay here for the summer,  I felt like I had to make the decision between either going back home and might not be able to come back in for an education or not going back home and just abandoning family and continuing education, Ibrahim said. I still feel guilty about that.  its something thats always on my mind.

But Ibrahim remains optimistic about his plans to return to his family, at the latest after his college graduation.

I know no matter what happens, Im going back home, Ibrahim said.

_____

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Two 12-year-old girls were attacked by a shark on a South Carolina beach Saturday, officials said. The children were in a raft off in the waters of DeBordieu Beach in Georgetown County when a shark jumped into the raft and began thrashing around inside.

One of the girls had to be transported to Georgetown Memorial Hospital. She was bitten on her thigh and remained in stable condition Monday, Midway Fire Chief Jeff Pifer told WRAL-TV. The other child did not require hospitalization.

Read: Shark Attacks Map 2017- When And Where Attacks Have Occurred This Year

It remained unclear exactly what type of shark bit the girls, though officials said it was around three feet long. The most prevalent species of shark in the area is the Atlantic Sharpnose, a small shark that tops out at about that length, South Carolina Natural Resources marine biologist Bryan Frazier told Myrtle Beach Online.

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Photo: Getty Images

"[The Atlantic Sharpnose] has teeth and it can bite you," said Frazier. "But if it does, it's not going to to be bad  it might be a couple of stitches."

Frazier also noted that the species experts think are responsible for most attacks in South Carolina are Blacktip sharks.

"These guys do feed in the surf," said Frazier. "They're actively feeding on menhaden and mullet, schools of bait that are often found off the front beaches."

There have been about 92 shark attacks since 1937, according to the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida. A 14-year-old was bitten earlier in July at South Carolina's Hilton Head Island. The teen told local reporters she was swimming with her family when she felt something tugging on her leg and quickly realized she had been bitten twice.

Read: Shark Attacks Man At Nude Beach After Lifeguard Tries To Chase It Away

"I thought it was my brother messing with me when I felt something grab at my leg," Reagan Rednour said. "I felt a terrible sting and didn't know it was."

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Experts said the shark that bit Rednour was likely a four- to five-foot bull shark. She was taken to a nearby hospital and received stitches for multiple wounds in her thigh and calf.

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Anthony Scaramuccis reign as White House communications directora reign of terror and vulgarity, marked by two outlandish interviews and the departures of two top West Wing officialshas ended, just 10 days after it began.

The New York Times broke the news Monday afternoon, just hours after Trump tweeted that there was No W[hite] H[ouse] chaos! It was not clear whether Scaramucci would take another post in the administration or exit altogether. His firing reportedly came at the behest of John Kelly, who was installed as chief of staff on Monday, three days after Scaramucci forced out Kellys predecessor.

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Trump's Worst Week Yet

Even in an administration that has set records for quick departuresNational-Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and Press Secretary Sean Spicer are all among the shortest-serving figures in their respective jobsScaramuccis flameout was fast and phenomenal.

The financier was in the mix for White House jobs since the start of Trumps administration, but he kept missing out. His first job, as business liaison, failed to materialize when the sale of his hedge fund was delayed. A series of other jobs likewise fell through. Scaramucci was patient and persistent, hanging around in Washington and taking a temporary job at the Export-Import Bank, waiting for his opening. It finally came two weeks ago, when Scaramucci was named communications director. That appointment came over the objection of several top Trump advisers, including Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon, and Spicer.

Recommended: Bill Browder's Testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee

Spicer was the first to go, resigning the same day Scaramuccis was named. The fight with Priebus took longer to crest. On Wednesday, Politico obtained Scaramuccis personal financial disclosure through a routine request, but Scaramucci blamed Priebus for leaking it, lodging the accusation first in a tweet and then in a CNN interview Thursday morning. Later that day, The New Yorker published an interview in which Scaramucci railed against Priebus, calling him a felon and a fucking paranoid schizophrenic. (He also accused Bannon of engaging in autofellatio, presumably figuratively.) By Friday afternoon, Priebus was out.

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It was an impressively fast act of revenge on Priebus for trying to block him, but Scaramucci soared too fast, too high. The interview was an embarrassment, even by the lowered standards of this administration. And for Kelly, who faces the task of whipping a fractious West Wing into place, Scaramucciwho had bragged about reporting directly to the president, bypassing the chief of staffrepresented too loose a cannon. And so as fast as he arrived, Scaramucci was out, having self-destructed. Its been a rough season for Scaramucci, who sold his beloved hedge fund to work for Trump, got a top job, and then saw his marriage and job both crumble.

For those who have watched this administration closely, its no surprise that the impetus for firing Scaramucci came not from Trump but from Kelly. Trump is, despite his catchphrase, extremely reluctant to fire anyone. Despite rocky relationships with many staffersTrump has spent the last two weeks publicly ridiculing his own attorney generalmost people who have left either the administration or his presidential campaign did so by resigning or after others insisted they leave, not because Trump himself told them they had to go. It is a tentative first sign that Kelly might be able to grasp the authority he needs to help get the White House functioning better.

Recommended: The Real Reason Trumps Obamacare Repeal Push Failed

The move leaves Trump once again without a communications director. The office has proven to have something of a curse. The first person named to the job, Jason Miller, withdrew before taking over. Spicer served on an interim basis until Mike Dubke was named to the post in February, but Dubke resigned in May after an ineffectual term. Spicer then once again stepped in until Scaramuccis appointment. Its unclear who will serve in the role now. Deputy Press Secretary Sarah H. Sanders was promoted to press secretary the same day Scaramucci took over.

Speaking to CNN on Thursday morning, Scaramucci acknowledged that while he had said he was like a brother to Priebus, some brothers had relationships like the one between the biblical brothers Cain and Abel, the former of whom slew the latter. Scaramucci did not say whether it was he or Priebus who represented Cain in that situation, but by Friday evening it appeared clear that Priebus was Abel. With the benefit of a few more days, its now clear that the better analogy comes not from the Bible but from Sophocles Antigone, and the cases of Eteocles and Polyneicesmutual fratricides, killed on the battlefield of a civil war.

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This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Big-game hunting is a billion-dollar industry. Trophy, a new documentary that premiered to strong reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in January, investigates that business through both a global and individual lens, resulting in imagery  especially in its storyline involving a mans quest to take down a lion  thats sure to shock and upset some of its viewers. Yet as Yahoo Movies exclusive debut of the upcoming films trailer (watch it above) makes clear, this is hardly just a horror movie; its also a canny inquiry into the best means of protecting Earths wild creatures.

Thats because Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiaus film is fixated on the intersection of commerce and conservation, which is epitomized by South African John Hume, who operates a farm where he breeds rhinos for the express purpose of cutting off their horns and selling them. To Hume, that practice is far more humane than the alternative  hunters callously slaughtering rhinos for their horns. More important, he argues that its a way to make sure that the animals dont go extinct. As he says in the above clip, Give me one animal thats gone extinct while farmers were breeding it and making money out of it. Theres not one.

Its a contentious argument for a thorny issue, and one that Trophy digs into deeply, especially since such a mindset has also resulted in companies now earmarking various types of creatures for kill by hunters (who can literally select and purchase their targets from a Vegas showroom floor).

Earlier this year, Variety called Trophy a complex nonfiction portrait of wildlife hunting and conservation thats more interested in posing challenging questions than proffering easy answers its ability to enrage, enlighten and confound in equal measure make it a non-fiction prize of this years Sundance Film Festival. The film arrives in theaters on Sept. 8, and you can see our exclusive trailer for it above, as well as its theatrical poster below.

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Poster for Trophy, new documentary about big-game hunting and species preservation

Al Gore Talks to Yahoo Movies About the Urgency of An Inconvenient Sequel:

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Mr Trump was alleged to have

President Donald Trump has been accused of collaborating with Fox News to push a claim that a murdered employee of the Democratic National Committee, not the Kremlin, leaked emails damaging to Hillary Clinton.

Mr Trump was alleged to have "reviewed" a Fox News story before it was published as part of an attempt to distract from investigations into Russian hacking during last year's US election.

The claim has been made in court papers filed in New York by Rod Wheeler, a private investigator who looked into the shooting death of the Democratic employee, Seth Rich, in July 2016. He is suing Fox News for defamation, claiming the broadcaster fabricated quotes from him.

His claim alleged that the story was put out to "shift the blame from Russia and help put to bed speculation that President Trump colluded with Russia in an attempt to influence the outcome of the presidential election".

Mr Rich was shot dead in what Washington police believe was a botched robbery.

Mr Wheeler was brought in to investigate the case by Ed Butowsky, an investor and high profile supporter of Mr Trump who appeared frequently on Fox News, according to the claim.

Two days before the Fox News article was published on its website, on May 16, Mr Butowsky sent Mr Wheeler a text message saying: "Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you."

Mr Butowsky later said he had been joking that the president had read the article.

Former White House Communications Director Sean Spicer says the meeting was a favour Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

A month before it was published, on April 20, Mr Butowsky and Mr Wheeler had met with Sean Spicer, Mr Trump's then press secretary, at the White House.

Mr Spicer said the meeting was a favour to a long-time supporter, Mr Butowsky, and that the two men had "informed" him about the upcoming Fox News story. But he said he was not aware of any contact with Mr Trump.

Fox News removed the story from its website a week after it was published, saying that "it was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all of our reporting".

Mr Wheeler, who is black and has himself been a contributor to Fox News since 2005, is also suing the broadcaster for racial discrimination. Fox News has said there is no "concrete evidence" that Mr Wheeler was misquoted.
President Donald Trump has dropped to a new low in his approval rating, according to Rasmussen Reports Monday. The polling outfit said that he slumped to a low 39 percent approval rating and high 61 percent disapproval rating. The Rasmussen poll, which usually sees higher marks for the president than other polls, has never dropped below 40.

The poll surveys by landline 1,500 people that Rasmussen considers likely voters and supplements its findings with online polling. The poll has a 2.5 percent margin of error.

READ: Trump Speech To Boy Scouts Prompts An Apology From Scout Leader

Trump has touted the results of Rasmussens polls before. In May, Trump tweeted out a photo when the poll indicated that he had a 48 percent approval rating and thanked his supporters.

Thank you for your support. Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AND GREAT AGAIN!#POTUSAbroad #USA, tweeted the president.

Thank you for your support. Together, we will MAKE AMERICA SAFE AND GREAT AGAIN!#POTUSAbroad #USA__ pic.twitter.com/42vCwr5GkA  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2017

Trump also tweeted out the poll's approval rating in June, when Rasmussen showed him at a 50 percent approval rating.

Great news! wrote Trump.

Trumps low numbers come after a tough week for the president. He forced out on Friday his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and the Republican-controlled Senate failed to pass a late-night bill Thursday to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare.

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Trumps former communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, caused a stir last week when he called New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza and threatened to fire all of his communications staff if Lizza didnt reveal the source of a leak. He also complained vulgarly about fellow White House staff. After only 10 days on the job, Scaramucci was dismissed from the White House on Monday.

READ: Do Muslim Americans Who Love US Feel Safe Under Trump Administration?

In a series of tweets, Trump also blasted Republican senators over the weekend for not passing a health care bill, which many considered an embarrassing loss for his administration. Repealing and replacing Obamacare was a campaign promise that Trump assured voters would be his first order of business if he won the presidency.

Republican Senate must get rid of 60 vote NOW! It is killing the R Party, allows 8 Dems to control country. 200 Bills sit in Senate. A JOKE!, tweeted the president Saturday.

Republican Senate must get rid of 60 vote NOW! It is killing the R Party, allows 8 Dems to control country. 200 Bills sit in Senate. A JOKE!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

In another Twitter tirade, Trump threatened to end federal subsidies to insurance companies that help keep the cost of ACA plans down and threatened Congress own health care plans.

If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!, tweeted the president.

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

Despite all this, Trump tweeted on Monday that there was no rockiness at the White House.

Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos! said Trump on Twitter.

Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2017

Gallups own polling showed Trump at a 37 percent approval rating Sunday, with a 59 percent disapproval rating. Real Clear Politics average of several polls on Sunday put Trumps approval rating at 39.2 percent and his disapproval rating at 56.1 percent.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had a role in producing a statement in which his son denied that a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer was related to the 2016 presidential campaign, comments later shown to be misleading. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a briefing that Trump "certainly didn't dictate (the statement), but ... he weighed in, offered a suggestion like any father would do." "The statement that was issued was true and there were no inaccuracies in the statement," Sanders said, even though emails later released by Donald Trump Jr. showed that the subject of the meeting was to be possible damaging information about Republican Trump's rival for the presidency, Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Washington Post reported on Monday that Trump's advisers discussed the statement about the meeting and agreed that Trump Jr. should issue a truthful account of the episode so that it "couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged." But the president, who was flying home from Germany on July 8, changed the plan and "personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had 'primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children,'" the Post said, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the deliberations. Trump Jr. released emails in July that showed he eagerly agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father. The New York Times was first to report the meeting at Trump Tower in New York. (This version of the story has been refiled to add dropped "a" in quote in paragraph 2) (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Writing by David Alexander; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Ben Blanchard and Elias Glenn BEIJING (Reuters) - China hit back on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted he was "very disappointed" in China following North Korea's latest missile test, saying the problem did not arise in China and that all sides need to work for a solution. China has become increasingly frustrated with American and Japanese criticism that it should do more to rein in Pyongyang. China is North Korea's closest ally, but Beijing, too, is angry with its continued nuclear and missile tests. North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the U.S. mainland, drawing a sharp warning from Trump and a rebuke from China. Video of the latest missile test appears to show it breaking up before landing, indicating Pyongyang may not yet have mastered re-entry technology needed for an operational nuclear-tipped missile, a think tank reported on Monday. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea just hours after the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is "done talking about North Korea". A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far". It said Trump "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment" to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, "using the full range of United States capabilities". Trump tweeted on Saturday after the missile test that he was "very disappointed" in China and that Beijing profits from U.S. trade but had done "nothing" for the United States with regards to North Korea, something he would not allow to continue. Asked by a reporter on Monday how he plans to deal with Pyongyang, Trump said at the start of a Cabinet meeting: "We'll handle North Korea... It will be handled." China's Foreign Ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters responding to Trump's earlier tweets, said the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to seek a resolution. Russia said on Monday the United States and other countries were trying "to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia and China" following the most recent missile test. "We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the U.S. and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea)," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. At the United Nations in New York, China's U.N. ambassador said on Monday it is primarily up to the United States and North Korea, not Beijing, to reduce tensions and work toward resuming talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapon and missile programs. The United States and North Korea "hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China," China's U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi told a news conference to mark the end of Beijing's presidency of the U.N. Security Council in July. "No matter how capable China is, China's efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties," Liu said. Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming told a news conference there was no link between the North Korea issue and China-U.S. trade. "We think the North Korea nuclear issue and China-U.S. trade are issues that are in two completely different domains. They aren't related. They should not be discussed together," Qian said. China, with which North Korea does most of its trade, has repeatedly said it strictly follows U.N. resolutions on North Korea and has denounced unilateral U.S. sanctions as unhelpful. Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger U.N. sanctions on North Korea over Friday night's long-range missile test, the North's second this month. Any new U.N. Security Council resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value", Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more. Abe told reporters after his conversation with Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyang's unilateral "escalation". "International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," Abe said. He added Japan and the United States would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details. Abe and Trump did not discuss military action against North Korea, nor what would constitute the crossing of a "red line" by Pyongyang, Deputy Chief Cabinet spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters. "Pyongyang is determined to develop its nuclear and missile program and does not care about military threats from the U.S. and South Korea," state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times said on Monday. "How could Chinese sanctions change the situation?" said the paper, which is published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily. China wants both balanced trade with the United States and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, its official Xinhua news agency added in a commentary. "However, to realize these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one who piles blame on China for the United States' failures," it added. The United States flew two supersonic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force on Sunday in response to the missile test and the July 3 launch of the "Hwasong-14" rocket, the Pentagon said. The bombers took off from a U.S. air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise. "North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy said in a statement. "If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing." (Additional reporting by Chang-ran Kim in Tokyo, Christine Kim in Seoul, Michelle Nichols and Riham Alkousaa at the United Nations, Polina Devitt in Moscow and Steve Holland in Washington; Editing by Michael Perry and James Dalgleish)




A true-crime series with the pacing of a thriller, Manhunt: Unabomber is an ambitious new project for the Discovery network, starring Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) as Ted Kaczynski, the man who sent numerous, murderous bombs through the mail between 1978 and 1995. Sam Worthington (Avatar) plays Jim Fitz Fitzgerald, the FBI profiler who, according to this eight-part series, was largely responsible for Kaczynskis capture.

This true-life tale is centered around Kaczynski, a genius-level eccentric, mathematician, and social misfit who composed a 35,000-word manifesto about the dangers of technology and wanted it published in The Washington Post  and was willing to set off a bomb to achieve its publication. Except for a widely-circulated police sketch of him, Kaczynski eluded identification for years, a period during which the FBI was working intensely to track him down. Much of Unabomber is spent not with Kaczynski but in FBI offices where Fitz tries, often fruitlessly, to convince his superiors that hes got strong clues about the bombers identity. Chris Noth and especially Jeremy Bobb (so good in The Knick) are very skilled as literal-minded bosses who scoff at Fitzs theories, which were rooted in the then-new concept of forensic linguistics.

Its tricky to dramatize an investigation devoted to identifying someone based on how they spell various words and on what typewriter theyre using, but showrunner-director Greg Yaitanes (Banshee, Quarry) does a frequently fine job of shooting these evidence-gathering sessions with lots of intensity and suspense  this despite the fact that Worthington isnt really that compelling as Fitz. Handsome but frequently wearing a blank expression, Worthingtons Fitz doesnt seem as intelligent as were told he is, and during the opening episode  a special two-hour edition  Fitz has the irritating habit of acting like William Petersen in Michael Manns Manhunter: talking to himself out loud while examining evidence, as though hes speaking directly to the criminal. Youre supposed to think what a canny investigator Fitz is, but I was really thinking: This guy has seen too many movies.

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Unabomber also has a bit of a woman problem. Fitzs wife, played by the always-excellent Elizabeth Reaser, gives new meaning to the phrase long-suffering: Shes too often reduced to being a fretful housewife who cant understand why hubby Fitz would rather hunt the Unabomber than spend quality time with her and the kids. It doesnt help that she is contrasted with a linguistics scholar (played by Lynn Collins) whos so hubba-hubba you just know she and Fitz are going to have an affair well before this is actually accomplished.

That said, Unabomber is pretty engaging, especially as screen time for Bettanys Kaczynski increases in subsequent episodes. Bettany makes Kaczynskis intensity register as deep intelligence gone haywire. The Discovery network is hoping that if Unabomber is a success, it can make the Manhunt rubric an ongoing true-crime-drama franchise. To judge by the positive attention Unabomber is receiving, I think theyve succeeded.

Manhunt: Unabomber premieres Aug. 1 at 9 p.m. on Discovery.
Italys Mount Etna, Europes tallest and most active volcano, spews lava as it erupts on the southern island of Sicily, Italy February 28, 2017. Photograph: Antonio Parrinello/Reuters

Coincidence doesnt prove causality, as they say, but when the same two things happen together over and over again through the vast span of geological time, there must be a causal link. Of some 18 major and minor mass extinctions since the dawn of complex life, most happened at the same time as a rare, epic volcanic phenomenon called a Large Igneous Province (LIP). Many of those extinctions were also accompanied by abrupt climate warming, expansion of ocean dead zones and acidification, like today.

Earths most severe mass extinction, the Great Dying, began 251.94 million years ago at the end of the Permian period, with the loss of more than 90% of marine species. Precise rock dates published in 2014 and 2015 proved that the extinction coincided with the Siberian Traps LIP, an epic outpouring of lava and intrusions of underground magma covering an area of northern Asia the size of Europe.

But those rock dates presented science with a new puzzle: why was the mass extinction event much shorter than the eruptions? And why did the extinction happen some 300,000 years after the lava began to flow?

Now in a new study published in Nature Communications, Seth Burgess of the US Geological Survey, along with James Muirhead of Syracuse University and Samuel Bowring of MIT, think they have the answer. As Burgess told me:



Its clearly not the entirety of the LIP thats guilty. Theres a subinterval thats doing the work, and I set out to figure out which subinterval that was, and what makes it special.

Burgess noticed that the beginning of the mass extinction, as well as a jolt to the carbon cycle and abrupt climate warming, coincided exactly with a switch in the style of volcanic activity in the Siberian Traps. During the initial 300,000 years of the eruptions, basalt lava poured over a vast area of Siberia building to several kilometers thick. In this time there was some stress to life in the Northern Hemisphere, but no mass extinction. Life only began to disappear across the globe at exactly the same time that lava stopped erupting above ground, and instead began to inject as sheets of magma underground.

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In Siberia you have got the Tunguska Basin which is a thick package of sediments that contain carbon-bearing rocks like limestone and coal. When you start intruding magma, [it] cooks those sediments and liberates the volatiles. So the deadly interval of magma in the entire Large Igneous Province is the first material to intrude and pond into the shallow crust

In other words, it wasnt the lava, it was the underground magma that started the killing, by releasing greenhouse gases.

Norwegian scientist Henrik Svensen had earlier identified hundreds of unusual volcanic vents called diatreme pipes all over Siberia that connected underground intrusions of magma (sills) to the atmosphere, showing signs of violent gas explosions. This new work emphasizes the importance of Svensens 2009 conclusions:

The diatremes that have been mapped are the geologic representation of that gas escape on a catastrophic level. Our hypothesis is that the first sills to be intruded are the ones that really do the killing [by] large scale gas escape likely via these diatremes.

Svensen, who was not involved in Burgess study, commented:

The Burgess et al paper is a crucial step towards a new understanding of the role of volcanism in driving extinctions. Its not the spectacular volcanic eruptions that we should pay attention too - its their quiet relative, the sub-volcanic network of intrusions, that did the job. The new study shows convincingly that we are on the right track.

Greenhouse gas as a killer

While other scientists have proposed that an array of killers may have been involved in the end-Permian mass extinction, from mercury poisoning to ultraviolet rays and ozone collapse to acid rain, Burgess argues that it was principally greenhouse gas emissions triggered by magma intrusions that caused the extinction through abrupt global warming and ocean acidification. I asked him to outline the evidence for that.

There are 3 primary lines of evidence that support that link. The first is: right before the onset of the mass extinction we have evidence for a massive input of isotopically light carbon into the marine system.

He went on to explain various lines of evidence that point to the source of that carbon being methane and carbon dioxide resulting from magma intruding and cooking organic-rich sediments. He continued:

Just prior to extinction and persisting after the mass extinction the sea surface temperature is thought to have gone up about 10C. You get that increase by pumping greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. So thats the second. And then the third line of evidence is a physiologic selectivity to the marine mass extinction. Organisms that make their shells out of calcium carbonate suffer much higher mortality than organisms that make their shells out of silica, for example, which suggests that the ocean was acidified, and you get that by pumping gases like CO 2 into the atmosphere.

Thats not to say that other factors had no role in ruining the environment:

There is a cacophony of kill mechanisms, and I think that this first pulse of sills is the trigger for quite a few of those, sitting at the top, and beneath it are a cascade of negative effects from ocean acidification to climate warming and on down the line.

A series of associated events

Coincidentally, Joshua Davies of the University of Geneva and colleagues have just narrowed down the trigger for the end-Triassic mass extinction, another of Earths biggest mass extinctions, to the underground phase of its associated Large Igneous Province. The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) is another enormous igneous province which stretches from Maine to South America, and includes the Palisade Sill visible from Manhattan.



They too used high precision rock dates on a vast sill that intruded organic rich sediments in the Amazon Basin, and found that this underground magma intrusion also coincided with the extinction. Like Burgess, Davies also argues that greenhouse gas baked from sediments drove climate change, which drove the mass extinction in a smaller repeat of the end-Permian events, this time 201.5 million years ago.

I think CAMP is very similar to the Siberian Traps and thats the reason why theres an extinction at that time. Im not surprised that they got similar results, said Burgess.

Diatreme pipes from magma intrusions have also been identified as a likely cause for a more recent global warming and very minor extinction event  the PaleoceneEocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) 56 million years ago. Again, prodigious quantities of greenhouse gases erupted from oil-rich deposits, although in that case its been hard to locate and date the smoking gun intrusions due to the fact that they are under the Atlantic Ocean.

A predictive model

Burgess insight makes a testable prediction:

Only Large Igneous Provinces characterized by sills intruded into a volatile-fertile basin are going to be lethal on a global scale.

This may explain why some Large Igneous Provinces are tied to mass extinctions, and some are not. Burgess thinks that the Deccan LIP, which happened at the time when the dinosaurs disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous, would not have triggered a major mass extinction on its own:

The Deccan Traps doesnt satisfy those 2 criteria. Its predominantly flood basalt lavas erupted onto old granitic rock. Acting alone there would likely have been negative effects on the biosphere because of the gases and the particulate matter released by those lavas, which are not insignificant, but I would argue that acting alone it would have been minor relative to the observed mass extinction. But with the Chicxulub impactor sharing the causal burden together they caused the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous.

Parallels today?

The more science learns of these past greenhouse gas-driven events, the more uncomfortable the parallels to today become. I asked Burgess if it was ridiculous to make the comparison.

No, I dont think the comparison is ridiculous at all, and I think that the timescales over which the environment changes associated with mass extinctions are frighteningly similar to the timescales over which our current climate is changing. The cause might be different but the hallmarks are similar.

Geologically fast build-up of greenhouse gas linked to warming, rising sea-levels, widespread oxygen-starved ocean dead zones and ocean acidification are fairly consistent across the mass extinction events, and those same symptoms are happening today as a result of human-driven climate change. Even though the duration of those past events was longer, and the volume of emissions was larger than we will produce, we are emitting greenhouse gases around 10 times faster than the most recent, mildest example  the PETM. The rapidity of todays emissions prompted scientists Richard Zeebe and James Zachos to observe in a 2013 paper:

The Anthropocene will more likely resemble the end-Permian and end-Cretaceous disasters, rather than the PETM.

When the promises made for the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate change are added up, they aim to limit peak warming this century to about 3.3C compared to about 4.2C for the business-as-usual scenario, and the 2C limit the world is aiming to stay under. Its sobering to compare those numbers to the majority of mass extinctions in the geological record which were characterized by abrupt warmings typically around 6-7C.

Howard Lee is a geologist and science writer who focuses on past climate changes.
Sanctions freeze Venezuelan presidents assets under US jurisdiction and prevent US citizens from doing business with him

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro celebrates the results of the election in Caracas. Photograph: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

The US government has imposed financial sanctions on Venezuelas president, Nicolas Maduro, after the election of a new legislative body to redraft the countrys constitution in a vote described by Washington as a sham.



Maduro hailed Sundays election as a popular mandate to dramatically recast the troubled state, but his political opponents have warned this could lead to the dissolution of existing powers and turn the country into a fully fledged dictatorship.

On Monday, he was added to the growing list of high-ranking Venezuelan officials target for sanctions which freeze any of Maduros assets under US jurisdiction, and prohibit US citizens from doing business with him.

Yesterdays illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people, said treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin. By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime and our support for the people of Venezuela who seek to return their country to a full and prosperous democracy.

Acording to Reuters, the US is still considering broader sanctions against Venezuelas oil industry, which could prove devastating for a country which is already in a state of economic free fall.

The targeted sanctions against Maduro send a loud message that the US is prepared to get tough, said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based think tank.

But the specific targeting of Maduro signals that for the moment the US is not comfortable with broader sanctions, he said.

The international communitys options are not great because what hits the government the hardest is oil but anything that involves oil is going to hit Venezuelans hard too and they are already suffering.

Last week, the US Treasury department imposed sanctions on 13 high-ranking officials including the head of the Electorate Council and the former treasurer of the state-run oil company PDVSA.



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Because Venezuela relies on oil exports for 95% of its revenue, opposition figures have warned that broader sanction targeting the oil industry could further exacerbate the social and economic crisis facing the country.

At least 10 people died in clashes around Sundays vote, during one of the deadliest days in nearly four months of political unrest.



Maduro had insisted that a new constituent assembly would help restore peace in the oil-rich nation. But analysts warned that the vote was likely to further heighten tensions within the country  and further isolate it on the diplomatic stage.

At his first public appearance after the vote, Maduro struck a belligerent tone, threatening to jail opposition legislators and promising to restructure the office of attorney general Luisa Ortega, who has become a prominent and vocal critic of his government.

 At the heart of the crisis is a cratering economy and acute shortages of medicine and food, coupled with rising anger at a soaring crime rate and an increasingly authoritarian government

 The president, Nicolas Maduro, won a general election in 2013 on a platform of continuing his predecessor Hugo Chavez's socialist policies of using the country's oil riches to reduce inequality and lift people out of poverty, but falling oil prices have forced the government to curtail social programmes

 Opposition activists have been staging unrelenting protests against the government.

Some of them will end up in cells facing justice, while others will end up in a psychiatric ward because they have shown clear signs of insanity, Maduro said on Sunday night. We must impose order, he said.



Ortega  who was appointed by Maduros predecessor and political patron Hugo Chavez  said that Venezuelas government had dictatorial ambitions, and warned that the new assembly will put absolute power in the hands of a minority.

What we are seeing is an ongoing radicalisation of the Maduro government, said Angel Oropeza, a professor of political science at Venezuelas Simon Bolivar university. Instead of solving the countrys problems, Maduro is provoking the countrys isolation  and this favours no one.



The countrys National Electoral Council said that over eight million votes had been cast but the figure was immediately disputed by the opposition, which accused the electoral body  which is allied with Maduros government  of inflating turnout figures.

Opposition estimates put the actual turnout at close to 2.5m. Photos and videos of virtually empty polling centres circulated widely on social media throughout Sunday. Independent analysts put the figure closer to 3m.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, dismissed the election as a sham.

Maduros sham election is another step toward dictatorship. We won't accept an illegit govt. The Venezuelan ppl & democracy will prevail.  Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) July 30, 2017

Further diplomatic isolation seems inevitable, however: countries across the region  including Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Paraguay  said they would not recognize the result on Sundays vote.



Maduro said he had received congratulations from the governments including Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua. Russia also expressed support for Maduro and in a thinly-veiled warning to the US said it hoped that countries which apparently want to increase economic pressure on Caracas will display restraint and abandon their destructive plans.

The British foreign minister, Boris Johnson, warned that Venezuela stands on the brink of disaster and urged Maduro to stop the escalation of tensions.

It is time for the government to see sense and start working with the opposition on a way forward that brings the people of Venezuela back together, Johson said in a statement.

The new 545-member constituent assembly is scheduled to be sworn in on Thursday, although Maduro hinted in his speech that it could be sooner. It is unclear how the assembly will function  or even where the members will meet.

Opposition leaders said that the new body will not help restore the rule of law in a country which has been rocked by almost daily street protests and violent repression.



This is a process that died at birth. It has no legitimacy. Venezuelans dont recognize it, nor does the international community. The message is clear: the government was defeated. They got, at best 3 million votes  that is more than 3 million less than when Maduro was elected four years ago, said Julio Borges, head of the opposition-led National Assembly.



The assembly has made clear that it will not cooperate with the new body.

We will continue with our duty and our commitment to the people, said the assemblys president, Julio Borges, who added that deputes they will continue to hold sessions in the public building where the people placed them  despite government threats that the newly elected constituent assembly could replace them.

The opposition is calling for more street protests, and on Monday a vigil was held for those who died during Sundays poll. According to the interior ministry, ten people died, and seven police suffered serious burns when an explosive device targeted a motorcycle convoy in the capital, Caracas.



Yet, the general mood among people in Caracas was one of defiance.

We succeeded in showing the world how rogue this government is, said Maria Blanco, a 39-year-old economist who has been unemployed for the past two years.

We will remain steadfast in our determination, just as we have done for the past four months, said Carlos Mendez, a 34-year-old bike messenger. We are prepared for whatever comes next and stand firm in our fight against this dictatorship which is nearing its end. We must fight to recover our freedom and our democracy.
Tallinn (AFP) - US Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday raised the possibility of deploying the Patriot anti-missile defence system in Estonia, one of three NATO Baltic states worried by Russian expansionism, Prime Minister Juri Ratas said.

"We spoke about it today, but we didn't talk about a date or time," Ratas told state broadcaster ERR after Pence began a visit to the tiny frontline state.

The Patriot is a mobile, ground-based system designed to intercept incoming missiles and warplanes.

"We talked about the upcoming (Russian military) manoeuvres near the Estonian border... and how Estonia, the United States and NATO should monitor them and exchange information," Ratas said.

Relations between Moscow and Tallinn have been fraught since Estonia broke free from the crumbling Soviet Union in 1991, joining both the EU and NATO in 2004 -- a move that Russia says boosted its own fears of encirclement by the West.

Concern in Estonia and fellow Baltic states Latvia and Lithuania surged after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and stepped up military exercises.

Pence, in remarks to journalists in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, spoke in strong but general terms about US support for eastern European countries.

On Monday, he heads to Georgia -- a non-NATO member that is also worried about Russia -- and then to Montenegro, which became NATO's 29th member on June 5.

"President (Donald) Trump sent me to Europe with a very simple message. And that is that America first doesnt mean America alone," Pence said.

"Our message to the Baltic states  my message when we visit Georgia and Montenegro  will be the same: 'To our allies here in Eastern Europe, we are with you, we stand with you on behalf of freedoms'."

Pence also said the Trump administration had "made it clear" that it stood behind NATO's Article 5 commitment that an attack on one member was an attack on all -- a pledge that Trump has been criticised for failing to spell out emphatically.

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Pence's schedule in Tallinn includes meetings on Monday with President Kersti Kaljulaid and her Lithuanian and Latvian counterparts, Dalia Grybauskaite and Raimonds Vejonis.

He is also to visit troops from the Enhanced Forward Presence programme, under which NATO has deployed four battalions to the Baltic states and Poland to bolster the alliance's eastern flank.

Moscow last year deployed nuclear-capable Iskander missiles into its Kaliningrad exclave, which borders Lithuania and Poland.

It is due to hold massive military exercises in Belarus and Kaliningrad in September. The so-called "Zapad" ("West") drills will see Russia showcase new hardware and upgrade existing systems in its western military region.

Georgia and the United States, meanwhile, are conducting their biggest ever joint military exercises.

Some 800 Georgian and 1,600 US troops are taking part in the Noble Partner 2017 drills -- the largest ever in Georgia since it fought a brief war with Russia in 2008.
Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images

The White House has said Donald Trump "weighed in" on the misleading statement issued by his son, Donald Trump Jr, on his controversial meeting with a Russian lawyer.

"The President weighed in as any father would, based on the limited information he had," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, adding that Mr Trump "certainly didn't dictate" his son's statement, but did offer suggestions.

The comments came after the Washington Post reported that Mr Trump had dictated the statement, citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the deliberations. Mr Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, had previously said the President "wasn't involved in the statement drafting at all".

The statement has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks, as more information regarding the June 2016 meeting has come to light.

Mr Trump Jr described the meeting in his initial statement as a "a short introductory meeting" with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, in which they primarily discussed a programme about the adoption of Russian children.

"It was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up," Mr Trump Jr said.

Days later, however, Mr Trump Jr released emails showing that he had been promised incriminating information on Hillary Clinton in exchange for taking the meeting. The meeting organiser claimed the information was part of a Russian government effort to support Mr Trump's campaign.

The meeting was also revealed to have included a Russian-American lobbyist and a former State Department translator.

According to the Post, White House advisers had initially intended to release a full, truthful statement on the meeting. Hours later, however, Mr Trump allegedly weighed in, and dictated the heavily edited statement that was eventually released to the press.

"This was . . . unnecessary," one of the President's advisers told the Post. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

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Sarah Huckabee Sanders on reports that Trump was involved in drafting Don Jr's statement: "the president weighed in, as any father would." pic.twitter.com/oq9iyKn6jH  BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) August 1, 2017

The White House has previously been criticised for their misleading statements on the President, most notably after Mr Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. The White House initially claimed Mr Comey had been fired for his handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. Mr Trump later told NBC's Lester Holt he had been thinking of the Russia investigation when he fired the Director.

Several Congressional committees and the Department of Justice are investigating the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia. The Justice Department, lead by special counsel Robert Mueller, is reportedly looking into whether Mr Trump obstructed justice by firing Mr Comey.

Ms Hucakbee Sanders on Tuesday dismissed any allegations of wrongdoing.

"Everybody wants to try to make this some story about misleading. The only things I see misleading is a year's worth of stories that have been fuelling a false narrative about this Russia collusion," she said.
WASHINGTON  Days after declaring that President Trump would sign legislation imposing tough new sanctions on Russia, the White House said Tuesday that his government lawyers needed to wrap up a legal review of the bill first.

Congress approved the bill, which also imposes punitive economic measures on Iran and North Korea, on Friday, sending it to Trump by a veto-proof margin. Later that day, incoming White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a written statement saying the president has now reviewed the final version and, based on its responsiveness to his negotiations, approves the bill and intends to sign it. The statement made no mention of a pending review.

Asked on Monday why Trump had yet to sign the measure, Sanders told reporters at her daily briefing: Theres nothing holding him back. Theres a review process, a legal process. Theyre going through that. And hell sign the bill and well let you guys know.

Sanders added: As with every very particularly complex piece of legislation  like this is  theres a legal review.

Her comments fueled speculation that Trump, who has repeatedly declared his eagerness for better relations with Moscow, could be considering a presidential signing statement aimed at watering down the impact of the law. Presidents have regularly used such statements, particularly upon signing measures touching on foreign policy, to reaffirm that they, not Congress, run foreign policy. Doing so in this instance would defy vast bipartisan majorities in both chambers, risking a political backlash.

President Trump shakes hands with Russias President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, in July 2017. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

The sanctions are designed to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as Russias invasion of Ukraine and its support for Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. *Trump has sharply questioned his intelligence agencies assessment that Russia sought to influence the election.*

The legislation is notable in part for the way it restricts the presidents ability to waive key provisions unless Congress signs off. The unusual limits reflected lawmakers concerns that Trump aims to ease sanctions using his executive authority. The White House had argued that it needed greater diplomatic flexibility, joining up with oil and gas companies and defense contractors looking to water down some provisions.

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The bill has drawn an angry response from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who over the weekend ordered U.S. diplomatic missions in his country to reduce their staffs by 755 employees overall. The majority will be local Russians, not American diplomats, but the cuts will likely badly hamper some consular services.

Trump has found time in the two days since Putins decision to rail on Twitter about the news media and denounce Obamacare but has not said anything about Moscows retaliation. During the campaign, Trump routinely heaped praise on Putin.

But Vice President Mike Pence, stopping in the ex-Soviet nation of Georgia, said Trump would sign the sanctions measure very soon and that Putins response would have no effect.

We hope for better days, and we hope for better relations with Russia, but the recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow, I can assure, will not deter the commitment of the United States to our security, to that of our allies, and to freedom-loving nations around the world like Georgia, Pence said.

As always, our country prefers a constructive relationship with Russia based on cooperation and common interests, the vice president said. But the president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia: A better relationship, the lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse the actions that caused sanctions to be imposed in the first place.

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A number of White House officials were reportedly fooled by a self-styled email prankster based in the U.K. who posed as other senior White House figures to solicit responses. On one occasion, an official in charge of U.S. cybersecurity mistook the prankster as President Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and disclosed his personal email address unprompted, CNN reports.

Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August, the prankster wrote to Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert from an Outlook email account purportedly belonging to Kushner, reports CNN. It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible (sic) quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening.

Bossert replied: Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I cant refuse, Bossert reportedly answered, then went on to provide his personal email address without being prompted. CNN said it had obtained copies of the emails in question, parts of which were also shared by the prankster on Twitter under the handle @SINON_REBORN.

The mystery emailer also posed as other administration figures, including Eric Trump and Russian ambassador-designate Jon Huntsman. Masquerading as former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, the anonymous prankster also engaged in a lengthy exchange with Anthony Scaramucci, who at the time was serving as the White House Communications Director before being fired Monday.

Read More: Anthony Scaramucci Out as White House Communications Director

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders acknowledged the incident, telling CNN that the administration takes all cyber related issues very seriously will be looking into these incidents further. The individuals involved in the email exchanges, however, declined to comment.

The prankster, who refers to himself as a lazy anarchist in his Twitter bio, carried out similar shenanigans earlier this year, emailing several bank executives to see if he could elicit a response. I try and keep it on the humorous side of things, he told CNN. Im not trying to get the keys to the vault or anything like that.

Experts told CNN the prank highlighted just how vulnerable officials are to spear-phishing tactics, which are among the most common techniques used by hackers to gain access to users private information. John Podesta, then campaign chairman for former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, infamously fell for a similar phishing scam that gave hackers a direct line into his emails. Luckily for the White House, this messenger does not appear to have had any ill intentions.

[CNN]
Former police detective Rod Wheeler has walked back his claims about the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Seth Rich: YouTube/Fox News

A wealthy Trump supporter and a Fox News producer conspired to run a fake story about the death of a Democratic National Committee staffer while the White House looked on, a lawsuit has alleged.

Rod Wheeler, the detective cited in Fox News' controversial story about the fatal shooting of DNC staffer Seth Rich, has filed suit against the company for allegedly fabricating his quotes and pressuring him to push a false narrative.

According to the complaint  Fox News was working with the Trump administration to disseminate fake news in order to distract the public from Russia's alleged attempts to influence our country's presidential election, Mr Wheelers attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement.

Mr Wheeler was Fox News' prime source for a story claiming Mr Rich may have been murdered for releasing unflattering DNC emails to Wikileaks. According to the suit, however, Mr Wheeler never found evidence to support this.

Instead, Fox News producer Malia Zimmerman and prominent Trump donor Ed Butowsky pressured him to say so  even taking him to a meeting with then-White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer  in an effort to detract attention from the Russia investigation.

"Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article, Mr Butowsky allegedly texted Mr Wheeler shortly before the article was published. He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you."

Jay Wallace, President of News at Fox News, called the allegation that Fox published the story to distract from the Russia investigation "completely erroneous".

The accusation that FoxNews.com published Malia Zimmermans story to help detract from coverage of the Russia collusion issue is completely erroneous," he said. "The retraction of this story is still being investigated internally and we have no evidence that Rod Wheeler was misquoted by Zimmerman."

Mr Spicer told NPR he took the meeting as a favour to Mr Butowsky, and was not aware of any communication about it with the President. Mr Butowsky said he was joking about having the Presidents ear.

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Mr Wheeler, however, does not find it a laughing matter. The longtime Fox News contributor and former police detective says he was intially hired by Mr Butowsky to investigate Mr Richs death, on behalf of the 27-year-olds grieving parents. The Rich family later disavowed both men and the Fox News report as a whole.

A reminder that the Russian Embassy also helped give the Seth Rich conspiracy theory a boost back in May...



(H/T @shreec) pic.twitter.com/WsekLRj5jz  Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) August 1, 2017

According to the suit, seen by The Independent, Mr Wheeler found little evidence to support any nefarious involvement by the DNC. Local police told him the shooting appeared to be a robbery gone wrong. The FBI told him they were not assisting local police in the investigation.

But Mr Butowksy, after meeting with journalist Seymour Hersh, told Mr Wheeler he had a source within the FBI who could confirm that Mr Rich had been in contact with WikiLeaks. (Mr Hersh has since dismissed these claims as gossip.)

In a 14 May voicemail, he told the detective the case had the full attention of the White House.

Tomorrow, lets close this deal, whatever weve got to do, he said, according to the suit.

Two days later, Ms Zimmerman published a story claiming there was evidence that Mr Rich had communicated with WikiLeaks. The story cited Mr Wheeler and an unnamed FBI source.

According to the suit, the article contained several fabricated quotes from Mr Wheeler, including one in which he said: My investigation shows someone within the DC government, Democratic National Committee or Clinton team is blocking the murder investigation from going forward.

Mr Wallace said Fox News had "no evidence that the quotes had been fabricated.

The White House previously denied knowledge of Fox News' false report on Seth Rich. pic.twitter.com/Qcmf3lpaFt  Adrienne Watson (@Adrienne_DNC) August 1, 2017

Less than a week after its publication, the story dissolved. The DC police, DNC officials, and even Mr Richs parents all denounced it as false. Mr Wheeler walked back his comments.

Fox News released a statement saying the article was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all our reporting.

The network then pulled the story from their website, but not before Mr Butowsky allegedly texted Mr Wheeler to scold him.

"One day you're going to win an award for having said those things you didn't say, he said.
The White House downplayed a new Washington Post report that President Trump personally dictated his eldest sons misleading statement about meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign.

During her Tuesday briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders maintained that Donald Trump Jr.s statement was truthful and that the president had merely weighed in as any father would, based on the limited information that he had.

Look, the statement that Don Jr. issued is true, Sanders said. Theres no inaccuracy in the statement. She added: This is all discussion, frankly, of no consequence.

As the New York Times prepared to publish a report last month confirming Trump Jr. arranged a June 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, the younger Trump issued a statement saying the attendees primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children. He was forced to issue additional statements as more and more details about the meeting leaked out, eventually releasing emails conceding that he attended the meeting hoping to get Russian government dirt on campaign rival Hillary Clinton.

Trumps personal attorney, Jay Sekulow, has repeatedly denied that the president had any involvement in Trump Jr.s initial misleading response to the meeting. The Times reported last month that the presidents advisers drafted the statement and that the elder Trump approved it.

The president didnt sign off on anything, Sekulow said during a recent Good Morning America appearance, denying the Times reporting on the matter. The statement  was released by Donald Trump Jr. and, Im sure, in consultation with his lawyers. The president wasnt involved in that.

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Photo credit: Getty

From Redbook

When Ellen Myers finalized her divorce in 2013 she felt an overwhelming sense of freedom - and a deep sense of shame. "It was a weird time," she recalls. "On one hand I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but at the same time, I didn't want anyone to know."

The Colorado mom had married young, at just 18, and had children right away. Like many divorced people, she felt embarrassed that she hadn't been able to make her marriage last. She became convinced her friends and family were all silently thinking, I told you this would never work. But worse were the slights she dealt with in public - glances at her empty ring finger, a lack of invitations from former friends, and, most troublingly, a pointed remark from a clergy member at her church, who read Myers discouraging stats about children of divorce, then suggested she continue to endure her abusive situation for her kids' sake. She even faced rejection from a potential landlord after disclosing that she was a single mother who relied on child support for income.

"He told me he never rented to single moms because the 'deadbeat dads' didn't pay up and he 'didn't need that kind of drama'," Myers recalls. "It was awful. Even though I knew, deep down, I'd made the best choice for me and my children, it was hard not to feel like I'd failed."

Myers isn't the only woman who has struggled with feelings of shame about her split. Despite the ubiquity of divorce - just over half of marriages will make it to the 20-year mark, according to the most recent data from the National Survey of Family Growth - there is still a lingering stigma that many people, especially women, face, says Anita C. Savage, a divorce and family law attorney at GoransonBain.

"I;ve seen countless clients who feel stigmatized by their divorce. In fact, despite my profession, I was one of them," she admits. "I was embarrassed and ashamed to tell my friends and family that I could not make my marriage work."

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And while it's perfectly normal to feel that way, Savage says, shame should never enter into the picture. Getting divorced doesn't mean you're "dumb" or "damaged goods."

"Even 'good' people face divorce, by choice or because of their spouse's decision, but the divorce itself does not reflect who that person is or what that person stands for," she says. "For a variety of innocuous reasons and despite their best attempts, two emotionally healthy and functioning people sometimes cannot make their marriage work."

Not only is divorce not a commentary on your personal worth, it can actually show the world just how strong you are, says Nanda Davis, Esq., a specialist in divorce and family law and president of the Roanoke chapter of the Virginia Women Attorney's Association. "Divorcing a spouse takes a lot of courage," she says. It involves being honest and publicly open about very painful personal topics and standing up for your and your children's needs - all tough things to do, she adds.

Divorce is ultimately about getting a fresh start, and wanting a better life is nothing to be ashamed of, says Kathryn Smerling, Ph.D., a family therapist and divorce expert. "Some people still think that you should stay married just for the sake of it, even if you're unhappy. But why would you do that?" she asks.

On an intellectual level, these messages seem easy enough to grasp. So why do so many people still feel like Myers? Although social stigma is certainly still a factor (case in point: Myers's pastor), it's fading from what it was several generations ago. (A Gallup poll conducted earlier this year determined that 73 percent of American adults believe divorce is "morally acceptable," compared to 59 percent in 2001.)

According to Savage, it's because divorced women often end up blaming themselves for the end of their marriages. "The good will we're willing to give to others experiencing a divorce is something we haven't provided to ourselves," she explains. "We believe that our failed marriage means we have failed as a human being, as a partner, and as a parent who wanted to provide their child with an example of what a long and successful marriage looks like."

They key to overcoming these painful feelings is to give yourself a break, she says. Tune out negative self-talk by surrounding yourself with supportive people, whether that's family, friends, a church group, or even a divorce recovery group where you can talk it out. There's great relief in discussing your questions and concerns with people who have been there too - plus it helps others overcome their own sense of shame and embarrassment, Savage says.

If you're really struggling to shake negative feelings after a divorce, Smerling recommends connecting with a therapist. "Unresolved feelings of shame and guilt can lead to depression and feelings of paralysis," she says. "So if you're feeling that way, it's important to go seek professional help."

For Myers, time has been the most important part of her healing process. Nearly four years after her divorce, "I'm able to look back now and see that I was doing the best I could with what I had at the time," she says. "Now my life is so much better, both for me and my kids, and I've discovered I'm stronger than I ever knew - and that's something I'm immensely proud of."

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Another big political meeting, another crackdown on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)  the location-shifting software many in China use to access websites banned by its government, such as Facebook, YouTube and Google.

This fall, Chinas ruling Communist Party (CCP) will have its 19th Congress  when the nations leadership is reshuffled and its ideological direction honed  which is why experts believe the government is once again targeting VPNs. On Saturday, Apple removed popular VPNs from its China App Store in line with a new government crackdown announced in January that would see them completely banned by early next year.

We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations, Apple said in a statement. These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business.

Crackdowns on accessing the Internet beyond the Great Firewall  the worlds most sophisticated state-censorship apparatus, employing at least 2 million online censors  are a perennial irritation in China, and highlight how the worlds second largest economy is struggling to balance authoritarianism with its mercantile aspirations. Foreign news websites such as the New York Times, Bloomberg and, indeed, TIME are deemed verboten, as are uncensored social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

VPNs provide access to this contraband by pretending the user is situated outside the country, and in China are particularly used by foreign nationals including those visiting on business, academics and students trying to access research material not properly indexed by Chinese search engines, and a proportion of Chinese unsatisfied with the sanitized news provided by the nations state media. Unregistered VPNs are officially forbidden, though almost a third of the Chinas 650 million Internet users are estimated to have them. In addition, companies can have legitimate VPNs registered with the Chinese authorities in order to have secure communications between regional offices.

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Read More: The Other Side of the Great Firewall

Crackdowns on VPNs come up periodically and usually generates a certain amount of hysteria, and not all under-deservedly, because you cant totally afford to ignore it, says Mark Natkin, founder of Beijing-based IT research firm Marbridge Consulting. Every time theres a major political event theres a lot of pronouncements  some of which do get enforced, at least leading up to the event, and others which are more statement than action.

That Apple has acquiesced to removed the VPNs is a clear coup for the Chinese government, which has clamped down on free speech since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, jailing dozens of critics, rights activists and lawyers. In a blog post, ExpressVPN, one of the most popular VPNs used in China, said its removal was surprising and unfortunate.

ExpressVPN strongly condemns these measures, which threaten free speech and civil liberties, it added.

According to Martin Johnson, co-founder of China censorship-monitoring website Greatfire.org, Apple is now an integral part of Chinas censorship apparatus, helping the government expand its control to a global scale.

The latest crackdown is an escalation of an enduring pattern. Before big party meetings  such as the Two Sessions legislative sessions each spring  VPNs typically grind to a halt as the CCP attempts to restrict access to proscribed material. Afterward, control is typically relaxed, as VPNs serve as a pressure valve that allow a determined, normally well-educated, minority to access information they largely know is out there anyway.

What the Chinese government is more worried about is potential social unrest caused by ordinary Chinese accessing dissident criticism in the local language, such as the teachings of the banned spiritual Falun Gong movement.

Chinese authorities are most concerned about the masses, but leaving a pressure valve for white-collar [workers and] academia is not so injurious and, one could argue, beneficial to ensure those people dont feel overly frustrated, adds Natkin.

As such, there is every reason to suspect that this latest VPN crackdown is once again temporary. However, the ban is only one of a slew of new measures leading up to the 19th Party Congress that have made tech experts jittery. Other than Apple, VPNs are increasingly scarce on the rival app stores of Chinese-made Android-based phones  brands like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo  whose global market share is mushrooming.

Read More: China Just Made It Even Harder to Get Around the Great Firewall

In addition, a strict new cybersecurity law came into effect in June, and earlier this month China Telecom, the nations biggest Internet service provider, sent a letter to corporate clients seen by the AP that said in future VPNs would only be allowed to connect to a companys headquarters abroad. Around the same time, China initiated a partial block of the messaging app WhatsApp, which is owned by the banned Facebook, and several Chinese VPNs were forced to shut down. In addition, five-star hotels  whose affluent, overwhelmingly foreign guests were once granted carte blanche to access banned foreign sites from their premises  are now shutting that loophole in response to government pressure.

But shutting off all access to prohibited foreign websites would have a tremendous chilling effect on Chinas credentials as an international business hub. Already, business executives arriving for meetings in China must deal with the shocking reality that they cannot access Gmail  the worlds most popular email service  by virtue that it is run by the banned Google.

Today, those execs might be able get access by downloading a VPN, retreating to their opulent hotel or using their Beijing offices computer network. But were the newly threatened rules fully implemented, those options would all be cut off. Aside from the practical limitations, the oppressive and frustrating atmosphere would be hugely damaging at a time when Chinas economy is already slowing.

In the past, any effort to cut off internal corporate VPNs has been enough to make a company think about closing or reducing operations in China, Jake Parker, Beijing-based vice president of the U.S.-China Business Council, told the South China Morning Post. Its that big a deal.
Senior rabbis call on Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked not to change the state's position according to which gay and lesbian couples should not be allowed to adopt children.

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In an open letter to Shaked, the rabbis wrote, "We wish to lend our support to Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked on her preservation of the values of Israel and her steadfast position to preserve the traditional, ethical basic family structure, befitting a representative of the religious-Zionist party in the Knesset."

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu

Owing to the sensitivity of the issue among the religious public, the rabbis abstained from referring to it overtly, instead opting to hint at it.

"Our holy Torah is a moral lighthouse and compass to both the people of Israel and the entire world," they write. "It is therefore becoming that the State of Israel remains vigilant to strengthen family values and preserve a public space respecting the values of human morality and Judaism. We wish to commend all public representatives who follow this path."

Dozens of rabbis signed the letter backing up Shakred. Among some of the more prominent ones are Rabbi Haim Drukman and Rabbi Dov Lior, leaders and "elders" of religious Zionism, Tzfat's Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Shomron Regional Council Chief Rabbi Elyakim Levanon. Additionally, head of the Bnei David pre-IDF preparatory yeshiva Rabbi Eli Sadan and many other rabbis from settlements and communities, joined the chorus.

In an interview with Army Radio, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu said, "We're turning into LGBT-stan. Homosexuality is an illness necessitating treatment, the LGBT community is terrorizing the entire system and the existence of people with same-sex tendencies is close to zero."

Photo: AP

Going against the idea of an LGBT identity in general and the idea of gay families in particular, Rabbi Eliyahu said, "Using the word 'sick' is putting it mildly. It's something that requires attention and treatment. Statistics show that this kind of families last a lot less."

"People with homosexual tendencies"

Eliyahu continued with comments many regarded as inciting and homophobic, referring to the LGBT community as "a handful that may have an echo in the media, but do not represent the public," he argued, while calling for people to listen to the "healthy majority" stance against adoption.

"Those with homosexual tendencies do not pass the threshold. They make a lot of noise, but their existence is minimal. A child is entitled to two healthy parents. To do something artificial like have two mothers, or two fathers is just hurting the child. A child needs a male father and a female mother."

Predictably, these remarks aroused harsh criticism from public figures.

Photo: AP

MK Mickey Rosenthal (Zionist Union) published a picture of Eliyahu dressed a drag queen in pink, while MK Itzik Shmuli (Zionist Union), an openly gay politician, said, "The only sick person here is the rabbi. The only person creating terror is the rabbi and his friendsthose who call not to rent apartments to Arabs and were questioned on suspicion of incitement, it's him, not me."

Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, said, "The rabbis' letter on the adoption rights of the gay community is a call for civil war and a distorted interpretation of 'love thy neighbor.'"

MK Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) added, "Again we are forced to hear dangerous nonsense and incitement from a rabbi who receives his salary from the State of Israel, which despite his efforts, is still a state that advocates democracy and equality of rights.

"Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu claims that the LGBT community is a type of illness, but in 2017 the only disease I recognize is ignorance. I call on him to immediately resign his position and public status. Basic decency requires this, especially since his salary comes from tax paying members of the public, including members of the gay community."
The Elor Azaria affair marks a cultural decline, an astronomic event at one soldiers expense. It ended Sunday, no matter how many more spins attorney Yoram Sheftel and the rest of the associates are planning. The result has been determined, the damage has been done, the garment has been torn into 12 pieces.

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On March 24, 2016, BTselem released a video of an anonymous soldier from the Kfir Brigade shooting a terrorist who deserved to die in Hebron. Azaria fired his weapon 11 minutes after the terrorist had been neutralized. He approached the terrorist, removed his helmet and fired at close range without warning anyone to stay away from the person he claimed had been carrying an explosive device.

Anyone watching the video with the slightest bit of combat experience knew exactly what had happened there. Others perhaps didnt have the proper training, but most people understood. From this point on, each person chose his own political way. It wasnt Azaria they saw before their eyes, but the political objectives.

Azaria arrives in court with his mother. The important question is whether a strong, organized army could turn into phalanges in which every person does what he feels like (Photo: EPA)

That same day, I wrote about the attempts made by Breaking the Silence and BTselem to portray the entire IDF as an army of brutes. Where mistakes are made, they are checked and investigated, I wrote. Little did I know. A year and a half later, the conclusion from the video is the same conclusion reached by the court, but it was a winding and dangerous road. The cultural decline spread through Israeli society. Rightists joined the Leftists in claiming the occupation corrupts, that its not the soldiers fault.

Activists of the right-wing Lehava organization, who havent served a single day in the army, were explaining that Azaria was a hero. Even the last sacred cow in Israeli societythe IDFwas slaughtered in public. The final touch was provided by small politicians who identified an opportunity and stripped away every last ounce of stateliness they had. The tail wagged the dog.

The initial response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and then-defense minister Moshe Yaalon was in line with the acceptable norm in the State of Israel when it comes to unusual events. The big change occurred in the days that followed. In the name of public opinion polls, an alternative truth was born, alternative values and twisted explanations, at the end of which everything got mixed up. There is no right and wrong.

Likud MK Oren Hazan, bottom right corner, speaking to the Azaria family at court (Photo: Tomer Applebaum)

The moral question about shooting a terrorist is the wrong question. In certain situations, like a targeted killing for example, there is permission and authority to assassinate the enemy even when he lacks any weapon or intention. Thats what an army does, and Im proud to have been part of such efforts.

The important question is whether a strong, organized army could turn into phalanges, into gangs in which every person does whatever he feels like, whenever he feels like doing it and however he feels like doing it. Thats, unfortunately, what Elor Azaria looked like in the video: Firing without a helmet when he shouldnt have, making up a threat about an explosive device when it's clear in the video it didnt even cross his mind. So he turned into a tool in the hands of small politicians against Israeli stateliness.

I felt sorry for Azaria from the very first moment. He made a mistake at the scene when he fired without justification, and he kept making mistakes when he let politicians exploit him. Sharon Gal, Avigdor Lieberman and Oren Hazan have never faced such a situation, never experienced such comradeship or made decisions at the drop of a dime. He made a mistake when he let them turn him into a hero. After all, he had learned enough about battle heritage and he knew there was no heroism in shooting a dying terrorist. Brigadier-General (res.) Avigdor Kahalani is a hero, fallen soldier Roi Klein is a hero. He is no hero, and he knew that very well. The army made mistakes on the way too, but that doesnt change what happened there, whats right and what isnt.

The Azaria affair has come to an end. I hope in a few months hell return home after being pardoned and forget about all the imaginary friends who adopted him so they could be on television for a minute. Now, on the eve of Tisha BAv, Israeli stateliness is just beginning to patch things up.
Over 1,000 Jews visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Tuesday to mark the fast of Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning over the destruction of the two holy Temples.

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According to an umbrella group of Temple organizations, a new daily record was set with 1,263 Jews visiting the holy site on Tuesday. This is the first time since the 1967 Six-Day War the number of Jewish visitors has surpassed 1,000.

Thousands more were at the Western Wall, sitting on the floor as a sign of mourning.

Jews enter the Temple Mount (Photo: Eitan Cohen, TPS)

During the day, nine Jewish visitors were removed from the Temple Mount for violating the rules at the site. Four peoplethree Jews and one Muslimwere arrested for assaulting police officers who tried to break a fight between them.

Throughout the morning, hundreds of people stood in line adjacent to the Mughrabi Gate, the only entrance to the Temple Mount for non-Muslims, to visit the site. Entering the ramp leading to the Mount, Jewish visitors passed through metal detectors and thorough security checks to ensure no forbidden items, including prayer books, religious items and Israeli flags, made it up to the Mount. On the ramp leading up to the gate, officers briefed visitors on visitation rules, including prohibitions on praying and bowing down.

Jewish visitors were also required to leave identification at the checkpoint.

Jews visit the Temple Mount on Tisha B'Av (:  )

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Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, who opposes the visit of Jews to the Temple Mount, said the visitors were "desecrating the site's holiness. Particularly today, on Tisha B'AV, the day the Temple was destroyed, it is my obligation to once again mention visiting the Temple Mount is forbidden according to Halacha." Jordan's foreign minister threatens another crisis

The site has been at the center of recent tensions after Israel installed, and then removed, metal detectors there following the deadly shooting of two Israeli policemen. Muslims administer the compound, home to the Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock, while Jews can visit but not pray there. Muslims refer to the site as the Noble Sanctuary, while Jews call it the Temple Mount. It is considered the holiest place in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. Less than a week after the end of the standoff at the Temple Mount, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman A-Safadi threatened Israel with another crisis. "The numbers of extremists taking over Al-Aqsa is at an all-time high, not seen since that start of Israeli occupation in 1967," he said at an Organization of Islamic Cooperation conference of foreign ministers in Turkey. "The crisis is over, but many more and far more dangerous crises will erupt as a result of continued Israeli violations," A-Safadi warned. "This will happen should Israel fail to uproot the sources of contention, the occupation remains in place and east Jerusalem fails to become the independent capital of a sovereign Palestine within the 1967 borders." Jewish visitors at the Temple Mount (Photo: Yeraeh organization)

A-Safadi charged that "Israel tried to change the historic and legal status quo in the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the pretext of security. But that security is achieved by perpetuating everything that deprives the Palestinian people of their rights and perpetuating an environment of despair that is being exploited by extremism and violence." "There is no security while there is occupation, there is no security while there is subjugation, there is no security while there is the violation of the rights of others," he added. "The road to security is clear, it is a lasting peace that will realize the right of the Palestinian people to establish their state and realize their freedom... based on international law and the 2003 Arab peace initiative." Also speaking at the same conference was Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malki, who denounced the "annual massive assault against Al Aqsa on the occasion of the anniversary of the so-called destruction of the Temple." "Netanyahu will try again to impose his status quo and we must prepare for the next round, which could happen very soon and be very tough," Malki said. The lifting of Israeli measures "is a small victory in a long battle for freedom," he added. Jewish visitors at the Temple Mount (Photo: Yeraeh organization) Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, whose country is the current president of the OIC, called on Muslim countries to support the Palestinians "with deeds and not words." "We must act to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestine," he added, reiterating the appeal launched a few days ago by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to all Muslims to visit Jerusalem.
A new trend of American Jewish mothers who decide to visit Israel for the first time in their lives has gotten significant coverage in American media in recent weeks.

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Even major TV networks, such as Fox, ABC and NBC, reported about the MOMentum trips, a Zionist project organized by the Jewish Womens Renaissance Project (JWRP) and Israels Ministry of Diaspora Affairs.

MOMentum is an eight-day subsidized journey in Israel. More than 11,000 Jewish mothers from 26 countries around the worldmost coming from the United Stateshave already taken part in the project. To be eligible for the journey, women must have children under 18, not observe Shabbat, and have never been to Israel before.

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According to JWRP, the MOMentum trip stretches from the mystical Galilee city of Safed to the ancient desert mountaintop fortress Masada, and features extensive itineraries and curated curricula encompassing everything from Jewish values to contemporary Israeli society. Among other things, the mothers climb Masada, bathe in the Dead Sea, travel to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, pray at the Western Wall, and get photographed against the backdrop of the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock.

The trips inspire women to connect deeply with their Jewish heritage, and transform themselves, their families, and ultimately their communities and the wider world.

Photo: Aviram Valdman/JWRP

JWRP was founded in Maryland in 2008 to promote the empowerment of Jewish women, whom they realized could change the world through Jewish values.

Photo: Aviram Valdman/JWRP

The project, and the thousands of mothers who have already participated, have been covered by multiple US TV stations and newspapers, which dedicated reports to the Israel journeys and interviewed the Jewish mothers, who shared their incredible experiences with tearful eyes upon their return home.

One of them, Amanda Rothbard of Philadelphia, told a local Fox affiliate: This was the first time I visited Israel. I was selected from over 40 applicants. I went there not knowing one person, and I left there with 23-plus sisters and family. We learned how to really empower ourselves as women, how to be better wives and mothers and friends.

Rothbard added, We went to a military base and met young Israelis before they enlisted in the army. In Israel you dont have any choicethey graduate high school and go straight to the military. We got the chance to meet those who will be the next IDF leaders, the sergeants and lieutenants. They really love their country. As a mother, to not have a choice to send my child off to warand I met with many of their mothersit was such an empowering and emotional journey.

Photo: Aviram Valdman/JWRP

Israels Ministry of Diaspora Affairs partnered with JWRP in 2013 after identifying it as a strategic and important project.

The MOMentum trip emphasizes the Israeli governments commitment towards the Jewish Diaspora and provides an unprecedented opportunity for Jewish women from different backgrounds to strengthen their Jewish identities and connections to Israel, said Dvir Kahana, director general of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs. I see the partnership with JWRP as critical to our vision of empowering women while recognizing their unique role in raising and educating the next generation to ensure a thriving future for the Jewish people.

Photo: Aviram Valdman/JWRP

Women often express concern about leaving their children for eight days for a MOMentum trip, said Lori Palatnik, JWRPs founding director. I explain that they are not leaving their kids, they are going for their kids. What they will gain on this life-changing trip will spill over into their homes in the most beautiful and profound way.
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Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Abu Dujana, a Pakistani who was killed in an encounter with security forces today in Jammu and Kashmir, was not just involved in many attacks but would also harass the local public, a senior Army official claimed.

Dujana's killing has affected the outfit and more terrorists would be hunted soon, he added. A senior police official also said that Dujana had become an eyesore for everyone and he would even harass girls.

"Dujana was not involved in too many operations, he was more of a nuisance. He was more involved in coercion and not many in terms of terrorist acts. So, he was only enjoying himself here. That is the way I look at it," Lt Gen J S Sandhu, corps commander of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, told reporters at Awantipora in Pulwama district.

But the leadership of the LeT has been affected and we, of course, will keep hunting for other terrorist in this area, he added.

Our aim is clearing them out as soon as possible, Sandhu said, flanked by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan.

Lt Gen Sandhu said the security forces received the information about the presence of two terrorists in Hakripora area of Pulwama in the early hours today.

By about 4 AM, the police as well as the Army had established the cordon around about 10-12 houses which was the reported area. Subsequently, we closed in and on speaking to the house owner learnt that the terrorists were not allowing the family to come out.

After a couple of hours, after talking to them, the members of the family came out, after which we launched the operations.

It started around early hours of the morning, around 8 (AM) or so and within a couple of hours, the two terrorists were killed, he said.





IMAGE: Villagers near the house which was destroyed during a gunbattle between security forces and militants in Hakhri Pora in Pulwama District on Tuesday. Photograph: S Irfan/ PTI Photo
Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-31 23:09:22|Editor: yan

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MOSCOW, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday called on all parties interested in settlement on the Korean Peninsula for restraint and establishment of a dialogue after a new missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"We call on all parties involved to refrain from any steps which could lead to further escalation of tension in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement also said Russia was concerned by the missile launch, which directly violated the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.

The DPRK test-fired on Friday a missile, which the country described as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called Hwasong-14, from Jagang province in the central northernmost part of the country, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

At the same time, Moscow was concerned by the military activities of the U.S., South Korea and Japan around the Korean Peninsula with the deployment of elements of the U.S. global Anti-Ballistic Missile system in South Korea, it said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday ordered his aides to consult with their U.S. counterparts on the deployment of four more mobile launchers of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) on top of the two delivered previously, the South Korean JSC said.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China and Russia as the "principal economic enablers" of DPRK's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development program bore "unique and special responsibility for this growing threat to regional and global stability."

Russia's foreign ministry recalled that Russia and China had developed a joint "road map," which excluded the use or threatened use of force and involved a comprehensive solution of all problems of the Korean Peninsula, including nuclear, through the political and diplomatic way by means of dialogue without preliminary conditions.

"We suggest all interested parties immediately begin a comprehensive discussion about the establishment of collective efforts to resolve the situation on the basis of the ideas contained in the 'road map'," the statement said.
This photo, taken on July 6, 2016, shows former Prime Minister Tony Blair addresses a news conference in London following the outcome of the Iraq Inquiry report. (AFP PHOTO / POOL / Stefan Rousseau)

LONDON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The High Court in London blocked an attempt on Monday by a former Iraqi army general to have former British prime minister Tony Blair prosecuted for a war crime, local media reported.

Abdul Wahed Shannan Al Rabbat, who served as chief of staff of the Iraqi army, alleged that Blair and two of his ministers had committed the crime of aggression by invading Iraq in 2003 to overthrow President Saddam Hussein.

Al Rabbat had also wanted to prosecute against Jack Straw, who served as foreign secretary in Blair's Labour government, and the former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith.

His lawyers, led by British barrister Michael Mansfield, asked the High Court for permission to seek a judicial review in an attempt to get the British Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by the House of Lords in 2006 that there is no such crime as the crime of aggression under English and Welsh law.

The judges, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the Lord Chief Justice, and Justice Ouseley, dismissed the general's application, on the grounds there was no chance of the case succeeding.

The British attorney general Jeremy Wright had earlier intervened in the case on behalf of the British government, calling on the High Court to block the challenge on the grounds that it was "hopeless."

After the ruling, a spokesman at the Attorney General's Office in London said: "It should be for Parliament, and not the courts, to create new criminal offences. This principle was upheld when the House of Lords ruled in 2006 that the crime of aggression does not exist in English law. In this legal challenge, we argued that this remains the case today and the courts agreed."

The court centered on the invasion in 2003 when British forces joined the U.S.-led coalition to overthrow Hussein, after then U.S. president George W Bush and Blair accused Iraq of possessing weapons of mass destruction.

The invasion led to a lengthy inquiry in Britain led by John Chilcot, who ruled the invasion had not been the "last resort" presented to members of parliament as well as the public. Chilcot's report ruled Blair had overstated the threat posed by Hussein.

Later, the Guardian newspaper in London published a response to the ruling by Al Rabbat's lawyer, Imran Khan, the solicitor who represented the general.

According to the Guardian newspaper, Khan said: "(He) is extremely disappointed with the judgment of the high court in London which brings to an end the hope of prosecuting Tony Blair, Jack Straw, and Peter Goldsmith for the crime of aggression in invading Iraq in 2003.

"The invasion and subsequent occupation resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals as well as the displacement of over four million others including General al-Rabbat who has had to seek sanctuary and refuge in another country.

"Iraq has been left decimated and in a state of chronic instability. Despite all of this, and the clear findings of the Chilcot inquiry which laid bare the conduct of those that should be held to account, the high court has confirmed that there is to be no accountability. Those responsible are to remain unpunished. This is not justice."
Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 30, 2017 shows the test-firing of a ballistic missile. (Xinhua/KCNA)

MOSCOW, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday called on all parties interested in settlement on the Korean Peninsula for restraint and establishment of a dialogue after a new missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"We call on all parties involved to refrain from any steps which could lead to further escalation of tension in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement also said Russia was concerned by the missile launch, which directly violated the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.

The DPRK test-fired on Friday a missile, which the country described as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called Hwasong-14, from Jagang province in the central northernmost part of the country, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

At the same time, Moscow was concerned by the military activities of the U.S., South Korea and Japan around the Korean Peninsula with the deployment of elements of the U.S. global Anti-Ballistic Missile system in South Korea, it said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday ordered his aides to consult with their U.S. counterparts on the deployment of four more mobile launchers of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) on top of the two delivered previously, the South Korean JSC said.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China and Russia as the "principal economic enablers" of DPRK's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development program bore "unique and special responsibility for this growing threat to regional and global stability."

Russia's foreign ministry recalled that Russia and China had developed a joint "road map," which excluded the use or threatened use of force and involved a comprehensive solution of all problems of the Korean Peninsula, including nuclear, through the political and diplomatic way by means of dialogue without preliminary conditions.

"We suggest all interested parties immediately begin a comprehensive discussion about the establishment of collective efforts to resolve the situation on the basis of the ideas contained in the 'road map'," the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 01:46:08|Editor: yan

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BAQUBA, Iraq, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi aircraft on Monday carried out an airstrike against the Islamic State (IS) militants and killed five of them in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, while the security forces conducted an operation on IS-held areas in the province, a provincial security source said.

The five militants were killed when the Iraqi warplanes bombarded their vehicle in the village of Albu Awad near the provincial border with neighboring Salahudin province, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, a joint force from the Iraqi army, police and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units launched an operation aimed at dislodging IS militants from the rural area near the town of Sa'diyah, some 120 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the source said.

The troops destroyed three IS hideouts and seized caches of weapons and ammunition in the area, the source added.

Also in the day, at least 12 families were forced to leave their homes in the village of Owj-Tapa, some 170 km northeast of Baghdad, after they received threats from IS militants who are active in the nearby area, while more families in the village are expected to leave in the coming days, the source said.

The extremist IS militants frequently attack the urban areas of the province using the orchards near the villages and the sprawling rugged area in northwestern Diyala, which also extends to the main IS redoubt in Mteibijah at the provincial border line with the neighboring Salahudin province.

Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the United States, which invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 04:37:54|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (C) speaks at a daily briefing to address sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the White House in Washington D.C., United States, on July 31, 2017. The United States on Monday slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Venezuela held its National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Sunday. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Monday slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Venezuela held its National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Sunday.

"By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime," a statement by the U.S. Treasury Department quoted Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as saying.

The statement also warned that anyone who participates in the ANC could be exposed to future U.S. sanctions.

As a result of the sanctions, "all assets of Nicolas Maduro subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen," said the statement, adding that U.S. persons are prohibited from dealing with him.

Apart from the sanctions against Maduro, the U.S. Treasury Department had already slapped sanctions on 13 current or former senior officials of the Venezuelan government amid political turmoil in the South American country.

The Venezuelan officials were blacklisted for their association with the election of the controversial National Constituent Assembly (ANC) and their government's "rampant violence against opposition protesters and its corruption," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Venezuela's National Electoral Council, more than 8 million people on Sunday participated in vote to elect a new ANC tasked to rewrite the constitution, with a 41.53-percent turnout rate.

The vote on Sunday came at a time of high tension in Venezuela, with the anti-government protests organized by the opposition, Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), having led to more than 110 deaths since early April.

The ANC was proposed by Maduro in May to rewrite the 1999 Constitution to break the ongoing political deadlock that has paralyzed the South American country. But the opposition said it was an excuse for Maduro to consolidate power.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 04:47:58|Editor: yan

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ROME, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Two humanitarian groups refused to sign a so-called code of conduct for maritime search-and-rescue NGOs drawn up by the Italian government, and this could have "consequences for the security of their vessels", the Italian Interior Ministry said Monday.

Humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Jugend Rettet, a German youth NGO, did not sign. The Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), Pro Activa Open Arms from Spain, and Save the Children agreed to sign.

Another three NGOs -- Sea Watch, Sea Eye, and SOS Mediterranee -- did not take part in the talks, Italy's interior ministry said in a statement released Monday evening. "Refusing to agree and sign puts those NGOs outside the organized sea rescue system, with all the concrete consequences that might develop, beginning with the security of the vessels themselves," the ministry statement said.

Due to a lack of legal routes into Europe, thousands of men, women and children fleeing war and famine in North Africa and the Middle East pay hefty sums to embark on unseaworthy boats run by human traffickers in a bid to reach Europe.

Most of the vessels leave from Libya, with Italy as the nearest European landfall on the so-called Central Mediterranean route.

Beginning in 2014, the NGOs launched vessels to help save lives in the Mediterranean alongside the European Union's Frontex border patrol mission, in cooperation with the Italian Coast Guard and upon authorization from the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC).

However Italy's new code of conduct includes a ban on entering Libyan waters, where most of the migrant shipwrecks occur.

As well, the NGO code of conduct includes an obligation to allow an armed police officer on board. "We can't have weapons on board a humanitarian vessel, just as you can't have them in a hospital," Gabriele Eminente from MSF Italy told RAI public broadcaster after Monday's meeting at the Interior Ministry in Rome.

He praised the "excellent collaboration with the Italian Coast Guard" and the "frank debate with Italian institutions" over the NGO code of conduct, which the Italian government first announced at the beginning of the month.

On July 3, Italy said it had drawn up a plan of action along with France and Germany to curb migrant arrivals, including the NGO code of conduct.

The code has been approved by the European Commission. Last Friday, the Italian cabinet approved an operational mission to support the Libyan Coast Guard in the fight against migrant traffickers in the Mediterranean -- and to prevent the migrant boats from leaving in the first place.

According to the latest running tally by the UN-affiliated International Organization for Migration (IOM), 113,433 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2017 through July 26, with almost 85 percent arriving in Italy and the remainder divided between Greece, Cyprus and Spain.

At least 2,385 died in the attempt, according to IOM. According to its website, MSF has rescued over 69,000 people since 2015. Jugend Rettet reports it has saved 6,526 lives since July 2016, and MOAS says it has saved 33,455 lives since August 2014.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 06:33:53|Editor: yan

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DAMASCUS, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that the Syrian army is writing the features of the "near victory," according to state news agency SANA.

Speaking on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary for the establishment of the Syrian army, Assad said the Syrian army has succeeded to make great achievements in the face of an unprecedented terrorist enemy.

"We are still facing a terrorist enemy, which the history hasn't seen before," Assad said, adding that such enemy is backed by regional and International powers with the aim to controlling the entire region though Syria.

The president addressed the Syrian army as saying that "Today, you are writing epics of glories and writing, through your steadfastness and determination, the feature of the near victory."

The celebration this year comes as the Syrian forces with the backing of Russia and Shiite fighters, mainly the Lebanese Hezbollah, have made strides in the battle against the extremist groups, namely the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The army recently captured much of the Syrian desert from IS, by advancing in the eastern countryside of Homs province in central Syria, and by stripping the Nusra Front of its positions in the Fleita barrens in western Qalamoun region.
DAMASCUS, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that the Syrian army is writing the features of the "near victory," according to state news agency SANA.

Speaking on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary for the establishment of the Syrian army, Assad said the Syrian army has succeeded to make great achievements in the face of an unprecedented terrorist enemy.

"We are still facing a terrorist enemy, which the history hasn't seen before," Assad said, adding that such enemy is backed by regional and International powers with the aim to controlling the entire region though Syria.

The president addressed the Syrian army as saying that "Today, you are writing epics of glories and writing, through your steadfastness and determination, the feature of the near victory."

The celebration this year comes as the Syrian forces with the backing of Russia and Shiite fighters, mainly the Lebanese Hezbollah, have made strides in the battle against the extremist groups, namely the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

The army recently captured much of the Syrian desert from IS, by advancing in the eastern countryside of Homs province in central Syria, and by stripping the Nusra Front of its positions in the Fleita barrens in western Qalamoun region.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 07:37:32|Editor: Yamei

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HANOI, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption on Monday ordered faster investigation into and trial of many major corruption cases in the remaining months of this year.

The committee required prompt inspection, clarification of the cause and responsibility, and strict handling of organizations and individuals with violations at nine big loss-making projects, Vietnam News Agency reported on Monday.

It also demanded investigation, prosecution and trial of serious corruption and economic rules violating cases that are of public concern in 20 localities by the end of 2017.

According to the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, there remain shortcomings in the detection, verification and investigation of corruption cases, while the progress of trials is still sluggish.

While the amount of assets recovered is modest, the corruption fight at local levels has not been strongly improved, the party top leader said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 09:50:21|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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ACCRA, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The Ghanaian government on Monday assigned a joint military and police task force to curb illegal mining.

The 400-member joint force is deployed in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions where the situation is most severe.

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated his government's commitment to ending illegal mining activities.

The launch of the task force named 'Operation Vanguard' comes barely one month after 24 people were trapped and killed in mining pits in the Ashanti and Western Regions of the country.

At the launching ceremony, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Kwabena Frimpong Boateng urged the troops to operate within the law and not abuse the rights of inhabitants.

"You are going there to protect lives, properties and the environment and that should be your focus," the minister said.

The task force is expected to stay in the illegal mining areas until degraded lands and rivers are restored and the re-afforestation program is undertaken.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 09:55:26|Editor: Liangyu

Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa (2nd R, Front) and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong (1st R, Front) visit a picture exhibition during a reception celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on July 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on Monday evening celebrated the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) by hosting a grand reception here in the Pakistani capital.

Pakistan's army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong, Chinese Defense Attache Chen Wenrong were among over 600 people who attended the reception.

In his welcome address, Chen Wenrong said since its foundation on Aug. 1, 1927, the PLA has grown into a modernized and professional multiple-services armed force with world fame as a civilized and peaceful military force that is playing its leading role for world peace.

He said the military relationship between the two armed forces of China and Pakistan "has always served as the pillar to our bilateral relationship."

The brotherly friendship and pragmatic collaboration between the two armed forces have expanded in the field of joint exercises, personal exchanges, training, equipment as well as counter terrorism, he added.

In his speech as the chief guest, Gen. Bajwa, on behalf of all ranks of Pakistani army, congratulated all ranks of the PLA on the occasion of the celebrations of the 90th anniversary of the PLA establishment.

"Pakistan army and people of Pakistan take great pride in our deep rooted brotherly relationship with China," said Bajwa.

Analysts and think tanks present at the reception hailed China's defense policy and its role to maintain peace and stability in the region and beyond.

An exhibition of pictures and paintings depicting the history and development of the PLA was also arranged in conjunction with the reception.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 10:35:42|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) must be bold in reform and adept in innovation while staying away from rigidity and stagnation at any time and under any circumstances.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a grand rally marking the 90th founding anniversary of the PLA.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 10:35:47|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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WASHINGTON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- In tit-for-tat move against Washington's looming sanctions against Moscow, President Vladimir Putin orders 755 U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia to be cut in what may be the sign of further escalation of revenge from both sides.

The move, which signaled Putin's growing impatience over improvement of Russia-U.S. relations, came after U.S. Congress passed new legislation that imposes additional sanctions on Russia. The White House has said U.S. President Donald Trump intended to sign the bill into law.

"This is a regrettable and uncalled-for act," the U.S. State Department said Monday in a statement. "We are assessing the impact of such a limitation and how we will respond to it."

"Combined with the shadow of Russian interference in the 2016 election, the political environment in the United States is hostile to Russia and Congress has led the way in skepticism of Russian policy and actions," Dan Mahaffee, Senior Vice President of Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, a Washington-based policy organization, told Xinhua in an interview.

Russia's decision to expel American diplomats marks the harshest such diplomatic move since the twilight years of the Cold War, but it is unclear how the order, which will take effect by Sept. 1, will be carried out.

Mark Galeotti, senior researcher at UMV, the Institute of International Relations Prague, held that Moscow's latest move will certainly inconvenience both the U.S. State Department and also any Russian wanting a U.S. visa or otherwise hoping to use the services of American's embassy and consulates there. It will be especially problematic for all those Russians employed by the U.S. government who will find themselves unemployed, said Galeotti.

The latest episode of Washington-Moscow tension further deteriorated the relationship between the two countries that has already been at a low point, and dealt a severe blow to Trump's efforts to mend ties with Russia.

"The Russian decision to reduce U.S. diplomatic staff appears linked directly to the new Congressional sanctions bill," Steven Pifer, Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank, told Xinhua. "Neither action will help the U.S.-Russia relationship, which was already at a difficult level, but one should not overestimate the impact."

Pifer noted that U.S.-Russia relations are "at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War," adding that it will take "patient, hard diplomacy" to move the relationship to a better point.

Putin has ordered a dramatic reduction in the U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia, saying the U.S. diplomatic staff "will now equal the number of the Russian diplomatic personnel in the United States, 455 people on each side."

Last December, Trump's predecessor Barack Obama ordered 35 Russian diplomats to leave the U.S., saying the actions were being carried out in response to Moscow's alleged attempt to interfere in the election.

The row between the U.S. and Russia also signaled a major shift in tone from a summit between Trump and Putin earlier this month, which showed prospects of warmer ties.

"President Trump felt that he could improve U.S.-Russia relations with a strong personal rapport with President Putin, but given the deterioration of relations with Russia, the issues are far more than what can be resolved by a positive relationship between the leaders," Mahaffee said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 10:40:49|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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WASHINGTON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration hopes to get the tax reform bill through the Congress by November, a senior White House official said Monday.

The congressional tax-writing committees are expected to develop and draft the tax reform bill after the Labor Day which falls on Sept. 4 this year, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Marc Short announced at an event in presence of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at the Newseum, an interactive museum in Washington, D.C.

"Those processes are probably played out to get the bill to the House through the month of October, and then the Senate in November, so that I think is an aggressive schedule, but that is our timetable," Short said.

Mnuchin said they are proud of their group of six, representing the House, the Senate and the administration on the same page for the fundamental principles of the tax reform, noting it is "critical" to get the tax reform done this year.

The White House and Republican congressional leaders called for setting aside the controversial border adjustment tax and lowering tax rates for all American businesses in a joint statement on the tax reform released last week.

The six major officials working on the tax reform, known as the "Big Six," include Mnuchin, House Speaker Paul Ryan, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn.

As Senate Republicans failed to repeal Obama's healthcare law known as Obamacare last week, Republican leaders of the two chambers have vowed to shift legislative priorities to the long-awaited tax reform.

However, the Republican-controlled Congress has to tackle highly contentious budget negotiations for the next fiscal year in September, and raise the debt ceiling in October to avoid a federal government default. It's not clear whether the Trump administration has enough political capital and time to get the tax reform bill through the Congress this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 10:45:58|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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KIEV, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) came into force on Tuesday with expectations that it will boost bilateral trade as well as increase investment and create new jobs in Ukraine.

The CUFTA immediately eliminates tariffs on 98 percent of Ukraine's exports. The east European country's export-oriented sectors such as agriculture, chemical, metallurgy and machine-building industries are expected to benefit most.

"It will allow Ukraine to increase the supplies of the traditional category of goods consisting of non-precious metals, parts for vehicles, machinery and equipment. Agricultural exports have a potential to increase sharply," said Vadim Iosuba, a senior expert at the think tank Alpari.

Last year, the bilateral trade between Ukraine and Canada reached 246.3 million U.S. dollars, with Ukrainian exports accounting for about 12 percent.

The Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry forecast that the free trade regime will allow Ukraine to increase its exports to Canada by tenfold within the next five years.

Under the CUFTA, Ukraine immediately cancels the duties on 72 percent of Canadian imports, mainly fish and seafood, iron and steel, textiles, cosmetics and electronic products.

The share of duty-free Canadian exports to Ukraine will rise to 98 percent within seven years.

Canada is expected to benefit more than having market access to Ukraine from the free trade regime.

Canadian producers see Ukraine as a site for establishing manufacturing ventures to produce goods for the European Union that has a free trade deal with Kiev.

"Ukraine, not only for Canada, but also for other states, is potentially a good trade and production link for working in the European market. This is our most important advantage," said Andriy Novak, chairman of Ukraine's Economists Committee.

For Ukraine, such cooperation will attract investment from Canada and creates jobs.

The Ukrainian government has estimated the CUFTA implementation will create about 3,000 new jobs in Ukraine within the next five years.

Among the challenges facing Ukraine and Canada in an effective implementation of the free trade agreement, experts have named the far distance between the two countries which increases logistics difficulties, as well as the differences in the economic size and the development level.

There is no doubt that Ukraine has to raise the quality of its goods and improve the investment environment in order to fully exploit the opportunities the CUFTA offers.

If Kiev achieves this, it may gain access to other markets which have close economic links with Canada, according to experts.

"For instance, CUFTA could be a first step towards signing a similar free trade agreement with the United States given the fact that Canada and the U.S. have an economic and trade union," said Volodymyr Lanovyi, Ukraine's former economic minister.
A combination of two photos shows U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as they arrive for the G20 leaders summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo)

WASHINGTON, July 31 (Xinhua) -- In tit-for-tat move against Washington's looming sanctions against Moscow, President Vladimir Putin orders 755 U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia to be cut in what may be the sign of further escalation of revenge from both sides.

The move, which signaled Putin's growing impatience over improvement of Russia-U.S. relations, came after U.S. Congress passed new legislation that imposes additional sanctions on Russia. The White House has said U.S. President Donald Trump intended to sign the bill into law.

"This is a regrettable and uncalled-for act," the U.S. State Department said Monday in a statement. "We are assessing the impact of such a limitation and how we will respond to it."

"Combined with the shadow of Russian interference in the 2016 election, the political environment in the United States is hostile to Russia and Congress has led the way in skepticism of Russian policy and actions," Dan Mahaffee, Senior Vice President of Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, a Washington-based policy organization, told Xinhua in an interview.

Russia's decision to expel American diplomats marks the harshest such diplomatic move since the twilight years of the Cold War, but it is unclear how the order, which will take effect by Sept. 1, will be carried out.

Mark Galeotti, senior researcher at UMV, the Institute of International Relations Prague, held that Moscow's latest move will certainly inconvenience both the U.S. State Department and also any Russian wanting a U.S. visa or otherwise hoping to use the services of American's embassy and consulates there. It will be especially problematic for all those Russians employed by the U.S. government who will find themselves unemployed, said Galeotti.

The latest episode of Washington-Moscow tension further deteriorated the relationship between the two countries that has already been at a low point, and dealt a severe blow to Trump's efforts to mend ties with Russia.

"The Russian decision to reduce U.S. diplomatic staff appears linked directly to the new Congressional sanctions bill," Steven Pifer, Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank, told Xinhua. "Neither action will help the U.S.-Russia relationship, which was already at a difficult level, but one should not overestimate the impact."

Pifer noted that U.S.-Russia relations are "at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War," adding that it will take "patient, hard diplomacy" to move the relationship to a better point.

Putin has ordered a dramatic reduction in the U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia, saying the U.S. diplomatic staff "will now equal the number of the Russian diplomatic personnel in the United States, 455 people on each side."

Last December, Trump's predecessor Barack Obama ordered 35 Russian diplomats to leave the U.S., saying the actions were being carried out in response to Moscow's alleged attempt to interfere in the election.

The row between the U.S. and Russia also signaled a major shift in tone from a summit between Trump and Putin earlier this month, which showed prospects of warmer ties.

"President Trump felt that he could improve U.S.-Russia relations with a strong personal rapport with President Putin, but given the deterioration of relations with Russia, the issues are far more than what can be resolved by a positive relationship between the leaders," Mahaffee said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 10:56:04|Editor: Liangyu

Zhang Wei, defence attache of the People's Republic of China in Bangladesh, speaks at a reception celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Salim Reza)

DHAKA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Dhaka has hosted a reception here to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) which falls on Aug. 1.

Over 500 guests including high-ranking officers and officials, politicians, diplomats and scholars attended the reception held on Monday night.

Chinese Defense Attache Zhang Wei made a welcome speech at the reception, highlighting the progress in China-Bangladesh military cooperation over the past years.

He said the two countries have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, continuously deepening, fruitful and pragmatic cooperation.

Noting that an increasing number of Bangladeshi officers went to China for training and exchange, Zhang said it plays an important role in promoting mutual understanding and trust.

The Chinese defense attache also expressed appreciation for Bangladesh's position on issues related to China's core interests.

Bangladeshi high-ranking army officials and military attaches of other foreign countries congratulated China on the 90th anniversary of the PLA founding and its progress.

They expressed their appreciation of the efforts made by the Chinese army in active participation in maintaining regional and world peace and stability.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 11:42:36|Editor: Xiang Bo

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RIO DE JANEIRO, July 31 (Xinhua) -- English Premier League side Watford have agreed to sign Brazil under-20 forward Richarlison from Rio de Janeiro outfit Fluminense.

Richarlison had also been linked with Premier League champions Chelsea and Dutch club Ajax.

"[We] thank Richarlison for his dedication and commitment during his 70 games and 19 goals for the club, and wish him success in the next stage of his career," Fluminense said in a statement on Monday.

Richarlison made 70 first-team appearances for Fluminense and scored 19 goals.

Watford are said to be awaiting the approval of a work permit for the 20-year before confirming the transfer, which reportedly cost the Hornets around 11 million US dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 11:42:37|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MELBOURNE, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Australian mozzarella cheese from Victoria will be exported to China for the first time, it was announced on Tuesday.

Fonterra Australia, one of the country's leading dairy companies, will send cheese from its new 112-million-U.S. dollar factory in Stanhope, 197 kilometers north of Melbourne, to China for use on pizza.

Once the factory begins production, it will be the first time Fonterra has made cheese in Australia since 2013 with all production since then taking place in New Zealand.

Rene Dedoncker, managing director of Fonterra, said that the move came in response to the rising popularity of pizza in Asia.

"New Zealand-made Fonterra cheese is already topping more than half the pizzas made in China, and now we will be sending our Australian-made mozzarella as our customers just can't get enough of it," Dedoncker said in a media release on Tuesday.

"In China, the growth in Western-style foodservice outlets has meant more opportunities for Chinese people to try cheese and many are developing a taste for it, particularly on pizza. The market potential is enormous."

Fonterra said that 40 percent of people in urban China were eating at Western-style fast food outlets once a week and the use of dairy products has risen 30 percent in five years.

"As disposable incomes rise in China, spending on dining out is growing, and pizza is a very popular menu choice. They want the extra stretch, softness and flavour of our mozzarella made with high-quality Australian milk," Dedoncker said.

"This supports our strategy to be Fonterra's global ingredients hub for cheese, whey and nutritionals, complementing our consumer and food service businesses."

Jared Ireland, a Fonterra farmer with 450 head of cattle in Northern Victoria, said he was proud to learn that the milk he produced was being turned into high-quality products.

"My family loves eating pizza with its stretchy mozzarella. Knowing where our milk goes, we can tell our children that our farm's milk goes into making mozzarella to top pizzas for families to enjoy in China," Ireland said.

"With Stanhope's new cheese plant coming online, positive news like this gives us confidence in a strong, sustainable future for dairy in Australia."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 11:57:41|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MELBOURNE, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The price of Australian wool has bounced back after a 20-year lull due to global demand, experts said on Tuesday.

Wool farmers are benefiting from the best prices for their product in two decades with market analysts tipping that the market would remain strong.

Geoff Power, president of Livestock South Australia (SA), said that prices were steady at 12.03 U.S. dollars per kilogram for fine wool and medium merino wool and the market was "looking very good."

"There's been new-found wealth in Asia, but particularly in China where most of our wool is processed and then exported," Power told Australian media on Tuesday.

"A lot of our exports, be it mutton, beef or wool, is now staying in China because of a growing middle class with disposable incomes.

"There's a lot of optimism out there for both sheep, wool and cattle as the price of commodities are good."

Australia produced 341,000 tons of wool in the financial year ending in June 2017, 75 percent of which was exported to China.

The price of the wool spiked 10 percent to 12.07 U.S. dollars per kilo in the first half of 2017 on the back of strong demand and a limited supply, prompting the ongoing strong market for the commodity.

The shortfall in wool came as a result of low rainfall across Australia stunting wool growth.

The Rural Bank's 2017 Australian Wool Annual Review said that the spike was the end of a 20-year drop-off in wool prices.

Clint Rayner, a second generation farmer, said that the price spike was a welcome boost for his family's farm which is home to 3,100 Merino sheep.

"These are definitely the best prices I've seen since I've became involved in the 80s," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 11:57:45|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country's armed forces to bear in mind the sacred duty of fighting for the people.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Tuesday while addressing a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The PLA is deeply rooted in the people and the strength comes from the people, said Xi.

Xi called on the PLA to maintain its close relationship with the people and "go through thick and thin" with them.

The PLA should also actively contribute to the economic and social development in stationed areas to benefit the people with actions, said Xi.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 12:02:48|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A fierce gunfight between militants and Indian troops broke out Tuesday in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight erupted at Harkipora village of Pulwama district, about 27 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Gunfight broke out at village Harkipora this morning," a police official posted in Pulwama told Xinhua.

"The gunfight triggered after contingents of India troops and police encircled a locality on the intelligence information suggesting presence of militants in the area."

Police officials suspect two militants are holed up in the area.

Locals said they heard sound of gunfire in the village.

"We are being told militants are holed up in a residential house and heavy gunfire is audible from a distance," a local resident Bilal Ahmad said. "We have locked ourselves in our houses."

On Sunday, two militants belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant outfit were killed at village Tahab in the district.

A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian- controlled Kashmir since 1989. The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 12:02:51|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MELBOURNE, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Toys can have a significant influence on the eating choices of children, an Australian study has found.

The study, published by the Cancer Council of Victoria (CCV) on Tuesday, found that children aged between five and nine years old were more likely to choose a healthy food option if the meal came with a free toy, such as a character from a popular movie.

More than 1,000 children were offered a number of healthy and unhealthy meal choices after watching a trailer for a film.

Overall, children were more likely to choose the unhealthy option, but the interest in the healthy meals increased significantly when a toy was offered.

Jane Martin, a member of the Obesity Policy Coalition, said that the study proved that the marketing around unhealthy food choices aimed at children should be restricted.

"It's very, very hard to protect your kids from this kind of promotion; it's virtually impossible," Martin told Australian media on Tuesday.

"With one in four Australian kids currently overweight or obese, we should be supporting parents to make healthier choices, and not setting them up to battle with their kids over unhealthy food.

"I think that most children would not be requesting to go into a fast food franchise without the toy and the collectables."

She went as far as to say that toys and giveaways should only be allowed to be paired with healthy options.

"It shows that these kinds of promotions can be used in a way to harness children's interest and desires, and use it to put healthy food in front of them," Martin said.

Helen Dixon, lead researcher from the CCV, agreed with Martin, saying companies should have to fulfill nutrition criteria before giveaway promotions could be run.

"We know from analysis of advertising content on TV and other media that unhealthy food products like sweets, breakfast cereals, sugary junk food, snack food, fast food is very much overrepresented," Dixon said.

"We know marketing works, companies wouldn't invest so much in it if they didn't think it worked."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 12:02:53|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MEXICO CITY, July 31 (Xinhua) -- A Mexican journalist, Luciano Rivera, was shot dead in the early hours on Monday in a bar in Rosarito in the northwestern state of Baja California.

The murder took place in a bar in the center of Rosarito, a city 16 km from the border town of Tijuana, according to a statement issued by the state's prosecutor-general.

An investigation has been opened and a man, identified as Alfredo N., was arrested by police as he travelled in a taxi carrying a firearm.

Rivera, 33, was an editor for the local channel CNR TV Noticias, and a reporter for a news website.

Police told the local press that witnesses said Rivera was shot in the head. The suspect was arrested in the ongoing search.

In a news report, CNR TV Noticias said that Rivera had fallen victim to the climate of insecurity and "permanent instability" which is present in Rosarito and Baja California.

Rivera is the eighth journalist killed in Mexico since March, which has led the government to vow to improve protection for the profession.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 12:12:57|Editor: Xiang Bo

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YANGON, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's security forces have discovered some hidden tents of violent armed attackers in Mayu mountain range in northern Rakhine state's Buthidaung-Maungtaw area, Myanmar News Agency reported Tuesday.

Along with some construction materials, food and utensils, the hidden tents were found in the weekend during a search for a villager from Yathedaung township who was reported missing in the mountain range.

Last week, some 31 suspects were rounded up by the Myanmar security forces in Maungtaw township for holding a secret meeting in Kyauk Hlaykha village to plot terrorist acts.

A spate of violence occurred in Buthidaung and Maungtaw from last October to July with at least 44 civilians being killed and 27 others kidnapped by masked armed men.

Myanmar security forces have been put on high alert in Maungtaw following the incidents.

The killing has prompted nearly hundreds of local ethnic Rakhine villagers to flee the area.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 13:03:12|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Tuesday slammed U.S. news outlet CNN for falsely reporting child sex trafficking in Cambodia.

Speaking at a university graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen said the story seriously insulted Cambodian women and ordered the closure of Agape International Ministries (AIM) that provided the false information to the CNN in order to raise funds.

AIM is run by American missionaries.

"This is a serious insult on Cambodian wives, daughters and sisters," the prime minister said. "This insult cannot be tolerated at any cost, and this NGO must leave Cambodia."

"My country is poor, but you cannot insult my people," Hun Sen said.

The recent story featured a CNN reporter returning to Phnom Penh's Svay Pak district - once a child prostitution hotspot - to interview girls featured in a 2013 CNN documentary starring actress Mira Sorvino.

Huy Vannak, an undersecretary of state at the Cambodian Ministry of Interior, said in a press conference last Friday that Svay Pak district, which cropped up in the 1990s as a thriving sex destination with many brothels, had no longer existed for over 15 years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 13:23:20|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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CARACAS, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's political crisis appeared to intensify on Monday, a day after an elections for a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) tasked to rewrite the Constitution was held.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro proposed the ANC in May as a way to break the paralyzing power struggle between the country's left-wing and right-wing factions, but the move seems to have fanned hostility even further.

As the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) celebrated the turnout of Sunday's election, the political rhetoric reached fever pitch on both sides.

Jorge Rodriguez, head of the PSUV, said the election saw the kind of "record-setting" numbers not seen since the days of former president Hugo Chavez, the party's founder.

"Chavismo (Spanish for Chavism, meaning the PSUV movement) recovered its record-setting voting. It's true," Rodriguez said at a press conference.

The National Electoral Council announced 8,089,320 Venezuelans, or 41.53 percent of registered voters, took part in Sunday's poll to elect ANC members.

The actual number was higher still, said Rodriguez, because millions more stayed away from the poll, intimidated by the opposition's violent anti-government protests.

Eight million "were there" and another 2 million "were not allowed to vote," according to Rodriguez.

"On July 30, the people spoke in a historic way, in a tremendous way, in an extraordinary way, with the highest participation ever seen in an event of this type in Venezuela's history," he said.

"Yesterday, the people sent a clear message to the whole world and the whole world has to hear this message. If they don't, they will be guilty of profound irresponsibility," he added.

The opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) refused to take part in the ANC, calling it a government tactic to consolidate power.

On Monday, Venezuela's Prosecutor General Luisa Ortega Diaz, a Chavez supporter who has become a vocal critic of the Maduro administration, dismissed the election outright.

The ANC initiative has only "increased the wave of protests, of demonstrations and the actions of the state security forces," she said.

The 545 members of the ANC are to debate and rewrite the constitution to strengthen social protection and communal programs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 13:38:27|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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VANCOUVER, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau toured central British Columbia (B.C.) by helicopter on Monday afternoon to get a glimpse of a charred landscape that has been scorched by wildfires in recent weeks.

The tour marks the prime minister's first look at the crisis which has forced about 50,000 people from their homes over the past month.

Trudeau said a main focus of his visit was to thank the wildfire first responders on behalf of all Canadians.

"I've seen people at the edge of exhaustion keep on pushing through, motivated by the tremendous support they're getting from communities," he said at a press conference in Williams Lake, one of the hardest-hit locations so far in this devastating wildfire season, following his tour.

Williams Lake's share of the crisis has eased in recent days, with most of its residents returning late last week to the city in the Cariboo region after a 12-day evacuation. About 6,000 people in B.C. remained away from their homes.

Around 172 million Canadian dollars (about 138 million U.S. dollars) have been spent directly on the wildfire fight since April 1, said Kevin Skrepnek, B.C.'s chief fire information officer.

John Horgan, premier of B.C. province, said there are now firefighters helping with the B.C. crisis from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. U.S. and Australian crews are also assisting the effort.

The B.C. province has extended its state of emergency until Aug. 4.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 13:53:30|Editor: Liangyu

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KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu has hosted a reception here to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) which falls on Aug. 1.

Chinese Ambassador Yu Hong said at the reception, which was held on Monday, that the past 90 years have witnessed the development of the PLA which is dedicated to promoting global peace, security and stability.

Noting that China and Nepal have established comprehensive partnership of cooperation, the ambassador said the relationship between the two armies has also gained momentum of development.

At the reception, Chief of the Army Staff of the Nepali Army Gen. Rajendra Chhetri said: "I admire great sacrifice and immense contribution made by the PLA for the people of China during difficult times in history."

The two countries have been enjoying centuries-old cultural and historical relations, the Nepali army chief said, lauding assistance and support extended by the PLA to the country.

Chhetri also reiterated Nepal's long-standing adherence to the one-China policy.

"We don't tolerate our land been used against any friendly countries," he added.

He praised China's support to Nepal during the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015.

Nepali Defense Minister Bhimsen Das Pradhan, top government officials, senior military officers, media persons, diplomats, political party leaders, among others, attended the reception.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 14:13:46|Editor: An

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) must be bold in reform and adept in innovation while staying away from rigidity and stagnation at any time and under any circumstances.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a grand rally marking the 90th founding anniversary of the PLA.

Over the past 90 years, the PLA has formed a set of principles on military building and management, developed strategies and tactics of people's war, and fostered special glorious traditions and fine conduct under the leadership of the CPC, which were hailed by Xi as the "magic weapon" for the PLA to claim one victory after another.

Xi said the armed forces must stick to the CPC's absolute leadership, which is their eternal soul and should be never discarded.

"The armed forces must follow the banner, the direction and the will of the Party at all times and under any circumstances," Xi noted.

"History has told us that the principle of 'the Party commanding the gun' is the fundamental guarantee for the people's army to retain their nature and goal," Xi said.

The principle is also an irreversible truth that the CPC has attained in struggles of blood and fire, he said.

"It is the CPC and its strong leadership that have designated the direction and injected impetus for the advancement of the armed forces," he continued.

Behind the glorious victories are also the ideals and beliefs, as well as the reform determination of the armed forces, Xi said.

"Only by continuous reform and innovation, can the people's army constantly gain development vitality and put itself in an impregnable position," Xi said.

The president also stressed the role of fighting spirit, revolutionary discipline and civilian-military unity in claiming various victories.

As long as the armed forces stand with and win the support of the people, a "wall of iron" can be fortified, Xi said, reminding the armed forces to keep firmly in mind the fundamental principle of serving the people.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 14:28:59|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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SYDNEY, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- An epidemiology at the University of Sydney has warned that a disease carried by feral pigs poses a risk to humans and dogs.

Dr. Siobhan Mor explained to Xinhua on Tuesday that swine brucellosis is a bacterial disease which is transmitted by blood to blood contact.

Although the illness can be found worldwide, Australia has mostly eradicated it.

Domestic pigs for example do not carry the infectious disease, however in recent years swine brucellosis appears to be on rise.

"The principal risk group are hunters, but also to people interacting with dogs which could have eaten uncooked wild pig meat," Mor explained.

"I suspect there is great risk to people in contact with dogs as they are giving birth, or veterinarians handling these dogs in surgical contact."

Studies of small sample sizes conducted a number of years ago in the State of New South Wales (NSW) suggest that 20 percent of feral pigs might be infected, according to Mor.

"But now feral pigs are on the move, we can't really tell how far or widespread it is," Mor said.

Currently the University of Sydney along with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) NSW, have began research to understand how commonly it is being transferred from pigs to dogs.

Although mostly contained to rural areas in Northern NSW and Queensland State, a dog was recently diagnosed in Sydney, which sparked fears the problem could be vastly more widespread than once thought.

The DPI NSW explained to Xinhua that "they will continue to engage with the local veterinarians to ensure they have the information and support necessary to manage the small number of cases."

Adding that they will collaborate with NSW Health and Local Land Services to understand the risk posed by the disease and how best to manage it within the community, the spokesperson said.

Although the flu-like illness is rarely fatal for humans and is able to be treated with antibiotics, complications from swine brucellosis can cause arthritis, joint pain, swollen testicles in men and infertility in women.

"It can also cause quite severe depression that makes people feel like they wish they were dead," Mor said.

"It's certainly a nasty disease ... and does require an early diagnosis as there is a fairly high chance of relapse, so it is considered a chronic disease."

For Mor, "human behaviour and taking precautions" is the key to protect against the further spread of the disease.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 14:59:19|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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CARACAS, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Political observers differ over the direction Venezuela will take following Sunday's election for a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) tasked to rewrite the constitution.

Sociologist and academic Jose Antonio Egido dismissed allegations by Venezuela's conservative opposition and its international allies that the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela will simply use the 545-member ANC to consolidate its power.

The ANC, whose members were elected in a closely watched poll on Sunday, must reflect a cross section of society, said Egido, who teaches at the Center for African, American and Caribbean Knowledge.

"The constituent assembly has to express the will of the majority, not just of the chavistas (government supporters)," said Egido.

The majority include people who oppose the government, but are not necessarily aligned with the right-wing leaders of the conservative opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), he said.

Economist Jose Carlos Carcione is skeptical that the ANC will succeed in lifting Venezuela out of its protracted and increasingly violent political crisis.

The fact that the government was able to hold the ANC election despite opposition from the national and international forces, has only inflamed an unruly opposition whose own informal poll against the ANC, held in mid-July, was dismissed by officials.

The MUD said its poll drew more than 7 million people, but given its unofficial nature there was no way to verify that claim. Officials said the actual number was closer to 2.5 million.

"We are far from achieving dialogue between the two sides through the constituent assembly, when there is the possibility of greater violence due to the (MUD's) apparent lack of control over violent groups," said Carcione, a leading member of Venezuela's leftist political movement Marea Socialista.

Opponents of President Nicolas Maduro's administration have in turn contested the official results of Sunday's election.

The National Electoral Council announced more than 8 million Venezuelans, or 41.53 percent of registered voters, took part in the poll.

"Maduro got 1,795,144 votes," the MUD posted on Twitter on Monday.

"When there is doubt about the official numbers of voters, it weakens any attempts to compromise," said Carcione.

"While the opposition (on Sunday) showed deserted polling stations, there were media outlets that extolled voter turnout at other sites, which raises doubts about figures that have not been audited by an independent sector and about the accuracy of information from July 30," said Carcione.

According to Egido, Sunday's election marks a major victory for the ruling socialist party, no matter what the actual turnout is.

He described the government's insistence on holding the vote regardless of U.S. threats of economic sanctions as "heroic."

The constituent assembly represents "a defeat for the region's bourgeoisie and leading Latin American governments, as well as for Spain and the European Union," said Egido, referring to demands for Maduro to abandon the project.

It remains to be seen how effective the ANC will be, Carcione said, noting simply getting the assembly installed sets the stage for a pitched battle between the ruling party and the MUD.

"This week we will see how the installation of the constituent assembly will go, who will be its key figures and also where the National Assembly (congress) will convene," said Carcione.

President Maduro has said the ANC will be installed over a 72-hour period at the legislative headquarters in the capital Caracas, currently home to the opposition-controlled Congress.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 15:34:46|Editor: An

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 1, 2017 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jieyi (C, Rear), China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and UN Security Council president for July briefs journalists at the United Nations during a press conference in New York, July 31, 2017. The Chinese envoy to the United Nations Monday called for negotiated solutions to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy to the United Nations Monday called for negotiated solutions to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the statement at a press conference on Monday, marking the end of China's rotating term of the Security Council President for the month of July.

Liu said China is firmly opposed to any violation of the Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, including nuclear tests and ballistic missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

China has been urging the DPRK and other relevant countries not to exacerbate the situation on the Korean Peninsula by avoiding words and actions that could escalate regional tensions, which run counter to the objectives sought by the UNSC.

"Our objective is to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and to seek negotiated solutions through dialogues and consultations," said the ambassador.

China is opposed to conflicts or wars on the peninsula, he said.

"Basically, if you can generalize broadly what relevant resolutions contain, they contain sanctions to address the nuclear ballistic missile programs in the DPRK," he added.

Liu said that normal economic relations should be maintained, and the resolutions are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the DPRK's civilians.

"China has been working very hard to try to initiate an negotiated solution of the issues of denuclearization, peace and stability," he said.

"In doing so, we have proposed a package solution, including 'freeze for freeze', 'suspension for suspension' and denuclearization for peace or security mechanism on the ground," he added.

At the meeting, the ambassador also told the media that China has been working with the Russian Federation to put forth a road map for achieving regional peace and the UNSC's objectives.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 16:05:08|Editor: ying

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KABUL, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- As many as 60 Taliban militants have been killed and 40 others injured during a series of operations in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province over the past 24 hours, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday.

The operations in Sarubi district of the province, launched by police and backed by army units, have led to liberation of several villages from the Taliban, said the statement.

The security forces also destroyed a weapon cache and seized 14 motorbikes of the insurgents during the operations, the statement said.

The Taliban militants have not commented yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 16:20:24|Editor: ying

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SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports posted a double-digit increase for the seventh consecutive month thanks to demand for semiconductors and ships, a government report showed Tuesday.

Exports, which account for about half of the Asia's No.4 economy, jumped 19.5 percent from a year earlier to 48.85 billion U.S. dollars in July, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The overseas shipment maintained a double-digit expansion since January and kept an upward trend for nine months in a row.

Imports advanced 14.5 percent to 38.2 billion dollars, sending the trade surplus to 10.65 billion dollars last month. The trade balance stayed in black for 66 months through July.

The double-digit growth in exports was caused by strong demand for locally-made semiconductors, which led the biggest-ever earnings of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix in the April-June quarter.

Chip exports surged 57.8 percent over the year to 7.89 billion dollars in July, marking the country's second-biggest monthly shipment. Given the solid chip demand, the earnings surprises for Samsung and SK Hynix were forecast to continue in the third quarter.

Ship exports more than tripled at 6.09 billion dollars in July compared with a year ago, leading the overall exports growth.

Excluding the chip and ship demand, the country's exports grew 2.9 percent in July from a year ago, indicating a strong dependence on a small number of export items.

Auto exports gained 7.5 percent on demand from the European Union (EU) and Latin American countries that offset weaker demand from the United States.

Exports for general machinery, petrochemicals, steel product and display panels increased last month, but those for home appliances and telecommunication devices, including smartphones, logged a double-digit reduction as firms expanded production in overseas factories.

By country, exports to India soared 79.2 percent over the year to 1.58 billion dollars in July, recording the biggest-ever shipment to the country. Those to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members posted the second-biggest figure of 8.36 billion dollars.

The percentage of dependence on the ASEAN member countries and India for exports rose to 20.4 percent in July from 17.7 percent tallied a year earlier.

Exports to China and the United States, South Korea's top two trading partners, grew 6.6 percent and 7.0 percent respectively last month. The dependence percentage on the two nations fell from 37.7 percent to 33.7 percent.

During the January-July period, trade surplus amounted to 55.7 billion dollars, almost unchanged from 55.6 billion dollars tallied in the same period of last year.

Exports jumped 16.3 percent over the year to 328.1 billion dollars in the January-July period, while imports soared 20.3 percent to 272.4 billion dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 16:55:49|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China, with the country's role as a responsible power fully embodied through its active participation in overseas peacekeeping missions.

Here are some facts and figures on China's overseas peacekeeping operations.

China started to participate in peacekeeping missions in 1990, when five military observers were sent to Damascus, the capital of Syria.

As of June 2017, the Chinese military had participated in 24 United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions, sending 31,000 personnel, 13 of whom lost their lives on duty, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

Since 2008, the Navy has dispatched 26 escort task force groups, including more than 70 ships for escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. More than 6,300 Chinese and foreign ships have been protected during these missions.

Meanwhile, China is currently the second-largest country to share UN peacekeeping costs from 2016 to 2018, only after the United States.

China would establish a 10-year 1-billion-U.S. dollar peace and development fund to support the UN work, set up a permanent peacekeeping police squad, and build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated at the UN Peacekeeping Summit in September 2015.

Xi also pledged that China would provide free military aid of 100 million dollars to the African Union to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.

China would help train 2,000 peacekeepers for other countries and launch 10 minesweeping assistance programs for the next five years, said Xi at the summit.




Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 17:16:05|Editor: An

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MANILA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of new infections in the Philippines has more than doubled in the past six years from an estimated 4,300 in 2010 to an estimated 10,500 in 2016, according to a United Nations AIDS agency report released on Tuesday.

With a recorded 140-percent increase of HIV cases during the six-year period, the Joint UN Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) said the Philippines has become a country with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia and the Pacific, and has become one of eight countries that account for more than 90 percent of new HIV infections annually in the region.

While the Philippines has the fastest growing epidemic in terms of percentage increase, the agency said the number of new infections is not as high as several countries in the region which are estimated to have tens of thousands of new infections annually.

"The Philippines has a small window of opportunity to act and stop a major HIV epidemic from taking hold," said Eamonn Murphy, director of UNIADS Regional Support Team for Asia-Pacific.

"If HIV programming is re-directed to focus on the people most at risk and where they are located, I'm sure the country can not only return to a stable situation but even end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030," Murphy added.

While the Philippines has controlled the HIV epidemic among female sex workers, the agency said it noted a shift in the epidemic in 2007 in the Philippines, and has therefore scaled-up services tailored to other key risk populations.

"The Philippine data showed that in 2016, 83 percent of newly reported HIV cases occurred among males who have sex with males (MSM) and transgender women who have sex with males (TGW)," the agency said, adding that majority of the new infections are occurring among 15 to 24 old MSM and TGW.

In 2015, the agency said only 35 percent of 15 to 24 years old MSM and TGW had correct knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention.

"Condom use among MSM and TGW has increased from 36 percent in 2011 to 50 percent in 2015. The percentage of MSM and TGW who knew their HIV status by getting tested increased from 5 percent in 2011 to 16 percent in 2015; however this still remains low," the agency said.

It said the strategy is to focus on 117 cities where 80 percent of the new infections have been reported and to open in each such city at least one HIV clinic which has convenient evening hours for working people, and is a one-stop shop that provide prevention, counseling, laboratory work-up, and treatment services.

The Philippine Department of Health is providing anti-retroviral medicine for free to anyone who tests positive for HIV, as well as other out-patient services to maximum of 30,000 pesos (600 U.S. dollars) a year per person, the agency said.

Between 2013 and 2015, the agency said the government increased funding for the HIV program, and now shoulders 70 percent of all financing for its response.

"HIV is one of the top health priorities for the government of the Philippines," said Philippine Health Secretary Jean Ubial, adding the government is implementing programs which will have positive impact.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 17:21:08|Editor: An

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RIYADH, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia on Tuesday accused Iran of stalling investigations into the attacks that targeted the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The attacks by Iranian protesters came in January 2016 after Saudi Arabia executed 47 terror convicts, including Saudi Shiite cleric Namer Al Namer. Saudi Arabia later cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

In response, Iran barred its nationals from performing Hajj last year, but allowed it this year, as the first group of Iranian pilgrims arrived here this week.

Iran also resorted to blackmail tactics to gain diplomatic privileges in the kingdom even after the diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed, according to a source at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Despite an initial approval, Iran has denied a Saudi team access into Iran to assist in investigating the attacks, the source said on condition of anonymity.
Heavy smoke billows following an airstrike on the western frontline of Raqa on July 17, 2017, during an offensive by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a majority Kurdish and Arab alliance, to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. (AFP Photo)

DAMASCUS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 60 civilians have been killed as a result of U.S.-led airstrikes on areas in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour, state news agency SANA reported on Tuesday.

The U.S.-led coalition launched airstrikes on several villages and towns in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour over the past few hours on Tuesday, said SANA.

SANA added that the "aggression" has caused a massacre, with over 60 people killed and tens of others, mostly children and women, wounded.

The airstrikes came less than 48 hours since the U.S. coalition struck a hospital and a club in the city of Bukamal in Deir al-Zour countryside, killing six civilians, including women and children, and wounding tens of others.

The U.S.-led anti-terror coalition has been striking the Islamic State (IS) positions in northern Syria since 2014.

Syria's Foreign Ministry called on the UN Security Council to dissolve the U.S.-led coalition, saying such coalition has been formed without any request by the Syrian government.

It also charged that the formation of the U.S. coalition took place out of the framework of the UN, stressing the UN Security Council must shoulder its responsibilities in keeping peace and international security as well as halting the "crimes" of the coalition.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 17:46:34|Editor: An

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BAGHDAD, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- Violence, terrorist acts and armed conflicts across Iraq killed a total of 239 civilians and wounded 273 others in July, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said on Tuesday.

A UNAMI statement said figures of casualties do not include security members, as the Iraqi military declined to give information about casualties among the troops.

Previous figures of security members' casualties released by UNAMI were questioned by the Iraqi military as "inaccurate," while UNAMI responded "the military figures were largely unverified."

Most of the civilian casualties occurred in Iraq's northern province of Nineveh, where 121 were killed and 112 others injured in battles between Iraqi forces and Islamic State (IS) militants in western Mosul.

Jan Kubis, the UN envoy to Iraq and the UNAMI chief, condemned the terrorist actions by IS group "which caused enormous suffering to civilians by using them as human shields up to the final moments before the group was crushed in Mosul and victory declared by the government of Iraq on July 10," according to the statement.

Kubis reiterated his call to protect civilians in the conflict as the Iraqi forces prepare for further offensives to "liberate the remaining parts of the country from the scourge of Daesh (IS group), it said.

"As we commend the Iraqi forces' humanitarian concept of operations that has put civilian protection and assistance to IDPs (Internally displaced people) at the center of the battle plan for Mosul, it is imperative that the protection of civilians continues to be the top priority in the conduct of military operations going forward," the statement added.

UNAMI statement came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on July 10 officially declared Mosul's liberation from IS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

On July 29, Abadi declared a new plan to be implemented soon to liberate the IS-held town of Tal Afar from the extremist militants, which will include the participation of the predominantly Shiite paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units and Sunni tribal fighters.

The Iraqi forces still have to wage more offensives to drive out IS militants from their redoubts in Hawijah in southwestern Kirkuk, the adjacent sprawling rugged areas in eastern Salahudin province, in addition to the remaining IS strongholds in the border towns with Syria, including Aana, Rawa, and al-Qaim.

Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the United States that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country.

The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 17:46:38|Editor: An

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SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Tuesday urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to give a positive response to Seoul's earlier dialogue overtures, about which Pyongyang has been mum.

"We believe it is necessary to resume inter-Korean cooperation to solve humanitarian issues and ease military tensions," Seoul's unification ministry.

The ministry urged the DPRK to respond to Seoul's dialogue offers, vowing multilateral efforts to ease military tensions and solve urgent humanitarian issues including the reunion of separated families.

The Moon Jae-in government, which was inaugurated on May 10, proposed to hold talks on military affairs with the DPRK on July 21 at the truce village of Panmumjom. It was aimed at stopping all hostile acts near the military demarcation line (MDL).

The Moon administration also suggested Red Cross talks with the DPRK be held on Aug. 1, but Pyongyang has been mum about both dialogue proposals.

The Red Cross dialogue offer was designed to discuss humanitarian issues, including the reunion of families of the two sides who have been separated since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in armistice, not a peace treaty.

The Korean Peninsula is technically in a state of war as the three-year fratricidal war ended with ceasefire.

Dismissing the peace gesture from the South, the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile of intercontinental range late Friday night, escalating military tensions on the peninsula.

The unification ministry said South Korea respects four past agreements with the DPRK about inter-Korean relations and rapprochement, including the two reached after late South Korean presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun held historic summit meetings with late DPRK leader Kim Jong Il in 2000 and 2007.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 18:11:53|Editor: An

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CAIRO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court sentenced on Tuesday a former director of Bibliotheca Alexandrina to three and a half years in prison for the embezzlement of public funds, the MENA news agency reported.

Ismail Serageldin, a close friend to the ousted president Hosni Mubarak, was found guilty of embezzling 20 million Egyptian pounds (1.1 million U.S. dollars) in the state funds.

He was accused of renting facilities affiliated to the library at low prices, hiring advisers with tens of thousands of pounds and taking private tours at the library's expense.

Dozens of top aids and ministers under Mubarak, who was toppled in mass protests in 2011, are facing or being tried over corruption, embezzlement and graft charges.

Mubarak, along with his two sons, was sentenced to three years in prison over using the state funds allocated for the presidential palaces' maintenance for personal interests.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 18:16:55|Editor: An

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ANKARA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The largest trial over Turkey's coup attempt last year started in Ankara on Tuesday, with 486 suspects expected to appear in court.

The suspects are indicted for being involved in the events at the Akinci Air Base, a critical hub by plotters, where commands were given for F-16 fighter jets to attack the Turkish Parliament, the Special Forces Police Headquarters and the satellite center on the night of coup attempt.

The key suspect is Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based preacher, who is accused by the Turkish government of orchestrating the failed military coup.

Former air commander Akin Ozturk is among the suspects who are charged with crimes ranging from violating the constitution, murder, attempting to overturn the government, managing an armed terrorist organization, seizing military bases, attempting to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and deprivation of liberty.

A total of 461 suspects, mostly military personnel, are held in custody, 18 suspects are being tried without arrest, and seven are on the run.

Strict security is being implemented at a purpose-built courtroom outside the capital.

Relatives of some of the killed on the night of the coup gathered in front of the courthouse and shouted "We want death penalty" slogans.

On July 15, 2016, coup plotters blocked roads and bombed state institutions before the attempted takeover was thwarted with the help of citizens resisting putschist soldiers on the streets.

At least 250 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured during the bloody coup attempt.
A total of 486 suspects will go on trial on Aug. 1 in a purpose-built courtroom outside Ankara, charged with crimes ranging from murder, violating the constitution and attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the coup bid. (AFP Photo)

ANKARA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The largest trial over Turkey's coup attempt last year started in Ankara on Tuesday, with 486 suspects expected to appear in court.

The suspects are indicted for being involved in the events at the Akinci Air Base, a critical hub by plotters, where commands were given for F-16 fighter jets to attack the Turkish Parliament, the Special Forces Police Headquarters and the satellite center on the night of coup attempt.

The key suspect is Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based preacher, who is accused by the Turkish government of orchestrating the failed military coup.

Former air commander Akin Ozturk is among the suspects who are charged with crimes ranging from violating the constitution, murder, attempting to overturn the government, managing an armed terrorist organization, seizing military bases, attempting to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and deprivation of liberty.

A total of 461 suspects, mostly military personnel, are held in custody, 18 suspects are being tried without arrest, and seven are on the run.

Strict security is being implemented at a purpose-built courtroom outside the capital.

Relatives of some of the killed on the night of the coup gathered in front of the courthouse and shouted "We want death penalty" slogans.

On July 15, 2016, coup plotters blocked roads and bombed state institutions before the attempted takeover was thwarted with the help of citizens resisting putschist soldiers on the streets.

At least 250 people were killed and more than 2,000 injured during the bloody coup attempt.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 18:47:09|Editor: Yurou Liang

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MADRID, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo denied any wrongdoing when declaring at court in Madrid on Monday, he said in a statement published by the agency that represents him, Gestifute.

"I have never hidden anything, nor have I had the intention of evading taxes," he said.

"I always voluntarily file my tax returns because I think we all must file a return and pay taxes according to our income. Those that know me, know what I ask my advisors: that they have everything up to date and properly paid, because I don't want problems," he stated.

Ronaldo said that he will not make any more comments on the issue and will let the judges decide. "I believe in justice and I also hope there will be a fair decision," he stated.

Ronaldo was accused of defrauding 14.76 million euros, hiding income from Spanish tax authorities using a business structure created in 2010 to allegedly hide his image rights income in Spain between 2011 and 2014.

Meanwhile, Gestifute said that the case could be related to different interpretations of the British and Spanish tax systems on how and where to declare some revenues.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:07:15|Editor: ying

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PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- PSA Group, France's leading auto manufacturer, on Tuesday said it had finalised the purchase of Opel and Vauxhall brands from General Motors, making the French group Europe's second largest automotve company.

"We are witnessing the birth of a true European champion today. We will assist Opel and Vauxhall's return to profitability and aim to set new industry benchmarks together," said Carlos Tavares, PSA Chairman

"Opel will remain German, Vauxhall will remain British. They are the perfect fit to our existing portfolio of French brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles," he added.

Unveiled in March, the deal, worth 2.2 billion euros (2.59 billion U.S. dollars), will help PSA to become Europe's second largest car manufacturer by market share and "strengthen its presence in the major European markets and this will serve as a foundation for profitable growth worldwide," according to the statement.

With PSA support, Opel and Vauxhall planned to present in 100 days a strategic plan aimed at re-establishing economic fundamentals.

General Motors brands also "will ensure its execution, boosted by synergies generated by the new Group, estimated to 1.7 billion euros per year in the mid term," PSA said.

The PSA Group, which owns Peugeot, Citroen and DS brands, expects the purchase of Opel and Vauxhall to take its recurring operating margin to 2 percent by 2020 and 6 percent by 2026, and to generate a positive operational free cash flow over the next three years.( 1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:17:22|Editor: ying

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LONDON, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A global call for action was made Tuesday to help prevent fungal diseases that affect a billion people a year, killing 1.5 million.

Experts from the University of Manchester have co-ordinated the first ever series of medical articles of their kind in the prestigious journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The series gives new insights into the breadth of fungal diseases and a call to action to world health bodies to prevent millions of infections each year.

Professor David Denning from the University of Manchester, told Xinhua: "Fungal diseases are killing over 1.5 million a year, or to put it another way more than 3,000 every day. This is three times the number of deaths caused in the world by malaria. Fungal diseases affect over a billion people a year, but they are one of the most neglected topics by public health authorities. However, most deaths from fungal diseases are avoidable."

The reports show that most serious fungal infections are ['hidden', occurring as a consequence of other health problems such as asthma, AIDS, cancer, organ transplant and corticosteroid therapies.

All require specialised testing for diagnosis, and delays or missed diagnosis often leads to death, serious chronic illness or blindness, say the team of experts.

As a result the Journal decided to signal an end to the neglect by commissioning an authoritative series of articles, coving almost all aspects of fungal diseases, focusing on the global inequalities in treatment. It brought together experts from six continents.

Denning and Professor Juan Luis Rodriguez Tudela, also from the University of Manchester, and the Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections, have co-ordinated the eight paper series.

Denning said: "The massive advances in fungal disease and understanding over the last two decades should have resulted in much better outcomes -- but sadly not in many countries. The first anti-fungal medicines were introduced in 1959, but are still not available in 40 countries."

He added,"Diagnosis can be tricky and these diseases are missed a lot in people for a variety of reasons. Some of the long names of the diseases are hardwork, and in many parts of the world there is simply no treatment available."

"China is one of the countries waking up big time to the impact of fungal diseases. But we need to see a greater awareness of other parts of the world," Tudela added: "Improvements in patient outcomes require changes in all part of the health care 'ecosystem', notably clinical training, access to and resource for fungal diagnostics, access to affordable antifungal therapy. A major public health response is called for."

According to the researchers, there has been a complete absence of proposals or commentary on integration of fungal diseases into health care systems.

Experts want a 'combined health systems and public health approaches' citing examples of work in Mozambique, Kenya, India, and South Africa.

Denning added: "The evidence gathered in this article series shows not only the scale of the global problem but also that hundreds of thousands of deaths a year could be avoided. The expertise is available, now it just needs government and international action to make it a reality."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:27:33|Editor: ying

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TEHRAN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Khodro Diesel (IKD) has signed a deal with the South Korean Hyundai for the production of heavy vehicles in Iran, Financial Tribune daily reported on Tuesday.

The deal was signed by the Director of IKD, Alireza Saji, and a Hyundai production manager, Edward Lee, here on Monday.

"Through the deal, new models of Hyundai trucks will be produced in Iran," Saji said, adding that the agreement also calls for the production of buses and minibuses.

IKD, which manufactures heavy duty vehicles, has produced several models of Hyundai trucks in Iran in the past. IKD also signed a production deal with Germany's Daimler last year.

The Iranian company is seeking to expand its operations through joint ventures with major foreign companies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:47:43|Editor: ying

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NAIROBI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police have launched investigations into the abduction and killing of a senior official of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) just a week before the crucial polls.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said a special team of homicide from the directorate of criminal investigations (DCI) has been set up to investigate the murder of Christopher Msando who was until his death the acting director of ICT at the IEBC after the then-director was suspended for non-cooperation with a computer systems audit.

"We are following certain crucial leads that we believe could lead to the eventual arrest and prosecution of the murderers," Boinnet said in a statement issued on Monday night.

Msando was a key official at Kenya's electoral commission. He was one of a handful of officials who had the electoral commission's computer system passwords and knew the exact location of the servers to run the election.

Msando's death was confirmed less than an hour before he was scheduled to oversee the test run of the live results transmission system in Nairobi on Monday.

Boinnet said the police shall work with the electoral body to ensure that all the commission employees are accorded the requisite security to enable them discharge their mandate.

"We wish to convoy our condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Msando and assure them that intensive investigations are underway to establish those responsible for the murder and bring them to face the law," he vowed.

"We welcome any piece of information that may help the police in the investigations and urge the public to refrain from needless rumours and speculation," Boinnet said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:47:44|Editor: ying

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MOGADISHU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of people who have been displaced by the severe drought ravaging several parts of Somalia has risen to 766,467 since November 2016, the UN said on Tuesday.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report that most of the displaced people are hosted in settlements in Baidoa (177,000 people) and Mogadishu (161,000 people) districts.

"The displaced families are in need of shelter and other non-food items. The continuous arrival of newly displaced population has contributed to the worsening of food security and nutrition in IDP settlements in areas such as Baidoa and Mogadishu, OCHA said in its latest humanitarian report released on Monday night.

The majority of the displaced originate from Bay (197,000 people), Lower Shabelle (138,000 people), Mudug (100,000 people) and Sool (60,000 people) regions, that are worst affected by the drought.

"Additionally, nearly 1.1 million people remain in protracted displacement countrywide. Inter-communal tensions in Xeraale, Abudwaq district, Galgaduud region resulted in the displacement of some 13,800 people between July 1-18," said the UN.

The report says more people are likely to flee as the tensions continue, adding that conflict in Gedo, Lower and Middle Shabelle continued to displace people in July.

According to the UN, the arrivals are putting pressure on existing facilities such as water points in IDP settlements.

"There is need for additional latrines, sustained provision of safe water, and hygiene kits. Lack of waste disposal areas in most IDP settlements and poor hygiene practices increase the risk of diseases," said the UN.

Humanitarian partners estimated that at least 100 million U.S. dollars is required per month to sustain current levels of response, with a reach of more than 3 million people receiving life-saving assistance and livelihood support.

As of July 28, 897 million dollars had been received or pledged for response in Somalia in 2017, said the UN.

This includes 611 million dollars towards the revised 1.5 billion dollars 2017 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and 286 million dollars for activities outside the HRP.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:52:49|Editor: ying

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HOUSTON, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Police in Tampa City of the southeastern U.S. state of Florida said a 4-year-old boy fatally shot himself at home by a gun he found in the house, the Associated Press reported Monday.

The boy, named as Ashton Gooding, fired the shots at about 5:45 p.m. local time (2145 GMT) on Sunday, the police said.

Found inside the house with severe gunshot wound, the boy was sent to Tampa General Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving.

Police cordoned off East Hanna Avenue -- where Gooding's house is located -- and were investigating the loaded gun they found in the house. Florida's State Attorney's Office also joined the probe.

The degree to which gun control should be legislated has long been a source of fierce disputes in the United States, in part due to the powerful lobbying might of the National Rifle Association located on the outskirts of Washington, D.C.

Lax vetting prior to gun purchasing has led to recurring shooting incidents in the country, including, in this case, premature death of youngsters who can easily approach the weapon.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 19:57:56|Editor: ying

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LILONGWE, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- Malawi Police Monday issued warrant of arrest for the country's former president Joyce Banda on charges of abuse of office and money laundering during her term of office.

A statement signed by Malawi Police Service national spokesperson, James Kadadzera, said the warrant of arrest followed the police's thorough investigations on the former president's involvement in abuse of public funds commonly dubbed "cashgate" by the Malawi media.

"The Malawi Police Service wishes to inform Malawians that its fiscal and fraud section conducted some investigations on the suspected involvement of the former president, Dr. Joyce Banda, in the cashgate cases and unearthed credible evidence," explains the statement.

It continues: "The evidence gathered raises reasonable suspicion that the former president committed offences relating to abuse of office and money laundering."

The statement says since there is a need for investigators to question the former president on the suspected offences, a warrant of arrest was issued against her.

The warrant of arrest is in force and necessary legal formations are being pursued, according to the police statement.

Joyce Banda lost 2014 elections which ushered Peter Mutharika to power and ever since, the former president has been in exile in the United Kingdom.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:13:08|Editor: ZD

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- China must step up transforming its armed forces into a world-class military that is ready to fight and win wars as the country will never compromise on defending sovereignty, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday at an Army Day celebration.

"No one should expect us to swallow bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), during a speech at a ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

While hailing the PLA's great achievements over the nine decades, Xi said the Chinese military has reshaped its political environment, organizational form, system of military strength and work style over the past five years.

The PLA should firmly safeguard the CPC's leadership and the socialist system, protect national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional and world peace, Xi told senior officials and military personnel gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organization or political party to split any part of Chinese territory from the country at any time, in any form," Xi said.

The ceremony was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang and also attended by Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi's speech came two days after China held a massive military parade involving more than 12,000 service personnel at the Zhurihe military training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

"Today, we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than any other time in history, and we need to build a strong people's military now more than any other time in history," Xi said in Sunday's speech.

GLORY & TRADITION

The PLA has come a long way since its birth at the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927. Today, the PLA commands about two million service personnel.

Xi told Tuesday's gathering that the armed forces had transformed from a "millet plus rifles" single-service force, one with only the most basic of supplies and equipment required to survive, into one that has fully-fledged services. The PLA has basically completed mechanization and is moving rapidly toward "strong" informationized armed forces, he said.

Xi attributed the PLA's success to its glorious traditions and fine conduct under the leadership of the CPC.

"The armed forces must follow the banner, the direction and the will of the Party at all times and under any circumstances." Xi noted, saying that the principle is an irreversible truth that the CPC has attained in struggles of blood and fire.

Behind the PLA's glorious victories are also ideals and beliefs, as well as the reform determination, Xi said.

"Only by continuous reform and innovation, can the people's army constantly gain development vitality and put itself in an impregnable position," Xi said.

The PLA must be bold in reform and adept in innovation while staying away from rigidity and stagnation, he said.

The president also stressed the role of fighting spirit, revolutionary discipline and civilian-military unity in claiming victories.

As long as the armed forces stand with and win the support of the people, a "wall of iron" can be fortified, Xi said.

RESHAPED PLA

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Party has put forward the goal of building a strong military that follows the Party, fights to win and forges exemplary conduct, Xi said.

The Party has strengthened political work within the armed forces and made firm efforts to ensure a clean environment and fight corruption in the military, according to Xi.

A series of major structural reforms have been made in recent years, including the establishment of the PLA Army General Command, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force.

The four general departments were reorganized into 15 agencies of the CMC, and five theater commands have replaced the seven military area commands. The CMC has taken charge of the overall military administration, while theater commands focus on operations and different services on troop developments.

"The system, structure, pattern and image of the people's military have all been renewed," Xi said.

Moreover, Xi said the fundamental changes have taken place in the governance of the military. Putting combat effectiveness as the "sole and fundamental" standard for the military, the PLA remains resolved in safeguarding the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

PARTY LEADERSHIP

Xi reaffirmed the CPC's absolute leadership over the PLA. which is a "fundamental guarantee" for the army to maintain its great cohesion, creativity and combat capabilities.

Quoting Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China, Xi said: "Our principle is the Party commands the guns, and we will never allow the guns to command the Party."

He ordered the PLA to always follow the command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC."There shall be no wavering, no hesitation, and no ambiguity."

The CPC has put forward a series of new ideas and requirements concerning national defense and military building in the past five years.These theories should be constantly enriched and developed to cope with new challenges and solve new problems, he said.

FIGHT TO WIN

Xi urged the PLA to focus on war preparedness to forge an elite and powerful force that is always "ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win."

"All thoughts must be put on combat, and all work should focus on combat so the military can assemble, charge forward and win wars any time the Party and the people need them to," he said.

Xi called for a new generation of "capable, brave and virtuous" service personnel "with soul."

The PLA must have ironclad faith, beliefs, discipline and responsibility, and retain its nature and goal as the people's army, he said.

The PLA must step up efforts to build a modern military force system capable of winning information-based warfare, he said.

WITH THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE

China must build a national strategic system and capacity in military-civilian integration, he said.

Upgrading integrated military and civilian development as a national strategy is a major decision made in consideration of national development and overall security, and a major measure to deal with complicated security threats and gain national strategic advantages, Xi said.

He urged efforts to create the "coordinated, balanced and inclusive development" of economic and national defense construction.

Calling the modernization of national defense and military "a common cause of the Party and the people," Xi urged central and state organs, Party committees and governments at local levels to create a favorable environment and offer strong support for building a strong military.

Xi also urged the armed forces to bear in mind the sacred duty of fighting for the people.

The PLA is deeply rooted in the people and its strength comes from the people. It must maintain a close relationship with the people and "go through thick and thin" with them, he said.

WORLD PEACE

China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and an upholder of international order, Xi said.

His words echoed his speech during Sunday's parade where he said: "The world is not all at peace, and peace must be safeguarded."

"Enjoying peace is a bliss for the people while protecting peace is the responsibility of the people's army," he told the troops in field.

The PLA will continue international military exchanges and cooperation to cope with global security challenges, Xi said in his Tuesday's speech.

It will implement the responsibilities and duties commensurate with the country's international status and contribute to fostering a community of shared future for mankind, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:23:17|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- China has held over 4,660 officials accountable for their poor environmental protection work after the latest round of inspections, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said Tuesday.

During the last four days, seven inspection teams reported issues found during a third round of inspections, this time in Anhui, Fujian, Guizhou, Hunan, Liaoning, Shanxi and Tianjin.

The number of people found at fault is sure to increase as local authorities look into the issues raised.

More than 31,000 cases were highlighted by the inspection teams and 405 people were detained, according to the MEP.

While some progress has been made since 2013, common issues were found that require more attention.

Illegal projects in nature reserves have harmed ecosystems, and environmental protection work in some cities needs to be improved.

Local governments must report their plans to resolve outstanding issues to the State Council within 30 business days.

A fourth round of inspections covering the last eight provincial-level areas will begin soon.

China is fighting pollution and environmental degradation after decades of growth left the country with problems such as smog and contaminated soil.

Last year, inspectors looked into 33,000 cases and imposed fines totalling 440 million yuan (65.5 million U.S. dollars). A total of 720 people were detained and close to 6,500 were held accountable.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:23:18|Editor: An

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Photo taken on July 31, 2017 shows the world's first giant panda cub with both captive and wild parents in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The world's first giant panda cub with both captive and wild parents was born early Monday in Sichuan Province. The cub marked success in experiments to encourage captive pandas to mate with wild pandas in order to increase the genetic diversity of the captive stock. (Xinhua)

CHENGDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The world's first giant panda cub with both captive and wild parents was born early Monday in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The cub marked success in experiments to encourage captive pandas to mate with wild pandas in order to increase the genetic diversity of the captive stock, according to Zhang Zhizhong, Communist Party of China chief of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP).

The 15-year-old female giant panda Cao Cao gave birth to the cub at 2:17 a.m. at the Hetaoping semi-wild training base. She started to show signs of pregnancy on July 1 and went into labour on July 30.

The female cub weighed 216 grams, compared to the normal newborn wegiht of around 150 grams.

Wu Daifu with the training base attributed the cub's unusually high weight to the good health and appetite of the mother during pregnancy.

Wearing a positioning system and a recording device on her neck, Cao Cao, was released into the wild on March 1. She lived there for nearly two months.

The recording device showed that Cao Cao went into heat on March 11 and mated with a wild male panda on March 23. The mating lasted for one minute and 30 seconds.

Cao Cao was born in the wild and was rescued by the CCRCGP in 2003 at 2 years old. She has delivered six cubs in captivity, including two pairs of twins.

For the most of the last seven years, she has lived at the Hetaoping training center, where she demonstrated strong adaptability to living in the wild.

The CCRCGP launched an experiment in late 2016 to bring in genes from the wild population to make the captive pandas healthier. As of the end of last year, the worldwide captive giant panda population stood at 471, leading to growing concerns of inbreeding, Wu said.

Zhang Hemin, deputy head of the center, said babies from captive and wild parents would enrich the gene pool of the captive stock.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:23:20|Editor: Yurou Liang

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COLOMBO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka on Monday called on more Chinese investors to invest in the island country, saying that China had invested more than 52 million U.S. dollars in the country in 2016 alone.

Speaking at the China-Sri Lanka Infrastructure Investment Cooperation Forum in Colombo, Commerce and Industry Minister Rishard Bathiudeen said that in 2016, Sri Lanka received foreign direct investment (FDI) of 801 million U.S. dollars.

Bathiudeen said mega Chinese projects such as the recently signed 1.1 billion dollars Hambantota Port agreement between the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and China Merchants Port Holdings and the 1.4 billion dollars Colombo Financial City project were immensely beneficial for the island country.

He said there were many other Chinese FDI projects in Sri Lanka including in the textile and apparel, fisheries and manufacturing sectors.

"Tourism is another attractive sector since Chinese tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka doubled from year to year. Therefore today I invite the potential Chinese investors to invest in Sri Lanka and partner with us," Bathiudeen said.

Statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce showed total trade volume between China and Sri Lanka reached 4.4 billion dollars. That is a 363 percent increase in comparison to a decade back in 2007, which stood at 965 million dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:28:22|Editor: Yurou Liang

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JAKARTA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia will take part in China's annual tourism expo in Xi'an on Aug. 4-6, to tap more visitors from China and other countries, an official from the Tourism Ministry said Tuesday.

During the upcoming China Xi'an Silk Road International Tourism Expo (CXSRITE), Indonesian exhibitors would actively promote national destinations, 2018 Asian Games to be held in Indonesia's Jakarta and Palembang, and Business-to-Business meetings between Indonesian tour agencies and their counterparts from China and other countries, the official said.

"The CXSRITE is highly expected to produce significant amount of tour package transactions, which would eventually bring more foreign visitors to Indonesia," Vincensius Jemadu, assistant deputy minister for Asia Pacific Tourism Development at the Tourism Ministry said.

Indonesian exhibitors would occupy 108 meter square in the upcoming annual tourism expo held in Xi'an, capital of China's western Shannxi province.

Some 45,000 people were estimated to visit the tourism expo, where more than 500 exhibitors from 30 countries have been registered to take part.

The number of Chinese visitors to Indonesia in the first four months this year reached 1.1 million, out of a total of 4.2 million foreign tourists.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:33:29|Editor: ying

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WELLINGTON, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne on Tuesday announced a new record figure of 272 million NZ dollars (204 million U.S. dollars) in lottery funding to help build stronger, more sustainable communities across New Zealand.

The funding is a result of a very strong 2016--2017 financial year for Lotto New Zealand, Dunne said in a statement.

Lotto New Zealand exists to generate community funding for distribution through the Lottery Grants Board to support a diverse range of community activities, including building community facilities, funding health research and services, supporting outdoor safety and protecting New Zealand's natural and cultural heritage.

"Lotto New Zealand's strong performance during the year was highlighted by a number of large jackpots, including two Powerball Must Be Won draws in 2016, leading to record funding for distribution," Dunne said, adding that this represents over 81 million NZ dollars (60.75 million U.S. dollars) in additional community funding than initially forecast.

Lotto funding is a major source of funding for Sport New Zealand, Creative New Zealand and the NZ Film Commission. "This result will also be welcome news for more than 3,000 groups and organizations which receive Lotto funding to support their communities," he said.

Total lottery funding for the financial year includes 2.7 million NZ dollars (2 million U.S. dollars) raised for earthquake relief efforts in Kaikoura and Hurunui and surrounding regions through a special Lotto draw held on Dec. 10, 2016; and a further 7.5 million NZ dollars (5.6 million U.S. dollars) allocated to Kaikoura's earthquake rebuild in July from profits distributed to the Lottery Grants Board.

Lotto New Zealand celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. Beyond its winners, its biggest impact over the past three decades is most clearly demonstrated by the more than 4 billion NZ dollars (3 billion U.S. dollars) in funding that has been returned to Kiwi communities during that time, Dunne said.
File photo shows the Independence Street in Antananarivo, capital of Madagascar.(Xinhua/Zhang Chen)

ANTANANARIVO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-three people were killed in a traffic accident in Ankazobe, 70 kilometers northwest of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, Minister of Transport Benjamina Ramarcel said on Tuesday.

The minister, who rushed to the spot, said that the government will deploy all the necessary resources to extract other bodies still remaining at the bus.

Pastor Saholy, organizer of the trip and eyewitness of the accident, said the accident happened on Monday around midnight.

"We were 140 people onboard of a big bus. We are members of an association of young Christians and we were on road to attend a pilgrimage in Mahajanga (560 kilometers northwest of Antananarivo) on Wednesday, when the drama happened," said Saholy.

The injured were sent to a nearby hospital in Ankazobe while others were evacuated to Antananarivo. The driver is said to be still alive.

Visiting the injured at HJRA hospital, Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, said that the government will take in charge of all hospital fees as well as the burying of the bodies.

Accompanying the president, Prime Minister Mahafaly Solonandrasana said that those who are found responsible of this accident will be put in jail.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:38:32|Editor: ying

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NEW DELHI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat Tuesday embarked on a six-day tour of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

General Rawat, who is leading a high-level military delegation, will first go to Kazakhstan, where he will meet the defense minister, chairman of the National Security Committee, junior defense minister and the commander-in-chief of Land Forces during his three-day stay.

In a statement, the Indian Defense Ministry said that General Rawat and his delegation will also visit the elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University in capital Astana, where he shall be inaugurating an Indian Military Art Room.

General Rawat will leave on Friday for Turkmenistan -the first by an Indian Army chief to that country.

During the visit, General Rawat will be meeting the minister of defense and secretary of the National Security Council, the first deputy minister, the chief of general staff and commanders of land, naval, air and air defense forces of Turkmenistan, the statement said.

"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:43:36|Editor: ying

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DAMASCUS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) captured the southern part of Syria's northern city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, a monitor group reported on Tuesday.

The Kurdish-led SDF forces in the western and eastern parts of Raqqa met in the southern part of the city, becoming in control of the entire southern section, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said the southern section is located on the northern bank of the Euphrates River.

It added that the new progress comes after the SDF captured the neighborhood of Nazelt Shihadeh on Monday and its progress in the Hisham Bin Abdul-Malek neighborhood, following battles with the IS militants.

The SDF, an alliance of Kurdish, Arab, and Assyrian fighters, have made notable gains since unleashing a wide-scale offensive, with the backing of the US, against Raqqa, two months ago.

In previous reports, the Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on the ground, said the IS control in Raqqa had shrunk to 10 percent due to the progress of the SDF inside the city and the Russian-backed Syrian army in the countryside of Raqqa.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:43:38|Editor: ying

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JUBA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix arrived in South Sudan on Tuesday seeking to strengthen political solutions to the ongoing conflict and demand an end to hostilities.

The UN peacekeeping chief told reporters at Juba International Airport that he will hold talks with the government and other humanitarian actors to advocate for peaceful resolution of the conflict.

"I look forward to having discussions with the President of South Sudan, with members of the government to assess the security situation, to assess the political process and how we can help move that process forward," Lacroix said.

Lacroix will also use his three-day stay in South Sudan to undertake two field visits to areas affected by the conflict.

South Sudan has been embroiled in more than three years of conflict that has have taken a devastating toll on the people of South Sudan.

The peace pact signed in Addis Ababa in 2015 under intense international pressure was shattered again following renewed violence between rival government and opposition troops in the capital Juba in July 2016.

The conflict has since spread to other regions which enjoyed relative peace, causing mass displacement of least 3.5 million people from their homes, ethnic polarization and tribal violence that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:43:39|Editor: ying

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ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Gunmen suspected of belonging to the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch opened fire randomly at a military checkpoint of the UAE-backed Yemeni troops in Abyan province on Tuesday, a security official told Xinhua.

The al-Qaida assailants opened fire from automatic machines and hurled grenades on a checkpoint manned by the UAE-backed Yemeni troops in the district of Ahwar of Abyan province, leaving three soldiers killed, the local security source said on condition of anonymity.

The troops positioned in the area engaged in a short armed confrontation with the al-Qaida gunmen after the surprise attack, the security source added.

A few days ago, hundreds of elite counter-terrorism forces recently trained by the United Arab Emirates were deployed in different areas of Abyan province in an attempt to storm al-Qaida hideouts.

Sources from the Aden-based 4th Military Region confirmed to Xinhua that the Yemeni troops backed by armored UAE vehicles arrived in Abyan and started anti-terror operations that resulted in arresting a number of terrorists there.

On Saturday, a prominent leader of the al-Qaida group named as Khalid Abdulnabi voluntarily turned himself in to the emergency security forces in the neighboring southern province of Lahj.

Abdulnabi who was later transferred to the central prison in Aden is wanted by the Yemeni and American intelligence authorities. He also participated in terrorist activities in Afghanistan along with former al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

Yemen, an impoverished Arab country, has been gripped by one of the most active regional Al-Qaida insurgencies in the Middle East.

The Yemen-based Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also known locally as "Ansar al-Sharia," emerged in January 2009, has claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks against Yemen's army and governmental institutions.

The AQAP and the IS-linked militants took advantage of the security vacuum and ongoing civil war to expand their influence and seize more territories in southern Yemen.

Security in Yemen has deteriorated since March 2015, when war broke out between the Shiite Houthi group, supported by former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition.

Over 10,000 people have been killed in ground battles and airstrikes since then, many of them civilians.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 20:53:50|Editor: An

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DJIBOUTI, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony marking the entry of troops into the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) support base in Djibouti was held on Tuesday in the base's barracks.

The ceremony marked the first time that China has opened a military support base overseas. It will fulfill China's international obligations regarding humanitarianism aid and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia.

A Chinese national flag ceremony and a military parade were held in the barracks.

The PLA support base in Djibouti was established on July 11 based on a decision by both China and Djibouti and will be conducive to China fulfilling its international committments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 21:03:56|Editor: ying

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ISLAMABAD, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's National Assembly on Tuesday elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, candidate of the ruling party, as the country's new prime minister.

The election came four days after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court over corruption charges.

Abbasi, candidate of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), secured 221 votes in the 342-member lower house while Syed Naveed Qamar of the main opposition Pakistan Peoples Party bagged 47 votes.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) received 33 votes and Jamaat-e-Islami's candidate Sahibzada Tariq Ullah got only four votes, according to the results announced by Speaker of National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

The PML-N lawmakers chanted slogans "Wazir-e-Azam Nawaz Sharif" (Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif) as the Speaker announced the results. Some members brought Nawaz Sharif's big photos when they entered the assembly house.

Abbasi, who had served as petroleum minister in Nawaz Sharif's cabinet, will serve as an interim prime minister, and will be replaced by Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, according to an internal agreement made by the PML-N.

Reports said that Shehbaz Sharif will contest election for the parliament seat on September 17, which fell vacant due to the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif. Shehbaz is presently the chief minister of Punjab province.

According to local media reports, Abbasi, one of the senior PML-N leaders, will take the oath later in the evening. President Mamnoon Hussaain will administer oath to the new prime minister.

Opposition parties had tried to reach a consensus on a joint candidate before the election, but that attempt failed last minute.

Two candidates from opposition parties, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), had given up their contest for the election to support the PML-N-backed candidate.

The opposition candidates congratulated Abbasi over election after the results were announced.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 21:23:29|Editor: An

Workers celebrate the completion of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) "Caiyun" in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, Aug. 1, 2017. The Chinese made TBM, which has a 9.03-meter cutter head, was completed in Kunming on Tuesday and it will be used to drill a railway tunnel in the province. (Xinhua/Jing Huihui)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 21:29:12|Editor: ZD

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ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome says China has become a strategic development partner of Ethiopia.

The president so remarked while bidding farewell to departing Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia La Yifan on Monday, according to the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC).

Commenting on the strategic partnership of the two countries, President Mulatu said China has played a key role in financing Ethiopia's mega development projects.

The investment share of Chinese companies in Ethiopia has also been ever-growing thereby creating more jobs for citizens along with technology transfer, he said.

The president noted the participation of Chinese firms and experts in infrastructural development works like the Ethio-Djibouti rail line has immense contribution to the overall national development.

For his part, Ambassador La hailed Ethiopia's expeditious economic growth, saying he would keep on playing a part to buttress Ethio-China partnership even further.
A girl fetches water at an Internal Displaced Person (IDP) camp in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, on March 22, 2017. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

MOGADISHU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of people who have been displaced by the severe drought ravaging several parts of Somalia has risen to 766,467 since November 2016, the UN said on Tuesday.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report that most of the displaced people are hosted in settlements in Baidoa (177,000 people) and Mogadishu (161,000 people) districts.

"The displaced families are in need of shelter and other non-food items. The continuous arrival of newly displaced population has contributed to the worsening of food security and nutrition in IDP settlements in areas such as Baidoa and Mogadishu, OCHA said in its latest humanitarian report released on Monday night.

The majority of the displaced originate from Bay (197,000 people), Lower Shabelle (138,000 people), Mudug (100,000 people) and Sool (60,000 people) regions, that are worst affected by the drought.

"Additionally, nearly 1.1 million people remain in protracted displacement countrywide. Inter-communal tensions in Xeraale, Abudwaq district, Galgaduud region resulted in the displacement of some 13,800 people between July 1-18," said the UN.

The report says more people are likely to flee as the tensions continue, adding that conflict in Gedo, Lower and Middle Shabelle continued to displace people in July.

According to the UN, the arrivals are putting pressure on existing facilities such as water points in IDP settlements.

"There is need for additional latrines, sustained provision of safe water, and hygiene kits. Lack of waste disposal areas in most IDP settlements and poor hygiene practices increase the risk of diseases," said the UN.

Humanitarian partners estimated that at least 100 million U.S. dollars is required per month to sustain current levels of response, with a reach of more than 3 million people receiving life-saving assistance and livelihood support.

As of July 28, 897 million dollars had been received or pledged for response in Somalia in 2017, said the UN.

This includes 611 million dollars towards the revised 1.5 billion dollars 2017 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and 286 million dollars for activities outside the HRP.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 21:34:15|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Once a major worry for policy makers, China's private sector is gradually regaining momentum after a gloomy 2016, as businesses become more optimistic on the country's economic outlook.

In the first half of the year, fixed-asset investments by the private sector grew 7.2 percent year on year, accounting for 60.7 percent of total investment, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

The growth was much higher than the 3.2 percent registered last year.

Across the country, 11 provinces and regions reported double-digit growth in private investment during the period, which analysts attributed to improvements in aggregate demand on the stabilizing economy.

China's economy expanded 6.9 percent for the first half of 2017, better than market expectations, which prompted global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund to raise GDP forecasts for the country.

The turnaround in exports also helped as private businesses invested heavily in manufacturing, an industry with low entry barriers and less government intervention, according to Tang Jianwei, researcher with the Bank of Communications.

China's foreign trade increased at its fastest pace since the second half of 2011, with exports in yuan-denominated terms up 15 percent year on year in the first half of this year.

The investment data was positive for China's economy as authorities feared downbeat sentiments in the sector, if continued, would hurt the country's long-term prospects.

Since China's reforms in the 1980s, private businesses have assumed a bigger role in driving growth. The sector now contributes more than 60 percent of China's GDP growth and provides over 80 percent of jobs.

But in recent years, activities in the sector have become less vibrant due to economic headwinds, higher labor and material costs, entry restrictions and financing difficulties.

In infrastructure and some service industries such as railways and healthcare, private investors have few chances to participate as state-linked companies still dominate.

More worrying, banks and financial institutions have a habit of leaning toward state-backed borrowers due to risk concerns, making it hard for private investors to access funds.

The trend has alarmed authorities, prompting the implementation of further measures to stimulate activities.

In the latest move, a State Council meeting last week pledged to streamline investment project approvals for private investors, and encourage them to participate in major projects as part of "Made in China 2025," modern agriculture, and enterprise technology updates.

The government will develop mechanisms to ensure private investment can enjoy reasonable returns in public-private partnership (PPP) projects, and the credit rating mechanism for private enterprises will be improved to make it easier for them to get loans.

As of the end of June, China had 13,554 PPP projects nationwide with investment of 16.3 trillion yuan (2.43 trillion U.S. dollars), according to data from China Public Private Partnerships Center.

While these efforts have boosted private investment, growth in the sector still lags behind that in the state sector, which expanded 12 percent in the first six months.

"China should expand reforms to improve the business environment for private investors [...] to allow them play a better role in facilitating China's restructuring," noted Zhang Jianping, an official from a research center under the Ministry of Commerce.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 21:54:26|Editor: ying

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TBILISI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will sign the sanctions bill on Russia this week, visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said here on Tuesday at a press conference with Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

The sactions bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 98-2 on Thursday, targets Russia for its alleged intervention in Ukraine and meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied in public.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hit back at the sanctions by demanding the United States cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, regarded as Moscow's most aggressive move against Washington since the final years of the Cold War.

When commenting the recent US-Russian relations, Pence said that the new sanctions bill toward Russia that President Trump will sign this week will be a clear message to all allies that US will do exactly what it has said.

Pence arrived here late Monday for a two-day visit, which will be followed by a trip to Montenegro, the newest member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:09:34|Editor: ying

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ATHENS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two workers died and five others were injured on Tuesday in an accident at a biological waste management plant in the small town of Skala Laconias in Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

The victims were a Bulgarian national, 51, and a Greek national aged 37, according to local authorities who were investigating the cause of the incident.

According to initial information, the two men collapsed with breathing problems during cleaning works at the plant. Two other colleagues aged 22 and 66 respectively who rushed to help, were also transferred to hospital with breathing problems.

AMNA reported the younger man was in critical condition.

Two fire fighters and a police officer who participated in the rescue operation were also taken to hospital with breathing issues, a local hospital announcement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:09:37|Editor: An

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- China customs said Tuesday it will work closely with other departments including border defence, coast guards and environmental protection agencies to stop foreign garbage smuggling.

In the first half year, China customs seized more than 260,000 tonnes of solid waste in 146 cases, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

More than 70 percent of cases since 2013 occurred in the Bohai Rim, the Yangtze and the Pearl River Deltas, according to GAC spokesman Zhang Guangzhi at a press conference.

By the end of 2017, China will have ended imports of solid waste that cause great environmental damage and raise public concern, according to the State Council, China's cabinet.

The State Council plan came after China notified the World Trade Organization last week that it will ban imports of 24 types of solid waste, including plastics, unsorted paper, textiles and vanadium slag by the end of 2017.

China started to import solid waste as raw material to make up for the domestic shortage of resources in the 1980s, but some companies illegally smuggle foreign garbage into the country for profit, damaging the environment and public health.

The government is stepping up the fight against pollution and environmental degradation as decades of fast growth have left the country with smog, polluted water and contaminated soil.

China's medium-sized and large cities imported 47 million tonnes of solid waste in 2015, down 5.3 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

On July 1, the MEP began a campaign against imported waste processing, with 60 teams of inspectors conducting investigations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:19:41|Editor: ying

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CAIRO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian and the Greek armed forces started on Tuesday their joint air, naval military exercise that will last for several days on the Mediterranean Sea shores, the Egyptian army said in a statement.

Named 'Medusa 2017', the joint exercise involves Egyptian newly bought military equipment including both French-made FREMM multi-mission frigate and Mistral warship as well as a German-built submarine S41, said military spokesman Tamer al-Refaay in the statement.

He pointed out that F16 fighter jets and naval and air forces from Greece also take part in the military exercise, describing relations between the two countries as "distinguished."

"The exercise seeks to boost skills of leaders and officers and exchange expertise between the Egyptian and the Greek sides," Refaay continued, adding that it will contribute to increasing the combat efficiency of the participant forces of both countries.

Egypt and Greece similarly held their "Medusa 2016" joint military aeronautical exercise in December 2016.

Egypt annually holds several military exercises with Arab, African and Western friendly states to boost military cooperation and exchange of expertise with these countries.

Earlier in mid-July, Egypt and France held joint naval military exercise named "Cleopatra 2017" in the Egyptian territorial waters in the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:24:43|Editor: ZD

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BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The second China-Mongolia Expo will serve as an important platform to improve economic cooperation and cultural exchange between China and Mongolia, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Tuesday.

The biennial event, scheduled for September 26 to 30 in Hohhot, capital of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, will help promote China-Mongolia economic ties to a high level and improve cooperation among northeast Asian nations at large, Qian Keming, vice minister of the MOC, said at a press briefing.

China has been the largest trading partner with Mongolia for more than a decade with bilateral trade up 44.2 percent year on year to reach 3.1 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2017, he said.

Chinese investment in Mongolia has also seen robust growth with non-financial outbound direct investment reaching 4.1 billion U.S. dollars by June this year.

Both countries will further strengthen bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, animal husbandry and mineral resources, Qian said.

Over 2,000 delegates from China, Mongolia and Russia will attend the expo to carry out pragmatic cooperation to strengthen economic ties, Ai Lihua, vice chairman of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, said at the briefing.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:29:49|Editor: ZD

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PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Giant panda Huan Huan, on loan to France from China, will give birth to twins, Beauval zoo parc announced Tuesday

"During a new ultrasound, we were able to confirm the presence of a second baby panda. Huan Huan, our female panda, awaits twins," it said in a statement.

First ultrasound test conducted on July 26 detected a fetus of 3.4 cm, according to zoo officials. After a 50-day gestation period, the twins are expected on either Aug. 4 or 5.

The two cubs will be visible only on giant screens set up in the zoo during their first three months, they added.

The female panda and her male partner Yuan Zi arrived in central France's Beauval zoo in January 2012.

There are about 2,000 pandas in the world. They are classified as "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:34:51|Editor: yan

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RABAT, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A court in the Moroccan city of Al Hoceima sentenced 16 demonstrators to a maximum of one year in prison over protest in the northeastern region, local media reported on Tuesday.

Four people were sentenced to one year in jail, three to eight months and three others to 6 months, the Moroccan news site Alyaoum24.com said, citing Defense Attorney Rachid Belaali.

The court gave six defendants a four-month suspended sentence, and acquitted four.

The defendants said they will appeal the rulings at Al Hoceima Court of Appeal in the coming days.

Morocco's King Mohammed VI granted pardon to 65 arrested for illegal protests which have shaken the northeastern part of the country, just ahead of the recent 18th anniversary of his enthronement.

The pardons were limited to those "who did not commit crimes or serious acts" during the protests which started in the northern Rif region and then spread to other parts of the country.

In his Saturday's speech, King Mohammed VI slammed politicians and public officials for neglecting duties and failing to meet demands of the people.

Referring to the alarming situation in Al Hoceima, the king warned that political parties and their representatives are shirking their duty, sometimes deliberately, and sometimes because of the lack of credibility or patriotism.

The situation in Al Hoceima has been tense since October 2016, when fish vendor Mouhcine Fikri was crushed to death after climbing into a rubbish lorry to retrieve his swordfish confiscated by police.

The demand for justice for Fikri in the northeastern region has evolved into a major grassroots movement to require greater government investment to create more jobs.

Morocco has not witnessed any protests of this size since the pro-democracy demonstrations during the Arab spring in 2011.
Second ultrasound test confirms presence of a second baby panda, according to Beauval zoo parc.

PARIS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Giant panda Huan Huan, on loan to France from China, will give birth to twins, Beauval zoo parc announced Tuesday.

"During a new ultrasound, we were able to confirm the presence of a second baby panda. Huan Huan, our female panda, awaits twins," it said in a statement.

First ultrasound test conducted on July 26 detected a fetus of 3.4 cm, according to zoo officials. After a 50-day gestation period, the twins are expected on either Aug. 4 or 5.

The two cubs will be visible only on giant screens set up in the zoo during their first three months, they added.

The female panda and her male partner Yuan Zi arrived in central France's Beauval zoo in January 2012.

There are about 2,000 pandas in the world. They are classified as "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:44:55|Editor: yan

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- China's Renminbi (RMB) is expected to regain its momentum as U.S. dollar is likely to remain weak and the Belt and Road Initiative may drive the demand of RMB, economists said here Tuesday.

JP Morgan (China)'s senior economist Grace Ng told a banking conference in Kuala Lumpur that the macro backdrop for RMB has been gradually improving as the global economy is starting to improve and the greenback is expected to stay weak.

"As the U.S. dollar started to weaken against many currencies in the first half, we don't see the return of significant dollar strengthening as we saw in the previous two to three years," she said.

The global economy, which is in recovering path, will also boost China's export sector, which in turn would create a more stable condition for the country and its currency, she added.

The event was organized by the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers and China's Tsinghua University.

Concurred with Ng, BNP Paribas Asset Management (Hong Kong)'s senior economist Chi Lo opined that the RMB will regain its confidence from investors if the U.S. dollar remains weak.

According to Bloomberg statistics, the U.S. dollar has depreciated 3.25 percent to 6.71 against RMB year-to-date.

"I believe at the end of this year, the U.S. dollar against the RMB could trade even below 6.7. By next year, the RMB may strengthen another 2 percent further," Lo said.

Lo also sees the increasing trades demand as the major driving force for RMB, especially with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

"When China expands its trade network via the Belt and Road Initiative, using RMB will be quite natural; assuming the trading partner to accept RMB is also logic," Lo added.

He does not discount the possibilities that RMB would become the third largest global reserve currency in three years' time.

RMB accounted for only 1.2 percent of global reserve currently, he said.

HSBC (Hong Kong)'s Greater China foreign exchange trading's head Ben WP Lim shared the same view that the RMB internationalization will regain its momentum, underpinned by the Belt and Road Initiative.

"I am quite confident the (RMB internationalization) process will be speeding up in the next three years, and we will see the increasing usage of RMB in offshore market," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:44:57|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with visiting Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday encouraged Michigan and other U.S. states to enhance exchanges, two-way trade and investment with China's provinces to create more opportunities and jobs for both sides.

Li said at a meeting with visiting Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in Beijing that the more exchanges between the two countries at sub-national levels, the better the two sides can expand their common interests.

The premier called on U.S. states to tap potential in manufacturing, innovation and other fields.

China will create a more open environment for sub-national cooperation, according to Li.

The heads of China and the U.S. have held two successful meetings since the beginning of this year, Li said, noting that relations between the two countries have developed steadily.

Li stressed that China-U.S. common interests are far greater than their differences, saying China is willing to continue to promote mutual understanding and trust with the United States and push forward pragmatic cooperation in key areas on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

Snyder said that Michigan is looking forward to expanding cooperation with China in trade, investment, tourism, innovation, manufacturing transformation and other fields.
 

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Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:50:01|Editor: yan

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KAMPALA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were killed on spot and nine others critically injured in a Monday road accident in the central Ugandan district of Mpigi, a police spokesperson said here on Tuesday.

Philip Mukasa, the Katonga regional police spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone that the fatal accident occurred following a head on collision between a passenger commuter taxi and a lorry loaded with cement at Maya swamp along the Kampala-Mpigi highway.

The commuter taxi carrying 16 people was heading to the capital, Kampala when it rammed into a lorry traveling to the opposite direction.

"Seven people aboard the taxi died and nine others critically injured. The injured victims were rushed to Mulago Hospital for emergency treatment and further management," said Mukasa.

He said the bodies of the deceased were taken in the same hospital for postmortem and identification by relatives.

The spokesperson said the injured remain in critical condition and the death toll could rise.

The accident comes barely two months after a serious accident on June 26 claimed 12 people and 11 others critically injured following another a head on collision at Kalandazi along the Kampala-Masaka highway.

The police attributed the cause of the road accident to careless and reckless driving.

Uganda registers at least 20,000 accidents with over 2,000 deaths each year, making it one of the countries with the highest road accident fatality rates in the world, according to police figures.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 22:50:02|Editor: yan

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HANOI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese and Mozambican prime ministers agreed here on Tuesday to maintain delegation exchanges at all levels, and support each other at international forums, while boosting their investment and trade relations.

During talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Mozambique's Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario called upon Vietnamese businesses to engage more in trade, oil and gas, marine transport, and processing farm produce and seafood, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Pertaining to trade, investment and development cooperation, the two leaders expressed their pleasure at the effective operation of Movitel, a joint venture between Vietnam's military-run telecom group Viettel and Mozambique's investment company SPI, as well as Vietnam's food crop development research cooperation project in Mozambique.

Mozambique is expected to become a leading partner of Vietnam in southern Sahara, Africa, while Vietnam will serve as a bridge to connect Mozambique with Southeast Asia.

After the talks, the leaders witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to protect and preserve wild flora and fauna and the initialling of an agreement on aviation transport services.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 23:05:10|Editor: yan

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KAMPALA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has appointed a team of senior military officers to probe the deadly ambush on Sunday by Somali militant group Al-Shabaab that left 12 peacekeepers dead and seven others injured, a spokesperson said here on Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki, the deputy spokesperson of Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF), told Xinhua that Chief of Defense Forces Gen. David Muhoozi has appointed Brig. Jack Bakasumba, the commander of the Peace and Support Training Centre, Singo to lead a board of inquiry into circumstances surrounding the fateful incident in southwest Somalia.

The team will work alongside with their African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) counterparts.

"It will work with AMISOM to examine what exactly happened and give its recommendations. Action will be taken then," said Akiiki.

Al-Shabaab militants ambushed the Somalia National Army and UPDF troops on Sunday at Goryowein along Bulu-maler and Beladamin, in Lower Shabelle region, about 140 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu.

Uganda on Monday said the dead and those injured had been evacuated to Mogadishu Level II Hospital.

The bodies of the deceased peacekeepers are expected to be airlifted back to the Uganda during this week, according to Akiiki.

Uganda contributes some 6,500 soldiers to the 22,000 African Union peacekeeping force deployed in Somalia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 23:10:16|Editor: yan

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SKOPJE, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov signed an agreement on friendship, good neighborly relations, and cooperation here on Tuesday.

The agreement, which has been negotiated for several years, binds the two countries to cooperate in all fields based on mutual trust and respect. The agreement was immediately followed by memorandums for cooperation in the transport and energy sectors.

"We are taking an historic step forward and we are opening a road for stability and development for our countries. We are determined to lead a policy of solutions, not a policy of problems. And we have found Bulgaria to be our partner with the same goals," Zaev said upon signing the agreement.

The Bulgarian prime minister said this "important agreement" would bring Macedonia closer to NATO and EU.

However, the agreement has caused fierce political and scientific debate in Macedonia. The opposition party VMRO-DPMNE already announced it would not support the document in Macedonian Parliament. According to the party, the agreement threatens the national interests of the country, especially the part envisaging that the two countries will celebrate events from their joint history.

VMRO-DPMNE stressed in a written statement issued prior to Borisov's arrival that Bulgaria's demands to put the two countries' joint history into the agreement was "an attempt to confirm the thesis that Macedonian history is actually Bulgarian history, which supports the argument that Macedonia is a fictive nation created in 1944."

The party added that by signing this "capitulation agreement" Macedonia would face serious problems in the near future.

Some of the provisions of the agreement are controversial for expert historians in Macedonia as well. They reacted specifically to the part of the agreement wherein the two countries agree to establish a joint commission that would look into the historical interpretations in education curricula.

"Sadly, in recent years, politics has interfered with historic science more and more. As historians, we have always said that politics should be kept out of the interpretations of historic facts. This is what happens now and it can only cause problems," history professor Nikola Zhezhov said in Skopje.

The first step taken under the agreement will be a joint celebration of "Ilinden", Macedonia's Republic Day, marked on Aug 2. Borisov will stay in Skopje overnight for the celebration. Together with Zaev, his Macedonian counterpart, the Bulgarian prime minister will lay flowers on the grave of Macedonian revolutionary Goce Delchev on Wednesday.

Borisov said: "People say that if you look backwards, you will trip and fall. This is why we decided to look forward. You will see the results in some time. The term joint history is a term that opens joint perspectives, instead of divisions."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 23:10:18|Editor: yan

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BERLIN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), the German Minister for Transport on Tuesday rejected criticisms that his department has been too soft on scandal-ridden carmakers.

He insisted that he was "not available for comradery" with the German automotive industry while speaking on German news channel ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen), a German public service television broadcaster based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate.

Dobrindt described such claims as "simply wrong" and said that accusations that ties between German politicians and the country's automotive industry were too close are not justified.

There was merely a general partnership between politics, business and society which constituted the foundation of the European capitalist model of a social market economy, he said.

Despite the wave of criticism that he has faced in connection to recently-surfaced accusations that leading German carmakers have colluded illegally for decades and the ongoing "dieselgate" scandal, Dobrindt saw no reason to reorganize the KBA.

Last week, German media reported that the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), a sub-department of Dobrindt's ministry, had censored an investigatory report into the emissions cheating practices of Volkswagen AG following an intervention by the Wolfsburg-based carmaker.

Barbara Hendricks (SPD), the German Minister for the Environment, called for a reorganization of the KBA in response to revelations.

Many of the changes demanded in public had already been implemented according to the minister. Dobrindt once again denied having failed to act in his official capacity despite having prior knowledge of the installation of illicit software in diesel vehicles to understate their emissions levels in test settings.

The recall of 2.5 million vehicles were proof of his dedication to solving the issue. Investigations remained ongoing which was why new information could and did still emerge.

Dobrindt further resisted calls for a fixed expiry date for combustion engines.

"I do not understand these simplistic messages," he said. It was not the place of government to decide on the technology of the future, although industry had a duty to remain innovative and open to change.

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had described government proposals which sought to outlaw a given type of motors as an "unimaginative" means of combating nitrogen oxide pollution and climate change.

On Wednesday, the German officials from the country's federal and state governments will hold a highly-anticipated "diesel summit" with the representatives of the automotive industry to discuss lowering nitrogen oxide pollution levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 23:30:27|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with visiting Gambian Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to enhance cooperation with Gambia in infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and other fields, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Tuesday.

Wang said the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two countries has not only brought bilateral relations back to the right track, but also opened up broad prospects for cooperation.

China appreciates the new Gambian government's firm adherence to the one-China principle and its commitment to friendship with China, Wang told visiting Gambian Foreign Minister Ousainou Darboe during a meeting.

China is willing to work with the Gambian side to enhance mutual trust, expand people-to-people exchanges as well as strengthen coordination in global and regional affairs to push bilateral relations to a higher level, said Wang.

The Gambian government and people highly appreciates the ideas and initiatives proposed by Chinese leader on China-Africa cooperation, highly appreciates the support and assistance China has provided to the country, according to Darboe.

Gambia will stick to the one-China policy, and is looking forward to pragmatic cooperation with China in various fields, he said.

The two ministers signed an agreement on a consultation mechanism between the two ministries following their talks.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 23:35:32|Editor: yan

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ATHENS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Despite rising tourist arrivals in recent years, the annual revenues for those working in the tourism sector have declined as visitors are spending less money on average, a survey released Tuesday by the Labor Institute of GSEE, the umbrella union of private sector employees, showed.

Three out of ten Greeks, or 15.5 percent of Greece's workforce, work in the tourism sector, according to the survey. Between 33 and 39 percent are indirectly employed in tourism sector.

Traditionally, the tourism industry is one of the stronger growth drivers of the Greek economy, accounting for about 18 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), even during the years of the debt crisis.

However, revenue from international tourism in recent years has declined, as foreign visitors have reduced their length of stay in Greece and with this comes a drop in spending. In 2005, the average tourist spent 10.7 days in Greece and 745.7 euros per trip compared to 6.9 days and 470.5 euros per trip in 2016, the survey found.

The annual revenue from international tourism arrivals last year reached around 13.2 billion euros, down 6.4 percent compared to the previous year, according to a recent report from the Bank of Greece.

Regarding domestic tourism, the picture seems gloomier: 53.6 percent of Greeks can't afford a week's holiday this year, while the average is 33 percent for the entire European Union (EU), according to Eurostat data released on Monday.

Greece expects to welcome more than 30 million visitors in 2017, up from 27.5 million people in 2016 and 25 million in 2015, according to the Greek tourism ministry. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars)
On Friday, 26-year-old Ahmad A randomly stabbed shoppers with a 20-centimeter long knife at a Hamburg grocery store, killing one and injuring seven others. Following the attack, passers-by are seen confronting with the knife-wielding attacker with chairs, in a video run by German media Focus Online.

BERLIN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Julia Kloeckner, the deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party accused her party's Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partner of blocking a stricter deportation regime on Tuesday.

Speaking in the wake of an Islamist knife attack in Hamburg, Kloeckner said: "We virtually had to force the SPD to act (on the issue). Unfortunately, we could not implement everything that we would have considered sensible."

The Hamburg attacker Ahmad A. had not been granted asylum in Germany and was thus obliged to leave the country. According to Kloeckner, he could have been held in custody until his deportation if the SPD "had supported our demands for a stricter deportation regime earlier".

A new law was enacted in Germany on Saturday, one day after the Hamburg stabbing, making it easier for authorities to take individuals who are obliged to leave the country into custody and monitor them.

Ahmad A. was known to authorities for his radical Islamist views but was not considered to pose a threat. Last Friday he killed one and injured seven with a knife in a Hamburg supermarket. The Palestinian national reportedly asked police to treat him as a terrorist upon being arrested.

Christian Social Union (CSU) politician Stephan Mayer had voiced similar concerns to those expressed by Kloeckner earlier, attributing part of the blame for the incident to the SPD.

The SPD rejected claims that it was responsible for the brutal acts of Ahmad A. because it had previously resisted enforcing a stricter deportation regime.

The German Interior Ministry has called for a significant rise in the number of places available at deportation detention centers.

"A further capacity requirement in the range of thousands of places at deportation detention centers is not unrealistic due to the high number of around 226,000 foreigners who are obliged to leave the country," a ministry spokesperson told the newspaper Welt.

According to Welt research, there are currently 400 places available at six deportation detention centers in Germany.

The Interior Ministry further said regional authorities in Germany's 16 states were not assuming their responsibility for placing individuals in such custody because they lacked available places.

At the same time, the number of individuals who voluntarily leave the country after failed asylum applications is falling.

The newspaper Bild cited official figures which showed that 16,645 individuals accepted financial support from the German government to return to their countries of origins in the period leading up to the end of June this year. In 2016, a total of 54,006 left Germany in this fashion, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

Under certain conditions, federal and state governments in Germany support refugees financially during their return to their homes with more than 1,000 euros (1,180 U.S. dollars) of "start-up support" per person.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-01 23:50:42|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of foreign tourists visiting Turkey in June increased by 43 percent to 3.5 million year on year, official data said on Tuesday.

According to Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 12.3 million tourists visited Turkey in the first six months of the year, with 14.5 percent year-on-year increase.

In the first half of this year, Russia was the biggest tourist source market with a total of 1.7 million visitors to Turkey, sharing 13.8 percent in total arrivals. Russia was followed by Germany, Georgia, Iran and Bulgaria in this period.

The three most preferred destinations for foreign visitors in the first half of the year were the historical metropolis Istanbul, Mediterranean side Antalya, and the most western city Edirne.

The sharp rise has shown strong recovery of Turkey's tourism, which was hit by diplomatic crises with Russia and Europe, a failed coup attempt last July and a spate of bomb attacks, which scared away tourists over the past two year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:10:54|Editor: yan

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ZHANGJIAKOU, Hebei Province, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Walking under the shade of the trees, Wang Wenhua remembers the days when the barren mountains were swept by sandstorms.

"After we had the forest planted, gone were the sandstorm and flash floods," said the 59-year-old woman. "Villagers saw the improvement and their minds changed as well."

Wang lives in the Zhenzigou village of Guyuan county, Zhangjiakou in northern China's Hebei Province, believed to be a "protective screen" for the capital Beijing.

Those who live in Beijing remember decades ago, when people in the capital had to wear gauze scarves before going out in the sandstorms. The situation in Zhangjiakou was worse.

An Chunfu, 60, lives in Miaotan village. When he was young, he remembered a saying, "A wind each year, from spring to winter."

"After the wind a pile of sand was left in the house, which was so tall that by stepping on the pile you could mount the roof," he said.

"When it rained, there were floods, because the mountains were so barren that even if you dropped a needle, you could easily find it," Wang said. "The farmland was inundated."

Zhangjiakou started planting a forest net in the 1950s to protect the farmland. In 1978, it launched projects to return the farmland to forestry.

Wang, as Party chief of Zhenzigou village, began leading villagers to plant trees in 2000.

"At first it was difficult," she said. "Some even threatened to commit suicide instead of planting trees, because they had cattle. If we planted trees, the grass would be fenced so that the cattle could not graze."

After some time, she managed to persuade some women to work with her, leaving the men doing their farm work. Gradually, people saw the necessity of planting trees and joined in.

Zhenzigou mirrored the change of Zhangjiakou, where forests cover 308,733 hectares and 22.4 percent of land is forested.

"After we had forests, the wind seemed less strong," An Chunfu said.

Wang said: "We had more rainfall and the oats grew well. In the past, the fruit was as small as a bird's tongue."

Seeing improvement in the environment, many villagers gave up raising cattle and went into towns and cities to work.

"After the reform and opening up, we had 300 to 500 cows and 4,000 sheep, now the village has less than 100 sheep and only 20 cows," Wang said.

But new problems soon arose.

In Zhangjiakou where the weather is dry, only a few trees can grow. Due to falling groundwater levels and poor management, many poplars planted last century died.

The dying trees, still thin, were called "young old trees."

"They withered before growing into big trees," said Yang Fan, head of the forestry bureau of Kangbao county in Zhangjiakou. "In such difficult conditions, even trees have to do their utmost to grow up."

Some villagers went to forestry authorities, complaining that the sandstorms had returned and their farmland was buried.

According to the forestry bureau of Zhangjiakou, among the 101,933 hectares of poplar forests, about 80 percent degenerated.

In 2014 Zhangjiakou started replacing the dead or dying trees, planning to complete the task in three years. Currently 64,380 hectares have been replaced, with pine trees planted instead of poplars.

"Pine trees need less water than poplars and can live longer," said Wang Jinhuan, head of the forestry bureau of Zhangbei county.

Villagers joined the effort. An Chunfu became a ranger, contracted for 13.3 hectares of forest, and patrolled every day.

The forests alone bring villagers little profits, and the locals find different ways to increase their incomes.

Duan Guibin, 46, has contracted 266.7 hectares of land in Kangbao county, half forest and half uncultivated land. Duan plants mushrooms in the forest and roses on the rest of the land.

He hires locals from poverty-stricken households to work for daily pay of 80 yuan (11.9 U.S. dollars).

"One hundred people, mainly old villagers, work for me each day. Their average age is above 70," Duan said. "The work can bring them some income." The oldest person Duan employs is a 82-years-old man in charge of planting seedlings.

Wang Guiming, 63, has worked on Duan's rose field for two years.

"We could hardly earn any money from farming due to the drought," he said. "I used to be too poor to buy a pack of cigarettes."

"Now that my wife and I plant roses, we can earn enough money to repair our house," he said. He has recently upgraded his small television to one four times bigger.

Seeing the opportunity, many villagers who used to work in the cities have come back. In Wang Guiming's village where there used to be only 200 people, the population has now doubled.

Zhangjiakou is expecting a boom in winter-sport tourism as the 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be partly hosted there.

Duan hopes the event can bring more tourists to his rose plantations and forests.

Wang Wenhua shares the same dream.

"We still have some uncultivated land in our village. If we grow more fruit trees there, we can enjoy the beauty of flowers in spring and taste sweet fruit in autumn. How fantastic," Wang said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:10:56|Editor: yan

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AMMAN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Lower House on Tuesday abolished a controversial legislation that allowed sexual assault perpetrators to escape punishment by marrying the victims, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Following a heated 30-minute session and a public vote by members, the Speaker of the Lower House Atef Tarawneh declared that Article 308 of the Penal Code is abolished.

Prime Minister Hani Mulki had reiterated the government's stand concerning Article 308 in a brief remark before the voting session commenced, saying that the legislation "comes in contravention of our values."

Before the article is abolished, if the perpetrator of a rape or a sexual assault crime marries the victims, the charges would be dropped off.

The article made many families, fearing shame and disgrace, agree to give in if the rapist marries their daughter.

Human rights and women groups have been pushing for the scrapping of the article, which actually enabled sexual harassment perpetrators to marry the victims they rape and escape punishment.

The draft Penal Code and Article 308 in specific has been under the heat at the Lower House of Parliament and within the civil society and government officials with many calling for its complete abolishing from the Penal Code.

A Royal committee had suggested abolishing the article in February and the government endorsed the decision shortly afterwards.

Several women activists representing 63 local organizations took to social media for a campaign lobbying the Lower House to abolish the article, rather than adopt any amendments.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:15:58|Editor: Zhou Xin

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VIENTIANE, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lao government has given the green light for a Chinese company to conduct a feasibility study on developing the Khonphapheng Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern Laos' Champassak province, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Chinese company had informed authorities that it wants to invest 10 billion U.S. dollars to develop the SEZ, some 580 km south of capital Vientiane, the Deputy Governor of Champassak, Buasone Vongsongkhone told Lao state-run media Vientiane Times.

If the project is realized, it will become the largest investment venture in Champassak province and potentially the country.

A memorandum of understanding was recently signed between the government and the Chinese company, Guangdong Yellow River Industrial Group, in Vientiane, Vientiane Times online reported Tuesday. The move will allow the company to conduct a feasibility study for this project as well as project designs and other activities within six months.

"If the study is positive, we can move forward on a concession agreement which will allow the company to develop the project," Buasone said on Monday.

Khonphapheng waterfall and the surrounding area are designated for development as a new town that will focus on tourism.

The Chinese company's study will identify business activities and tourism facilities to facilitate the growth of tourism in Laos. This would include hotels, restaurants, a trade center and other tourism-related businesses.

In July 2015, the government approved the development of Khonphapheng and the surrounding area, also known as Siphandone (the 4,000 islands region), as a new SEZ.

Even before the government's approval, investors from China, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines had expressed initial interest in the zone.

Khonphapheng, located in Khong district, is the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia and attracts thousands of visitors every year. Nevertheless, more facilities are needed to attract more tourists.

Officials said the waterfall, close to the Laos-Cambodia border, is a suitable location for developing the SEZ as it would bring more businesses to the area.

The provincial authorities have allocated more than 7,000 hectares for the potential development, which would be divided into four zones: Zone A (480 hectares), Zone B (797 hectares), Zone C (2,120 hectares) and Zone D (3,678 hectares).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:26:10|Editor: Yamei

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Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

DHAKA, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping's speech at the Army Day celebration was powerful, befitting of a rising power with a long and rich history and the right to protect its national sovereignty, said a Bangladeshi analyst in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday.

"He...touched on the need to be ever ready for any eventuality which is a requirement of any professional military," said ANM Muniruzzaman, president of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies. "The need is specially important because of the bitter memories of the past and the current uncertainties of the strategic environment," said Muniruzzaman, also an ex-major general of the Bangladesh Army.

"It is also very much an inspiring message to the members of the PLA (People's Liberation Army)."

He spoke highly of Xi's speech at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army on Tuesday.

China will never compromise on its sovereignty, security or development interests, President Xi said at the event.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organization or political party to split any part of Chinese territory from the country at any time, in any form," Xi said.

China has always remained committed to the principle of peaceful rise, said Muniruzzaman, who has extensive experience in UN peacekeeping operations and led the post-election UN Mission in Cambodia.

"Rarely in history a country has risen to a great power status without violent conflict and war. China is an exception. It has shown the path that peaceful rise is possible. It has also taken tremendous efforts to solve its border disputes with almost all of its neighbors peacefully," he said.

"A rising China that follows this policy of peaceful rise does not only make the ground for internal development but is also a force for regional and international peace and stability," he noted.

According to Muniruzzaman, the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi in 2013, is a massive game changer.

"It will not only stimulate trade and commerce but will have multi-directional benefits in many sectors. China's idea is also to revive the ancient silk route where the different continents once traded with China. It will bring together many countries in Asia, Africa and Europe under this visionary initiative."

"All countries including China have the right to preserve their national independence and sovereignty. China has to especially be careful in this regard as it peacefully rises as a major power. Like any other countries it has the right to fight back if these interests are threatened.", he stressed

China should also play a responsible role in maintaining regional peace and stability, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:26:11|Editor: yan

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ISLAMABAD, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was sworn in as Pakistani 28th Prime Minister Tuesday evening shortly after the parliament elected him with a clear majority.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath to Abbasi at an oath-taking ceremony held at President House. The president later congratulated Abbasi on his election.

Islamabad-based diplomats, services chiefs, senior officials and lawmakers attended the ceremony.

Abbasi was elected prime minister four days after the Supreme Court ousted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over corruption charges. He belongs to Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

In Tuesday's voting, Abbasi secured 221 votes in the 342-member National Assembly, the country's lower house of the parliament.

Syed Naveed Qamar of the main opposition Pakistan Peoples Party bagged 47 votes while Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party received 33 votes and another candidate from Jamaat-e-Islami got four votes.

Earlier in his speech in the National Assembly after winning the election, the new prime minister appealed to all opposition parties to join hands and uphold the supremacy of the constitution.

In the speech, he also outlined a few important things which were in his mind after he assumed the office.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:36:18|Editor: yan

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BERLIN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The final contracts for the sale of traditional German carmaker Opel to French automotive firm PSA have been signed, Opel told press at its headquarters on Tuesday.

The fusion will create the second largest carmaker in Europe by sales with a market share of roughly 17 percent, surpassed only by Volkswagen AG.

Opel was bought by General Motors in 1929 and was once the biggest German carmaker. The firm had struggled financially in more recent years, however, and together with its British sister brand Vauxhall, has failed to post an annual operating profit since 1999.

As a consequence, Opel now faces a restructuring process which PSA director Carlos Tavares wants to leave in the hands of the firm's German management. Opel's turnaround plan would not be directed from Paris, he insisted.

Opel's new CEO Michael Lohscheller will design and present a corporate strategy within the next 100 days. The PSA controlling executive Philippe de Rovira will join as the firm's new chief financial officer.

"Opel will remain German and Vauxhall will remain British. They complement our existing portfolio comprised of the French brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS automobiles perfectly," Tavares said in a statement.

EU competition authorities have approved the merger which has been under negotiation since March. PSA acquired General Motor's European divisions and financial services unit for around 2.2 billion euros (2.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Opel/Vauxhall has some 38,000 employees in seven European countries, half of which are based in Germany.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 00:36:20|Editor: yan

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PYONGYANG, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday slammed the United States for passing a new sanctions bill against it, state-run media reported.

"The new sanctions against the DPRK, Russia and Iran which recently passed by the U.S. Congress is prompting a growing international backlash," a Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted by the Korean Central News Agency as saying.

"The sanctions by the United States which are geared to 'saving the U.S. economy' by securing the market for energy and increasing its export are encroaching upon the interests of its allies and friends without hesitation as well as its rivals," said the spokesman.

The U.S. Congress reached a deal on July 27 on sanctions against Russia, Iran and the DPRK.

On Tuesday, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who was visiting Georgia, said that President Donald Trump would sign the sanctions bill on Russia this week.
Liu Jieyi (C, Rear), China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and UN Security Council president for July briefs journalists at the United Nations during a press conference in New York, July 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy to the United Nations Monday called for negotiated solutions to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the statement at a press conference on Monday, marking the end of China's rotating term of the Security Council President for the month of July.

Liu said China is firmly opposed to any violation of the Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, including nuclear tests and ballistic missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

China has been urging the DPRK and other relevant countries not to exacerbate the situation on the Korean Peninsula by avoiding words and actions that could escalate regional tensions, which run counter to the objectives sought by the UNSC.

"Our objective is to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maintain peace and stability on the peninsula and to seek negotiated solutions through dialogues and consultations," said the ambassador.

China is opposed to conflicts or wars on the peninsula, he said.

"Basically, if you can generalize broadly what relevant resolutions contain, they contain sanctions to address the nuclear ballistic missile programs in the DPRK," he added.

Liu said that normal economic relations should be maintained, and the resolutions are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the DPRK's civilians.

"China has been working very hard to try to initiate an negotiated solution of the issues of denuclearization, peace and stability," he said.

"In doing so, we have proposed a package solution, including 'freeze for freeze', 'suspension for suspension' and denuclearization for peace or security mechanism on the ground," he added.

At the meeting, the ambassador also told the media that China has been working with the Russian Federation to put forth a road map for achieving regional peace and the UNSC's objectives.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 01:11:40|Editor: yan

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HERAT, Afghanistan, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 Afghans were killed and 17 others wounded as a blast ripped through a mosque in Herat city, capital of western Herat province, on Tuesday night, a local official said.

"The explosion occurred in Jawadia Mosque in Baqer Abad neighborhood. The blast occurred at around 08:30 p.m. local time as night praying was under way and people were arriving in the building," the official told Xinhua.

"The initial information found 15 people were killed and 17 others injured," Mohammad Rafiq Sherzia, spokesman of Herat Regional hospital, told Xinhua.

Most of the victims were Shiite Muslims, according to witnesses, who said that the nature of the blast was a suicide bombing and more than 30 people dead while scores of others injured by the explosion.

The death toll was likely to rise as many of the injured remained in critical condition.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

The war-hit country has witnessed a string of attacks as Taliban insurgents and Islamic States (IS) fighters have intensified activities throughout the country over the past months.

On Monday, two Afghans, including a woman, were killed after IS militants attacked Iraqi Embassy in Kabul.

More than 1,660 civilians were killed and over 3,580 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first half of the year, according to the United Nations mission in the country.
A combination of two photos shows U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as they arrive for the G20 leaders summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo)

TBILISI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will sign the sanctions bill on Russia this week, visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said here on Tuesday at a press conference with Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

The sactions bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 98-2 on Thursday, targets Russia for its alleged intervention in Ukraine and meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied in public.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hit back at the sanctions by demanding the United States cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, regarded as Moscow's most aggressive move against Washington since the final years of the Cold War.

When commenting the recent US-Russian relations, Pence said that the new sanctions bill toward Russia that President Trump will sign this week will be a clear message to all allies that US will do exactly what it has said.

Pence arrived here late Monday for a two-day visit, which will be followed by a trip to Montenegro, the newest member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 03:57:51|Editor: yan

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BEIRUT, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon vowed to defeat terrorism as the country marked Tuesday the Army Day after a two-year absence of the celebration due to the presidential vacuum.

President Michel Aoun stressed on the occasion that "we are now waiting for our armed forces to achieve a new victory and liberate what remains of the regions that have been violated for years by terrorists."

Celebrations kicked off at the Lebanese Army Military Academy in Fayadieh under the chairmanship of President Aoun and in the presence of House Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and other political and military figures.

Aoun addressed the graduates, encouraging them to be the protectors of this country's sovereignty and independence.

"Your graduation coincides with major challenges that the military and security institutions are facing in fighting the dangers of terrorism and aggression against Lebanon," he added.

He also mentioned soldiers who were kidnapped in 2014, with their fate still unknown, saying that works to combat terrorism could accelerate the disclosure of their whereabouts, and ease "the pain that has been inflicted on their families, their institution and all the Lebanese people."

A Lebanese warplane struck the Islamic State group (IS) posts Monday in the outskirts of Ras Baalbeck, resulting in injuries among the militants, local TV stations reported.

The strikes came after a battle between Hezbollah and the al-Qaida linked al-Nusra Front that ended with a cease-fire agreement Thursday.

Since then, the Lebanese army has reinforced areas around Ras Baalbeck and Al-Qaa near the IS-held Lebanese territory, warning that they would soon launch an offensive to push the militant group out of the country.

In remarks addressed to troops on Monday, the eve of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the army, Army Commander Joseph Aoun praised the courage of his men.

He called for remembrance of the hero soldiers who were injured, martyred or abducted by terrorist organizations," saying that terrorism remains the same "whether its aggression are launched from the southern border or the eastern border."

He underlined the importance of continuing to firmly target militants, in order to frustrate their attempts to escape towards villages or refugee camps with the aim of using civilians as human shields.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 04:23:00|Editor: Zhou Xin

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PARIS, Aug.1 (Xinhua) -- New wildfires reported on Tuesday in France's southern districts had consumed hectares of forests and triggered the evacuation of residents, according to local reports.

Two fires broke out in Bouches-du-Rhone where 230 firemen are battling to tame the blaze which had consumed 20 hectares and prompted the evacuation of many towns mainly in Istres, news channel BFMTV reported.

In Cabris, 275 firefighters and three Canadair water bombers were deployed to contain flames in Cabris, in Alpes-Maritime district.

According to regional authorities, the blaze is under control. It consumed 53 hectares of forest.

Similar fire was reported in the Gard district.

Last week, huge blazes hit French southeastern region, the country's second main tourism destination after Paris. They had ravaged 10,000 hectares, twice the annual average of the last 10 years.

Risks of fire in the zone, notably in the Var department, remain very high on expected new wave of heat and dry weather. In southeast France, 12 districts were put on orange alert due to heat wave, according to meteo France, the country's meteorological service.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-02 07:05:42|Editor: Yamei

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BERLIN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The number of residents with foreign roots in Germany has reached the highest level since 2005, the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden revealed on Tuesday.

18.6 million individuals in the country had a migratory background in 2016, meaning that they were either immigrants or children thereof.

The number marked an 8.5 percent increase on the previous year, and "the biggest increase since the beginning of measurements in 2005," noted the Office.

The share of Germany's total population with foreign roots reached a new record level as well at 22.5 percent. The development could largely be explained by the large influx of migrants, including asylum seekers, which the country has experienced since 2015.

2.3 million individuals in Germany had roots in the Middle East in 2016, an increase of nearly 51 percent since 2011. Africans had arrived in larger numbers as well to reach a total of 740,000 -- 46 percent more than in 2011.

Turkey was still the single biggest country of origin for Germans with migratory backgrounds, but had lost relevance in recent years.

Despite the mass arrival of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, the bulk of people with migratory backgrounds still came from other European countries, said the Office.
Scotiabank, Best Consumer Digital Bank

Scotiabank has been consistently recognized as the Best Consumer Internet Bank or Best Consumer Digital Bank by Global Finance since 2009, demonstrating its strength in digital banking.

We are very proud to have been recognized by Global Finance for the digital solutions we offer to our customers in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean, said Ignacio Deschamps, Group Head, International Banking and Digital Transformation.

At Scotiabank, we have a global robust digital banking strategy focused on meeting customers needs and expectations. In Trinidad and Tobago, this is the 7th consecutive year we have received this accolade stated Anya M. Schnoor  Senior Vice President and Head, Caribbean East and South.

One of our top priorities is to make it easier for customers to do business with us by becoming the leading digital bank in the markets where we operate and this award is testament to us achieving this. she continued Scotiabank was recognized as 2017 Worlds Best Consumer Digital Bank in 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevia, St Lucia, St.

Marteen, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, and US Virgin Islands.

Scotiabank was also recognized in one international regional subcategory: Regional Winner for Best in Mobile Banking Latin America and the Caribbean; and three regional subcategories in North America: Best Mobile Banking App, Best Bill Payment and Presentment, and Best Information Security Initiatives.

Scotiabank is undergoing a digital transformation to meet the changing expectations of customers.

Some recent highlights include: Creating a network of five Digital Factories in its priority markets of Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia which are focused exclusively on delivering digital customer solutions; Appointing five digital banking leaders who will drive the Banks digital strategy in key markets; partnering with FinTechs and universities to help accelerate our digital and analytics capabilities; rolling out a new online and mobile banking platform across Latin America and Caribbean countries to make it easier for our customers to do business with us; and introducing new digital branches in Mexico City and Canada.

Winning banks were selected based on the following criteria: strength of strategy for attracting and servicing digital customers, success in getting clients to use digital offerings, growth of digital customers, breadth of product offerings, evidence of tangible benefits gained from digital initiatives, and web/ mobile site design and functionality.
Man to hang for ex-wifes murder

Justice Malcolm Holdip pronounced the death sentence on Basdeo Ramlochan and Siewkumar Chankar Persad, the latter being the hired killer who was paid $30,000 to kill Sunita Ramlochan and Rahim Abraham.

Ramlochan, 29, divorced her husband and had gone to live with Abraham, 46, who was a foreign used car dealer. The State led evidence before the judge and a 12-member jury, that five minutes after Abraham and Ramlochan returned to their Avocat Village home on October 15, 2006, they were both shot dead.

Ramlochans daughter, 11, who was at home at the time, was unharmed.

State Attorney Stacy Laloo- Chong opened the case in May and presented 27 witnesses, one of whom testified that he lived upstairs the house and heard a loud noise and then heard Ramlochans screams.

Hours later, officers led by Sgt Peter Ramdeen, arrested ex-husband Ramlochan at his home.

Persad was arrested days later.

Attorney Anslem Leander instructed Laloo-Chong in prosecuting the two accused for murder.

Prosecutor Laloo Chong cross-examined Persad but Ramlochan opted to remain silent. He was defended by Rekha Ramjit while attorney Bindra Dolsingh represented Persad.

Justice Holdip began summation of the case on Friday and continued yesterday. The jury retired for less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts. As Justice Holdip passed the death sentence on both men, their female relatives who sat in the public gallery began to weep. Sunitas sister Elsie Beharry waited until proceedings ended before walking over to Laloo-Chong and hugged her.
Arsonist jailed for 15 years

Daniel George of Upper Pashley Street, Laventille was sentenced by Justice Maria Wilson in the Port of Spain High Court.

George is expected to be released in less than three years as he was granted an automatic one third discount on his sentence because of his guilty plea and seven years he spent on remand awaiting trial, was deducted from the sentence. He pleaded with Justice Wilson to be sent to St Anns.

Since I young, they calling me mad, he said.

Justice Wilson ordered that he be sent for psychiatric evaluation within the next two weeks to determine the best course of treatment. I think in our society there is some sort of reluctance to deal with mental health issues and a tendency to conceal this within a family, the judge said.

She said there was no issue over Georges ability to plead guilty as a psychiatric evaluation had been done prior to the court accepting his plea.

In sentencing George, she set a starting point of 11 years but increased it because of aggravating factors in the case, which included the fact that Georges father had obtained two protection orders against his son before the fire. She also said Georges father Barry Georges victim impact statement was the worst she had seen as a judge.

It was only negative, she said. According to the evidence, the arson incident took place on July 6, 2010, while Georges father was on his way to the Besson Street Police Station to report threats made by his son. While the police and Barry were on their way to the familys home to speak to George, they met him walking along the Eastern Main Road near the Success Laventille Secondary School.

George allegedly said: Officers, thank you. I was just going to the station to make a report. The officers claimed that when they took George and his father to their house, they found that it was completely engulfed in flames.

I wanted to make a jail because I have no place to stay, George said. Senior State attorney Anju Bhola prosecuted.
7 guns found - 2 held

Two men aged 22 and 26 were detained and are assisting police with their investigations.

Police made the biggest find in a forested area in Saunders Trace, Moruga on Friday evening when acting on a tip off, they went to a hunters camp and found five shotguns, two of them homemade.

They also recovered 12 five-gauge cartridges.

No one was held in connection with the discovery.

Earlier in the day, officers of the Fyzabad Police Station executed a search at a house in Palo Seco and found hidden under a mattress a black and silver Smith and Wesson pistol along with a magazine containing four rounds of ammunition. The lone occupant in the house was held.

According to a police report, a short while later, officers of the Cedros Police Station on mobile patrol, had cause to stop and search a 22-yearold fisherman of Fullarton Beach Road, Cedros.

He was found to be in possession of a black and chrome Browning pistol.
Man held for murder

The incident, which was recorded on closed-circuit television (CCTV), was uploaded to social media and has since gone viral. The suspect who is 20 and lives in the Beetham Estate, was arrested on Saturday morning at his home during a police exercise. He was handed over to detectives of the Homicide Investigations Bureau.

Police sources confirmed that after intense interrogation of the suspect, investigators now know the identity of the second suspect who was also captured in the video footage. A search is now underway for him.

Police say the victim Akino Thomas, 33, of Lackpat Road in El Dorado was killed over a drug deal which went sour.

In the CCTV footage, Thomas is seen running and then falling into a drain at the side of Pentecostal Road in El Dorado. A man runs after Thomas, firing shots at him. The gun appears to malfunction and while the gunman stand watching, another man enters the fray and begins to kick Thomas on his head even as he tries to scramble out of the drain.

As Thomas collapses, the man jumps on top of his chest and repeat this action until Thomas stops moving.

The two then run off.

Residents who heard the gunshots, later telephoned the Tunapuna police and an unconscious Thomas is taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where he died on Saturday.
Policemans sister murdered

Police reported that at about 7 pm, Theodora Hinds a nurse, arrived at her home and got out of a vehicle which was being driven by her husband, to open their front gate.

A gunman jumped the back wall of Hinds home, walked up to her and shot her five times.

She was taken to the Sangre Grande District Hospital where Hinds was pronounced dead on arrival. While family members were unwilling to speak to members of the media yesterday, police officers made a call for police officers to become more diligent in bringing criminals to justice.

This is why we have to work hard and smart, so that crime does not reach our doorstep, said a senior officer. People dont really feel the effect of crime when it happens on the outside. But when it hits home, that is when we really know how it feels. Public Information Officer of the TTPS ASP Michael Pierre said every murder, whether the victim is a relative of a police officer or not, is felt by the police.

When any murder occurs and one looks at the heinous acts done by criminals, it also hits home for us at the TTPS, Pierre said.

It makes us wonder what could get into the minds of a criminal to commit an act, knowing that it will end someones life. This act is particularly tragic and we wish to extend our deepest condolences to the Hinds family.
Elderly couple beaten, robbed at home

According to reports, at about 5.30 pm, Joan Bates-Davis, 72, and her husband Howard Quamina, 79, were at their home when the men, armed with cutlasses, forced their way into the house. After planassing (beating with flat side of the cutlass) the couple, the intruders demanded cash and other valuables.

The men then loaded a quantity of household electronic items and bottles of alcohol into a van belonging to the victims and then drove off.

The victims alerted the police who set up roadblocks and subsequently intercepted the stolen vehicle and arrested the two men.

All of the stolen items were recovered. The suspects, aged 21 and 23, are from Crown Trace in Enterprise, Chaguanas. They were kept Sunday night at Santa Cruz police station and then moved to the Morvant police station where the robbery victims were supposed to attend an Identification Parade yesterday to point the suspects out.

The suspects face a number of charges including assault, assault with intent, robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and larceny of a motor vehicle.

Once charged, they will appear before a Port of Spain magistrate.

Investigations are continuing.
Valencia man charged with murder

Shondell Jack, a labourer of Gill Street, Valencia was charged with the murder following instructions received from Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC. After the charge was read out in court, Jack was remanded into custody as the case was adjourned.

Lake, 26, lived at Bertram Street and was found dead, with a single gunshot wound to the head at KP Lands in Valencia. Jack was charged by detective Constable Andre Lewis of the Homicide Investigations Bureau (Region II) on Saturday.
Sankat installed as University of Belize president

Sankat, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, who took up the position in February, was officially installed in a ceremony on July 27 at the St Johns Anglican Cathedral of Belize, Belize, that included an academic procession and musical interludes that included an ensemble by UWI academic and conductor Jessel Murray.

Murray had performed an ensemble in 2008 at Sankats installation as principal and pro vice-chancellor of UWI St Augustine Campus.

A UB release said that Sankat was installed by the universitys board of trustees chairman Harrison Pilgrim. Belize Governor General Sir Colville Young robed him with his new academic gown.

The ceremony was blessed by Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Belize, the Rt Rev Philip S Wright. Among those present were government ministers and elected public officials, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of the UWI, and representatives of UB students, staff, and alumni.

Sankat, an engineer by training spoke of his priorities for the transformation of the university.

Sankat said, it was imperative that national universities in small developing countries be supported in their roles because of the challenges they face in fragile economies. He said they also needed to be creative themselves so as to enhance and sustain human and national development.

I hope that I will be able, as your leader, to bring the knowledge resident at the university to shape, and develop a pathway for Belizes development through leadership, research, creativity and innovation and altogether bringing service and engagement to the people of Belize, he said.
LIFE FOR CHOPPING WIFE

Justice Carla Brown-Antoine issued the warning as she sentenced a man to life in prison for chopping his girlfriend in 2010.

The court ordered that the man not be released before 20 years.

Justice Brown-Antoine told Vernon James, 56, that the court is imposing a lengthy prison term as she fears if James is released, he would kill his estranged girlfriend.

The court is of the view that if this prisoner is released, he may once again harm the virtual complainant. His intention at the time of this incident was to kill her. He did not achieve that aim but the court fears if released he will bring it to pass, Justice Brown-Antoine said.

She also said the sentence must act as a deterrent to potential offenders. It must reflect the courts abhorrence of the prevalence of domestic violence in society. Persons in relationships that have ended must be deterred from thinking they must punish their partners for ending the relationship, she warned.

It was James third conviction for assault against his estranged partner. He was convicted for attacks on the woman whose name was kept private because of the circumstances of the case. The woman was a fire officer who after the 2010 attack, could no longer work as she was diagnosed as suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Although the wounds inflicted were not life threatening they left a permanent impact on the physical and mental well-being of the virtual complainant, the judge said.

The womans left little finger was severed, she experiences headaches and sensitivity from the chop wounds to her head, especially when combing or touching her hair. She has also a very limited use of her right hand and the bones in her elbows are shattered.

Justice Brown-Antoine in sentencing James, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder in May  two weeks into the trial  said he had threatened the woman saying, If I cant have you, I will kill you and myself. According to the prosecutions case, the woman was at her home which she shared with one of her daughters, the daughters boyfriend and her grandchild in San Juan. On February 18, 2010, she and her daughter were getting ready to go to the Police Station to make a report about death threats she received from James earlier that day.

James grabbed his victim, pulled her to the ground in a drain and chopped her on the head, hands and cut off a piece of her finger. The woman spent about three weeks in the hospital.

In her ruling, Justice Brown-Antoine said, the court is of the view that such acts of domestic violence are rampant in our society.

A message must be sent that citizens must not resort to violence to solve their personal differences and settle domestic disputes. At the end of yesterdays proceedings, the victim thanked the judge and the prosecution for bringing her justice. Nigel Pilgrim and Giselle Heller prosecuted while Rudyard Davidson defended James.
Daddy rapes mommy

According to reports, the woman who has been estranged from her childrens father for some time, was at her home in North Trinidad on Saturday night when her seven-year-old son, the youngest of the five, told her: Daddy outside and he wants to talk to you. The victim told police that when she went outside, she saw the man seated in his car with their five children in the back seat.

The woman said that he gestured to her to sit in the front seat so he could have a word with her.

The woman got into the car and the man drove off saying he was taking all of them for a drive. Police said the woman told the man to stop the car and let her and the children off. As he continued driving, she protested, saying the house was not properly secured since she did not know she and the children would be going for a drive.

The man drove to a narrow track off Moonan Road in Wallerfield shortly before 1 am. Police said that the man ordered the childrens mother out of the car. As the children watched, he proceeded to sexually assault the woman on the hood of the car.

Following the rape, the woman was ordered back into the vehicle and driven to her home.

She later made a report to the district police and was taken to a medical institution to be examined and treated. Police investigators, who have been given the suspects name and home address, have not been able to apprehend him despite several searches conducted over the weekend. The Police Services Victims Support Unit will provide counselling for both the rape victim and her children.

Investigations are continuing.
Way cleared for Toco port

This projects is to be started in August, he said.

Sinanan addressed members of the Arima Business Association who applauded the announcement at the Arima Fest Corporate Breakfast held yesterday in Arima.

Among those present were MP for Arima, Education Minister Anthony Garcia and MP for DAbadie/ OMeara Ancil Antoine, both of whom made brief remarks.

Sinanan said that the works on the new port and on the extension of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway to Manzanilla will provide thousands of jobs for citizens with residents of Arima and Sangre Grande to benefit the most.

Describing them as the two biggest projects that ever started on the eastern seaboard of Trinidad, he said, We expect more infrastructure and land development, more residences and more businesses in the area. Noting that Arima and Sangre Grande are the closest towns to Tobago, he said, with the completion and operationalisation of the port, they can expect trade with Tobago to develop. If he had spoken about this project two years ago or even five or ten years ago, he said, people would have thought it was just pie in the sky.

When he took office, he said, the construction of the port was one of the mandates Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley gave him. Meanwhile the Toco first class road, another major project, he said, is due to start in early 2018.

The Arima business community has a lot to look forward to, he said.

Some of the other major projects that his ministry is undertaking includes the extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway from San Fernando to Point Fortin which is expected to completed by 2019. The Moruga Road upgrade, another major project, he said, is due to start by August month end.

A consultant is in place making recommendations for the Diego Martin overpass, and tender documents are to be advertised in another two months. While the Maracas Bay Project is due for completion by year end, Sinanan said, by the end of August the facilities at the popular bay would have been much improved.
Illegal Chinese immigrants held

The men have been in the country for the past four months.

The raid yesterday was conducted by Port of Spain police and officers from the Immigration Department. At 10 am, the officers descended on a partially construced building on Charlotte Street where they found the men on the top floor of the structure.

None of the men spoke English and were made to kneel while police guarded them as they awaited the arrival of an Immigration Centre bus to take the eight to the Immigation Detention Centre in East Trinidad. The exercise was spearheaded by Senior Superintendent Glenn Charles who said police received certain information that foreigners were working in slave-like conditions.

The men worked and lived in rooms with no ventilation and no washroom facilities. Construction buckets were seen containing water in which mosquito larvae wriggled. This was the water the men used to drink and cook food. One countertop ringshaped gas burner was what the immigrants used to cook food.

Scaffolding was used to hang clothes to dry.

Charles said that the exercise formed part of a wider push by the Police Service to tackle crime in the city. He called on businessowners in downtown PoS to partner with the police and refrain from hiring illegal immigrants, all of whom have no documentation.

We want to send a strong message to store owners to stop employing these illegal immigrants, because they will be prosecuted for aiding and abetting in the commission of an offence. Employ people who have the necessary legal documents and stop employing those who dont have.

Charles said he was astonished on seeing the conditions the Chinese nationals were living in.

I was amazed to see the conditions in which these illegal immigrants survived and worked in, Charles said.

The Superintendent also revealed that in addition to the eight labourers held, an additional 12 illegal Chinese nationals were held during similar raids earlier that morning from various businessplaces along Charlotte street.

A Cuban, a Venezuelan and four Guyanese nationals were also held in the exercise yesterday.

Snr Supt Charles said investigations will continue to locate the owner of the building in which the eight immigrants were found, as that person could be liable and face charges.
Chambers not supporting shutdown calls

The Chambers were however unanimous in their rejection of calls by OWTU president general Ancel Roget for a boycott of those businesses which were owned by the top one percent in society. The Chambers also disagree with the August 4 Labour Day 2 march which is scheduled to take place in Port of Spain saying the unions should have stayed in the tripartite council as this would have enabled them to influence the course of the nations future and economy.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Couva/ Point Lisas Chamber of Commerce president, Liaquat Ali, who was a victim of crime recently, (he was stabbed by a man at his business place in Couva in June), said Government should seek foreign assistance as the police service was unable to arrest the crime rate.

They tried that (a nationwide shutdown) a couple of years ago and it didnt solve the problem but we need to look at the issue of crime seriously, I dont think the police service is capable of handling the situation with respect to crime, Ali said.

The criminal elements are winning the war on crime, for the past four years or so, there have been over 2,000 murders, how many people were held, how many were brought to justice, the figure is shameful to say how much but we need to explore all the options available and if it means seeking help from outside or looking at something new, they have to be innovative because the police service fighting crime the same way for the past how much years and it not working, he said.

He said businesspeople had opted not to operate their businesses on more than 12 hour shifts as they were scared for the safety of their workers.

We have to provide transportation for them (employees), so the cost of doing business is getting increasingly high because of the criminal activities that is taking place, Ali said.

And regarding the stabbing incident, Ali said police have not communicated with me with respect (to) whether a warrant was issued, whether they apprehended anybody- nothing, I would have called a few times and after that I stopped calling, I leave it up to them. Meanwhile, incoming Penal/ Debe Chamber of Commerce president Rampersad Sieuraj said crime had to be addressed by all of the protective services including the Judiciary.

Its a matter of the implementation of the particular laws that we have, its a matter of the judicial system being able to deal with the crime, its a matter of the police service to detect and get convictions on an earlier stage so I dont think that a total shutdown would solve any problem, Sieuraj said.

The chamber is of the opinion that white-collar crime need to be addressed because that seems to be the major problem together with the solving of the guns and the drugs coming into the country, he said.

There is a total breakdown of all the institutions in the country, presently the Judiciary, even the Army has been embroiled in recent controversies, the police service is in total chaos and those are the issues that need to be addressed, he said.

Point Fortin South Western Chamber president George Alexis, while he agreed that crime was a national issue said Rambachan seemed to have jumped on the unions train of a national shutdown.
Kamla: Freedom under threat

Persad-Bissessar hailed the will and spirit of endurance of the slaves who fought for their freedom and who remained unbroken by slavery. While they made England wealthy, they never enjoyed the bounty they helped produce and today the memory of that period lives on as we celebrate Emancipation. While we have cast off the chains, we are yet to be entirely free of the scourge of mans greatest indignity to man, Persad-Bissessar said.

Saying slaves created the conditions for Emancipation, she said their resistance to brutality showed the strength, courage and perseverance of a people who refused to be treated as property.

The conditions under which they were sold deprived them of an identity and the plantations robbed them of their humanity.

But inside each body was the soul of a survivor and that is the spirit that has made the African presence so strong in our society and in the world.

We are richer because of the culture and values that they had to reconstruct in the post emancipation period. She said all now share these peoples food, music and culture. Persad-Bissessar said this occasion requires all to reflect on where we are today as a society. Today, we are faced with threats to our own individual freedoms, as criminals have become emboldened, with those in authority seemingly incapable of bringing about a resolution to this crippling problem. She said crime affects all of us, and is impacting on our quality of life. It cannot be the norm that people are afraid to leave their homes, that children no longer feel comfortable to go to the neighbourhood shop or walk to a friends house. Likewise businesses, already hit by a limping economy and a lack of foreign exchange, are also hurt by rising crime.

We are under siege from the criminal element and I call once again on the Prime Minister to look at the state of our country and come up with solutions to the problems facing us. As I make this call to the Prime Minister, I also call on all citizens to come together  we must, each of us, do our part to make Trinidad and Tobago better, stronger and united.
Rowley suggests Emancipation move to UWI

The Prime Minister made this suggestion at an Emancipation concert and celebration held at the Diplomatic Centre on Sunday. Rowley said, I feel that this vibe that we have in here should be exposed to the wider community and it is on that basis that I will ask the UWI to host it next year at their campus.

He believed this would,  buoy up the spirit of the national community because in TT there is a lot that is not going well, but there is a whole lot that has gone well and is going well.

Rowley said citizens must be careful not to, drown ourselves in our own sorrow by saying that there is so much that is not going well.

He explained that in engaging the things that have to be done, we can be in a better position to face those challenges and overcome them.

Rowley added, if we gird out loins and observe what has gone well that we can build on.

The Prime Minister said TTs cultural heritage is one of the more robust aspects of our country and citizens must, continue to draw from it and make it stronger.

Rowley said the population must remember, we are a nation of people who have come from all over the world and we are living by and large in peace and harmony on these islands. He said while citizens are critical of each other, there are others in the rest of the world, who might be envious of us.

Rowley also said TTs relationship with Africa has evolved as we have developed.

As part of the worlds trading community, Rowley said, Were reaching out to Africa in a way that is a little different from what it used to be.
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5G is moving forward faster than Nokia (News - Alert) had initially expected, CEO Rajeev Suri commented during the companys quarterly conference call with analysts. And while this new technology will open up new opportunities for Nokia and its peers, Suri said it will also create uncertainties in terms of timing. And that, he said, will mean some near-term risk.





That, and the fact that Nokia has seen rather flat sales, is not good news. However, on the upside, Suri said he is confident Nokia will meet the full year 2017 guidance for its Networks business operating margin and will reach 1.2 billion Euros in cost savings for 2018.

Related to 5G, Suri said he expects to see significant trials of the technology next year and meaningful deployments of 5G in China, the U.S., and elsewhere by 2019. Initially, he said, Nokia thought 5G would not take off until 2020 or 2021.

He also talked about how 5G is poised to be widespread and lead to investments in other aspects of networking. Given Nokias broad portfolio, that could be good news for the company.

Nokias successes related to 5G to date include its work with NTT (News - Alert) DOCOMO and T-Mobile. The company is in the process of developing a 5G ecosystem with NTT DOCOMO. And, as Suri noted, Nokia expects to play an integral role in T-Mobiles 5G launch in the U.S. (Also, Nokia partnered with China Mobile (News - Alert) at Mobile World Congress this summer in Shanghai to demonstrate how Nokias 5G FIRST solution can be used for emergency patient care.

Speaking of that solution, Nokia today announced plans to expand it. That entails enhancing 5G FIRST with the 3GPP 5G Phase I protocol, a new air interface standard due at the beginning of 2018.

"There should be no doubt about the huge potential of 5G, said Marc Rouanne, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia. Through 5G FIRST, Nokia is evolving its 5G strategy to drive the industry rapidly towards the adoption of standards-based commercial applications  as early as 2019.

Doing so will require broad cross-industry support, and we call upon regulators and governments to free up and enable the use of spectrum at low-, mid- and high-frequency bands for trials, Rouanne added. This will allow robust evaluation of 5G to take place, so that collectively, we can deliver one of the most important new technologies in history, one that will truly drive the Fourth Industrial Revolution (News - Alert)."

Edited by Alicia Young
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About $2 billion. Thats the amount Apple recently paid Nokia (News - Alert) to settle the companies patent dispute.





This detail came to light recently when Nokia reported its quarterly earnings.

Nokia CFO Kristian Pullola during the earnings call commented: Related to only the Apple (News - Alert) litigation, we had expected to spend at a run rate of approximately 100 million euros annually, given the agreement, we should not see any Apple-related litigation costs in Q3, and going forward.

Second, we got a substantial upfront cash payment of 1.7 billion euros from Apple, strengthening further our cash position, Pullola continued. As said earlier, our plan is to provide more details on the intended use of cash in conjunction with our Q3 earnings.

The patent dispute between Apple and Nokia cut both ways. It involved Apple filing an antitrust suit against Nokia contractor Patent Assertion Entities, saying that Nokia and PAE were involved in an illegal patent transfer scheme to help counteract the losses Nokia was experiencing from its failing cell phone business, according to reports. Around the same time, Nokia sued Apple directly in Europe and the U.S., saying the Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant was infringing on Nokia patents related to display, software, user interface, and video coding.

The dispute was settled in May. But only when Nokia discussed its quarterly earnings did the upfront cash payment amount come to light.

Reports also noted that Nokia will not receive $2 billion every quarter as part of the deal. But Nokiamob in May reported that the settlement will involve Apple paying royalties for Nokia patents and that it will continue to sell Nokia health products from the former Withings business.

Nokia is very competent when it comes to monetizing its patents, according to a Seeking Alpha story on the settlement. Even mighty Apple, which is suing Qualcomm (News - Alert) for excessive patent licensing fees, had to bow down and pay 1.7 billion Euros to Nokia.
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President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz will not rule Mauritania beyond 2019, end of his current tenure, Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid, President of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA) has told sympathizers.

Mauritania has been embroiled in a political crisis after it became clear that President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz wanted to expand his rule on the country.

Mauritania is holding a referendum on constitutional reform on August 5 which the opposition and analysts say rolls out the red carpet for a constitutional medication allowing the President to extend his stay in power.

President Abdel Aziz will end his second 5-year term in 2019. He won the presidential seat for the second time in contested elections in 2014.

The opposition has called for boycott of the referendum, claiming it violates the constitution.

Birame ould Dah ould Abeid, a presidential candidate in the 2014 elections, and his movement have been opposed to the Mauritanian regime, which they accuse of prolonging slavery in the North African country.

Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 but the movement says the phenomenon is still practiced and condoned by the regime.

The IRA President has joined the opposition, calling for the boycott of the referendum.
Morocco and France share the same concern of promoting peace and security across the world, said French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

We are keen to promote openness and dialogue where peace and stability are threatened, said Le Drian in an address at a function hosted by Moroccos ambassador to Paris Chakib Benmoussa, on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of King Mohammed VIs enthronement.

Le Dirian gave the example of Libya where both Morocco and France are working together to finding a peaceful political solution.

In the same vein, he praised Moroccos commitment to peacekeeping operations in Africa while paying tribute to the Kingdoms fallen soldiers in CAR.

The French Foreign Minister also affirmed that Morocco is committed to an ambitious reform process, which targets the modernization of institutions through the implementation of the 2011 Constitution, economic emergence and the integration of the country in globalization.

The French official recalled the visit paid by President Emmanuel Macron during the first month of his presidency to Morocco, saying the visit was an opportunity to highlight the political and strategic depth of the Moroccan-French partnership. He also underlined that the two countries cooperate closely on security issues.

Earlier in a message, the French President congratulated King Mohammed VI on the anniversary of his enthronement and expressed satisfaction at the depth of bilateral partnership.

Macron stressed that the French-Moroccan partnership is living under a new dawn and that the two countries are poised to forge ahead with their bilateral cooperation. President Macron also recalled the message of peace and tolerance sent by the Sovereign in August 2016, saying this message echoed beyond the Kingdoms borders when he called for forming a united front against terrorism and obscurantism.

The Kings message came in a speech delivered on the occasion of the Revolution of the King and the People on August 20. King Mohammed VI had then stressed the need for Muslims, Christians and Jews to close ranks in order to tackle all forms of extremism, hatred and reclusiveness.

The French President also congratulated Morocco for returning to its African Institutional family as part of the Kingdoms endeavor to promote security and development in the continent.
Orrin Hatch with the fatal blow. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

John McCain created a moment of immense drama Thursday night when he thumbs-downed the Republicans last-gasp attempt to keep the Obamacare repeal alive. Much less dramatic, but perhaps almost as important, is a new Reuters report that Senator Orrin Hatch plans to deliver to the Trump administration the message that [t]heres just too much animosity and were too divided on healthcare. This is unmistakable evidence that the Obamacare repeal will not be resuscitated.

The surprise of McCains gesture probably gave an exaggerated sense of how close the Senate was to repealing Obamacare. The bill that failed, skinny repeal, was a legislative shell commanding little support. Mitch McConnells rationale for passing it was that it would allow a House-Senate conference to write some different bill. Given that Senate Republicans couldnt figure out a bill capable of winning 51 Senate votes, it was hard to imagine how a conference with the House could have done the same.

Hatchs statement makes clear what seemed obvious: Many Republican Senators, even those willing to go along with McConnells plan to delay the failure of Obamacare, didnt think it would result in success anyway. It means McConnell isnt just one vote short. Roy Blunt, a member of McConnells leadership team, said today, If the question is do I think we should stay on health care until we get it done, I think its time to move on to something else.

So repeal is dead. Relatedly, Obamacare is doing quite well. You might recall a great deal of news coverage focusing on the exit of insurers from a number of counties, leaving huge numbers of Americans with no choices at all on the exchanges. Today, Ohio announced that it had found insurers for 19 of its 20 counties lacking any plans, and believed the 20th is on the way.

19 counties in Ohio once thought to be bare have been covered.

Now 19 counties in US (0.1% of enrollees) are at risk https://t.co/q1slgeWYJf pic.twitter.com/t242xIm3Tt  Cynthia Cox (@cynthiaccox) July 31, 2017

That leaves just some rural swaths of Nevada and Indiana  which between them contain one-tenth of one percent of all exchange enrollees  without an insurance plan in their exchanges. With the threat of legislative repeal buried, insurer participation is likely to stabilize.

President Trump claims that Obamacare is dead and gone, and has ramped up his angry threats to sabotage the exchanges. But insurers have come to a different conclusion: The presidents bluster will blow over, and Obamacare will remain.
His White House career was over before it began. Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

From the moment his hiring as communications director was announced, Anthony Scaramucci seemed like a high-risk choice for a White House already struggling with messaging  but one with a potentially high reward.

A well-groomed and carefully dressed hedge-fund type who had wanted to be an actor and who, upon meeting almost anyone, would tell them what movie star they resembled, Scaramucci lacked traditional political or even PR experience. He talked casually and  as the world now knows  colorfully. He didnt quite grasp the meaning of rudimentary journalistic terms that could protect a person dealing with the press in any circumstance, like off the record and background, often confusing the two. Steve Bannon  the presidents chief strategist, who is defined in many ways by his dislike and distrust of the Establishment  had cautioned against Scaramuccis hiring. What he suggested instead was that they find a professional, someone who had displayed an ability to do the job in a competent but unremarkable way.

But the counterargument was compelling: How much worse could things get? The so-called professionals whod been running the show previously werent exactly nailing it. And besides, Scaramucci  or Mooch, as hes known  was well liked by not only Donald Trump, but by operatives and reporters, too. He was fun and he had heart, and maybe a character foreign to this swamp was precisely what the president needed. Promising that much had gotten Trump elected, after all.

In the end, this new era would last just eleven days, including two weekends  one of which he spent not in Washington but on Long Island caring for his mother, who has leukemia, and visiting his newborn son. Scaramucci was fired around 9:30 a.m. Monday morning, 15 days before he was scheduled to officially begin the job. He departed before he had time to staff the comms shop with his own employees, and before Sean Spicer, the press secretary who resigned to protest his hiring, had stopped showing up to work. Anthony represents a truly fresh start for the president in terms of that, and uh, its different people and different times, Spicer told me soon after he resigned. You know, who knows, if hed been the guy first out of the gate, who knows? I was the first guy out of the gate.

The first signs that the fresh start would end in calamity were apparent by the afternoon of Wednesday, July 26.

If this West Wing were a cartoon, Mooch wouldve had little birds flying around his head. As his new colleagues walked purposefully about in upper press, the area where communications officials keep their offices and where reporters are permitted to linger and chat with them, he looked startled and overwhelmed. In addition to coming into a White House in distress and plagued by general disorganization and a president prone to derailing talking points with tweets about morning-show hosts plastic surgery, his own hiring was a major story. Anywhere Scaramucci turned, there was someone who needed to talk to him about something  his new White House colleagues, reporters, TV bookers, and so on. Still, he was his upbeat self as he tried to find his footing. Scaramucci smiled and joked as he explained to a colleague that he had to use the restroom but he couldnt, since he needed to go take a drug test, a requirement of all Executive employees since 1988. There was also the issue of his new White House phone, which he complained to an IT guy was essentially useless, since his contacts hadnt transferred over, meaning he didnt know who the hell was trying to text and call him. And then there were his evening plans, which had just been overtaken by the president, who requested his presence at dinner.

Just a few hours later, Scaramucci would call The New Yorkers Ryan Lizza to rant about all sorts of things, including Bannon, who he said was the kind of guy to suck his own cock, and Reince Priebus, the chief of staff, whom he branded a fucking paranoid schizophrenic. He said he planned to sic the FBI on Priebus for what he suspected was his crime of leaking damaging information about him to the press, including a financial document that was, in fact, a matter of public record. In any other White House, the incident would have led to Scaramuccis immediate dismissal. But this isnt any White House, and many speculated the episode would actually help him with the boss. After the quotes were published, on Thursday afternoon, it seemed that Mooch was safe. Within the White House, the story was treated with a combination of bafflement and amusement. The president, hardly known for his own decorum, gave no indication that he even cared. By Friday, the only person to suffer any consequences was Priebus, whom The Wall Street Journal reported had been judged by Trump for not firing back at Scaramucci with his own insults. From the tarmac aboard Air Force One, he announced on Twitter that Priebus was gone and in his place would be the Homeland Security secretary, John Kelly.

Scaramucci told me then that he planned to return to the White House on Monday morning. His family had become the subject of tabloid coverage after it was reported, by the New York Post, that his wife had filed for divorce earlier in July while she was eight months pregnant. Paparazzi photographed them at their home. He tweeted in frustration, pleading with the press to, leave civilians out of this, and warning that, soon we will learn who in the media has class and who doesnt. But beyond the tabloid frenzy, the weekend was quiet. According to CNN, he began his first day back in Washington under the impression that all was relatively fine.

But with Kellys appointment, things had shifted. A source close to the White House told me that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner only supported Scaramucci in the first place because they had wanted to get rid of Priebus  long Scaramuccis nemesis, since hed prevented him from joining the administration immediately after the inauguration. Once Scaramucci had done his job by ousting Priebus, this source said, Ivanka and Jared had no reason to protect him  especially after the New Yorker story. Further, they wanted the new chief of staff to have a chance to do the job the right way, which meant being able to choose his own staff.

Secondarily, the source said, dont fuck with Steve.

Kelly reportedly delivered the news to Scaramucci in person. When word got out to the press, Scaramucci released a statement, saying he wanted the White House to have a clean slate.

When it comes to President Trump, even people who are fired rarely leave his orbit for good. His longtime adviser Sam Nunberg was fired and rehired, then fired again and rehired, and finally fired again in August 2015  and still, he remains in close proximity to this White House. Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who was fired in June of 2016, has been seen visiting the White House multiple times, and he even flew aboard Air Force One with the president last week. He told me the other day at the Trump International Hotel in D.C. that hed seriously consider any position the president wanted to hire him for. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman who was replaced by Bannon and Kellyanne Conway in August 2016, continued to advise Trump through at least part of the transition and whos to say hes not still doing so?

The Mooch may be gone for now, but history suggests hell be back.
Impeccably credentialed man, and new FBI director, Christopher Wray. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Nearly three months after President Donald Trump abruptly fired former FBI director James Comey, the Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Christopher Wray, 92 to 5, to take over the bureau.

Wray, who Trump has described as a man of impeccable credentials, served in the Justice Department under George W. Bush, then joined a white-shoe law firm, where he notably helped represent New Jersey governor Chris Christie in the Bridgegate case. On his way to becoming the eighth director of the FBI, Wray assured senators that he would guard and preserve the FBIs independence, despite being nominated by a guy who demanded loyalty from his predecessor. My loyalty is to the Constitution and to the rule of law, Wray said at his July 12 hearing. Those have been my guideposts throughout my career, and I will continue to adhere to them no matter the test. I will never allow the FBIs work to be driven by anything other than the facts, the law, and the impartial pursuit of justice. Period.

The five holdouts on Wrays confirmation all came from the Democratic camp  including New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand  though he still garnered impressive bipartisan backing to lead the FBI after the turmoil set off by Comeys ouster. Wray also testified at his confirmation hearing that he was very committed to supporting the Russia investigation led by special prosecutor Robert Mueller  which, if history is any guide, means he might want to hone his contemporaneous memo-writing skills.
DEA agents not taking Trumps advice. Photo: Danny Johnston/AP

When President Trump told a crowd of police officers last week to be rougher when arresting suspects, he was greeted with cheers and laughter. Chuck Rosenberg, the acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, had a far different reaction to Trumps endorsement of police brutality. And he told agents about it in an email over the weekend.

The President, in remarks delivered yesterday in New York, condoned police misconduct regarding the treatment of individuals placed under arrest by law enforcement, he wrote. I write because we have an obligation to speak out when something is wrong. Thats what law enforcement officers do. Thats what you do.

He went on to list core values that DEA agents should abide by, including integrity, accountability, and rule of law. Then he added: This is how we conduct ourselves. This is how we treat those whom we encounter in our work: victims, witnesses, subjects, and defendants. This is who we are.

According to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Rosenberg should have been laughing at Trumps comments, not sneering. I believe he was making a joke at the time, Sanders said Monday.

On Tuesday, she continued to insist there was nothing to Trumps remarks. I think you guys are  .trying to make something out of nothing, she said. Asked about Rosenbergs email, she said, It wasnt a directive. It was a joke. Theres a very big difference.

With Trump though, no one really knows. Take his seemingly clear ban, issued via tweet, on transgender people in the military. Despite having the appearance of what Sanders calls a directive, the Trump administration has done little to make that ban a reality. And like Trumps joke to the police officers, its getting pushback from a person in power. On Tuesday, Coast Guard Commandant Paul Zukunft came out against it, saying he will not break faith with transgender troops.

Speaking at a Washington think tank, Zukunft said one of his first calls after seeing Trumps tweets was to an openly transgender troop. I told Taylor I will not turn my back, he said, referring to Coast Guard Lieutenant Taylor Miller. We have made an investment in you and you have made an investment in the Coast Guard, and I will not break faith.
Mo Brooks (left), Roy Moore (center), and Luther Strange (right) are mixing it up for the GOP nomination to succeed Jeff Sessions. All are hard-core Trump supporters. Photo: Official Portraits

At the beginning of Alabamas special election to choose a new occupant for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the prime objective for the three viable Republican candidates was simple: compete in swearing absolute fealty to Donald J. Trump. (This is Alabama, after all, where the president won last November by nearly 30 points.) And they did so with  literally  religious fervor.

Heres how Luther Strange, the interim appointee filling the seat at the moment, put it in a recent candidate forum:

President Trump is the greatest thing thats happened to this country  I consider it a Biblical miracle that hes there.

Judge Roy Moore, generally regarded as Americas favorite theocrat, wont be outdone in discerning the divine will in right-wing political activities, as he noted in an interview:

God puts people in positions in positions he wants  I believe he sent Donald Trump in there to do what Donald Trump can do.

And the third leading candidate, Mo Brooks, came to Trumps defense from a slightly different religio-political angle, promising to filibuster the Senate by reading the King James Bible until the heathens agree to fund the presidents sacred Border Wall.

Brooks had a particularly urgent need to identify with Trump, since he said some regrettable things about the moguls moral fiber back when he was supporting Ted Cruz, prior to Alabamas primary, which Trump won handily. A Mitch McConnell super-PAC backing Strange has run ads reminding Alabamians of the shocking scandal of it all:

Playing catch-up with the Trump movement, Brooks has managed to snag endorsements from right-wing leading lights like Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, and Ann Coulter. The national Students for Trump organization has also backed him.

But the Trump Primary in Alabama  which takes place on August 15, with a runoff vote in late September  has taken some odd turns. Most obviously, the presidents richly expressed grievances with his attorney general has caused some issues with the GOP contest to choose his successor.

Brooks, Moore, and Strange have all vowed solidarity with Jeff Sessions, while waxing optimistic about the Trump-Sessions relationship being strong enough to survive any sticks-and-stones tensions. Strange managed to blame the feud  which, of course, the president has repeatedly confirmed on Twitter  on the news media. Brooks came up with an imaginative gambit, offering to quit the race if Sessions resigned and returned to Alabama. It wasnt going to happen, and wouldnt work without a write-in campaign, but Brooks got loyalty points with Sessions fans.

Even more recently, Trumps displeasure with the Senate GOP effort to repeal and/or replace Obamacare has caused some new issues for Alabama Republicans. Strange, who is serving in the Senate on a fill-in basis, has no choice but to stick with Mitch McConnell, whose super-PAC is projected to spend $6 million to $8 million on the Alabama race before its all done. Brooks has leaped onto Trumps criticism of McConnells failure to kill the legislative veto, which Strange has defended. Roy Moore has joined Brooks in saying he would not vote for McConnell as GOP leader next year, and has further attacked the entire Washington Establishment of the GOP as an obstacle to Trumps agenda.

Its all kind of dizzying.

Public polling on the Alabama race has been sparse, though two publicly released surveys (one from Cygnal and the other from Raycom News Network) in July showed Strange running first, with Moore a close second, and Brooks well behind but not out of it. Given the states majority requirement for nominations, a runoff is almost certain. Moores reputation for light fundraising and underperformance in nonjudicial races (hes lost two gubernatorial races) makes a runoff with him a likely winning proposition. You can expect Team Brooks to go crazy down the stretch with attacks on Strange, the disgraced former governor who appointed him (Robert Bentley), and McConnell. Its actually appropriate that a trio of Trump fans are fighting each other in this race. Any of them would accordingly fit right into the fratricidal Trump circle in Washington.
Kelly Roberts. Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic

Kelly Roberts, a California hotel owner, is expected to be named as President Trumps nominee to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Slovenia, two well-placed sources tell Daily Intelligencer. First Lady Melania Trump was said to be personally involved in the selection of Roberts, who will be representing the United States in the country where Mrs. Trump was born and raised.

Roberts and her husband Duane Roberts are firmly ensconced in the GOP-donor establishment in California and nationally. In the past year alone, they have contributed over $1.2 million to Republican candidates and committees. Kelly herself contributed $50,000 to Trumps super-PAC, Great America PAC, last October.

Melania Trump is said to have taken a strong interest in helping select the U.S. ambassador to Slovenia under her husbands administration. A source familiar with the selection process said that she was presented with dossiers of several potential candidates and endorsed Roberts in large part because she felt that the United States would be best represented by a member of the business community. The First Lady was born in 1970 in what was then known as the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, part of Yugoslavia.

Presidential administrations on both sides of the aisle have often appointed their donors to ambassadorships in countries that arent seen as hot spots (i.e., not Iraq or Afghanistan), but of the eight U.S. ambassadors to Slovenia so far, only one wasnt a career diplomat: businessman Yousif Ghafari, appointed by President Obama.

Roberts serves as vice-chair and chief operating officer of the Mission Inn Hotel and Spa in Riverside, California. She is said to take an active role in the day-to-day management of the historic property, which she and her husband have owned since 1992. Prior to buying the historic hotel, Duane Roberts made a fortune by inventing the frozen burrito.

The Roberts family shares Trumps reality-show background: Kelly Robertss daughter, Casey Reinhardt, and son, Doug Reinhardt  children she had with her ex-husband, real-estate agent John Reinhardt  both starred in the MTV reality shows Laguna Beach and The Hills, respectively.

Roberts has strong support from Republicans in Californias congressional delegation, according to one source, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy taking the lead on advocating for her appointment.
Thanks, Dad. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

There isnt really a good way to tell the world that you took a meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer after being promised dirt on Hillary Clinton as part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. But Donald Trump Jr. made the revelation that he met with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya during the campaign even worse when he offered two contradictory explanations in a 24-hour period.

We previously learned that the initial statement, which claimed the meeting concerned the adoption of Russian children, was crafted aboard Air Force One and approved by the president. On Monday, the Washington Post reported that President Trump actually dictated the statement himself, which raises new questions about his attempts to cover up his campaigns alleged collusion with Russia.

Weeks before the story broke on July 8, lawyers representing Jared Kushner discovered the email chain in which Trump Jr. invited him to the meeting. Kushner, his wife Ivanka Trump, and the president were in Germany for the G-20 summit when the New York Times began asking questions about the meeting. According to the Post, there was a flurry of discussion among top Trump aides on how to respond:

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the presidents most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushners lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

But President Trump overruled that plan while the group traveled home aboard Air Force One, and crafted a statement that suggested the meeting was unimportant:

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m.  about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his sons statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

This is what he came up with:

It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at 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.

That explanation would be contradicted and expanded multiple times (eventually it was reported that eight people were in the meeting). And if the Post report is correct, President Trumps personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, lied to the press on more than one occasion. He said on Meet the Press, I do want to be clear  that the president was not involved in the drafting of the statement and did not issue the statement.

"I do want to be clear the president was not involved in the drafting of the statement" -- Jay Sekulow, Trump's lawyer, apparently lying pic.twitter.com/DMukqu6uIU  Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) August 1, 2017

In response to the Post report, Sekulow said, Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent.

Of course, lying to the media isnt a crime, but any cover-up attempts by the president are of interest to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Last week, Mueller sent a notice asking the White House to preserve documents related to the June 2016 meeting, as well as any decisions made regarding the recent disclosures about the June 2016 meeting.

Trump advisors said the president has been disregarding experts advice on how to handle the Russia probe because hes convinced that hes innocent.

The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president, said Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who probed the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plames identity. They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem  What they dont seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them.

It seems that, like his father-in-law, Kushner may not fully understand the trouble the family is in. Foreign Policy reported that during a talk with congressional interns on Monday, he assured them that the Trump operation was not coordinated enough to conspire with Russia.

They thought we colluded, but we couldnt even collude with our local offices, Kushner said.

As Talking Points Memos Josh Marshall pointed out, foreign-intelligence agencies try to make collusion as easy as possible:

2/ to pick up the slack for your managerial deficiencies. It's like full service outsourcing. They'll help. They'll help.  Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 1, 2017

They actually consider a failure to understand the implications of taking shady meetings a plus.
Maduro. Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump, declared president Nicolas Maduro soon after the U.S. Treasury slapped the Venezuelan leader with sanctions over his decision to forge ahead with plans rewrite the countrys constitution. The largely symbolic measures  which freeze Maduros U.S. assets (if he has any) and bar Americans from doing business with him  seem to be playing right into one of the the presidents favorite rallying cries against the Yankee imperialists. The emperor Donald Trump took decisions against me that show his desperation and hate, Maduro said Monday. I dont obey orders from foreign governments and never will.

Maduros defiant speech comes as Venezuela spirals into chaos in the wake of Sundays election of members to a constituent assembly, which will remake the countrys constitution. The body technically has more power than Maduro, but all those elected are considered close leftist allies or cronies of the president, and critics fear that Maduro is using the assembly to consolidate power and potentially dissolve Venezuelas opposition-controlled legislature, the National Assembly.

A scene from a protest in Caracas. Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images

Fears which now seem to be playing out in real time, after reports that two of Venezuelas prominent opposition figures were removed from their homes in the dead of night by state security services. The Maduro-aligned Venezuela Supreme Court claimed that the two men, Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma, had violated the terms of their house arrest by posting critically about the Venezuelan government, and had plans to flee, reports the Washington Post. Both men publicly denounced Maduros constitutional vote on social media, but the reports of them preparing to flee are a bit suspect.

Lopez was only recently transferred from prison to house arrest, which was seen as a concession to the political opposition who had been leading protests against the Maduro regime. Lopezs wife reacted on Twitter and later posted a video that appears to show his alleged arrest. 12:37 in the morning: Moment the dictatorship kidnaps Leopoldo at my house. They will not break him!

12:27 de la madrugada: Momento en el que la dictadura secuestra a Leopoldo en mi casa. No lo van a doblegar! pic.twitter.com/0EdlQvEGXS  Lilian Tintori (@liliantintori) August 1, 2017

Another video, also published on social media, allegedly shows the moment Ledezma, a former Caracas mayor who has been under house arrest since 2015, was forcibly taken from his home.

Mitzy. Por la fuerza a golpes y empujones se llevan a Antonio de nuestra casa. Hacemos responsable al regimen por su vida e integridad!!! pic.twitter.com/69xZ7IqZk0  Antonio Ledezma (@alcaldeledezma) August 1, 2017

Maduro repeated threats Monday to crack down on the opposition, which widely boycotted Sundays vote stacked with Maduro loyalists. At least ten people died in clashes between police and protesters that accompanied the vote, and the violence may escalate if Maduro continues to consolidate power and freeze out the opposition.

The United States is also considering additional sanctions against Venezuela, though for now it has just punished those in Maduros inner circle, and the leader himself. Maduro is only the fourth head of state to be directly sanctioned, putting the Venezuelan president in what National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster called an exclusive club with Syrias Bashar al-Assad, Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe, and North Koreas Kim Jong-un.
Photo: jsmith/Getty Images

One Thanksgiving a few years ago, as the festivities were winding down, I rolled off the couch to hug my cousin good-bye. She embraced me and then whispered in my ear, Stay strong.

At the time, I was 25 and just one week into chemotherapy for a rare liver cancer. My hair hadnt even fallen out yet, and yet it seemed I had still surprised everyone by showing up for dinner and remembering how to use a fork.

It was far from the last time Id hear those two words, which never failed to drive me out of my mind. What does stay strong even mean? Is it showing up for treatment on time? Or is it not crying whenever a nurse jabs me with an IV? What if Im too busy being eaten alive from the inside out to stay strong?

The only thing you can count on with cancer is that people will bombard you with cliches. Stay strong was a fan favorite. So were Youre my hero, and Youre so inspiring, even though Im the sort of person who doesnt hold elevator doors for people. And then there was the requisite battle terminology: You just have to fight this, or Youre going to win this thing. (Just look at Senator John McCain, whose brain cancer diagnosis last month spurred a wave of politicians to describe him as a fighter and a warrior who would give [cancer] hell.)

But I didnt fight. I didnt do anything besides take a cab to Memorial Sloan-Kettering every week, where I would lie under a warm blanket for hours while I was infused with a chemo cocktail. If anything, my team of doctors and the chemo drugs did all the heavy lifting. Even now, in remission two years later, I do not refer to myself as a cancer survivor. I prefer former cancer landlord. After all, I only hosted the cancer before modern medicine evicted it. Thats my gripe with words like strong and brave and the accompanying battle metaphors: Cancer doesnt care how tough you are. If it kills you  as cancer is wont to do  its not because of some lack of grit or determination.

The whole fighter thing is also just unrealistic, assuming a positive outcome by default when a positive outcome is far from guaranteed. (No one says, Wow, this new diagnosis really sounds like your Waterloo.) Research backs me up on this: These metaphors can be particularly detrimental when the person is not getting better, because the idea of losing a battle can suggest individual responsibility, and hence, failure, explains Elena Semino, a linguistics professor at Lancaster University in the U.K.

Thats not to say I dont get why people feel compelled to use them. Cancer is a disease thats difficult for doctors to figure out, let alone patients and the people dealing with them, and war terminology gives them something to grab on to. We tend to think metaphorically about concepts that we cannot directly experience, says David J. Hauser, a social psychologist and postdoctoral research associate at USCs Dornsife Mind and Society Center. For example, time is abstract, so we think of it as if it were money. It can be wasted, spent, and exchanged. The same holds for cancer. We dont truly understand it, so we relate it to simpler things, like an enemy.

This type of thinking can also help people feel like theyre being motivational at a time when motivation is hard to come by. People often want to sound optimistic and encouraging in the face of someone elses hardship, and these metaphors can express that, Semino says.

And to be fair, fighting metaphors are better than nothing. Cancer can be so incomprehensible that people dont talk about it, which in practice can mean they just dont talk to you at all. Sharing my diagnosis was like a real-life version of purging my Facebook friends list. As for my friends who didnt disappear into the night, I found that I appreciated it most when they avoided the topic of my cancer entirely. One night sticks out: I was out to dinner with two close friends, and one talked endlessly about her Bumble dates. It was so good. For once, no one was asking me how I was feeling or telling me how Im an inspiration. Just tell me about how one guy cooked you dinner but you like the other more. Thats it.

It also helped when people were super-specific. Let me know if you need anything was useless, because I couldnt even figure it out for myself. (Perhaps a new body?) Instead, one friend asked me what my favorite dinner was  Swedish meatballs, for the record  which she made from scratch and dropped off at my office.

Or, in certain contexts, being super-vague worked, too. How are you feeling? made me feel like they were asking about (and only interested in) how my cancer and I were doing, and the answer was always the same: Bad. I liked Whats up? which allowed me to avoid the topic entirely if I didnt feeling like talking about it.

All this comes with a caveat, though: Thats what worked for me. But theres really no one correct thing to say to someone whos sick. We shouldnt use a general language for everybody in public health discourse, says Carla Remondini, an oncology nurse whos analyzed the impact of language in cancer treatment. It discourages individual expression from people dealing with cancer. In fact, shes found that certain patients can actually find the fight terminology empowering, while others prefer metaphors like journey. (And some, like me, will burst into flames if you call cancer a journey. Where? To hell?)

In other words, the right thing to say is far from universal. But theres one common theme Remondini has noticed. I hear my patients talking about [cancer] being a challenge and always needing hope, she says. They need some sort of middle ground where they can find peace with themselves and their cancer.

This makes sense to me. Sure, theres not much to hope for when your cancers returned for a third round. But it offers more wiggle room than the alternatives of Youre a hero and Youre going to beat this. You hope the cancer doesnt kill you. You hope the cancer doesnt come back. You hope that a year from now, youll be posted up on a beach while drinking a Mai Tai the size of your face. It might not happen, and thats the point: Hope implies that your situation is out of your control, that theres potential for multiple outcomes both good and bad. Not knowing is what makes it realistic. And with cancer, for which nothing is guaranteed, its a worthy match.
It all started with a trip to Taco Bell. When Zola Cheyenne Hayes couldnt find her debit card after a taco run the night before, she started digging through her car. Which was how, to her horror, the 19-year-old Californian found a tiny, dried-up fish in between the seat cushions. I was looking for it when I saw something that looked like a leaf, Hayes told Select All. I definitely did scream. Like, its pretty scary to look at a leaf and have it look back at you. Hayes posted several photos of her discovery on Facebook, where theyve been liked and shared over 100,000 times.

So I lost my debit card after going to Taco Bell last night and I was looking for it in my car this morning. But I didn'... Posted by Zola Cheyenne Hayes on Sunday, July 30, 2017

Hayes has a theory on how the fish wound up meeting its demise in her car. At first, she thought one of her friends had put the fish in her car as a prank, but now she believes it came from the cars previous owner. My mom actually gave it [the car] to me two weeks ago today, and she had had it for a few months before, Hayes said. She lives in Oregon, so I think the previous owner had it and probably used it to go fishing. Its a small fish, so I think that it was used for bait. It probably just got out of the box. As for what she plans to do with it, Hayes said she named the fish Grant, and hes currently chilling in a plastic bag. I might prank my friends with it. RIP, Grant. Thank you for your service in the name of viral content.
Players in the technology and innovation sector have called upon government and financial institutions to increase their consumption of domestic digital solutions, which, they say, remains slow.

Government in particular, innovators say, is not doing much in promoting local innovations that would help mitigate the huge youth unemployment burden through job creation.

Japheth Kawanguzi, the founder of the Innovation Village, a creative playground that brings together startups, said they have missed out on huge funding opportunities due to lack of support from state authorities.

At the Innovation Village, we lost out on a grant of $6m because we did not have an MoU with a government ministry or an agency that can show the history of working together, Kawanguzi said during the Leo Africa Economic Forum held recently in Kampala.

The conference aimed at assessing the impact of emerging technologies in East Africa. East Africa has a combined market of more than 150 million people, Africas biggest economic hub after West Africa, according to Leo Africa Institute.

However, most of its population, about 60 per cent, is aged below 30 years. With scant employment for formal jobs, especially among graduates, many of these young people are tapping into opportunities presented by the technology sector.

A 2015 report from the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, an international network of organizations that works to promote entrepreneurship in developing countries, highlighted the value of incubators in providing young companies with leadership skills and operational support, among others.

Lucy Mbabazi, the board chair of Leo Africa Institute, said there is need to take technological innovation to schools.

Its good to see these [innovation] hubs in the public but I think fundamentally we need to have these spaces in schools, she said.

The innovators also expressed their worry over governments efforts to protect their research and innovations from theft. In court, some innovators have reported cases of infringement on their copyright and patents.

The Uganda Registration Services Bureau, an institution mandated to register copyrights and other patents, recently forwarded to cabinet a national intellectual property policy, which is aimed at mitigating some of the concerns of technological developers.

The innovators say governments intervention into ICT has been minimal over the years. There is a lot more work that needs to be done by government in building the ecosystem to support the innovators, Kawanguzi said.

Things like connectivity, partnerships with markets and government agencies [that would facilitate] access to credit; and an environment that can allow capital to come into the country to support these innovators, he added.

alitwaha@observer.ug
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- Senate Republicans responded to the legislative advice given by the White House over the weekend with the particular brand of disdain reserved for people who try to tell senators what to do.



Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, made it clear that his colleagues would not be heeding the words of Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, who said on CNN that "they can't move on in the Senate" unless lawmakers address health care.



"I dont think hes got much experience in the Senate, as I recall, and hes got a big job. He ought to do that job and let us do our job," Cornyn said with a wink as he entered the Senate chamber Monday evening.



The fact that Mulvaney, a former House member from South Carolina, served in the lower congressional chamber likely made it an even more difficult directive for senators to hear.

President Donald Trump also tweeted repeatedly over the weekend that the Senate should scrap the 60-vote threshold needed to advance most legislation and reduce it to a simple majority. (Not that that would have helped in the case of health care, which failed to attract 51 votes in favor.)

If the Senate Democrats ever got the chance, they would switch to a 51 majority vote in first minute. They are laughing at R's. MAKE CHANGE!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

While the so-called nuclear option was invoked to reduce the necessary votes for executive and judicial branch nominees, senators on both sides of the aisle have agreed that the 60-vote requirement should stay in place for bills in order to preserve the voice of the Senate minority.



In April, a bipartisan group of 61 senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urging him not to touch the legislative filibuster. McConnell has reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining the 60-votes needed, saying its a key function of the chamber.



Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., wrote Trumps tweet off as the venting of a frustrated leader.



"Its just not a realistic suggestion," he said. "[Trump]s envisioning this world where Congress can do everything at 51 and he can move his agenda, which I get. Its frustrating, Im sure, if youre the president. But the Senates a different institution for a lot of reasons and that rule is in place to protect the rights of the minority."



And Democrats took issue with the notion, as Trump tweeted, that they would scrap the 60-vote requirement for bills if they regained power.



"When we were in power we never did because we respect this institution," she said.



Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who was riding in an elevator with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., when the question was asked, deferred to her on the laughter part of the tweet: "Patty can speak to that issue better than me because she would know whether they would laugh or not."



But Corker appeared at a loss for words when asked to weigh in.



"I know theres frustration and newness in the job, but I think -- Ill just leave it at that, he said.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Last month, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) closed more than 200 coffee processing plants in the Masaka sub-region to the ire of farmers in the area.

UCDA's action was facilitated by the falling competitiveness of Uganda's coffee on the world market, owing to its poor quality.

The quality is largely compromised during harvest and post-harvest, a stage where farmers and coffee buyers add impurities such as stones and animal waste to gain additional weight.

To maintain good quality, farmers have to harvest only ripe red coffee berries and dry them on raised platforms, away from bare ground.

As it moved to enforce the standards, UCDA, with the help of the police, arrested a number of farmers, traders and haulers for harvesting and processing green berries.

To eliminate such practices, Mathias Kasamba, a coffee farmer and one of Uganda's representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly, says government needs to ensure farmers access cheaper credit so that they can avoid being in a desperate situation of falling for the small amounts of money that middlemen offer for unripe berries.

The harvest of unripe berries is due to various financial challenges. What government needs to do is to ensure that farmers have access to cheaper financial services to enable them put up good drying and storage facilities," Kasamba said.

He was speaking on July 13 during the launch of a coffee grading facility at Ssanje in Kyotera district. The plant, Hope Coffee, buys, processes and grades the coffee for export to the Netherlands, USA and Germany.

MIDDLEMEN

"Middlemen approach farmers when the coffee is at the flowering stage and pay them so that they don't sell to any other. Because the middleman is only mindful about reaping back the money he paid to the farmer, he doesn't mind about the best harvesting practices; he picks everything, whether the coffee is ripe or not," Kasamba said.

But with improved funding to UCDA, Kasamba is optimistic its supervisory roles will improve.

"UCDA used to get Shs 800m but its budget allocations have since increased to Shs 60bn, which should improve its supervision and inspection of farmers, as well as distribution of good quality seeds so that we can realize the country's target of exporting 20m bags annually," Kasamba said.

Hope Coffee has mobilized about 2,000 farmers that are selling directly to it in a bid to maintain the right quality for the world market. Its agriculturalists work with farmers to ensure adherence to the right farming practices as well as harvest and post-harvest handling of the coffee.

The farmers have also been trained on how to overcome drought, one of the biggest obstacles to coffee farming. According to Fred Ssekyewa, its proprietor, the farmers are also given credit facilities that enable them to buy farm inputs and implements to improve their yields.

This, Ssekyewa said, was after he realised farmers were struggling to access markets that buy their coffee at competitive prices. Vincent Ssemakula Ssettuba, the senior presidential advisor on Buganda local governments, said it is time government revived cooperative societies.

The collapse of the cooperative movement was a big blow to fathers because many farmers are now selling at almost give-away prices. And there is no way you can expect them to improve their farming practices because the government agricultural system collapsed. You can't find extension farmers at the sub-counties or even at the districts," he said.

Hope Coffee's Shs 2bn facility joins Kibinge Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society in Bukomansimbi district in offering better prices for coffee farmers in the sub-region.

Besides exporting its coffee to the Netherlands, Kibinge Coffee also roasts and processes coffee for the local market, which is something that Hope Coffee wants to focus on next.

sadabkk@observer.ug
The suns piercing rays slip through the shrubs of Murchison Falls national park.

A team of veterinary doctors from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) and Makerere Universitys college of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (COVAB) assemble at the Pakuba junction with game rangers, wardens and other middle-level managers for the first massive translocation of the Uganda kob.

A few metres away, a herd of about 50 kobs graze, enjoying the early morning sunshine as the team led by UWA vet Dr Margaret Druciru plot on how to capture them.

This is May 21, the seventh day of the two-week exercise to translocate at least 192 kobs from Murchison Falls national park to Kidepo Valley national park under the biodiversity enrichment project.

We had an upsurge of kobs in Murchison Falls; their population was estimated at over 34,000 yet in Kidepo, the kobs population is very low. That is why we want to boost Kidepos population, Simplicious Gessa, UWAs public relations officer, tells journalists.

UWA rangers with a captured kob

My anticipation is high, making me grow bored by the prolonged briefing session by the UWA officials. Those of us wearing bright-coloured clothes are asked to change to dull colours, followed by a list of the dos and donts of the exercise.

This is a conservation and marketing exercise. Many things can go right and many things can go wrong, Gessa says.

This statement shakes me awake and I ask for an elaborate explanation, and the response is scary: Accidents are inevitable and in previous days, they had recorded cases of people who fell off fast-moving trucks during the chase, while others were harmed by the kobs during the capture.

Animals get very dangerous in that situation, they may want to jump out and escape and in the process harm you if you are not careful, Dr Druciru says, pointing out a veterinarian whose overalls were torn by a kob he was capturing.



THE CAPTURE

About 500 metres away, a 300-metre long trap (booma), made out of green tarpaulin has been erected with an opening to lure the animals into a camouflaged truck.

When everything is set, double-cabin pickup trucks make a C-formation around the kobs before the terribly high-speed drive through the shrubs begins in chase of the animals. I am in one of the trucks.

The much anticipation I earlier had is long-gone thanks to the terribly high speed that sees us tear through shrubbery and drive over anthills in the park. Marion Kagume, an M.Sc. Wildlife Health and Management student at Makerere University, does not help calm my fears when she narrates of a person who fell off the truck the previous day.

As the hounded kobs approach the booma, everyone shouts in a way similar to that of traditional hunters driving an animal into their nets as dogs give chase. Only in this case, the pickup trucks are the dogs.

Given the speed, I am too busy praying  just in case  so, I cannot join in the shouting. Just as well I prayed, a journalist is injured and rushed to a health facility for first aid as the vets and rangers celebrate their catch.

Some 20 kobs have entered the booma, but some jumped over the approximately 10- metre high structure. The chase yields about 17 kobs that are tranquilised and their blood samples taken for disease surveillance.

It is not easy to get blood samples from wild animals and when we get an opportunity like this, we test them for any diseases, Dr Druciru says.



ROUND TWO

Faint-hearted journalists keep away from the second chase, which I surprisingly join. It offers a chance for a bigger catch because at hand is a bigger population of kobs than the previous one.

But lack of coordination costs the vets dearly. About 100 kobs are running towards the booma when the drivers lose their formation, allowing the animals to escape, save for four.

But Druciru is upbeat about their catch; 21 is an impressive number given that on one of the previous days they got only three kobs. The May 21 catch increases Kidepos kob population to more than 80.

Due to the years of turbulence in Karamoja, the kob population in Kidepo was down to just six, according to a recent aerial survey. Boosting Kidepos kob population aside, the activity offered Makerere University a learning opportunity given that the university lacks a laboratory for such experiences.

It is a field activity but also a learning lab for my students, says Dr Denis Muhangi, a lecturer at COVAB. What I would have taught them in two weeks, they have captured in a few days, including a lifelong experience. Their participation gives them more confidence to handle similar situations in future.



sadabkk@observer.ug
Although East Africa has considerable diversity and an abundance of music traditions, many of the countries face similar issues.

These range from effects of urbanisation to threats of piracy, lack of intellectual property enforcement, to the lack of sector development, a British Council study observes.

The regional music industry is underdeveloped and faces severe challenges, beginning with production of new material to developing new audiences, the report titled Scoping the East African Music Sector notes.

There are serious issues for musicians in terms of making an income; there are limited opportunities to play live, returns from selling music are low and only a few stars are able to secure corporate sponsors.





MAKING A LIVING

The report says musicians earn their income from playing live shows, selling recorded material and through royalty payments.

In East Africa, there are issues in all of these areas, particularly the last one, because there are issues surrounding the enactment and enforcement of copyright legislation, and limited payment and collection of royalties, the report reads.

The report observes that there is the confusion over who owns whatit is easy to understand why many musicians struggle to make a decent living.

According to the report, artistes overwhelmingly rely on live shows.

Relying on live shows rather than royalties has a debilitating impact on the industry. Live shows are only viable when the artiste is selling on the airwaves, and that is temporary. Royalty collection bodies are still finding their feet. The laws to support them are very weak and some collectors are corrupt, Ugandan artiste, Rachael Magoola, told The Observer.

On his part, the band leader of Ricky Na Marafiki based in Nairobi, Ricky Nanjero, told The Observer, The artistes have to come together and help one another on how to come up with policies that will help them earn more, not only from live performances.

The report released recently was conducted by the Tom Fleming Creative Consultancy based in the UK. On the dangers of a producer composing and arranging the music and playing all the instruments, the band leader of the Nairobi-based Them Mushrooms, John Katana, told The Observer the producer would own the author/composer rights.

They get a bigger share of the songs related rights for his performance, while the musician might not be able to create an identity for his music. The musician will definitely earn less than if he took a central role, he said.

However, this picture is by no means universal, the report notes.

There are great producers in East Africa who are also very good musicians. Using cheap keyboards or MIDI instruments does not necessarily mean bad music. But even if great music is made using this process, it does have repercussions. As this music is usually created alone in the studio, it suffers when performed live due to lack of necessary resources to translate this music for a live band and into an electrifying show.

According to the report, good managers are a rare breed; another challenge to the industry. Magoola concurs, saying: Most managers who get into the music business do so for the sake of getting something to do. Many have no clue what music business management entails and quickly sink with their artistes in tow. Friends or relatives of the artiste tend to take on the role for pomp rather than substance.

The report observes the impact of digitisation on both music-making and distribution, as most regulations were passed before the digital revolution.

Internationally, downloads are relatively inexpensive and well established, yet the income from sales is largely invisible to artistes in East Africa, it reads.

Copyright infringement means the artiste gets very little or nothing compared to what s/he invests in the music. In time, resources to invest further and improve on quality and keeping the visibility fizzle out, and so does the artiste, Magoola said.

With the exception of Kenya, the other countries in the region do not have well-established CMOs (collective management organizations), thus their capacity to collect royalties is small. Kenya has three CMOs, but the Music Copyright Society, which is the biggest and oldest, is poorly managed, resulting in endless squabbles with rights owners, Katana said.

While collection of royalties is beginning to happen in some countries, enforcement of copyright across the region is poor or non-existent and this, alongside the ease with which it is possible to pirate material, makes for a significant black market economy.



MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS

According to the report, mobile network operators (MNOs) currently own the fastest-growing distribution channel of music in the region. Artistes are increasingly seeking exposure through MNOs, but this often comes at a cost, as most have to deal with them through content aggregators who bundle games, music and other content together.

Nevertheless, many are keen to be present on these platforms; and so, accept the terms. Because intellectual property rights are often unenforced, artistes may not see any payment filtering back to them, the report warns.

Nanjero believes the arrangement of MNOs with musicians is a positive sign.

He said: This is a very positive trend because first of all its a change. Secondly, almost everyone has a mobile phone that ensures that the artiste distributes his or her music widely.

But the chief executive officer of the Uganda Performing Right Society (UPRS), James Wasula, differs.

The problem with our Ugandan musicians is their naivety. We advise them but they think they are going to be known through the mobile network operators. So, they dont look at their income but their popularity. That is where the telecoms take advantage of them, he said. A few of them that have realized the importance of earning royalties have come to us to sort out that problem. We havent implemented this because we are still gathering a critical mass to protect their rights and negotiate with the telecoms.



IDENTITY AND TRADITION

All of the countries surveyed, except Ethiopia, are engaging a lively, ongoing debate about the identity of their music and culture more broadly. These deliberations centre on the usage and interpretation of traditional and local and the integration of diversity into national cultures.

As the region becomes more visible to the world, East Africans are positioning themselves. However, Katana contends: There is yet to evolve a distinct East African music identity, be it Kenyan, Tanzanian or Ugandan.

But Magoola notes the music of any community is a product of its history. When the Arab traders influenced the coast, we got the taarab genre. Congolese influenced the Ugandan and Kenyan sounds with their rumba, just like the slaves in the US created jazz and negro spirituals, among others.

Ethiopia (aside from its love for reggae) has maintained its own unique repertoire and a traditional feel to its music.

This musical distinctness as well as the existence of a professional group of musicians to play it, has led to a stronger international profile, the report observes.

However, the report points to many positive signs. There is a new generation of entrepreneurs and arts activists keen to build successful music enterprises.

There is a growing live music scene across the region, particularly in the major cities, offering more opportunities for musicians to play. There is increasing confidence among artistes and a desire to develop internationally.

The report notes that the international cultural profile of East Africa has been much lower than West and Southern Africas, but this is changing, with international attention focusing on the arts from the region as the countries economies grow.



musibamu@gmail.com

The author works with The East African newspaper
Maureen Osoru, the Arua Woman MP, was recently elected president of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter Parliamentary Union in Dhaka, Bangladesh, after triumphing over opponents from Russia and Zambia.

The 27-year-old lawmaker is part of the Ugandan delegation that attended the 136th IPU meeting in Bangladesh. Osoru went to parliament after defeating Christine Bako Abia, the former Arua woman MP, in last years elections and is currently serving her first term.

I want to tackle youth unemployment in my district by establishing small income- generating projects, said Osoru in an interview with The Observer recently.

Over the years, she has been training her women and youth constituents to make crafts such as handbags, leather sandals and jewellery, among other things, from which they could earn and improve their lives.

An accountant by profession, Osoru seeks to fight corruption in the government and other public offices.

My coming to parliament and becoming the president of the IPU youth body is an opportunity to voice the concerns of young people, Osoru said.

She maintains that politics has nothing to do with age.

It is about the brain, she says while laughing, adding that whether you are young or old, people will make demands.

Born to Sabua Ajio and Loyce Adiru in Arua district, the accountant, who holds a University of East London degree, started her educational journey in her home town of Arua until primary four. She completed her primary education at Kirinya Parents primary school in Bweyogerere before joining Kisubi high school for her O-level.

Osoru later joined Queensway high school, a branch of Kisubi high school, for her senior five before completing her senior six at Forest Hill College in Mukono. She is yet to start her masters in Business Administration at Makerere University.

In her free time, Osoru enjoys listening to music, especially reggae and RnB. She also enjoys going out with her friends, although she is quick to note that her outings are limited to evening hours and she is always home by 9pm.

But most of the time, I am just concentrating on my crafts. I am also venturing into making reusable pads to help my women and girls, says Osoru who is currently single, with no plans of settling down soon.

Osoru maintains that her first responsibility is to the people she represents.

I want to change their lives and make them better. My people come first in whatever I do, says Osoru who is living her childhood dream of leading her people.

Her advice to the youth is to actively get involved in politics if they want better governance. She also encourages them to be compassionate and reminds them that two heads are better than one.

Whether you like it or not, you cannot do everything on your own. You have to consult and get assistance from others, counsels Osoru.

Outside politics, Osorus biggest challenge is the failure to interact with people who think highly of themselves.

I have noticed that many middle income earners in Uganda are reluctant to interact with the less fortunate, notes Osoru.

She finds it unbelievable that someone can buy very expensive clothes yet decline buying a starving street child a meal. Besides being a member of parliament, Osoru runs a wine shop called Ajio Sabua Enterprises in Kikuubo, downtown Kampala.



pbaike@yahoo.com
Dressed in a flowing gown fabricated in the French national colours and a pair of fancy silver heels, Prisca Atite and her dance partner gracefully dance to the 1930s French music with such passion and precision.

The fascinated audience watches in awe, daring to or not to join her despite the floor being open to all. It is clear they are having much fun watching the meticulous moves.

When the last hit ends, she bows out to the cheers of her enthralled audience at the French ambassadors residence in Kampala. This was during the recently celebrated French national day in Uganda.

Prisca Atite danced her way to a scholarship

While the guests get champagne and food refills, I rush backstage to catch up with the exhilarating dancer as she catches a breather before her next performance.

In our brief interaction, she tells me she is an undergraduate at Makerere University. She also gives me an appointment for an interview before she goes back to enchant the guests with more of her captivating formal dance moves.



PASSION

In an interview at The Observer offices, the 22-year-old shared her challenging journey to becoming a professional dancer in a society that is yet to embrace dance as a profession. Having been exposed to Disney television from a tender age, Atite developed an immense interest in singing, acting and dancing.

It is the latter, however, that has been strongly deep-rooted in her. She is currently pursuing a Bachelors of Arts in Arts, with majors in dance and minors in communication and gender studies.

Her impeccable dancing talent also secured her a scholarship from the Norwegian College of Dance. Although she has only completed her second year, Atite is already earning from her passion, which is incidentally her profession.

I get hired by several people and organisations to perform various dances at events, smiles Atite, who is also earning as a dance trainer and choreographer.

To the event where I met her, Atite said she was invited through a phone call. Born to Josephine Okello, Atite barely has any memory of her biological father. She was raised by her mother and stepfather, Rufus Okello.

Before he passed on, my stepdad had shown me such a good life, Atite recalls.

He once heard her sing at a parents day and from that moment, he knew his daughter was meant for the arts. Later, he bought her a toy-microphone. Whenever she was done with her homework every evening, he would encourage her to entertain the family  something she always looked forward to.

His death, Atite says, was such a big blow to her.

It was a turning point for the entire family including my mom and my young brother. Our lives turned upside down, she says.

With her number one fan out of the picture, Atite faced a hard time convincing her mother to let her become a professional dancer.

Although it was clear to my mother that I could dance, she thought it was not a serious profession, says Atite, who used to watch the popular So You Think You Can Dance series with her mother. Not sure of what to study, Atite decided to pursue a course in tourism at the Kampala-based Career Institute during her senior six vacations. She majored in air transport.

She had attended Aunt Milly primary school, Iganga Girls secondary school for O-level and East high school, Ntinda for A-level. To her, becoming an air hostess was a good substitute to dancing. But her friends, who knew how passionate she was about dancing, told her something that put her entire life and career into perspective.

They told me about this course called Bachelor of Arts in Arts where I could major in dance without my mother finding out, Atite reminisces.

But her secret came out when her mothers consent was required in order for her to qualify for a scholarship funded by Norwegians. During her first semester of study, people from Norway set dance competitions in which she participated and won.

The mother was a bit disappointed, but realized how serious her daughter was about her dancing career. And the fact that Atite had beaten several other students to win the scholarship only showed how she was meant for dancing. She is now studying under the Norwegian scholarship until she graduates.



PROSPECTS

Atite says the dance industry  and the arts in general  is still nascent. As a dancer, she hopes to change the negative perception that people have towards the dancing profession.

She is proficient in various dance genres such as contemporary, Latin, ballet, ballroom and African, among others. Early this year, Atite mobilized five other dancers and they started up an organization called Dradan mwa Afrika. Their major aim is to teach dance and other performing arts to the younger generations through stories.

My whole life rotates around dance. It has given me lots of opportunities to study, meet and work with various people from all over the world, Atite says.

Outside dance, Atite enjoys shopping, adventure, online touring and spending time with friends.



pbaike@yahoo.com
Dancehall artiste Cindy, on Wednesday announced her upcoming album launch at Space Lounge (former Club Rouge), during a theme night dubbed UG Rave Night.

This will be her second album as a solo artiste since she quit Blu3. The concert will be sponsored by Uganda Waragi. The launch comes four years after her first solo concert, called Amateeka, which was held in February 2013 at Kati Kati in Kampala.

Cindy (C) with her queen dancers

Her fans will have to part with at least Shs 50,000 to be able to attend the August 25 concert at Imperial Royale hotel. She will then have follow-up shows at La Grande hotel, Bwaise, and Satellite beach, Mukono.

Before making the announcement, Cindy put up an energetic performance alongside a live band, taking the crowd through some of her most popular songs like Run This City, Still Standing and Ndi Mukodo.

She also stunned revelers when she took turns behind the counter to bartend and serve drinks to her fans. Known also for her choreographed dance routines, Cindy was joined behind the bar by her dancers, all dressed in corsets, shorts and stilettos.

Cindy (L) served Uganda Waragi to her fans

The former member of the Ugandan girl group, Blu3, has been performing solo since the band dissolved in 2008, and is currently rated among the top divas in the region.

Cindy rose to fame after winning the Coca-Cola Pop stars competition in 2005 alongside Lillian Mbabazi and Jackie Chandiru, who later formed the famous Blu3 band.

Uganda Waragi brand manager, Roy Tumwizere, emphasized that the spirit brand supports and will continue to nurture local music talent. Uganda Waragi is proud to be part of an experience like this that will showcase our rich Ugandan talent.

Since January this year, Cindys hit, Run This City, has dominated the airwaves and made her even more famous.
RIP: Edward Rurangaranga

Rtd Major Edward Rurangaranga, the former national chairman of Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) has died.

According to information from close friends and allies, the UPC strongman collapsed at his home at about 12am at his home in Kitagata, Sheema district today morning.

Last year, he was hospitalized at Nakasero hospital with diabetes and hypertension. According to Jimmy Akena, the UPC president, was a loyal nationalists and elder who fought for his country.

Rurangaranga was a MP in the 1960s and fought under Kikosi Maalum, a militia of Ugandan exiles who fought Idi Amin dictatorship where he was given the rank of major. He was also served as minister for state for Local government from 1981 to 1985.

He epitomized unwavering dedication and commitment in serving both his country and party, said Akena.

The deceased has been against Akenas move of working with President Yoweri Museveni and has always described the union as personal. In a recent interview, he described Akena as Musevenis puppet since the latter talks ill about UPC, his former party.

Being a son of [Milton] Obote who was president doesnt make him fit to lead Uganda. He cannot know that this is not Musevenis last term in office because every term has been his last and we can say his reign is endless, said Rurangaranga last year.

Okello Lucima, the Otunnu-led UPC spokesperson described the deceased as a soldier, liberator and an eldest statesman who will be greatly missed. He noted that Uganda and the entire Bushenyi had lost an icon.

The struggle for which Rtd Major Rurangaranga and his contemporaries dissipated in their youth must continue unabated, he said.

Politicians like former Forum for Democratic Change party president Kizza Besigye went to their social media pages to eulogise the fallen politician.

abumay1988@gmail.com
Ruhinda county MP, Donozio Kahonda Mugabe has been released from prison after court in Luweero granted him bail today. Luweero Chief Magistrate, Charles Sserubuga released Kahonda on a non-cash bond of Shs 500,000.

His three sureties including Abdul Kasule, a farmer and resident of Bombo town council, Captain Amon Ssenyonyi, a military officer attached to Operation Wealth Creation and resident of Kasana market zone in Luweero town council and Justus Twesigye, a teacher at Makerere high school, Migadde also executed a non-cash bond of Shs 5 million each.

Kahonda is battling fresh charges of forgery and uttering false documents. Prosecution alleges that Donozio Kahonda Mugabe alias Mutabazi Dickson Kahonda forged and uttered false Ordinary level (O-level) and Advanced Level (A-level) certificates to gain admission to Ndejje University in 2006.

A visibly jubilant Kahonda after being released

The MP pleaded not guilty to the charges. This morning, Kahonda's lawyer, Caleb Mwesigwa of Mwesigwa Associated Advocates asked the Luweero Chief magistrate to release his client on bail.

Mwesigwa reiterated the earlier grounds contained in the MP's bail application. He argued that being a member of parliament and the sole bread winner of his family including his brother who is battling cancer; Kahonda can't abscond from the court hearings.

He argued that it was the constitutional right for the MP to get bail pending the hearing of his case. Mwesigwa asked the magistrate to grant Kahonda a non-cash bail given the fact that he had already deposited another Shs 500,000 in Jinja High court for bail.

Beatrice Alok, the Luweero resident state attorney objected to the bail, saying the MP might interfere with the ongoing investigations into the case against him. However, Kahonda's lawyer shot back saying the delay by the prosecution to complete investigations shouldn't be a basis for denying his client justice.

In his ruling, Sserubuga concurred with the submission of Kahonda's lawyer, saying the state has had sufficient time to complete investigations given the fact that the case has been ongoing for some time. He also argued that Kahonda is a member of parliament and still innocent and therefore granted him non cash bail.

He said that it would be unfair to order Kahonda to pay for bail again yet he has already deposited money in another bail application. He ordered Kahonda to return to court on September 14 for the hearing of his case.

He also ordered the state to disclose all the evidence to Kahonda's lawyer to enable them prepare for the hearing. Shortly after his release, Kahonda jumped into a waiting car and drove off with his supporters on police directives for fear that they could paralyze court business.

He later told journalists at his home in Matugga town council in Wakiso district that the charges against him are politically motivated and asked the state to investigate how his rival and minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Gen Kahinda Otafiire was admitted to Makerere University without any academic qualifications.

He said that some politicians he didn't name think, they own the voters in Mitooma and that is why they can't stomach seeing any other person representing the area. Kahonda appealed to his voters to stand united and develop their area.

Kahonda, a retired Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) captain, was in a June 7 judgment found guilty of 11 counts of impersonation, forgery and uttering false documents by the Jinja Chief Magistrates court.

Last Thursday the High court judge Eva Luswata granted him a cash bail of Shs 500,000 pending the hearing of his appeal. He was rearrested shortly after and remanded to Kirinya prison.
Bodies of the fallen Uganda People's Defence Forces soldiers killed during Sunday's ambush by Al-Shabaab militants are to be returned home today, Wednesday.



In a statement, Lt Colonel Deo Akiiki, the deputy UPDF spokesperson says the plane carrying "the caskets of the deceased" will touch down at Entebbe Airforce base at 1:30pm. Lt. General Wilson Mbadi, the deputy Chief of Defence Forces will head the military delegation to receive the remains, according to the statement.



The names of those killed and injured are yet to be released. The UPDF said on Monday that 12 soldiers died on Sunday morning when Al-Shabaab fighters ambushed African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) troops.

The incident took place at Gorowen town between Bulumaler and Beladamini in Lower Shabelle region, about 140kms southwest of Mogadishu.



Army spokesperson, Brigadier Richard Karemire said another seven soldiers were wounded during the ambush. Brigadier Karemire said he was quoting the UPDF Amisom contingent commander, Brig Kayanja Muhanga.



Other sources yesterday however, quoted the number of the dead higher than the official figures. A military source who preferred to remain unnamed has told URN that the UPDF lost 21 soldiers in action and nine others are seriously injured. The source further said another 25 soldiers returned to the UPDF base alive while two are still missing.



Hours after the attack, Reuters news agency quoted Abdiasis Abu Musab, a senior Al-Shabaab military officer as saying they had killed at least 39 Amisom troops during the ambush. The Somali government was also quoted by some media as putting the number of killed soldiers at 23.



But Brigadier Karemire dismissed this figure as Al-Shabaab propaganda when URN contacted him on phone on Monday. He insisted that nobody knows the UPDF soldiers more than their commanders who quoted the figure of 12 deaths and seven injuries.



Brigadier Karemire said the army was instituting an inquiry "to establish circumstances leading to this fateful incident."



This is the first major Al-Shabaab attack since September 2015 when the UPDF lost at least 19 soldiers. Different government officials, however, kept giving conflicting reports about the 2015 attack as international media put the number of dead at close to 50. One soldier, Private Masasa, was taken alive by the militants only to be executed in January this year.



Early this month, UPDF flagged off 1456 soldiers under Battle Group 22 and United Nations Guard Unit (UNGU) IV to the war-torn Somalia where Uganda has maintained presence for 10 years.



Uganda currently has over 6,000 troops in Somalia as part of the 22,000-strong Amisom peacekeeping force fighting the Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group that pushes to rule Somalia based on Sharia Law.

Uganda was the first country to deploy in Somalia in 2007, some 16 years after the country descended into anarchy following the fall of General Mohammed Siad Barre in January 1991.
I also don't know him but wouldn't be surprised if he was inebriated in some way, went on a rant and then deleted it all, as if it works like that LOL





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I'm currently scrolling through his twitter and it actually looks like he does tweet that way. Like it seems consistent language wise. He likes using the word "bro" or "brother" and his tweets are often misspelled so...



Edited at 2017-08-01 02:47 am (UTC)

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so, what, he got a little too honest about his feelings and deleted it because he knew it would cause damage? The damage is already done so why delete it all? LOLOL

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he was clearly on something and then sobered up and regretted it. this is disturbing tho

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social media is so dangerous for celebs



They should just leave it to their management team tbh





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But then how would we stay entertained while bored at work if not for messy celebs on twitter? We'd be forced to actually do our jobs...I don't want that...

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lmao true story

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tbh, people are way too bold lol



here we all are terrified of losing our jobs bc we care about voting, meanwhile this dude is going off

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Mandy has always been an underrated beauty, TBQH.

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I wonder if she has any opinion on this LOL

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that movie 47 meters was so bad omg



you can do better Mandy

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I'm curious about his level of sobriety when he was married to Mandy.

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They always seemed like such a weird pairing to me.

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didn't they break up bc of his addiction or something?

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He cheated with Taylor Swift

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and he fucked tswift

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i think he sobered up before they met, but you never know.

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I will never understand that pairing. and why

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I was sure she was pregnant and that's why they got married.

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I'm sure she did her share of babysitting. I'll never forget his bullshit press release when he dumped her briefly before they got married (where he said he wanted to be "punk as fuck" LMAO), basically because he was embarrassed to be seen with her. Then realized the benefit of having a wife/caretaker who idolized him, I guess.



As for her, she was 24 when they got married. No further explanation needed, really.

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I should've forced them to get addicted to writing better songs.



what a piece of shit.

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he's such a dick. i know his new album is getting praise but i can't believe like he's acting like he is the one on his prime



Edited at 2017-08-01 02:57 am (UTC)

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lmao same

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ryan adams is such a weirdo loser tbh



fabrizio can still get it tho, he's such a babe

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i wonder who he's dating now, he had such a string of cute and funny women for a while

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IDK, man, I listened to a podcast he did recently and the brain power just isn't there.

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i don't listen to his music, so i only ever hear about ryan adams when someone is accusing him of being an awful person. i remember courtney love claiming that he stole a lot of money from her.

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Oh really? I hadn't heard about that.

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it was years and years ago. i think she posted a bunch of things on myspace? he allegedly funneled like 800k from frances' trust fund to make an album. could be true, but maybe not. courtney was doing business with people who ended up stealing a lot from her because she's not the most present person.



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wow, I would believe it. he's trash.

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Lmao, this very well could be a delayed response to that Strokes Oral History piece wherein he's accused of getting them on smack.

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i always assumed it was agyness deyn

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I LOLed and now I feel bad.

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ikr, i'll give him that one lololol

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He just straight up called him Garfield.

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We been knew





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lmao wow. What a little cranky baby.

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One seldom sees a financial news headline so guaranteed not to attract attention. For instance, Cheung Kong Infrastructure and Cheung Kong Properties buy Ista International GmbH". Other than conveying that investment bankers in Europe and Asia continue to do the Lord's work so to speak, not much information is conveyed. Who would even pay attention to that lead even if one knew the corporate entities involved?

In the interest of public enlightenment, we suggest this instead: Asias Warren Buffet Shifts Focus, Buys German Smart (energy) Meter Firm". Li Ka-shing, who inauspiciously began his business career selling plastic flowers in Hong Kong, has, like Buffett built and continues to build a worldwide infrastructure conglomerate. It seems to us that with this recent acquisition, the head of one of the largest infrastructure firms in the world is repositioning his business and adding new capabilities.

Two of Mr. Li's principal companies will buy one of Europes leading energy and water measurement and management firms, Ista International GmbH. They will pay $5.3 billion (4.5 billion) for a business with 12 million customers, sales of $995 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $433 million last year. Ista has over 5,000 employees in 24 countries.

A Hong Kong-based analyst, when queried about the purchase price, said (somewhat noncommittally to our sensitive ears) that it represented a "fair" price and was in line with similar recent transactions. Istas owner, investment management firm, CVC Capital had purchased Ista for 3.1 billion in 2013.

A management buyout firm making a hefty 50 percent profit in four years and then moving on excites little interest. It's what they do. But why Mr. Li outbid at least two Canadian pension funds plus their well-heeled financial partners Blackstone and Brookfield for Ista--entities that have been paying generously for secure cash and income generating businesses--is perhaps worth a look. Related: Will Sanctions On Russia Push The EU To US Energy?

It is highly unlikely in our view that Mr. Li attributes his considerable business success to his ability to outbid pension funds for desirable assets or, for his willingness to pay "fair" prices however determined. Perhaps he had something else in mind with this most recent acquisition.

Associated companies under his aegis include major energy, distribution and sales enterprises in Europe (as well as Hong Kong, mainland China, Australia, the UK, Canada and Portugal). The European Union has issued a directive that will put in place energy efficiency requirements by 2020 whose goal is to convert at least 80 percent of Europe's utility meters to so-called "smart meters" that help customers to control their usage of electricity and gas and indirectly their emissions footprints. Ista's business focus, so far, has been on residential apartment buildings and other commercial properties.

However, from a business perspective, the 2020 smart meter adoption in Europe was well known. If like Mr. Buffett, Mr. Li makes long term investments, we should reconsider the meaning behind this significant acquisition.

We would bet that in an increasingly energy conscious world, Mr. Li plans to expand the scope of this business. His formidable business empire already includes ports, real estate, utilities and an oil company. He also owns major holdings in the distribution (but not generation) of energy and a cellular telephone empire in Europe.

While we can read his press releases, we cannot read his mind. But we suspect that Mr. Li looks at energy and water management as businesses with a bright future.

But for franchise owning integrated electric utilities for example, what happens to profitability when their large commercial and industrial customers begin making and selling their own electricity.? Owners of smart meters could become the new middlemen.

We think the next chapter electric utilities involves the gradual and at least partial decentralization of power generation away from the utility monopoly. This suggests that real economic power will devolve to aggregators already on the customer premises, like the metering company. They will help customers maximize the value of their energy assets and probably compete directly with power companies for sales. Related: Sanctions On Venezuela Could Push Oil Into The Mid-$50s

Europe is already leading the way in renewables and it will soon do so in the application of energy efficient advanced metering and control that could make buildings less dependent on the grid. Businesses like Ista could support the formation of microgrids, which might further encourage renewables.

If the Europeans are successful, we should expect that the smart-meter-as-renewables-aggregator model will gain momentum here in the U.S. And that is not good news for conventional electric power generators and the investors who have come to rely on their hefty common stock dividends.

We don't think we're going too far out on a limb in stating that we expect that consumers will not only want cleaner clean energy but also will want to use it as efficiently as possible. As power users gradually transition to becoming power producers as well, there may be zero demand for certain types of base load generation if demand falls or is otherwise shifted. That's an existential threat to the electric power generation industry. Mr. Li has made a substantial bet on a potentially disruptive technology. That is significant news. Mr. Buffett owns the old industry, the legacy utilities and the railroad that carries their coal. Mr. Buffet, its your move now.

By Leonard Hyman and Bill Tilles

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Italian mafia may have teamed up with the Islamic State to smuggle crude oil from the Middle East into Italy, an ongoing police investigation has suggested, according to The Times who cited a report by La Repubblica. The Italian daily noted that the police had found substantial amounts of Libyan and Syrian crude that were greater than some local refineries inventories, with sources connected with the investigation saying that crude, should not have been there.

Yet the police have no evidence that the oil came from IS, or whether it came from another non-extremist group of traffickers, because the cargoes passed through intermediaries, which helped the original senders mask their tracks.

The way the mafia smuggles oil into Italy is by setting up shale companies abroad that act as oil exporters. They sell crude directly to gas station operators at much lower prices, and then close the shell companies. The mafia uses the scheme to avoid VAT payments and to launder money.

The logistics involve tankers rendezvousing with smaller vessels out of Turkey and Libya in the middle of the Mediterranean. The smugglers transfer the oil from the smaller vessels to the larger ones, and then return the small vessels to their country of origin while the bigger tankers set sail for the southern Italian ports. Related: U.S. Shale Is Determined Not To Kill This Rally

It seems that the IS-mafia hypothesis has emerged because of the terrorist groups heavy reliance on revenues from oil contraband, but recently IS has lost most of the territories it controlled in Syria and Iraq, so its access to oil to smuggle has also declined sharply.

Experts who spoke to La Repubblica were skeptical of such a connection, but last month, journalist Francesca Astorri reported on a propaganda e-book titled Black Flags from Rome, in which the Islamic State said support from the mafia was crucial for its penetration in Italy.

The question remains whether the two organizations are rivals or partners. Their revenue-generating activities are similar, including drug trafficking, goods smuggling, and kidnappings, but the mafia would hardly be well-disposed to a group that essentially wants to encroach on its territory.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The four countries leading the boycott against Qatar are going back to their list of 13 demands for Doha to meet before talks can start, essentially reverting the Arab Gulf spat back to square one.

At the same time, economic data for June shows that Qatars imports plummeted due to the blockade imposed by most of its neighbors, and foreign deposits at Qatari banks dropped to their lowest in nearly two years.

However, Qatar has a huge sovereign wealth fund, and boasts considerable foreign exchange reserves. Although Qatars non-oil economy is expected to see some pressure due to the fact that it has to use alternative trade routes, the worlds largest LNG exporter has not seen its LNG trade disrupted yet, which is precisely why analysts do not see the blockade as potentially crippling Qatars economy. Rather, they see it as merely straining economic growth.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)  the four countries leading the boycott on Qatar  issued on June 22 a list of 13 demands to Qatar, which included severing ties with Saudi archrival Iran, and shutting down the Al-Jazeera TV network.

Two weeks ago, diplomats from the four countries signaled that they no longer wanted Qatar to comply with the 13 demands, instead proposing six broad principles that they want Qatar to sign onto. The principles included denying safe havens and financing to terrorists, combating terrorism and extremism, stopping incitement of hatred and violence, and refraining from interfering in the internal politics of other countries, the New York Times reported.

This past Sunday, however, the four countries said that apart from the six principles, they insisted on Qatar meeting those 13 demands, reverting to their original conditions, which analysts had thought were too steep for Qatar to meet.

We are back to square one, Abdullah Al-Shayji, a political science professor at Kuwait University, told Bloomberg, commenting on the latest twist in the Qatar crisis.

We have not progressed an inch because we were under the impression that the 13 demands were not only null and void but channeled into six principles. It seems that they are not budging and are escalating, Al-Shayji said.

The blockade imposed by the four states is forcing Qatar to seek alternativeand more expensiveroutes for trade, and its imports dropped in June by 40 percent compared to June last year, Bloomberg data show.

Qatar is flying in cows from Germany to address milk demand, and is arranging new shipping routes through ports in neutral Oman.

Related: The Next Big Catalyst In The U.S. Oil Export Boom

But Qatars continuing oil and gas exports, as well as significant forex reserves, are the reason why analysts are not as pessimistic as they would have been if LNG trade were disrupted or cash reserves low. The latest Reuters poll on the Gulf economies lowered expectations for Qatars economic growth this year to 2.3 percent from the previous 3.5-percent-growth forecast. Still, analysts expected Qatar to outperform most of its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia whose median GDP growth estimate was reduced to just 0.1 percent this year, from 0.5 percent expected earlier.

The Qatar Central Bank has US$40 billion in cash reserves plus gold, while the Qatar Investment Authority has US$300 billion in reserves that it could liquidate, the Governor of Qatar Central Bank, Sheikh Abdulla Bin Saud Al-Thani, told CNBC in an interview in early July, one month into the blockade. We have enough cash to preserve any - any kind of shock, the governor said.

Qatars LNG flows are stable, Steve Hill, Executive Vice-President for Gas and Energy Marketing and Trading at one of the largest LNG traders, Shell, said on July 10.

On July 4, Moodys changed the outlook on Qatars rating to negative from stable, on expectations that the dispute would not end quickly. But the rating agency affirmed the long-term issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings of Qatar, citing sizable net asset position of the government and exceptionally high levels of wealth.

Moody's also acknowledges the fact that as long as hydrocarbon exports are not disrupted, the ongoing dispute will not affect the overwhelming majority of foreign exchange receipts in the current account balance and the bulk of government revenues, the rating agency noted.

An end to the dispute is currently nowhere in sight. Just a day after the four states reverted to their 13 demands, Qatar said that it had filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge the boycott.

Qatar requested consultations with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE, triggering a 60-day period for the three countries to either settle the trade complaint or face litigation at the WTO, Reuters reported, citing the director of Qatars WTO office Ali Alwaleed al-Thani.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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OPECs crude oil exports reached 26.68 million bpd last month, energy data provider Kpler said, on the back of higher shipments from Libya, Nigeria, and the UAE. The figure was up by almost 388,000 bpd from June.

The UAE led the increase, shipping 326,000 bpd more in July than in June. Yet, Kpler notes, the June average was lower than usual, so the total for July, at 2.6 million bpd, was basically flat on May.

Libya, which has ramped up its crude oil output to above 1 million barrels, exported an average daily of 907,000 bpd in July, up 182,000 bpd on a monthly basis.

Nigerias exports rose by 130,000 bpd thanks to higher loadings through the Forcados terminal, to a total of 1.884 million bpd.

Kuwait was the OPEC member whose exports shrunk the most last month, with shipments down by 241,000 bpd to 1.977 million bpd. Angola was next, exporting 98,000 bpd less in July than in June, at 1.66 million bpd.

Saudi Arabias shipments of crude fell by 45,000 bpd last month to 7.155 million bpd. The Kingdom has pledged to cut its oil exports further, to 6.6 million bpd from this month.

Irans exports also fell, by 75,000 bpd to 2.476 million bpd. Related: Is Wall Street Funding A Shale Failure?

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that OPEC oil output rose by 90,000 bpd in July, thanks to higher production in Libya and Nigeria. The dip in Angolan exports and Saudi production, however, kept compliance with the production cut deal in the cartel at a respectable 84 percent, up from 77 percent in June.

OPEC agreed to cut overall supply by 1.2 million barrels last November, but Libya and Nigeria have proved a challenge as they were exempt because of militant activity that crippled their oil industries. Now this activity has largely subsided, and both have been pumping more. Nigeria promised to stop ramping up production once it hit 1.8 million bpd, but Libya has not made any such promises.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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BP reported underlying profit on a replacement cost basis of US$684 million for the second quarter of the year, down from US$1.5 billion for the first quarter. On an annual basis, however, the underlying RC result was only slightly lower than the US$720 million booked for April-June 2016.

Net debt as of June 30, 2017, went up to US$39.8 billion, up from US$30.9 billion a year earlier. Divestments brought in US$500 million in the second quarter, up from US$400 million in Q2 2016.

Operating cash flow for the three-month period came in at US$6.9 billion, up from US$5.3 billion a year earlier, excluding payments related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Second-quarter expenses related to the disaster stood at US$2 billion.

A US$753-million write-down, most of it on an offshore project in Angola, weighed on the net result. BP decided the project was not commercially viable and sold its stake in it.

BP said oil and gas production in April-June rose by 10 percent, to a bit over 3.5 million barrels daily, including production by Rosneft, in which BP is a shareholder. Excluding its share in Rosnefts output, BPs production in the second quarter averaged about 2.5 million bpd.



Related: Cities Face Huge Power Shortages In Near Future

So far in 2017, the company said in a presentation on the second-quarter results, BP has started three large-scale projects and plans to launch another four by the end of the year. Also by the end of the year, BP expects to shrink unit production costs by 40 percent compared with 2013 levels, CEO Bob Dudley said.

Dudley added that BP will continue to focus on cost reduction and spending discipline in the current price environment, expecting further increases in production through the rest of 2017 and in 2018. As for the increase in net debt, the chief executive attributed it to the Deepwater Horizon payments and said the figure should shrink over the second half of the year.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Japan has filed a protest with China after noticing activity from Chinese mobile drilling ships in a gas-rich area near the East China Seas Senkaku Islands that are controlled by Japan but claimed by China, as well as Taiwan, the Japan Times reported on Tuesday, quoting a senior Japanese government official.

We confirmed that China is engaged in some kind of activity by stopping mobile drilling ships near the median line between the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of Japan and China in the area, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference, as quoted by the Japan Times.

It is extremely regrettable that China is unilaterally continuing its development activity, Suga noted, without specifying what type of activity the ships were engaged in.

Back in 2008, Japan and China agreed to cooperate in oil and gas resource development in the area, but talks broke down in 2010 and have not been resumed.

Now Japans Suga called upon China to resume the talks to jointly develop resources in the region, as discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last year, the Japan Times reports.

The Senkaku Islands, as they are known in Japan, are called the Diaoyu Islands in China, and consist of eight uninhabited islands and rocks in the East China Sea. However, the islands lie close to major shipping lanes, have a rich fisheries resource, and have oil and gas potentialso they are claimed by more than one country in the area.

The identified gas field lies in an area straddling the EEZs of both countries. Japan claims that the median line between Japan and China should be the maritime boundary of the EEZs, but China claims that the border should be closer to Japan to follow the continental shelf.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a surprise build of 1.779 million barrels in United States crude oil inventories, compared to S&P Global Platts survey of analysts who expected a draw of 2.8 million barrels for the week ending July 21. This weeks build comes after a major draw last week.

Gasoline inventories fell this week, more sharply than expected, with a 4.827-million-barrel draw for the week ending July 28, compared to analyst expectations that inventories for the fuel would fall by 1.3 million barrels.

Crude prices began to slip on Tuesday despite the expectations of another draw in crude oil stockpiles this week, as reports surfaced that OPECs crude oil exports rose 388,000 bpd in July, according to figures from energy data provider Kpler. Prices had increased on Monday on news that the United States might impose sanctions on Venezuelan oilbut that possibility is now looking more remote.

At 12:24pm, WTI had fallen 3.05% to $48.64, with Brent Crude down 2.94% at $51.17. per barrel. WTI had opened above $50 on Tuesday for the first time since May.

Gasoline was also trading down on the day before the data release, by 1.94% at $1.644.



Crude oil inventories in the US began its downward slide in early April, and have continued to fall, erasing all of the inventory that was built between January and April. According to the API, todays build brings the total inventory for crude oil in 2017 to a net draw of 5.755 million barrels.



Related: This Oil Price Rally Has Reached Its Limit

(Click to enlarge)

Distillate inventories also fell this week, by 1.225 million barrels, while inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma, site increased by 2.562 million barrels.



By 4:39pm EST, WTI was trading at $49.15 with Brent Crude trading at $51.75.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration report on oil inventories is due on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Russian oil output is down 307,600 barrels per day, compared to October levels, according to the countrys oil minister.

At the end of July 2017, the reduction of oil production stood at 307,600 barrels a day as compared to October 2016, Minister Alexander Novak told reporters. Therefore Russia is meeting is obligations on lowering production.

Novak was referring to the promise Moscow made to OPEC and 10 other NOPEC nations in November to cut production by 300,000 bpd in an effort to rebalance oil supply wth demand.

A week ago, Novak had said Russian cuts totaled 308,000 bpd in June.

OPEC and non-member partners agreed to extend the agreement through March 2018 in late May, but the news has not translated to substantially higher barrel prices. High output from Libya, Nigeria, and the United States has offset the intended effect of the cartels production cuts. Nigeria recently announced its intention to limit output at 1.8 million, once its national production recovers to that level later this year.

Oil prices are doing better now than they were in June, when they reached a seven-month low below $45. At the time of this articles writing, Brent traded down 2.75 percent at $51.27.

Novak also previously emphasized that over the last six months, global crude oil supply has shrunk by 350 million barrels thanks to OPECs production reduction deal. The minister spoke at a summit in St. Petersburg tasked to track the progress of the agreement.

Compliance to the output cuts on the OPEC side has been above 100 percent for the past few months, though export levels amongst Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran have fluctuated in the fight to keep market share as American distributors carve out their own customer base.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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Motion moved in Senate against Azad Jammu-Kashmir PM

ISLAMABAD / MUZAFFARABAD: An adjournment motion has been moved in the Senate of Pakistan to discuss the remarks made by Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider.



Mr Haider was quoted as saying on Saturday that judgements such as the one in the Panama Papers case against Nawaz Sharif would force the people of Azad Kashmir to consider whether or not to accede to Pakistan.



According to the video of his press talk being circulated on social media, Mr Haider uttered the allegedly controversial remarks after he turned his guns on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan.



However, on the same day, he said his statement was quoted out of context. Mr Haider assumed the office of AJK prime minister on July 29, 2016, for the second time in seven years, as a candidate of the PML-N, almost a week after the party swept general elections to the regions Legislative Assembly. Senator Sehar Kamran has submitted an adjournment motion in the upper house of parliament stating that the statement of the AJK PM was of vital significance for Pakistans national interest.



The people of AJK have given countless sacrifices for accession to Pakistan. The statement of the AJK PM at this point of time holds great importance and it should be discussed in the house by adjourning the routine business of the Senate, she said.



Pakistan Peoples Party vice president Senator Sherry Rehman called for resignation of the AJK prime minister.



She said: It was shocking to hear such a statement coming from the PM of AJK. His loyalty should be with Pakistan and the people of AJK. Questioning AJKs allegiance to Pakistan over partisan loyalty to the PML-N is unacceptable. He must resign immediately.



PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has supported the demand for resignation of the AJK prime minister.



On Monday, AJK PM Mr Haider again held a press conference and suggested that opposition parties and some media houses should not do politics over the issue of Kashmir.



Kashmir is a very sensitive matter and Indian media has been highlighting that the AJK PM has demanded accession of AJK to India. Leaders of the PTI, PPP and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed should not use that issue for personal gains, he said.



In reply to questions, he said that he was still of the view that the decision against Nawaz Sharif was unjust.



According to an official handout, Mr Haider reaffirmed that the future of Kashmiri people was linked with Pakistan.



On Monday, a handful of PML-N workers staged a protest outside the press club against the PTI, in defiance of a ban imposed by the district administration on political gatherings. They chanted slogans against Mr Khan and torched his portraits.



The PTI said it would hold a demonstration in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday, with the partys regional chief Barrister Sultan Mahmood among its participants.



All freedom-loving Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control are filled with indignation at the unconstitutional and irresponsible statement of Mr Haider because it has provided India with an opportunity to launch a vicious propaganda campaign against our sacred cause, said Khawaja Farooq Ahmed, PTIs senior vice president in AJK.



Shaukat Javed Mir, PPPs secretary in AJK, said his party would hold protest demonstrations across AJK on Wednesday.



PPP lawmaker in Punjab Khurram Jahangir Wattoo also tabled a resolution in the provincial assembly calling for Mr Haiders resignation.
From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...












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LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



























Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



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La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



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La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



Capitalismo...



medicos (2)



Quien educa a nuestros hijos?



Los Medios...



Sin Palabras...



Chistes feministas

- Cual es el problema, Eva?

- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz...

- Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.

- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...

- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.

- Que es un hombre?

- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.

- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.

- Cual es el truco?.

- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.

- Cual?

- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.





Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Ellas...



Ellas (2)...



Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1

Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije:

-Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro.

Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria.

Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre?

-Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa!



VENGANZA NUMERO 2

Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris.

A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita:

- Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!!

Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta.

La mujer paso quince dias en Francia.

El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla.

Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es:

- Y amor me trajiste mi francesita??

- Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina.



VENGANZA NUMERO 3

El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion.

- No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo.

- Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz.

Te quiero confesar algo.

- Esta bien, esta bien. Habla!

- He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga.

- Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!!



machismo y cibernetica



Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston.

-Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide.

-Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!.



.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.

Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos.

Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco.

Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas



Gol !!!!



Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso!



Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy!


Orange plastic curtains protect passers-by from blow torch-wielding workers who are learning to weld in a new training facility for Steamfitters Local 449. The building on the border of Butler and Beaver counties represents an $18 million bet on a building boom that economists and government officials say the nearby Shell cracker plant will spur.

Trainee Eric Breedlove, 38, of Beaver Falls, Beaver County, recently joined Local 449 to boost his salary and benefits for his family after years digging ditches and laying bricks. It was OK, but the steamfitters have a better care plan, he said, laying down his welding torch. The salary is actually almost double.

Federal statistics show that Pittsburgh pipefitters and welders earn an average of $60,000. And with Shell Chemical Appalachia beginning construction of an ethane cracker plant on the banks of the Ohio River just 10 minutes from Breedloves house, hes looking to be among the 1,000 steamfitters needed to weld and fit 135 miles of piping at the cracker during the five-year construction process. Shell also has easements for a related project, a proposed 94-mile pipeline from the new Monaca facility toward Washington, Pa., and Cadiz, Ohio.

Western Pennsylvanias Marcellus Shale represents an abundance of low-cost wet natural gas, which has an abundance of other economically useful chemicals, such as ethane, butane and propane. For instance, ethaneheated and chemically rearranged at extremely high temperaturesis the base of polyethylene, which eventually becomes any number of everyday plastic products.

Currently, Pennsylvanias ethane travels in pipelines to the Gulf Coastthe hub of Americas petrochemical industryand to Canada, where its loaded on ships to Norway.

Shells $6 billion Beaver County investment may just be the first in a region that could support up to four more crackers, according to a state-commissioned report by London-based firm HIS Markit. And thats not factoring the ethane already being pumped out of state, or the amount that Shell plans to purchase when its plant goes online early next decade.

Youre like the Saudi Arabia of the natural gas industry, Ron Whitfield, IHS Markits VP of economics and country risk consulting, told a group in April in Pittsburgh. Thats probably overstating it, but youre close.

The new Shell facility will crack ethane by heating it to 1,500-degrees Fahrenheit and rearranging the hydrogen and carbon molecules to create ethylene and subsequently polyethylene. Shell expects to have seven on-site furnaces, producing 1.6 million tons of polyethylene a year, which could be used in anything from tires to shoes to diapers.

Shell expects to have seven on-site furnaces, producing 1.6 million tons of polyethylene a year, which could be used in anything from tires to shoes to diapers.

A development bonanza

While some groups worry about the environmental impact of several petrochemical plants and want to know why Shell, one of the worlds largest companies, will receive $1 billion in state tax breaks, many othersunions, municipalities and chambers of commercesee what one real estate manager called a gold rush of opportunity in a region unaccustomed to booms.

As far back as 2010, elected officials and the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA) began courting Shellstudying the workforce capabilities, acting as a liaison to state departments and securing incentives for the company.

We worked with them all the way up to June 7, 2016, to help them identify sites, not only for the cracker but for related facilities, said PRA President David Ruppersberger, referring to the day Shell finally announced the cracker go-ahead.

A hand-in-glove process was how Shells Michael Marr described working with Pennsylvania. In 2012, Pennsylvania legislators passed the Resource Manufacturing Tax Credit for companies that will purchase ethane in the state and convert it to ethylene, invest at least $1 billion, and create 2,500 full-time jobs during construction (Shell estimates workers will peak at 6,000).

And the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) soon will release a strategic guide for businesses, outlining site development, land use and other advice for attracting potential investors.

There are a lot of markets looking at our ethane, said Denise Brinley, DCED senior energy advisor. Thats clear from the ramp-up in activity from 2010 to 2014. The ethane price here is more competitive than virtually anywhere in the world, if we use it here.

Ruppersberger said the PRA is conversing with other companies that could locate here and buy not only ethane, but other natural gas liquids.

Just over the West Virginia panhandle in Ohio, Thailand-based PTT Global Chemical identified a potential cracker site  about an hour south of Pittsburgh on Interstates 79 and 70  but the company hasnt announced a final commitment.

We hope that we can site another cracker or two in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Ruppersberger said. It doesnt all have to go into polyethylene pellets. It can be used for other things. Propane is of particular interest to us as well, and even methane can also be converted into other chemical processes.

The IHS Markit report estimates that 73 percent of the U.S. and Canada polyethylene and polypropylene (plastics made from propane) markets are within a 700-mile radius of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Marr said Shell found the proximity, as well as Beaver Countys river, rail and highway access, attractive.

The report predicts that by 2030, more than 1 million barrels of natural gas liquids per dayby then the American demand will be 6 million barrels per daywill come from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations.

The state is also banking on more jobs coming to the area, and not just for construction.

There is a direct link with what Shell will do and the long-term viability in advanced manufacturing, Brinley said. The puzzle pieces need to be put together.

by 2030, more than 1 million barrels of natural gas liquids per dayby then the American demand will be 6 million barrels per daywill come from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations.

Brinley cited Lehigh University and Penn States plastics engineering programs as examples, and said graduates are being shipped out of statean exodus that the cracker-related employment opportunities could reverse.

Shell will be producing the building blocks of material science. Those are things put into products produced in additive manufacturing. Its all part of the same continuum. They all start with a petroleum base converted to a resin.

Additive manufacturing includes 3-D printing with plastic, or other media, such as concrete.

Local elected officials in Southwestern Pennsylvania say the Shell project is already spurring development, particularly in the real estate and construction markets.

Were seeing relocation and expansion, said Sandie Egley, chair of the Beaver County Commissioners, adding that deals are in the works for advanced manufacturing, energy, health-care and life-sciences companies to locate or expand in Beaver County. She hopes to make official announcements this fall. A half dozen large scale housing developmentswith nearly 250 homes in eachare under way in the countys townships of Chippewa, Hopewell and New Sewickley. In the Borough of Bridgewater, developers are building a 110-home waterfront complex, with parking garages and a community clubhouse. Municipal building permits for new homes, apartments and commercial buildings, including hotels have jumped in the last year. And the number of hotels in Beaver County has jumped from five to 11 in the last several years, according to the Beaver County Chamber of Commerce.

Hal Martin, a Beaver native and long-time Howard Hanna commercial sales broker said his phone has been ringing off the hook. He acts as a liaison between the companys commercial and housing divisions as the cracker approaches, and he also serves on the Chamber of Commerces economic task force, which is aiming to wrangle Beaver Countys 50-some municipalities into one concerted land-use plan; about 40 are on board.

Once people see things materializing, I think its going to be crazy, Martin said. So its up to all of us to kind of work together. Were a long way from where were going to end up, so a lot of my time is spent trying to educate site selectors as to whats coming. [They say,] Prove it, and the answer is, Weve got a pretty good hunch the numbers are going to make sense for you to come here.

Allegheny County impact

Allegheny County will see dividends too, government officials say. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said his government is in talks with a handful of businesses and land developers looking to relocate or expand and expects hundreds of millions of dollars in investment along the Route 18 and Ohio River corridors.

The Pittsburgh International Airport is smack in the middle.

We had a land-use plan, said Christina Cassotis, Pittsburgh International Airport CEO. Then the cracker got announced, and we said, Hold on. Lets make sure we have it right so we can take advantage of this one particular event.

The airports new market analysis will decide the best and highest use of its 3,800 developable acres. (Thats of the 8,800 acres the airport owns.) When the airport leases land for developmentas with Consol Energys natural gas drilling leasepayments or royalties are used to decrease the fees for airlines.

Were looking at what types of industries and companies follow these types of opportunities, she said. The more competitive we can be as a region, the more opportunity there is for people and companies in this region to fly nonstop. Its just beginning.

She anticipates that along with land demand, the arrival of a petrochemical facilityas well as General Electrics new additive manufacturing site in Findlay Township adjacent to the airportwill increase passenger and freight air travel.

The more competitive we can be as a region, the more opportunity there is for people and companies in this region to fly nonstop. Its just beginning.

We think theres going to be travel back and forth to Amsterdam, where Royal Dutch Shell is headquartered, Cassotis said, adding that it bodes well for the airports European travel demand.

When the fracking boom began, Cassotis said she saw a lot of workers coming in for two- to three-week stints.

National and local real estate players point to the advantage of access to two major highways. Interstates 79 and 376 meet just southeast of the airport and the Ohio River.

This is the front end of a new industry, said James Scalo, of the Green Tree-based Burns & Scalo Real Estate Services.

He said his company was a big winner with its investment in Southpointea development along Interstate 79 in Washington Countywhen oil and gas drillers moved in along with suppliers, lawyers and ancillary businesses.

These new industries come in with a lot of fresh capital, Scalo said. And they bring a lot of people with them.

Burns & Scalo recently bought 260,000 square feet of commercial office space along the I-376 corridor and an additional 16 acres of land on spec, he said. Its not feeding investment immediately, but we know over the next ten years there will be positive impact from the cracker.

One economic impact analysiscommissioned by Shell but widely cited by media, business and elected officialspredicts a windfall for the region.

The December 2014 Robert Morris University report, which used a popular economic predictor software called IMPLAN, predicts between $700 million and $900 million in regional labor income over Shells five-year construction period, plus a couple billion dollars in indirect business and spending. Of that, the study estimates the 10-county Southwestern Pennsylvania region could see up to $27 million in personal tax income revenue just from construction labor. Over a 40-year operational period of the cracker, the study predicts between $15 billion and $19 billion in regional economic activity.

If everything is successful in building the plant, you would have an even greater incentive for downstream firms to be even closer to this area, said RMU economics professor Patrick Litzinger, lead author of the study.

Not so rosy

Some energy economists disagree, saying the report overstates employment and tax benefit figures.

Jeremy Weber, associate professor at the University of Pittsburghs Graduate School of Public and International Affairs whose expertise is in energy economics, said the predicted economic impact by the 2014 RMU is overestimated.

He said the study uses an extremely high multiplierthat every cracker plant job would mean 13 more jobs in the regionto estimate employment figures. Hes also skeptical of how the authors calculated tax revenue by assuming that each one dollar in wage income associated with the plant is a new dollar in income. That means workers would have had to have been unemployed prior to the cracker plant coming along, he said. Finally, Weber said, the study doesnt take into account the more than $1 billion tax break the state is giving to Shell.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs latest budget estimates the credit will cost $17 million starting in 2019 and ramp up to $65 million by 2022. The tax break will sunset in 2042, and a commonly cited figure predicts that Shell could receive up to $1.65 billion in total tax breaks. An unknown number of taxpayers will benefit from the credit, according to Wolfs budget.

Its crony capitalism at its worst, said Larry Schweiger, President and CEO of Citizens for Pennsylvanias Future, an organization that advocates for clean energy. These big companies leverage one state against the other. Pennsylvania is in no shape to be giving money to the Royal Dutch Shell company. Its financially not sustainable. Theres various numbers floating around about how many jobs will be created, but the important number is 600. When you put the pen to the paper, its something like $2.5 million per employee.

While Shell said it will need 6,000 construction workers initially, once the plant is operational, it will support 600 full-time positions.

The Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center criticized Pennsylvania for setting a bad precedent by creating a special tax break to attract a company owned by the worlds second largest corporation. In its 2012 analysis titled Cracker Plant Tax Credit Expensive for Taxpayers While Promising Few Permanent Jobs, the center recommended that the Legislature stop the bidding war and said competition for the cracker plant among Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia has been great for Shell, but not so good for taxpayers.

At public hearings, environmentalists have repeatedly expressed concerns over health costs, and some residents say theyre worried that investing in natural gas industries might deter clean technology investments.

In a March 8 op-ed in the Beaver County Times, Bob Schmetzer and Terrie Baumgardner of the Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Committee and Action Team argued against building an economic sector around petrochemical applications: Its not too late to demand a future that eliminates toxic downsides. We must all work together to remind local leaders to raise the bar for our future.

And in an April 5 Post-Gazette op-ed, Baumgardner argued that air emissions from the Shell facility will further pollute an area that the American Lung Association already gives an F for high ozone days. When this planned petrochemical hub has fracked every inch of Southwestern Pennsylvania and our rising oceans are choked with an excess of plastic, we will be left asking ourselves How could we have not seen it all coming?

Two organizationsone Philadelphia-based and the other in Washington, D.C.filed an appeal in 2015 with Pennsylvanias Environmental Hearing Board over Shells air emissions plan, which has not yet been resolved.

The states Department of Environmental Protection issued stormwater and wastewater discharge permits to Shell in late June.

There are real economic costs related to public health that are often not part of the equation when companies propose to build plants like the Shell cracker plant, said Matt Walker, spokesperson for the Philadelphia-based Clean Air Council, a party in the legal action. Costs to the community as a result of negative health impacts could include missed days of school and work, the cost of treatment for respiratory conditions such as asthma, and emergency room visits.

The council objects to the states approval of Shells air emissions plan on the basis that Beaver County is already out of attainment for the Environmental Protection Agencys ozone pollution standards. The plan allows Shell to emit more than 500 tons of volatile organic compoundswhich react in sunlight to create ozoneper year.

I know a lot of people who say if that cracker plant comes, Im moving. Hows that sound for economic benefit? said Thaddeus Popovich, of Allegheny County Clean Air Now (ACCAN).

Not everyone agrees.

I live less than one mile from this plant [construction site], Egley, of the Beaver County Commissioners, said. I can see it from my house. If I thought there was some type of reason to move, I would have done it. Im comfortable where I am. Ive enjoyed working with people from Shell.

Shell already has improved an environmentally toxic brownfield site, according to Brinley of the DCED. People forget that [site] was a zinc smelter. They have completely improved the environmental condition of that property, and theyre putting a twenty-first century facility on it.

The state will continue working to attract more petrochemical development, she said.

Its not as easy as you think, because the Gulf is the powerhouse right now, Brinley said. They have all the infrastructure in place. Its where everybody believes the product should be going, so were looking at putting our foot down on that and saying No we think we can do some of this work right here in our own backyard.
If you havent heard of poke bowls, dont worry. You will. Just ask Angela Earley, a partner in Penn Avenue Fish Company in Pittsburghs Strip District.

Recently regular customers have come in saying how much they enjoyed poke bowls in L.A., she notes. Some even told us we should open a poke only restaurant.

But what are poke bowls? And why all the sudden excitement over pairing them with wine and craft beers?

It starts simply enough with poke bowls humble origins. Hawaiian fishmongers look to use all parts of the fresh catch in appetizing, inexpensive ways. So tender, raw parts cut from the heads and tails of fatty fish such as ahi tuna are mixed with rice and then covered with a sweet and spicy sauce. Crowning, crunchy tidbits include macadamia nuts, scallions, avocado slices, wasabi peas, radishes, pickled onions, pickled ginger and fresh herbs.

Eventually the tasty poke (pronounced poh-kay) bowls spread to the U.S. West and East coasts and went upscale. Choice cuts of fish including salmon and hamachiyellowtail amberjackserve as the protein and noodles often replace the rice. Because of the dishs diverse flavors and textures, sommeliers and cicerones love experimenting by pairing poke bowls with crisp, fruity white wines and craft beers. Now the poke trend is moving inexorably mainstream across the land.

At Penn Avenue Fish Company, Earley and fellow fish mongers Chef Henry Dewey and Tim Reynolds offer poke bowls made to order. They like to make an artistic presentation while maintaining pokes fun, uncomplicated spirit as a fish and rice dish meant for casual enjoyment.

The key is starting with a great sauce to tie it all together, Chef Dewey notes.

While the exact recipe remains in house, he likes to begin with a rich, Asian brown sauce kind of like a Peking Duck sauce. He adds a bit of Sambal Oelek Asian chili sauce to give a kick. Then the chef adds Ketjap ManisIndonesian sweet soy saucefor balance.

For protein, Dewey recommends using chunks of Scottish Faroe Island Salmon for the firm texture, delicious flavor and fatty oils. The fish handles the sauce effortlessly. Dewey also offers a poke bowl with firm tofu as protein for vegetarians.

Final toppings include macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, avocado slices and plenty of cilantro. A seasoned, sticky rice serves as the base.

For wine, Dewey recommends Domaine Zind-Humbrechts Gewurztraminer from Alsace. The wine has just the right amount of bold flavor and freshness to complement, rather than overwhelm the dish.

Man, Humbrecht is a genius, and Ive loved his wines forever, Dewey says enthusiastically. He captures all the fruits aromas and ripeness, but the wine has great, refreshing balance.

In the vineyards, Olivier Humbrecht, MW, follows a biodynamic approach that uses homeopathic treatments on the vines rather than synthetic chemicals. So his vineyards have rich soils teeming with flora and fauna that force vines to sink deep roots to mineral rocks below. The resulting wines have a fresh purity and balance that enthralls chefs and amateurs the world over. For a delightful introduction try the 2014 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht, Gewurztraminer, Turckheim, available nationally at around $23.

Back at Penn Avenue Fish Company, fellow fishmonger Tim Reynolds prefers craft beer with the poke bowl.

That touch of heat in the dish goes well with a session style India Pale Ale without a lot of alcohol, he says.

He recommends beers from craft brewer Helltown Brewery, located in the Western Pennsylvania town of Mount Pleasant. The Helltown Hot Frenzy I.P.A. has 5.5% A.B.V. with hop-forward aromas and a refreshingly fruity yet bitter taste. The recipe includes Columbus, Citra, and Nugget hops.

Good, crisp Pilsners and German style lagers also work well too with the poke bowl, Reynolds adds. He recommends Penn Brewerys Penn Gold, a Munich Helles style lager. The pale, gold color has ample malty, sweet flavors and just enough hops for lovely, delicious balance.

Chef Dewey also encourages customers to have fun while making Poke bowls at home.

There are plenty of recipes online, he notes. Just go with fresh fish and imagination, and you wont go wrong.
Not that long agosay, when my parents were starting out in married lifebuilding a sound investment portfolio was a piece of cake. You bought some Blue Chip stocks and some Triple A bonds and you were done.

And even having to worry about building a portfolio was a very rare experience. The vast majority of Americans lived from paycheck to paycheck, and when we did have a little money put by we didnt think of it as a portfolio, we thought of it as savings. It went into a savings account, not into stocks and bonds.

But what a difference a few decades makes! Today even the least of us has to worry about investing a defined contribution plan or IRA. Many people who consider themselves to be firmly middle class have to manage portfolios worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

The rapid boom that occurred after World War II made many Americans much better off than they had ever beenafter all, before the war there was the Great Depression. Then, as the Soviet Union collapsed and global Communism disappeared, the entire world stopped messing around with socialism and turned capitalist. Almost instantly, wealth was created at a rate unseen in the entire history of the human species.

And along with that vast increase in wealth came a vast increase in consumption, which was in turn fed by what we now call globalism. Corporations no longer hired local workers to labor away in local factories to make goods for nearby people. Globalization meant that corporations became multinational in scope, and their appetite for capital became voracious. To feed that appetite, the financial industry invented an astonishing variety of institutions and investment products, which all us newly wealthy people invested in, and new capital markets opened up everywhere.

Mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, mezzanine funds all sprouted almost overnight. Today there are nearly 10,000 mutual funds and almost as many hedge funds. There are more than 2,000 exchange-traded funds. Stocks and bonds seem like quaint relics of a distant past in a world where middle income people own (whether they know it or not) bank loans, asset-backed securities, credit default swaps, gold futures, synthetic CDOs of mezz MBS (thats collateralized debt obligations of collateralized debt obligations holding medium-credit mortgage-backed securities, but you knew that), and so on. The New York Stock Exchange seems passe as we invest in frontier markets, emerging markets, foreign bonds, non-US small cap companies, etc., etc.

The amount of money invested in just retirement plans of all sorts has now passed $25 trillion in the U.S. alone. Some individual institutions are themselves gigantic. CalPERS, which invests the retirement assets of California state employees, holds $300 billion and pays out benefits of almost $8 billion every year. The Japan national retirement fund invests $1.2 trillion, and the U.S. Social Security trust holds almost $3 trillion. Sovereign wealth funds are also huge investorsthe Norwegian Government Pension Fund invests $1 trillion alone, and the China wealth fund is nearly as big.

Except for the tiny group of people who owned actual portfolios, our parents and grandparents didnt need financial advisors to tell them what to do and probably never heard the term. But today you would have to be a blithering idiot to try to invest any serious amount of capital without finding a financial expert to tell you how to do it.

In fact, if you are a trustee of a nonprofit institution, a college or university, a pension plan or a private trust, you are a fiduciary with respect to that money and if you invest it badly you can expect to be surchargedsurcharged for millions of dollars, perhaps. All those institutions hire financial experts, and if they do, then why shouldnt everyone else? The world of investing is so mindbogglingly complex that no one short of an expert in the field can have any hope of not screwing it all up.

Many decades ago I suddenly found myself heading the investment, operational and philanthropic office for a storied American family. At that point in my young life Id never traded a stock or bond. Id recently gone through a divorce and I had the net worth of a cat. But did that stop me from blithely presiding over the management of several billion dollars of private and institutional money? Not at all!

I quickly learned a bit of jargoncovariance, backwardization, macroprudentialand forged ahead. Not only did I not stop to consider that I might not know what I was doing, I developed several very firm views about how capital shouldand shouldntbe invested, most of which turned out to be wrong. I eventually got the hang of it, but like so many other financial experts, I learned the business on Other Peoples Money.

Next week well go back in history and see if we can isolate the exact moment when human society went off the rails on the subject of experts.

Next up: DP&TE, Part V
Its 11 a.m. in Judge Jeffery Mannings courtroom. The attorneys are ready. The Allegheny County Common Pleas Court president judge is on the bench. The video screen comes alive to reveal the business of the morning, a series of people in orange, jail-issue jumpsuits: One young man with a retail theft charge and a drug problem; another who had been arrested for driving drunk and released without having posted a money bond only to skip his hearing; a Westmoreland County man accused of stealing identities to buy gift cards; and a dozen others in trouble with the law.

Theyve been in the Allegheny County Jail for fewer than 72 hours. Most have been arrested for nonviolent offenses, and a lot of the charges involve drugshaving them, using them, selling them.

Many of the men and women are held on monetary bail bonds set by one of 42 county district justices. In most cases, the money bonds conflict with the recommendations of investigators for the courts Pretrial Services agency. Based on interviews and other information, they calculate the risk of an offender failing to appear for trial or committing another crime while waiting for trial. On this morning, theyve recommended that the nonviolent offenders on the docket be released under court supervision without having to pay a money bond to secure their freedom.

Manning agrees, in most cases. The identity thiefs money bond is set aside in favor of having him regularly report to Pretrial Services, stay out of trouble and show up for trial. The money bond against the young man with a DUI is also set aside under the same conditions, despite the fact he had skipped a previous court hearing. The young man with a drug problem accused of stealing also has his money bond set aside. He is ordered to regularly report in person to Pretrial Services and undergo outpatient treatment for his addiction before trial.

The use of money bonds to hold people who are arrested is falling out of favor in an increasing number of courts across the U.S., and Allegheny County is among them. The reasons include concerns about mass incarceration, as well as jail costs, civil lawsuits and studies that find jail time increases the chances of being arrested again.

Such concerns have led to efforts to reform the way courts manage defendants before their trial. And the result has been the rise of a more evidence-based approach for deciding who should and shouldnt be locked up that takes money out of the equation.

Recommending monetary bail was one of the things we did because thats just how you did things, said Janice Dean, director of Allegheny County Pretrial Services, which manages how people arrested are handled before their cases are resolved. But you have people who arent dangerous staying in jail because they dont have the money. And if I have $500,000 to post, no matter how dangerous I am, Im getting out. Money doesnt make us any safer.

Incarceration nation

The United States incarcerates 693 people for every 100,000 residents, higher than any other country. Prisons and jails are overpopulated. And studies show that mass incarceration and its consequences disproportionately affect the poor and minorities, particularly African Americans.

Its an issue that cant be ignored when addressing poverty in America, said Jeanne Pearlman, senior vice president of program and policy at The Pittsburgh Foundation, which through its 100 Percent Pittsburgh initiative explores ways to improve opportunities for disadvantaged residents to benefit from the regions economic revival.

The 100 Percent Pittsburgh framework asks, how is the system perpetuating the conditions that keep people in poverty. Mass incarceration is one of those things. It is a cause of poverty and it is an effect of poverty at the same time, she said. We are an enlightened society. What we want is a system that gives people the opportunity to turn their lives around.

How courts deal with people from the time of their arrest to trial is part of the problem, including monetary bail. Jailing low-risk offenders even a few days can result in consequential setbacks.

You can lose your job, housing, your government assistance even if the charges are dismissed later, said Elliot Howsie, chief public defender in Allegheny County. The person gets out of jail and his housing is in a state of crisis, his job is probably gone, his family is in turmoil.

National studies report that when compared with similar offenders released before trial, low-risk offenders held longer than three days are 50 percent more likely to be re-arrested within two years, 30 percent more likely to be convicted or plead guilty, three times more likely to receive a prison sentence and twice as likely to receive a longer prison sentence.

Changes at the front door

Unlike state and federal prisons, most of the inmates in county jails have not been convicted of the crime that landed them there. In Pennsylvania, only convicted offenders with a sentence of less than 24 months can serve their time in a county jail. In Allegheny County, they make up about 20 percent of the jail population.

Efforts to reform pretrial practices focus on thinning the population of inmates awaiting trial behind bars. Limiting or eliminating the use of monetary bond is one of the most widely used strategies. This year, for example, New Jersey joined a growing list of states that have placed tight restrictions on the use of monetary bail in order to discourage the practice in every county.

Pretrial reforms rely on the courts to provide bond recommendations based on an investigation of an offenders criminal record, appearance history, personal circumstances and other background. The information is used to assess the level of riskfrom low to high of a person failing to appear for a hearing or committing a crime while awaiting trial.

Alternatives to monetary bond are also expanded, such as court supervision options ranging from requiring a person to regularly report to a pretrial agency to electronic monitoring. Outcomes have largely been favorable. In fact, Kentucky, one of the first states to embrace such reforms, reports that the practices result in lower rearrest rates and higher court appearance rates.

Solving this problem is really the lowest hanging fruit on the criminal justice tree, said Cherise Fanno Burdeen, chief executive officer of the Pretrial Justice Institute, a nonprofit that provides technical assistance for improving pretrial practices. The solution is to move from an offense-based, money-based decision-making system to one that is risk-based. We know what to do. We know that it works. We know that we see immediate results.

Far more promising direction

Pennsylvania has yet to join the handful of states that have passed sweeping pretrial reforms. But Allegheny County began down that path in earnest in 2007 following an evaluation by a national research firm that was critical of its pretrial court practices.

Allegheny County Pretrial Services was created as an arm of the courts to manage defendants prior to trial. The courts also adopted a risk assessment tool to provide magistrates with background information on people charged with a crime and recommend the appropriate bond to set.

The risk assessments require investigators to interview people charged with a crime face-to-face. The countys 12 Pretrial Services investigators look into some 22,000 cases a year, but until late last year it only had the manpower or the means to make bond recommendations for people who come before nine magistrates in the City of Pittsburgh or who are brought into the county jail.

The bond recommendations, however, are not binding, allowing district magistrates to use their discretion, which can be influenced by circumstances in the communities that elected them. A recent report by the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics found that magistrates follow the bond recommendations of Pretrial Services investigators 63 percent of the time.

Judge Mannings motions court held every weekday at 11 a.m. is a backstop where the judge considers modifying bonds, typically those that require offenders to have the financial means to secure their release. They are scheduled within 72 hours after arrest. Monetary bonds for nonviolent offenders and bonds that conflict with pretrial recommendations are often modified.

Pretrial inmates who were not on probation when they were arrested make up 34 percent of the Allegheny County Jail population on any given day, according to an analysis of 2015 Pretrial Services data. Of those, 83 percent are deemed to be high risk and not recommended for release. People considered low risk and recommended for release on their own recognizance account for less than 1 percent of the jail population.

Another 38 percent of inmates were on probation when they were arrested. Thats a probation violation and they are detained until a hearing to decide their fate is scheduled before the judge who sentenced them, which can take a week or longer. The rest of the jail population includes convicted felons serving sentences and offenders being temporarily held for other jurisdictions.

District Justice Richard King finds that with the pretrial risk assessment he has more insight into offenders today than at any time in his 24 years on the bench. Before, we didnt even have the rap sheet, so we wouldnt know about prior convictions.

But the bond recommendations he receives from Pretrial Services are not always what he decides to set, particularly when they suggest non-monetary bond for drug offenses and especially when those charges involve opiates, such as heroin. His district includes the Borough of Mt. Oliver and the City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Carrick and Allentown, where opiate-related overdose deaths are among the highest in the county, according to a Department of Human Services study.

People die daily from heroin overdoses, he said. Is the heroin seller not a danger to the community? There are more heroin deaths than homicides. Why should they not be a danger to the community?

Manning understands. You can always help the guy who is a first-time offender. Thats never a problem. He might get a summons from the police and not see the jail. If he does, hes going to be out very quickly. But if you look at who we get, for a lot of them this isnt their first rodeo. Now you have a guy who has done four probations, has a drug problem and hes committing more crimes. Thats our problem.

It cost taxpayers $86.77 to house a single inmate for one day in the Allegheny County Jail, according to jail estimates. Since 1995, the average daily jail population has been below the 1,850 inmates it was designed to house only twice.

But the jail population is in decline, having fallen from a high of 3,370 inmates in 2006 to 2,277 in 2016. Changes in how pretrial defendants are managed has helped, as have other reforms, including a community collaborative that has led to new jail programs for reducing recidivism.

And more steps are being taken. In September, Allegheny became one of 11 U.S. counties to adopt a new risk assessment tool developed by the Arnold Foundation that doesnt require interviewing offenders. It is being introduced to district justices outside of the city, where evidence-based bond recommendations are limited. And for the first time, the public defender has begun providing counsel to low-income offenders at city court arraignments when bonds are set.

Ive been around since 1998 and I can say the direction we are moving in is far more promising than where weve been. But there is still work to be done, Howsie said. The truth of the matter is a day in jail is too long if you dont need to be there. The consequences of being removed from your job, your home, your car, your family when you shouldnt be has a profound impact on that person, the jail populationeveryone pays.
As their due date neared last fall, Ryan Poling and his wife faced a difficult decision. Did they want to raise their daughter in Pittsburgh, the city in which theyve built a life during the last nine years, or pick up and move across the country, near Polings family in California?

Its really hard to think about leaving, said Poling, of Point Breeze. Though family was the main factor in their decision, it wasnt the only one. The secondary push is the air quality. Its just horrific. We dont want our daughter to grow up breathing this stuff.

Pittsburghs smoky city days are past, but the regions air remains among the most polluted of the countrys metropolitan areas, according to The American Lung Associations rankings. Last year, the association put it at No. 8 in its list of cities with the most annual particle pollution.

But unlike the cities higher on the list, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, Pittsburgh has struggled to attract residents and workers, particularly young adults. In each of the past three years, people leaving southwestern Pennsylvania have outnumbered those moving in, U.S. Census data show. Such trends raise concerns about the viability of the regions future workforce.

And those whove tried to convince people to move here are divided as to what extent air quality affects the regions ability to attract new workers. But it has kept some away, said Andrew Moore, former director of Googles Pittsburgh office.

The air quality issue is the No. 1 issue that loses me strong engineers, strong scientists, said Moore, who is now dean of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. I think its been improving, but not very rapidly.

He hasnt had the same problem with candidates for faculty positions at CMU, he said. But when a faculty candidate mentions this, I have to be transparent, Moore said. He said he tells them, Yes, it is appalling, but if you look at the evidence over the last couple of years, Pittsburgh is trying to do something about it.

Not enough, though, said Mark Dixon, an independent filmmaker who moved to Pittsburgh in 2006. Dixon has mounted a $200 air sensor on his Squirrel Hill porch. He matches the data with crowd-sourced reports of strange smells logged by the Smell PGH mobile phone application to figure out when its safest to go jogging.

If a friend asked for advice about moving here, Dixon said hed lay out his complicated relationship with his adopted hometown.

Id tell them I love Pittsburgh. I love the community here. I love that I can barely step into any social scene and not see somebody I know and like. I like the access to public officials. I love the size of the city. I like where its heart is. But Id say you need to look at the statistics on air quality in Pittsburgh and decide whether thats problematic for you. If you have a small child, Id say you really have to think hard about it because the statistics for children with asthma are bleak.

Dixon is working on a documentary about the regions air quality with the working title, Inversion: The Unfinished Business of Pittsburghs Air.

Its a climate issue, Dixon said. Its a social justice issue. Its an environmental justice issue. Its a health issue. Its a political issue.

His struggle with air quality connected him to a group of people, many of them transplants in the tech industrya geek posse, he called themwith whom he has discussed building an algorithm that uses publicly available pollution and weather monitoring data to predict when the air quality is about to drop.

One of them is Paul Boone, lead developer at the Wilmer Lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Boone moved from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh in February 2016 to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering. Though Los Angeles typically ranks even worse than Pittsburgh in air quality studies, Boone said he avoided the problem by living in Venice Beach, because the air quality felt better.

Like Dixon and Poling, it took Boone a while to realize there was an air quality problem. Boone, who moved to the city in February 2016, first noticed a smell when the weather warmed and he left his windows open.

I thought my basement neighbors were doing something weird, Boone said. I thought they were emptying the trash or doing something with mushrooms I didnt understand. But the smellwhich he described as a peppery, industrial, diesel smell persisted when he walked through Squirrel Hill to catch the bus. Its interesting to see how a lot of the locals cant smell it.

Boone bought a house, but hes unsure whether hell stay in Pittsburgh after earning his degree in four years. The air quality will be a factor. Why would you live somewhere where you can tell the air is killing you? he asked. That is the main reason why I wouldnt stay.

There are so many things that are happening in Pittsburgh. Because its so cheap, because its recovering from the drop in population, you can start a business for next to nothing. It gives you so much more flexibility. But the backdrop is, one of the reasons its still so cheap is the pollution. That discourages people of my age and with my educational background from coming, said Boone, who is in his mid-30s.

Attracting tech workers involves special challenges, said Audrey Russo, president of the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

If you have a computer science background, an engineering background, youre in higher demand. If you dont have any connections here that root youfamily, friends, having gone to college hereI think theres a list of things you have to consider. Though companies have expressed concern to her about air quality, she said their workers are also interested in traffic (a plus for Pittsburgh, compared to West Coast metropolises) and direct flights (a minus).

Theres an additional challenge in that tech jobs dont always need to be in the same place their company is headquartered. Howard Hanna Real Estate Services had to deal with that wrinkle three years ago, when the firm bought the Denver-based call center company One Cavo, CEO Helen Hanna Casey said.

I think Denver was a special case, she said, because Denver markets itself as a destination for people with an outdoorsy lifestyle, far more than most cities. Trying to talk to them about moving here, thats the only time Ive ever heard [southwestern Pennsylvanias air quality] being mentioned. The head of the call center relocated, but the rest remained behind, since the nature of their work allowed them to perform it anywhere.

People looking to relocate worry more about the quality of schools, property tax rates and access to health care, said John Yocca, owner of the recruitment firm A.C. Coy. I dont think Ive ever seen that [concern about air quality] in all the years Ive been doing this, said Yocca, whose firm focuses on recruiting people for technology companies.

Though location might be flexible with tech jobs, the regions fossil fuel industries require their workers to be here. The state Department of Labor and Industry estimated that, in the second quarter of 2016, 52,531 people in the state were employed in the natural gas industry and companies that do business with the industry. Shell estimates its multi billion-dollar cracker plant in Beaver County will create as many as 6,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs.

Poling, Dixon and Boone see the plant as a regional test, a choice between the industrial economy of its past and the technology-based work of the future. But the two arent mutually exclusive, argued David Spigelmyer, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a trade association for the natural gas industry.

Folks try to set up this false choice that you cant have energy production and environmental stewardship at the same time, Spigelmyer said. Were in the business of selling natural gas, not in the business of emitting it. We have every incentive to make sure we capture every molecule thats produced.

As for Shells new facility, every bit of that plant is being built to the highest environmental standards, Spigelmyer said. You dont have to make a choice between environmental compliance and jobs. We can do both.

The regions future hinges on it, Moore said.

The numbers are the thing that counts, Moore said. As long as the particulate matter curves continue to decline in the same way they have been, were fine. On the other hand, if an industry comes in that flattens them or makes them worse, thats a problem.
Don Boyajian, who announced his candidacy on Tuesday for the Democratic nomination in the 21st Congressional District in 2018, has hired Isaac Bacon, most recently of Binghamton, as campaign finance director.

Bacon previously worked on four congressional campaigns.

"Isaac's really sharp, and he's got a lot of enthusiasm, which I love," Boyajian said in an interview on Tuesday.

Boyajian, a lawyer from Cambridge, is one of five announced candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the 21st Congressional District.

The other candidates are:

Tedra Cobb of Canton, a business consultant and former St. Lawrence County legislator;

Emily Martz of Saranac Lake, an economic development adviser;

Patrick Nelson of Stillwater, a political activist and Bernie Sanders delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention;

Katie Wilson of Keene, a political activist and business owner.

Russell Finley, a beef cattle farmer and real estate broker from St. Lawrence County, is challenging U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, in a Republican primary.
BALLSTON SPA  A town of Day man was sentenced Monday to up to 4 years in state prison for felonies related to domestic violence in Warren and Saratoga counties.

Brett M. Allen, 27, of Hollow Road, pleaded guilty to felony counts for incidents in Lake Luzerne, Malta and Day with a person who had an order of protection against him.

He pleaded guilty to felony criminal contempt and aggravated family offense in Warren County, and was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison by Warren County Judge John Hall.

Allen pleaded guilty to aggravated family offense in Saratoga County Court, and was sentenced to 1-1/3 to 4 years by Judge James Murphy.

The sentences are to be served concurrently.
John Szvitek, 50, was charged with third-degree criminal mischief as well as misdemeanor criminal tampering after an investigation by State Police from the Hadley station. The felony charge alleges he caused more than $250 damage to someone else's property.
SALEM  The state grant that was to be spent on demolishing the Archibald Street Bridge might be sent to Granville instead.

Granville could use it to repair a chronic flooding problem on Cove Road. Its a small road with only a few houses, but the bridge there flooded during Irene and again in the storm on July 1. Granville officials have studied the problem and have designed a relief valve to fix it, which they are ready to build.

State officials said they would probably approve switching the $180,000 grant to the Granville bridge if the work could be done by the end of the year.

But at the last moment, Salem Town Board members came to the Washington County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to plead for another chance.

They still want to use the grant to reduce flooding.

While there are measures that could be taken other than demolishing the bridge, Salem officials have already spent a year trying to get property owners to support the alternatives. Each would require owner approval since the activities would take place on private land, where workers could carve riverbanks to make a wider channel. But no one would agree to give up some of their land, Salem Supervisor Seth Pitts said.

Supervisors agreed to give Salem one more week. If Town Board members can get property owners on board by Aug. 10, the supervisors will consider the idea at the Aug. 10 Finance Committee meeting.

If the Town Board fails, Granville is likely to get the money.

Theres also a chance to share, Granville Supervisor Matt Hicks said. He noted that his bridge project would use less than half of the $180,000 grant.

If Salem can come up with $100,000 worth of stuff, maybe we can do both, he said.

He noted that the flood mitigation grant was originally for efforts in the White Creek watershed. That includes Granville.

But the focus of the grant was on removing the bridge. After years of debate, Washington County supervisors agreed not to knock it down. Many residents and business owners wanted to keep it, and a study found that removing it would reduce flooding only by about 18 inches.

Last month, Pitts told the county the project was dead.

And while supervisors were willing to consider Salem projects, they said they want a viable idea.

Shouldnt we be looking for something we can really get done? said Cambridge Supervisor Cassie Fedler.

They also worried that any Salem project wouldnt be close to completion by Dec. 31. That means theyd need another extension from the state, which already gave them an extension this year. A second extension is less likely, county officials warned.

It all might come down to how much Salem can prepare by Aug. 10.

Were ready to go, Hicks said. If Salems ready to go, I fully understand the Salem issues come first.
Local Green Party activist Matt Funiciello, who ran for Congress in 2014 and 2016, announced Tuesday he will not run again in 2018.

I really think that the amount of time that it takes and the amount of money that it takes to be able to do this full time  I know that I am not in it this cycle, Funiciello, a bread company owner who lives in Hudson Falls, said in a telephone interview Tuesday after he announced his decision in a post on his political Facebook page.

Funiciello said the Green Party will definitely have a candidate running in the 21st Congressional District in 2018, and most likely a party primary.

I am pretty confident that we will probably have a primary, he said. There are two people that are seriously interested.

Funiciello would not identify the potential candidates or say what counties they are from because the candidates have asked him not to disclose their identity until after the November local elections.

I will say that they are both women, he said.

Funiciello received 11 percent of the vote in 2014 and 4.4 percent in 2016, placing third twice in races that U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, won.

It was necessary to organize, Funiciello said, referring to his two campaigns.

The party in Saratoga and Washington and Warren counties are all organized and theres a firmer organization between Albany and here, he said. And a lot of that was inspired by running a very visible race twice.

Funiciello said in November 2016 he intended to run again, but he has wavered since, saying he needed time for his business.

Funiciello said the timing of his announcement was because it seemed that curiosity in political circles about whether he will run for Congress again seemed to be overshadowing Green Party races in the city of Glens Falls this fall, where the party has candidates running for mayor, councilman at-large and 4th Ward councilman.

I think too much attention is being paid to these federal races. Thats not necessarily good for the building of the party, he said.

In an open letter posted to the Matt Funiciello-Green Politics Page on Facebook, he thanked supporters of the past two congressional races.

Funiciello also touched on the current political climate in the open letter.
A series of insulting emails to Warren County tourism leaders about the direction of the countys tourism promotion efforts prompted some ugly exchanges Monday after a town supervisor pointed out growing revenue trends.

Lake Luzerne Supervisor Gene Merlino, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors Tourism Committee, released a breakdown of tax receipts that showed a 28 percent increase in bed tax receipts and 19 percent growth in sales tax over the past 7 years, while the county Tourism Department budget  paid for completely through occupancy tax  has grown by about 7 percent over the same period.

Growing tax receipts that are based on lodging and sales show that revenue to businesses has clearly grown, Merlino said. Occupancy tax collections come from a 4 percent tax charged on hotel, motel and bed-and-breakfast rooms.

Merlino prepared the breakdown amid a debate among county supervisors and local private sector tourism leaders over how well tourism has been in the county, after a lodging report to which the Tourism Department subscribes showed local lodging trailing behind other markets in the Northeast, such as Atlantic City, the Poconos of Pennsylvania and the Lake Placid area.

He said the survey, known as Smith Travel Report, doesnt compare apples to apples, only surveys about 30 percent of the properties in Warren County and doesnt include campgrounds, RV parks, private home rentals and other places people stay.

I get tired of seeing these emails, The sky is falling,  he said at Mondays Tourism Committee meeting. I just cant take The sky is falling anymore.

Merlino termed some of the email criticism he had seen insulting and garbage. He would not say who they were from, but said they came from business owners and some in the public sector.

Peter Girard, creative director for the Tourism Department, also took exception to the criticism during Mondays meeting, defending his agencys promotion work.

The Tourism Department is solid, okay? Girard said.

His comments at the meeting prompted some testy responses from some of the tourism industry leaders who attended the meeting, including a claim by one that Merlinos accusations were pretty low.

County tourism leaders have involved more members of the Warren County Lodging Association, a group of hoteliers and lodgers, in the promotion process in recent years, forming an advisory committee of public and private leaders to give input.

Many of the major players in the association were present for Mondays discussion, and all who spoke reiterated their contention that occupancy tax receipts have gone up because room rates have gone up, not because occupancy has gone up.

Salim Amersi, owner of The Surfside Resort in the village of Lake George, said his occupancy rates have not risen above 66 percent at his business despite a $10 million investment to overhaul 50 rooms.

My occupancy for 3 years has been stagnant, he said.

We have found that occupancy is not elevating at the same rate the occupancy tax is, said Tom Guay, general manager of The Sagamore resort.

Kevin Markham, general manager of the Ramada Inn in Queensbury, said the challenge is building year-round occupancy. He said many raised rates because lodgers in the Saratoga Springs area did, and occupancy has not risen in recent years.

The summer takes care of itself, Markham said.

Frank Dittrich, a part-owner of a number of hotels and inns around Lake George, said the lodging association was not looking for conflict, but simply wanted to grow the local economy.

Were not here to be adversarial, he said.
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T20 World Cup: Babar Azam wants Pakistan to continue with winning momentum in title clash

T20 World Cup: Morgan backs Willey to play ahead of Jordan in the final if Wood is unavailable

India's tour of New Zealand would be a great learning experience for Umran Malik, Kuldeep Sen: Zaheer Khan
New Black Hawk College students are encouraged to register now for welcome week orientation.

Orientation gives students the chance to meet their classmates, learn about academic success strategies, services available to students, college terminology and vocabulary and explore locations and resources on campus.

Students can choose from two dates for Quad-Cities campus orientation:

 2-5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10

 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12

East Campus orientation will be 10 a.m. until noon Friday, Aug. 18.

To register, visit www.bhc.edu/orientation.
A Bettendorf man has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids and human-growth hormones with two others.

Jeffrey B. Lackas, 31, must serve three years of supervised release once he completes his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger ordered at a sentencing hearing on July 28. There is no parole in the federal system.

Lackas pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

Prosecutors say Lackas and co-defendants Stanley Szeto, 39, of Iowa City, and Daniel Cruz-Bonilla, 30, of Fontana, California, were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed anabolic steroids and human-growth hormones across the country.

Between July of 2011, and March of 2015, the organization operated under the internet name of Brinkkmann Pharma, and the three distributed anabolic steroids and human-growth hormones obtained from a source in China, according to prosecutors.

Szeto was sentenced July 28 to more than two years in prison, while Cruz-Bonilla was sentenced to more than three years in prison.
A Chicago man serving time in prison in Illinois for using counterfeit credit cards now faces similar charges in Scott County.

Thomas B. Hall, 36, was booked just before 4 p.m. Monday in the Scott County Jail on one count of ongoing criminal conduct-influence enterprise, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

He has a preliminary hearing Aug. 10.

On Feb. 1, 2016, Davenport police responded to Hy-Vee, 2351 W. Locust St., for a person who tried to use a stolen credit card.

Police claim in an arrest affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint that Thomas and at least one other person tried to make a purchase of less than $1,000 with a credit card that had altered information of another person.

During the execution of a search warrant on a vehicle police believed was involved in the incident, several credit cards were located with various names, one of which was Hall's, according to the affidavit.

He pleaded guilty in January in Rock Island County to charges of unlawful misuse of a credit card in five separate cases and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Halls projected parole date is Dec. 8, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections website.
Quad-City residents will have an easier time connecting with mass transit in Davenport after CitiBus unveiled its latest upgrade Monday.

The latest feature to be added is TransLoc, an automated vehicle location system, which allows for real-time tracking of buses and notification of route changes.

"It allows them to not only track buses in real-time, but allows them if they are at a hub or transfer location to see what routes connect their location and see what time each bus is expected," administrative and grants manager Becky Passman said. "Riders really can take control of planning."

The introduction of the vehicle location system is the latest addition to CitiBus, which has seen several upgrades over the past year including new fare boxes, smart cards and route changes.

The upgrades to the user experience won't stop either. Passman said a route planner application also is in the works after the city submitted all the necessary information to Google Transit.

CitiBus also is expecting five new buses and the installation of 15 to 20 new shelters along the routes.

As for the transportation network, the introduction of the TransLoc system was a necessary step in determining whether CitiBus will consolidate with MetroLINK, the Illinois Quad-Cities provider for mass transit.

Earlier this year, the Davenport City Council approved a $129,233 transit and coordination analysis by HNTB Corp. that will study how both systems can collaborate while also looking at possible solutions for hurdles and regulatory issues.

The study was paid for primarily through a federal grant, which covered 80 percent of the costs.

Finance Director Brandon Wright said the next step will be to consolidate the two entities' bus dispatching services.

"We are currently working to finalize a draft agreement with them," Wright said. "It should be coming forward for approval from the MetroLINK board and the City Council soon."

Following the consolidation of dispatching services, Wright said the city will investigate consolidating management, route supervision and back-office support.

The last piece would be to consolidate bus maintenance, which Wright said likely would not occur until the 2019 fiscal year.
Rich Clewell has thrown his hat into the ring to represent Davenport's 6th Ward, after announcing his candidacy Friday.

The lifelong public servant currently is a Davenport Community School District board member, but he will retire from the board in September.

"The residents of the 6th Ward deserve a thoughtful, strategic and articulate voice at the table," Clewell said. "I would be honored to be elected to be that voice."

Clewell has served the school board since 2011 and was nominated by former Gov. Terry Branstad in 2013 to serve on the Iowa Early Childhood Board, where he is currently serving as vice president.

Until former Alderman Jeff Justin announced his resignation, Clewell said he had not thought about running for City Council.

Since that time, he said he has been studying the council's governance style, fiscal accountability and goals, which align with his own.

"In terms of governance, the city has taken great efforts to include the public in all areas of government," Clewell said. "Regarding fiscal accountability, the city is using its resources efficiently despite the property tax rollback the Iowa Legislature passed in 2013. There will be continuing pressure on Iowa's cities to meet the needs of citizens with reduced financial resources."

Clewell said he looked forward to working with the council on "increasing job growth, enhancing enforcement of housing and rental codes, collaborating with other public and private agencies, and seeking out effective models of regional cultural arts integration."

"I am running because Davenport is my home, and I want ensure that the quality of life I have enjoyed can be equally enjoyed by future generations," Clewell said.
On Monday morning, Andy Richmond, the superintendent of the Carbon Cliff-Barstow school district, sounded exasperated over Illinois' school funding impasse.

"Right now, I'd like him to sign anything," Richmond said. "I don't care how much money Chicago gets."

He didn't get his wish. Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Tuesday that he had issued an amendatory veto for SB1, the school funding and reform bill.

The lack of state aid won't stop schools in the Illinois Quad-Cities from opening. In fact, students will return to class in some districts this week. But in administrative offices and at board meetings, school leaders are facing tough choices.

Already, many school districts are conserving cash and holding off purchases. The East Moline district has delayed buying computer servers.

"We're trying to hold on to cash right now," said Kristin Humphries, the superintendent.

Still, the district school board voted Monday night to borrow $1.5 million from its savings account to cover payroll through Sept. 15.

Ordinarily, general state aid payments would go out next week.

Humphries said that if the stalemate persists, the district will consider drawing down another $1.5 million in August. But that would be the last time it could tap that source. The district is talking about the possibility of a bank loan, if needed.

A vocal advocate of SB1, Humphries said Tuesday he was disappointed in the veto.

"I think the governor really swung and missed on this," he said.

In Illinois, property taxes pay for the bulk of K-12 funding. But in some districts, state aid is more vital than in others. In East Moline, general state aid accounts for $9 million of its $32 million budget. And that doesn't count state categorical funding, which pays for things such as special education and transportation costs.

In Carbon Cliff, more than half its budget comes from state coffers. The Carbon Cliff district has room to raise property taxes. But with the Legislature recently approving an income tax increase, raising property taxes would be difficult, Richmond said.

But even in districts that rely less on state aid, bumpy funding from the state has had an impact. Categorical payments were sporadic last year. Some superintendents have said this week they also have reason to doubt whether federal funding, which flows through the state, will come through on time.

Some districts have built up reserves that they'll rely on. Jay Morrow, the superintendent at United Township, said the district can get through the end of the year. Its education and working cash funds had $6 million between them as of the end of June.

"It's a rainy day fund," Morrow said, but he added, "It looks like it's getting ready to pour." The district gets about 27 percent of its funding from the state.

Even with all the uncertainty, districts are readying their classrooms for students. In the Rock Island-Milan District, some schools were having unpack your backpack Tuesday night.

A district spokeswoman said it has enough money to operate in the near term, but if nothing changes, the district may have to turn to borrowing. Earlier, the district had said it could get into the second semester without considering that step. Holly Sparkman, the spokeswoman, said Tuesday that lagging state categorical payments have moved up the time frame.
It will meet Mondays starting Aug. 14 for eight weeks at the Cambridge Youth Center, 407 N. West St., Cambridge, Illinois, with two session times to choose from: 5:30-6:30 p.m. or 6:30-7:30 pm.

Participants will explore the sport of target archery, learning about bows, arrows and safety, and have an opportunity to shoot 3-D targets. Bows and arrows will be supplied. There is a $20 program fee for those who are not in 4-H. There will be a $2 range fee each week for facility use.
Less than two years into running a medical marijuana operation in Illinois, Quad-City businessman Matt Stern now has his sights set on Iowas budding cannabis program.

Although the state is not yet accepting applications for dispensary licenses, Stern, who owns Natures Treatment of Illinois, a cannabis retail shop in Milan, wants to open up a second location in Iowa.

Were definitely going to apply for one of the dispensaries, he said Tuesday. Id like to get the Iowa side of the Quad-Cities and be ready for the future.

The Iowa Department of Public Health will open the bidding process in January, with the goal of awarding licenses to as many as five dispensaries in different parts of the state by April. The state also will choose up to two manufacturers before that deadline. The application fees are $7,500 for manufacturers and $5,000 for dispensaries.

Those selected must begin supplying product no later than Dec. 1, 2018.

Iowas newly expanded law, which took effect May 12, allows license holders to produce and sell cannabidiol, or CBD, that has a tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, content of up to 3 percent.

THC is the plants main psychoactive component that creates a high.

Stern, whose business carries CBD oil-based products, including mints and gummies, with varying levels of THC, said Iowa will need to loosen its THC cap for the program to succeed.

CBD with 3 percent THC is virtually just CBD, said Stern, whose dispensary, one of 53 in Illinois, serves about 425 patients. I dont think it will be very profitable at all with that limited product, but I think the state will change their offerings as they get more mature and understand things a bit more.

Before Iowas Medical Cannabidiol Act, only patients with epilepsy were granted access to the drug. The new regulation will expand access to nine more conditions:

 Cancer

 Multiple sclerosis (MS)

 Seizures

 AIDS or HIV

 Crohns disease

 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

 Terminal illnesses with a life expectancy of less than one year

 Parkinsons disease

 Untreatable pain

As of Tuesday, 114 patients and caregivers in Iowa had received their cannabidiol cards, according to the Department of Transportation, the agency that issues the permits.

Meanwhile, there are 21 individuals with active cards in Scott County, more than any other county besides Polk, which also has 21, the DOT reports.

Moving forward, Stern said he is confident about his chances of winning one of Iowa's dispensary licenses.

"We're just more qualified than somebody who has no expertise in the area," he said, noting he is willing to partner with someone in Iowa if that's what it takes. "I think it would be wise to weigh our application a lot heavier."

To maintain a consistent brand, Stern would call his new business, Nature's Treatment of Iowa.
Hungry boaters who frequent the Cordova Sand Pits should plan to pack their meals for the remainder of the summer.

MiMis Burger Boat, a popular water-based food vendor that serves customers there on weekends, met its demise late Sunday when it struck a wing dam in pool 13 of the Mississippi River near Clinton.

Sonya Carey-Otte, co-owner of the business, said they were traveling about 5 mph when they collided with the underwater barrier, which ripped a huge hole into the front of their ship.

Water just came in immediately, said Carey-Otte, whose husband, Dean Otte, captained the vessel. There was hardly any time to find life jackets and save anything; we were going down, and we were going down fast.

They were on their way back to the Fulton Marina  where they dock their boat between outings  when the incident occurred.

Clinton police and fire personnel received their call for help about 9:30 p.m., and responded to the scene between the northern edge of Beaver Island and shoreline property owned by Archer Daniels Midland Co., or ADM.

Following a three-hour wait, Carey-Otte said authorities rescued her and her husband, a child helper of theirs and their two dogs from the sinking boat.

Everybodys safe, she added. Its just devastating.

Passing boaters had to maneuver around the boat Monday as it balanced on the wing dam, partially submerged in the river.

A St. Louis-based spokesman for the U.S. Coast Guard said that the owners of the boat are responsible for removing it from the water. The official also confirmed that the boat was not discharging any oil.

In response, the couple phoned a friend, Chad Pregracke, the founder of Living Lands & Waters, who answered the call.

Since he and his crew are in Kentucky for a river cleanup, Pregracke said his older brother, Brent, will try and raise the heavy steel boat out of the water this week.

Its going to take a while  probably a couple days, the younger Pregracke said, offering his condolences. It just sucks that it happened; hopefully we can get it up and get it back in business.

A disheartened Carey-Otte did not sound as optimistic.

"The boat's ruined," she said. "Even if we get the boat out of the water, it's done."

Meanwhile, the couple only carries liability insurance on the boat, so that coverage will not help pay for any of the damage.

The Bettendorf residents launched their business about three years ago after purchasing the 54-year-old ship from Walter "Wally" and Dana Geffert of Geneseo, who sold burgers for years in the LeClaire Canal.

Jeffboat in Jeffersonville, Indiana, the largest inland shipbuilder in the country, originally built the boat for the Lake Davenport Sailing Club.

The next owner, the East Moline Fire Department, considered converting it into a fire and rescue boat but decided against it.

The fire department then sold it to a private party, who used it very little before selling it to the Gefferts in 2004.

"It's been a great hit here in the Quad-Cities," said Carey-Otte, who noted they have invested about $40,000 into the boat since acquiring it. "This is our only income at the moment."

As word spread about the accident on social media, customers flooded the business' Facebook page to show their support.

One of their fans even created a GoFundMe page to assist the floating restaurant.

"They called us the unsinkable ship," Carey-Otte said. "It's been in the works since 1963, and nothing's ever happened to it until one wing dam took it out."
Churches United of the Quad-City Area has received a $2,000 grant from the Rock Island Community Foundation toward the installation of an upgraded security buzzer system at Winnies Place.

Winnies Place shelter ministry is the only emergency shelter in the Illinois Quad-Cities for women, with or without children, who are homeless or survivors of domestic violence.

In its 56th year, Churches United has a history of reaching out to the community with 137 member churches representing more than 50,000 people from the Quad-City area.

For more information, visit www.CUQCA.org.
As one of my faithful correspondents reminds me, its that time of the year when the Darwin Awards honor the least among us. Selection is based on stories that have appeared in newspapers the past year. They were assembled by the staff of Usenet, a news service, honoring those who are less than bright. Darwin, incidentally, was the theorist on evolution and the origin of the species. He likely would agree that some among us are less evolved.

The first prize winner

When his .38-caliber revolver failed to fire at his victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, the would-be robber peered down the barrel of his revolver and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

Other winners worthy of attention

THE CHEF at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine, and after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his company. The company, expecting negligence, sent out a claims adjuster to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chefs claim was approved.

WHEN A MAN attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street by sucking on a hose, he got more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up near the motor home and spilled sewage. A police spokesman said the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor homes sewage tank by mistake. The motor home owner declined to press charges, saying it was the best laugh he ever had.

A TEEN was in the hospital recovering from head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the kid told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

A MAN walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the cash drawer was $15.

AN ARKANSAS man wanted some liquor pretty badly, but didnt have any cash. Hed just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window. He lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his shoulder. The cinder block bounced back and hit the man on the head, knocking him unconscious. The window was made of Plexiglas.

AS A shopper stood at the counter of a New York convenience store, a thief grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 and was able to give them a description of the snatcher. Within minutes, police apprehended the snatcher. Police took him to the store for positive identification. He said: Yes, officer, that woman standing over there is the lady I stole the purse from.

THE CRIME column in the Ann Arbor News reported that a man went into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan, at 5 a.m., flashed a gun and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldnt open the register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they werent available during breakfast hours. The man walked away.
Congratulations to U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, who has found her voice in speaking out against the issue of no transgendered persons in the military. The next step is to introduce legislation to assure that transgendered persons may serve in the military using her very own language:

Americans who are qualified and can meet the standards to serve in the military should be afforded the opportunity.

I believe this bill would receive bipartisan support and would be a welcome antidote to the failure of Congress to produce a bipartisan health care bill.

Sister Mary Rehmann

Davenport

Editors note: Rehmann is a member of the Congregation of the Humility of Mary (CHM)
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Social issues are all but absent from Democrats' "Better Deal" platform, unveiled July 24 to much fanfare from party establishment types. Days later, evidence suggested that the decision to focus almost solely on economic issues was a mistake.

U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Illinois, was in on the discussions in rural Virginia that resulted in the party's economically focused list of planks. Bustos is heralded as one of a handful "rural" Democrats left and, in many ways, is becoming a major player in the party's efforts to speak to blue collar voters who abandoned Democrats in 2016 for Donald Trump.

There's no shortage of retreads in the Better Deal. Focusing on reigning in prescription drug prices and hiking the minimum wage aren't new. The call for bolstered regulation of monopolies -- one of a few nods to the Bernie Sanders wing -- is a less strident iteration of Teddy Roosevelt's fiscal policy of more than a century ago.

Social issues are noticeably absent from this ham-fisted attempt at making peace between the rancorous left and rural whites. Trump's presidency has resulted in reams of postmortem hand-wringing. Social issues are, indeed, divisive. They are, Better Deal proponents hypothesize, at the core of plunging support in the Midwest and rural areas coast-to-coast.

Trump torpedoed that theory before the week was over.

The White House was reportedly shocked by the uniform disgust with his policy-via-Twitter announcement banning transgender Americans from the armed forces. In Iowa, Republican Joni Ernst criticized the president's pronouncement, which sowed widespread confusion throughout the Department of Defense. Maybe an even more powerful signal was sent by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a longtime conservative who, surely Trump assumed, would be on board.

"I dont think we should be discriminating against anyone. Transgender people are people, and deserve the best we can do for them," Hatch said in a statement.

Poll after poll shows a growing acceptance with -- and support for -- gay rights. In 2006, Hatch supported a constitutional ban on gay marriage. By 2014, he was predicting the inevitability of gay marriage. And, as of last week, he's defending the rights of transgender men and women to serve in the U.S. military.

How far the conversation's come in a few short years. And it's just not opinions on LGBTQ rights that have shifted in Democrats' favor at near light speed. Marijuana's place in society is undergoing a massive re-think in red and blue states. Sentencing and prison reform -- long a staple of the left -- has garnered widespread bipartisan support. Police agencies throughout the country are revising tactics, vestiges of the drug war, with an eye on improving race relations. Even Trump's candidacy, depending on the day, highlighted the shift in social policy. Christian conservatives didn't punish him when he, kinda-sorta, came out against calls for banning transgender people from bathrooms that conform to their identity. In fact, Trump's political ascension could be considered a widespread rejection of the middling, focus group-tested policies that make up the Better Deal.

On these fronts, Democrats are indeed winning, even if it's not translating to electoral victories. Yet, the party is too tone-deaf to realize it.

Messaging is the primary difference between the two major parties. The GOP has, for years, proven better at linking its social agenda to its economic one. It's true even in instances where the available data don't support the party's positions, such as with climate change denial and immigration crackdowns. It's here that Democrats have proven utterly inept. And the Better Deal-repackaged list of well-worn policy positions, instead opts to walk away from places Democrats' can claim victory.

There's no mention of single-payer health care, even as congressional Republicans build the case for it every day they're unable to craft an Obamacare replacement. The argument to health care access as a right just might be what defines one's political persuasions these days. There's not even an attempt to link the soaring economic inequality to any number of directly related social issues.

No, perpetually feckless Democrats lifted much of Hillary Clinton's campaign material and gave it a new title. In so doing, they abandoned their one position of strength.
As an educator and advocate for a fair school funding system for Illinois children, I am disappointed in Gov. Rauners veto of Senate Bill 1. Students in East Moline return to school in two weeks and we still dont have a funding bill. The governor had a tremendous opportunity in front of him. He had the chance to not only ensure our schools are funded on time this year, but to systematically change Illinois historically inequitable funding system for the children in East Moline and the 2.1 million students across the state. Instead of leadership, Gov. Rauner chose to issue an amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1, pitting our schools and communities against each other and threatening the future of our public school system.

I, along with many other superintendents, statewide coalitions and organizations, have been working on school funding reform and ultimately Senate Bill 1 for more than three years. It is based on research and is the only fair and equitable solution we have to meet the needs of students in East Moline, Carbondale, Rockford and every district in between. This is the only bill in which no districts lose moneya principle that superintendents all across Illinois have held to and will not violate. As superintendent, it is my responsibility to ensure our students are getting the resources they need to succeed and flourish, but I refuse to gain more on the backs of poor students in other zip codes.

The governor has decided to play zip code politics. His amendatory veto punishes all districts, especially the poorest and most underprivileged. It removes the minimum funding level which means the state could continue to underfund our schools. It also removes a clause to protect local taxpayers from paying the state portion of pensions in the future. These changes do not make for good policy and moves us further from our goal of equity.

Senate Bill 1 is still the solution. Hundreds of superintendents who represent diverse districts in rural, suburban and urban areas of our state believe so. The many statewide coalitions that stand up for equity, fairness and civil rights say so. And the various statewide organizations that represent low-income students, English learners, and students with disabilities say so. We know the bill and what it stands forequity.

Now it is up to the General Assembly, which will need a three-fifths vote to override the governors amendatory veto. I urge our legislators to represent the students in East Moline, while ensuring funding equity for all. Vote "yes" on the override and immediately enact Senate Bill 1. The parents and teachers in our school district need certainty that our schools will be funded. Assure our families that their children will be able to get the education our state is obligated to provide.

The time for politics has passed. The time to stand up for children is now.
Candidates say campaigns are about articulating programs, issues and priorities. But people vote for candidates based on how that person makes them feel. Consciously or unconsciously, elections are about giving voice to values.

Voters are moral proxies who want to know that a candidate or elected official truly cares about them -- that they are authentic -- more than they care about what they know.

President Donald Trump and his administration are expressing moral values that have no market value. The Golden Rule has both moral and market value. Trump wouldn't want done to him what he's doing to the majority of the American people.

Trump's values express reverse gratification. The powerful are suppressing the weak; the rich are exploiting the poor; the elephant is crushing the gnat.

Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions disavows the Voting Rights Act. He has a history of politicizing it by frivolously charging blacks with voter fraud, and has withdrawn Justice Department support from a voting rights case involving racial discrimination. That's an expression of this administration's values.

Trump has established a voter fraud commission despite having no evidence of voter fraud. He appointed Kris Kobach, secretary of state of Kansas and the "King of Voter Suppression" as its head, apparently for the purpose of finding 3 million to 5 million examples in order to "prove" to he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton because of voter fraud. That's an expression of twisted moral values.

Candidate Trump promised a universal health care system better and cheaper than the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appointed 13 men (no women) who came up with a plan to repeal and replace the ACA that would take away affordable health insurance from over 20 million Americans. It would deny money to Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides health services for women; remove billions of dollars from a Medicaid program that serves over 70 million poor people, including children and the disabled; threaten to bankrupt nursing homes for the old and financial security for their families; threaten the existence of rural community hospitals and urban public hospitals; drive up costs and drive down health benefits for the middle class; take away millions of jobs from the people who provide these services; and do all these things in order to give massive tax cuts to the greedy. If Sen. John McCain was poor or middle class and had the Republican plan -- i.e., old and infirm -- he would be in trouble, and that's a moral disgrace! The Constitution, like the ACA, was imperfect and had shameful flaws, but we chose to amend it not end it.

Trump wants to close public schools and build private jails. He appointed a secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, who has dedicated her entire life and lots of money undercutting public education and advocating for for-profit private schools. He is weakening civil rights protections that include racial and sexual minorities.

He appointed Scott Pruitt as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a person who was joined at the hip with the fossil fuel industry as Oklahoma's attorney general and who many times sued the organization he now heads. Pruitt is gutting the strong environmental achievements of Obama and led the charge for Trump to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, relinquishing America's environment leadership on an issue that will literally cost Americans millions of jobs and economic growth, threaten the Earth's equilibrium and the existence of the human race.

In foreign policy Trump has weakened our international leadership role established over the last three-quarters of a century through the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) that has successfully maintained peace in Europe. He has cozied up to authoritarian leaders, shown little interest in advancing human rights or a free press, and has turned our wars over to the generals, shunning civilian leadership. Trump's "eye for an eye" and "fight fire with fire" policy would leave many blind and burned.

Trump's most fervent supporters are the same people who sanctimoniously attend annual prayer breakfasts, cite scripture and pray in public. Trump and Republicans see ending health care for millions and giving tax cuts to the rich as victorious. Jesus warned about "religious" people who walk over the sick and past the poor.

Republicans are struggling to keep promises they made -- ones they shouldn't have made because they lack a moral foundation. Their values are unhealthy and dangerous -- and will lead to calamity and downfall. They can't be exported to the rest of the world by our diplomats, and polls show Americans don't agree with them. It's an immoral agenda with no market value at all.
Union Pacific Railroads Nebraska150 Express heritage train will tour the state August 4-6, to mark the 150th anniversary of the territorys entry into the Union.

The trains vintage passenger equipment and trio of EMD E-9 diesel locomotives will traverse Nebraska over three days, departing from Omaha and stopping for rallies in Columbus, North Platte, Ogallala, Sidney, Gering, Kearney and Grand Island.

To ensure the trip remains on schedule and the tour reaches as many Nebraskans as possible, public train tours and tickets are not available.

Our connection to Nebraska dates back to President Abraham Lincoln founding Union Pacific 155 years ago, when the Cornhusker State was a bustling territory, said Union Pacific Chief Eexecutive Lance Fritz. Our first track was laid in Omaha, not far from where the NE150 Express will be departing. Thanks to the perseverance, ingenuity and support of communities and their citizens, both Union Pacific and Nebraska blossomed with towns developing along the transcontinental railroad route. We look forward to touring the state and visiting these communities as part of the sesquicentennial celebration.
Just how many bikers might be coming to the 77th Sturgis motorcycle rally?

That's anybody's guess, but the answer will start rumbling en masse into the Black Hills in just a few days.

Nobody expects this years rally throng to come anywhere close to that of the milestone 75th rally in 2015, when an estimated 739,000 visitors jammed Sturgis and the Black Hills region.

Instead, estimates vary from numbers comparable to last years 76th rally estimate of 463,000, to approaching the average attendance of 500,000 to 600,000.

Tom Horan, Rapid City region operations engineer with the South Dakota Department of Transportation, said estimates based on informal surveys of businesses who take reservations from rally visitors indicated a smaller rally this year.

The lowest numbers Ive heard is that it will be even less than last year, Horan said. The highest numbers Ive heard is that it will be less than an average year.

He added: We are not expecting a large crowd this year.

But Ross Lamphere, a native of Sturgis and owner of Lamphere Campground on the outskirts of Sturgis, said his year-over-year numbers show reservations for the 77th rally are up about 4 to 5 percent over the 76th.

"We're looking for a good year," he said.

Meanwhile, South Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Jason Ketterling said the patrol is gearing up with the expectation of rallygoers turning the Black Hills into the equivalent of a major metropolitan area for nearly two weeks, just as they do every year.

We really dont compare numbers, but we would expect it to be at least as big as last year, Ketterling said.

And as far as Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater is concerned, numbers dont really matter.

With Sturgis having about 7,000 people, when you add 100,000 people or 700,000, were stretched to the seams, VanDewater said.

No matter what, its going to be a big rally, he said.

Readying the roads

However many bikers will converge on western South Dakota, eastern Wyoming and northwest Nebraska for the 10-day extended rally period that kicks off Friday, residents and visitors alike need to be ready for traffic congestion and aware of an enhanced danger for wildfires due to lingering drought conditions.

Many highway construction projects in the region have reached a completion point or will be put on hiatus during the rally.

The first phase of rebuilding of the westbound lane of Interstate 90 between Exit 44 and halfway between Little Elk Creek and Elk Creek is nearly complete, with traffic on both directions of the interstate expected to resume no later than Tuesday, Horan said.

The second phase of rebuilding of the westbound lanes at the Tilford Exit 40 will begin once the rally is over, Horan said.

Near Spearfish, the continuing redesign and construction of the interchange at I-90, Exit 14, will see traffic restricted to single lanes on the overpass, with both lanes of the interstate open.

Horan said the interchange will be monitored to ensure traffic continues to move smoothly.

If things get backed up too much well have flaggers to make sure were not backing up traffic to the interstate, Horan said.

A shoulder-widening project on state Highway 34 east of Sturgis will see the temporary placement of gravel shoulders on both sides of the roadway throughout the rally.

Other projects, including the reconstruction of the Silver Street interchange on I-190 at Exit 57 and the rebuilding of Mount Rushmore Road in Rapid City, will continue during the rally, with traffic restrictions expected.

Temporary traffic signals will again control traffic flow at key intersections in and around Sturgis and throughout the Black Hills.

Temporary signals will be in place at Three Forks, the intersection of U.S. 385 and Rimrock Highway west of Rapid City; at the intersection of highways U.S. 14A and U.S. 85 in Deadwood; at the eastbound off-ramp on I-90 Exit 55; and in several locations along Highway 34 east of Sturgis.

Interstate 90 speed limits will be lowered from 75 mph to 65 mph from Exit 55 through Exit 30 on the west side of Sturgis.

The speed limit on Highway 34 from Sturgis east to Fort Meade Way at the Buffalo Chip Campground will drop to 35 mph, with temporary signals also regulating traffic flow.

North of Highway 34 on Highway 79, the speed limit drops to 45 mph for about 1-1/2 miles north of the intersection.

Our plan is much the same as it has been in the past, Horan said.

The DOT will use an automated Stop Traffic Advisory System, which automatically senses a slowdown in traffic, on U.S. Highway 16A going into Keystone.

Traffic slowdowns will automatically trigger electronic signboards to warn motorists of congested traffic ahead.

Its great technology, Horan said. We dont have to wait for a report or witness it. Itll just change automatically.

Law enforcement gets ready

Ketterling said planning for law enforcement during the rally typically begins months before the event.

Local, county and state law enforcement staffs will be augmented with undisclosed numbers of officers brought in to help during the rally.

Obviously were increasing our staffing, as we do every rally, he said

Last year, the Highway Patrol issued more than 1,400 citations, an increase over the 75th rally in 2015. Officials attributed the lower number of citations during the record-setting 75th to near-gridlock conditions that forced slower driving speeds.

Felony drug arrests (50) and DUIs (187) were down in 2016 compared to 2015. Traffic deaths were down significantly from the 15 in 2015, to just three last year.

Injury accidents dropped from 124 in 2015 to 50 last year, and non-injury accidents dropped from 58 in 2015 to 44 last year.

Ketterling said troopers will continue to encourage motorists to adhere to speed limits and to not drink and drive.

Ketterling said bikers should especially be aware of the higher possibility of collisions with deer, particularly at dusk, and of the hazards of too much speed on winding roads in and around the Black Hills.

The Black Hills are popular for deer and theres a lot of them that cross the roadway at night, he said.

VanDewater subscribes to the hope for the best, prepare for the worst readiness strategy.

Were hoping for a quiet rally, but unfortunately we prepare for mass craziness. We want to be proactive, not reactive when it comes to the rally, said VanDewater.

Fire risk remains high

Walter Haley has been a volunteer firefighter in eastern Meade County for more years than he cares to admit, but along with that longevity comes a keen sense of impending danger concerning wildfire during this years rally.

You get one little grass fire in the ditch and were off to the races, Haley said.

Many Sturgis rallygoers coming from the east on I-90 often use New Underwood Road to head north into Meade County to skirt rally traffic through Sturgis on their way to the Buffalo Chip campground. When they choose that route, they travel through ranch country, where conditions are very dry and response times can be long.

Haley said rallygoers need to understand that land adjacent both New Underwood Road and Highway 34 to the north is dangerously dry.

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor issued Thursday showed recent rainfall did little to improve drought conditions. Northern Meade County has now been added to the extreme drought areas in the state.

Were now in the D3 area and it gets worse as you go north. North Dakota is pretty much toast at this point, he said.

Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department chief Tom Trigg said the scenario for fire at this years rally is very scary.

Sturgis is considered to be in the moderate to severe drought area. But Triggs worry also comes in that federal resources he normally can call upon to assist should a big fire break out are up in Montana fighting the Lodgepole Complex fire that has consumed nearly 300,000 acres.

Meade County has enacted a burn ban and most campgrounds dont allow campfires, but Trigg worries that an unauthorized campfire could spark a wildfire.

I just ask people to use extreme caution and be aware of how dry it is around here, he said.

Dry lightning from passing thunderstorms also is a big concern for Trigg.

On a windy day we would have a tough time stopping those fires, he said.

Hospital to open new entrance for rally

Sturgis Regional Hospitals $10 million remodel and addition isnt expected to be completed until the fall of 2018.

But workers on the project have focused their efforts on a small section of the new facility which Sturgis Regional officials say will open Wednesday, just in time for the 77th rally.

Mark Schulte, president at Sturgis Regional Hospital and Sturgis Market, says they will open the Junction Avenue entrance for both walk-in patients and for ambulances Wednesday morning.

We will have it open for 10 days during the rally and then turn it back to the contractors, Schulte said of the new entrance.

After the rally, the hospital will go back to its alternate entrance on the north end of the building.

Schulte said the staff at Sturgis Regional is well prepared for this years rally and looks forward to using the new entrances.

Although we are only getting a small piece of our new facility, it will be great to have it for the rally, he said.

Massa Berry Regional Medical Clinic and Urgent Care Services will be closed during the Sturgis motorcycle rally, beginning at noon on Friday, Aug. 4, through Sunday, Aug. 13.

We encourage patients to take care of any non-emergency medical needs prior to the rally, said Kim Jackson, clinic administrator.

Regional Health Urgent Care services in Spearfish and two clinic locations in Rapid City will continue to be open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the rally; in Lead-Deadwood, urgent care service hours are available 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
NEW IN THEATERS:

"Atomic Blonde": A high-stakes, global action-thriller that takes place in the city of Berlin, on the eve of the Wall's collapse and the shifting of superpower alliances. Charlize Theron portrays Lorraine Broughton, a top-level spy for MI6, who is dispatched to Berlin to take down a ruthless espionage ring that has just killed an undercover agent for reasons unknown. She is ordered to cooperate with Berlin station chief David Percival (James McAvoy), and the two form an uneasy alliance, unleashing their full arsenal of skills in pursuing a threat that jeopardizes the West's entire intelligence operation. R: 114 minutes. AMC 10, Northern Hills Cinema.

"The Emoji Movie": This new film unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression  except for Gene, an exuberant emoji who is bursting with multiple expressions. Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak, and they embark on an epic "app-venture" through the apps on the phone to find the code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it's deleted forever. PG: 91 minutes. Rushmore 7, Northern Hills Cinema.

NOW PLAYING:

Movie showings are current up to July 27 and are subject to change. For an updated listing on later dates, visit amctheatres.com, elkstheatre.com or nhcinema.com.

Roy's Black Hills Twin Drive-In (Hermosa): West screen showing double feature of "War for the Planet of the Apes" and "Valerian"; east screen showing double feature of "The Emoji Movie" and "Spider-Man: Homecoming" through Aug. 3.

"Dunkirk": Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire and France are surrounded by the German army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II. PG-13: 106 minutes. AMC 10, Rushmore 7, Northern Hills Cinema.

"Girls Trip": When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there's enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush. R: 126 minutes. AMC 10.

"Valerian": In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha, where a mystery and a dark force threaten the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets. Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe. PG-13: 137 minutes. AMC 10, Rushmore 7, Northern Hills Cinema.

"The Big Sick": R: 120 minutes. AMC 10.

"War for the Planet of the Apes": PG-13: 140 minutes. AMC 10, Rushmore 7.

"Wish Upon": PG-13: 90 minutes. AMC 10.

"Spider-Man: Homecoming": PG-13: 143 minutes. AMC 10, Rushmore 7, Northern Hills Cinema.

"Despicable Me 3": PG: 90 minutes. AMC 10, Rushmore 7, Northern Hills Cinema.

"Transformers: The Last Knight": PG-13: 148 minutes. Rushmore 7.

"Baby Driver": R: 113 minutes. Rushmore 7.

"Cars 3": G: 109 minutes. AMC 10.

"Wonder Woman": PG-13: 141 minutes. AMC 10.

"47 Meters Down": PG-13: 89 minutes. Elks Theatre.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2": PG-13: 136 minutes. Elks Theatre.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales": PG-13: 129 minutes. Elks Theatre.

"Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie": PG: 89 minutes. Elks Theatre.

"The Boss Baby": PG: 97 minutes. Elks Theatre.
When the hard rock band Trapt blasted onto the scene in the early 2000s, one thing that helped the group stand apart from most other hard rock/metal acts was the positive tone frontman Chris Taylor Brown brought to Trapts lyrics.

It was an age where most bands were full of angst and using lyrics to wallow in self-misery. Brown frequently wrote about problems, too, but he was trying to confront and solve them within the songs.

A bakers dozen years later, he feels that lyrical approach remains one of the elements that connects Trapts current album, DNA, to the groups earliest music. I feel like a lot of the lyrics are about self-empowerment and sort of take a problem and try to make a positive out of it and become stronger and come out on the other side, Brown said in a recent phone interview. A lot of the lyrics on DNA are definitely staying on that path.

And in the years since Trapts previous studio album, the 2013 release Reborn, Brown and his bandmates had plenty of opportunities to face problems involving the group and find the will and perseverance to push forward.

The source of the problems that most affected Brown and Trapt was a lawsuit concerning payment of royalties by former guitarist Simon Ormandy. The lawsuit and the threat of a bad outcome hung over Trapt for much of the period that followed the release of Reborn, and Brown was worried he could lose everything he had worked for since forming Trapt in 1995 in Las Gatos, California  his assets, the bands instruments and equipment and even the rights to Trapts songs.

It wasnt that Brown lacked confidence in the bands position concerning the amount of royalties that were due to Ormandy, who was booted from Trapt in 2008. The worry was more about the resources Ormandy had at his disposal. According to Brown, Ormandys parents owned a company they sold to Microsoft, netting seven figures in the deal. Some of that war chest was used by Ormandy to pursue his litigation against Trapt.

We were up against big money on the other side, Brown said. In the end, Trapt reached a settlement with Ormandy, paying the same amount of royalty money the group had offered when the guitarist first sought payment from the group  a major win for Trapt.

With that chapter of Trapts history closed, Brown feels what didnt kill the band only made it stronger. When youre looking at staring into the abyss and youre not really sure where youre going, thats when you find out who you really are, Brown said. And we really pushed through and became a stronger band. Now we have more hunger to go out there and give our best to our fans every day. So it was a great triumph.

The legal saga, though, did slow work on the new album for Brown, who is joined by bassist Pete Charell, drummer Dylan Thomas Howard and guitarist Ty Fury in the current Trapt lineup. He was so distracted and stressed by the situation that he wasnt able to write much for the DNA album until the settlement was reached.

We basically started writing it in 2014, Brown said. We had some good music and this and that, a few lyrical ideas. But really the bulk of the music was written in March and April of 2015 and then the lyrics poured out right around March, April, May, June. We started recording it in July (2015), and we were still recording new songs for it even (in early 2016). So we were writing, it took about a year, I think.

The album Trapt made in DNA is very much in character with the bands earlier work. Songs like Unforgiven, Changing Hands and Its Over strike a good balance between aggression and melody that has characterized the bands five previous studio albums (not including a 1999 local release Amalgamation) and hit songs like Headstrong (from the 2002 self-titled album), Stand Up (from 2005s Someone in Control and Bring it (from Reborn).

The band puts a bit softer touch on a few tunes. Human (Like The Rest Of Us) mixes ambient bits and ample melody with big riffs, while Not So Different uses a Police-ish reggae-pop feel in the verses to go with a big and hooky chorus.

Trapt figures to include a few new songs this summer in its live shows, but Brown said the set wont go overboard on songs from DNA.

Well be playing all of the fan favorites, some of the songs, you know, weve had 12 songs in the top 20 of modern rock radio for the last 13 years or so and were going to be playing them all, Brown said. So fans can definitely expect to hear their favorites at the show.
The countdown to the Great American Solar Eclipse has reached the two and half week point, and cities across Nebraska are making final preparations for an influx of visitors from around the world.

On Aug. 21, 14 states will experience a total solar eclipse when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, completely blocking the suns light. The rest of the country will see a partial eclipse, in which only part of the sun is blocked. The event is the first total solar eclipse to be visible in the U.S. in more than two decades, and the first in the contiguous 48 states in more than three decades.

The path of the total solar eclipse will travel from coast-to-coast, the first such occurrence since 1918. Visitors from around the world are traveling to the U.S. to view the event, as no other continent will experience it. The upcoming total eclipse is the first time a total eclipse has been visible only in America since before the nations founding.

The state of Nebraska is expecting between 100,000-400,000 visitors, and with western Nebraskas relatively predictable sunny weather, many of those travelers will be in the Panhandle.

Alliance is planning on hosting 10,000-15,000 visitors for the eclipse, as it sits directly in line with the path of totality.

Dawes County Travel Director Kristina Harter is expecting similar figures in Chadron, even though the city will see only a partial eclipse.

We wont have them (travelers) all during the eclipse, but were going to see that traffic come through over the weekend, she said.

Chadron will experience 99.38 percent totality during the eclipse, so many individuals may well choose to stay in the area for the event, while others will overnight here before heading south to be more directly in the path of the eclipse. Agate Fossil Beds is also likely to be another popular viewing spot, particularly for its lack of light pollution.

I visited all the hotels (last) week, and all of them are full, Harter said. The area state parks are also booked, and several area residents are renting rooms in their homes or camping space in their yards. All of that information can be found on the solar eclipse page at http://discovernwnebraska.com/, the areas tourism website.

Since that is the weekend Chadron State College students return to campus, Harter said families may want to check out available rentals, too, if they are having difficulty finding accommodations.

The U.S. Forest Service is also preparing for an influx of visitors to its campgrounds. District Ranger Tim Buskirk said the agency is working to provide additional law enforcement and a recreational support group that will focus on campground maintenance and regulation enforcement during the weekend and through the eclipse. Hudson-Meng and Toadstool parks will have extra staff on duty, and additional fire units have been requested.

The U.S. Forest Service grounds have been under Stage 1 fire restrictions since mid-July, which means campfires and stove fires, including grills, are prohibited except in developed recreation sites. Smoking, except in an enclosed vehicle or building, or in a developed recreational site, is also prohibited.

Law enforcement reminds those out traveling not to stop in the middle of the roadway, and to respect private property while viewing the eclipse.

Eye safety is also a concern, and residents and visitors to the area are reminded not to view the eclipse without special solar glasses. The Chadron Record has a limited supply of the glasses, and the Chadron Chamber of Commerce and Visitors' Center also has them in stock on a first come-first serve basis. The Chadron Public Library is distributing them during several events it is hosting between now and the eclipse, as well.

Viewing the eclipse without the glasses can cause permanent eye damage. In addition, photographers need to have a special solar filter for their camera lenses, lest they ruin their camera, too.

There are several events planned for the days leading up to the eclipse in the local region. The Chadron Record is publishing a Solar Eclipse magazine Aug. 16 to serve as a guide to those events. Anyone with information they would like included in the magazine should contact the Record at 432-5511 or kerri.rempp@lee.net by Aug. 7. Advertising space in the magazine is also still available. Contact Julie Pfister at julie.pfister@lee.net by Aug. 7.

Editor's Note: This version changes the name of the Chamber to Chadron Chamber of Commerce and Visitors' Center.
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii | As part of the continuing demonstration of the ironclad U.S. commitment to our allies against the growing threat from North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear programs, two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam conducted a 10-hour sequenced bilateral mission with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets, July 7.

The mission is in response to a series of increasingly escalatory actions by North Korea, including a launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 3.

North Koreas actions are a threat to our allies, partners and homeland, said General Terrence O Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander. Let me be clear, if called upon we are trained, equipped and ready to unleash the full lethal capability of our allied air forces.

The B-1Bs flew to the Korean Peninsula where they were joined by South Korean F-15 fighter jets and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets. The B-1Bs practiced attack capabilities by releasing inert weapons at the Pilsung Range.

U.S. bombers and Republic of Korea fighters are just two of many lethal military options at our disposal, said Lt. Gen. Thomas Bergeson, U.S. Forces Korea deputy commander. This mission clearly demonstrates the U.S.-ROK alliance remains prepared to use the full range of capabilities to defend and to preserve the security of the Korean Peninsula and region.

En route back to Guam, the B-1Bs flew and integrated with Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) F-2 fighter jets over the East China Sea.

The U.S.-Japan alliance and the relationship between our militaries are stronger than they have ever been, said Lt. Gen. Jerry P. Martinez, U.S. Forces Japan commander. We continue to train with our Japanese allies to ensure we are ready to defend ourselves from attack.

U.S. Pacific Command maintains flexible bomber and jet fighter capabilities in the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater, retaining the ability to quickly respond to any regional threat in order to defend the U.S. homeland and in support of our allies.
HOT SPRINGS  The following is a synopsis of the calls fielded by the Fall River County Dispatch office for the week July 23 -27. Calls include police, sheriff, ambulance, fire and other emergency services. The information is taken from the public log at the sheriffs office.

Friday, July 23

A total of 54 calls, including traffic stops and paper service, were listed on the log.

4:32 a.m. - A St & 1St Ave. (Edgemont), caller reports a man in a car at a rail road crossing throwing pizza at a train.

6:50 a.m. - Shopko driveway, wildlife miscellaneous.

10:15 a.m.  Edgemont, civil matter.

11:21 a.m. - S .23rd St., accident (hit & run)

4:51 p.m. - E St., Edgemont, deputy out at address to try and serve a no trespass on a subject.

8:31 p.m. - Hwy 79, property found alongside the hwy. turned over to FRSD.

10:43 p.m.  Sheriffs office, caller reports threats.

10:51 p.m. - Quality Cleaners, suspicious person/vehicle, caller reports a suspicious vehicle.

Saturday, July 24

A total of 48 calls, including traffic stops and paper service, were listed on the log.

4:21 a.m. - Old Hwy. 18, fire/smoke call.

7:52 a.m. - Bourbon County, concerned citizen.

10 a.m. - Pro Build & S. 6th, concerned citizen.

1:22 p.m. - Black Tail Rd., animal complaints domestic

1:59 p.m.  N. 6th St., keep the peace

2:49 p.m. - Washington St., accident (hit & run).

3:09 p.m. - RC Springs, juvenile miscellaneous.

3:36 p.m. - Fall River Rd., called concerned about the can man being out 100 degree weather.

5:15 p.m. - Cedar Rd., alarm at residence in the county.

7:34 p.m. - Koa Campground, caller reports a stray dog that may have been abandoned but the owner showed up.

10 p.m. - RC Springs, Bldg. 5, DUI/hit and run reported.

Sunday, July 25

A total of 51 calls, including traffic stops and paper service, were listed on the log.

10:20 a.m. - Downtown Fairburn, fire call - HSFD

11:49 a.m. - Cheyenne River bridge, wildlife game violation, D.J. Schroeder,GF & P handled.

4:13 p.m. - University Ave., concerned citizen, report of a nuisance party at a residence.

6:32 p.m. - University/Dollar General, caller report suspicious person/activity.

7:43 p.m. - Hwy 79 Restaurant, report of a stray dog running loose and it looks like its skin and bones.

8:40 p.m.  N. 6TH St., animal complaints  domestic, caller reports a goose on her property.

8:50 p.m. - Hwy 79, caller reports a vehicle all over the road.

Monday, July 26

A total of 41 calls, including traffic stops and paper service, were listed on the log.

0:07 a.m. - N 23rd St., phone calls/non-threatening.

1:13 a.m. - RC Springs, burglary/break & enter.

1:28 a.m. - RC Springs, nuisance/noise.

2:09 a.m. - Centennial Park, miscellaneous.

6:47 a.m. - Germond St., harassment.

7:20 a.m. - Sunny Brook Rd. & Hwy. 18, found property.

7:54 a.m. - 2A20, warrant arrest.

2:48 p.m. - N. 4th St., found property.

4:39 p.m. - Heartland Parking lot, vandalism.

5:49 p.m. - Freedom Trial, suspicious person/vehicle.

6:07 p.m. - 5th St., Edgemont, harassment.

6:17 p.m.  Edgemont, burglary/break & enter.

7:56 p.m. - Hot Springs, phone scam.

Tuesday, July 27

A total of 51 calls, including traffic stops and paper service, were listed on the log.

1:19 a.m.  KOA Campground, animal bites/scratches/attacks.

2:10 a.m.  Franks Place, burglary/break & enter.

8:29 a.m.  Dakotamart, gas drive-off.

12:05 p.m.  Brookside, drunkenness.

1 p.m. - Pine Hills, exercise, Pine Hills on fire!!!!

1:26 p.m.  Viaduct, wildlife game violations, ACO John Wishard handled.

2:49 p.m.  Crosswind pits, temp. protection order.

4:54 p.m. - Hot Springs, concerned citizen, officers out talking with kids that were messing around in a moving vehicle.

5:22 p.m. - Albany Ave., disorderly conduct, caller reports a sibling yelling around the house.

5:36 p.m. - Cascade Rd., caller that lives out in the county wanting to report suspicious activity at the end of his driveway. A vehicle was seen with 2 girls in it trying to climb his gate and mess with his lock.

8:13 p.m. - Dew Drop, officer assisting outside agency to locate a wanted person.

9:02 p.m. - American Legion, dog bite.
The Sturgis United Methodist Church hosted the Hero Central vacation Bible school. Church volunteers took kids on awesome adventure alongside some of their favorite Bible heroes and discovered the qualities that make youth truly heroic in God. There was epic music, spectacular science, crafty crafts, heroic recreation, and fantastic Bible stories to help kids discover their strength in God!
Ive heard that much of the broodiness that used to be a genetic harbinger of female chickens has been bred out -- the rise of incubators and mail order chicks have made it unnecessary and undesirable. Apparently, my hens didnt get the memo.

As I mentioned earlier in the summer, we are currently overrun with chicks AGAIN. Despite our best efforts to find and disperse secret nests, we keep having hens show up for breakfast with new babies in tow.

Which is why, when my friend and musical partner, Jami Lynn asked if we might have a few chickens to spare for her newly built coop, we said, YES! I promptly picked out two gray hens, and one white one, and began thinking of them as Jamis hens.

The first attempt to catch them ended in failure, however. The man of the ranch had been tasked with the chore because I was out of town, and every time he went to put one of the hens in the box, the one he had just caught escaped. Thats a two person job, he warned when Id first requested he play chicken wrangler, so I wasnt surprised when he phoned to say he could bring one chicken or none. Secretly, however, I kind of assumed I would do better. I mean, I dont have many ranch skills, but chicken catching seemed like it should be in my wheelhouse.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and our little family was headed to the hills so Jami and I could play a show. We planned to drop the hens off at her house first, but the morning of said trip was, as most mornings are around the ranch, pretty crazy. After the usual round of diaper changes, breakfast, chores, and more diaper changes, we finally had the kids, the instruments, and all our bags packed and in the pickup. Jamis hens! I squawked as we pulled out of the driveway. We turned around.

I had finesse and scratch grain on my side, so it didnt really occur to me I would fail until, after ten minutes chasing chickens, both babies crying in the backseat of the vehicle, the man of the ranch stoically standing with box in hand, I hadnt gotten within even an arms length of a single one. Itll have to wait. I said.

A few more weeks passed before another trip to the hills made a third attempt at chicken delivery possible. The man of the ranch and I plotted our strategy in advance: We would wait until dusk, and in the brief slice of time between when the flock flew up into the rafters of the coop to roost, but before it was too dark to see, we would storm the barracks and capture our hostages.

This meant, of course, keeping the hens captive in a box all night and for a good chunk of the next day. That would have been fine back in April, when it was still chilly. They wouldnt have minded being snuggled together; they probably would have preferred it, in fact. In July, however, three hens in a box for any length of time is just plain cruel.

The only other option we could think of was a decades old wire dog crate. So, I lined the bottom of the crate with fresh straw, added a tupperware full of water, tied an old white sheet over the top for a little shade, and declared it chicken-ready.

Catching the hens was the work of a few moments. They were alarmed and displeased, but since chickens are basically blind in semi-darkness, there wasnt much they could do about it. I fell asleep hoping we could finally deliver our promised gift without too much more drama.

Day dawned as usual, and an early morning inspection revealed that all was well with our feathered cargo. It was then I realized I had not considered the Ma and Pa Clampett Factor, and the razzing my husband would probably have to endure as a result of another one of my crazy schemes. You see, we hadnt gassed up the day before, so before we hit the road, we had to go to town. With a crate of straw and chickens in the bed of the pickup. With a white sheet flapping like the flag of our dignity being surrendered.

And thats how we drove the 150 miles to our destination. But alls well that ends well. The hens are now happily in the care of my friend, the crate is back in the storage room of the shed, and somehow my marriage marches on unscathed, though I have promised transporting chickens will not be on the agenda anytime soon.

In other news, Jami and I (and the babies) will be hitting the road for a mini South Dakota tour this week with our folk duo, The Nesters. You can find out when and where on our Facebook page!
NEWELL | You can't fault Jack Gully for thinking the phone call he received a couple of weeks ago was a hoax. After all, not many Newell business owners get invited to the White House.

"If you knew my friends you would be skeptical too," Gully said at his business, K Bar J Leather Co. in Newell, on Monday while laughing and working on a pair of chaps.

On July 13, Gully was asked to participate in the Made in America Product Showcase at the White House. He called congressional offices and his former intern Ty Littau, a member of Sen. John Thune's staff, to verify the invite to the July 17 event was real.

After spending several hours on the phone, he confirmed it was and immediately began making plans for the trip. Gully was instructed to make travel arrangements, at his own expense, to Washington and to deliver and set up his product display.

The Made in American Product Showcase was a part of a large messaging plan by the Trump administration to celebrate American-made products and encourage other companies to manufacture their products in the United States. Businesses large and small from all 50 states were invited.

"At first I thought, 'Why should I pay for everything and rearrange my schedule,'" Gully said. But, after learning that South Dakota wouldn't be represented at the event if he stayed home, the choice to attend the event was easy.

What followed was a whirlwind of travel arrangements that ultimately got Gully and his leather work a spot in the East Room of the White House next to large companies like Caterpillar.

The highlight was a quick chat with the president himself. "He told me, 'South Dakota, great, great, state'," Gully said. He quickly agreed and invited Donald Trump to visit the state.

Gully showed the president some of his leather products and told him about the need for less regulation in the tannery business, which would allow him to source his leather from more locations. Gully started K Bar J Leather Co. in 1977 and now employees eight people in the shop on Girard Avenue.

Gully had a pen waiting on the table in case he got a chance to ask the president to sign his hat, but that opportunity never came. After their brief interaction, Trump moved on to the next table.

Despite not getting an autograph, Gully looks back fondly on the whole experience.

"I think he's the real deal," Gully said. "I think he really wants that connection with small business and the regular people."
A Pennington County sheriffs deputy shot and wounded a man who pointed his gun at the deputy during a fugitive search in Box Elder on Monday, the sheriffs office said.

Cruz Louis Deleon, 21, suffered a non-life-threatening injury and is being treated at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. The Rapid City man has been arrested on a felony warrant for bond revocation on several drug and weapons charges.

The deputy encountered Deleon at 701 Halsey Drive in Box Elder while looking for Cassandra Deanna Quiver.

Quiver, 30, of Rapid City had a felony bench warrant on a charge of possessing controlled drugs. Deleon pointed a handgun at the deputy. The deputy responded by firing a duty weapon, the sheriffs office said in a release sent shortly before 9 p.m. Monday.

The sheriffs deputy was not hurt, and Quiver was arrested on her outstanding drug warrant.

Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom told the Journal he is glad the deputy wasnt harmed. (The) deputy was professional in how he responded in the situation, Thom said.

The deputy will be on administrative leave during the initial stages of the investigation, which is being conducted by the state Division of Criminal Investigation, Thom said. His name was not released.

The DCI will determine also if Deleon should face charges related to the shooting, Thoms office said.

The shooting occurred around 1:29 p.m. at a mobile home on Halsey Drive, located in a residential area about 5 miles southwest of Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Late Monday afternoon, the gray mobile home was surrounded by yellow police tape while about eight vehicles from the Rapid City Police Department, Box Elder Police Department and Pennington County Sheriffs Office lined Halsey Drive.

Rapid City and Box Elder police were helping secure the crime scene as members of the DCI conducted their investigation, said Box Elder Police Chief Jason Dubbs. The trailer had been cleared of its occupants.

Dubbs said officers were administering first aid to Deleon when he arrived at the scene shortly after the deputy called for backup.

Meanwhile, Tara Sirles, who lives next door to the trailer, had come home a few minutes after the shooting occurred.

I saw the deputy holding his gun and walking away from the scene, Sirles, 34, said. Then, the sirens came and Sirles said she saw a man being taken away on a stretcher.

Sirles, who just moved into the neighborhood with her husband and two children on Saturday, said she has seen an elderly couple living in the mobile home and on one occasion, seven children. She doesnt remember having seen the injured man and doesnt know his relationship with the trailers occupants.

As of 5 p.m. Monday, Sirles was still waiting for police permission to drive her pickup into her yard so she could unload her kitchen chairs and grill.

Sirles didnt know how to feel about the shooting in her new neighborhood, but said she was determined to stay even if she had to put up walls around her lot. Right now, a low chain-link fence surrounds her property.

This is the third officer-involved shooting in Pennington County this year. In April, a 53-year-old man who threatened a mass shooting at a Rapid City apartment complex was fatally shot by a state highway patrol trooper. In June, a 48-year-old man was shot dead by city police after the man started firing his guns in a north Rapid City neighborhood.

The last officer-involved shooting in Box Elder occurred sometime in the last five years, said city police chief Dubbs.

The South Dakota Attorney Generals Office, which oversees investigations on officer-involved shootings, said it will release the results of its Halsey Drive investigation in 30 days in accordance with standard procedure.
ABC/Image Group LA Brad Paisleys just back from taking his Weekend Warrior World Tour to Sweden and Norway, but this week, he hopes to make a couple appearances in your living room.

The Last Time for Everything hitmaker will guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers Wednesday night. You can catch the show starting at 12:35 a.m. ET on NBC.

Then on Friday, hell have an early wake-up call to do the Today show. Hell play the Citi Concert Series at New York City's Rockefeller Plaza starting at 8 a.m., and then he'll co-host the 9 a.m. hour of NBCs morning talk show.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Renova Groups managers put under house arrest as part of bribery case

MOSCOW, August 1 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  Moscows Basmanny District Court has changed a restrictive measure of Yevgeny Olkhovik, a co-owner of top Russian group of companies Renova and Boris Vaynzikher, CEO of Renovas subsidiary, T Plus Company, from detention to house arrest, the courts press service told RAPSI on Tuesday.

Olkhovik and Vaynzikher involved in a bribery case will stay under house arrest until August 5 and 6 respectively.

Investigators in Russias Republic of Komi have initiated a criminal case against some former and acting managers of Kompleksnye Energeticheskiye Sistemy (KES) company, of which T Plus is the legal successor, over alleged corruption. At that time, the offices of the companys parent holding Renova were also raided.

Three men holding CEO posts in the KES at different time, Olkhovik, Vaynzikher and Mikhail Slobodin are defendants in the case. Vaynzikher and Olkhovik were initially put detention. Slobodin, ex-head of the telecommunications giant VimpelCom, has been arrested in absentia. In late July, Russias prosecutors turned to Interpol asking it to issue a Red Notice for Slobodin.

Investigators believe that between 2007 and 2014 the defendants bribed officials currently involved in the criminal case against the Republics ex-head Vyacheslav Gaizer. Olkhovik and Vaynzikher have allegedly received 177 and 89 million rubles (about $4.5 million in total) in bribes respectively during their management in the Kompleksnye Energeticheskiye Sistemy and transferred the money to the accounts of affiliated companies.
Spanish court rules to extradite Russian programmer Lisov to U.S.

MOSCOW, August 1 (RAPSI)  Spains National High Court ruled on Tuesday to extradite Russian programmer Stanislav Lisov, suspected of developing NeverQuest malware, to the United States, the court announced on Tuesday.

Damage allegedly caused by Lisovs actions is estimated at $5 million.

According to the Civil Guard, the arrested Russian national is one of the most important Russian hackers wanted by the U.S.

Investigation into Lisov was launched in 2014. He allegedly conspired with a group of people to develop, distribute and use malicious software NeverQuest which steals bank account logins and gives attackers access to accounts through computers of victims. Lisov is supposed to be the creator and administrator of a network of computers infected with NeverQuest via servers he had leased and acquired.

The study of servers operated by the suspect in Germany and France afforded to find out databases containing information stolen from banking institutions including account balances, the Civil Guard reported. One of the servers allegedly used by Lisov contained millions of login credentials, in particular user names, passwords and review quiz answers to access online bank and financial accounts.

As reported earlier, Lisov was arrested in Spain in January on the request of Interpol and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The Russian embassy was officially notified of Lisovs arrest. Russia has forwarded a request to the Spanish authorities seeking to inform about reasons and details of the arrest.

Lisov, the resident of the city of Taganrog, is engaged in support and development of websites in Russia, according to his wife. The spouses went to Spain on vacation.

In October 2016, Russia was accused of organizing hacking attacks against the U.S. election systems. However, American authorities presented no evidence of Russias involvement in cyberattacks allegedly aimed to affect the presidential election results in the U.S.
Moscow court seizes property of deceased ex-MP Voronenkov

MOSCOW, August 1 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul)  The Basmanny District Court of Moscow has seized property belonging to deceased ex-communist lawmaker Denis Voronenkov, his attorney Andrey Grivtsov told RAPSI on Tuesday.

According to the lawyer, the court ordered the seizure of two Voronenkovs garage units and a collection of expensive watches. The ruling will be appealed, Grivtsov added.

According to Russias Investigative Committee, Voronenkov has been charged with large scale fraud and organizing falsification of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and put on the international wanted list. On March 3, Moscows Basmanny District Court issued an arrest warrant for Voronenkov. Later, the Moscow City Court upheld the ruling.

Investigators claim that the ex-lawmaker was involved in a raid aimed at seizing a two-story building in central Moscow in 2011 owned by Otari Kobakhidze, founder of the company TOMA. The allegations were reportedly based on the testimony of a group of people who had been convicted and sentenced in the case.

After Kobakhidze delegated full control of the company to its CEO Marina Vladimirskaya, she took advantage of the situation. She reportedly decided with her acquaintance, a retired police officer, Vyacheslav Polozkov, to alter the registration documents and sell the building valued at 127 million rubles ($2.1 million). Several other persons including Voronenkov were implicated in the case, according to investigators.The building was sold for 20 million rubles ($339,200). Customer Vitaly Kachur, the owner of Chance Company, illegally paid Voronenkov $1.2 million, the Investigative Committees press service reported earlier.

Kobakhidze turned to court and managed to regain control of the company and the building. Those involved in the raid pleaded guilty, agreed to cooperate with investigators and testified against Voronenkov.

Voronenkov claimed that the criminal prosecution of him had been politically motivated.

In October 2016, the former member of the Communist Party moved to Ukraine along with his wife Maria Maksakova, also an ex-lawmaker, and received Ukrainian citizenship in December 2016.

On March 23, 2017, Voronenkov was shot dead in the central part of Ukrainian capital Kiev.




By Lt. Gen. Clarence E. McKnight Jr. (U.S. Army, Ret.), Dr. David Leffler, Duncan Brown, Dr. Carla Brown and Arlene Schar Leffler

Abstract

The current perception of U.S. military leaders is that we live in a dangerous world, one filled with enemies that require the next level of disruptive technologies to subdue. Three properties define such technologies. They are unexpected, they hit enemies in a weak spot, and they cannot be avoided.





From Pearl Harbor, to the nuclear weapons at the end of World War II, to the attacks on 9/11, disruptive technologies have proven impact, but they can suffer from problems. For example, tactical disruptive technologies have a limited force-multiplying effect. Strategic disruptive technologies (e.g. nuclear weapons), on the other hand, are dangerous to those who use them and are no longer held only by the U.S. To maintain its leadership in the world, the U.S. needs a new kind of disruptive technology.





For maximum effectiveness, disruptive technologies must accomplish more than before. They must not only challenge enemies, but completely disable them. One such possibility is called "Invincible Defense Technology." This recently developed approach is inexpensive, scalable, and has proven effectiveness, as described in eighteen peer-reviewed studies.





Its effects are irresistible, i.e. enemies are unable to stop them. By applying this human resource-based, non-lethal, non-destructive technology, militaries can prevent enemies from arising.

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry called preventive defense "our most important tool for protecting American interests from the special dangers that characterize the post-Cold War era"--keeping potential challenges to security "from becoming full-blown threats."

Just as preventive medicine supports health, eliminating disease and minimizing the need for surgery, preventive defense can "make war less likely and deterrence unnecessary,[i] according to Perry.

Although he was not commenting on the technologies described in this article, Perry emphasized that preventive defense is forward looking, not passive or philanthropic. He wrote: "It's about hard work and ingenuity today, so that we don't have to expend blood and treasure tomorrow." [ii]

The ultimate disruption to war is effective prevention. We suggest organizing Prevention wings incorporating a daily routine for military personnel including large group practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique[iii] and TM-Sidhi techniques.[iv] This approach has come to be known as Invincible Defense Technology (IDT), because in addition to prevention, the techniques have been documented to develop individual and group resilience.

Additionally research has documented significant reduction in war and violence when sufficient numbers make use of these techniques in a group. Foremost independent leaders in the field of conflict management have endorsed this approach. David Edwards, University of Texas professor observed, "The impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program."[v]

Military personnel practice the TM and TM-Sidhi techniques twice a day, seven days a week, preferably in a secure location near the targeted population. Although the TM technique comes from the ancient Vedic tradition of India, it requires no belief changes and is non-religious.

The Transcendental Meditation technique (TM) is a simple, natural, and easy-to-learn procedure that allows the ordinary thinking process to become more settled, resulting in a unique psychophysiologic state of restful alertness. Restful alertness is characterized by slower and shallower respiratory rates, optimized sympathetic tone and reduced hypothalamicpituitaryadrenal axis activity, along with high electroencephalography coherence. The TM technique is practiced twice a day while sitting comfortably with eyes closed. Students are taught by certified instructors using standardized protocols.[vi]

The practice of Transcendental Meditation has been evaluated in 395 peer reviewed studies to help improve mental and physical health and wellbeing.[vii] The National Institutes of Health have funded over $20 million of research on TM over the last 20 years. Recently published clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown reductions in: high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, insulin resistance, anxiety, smoking, alcohol use and a nearly 50% reduction in risk of heart attack, stroke or death with practice of the TM technique.[viii] The technique has also been found to reduce physiological and pathological results of chronic stress.[ix][x]

The TM technique has been demonstrated to improve development and resilience in soldiers, to improve wellness, and to dramatically reduce burnout and symptoms of post-traumatic stress.[xi]

During TM practice, brain functioning becomes more integrated--individual modules are connected into larger, functioning networks. Development of brain integration and EEG coherence through TM has been correlated with improvements in attention, intelligence,[xii] creativity,[xiii] learning,[xiv] [xv] and memory[xvi]in all age groups.

On a day-to-day basis, significant, measurable, and efficient rest, and enhanced brain functioning, dramatically impact performance. As a disruptive technology used by a military unit, rest and improved brain functioning are, in essence, multiplied to affect the whole group. Human consciousness appears to exhibit a field character so that coherent sub-populations generate coherence in an underlying field of consciousness that spontaneously enlivens the same coherence in others in the environment."[xvii]

Twenty-three peer-reviewed studies have documented increased societal coherence or orderliness resulting from group practice of the TM and more advanced TM-Sidhi techniques, including measurable and significant reductions in crime, war and terrorism. The findings suggest that a sufficient number of people experiencing physiological correlates of brain coherence and stress reduction have the capacity to achieve drastic tension reduction within their units and within surrounding social groups.[xviii]

Militaries in Latin America deploying this preventive approach have already realized that, unlike Perry's prediction, IDT is not hard work. Developing nations in Latin America are driven by economic necessity. They realize that with IDT it is no longer necessary to dedicate a large portion of their GNP to defense. For them, the cost to implement IDT is less than that of a modern fighter jet. IDT also provides the added advantage of requiring minimal time and training to utilize. For this reason, it is highly cost-effective.

Bottom line, IDT functions as a disruptive technology by removing the individual and societal stresses that create enemies and that foster conflict. Scientific evidence reveals that the underlying cause of war, violence, crime and terrorism is high levels of collective societal stress. When the IDT technology is properly applied, stress levels throughout the surrounding population are rapidly reduced. Remove the stress, and potential enemies can find other, non-violent and less destructive ways to handle problems and differences.

IDT's societal calming effect is backed by studies carried out in the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.[xix] It has also been measured globally in a study published in the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation which used data provided by the Rand Corporation.[xx] During the years 1983 - 1985 when large groups of civilian IDT experts gathered together, terrorism-related casualties decreased 72%, international conflict decreased 32%, and overall violence was reduced in the family of nations, all without intrusion by other governments.

In 1983, a civilian IDT group stationed in Israel decreased the intensity of war in the Lebanon conflict by 45%, with results starting within just 48 hours. A summary of the study was published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution[xxi] (JCR) (see figure below taken from this pioneering study) and follow-up studies followed in the Journal of Social Behavior and Personality[xxii] and the Journal of Scientific Exploration.[xxiii]

As the group size of IDT experts varied day to day in nearby Jerusalem, Lebanon war-related fatalities varied in an inverse relationship to group size. When IDT participant numbers reached their highest point, war deaths dropped by 76% as IDT experts approached the theoretically predicted threshold of the square root of 1% of the population.

A longitudinal study replicated, extended, and improved on the JCR study examining seven assemblies of IDT practitioners over a two and a quarter year period at the height of the Lebanon war. Statistical analysis indicated:

 War-related fatalities decreased by 71%,

 War-related injuries fell by 68%,

 The level of conflict dropped by 48%, and

 Cooperation among antagonists increased by 66%.[xxiv]

These findings of the effects of reducing collective societal stress and conflict are the most rigorously established phenomenon in the history of social science research. The likelihood that these combined results were due to chance is less than one part in 1019.[xxv]

The figure above illustrates a highly statistically significant correlation between the number of participants in an IDT assembly and a composite index measuring progress toward peace and quality-of-life in Israel during August and September of 1983. When the number of participants rose, the intensity of the war in Lebanon decreased (p < 10-7).

Worldwide the experience with IDT has demonstrated growth of prosperity and increased economic incentives in highly stressed areas. Entrepreneurship and individual creativity also increase. Due to civilians' increased calmness, a more productive and balanced society emerges because its citizens' aspirations rise. Violence as an expression of discontent is naturally disallowed as a means for change.

Deployment of IDT brings about these positive changes in social trends within just a few weeks, or for some within a few days, after it is properly applied. The changes are indicated by such measures as reductions in terrorism, crime rates, infant mortality, accidents, hospital admissions, etc. After such profound societal changes occur, the ground for war and terrorism is eliminated. [xxvi]

How does Invincible Defense Technology Work?

The cycle of war (and terrorism when the war is fought underground) is caused by the build-up of social stress. In the past powerful and plentiful weaponry was meant to deter enemies. When deterrence failed, the military was called in to fight. Post-war, the fighting may have temporarily solved the problem by eliminating the symptoms. But there is a ticking time-bomb if the collective stress remains. Stress eventually builds up again, thus fueling future conflicts and wars. Consider today's challenge: terrorists know they cannot compete in a conventional war, so they use inexpensive terrorist attacks that are extremely difficult to predict, prevent or control with conventional war-making personnel and skill sets.

Latin American leaders have realized that, even if they could afford to finance a strong technologically superior military, they still would suffer from terrorism, war and casualties. Instead, they are choosing to adopt the IDT model where their military becomes not only strong (more resilient and focused troops), but more invincible by abating the collective social stress responsible for war and terrorism. With IDT the war cycle is broken because their military directly addresses the collective social stress and prevents or pacifies the enemy. It is in this sense that we can say their military becomes invincible: it no longer has an enemy it has to fight. No enemy means no war and no terrorism.

A quantitative advantage may have been relevant in the past for militaries dealing with conventional weaponry or even nuclear, biological or chemical weapons. However, since these weapons do not affect the underlying conditions that continuously foster conflicts and wars, they are not the solution needed.

A quantitative advantage is gained when a military deploys large numbers of IDT experts. The field effect thus produced provides a strategic advantage by protecting their nation. And, if the group is large enough, this advantage also benefits nearby nations because the larger field effect calms tensions in their countries as well, protecting everyone from potential adversaries.

IDT provides the ultimate level of autonomy--total freedom from external influence or control. This is the true level of independence. When IDT is properly applied, a powerful field effect of collective consciousness is created. Any intentions for enemies to commit hostile acts are deflected by more powerful influences of collective consciousness. This naturally happens in a process similar to the Meissner Effect; where a superconducting magnetic field repels the influence of an intrusive external magnetic field.[xxvii]

To the DoD's credit, the practical component of IDT, the TM technique, is being utilized and investigated as a means to alleviate PTSD and build resilience. The technique has been proven and adopted as part of the training of America's future commanders at Norwich University, [xxviii] the nationally-respected, and oldest military academy in the USA. [xxix] In addition, some US warriors with PTSD learned the TM technique as part of their treatment at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center. [xxx]

Regarding utilizing the more advanced practices of IDT to prevent terrorism and war; little headway has been made with a few exceptions. Col. Brian Rees, a respected retired US Army Command Surgeon who was featured in Stripes and published in Military Medicine, [xxxi] published his US Army War College (USAWC) Masters research paper on the topic of IDT--"The Application of Strategic Stress Management in Winning the Peace." [xxxii] Later an IDT synopsis titled: "An Overlooked, Proven Solution to Terrorism" was published in a USAWC sponsored report titled: "55 Trends Now Shaping the Future of Terrorism." [xxxiii]

The US military would create five Prevention Wings of the Military, one for each border of the country, set up near the borders of East, West, North and South, and one in the center of the country. [xxxiv]

IDT cannot be used against a country, except in the sense that if a possible adversary or trouble-spot is identified, the IDT could be applied locally in that area by locating members of the IDT experts at U.S. bases or in cooperation with allies. If the US did not have Prevention Wings or if for some reason they were not operational and tensions rose in the US, neighboring countries could use their Prevention Wings to lower tension. If one considers that if a large enough Prevention Wing were established somewhere that exceeded at least the square root of one percent of the world's population, then a country anywhere in the world could lower tensions not only in their nation, but worldwide.

The international classic, Sun Tzu's Art of War, advises that it is better to win without fighting,[xxxv] which is why militaries are now deploying IDT as a proven technology to harness the most powerful level of natural law to gain victory. It is time for the US military to use IDT to achieve the highest ideal of professionalism--preventing the birth of an enemy.

About the authors:

Lt. Gen. Clarence E. McKnight, Jr., (U.S. Army Ret.) graduated from West Point in 1952. He served in the Korean War and commanded two Signal Battalions in Vietnam. He commanded three Signal Battalions in Europe, including commander, 5th Signal Command/deputy chief of staff for communications-electronics, U.S. Army Europe. He served as commandant of the U.S. Army Signal Center and School, and commander, U.S. Communications Command. He served tours of Ft. Gordon, Georgia, and Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, and concluded his career as Director of Command, Control and Communications Systems for the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C.

Dr. David Leffler has a Ph.D. in Consciousness-Based Military Defense and has served as an Associate of the Proteus Management Group at the Center for Strategic Leadership, US Army War College. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director at the Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS) and lectures and writes worldwide about IDT. Dr. Leffler's latest editorial "Creating an Invincible Military" was featured in Fox News. He is available on Twitter and Facebook.

Duncan Brown, M.A. is co-director of the Center for Leadership Performance in Chicago, co-leading a course entitled Physician Wellness through the Transcendental Meditation technique at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Duncan has experience as a writer, editor, newspaper reporter, trainer and network engineer. He is also a part-time professional movie reviewer.

Carla Brown, Ed.D. is a Harvard-trained adjunct professor at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and co-director of the Center for Leadership Performance in Chicago. She co-leads Physician Wellness through the Transcendental Meditation technique at Loyola Stritch. She is a researcher, mentor, trainer, speaker and group facilitator.




Guwahati : Security forces on Monday had apprehended two militants belonging to NDFB (S) in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district, officials said.

Following a tip-off, police and army had jointly launched operation at Roumari reserve forest area near Moran and nabbed the militant duo.

A top police official said that, the nabbed militants were took shelter at the reserve forest and they were identified as Ranjit Daimary and Prakash Bodo.

Security personnel had recovered one 9mm pistol with 9 rounds ammunition and a point 22mm pistol with 10 rounds ammunition in possession from them.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Stephen Popkin, who has 32 years of experience in health-care management, has been selected as the next CEO of Lompoc Valley Medical Center.
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Transmission opens with a selection of provocative, disturbing and benign images, a tip of the hat to classical conditioning or aversion therapy. The audience is being prepped for the story. Then the Radetzky March, OP 288 from Johann Strauss Sr. accompanies the title card. It is a rousing chorus that bookends the short film.

Leonard is being held in a bunker and Dr. Sam visits him, spewing largess like breathing. James Hyland as Dr. Sam is the key to this short films success. With only three players in the short Hyland does the bulk of the talking and as the auditor to Michael Shons Leonard. Filmmakers Varun Raman and Tom Hancock wrote Transmission at the height of the refugee crisis, which was followed in turn by Brexit and other geo-political kerfuffles and fuck-ups.

Dr. Sam is the embodiment of those political powers that are preying on our fears, offering no real security in return. Only when Leonard signs on the dotted line is he granted his freedom, but at what cost. Leonard escapes into his memories of his love, Joan, played by Kelby Keenan. But it is Hyland who really sells it. Enigmatic and maniacal, he lures you into comfort and just as quickly kicks the chair out from underneath you.

Transmission is a dystopian short film with winks and nods to Kubrick, Gilliam perhaps, with some of the color pastiche of dare I say it, Channel 4s Utopia. They shot Transmission on 35mm so that richness and warmth is prevalent with even a couple scratches along the way. Minimizing movement save for some outdoor shots the camera only ever moves when Leonard finds himself in any peril.

Visually creative and stimulating, anchored by a superb performance from James Hyland Transmission brings classic dystopian cinema to the modern era.

Transmission had its International Premiere in the Celluloid Experiments program last night.
If you happen to like -- or LOVE -- holiday-themed horror films, pre-order the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray release of Better Watch Out. The story (which was formerly titled Safe Neighborhood) revolves around a babysitter about to move away. For one last night, she agrees to watch a boy who has a crush on her to help clear her mind of stress. However, the minutes tick by and she has the most stressful night of her life, as the home is invaded by a killer. Think Home Alone if it were a serial killer movie.

I spoke to director Chris Peckover about the film during its well-received screening at Fantasia 2017.

ScreenAnarchy: How did BETTER WATCH OUT come about?

Chris Peckover: It started with my American producers Brion Hambel and Paul Jensen. They brought this script to me written by Zack Kahn. They asked if I was interested in directing it and I had ideas for shifting it. Zack and I worked on the script together and took it in a different direction.

What changed from the original script?

The twist was still the same, but it was about 60 pages after and I thought what came after the twist was way more interesting, so we kind of flipped things around. We also added the character Garrett, who wasnt in the film originally. That brought a wonderful dynamic that wasn't there before. But from the very beginning, I thought the twist was a million dollar twist.

We finished the script and were contacted by Brett Thornquest, whos based out of Sydney.

It just so happens that aside from being born in Montreal and being a Canadian citizen, Im an Australian citizen because my mom is Australian. So he said if youre Australian, we can get this made for a much bigger budget here in Australia than what youll get in the US. And he followed through.

Brett and his producing partner Shane Abbess had connections to huge people in Australia: my production designer was the supervising art director of Mad Max: Fury Road. He couldn't even make the wrap party because he had to leave to be the supervising art director on Thor: Ragnarok. His name is Richard Hobbs and he was one of many people on the film that I should not have access to as a low-budget horror movie filmmaker, but everyone loved the script.

What was it like having these titans on your crew?

Amazing; everyone kind of surrounded me. It was a great safety net to have all these incredible people around me. It's like when you meet your favorite actor and realize how much of just a regular person they are, especially in Australia, where nobody has a giant ego. Everybody takes the piss out of each other constantly.

I would love to move to Sydney sometime, because the people there are so humble and emotionally generous. It was the opposite of what I was used to. With the filmmakers there, it felt like a bunch of people lovingly crafting something from scratch and kind of figuring out how to do things. I made a lot of friends for life.

The film used to have the name SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD. Why the change?

Its the most bizarre connection. My boyfriend Darwin was friends with someone he met at a music festival named Josh Olson. Darwin was posting stuff about my movies online and Josh, who happens to love horror movies, came to an early screening of the film.

He came over after the screening ended and introduced himself like this: You dont know who I am, but I'm about to make your life awesome, because I am currently winning awards for all my trailers that I made for Don't Breathe. I love your film and I know why you're having a hard time finding distribution right now. Its because no one knows how to market your film.

He took me out for beers and and for three hours, we talked. He took me through phase one, two, and three. And you know, now I'm best friends with him and we hang out all the time. Hes already changed the title for my next movie! I asked him to co-produce everything I do from now on, hes brilliant. Im going to send my shot list to him for the next film, because he wanted to know the top ten moments he should fight for when making the trailer. Its like working for the Godfather.

Ha! Is he Italian by any chance?

No! (Answers in Marlon Brandos Godfather voice:) I do this for you. I only ask for one thing in return I do this on the day of my daughters wedding. I say, My God, what do you want? (Returns to Brandos voice:) Money, you idiot.

Lets talk about your actors, who are excellent. How did you find them and did you make the lead (Levi Miller who plays Luke) pass some sort of psychopath test?

So one of the things about the Australian government is that it pays back $0.40 for every dollar you spend but it means that every single person you cast just about has to be Australian. So I not only scoured Australia for the roles, I also scoured the US because we didnt know who could handle the roles.

In hindsight, it was pretty stupid of me to write a project where it needed to be held together by teenagers. You forget this when you're watching the film that it's two 12-year-olds and a 17-year-old captivating your attention, because Levi and Ed and Olivia are the best teenage actors in Australia. I got really lucky because just happened to get all three of them.

Theyre amazing.

Oh my God. And Levi came to US. He said: I have not gotten to show off my range, and I want this role. To his credit, he auditioned and I ended up using something he did in the audition; he pantomimed a gun with his finger and he brushed it across his lips. It gave me chills. But not to give too much away, the 12-year-old will have a gun at some point.

Olivia DeJonge, who plays Ashley, is so expressive without saying a word.

Gosh, Olivia is incredible. Youre going to hear a lot about Levi and Ed because theyre two 12-year-olds doing this crazy stuff, but she has a really tough role where she's got a twelve-year-old who's basically trying to hook up with her. So she's got to be a strong adult figure without coming off as mean or negative.

By the way, I'm sure your readers are going to be so irritated that we keep dancing around the plot. There are whole scenes where she doesn't get to say anything, but you know exactly what shes thinking. I didnt realize this when I was writing, but she has to basically emote with just the top half of her face.

You fall in love with the character so early on and you're so worried for her the whole time, but she doesn't seem like the victim of the situation. She's kind of pretty much one step ahead of them at any given moment. I love her. Shes going to be a giant star at any moment.

I imagine that stunts were complicated. Tell me about the stunt choreography you had to do.

You know, speaking of great crew members I got to work with, George Saliba who worked on The Matrix films and The Hobbit films ... You know, hes so humble that would never say this, but he had to step in sometimes on The Hobbit films and coordinate wire stunts for hundreds of people.

Theres so many wire stunts in our film, but you would never know. Ed and Levi and Olivia did a lot of stunts. You know what the funny thing about actors and stunts is? George told them that theyd want to start acting when being in front of the camera doing stunts. He said: Stunts first. Dont act, because you're going to try to change it, and youll get hurt.

Olivia was such a trooper. She got a nice big bang on the head at one point during a fight outside and she's such a tough cookie, she rubbed her forehead, shook it off, and said, Lets keep going. Im going to do stunts first now, act second. Everything looked great, thanks to George. Again, on a tiny budget with little rehearsal time, we pulled off a lot.

Without spoiling anything, I felt really sad when something unfortunate happens to the character Ricky. I wasnt expecting that; there was a more emotional connection than I thought there was going to be.

I know, right? He has a good speech before that thing happens. Even though there are all these hints leading up to that event, its still shocking because you dont expect a 12-year-old to do that.

Was there ever a version where Levi didnt get away with all of those things? The film feels cynical because he just gets away with so many things.

Theres a fine line where you can beat down an audience, but only so much, and thats what makes the payoff that much greater. Theres a catharsis where the audience doesnt get what they think they want. And then they finally do, and its even better that way.

I was hoping youd say something like that.

Its a dangerous line to tow and you have be ON. You just want to punch him in the face!

Was there anything you cut for pacing?

No. I didnt know this about myself, but Im a brutal editor. The script was 95 minutes long and I cut it to 82 minutes. Universal asked us to add two minutes back in for TV deals to happen. Hopefully, people didnt feel that two minutes [missing], but sometimes I do.

As a writer and director, youd think Id be very precious about that. Or test screenings. I LOVE doing test screenings. They can get used as manipulations when the producers and director disagree. But I love seeing how the film plays. I dont think of myself as a brilliant auteur who needs to grace the screen. Its science. Im STILL learning things about the film.

What did you take away from last nights screening?

The Fantasia crowd is so generous. I counted five ovations in the film, I think thats a new record. I was moved. I wish that more people that had worked on the film could have been here. There was one dude in a giant Christmas stocking in the front row and dozens of people wearing Santa hats! Everyone got in the mood! I know theyre doing it for themselves, but they dont know what that means to a filmmaker. Im very thankful.

Well, your cast and crew will see the photos you took and maybe a recording of the Q&A. They could go on the DVD as extras.

Yeah. I had so much fun last night. As for extras, I was ruthless in the editing room, so there arent any deleted scenes. When you have really good actors, they can get across pages of a script with just one look.

Youd never be able to predict whats needed, but its good to have it on the page just in case. Everyone was so good with their character that I got to cut stuff that made the pacing faster.

Like a lot of psychopaths, Luke was obsessed with his mother to a certain point. Was everything he did a means to an end in terms of earning her affection?

Whenever a teenage does something bad, people look for something to blame. Rock and roll. Video games. The mother. The teachers. Im not going to say why hes doing what hes doing, but Ill say that I wanted it to be any one of those things. In the end, we dont know why people do what they do, but it sure is something fun to think about.

Tell me about your previous film.

On my first film, we only played Fantastic Fest in 2010 and we got distribution. It was a found footage movie that had a big twist in it. IFC picked it up. Its called Undocumented, a faux documentary that everybody this year has told me it came out seven years too soon, because its about immigration.

Its a very different film than Better Watch Out. Its an emotionally brutal film. If you like going there, if you liked Requiem for a Dream, those kinds of films that are hard to sit through but good, youll like it.

Is there anything else youd like to share?

Its really hard to read about this movie, because we keep dancing around the plot. So far, everyone has been great about not giving the film away. If youre going to see this movie, read as little about it as possible before seeing it. This movie is a dish best served cold.

I cant talk much about my next project, but I can say that its my first time delving into the supernatural after so many horrors of the heart. I have some incredibly exciting people on it and I cant wait to share the news when we can.
Two warring gangs agree to meet and exchange prisoners, unaware that each group harbors a deadly secret.

Christopher Zattas action short Imbroglio works quickly to establish our two groups of characters before they are about to make the prisoner exchange. As discoveries about each other are made, things go tits up real fast and get very bloody. A knife fight in the kitchen. A shoot out in the paddock. Once those secrets are revealed, a lot of people die quickly.

The action in Imbroglio is more so a shootout, in a gated enclosure, than any other type of action. But you do not cast Zoe Bell and not let her get into a melee. So no sooner has Zoe Bell entered through a back window and she gets into a quick but holy fuck gruesome knife fight and is covered with the blood of her vanquished foe. The sound effects work in this less than a minute melee border on sickening, they are that good.

Zatta displays excellent control over the speed of his action, utilizing high-speed cameras to capture reactions and some falls. Here, every time he uses it, it feels right. I also appreciate how low Zatta places his camera throughout most of his short film, hardly ever going higher than the heads of his cast, but mostly around the midsection and lower. It places us beneath the action, beneath the players, establishing prominence over the viewer. In a way it makes the action bigger, playing over and near our heads.

What also caught my eye was that most of the gang members do not look particularly threatening, as if they are almost plucked from the blue-collar sales catalogue. They nearly look like the commoners that Hollywood faux gangsters would use and abuse on their rise up the crime food chain. The short does not have to explain what each gang does in the world of crime but these two have definitely crossed paths, have a history, and will meet for the last time.

There is a hint of dark humor at the end as well, which I cannot comment on lest it ruin the surprise.

Christopher Zatta's short film and proof of concept Imbroglio had its World Premiere at the festival last week.
The Lost Episode Festival Toronto (LEFT), the little film festival here in Toronto that could, is gearing for its fifth edition at the Magic Lantern Carlton Cinema. Always boasting an eclectic lineup this year proves to be no exception featuring some festival gems, international favorites and indie upstarts. The festival runs the weekend of August 10th through 13th.

The lineup features Trent Hagga's SXSW flick 68 Kill. One of the most hilarious movies I have seen this year Ron Goossens - Low Budget Stuntman is playing this year. Canadian zombie flick Dead Shack pays a visit to the neighbor(hood). For a festival that only runs one weekend you will find something that will scratch your fantastic cinema itch.

Also this year the festival is teaming up with our friends from the local drinking game group Drunken Cinema to host a 30th anniversary screening of Cherry 2000, the 80s post apocalyptic flick starring Melanie Griffith. Local folk who are in the loop know that Drunken Cinema events are always a riot. One big drunken riot!

Here are all the films and the screening times for the festival. There is a link for ticket purchases below!
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It remains unclear which tech titan will take over running Uber following Travis Kalanick's recent departure, but the ride-share company founder and former CEO wants back in.

According to Recode, Kalanick told several people that he plans on "Steve Jobs-ing it." Steve Jobs-ing it is apparently when a fired CEO triumphantly returns to the company he or she founded. It remains unclear if Kalanick invented this phrase or if it's a thing. Please advise in the comments.

(3/3) We have a lot of work still to do at HPE and I am not going anywhere. Uber's CEO will not be Meg Whitman.  Meg Whitman (@MegWhitman) July 28, 2017

Recode's sources reveal that now that former eBay CEO Meg Whitman is no longer in the running to run Uber, the shortlist is all-male and mostly white. "If there was no hair on this dog, this would be a no brainer for anyone to take this job. But this is the hairiest company anyone has ever seen," said an unnamed insider.

Names knocked around for Kalanick's former job that he wants back include GE's former CEO Jeff Immelt, but it's rumored he doesn't really want the job. Uber carries a ton of baggage, including numerous current lawsuits and possibly more to come, miserable public relations problems, and a notorious culture of creepy juvenile behavior and sexual harassment. We've already talked about this ongoing prob.

Read up on all of our previous coverage of Travis Kalanick.

Following his ouster from Uber, Recode reports that Kalanick toured Tahiti on Barry Diller's yacht with Anderson Cooper (!!!), but upon his return, is still itching to get back to work running Uber.

A post shared by future_hub (@future_hub) on Jun 12, 2017 at 1:34pm PDT

Explains Recode:



In addition, to cut off Kalanick's access, the Uber board has reinforced a policy that all directors get the same limited access to information about Uber's ongoing operations. 'We have had to put guardrails on him,' said one person involved. 'Even if he keeps trying to break through them.' Indeed, Kalanick was considered by many directors and investors to be obstructive to the process of finding a COO before his departure as CEO.

"If you think about it, Uber has been his life and it's only more so with his terrible personal situation. Giving up Uber is not easy," said a source close to Kalanick, referencing the recent death of Kalanick's mother in a boating accident.

Another insider noted, "Travis would have to blow it up completely to get his job back. And maybe he is crazy enough to do that, but he'd better bring a lot more ammo."

Well, the New York Times doesn't find Kalanick's possibility of returning "crazy," saying of the search team for Uber's next CEO, "That group did not include Mr. Kalanick. He and several of his allies had a competing agenda that included their own preferred candidates for the top job and the possibility of returning Mr. Kalanick into an operational role, perhaps even as chief executive. His surrogates had also recently begun talks with the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank about an investment in Uber that could provide Mr. Kalanick a route to regaining power."

More details on all of this, especially that Tahiti trip, as they emerge.

Related: Nobody Wants To Be Uber's Next CEO
The story of a stolen children's amusement ride that came out yesterday has come to a swift conclusion after the owner's posted about it on social media and someone quickly was able to point them to its location.

As ABC 7 reports, Amanda Sossamon of Fun and Game Experts in Pleasant Hill posted a message to Facebook Sunday about the purloined trailer in which they kept the $60,000 electric train ride that they had just been ferrying happy kids around in at the Alameda County Fair on Saturday.

The post was shared and spotted by Laura McCollum-Perkins of Danville, who shared the post herself and then headed to a yoga class in Walnut Creek. She explains, "And it was just sitting there in the driveway at the yoga studio and it was just crazy. I'm like, 'That can't be it.'"

Well, it was it, the same black trailer with the license plate 4NN4556, and it seems as though the thieves damaged the trailer's tires in the process of stealing and towing it, and they only made it as far as Walnut Creek, where they dumped it.

Perhaps, also, they looked and said "What the hell are we going to do with a kids' train ride?"

Sossamon lamented the loss of their "beautiful train" and pleaded with friends to be on the lookout for it. She and her husband now run the amusements company that was started by her parents 26 years ago, and they were concerned about not being able to fulfill bookings for the ride that they had for the month of August.

"We can't thank everyone enough," Sossamon tells NBC Bay Area.

Also, the company is immediately installing some security cameras.

Husband Eric Sossamon tells ABC 7, "I'm a believer in social media now. If you would have asked me last Saturday, I would have said, 'Facebook is kind of a waste of time. Why do you guys do that?' I get it now."
Please scroll down for updates.

A woman was rushed to an area hospital with serious injuries Sunday afternoon, after police say that an unknown attacker doused her with bleach.

The assault happened at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, on the first block of Mason Street, which is between Market and Eddy Streets.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, the 57-year-old female victim was sitting on the sidewalk, when a man in his 20s approached her.

Suddenly, the man poured bleach on her face, police say.

The woman, who police say suffered "loss of vision" following the assault, was transported to the hospital with what police say are life-threatening injuries . As of publication time, an update on the victim's condition was not available.

The suspect, who apparently fled the scene, remains at large, and police confirm that no arrests have been made in the case.

Update 12:46 p.m.: In an email sent to media, SFPD spokesperson Officer Grace Gatpandan writes that she was incorrect when she told news outlets that the victim had suffered life-threatening injuries. "She has non-life-threatening injuries. Sorry for the confusion," Gatpandan says.
Gulping nervously for air and sweating profusely, Georg Elser set sticks of dynamite into a basement crevice and attached a ticking timer to the charge. On Nov. 8, 1939, two months into World War II, Elser planted the bomb in the Munich beer hall where Hitler conducted his annual address to party comrades on the anniversary of the failed putsch that propelled him from local rabble-rouser to the national spotlight.

13 Minutes Starring Christian Friedel

Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel

Rated R

But with the diabolical luck that accompanied Hitler up until the end, he left the hall 13 minutes before the bomb went off. The time between his departure and the explosion provides the name for the film based on those events by German director Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall), 13 Minutes.

Quietly haunting the film, Christian Friedel portrays Elser as determined to maintain his dignity and conscience under unconscionable conditions. Elser has been chalked up as an enigma in the history books, a lone bomber acting from uncertain motives, and a nimbus of mystery clings to him throughout 13 Minutes. Elser is accurately depicted as a Christian who hung around with Communists but never joined the partyand as a suave proletarian ladies man, a dancer and a musician and as much a bohemian as his small-town life allowed.

Not improbably, the Elser of 13 Minutes is a pacifist finally driven to kill in the name of peace. He has deep remorse for the casualties he caused, including a waitress, but regrets that Hitler, driven by some unnamable impulse, cut his speech short and exited before the blast that surely would have claimed him.

With a strong sense of the past seeping into the present, much of Elsers story is revealed in flashbacks triggered by incidents during his captivity. His bomb may have been well made but his escape was ill planned. After he was arrested, Elser is subjected to medieval tortures, the worst of it barely off screen. Hirschbiegel depicts a fissure in Germanys officialdom in the attitudes of police official Arthur Nebe and his Gestapo counterpart. Nebe is shown as a professional cop concerned with establishing the truth. He believes Elsers profession of acting alone. But as the Gestapo insists, We create the truththe Fuhrer believes it was a conspiracy and they are determined to force Elser to confess to being part of a network. The relatively sympathetic portrayal of Nebe will be controversial.

Aside from painting a plausible portrait of Elser, 13 Minutes excels in depicting the process that drove the would-be assassin to build his bombthe Nazification of everyday life in Germany. The party boss in Elsers town praises Hitler as the avatar of progress and technology and promises new streets paved and lit and a radio in every home. Hitler delivered on those promises even as he plotted the war and genocide that killed millions and left the continent in ruins.
 Expand Milwaukee's Industrial Workers of the World are hosting a discussion titled "The Fire Inside" @ the Milwaukee Public Library on Monday, Aug. 7 from 6-9 p.m.

The Shepherd Express serves as a clearinghouse for all activities in the greater Milwaukee area that peacefully push back against discriminatory, reactionary or authoritarian actions and policies of the Trump administration and other activities that seek to thwart social justice. We will publicize and promote actions, demonstrations, planning meetings, teach-ins, party-building meetings, drinking-discussion get-togethers or any other actions that are directed toward fighting back to preserve our liberal democratic system.

Thursday, August 3

Resilience for Activists @ CORE/El Centro

130 W. Bruce St.

6 p.m.

This event aims to teach activists how to sustain your energy and faith while having realistic expectations of yourself and your abilities. It will be facilitated by Julie Henszey, a member of the Citizen Action Healthcare for All co-op and expert in goal achievement, resilience and influence.

Saturday, Aug. 5

Voter and Civic Engagement Campaign @ Accion Ciudadana de Wisconsin

221 S. Second St.

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Accion Ciudadana de Wisconsin, Latino Voting Bloc of Wisconsin and Citizen Action of Wisconsin are coming together to organize a weekly Saturday campaign of knocking on doors and phone banking to get people thinking about the 2018 elections. Volunteers can go out and talk to voters about the issues that they care about and get them involved in different events happening in the community.

March on Milwaukee 50th: History Harvest @ Wisconsin Black Historical Society

2620 W. Center St.

12-4 p.m.

Inspired by local civil rights leaders organizing listening posts to record accounts of police neglect, harassment and brutality in 1967, the March on Milwaukee 50th Oral History Committee is organizing four History Harvests, designed to unearth local stories from Milwaukees civil rights movement.

Monday, Aug. 7

Fire Inside Discussion @ Milwaukee Public Library

310 W. Locust St.

6-9 p.m.

Milwaukees Industrial Workers of the World are hosting a discussion on ending prison slavery and supporting rebellions and resistance with organizers of the historic September 9, 2016, nationally coordinated prisoner strike and protest and prisoner leaders calling in from inside.

Tuesday, Aug. 8

Southeastern Wisconsin NORML Monthly Meeting @ Milwaukee Public Library

814 W. Wisconsin Ave.

6-7:30 p.m.

The Southeastern Wisconsin branch of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) will hold their monthly meeting and discuss ways to make Wisconsin more economically, socially and judicially more sustainable through updated marijuana policy.

Wednesday, Aug. 9

Refuel the Resistance @ Bounce Milwaukee

2801 S. Fifth Court

5-8 p.m.

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Every Wednesday, Bounce Milwaukee offers a space to organize (and a free drink) to anyone who brings evidence of resistance action in the past week, including protest signs, an email to an elected official or a selfie at the capital.

To submit to this column, please send a brief description of your action, including date and time, to savingourdemocracy@shepex.com. Together, we can fight to minimize the damage that this administration has planned for our great country.
The Dark Tower (Rated PG-13)

Over the past decade, numerous efforts to bring Stephen Kings eight-novel series to the big screen fizzled before the project found a home at Sony. Planned as a film trilogy linked with a TV series, the action unfolds in both present-day New York City and in an Old West parallel universe. Young Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) joins gunslinger Roland Deschain (Idris Elba) in protecting the universe from a sorcerer known as the evil Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey). The sorcerer seeks to gain control over The Dark Tower, a mysterious structure underpinning various realities. Blending elements of magic, old-school gun skills and spiritualism, hopefully Kings world springs to life onscreen.

Detroit (Rated R)

Director Kathryn Bigelows film is set in 1967 as white America grappled with implementing civil rights laws. Following the unnecessarily rough handling of African American patrons of an unlicensed Detroit tavern, the black community revolts with riots, firebombs and looting. Michigan State Police and the National Guard are called in to contain the situation, but racism runs rampant through the ranks of the local police. The story focuses on the infamous incident at the Algiers Motel, an unforgettable and deeply disturbing event. Hopefully, rather than incite anger, this depiction helps us realize some of the great strides made by our culture during the past 40 years.

Kidnap (Rated R)

After several seasons pursuing her missing son on TVs Extant, Halle Berry is at it again in Kidnap. Karla Dyson (Berry) and her young son are enjoying an afternoon in the park when the lad is suddenly spirited away in a blue car. Having lost her cell phone, Karla hops into her maroon minivan, relentlessly pursuing her son and his abductor, whose vehicle has no license plates. The chase takes her through seemingly impossible driving sequences as she risks everything to retrieve her boy. The film depends on Berrys ability to sell Karlas mix of grit and terror.
 Expand Photo credit: Prachatai (Flickr CC)

Editor's Note: The following are Joel McNallys opinions. We agree with his observations and his cautions. The Shepherds position is that, since Wisconsin has had a dismal job creation record over the past several years, we embrace the idea of taking a risk with Foxconn. We hope that Foxconn delivers close to the number of jobs it is estimating, and we believe that the Walker administration could improve its deal by requiring Foxconn to abide by DNR regulations and, rather than making the annual $200 million tax credit a refundable tax credit, it should be a non-refundable tax credit that can be carried forward.

Why do you think its called Foxconn? Politics aside, everyone who cares about Wisconsin really wants to believe all those gushing promises about the staggering number of high-paying jobs about to be created by a gargantuan high-tech facilitythree times as large as the Pentagonguaranteed to transform Racine and Kenosha into a modern-day version of Walt Disneys Tomorrowland. But it sure would be a lot easier to believe if the breathless announcement hadnt been made jointly by President Donald Trump, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Terry Gou, chairman of the Taiwanese electronics company Foxconn, all three notorious public liars.

Many people are familiar with the dubious veracity of Trump and Walker. The Washington Posts running tally of Trumps documented lies and misrepresentations averages nearly five a day. Walker once attempted to remove the search for truth from the mission of the University of Wisconsin and then lied about trying to do it. But most Wisconsinites are just starting to learn about Gous stream of broken promises around the world to spend billions of dollars to create tens of thousands of jobs$10 billion in Brazil, $5 billion in India, $5 billion in Vietnam, $1 billion in Indonesia, $30 million in Pennsylvaniathat came to little or nothing. He sounds like Trump and Walkers brother from another mother.

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An early warning sign the Wisconsin announcement might produce far less than the mind-boggling claims was the mysteriously shrinking number of promised jobs. In January, around the time of Trumps inauguration, Gou announced he might invest at least $7 billion in the U.S. to create 30-50,000 jobs producing flat LCD screens for TVs and computers. By the time Walker made the announcement, Gous investment was claimed to be $10 billion producing only 13,000 jobs. Even that number appeared to be inflated by Walker. Foxconn said it would only be hiring 3,000 workers over four years, and eventually that number might potentially grow up to 13,000. Someday. Maybe. Or maybe not.

Walker has a history of promising unbelievable jobs numbers that never happen. Walkers motive for fabricating Foxconn numbers is obvious. A transformational, once-in-a-century jobs coup is the perfect start to the re-election campaign of a governor whose greatest political liability is his failed jobs record.

But, while many of those jobs could be imaginary, the historic $3 billion (thats billion with a b) state tax giveaway Walker wants his eager Republican legislature to hand to Foxconn is real, hard cash. If Foxconn makes its promised investment, Wisconsin would literally write checks for more than $200 million a year for the next 15 years to Gous multi-billion-dollar company.

A Guaranteed Loser for the State

Good Jobs First, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C. research group that tracks government subsidies to private companies, ranked it as the fourth-largest tax incentive deal in U.S. history and unlikely ever to produce enough revenue to justify the enormous cost. We can only describe this as a gift from Wisconsin taxpayers to Foxconn shareholders, Executive Director Greg LeRoy told The New York Times. This is a guaranteed loser for the state.

Walker swears state safeguards protect taxpayers. If Foxconn doesnt create 13,000 jobs, he said, it wont get all of its $3 billion windfall, and anybody who raises questions about the deal can go suck lemons. But when, exactly, over the next decade-and-a-half would Wisconsin decide Foxconn isnt creating enough jobs and stop writing $200 million dollar checks? After Foxconns first billion in five years if its only created the 3,000 jobs it promised? After the second billion? And what kind of deal is paying a billion dollars to create 3,000 jobs, anyway? In 2010, with what would now be the second-largest Wisconsin subsidy, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle saved 3,000 jobs at Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac for a mere $65 million (with an m).

Politicians are always thrilled to attract high-tech jobs of the future. But high-tech factories almost always mean far fewer jobs. Foxconns biggest investments are likely to be in robotics. Foxconn recently announced laying off 60,000 workers at its iPhone 6 factory in Kushan, Chinamore than 50% of the workforcereplacing them with robotic advanced technology, also produced by Foxconn.

One of the attractions of Wisconsin for Gou was the anti-union, anti-worker culture Walker has brought to the state. Thats disturbing given Foxconns reputation as a dangerous, high-stress work environment. Chinese workers complain of working seven days a week and standing for long hours on swelling legs. In 2010, there was a suicide cluster of 18 workers throwing themselves from Foxconn buildings, with 14 deaths. Foxconn installed safety nets to catch the falling bodies. Two years later, 150 workers threatened mass suicide from the roof of one factory before they were talked down.

Do Walkers state safeguards for Foxconns Magic Kingdom include suicide nets? Mass suicides can put a real crimp in a states workforce development.
This year marks the 43rd annual Morning Glory Fine Craft Fair. The festival has become a mainstay of downtown Milwaukee summers, with original, handcrafted treasures from more than 100 talented and skilled artists.

The nationally recognized, free admission event runs Aug. 12-13 from 10 a.m.5 p.m. along the Milwaukee Riverwalk, spanning the grounds of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts and spreading east across Water St. to Red Arrow Park.

The juried show admits only a select group of artists who meet strict criteria and demonstrate a high level of quality, creativity and originality.

Visitors will find a plethora of custom pieces available for purchase that range from museum-quality furniture to hand-made stoneware vessels to bead woven jewelry and hand painted silk scarves. 12 different categories of fine craft are represented  ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, photography, print making, sculpture and wood.

Many people dont understand the fine craft distinction, explains Bob Dickey, president of the Wisconsin Designer Crafts Council, who hosts the event. Fine craft artisans are those who spend years learning and perfecting their art. They combine a high level of artistic design with impeccable craftsmanship.

This Years Special Feature  Skyscrapers

Morning Glory is continuing its popular iMaGine project with a focus on skyscrapers. In a variety of media, Morning Glory artists will present their unique representations and interpretations of a skyscraper.

This years theme is a nod to building boom downtown Milwaukee is currently experiencing. New buildings, skyscrapers and attractions will soon dot the citys skyline, including the Milwaukee Bucks Arena, Northwestern Mutual Tower and The Couture.

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There were nearly 40 events at LaunchPad Children's Museum's Sloppy Science Celebration Sunday. Additionally, Sara Bunker's name was misspelled in a story that appeared on page A3 of Monday's Journal.

A guitar played and damaged by Elvis Presley was owned by Robert Johnson prior to his donating it to the National Music Museum. Larry Moss claimed he paid Johnson for the guitar but never took possession of it before it was donated. In a story on page D1 of Friday's Journal, the litigants' names were switched around.

There were 23 pedestrian deaths in Iowa in 2016, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. The number of 2016 deaths was reported incorrectly in a Des Moines Bureau story published in the Journal on June 25, based on information provided by the DOT.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | Burning furniture outside of a Storm Lake residence led to heavy damages to the home's exterior Monday.

Around 10 p.m., the Storm Lake Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 720 Otsego St.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed a burning couch and mattress outside the home, and the fire had spread to the side of the residence. Crews were able to extinguish the fire without further incident.

A press release said an investigation suggests that a recreational fire in a fire pit that was burning the night before smoldered and spread to items that had been stacked outside. The home was unoccupied as the occupants had moved out earlier in the day, the release said.

No injuries were reported. The residence sustained about $20,000 in damage, the release said.

The fire department was on scene for about 45 minutes and was assisted at the scene by the Storm Lake Police Department and Buena Vista County EMS, the release said.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | Tyson Foods has settled a 10-year-old class-action lawsuit in which workers at the company's Storm Lake pork plant were awarded $5.8 million in a case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the settlement, Tyson and the workers agreed to a process in which a third-party administrator will disburse the payments to the more than 3,900 current and former workers included in the suit.

The agreement means an end is in sight to a case that began in 2007, when Peg Bouaphakeo and other Tyson Storm Lake employees sued to collect back pay for the time they spent putting on and taking off protective work clothes and equipment before and after their work shifts.

"We're pleased this matter is nearing completion and has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the parties involved," Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said in an emailed statement Monday.

Mickelson said the average payout to each worker would be $1,700, and it's not yet known when payments will be distributed.

In 2011, a federal jury in Sioux City awarded the workers more than $5.8 million in overtime and damages. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision in 2014.

Tyson appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging the means by which the class-action was granted and whether statistics should have been allowed to determine damages for all employees. The Supreme Court in March 2016 voted 6-2 to reject new limits Tyson asked to have imposed on the ability of workers to band together to challenge pay and workplace issues.

After the Supreme Court ruling, Tyson lawyers sought a new trial to address liability and damages issues and ensure that workers included in the class-action were entitled to a share of the verdict. U.S. District Judge John Jarvey denied the request, saying the distribution formula ensured workers not entitled to damages would not receive a portion of the jury award and that because Tyson did not keep records on the amount of time workers spent donning and doffing the protective gear, the company invited the problem of how damages were determined by its failure to keep complete records, as required by law.
SIOUX CITY | With a contractor now in place, work on the second phase of a major road project in the city's Bridgeport area is expected to begin in two weeks.

The City Council on Monday voted 5-0 to accept a $2,161,737.78 bid from Steve Harris Construction of Homer, Nebraska, for the second of four phases in the Bridgeport road development project.

The project includes lane widening and traffic signal installation at key intersections in the area as well as a lengthened right-turn lane on Interstate 29 southbound's Singing Hills Boulevard exit. Engineers say they expect this phase of the project will bring relief to the oft-backed-up morning traffic turning onto the exit to access the industrial park and nearby businesses.

The council typically does not meet during the fifth Monday of the month but made an exception in July specifically to speed up the road construction process. The bid approval was the council's only voting item.

Public Works director Dave Carney told the council the contractor now expects to begin work Aug. 14. He said work should conclude in December.

One business representative at Monday's meeting -- Tom Schoening, marketing manager for Midwest Peterbilt Group -- said he supported an additional off-ramp lane, which he said "needed to be done a long time ago."

Schoening brought a diagram to show the council how traffic had been making illegal right turns using the left lane and said he hoped that the new lane could be completed early in the construction process.

"They're long overdue," he said.

The city is improving the roads to accommodate the influx of traffic brought by numerous expansion and development projects in the area, as well as the startup of the $300 million Seaboard Triumph Foods pork plant next month. The plant is expected to begin with a workforce of more than 1,000 employees and expand in future years to more than 2,000.

Phases three and four are expected to begin in early 2018. The project is 80 percent funded through an Iowa Department of Transportation Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy (RISE) program grant. The city and Seaboard Triumph Foods are splitting the remaining 20 percent.

This story has been updated with the correct information regarding addition of a longer turning lane at the Singing Hills Boulevard exit.
DES MOINES  Two top state officials said Monday theyre hoping escalating tensions over North Koreas nuclear program and missile tests wont undo the progress a trade delegation made during a just-completed mission to foster more markets for Iowa agricultural commodities.

Its an unstable situation, said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey, who joined Gov. Kim Reynolds as part of a 35-member all-Iowa agriculture trade mission that spent 10 days traveling to Shanghai, Xian and Beijing.

Theres no way to know how all this will play out, Northey added. Were hoping the North Korean tensions can get worked out and trade continues to improve.

The traveling Iowans were returning to the state last week when Pentagon officials confirmed North Korea had launched another long-range intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan on Friday  the second major test of the Asian nations nuclear capacity this year.

In response, U.S. officials flew two B-1B bombers over the Korean Peninsula in a joint maneuver with Japanese and South Korean jets, and President Donald Trump threatened trade action against China, saying he was very disappointed it had failed to pressure North Korea to halt the launches.

Reynolds said the North Korean tensions came up during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, Iowas former governor who stepped down in May to take the post in the Trump administration. She said he is working to find a U.S.-Chinese balance as the situation unfolds.

Its something that we constantly have to be aware of, Reynolds said. They are walking a fine line in China. They are sending troops to the border. They dont want North Korea to have nuclear capability, either, so theyre monitoring that, as well as balancing democracy with a unified Korea in the event the North Korean regime topples.

Reynolds called the trade mission an excellent trip and a good start in expanding shipments of Iowa agricultural products to China, including the resumption of U.S. beef imports and a Chinese decision to allow four new varieties of genetically modified corn and soybeans into the country, with prospects for more.

Im very optimistic about the opportunity moving forward, she said.

Northey said an advantage for Iowa is the positive U.S. ag trade balance within an overall trade imbalance with China. The corn, soybean, pork, beef, egg, poultry, dairy and turkey industries sent representatives to China for high-level conversations with government officials and industry partners, facilitated in part by Branstad.

I think everybody values the trade. The Chineses value their trade with the U.S. and recognize they need to improve that imbalance. So Im hopeful that we can continue to improve our agricultural trade, with the same token there definitely are some issues with North Korea that need to be addressed, said Northey.

Im sure there are lots of conversations going about  both open and quiet  and its hard to know exactly how its all going to play out. The challenge is getting everyones attention and Im sure thats what the president is trying to do, he added.
WASHINGTON -- Looking, as prudent people are disinclined to do, on the bright side, there are a few vagrant reasons for cheerfulness, beginning with this: Summer love is sprouting like dandelions. To the list of history's sublime romances -- Abelard and Heloise, Romeo and Juliet, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy -- add the torrid affair between Anthony Scaramucci and Donald Trump. The former's sizzling swoon for the latter is the most remarkable public display of hormonal heat since -- here a melancholy thought intrudes -- Jeff Sessions tumbled into love with Trump. Long ago. Last year.

Sessions serves at the pleasure of the president, who does not seem pleased. Still, sympathy for Sessions is in order: What is he to do? If dignity concerned him, he would resign; but if it did, he would not occupy a Trump-bestowed office from which to resign. Such are the conundrums of current politics. Concerning which, there is excessive gloom.

"To see what is in front of one's nose," George Orwell wrote, "needs a constant struggle." An unnoticed reason for cheerfulness is that in one, if only one, particular, Trump is something the nation did not know it needed -- a feeble president whose manner can cure the nation's excessive fixation with the presidency.

Executive power expanded, with only occasional pauses (thank you, Presidents Taft and Coolidge, of blessed memory), throughout the 20th century and has surged in the 21st. After 2001, "The Decider" decided to start a preventive war and to countenance torture prohibited by treaty and statute. His successor had "a pen and a phone," an indifference to the Constitution's Take Care Clause (the president "shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed") and disdain for the separation of powers, for which he was repeatedly rebuked by the Supreme Court.

Fortunately, today's president is so innocent of information that Congress cannot continue deferring to executive policymaking. And because this president has neither a history of party identification nor an understanding of reciprocal loyalty, congressional Republicans are reacquiring a constitutional -- a Madisonian -- ethic. It mandates a prickly defense of institutional interests, placing those interests above devotion to parties that allow themselves to be defined episodically by their presidents.

Furthermore, today's president is doing invaluable damage to Americans' infantilizing assumption that the presidency magically envelops its occupant with a nimbus of seriousness. After the president went to West Virginia to harangue some (probably mystified) Boy Scouts about his magnificence and persecutions, he confessed to Ohioans that Lincoln, but only Lincoln, was more "presidential" than he. So much for the austere and reticent first president, who, when the office was soft wax, tried to fashion a style of dignity compatible with republican simplicity.

Fastidious people who worry that the president's West Virginia and Ohio performances -- the alpha male as crybaby -- diminished the presidency are missing the point, which is: For now, worse is better. Diminution drains this office of the sacerdotal pomposities that have encrusted it. There will be 42 more months of this president's increasingly hilarious-beyond-satire apotheosis of himself, leavened by his incessant whining about his tribulations ("What dunce saddled me with this silly attorney general who takes my policy expostulations seriously?"). This protracted learning experience, which the public chose to have and which should not be truncated, might whet the public's appetite for an adult president confident enough to wince at, and disdain, the adoration of his most comically groveling hirelings.

Speaking of Scaramucci, and in his defense: His love interest, the president, was elected for his persona rather than his principles. Hence there is a vacuum at the center of the person who is at the center of the country's absurdly president-centric conception of government. Therefore, loyalty inevitably manifests itself as sycophancy. Nevertheless, the smitten Scaramucci is himself evidence of something encouraging: Upward social aspiration is still as American as Jay Gatsby.

When plighting his troth to Trump, Scaramucci repeatedly confessed his "love" for his employer, thereby exceeding Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's comparatively pallid testimonial to the president's "superhuman" health. Scaramucci grew up in Port Washington, the Long Island community that is East Egg in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." Gatsby lived in West Egg, yearning to live across the water, where shone the beckoning green light at the end of Daisy's dock. Scaramucci's ascent to a glory surpassing even that available in East Egg shows that the light on the lectern in the White House press room is, at last, something commensurate to his capacity for wonder.
SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa | Jan Harman has enjoyed condominium living for more than 40 years.

She's relished her Sergeant Bluff roots for longer than that.

Harman has now married those two interests in creating Baker Prairie Bluff, a new home development project that has started with the construction of five condominiums, including her own. Four are currently for sale.

In short order, the development will feature nine condominiums with more to be constructed as Harman develops an area that once was her family's farm.

"We are standing now on what used to be farm ground," said Harman, who noted how Baker Prairie Bluff derives its name from her family, a prairie and the bluff.

"This was eight feet of prairie grass," said Harman, who divides her time between Sergeant Bluff and the Chicago area, where she's sold real estate for years. "We use the term 'bluff' because there is a bluff."

Harman, who was raised in Sergeant Bluff and graduated from high school here in 1961, looks out her office area window to the southeast and sees the 1919 home that was built for her grandparents as a wedding gift. The home was moved by Harman 17 years ago and now houses her museum, one that shows family artifacts as well as those detailing the history of this Woodbury County community.

"My diploma is in the museum, as is my mom's diploma and her little beanie," Harman said.

Harman, who majored in merchandising at Iowa State University, has spent her career in both New York and Chicago, and had merchandising showrooms in prominent locations in both cities. Four decades ago, though, she entered the world of real estate and hasn't deviated from it. She always kept her eye on her hometown, too, and several years ago considered developing a strip mall on Highway 75, but pulled back once another mall sprang forth.

Instead, Harman mulled the prospect of a series of two-story and ranch condominiums, perhaps adding some punch to an already robust construction boom in her hometown. After examining the construction of the new Kingsley State Bank in Sergeant Bluff, just southwest of this tract, Harman inquired about the bank's builders.

She was directed to Lance and Jenny Howe, and Brett and Emily Harvey, the couples behind H&H Builders, of Kingsley, Iowa, builders of Kingsley State Bank.

"Jan met us three years ago and we began talking about this project," said Jenny Howe, adding how H&H Builders was formed in December 2001. The firm handles residential and commercial construction in an 80-mile circle around Kingsley.

When Harman landed on a plan to develop condominiums, plans were drawn by Jim Champion of FEH Design. The first phase was finished one year ago as Jan and her husband, Boyd Harman, moved in to their condo, which featured 1,750 square feet on the main level and a full, though unfinished basement. Work on the project was completed by a host of local subcontractors from Kingsley, Sioux City, South Sioux City, Cherokee and Moville.

"This is one of four floor plans," said Harman, who walked from the kitchen to the living/great room, which features an office area. High ceilings add light and air to this room, one that transitions seamlessly from kitchen to TV room to the office.

Two large bedrooms on the main floor accommodate the Harmans, who have a heated floor serving the master bathroom. LED lighting contributes to energy savings, as does a smart-siding approach, one boasting the latest in long-duration material.

"All the outside maintenance will be done for you," said Jenny Howe as she detailed facets of each floor-plan. "The interior features good, durable products that are made to last."

While this is H&H Builders' foray into a multi-housing development, the company previously constructed an apartment complex in Vermillion, S.D.

"We have had interest in the four condominiums that are done, but people maybe do struggle a little in knowing where we are," said Howe, who noted that once area residents find Baker Prairie Bluff they are impressed at how the rural setting mends well with the proximity of the Sergeant Bluff business district and the ease of getting to Sioux City and beyond.

Baker Prairie Bluff, which will soon be found via Google Maps, is mere seconds from Fareway, several recreational fields and the schools in Sergeant Bluff; and seconds from both Old Highway 75 and Interstate 29.

"In seconds you can be anywhere and, yet, you sit back here and have a more private, outdoorsy feel," said Howe as she pointed toward walking trails and an area that will soon feature a pond. "That is what sets this development apart."

Two-story units, Howe added, may be geared toward younger couples or single parents, while ranch layouts may appeal more to baby boomers and seniors.

Of the four condos currently for sale, two are finished and have all the flooring, lighting and cabinetry in place. "Those are basically move-in ready," said Howe.

Of the other two condos for sale, the new owners may pick out cabinets, wall colors, fixtures, flooring, doors, millwork and more.

"Across the street, we've broken ground on four units, all 1,600 to 1,700 square feet, which will feature main floor ranch floor-plans," Howe said.

The activity has poised Sergeant Bluff for even more growth, something this community has enjoyed the past several decades, something Jan Harman has enjoyed watching happen from her home-away-from-home in Glenview, Illinois.

"Jan put her name on the streets, Lindgren and Baker," said Howe. "She obviously wants this to be here forever."
In recent years the Labour leadership fiasco has been an ongoing fight against the inevitable decline of the 101 year old party as predicted by its former leader David Lange in a 1991 column in the Dominion newspaper.

"TRANS Tasman Labour Party celebrations have become a tad maudlin. The Australian Labor Party celebrates its centennial this year [1991] teetering on the edge of the electoral cliff. The New Zealand Labour party saw its 75th birthday out having gone over the side in large numbers [1990 general election defeat]. It is no great comfort to us that we have to roll aside smartly to deny the National Party lemmings a soft landing.Given there is no warrant to assume immorality the question must be raised as to whether Labour will make it to another significant anniversary. It would be foolhardy in these volatile times to predict what will happen, so I pursue instead the question of what should happen. The obvious question is as to whether there is still a place for labour." (David Lange 15 July 1991)

Indeed this crisis in the leadership is really nothing at all new Lange himself faced a long uphill battle to replace the ill-fated bill Rowling as leader in the early 1980s. considering this I would argue that labour has been going through an on and off leadership crisis since the death of Norman Kirk in 1974 and perhaps has its roots as far back as the founding of its predecessor organization the Social Democrat Party in 1913.





Like any party that is large enough to govern Labour has been long beset by opposing factions from the rather diverse labour movement and exacerbated by the fact that the party attracted liberal opportunists after it began to gain momentum. The root of the problem may be traced back to the Labour movement response to the 1912 Waihi miners strike. the United Labour party and its associated moderate unionists were critical of this action perhaps due to the moderate party's rejection of the all-important class struggle concept that defines the Anti-Capitalist left from the reformist left. The strike in Waihi was one of the leading factors in creating the labour party we know today a party that in its early years thrived under the leadership of those who had come from the radical "Socialist Party" faction within the Labour movement.





By the early 1980s however Labour was no longer the force it had been in the 1930s to 1940s National had dominated government throughout the mid-century and Labour had struggled to reach the rural working class after the "furlough" controversy of 1943 that weakened the parties standing among the provincial working class. The young up and comers in the labour party became critical of the failure of Kensian economics in the 1970s and believed that something else was needed to bring about the goals of the Labour movement. Crucially however the answer that silver spoon opportunists such as Roger Douglas presented was not Marxism (which we know is unacceptable to the moderate core of the labour party due to the "Class Struggle" foundation that is abhorrent to the opportunists in the Labour movement) but was rather the ill-suited Neo-Liberalism born out of Milton Friedman's rebranding of the stale and dated Classical Liberalism that had brought the workers of the world so much hardship during the great depression. Lange himself an economic lightweight fell for this and the die was cast for the labour party of today.





In the United Kingdom Labour has faced a crisis very much like what we have faced here however the rise of the outspoken Jeremy Corbyn who advocates for Democratic Socialism (an early revision of Marxism that is almost acceptable to the opportunist moderates but not quite) has provided a fresh hope that is almost absent in New Zealand and has been all but ignored by the New Zealand Labour party establishment who continue down the same path to oblivion that they have trod since the 1980s. so with little chance of the New Zealand left being able to follow the path laid out by Corbyn in the UK the New Zealand left and more importantly the Anti-Capitalist left must take a lead in bringing the politics of class struggle back in to the public mind. But for a deeply divided sectarian mess this is a true challenge as ideological purity has become more important than the class struggle itself for many among us. A unified anti-capitalist movement is crucial to progress a movement free from the opportunists who have beset the New Zealand left for the past 30+ years a movement of our class for a better world.








The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Artist's conceptual drawing of the coming regional park.

ANNAPOLIS

(August 01, 2017)The Board of Public Works in late April unanimously approved a Maryland Department of Natural Resources acquisition of 1.83 acres in Calvert County that will consolidate department properties along the Patuxent River for the development of a new waterfront park and regional headquarters.The Program Open Space purchase of the Wildman property rounds out recent department acquisitions around Hallowing Point. The Board of Public Works previously approved two adjacent purchases in 2015.This acquisition completes the trifecta; it connects all three of our recent purchases with our existing holdings to create one single property," Natural Resources Assistant Secretary for Land Resources Daryl Anthony said. The combined property will provide for exceptional and extraordinary recreational opportunities for Southern Maryland residents, and an expanded department presence."The department intends to construct a regional complex at the site that will house various agency units, including boating, forestry and wildlife. The location is intended to be the future home of the Southern Regional Licensing and Registration Service Center. The Maryland Natural Resources Police and Maryland Park Service will also have an expanded presence.The Maryland Park Service is pursuing a cooperative agreement with Calvert County to manage the new waterfront park, which will include a public beach, boat ramps and access to the Patuxent River. Calvert County has been and remains supportive of the department's acquisitions around Hallowing Point as part of its efforts to expand public access and recreational opportunities.Following settlement of the Wildman property, the department will begin the conceptual planning process, where it will outline goals, features and potential management agreements. It will then move to the design and construction phases before it opens to the general public around 2022.
CALIFORNIA, Md.

(August 01, 2017)The Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) provides public water and sewer services to St. Mary's County. What may not be known is that MetCom also maintains a paid internship program to assist college students. According to George Erichsen, Executive Director of MetCom, these programs help students gain industry knowledge they may not learn anywhere else. It also provides the students with real, meaningful work that they can use on their resumes. Interns can bring the organization fresh, new ideas and perspectives. In some cases, an internship can lead to being hired as a full time employee."I was fortunate to be a part of a similar Cooperative Education Program when I was a student at Virginia Tech and it was instrumental in helping me decide which career direction I wanted to pursue during my undergraduate studies," noted Erichsen.The most recent interns include Daniel Pratson, Glen Havens, Seth Harding, Benjamin Richardson, and Haley Copen.While enrolled at St. Mary's College of Maryland,began his internship with MetCom. Upon graduation and completion of his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies/Biology, he was hired by MetCom as a Laboratory Technician. Daniel recently left MetCom to attend the College of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech and will be working towards obtaining a Master of Science degree with a focus in Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management. Daniel said of his internship, "Working as an intern with MetCom was an excellent experience that helped me navigate my transition between college and the 'real world'. I was able to learn more about public water utilities than I ever would have imagined, met great coworkers, and the professional setting was beneficial in preparing me for my next career step."has been working at MetCom as a student intern since February, 2016. He is currently a college student at St. Mary's College of Maryland, majoring in Environmental Science. He is expected to graduate in December, 2017 and has high hopes of becoming a fulltime MetCom employee. Glen said, "My internship at MetCom has greatly enhanced my knowledge of a working laboratory and its procedures. I've furthered myself by making some excellent professional connections within the organization. I have enjoyed learning about water quality, a career field that I am very interested in."joined the MetCom team as a Laboratory Intern. Seth attends Salisbury State University where he is currently working towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Seth said, "The internship program has given me valuable experience and has helped me learn new skills that I can use in future jobs throughout my career."just joined the MetCom team as an Engineering intern for the summer. Benjamin attends the University of Maryland where he is currently working towards obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Benjamins says, "Working at MetCom has been an interesting experience so far. I am hopeful to learn much in the remainder of my time here and am very much looking forward to the months ahead. The employees are dedicated to working hard, showing respect for one another, and practicing integrity, and that is a solid basis for and incredibly effective work environment."is a Fiscal Intern in the Utility Billing/Customer Service Department. Haley attends Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, where she is currently working towards earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Haley works summers and school breaks and said this about her internship, "Working as a Metcom intern has given me the opportunity and insight into how a large business operates. I have enjoyed applying skills I have learned in the classroom as well as learning new skills I will be able to use once I graduate college."To learn more about the MetCom internship program, please visit our website at www.metcom.org and choose Open Positions under the Human Resources tab.
Ever since publicly announcing her support for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, Miami Beach drag queen Elaine Lancaster has received countless criticisms from the LGBT community.

Following Trumps announcement on Twitter that transgender people would be banned from serving in the military things were no different, and the community chastised her and the president for such an announcement.

This time, however, Lancaster didnt have a response ready to defend Trumps actions.

I really dont know what to say, Lancaster, also known as James Davis told the Miami Herald last week. I have to process it. I think he should expand freedoms and equality instead of restricting them. If transgender people want to serve in the military, they should be allowed to.

I feel for people who are transgender and currently serving who may be asked to vacate their posts, Lancaster continued. But I would hope they would be given honorable discharges.

Earlier this month, Lancaster sat down for an interview with LGBT newsite UnicornBooty to discuss her thoughts on Trump and her experiences with the LGBT community as a Trump supporter. She said she is appalled at how she is treated for her support for Trump, but that at the end of the day she is still a proponent of LGBT rights, and would not stand if the president set into action any policy that negatively affects the LGBT community.

I dont agree with everything he says, of course, Lancaster said. I am an American citizen. Its not about me, its about the country. Its about the community.

Lancaster continued, If that man does anything anti-LGBT, I will be the first person to go to DC and protest.

Lancasters statement was put to the test when Trump shocked the LGBT on Twitter last Wednesday.

The national Log Cabin Republicans also continuously receives criticisms from the LGBT community for their conservative ideals. During the campaign, however, they refused to endorse Trump as a candidate  although the Miami chapter broke ranks and endorsed him.

The presidents statement this morning does a disservice to transgender military personnel and reintroduces the same hurtful stereotypes conjured when openly gay men and women were barred from service during the militarys Dont Ask, Dont Tell era, wrote The Log Cabin Republicans, last Wednesday. As an organization that led the charge against the hateful policy, Log Cabin Republicans remains equally committed to standing up for transgender military personnel who put their lives on the line to keep us free.

In 2015, Lancaster received an award at Diversity Honors, an fundraising annual gala hosted by the Harvey Milk Foundation and the Pride Center in Wilton Manors.

Stuart Milk, president of the Harvey Milk Foundation said at the time, We were looking for people who are constantly giving back to the community or people who are tremendously authentic. James is both categories. He brings forth, with glitz and glamor, authenticity. And he brings forth, with glitz and glamor, giving back to the community. Our shared vision is coming into reality tonight. To once a year set aside an event which provides distinguished recognition of people who have made our entire community stronger, more just, more humane and more enlightened.

Two years later, the LGBT community sees Lancaster in a much different light.

Along with her backing of Trump, Lancaster frequently portrayed herself as a victim, chastising the LGBT community for shunning her.

I come from a community that touts that we are so inclusive, we are so embracing of whats different, all we ask for is tolerance and equality, Lancaster said. When I came out as a supporter of Trump, I was blackballed instantly. They got online campaigns. I was thrown off the [White Party] committee. I couldnt be the emcee anymore. I got death threats. I have lawsuits pending against people. Oh, its horrible.

Lancaster continued, Now, Im an enemy of the gay community. I worked 20 years and sacrificed my personal life for the betterment of the gay community. I want a place at a table.

Many in the LGBT community, especially activists in South Florida and the Miami area do not buy her pleas for inclusivity, instead seeing it as an opportunity for her to grab attention.

Elaine wants to go and cry and paint herself as a victim when the entire Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) community is suffering, little by little, by this president and his administration, Dale Wilson, LGBT activist and South Florida DJ told the Miami Herald. She is not the only gay person who supported Trump. But she has made such an effort to paint herself as the token idiot for the village idiot. Of course, things come back to her because shes the loudest mouth.

Wilson continued, Its very clear to anyone who God gave the brain of a billy goat to that [Trump] doesnt give a [redacted] about us. But yet they, the Roaches for Raid, will go and march and stand up for this man who wont be bothered by them. That just irks me.

The trans military ban is still up in the air, and it has united much of the LGBT community in support of the transgender community. Lancaster has called herself the voice of the LGBT community before, and so far disagrees with Trumps proposed trans military ban.

If something goes awry, I have a voice, Lancaster said. We arent going to stand for that. I want to be a champion of the gay community.

But many are still skeptical that she can regain her voice and be said champion when she so ardently supports a president who impinges on LGBT rights so easily.

It is not fair to discriminate against someone, Wire Magazine publisher Rafa Carvajal said. But it is fair to choose who you support based on their views. And you cannot have it both ways. You cannot for years claim to be an LGBTQ leader and then openly and vocally support someone who wants to take away the rights of the LGBTQ community.
He reported on injustice, but now its his time to fight back.

The CW is releasing a series based around a gay superhero this fall on their digital outlet CW Seed. Freedom Fighters: The Ray features a superhero Raymond Ray Terrill who gains light-based powers, taking on the alias The Ray.

He fights back in an alternate universe where Germany won World War II. Green Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl are on the Nazi side in current-day United States, now filled with a white supremacist rule.

The Ray discovered government scientists working on a weapon of mass destruction using light.

But before he could report on his findings, the project head exposed Ray to a genetic light bomb, according to The CW. The bomb failed to kill him and instead gifted Ray with light-based powers. With these abilities, Ray realized he could go beyond reporting on injustice  he could take action to help stop it. Calling himself The Ray, he was recruited by Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters to fight violence and oppression wherever it exists.

The first trailer revealed the Freedom Fighters, led by The Ray, protecting refugees attempting to escape Oklahoma. They fight against the three hero-turned-villains, as well as nazi soldiers and robots.

Last year, CW President Mark Pedowitz said that The Ray will eventually crossover into the live-action series Flash-Arrow universe. Without question, he said. That is the way we are intending to build these things out.

Freedom Fighters: The Ray will air this year. Watch the trailer below.
Who is Ramzan Kadyrov? Where is Elena Milashina? Why was Murad Amirev detained? What caused the targeting of gay and bisexual men in Chechnya? And how can this torture train be stopped?

All questions running through Jack Ryans mind on a breezy summer afternoon half a globe away. Ryan sipped on a cappuccino inside a chic farm to fork restaurant in downtown West Palm Beach. He is a CIA intelligence analyst who agreed to meet to discuss the on-going situation in Chechnya.

Chechnya is a war-torn, criminal-run country, not unlike Somalia, Ryan said. The Russians would destroy it, award a bunch of dirty contracts to rebuild it then destroy it again. Over and over.

It was Elena Milashina, a reporter for Russian news agency Novaya Gazeta, who broke the news of gay and bisexual men being round up and imprisoned by Chechen authorities. Milashina, The Advocate reports, is now in hiding.

Some of the persecuted made it out. Murad Amirev was not so lucky.

Amirev, according to the U.S. State Department, is in trouble.

We are gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of Murad Amriev, a Russian athlete from Chechnya, who was reportedly detained by Belarusian authorities and returned to Russia, where he may be in custody, reads a State Department press statement.

In the statement, dated June 9, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert writes Mr. Amriev has reportedly expressed fears of torture and abuse in Chechnya. We urge the Russian government to ensure Mr. Amriev has access to his lawyer and that his rights under the Russian constitution, laws and international obligations are respected. We call on the Russian government to ensure the safety of Mr. Amriev and his lawyer.

On June 28, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning anti-gay violence in Chechnya. Congressman Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton) co-sponsored the resolution, tweeting Great way to close out #PrideMonth.

Scott Herman, President of the Dolphin Democrats  Floridas oldest LGBT political club, wants more. Herman specifically called for the Trump administration to act and act fast. Herman said reports of vanishing gays in concentration camps resemble crimes against humanity.

Trump is accepting these crimes with inaction, Herman said.

Chechnya is the new ground zero in the battle for LGBT rights. Reports of gays being detained, tortured, and killed in the tiny Russian republic are numerous. A disabled combat veteran of the Gulf War, Herman understands war crimes.

Ive seen this first hand, he said. We have stopped them and we would stop them again.

Herman said, simply put, whats going on in Chechnya is gay genocide. He equated current conditions to the pink triangle times of Nazi Germany. Trump, Herman said, is supporting the Chechen concentration camps by default.

If the atrocities are to be believed, blood is on the hands of Ramzan Kadyrov.

Back in Florida, Jack Ryan speaks of Kadyrov with disgust. He has traveled extensively in Russia and Eastern Europe and said the Chechnya leader is clearly unstable.

Hes a lunatic. A criminal. And hes young, Ryan said.

Chechnya is located in the caucuses region of Russia north of the small countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan and west of the Caspian Sea. Its population is about 1.3 million, similar to New Hampshire, while its land size is similar to Connecticut. The republic has a majority Muslim population.

Kadyrov took control in 2007. His father, a Muslim cleric, previously lorded over Chechnya but was assassinated in 2004.

Unlike Ryan, Herman does not think Kadyrovs youth is the problem. The problem, Herman said, is weak leadership from Moscow.

President Putin can put a stop to this but hes too afraid, Herman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been pushed by European leaders to end the persecution of LGBT people in Chechnya. Newly elected French President Emmanuel Macron, standing in the golden palace of Versailles, challenged Putin to bring an end to the suffering.

The French President put him on the spot, Herman said of the meeting between the two world leaders last month. You could see his face drop.

As diplomats and defense experts seek solutions to the crisis, technology is sure to play a part. With the trend of men turning to smart phone apps  instead of bars and clubs  to find a date, so-called hook-up apps are now, more than ever, critical tools of engagement.

One of the well-known hook-up apps is Grindr. In April the app released a media alert it was providing aid to the LGBTQ community in Chechnya. Speaking for Grindrs equality department, Jack Harrison-Quintana said there is grave concern about the atrocities occurring in Russia.

Grindr for Equality, Harrison-Quintana said, is devoted to raising awareness of the danger Chechen LGBTQ people find themselves in.

Enter Stuart Milk, founder and president of the Harvey Milk Foundation. The foundation named in the honor of Stuarts late uncle Harvey, a gay San Francisco supervisor assassinated in 1978, seeks to inspire individuals, communities, and organizations to fight societal injustice and recognize LGBT people deserve equal civil rights.

Stuart Milk travels globally on behalf of the Harvey Milk Foundation. In May he returned to South Florida for the annual Diversity Honors program. Participating on a panel discussion, Milk said the foundation has worked with the European Council to champion initiatives.

If Putins new investigation that hes now doing from Moscow doesnt hold weight then the Council of Europe will do an investigation, Milk said in regards to Chechnya.

Historically, Milk said, the Council of Europe is much more proactive and much stronger for LGBT and Roma people and those in the religious minority. While in South Florida Milk stressed there are many nations that view LGBT people unfavorably.

Two-thirds of the world lives where LGBT people are criminalized or theres complete societal un-acceptance, Milk said. Unfortunately we have a Western look at this type of issue. 

In the West, Milk said, a new Equality generation has dawned, unaware of dangers in far off lands.
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 31 July 2017 - Setting up and Configuring the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) Facility. ROSCOSMOS

Today  Rodent Research-5 (RR-5) Systemic Therapy of NELL-1 for Osteoporosis: On Sunday the crew completed the first day of bone scans and sampling for RR-5.

Later today they will perform the second set of scans and sampling operations. Because spaceflight has significant and rapid effects on the musculoskeletal system, it is important to investigate targeted therapies that could ameliorate some of the detrimental effects of spaceflight. The NELL-1 drug being studied in the RR-5 investigation has the potential to slow or reverse bone loss during spaceflight.

Marrow: Over the weekend two crewmembers collected breath, air and blood samples for the Marrow investigation. They collected blood samples today as well. The blood samples are collected, processed in the centrifuge and placed in the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The Marrow investigation looks at the effect of microgravity on bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on the bone marrow and the blood cells that are produced in the bone marrow.

Fine Motor Skills (FMS): On Saturday the crew completed a series of interactive tasks during a FMS session. The investigation studies how the fine motor skills are effected by long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. The goal of the investigation is to determine how fine motor performance in microgravity varies over the duration of six-month and year-long space missions; how fine motor performance on orbit compares with that of a closely matched participant on Earth; and how performance varies before and after gravitational transitions, including periods of early flight adaptation and very early/near immediate post-flight periods.

Space Headaches: Over the weekend the 51S USOS crewmembers completed daily questionnaires for Space Headaches. They will complete additional questionnaires later today. The European Space Agency (ESA) Space Headaches investigation collects information that may help in the development of methods to alleviate associated symptoms and improvement in the well-being and performance of crewmembers in space. Headaches during space flight can negatively affect mental and physical capacities of crewmembers that can influence performance during a space mission.

Sarcolab-3: The crew set up and configured the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) facility in the Columbus module for Sarcolab-3 operations. They installed the Ankle configuration and Electromyograph and Percutaneous Electrical Stimulation (PEMS) devices on MARES. The data collected for Sarcolab-3 will be compared to pre and post flight measurements to assess the impact of hypothesized microgravity induced muscle loss. Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab) investigates the adaptation and deterioration of the soleus, or calf muscle, where it joins the Achilles tendon, which links it to the heel and carries loads from the entire body. Muscle fiber samples are taken from crew members before and after flight, and analyzed for changes in structural and chemical properties. MRI and ultrasound tests and electrode stimulation are conducted to help assess muscle and tendon changes caused by microgravity exposure.

Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM): The crew ingressed the BEAM, flipped the 10 mm thick Radiation Environment Monitor (REM) shield and photographed it. This REM Shield was previously printed on the 3D printer onboard the ISS and installed in the BEAM. BEAM is an experimental expandable module attached to the ISS. Expandable modules weigh less and take up less room on a rocket than a traditional module, while allowing additional space for living and working. They provide protection from solar and cosmic radiation, space debris, and other contaminants. Crews traveling to the moon, Mars, asteroids, or other destinations may be able to use them as habitable structures.

Dose Distribution Inside the ISS  3D (DOSIS 3D): The crew installed passive radiation detectors in the Columbus module in support of European Space Agencys (ESAs) DOSIS 3D investigation. Data from the various active and passive radiation detectors installed in the ISS are used in the determination of the radiation field parameters absorbed doses and dose equivalents inside the ISS. A concise three dimensional (3D) dose distribution map of all the segments of the ISS will be developed, based on this data and data from JAXA and NASA monitoring devices.

Emergency Roles & Responsibilities Review: With the arrival of 51S, all crew members participated in this review. Items of discussion included crew accountability, access to escape vehicles and CDR responsibilities. Each crew member must be fully aware of procedure strategy and intent due to the complex nature of an emergency event.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

ODF Books Update on iPAD

Test video coverage for RT channel

COSMOCARD. Preparation and start of a 24 h- long ECG recording

Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos web site and social media

ECON-M. Observation and photography

Marrow Breath And Ambient Air Sample Collection

??-8. Configuration Setup

Reminder 2 Marrow CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection

CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection 25 Minutes  Subject

Body Mass Measurement  BMMD

CSA Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Configure Handover

SARCOLAB-3 day 1 reminder

JEM Airlock Press

??-8. Closeout Ops

CSA Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude Handover

CSA Generic Sample MELFI Insertion

CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection Conclude And Stow Handover

Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis

RADIOSKAF. Test checks of nanosatellites

Water Recovery and Management Condensate Pump Gather

JEM Airlock Leak Check

Water Recovery and Management Condensate Pumping Init

Combustion Integrated Rack Alignment Guide Removal

Glacier Desiccant Swap

SARCOLAB-3 Big Picture reading

Deactivation of Soyuz 735 Gas Analyzer

Procedures, preliminary EVA-43 timeline review, DVD viewingWater Recovery and Management Condensate Pumping Term

ARED Handover Video Review

MARES deployment

Water Recovery and Management Condensate Pumping Restow

In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill  Handover

MARES Power On and Battery Charge

MARES Ankle configuration installation

Bringing ODF up to date using Soyuz 736 delivered files

ISS Crew Adaptation

Rodent Research Node 2 Camcorder Video Setup

MARES Battery Charge

Rodent Research 5 Dissection 2A

Rodent Research 5 Dissection 2B

Rodent Research Refrigerated Centrifuge Setup

Test activation of Vozdukh Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves

Rodent Research Bone Densitometer Scan

Pressurization of Elektron-VM Liquid Unit before Activation

Rodent Research MELFI Insert

Deactivation of Soyuz 736 Gas Analyzer

Rodent Research Bone Densitometer Scan

Rodent Research MELFI Insert

Rodent Research Refrigerated Centrifuge Configure

Rodent Research Bone Densitometer Scan

MARES Battery Charge control

ISS Crew Adaptation

Rodent Research MELFI Insert

HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude

EMG and PEMS installation with PEMS Self test

Rodent Research MELFI Insert 2

Rodent Research Bone Densitometer Scan

Rodent Research MELFI Insert

Rodent Research Refrigerated Centrifuge Configure

Rodent Research 5 Dissection 2B

HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude Final

Completed Task List Items

Transfer 51 Soyuz USOS Unpack [Completed GMT 210]

Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training [Completed GMT 211]

Photo documenting the LAB1P2_G2 Fire Port and label [Completed GMT 211]

Restow REBA batteries [Completed GMT 211]

Provide video of deployment of printed part (S/N 028) near cupola windows [Completed GMT 212]

Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Pull Tab [Completed GMT 212]

Photo documenting the LAB1P2_G2 Fire Port and label [Completed GMT 212]

EML Gas Valves Closing [Completed GMT 212]

CEVIS Isolator Inspection [Completed GMT 212]

Checkout of ISA Scopemeter Pressure Probes with Battery Replacement [Completed GMT 212]

Columbus EPM and EDR racks photo documentation [Completed GMT 212]

iPad 3 FIT Screenshots [Completed GMT 212]

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

JEMRMS Maneuver to Stow SFA

Rodent Research ops support

MT translation from WS6 to WS8 [In work]

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Tuesday, 08/01: Rodent Research operations, MARES ops, LEHX removal, ER4 QD maintenance

Wednesday, 08/02: Rodent Research operations, NanoRacks 2 removal/PEHG install, CBEF video cable reconfig, MARES ops, OBT ISS Emergency hardware review

Thursday, 08/03: Fine Motor Skills, MARES ops, ER4 iPEHG install, Meteor hard drive swap, SABL filter cleaning

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  On

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  On

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
Washington, D.C. is one of the best cities in America to spend a week vacation. Between the food, the architecture, and the untold number of museums, travelers to the nations capital are never in want for things to do. Its the sort of city where any time spent in the hotel room is time wasted. And thats the conceit behind the POD Hotel in Penn Quarter. You dont go to places like DC to hang out in a hotel room, so why pay a lot of money for amenities you never use?

But one amenity that is absolutely necessary is coffee. Thats why POD Hotels teamed up with Virginia-based Blanchards Coffee Roasting Co. for Crimson, a coffee bar/whiskey bar/high-end Southern comfort diner on the bottom floor of the DC hotel. Now weary sojourners can get fueled up before a day of exploring all the history the District has to offer, all from the convenience of their current home away from home. Doing that fueling are beautiful custom copper Modbar espresso modules serving a variety of coffees from Blanchards, sure to appease every type of coffee drinker. So while youre going to want to spend as little time in the hotel as possible, if youre staying at the POD Hotel in Washington, D.C., maybe carve out a few extra minutes for coffee at Crimson.

As told to Sprudge by Stephen Robertson.

For those who arent familiar, will you tell us about your company?

Blanchards Coffee Roasting Co. is a Richmond, Virginia based coffee roaster founded in 2005 by David Blanchard. Blanchards mission is to build community and industry resilience through sustainable sourcing, thoughtful roasting, and honoring humanity from farm to cup. Primarily a wholesale roaster, BCRC works with retailers and brewers alike to bring excellent, sustainable coffee to customers throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond, as well as running a vibrant web-store serving customers throughout the USA.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Crimson is a multiple-level partnership beginning with DCs first POD Hotel by Modus, partnering with well known local restauranteurs, Ian & Eric Hilton, to develop a three part food/beverage concept on the lobby and basement floors of the hotel.

The POD Hotel model is to place a beautifully designed hotel in a prime city location featuring very small, yet well appointed rooms at an affordable price point, with the idea that if youre staying in the middle of a vibrant city, there is no need for a large, lavish hotel roomget out of the room and go explore. The first part of that exploration begins on the ground floor of the hotel, where there is an expansive whiskey bar downstairs, an upscale diner upstairs, and a full coffee shop front and center that serves the restaurants, hotel guests, and general public alike.

The coffee shop, along with the two restaurants, is airy and sleek, while still maintaining a soft, southern charm with the juxtaposition of clean lines, soft finishes, and copper fixtures.

Whats your approach to coffee?

Our passion is great coffee, simply put. We work constantly to source the best possible coffee, sustainably, and roast to best highlight each coffees best attributes. We combine that roasting philosophy with a deep focus on education. We have a SCA certified trainer on staff, as well as two Q Arabica graders, and our entire staff is in the process of earning Barista I certification.

We believe everyone deserves a great cup of coffee without pretense. Modern specialty coffee often runs the risk of becoming a bit precious, and though we fully believe our coffees are preciouswe are aware that not everyone needs or wants that experience. With Crimson, and all of our partners, we strive to create a menu that will please just about every type of coffee drinker. We offer three batch brews: a daily blend, in the case of Crimson, a blend we call Handshakea little bit of depth on the roast to highlight sweetness and drinkability; a rotating, approachable single originalways something that provides more complexity than the blend, but is still a palate pleaser for most people; and an outstanding Swiss Water Process Decafbecause if you have to drink decaf, it should at least taste great.

Our espresso menu is simple and traditionalno surpriseswe feature our Rosedale in our espresso beveragesa bright, sweet espresso with floral and soft fruit notes that sweeten with milk, or shine simply as an espresso. Finally, we offer a rotating single origin for hand pours and S/O espressos. This coffee is generally more fruit forward and geared toward more adventurous palates.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We are really excited about the equipment package we put together for this location. The centerpiece of the coffee bar is a three group custom copper Modbar setup paired with a Mahlkonig PEAK espresso grinder and a copper Mahlkonig EKK43. Were also featuring Monarch Methods copper kettles and Hario copper drippers, as well as all Acaia scales.

We are featuring Modbar, not only for functionality, but for their incredible design and countertop presence, which suits the sleek lines of this coffee bar.

Were using FETCO equipment for our batch brew, and we have single origin nitro cold brew on tap as well.

Whats your hopeful target opening date/month?

The location opened the last week of June.

Are you working with craftspeople, architects, and/or creatives that youd like to mention?

The stellar architecture, design, and build-out have all been through Modus and POD Hoteland they have done an outstanding job brining our equipment plan and layout to life.

Thank you!

Youre welcome.

The Build-Outs Of Summer is an annual series on Sprudge. Live the thrill of the build all summer long in our Build-Outs feature hub. Got a Build-Out of your own? Get in touch.

Photos by Cameron Charles Lewis
Washington states new distracted driving law took effect over the weekend, and it has many concerned that some of their favorite, nay necessary, mid-drive activitieslike, say, drinking a cup of coffeemay result in a $99 fine. Meant to penalize those using electronic devices in particular while driving, the law was written to include any activity not related to driving that interferes with the safe operation of a motor vehicle, which could include eating, drinking, applying makeup, etc.

But fear not, Washingtonians, according to USA Today you wont be penalized for drinking coffee while driving under the new distracted driving law. Unless drinking coffee was causing you to drive distracted.

Basically, you wont be pulled over simply for driving while having a cup of coffee. But if you are pulled over for driving poorly and it is clear that you were paying more attention to your coffee than your task of safely maneuvering a two-ton death machine around other two-ton death machines, then you can probably expect a ticket.

Washington State Patrol Capt. Monica Alexander gave the following example in the article (the word cheeseburger has been changed to coffee to help Sprudge readers better understand the analogy):

We would have to articulate how that cheeseburger [coffee] caused that collision Alexander corrected herself, so as not to blame an innocent cheeseburger [coffee]. Eating the cheeseburger [coffee], she said. The cheeseburger [coffee] didnt do anything.

The article notes that, like with other secondary offenseslike driving barefootofficers factor in the totality of circumstances and have the discretion to not write a distracted driving ticket when it is not warranted.

Its a pretty common sense law. No, you wont get ticketed for drinking coffee while driving if it doesnt impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle. Yes, you will be ticketed (or maybe even double ticketed) if youre swerving around all willy nilly while trying to suck out that last little bit of whip cream on the top of your morning frappe. So dont do that. No one wants to die over whip cream.

Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network.

*car image above via Stuffpoint
This filly has talent, Richard Young says about two-year-old Somebeachsomewhere lass Come See The Show, who is out of the great Put On A Show (p,1:47.3; $2.4 million). Shes a very big animal, but built beautifully.

It goes without saying that the royally-bred Come See The Show has indeed put on a show in her first few outings on the racetrack. In her second qualifier, which came on July 1 at the Meadowlands Racetrack, she paced a scintillating closing quarter that was clocked in :25.4.

Didnt surprise me, Young said when asked about her finish. A lot of two-year-olds, if they go slow enough to the three quarters, go in :26. So we went in :25.4, just that much better by a couple ticks. But she even had a little more left. So from that standpoint it was an eye-opening finish, I didnt know she was that quick.

In her first pari-mutuel race, which took place on July 18, the promising filly won a $39,763 division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes at the Meadows. Young has admitted that he was concerned about how the race was playing out. Come See The Show was five and a half lengths off the lead as the field made its way down to the half-mile pole.

The (third) quarter went :27 flat, we had to go :26 flat to catch [the leader], Young said. After the burst of speed, Young was questioning how much the filly would have left in the tank for the final quarter. She proved she had more than enough left as she cruised to a victory by three quarters of a length in 1:52.3, the fastest of the PASS divisions that day.

I am pretty impressed, Young said. Thats the fastest time for five-eighths track all year, and its only her first start. Young went on to say, so, not only does she have stamina, and looks like she can just keep going, but she has speed, too.

Young said that it took Come See The Show a little longer than usual before she started showing promising signs that she could be special.

Usually you can start liking your horse in February or March, he said, but [with Come See The Show] it was probably near the end of April. Young went on to say that the fillys most promising and best quality thus far, is the aforementioned stamina.

Originally, Young and his wife, Joanne, and Craig Henderson were partners on Put On A Show, which meant that every foal of hers would belong to the three of them. The ownership group ultimately broke up. Young explained that Put On A Show and her foals then had to be sold.

The Youngs bought Put On A Show back, and also bought back her first foal, Beach Showoff. And, of course, they also bought Come See The Show back. Come See The Show sold for $550,000 as Hip # 1 in the 2016 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. However, because the Youngs owned two-thirds of the filly to begin with, they paid only one-third of the price: $183,000.

If you wanted to find the best-bred animal on the planet, other than that one, you wouldve spent in the twos ($200,000 range). So why spend more money on something thats not as good, doesnt look as good? Might as well buy back my own horse.

The end of the ownership partnership also had influence in causing Young to have Linda Toscano train Come See The Show rather than Chris Ryder, who had trained Put On A Show.

I have all the respect in the world for Chris Ryder, and he and I remain good friends to this day, states the flamboyant Young, who is originally from Montreal, and was also the former owner of I Luv The Nitelife ($1.9 million), whom Ryder trained as well. I just didnt like the conflict that could arise since Chris still trains horses for my former partner, so we gave this filly to Linda.

As far as the size of his stable, Young likes to focus on quality over quantity.

I have a habit of trying to get lucky with one horse. I sold I Luv The Nitelife. Right now I breed Put On A Show, and I just hope and pray that one of the babies is good, and it appears that Come See The Show just might be that good.

Young also owns Come See The Shows full sister, Beach Showoff, who is retired from the track due to an illness and injury that wouldve set her career back. Instead of fighting with those circumstances, Young had her bred to Betting Line and she's set to be sold at Harrisburg in foal this fall. He also owns the yearling Steal The Show, an Ontario-eligible son of Bettors Delight who is a half-brother to Come See The Show.

When you have such an expensive filly from that kind of lineage, you take her to whatever is available out there. So shell be taken to anything that s reasonable, including the Breeders Crown and the big races in Canada, and those kinds of things.

Next up for Come See The Show should be the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes back at the Meadows on August 8.
The Week 10 results from the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll have been released, and Fear The Dragon, who was an impressive winner this past weekend in the Delvin Miller Adios, remains atop the list.

In the Adios, race favourite Huntsville and Eddard Hanover battled for the lead to the quarter pole in :26.1. Huntsville eventually worked his way to the top for driver Tim Tetrick. Huntsville motored to the mid-way point in :53.3 with Fear The Dragon commencing a first-over bid from the five-hole.

Huntsville hit the accelerator in the backstretch in a bid to gain some insurance lengths on Fear The Dragon. Little separated the two of them at the three-quarters pole in 1:21.1, and it was more of the same for the majority of the stretch drive. It wasnt until the closing strides that Fear The Dragon got the upper hand on Huntsville. Fear The Dragon prevailed over Huntsville in 1:49.1, with R J P taking home third prize in the rich affair.

Brian Brown trains the three-year-old son of Dragon Again-Armbro Cinnamon for Emerald Highlands Farm of Mt. Vernon, Ohio. The 14-time winner now boasts a 9-1-0 record from 10 starts this season. The $200,000 payday lifted his lifetime earnings to $1,294,594.

The results from Week 10 of the poll appear below.

(Rank  Horse [first-place votes]  Total Points  Previous)

1  Fear The Dragon (32)  344  1

2  Huntsville 287  2

3  Ariana G (1)  268  4

4  Hannelore Hanover (1)  221  3

5  Marion Marauder  168  7

6  Walner (1)  146  5

7  Downbytheseaside  105  8

8  Crazy Wow  61  9

9  Agent Q  58  10

10  JL Cruze  55  N/A

Also: Lady Shadow (52); Devious Man (29); Keystone Velocity (26); Long Tom (19); Nike Franco N (18); Bit Of A Legend N (12); Magic Presto (11); Resolve (9); Blazin Britches, International Moni, Somewhere In LA (6); Funknwaffles (5); Homicide Hunter (4); All Bets Off (3); Barn Bella, Holy Trout, Percy Blue Chip, Phaetosive, Roaring To Go, RJP (1).

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll is voted on by harness racing media representatives that cover North American Standardbred racing.

The rankings are based on the votes of harness racing media representatives on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The U.S. Harness Writers Association votes in December on all Dan Patch Award division winners plus Trotter of the Year, Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year. The Dan Patch Awards are separate from the O'Brien Awards, which recognize Canada's top Standardbreds of a given racing season.
On Tuesday, August 1, the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey issued a statement in regard to the Meadowlands Racetracks decision to bar the entry of $2-million earner Lady Shadow.

The Meadowlands announced on Saturday, July 29 that Lady Shadow would not be able to race at the East Rutherford, New Jersey track due to a post-race test at Harrahs Philadelphia on May 28 which came back positive for Clenbuterol.

To read the Meadowlands release in its entirety, click here.

The contents of the SBOANJs release appears below.

The SBOA, on behalf of the horsemen of New Jersey, believes it must address the Meadowlands Racetrack's decision to ban Lady Shadow from the Lady Liberty Stakes this Saturday, August 5, 2017. While the SBOA applauds and supports the efforts to protect the integrity of the sport, it cannot agree with this decision.

Lady Shadow had a Class 3 overage for a therapeutic medication. The ruling is under appeal, with a stay granted by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission. The SBOA believes Lady Shadow's owners are entitled to due process and no action should be taken pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.
Innovo Publishing Releases Renewing Your Mind: Identity and the Matter of Choice by Dennis Jernigan

Contact: Dr. Bart Dahmer, Innovo Publishing LLC , 901-517-8306, RYM@innovopublishing.com MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Innovo Publishing LLC released a new Christian title, Renewing Your Mind: Identity and the Matter of Choice by Dennis Jernigan. This book is available now as a pre-order in paperback and eBook formats Amazon pre-order link . General release begins October 1, 2017.How does one walk out of one identity and into another? Through Renewing Your Mind, Dennis addresses this question, beginning with rediscovering his true identity as a new creation in Christ.Jernigan walked out of a homosexual lifestyle many years ago. As he began to replace the lies concerning his identity with the truth of God's Word, something close to miraculous began to take place: his feelings began to change! What Dennis discovered is that the mind is a key battlefield in life. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). And in the process of seeking God relationally, Jernigan experienced the power of God's Word to transform his mind. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2)."This book is filled with the life of someone who has obviously walked with the Master, been filled with His love, and had the power of His Word transform his life." -- John, Ft. Worth, Texas"Renewing Your Mind is practical sanctification at its finesta truth bomb of great frankness, candor, and insight that can truly liberate your soul. Many miracle stories are about to be told and retold by those who read this book." -- Dean, Kansas City, MO"Both practical and spiritually rich, Renewing Your Mind is a must-read for Christians seeking hope and healing for sexual and relational brokenness!" -- Christopher, MA, LPC, LCPCRenewing Your Mind is available now as a pre-order in the U.S. and internationally in paperback (ISBN: 978-1-61314-373-5) and eBook formats. General release begins October 1, 2017. Renewing Your Mind has two companion books: Sing Over Me (ISBN: 978-1-61314-176-2)Dennis Jernigan's biography that demonstrates God's love and power to free anyone struggling with same-sex attraction, and Stand In Love (ISBN: 978-1-61314-307-0)a practical question and answer guide designed to help educate the church to respond to homosexuality biblically and with love.Author Interviews WelcomeContact: Dr. Bart Dahmer, Innovo Publishing LLCPhone: 901.517.8306Email: RYM@innovopublishing.com
Senator Graham Introduces Parental Rights Amendment

Contact: Maggie McKneely, ParentalRights.org , 540-338-1245, media@parentalrights.org WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to propose a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Graham's Senate joint resolution had four original cosponsors at its introduction on Tuesday, August 1: Roy Blunt (R-MO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Jim Risch (R-ID). The resolution will receive a bill number later this week."We are gratified to see this crucial amendment introduced in the U.S. Senate for the fifth straight Congress," declared ParentalRights.org President Jim Mason, a proponent of the resolution. "If the recent Charlie Gard tragedy in the UK showed us anything it is that children are better served when loving parents make the important decisions about their care."The Amendment, which would provide that "[t]he liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right," requires a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress to go to the states for ratification. This means bipartisan support will be necessary for its passage."The Parental Rights Amendment should absolutely have bipartisan support," according to Detroit-area family law attorney Allison Folmar. "And the consensus among the American people is that it does have that support. Now we're looking to Congress to reflect that reality."The NFL's 2005 MVP, Shaun Alexander, is also among those supporting the Amendment effort. Alexander is vice-president of ParentalRights.org."The Parental Rights Amendment will protect the greatest team ever assembledthe family. Let's pass this amendment and let's protect the family," Alexander said in a recent release to the organization. "I want to thank South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham for his leadership in introducing this amendment, and I want to thank Senators Risch, Blunt, and Isakson for standing up for parents and children across this great nation as original cosponsors of the Parental Rights Amendment."Senators interested in cosponsoring the measure should contact Senator Graham's office.
The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie...
The Port Westward land zoning debate will continue on Wednesday night in Clatskanie.

Columbia County commissioners will hold a public meeting at Clatskanie Middle/High Schools Dee Willy Auditorium Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss potentially changing the zoning of the 830-acres at Port Westward from agricultural to industrial.

According to county Planning Manager Glen Higgins, the Port of St. Helens wants to use the Clatskanie-area farmland as a Columbia River port facility and dock.

Opponents, such as the Columbia Riverkeepers and local farmers, are worried that turning Westward into an industrial area would deplete salmon resources, degrade the river and cause industrial pollution, Higgins said.

A new port would also make more trains pass through the towns of St. Helens, Scappoose and Rainier, Higgins said.

In 2013, the Port of St. Helens sought county approval to change 957 acres of farmland for industrial use. The county commissioners approved, although they reduced the size to 837 acres.

However, Oregons Land Use Board of Appeals overturned the commissioners decision, saying the county couldnt prove there was a need for more industrial land in the area.
With temperatures expected to reach into the triple digits in Southwest Washington Wednesday and Thursday, local governments and agencies are getting ready to shelter the homeless and warning the public to be careful not to ignite wildfires.

Longview City Manager Dave Campbell declared an imminent severe weather event Monday, a move that allows churches and other groups to open overnight emergency shelters for the homeless.

High temperatures are currently predicted by the National Weather Service to be above 90 degrees beginning today and above 100 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday. One model is predicting a high of 110 degrees Thursday at Portland International Airport.

The all-time record high for Longview, set at 108 degrees on Aug. 9, 1981, could fall, though the latest forecasts showed temperatures peaking a little short of that.

The Weather Service in Portland also issued a red flag warning for Pacific County from Tuesday through Thursday night, which is the highest alert.

Cliff Mass, a retired atmospheric sciences professor at the University of Washington, said the intense heat will be caused by a ridge of high pressure that is dragging furnace-like heat northward from the American southwest.

In declaring a heat emergency, Longview City Manager Dave Campbell authorized Community Development building officials to issue temporary use permits for any buildings for which severe weather shelter designation may be sought and which are determined to meet basic building safety standards.

There are no permitted severe weather shelters in Longview at this time, but the city said it will publicize any that may be permitted following an inspection. There is no fee for a temporary use permit for a severe weather shelter. Permits are only necessary if the shelter sponsor intends to keep clients overnight.

The city itself is working with volunteer groups to open the McClelland Arts Center on 11th Avenue as a hot-weather shelter, but the center likely wont open until Tuesday afternoon.

Other institutions were mobilizing to help the needy get through the hot weather. The Salvation Army will distribute free water in front of its building at 10th Avenue and New York Street in Longview from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

In addition, Grove Alliance Church will offer heat shelter from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at 2116 E. Kessler Boulevard in Longview (the site of the former Christian Scientist Church). Water, an air-conditioned environment and possibly light snacks will be made available.

The heat wave is the first bout of extreme heat this summer, but forests and fields already are parched because little rain has fallen in the area since May. Only 0.05 inch fell in Longview in July.

Longview averages about seven 90-or-above days a year. Starting Tuesday, this heat wave is expected to bring the city at least six of them in a row. Even though some respite is expected from Wednesday and Thursdays triple-digit levels, temperatures Friday through Sunday still are expected to be in the 90s.

Russell Truman, the regional fire operations manager for the state Department of National Resources Pacific Cascade Region, which covers Southwest Washington, said the agency is very prepared for increased risk of forest fires this week.

Truman cited high temperatures, low humidity, and dry winds from the east as main causes for increased burn risks. He said DNR is working with local fire agencies to be on top of any potential fire.

Between us and our rural fire district cooperators, there will be sufficient resources, Truman said. We are staying above minimum staffing so we can respond. Were working more hours and canceling days off so that we have folks on during the critical burn period.

Truman said one action people can take to prevent fires is to check out any piles of yard waste they burned in the spring and early summer, dig them up, and make sure theres no residual heat. Truman also said other household activities could result in flames, and that one can never be too cautious this week.

Anything that folks are doing that could cause a fire, like mowing your lawn or anything that could emit a spark, (you need to) be very careful, he said. Think about not doing it, or think about doing it very early in the morning instead of in the afternoon.

Dave LaFave, the fire chief for Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue, said his department is ready to go if a fire breaks out in the district. He said Cowlitz 2 has firefighters that are specifically trained to combat fires during this season, and all firefighters are briefed every morning on heatwave-caused fires.

LaFave warned that most fires are human-caused, and people should think very carefully before doing anything dangerous.

Theres no replacement for common sense, he said. If youre thinking, I shouldnt do this, but Ill do it because I can handle it, it will probably do something bad, and use up resources, (taking them away) from medical emergencies. We only have so many resources.
Millennium Bulk Terminals Friday again won a victory in its ongoing legal fight over the states denial of a lease for the proposed Longview coal dock. But the case is far from over.

Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Stephen Warning agreed with Millennium that the scope of the case should be narrow, which will likely make it more difficult for environmental groups to raise issues of climate change in defending the states sublease denial.

Millennium wants to build a dock for its $680 million coal terminal on aquatic land owned by the state Department of Natural Resources and leased by Northwest Alloys. The three parties tried to negotiate a deal for several years before state Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark finally denied the sublease days before leaving office in January.

In a letter explaining his decision, Goldmark argued that Northwest Alloys and Millennium did not provide enough information about Millenniums finances or about Millenniums new sole owner, Lighthouse Resources. Goldmark also questioned Millenniums financial viability in the wake of volatile coal markets and the bankruptcy of its former part-owner, Arch Coal. However, Goldmark did not cite any environmental concerns with the project.

Millennium and Northwest Alloys asked Judge Warning to limit the scope of the case to the points raised in Goldmarks letter. However, the state argued it should be able to draw on a much broader scope of information that could have influenced Goldmarks decision but were not included in the letter.

A trio of environmental groups  Columbia Riverkeeper, Sierra Club and the Washington Environmental Council, are intervening in the case in support of DNR and are represented by Earthjustice. They want the court to consider the environmental issues that may have played into Goldmarks decision, too.

Warning agreed with Millennium and Northwest Alloys that the scope of the case should be narrowly focused on the reasoning raised in Goldmarks letter. But he said all parties could still draw on the evidence leading to his decision, including 26 binders of documents, each a few inches thick.

Warning noted that DNR has to consider a number of competing interests  environmental factors, economic factors, the scarcity of public lands  all those things. I cant preclude any of that. I cant delete or ignore any part of the record as submitted.

Yet he said because the case is actually an appeal of a state decision, not a trial, he is limited to the findings of fact in Goldmarks Jan. 5 letter.

I cant go in wholesale and make new findings of fact, I would be doing so entirely out of the court of law. Im therefore limited to considering only the reasons for the denial contained in that Jan. 5 letter, Warning said.

In other words, any arguments that DNR or Earthjustice makes in the case must connect to the reasoning outlined in Goldmarks letter. And because Goldmark did not cite an environmental concerns in his letter, DNR and the environmental groups likely will have a harder time arguing that climate change concerns influenced his decision.

The second, more substantive part of the case is scheduled for Oct. 27, when Warning will rule on whether DNR acted legally in denying the sublease.

If Warning rules in favor of Millennium and Northwest Alloys, its not clear whether Millennium will automatically receive its sublease, or whether that decision will send DNR back to the drawing board to review its process.

Millennium maintains it can move forward with its coal terminal even without the sublease.

We have noted consistently this should have been a straightforward administrative change and that we believe Northwest Alloys lease contains all the rights necessary for our proposed terminal to operate once approved, said Peter Bennett, vice president of business development in a prepared statement Friday.

The coal terminal would create more than 1,000 construction jobs, 130 permanent jobs and $5.4 million in annual state and local taxes, according to the EIS.

Opponents say the project would exacerbate climate change by increasing global greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 2 million metric tons annually, according to an environmental impact study (EIS). They also point out that rail cars servicing the dock could increase the cancer risk rate by 10 percent over background county levels for residents in Highlandss neighborhood of Longview, according to the EIS. (The number is contested by BNSF Railway and Millennium.)
Editors note: Todays editorials originally appeared in The Wenatchee World and The Seattle Times. Editorial content from other publications is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News.

The threat of destructive megafires is one of North Central Washingtons most vexing challenges and as a region we have been stepping up and working together to mitigate those risks.

We have massive forest health problems that are a ticking time bomb in our back yard. We got a taste of what can happen in the 2014 and 2015 wildfires. The risk remains.

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz will be in Wenatchee this week to take part in a panel discussion along with Sen. Brad Hawkins, and representatives of The Nature Conservancy, the North Central Washington Forest Health Collaborative and the Era of Megafires project.

The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center will host the panel at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. This is an outstanding opportunity for community members who are interested or concerned about the wildfire threat in our region to demonstrate their interest in solving the issue.

Tremendous efforts have been already been made in our region over the past few years to mitigate the risks. Dozens of neighborhoods have implemented Firewise approaches to make their homes more fire resilient, the Era of Megafires presentation by Dr. Paul Hessburg and North 40 Productions has created awareness across the region of the severity of the forest health issues and the need to address those challenges in a comprehensive fashion.

Sen. Hawkins was successful in getting legislation passed that sets a goal of assessing and treating one million acres of forest land over a 16-year period. That will likely include mechanical thinning and prescribed fire treatments.

Whats impressive is that North Central Washington is taking the lead in these efforts. We started by taking action at the local level and then inviting the state and federal governments to contribute.

This approach is far more effective than sitting back and waiting for state and federal agencies to solve the issue for us. Its going to take everyone working together. Thats a powerful community model for owning our own future.

Fix flawed forfeiture laws

Police in Sunnyside didnt have enough evidence to prove Andreas Gonzalezs BMW and $5,940 cash were profits from drug dealing. But under Washingtons flawed forfeiture laws, that didnt stop the cops from seizing them.

That happens routinely in Washington, and its a problem. Police agencies across the state seized nearly $9 million last year in assets allegedly bought with illegal drug profits.

But the laws do not require a conviction before police declare those assets to be forfeited. State law sets one of the nations lowest legal thresholds for police to actually prove dirty drug money bought the assets. Sometimes property is later found to have been wrongly seized. And they give police an incentive to abuse the forfeiture process, allowing agencies to keep 90 percent of profits from the sale of seized properties.

The Legislature has failed to fix this flawed scheme, despite support from an unusual coalition of Seattle liberals and Eastern Washington libertarians.

And now comes a new directive from U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to ramp up forfeitures nationwide. In particular, Sessions seems a fan of a so-called adoptive forfeiture approach, in which federal agents ask local police to seize properties on the feds behalf.

Sessions announcement sparked protests across the political spectrum  the conservative Koch brothers joined the NAACP in opposition.

Law enforcement defends forfeiture with the memories of Miami Vice  flashy cars and toys bought by cocaine dealers operating beyond the law.

In some cases, forfeiture is justified and useful for public safety. But Washington, like other states, gives too much leeway. Consider Gonzalezs lost car and cash, which he won back last month after a unanimous ruling before the state Supreme Court.

According to the court file, police suspected Gonzalezs 2001 BMW and cash were payment for a drug deal, but had scant evidence. Nonetheless, his case wound through four levels of the courts  his car and cash held meanwhile. The Supreme Court finally declared, There was no evidence to support a finding that Gonzalez obtained his property through the specific unlawful means.

Under this upside-down forfeiture law, Gonzalez had to prove he deserved his car and money back. In fact, it should be the other way around, with cops defending their asset seizures.

Not surprising, Washingtons forfeiture laws got a D- grade in a national survey by the Institute for Justice. States with similar politics  including Oregon, California and Colorado  require a higher standard of proof than Washington in these cases. At least 13 states require conviction before assets can be seized. California caps police profits from seized property.

With the Justice Department ramping up these cases, and with trust in police low, the state Legislature needs to set more reasonable guidelines. Rep. David Taylor, a conservative Republican from Moxee in the Yakima Valley, filed bills doing so for two straight years; so has Sen. Bob Hasegawa, a liberal Seattle Democrat running for mayor.

Reminding opponents about a bedrock American value  the original intent of innocent until proven guilty  Taylor said a change to the law can be made next year.
OptiemusInfracom Limited unveiled the BlackBerry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK in India. BlackBerry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK will be the first BlackBerry branded device manufactured by OptiemusInfracom under thelicensing agreement signed in February this year. Thedeviceoffers the best of BlackBerry Limiteds software and security with OptiemusInfracoms commitment to deliver high-quality, reliable smartphones to customers in the country.

The BlackBerry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACKwill be availablefrom August 8th,exclusively onAmazon India. American Express is offering upto 4,000bonus points, on purchase of the device, to its credit card members.On buying Blackberry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK, Vodafone customers will get up to 75 GB of additional data over a period of three months. This offer is valid until 30th September 2017.

Mr.Hardip Singh, Executive Director, OptiemusInfracom Ltd., said, We are delighted to launch the KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK in India. It is specially designed for the Indian market, keeping in mind the customers requirements such as dual SIM. The device offers the worlds most secure Android smartphone experience combined with unrivalled productivity. We are confident that it will appeal to enterprise customers and consumers alike.

Alex Thurber, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Mobility Solutions at BlackBerry said,We would like to congratulate our partner, OptiemusInfracom, on the launch of the BlackBerry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK. We have worked closely with Optiemusto ensure that the BlackBerry experience and security are built into every layer of the device. We are also excited to see our ecosystem of software licensing partners, such as TCL Communications and Optiemus, working together to bring locally relevant BlackBerry-branded smartphones to customers, demonstrating how BlackBerrys strategy to license our secure software to partners is gaining momentum.

Uniquely designed for the Indian consumer

BlackBerry KEYoneLIMITED EDITION BLACK has been distinctly designed for Indian customers to offer dual SIM capability and will also be available in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. It is equipped with a metallic black frame and soft touch textured back. This new BlackBerry smartphone is built to offer the best in durability with an impressive design. Featuring a 4.5-inch scratch resistant display (16201080 resolution / 434 PPI 3:2 aspect ratio) with Corning  Gorilla Glass 4 offering greater scratch resistance, it combines a touch display with a physical keyboard to give users more useable space for typing than a typical 5.5-inch all-touch smartphone. The device comes with a 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM (expandable upto 2TB).

The devices Smart Keyboard responds to touch gestures mimicking the heritage of the BlackBerry trackpad making web browsing, reading emails and writing messages with flick typing a much smoother and intuitive experience. This Smart Keyboard can also be easily programmed to launch up to 52 customizable shortcuts, providing even greater ease of use. In addition, BlackBerry KEYoneLIMITED EDITION BLACK also offers the security of a fingerprint sensor built directly into the keyboard space bar for added functionality and security.

Powered with Security and Convenience

BlackBerry KEYone, LIMITED EDITION BLACK, comes with the legendary security features that BlackBerry is known for. The smartphone offers the most secure Android smartphone experience. It comes pre-loaded with DTEK by BlackBerry, enables users to automatically monitor their OS and apps to know when their privacy could be at risk and to take action to improve it. The DTEK app also tracks applications and notifies when someone is: taking pictures or videos without the users knowledge, turning the microphone on, sending a text message, or accessing the contacts or location. The device runs on Android 7.1  giving users access to the entire Google Play store and apps. It comes loaded with BlackBerry Huba unified messaging inbox which combines emails, texts and messages from social media accounts including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, BBM, Whatsapp, Instagram and others. Another benefit of BlackBerry Hub, is the ability to manage multiple email accounts without switching between apps, with support for Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook, Microsoft Exchange accounts, and many other IMAP and POP3 email providers.

The BlackBerry KEYone experience

In addition to the design and security features that make BlackBerry KEYone,LIMITED EDITION BLACK, strikingly different, the additional features truly reinvent mobile communications for the productivity user. At its core, the device is powered with a Snapdragon 625 2GHz Octacore processor. It includes Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology, making it possible for the 3505 mAh battery, the largest ever in a BlackBerry device, to receive up to 50 percent charge in roughly 36 minutes that will last for roughly two days. And for when you only have a few moments to grab a fast charge, BlackBerrys Boost can turbo charge the battery to get the most charge with the limited available time.

The device is engineered to deliver professional-looking photos with an 8MP front facing cameraand a wide angle lens and a 12MP auto-focus rear camera. With a large pixel size(1.55m) and Phase Detect Auto Focus, moments captured on the BlackBerry KEYoneLIMITED EDITION BLACK will be ultra-crisp and clear. Additionally, for video conference or streaming, it includes an 8MP front camera with fixed focus and 84-degree wide angle lens.

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rcp/iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- The U.S. Navy is conducting a search and rescue mission for a sailor who went missing from the USS Stethem while the ship was conducting routine operations in the South China Sea on Tuesday.



Ships and aircraft from both the American and Japanese military are currently looking for the sailor, who went missing at 9 a.m. local time Tuesday morning, according to a statement that was issued by the Navy.



The sailor's name is being withheld while the search is ongoing, the Navy said.



The USS Stethem is a destroyer vessel, according to the Navy Times.



The Navy Times notes that this rescue effort represents the second major search of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region since this summer.



The first search and rescue effort took place in June near Okinawa, Japan, and ended after 50 hours when the missing sailor was found hiding in the engineering spaces of his ship, ABC News reported in June.



Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
British American Tobacco wins Brexit sales boost

AFP, London :

British American Tobacco, fresh from its takeover of US peer Reynolds, reported on Thursday sliding first-half net profits, but sales jumped on the back of the Brexit-hit pound.

Profit after tax slid 15 percent to 2.3 billion ($3.0 billion, 2.6 billion euros) in the six months to June 30 from a year earlier, the maker of Lucky Strike cigarettes said in a results statement.

BAT, whose cigarette brands include also Dunhill and Kent, added that sales leapt 15.7 percent to 7.71 billion in the reporting period.

Sterling has slumped in value since the June 2016 referendum in favour of Britain leaving the European Union. That has made BAT's products more attractive for US buyers.

"The performance of the group in the first six months of the year is in line with expectations and demonstrates the good organic progress we are making," BAT chief executive Nicandro Durante said in the earnings statement.

"The relative weakness of sterling led to a significant tailwind on our reported results, with revenue 15.7-percent higher."

BAT paid almost $50 billion (47 billion euros) for control of Reynolds American in a move that targets the lucrative United States market and the fast-growing e-cigarette sector.

"As a result of the deal, the enlarged group has a balanced presence in high growth emerging markets and high profitability developed markets, combined with direct access to the attractive US market," noted Durante on Thursday.
2 women fake note trader held

Chittagong Bureau :

CMP police rounded up two women fake note trader from city area alongwith currency note of Tk.57 thousand. The detained women hailed from Luxmipur thana of greater Noakhali, sources said.

Officer Incharge of Akbar Shah thana Md. Alamgir told that acting secret information, police on mobile duty rounded up them from city gate area in the city and recovered 40 fake note of 1000 taka each .

They confessed their involvement in fake currency note circulation in different city areas since long. On their confession, another 17 notes recovered from their residence in Agrabad CDA area after searching their belongings. The detained women indentified as Nadia Akhter and Fatema Begum, sources added.




US-Bangla Airlines to start flights on-Dhk-Ctg-Doha route Oct 1

UNB, Dhaka :

US-Bangla Airlines on Tuesday announced flights operation on Dhaka-Chittagong-Doha route from October 01.

The inaugural flight for Doha will leave Dhaka on October 1 at 6pm and leave Chittagong at 7:30pm with Boeing 737-800 aircraft and will reach Doha at 10.30pm (local time).

And from Doha, the flight will leave at 11.30pm (local time) and will land in Chittagong at 8.00am and Dhaka at 9.30 pm on next day.

The flights for Doha will be operated on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Within two years of its operation, US-Bangla Airlines explored the international arena with Dhaka-Kathmandu route, officials said on Tuesday.

Other than operating within all the airports of the country, it is operating in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Muscat and Kolkata.

The minimum fare for Dhaka to Doha flight has been fixed initially one way fare for Tk 24,385 and with return, Tk 40,264 and Chittagong to Doha has been fixed one way fare Tk 25, 353 and return Tk 41, 233 inclusive of all taxes and surcharges.
CSR and Social Development

Dr. Muhammad Abdul Mazid :

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) synonymous to corporate conscience or responsible business, also promoting philanthropy for social development, is a form of corporate self - regulation integrated into a social business model. CSR reflects the responsibility of an organization for the impacts of its decisions and activities on society, the environment and its own prosperity, known as the " trip;le bottom line" of people, planet, and profit.

CSR often focused on philanthropy as a driver of CSR. That notion has been supplanted by a broad commitment to protecting and improving the lives of workers and the communities in which companies do business. It is a common perception that people see this work as charity, philanthropy, or an allocation of resources for social development that could better be donated by shareowners themselves.

Participation in the social development: The historical perspectives : Emphasis on social, environmental and economic sustainability has become a focus of many CSR efforts. Socially responsible investors have now been a key catalyst asking companies to develop a CSR agenda like in the last decades, especially in our part of the world, which was under colonial administration for several hundred years. In British India, the colonial governments could not consider it obligatory for providing adequate social services to the native general public, their welfare were compartmentalized to a limited locality , few sections of the society and only in the selected sectors. In that event the social development goals were marginally meet up by local moneyed man through voluntary contributions . Subsequent governments either in pre or post 1971 remain indifferent due to paucity of resources and adequacy of supply to growing demand, therefore, CSR has had to be an impending source and hope for the social development . It is encouraging that in recent years, mainstream financial institutions and the even the regulators, like Bangladesh Bank, have also come to value CSR. A recent survey of CSR investment by Banking institutions found that 53% of predicted socially responsible investment indicators will become commonplace in mainstream investing within 10 years. However, one weakness of CSR and sustainability reports, however, is lack of common measures of performance which can lead to hyperbole and green washing. Despite progress made by many companies, reporting are still in its early stages at most corporations. The state policy should encourage CSR rather discouraging by making tight provisions for incentives like tax exemption or rebate etc. CSR is important to remain sustainable. Strong communities support strong organizations; the reverse is also true.

There is none to deny the importance for an entity or person to take social responsibility for its actions must be fully accountable. Social Accounting, a sequel to Social Business ,a concept describing the communication of social, ethical and environmental effects of any economic actions to particular interest groups within society and to society at large, is thus an important element of CSR. Social accounting emphasizes the notion of corporate accountability.

Few potential areas of CSR leading to Social Development

Human Resource Development : CSR program can be an aid to recruitment and retention, particularly within the competitive graduate student market. Establishing vocational institutes like nursing training institutes may create a congenial environment for the economic emancipation of this manpower surplus society.

Risk management: Managing procedural, natural or environmental risks has been a crucial concern of the society . Reputations that take decades to build up can be ruined in hours through incidents such as corruption scandals or environmental accidents. These can also draw unwanted attention from regulators, courts, governments and media. Through awareness campaigns building a genuine culture of 'doing the right thing at the right moment' and ' continuation of the developmental activities despite the change of policy makers' within a society can help prevent control or even offsetting these risks.

Helping the Disabled: In recent years CSR is noticeable in the most of the social welfare activities to the welfare of able bodied people but do not take into account the disabled people who are also a part of the society in which the company exists and who amount to at least 10% of the population. There should be non-discrimination or diversity management awareness-raising, there should be included the disability factor in employment/HR indicators so that the situation of people with disabilities can be compared with that of able.

Criticisms and concerns: Critics of CSR as well as proponents debate a number of concerns related to it. These include CSR's relationship to the fundamental purpose and nature of business and questionable motives for engaging in CSR, including concerns about insincerity and hypocrisy. Regulations and restrictions which are imposed to avail CSR incentives may also be seen as discouraging if these are not framed or enforced from an encouraging standpoint.

Sense of obligation: A particular school of thought have argued that a corporation's purpose is to maximize returns to its shareholders, and that since only people can have social responsibilities, corporations are only responsible to their shareholders and not to society as a whole. Although they accept that corporations should obey the laws of the countries within which they work, they assert that corporations have no other obligation to society. Critics of this argument perceive the free market as opposed to the well-being of society and a hindrance to human freedom. They claim that the type of capitalism practiced in many developing countries is a form of economic and cultural imperialism , noting that these countries usually have fewer labor protections, and thus their citizens are at a higher risk of exploitation by multinational corporations.

Motives and Mindsets: Some critics believe that CSR programs are undertaken by companies such as British American Tobacco (BAT), the cellular phone providers (well known for its high-profile advertising campaigns ), and booming Real State sector might be to distract the public from socio- economic and ethical questions posed by their core operations. They argue that some corporations start CSR programs for the commercial benefit they enjoy through raising their reputation with the public or with government. Corporations which exist solely to maximize profits are unable to advance the interests of society as a whole. In this context critics concerned with corporate hypocrisy and insincerity generally suggest that better governmental and international regulation and enforcement, rather than voluntary measures, might be necessary to ensure that companies behave in a socially responsible manner. For a commonly overlooked motives and mindset of the regulators' for CSR, whereby CSR can also be driven by personal values, in addition to the more obvious financial and governmental drivers.

Crucial consumerism: The rise in popularity of consumerism over the last two decades can be linked to the rise of CSR in Bangladesh. As national population and economic activities increases, so does the pressure on limited natural resources required to meet rising consumer demand. Industrialization, however, is booming as a result of both technology and globalization. At the same time, increasingly corporations are motivated to become more socially responsible because their most important stakeholders expect them to understand and address the social and community issues that are relevant to them. NGOs have a better role to play in creating awareness and fixing priorities.

Social development awareness : Role of dialogue and education: The role among corporate stakeholders is to work collectively to pressure corporations that are changing.. NGOs are also taking an increasing role, leveraging the power of the media and the Internet to increase their scrutiny and collective activism around corporate behavior. Through education and dialogue, the development of community awareness in holding businesses responsible for their actions is growing.

Ethics training: The rise of ethics training inside corporations, some of it required by government regulation, is another driver credited with changing the behavior and culture of corporations. The aim of such training is to help employees make ethical decisions when the answers are unclear.

Laws and regulation: Another driver of CSR is the role of independent mediators, particularly the government, in ensuring that corporations are prevented from harming the broader social good, including people and the environment. The issues surrounding government regulation may also pose problems. Regulation in itself is unable to cover every aspect in detail of a corporation's operations. This leads to burdensome legal processes bogged down in interpretations of the law and debatable grey areas. Again it is also true that organisations pay taxes to government to ensure that society should get benefit out of this transferred payment

(Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid, formerly Secretary to the Government of Bangladesh and Chairman, National Board of Revenue , presently Chief Coordinator, Diabetic Association of Bangladesh. [email protected])
Korean Peninsula under Nuclear threat!

ON Friday, North Korea test-fired a second Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), claiming it proved that the entire US was within striking range. The launch came three weeks after the state's first ICBM test. The US says it will not call for a UN Security Council meeting over North Korea's missile tests because it would produce "nothing of consequence". Such a meeting would send a message to North Korea that the international community was unwilling to challenge it, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said.



Pyongyang said its tests proved that the entire US was within range. The US has responded by testing an anti-missile system and flying bombers over the Korean Peninsula. On Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he had spoken to US President Donald Trump and they agreed on the need for further action on North Korea given its most recent missile test on Friday.



The two did not discuss any use of military action. Ms Haley said that North Korea was already subject to numerous Security Council Resolutions that they "flout with impunity". She urged China to rein in North Korea. US President Donald Trump has again criticised China for not doing enough to stop Pyongyang's weapons programme while making "hundreds of billions of dollars" in trade with the US.



Despite fierce objections from China, the US military recently began installing missile defences - the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system - in South Korea, with the aim of shooting down any North Korean missiles fired in conflict. US B-1 bombers also conducted exercises over the Korean Peninsula with South Korean and Japanese planes on Sunday.



China is simply in the wrong place on North Korea. It is allowing Kim Jong-un's nuclear ambitions to undermine Chinese national interest. There are complex reasons for this including history, habit and political culture. But among Chinese foreign policy experts and even on social media, unease is beginning to spread.



China seems trapped with only two choices: a nuclear-armed North Korea or a reunified Korea with American troops on China's border. Between these choices, it finds a nuclear-armed North Korea preferable. A fundamental shift in how Beijing sees the region and its relationships within it is required as China is after all an ideologically insecure one-party state. A profound aversion to liberal internationalism has tied it to a rigid position on non-interference in the internal affairs of another state.



But the policy is not working with the Kim led North Korea. North Korea's regime shows open contempt for Chinese national interests and national policy. It is time the Chinese used a carrot and stick policy -- give aid to its neighbour while softly warning it to not to increase its nuclear ambitions. If it doesn't then the last thing the world needs is a nuclear capable North using its missiles on the US and Japan while the US under Trump does likewise. It is a MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) recipe.






Biman cancels 2 more Hajj flights

Hajj pilgrims are waiting at the Ashkona Hajj camp due to cancellation of flights for visa complications on Tuesday.

Staff Reporter :

The Biman Bangladesh Airlines has cancelled two more scheduled Hajj flights for shortage of pilgrims for visa complications.

Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) sources said the Saudi government did not accept the e-visa application from the hajj agencies for those of the hajj pilgrims, who performed hajj once in 2015 or 2016, unless payment of extra amount of 2,000 Saudi Riyal per head. As a result, some 15,000-20,000 hajj pilgrims would not be able to perform hajj this year due to complexities in e-visa process.

With these, a total of 12 hajj flights have been cancelled since the first day of hajj flight operation on July 24.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said that the Biman flights were cancelled as several thousands of pilgrim failed to get visa in time.

Shakil Meraj, General Manager Public Relations (GMPR) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said that two more flights scheduled to fly at 2:55 pm on Tuesday and at 3:25 am on Wednesday were cancelled.

A total of 177 flights will carry the Hajj pilgrims till August 26. But 29 dedicated flights and 8 scheduled flights only took off for Saudi Arabia so far.

Some 127,198 pilgrims are to perform Hajj from Bangladesh this year under government and private managements. the Religious Affairs Ministry sources said the visas of 42,000 hajj pilgrims had already been processed and over 20,000 people left for Saudi Arabia for performing hajj this year till Sunday.
BNP leader Monno dies

UNB, Dhaka :

Haruner Rashid Khan Monno, an industrialist and BNP chairperson's advisory council member, died on Tuesday at a hospital founded by him in Manikganj. He was 86.

Monno, also a former minister without portfolio, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Monno Medical College and Hospital in Manikganj around 5:05pm, said BNP chairperson's media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

He left behind wife, two daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.

The schedule for his namaz-e-janazas and

burial will be finalised once his daughter Afroza Khan Rita, also a member of the BNP chief's advisory council and the managing director of Monno Group of Industries, returns home from London, said Sayrul.

He said, Monno had been undergoing treatment at the capital's Labaid Hospital under Dr ZM Zahid since July 22 for various diseases and old-age complications. He was taken to his Manikganj residence on Monday night and later admitted to the hospital.

Sayrul said, the BNP leader's body has been kept at Labaid Hospital mortuary.

He will be buried at his family graveyard at Gilondo village of Harirampur, Manikganj.

Monno was elected MP from Manikganj-2 constituency in 1991 and 1996 and from Manikganj-2 and 3 seats in 2001 with BNP ticket. He was also made a minister without portfolio in 2001.

Beginning his business career with Monno Art Press, Monno appeared as a big industrialist through founding the Monno Group of Industries. He established Monno Ceramic, Monno Jutex Industries, Monno Fabrics, Monno Attire Limited, Monno Medical College and Hospital, Monno Nursing Institute, Monno International Scholl and College and some other institutions.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed their profound shock at his death.

They prayed for salvation of the departed soul and conveyed their deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Trump 'dictated' son's statement on Russian lawyer meeting

BBC Online :

President Donald Trump personally dictated the statement his son gave on his talks with a Russian lawyer during the election campaign, US media report.

It said Donald Trump Jr and the lawyer had mostly discussed the adoption of Russian children in June 2016.

Mr Trump Jr later revealed he had agreed to meet her after being told he could receive damaging material on Hillary Clinton.

President Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia.

The Senate, House of Representatives and a special counsel are all investigating alleged Russian interference in the presidential election which took the form of attempts to undermine Mrs Clinton - a claim denied by the Kremlin. The reports about Mr Trump Jr's statement came in the midst of further turmoil at the White House.

White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci was fired on Monday after fewer than 10 days in the post. The former Wall Street financier had drawn criticism after calling a reporter to give a profanity-laced tirade against his colleagues.

Reports that President Trump had himself dictated the statement his son issued about the meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya first emerged in the Washington Post. It cited multiple sources.

ABC News later quoted "two senior-level sources" as confirming this claim.

President Trump's advisers initially agreed that Mr Trump Jr would release a statement that "couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged", the Post says.

But it says that decision was reversed as President Trump was flying home from the G20 summit in Germany on 8 July. In the statement, Mr Trump Jr said the meeting had "primarily discussed a programme about the adoption of Russian children", not campaign issues.

The statement was issued to the New York Times, as it was preparing its story on the meeting.

Mr Trump Jr later acknowledged that he had agreed to meet after being told Kremlin-linked information about Mrs Clinton would

be offered during the talks. He also released the email exchange that brought about the meeting. Neither President Trump nor his son have commented on the latest media reports.

The Washington Post says some of the president's advisers fear the extent of the president's intervention could place him and some of his inner circle in legal jeopardy. Mr Trump Jr received an email from an intermediary, British music publicist Rob Goldstone, promising documents from Russia that would incriminate Mrs Clinton.

At that time, his father was the presumptive Republican nominee and heading towards an election fight against his Democratic rival. The meeting was reportedly arranged by Russian businessman Aras Agalarov and his son Emin, a pop star who was managed for a time by Mr Goldstone.

One email from Mr Goldstone said the information they had been promised was "obviously very high-level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump".

Mr Trump Jr's response to it was: "If it's what you say I love it."

Mr Trump Jr, his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign chairman Paul Manafort met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in New York.

It became apparent, Mr Trump Jr later said, that Ms Veselnitskaya wanted to discuss a suspended programme for Americans to adopt Russian children. Donald Trump Jr told Fox News' Sean Hannity in July that he did not tell his father about last year's meeting: "It was such a nothing. There was nothing to tell.

"I mean, I wouldn't have even remembered it until you started scouring through this stuff. It was literally just a wasted 20 minutes, which was a shame." In retrospect, he would have done things a little differently, Mr Trump Jr told Fox News, but he defended his actions. But the meeting went nowhere, he said, and it was apparent Mrs Clinton was not the subject. He could not vouch for the information he was sent, he said.

"Someone sent me an email. I can't help what someone sends me. I read it, I responded accordingly, and if there was something interesting there, I think that's pretty common."
Journo held under Sec 57 in Khulna

UNB, Khulna :

Police arrested a local journalist from his residence in Dumuria upazila on Tuesday in a case filed under section 57 of the ICT Act over a Facebook post 'demeaning State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayan Chandra Chanda'.

A local man, Subrata Mazumder, filed the case with Dumuria Police Station against Latif Morol, 40, Dumuria correspondent of 'Dainik Probaha', said Sukumar Biswas, officer-in-charge of Dumuria Police Station.

According to the case statement, Morol in his Facebook post allegedly criticised the junior minister as some goats distributed by him (minister) among poor people in Dumuria died soon after the distribution.
Worries at grassroots level

MFIs worried about their future

Staff Reporter :

Country's small grassroots micro finance institutions (MFIs), non-government organisations, have expressed their grave concern over the government's move to reduce service charges of their organisations saying it will poise a threat to the existence of the sector.

Their concern over the issue was expressed in a press conference held at the National Press Club in the city on Tuesday.

Atiqun Nabi of INAFI moderated the briefing while representatives from different MFIs, including Shova Rani Mondol of SASUS, Tangail, M Rafiqul Islam of SUS, Mirzapur, Tajul Islam of USA, Narayanganj, Arjuman Begum of DPUS, Khulna, Mojibul Haque Faruqi of AUP, Dhaka, Dr Tasnim Ahmed of BEDO, Dhaka, Shamsul Haque of ARS, Jessore, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Mostafa Kamal Akanda and Tariq Sayed Hasan of COAST, Mossadeque of FNB and Abdul Awal of CDF spoke on the occasion.

Speakers in the conference urged the government to halt the process of further reduction of micro finance service charge which, in fact, will be a threat to the existence of 505 such organisations. They constitute 77 per cent in the sector.

There are total 659 MFI NGOs in view of MRA (Micro Finance Regulatory Authority) under Bangladesh Bank.

On behalf of the grassroots MFIs, Tarik Sayed Harun of COAST urged the government to consider their five point demands before taking final decisions.

The demands are: (i)Compare with other countries in Asia micro finance service charge is lower which is only 27 percent, (ii) surplus rate of grassroots MFIs is only 9.8 percent while it is around 46 per cent of the big MFI NGOs, (iii) grassroots MFI NGOs are very much accountable to local community, work in remote places and stand by disaster to the poor families, (iv) these small grassroots MFI NGOs who have branches 1 to 10, hardly get capital from Bank and PKSF (Palli Kromo Sohayak Foundation), and (v) if the present government reduce the micro finance service further then these 505 grassroots MFI NGOs will face possible extinction, which will be a hindrance to equitable growth and will create an imbalance in the sector.

Shova Rani Mondol of SASUS, Tangail, stated that how she was surviving in serving women development through his micro finance and without any donor funding.

Tajul Islam of USA, Narayanganj, stated how he had created employment opportunity for him as well as the youths in his locality.

"As other agencies of the government increased salaries I have to increase salary of my staff members. In this situation, the government should consider to increase the service charge," Mujibul Haque Faruqi of AUP, Dhaka, said.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of COAST said, "In view of UN initiated World Humanitarian Summit, these local grassroots NGOs deserve support as the micro finance sector should not fall in the trap of monopoly."

He also said if the government implements the decision, then only a few number of big-sized MFIs will be able to sustain in the field.

"A large amount of our fund is in the threat of becoming bad loan due to recent natural disaster and lowering service charge will be suicidal for us," he added.


340 children raped in 7 months: NGO

A total of 340 children, including 24 physically challenged ones, were violated in the country in the last seven months of the current year, according to statistics of Child Rights Advocacy Coalition in Bangladesh.

Of them, some 46 fell victims to gang-rape, the data say adding that two children were raped every day in the country on an overage.

According to the data of Bangladesh Human Rights Implementation Society, a total of 32 children were raped in July last.

Unofficial data say over 22,000 women and children took treatment from one stop crisis centres installed in 10 public hospitals after they were victims of rape and other violation during 2001-2015.

Recently, a three-year-old girl was killed in the capital's Badda after being raped by a neighbour.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Child Rights Advocacy Coalition in Bangladesh voiced grave concern over the rise in children's molestation in the country.
Parag abduction prime accused killed in gunfight

Staff Reporter : A listed top terror and prime accused in the sensational Parag abduction case was killed in a gunfight with cops in Mirerbagh area of South Keraniganj, on the outskirts of capital, early Tuesday. The victim has been identified as Moktar Hossain Amir alias Langra Amir, 40, a top terror listed with police, said Sha Mizan Shafiur Rahman, Superintendent of Police in Dhaka. Ealier, Moktar was arrested from Shoronkhola area of Bagerhat district on Monday night, the police official said. Acting on Amirs information that his firearms and some used bullets were kept near Mirerbagh Textile Mills area, police reached the area. At that time, two or three cohorts of Amir tried to snatch him away from police triggering the gunfight. Police and the criminals exchanged twenty rounds of bullets before Amirs cohorts fled the scene leaving Amir injured, the SP said. Police took Amir to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital where on-duty doctors declared him dead, he said. Monirul Islam, Officer-In-Charge (OC) of South Keraniganj Police Station, said two rounds of bullets, one foreign pistol and two 24-inch long knives were recovered from the spot. In 2012, miscreants led by Amir abducted Parag Mondol, a six-year-old KG-I student of Heed International School of the capitals Sadarghat from Shubhadda Paschimpara in Keraniganj on November 11. The abductors shot and injured his mother Lipi Rani Mondal, 32, sister Pinaki Mondal, 11, and their car driver Nazrul Islam, 35, during the kidnapping. They set Parag free after reportedly taking a ransom of Tk 50 lakh on November 13.
Tufan`s brother JL leader Matin suspended

Bogra rape victim makes depositions

Staff Reporter : The Jubo League central committee on Tuesday suspended Matin Sarker, elder brother of rape accused Tufan Sarker and also joint secretary of Bogra district unit Jubo League. Matin has been expelled temporarily from the party, as his activities have tarnished the partys image. Jubo League (JL) president Omar Faruq Chowdhury has issued an order against Matin, said Aminul Islam Dablu, General Secretary of the JL Bogra district unit. The local JL unit will never shelter anyone of the party if he is found involved any act that tarnishes the image of the party and the government, he said. On Sunday, Tufan Sarker, convener of Bogra town Sramik League, was suspended from the organization over the rape allegation. A statement jointly issued by Bogra district unit Shramik League President Rafiqul Islam and its General Secretary Shamsuddin Sheikh Helal confirmed the suspension. Our Bogra Correspondent adds: A court here on Tuesday asked law enforcers to ensure adequate security to the female student, who was allegedly raped and tortured by Tufan Sarker, a local Sramik League leader. Additional District Judge Md Emdadul Haque of Bogra Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal passed the order after the victim gave judicial statement before the court. Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bogra Shyam Sundar Roy recorded the victims depositions from 3:45pm to 5:15pm. The Additional District Judge also asked the authorities of Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital to ensure proper treatment of the victim, who is now undergoing treatment there.
CARBONDALE  Diana Sussman is a far cry from the stereotype of the shushing librarian. As director of the Carbondale Public Library, shes worked to cultivate a vibrant, community-oriented space that bustles with people from all walks of life  and that means its anything but quiet.

Our foot traffic last year was 127,679 people, and our program attendance was 8,354. Thats a lot of traffic. Thats a lot of attendance. Our programs are often so large that they dont even fit in our meeting rooms  they have to be out in the middle of the library, Sussman said.

Sussman, who has helmed the library for the past seven years, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Illinois Library Association Librarian of the Year Award. It is an honor that recognizes a librarians service in Illinois libraries.

Before her time at the Carbondale Public Library, Sussman worked at the former Shawnee Library System as director of the Southern Illinois Talking Book Center, which served the blind and print-impaired.

Under Sussmans leadership, the Carbondale Public Library offered close to 550 programs for children, teens and adults last year.

Sussman has geared much of the librarys programming toward promoting a culture of inclusivity and understanding.

I would say, in the past couple of years, Ive seen people have a lot of difficulty having civil dialogue around disagreement, having trouble picturing another persons point of view, understanding what someone elses life experience might be and how that might make them react to the world differently from another person, Sussman said.

This past spring, the library and Nonviolent Carbondale organized an 11 Days for Compassion program that featured bystander intervention training for teens and a Human Library, where participants had conversations with living books.

Weve had immigrants, we had people who were formerly incarcerated, weve had people from various diverse backgrounds, people from different religions, and (it gives) people the opportunity to sit down across from that person and hear their personal story so that they can be better advocates for people  but also so that they themselves can see what they didnt already know and come to a better understanding about what its like to be somebody else, Sussman said.

In her time as director, Sussman has seen funds for social service agencies dwindle, bringing more disadvantaged people through the librarys doors.

I see more and more homeless people. I see more and more people falling through various cracks. I see more and more people who appear to not get the mental health services that they need, Sussman said.

To help address that problem, the library started an internship program through the Sparrow Coalition that brings in Masters degree students from the social work program at Southern Illinois University. For most of the year, the library now has a social worker on staff.

We see a lot of people with social service needs that go beyond just handing them a phone number, for example. So it takes a social worker sometimes to understand what phone number needs to be handed to them, and then sometimes they need a little more advocacy, Sussman said.

The librarys social workers have helped find housing for families struggling to afford the upfront costs of rentals.

Weve had people show up at the library and say, Ive just got to town, and Im here because I was evicted and I came to Carbondale. Or, I came to Carbondale because I was flooded out in Louisiana and I ended up up here. Weve had all those situations, and our social workers have been able to help them find housing in a town thats completely unfamiliar to them, to find emergency financial help if its available, and also just to be an ear, someone to talk to, Sussman said.

Tina Hubert, executive director of Six Mile Regional Library in Granite City and the 2016 ILA Librarian of the Year, said she couldnt think of anyone more deserving of the honor than Sussman.

Shes a very thoughtful and caring person.  Shes kind, which we need more of in this world, and shes someone who really, really does try to bring out the best in people and the best in situations, Hubert said.

Sussman will be presented with the award during the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference on Oct. 10 in Tinley Park.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- In the hours following Anthony Scaramuccis abrupt resignation from his post, legislators, officials and celebrities are speaking out about the New Yorkers short-lived, yet highly-publicized, stint as White House communications director.



Scaramuccis departure comes just days after former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Press Secretary Sean Spicer left the Trump administration. Monday morning, retired Marine Corps general John Kelly was sworn in as Priebus replacement.



Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle took to Twitter to acknowledge the 11-day White House career of the former Wall Street financier.



The White House posted a statement, stressing that Scaramucci felt it was best to give Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team, wishing him all the best. The statements use of the term clean slate uses the same language Spicer used during his resignation.

Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida praised the decision, which comes just hours into Kellys tenure.

General Kelly is 1 for 1. Let's keep it going.  Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) July 31, 2017

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., subtly jabbed Scaramucci about his time at the White House, stressing a grateful nation would say has it really only been 11 days?!?

Thank you Anthony @Scaramucci for your service. I speak for a grateful nation when I say has it really only been 11 days?!? https://t.co/78ZEWLYrjC  Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) July 31, 2017

Rep. Justin Amash, R-Michigan, seemingly expressed indifference with regard to the resignation, simply tweeting:

Frm. Rep. John Dingell, D-Michigan, snarkily compared Trumps White House activities to those of previous administrations.

Truman installed a bowling alley.



Carter tried solar panels.



Trump is fully invested in a revolving door.  John Dingell (@JohnDingell) July 31, 2017

Democratic Representative Ted Lieu of California used the resignation to point fingers at the presidents son-in-law, who is thought to be a driving influence behind Scaramuccis hiring.

Jared Kushner pushed to get Mr. Scaramucci as WH Communications Director. His removal shows Kushner's advice has repeatedly been really bad. https://t.co/ZVgBsNGKAW  Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 31, 2017

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter mocked the former communications director's short White House career, and noted shes just 11 days short of his tenure.

BIG DAY FOR ME! I served in the Trump administration only 11 days less than Anthony Scaramucci. https://t.co/8gCaEqsSdT  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) July 31, 2017

Television host Andy Cohen took the matter lightly, likening the events of the White House to Bravos popular reality TV series The Real Housewives:

Please tweet me your questions for the Real Housewives of the White House Reunion.  Andy Cohen (@Andy) July 31, 2017

David Axelrod, senior adviser to former president Barack Obama, expressed his shock at Scaramuccis brief stay at the White House.

Whoa, that was quick! So long to Mini-Me the Moocher. It's been an AMAZING 11 days!  https://t.co/WzThKSPnzx  David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) July 31, 2017

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A Bamberg teen will spend the next 10 years in prison for ransacking classrooms and offices in Orangeburg County schools.

Dakota Shawn Bearden, 19, of North Street pleaded guilty last week to one count of violent second-degree burglary and two counts of malicious injury to personal property valued between $2,000 and $10,000.

Circuit Judge R. Ferrell Cothran sentenced Bearden to 10 years for the burglary charge and five years each for the malicious injury charges. The sentences will be served concurrently.

Cothran gave Bearden credit for serving 289 days at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

Bearden pleaded guilty to the three crimes which occurred on April 23, 2016 at Edisto High School and Branchville High School.

Beardens brother, 20-year-old Preston Charlie Bearden, pleaded guilty to his roles in the incidents back in March.

Circuit Judge James Barber sentenced him to prison for five years, suspending the sentence to five years of probation. Barber ordered him to pay $16,000 in restitution, with $13,000 going to Branchville High School and $3,000 to Edisto High School.

Due to the plea agreement, the following charges were dropped for the younger Bearden: three counts of non-violent second-degree burglary, use of a vehicle without permission, malicious injury to personal property valued at $10,000 or more and malicious injury to personal property valued at $5,000 or more.

Hes also facing charges in Bamberg County. Those charges are pending.

In other pleas:

* Marion Johnson, 55, of 899 Moseley Street, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.

Cothran gave him credit for time served.

* Dargan Richard Williamson, 36, of 2699 Old State Road, Swansea, pleaded guilty to failure to stop for blue lights, first offense.

Cothran gave him credit for time served.

* Freddie Lamuel Muller, 52, of 706 Jones Bridge Road, Orangeburg, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer while resisting arrest and shoplifting enhancement.

Cothran sentenced him to two concurrent terms of six months in prison.

* Angela Compton, 38, of 4556 Five Chop Road, Santee, pleaded guilty to giving false information to law enforcement and resisting arrest.

Cothran gave her credit for time served.
After spending weeks promising viewers that Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps would put his gold medals on the line against one of the most dangerous predators in the world, a Great White Shark, Discovery Channel viewers stomached through nearly an hour of buildup before being informing that Phelps would be racing a simulated shark  completely letting everyone down.

The Discovery Channel quite literally jumped the shark  is the GOP next?

Republicans have made repealing Obamacare a core aspect of the party platform and a key promise on the campaign trail throughout the last four campaign cycles. Republicans have benefitted from using the issue to energize their base, which was eagerly anticipating a full dismantlement of Obamacare once they retook power.

In 2010, Republicans used the outcry against the laws passage to retake the House; in 2014, they used the botched rollout to win the Senate; and in 2015, following President Obamas veto of the full repeal bill sent to his desk, Republican Speaker Paul Ryan once more turned to the American people to say:

We have shown now that there is a clear path to repealing Obamacare without 60 votes in the Senate. So, next year, if we are sending this bill to a Republican president, it will get signed into law.

In 2016, the energized electorate enthusiastically delivered. Republicans were given 52 seats in the Senate, a strong majority in the House, and a Republican who vowed repeatedly to repeal Obamacare in the White House.

With control of the legislative and executive branches of government, Republicans were in prime shape to repeal Obamacare and fulfill their promises to the American people, who were struggling under the cost of rising premiums, high deductibles and lost coverage.

Yet, more than 180 days into this new Republican era, they have completely failed to deliver.

Republican leadership forced a bill, largely written in concert with health insurance lobbyists, through the House that did not actually repeal Obamacare. The House-passed AHCA did not allow insurance companies to sell across state lines, it maintained guaranteed issue and community ratings, and on top of everything, it kept in place market-distorting subsidies.

The Senate leadership, not to be outdone, refused to even take up the House bill and drafted their own version, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul referred to as Obamacare lite.

From the original BCRA to the Senates subsequent, amended variations, the proposals brought forth by the rank-and-file GOP always share one common factor: They do not repeal Obamacare.

Republicans in Congress are not going to be racing a simulated shark anytime soon; but late Thursday night/early Friday morning they demonstrated their inability to just repeal the individual mandate, which was an even bigger disappointment than Michael Phelps and the Discovery Channel could ever dream.

By fully repealing Obamacare and establishing a true, free-market based health care system, Republicans can save struggling American families from the burden of socialized medicine and finally make good on their pledge to undo the errors of the Obama administration.

Until then, Americans will receive a Jaws-size bite in their wallets from Obamacares punishing costs.
President Trump has reached a "moment of reckoning," says Sen. Lindsey Graham, the outspoken Republican from South Carolina. And he is correct.

The issue is a program created by President Barack Obama called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which protects immigrants who were brought to this country illegally as youngsters and have lived here ever since.

Since its inception in 2012, the program has been a huge success, enabling about 780,000 youthful immigrants -- often called Dreamers -- to obtain drivers' licenses and work permits, go to school, join the military and contribute both their energy and their taxes to their adopted country. Even Trump, who once vowed to repeal DACA on the campaign trail, has called Dreamers "incredible kids."

But in June, in a particularly vicious and venal act, 10 Republican state attorneys general wrote to the administration demanding that DACA be rescinded. They threatened to sue if the president didn't cave to their demands by Sept. 5.

In response, Sen. Graham and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Democratic whip, introduced legislation to make DACA permanent. "To President Trump, you're going to have to make a decision," Graham said. "The campaign is over. To the Republican Party: Who are we? What do we believe? When they write the history of these times, I'm going to be with these kids."

So are we. And so are many Americans from both parties, who reject the nativist mania behind the AGs' ultimatum. In an editorial, The Wall Street Journal pointed out the folly of rescinding DACA and deporting Dreamers, stating that these AGs would "dedicate scarce enforcement resources to going door-to-door in a University of Texas dorm," terrorizing hard-working, law-abiding students.

"The better solution is for Congress to rewrite national immigration law to recognize reality, including that it isn't a political winner to deport people brought to the country as 5-year-olds," said the Journal.

That is the "better solution," but an unlikely one. The congressional calendar is crowded and the prospects for bipartisanship, on this or any issue, are pretty dim. Meanwhile, the deadline set by the attorneys general is fast approaching.

So the "moment of reckoning" is up to the president. What he should do is announce, once and for all, that he will preserve DACA and let those "incredible kids" get on with their lives, without the fear of deportation hanging over their heads.

Such a position would be a "political winner." A CNN poll last March found that only 13 percent of Americans believe that deporting undocumented immigrants should be "the government's top priority."

But politics is only one argument. Economists have consistently agreed that immigrants -- particularly young, job-holding, tax-paying immigrants -- contribute far more to the economy than they cost.

The left-leaning Center for American Progress concludes that the cost of ending DACA would be $433 billion in lost economic activity.

Then there's the moral imperative. The Dreamers signed up in good faith and willingly gave personal information to the government. For the government now to use that information to locate and deport them would be a profound breach of trust.

Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, says that for the Dreamers, ending DACA would be "just a stunning undermining of their ability to contribute to the country they know and love."

On what planet does it make any sense at all to defy every rational argument -- political, economic and moral -- and purge the country of these productive and patriotic residents?

Abrogating DACA, and endangering the Dreamers, would send a series of devastating messages to the rest of the world: America does not keep its promises. America is no longer a moral beacon that lives by its own values.

Trump keeps saying that he wants to "make America great again." Here's a chance, a moment of reckoning, for him to keep that promise.
By Trend





Ayse Acar Basaran, an MP from Democratic Peoples Party, an opposition party in Turkey, was detained in the countrys southwestern Batman Province, the Turkish media reported July 31.

Reportedly, Basaran was detained in a local airport as she tried to fly to Ankara.

She was detained due to her refusal from testifying in the court as a witness.

In June, the police of Turkeys southeastern Diyarbakir Province detained another MP from Democratic People's Party, Osman Baydemir.

In general, 11 MPs from Democratic People's Party, including co-chairs of the party Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, have been recently arrested in Turkey.

The MPs from Democratic People's Party are accused of creating a criminal organization, membership in a terrorist organization, and other crimes.
By Trend





The new US bill on sanctions against Russia will also affect the Russian pipeline project known as the Nord Stream 2.

The Senate has approved a bill toughening the US sanctions against Russia, Iran and the North Korea. The document is to be signed by US President Donald Trump.

According to the bill titled Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, the US government is required to counteract the construction of the Nord Stream 2 as the project has a harmful effect on the energy security of the European Union, the development of the gas markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and energy reforms in Ukraine.

Another project, the Southern Gas Corridor, which should provide Europe with Caspian gas, despite the equity of Iranian and Russian companies there, is not mentioned in the document. The gas to be supplied through the Southern Gas Corridor will be produced at Azerbaijans Shah Deniz Stage 2. Russian Lukoil owns a 10 percent stake in the project. National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), exempted from sanctions by a special amendment to the US law on Iranian energy companies, also has a share there.

There was enough speculation over this project. Former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar said that the US bill tightening the anti-Russian sanctions may harm the development of Shah Deniz Stage 2 and the supply of the gas extracted there to Europe.

However, sanctions against Russia or any other country will unlikely prevent the West from implementing such a strategically important project as Southern Gas Corridor.

As for the Nord Stream 2, the political component of the project plays a big role here, which gives Moscow the leverage to exert influence upon Europe. However, the Caspian gas, which can help the EU to ensure energy independence and security bypassing Russia, is in the US interests.

Therefore, lobbying for the project that will supply the Caspian gas to Europe has been centerpiece to Washington's long-term policy of European energy security.

The new US administration apparently understands that realization of Shah Deniz Stage 2 and Southern Gas Corridor will change not only the world's energy map, but also its political map, as it will contribute to ensuring Europe's energy security and weakening Moscow's influence in the region, which is strategically important for the US.

Taking into account the aforementioned, the US is unlikely to jeopardize such an important project as the Southern Gas Corridor.
Barclays has announced its sponsorship for the Mind Cloud Entrepreneurship programme, the UAEs first government accredited initiative for entrepreneurs.



The initiative aims to elevate the entrepreneurship skills for participants, in collaboration with Dubai Business Women Council, the UAEs leading platform for the personal and professional development of women in the emirate and beyond.



The holistic, all-inclusive programme has drawn support of VIP facilitators including representatives from LinkedIn, who led the course tuition.



The initiative provides support to the UAEs drive to build a knowledge-based economy, through attracting a wide-ranging audience from students to SME entrepreneurs, corporate employees to start-ups and scale-ups, with a full spectrum of tailor-made theoretical and practical courses led by successful entrepreneurs.



Andrew Mortimer, managing director, country manager, and chief operating officer for Barclays MENA, said: At Barclays, we are passionate about helping people and businesses achieve their ambitions, in the right way. The Dubai Business Women Councils Mind Cloud Entrepreneurship programme is a promising initiative that allows us to actively help entrepreneur women achieve their potential and grow their businesses while supporting the local economy.



At Dubai Business Women Council, we strive to offer everyone a platform to discover their entrepreneurial spirit and showcase their ambition. With this significant investment from Barclays as official sponsor of the entrepreneur programme, we can create even greater opportunities for entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams, said Dr Raja Al Gurg, president of DBWC. We look forward to what promises to be a successful partnership between DBWC, Barclays and Mind Cloud Academy.

The initiative has so far attracted hundreds of applications from entrepreneurs determined to show they can contribute to the future economy.



The Mind Cloud Entrepreneurship Programme courses included: Customer Acquisition & Retention; Legal & Governance; Mindful Leadership; Business Model; Design Thinking; Finance; Marketing & PR; Pivoting Business Model; Sales Strategies and Scaling Up Strategies.



With the official launch of the programme planned for September, each course will be certified as the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)-certified Diploma and will be delivered by a successful entrepreneur or industry expert, with a deep knowledge of the subject matter. The initiative will also create opportunities for mentorship with the facilitators and Barclays passing on their vast practical knowledge and expertise in diverse areas to individuals.  TradeArabia News Service
Drake & Scull International (DSI) has announced that a consortium of Passavant Energy & Environment (PE&E) - its wholly-owned German water and energy technology solutions subsidiary - and Aziz Company for Contracting and Industrial Investment (ACCII) has been awarded a SR268-million ($71.46 million) contract for the South Dhahran wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Saudi Arabia.

ACCII is a Saudi-based firm that specialises in civil and infrastructure projects,

The three-year contract has been awarded by the National Water Company (NWC) and as per the terms of the agreement, the duration of the project is two years for design and build and one year for operation and maintenance.

PE&Es scope of work includes design, procurement and supply of equipment, installation, supervision, and commissioning of the plant process and related electromechanical works, said a statement.



Upon completion, the plant located in Al Khobar, will treat 70,000 cu m of water per day from different areas within Dhahran Municipality where the water will be received through pipelines at specific delivery points and conditions.



Wael Allan, CEO, Drake & Scull International, commented: This is a significant win for the company and a testimony to our exceptional ability in water and energy. Our core technical competency as a leading MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) provider combined with our sector knowledge and expertise in water makes this project a perfect match for our strengths, where we plan to exceed expectations in the delivery of this project.



Fares Khatib, managing director, Passavant Energy & Environment, added: PE&E is very pleased to collaborate with ACCII to undertake the execution of this important WWTP project. This plant will be amongst the few in Saudi Arabia that harnesses bio-gas from the treated sludge to generate electricity to cover a major part of the plant power needs.



PE&E is capitalising on its own proven pioneering process technology to minimise the plant life-cycle cost and increase the value added to our client.



The Austria-based engineering and consulting firm ILF-Tecon & Partners Engineering is the consultant for the project.

DSI is a regional market leader in integrated design, engineering and commissioning, procurement, construction and construction management. TradeArabia News Service


Saudi Oger, a major construction company that has faced financial difficulties in recent years, downed its shutters on Monday after almost four decades of existence in the Saudi market, said a report.



The company, with a paid up capital of SR750 million ($200 million), was unable to pay salaries to its employees, said the Saudi Gazette report.



The report quoted a source as saying that the National Electricity Company (NEC) has cut off power from the company's headquarters and offices in several areas of the kingdom.



The source also said the company had handed over three of its projects to others in an attempt to mitigate increasing financial pressures.



The source said files on the salaries of the Saudi and expatiate staff have been handed over to the Ministry of Labour and Social Development (MLSD).



He said the expatriate employees of the company have hired lawyers to follow up the case of delayed salaries and other benefits, the report added.

Earlier reports quoting the Labour Ministry said employees of the troubled construction company will be moved to other firms amid other reports that workers were planned to be laid off from July 31.



The ministry said there were 1,200 Saudis among a total of around 8,000 workers at the company, which is owned by the family of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri and has built many huge infrastructure projects in the kingdom, from universities and roads to airports and hospitals.



A document described as an internal Saudi Oger memo and seen by Reuters notified employees that July 31 would be the last working day there, in light of "the circumstances that the company is going through".
GEMS Education, a leading education provider, has added the Wesgreen International School to its network of schools in the UAE.



Through this partnership, GEMS Education will be able to offer its global expertise and know-how to students, staff and the parent community of this school, said a statement.



Students will also benefit from additional courses, as GEMS Education will aim to provide value to their overall experience with more extracurricular activities, access to GEMS-wide events, competitions and international university partnerships, it said.



The staff and teachers of Wesgreen will also be integrated into the wider GEMS network thus benefiting from globally recognised educators through shared best practices. The GEMS Parent Engagement strategy will further cement the partnership formed with parents, and families can also expect consistent communication from class teachers and the school administration, GEMS said.



Dino Varkey, chief executive officer, GEMS Education, said: As a proud UAE company, we have dedicated considerable resources to ensuring the highest quality education for children across the nation, and beyond.



With this addition to our network we are further reinforcing our commitment to the UAE 2021 Vision as well as strengthening our mission of providing quality education within the reach of every child. GEMS looks forward to continuing the tradition of excellence at Wesgreen International School, added Varkey.



The Wesgreen International school has been advancing excellence in education for more than two decades and provides all students with a first-class education and the best teaching and learning environment in which each student achieves their optimum potential academically, physically, emotionally, socially, and with results of merit from Cambridge University.



Wesgreen International School was founded in 1991 in Sharjah under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Sultan Al Qassimi, chairman of Al Batha Group, and it has grown to become an institution of academic excellence in the emirate. -TradeArabia News Service
Barwa Real Estate, one of the leading real estate investment companies in Qatar, has awarded a construction contract worth QR139.95 million ($38.24 million) for its Al Baraha Warehouses and Workshops project to Qatar Building Engineering Co (QBEC).



The project will be completed within 18 months.



The project will be constructed on the existing truck parking parcel of 684,134 sq m plot in the Barwa AlBaraha Project (The workers city) located in the Industrial Area, zone 91.



It will provide suitable spaces to be used as warehouses for small and medium enterprises and also offer mechanical and electrical workshops to meet the market demand, the company said.



The project will have a total built-up area of around 193,000 sq m, which includes 573 warehouses of 300 sq m size, in addition to 135 workshops of 144 sq m size.



The project will also cover the construction and upgrading of infrastructure and all the services required for the project, including two electrical substations, internal roads, potable water and sewage networks, etc. - TradeArabia News Service
Iran's Industrial Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) recently signed a 2.5 billion ($2.9 billion) deal with Russian Transmashholding Company to set up a joint venture for manufacturing wagons for railroads, a report said.



Russian side will provide 80 per cent of the agreement for manufacturing passenger wagons, including the metro wagons, while the rest will be provided by IDRA, Iran Daily reported, citing Trend News Agency.



Transmashholding is the largest locomotive and rail equipment manufacturing company in Russia, Mansour Moazzemi, the head of IDRO's Board of Directors was quoted as saying in the report.



"Alstom France holds 33 percent of the shares in the Russian company, he added.



Iran, which has about 24,000 cargo and 2,000 passenger wagons, as well as 100 locomotives, plans to expand its railway grid from the current 11,000km to 25,000km within the next five years, the report said.



Moazzemi noted that upon the initiation of the cooperation, IDRO and Transmashholding will purchase an Iranian train production company, called Wagon Pars, to manufacture products required by Iran's railroad industry products.



He added that subsequently, the two sides will raise their investment in proportion with the size of the future projects. "The company's management will be rotational, he noted.
The UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued the landmark Federal Law for Tax Procedures, which sets the base for the planned UAE tax system, regulating the administration and collection of taxes and clearly defining the role of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA).



"The Tax Procedures Law is a significant milestone towards establishing the UAEs tax system and diversifying the economy," a Wam news agency report quoted Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and FTA chairman, as saying.



"The law, issued by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is an all-encompassing legislative framework that lays the groundwork for the UAEs plan to implement taxes as a means to ensure sustainability and diversify the governments revenue streams. The increased resources will enable the Government to maintain the momentum of its development and infrastructure for a better future," he said.



The law defines a clear set of common procedures and rules to be applied to all tax laws in the UAE, namely, VAT and excise tax laws, and clearly states the respective rights and obligations of the FTA and the taxpayer. The law covers tax procedures, audits, objections, refunds, collection, and obligations  which include tax registration, tax-return preparation, submissions, payment and voluntary disclosure rules  in addition to tax evasion and general provisions.



When the Tax Procedures Law goes into effect, all UAE-based businesses will be required to keep accurate records for five years. The law also sets penalties for non-compliance, as well as clear processes for appeals which align with international best practices, and establishes a fair and transparent environment for the FTA to carry out its mandate, the Wam report said.



"The UAE is committed to meeting the most stringent international standards," H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid said. "We are working to establish an optimal legislative and executive environment to ease the nation into the VAT and excise tax systems. Implementing these taxes gives the UAE further leverage when it comes to international competitiveness and brings us one step closer towards building the future envisioned by our wise leaders, who have called on all those in charge to innovate and strive to spread happiness among citizens and residents."



The Tax Procedures Law also establishes the register of tax agents who may interact with the FTA on behalf of taxpayers, specifies the basic requirements for appointing said tax agents, and sets the standards for maintaining confidentiality by the authority as well as its officers.



The Tax Procedures Law 's provisions and obligations run as follows:



* The law requires any person conducting any type of business to keep accounting records and commercial books, as well as any tax-related information as determined by the law. Tax returns, data, information, records and documents must be submitted to the authority in Arabic. The FTA may, however, accept documents in any other language, as long as the person provides a translated copy into Arabic at their expense and responsibility if so requested.



* Furthermore, any person obliged to register or any other person eligible for registration must do so, as stipulated by the law. Registrants must include their Tax Registration Number (TRN), in all correspondences and transactions with the authority or with others. They must also inform the authority  by filling the form  of any circumstance that might require the amendment of information related to their tax record within 20 working days of the occurrence of said circumstance.



* Each taxable person must also prepare the tax return for each tax period and for each tax while being registered. They must then submit the tax return to the authority and pay any payable tax as specified in the tax return or any tax assessment within the time limit. The authority reserves the right to turn down any incomplete return  i.e. if it does not include the basic information determined by the Tax Law.



* The Law mandates that a Register of Tax Agents be established at the authority, which will hold files for each agent documenting his/her conduct. It is not permitted for any person to practise the profession of a Tax Agent in the UAE unless he/she is enrolled in the register. Procedures for registration, as well as the rights and obligations of the Tax Agent before the authority and the person, is specified in the Executive Regulations of the Law.



* The authority may perform a tax audit on any person to determine their compliance with the provisions of the relevant laws. The FTA may perform the audit at its office or the place of business of the person (or any other place where they conduct business, store goods or keep records), in which case, the person must be given a prior notice of at least five business days.



* While conducting a tax audit, the tax auditor may ask for original records or copies thereof, or take samples of the goods, equipment or other assets available at the persons place of business. The tax audit will be conducted during the official working hours of the authority. The director general may, by way of exception, issue a decision to conduct the audit outside regular hours if necessary.



* The authority may order a re-audit if new information surfaces that might impact the outcome of the tax audit. Any person subject to a tax audit, as well as his Tax Agent or legal representative, must offer all required assistance to the tax auditor to perform his/her duties. The audited person has the right to: request the tax auditors to show their professional identification cards; obtain a copy of the tax audit notification; attend the auditing procedures that take place outside of the authoritys headquarters; and obtain copies of any original paper or digital documents removed or obtained by the FTA during the tax audit.



* The authority must issue a tax assessment to determine the value of payable tax and serve it on the taxable person within five working days of its issuance in any of the following cases: if the taxable person fails to apply for registration within the timeframe specified by the tax law; if they fail to submit a tax return within that timeframe; if they fail to pay the tax stated as payable on the submitted tax return before the deadline; if the taxable person submits an incorrect tax return; and if the registrant fails to calculate tax on behalf of another person when they are obligated to do so by the tax law.



* The law addresses conflict of interest, prohibiting all authority staff members from performing or participating in any tax procedures related to any person in the following cases: if the staff member and that person are related up to the fourth degree; if there is a common interest between the staff member and person or between any of their relatives up to the third degree; and if the director general decides that the staff member should not perform any tax procedures related to that person owing to a case of conflict of interest.



* Employees of the authority are bound by non-disclosure clauses and are prohibited from disclosing information that they obtained or to which they had access in their capacity as employees (save as specified or defined in accordance with the Executive Regulations). FTA employees are required to maintain professional confidentiality after cessation of their services, and are prohibited from disclosing information that they obtained or to which they had access in their capacity as employees, unless otherwise requested by the judicial authorities and in accordance with the Executive Regulations. Any person who has obtained information pursuant to the provisions of the Law is not to disclose or use said information for any purposes other than those for which the information was obtained.



The full text of the Tax Procedures Law is available on the Ministry of Finances website: www.mof.gov.ae
Saudi Railways Company (SAR) mineral trains transported 4.06 million tons of phosphate and bauxite over the first half of 2017 compared to 3.21 million tons over the same period in 2016  an increase of 27 percent.



SARs CEO Dr Bashar Bin Khaled Al Malik said: Mineral trains transported a total of 23,683,134 tons of phosphate, bauxite, molten sulfur and commercial phosphoric acid between May 2011 and June 2017.



He added that SAR succeeded in raising the operational level of its mining freight line that resulted in generating additional capacity to meet the needs and requirements of its strategic partner Maaden.



The company's operational division has achieved significant growth in phosphate and bauxite transportation this year, he said.



Al Malik explained that SAR started transporting molten sulfur from the Eastern Province city of Waset to Waad Al-Shamal in the north last May after successfully connecting the latter to its railway network.



The company also started transporting commercial phosphoric acid from Waad Al-Shamal to Maadens refinery in Ras Al Khair by the Arabian Gulf coast last June. SAR aims to increase the transportation rates to and from Waad Al-Shamal in compliance with Maadens requirements.



SAR wagons transporting molten sulfur are equipped with the latest safety measures such as thermal insulation systems and safety valves to prevent combustion during transportation as well as heating systems in each vehicle.



The heavy transport of minerals, oil and petrochemicals is one of the most important pillars of SAR business, with over 16,000 tons of goods transported per trip on trains each consisting of three locomotives and more than 160 cars. Each trip is equivalent to taking 640 trucks off the road.



The North Rail passenger service, which currently operates between Riyadh and Qassim but will eventually run all the way to Qurayyat near the Jordanian border, is projected to carry an average of 1,100 a day by the end of this year. This number is expected to increase to an average of 6,575 passengers a day.  TradeArabia News Service
Oman is exploring the possibility of interconnecting its electricity network between Nizwa and Duqm, Petroleum Development Omans (PDO) concession areas, and the Dhofar Power System, said a report.



The expected benefits from the proposed interconnection include fuel savings due to improved dispatch coordination among the power systems, access to areas with renewable energy potential, sharing of spinning reserves (reducing operating costs), and improved grid security, according to a seven year-outlook report released by Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP), added the Times of Oman report.



Presently, the sultanate has two main interconnected systems  the main interconnected system (MIS) and the Dhofar Power System.



PDO also has its own power network, while governorates like Musandam have their own separate electricity networks.



The main interconnected system region extends throughout the governorates of Muscat and Buraimi, and most of the governorates of Al Batinah North, Al Batinah South, Al Dakhiliya, Al Sharqiyah North, Al Sharqiya South and Al Dhahirah, serving more than 864,500 electricity customers.



OPWP, the sole procurer of electricity in the sultanate, is exploring a prospective 400 kV interconnection between Nizwa, Duqm, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Dhofar Power System, added the report.
Huawei, a leading global ICT solutions provider, has opened one of its largest Customer Solution Innovation & Integration Experience Centres (CSIC) for Huawei in Middle East region in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.



The centre was inaugurated by Dr Majid Alkassabi, Minister of Commerce and Investment, and Advisor to Minister of Commerce and Investment, Governor of Small & Medium Enterprises General Authority Dr Ghassan Alsulaiman.



Dr Abdulaziz Bin Salem Al Ruwais, Governor of the Communications IT Commission (CITC), and Li Huanxin, China Ambassador to Saudi Arabia were also present.



With more than 1200 sq m of floor space in Riyadh, CSIC will accelerate the digital transformation of the Saudi economy by providing an open ecosystem for innovation. The Centre will allow industry partners to experience, architect, validate and build solutions, verify new business models, customize applications and services to sectors such as utility, energy, transportation, education, government amongst others that support the transformation to a digital economy, bringing tremendous knowledge-based economy benefits.



Dr. Alsulaiman said: The launch of Huaweis CSIC in Riyadh is a step forward to support the Saudi 2030 vision and the digitization plan, which play a big role in diversifying the Kingdoms economy.



Huawei is not only one of China's outstanding home-grown companies, but also the world's leading ICT Company. Huawei is a forerunner in enhancing the economic and trade cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, said Li Huaxin.

Huaweis advanced technology solutions have been widely used in various sectors and industries, making positive contributions not only to the development of the Saudi ICT sector but also to the development of the national economy.



Today, we see that Huawei is actively pursuing social responsibility in order to support the vision of Saudi national innovation. The company is also training more ICT talent to further the transformation of the national economy. It is truly a very commendable step. The integration of Saudi 2030 vision and Chinas belt and road initiative will bring unlimited opportunities for business and cooperation between the two countries. I believe and hope that Huawei will continue to play a leading role in the kingdom, he added.



This launch confirms our commitment to the Saudi people and supports the Kingdoms 2030 vision, which places great emphasis on innovation in the ICT sector, said Li Xiangyu, vice president of Public Affairs and Communications, Huawei Middle East.



The centre will provide both government entities and enterprises in Saudi Arabia with access to a world class facility and labs that enable them to experience the latest technologies and Huawei innovation first-hand. Huawei prides itself in successfully implementing experience gained from 170 markets around



In addition to catering to government and enterprise customers, the CSIC will also play an active role in promoting innovation amongst youth as the centre opens its doors to school and university students. Huawei and universities in Saudi Arabia will be organizing the ICT Skills and Innovation Competition, which aims to provide a stage for aspiring youth to showcase their ideas and concepts, with the winners enrolled in internship programs at Huawei.  TradeArabia News Service
Emerson Automation Solutions has launched its new Beginners Integration Training (BIT) programme, recruiting 15 Saudi nationals who have recently graduated from top universities and institutes in Saudi Arabia and the US.



The recruitment and training programme, which is consistent with Emersons global commitment to invest in local resourcing and communities where its customers are, is planned to be conducted annually with a minimum of 15 graduates who will be hired to full-time positions with the company each year.



The newly recruited graduates will occupy technical (electronics, instrumentation, computer science, chemical and mechanical engineering) and non-technical positions (such as logistics, finance, marketing, administration, and document control).



This recruitment and training program reflects Emerson's continued commitment to invest and further economic development within the region. It is designed to support the In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) programme by driving localization and job creation in the region through the development of local talent. Emersons BIT program will also aid in managing and staffing projects locally in the Kingdom, allowing faster project completions.



The training, allowing the participants to be exposed to the various operations involved with Systems and Solutions through several courses, is expected to be completed within less than a year. Performance of participants will be measured through progress reports, training examinations, and program milestone reviews.



Liam Hurley, general manager of Emerson Automation Solutions in Saudi Arabia, said: Even after the first week, the standard set by this group of employees is very high and reaffirms our long-term vision for this program. I am very excited about Emersons future in Saudi Arabia having this team on-board and look forward now to seeing how the group grows and develops throughout the programme.  TradeArabia News Service
AirAsia has unveiled plans to launch flights to Davao, Philippines with a four times weekly direct service from Kuala Lumpur commencing on December 21.



Operated exclusively by AirAsia Berhad (flight code AK), the new route will become the fourth direct route from Malaysia to the Philippines after Manila, Cebu and Kalibo. AirAsia also connects guests to other cities in the Philippines including Clark, Manila, Caticlan, Kalibo, Tacloban, Palawan, Cebu and Tagbilaran.



The route was announced earlier today in conjunction with the Davao Investment Conference 2017.



The event was attended by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, and AirAsia Philippines CEO Captain Dexter Comendador.



Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said: We see Davao City as a major point of growth in the international market, especially with agriculture being the citys largest industry. Our aim for the city is also to grow it to become a hub for financial, tourism, service and education in Mindanao. The introduction of the direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Davao could not be more timely and is a key step in this direction to empower local players across various economic activities.



AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, who was one of the speakers at the conference said, Davao has a special place in my heart. It was one of the first cities we flew to when we started our Philippines operations in 2012. In fact, Clark-Davao, which we pioneered, was one of the two maiden routes when we started AirAsia Philippines five years ago. Since then, we have worked to strengthen our network in Davao. In this year alone, we have launched new flights from Davao to Cebu, Palawan and Boracay, and enabled Fly-Thru via Cebu to international destinations such as Singapore, Taipei and Seoul.



Today marks the start of the next phase of our commitment to Davao. We believe Davao has the potential to be the international gateway for Asean to the southern Philippines, beginning with this new route to Kuala Lumpur. We strongly support the development of cities outside Metro Manila, and we are confident that by increasing connectivity and accessibility to affordable air travel, AirAsia can help play a role in boosting economic growth in the south. We can't do it alone and we need airports to share in the responsibility, but together we can make His Excellency President Dutertes vision of a more prosperous Philippines come true.



To celebrate the new route, AirAsia's all-in-fares from RM99 ($23) one-way are available for booking from July 21 until July 30 for the travel period from December 21 to August 28, 2018.



The vibrant city of Davao offers travellers a mix of natural surroundings, pristine islands and beaches, unique city attractions, exciting festivals and delectable delights. Famous sites include the countrys highest waterfall, Aliwagwag Falls, that comprises more than 130 cascading waterfalls; Samal Island, an oasis located 10 minutes away from the city with white sandy beaches, azure waters teeming with underwater wildlife and a world record bat sanctuary at Monfort Bat Cave; Mount Apo, the highest volcano and mountain in the country; Tamayong Prayer Mountain, which boasts a well-manicured landscape adorned with European-style buildings set to a cool climate all year round; and more.



Festival goers will enjoy the annual Kadayawan Festival, a celebration of life to give thanks for the citys bountiful harvests, and the Pasko Fiesta sa Davao, a month-long yuletide festival in December. Foodies can savour the citys gastronomical delights, including tropical fruits such as durian; kinilaw, marinated and seasoned fresh tuna or swordfish; pakfry, a meal made from tuna tail; and suman, a sweet rice cake cooked and wrapped in coconut milk that is best served with the Cebuano style hot chocolate called sikwate. - TradeArabia News Service
Fairmont Dubai, a luxurious hotel located on Sheikh Zayed road, has appointed Ammar Hilal as the new general manager.



Hilal joins Fairmont Dubai from his most recent role as general manager at Sofitel Dubai Downtown, its sister property.



Under his leadership, the Sofitel Dubai Downtown received a number of prestigious travel accolades and achieved remarkable results in guest satisfaction.



Hilal will be responsible for the overall operations, performance, and strategic directions in conjunction with the overall brand strategy in delivering exceptional results, at the company's flagship hotel located in the heart of Dubai, featuring 394 guest rooms and suites, as well as 94 residences and 94 offices.



The Fairmont Dubai celebrated its 15th anniversary this year and has established itself as a key landmark in the city. Therefore Hilal with his decade of market knowledge of Dubai and the region, coupled with his immaculate attention to detail and eloquent style in leading the diverse team, makes him a great asset.



He brings a wealth of almost 30 years of global experience within luxury hotel brands in leadership positions across Germany, Thailand, Egypt, US, UK, China, Mauritius, Turkey and the UAE.



Ammar holds an Associate Degree in Food and Beverage operations and an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts from the German Chamber of Commerce. He also attended the General Manager's Program at Cranfield University, England and the General Manager's Program at Cornell University, USA. - TradeArabia News Service
Reiner Lupfer has been appointed as the new executive chef at Shangri-La Hotel and Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.



Bringing more than two decades of culinary expertise to the luxury property, Reiner gathered his culinary degree from Claude Dornier Hotel Management & Culinary Institute of Germany in 1999.



At the age of 23, he was at the helm of Hotel Restaurant Heinzler when it was awarded 1 Michelin Star and 16 points in the Guild Gault Millau. The recognitions won Reiner his first overseas position as Chef Tournant in Bermuda, followed by a stint as Chef de Cuisine in Scotland.



In his new role as executive chef, Reiner will lead the culinary team of Shangri-La and Traders hotels in the Qaryat Al Beri complex, overseeing 10 restaurants and bars, 10 banquet and conference spaces, and in-room dining.



Reiner has been exploring the five-star hotel industry across Asia and the Middle East since 2007, overseeing the food operations of the multiple food and beverage outlets at established hotels in countries like Bahrain, China, Malaysia and Thailand. During his tenure in China, Reiner successfully led events for the 2016 G20 Hangzhou summit delegation.



Lupfer said: I am excited to be at the helm of the kitchens at such a reputable property. I am especially thrilled to be working with the award-winning restaurants like Bord Eau, Sofra bld and Shang Palace. I believe that being a chef is great, but being involved in the entire success of the hotel is even more satisfying. In my new role as executive chef, I hope to uphold Qaryat Al Beri complexs reputation as a culinary destination for tourists and residents in the capital. - TradeArabia News Service
Experience the true essence of exclusivity, paradise and adventure on the private island that is North Island, Seychelles.



With only 11 Villas on the island, each with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean and private beaches, GCC travellers can expect a one-of-a-kind experience of harmony with the environment and personalized luxury at its finest.



Large families, couples and solo travelers living in the GCC (with proof of residency) that book a Presidential Villa between August 1 and October 31 for travel any time before December 15, 2018 (for a minimum of five nights) will receive inclusive in their stay:

 Complimentary land and sea experiences including snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, sunset cruises, half-day fishing excursions, guided walks and picnics.

 Complimentary food, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages for the duration of the stay (with the exception of specific drinks on the reserve list).

 One way helicopter transfer in a Eurocopter EC120 from Mahe to North Island.

 An additional 30 minute complimentary Spa treatment for every 60 minute treatment that is booked by a guest.

 Family sunset barbeque experience in the Villa or by the beach.

 A 50 per cent discount on all island activities related to boat charter and full day fishing trips.

 Children under the age of 17 sharing the second bedroom are free of charge. For young adults aged 17-19 sharing the second bedroom, the rate is 640 ($753) per night, exclusive of VAT. - TradeArabia News Service


Marriott International has announced the expansion and strengthening of its sales and marketing Leadership Team for Middle East and Africa.



This bold new initiative comes on the heels of the successful mega merger between Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts and the fast progressing integration of the two companies.



The revamped brand, marketing, sales and consumer services (BMSC) leadership team includes highly experienced professionals from Marriott International and legacy Starwood Hotels and Resorts, bringing together exceptional talent and expertise from both companies and speaks to the companys commitment to support its enhanced footprint and aggressive growth plans in the region.



Led by seasoned Marriott International veteran, Neal Jones, chief dales and marketing officer, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International, the team will provide dedicated support to the companys thriving regional portfolio and will be responsible for driving top line revenue for Marriott International brands, ensuring the regional Sales and Marketing strategy is aligned with the companys vision and priorities.



With a current portfolio of over 240 hotels with 54,000 rooms in 30 countries, Marriott International is working towards targeting a projected growth of 150,000 rooms operational and pipeline in 38 countries by 2022 across Middle East and Africa.



Commenting on the announcement, Jones said: The leadership changes we are announcing today are important to foster greater synergies, teamwork, accountability and nimble decision-making critical to lay a strong foundation that will support our ambitious growth plans in the region. I am extremely excited to work together with such a talented and diverse group of leaders who bring with them exceptional domain expertise as well as regional insights that will enable us to create a more vibrant organization that delivers value for all stakeholders.



I am confident that with this, we have the right structure and talent in place to accelerate our lead in the market, drive further innovation and strengthen the positioning of our brands while keeping our loyal and new guests at the centre of everything we do, steering us into the next phase of our growth and success, he added.



Marriotts BMSC leadership team for Middle East and Africa has been formed with the following seasoned hospitality professionals currently on board and a vice president Luxury Brands soon to be announced.



Paul Dalgleish, vice president of sales and distribution will be responsible for property, market and area sales organisations as well as the global sales organisation, whilst leading the Middle East and Africa distribution strategy. Previously vice president of sales for Marriott International, Dalgleish has played a key role in the rapid expansion of the Middle East and Africa Region, deploying new and innovative sales strategies, whilst ensuring talent development lives as a discipline priority.



Sarah Allen, vice president of revenue strategy and analysis will be responsible for property, market and area revenue management, remote revenue management solutions and revenue management analysis. Formerly vice president of revenue management, Marriott International Middle East and Africa, Allen is a Marriott International veteran and has played a key role in moving hotels onto Marriotts Revenue Management platforms implementing processes as well as setting up shared services across the markets to drive synergies. She was also the business leader for the integration of Protea Hotels which was acquired by Marriott International in 2014.



Jitendra Jain, vice president of digital, loyalty and portfolio marketing will be responsible for the companys award-winning loyalty programmes, partnerships, cross-brand marketing of Marriott Internationals regional portfolio and will lead all digital marketing, platforms and products. A Starwood veteran, Jain previously led the marketing function for the former Starwood portfolio in the Middle East, where he spearheaded the transformation of marketing processes, talent and culture, cultivating a data-driven and forward-looking mindset leveraging digital, brands and loyalty.



Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, vice president of premium and select brands will be responsible for brand marketing and management for Marriott Internationals compelling portfolio of premium and select brands and will oversee restaurants and bars marketing as well as area field marketing. Schulze-Potgieter was previously senior director, brand marketing and eCommerce for Marriott International Middle East and Africa managing field marketing, brand marketing, public relations, partnerships, social media, digital as well as loyalty. She was instrumental in positioning Marriott Internationals lead in brand marketing in the region.



Sarah Walker Kerr, vice president of communications Middle East and Africa will be responsible for devising and implementing the overall Communications Strategy for Marriott International in the region, driving visibility, enhancing the perception of the company and its brands and increasing its share of voice in the media. She will provide strategic counsel to the senior executive leadership team, managing Internal and External Communications, Crisis Communications and Reputation Management as well as Brand Communications. A seasoned communications specialist, Sarah was previously regional director of public relations Middle East, Africa, India & Japan for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.



Raheel Baggia, senior director, BMSC Planning and Services will be responsible for Integration and Change Management, programme execution and training. Prior to this Baggia served as director, BMSC Consulting-Middle East and Africa. Since joining Marriott in 2013, Baggia has been working on strategic continent projects both in his previous role supporting BMSC-Middle East and Africa as well as in Europe where he was part of the global operations team. - TradeArabia News Service
Aviareps, the global leader in tourism, aviation and hospitality representation, has expanded its international market presence with the creation of Aviareps Ireland Limited; an entity created with the acquisition of Irelands Premair.



The new entity creates a permanent Aviareps presence within Ireland to provide specialised marketing, public relations and sales (GSA) representation, tailored for the worlds aviation, tourism and hospitality brands seeking to expand their market share and presence within both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The launch of Aviareps Ireland extends the Aviareps international network of offices to 63, across 47 countries and six continents.



Edgar Lacker, chief executive officer, Aviareps, said: Aviareps has a long association with Ireland, both in terms of proudly representing Irish aviation and tourism entities around the globe, and as an outbound market where our UK office conducts ongoing sales and marketing promotions on behalf of international clients. From today it is great to say we now have a permanent presence of expertise, experience and excellence in Ireland, and Im sure many of our international clients and those seeking representation here, will be glad to know that. Now that we have set up our newest home in Ireland we look forward to deepening our presence here.



Through the Premair acquisition, Aviareps Ireland will now take responsibility for continuing to expertly represent such airline clients as Ethiopian Airlines, SriLankan Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Royal Jordanian, as well as being General Sales Agent (GSA) for Japan Rail Pass.



Ensuring a smooth transition is former Premair Director, Eamon Flanagan, who will continue his involvement and join Aviareps Ireland in a consulting capacity. The new entity will be headed by Jens Bachmann as general manager, who has a long and distinguished career within the Irish aviation and sales industries spanning more than 16 years.



Flanagan said: By joining the Aviareps Group our clients will not only be able to grow their Irish sales and market presence through our expert local knowledge and Irish networks, but also gain a clear competitive edge through the benefits derived from, and access to, Aviareps international best practices and global connections. - TradeArabia News Service
A panel of experts says Ramaco Carbon must improve deficiencies in its proposed Brook Mine before the plan can proceed.

The companys plan was sent back to state regulators after a Tuesday hearing before the Environmental Quality Council in Cheyenne.

The first proposed coal mine in Wyoming in more than three decades has been subject to a lengthy dispute. Some locals say the Brook Mine would affect local water wells and could exacerbate sinkholes in the region where historic mining weakened land stability.

Local landowners and a neighboring coal company have argued that Ramaco Carbons mine plan, a final proposal that must be approved by state regulators before a permit to mine coal can be obtained, was insufficient. State regulators, however, had deemed the plan complete.

The dispute led to a week-long hearing in May, when experts at the Department of Environmental Quality defended their decision. Lawyers for the Powder River Basin Resource Council and Big Horn Coal brought in their own experts, including an engineer who called the plan wholly inadequate. Ramaco has maintained that the state regulators were diligent in their approval process and has questioned the intent of those who would hold back development.

The hearing

Members of the Environmental Quality Council, which hears contested cases, disagreed with the states decision in a four-one vote Tuesday. Two council members had recused themselves from due to potential conflicts of interest, including Megan Degenfelder, manager of public affairs for the Powder River Basin coal company Cloud Peak Energy.

Councilmember Nick Agopian was the sole dissenter for the day, saying he believed the plan was complete. He did criticize the company for not holding public meetings, a common complaint from the council.

Doing business in Wyoming requires you to be a good neighbor, he said. However, the law does not stipulate that the company must offers such engagement, he added.

Members echoed concerns about the plan brought by local landowners, including the lack of long-term responsibility to provide water to nearby homeowners after mining activity impacted their well water, a likelihood noted by state regulators. Others voiced concern about the lack of blasting limits, the increased risk that land could sink in the area and the lack of data collected by the company. These issues, most agreed, were solvable.

Bob LeResche, chairman of the Powder River Basin Resource Council, said in a statement that the dispute with Ramaco had been an uphill battle for locals.

Our members were subjected to a trial-like hearing with intimidating cross-examination from state and industry lawyers, and we are grateful that justice has been served, he said of the EQC decision. We will remain vigilant and continue our efforts to ensure that any future proposed mine meets fair standards to protect our water and our land and does not threaten our safety.

A spokesman for the company could not be reached by press time.

Mixed reaction

Ramaco Carbon first proposed the Brook Mine in Sheridan County in 2014 but was immediately caught up in legal limbo. Big Horn Coal first fought the company regarding right of ways and historic leases.

The region in Sheridan was mined for coal in the early 1900s. The result of those years of underground mining has made the area north of Sheridan prone to subsidence, or large sinkholes. Locals trade in stories of burning coal seams, unearthed by accident and tricky to extinguish.

Though many local politicians see the company as an economic benefit to the region, and many residents have a history in the coal industry, Ramaco is not everyones idea of a good neighbor.

Part of that distrust comes from the companys changing plans with the Brook Mine. The estimated 1 billion tons of coal that Ramaco procured years ago was originally going to be sold to the power market, like most of the states coal. But that business model became questionable as the coal industry faltered in recent years. Ramaco announced earlier this year that it would mine coal for carbon products. Additionally, it would build a coal research center and an industrial park adjacent to Brook Mine.

Theres been a fair amount of bad blood brewing since then as the disputed mine plan came before state regulators.

The companys spokesman Bill Bissett, former president of the Kentucky Coal Association, called members of the Powder River Basin Resource Council stupid hippies in a recent Facebook post.

He later apologized for the comment, which he said he had intended to send as a private message rather than a public post. However, he acknowledged that it was unprofessional.

The company has linked up with a Wyoming nonprofit, the Western Research Institute in Laramie. The institute attracted a $3.7 million Department of Energy grant to research carbon fiber products in conjunction with a number of other research partners and Ramaco Carbon.

The Powder River Basin Resource Council criticized the grant, recalling other large coal research projects that have failed in Wyoming after millions of research dollars were allocated.

The groups pushback triggered Bissetts Facebook comment.

Misstatements by Ramaco regarding direct affiliation with the University of Wyoming were corrected by school officials, who said they are working with the Research Institute, not Ramaco. Two other groups Ramaco named as partners were unable to pinpoint who in their organizations had formed a public association with the coal research project.

The following statement was sent to the Star-Tribune by Ramaco officials after press time: 

"Ramaco Carbon noted that today the Wyoming Environmental Quality Commission was unable to reach a decision to allow the Brook mine permit to immediately move forward at this time," said CEO Randall Atkins. "We respectfully heard the EQCs comments and will work, along with the Department of Environmental Quality, to rectify these concerns. We remain confident that, in the end, the Brook mine will receive the necessary mining approvals, as well as approvals to launch our research and other development efforts. We regard this overall project as a strong potential driver and benefit for the Sheridan and Wyoming economies and look forward to its future success.
A reception open to the public will follow a public meeting of the Wyoming Arts Council board's quarterly meeting.

The board will hear reports, plan upcoming events and receive updates on Arts Council initiatives.

The meeting is open to the public with a public comment period at 11 a.m. Monday.

Where: Bison Room of the Park County Library, 1500 Heart Mountain St., Cody. Public reception will be held 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday at 836 Canon Ave.

When: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday
Artwork by more than 75 Wyoming Indian High School students is on display this summer at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. The biennial show focuses on the themes of the upcoming eclipse and ancient cave art, which the students learned about in their art classes.

Wyoming Indian High School art teacher Cleve Bell said he tries to sneak in history lessons during his classes as he encourages his students to express themselves. The art, completed in a variety of media, shares students culture and stories as well as ideas they collected from assignments.

If you give somebody the basic fundamentals and then put a little twist on it, you can see these efforts here are pretty nice, Bell said.

Bell also encouraged students to create art about the eclipse, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors from around the world to Wyoming. The theme will not only help their work sell but also provide someone with a memento, he said.

Jacqueline Washakie created a set of block prints and a clay wall sculpture of a sun merged with a moon. The idea came to her while sketching celestial themes, but she also wanted the piece to be more than a simple depiction.

The sun and moon are symbols of rebirth, power and strength, she wrote in a statement that hangs with the piece. She named her piece Grandmother and Grandfather because those are traits she sees in her grandparents, she said.

I wanted to do something that showed who I am and that I am Native American, she said in an interview.

The students also studied cave art from around the world and created interpretations incorporating their own stories and memories, Bell said. They learned how complex the art is and how the artists used charcoal, plants and rocks to create their paint.

It really amazed me at how they had to make their own art supplies and colors, Washakie said.

One of Sky Hardings pastel works called Wapiti on Fire is featured at the gallery entrance and shows elk emerging from blazing colors. Another one of her pieces, War Hoop, shows a warrior riding a horse under an eclipse.

Even with modern art supplies, the assignments taught Harding that patience is key, she said. But its worth the work to create something they enjoy for others to appreciate.

It makes me feel like I accomplished something in life, Washakie said. It also makes me happy when I know that it is going to make someone else happy when they buy it.
A judge has dismissed former state Superintendent Cindy Hills defamation lawsuit against Tim Stubson, a onetime Casper state representative, and called the comments at the center of the case the exact type of statements the First Amendment was intending to protect.

The suit, filed in February 2016 as Stubson was challenging Liz Cheney for a U.S. House seat, alleged that Stubson defamed Hill on his official Facebook page in response to an unnamed Fremont County reporters question. The then-Wyoming representative was asked about a 2013 law that stripped Hill of much of her power within the Department of Education, which the state Supreme Court eventually ruled was unconstitutional.

In a later-deleted Facebook post, Stubson allegedly wrote that during Hills time as state superintendent, she was not following the law, was out of control, had committed illegal acts that the Wyoming Legislature had not disclosed to the public, and that the Legislature had to stop her, according to Hills lawsuit.

Hills suit claimed that the Facebook comments were the latest in a continuing pattern of malicious conduct. Also at issue were statements Stubson made during a debate about his support for the law.

In his ruling last week dismissing the suit, District Court Judge Thomas Campbell wrote that Stubsons statements were protected under the First Amendment and were not actionable under defamation laws.

Although speech can anger or hurt others, freedom of speech is deemed too important to the vigor and openness of public discourse in a free society to be silenced or discouraged by the threat of or the filing of a lawsuit for defamation, Campbell said.

In an interview with the Star-Tribune on Monday afternoon, Stubson said he was relieved that the case was behind him.

I think its an important decision because not only does it say that I didnt do anything wrong, but it also is important because people need to be free to criticize their elected officials, said Stubson, whos an attorney in Casper.

Hill responded with a statement to the Star-Tribune on Monday.

I was originally surprised that the case was assigned to District Judge Tom Campbell in Cheyenne. He was the district judge who felt that SF104 was constitutional, she wrote, referring to the bill limiting her superintendent powers. He was wrong then. Now, this same judge thinks that defamation is permissible.

Mr. Stubson lied, she continued. Mr. Stubson has relied on a legal technicality to get himself off. The Supreme Court will decide whether Mr. Stubson will get away with this.

Hill had previously sought a new judge in the case, arguing that Campbell was biased because of his ruling on the 2013 law. But a Carbon County District judge rejected the request.

A public figure

Hill had argued that she was no longer a public figure at the time Stubson made the alleged comments.

Even public figures ... fade away over time, and with the passage of time and non-exposure to the public arena, may regain their status as private citizens, her attorneys argued in a previous court filing.

Those deemed public figures must clear a higher legal hurdle in proving defamation. A public figure alleging defamation must prove a statement was made with actual malice, or with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.

But the court rejected Hills claim that she was now a private citizen.

Indeed, to accept (Hills) unsupported position would mean that a citizen could be subject to a defamation suit, without the protection of the heightened actual malice requirement, for criticizing ... a former President of the United States, Campbell wrote. Undoubtedly, such an outcome would significantly chill, if not freeze, the type of speech that lies at the very core of the First Amendment.

To prove actual malice, Hill had argued that Stubson made a false statement on Facebook and then deleted it, and that he had abandoned truth as a defense.

Again, the court rejected Hills arguments. Campbell noted that people delete information from social media for many different reasons. ... This is legally insufficient for actual malice.

Furthermore, Campbell dismissed the idea that Stubson had abandoned truth as a defense. He said that Stubson was asking for the case to be dismissed and hadnt filed a formal answer to Hills suit in which he may argue that any alleged statements were true. Had the court not dismissed Hills suit, Stubson wouldve had two weeks to file an answer to the suit.

Hills assertion that the failure to plead truth is evidence of actual malice is simply wrong, the judge wrote.

To stretch this tenuous conceivability to find the pleading legally sufficient would cause the protections of the First Amendment to be translucent, Campbell continued. This, the Court will not indulge in.

A message left for one of Hills attorneys, Drake Hill, was not returned Monday afternoon. No one answered the phone at the office of her other attorney, Robert DiLorenzo.

Cindy Hill served as the state superintendent from 2011 to 2015. She chose not to run for a second term and instead challenged Gov. Matt Mead in the Republican primary, which Mead ultimately won.

At the time of Stubsons alleged statements his attorneys have never stipulated to what was actually said  Hill was not in public office, and Stubson was running in the Republican primary against Cheney. In his order dismissing the suit, Campbell noted his concern that Hills suit was an attempt to muzzle Stubson during the campaign.

Essentially, Campbell wrote, comments made by Hill and her attorneys could be construed to mean that the lawsuit was an attempt to get Stubson to stop talking about the 2013 law and about Hills time as superintendent.

Asked if the suit affected his House run, Stubson told the Star-Tribune that he tried not to let it impact his race.
The crowd sang along to a bluesy rendition of Amazing Grace performed to the tune of House of the Rising Sun as they filled their plates from the bars buffet.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, they crooned. It seemed fitting that the classic spiritual was sung to the melody of a song about drinking, gambling and other sins. This was a church service unlike others.

The pastors and worship music leaders made rounds talking to the about two dozen people at round banquet tables around the bars back room. Icicle lights and white streamers for another event stretched across the ceiling, while a portable air conditioner whirred through the room. A Bud Light pitcher was available for donations. Most were dressed in t-shirts, jeans or shorts. They washed down their burgers with soda, tea and pints of beer.

The music ended, and Senior Pastor Jim Cedar took the microphone to speak about Christianity, authenticity and the power of good acts.

It was a typical night at Bar Church at the Black Gold Grille. Leaders at Casper First Church of the Nazarene started the monthly outreach a year ago to bring their faith to more people in the community, especially those who might not feel comfortable in a traditional brick-and-mortar church. Anyone is welcome to the services every fourth Thursday of the month, and a meal is available for purchase.

What I would want people to know is this truly is an opportunity for people to explore and express their faith in a nonjudgmental, casual, come-as-you-are atmosphere, Cedar said.

The crowd included families, people recovering from addiction, church regulars and some of family members and friends theyd brought along.

Something different

Except for the location, much of the gathering seemed relatively similar to more traditional services.

The crowd bowed heads in intermittent prayers of thanks for the food, the gathering and the opportunity to worship in the Black Gold Bar and Grille. For 15 minutes, Cedar spoke to a central question: How can we know if someone is a real Christian?

Its about living like one in daily actions, he said, backing up his points with Bible scriptures. He also quoted a Franciscan monk, Brennan Manning:

The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus Christ with their lips, then walk out the door and deny him with their lifestyle, Cedar read. That is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.

Or in simpler words: Their walk should match their talk, he said.

Its not about perfection, but making progress, he told the attendees.

He closed the sermon with a call to investigate Christianity and make an informed, intelligent decision, whatever side of the fence youre on tonight.

The church and its outreach is open to people of all backgrounds, beliefs and experiences  without exception, First Nazarene youth leader Mike Konings said. The idea is to meet people where theyre at in life.

The organizers bring a variety of life and religious experiences. The drummer of the praise band, Anthony Kodesh, has been part of motorcycle ministry services, so church in a bar isnt new to him, he said.

It helps us relate to others here, honestly, Konings said. Us having these experiences, we can look somebody else in the eye and say, I dont judge you. I know where youve been and where you are.

Cedar, the pastor, didnt grow up in a church. He never attended until he and his wife happened upon a church service at a county fair in upstate New York. Although they decided that particular establishment wasnt for them, the experience helped them to start learning about Christianity.

Its that exploration hes trying to spark in others through Bar Church. He moved to Casper about a year and a half ago, where church leaders were eager to step outside the church building and into the community, he said.

Ive always had a passion to just go where people are, Cedar said. Theres a lot of people who have been hurt by churches and therefore do not want anything to do with a church building or traditional church. And this is one of our attempts  there will be more to come  to give people an alternative to traditional church.

Church in a bar

Two first-timers, Jimmie Ahrens and Blake Waulfe, attended the service last week after a customer at Waufles work recommended it. The two friends had been attending the regular services as well, but decided to branch out.

Ive been to a few churches in Casper, but I hadnt really found the spiritual nourishment I need, Waulfe said.

Ahrens had grown up going to church, but felt that many churches were cliquey when he went in search of one in Casper, he said. He felt welcome at First Nazarene and Bar Church, though, and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, he said.

Allison Russell grew up in the Nazarene church and attended in Casper last Easter after moving from Kansas. She dragged along her fiance, Jason Kiser. Cedars sermon about honoring your mother and father sold him, he said.

At that moment, I decided that I was going to follow Jesus, Kiser said.

The two tell all their friends to join them for Bar Church, often to their confusion about what that is.

Its more relaxed, and theres food, Russell said, comparing the Bar Church with regular Sunday services. Its also a place where their 3-year-old son, Silas, can run around a little more, dance and be crazy, she added.

Kiser enjoys Cedars sermons, which are similar to those given on Sundays.

He keeps them short and straight to the point, Kiser said. He gives great sermons. Theyre for everybody.

Growth, despite criticism

The idea of Bar Church has caught on in the past year, if not as quickly as Cedar would like. Many of those who show up are regular attendees at the traditional church services while others are new faces. But hed like to see more of members embrace and tell others about the outreach, he said.

Still, Bar Church has outgrown its beginnings as a small group surrounding a few tables in the bar area. Now, it has to be held in the event space to accommodate larger crowds. Sometimes 25 people show up, and sometimes its 60. Theyve connected some attendees with the church food pantry and some have brought their kids to the vacation bible school.

The leaders dont measure success in numbers but in those seeds they plant, whether they see the outcome or not, they said. Theyre even scouting more places for more outreach efforts  perhaps a coffee house, he added.

Despite the success, some churchgoers feel nervous about holding services outside the physical church building, Cedar said. Bar church skeptics worry that people might ask questions that are hard to answer or even heckle from the crowd. Theres been no heckling and Cedar welcomes questions, but the leaders have faced criticism from within their own community. A comment on the Facebook page last week said church in a place that sells alcohol might be a sin, Cedar said.

But Wyomings open-minded culture helps mitigate some of the potential conflicts, Cedar said.

People here are more willing to embrace people having different ideas, Cedar said. I think its probably just part of that independent spirit. You believe what you want to believe, and it doesnt bother me. In New York, its more: you need to fall in line with everybody else kind of thing. Here, your neighbors dont really care what you do. In New York, all your neighbors care what you do.

He tells critics the same thing he tells everyone else: Come see what its all about.

When people leave here, we want them to leave here with the same challenge that Christ has given us, and that is to investigate, Cedar said. He made us thinking, rational  well, I guess mostly rational  intelligent people for a reason, and he wants us to investigate this faith, he wants us to investigate his life. Hes not looking for blind followers, and thats really the seed that we want to plant.
All Mary Bennion wanted after being diagnosed with a rare disease was to live long enough to see her sons grow into adults.

A double lung transplant made that possible  she saw all three walk across the stage at their high school graduations. The procedure, though dangerous, gave her eight more years of life.

Now, in her memory, her family works to help others through the organ donation process.

So they founded the Mary Bennion Foundation, which helps Wyoming organ transplant patients and their families pay expenses not typically covered by insurance, such as travel costs, lodging and lost income. On Saturday, the foundation held its second annual Second Chance on Second Street 5K fundraiser.

We as a family have been blessed through donors. They gave us life, said Carrie Bennion, Marys sister-in-law and an organizer of the foundation. Were hoping to do the same for other families and help them through the transplantation process in some way.

Gaining years

Scott and Mary Bennion grew up in Casper and were raising their boys in Denver when Mary became ill. Doctors diagnosed her with primary pulmonary hypertension and gave a grave prognosis. Without a transplant, she wouldnt live long enough to see her three sons graduate.

By the time Brandon was 12 years old and his older brothers were in high school, she needed to be on oxygen all the time. Her fingernails and lips had taken on a permanent blue hue.

Then there was a glimmer of hope. In July 1994, she was moved to the top of the transplant list. But there were still a lot of things that could go wrong: What if the lungs she needed werent available in time? What if there were complications during the surgery? And what if everything else went right but her body rejected the new organs?

Despite the risks, Mary moved to small apartment in St. Louis so she could be near the hospital when lungs became available. Her parents were able to travel with her, but Scott and the boys had to stay behind.

Mary worried shed never return home. She was growing more ill.

Finally, she got the call.

After the complicated surgery Mary lay connected to an intimidating amount of tubes and wires. But beneath the medical apparatus, the color had already returned to her face and fingertips, her younger sister recalled.

She arrived home in time to cook a large Thanksgiving celebration with her family. Mary enjoyed several more family trips after the transplant, including a Caribbean vacation.

Those are great memories, but I mostly remember how good she was to people, Brandon said. The word would be loving. She just loved her kids more than her life. She just taught us that love and respect is very important in this world, and it makes the world go round.

Although his mother never had a chance to meet her six grandchildren, she did get to watch all her sons graduate from high school. In the eight years she lived after the operations, she even watched two of them walk across the stage at their college graduations.

That transplant really gave her a lot of quality years that she spent well, Scott said.

Passing it on

In gratitude for those extra years, Marys family helps others navigate the complicated transplant process.

People in Wyoming who need a transplant often have to travel long distances and the preparation and recovery away from home takes months, said Scott Bennion, Marys husband. The procedures can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So far, theyve helped patients receiving heart kidney, liver, bone marrow and corneal transplants. Family members have also donated their own organs, including skin and corneas. With no overhead costs or administration, all the funds raised by the foundation go directly to Wyoming patients, Carrie Bennion said.

One of Marys relatives, Ben Hunter, has twice received a kidney from relatives. His father gave him a kidney when his failed at age 19 after a strep infection. Five years later, his half-brother, Paul, donated another before he died in 2008. Both donations have given him a normal life instead of having to undergo dialysis, he said.

Pauls mother, Deborah Bennion Swapp, also finds comfort in her sons donation. Thinking about how his kidney continues to keep Ben alive comforts her.

Its a healing balm for the family trying to make sense of a death, Bennion Swapp said. Its incredible how that heals and soothes and makes sense of things that dont make sense. I can hold on to that.

I give Ben a hug, she said, and get to hug Paul.

For more about the Mary Bennion Foundation, call 307-234-0003 or visit marybennionfoundation.com.
In the background of broader discussions about how to fund education in Wyoming, lawmakers and educators have discussed and often debated how to compare Wyoming schools  and its students results  to other states.

Should officials look at nearby states, such as Utah, which spends significantly less per student than Wyoming? Should those act as a blueprint of how to fund schools here and of how students should be performing on tests?

Several lawmakers, including Sen. President Eli Bebout and Sen. Majority Leader Drew Perkins, have pointed out that the Equality State spends more than $16,000 per student  more than $6,000 more than some other Western states.

Or should lawmakers look at the very best education systems in the country  like those in Massachusetts and Vermont  for a way to become their peer in test results?

The answer lies somewhere in the middle, officials have said. In the past, the question of comparability has served as a way for some cut-minded lawmakers to point out how well funded the Wyoming school system is. But now, as educators, consultants and legislators begin examining the education funding model, the question of how Wyoming stacks up is more pressing and vital to discussions about the fiscal future of schools here.

Sen. Chris Rothfuss, a Laramie Democrat, summed it up at a key legislative meeting in Casper last week.

If all we want to do is beat our neighbors, were doing that, he said. What do we want? To be the best of seven (nearby) states and then stop trying to compare to rest of the country? Or do we want to have education system thats equal to East Coast states or West Coast states?

He argued that before the current funding crisis  schools face a $530 million deficit in the coming two-year budget cycle  the quest was for the states education system to be up there with the best. Now, he said, its about Wyomings cheaper neighbors.

Im not willing to surrender yet, Rothfuss said.

The challenge of comparisons

Wyomings geographic and socioeconomic realities make it difficult to find an exact comparison. The state is rural and requires expensive transportation not just for activities but for some students simply to get to school every day. Districts have said they need to offer more money to teachers and administrators to entice them to come here rather than to states like Colorado or Utah. Health care, a costly part of teachers salary packages, is especially expensive in Wyoming.

The list goes on, officials have said. And indicators for student success that nominally make it easy to compare Wyoming to other states, like the ACT, are also not clear-cut.

Wyoming ranks 39th nationally for its ACT scores, Sen. Dave Kinskey noted at the legislative meeting last week. But Speaker Steve Harshman replied that the state is one of only 13 that requires all students take the test, whether theyre bound for college or not. Of those 13, Wyoming ranks fourth.

In a state where a sizable chunk of the population doesnt continue education after high school, comparing ACT scores may not be a fair indicator.

So whats the answer? To what states should Wyoming compare? Lawmakers and the consultants they hired to examine the school funding system dont have an answer yet, but discussions during the meeting suggested it might be a mix of nearby states, the nations leaders in education  primarily on the East Coast  and other rural states.

Rep. Albert Sommers, who chairs the committee, mentioned Vermont, a state with a strong education system that spends more than Wyoming per student. But he noted it was much smaller than Wyoming.

He also mentioned Alaska, a large, rural state that also spends about $4,000 more than Wyoming.

In an interview late last week, Wyoming School Board Association Executive Director Brian Farmer supported the idea of comparing Wyoming elsewhere but said it needed to be an apples-to-apples comparison. He wasnt sure what that would look like and also worried that the consultants wouldnt have much time to perform an in-depth comparison: The firm needs to have a considerable amount of work done in the next five months.

Donna Little-Kaumo, the superintendent in Sweetwater County No. 2, said it was a good idea to compare, though she too said Wyomings rural nature had to be taken into account. Utah may seem an easy comparison, she said, but it has a major population center  Salt Lake City  that is more than three times the size of Cheyenne, the largest city in Wyoming. That throws off the data, she said.

Sommers acknowledged it would be difficult to satisfy everyone and find fair states to draw comparisons to.

Its about what is the opportunity for kids in Wyoming compared to opportunity elsewhere, he said at the meeting. Whos doing really well in the U.S.? ... I think your challenge is to find us a different set of comparisons.
If you judge someone by their enemies, Tom Schatz is the Robin Hood of the swamp, joined by his merry band of government analysts.

Targeting piggish U.S. senators, representatives and the hometown troughs into which they dump your tax dollars, Schatz is the president of Citizens Against Government Waste, which can easily be judged by some of its most vocal critics.

The late Ted Stevens, a corrupt Republican senator whose personal gain from the public trust earned him the enmity of honest brokers in his own party, is proudly quoted in the organizations latest Pig Book, growling, All they are is a bunch of psychopaths.

Legendary glutton and the late king of pork, Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd, whose name humbly adorns countless West Virginia government buildings, parks, rest stops and likely more than a few outhouses, complained, They dont know what theyre doing. They dont. Theyre not being realistic.

The reason the little pink pamphlet is so important is because it outlines not only earmarked spending that senators and representatives send to their home states with little or no oversight  and certainly no open competition for testing the validity of such spending  but also the effects this has on everyday life.

For example, Citizens Against Government Wastes Pig Book explains that the Airport and Airways Trust Fund (AATF) wastes millions of dollars financing infrastructure at airports in such a way that it actually prevents competition among airlines at airports.

The AATF allows only limited spending on maintenance and improvements, limiting the number of gates airports can build.This forces airports to ration gate access through long-term contracts, creating an impossible financial barrier for potential competitors. Meanwhile in Europe, many countries have freed their airports, resulting in more competition and lower airfares.

Want to know who earmarked millions of tax dollars for theaters, museums, opera houses and mansions that charge the public over $70,000 for weddings and events? Its in there.

The good news is that many earmarks have been reduced in the 2017 budget. The bad news is that congress critters will tell you that they enacted a moratorium on earmarks in 2011, even though Citizens Against Government Waste found billions in such earmarks ever since 2011.

Six million dollars may not seem like much in terms of federal spending, which is pathetic in itself. Consider hundreds of $6 million throw-away projects and now you see the problem.

One such problem is Hawaiis East-West Center.

Even the State Department doesnt think the U.S. needs a center in Hawaii to promote better relations with Pacific and Asian nations.

Apparently, someones family member needs a job, because it was built in 1960 anyway and continues to suck away your tax dollars every year.

Schatz and his team point out that the North-South Center in Miami is very similar, designed to somehow build better relations between the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada through cooperative study, training and research.

The 2009 Congressional Research Service Report came right out and said it hasnt funded the North-South Center since 2001 and should continue not funding it. It should be funded by the private sector.

Thats pretty much the description of the East-West Center, too.

However, Democrat Brian Schatz, who represents Hawaii, sure does a fine job of larding up the center, continuing the pork tradition of spewing over $138 million into the center since 1997.

If your taxes are going up with no improvement in services, you need to pay attention to Citizens Against Government Waste and vote accordingly.

They give you an excellent resource, naming Republicans and Democrats who need to be loudly excoriated.

As for the Robin Hood analogy, consider this description made years ago by an former economics professor of mine at the University of Missouri:

Robin Hood stole from the government, not rich people. All those rich folks from whom Robin stole were friends of the Nottingham Sheriff; cronies. They did the bidding of the government and so the government did theirs. They were not independent, wealthy individuals. They were a part of the Sheriffs fascist government.
MOSCOW  Amid a major diplomatic retaliation unseen since the Cold War era, Russia urged the United States on Monday to show the political will to repair ties.

President Vladimir Putins move to cut hundreds of U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia underlines his readiness to raise the ante in the face of new sanctions approved by the U.S. Congress. The Russian leader warned that he has more tricks up his sleeve to hurt the U.S., but voiced hope he wouldnt need to use them.

Vice President Mike Pence, visiting neighboring Estonia, said he hoped for better days and better relations with Russia.

Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said it will take time for the U.S. to recover from what he called political schizophrenia, but he added that Russia wants constructive cooperation with Washington.

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 televised comments Sunday by Putin, who said the U.S. would have to cut 755 from its embassy and consular staffs in Russia, a massive reduction he described as a response to new U.S. sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry first announced the cuts Friday, when it said that the U.S. should reduce its presence to 455 employees, the number that Russia has in the United States. 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 U.S. President Obamas move to expel 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the U.S. following allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

Putin had refrained from retaliating until now in the hope that President Trump would follow on his campaign promises to improve ties with Moscow and roll back Obamas actions.

The Russian leader hailed his first meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany earlier in July, saying that the talks offered a model for rebuilding relations.

But the congressional and FBI investigations into links between Trumps campaign and Russia have weighed heavily on the White House, derailing Moscows hopes for an improvement in ties that worsened over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and other disputes.

The overwhelming endorsement of a new package of stiff financial sanctions that passed Congress with veto-proof numbers last week dealt a new blow to Moscows aspirations. The White House said Trump will sign the package, and Putin decided to fire back without waiting for that to happen.

We had hoped for quite a long time that the situation will somehow change, but apparently if it changes, it wont be soon, Putin said in remarks broadcast by state television late Sunday. I thought it was the time for us to show that were not going to leave anything without an answer.

The diplomatic reductions are the harshest such actions since 1986, when Moscow and Washington expelled dozens of diplomats.
PHOENIX  Deedra Abboud is pushing back against expectations that she will be labeled the "Muslim candidate" as she tries to unseat incumbent Sen. Jeff Flake in 2018.

Comments regarding her candidacy are always linked to her faith, she said, adding that "my religion is not something that I can hide nor would I choose to."

Abboud was greeted with applause and cheers Monday as she confronted hateful online comments regarding her Islamic faith and spoke about being American and Muslim during a news conference at the headquarters of Arizona Democrats.

The attorney and activist mentioned her previous calls for more civility in political dialogue and said the online Islamophobic attacks she has faced have become commonplace in the United States.

Flake, a Republican, has tweeted support for Abboud as she dealt with some of the online attacks earlier this month.

He wrote, "Hang in there @deedra2018. Sorry you have to put up with this. Lots of wonderful people across AZ. You'll find them."

Abboud tweeted her thanks to Flake for his leadership.

Johnny Martin, a 24-year-old American Muslim wearing a gray T-shirt supporting Abboud's candidacy, said he has thought about running for office but described his fears of being targeted with hate over his faith.

"Seeing how she's handled it has been the part that's made me feel like maybe I will run for office," he said.

Abboud has shown that bullying is a real issue and she has opened up an online conversion on the topic, he said.

Abboud reminded the audience that attacks on candidates' religion aren't new, and she recalled President John F. Kennedy's struggle with the issue when he ran for office as a Catholic.

"Being Muslim in America is about being free," she said  from wearing a headscarf and choosing who to marry to "the freedom to fight ISIS who are not Muslims as well as others who commit terror in the name of Islam."

Abboud is the only announced candidate in the Democratic field for the 2018 primary and is believed to be the first Muslim candidate for statewide office in Arizona's history.

Amena Madbrouk, a 32-year-old American Muslim, said she looks up to Abboud as she fights online hatred.

"What's even more powerful is that it's there and that she still proceeds forward with what she believes she needs to do for herself and for Arizona," Madbrouk said.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Aug. 1 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
PHOENIX  Arizona needs its 920,000 foreign-born residents, both legal and otherwise, to fuel the states economy, according to a new study and some business leaders.

The report Monday by the New American Economy says those families had $21.4 billion in household income in 2014, the most recent figures available. They paid $1.7 billion in state and local taxes and have $16 billion in spending power.

When just the undocumented are counted, their earnings were $3.5 billion and $3.1 billion in spending power.

And the number of foreign-born immigrants living in Arizona grew faster between 2010 and 2014 than the overall rate of growth, both from births and people moving here from other states.

Kate Brick, the organizations director of state and local initiatives, said all that means more money in the economy, more dollars into Social Security and Medicare, and more people buying homes which in turn keeps the value of housing here increasing.

But the report, done for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also shows that migrants represent a disproportional share of people in lower-wage jobs, including 32 percent of janitors and building cleaners, 50 percent of grounds maintenance workers and 55 percent of people working as maids or in housekeeping.

And Randy Johnson, a vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said up to 60 percent of the agriculture workforce is not just foreign born but also undocumented.

More to the point, he said the industry is dependent on that. And Johnson said any federal legislation to require employers to electronically check the legal immigration status of their workers is dependent on farmers and others being able to get the laborers they need in some way.

Lets just say it: They cant work without undocumented workers in the workforce, he said.

Glenn Hamer, president of the state chamber, insisted its not simply a matter of farmers paying higher wages to attract people who are here legally.

First is the question of whether legal residents would take those jobs. Thats not a new argument.

I dont think I need to tell you that there are jobs that Americans will not do, U.S. Sen. John McCain famously said in 2008. And when audience members suggested the issue is paying higher wages, the senator offered $50 an hour to anyone who would pick lettuce in Yuma for the whole season.

You cant do it, my friend, he said.

Hamer said its irrelevant whether people will take certain jobs even if the wages are increased.

Those farms couldnt exist, he said. They would go elsewhere.

Hamer said thats already happened with some operations moving to Mexico.

Who wins there? he said. The entire ecosystem gets blown to smithereens.

Johnson also denied that all the national chamber wants is cheap labor.

If we wanted just cheap labor, youre right, we wouldnt support legalization, he said, allowing those who are undocumented and already here to remain subject to some conditions, like a background check.

Anyway, he said, its better than this sort of wink and a nod that we create through an I-9 system. That refers to the current requirement that employers verify the legal status of workers by logging in documents they present, a system that is generally considered to be rife with loopholes and people using forged and stolen papers.

But theres something standing in the way of interest of the business community in legalizing all the undocumented workers they are now using.

State Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, said he doesnt have a problem with providing legal status to the estimated 11.3 million  perhaps 325,000 in Arizona  who are undocumented. But he said that theres a political reality to get the votes.

We have to have the border secured first, said Campbell who worked for 27 years for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, reflecting the views of many within his party.

Were never going to secure it 100 percent, he said, citing his time on the border.

But once we can accomplish that, then other steps can happen.

Brick acknowledged the concentration of foreign-born workers in some jobs, but said the data shows they are not all concentrated in lower-wage jobs.

She said they make up 17.3 percent in STEM jobs  science, technology, engineering and math  despite being just 13.7 percent of the state population. And Brick said if half of the states 1,070 foreign students on temporary visas who earned advanced STEM degrees stayed in Arizona, they would create more than 1,400 jobs for U.S.-born workers by 2021.

And theres something else: 71 percent of foreign-born workers are of working age, compared with 47 percent of those born in this country. She said that helps fuel the economy.

Victoria DeFrancesco Soto, an adjunct professor of public affairs at the University of Texas, had a slightly different take on the issue.

She said Hispanic women have a birth rate of 2.4 children, versus 1.8 for others. And all those children, Soto said, will help contribute to keeping Social Security solvent for what is becoming an aging population.
Why: For helping children and animals in need. In 2010, Allen began collecting clothing and supplies for needy children. He began collecting seasonal clothing, strollers and cribs, then would clean and fix the items and donate them to various nonprofits that work with children, Crummitt said in her nomination letter. He expanded to collecting supplies for abandoned pets. In 2014, he founded Codys Friends charity and continued collecting items. This year, his organization became a distribution center for the Rescue Bank, a nonprofit that deals with animal rescue, and his group is also a member of the Greater Good, a network of charities around the world. Allen, 16, works with other volunteers helping children and distributing pet supplies to abandoned and homeless animals, Crummitt wrote.
PHOENIX  Federal agents threatened to indict the wife of former utility regulator Gary Pierce if he did not plead guilty to bribery charges, Sherry Pierces attorney said Tuesday.

FBI agents showed up at the couples house May 16, just days before a federal grand jury indicted both, said the attorney, Ashley Adams.

My client was in her robe, Adams told U.S. District Court Judge James Tuchi on Tuesday. She said the agents, with a draft of the proposed indictment in their hands, told Gary Pierce that if he did not plead guilty, Were going to indict the mother of your children and the grandmother of your grandchildren.

Adams did not say what the couple told the agents. But a week later, Gary and Sherry Pierce were indicted on charges of bribery and fraud, along with the owner of a utility company, George H. Johnson, and a lobbyist, Jim Norton.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick Battista did not address the allegation during the court hearing, and he refused to comment on it afterward.

According to the indictment, Johnson funneled $31,500 through Norton to Sherry Pierce for what prosecutors contend was minimal work. The contention is that the funds were a bribe for Gary Pierce to vote for two issues of interest to Johnson before the Arizona Corporation Commission: allowing owners of small firms like Johnson Utilities to pass some of their income-tax obligations along to customers and increasing the companys rate base so it could boost its charges.

All have pleaded innocent.

Adams and the attorneys for the other three defendants went to court Tuesday to get access to various FBI interviews, case agent notes and other documents.

Prosecutors did not want to provide some documents unless there was a court order prohibiting the defense team from sharing with others, including the media. Battista argued outside disclosure could harm another  and larger  investigation that is still pending.

Records show the prosecution has an FBI report of agents interaction with the Pierces on that May morning, but it is one of the documents prosecutors dont want disclosed to the public.

Adams asked Tuchi how an interaction with the couple could be considered confidential. And attorney Patricia Gitre, who represents Gary Pierce, questioned how an FBI report about an early morning pre-indictment interaction with the couple could be part of some other investigation.

Battista defended the confidentiality, telling the judge, Once they have the information, they will understand how its possible that pertains to another investigation.

Prosecutors are arguing that if whats in that document  and others  gets out, it will become evident who else the FBI is investigating. They already have said there is a much larger and more intensive investigation. Battista said premature disclosure could undermine that inquiry and result in witnesses refusing to cooperate because they fear their names will end up in newspapers.

Attorney Ivan Mathew, representing lobbyist Norton, was not impressed. That is gobbledygook, he told the judge.

Woody Thompson, representing Johnson, said the burden is on prosecutors to show the judge why documents in the governments control should be shielded from outside eyes. The claims of harm by Battista are all speculation and conjecture at this point, Thompson said.

Tuchi said federal law clearly requires the government to turn over any information about the case to defense attorneys. But the judge also said he understands the harm prosecutors are claiming if some of that information gets out.

To narrow whats restricted, the judge ordered prosecutors to surrender everything they have on this case and then find the carve-outs of which documents and interviews they believe cannot be shared beyond the defendants and their lawyers.

That order ensures the defense team can see what the government has and what it wants protected. At that point, Tuchi said, the lawyers can file legal motions arguing whether there should be restrictions on use of the materials.

Battista noted that, even without disclosure of the documents and interviews, there have been media reports and speculation on what else is being investigated.

Both the Corporation Commission and Pinnacle West Capital Corp., parent of Arizona Public Service utility, have disclosed contact with the FBI.

And Gary Pierce told Capitol Media Services after he was initially interviewed by the FBI that agents were questioning him about the 2014 election.

The probe appears to be an outgrowth of an investigation originally started at the state Attorney Generals Office. It included allegations that Pierce, while a regulator, met secretly with Don Brandt, the chief executive of APS, and Don Robinson, his predecessor, while the utility was in the middle of a rate case before the commission.

That state investigation also was looking into $500,000 spent by the Free Enterprise Club in 2014 on behalf of Gary Pierces son, Justin Pierce, who was running for secretary of state. Wil Cardon, another candidate in that race, charged that the elder Pierce used his position on the commission to get financial support for Justins campaign from companies regulated by the panel.
John D'Orlando has been named the new president and publisher of the Arizona Daily Star.

D'Orlando, 55, previously served as vice president/advertising director of the Orlando Sentinel Media Group in Orlando, Florida.

He will be responsible for the Star's advertising, digital sales and digital product development, marketing, circulation, printing and distribution, financial services and human resources. He will share responsibility for news and editorial functions with John Humenik, group publisher for Lee Enterprises and Lee's vice president for news.

"Being given the chance to join a media company with the reputation for innovation and creativity that the Daily Star has earned is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," D'Orlando said Tuesday. "The Arizona Daily Star will continue to serve our readers by producing the highest quality product, and serve our advertisers by continuing to be the market leader in generating new ideas to increase their business.

"I'm very excited and fortunate to be joining this winning team."

A business graduate of Buffalo State  the State University of New York College, D'Orlando joined the Sentinel in 2008 from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he was director of classified advertising, advancing from leadership roles in real estate and recruitment, and account-level sales in automotive and retail.

At the Orlando Sentinel Media Group, D'Orlando was responsible for advertising, including print, digital, direct mail, events and niche publications.

"John's strong management fundamentals and proven track record across a variety of advertising roles makes him the perfect choice to lead our Tucson team forward," Humenik said Tuesday. "His success in new business development, innovative product launches, market solutions for small and medium size businesses, and creative thinking will provide next level solutions for our advertisers."

D'Orlando started his new position on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

The Star is owned by Lee Enterprises, and its business operations, TNI Partners, are owned jointly by Lee and Gannett.
Two members of Arizonas congressional delegation  a Republican and a Democrat  are backing changes to the Affordable Care Act designed to stabilize health-insurance markets.

Reps. Martha McSally and Tom OHalleran, both part of the 40-member Problem Solvers Caucus, released a broad outline of proposed changes to the federal health-care legislation known as Obamacare on Monday morning, just days after attempts at a skinny repeal of the ACA failed in the Senate.

McSally, who spearheaded the Republican working group to gather consensus on a series of fixes, said the effort over the last few weeks was not meant to undermine Republican efforts to pass the Better Care Reconciliation Act in the Senate, or for that matter, another attempt to repeal Obamacare.

This is not about saving or killing the Affordable Care Act, or scoring political points, said McSally, who represents District 2. This is about identifying and negotiating real solutions to real urgent problems and helping the people who have been harmed most by the ACA.

A key proposal to the legislation requires the federal government to pay out cost-sharing subsidies  an estimated $7 billion  to insurance companies this year. The payments are a central part of the ACA designed to lower premiums for individual customers in the marketplace. The Trump administration is looking at ending those payments.

Without action from the Senate, some insurance companies have begun pulling out of the individual market altogether, according to McSally. In Arizona, 14 of the 15 counties already have only one option, and choices will continue to dwindle, she said in a news release.

Other provisions in the legislation include raising the employer mandate for providing health insurance from 50 employees to 500 and repealing the medical device tax.

It doesnt take a doctor to diagnose that the individual market across the country is not healthy and urgent action is needed to help our constituents, McSally said. While some of the fixes were in the skinny repeal that failed in the Senate, McSally said there were some compromises on both sides. We had to swallow some requests from the other side, she acknowledged. The retired Air Force colonel said she could not wait for a solution to come out of the Republican leadership or from the White House.

OHalleran, a freshman Democrat from Flagstaff who represents District 1 and is also part of the caucus, said, We must move forward swiftly to stabilize the health-insurance market to ensure elderly Arizonans, veterans, and those living with disabilities continue to have access to affordable health coverage.

However, while the caucus has consensus among its 40-person, bipartisan members, the announcement Monday is only a broad outline . No bill has been drafted, and McSally and OHalleran said they want to see the legislation introduced through what they call regular order.

The pair are referring to formal steps taken before votes on legislation, primarily the use of public hearings and committee deliberations. Members of the Senate Republican leadership met in private to write the Better Care Reconciliation Act.

It is an important first step in returning to regular order, with an open and transparent legislative process that allows for input from citizens, policy experts and members of both parties, OHalleran said.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., offered little encouragement . While the Speaker appreciates members coming together to promote ideas, he remains focused on repealing and replacing Obamacare, said Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong, according to The Associated Press.
The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to help install smoke alarms for a September event that will be held in Tucson and Sierra Vista.

The Red Cross is seeking to install 100,000 smoke alarms in more than 100 at-risk communities nationwide as part of its Sound the Alarm program.

Locally, the Southern Arizona Chapter of the Red Cross is seeking about 350 volunteers to install smoke alarms on Sept. 23 in Tucson and Sept. 30 in Sierra Vista. The installations will be from 8 a.m. to noon at locations to be determined. The goal is to install about 1,000 alarms .

The two Southern Arizona events are part of a nationwide series of home fire-safety and smoke-alarm installation events to be held between Sept. 23 and Oct. 15, culminating with the Red Cross installation of the 1 millionth free smoke alarm since 2014.

Sound the Alarm is part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, in which volunteers and partners canvass high-risk neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms, replace batteries in existing alarms and help families create fire-escape plans.

Since 2014, Red Cross volunteers and members of partner organizations have installed nearly 942,000 smoke alarms in 10,664 cities and towns in all 50 states, according to the agency.

Go to soundthealarm.org to volunteer to install smoke alarms.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Marisa Werner has cared for bodies as a pediatrician.

Last month, she was appointed to care for souls, too.

On July 22, Werner, 53, became the Rev. Marisa Werner, a priest for Saint Michael the Archangel, a local parish that is part of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion.

I grew up with a sense of vocation, the new priest says. I grew up in a family with lots of vocational and religious life.

Growing up in Maryland, she served as an acolyte in the Roman Catholic Church, aware of the tension between the churchs prohibition of female priests and her own growing interest in religious service. As a young girl, she wrote the bishop of her diocese to ask that girls be allowed to serve as acolytes. She remembers five girls, including herself, in the acolyte class.

Still, she was not allowed to serve as an acolyte for her uncles deacon ordination because she was a girl. That did not sway her from service, and she began volunteering as a lector at the age of 13 when she aged out of the acolyte role.

Because of her awareness of the conflict between calling and convention, it wasnt until around 2009 that she decided to heed the call.

I became a pediatrician, but this sense of vocation has stayed with me, and I decided at some point to say yes to it instead of continuing to struggle with the incongruence of it, she says.

Bishop Francis Krebs, presiding bishop of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, says the communion is part of a strain of Catholicism that broke off from Rome. While the liturgy may be familiar to Roman Catholics, the ECC differs in other ways.

It respects the pope but doesnt consider him infallible, emphasizes lay people in church governance and takes a different stance from Roman Catholicism on what Krebs calls inclusion issues.

We include women, we include gays and lesbians and divorced and remarried persons, he says. We have married priests.

Before finding the ECC, Werner spent time in other denominations, including the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ. But always, she held Catholicism dear.

Werner graduated from medical school at the University of Maryland in 1990. During her residency, she became connected with the Indian Health Service, a link that would bring her to work with the San Carlos Apache Nation in Arizona in 1994. That connection with the Indian Health Service eventually brought her to Tucson in 2001 to work with the Tohono Oodham Nation as a pediatrician in Sells, now mostly in outpatient clinics.

The challenges there are the challenges that the people you are working with are facing, she says. They are challenges common to rural health, things like internet access and access to transportation.

Dr. Stephen Metz, a pediatric hospitalist at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, has known Werner since her Baltimore days.

I think that what people notice about her is that shes very caring, Metz says. Shes not rushed. She doesnt get angry. She listens and she really gets to know the full scope of patients, and thats really important in Indian Health Service.

Werner says she mostly works 10-hour shifts, four days a week, allowing her to also raise her teenage daughter.

Her work as a pediatrician will continue even as she steps into the priesthood, which is a volunteer position.

Having another priest at the church means that the Rev. Delores Kropf, the pastor at Saint Michael the Archangel, will be able to step away, leaving the congregation with continuity, especially when she retires, hopefully down the road a long ways.

When anybody comes to church for the first time, shes probably one of the first ones at the door to say welcome, Kropf, 73, says. Currently, there are about 15 registered parishioners at the church that meets in the chapel of First Christian Church at 740 E. Speedway.

The ECC has about 40 communities, including a few in Poland and Belgium, Krebs says. There are also parishes in Tempe and Phoenix.

For Werner, working with sick kids and caring for a religious community arent so different.

In Christianity, we say we are the body of Christ, and so both (jobs) are taking care of the body, she says. I work in a setting where there is an understanding of spirituality being part of wholeness.

Krebs agrees.

Shes a pediatrician who works with the native population, and so that just really is something that fits right in with our understanding of our mission, to be very social-justice oriented, Krebs says.

The fact that she has taken her education and directed it toward people that many consider in the margins is inspiring.

Werner has served as a deacon at the church for about two years. This year, she earned her master of divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology in Denver after starting the program in 2011.

Its coming home, she says of the ordination, pausing as emotion swells. I say its coming home to myself, but its more like coming home to who God calls me to be.
A Tucson police officer has been arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident, according to the department.

Michael Sauber, who was hired in April 2016 and is still a probationary employee, is facing charges of domestic violence/aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct, all felonies. He was booked into the Pima County jail.

Police said in a news release Monday that officials were notified on Saturday of potential misconduct on the part of Sauber involving an off-duty domestic violence incident involving a weapon on Friday.

The department began a criminal and administrative investigation into Sauber.

Sauber has been on leave with pay as the investigations continue.
John McCain betrayed his party, the free market system, and played right into the hands of the Socialists. Senator McCain's "no vote" to the repeal of Obamacare means more chaos, mandated compliance, fines, penalties, and rationing of healthcare. We'll get less and less Healthcare and pay more and more for less care. "Experts", like in the Charlie Gard (year old child) in Britain, will decide how and who may give, withdraw, and where we can die in peace when the time comes. This is Healthcare meets Eurotopia on steroids. Socialized medicine delays or withholds treatment, harms patients, adds complications, longer hospitalizations, and speeds us towards death.
Sen. John McCain is a truly great American who was very deservingly honored with the Profile In Courage Award in 1999. As a POW during the Vietnam War he endured horrible pain and suffering. When his captors learned he was the son of an admiral they offered to release him, but he refused preferential treatment over other prisoners.

He was diagnosed with brain cancer but flew from Arizona to Washington to vote on legislation which would impact millions of Americans. With his vote and the votes of two other Republicans  Susan Collins, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska  the attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) failed.

It is our great good fortune to have this courageous gentleman of honor and integrity representing Arizona in the United States Senate.

Joseph McNully

Oro Valley
Due to a shortage in supply of a new eco-friendly fuel, drivers in Vietnam are finding it hard to follow a new rule requiring them to refill their cars with petrol that meets the Euro 4 exhaust emission standard.

While most cars in Vietnam are running on Euro 2 standard fuel, a new law effective January 1 mandates that all new automobiles in Vietnam, both imported and domestically assembled, must use petrol meeting the Euro 4 standard.

Another mandatory upgrade, from Euro 2 to Euro 3, was also approved for motorbikes with the same deadline.

Currently applied in several countries, the Euro emission standards, set by the European Union, stipulate average emission targets for toxic substances like carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).

The Euro 2, introduced in 1997, set the CO emission target at 4g/kWh, and the later Euro 4, effective in 2011, lowered that to 1.5g/kWh.

A petrol product must have a lead content of no more than 0.005 grams per liter to meet the Euro 4 standard, compared to 0.013 g/l of the Euro 2.

Drivers told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that while they want to follow the law, it is not easy to find Euro 4 petrol, even in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Duc Thuan, one Hanoi resident, has recently purchased a new car using the Euro 4 standard. However, it is a tough job finding a filling station with the Euro 4 petrol, he told Tuoi Tre.

Petrolimex, Vietnams largest fuel wholesaler, is the only supplier of the higher grade petrol, but not all Petrolimex stations have this kind of fuel, Thuan added.

So I sometimes have to resort to using Euro 2 petrol, he said.

Similarly, Mai Anh, a Ho Chi Minh City commuter with an imported sedan featuring a Euro 4 engine, said that finding a filling station with the correct petrol remains a real challenge.

Refinery to blame

In February, Vietnams Ministry of Transport called on the government to postpone the mandatory European emission standard upgrade, citing unpreparedness, even though it had been given a five-year window to be ready.

The transport ministry said there would be an insufficient domestic supply of petrol meeting the new standard, adding that the countrys sole operational oil refinery had also failed to produce such products.

According to the transport ministry, the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association cited the lack of proper fuel to call for a delay to the Euro 4 upgrade, saying car engines will break down easier without suitable fuel.

However, despite this and experts' claims that the mandatory upgrade would not achieve their goals, the government has rejected pleas to delay and insisted that the new law come into effect as scheduled.

Only applicable to new vehicles, not all owners of Euro 4 cars are willing to use the recommended gasoline for their vehicles, especially when there is effectively no mechanism to check which kind of petrol a car is using.

This significant loophole means that drivers will continue to use Euro 2 fuel in their vehicles, especially given that the Euro 4 product is always more expensive.

According to Petrolimex, Euro 4 petrol costs two to five percent more than its Euro 2 and 3 predecessors, respectively.

Dung Quat Refinery, Vietnams only operational oil refinery that currently meets around 30 percent of domestic fuel demand, is unable to churn out such standardized petrol products, its operator BSR has admitted.

Our facility was designed in 1999 and commissioned in 2009, while the Euro 4 was introduced in 2011, BSR chairman Nguyen Hoang Giang told Tuoi Tre in a February interview.

The refinery needs to be expanded and upgraded to be able to produce the Euro 4-level fuel, Giang said.

The upgrade and expansion may only be completed by 2022 or 2023, after which we will be able to produce fuel products that meet up to Euro 5 standards, Giang claimed, adding that the facilitys products now satisfy the Euro 3 standard only.

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Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario has begun his official visit to Vietnam scheduled for July 31 to August 3.

The Mozambican head of government and a delegation of high-ranking officials arrived in Hanoi on Monday, commencing his trip at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Within the framework of his visit, PM Rosario will join talks with his Vietnamese counterpart and meet General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

The visiting leader is expected to convene meetings with Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Xuan Cuong.

His agenda includes visits to the Thai Binh Seed Corporation, the headquarters of Vietnam's largest mobile network operator Viettel, and Song Cam Shipyard.

Vietnam and Mozambique established diplomatic ties on June 25, 1975.

Bilateral trade turnover from 2006 to 2010 saw a three-fold increase from US$13.83 million to $45.35 million, according to Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2016, the two countries trade value was recorded at $101 million, of which Vietnams exports were valued at $72.5 million.

Mozambique is ranked 11th among 72 nations currently investing in Vietnam.

The two nations have maintained cooperative relations through Party and State channels and people-to-people exchanges across such fields as agriculture and education.

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A former provincial leader and ex-chairman of a state-run Vietnamese company criminally charged for his role in incurring massive losses turned himself in to police on Monday, after hiding overseas for nearly a year.

Trinh Xuan Thanh, former deputy chairman of the administration of Hau Giang Province and former chairman of PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC), gave himself up to an investigative police unit under the Ministry of Public Security in Hanoi.

Thanh is the fifth man accused in a probe into massive losses of approximately US$147 million at PVC, a subsidiary of state-run oil and gas giant PetroVietnam.

The other four, who are all former top officials of PVC, were held in custody in September 2016 on charges of intentionally violating state regulations on economic management that caused severe consequences.

Thanh had managed to flee just prior to the above arrests, leading Vietnamese police to issue an international wanted notice in mid-September last year.

He has been hiding overseas for the last ten months.

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The steering committee of Vietnams southwestern region has been discovered violating multiple regulations, with several leaders and officials held responsible.

The Central Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee announced the result of theirinspection of the Southwest Steering Committee during a press conference on Monday afternoon.

The Southwest Steering Committee is authorized to supervise all activities in the Mekong Delta. The agency is part of the Vietnamese Party and monitored by the Politburo.

Several serious violations were disclosed within the Southwest Steering Committee during the 2011-16 period.

Nguyen Phong Quang, former standing vice-chairman of the committee, is responsible for the management oversight and lackluster performance of the agency during the time.

Quang recruited a total of 32 officials without sufficient requirements to do so in the Southwest Steering Committee, which is a violation of regulations.

Vu Minh Hoang, 26, deputy head of the Economic Department of the Southwest Steering Committee, was among Quangs recruits.

Hoang was accepted as a researcher in the agency in 2014 without having to pass any mandatory examination.

In January 2016, Hoang was promoted to his current position while he was studying in Japan. He is still studying overseas at present.

Under Quangs leadership, many of his subordinates produced false documents to draw over VND100 billion (US$4.4 million) from the state budget, among other financial violations.

Nguyen Phong Quang (R), former standing vice-chairman, and Nguyen Quoc Viet, vice-chairman of the Southwest Steering Committee. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Aside from Quang, the Central Inspection Committee said that Nguyen Quoc Viet, vice-chairman of the Southwest Steering Committee, must also be responsible for the series of offenses.

Violations by other members who worked as heads of office and department, chief accountants and treasurers between 2011and 2016 were also revealed.

Inspectors concluded that their wrongdoings had led to serious consequences and affected the credibility of the agency and the Party in general, asserting that those responsible should be sternly punished.

Reporters from Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper were able to reach Quang on Monday evening for a brief phone interview.

The ex-official said he had not directly received the result of the inspection, and thus refused to give any comment.

The correspondents were given a similar response from Viet.

It is a lesson for all officials at the agency, Son Minh Thang, standing vice-chairman of the Southwest Steering Committee, told Tuoi Tre.

We will be more careful in our recruitment and financial management to prevent similar mistakes in the future, Son said.

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The smell-proof openings will be fixed on Le Van Tho Street in Go Vap District, Truong Dinh Street in District 3, and Vinh Khanh Street in District 4.

The new design is being piloted by Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company (UDC).

Le Van Tho Street is the first to undergo the major makeover, with 113 sewer openings being replaced with new ones.

The redesigned openings consist of an iron grille on the surface to prevent garbage from entering the drainage system, connected to a tilted trough to lead water into a valve, according to Bui Van Truong, head of UDCs storm relief management.

When it rains, water accumulated on top of the pressure-controlled valve will force it to swing open, allowing water to be drained into a system of underground pipes.

During dry days, the valve remains closed, which helps prevent foul smell from escaping the sewage system.

Water is poured into a newly installed sewer opening to test the pressure-controlled valves. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Current openings installed across the city are shaped like a siphoning toilet bowl, in which an S-shaped waterway allows a certain amount of water to always remain near the opening to trap foul smell inside.

However, the design is flawed in that stagnant water that stays for long periods during the dry season can become the source of foul smell itself, as well as a breeding ground for disease-bearing mosquitoes, Truong said.

Each of the new openings costs around VND17 million (US$750) to manufacture and install, according to the UDC official.

An iron grille covers the surface of the new sewer opening (L) to prevent garbage from entering the drainage system, compared to the old opening design (R). Photo: Tuoi Tre

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Dismissal of high-ranking officials has become more frequent since last year as Vietnam moves to tackle corruption, especially at inefficient state-owned enterprises.

Deputy trade minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa might lose all of her positions at the ministry after the Central Inspection Committee found her responsible for several wrongdoings at the company and in the illegal appointment of a wanted former official.

Thoa approved the appointment of former PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corp chairman and ex-provincial leader Trinh Xuan Thanh, whom police said turned himself in on Monday after a 10-month international manhunt.

The Party expelled Thanh last year for his alleged wrongdoing while at the company and at a provincial leadership body, while the inspection committee said Thoa violated rules on land, privatization, share transfer and asset declaration.

Thoa worked for 18 years at Dien Quang, where she was general director and chairwoman before leaving the executive posts to become a deputy minister in the country's trade ministry in 2010.

Shares of Dien Quang, where some of Thoa's relatives are still key stakeholders besides Canada-based Enterprise Capital Management, have fallen about 40 percent since October 2016 when the inspection committee started looking into her case.

Some former top officials of state-owned companies and units of state oil and gas PetroVietnam (PVN) are facing years of imprisonment for corruption offences following the probe. Earlier this year, a top Party official, who once headed PVN, was demoted and expelled from Vietnam's powerful politburo.
A female scooter rider was killed in a traffic accident on Monday in southern Vietnam after she tumbled due to a surprise car door.

The car in question was parked on the motorcycle-only side of the street in Binh Duong Province.

The victim has been identified as Binh Duong resident Huynh Bao Ngoc, 26.

The accident occurred on Phan Dinh Phung Street in Thuan An Town at around 2:00 pm.

According to eyewitness accounts, Ngoc was commuting on the street heading for the provincial Thu Dau Mot City when the car parked ahead of her suddenly had its drivers door opened.

Surprised by the sudden car door, Ngoc lost balance and fell off her scooter onto the street packed with incoming traffic.

A bus moving in the opposite direction could not stop in time and ran over Ngoc, killing her on the spot.

According to the police, Phan Dinh Phung Street is a two-way street for motorcycles but only allows cars in one direction.

The car involved in the accident was parked on the side that was off-limits to cars, police said.

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There is no longer any doubt that the New York Times is nothing more than a willing cog in the establishment war machine and is happy to serve as a propaganda platform. While there are times that newspapers and electronic media outlets are unwitting dupes for propaganda, the article penned by

This screed starts with this piece of artful dishonesty:

Russia is preparing to send as many as 100,000 troops to the eastern edge of NATO territory at the end of the summer, one of the biggest steps yet in the military buildup undertaken by President Vladimir V. Putin and an exercise in intimidation that recalls the most ominous days of the Cold War.

Since when is it an act of "aggression" for a country--Russia in this case--to conduct military exercises in its own territory? Gordon and Schmitt also conveniently omit the facts that the United States has been engaged in a variety of military exercises on the border of Russia for the last year. Yet, rather than acknowledge that truth, Gordon and Schmitt push the lie that this is an unprovoked action by a militaristic Russia hell bent on conquering the world.

How else is one to interpret the following quotes:

The military exercise . . . .is part of a larger effort by Mr. Putin to shore up Russias military prowess, and comes against the backdrop of an increasingly assertive Russia. Beyond Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election in support of the Trump campaign, which has seized attention in the United States, its military has in recent years deployed forces to Syria, seized Crimea and intervened in eastern Ukraine, rattled the Baltic States with snap exercises and buzzed NATO planes and ships. . . .

There is only one reason you would create a Guards Tank Army, and that is as an offensive striking force, General Hodges said. This is not something for homeland security. That does not mean that they are automatically going to do it, but in terms of intimidation it is a means of putting pressure on allies.

If you read only this article you would be excused for assuming that Russia is on the prowl for no good reason. Fortunately, our media is not totally subservient to the war machine. NPR reported last week that the United States is actually carrying out the largest military operations on Russia's border in 27 years:

The U.S. and NATO are staging their largest military exercises since the end of the Cold War, and they're doing it in countries of 3 former members of the Warsaw Pact: Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary

DAVID WELNA, BYLINE: Yes, I did. This is all part of what's been called the European Deterrence Initiative, and it's a reinforcement of U.S. forces that had been depleted in Eastern Europe before Russia annexed Crimea three years ago. And as part of this sort of hardening of the U.S. presence here, there was an armored combat brigade team of about 4,000 Army troops from Fort Carson, Colo., that arrived here in Eastern Europe early this year. And they're here in Romania, and they're taking part in military exercises along with about 20,000 other troops.

On Saturday, I was in the Carpathian Mountains, and I watched a pretty impressive live fire, land and air assault there on an imagined enemy. And then yesterday, along the banks of the Danube River here, there was another assault staged to retake the other side of the river from another imagined enemy.

GREENE: You keep saying imagined enemy. Who is the imagined enemy?

WELNA: Well, no doubt it's Russia. And, you know, while this wasn't really a D-Day invasion along the Danube - there was no fire return from the other side - there was a lot of sound and fury. And here's a bit of what it sounded like.

The US military exercise is dubbed Saber Guardian:

Exercise Saber Guardian 17 is a U.S. European Command, U.S. Army Europe-led annual exercise taking place in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria in the summer of 2017. This exercise involves more than 25,000 service members from over 20 ally and partner nations. The largest of the Black Sea Region exercises, Saber Guardian 17 is a premier training event for U.S. Army Europe and participating nations that will build readiness and improve interoperability under a unified command, executing a full range of military missions to support the security and stability of the Black Sea Region. It is deterrence in action.



Some of the more notable aspects of SG17 include: the massing of 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (3/4ID) from several locations across the Operation Atlantic Resolve area of operation to the exercise joint operations area (JOA) in Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria; and the movement of 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) from Vilseck, Germany, to numerous locations throughout the JOA.

But that's not all. The United States also has been busy in the Baltics in early June 2017:

The U.S.'s European Command, which is based in Germany, said Thursday it had deployed an unspecified number of F-16 Fighting Falcons from Aviano Air Base in Italy to the Krzesiny Air Base in Poland in support of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) and Saber Strike, two massive annual drills intended to boost the U.S.'s military presence in Europe and to support regional allies. European Command's statement came a day after it said a number of B-1B Lancers had been sent from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to join three B-52H Stratofortresses at the Royal Air Force base in Fairford, U.K. Meanwhile, 800 U.S. airmen in Europe were poised to train with NATO allies this month as the Western military alliance escalates its rivalry with Russia.

And there was US activity in Poland in January:

U.S. troops arrived in the small town of Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, as part of the largest armed military brigade deployed in Europe since the end of the Cold War.

The U.S. troops, along with 53 track vehicles, including the M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, reached Poland after a three-day journey through Germany. The show of force falls under Operation Atlantic Resolve, designed to show the United States' commitment to its European allies in the face of what NATO sees as Russian aggression.

This is not a comprehensive list. If you take time to do further research you will discover that the United States military in tandem with other countries has carried out several military exercises from the Black Sea in the south, all along the western border of Russia and in the Baltic Sea in the north.

If you are Russia and you are witnessing repeated deployments of U.S. infantry, armor, air and naval units on the frontier that produced that last military invasion of Russia (which left at least 20 million dead) would you sit back and do nothing?

What would the United States do if Russia managed to convince Mexico to sign a mutual defense treaty and then proceeded to conduct tank and military air exercises along our southern border? Would we do nothing?

Gordon and Schmitt are an embarrassment to the profession of journalism. Rather than actually report facts and place them in their proper context, they chose instead to push lies as truth and try to help shape public opinion into believing that Russia poses an imminent threat to the west.

One other point worth remembering--Russia spends $60 billion annually on defense spending while the United States is slated for $650 billion. How much is the US spending on just EUCOM exercises targeted at Russia? Sadly, there is bipartisan stupidity and ignorance when it comes to the issue of properly assessing Russia and the threat it does (or does not) pose to the United States. My cynical conclusion is that as long as Russia is portrayed as the great Red menace bent on world domination we can justify spending $650 billion dollars to thwart an invasion that is not coming.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

On early Tuesday morning, Uttar Pradesh police resorted to lathi-charge on nearly 600 protesters who were demonstrating for the opening of Hajj house for public use.

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The lathi-charge did not go down well with the protesters and stone pelting and violence started from the other side which only made the situation worse. This issue gained weight on Monday when district Congress committee started protesting with a large group of Muslim people to open the newly-constructed Ala Hazrat Hajj house situated in Ghaziabad. The Hajj house was built during Samajwadi Party regime in UP and was inaugurated by Akhilesh Yadav last September.

Naseem Khan from Congress attacked the state government and termed it as playing with the faith of countrys Muslims.

Moreover, the Muslim community members also performed Namaz outside the locked Hajj house and demanded a proper use of the facility. The problem becomes more grave if looked in the context of currently ongoing Hajj pilgrimage. Keeping the same in mind, Muslim Maha Sabha has written to states Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath requesting him to open the Hajj house as Hajj pilgrims from western Uttar Pradesh are facing a lot of problems.

Mahasabha president Imran Khan also met the city magistrate last week to hand out a memorandum to the Chief Minister in the same regard. Imran Khan said that if UP government does not want it (Hajj house) to be used by pilgrims, any institute or school must be started in the premises.

The protest at the Hajj house on Monday was also accompanied by the Peace Party.

The Hajj house is caught up in the litigation of National Green Tribunal as it is situated on the bank of Hindon river, which has been objected by Ghaziabad residents. Police claimed that situation is under control. Reportedly, one constable has been injured but the count of injured protesters is yet to be confirmed.

Police have registered FIR against 200 unnamed people along with Naseem Khan, Pooja Chaddha, Monu Valmiki and Sameer Ali of Congress minority cell.

Attachments area
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said Bihars former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav should be scared of going to jail in connection with the corruption charges against him.

Reacting to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasads claim that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was scared of Tejashwi, Paswan told reporters here son (Tejashwi) is going to the jail. Then who should be frightened?

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The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief also defended Nitish Kumars decision to form the government with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying Nitishji had two options. First, fight against corruption or save the corrupt government in the name of saving secularism. It had become suffocating for Nitish (to continue with RJD).

Calling the decision to join hands with the BJP a masterstroke, he said that earlier, he was urged by media to part ways with the corrupt. Now that he has done it, you are calling him names.

Paswan expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance would sweep all Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general election given the combined power of the BJP, JD-U and the LJP.
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): A day after the government faced embarrassment in Parliament over a bill on the Backward Classes Commission, the BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of cheating the OBCs for its minority politics.

The Congress had hatched a conspiracy in the Rajya Sabha to not support the bill to confer constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Classes, Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav said at a press conference here.

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It was a Congress conspiracy. The amendment brought in by the Congress was not to favour the OBCs or to get them justice, but to halt the amendment bill in the Lok Sabha and cheat them, the BJP leader said.

The government on Monday suffered embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure the passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the commission, with the opposition succeeding in getting amended an important provision on the matter.

He said the kind of amendment Congress supported was not under the ambit of the Constitution. This could have been questioned in any court of law, he claimed.

He accused the Congress of being an anti-poor party and said: For the last 70 years, they did not allow any scheme to favour 15,000 small caste groups in the country. They dont want these groups to get their rights.

He also questioned the Congress on implementation of the Kaka Kelkar Committee recommendations as well as the Mandal Commission over the years.

Whatever schemes we brought, the Congress opposed these  like demonetisation, which was brought to benefit the poor. We brought in MUDRA scheme, but they opposed it. We opened accounts of the poor under the Jan Dhan Scheme, the Congress opposed it, the Rajya Sabha member said.

We brought the bill on Aadhaar Cards and the Congress not only opposed it but also filed a petition in the Supreme Court so that money doesnt reach the poor, the BJP leader said.

Is minority politics more important for the Congress or those deprived of their rights for long, Yadav asked.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

In another incident of mob violence against minorities in Jharkhand, Mohammed Shakir, a Muslim working in the Kathara town of Bokaro district was severely beaten by a mob which accused him of eve teasing a Hindu girl. His condition is said to be critical.

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Shakir, who runs a shop of printing Aadhar cards, was about to open his shop on Tuesday morning when a mob of about 50 people attacked him. According to the mob, Shakir had been eve-teasing a Hindu girl. Shakir was left unconscious by the mob and all his clothes were torn. He was taken to Bokaro General Hospital, where he is said to be fighting for his life.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a FIR against Heera Lal, and Mantu Yadav along with 15 other unnamed individuals, although no arrest has been made in the case.

Shakirs family is frightened to talk to anyone. When activists and this reporter tried to reach them, their calls went unanswered. However, after several attempts, Shakirs brother spoke with Nadeem Khan, an activist from Delhi. Shakirs brother Shamim Khan has termed the incident as a hate crime and is yet to understand what led to such a gruesome attack on his brother.
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Bahraich (UP): An employee of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) has landed himself in hot water after an alleged Twitter account in his name posted a tweet demonising the Muslim community. Santosh Mishra works as a Program Officer at Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. The tweet was posted under the handle of @santoshmishrAKF on twitter. The account has already been suspended by Twitter.

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The handle tweeted anti-Muslim sentiments like, Proud Hindu Indian. Muslims are cancer of Society. Remove Muslims not from only India, but from whole planet (sic).

Importantly, the tweet has been made with the name of the employee, designation and the name of the organisation. Pawan Kumar Sahni, who works as a Finance and Administration Assistant at Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Bahraich district confirmed that the said employee is working at their office, but clarified that the employee has been deliberately put in the dock in order to tarnish his image.

This isnt his account. He is being trapped into this. Someone known to him has used his photo from Facebook to create this account. The employee has been working with us for the past 4-5 years and we know him well. He cant do such kind of thing, Sahni added.

He doesnt use Twitter at all .We came to know about this today morning and we have already given a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police, Bahraich and also forwarded a complaint to the Cyber cell, Lucknow, he further clarified.

The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is not-for-profit international development agency and seeks to provide long-term solutions to problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill health in the poorest parts of South and Central Asia, Eastern and Western Africa, and the Middle East.
Emergency Services get some strange calls from people. However, it is not often that a person calls in claiming that a Boa Constrictor is wrapped around their face. This is what happened in Ohio on Thursday, July 27 according to a report in the New York Times. Apparently, a woman called 911 to report an emergency which happened when boa constrictor wrapped itself around her head and face.

Boa constrictor wraps around Ohio womans face

The Ohio woman in question called up the emergency services to report the strange incident which perplexed the dispatcher taking the call along with the first responders at the scene.

The woman said that a 5-foot long boa constrictor had managed to wrap itself around her face and neck, and was biting her on the nose.

She also claimed that there was blood everywhere as a result of this bite. The dispatcher taking the call had to ask the victim several times to confirm what the emergency really was, as the official was just as confused as anyone in that position would be. The dispatcher finally said such an incident had never been reported before. Nonetheless, an emergency crew was sent to the womans house.

Firefighters who responded to the call revealed that the woman was lying in her driveway with the snake covering her face and head when they arrived at the scene. Seeing no other alternative, the rescuers quickly took out a knife and cut off the boa constrictors head to get to the victim trapped underneath.

She was then transported to a nearby hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Mayor says he is proud of the way first responders handled the situation

Dennis Bing, who is the mayor of Sheffield Lake later said that he was impressed by how the emergency responders handled the difficult situation. He stated that it was some quick thinking on their part to take out a pocket knife and cut off the snake in a bid to rescue the woman and also revealed that there was no other way to extract the woman from the jaws of the large reptile.

Bing also cautioned the woman against continuing to own such snakes in her home. It was reported that the victim owned two boa constrictors and nine ball pythons at her residence. Passersby reported seeing an empty cage by the womans house on Friday morning. The woman declined to be interviewed by news agencies. She will also take a long time to completely recover from her injuries which she suffered during the incident. However, this may finally make her realize that owning snakes may not be the best thing in the world.
A new study suggests that Air Pollution caused by many factors including climate change will lead to deaths in the future if it remains un-dealt with. Air is vital to survival and if it is polluted to the point that it becomes toxic to the body, then people will definitely die from inhaling polluted air.

Based on the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, if the situation does not improve, there could be about 60,000 deaths linked to air pollution by the year 2030. The number is expected to rise by 260,000 in the year 2100 if the problem with air pollution remains unattended.

Deaths by air pollution

Currently, there are about 5.5 million deaths worldwide attributed to air pollution, according to CBS News. Experts say that the new study is the most comprehensive analysis on how climate change affects the health of the public, particularly air pollution. In order to arrive at their findings, the researchers used data from various global modeling groups in France, UK, Japan, U.S. and New Zealand.

The culprit is the rising temperature. The hotter the climate is, the faster air pollutants form and accumulate in the atmosphere and eventually contaminate the air. Lead author of the study, Jason West, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina's environmental sciences and engineering department said that the places that are getting drier because of Global warming are where air pollution concentrations are more likely to increase.

Global effect

According to the study, the changes will be felt globally, which means air pollution-related deaths will increase worldwide if the trends continue at this rate. Air pollution creates toxic contaminants that attack a person's heart and respiratory system. Some conditions that could be attributed to air pollution are heart attacks, cardiopulmonary disease, stroke and lung cancer.

This means the air affects a human's health immensely.

In order to lessen the global effect of climate change on the human body, efforts in slowing down global warming should be launched and executed steadfastly. The changes people do today can make a great impact on the future. However, the recent government move led by President Donald Trump slowed down the efforts to counteract the effect of global warming by withdrawing the country's membership from the Paris Climate Change agreement.

With the agreement in place, there is a specific target that many nations in the world need to abide by in order to combat the rising temperature. It is a collaboration between more than 190 countries. But the U.S.' decision to back down from the agreement could impact on the efforts to fight the problem.

This means responsible citizens in the county, as well as non-governmental organizations, need to escalate their efforts to help curb the warming of temperatures. One sure way to fight it is by reducing greenhouse emissions. Reducing greenhouse gasses will not only benefit the environment but it will be beneficial for the human body, too.

Aside from air pollution-related deaths, climate change can also lead to more health problems like heat stress, a fast proliferation of infectious diseases and less food and clean water sources.
With the attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare in ruins in the Senate, President Donald Trump is mulling what actions he can take on his own to address the dysfunction that the Affordable Care Act has wrought on the American health care system. He is already thinking of incentivizing Congress to have another go by cutting off subsidies to insurance companies and for congressional health care plans.

Those initiatives would have the effect of accelerating the death spiral taking place in the Individual Health Insurance markets and imposing on members of Congress, their families, and staffs the pain of Obamacare other Americans are suffering.

Now, according to Reuters, Trump is contemplating an executive order that would reform how individual markets work by transforming them into group markets.

How the reform would work

The executive order President Trump is contemplating would be to allow groups to form health care associations. The way such an arrangement would work would be a group, say a professional association, to offer group health insurance. The associations would be able to negotiate better deals with insurance companies much like employers have been able to do. Instead of having to buy an individual health insurance policy with impossibly high premiums and deductibles, people who do not get insurance through an employer or the government can have options that they hitherto did not have.

The limits of executive authority

To be sure, the Affordable Car Act gives the executive branch broad discretion on how to shape health insurance policies. However, even if Donald Trump were to demonstrate the flagrant disregard for the Constitution that his predecessor harbored, his powers to fix Obamacare are somewhat limited.

On the other hand, the political effects of even limited executive actions cannot be overestimated. Trump could claim with some justification that he is acting while Congress is in gridlock. His popularity will be enhanced and, if the strategy works, Congress will be shamed into finally acting. Democrats, who accepted numerous usurpations of legislative power, will hardly be in the position to complain,

What comes out of Congress will not likely be called repeal and replace.

That phrase seems to be a stench in the nostrils of Democrats, even though millions are suffering from the Obamacare system they are so steadfastly defending. However, for any reform bill to work, it will have to constitute much the same thing. If the scenario plays itself out as expected, Trump will have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Such is the strange politics of health care reform in the United States.
Sources report 60 Vpns were removed over the weekend by Apple from the app store in China. Apple reported it was a legal action because the VPN creators did not comply with the new regulations which are as stated below:

"Earlier this year Chinas MIIT announced that all developers offering VPNs must obtain a license from the government. We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations. These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business."

Golden Frog company, the creator of VyprVPN said it would file an appeal with Apple.

Also, ExpressVPN posted a tweet of dismay and disappointment that Apple would side with censorship and shared the news on their blog as well.

Most of the VPNs were banned over the weekend only in China, due to government regulations, all of which are still available and accessible in other countries' app stores.

Russia's new law: passport for Pornhub

As soon as this news came to life, Radio Free Europe reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin consequently signed a new law banning VPNs and any other software that would enable access to prohibited websites.

VPNs or Virtual Private networks works as a filter system for users to go to a secured website in order to access it. These work by concealing the users IP address and redirects it to another country, where it is legal to open the certain website.

The new law signed on July 31, 2017, by the Russian president goes into full effect on Nov. 1 of this year as well. This law as stated by Leonid Levin, head of the Russian lower house of parliament, that the Russian government only wants to block the citizens access to prohibited content and not to 'impose restrictions on law abiding citizens'.

Additional laws apply in Russia

Forbes noted that another law signed by President Putin will be effective by the start of 2018, that all chatting apps must require the user's phone numbers to limit access for users who attempt to open an illegal content.

Furthermore, Forbes report that earlier this month, Russia enacted another law on the PornHub site.

All visitors of the free streaming website will have to supply their passport information before actually accessing it.

It was also reported earlier in July by Vice news that Russia had blocked the website PornHub because it corrupts the development and the minds of the children. However, allowed it again by making sure the user is not below 18 by the use of passports.

The next four months would be the last for the Russian users, now that the government has a more secure system. VPNs and proxy websites are now inaccessible if the user does not have enough evidence of legal age or even a passport.
It seems that practically any electronic device and system in use today is susceptible to hacking, and if the malicious hacker gets a chance to do it, they will. The more publicly exposed or know the system or its user is, the more the hackers will go after it. Recently, hackers got into the "Disney" system, got their hands on a not yet released movie, threatening to release portions of it, unless they are paid a ransom. In another recent incident, hackers stole thousands of passwords from Brittish officials, offering them for sale on the Dark Net.

It certainly takes an amount of effort to hack any system, but it seems that a sensitive part of any election is quite 'welcoming' to hackers.

From few minutes to a couple of hours and any voting machine is yours

If you are a skilled hacker, you can have any electronic Voting Machine under control with ease. That is a conclusion that can be drawn from the recent DefCon conference in Las Vegas, specifically devoted to this problem. During a specifically designated "Voting Machine Village", 30 voting machines were given to hackers to see, whether, and how quickly they can take control over them. It took hackers anywhere between few minutes and a couple of hours, 90 minutes on the average, to hack every single electronic machine that was made available to them!

And all these machines are used in all types of elections throughout the US. And as "Hacker News" reports, the hackers were also able to take control of an e-poll book where voters sign in and receive their ballots, and this device is used currently in use in dozens of states.

The ethical hackers gathered at the conference pointed out a series of weaknesses - from out-of-date and insecure software to hardware problems that make it easy to tamper with the machines.

As the worst device around, they proclaimed the "WinVote" an outdated voting machine, still used in a number of county elections, which was secured with a password "ABCDE"!

New security measures needed quickly

Eric Hodge from the consulting company CyberScout, present at the conference, points out that, on one hand, proper handling procedures of storing the machines, setting them up properly and keeping an eye on them could go a long way in taking adequate precautions.

This is due to the fact that these machines are not being connected to the internet. But, on the other hand, since these machines are bought and used county-to-county across the US, of hackers target a number of key swing vote counties, they can definitely influence the results of elections. And as Jake Braun, a cyber security expert at the University of Chicago says, "Cyber interference with the voting system would undermine democracy and threaten national security". Obviously, more stringent security measures with the electronic voting devices are needed.
"The first step toward creating a community of our dreams is to tell our stories," said Camille Llanes-Fontanilla, executive director of San Jose-based non-profit SOMOS Mayfair. She was trying to explain how her organization supports children, organizes families and connects neighbors in order to address systemic inequalities.

When I first heard her make her point, I thought she was either too romantic or too idealistic. I doubted her approach could help solve the deteriorating ethnic issues in California, a state that struggles with immigration issues.

Demographically, immigration has been transforming California's political and economic landscape since the 1960s, when Latino and Asian populations grew rapidly. According to the US Census Bureau, no single ethnic group will account for more than half of the state's entire population by 2030.

Given the fact that California is the nation's most populous state, dramatic change in the makeup of its population in recent decades has complicated the already-complex competition among groups, something not rare in a "majority minority" state.

Debates rage on a range of ethnic-related issues, but especially whether and how the government should take ethnicity into consideration when allocating public resources and benefits.

As a San Franciscan, I have witnessed in recent years how some of the substantial differences in ideology have torn at the society and created heated controversies among ethnic groups.

On Sunday night I met people from five leading ethnic groups in California - Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Filipinos and Vietnamese - at a gathering at the San Jose Children's Discovery Museum to take part in an event titled "Our common ground" and discuss what the "American Dream" means for an immigrant.

Called the Community Dinner Conversation, the project is designed to encourage immigrant families to share their cultural heritage, likes and dislikes about being in the US, and more importantly, what immigrant families want to teach their children about their roots.

Eight organizers representing diverse ethnic groups, such as the Chinese-American Citizens for Better Community, the Indian Community Center and SOMOS Mayfair, reached out to their members to have some of their families' stories told.

One exercise at the program involved nostalgia. "Pick one item of your original country and tell the people next to you what it has reminded you of about your heritage," said Steve Cho, a veteran volunteer and past president at CBC, who led a group table conversation.

On the table, a wide array of items and utensils were on display, objects that reflected specific ethnic characteristics - a Mexican tortilla-maker, an Indian yogurt bowl, a Chinese tea pot, Vietnamese rice paper and a Filipino rice-cooker.

Jose Gonzalez, a San Jose resident who immigrated to the US 27 years ago, held a ceramic pot, saying his grandmother used to cook bean soup for the entire family when it was harvest season and all members needed to race against the weather and voles to get the fields harvested.

"Life in Mexico was tough, so I managed to leave at an early age," said Gonzalez, who is in his late 40s and the father of three children. "I tried Colorado and Michigan, but I didn't like the weather so I settled down in San Jose and made it my last home.

"I like this country because I know this is a place where as long as I work hard, I will earn the life that I want," he added.

Chris Lu, a software engineer who came to the US in 2000 to further his studies, said he never realized that the minced peanut on top of the Sichuan spicy noodle, a renowned delicacy in China, was introduced from South America.

"There are too many things we've taken for granted and too little do we understand the significant cultural mix that has produced us," said Lu.

"I'm hopeful that my children and their peers will understand how important it is to remain open-minded," he added.

"Individually, we are a minority. But connecting with each other and learning to respect differences of each ethnic group, we will be empowered and become strong," said Steve Cho.

Although many immigrant families expressed their concerns about social problems, including adolescents' easy access to drugs and alcohol, adults believe the inclusiveness of the community and policy transparency will help the young generation grow into global citizens of compassion and sympathy.

Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com.
US National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster (R) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin attend a daily briefing to address sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at the White House in Washington D.C., United States, on July 31, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

WASHINGTON - The United States on Monday slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Venezuela held its National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Sunday.

"By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime," a statement by the US Treasury Department quoted Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as saying.

The statement also warned that anyone who participates in the ANC could be exposed to future US sanctions.

As a result of the sanctions, "all assets of Nicolas Maduro subject to US jurisdiction are frozen," said the statement, adding that US persons are prohibited from dealing with him.

Apart from the sanctions against Maduro, the US Treasury Department had already slapped sanctions on 13 current or former senior officials of the Venezuelan government amid political turmoil in the South American country.

The Venezuelan officials were blacklisted for their association with the election of the controversial National Constituent Assembly (ANC) and their government's "rampant violence against opposition protesters and its corruption," the US Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Venezuela's National Electoral Council, more than 8 million people on Sunday participated in vote to elect a new ANC tasked to rewrite the constitution, with a 41.53-percent turnout rate.

The vote on Sunday came at a time of high tension in Venezuela, with the anti-government protests organized by the opposition, Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), having led to more than 110 deaths since early April.

The ANC was proposed by Maduro in May to rewrite the 1999 Constitution to break the ongoing political deadlock that has paralyzed the South American country. But the opposition said it was an excuse for Maduro to consolidate power.
With the dispute over Jerusalem evolving in a more stable direction following the United Nations Security Council open debate, it's still important for the council to monitor the situation, China's senior envoy said on Monday.

Liu Jieyi, China's ambassador to the UN and president of the UN Security Council for July, made the remarks at a press conference reviewing China's July presidency at UN headquarters in New York.

In July, the Security Council met 30 times, adopted four resolutions, four presidential statements and issued press elements seven times, according to Liu.

The open debate about Palestine issue was one of the three highlights Liu mentioned for China's July presidency.

An outbreak of clashes in Jerusalem was recently heightened over the construction of electronic gates at the entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

"What the Chinese presidency did to respond to requests of members of Security Council and outside of the council was to organize an informal consultation on the issue to work on various sides to de-escalate the tension and create conditions for dialogue so that stability will prevail in the city," Liu said.

Liu introduced President Xi Jinping's new four-point proposal on promoting the settlement of the Palestinian question in Xi's recent talks with President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine.

They include firmly advancing a political settlement based on a two-state solution; uphold the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; further coordinating efforts of the international community and strengthening synergy for peace; and taking an integrated approach to promote peace through development.

"China plans to hold a seminar for peace activists in Palestine and Israel within this year to contribute wisdom to the settlement of the Palestinian question," Liu said.

The other open debate was on enhancing African capacities in the area of peace and security on July 18. More than 60 countries and international organizations attended the debate.

Ideas put forward by participants on what the UN can do to help Africa enhance such capacities include establishing consultation between the UN and African Union (AU), and to study the financing of the peacekeeping capacity of Africa.

Liu said Egypt and Ethiopia, which would hold the August and September presidencies respectively, will also hold debates on Africa issues.

"We hope this will generate momentum in the UN in helping Africa and also the ideas that transpired from the debate and the events in August and September will be translated into practical measures to help Africa to enhance capacities in peace and security," he said.

The council also reviewed issues related to Libya, Cyprus, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Iraq and South Sudan.

China sees the Security Council as the core organization for the maintenance of peace and stability in the world, Liu said, describing the council as a highly important platform for global governance on security issues.

"As president of the Security Council, we have approached issues dealt with by the council from the perspective of building the right global governance (and) promoting a security outlook that's common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable," he said.

wanglinyan@chinadailyusa.com
The International Monetary Fund hopes to enhance cooperation with regional financing arrangements (RFAs) to ensure more timely and effective help to countries in financial crisis.

RFAs are financing mechanisms backed by a group of countries that pledge common financial support to a fellow member in the event of external liquidity needs or balance of payments difficulties.

The BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) set up by China, Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa, and the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM) set up by the 10-ASEAN nations and China, Japan and South Korea are two of the seven such arrangements the IMF has in mind.

A paper released by the IMF on Monday outlines operational principles to help guide future co-lending between the IMF and the various RFAs. "Recent experience with co-lending highlights the importance of early and evolving engagement between the RFA and the fund," the IMF said.

The IMF also stressed the importance of exploiting complementarities in collaboration, the need for mutual respect in institutional independence and capacity of the partner.

The IMF believes that enhanced collaboration could increase the effective firepower of both parties to tackle large-scale crises.

"While smooth collaboration in lending activities can help crisis fighting, collaboration in surveillance and capacity development can improve crisis prevention," the IMF said.

Although most IMF co-financing cases with RFAs have been in Europe in past years, it has conducted a test run with the CMIM in 2016.

"The proposals in this paper benefited from a productive dialogue with several major RFAs, including the CMIM," Nathan Porter, deputy chief of the emerging markets division of the IMF and lead author of the IMF paper, told China Daily on Monday.

"These RFAs agreed about the importance of strengthening the collaboration between the IMF and RFAs, and broadly supported our proposals as a way forward," Porter said.

In a meeting in Hamburg, Germany, in early July, Chang Junhong, a former official of China's Ministry of Finance and now director of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), also emphasized the importance of cooperation between global and regional financial arrangements as safety nets against financial crises.

AMRO was an independent regional surveillance unit set up by ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea to monitor and analyze regional economies and support the implementation of the Chian Mai Initiative Multilateralization.

Many countries in Asia, such as Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines were hit hard by 1997 Asian financial crisis, while the global financial crisis since 2008 has hit a large number of countries around the world, in particular Europe.

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
A UN staff member browses the photo exhibition Journey of Glory, which celebrates the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army on Monday at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Photos by Hong Xiao / China Daily

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively committed to maintaining world peace and stability and continuously demonstrating China's due responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, said Major General Huang Xueping, head of the Military Staff Committee of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the PLA, a photo exhibition called Journey of Glory opened on Monday at UN headquarters in New York. It will run one week.

With more than 60 photographs on display along the south wall of the first floor, the exhibition illustrates 90 years of historic achievements of the PLA led by the Chinese Communist Party in its bloody and arduous fight for the independence and liberation of the Chinese nation, safeguarding sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the country, participating in the great cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, "and maintaining world peace", Huang said.

"In UN peacekeeping missions, escort missions in the Gulf of Aden, the fight against the Ebola infectious disease in Africa and in international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, the images of the PLA are everywhere," Huang said.

"China plays a significant role in the peace and security architecture of the United Nations, not only as a permanent member of the Security Council, but also as a significant financial as well as police and troop contributor to the UN peacekeeping," said Alexander Zouev, assistant secretary-general of office of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) of the UN, at the exhibition's opening ceremony.
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ABCNews.com(WASHINGTON) -- White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday that President Trump was likely joking last week when he appeared to advise law enforcement officials not to worry about injuring suspects.



I believe he was making a joke at the time, Sanders told reporters during a press briefing.



During a trip to Long Island last week, Trump made a speech to law enforcement, where he appeared to encourage police to act with increased violence when dealing with offenders. The president told officers not to worry about suspects hitting their heads while lowering them into police cars during a speech about cracking down on the street gang MS-13.



When you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over?" Trump said. "Dont hit their head, and they just killed somebody  dont hit their head ... I said, you can take the hand away, okay? Trump continued.



"I have to tell you the laws are so horrendously stacked against us, because for years and years, they've been made to protect the criminal. Totally made to protect the criminal. Not the officers. You do something wrong, you're in more jeopardy than they are," Trump said.



Trumps comments incited a chain reaction from police departments across the U.S. who denounced the president's seemingly pro-violence rhetoric.



On Sunday afternoon, chief of the Montgomery County Police Department and president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association Tom Manger released a statement saying, While any elected official can give their views on how police should do their jobs, it is the actions of police officers that speak directly to who we are.



He noted the growing accountability measures in place on officers and the decreased use of force by police officers.



Every police officer that Ive spoken with in the last two days was dismayed by the presidents words, he added.



The New York Police Department (NYPD) issued a statement Saturday, saying the departments training and policies only allows measures that are reasonable and necessary.



To suggest that police officers apply any standard in the use of force other than what is reasonable and necessary is irresponsible, unprofessional, and sends the wrong message to law enforcement as well as the public, said NYPD Commissioner James ONeill.



The Gainesville Police Department said on its Facebook account Friday that Trumps comments seem to endorse...police brutality and lambasted him for setting modern policing back and erasing a lot of strides [they] have made to build trust in [their] community. The department also stressed that it is possible to enforce laws and arrest very bad folks and do it with respect.



Harry Houck, a retired NYPD detective, took the presidents remarks much more lightly.



They took it as a joke. And so did I, he said while on CNNs New Day on Monday morning. I dont think any police officer out there in the right frame of mind would take that as a way of condoning that kind of activity.  Like Sanders, he said it was just Trump trying to get a laugh.



Trump has been a longtime proponent of bolstering police regulations to crack down on gangs like the M-13, and reduce crime.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
HCM CITY  The High Quality Vietnamese Product Business Association will lead a business delegation that will participate in the 2017 ASEAN-India Expo and Forum to be held this week in Bangkok.

Organised by the Thai Ministry of Commerce, the event is meant to strengthen the strategic partnership between ASEAN and India and enhance trade, investment and tourism connectivity between them.

The event will have nearly 160 booths.

The Vietnam Pavilion will promote the countrys image as well as specific cultural, culinary and tourism features, and introduce Vietnamese products with geographical indication status, national cuisine programmes, organic products, and porcelain.

The national pavilion will also showcase 44 producers who make products that qualify as high-quality Vietnamese goods - integration standards.

There will also be individual booths set up by 10 leading Vietnamese firms -- in sectors like dairy, cocoa, processed foods, and foods by Vinamilk, Vinamit, Co May, Bich Chi, and Vietnam Cacao and in others like ceramics, stationery, footwear, plastic, electric lights by Minh Long, Thien Long, ien Quang, Qui Phuc, and Bitis.

Four Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces  An Giang, Ben Tre, Can Tho and ong Thap, collectively known as ABCD Mekong -- will introduce their specialities like coconut masks, dried lotus seeds, and green skin pomelos.

The association will also organise an international conference on Promoting Trade between Viet Nam and Thailand: Where are the Market Opportunities for Businesspeople of the Two Countries in the Current ASEAN Context? and a meeting between Vietnamese firms and Thai and international distributors and importers.

The Thai Commerce Department will invite dozens of importers and distributors like Berli Jucker Public Co. Ltd, CP ALL Public Company Limited, Ek-Chai Distribution System Co, the Mall Group, and Foodland Supermarket to connect with Vietnamese businesses at the event.

The event will be held from August 2-5 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.  VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (second from left) shakes hands with a delegate at the second annual Vietnam Private Sector Forum held yesterday in Ha Noi.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged private enterprises yesterday to expand their global reach, pledging to create favourable conditions for the development of the private sector as a major driver of economic growth.

Phuc was speaking in Ha Noi at the second Viet Nam Private Sector Forum (VPSF), an initiative of the Viet Nam Young Entrepreneurs Association (VYEA) and the Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) of the Asia Development Bank (ADB).

It is vital to remove all the barriers and create conditions to boost the development of the private sector, Phuc said. The private sector should be encouraged to do what it does well. This is the right way for Viet Nam to follow in transforming the economic structure and encouraging innovation to exploit its potential.

Phuc said the private sector should contribute 60 per cent to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), compard to 40 per cent at present. As the Government is determined to be a constructive one, private enterprises must also keep innovating to improve their competitiveness and grasp opportunities, Phuc stressed.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didnt do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover, Phuc said, citing Mark Twains famous quote.

Lauched for the first time at this years VPSF, the CEO Confidence Index (CEO.CI) pointed to lower- than-expected business results due to complicated administrative procedures, difficulties in accessing land and capital and problems in tax and insurance policies.

With 245 responses, the CEO.CI scored just 58 out of 100. Two components, business environment and business efficiency, scored respectively 46 and 64.

Just 37 per cent of firms anticipated profits, 63 per cent planned business expansions in the next two years while 44 per cent said they missed opportunities due to legal barriers and market limitations, according to the survey.

The disappointing survey findings suggested that greater efforts were needed.

At the forum, PM Phuc called for improved coordination and hastened efforts by the Government, ministries, management agencies, banks and enterprises to create conditions for the private sector, citing the quote: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Management capacity must be enhanced to keep pace with market demand, especially in the 4.0 industrial revolution, Phuc said, adding that policies must also be consistent. Localities should join hands with each others to share opportunities rather than to compete in attacting investment.

Phuc said that a consultative council on administrative reforms would be launched in August and be tasked with connecting businesses, raising proposals and evaluating business envionment improvement.

Agriculture, digital economy

Phuc listened to proposals from participants on boosting the digital economy, argiculture and tourism  the three spearhead economic sectors with significant potential for development.

VBSPs working group on agriculture agreed that its urgent for Viet Nam to reorganise agricutlural production with market-focused trade policies and high-technology farming.

According to Tran Manh Bao, head of the working group cum chairman of Thaibinh Seed, agricultural production must shift from farming households to firms. Policies limiting land ownership remain a barrier to investments in agriculture, which now involve just 4 per cent of the total number of firms in the country and 3 per cent of investments..

The working group urged the Government to propose to the National Assembly a review of the Law on Land to create favourable conditions for agricultural production. In response, Phuc pledged to propose that the National Assembly consider amending several points in the land law, including land limitations.

According to Nguyen Trung Chinh, head of the VPSFs working group on digital economy, Viet Nam has significant room to boost the digital economy, given with wide internet coverage, US$900 million revenue from e-commerce in 2016 and 60 million smartphone users.

However, a lack of favourable policies to encourage new business models and digital technology-enabled companies remains a major challenge, Chinh said, adding that the Government should hasten efforts to limit the use of cash, promote e-commerce and e-contracts and create payment infrastructure for electronic transactions, while providing incentives to the software industry and high-tech zones.

Bui Quang Ngoc, deputy chairman of technology for FPT Group, said it was critical to create a fair playing ground for different economic sectors, especially in accessing State-funded IT projects. Special attention must be paid to develop IT human resource which are in short supply, he said.

A small survey carried out at the end of the forum found a majority of paticipants expected that more than 50 per cent of the proposals and problems raised at the forum would be adopted or resolved by the Government. A majority believed that the Governments goal of having one million operating firms by 2020 was realistic. - VNS
BEN TRE  The Ben Tre Peoples Committee has fined a company in Ben Tre City more than VN350 million (US$15,400) for violations related to environmental and water protection.

The information was released by Nguyen Van Chinh, director of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

The Peoples Committee also asked Trung Nhac Co Ltd in Son ong Commune to strictly implement waste water treatment based on its commitment.

Earlier, from January 20 to February 21 this year, the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment conducted an inspection at the company on environment protection, water and land use and management.

The inspection showed that the company had several faults, including not conducting regulations related to environmental protection, discharging waste water exceeding regulated level by five times and repeating its violations five times despite penalties from the department.

The company processes fruits and vegetables, manufactures products from coconuts and sells agricultural material. The company started operations in January 15, 2013, with capacity of 40-50 tonnes of raw coconuts per month, equaling 480-600 tonnes per year.

The company submitted a detailed proposal on environment protection to the provincial authority in 2015 to get approval for raising its capacity to 800 tonnes per year. However, the proposal was not approved by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, because even with a capacity of 600 tonnes per year, the company did not comply with regulations related to environmental protection and regularly discharged untreated waste water into the environment.  VNS
PARIS  French actress Jeanne Moreau, who lit up the screen in Jules et Jim and starred in some of the most critically acclaimed films of the 20th century, has died aged 89, her agent said on Monday.

The gravel-voiced actress epitomised the freedoms of the 1960s and brought daring, depth and danger to a string of cinematic masterpieces from Louis Malles Lift to the Scaffold to Jacques Demys Bay of Angels.

Moreau, who was still making films at 87, was found dead at her home in Paris early Monday, the districts mayor said.

Once described by US director Orson Welles as "the best actress in the world", she was a feminist icon and trailblazer for liberated women as well as the face of the French New Wave.

"Physical beauty is a disgrace," she once said in her characteristic rasp, her voice redolent with the strong French cigarettes she smoked.

Yet that did not stop her becoming the thinking mans femme fatale with film scholar David Shipman calling her "the arthouse love goddess".

Leading tributes to the plain-speaking actress, French President Emmanuel Macron said Moreau had "embodied cinema" and she was a free spirit who "always rebelled against the established order".

Fellow French screen legend Brigitte Bardot said, "Jeanne was a beautiful, intelligent, hugely seductive woman with a voice and a personality that made her an actress with so many sides. I am very sad today".

One of her on-screen leading men Jean-Paul Belmondo said Moreau "loved to make jokes and obviously with me, the understanding was perfect".

Moreau won the best actress award at the 1960 Cannes film festival for "Moderato Cantabile" in which she starred alongside Belmondo.

Former French culture minister Jack Lang said; "She came into a tightly corseted society and showed a whole generation of women the path to emancipation."

It was that sparky rebel spirit that brought some of the worlds greatest directors to her door, from Welles for his Chimes at Midnight, to Michelangelo Antonioni for La Notte, Joseph Losey ("Eva") and Luis Bunuel for his 1964 film Diary of a Chambermaid.

But Moreau turned down Mike Nichols, who wanted her to play Mrs Robinson in The Graduate.

"France has lost a national treasure as have we all," tweeted her ex-husband William Friedkin, the American director of The Exorcist and The French Connection.

Defied her father

Born in Paris 1928 to an English chorus girl from Oldham and a French cafe owner, she took to acting with apparent effortless ease, defying her father by joining the Paris conservatoire at the age of 18, and gaining entry to the elite Comedie Francaise theatre troupe two years later.

Her breakthrough came in 1958 when she starred in two films for Malle that challenged the moral certitudes of the times.

She played a wife plotting to kill her husband in Lift to the Scaffold with its iconic jazz score by Miles Davis, and further ruffled feathers in The Lovers, her first excursion into the sexual frankness that marked much of her later work.

But it was her tomboy playfulness that won her the hearts of a whole generation of filmgoers in "Jules et Jim", playing the woman at the centre of a menage-a-trois with two best friends, one Austrian and one French on the eve of World War I.

Francois Truffaut -- who directed the film -- said "every time I picture her in the distance I see her reading not a newspaper but a book, because Jeanne Moreau doesnt suggest flirtation but love."

Her occasional sorties into English-language cinema included Carl Foremans The Victors and John Frankenheimers wartime epic The Train.

Loved younger men

But Moreau was most at home in her native land, with a penchant for challenging, literate movies often adapted from works by such writers as Jean Genet and Marguerite Duras.

In 1974, her sex scenes in Les Valseuses with young thugs played by Gerard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere caused a scandal.

Mostly, however, she chose to age gracefully, confining herself later mainly to secondary roles as in Loseys 1976 classic Mr. Klein or Elia Kazans The Last Tycoon and then, taking in a brief marriage to Friedkin, tried her hand at directing with Lumiere and LAdolescente.

She could also sing with her catchy rendition of Le Tourbillon de la Vie from Jules et Jim inspired by her tumultuous first marriage to actor-director Jean-Louis Richard.

Never short of male company, she was also romantically linked with Malle, Truffaut, Welles, Tony Richardson and Marcello Mastroianni and the fashion designer Pierre Cardin among others.

Late in life she confessed she had never found "absolute love", telling a biographer that she never tired of looking. "I always liked to be with younger men and luckily for me the older I have got the more younger men Ive found."

Despite her many honours including heading the state commission that dispenses subsidies to French filmmakers and chairing the Cannes film festival jury -- she was ever ready to take on daring, even salacious roles.

In 1994 she played an exotic half-British, half-Egyptian woman with a flamboyant sexual past in the British television play The Summer House. She did so, she said, as a tribute to her mother who had recently died.

Having racked up over 130 films over six decades, she continued acting till the end.

Moreau married twice and had a son, Jerome, from her first marriage to Richard.  AFP
Pham Minh Huan, former Chairman of the National Wage Council, speaks to the newspaper Nong thon Ngay nay (Countryside Today) about salary increase proposals for 2018.

Why have the annual wage increase meetings been so tense?

The reasons are very easy to understand as all parties, particularly the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), all want to protect the rights and interests of those they represent. For example, the VGCL wants to protect employers rights while the VGCL wants to protect employee benefits.

In recent years the National Wage Council (NWC) has organised meetings between the two parties to negotiate and reach a consensus on the minimum wage increase for each region.

Whatever arguments the two parties present must be calculated carefully, based on scientific criteria and on the actual context of Viet Nams socio-economic conditions.

So what are the specific criteria for calculating the minimum wage increase for each region?

In my opinion, the calculation of the minimum wage should be based on minimum living requirements, the consumer price index (CPI), the employment situation and average wage in each region.

However, currently wages cover over 90 per cent of the workers minimum living needs. Thats why, in my opinion, we should cut down the minimum wage increase.

Many of our economic sectors have lost their balance, particularly the textile and shoe and leather sectors. Employers of these sectors have tried not to dismiss workers despite their growing cost.

In addition, if we increase pay, we also have to increase product prices. Do you know what will happen then? Our products will be at a disadvantage in the fierce international competition they face and finally well lose orders. Workers will be the first to be affected.

Thats why when we negotiate raises, there are two areas we have to pay attention to - national competitiveness and investment attraction.

At present, the discrepancy between the VGCL and the VCCI is 8 per cent. Do you have any comment on such a big gap between the two parties?

To my understanding the VGCL suggested a 13 per cent increase in wages while the VCCI wanted to maintain the status quo. However, the VCCI says that if a pay raise is a must, it should be below five per cent.

I support the VCCIs proposal. As we all know, high salaries must go hand-in-hand with high labour productivity. However, labour productivity in our country remains low and the national economy faces many difficulties and challenges. The National Wage Council should seriously consider this argument.

The second idea I want to mention is the difference between the salaries of white collar workers and State employees and those of industrial workers. As we all know, those in the public administration get their pay raise every four or five years and the minimum amount is US$4 per month. Meanwhile the blue collar workers get an annual pay raise that is at least four or five times higher.

So in my opinion, to make the wage negotiations more useful, the NWC should provide those attending the meeting with specific data and an overall picture of the countrys socio-economic development. To my understanding, the NWC has come up with four scenarios on the pay raise.

In my opinion, the pay raise should be about five per cent as proposed by the VCCI. By 2019, if things go well, it can be increased.

The truth is that our enterprises are very weak. Im afraid that strong pay increase pressure coupled with the increase in the social insurance fund by early next year will push enterprises into a corner. Thats why we need to sit together to find a way out for all parties involved.

Do you mean that we should add all the pay raise proposals and then divide them by two to get the final number?

No. I didnt mean that. It is not like one plus one and then divide by two. What I want to say is that we should negotiate. If the parties cannot reach an agreement, the Government will come up with a final decision. However, in my opinion, we should apply a principle of give and take and a win-win solution will make all parties happy.

All we want is for the working people to be able to live on their wages while enterprises are able to continue operating normally.--VNS
HA NOI  Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario began a four-day official visit to Viet Nam yesterday at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The Mozambican PMs entourage includes Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Nyeleti Brooke Mondlane, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Luisa Meque, and Mozambican Ambassador to Viet Nam Gamiliel Munguambe, among others.

Viet Nam and Mozambique established diplomatic ties on June 25, 1975  the day the African nation declared independence.

Mozambique is an important partner of Viet Nam in Africa. The two nations have maintained cooperative relations through Party and State channels and people-to-people exchanges. The Communist Party of Viet Nam and the Liberation Front of Mozambique (Frelimo) have cooperated closely in personnel training and scientific research.

Bilateral economic and trade relations have enjoyed impressive growth in recent years. Two-way trade increased from just US$13.83 million in 2006 to $101 million in 2016, of which Viet Nams exports were valued at $72.5 million.

The two countries plan to intensify collaboration in telecommunications, health, education, and mining, and create favourable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to invest in the production of rice, cashew nuts and soybean in the African country.  VNS
HA NOI  Trinh Xuan Thanh, former Chairman of the state-run PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), gave himself up to the Investigation Security Agency under the Ministry of Public Security after nearly a year of evading an international arrest warrant, the ministry announced yesterday.

On September 16, 2016, the Ministry of Public Securitys Investigation Police Agency launched criminal proceedings against Thanh, born in 1966 and residing in Ha Nois Tay Ho District, for alleged violations of State regulations on economic management resulting in losses of nearly VN3.3 trillion (US$142 million) for PVC during his leadership.

After finding that Thanh had fled overseas, the ministry decided to issue an arrest warrant domestically and internationally for him.

Earlier, members of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee unanimously agreed to expel Thanh from the Party.

According to the Secretariat, between 2007-2013, in his positions as Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director General of the PVC, and later as Secretary of the PVCs Party Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Thanh showed irresponsibility and negligence in the leadership and management of the corporations operation, and violated legal regulations on business administration, incurring losses of nearly VN3.3 trillion.

As the corporations top official, Thanh must bear responsibility for the mistakes and wrongdoings, but he was not honest in acknowledging them.

After being transferred to Hau Giang Province, while serving as a member of the provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, Thanh used an official plate on his private-owned luxury Lexus car, which was illegal.

As Thanh was responsible for the wrongdoings, law violations and losses at the PVC, leaders of the Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) assessed that he had not fulfilled his duty and removed him from the position of Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PVC. This meant he was not eligible for promotion or transfer, but Thanh proposed his transfer and let relevant agencies conduct procedures to appoint him to leading positions at the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Hau Giang Province.

He was also dishonest and unrepentant during the self-criticism process, the Secretariat said.  VNA
HA NOI  The Party Central Committees Inspection Commission has issued a warning against Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ho Thi Kim Thoa for serious violations when she led the ien Quang Lamp Company.

A warning is among four levels of punishment of the Communist Party of Viet Nam in handling members misconduct, which also include: reprimands, demotions and expulsions.

The commission also proposed Thoa be stripped of all current positions.

The decision was announced yesterday in the commissions announcement of the results of its 16th meeting which took place from July 25-27.

Her violations had earlier been pointed out during a commission meeting late in June.

The commission said that while holding the position as Party Committee Secretary and Director of former State-owned ien Quang Lamp Company (later ien Quang Lamp Joint Stock Company), from January 2004 to May 2010, Thoa violated regulations and procedures on business equitisation, and wrongly handled loan interest exempted by banks worth VN6.7 billion (US$298,000).

She also violated State regulations on land management when the company signed a contract with another company to invest in land at No 12, Ton an Street, in HCM City. She also failed to properly handle revenue of VN30 billion ($1.3 million) from transferring the rights to exploit the land.

In the third violation, Thoa brought more shares than the permissible level and her transfer of shares violated the companys regulations.

Besides the decision on Thoa, the commission also proposed discipline against the Steering Committee for Southwest Region, its former and current leaders; and the Party Committees Standing Board of the Vietnam National Chemical Group, its current and former leaders for violations in personnel and financial managements which resulted in losses of State money and properties.  VNS
HA NOI  The police are stepping up their investigation into the Pham Cong Danh case, announcing Tuesday that they were prosecuting a woman for her alleged involvement in the biggest economic case in Viet Nams history.

Forty three-year-old Pham Thi Trang from HCM City was accused of deliberate breaches in economic management causing serious consequences, according to Article 165 of the Penal Code.

The Investigation Department of the Ministry of Public Security also conducted a search at Trangs residence at the Sai Gon Pearl high-end apartment complex.

Both the prosecution and the search warrant were approved by the Supreme Peoples Procuracy.

Earlier, charges were filed in court against Pham Cong Danh  former chairman of the board of the Viet Nam Construction Bank (VNCB)  and his accomplices for causing losses to the tune of more than VN9 trillion (US$400 million) for the bank. Trangs name appeared several times in the indictments for her alleged role in helping Danh to draw trillions of ong from VNCB.

Around the time Danh was arrested, Trang, however, flew to San Francisco in July 2014 and has not returned.  VNS
A NANG  A group of 46 Lao tourists, including four children, have been released in good health from the Hoan My-a Nang Hospital after two days of treatment for food poisoning.

Dr. Lam Trong Co, head of the hospitals emergency ward, said the Lao tourists had contracted food poisoning after eating at a restaurant in the city during a tour of a Nang on the evening of Saturday.

Just a few hours after dinner, 20 tourists were taken to the hospital with vomiting and diarrhea, and another 26 were admitted to the hospital the following day, Sunday, with similar symptoms.

The hospital was able to release 42 tourists on Sunday, while the remaining four, whose symptoms were severe, came out on Monday morning.

The first batch of tests showed that the tourists ate food contaminated by bacteria.

Officials said this was the most serious food poisoning case in the city this year.

In May, a group of 17 tourists from Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province were treated for food poisoning at the citys General Hospital.

The citys Heath Department has been investigating the food poisoning cases.

No food poisoning case was reported in the city in 2016.

In 2015, a group of 30 students from Ha Noi, on a field trip to a Nang, were admitted to the citys General Hospital with food poisoning.

Doctors have warned that tourists should only go to hygienic restaurants recognised for serving safe food.

a Nang hosted 5.5 million tourists in 2016, 1.67 million of them foreigners.

The city issued food safety certificates for over 3,300 qualified food courts and restaurants in early 2017. It imposes fines of between VN100 million (US$4,500) to VN200 million (nearly $9,000) for food safety violations.  VNS
HA NOI  Six months after being introduced, the online registration of foreigners accommodations in Viet Nam has yielded effective results, according to police authorities and hotels.

The online registration has been used since mid-February, allowing those who host or provide accommodations for foreigners residing in Viet Nam to create accounts on the websites of immigration management offices of provincial and municipal police forces.

They can then update the information - name, gender, nationality, date of birth and passport numbers - of the foreigners staying with them or at their accommodations upon their arrival.

Nguyen Hoang Thai, a receptionist at the Splendid Hotel on Hang Hanh Street in Ha Noi, said the online registration was convenient for both the hotel and guests.

Tran Quoc Tuan, service manager of the Apricot Hotel on Hang Trong Street, said the internet-based residence registration saves time, labour and travel cost by precluding the need to go in person to the ward police station to report on foreign clients check-in and check-out.

Caption Tran Trung Kien, vice head of Hang Trong Ward Police, said the ward located in a busy downtown area in Ha Noi gets registrations of about 1,500 foreigners daily. Police have instructed and encouraged accommodation units to use the online registration, Kien said.

Major General Bach Thanh inh, vice director of Ha Noi Police, told Ha Noi Moi (New Ha Noi) newspaper that the implementation of the online temporary residence registration was a milestone in the citys administrative reform, facilitating the stay of foreign visitors and workers. It also helps police get quick updates to better ensure social security, he said.

inh said that since the beginning of this year, about two million foreigners had their temporary residence reported in Ha Noi. The number accounted for over 30 per cent of foreign visitors to Viet Nam.

inh said that police usually faced difficulties in overseeing and managing foreigners temporary residence because accommodation units ignore reporting requirements or submit wrongly-filled or late reports.

Paper-based temporary residence registration must be submitted to local commune/ward police within 12 hours. The time can be extended to 24 hours in remote areas.  VNS
HA NOI  The July 29 bakery fire that claimed the lives of eight workers, mostly teens, once again highlights the lax fire safety practices in factories and warehouses in the capital city.

The 170sq.m confection factory in Ha Nois Hoai uc District, owned by Nguyen Van uoc, 25, caught fire that quickly consumed the workshop filled with combustible materials. The dead victims were mostly teenagers, members of the same family and also related to the factorys owner. They all hailed from a poor village, Long Xuyen, in the capitals Phuc Tho rural district.

The Prime Minister himself interceded in the latest tragedy, ordering Ha Noi authorities to deliver proper support for the victims and their families and to report to him the findings of their investigation.

Initial reports by the Ha Noi Peoples Committee and police indicate that during repairs, sparks and hot slag from welding set the styrofoam ceiling on fire, which caused the attic to collapse. Burning debris then blocked the sole exit  the front entrance  trapping the victims inside.

The tragedy follows a particularly devastating fire at the end of last year at a karaoke bar on Ha Nois Tran Thai Tong Street, which was also ignited by welding slags and ended with 13 deaths and scores of injured. Despite the widespread coverage of the fire and the lack of safety precautions, the latest accident proves that there has been little improvement.

Many welders are not professionals with proper licences, qualifications, or fire safety knowledge. Nguyen Anh Thom of the Ha Noi lawyers association told Nguoi Lao ong (The Labourer) that in this case, the welder will be held criminally responsible for flaunting fire safety regulations.

Sub-standard factories

However, as was pointed out, the bakery also had no fire exits, reflecting the rampant negligence by owners and managers of manufacturing factories and warehouses.

Ha Nois urban districts like Cau Giay, or the outlying district of southern Tu Liem or Hoai uc, are filled with small-scale factories and warehouses, with floor areas ranging anywhere between hundreds of square metres to thousands. Most are built with a steel frame and a corrugated iron roof on empty lots tucked in between residential neighbourhoods.

La Phu village in Hoai uc District is an area teeming with confectionary workshops - both bakeries and cane makers - many of them carbon copies of the one that burned down. Inside flammable objects are often stacked to the roof  Styrofoam, plastic packaging material, cardboard boxes, paper materials, among others. However, the majority of these factories are not outfitted with a fire alarm system and only have a single entrance/exit.

Safety compliance review Following a series of deadly fire accidents in residential homes and home-based manufacturing businesses across the country, the Department of Fire Prevention and Fighting Police and Rescue asked agencies under their administration on July 30 to conduct a complete review of fire safety compliance in home-based and small-scale enterprises. Fire-fighting police has also been tasked with counselling Peoples Committees of all levels on fire safety protocols for residential buildings and home-based manufacturing facilities. Local governments are urged to take stock of all small-scale businesses and home-based manufacturing in their jurisdictions to enforce fire safety compliance with regard to equipment, the arrangement of goods, safe management of electric and heat sources, and especially evacuation plans in case of fire.  VNS

Ta Van Thang, Chairman of La Phu Commune Peoples Committee, said that one in two to three months, fire authorities conduct inspections and fine violators.

The owner of the burnt bakery was arrested on July 30 and Nguyen Anh, Vice Chairman of the Hoai uc District Peoples Committee, said the district had immediately carried out fire safety inspections of 1,000 manufacturers. They found that all had proper licences and fire safety equipment, and had organised fire drills. Only uocs factory had not been checked nor did it have proper licences prior to the accident, Anh said.

Ha Noi fire agency said that even with regular inspections, the efficacy remains limited, explaining that when inspectors come, factory owners might follow fire safety standards, but once the inspectors are gone, all precautions are thrown to the wind. The most common types of violations, not including inherent fire hazards in the construction of the factory itself, are inappropriate arrangement of goods in the warehouses, blocking the entrance or the access of fire trucks, etc., they said.

Most fires occur in temporary warehouses and factories rented on a short lease of six months or a year, and the "buildings" are in fact steel frames and a tin roof put together. Assistant Prof Dr Ngo Van Xiem, former director of the Fire Fighting University, said that factory owners still do not take fire safety seriously.

Xiem also admitted that the lamentable situation stemmed from lax enforcement by authorities in making sure businesses and organisations follow strict fire safety protocols.

According to Ha Noi Fire Prevention and Fighting Police, in July alone, 70 fires broke out in the capital city, claiming 14 lives and causing economic losses of VN100 billion (US$4.4 million).  VNS
BA RIA - VUNG TAU  Three people were killed and one injured when the eave of a house in Vung Tau Citys Long Son Commune in Ba Ria  Vung Tau Province collapsed on Sunday.

The female owner of the house and two female adults were killed on the spot, while the injured was a three-year-old boy who was rushed to hospital with a broken leg.

They were all sitting in front of the house when the incident occurred.

The charity house built in 2010 was funded by the Vung Tau City Womens Union and the house owner, according to Le Xuan Tu, secretary of the communes Party Committee and chairman of the communes Peoples Committee.

The Peoples Committee has offered VN3 million (US$130) to each victims family and VN1 million ($43) for the boy.

Several organisations in the city have also collected a total of VN30 million ($1,300) to give to the victims.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ha Noi police on Monday detained a welder who was working at a bakery when the building caught fire, killing eight people most of whom were teens, on Saturday.

Major General oan Duy Khuong, city police director, said the name of the welder in question was Kieu Tien Vinh.

He was detained as the polices preliminary investigations have shown that the sparks from the welding work at the garret of the workshop hit the Styrofoam ceiling and ignited the fire at about 10.30am on Saturday.

Eight workers at the workshop could not escape in time and were trapped inside the burning house, until the blaze was put out three hours later.

Seven died at the scene, while one succumbed to severe burns at the hospital.

Another two boys suffered serious burns and are being treated at the National Institute of Burns.

Most of the victims were teenagers, with the youngest being 15.

The police have also summoned the owners of the confectionary workshop - a husband and wife - to assist the investigation. The owner was identified as 25-year-old Nguyen Van uoc from Ha Noi.  VNS
BINH INH  Experts discussed nanoelectronics, nano equipment, superconductivity, magneto-resistive materials and strongly correlated systems at a scientific conference that opened on Monday in Quy Nhon City, the central province of Binh inh.

As many as 120 foreign and domestic scientists attended the conference Nanophysics: From fundamental to applications, which is part of the 13th Gap go Viet Nam (Meet Vietnam) programme.

The six-day event, jointly held by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the provincial Peoples Committee, will discuss the latest emerging nanotechnology in the world, such as allotrope and topo material.

Professor Tran Thanh Van, Chairman of the Meet Viet Nam Fund and founder of the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education in Vietnam (ICISE), said this years event had drawn the participation of reputed professors who had made significant contributions to nanophysics.

It will create opportunities for Vietnamese scientists to learn about nano scientific research from international experts, he said.  VNS
HA NOI  The first e-learning courses on infant and young child feeding in Viet Nam were launched at a ceremony in Ha Noi on July 31 on the occasion of the 2017 World Breastfeeding Week (August 1 to 7).

The programme is a collaboration programme between Alive & Thrive (A&T), National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), and E-learning Division, Information Network Centre of the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology.

Based on the health ministrys Training Manual on Infant and Young Child Feeding, 20 electronic lessons on knowledge and counselling skills for infant and young child feeding have been developed with detailed lectures, illustrations and reference materials to disseminate fundamental knowledge on nutrition, and infant and young child feeding to all kinds of learners.

The course also aims to train and provide certificates on infant and young child feeding counselling for learners who study and work in the health sector nationwide. This e-learning system will allow leaners to complete the courses flexibly and proactively.

Under the A&T project course of 20102014, more than 1,000 Little Sun clinics were integrated into the public health system to provide infant and young child feeding counselling services. Each of these facilities needed at least two counsellors to be trained and certificated by the National Institute of Nutrition, especially for interpersonal counselling skills. However, after the project phased out, the training was temporarily stopped due to limited funding at localities.

To ensure the operation of Little Sun clinics and the consultation ability of healthcare facilities about nutrition content in the country, a training programme with uniform content on infant and young child feeding is needed nationwide, NIN Vice director Truong Tuyet Mai said at the ceremony.

Online training courses on infant and young child feeding will meet the demand of majority of the learners, including doctors, health workers and mothers. It will help save time and expenses for learners and on supervision from teachers, said Mai.

To know more about the e-learning course or to take the courses, learners may visit elearning.mattroibetho.vn or facebook.com/mattroibetho or download mobile app Nuoi duong tre nho E-learning.  VNS
BANGKOK  Embattled Thai ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra was in defiant mood on Tuesday as she prepared to give a closing defence at her trial for negligence linked to a rice subsidy policy that could see her jailed.

A crush of supporters at the Supreme Court, many with banners reading "We love Yingluck" and "Were by your side", mobbed the former prime minister, whose personal appeal among her heartlands has surged as her legal travails have deepened.

Yinglucks government was toppled by the army in 2014 and then retroactively impeached.

She faces a criminal charge of negligence over a flagship policy of her premiership paying farmers nearly twice the market rate for their crops, pouring billions of dollars on her rural voter base.

But it also allegedly caused massive graft.

The August 25 verdict could see Thailands first female prime minister jailed for up to 10 years.

Her trial for the outcome of a policy is unprecedented in Thailand, a febrile kingdom where legal claims and counter claims swirl around most key political players.

"I am ready to give my closing statement. I was not corrupt and I confirm my innocence," she told reporters in brief comments, adding she has "not received justice".

A guilty verdict also incurs an automatic lifetime ban from politics  a potential gut punch to the Shinawatra clan whose candidates have won every Thai general election since 2001.

She has the right to appeal any conviction.

The ruling is being eagerly watched as a test of the kingdoms stability after a decade defined by coups and bloody street protests.

It is also a bellwether of the resolve of Yinglucks supporters in the face of a junta which has comfortably corralled them since seizing power in 2014.

"The trial is an injustice, Yingluck did nothing wrong," said 77-year-old farmer Perm Duangchan, who travelled several hours to greet the ex-PM at court.

"I want her to win the case so she can come back and help the country."

In a sign of government concern over potential unrest hundreds of police were at the court on Tuesday as the 18-month trial neared its end.

Yingluck is entangled in several other legal cases including a civil case seeking $1 billion compensation for losses over the rice policy.

The courts threaten checkmate for the close-knit Shinawatra family, whose political networks spread across the north and northeast of the kingdom.

On Wednesday the Supreme Court is due to rule whether Somchai Wongsawat, who was briefly premier in late 2008 and is the brother-in-law of Thaksin Shinawatra, is guilty over a deadly crackdown on a protest.

He also faces jail if convicted.

Billionaire Thaksin sits at the core of Thailands festering divide.

He was overthrown as prime minister in a military coup in September 2006 and currently lives in self-imposed exile to avoid jail for graft convictions in Thailand.

He is hated by the arch-royalist army and their supporters among Bangkoks elite, who for a decade have turned to coups and the courts to regain power after losing elections.  AFP
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct phone number for Megan Holbach.

CEDAR FALLS  They are just starting middle school later this month, but a group of 24 Waterloo Community Schools students will already be setting their sights on college.

And if the students meet University of Northern Iowa admissions standards upon graduation, theyll be eligible to receive four years of free tuition.

Discover the Dream, a collaboration between the school district and university, is focused on racial and ethnic minorities as well as low-income students and those who would be the first in their families to go to college. The new initiative will match the students with mentors and bring them to UNI at least twice per semester for educational and social activities. They will be assigned to the same guidance counselor at their respective middle schools; a district employee will help monitor the students progress and assist the university with communications to parents.

We know that students in this population are not graduating from high school at a high rate, said UNI President Mark Nook. They go on to attend college at a lower rate than their white and wealthier peers, as well.

This isnt necessarily aimed at recruiting UNI students, he added, as much as it is about preparing them to earn a two- or four-year degree. Theyre going to need skills and theyre going to need habits of mind beyond what one gets with a high school education.

However, when participating students do choose to attend UNI, its expected to increase diversity on campus and it gives us a greater pool from which to recruit local high school graduates, said Gwenne Berry, UNIs chief diversity officer.

Charles McNulty, Waterloo Schools associate superintendent for educational services, praised the new initiative.

We need to make sure every child in our community gets the opportunity to experience the university, he said. For young people to see the university as an option, you have to be there. Its a fantastic collaboration for us.

What a powerful statement to the young people and the families and the community itself, he added.

Earlier this summer, the inaugural group of students attended the four-week fifth-grade Leadership Academy run by the Educational Talent Search program at UNIs Center for Urban Education in Waterloo. The students will remain involved throughout middle and high school in the Talent Search program, where they can receive access to tutoring and other services.

A new group of students will be chosen to be part of the initiative each year. In the future, we hope to move from 24 students to 40, so hopefully we can grow this as we go along, said Nook. Guidance counselors at each district elementary school will be consulted in choosing candidates, and organizers will seek some representation from all four middle schools.

Everyone who comes into the program will go through that fifth-grade Leadership Academy, noted Berry. During middle and high school, they will come to campus for a variety of events from shows at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center to an annual skating party put on by the Black Student Union.

Its those sorts of activities that we hope will expose them, broaden horizons and allow them to see themselves on a college campus, said Berry.

The mentors will be trained university student volunteers. UNI has a history of using students as mentors, said Nook. Students respond better to somebody thats closer to their age.

Aside from providing tuition grants, officials dont expect many additional financial resources needed to sustain the initiative.

Tuition costs dont hit us for six years, said Nook. And much of what will be done in the initiative is sort of a re-prioritization of what were already doing.
WATERLOO -- The longest-serving K-9 officer in the history of the Waterloo Police Department has died.

Robby, a Belgian Malinois who spent nearly 10 years with the department, died July 28 of bone cancer, the Waterloo Police Department K9 Unit announced on their Facebook page Tuesday. He was 12.

Robby was born in 2005 in Holland and began working in Waterloo in 2006 alongside partner Sgt. Gus Farmer.

"Robby had a gently balance with family and friends, with the precise ability to flip the switch to take care of business," Farmer said in the post, noting Robby would "be missed by many."

Before the K-9 officer retired in 2016, Farmer said Robby had been involved in the seizure of hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics and thousands of dollars of currency, including finding 12 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 100 pounds of marijuana.

In 2007, Robby fell three stories while searching a building in Waterloo for a burglary suspect and sustained life-threatening injuries, but recovered and returned to full duty, Farmer said.

Farmer estimated Robby assisted in arresting "hundreds" of suspects over the course of his career.
WATERLOO -- A Waterloo man was arrested for arson after police say he used an accelerant to set fire to a fence.

Taylor James Gray, 24, of 616 Kern St., was arrested at 2 p.m. Monday when he showed up to meet with his parole officer, according to Waterloo Police Lt. Al Carrier.

He was charged with first-degree arson and remained in the Black Hawk County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

Police say witnesses saw Gray setting fire to a fence at 520 Elm St. at 11:19 a.m. July 23. One of those witnesses who knew Gray later reported he was behind the fire to Cedar Valley Crimestoppers.

First-degree arson is a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

Gray was on a five-year probation after pleading guilty to charges involved in the 2014 burglary of a Waterloo church.
As lawmakers debate a controversial health care bill in Washington they should bear in mind a recent report by the CDC showing life expectancy declining for rural Americans. Ruralites, the Center concludes, are more likely to die from the top five causes of death than fellow citizens living in cities and suburbs.

The report mentions a litany of potential reasons for the alarming inequity, including poorer access to high-quality hospital care and doctoring, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. While it took the CDC until 2017 to publish these findings, the government has known about the disparity since at least 2011, when similarly disquieting information was quietly distributed to those of us invited to attend Barack Obamas Rural Economic Forum in Peosta.

The latest study published in JAMA Internal Medicine delivers still more morbid news to those of us living in rural counties that are not considered destinations. As Joel Auchenbach reports in his May 8 article in the Washington Post, A baby born in Summit County, Colorado, has a life expectancy of nearly 87 years, but in some counties the life expectancy is more than 20 years lower.

While the latest JAMA study requires a subscription to access, the 2014 longevity data kept by healthdata.org does not. There an interactive map shows more of the same: longevity at nearly 87 years for Summit County, Colo.  a full 10 years above life expectancy in some of the less populated, poorer, more rural counties in the southeast corner of that state. The longevity gap between Oglala Lakota County in South Dakota and Summit County totals a heartbreaking 20 years.

In long-lived Iowa, a child born today is likely to live a relatively long life when compared to other states, still the discrepancy in longevity between rural and urban mimics national trends. Comparing Marshall County (average life expectancy 77.3 years) with Johnson County (82.08) reveals a nearly five-year life expectancy gap for a child born today in counties whose county seats are separated by less than 90 miles as the crow flies.

As a seventh generation ruralite who chooses to live on a family farm, I find the CDCs conclusions both self-evident and heartbreaking. Those of us who make our home far from easily accessible outdoor recreation, hospitals and specialized clinics are woken up to the grave health-disadvantage we face. Granted, we may be more doctor-adverse by age or ideology, and yet the doctors who might treat our maladies are often a 30- or 40-mile drive away  double that if what we suffer is a mental illness, a psychological disorder or other chronic conditions requiring a specialist.

The question of longevity-endowed Americas moral responsibility to its country cousins is an urgent one. And the disparity we feel is not just in health care but in infrastructure, legal services, law enforcement, social services, education and more. As tax dollars shift to places called smart cities and techno hubs (university and research hospital cities, and affluent suburbs, exurbs and resort communities) rural Americans in places like Iowa find ourselves largely bereft of the services we need (and characteristically dont expect) to lead healthful equitable lives.

Rural America is strong of mind and doesnt need high-minded paternalism from societys more affluent and healthy winners. What we need is an acknowledgement our health, welfare and well being matter to a nation whose rural citizens are now a conspicuous and little-covered demographic minority (just 15 percent of the U.S. population and falling, according to the Washington Post article cited above.) Now more than ever, caring urbanites and suburbanites living in places where MLKs Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere is taken as creed must heed the health care injustice plaguing Middle America. And we rural Americans need to help our legislators understand, with renewed urgency, that Kings anywhere is here, and now.
With Waterloo apparently leaning toward a reconstructed University Avenue sans roundabouts, there are bound to be a lot of comparisons with the Cedar Falls University Avenue project.

In fact, comparisons and criticisms already are being seen in responses to the original article July 25 and on social media. We dont see any upside to the criticisms of alternate decisions for separate municipalities.

Representatives from AECOM, which was hired to design the 2.83-mile reconstruction of University from U.S. Highway 63 to Cedar Falls city limits at Midway Drive, unveiled its proposed design to Waterloo City Council members last Monday.

AECOMs Larry Wiele said a 2011 Iowa Department of Transportation traffic study showed only two of the intersections on Waterloos portion of University Avenue should have the safer but more costly roundabouts.

That study found that at most of the locations along University Avenue, the signalized intersections operated better than roundabouts, Wiele said. We found that construction of roundabouts will have some fairly severe impacts to right of way and to access in most locations.

AECOM also referred to the 2011 study earlier this year, stating it showed traffic signals would have fewer delays and affect fewer businesses.

Councilmen Steve Schmitt and Pat Morrissey were both worried about the lack of aesthetic enhancements.

Ive heard some concern about if Waterloos portion of University Avenue would be more ... kind of Spartanish compared to what Cedar Falls is doing  with all the ornate things theyve added, Schmitt said July 24.

Conversely, the decision made in Cedar Falls certainly has had its detractors for the opposite reasons  adding costs for roundabouts, acquiring right of way and adding landscape and walkway improvements.

Between the two cities, its a great example of the fact you will face criticism whichever way you go.

The Waterloo plan reduces the road width from six to four lanes, with a raised median from U.S. 63 to Tunis Drive, near the Hy-Vee gas station and former Hobby Lobby. The stretch from Tunis west to Midway Drive would be five lanes, with the center turning lane providing better access to businesses.

Meanwhile, Cedar Falls crews are making visible progress. The first phase, generally in front of the College Square Mall, is nearly complete. Work will begin soon at the Cedar Heights Drive intersection, where another roundabout will be constructed, and there will be paving in the vicinity of the Rownd Street intersection.

In Waterloo, the plan is to have bid letting in the winter, with construction from Midway to Ansborough Avenue in 2018 and 2019. A second phase to renovate the road from Ansborough to U.S. 63 would come in future years.

A decision on no roundabouts in Waterloo doesnt mean Cedar Falls is wrong. And the decision for roundabouts in Cedar Falls should have no impact on Waterloos plans.

However, it is a main road that goes through both communities. And, naturally, there is already some second-guessing with the two communities using different strategies.

Remember, jurisdiction of the roadway was recently in the hands of the Iowa DOT. That jurisdiction was transferred to the cities in exchange for $20 million in Cedar Falls, and $28 million in Waterloo.

That transfer has spurred needed action for University Avenue repair.

Like Cedar Falls has done, Waterloo is closing in on a plan to go forward, repairing a dilapidated roadway that had been drawing complaints for years from residents and visitors alike.

The fact they may ultimately come to different conclusions regarding roundabouts and other tangential work is secondary.

These respective communities have taken control, have done their due diligence in studying alternatives and have been or will be making decisions based on whats best for their communities  financially, aesthetically and with regard to businesses along the corridor.
Health care

SAM BLATT

CEDAR FALLS  As the Senate considers legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act, politicians have the ability to save citizens rather than effectively murder them by stripping them of their affordable and accessible health care options. Amendments and debate are to be offered up before the final vote. One of those proposals suggests a defunding of Planned Parenthood federally.

Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley claim to have their residents in mind while they vote on legislation that will affect Iowans. If they cast their votes to repeal health care and federally defund Planned Parenthood, they would vote against the seventy-seven percent of Iowans who support public funding of Planned Parenthood. When politicians forced Planned Parenthood to close four of the 12 clinics, 14,600 Iowans lost their access to affordable healthcare  14,600 Iowans grandparents, children, neighbors, business owners, etc.  lost their way to obtain their necessary health care. Iowans of color, low-income Iowans and those in rural communities are disproportionately affected by this.

I urge Senators Ernst and Grassley to think about the human lives being affected due to this crisis and stand with Planned Parenthood.

Speeders

HERMAN LENZ

SUMNER  If law enforcement officers are reluctant to write speeding tickets, they shouldnt be in law enforcement. They have a duty to enforce crash prevention laws. When the citizens in Cedar Rapids knew the enforcement cameras werent giving speeding tickets anymore the speeds immediately shot up, which proves drivers need the club of enforcement and penalty over their heads at all times to keep the fear of God in them.

Opponents of effective traffic enforcement dont give a plug about the lives that get snuffed out in crashes. They think their own time, schedule, profits and convenience are more important. They see themselves as victims for getting penalized for crash-causing violations.

Helping others

CAROL SUNDT LOY ALDRICH

CEDAR FALLS  I want to say thank you to Steve Corbin for his July 23 column. I have put off writing on this matter ever since I read in The Courier a few weeks ago about people complaining about the people standing in the median at Crossroads with signs asking for help. I ask all of you, does this hurt you in any way or just your conscious for not wanting to help others?

I had a brother and sister-in-law from Wisconsin come to visit for a week, and we would go to the Crossroads area and there would be those people. I would stop and put in a little something and others would get upset. My question is if they do take the money to a bar, what sin is it?

Mr. Corbins column pushed me to finally write: What we all need to think about is others!

Efficient office

GERRI PERREAULT

CEDAR FALLS  Governments get so much negative attention, so I want to share this experience.

I called the Treasurers Office of Black Hawk County regarding a license plate needed for a second car I had. I called Friday afternoon and I received it in my mailbox Saturday!

I have had similar experiences with Social Security and Medicare offices.
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Birds of Kruger National Park by Keith Barnes and Ken Behrens and Wildlife of Ecuador by Andres Vasquez Noboa, photography by Pablo Cervantes Daza are the latest titles in Princeton University Presss WildGuides Wildlife Explorer Series, a series focused on the general reader, the layperson, the traveler who is not a birder but who wants to know what bird or animal or amphibian or reptile shes observing. This is an important niche that is too often filled with laminated folders and colorful paperbacks of varying accuracy and quality. The PUP WildGuides are a quality act with high production values, knowledgeable authors, beautiful photographs, introductions in the front that describe habitat and indexes in the back. The guides are small enough to fit into a large pocket or a small backpack, and sturdy enough to withstand the wear of travel.

Birds of Kruger National Park covers the 259 species most frequently seen in the park, about half of the total number of birds documented there. Most of these are common/abundant residential and migratory birds (and, this being Kruger, that includes five Hornbill species, four Sunbird species, a Trogon, five Owl species, and many other goodies); uncommon and striking-but-rare species are also included, so we have Storks, Martial Eagle, and Pels Fishing-Owl.

The 224-page book is organized by habitat and behavior, not taxonomy. There are the seven sections: (1) Birds of Rivers and Wetlands; (2) Birds of Plains and Open Woodlands; (3) Birds of Broadleaved Woodland and Camps; (4) Birds of Forests and Riverine Thicket; (5) Birds of Prey and Vultures; (6) Birds of the Air (swifts and swallows); (7) Night Birds. It sounds simple, but I wonder how it works in practice. Regular readers of 10,000 Birds may remember Jochens posts about keeping taxonomy out of field guides. Of course, this is not a formal field guide, but it is interesting to look at this alternative form or organization.

I have to say right off that taxonomic organization is imprinted in my brain. So, my taxonomic brain sees a couple of drawbacks immediately. One is habitat overlap birds dont read, so they may fly from one habitat to another and be seen there by someone using this book. A White-browed Robin-Chat, a bird of forests and riverine thicket may show up in your camp (in fact, this is noted in the birds description) or a Southern Red Bishop, a bird of broadleaved woodland, may be seen along the river. The authors tell us that birds are placed in the habitat of their dominant behavior. This still leaves the user flipping through sections, looking for the species in question, though I dont think there are many species with this habitat overlap.

The second drawback is that in a few cases, birds of the same genus are separated. Kingfishers are in the Rivers section and in the Broadleaved Woodland section. Storks are in Rivers and in Plains. Cisticolas are in three sectionsRivers, Plains, and Broadleaved Woodland. There are some cross-references, but not always.

I thought about this a lot, and finally realized that most of the travelers using this book will not care. They will not find it confusing to have Kingfishers in two separate places, regardless of genus or evolution, because their goal is to identify the bird quickly. The Kruger visitor interested in nature, but not a birder, will be very happy to have all the birds being seen in the river in one place. A kingfisher flies by, the traveler opens the guide to the rivers and wetlands section, and has three species to choose from. The traveler is not distracted by the other four kingfisher species of Kruger N.P., located in the broadleaved woodland and camps section.

Im really interested to hear opinions from readers. I know there are many people out there who find taxonomic organization not only confusing but also a huge obstacle to using a bird guide quickly and effectively. Does a habitat organization of species work for you?

Of course, habitat organization means that you need to know what kinds of habitats there are in Kruger N.P., and the Introduction offers descriptions of each habitat type and the three other bird groupings. The authors also discuss the best time to visit Kruger N.P., list the 21 species in the book threatened with regional extinction, and provide images showing the basics of bird anatomy. The two maps of habitat distribution and the parks camps, rivers, and main roads may be helpful for planning, though the habitat map is much more detailed than the habitat organization of the book, making it difficult to match one to the other.

The Species Accounts tell us the birds stories, and a lot of information is packed into these paragraphs: appearance; age and gender differences in appearance; how the species differs from similar birds; interesting behavior or nesting notes; whether it is common or uncommon or rare; migratory or resident, breeding or nonbreeding in Kruger N.P.; where the bird is most likely to be found in the park; and whether the species is declining or increasing. Details vary for each species. Vocalizations are mainly given for passerinesmostly, it seems, when it is important to know the vocalization to locate the bird. Scientific names are not given in the species accounts; they are listed alphabetically with page number of species account in a separate index in the back. Within each habitat section, birds are grouped by genus or other unifying trait (strange waterbirds, common camp residents, canopy gleaners). Notes on some of these groups expand on interesting behavioral or even cultural facts (in some African cultures, for example, doves are considered villainous), making this guide more appealing to the layperson.

The Accounts are approximately 50% text and 50% photographs, but it is the photographs that dominate the eye. They are medium to large in size and quite striking, Many of the photographs show the bird in its habitatperched on logs, striding through fields, drumming a hole in a tree, with the river or plains or forest background a muted blue or green or brown that extends to the whole page. Photos of the bird in flight accompany most hawk accounts (not the vultures), as well as waders, shorebirds, rollersgenerally all birds that are likely to be seen in flight in Kruger. The authors note that where possible, images of males, females, juveniles and alternative plumages are included and annotated. I was happy to see the female/nonbreeding Pin-tailed Whydah male, with its short tail and little-brown-job bod quite a contrast to the excessively long-tailed breeding plumage male, and one that astonished me when I first saw it.

Photographs are mainly by the authors; approximately 20% are by colleagues and nature photographers who are credited in the back. Other back of the book material includes recommended Further Reading (including the classic Southern Africa field guides), online resources, scientific name index, common name index (nicely done), and a handy Short Index of group names on the inside back cover.

Authors Keith Barnes and Ken Behrens are experienced African birders, bird writers, and trip leaders. Both men lead trips for tour company Tropical Birding (Barnes is a founder), and they have also co-authored Wildlife of Madagascar (another WildGuide volume, 2016), Birding Ethiopia (with Christian Boix, 2010) and Wild Rwanda (with Christian Boix, 2015). Barnes, a native of South Africa, also wrote the companion book to this one, Animals of Kruger National Park (2016), and The Important Bird Areas of South Africa (1998). Behrens, who comes from United States, also co-wrote the innovative Peterson Reference Guide to Seawatching: Eastern Waterbirds in Flight (with Cameron Cox, 2013).

They have here created a bird guide that is an excellent companion to Animals of Kruger National Park; together the visitor to Kruger National Park has all the information she (or he) needs to enjoy one of the great reserves in the world. Birders will want to take along one of the comprehensive field guides to birds of southern Africa, but if you have the space and the funds, this is a handy guide to have with you in the field (because those comprehensive guides are big. And, heavy.)

Wildlife of Ecuador: A Photographic Field Guide to Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians is the all-in-one nature guide for the generalist nature traveler. It could also serve as a backup guide for the birder traveling with a more comprehensive birding field guide (keep in mind that the classic by Ridgely and Greenfield is 740 pages long and measures over 2 inches in width), though even with accounts for 223 bird species the guide is covering only 14% of the 1620 bird species documented in Ecuador. The guide also covers amphibians (37 species), reptiles (40 species), and 71 species of mammal. The diversity and breadth of biodiversity in Ecuador is hugeover 580 amphibian species, 457 reptile species, 1620 bird species (including those of the Galapagos), and 327 mammal species, so this relatively small guide (286 pages) necessarily only represents the most common and well-known creatures one is apt to see in mainland Ecuador.

Species accounts across the board are succinct: Common name, scientific name, size in centimeters and inches, small range map showing distribution, main identification features, habitat, and, occasionally, notes on behavior, especially as they impact on locating the creature. You can find the Pygmy Marmosets family feeding tree by looking for its markings on the trunk, similar to those made by sapsuckers. Warbler Rainfrog is one of the few rainfrogs that prefers disturbed habitats. Sword-billed Hummingbird, one of the star birds of Ecuador, prefers the long-tubed red Datura flowers and Purple Passionflower. Amazon Tree-Boa can be located at night by its white eyeshine.

Photographs are large (a quarter to a full page), clear, and colorful, and often delightful. I particularly like the frog photographs, which show off the rich, deep colors of these creatures, some extremely small. Its not easy being green. Or ochre or gold or crimson or rosy pink. The very talented Pablo Cervantes Daza, nature and photography guide for Tropical Birding Tours and Capturing Nature Tours, did most of the photography; a handful of additional contributors are credited in the back.

The brief introduction focuses on the Biogeography of Ecuador and its Habitats and Bioregions. This is important information, but I would also have liked a little more background on which species are covered and which are not (there appears to be an emphasis on birds seen in the popular Mindo area for example, but few of the Antbirds, Antwrens, Antshrikes, etc. that are found in the Napo River area). Back of the book material includes a two-page Bibliography, including websites like eBird and Nick Anthanas excellent online gallery of neotropical bird photographs; a map of Ecuador showing major reserves refuges, and parks (see illustration above); an Index of Common Names and an Index of Scientific Names (both divided by section).

Author Andres Vasquez Noboa is a native of Ecuador and works as a guide for Tandayapa Bird Lodge and Tropical Birding Tours. Yes, all the authors of these two wildlife guidebooks are associated with Tropical Birding. I cant help thinking that developing and writing these books is partly the result of the many questions theyve received over the years. I imagine that at one point they were hanging out in the Tropical Birding office talking about the questions theyve heard over and over, and finally said, Lets write guidebooks about the wildlife of our countries. Really good, factual guidebooks with great photographs, easy to use, emphasizing habitat that will lead to a value for conservation, highly readable with no technical language. Ready, set, go! Mission accomplished.



I like sloths. There are no aspersions on the authors implied by ending this review with this photo. I simply like sloths.

Birds of Kruger National Park

by Keith Barnes & Ken Behrens

Princeton University Press, 2017

Paperback, 224p., 6 x 8, $27.95 (discounts from the usual sources)

Available in eBook formats including Kindle, ISBN: 9781400880683

Wildlife of Ecuador: A Photographic Field Guide to Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians

by Andres Vasquez Noboa, Photography by Pablo Cervantes Daza

Princeton University Press, 2017

Paperback, 288p. 6 x 8, $29.95 (discounts from the usual sources)

ISBN: 9780691161365

Available in eBook formats, ISBN: 9781400885053 |
MIAMI, FL, August 01, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The exclusive event is invite only, with a limited number of tickets available for each company attending. Managing Director Eric Martin ran a competition for 4 of the firm's employees to accompany him to New York.



"Having the opportunity to attend such a prestigious event, and be in a room full of like minded, ambitious individuals is a great motivator, and I was excited to bring 4 of our employees to the awards," commented Mr Martin.



About Florida Business Consulting: http://floridabusinessconsulting.net/about.html



This year's black tie ceremony was held at the luxurious Pier Sixty, one of the only waterfront-dedicated event spaces in Manhattan. With spectacular views of the Hudson River, Pier Sixty provided an incredible setting for the 2017 awards gala.



The annual ceremony is the stand out event in the sales and marketing calendar with sales and marketing professionals from all over the world travelling to New York City to attend the event, including some of the most successful and influential figures in the industry, worldwide.



Attendees were greeted with a red carpet upon arrival before a champagne reception, allowing the opportunity for some socializing and networking before the ceremony got underway at 6 p.m.



On the evening, sales and marketing professionals from across the US were given recognition for their successes over the past 12 months. Awards handed out on the night included the 50 / 50 Club, Comeback Business Owner of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Top Performer, Rising Star, Business Partner of the Year and the highly coveted Business Owner of the Year. Florida Business Consulting were double award winners with Sasha Wang Martin picking up the Business Partner of the Year Award and CEO Eric Martin winning the 50/50 Club Award.



"We've worked extremely hard over the last 12 months and to be recognized with an award is an incredible feeling and acknowledgement of the work we've done," commented Mr Martin.



There were also guest speakers, including some international ones who had flown in from the UK and Australia, especially for the event. The speakers imparted some words of wisdom and inspired those in attendance, sharing their stories of success. With organizers aiming to make the event bigger and better every year, this year's ceremony included a silent auction and spot prizes given out throughout the evening.



After the ceremony had come to a close, attendees had the opportunity to forge new connections, allowing them to build their network and establish relationships that would prove to be fruitful in the coming year.



Established in 2011, Florida Business Consulting is a privately owned, direct sales and marketing company based in Miami, Florida. The firm specializes in customer acquisition through in-person promotions. The firm develops management teams in order to lead their clients into new markets, cities and countries. The firm were ecstatic to be among the award winners on the night, and they are excited to get back to work and hit their goals for 2017.



Follow @FloridaBizC on Twitter or like their Facebook page.



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Aug 1, 2017 | By Tess

Polish 3D printing company Sinterit recently teamed up with 3D designer Bartomiej Gaczorek to develop and 3D print an exoskeleton arm device for children suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic neuromuscular condition which causes immobility in the patients arms, legs, and hands through lack of muscle control.

The 3D printed exoskeleton arm, which works as an external supportive device, enables children suffering from SMA to move in certain ways, allowing them to play, draw, and move a bit more freely.

The idea for the 3D printed exoskeleton arm was born when the mother of an SMA-afflicted boy contacted Gaczorek to see if he could help her son. At just three years of age, the young boy had already tried some low-cost assistive devices, but none of them were suitable. As an experienced maker and 3D designer, Gaczorek was up to the challenge.

Once he started doing some research, the designer noticed that most existing devices to help SMA patients were quite complex pieces of engineering, but needed some refinements for practical use. With the help of various consultations with the parents of SMA children as well as doctors and specialists, Gaczorek came up with a design that could really work.

In making the external arm device, the designer turned to Sinterit, which offered up its Sinterit Lisa SLS 3D printer to help prototype the innovative device. SLS technology reportedly offered a more suitable manufacturing platform than FDM or SLA 3D printing because of its high-precision and lightweight but strong material options.

As the designer explained: I decided to print main elements in SLS technology, because it is able to print complex internal structure. Very important factor for me is also the comfort of user which is much better with SLS/SLA than with FDM technology. The cost of Sinterit Lisa SLS printing is already very low compared to other industrial machines.

The Sinterit Lisa, which first launched in 2015, is one of the most affordable SLS 3D printers on the market and offers a respectable build volume of 150 x 200 x 150 mm. SLS, also known as selective laser sintering, is an additive manufacturing process which uses a laser to sinter nylon or polyamide powders into a 3D shape.

According to Sinterit, the prototyping stage for the exoskeleton arm has wrapped up and it is now working with Gaczorek to develop custom exoskeleton arms for three Polish children who are suffering from SMA. Once these three are complete, the company hopes to continue making more of the devices for other SMA patients.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Aug 1, 2017 | By Benedict

UK company Torc2 has developed a world-first form of 3D printable plastic that could change the way limb injuries and conditions are treated. The compound can be re-shaped at temperatures that are safe for patients.

3D printing has been used in the medical sphere for several years. With additive manufacturing technologies to hand, medical professionals can create 3D printed implants, splints, and other devices that are tailor-made for individual patients, ensuring a perfect fit and high level of comfort.

But no matter how accurately a doctor measures a patients body before making a 3D printed device, theres always the possibility that the body will change in some way after the device is made. Doctors could make a new device, but thats not always possibleand it always comes at a cost.

Thats why a world-first plastic developed by UK company Torc2 could be so important. The flexible, durable, 3D printable compound can be reshaped at low temperatures, which means that 3D printed medical devices made from the material could be altered whilst on the patients body.

The material, a thermoplastics compound, is solid at 37C (normal body temperature), but easily malleable at a temperature of around 55C.

The plastic was developed as a potential replacement for Plaster of Paris casts, but eventually morphed into a different beast altogether as its creators saw how it could be used to make devices such as splints and supports for the treatment of Cerebral Palsy and Hip Dysplasia. The plastic is also suitable for re-shapable liners for lower limb prosthetics.

The key property of our torc material is the fact it can be softened at low temperatures, Torc2s Gary Blundell explained. It can be reshaped directly on the patient at around 55 degrees and, therefore, the types of products we are looking at can be altered to exactly fit the patient very quickly, easily, and without waste.

All of these advantages could be hugely appealing to the British National Health Service (NHS), which would be able to cut its expenditure on splints and similar devices if it could use a single, re-shapable device instead of several.

Blundells company, based in the west Midlands city of Coventry, recently secured a grant from Coventry City Council under the Coventry & Warwickshire Innovation Programme, becoming the first SME to do so. The funding will be used to assist product development and manufacturing.

According to Torc2, the development of the re-shapable plastic was made possible with the input of several external parties.

When we talked to orthopedic experts in the field, they liked the concept around Plaster of Paris but said it wasnt an area of particular concern, Blundell said. Instead they recommended that we look into other applications that could provide both cost savings for the NHS and a far better patient experience.

The 3D printed material isnt limited to Cerebral Palsy and Hip Dysplasia cases, either. Already, Torc2 can see numerous uses for its revolutionary plastic, while more possibilities could open up as the material is developed further.

There is a whole range of supports and splints required for a number of conditions, many of which have to be changed and altered regularlythe properties within torc material allows that to happen very quickly and easily, Blundell said. In some cases, Spica casts being a typical example, it can cut out the need for extra trips to the operating theatre, which is a huge cost saving to the NHS and much better for the patient.

Torc2 is currently planning to upscale its laboratory micro 3D printing process to enable production of full-size devices for clinical trials. It has protected the IP on the material as well as a new process for manipulating it. The company hopes that someday all hospitals in the UK could have their own torc production systems for making re-shapable medical devices.

By developing the system fully we have an opportunity to look at supplying orthopedic centers with the complete package needed to transform the way that vital orthotics services are delivered both in the UK and globally, Blundell said.

Posted in 3D Printing Materials

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Max wrote at 8/3/2017 12:29:10 PM:PCL is on the market for years, also used in surgery implants.




Kate Maltby in New Statesman:

In a 1984 interview with American Theatre magazine, the playwright and actor Sam Shepard pondered human knowability. I feel like there are territories within us that are totally unknown. Huge, mysterious and dangerous territories. We think we know ourselves, when we really know only this little bitty part Catharsis is getting rid of something. Im not looking to get rid of it, Im looking to find it. Im not doing this in order to vent demons. I want to shake hands with them. Catharsis remained something notably lacking from the plays of Shepard, who died today in Kentucky at the age of 73. His characters stumble blindly, brutalizing and needling each other with fists and words, but they rarely stagger into self-knowledge. There is no reward for suffering. Shepard was born in 1943 on the Fort Sheridan military base in northern Illinois. His father, a hardened alcoholic, moved the family to the American southwest after the war, where Shepherd worked on ranches and made the first steps in his own troubled relationship with alcohol. He would later talk frankly in a Paris Review interview about his second-generation alcoholism  which saw him arrested at least twice for drunken driving  and the societal disruption he observed in his working class community when its men returned from the second world war.

But while Shepard would draw inspiration from his Western roots to fuel his drama, he also fled from them. By 1962, he was living in Greenwich Village New York and creating plays at the emerging Theatre Genesis under the name Sam Shepherd. After winning six Obie awards between 1966 and 1968, he became viable as a commercial screenwriter. By the age of 28, Shepherd was living between NYC and Hollywood. This success in film would also lead to significant work as an actor and eventually an Academy Award nomination for his performance as pilot Chuck Yeager in the The Right Stuff. His greatest achievement, however, was always as a playwright. If Shepherd was less known in the UK than his native US, it is perhaps because his particular brand of American gothic feels acutely alien in London or Edinburgh. Even to American audiences, throughout the 50 states, the pioneer-country violence of Shepards scenarios often seemed exotic in its rural absurdity and archaism.

More here.
Tara Parker-Pope in The New York Times:

Much of the scientific research on resilience  our ability to bounce back from adversity  has focused on how to build resilience in children. But what about the grown-ups? While resilience is an essential skill for healthy childhood development, science shows that adults also can take steps to boost resilience in middle age, which is often the time we need it most. Midlife can bring all kinds of stressors, including divorce, the death of a parent, career setbacks and retirement worries, yet many of us dont build the coping skills we need to meet these challenges. The good news is that some of the qualities of middle age  a better ability to regulate emotions, perspective gained from life experiences and concern for future generations  may give older people an advantage over the young when it comes to developing resilience, said Adam Grant, a management and psychology professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. There is a naturally learnable set of behaviors that contribute to resilience, said Dr. Grant, who, with Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, wrote the book Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy. Those are the behaviors that we gravitate to more and more as we age.

Scientists who study stress and resilience say its important to think of resilience as an emotional muscle that can be strengthened at any time. While its useful to build up resilience before a big or small crisis hits, there still are active steps you can take during and after a crisis to speed your emotional recovery. Last year Dr. Dennis Charney, a resilience researcher and dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, was leaving a deli when he was shot by a disgruntled former employee. Dr. Charney spent five days in intensive care and faced a challenging recovery. After 25 years of studying resilience, I had to be resilient myself, said Dr. Charney, co-author of the book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Lifes Greatest Challenges. Its good to be prepared for it, but its not too late once youve been traumatized to build the capability to move forward in a resilient way.

Here are some of the ways you can build your resilience in middle age.

More here.
School board, county commission and zoning meetings are this week

Here's a look at who's meeting this week and what's on the agenda.
Distribution of company announcements to the professional platforms, finance portals and syndication of important corporate news to a wide variety of news aggregators and financial news systems.


Magnolia LNG Signs Dredging Servitude Agreement

Perth, Aug 1, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Liquefied Natural Gas Limited ( ASX:LNG ) ( LNGLY:OTCMKTS ) (LNGL or the Company) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Magnolia LNG LLC (Magnolia), has executed a Servitude Agreement with Turners Bay, LLC, a Louisiana limited liability company, for the right to deposit dredge spoils on certain tracts of land located in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana (Servitude Property) as per the Project's Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM) Plan and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404/10 Permit.



The Turners Bay Servitude Property was originally secured under an option agreement in 2015 under the premise that dredged material generated by the Magnolia Project would be used to safeguard the remaining marsh and semi-enclose, and therefore protect Turners Bay by restoring marsh and the estuarine habitat.



"Partnering with a local Lake Charles company such as Turners Bay to create wetlands is an example of the actions LNGL will take to be a responsible and positive corporate citizen and invest in the local communities where we operate. LNGL will continue to do business with local partners and support our communities on both our Magnolia LNG and Bear Head LNG projects," said Greg Vesey, LNGL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.



ABOUT MAGNOLIA LNG PROJECT



Magnolia LNG proposes to construct and operate up to four liquefaction production trains, each with a capacity of 2 mtpa or greater using the Company's patented OSMR(R) LNG process technology. Construction and operation includes two 160,000 m3 full containment storage tanks, ship, barge, and truck loading facilities, and supporting infrastructure. The LSTK EPC contract includes all elements of the project necessary to bring the facility into full guaranteed production operations. Magnolia LNG is fully permitted, having received its FERC Order and both FTA and non-FTA approval from the DOE. Final investment decision and initiation of construction is expected upon execution of sufficient offtake agreements to support financing.





About Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd





Liquefied Natural Gas Limited ( ASX:LNG) ( OTCMKTS:LNGLY) (LNGL) is an ASX listed company whose portfolio consists of 100% ownership of the following companies:

- Magnolia LNG, LLC (Magnolia LNG), a US-based subsidiary, which is developing an eight mtpa or greater LNG export terminal, in the Port of Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA;

- Bear Head LNG Corporation Inc. (Bear Head LNG), a Canadian-based subsidiary, which is developing an 8  12 mtpa LNG export terminal in Richmond County, Nova Scotia, Canada with potential for further expansion;

- Bear Paw Pipeline Corporation Inc. (Bear Paw), which is proposing to construct and operate a 62.5 km gas pipeline lateral to connect gas supply to Bear Head LNG; and

- LNG Technology Pty Ltd, a subsidiary which owns and develops the Company's OSMR LNG liquefaction process, a midscale LNG business model that plans to deliver lower capital and operating costs, faster construction, and improved efficiency, relative to larger traditional LNG projects.


Drilling results reinforce Nanadie Well copper potential

Adelaide, Aug 1, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mithril Resources Ltd ( ASX:MTH ) is pleased to advise positive assay results have been received from diamond drilling recently carried out at the Nanadie Well Deposit and adjacent Stark Prospect which are both located on the Company's Murchison Project located 80 kms SE of Meekatharra, Western Australia.



Drilling results reinforce Nanadie Well copper potential



- Drill hole within central portion of the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit returns:



o 4.90m @ 1.80% copper, 0.25g/t gold, within a broader intercept of 127.75m @ 0.40% copper, 0.11g/t gold



- Southernmost drillhole at the Stark Copper Prospect returns:



o 5.40m @ 1.25% copper, 0.26% nickel, 1.21g/t gold + platinum + palladium ("3PGE's") within a broader intercept of 30.40m @ 0.52% copper, 0.13% nickel, 0.36g/t 3PGE's



- Latest drilling in combination with previous results demonstrates the presence of two very large copper mineralised systems that remain open in all directions



- 13 kilometres of untested magnetic anomalies extending south from Nanadie Well and Stark to be focus of future exploration



Three holes (NDD17001 - 003 / 656.7 metres) were drilled to confirm previous mineralised intercepts and better understand the geological setting of the deposit and test the significance of new bedrock EM conductors ("M1" and "M3") at



Stark.



At Nanadie Well, NDD17001 was drilled within the central portion of the deposit and intersected a broad zone of copper - gold mineralisation. This is the first diamond drillhole into the deposit and confirmed the mineralisation is hosted within a structurally - deformed sequence of mafic intrusive rocks (gabbro and amphibolite), assaying of which returned (downhole widths - Figure 2);



- 4.90m @ 1.80% copper, 0.25g/t gold from 88.40 metres, within a broader intercept of 127.75m @ 0.40% copper, 0.11g/t gold from 42.80 metres



At Stark, NDD17002 was drilled at the southern end of the prospect to test the M1 EM conductor and intersected a zone of copper - nickel mineralisation at the modelled conductor depth. Assays returned (downhole widths - Figures 3 and 4);



- 5.40m @ 1.25% copper, 0.26% nickel, 1.21g/t (gold + platinum + palladium "3PGE's") from 257.70 metres within a broader intercept of 30.40m @ 0.52% copper, 0.13% nickel, 0.36g/t 3PGE's from 248.50 metres.



NDD17003 was drilled at the northern end of Stark to test the M3 EM conductor and intersected a zone of copper - nickel mineralisation at the modelled conductor depth. Assays returned (downhole widths);



- 10.70m @ 0.41% copper, 0.09% nickel, 0.28g/t 3PGE's from 92.00 metres.



Management discussion and regional exploration targets



The diamond drillhole at Nanadie Well has provided critical geological information about the deposit and also a context to the previous mineralised intercepts and untested targets identified along strike to the deposit.



At Stark, by intersecting further mineralisation south of that previously identified, the diamond drilling clearly demonstrates the presence of a very large copper mineralised system that remains open in all directions.



The new geological knowledge this drilling has provided will underpin future exploration throughout the project area.



Recent interpretation of newly reprocessed aeromagnetic data has identified a series of discrete linear magnetic features (that are spatially associated with existing mineralisation at both Nanadie Well and Stark) that extend for 13 kilometres along strike to the south from Nanadie Well and Stark under a thin soil veneer (Figure 5).



These southern magnetic features have not been previously explored and are compelling targets that will be a priority for Mithril's ongoing exploration within the Murchison Project.



Table 1 drillhole specifications and significant Intercepts are in the link below.



About the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit and Stark Copper Prospect



The Nanadie Well Copper Deposit and Stark Copper Prospect lie within Mithril's Murchison Project (500 km2 area and located 80 kms SE of Meekatharra, WA) which covers a NW trending belt of Archaen mafic and metasedimentary units with demonstrated prospectivity for both magmatic copper - nickel - PGE mineralisation and lode - gold mineralisation.



The project also contains the Fenceline Gold Prospect.



Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) estimated a 2004 JORC Code Compliant Inferred Resource for the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit in September 2013 (see Intermin's ASX Announcement "Initial Resource Estimate for the Nanadie Well Cu-Au Project" dated 19 September 2013).



Nanadie Well Inferred Resource



2004 JORC Code Tonnes (Mt) Cu% Au ppm Contained Cu (t) Contained Au (oz) Inferred 36.07 0.42 0.064 151,506 74,233



The information pertaining to the Nanadie Well Copper Deposit Inferred Resource was prepared and first disclosed by Intermin under the JORC Code 2004. It has not been updated since to comply with the JORC Code 2012 on the basis that the information has not materially changed since it was last reported.



The Inferred Resource is within a few meters of the surface and has been defined over 1 kilometre strike length, 50 - 150 metres (true width) and to a maximum depth of 220. The deposit remains open in all directions and lies within a broader 2 kilometres long mineralised zone that has been identified by wide spaced reconnaissance drilling.



Nanadie Well's prospectivity is enhanced by the Stark Copper Prospect which lies within a parallel mineralised belt 1,000 metres east. At Stark, massive copper - nickel sulphide mineralisation lies within a poorly constrained south - plunging "shoot" that has been drilled down to 250 metres (vertical) beneath a zone of surface mineralisation.



At Fenceline, a zone of sub-cropping ferruginous and brecciated quartz veining has been mapped and sampled over approximately 120 metres strike length with rock chip results ranging from 0.43 g/t gold to 8.22g/t gold. The zone which has never been drilled has an estimated surface width of up to 5 metres and remains open along strike, to the south east where it passes under an area of alluvial sheet wash and drainage.



The Nanadie Well Deposit and Stark lie on tenements subject to a Farmin and Joint Venture Agreement (Nanadie Well Joint Venture) with Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ). Under the terms of the joint venture, Mithril can earn a 60% interest in the tenements by completing expenditure of $2M by 14 April 2019, and an additional 15% by completing further expenditure of $2M over a further 2 years.



The Fenceline Gold Prospect and southern magnetic targets referred to in this Report lie on tenements 100% - owned by Mithril Resources.



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/715A23J4





About Horizon Minerals Limited





Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.

About Mithril Resources Limited

Mithril Resources Limited (ASX:MTH) is an Australian resources company whose objective is the creation of shareholder wealth through the discovery of mineral deposits.

The Company and its exploration partners are actively exploring throughout the Kalgoorlie, West Kimberley and Murchison Districts of Western Australia for economic nickel, copper, zinc, and vanadium deposits.

In the Kalgoorlie District, Mithril is exploring for nickel on the Kurnalpi, Lignum Dam and North Scotia Projects which lie along strike from, or adjacent to previously mined high-grade nickel at the Silver Swan and Scotia Nickel Deposits.

In the West Kimberley, Mithril is exploring for zinc on the Billy Hills Project which lies adjacent to the previously mined Pillara Zinc Deposit.

In the Murchison, Mithril is exploring for copper, nickel and zinc mineralisation on the Nanadie Well Project and for copper, silver, zinc and lead on the Bangemall Base Metal Project. Mithril's exploration partner  Monax Mining Ltd is also exploring for vanadium on the Limestone Well tenements.
President Xi Jinping's speech at a high-level workshop has inspired confidence for the nation to create a moderately prosperous society and achieve the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

The workshop for provincial-and ministerial-level officials on Wednesday and Thursday was held in preparation for the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress later this year. The congress will elect the leadership for the next five-year term.

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, outlined a blueprint for the Party and the state, showing the direction for development.

"Building a moderately prosperous society by 2020 is a promise the CPC has made to the people and to history," Xi said.

The speech resonated with grassroots officials, who agreed with Xi that the five years since the 18th CPC National Congress have seen extraordinary development.

Yang Longwen, Party chief of Dahua Yao autonomous county in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said that though the county suffered desertification, it had seen remarkable changes due to the government drive to eliminate rural poverty. Highways have been built and residents moved from old thatched and mud-brick cottages into new buildings, Yang said.

"We'll implement General Secretary Xi's requirements and decisions by the CPC Central Committee with solid determination and untiring energy," Yang said.

Progress has also been seen in a small village in Heilongjiang province.

"The per capita income doubled in the past five years and villagers feel much happier," said Fu Huating, Party chief of Xingshisi, a village in Gannan county. "We will roll up our sleeves and work harder, staunchly following the Party."

Xi said that once China had a moderately prosperous society, by 2020, the Party and people across the country would be motivated to build a modernized socialist country by 2049, the centenary of the People's Republic of China.

The remarks have inspired the nation to be confident in realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

"After studying the speech, we're all fully confident that a good life lies ahead," said Chen Yifan, deputy head of Dutang, a town in Heze, in Shandong province.

Xinhua


Establishing Presence in 14 US Airport Stores

Perth, Aug 1, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Flexiroam Limited ( ASX:FRX ) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Flexiroam Asia Limited ('Flexiroam") has signed a partnership agreement with Bluwire Group LLC ("Bluwire").



Bluwire is a leading retailer of technology products in international airports throughout the United States. Since its foundation in 2008, Bluwire has established a reputation for being a reliable provider of the latest technology for people on the go. They stay ahead of trends by working closely with suppliers and global technology partners, to evaluate the most cutting-edge products. Due to their dedication to providing the finest quality products and latest technology, they have built a strong presence in the US, with retail stores located in busy airports, casinos all across the United States and even online stores.



Through this partnership, Flexiroam X will be available in 14 retail stores within 7 airports in the United States. The stores are located in high traffic airports such as the John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport and many more airports which host between 21 million travellers per annum to over 100 million travellers per annum. In addition, Flexiroam X will be exclusively sold, making it the only data solution available in each outlet. Flexiroam X will be featured on TV spaces and banners in each store creating awareness to passers-by.



This campaign will see Flexiroam X becoming accessible to over 350 million people traveling through these international airports located in seven US states, namely New York, Newark, Houston, Dulles, Denver, Minneapolis and Atlanta.



"Innovation is part of our culture, and we're always looking for the latest in technology to help provide an enhanced passenger experience. Our partnership with Flexiroam offers passengers a unique global roaming sim card they can use throughout their travel in over 100 countries." said Mauricio Ojeda, Co-Founder at Bluwire Group LLC.



Jef Ong, the Managing Director of Flexiroam, added "This is a landmark partnership for Flexiroam, as it provides our product access into the US market through some of the busiest airports in America. These frequent travellers would get to enjoy affordable, borderless connectivity without having to worry about changing SIM cards. Through this added visibility in American Airports, we anticipate sales of Flexiroam X to increase in North America and partners such as Bluwire benefiting from being early movers in this space."





About Flexiroam Ltd





FLEXIROAM Limited (ASX:FRX) is a leading telecommunications company offering universal voice and data services for mobile users globally. Its flagship data roaming product, FLEXIROAM X has coverage in over 100 countries with 4G speed in over 56 countries. FLEXIROAM is an asset light telecommunications company that does not own physical infrastructure yet is able to connect to around 580 network operators globally. FLEXIROAM aspires to be a household name in borderless mobile broadband service in Asia and beyond. Please visit https://www.flexiroam.com


Teal Stage 2 and Stage 3 Feasibility Studies Commence

Perth, Aug 1, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited ( ASX:IRC ) ("Intermin" or the "Company") announces the commencement of Feasibility Studies for two further mining stages at the 100% owned Teal Gold Mine, located 11km north west of Kalgoorlie-Boulder in Western Australia.



HIGHLIGHTS



- Teal Stage 1 delivering on expectations with grade and recovery above plan to date



- Resource model review, grade control drilling and mill reconciliation has improved geological confidence and identified additional ore outside the current mine design



- Current Mineral Resource (JORC 2012) at Teal totals 104,400 ounces with 15,000 - 16,000 ounces expected to be mined from Stage 1



- Free milling oxide and transitional material within the Measured and Indicated Resource Categories excluding Teal Stage 1 currently totals approximately 7,600 ounces



- The Stage 2 Study will assess the economic viability of a cut back to expose the oxide ore within the current Resource on the Eastern side of the pit



- The Stage 3 Study will evaluate a larger pit expansion up to 200m along strike to the south with additional infill drilling planned to commence next week



- Completion of the fully funded studies for Teal Stages 2 and 3 is expected in the September and December Quarters respectively



Commenting on the success of Teal, Intermin's Managing Director, Mr Jon Price said:



"The potential for further stages of the Teal gold mine have always been a part of our future mining project pipeline and the excellent performance of Teal Stage 1 to date has provided additional confidence to move forward with the Stage 2 and Stage 3 Feasibility Studies.



"With Stage 1 completion expected in October, the aim is to focus on a relatively low cost cutback of the eastern pit wall to enable mining at Teal to continue uninterrupted as we assess a potential Stage 3 at Teal and the Goongarrie Lady Feasibility Study by December this year."



The Current Mineral Resource (JORC 2012) is shown in Table 1 in link below.



Mining of the Teal Stage 1 open pit commenced in late 2016 and is scheduled to be complete in October 2017 after recovering 15-16koz gold from oxide ore with minor transitional material. To date, mine to mill reconciliation has been in line with the predicted models and recent close spaced grade control drilling that has provided the Company with additional confidence to convert Resources to Reserve.



STAGE 2 FEASIBILITY STUDY



The grade control information from Teal Stage 1 when combined with adjacent Resource data, shows clear extensions to the flat lying supergene gold blanket to the east of the current pit design. The remaining ore and immediately adjoining Resources to the east have potential to be contained within an economic Stage 2 cutback (Figures 1 and 3). The mineralisation is a high-grade, flat lying zone up to 20m wide and occurs continuously for 200m along strike.



Preliminary technical and economic assessments have demonstrated that up to 5,000 ounces from within the current Teal Resource of predominantly oxide material is contained in this zone.



The Company is completing a Feasibility Study for the Stage 2 cut back and an investment decision is expected in the September Quarter. No further Resource infill drilling is anticipated for this zone however grade control reverse circulation ("RC") drilling will be required as part of normal mining operations.



STAGE 3 FEASIBILITY STUDY



In relation to a potential Stage 3 development, the Teal Resource is known to extend south along strike and to vertical depths of >250m from the Teal Stage 1 pit. Flat lying supergene mineralisation very similar in form and thickness to material currently being mined has been identified directly south of the current Teal pit.



An RC drill program comprising 18 holes for ~1,200m will commence in August to infill known mineralisation, test its continuity and free milling metallurgical properties (Figure 4). The results of the drilling will enable an updated Resource Model to be compiled and an updated mine optimisation and design to be completed.



If an economic southern cutback can be demonstrated, work will commence on related mine approval activities with completion expected in the December Quarter.



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/F6K35KU7





About Horizon Minerals Limited





Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed.

Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline.

Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage.


New Gold Targets at Mt Roberts

Canberra, Aug 1, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Alt Resources ( ASX:ARS ) (Alt, or the Company) is pleased to inform the market of new target generation work at the Mount Roberts Gold Project near Leinster, WA. Re-processing and interpretation of detailed historical magnetic data has revealed a district-scale sequence of major parallel crustal-scale shear zones, with internal secondary mineralised splays. Regional prospectivity analysis incorporating the new structural modelling shows key target areas associated with secondary shear zone junctions, highlighted by regional historical soil sampling and recent new work by Alt Resources.



Key Points



- Re-modelling and interpretation of regional magnetic data defines crustal-scaleshear zones and associated splays through the Mt Roberts project area



- Gold mineralisation at Mt Roberts is known to be shear-hosted



- Newly defined structural trends match well with known gold occurrences



- New targets defined from regional prospectivity analysis



The Company currently holds two mining leases at the Mt Roberts gold project (M36/279 and M36/341; see Figure 1 in the link below) through a farm-in agreement with Mount Roberts Mining Pty Ltd (MRM) (see Note 1 below). Alt has also recently reached an agreement with Montezuma Mining Ltd (MZM) to acquire the surrounding exploration licence application E36/843 (see Note 2 below), substantially increasing the Company's potential landholding in the area. The Company is required to finalise Native Title, Heritage and Access agreements to expedite the final grant of E36/843 and is currently negotiating with the native title Prescribed Body Corporate with this aim.



This expanded landholding enables the Company to take a whole system, district-scale approach to exploration.



Jubilee Mines NL flew a detailed, low-level aeromagnetic survey over the Mt Roberts-Leinster Downs area in 2000. Whilst Jubilee's focus was nickel sulphide, the survey highlighted major structural trends and lithological domains. With new modern processing techniques surpassing those previously available, Alt Resources contracted geophysical consultant David McInnes to re-examine and re-interpret the Jubilee Mines data.



Figure 2 (see the link below) displays a number of magnetic images produced by different data processing and filtering methods to enhance the level of structural and geological detail and complexity that can be determined from the dataset. In Figure 2a (see the link below), the standard magnetic intensity (reduced to pole) is shown. Figure 2b (see the link below) shows the same processing as Figure 2a (see the link below) but with a tilt filter to highlight structural trends. Figure 2c (see the link below) is a grey scale image that has been filtered to sharpen magnetic features and remove any regional (background) trends. Figure 2d (see the link below) shows the dataset filtered to remove remanence effects (variations in magnetic field orientations recorded in the rocks).



The new images in Figure 2 (see the link below) have highlighted greater detail in major and secondary structures on a project scale. Detailed structural interpretation and domain definition were undertaken by structural geology consultant Dr Michael Doublier. Dr Doublier's interpretation is shown in Figure 3 (see the link below), in which a series of major, parallel, deep crustal shear zones (red lines) are interpreted to transect the area, striking NNW. These major structural zones flank the Leinster Anticline and are parallel to the anticline fold axis.



The area is further affected by secondary shear zone splays (orange lines in Figure 3 in the link below) which appear to host the majority of known gold mineralisation throughout the project area (see Figure 4 in the link below). In the Leinster Downs and Mt Roberts area, these splays appear to form a strike slip duplex indicating significant displacement along the major, primary shear zones.



The new, detailed structural analysis has been combined with regional, historical gold exploration data, available from the Department of Mines and Petroleum. The resulting regional prospectivity analysis of the Mt Roberts gold district highlights a number of important target areas within Alt's tenure. Figure 4 (see the link below) shows regional gold-in-soil and rock chip analysis from the combined datasets of several historical explorers. Gold mineralisation is clearly focused along secondary shears within structural duplex zones, occurring between NNW striking major shear zones. A number of key target areas have been highlighted by Alt Resources on Figure 4 (see the link below), several of which have never been drill tested (as shown in Figure 5 in the link below). A very high-grade rock chip is also shown in Figure 4, collected by Sir Samuel Mines geologists in 2005 from the spoil adjacent to a historical prospector's pit.



Figure 5 (see the link below) shows the maximum Au in drill collars (including aircore, reverse circulation and diamond drillholes) throughout the area, with significant intercepts highlighted. At Mt Roberts itself, the majority of data shown in Figure 5 (see the link below) is the result of Alt's 2016 first pass drilling campaign, which intersected high grade gold beneath the historical workings and confirmed a 200m strike length for mineralisation. Some of the more significant intercepts included (see Note 3 below):



MRRC0003: 3m @ 28 g/t Au, including

1m @ 67.4 g/t Au

MRRC0006: 3m @ 1.95 g/t Au from 17m

MRCC0007: 1m @ 5.59 g/t Au from 29m

MRRC0008: 1m @ 20.3 g/t Au from 49m

MRRC0009: 1m @ 24.4 g/t Au from 64m, and

4m @ 7.96 g/t Au from 78m, including

2m @ 13.75 g/t Au from 82m

MRRC0014: 1m @ 3.57 g/t Au from 51m

MRRC0032: 7m @ 1.66 g/t Au from 35m



Regionally, significant intercepts from historical drilling shown in Figure 5 (see the link below) are the result of work by Agnew Gold Company, Consolidated Gold, Jubilee Mines, Arrow and Western Mining. The data are available from open file reports on the Department of Mines and Petroleum website. Those intercepts which fall within the area of new structural modelling are strongly associated with the secondary shear splays, lying between the major NNW striking structures. A small non-JORC compliant gold resource also exists at the Maria deposit, just west of the northern end of E36/843, comprising 82,000 tonnes @ 4.9 g/t Au, indicated and inferred (Wiluna Gold Mines, 1996; described in Rohde, 1997). Similar to mineralisation at Mt Roberts, Maria represents shear hosted gold in metasediments, occurring within the core of a regional north-plunging syncline (Mt White Syncline). Maria is located 7 km northwest of Mt Roberts.



On granting of E36/843, Alt Resources intends to follow up the new prospectivity analysis with field reconnaissance of target areas identified, rock chip sampling, geological mapping and air core drilling. Furthermore, the Company has approval in place to undertake resource and exploration drilling programs on the Mt Roberts mining leases. This work will commence in September 2017, with drilling planned over a 6 week period.



Notes:



1. See ARS announcement, 30th August 2016: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7868340D



2. See ARS announcement, 30th June 2017: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/VWKE8L2Y



3. See ARS announcement, 16th November 2016: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/KQJ6UJ73



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/RG7T339Q





About Aurenne Alt Resources Pty Ltd





Aurenne Alt Resources Pty Ltd is an Australian based mineral exploration company that aims to become a gold producer by exploiting historical and new gold prospects across quality assets and to build value for shareholders.


First Offtake Agreement Signed - Baotou Sky Rock Rare Earth

Sydney, Aug 1, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals Limited ( ASX:HAS ) (Hastings or the Company) is pleased to advise that it has signed the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Baotou Sky Rock Rare Earth New Material Co. Ltd (Sky Rock). Under the MOU the parties have outlined their intent to enter into a binding commercial offtake agreement for the sale by Hastings and purchase by Sky Rock of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate ("MREC"), which will be produced from Yangibana, Western Australia. The framework for the commercial offtake agreement is set out in the MOU, and the final terms and conditions will be formalised in a contract.



HIGHLIGHTS



- Hastings announces first MOU with Baotou Sky Rock for the future supply of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate from Hastings' Yangibana project in Western Australia.



- The parties have agreed to enter discussions to formalise a commercial offtake agreement for Hastings to sell 2,500 tonnes of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) per annum to Baotou Sky Rock.



- The signing of this first MOU reflects the strong level of interest and demand from potential customers and off-take partners in the Yangibana project.



INTRODUCTION



The Parties have undertaken to negotiate in good faith to reach agreement for a commercial offtake contract within 12 months from the date of the MOU. Pricing for the MREC will be based on a formula taking into account prevailing market prices prior to shipment.



Charles Lew, Hastings Executive Chairman, said "This first MOU for an offtake agreement with Sky Rock is a significant milestone for the Company. The high NdPr content of our ore body is gaining firm recognition in the rare earth and magnets industry.



Further offtake agreements are expected to follow, which will reinforce the Company's financing plan to fund the development of the mine and the construction of the processing plant".



The Parties have additionally acknowledged that any commercial offtake agreement is contingent on Hastings starting operations and production of MREC from the Yangibana mine, and with any additional conditions usually included in commercial off-take contracts.



Hastings estimates an annual production quantity of 15,000 tonnes of MREC, which it will sell to offtake partners, with production projected to commence in 2H 2019.



Sky Rock



Sky Rock, based in Baotou (the largest industrial city in Inner Mongolia), China, is a company set up in 2006 that is involved in the production of high temperature tolerance NdFeB permanent magnets. Its main products are Sintered Neodymium Magnets and Sintering Samarium Cobalt Magnets. Its products are sold to computer, mobile phone, motor and generator, automobile (EV/HEV), audio-video system, office automation and many other major international companies worldwide. The company has strong technical competence and invests substantially in R&D for rare earth usage in magnets and its long term sustainability of production.



Hastings Technology Metals



Hastings is currently developing a rare earths mine and processing plant at Yangibana in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. The processing plant is anticipated to commence production of MREC in 2H 2019. Hastings has completed both beneficiation and hydrometallurgy pilot plants, in the process producing MREC samples which are high in neodymium and praseodymium content. These are critical materials for the production of permanent magnets and other technology applications. The MREC will be capable of being further refined and treated to produce a number of separated rare earth oxides outside of Australia. Hastings estimates an annual production quantity of 15,000 tonnes of MREC, which it will sell to offtake partners.



The Yangibana Project hosts JORC Resources totalling 17.02 million tonnes at 1.27% TREO (comprising Measured Resources of 2.92 million tonnes at 1.04% TREO, Indicated Resources of 7.19 million tonnes at 1.43% TREO and Inferred Resources of 6.90 million tonnes at 1.21% TREO), including 0.41% Nd2O3+Pr6O11.





About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd





Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas.

Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China.

Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project.

Brockman Project

The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition).

The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project.

Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products.
Reserve Bank of India said NRIs are restricted from buying further shares in Asian Hotels (West) Ltd as the allowed limit of 10 per cent has been breached.

Foreign shareholding in the company by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) has breached the limit of 10 per cent of its paid up capital, RBI said in a notification.

Therefore, no further purchases of shares of this company would be allowed through Stock Exchanges in India on behalf of NRIs, it said.

FIIs, NRIs and PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) can invest in primary and secondary capital markets in India through Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).

RBI monitors ceilings on FII/NRI/PIO investments in Indian companies on a daily basis. It has fixed the cut-off points two percentage points lower than the actual ceiling.

Stocks of Asian Hotels (West) closed 6.26 per cent down at Rs 167.70 on BSE on Monday.
A long and hard fight for compensation due to a vaccine injury has been won -- finally. You can read about it HERE . This is an historic event in that this is the first UK MMR case that has won in their vaccine injury system BUT, it is not for autism, according to the media and Department of Health. This injury by MMR is for seizures, or more precisely, epilepsy. This is what the Daily Mail reported: "He endures frequent epileptic fits and requires round-the-clock care from his parents Jackie and John, though he is not autistic. He suffered the devastating effects after being given the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine when he was 13 months old." Jacki and John Fletcher are warrior parents who have persevered in their care and legal case for Robert, now 18 years old. Jackie, in a recent email to Anne Dachel, here at Age of Autism, revealed that Robert suffers from a severe seizure disorder, with an inflamed oesophagus, brain damage and has some minor autistic traits. The award stressed epilepsy as the result of his injury. That is great news but for the thousands still waiting with children and teens also injured by the MMR, the lack of the word, "autism", is baffling. Welcome UK parents, to our world, too. Here in the states, we also have heard those words, "but not autism." Whether it is severe autism or minor autism, isn't "autism" a set of behaviors? In March of 2008, the Poling family hit the news, much like the Fletcher's now: "ATLANTA  For those convinced that vaccines can cause autism, the sad case of a Georgia girl, daughter of a doctor and lawyer, seems like clear-cut evidence. The government has agreed to pay the girls family for injury caused by vaccines. The 9-year-old girl, Hannah Poling, had an underlying condition that may have been worsened, triggering her autism-like symptoms." HERE . Hannah also was compensated for seizures that did not begin until six years after the date of vaccination. HERE

And from the Daily Mail yesterday on Robert: "In a dissenting judgment, Professor Lingam said he believed Robert was genetically predisposed to epilepsy and that the vaccination triggered it rather than caused it. 'Robert would have developed epilepsy in any event, even if he had not had the vaccination. But Professor Lingam was overruled by his two colleagues. In their final judgment, they accepted that MMR had caused Roberts illness but added: We would stress that this decision is fact-specific and it should not be seen as a precedent for any other case" and again from MSNBC on Hannah: This does not represent anything other than a very special situation, said Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention." TIME reported a bit more back then: "The Poling case is also causing deep concern among public health officials, eager to reassure parents that vaccines are safe and, indeed, hugely beneficial. In a public statement on Friday, Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), insisted that "the government has made absolutely no statement about indicating that vaccines are the cause of autism, as this would be a complete mischaracterization of any of the science that we have at our disposal today." HERE Coincidentally, Dr. Julie Gerberding left the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and was named president of Merck & Co vaccine division at the start of this year. Merck is maker of MMR vaccine. Are you getting the very crazy picture here? A child has been injured by a vaccine, whether it be MMR or Thimerosal-containing vaccines , is labeled "autistic" by the pediatrician, neurologist or other health professional, then is denied vaccine injury compensation, based on that word. It appears that the Fletcher family has shown that Robert's development was stopped and brain damage was the cause from the MMR.Enter the Cedillo family and their daughter Michelle. Michelle is now 15 and her case of both MMR and Thimerosal causing her autism, seizures and severe GI disease has been denied twice in Vaccine Court. It was filed back in 1998. Michelle, like Robert and Hannah, suffers from severe seizures. From the 2007 Hearing: "At Michelle Cedillo's hearing last year, Dr. Marcel Kinsbourne, a pediatric neurologist who is a professor at The New School in New York, testified that he thought the measles vaccine was a "substantial factor" in causing the girl's autism. Traces of the measles virus were found in Michelle's gut, leading the Oxford University-trained doctor to conclude the girl's immune system had not rejected the virus. Kinsbourne told the court the measles virus invaded cells in Michelle's brain, resulting in her autism." HERE Dr. Kinsbourne was also a key expert in the favorable decision for the Fletcher's, again in the Daily Mail: "At this months appeal, evidence was given by a leading expert on vaccine-damaged children, paediatric neurologist Dr Marcel Kinsbourne. He explained the biological changes which had occurred in Roberts brain following the vaccination." Same testimony, same vaccine, same injuries but Michelle Cedillo's case has THE AUTISM WORD as her diagnosis along with all of her other medical diagnoses. It is encouraging that the Fletcher's have proven injury to Robert by the MMR vaccine.The financial responsibility to a disabled child is astronomical and there are thousands of other children also waiting to prove their cases of autism, seizures and GI disease. So there is much to be learned by this very big win in the UK:1-Robert's family has proven that MMR can cause brain damage and GI injury -- the MMR-autism connection -- which will give hope to thousands of other parents whose children have been severely affected by routine vaccinations.2-To admit that MMR can cause autism and its related injuries to brain and gut is to accept that Dr. Andrew Wakefield et al were correct in 1998 to raise concerns about a possible link between the combined MMR vaccination to GI disease and regression ie - autism, and instead of condemning them for that work, to applaud their heroic research.3- Health Authorities in both the USA and UK continue to deny "autism" as a vaccine injury but have conceded and/or paid compensation to medical diagnoses related to vaccine injuries. The Bailey Banks case is another example:
Press statements have included: "...[MMR] is perfectly safe and perfectly effective." "That may mean that some young children will have three MMR jabs...That is not a problem. It is perfectly safe and perfectly effective." and one of the strongest claims: "There's no adverse effect to this extra jab [3rd MMR]..." Even yesterday in the Guardian an expert '..stressed that parents should not be concerned about side-effects of vaccination. "The scientific evidence is very clear, abundantly clear, that these [MMR] vaccines are safe - there is no relationship with autism," he said.'

From a doctor's or nurse's point of view giving the vaccine is perfectly safe. It is extremely difficult for any parent to hold the vaccinator, the practice, the health department or the manufacturer to account if the child is seriously harmed or dies.

From a parent's point of view perfectly safe means that little Robert isn't going to have his brain scrambled and stay forever as an infant.

Let me make this clear: vaccines are NOT perfectly safe. The manufacturers know this and so does the Government. The former lists the adverse events both minor and severe in their product information supplied with the vaccines. The latter administers the DWP Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme following an Act passed through parliament which has paid out over 74.1 million so far. Some of these payments have been made to MMR vaccine-damaged children, some of whom have died from their injuries. There is no mention of any of this when PH officials give interviews or when a parent is called to have their child vaccinated. How can parents make an informed consent?

And what of measles and statistics? During a measles outbreak in Wales in 2013 PH officers were interviewed and provided the initial diagnosed numbers of measles cases. However, when the actual numbers of laboratory confirmed cases came through, these much lower numbers were never adjusted and publicised in subsequent press reports.(1)

In Italy were it has just been announced that 10 vaccinations are to become compulsory we find that their Minister of Health has given interviews in 2013 in which she has stated over 260 children died in London because of measles. This claim was repeated a year later where she stated that the number of children who had died in London was 200.(2)

I repeat how can parents make an informed consent when these kind of statistics are used to pressure, scare and coerce especially when this bad information is coming from public officials who are supposed to be acting in the public's interest.

(1) https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/ measles-confirmed-cases/ measles-notifications-and- confirmed-cases-by-quarter-in- england-2013-to-2015
It is also problematic that virtually every public defence of the vaccine programme begins with an attack on the integrity of Dr Andrew Wakefield, as if the public humiliation of one man could provide scientific justification in perpetuity for an entire class of products. Wakefield has been globally transformed into the Emmanuel Goldstein of public health (to reference Orwells 1984) but we should not mistake that this is actually occurring at the level of propaganda and not of scientific (or historic) fact: indeed when people cite Wakefield as an example few have the remotest idea what body of facts they are citing, and this has reduced to zero the quality of informed public discussion.

This submission is not motivated by indifference to the control of infectious disease. While the control of disease is important it is not a good enough reason to stand the rules of research integrity or public discussion on their head. This is not only about the Wakefield paper but the problematic nature of vaccine science, and also the general exclusion of the subject from contemporary mainstream public debate. Even the reasons for going to war at times of national peril are debated, but here it is as if everything has been conceded in advance to an industry and its public advocates. In these circumstances reasonable comment is driven to the margins with unreasonable, even to the extent of being buried by search engines such as google.

This evidence has been shaped by statements made in the Committees prior publication POSTnote 544 singling out the Wakefield Lancet paper as an example of fraud, and particularly in relation to the defence of a public health programme and policy [1]. It becomes particularly relevant in the light the latest campaign in February 2017, led by Times Newspapers, to further discredit Andrew Wakefield [2,3].

This is the text of my third submission on behalf of Age of Autism to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Inquiry into Research Integrity last April, which has gained extra urgency because of the debate about compulsory vaccination. Though two earlier submissions could have been excluded because of submission criteria, there were no obvious grounds for excluding this one, except that like the others it tackled the core claims of their discussion document head on - that the 1998 Wakefield Lancet paper was an example of research fraud, or that it should be considered inherently reprehensible on the grounds that it subverted policy. The one thing that became apparent in my brief discussions with the secretary to the committee, Mr Fiander, was that the committee would stand by its claim of fraud simply because the claim had been made in a British Medical Journal editorial in January 2011 which had never been retracted (despite overwhelming evidence against it claims). The committee itself was dissolved without the inquiry proceeding at the time of the General Election and has not yet been re-formed.

Meanwhile Wakefields fate serves as a warning to anyone else who might professionally step out of line over vaccines. In this context it is necessary to pose the question in what other field of human activity would this means of controlling public discussion and opinion be considered politically tolerable or enlightened? Vaccines are just industrial products and it is short-circuiting safety systems if there is overwhelming hostility led from top down to reporting and investigating their adverse effects. Governments have too much invested in the reputation of program and presently they do not incorporate the appropriate checks and balances to investigate themselves. Whatever monitoring of programme takes place comes from the same agencies that license and promote the products.

Following the original set of allegations were launched against Wakefield in February 2004 politically charged prejudicial statements were made to the media by both Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair [4,5].

There is much evidence that the Wakefield paper should have been restored and the editorial by Godlee et al (along with the investigative reports by Brian Deer, which it accompanied it) should have likewise been retracted. It is troubling Postnote544 should revert to the situation in January 2011 when the position unravelled in the months that followed. Dr Godlee made concessions that the author of the BMJ report, journalist Brian Deer, was working from different data to that available to the study authors [6] and that the journal ought to have acknowledged it business association with MMR manufacturers Merck and GSK [7]. Matters came to a head in November 2011 when Dr David Lewis  in a lengthy submission which the BMJ published in part - produced print outs of the biopsy slides confirming the papers findings, and serious concessions by Godlee and Deer were made in a news report in Nature [8, 9]. A letter was published in the BMJ from senior histopathologist from the paper, Dr Amar Dhillon [10], standing by the results making it clear that the biopsy results were determined independently of Dr Wakefield (and his colleague Dr Susan Davies [11] had already written to journal repudiating Deers account the preceding year). In the absence of further evidence supporting the BMJ account it was perhaps more than time their allegations were retracted. However, their case became even problematic in March 2012 when the High Court fully exonerated the senior author of the Wakefield paper (and senior clinician), Prof Walker-Smith. Since Prof Walker-Smith had as much responsibility for reporting in the paper as Wakefield, and was responsible for compiling the medical histories in 11 out of 12 cases there could be no question of Wakefield tampering with evidence [12]. The final nail came later that year when University College London refused to conduct an inquiry into the affair for lack of evidence [13].

In the United Kingdom there is overwhelming institutional bias against recognising vaccine damage. In 2007, after the tragic death of Sally Clark (wrongfully found guilty of the murder of her children 1999) Neville Hodgkinson reported in the Spectator [14]:

An examination of related legal and other correspondence has now made clear the reason for this extraordinary omission. It is that child health experts, following public loss of confidence in vaccination when the risks of brain damage were first publicised, were trying to maintain a united front in preventing further debate. Even paediatricians who gave testimony on Mrs Clark's behalf told defence lawyers that if vaccination were mentioned as a possible cause of Harry's death, they would dispute it. Not wanting to confuse the jury, and with judges having a history of bowing to dominant medical opinion, the defence decided to stay silent on the issue.

Yet the reality is that product inserts and data sheets acknowledge the possibility of serious injury. On the other hand any doctor giving testimony about such a matter (which would be perfectly acceptable, for example, in a United States court) would likely face retribution at the General Medical Council. The Wakefield paper poses an existential question about the way the vaccine programme is run in the United Kingdom which is, what would happen if doctors started, or in practice were allowed, to even consider the possibility of vaccine damage? This is also implicit in POSTnote 544: the fact that the Wakefield paper had challenged policy.

The result is that we have a system which is not entirely honest about risk and which places the control of infectious disease way above the potential for harm (for instance neurological) from an expanding vaccine schedule. A serious problem with this is that the better the system becomes at suppressing the harms of vaccines the harder it is to actually know what is going on. Spontaneous reporting is not a good way of assessing levels of damage, and even less so if any attempt to do so is likely to be met with extreme institutional and social hostility. But quite apart from the atrocious injustice to those that are hurt there may be an ever increasing burden to society.

In this regard the Department of Health have neglected to collect autism figures for children since the middle of the last decade while the figures for schools  available from the Department of Education  continue to rise year on year (the rate being easy to calculate from published data by dividing the number of children in school by the number with an ASD diagnosis). These figures only give a rough idea and are an underestimate of the rise because (a) they are based on a 15 year cohort  which with a continuously rising trend means that autism is likely to be much more prevalent at the younger end of the group  and (b) not all cases will have yet been diagnosed (the Baron-Cohen paper having indicated this might happen on a 2:3 basis). Bearing this in mind we may not be far off population catastrophe. In England, as of January 2016 there was a figure of 1 in 71, while in Scotland in September 2016 it was 1 in 51, but with younger children we may easily be dealing with double that rate or beyond, and again for boys the rate is far higher. If, conservatively, the rate among younger children was 1 in 30 in Scotland, this would mean as many as 1 in 19 boys.

In 2009 a DH/National Statistics survey conducted by Prof Brugha and colleagues declared that there was an adult autism rate in line with that discovered in children c.2004 [15]. However, the methodology was flawed: a non-standard and untested diagnostic method was used (adapted from ADOS 4) and even then the 19 cases diagnosed required an unexplained weighting method multiplying the figure by 3.8 to arrive at the 1% (i.e. they projected that they had missed 74% of the cases in the original survey, but no evidence was presented for this). The 1% figure was then used at an NHS press conference to the media as evidence that MMR was safe. For example, a report by Guardian science correspondent Sarah Boseley was entitled Autism just as common in adults, so MMR is off the hook [16]. Whatever their case the 1% has now been left miles behind by what is now happening in schools.

Presently, in reports from Scotland [17] and Northern Ireland [18], we are hearing about the insufficiency and breakdown in services, but we are not being told that the likely reason is unprecedented demand . Patently, it is also not the services creating demands they cannot cope with, and nor is it only autism  ADHD seems much on the rise as well. While we have a lot of policy emphasis on threats from infectious disease the rise in neurological impairment is barely being reported on at all and its causes are not being investigated. Troublingly, the Department of Health has not repeated the Childhood Mental Health Surveys of 1999 and 2004 [19, 20] which would expose this desperate and unexplained situation, effectively freezing the childhood figure at the 1% figure it was last recorded at 13 years ago. Indeed, the two published surveys of 1999 and 2004 had already indicated a five-fold recorded increase in autism in children born between the two periods 1984-8 and 1994-9. MMR was introduced just at the end of the first period, an accelerated DPT schedule in 1990 and HiB in 1992 in between. If the rate of autism is possibly three times higher among younger children now than in 2004 we should perhaps also at least consider how far the vaccine schedule has expanded in the intervening years for a child entering school:

8 weeks : 5-in-1 vaccine: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b, 13 Strain Pneumococcal, Rotavirus, Men B

12 weeks : 5-in-1 vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine

16 weeks : 5-in-1 vaccine, 13 Strain Pneumococcal, Men B

One year : Hib/Men C vaccine, MMR, 13 Strain Pneumococcal, Men B

2-7 years (including children in school years 1, 2 and 3)

Children's flu vaccine (annual)

3 years and 4 months : MMR, 4-in-1 pre-school booster: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio

Irrespective of the reasons for not updating the survey this represents a distortion of policy and institutional negligence.

Insufficient attention has been paid to the viability of the expanding schedule. A 2015 publication by United Kingdom vaccine programme veteran, Prof Elizabeth Miller referred in defence of the expanding schedule to strong arguments against the immune overload hypothesis [21]. The immune overload hypothesis may itself be a straw man but the reference as far as one can tell is to a 2002 paper by Offit et al repeatedly cited by British health officials since its publication[22,23,24,25], justifying multivalent vaccines and the expanding schedule. Offit argued a hypothesis of spare capacity, notoriously suggesting that an infant could tolerate at least 10,000 vaccines in one go based on the number of antigens. But apart from anything else the number of antigens is only a single element in what would make a vaccine effective. In most cases, for example  MMR is an exception  vaccines include adjuvants which amplify the effects of the antigens. This problem is currently highlighted in a complaint by Nordic Cochrane about HPV vaccines: it is noted that the vaccines were not trialled against genuine placebo, but vaccines containing aluminium adjuvants, the effects of which have not been sufficiently studied [26].

Clearly vaccines insofar as they work do so by creating inflammation, are most often delivered by injection in a single instant and this again is different from Offits point of comparison which is casual daily exposure to antigens through food or dust [27]. It is evident that most/all vaccine package inserts acknowledge the potential for serious harm in rare instances, but we may have relatively little idea of how often without active long term monitoring. Again vaccines may have routinely unpleasant immediate effects: 6 in 100 toddlers receiving MMR according to one study had a temperature of 39.5C or above but there was no follow up after a month [28]. According to the FDA information sheet for for Bexsero Men B vaccine, now given to UK infants, 10-25 year-olds had serious adverse events in above 1 in 50 cases [29]. These are anything but the subliminal effects which would seem to be implied by the Offit model. There does not seem to be any core, substantial science to the belief that the schedule can go on expanding without significant harm  Age of Autism has not seen any cited. Over such a serious matter for our children we need much more than the strong arguments suggested by Prof Miller: in fact strong arguments falls well short of being evidence at all.

In the case of autism US health officials have occasionally obliquely acknowledged causation by vaccine. In 2008, Julie Gerberding, Director of the Centers of Disease Control told CNN [30]:

Now, we all know that vaccines can occasionally cause fevers in kids. So if a child was immunized, got a fever, had other complications from the vaccines. And if youre predisposed with the mitochondrial disorder, it can certainly set off some damage. Some of the symptoms can be symptoms that have characteristics of autism

And health officials disclosed on separate occasions to journalists Sharyl Attkisson and David Kirby [31,32]:

The government has never compensated, nor has it ever been ordered to compensate, any case based on a determination that autism was actually caused by vaccines. We have compensated cases in which children exhibited an encephalopathy, or general brain disease. Encephalopathy may be accompanied by a medical progression of an array of symptoms including autistic behavior, autism, or seizures.

Amid the Wakefield furore in 2005 the main text (in contradistinction to the plain language summary) of the Cochrane report on MMR safety was anything but reassuring: the design and reporting in MMR safety studies was largely inadequate. None of the six autism related studies was rated as being at low risk of bias, and there were serious design faults in all. Pertinent questions might be why? and why is this acceptable? In the case of the DeStefano (2004) study which was later to become the subject of Wakefields film VaXxed Cochrane presciently warned [33, 34]:

The conclusion, however, implied bias in the enrollment of cases which may not be representative of the rest of the autistic population of the city of Atlanta, USA where the study was set.

Indeed, one of the main authors, Dr William Thompson, attempted to blow the whistle on the paper in 2014 in a statement through lawyers [35]:

I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the journal Pediatrics. The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism. Decisions were made regarding which findings to report after the data were collected, and I believe that the final study protocol was not followed.

Vaccines are a very tempting answer to the problem of infectious disease but it may be even easier than with many policies for politicians to ignore the downside of policy and leave it to the professionals. The book Dont Tell the Patient by a former senior Department of Health official and founder of the yellow card scheme, Dr Bill Inman, reported how very few of the severe injuries from the old DPT vaccine ever got recorded. He states that from his data analysis it was at least ten times higher than the 1 in 300,000 that the Department of Health was clinging to. He noted [36]:

Children who had developed a temperature or had screamed repeatedly or had muscular spasms or convulsions after the first injection, had sometimes been given further doses of the vaccine with catastrophic results.

Another former Department of Health official told me that he had been to consult Sir Richard Doll who told him that the only way to assess the real level of damage in the population would be to actively monitor all the vaccinated for adverse events and sequelae, and this was not done. A study published this year showed that introduction of the vaccine in Guinea-Bissau in 1981 was associated with 5 times higher mortality rate in infants [37]. It has proved terribly easy to sweep such things under the rug.

In 2009 the government slipped on to the statute book a law requiring the Secretary of State for Health to follow the advice of the JCVI [38]. In 2014 the JCVI under the chairmanship of Prof Andrew Pollard recommended to the infant schedule the Men B vaccine Bexsero [39], a controversial vaccine [29,40,41,42] of which he himself was the lead developer [43]. The Cochrane complaint about the EMA also names Prof Pollard [44]:

There were no restrictions for the chair of the meeting, Andrew Pollard, although he had declared several conflicts of interest in relation to the HPV vaccine manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur MSD until 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Whether or not Prof Pollards name appears on contracts he remains Director of Oxford Vaccine Group [43] which develops vaccines. It may be time for politicians to take an interest in such matters again.

FOOTNOTES

[1]POSTnote 544 http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news-parliament-2015/research-integrity-inquiry-launch-16-17/

[2] Oliver Moody, Disgraced MMR fraud doctor is back in Britain https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/disgraced-mmr-fraud-doctor-back-in-uk-rl0d5tmpk

[3]Oliver Moody, Web giants profit from anti-vaccne frauds video https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/web-giants-profit-from-anti-vaccine-fraud-s-video-qlw9rk79l

[4] James Meikle, Claim that MMR work mixed science and spin, Guardian 24 February 2004.

[5] BBC NEWS, Top doctor wades into MMR debate, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3512195.stm

[6] Fiona Godlee, BMJ response to emails from Age of Autism Readers, http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/03/bmj-response-emails-readers-age-autism

[7] Fiona Godlee, Response to John Stone, http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/03/response-john-stone

[8] Eugenie Samuel Reich, Fresh Dispute Over MMR Fraud, http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111109/full/479157a.html?s=news_rss%20

[9] David L Lewis PhD, Apparent Egregious Ethical Misconduct by British Medical Journal, Brian Deer, https://niceguidelines.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/lewis-report-jan-8-2012.pdf

[10] Amar P Dhillon, Re: Pathology results solve new bowel disease riddle, 9 November 2011 http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/17/re-pathology-reports-solve-%E2%80%9Cnew-bowel-disease%E2%80%9D-riddle

[11] Susan E Davies, Caution in assessing histopathological opinions, 15 April 2010, http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/02/caution-assessing-histopathological-opinions

[12] England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions, Mr Justice Mitting between Prof John walker-Smith and the General Medical Council, http://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/markup.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2012/503.html&query=Walker-Smith+and+GMC&method=boolean

[13] Zosia Kmietowicz, University College London issues new research standards but says it wont investigate Wakefield, 14 September 2012 http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e6220

[14] Neville Hodgkinson, What Killed Sally Clarks Child, Spectator 16 May 2007, http://www.spectator.co.uk/comic/what-killed-sally-clarks-child/

[15] Brugha et al, Autistic Spectrum Disorders in Adults Living in Houses Throughout England, 2009, http://content.digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB01131/aut-sp-dis-adu-liv-ho-a-p-m-sur-eng-2007-rep.pdf

[16] Sarah Boseley, Autism just as common in adults, so MMR jab is off the hook, 22 September 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/sep/22/autism-rate-mmr-vaccine

[17] Helen McArdle, Call for investigation as 20 young Scots a day rejected for mental health care, 20 December 2016 http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14975962.Call_for_investigation_as_20_young_Scots_a_day_rejected_for_mental_health_care/

[18] Brett Campbell, Autism assessment waiting lists now at crisis level, says MLA , Belfast Telegraph, 22 December 2016, http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/autism-assessment-waiting-lists-now-at-crisis-level-says-mla-35313064.html

[19] The Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in Great Britain (1999 Department of Health/National Statistics). Table 4.1 (autism cases recorded under the heading PDD)

[20] Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004 (National Statistics). Table 4.1, http://content.digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB06116/ment-heal-chil-youn-peop-gb-2004-rep2.pdf

[21] Miller E, Controversies and challenges of vaccination: an interview with Elizabeth Miller, Footnote 3, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608187/

[22] Offit PA et al, Addressing parents concerns: do multiple vaccines overwhelm or weaken the infant's immune system? PEDIATRICS 2002; 109:1249. doi: 10.1542/peds.109.1.124

[23] MMRtheFacts, MMR Information sheet 2, https://web.archive.org/web/20050331183616/http://www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk/resources/pdf/sheet2.pdf

[24] John Stone, Irresponsible claims about vaccine safety? Questions for Sir Liam Donaldson and Prof Lewis Wolpert, 3 July 2004, http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/irresponsible-claims-about-vaccine-safety-questions-sir-liam-donaldson-and

[25] John Stone, What David Salisbury said, and the DOH's position on multiple vaccine safety, 20 September 2004 http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/what-david-salisbury-said-and-dohs-position-multiple-vaccine-safety

[26] Gtzsche et al, Complaint to the European ombudsman over maladministration at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in relation to the safety of the HPV vaccine, p.5 (18), p.27 (C9), http://nordic.cochrane.org/sites/nordic.cochrane.org/files/public/uploads/ResearchHighlights/Complaint-to-ombudsman-over-EMA.pdf

[27] Paul Offit, Are vaccines safe?, 2008 video lecture at 28 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQQ7izQOPdw

[28] LeBaron et al, Evaluation of Potentially Common Adverse Events Associated With the First and Second Doses of Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine, PEDIATRICS, http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/4/1422.full

[29] FDA information sheet p.7, https://www.fda.gov/downloads/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/UCM431447.pdf

[30] Transcript CNN, House Call with Dr Sanjay Gupta, 29 March 2008, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0803/29/hcsg.01.html

[31] Sharyl Attkisson, Vaccines, Autism and Brain Damage: What's in a Name?, CBS News, 14 September 2010, http://web.archive.org/web/20101106061707/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20016356-10391695.html

[32] Robert F Kennedy Jr and David Kirby, Huffington Post, 27 March 2009, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-and-david-kirby/vaccine-court-autism-deba_b_169673.html

[33] Demicheli et al, Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children, Cochrane Wiley 2005 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004407.pub2/full

[34] John Stone, Re: Evidence is not bullying, 18 September 2009, http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/02/re-evidence-not-bullying

[35] Statement of William W. Thompson, Ph.D., Regarding the 2004 Article Examining the Possibility of a Relationship Between MMR Vaccine and Autism, 27 August 2014 https://morganverkamp.com/statement-of-william-w-thompson-ph-d-regarding-the-2004-article-examining-the-possibility-of-a-relationship-between-mmr-vaccine-and-autism/

[36] Bill Inman, Dont Tell the Patient: Behind The Drug Safety Net pp.134-5, Highland Park Productions 1999.

[37] Mogensen et al, The Introduction of Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis and Oral Polio Vaccine Among Young Infants in an Urban African Community: A Natural Experiment http://www.ebiomedicine.com/article/S2352-3964(17)30046-4/abstract

[38] Health Protection (Vaccination) Regulations 2009 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/38/contents/made

[39] JCVI minutes February 2014 https://app.box.com/s/iddfb4ppwkmtjusir2tc/1/2199012147/18992168807/1

[40] Flyer for GSK Evening of Evidence formerly available here, http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/course/Evening%20of%20Evidence%20programme%20Vaccination%20Science%20to%20Policy%20UPDATED.pdf Reproduced here: http://www.ageofautism.com/2015/12/gsk-document-appears-to-show-vaccine-committee-chair-used-position-to-favour-own-product.html

[41] Consult by Univadis, Bexsero section 5.1 https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/28407

[42] Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (Australia), http://www.pbs.gov.au/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/pbac-outcomes/2015-07/web-outcomes-july-2015-subsequent-decision-not-to-recommend.pdf

[43] REF2014: EFFECTIVE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF MENINGITIS VACCINES http://impact.ref.ac.uk/casestudies2/refservice.svc/GetCaseStudyPDF/15529

[44] Gtzsche et al, Complaint to the European ombudsman over maladministration at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in relation to the safety of the HPV vaccine, p.48-9 http://nordic.cochrane.org/sites/nordic.cochrane.org/files/public/uploads/ResearchHighlights/Complaint-to-ombudsman-over-EMA.pdf
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 42F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 42F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
The Expulsion Of An Assyrian Mayor In Iraq

Assyrians in Alqosh demonstrate against the removal of the Assyrian mayor by the Kurdish Regional Government. ( AINA) Fayez Abed Jawahreh, mayor of the Chaldean Christian village of Alqosh has been recently ousted by members of the Kurdish Democratic Party, in a move that will further disadvantage Christians in the region To understand the plight of Christians in Iraq requires one to separate their experience from their western counterparts. Christians in Iraq are a minority, and the aftermath of ISIS has made them all but extinct. To comprehend what is happening to Christians in the region one must delve into the many injustices they face. Apart from the evident genocide of Christians in Iraq at the hands of ISIS, Christians are facing frequent acts of discrimination, exemplified by the recent ousting of Alqosh mayor Fayez Abed Jawahreh. Jawahreh is an ethnic Chaldean, an ancient group of people native to the region who extend their lineage back to biblical Babylon and were among the first to convert to Christianity. Chaldeans are by far the largest group of Christians in Iraq, making up approximately 80% of the 1.2% of Christians in the country. Some Chaldeans choose to identify by other names such as Assyrian, adding confusion to the understanding of their history and identity. Indeed, many western sources designate the group as Assyrian, and one is easily confused by the interchangeable nature of the ethnic group's name. Nevertheless, Alqosh, the village that Jawahreh presided over is historically known as Chaldean and is among the last Christian villages of Iraq, with a significant cultural history that has made it synonymous with the Chaldean Catholic identity. Alqosh has largely remained autonomously Christian, becoming a symbol of the endurance of Christian identity in Iraq. This has come to pass, however, as Chaldean Jawahreh is no longer presiding over the village that boasts his ethnic and religious identity. Instead, on July 16th he was ousted by Bashar Al Kekee, the head of the Nineveh Province Council (ironically Nineveh is a historically Christian province) and the member of the Kurdish Democratic Party. Keke justified the expulsion of Jawahreh by claiming misuse of public office and corruption as reasons for the abdication of the mayor. These accusations are yet to be proven true. But the damage has already been done. This ousting has effectively ended the Christian governance of Alqosh. Instead, a Kurdish Democratic Party member by the name of Lara Yousif, who replaced temporary mayor Adel Amin Omar will serve as administrator of the village, signaling the final blow to Christian self-determination in the country. The ousting in a bigger context One may find it surprising enough that Christians even exist in Iraq. Indeed, their story is not one frequently covered in the west and tragically when coverage is given to them by western media, it is often coverage of the latest ISIS atrocity or religious hate crime. But Chaldean Iraqi Christians have a rich and beautiful history. Their people claim a descendant back to the ancient groups of Mesopotamia and speak a language that resembles the language Jesus spoke. But their history and culture are dying due to a tragic combination of lack of cultural preservation, and the threat of ethnic cleansing. Christians are leaving Iraq in droves, and their children are losing their unique identity as a product of assimilation and lack of cultural exercise. To many in the Chaldean diaspora, cultural survival is unattainable. Many feel that the Chaldean identity in the coming generation will dissipate, and Chaldeans will no longer be inhabitants in their native Iraq. The recent expulsion of Jawahreh exemplifies the worries of Chaldean Christians. The worry that their people will not survive in their homeland. That outside political factors will consume their habitat, and that foreign rule will force their assimilation. The future of Chaldeans in Iraq is a lot like the short term future of Iraq itself-- a future decided by an outside aggressor, tragically confined by external powers. Powers that lack the want to preserve an ancient people whose inhabitancy predates that of all other groups in the country. But such is the tragedy of the Chaldean Christian people. And such is the tragedy of all minorities who have no say in the future of their survival.
From Raqqa, With an Assyrian Unit on the Front Lines of the Caliphate War

Syrian Democratic Forces fighters in Raqqa, July 28, 2017. ( Rodi Said/Reuters) Raqqa, Syria -- The coalition airstrikes lit up the night sky, perhaps a mile and a half away. The blast appears to be near the Old City, where ISIS is making its last stand, as it did in Mosul's Old City weeks earlier. "Whatever's there is important," says Christian. "And you know they're not getting it or they wouldn't bomb the same spot every night." Christian is an American and a former Marine, short but strong, tattooed on the arms, neck, and head. He's on the front lines of a war that began when he wasn't yet a teenager, but for the last ten years he's been on its front lines. Much of his youth was spent at a reform school for boys in California after he was orphaned in childhood. Since leaving the Marine Corps, he's served in the French Foreign Legion and most recently with the Syriac Military Council in the fight against ISIS in Northern Syria. "I'm not a soldier of fortune, I'm a soldier of conscience," he says. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) penetrated the periphery of the Old City just days before. But the front line, at the edge of a no-man's-land amid the rubble of what were once residential buildings, has moved little in recent weeks. The Syriac Military Council is but a small component of the SDF, but it's an important symbol for the pluralism that the SDF hopes will follow the war against the ISIS caliphate. The Syriac [Assyrian] Military Council was formed by 13 soldiers a little more than four years ago. Today they number 1,300. Most of the Syriac volunteers are from Syria -- from the heavily Christian city of Qamishli, or from Malikiyah or Hasakah, or from villages on the Khabur River, which ISIS overran two years ago, taking hostages. "Christian" (one of his noms de guerre) is one among a handful of Westerners here. "The U.S. was going to arm us [the Syriac Military Council] in 2015, but they went with the FSA instead," says one of the Syriac commanders. That the Free Syrian Army turned out to be little more than Islamist militias, and that the U.S.-government program was nothing short of disastrous, is now well documented. The Syrian Democratic Forces, especially units like the Syriac Military Council, are much closer to what the FSA duped gullible Westerners into thinking that it was. The Syriac unit also has Muslim volunteers, Kurd and Arab. They have fought and bled together to liberate Christian and Kurdish areas from ISIS; now they're fighting together to drive ISIS out of a predominantly Sunni Arab city. Raqqa is the capital of the geographic "caliphate," but it is also a symbol. The geographic caliphate in Syria and Iraq is in its final days, but this is not the end -- of either the terrorists or the ideology. Perhaps two miles separate our position in West Raqqa from the SDF forces in East Raqqa. ISIS is surrounded, but the fighting will continue, block by block, floor by floor, room by room. It is as brutal as any urban warfare since World War II. Christian hates ISIS but has no illusions about how tough the enemy is. "They're always attacking. Always."

The Syriac unit has Muslim volunteers, Kurd and Arab. They fought together to liberate Christian and Kurdish areas from ISIS; now they fight together to drive ISIS out of a predominantly Sunni Arab city.

They seem to find it humorous that American soldiers here wear body armor: God has appointed the time of death for each man; armor cannot protect a man from this. (God apparently also wills lower combat mortality rates among American troops.)

For their part, those fighting for ISIS -- Saudis, Chechens, Afghans, French, Turks, Pakistanis, Germans, and Americans, among others -- are under no illusions that they are in the last days of the geographical caliphate. The coalition hope was to kill every member of ISIS in Mosul and Raqqa, to prevent them from returning to their countries to carry out attacks. It is certain, however, that many have already escaped. One sees many bearded young men among the caravans of refugees of fleeing Mosul and Raqqa. The ISIS fighters who don't blow themselves up in suicide bombings may fight to the death. Or they may try to return to their countries of origin to carry out lone-wolf -- or perhaps coordinated -- attacks. The latter would be in keeping with the spirit of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the true founder and visionary of ISIS. Zarqawi carried out such attacks with lethal efficiency in Iraq -- against defenseless civilians in public places, including houses of worship and even elementary schools. These forms of terrorism have already become somewhat commonplace in the Western world and are certain to increase in the months and years ahead. The end of the caliphate war will not mean the end of ISIS or of al-Qaeda-linked terrorism. Indeed, the global support network has been scarcely disrupted. Wahhabi Islam, the foundational ideology for ISIS and al-Qaeda, continues to be disseminated around the world by Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have spent untold billions exporting their radical religious ideology. A Syriac soldier shows me a photo of himself with his foot on what he claims is the corpse of an ISIS Saudi sniper, whose face is bloated, almost a shade of green, the eyes rotted out. Many of the Islamist foreign fighters are only too happy to die here, as their brethren did in Mosul -- as on September 11, 2001. But the killing of Saudi terrorists here will mean little to the greater struggle. The foreigners are a fact beyond the control of the Syrian people. Many have instead begun to put energy into healing their communities after the foreigners are dead or departed. Reconciliation among Syrian communities, especially those alienated Sunni Arab communities that welcomed ISIS, has even begun to take root in the region, perhaps more earnestly in Syria than in Iraq. It is understood that many locals were essentially conscripted into ISIS, as soldiers or laborers. For these, an amnesty of sorts is likely. The Arabs, Kurds, and Christians fighting together in the SDF are keen not to make the mistakes of the regime, which divided Syria's components against each other. They first fought together to liberate Kurdish and Christian areas; now they fight to liberate Arab cities. "These guys are the bravest soldiers I've ever met," Christian says of a Kurdish SDF unit from Qamishli. Several times he recounts the story of these Kurds taking a residential building 100 meters to the east of us. "The fighting with ISIS was floor by floor, room by room. They radioed their general to say that they'd taken 40 dead. 'You can stop when you hit fifty' was his reply." They don't wear flak (bulletproof) vests or body armor and seem to find it humorous that the American special-operations soldiers here do: God has already appointed the time of death for each man; armor cannot protect a man from this. (God apparently also wills lower combat mortality rates among American troops.) It is part machismo, part fatalism. It must be said that the soldiers who embrace fatalism seem to be of better cheer. But even among the Syriac unit show a mix of humor and anxiety, a beleaguered exhaustion, perhaps hope for some deus ex machina to finish the fight. Although Raqqa is the capital of Daesh's caliphate, it is believed that the last great battle of significance of this caliphate war will take place to the southeast, in Deir ez-Zor, where many ISIS commanders are expected to make their last stand before the caliphate goes virtual. Like Mosul, Raqqa is in utter ruin. Unlike Mosul, the dead have not been left in the street to decompose in the summer heat. The Iraqi military and the accompanying Shia militias in Mosul made no attempt to conceal that they wished their enemies to be denied burial, to be consumed by nature, such as it survived in the concrete rubble where they fell.The next morning, ISIS breaks through and attacks an Arab position to the northeast, killing four. A suicide blast rocks a Syriac unit atop a roof overlooking a vast urban no-man's-land. From their rooftop position, Christian and "Paul," another American volunteer, swing into action with two soldiers, one Arab and the other Syriac. The exchanges last perhaps 30 minutes. Christian and Paul lay down machine-gun and small-arms fire, bringing the morning's fight to a conclusion with Christian firing a rocket-propelled grenade into an ISIS position. "In the Marine Corps, we call that fire superiority," says Christian. "It works." "We make progress during the day, but there are snipers," says "Kino,"one of the Syriac commanders and its spokesman. "We have to be careful also of IEDs and snipers. They also use drones." ISIS drones are a daily occurrence. "I think each drone carries four bombs. It's a very effective weapon for them. Once they're overhead, no one can move." The drone improvisation is unexpected and probably has been effective in slowing the SDF advance. ISIS appears to have no shortage of drones. One of them, a reconnaissance drone, was made in Simi Valley, Calif. "I'm guessing they got this from the Iraqi army," says Paul, who serves as both soldier and medic. Paul, like Christian and the others, is committed to the destruction of ISIS, though he knows that it is unlikely to end with Raqqa. But there may be hope for a post-ISIS, post-Assad form of democratic pluralism in northern Syria after ISIS is defeated here, even if the virtual caliphate finds geographic footholds in Libya, Afghanistan, Indonesia, or elsewhere. Orum Qamishlo, a Syriac officer says that he and other officers explained to their troops before the battle the importance of retaking the capital of the so-called caliphate. "After what they did to our [Christian] people in Khabur -- the bombings, the kidnappings, the rape, and murder -- it was important for our people. It wasn't revenge. But it was important for everyone to know that we, the original people of Syria, are working hand in hand with the other ethnic and religious groups for a better future. It's important that together we destroy this ideology of Daesh." Orum says that for some Arabs and Kurds, Muslims, this is their first encounter with Christians. "We taught them about our faith, that we desire to build, not to destroy. It's a necessity to reach our goal of a new future, to respect the blood of their martyrs and ours, to reach the goal that they died for." For his part, the courage of the Syriacs here has even prompted Christian to look at his own faith. "These are guys are an inspiration to me," says the American fighter. Whether the camaraderie and shedding of blood among the SDF fighting ISIS in Syria will give rise to a democratic, pluralistic Syria remains to be seen. Between West and East Raqqa are perhaps three kilometers and 2,000 members of ISIS. Much more SDF blood -- Kurdish, Arab, and Christian -- will be shed before anything like a victory can be declared. And then the beleaguered survivors will turn to Deir ez-Zor for the final battle of the geographic caliphate. Whatever may come next, Christian will be on the front lines until the battle for Raqqa is over. "This is like Berlin, 1945," he says, alluding to the end of the Third Reich. But he looks exhausted. Perhaps better than most of his countrymen, Christian knows that, even before this battle is over, a restructured Daesh will be planning its next attack targets -- outside Syria.
An Afghan Air Force A-29 Super Tucano sits on the flight line at Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. The A-29 is the most formidable strike aircraft in the AAFs fleet.

Kabul, AfghanistanAmerican advisors in Afghanistan like to say their duty is to work themselves out of a job. Though theres still a long way to go before that happens, momentum is building.

Once a week, Army Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., head of all NATO and US forces in Afghanistan, meets with field commanders. During a telecon dubbed the commanders visualization, US, NATO, and Afghan officers share a common view of whats going on at the strategic level, the operational level, and the tactical level in Operation Khalid, the name for the 2017 fighting season, Nicholson said in a recent meeting in Kabul.

For over an hour, regional commanders used maps and graphs to show where NATO and Afghan forces are pressing the Taliban and ISIS. More than ever before, the leaders cited the reliability and capability of the Afghan Air Force (AAF) in the fight.

The advise-and-assist mission has made tangible progress since the AAFs A-29 and MD-530 aircraft became operational less than two years ago. The Afghan air arm is flying more strike missions on its own, and the Afghan National Army corps has come to rely more and more on the Afghan light strike aircraft and helicopters in the ground fight against the Taliban.

The operational space remains changing, but we are gaining momentum, Nicholson said.

Training, advising, and assisting the new Afghan pilots and maintainers largely falls on a small group of US airmen in Kabul and in forward locations across the country.

From my perspective, although the coalition has been here for 16 years, the Afghan Air Force has been here in the fight, real hot and heavy, for less than two, said Col. Lendy Renegar, the chief of staff for the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, during an interview in Kabul. Though he said the AAF is still in the growth phase, overall the progress theyve made in that short amount of time is impressive.

In 2016, Afghan aircraft flew 13,741 missions, including 1,689 air strikes. That tally is greater than that for 2014 and 2015 combined, with missions this year moving at an even faster rate. Afghan combat pilots now sit alert daily to respond to Afghan troops in danger, a mission set unheard of before the NATO Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air (TAAC-Air) mission hit its stride.

Going Heavy on Light Strike

The AAFs A-29 is proving to be the cornerstone of the advance against the Taliban, having been in the fight since its first combat strike in April 2016. The USAF advisors are pushing to increase training.

The Afghans now fly 12 A-29s, with just 13 qualified aircrew. The plan is to build up to a fleet of 19 of the turboprops. Yet, despite the limited number of pilots and maintainers, the Super Tucano accounted for 138 strikes in 2016.

Every corps thats out there wants the A-29s support, USAF Lt. Col. Johnnie Green, commander of the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, told Air Force Magazine. The squadron, based at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oqab, attached to Hamid Karzai Airport, is responsible for training and advising both the A-29 and MD-530 attack helicopter squadrons.

With the difficult terrain [and] the amount of operations that are going on throughout the country, the A-29 provides that  attack aircraft capability that they didnt have necessarily before, Green said.

The A-29s operate out of three locations. Kabul serves as the main site of training, with two FOBs in the heart of the country serving as launching points for combat operations.

USAF trains Afghan A-29 pilots at Moody AFB, Ga., for about a year before they return to Afghanistan. In Kabul, the pilots fly their first solo, conduct their first live weapons drop, and then go right into combat, killing the Taliban, Renegar said.

The training contingent, both at Moody and in Kabul, is largely made up of former USAF A-10 pilots who are familiar with the close air support role.

The Afghan pilots come out with a very Western attitudevery well-trained, said USAF Maj. Gen. James B. Hecker, the commander of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan and commander of NATO Air Command-Afghanistan. They are very sensitive to civilian casualties and making sure theres little to no collateral damage.

The USAF members of the Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air in Afghanistan have to balance the need to train more A-29 pilots with nonstop combat requirements.

We are aircraft-limited, Green said. The aircraft priority has to go to combat. It has to.

USAF advisors and Afghan pilots took advantage of the winter lull in fighting to get in as much training as possible. Pilots focused on building new capabilities that werent necessarily fully addressed during initial training, such as night flying.

We make sure that we are building and progressing toward night capability, Green said, explaining that it will take about three years before aircrews are fully qualified with night vision goggles. The pilots flew a familiarization flight at night at Moody, but it will take extensive training to fully be able to fly close air support at night.

USAF advisors are also working on developing the Afghan pilots proficiency at dynamic targetingadjusting targets and plans while on a mission.

What were trying to do is build a healthy, experienced base, Renegar said. Were moving at a pace were comfortable with. They take to these things way better than we give them credit for, sometimes.

In addition to training more pilots, USAF is developing a long-term plan for Afghan Air Force A-29 maintainers. About 80 percent of the maintainers working on the aircraft are US contractors, with the balance made up of Afghan service members. Within four years, TAAC-Air wants to invert those numbers.

It takes time, Renegar said. It takes patience to build a pilot, it takes patience to build a maintainer.

More Afghan maintainers are in training. While almost all A-29 maintenance is done by American contractors at Kabul, at the FOB near the city of Mazar-e-Sharif in the north, the maintenance support is 100 percent Afghan, Green said.

Its just a numbers game. Afghanistan does not have the numbers of maintainers yet to make that shift, he said. As maintenance-trained Afghans come into country, we are pushing them out to FOLs [forward operating locations] and [as] they start operating on their own, they will start developing experience just as pilots do.

USAF advisors still have a lot more work to do, to train the pilot, maintainer, ground controller, and operations center personnel to a point where they are able to fight completely on their own, but they have made significant progress.

Green pointed to a recent mission that took place in early May. An Afghan air liaison officer was embedded with an Afghan National Army corps in contact with the Taliban. The officer, coordinating with the Afghan Ministry of Defense Air Command and Control Center, requested an air strike from an Afghan pilot. The strike was so effective, the pilot said it was one of the best hed seen.

Thats that whole circle coming around. We want to get them to do this on a sustainable level, where they can do this themselves. We dont want to be hands-on here.  We want them to be able to execute, Green said. They [also] want to be able to operate on their own. They take a lot of pride in what theyre doing.

A Tiny, But Vital Cessna

About half the entire sortie count tallied by the Afghan Air Force last year was flown by 24 nondescript, single-engine Cessnas that are constantly taking off and landing on airstrips across the country.

The Cessna 208, a resilient and easy-to-maintain light airlifter, has turned out to be an amazing airplane for the Afghan Air Force, Renegar said. The aircraft has accounted for 6,207 out of 13,741 sorties flown by the entire AAF in 2016, he reported.

The Afghan aircraft, called the Caravan in civilian use, carried 28,257 passengers and evacuated 2,301 casualties in 2016.

USAF advisors at FOB Oqab work with everyone from line pilots up to the Ministry of Defense on air operations, including ensuring the C-208 fleet can carry the load needed in the fight against the Taliban.

Members of USAFs 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron fly alongside Afghan C-208 crews on training flights. Their goal is to have the Afghans execute the missions without any American help, said USAF Maj. Randy Stubbs, the chief of C-208 operations for the 538th AEAS.

They are pretty good at what they do for the most part, and were here to sharpen their edge, Stubbs said. They are professional, good people. Its really good flying with them.

The aircraft can carry up to 3,000 pounds of cargo and up to 12 soldiers, so it is often used to resupply Afghan National Army corps across the country. It is their tactical airlifter, akin to how USAF uses its C-130 fleet, said Renegar.

Its a pretty good fleet for what we have here, he said.

The Afghan Air Force also flies four ex-USAF C-130Hs, providing in-theater strategic airlift. Even though only four AAF crews are trained and fully mission capable, the Afghan C-130H fleet flew 1,065 missions in 2016. It was responsible for 2,483 casualty evacuation sorties and carried 29,939 passengers.

Along with training and advising pilots, the 538th in Kabul trains and advises airdrop specialists on both the C-208 and C-130. USAF CMSgt. Bill Wunderlin, the senior noncommissioned officer in the squadron, said airmen he works with on both aircraft have proved to be very competent, and proficient at what they do.

USAF advisors work with Afghan loadmasters on understanding different mission sets, and they know the jobs in the back of the airplane, from loading ammunition and people to strapping down helicopters. They handle that mission very well, Wunderlin said.

Shanah Ba Shanah

The US Air Force security forces and the Afghan National Army battalion they advise in Kabul have a slogan in Pashto, Shanah ba shanahshoulder by shoulder.

The phrase is meant to encapsulate how the Americans work with the Afghans they advise, working daily on training exercises and conducting them side by side. The advisors and ANA soldiers constantly repeat the slogan, both as a way to break a silence due to language difficulties and a way to ensure they are on the same page in training.

On a recent afternoon at Karzai Airport, the slogan was on display as six ANA soldiers and their commanders walked alongside USAF security forces airmen, demonstrating how to track and take out an active shooter.

Two ANA soldiers ushered fire teams through an abandoned barracks building as USAF TSgt. James Guthrie, a security forces advisor with the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing TAACAir walked behind, offering tips but mostly assessing the progress made by the soldiers in the 10-day program.

Some of them have been playing this game for quite some time, said Capt. Dayne Foote, the chief of security forces and lead security forces advisor with the 438th AEW. They really are very, very good.

The inside-threat program, for example, includes about four hours of training and exercises every day. By the end, some of the more experienced Afghans are able to help train some of the others.

On the first day of Ramadan, the team of Afghan soldiers seemed tired due to fasting, but nonetheless quickly removed the simulated threats from the building.

The kandakPashto for a battalionat this Kabul base includes about 450 soldiers, noncommissioned officers, and officers tasked with protecting the Afghan Air Force wing attached to the airport. The small group of USAF security forces personnel work daily to advise the Afghans on air base protection, along with tasks such as quick reaction force response and active shooter threats.

While the USAF advisors are experts at air base defense, some Afghan personnel are teaching the airmen lessons in return. For example, the kandak commander, a colonel whose service stretches back to when the Russian military was in Afghanistan, gives USAF personnel a different outlook on how to operate in the country, Foote said.

What works with us is not always going to work with Afghanistan, Foote said. They are two very different countries, two very different cultures. We want to make sure what we do is sustainable for them.

Theres still a long way to go to build the Afghan militarys proficiency and professionalism, but overall the desire is there.

On a personal level, bottom line, they just want a better life, Stubbs said. They want to be able to take care of their families and have a country where they dont have to  worry about stepping on a mine or an IED [improvised explosive device].  We dont want terrorism here; they dont want it either. They dont want ISIS.

They dont want the Taliban. They want a peaceful life.
USAF F-16s fly a mission for BALTOPS and Saber Strike, multinational exercises in the Baltic region. Such exercises bolster Eastern Europes confidence in the US. Photo: SSgt. Jonathan Snyder

Thousands of US military personnel are regularly deploying to Central and Eastern Europe to train with allies and deter Russia, as there are very few US forces based here. In Poland, for example, the entire permanent US operational military presence consists of 11 USAF airmen assigned to Lask AB, Poland.

The 52nd Operations Groups Det. 1, the AvDet as it is colloquially known, works with the Polish air force on a daily basis at three central Poland air basesKrzesiny, Lask, and Powidzlaying the groundwork for cooperation and ensuring USAF has a warm base ready, come exercise season or war.

The detachment turns five in November, and few would have predicted in 2012 how important it would become. Then, in 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and illegally seized the Crimean Peninsula.

Russian aggression understandably worries NATOs Eastern members, most of whom spent half a century under Nazi and/or Soviet dominationor were completely absorbed by the Soviet Union and ceased to exist as independent nations. Needless to say, Russia invading neighboring nations and seizing territory does not sit well on NATOs eastern frontiers.

Today there is an alphabet soup of US and NATO initiatives to promote stability: Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP), the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI), Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR), and theater security packages (TSPs), not to mention air policing and the National Guard State Partnership Program. All serve overlapping purposes.

The United States has demonstrated not merely with words, but with its actions, that we stand firmly behind Article 5, said President Donald J. Trump in a July visit to Warsaw, Poland. Words are easy, but actions are what matters. This was an overdue but essential endorsement of NATOs all-for-one philosophy, and the President was spot-on about the importance of actions.

The US has indeed taken significant action to support its Eastern European allies. US funding for ERI initiatives has grown at breakneck pace. What was a $789 million training, deployment, and exercise program in 2016 is expected to grow to a $4.8 billion investment in 2018. Regular air policing missions defend the airspace of vulnerable allies, and theater security packages send combat-ready USAF units forward to work with and defend allies.

A recent visit to Lielvarde Air Base in Latvia during Saber Strike showed USAF C-130s practicing wartime delivery skills. The 435th Contingency Response Group was there as well, operating out of tents, exercising its ability to set up a bare base in combat conditions.

One high-profile move has a mechanized infantry battalion with armored fighting vehicles and towed artillery1,000 US Army soldiers in allpopulating a combat-ready NATO battle group in northeast Poland. Similar battle groups, manned by other nations, rotate through the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, shoring up the defense of these nations in Russias shadow.

In June, Saber Strike and Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercises were in full swing south and east of the Baltic Sea. Lask Air Base was closed to flight operations, as Poland and the United States make major improvements to the runway, ramps, and weapons storage areas, so Det. 1 was hosting four KC-135 tankers and eight F-16s at Powidz and Krzesiny instead. Airmen from each of the deploying units lauded the ease with which they were able to deploy to Poland and begin flying without missing a beat.

Lt. Col. Kristofer Padilla, Det. 1 commander, told Air Force Magazine the unit has a US European Command mandate to host four quarterly aviation detachment rotations per year, bringing F-16s and C-130s. Det. 1 is absolutely dependent upon the Total Force  to make those deployments happen, Padilla said. In other words, while USAF relies on the AvDet for successful deployments, the arriving forces also ensure Det. 1 can continue to keep the door open at the Polish bases.

In an all-out war, a handful of USAF fighters over Latvia or 1,000 soldiers in Poland will not defeat a Russian invasion. They will, however, serve as a tripwirea symbol of US commitment that should prevent Russia from attacking in the first place.

As one BALTOPS participant noted, many civilians in Eastern Europe still have an underlying fear we wont come if their nation is attacked by Russia. This makes the US presence in northeast Europe mutually beneficial. High profile, public partnerships like those on display this summer in Poland and Latvia build up US skills, reassure vulnerable allies, and keep Russia in check. Thats a win all the way around.
July 31, 2017

Ten individuals involved in the attack on the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran in January 2016 had their prison sentences upheld by an appeals court, according to the lawyer of one of the defendants. Mohammad Narimani said that five individuals were sentenced to six months in prison and five other individuals were sentenced to three months in prison. In the original sentencing, 13 individuals received a suspended sentence; a number of others were acquitted.

In response to the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, protesters who had gathered at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran and at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Mashhad eventually stormed the buildings and destroyed property. Iran arrested approximately a hundred individuals after the attack. One of the main organizers of the attack is believed to be a cleric who was linked to conservative Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Saudi Arabia cut all diplomatic relations with Iran after the attacks on the embassy. This crisis, however, was preceded by another crisis between the two countries in September 2015 when 474 Iranians were killed in a stampede in Mina while on hajj. Iran accused Saudi Arabia of incompetence and called for Mecca to be under international supervision. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of politicizing the event. Iran skipped the 2016 pilgrimage after the two countries were unable to agree on provisions to guarantee safety for Iranians.

But this year, after intense negotiations, Iranian pilgrims were sent to hajj. According to Iranian media, the first group of Iranian pilgrims in Medina for this years hajj were greeted by Saudi Arabias deputy minister for hajj.

During a speech to hajj officials July 30, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei discussed Saudi-Iran tensions related to hajj. We will never forget the tragedy of 2015 hajj, Khamenei said. He added that the safety and honor of all pilgrims is one of the demands of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei also addressed current political events and urged Muslims on hajj to take a united stand against Israel, in light of the Al-Aqsa protests, and the United States. Saudi Arabia has objected to any politicization of hajj.

At the event for Khameneis speech, Ghazi Askar, Khameneis representative of hajj affairs, said that Iran sent pilgrims this year because Saudi Arabia accepted Irans conditions, especially with respect to the safety of Iranian pilgrims. Iran had previously accused Saudi Arabia of banning Iranian planes from landing in their country and also requiring Iranians to travel to a third country to obtain an entry visa. Other media have reported that Iran objected to bracelets for tracking. The decision to send pilgrims this year was reportedly made by the Supreme National Security Council, which is headed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

While the attendance of Iranian pilgrims is a positive sign, there are still many differences between the two countries. Iran claims that Saudi Arabia has still not apologized for the Mina stampede. The two countries are still vying for regional dominance, and there continues to be a number of tension points in the region.
July 31, 2017

The economy dominated Irans recent presidential election. Hassan Rouhani, the incumbent, argued that integration into the global economy is the only path to prosperity and job creation, while his rivals accused his administration of having ignored the poor. Rouhani's opponents also promised to create millions of jobs, double the size of the economy and triple monthly cash payments to low-income families. In the end, most Iranian voters preferred Rouhani's path. Whether President Rouhani can deliver on his promises remains unclear, as does whether the head of government is powerful enough to realize any pledge to fundamentally revive the economy.

The distinct division between the public and private sectors of national economies as generally understood by economists does not apply in Iran. Iranian university professor Amrollah Ghadiri wrote in a May 1 editorial for the leading daily Donya-e Eqtesad, It is time for us to separate the government as the executive branch from the state and organizations affiliated with the state in studying the economy. In short, study of the impact of government policy must take into account the so-called quasi-state sector in Iran.

The quasi-state sector consists of businesses registered as private entities under Irans Commerce Code but in reality are either wholly or partially owned by actors like the military, foundations (bonyads) and pension funds. This sector has continuously expanded since the early 2000s, entering such areas of telecommunications and banking. Indeed, when Irancell won the right to become Irans second wireless provider in 2005, nobody missed that Iran Electronics Industry, a Defense Ministry company, held a 51% stake in the venture. Last year, one report estimated that 19,000 companies comprised the quasi-state sector.

The quasi-state sector emerged following the end of the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88), when public institutions began to establish companies, and military organizations set up businesses. For instance, Khatam al-Anbia, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) business conglomerate, was founded as a military headquarters for reconstruction in 1989. These quasi-state entities  some of them public or part of the political system  established businesses of their own and registered them as private firms. For instance, the Kish Free Trade Zone Organization (KFTZO) set up the Kish Free Trade Zone in the late 1980s and serves as its administrator. KFTZO then founded Kish Airlines, assumed ownership of property on Kish Island and became a major player in the tourism industry.

When the Iranian government initiated privatizations in 1989, as part of President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjanis policies to jump-start the economy, the quasi-state entities bid for shares in state firms. In effect, privatization became a process of transferring public property to companies defined as private businesses but belonging to public organizations. The story of Iran Aseman Airlines is a case in point. Created in 1980 through the merger of four formerly private airlines, the Iranian government transferred its 100% stake in the company to the Civil Servants Pension Organization (CSPO) in 2002.

Researchers consider Irans Social Security Organization (SSO) and CSPO to be among the chief beneficiaries of the privatizations. In 2013, Iranian legislators estimated that more than 1,500 trillion rials ($46 billion) in shares had been transferred to quasi-state entities as part of the privatization process, which intensified in 2005 following a decree by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In several cases, there was no bidding. Rather, the government transferred its shares in state-owned enterprises to CSPO or SSO or banks upon Cabinet decrees or to satisfy budget obligations.

Today, Irans economy is a masterpiece of structural ambiguity. It is near impossible to draw clear lines between the public and the private.

Compounding the structural challenges that Rouhani faces are the bonyads. These foundations have vast holdings in real estate, agriculture, energy, transportation and banking, but they refuse to pay taxes, arguing that they have a public mission. During the recent presidential campaign, conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi, head of Astan Quds Razavi (AQR), Irans wealthiest foundation, was asked why his employer does not pay taxes. Raisis response was that the AQR is exempt due to a decree issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic. This prompted Kamel Taghavinejad, head of the National Tax Administration, to issue a statement reminding Raisi that exemption does not extend to value added tax and other tariffs, which AQR refuses to pay. According to the Central Bank of Iran, institutions and foundations of the Islamic Revolution in the period March-November 2016 paid only 15% of projected taxes.

For decades, the mainstream view among observers has been that the Iranian economy is the domain of the executive branch. The government indeed remains the owner of sizeable enterprises and properties. It also regulates the economy. Its numerous committees and councils address issues ranging from the quality of bread to industrial standards for fire-resistant materials. The emerging quasi-state sector, however, has been challenging the executive branchs dominance in the economy and defying its authority as regulator. This has created a new reality on the ground, one that must be considered when assessing the governments performance or predicting the impact of its policies.

The existence of a quasi state has caused differences over policies and the direction of Irans economy. For instance, the Rouhani administration would like to see Iranian banks join the global banking network and establish digital platforms for online payments. The quasi state apparently begs to differ.

Last December, Terrapinn, an international events company, was set to hold the Iran Payments 2016 Conference in Tehran, to focus on the future of banking, online payment systems and governance. Many observers viewed it as a first step toward facilitating partnerships between foreign and Iranian banks to modernize the banking sector. Instead, Nasim Online, a news agency linked to the security services, claimed credit for having exposed a British-Zionist plot to infiltrate Irans economy. One day before the opening of the conference, Terrapinn received word that it had been canceled. Moreover, when the government-owned Iran Air began negotiations to acquire Airbus and Boeing aircraft in 2015, quasi-state firms called for the domestic production of passenger jets or the purchase of Russian-made Sukhoi planes.

Addressing the business community in June, Rouhani expressed his frustration. We wanted to transfer the economy to the people, instead we took parts of it from an unarmed government and gave them to an armed government, he said. This is not privatization. Thus, while the president won re-election, it is clear that his opponents can still very much frustrate his plans and that his promises of structural reform face a formidable challenge.
July 31, 2017

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ultimately backpedaled from his July 16 decision to place metal detectors near the gates to the Temple Mount. This flip-flop, which was viewed by politicians and journalists as capitulation to the Waqf (the custodian of Muslim holy sites) and the Palestinians, then caused Netanyahu to release a gamut of statements and proposals to pacify his right-wing electoral base. The prime minister announced that he would promote the death penalty for terrorists, even though he had opposed it in the past. He instructed Communication Minister Ayoub Kara to work toward the closure of Al Jazeera offices in Israel. He announced the resumption of construction work on a new settlement for the evacuees of the Amona outpost, which he had frozen earlier, and he instructed Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman not to evacuate the settlers who had broken into the Machpelah House in the West Bank town of Hebron. But perhaps the most dramatic announcement of all, one signaling a significant change in the prime ministers stance, was his statement in support of Libermans idea of a territorial swap: The Wadi Ara localities would become part of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in exchange for Israels annexation of the West Bank settlements.

The funeral in Umm al-Fahm of the three terrorists who killed the policemen on the Temple Mount on July 14 was attended by masses of local Israeli-Arabs. Immediately afterward, Israels Channel 2 reported that Netanyahu had raised a proposal to the US emissaries to the region: The prime minister wants to annex the Etzion Bloc settlement localities in exchange for transferring the Wadi Ara territory  including Umm al-Fahm  to the Palestinians. Liberman had promoted a similar plan for many years, and he even made it the cornerstone of his campaign in the 2015 elections. As soon as he heard Netanyahus proposal, Liberman tweeted at him, Welcome to the club.

This was the first time that Netanyahu had ever uttered anything about annexation and the transferring of settled areas from Israel to the Palestinians. His words are especially significant when we take into account that they were not uttered in the framework of a peace agreement with the Palestinians, but as a proposal for immediate implementation outside any diplomatic agreement. The import of such a step would be the transfer of hundreds of thousands of Arab residents, many of whom are Israeli citizens from birth, to the PA.

Arab Joint List Knesset member Yousef Jabareen, a resident of Umm al-Fahm, told Al-Monitor in reaction to Netanyahus proposal, The prime minister is continuing his incitement campaign against Arab citizens of Israel. This is a continuation of [Netanyahus statement on election day in March 2015] that Israeli-Arabs are coming out in droves to the polls. Now he is playing horse dealer with citizens who received their citizenship by law because they reside in their homeland, as opposed to the settlers who live illegally on lands that were stolen from the Palestinians.

Likud veteran Moshe Arens, the former defense minister in Yitzhak Shamirs right-wing government, attacked Netanyahu and Libermans proposals. According to Arens, these proposals view Arab citizens not as human beings but as chattel to be bought and sold. In a Haaretz article on July 31, Arens wrote, Adopting Defense Minister Avigdor Libermans idea and turning the city over to the Palestinian Authority is absurd. Its Israeli citizens cannot be divested of their Israeli citizenship  but the extremists in that city need to be identified and reined in before further damage is caused.

According to data provided by Israels Central Bureau of Statistics for 2014, more than 50,000 inhabitants live in Umm al-Fahm. By contrast, only 21,000 residents live in the entire Etzion Bloc Regional Council and 19,000 live in the West Bank settlement of Ariel.

We again come across something that is not new to us: that every settler in the territories is an important citizen, more important than us. We are like chattel to be traded in the souk, said N., an Umm al-Fahm resident who works as a male nurse in the Valley Hospital in the northern Israeli city of Afula. Speaking on condition of anonymity, N. told Al-Monitor that for several years already, many youths living in Umm al-Fahm are embarrassed to tell their Jewish friends or potential employers that they live there because of the anti-Israeli reputation of the city in recent years. Sometimes they say, I live in Musmus [a small locality near Umm al-Fahm]. Others stutter that they live in Afula, while still others claim in work interviews that they are from Haifa [or the Israeli-Arab towns of] Taibe or Tira.

Samir, an inhabitant of Umm al-Fahm studying for a masters degree in sociology at Haifa University, told Al-Monitor about a new phenomenon spreading among youth in the city who want to get married. He said that they worry about raising a family in Umm al-Fahm, where they might find themselves transferred to the PA one fine day. Young people prefer to be matched up with partners who do not live in Umm al-Fahm. That way they will be able to move and live outside the city [after they get married]. According to Samir, who asked that his full name not be divulged, the few youths in the city who have regular jobs and economic security take pains to buy or rent an apartment in one of the other Arab localities in order to ensure their Israeli citizenship doesnt get taken away.

Most of the residents I know were outraged over the terror attack carried out by the three locals, Samir said. He added that there is a reign of fear in Umm al-Fahm that was created by the extremist voices in the city. According to Samir, many inhabitants feel that Sheikh Raed Salah, the head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, which was based in Umm al-Fahm, inflicted irreversible damage on the city. Samir was disappointed to hear Netanyahus proposal about land and population swaps with the PA. You get up one day in the morning to find out that now its not just Liberman, but even the prime minister, who is supposed to represent you. And instead of that, he says, You arent welcome here.'"

Both Samir and N. project that more and more Umm al-Fahm youths will look for places to live outside their hometown. We dont want to live a conditional existence, said Samir. We dont deserve that.
July 31, 2017

Turkeys plans to procure an advanced long-range air and missile defense system (LORAMIDS) has been dragging on for 10 years, but now it could be leading to a profound crisis of confidence between Turkey and the US-Western security blocs.

The latest indicator was a July 23 statement by Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford at an Aspen, Colorado, security forum: [Turkey has] not bought the S-400 air defense system from Russia. That would be a concern, were they to do that, but they have not done that."

Russia did not comment on Dunfords statement, but Turkey reacted harshly. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the United States had not helped Turkey one bit in acquiring LORAMIDS, which he said is urgently needed. That's why Turkey had to look for alternatives and signed an agreement in principle with Russia.

In a July 13 story, "Turkey Chooses Russia Over NATO for Missile Defense," Bloomberg reported that the proposed deal for four S-400s would be worth $2.5 billion.

On July 28, Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkey has been deeply disappointed by the attitudes of the West, and the United States in particular, about LORAMIDS. The agreement with Russia has been mostly concluded, he said, disclosing for the first time that Russia has agreed to joint production and technology transfer.

Many wonder if this development will affect Turkeys NATO membership.

Turkeys quest for LORAMIDS has been problematic from the outset. Ankaras ultimate goal is to manufacture its own system. Ankara has already made some progress with the Hisar-O medium-range air defense system made by Roketsan A.S., the Ankara-based affiliate of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation. Turkey's goal is to develop this model and manufacture its own LORAMIDS by 2025. It's no secret that Roketsan is cooperating with Paris-based Eurosam on this project. In the meantime, Turkey is determined to fill its urgent security needs, given the Syrian crisis and Irans aggressive ballistic missile program.

When Turkey went shopping for a LORAMIDS, it received offers from the Eurosam French-Italian partnership for the Aster 30 SAMP/T; from China for its China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp.s HQ-9/FD-2000; from Russias Rosoboronexport with the S-400; and from US Raytheon for PAC-3 systems. Turkey launched negotiations in 2013 for the $3.4 billion Chinese HQ-9 model, but called off the plan in June 2015 because the HQ-9 did not have anti-ballistic features and the company was not willing to discuss technology transfer. No doubt, NATO pressures played a role in the decision to call off the Chinese contacts. Meanwhile, Turkey felt that because of the growing ballistic missile threat from Syria, it urgently needed a defensive system. NATO tried to fill the void by deploying US, German, Italian and Dutch Patriot and Aster systems on Turkeys Syrian frontier from 2014 to 2016.

In the days following Erdogans announcement of the S-400 as his system of choice, the Turkish news media became very interested in the affair. In just four days, the Turkish media printed 36 news reports and 12 commentaries on the S-400. According to some media outlets, 80% of the public supported the S-400 without reservations, 15% were somewhat cautious and only 5% were against it. These statistics indicate Erdogans influence over the media, as well as the growing anti-West sentiments in Turkey.

Security analyst Turan Oguz told Al-Monitor the S-400 will provide defense against short-range ballistic missiles with a 620-mile range. Also with the S-400, Turkey will be able to monitor air activity up to 372 miles in neighboring air spaces and lock its radars onto them at a distance of about 250 miles. Oguz said this capacity will enhance Turkeys military, political and diplomatic deterrence in the region and minimize any surprise actions against Turkey. Oguz also believes these systems will significantly increase Turkeys military superiority in the Aegean Sea.

Those commenting cautiously on the S-400 acquisition have technical and political reservations. Deniz Zeyrek, of the daily Hurriyet, finds Turkeys selection of the S-400 a risky move that will erode NATOs "collective defense" strategy set out in its charter, and it will create more dependence on Russia.

Defense analyst Arda Mevlutoglu told Al-Monitor that until Turkey develops its national defense industry  which wont be easy  Turkey will have to procure LORAMIDS from external sources. Long-range ballistic missile and air-defense systems have to operate as an integrated network of intertwined elements to be effective against cruise or ballistic missiles, which are targets hard to acquire and eliminate. Otherwise, your system will be limited for use against planes and helicopters at medium and high altitudes. Used singly, S-400 will have limited effectiveness. We have to continue at full pace to develop national radar and air defense systems. I am afraid procuring the S-400 will stall those vital projects, he said.

Hakan Kilic, an expert who opposes Turkey's purchase of an S-400 system, has two technical objections. First, he doesnt believe Russia will ever give Turkey its advanced radar technology, software and guidance systems, even though Turkey will pay $5 billion for a system from a leaflet, without even a test video." Moreover, he said, the S-400 will be incompatible with other radar and communications systems. "I think that such a stand-alone system, which in principle can be used only against airplanes, is much too expensive, Kilic said.

Kilic also believes that a system that's not part of an integrated umbrella will be easily defeated by both NATO and Eastern bloc countermeasures. Why should I pay billions of dollars for a system that I wont be able to use productively in case of war? he added.

Also raising eyebrows is Russias silence while the S-400 is becoming a full-fledged crisis between Turkey and the West.

Moscow State University political science expert Kerim Has identified two reasons for Moscows silence: First, Russia is waiting for the right time. Second, final signatures have not been affixed. The Kremlin doesnt want to sound like it's contradicting Erdogan by having to say, No, we havent affixed our final signature,' because it prefers the NATO/S-400 debate to widen" and create discontent.

Mikhail Barabanov, a senior research fellow at the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, attributes Russias silence to domestic politics. "This sale causes mixed reactions in Russian public opinion and among experts, given the outbreak of anti-Turkish sentiments" after Turkey shot down a Russian plane in 2015, as well as Turkey's membership in NATO and the country's "contradictory attitude toward the Ukrainian crisis."

He added, "Apparently, the Kremlin does not want [domestic] public discussions on this issue and is trying to conduct a deal without publicity" within the country.

Has and Barabanov dont believe the S-400 can be delivered to Turkey before 2020, even if a final accord is reached. Has emphasized his belief that Russia is pleased with the raging arguments. Russia is delighted because the S-400 debate can lead to a rift in its primary geopolitical foe, NATO. A possible breakup in NATO-Turkey relations has the potential of being the grandest strategic gain of the 21st century for Moscow. Moreover, by showing that it can sell such systems to a NATO country, Russia boosts its standings in the global weapons market, Has said.

Barabanov believes Russia wont actually transfer S-400 technology to Turkey. He said, The order volume is too small, and the import of technologies will require a long-term agreement, which is clearly not there. The Turkish side understands this well.

Barabanov, who drew attention to NATO member Greeces use of the S-300PMU1 long-range, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system for a long time, added, I believe that the question of the alleged incompatibility of Russian SAM systems with NATO systems is too politicized and not practical.

Regardless of speculation, it's obvious Washington is concerned with Turkeys efforts to acquire the S-400. Russia is happy but silent, and Ankara is emotional and furious with NATO and the United States.
July 31, 2017

ANKARA, Turkey  The crisis between Turkey and Germany, escalating with back-to-back spats, reached new heights this month with the arrest of German national and human rights consultant Peter Steudtner during a police raid on a meeting of human rights defenders, whom the government accuses of planning subversive activities. Following the arrests, Germany for the first time raised the prospect of sanctions against Turkey.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on July 20 that Berlin could no longer guarantee German company investments in Turkey because of the lack of legal certainty. He also warned that German citizens were no longer safe from arbitrary arrests in the country. We cant go on as we have before, Gabriel said. We have to be clearer than before so that those in charge in Ankara understand that such a policy wont be without consequences. Gabriels statement was widely perceived in Turkey as a threat of sanctions and a veiled call to German entrepreneurs and tourists to stop investing and vacationing in the country.

With bilateral tensions simmering, two disparate approaches emerged from Ankara: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sharpened his tone toward Germany, and figures close to him made statements that threatened to further fuel the row. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and some Cabinet members have sought to de-escalate the situation, adopting moderate language and stressing that tensions will harm both sides.

Speaking in Istanbul July 21, Erdogan urged Germany to sort itself out. Referring to the prospect of economic sanctions, he said, They are attempting to threaten Turkey, [relying on] the wealth they have acquired by chance. There is something called a free market in the world. They are not aware even of that.

Erdogan denied that Turkey was investigating German companies on suspicion of supporting terrorism, a claim the German media had reported, quoting German officials. According to the reports, the companies were suspected of links to followers of the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of being behind last years coup attempt.

I called the National Intelligence Organization [MIT] and the interior minister to ask them whether we have launched any inquiry or investigation related to German companies, Erdogan said. The answer I got yesterday was that no inquiry or investigation had been launched concerning any German company and that all [such claims] are lies. Erdogan then accused German officials of making baseless statements to scare off German investors in Turkey.

In another outburst, at the July 25 parliamentary meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan claimed that Steudtner is a spy. He charged, You deny speaking opportunities [in Germany] to Turkeys president and ministers, but then your spies would come here, roaming in hotels.  This cannot be.

Turkey's prime minister, however, has seemed aware that the tensions, perhaps mounting toward an irreversible breaking point in bilateral ties, could result in a hefty bill for Ankara. Following Erdogans harsh statement, Yildirim sought to cool the row. There is no point in further straining things, he said July 22 in Ankara. Im appealing to German officials: We should act in a calmer manner and with more restraint. We believe we can resolve the issues through dialogue.

Days later, however, a condemning revelation made Turkey's position more difficult. Officials in Berlin revealed July 24 that despite the denial by Erdogan, Ankara had submitted a list of 681 German companies to Interpol, including global giants like Daimler and BASF, and requested German assistance in investigating them. The Turks subsequently withdrew the list. Later in the day, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag announced that a big communication mistake had been made, asserting that no German company was under investigation.

Still, the communication mistake revealed that Ankara had, indeed, drafted a terror list of German companies and that the information Erdogan had received from MIT and the Interior Ministry was either incomplete or misleading. Picking up the pieces again fell to Yildirim.

On July 27, he invited the executives of 19 leading German companies to the Cankaya Palace in Ankara, scrambling to reassure them that their operations in Turkey were safe. Stressing that the strain in bilateral ties was temporary, he said, We can never think of [a situation in which] investors, which have been present in Turkey for half a century and are now ingrained in the minds of the people as Turkish rather than German companies, are subjected to unfair criticism and pay a price for these ties.

The divergent pronouncements of the president and the prime minister suggest a rift in the government's ranks on how relations with Germany should be handled. According to Erdogan Toprak, a senior lawmaker for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, Yildirim is acting more realistically because his political ambitions are lower than Erdogan's.

Following the April 16 referendum that narrowly approved a shift to an executive presidency, Yildirim ceded AKP leadership to Erdogan. Allowing heads of state to also be party members was among the constitutional amendments in the referendum. In 2019, when the election of a president under the new system is scheduled to take place, Yildirim must cede the premiership, as it will be eliminated.

In a statement on his personal website, Toprak remarked, Aiming at 2019, the president and the small team around him are displaying a hawkish policy, feeding on confrontation and tensions. Prime Minister Yildirim, for his part, speaks of dialogue to resolve the problems.  The prime minister has handed over the party chairmanship and is now waiting for his premiership duty to end. Because he has no [political] aspirations left, he is being more moderate and realistic. The president, meanwhile, is ready to burn all bridges and smash anything to get the executive presidency. This in-house polarization on foreign policy is detrimental for Turkey. Turkey today is left with only one ally in the region and the world, which is Qatar.

Germany is among Turkeys top trading partners, and significant numbers of Germans travel to Turkey for tourism. Any German sanctions could therefore prove quite costly for Turkey, which is still trying to overcome the damage from sanctions imposed by Moscow after Turkey downed a Russian warplane in 2015. Were Germany to mobilize other EU members to follow suit, the damage could reach an insurmountable scale. Yildirim recognizes the risk and is thus trying to reassure German investors, while Erdogan persists in his hawkish stance as part of a domestic campaign aimed at winning the 2019 presidential election.

At a July 27 AKP meeting, Erdogan told lawmakers, If there are any [among you] who are tired, they should step aside. This could be seen as a sign that Erdogan is worried about losing the election. It also may be a message to Yildirim that he, too, should step aside if he cannot keep pace with Erdogan. In sum, the tensions with Germany have exposed a political rift within the AKP's ranks. Yildirim's prioritizing of Turkeys national interest, rather than his own personal interest or the partys, could lead to his stepping down before 2019.
August 1, 2017

Iran is gradually increasing its support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Rather than eliminating the Iranian presence in the country, the Saudi-led war is giving Tehran the opportunity to become more influential there than ever. The Houthis remain fiercely independent of Iran, but they will need Tehran's backing more as the stalemate continues.

The Iranian connection with the Houthi movement dates back over a decade, before the Arab Spring, to the battles between the Houthis and the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Backed by the Saudis, Saleh tried to crush the Houthis in a series of military campaigns. Iran began providing training and expertise for the Houthi forces at camps in Lebanon run by Hezbollah and in Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Houthis openly emulated Hezbollah as a role model and successfully thwarted both Saleh and the Saudis. But Iran did not gain direct input into Houthi decision-making as it has with its Lebanese partner.

Iran reportedly discouraged the Houthis from seizing Sanaa in September 2015, fearing that would provoke civil war. With the help of former President Saleh, who switched sides by 2015, the Houthis did take the capital, which precipitated the crisis leading to the Saudi intervention. So far from being pawns of Iran, the rebels ignored its advice.

The rebels have also been quick to deny any plans for a future permanent Iranian military base in the country. When the commander of the Iranian navy suggested that Iran would acquire a base in Yemen, the Houthis rejected the idea. Observers in Sanaa report that the Iranian presence is hidden from view and operates discretely behind the scenes.

But it is growing. This spring, the powerful head of the IRGC's Quds Force, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, ordered a step-up in aid to the Houthis, including more advisers and experts on the scene and more technology-sharing with the Yemeni forces. Naval mines, anti-tank missiles and drones are among the items reportedly sent.

The most important assistance is ballistic missile technology and expertise. Yemen had bought Scud missiles during Saleh's reign and used them in the civil war in 1995. Iran has developed a large missile infrastructure and supplies Hezbollah with them. Last month, the Houthis fired a missile that they claimed was targeting a Royal Saudi Air Force base but that the Saudis claim was intended to hit Mecca. Saudi air defense systems intercepted the missile. With time and Iranian help, the rebels may be able to hit Riyadh.

The IRGC has suffered some casualties in Yemen. According to one study, at least 23 Iranian soldiers have been killed or captured and another 21 Hezbollah fighters have been lost. Iran is now also sending Afghan Shiite fighters to Yemen, just as it has done in Syria.

It is far more difficult for Iran to smuggle weapons and personnel to Yemen than to Syria or Lebanon. The ports are blockaded and the airports closed. Yemen has 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) of coastline and a porous border with Oman, so the Saudi blockade is not impenetrable. The Iranians are experts in the business of clandestine weapons smuggling.

For Tehran, the aid to the Houthis is a very inexpensive means to bog down the Saudi kingdom in a quagmire that has gone on for more than two years. For the Saudis, the war is far more expensive. A new Harvard study says it may cost Saudi Arabia as much as $200 million a day.

Iran's role in Yemen is likely to get more aggressive as the United States increases sanctions against Tehran. The Iranians see the United States and Saudi Arabia as more closely aligned than ever in a hostile and threatening entente against them  a view reinforced by US President Donald Trump's visit to Riyadh in May.

Yemen is a useful battlefield to weigh down the Saudis indefinitely. If the Americans can be dragged into the quagmire more deeply, even better. A war designed to weaken Iran is actually helping it against its regional rival.

It's in American interests to find a path to end the war soon. Our allies are squandering resources. The Yemeni people are paying a horrific price with mass malnutrition and disease. The immediate requirement is for an open-ended cease-fire and the lifting of the Saudi blockade. To ensure that the Iranians do not use a truce to massively resupply the Houthis, the United Nations should install monitors at airports and seaports to monitor traffic. The United States could assist by providing intelligence to the monitoring mission.
August 1, 2017

Knesset member Nava Boker (Likud) was present in the Military Appeals Court on July 30, when it discussed the appeal submitted by Elor Azaria, sentenced to 18 months in prison for manslaughter. Her presence there underscored in a disturbingly clear way the moral and ethical low point that the Likud has reached. In January, Azaria was convicted of killing a neutralized terrorist in Hebron in March 2016. Yet Boker made a point of calling him "the son of every one of us," just moments before the court rejected his appeal.

Boker may hold the title of deputy speaker of the Knesset, but she is hardly a major political figure or even a senior member of her party. Still, her embrace of Azaria is an expression of the overall mood within the Likud; it also reflects the attitude of its leader, Likud Chairman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Nor was Boker the only member of the Likud who felt confident enough to cast aspersion on an unequivocal legal ruling, which determined that Azaria acted out of a desire for vengeance. Knesset member Oren Hazan (Likud) also made an appearance at the hearing, tweeting from there, "Only in Israel would an outstanding warrior, who eliminated a despicable terrorist determined to spill Jewish blood, be convicted of murder like a felon and be sent to jail."

When the prime minister himself shows empathy for an event that runs counter to the underlying principles of Israeli society, he is showing his support for Knesset members like Boker and Hazan, who are trying to turn a soldier who went astray into a hero.

Azaria is not the "child of all of us." He is a soldier convicted of manslaughter (with the court rejecting appeals) and sentenced to 18 months in prison. The incident began in March 2016, when a video of the illegal shooting was released by the B'Tselem human rights group. Since then, the right has turned the incident into a political tool to win support and incite the masses. As part of this process, the chief of staff and other senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers were transformed into "public enemies" and "traitors," and subjected to an unprecedented campaign of delegitimization.

The use of the expression "the son of all of us," or "the child of all of us," was borrowed from the campaign to release abducted soldier Gilad Shalit. It is a manipulative move that says more about the moral and ethical vertigo of the ruling party and its leader. The fact that these attacks on the IDF are led by Knesset members from the Likud, a party that represents the center among the Israeli public, rather than from some fringe right-wing party, ensures that the Azaria incident will become a dramatic milestone in the history of Israeli society.

The campaign to release Shalit was, for the most part, a demonstration of power and cohesion within Israeli society. The campaign to release Azaria, of which Netanyahu is an integral part, is the opposite of that.

As prime minister, Netanyahu approved the deal with Hamas to obtain Shalit's release in 2011. He did this even though Shalit's release came at a hefty price, with Shalit exchanged for over a thousand terrorists held in Israeli prisons. Netanyahu made his decision despite demonstrations from the far right and threats from settlers that he would pay a steep political price for what he did. Likud ministers told the press that on the weekend in which Shalit returned home, they were welcomed in synagogues across Israel with cheering and hugs. Images of the abducted soldier stepping down the ramp of the airplane that flew him to freedom after six years in Hamas captivity may have run counter to all the doctrines of how to fight terrorism, adhered to by Netanyahu and the right. Nevertheless, they were also an exhilarating display of mutual responsibility, the commitment to free captured soldiers, and social cohesion and strength.

Shalit was not a hero, but he was captured during military action. This marked the beginning of Operation Summer Rain in the Gaza Strip. In contrast, Azaria was a soldier who killed a neutralized (wounded, on the ground) terrorist, intentionally violating such basic IDF values as morality and purity of arms. True, he was a young man of 18, ordered to face complex situations pitting him against a civilian population under occupation. Nevertheless, that does not give him the freedom to act counter to the army's explicit orders, nor does it grant him immunity from punishment.

Six years after Shalit was released, the Likud in its current state has been weakening and dismantling society from within. The Azaria incident is a warning signal on that slippery slope. How much Israeli society has changed in its attitude toward incidents of this kind can be seen when compared to the Givati A and B trials in 1988 and 1990, respectively. The first intifada was raging at the time, when soldiers from the Givati Brigade were accused of using excessive and unnecessary violence against Palestinians. Back then, the culprits did not become heroes. Instead, they were forced to bear the stigma of their actions.

Opinion polls conducted throughout the Azaria incident, including one from half a year ago, show that most Israelis back the soldier convicted of manslaughter, and support granting him clemency. According to former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, these polls can be found on the prime minister's desk. They were responsible for Netanyahus sharp reversal, from condemnation to support.

Immediately after the incident occurred, Netanyahu and Ya'alon (then still defense minister) released a statement distancing themselves from the way Azaria acted, claiming that what happened in Hebron did not represent the intrinsic values of the IDF. In retrospect, Ya'alon explained that this incident was out of the ordinary. Therefore in a joint decision we made a statement together a few hours after the incident in order to prevent a conflagration on the ground, to prevent anyone from using the incident as proof of Palestinian blood libels  as if Israel and IDF soldiers carry out extra-judicial executions. Yaalon characterized the decision as one taken in the interest of national security.

It took just two days for Netanyahu to change course on March 26 publishing a less equivocal statement. Ya'alon was abandoned. Netanyahu realized that Azaria had public backing, and that the leaders of the other right-wing parties, HaBayit HaYehudi head Naftali Bennett and Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman, were winning support for speaking out on Azaria's behalf. At that point, Netanyahu made a sharp U-turn.

Three days after condemning the murder, Netanyahu called Azaria's father, Charlie Azaria. By placing this sympathetic phone call, Netanyahu signaled that he chose to take his lead from the mob, instead of supporting the IDF and its officers. Ya'alon was later removed from the Defense Ministry.

In the Azaria incident, the dynamic between Netanyahu and the Israeli public is very telling. It is the consequence of Netanyahu's long years in power, which he used to shape society in his own image: victimized, persecuted and polarized. His formula is the exact opposite of the doctrine promulgated by Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, who strove to create a cultural and natural melting pot here. In contrast, Netanyahu identifies the most fragile links in the chains binding society together and makes every effort to weaken them further  all in an attempt to ensure his own survival.
August 1, 2017

BEIRUT  On July 24, Judge Saqr Saqr, the state commissioner of the Lebanese military court, received the report of the medical committee, which was tasked with investigating the death of four Syrians while in custody. They are identified as Mustafa Abd el-Karim Absse, Khaled Hussein el-Mleis, Anas Hussein el-Husseiki and Othman Merhi el-Mleis.

The four were among hundreds of people arrested during army raids on Syrian refugee camps in Arsal that started on June 30 and are aimed at what the army describes as capturing terrorists. In the report, the committee of three doctors said the deaths were not the result of violence but of different health problems that led to their immediate death following the arrest.

The autopsy report of the four Syrian detainees concluded that one of the detainees died of a sudden heart attack, while a second died of pneumonia, a third of climate shock and substance abuse and a fourth of emphysema.

The report of the Lebanese military judiciary comes after several parties, most notably the Lebanese government and Prime Minister Saad Hariri, called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of death of the four Syrians amid suspicions that the Lebanese army was behind their death.

However, the report was not warmly welcomed by the lawyer of the four detainees. Diala Chehade had confirmed in a July 7 Facebook post that prior to their detention the detainees were in good health before their bodies were returned with clear signs of torture.

She had gotten the judiciarys approval to have body samples examined at the Hotel-Dieu de France hospital in Beirut, but she said it was not long before the Lebanese army intelligence confiscated the samples.

Chehade noted in her post that it is a divine miracle for three people whose families and friends said were in perfect health to suddenly die less than 48 hours into their arrest by the same party in two hospitals run by the government from natural causes. The fourth Syrian died in a government hospital in Beirut.

After Saqr received the medical committee report, Chehade reiterated her words in an interview with Al-Monitor. She said that the Beirut Bar Association has prevented her from discussing any details relating to this issue in the media, although Article 39 of the Code of Ethics of the law profession allows the discussion of major issues that are of interest to the community in the media.

At a time when the bars decision prohibited tackling any details related to the case, the military prosecution leaked excerpts of its report to the media, thus confusing public opinion and preventing it from knowing the truth behind the death of the four Syrians.

In this context, Human Rights Watch said in a July 20 report that the forensic pathologists conclusion that the death of the four Syrians was not the result of violence raises many questions, especially as photographs of the bodies showed signs of torture.

Asked about the military judiciarys report, Bassam Khawaja, a researcher at the Lebanon office of Human Rights Watch, told Al-Monitor, The Lebanese authorities should publish the full investigation in the media, the issue being of interest to public opinion, and hand over the full copies of the investigation to the four families. The photographs of these detainees show injuries and signs of physical torture, and any claim that their deaths were caused by natural causes would be inconsistent with these photos. The only way to reach a solution is to publish the full investigation because a brief statement [thereon] is insufficient. The Lebanese people and the families of the victims deserve to know the full story of what happened in this case.

Asked to comment on the controversy resulting from this incident, a Lebanese military source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, What happened on June 30 is very serious, as four suicide bombers were found and four bombs were detected [during the armys raids], which means eight possible bombings could have occurred anywhere in Lebanon, had the army not carried out its pre-emptive operation. Three hundred and fifty-six Syrians were arrested [during the raids] and were moved to a building of the Rayak air base in Zahle for interrogation, while 15 of them were hospitalized at the Zahle and Beirut government hospitals.

The source added, On July 1, one of those arrested died in Zahle before the interrogation had started. That same afternoon, two others also died in Zahle. Subsequently, and due to their overcrowding in one building, 165 of the detainees were taken to eight different locations, including the Directorate of Intelligence in the south and the north. Another detainee died in the emergency department of the government hospital in Beirut. The four bodies were medically examined under the supervision of the judiciary, and the forensic pathologists reported that none of them had been subjected to any torture.

The defense team of the four deceased detainees insists on receiving a copy of the full investigation to be able to take the appropriate measures. Meanwhile, human rights organizations such as Amnesty International continue to demand the full disclosure of the circumstances behind the death of the four detainees. Thus, the question arises as to why the military leadership and the military judiciary only leaked excerpts from the investigation of the medical committee when the deaths are reportedly the result of health problems. The issue will continue to worry the legal community and the Lebanese public opinion so long as the investigation is not fully released.
August 1, 2017

Turkeys scapegoating of US special envoy Brett McGurk over the military partnership between the United States and the Syrian Kurds grew crazier today, with one pro-government newspaper labeling him a murderer.

US envoy murders 46,000 civilians in Iraq, Syria, blared the front page of the conservative Yeni Safak. The coalition forces, led by  McGurk  who has recently come to light with his anti-Turkish statements, slaughtered 46,000 civilians in operations in Iraqs Homs and Syrias Raqqa provinces. The destruction of Mosul, the flattening of Raqqa, famine, lack of medicine  These and other calamities befalling Syria and Iraq are all apparently the doings of McGurk, the US envoy for the global coalition against the Islamic State (IS).

Another pro-government mouthpiece, the Star, unveiled the sinister US plan to establish a Kurdish state in northern Syria, replete with detailed maps. This would involve dispatching with Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield forces wedged between the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Afrin and the Kurdish-controlled chunk of territory running from the town of Manbij to the Iraqi Kurdistan border.

Other papers carried images of US military equipment being delivered to the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), ostensibly to be used for the ongoing campaign to liberate Raqqa. Its raining Kalashnikovs, read the front-page headline of the mass circulation daily Hurriyet. Turkiye reported on an eight-member team of special US advisers to be deployed across the Kurdish-controlled region to work on public order and public administration, all allegedly part of the effort to create a new Kurdish state.

It is no secret that Turkey is enraged by the alliance between the United States and the YPG and fumes about McGurks publicized visits to the Syrian Kurdish zone, where he hobnobs with militia commanders, some of whom are thought to have begun their careers fighting Turkey as part of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Despite this, why the new bout of hysteria?

On the surface, some comments made by McGurk appear to have triggered it. In a July 27 panel discussion at the Middle East Institute in Washington, McGurk alluded to Turkeys role in clearing the path for al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to tighten its grip on Syrias Idlib province, on the Syrian border, by looking the other way as thousands of tons of weapons and foreign fighters entered Syria.

McGurk said Idlib had become an al-Qaeda safe haven. In a July 27 interview, he told the New Yorker, We are going to have to work with the Turks and others to degrade this presence. Turkish officials believe that by others, McGurk means the YPG.

This in turn, they believe, ties in with the United States secret plan to deploy Special Operation Forces to Afrin, from which they would launch an operation with the YPG to clear Idlib of HTS and in the process fulfill the Syrian Kurds long-held dream of reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The other big bonus would be that the Kurds would be able to link their cantons, thus establishing a PKK-led state running the length of the Turkish border. So, anyway, goes Ankaras reasoning.

In the Turkish imagination, proof of US intentions is the establishment of Forward Start, a tiny team of US State Department and US Agency for International Development employees to help coordinate stabilization efforts in Raqqa and its environs. McGurks role is to lay the groundwork for an independent Kurdish state.

The truth is that US policy remains to degrade and destroy IS, and the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces remains its best partner for the job. Coalition officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the United States has no intention of getting mired in Afrin, not least because of Turkish sensibilities and also because Afrin and the skies above it are dominated by Russia. The al-Qaeda threat in Idlib is of deep concern, but not one that can be directly addressed by the coalition in the near future. Short of a radical change in US policy, anything that follows the defeat of IS will not be aimed at governance and state building, but stabilization, to ensure that IS cannot return.

Turkey largely has itself to blame for much of the current situation, not McGurk. The PKK is a result, not the cause, of Turkeys failure to address the grievances of its 14 million-plus Kurds. Had Turkey continued to pursue peace talks with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, not locked up the country's moderate Kurdish leaders and opened a dialogue with the YPG, they might have even joined forces against IS, and relations with the United States would not have been so badly frayed. In short, Turkey would have been far happier and in a more stable place.

As things stand, however, Turkish leaders are understandably jittery about the PKK acquiring new arms and training via the YPG. That it would come from the United States, a NATO ally, makes everything harder to digest. Honesty and transparency are in urgent order on both sides.

Yet, attacking McGurk and leaking the location of US Special Operations Forces in northern Syria is hardly the best formula for finding a sympathetic ear in Washington. To the contrary, it only sharpens anti-Turkish sentiment among those briefing Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis for his upcoming trip to Turkey.
August 1, 2017

Turkish-German relations may be moving toward a point of no return. Despite its continuing angry tone toward Berlin, though, Ankara is visibly worried that the deteriorating state of its ties with Germany could have serious negative effects on Turkeys already shaky economy and is trying to contain this.

Too much has happened between the sides over the past year for this effort to succeed the way Ankara wants it to. Germany is signaling instead that it is abandoning its policy of appeasement and will opt for punitive measures against Turkey.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has also weighed in to support this by saying it is a question of the self-respect of our land to send a meaningful message [to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan].

Erdogan, however, is clearly not interested in toning down his harsh anti-German rhetoric, or in meeting Berlins demands regarding democracy and human rights in Turkey. His angry tone against that country, which he says is harboring plotters who tried to overthrow him in last years failed coup attempt, goes down well with his support base in Turkey and, ironically, also among Turks in Germany.

Ahmet Acet, who served as Turkeys ambassador to Berlin in 2008-2011, believes the blame for the state of Turkish-German ties today lies mostly with Erdogans populist outbursts in recent months.

Germans are a patient and pragmatic people who are aware of the importance of Turkey, Acet  who has since retired  told Al-Monitor. But the harsh accusations and the abuse they faced showed that their patience goes only so far, he added.

Acet said the parliamentary elections to be held in Germany in September were also putting a lot of pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is trying to contain gains by the far right  which makes it more difficult for her to appear lenient on Turkey.

The government of Erdogans acolyte, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, is trying hard to reassure German companies that it is business as usual in Turkey. Flanked by Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci and EU Minister Omer Celik, Yildirim told German CEOs in Turkey on July 27 that their investments in Turkey were safe.

It is very important to us that you are not a part of this tension and do not suffer any damage from the events, Yildirim told representatives of Bosch, Siemens, Mercedes, the Metro Group, Thyssenkrupp and others.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told a press conference in Berlin July 20  after the arrest in Turkey of German human rights consultant Peter Steudtner and five other human rights activists, including Amnesty Internationals Turkey director Idil Eser  that they needed their policies toward Turkey to go in a new direction.

We need to be clearer than we have been until now, so those responsible in Ankara understand that such policies are not without consequences, Gabriel said.

Berlin is also angry over the arrest in Turkey of the Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel, who is accused of inciting hatred and terrorist propaganda.

Gabriel also underlined the risks Germans visiting Turkey could face. Berlin has complained about the difficulties German Embassy officials faced when trying to visit Yucel and Steudtner in prison. Berlin is clearly telling its citizens that if they fall afoul of the Turkish authorities, Germany may not be able to help them.

Gabriel added that Berlin could no longer guarantee German corporate investment in Turkey. He was responding to accusations by Ankara that German companies, including giants like Daimler and BASF, had links to Fethullah Gulen, the self-exiled Islamic preacher who is accused of masterminding last years failed coup against Erdogan.

Matters also took another serious turn for Turkey with the revelation that Berlin wants the European Commission to suspend work on updating the EU-Turkey Customs Union. Berlin says continuing with this would send the wrong signal to Ankara.

Nevertheless, Berlin has refused to back calls from Europe to end Turkeys EU accession talks because developments in Turkey are at odds with EU principles. It cited pragmatic considerations, such as the 2016 Turkey-EU migration deal, as reasons why dialogue channels with Ankara must be kept open.

Its desire to see the Customs Union talks with Turkey suspended may be a sign that this approach is changing too.

Recalling the economic crisis with Russia after Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet in 2015, Ankara clearly does not want to go down that path with Germany. Russias retaliatory sanctions were too much to bear and forced Erdogan, in the end, to apologize to President Vladimir Putin over the jet incident.

Turkeys economic ties with Germany outweigh its economic ties with Russia, and many question if Ankara can bear the brunt of German sanctions. Germany is Turkeys No. 1 trading partner, with the volume of trade reaching nearly 38 billion euros in 2015.

Germany is also the second-largest foreign investor in Turkey, with investments over 13.3 billion euros since 1980. According to official German sources, the number of companies in Turkey that have received German equity investment is over 6,800. These include companies owned by Turks in Germany.

Economy Minister Zeybekci provided a striking example of just how the latest German moves may have hit their mark. Zeybekci said those who sent the list of German companies with alleged links to Gulens FETO group to Berlin and Interpol had acted irresponsibly.

A mistake such as this will definitely never happen again, he added.

Rather than placating the German side, the remarks by Yildirim and Zeybekci appear to have convinced Berlin that pressure on Ankara is working.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble, who has compared Erdogans Turkey to Communist East Germany, upped the ante by announcing that they would also review future arms sales to Turkey.

Turkish-German ties have been strained since last years failed coup attempt following which Berlin refused to extradite alleged coup plotters to Turkey on the grounds that it has not been furnished with concrete evidence. Berlin has also decided to grant asylum to many who say they face persecution in Turkey.

Name-calling between the sides started after German authorities prevented Erdogan and Turkish government ministers from canvassing Turks in Germany for the April 16 referendum, which aimed to make Erdogan the unchecked executive president of Turkey.

Erdogan responded by accusing German politicians of behaving like Nazis. Turkey also responded by refusing to grant visitation rights to German deputies who wished to meet with German soldiers stationed at the Incirlik air base, where they are assisting the US-led coalition against the Islamic State.

Germany subsequently decided to relocate its forces in Incirlik to Jordan. In a move that angered Germany further, Turkey also prevented German deputies recently from visiting their soldiers stationed at the NATO base in Konya.

Turkey also complains that Germany is lenient toward supporters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is outlawed in Turkey and which Berlin also says is a terrorist organization. Erdogan insists that Berlins policy on Fethullah Gulen Terror Organization fugitives and PKK supporters makes Germany a terrorism-supporting state.

Germany, however, is not only a strategic economic partner for Turkey but also hosts millions of Turks, and this complicates the situation for both sides. The two countries are so inextricably entwined that many believe a major breakdown in ties is highly improbable.

Acet said, The Mercedes and Volkswagens in that country will ultimately prevent this from happening.

Nevertheless, there is still plenty of room for ties to deteriorate further  since neither side is prepared to climb down from its demands  and eventually reach a point of no return.
Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com

Learn which new films and shows you can stream on Netflix in July, including "The Matrix" trilogy. Ben Flanagan | bflanagan@al.com

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Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later: Season 1

Following their hilarious prequel series "First Day of Camp," Michael Showalter and David Wain return with a look ahead from the original film to 1991 in both the camp and New York City, having cited "St. Elmo's Fire," "Singles" and "The Big Chill" as primary inspirations. The all-star cast returns, featuring originals like Michael Ian Black, Janeane Garofalo, Ken Marinno, Joe Lo Truglio, Christopher Meloni, A.D. Miles, Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks, plus other A-listers like Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Jason Schwartzman and others. (Aug. 4)

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Marvel's The Defenders

This limited series (part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) marks the culmination of a series of interconnected shows from Marvel and Netflix, featuring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Kind of like the Netflix TV Avengers. (Aug. 18)

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Atypical

coming-of-age comedy series that will focus on the life of an 18-year-old (Keir Gilchrist) on the autism spectrum. Also stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Rapaport. (Aug. 11)

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Disjointed

Netflix describes this new series starring Kathy Bates as "A modern twist on the American Dream...a story of the highs, the lows, and half-baked drama of a family-run marijuana dispensary." (Aug. 25)

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What Happened to Monday?

Set in a not so distant future burdened by overpopulation, with a global one child per family policy, seven identical sisters (portrayed by Noomi Rapace) live a cat-and-mouse existence pretending to be a single person to elude the Child Allocation Bureau. Also stars Willem Dafoe and Glenn Close. (Aug. 18)

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Death Note

The long-awaited "Death Note" film will finally come to fans' televisions later this year, and it has an Alabama tie: Go-to horror wizard Adam Wingard. Director of horror movie favorites like "You're Next" and "The Guest," the Tennessee-born Wingard claims Birmingham as his hometown.



Based on the manga series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, "Death Note" tells the following story: A young man comes to possess a supernatural notebook, the Death Note, that grants him the power to kill any person simply by writing down their name on the pages. He then decides to use the notebook to kill criminals and change the world, but an enigmatic detective attempts to track him down and end his reign of terror. (Aug. 25)

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Naked

Marlon Wayans stars as a guy who has to relive the same day over and over again...while naked. (Aug. 11)

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Icarus

Filmmaker Bryan Fogel sets out on a mission to learn about performance-enhancing drugs in sports, discovering the story is far bigger than anyone could have even imagined. (Aug. 4)

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The Founder (2016)

Michael Keaton stars as businessman Ray Kroc, creator of the McDonald's fast food chain, in this highly acclaimed biopic. Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch co-star as McDonald's founders Richard and Maurice McDonald. (Aug. 2)

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The Addams Family (1991)

Director Barry Sonnenfeld's delightful and self-aware adaptation of the 1960s sitcom (and Charles Addams cartoon) sees stars like Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston and Christopher Lloyd in terrific form. Also made a star out of youngster Christina Ricci. (Available now)

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The Astronaut's Wife (1999)

After an explosion in space and subsequent two-minute radio-out period, two astronauts return home to their wives. Slightly it's revealed that they're not the same as they were. Johnny Depp co-stars with "Atomic Blonde" heroine Charlize Theron. (Available now)

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Bad Santa (2003)

A miserable conman (Billy Bob Thornton) and his partner (Tony Cox of Alabama) pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid, and the security boss discovers the plot. The late Bernie Mac and John Ritter co-star in this foul-mouthed holiday comedy. (Available now)

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A Cinderella Story (2004)

Routinely exploited by her wicked stepmother, a downtrodden young woman is excited about the prospect of meeting her Internet beau at the school's Halloween dance. Hillary Duff stars. (Available now)

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Cloud Atlas (2012)

An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. The ambitious adaptation of David Mitchell's complex novel stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Jim Broadbent. (Available now)

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Funny Games (2007)

Two psychopathic young men take a family hostage in their cabin in Michael Haneke's American remake of his own film. Naomi Watts stars alongside Tim Roth, Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet. (Available now)

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Innerspace (1987)

A hapless store clerk (Martin Short) must foil criminals to save the life of the man (Dennis Quad) who, miniaturized in a secret experiment, was accidentally injected into him. Meg Ryan also stars in this sci-fi/romantic comedy featuring a fun comic performance from Short and some snazzy special effects for 1987. (Available now)

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Jackie Brown (1997)

A middle-aged woman (Pam Grier) finds herself in the middle of a huge conflict that will either make her a profit or cost her life in Quentin Tarantino's adaptation of Elmore Leonard's book "Rum Punch." His highly anticipated follow-up to "Pulp Fiction" slows things down a bit to pay homage to Grier's career while featuring a dynamite soundtrack and ensemble cast with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda and Oscar-nominee Robert Forster. (Available now)

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The Last Mimzy (2007)

Two siblings begin to develop special talents after they find a mysterious box of toys in this family sci-fi flick co-starring Rainn Wilson and Timothy Hutton. (Available now)

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Lord of War (2005)

Nicolas Cage plays an arms dealer who confronts the morality of his work as he is being chased by an Interpol agent. (Now available)

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The Matrix (1999)

A computer hacker (Keanu Reeves) learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. The Wachowskis broke new ground in the action and sci-fi world with dazzling special effects sequences and fascinating philosophically driven narratives that spawned its own brand and two more films. (Now available)

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The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

Its action-packed sequels are also now available. We prefer "Reloaded" to "Revolutions," but see for yourself.

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The Number 23 (2007)

Jim Carrey plays a man obsessed with a novel that he believes was written about him. As his obsession increases, more and more similarities seem to arise. Super silly and not great, but it's there if you want to see Carrey out of his element. (Available now)

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Practical Magic (1998)

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play two witch sisters, raised by their eccentric aunts in a small town, who face closed-minded prejudice and a curse which threatens to prevent them ever finding lasting love. (Available now)

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Sing (2016)

In a city of humanoid animals, a hustling theater impresario's attempt to save his theater with a singing competition becomes grander than he anticipates even as its finalists' find that their lives will never be the same. Kids (and their parents) will be watching this one on and off for quite a long time. (Aug. 3)

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Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman. Tim Burton's excellent adaptation of the Washington Irving story features a top-notch performance from Depp and equally outstanding sets and costumes. (Available now)

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Small Soldiers (1998)

When missile technology is used to enhance toy action figures, the toys soon begin to take their battle programming too seriously. Tommy Lee Jones does fun voice-work in this comedy from Joe Dante. (Now available)

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Wild Wild West (1999)

The two best hired guns in the West must save the president from the clutches of a nineteenth-century inventor-villain. A massive misfire in summer 1999 and rare whiff for Will Smith at the time. It's a big mess with some fun effects. See if it holds up better than we remember. (Now available)

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Holes (2003)

A wrongfully convicted boy is sent to a brutal desert detention camp where he joins the job of digging holes for some mysterious reason. People dug this adaptation of Louis Sachar's book, starring a young Shia LaBeouf. (Aug. 5)

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21 (2008)

The fact-based story about six MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings. Stars Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey. (Aug. 15)

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Gold (2016)

Matthew McConaughey underwent a physical transformation to play a prospector desperate for a lucky break, as he teams up with a similarly eager geologist (Edgar Wright) and sets off on a journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Also stars Bryce Dallas Howard. (Aug. 16)

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I Am Sam (2001)

Sean Penn earned an Oscar nomination for playing a man with special needs who fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter, and in the process teaches his cold hearted lawyer the value of love and family. (Aug. 18)

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More Movies

Aug. 1

The Bomb

Everyone's Hero

Maz Jobrani: Immigrant

Nola Circus

Opening Night

Tie The Knot

The Truth About Alcohol

The Wedding Party

Who Gets the Dog?



Aug. 2

Jab We Met



Aug. 3

The Invisible Guardian



Aug. 9

Black Site Delta



Aug. 10

Diary of an Exorcist - Zero



Aug. 11

White Gold



Aug. 13

Arthur and the Invisibles

Hot Property

Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo



Aug. 14

The Outcasts

Urban Hymn



Aug. 15

All These Sleepless Nights

Barbeque

Brad Paisley's Comedy Rodeo

Donald Cried

My Ex-Ex

A New Economy

The Sweet Life



Aug. 18

What Happened to Monday



Aug. 19

Hide and Seek



Aug. 20

Camera Store



Aug. 21

AWOL

Bad Rap

Beautiful Creatures

Unacknowledged



Aug. 22

Lynne Koplitz: Hormonal Beast

Sadie's Last Days on Earth



Aug. 23

Feel Rich



Aug. 29

Bring It On: Worldwide #Cheersmack

Ryan Hamilton: Happy Face



Aug. 31

Be Afraid

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More TV

Aug. 1

Crematorium: Season 1

The Hollywood Masters: Season 1

The Royal House of Windsor: Season 1

Surviving Escobar - Alias JJ: Season 1



Aug. 4

Voltron: Legendary Defender: Season 3



Aug. 8

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: Season 7, Episodes 1-13



Aug. 11

Atypical: Season 1

Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh: Season 3

True and The Rainbow Kingdom: Season 1



Aug. 15

Murderous Affair: Season 1



Aug. 18

Dinotrux: Season 5

Glitter Force Doki Doki: Season 1



Aug. 21

Gomorrah: Season 2



Aug. 25

Disjointed: Part 1

DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 5

Once Upon a Time: Season 6



Aug. 29

The Good Place: Season 1

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Five Things to Watch

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5 things you should watch

While you're at it, here are five of the best things you can currently stream on Netflix, especially if none of the new stuff appeals to you...

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Ozark

Jason Bateman plays a financial planner who suddenly relocates from a Chicago suburb to a summer resort community in the Missouri Ozarks. After a money laundering scheme goes wrong, he must pay off a debt to a Mexican drug lord. Critics dig it, with many comparing it to "Breaking Bad." Laura Linney also stars.

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Last Chance U

We know you're itching for football season to get started. To help pass the time, check out season two of the popular docu-series following the East Mississippi Community College football program.

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Early Christopher Nolan

With his 10th film "Dunkirk" currently in theaters, Christopher Nolan's early work deserve another look, and thankfully, three of his first five movies "Following," "Memento" and "The Prestige" remain ready to stream on Netflix. We highly recommend each of them.

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Enemy of the State (1998)

Will Smith plays a lawyer who becomes a target by a corrupt politician and his NSA goons when he accidentally receives key evidence to a serious politically motivated crime. One of the late Tony Scott's best films, this dynamite thriller mixes the right dose of conspiracy theory paranoia, Will Smith's charisma and a terrific ensemble cast for what feels like an underrated late 1990s classic.

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Dear White People

At a predominantly white Ivy League college, a diverse group of students navigate various forms of racial and other types of discrimination. Read our interview with producer of the show and University of Alabama graduate James O. Kerry.

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Leaving Netflix in August

Movies



August 1

10 Things I Hate About You

Babe

Babe: Pig in the City

Beneath the Helmet

Black Widow

The Diabolical

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry

Electric Slide

Elizabethtown

From the Terrace

From Time to Time

Goodbye World

Horsemen

Josef Fritzl: Story of a Monster

The Little Engine That Could

The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Malibu's Most Wanted

Prefontaine

Russell Brand: End the Drugs War

Russell Brand: From Addiction to Recovery

Teacher's Pet

The Verdict

Young@Heart

Zack and Miri Make a Porno



August 4

Superbad



August 5

Pelican Dreams

Personal Gold: An Underdog Story



August 6

Human Capital



August 9

The Five Venoms



August 10

Dope



August 11

Four Blood Moons

Jesus People: The Movie

Patch Town

Two Days, One Night



August 14

Drones

Food Matters



August 15

To Kill a Mockingbird



August 23

The Summer of Sangaile



August 24

Gun Woman



August 25

The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq

October Gale

Paratodos



August 31

Space Warriors





TV



August 1

Babe Winkelman's Outdoor Secrets: 2014: Quarter 4

The Delivery Man: Season 1

The Heavy Water War: Season 1

The Hunt: Season 1

Hunter X Hunter : Seasons 1-5

Justice League: Seasons 1-2

Justice League Unlimited: Seasons 1-2

Young Justice: Seasons 1-2



August 6

The Spoils of Babylon: Season 1



August 15

American Dad!: Seasons 1-4

Changing Seas: Seasons 3-6

Close Quarter Battle: Season 1

The New Frontier: Season 1

Top 10 Secrets and Mysteries: Season 1



August 28

Revenge: Seasons 14



August 30

The League: Seasons 17
Authorities have identified the man killed Monday in a four-vehicle crash on Valleydale Road.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Michael Francis Xavier Lee. He was 34.

The crash happened about 3 p.m. in the 4600 block of Valleydale Road, near the Providence Park offices and the Jefferson State Community College campus. Authorities on Monday said one of the vehicles was traveling at a high rate of speed along Valleydale. A Shelby County deputy turned around to stop the vehicle and saw the wreck happen.

Alabama State Troopers, Hoover police and the North Shelby Fire Department responded to the scene. Sheriff's officials on Tuesday said multiple people were injured and taken to the hospital, but details of those victims and the extent of their injuries weren't made available.

Lee was a passenger in a Kia Spectra. "Sheriff (John) Samaniego would like to express his condolences to Mr. Lee's family and friends for their loss,'' according to a sheriff's office statement.

The Shelby County Traffic Homicide Investigation unit is investigating the cause of the accident and a final report may take some time to complete, sheriff's officials said. No other information was released.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact the Shelby County Sheriff's Office directly at (205)669-4181, through the Secret Witness line at (205)669-9116 or through the website at www.ShelbySO.com by clicking on the "Report Criminal Activity" link and choosing the "General Information" category.
The Birmingham City Council isn't proposing cuts to the police and parks and recreation budgets contrary to what the mayor's office released last week, President Johnathan Austin said on Tuesday.

"It is election season," he said, during a morning press conference. "We have seen a lot of fake news come out of the (mayor's) administration."

Austin said a draft of the council's proposed changes to the mayor's fiscal year 2018 budget was released to the media last week. It wasn't the final version of the council's proposed changes, which wasn't released until Tuesday.

The Birmingham Police Department and the parks and recreation department will be funded at the levels recommended by the mayor, he said. "It was always the decision to level fund police and parks and recreation," Austin said.

In response to the council's press conference, April Odom, the mayor's spokesperson, released this statement to AL.com:

"It is ironic that our council president is now quoting Donald Trump," she said. "The budget presented to the mayor's office cut the Birmingham Police Department operating budget by $750,000 and the parks and recreation department by over $5 million. The mayor will not stand for that. The facts are still the facts even when the council president does not like them being revealed."

In its final budget change recommendations, the city council allocated $6.5 million for neighborhoods, which includes weed abatement and home demolition, $4.6 million for Birmingham City Schools, $2.1 million for public libraries and $5.1 million for employee raises and $500,000 for the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion.

The council's changes include giving an additional $1.5 million to Birmingham City Schools, $500,000 in additional funds for police vehicles and an additional $500,000 for weed abatement and $1 million for home demolition. The council also cut about $6.8 million from city government, including cuts the mayor's office, law department, equipment management, community development and finance.

It's unclear when the revised budget could be on the city council agenda. The mayor has to sign off on the changes and authorize the finance department to prepare the budget ordinances for the agenda.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, Odom said the mayor's office hasn't seen the council's final budget proposal.

On Friday, the mayor's office said the council's proposed changes to the 2018 budget, which were discussed during a Wednesday council committee meeting, included a $750,000 cut to the police department and a $5.6 million cut to parks and recreation.

In a letter to the mayor, Birmingham police Chief A.C. Roper said the proposed cuts to his department would limit discretionary spending, where the department pays for officer overtime. This would, in effect, cut the number of officers on the streets.

Councilor William Parker, on Monday, also shared a draft 2018 budget, which called for cuts for police and parks and recreation. He shared the information with residents at the Brownsville Community Center and called on them to speak out on the "devastating" cuts.

Austin said the council reduced its own budget "to make sure that the budget for the city was reflective of the needs of the citizens and not the body.

"This budget reflects the needs of the citizens, and that is what this city council is committed to," he said. "We have been committed to that."
Congressman Mo Brooks of Huntsville and former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore agreed on almost every topic during a candidate forum Monday night at the Wetumpka Civic Center.

That includes their criticism of the campaign of appointed Sen. Luther Strange, who was not on hand to fill the third seat in what the Wetumpka Tea Party billed as the "big three" forum.

Strange was in Washington, where the Senate was in session.

Brooks, the target of attack ads by the Senate Republican leadership's super PAC, which supports Strange, brought up Strange repeatedly during the forum. The event lasted about 90 minutes and drew a large crowd that frequently applauded the two candidates.

"Luther Strange is swamping the market with false advertising, knowing full well that I lack the financial resources to defend," Brooks said after the forum. "The second part of Luther Strange's game plan is to eviscerate Roy Moore in the runoff."

Moore was also critical of the decision by the Senate Republican leadership to spend heavily on ads to keep Strange in the seat he was appointed to by former Gov. Robert Bentley.

"That's trying to buy the vote of the people of Alabama and the people of this nation," Moore said.

"There's not only a stagnancy in Washington, it's like a quick sand. When they get there they don't want to leave. They don't want to give up their positions, they want to stay forever."

Forum moderator Dan Morris, a radio talk show host in Montgomery, asked Brooks and Moore about 20 questions, many from his listeners. They hit on timely topics -- the failed effort to repeal Obamacare, turnover in President Trump's cabinet, the future of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Senate filibuster rule, North Korea's missiles and transgender people in the military.

Brooks, Moore, Strange and six other Republicans are running for the U.S. Senate seat Sessions left to become attorney general. The primary is Aug. 15. Seven Democrats are also running in the Aug. 15 primary.

The Wetumpka Tea Party invited only Brooks, Moore and Strange to the forum. Co-founder Becky Gerritson said the Tea Party planned the event for about two months and monitored polls to determine the frontrunners.

"We want to have more meat to the discussion, more in-depth answers and cover more topics," Gerritson said. "You can't do that with nine candidates."

Candidate Randy Brinson, a Montgomery physician who is on leave as president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama, attended the event and said he should have been allowed to participate.

"I think this entire thing that the Tea Party put on tonight was rigged, the reason being that they didn't want to me to debate because I have real answers on health care, job growth, real answers on what Alabama needs to grow and not be in the bottom of every category," Brinson said.

Brooks said his poll numbers show he is cutting into a Strange lead and that's why he's under attack. He said he hopes voters see through the negative ads and place him in a runoff with Moore.

"If we get into a runoff, I'm going to give my positive message," Brooks said. "Roy Moore can give his positive message. And the people can decide which positive message they prefer. But both of us agree on one thing. We cannot have Luther Strange win this election by buying it with special interest group money."

Moore said a runoff is likely because of the size of the field and said he's confident he will be in it. Considering that he and Brooks agreed on most topics, Moore was asked what would set him apart.

"I have a better understanding of the judicial branch and I have served in the military and I think I can have things move more easily up there by going up there than he would," Moore said. "And if he's doing a great job where he is then I would leave him there and I'll go to the Senate."

Some of the questions and answers:

What's the most pressing issue?

Moore said it is repeal of the Affordable Care Act. He said federal law needs to be changed to open up competition in the health insurance industry, allowing people to buy policies from companies in other states. He called for the removal of Sen. Mitch McConnell as the Senate leader.

Brooks said deficit spending and the national debt are the most pressing issue and said they pose a risk to national security.

Would you have voted for the "skinny repeal" of Obamacare?

Brooks said he wanted a full repeal of Obamacare but would have voted for the "skinny repeal" as a way to move the legislation to a conference committee between the House and Senate.

Moore said he would not vote for any bill called a "skinny" bill but said Obamacare had to be repealed and was unconstitutional.

What's your position on law enforcement using civil forfeiture to take the property of people accused of crimes?

Brooks said the Due Process Clause of the Constitution should protect people's property from improper forfeitures.

Moore said the civil asset forfeiture process is abused in the federal courts and in state courts. "They're taking away property from individuals without due process and they need stricter rules, if any, to take away personal property."

What's your position on transgender people in the military?

Moore said transgenderism in the military is bad for morale. He said he spoke out on the issue before President Trump did.

Brooks said the president raised the issue because "socialist Democrats" and "left-wing Republicans" wanted taxpayers to pay for sex change surgery and hormone therapy.

What's your position on the rule requiring 60 votes to end a Senate filibuster?

Both said they opposed the 60-vote rule and would support changing it to 51 votes, a majority. Brooks noted that Strange had signed a letter in support of keeping the 60-vote rule.

What do you think about Trump's appointment of Gen. John Kelly as chief of staff and would you support moving Sessions from attorney general to secretary of Homeland Security?

Brooks said he applauded Kelly's decision to fire Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. Brooks said he would consider it a demotion for Sessions to move to Homeland Security and said Sessions did not deserve a demotion.

Moore said he would prefer to see Sessions remain as attorney general but said he would not second-guess Trump on cabinet appointments.

Morris asked the candidates about the president's authority to initiate military action without authorization from Congress and whether they supported Trump's missile attack on a Syrian air base in retaliation for the use of chemical weapons on civilians.

Both said Congressional approval should be required unless the president had to act in an emergency to avert an immediate threat. Moore said he supported Trump's decision on Syria because the United States had troops in the area.

What would you do about the threat of North Korea's missile program?

Moore said the U.S. should place more emphasis on being fully prepared for what North Korea might do. He said the U.S. should not declare war because of the missile tests alone but that would change if a missile is fired at the U.S.

Brooks said he did not think North Korea would attack the United States because it would assure North Korea's own destruction. He said the greater threat would be Iran if that country develops nuclear missiles. He said Iran's leaders are less likely to be deterred because of the "mutually assured destruction" doctrine.

Did you support Trump's decision to pull out of the Paris agreement on climate change?

Both said they agreed with the president.

What's your position on medical marijuana?

Both said that issue should be left to the states.

Do you support Trump's plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico?

Brooks said he supported doing whatever it takes to build the wall. Moore said he supported using the military to help stop illegal border crossing, including allowing states to do that on their own initiative. Moore said he believes that would make building a wall unnecessary. If it did not, he said he would support building a wall.

Moore won a straw poll taken during the forum, receiving 139 votes. Brooks finished second with 103 votes. They were followed by Brinson with 18, Strange and Trip Pittman with 4 each and Mary Maxwell and Bryan Peeples with 1 each.

Updated at 1:01 p.m. to add results of straw poll.
UPDATE at 8 p.m.: The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Skyi Nevah Wood has been found safely. The missing child alert has now been cancelled.

EARLIER STORY: Authorities were searching for a St. Clair County woman and her young daughter after they seemingly vanished five days ago.

Amber Nicole Byers, 28, and her 3-year-old daughter, Skyi Wood, were declared missing on Tuesday by authorities. Attalla Police Detective Doug Jordan said Byers and her boyfriend, who is Skyi's father, were in the Gadsden area the night of July 27 visiting friends. They got into an argument and stopped at a convenience store off of Interstate 59, where Byers got out of the vehicle with her daughter and went inside. Jordan said the disagreement was only verbal, not physical.

The boyfriend followed them into the store and checked on them. He convinced her to get back in their vehicle, but a short distance away she jumped back out and started walking down the road with Skyi in tow.

Moments later, a dark-colored SUV - possibly a Tahoe or Yukon - pulled up next to Byers and she started talking with whoever was inside the vehicle. Then, Jordan said, she and Skyi got into the large SUV. They were last seen traveling eastbound on Cleveland Avenue.

"We've checked with friends and family and we're not getting any good responses,'' Jordan said on Tuesday. "Her boyfriend, her parents, everyone is cooperating."
As ISIL is being driven out of its de facto capital in Syria, Raqqa faces an uncertain future.

Outside Atma camp in Syrias northern Idlib province, Abu Mokhles has been sleeping on the street for two days. It is the second time in two months that he and his family have had no shelter.

His ordeal began in Raqqa province in late May, when the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advanced on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in the town of al-Mansoura.

As aerial bombardment of the area intensified, he and his family fled from their home on the outskirts of town. They spent the first days of the holy month of Ramadan hungry and terrified, sleeping out in the open in a nearby grove.

Eventually they fled to Ain Issa camp, 50km north of Raqqa city, in SDF-controlled territory. But the deplorable conditions in the camp  which Abu Mokhles described as a prison  forced the family to leave for Idlib.





I wish death would come to me so I could rest, Abu Mokhles said in despair, noting that he spent his meagre savings to pay his way through SDF and Syrian rebel-held checkpoints towards Idlib. When he arrived in Sarmada, Idlib province, he had no money left to buy bread for his family.

Two weeks into their stay at a camp there, fighting broke out between the rebel group Ahrar al-Sham and the al-Qaeda-linked Hayet Tahrir al-Sham, forcing the family to flee north to Atma, where they were told there was no space for them.

The 32-year-old father of two, who used to earn a modest living as a farmer before the war, said the perilous flight from Raqqa has taken a toll on his children, aged six months and three years. Both are severely dehydrated and malnourished, and his baby boy suffers from a heart condition. He has frantically searched for medicine in Sarmada and Atma, but to no avail; clinics had only emergency-related medication.

Abu Mokhles is one of more than 200,000 people who the United Nations estimates had to flee their homes in Raqqa province amid heavy fighting between the SDF and ISIL in the past three months. Like Abu Mokhles, many of these displaced people face dire conditions.

Amid a looming humanitarian disaster in Raqqa, the international operation is getting closer to expelling ISIL out of the province and its de facto capital. But unlike Mosul, where the central Iraqi government took over, Raqqa faces an uncertain future.

Questions about who will govern the city and its province, and who will be responsible for the extensive reconstruction, are still unanswered. Likewise, the fate of Raqqas displaced and their chances of returning home remain uncertain.

INTERACTIVE: The battle for Raqqa  Who controls what

Staggering loss of life

As Abu Mokhles spends his days looking for shelter and medicine for his children in Idlib, his land in Raqqa lays bare, riddled with holes from the US-led coalition bombardment and planted with ISIL-made mines. He says the profit from the wheat he used to grow was enough to provide for his family.

Before the war, Raqqa province was known as the bread basket of Syria. But six years into the conflict, its agriculture has been decimated, and more than 400,000 of its people rely on aid.

Ain Issa, the main camp for internally displaced people (IDPs), has struggled to accommodate the large influx. Mustafa Bali, the SDFs head of media relations, told Al Jazeera that conditions in the camp remained bad because of a lack of funding. The UN has also expressed concerns about IDPs freedom of movement being restricted in Ain Issa by local authorities.

Beyond the displacement issue, the intensified coalition air strikes in support of SDF efforts to push ISIL out of Raqqa have already claimed hundreds of civilian lives. In mid-June, Paulo Pinheiro, the chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, said that aerial bombardment carried out by the coalition had resulted in a staggering loss of civilian life. Between March and mid-June, the UN documented the deaths of 300 civilians, including 200 in al-Mansoura, Abu Mokhles hometown. Twenty were his relatives who died in an air strike on a school sheltering IDPs, he said.

Between June 1 and July 25, the Syrian Network for Human Rights confirmed the deaths of 391 civilians in Raqqa at the hands of the coalition and the SDF.

Many of these deaths were caused by air strikes, which have intensified since June 6, when the SDF announced its operation to capture the city from ISIL. In the span of less than two months, the international coalition has bombarded Raqqa more than 1,200 times. Since January, the total number of air strikes on Raqqa has been more than 2,500.

Under this intense aerial bombardment, between 20,000 and 50,000 people remain in Raqqa, whose pre-war population numbered 300,000. Those remaining face a dire situation, as SDF forces have completely surrounded the city, cutting off supply routes.

Hamoud al-Mousa, a Raqqa native and member of the citizen journalist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, says the conditions in the city are deteriorating, with the remaining population having no access to electricity, potable water or medical supplies, and almost no food. If the situation does not change, we are expecting [those remaining in] Raqqa to die of air strikes, hunger, disease or thirst.

The UN estimates that in the coming weeks, 40 percent of those trapped in the city will leave. But escaping Raqqa is fraught with danger. Zaid al-Khalid, who managed to flee the city with his mother and four sisters in early June, said that ISIL fighters continue to arrest and torture people for trying to escape or smuggle others out.

Al-Khalid, a 25-year-old former engineering student, said that he made six attempts to escape, but retreated each time amid fears that he would be arrested by ISIL fighters. He succeeded on the seventh try, fleeing to Idlib province.

READ MORE: Syrias civil war explained from the beginning

Controlling Raqqa

More than a month before the SDF launched its offensive on Raqqa, it announced the formation of the Raqqa Civilian Council (RCC) in Ain Issa to take over after ISIL was expelled.

The core of the SDF is the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish armed group with a political outfit (the Democratic Union Party  PYD) that has taken over most of northeastern Syria and is the main US ally on the ground in its fight against ISIL. As the YPG, along with Arab allies, has pushed into Raqqa province, some have questioned its ability to govern Arab-majority areas.

Like other SDF-sponsored councils, the RCC has joint Arab-Kurdish leadership. The Arab co-chair is tribal leader Mahmoud al-Borsan, and the Kurdish co-chair is Layla Mohammed, who used to be the co-mayor of her hometown of Tal Abyad on the Syrian-Turkish border.

Borsan heads the Walda tribe, which was forced to move to Hasakah province from the area near the city of Tabqa in Raqqa province, after their lands were flooded in the construction of the Euphrates dam.

The council that was formed by SDF quickly contains some personalities who dont represent Raqqa, said Abdel Aziz al-Hinnedi, a Syrian activist from Raqqa who fled to Germany after ISIL took it over in 2014.

He says the main strength of the RCC is that it functions on the ground, as opposed to its rival, the local council formed by the Syrian opposition in Turkey. In mid-May, the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), the main political organ of the Syrian opposition, elected Saad Shuwish as new council head and vowed to start working on the ground in Raqqa as soon as ISIL was pushed out.

Another contender for post-ISIL legitimacy in Raqqa is Qamishli-born Ahmed Jarba, the former SNC president and leader of Syrias Tomorrow Movement, founded in Cairo in 2016. Earlier this year, Jarba announced that his armed group, the Syrian Elite Forces, numbering 3,000 US-trained Arab fighters, would participate in the Raqqa battle. Jarba is said to have close ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

According to Hinnedi, the SDF is not very comfortable with the presence of Jarbas forces in Raqqa. Jarba has been trying to recruit young men from Raqqas tribes to join his Tomorrow Movement and the Elite Forces. Although he does not currently enjoy much popularity in Raqqa, he may have a role to play in the military control over the city after ISIL, Hinnedi said.

The United States has so far thrown its weight behind the SDF-sponsored council, but according to Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, this could prove problematic.

The Americans dont want to have to deal with [Raqqa], but if they just hand it over to the Kurdish-led council, this may cause political difficulties. The Turks might get even more upset, Sayigh told Al Jazeera. For that reason, he said, the US may choose to delay the operation or the announcement of Raqqas liberation.





It is unclear whether Raqqa, with its SDF-backed council, will become part of the Kurdish autonomous project of Rojava, which has worried Turkey. Ankara has been embroiled in a bloody conflict with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), in which more than 1,700 people were killed between 2015 and 2016, and considers YPG its sister organisation.

In March, Saleh Muslim, the PYD co-chair, told Reuters that it was likely that Raqqa would join Rojava.

Responding to a question on the subject, Bali said: Raqqa is part of Syria and Rojava is also part of Syria  The councils formed in those [liberated] regions will decide what form their administration will take.

It is also unclear whether the YPGs main international backer, the US, would support an autonomous Kurdish project. The US State Department did not respond to an inquiry on the subject.

Yet another potential player on the political scene in post-ISIL Raqqa is the Syrian regime. The YPG has not sought to openly fight regime forces, although in the past they have clashed a number of times. In late February, its forces withdrew from territories they held in northern Aleppo province in favour of regime forces, which stopped the advance of Turkey-backed rebel groups.

Forces loyal to Damascus already hold parts of southern Raqqa province. Their advance further north has so far been curbed by a buffer zone, which the US-led coalition solidified with the downing of a Syrian regime plane in June.

According to Noah Bonsey, a senior researcher at the International Crisis Group, while it is unlikely that the regime would have a military presence in Raqqa after it is captured, it may pay for some services or state employee salaries, as it has done in other areas under YPG control.

[However], that wont amount to a whole lot of direct leverage there, he told Al Jazeera.

Security and reconstruction

The SDF estimates that it will take months before the city is fully captured. Bali says that 45 percent of the city is already under their control and its liberation will be announced before the end of the year, after which the SDF will undertake its transfer to civilian rule.

But according to Bonsey, the transfer could be rocky if the YPG maintains influence over the Raqqa council. In YPG-held areas, a lot of times the local officials with major roles on paper, in practice dont actually have a lot of influence, and weve seen aspects of governance basically managed by cadres within the YPG and the PYD. That has been a source of tension in some areas, he said.

After years of conflict and suffering, Hinnedi said, Raqqa residents just want security and stability. Raqqa is doomed, in the full meaning of the word. In the city and the countryside, there are no medical or educational services, no economy. There are no people there who can organise a project of resistance, he said.

Tribal leaders are also unlikely to resist, as some are either already rallying under the SDFs flag (such as Daham Hadi Jarba, head of the Sanadid Forces, leader of the Shammar tribe and cousin of Ahmad Jarba), or would be willing to enter some form of an arrangement, Hinnedi said.

You would not find a tribal leader who carries the national interest and that of the Syrian people, he said. They seek power and money and personal protection.

The coalition has already started training a security force that is supposed to secure the city once fighting is over. A statement to Al Jazeera from the media office of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the name of the international coalitions operation in Iraq and Syria, said that the Raqqa Internal Security Forces (RISF) consist of 500 coalition-trained and vetted officers, and their number is expected to grow to 3,500. In June, Reuters reported that a Kurdish man had been appointed as head of the RISF.

Bonsey said that to achieve the stability necessary to secure the city, reconstruction and service provision must also be addressed.

A World Bank report estimated that as of January 2017, the city had been hit by more than 2,000 air strikes, damaging or completely destroying around 17 percent of Raqqas housing units. Aid agencies have still not been able to estimate how much damage was caused by the 2,500 air strikes launched since then and how much more destruction there will be until Raqqa is captured.

According to Mousa, Raqqas infrastructure is almost completely destroyed, as the coalition strikes have destroyed schools, bakeries, phone switchboards, water stations and the electric grid.

While the US-led coalition is spending about $13.2m daily to run OIR, it has not formally allocated funds for the reconstruction of areas it has bombed in Syria. Reuters reported that the RCC has told the coalition it needs $10m a year to restore basic infrastructure in Raqqa, but it has not received a commitment for the funds.

In March, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told a meeting of the 68-nation coalition: As a coalition, we are not in the business of nation-building or reconstruction.

According to Sayigh, the US and the European Union are unlikely to commit funds for reconstruction until a transition deal is in place for the whole of Syria.

The Americans might provide a bit of money to help the local council [of Raqqa] if one takes over, but I dont think they want to get involved in a systematic way, he told Al Jazeera.

And reconstruction efforts may not be enough to bring back some of the more than 250,000 residents who fled Raqqa over the past six years.

Al-Khalid says he will not return to Raqqa under the RCCs rule. Services in Kurdish-controlled areas are much better and prices are lower, he said, but he does not trust the Kurdish authorities.

SDF and the council and all that are going to rule Raqqa, they are the regime with another face, he said. They dont want us to live in dignity.

Abu Mokhles, meanwhile, wishes he could go back, but for now he has no money to go anywhere. My heart is burning to go back, to my house, to my land, to everything I owned, so I could feed my family.
Tanya Gersh woke up the morning of December 16, 2016, unaware of the storm that was about to hit her inbox, mailbox, social media accounts and voicemail.

Gunshots rang out on her answering machine.

A wave of anti-Semitic and violent messages flooded her inbox.





Death to Tanya, read one of them.

Rat-faced criminals who play with fire tend to get thrown in the oven, threatened another.

Similar comments appeared on her social media feeds. Hickory dickory dock, the k*ke ran up the clock. The clock struck three and the internet Nazi trolls gassed the rest of them, one user tweeted at her.

In total, Gersh, her husband and 12-year-old son received more than 700 messages of harassment, according to court documents.

Gersh, a Jewish real estate agent from Montana, had been the target of a coordinated harassment and intimidation campaign, spearheaded by Andrew Anglin, a blogger who the runs the countrys most widely visited neo-Nazi website.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) says Anglins Daily Stormer  a blog that includes sections such as The Jewish Problem and Race War  receives more than 400,000 views a month.

In April, the SPLC, along with a co-counsel in Montana, filed a suit on behalf of Gersh against Anglin, who it says is liable for invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violating Montanas anti-intimidation act.

In response, Anglin hired Marc Randazza, one of the countrys leading free speech lawyers.

Analysts and experts say the case could set a precedent for the way courts draw a line between free speech and online harassment.

David Dinielli, SPLCs attorney on the case, says the wave of harassment triggered by Anglin is a part of an ongoing shift in the way people terrorise others.

In the past, they would have burned a cross in the lawn, he tells Al Jazeera. Now theyre doing it from behind a keyboard.

READ MORE: Threats and attacks as white supremacists target campuses

Property and protests

Gershs nightmare started after local community members in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana, approached her with concerns about Richard Spencer, a white supremacist and leading figure in the alt-right movement.

Anglin has been a vocal supporter of the alt-right, a loose-knit coalition of far-right populists, white nationalists and neo-Nazis.

In the past, they would have burned a cross in the lawn. Now they're doing it from behind a keyboard. by David Dinielli, Southern Poverty Law Center

After Donald Trump won the US elections in November, videos of Spencer evoking German phrases associated with the Nazi regime at a conference in Washington, DC, went viral.

Hail Trump, hail our people, hail victory, he bellowed as several members of the crowd rose to their feet and made fascist salutes.

Because Spencers mother, Sherry, owned property in Whitefish, some locals intended to protest outside the building.

According to the suit, Spencer authored a blog post that accused Gersh of extortion, saying that the estate agent had pressured his mother to sell her property or face a wave of protests and negative media attention.

Gersh, however, claims she had notified tenants of Spencers property of the protests, leading one of them to suggest she speak with Sherry Spencer.

After Spencer sought out her advice, Gersh recommended Spencer sell the property, disavow her sons views and donate the profits to human rights groups in order to alleviate local concerns. Spencer then hired Gersh, but shortly after decided to sell the property independently, the complaint says.

An old-fashioned Troll Storm

Spencers blog post appears to have prompted Anglin to take to his website, urging readers: Jews targeting Richard Spencers mother for harassment and extortion  TAKE ACTION!

In the first of dozens of articles and comments, Anglin encouraged his readers to hit em up in an old-fashioned Troll Storm.

He provided Gershs phone number, address, social media profiles and email accounts. He also gave contact information for Gershs husband and other acquaintances, and linked to the Twitter account of Gershs 12-year-old son.

In the months that followed, Gershs inbox, voicemail and mailbox become inundated with death threats, harassment and hate messages.

A tirade of insults inundated phone calls to Gershs home. F*ck you, you stupid Jew, one said.

Another caller said: Listen here you f*cking Jew. You had better back off of Richard Spencers mom. Everybody is watching you.

Others tweeted at her with memes about suicide, such as: Are you going to take yourself out of the equation? #JustDoIt.

Her son received a number of messages on Twitter. One read: psst kid, theres a free Xbox One inside this oven, and included an image of an oven.

Anglin reiterated his call several times in a series of articles, often adding new contact details of those associated with Gersh.

On at least two occasions, Anglin included images of Gersh and her son superimposed on photographs of the Auschwitz concentration camp and a Nazi propaganda poster.

OPINION: Trumps America  Bring on the hate

More than trolling

Because Anglin hired a prominent First Amendment lawyer, many commentators have placed an emphasis on the concept of free speech in discussing its use by hate groups to defend their actions.

Henry Giroux, author of America at War with Itself and dozens of books on politics and education, says the current public discussion over whether racist incitement should be protected by the constitutional right to free speech speaks to [the] demise of the public discourse.

For the right, free speech is basically [a] way to legitimise hate speech, he tells Al Jazeera, arguing that critics need to stand up for freedom of expression while putting forward clear and consistent principles that make no space for hate speech and incitement.

I think there is this sort of conflation in the public discourse that trolling and hate speech are protected, and that's not what we're talking about here. People often say it's just trolling; it's much more than that. by Danielle Citron, University of Maryland law professor

Yet Danielle Citron, a University of Maryland law professor who advised the SPLC on the case, argues the lawsuit is not about hate speech.

Citron, who focuses on cyber-harassment, said Gershs suit is about reputation-ruining lies and the solicitation of harassment, placing it outside the scope of the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression. Among the few exceptions to the rule are incitement to violence, defamation and threats of violence.

Arguing that Anglins posts constitute extreme, outrageous behaviour, Citron tells Al Jazeera that his comments are not protected under the First Amendment, citing Gershs emotional and physical trauma and the potential damage that Anglins claims could inflict on her career.

I think there is this sort of conflation in the public discourse that trolling and hate speech are protected, and thats not what were talking about here, she says. People often say its just trolling; its much more than that.

Randazza, Anglins free speech lawyer, was unavailable to provide comment to Al Jazeera at the time of publication.

READ MORE: White Lives Matter, a new US hate group, shows its face

The terror was real

The SPLC complaint says that as a result of the harassment Gersh endured severe emotional and physical distress, weight gain, joint pain, hair loss and other maladies.

It states that Gersh had panic attacks, goes to bed in tears, wakes up crying, startles easily.

She received medical treatment  feels anxiety and discomfort in crowded places, has had trouble leaving her home, and fears answering her phone.

Laura Beth Nielsen, a sociologist and lawyer who teaches at Northwestern University and the American Bar Foundation, says Gershs suit raises speech-related questions that US courts have yet to fully answer.

Threat has always been illegal, Nielsen tells Al Jazeera. The question here, though, is whether the courts are going to buy the argument that unleashing trolls is a genuine threat and genuine infliction of emotional distress.

Explaining that the court will have to determine whether the harm outweighed the damage resulting from restricting speech, Nielson says new research suggests the way society understands the concept of free speech may be changing.

Were starting to have quite a bit more social science and research about the harms of being targeted by hate speech, she says, pointing to cases in which the target of online harassment committed suicide.

Theres a growing group of young people who have seen first-hand the harm that can happen when internet trolling goes crazy, Nielson says, arguing that were consistently asking already-disadvantaged members of society to bear [the] burdens for the great American ideal that we have.

For Gersh and her family, the case against Anglin may have a long road ahead. At the time of publication, the SPLC had still been unable to serve Anglin with the lawsuit because his whereabouts remained unknown.

Attorney Dinielli says that the group is confident that a jury will find that this conduct is beyond any bounds of acceptability in a civilised society.

There was a night when [Gersh] returned home and her husband considered if they needed to flee in the middle of the night because theyre Jewish, he recalls. Theres no doubt that the terror was real.

Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_

Follow Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath on Twitter: @ElleDubG
Provision that allows rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victims has been abolished by the parliament.

The Jordanian parliament voted on Tuesday to abolish a provision in the penal code that allows rapists to escape punishment if they marry their victims  a move that is being hailed as historic by activists and locals.

We are celebrating today. This is a historic moment not only for Jordan, but for the entire region. This achievement is a result of the concerted effort of the civil society, womens rights and human rights organisations in Jordan, Salma Nims, secretary-general of the Jordanian National Commission for Women, a semi-governmental organisation, told Al Jazeera.

Article 308 permits pardoning rape perpetrators if they marry their victims and stay with them for at least three years.

The controversial provision has for decades divided Jordan between those who believe the law is necessary to protect womens honour, and others who see it as a violation of basic human rights.

Hundreds of civil society activists staged a sit-in outside the parliament building on Tuesday to call for the complete abolition of the provision.

Nims said that there was a strong pushback from some parliamentarians not to abolish the provision, but to only amend it until the last minute.

We were really worried, but our efforts were successful, she said. What we need to do is to work on amending the complete set of laws that affect the status of women in Jordan  specifically the personal status law and other laws that impact the life of women in Jordan and affect their rights in terms of equality.

In October 2016, Jordans King Abdullah II ordered the establishment of a royal committee to reform the judiciary and review the entire penal code, which dates back to 1960. In February, the committee recommended abolishing the article, leading the Jordanian government to endorse the suggestion in April.

The decision must still be approved by the Jordanian parliaments Senate, or upper house, and then be signed by King Abdullah II.

Last week, Tunisian politicians abolished a similar clause and recognised domestic violence as a punishable crime.

Khaled Ramadan, a parliamentarian who pushed to abolish the provision in Jordan, said: This is a historic day in Jordans history.

READ MORE: Will Jordan abolish a law that protects rapists?

After 57 years of this law, this is an important step towards societal reform and for equality. Today we are sending a message to every rapist that your crime will not be overlooked and we will not let you get away with it, Ramadan told Al Jazeera.

This debate has been going on for decades. We respect everyones point of view  but repealing this provision has become endorsed by all Jordanians. When it is voted on by the Senate, it will mean that Jordanian society has decided to put this article behind us.

Asma Khader, a leading womens rights activist and lawyer, said that her organisation, the Sisterhood is Global Institute, and other NGOs worked hard to provide parliamentarians with the right information about victims of this article.

We had counter-arguments to all the viewpoints put forth against repealing the provision within the parliament. We managed to reach many of the parliamentarians and worked with them over a long period of time to get to this point, Khader told Al Jazeera.

The article is not based on a logical or legal rationale. It is not justified and it does not stand in line with our culture, knowledge and logical thinking, she added.

Amani Rizq, senior programme officer of the Swedish gender equality organisation Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation in Jordan, said that while the legislative achievement of today is a great step towards justice for women in Jordan  it needs to be part of a plan to protect women victims of rape crimes in a holistic approach.

The societal discrimination that comes with the stigma of being raped is where practical practices are needed for womens protection, especially if they get pregnant, Rizq told Al Jazeera.

Jordanians and others in the region also took to social media to voice their opinions about the vote.

https://twitter.com/wissam_alabsi/status/892348390931144704

(Translation: The law to rape and get married for free has been abolished  congratulations)

https://twitter.com/banan_sinno/status/892354070865948672

(Translation: Congratulations to Jordan, congratulations to every revolutionary that raised their voice in the face of injustice  may the same be implemented in all the Arab countries and the rest of the world)

https://twitter.com/HatemShouli/status/892344751676157952

(Translation: Congratulations to Jordan on repealing article 308, it is a step towards reforming legislation, protecting human rights, and activating social justice)

(Translation: The article has been abolished. The voice of reason and dignity has won. Bless all the people who supported this)

       '' #_308  Anoud AlHindawi (@Anoud_Hindawi) August 1, 2017

(Translation: 308 was a protection for the criminal and not honour)

        

               !#_308  Ayat_Alhajjaj (@Ayat_Alhajjaj) August 1, 2017

(Translation: The article was abolished but did anyone think about the girls fate? Did anyone think about how the family of the girl, and the society, will treat the girl, especially those who do not see her as a victim?)

     

            #_308  Amr Amr |   (@4amramr) August 1, 2017

(Translation: May we receive more news like this  May the punishment for assault be doubled and may we get rid of the monsters who walk on the streets)

Such rape-marriage provisions continue to exist in Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Syria, as well as several countries in Latin America and Asia.

Once Jordan formally repeals this provision from its penal code, it would be joining three other countries in the region that made similar reforms: Egypt in 1999, Morocco in 2014 and Tunisia last week.

In the past 30 years, other countries around the world made similar strides to abolish such provisions, including Italy in 1981, France in 1994, Peru in 1998, Romania in 2000, Uruguay in 2006 and Costa Rica in 2007.
Trips have been cancelled amid restrictions on flights and a reluctance of Saudi companies to work with Qatari firms.

Some Qatari nationals have had their hajj plans derailed amid a Saudi-led blockade, which has prevented local companies from making the necessary arrangements for the annual pilgrimage.

Qataris were not banned from performing the hajj, but companies that organise hajj trips have encountered other limitations, including restrictions on flights from Qatar and difficulties in securing accommodation and transportation within Saudi Arabia.

Its a multi-angled issue. On the one hand, Saudi officials were not making it easier for the companies to prepare for hajj, and on the other hand, Saudi companies that provide services for hajj  such as accommodations  were reluctant to work with the Qatari hajj companies, fearing retaliation in light of the sympathy laws that were passed, Saad al-Abdullah, a representative for Qatars National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), told Al Jazeera, referring to newly passed legislation criminalising public displays of sympathy for Qatar.

READ MORE: Qatar rebuts Saudi Hajj politicisation claim

Most pilgrims from Qatar sign up with a hajj company that takes care of their accommodation, food and transport within Saudi Arabia for the duration of their pilgrimage.

The NHRC and the UK-based Arab Organisation for Human Rights (AOHR) have released statements asking for the facilitation of hajj preparations within Saudi Arabia.

AOHR pointed out that despite allowing Iran to establish consular services for the duration of the hajj, Saudi did not extend the same offer to Qatar.

The rituals of hajj are not easy. There has to be cooperation between the Awqaf [Qatars ministry of religious affairs and endowment] and the hajj ministry in Saudi, Qatari journalist Khalid Jassim noted in a recent video. There isnt even a consulate or embassy to help gain clearance to prepare for pilgrimage or even ensure the safety of Qatari pilgrims.





Hatem al-Mansoori, the owner of a Qatari hajj company, told Al Jazeera that there would be no way to salvage the situation this year.

Even if the sanctions are lifted, its too late to take anyone to hajj this year, since preparations have to be made in advance, he said.

Saudi authorities have stipulated that only two airports will welcome Qatari pilgrims this year, and they must fly in via Doha, making the process even more difficult for Qataris living abroad, said the NHRC, which has filed a formal complaint with the United Nations.

While the Saudi measures do not necessarily infringe on Qataris freedom to practise their religion, said Carl Buckley, a legal adviser for AOHR, they are, however, being prevented  if the ban holds  from fulfilling an essential element of that.

Saudi, meanwhile, has dismissed the issue, with Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir noting: We reject attempts by Qatar to politicise the issue and consider it disrespect to the hajj and pilgrims. In response, Qatars foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said: Qatar did not politicise hajj, but sadly Saudi has made it a political issue.
The mutilated body of Chris Msando, acting director for Information and Communications Technology at the commission overseeing the highly anticipated August election, was found in a forest near the capital less than ten days ahead of the vote.

Let that sentence marinate in your mind for a while so you can appreciate the shocking turn that the campaign season in Kenya has taken. Just over a week before the vote, one of the most senior officials at the Independent Election and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was kidnapped, tortured and murdered, fuelling greater uncertainty and anxiety around the election.





Despite speculation to the contrary, indicators were that Kenyas 2017 election, while highly contentious, would not rise to the level of violence experienced in 2007. As many as 16,259 people are standing for office, suggesting that for better or worse there is greater increasing interest in participating in politics. The primaries in April were neither completely free nor fair but the number of incumbents that were voted out suggested that voters were ready to exercise their agency.

The endless list of public forums and debates hosted by civil society groups and local NGOs hinted that after years of depending primarily on international organisations, local civil society was ready to take responsibility for political education. It looked like Kenyas bruising battle for legitimate democracy was finally growing up.

Msandos murder isnt just a devastating blow to his family, who will undoubtedly be crushed to have lost a loved one in this way. It is a massive setback for the entire Kenyan election which has been teetering towards illegitimacy.

READ MORE: Why Kenyas presidential election on August 8 matters

In the weekend that Msando was killed, the IEBC was struggling to explain why it had printed an excess of more than 1.2 million ballot papers  well over the 1 percent (about 192,000) allowance for spoilt votes that is demanded by its own regulations. Msandos last assignment on Friday night was a live television segment in which he demonstrated the Integrated Election Management System (IEMS) electronic vote count system  a move probably triggered by the intense legal and legislative battle on the use of an electronic versus a manual voter identification system.

The toxic politics that led to the murders of political luminaries such as Tom Mboya, JM Kariuki, Pio Gama Pinto and Robert Ouko, as well as election violence in 1988, 1992, 1997, 2007 and 2013, is still with us. by

Public confidence in the possibility of a truly free and fair election was already low, but this murder significantly undermines it. As details emerge, it is clear that Msando was murdered, possibly because of his role. He was one of a handful of people in Kenya who knew both the login information and the physical location of the servers that will run the highly digitised election.

The use of torture  he was allegedly missing an arm and was bleeding even at the morgue  suggests that Msando died because of information he had. Kenyans are now left to speculate on why this election mattered so much to one of the people seeking their endorsement for political office that Msando had to be killed.

Its hard to describe how thoroughly this turn of events crushes hopes that this election would inch Kenya towards a more robust democracy  a reminder that no matter how badly most Kenyans reject violence, those with power can inflict wanton damage at will.

Msandos murder signals that all of the small changes at the local level that increased the voters sense of agency over the process  increased numbers of women running for office, more door-to-door campaigning versus mega rallies, increased investment in public education initiatives such as debates  have not yet translated into major changes in the sinister character of national politics. The toxic politics that led to the murders of political luminaries such as Tom Mboya, JM Kariuki, Pio Gama Pinto and Robert Ouko, as well as election violence in 1988, 1992, 1997, 2007 and 2013, is still with us.

Moreover, if the police cannot keep a single official with such an important role alive, can they keep every other voter safe? Msando had allegedly reported death threats to the police multiple times, but according to the local press, he did not have a security detail.

OPINION: Kenyas election  What will young people vote for?

In the past year the police have invested heavily in anti-riot gear and armoured vehicles and plastered those images all over the press, yet the same police force cannot keep the people running the election alive. If they could not protect Msando, what was the point of the massive displays of equipment other than intimidating voters?

It would be patently false to argue that premeditated murder isnt part of politics in Kenya. There has been a significant political assassination under every leader in Kenyas history, not to mention a pattern of extrajudicial executions that goes back to colonisation.

Still, that doesnt diminish the terror that such killings instill in the public, and in an election year, it is likely to have a chilling effect on participation and enthusiasm. It undermines confidence in key institutions and only augments the anxiety that this election will go badly. The only flicker of hope is that Kenyans will respond to their anxiety by voting anyway and pushing back against the fear, at the very least in honour of Msando, who didnt need to die.

Nanjala Nyabola is a Kenyan writer and political analyst based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Comments come as email leak suggests Emirati FM was disappointed US chose Doha over Abu Dhabi to host groups office.

Qatar played a major role in facilitating peace talks between Afghan officials and the Taliban by opening an office for the group in Doha, a senior Taliban offical told Al Jazeera.

The Taliban officials comments on Tuesday come as a series of leaked emails from UAE diplomats suggest the Emirati foreign minister was disappointed that US officials had chosen Doha over Abu Dhabi to host the office.

The June 2013 opening of the unofficial embassy allowed for talks to develop, said the Taliban official, who is based in the Qatari capital.

We got a chance to discuss with Afghan diplomats, journalists and analysts face-to-face on how peace can be achieved in Afghanistan, he told Al Jazeera, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

In 2016, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, an international crisis group, organised a meeting in Doha bringing Afghan diplomats, analysts and journalists to the table with the Taliban to discuss how to achieve peace.

Weve conducted many peace conferences in Doha and discussed many issues with the help of Qatari officials who played the role of mediators, and nothing else.

READ MORE: Qatar hosted Taliban at request of US government

That conference was not a part of the official process between officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US aimed at charting a roadmap to peace.

But the Taliban official said such meetings were important.

He also noted a separate meeting was held between the Taliban and Afghan journalists where both sides were able to discuss their ideas for peace.

The official went on to say that demands on Doha by a Saudi-led bloc currently boycotting the peninsula are unfair, and that the quartet should not accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism.

Leaked UAE emails

As part of its attempt to isolate the peninsula, the kingdom, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have derided Qatar for hosting an office for the Afghan armed group.

But a series of leaked emails show UAE diplomats lobbied US officials so Abu Dhabi could host the office.

Reported by the New York Times on Monday, the emails from the UAE ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, apparently contradict a mounted campaign against Qatar for its alleged support of terrorist groups.

Otaiba said he received an angry call from UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, complaining that the Taliban had ended up in Qatar and not the UAE, according to messages in the ambassadors Hotmail account.

I got an angry call from [Zayed] saying how come we werent told, Otaiba wrote to an American official.

The newspaper obtained another email dated September 12, 2011, in which an Emirati official questioned the US position on the Taliban offices location.

READ MORE: Yousef Al Otaiba linked to Malaysia 1MBD scandal  WSJ

There is an article in the London Times that mentions US is backing setting up a Taliban embassy in Doha, the diplomat, Mohamed Mahmoud al-Khaja, wrote to Jeffrey Feltman, then assistant secretary of state for near east affairs.

HH says that we were under the impression that Abu Dhabi was your first choice and this is what we were informed, Khaja said in the email, referring to bin Zayed.

The latest email leak comes from a group called GlobalLeaks, which is not affiliated with the software developer, GlobaLeaks.

GlobalLeaks told Newsweek that the recent messages are proof of the biggest hypocrisy in the Qatar crisis.

The office was part of a broader US-led effort to facilitate peace talks in Afghanistan  not to support their ideology or the group itself.

Qatar agreed to open the mission for the Taliban with Washingtons blessing four years ago.

In 2011, when the emails were sent, the Obama administration was making efforts to hold peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government as it sought to remove NATO troops from the country.

Most of the troops withdrew in 2014, but peace was not achieved.

The opening of the office enraged the Afghan president at the time, Hamid Karzai, by styling itself as an unofficial embassy for a government-in-exile.

Karzai broke off bilateral talks with the Americans and threatened to boycott any peace process altogether after the Taliban opened the offices with a flag-raising ceremony for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan  the name of the country under Taliban rule.

That flag has since been removed.
China opens its first military base in Djibouti on same day as Peoples Liberation Army marks 90th anniversary.

China has formally opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti with a flag raising ceremony and military parade.

More than 300 people attended Tuesdays ceremony, including deputy Chinese naval commander Tian Zhong and Djiboutis defence minister, according to state media.

The event was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of Chinas military, the Peoples Liberation Army, on August 1.

China began constructing a base in Djibouti last year. It will be used to resupply navy ships taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, in particular.

Home to only around 800,000 people, Djibouti also hosts troops from US, France and Japan.

READ MORE: AU calls for calm amid Djibouti-Eritrea border tensions

Djiboutis position on the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean has fuelled worry in India.

Officials there are concerned that China is encircling India with a string of military alliances, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Djibouti marks Chinas first overseas naval base, though Beijing officially describes it as a logistics facility.





Chinese President Xi Jinping is overseeing an ambitious military modernisation programme, including developing capabilities for Chinas forces to operate far from home.

In Beijing, Xi told government leaders and PLA members that the Chinese people treasure peace and we absolutely do not engage in invasion and expansion.

However, we have the confidence to conquer all forms of invasion, he said in a speech to mark the founding of the PLA.

Djibouti is a tiny barren nation sandwiched between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. It is at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal.

Chinas agreement with Djibouti ensures its military presence in the country up until 2026, with a contingent of up to 10,000 soldiers, according to The Diplomat magazine.

Beijing has made extensive infrastructure investments throughout the African continent as it seeks to gain access to natural resources and new markets.

Chinese banks have been major funders of at least 14 such projects in Djibouti, valued at $14.4bn in total, including a railway line that will halve transit times from Djibouti to Ethiopias Addis Ababa.
At least one fatally shot in protests as anger grows over killings of Lashkar-e-Taiba leader and another fighter.

Indian troops in Indian-administered Kashmir killed a top rebel commander in a gun battle and another fighter, sparking violent protests that resulted in the death of at least one civilian.

Abu Dujana, a senior leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, was killed early on Tuesday by government troops in Harkipora village of South Kashmirs Pulwama district.

Pulwama resident and fighter Arif Ahmed was also killed.

The target house was cordoned and the fighters were requested to surrender, but they preferred to fight  two fighters belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed including Abu Dujana, Munir Khan, Kashmir police chief, told Al Jazeera.

Abu Dujana, a resident of Gilgit Baltistan, had a bounty of $23,000 on his head. India blames the LeT group for a 2008 attack that left 166 people dead in Indias Mumbai.

READ MORE: India and Pakistan  Forever rivals?

As the gunbattle raged, residents defied the security lockdown and clashed with government forces near the site of the battle in an attempt to help the trapped fighters escape, according to police.

A civilian, Firdous Ahmad, was killed and dozens of others were injured in the violence.

Khan said Ahmad was caught in crossfire.

But residents and doctors told Al Jazeera that the troops fired shotgun pellets and tear gas and blocked roads with razor wire and steel barricades.

The encounter was going on, people from various villages assembled at the site and forces directly opened fire in which [Firdous Ahmad] was hit on his face [and] died on the spot, Muhammad Yusuf, a resident of Pulwama, told Al Jazeera.

How can we give up protests, when there is so much blood being spilled here? They dont differentiate between a civilian and a militant, everyone meets the same fate.

At least 17 people are being treated for injuries following the protests.

READ MORE: Kashmir  Indian troops kill young tailor amid protests

Four of them were hit in their eyes with either pellets or teargas shells. Three people are in critical condition, Nazir Chowdhary, a doctor at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS), told Al Jazeera.

Fearing more tension, the government has suspended mobile internet in Kashmir.

The internet has been shut as a precautionary measure so that the anti-national elements and terrorists dont take the advantage of the situation, police chief Khan said.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety.

Rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for the Indian-administered portion to become independent or merge with Pakistan.

Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

India maintains roughly 500,000 soldiers in the territory.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep among Kashmirs mostly Muslim population and most support the rebels cause against Indian rule despite a decades-long military crackdown to fight the armed rebellion.

India has accused Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, which Pakistan denies.

Rebel groups have largely been suppressed by Indian forces in recent years and public opposition to Indian rule is now principally expressed through street protests.
Defendants on trial for gang murders killed in a gun battle after they tried to seize guns from police officers.

At least three defendants on trial for 17 gang murders were killed in a shootout at a regional court in Moscow on Tuesday after they tried to seize their guards weapons and flee, officials said.

Five defendants were in a lift in the Moscow regional court building when they tried to seize the weapons from the officers escorting them, Tatyana Petrova, a spokeswoman for Moscow region police, told Russian state television.

She said three of the defendants were shot as they tried to escape, and two others were wounded.

Three law enforcement officials were also wounded, said Petrova and Yevgeny Kubyshkin, a spokesman for the Russian National Guard, which had an officer in the court.

A lawyer at the court, Sofya Rubasskaya, told AFP: I heard shots. There were more than 20 shots. She said she saw a wounded female guard whose face was all bloody.

After the shootout, everyone in the court was evacuated and all hearings have been postponed, the lawyer said.

Speaking from Moscow, Al Jazeeras Rory Challands said that the three defendants were members of a gang that were involved in one of the more lurid episodes of Moscows recent past.

In the summer of 2014, there was a spate of rather strange murders on the lonely highways outside of Moscow, he said.

In the dead of night, the gang members placed metal spikes on roads to burst the tyres of passing cars, then ruthlessly shot their drivers and disappeared.

Challands said that there were no obvious motives for the murders.

Because the court case and most of the courts proceedings were closed to the media, theres a lot we still dont know about what this gang was and what their motives were, he said.

The group was dubbed in the Russian press as the GTA Gang, a reference to the Grand Theft Auto violent series of video games.

The investigation into the gang charged a total of nine defendants, all of whom originated from ex-Soviet Central Asian states, with murder, banditry, robbery and arms trafficking.

The gangs suspected leader was killed during an attempt to capture him.
Arrests made as protesters march in different parts of the country demanding President Joseph Kabila to step down.

Police in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrested more than 100 people as they cracked down on protesters demanding that President Joseph Kabila leave power by the end of the year, according to two rights groups.

A series of marches across the country called on Monday by pro-democracy group Lucha, and backed by several leading opposition politicians, were mostly snuffed out by heavy police deployments.





Congolese authorities have banned opposition demonstrations since last September because of security fears.

Kabilas refusal to step down when his mandate expired last December has fuelled rising violence and insecurity in the DRC but organised opposition has faltered since the death of his main opponent, Etienne Tshisekedi, in February.

Ida Sawyer, Central Africa director at US-based Human Rights Watch, said in a statement that the group had confirmed 57 arrests in the eastern city of Goma, 24 in the capital Kinshasa and dozens more in seven other cities.

At least 22 of those detained had been released by Monday evening, Sawyer said.

Another rights group, the UK-based Amnesty International, said later that more than 100 people had been arrested.

Arbitrary arrests

The UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC also condemned the arrests on its Twitter account.

Arbitrary arrests are incompatible with the right to information [and] right of freedom of assembly guaranteed in DRC Constitution, the office said.

The Association of Online Media in DRC (MILRDC) meanwhile said in a statement that seven journalists had been briefly arrested in Kinshasa while covering the aborted march there.

The DRCs electoral commission said earlier this month that a vote to replace Kabila will probably not be possible this year.

That would violate a deal struck with the opposition in December that allowed Kabila, whose father Laurent preceded him as president, to stay in office past the end of his second and final constitutional mandate.

Security forces killed dozens of anti-Kabila protesters last year and recent bouts of unrest have raised fears of a resurgence of the civil wars that led to the deaths of millions in the DRC between 1996 and 2003.
Almost 500 suspects are accused of conspiring to overthrow the government from an airbase seen as the plotters hub.

Turkey is holding its largest trial over the July 2016 coup attempt, with nearly 500 people appearing in court.

The suspects, who are standing trial on Tuesday, are accused of conspiring to overthrow the government from an airbase seen as the plotters hub.

A total of 486 suspects are going on trial in a purpose-built courtroom outside the capital, Ankara, charged with crimes ranging from murder, violating the constitution and attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.

READ MORE: Turkeys failed coup attempt  All you need to know

They are accused of running the coup bid from the Akinci airbase northwest of the capital, which the authorities regard as plotters headquarters.

From there, commands were given for F-16 fighter jets to attack and fly above the capital.

The Turkish parliament was bombed three times by F-16s.

Gulen among suspects

A total of 461 suspects are held in custody, while seven are still on the run. The remainder are charged but not in jail.

Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Muslim cleric-turned-businessman accused of ordering the attempted July 15 attempt, is among the main suspects named in the indictment.

He remains in the United States under self-imposed exile in a secluded compound in the US state of Pennsylvania, and strongly denies the charges against him.

Those held in custody include Akin Ozturk, a former air force chief who  like several suspects  is also on trial in another case related to the coup bid.





Theology lecturer Adil Oksuz, whom Turkish officials allege was the so-called imam of the plot, is accused of coordinating the action on the ground in Turkey with Gulen.

Businessman Kemal Batmaz, meanwhile, is accused of assisting Oksuz.

Oksuz was detained following the coups defeat, but was subsequently released and is now on the run. Batmaz is in custody in Sincan prison outside Ankara.

Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar and other senior commanders were held hostage at the base during the coup attempt, before they were freed on the morning of July 16.

Around 300 people were killed during the coup attempt, which also led to purges targeting tens of thousands of civil servants among other people.
Violence has intensified in recent days in Awamiya, east Saudi Arabia, where security forces are fighting Shia gunmen.

Hundreds of people have fled a town in Qatif governorate in eastern Saudi Arabia, where government forces are fighting Shia Muslim gunmen, activists and Saudi media reported on Tuesday.

Fighting has intensified in recent days in Awamiya where authorities have been trying since May to tear down the old quarter to prevent fighters using the narrow streets to evade capture.

Local activists said Saudi forces have facilitated the departure of people fleeing the clashes that have killed at least seven people, including two police officers. Dozens of families have been given temporary accommodation in a nearby town.

READ MORE: Gulf crisis derails hajj plans for Qataris

Appeals for shelter for displaced families have appeared on social media and several people responded by opening their homes, while others offered to pay for temporary housing outside Awamiya.

The government of Eastern Province has received requests from residents and farmers around Awamiya to help them flee clashes between security forces and what it calls armed terrorists, al-Hayat newspaper reported.





Contracts have been signed for a number of furnished apartments in the city of Dammam to shelter those interested in leaving neighbourhoods near al-Musawara, al-Hayat quoted Falah al-Khalidi, governor of Qatif, as saying.

Local activists accuse security forces of driving hundreds of residents out of Awamiya by firing randomly towards homes and cars as they confront armed men in the area, charges Saudi Arabia denies. They said several houses and shops have been burned or damaged by the fighting.

Residents also say life has become unbearable due to frequent power and water cuts as temperatures soar over 40 degrees Celsius, according to Mirat al-Jazeera, a news website that often reflects Shia Muslim views.

Authorities have urged displaced residents to report to the governorate headquarters to apply for temporary residence or to get compensation for houses they had abandoned, state TV reported.

The area, in oil-producing Eastern Province, where many of the countrys Shia Muslim minority live, has seen unrest and occasional armed attacks on security forces since the 2011 Arab Spring protests.

Residents complain of unfair treatment by the Sunni-led government, something Riyadh denies.
Former President Joyce Banda will return to Malawi for first time since 2014 to defend herself in the Cashgate scandal.

Malawis former president denied on Tuesday any wrongdoing in a corruption scandal that erupted when she was in office, saying she will return to the southern African nation to prove her innocence.

Joyce Banda is wanted for arrest over alleged abuse of office and money-laundering offences, police said on Monday.

More than 70 entrepreneurs, officials and civil servants have been charged in connection with the embezzlement of what is thought to amount to hundreds of millions of dollars from state coffers between 2009 and 2013.

Banda, who was Malawis president for two years from 2012, left the country when she lost in an election to Peter Mutharika. She has not returned since 2014.

Banda has been living in the United States, serving as a distinguished fellow at Woodrow Wilson Center and the Center for Global Development in Washington, DC.

READ MORE: Cashgate trial begins in Malawi

I will be coming back because I never did anything wrong and I am innocent, Banda told Reuters news agency in a telephone interview from South Africa, where she had arrived from the US.

I am the only president who got to the bottom of corruption and instituted the first-ever commission of inquiry into corruption, she added.





She was expected to proceed to Malawi after carrying out some charity work in South Africa.

James Kadadzera, a police public relations officer, said authorities had obtained an arrest warrant for Banda.

The evidence gathered raises reasonable suspicion that the former president committed offences relating to abuse of office and money laundering, he said in a statement.

While president, Banda ordered an independent audit of the corruption revelations, which was conducted by British firm Baker Tilly. The findings were released in 2014.

Baker Tilly never linked me to any corruption and the rest is what everyone knows, that even some of my cabinet members were arrested. I never shielded anyone who was found to have been part of this, she said.

A former justice minister and attorney general was convicted over cashgate, as the scandal came to be known, and is in jail, along with a number of former high-ranking government officials and business persons.

The corruption scandal led to international donors halting aid to Malawi.
Washington directly hit Nicolas Maduro with punishing measures after controversial vote to create constituent assembly.

A defiant President Nicolas Maduro mocked fresh US sanctions against him after a disputed and deadly weekend vote in Venezuela to elect a new legislative body.

The sanctions came as electoral authorities said more than eight million Venezuelans voted on Sunday to create a constitutional assembly  a turnout doubted by independent analysts.

The election, which spurred unrest that killed at least 10 people, was labelled illegitimate by leaders across the Americas and Europe.

Maduro, however, said on Monday evening that he had no intention of deviating from plans to rewrite the constitution and lashed out at US sanctions, saying the move smacked of imperialism.





They dont intimidate me. The threats and sanctions of the empire dont intimidate me for a moment, Maduro told a cheering audience. I dont listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever.

Bring on more sanctions, he told US President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, two prominent opposition leaders who urged Venezuelans to join protests against Maduro were taken from their homes in overnight raids.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezema, who were both under house arrest, were picked up by intelligence services late at night, members of their families said on Twitter.

The opposition has vowed to continue protests.

Disputed vote

Al Jazeeras John Holman, reporting from Caracas, said Lopez and Ledzemas arrests have raised fears of a crackdown on the opposition. In the run up to the vote, both men had posted videos online calling on Venezuelans to take to the streets, he said.

Perhaps the government will say that violates the terms of their house arrest, Holman said. They were not supposed to express themselves publicly.

Lilian Tintori, Lopezs wife, said: Maduro is responsible if something happens to him.

Freddy Guevara, an opposition politician, said the arrests were aimed at frightening us and demoralizing us. Earlier in the day, he said the result of Sundays election was almost laughable if it wasnt a tragedy  if it didnt mean more crisis.

READ MORE: What is a National Constituent Assembly?

The National Electoral Council put turnout for the vote at 41.53 percent, a result that would mean the ruling party won more support than it had in any national election since 2013.

The opposition coalition estimated only 2.5 million ballots were cast.

Boycotted by the opposition, the Constituent Assembly was made up solely of members of Maduros ruling Socialist Party, including his wife, Cilia Flores.

Tasked with rewriting the constitution, it will have far-reaching powers, including the right to dissolve the opposition-controlled National Assembly and change laws.

It is due to be installed on Wednesday.

Julio Borges, the president of the opposition-led National Assembly, told Venezuelan news channel Globovision that Maduros foes would continue protesting until they won free elections.

He said Sundays vote gave Maduro less legitimacy, less credibility, less popular support and less ability to govern.

At least 120 people have died in four months of anti-government protests.

US sanctions

Colombia, Mexico, Peru and other nations joined the US in saying they did not recognise the results of Sundays election.

However, old allies Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia stood by Maduro.

Russias foreign ministry said it hoped countries who apparently want to increase economic pressure on Caracas will display restraint and abandon their destructive plans.

The White House labelled Maduro a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people.

Under the new sanctions, all of Maduros assets subject to US jurisdiction were frozen, and Americans are barred from doing business with him, the US Treasury Department said.

The financial impact of the new measures was not immediately clear as Maduros holdings in US jurisdictions, if he has any, are not publicised.

Other heads of state currently subject to US sanctions include Syrias President Bashar al-Assad, Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe and North Koreas Kim Jong-un.

For the moment, the Trump administration has not delivered on threats to sanction Venezuelas oil industry, which could raise US gas prices and deepen Venezuelas humanitarian crisis.
Leaked emails show Emirati diplomats calling on US to choose Abu Dhabi over Doha for Afghan groups unofficial embassy.

The UAE lobbied US officials to be able to host an office for the Taliban in Abu Dhabi  a milestone that eventually went to Qatar, according to a series of leaked emails from the UAE ambassador to the United States.

Reported by the New York Times, the emails from Yousef al-Otaiba apparently contradict a mounted campaign against Qatar for its alleged support of terrorist groups.

As part of its attempt to isolate the peninsula, a Saudi-led bloc including the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt has derided Qatar for hosting an office for the Afghan armed group.

The office, which opened in June 2013, was part of a broader US-led effort to facilitate peace talks in Afghanistan  not to support their ideology or the group itself.

The New York Times reported on Monday that Otaiba, the Emirati ambassador to Washington, had received an angry call from UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, complaining that the Taliban had ended up in Qatar and not the UAE, according to messages in the ambassadors Hotmail account.

I got an angry call from [Zayed] saying how come we werent told, Otaiba wrote to an American official, referring to the decision on choosing Qatar to host the Taliban.

The newspaper obtained another email dated September 12, 2011, in which an Emirati official questioned the US position on the Taliban offices location

READ MORE: Yousef al-Otaiba linked to Malaysia 1MBD scandal  WSJ

There is an article in the London Times that mentions US is backing setting up a Taliban embassy in Doha, the diplomat, Mohamed Mahmoud al-Khaja, wrote to Jeffrey Feltman, then assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs.

HH says that we were under the impression that Abu Dhabi was your first choice and this is what we were informed, Khaja said in the email, referring to bin Zayed.

The latest email leak comes from a group called GlobalLeaks, which is not affiliated with the software developer, GlobaLeaks.

GlobalLeaks told Newsweek that the recent messages are proof of the biggest hypocrisy in the Qatar crisis.

Controversial move

Qatar agreed to open the mission for the Taliban with Washingtons blessing four years ago.

In 2011, when the emails were sent, the Obama administration was making efforts to hold peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, as it sought to remove NATO troops from the country.

Most of the troops withdrew in 2014, but peace was not achieved.

The opening of the office enraged the Afghan president at the time, Hamid Karzai, by styling itself as an unofficial embassy for a government-in-exile.

Karzai broke off bilateral talks with the Americans and threatened to boycott any peace process altogether after the Taliban opened the offices with a flag-raising ceremony for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan  the name of the country under Taliban rule.

That flag has since been removed.

Qatars behaviour

Otaiba has repeatedly criticised Qatar for its alleged alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood and over the opening of another Doha-based office for the Palestinian group Hamas, which was also arranged with US approval.

What is true is Qatars behaviour. Funding, supporting, and enabling extremists from the Taliban to Hamas & Qadafi, Otaiba wrote in a tweet on July 17, referring to the late former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

Doha strongly denies all allegations by the Saudi-led bloc as baseless.

Neither the UAE embassy nor the US state department has responded to Otaibas leaked emails.

Earlier this month, David Petraeus, former CIA chief and army general, said: Our partners should remember that Qatar  at our request  welcomed delegations from the Taliban and Hamas.

READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis  All the latest updates

Last week, the Saudi-led bloc gave Qatar 10 days to comply with 13 demands to end the major diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, insisting, among other things, that Doha shut down Al Jazeera, close a Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran.

Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) called on Doha not to accept a list of demands submitted by four Arab countries, stating that it contains conditions that violate human rights conventions and other international and regional agreements.
Abbasi is expected to give way to outgoing leaders brother Shahbaz, who plans to contest a parliamentary seat.

Pakistans parliament has elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the countrys new prime minister, after a Supreme Court decision last week disqualified Nawaz Sharif, his predecessor, over allegations he lied on a wealth declaration.

Abbasi, who belongs to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party, was elected after a vote by members of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, in Islamabad on Tuesday.

The ruling PML-N holds a comfortable majority in the lower house, and Abbasis election was considered a foregone conclusion ahead of the vote. Several smaller parties also supported Abbasis election in the vote, results showed.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is declared to have been elected as the prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, said Ayaz Sadiq, the speaker of the house, announcing the results to raucous cheers from the ruling partys lawmakers.

Abbasi was due to be sworn in on Tuesday evening, and would then constitute his cabinet, which is largely expected to be almost identical to Nawazs own outgoing cabinet.

READ MORE: Pakistans democracy reels from Nawaz Sharifs removal

The election was necessitated by the dismissal of Nawaz on Friday, a three-time prime minister who was disqualified from holding public office over allegations that he lied on a parliamentary wealth declaration form when running for office in 2013.

Interim prime minister

In a sign that ousted PM Nawazs influence will remain strong within Abbasis government, the announcement of his win was followed by the parliament reverberating with lawmakers shouting Sharifs name, Nawaz Sharif! Nawaz Sharif!

Abbasi then rose from his seat and embraced his partys leaders on the floor of the house, and in a conciliatory gesture, crossed to the other side of the house to greet members of the opposition too.

Within four days, we have seen the return of the country onto the tracks of democracy. Nothing was derailed, he said, as he addressed the house from a podium upon which the outgoing PMs portrait was hung.

Whether I am here for 45 hours or 45 days, I am the prime minister of this country, and I have come here to get work done, not to keep the seat warm.

Abbasi will hold the post for roughly two months, while Nawazs younger brother Shahbaz runs in a by-election to take over from him, Nawaz announced after a party meeting on Saturday.

In a unanimous landmark ruling, the Supreme Court declared that Nawaz could no longer hold public office, and referred him, three of his children and several associates to a lower court to be tried on corruption charges.

Corruption cases

On Monday, the National Accountability Bureau, Pakistans anti-corruption watchdog, said that it would be filing cases against Nawaz; his children Hasan, Hussain and Maryam; and Sharifs Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

The cases relate to the acquisition of four apartments in Londons posh Park Lane district by the Sharifs, the operations of two steel mills in Saudi Arabia, and 16 other Sharif-owned companies in the United Kingdom, said a statement.

READ MORE: What\s next for Pakistans Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif?

Abbasi, 58, a long-time loyalist of the Sharifs PML-N party, and previously served as the elder Sharifs petroleum minister in the current government.

The political opposition, however, has slammed his nomination for the post, arguing that he is facing his own corruption allegations in a National Accountability court related to alleged misconduct in the awarding of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) contracts amounting to about $2 billion in 2015.

Shahbaz, Nawazs political heir, is expected to run for the NA-120 seat in Lahore vacated by his brother in the coming days.

That election, too, is widely expected to go ahead, as it is occurring in the Sharifs stronghold of Lahore, the capital of the same Punjab province of which the younger Sharif has been chief minister for the last nine years.

Opposition to Shahbaz Sharifs nomination for the position, however, has been growing in recent days, with the political opposition and some analysts accusing the PML-N party of nepotism at the cost of putting the country first.

In the 70th year of the countrys existence, the party that usurped the name of the party of Mohammad Ali Jinnah is a nepotistic disgrace, read the editorial in Dawn, Pakistans most widely read English language newspaper, on Tuesday.

Regardless of who is prime minister, however, Nawazs influence will likely remain strong on the governments policies.

I am aware of the weight of this seat. This is the seat where [the first Pakistani PM] Liaquat Ali Khan sat, where Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto sat, where Benazir Bhutto sat, said Abbasi, following his election. And it is where Nawaz Sharif is present even today.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim
PML-N, which holds comfortable parliament majority, almost certain to remain in power with Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at helm.

Pakistani politicians are set to elect an interim prime minister following the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif.

The outgoing prime minister lost his post after Supreme Court judges disqualified him over corruption allegations, for not declaring a source of income.

Sharif has nominated Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his staunch Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) ally, as interim leader until his brother, Shahbaz, becomes eligible to take over  a development expected within two months.

Parliament will convene on Tuesday afternoon for the vote.

PML-N politician Raja Zafarul Haq said the ruling partys choice for Sharifs successor, Abbasi, is certain to be elected as head of government.

READ MORE: Pakistan parliament to elect PM after Sharif removal

Abbasi will be running against Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, who is the candidate of Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party; Khursheed Shah, the Pakistan Peoples Party candidate, and two other minor party candidates.

None of the opposition candidates stand a chance of winning, given the PML-Ns parliament majority.

Our party will succeed with our majority, God willing, Abassi told reporters inside parliament after filing the official nomination papers on Monday.

Western-educated Abbasi, who started his career as a businessman, has spent most of his political life by Sharifs side.

He was jailed after Pakistans powerful military staged a coup in 1999 to topple a previous Sharif government.

READ MORE: Who will be Pakistan\s next prime minister?

Sharifs brother Shahbaz, now chief minister of the vast eastern province of Punjab home to more than half of Pakistans 190 million people, will have to resign and fight a parliamentary by-election before he can take over as prime minister.

Sharifs PML-N party won elections in 2013 and holds a majority of 188 seats in the 342-member parliament, so it should be able to swiftly install its choice of prime minister, barring defections from its own ranks.

Fridays landmark ruling followed months of hearings sparked by the leak of the Panama Papers, which showed that three of Sharifs children were connected to three offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.
Qatar Airways is expected to have access to three contingency routes over international waters in early August, after delegates at a UN-led meeting on Monday discussed air corridors for Doha following a rift with its neighbours.

The closed-door meeting with the UN aviation agencys governing council in Montreal discussed contingency routes that had been planned as part of a preliminary agreement reached earlier this month, but not yet opened to Qatar-registered planes.

Qatar had asked the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to intervene after its national carrier was denied access to the airspace of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as part of economic sanctions.

OPINION: Qatar  Finding opportunities for reform in crisis

The four countries severed ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism, an allegation Doha strongly denies.

The closing of their airspace forced state-owned Qatar Airways to fly longer, more expensive routes, prompting Doha to push for international corridors over Gulf waters currently managed by the UAE.

Within a week or so they should have new routes, said a source, who spoke to the Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity.

The ICAO on Monday called on all member states to comply with the 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation and its addendums, reported Qatar News Agency.





Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Qatars transport minister, told Al Jazeera that Dohas main goal at the session had been that all states should adhere to the Chicago agreement.

The organisation insisted on using the word adhere because there was a violation of international safety and security. This is what the international community and the states represented think, he said.

Keith Mackey, an aviation consultant, told Al Jazeera that the ICAO rules on standards by consensus and does not have regulatory powers.

ICAO cant force these countries to allow Qatar or any other airline to fly over their airspace. They have to do it with permission and its really a political problem and not a technical problem, he said.

ICAO prefers to deal with technical problems and the statements they made today were unusual; ICAO doesnt usually go so far as to request member states to follow international protocol, so that may be a positive step in the right direction, added Mackey.

The ICAO cannot impose rules on states, but regulators from its 191 member countries almost always adopt and enforce the standards it sets for international aviation.

Steps to ease the blockade

Al Jazeeras Daniel Lak, reporting from Montreal, said that the action at the ICAO is one of several steps that Qatar is taking to ease or end the blockade  including filing a case at the World Trade Organization and pursuing ongoing talks with the International Maritime Organization.

Qatar also says it will return to ICAO after the organisations summer break to press again for a complete lifting of the blockade and to continue with its case that airspace restrictions are dangerous and illegal, said Lak.

On Monday, Qatar also filed a wide-ranging legal complaint at the World Trade Organization to challenge the trade boycott.

READ MORE: How will Qatar-Gulf crisis shape the regions economy?

On Sunday, Saudi state news agency SPA cited a statement from the Saudi aviation authority saying it had already agreed to nine emergency air corridors, which were identified under ICAO supervision, and would be open from August 1.

However, Qatars transport and communications ministry and its aviation authority denied the four countries had taken such a decision, the state news agency QNA said.

In comments to Al Jazeera, the transport minister said the boycotting countries had discriminated against Doha in violation of an international agreement guaranteeing overflights.

These countries have used this right arbitrarily and imposed it on aircraft registered only in Qatar, Al Sulaiti said.
Qatar has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

By formally requesting consultations with the three countries, the first step in a trade dispute, Qatar triggered a 60-day deadline for them to settle the complaint or face litigation at the WTO and potential retaliatory trade sanctions.

Weve given sufficient time to hear the legal explanations on how these measures are in compliance with their commitments, to no satisfactory result, Ali Alwaleed Al Thani, the director of Qatars WTO office, told the Reuters news agency on Monday.

We have always called for dialogue, for negotiations, and this is part of our strategy to talk to the members concerned and to gain more information on these measures, the legality of these measures, and to find a solution to resolve the dispute.

READ MORE: Qatar Airways expected to access new flight routes

The boycotting states cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of financing terrorism, and allying with Iran, their regional foe, allegations Doha denies.

The WTO suit does not include Egypt, the fourth country involved in the boycott.

Although it has also cut travel and diplomatic ties with Qatar, Egypt did not expel Qatari citizens or ask Egyptians to leave Qatar. Al Thani declined to explain why Egypt was not included.

Trade rights

The text of Qatars WTO complaint cites coercive attempts at economic isolation and spells out how the blockading countries are impeding Qatars trade rights.

The disputed restrictions include bans on trade through Qatars ports and travel by Qatari citizens, blockages of Qatari digital services and websites, the closure of maritime borders and prohibition of flights operated by Qatari aircraft.





The complaint does not put a value on the trade boycott, and Al Thani declined to estimate how much Qatar could seek in sanctions if the litigation ever reached that stage, which can take five years or longer in the WTO system.

We remain hopeful that the consultations could bear fruit in resolving this, he said.

The isolation campaign has forced Qatar to seek more expensive imports and reroute flights on costly detours over friendlier airspace.

The boycotting countries have previously told the WTO that they would cite national security to justify their actions against Qatar, using a controversial and almost unprecedented exemption allowed under the WTO rules.

Many trade diplomats, however, say that using national security as a defence risks weakening the WTO by removing a taboo that could enable countries to escape international trade obligations.

There was no immediate reaction from the three countries to Qatars complaint.

In its WTO case, Qatar would also draw attention to the effect the boycott was having on other WTO members, he said.
Dozens killed and death toll feared to rise with several wounded in critical condition after blast in west Afghanistan.

A suicide attack at a packed Shia mosque in the western Afghan province of Herat has killed dozens of people and injured scores, officials and eyewitnesses said.

The exact death toll from Tuesdays blast was unclear.

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr Shehrzai confirmed that 29 bodies were brought to the medical facility soon after the blast.

Officials feared a rising toll with several of the more than 60 people injured in a critical condition.

Earlier, the provincial governors spokesman, Jalani Farhad, told Al Jazeera that the death toll had risen to 50.

At around 8:00pm (15:30 GMT) tonight, a terrorist attack was carried out on a mosque in the third security district of Herat city, Herat police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada told AFP news agency.

Based on our initial information two terrorists were involved one of them wearing a suicide vest, who detonated himself while the second one was armed with a rifle. They are both dead, he added.

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.

Packed with worshipers

Hadid said he rushed to the mosque after hearing about the explosion.

He was told the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering. When inside, he fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed, then he blew himself up.

Later, local residents, who are mostly Shia Muslims, attacked the police station pelting it with stones and setting it on fire, said Jalani Farhad, the provincial governors spokesman. They were apparently angry at the late response of the police.

Shia Muslims are a persecuted minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group that operates in the countrys east.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousaf Ahmadi has denied responsibility for the deadly attack.

The explosion at the mosque comes a day after an ISIL-claimed attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul killed two people.

Afghanistans national unity government said it strongly condemned the Herat attack, describing it in a statement as an anti-Islam act.

It also called on the Muslim people of Afghanistan, as well as on the religious scholars, to stand united against the barbaric actions of the terrorists.

President Ashraf Ghani said that terrorists cannot create sectarian divisions among our people.
US secretary of state asks Pyongyang to halt its nuclear programme, telling North Koreans, we are not your enemy.

US State Secretary Rex Tillerson has said Washington is not trying to topple Kim Jong-uns regime in North Korea, but Pyongyang must halt its nuclear missile programme.

We do not seek a regime change. We do not seek the collapse of the regime. We do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula, he said during a press conference in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.

We do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th parallel. And were trying to convey that to the North Koreans. We are not your enemy. Were not your threat, but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond.

Reviewing his six months in office, Tillerson said the US would be willing to talk to the North Korea if it accepts to disarm.

We dont think having a dialogue where the North Koreans come to the table assuming theyre going to maintain their nuclear weapons is productive, he said.





But he sought to reassure the isolated regime that it does not need a nuclear arsenal to defend itself from a US attack.

Chinas role

US President Donald Trump has demanded that China, North Koreas neighbour and biggest trade partner, rein in its nuclear ambitions  angrily tweeting over the weekend that Beijing is not doing enough.

But here too, Tillerson was more diplomatic.

We certainly dont blame the Chinese for the situation in North Korea, he said.

Only the North Koreans are to blame for this situation, but we do believe China has a special and unique relationship, because of this significant economic activity, to influence the North Korean regime in ways that no one else can.

Tillersons views on North Korea and its close ally, China, is in sharp contrast to the US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, who on Sunday asked Beijing to decide on tougher UN sanctions on North Korea over its two long-range missile tests last month.

China must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step. The time for talk is over, she said.

Last week, Kim boasted that North Korea could attack any target in the US after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump was ready to launch a devastating military attack if diplomacy failed to stop the nuclear missile threat.

Trump has also spoken to its ally Japan over the latest North Korean missile test.
Troops prepare for a military parade at Zhurihe training base in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, July 30, 2017. The parade was held to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

Editor's note: The ongoing standoff between Chinese and Indian troops in China's Donglang area, arguably the biggest crisis facing the two countries since the 1962 war, started a month ago when Indian troops crossed into Chinese territory in the Sikkim section of the border, which was delimited in 1890 in the Convention Between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet and has been recognized by both sides for decades. Two experts on international relations share their views on the issue with China Daily' Cui Shoufeng. Excerpts follow:

New Delhi's move bound to backfire

Ye Hailin [Photo/China Daily]

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval concluded his visit to China on Friday, during which he met with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of a two-day BRICS security meeting. Yet there are no signs to suggest the trespassing Indian troops in China's Donglang area are ready to withdraw, which goes against New Delhi's commitment to finding "an amicable resolution" to the standoff.

It is becoming evident the orchestrated provocation has political implications for Beijing. India does not want war with China, because even a short military clash could neutralize its blackmailing tactics in the border dispute. Nor does China intend to use force, until diplomatic measures are exhausted. There is reason to believe, there-fore, that both sides are willing and have the capability to defuse a clash before it triggers a war.

India "craves" for talks as long as it means concessions from China rather than for making amends for trespassing into Chinese territory. The best outcome it desires is probably for China to acknowledge Donglang is disputed territory and, hence, China, India and Bhutan should renegotiate their borders. Which is also the most unlikely result, because historical and legal evidence, notably the 1890 convention, is on China's side.

India may consider it a victory even if China stalls its road construction in Donglang, especially because India will not stop building military facilities on its side of the Line of Actual Control.

Should both objectives go down the drain, it is possible that the trespassing Indian troops will stay in Donglang until a thick layer of snow covers the area, in a bid to "save face". And by the next spring, India could tighten its hold on Bhutan and orchestrate nationalistic sentiments at home. But New Delhi's diplomatic blackmailing is bound to backfire, as Beijing has enough reason and motive to defend its sovereign rights.

Ye Hailin, a researcher at the National Institute of International Strategy, affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Opposition figures critical of vote sent to jail as court says they were planning to flee, drawing criticism from UN.

Two of Venezuelas leading opposition figures, who were detained a day after a controversial constitutional vote, have been sent to jail on the orders of the countrys top court.





The Supreme Tribunal on Tuesday revoked house arrest measures granted to Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma and put them back in jail because the opposition leaders were planning to flee.

Lopez, 46, and Ledezma, 62, both former mayors in the capital Caracas, were seized from their homes overnight on Tuesday, according to their relatives and supporters.

The opposition, which boycotted the constituent assembly election held on Sunday, says President Nicolas Maduro wants to consolidate power through the new super-legislative body tasked to reform the countrys constitution.

The Venezuelan president hailed the election victory, that according to the electoral body saw the participation of more than eight million people  41 percent of the nearly 20 million registered voters. The opposition disputes the voting figures.

The United States has called for the immediate release of the two leaders. The administration of President Donald Trump slapped sanctions after the election, which it dubbed a sham and step towards dictatorship. Regional governments in Argentina, Colombia and Peru have also refused to recognise the vote.

READ MORE: Venezuelas crisis explained from the beginning

A defiant Maduro said the US move smacked of imperialism and added that he would proceed with the plans to rewrite the Constitution, which was last amended by his predecessor, Hugo Chavez in 1999.

The opposition has been staging street protests for the past four months demanding Maduros resignation for presiding over the worst economic crisis in decades.

Maduros dictatorship is on the attack, said opposition legislator Yajaira Forero.

Juan Carlos Gutierrez, the attorney of Lopez, said the governments decision to return him to prison was completely arbitrary and there was no arrest warrant. Lopez had obeyed the conditions imposed on his house arrest, Gutierrez said.

According to him, Lopez and Ledezma were both in Ramo Verde prison, a decrepit penitentiary next to a slum in Los Teques, about an hours drive from Caracas.

UN rights chief concerned

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for urgent political negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition, adding that the only way forward is a political solution.





The Secretary-General urges all Venezuelans, particularly those representing the powers of the State, to make all possible efforts to lower tensions, prevent further violence and loss of life, as well as find avenues for political dialogue, Stephane Dujarric, the UN spokesman, said in a statement.

Earlier, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that he was deeply concerned at the arrest of the opposition figures.

I urge the government to immediately release all those being held for exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression, he said.

Lopez had been sent home from Ramo Verde, a military prison, on July 8 after serving three years of a 13-year sentence for inciting violence at opposition rallies. Many human rights groups considered him a political prisoner.

Ledezma had been under house arrest since 2015 on charges of plotting a coup.

His allies posted on social media a video of a man who appeared to be Ledezma dressed in his pyjamas being dragged out of his building by what appeared to be state security as a woman screams for help for neighbours.

Theyre taking Ledezma! she cries. Its a dictatorship!

A similar video was posted on Twitter by the wife of Lopez, Lilian Tintori.

Theyve just taken Leopoldo from the house, she wrote on Twitter.

Constituent Assembly

Both leaders recently posted videos online denouncing President Maduros decision to hold the July 30 vote for a constitutional assembly.

Maduro called the constitutional assembly in May after a month of protests against his government, which has overseen Venezuelas descent into a crisis that has seen an acute shortage of food and medicines.

The new assembly will begin to govern within a week, said Maduro, who has been very critical of the opposition tactics and has vowed to send activists involved in protests to prison.

Among other measures, he said he would use the assemblys powers to bar opposition candidates from running in gubernatorial elections due in December unless they sit with his party to negotiate an end to hostilities that have generated four months of protests. At least 120 have been killed and nearly 2,000 wounded in the protests.

The petroleum-rich nation was plunged into an economic crisis after global oil prices drastically fell nearly three years ago. The opposition has accused Maduro of corruption and economic mismanagement for Venezuelas woes.
Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to wield control on large parts of the South Asian country.

Can the United States defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan? Security is worsening as the Taliban continue to control large parts of the country.

The US war against the Taliban in Afghanistan began soon after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. Sixteen years on, what progress has been made?

A new report suggests very little. The security situation is only getting worse by the day. About 500 Afghan soldiers are being killed every month and the United Nations says civilian casualties are at a record high.

Much of the Talibans funding comes from opium poppies and the illegal drug trade. The value of opium has doubled to more than $3bn in one year.

The US has pumped more than $700bn into Afghanistan since the beginning of the war  a report suggests the US does not even know how the money is being spent.

So whats the White House strategy now?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:

Haroun Mir  Cofounder of Afghanistans Centre for Research and Policy Studies.

David Sedney  Former deputy US assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan & Pakistan.

Omar Samad  Former senior adviser to the chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abdullah.
Press Statement attributable to Heather Nauert, Department Spokesperson: The United States condemns recurring violations of the ceasefire that have occurred in Mali between signatory armed groups to the 2015 Algiers Peace Accord. We urge the parties to end hostilities immediately and to strictly comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and to respect human []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric...
As expected, reactions to Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord perfectly exemplified the boundless hypocrisy of the left. Barely was the move was officially announced than world leaders, environmentalists, and commentators alike were falling over themselves to condemn his decision as an unmitigated disaster for the future of the planet. French President Emmanuel Macron used his American counterparts decision as an excuse to launch an absurd publicity stunt in which he disingenuously invited U.S. climate scientists to move to France to continue their work. Meanwhile, members of the mainstream media from the New York Times to Quartz to the Washington Post declared the president was well on his way to destroying the planet, and as has become par for the course ever since Trumps election, pundits reiterated their claims that its now China that is the Earths green energy savior.

When it was revealed weeks later that China, Japan, and South Korea -- all of which are party to the Paris agreement -- had been funding new coal-fired energy plants in Indonesia over the past several years, the silence from the green lobby was deafening. It appears that so-called environmentalists are willing to turn a blind eye to China and other countries investments in fossil fuels, even as they continue to bash the administration for attempting to shift U.S. energy policy towards natural gas and clean coal.

While it would display a little more evenhandedness if the green lobby were to go after China, Japan, and South Korea with the same gusto as it pursues the White House over its energy policy, it would be equally wrongheaded for it to do so. Like the Trump administration, these countries have been pragmatic enough to accept that the use of fossil fuels will continue for the foreseeable future, particularly in emerging economies. They also acknowledge that new clean coal generation technologies have the potential to greatly reduce carbon emissions and provide affordable, reliable power as cleaner energy sources mature. The simple truth of the matter is that clean energy is far too expensive to fully meet the energy needs a nation bigger than Norway at this stage, making the continued development of cleaner fossil fuel power sources critical, as much as green activists hate to admit it.

As a result, the Trump administration has wisely chosen to eschew the maniacal pursuit of immature renewables that stand little chance of meeting the worlds immediate or medium-term energy needs in favor of a strategy that promotes investment in clean coal technology and U.S. exports of natural gas, coal, and petroleum. While the White Houses energy policy may not fit a hysterical media narrative that demands an immediate end to the use of fossil fuels, Trumps strategy of backing clean coal and other emerging technologies is the only way to ensure the world can affordably meet its energy needs while minimizing pollution.

The U.S. is also taking a fresh approach to global energy policy following the Pollyannaish strategies of the Obama years. Backing up leaders of developing countries such as Nigeria and figures like former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, the White House has called out the Wests rank hypocrisy in blocking poorer economies from leveraging coal resources to meet the needs of the hundreds of millions of people who are still off the grid. Acknowledging their concerns as legitimate, the Trump administration is pushing for a shift in the World Banks policy to allow for the construction of new clean coal-powered plants around the world, using its seat on the board of the UNs Green Climate Fund to promote more investment in clean coal technologies in developing countries.

But while encouraging multilateral development banks to lift restrictions on funding clean coal-fired power plants is a good start, the White House needs to truly invest in its energy vision if it wants to achieve its goals and prove its critics from the green lobby wrong. Unfortunately, the Trump administration appears reluctant to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to financing clean energy innovation, having cut the budget of the Department of Energys Office of Fossil Energy, which researches new technologies that could facilitate the cleaner and safer use of so-called dirty fuels.

However, if the White House doesnt start to catch up and invest in its energy vision, East Asian powers will start to reap the benefits of every major energy opportunity that arises, whether it be carbon-based or renewable, all the while avoiding the opprobrium heaped on the Trump administration for pursuing similar policies.
A beneficial side effect of the horrible Charlie Gard case is that it is the kind of story that forces anyone who wishes to talk about it to define himself, whether openly or implicitly, on certain fundamental issues: self-ownership vs. socialism, the private family vs. state, and the principled defense of individual liberty vs. progressive pragmatism.

One of the more predictable and amusing aspects of this moment of self-revelation is the hatred and invective which the defenders of socialism, state, and pragmatism -- which in this case means state ownership and disposal of the individual human being -- spew at those of us on the other side of the argument, who believe responsible parents, and not impersonal government agents, ought to have decision-making authority over a gravely ill child's treatment.

Case in point: a kind reader draws my attention to a piece in the London Sunday Times by Melanie Phillips, defending the Great Ormond Street Hospital as demigods of love and compassion, ridiculing Charlie Gard's parents as pitiable but essentially misinformed and uneducated dupes, and, most interestingly, blaming "hysterical American conservatives" -- singling out American Thinker for special condemnation -- for causing both the parents' false hopes and the general public outcry over Charlie's predicament.

Since I am one of the American Thinker writers being accused of giving false hope and causing public outcry, allow me to respond to a few representative quotes from Ms. Phillips' screed in defense of forcibly preventing parents from trying to save their own child's life:

The agonising case of Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old baby dying from a rare form of mitochondrial disease, has finally reached its sad and inevitable conclusion with the announcement of his death.

Why was this conclusion "inevitable"? Because the British government forcibly prevented any other outcome from even being sought, by refusing to allow the parents to take their child to foreign hospitals where he might receive experimental treatment for his condition -- treatment which even Phillips admits may, though a long shot, have made a difference, although no one can ever know for sure (thanks to the government's coercive prevention of such treatment). When the State says, "We are going to allow your child to die, and there is nothing you can do to stop us," then, yes, death becomes fairly "inevitable," doesn't it?

The hospital refused to agree [to the parents' requests to take Charlie home to die] because of the difficulties of providing the particular ventilation and other procedures for Charlie at home and the potential for causing him yet more distress.

Let's get this straight: The hospital was demanding that Charlie be removed from his life-support systems and allowed to die immediately, but the parents could not take him home because the life-support systems could not be properly managed there.

Why isn't this a decision the parents should have been allowed to make? Apparently because the hospital was dedicated to preventing "yet more distress," whereas Charlie's parents were out to cause their baby more distress.

The parents deserve only our most profound sympathy. Their unremitting rage at the hospital has to be seen in the context of mind-altering grief.

Translation: The parents are too upset to think rationally, so the government must step in and be rational on Charlie's behalf. This argument, if followed through to its logical conclusion, is the standard progressive argument for State control of every significant aspect of human life. People with emotional attachments and vested interests cannot be counted on to choose what is best. Impersonal government experts must decide what is in everyone's "best interests."

For did all those people -- who demonstrated outside the court and shrieked that the staff at GOSH were "murderers", or wrote ignorant and intemperate opinion pieces in the American media declaring that only the parents had the right to decide what was in the best interests of their child -- really believe that parents know better than neurologists about damage that has been done to the brain?

That was never the point. The point is not whether doctors know more than non-doctors about medical matters. The question is how a superior knowledge of medical matters translates into absolute moral and political authority to determine a child's fate against the wishes of his parents. Phillips' easy presumption that medical knowledge equals coercive decision-making power only makes sense to a mind thoroughly suffocated by the progressive air we have all been forced to breathe all our lives.

Progressivism is, at its historical roots, a religion of paternalistic "experts," and holier-than-thou disdain for the "ordinary citizen." That someone knows more about a specialized area than you do in no way establishes that you must relinquish your rights, your parental authority, or your child's life, to the government.

This case had absolutely nothing to do with the state or the government. This was not Charlies parents versus the state. This was Charlies parents versus the medical profession, a conflict in which the courts were brought in as the dispassionate arbiter in the best interests above all of the sick child.

But a state-owned and -operated hospital, funded through taxation, is the government. A court is a government arbiter. They exist and act as government institutions. Ms. Phillips' argument is about as rational as saying that Parliamentary decisions have nothing to do with government, since the Members of Parliament are merely individual men and women who get together to make public policy.

Socialized medicine, which is what people in Britain used to call their health system before politically correct euphemism became the norm, is a manifestation of socialism, as its name obviously suggests. Which in turn means that it is thoroughly enmeshed in the State by its very definition. A socialized hospital is a government facility administering government policy, in this case regarding health care.

And here comes the predictable straw man attack against "American conservatives" as the cause of all this unnecessary fuss over a dying baby:

The commentary emanating from the United States, however, was staggeringly ill-informed. The website American Thinker, for example, ran one hysterical piece after another. Thus the case represented a perfect crystallization of the full heart and soul of socialized or single payer healthcare, a tyrannically impersonal medical system in which the individual human being is property of the state.

I'll take a humble bow as the author of that particular "hysterical piece." Ms. Phillips goes on to quote more isolated lines from my articles on this case, along with lines from articles by other American Thinker writers.

However, I note that Ms. Phillips neither names any of the quoted AT writers or titles, nor even provides links to the cited articles. Proper citations are not merely a matter of ethics -- although they are that too. They also strengthen your own position, particularly when citing an author on the other side of an issue. If you are not prepared to direct your readers to the full argument you are criticizing, but merely cherry-pick isolated sentences or phrases out of context, then you actually weaken your case, by leaving the thoughtful reader wondering why you didn't give him the information needed to examine the opposing argument for himself.

In sum, Ms. Phillips argues that a socialized hospital has nothing to do with the government; that loving parents, because they love their child, are disqualified from assuming moral responsibility for his well-being; and that in important matters of life, death, suffering, and the welfare of a child, government agents should have ultimate, coercive decision-making authority merely by default.

I note that Melanie Phillips is generally regarded as a critic of left-wing political ideas. That is quite significant. "Conservative" as she may be on other matters, when it comes to socialized health care and the absolute right of the all-knowing State and its experts to trump the wishes, rights, and lives of private citizens, she is all in with the progressives. There is an important lesson in this, one which I, born and raised in a socialized medical world, have been trying to explain for years.

Socialized medicine changes a society completely, by fundamentally altering the relationship between the individual and the government. When everyone's physical survival, everyone's hope for necessary medical care in a crisis, depends not on a relationship between patients and doctors -- private citizens seeking or offering a vital service -- but rather between patients and government -- the ruled and the rulers -- the premises of collectivist submission and State omnipotence are deeply insinuated into everyone's soul.

That is why progressives have always regarded socialized health care as one of the crown jewels of authoritarian control. Once a society has been palliated -- pun intended -- with such a system for a few generations, even nominal conservatives like Ms. Phillips find themselves genuinely mystified how anyone could imagine that a State-run hospital outright denying parents any authority over their child's care, and being supported in this baby-theft by court decisions coercively barring the parents from taking their own child out of the State's death chamber, has anything at all to do with government. I mean, that's just honorable health care workers doing the Lord's work, right?

Socialized medicine kills many things, including rational thought.

Daren Jonescu writes about politics, philosophy, education, and the decline of civilization at http://darenjonescu.com/.
Incessant carping from the media, the left and NeverTrump Republicans about still unproven Trump Russia collusion fills the pages of national newspapers and the endless hours of cable news panel discussions. We now have a special counsel with his team of Democrat loyalists scouring President Donald Trumps life. Every Russian who ever bought a condo or a membership in a Trump property, even decades ago, may be the smoking gun evidence of collusion of some sort. At least thats the plan.

Trump and Putin at the G-20 Summit in Hamburg

Its becoming a McCarthyism redux, the 1950s all over again with a Soviet communist under every rock and behind every tree. This time it is being led by Democrats and the media, not by a Republican Senator. Not only were lives and careers destroyed, but a sense of paranoia developed against the Soviets. Much of it was justified as the Soviets were Americas geopolitical foe.

But the paranoia and communist obsession may have also driven US foreign policy including the Bay of Pigs and the Vietnam War. Our leaders make decisions based in part on national sentiment, including toward foreign adversaries.

Flash forward from the 1950s to now. They are not the Soviets anymore but instead the Russians. Still a geopolitical adversary, but with new players on the scene including China and North Korea. Could the Russian collusion fervor being whipped up by the media be driving foreign policy? Perhaps in negative ways and with unintended consequences?

This past week, the House and Senate reached an agreement to slap Russia with new sanctions. Not a close vote in the Senate like the recent Obamacare skinny repeal but instead a 98-2 landslide. Now the bill is headed to President Trumps desk where he will almost certainly sign it into law.

What choice does he have? The merits of sanctions can be debated and Im not making an argument one way or the other on whether this is the right move at the right time. Instead the point is that the sudden anti-Russia fervor over unsubstantiated claims of Trumps campaign colluding with the Russians to change the election outcome may be driving foreign policy. Potentially in the wrong direction.

Predictably Russia is responding by expelling 755 US diplomats. Did we really need that many diplomats in Russia? A question Rick Moran just posed in American Thinker. What is apparent is that this new anti-Russia fervor beginning the day after Trumps election, a fantasy cooked up to explain Hillary Clintons unexpected electoral defeat, may be driving US foreign policy.

To be sure, Russia is a bad player, but America has to contend with many other players on the global field. Some good, some bad, some neutral. Foreign policy decisions should be driven by what is in Americas interests, not as a reaction to partisan witch hunts. Otherwise the result is a resurrection of the cold war, the last thing we need.

How likely is it now for Russia to work with us in areas where we do have common ground, such as the fight against Isis and Islamic terrorism? Or in Syria? After all, President Roosevelt worked with Joseph Stalin against a common enemy, Hitler. Despite America and the Soviets being geopolitical foes, FDR and Stalin forged a surprisingly warm relationship that helped to shape history.

Historians may argue how positively the FDR-Stalin bromance affected the future, but at the time Hitler needed to be stopped, just as radical Islamic terrorism needs to be stopped today.

Could Trump and Putin do the same? Who knows? But with the immense weight of a special counsel and nonstop media coverage of supposed Russian collusion, Trump has no choice but to treat Putin and the Russians harshly, deserved or not, strategic or not.

How ironic that its the Democrats recreating another cold war after cozying up the Russians during the last one. From Bernie Sanders spending his honeymoon in the Soviet Union to Ted Kennedy secretly enlisting the Soviets to intervene in the 1984 presidential election to defeat Ronald Reagan. The latter representing true Russian collusion as opposed to the fantasy collusion of this past election.

My fear is that left created a paranoia about the Russians that will lead President Trump to always take the hard line against them, whether warranted or not. Regardless of the best interests of American foreign policy. All to avoid playing into the meme that Trump is a Putin stooge, a puppet of the Russian government. He will go out of his way avoid any appearance of doing anything remotely beneficial to the Russians for fear of fueling the collusion story.

If a married man is accused of flirting with a female coworker, he will go out of his way to keep his distance from or not working with his coworker to avoid playing into the accusation. Often to the detriment of the workplace.

Which is why its time for Mueller and the left to put up or shut up. Either Trump and his campaign colluded with the Russians to alter the election outcome or they did not. Holding American foreign policy hostage to a partisan witch hunt, influencing the President to react and make ill-advised decisions due to the ongoing investigations, is bad for the country. Resurrecting the cold war is a dangerous path given potential consequences and the myriad other problems America faces that wont get their deserved attention.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Democrats (from the party that thinks the Electoral College is undemocratic but that unelected super delegates representing party bosses are just fine) forget how former DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz tipped the scales for Hillary Clinton over a surging Bernie Sanders. She interfered in the 2016 election in ways that Vladimir Putin couldnt even dream of and arguably changed at least the Democratic Party results and campaign timeline.

In all the discussions of the Russians or their operatives hacking into the DNC and exposing the emails documenting DNC corruption and collusion with a single candidate, Hillary Clinton, the content of those emails are shoved aside. The emails documenting subversion of our democracy by Democrats, revealed by Wikileaks, were written by Democrats, not Vladimir Putin:

Schultz said she would step down after the convention. She has been forced to step aside after a leak of internal DNC emails showed officials actively favoring Hillary Clinton during the presidential primary and plotting against Clintons rival, Bernie Sanders The Sanders campaign has long claimed that the party establishment had its finger on the scales during the bitter and surprisingly long primary, but the embarrassing new revelations proved to be the final straw for a figure who had been a lightning rod for tension within the party.

The Russians may or may not have been involved, but in this context perhaps they should be considered whistleblowers and not hackers. Its like someone breaking into a house only to find a murder scene. They can be accused of burglary but not the murder. Still the Russians were an easy diversion:

Hillary Clintons campaign has accused Russia of meddling in the 2016 presidential election, saying its hackers stole Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails and released them to foment disunity in the party and aid Donald Trump. Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, said on Sunday that experts are telling us that Russian state actors broke into the DNC, stole these emails, [and are] releasing these emails for the purpose of helping Donald Trump. Emails released by Wikileaks on Friday showed members of the DNC trading ideas for how to undercut the campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders, who proved a resilient adversary to Clinton in the Democratic primary. In one email, a staffer suggested the DNC spread a negative article about Sanders supporters; in another, the DNCs chief financial officer suggested that questions about Sanders faith could undermine his candidacy.

So what the Democrats accused the Russians of doing, Debbie Wasserman Schultzs DNC was actively doing. And considering what we have found out about the Pakistanis, not the Russians, that were brought in to run their IT operation, it makes sense as to why the DNC refused to turn over their servers to FBI forensic investigators, something which may now change. What else where they trying to hide:

Robert Muellers appointment as special counsel of the Russia election interference probe presents an opportunity for the FBI to inspect the Democratic Party computers that U.S. intelligence concluded were penetrated by Kremlin-directed hackers, cybersecurity analysts say. The Democratic National Committee did not allow the FBI to physically inspect its machines, including servers. There is no public indication that any government agency has ever looked at the machines, prompting some former intelligence people to question the findings After former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told Congress that the DNC had refused his agencys assistance, Mr. Trump sent out a tweet: Why did Democratic National Committee turn down the DHS offer to protect against hacks (long prior to election). Its all a big Dem HOAX!

Maybe not a hoax, but certainly a cover-up which included Debbie Wasserman Schultzs curious relationship with Pakistani Imran Awan.

Awan was the top IT aide to Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz. The FBI reportedly seized smashed computer hard drives from his home. He was arrested trying to flee to Pakistan after wiring almost $300,000 to the country, according to The Daily Caller, which has owned the story because it does actual news reporting. Heres an amazing paragraph from the Caller: Awan and members of his family received $4 million from the Democratic congressmen they were working for since 2010. Wasserman Schultz has been especially uncooperative with the probe into her staffers and even threatened the Capitol Police chief for gathering evidence. She refused to fire Awan until after he was arrested, even though Capitol Police had already revoked Awans access to the congressional IT system in February in relation to a major security breach. ($4 million, and you wonder where your tax dollars go.)

Why was Awan kept on after other Democrats canceled his services? Smashed computer hard drives? Where, oh where, have we seen that before? What other computer systems in and outside of Congress did Awan and his associates have access to? Could it be that Awan and not the Russians leaked the DNC emails to Wikileaks, possibly for cash? Some have raised that possibility:

Pakistani Imran Awan, the former IT employee of disgraced DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, could be the person who leaked damaging internal DNC emails to WikiLeaks last summer. Thats what Geraldo Rivera, an attorney, told Fox News anchor Sean Hannity Well, now you have a possible suspect, Rivera said (see video below starting at 2:11). Heres the corrupt IT guy standing on the shoulders of Debbie Wasserman Schultz arrested at the airport trying to flee, charged with stealing hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of dollars. Rivera continued: What if he was the source to WikiLeaks? He has all the passwords. He has all the information. This is a huge story Everyone assumed it was the Russians who hacked the DNC and then gave WikiLeaks the emails. Hannity reiterated that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange repeatedly assured him that -- contrary to liberal media narrative -- Russia was not the source of the leaked DNC emails. The damaging internal emails showed the DNC and Wasserman Schultz had colluded with Hillary Clintons campaign to make sure she won the Democratic presidential nomination over Bernie Sanders, whose unexpected popularity almost toppled Hillary. Assange told me personally five times that it wasnt a state or Russia, Hannity said, adding that WikiLeaks has not once been proven wrong in its 11 years in existence.

Interestingly, as the Daily Caller reports, Imran Awans lawyer, Chris Gowen, is a long-time associate of both Bill and Hillary Clinton who has done work for the Clinton Foundation, used as a pay-for-play cash cow for the entire Clinton family. Interestingly, Gowan has raised the specter of anti-Muslim sentient in the Awan case:

Chris Gowen, Imran Awans lawyer, is a long-time campaigner for former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Gowen described Awans arrest as clearly a right-wing media-driven prosecution by a United States Attorneys Office that wants to prosecute people for working while Muslim. Gowen is a founding partner of Gowen, Rhoades, Winograd and Silva law firm, with offices in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, Penn. His official bio on the firms web site notes that he left the Public Defenders office to work for former President William Jefferson Clinton and then-Senator Hillary Clinton. Chris was a fact checker for President Clintons memoir, My Life. He also served as a traveling aid for President Clintons national and international trips. Chris finished his tenure with the Clintons by directing the advance operations for then-Senator Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign.

Conservative Review -- which first reported Gowens extensive Clinton connections Wednesday -- said that they also include work for the Clinton Foundation and its Clinton Global Initiative and the Clinton Health Access Initiative.

Maybe birds of a feather really do flock together. Maybe Hillary Clintons lawyers and donors on Muellers staff are aware of this?

Be that as it may, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the DNC subverted our democracy in 2016, not the Russians. Will Special Counsel Robert Mueller actually look into this or will his team of Hillary lawyers and Democratic donors continue in hot pursuit of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner? Perhaps if Kushner had smashed his hard drives and phones, deleted 33,000 emails, and tried to leave the country, the media and Democrats would have lost interest. Then he would be acting like any other holier-than-thou Democrat.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
Well, now  my congressman has launched a small tsunami. Mo Brooks occupies the seat for North Alabama, including Huntsville, where I live. This is the seat for which I ran some years ago and lost by 23 votes out of the 50,000 cast in the Republican primary.

Mr. Trump's appointment of our senator, Jeff Sessions, to his Cabinet as attorney general has cast our state's politics into turmoil, bordering on chaos. By state law, the governor must appoint someone to occupy the seat as an interim senator until the next regular election in 2020, at which time a candidate will be elected for a full term. At that time, the governor was Robert Bentley, M.D., a dermatologist from Tuscaloosa.

But it happened that Bentley had fallen prey to a serious neurosis: he was in love, and in an illicit relationship with an attractive aide, the sickness being made all the more severe by his age. Secret tapes were available. They were released to the public. They painted a torrid, Hollywood-style romance, with each member being married to another. The affair cast the governor in a most negative light, and in addition, there were accusations of unlawful behavior on his part. Finally, the inevitable call to impeach the governor came, and it looked serious  so serious that Bentley resigned. But before doing so, he appointed Luther Strange, the Alabama attorney general, to Sessions's vacant Senate seat. By virtue of his position, Strange would be the very one who would be the top prosecutor should Bentley go to trial. And this prosecutor would have just received a golden political plum from the very man he would be prosecuting.

If you like really juicy politics, you are about to get it in full measure as we transition to Washington and the White House.

Sen. Sessions was one of Trump's earliest and most loyal supporters, but Trump, whose ire is apparently raised relatively easily, had it skyrocket when Sessions recused himself from any investigation involving Hillary Clinton and any investigation bearing on the phantom case of Russia meddling in our election. The president proceeded to publicly excoriate him.

A weaker man would have said to Hell with it and resigned. But not Jeff. He declared that he would stay put and do the job for which Trump had nominated him. And so there it stands  at least at the moment I am writing this.

Enter my longtime friend, Mo Brooks. Said Mo to the world, "If all the other candidates on the GOP ticket for the Senate in the special election will withdraw, I will, too." Then, with no Republican left on the GOP ticket, the GOP State Committee would be authorized to select a candidate of their choosing. And according to the Brooks Plan, who do you suppose that might be? Why, Mr. Jeff Sessions, of course!

Jeff, by now tired of Trump's serial discourtesies, would resign as attorney general and accept his party's nomination to fill again his old Senate seat  and, riding his immense popularity and respect, would win!

He would serve as the epitome of the Southern gentleman, supporting Trump whenever he could, never showing a scintilla of anger or regret. But then  as the 2020 election draws nigh  the GOP electorate, now grown weary of the Trumpian antics, and restless for a change, would naturally turn to Sessions, deck him with garlands worthy of a Roman hero, and elect him president!

Should Mo pull this off, he will have his oversized picture on page 1 above the fold in newspapers across the country. But Mo, should he be struck with an episode of sanity, knows perfectly well that it will go nowhere. And the reason is much too obvious: there are eight other ambitious Republicans in the race, and if just one balks and refuses to withdraw, that will void Mr. Brooks's proposal. Remember: he said he will withdraw if all the others do.

One of the eight has already made clear his refusal. Luther Strange, occupying Jeff's seat as an interim senator, spoke to our local paper, The Huntsville Times: "This is what a candidate does when he learns he's plummeted to a distant third and is desperate to get attention. Shame on Congressman Brooks for his lack of faith in President Trump's Attorney General['s] commitment to work together to make America great again."

So we should dismiss this ethereal cockamamie idea.

But wait  are we sure? Depending on exactly how things evolve as we count down to year 2020, Jeff Sessions could declare his candidacy for president without asking anyone to drop out of any race. President Sessions? It's not far-fetched. In fact, some years ago, I attempted to spark a Draft Jeff Sessions Drive. It drew the support of a few local officeholders, went so far as to get me and my inchoate effort mentioned in "The Hill," but went no farther. At the time, Jeff was not ready for such a thing, but he told me "he might be willing to 'do something' in the future." So the idea is unlikely to shock him.

We don't know what might happen, but we can predict without fear of contradiction that something will happen, and it won't be dull.
We make fun of Nancy Pelosi, but she was a far more effective speaker of the House to push the Obama agenda than Paul Ryan has been to push the Trump agenda. But in all fairness to the Republican leadership, the Democrats are loyal to their president and vote the straight party line. A few Democrats like Senator Manchin of West Virginia will make some noise of independence, but when the votes are cast, they do what they're told.

On Sunday, July 30, 2017, Nancy Pelosi said it is "unimportant" for Democrats to win the midterm elections in 2018.

Pelosi is correct. With John McCain, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski in the Senate, who needs Democrats to stop the Trump agenda? These "Republicans" voted against repeal of Obamacare.

McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts in 2001, and he will probably vote against the Trump tax cuts just because he is McCain. McCain's most significant legislation in thirty (30) years as a senator is the McCain-Feingold law, which restricted free speech during elections. Bush should have vetoed it, but he signed it into law.

In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent political expenditures by nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations, labor unions, and other associations. The Democrats rail against Citizens United at every opportunity. But McCain pushed for his law with the liberal Russ Feingold. McCain attacked the Supreme Court's decision, saying it was the "worst decision ever." This is quite a statement considering the Dred Scott case and Roe v. Wade, among others.

Why should the Dems spend money to win some House seats?

If the House passes a bill the Dems do not like, and with the Republicans having only fifty-two nominal "Republicans" in the Senate, the defection of several "Republicans" will kill the House-passed bill. This means that McCain has finally achieved his dream of being Mr. Bipartisan, Mr. Reach across the Aisle. He can block any bill the Democrats do not like.

Since he is at the end of his career, he should do the honest and honorable act: switch his party registration to Democrat and stop pretending he is a Republican. He will be at home with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.
Like the totalitarian pros they are, it didn't take long for Venezuela's socialist Chavista dictatorship to start rounding up opponents. The Chavista goon squads swooped down on two leading opposition figures, Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma, with a knock on the door and spirited the men off to parts unknown in a SEBIN (Venezuelan secret police) van. It was a familiar tactic for an experienced totalitarian state, not amateur hour for a newly minted dictatorship armed with a sham referendum to justify itself and just getting its feet wet.

This points to what is really going on in that socialist hellhole, now that Sunday's referendum, which would have you believe that Venezuelans voted themselves willingly into Cuba-style slavery, is over.

Venezuela is being run by Cuba. As Cuban-American blogger Alberto de la Cruz tweeted:

Doesn't matter if the polls are still open or that they've had a dismal turnout. The vote tallies were determined weeks ago in Havana.  Alberto de la Cruz (@albertodelacruz) July 30, 2017

This means that while President Trump was absolutely right to slap sanctions on the slimy little dictator at the top of this, Nicolas Maduro, it was only a start.

Charles Krauthammer observed that the sanctions should be extended to Maduro's family, a collection of drug dealers desecrating the presidential palace and in bed with Colombia's FARC Marxist narco-terrorists. He's right that the rot should extend to as many tyrants and their girlfriends as possible. Yet, by that logic, it would have to extend to the puppetmaster at the top of this evil chain: the Castroite Cubans who run the country  from its electricity to its internet to its passport system to its electoral machinery to its agriculture. These imperialists are all over, and what's more, they are yelling that Venezuela's sham referendum must be "respected."

"Cuba denounces the initiation of a well-orchestrated international operation, directed in Washington ... to silence the voice of the Venezuelan people," the government said in a statement published by state-run media.

...and...

"We know well these interventionist practises," the Cuban government said. The United States imposed a devastating economic embargo on the Caribbean island after its 1959 revolution that Havana says has cost it more than $100 billion. "They think that they will manage to achieve the submission of the people to a puppet opposition that they financed," it said.

Puppet? Oh, really? Perhaps the most important reason to extend sanctions on Cuba and give the Castroite government a real taste of what a "blockade" they are always yelling about is is the fact that Venezuela has become Cuba's puppet. That kind of imperialismo is what Latin Americans have always railed against. Now it's there before their eyes, and Cuba is getting off scot-free, just sniping from the sidelines. It's time for President Trump to show Cuba what a real blockade looks like and end once and for all President Obama's zero-conditions giveaway to the Castroite regime.

As for Venezuela, all we can see now is a disaster of Cuba's making. This account of how disastrous it is, by Juan Carlos Hidalgo, is the best we have seen of all those written. The picture is ugly, and its instigators, including Cuba, must be held accountable.
Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein weighed in on the crisis on the Korean peninsula on MSNBC on Sunday and proceeded to make us all glad she wasn't elected last November.

Stein complained of our "demonization" of North Korea and that the North Koreans had a right to develop nuclear weapons because of the U.S. threat.

Mediaite:

Stein referred to the negative characterizations of the brutal Communist regime in North Korea as a way to 'demonize' them so the U.S. can implement a regime change. "The demonization of North Korea is part of the run-up to regime change. she said." "It's part of demonizing a government that we then want to exercise regime change on." Host Alex Witt pushed back against Stein's accusation saying, "It's the North Koreans that have added the provocation in launching missiles and testing[.]" ... "But remember where that came from," Stein interrupted, doubling down. "Long before they began their missile tests the U.S. was conducting nuclear bombing runs against North Korea. We actually had nuclear weapons until the end of the cold war We actually had nuclear weapons stationed in South Korean." Then she claimed that the actions taken by North Korea were merely a defensive reaction to fear of U.S. aggression. "So, this is very frightening to them," she said. "They have been basically cornered into feeling like they have to develop a nuclear weapon." Defending the North Koreans was not enough insanity for one day, so Stein decided to go ahead and defend the Russians as well. When asked about the new sanctions placed on North Korea, Iran and Russia by Congress, Stein said that she was not in favor of the decision. "Sanctions basically play into Russia's hand. we know that sanctions only strengthen a leader like Putin and make him the protector against the evil United States," she said. Then she seemingly sided with the Trump administration and said that Russian involvement in email hacks was purely speculation. "The evidence is not definitive, it's circumstantial," she said.

I suppose Stein has a point  if you ignore the utter brutality of the North Koreans, their threats against the U.S. and our allies, and the paranoia of their leadership. But in order to say what Stein said, you have to deliberately cultivate a sublime ignorance of what the North Koreans are all about.

"Demonization"? It's pretty demonic when the leader of a sovereign nation threatens to launch nuclear weapons if he feels "threatened." What else would you call a dictator who straps his opponents to the barrel of an anti-aircraft gun and opens fire or throws his enemies into a pit of dogs who haven't been fed in a week?

It is the fallback position of anti-Americans that everything in the world we respond to is our fault to begin with and that if only we gathered in a circle with our enemies and sang protest songs, everything would be right in the world.

It takes a special kind of idiot to absolve a brutal dictatorship of responsibility for a crisis when that regime starves its own people in order to construct a weapon of mass destruction and speak so casually of attacking the United States.
Chuck Todd probably can't help himself when it comes to reporting on members of the Trump administration. But the contrast to what he ignores from the left is...well, breathtaking.

On Meet the Press, July 30, Todd referred to "a public display of infighting by the new communications director Anthony Scaramucci so vulgar we can't even hint here at some of the things that were said." Todd soon after called those unmentionable comments "a profane rant to The New Yorker." Does a comment given to the reporter for a magazine constitute "a public display" even if the remarks qualify as a "profane rant"?

Was it Scaramucci or the reporter for the magazine who made "a public display of the remarks"?

Now compare to the speech that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand gave this past June to the Personal Democracy Forum at New York University. As you will see indicated in this CNN account, the junior senator laced her remarks with a word "so vulgar" that I will not repeat it.

The left's First Rule of Hypocrisy requires that the very public display of very coarse language by a leftist generally gets ignored.

It should be noted that Bret Stephens, now a columnist with the New York Times, quoted in full Mr. Scaramucci's remarks to the reporter from The New Yorker. Mr. Stephens did acknowledge that the remarks were phoned in to the New Yorker's writer, which is further evidence they were not initiated as "public display"  as contrasted with the vulgar comments from Sen. Gillibrand. (By the way, New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin pointed out, in his July 30 column, that the Times never calls a Democrat  not even Mayor Bill de Blasio  "a liar." But then, Pravda probably never called a communist leader "liar," either  unless he was on the way to the purge.)

Mr. Stephens formerly was a columnist at the Wall Street Journal. Isn't it interesting that he was hired at the New York Times during a period of staff reductions at the paper? Just what the Times needed now  another Trump-loathing columnist.
President Trump was tweeting yesterday morning about the good economic news and a few other things. He has every right to take credit for them.

However, his problems are at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, not the U.S.-Mexico border or the stock market.

This is why I'm hoping Mr. Kelly's appointment is the beginning of a new day in the Trump presidency.

I agree with Newt Gingrich that Trump-Kelly could be a game-changer:

President Trump has made a big decision in bringing Kelly to the White House to be chief of staff. It will be fascinating to watch these two powerful, experienced leaders forge a unique working relationship. I predict the White House will become more orderly and disciplined  with clear lines of authority, serious planning and strong teamwork. The person who may benefit most from this change is President Trump. He has worked with many smart, successful people in his remarkable career, but he has never worked this closely with someone as used to command, organization and dignified insistence on teamwork as Secretary Kelly. If these two powerful leaders truly become a team, the Trump presidency will become one of the most effective in our history.

Let's hope Mr. Gingrich is right and that President Trump is listening. I hope it does prove to be a successful relationship that cleans up the chaos we've seen recently.

Mr. Trump's appeal to many of us was that he is a strong manager and a deal-maker. In other words, he could pick good people and bring both sides to the table.

So far, he gets very high marks for Justice Gorsuch, a stronger sense of U.S. leadership around the world, and an excellent Cabinet. On the other hand, he shoots too much from the hip, such as his recent tweet on transgenders in the military. I agree with the president on transgenders, but someone forgot to send the new order to the military.

We want President Trump to succeed. Let's hope President Trump can now focus on the big picture, such as North Korea and a tax reform package, and then let Mr. Kelly be the gatekeeper.

It could be a super outcome, and we certainly hope it is!

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
The press often refers to Palestinian terrorists (or the more sanitized version, Palestinian "attackers") as "lone wolves" (e.g., "Israel sues the heirs of Palestinian attackers," 7/7/17). But if a "lone wolf" is someone inculcated with hatred since day one by state-run schools and state-run television, then is he really a "lone wolf"? No  he is a terrorist doing what he was brainwashed to do: kill Jews. He is participating in a calculated effort organized by the Palestinian leadership to defeat the nation of Israel by any means possible. Even the naming of schools and parks after terrorists, portraying them as heroes, cancels the Palestinian narrative adopted by the media that makes them appear to be acting up on their own.

"Lone wolves" don't appear in a vacuum. There are many people in the world who feel aggrieved (rightly or wrongly) who don't behave this way. The Palestinian leadership has made "popular" the barbarism of suicide bombings of women and children in pizza shops and discos, knifing of old men, and ramming cars into people waiting for a bus.

Nowhere have the news media held accountable the Palestinian leadership for this! The media, instead, give them a free pass, adopting the "what else can they do" narrative.

Well, there is plenty they can do other than driving trucks into Israelis. For one, how about vocational training instead of hate-training? Or another, how about spending the hundreds of millions of dollars that are used for building attack tunnels on civilian infrastructure instead?

No cause justifies this kind of behavior, and no cause should be rewarded for it. The only reason why it continues is because it is rewarded. If "aggrieved" groups know that these actions will decrease their chances of getting what they want, they will eventually stop.

The Palestinians should be shamed for these heinous actions, not helped. One idea is to remove square footage of land from any potential future Palestinian state each time they commit a terrorist act. However, this would require major world leaders and the U.N. to be behind it. That is a tall order for sure. But it is an answer.

For the press, the answer is to show the genesis of Palestinian terrorism. Start by showing culpability of the Palestinian leadership. Show the world their school curriculum. Show how Palestinian classrooms refer to Israel as "Occupied Palestine" on their maps. Show the cartoons Palestinian children grow up with that teach hatred of Jews. Show how parks and schools are named after those who murdered Jewish schoolchildren. Show that these murderers are portrayed as heroes by the Palestinian leadership.

It is said that journalism is the first rough draft of history. Many in the media say they go into journalism to make the world a better place. If that be the case, they could start by telling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in its true light  a light that could play a positive role and allow for a better future for both sides.
Even in the worst days of WWII for Germany, when Allies and Soviets were closing in on Berlin, the men fought desperately to protect their women and children. With the Americans, it was more a matter of preventing hungry frauleins from being lured into casual prostitution with cigarettes, nylons, and Hershey bars. With the Russians, it was a different matter for the Germans  a primal fear of a primal force that was sweeping over them and targeting Germany's women and girls as sexual victims in the waning days of history's greatest conflict. Stalin's armies brought to the middle of the 20th century the same inhumane brutality as that of the terrible Khans who had swept in from the East many centuries before. In the face of that brutality and those overwhelming odds, German males, like their Teutonic forebears, fought to protect their nation's wives and daughters from the rapacious Russians, frequently in futility and at the cost of their lives.

Today, we should contrast that courage with the complete surrender of physical courage demonstrated to the world by Germany's supposed warrior-males in Muslim-occupied towns and cities where their wives, daughters, mothers and grandmothers are easy targets for rapacious Muslim outlaws who scoff at silly Western values and morality. If you think I exaggerate, consider this response of a German mayor dealing with angry citizens complaining of verbal sexual assaults and harassment, and fears of worse, against pre-teen girls:

Grandfather: My granddaughter, she's under ten  and it also happened in a nearby town. Citizen: That's right! Grandfather: The girls have been harassed by the "refugee children" ... the asylum seekers ... and they get harassed from the windows of the shelter and things like that. How will this be in the summer, when the school girls wear less clothing? Mayor: That's easy. Just don't provoke them and don't walk in these areas.

No stiff-spined Prussian leader, that mayor. Don't provoke them? With what? Simply being your natural German selves? Parts of your town are now proclaimed off limits by Mid-Eastern invaders  off limits to you, direct descendants of those who founded it an eon ago? You mean by living within our traditions, by our very presence in a town that was occupied and repeatedly defended by our forebears for more than a thousand years until your government surrendered large swaths to swarming hordes of young Middle Eastern males, who have no logical reason for being here? For the simple reason that your feel-good liberal government picked our town to draw the short straw? Is that what you mean by "don't provoke them" and "don't walk there"? That sounds like what an African mother would tell her child about riverbanks and crocodiles. Is that the level of our culture now?

Where the hell are Germany's men in towns such as this one? Where are the grandsons and great-grandsons of those Wehrmacht soldiers, who fought bravely for a terrible cause and an even worse leader in WWII, but even so with great courage? Has the lemming-cliff liberalism of the European Union so withered the balls of German males that they will meekly surrender their women and daughters to the caliphate? Why on Earth was it a grandfather up front there defending his family? Where was that girl's father? What neutered you German fathers: Allah, or your own pallid political correctness? Will you Teutonic Tootsies of warrior age simply turn your backs and mince away from these Merkel-motivated Muslims, and ignore the pleas of your daughters?

Until they go silent...like ill-fated lambs?
Gentiloni meets ministers on Fincantieri-STX Padoan and Calenda to meet Le Maire

(ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 1 - Premier Paolo Gentiloni on Tuesday met Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan and Industry Minister Carlo Calenda to discuss Fincantieri's scuppered bid for STX.



Padoan and Calenda are set to meet French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire for talks on the same issue later on Tuesday. Last week Paris scuppered the takeover, exercising pre-emption rights on the shipyard's capital and irking Rome, which had an agreement with the previous administration for full control. Le Maire said the move as only temporary to buy time for re-negotiation of the deal, but the Italian government has said it will not accept an agreement that does not entail Fincantieri having a controlling stake. Le Maire is reportedly set to repropose splitting ownership of the STX shipyard 50-50 between Italy and France, but with the Italian side getting the final word on key decisions, at Tuesday's meeting.(ANSAmed).




Italy to respect Libyan sovereignty in naval mission EC says ports not guaranteed if NGOs don't sign code

(ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 1 - Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti told the Lower House and Senate defence and foreign affairs committees that the government's proposed naval mission to support the Libyan coast guard's efforts against human traffickers "does not harm Libyan sovereignty in any way". She added: "our aim is to reinforce it". Pinotti stressed that the government's proposed naval mission to support Libya stemmed from a July 23 letter from Libyan Premier Fayez al-Sarraj requesting "naval and technical support". She said the government would provide this via "technical, logistical and operative support to Libyan naval units accompanying them with joint, coordinated activities". Premier Paolo Gentiloni announced last week that Italy was considering a request from Libya for the help in combatting human traffickers after meeting Libyan Sarraj in Rome.



Most of the over 93,000 migrants to have landed in Italy so far this year started their journey across the Mediterranean from Libya, which has been affected by chaos since a Paris-led campaign contributed to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.



It is hoped that the mission with the Libyan coast guard can help stem this flow, which is causing massive strain on the Italian authorities.



Gentiloni said Friday that the use of Italian vessels to support Libya would not entail "an enormous deployment of big feels and air squadrons".



The EU is working in "full coordination with Italian authorities", the spokesperson for EU foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ray, said Tuesday when she was asked whether Brussels backs the new Italian mission of support to the Libyan coast guard. Ray said EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini was in "regular contact with Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni". Asked whether the EU meant to widen the Sophia operation, the EU's naval mission to combat the trafficking of migrants in the central-southern Mediterranean, along the lines of Italy's intervention, Ray said the EU first intended to see what Italy would do. She also noted that the European Council has just extended the Sophia operation, until the end of 2018. Doctors Without Borders (MSF), meanwhile, said Tuesday that it will continue to operate in the Mediterranean after refusing to sign a code of conduct at the Italian interior ministry for NGOs involved in migrant rescues at sea. "We did not accept the code of conduct because it does not protect our work and there is already international law that regulates everything," MSF Director General Gabriele Eminente told State broadcaster RAI. "We'll continue to work in the Mediterranean anyway, but at the moment I do not understand what this failure to sign entails". The introduction of the code of conduct comes after the NGOs involved in migrant rescues came under fire from some quarters in Italy for allegedly encouraging human traffickers.



The European Commission said Tuesday that it welcomed that some NGOs had signed the Italian code of conduct, pointing out that Brussels supported the document's preparation and calling on the "biggest number" possible to sign up. It said NGOs that do not sign will not be guaranteed to be able to take rescued migrants to Italian ports, if they were saved in areas outside Italian competence. It said international law stipulating that migrants be taken to a safe port remains valid, but stressed that this does not necessarily mean the nearest. (ANSAmed).




Libya: EU working in full coordination with Italy, Ray High commissioner in regular contact with Gentiloni

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, AUGUST 1 - The EU is working in ''full coordination with Italian authorities'', the spokesperson for EU foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ray, said Tuesday when she was asked whether Brussels backs the new Italian mission of support to the Libyan coast guard.



Ray said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was in ''regular contact with Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni''.



Asked whether the EU meant to widen the Sophia operation, the EU's naval mission to combat the trafficking of migrants in the central-southern Mediterranean, along the lines of Italy's intervention, Ray said the EU first intended to see what Italy would do.



She also noted that the European Council has just extended the Sophia operation, until the end of 2018. She added that ''a certain number of tasks have been added to the existing mandate and we are focusing our work on implementing these tasks in international waters''. (ANSAmed).




'Libya mission with same rules of engagement as Safe Sea' 'With changes'. Self-defense for Italians allowed, Pinotti

(ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 1 - The rules of engagement of the new Italian naval mission in Libya will be the same as those of the 'Safe Sea' operation, with a few changes, Italian Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said Tuesday.



The rules of engagement of the new naval mission ''will be the same as operation Safe Sea, with adaptations because the first is an international mission'', the minister told the foreign affairs and defense commissions of the Lower House and Senate, stressing that it is ''always legitimate'' for the Italian military to act in self-defense. (ANSAmed).




ROME - Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti told the Lower House and Senate defence and foreign affairs committees that the government's proposed naval mission to support the Libyan coast guard's efforts against human traffickers "does not harm Libyan sovereignty in any way". She added: "our aim is to reinforce it". Pinotti said that the government's proposed naval mission to support Libya stemmed from a July 23 letter from Libyan Premier Fayez al-Sarraj requesting "naval and technical support". She said the government would provide this via "technical, logistical and operative support to Libyan naval units accompanying them with joint, coordinated activities".


BarcelonaCarles Puigdemont, President of the Generalitat, is prepared to "accept all of the consequences" of holding the referendum on independence, even going to jail, before renouncing this goal. In an interview with Bloomberg, Puigdemont claimed, however, that the best way to guarantee not going to prison would be for "the referendum to be a success".

The president of the Generalitat criticized that the Spanish governments responses to the independence movement "have been threats, with not even one proposal since the very beginning", and said that the legal actions against the Catalan government should be aimed at the political leaders because, he explained, the Generalitats officials and civil servants "are following orders" from them. Puigdemont also responded to predictions from some investors who said that 1-Oct. would not go forward: "They should pay attention on 1 October", he advised.

This is not the first time that Puigdemont has warned that he is willing to take all the consequences that could arise from the referendum slated for 1-October. In an interview with Vanity Fair in October 2016, he stated that he would be willing to go to jail, although he clarified that it would seem to him to be "an inexplicable democratic barbarity". A few weeks ago, he also said in an interview that he would not accept a hypothetical disqualification from office if the Constitutional Court so ruled.
The delivery is the first of 76 737 MAX airplanes the airline will be adding to their all-Boeing fleet of Next-Generation 737s.

We are delighted to receive our first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from our order made at the Dubai Airshow in 2013," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai. This marked the largest single-aisle Boeing aircraft order placed in the Middle East. With this new chapter, we are looking forward to continuing our work with Boeing as we benefit from increased efficiency and are able to offer an enhanced customer experience."

FlyDubais growth in just nine years has been remarkable and Boeing is honored to have been part of this journey, said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister. This delivery marks another significant milestone in our partnership. We are confident that the market-leading efficiency and reliability of the 737 MAX will play a key role in Flydubais continued success and complement its current Boeing fleet.

The 737 MAX family has been designed to offer customers exceptional performance, flexibility and efficiency, with lower per-seat costs and an extended range that will open up new destinations in the single-aisle market.

"As the first MAX customer in the region, we look forward to the further fuel and operating efficiencies that this aircraft will bring to our young modern fleet, said Ken Gile, Chief Operating Officer, Flydubai. Our flight crew share our excitement in operating one of the most highly anticipated commercial aircraft to enter service on our network."

Analyst Saj Ahmad commented: In taking delivery of the first fuel efficient 737 MAX 8, Flydubais competitive advantage against its competitors in the GCC will grow even wider.

With higher seating capacity versus rivals, the 737 MAX 8 not only caters for Flydubais dual class configuration which leverages higher yield business passengers, the new fuel efficiency will slash costs and fly much farther, allowing the airline to open up even more routes.



Flydubai will be keen not only to exploit this new range to link new destinations and provide more choice for passengers, it will be eager to maintain its cost efficiency edge over the likes of Air Arabia, Jazeera Airways and Flynas  all of whom fly the heavier, less efficient A320 series of airplanes.



Ahmad added: With the move to Dubai World Central starting later this year, flydubai will be able to harness more frequencies and flights from the airport that is less congested than Dubai International  all of these elements put together provide Flydubai with a unique platform that will ensure that it stays not just the biggest low cost airline in the GCC, but also as the fastest growing low cost airline anywhere in the world. It is a given that the current 737 MAX orders at Flydubai are not enough  the existing 737-800 fleet will also have to be replaced eventually, despite the relatively young age right now.

It is easy to see flydubai signing up for another 100-plus 737 MAXs to augment its rapid organic growth.
The aircraft is to be delivered green by Airbus in September 2019 and is scheduled to take approximately 10 months to complete within Comlux Indianapolis facilities. This Airbus Corporate Jet completion is for a private customer based in Asia.

The four design firms - Alberto Pinto Design, DesignQ, Unique Aircraft, Winch Design - partnering with Comlux for the future neo and MAX cabin products, have been invited to submit their design concepts for Comluxs customer. In order to shorten the cabin completion downtime to 10 months, the final design is expected to be selected by Q3 2017.

We are very proud to sign this new VIP completion contract for the future ACJ320 neo aircraft. said Scott Meyer, CEO Comlux Completion. We are committed to deliver this VVIP interior within one of the shortest completion cycles to date, it was key for us to sign at the soonest to optimize the lead-time execution for design, engineering and custom fabrication phases prior to input so we can revolutionize the integration and certification phases that occur in hangar. He added: We are running several ACJ neo and BBJ MAX cabin sales campaigns right now and we are expecting to sign more contracts before the end of the year. This completion is the first in a series of new and exciting challenges for Comlux Completion 
The Envision system rates sustainable infrastructure projects across the full range of environmental, social, and economic impacts.

With a vision of Istanbul New Airport as one of the worlds top aviation hubs, the airport project strives to set an example not only as an innovative infrastructure project, but also a driving force making significant contributions to Turkeys sustainable development.

Istanbul New Airport will operate to more than 350 destinations with two terminals, six runways and an annual passenger capacity of 200 million people, once all the phases are complete. As part of the project, Istanbuls New Airport will follow all internationally recognized sustainability practices, particularly related to the environment, biodiversity, ground improvement, local employment, supply chain and subcontracting network, human rights and stakeholder relations.

IGA, the company responsible for constructing and operating the project for 25 years, completed an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Study for the Istanbul New Airport project in 2015 according to International Finance Corporation (IFC) Standards and the Equator Principles, and now the project is targeting verification in accordance with the Envision Rating System program, offered by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Through this reporting process for Envision, IGA has vastly improved its sustainability practices and achieved a sustainability culture within its organization. For todays world, sustainability is key for development, and many infrastructure projects are working to adopt sustainability practices. Communication of sustainability programs plays a vital role for popularization among stakeholders and sector players. As a leading company with sustainable development projects, IGA also sets high standards for the communication strategies in its market and creates a model for others to follow.

With Envision we have the best possible partner on board, says Ulku Ozeren, Director of Environment and Sustainability; Sustainability is important to us. We constantly strive for the best. The verification process will help us building an exemplary airport which will further enhance the development of Turkey.

As a collaborative effort between ISI and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, the Envision system rates the impact of sustainable infrastructure projects as a whole. The ISI Envision system measures sustainable infrastructure in five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Natural World, Resource Allocation, and Climate and Risk. These key areas contribute to the positive social, economic, and environmental impacts on a community.

We are delighted to see interest in Envision expand to Europe and globally, says ISI President and CEO John Stanton. We are looking forward to reviewing the sustainability of such a large, high-profile project as the Istanbul New Airport with the Envision system.
Pegasus Airlines CEO Mehmet T. Nane said As Pegasus Airlines we are continuing to offer our guests ever more choice of destinations. With our new routes we are proud now to be flying a scheduled service to 108 destinations including 36 within Turkey and 72 other international routes in 40 different countries. Our guest are at the heart of our business with our focus firmly on providing a continually improving guest experience and increasing choice with our ever increasing new destinations.
MOSCOW - It is important for Washington to show political will and discard attempts of sanctions diktat for the sake of improving relations between Russia and the United States, the Kremlin said Monday.

"The way out of this situation is through displaying political will to normalize relations, recovering from an aggravation of political schizophrenia, manifesting the desire to normalize these relations, and abandoning attempts of sanction diktat," Sputnik quoted Russian Presidential Secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying.

The US Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill by a vote of 98-2, slapping tougher sanctions on Russia for its alleged intervention in Ukraine and meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied in public.

The bill put US President Donald Trump in a dilemma, but he has indicated he will sign the sanctions bill into law, which represents a sharp downturn in US-Russia relations after signs that Trump wanted to develop a new partnership with Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hit back at the sanctions by demanding the United States cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, regarded as Moscow's most aggressive move against Washington since the final years of the Cold War.

Peskov said Washington will be left to decide on the name list of employees of its diplomatic missions in Russia to dismiss, which could be both US and Russian nationals.

"This is up to the United States... This is both diplomats and people without the diplomatic status and those who were employed on site -- Russian nationals who work there," he said.

The Kremlin spokesman added that Russia reserves the right to take additional countermeasures against the United States, although it still hopes to continue cooperation with the latter in certain areas.

"On the whole, Russia is interested in continuing cooperation (with the US) where this is in our interests... The president considers it appropriate to continue cooperation in these areas," he said.

According to Putin, crucial areas of cooperation for the two countries include the joint actions against terrorism, and obligations in nuclear arms control and space projects.

"We waited a long time for things to perhaps change for the better," state media quoted Putin as saying, "We had such hopes that the situation would change, but judging by the situation that will not be soon."

Indeed, there are many sources of tension between the two nations, such as Russia's alleged meddling issue, the Syrian war, the role of Iran, and tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The diplomatic tit-for-tat between the two nations started under former US President Barack Obama, who ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the US in response to reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

It was revealed that Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Trump, met a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign after being promised "damaging" information about Hilary Clinton, the then Democratic presidential candidate running against his father.

To be what he called "totally transparent," Trump Jr. later made public a chain of emails with an intermediary about the meeting that took place on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in New York, but was accused of violating the Federal Election Campaign Act by conspiring to solicit a contribution from a foreign national during the campaign.

Moreover, during the Group of 20 (G20) major economies summit held on July 7-8 in Hamburg, Germany, the White House confirmed that Trump had a second, previously undisclosed conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump said was of a length of 15 minutes.

However, multiple US media, including the New York Times and the CNN, cited a senior White House official as saying that the conversation lasted nearly an hour, making the Russia scandal appear to be far from being over.

The ongoing scandal has brought down support for Trump, even from his own party.

The last week has seen the implosion of the president's plan to repeal and replace the current US healthcare system -- known as Obamacare, former President Barack Obama's signature legislation -- when Senators from his own party refused to support the bill.

The failure marks a big blow for Trump six months after he took office. Trump has yet to pass any meaningful legislation on a host of issues to deliver his promises made during the election campaign.

Darrel West, with the well-known Washington-based US think tank Brookings Institution, said Republicans will distance themselves from Trump "in order to avoid fallout in the 2018 elections" for Congress.
Jio's entry has wrecked financials of all the telcos as they are forced to lower prices on offerings.

Telecom sector has always been very competitive with telcos vying for market share.

Mumbai: Pain in the telecom sector is not over yet and the current year will see an up to 10 per cent fall in revenue and eventually, the top three telcos will control up to 85 per cent of revenue market share after the ongoing consolidation, says a report.

"We expect a consolidation in the telecom sector, with the top three telcos (Vodafone-Idea, Airtel and Jio) eventually controlling 75-85 per cent of revenue," ratings agency Standard & Poor's said in a note today.

Stating that the the aggressive market play is "costly" for competitors, it said telcos are burning cash amid a "brutal competition for market share".

"The ongoing raging telecom battle has all the ingredients of a 'Hunger Games' movie. The combination of rivalry, power plays, and elimination of the weak, has investors, financiers, analysts, and the government on the edge of their seats," its credit analyst Ashutosh Sharma said.

The telecom sector has always been very competitive with telcos vying for market share, but the entry of Reliance Jio mid last year has only aggravated the stress on the companies, he said.

"Jio's aggressive tactics are a strain on the revenue, profitability, and cash flows of all the contestants in this game," Sharma said.

The note said it will take between 12-24 months for the dust to settle, which means that margins and cash positions of operators will be challenged further before they get better.

On the revenue growth front, it said the declines will be at the lower end of the 5-10 per cent range for the top three players, while it will be more sharper for Reliance Communications-Aircel, and the telecom arms of the Tata Group.

Stating that Jio's costly discounting practices cannot last forever, Sharma said, "we expect Jio to rationalise its competitive strategy at some point over the next 12-18 months and start focusing on achieving sustainable revenue and margins."

It can be noted that Jio's entry has wrecked financials of all the telcos as they are forced to lower prices on offerings.

Considering the heavy debt of the sector which is close to Rs 5 trillion, the Reserve Bank has asked banks to set aside more as provisions for standard assets.
Shares of Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd closed at Rs 61.95 a piece on BSE.

New Delhi: Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence and Engineering on Tuesday said its standalone net loss has widened to Rs 230.4 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

The company had posted a standalone loss of Rs 134.5 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal, Reliance Defence and Engineering said in a filing to BSE.

However, the company's standalone total revenue during April-June quarter increased to Rs 231.7 crore, compared to Rs 74.3 crore in the year-ago period.

The total expenses of the company increased to Rs 152.3 crore, as compared to Rs 68.6 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

The company also said its board, at a meeting held on Tuesday, has approved the appointment of Nikhil Jain as Chief Financial Officer.

Shares of Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd closed at Rs 61.95 a piece on BSE, down 0.64 per cent from the previous close. The company is engaged in the business of ship building and repairs.
Two-way trade stood at USD 808.72 million in 2016-17, up from USD 750.2 million in 2016.

New Delhi: The commerce ministry has said the new agreement on trade, commerce and transit between India and Bhutan has come into force from July 29, a move which will further strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

The agreement provides for a free trade regime between the countries and it also gives duty free transit of Bhutanese goods for trade with third countries, the commerce ministry said in a statement.

The bilateral trade relations between India and Bhutan are governed by this pact.

The pact was last renewed on July 29, 2016 for a period of ten years. Its validity was extended for one year or till the new agreement comes into force.

"As agreed to by both India and Bhutan, the new agreement has come into force with effect from 29 July, 2017. The new agreement will further strengthen the bilateral trade relations," it said.

The two-way trade stood at USD 808.72 million in 2016-17, up from USD 750.2 million in the previous fiscal.

In a separate statement, the ministry said to facilitate movement of cargo across the border, India and Bangladesh have agreed to operate Petrapole-Benapole integrated check post (ICP) 24x7, with effect from Tuesday.

This post is a major route for bilateral trade. The ministry said that Land Ports Authority of India and Central Board of Excise and Customs have issued necessary instructions in this regard. "The 24x7 operationalisation of Petrapole-Benapole ICP is expected to be a significant milestone towards expeditious clearance of cargo and, hence boost the bilateral trade between the countries," it added.

The bilateral trade between the countries has increased to USD 7.43 billion in 2016-17 from USD 6.76 billion in the previous fiscal.
Sarma said the department has already identified 126 such schools, which performed poorly in this year high school examinations.

Guwahati: Bogged down by deteriorating quality of education, the Assam education department has decided to rope in 124 retired teachers, decorated with various awards, to engage them as observers for 126 such high schools that performed poorly in exam this year.

Informing that these retired teachers would be paid honorarium, Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said these retired teachers would be acting as inspectors for the schools and monitor the entire academic activities starting from attendance of teachers and students to the quality of education.

He said the department has already identified 126 such schools, which performed poorly in this year high school examinations. We have asked the retired teachers to take over the responsibility from August 15, said Mr Sarma, adding that they will be reporting day-to-day report of their respective schools to the education department.

Announcing that education department has also decided to open 12 colleges this year, Mr Sarma said, We are going to handover appointment letters to teachers and principals of five on August 4.

Pointing out that these colleges have been named as Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsh College, Mr Sarma said that the state government has decided to open the chain of government colleges wherever it is required. We are spending about Rs 9 crore on construction of each college, said Mr Sarma, while announcing that this year the government is also going to start 11 new polytechnic colleges for which construction work has already been completed. The process of appointing the faculties have started, he said, while regretting the deteriorating atmosphere in educational institution of the state.

He said that instead of relying on community to start colleges, the state government has decided to start chain of colleges all over the state to improve the quality of education.
India and China have differing perceptions of the LAC and troops patrol up to the point they think their boundary ends.

New Delhi: In an ominous move amid the Sino-Indian military standoff in Doklam, about a dozen Chinese troops reportedly trespassed 800 metres into Indian territory in the Barahoti area of Uttarakhands Chamoli district on July 25 and threatened Indian shepherds grazing sheep to leave.

The Chinese soldiers stayed for about two hours, from 8 am to 10 am, a government official told this newspaper.

The Indian government is trying not to read too much into it. Officials, speaking off the record, said such incidents have happened in the past and are best sorted out locally. They should not be given undue importance, they added. Transgressions do occur due to differing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In the Barahoti area, such transgressions are a regular affair and happen twice or thrice a year in June-July, they added.

The LAC is the de-facto border that separates India and China in several sectors from Ladakh in eastern J&K to the Arunachal Pradesh. It is part of the 4,056 km long India-China border.

India and China have differing perceptions of the LAC and troops patrol up to the point they think their boundary ends. Transgressions are fairly regular along two major stretches  in Aksai Chin (bordering Ladakh) and in Arunachal Pradesh which China claims to be part of Southern Tibet. Such transgressions are usually restricted to about four-five kms into the others territory.

Barahoti, an 80 sq km sloping pasture about 140 km from Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, is one of three border posts in what is known as the middle sector, comprising Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It is a demilitarised zone where Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans do not carry their weapons in accordance with a bilateral pact in 2000.

The Chinese media has been increasingly belligerent since the stand-off began in Doklam, which is Bhutanese territory. There have been several reports threatening escalation of troop movement in various sectors if India does not withdraw from Doklam. Indian shepherds and Tibetans, who bring their yaks for grazing, use the Barahoti pasture.

In 1958, India and China listed Barahoti as a disputed area where neither side would send their troops. In the 1962 war, the PLA did not enter the middle sector and focused on the western (Ladakh) and eastern (Arunachal Pradesh) sectors.

In June 2000, during negotiations on resolving the border dispute, India unilaterally said that ITBP troops would not carry arms in three posts  Barahoti, Kauril and Shipki in Himachal Pradesh. ITBP men dressed in civil dress accompany revenue officials who go to this area for official purposes.
A youth was killed when hit by a bullet in the chest during intense protests in the area.

The officials called Abu Dujanas killing a 'huge achievement' of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the security forces combating a three-decade old militancy in the State. (Photos: Screengrab/Habib Naqash)

Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, who figured at number one in the list of most dangerous terrorists released by the Army in June this year, is among the two gunmen shot dead by the security forces in a fierce encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs southern Pulwama district on Tuesday.

The officials called Dujanas killing a huge achievement of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the security forces combating a three-decade old militancy in the state.

(Photo: Twitter)

LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice killed in Harkipora, Pulwama. Huge achievement for police and SF, tweeted the J&K police.

LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

Soon after the word about Dujanas killing spread, the irate youth took to the streets in many parts of the Valley including Pulwama and Srinagar and soon clashed with the security forces. The police and other security forces fired their rifles, pellet shotguns and teargas canisters to quell the stone-pelting mobs, the witnesses said.

One youth identified as Firdous Ahmed, a resident of Pulwamas Begumpora, Kakapora, was killed when hit by a bullet in the chest during intense protests in the area, the police and hospital sources said.

#WATCH Encounter between security forces & terrorists in J&K's Pulwama (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/WH7kUrem94  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

The police and Army sources said the fighting broke out in Pulwamas Hakripora village early on Tuesday morning following a cordon-and-search operation which was launched jointly by the Army, the counterinsurgency Special Operations Group of the J&K police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on learning about the presence of militants.

Two terrorists have, so far, been killed. One of them is Arif Lihari, a local Kashmiri. The other is said to be Abu Dujara but we are verifying it, a senior police officer who wished not to be named had said earlier.

He also said the bodies had been charred.

On June 1, the Army released a list of top 12 militants active mainly in Jammu and Kashmir's southern districts, falling in two categories of A and A++ and belonging to the Hizb-ul-Mujahedin (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). Abu Dujana, alias Hafiz (LeT Divisional Commander, South Kashmir), was listed under the A++ category and the Army had also said he is based out of Pakistan and has been active since December 14, 2014. It had also said getting these militants dead or alive is the top priority of the Army.

Police arrested dozens of students and youth as the clashes were witnessed in city centre Lal Chowk over the killing of LeT militant and civilian in Pulwama encounter. (Photo: DC/Habib Naqash)

Dujana had escaped several such operations in the past. During one of these, his close associate Abu Okasha who was allegedly involved in the August 5, 2015, ambush on a BSF convoy near the garrison town of Udhampur was among those killed in Pulwamas Padgam Pora-Wandakpora village in March this year.

The locals said on Tuesday the militants were trapped in Hakripora after the operation was launched at 4 am. As the security forces zeroed in on the militants' hideout, the latter opened fire at them triggering the encounter, the police sources added. Later the security forces used explosives, mortars and possibly improvised explosive devices to blow the private house up, a report said.

The internet services in parts of south Kashmir have been snapped in view of rising tensions. Also, the rail services have been suspended as a precautionary measure. Following clashes erupted in parts of the Valley, most schools and other educational institutions were closed and the students were hurriedly sent home in Srinagar and south Kashmir areas. The vehicles are being withdrawn from the roads and marketplaces have closed amid chaos.
The ED took cognisance of a CBI FIR in this regard to initiate the move.

New Delhi: Fresh trouble seems to be in store for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is preparing to initiate proceedings to attach their properties as part of its probe into a money laundering case. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private firm when the RJD chief was the railway minister. The agency, sources said, will soon issue provisional attachment orders in this regard.

The ED is investigating the alleged proceeds of crime generated by the accused in the case. The agency will soon initiate proceedings to attach such movable and immovable assets, sources said.

The ED had recently registered a money laundering case against Lalu and his family members under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED took cognisance of a CBI FIR in this regard to initiate the move.

Earlier this month, the CBI had registered a corruption case in this regard and conducted multiple searches against the former Bihar chief minister and others.

Mr Yadavs wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi and others are also being probed by the ED. The case dates back to the time when Mr Yadav was the railway minister in the UPA government. Others named in the CBI FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar (both directors of Sujata Hotels), Delight Marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and the then IRCTC managing director P.K. Goel.

The CBI FIR alleges that Mr Yadav, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a company after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land in Patna through a benami company owned by Sarla Gupta.

The FIR was registered on July 5 in connection with favours allegedly extended to Sujata Hotels in awarding a contract for the upkeep of the hotels in Ranchi and Puri and receiving premium land as quid pro quo.
The systems, law are safeguarded to ensure that the govt does not use Aadhaar for surveillance, UIDAI said.

The Centre told the Supreme Court last week that right to privacy is a fundamental right, but it is a wholly qualified right. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it is not possible to use Aadhaar to track citizens,

The UIDAI, said the systems and law are safeguarded to ensure that the government does not use Aadhaar for surveillance even if the court permits them, NDTV reported.

The agency also added that too much was being discussed of 'privacy' being a fundamental right. "Nothing is private in the online era," Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a nine-judge constitution bench that is considering whether privacy is a fundamental right of every citizen.

Read: Govt may link Aadhaar with property records; to expose benaami owners

The Centre told the Supreme Court last week that right to privacy is a fundamental right, but it is a wholly qualified right.

"Every aspect of it does not qualify as a fundamental right, as privacy also includes the subtext of liberty," Attorney General KK Venugopal had said.

The Supreme Court had set up a nine-judge bench to decide whether right to privacy can be declared a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution.

The apex court had said that right to privacy cannot be an absolute right and the state may have some power to put reasonable restriction, while examining the issue whether it can be declared as a fundamental right under the Constitution.

The apex court had agreed to set up a bench on July 12 to deal with the Aadhaar-related matters after the attorney general and senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for petitioners, had jointly mentioned the matter.

The petitioners had claimed that collection and sharing of biometric information, as required under the scheme, was a breach of the "fundamental" right to privacy. Allowing the Centre's plea, the court had framed various questions, including as to whether right to privacy was a fundamental right, to be decided by a Constitution bench.
According to reports, there are two or three LeT terrorists who are engaged in the encounter.

An encounter between security forces and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists is underway at Hakripora village in Jammu & Kashmir's Pulwama district. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Srinagar: Abu Dujana, who figured on top of the list of most dangerous terrorists released by the Army in June this year, is believed to be among the two gunmen shot dead by security forces in a fierce encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on Tuesday.

Police and Army sources said that the fighting broke out in Pulwamas Hakripora village early on Tuesday morning. The encounter began after the Army, the counterinsurgency Special Operations Group of the J&K police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a joint a cordon-and-search operation based on inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area.

Two terrorists have so far been killed. One of them is Arif Lihari, a local Kashmiri. The other is said to be Abu Dujara but we are verifying it, said a senior police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The militants were trapped in Hakripora after the operation was launched at 4 am, locals said. The encounter broke out after security forces zeroed in on a house where terrorists were hiding, police sources said. Later, security forces used explosives, mortars and improvised explosive devices to blow the house up, a report said.

Internet services in parts of south Kashmir have been snapped in view of rising tensions. Also, the rail services have been suspended as a precautionary measure.

On June 1, the Army released a list of top 12 militants active mainly in Jammu and Kashmir's southern districts, falling in two categories of A and A++ and belonging to the Hizb-ul-Mujahedin (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM).

Abu Dujana, alias Hafiz (LeT Divisional Commander, South Kashmir), was listed under the A++ category. The Army had said that he is based out of Pakistan and has been active since December 14, 2014.
The axe is likely to fall on those dozen ministers against whom there are complaints of corruption and poor performance.

Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is planning a major Cabinet reshuffle this month. Discussions in this regard have been held with BJP president Amit Shah during his just-concluded three day visit. According to sources, about half a dozen ministers whose performance has been rated as unsatisfactory could be dropped in the reshuffle.

The axe is likely to fall on those dozen ministers against whom there are complaints of corruption and poor performance. At a recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, BJP MPs from UP had complained against these ministers and also their refusal to work in tandem with party cadres.

Mr Adityanath has also informed the party high command of malpractices that these ministers are indulging in  even defying the chief ministers order of not effecting transfers in their departments.

The chief minister has already made an assessment of the work of all ministers in the first 100 days of the government. He has taken feedback from the party workers and the bureaucracy and it is on this basis that changes will be made. The teething troubles of the government are over and Mr Adityanath will now focus on a performance driven and honest government, said a party functionary.

Meanwhile, the partys dilemma over the future of ministers who are not members of the state legislature has been largely resolved by the resignation of three SP MLCs on Saturday.

Mr Dinesh Sharma, Mr Swatantra Dev Singh and Mr Mohsin Raza can now be made MLCs in order to continue in their ministerial positions, said a party source.

Yogi Adityanath, sources said, is keen to enter the state assembly with a direct election. He will most probably be contesting from a seat in eastern UPprobably, Campierganj from where the sitting MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh has offered to resign. Deputy chief minister Keshav Maurya is also keen to contest a assembly by-election from Phulpur.

Earlier, there were reports that he could be shifted to centre where he will be accommodated as minister of state in the union cabinet. His strained relationship with the chief minister is already well known in political circles and the BJP did not wish to give an opportunity to Ms Mayawati to emerge as a joint opposition candidate in event of a by-poll in Phulpur, the seat held by Mr Maurya.

Mr Maurya, meanwhile, has parried all questions about his possible shifting to Delhi. I am not going anywhere until I fulfill my commitment to make UP SP-BSP mukt, he told reporters. BJP president Amit Shah also ruled out reports of Mr Maurya being shifted to the centre.
The prime minister also asked the legislators of the ruling alliance to ensure that government schemes percolate down to the grassroots.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairing a high-level meeting to review the flood situation and the relief operations in the North-Eastern states, in Guwahati on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

Guwahati: Prime Minster Narendra Modi on Tuesday stressed the need for permanent solution to the perennial problem of floods in Assam and announced a package of Rs 2,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people in north-eastern states.

Responding to the demand of declaring Assam flood as national problem, Modi told legislators in Guwahati, The flood problem of Assam is always a national problem. The government and people of this country also appreciate it as national problem and they respond to it with equal concern.

He also asked the legislators of the ruling alliance to ensure that government schemes percolate down to the grassroots. He also referred to GST in his speech to the legislators and suggested them to work to enrol even the smallest unit under GST, which will help them in long run.

The prime minister in his short speech also called upon legislators to work for nation building.

Meanwhile, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that Modi has decided to constitute a high power group of technocrats and experts to study course of Brahmaputra and suggest long-term measures for its permanent solution. The group of technocrats will also study the problem of erosion and related problems and work out strategy for the permanent solution of it.

He said that prime minister has announced a corpus of Rs 100 crore for the purpose.

Informing that Assam may get a share of about Rs 1200 crore in Rs 2000 crore package announced for relief and rehabilitation measures in the north-eastern states.

Sarma said that Modi has also sanctioned an additional Rs 250 crore for immediate relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims in the state. It is significant that Centre has already released an amount of Rs 345 crore to the state government for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.

Modi also reviewed the ongoing flood relief and rehabilitation measures of the state government.

The prime minister also reviewed the flood situation in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. The chief ministers of these states, except Mizoram, met Modi and submitted their charter of demands.

Modi left for New Delhi around 3 pm.
PM Modi has decide not go for aerial survey of the flood hit areas, sources said.

Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendara Modi will be arriving here on Tuesday to discuss the mechanism for the permanent solution of the perennial flood problem in Assam.

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that focus of the Prime Ministers visit would be on working out strategy for long-term measures to mitigate the flood problem of the state.

Pointing out that extensive relief has been given to the flood-hit people of the state, Mr Sarma said, We have surplus fund to provide relief and rehabilitate the flood victims so it is not at all a issue for the state. The Centre has released sufficient fund to the state to handle the relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims. 

The Prime Minister, who is schedule to address the legislature party meeting of ruling alliance, will be meeting senior bureaucrats of the state to work out a long-term plan to reduce the devastation of the floods, which is affecting the economy of the state adversely. He will discuss the aspects related to the floods with Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal and his ministers in a separate meeting on Tuesday at Administrative Staff College.

As the water-level has come down and most of those affected in floods have started returning back to their homes, the Prime Minister has decide not go for aerial survey of the flood hit areas, sources said.

During his daylong stay in Guwahati, the Prime Minister will also meet the chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, the states ravaged in flood this year.
Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas, however, said that his country is 'keen' to send them home if they are found in its territory.

New Delhi: Syria has no information about the 39 Indians, who went missing in Iraq in 2014.

Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas, however, said that his country is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas on Monday said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said.

"We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.

However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.
The PLAs 90th anniversary stamps the symbolic importance of the PLAs authority in Chinas political spectrum.

Of late, China has been particularly aggressive against India over their current border standoff in the Doklam region of the China-India-Bhutan tri-junction area. The Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has warned that Beijing would defend its territorial sovereignty at all costs and India must cease provoking the tension. Cautioning India further to pull out its troops from Chinese territory, what it calls the Donglang region of China, the PLA had stated that India must understand that its easier to shake a mountain than the PLA.

The Doklam standoff was triggered due to the PLAs road construction activity in the region, from which Indian troops along with the Royal Bhutanese Army urged the PLA to desist as it was a disputed area. Indias understanding on the matter with Bhutan to dissuade the Chinese military from road construction further heightens the PLAs anger. Now the PLA is making the Doklam border tension a national prestige issue, on the occasion of its 90th anniversary, by linking it with Chinas sovereignty.

The PLAs 90th anniversary stamps the symbolic importance of the PLAs authority in Chinas political spectrum. The upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October marks another grand occasion for the PLA to express its century-long loyalty to Chinas political class. The 19th Congress will confirm the continuation of Xi Jinping for a second term as President. The Congress will witness the retirement of vice-chairman Fan Changlong and the elevation of Xu Qiliang in the Central Military Commission (CMC), among many other new appointments. This is an opportune moment for the PLA, which wants to have a better representation in Chinas political system.

The PLAs sovereignty assertion over India is intended to improve its public image domestically ahead of the 19th CPC Congress, and also to urge for a better partaking for itself in Chinas decision-making process. Defending Chinas sovereignty has been a catchphrase of the Chinese military and political leaderships in the recent past. A clue to this is noticed in Xi Jinpings recent assertion in Hong Kong, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kongs passing from Britain to China, where he stated that challenging Chinese sovereignty is equivalent to crossing the red line.

Visitors look at a scale model of a Chinese aircraft carrier during an exhibition at the military museum in Beijing.

As the CPCs backbone, the PLA has had a long march of history in helping the party not only to sustain power in China but also compellingly claiming the countrys territorial and maritime ambitions. Since its inception on August 1, 1927, the PLA has undergone many years of changes and reforms while protecting Chinas national interests, without really challenging much the CPCs supremacy. The PLAs role seems to be an integral part of Xi Jinpings national effort of building a moderately prosperous society. The 2016 reforms and restructuring, which were comprehensive and the largest in recent years, have further accentuated the PLAs role under Xi Jinping, offering it a much-required autonomy in influencing decisions concerning national security and sovereignty. Condensing the earlier seven Military Area Commands (MACs) into Five Theatre Commands, upgrading the Second Artillery Force as a full-fledged PLA Rocket Force, making the newly established ground forces act autonomously, and making the PLAs command and control system more flexible were all parts of this radical reform and restructuring. These reforms were carried out not only to redefine the relationship authority among different units and commands within the PLA but also to empower the decision-making process where the PLA leadership can play a decisive role on national security issues. Chinas sovereignty assertion over India on the Doklam border tension draws from this growing PLA profile.

The PLA today plays an increasingly persuasive role in Chinas India policy. Given Indias longstanding boundary dispute with China, the PLA has been instrumental in designing Beijings neighbourhood strategy while becoming vigilant over India. The elevation of Tibets military command rank, which is now placed under the direct supervision of the PLA ground forces, explains this growing persuasiveness. A fundamental reason behind this upgradation was to consolidate Chinas military build-up in the Tibetan region, posing a direct strategic advantage over India. The PLAs Western Theatre Command controls the Tibetan Military Command. Its headquarters are stationed at Chengdu in the Sichuan province bordering India. This allows the PLA to tighten military control over the China-India border affairs than earlier. Ahead of its 90th anniversary, the PLA has recently conducted a military drill in the Tibetan plateau, signalling its preparedness. This kind of elevation allows Tibets military command to have greater control over the military resources than before, and importantly, to possess a greater degree of say in the boundary negotiation process with India.

The PLAs sovereignty assertion over the Doklam border tension with India is not an isolated occurrence altogether. Beijings larger message here is to countries like Japan on the Senkaku island dispute and to the South-East Asian countries on the South China Sea dispute. The PLAs sovereignty assertion is attached with a grand Chinese strategy to change the status quo on the ground gradually, which is a classic Chinese strategy. The land border dispute with India suggests how systematically China has made Indias sovereign state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, by exerting a claim on it and making its campaign forcefully public. Terming Arunachal Pradesh as a complex historical chapter in the China-India border dispute, public opinion in China today is keen on taking a strong position on Arunachal Pradesh. A similar trait is noticed in Chinas approach towards the South China Sea dispute, where the PLA has enhanced its claim through land reclamation and militarisation effort. Similarly, ignoring Japans rightful possession over the Senkaku islands, Beijing has expanded its claims and exerted pressure on Japan to resolve the issue by making it a maritime territorial sovereignty issue.

Though Chinas military build-up has been intended over the years to dissuade the United States capability of supporting Taiwan and coerce the latter into reunification, the PLA has invested most of its recent resources focusing on issues like the South China Sea dispute, East China Sea dispute and China-India boundary dispute. Each of these issues has been projected as Chinas national sovereignty issue, exhibiting an assertive PLAs post-reform strategy under Xi Jinping, which is more neighbourhood-specific.

The writer is a research fellow and head of the East Asia Centre at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi
It has been learnt that Vishal Rana, who was granted bail on Monday, is the son of a Noida-based BJP leader.

The family of Ikhlaq, who was beaten to death by a mob, at Bishada in Dadri. (Photo: PTI/File)

Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Vishal Rana, one of the main accused in the infamous Dadri lynching case in which a middle-aged man was beaten to death by a mob on the suspicion that he had consumed beef.

Justice Pratyush Kumar granted bail to Rana on Monday. Rana is the son of a Noida-based BJP leader, it is learnt.

Earlier in September 2015, Mohammad Akhlaq, a man in his 50s, was lynched inside his house at Bisada village falling under Dadri sub division of Gautam Buddh Nagar district.

His son Danish was also brutally beaten up by a mob which had barged into their house late in the night on the suspicion that beef had been stored and consumed there.

The incident had evoked a huge outcry and several writers, academicians and film personalities returned their awards protesting the rise in intolerance.

Most of the accused in the case have been granted bail.
Congress alleges its MLAs offered Rs 15 crore to support BJP.

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday raised the issue of kidnapping of its MLAs in Gujarat in both Houses of Parliament.

Following the ruckus created by the Congress, Rajya Sabha was adjourned for some time. In Lok Sabha, as the House assembled, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge led the charge, alleging that the Congress MLAs were under pressure while Congress MP Mr Jyotiradity Scindia claimed that Congress MLAs in Gujarat were being offered Rs 15 crore to support the BJP.

Both Mr Kharge and Mr Scindia wanted a discussion on the issue in the House, which was turned down by the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

The Speaker said that this was a state subject and cannot be discussed in the House.

In Rajya Sabha, the Congress MPs accusing the BJP of luring its MLAs by offering Rs 10-15 crore, rushed to the Well of the House demanding a discussion. The Chair adjourned the House for 10 minutes. Deputy chairman P.J. Kurian said to the Congress members, If you want discussion, give a separate notice. We will consider it.

As Rajya Sabha met after brief adjournment, minister of state parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tried to turn the tables by saying that it was Congress which was kidnapping its own MLAs.

Mr Naqvi said, The Congress has kidnapped its own MLAs and are keeping them in a resort at a time when the people of Gujarat were facing miseries from flash floods. You should be ashamed.

Later, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said that despite BJPs efforts, Congress candidate Ahmed Patel would win comfortably.

He, however, said that Mr Patel was contesting the Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat as a senior Congress leader, not as political secretary to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Theres no need to drag Ms Gandhis name into this Rajya Sabha election, Mr Azad said and added, Ahmed bhai will win by a margin of at least 10 to 15 votes.

Accusing BJP of plotting to defeat Mr Patel, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, Why has the BJP fielded its third candidate for the polls when it does not have the requisite number of MLAs in support? It is only to steal our MLAs.

Four candidates will contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections for three seats in Gujarat on August 8. These include BJP national president Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani, political secretary to Congress president Ahmed Patel and former Congress MLA and now BJP candidate Balwantsinh Rajput.

With the current strength of the BJP, Mr Shah and Ms Irani will be easily elected. But there will be a contest between Mr Patel and Mr Rajput.
Nitish said that he had no option but to walk out of the Grand Secular Alliance as remaining in it would have meant making his peace with corruption.

Patna/New Delhi: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who in one deft move last week severed ties with the Grand Alliance in Bihar and with the Oppositions dreams of a secular, united front to battle the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, made it clear on Monday that for now political advantage lies in aligning with Narendra Modi.

There is no political party or a leader who has the ability to compete with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bihar chief minister said during a press conference in Patna on Monday.

On July 27, Nitish Kumar resigned as Bihar chief minister over corruption charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav, who was the deputy chief minister.

Minutes after his resignation, PM Modi had tweeted his congratulations to the Bihar CM for joining the fight against corruption. Nitish Kumar tweeted back, thanking the PM for his support. The next day Nitish Kumar accepted the BJPs support to form a new alliance government in Bihar.

Speaking for the first time after he dumped the Mahagathbandhan comprising the RJD and the Congress, along with the JD(U), Nitish Kumar said that he had no option but to walk out of the Grand Secular Alliance as remaining in it would have meant making his peace with corruption. He said that he tried to save the alliance, but Lalu Yadav and his son repeatedly refused to come clean on the corruption charges levelled against them.

People had started raising questions on the zero-tolerance policy of the state government after the CBI filed a corruption case against the family, including Tejashwi Yadav. I just asked them to give a public clarification but the whole family kept dodging the issue, Nitish Kumar said.



Reacting sharply to former JD(U) president Sharad Yadavs opposition to his decision to form an alliance with the NDA, he said, Everyone has a different opinion in democracy The decision to form an alliance with NDA was taken by the state unit of the party in the interest of Bihar.

The party will discuss the issue during the national executive meeting on August 19 in Patna, he added.



On Monday, Sharad Yadav told reporters outside Parliament, I dont agree with the decision in Bihar. It is unfortunate. The mandate of the people (in Bihar in 2015) was not for this.



On the issue of secularism, Mr Kumar said that he doesnt need a certificate from any political party or leaders on the issue. He said that some political parties have been using secularism to cover their black money and benami properties.



Nitish Kumar, who has nurtured dreams of a national role, on Monday ruled himself out of the prime ministerial race. Mine is a regional party and is confined to Bihar as far as my national ambition is concerned, I have already held several key portfolios when Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, he said.



In 2013, Nitish Kumar had snapped ties with the BJP after Mr Modi was nominated as the NDAs prime ministerial candidate. During the formation of the Grand Secular Alliance in 2015, Mr Kumar said that he had joined hands with secular parties like the RJD and Congress to fight the communal forces.

I will prove all the critics wrong with my work and the performance of the government, he said on Monday, in response to criticism over his decision to align with the BJP.



The RJD, meanwhile, continued its tirade against the chief minister, calling on him to resign until an alleged murder case against him is completed.
Says BJP, Nitish conspired to form alliance by using his son.

Patna: RJD chief Lalu Yadav on Tuesday vented his ire against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying that the latter has betrayed the mandate by breaking the grand secular alliance in Bihar.

The match between BJP and Nitish Kumar was already fixed. Nitish Kumar used my son to break the alliance and form a government with BJP, RJD chief Lalu Yadav said during a press conference in Patna on Tuesday.

Mr Yadav also used the term Paltu Ram ( turncoat) for Nitish Kumar, who had accused him of using secularism to cover his black money.

I know him very well he is a big Paltu Ram (turncoat) of Indian politics. He never keeps his promises and always changes sides, Mr Yadav said.

Mr Kumar had earlier said that he had no option but to walk out of the grand secular alliance as remaining in it would have meant compromising with corruption. Taking a swipe at Mr Kumar for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and saying that no leader in the country has the ability to compete with him, Mr Yadav said the Oppositions unity would be further expanded and the parties would take on the BJP in the 2019 General Elections.

He said that Mr Kumar used to speak against the Prime Minister when he was with the grand secular alliance but now he has surrendered before him and praising him.

He may have surrendered but we will stop Narendra Modi and his party BJP, he said.

Mr Yadav, while speaking to reporters in Patna, said his fight against communal and fascist forces will continue and he has urged senior JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav to strengthen Opposition parties in their fight against the BJP.

He said that Nitish Kumar cannot forget the efforts of Sharad Yadav, who also played a vital role in making him a big leader.

Mr Yadav also slammed chief minister Nitish Kumar for his earlier remarks in which he had said that it was he who had made Lalu Yadav a leader.

Nitish Kumar today says that he made me leader I am senior to him, he forgot that he used to take my blessings before even attending political debates earlier. He should be ashamed for saying such things, he said.

Mr Yadav also said that Mr Kumars party JD(U) was included into the grand secular alliance after Mulayam Singh Yadav intervened into the matter. I know him very well, and I had refused initially but Mulayam Singh Yadav asked me to take him in the alliance.
BJP MP said her address was used in a shell firm scam.

New Delhi: Trinamul Congress MPs on Tuesday vociferously protested in Lok Sabha after BJP MP Kirit Somaiya alleged that West Bengal chief ministers address was misused in a shell company scam.

TMC lawmakers stormed the Well of the House and demanded that the reference to the address be expunged from the records.

After the BJP MP Kirit Somaiya levelled the allegation while referring to the scam, almost all TMC MPs rose from their seats and vociferously protested the charges, calling them totally baseless. They shouted slogans against the Central government and then trooped into the Well of the House.

Earlier during the Zero Hour, Mr Somaiya alleged that a politician in Bihar had links with the scam relating to shell companies in the state.

He alleged that a similar scam had taken place in West Bengal and that it had been found that the address of the chief minister was given by the shell company during its registration. He even hinted at the alleged involvement of the chief ministers nephew in the scam.

The TMC MPs took strong objection to the comments and demanded that the Speaker should expunge them from the records.

Interestingly, just before the furore, Trinamul Congress MP Saugata Roy during Zero Hour, alluding to usage of money power, said that in Uttar Pradesh, two SP and one BSP MLCs resigned from the Legislative Council to pave way for the chief ministers election in the Assembly. The BJP recently stormed to power in Uttar Pradesh, where it won a comfortable two-thirds majority in the state Assembly.
Gandhi also raised concern over significant bills like the one on Aadhaar getting passed without any serious debate.

New Delhi: BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday chose to question lawmakers repeated requests and power to seek an increment in their own compensation.

When matters regarding salaries are raised recurrently, it makes me worry about the moral compass of the House. Nearly 18,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last one-year. Where is our focus? Mr Gandhi questioned.

Mr Gandhi also raised concern over significant bills like the one on Aadhaar getting passed without any serious debate.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Mr Gandhi he asked for an external body to decide on salary hike for lawmakers. At a time, when cutting across the party line, the lawmakers gets united on the issue of hike in their salaries, Mr Gandhi wondered whether the MPs had earned the 400% remuneration hike they had given to themselves in the last decade.

Breathing fire and hinting at the insensitivity, Mr Gandhi referred to the recent protests of Tamil Nadu farmers in the national capital and noted that they had drunk their urine and demonstrated with skulls of farmers, who had committed suicide, in order to strongly make their point.

A few weeks ago, a farmer from Tamil Nadu tried to take his own life in the national capital in order to register his protest against the suffering of farmers in the state.

He lashed out:  On July 19, the Tamil Nadu Assembly in a brazenly insensitive act, doubled the salaries of its legislators.

Talking about the practice of the lawmakers, often raising demand for a salary hike, Mr Gandhi pointed out that the Jawaharlal Nehru Cabinet, in its first meeting, had taken a collective decision not to avail salaries for six months in view of the peoples sufferings at the time.

Giving examples from the past, Mr Gandhi went on saying; Members of the Constituent Assembly, like Biswanath Das from Odisha, chose to draw only `25 a day instead of `45 a day, which they were entitled to, saying that he did not need/require any more.

He also referred to V.I. Muniswami Pillai, in 1949, which moved a motion in the Madras Assembly to impose a voluntary cut of `5 per diem in recognition of the suffering of the farmers. The Assembly unanimously passed the motion.

He also told the House that Gandhiji had written that the allowances drawn by the Members of Parliament and various Assemblies must be in proportion to the services rendered to the nation.

Hinting at the apathy, he said that it was shameful that the number of sittings in the Lok Sabha had dropped from 123 days a year in 1952 to 75 in 2016.

Pointing fingers at his own community, Mr Gandhi said: If we look at our performance over the last two decades, barely 50% of the bills have been passed after scrutiny from Parliamentary Committees. When bills pass without serious deliberation, it defeats the purpose of having a Parliament.

He maintained that 41% of bills introduced have been passed without discussion.

The Winter Session, 2016, hit a low point of 16 per cent. It is shameful. Taxation bills, as significant as Aadhaar, were passed within two weeks without being referred to a committee, the MP from Sultanpur said.

Stressing on the issue for setting up an external body to advise the pay and other benefits of the lawmakers, Mr Gandhi said that United Kingdom has an independent authority - Review Body on Senior Salaries - consisting of distinguished non-members, to advise the government on the pay and pensions of MPs. He maintained that such a mechanism sadly does not exist in India though Indian parliamentary democracy is loosely derived from that of the UK. Drawing a comparison, Mr Gandhi said that as compared to a 13 per cent rise in the UK, Indian lawmakers had raised their salaries by 400 per cent in the last decade.
According to research 43 pc elderly in India face psychological problems due to loneliness and other relationship issues.

Experts say that with the fast changing socio-economic scenario and demographic transition across the country, older people are the worst affected section of the society (Photo: Pixabay)

New Delhi: 43 out of 100 elderly people in India are victims of psychological problems due to loneliness, and other relationship issues, a new study has said.

Based on the feedback from 50,000 older persons across the country during the months of June and July this year, the study by Agewell Foundation revealed almost half of the elderly population were not taken care of by their families.

"43 per cent older persons are facing psychological problems due to loneliness, relationship issues. It was also observed that more than 45 per cent elderly claimed that their family members do not care for their needs and interests," the study revealed.

The foundation has appealed to the government and other stakeholders to make provisions in government schemes in keeping in mind the welfare and empowerment of the older people.

"Today there is an urgent need to include elderly friendly provisions in all governmental schemes and programs because their life span and their share in national population has increased remarkably.

"Ignoring their needs and rights and leaving them unaddressed can pose a great threat to our social development agenda. Older persons need to be brought into mainstream by focusing on their issues and encouraging their active participation in the society," Himanshu Rath, Chairman of Agewell Foundation, said.

Rath added that with the fast changing socio-economic scenario and demographic transition across the country, older people are the worst affected section of the society.

"Issues concerning older people have become a major challenge for all of us. Modern value system is replacing our centuries-old traditions. In modern fast-paced lifestyle, they are finding it tough to adjust themselves with emerging trends," he said.

The Foundation said strengthening financial inclusion of the elderly in order to make every individual above the age of 60 financially independent, was important. Suggested provisions included free health counselors for the elderly living alone, establishment of a national institute for aged on the lines of AIIMS for treatment and research in age related ailments, and setting up of a national fund for the aged (on the lines of National Fund for Rural Development).

Rath also said setting up of a national commission for the aged, a prime minister's self-employment scheme for old people, would help in offering gainful engagement opportunities to retired older persons.
The snake was found curled up near a computer in the news channel's office and the brave woman simply grabbed it.

The kind of environment prevailing in a workplace is what sets the tone for the efficiency with which people do their job. While several issues are kept in mind to make surroundings in an office as secure and motivating as possible, a serpent crawling in on the desk would be the last thing on any employers mind.

While snakes have been making news lately for popping out of places like refrigerators and air conditioners one just ended up right in the newsroom in Australia. A video posted by 9 News Darwin on Facebook showed a snake comfortably curled up next to a computer at their office.

If the sight of a snake at the desk wasnt shocking enough, the ease with which an employee picked up the serpent and captured it in a bag will leave you astonished. She simply uses a hanger to drag it away from the computer and then fearlessly grabs it.

Click below to watch
Varsity promises to form governing bodies within a month.

New Delhi: The Delhi government on Monday ordered a freeze on funding of 28 Delhi University colleges  that are either fully or partially funded by it  following the varsitys failure to appoint governing bodies since months. Delhi University, however, assured the government that the bodies in all 28 colleges will be formed within one month.

(I) have ordered the finance department to stop funding for all Delhi government funded colleges, as DU is not willing to have governing bodies for the last 10 months, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the education and finance portfolios, said in a series of tweets.

Alleging corruption was the intent behind the failure to set up governing bodies, he said: I can not allow unchecked corruption and irregularities to be sustained on Delhi government funds in the name of education.

The decision, taken at a meeting between Mr Sisodia and finance department officials on Monday, came after DU failed to act in this regard despite several reminders by the government. Mr Sisodia charged the DU with deliberately stalling the process of formation of governing bodies since last September.

He also noted that the DU executive council disapproved the governing body list sent by the state government twice this month, on July 3 and July 17.

Responding to the governments move, the university wrote a letter assuring the formation of governing bodies. We have written to the Delhi government and assured that the governing bodies for all the 28 colleges will be formed in August. The list of panellists (forming the body) has been vetted by the executive council of the university, dean of colleges Devesh Sinha told a news agency. Grant will not be stopped, he said.

The AAP government had earlier asked DU not to conduct faculty appointments till the college governing bodies are formed.
They also alleged he was at the site for an hour when the crash happened.

Mumbai: Sunil Shitap  the owner of the nursing home at Ghatkopars ill-fated Siddhi Saidarshan building  has blamed another arrested accused, Anil Mandal, for its collapse, but residents said he was in the loop about unauthorised alterations that were being made by the latter. They also alleged he was at the site for an hour when the crash happened.

Mandal, a construction supervisor, had confessed that he is working with interior designer Ranjeet Agale, who is on run, on the alterations that allegedly led to the buildings collapse last Tuesday,

The police has received a file from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Shitaps work and the buildings blueprints. The police said Mandal is not cooperating in the probe.

A Vikhroli Park Site police source said, Mandal has confessed that he was working as an assistant with Agale and was renovating of Shitaps place.

He said, He told us that he was working according to the plan, but he is not revealing details about what the plan was and the broken pillar.

The police said that Shitap denied that he wanted to convert the ground floor, which earlier housed a private nursing home, into a lodge or a hotel.

However, according to residents, Shitap has carried out illegal alterations in other projects of his. Nitesh Shah, one of the buildings residents who survived the mishap, said, Shitap used to sanction plans and stand at the site every morning and evening. He was present on the morning of the building collapse. Hes knowledgeable about everything. He has made so much illegal constructions in so many places that he doesnt know which pillar has not to be broken. Everyone is playing a blame game now.

Stating that BMC officials were cooperating with the police, Vikhroli senior PI Vilas Jadhav said, They have provided us a file with details of Shitap work and building-related documents. We are yet to analyse it.
Not realising that Manpreet was serious, the friend had sent a smiley emoticon.

Investigators said the friend came to know about Manpreets suicide a day later via friends and has been blaming himself for not alerting his parents about it. (Courtesy: The Siberian Times)

Mumbai: Minutes before Manpreet Singh (14) committed suicide on Saturday, as part of his alleged participation in the online Blue Whale game, he had sent a Whatsapp message to one of his friends, saying that he was going to his seven storeyed buildings terrace to jump off. Not realising that Manpreet was serious, the friend had sent a smiley emoticon. Investigators said the friend came to know about Manpreets suicide a day later via friends and has been blaming himself for not alerting his parents about it.

The Meghwadi police which has registered an accidental death report has found indications that Manpreet had planned his suicide at least three days before he jumped off the building. According to the police, Manpreet had informed his friends on a Whatsapp group three days before the incident that he wont come to school coming Monday.

The Meghwadi police is still struggling to zero in on the source of the internet game. The cyber police is examining Manpreets cyber gadgets, mobile, laptop and desktop.

Manpreet, who was well connected to his friends via the Whatsapp group, had shared his plans of participating in the Blue Whale Challenge. His friend took that message as a joke, but was shocked to hear on Sunday that he was indeed serious. He even told his friends he would not come to school anymore.

Navinchandra Reddy, deputy commissioner of police, zone 10, said, We have assigned three teams wherein one is interrogating the deceaseds friends, one is recording the statements of the eye-witnesses who saw Manpreet standing on the terrace minutes before he jumped off, while the third team is checking his gadgets.

A cyber police officer said that a few sites were banned on the Internet, but people find ways to access them. People use different IP address of a foreign country. These sites are accessed by bouncing the Internet Protocol (IP) address or by using the Virtual Private Network (VPN), which creates a secure, encrypted connection.
On Monday, the deadline was extended to August 5 from July 31.

Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday admitted that Mumbai University (MU) has failed to declare results within the stipulated time and blamed the online paper evaluation system which he said was adopted without any preparation. Mr Fadnavis said he was hopeful the results would be declared by August 5 as assured by the education department.

The inordinate delay in declaring the results of many exams has affected a large number of MU students. Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar raised the issue in the Assembly, criticising the functioning of the university.

In his reply, Mr Fadnavis said, The university has adopted online evaluation method of papers due to which the results were delayed. The system was adopted completely instead of in phases and hence the valuer is also taking time. I was told that out of 17.5 lakh papers, 14 lakh have been checked. But unless all the papers of a particular subject are valued, the results cannot be declared.

He further added, So far, results of 177 examinations are out. The governor himself is observing the situation and has given time till August 5 to declare the results. This will not affect other exams. Also the students going abroad would get their mark sheets by August 15. It is true that the university could not perform due to the changes. But required measures will be taken in future.

Mr Pawar said that the varsity has ruined its name and the delay in declaring results is affecting students as their careers are at stake.

Probe against V-C for the result mess

The state higher education department on Tuesday announced a probe and promised to take action against those responsible including Vice-Chancellor of MU for failure to apply for its re-accreditation in time. At present, the university is under attack over the delay in declaring the results. Congress MLC Ramhari Rupnawar raised the issue about the Mumbai university losing its Grade A accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in April. Mr Rupnawar also asked about whether any action would be taken against the officials responsible for it. An action will be taken, after an inquiry, against those people who are responsible for not securing accreditation for the university, said Ravindra Waikar, minister of state for Higher and Technical Education, in reply to a question on the issue in legislative council. The grade defines the quality status of an institute based on its performance, curriculum, evaluation, faculty and infrastructure. When the legislators asked whether action will be taken against the V-C, Mr Waikar said, If the vice chancellor of the university is found at fault, then action will be taken against him through chancellor. Mr Waikar further told the council the varsity will apply for the accreditation between November 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017.

Problems faced by students
Anti-Corruption Bureau officials laid a trap after the dealer lodged a complaint with them.

Mumbai: The state Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested a deputy general manager and a regional manager of the Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd (MAIDC) for demanding bribe of Rs 3.32 lakh for releasing a cheque of Rs 90 lakh to a dealer.

The two accused were identified as Rajendra Shinde (58), deputy GM (fertilisers) and SS Brahmankar, regional manager of MAIDC in Goregaon office.

Anti-Corruption Bureau officials laid a trap after the dealer lodged a complaint with them.

The dealer had supplied HDPE pipes and fittings to MAIDC for its agriculture related projects, which have been executed state-wide, said an ACB officer.

The total bill for the supplies was around Rs 3 crore, and the last cheque of Rs 90 lakh was pending to be released, the officer further said.

The two accused officers, however, told the dealer that he would have to pay 2 percent of the pending amount if he wanted the cheque to be disbursed soon.

The complaint was lodged, and the accused were apprehended before the money could

exchange hands, the officials said.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act against the two officers and has started a detailed enquiry into the incident.

The records of the accused will also be examined to ascertain if they were involved in any case of bribery in the past.

Caught in the act
Special judge Sunilkumar J. Sharma also discharged IPS officer from the Rajasthan cadre Dinesh M.N.

Mumbai: A special CBI court on Tuesday discharged former Gujarat senior police officer D.G. Vanzara in the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh alleged fake encounter case due to lack of evidence and absence of prosecution sanction.

Special judge Sunilkumar J. Sharma also discharged IPS officer from the Rajasthan cadre Dinesh M.N.

Reacting to the courts order, Mr Vanzara said, Justice has finally been done.

In December 2014, BJP president Amit Shah was also discharged by the court in the case. He was a minister in Gujarat at the time of the gangsters killing.

Considering the quality of material on record against this applicant and taking into consideration the entire prosecution story, to my mind, it is clear that there is no prima facie material against this accused (Vanzara), to connect him to the killing of Sohrabuddin, much less, as one of the conspirators, observed Judge Sharma, while discharging Mr Vanzara.

The court said that the CBI mostly relied on statements of witnesses, which are hearsay in nature, adding that even the statements of the co-accused do not, in any way, directly implicate Mr Vanzara in the fake encounter.

The court also pointed out that the probe agency had not taken the governments sanction to prosecute Mr Vanzara.

At the time of the encounter, Mr Vanzara was heading the crime branch in Ahmedabad and Dinesh M.N. was the chief of Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad.

The Sohrabuddin killing case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI for a fair trial.

Around 15 of the accused have so far been discharged in the case.

The court is expected to frame charges against the remaining 23 accused on August 9.

Discharging the Mr Vanzara, the judge said, The prosecution has not spoken about the presence of this accused at the spot on the date and time of abduction followed by killing of Sohrabuddin, (his wife) Kauser Bi and Tulsiram Prajapati. The prosecution against the accused is dropped in absence of prior sanction of the government as required under section 197 of CrPC.

Sheikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005, after which his wife disappeared and was believed to have been done to death.

Prajapati, an aide of the gangster who ran extortion rackets, and an eyewitness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by the police at Chapri village in Gujarats Banaskantha district in December 2006. In 2013, the Supreme Court had clubbed the alleged fake encounter case of Prajapati with that of Sheikh.
The two women were disqualified for donating kidneys to their own husbands as their blood group didn't match.

Despite rise in awareness about organ donations, the supply of vital organs in India is struggling to meet the demand since legal donations only fulfil three to five percent of the total requirement. Currently two lakh people are waiting for kidneys and 30,000 are waiting for a liver.

Now two women who were strangers months back have come together to save each others husbands by swapping kidneys. 49-year-old Saroj and 50-year-old Saira Bano in Meerut both ended up at the same hospital to donate their kidneys to their own husbands, but were their blood groups didnt match that of their own husband.

The two women are determined to transcend religious boundaries and red tape as they are now willing to donate kidneys to each others husbands. They are already approaching a doctor for advice and the rest will depend on the government machinery.

In a time when religious differences are giving rise to controversy and organ donation in the country is far from adequate to meet the demand, a Hindu woman joining hands with a Muslim woman for saving their spouses is inspiring.
The investigations sought to establish that Modi had helped the Adani group in securing undeserved tax refunds.

Suppose Lalu Yadav is really corrupt, which he may not be, and suppose Narendra Modi is clean as he claims to be. Does that lessen the threat India faces from fascism? Now that Pakistans Supreme Court has disqualified Nawaz Sharif for not coming clean on his assets, will everyone sleep peacefully?

The Afghan Taliban ran an honest government in Kabul during their short spell. Is that the tradeoff we are looking at  a clean government at any cost, never mind the frightened women, the minorities?

The voice from the Orwellian pulpit holds sway. The Philippines president is hooked to its mesmeric wavelength. He has slaughtered at least 7,000 in their homes and on the pavements, mayors and opposition politicians, policemen and judges  a man possessed in his messianic drive to re-arrange society. Far worse is in store for others. Nations are razed to the ground to comply with the Orwellian decree. Lalus India and Sharifs Pakistan stand at such a crossroads.

I was never enamoured of Sharif, not the least because of his grooming as Zia-ul-Haqs blue-eyed boy. He deepened the fear by wanting to become the amirul momineen, a title borrowed from the Taliban. Democracy has coerced Sharif to curtail his religious atavism, to engage more with the existential challenges facing the country. No one should accuse him of not trying to mend fences with India. No one should doubt his new resolve to include Pakistans minorities in the ambit of secular governance.

In a way, Sharif became nearly as important to Pakistan as Lalu Yadav is to India. This simple equation eludes a few self-regarding intellectuals on both sides. Not unlike their Pakistani cousins, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party crowbarred Lalus party out of office in Bihar, many Indian intellectuals were engrossed in an unrelated debate. The BJP struck up an alliance with a former foe, leaving the opposition in tatters. The collaborators explained their power grab as a requirement to fight corruption. If Lalu and his family are in serious trouble, it could not be for a more compelling reason than the fact that he had single-handedly stopped L.K. Advanis march to Ayodhya. If he is finished off by the BJP, will Indian democracy be safe?

Hold your verdict, since some intellectuals are wallowing in a parallel timeline, one that seems characteristically bereft of a sense of timing. It so happened that the Economic and Political Weekly investigated the Adani business conglomerates alleged crony links with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

There is nothing hidden here. Modi had arrived in Delhi for his swearing-in on Adanis private plane. The investigations sought to establish that Modi had helped the Adani group in securing undeserved tax refunds. The Adanis threatened EPW with legal notice. The editor in his wisdom consulted his lawyers without apparently informing the trustees, including historian Romila Thapar, lodestar in Indias fight for its secular soul. The editor was asked to remove the story among the steps the trustees thought fit, but he preferred to resign. Liberal pontiffs have had a field day blaming the editor and the trustees, as if Indias democracy depends on their verdict.

In any case, the main issue in the expose was lost in the liberal din. If corruption is ever going to be Modis Achilles heel India should applaud the liberal gladiators for the hard work of bringing the expose to the peoples notice. Is an expose going to lay him low though? Moreover, should corruption count as an issue in a world where people are drowning in the Mediterranean Sea to escape slaughter and hunger? What became of the revelations of mass murder in Gujarat, or for that matter in Delhi?

We never needed a ruse to evict elected governments, corruption or no corruption. What was the excuse after all to remove Allende or Mossadegh? Bankrolled street power could do the trick, as was the case in Iran in the 1950s. Or someone could bribe the generals, as was the case in Chile, and in some ways also in Bangladesh and perhaps in Pakistan too in the 1970s.

Prime Minister Modi accuses everyone, even the super-clean Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, of corruption. It is a useful ploy that helps keep opponents off balance. Above all, Modis strategy has the chief minister of West Bengal in its crosshairs. If he can get the communists in Kerala, it would be bonus. The prime minister possibly sees everyone other than himself as corrupt. If he doesnt quite put it that way, his loyal press is always around to do the makeover. Is that going to be the strategy for the liberal opposition in India or Pakistan  corruption?

We dont really know what awaits post-Sharif Pakistan, but BJPs campaign to undermine Lalu Yadav by hook or by crook is part of a core strategy to disrupt the opposition ahead of 2019. Yadav became a national hero  and a lightning rod for secularism  when he briefly jailed L.K. Advani as the BJP stalwart headed to Ayodhya through Bihar in an early attempt at raiding the Babri Masjid. If we compare him with any major opposition leader, Lalu stands out head and shoulders above for never having compromised with Hindutva.

Mamata Banerjee and Kejriwal are the other two secular opponents of Modi who could be sorted out. As outspoken critics of Modi, they could face a Bihar-like assault before the next general elections. The BJP has never forgiven Lalu for being staunchly secular, nor is it likely to lower its guard against Banerjee or Kejriwal. Corruption is, however, the least of Modis concerns, nor was it ever close to being the real issue in Pakistan.

By arrangement with Dawn
Samsung has started selling Harman Internationals consumer audio products through its local distribution channels in the home market.

now Samsung is aiming to expand Harmans operations by opening exclusive Harman shops in the home market.

Samsung has started selling Harman Internationals consumer audio products through its local distribution channels in the home market, reported The Korea Herald. The company plans to expand the distribution in the coming years.

The tech giant has confirmed to release 40 speakers, earphones and headphones under Harman Kardon, JBL and AKG brands through 30 Samsung Digital Plaza in S. Korea.

Harman International Industries is a 70-year-old American automotive technology company, which is best known for audio systems under brand names popular with audiophiles such as Harman/Kardon and JBL. The company has now been acquired by South Korea-based tech giant Samsung worth $8 billion.

Harmans acquisition by Samsung comes, from what reports suggest, to enter into automotive electronics.

The recent report has suggested that for now Samsung is aiming to expand Harmans operations by opening exclusive Harman shops in the country, to provide a better sound experience to consumers.
Improvements in MIUI 9 have enabled extremely fast app opening times, beats the Galaxy S8 and Huawei P10 flagships.

In contrast, the comparatively expensive Galaxy S8 managed to beat MIUI 9 in four apps, which is not something that S8 owners will like to know.

When Xiaomi unveiled its latest proprietary software  MIUI 9  last week, they promised faster app opening times than MIUI 8 and possibly other operating systems. Generally, these claims are ignored as everybody claims their new product or service to be faster than the previous version but ends up providing an almost experience to the old one. However, Xiaomi intended to prove that its claims are actually true, which is why they did a performance test in front of the camera.

The video shows MIUI 9 on their flagship Mi 6 smartphone competing with Samsungs flagship Galaxy S8 and Huaweis P10 smartphone. All the three smartphones run a custom version of Android and have a lot of tweaking underneath. The test was conducted using a professional setup that utilised a robotic arm simulating user inputs from the real world.

The Mi 6 with MIUI 9 managed to beat the Galaxy S8 and the P10 in a majority of apps being opened simultaneously. Out of 50 popular apps, MIUI 9 managed to beat the other two in app opening times for 43 apps. In contrast, the comparatively expensive Galaxy S8 managed to beat MIUI 9 in four apps, which is not something that S8 owners will like to know.

Although the test utilises MIUI 9s China ROM on a phone primarily available in China, it shows that Xiaomis custom software has a lot of tweaking under the hood to optimise the software for utilising the potent hardware. Xiaomi is yet to reveal its Global MIUI 9 ROM, which will be supporting other carriers along with Googles suite of apps. Once that rolls out, it will be interesting to see a test between MIUI 9 and Googles stock Android 7.1 Nougat. It will also be interesting to see whether Xiaomi can port MIUI 9s agility on the Mi 6 flagship to its mid-range handsets like the Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4.

(source)
The idea is to give Muslim worshippers a way to plug in fast to Islamic teachings and correct misconceptions of religious texts.

The move comes as Egypt struggles to combat rising militant attacks, most of them claimed by an Islamic State affiliate. (Photo: AP)

Cairo: Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, the Sunni Muslim world's foremost religious institution, has set up a booth in a Cairo subway station with clerics offering fatwas, or religious advice, to commuters.

The idea is to provide Muslim worshippers with a way to plug in fast to Islamic teachings but it's also part of a broader push to correct misconceptions of religious texts seen as fostering Islamic militancy.

The move comes as Egypt struggles to combat rising militant attacks, most of them claimed by an Islamic State affiliate.

It has also stirred debate, with critics saying that rooting out extremism will not happen in metro stations. Many have slammed Al-Azhar for setting up the booth in a public place, used by all sectors of the Egyptian society, to spread the teachings of Islam.
Temer is accused of receiving bribes indirectly, via a confidant who was caught by police carrying a suitcase with USD 150,000 in cash.

In modern times, August has been a devastating month for Brazilian presidents, 31 days in which they have been impeached or resigned. (Photo: File)

Sao Paulo: For Brazilian leaders, August is the cruelest month and one that now presents a potentially fatal challenge to the presidency of Michel Temer.

In modern times, August has been a devastating month for Brazilian presidents, 31 days in which they have been impeached or resigned. One even committed suicide.

Temer's own predecessor, President Dilma Rousseff, was removed last Aug. 31 for breaking fiscal rules in her management of the budget. Temer is facing his own August showdown a vote in Congress' lower house Wednesday on whether he should be suspended and put on trial over a bribery charge filed against him by Brazil's attorney general.

Opposition lawmakers feel confident about adding Temer to the list of August casualties, either this week with the bribery charge vote or in a likely obstruction of justice accusation that Attorney General Rodrigo Janot could bring before the end of the month. The latter would bring its own vote by the Chamber of Deputies.

"Even if he wins now (Wednesday) it won't be over," said Claudio Couto, a political science professor at Fundacao Getulio Vargas, a Sao Paulo-based university and think tank.

Couto said Temer has been using much of his political capital to curry support ahead of Wednesday's vote, including the promising of billions of dollars in earmarked appropriations for many legislators at a time the country is struggling to emerge from its worst recession in decades.

Temer is accused of receiving bribes indirectly, via a confidant who was caught by police carrying a suitcase with about USD 150,000 in cash. The case erupted in May when a recording emerged in which Temer apparently tells a meat-packing company executive to keep up paying of hush money to former Chamber of Deputies Speaker Eduardo Cunha, who is serving a 15-year sentence for corruption.

Temer has denied wrongdoing and he adamantly rejected calls for him to resign from across the political spectrum. Until a few weeks ago, the president appeared to have an ample margin of support among the 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies.

Chamber Speaker Rodrigo Maia, an ally of the president, has said that for much of July, he was confident that Temer would have "a comfortable win" in the vote by the house, where the governing coalition has remained strong enough on some issues to pass legislation.

But as August approached, news got worse for the president. Last week, an Ibope institute opinion poll said just 5 per cent of Brazilians surveyed approved of Temer.

Adding to the pressure, the vote of every deputy will be public. The member will have to step up to the microphone and say "yes" or "no" on suspending Temer.

That could prove risky for the highly unpopular leader because Globo, a dominant TV network across Brazil, has pledged to show the voting live no matter how long it lasts.
Former FBI director Robert Mueller is probing, in his capacity as special counsel, the Russia connection independently of the Senate panels.

The Post said the president dictated the statement to his son while on a flight home from the G20 summit in Germany. (Photo: AFP)

Washington: President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election was focused on adoptions, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

It later emerged that during that fateful June 2016 meeting, Trump's eldest son, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian government attorney who an intermediary claimed had incriminating information about Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

The subject line of the email from Trump Jr inviting Kushner and Manafort to the meeting read "Russia - Clinton - private and confidential."

Read: Trump Jr tweets email chain showing Russian aid for 2016 US polls campaign

In his initial statement on the meeting, Trump Jr said the group "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children," and insisted that "it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no followup."

The Post said the president dictated the statement to his son while on a flight home from the G20 summit in Germany.

Trump Jr later sent shockwaves through Washington by releasing a series of emails that detailed how he had attended the meeting after being promised "very high level and sensitive information" that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump."

Read: Ex-Soviet counter-intelligence officer says he attended Trump Jr meeting

Trump has rushed to his son's defence, and lambasted what he calls a political "witch hunt." Citing people familiar with the discussions, the Post said the president's legal team planned to present the meeting as a potential setup by Democrats seeking to entrap Trump Jr and thus Trump himself, who at the time was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya has thrust Trump Jr into the center of a growing scandal over whether Trump's associates colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in the Republican's favor.

Former FBI director Robert Mueller is probing, in his capacity as special counsel, the Russia connection independently of the Senate panels.
White House officials acknowledged the incidents and said they were taking the matter seriously.

Former Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta infamously fell victim to such a trap, though the person who preyed on him had more nefarious intentions than mockery. (Photo: File/Representational)

Washington: Senior officials at the White House were tricked by a self-described UK-based "email prankster" and made at least one cyber security official believe that he was Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law.

The prankster managed to present himself as White House senior adviser Kushner, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and recently-nominated ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr. In one set, the prankster posed as Mr Kushner in a message sent to Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert.

"Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August," the fake Kushner on an Outlook account wrote to the official White House email account of Mr Bossert, the CNN reported.

Mr Bossert wrote back: "Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse. Also, if you ever need it, my personal email is" (redacted).

The email prankster said he was surprised Mr Bossert responded given his expertise.

White House officials acknowledged the incidents and said they were taking the matter seriously.

"We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Cyber experts said the incidents are illustrative of how vulnerable Americans -- even those in the highest reaches of power -- remain to the potential threat of spear-phishing, the process through which officials are duped by hackers, and expose government computers and systems to various cyber threats.

No one in any of these situations clicked any links making them vulnerable, and the prankster appears motivated by mischief not anything more malignant, so the severity of these White House pranks should not be overstated.

"This shows how susceptible government officials are to spear-phishing in general," Adam Malone, a former cyber specialist and special agent for the FBI, said.

"Spear-phishing is the most common technique used by hackers to gain access to their victims. This information shines a light on how easy it is for people to build trust with unverified individuals," Mr Malone said.

Former Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta infamously fell victim to such a trap, though the person who preyed on him had more nefarious intentions than mockery.

"I try and keep it on the humorous side of things," the email prankster said. "I'm not trying to get the keys to the vault or anything like that.
The National Electoral Council claimed more than 40 percent of Venezuela's 20 million voters had cast ballots Sunday.

Voters receive instructions about their voting machine place by a Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guard officer outside of a poll station during the election for a constitutional assembly in Caracas, Venezuela. (Photo: AP)

Caracas: The United States hit Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with direct sanctions on Monday over a disputed and deadly weekend vote that, while consolidating his power, has largely isolated him as the "dictator" of a failing petro-state.

The US measures were unusual in that they targeted a sitting head of state, but their reach was mostly symbolic, freezing any US assets Maduro might have and banning people under US jurisdiction from dealing with him.

"Monday's illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters.

Maduro lashed out at the move, saying it smacked of American "imperialism." "I will not obey imperial orders. I do not obey foreign governments. I'm a free president," he said.

Colombia, Mexico, Peru and other nations joined the US in saying they did not recognize the results of Sunday's election, which appointed a new "Constituent Assembly" superseding Venezuela's legislative body, the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

Maduro's own attorney general, Luisa Ortega who broke with him months ago over his policies also said she would not acknowledge the body, calling it part of the president's "dictatorial ambition."

The European Union expressed "preoccupation for the fate of democracy in Venezuela" and said it, too, doubted it could accept the results. And Britain's Foreign Minister Boris Johnson warned that Venezuela "stands on the brink of disaster." "Nicolas Maduro's government must stop before it is too late," he said.

However, old allies Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia stood by Maduro, who shrugged off mass protests and a previous round of US sanctions on some of his officials to see through the election.

Cuba, Venezuela's closest ally, charged that "a well-organized international operation was under way, led from Washington, with the support of the OAS chief, aimed at silencing the voice of the Venezuelan people, and forcing them into submission with attacks and economic sanctions."

The National Electoral Council claimed more than 40 percent of Venezuela's 20 million voters had cast ballots Sunday. According to the opposition, voter turnout was closer to 12 percent, a figure more aligned with the lack of lines at many polling stations.

Surveys by polling firm Datanalisis showed more than 70 percent of Venezuelans opposed the new assembly. Further protests were called for Monday and beyond, stoking fears that the death toll of 120 people killed in four months of protests against Maduro could rise further. "I feel awful, frustrated with this fraud," said Caracas resident Giancarlo Fernandez, 35.

Demonstrators defied a ban on protests set by Maduro that threatened up to 10 years in prison for violators. Ten people died in violence surrounding Sunday's election, which saw security forces fire tear gas and, in some cases, live ammunition to put down protests. Among those killed were two teens and a Venezuelan soldier.

Boycotted by the opposition, and voted for largely by state employees fearful for their jobs, the Constituent Assembly was made up solely of members of Maduro's ruling Socialist Party.

Tasked with writing a new constitution, it has far-reaching powers including the right to dissolve the National Assembly and change laws. It is due to be installed on Wednesday.

The European Union condemned the "excessive and disproportionate use of force" by Venezuelan police and troops on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission said: "A Constituent Assembly, elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances, cannot be part of the solution."

Russia, however, threw its weight behind Maduro and the election, backing the government turnout figure. The foreign ministry in Moscow said in a statement it hopes countries "who apparently want to increase economic pressure on Caracas will display restraint and abandon their destructive plans." Yet analysts agreed that Maduro's move had swept away any vestige of democracy in Venezuela.

"Maduro's blatant power grab removes any ambiguity about whether Venezuela is a democracy," said Michael Shifter, head of the Inter-American Dialogue research center.

Eduardo Rios Ludena, a Venezuela specialist at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, said Maduro had "sacrificed democracy." "In the short term, the Constituent Assembly gives a bit of breathing space to the government," he conceded, though adding that grave economic consequences would follow.

Venezuela's 30 million citizens are suffering through shortages of basic goods.

Sanctions against the all-important oil sector would worsen their situation, but could also destabilize the government, which is frenziedly printing money and running out of foreign currency reserves.
Many speculate they will choose Diosdado Cabello, the hard-line leader of the ruling socialist party, as their chairman.

President Nicolas Maduro made clear in a televised address Saturday that he intends to use the assembly not just to rewrite the country's charter but to govern as 'a power that's above and beyond every other'. (Photo: Representational/AFP)

Bogota (Colombia): The newly elected assembly that will rewrite Venezuela's constitution will have nearly unlimited legal power to install an even more staunchly socialist state, but its very creation has spawned opposition at home and abroad that threatens to deepen the country's political and economic crisis.

Meet the Assembly: The 545 delegates elected Sunday are expected to convene within 72 hours after the official results are announced, which could come early this week. Because the opposition boycotted what it considered a rigged election, virtually all the delegates are government loyalists.

Many speculate they will choose Diosdado Cabello, the hard-line leader of the ruling socialist party, as their chairman. President Nicolas Maduro made clear in a televised address Saturday that he intends to use the assembly not just to rewrite the country's charter but to govern as "a power that's above and beyond every other." He said he wants the assembly to strip opposition lawmakers and governors of constitutional immunity from prosecution one of the few remaining checks on ruling party power.

Declaring the opposition "already has its prison cell waiting," Maduro added: "All the criminals will go to prison for the crimes they've committed."

Critics say they fear it will lead to a Cuban-style single-party state. Maduro fed some of those fears this month, appearing on television in front of a portrait of Soviet communist leader Vladimir Lenin.

Backlash and sanctions from Abroad: Many nations across the hemisphere announced they would not accept the election of the assembly and European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said Monday that an assembly "elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances cannot be part of the solution."

The biggest threat for Maduro and his allies is the imposition of US sanctions over the election. On Monday, US officials slapped sanctions on Maduro himself, freezing any US assets he might have and barring Americans from doing business with him.

The Trump administration already levied sanctions on two dozen current and former government officials since taking office, but the strategy so far has failed to alter Maduro's iron-fisted rule. Still, US sanctions against Venezuela's head of state could be a powerful symbolic measure that other nations might duplicate.

The US holds another potentially potent card in its pocket: sanctions targeting Venezuela's oil sector, which is the engine of the country's economy and the chief source of hard currency.

American officials had hinted initial US sanctions could affect Venezuela's oil industry, but later they said the Trump administration was holding off due to possible complications, including some involving subsidiaries. Sanctions also could mean higher global oil prices, hurting US drivers at the pump.

Backlash At Home: Independent analysts dispute the report by Venezuela's electoral authority that more than 40 percent of voters cast ballots for the assembly.

Recent polls suggested 85 percent of Venezuelans opposed holding the assembly and similar numbers disapprove of Maduro's performance at a time the economy is cratering and food and medicine are so short that malnutrition is becoming a serious problem.

Many analysts believe the vote will catalyze yet more disturbances in a country that has seen four months of street protests in which at least 125 people have died.

Opposition leader Henrique Capriles urged Venezuelans to protest on the streets of Caracas on Monday and organizers are calling on Venezuelans to uphold Article 350 of the current constitution, which says citizens should "disown any regime, legislation or authority that violates democratic values, principles and guarantees upon human rights."

In a speech to supporters Saturday, opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara warned Venezuelans to prepare for tough times ahead. "After Sunday, it won't be easy for us," he said.

Maduro's Risks: The local and international outcry has cast a shadow over the assembly's election, and some believe it opens a door for dissent within the ruling party created by Maduro's mentor, the late President Hugo Chavez.

The assembly's broad powers mean it could even cause Maduro's own ouster if members of his party came to see him as a liability.

"The national constituent assembly is a very risky bet for the president, even in terms of his own coalition," said Francisco Monaldi, a Venezuela analyst at Rice University.
The 2 nations have disputed over the East China Sea islands controlled by Japan and claimed by China.

Chinese drilling ships were last spotted near the median line in October 2016, Kyodo News and the Sankei Shimbun daily reported. (Photo: AP)

Tokyo: Japan has lodged a protest with China over what it described as suspicious activity in a maritime area rich in gas deposits in the East China Sea, officials said on Tuesday.

The two countries have a longstanding dispute over islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan, which knows them as Senkaku, and claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu.

Tokyo and Beijing agreed in June 2008 to cooperate over oil and gas resources in the area, but negotiations stopped two years later amid rising tensions and have not resumed.

"We confirmed that China is engaged in some kind of activity by stopping mobile drilling ships" near the median line separating the two countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the area, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

"It is extremely regrettable that China is unilaterally continuing its development activity," Suga, the government's top spokesman, told a press conference.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida made similar comments. Suga added that Japan lodged the protest late last month after noticing the activity but did not specify what exactly the Chinese ships were doing.

Chinese drilling ships were last spotted near the median line in October 2016, Kyodo News and the Sankei Shimbun daily reported.

So far, China has built 16 drilling platforms on its side near the median line, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Suga urged Beijing to resume stalled negotiations to jointly develop resources in the region, as discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September last year.

The gas field under the joint development agreement lies in an area where both countries' EEZs overlap. Japan says the median line between the two nations should mark the limits of their respective EEZs.

But China insists the border should be drawn closer to Japan, taking into account the continental shelf and other features of the ocean.
Abbasi is expected to be elected as the new Prime Minister by Pakistans Parliament on Tuesday, replacing ousted premier Nawaz Sharif.

Islamabad: The ruling PML-N partys interim Prime Minister nominee Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is facing a Rs 220 billion corruption inquiry by Pakistans National Accountability Bureau over an LNG contract, according to a media report.

Abbasi, the former minister for petroleum and natural resources, is the principal accused in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) case registered in 2015 over the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract, Dawn News reported.

Other suspects in the case include former petroleum secretary Abid Saeed, Inter State Gas Systems (ISGS) managing director Mobin Saulut, private firm Engros chief executive officer Emranul Haq and the Sui Southern Gas Companys (SSGC) ex-MD Zuhair Ahmed Siddiqui, the report said.

Mr Abbasi is expected to be elected as the new Prime Minister by Pakistans Parliament on Tuesday, replacing ousted premier Nawaz Sharif.

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing the embattled leader out of office.

Meanwhile, Mr Abbasi said on Monday said that he will continue the policies of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif.

Talking to reporters, he said the federal cabinet will also be formed soon to ensure continuity of government and democratic process. Mr Abbasi said it would be his priority to take forward government economic policies.
The move hands almost total power to Maduro's Socialist party and was described as

The country is turning on itself more than 100 have died already and democracy and basic rights are in jeopardy, Johnson said. (Photo: AP)

London: Britain's Foreign Minister Boris Johnson has warned that Venezuela "stands on the brink of disaster" following a bloody vote which gave greater power to President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela stands on the brink of disaster and Nicolas Maduro's government must stop before it is too late. "The country is turning on itself more than 100 have died already and democracy and basic rights are in jeopardy," Johnson said in a statement on Monday.

Britain's reaction came a day after Venezuela's election of a new "Constituent Assembly" superseding the country's legislative body, the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

The move hands almost total power to Maduro's Socialist party and was described as "dubious" by Johnson. Ten people died in violence surrounding the vote on Sunday, including two teenagers, while more than 120 people are recorded to have died in four months of protest against the Venezuelan president.

Britain's foreign minister said the election has "dramatically deepened the problems and ramped up tensions". "It is time for the government to see sense and start working with the opposition on a way forward that brings the people of Venezuela back together," he added.

Sunday's vote has also been criticised by the European Union and countries including the United States, which on Monday imposed sanctions on Maduro and branded him a "dictator".

Mexico and Colombia were among others condemning the Venezuelan president, who was supported in the wake of the poll by Russia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia.
The messages have since been picked over by the French press, although WikiLeaks move may draw new attention to them.

Paris: WikiLeaks says its taking the roughly 20,000 emails allegedly stolen from French President Emmanuel Macrons campaign and publishing them to its website in a searchable form.

The emails caused a stir when they were initially published just two days before Frances May 7 presidential runoff, which pitted Mr Macron against French far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

But unlike the leaks that rattled the 2016 American presidential race, the French email leak had little if any impact. Macron still handily beat Ms Le Pen. The messages have since been picked over by the French press, although WikiLeaks move may draw new attention to them.

The head of Frances cybersecurity agency ANSSI said in June there was no evidence tying the hacking of the Macron campaign emails to any particular actor, saying it could be anyone.

The leaked emails, which includes records of campaign expenses and logistics, do not yet appear to contain any obvious bombshells though it could take days for the media and others to properly review their contents.

According to Wikileaks, which announced the publication on Twitter and on its website, the emails span eight years and have come from thousands of people.

Wikileaks created turmoil in the US presidential election last year by leaking emails stolen from Hillary Clintons campaign Chair, John Podesta, and is regarded by many as a propaganda outlet for the Russian government.

In its short statement announcing the release of the Macron campaign emails, Wikileaks noted French cyber-security authorities had not attributed earlier leaks to Russia and said certain hacking attacks had come with false attribution.

Mondays document dump comes months after hackers leaked emails from the Macron campaign days before the French election in May  a move that ultimately had little effect on the results, which saw Mr Macron win. Last week, Reuters reported that Russia had created bogus Facebook pages to spy on the Macron campaign.
Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, said China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger UN sanctions on North Korea.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the US mainland (Photo: AP)

Washington: China hit back on Monday after US President Donald Trump tweeted he was very disappointed in China following North Koreas latest missile test, saying the problem did not arise in China and that all sides need to work for a solution.

China has become increasingly frustrated with American and Japanese criticism that it should do more to rein in Pyongyang. China is North Koreas closest ally, but Beijing, too, is angry with its continued nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the US mainland, drawing a sharp warning from Trump and a rebuke from China.

Video of the latest missile test appears to show it breaking up before landing, indicating Pyongyang may not yet have mastered re-entry technology needed for an operational nuclear-tipped missile, a think tank reported on Monday.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea just hours after the US ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is done talking about North Korea.

A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far.

It said Trump reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, using the full range of United States capabilities.

Trump tweeted on Saturday after the missile test that he was very disappointed in China and that Beijing profits from U.S. trade but had done nothing for the United States with regards to North Korea, something he would not allow to continue.

Asked by a reporter on Monday how he plans to deal with Pyongyang, Trump said at the start of a Cabinet meeting: Well handle North Korea... It will be handled.

Chinas foreign ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters responding to Trumps earlier tweets, said the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to seek a resolution.

Russia said on Monday the United States and other countries were trying to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia and China following the most recent missile test.

We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the US and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea), the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

At the United Nations in New York, Chinas UN ambassador said on Monday it is primarily up to the United States and North Korea, not Beijing, to reduce tensions and work toward resuming talks to end Pyongyangs nuclear weapon and missile programs.

The United States and North Korea hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China, Chinas UN ambassador Liu Jieyi told a news conference to mark the end of Beijings presidency of the UN Security Council in July.

No matter how capable China is, Chinas efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties, Liu said.

Chinese vice commerce minister Qian Keming told a news conference there was no link between the North Korea issue and China-US trade.

We think the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are issues that are in two completely different domains. They arent related. They should not be discussed together, Qian said.

China, with which North Korea does most of its trade, has repeatedly said it strictly follows U.N. resolutions on North Korea and has denounced unilateral US sanctions as unhelpful.

Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger UN sanctions on North Korea over Friday nights long-range missile test, the Norths second this month.

Any new UN Security Council resolution that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value, Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more.

Abe told reporters after his conversation with Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyangs unilateral escalation.

International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure, Abe said. He added Japan and the United States would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details.

Abe and Trump did not discuss military action against North Korea, nor what would constitute the crossing of a red line by Pyongyang, deputy chief cabinet spokesperson Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.

Pyongyang is determined to develop its nuclear and missile programme and does not care about military threats from the US and South Korea, state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times said on Monday.

How could Chinese sanctions change the situation? said the paper, which is published by the ruling Communist Partys official Peoples Daily.

China wants both balanced trade with the United States and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, its official Xinhua news agency added in a commentary.

However, to realise these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one who piles blame on China for the United States failures, it added.

The United States flew two supersonic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force on Sunday in response to the missile test and the July 3 launch of the Hwasong-14 rocket, the Pentagon said. The bombers took off from a US air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise.

North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability, Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J OShaughnessy said in a statement.

If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing.
Sharif resigned on Friday, after the top court ruled that he faces corruption charges for the infamous Panama Papers leak case.

Pakistani lawmakers on Tuesday voted to elect a successor to Nawaz Sharif, the longest serving Prime Minister of Pakistan. (Photo: AFP)

Islamabad: Pakistan's parliament elected ex-oil minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister on Tuesday, days after three-times premier Nawaz Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court.

Abbasi is seen by the ruling party as a placeholder for Sharif's designated successor, his younger brother Shehbaz, who must first secure election to the 342-member National Assembly.

Abbasi, nominated by Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), secured 221 votes, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced on live television. He will be sworn in later Tuesday.

"I give the floor to the new prime minister of Pakistan," Sadiq said as Abbasi took his place in the premier's seat.

Read: The Panama drama

"I am thankful to all those who took part in this democratic process," Abbasi said. "Those who were in favour, those who opposed me. This is the procedure in democracy. And I am also thankful to PML-N who nominated me for this post. Of all these, I am most thankful to Nawaz Sharif."

Shebhaz Sharif, currently chief minister of Punjab province, plans to enter parliament by contesting the seat left vacant by his elder sibling before eventually taking over the premiership.

The constitution requires a candidate for prime minister to win a majority from the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

Three opposition candidates also submitted nomination papers to take part in the vote. But Abbasi, a long-time Sharif loyalist, won easily as the PML-N commands a majority in parliament.

Nawaz Sharif was the 15th prime minister in Pakistan's 70-year history -- roughly half of which was spent under military rule -- to be ousted before completing a full term.

The top court sacked him Friday after an investigation into corruption allegations against him and his family, bringing his historic third term in power to an unceremonious end and briefly plunging the nuclear-armed nation into political instability.

Abbasi is the former federal minister for petroleum and natural resources, and a businessman who launched the country's most successful private airline, Air Blue.

Read: Panama leaks not a source of accountability, says Pak PM

Educated in the US at George Washington University, he worked in the US and Saudi Arabia as an electrical engineer before joining politics and being elected to the National Assembly six times.

He was arrested after the 1999 military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf which ended Nawaz Sharif's second term as PM, and imprisoned for two years before being released.

Shehbaz Sharif went into exile in Saudi Arabia along with Nawaz after Musharraf's coup. He returned to Pakistan in 2007 and was elected chief minister in the family's power base of Punjab in 2008, becoming the longest serving top official in the province.

A tough administrator with a reputation for passionate outbursts, he is known for using revolutionary poetry in speeches and public meetings and considered by some to be a workaholic.

Read: Pak MPs rush to pay higher taxes after Panamagate

His scandalous relationships fuelled headlines in the past, but his marriage to the author Tehmina Durrani, who is his fifth wife, in 2003 has since dampened the media frenzy.

Shehbaz Sharif has been so far largely unscathed by the claims about the lavish lifestyles and luxury London property portfolio of the Sharif dynasty which have played out for months in the raucous news media.

It was an investigation into the claims, which first erupted with the Panama Papers leak last year, that eventually saw the Supreme Court oust Nawaz Sharif. He and his family have denied the accusations.
by Emiliana Saptanigsih

The "Days in the Diocese" initiative is the first stage of the event. Over 2000 participants from 21 countries spend a few days in families in the diocese of Indonesia. The central core of the event will be held from 2 to 6 August in Yogyakarta, in the diocese of Semarang.

Denpasar (AsiaNews) - The Denpasar diocese (in Bali Island) is hosting more than 150 delegates of the 7th edition of the Asian Youth Day (Ayd) from Cambodia, Malaysia and five other Indonesian dioceses. The meeting is a very gratifying moment for both local families and young people who describe their joy about the gathering to AsiaNews.

As the first stage of the event for young Asian Catholics, over 2000 participants from 21 countries are spending a few days in contact with Catholic families of 11 of the 37 dioceses of Indonesia, in a sharing experience of faith and life. This initiative is defined as "days in the diocese" and lasts from the day of arrival (July 29) until August 2. The central nucleus of AYD will be held from 2 to 6 August in Yogyakarta, in the diocese of Semarang, and will develop the theme set for this year's event: "Joyful Asian Youth! Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia".

Rufinus Priatno Sulistianto, who welcomed some delegates from Cambodia and the Diocese of Weessabula (East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia) to his family, states: "This is just our small contribution to Ayd. The presence of children in our family is a special experience. As parents of teenage children, we also listen to delegates. We are aware that young people need the support of their parents, neighbors, and the community. Young people are the future of the Church. "

Silvanus Suparman, who hosts four Ayd delegates from Malaysia, Cambodia and Indonesia, declares to AsiaNews: "The Ayd is a great event for young Catholics. They have the opportunity to meet kids coming from different places in Indonesia and other countries. By meeting with people sharing the same faith, participants can help grow in the Catholic faith in a meaningful and profound way. "

The young people from the Denpasar community have been happy to help their peers. Theresia Dewi, 22, of the parish of the Holy Spirit, says, "Sharing our faith experience with guests is wonderful and, as it is a 'meeting with the Lord,' it helps us all grow."

The visit to the Denpasar diocese and the time spent in host families will leave a profound and lasting impression on the hearts of delegates, who are looking forward to sharing with their friends the precious stories of their journey of faith in Indonesia. From tomorrow, the young people will head to Yogyakarta, where the important event organized by the Federation of Episcopal Conferences of Asian Countries will end. The next few days will be marked by Mass, by sharing on faith, Bible readings, performances and dances.
In addition to the $ 2.25 million funding provided by Clooney's partnership with Google and Unicef, the other endowments will be provided by Hewlett Packard for another $ 1 million. They will provide education required for more than 3,000 children. More than a million Syrians and more than 500,000 children are registered as refugees in Lebanon. The UN states that there are about 200,000 children without education.

Beirut (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The foundation of George and Amal Clooney will fund the opening of seven public schools for Syrian refugee children. Yesterday, the Clooney Foundation for Justice announced a partnership with Google and Unicef to provide education to more than 3,000 refugee children in Lebanon.

Clooney and his wife, Amal Alamuddin, stated that the foundation's commitment will be over $ 2 million and will be aimed at educating Syrian refugees. To prevent thousands of young people becoming "a lost generation". "They are victims of their geographic destiny and circumstances, but that does not mean there is no hope anymore", the couple wrote in a statement delivered to the Associated Press."Our goal with this initiative is to help provide Syrian refugee children with an education and put them on a path to be the future leaders their generation desperately needs."

In addition to the $ 2.25 million funding provided by the Clooney partnership, equipment will be provided by Hewlett Packard for another $ 1 million.

More than a million Syrians and more than 500,000 children are registered as refugees in Lebanon after the escape from their country in which the civil war raged since 2011, bringing 330,000 lives to life. The UN states that there are about 200,000 children who are totally devoid of education.

Amal Clooney, born in Lebanon before her family moved to Britain, is an important human rights lawyer. She married American actor and director George Clooney in 2014. The couple had two twin children in June.
Qatari pilgrims will arrive but with non-Qatar airlines; They can get a visa from only two entry points: Jeddah and Medina. Doha: mixing politics and religion. Riyadh: Attempt to internationalize the problem. The pilgrimage should take place in September and is a sign of unity among all Muslims worldwide.

Doha (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Qatar authorities accuse Saudi Arabia of hindering Qatari Muslims pilgrimage to Mecca, not guaranteeing their security.

The "religious" controversy adds to the diplomatic and commercial standoff that came to light last June when Riyadh and its allies began a boycott of Qatar accused of supporting terrorist groups and cultivating ties with Shiite Iran.

Since July 20, Saudi Arabia has set out some conditions for pilgrims who arrive in Mecca from Qatar: they must use an airline approved by Riyadh, as Qatar's national airline has been banned from overflying the Saudi kingdom. Pilgrims will also have to get a visa on arrival in Jeddah and Medina, the only two entry points for them.

Qatar's Islamic Affairs Ministry has accused Riyadh of "mixing politics with one of the pillars of Islam, which risks depriving many Muslims of their religious duty."

There would be 20,000 faithful in Qatar ready to go on pilgrimage. According to Saudi Arabia, Qatar has stopped recording and facilitating travel to Mecca. Some Gulf media accuse Doha of wanting to "internationalize" the crisis with this appeal to religion and hajj, an accusation Qatar rejects.

The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the pillars of Islam and should be undertaken at least once in a Muslim's life. This year the period should be the beginning of September. The pilgrimage is also the celebration of the unity and fraternity of the global Muslim community.

Last May, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Emirates interrupted diplomatic relations, blocked trade and imposed sanctions on Doha, including the closure of their airspace to Qatar airliners.
by Bernardo Cervellera

The announcement given today in the Vatican and Hong Kong. Tomorrow the new bishop will hold a press conference. Kneeling in front of Cardinals Tong and Zen: "Two Great Trees". He is optimistic for China-Holy See dialogue, but it is "difficult to obtain immediate results". Commitment to safeguarding Hong Kong's freedom.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  At 12 noon today the Holy See press office announced that Msgr. Michael Yeung Ming-cheung (photo 1), is now the ordinary bishop of Hong Kong, following the retirement of Card. John Tong from leadership of the diocese (center in photo 2).

Bishop Yeung, 72, was appointed coadjutor bishop on 13 November. Card. Tong, who is just 79 years old, had resigned four years ago, but the Pope extended his responsibility until 2017.

Bishop Yeung was born in Shanghai on December 1, 1945 into a Catholic family and arrived in Hong Kong when he was four years old. He worked in an import-export firm before entering the Hong Kong Seminary at age 26. He was ordained a priest on 10 June 1978. He completed studies in communications (Syracuse, USA) and in philosophy and education (Harvard, Usa). Since August 2003 he has been Head of Caritas in the Territory and General Vicar since 2009. He was ordained auxiliary bishop in August 2014.

The news was also announced in Hong Kong at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Tomorrow at 3pm the bishop will hold a press conference with journalists.

Several observers wonder whether Msgr. Yeung will follow the Cardinal Tong's line of dialogue and kindness towards China, or whether he will take up the more irreverent positions of Cardinal Joseph Zen, a great advocate of religious freedom and very much a friend of the democratic movement of the area.

After his appointment as coadjutor bishop during the closing Mass of the Holy Year of Mercy, Msgr. Yeung kneeled before Card. Tong and then in front of Card. Zen. He considers them both "as two great trees under which he can enjoy some shade."

While not supporting the extremist and independent positions of some youth fringes, he has often expressed his support for Hong Kong's demands for democracy, warning China of being too heavy handed and hasty regarding the Territory's affairs, to safeguard the principle of "One nation, two systems".

In a press conference, after his appointment as coadjutor, he also explained his position on the China-Holy See dialogue: he is happy with the Vatican's optimism in seeking dialogue with China. "China is a huge country with many issues he said results cannot be reached quickly, including human rights, which is a matter of concern. Relationships must be developed step by step, bearing in mind human rights, which are a topic of concern. "

In a brief interview with the South China Morning Post this morning, Tong first said that he was "grateful" for everything he had experienced. He added, he has "full confidence" in Msgr. Yeung. He is better than me in every way ... I am sure he will do better and better.

Bishop Yeung is also a fierce defender of the family based on the relationship between man and woman. For this reason, he has been criticized by Hong Kong gay lobbies.
by Santosh Digal

The University of Santo Tomas hosted 7,000 delegates on 28-30 July. Archbishop Bernardito Auza, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, a native of Talibon (Philippines), urged those present to work for peace in families. Italian Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelisation, called for action to promote the dignity of human life as the moral responsibility of everyone.

Manila (AsiaNews)  The 4th Philippine Conference on New Evangelisation, which took place from 28 to 30 July at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, reiterated the commitment to evangelisation.

"The most reverberating message of the conference was a gentle reminder for all of us that we all need to commit ourselves to evangelise our families, societies and people with Gospel values," said Mary Garcia, a participant, speaking to AsiaNews.

Ms Garcia was one of the 7,000 delegates who attended the event, among them bishops, priests, nuns, youth, women and students from across the country.

All activities were geared towards seeking and introducing new methods to evangelise effectively among cultures and societies.

The focus of the conference was to discern and evolve new ways to promote evangelisation through new media, new movements, the environment, and interreligious dialogue.

One of the noted speakers was Archbishop Bernardito Auza, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and a native of Talibon, Bohol (Philippines).

The prelate urged participants to pray the Rosary daily and entrust the country to Blessed Mother. He also urged everyone to promote peace and solidarity in families.

Then came the time of Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelisation. In his address, he exhorted everyone to promote human dignity as a moral responsibility.

"For us, he said, life is important because life for us is a gift from the Lord. So we should defend and promote life.

Speaking against the backdrop of drug-related killings spearheaded by current Philippine president and a strong push for artificial contraception, a law that was enacted since previous president, Archbishop Fisichella said that Catholic social teaching implores the faithful to work towards the protection of the right to life through effective and peaceful means.

Card Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila also spoke at the 4th Conference on New Evangelisation, saying that proclaiming Jesus and his message is a daily activity incumbent upon all Christians.
Thieves Steal $590K Worth Of iPhones From A Moving Vehicle

Trending News: This $590K iPhone Heist Is Straight Out Of 'Fast And The Furious'

Long Story Short

A group of Romanian thieves pulled off a truly Hollywood-esque robbery by snagging $590,000 work of iPhones from a moving van. The thieves were eventually caught and are looking at jail time.

Long Story

I've often wondered where cheap brand new iPhones come from. Are they bought for cheap from a store that went bankrupt? Or maybe they're stolen and then refurbished to look like new? One thing's for sure, I never imagined that the new iPhones I'm seeing on Craigslist or eBay were taken like in such an insane way.

The Associated Press reports that five men were arrested in the Netherlands after they got caught stealing $590,000 worth of iPhones from a moving van, Fast and the Furious style.

As you can see in the video below, immortalized in gif form, one of the thieves crawled out of a hole cut in the van's roof and cracked open the truck in front of them. The thieves then passed boxes of iPhones through the hole and into the van.

It would have been the perfect heist, if not for the police helicopter that caught the whole epic robbery on tape.

But hold on a sec, the Netherlands isn't Los Angeles where police helicopters patrol daily. Did cops just get lucky?

A police spokesperson told AP that Dutch authorities had heard reports of thefts from moving trucks but didn't have the evidence to prove it. For this shipment of iPhones, the cops came prepared with the copter and luckily for them and their budgets, they managed to catch the thieves red-handed.

The five suspects were arrested at a park in the center of the Netherlands on Saturday and will appear in court today. Justice served. That is, until these savvy criminals inevitably escape from prison. They'll probably ride a helicopter out or something, James Bond style.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

Why didn't the truck just pump the brakes a bit to scare them off?

Drop This Fact

Think $590,000 is a big amount to rob? Over $14 million of delicious Canadian maple syrup was stolen in a famous 2011 heist.
Shore Medical Center and Kona Ice are hosting a Koolest Kid contest as part of the hospitals Farmers Market & Craft Fair Friday, Aug. 4.

Kids, you could win one free Kona ice for every week left in the summer by entering Shore Medical Centers costume contest. Open to ages 9 and younger, dress up as your favorite fruit or vegetable or whatever else you think is kool. The contest will be held at 4 p.m. next to the Kona Ice Truck located at the farmers market, taking place on Bay Avenue between Medical Center Way and New York Avenue.

Seasoned chef brings fine-dining experience to casual OC Eatery From the outside, OC Eatery looks like the small, casual beach cafe that it is. However, the

The winner and up to three family members will receive one free Kona Ice at the farmers market during the remainder of the summer. They will also appear in the Ocean City Baby Parade on Aug. 10.

All participants will receive a prize. Creativity is encouraged. Call 609-653-3527 or go to SomersPointBA.org.

Jacklyn McQuarrie
Photo of the Ford Kuga courtesy of Ford.

Ford South Africa has begun the second phase of its safety recall for Kuga SUVs that have reported having engine fires in South Africa.

Over 4,500 Ford Kugas produced from December 2012 to February 2014, equipped with a 1.6-liter Ecoboost engine, were recalled in March by South Africa Ford following dozens of reports of vehicles catching fire, according to Reuters.

Ford South Africa is continuing the recalls of the vehicles, which also now includes the Fiesta ST hot hatch, in what the automaker has described as Phase 2," according to Wheels 24.

"Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) has commenced with Phase 2 of the safety recall action for all affected Kuga 1.6 models, and is requesting customers to schedule an appointment with their dealer in order to have the vehicle enhancements completed, the automaker said in a statement.

For the second phase of recalls, new hardware will be installed, which comprises of a new coolant expansion tank with a sensor that monitors the level of the vehicles coolant, according to Business Tech.

Ford South Africa has requested customers to schedule an appointment with their dealer in order to have the vehicle enhancements completed.

Additionally, the vehicles updated software introduced as part of the second phase of recalls includes the vehicle's ability to reduce engine power, as well as providing notification to the driver to safely pull over if coolant levels drop below the minimum required level.

Shortly after the second phase was announced, a Ford Kuga caught fire in Ekurhuleni, a metropolitan municipality in South Africa, according to Times Live.
4 Ways You Can Use GPS Tracking to Help Increase Productivity and Eliminate Payroll Issues

Today's sophisticated vehicle monitoring systems do a lot more than show you where your trucks are located. They provide powerful tools and insights that can help you increase productivity by getting more out of your crews and streamlining office systems.

Download this white paper to learn how you can use GPS vehicle monitoring to help:

Improve routing and dispatching

Uncover and correct inefficient employee behavior

Streamline timesheets and payroll

Fit more jobs into each workday

And more...

By Verizon Connect
Photo of Model 3 courtesy of Tesla.

Tesla handed over the first 30 Model 3 battery-electric sedans to customers during a July 28 handover event at the company's Fremont, Calif., factory and pricing for most buyers will be significantly more than the $35,000 initially announced.

The Model 3 that's selling for $35,000 is a no-frills base model. The company's Autopilot semi-autonomous feature costs $5,000. Any color other than black adds $1,000. Adding battery capability to the car's 220-mile range so it gets more than 300 miles on a charge adds $9,000, reports The Verge.

The base Model 3 comes with manually adjusted seats, side mirrors, and steering column. The center console is uncovered, and there are no LED fog lamps.
Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller (left) and PSA Group CEO Carlos Tavares

PSA Group completed its acquisition of General Motors' Opel and Vauxhall brands on Tuesday, as it becomes Europe's second-largest automaker, the company has announced.

PSA Group's acquisition of GM's European brands will include all of its operations, six assembly and five component manufacturing facilities, one engineering center in Russelsheim, Deutschland, and approximately 40,000 employees, according to GM.

"We are witnessing the birth of a true European champion today," PSA Chairman Carlos Tavares said in a statement.

The French automaker that sells Peugeot, DS and Citroen brands is now second only to Volkswagen in terms of market share. The company had a 17% market share in the first half of the year, according to PSA Group.

PSA moved quickly to install new members of a leadership team. Opel announced PSA executives Remi Girardon as vice president manufacturing and Philippe de Rovira as chief financial officer.

In July, PSA Group received regulatory approval from the European Union regarding the 2.2 billion euro acquisition of Opel and Vauxhall, according to Fox Business. The initial sale of GMs European brands was agreed upon by PSA Group and GM in early March.
Medical Marijuana in Kern: A Timeline

Kern County's messy history with medical marijuana dispensaries, shops, collectives and cooperatives:

1996: California voters approve the Compassionate Use Act, which legalized the use and possession of marijuana for medicinal purposes. But 59 percent of Kern voters vote no.

2000-2004: The first medical marijuana dispensaries appear in Kern County.

2006: The Kern County Board of Supervisors passes the first ordinance controlling medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas, limiting the number to six, restricting where they can be located and requiring the shops submit to visits by sheriff's deputies.

2007: Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood takes office. A rash of federal drug enforcement raids, aided by Youngblood's office and its detailed records of the shops' operations, hit the dispensaries. All the shops close. Youngblood swears he will not issue permits to new shops under the existing county ordinance.

March 2009: Supervisors repeal the county ordinance.

March 2009 to August 2010: An explosion of medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives open in Kern County. By the summer of 2010, the county had identified 22 open collectives in its jurisdiction and suspected more existed in the county's cities.

August 2010: The Board of Supervisors slaps a moratorium on the opening of new medical marijuana shops in the unincorporated county. County attorneys study the issue for the next year.

Aug. 9, 2010: Supervisors ban medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives and limit the number of plants that can be grown on a parcel of land to 12.

Sept. 22, 2011: Medical marijuana advocates collect 17,350 voter signatures in a referendum and block the county ban on collectives and cooperatives.

Feb. 22, 2012: Supervisors, who could have been forced to send the ban to voters for approval, instead develop Measure G for the June 5, 2012, ballot. Measure G would allow collectives and cooperatives to operate in remote industrial areas of the county far away from churches, schools, parks and day cares.

June 5, 2012: Measure G passes with 69 percent voter support.

August 2012: Medical marijuana dispensaries sue to block Measure G. The court allows Measure G to be enforced while the issue is litigated.

February 2015: Kern County Superior Court Judge Kenneth Twisselman invalidates Measure G on environmental grounds. County attorneys argue this eliminates all past ordinances and allows the county to cite and close medical marijuana storefronts that don't apply for and receive land-use approval from the same county government that proposed a ban on shops. County officials do not appeal their loss on the Measure G lawsuit. Instead they begin suing medical marijuana storefronts, successfully closing more than 60 of them.

July 2014: The Highway 99 collective, which was legal under Measure G, is allowed to appeal the invalidation of Measure G.

March 29, 2016: The Fifth District Court of Appeal upholds Twisselman's ruling invalidating Measure G.

April 5, 2016: The Fifth District Court rules Kern County was violating election law by arguing that the invalidation of Measure G allowed it to close down medical marijuana dispensaries. The court found that county rules should revert to those in place in 2009  the most permissive period in the history of county medical marijuana regulation.

May 10, 2016: The Kern County Board of Supervisors votes unanimously to place a moratorium on the establishment of new medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Kern County.

Nov. 8, 2016: California voters legalize marijuana for recreational use.

Nov. 15 2016: Kern County supervisors direct the Kern County Planning and Natural Resources Department to develop an environmental impact report on marijuana businesses in its jurisdiction.

July 27, 2017: Kern County Planning releases the environmental impact report recommending either a ban on marijuana businesses or a full regulatory scheme controlling cultivation, processing and sale of the plant.
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Dozens of Lithia Ridge residents lined the street to Sgt. Katie Thomas' home on Monday to welcome the disabled Army veteran to the neighborhood.

Sgt. Katie Thomas has spent 3 years at Tampa VA

Suffered brain injury during incident in Hawaii

Lithia Ridge community welcomed her home

"I was blown away. I really didn't know what to expect," said Katie's mom, Kathy Powers. "As soon as I saw everybody and the signs and the flags... I'm amazed at this community."

The neighbors wore patriotic clothes and waved American flags as Thomas arrived.

Thomas, who suffers from a brain injury, has spent the past three years recovering at the Tampa Veterans Affairs Hospital.

"It's been an amazing journey. It's been three years, four months and 23 days," Powers said. "It was bittersweet telling people at the VA goodbye."

Powers said her daughter was injured while mudding in Hawaii with her boyfriend back in March of 2014. The Jeep's windows were closed because it was raining at the time. Accidental carbon monoxide poisoning happened when the tailpipe filled with mud.

"Unfortunately, her boyfriend, Chris, did not make it," said Powers. "Katie has an anoxic brain injury now and will need care the rest of her life."

The mom said Sgt. Thomas is considered minimally conscious, which means she cannot eat, speak, walk or sit up on her own. Powers moved from Tennessee and bought a home in Valrico to become her daughter's full-time caretaker.

"I sold my home, left my family, retired from my job to come here," she said. "I wanted her to stay in this awesome VA here. She will continue to have the same doctor she's had."



The Lithia Ridge community came out to welcome Sgt. Katie Thomas Monday in Valrico. (Josh Rojas, Staff)

Once neighbors heard about Sgt. Thomas' story and found out she was being discharged from the hospital, the outpouring of support began.

"The neighbors just became family," said Gabriella McColeman, a family friend. "Kathy likes to call it her village of people."

"All the love and support has been really, really great," said neighbor Amber Fox. "So happy to be a part of it."

Powers said going home was the next step in Katie's recovery.

"I'm just beyond excited to have her home finally," said Powers. "I want to thank every single person that's come out today. This means so much to me and Katie."
Days after eight-month-old Billy Hendrickson died in a room where the temperature was measured at 109 degrees and his father arrested, the boy's grandparents shared their anger and grief over how they believe the tragedy could have been avoided.

Grandparents angry with agencies involved

"Miscommunication" may have cost boy's life

Want to help? Visit www.gofundme.com/baby-billy-and-solara

Catherine Rutenbeck wiped away tears, as she talked about her grandson.



"All he did was smile. He was just a happy baby, Rutenbeck said.



Rutenbeck said she was devastated to learn the baby died while in the care of his father, 26-year-old William Hendrickson. According to Largo Police, the baby was found unresponsive last Thursday in a room inside the mobile home Hendrickson shared with his parents and girlfriend.

Hendrickson was reportedly warned by a caseworker the day before not to leave the children inside of that room. According to police, however, Hendrickson locked himself, the baby and his 2-year-old daughter Solara in the room after an argument with his mother.

Hendrickson has been charged with aggravated manslaughter and child neglect.



There's a special place in hell for him, said Jose Perez, Rutenbecks fiance.



But Rutenbeck and Perez are also angry with the agencies they said were supposed to help the children. She said she also spoke with the caseworker the day before Billy died and offered to take both children in.



The caseworker told her she had to check with her supervisor.



"The next day, I had to start calling again, going, 'Did somebody check on the kids?' And she goes What do you mean, aren't they with you? And I said 'no,' said Rutenbeck. And she said Well, Will told us he was going to bring them and drop them off. I said, 'Did anybody check?' Nobody checked."

DCF, contractors involved

We checked with the Florida Department of Children and Families to find out more about the situation involving the caseworker Rutenbeck said she spoke with.



At the time of the incident, the family was receiving services by a provider contracted by Eckerd Kids as a result of an investigation earlier this year, said DCF spokesperson Jessica Sims.



Calling Eckerd Kids led to us being pointed in another direction.



You should direct that question to Directions for Living, said spokesperson Eliott Wiser. The caseworker is their employee.



Once we contacted that agency, we received the following statement from Douglas Brunn, director of quality management:



"We are devastated to learn of the tragic death of an 8 month-old baby. We, along with our lead agency Eckerd Kids, are committed to working closely with authorities as they proceed in this case. As the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time.



Rutenbeck now has temporary custody of Billy's sister, 2-year-old Solara, who suffered severe dehydration during the ordeal.



"She's such a smart little girl, Rutenbeck said. When she sees me get upset, she'll come pat me and say Nana, it's OK."



Rutenbeck said she is dreading the day she will have to explain to the little girl that her baby brother is never coming home.



The family has started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for Solaras care.

To help the family with a donation, visit https://www.gofundme.com/baby-billy-and-solara.

This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9/News 13. For more information on how the site works and the rules, visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety.
Bay area residents can expect a much drier day on Tuesday as Emily has moved out of the area.

But some residents, mainly in Manatee, Sarasota and Polk counties, will be cleaning up debris after the weak tropical storm moved through the area.

Emily dumped significant rainfall on the Bay area Monday, downing trees and causing a few thousand power outages. Also, the Coast Guard had to rescue to brothers from Tampa Bay after their 17-foot boat fishing boat sank during the storm.

Emily made landfall on Anna Maria Island just west of Bradenton at 10:45 a.m.

Luckily it didnt have time to strengthen much and only did minor damage and then quickly weakened inland. Just before 5 p.m. it was downgraded to a depression.

The storm brought flooding to parts of Tampa Bay with 2 to 4 inches of rain and isolated amounts in Bradenton of 6-8 inches.

Flooding was a major issue in Manatee County as water flowed above sidewalks in several neighborhoods, causing street closures throughout the day. Also, trees and some power lines were downed across the area.

High winds forced the closure of the Skyway Bridge and in Indian Rocks Beach, a crane was toppled over by high winds.

In a Sarasota neighborhood, a 40-foot tree was uprooted.

Meanwhile in the Lakeland area, heavy rains caused flooding and the closure of multiple streets and intersections. Some homeowners voluntarily evacuated as flood waters got higher.

Emergency Management officials are scheduled to tour Lakeland neighborhoods near Cannon Street and Jensen Avenue Tuesday.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May attends commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres in Belgium, July 31, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - The automatic right of European Union citizens to live and work in Britain will end in March 2019 with Brexit, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said on Monday, after her ministers publicly differed over the shape of the divorce with the EU.

Since May's failed gamble on a snap election last month, the future of Brexit has been thrown into question with squabbling between her ministers over the pace, tone and terms of Britain's departure from the club it joined in 1973.

May, who on Monday interrupted a three-week holiday to attend a World War I commemoration ceremony, has faced public pressure to temper her plans for a clean break from the EU.

The level of discord is such that one opposition politician spoke of "civil war" within the government over Brexit and some of the bloc's most powerful politicians have even raised the prospect of Britain scrapping Brexit.

May has repeatedly said Brexit will take place as scheduled in late March 2019.

But the Archbishop of Canterbury said the chance of this was "infinitesimally small" because political wrangling will prevent the detailed work that is needed.

Justin Welby, who is the spiritual head of the Anglican communion of millions of Christians globally and sits in the House of Lords, said domestic political wrangling would impede the detailed work that is needed for Brexit.

In response, May's spokesman said the government remained committed to the exit timetable.

Reuters
Excessive Heat Watch Extends Beyond Valleys to Almost All of Oregon Coast

Published 08/01/2017 at 4:43 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast)  The heatwave warnings and excessive heat watches throughout Oregon this week have expanded beyond the valley and I-5 corridor to include the majority of the Oregon coast  except for one tiny patch around Lincoln County. Temps above 100, maybe as high as 109, are expected in the inland valley areas on Wednesday and Thursday, but even the north Oregon coast and the southern coast are expected to reach up into the upper 80s or low 90s on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Portland and Medford have issued the watches for the entire Oregon coast, which for the most part won't offer much relief from the heat warnings of 107 or more for much of the valley. Wednesday and Thursday will be the worst for all areas, with the inland areas to break records. The north coast and all of the southern Oregon between Reedsport and Brookings look to hit the 90s on Wednesday, before cooling slightly to the upper to lower 80s .

Oddly enough, only the central Oregon coast towns of Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Yachats and Florence appear to escape the big heat-up, sticking to the upper 70s and lower 80s.

The excessive heat watch for the north Oregon coast and the southern coast is in effect throughout Wednesday. Heat warnings are in effect for the coast range and all of Oregon west of the Cascades from Tuesday through Friday night.

Most of the beaches return to the 80s or low 70s on Thursday or Friday.

The longest heatwave since at least 2009 is expected for much of the Pacific Northwest this week, the NWS said. The hottest period will be Tuesday through Friday when afternoon high temperatures will be near or above 100 every day in the interior. Many sites will be close to all-time record high temperatures Wednesday and Thursday. Some relief is expected for the Coast Thursday or Friday and inland over the weekend. However high temperatures are expected to remain well above average through at least early next week.

The NWS said all-time highs for Portland are definitely within reach, which was 107 degrees on two different occasions in the last 70 years. Nighttime lows will be uncomfortably warm in the low 70s, which will not allow for much cooling of buildings and homes.

Beach towns will remain cooler for one more day, thanks to a breezy but weak onshore flow.

This leaves the Oregon coast not much of an escape, except for Lincoln County and parts of Lane County. Thursday and Friday should be a better air conditioner along the coastline, however.

The forecast models are also showing a surge of low-level southerly winds along the coast starting Thursday morning, the NWS adi. It is unclear just how far north this surge will extend during the day Thursday. It looks likely that it will affect the central Oregon coast, cooling temps off considerably. The north Oregon and south Washington coast are a bigger question mark. There is some model support for offshore winds continuing for portions of these zones well into Thursday, which could allow for another warm day. Confidence in this is not high at this time. See Oregon Coast Weather for full, detailed predictions of each area.

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A defense witness in Amber Willemsen's intoxication manslaughter trial testified Monday that Pearland Police Officer Endy Ekpanya might have survived a deadly 2016 wreck, had he been wearing a seatbelt.

James Paul Evans, an accident reconstruction expert, was called to testify by Paul Kendall, defense attorney for Willemsen, 40, who is accused of drunk driving in the June 12, 2016 accident that killed Ekpanya, 30.

STRIP CLUB TESTIMONY: The Ritz violated stripper drinking policy the night of the wreck

Last week, Robin Wright, an accident reconstruction expert called by Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne, told jurors that the crash was so severe that Ekpanya would have been killed whether he was wearing his safety belt or not.

Story continues below...

Evans challenged Wright's testimony, telling jurors his assessment of the accident data showed the crash was a survivable accident.

"We know that Amber Willemsen was speeding and driving on the wrong side of the road. But, Officer Ekpanya was also speeding," Evans said.

"He wasn't wearing his seat belt and I believe he was driving distracted. The patrol car was a heavier vehicle yet Ms. Willemsen was able to survive the crash because she was wearing a safety belt."

HOURS BEFORE WRECK: Jury sees video of defendant stumbling during strip club shift

Evans showed the jury an image from the officer's dashcam video, approximately 8 seconds before the crash that showed Willemsen's headlights roughly six hundred feet in the distance coming toward the patrol car in the wrong lane.

Evans also showed images of the officer's laptop mounted in the patrol car, displaying messages between police officers in the second leading up to the crash.

The defense made a motion for a mistrail after a break in Evans' testimony, because during the break Evans spoke with Pearland police investigator Thomas Smith, a witness for the prosecution, in the hallway outside the courtroom.

PROSECUTION: Willemsen was speeding, had vodka bottle in car during accident

Smith testified last week and told jurors Willemsen was traveling 90 miles per hour on Broadway Street, just seconds before her car slammed nearly head-on into the patrol car.

On Monday, Evans complimented Smith and the police department for their work gathering evidence for accident reconstruction work.

The near-mistrial resulted when Evans returned to the stand and the district attorney asked him if he had told Officer Smith he thought it was an "open and shut case."

Evans said he didn't remember the comment. The jury was then sent from the courtroom and Kendall made a motion for a mistrial. After Evans and the Pearland police officer were each brought before the judge to answer questions about their conversation, the motion was overruled.

Willemsen, a former assistant principal in Clear Creek ISD, was out on bail on a drug charge when her Chrysler 200 sedan was involved in the crash on FM 518 near Liberty Drive in Pearland.

Willemsen had worked a shift as a stripper at The Ritz in Houston the night of the wreck.

Prosecution witnesses testified last week that Willemsen was drinking alcohol throughout her shift and her blood alcohol concentration was 0.162, more than twice the legal limit to operate a vehicle.

Closing arguments in the trial are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday. If convicted, Willemsen faces between 5 and 99 years or life in prison.
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Henry Pressler slowly lowered himself onto a bench at Rogers Park, placing a golden trombone on the table in front of him as he adjusted his black fedora and positioned himself for another day of performances.

For the past decade, Pressler - who will turn 88 on Tuesday - has come to the Beaumont park almost every day to play and croon for people passing by.

Those who walk by stop to listen, occasionally requesting a song or dropping a dollar into a tip jar his daughter made for him when she was 7. She's 55 now.

"I can't stand to sit around and do nothing all day," Pressler said. "This way, I can still do the thing I love most and hopefully bring a little joy to the people around me."

Pressler grew up in Beaumont, graduating from Beaumont High School in 1949. He spent several years playing gigs across Southeast Texas and in Louisiana before he met his wife, Elizabeth, at the age of 28. Elizabeth had just graduated high school when Pressler asked her to marry him.

"I knew a little about him as a musician, but mostly I knew he was a good man," she said. "(Back) then, I never would've known how much our lives would revolve around music."

Quickly after they married, the two moved to Las Vegas to pursue Pressler's dream of playing in a big band on the strip. It was there he started going by the stage name Tony Alamo.

"My friends told me if I wanted to be famous, I'd have to change my name," Pressler said. "You had to fit a certain style if you wanted to make it back then."

Pressler spent the next three decades living out that dream, playing at the same clubs as the likes of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett and touring the country, sometimes as a band leader.

"I was happy as a lark," Pressler said. "I was paying the bills with my music. It doesn't get better than that."

The Presslers eventually moved back to Southeast Texas to raise their children and to be closer to family.

"It wasn't always the easiest life," Elizabeth said. "It was nice to come home."

When they returned, Pressler continued to play music around the area, still traveling to places like Galveston for gigs.

It was in Galveston were he started playing outdoors just for fun.

"He used to go out and play on the Seawall, but they wanted to charge him to play," Elizabeth said. "That's when he started going to the park."

Although Pressler admits his age has slowed him down a step or two, the music still remains with him. He can still recall a catalog of big band music, switching with ease from trombone to vocals. While the band has long since gone, he can still hear their harmonizing notes in his mind.

"Some things never leave you," he said.

Pressler has become a staple at Rogers Park over the years.

Familiar faces wave to him and a family out celebrating a birthday party will occasionally bring him a slice of pizza or cake. Children frequently buzz around him, asking questions about his instrument and asking him to sing.

"I love having the kids around; they are so curious," Pressler said. "I like to think I've got a few of them curious about music. I tell them, 'music is like learning a language, you have to know what to say to communicate well.'"

DThompson@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/daveth89
Funeral arrangements for a Batson man killed in a weekend crash in Beaumont were still pending on Monday.

Lesly Anthony "Duke" Milstead, 45, was driving southbound on Eastex Freeway near the Lucas exit when his 2017 gray Chevy Cruz was hit by a driver in a 2004 blue Chevy Impala, according to a statement from the Beaumont Police Department.

Police said the man in the Impala was impaired and was driving northbound in the southbound lanes at the time of the Saturday morning crash.

Milstead was declared dead at the scene.

The other driver, who police said was a felon in possession of a firearm and MDMA (ecstasy), was taken to a Beaumont hospital with critical injuries, the statement said.

The man had not been charged as of Monday.

Milstead's widow, Cristal, wrote a tribute on his online obituary Sunday.

"Lesly was my one true love. We were going to spend the rest of our lives growing old together, happy and in love," she wrote. "February 20, 2018 would have been our 25th wedding anniversary and believe me 25 years was not long enough. He was a wonderful dad and a wonderful husband. I am going to miss him so much. He was my everything and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do without him. I loved him and still love him now and forever. Rest in peace my love."

Milstead's funeral arrangements are being handled by Faith & Family Funeral Services in Batson.

Beaumont police investigated a second fatality crash on Saturday.

In that incident, which occurred at 11:44 p.m., a 34-year-old Beaumont walking in the 6900 block of College Street was struck and killed by a driver in a white GMC Acadia, according to police.

The accident happened in a poorly lit area, police said.

As of Monday, police had not identified the victim.

MGstalter@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/morgGstalt
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The family of Dennis Reeves has dropped their case against the Kirbyville school district almost two months after his suicide.

Tammy Reeves, the wife of Dennis Reeves, filed a Notice of Nonsuit Monday through her attorney Chip Ferguson. The notice was filed without prejudice meaning no judgement was entered and they can potentially re-file.

"It appears they have abandoned their claims against the district," said Sara Leon, the district's attorney. "They have withdrawn their request for documents."

The decision comes just days after the district claimed in Beaumont's Ninth Court of Appeals that it was immune from a potential lawsuit by the family.

Leon said in the brief that the family's motion for a temporary injunction protecting evidence related to Reeves' May death and their motion to take depositions of more than 30 people are insufficient because they don't allege a specific claim against the school district.

As a governmental entity, the school district is immune from most lawsuits. Leon argued that because the family's filings do not allege a specific claim that would be an exception to immunity, Jefferson County's 136th District Judge Baylor Wortham does not have jurisdiction over the matter.

Wortham previously granted the family a temporary restraining order for the evidence. The order expired on June 30. A scheduled hearing on the motion for depositions was halted by the district's appeal to the higher court.

Beaumont's Ninth Court of Appeals denied the family's petition to dismiss the district's appeal last week.

Reeves' body was found in his truck in the Kirbyville High School parking lot on May 23, less than an hour after he was confronted by Superintendent Tommy Wallis and Assistant Superintendent Georgia Sayers about an alleged affair with a district employee. Police said Reeves died by suicide.
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It was 51 years ago Tuesday that ex-Marine Charles Whitman walked to the top of the University of Texas' 307-foot clock tower and shot at students and Austin residents for more than 90 minutes. Using an array of firearms he killed 15 people and wounded 32 during his Aug. 1, 1966, killing spree.

A trained Marine sniper, he shot most of his victims near the heart.

PREVIOUS: Survivors of 1966 shooting at UT remember dead

Whitman killed his mother and wife in the hours before he began shooting from his perch in the observation deck of the 27-story clock tower, just before noon.

He wanted to spare them the shame of living with his deeds to come.

During his terrorizing episode he shot a pregnant woman, Claire Wilson, killing her unborn child with a gunshot to the head while still in the womb. Wilson survived but would not be able to have any more children. The child was the 16th Whitman victim, yet sometimes the baby is not listed in the final tally of the dead.

In the minutes after Whitman began shooting, some UT students on campus grabbed deer rifles from cars and dorms and attempted to stop him.

RELATED: Decades later, debate remains over who killed UT shooter Charles Whitman

Whitman was so terrifyingly accurate with his high-powered rifle that he shot people as far as 500 yards away.

Texas Monthly published a strong 40th anniversary oral history piece on the shootings in 2006. Author Gary Lavergne's 1987 book "A Sniper in the Tower" tackled the subject in a way few had done before that point.

NPR spoke with Lavergne last year about mental health laws and gun violence, recounting how Whitman told a school psychiatrist he had a dark fantasy involving shooting people from that tower. The official didn't think anything of the remark.

Whitman, Lavergne noted, seemed to be a normal person with flaws like anxiety and depression, but he was manipulative.

A 17th death would be attributed to Whitman when in November 2001 David Gunby died of injuries he suffered when he was wounded 35 years earlier. He had been shot in the lower back, destroying his kidney, leading to a kidney transplant and a life of dialysis treatments.

RELATED: Officer who shot UT sniper in 1966 dies at 72

Whitman also wounded 32 people in the spree, many who have gone on to tell their stories to the world.

As the mayhem continued on the UT campus, Austin police officers Houston McCoy and Ramiro Martinez made their move on the shooter, confronting him after climbing into the sniper's lair.

McCoy fired twice with his 12-gauge shotgun, hitting Whitman in the face. Officer Ramiro Martinez also fired on Whitman, emptying his service revolver into him.

An autopsy performed on Whitman found that he had been suffering from a brain tumor. He had been complaining of headaches and mental health issues for some time, and relayed as much in his suicide note. The autopsy report stated that he had a glioblastoma, a variety of brain tumor, which was pressing the part of the brain that controlled emotional patterns. It was reportedly the size of a walnut.

The Austin American Statesman created a powerful and insightful multimedia package diving into the story of Whitman, his victims and the aftermath of the shooting spree that can be seen here.

LONGHORN PRIDE: Legends, secrets and myths of University of Texas at Austin

One of the rifles used to carry out one of the worst killing sprees in Texas history is now on display at the Crime Museum in the U.S. capitol. The Remington 700 rifle used by Whitman was obtained from a private collector,the museum said. The buyer preferred that it not sit in a closet collecting dust and wanted it to be an educational piece.

While Whitman perpetrated the first recognized mass shooting at an education institution in U.S. history, the police that day learned a powerful lesson.

The efforts of law enforcement to finally take him down in a hail of gunfire on the observation deck ultimately led to the creation of SWAT teams across the country.

Click through the slideshow above to see images from that fateful day in Austin...
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A 24-year-old man is now facing a murder charge in the death of his father, whose decomposing body was found covered in salt and Oder Eater foot powder in a Central Texas home last week.

Skye McMillon was previously charged with tampering or fabricating physical evidence, a second-degree felony. He still faces the tampering charge, but evidence at the scene and autopsy findings caused detectives to seek the additional charge of murder, according to Kristen Dark, a spokeswoman for the Travis County Sheriff's Office.

RELATED: 24-year-old arrested after his father's body was found in 'advanced stage of decomposition' in C. TX

According to online Travis County Jail records, McMillon remains in the Travis County Jail on a $600,000 bond.

Steven Nurse's body was discovered around 10:30 a.m. on July 23 at a home in the 10000 block of Sandy Beach Road. An autopsy later revealed he died from blunt force trauma to the skull and throat, authorities said.

Deputies responded to the home after a caller reported Nurse missing, saying he hadn't been to work for several days, officials said.

Deputies contacted McMillon, who was convicted in 2011 of striking Nurse in the head with a shovel as he slept, to ask if he knew where Nurse might be.

According to McMillon's probable cause affidavit, he told the deputies that his father was ill and that he had dropped him off at a hospital in downtown Austin on July 21.

When no hospital in Austin reported admitting Nurse for treatment, deputies contacted McMillon again, and he voluntarily signed a consent form allowing authorities to search his father's home, according to the affidavit.

The deputies found Nurse's body in an "advanced stage of decomposition" in the downstairs bedroom, according to a statement from the Travis County Sheriff's Office.

RELATED: BCSO: Uninvited guest opens fire when asked to leave 100-person party at Leon Springs AirBnB

"The smell of decomposition was overwhelming upon entering," deputies say in the probable cause affidavit.

According to the probably cause affidavit, Nurse's body was partially covered with a comforter, blanket and towels. Deputies say someone sprinkled salt and Odor Eater foot powder over the body in an attempt to conceal the smell. There were also a number of candles on a table near the body and in the hallway outside the bedroom.

Further analysis revealed traces of a large pool of blood in the living room, and a trail of blood leading to the bedroom, where Nurse was later found, authorities said.

"A bloody area rug was folded and located on the bed," the probable cause affidavit says. "Upon further examination, Steven's work identification card, safety glasses and towels that were covered in blood were located. During the search of the trash receptacle on the outside of the residence, a black wallet with Steven's current Texas driver's license was located inside a trash bag along with more blood-soaked towels."

The deputies said they also found a note in the trash that said the father-son pair were on vacation, but Nurse or McMillon could be contacted by phone.

Detectives met with McMillon after the discovery. He again told them that he had taken Nurse to the hospital and that he hadn't spoken to him after that, officials said. He also told police that he had last left the house where the body was found around 6:30 a.m., when a friend named Andi took him to work at the Dillard's in the Galleria mall, according to the affidavit.

Representatives at Dillard's reportedly told authorities they had no employee's by the name of Skye McMillon, and residents at "Andi's" supposed address said that no one by that name lived there, authorities said.

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J.D. Power conducted a study on Managed Medicaid programs, finding approximately 74 million beneficiaries are more satisfied with their Medicaid program than with commercial payer options.

The study examined overall satisfaction with managed Medicaid organizations based on six factors, on a thousand-point scale:

Provider choice

Coverage and benefits

Customer service

Cost

Information and communication

Claims processing

Here's what they found:

1. Managed Medicaid customers ranked their overall satisfaction as 784. Commercial payer customer satisfaction was 78 points lower.

2. Provider choice was the most important thing to Medicaid customers. For private payers, benefits and coverage was the most important element.

3. Forty-two percent of Medicaid enrollees put off receiving treatments and 40 percent avoided filling prescriptions because of cost.

4. States that have a dominant regional plan, or a statewide health system, provide wider access to providers and hospitals. Iowa, Tennessee, Arizona and Indiana provider the most access to providers and hospitals.

5. Indiana's Health Indiana plan, which requires health savings account contributions, has higher-out-of-pocket expenditures. However, patient satisfaction remains high.
Here are four updates on ASC management companies for healthcare leaders to know from the past week.

Physicians Endoscopy signed a strategic agreement with Digestive Healthcare Center physicians on the company's 58th partnered center  Central Jersey Ambulatory Surgical Center in Hillsborough Township, N.J.



During the second quarter of 2017, Hospital Corporation of America revenue increased 4 percent, hitting $10.73 billion.



In its latest research note, BidaskClub assigned Surgery Partners a "sell" rating.



Tenet Healthcare shares fell 16.2 percent during the week of July 24 to July 28, trading at $17.30 per share.



If you have a question, issue or note to suggest on an ASC management and development company please contact Mary Rechtoris at mrechtoris@beckershealthcare.com
The following hospital and health system credit rating and outlook changes and affirmations took place in July, beginning with the most recent.

1. Moody's downgrades Lucile Packard Children's Hospital's credit rating

Moody's Investors Service downgraded Palo Alto, Calif.-based Lucile Packard Children's Hospital's credit rating to "A1" from "Aa3."

2. S&P revises Faith Regional Health Services outlook to stable

S&P Global Ratings affirmed its "BBB" rating on Norfolk, Neb.-based Faith Regional Health Services' series 2008A-1 and 2008A-2 bonds, issued by the Madison County Hospital Authority.

3. S&P downgrades Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital's debt to 'A+'

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Palo Alto, Calif.-based Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital's revenue bonds to "A+" from "AA-." The bonds were previously issued by the California Health Facilities Financing Authority.

4. Moody's assigns 'Aa2' rating to Cleveland Clinic Health System's bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa2" rating to Cleveland Clinic Health System's proposed $631 million series 2017A tax-exempt bonds and $164 million taxable series 2017B revenue refunding bonds, expected to sell Aug. 8. The bonds will mature in 2043 and will be issued by the Ohio Higher Educational Facility Commission.

5. Moody's assigns 'A3' rating to CareAlliance Health Service's bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned its "A3" rating to North Charleston, S.C.-based CareAlliance Health Service's $70 million series 2016B bonds that were sold at face value in November 2016. The bonds will mature in 2041.

6. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating on City of Hope

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A1" rating on Duarte, Calif.-based City of Hope's revenue bonds, affecting $575 million of rated debt.

7. S&P assigns 'BBB' rating to Virginia Mason Medical Center's 2017 bonds

S&P Global Ratings assigned its "BBB" rating to Seattle-based Virginia Mason Medical Center's series 2017 revenue bonds issued by the Washington Health Care Facilities Authority. The series 2017 bonds will refund series 2007A-C and 1997B for present value savings.

8. Moody's affirms 'A1' rating on Munson Healthcare

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "A1" rating on Traverse City, Mich.-based Munson Healthcare's revenue bonds issued by the Grand Traverse County Hospital Authority, affecting $155 million of debt.

9. S&P downgrades North Broward Hospital District's bond rating to 'BBB+'

S&P Global Ratings downgraded the rating on Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Hospital District's series 2005A, 2007 and 2008A variable-rate revenue bonds to "BBB+" from "A-."

10. Fitch affirms 'AA-' on SCL Health's revenue bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "AA-" rating on Broomfield, Colo.-based SCL Health's revenue bonds issued by the Colorado Health Facilities Authority, Kansas Development Finance Authority and Montana Facility Finance Authority, affecting $1.3 billion of outstanding debt.

11. Moody's revises Agnesian HealthCare's outlook to negative

Moody's Investors Service assigned its "A2" rating to Fond du Lac, Wis.-based Agnesian HealthCare's proposed $58 million series 2017 revenue bonds to be issued by the Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority.

12. Fitch affirms 'BBB' rating on Methodist Hospitals' revenue bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed its "BBB" rating on Gary, Ind.-based The Methodist Hospitals' series 2014A revenue refunding bonds issued by the Indiana Finance Authority.

13. Fitch affirms 'AA' rating on Texas Children's Hospital

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "AA" rating on a number of Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital's revenue bonds, including series 2015-1, series 2015-3, series 2015-4, series 2010, series 2009 and series 2008-2, all issued by the Harris County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. These rating actions affect a total of $683 million of debt.

14. Moody's affirms 'Baa1' rating on Cooper Health System

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" rating on Camden, N.J.-based Cooper Health System's revenue bonds issued by the Camden County Improvement Authority and New Jersey Economic Development Authority, affecting $240 million of outstanding debt.

15. Moody's affirms 'Aa2' rating on Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Aa2" long-term rating and "Aa2/VMIG 1" short-term rating on Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's bonds issued though the Fulton County Development and DeKalb Private Hospital Authorities, affecting $430 million of debt.

16. Fitch affirms 'BBB-' rating on Wright Memorial Hospital

Fitch Ratings affirmed its "BBB-" rating on Trenton, Mo.-based Wright Memorial Hospital's series 2009 revenue bonds issued by the Grundy County Industrial Development Authority, affecting $26.2 million of debt.

17. Moody's affirms 'Aa3' on Carolinas HealthCare System's bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Aa3" long-term rating as well as its "VMIG 1" and "P-1" short-term ratings on Charlotte, N.C.-based Carolinas HealthCare System's bonds, affecting $1.8 billion of rated debt.

18. Fitch affirms 'A' rating on Tampa General Hospital's bonds

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "A" rating on Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital's bonds issued by the Hillsborough County Industrial Development Authority, affecting $190.4 million of rated debt.

19. Moody's revises Texas Children's Hospital's outlook to negative

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the "Aa2" and "Aa2/P-1" ratings on Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital's revenue bonds, affecting $966 million of rated debt.

20. Moody's downgrades Ohio Valley General Hospital's rating to 'Caa1'

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the rating to "Caa1" from "B2" on McKees Rocks, Pa.-based Ohio Valley General Hospital, affecting $24 million of debt.

21. S&P assigns 'AA-' rating to Parkview Health System Obligated Group

S&P Global Ratings assigned the "AA-" rating to Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Parkview Health System's series 2017A bonds issued by the Indiana Finance Authority, affecting $115.47 million of debt.

22. Fitch affirms 'A-' rating on Brooks Health System

Fitch Ratings affirmed the "A-" rating on Jacksonville, Fla.-based Brooks Health System's series 2015 and series 2007 bonds, affecting $142.5 million of debt.

23. S&P revises Mount Sinai Hospital Obligated Group's outlook to stable

S&P Global Ratings affirmed the "A-" rating on New York City-based Mount Sinai Hospital Obligated Group's series 2010A and 2011A bonds, affecting $315.4 million of debt.

24. S&P revises Westchester County Health Care Corp. to negative

S&P Global Ratings affirmed the "BBB" rating on Valhalla, N.Y.-based Westchester County Health Care Corp.'s series 2016, 2014A, 2011, 2010 and 2000 revenue and refunding bonds issued by Westchester County Local Development Corp.

25. S&P revises Navicent Health's debt outlook to negative

S&P Global Ratings affirmed its "AA-" rating on Macon, Ga.-based Navicent Health's series 2016 and series 2009 bonds issued by the Macon-Bibb County Hospital Authority.

26. Moodys assigns 'Aa1/VMIG 1' rating to Centra Health's LOC-backed Revenue Bonds

Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa1/VMIG 1" rating to Lynchburg, Va.-based Centra Health's letter of credit backed series 2017B and 2017C revenue and refunding bonds.

27. Moody's affirms 'A2' rating on HealthPartners' bonds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A2" rating on Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners' revenue bonds issued by the St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority, affecting $353 million of debt.

28. S&P revises Cooper Health System's outlook to stable

S&P Global Ratings affirmed the "BBB+" rating on Camden, N.J.-based Cooper Health System Obligated Group's outstanding bonds issued by the Camden County Improvement Authority.

29. S&P downgrades Nash Health Care Systems to 'BBB+'

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Rocky Mount, N.C.-based Nash Health Care Systems' series 2012 bonds to "BBB+" from "A-," affecting $68 million of debt.
Here are five hospitals and health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions according to recent reports from Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Hospital and health system names were compiled from recent credit rating reports and are listed in alphabetical order.

1. Coral Gables-based Baptist Health South Florida has an "AA-" rating and stable outlook with S&P. The system maintained key balance sheet metrics and generated better-than-projected financial results in fiscal year 2016, according to S&P.

2. Carolinas HealthCare System has an "Aa3" rating and stable outlook with Moody's. The Charlotte, N.C.-based system has a track record of good financial performance, strong balance sheet metrics and a large scope of operations with multiple hospitals. Moody's expects Carolinas HealthCare System to maintain stable leverage metrics while continuing to generate financial results at current levels.

3. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has an "Aa2" rating and stable outlook with Moody's. CHOA is a leading provider of high acuity pediatric care in the Atlanta area and has favorable leverage metrics and a track record of strong margins and liquidity, according to Moody's.

4. Cleveland Clinic Health System has an "Aa2" rating and stable outlook with Moody's. The system has a track record of meeting operating challenges to sustain strong cash flow, exceptional fundraising capabilities, strong liquidity and a growing ability to leverage an international brand into revenue diversification, according to Moody's. The debt rating agency expects Cleveland Clinic to manage execution risks of multiple strategies, as demonstrated in the past.

5. Broomfield, Colo.-based SCL Health has an "AA-" rating and stable outlook with Fitch. The system's operating performance improved in fiscal year 2015, and SCL has sustained those results, according to Fitch. The system has manageable capital needs in the near term, a stable liquidity position and geographic diversity, with 12 hospitals in five markets across three states.

More articles on healthcare finance:

CHS expects $137M net loss in Q2, says divestitures will continue

Kindred to close Ohio hospital, lay off 111 employees

HCA sees Q2 earnings lag, stays ready for more acquisitions
A lawsuit filed by the current and former New Mexico Medical Society presidents accuses the state's Office of Superintendent of Insurance of improperly allowing corporate hospital chains to participate in New Mexico's malpractice fund, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

The lawsuit claims the insurance office and Superintendent John Franchini improperly qualified 16 hospitals and 46 outpatient care facilities to use the fund without disclosing if the organizations would be charged enough to cover the liabilities they bring to the table.

Since the fund is financed through surcharges imposed against physicians based on the risks involved with their specialty, prior to allowing a hospital or outpatient facility access to the fund, the insurance office must assess the risk of each provider. The New Mexico Medical Society presidents argue that the decisions for qualification were made in secret and the surcharge for many of the hospitals have not been undisclosed, according to the report.

A 2016 actuarial study found the Patient Compensation Fund was $36.6 million short of where it should be to remain solvent.
East Texas Medical Center-Trinity has closed, which resulted in 60 employees being laid off, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act notice filed with the Texas Workforce Commission.

The hospital closed after Tyler-based East Texas Medical Center decided not to renew its lease of the facility, according to KTRE. ETMC said a number of factors contributed to its decision not to renew the lease, including poor utilization and declining reimbursement rates, according to the report.

In June, Perry Henderson, ETMC senior vice president for affiliate operations, said the decision not to extend the lease of the Trinity facility was "an extremely difficult one."

"ETMC has leased this hospital for 20 years, so this decision is one we struggled with and did not make lightly," said Mr. Henderson. "However, the reality of the situation is that due to changes in healthcare and low patient volumes at this facility, we can no longer afford to operate a hospital in this community."

ETMC said it would help affected employees look for other jobs within ETMC or at other facilities.

With ETMC-Trinity shuttered, residents will have to travel 20 miles to the nearest hospital, according to the Weatherford Democrat.

Lufkin, Texas-based CHI St. Luke's Health-Memorial is pursuing a management service agreement with the Trinity Memorial Hospital District Board to preserve outpatient services in Trinity.

"We understand the residents in Trinity are facing a serious health care challenge," CHI St. Luke's Health-Memorial Market CEO Monte Bostwick told KTRE. "Everyone deserves high quality health care close to home. We want to provide that for the people of Trinity by retaining the outpatient providers they've come to know and love at their ETMC Physicians' Clinic and by offering any assistance necessary."

More articles on healthcare finance:

CHS expects $137M net loss in Q2, says divestitures will continue

HCA sees Q2 earnings lag, stays ready for more acquisitions

8 healthcare CFOs in the headlines
Jon Burns, senior vice president and CIO of Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical System, has worked in healthcare for 37 years, spanning administrative, financial and health IT positions.

In his first job out of school, Mr. Burns served as a supervisor of revenue accounting  but he had different long-term goals. "My goal early on was really to move from finance into operations," he says. "Operations has always been a passion for me, in terms of learning how things work."

However, as IT took on a larger role in the healthcare industry, Mr. Burns found his niche. In his first IT position, the board of a small Midwestern health system asked him to step in and oversee technology during an organizational turnaround project.

"It suited my desire to get more involved in operations," he explains. "Over the years, IT has become so embedded in the operations of an organization, from both the clinical and business sides."

Mr. Burns now manages IT, clinical informatics and enterprise data analytics as CIO of the University of Maryland Medical System, a 12-hospital system with more than 150 locations. He has held this title for 11 years.

"I just keep learning more about the industry," he says. "I tried to become a student of the industry early on, and learn as much as I could about how things worked and how hospitals operated. That's the absolute best part of the job: learning something new."

Mr. Burns spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about the changing role of IT and how EMR integration catalyzed a systemwide cultural shift at University of Maryland Medical System.

Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: How has the IT landscape changed since you began working in healthcare in the 1980s?

Jon Burns: IT was largely a data processing shop. In fact, that's probably what most places called their IT organization  data processing, and it was probably located in some place in the organization that no one could find and that no one knew about. It produced bills and made sure you got paid, but there were very few clinical systems. IT was more of a tactical function, with very little strategic impact in the organization. That has changed immensely over the past 37 years. Today, IT's not the driver, but it's clearly integrated into every aspect of what we do from a healthcare perspective, both on the business side as well as the clinical side. If a computer system goes down today, physicians can't do their work, they can't do their craft. IT's a foundational element of every hospital and every practice across the U.S.

Q: What's the biggest challenge to overseeing EMR adoption and usage across a 12-hospital system?

JB: Eleven years ago, when I showed up at University of Maryland Medical System, IT was run independently at each one of our hospitals. The first challenge was consolidating IT to a single operating unit that functioned to support the entire organization. As we moved toward everybody being on a single EMR platform, one of the things we had to address was this culture of individuality and making everybody in our hospitals part of a single team. We created this model called "user design centers," in which people from the hospitals came together to define how we operate the system. The challenge was bringing people together across our enterprise, to have them articulate their best practices, but ultimately come up with a single way of doing their craft.

It was really the beginning of a culture shift in our organization. People did the work, but I think the EMR was a catalyst for that change. It started those interesting  sometimes difficult, sometimes challenging  conversations about how we're going to operate as an integrated delivery system.

Q: Looking toward the next year, what are some of your IT goals for the University of Maryland Medical System?

JB: Our enterprise data and analytics team is relatively new. One goal is to begin to embed our clinical informatics and data analytics feeds together. We want to accumulate data from other sources to help our clinicians with real-time decision support, so they can base decisions on more than the data that's in front of them in Epic. Our teams have also built some models around predicting the onset of sepsis, as an example, or the possibility of a patient being readmitted.

Another goal focuses on assisting the organization in its journey toward population health. We need to figure out how to obtain data, not only within our systems, but also when patients are not in front of us. What do we do, and how do we engage patients to help our clinicians manage and monitor them? How can we work to improve outcomes so they're not back in the emergency room? IT has a unique role to play in achieving those things.

Q: As a CIO, what are some health IT trends you want to learn more about?

JB: I'm very interested in the whole notion of patient engagement. How are new patients, like millennials, going to want to purchase healthcare? What are the things they're going to expect and need from the industry that's different from my generation? I'm watching what other industries are doing, looking at things like Amazon Echo, since those technologies are what people are using. Will that play a role, at some point in time, in delivery of care? How do we start to exploit those types of technologies to deliver faster, cheaper and more convenient care to patients?
The transition to value-based care has hospitals and health systems focused on improving operating margins while maintaining or improving the quality of care their organizations provide. To achieve this goal, many provider organizations are exploring the benefits of joining forces with another healthcare facility.

"The volume of M&A activity is still strong. Many systems are even looking at merging or acquiring as a preferred growth strategy in the year ahead," Keith Lohkamp, Senior Director of Industry Strategy at Workday, said during a July 19 webinar hosted by Becker's Hospital Review and sponsored by Workday, a provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources.

There are many reasons hospitals choose to pursue mergers or acquisitions, such as to achieve operational efficiencies, expand the care continuum, develop new capabilities and position themselves for population health.

However, some hospitals are not interested in mergers and acquisitions but still want to realize some of the benefits of joining with another organization. Virginia Hospital Center, a 394-bed nonprofit teaching facility based in Arlington, falls into this category, said Senior Vice President and CFO Robin Norman during the webinar.

"Strategically, we want to increase our services and footprint without necessarily providing all of the capital," she said. "We are exploring multiple partnerships."

Technology considerations around M&A

Whether pursuing a merger, acquisition or another type of partnership, hospitals and health systems want a seamless integration, and technology selection plays a vital role in achieving this goal.

Michael Burke, Senior Vice President, Vice Dean and Corporate CFO of NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said clinical and financial system integration is key when the academic medical center affiliates with a hospital or nonhospital provider. This allows the organizations to produce consolidated financial statements and combine clinical data.

"Because we have both inpatient and outpatient data on all patients in the network, we've been able to use that to find the missing information that prevents us from maximizing reimbursement with payers," he said.

Ms. Norman from Virginia Hospital Center agreed that compatible technology is one of the keys to successful integration.

"We're about to put in a new health information system. When we were searching for a new system, we definitely considered the fit with other systems in our market," she said. "Although we're fiercely independent, we don't have our heads in the sand."

Compatible cultures are key

In addition to seamless integration of technology, culture is another major consideration for hospitals and health systems pursuing partnerships.

"The culture of the organizations that you partner or merge with is going to go far toward [having] success or not having success," said Ms. Norman.

She said Virginia Hospital Center entered into a joint venture in the '90s that involved 50-50 ownership with a healthcare organization that was not a good match culturally. The parties eventually ended the partnership for tax reasons, but Ms. Norman said the lack of compatible cultures and the 50-50 ownership structure of the joint venture, which made it difficult to settle any issues, also contributed to the decision.

Mr. Burke echoed many of Ms. Norman's thoughts on the cultural fit of two organizations exploring a partnership.

"I've been around the block a number of years, and I've seen a number of these mergers fail and I've been a part of ones that have succeeded. When you're putting two organizations together you have to understand the reason for the merger and the synergy of the cultures  and the roadblocks preventing you from coming together," he said. "In a lot of these cases when you're doing the assessment, you have to be willing to walk away."

To view a recording of the webinar, click here.
President Donald Trump discussed the Department of Veterans Affairs' EHR system at an event honoring American veterans in Struthers, Ohio, July 25.

President Trump remarked on his staff's recent VA reform efforts, addressing wait times, mental health services and medical record transfers, among other issues. "Since my first day in office, we've taken one action after another to make sure that our veterans get the care they so richly deserve," he said.

"We've begun to process a  seamlessly transferring veterans' medical records," he continued. "Horrible situation. You couldn't get your medical records. And now it's so easy and so good. And the system is fixed, finally, after all of these years."

VA Secretary David J. Shulkin, MD, announced the department's systemwide shift to Cerner June 5. However, since then Dr. Shulkin specified it may take up to six months for the VA to finalize its plan for obtaining its new EHR system.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a VA funding bill in July that did not allocate additional funding for the transition to the Cerner system, noting the June announcement did not provide enough time to ascertain the cost of a new EHR. The committee said it would "reevaluate" funding for the IT system "at the appropriate time."

Click here to view President Trump's remarks.
Becker's Hospital Review reported on the following latest hospital and health system executive resignations. They are listed below, beginning with the most recent.

1. Brent James, MD, will resign as chief quality officer of Salt Lake City, Utah-based Intermountain Healthcare effective August 26.

2. Mark Marcantano, president and COO of Providence, R.I.-based Women and Infants Hospital resigned July 28.

3. Dennis Laraway, executive vice president and CFO of Houston-based Memorial Hermann, will join Phoenix-based Banner Health as CFO on Sept. 29.

4. Louisville-based KentuckyOne Health dismissed Jewish Hospital President Joseph Gilene and CNO Shawn O'Connor, RN, DNP.

5. David Koontz, CEO of Columbus, Ga.-based St. Francis Hospital, will resign effective August.

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Michael Rembis, FACHE, has been named the new CEO of Wailuku, Hawaii-based Maui Health System effective August 21, according to Maui Now.

Mr. Rembis has previously served as CEO of El Segundo, Calif.-based Paladin Healthcare as well as Avanti Hospitals, also in El Segundo. He will be replacing Ray Hahn, who will soon leave Maui Health System to serve as senior vice president and COO for Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals in Hawaii.

"I am honored to provide leadership for Maui Health System and further its mission to provide high-quality healthcare to all on Maui and Lanai," said Mr. Rembis. "I look forward to becoming an active member of the community and working together to improve healthcare for our patients and the community."

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Memorial Hermann CFO to leave for Banner Health

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The following healthcare mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and general transactions took place or were announced in July.

1. LabCorp to purchase Chiltern for roughly $1.2B: 4 things to know

Burlington, N.C.-based diagnostics company LabCorp will purchase Wilmington, N.C.-based Chiltern for about $1.2 billion in cash.

2. Methodist Hospital eyes formal agreement with Deaconess Health System

Henderson, Ky.-based Methodist Hospital's board of directors agreed July 27 to pursue a long-term affiliation with Deaconess Health System, a six-hospital system in Evansville, Ind.

3. Northwell Health to affiliate with John T. Mather Memorial Hospital

Port Jefferson, N.Y.-based John T. Mather Memorial Hospital's board of directors signed a letter of intent July 28 to join New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health.

4. 2 LifePoint hospitals to finalize merger by end of week

Memorial Hospital of Martinsville (Va.) & Henry County, a 223-bed facility, and 250-bed Danville Regional (Va.) Medical Center merged into SOVAH Health the week of July 24.

5. DuPage Medical Group adds 2 physicians through recent acquisition

Downers Grove, Ill.-based DuPage Medical Group acquired Glenwood Medical Corp., an obstetrics and gynecology practice in Orland Park, Ill.

6. Boston Children's Hospital collaborates with Cleveland Clinic on pediatric heart care

Boston Children's Hospital and Cleveland Clinic partnered to offer complex pediatric heart services through Cleveland Clinic's national cardiovascular network, which contracts directly with employers.

7. Cleveland Clinic, CVS expand partnership

Cleveland Clinic and Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS Health expanded their eight-year clinical affiliation July 25 to better coordinate patient care and services for patients in northeast Ohio and Florida.

8. Mount Carmel, Acadia partner on $26M behavioral health hospital

Columbus-based Mount Carmel Health System and Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare embarked on a joint venture July 24 to develop a $26 million, 80-bed inpatient behavioral health hospital in Columbus.

9. CHI St. Luke's Health-Memorial eyes management agreement with Trinity Memorial Hospital District

Lufkin, Texas-based CHI St. Luke's Health-Memorial officials are pursuing a management service agreement with the Trinity (Texas) Memorial Hospital District board and its outpatient clinic.

10. Missouri hospital searches for buyer as closure looms

Fulton (Mo.) Medical Center is slated to close by Sept. 22, but officials hope to keep the facility open by securing a buyer.

11. 2 New York physician groups create more than 2,000-member alliance

Oceanside, N.Y.-based New York Medical Partners and Commack, N.Y.-based Independent Physician Association of Nassau/Suffolk Counties formed a strategic alliance July 21.

12. PinnacleHealth, Hanover HealthCare Plus ink definitive agreement for strategic partnership

The boards of directors of Harrisburg, Pa.-based PinnacleHealth and Hanover (Pa.) HealthCare Plus signed a definitive agreement July 24 to form a strategic partnership

13. HCA acquires second hospital from CHS in 2 weeks

Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare agreed to acquire Highlands Regional Medical Center, a 126-bed hospital in Sebring, Fla., from subsidiaries of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems July 21.

14. UPMC, Butler Health ink OB-GYN joint venture agreement

Pittsburgh-based UPMC and Butler (Pa.) Health System entered into a joint venture July 21 to acquire Advanced OB/GYN Associates, a five-physician practice also in Butler.

15. Alaska assembly OKs motion seeking additional hospital affiliation proposals for Sitka Community Hospital

The City and Borough Assembly of Sitka, Alaska, voted to allow interested hospitals to submit proposals to affiliate with Sitka (Alaska) Community Hospital during a special meeting July 18.

16. PinnacleHealth to affiliate with Pennsylvania urgent care center

PinnacleHealth inked a deal to affiliate with AllBetterCare Urgent Care Center, which maintains locations in Carlisle, Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg, Pa.

17. Owensboro Health joins University of Kentucky cancer research network

Owensboro (Ky.) Health became the seventh hospital to join the Lexington-based University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Research Network.

18. MU Health Care to divest 35% stake in financially struggling Fulton Medical Center

Columbia, Mo.-based MU Health Care plans to sell its 35 percent minority interest in Fulton (Mo.) Medical Center.

19. Navicent Health to temporarily manage bankrupt Georgia hospital

Macon, Ga.-based Navicent Health signed a temporary agreement to manage Oconee Regional Medical Center, a 140-bed hospital in Milledgeville, Ga.

20. Quest Diagnostics completes acquisition of 2 Texas laboratories

Madison, N.J.-based Quest Diagnostics completed its acquisition of Med Fusion and ClearPoint Diagnostic Laboratories, both laboratory operations in Lewisville, Texas.

21. Indian River Medical Center selects Juniper Advisory to facilitate a future partnership

Vero Beach, Fla.-based Indian River Medical Center selected Chicago-based Juniper Advisory, an investment banking firm, to help facilitate a new partnership by the end of the year.

22. PinnacleHealth paid at least $66M for 2 former CHS hospitals

County records indicate PinnacleHealth paid at least $66 million for two of the four hospitals it purchased from Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems June 30.

23. Lawrence Memorial Hospital acquires Reed Medical Group

Lawrence (Kan.) Memorial Hospital inked a deal to acquire Lawrence-based The Reed Medical Group July 1.

24. 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 1,70-bed hospital also in Paramus.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. Good Shepherd Medical Group acquires Oregon hospital

Hermiston, Ore.-based Good Shepherd Medical Group acquired Gifford Medical Center, also in Hermiston, June 30.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. Kindred sells skilled nursing business for $700M

Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare signed a definitive agreement to sell its skilled nursing business to BM Eagle Holdings, a joint venture company led by BlueMountain Capital Management affiliates, for $700 million in cash.

38. Envision Physician Services acquires Atlanta emergency medicine group

Envision Physician Services, a division of Greenwood, Colo.-based Envision Healthcare Corp., acquired a 40-physician emergency medicine group practice based in Atlanta: Northside Emergency Associates.

39. Quorum Health sells Georgia hospital

Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health completed the sale of 231-bed Trinity Hospital of Augusta (Ga.) to The Richmond County Hospital Authority June 30.

40. CHS divests 9 hospitals

Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems completed its sale of nine hospitals June 30.

41. Envision buys 340-provider practice in Milwaukee

Envision Physician Services, a division of Greenwood, Colo.-based Envision Healthcare, bought a 340-provider multispecialty physician group based in Milwaukee June 5.

42. Prime Healthcare completes purchase of Texas hospital

Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 12-hospital system in Ontario, Calif., completed its acquisition of 297-bed Mission (Texas) Regional Medical Center July 3.

43. Tomball Regional integrates into HCA Healthcare

Tomball (Texas) Regional Medical Center integrated operations with Houston-based HCA Healthcare's Gulf Coast Division July 1.

44. Mercy Health Network to receive affiliation proposal from Iowa hospital

The Guttenberg (Iowa) Municipal Hospital board will begin drafting a management services agreement to align with Des Moines, Iowa-based Mercy Health Network.

45. Kern Medical Center, USC partner for epilepsy program, center

Kern Medical Center, a 222-bed hospital in Bakersfield, Calif., is partnering with the USC Neurorestoration Center  part of Los Angeles-based Keck School of Medicine of USC  to create an epilepsy center in Bakersfield.

46. Wake Forest Baptist closes on 30-year lease of Wilkes Regional Medical Center

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center officials closed on a 30-year lease of North Wilkesboro, N.C.-based Wilkes Regional Medical Center July 1.

47. Webster County Memorial, Davis Health to explore affiliation

Webster Springs, W.Va.-based Webster County Memorial Hospital and Elkins, W.Va.-based Davis Health System signed a letter of intent to discuss a possible affiliation.

48. Hays Medical Center becomes sole owner of Kansas health center

Hays (Kan.) Medical Center, part of Kansas City-based The University of Kansas Health System, became the sole owner of St. Rose Health Center in Great Bend, Kansas, July 1.

49. Sitka Community Hospital nixes proposed SEARHC merger

The Sitka (Alaska) Community Hospital board cancelled its letter of intent to combine operations with Juneau-based SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium June 22.

50. Billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong's company acquires majority stake in Integrity Healthcare

Patrick Soon-Shiong, MD, and his company NantWorks, acquired a majority stake in Integrity Healthcare.

51. Navicent outbids Prime to acquire bankrupt Georgia hospital

Macon, Ga.-based Navicent Health will acquire Milledgeville, Ga.-based Oconee Regional Medical Center, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May.

52. Marshfield Clinic Health System completes purchase of Ascension hospital

Marshfield (Wis.) Clinic Health System completed its asset purchase of Saint Joseph's Hospital, also in Marshfield, July 1.

53. Franciscan Alliance partners with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush for orthopedic care

Chicago-based Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush entered into an agreement with Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance June 29 to co-manage the Franciscan Health Munster (Ind.) Health Center for Joint Surgery.

54. Kaiser Permanente subsidiary assumes operations at Hawaii hospitals

Wailuku-based Maui Health System, a subsidiary of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, assumed the management of community hospitals and associated clinics from the state of Hawaii July 1.

55. Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health acquires Magnolia HealthPhysicians of East Texas

Tyler, Texas-based Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System acquired Magnolia Health SystemsPhysicians of East Texas July 1.
Hospitals have employed nurse practitioners (NPs) for decades, but only recently have they begun to capitalize on NPs potential.

Changes in NP licensure laws, a swiftly aging patient population and increasing pressures from Medicare to focus on care quality has elevated the profile of NPs as key players in a new age of cost-conscious, quality hospital care. Here are three reasons why hospitals are turning to NPs and improving patient care in the process.

1. NPs are the lynchpin in achieving continuum of care. While most hospitals embrace the idea of delivering a more seamless continuum of care, connecting the dots between primary care, specialists, ER teams and follow-on home health can be a complex task. Often the biggest challenge is finding the provider that can cure hospital fragmentation  someone who has the expertise to diagnose and treat patients with the consultative skills to facilitate their journey through the labyrinth of care. This role is increasingly being filled by an NP.

This is especially critical for hospitals struggling to transition patients between in- and out-patient care. Approximately 20 percent of Medicare patients admitted to U.S. hospitals each year are readmitted within 30 days of discharge, running up a $15 billion hospital tab for the U.S. annually. Even more staggering, more than half of all surgery patients either died or were readmitted to the hospital within a year. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) estimates that three-quarters of those readmissions (and about $12 billion in Medicare spending) might be avoided with a better continuum of care, including better discharge planning. And therefore, Medicare is cutting payments to hospitals that experience high rates of potentially avoidable readmissions.

Increasingly, NPs are helping to reverse this trend. One study assessing the impact of adding an NP to the oncology surgery department cited improvements in oversight and care after discharge  including a 64 percent increase in phone follow-up and a 14 percent increase in the use of home care and physical/occupational therapy services. More significantly, having an NP facilitate the discharge process resulted in a 50 percent decrease in the number of unnecessary follow-up hospital visits and $800,000 in hospital savings. In California, reducing avoidable readmission hospital stays by just one day could save healthcare programs $227 million a year ($179 million in Medicare savings plus $48 million in Medicaid savings).

A seamless handoff between hospital staff and community caregivers has proven to drastically reduce patient bounce-back. From giving detailed discharge instructions, to teaching patients to flush a gastric tube, to arranging for follow-up appointments and in-home healthcare, NPs are bridging an otherwise widening gap between hospital stay and outpatient care.

2. NPs are advancing the shift towards community care. By the year 2030, one in five Americans will be over the age of 65. The focus of these baby boomers on controlling their care and staying in their communities, along with the increasing number living with chronic disease, will put strain on our healthcare delivery system  especially hospitals. As a result, an increasing number of hospitals are looking for progressive solutions to improve efficiency.

This involves turning to healthcare providers to deliver advanced clinical and primary care in patients homes after discharge to improve patient outcomes and avoid readmissions, all at a reduced cost. NPs are more likely to provide home-based care than physicians, and NPs also deliver care over the widest geographical area. In 2013, NPs performed over one million home care visits, accounting for more than 20 percent of all residential visits to Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.

The potential savings realized through home health is significant and extends beyond the clinical visit. The daily cost of home oxygen for Medicare patients is 1/268th the cost of a single-day stay in the hospital. A home intravenous antibiotic program under Medicare is $122 a day, compared to $798 in an inpatient setting.

Legislation must pass congress to relieve this significant barrier to these home-based health services. Although NPs typically assess the need for and are, by and large, the provider of these services, outdated Medicare regulations does not grant NPs the authority to prescribe home health services without physician certification, resulting in provider duplication and costly delays  ironically for a service designed to eliminate these very problems. Passing new legislation would expedite patient care, prevent patients from unnecessarily seeking hospital treatment and increase access for home reliant seniors, especially in rural areas. Authorizing NPs to certify home health services will result in upwards of $275 million in cost savings by 2020, which has hospitals taking note.

3. NPs have greater practice authority and can provide care in more places. Currently 22 states plus the District of Columbia have granted nurse practitioners full practice authority (FPA) to work to the full scope of their education and training without physician oversight or collaborative agreements. More states are considering doing the same. This year, South Dakota was the latest to grant full autonomy to NPs, while Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and North Carolina continue to weigh similar licensure legislation.

Increasing autonomy and intensifying recognition from the healthcare community are driving factors in job growth projections for NPs over the next several years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 31 percent increase in NPs by 2024, far outpacing other professions, which is good news for hospitals preparing for a steady influx of new patients. In the coming years, more than 60 percent of the 61 million baby boomers will need treatment for one or more chronic conditions, and many will turn to hospitals for care. Currently one-third of NPs practice in hospitals, and this number is expected to rise as the number of practicing NPs increases.

As hospitals rethink healthcare delivery to meet the challenges of an aging baby boomer population and address rising healthcare costs, nurse practitioners represent a critical solution. With healthcare costs expected to reach $4.8 trillion by 2021 (compared to $2.6 trillion in 2010), reducing spending without sacrificing patient care is an obvious priority. Focusing on improving the continuity of care, transitioning peripheral hospital services into the community and increasing SOP rights for NPs will set a new standard for healthcare delivery in the next decade, and hospitals leveraging the untapped value of NPs will have a significant advantage.

David Hebert is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.
Local police and state health officials are investigating a reported sexual assault on a patient at Truman Medical Centers' Lakewood Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., according to The Kansas City Star.

The report was filed after a nurse at the hospital walked into a patient room on July 28 and allegedly observed a male medical care technician having inappropriate contact with a long-term care resident. TMC subsequently fired the technician and banned him from the hospital campus.

"Truman Medical Centers' number one priority is patient safety," said TMC spokeswoman Leslie Carto in a statement emailed to Becker's Hospital Review. "The organization has zero tolerance for any employee putting those in our care in harm's way. We won't rest until all investigations are complete, and the resident's family has the answers it deserves about this incident."

Ms. Carto also said TMC is working closely with investigators from both the Kansas City Police Department and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

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The Pennsylvania Insurance Department will allow Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health to make investments in its acquired entity, Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network, with less oversight than previously required, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.

Beginning with Highmark's acquisition of AHN in 2013, state insurance regulators required Highmark to gain approval before investing $250 million or more in AHN in a 12-month period. Highmark also had to notify state regulators of transfers worth $100 million or more. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department sought the information to ensure Highmark maintained enough funds to pay its members' claims.



However, Highmark recently requested the requirements be lightened to "respond more quickly to changes in the healthcare landscape, and thus provide more healthcare options to consumers," the report states. State regulators granted the request Friday.



Under the requirement's modification, Highmark can invest in the AHN system sans approval or notification to the state if the expenditure doesn't surpass 10 percent of the payer's surplus. Highmark's surplus totals $3.9 billion, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller said in a release to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the change "will still require Highmark Inc., at all times, to maintain sufficient risk-based capital to pay all claims submitted by its health insurance customers."



For the full report, click here.
Supply chain modernization is key to maintaining a hospital's bottom line in today's evolving healthcare landscape.

Current healthcare trends  mergers and acquisitions, consumerism and the shift toward value-based care  directly influence supply chain, according to Lisa Zierten, director of marketing for hospital services at Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health. She believes hospitals must move away from complicated, manual supply chain processes to more technology-driven systems to be effective in the new healthcare environment.

Ms. Zierten spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about how hospital supply chain leaders should respond and adapt to current healthcare trends to ensure optimal efficiency and cost savings at their institution.

Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: What current trends in the healthcare industry are making the case for hospitals to modernize their supply chain?

Lisa Zierten: There are three major trends: consolidation, consumerism and fee-for-value. First, consolidation provides scale and opportunity to create efficiencies like never before through volume aggregation and standardization of products and workflows. Second, hospital reimbursement from government payers is now tied in part to consumer experience. This puts more pressure on frontline staff to focus on the patient and reduce nonclinical multi-tasking. And lastly, declining reimbursements and movement to fee-for-value is putting even greater need to understand the true, all-in cost of care.

Q: Given the focus on value, why are some hospitals increasingly concerned about the cost to acquire products?

LZ: The fact is reimbursement is declining. Total Medicare and Medicaid spending in 2015 was just over $1 trillion. A recent Healthcare Financial Management Association report estimated an $80 billion reduction in reimbursement by 2023, or about an 8 percent reduction over 10 years. Hospitals are facing challenges from both lower inpatient volumes and lower reimbursement. Meanwhile, the cost to provide care is increasing. Since 1992, the price of medical care has increased an average of 118 percent, and the price of physician services rose by 92 percent.

In response to these trends, hospital leaders must take a holistic approach to supply chain management and go beyond the cost of acquisition. They must focus on other ways to reduce costs, such as improving utilization, reducing waste and examining clinician workflows. This involves taking away mundane, distracting nonclinical activity from nurses' daily duties so they can get back to patient care. Additionally, hospitals must look at how a patient moves through the continuum of care  from pre- and post-procedure  to ensure connectivity and promote positive outcomes.

Q: What are some examples of hidden costs that hospitals often overlook?

LZ: When it comes to saving money, much of the low-hanging fruit has already been picked over. This makes it even more critical to search for different opportunities. Adopting supply chain data standards is a good start. Hospital leaders would be able to extract greater value from data to help them make informed decisions as a result. Standards should be adopted to serve as a platform for visibility. This would open the door for stronger data analysis, tying together various trends and generating better decisions.

Shrinkage in products and product expiration is another source of waste in the healthcare supply chain. Every day, as much as 10 percent of products expire on hospital shelves. On top of this, there can be revenue leakage due to an inefficient charge capture process. Both of these processes are exacerbated by human error. Whether employees are miscounting, not counting completely or losing track of products, these errors can snowball to create significant roadblocks in the long run.

Q: What solutions are available for hospitals to overcome the challenges they face with inventory management?

LZ: A lot of hospitals are still using complex, manual processes in the supply chain. In fact, research has shown 78 percent of hospitals are still manually counting inventory in their supply chains. The biggest roadblock for hospitals using antiquated inventory management systems is managing the manual labor required from staff. A recent survey sponsored by Cardinal Health found 18 percent of the average frontline caregiver's workweek is spent on inventory management tasks, such as searching for misplaced products or traveling to multiple storerooms to prepare for procedures. Not only is this a large burden on people's time, but it can also be difficult to track and quantify. The same survey indicated 65 percent of frontline staff would trade the time they spend on supply chain tasks to be with patients. When nurses aren't with patients, risks  like falls  can increase, and when accidents occur, reimbursement decreases. It all cascades.

Between hidden costs and inefficient processes, now is the time to modernize the healthcare supply chain. Implementing automated solutions is a step in the right direction. Automated inventory management technology can provide real-time stock visibility for products with unique identification, like radio-frequency identification tags versus generic barcodes. Clinicians and staff can simply wave a product over a unique identification reader and cloud-based software captures the product information. At the end of the day, these solutions can help supply chain leaders avoid losing money from inventory errors and minimize wasted time and energy.




An artists impression of the new apartments at Academy Street

A new 12m apartment building is due to become Belfast's first so-called 'build to rent' scheme.

Holywood firm Lacuna and Welsh developer Watkin Jones plan to build the 19-storey apartment block on a car park at Academy Street in the Cathedral Quarter.

'Build to rent' apartment blocks are rental only, with secure long-term tenancies from a landlord, who retains ownership. They include services such as security, concierges and cafes.

Lacuna and Watkin Jones are behind several student accommodation buildings in Belfast.

The designers are Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. Anthony Best of Lacuna, said: "To create a vibrant, modern city, Belfast needs to encourage a resident population of young, skilled, economically mobile professionals."
Some of Northern Ireland's best food producers have walked away with top UK industry gongs.

Around 180 products from across our shores were awarded at the Great Taste Awards.

That includes the multi-award winning Hannan Meats in Moira, which specialises in salt-aged beef.

Hannan Meats, which is run by Peter Hannan, won for its sweet-cured bacon rack.

It picked up the highest three-star accolade, along with other businesses including Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co-operative Societys lightly brined and hot-smoked Smoked Lough Neagh Eel.

And one of Northern Ireland's new cured meat producers, Ispini, picked up a three-star award for its bresaola. It also landed two stars for its chorizo.

Tempted Cider Companys Tempted Irish Cider Elderflower was also described as a light and fruity medium sweet proper cider, with a good balance of distinct elderflower notes.

But each of the businesses are still in the running for the overall top award. The 'supreme champion' will be unveiled in London in September.

Across the UK, 12,336 products were judged, with 4,347 awarded a Great Taste accolade.
Supermarket giant Morrisons is relaunching the Safeway brand after striking a deal with McColl's to supply the convenience store chain with groceries.

The partnership will see the supermarket supply Safeway and branded products to 1,300 convenience shops and 350 newsagents starting from January next year.

The move will help Morrisons secure wholesale sales of 700 million including tobacco by the end of next year, with the amount rising to 1 billion in due course.

McColl's chief executive Jonathan Miller s aid the tie-up was "transformational" for the company and would prove to be a "defining moment" after boosting its estate by snapping up 298 Co-op stores.

He said: "As a large, leading multiple grocery retailer with its own outstanding food manufacturing capability, Morrisons stands apart from the competition, and we are truly delighted to be entering into partnership with them.

"In McColl's, Morrisons gain a long-term partner of significant scale with a growing neighbourhood convenience estate and in Morrisons we gain access to their best-in-class sourcing and manufacturing capabilities."

It comes after McColl's announced last month that pre-tax profits almost halved after the firm factored in the cost of snapping up nearly 300 stores from the Co-op.

The group said pre-tax profits fell from 8.2 million to 4.5 million in the first half of the year after it booked 2.3 million in exceptional costs linked to the deal.

But revenue rose 7.6% to 504.8 million in the six months to May 28, with like-for-like sales growing 0.2%.

Focusing on the supply chain partnership, Morrisons chief executive David Potts said: "We are very pleased to partner with McColl's, and look forward to developing a long and successful relationship together.

"We are also pleased to be reviving the Safeway brand which we know customers will enjoy.

"This new partnership is a further example of Morrisons leveraging existing assets to access the UK's growing convenience food market in a capital-light way.

"Wholesale supply will help make us a broader, stronger business."

Shares in Morrisons rose more than 1% in early trading on the London Stock Exchange.

Alongside McColl's, the supermarket has wholesale agreements in place with Amazon and UK forecourt operator Rontec.

Mr Potts has ploughed investment into price cuts and called time on under-performing stores in his attempts to turn the page on the supermarket's ill-fated era under ousted boss Dalton Philips.

His efforts come as the grocery sector's so-called Big Four - Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons - remain locked in a bitter price war sparked by German discounters Aldi and Lidl and face further challenges from an expected slowdown in consumer spending.
The head of a top Northern Ireland salad processor has called for more certainty on Brexit as he said his EU workers were 'deeply concerned' for their future.

John McCann, founder of Willowbrook Foods in Co Down, said workers should be offered 'dual citizenship' to allow them to remain here after Brexit.

He said many of his top staff were from outside the UK: "Currently, at least 20 people within my workforce are from the wider EU, and have progressed to senior level/management in the areas of production, technical and innovation."

John McCann MBE said many UK firms were still in the dark over what Brexit will mean for their exports and workforces.

His firm employs between 350 and 400 people, including more than 200 EU migrants.

He added: These people are highly valued by Willowbrook Foods, we have invested in their training and development.

Our politicians need to give reassurance that these employees will be able to work in my business in the future and certainly within the next five to 10 years.

We, and they, need to know how Brexit might affect their employment rights.

But staffing is not the only worry for the Co Down firm  just 10% of Willowbrooks produce is sold in Northern Ireland, with 50% destined for Great Britain, and the remaining 40% exported to the EU through the Republic of Ireland. Any change to EU trade could hit the company hard.

As a fresh food producer that has experienced double digit growth in the last number of years, and a significant increase in our workforce, Im very concerned about the level of uncertainty that has been created around Brexit on a number of levels.

This fresh produce, which is in high demand with customers across the UK and Republic of Ireland, relies on brisk, fast-moving transport, and any border delays could have an impact.

The Northern Ireland agri-food industry would like reassurances from ministers that the free movement will continue between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland post-Brexit.

Any fresh produce company relies on fast-moving transportation. Therefore, while we invest heavily in chilled transportation for our customer base across UK and Republic of Ireland, like most in the industry, any significant delays could of course prove a major challenge. But the product is only part of what concerns me, as successful businesses are based on people.

We need measures such as dual citizenship that would allow these employees to remain an integral part of the UK food industry. Theres a lot of misinformation about foreign workers taking our jobs, but I can assure you that thats not the case in Northern Irelands food industry.

Louise McAloon, partner at Worthingtons Solicitors, said UK immigration law would come into force if no agreement was made. She said: Whilst no one can predict the outcome of the negotiations, it has been widely anticipated that existing EU nationals employed in the UK would retain the right to remain.

If the retention of existing EU workers or wider free movement of incoming EU workers doesnt form part of that negotiated settlement between the UK and the EU, then potentially dual citizenship could present a solution to plug the gaps.
Late last month the Republic of Ireland moved even closer to removing all restrictions on alcohol sales over the Easter period.

The Seanad - the Republic's Upper House - approved the Intoxicating Liquor Bill, paving the way for the government to have the changes implemented in time for Easter 2018.

This is a real challenge for the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland and decision makers here must act quickly to abolish the antiquated laws which impose restrictions on the sale of alcohol on bars, hotels and restaurants across the whole of the Easter period in the country.

In 2015 we estimated that the current licensing restrictions in Northern Ireland cost the sector more than 16m.

However, that figure may look like small change when the new licensing laws in the Republic of Ireland take effect.

Furthermore the changes are likely to devastate not just our tourism but also result in significant additional losses as residents in Northern Ireland are tempted south for the Easter break and southern visitors are deterred from going north.

All of this is causing damage to an industry that sustains over 60,000 jobs and contributes more than 1.1bn to the NI economy ever year. Of course, the hospitality sector is also a vital part of the tourism industry, which is worth 1.6bn a year to the economy.

Northern Ireland's tourism industry has been growing year-on-year and together with the hospitality sector these form two key planks of the region's overall economy.

This is especially true with the uncertainty that Brexit will bring. A failure to at least match the licensing law changes that are being brought forward in the Republic will cost jobs, damage our ability to attract tourists and to retain our existing customers.

This will result in a reduction in investment by the industry and it will hit hard the small pubs and restaurants that are a vital part not only of our communities but of our overall hospitality and tourism offering.

We have made hugely positive strides over the past number of years in terms of growing our hospitality sector and in increasing visitor numbers. That is despite competing with the Republic's more favourable tourist VAT rate, increasing costs for bars and pubs in costs for providing services such as Sky TV and the ongoing ability of supermarkets to sell cheap alcohol as loss leaders.

We cannot sit back and wait for another competitive disadvantage to come our way in the shape of unrestricted licensing hours in the Republic.

It is therefore essential that a new Bill based on the amendments previously agreed is introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the autumn, or via Westminster if Direct Rule is introduced, as this situation cannot be allowed to continue any longer.

It is in everybody's interests to act quickly and decisively.
Not many people can boast that they became the youngest production controller in hosiery giant Adria Ltd at the tender age of 20, managing accounts for retailers such as Tesco Kids, Dunnes Stores and Mothercare.

But that's the position Peter McCaul (now 41) found himself in - and his next business move was rather an unorthodox one.

"I was being promoted on a regular basis, to the stage where I was being offered a company car by 21 - and I thought, 'I'm too young to have a career before seeing the world'," he says.

"So I left to live in San Francisco for a year, which is where I poured my first pint - rather badly, I might add."

That's how Newry-born Peter launched a 13-year career in hospitality - and now he's made another adventurous move, this time pioneering a way that shopping centres can get to know what makes their customers tick through his Pearlai technology company.

Peter spent years working in bars and restaurants in San Francisco, then Sydney, finally finding his way back home to Newry, where he eventually realised his ambition of setting up his own bar.

He took over the long-established Brass Monkey Bar & Restaurant, giving it a name for live music.

"We had Natty Wailer from Bob Marley and the Wailers and Rory Gallagher's original band, Taste, playing and I absolutely loved it," Peter says.

"Unfortunately, there was a slight dip in the economy by the end of my tenure and sadly it came to an end.

A few years down the line, a family issue meant Peter needed to launch a career that could offer free time and flexibility when necessary - and that was when he returned to an intriguing idea he had come up with during his time in hospitality.

"Every cloud has a silver lining, and a few years later I began my journey into the roller coaster ride of a technology-based start-up, which after two pivots and a number of years later has evolved into Pearlai, a world-class shopping centre specific technology company," he says.

"The best description of what Pearlai does would be that everyone with a website uses Google Analytics or something similar to monitor their website's traffic, demographics and conversion rates.

"Well, Pearlai has the ability to do the same, only better, more accurate and with greater detail for physical sites - i.e. shopping centres.

"We achieve this through our software platform and partnership with Hiving Technologies from Dubai, where we install readers strategically throughout a shopping centre.

"The shopping centre provides their best customers with a VIP loyalty card or keyring that enables the shopper to receive year-round discounts from multiple stores within the centre while also receiving personalised text messages from their favourite stores alerting them to offers."

Shoppers fill in an application for their loyalty card, outlining which stores they want to receive offers from. Then they will be strolling through centres like Newry's Buttercrane and will receive personalised messages saying something like: 'Hi Linda, you've been here three times this week - your parking is free today'.

It's a win-win - the customers get offers and discounts as they walk around, the tenants get key information that helps them to fine-tune their marketing strategy and the centre gets to know its clients better.

"For tenants, we provide them with indisputable evidence on how effective the centre's marketing budget has been," Peter says. "For example, we can tell Costa Coffee we sent 1,000 messages to their customers last week and out of those 1,000 messages 300 people stopped and entered their store."

"From those 300 we can tell them where they came from, how many times they visited and how long they stayed - and so much more. It's unparalleled.

"For landlords, we can give them information on which demographics visit their centre and which routes they take through the centre, which enables them to attract the perfect tenants.

"For the centre management, we give them the ability to do all of this at the simple click of a button, saving them time and keeping all their stakeholders happy."

The company is partnered with Dubai-based Hiving Technologies, which was started by Terry Ashwin, who invented the forerunner of Bluetooth and many technology world-firsts.

The scheme has been running in the Buttercrane Centre for about a month, and Peter says it's doing "unbelievably well" with some stores seeing conversion rates of over 20% when they message their customers with offers.

Many other potential clients are watching with interest, according to the entrepreneur.

"We have raised investment from London's leading Medtech business accelerator Collider," he says. "They have introduced us to the world's biggest shopping centre companies, with whom we are in discussions at the minute."

Peter says his team is in the middle of an investment round, which will enable Pearlai to drive the business forward with international expansion plans and meet the interest it has from within the UK and Ireland, Hungary, the UAE, South Africa, Australia and India.

"We are Google Analytics for a bricks-and-mortar site - we can tell them when customers arrived, how long they came for, how they buy," he explains.

"The future is looking very exciting for Pearlai as we look to build a local successful business with global scalable aspirations for the future. Watch this space."
In pain and sorrow, around 300 people gathered yesterday to remember the nine people who lost their lives 45 years ago to the day after three no warning bombs ravaged the village of Claudy in Co Londonderry.

As the clock struck 10.15am on July 31, 1972, the first bomb exploded - and two others followed in quick succession, ripping the heart out of the village and indiscriminately slaughtering Catholic and Protestant, young and old, men and women.

Among the first victims were Joseph McCloskey (39), who died instantly when the first bomb left at McElhinney's pub and shop exploded at 10.15am, and little Kathryn Eakin (8) who was helping in her family grocery shop.

Kathryn died from injuries sustained in the initial blast which also claimed the life of Elizabeth McElhinney (59), owner of the pub where the device was left. She was killed outright as she served a customer.

William Temple (16), a young man delivering milk in the village, fell dead in the street.

David Miller (60) died instantly when the third bomb exploded at the Beaumont Hotel, moments after the second detonated at the post office.

James McClelland (65) was killed by the third and final bomb, which was planted in a minivan parked outside the Beaumont Hotel owned by Mary Hamilton.

Rose McLaughlin (51) died in hospital a week after the bombs exploded, leaving behind a family of eight, while Patrick Connolly (15) died in hospital later from injuries he sustained from the first bomb.

Father-of-two Arthur Hone (38), a Catholic, became the ninth victim after he died from his injuries a fortnight after the bombings.

The Claudy bombings remain among the worst atrocities in the history of the Troubles, but last night the village came together to remember loved ones, lost but never forgotten.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close James Millers grandfather David was killed The memorial statue in Claudy / Facebook

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Family members of those killed, as well as survivors of the bomb, gathered for the ecumenical service near the memorial erected as a permanent reminder of the day evil visited this sleepy country village.

They were joined by others, some too young to remember the devastation and others who will never forget.

In a poignant ceremony, clergy from the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Catholic churches read passages from the Gospels and led hymns.

Janice Galbraith, a niece of William Temple, and Mairead O'Kane, granddaughter of Joseph McCloskey, led prayers for all those who had ever lost a loved one in the violence of the Troubles.

Ms Galbraith prayed: "Come close, we pray to all who have known the trauma of terrorism, the injured, the bereaved, the displaced, the lonely and the disillusioned."

Ms O'Kane prayed for those who carried out "acts of terrorism and criminality" that they may "come to an awareness of their sin and confess it in truth and sincerity".

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Mark Eakin, whose sister Kathryn died DUP leader Arlene Foster / Facebook

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After the short service refreshments were on offer at the Presbyterian Church where, for the first time, three Troubles memorial quilts, including patches depicting the Claudy atrocity, were displayed. Although she rarely speaks to the media, Anne Hone - widow of Artie - said she has given up hope of ever getting justice and no longer even wants to know who killed her husband and the other eight victims.

"It means so much to me that so many people have come here to remember all the people who lost their lives, because it keeps their memory alive," she said.

"My own memories of the day are so vivid, I remember every minute. My husband was a good family man who was devoted to me and to his children.

"I honestly do not think anyone will be held to account for what they did here and at this stage in my life I would prefer not to know."

Kathryn Eakin's brother Mark said that while any opportunity to gather with other bereaved families is welcomed, the loss of his sister is something he will never forget.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Eakin said: "There is hardly a day that passes even yet that I don't think about Kathryn or what happened in Claudy.

"I don't live here any more, but I still have many good friends in Claudy and I will be glad of the opportunity to meet with them again.

"I know people have said Martin McGuinness went to his grave with information about Claudy, and that may be so, but there are still plenty of people alive that have information and I would like them to speak up.

"I am convinced there are government papers hidden deep in the annals of London which could tell us who did what and who helped cover it up and I am calling for those papers to be released."

Marjorie Leslie was tending to the dying and injured where they fell when she was hit with shrapnel from the third bomb.

She said it was very emotional as the clock hands reached 10.15am, when the lives of so many Claudy families were changed forever.

"There was a service five years ago to mark the 40th anniversary of Claudy, and that was entirely appropriate, but I don't need a public service to remember Claudy," she explained. "It is something I will never forget, because I live with my injuries, but I also live with the memories of Kathryn (Eakin) whom I helped to look after and all the other people who were killed and murdered that day.

"I did look at my watch this morning and it was so emotional remembering the scenes I witnessed 45 years ago, the bodies being put into plastic bags and taken to Altnagelvin.

"Nothing can prepare you for that, but I thank God every day I was spared, and remember those who were not every day too."

Among those attending was James Miller, whose grandfather David died from the injuries he sustained in the explosion.

He said: "I am here on my own because my father, who has fought for answers and justice for the past 45 years, is now too ill to carry on.

"With a doubt, the stress, pain and anxiety my father suffered trying to get justice for his father contributed to his ill health now.

"It really has destroyed him. This anniversary was too much for him, so he took himself off to his bed because he couldn't bear to even see anyone. It is very difficult for us as a family to see him in that kind of a state and if I am honest this has also taken over my life now.

"It is eating me up inside, but I don't want my children to be going through this.

"Claudy was the forgotten atrocity. People say, 'Oh that's terrible' but they move on. But the families never had that opportunity to move on.

"It is a constant fight and no one knows unless you have been through the same torture and torment we have, you can't imagine the pain."
One of the two helicopters delivering Northern Ireland's first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (Press Eye/PA)

Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 2nd August 2017 Air Ambulance Northern Ireland officially launch at its Maze/Long Kesh site outside Lisburn. This is Northern Ireland's first air ambulance helicopter and is now fully operational. Eleven-year-old Conor McMullan pictured beside one of the air ambulance helicopters with(left to right) air doctor Darren Monaghan, paramedic Glenn O'Rourke and pilot David O'Toole . Conor from Castlewellan was the first people to use the air ambulance after he was involved in an accident and the helicopter was diverted from a training exercise. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 2nd August 2017 Air Ambulance Northern Ireland officially launch at its Maze/Long Kesh site outside Lisburn. This is Northern Ireland's first air ambulance helicopter and is now fully operational. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 2nd August 2017 Air Ambulance Northern Ireland officially launch at its Maze/Long Kesh site outside Lisburn. This is Northern Ireland's first air ambulance helicopter and is now fully operational. DUP leader Arlene Foster and party colleague Jeffery Donaldson pictured at the launch Chief Executive of the Air Ambulance Patrick Minne. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/08/2017 DUP's Simon Hamilton and Jeffrey Donaldson as the new Air Ambulance officially takes to the air at the old Maze prison Site in Lisburn. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Conor McMullan (11) who was the first to be rescued by the new Air ambulance after a farming accident in Co Down as the new Air Ambulance officially takes to the air at the old Maze prison Site in Lisburn.

A young boy who was badly injured in a farming accident has been reunited with the heroes who came to save him as Northern Ireland's first air ambulance is officially launched.

Eleven-year-old Conor McMullan sustained serious head injuries after being involved in a tractor accident in Castlewellan on July 22.

The air ambulance was scrambled from training to take him to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

On Wednesday, at the official launch of the service at its base within the Maze site outside Lisburn, Conor and his family met with the air ambulance crew who came to his aid.

His father John McMullan said he witnessed first hand how the air ambulance is such a vital service for the region.

He said: "We are a farming community and it was a typical Saturday with everyone farming. The kids were enjoying themselves when Conor was hit by a piece of machinery and sustained a very bad head injury and fracture.

"Where we are is very rural and the roads are very poor but thanks to the air ambulance we were able to get him into hospital and treated within minutes.

"It was very traumatic for us but it was very settling to know the air ambulance was there and he was going to get the care he needed within minutes.

"It really put me at ease and so did the professionalism of the team. It really is a vital service. Conor is going to make a full recovery."

Within minutes of its official launch the air ambulance was dispatched to an emergency call.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close DUP leader Arlene Foster, Jeffrey Donaldson and Patrick Minne as the new Air Ambulance officially takes to the air at the old Maze prison Site in Lisburn. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/08/2017 11 year old Conor McMullan who was the first to be rescued by the new Air ambulance after a farming accident in Co Down with Dr Darren Monaghan , Paramedic Glenn O'roark and Pilot David O'Toole as the new Air Ambulance officially takes to the air at the old Maze prison Site in Lisburn. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press / Facebook

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Whatsapp DUP leader Arlene Foster, Jeffrey Donaldson and Patrick Minne as the new Air Ambulance officially takes to the air at the old Maze prison Site in Lisburn. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press

Conor said: "I can't remember being in the helicopter so it was really brilliant to see it today, especially flying."

The creation of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) follows a 12-year campaign with Northern Ireland previously being the only area in the UK without an air ambulance service.

The helicopter is able to reach any part of Northern Ireland within 25 minutes and operates with a doctor and paramedic on board.

The air ambulance has already attended a number of incidents during preparatory and training periods over the last few weeks.

"Our first casualty, Conor, was taken to Belfast in an eight-minute flight that would probably have taken between 50 and 60 minutes by road," said Air Ambulance Northern Ireland's Patrick Minne.

"I can't tell you the amount of time it will save in terms of getting a doctor to treat a casualty on site. "
Alliance worker Micky Murray said hed like to ban the DUP from Belfast in the post on his Facebook page

Alliance worker Micky Murray said hed like to ban the DUP from Belfast in the post on his Facebook page

Belfast City Council has confirmed it received a complaint after an Alliance Party worker donned the Lord Mayor's chain - and quipped his first act would be to ban the DUP from the city.

Micky Murray, who works for South Belfast MLA Paula Bradshaw, published a post to his Facebook page last Friday in which he is standing in the Lord Mayor's parlour wearing the chain of office.

Mr Murray's party colleague Nuala McAllister is the current Lord Mayor of Belfast.

He added the message to his post: "As First Gay of Belfast it's an honour to invite the LGBT community to Belfast City Hall for the launch of Belfast Pride.

"My first act as First Gay of Belfast is banning the DUP from the city and making rainbows compulsory."

In an exchange of comments on the post - which is visible to any Facebook user and not restricted - Mr Murray added: "I've claimed it."

Alliance leader Naomi Long is among almost 450 people who 'liked' the post, as well as Ms Bradshaw, and Alliance councillors Emmet McDonough Brown and Sian O'Neill.

However, a complaint has been made to the council over the post, questioning whether such a statement was appropriate.

The same person also contacted the Belfast Telegraph with their concerns, claiming that they found the post to be disrespectful to the Lord Mayor's chain of office, and also to the DUP.

The DUP also hit out, saying the post was a "misjudgment".

Party Belfast City Council group leader Lee Reynolds said: "Whether he meant it as a joke with a jag or as a real comment, it is not acceptable and an insult to the tens of thousands who vote DUP in Belfast.

"The use of a photograph in the Lord Mayor's chain alongside this statement adds to the misjudgment by this Alliance Party employee and the Lord Mayor herself."

The Alliance Party said it did not wish to respond.

Belfast City Council confirmed it had received a call about the Facebook post, but that the matter had been resolved within the phone call and it regarded the matter as closed.

The chain of office dates from 1874, when it was purchased and presented to then Mayor James Alexander Henderson.

It displays the city's coats of arms and the motto is surrounded by symbols representing the four provinces of Ireland.
A complaint about a billboard campaign claiming Northern Ireland's restrictive abortion laws had saved 100,000 lives has been dismissed by the regulator.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the assertion was not misleading and there was a "reasonable probability" it was largely accurate.

Pro-life lobby group Both Lives Matter faced a challenge after 14 complaints said the claim could not be substantiated.

An ASA statement said: " On balance, we concluded that the evidence indicated that there was a reasonable probability that around 100,000 people were alive in Northern Ireland today who would have otherwise been aborted had it been legal to do so.

"Because we considered that readers would understand the figure to represent an estimate, we concluded that the claim was unlikely to materially mislead readers."

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where terminations remained banned after the 1967 Abortion Act was introduced in Great Britain.

Both Lives Matter said it had attempted to estimate the number of people alive in Northern Ireland today because the law had not been introduced in Northern Ireland, meaning the procedure was still illegal.

They said it was not possible to calculate an exact figure but 100,000 represented a credible and conservative estimate.

The calculation was based on a comparison with Scotland's abortion ratio.

Dawn McAvoy, spokeswoman for Both Lives Matter, said she was delighted with the result.

She added: "Our opponents said we could not substantiate the claim despite us producing a robust report. The ASA have examined our calculations and backed our figure.

"Their expert concluded that it is reasonable to say that 100,000 people are alive today who would have otherwise been aborted had it been legal to do so.

"This independent verification is a real endorsement of our campaign."

Ms McAvoy said statistically everyone in Northern Ireland knows someone who is alive today because of "balanced" laws relating to abortion.

She said: "We wanted people to realise that this had changed the lives of everyone. It also debunks the myth that law doesn't stop abortions - it clearly does."
Two men have been jailed for their roles in a Europe-wide conspiracy to pass off horsemeat as beef that was uncovered after a Newry council health official's surprise inspection.

Most of the 30 tonnes of horsemeat entered the food chain.

Andronicos Sideras (55), one of the owners of meat manufacturer Dinos & Sons, mixed horsemeat with beef before the mixture was sold to other firms in a plot that deceived consumers and food processors.

Ulrik Nielsen (58), the Danish owner of FlexiFoods, bought horsemeat and beef from suppliers across Europe and had it delivered to Dinos in Tottenham, north London.

Nielsen's "right-hand man", Alex Beech (44) arranged for the shipments to be transferred and handled the accounting.

The majority of the meat, including some from farm horses not sold for slaughter, made it into the food chain and, while the face value of the fraud was 177,869, police said the true cost had probably run into millions of pounds.

Sideras, of Southgate, north London, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud between January 1 and November 30, 2012, and was jailed at Inner London Crown Court for four years and six months.

Nielsen and Beech, who had already pleaded guilty to the same charge, were sentenced, Nielsen to three years and six months in jail, and Beech to 18 months suspended for 12 months.

The trio's plot was discovered in September 2012 when Newry and Mourne District Council health inspectors made an unannounced visit to a Freeza Meat store in Newry and found a third of the pallets contained horsemeat.

Of that consignment, prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said: "In fact this was a mess up. Sideras got it wrong."

At the time, beef could be sold at a wholesale price of 3 per kg, while horsemeat was cheaper at 2 per kg.

Police would later sift through 12 tonnes of meat by hand and horse ID chips, roughly the size of a grain of rice, were found.

They belonged to two horses named Trak and Wiktor from the Lodz region of Poland, and a third Irish horse called Carnesella Lady, from rural Co Galway.

UK supermarkets were rocked by the horsemeat contamination crisis in 2013, with products labelled as beef and other meats found to contain varying amounts of horse flesh.

In a statement, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said the horsemeat scandal had affected consumer confidence in food.

"While there is no risk to public health, this case has shown that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Environmental Health Officers have the legal powers and ability to investigate these serious types of food fraud," a spokesman for the council said.

"This goes towards helping to restore consumer confidence and protecting the consumer from being misled, whilst at the same time providing fairness for all the other businesses within the district and beyond who are operating with responsible and legitimate practices," he added.
Northern Ireland holidaymakers have been warned to stay away from a dangerous jellyfish that washed up at a popular beach in Donegal.

A giant lion's mane jellyfish was discovered at Downings on Sunday evening and was reported to Mulroy Coast Guard by a member of the public before being removed. The beach is located near the village of Downings on the Rosguill Peninsula and is particularly popular with families from over the border.

Michelle Hay of Mulroy Coast Guard said one sting from this particular type of jellyfish can cause potentially deadly anaphylactic shock.

"There has just been one report so far on Downings Beach but there has been lots of reports along the coast of Donegal," she said. "This type of jellyfish is very large and has long tentacles, and its stings can be extremely painful. Its stings can also cause anaphylactic shock. We are just warning families that they are there, as this beach is very busy and is very popular with families with young children."

Ms Hay said the lion's mane - which gets its name from its long tentacles and their orange-brown colour - is the largest jellyfish to be found in Irish waters.

She added: "People that live along the coast are used to seeing these types of jellyfish but maybe people coming on day trips from Northern Ireland are not so used to it. The advice is to stay away from them and report any sightings to the Coast Guard."
Flats in new apartment block in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter will be available for rent only, it has been announced

A proposed new apartment complex soaring 19 storeys high in Belfast city centre will be available for rental only, developers said.

The 12 million investment on the site of a car park on Academy Street in the Cathedral Quarter will include communal spaces and cafes and will feature secure long-term tenancies.

Those behind the building scheme said millennials had been forced by high mortgage deposits to increasingly choose rented space over home ownership.

Anthony Best, director of Lacuna Developments, said: "We are looking forward to working again with Belfast city council to make sure this exciting and ground-breaking scheme happens for the city."

In rental-only arrangements ownership of individual units is retained by the building owner and typically a management company provides additional services to long-term tenants.

It is part of a global trend in housing that is popular with professionals under the age of 35, Mr Best added.

He said Belfast needed to encourage a resident population of young, skilled, and economically mobile professionals.

The city has some of the highest levels of foreign direct investment outside London and young people aged under 21 make up nearly a third of its population.

Mr Best said: "The legacy of the Troubles, however, has left the city centre with one of the lowest city centre populations in Europe.

"The council aims to increase the city's population to 70,000 people by 2035, but Belfast is competing to attract a workforce and it needs modern urban city centre accommodation to match."

The building is being designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios the architects responsible for the nearby Ulster University campus expansion.
It's a tipple infamous for the drunken recklessness it can induce, and now it has been revealed that someone is arrested in a Buckfast-related incident every 10 days in Northern Ireland

It's a tipple infamous for the drunken recklessness it can induce, and now it has been revealed that someone is arrested in a Buckfast-related incident every 10 days in Northern Ireland.

Over a five-year period, so-called 'Lurgan champagne' was involved in an average of 38 arrests annually.

Last year the number of arrests hit a five-year peak - 56 in total.

This was more than double the figure from 2015 when 25 people were arrested. Prior to that, 2012 saw 41 arrests, 2013 saw 28, and 2014 saw 42. In the first five months of this year a further 18 mentions of Buckfast were recorded by the PSNI in arrest reports.

The figures were released following a Freedom of Information request from the Belfast Telegraph.

The tonic wine is made by Benedictine monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon.

In a statement, the drink's distributor J. Chandler & Company said: "The key fact from the request you have received is to point out that Buckfast was merely mentioned within the report.

"This does not mean that Buckfast was responsible for the crimes which were committed. No brand of alcohol can be held accountable for crimes which are committed, it is down to the individual concerned.

"Given that Buckfast was mentioned less than 0.23% out of the total amount of crimes committed, there are more pressing issues to contend with."

The figures related to all incidents where a person was arrested and processed through police custody.

Less serious incidents not in the figures include when perpetrators are arrested and released on street bail, where they are required to report to a police station at a later date, or discretionary disposals carried out by the PSNI where officers are able to use their judgement to resolve minor crimes.

A 750ml bottle of Buckfast retails for around 8 a bottle and has an alcohol content of 15%.

DUP MLA Carla Lockhart told the Belfast Telegraph: "While I don't want to comment on a particular brand it is clear that alcohol does on occasions lead to adverse actions and criminality.

"If people are going to consume alcohol they need to be mindful of the potential repercussions should it impair their judgment."

Green Party MLA Clare Bailey said that her focus was on "protecting the most vulnerable in our society" and that "often they are the same people who consume super-strength drinks".

"There is a clear link between over-consumption of alcohol and arrests, whether it's fine wines and spirits or Buckfast," the MLA said.

"We need to ensure that we support people with alcohol issues, including through the provision of addiction services."

Buckfast is distributed throughout the UK by J Chandler & Company and, while less common in its home country of England, it enjoys popularity in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and in the Republic.

A favourite tipple of Scottish TV character Rab C Nesbitt, the drink is often singled out for criticism.

In 2006 Scotland's then-health minister Andy Kerr called it "seriously bad" and said there was "something different" about the drink - although he later tempered his comments after meeting with distributors.

Seven years ago, BBC Scotland broadcast a documentary featuring journalist Kenneth Macdonald, who said that his aim was to find out why the drink had "acquired a reputation as Scotland's 'commotion lotion'".
Police thanked the public for their help

A missing pregnant north Belfast woman has been found safe and well police have said.

Jade Donnelly went missing in the north Belfast area on Tuesday. Police thanked everyone who helped spread the message of her disappearance.
Venues in NI are being urged to support breastfeeding

Venues across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to sign up to a scheme that encourages breastfeeding.

Showing their support with a pink sticker, Belfast art centre The MAC has become the 500th member of Breastfeeding Welcome Here - a UK-wide campaign aimed at encouraging a variety of venues to back breastfeeding.

So far the list of businesses that have signed up include cafes, libraries and church halls.

The Department of Health revealed that NI's breastfeeding rates have remained static for several years.

According to Department figures, mothers in Northern Ireland who choose to breastfeed do so for a shorter period of time than breastfeeding mothers elsewhere in the UK.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has introduced The Breastfeeding Welcome Here initiative which is designed to show community support for breastfeeding mothers. The scheme now has 500 venues providing supportive environments for breastfeeding mothers

The campaign has emphasised that this support is fundamental before the baby is born and in the in the early days of motherhood, so new mothers can build their confidence and stay with their decision to breastfeed.

Jane Calvert of the PHA has said that World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7 ) offers an important opportunity to get the message across.

"Breastfeeding is the best start in life," she said.

"Showing increased support for breastfeeding mums is really important, as Northern Ireland has the lowest breastfeeding rates in the UK and one of the lowest rates in Europe.

"We know that for many mums, getting started isn't easy."

Former health minister Michelle O'Neill vowed to bring forward legislation as soon as possible to protect mothers who breastfeed in public.

Speaking at the beginning of World Breastfeeding Week, Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew has welcomed progress with the Public Health Agencys (PHA) Breastfeeding Welcome Here.

Breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organisation. It is a perfectly natural thing to do with proven health benefits for both mothers and their babies.

Unfortunately here in the north of Ireland we have one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the European Union.

We need to continue to promote and normalise breastfeeding and remove the social stigma that is attached to breastfeeding, particularly in relation to breastfeeding in public places.

While the Breastfeeding Welcome Here scheme is an important step in supporting breastfeeding mothers we also need the implementation of breastfeeding legislation that my colleague, former Health Minister Michelle ONeill, tasked her department to develop.

"Breastfeeding legislation would ensure breastfeeding mothers have the right to feed their children with confidence and without interruption in a public place."

A list of scheme members can be found on the BreastFedBabies website.
The DUP and Sinn Fein have locked horns again over Brexit.

Former Sinn Fein minister Conor Murphy claimed the DUP privately acknowledges that Brexit will be an economic disaster for the island of Ireland.

But the DUP hit back that Sinn Fein had "entered fantasy land" and is using "classic scaremongering tactics".

Mr Murphy suggested the DUP's public pro-Brexit stance was very different to its behind-closed-doors view.

"The reality is the DUP have been acting against the wishes of the majority of people here in relation to their approach to Brexit," said the former Sinn Fein MLA.

"They have now given the British government a blank cheque in terms of signing up to support any Brexit legislation that is brought forward.

"They can hardly then complain when those who will be disastrously impacted on by Brexit then call that out for what it is, who present issues as they are likely to arise.

"Quite clearly the Irish government and the Taoiseach have to defend the interests of the Irish people and we look to them to defend the interests of Irish citizens who live in this part of Ireland as well. So the DUP can hardly criticise others when they are acting against the interests and wishes of the vast majority of people on this island."

Asked for his reaction to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's remark that he hoped Brexit could still be averted, Mr Murphy added: "I would hope that Brexit wouldn't happen either, but that's a matter for the British government and the British state and the people who live there.

"The reality is we recognise, as does everyone, including the DUP privately, that Brexit is going to be an economic disaster for the island of Ireland."

In response, a DUP spokesperson said: "Mr Murphy and Sinn Fein have now entered fantasy land by inventing DUP positions.

"Mr Murphy should be focused on giving Northern Ireland a voice in Brexit negotiations, given the current impasse at Stormont with Sinn Fein's long list of demands.

"By getting a functioning Executive up and running, Northern Ireland can make the case for a good deal as the UK exits the European Union.

"Sinn Fein are using classic scaremongering tactics with little basis of fact or substance. The DUP are the best placed with their seats in Westminster to speak out on the needs of Northern Ireland. The reality is the UK is leaving the EU.

"A common sense approach is needed rather than the petty politicking seen here by Conor Murphy who still fails to accept the EU referendum vote."

A Sinn Fein delegation also met Secretary of State James Brokenshire yesterday. Mr Murphy claimed Mr Brokenshire did not table any new ideas over how to break Northern Ireland's political deadlock during their 30-minute meeting at Stormont House.
Three men have been arrested by detectives investigating the murder of Brian McIlhagga.

The men, aged 33, 34 and 49 were arrested in north Antrim on Tuesday and taken to Musgrave police station for questioning. They were also held on suspicion of being involved in a paramilitary shooting in Ballymoney in March 2015 and other serious crime.

Father of five, Mr McIlhagga (42) was beaten and shot by a group of masked men who dragged him from a house in Riverview Park in Ballymoney in January 2015.

A 33-year-old woman who lived in the house was also assaulted by the gang and four children in the property were traumatised.
The advertisement as it appears in the NI Jobfinder site

A call has been made for additional election staff to help beef up numbers for a potential snap election.

The Electoral Office has advertised for 'casual electoral assistants'.

Given the ongoing political stalemate in Northern Ireland and the Conservative's tentative grasp on power at Westminster, there is a potential for two more elections this year.

However, Chief Electoral Office Virginia McVea told the Belfast Telegraph the job ads were a matter of procedure and the organisation had to be prepared for future elections, whenever they may be.

"The Electoral Office of Northern Ireland has been on standby and remains on standby should an election be called," she said.

"We do from time to time seek to refresh our bank of casual staff. We recruit around 5,000 members of the public at election times and we seek to keep a bank available," she said.

Formal talks to re-establish the Northern Ireland Executive were brought to a close on July 6, but the parties have said that negotiations have been ongoing during the summer recess.

Should there be no agreement after the break, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire will be required to either call a fresh election or to re-establish direct rule.

The deadline to apply for the jobs is August 18.
A man who bought the car used in the shooting of prison officer David Black has been found guilty of IRA membership by the Republic's Special Criminal Court.

Mr Black, a 52-year-old father-of-two, was shot dead in Co Armagh in November 2012 while driving to work at Maghaberry Prison.

Vincent Banks (47), of Smithfield Gate Apartments in Dublin, had denied membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the IRA, or Oglaigh na hEireann, on December 18, 2012.

The non-jury court had heard that on November 1, 2012 Mr Black was killed in a "drive-by shooting" by the occupants of a Toyota Camry on the M1. The car was later found further along the motorway, burnt out in a ditch. Firearm cartridges connected to the death of Mr Black were found in the car.

Garda learned the Camry was registered to a Paul McCann with an address on Rathgar Road in Dublin. The landlord told the Garda there was no resident of that name living there, but that he recalled receiving a letter addressed to Paul McCann. The letter contained the car registration certificate for the Camry.

The Camry had been sold on October 10. When the log-book was analysed, Banks' right thumbprint was found.

The car was transported to Carrigallen, Co Leitrim, and parked there until October 31, the day before Mr Black was shot dead. Banks was arrested on December 18. The court heard that during interviews Banks told Garda he knew nothing about Mr Black or the Camry.

The court had also heard "belief evidence" from Chief Superintendent Gerry Russell that Banks was an IRA member on the date in question.

The defence claimed the prosecution was unable to point to "one single activity which could be described as uniquely consistent with IRA membership".

Delivering judgment yesterday, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Gerard Haughton, said the court accepted the evidence of the chief superintendent, and this was supported and corroborated by other parts of the prosecution case.

The judge said that it was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Banks was the purchaser of the Camry. She said the court was also satisfied that during Garda interviews Banks either told "lies" or failed to answer material questions and that the court could draw inferences from this failure.

Ms Justice Kennedy stated it was reasonable to draw inferences from the accused man's conduct in the months leading up to his arrest that he was a member of the IRA on the date in question.

Banks was remanded in custody until October 9, when he will be sentenced.
Journalist Kevin Myers has broken his silence to insist he is not anti-Semitic - but has admitted he deserved to be sacked for writing a hugely-controversial Sunday Times column.

Speaking to Sean O'Rourke on RTE Radio One on Tuesday morning, an emotional Mr Myers apologised profusely for the column two days ago, which saw the newspaper forced to apologise for causing "offence to Jewish people", and which has seen him lose his job.

"It was stupid of me, the encapsulation of such a complex issue in a single sentence," he said. "One of my flaws is to deal with major issues with throwaway lines," he added.

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Mr Myers, whose columns have regularly courted controversy, also said that he believed his journalistic career is "over". Although he did say the manner of his sacking was "wrong" and it could have been handled "gently and dealt with more dignity".

"I'm not sure if there's any redemption for me now which will give a lot of people satisfaction," he said.

He said he believed that "five or six" other people would have overseen the column - some in Dublin and some in London - before it went to print.

Under the headline 'Sorry ladies, equal pay has to be earned', Myers wrote on Sunday: I note that two of the best-paid women presenters in the BBC  Claudia Winkleman and Vanessa Feltz, with whose, no doubt, sterling work I am tragically unacquainted  are Jewish. Good for them.

Jews are not generally noted for their insistence on selling their talent for the lowest possible price, which is the most useful measure there is of inveterate, lost-with-all-hands stupidity. I wonder, who are their agents? If theyre the same ones that negotiated the pay for the women on the lower scales, then maybe the latter have found their true value in the marketplace.

Mr Myers said he deserved to be let go. But he denied he is anti-Semitic, or that he is misogynistic - while also saying that he doesn't believe in equality.

In the article he claimed that men are more ambitious, work harder, get sick less often, have more charisma - and are less likely to get pregnant.

He continued: "It's not misogynistic, I am a critic of political feminism but I'm not a misogynist. That (misogyny) is a term that I don't think you would have used about me in other circumstances, it's a simple way of labelling someone so that you don't have to listen to what they have to say."

"That's an observation I would have made on many occasions and I don't think it would have been the object of such attention in other circumstances.

"I do believe men and women behave very differently and men are driven by ambition and urges that women won't don't have generally speaking."

He added: "I'm talking about the issue of female equality, like when feminists within the BBC talk about how they should be equal , nobody is equal - the woman who is making the tea or cleaning the floor isn't equal to the star presenter and that is the issue."

The Sunday Times removed an online version of the piece by Sunday morning amid outcry on social media, but it appeared in printed editions of the newspaper across Ireland.

Ms Feltz voiced outrage at the content of the article on the BBC's Radio London breakfast show. She said the piece highlighted "every vile stereotype about what Jewish people have ever been deemed to be by racists". She also questioned how something "so blatantly racist" was allowed to appear in the newspaper. A spokesperson for Claudia Winkleman declined to comment.

Mr Myers apologised to both women, while expressing the view that his professional career is "over".

"I am very very sorry to them, I really mean it, I'm not rescuing anything as far as I can see, it's over for me. I am issuing an apology for no other reason than contrition of the hurt I have caused them.

"I said those words out of respect for their religion."

Presenter Mr O'Rourke asked him if he believed that women are inferior to men.

"You might come to that conclusion - if I thought that then I'd be an idiot," Mr Myers replied.

Mr Myers said he believed that "five or six" other people would have seen the column before it went to print - but that he doesn't believe anyone else should lose their job.
Donal Billings has clashed with the leadership of the New IRA while in Portlaoise prison

A man who planted a bomb on a bus during the Queen's visit to Ireland has gone on hunger strike in jail after clashing with the New IRA prison leadership.

Republicans have claimed that pensioner Donal Billings, a graduate of Queen's University Belfast, began refusing food in Portlaoise prison yesterday after he was thrown off a republican landing and forced onto a criminal wing.

Supporters of the 68-year-old claim that he has been subject to "bullying and intimidation" by the New IRA prison leadership.

A brother of H-Block hunger striker Patsy O'Hara last night said the situation in the jail was intolerable and some republicans were "doing the job of the British".

A spokesman for the Irish Republican National Congress, which is representing Mr Billings, said he had clashed with New IRA leaders in the jail on several issues.

"The first was over prison craft. He was not allowed to decide what he made himself. There was a row over him making a bodhran for his son," the spokesman said.

"There was also a dispute over him speaking Irish.

"He is a fluent Irish speaker and speaks Irish all the time. Some people didn't like it as they couldn't understand what he was saying.

"We are very worried about him going on hunger strike because of his age and the fact that he has a heart condition."

The Irish Republican Prisoners' Welfare Association, which looks after New IRA prisoners, didn't respond to requests for comment.

Billings, who was born in Dublin and was imprisoned in the Maze in the 1970s, married a Belfast woman on release.

He was a mature student at Queen's University in the late 1980s and lived in west Belfast.

In December 2016, Billings was jailed for eight-and-a-half years after he planted a bomb on a bus during the Queen's 2011 visit to Ireland.

He was living in Drumlish, Co Longford, at the time of his arrest and conviction. Gardai found a pistol and bullets after they arrested him.

Billings had created his bomb by packing a pipe full of gunpowder and petrol and hooking it up to a fireworks timer.

He was caught after calling the Garda with a bomb warning. The bus travelling from Ballina to Dublin was stopped at Maynooth.

The court heard that the 31 passengers had been exposed to the very significant risk of injury or death.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt described it as an outrageous, dangerous and highly irresponsible act.

Billings was also found guilty of four charges of making hoax bomb threats claiming 'mortars' would detonate at Dublin Castle during a State banquet attended by the Queen.

He also made fake bomb threats against a Sinn Fein office in Dublin. He was caught after gardai traced phone records and SIM cards.

In one telephone call, he said: "I am a member of the Republican Brotherhood squad A. This is for the Queen of blood, war in Iraq."

Billings, who was not a member of any paramilitary organisation and acted independently, was housed in the E1 landing in Portlaoise for unaligned republican prisoners.

But republicans said that the New IRA leadership, which is in charge of E3 and E4, was now in control of E1 and had forced him off it. Billings has received support from Republican Sinn Fein, the Republican Network for Unity, and the Irish Republican Socialist Party.

After the republican was convicted for incident during the Queen's visit, former loyalist prisoner Ronnie McCullough recalled how Billings had stopped other republicans from attacking a loyalist inmate in Long Kesh in 1972.

It was repayment for an incident when prison officers placed Billings in a loyalist compound hoping he would be attacked, but they let him go unharmed.
12 people have been arrested over banners at the Champions League qualifier between Celtic and Linfield (Jeff Holmes/PA)

Twelve men have been arrested over banners displayed at the match between Celtic and Linfield last month.

Celtic closed the Green Brigade section of their stadium for two games after Uefa charged the club over an alleged illicit banner and blocked stairways during the Champions League qualifying match with the Northern Irish team on July 19.

Police Scotland said 12 men, aged between 18 and 49, have now been arrested after a proactive police investigation into banners and material displayed.

Expand Close Both legs of the Champions League qualifier had issues with supporters (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook

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They have all been released on an undertaking to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court later this month.

Celtics partial stadium closure, thought to have affected 900 season-ticket holders in the safe-standing section of the ground, will be lifted after the match with Hearts on Saturday but the club said a number of fans within this area remain suspended while investigations continue.
The US military has said it carried out a drone strike in Somalia that killed a member of the al-Shabab extremist group, while Somalia's government said it believes the strike killed a high-level al-Shabab commander responsible for several deadly bombings in the capital.

A US Africa Command statement said the air strike occurred on Saturday near Tortoroow, an al-Shabab stronghold in the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia.

President Donald Trump earlier this year approved expanded military operations against al-Shabab, including more aggressive air strikes and considering parts of southern Somalia areas of active hostilities.

Al Qaida-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa.

The US statement said the air strike was carried out in co-ordination with regional partners "as a direct response to al-Shabab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces".

The statement said no civilians were killed.

A statement by Somalia's information ministry said the government believes that Ali Mohamed Hussein died in the operation co-ordinated with "international partners".

Ali had served as the extremist group's shadow governor for the capital, Mogadishu, and had been one of the group's most outspoken officials.

"This individual was part of an al-Shabab network responsible for planning and executing several bombings and assassinations that resulted in the deplorable death of numerous innocent civilians in Mogadishu," the ministry statement said.

A Somali intelligence official said at least one missile struck a car in which the al-Shabab leader was travelling.

The US military in early July said it carried out an air strike against al-Shabab in Somalia and was assessing the results.

The air strike followed one in June that the US said killed eight extremists at a rebel command and logistics camp in the south.

Somalia-based al-Shabab earlier this month mocked Mr Trump for the first time in a video that called him a "brainless billionaire".

The extremist group has also vowed to step up attacks in Somalia after the president elected in February declared a new offensive against al-Shabab, which continues to carry out deadly attacks in Mogadishu.

The extremist group has also carried out deadly attacks in neighbouring countries, notably Kenya, calling it retribution for sending troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabab.

AP
Yingluck Shinawatra arrives at the Supreme Court to make her final statements in a trial on a charge of criminal negligence in Bangkok (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra declared her innocence and asked for "kindness" from a court during her final statement in a criminal negligence trial that could land her in prison for 10 years if she is convicted.

The case centres around a rice subsidy that Thailand's current military government says she grossly mishandled. Yingluck's bank accounts were frozen after an administrative ruling held her responsible for about 1 billion US dollars in losses from the subsidy.

"I beg the court for kindness and please dismiss the charge," Yingluck said in her closing statement, according to prepared remarks. The verdict is to be issued on August 25.

Yingluck's supporters believe she is being persecuted by opponents of her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup for alleged corruption and disrespect to the monarchy.

The telecommunications mogul has been in self-imposed exile since 2008 to escape a prison sentence for corruption.

His ousting set off sometimes-violent battles for power in Thailand, and supporters say the political establishment opposes Thaksin because his electoral popularity threatens their entrenched privileges.

Yingluck led the last elected government in Thailand before being ousted as prime minister in 2014 when a court ruled that a personnel transfer involved nepotism. The army initiated a coup soon after and a military-led government has remained in power since.

Hundreds of Yingluck's supporters outside the packed Supreme Court in Bangkok on Tuesday shouted: "Prime minister, fight, fight!"

After another court appearance late last month, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the 2014 coup, warned Yingluck's supporters to tread carefully. He said the government would not prevent people from gathering, but that "everyone must show restraint" and let the court decide the matter.

The rice subsidy was a flagship policy that helped Yingluck's party win the 2011 general election. It paid Thai farmers about 50% above what they would have received on the world market, but, instead of driving up prices, the subsidy drove the world's demand for rice to cheaper producers. As a result, Vietnam replaced Thailand as the world's leading rice exporter.

The government bought and stored 13.3 million tons of rice, but exported less than 1 million tons. It cost the government billions of dollars.

Prosecutors in the negligence trial have argued Yingluck ignored warnings of corruption in the subsidy programme.

AP
There are many songs written about Northern Ireland's Troubles; far too many of them glorifying those who brought unending grief and horror to thousands of doorsteps, far too few remembering those slaughtered by terrorists who didn't even know their name.

But there is one song that puts that horror in perspective. It is The Ballad Of Claudy by the poet and songwriter James Simmons. Poets have the ability to make telling comments with an economy of words, and Simmons is no exception.

If you read his words today, 45 years since nine people were killed when three bombs exploded in the Co Londonderry village, they still conjure up the image of those who were going about their everyday business until death swept along the street.

Last night 300 people gathered at an ecumenical service to remember the dead and injured. The memory of that atrocity has passed down generations, at least one of which was not alive on that fateful day. That is the legacy terrorism has bequeathed Northern Ireland: anger, hurt, gnawing grief, unanswered questions.

This was not a noble struggle as some would have us believe, but a squalid conflict so shameful that the bombers, believed to be members of the IRA and including a Catholic priest, could not even bring themselves to admit responsibility for Claudy.

Just as their loved ones could not escape the bomb blasts and shrapnel which took their lives, so their relatives cannot banish from their minds what happened that day. They cannot forget the young girl who never had the chance to grow up and have children of her own, or the man who was taken before he could give his daughter away on her wedding day.

Then there is the man who is now so worn out by trying to establish the truth of who killed his father that his health has suffered and his son now bears his anguish.

Deep in their hearts, the bereaved know that they will never learn the full truth of what happened on that day 45 years ago. Certainly, they will never get justice either.

But like so many other bereaved, they wonder why they cannot get some recognition for what they have endured. Every time politicians seem to be edging towards a mechanism to aid the bereaved, some crisis intervenes and their hopes are dashed again. The immediate relatives of those killed may die, but the pain endures, infecting more lives.
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Bishop Saad Sirop Hanna was abducted in 2006 and was held a prisoner for 28 days by a militant group associated with al-Qaeda. The parish priest was a visiting lecturer at Babel College near Baghdad when his body guards were killed and he was taken away at gunpoint. While in isolation, he wondered what a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq would mean for Christians and how they could survive. Outside of his cell, news of the abduction brought international attention and prompted Pope Benedict XVI to address the kidnappers to return the young priest. The Pope sent a message out to the assailants to release the priest at once so that he can return to the Christian community. After his ordeal, the Bishop challenges us on how on to respond in the face of evil. He pushes us to confront the fear of abjuring our faith during a crisis. We must be honest with ourselves as most of us would cave in and denounce our faith when faced with the possibility of death.



The bigger scope here is Christians face more persecution today than at any time in history. China, Iran, North Korea and Saudi Arabia are the worst places for Christians to practice their faith. Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe are also noted for assault on believers. North, Central and South America are also seeing increases of Christian persecution. Remember American Pastor Saeed? He was take by authorities in Iran where he was starved and beaten in Evin Prison for having a Bible study. He was later released, but the practice of killing believers remains a common sick game. China reached a 300 percent increase in abuses towards believers as well and people can't share their beliefs openly or they will be tortured. Whether it is from jihadist regimes, Muslim mobs or genocidal terrorist armies, there is a dark war that we seem to be losing all over the world.

Christians make up 3 percent of Iraq's 26 million people today and it's declining rapidly. The Italian-based Center for Studies on New Religions found that 90,000 Christians were killed for their beliefs worldwide in 2016. Some were murdered by Islamic extremists and others were killed by state and non-state persecution. "Those who think of Christianity as a religion of the powerful need to see that in many places its a religion of the powerless. And the powerless deserve to be protected," Robert Nicholson of the Philos Project shared with Foxnews.com. Bishop Hanna was another cog in the sick wheel of extremists. His experience enlightens us on the state of Christianity in the world. Here are thoughts to contemplate over one man's journey through hell.

Faith is not enough.

We need to go through trials.

Many feel forgotten by the world.

Forgiveness has power.

Corine Gatti-Santillo is a freelance digital journalist, editor, and content producer. She is also the The Christian Post Voices Editor. She is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com.

"Faith is not enough as the demons also believe," Bishop Hanna shared as he called believers to persevere against evil. Before the Iraq war there were over one million believers, now the estimates are as low as 200,000. The failure to stabilize the region has annihilated the faith. Just as Hanna was beaten until he renounced his faith, others experienced this as well. Most people confronted by ISIS were murdered or they fled the country leaving a vacuum in the area for more terrorists. Christians have long sought to live in peace within the greater community. They worked through the centuries by "Actively participated in the building of the nation and in the restoration of it's culture, proving themselves true citizens, without ever lending their support to an ethnic or religious utopia," he wrote. We need to stand up against injustice, not just talk about it. God gave us the responsibly and often we're too afraid to make our voices heard. Bishop Hanna used more than faith during his captivity--he tapped into a newfound power of perseverance.David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA said "The spread of persecution has gotten worse, now hitting nearly every continent in the world. There were 23 Christians killed in Mexico specifically because of their faith. We must endure and we must travel down the narrow road. What does that mean? The road in Bishop Hanna's experience was refusing to denounce Christ. The broader route would've have been to pledge allegiance to another god to save his life, but he didn't. Believers were faced with this choice and this was the reason an estimated 100,000 people fled their homes in Mosul, a city in a largely Christian region in Northern Iraq. "I have learned a lot about myself and about the relationship between the religions. I came back to Baghdad because I love Baghdad. I love Iraq and I love my people, so I wanted to continue working here as a priest. I also have a lot of Muslim friends here." Despite what happened, the Bishop is still serving his country and his people. The trial of his faith made him stronger.Bishop Hanna said that believers do feel forgotten in the Middle East, especially by Europe. The Europeans do not know who they are or what "We do here, they know our church does not, they do not know how to pray." We need to let our brothers and sisters in Christ know that they are not alone. Pray over the crisis in the Middle East and ask God what you and the church can do. When we pray, we are in an offensive position to defeat the enemy. Jesus said that we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, because He overcame evil. Ask God to release His armies over the Middle East and soften the hearts of evil doers. The Bishop probably felt very alone in captivity, but he also said that he felt the prayers of many.We are told in Luke to bear with each other and forgive if we hold a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. People have the right to be angry and want justice in lieu of all the killings going on in the Middle East. In fact, God will give justice and judge those who deserve it. "Christ is love and love was never meant to be easy," wrote Bishop Hanna regarding darkness in the world. Love is seen as being weak, but it means endurance and this endurance will never surrender. "There are so many fanatical Muslims who now live completely different from our Muslim brothers and friends from the past. They think differently and they behave differently towards us Christians," he said in an interview with Angelus Press.The world is a more dangerous place for Christians and for those who want to live out their faith peacefully. Despite facing death, Bishop Hanna will continue to preach love and serve the country that he loves. You can call his journey one of tenacity or perseverance and yet, it also mirrors the power of Christ in a way that is everlasting to the rest of the world.People should be able to read the Bible or pray during their free time, banning such actions makes us no different from other totalitarian governments. What makes America different when we can't pray openly in our schools or when kids can't read the Bible during their personal time at school? They might not be taken to prison, but taking our freedoms away is an act of imprisoning people for their faith. Pretty much of what the Bishop experienced in the Middle East, we 're seeing it here as well in the states, but in another capacity.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Rikwanto answers questions from reporters about the arrest of 149 members of a cybercrime syndicate from China that was operating in Jakarta, July 31, 2017.

Indonesian police said Monday they had arrested 149 Chinese suspected of involvement in an alleged multimillion-dollar online scam that targeted wealthy people from China.

A joint investigation with police from mainland China allowed Indonesian law-enforcement officials to break the international syndicate that had netted about 6 trillion rupiahs (U.S. $450 million) from its victims, according to National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Rikwanto.

The suspects will be deported to their home country immediately after Indonesian authorities complete their investigation, he told reporters in Jakarta.

All the victims are in China, he said. This is the request of the Chinese police, because the victims of this network also come from China.

The suspects perpetrated the scam by gathering information about Chinese businessmen facing legal issues, and then identified themselves as law-enforcement officials who could help settle the cases after being paid a certain amount, Rikwanto said.

Indonesian police raided the offices of the suspects in the capital Jakarta, the city of Surabaya and the island of Bali on Saturday during which investigators seized laptops, iPads and mobile phones, among other evidence, Rikwanto said.

They have been operating in Indonesia since the end of 2016 and March 2017, he said. Some of the victims have reported the case to police in China, so we were finally informed.

Only 20 percent of the suspects presented their passports and none of the 149 had work permits, Rikwanto said. He said others claimed that their passports were seized by a travel agent.

We are still looking for the agent who brought them to Indonesia, he said.

Most of the suspects appear to be citizens of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). According to an online news report from Taiwan, 22 of those in Indonesian custody are Taiwanese. The web portal Taiwan News quoted a police investigator as saying that each suspect was paid about U.S. $1,500 monthly to participate in the scam.

Investigators said they could not immediately confirm the number of fraud victims, but added that, so far, they believed that none were Indonesians.

Rikwanto said a few Indonesians who were present during the raids worked for the syndicate as domestic helpers, guides and drivers.

We are still investigating those who might be directly involved in this syndicate, he said.

Officials said the foreign suspects entered Indonesia using tourist visas. They said the syndicate might have chosen the sprawling archipelago because it was easier to hide from investigators compared with being in China.

About 3 million Chinese-descended citizens live in Indonesia, the worlds most populated Muslim-majority nation, which has about 264 million residents.

Yasonna Laoly, Indonesias minister of justice and human rights, confirmed that PRC officials had requested that the suspects be deported to face criminal charges back home.

We are still very weak

Saleh Pataulan Daulay, a member of Indonesias House of Representatives, blamed the governments weak monitoring of foreign nationals for the presence of international criminal syndicates in the nation.

We appreciate this arrest, but  we are still very weak in the monitoring of foreigners, Saleh told BenarNews.

This wasnt the first case where foreigners  especially those from China  were arrested for committing online fraud in Indonesia, Saleh said. Foreigners had also been taken into custody as suspects in cases related to illegal drugs and prostitution.

In February last year, police arrested nine Chinese nationals and three Indonesians for alleged involvement in an online fraud. In that case, the suspects would call their victims in China, telling them they had won some prize and that, in order to claim it, they had to pay a fee.

Agung Sampurno, spokesman for the Immigration directorate at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, said his office had formed 196 teams to monitor foreigners in a number of areas in the country.

This year alone, he said, 458 foreigners have been deported from Indonesia. During the same period, about 2,100 people have been blocked from entering the country or arrested at points of entry, he said.

Of course with the arrest of this fraud syndicate from China, we will further improve the supervision of foreigners in Indonesia, Agung told BenarNews.
A Philippine police officer inspects small plastic bags containing meth, locally known as shabu, next to a suspect wearing handcuffs during a drug raid in Manila, March 16, 2017.

More arrests of narco politicians were forthcoming after a mayor and 14 others were killed during a weekend raid, Philippine police said Tuesday, but critics claimed these were summary executions in the name of President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs.

Duterte himself has not publicly commented on the shooting deaths that occurred Sunday, but his officials have sought to distance the presidential palace from the police operation in the southern Philippines.

The incident came barely a week after Duterte vowed before Congress that he would carry on with his much-criticized anti-drug crackdown, which has unleashed bloody police raids against suspected dealers and small-time drug users nationwide.

The latest fatalities included Reynaldo Parojinog, the mayor of Ozamis city, his wife, Susan, and brother, Octavio. Parojinogs daughter, Nova Princess, who is a vice mayor, was arrested along with several others and taken to Manila to face drug charges.

Several kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride, a highly addictive stimulant locally known as shabu, and high-powered firearms were seized from six homes owned by the Parojinogs, officials said.

But a Parojinog employee who survived the violence alleged that the police summarily killed the suspects and planted evidence, denying official claims of a shootout, local radio and TV reports said.

National police chief Ronald dela Rosa appears to be undaunted by criticisms from human rights advocates. On Monday, he said those on Dutertes list of purported narco-politicians would be targeted next.

We have begun a case buildup against them. Once there is a case already, we will operate, he told reporters.

Deeply disturbing

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the survivors statement was deeply disturbing and should be looked at by the national police, whose credibility has been challenged amid widespread perceptions of corruption.

Serious accusations are being leveled against the police who participated in the operation, she said. If these were proven true, then what happened in Ozamis was not a legitimate police operation but a state-sanctioned massacre.

She said Sundays incident bore similarities to the killing of Rolando Espinosa Sr., a mayor in the central province of Leyte, who was killed when he allegedly traded shots with a raiding team while he was inside his jail cell in October last year. Police could not properly explain how Espinosa managed to get a firearm while in jail.

A Senate investigation had recommended that police officers who carried out the attack be charged with murder, but the justice department  headed by a fraternity brother of Duterte  downgraded the case to homicide, allowing several policemen to post bail.

It is possible that the Parojinogs are part of the countrys despicable drug trade, Hontiveros said. But the government unequivocally must not disregard and sidestep the rule of law, especially the rights enshrined in the rule of law concerning the prosecution of criminals.

What has occurred appeared to be a clear case of summary execution, said Rep. Edcel Lagman, a member of the opposition.

It is hoped that police would file more cases rather than bullets into suspects, Lagman said.

Included in drug list

Parojinog and his daughter were among more than 150 Philippine officials, including mayors, judges and police officers, that Duterte publicly named last year as being involved in illegal drugs.

Another mayor, Samsudin Dimaukom, was gunned down by police officers near the southern region of Maguindanao in October last year after he allegedly opened fire at them at a checkpoint.

In September 2006, unidentified men also shot dead a suspected drug lord on Dutertes list.

Melvin Odicta and his wife were killed while disembarking from a ferry, three days after he had surrendered to authorities to deny alleged links to illegal drugs.

At least 2,700 alleged drug addicts and drug peddlers have been killed since Duterte took office in June last year. About 5,700 drug-related deaths were under investigation including those blamed on vigilantes, police said.

The government has denied having a hand in the many killings, instead blaming warring drug gangs who were allegedly purging their ranks. Yet the killings have unleashed a torrent of outrage from human rights advocates.

Days before the mayors killing on Sunday, Duterte renewed his vow to prolong his war on narcotics.

I have resolved that no matter how long it takes, the fight against illegal drugs will continue because it is the root of suffering, said Duterte, who often punctuates his speeches with expletives.

He said Filipinos involved in drug trafficking faced two options: either jail or hell.

Mark Navales in Cotabato and Felipe Villamor in Manila contributed to this report.
Staff at the Amai Pakpak Hospital in Marawi tend to Dodong, a civilian who survived for more than two months on rain water and uncooked rice grains while evading Islamic State-linked militants who took control of his neighborhood in the southern Philippine city, Aug. 1, 2017.

The Philippine military said Tuesday it had rescued a Christian carpenter who was trapped for more than two months inside Marawi city, where government forces have been fighting to oust Islamic State-linked militants since late May.

The 41-year-old man, identified only as Dodong, appeared weak and frail as he faced journalists at the Amai Pakpak Hospital here while loud explosions from military bombing runs reverberated in the distance.

Dodong said he survived by eating raw grains of rice, and by drinking rain water as he hid on the rooftop of his employers home.

Dodong described scenes of chaos and how he witnessed young militants go from house to house, hauling off valuables in trucks and committing arson.

He said he saw about a hundred fighters  many of them barely out of their teens  who were scattered in the streets not far from his hideaway in downtown Marawi.

I saw them from my location. They were burning the houses after stealing valuables inside, Dodong told reporters. I saw young fighters with guns.

They are firing their guns every time the military combat aircraft were dropping bombs on their location, he said.

On one occasion, Dodong said, he was wounded by shrapnel from a bomb that exploded nearby.

Escape

On July 28, the father of four said he decided to take a risk by trying to escape.

It took me more than two months because I couldnt get out because a lot of them were within the vicinity, he said of the militants affiliated with Islamic State (IS).

He knew of other civilians who were hiding around his neighborhood, but he said he could do nothing to help them.

I was so scared. I prayed to God to keep me safe. Whenever the military would bomb enemy positions, my ears felt like exploding too, he said.

First Lt. Ace Guintibano, who led the team that rescued Dodong, said they picked up the man at a bridge in Banggolo, a district still under the control of the militants.

He was injured. We prioritized his safety so we immediately rushed him here at the hospital for treatment, Guintibano said.

Fighting began on May 23, when a large enemy force led by Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, the acknowledged leader of the IS here, repelled arresting soldiers and police officers.

They were backed up by militants from the local Maute group and several fighters from Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

But what was initially projected to end quickly turned out to be a battle that has entered its 71st day on Tuesday. It has also turned out to be the biggest security challenge for President Rodrigo Dutertes young government.

Duterte has admitted underestimating the enemy, and has been compelled to receive intelligence help from the United States and Australia.

Neighbors Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have also agreed to boost anti-terrorism cooperation, fearing that IS fighters from Marawi could cross over to their borders.

Duterte has placed the entire southern region under martial law, and has told the military to advance slowly and carefully because the gunmen were known to be holding about 300 hostages.

The fighting so far has killed 114 soldiers, 45 civilians and 491 militants, according to the military.

Medical personnel bring patient Dodong into Amai Pakpak Hospital in Marawi following his rescue from a city neighborhood controlled by militants, Aug. 1, 2017. [Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews]
Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (left), is greeted by supporters as she arrives at the Supreme Court to make her final statement in rice subsidy program corruption case, Aug.1, 2017.

Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra proclaimed her innocence Tuesday as she begged Thai Supreme Court judges to not let politics or Thailands junta sway their upcoming ruling in her trial over a failed government rice-subsidy scheme.

Yingluck appeared before a panel of judges to give a closing statement in her trial on charges of criminal negligence in a multi-billion-dollar program, which her government launched to support the nations 23 million farmers, a group representing more than half of the nations voting population. Thailands first female prime minister was toppled in a military coup in May 2014 led by the current prime minister, Prayuth Chan-o-cha, a retired army general.

I did not do anything wrong, Yingluck told the court. As an upcountry woman who saw farmers  the backbone of the nation  living in horrible conditions, I tried to help them out. And I did so with a rice subsidy program that practically proved they attained a better quality of life.

A verdict is due Aug. 25. Yingluck faces as many as 10 years in prison.

In September 2016, the Comptroller General's Department ordered Yingluck to repay 35.7 billion baht ($1 billion), as a result of a civil case related to the rice scheme, and, last week, authorities froze 12 of her bank accounts.

The charges against Yingluck, 50, stem from her administration encouraging rice farmers to store their crop in government silos and receive an advance of 15,000 baht (U.S. $450) per ton that they were to repay later. At the time, rice sold for 9,000 baht ($270) per ton. It never reached the advance price and supplies of the grain rotted in silos.

Some farmers who stored their rice received nothing because the government ran out of money to fund the scheme. A government committee appraised the loss at 178 billion baht ($5.3 billion), from 2012 to 2014.

Victim of a deep political game

Yingluck whose net worth is valued at about U.S. $17 million (565 million baht) said the case against her was politically motivated.

The rice policy has been proven to benefit the economy at the grass roots level and nationwide. It did not cause losses. Which is why I intended to make this rice scheme work, she said in court Tuesday during her last opportunity to address the judges before the verdict. I know that I am the victim of a deep political game.

Before the court makes a decision, I beg your honors to judge as it is based on witnesses and evidence without listening to the chief of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), who holds the state power and the fate of the nation and who said publicly as if I were guilty, she said.

Prayuth, who heads the NCPO  the juntas official name  said he never tried to sway the judiciary in the case because it is independent from the executive branch.

It is up to the court to decide. ... I have never influenced the judicial ring. They do their job with integrity. I have no command over them, he told reporters in Bangkok on Tuesday.

Rioting fears

Over the weekend, members of the Red Shirt movement, whose official name is the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), warned the government of possible rioting on verdict day.

The Red Shirts align themselves with Yingluck and her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former prime minister who was toppled in a similar coup in 2006 and who remains in self-imposed exile.

Prayuth responded coolly to the riot threat.

After the verdict, the political situation will not be up to me but the people and political factions. We need to move our country forward by the rule of law, Prayuth said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a political observer said the Red Shirt movement was impaired because many of their hardcore leaders were in jail for committing libel or instigating violence.

Chances of violence are low, even if Yingluck is jailed, Sutin Wannabovorn told BenarNews.

Yingluck supporter Boonjerd Srisawat, who traveled to the court from the nearby province of Samut Prakan, said he could not predict the verdict, but said a conviction could affect the government negatively.

It is like a chess game. There is the Red Shirt side and the Yellow Shirt (junta supporters) side, but they were both checkmated by the NCPO who took the power. If the court finds Yingluck guilty, it will add to the downward trend of the junta, Boonjerd told BenarNews.
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A total of 172 cataract patients in Cambodia regained their sight last week thanks to the Hainan Cambodia Brightness Action, bringing the number of impoverished cataract patients who have regained sight to 543 since the organization launched in September 2016, according to the Hainan provincial government.

A group of doctors and medical volunteers from China and Cambodia offered free medical consultations to 725 cataract patients in Siem Reap from last Tuesday to Friday.

The program, initiated by the Hainan provincial government and approved by the Cambodian government, was designed to give free operations for impoverished cataract suffers in Cambodia.

This was the fourth time Chinese medical teams went to Cambodia. Under the program, Hainan plans to send five medical teams to help 1,000 Cambodian patients recover their sight from September 2016 to December 2018.

"We make good use of every second and every minute to give surgeries to as many cataract sufferers as possible, to help them regain sight and get rid of poverty," said Hao Yansheng, a renowned ophthalmologist invited to operate in Cambodia three times. He worked 10 hours a day in order to treat more patients, People's Daily reported on Sunday.

"I was happy to see the sewing needle again. Chinese doctors are great, they have high medical skills," the paper quoted an unnamed 70-year-old tailor, one of the hundreds of people who have been saved from poor vision in Siem Reap.

Song Riha, deputy governor of Siem Reap, said: "China and Cambodia are reliable friends, and the brotherhood friendship has brought us unexpected help."

Kong Sonly, director of Siem Reap hospital, has learned advanced medical skills for eye surgery from the Chinese doctors. "Our cataract surgery patients usually take six weeks to recover but patients treated by Chinese doctors only need four weeks," he said.

In addition to free eye surgeries, the Hainan medical team also brought advanced medical technologies and equipment to Cambodia.
For Immediate Release, August 1, 2017 Contact: Brian Segee, (805) 750-8852, bsegee@biologicaldiversity.org Trump Administration Ignores Laws to Rush Border Wall Construction Department of Homeland Security Waives Environmental Laws WASHINGTON The Department of Homeland Security today announced it will exempt itself from environmental and other laws to rush construction of the border wall and prototypes near San Diego, Calif., endangering critical habitat and ignoring public input. The waiver would speed construction of replacement walls, 30-foot-high prototypes, roads, lighting and other infrastructure without any analysis of the environmental impacts. The area of south San Diego is surrounded by hundreds of communities and contains critical habitat for several endangered species. "Trump wants to scare people into letting him ignore the law and endanger wildlife and people," said Brian Segee, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "Trump's wall is a divisive symbol of fear and hatred, and it does real harm to the landscape and communities." In January President Trump issued an executive order directing Homeland Security to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The administration claims it has authority to waive environmental, natural resource and land-management laws under several laws passed by Congress. In June the Center expanded its lawsuit against the proposed border wall prototype construction in San Diego to include the replacement of 14 miles of existing border wall. The lawsuit challenges the Trump administration's failure to perform any environmental analysis or release any information about the project. This region of coastal San Diego County contains wetlands, streams and other rare wildlife habitats, as well as critical habitat for numerous endangered species, including the Quino checkerspot butterfly and coastal California gnatcatcher. "This isn't just a wall they're in a rush to build. It's roads, lighting and all of the infrastructure that comes with it. All of this without any environmental review or public input. It's a travesty and it has to be stopped," Segee said. "We believe the waiver is unconstitutional, and we're confident the courts will agree." A recent study by the Center identified more than 90 endangered or threatened species that would be harmed by proposed wall construction along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. The Center and U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, first sued the Trump administration in May over the proposed border wall and other border-security measures, calling on Homeland Security to conduct an in-depth investigation of overall border-security environmental impacts. In July the Center filed a series of Freedom of Information Act requests seeking public records connected to Trump's plans to build border walls through protected national wildlife refuges. Beyond jeopardizing wildlife, endangered species and public lands, the U.S.-Mexico border wall is part of a larger strategy of ongoing border militarization that damages human rights, civil liberties, native lands, local businesses and international relations. The border wall impedes the natural migrations of people and wildlife that are essential to healthy diversity.
For Immediate Release, July 31, 2017



Contact: Rob Mrowka, (702) 218-9911, rmrowka@biologicaldiversity.org Federal Judge Hears Arguments to Prevent Las Vegas Water Grab $15 Billion Pipeline Would Endanger Wildlife, Rural Communities LAS VEGAS The Center for Biological Diversity today asked a federal judge to protect endangered wildlife, public lands and rural communities from the Southern Nevada Water Authority's massive pipeline project by denying the authority's right-of-way request and requiring federal officials to comply with environmental laws. Center attorney Marc Fink presented oral arguments in U.S. District Court in a case, filed by the Center against the federal Bureau of Land Management in 2014, that could determine whether the 263-mile pipeline to Las Vegas can be built. Judge Andrew P. Gordon heard oral arguments from all parties in the case and took the matter under advisement. The Water Authority's plan to drain ancient aquifers would cause catastrophic changes to public lands across eastern Nevada, said Rob Mrowka, a senior scientist with the Center. We're hopeful the judge will halt the project and protect wildlife, habitat and communities from this disastrous Las Vegas water grab.



The $15.5 billion pipeline project would siphon more than 7.8 billion gallons of precious groundwater each year from public lands in the eastern Nevada desert, pumping it south to metropolitan Las Vegas. There are sustainable ways to meet the water needs of Las Vegas that would avoid permanently draining the desert dry, threatening wildlife and rare plants and upending rural communities. The groundwater development project would dry up and significantly harm more than 200 square miles of habitat for sage grouse, mule deer, elk and pronghorn, including portions of the Pahranagat, Moapa Valley and Desert national wildlife refuges as well as Great Basin National Park and Basin and Range National Monument. More than 5,500 acres of meadows, 200 springs and 33 miles of trout streams would be irreparably hurt by groundwater pumping that would drop water tables by up to 200 feet. Some of Nevada's rarest animals need these wetlands and springs to survive, said Mrowka. We'd lose iconic wildlife like the pronghorn, sage grouse and Bonneville cutthroat trout as springs, streams and water tables that sustain native plants are eliminated or significantly drained. The Center argued that the Water Authority currently has no rights to water to put into the proposed pipeline. On Dec. 10, 2013, the 7th Judicial District Court of Nevada issued a decision, sought by the Center and allies in the Great Basin Water Network, that stripped the Water Authority of 83,988 acre-feet per year of groundwater. The judge characterized it as "likely the largest interbasin transfer of water in U.S. history. Other legal claims include the BLM's failure to properly analyze impacts from climate change; permanently and irreversibly impaired springs, ground water wetlands and wildlife habitat; and failure to comply with the resource management plan in effect for the area. Thirsty southern Nevada needs water, but the answer is not sucking eastern Nevada valleys dry and driving species to extinction to support uncontrolled growth, Mrowka said. There's still time for the Authority to table the project and start talking to the community about better options for meeting the Las Vegas Valley's future water needs. Improved conservation and sensible growth management are critical. The Center has actively opposed this water grab since 2006. You can read the Center's background briefing paper here.
For Immediate Release, August 1, 2017 Contact: Noah Greenwald, (503) 484-7495, ngreenwald@biologicaldiversity.org Great Lakes States Wolves Retain Endangered Species Protections U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Shirked Legal Requirements for Protecting Gray Wolves Across Range WASHINGTON The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wrongly removed Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves in the western Great Lakes states, a decision that protects more than 3,000 wolves and ensures hundreds there will not be killed each year. In a unanimous decision, the court upheld a 2014 ruling by the Federal District Court that also concluded that the Fish and Wildlife Service had prematurely removed protections from wolves. The court held that the Service had put on "blinders" when it removed protections for wolves because the agency ignored what negative impacts this would have on recovery of wolves in other areas, such as New England and the Dakotas. The decision is at least the eighth time a federal court has ruled that the Service has wrongly ended protections for gray wolves. "The second highest court in the nation reaffirmed that we must do much more to recover gray wolves before declaring the mission accomplished," said Noah Greenwald, endangered species program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Wolves are still missing from more than 90 percent of their historic range in the lower 48 states, and both the Endangered Species Act and common sense tell us we can't ignore that loss." In its ruling the appeals court said the Service does not have the power "to delist an already-protected species by balkanization." The agency "cannot circumvent the Endangered Species Act's explicit delisting standards by riving an existing listing into a recovered sub-group and a leftover group that becomes an orphan to the law." By designating a "distinct population segment" of wolves in the western Great Lakes region in 2011, the Service made this precise error, effectively turning wolves in other portions of the nation into legal orphans. In 2013 the Service used this "orphan" legal status to then propose removing protections for gray wolves in the rest of the country, including California, Oregon and Washington, where small populations are still recovering, as well as the southern Rockies and Adirondacks, where there is suitable wolf habitat but no wolves. The Service used a similar approach this year with grizzly bears by designating a Greater Yellowstone distinct population segment and removing federal protections from bears within that region. In ending protections for grizzly bears in Yellowstone, the Service created a legal orphan status for grizzly bears outside the delisted area. "Wolves and grizzlies are symbols of America's wild places. We're lucky the Endangered Species Act requires us to restore these magnificent animals and not declare victory when just one small population is stabilized," said Greenwald. Since the 2014 District Court ruling, members of Congress including Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) have introduced multiple pieces of legislation, including riders on appropriations bills, to overturn the 2014 decision. Their legislation would have reinstated the 2011 delisting decision and curtailed all further judicial review by ordinary citizens. "Senator Klobuchar's cynical legislation to end protections for wolves not only harms this amazing species but also undermines the fundamental right of every citizen to go to court and hold the government accountable under the law," said Greenwald. "Given Klobuchar's background as an attorney, she should know just how dangerous it is to slam the courthouse door on ordinary people."
NAIROBI, Kenya - Twiga Foods, the Kenyan business-to-business food supply platform, has raised $10.3m in Series A Investment Round. Twiga is the largest distributor of several basic food staples in Kenya, having sold more than 55 million bananas alone, delivering more than 4,000 orders a week.

L-R: Enda Kwinga, HR; Grant Brooke, CEO; Kikonde Mwatela, COO; Caine Wanjau, CTO; Mahia-John Mahiaini, CFO.

Twiga successfully raised $6.3m in equity and $4m in debt instruments. The round was led by Wamda Capital and includes Omidyar Network, DOB Equity, Uqalo, 1776, Blue Haven Initiative, Alpha Mundi, and AHL Venture Partners. The investment will enable Twiga to increase the number of vendors it is able to serve each day in Nairobi, diversify its product portfolio, and introduce advanced supplier services.

Through mobile tech and data, Twiga is redefining and improving Kenya's agricultural market, helping address key economic issues including soaring food prices, safety, and sustainable markets.

In Kenya, 96% of food and FMCG products are sold through small and medium size retail stalls, supplied by large-scale, over-capacitated, open air markets. This inefficiency results in 43% of the average household income being spent on food-affecting what individuals and families can spend in other critical areas such as education and healthcare.

Purchasing power

Established in 2014, Twiga aims to create a fair and sustainable marketplace for producers, vendors, and consumers by using technology to consolidate the fragmented purchasing power of urban retailers, saving them a trip to the market by delivering better quality, better priced, stock directly to their doorstep.

Twiga then translates this aggregated purchasing power to farmers across the country allowing them to access stable markets at better prices, while minimising post-harvest losses through efficient logistics.

The Series A funding round also signals increased momentum for Nairobi's growing tech industry.

"Twiga is an outcome of the Nairobi start-up ecosystem, the years of investments that have gone into developing talent, supporting hubs, and attracting capital to the market," said Grant Brooke, co-founder of Twiga Foods. "The team at Twiga and growth of the company are testaments to the fact that Kenya is on the cusp of solving huge global problems."

Fadi Ghandour, chairman of Wamda Capital, who will be joining the Twiga board of directors said, "Twiga represents our first investment in East Africa, a new geography for us in which we plan on being increasingly more active. We are particularly excited in beginning our investment program in East Africa by supporting this remarkable set of entrepreneurs building a truly disruptive business. Drawing on our experience in the logistics and supply chain space, we believe Twiga has developed a unique solution to address the inherent inefficiencies in the delivery of fresh produce in East Africa with significant positive impact for both producers and consumers."

Said Ory Okolloh, director of investments at Omidyar Network: "Twiga is a strong example of how to seize a huge opportunity-addressing both the inefficiencies in wholesale fresh fruit and vegetable markets and poor last mile solutions both for farmers and vendors -and how tech and data can help significantly improve living standards."

Additional to the Series A round closing, Twiga closed some $2m in grant funding from USAID, GSMA, and others to support bolt-on farmer services, financial inclusion, and first of their kind domestic food safety initiatives.

"The addition of new partners into Twiga, and continued support of our current stakeholders, is a huge affirmation that there's a better way to build marketplaces for Kenya and the rest of urban Africa," said Peter Njonjo, co-Founder, Twiga Foods "We can get consumers and suppliers a better deal, and this support will go a long way in achieving those goals."

Twiga Foods is a mobile-based food supply system for Kenya's urban retailers. Founded in 2014, Twiga allows customers to order daily stock for basic produce staples, aggregates demand, and pushes it to producers. This provides producers with guaranteed markets, while providing vendors with lower-cost, better quality, products delivered to their shops.

Source: African Media Agency.
According to a recent study conducted by Mastercard, over 50% of the South African population still transact using cash on a daily basis. This is despite the number of banked adults rising to 77% in 2015.

Conversely, financial service providers now look to promote the use of cards in South Africa and throughout the African continent. Banks have begun to incentivise customers and retailers through the likes of rewards programmes, reduced transaction costs and improved access to card transaction facilities. Even with these incentives and despite the greater risk and costs associated with cash transactions, many consumers are still reluctant to switch to card.

Yet, Africa and South Africa, specifically, are poised for digital change in the financial industry, and there is a slow progression away from cash towards cards or electronic banking.

A recent article in Finextra stated, Despite Africas status as the largest unserved market that has been excluded from the international financial system, it is considered to hold all the prerequisites for a rapid transition into widespread adoption and usage of payment products.

So, how do we bring forward this change, and bring South African consumers into more modern payment methods?

The cash vs card misconception

There is a common misconception that cards are unsafe or, at least, less safe than cash. There is some risk associated with cards: pin numbers can be scanned and used by fraudsters, cards can be swapped or copied, and online purchasing often warns of phishing and other scams. However, is cash truly a better option?

Carrying cash, particularly for people who use public transport  as many South Africans do  is risky business. With card transactions, many banks are willing to reimburse lost funds due to fraud, provided the customer follows the recommended safety precautions. With cash, once a persons money is stolen, there is no recovering it without confronting the thief.

ATMs are also high-risk targets for fraud, with more and more ATMs being fitted with card-skimming devices by criminals. In fact, defrauding a person withdrawing cash from an ATM is much easier for a criminal than doing so using a card skimmer on a credit card machine. This method is far less traceable.

The onus usually sits with a retailer to reimburse their customers lost funds when a fraudulent transaction occurs, so they tend to spend more time and money investigating a fraudulent transaction than would be done at an ATM. This increases the risk of a criminal being caught. ATM skimming also offers a higher return, as the traffic for withdrawal from an ATM is considerably higher than that of a retailer.

Finally, cash transactions cost more, for both the consumer and the retailer. Consumers typically pay hefty fees to withdraw cash, and even higher fees to deposit it, whereas card transactions carry significantly lower fees and charges.

Bridging the gap

There is a slow shift towards cards, thanks to the advent of a digital economy and easier access to online shopping channels, which typically dont accept cash. However, infrastructure to facilitate card transactions is still a problem in some, more rural areas. For the most part, the rise of mobile payments and clip-on card readers has eliminated much of the problem around infrastructure accessibility. These easy-to-use devices and mobile payment applications have enabled even small business owners to accept card payments from virtually anywhere.

Changing the mindset of cash users, however, poses the biggest challenge. People need to be educated on the risks and rewards of both cash and card transacting in order to fully understand the benefits  and dangers  associated with both. Practicing safe online shopping habits, adopting an awareness of suspect behaviour and simply being cautious when entering personal information such as a pin number or credit card details can go a long way to mitigating much of the risk with card payments. Whereas with cash payments, preventing theft is far harder to achieve.

Making card and online transacting more secure

Most financial institutions and payment portals are continually updating their security protocols, working towards minimising fraud and card scams. There are also governances and regulations in place which seek to protect consumers, retailers and financial institutions alike. Security standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), an information security standard for organizations that handle branded credit cards from the major card schemes, exist to provide payment peace of mind for the consumer.

Additional security measures such as transactions based text notifications, fraud prevention systems, application alerts, once-off payment authorisation codes and even biometrics are all being incorporated into card and online transacting to make it more secure.

Today, retailers and service providers simply cannot afford to operate on a cash-only basis and many are finding it far more cost effective to accept cards only. Even the likes of airports and shopping centres have now implemented credit card facilities when customers need to pay for parking. This a very convenient option for the credit card user  as we have all struggled to find change at the bottom of our wallets and hand bags.

Consumers will need to start adapting to this shift, and embrace digital payment methods  for better safety, to save on costs and to reap the rewards that financial institutions are punting.
Bushman's Kloof Wilderness Reserve has been named Best Diamond Award winner by the Diners Club Winelist Awards.

Two hundred and twenty-five restaurants from the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng submitted wine lists for judging by a select panel led by the publisher of the Platters by Diners Club Guide and convenor of the wine list awards panel, Jean-Pierre Rossouw.

This year we tightened the standards and set expectations higher  so kudos to the restaurants that rose to the challenge. The Diamond Award is becoming a more and more prestigious achievement and we congratulate the entrants that offer diners high quality wine lists, said Rossouw.

A high standard of expectation

Sixty-three Western Cape restaurants were recognised this year, and awards were presented in Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond categories. Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve is the well-deserved winner of the Best Diamond Award in the region, as its restaurant has been a consistent achiever in the Diners Club Winelist awards. Nine restaurants received Diamond Awards; 34 Platinum Awards were presented, as well as 19 Golds and 1 Silver.

As the premium Award, we expected Diamond lists to carry correct vintages throughout as well as offer diners a good selection of interesting wines in all styles. We also required reserve and international wines to be present on the list. As ever, good wine descriptions, or the presence of a sommelier, was vital, continued Rossouw.

In addition to convenor, JP Rossouw, the judging panel comprised leading wine industry experts and media, including Neil Grant, Jenny Crwys-Williams, Roxan Waldeck, Tinashe Nyamudoka, Pete Goffe-Wood and Karen Visser

The 2017 Diners Club Winelist Awards winners are as follows:

Diamond Awards

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve - Best Diamond WC

Aubergine Restaurant

Bientangs Cave Restaurant

Bombay Brasserie

Bosmans Restaurant

Cavalli (EQUUS)

Ellerman House

Noop Restaurant

The Table Bay Hotel

Platinum Awards

Abalone House & Spa

Bistro 365

Cape Grace Hotel

Casa Bella - GrandWest

Casa Bella - Somerset West

City Grill Steakhouse

Den Anker Restaurant

Garden Route Game Lodge

Greek Fisherman

Greenhouse

Karibu Restaurant

La Motte Wine Estate

La Mouette Restaurant

Meloncino

Mint Grill

Myoga Restaurant

Origins Restaurant

The Marine Hotel

Rhebokskloof Estate

The Andros Deluxe Boutique Hotel

The Conservatory

The Forum Embassy Hill

The Garden Lounge - Vineyard Hotel

The Hussar Grill - Camps Bay

The Hussar Grill - Grandwest

The Hussar Grill - Mouille Point

The Hussar Grill - Paarl

The Hussar Grill  Rondebosch

The Hussar Grill - Somerset West

The Hussar Grill - Steenberg

The Hussar Grill - Stellenbosch

The Hussar Grill - The Grove

The Hussar Grill - Walmer

The Hussar Grill - Willowbridge

The Square Restaurant - Vineyard Hotel

The Victoria Falls Hotel

Turn n Tender - Somerset West

Gold Awards

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Blouberg

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Boardwalk

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Camps Bay

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Canal Walk

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Cape Town

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Cavendish

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Franschhoek

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Hermanus

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Paarl

ColCacchio Pizzeria - Stellenbosch

ColCacchio Pizzeria - V&A Waterfront

ColCacchio Pizzeria Westlake

ColCacchio Pizzeria Willowbridge

Mio ColCacchio Pizzeria - Belvedere Square

Mio ColCacchio Pizzeria - Durbanville

Mio ColCacchio Pizzeria - Meadowridge

Sevruga Restaurant

Taste Bistro

The George Restaurant

Silver Awards

La Vierge Restaurant

Diners Club has a long history of supporting the wine industry. The response to the competition confirms the high standard of restaurants around the country and the significant choice cardholders have when it comes to eating out. The Diners Club Winelist awards are a benchmark for excellence in the restaurant industry.

www.dinersclub.co.za
Coal of Africa (CoAL) is reviewing prospects for a second acquisition, soon after completing its purchase of Uitkomst Colliery from Pan African Resources, to generate cash while it develops its flagship Makhado coal mine.

CoAL has been battling to move forward with Makhado in the Soutpansberg area, in the teeth of strong opposition from local farmers and environmentalists, and banks' aversion to lending money for new coal mines.

Makhado was planned to be a large mine, producing about 5.5-million tonnes a year of coking and thermal coal, at a capital cost of about $281m (R3.6bn).

The plans are being revised which might make it smaller, less expensive and able to deliver its first coal sooner.

CoAL CEO David Brown said the board of directors would review the revised plan for Makhado next month.

In the year to June CoAL generated $1.1m from customers and earned $132,000 in interest income, which was less than needed to cover $3.2m of staff costs and $8.2m of administration and corporate costs. At end June it held $9.7m in cash.

CoAL shares were trading 6.8% higher at 47c by midday, but significantly below the 73c of a year ago. Benchmark prices for Richards Bay export coal were at $82.30/tonne last week while coking coal was $179.90/tonne.

Prices for both have been sustained by Chinese demand and restricted supply.

The Uitkomst colliery, which has been acquired with effect from June 30, produced 508,510 tonnes of coal and had five lost time injuries, which would be a focus of CoAL's management, Brown said.

Vele colliery is suspended while it waits for an integrated water use licence to allow it to divert a stream so it can modify the plant. When all regulatory approvals are in place, Vele can consider current market pricing and offtake agreements, Brown said.

CoAL has drawn down the first of two R120m tranches of a loan extended by the Industrial Development Corporation for the Makhado project, which gives the IDC a 5% stake in it.

CoAL said the IDC would get another 5% of the project on the drawdown of the second tranche, but CoAL's stake in it would not drop below 64%.
May de Lencquesaing, the Grande Dame of Glenelly Wine Estate in Stellenbosch has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) Awards 2017 on 6 July at the Hilton Park Lane in London - honouring a career spanning over 40 years. De Lencquesaing received a standing ovation from the winemakers, restaurateurs, trade and press from across the globe.

The IWC Lifetime Achievement Award honours a person within the trade who has shown dedication and commitment and has made a significant difference to the global wine industry. Now in its 34th year, the IWC is widely regarded as one of the worlds finest and most meticulously judged wine competitions.

A historic place in the wine industry

De Lencquesaing is a member of one of Bordeauxs oldest wine families, the Miailhe, whose place in the wine industry dates back to the end of the 18th century. Owners of the famous Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, they also owned or partly owned several other great Bordeaux chateaux, including Siran, Ducru-Beaucaillou and Palmer. Having spent many years travelling the globe with her late husband General Herve de Lencquesaing, May took the helm of the family business in 1978. After a hugely successful tenure as head of Pichon Lalande, where she became affectionately known as La Generale, she sold the Chateau to Champagne Louis Roederer in 2007 to concentrate on her new wine estate in South Africa.

A new adventure on South African soil

De Lencquesaing, always a pioneer, had visited South Africa several times and recognised the great potential to grow world-class wines with the right microclimate. With this belief, in 2003 aged 78, she started a new adventure on South African soil when she bought Glenelly Estate on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. She replanted the former fruit farm to pristine vineyards, built a state-of-the-art winery, a tasting centre, a museum for her precious glass collection and a school for the children on the farm, and began producing a highly-acclaimed range of wines.

Today, 14 years later, alongside her two grandsons Nicolas Bureau and Arthur de Lencquesaing (the 8th generation of vintners and wine producers), they are reshaping Glenelly into one of South Africas pre-eminent estates, intrinsically linking themselves to South Africas success story. After closing to the public for a year for extensive renovations, Glenelly re-opened at the end of 2016 as a world-class Winelands destination, including a hospitable bistro, a tasting room with spectacular views, a stylish new presentation of De Lencquesaings unique glass collection, and a refreshed wine brand that better conveys the three key elements that define their award-winning wines: power, elegance and balance.

A formidable lady with a vision

In first hearing she was to receive this prestigious award, she commented: I am honoured to be chosen by the IWC for this award. Wine has always been an incredibly important part of my journey throughout my life, and its humbling to be recognised in this way. Growing up and living in Bordeaux has been a great chance to learn and better understand wine and the people who make it. Although investing in South Africa in my late 70s was certainly a real challenge, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to create and couldnt pass on the opportunity. It has been my absolute joy to see Glenelly thrive and prosper as I envisioned all those years ago. Its such an exciting time for South Africa and we are so happy to be part of an international wine culture where our wines are taken as seriously as the most revered wines in the world.

May de Lencquesaing holding her IWC Lifetime Achievement Award, flanked by Tim Atkin (left) and Charles Metcalfe (right)

Tim Atkin, Master of Wine and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge, paid tribute to De Lencquesaing at the Awards ceremony: The winner of our Lifetime Achievement Award today is often described as formidable, both in English and French. Now into her tenth decade, with ten grandchildren and ten great grandchildren to match, she remains a considerable force of nature Anyone who has been lucky enough to drink a bottle of the legendary 1982 Pichon Lalande and to see the foundations she laid at the Chateau will recognise what she achieved in Bordeaux, anyone who has tasted recent vintages of her Glenelly Lady May red will recognise what she has achieved in South Africa. Few people make such a mark on two continents.
Departing CEO of Rebosis Property Fund Sisa Ngebulana says he chose to step out of his role as CEO and become deputy chairman because he had reached many career goals in the six years he was at the helm.

Baywest Mall

He also wants to "bring a new set of eyes and ideas to Rebosis". Ngebulana established Billion Group, a developer and asset manager, in 2010.

Ngebulana listed Rebosis in May 2011. At the time, it was the only black-managed and substantially black-owned publicly traded property fund in SA.

At the time of its listing, the Rebosis property portfolio comprised seven properties worth R3.3bn. Hemingways Mall in East London accounted for just less than 44% of the value of the portfolio and there was limited geographic diversification with about 56% of the assets in East London and 41% in Pretoria.

Rebosis now has total assets worth about R17.1bn. It also owns exposure to the UK through a majority investment in New Frontier Properties.

"I've been CEO of Rebosis for about six years and I've been really busy. I think it feels right to move out of the position now. I want to turn my attention to running Billion and various new businesses within Billion," Ngebulana said. Billion, which had traditionally been a property developer of shopping malls, was expanding into hotels and casinos.

Rebosis recently acquired two large regional malls, Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth and Forest Hill in Pretoria, in a R5bn transaction. It also internalised its asset and property management entities.

Rebosis's retail portfolio accounts for about 60% of its South African assets and consists of six shopping malls. "I'm passionate about bringing a better quality of life to people who've not had it. Part of this has involved creating Baywest, which gives people in Port Elizabeth access to stores they've not had before," he said.

Ngebulana will be succeeded by Rebosis chief operating officer Andile Mazwai, a former CEO of the investment group Barnard Jacobs Mellet.

Mazwai had "stood out for me among various candidates for the person to lead Rebosis, including internal talent", Ngebulana said.

Garreth Elston, head of fund manager Golden Section Capital, said Rebosis's strong management under Ngebulana had put it on a positive track.

"Rebosis has made substantial progress on advancing the business in a short period since listing. Having a strong portfolio of retail assets and government-tenanted offices, plus 100% of its debt fixed does result in a very defensive portfolio that should see the company weather the current economic uncertainty in SA," Elston said.

Source: Business Day
Startups are brave. Startups also need a lot of support in varying forms. Most are looking for both investment funding as well as skilled individuals to assist them. There is no better place for a startup company than a conference or networking event. These events provide startups with the opportunity to meet those people who can offer them indispensable advice, opportunities and insight.

Connect with the best so you can learn

Smart startups know that the ideal way to learn what they need to know about their industry and the marketplace is to connect with the best. And they know that the industry stalwarts, trendsetters, disrupters and thought leaders can often be found at networking events. Because they too know the value of networking with their counterparts.

Opportunities abound at networking events

Its at networking events and business conferences that startups can find themselves face-to-face with opportunities. It might be the opportunity to meet a freelancer with a skillset thatll assist with your value proposition or it might be the opportunity to find a mentor. Regardless of what the take out is, when attending a conference or the like, it always turns out to be beneficial.

The broader your horizons, the more opportunity for growth

Events or conferences, at their very core, are the perfect opportunity to expand your network. And its fundamental that startup founders broaden their business horizons by taking part in such opportunities. Sometimes an event will be the jumpstart needed to take the next step in business or a talk at a conference might be the turning point for your startup. After all, what you know has got you this far, but sometimes theres an element of 'who you know' thats needed to really get things moving towards positive growth.

Engage with the enemy to understand the market

If youre the founder of a startup, youre possibly quite aware of who your competitors are. You also probably have a 'hero' in the field who you admire and whose success you aspire to emulate. By attending events you might find yourself face-to-face with these very people and you dont want to be dumbstruck. So you must prepare for these meetings.

Have an idea of what youre going to say and how. You want to know these people no matter if you feel intimidated or not. Knowing your competitor and forming some business relationship with them could help you in your future dealings. And meeting those whove paved the way with their success might result in you finding your mentor. The possible outcomes of meeting these key characters in your business journey are many, but theyre always beneficial.

Practice makes perfect

The more networking and conferencing events you attend, the better. Your communication, personal brand and elevator pitch will improve each time you interact at these meetings. Youll become more secure and confident as you go and eventually people will recognise you. Theyll want to know what youve been up to since theyve seen you last and you can test out your new pitches and products with them. And, theyre the perfect audience. Youll receive crucial feedback that can be used to refine your offering. Some will wish you well, but others will challenge you and you should listen carefully to that feedback. The criticism will be food for thought and also potentially a game changer in how you proceed.

There are always events happening in South Africa that will be the perfect classroom for startup founders and entrepreneurs. A quick search online for networking events in Cape Town, Johannesburg or Durban will deliver event and conference results for the rest of the year. Sign up for those that suit your business needs and that offer an excellent speaker list.




Tool and accessory company, Vermont Sales, is looking for selected motorcycle dealers to stock a range of its products.

The range will include the Tork Craft collection, Fixman tools, Multicut sharpeners, Keybac, Spring Tool, Flexipads, Nes thread repair kits, and a full range of air brushing brands and products.

We have a great range of brands and products that are suitable for all motorcyclists. Riding and racing motorcycles all my life I know a number of our products would be ideal for the two-wheel guys. It also provides the dealers with a good solid second revenue stream for their outlets, says Ryan Hunt, multiple motocross national champion, GP rider, Springbok and international Motocross Vet.

The company will also support all selected dealers with marketing and regular PR, look at promotions and competitions, this will also include website support and social media.

For more, go to www.vermontsales.co.za.
Hot on the heels of the Wine Cellar Young Guns' event, during which Roland Peens and James Pietersen of Wine Cellar identified SA's hottest young winemaking talent, and just in time for Women's Month, we speak to rising female winemaking star and Young Gun Jessica Saurwein about the Saurwein nom Pinot noir , her recent 92 point rating by renowned international wine critic Neal Martin and her love for the queen of grapes, Pinot noir.

Winemaker Jessica Saurwein

Each year, Wine Cellar identifies young winemakers who are pushing the boundaries of fine wine in South Africa and producing some of the most dynamic and exciting wines in the world. Wine Cellar aims to provide a platform to showcase young winemakers whose winemaking techniques are humble and traditional, often different to what was taught at University.

Congratulations on being selected as a 2017 Young Gun! So how do you see this recognition influencing your wine making career?

Wine Cellar is a highly respected and influential wine retailer in South Africa. Some of the countrys most renowned winemakers have been identified as Young Guns over the past years and were given the opportunity to showcase their wines at this event. I am humbled to have made it into the lineup for 2017 and believe that this event has yielded great exposure for my small brand. I believe that expectations have been raised and it is my goal to fulfil and exceed these.

You must be proud of your achievements so far as a young winemaker? Selected as a Young Gun and receiving 92 points on your maiden vintage?

Yes, its a truly humbling experience and an absolute honour to know that such incredible wine palates rate my wine so highly.

Can you give us some background on how you got into winemaking?

My love of nature, languages and travel encouraged me to set off on a gap year after school, working at first in South Africa on a wine farm during harvest time and then travelling Europe. There I secured a stint as harvest assistant in one of Frances famous wine regions, Chateauneuf-du-Pape. After time spent in picturesque vineyards and late nights on rickety ladders, I knew that the winemaking would be my lifes adventure and decided to do a degree in winemaking at Stellenbosch University. After university, the opportunity to work mainly in marketing and sales with yearly harvest exposure became attractive. Four years down the line, I felt an immense urge to introduce winemaking back into my life and with the encouragement of my loved ones, produced my first Pinot noir in 2015.

How would you describe the style of your wine?

The aim is to achieve energy and harmony in my wines. My approach is hands-off, which means I allow the natural balance of the grapes to guide me through the winemaking. For this, grape quality is imperative. I am extremely fortunate to have an allocation of grapes from a very special vineyard site in the Elandskloof Valley for this purpose.

Pinot noir requires a gentle hand and a healthy dose of intuition during the winemaking process. It is a humorous grape, that can put ones sense of humour to the test by trying to make a fool of its maker along the way.

Nom Pinot noir by winemaker Jessica Saurwein

What makes your wine unique?

Painted by artist Isabella Kuijers, the beautiful label is very much a promise of what you will find in the bottle. The unique vineyard site, nestled in the Elandskloof Valley, behind Villiersdorp, yields Pinot noir grapes with deep aromatics and intriguing flavour. Only four winemakers in South Africa receive Pinot noir grapes from this special terroir on the Kaaimansgat farm. Most of the plants on the label are Proteas and Ericas, which grow in the mountains surrounding the vineyard and the roses are a symbol of promise.

Can you tell us where the name Saurwein comes from?

The wine brand has an unusual and humorous name. Saurwein is my surname. Steeped deep in the history of the 17th-century winemaking, my forefathers were making sour wine in Austria. Much later, there was a movement from Austria to Germany, where my fathers family came from. I promised my mother to redeem our familys reputation in wine. Hence the name of my wine, the Saurwein nom Pinot noir.

What have been some of the highlights and challenges of winemaking in SA?

Highlights are the people one encounters from all walks of life in the vineyards and cellar. These are people from various cultural backgrounds. Winemaking and viticulture have become a platform where these cultures come to together, amalgamate and harmonize. There are often new slang terms that are made up in the cellar for certain equipment so that everyone can understand what is meant when referring for example to a tank spanner. Then the wine industrys red tape can be rather confusing because even the authorities can give one incongruent information. One learns that, like with most things, a mix of patience and determination is needed to achieve success.

Whats your favourite style of wine?

The wine style that speaks to me most is a wine that beckons you back to the glass immediately after you have had your first sniff or taste. The style that is graceful enough not to need to shout, but rather nonchalantly seduces you with its harmony, energy and complexity.

What excites you about the local wine industry?

This is one industry in South Africa we can all be very proud of. South Africa has quickly positioned itself as one of the top producers of quality wine in the world today. Not only are we producing excellent wines, but these wines are still very competitively priced compared to other wine regions in the world. Then there is the diversity of the vineyard sites, the variety of grape cultivars and the camaraderie among fellow winemakers and industry players that are truly beguiling. All of this presents multiple opportunities for passionate, enthusiastic wine lovers to find their way into the wine industry, be it in hospitality, wine service, wine education, wine sales or winemaking.

Whats next?

After the queen of grapes, Pinot noir? Definitely Riesling!

Most of the Young Gun winemakers produce small volumes by nature and, therefore, these are limited wines not freely available, except at Wine Cellar.
SunshineCo. will be hosting an all women exhibition, themed Through my Eyes on 3 August 2017 as its First Thursday event in Johannesburg at its studios in Rosebank on the Keyes Art Mile.

As part of its Womens Month campaign, aimed at raising the profile of female photographers in South Africa, SunshineCo. is calling on all female photographers to submit photographs that captures the essence, and/ or celebrates the life of women in South Africa.

All finalists will receive a printed canvas of their work, with winners announced on the night of 3 August 2017. Prizes include a free studio day, including all lighting gear as first price, a Bouncelite Flash diffuser + BlackRapid camera strap as second prize and a BlackRapid camera strap as third prize.

Professional photographer and SunshineCo.s managing director, Adrian Nakic, is passionate about photography being recognised as an artform.

We would like to invite all (female) Johannesburg and Pretoria-based photographers to enter their best image, depicting the theme #ThruMyEyes, for a chance for it to be showcased at next months First Thursday event. says Nakic.

Visit @SunshineCompany on social media for details on how to enter the competition, or www.sunshineco.co.za for terms and conditions. To enter, submissions must be mailed to az.oc.ocenihsnus@selas

Entries for submissions close 1pm on Friday 28 July.
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - Tigo Tanzania has announced a massive drive to further modernise its network infrastructure. The telecom operator which bills itself as a digital lifestyle mobile firm, will endeavour to increase its coverage footprint and service quality.

Tigos chief technical and information officer, Jerome Albou addresses senior editors from Tanzanian media during the workshop on Tigos network modernisation initiative. The workshop was conducted at Tigo Headquarters in Dar es Salaam. Credit: Tigo

Since last year, we have made massive expansion of our infrastructure to increase the coverage footprint and capacity and most importantly, the quality of experience for mobile broadband service, Tigos chief technical and information officer, Jerome Albou, said while speaking to senior editors at a briefing held at the companys headquarters in Dar es Salaam recently.

Spelling out the companys network upgrade plans, Albou explained that one of Tigos key strategic objectives is to transform broadband customer experience by providing first-class services as per global industry standards in both 3G and 4G technologies.

According to Albou, the demand for data services is growing due to availability of data enabled devices. Therefore, Tigo is proactively expanding its 3G and 4G network in both rural and semi-urban areas of the country to enhance rural connectivity as well as consolidating coverage and capacity in urban areas.

He further explained, As far as mobile broadband is concerned, Tigo has added new 535 sites with 3G technology, upgraded capacity on 408 of 3G sites and 95 new sites with 4G technology over the past year, and has modernised and expanded the existing 2G, 3G and 4G networks. We have now 4G coverage in all the major cities and towns across Tanzania.

To further improve experience of customers we have also added the Cache Servers in the core network to make frequently accessed internet contents such as Google, Youtube, Android, Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram readily available in Tanzania in a single click.

Conversely, Tigo had made substantial investment in stabilising its network by managing technology, power and infrastructure more efficiently focusing on customer experience.

Within the past 12 months, we have commissioned a total of 2,294km of backbone fibre which traverses through 22 new District headquarters expanding the existing National ICT Backbone footprint (Bagamoyo, Chalinze, Handeni, Korogwe, Muheza, Lushoto, Same, Mwanga, Rombo, Hai, Arumeru, Kibaha, Mvomero, Kongwa, Bahi, Manyoni, Tabora, Nzega, Kahama, Shinyanga, Kwimba & Chamwino) as well as increasing the number of fiber points around the key cities.

This allows Tigo to provide high speed internet in these new districts. Also, the new fiber ensures alternative transmission routes in case of fiber cuts, providing seamless services around the clock for the key cities such as Mwanza, Dodoma, Arusha, Morogoro and Tanga.

Elaborating on what network upgrade entails, Albou explained the improvement is done based on customer surveys, economic activities, penetration of data enabled devices and feedback from other stakeholders such as Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority (TCRA) and the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications.

Tigo is therefore, committed to continue to improve its network to achieve the best customer satisfaction and customer experience on both data and voice, he summed up.
Advertising Week, the world's largest annual gathering of marketing, media, and technology leaders, makes its long-anticipated debut in Africa on 14-19 February 2023, after the planned launch was delayed by the global pandemic.
Mon State Hluttaw and State Health officials discuss the H1N1 outbreak (photo: Naiaung Naing/Facebook)

The H1N1 virus, which has been causing infections throughout Myanmar (Burma) for the past several weeks, has not yet been detected in Mon State, according to Dr. Zaw Min Htun head of the states Public Health Department. On July 28 he met with the Mon State Hluttaw (parliament) to brief them on the spread of the virus, also known as Swine Flu.

At present, we have no confirmed cases of H1N1 in Mon State. Two children with severe pneumonia who were suspected of having the disease were transferred to Yangon General Hospital, but they tested negative for the virus, Dr. Zaw Min Htun told reporters after briefing the Hluttaw. The two patients were a young girl from Kyaikmaraw Township and a boy from Ye Township.

He added that if anyone begins to sneeze, cough or feel flu-like achiness, they should seek medical attention. Besides that, anyone feeling sick should use a handkerchief when sneezing and coughing to prevent the spread of the virus. The flu is generally only communicable within a range of six feet, so residents should stay away from those already infected and wear masks in public places.

The government has agreed to increasing police monitoring of vehicles carrying animalsespecially chickenscoming into Mon State via Ye Township and from Three Pagoda Pass to Thanbyuzayat, to prevent the spread of H1N1, said Dr Aung Naing Oo, the deputy speaker of the Mon State Hluttaw who is also a veterinarian.

He added that beginning on July 31 government representatives would give prevention trainings in Mon States 10 townships to raise awareness about the virus.

On July 28 a 30-year old women with flu-like symptoms was transferred from Mawlamyines Zarni Aung clinic to Yangon General Hospital. It is not known yet whether she was infected with H1N1.

Shortly after the virus emerged in 2009 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Pandemic. That distinction has since ended, and H1N1 is now considered a regular seasonal flu. It is not considered particularly dangerous, though the WHO encourages people younger than six and older than 65 to take extra precautions to avoid exposure. The virus is spread when small droplets of virus are expelled in the sneeze or cough of a sickened person.

According to a statement from the Union Ministry of Health and Sports, at least 30 people were hospitalized with the virus between July 19 and 28, six of whom died. However the real mortality rate is probably significantly lower than 20%, because most people with regular flu-like symptoms do not seek treatment until they become seriously ill.

by Mon News Agency (MNA)
Bank Gaborone, the unlisted bank has opened its latest branch in the tourism town of Maun to service the Ngamiland area, Botswana Guardian has learnt.

The opening of the Maun branch comes a year after the Palapye branch was officially opened. Bank Gaborone Marketing and Corporate Communications Manager, Sandra Mokobi however says the bank is not new to Maun as it has been offering clients unsecured loans through its BG Finance division.

In pursuing its purpose to be a connector of positive change the bank saw it fit to give the people of Maun a wider range of financial services which would help give them greater access, said Mokobi.





Mokobi said as a destination for both tourists and budding entrepreneurs within the tourism sector, Maun was selected by Bank Gaborone to increase its retail prospects and to service both the town as well as those in surrounding areas.

BG Finance will however continue to operate from its existing office offering unsecured loans, said Mokobi. She said the Maun branch offers a suite of products and services ranging from transactional accounts, savings accounts, investment accounts, business banking and SME banking.

The branch also offers treasury services including foreign exchange services, property finance, vehicle finance, and electronic channels including E-pula Internet Banking and Tobetsa mobile banking which provides for convenient banking.

To show further commitment to servicing their clients with the best products, Mokobi said the bank has launched its new E-pula internet banking to individual customers. She said business clients will be migrated to the new system over the next few months.

The new E-pula comes with more security and is more user friendly with a refreshed look and feel, said Mokobi in a statement. She said Bank Gaborone commits to being an active participant in the Botswana economy by being a catalyst of sustainable opportunity and will continue to explore ways in which it can connect Batswana with a meaningful banking experience.

The bank was awarded a banking license by Bank of Botswana in February 2006 and has been providing banking services since September 2006 across a network of nine retail branches, 12 BG Finance unsecured lending offices and 17 ATMs spread around the country.
The Botswana government is revving up efforts to ensure that citizen entrepreneurs venture into the lucrative oil and energy business.

This week, the Botswana Oil, which is one of the institutions mandated to ensure that more citizens get involved into the sector, brought aspiring businesses and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from across the country to Gaborone to discuss how they can get involved into the sector.

It is estimated that over 90 percent of the oil companies are owned by giant multinational companies with limited participation by Batswana. In an interview, BOL, Chief Executive Officer, Willie Mokgatlhe, bemoaned that the level of participation of citizens in the petroleum oil and gas industry in the country is very low.





He said currently the sector is restricted to the filling stations but the petroleum sector is bigger than that and this presents big opportunities for aspiring businesses to venture into.

In the petroleum space, opportunities are in a number of areas and when you look at the supply value chain there is procurement of products for the country, transportation and distribution, said Mokgatlhe whose company is 100 percent government owned and formed to ensure security and efficiency of supply of petroleum products in Botswana.

As Botswana Oil we are there to show the local citizens on where the opportunities are so that they can then start getting into the business, said Mokgatlhe. He said the government insists that the sector should be controlled by Batswana. Mokgatlhe however said the oil and gas industry is not an easy industry and has its own challenges and hurdles which need every stakeholder input to resolve.

We are also looking at some of the hurdles and jointly working with government on how to manage and support the companies and start making a meaningful contribution into the petroleum sector, said Mokgatlhe. The BOL CEO said his company has storage facilities and local companies and players dont necessarily have to build new facilities.

We are able to supply products to local companies at the same price as multinational companies so that you are able to complete equally with those multinationals, said Mokgatlhe. Since the oil and petroleum industry is a fairly new industry, Mokgatlhe said they intend to train and educate locals about the industry. He added that they have come up with policies and programmes to ensure that citizen companies grow.

As Botswana Oil we are starting to reserve about 30 percent of our works for citizen companies and this intended to make sure that we support them to grow in that space, said Mokgatlhe. The official also said they are starting to develop smaller facilities that can also be used in the smaller villages to provide fuel.

The Botswana government has also come up with a policy that intends to empower local companies with keen interest to venture first into procurement and retail of petroleum products.
Francistown, whose traditional name is Nyangabgwe, has seen it all.

From a backward village populated by Kalanga gold diggers until 1871 to a white mining community before transforming into a bustling town and then being declared a city in 1997 and now complete with a spaghetti interchange, Francistown has seen it all.

Variously called Capital of the North, it is at the confluence of the Tati and Ntshe Rivers, and only 90km from the Botswana-Zimbabwe border to the north and about 500km from Gaborone.





Named after a gold-digger, Daniel Francis, himself one of the original directors of the Tati Company, Francistown holds the distinction of having a colonial name. The town was founded in 1897; the same year that Cecil John Rhodes rail-road, the Cape-to-Cairo railway line reached Monarch.

But even before the discovery of diamonds in 1868, which made Francistown the epicentre of Southern Africas first gold rush, there had been human settlement and economic activity in the area including mining by the locals. Touted as the City of All Things Precious or, the City Of Gold, Francistown connects Botswana to Zimbabwe, through the A1 road which has regrettably, not been busy due to the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy.

The Capital of the North or Toropo as it is also called connects Botswana to countries in Central Africa such as Zambia, Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the Francistown-Kazungula road. This road is a critical artery to the economic well-being of this country as it facilitates the transportation of, among other things, salt from Sua Town to the central African countries, bricks from South Africa to Zambia as well as copper concentrates from the Zambian Copperbelt to South Africa.

The economic importance of Francistown to this country and to others dates even as far back as the discovery of gold in South Africa. As a result of the need for cheap labour in the South African gold mines, Francistown became the centre for the Witwatersrand Native Labour Association (WENELA), an agency that recruited migrant labourers for the gold mines in South Africa.

The WENELA barracks in Francistown gave temporary accommodation to recruits from Angola, Namibia, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Nyasaland (Malawi) and Tanganyika (Tanzania) on their way to and from South Africa. The miners spent a considerable amount of their earnings in the local shops. In his book, Under Two Flags in Africa, George Winstanley, who worked in Francistown as a cadet district officer in 1954, says that during his time, Francistown consisted of only one street, parallel to the railway station and a few houses, mainly to the east of the railway line housing the white colonial administrators.

There was then only a single row of shops owned mainly by Europeans and Indians. Now, Chinese own most of the retail shops. Racial discrimination defined Francistown during the colonial era as there were certain areas such as the Tati Hotel, the Grand Hotel and the Francistown Club, which were the preserve of the Whites only.

There is no doubt that 120 years after its founding, the town, which was declared a city in 1997 has transformed greatly. In the first instance, Botswana is an independent country now therefore obviating the absence of white colonial administrators and their racist orientation. With three constituencies and 19 political wards, the population of Francistown has grown in leaps and bounds.

During the 1960s, Francistown became the crucible of opposition politics, not only in Botswana but in Southern Africa as a whole. The nationalist Botswana Peoples Party (BPP), formed in 1960 on the platform of socialism and pan-Africanism, came into confrontation with the settler regime over the governments racial practices.

The Tati Company, a prospecting company attracted the attention of the BPP for owning all the land in Francistown, while the people were overcrowded due to shortage of land. Further, this company, which ran a beer hall, forbade, with the support of the colonial administration, Africans from brewing and selling beer to avoid competition. Industrial strikes and boycotts became the order of the day as the BPP demanded even-handedness and racial equality.

The result was the imprisonment of several BPP activists and their leaders. The history of Francistown is intertwined with the history of the liberation struggle of Southern Africa. Many nationalist leaders from the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU), South African National Congress (ANC), Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC), South West African Peoples Organisation (SWAPO), either used Francistown as a transit point on exile or as a rendezvous to consult with their comrades.

Among the most notable were former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, former President of Namibia, Sam Nujoma, a government minister in Namibia, Herman Toivo Ja Toivo, former government minister in Zimbabwe, Dumiso Dabengwa, and the late John Mabunda of FRELIMO, Mozambique.

Preaching the politics of liberation, these freedom fighters found willing hosts in the BPP leadership and individuals such as Meshack Mathumo, a qualified guerrilla who had trained in Algeria under the auspices of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) and became its clandestine representative in Botswana.

Like the other cities in the so-called developing world, Francistown is reaping the seeds of misdirected development policies, inappropriate planning and neglect especially by the capitalistic colonial administrators who had no regard for possible future expansion. During the colonial era, the colonialists, aware that they were not going to stay forever, created towns for their short-term convenience wary not to invest a lot of money in their development.

irector of the UN Human Settlements Programme Ann Tibaijuka, is quoted in the 2010 Africa Report blaming African leaders for continuing to use planning laws inherited from the colonial masters. She feels that African governments should come up with policies whose objective would be to reduce urban drift by improving the living conditions in the rural areas, supporting the informal sector by protecting it from police harassment and making available a credit facility to the informal sector.

Above all, Tibaijuka advocates for the devolution of powers to the councils so that they have the autonomy to raise funds and even approve projects themselves since they are, on the ground.

African cities, due to the neglected agricultural and rural development, are said to be growing at an alarming rate of 2.5 percent annually. This is because towns are regarded as areas of opportunity where the underemployed and unemployed migrate for economic opportunities. The biggest challenge for every African government is to minimise slums, which are the most visible dimensions of poverty in the cities.

Within this context, the people of Francistown still begrudge the powers that be for not making Francistown the headquarters of Botswana Railways (BR). They feel short-changed that the second university was not built here either.

The construction of the Francistown stadium, the expansion of the existing airport and the upgrading of infrastructure at Gerald Estates; the upgrading of the citys road infrastructure complete with the Spaghetti Interchange, have, hopefully served as a kind of reparation for the losses.

Francistown is home to many government departments as well as big private companies that, no doubt offer employment and educational opportunities. Tertiary institutions as well as primary and secondary schools, hospitals, clinics, reliable transportation also offer sufficient attraction to somebody looking for means of a better life.

Despite the glamour offered by the bright lights of Francistown, the economy is not growing fast enough to cope with the demand for employment. Matters have not been helped by the closure of the Tati Nickel and surrounding mines.The people of Francistown have been agitating for the building of a district hospital in Francistown arguing that the Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital is not a substitute.

Clinics, schools and other social institutions are not expanding fast enough to cope with the demand either. In addition, there is the problem of inadequate housing, shortage of serviced land, environmental pollution, crime and juvenile delinquency. Motorists continue to be haunted by potholes. Taxi men and bus owners are clamouring for a spacious taxi and bus rank while vendors are demanding a market place where they can sell their goods in a decent environment.

The youth are crying for recreational facilities. The list is endless.
Congolese guitarist, Kapenda Katuta will this Sunday set Afro Fusion Jazz and great jazz standards at a Jazz X Change renowned event at Masa Square Hotel.

Founder and Executive Producer of Jazz X Change, Rahman El-Kindiy says that the anticipated event is one of a kind and a very unique one. He noted that the theme of the occasion; Jazz Frica Fusion, aims to treat Jazz lovers to a hilarious evening through the sensational artist of the night.

He explained that Jazz X Change programme features main artists every Sunday month end as a way to bring about the Jazz artists and put them together in one rehearsal studio to be appreciated by people.





He said that etiquette, development, play and good music let them express themselves better, thereby attracting people from all walks of life to appreciate good music. El-Kindiy further explained that the theme was influenced by how Katuta presents his work, saying that he is multi-talented and his music is unique.

He sings good music and his music varies from that of all the artists that I have worked with because he can vary from Brazilian, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, French, Western music and all the way to Sub-Saharan music and African music, he narrated adding that an artist of such a calibre must not limit himself.

He believes that the show-goers will surely eat from the palm of his hands adding that the guitarist is eloquent. People will not only be mesmerised but they will be more open minded into the range of the music that will appear in a particular song because this is not really easy to do and may even take effort for most of worlds greatest musicians because all it takes is talent to use different genres of music to compose one piece of music, he said.

Jazz X Change has been existing for four years now and comprises of 32 artists including; Nnunu, Kearoma, Sereetsi, Mandy Mash and Vivian to mention but a few. El-Kindiy says that the artists gained experience through this platform and managed to venture further in their journey of Afro-Jazz music.

On the other hand, Katuta has worked with countless artists whose genres vary from Rumba to Hip Hop, including Oliver Mtukuzi, Vee, Lizibo, Zeus and Stampore. El-Kindy said that every Jazz X Change programme comes differently and he is hopeful that this one will also be more informative and more engaging.

He said that it will not just be a fun-filled night only but an opportunity for some artists to intervene, learn and make some suggestions to continue making the music jazzy. The tickets to the event are sold at P200.00 from RMC Marketing and the contact numbers are; 71422543 and 3960282.
Terra Cotta Pottery studios located in Notwane opened its doors to the public on Saturday, marking one of the many highlights of this edition of the Winter Open Farm event.

The main activities of the event took place at Kingfisher Farm also located in Notwane. Other highlights for the day included a tour of the Kingfisher Farm, and learning all about Organic farming, as well as enjoying a relaxed atmosphere with friends and family.

A special place for those who are passionate about Pottery, guests had a rare chance to try their hand at Throwing, and making their own unique pieces under the guidance of Kealeboga Tlhomelang, a pottery maestro. As beautiful as all the pottery pieces always look on the shelves, it is not easy to work with clay especially for amateurs.





This reporter was one of those who tried her hand at Throwing, and it was an experience and a half. Trying to concentrate on the clay and pushing your foot on a lever that turns around the potters wheel is not an easy thing. But once you get the hang of things, it is smooth sailing from there.

Rika von Schwerin-Franken, an artist at heart, owns Terra Cotta Pottery. The exterior of her home and studio is reflective of her passion. Frankens specialty lies in using an old age Asian ceramic firing technique called Raku. This technique is tipped to be hot and hazardous due to the acrid smoke.

Her pamphlet states that this is very risky, as pots undergo a severe shock when they are removed from the red hot kiln plunged into organic materials like sawdust, leaves or dung, and then into water. You can clearly see right here that this meticulous technique requires one to be very patient lest they rush the process and are left with an ugly looking item.

According to Franken, this severe difference in temperature creates cracks in the glaze into which smoke from the burning organic material penetrates, sustaining them a permanent, irregular black. Speaking in an interview with BG Style, she explains that she uses tough clay that is sourced from Grahamstown, South Africa because of the shock effect.

The glaze that gives her products a unique look is also sourced from outside the country, Germany to be precise. She says that the Raku is extremely work-intensive, and that it is a fascinating and difficult technique. For Raku, you cannot use the local clay, she says.

It is the best clay in the whole of Southern Africa, she says noting that she orders a one-tonne clay that lasts her a year, and is stored in dry bags. Most of her costs in the business, she says, go towards paying staff, glazes, clay and labour. It is labour intensive. We do a lot of decorating, we do fine decorations and the painting glazes come from Germany because I am very particular about my colours, she explains.

She also notes that the main thing that comes from Botswana is the enthusiasm, tourists who invest in her work and her staff who are very passionate about what they do. She explains that their main focus is on artistic items, and that they ensure that their customers get their hands on unique pieces. One of her gifts is designing and coming up with new ideas.

I learnt pottery as a teenager, and it is my profession, she says. She runs classes for those who are interested at a small fee. Speaking in an interview with Tlhomelang, who is based fulltime at Camphill in Otse, she explains that she has been doing pottery for 22 years. She started working with Franken in 2009, and is tasked with throwing.

At Camphill, she is imparting her skills to others, and learnt the art of pottery through reading and watching others. A self-taught student, she says that teaching gives her so much joy. It brings me so much joy to be able to teach others, she says.

Franken came to Botswana in 1982. While working at a Game Lodge, she learned traditional Tswana pottery making from an elderly potter. After working briefly for National Museum and Art Gallery, she founded the Pelegano Pottery (now called the Gabane Pottery), a project for women in Gabane.

The project is still running today. In 1998, she travelled for two years on a motorbike through Africa with her husband, Mike Franken, which provided additional inspiration for her to work. Back in Botswana, Franken taught pottery and art at the Gaborone Polytechnic.

Over the years, she has shown her work at several local events as well as exhibitions outside the country including Birmingham and Germany where pieces were sold out. Her customers range from locals and tourists, and she also has a number of customers based outside the country.

Terra Cotta Pottery items are sold at Botswana Craft.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city is Lilys Petting Farm in Oodi, some 15km north of Gaborone.

The farm offers agri-tainment and fun picnic venue for the whole family. According to the owner Lily Fidzani, the petting farm was started in April last year. She says it was a God-given project. I never planned on having it. But for the love of children, I did it, she says, explaining that she wanted to teach children farm animals.

ays do not know how to interact with animals. She says that unlike in the past, children today are caught up in a world of modern technology and do not have a sense of outdoor fun.





It is quite busy at Lilys Petting Farm. Activities taking place include family walk-ins, birthday parties and educational tours. Children also find time to enjoy themselves in the colourful fun maze. Here, they are introduced to a life of farm animals and a variety of breeds of birds and play various games.

Children always go back home with smiles on their faces, according to Fidzani. Referring to the children as our little farmers, she states that nothing gives her more happiness than seeing them excited around animals.

Away from sitting in front of television all day, we offer them amazing fun in the farm, while also teaching them, she says, adding that they also do jungle gym. At the farm, children also get to feed the animals and play with them. It is also a beautiful haven for family picnics.

Churches have also found a way to entertain their childrens Sunday School classes at the farm. The adventurous outings also offer families an opportunity to bond. For example, Fidzani made a special recognition on Fathers Day last month to commend fathers for coming alone with their little ones for a special time.

Perhaps what also makes Lilys Petting Farm an attractive place for children to go out and have fun there in its colourfulness. Different colours used for decoration will definitely catch the eye of children.
Building international networks and tapping into the many groups and associations is one of the ways that local artists can take their craft to the international market and find serious buyers who are passionate about the arts, says local artist Shepherd Ndudzo.

His focus right now is growing his footprints globally, and getting his brand where he hopes to catch the attention of European and other international investors who do not bet an eyelid when it comes to investing in art.

There are so many opportunities out there. For example in my case, I am part of sculptor groups that share some of these opportunities, he says. Ndudzo recently returned from Switzerland where he attended a one-week international symposium for sculptors.





The Switzerland trip is not the only forum he has attended this year. He was one of four artists from Africa. Other artists came from Egypt and Mauritius. In May he was the only African artist that attended the International Festival Wood Sculpture event held in Siberia.

During the ten-day competition in Siberia he created a 2.2m piece titled Hope. The piece is made up of seven figures that represent days of the week. Looking up the sculpture can be deciphered as someone looking forward to the future and what it brings. But one of the figures is looking down, this he says represents those days when one is down and without hope.

The competition that has a focus on realistic sculptors and fairy tales as evidenced by the many works that are created during the event has given him a lot of exposure as well as a platform to learn new skills and techniques from other sculptors from other parts of the world. In Switzerland, he had a chance to work on a 1.6m piece by 0.5 m (height) and 0.3 m (wide) titled Tug of war.

He started working on this piece on a Tuesday and completed it on Saturday. It was a learning experience. My attention right now is getting exposed to more of these platforms as they are a stepping stone into the international scene, he explains.

Both events afforded him the opportunity to work with Pinewood, which was a first for him. Locally, he uses Motswere and Mosetlha. I have never used Pinewood, and it was a new medium, and it challenged me to learn very fast how to work with it, says Ndudzo.

Ndudzo, a member of Thapong Visual Arts Centre explains that one of the reasons that he is focused on these networks is simply because through these professional networks he gets to meet and interact with new people, learn new techniques, as well as other tricks of the trade.

Calling on other local artists to invest their time in these networks, he explains that this is one of the ways that they will get their works outside the country. One thing that local artists need to understand is that, yes, government will continue to buy our works, but there will come a time when they will stop doing that. They also need to understand that when it comes to buying art, the demand is outside the country, he says.

With art most of the people who are buying art are in Europe, he adds. He also advises them to raise the bar when it comes to the standards of their art in order to make their work appealing.

Private players play a big role when it comes to buying art. Even if it means little pieces, at the end of the day, one can feed ones family, he explains. He also says it will help them a lot to interact with their peers in their respective fields.

I was not into networks before, but when I started I met many artists especially from Europe and America and I am learning from them everyday. Artists need to be proactive when it comes to their work, some of these opportunities will not work for them, and others will, he advises.

With a residency in the pipeline, which he says he will reveal in good time, Ndudzo is surely a busy man. His next move, he says is to try his hand at stone. He needs a portfolio that will comprise five/six pieces, and having one will open more doors for him. He hopes that the self-funded project will pay off at the end.

As an artist, one needs to invest in their work, he says.

Admittedly, he notes that his field is one of the most difficult and that one needs to constantly evolve with the times. He also highlights that one might have the talent but that without the right attitude one will find oneself stuck in the same place.

The humble Ndudzo who lets his work do all the talking, learnt the art of sculpting from his father, Barnabas and began earnestly in 1999, and has not looked back. Over the years, he has extensively seen the world, travelling to all corners of the world. Last year, he had a residency in New York at the Art Omi Workshop.

He has also travelled to Zambia (Insaka Inter Artists Workshop), Johannesburg, South Africa (Art and Media Workshop), Kenya (Wasani inter Artists Workshop), as well as Taiwan (Hua Lien Inter Artists Workshop).

His awards include third prize for the Fuzhou Sculpture Symposium in China, Outstanding piece at the Beijing Biennale, Honorary Certificate Chang Chun in China to mention a few. He has had solo and group exhibitions both locally and internationally including Omang, Two men show with Ann Gollifer in Cape Town, Africa now in Washington, Artists from Abroad in Helsinki, Finland, Taipei Artists Village as well as Kunstlahaus, in Dortmund, Germany.
Enjoy the first large-scale museum exhibition dedicated to tramp art since 1975. More than 150 examples of tramp art, concentrating on works from the United States, with additional international examples.

For Immediate Release: October 24, 2016 (Santa Fe, NM) The Museum of International Folk Art presents No Idle Hands: The Myths & Meanings of Tramp Art, the first large-scale museum exhibition dedicated to tramp art since 1975. The exhibition will present more than 150 examples of tramp art, concentrating on works from the United States, with additional examples from France, Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Canada, Mexico and Brazil to demonstrate the far reach this art form has had. Additionally, the show will analyze and dismantle the myths and misperceptions about tramp art, particularly as they relate to assumptions related to class, quality, and the anonymity of the makers.

Tramp art describes a particular type of chip-carved woodwork that was practiced in Europe and the United States between the 1870s and 1940s, making use of discarded cigar boxes or crates that were then notch-carved along the edges and layered. Objects made were primarily boxes and frames, but other household objects such as small private altars, crosses, medicine cabinets, wall pockets, clock cases, plant stands, and even furniture can be found.

"Tramp art's place in art history has been troublesome. It has had detractorspeople who regard it as 'the ugly duckling' of folk artbut also numerous champions," said Laura Addison, Curator of North American & European Folk Art at the Museum of International Folk Art, and the show's curator. "This exhibition will erase any doubts about the quality and craftsmanship of the work and situate tramp art as a practice at the crossroads of cultural transformation at the turn of the 20th century," she said. Addison also pointed out that by juxtaposing historic pieces with those by contemporary artists working in the tramp art style, the exhibition frames this art form as an ongoing tradition that continues to capture the public's imaginationmyths and all.

"The ingenious objects in the Tramp Art exhibition use recycled or repurposed wood, and highlight a moment in time a century ago when artisans, many of them immigrants to the US, created a new variety of folk art," said Khristaan D. Villela, Director of the Museum of International Folk Art. "They are a testament to the ability of untrained artists to produce objects of immense beauty and complexity," he said.

For many years, tramp art was believed to have been made by itinerants and hobos, thus its name. It has been demonstrated, however, that this belief, first put in print by Frances Lichten in a 1959 Pennsylvania Folklife article, is erroneous. Nonetheless, the name "tramp art" has remained the only terminology used for this practice, and the paucity of scholarly studies to dispel the mistaken notions about tramp art have allowed the myths to persist.

Whittling objects such as wood chains and ball-in-cage whimsies was a common pastime, including among railriding "hobos," and some examples of tramp art were likely by the hand of itinerant laborers or artisans. However, this style of carving was more commonly the practice of family men and blue-collar factory workers making functional domestic objects or gifts for the women in their lives. Efforts have been made in recent years to identify makers by name and unearth their biographies; these personal narratives illustrate a very different story of the makers of tramp art. As these makers and their stories come to light, it has become obvious that home and family are central to an understanding of the practice of tramp art.

No Idle Hands will present tramp art objects according to four primary areas: Introduction/historical context, home & nation, frames & boxes and devotional objects. Works in the exhibition will come from the Museum of International Folk Art permanent collection as well as loans from a number of private and museum collections across the country. An exhibition publication will accompany the exhibition, with essays by Laura Addison, Curator of North American & European Folk Art, Museum of International Folk Art; Leslie Umberger, a curator in the area of folk art and self-taught art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum; and Eric Zafran, a retired curator of European art, most recently at the Wadsworth Atheneum.

The Museum of International Folk Art Museum Shop is located in the museum at 706 Camino Lejo (Museum Hill just off Old Santa Fe Trail). 505-982-5186.

MUSEUM OF INTERNATIONAL FOLK ART

The Museum of International Folk Art is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.

The Museum of International Folk Art's mission is "to enrich the human spirit by connecting people with the arts, traditions and cultures of the world." Founded in 1953 by Florence Dibell Bartlett, the museum holds the world's largest international folk art collection of more than 150,000 objects from six continents and over 150 nations.

The museum's collections represent a broad range of global artists whose artistic expressions make Santa Fe an international crossroads of culture. For many visitors, fascination with folk art begins upon seeing the whimsical toys and traditional objects within the Girard Collection. For others, the international textiles, ceramics, carvings and other cultural treasures in the Neutrogena Collection provide the allure. The museum's historic and contemporary Latino and Hispano folk art collections, spanning the Spanish Colonial period to modern-day New Mexico, reflect how artists respond to their time and place in ways both delightful and sobering. In 2010, the museum opened the Mark Naylor and Dale Gunn Gallery of Conscience, where exhibitions encourage visitors to exchange ideas on complex issues of human rights and social justice.

Over 90,000 national and international visitors visit the Museum International Folk Art every year. Through folk art, the museum encourages all to find a common ground upon which to craft better lives for all.

Museum exhibitions and programs are supported by donors to the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its Director's Leadership Fund, Exhibitions Development Fund, and Fund for Museum Education, as well as by the International Folk Art Foundation, also established by museum founder Florence Dibell Bartlett.




BEIJING (PTI): President Xi Jinping on Tuesday said China will never compromise on its sovereignty and security and its Army has the confidence to defeat "all invasions".



"We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," Xi said addressing a special ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the 2.3 million strong People's Liberation Army (PLA), the world's largest standing army.



Xi's remarks came amid the Sino-India standoff in the Sikkim section.



"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions," Xi, 64, said.



"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," he said at the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People attended by Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders of the ruling Communist Party and army officials.



This is the second time in three days that Xi spoke of the PLA's capability to thwart invasions.



On July 30, Xi during a massive PLA parade had said, "I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies".



Like his earlier address, there was no direct reference in his speech to over a month-long India-China military standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim section.



His remarks came in the midst of massive official media campaign by the foreign and defence ministries here accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory at Doklam.



India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval last month during the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NSAs meet in Beijing on July 27-28 also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.



Both the countries are tight-lipped about the outcome of Doval-Yang talks.






NEW DELHI (PTI): Boeing says India will take deliveries of 2,100 new planes worth US$ 290 billion in the next 20 years, calling it the "highest forecast" for the country.



India's share will account for more than 5.1 per cent of the total global demand of 41,030 aircraft, the American aeronautic giant said.



According to Boeing's Current Market Outlook released on Monday, almost 85 per cent of these new planes in India are likely to be single-aisle with low-cost carriers operating more than 60 per cent of all flights.



"The increasing number of passengers combined with a strong exchange rate, low fuel prices and high load factors bode well for India's aviation market, especially the low-cost carriers," said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice-president, Asia Pacific and India Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.



Keskar, however, warned that infrastructure could be a challenge for the country with airports in Mumbai being 'choked'.



This could be one of the factors why bigger planes could grow from current 15 per cent to 25 per cent of the total aircraft, he said.



Boeing said it will revise its projection next year depending on how the government's regional connectivity scheme (RCS) takes off.



The multinational aviation giant expects to benefit from RCS in years to come, when smaller 70-seat aircraft will be replaced by bigger ones such as Boeing's 737s, following an increase in traffic on these routes.



"RCS will allow opening of new routes, thus providing more connectivity. Over the next 4-5 years, the growth on those routes will make a Boeing 737 viable. We are very bullish that if it (RCS) works out, we will be one of the beneficiaries," Keskar said.



The passenger traffic in South Asia is expected to grow at a rate of 8 per cent, followed by China at 6.2 per cent.



The growth rate in the region is likely to be more than double that of Europe (3.7 per cent) and North America (3 per cent).



Boeing has already started the delivery of its 737 MAX 8 aircraft and will be delivering its first 737 MAX 9 next year.



It had also launched its 737 MAX 10 at Paris Air Show earlier this year.



In 2019, Boeing plans to launch 737 MAX 7, the smallest member of the MAX family, as well as 737 MAX 8-200 with 200 economy seats.



Boeing is also planning to replace its Boeing 757 by 2025 with a plane which will have 225-275 seats and will be able to fly approximately 5,000 nautical miles. It also promises to offer "twin aisle comfort for single aisle cost".


Cork Airport has welcomed a 6% increase in passenger numbers in July when compared to the same month last year.

The increased passenger numbers are being attributed to a strong summer schedule, several new routes and the launch of direct transatlantic flights to Boston Providence with Norwegian since the first of July.

Norwegian is also reporting several flights are already fully booked for the month of August, such is the demand for the new service from Cork.

Cork Airports managing director Niall MacCarthy said: Passengers have more choice than ever flying direct from Cork Airport. In the last six months, we have launched several new routes across Europe as well as securing multiple extra flights a week on the most popular destinations for this summer.

In addition, our new direct transatlantic route to Boston Providence is proving exceptionally popular, with several flights already fully booked for the weeks ahead which is a strong endorsement of the demand we always believed was here for direct connectivity to the USA.

This further growth in passenger numbers highlights the fact that people want the convenience and easiness of traveling from their local international airport here in Cork.

Im delighted to see the return on our investment in terms of time, effort and marketing of our new routes yielding a dividend to our Airline Customers and a huge saving in time and cost to our Customers in terms of the convenience of flying out of Cork Airport.

Cork Airport is consistently working to expand existing routes and secure new one as well as investing in enhanced airport facilities for our passengers.

Passengers are already enjoying our new Food & Beverage outlets, expanded Security Area and the availability of many new European and US destinations just as we are about to enter one of the busiest Bank Holiday Weekends of the year and we very much look forward to welcoming passengers to our superb award-winning airport and facilities.

Around 40,000 passengers are expected to travel through Cork Airport this August Bank Holiday Weekend.

The airport recently learned that Icelandic low-fares airline confirmed last night the route, launched in May as a year-round service and which offered onward flights to the US, is being suspended for the winter months.
Twenty businesses are considering relocating part of their work outsidethe North because of Brexit, it was revealed.

Firms are thinking about starting up inIreland where they will have an EU foothold after the UK leaves in 2019, economic analysts said.

Uncertainty over the terms of the exit means many are putting plans for growth on hold, a survey from the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce showed.

Brian Murphy, a partner at BDO Northern Ireland business advisers, said: "Companies have set up companies in the Republic as a precaution, we don't want to see that precaution turning into a reality."

He added that it could bleed workers, productivity and jobs from the North, saying: "We need to nip that in the bud. We need a functioning government that will fight our corner.

"At the minute we just seem to have nonsense exchanged back and forth."

Industry leaders have urged Stormont's quarrelling politicians to put aside their differences to ensure Northern Ireland's voice is heard as UK negotiations with Brussels continue.

The Executive has not sat since January after deputy first minister Martin McGuinness resigned in protest over the DUP's handling of the botched Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

Ann McGregor, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, urged politicians to resolve their differences and focus on the challenges ahead.

She said no firm direction had been given on how future relations between the UK and EU will work.

Ms McGregor said: "They are effectively shadow boxing in an atmosphere of uncertainty which, for many, means putting plans for growth on hold.

"Added to this, without an Executive in place and talks between Northern Ireland's two main political parties on hold, Northern Ireland remains outside the critical discussions on Brexit.

"There are major issues for the local economy to face, the lack of an Executive at Stormont is becoming increasingly frustrating.

"In what is becoming a tired plea, we ask that our parties resume talks and reach a positive outcome as soon as possible."
Residents in 17 Dun Laoghaire apartments in Co Dublin have been served notice to leave.

Residents in St Helen's Court say they are suspicious of plans to upgrade their homes in Dun Laoghaire.
Irish Water Safety is today urging parents to supervise children at all times when near water.

Thirty children aged 14 and under have drowned in Irish waters in the past decade.

The warning comes ahead of the August Bank Holiday weekend - traditionally one of the busiest weekends for outdoor swimming.

CEO of Irish Water Safety John Leech said that nearly 500 children needed assistance on beaches here last year alone.

"Supervise your children at all times as drownings can happen so quickly and they happen silently," he said.

"So if you're not looking out for your children, the you could easily lose one to drowning.

"And bear in mind that last year alone, 478 children had to be reunited with their families at lifeguarded beaches in Ireland.

"So as a nation, we're not very good looking after our children."
There are calls for the Housing Minister to intervene in the eviction of 17 Dublin households.

Residents of St Helen's Court in Dun Laoghaire have been served notice to leave to facilitate maintenance works.
Driving disqualifications have become mutually recognised on both sides of the Irish border.

Laws changed in Northern Ireland and the Republic today to give effect to a road safety agreement signed between the Irish and UK governments in 2015.

Those who receive a driving ban on the other side of the border from where they live will have the prohibition extended to their home jurisdiction.

Transport Minister Shane Ross said: "The mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure because it aims to target dangerous drivers on our roads.

"The disqualifications relate to drivers disqualified for reckless or dangerous driving, hit-and-run driving, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"Mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure for both Ireland and the UK, and is one of a series of measures I am introducing which will reduce road injuries and ultimately save lives.

"Maintaining the common travel area and our economic links with the UK are important priorities for Ireland, and this agreement will make a contribution towards that objective, as well as making an important contribution to road safety.

"The new measures are underpinned by an international agreement between Ireland and the UK, which comes into effect today, and primary legislative provisions in Ireland and the UK, which have been commenced today.

"Under the Ireland/UK agreement, the driving disqualification is, in effect, transferred by the state which imposes it to the licence of the offender's 'home' state. So, the legal consequence of the offence committed follows the offender home."
Masoud, an Egyptian dentist, kissed his wife and two kids goodbye nine months ago with the intention of a short stay in Ireland to complete exams. He is still in Cork after a threat of arrest for his peaceful activism was issued by Egyptian authorities and has never met his youngest daughter. He fears for his life should he return home. He spoke to Rob McNamara about his experience.

An Egyptian dentist, who is living in a direct provision centre in Cork, has told of his horror at being separated from his wife and three children eight months after arriving on what should have been a routine trip to complete exams.

Masoud* was in Ireland to complete dentistry exams when he was called by family to tell him that the Egyptian authorities were looking for him and his life would be in danger if he returned home.

He is a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi  who was ousted by a military regime in July 2013  and had peacefully taken part in political activism while studying in Cairo.

Last November, just days after Masoud had arrived in Ireland, current Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a warning to citizens not to protest against austerity measures implemented by the military regime in a major clampdown on dissent. Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood are viewed with deep suspicion by the government. Masoud believes a frightened friend or acquaintance may have reported him to the military at that time.

He has had to wait almost nine months for an interview to assess his asylum application in Ireland. This means he cannot apply for his family to join him in Cork. The separation is causing him great anxiety, and he is worried his wife may be made to suffer for his perceived crimes in daring to question the credibility of a government which has sparked international concern for alleged human rights abuses.

Only last week, authorities in Cairo levelled the houses of some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in Egyptian society. Land near an underdeveloped island in the centre of the Nile River deemed suitable for industrial use saw several homes destroyed in a bid to displace residents. One person was killed and 19 were injured in clashes.

The incident is only the latest in a long line of controversies. The United States is considering withholding monetary aid in light of a new law that severely restricts the activities of organisations that are not associated with the military run government.

Masoud says Egypt has become a difficult place in which to express views. His anti-government sentiments mean he may never be able to return to his native country.

He knows of people who are also supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and former president Morsi who have been kidnapped and believes one man who disappeared for six days and whose body was later found dumped in the street was killed because of his views.

The authorities have a file on me. I think that during my stay here in Ireland, my neighbours or maybe someone who has worked with me called the police and said I was a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, so they came to arrest me, said Masoud.

Maybe they think they are saving Egypt from terrorism or something but thats not the case.

I have a wife and three children. Sometimes the authorities arrest the wife of a political activist to make them return home, he added.

Masouds three children are aged three, two and five months. He is calling on the International Protection Agency (IPO) who process applications for international protection within Ireland to help Egyptians who are in the same situation and bring their families here.

The IPO replaced the Office of Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) in January. The ORAC was abolished with the responsibility for the investigation for asylum applications transferred to the IPO following the commencement of the International Protection Act.

Masoud said he has a dental practice in his hometown, near Cairo, and he does not want to be in Ireland and claim benefits but feels lucky he was here when authorities arrived to arrest him back home.

Ibrahim Halawa is in prison for the last four years and the Egyptian government has done nothing for him and I am in Ireland and the Government here is doing nothing for me. The IPO, the UN agency and Nasc have all told me that they cant do anything for me, he said.

The IPO is supposed to make an appointment for me so I can apply for asylum but that appointment hasnt been made yet.

The IPO replaced the ORAC to make the asylum process faster but what is happening in the last eight months since it first took over the asylum process that every thing is so slow.

I have contacted the IPO several times to explain my fears to them but they only see my nationality and my country and they reply I have to wait and they will contact me in due course. I am worried about my wife and my children. Every day I call home, I am told that people who are activists are being arrested. The authorities have gone to my home looking for me.

My wife, who is not an activist, is now living in her fathers house. She is in hiding. She doesnt go anywhere.

The IPO and the UN agency are involved with applications from some countries but Egypt is not one of them. Some people came after me and they already have had interviews.

My main concern is not about me. I am safe here in Ireland. I need my case to be granted to be able to bring my wife and children here.

There are people like me from Egypt who are anti-military who are in real danger, like those from Syria and Lybia but there is war there, everybody there is in danger.

*Masouds real name was changed to protect his wife and children.

This story first appeared in Corks Evening Echo.
Lawyers for Ibrahim Halawa have finally had the chance to present a defence at his trial - almost four years after he was detained in Cairo.

The development has been welcomed by the Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.
The Democratic Unionists have warned the Irish Government to stop engaging in "megaphone diplomacy" as their row over Brexit continued.

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson urged Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his Fine Gael party to "step back" from its increasingly robust stance on the UK's EU exit.

Relations between the two parties have frayed in recent weeks as Fine Gael have openly criticised the UK's attitude to resolving the issue of managing the Irish border post-Brexit.

The spat comes ahead of Mr Varadkar's first visit to Northern Ireland as Taoiseach at the end of the week.

Last week, the Fine Gael leader attempted to shift the onus for designing a solution to border movement firmly onto the UK, insisting he was not going to "design a border for the Brexiteers because they're the ones who want a border".

After the DUP criticised the Irish premier's remarks, Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond accused Northern Ireland's main unionist party of "whinging" and claimed it was politically "impotent".

Donaldson said the Dublin government had to re-engage in efforts to design ways to handle movement across the border.

"What won't solve the problem is megaphone diplomacy from Dublin," he said.

"I think the Taoiseach needs to recognise that going back to the politics of the 1970s and 80s in Anglo Irish relations isn't going to help anyone."

In an interview with BBC Radio Ulster, the Lagan Valley MP said: "We have to co-operate here. A solution has to be one that is agreed and that means Dublin has to have an input."

He added: "If Dublin refuses to co-operate on this inevitably we are going to end up in a different arrangement that could result in some sort of hard border.

"Now that's not in Dublin's interests - the Irish economy would suffer greatly if we can't find an agreed way forward.

"So I would say to the Taoiseach, who is coming to Belfast later in the week - he needs to be at the table."
By Fiona Ferguson

A man who attempted to buy a firearm from undercover gardai has been jailed for five years.

Ahmed Ayadi (25) told undercover gardai that he was involved in the sale of drugs and wanted the firearm just in case.

Ayadi of The Lawn, Boden Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a 9mm calibre Glock semi automatic pistol in suspicious circumstances at the Navan Road, Cabra on May 12, 2016.

He also admitted possession of cannabis valued at 6 at Island Street, Dublin 8 on May 5, 2016.

Detective Garda Colm Tighe told Ronan Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that gardai became aware through confidential information that Ayadi was seeking to purchase a firearm.

Gardai put in place a surveillance operation involving the use of audio recording equipment to record meetings with Ayadi. He met with undercover gardai and told them that he was involved in the sale of drugs and wanted a weapon just in case.

He was initially interested in buying a AK47 but thought it was too large after being shown a picture. A Glock pistol was decided upon and he handed over 450 on May 12, 2016. Ayadi's vehicle was then intercepted and he was arrested and interviewed.

The court heard that Ayadi was originally from Tunisia but had grown up in Ireland. He comes from a respectable family and lost his sister in tragic circumstances. He has 21 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences.

Judge Karen O'Connor noted testimonials handed into court on Ayadi's behalf. She said Ayadi was a talented footballer and was involved in charity work in his community. She took into account his early guilty plea and remorse but said it was a serious offence.

Judge O'Connor imposed six years imprisonment and suspended the final 12 months. She ordered 12 months probation supervision on his release.
The founding president of the University of Limerick Professor Edward Walsh is handing back the honorary doctorate awarded to him by the NUI because he objects to former Taoiseach Brian Cowen receiving the honour.

Speaking on Today with Sean O'Rourke on RTE Radio 1, Prof. Walsh said that he was amazed and dumbfounded when I discovered that the NUI awarded its highest honour to the person who bears most responsibility as Minister for Finance and Taoiseach for bringing Ireland to its knees.
Sixty people have died in the UK in the past eight months, in circumstances believed to be linked to a drug more potent than heroin, it has been revealed.

Fentanyl and its analogues - chemical adaptations - are being mixed with heroin and in some cases proving fatal, the National Crime Agency said.

Users are being warned that dealers are playing "Russian roulette" with their lives by lacing heroin and other class A drugs with synthetic opioids.

The NCA and West Yorkshire Police raided a laboratory suspected of producing fentanyl and one of its analogues carfentanyl in April.

Fentanyl is around 50 times more potent that heroin, while carfentanyl can be up to 10,000 times stronger than street heroin.

The 60 victims, whose post mortem results indicated their drug-related deaths were known to be linked to fentanyl or one of its variants, were predominantly men and a range of ages, with none younger than 18, the NCA said.

The agency's deputy director Ian Cruxton said: "The NCA has been working with partners, both in the UK and overseas, to take action against those drug dealers who are playing Russian roulette with the lives of their customers by mixing synthetic opioids with heroin and other class A drugs."

While fentanyl can be legally prescribed as a painkiller, sometimes in the form of a patch or nasal spray, carfentanyl is only used as an anaesthetic for large animals including elephants, Mr Cruxton said.

"We believe the illicit supply from Chinese manufacturers and distributors constitutes a prime source for both synthetic opioids and the pre-cursor chemicals used to manufacture them," he added.

Recent NCA investigations have uncovered that fentanyl and its analogues are being both supplied in and exported from the UK, he said.

The April raid at a drug-mixing facility in Morley, Leeds, resulted in three people being charged with conspiracy to supply and export class A drugs.

The NCA said it had identified 443 customers of that "criminal enterprise" - 271 overseas, and 172 within the UK.

A fourth man was charged on Monday night, following a separate investigation in May, after police said they identified him using the so-called dark web to buy fentanyl or synthetic opioids.

Kyle Enos, of Maindee Parade in Gwent, is accused of importing, supplying and exporting class A drugs.

The 25-year-old is due in court in Cardiff at the end of the month.
Macedonia and neighbouring Bulgaria have signed a landmark friendship agreement that is designed to dampen a historic rivalry in a section of the Balkans where many countries remain at odds over old ethnic and territorial disputes.

Under the deal, both countries renounce territorial claims against each other and pledge not to engage in or back hostile acts against the other.

It also commits Bulgaria to backing its smaller neighbour's bids to join the European Union and Nato.

EU and German officials warmly hailed the agreement.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a joint statement the treaty "is an inspiration for the whole region".

The treaty also calls for a committee to "objectively" re-examine the common history of Bulgaria and Macedonia, a process that could lead to a review of school textbooks.

Macedonia's conservative opposition denounced the agreement - signed in Macedonia's capital Skopje by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov - as an act of "capitulation" to Bulgaria.

The VMRO-DPMNE party governed the country for a decade before it was replaced by Mr Zaev's left-led coalition this year.

The party said it would not ratify the treaty in parliament, arguing that it would harm Macedonia's national interests on grounds including history, language and national identity.

Bulgaria historically regarded Macedonians and their language as a branch of the Bulgarian nation and language.

While the country was among the first to recognise Macedonia's independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1990, it angered Macedonia by refusing to recognise a Macedonian ethnic minority within Bulgaria.

It also threatened to block its neighbour's EU and Nato accession drives.

Mr Borisov said the treaty would seek to overcome the past.

"If you look back, you will stumble and fall," he said.

"So we decided to look ahead. I am convinced that in 10 years the results will be visible."

German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said it was "remarkable" the treaty was signed less than two months after Mr Zaev's new administration took office.

Mr Gabriel said he is counting on the government to "continue pursuing this form of constructive co-operation with all its neighbours".

Out of the five countries with which it shares borders, Macedonia only gets along well with Kosovo, although its recognition of the former Yugoslav province soured ties with another neighbour, Serbia.

A 27-year-old dispute has led southern neighbour Greece to block Macedonia's Nato accession bid.

Greece says Macedonia's name - combined with nationalist aspirations - implies a claim on the northern Greek border province of Macedonia.

Macedonia is also on a shaky footing with Albania.

An armed insurrection in 2001 by ethnic Albanians, who make up about a quarter of Macedonia's 2.1 million inhabitants, brought the country to the brink of civil war.

AP
A man stored his girlfriend's body in a freezer while another woman helped him and assumed the dead woman's life by moving into her home, using her credit cards and caring for her dog, a prosecutor in Ohio has said.

The body was found last weekend at a home in Campbell, near Youngstown.
A convicted shop-raider has been jailed for 10 years for the manslaughter of a pub attack victim who died after suffering complications linked to a heart condition.

Courtney Flannigan, 22, left Paul Smith with a fractured cheekbone and bleeding on the brain after knocking him down with a single punch in an unprovoked assault.

Birmingham Crown Court was told Mr Smith, a 49-year-old father and grandfather, died in hospital two months later, after his injuries forced doctors to change his heart medication.

The court heard Flannigan had attacked two other victims, leaving one unconscious, at the Edge of Town pub in Northampton on July 10 last year before targeting the "completely innocent" Mr Smith.

At the time of the attack, Mr Smith, who died on September 4, was waiting to learn whether a heart transplant was a viable option.

The court heard Flannigan was on bail after using a bottle to wound another man outside a shop in Northampton a year earlier, leaving the victim with a fractured cheekbone and eye socket.

It also emerged that Flannigan was given a 30-month sentence in 2013 for a robbery in which his accomplice threatened a shopkeeper with a machete.

Passing sentence on Flannigan, who admitted manslaughter and wounding, Judge Patrick Thomas QC said he was satisfied an extended licence period was necessary to protect the public from further harm.

Flannigan, of Pleydell Gardens, Northampton, was told he must serve at least two-thirds of his 10-year jail sentence and will be subject to an extended three-year licence after the custodial sentence expires.

The judge told Flannigan: "You were in such a state of rage that you threw a terrible punch at Paul Smith.

"It was a punch in the context of a continuing disorder in which you were the main aggressor and it was a punch to a completely innocent and defenceless man, not expecting for a moment what you did.

"I have come to the conclusion that your behaviour, no doubt in drink, on three separate occasions - extreme violence without any sensible reason whatsoever - is the plainest possible indication that you are a danger."

Detective Inspector Mark Hopkinson, from Northamptonshire Police CID, said: "I am pleased with the outcome of the case today and welcome the sentence handed down.

"This was a tragic and extremely complex case. Mr Smith had a serious pre-existing heart condition which he had been managing well for more than 10 years. On the night of the assault he was out enjoying a drink with his father.

"Our detailed and lengthy investigation involved a hugely complex medical inquiry which ultimately established a clinical causal link between the assault and his death.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Smith's family for their support and understanding during the investigation and I hope today's sentencing helps to bring some comfort and closure for them."
The national airline of the United Arab Emirates has said it is working with Australian police in their investigation into an attempted plane attack, suggesting it may have been a potential target.

Australian authorities have said they thwarted a credible terrorist plot to down a plane by smuggling a device onboard.

They have provided few details, including the precise nature of the threat or any airlines involved.

Etihad Airways, the smallest of three long-haul Gulf carriers that fly to Australia, confirmed its involvement in the probe in a brief statement.

"The Etihad Airways aviation security team is assisting the Australian Federal Police with its investigation and the matter is ongoing," it said.

"Etihad is complying fully with the enhanced security measures at airports in Australia and monitoring the situation closely. Safety is the airline's number one priority."

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier refused to elaborate on its role in the probe or confirm whether one of its planes was targeted.

Etihad operates direct flights to four Australian cities: Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The airline has built strong ties to the country, buying a stake in alliance partner Virgin Australia, featuring stars including actress Nicole Kidman in advertising campaigns and sponsoring Melbourne's football team and its home stadium.

Australian media outlets have reported that the conspirators wanted to target a flight to the Middle East, possibly the Emirati city of Dubai, but they failed to get the device onboard so changed their focus to an Australian domestic airline.

Etihad's hub in Abu Dhabi is 130 kilometres from Dubai's main airport, the world's busiest for international flights.

Dubai-based Emirates, the largest Middle East carrier, has not responded to requests for comment on the investigation.

Police arrested four men in raids in Sydney late on Saturday - two Lebanese-Australian fathers and their sons - in connection with the investigation.

Australia's Nine Network television reported that one of the suspects had tried to check in on an international flight, and that might have been a test run to see if they could get a meat grinder on board as carry-on luggage.

Officials have refused to comment on media reports that the plot was to conceal explosives or chemicals that would emit toxic gas inside a piece of kitchen equipment.

AP
Among the 184 boxes of Sir Sidney Nolan's private papers held by the National Library of Australia is a phone message scribbled on the back of an envelope .

"Robert Murdoch has bought some of the Kellys", it reads. The Robert scribbled out and replaced by the name Rupert.

National Library of Australia archivist Lisa Joseph with some photographic negatives from the personal collection of Sir Sidney Nolan. Credit:Karleen Minney

The note is just one of the extraordinary items in the collection, which contains personal correspondence, dozens of diaries, financial records, research notes, and a stunning collection of photographs taken by Nolan himself.

It's these photographs that have captured the imagination of Lisa Joseph, an archivist with the NLA, who has been tasked with sorting through the collection.
Good morning Canberra,

There's supposed to be some frost and fog about to start the day, but we're fog-free here in Fyshwick. The good news is that there is another sunny afternoon on the cards. We had a chilly minimum just shy of minus 2 degrees this morning, but a high of 14 degrees is expected later on.

Let's take a look at today's headlines.

'One is too many': Universities pledge to tackle sexual assault

New research from the Human Rights Commission has revealed the scale of sexual assault on Canberra's university campuses.
Hawthorn are set to farewell retiring champion Luke Hodge under Friday night lights when they face the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium in round 23.

The AFL on Tuesday confirmed fixture details for the final round of the regular season, kicking off on August 25.

Hodge is set to play his last game, with the 12th-placed Hawks needing to win all four of their remaining games to make the finals.

An emotional farewell also looms for St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt when the Saints face Richmond in a Sunday afternoon game at the MCG.
Australian businesses are not doing enough to tackle slavery in their supply chains, a federal inquiry has heard, but big companies have warned against "overly prescriptive" laws in a bid to stamp out the problem.

Submissions to the joint committee looking at establishing a Modern Slavery Act in Australia has backed introducing new laws to force big companies to report on modern slavery in their supply chains. The joint standing committee on foreign affairs and trade was asked to look at the issue by Attorney-General George Brandis, and is this week holding hearings in Melbourne.

There is business support for introducing a Modern Slavery Act in Australia to force major companies to report on modern slavery in their supply chains. Credit:Felipe Dana

The 2016 Global Slavery Index estimated that 45.8 million people in 167 countries are victims of slavery. Two-thirds, or 30.4 million of these people, are in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than 4000 in Australia.

Business lobbies and companies acknowledge that more needs to be done to address the problem, but remain concerned that Australia may end up with laws that place stricter requirements on companies than is the case in other nations such as Britain, which has a Modern Slavery Act.
Retailers in Melbourne's suburban shopping strips may be under siege but nobody has told investors.

While high street retailers across the city struggle with historically high vacancy rates, wannabe landlords are bidding up retail assets and seizing shops on tight yields at well-attended auctions.

Demand for strip retail investments remains strong. An investor has paid $2.14 million at auction on a tight 3.4 per cent yield for a shop at 15 Centreway in Mount Waverley?

Last week saw an investor pay $2.14 million at auction on a sharp 3.4 per cent yield for a shop at 15 Centreway in Mount Waverley.

Teska Carson's George Takis and Matthew Feld said six bidders drove the result $340,000 over the reserve.
Home prices in Australia's major cities rose strongly in July, led by a surge in Melbourne, putting a question mark over regulators' attempts to cool the market through tighter rules on leveraged property investors.

Property consultant CoreLogic said its index of home prices for the combined capital cities climbed 1.5 per cent in July, from June when they rose 0.8 per cent.

Annual growth in prices accelerated to 10.5 per cent, from 9.6 per cent, and back toward the peak of 12.9 per cent reached early in the year.

Melbourne led the pack with an outsized increase of 3.1 per cent in July alone, which lifted annual price growth in the city to a blistering 15.9 per cent.
A psychiatrist speaking to a group of teachers at the beginning of the school year warned of the "anxiety tsunami" that was about to strike this generation of students. "It's already arrived," whispered the welfare co-ordinator sitting directly behind me. Unsurprisingly, most teachers attending the "The Science of Happiness" forum organised by the school I teach at agreed.

According to statistics provided by beyondblue, it is estimated that in any one year, around 1 million Australian adults will experience depression, and more than 2 million will have anxiety. What's more, one in 14 young Australians (6.9 per cent) aged 4-17 experienced an anxiety disorder in 2015. This is equivalent to approximately 278 000 young people.

It is heartbreaking to see bright and seemingly happy students withdraw from school because of their inability to get out of bed. And it is particularly devastating for parents to see their once upbeat child broken by a malady that they did not see coming. Even for those who did detect something amiss, many had little idea on how to assist.

As one parent put it, "With a physical illness the family is in it together, but with a mental illness everyone feels alone."
Long talked about as a potential last resort, the conditions now appear set for a parliamentary ambush by a small group of Liberal MPs that could see same-sex marriage become law within weeks.

But how would it work, and what could go wrong?

1. Liberal Party debates same-sex marriage

The Liberal Party seems certain to debate the matter on Tuesday, when Parliament returns. If the party room agrees to a free vote, it is a shortcut to victory - same-sex marriage would easily pass both chambers.
The President of the Queensland LNP has excoriated MP Trevor Evans for flagging that he could cross the floor to support gay marriage, saying the issue is "peripheral" and MPs should abide by the party's policy.

President Gary Spence's email, sent to LNP members, is being read as a sign that Mr Evans could face a threat to his preselection as the member for the seat of Brisbane.

Trevor Evans.

In the email Mr Spence stressed the LNP's position was to support a plebiscite or a postal ballot and said it was "unfortunate" that some elected LNP MPs have been "contributors" to the media coverage on same-sex marriage by canvassing favouring a private members' bill and free vote in Parliament.

On Monday Mr Evans told News Corp that with the Parliament rejecting the plebiscite, a breakthrough in the stalemate was needed and he did not rule out crossing the floor to help bring on a vote on gay marriage. He also appeared on the ABC's Lateline that evening.
Turnbull government ministers are pushing to retry the failed same-sex marriage plebiscite in a bid to quash or delay a potential backbench uprising as soon as next week.

Assistant Immigration Minister Alex Hawke told Fairfax Media the plebiscite should be reintroduced in the Senate to put pressure on Labor and the crossbench.

Failing that, a voluntary postal vote - which would not require legislation - was a second-best option that was quickly gathering support in the Liberal party room.

"It would be good for the government to re-put this to the Senate," Mr Hawke, a factional player in NSW who opposes same-sex marriage, said on Tuesday.
If you think this sounds innocuous, you're wrong. It wasn't. She was terrified.

He might have just been a slightly socially awkward guy trying to make conversation. Or he could have been a stalker with violent tendencies. There's really no way to tell the difference between them until it's too late, so as soon as she was put in that position, she had to start calculating the arithmetic of violence.

What is he really trying to do here? Do I smile and placate him, or will that add up to an invitation in his mind? Will it make me look weak? Will that encourage him or pacify him? If I go strong and demand he leaves, will that enrage him or deter him? What can I do that won't make him angry? What do I do if he does get angry? If I run will he chase me? Where do I go? How far is safety? What can I use to defend myself? Who can hear me if I scream? How will he react if I pick up my phone and text someone? What if I'm wrong and he tells everyone I'm freaky and paranoid? What if I'm right and he hurts me? If he tries to hurt me do I let him so he doesn't hurt me even more? How dare he make me feel like this, how angry will he get if he sees my anger?

This particular woman in this particular situation managed to make an excuse to leave the room, run to the next building and find a (male) colleague who had no difficulty throwing him out, and no fear at all of leaving work alone later that night.

Male friends of hers who knew the man told her afterwards that she had nothing to fear. "He's an idiot, but he's not a threat," they said with kindly reassuring smiles.
Ms Murphy and her husband have two children, Sarah, three and Michael, one, who attend a local childcare centre three days a week. The centre charges $122 a day but the Federal Government childcare rebate runs out six weeks before the end of the financial year, leaving the family thousands of dollars out of pocket. "For six weeks of the year you feel as if you're working for nothing," Ms Murphy said. "But you have to weigh up the cost of not working at all, and for our family the benefit of staying in the workforce outweighs the cost of childcare. "I am not going to work for financial gain. I am going to work so I can continue to have a career."

Ms Murphy described the quality of care provided at her children's childcare centre as "excellent" and worth the price, but felt the rebate should be applied more evenly so it did not unfairly penalise families where both parents are in the workforce. How many people use paid childcare? Kids with single parents are in formal childcare for more than 31 hours a week, almost nine hours more than two years before. Couples have their kids in care for 23 hours a week on average, according to the HILDA survey.

How much does childcare cost? The cost of childcare for children under five has spiked considerably since 2002, up 75 per cent for couples and 104 per cent for single since 2002. Couples now spend $162 a week on average, for singles it's $114. Same for the rich and poor?

In 2002, those in the top third of incomes spent more of their money on child care than the bottom third. That has since switched, with poor households spending 8.5 per cent of their household income on childcare, while the rich spend 7 per cent. But are they satisfied with it? Dissatisfaction has grown, with more than three quarters of people complaining about "substantial difficulties" with childcare due to quality, availability or cost.

These problems have proved to be persistent, with nearly all saying they experienced those concerns from one year to the next. Is it the same outside the major cities? Availability difficulties are most commonly reported in urban Tasmania and in all non-capital-city urban areas other than Victoria. Cost pressures are felt most in Sydney, the ACT and NT, as well as outside the major cities of Queensland and South Australia.

How many stick to their family plans? More than half of women said they were done having kids by the time they reach 30. However, about a third of those changed their plans and became mothers in the next 10 years. Who wanted kids but didn't have them?

Once they hit 35, about a quarter of people said they intended to have a child. But just under half of women didn't have them by the time they were 45. For men, the numbers were more in their favour. Who wants kids later in life?

Men are more likely than women to want children when they're into their forties. About one in eight men aged 40 are keen to have kids, compared with one in 14 women. That difference remained at 44, when 6.8 per cent of men still intended to have kids compared to just 1.3 per cent of women. Who regrets having kids? While men want kids more than women when they're older, they are also far more likely to have more than they'd planned.

More than 10 per cent of men in their forties said they had more children than they intended. For women it was less than one per cent. What about younger people? This statistics are reversed at younger ages, with women under 35 more likely than men to say their family was bigger than planned. So when will the kids move out?

Most sons are still living at home until their late 20s, while more than half of daughters have packed up their stuff before 25. The statistics are trending towards children staying at home longer. How have our views on families changed? Attitudes to marriage and children have become more progressive across all demographic groups, particularly towards gay rights. Men and women in nearly every age group now agree that homosexual couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples.
Days after the government abandoned its signature council merger policy, the NSW Court of Appeal delivered a stinging indictment on its handling of the process, declaring invalid three of the five remaining mergers and leaving the government with a legal bill mounting in the millions of dollars.

The Court of Appeal judgment, handed down on Monday, brings to an end more than a year of legal action that resulted in the Sydney councils  Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Strathfield, Mosman and North Sydney  challenging the mergers through the courts.

The protracted legal action ultimately forced the government to retreat on the core policy last week, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian justified the backflip as necessary to ensure certainty ahead of next month's council elections.

Hunters Hill, Lane Cove and Strathfield council received further vindication from the Court of Appeal, which threw out the government's planned mergers for those councils, overturning earlier decisions in the Land and Environment Court.
NSW's top homelessness body has called for the state government and City of Sydney to stop "blame shifting" over the emergence of a growing tent city in Martin Place, and instead act to develop more accommodation for inner-Sydney's homeless population.

An increasing row of about 40 tents now stretches across much of the eastern quarter of Martin Place, outside the Reserve Bank building and in the middle of a thoroughfare for Sydney office workers.

The tent city spread out across Martin Place after an earlier encampment, food kitchen and clothing exchange adjacent to a construction site were disbanded by Sydney Council officials because it affected the "convenience of other uses of Martin Place".

Community Services Minister Pru Goward said it was incumbent on lord mayor Clover Moore to shut the encampment, noting the city regularly policed the setting up of structures without permits:
Police will apply for a fresh apprehended violence order against Salim Mehajer on behalf of his estranged wife Aysha, in the latest court battle for the property developer and former local councillor.

NSW Police confirmed on Tuesday a new application would be made on August 9 in Sutherland Local Court.

Police applied for an interim AVO against Mr Mehajer on behalf of his estranged wife in July last year, less than a year after the couple's lavish wedding in August 2015.

The order prevented Mr Mehajer, the former deputy mayor of the now-defunct Auburn Council, contacting or approaching Ms Mehajer.
A police officer has been charged over an alleged assault at Queanbeyan earlier this year.

Joseph Steven Fairless, 44, of Bungendore, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault.

He appeared in Queanbeyan Local Court on Monday where he pleaded not guilty to both charges.

NSW police allege the incident occurred during the arrest of a man just after midnight on Sunday, March 5.

The officer, a senior constable, was on duty.
A Catholic girls school in Brisbane is the latest institution to be rocked by allegations of historical child sexual abuse.

Mount St Michael's College in Ashgrove principal Sharon Volp sent an email to current and former students on Monday confirming it had received a "formal complaint" about a former staff member between 1976-1978.

A formal complaint alleges historical sex abuse at Ashgrove's Mount St Michael's College. Credit:Mount St Michael's College

Ms Volp said she found "the abuse of children distressing and abhorrent" and the matter had been referred to police.

She reassured the school community the "most stringent protocols" were in place to protect students.
Flu season is here and has already hit more than 10,000 Queenslanders, but the state's health department is expecting many more people to be struck down.

Almost a fifth of those fell ill in the last week of July and more people have fallen sick this year than last, with flu season also starting earlier, communicable disease director Dr Sonya Bennett said.

Flu season is here and has already hit more than 10,000 Queenslanders.

"We can expect to see large numbers of flu notifications over the coming weeks," she said on Tuesday.

So far, 1324 Queenslanders have been hospitalised and 126 of those needed intensive care.
"There's one thing to be kicking and screaming, but they actually need to put a counter position on the table, that is how negotiations work." It was understood a new EBA would be agreed on in August, when every council employee would be given an opportunity to vote yes or no on the 2.5 per cent offer. Until then, strike action could continue. On Tuesday evening the RTBU released a statement that said despite having another meeting with the council, an agreement on driver safety, rostering or pay rates could not be reached. "As a result the RTBU will be taking further protected industrial action this week," the statement said.

Cr Schrinner said going forward, it was anyone's guess what would happen in terms of strike action. "Obviously prior to the first strike we met with the RTBU to see if we could come to an agreement which was mutually satisfactory, I thought that we would get there," he said. "As time has gone I'm losing confidence that they will come to an agreement which is also an appropriate agreement for the ratepayers of Brisbane. "Ultimately, there are things we can work with them on, safety has always been one of those things." Cr Schrinner said the new EBA wasn't trying to take anything away from anyone.

"Yet there has been this ugly situation ... we expect if we were taking something away from staff, if they were losing pay or conditions, by all means there would be strike action happening," he said. "But, that's not happening, we haven't done that. "It's simply continuation of the existing EBA that they signed up to three years ago, plus we're giving them a pay rise. "You've actually got to ask yourself, why is this happening. "We all know this is about the state election coming up, the timing of that election and the fact the unions are activating their membership in the lead-up to the state election - that is all this is about."

Cr Schrinner said the council was still waiting for state government's Bus Safety Review. "Because the state hasn't acted, we've stepped up," he said. While waiting for the review, the council, in response to a request for improved safety by the RTBU, funded 50 senior network officers for the network. "We expected this would all be resolved long ago. The state's review was due in March  we are now into August and there is still no review. "Council has committed to doubling our investment in security because we just don't know what the state is doing and how much longer we're going to have to wait.
Going forward, there will be a three-storey limit at the site. Credit:ASF Consortia Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the decision, made at the cabinet meeting on Monday, did not rule out a future Integrated Resort Development on the Gold Coast. The casino licence will remain on the Gold Coast, but it will not be at the Spit. "I want to see this area preserved for future generations," Ms Palaszczuk said. "This area is probably the equivalent to what Central Park is to New York.

"It's about six or seven times the size of South Bank Parklands." When asked what compensation would be available for ASF, Ms Palaszczuk said it would need to be discussed with Crown Law. Ms Palaszczuk denied the decision was "killing a job-creating project". "There will be opportunities for other investment here on the coast," she said. Ms Palaszczuk said she wanted the area to be a "central parkland of the Gold Coast for generations of families to enjoy".

"I want that to be a significant legacy of my government," she said. Ms Palaszczuk, who earlier briefed Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate with Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, said she wanted the council to continue its work on the cruise ship terminal. Ms Trad said the plan would include extensive community consultation. Cr Tate said he wanted a world-class central park for the Spit, and his vision was "something for everyone", including families, an ecotourism theme, somewhere you could "bung on a barbecue" and maybe a music festival. "That's all ideas that we need to table, the solution is that the master plan is something first for the Gold Coasters, second tourists who visit here will enjoy it," he said.

Save Our Spit Alliance president Steven Gration said the group had been fighting for the decision for 15 years, after a similar fight by others in the past. Mr Gration said three storeys was in the City Plan. "That's what the people, businesses, community stakeholders and business groups have advocated for the last 30 years," he said. "So all that's happening is the rule of law is being obeyed and the three storey limit is what we've always advocated." Mr Gration said he had personal feelings about another casino, after being involved with people who had gambling stress and addictions.

"I wonder how much you need of that in a place like the Gold Coast," he said. "But the fact is, the Spit was the wrong location, the wrong industry, in the wrong era, given we've got the Commonwealth Games coming it's all about health, fitness, elite sport, adventure and outdoor tourism that blackjack and roulette aren't really featuring as exhibition sports at the Commonwealth Games." But Mr Gration said he would understand if another casino, entertainment and resort development was built on the Gold Coast, was long as it was in the right location and had community support. Mr Gration will be among those to attend a town hall meeting featuring Ms Palaszczuk on Tuesday from 6.30pm at the Currumbin RSL. The Greens' candidate for the inner-Brisbane seat of McConnel, Kirsten Lovejoy, said if the government could cancel the Spit casino, they could cancel the Queen's Wharf casino.
Worse, Lick's special eclipse camera was impounded by the Russians and not returned in time for the next eclipse, in Venezuela in 1916. The next big chance to prove Einstein correct came in 1918, when the moon's shadow tracked right up the Columbia River between Washington state and Oregon. Lick sent another team of observers, but their camera was still not back from the Crimea and their improvised optics fell short, leaving the stars looking like fuzzy dumbbells as darkness fell. So the universe was still up for grabs in March 1919, when Eddington and his colleagues set sail for Africa to observe the next eclipse. Astronomically, the prospects were as good as they could get. During the eclipse, the sun would pass before a big cluster of stars known as the Hyades, so there ought to be plenty of bright lights to see yanked askew. Eddington was the right man for the job. A math prodigy and professor at Cambridge, he had been an early convert to Einstein's new theory, and an enthusiastic expositor to his colleagues and countrymen. A story went that he was once complimented on being one of only three people in the world who understood the theory. Admonished for false modesty when he did not respond, Eddington replied that, on the contrary, he was trying to think of who the third person was.

General relativity was so obviously true, he said later, that if it had been up to him he would not have bothered trying to prove it. But it was not up to him, due to a quirk of history. Eddington was also a Quaker and so had refused to be drafted into the army. His boss, Frank Dyson, the Astronomer Royal of Britain, saved Eddington from jail by promising that he would undertake an important scientific task, namely the expedition to test the Einstein theory. Eddington also hoped to help reunite European science, which had been badly splintered by the war, Germans having been essentially disinvited from conferences. Now, an Englishman was setting off to prove the theory of a German, Einstein. According to Einstein's final version of the theory, completed in 1915, as their light rays curved around the sun during an eclipse, stars just grazing the sun should appear deflected from their normal positions by an angle of about 1.75 second of arc, about a thousandth of the width of a full moon. According to old-fashioned Newtonian gravity, starlight would be deflected by only half that amount, 0.86 second, as it passed the sun during an eclipse.

A second of arc is about the size of a star as it appears to the eye under the best and calmest of conditions from a mountaintop observatory. But atmospheric turbulence and optical exigencies often smudge the stars into bigger blurs. So Eddington's job, as he saw it, was to ascertain whether a bunch of blurs had been nudged off their centres by as much as Einstein had predicted, or half that amount - or none at all. It was Newton versus Einstein. No pressure there. And what if Eddington measured twice the Einstein deflection? Dyson was asked by Edwin Cottingham, one of the astronomers on the expedition. "Then Eddington will go mad and you will come home alone," Dyson answered. To improve the chances of success, two teams were sent: Eddington and Cottingham to the island of Principe, off the coast of Africa, and Charles Davidson and Andrew Crommelin to Sobral, a city in Brazil. The fail-safe strategy almost didn't work.

In Sobral, the weather was unusually cloudy, but a clearing in the clouds opened up only one minute before totality, the moment the moon fully eclipsed the sun. On Principe, it rained for an hour and a half on the morning of the eclipse, and Eddington took pictures through fleeting clouds, hoping that some stars would show up. A few blurry stars were visible on a couple of his photographic plates, and a preliminary examination convinced Eddington that the positions of the stars had moved during the eclipse. He turned to his colleague and said, "Cottingham, you won't have to go home alone." In the end, there were three sets of plates from which the deflection of starlight could be measured. How Eddington and his colleagues played them off against one another sealed the fate of Einstein's theory. The best-looking data had come from an Irish telescope at Sobral. The images indicated a deflection of 1.98 seconds of arc - more than Einstein had predicted. Another Sobral telescope, known as an astrograph, also produced lots of star images, but they were blurred and out of focus, perhaps because heat from the sun had affected the telescope mirror. The images gave a value of 0.86 for the deflection, about in line with Newton's formula, but with large uncertainties.

Finally, there was the Principe telescope, which recorded only a handful of stars, from which Eddington heroically derived a reading of 1.61 seconds of arc. Which result should Eddington use? If he averaged all three, he would wind up in the unhappy middle ground between Newton and Einstein. If he just depended on the best telescope, as astronomers and historians John Earman and Clark Glymour pointed out in an influential essay in 1980, the figure of 1.98 would have cast doubt on Einstein's theory of general relativity. In the end, Eddington wound up throwing out the Sobral astrograph data on the grounds that it was unreliable. Both of the remaining plates "point to the full deflection 1".75 of Einstein's generalised relativity theory," Dyson and his colleagues wrote in their official report. "Dear Mother, joyous news today," Einstein wrote when he got wind of the result.

Astronomers and historians have argued ever since about whether Eddington's belief that he already knew the answer led him to fudge the eclipse analysis by leaving out the warped astrograph. In 2007, however, Daniel Kennefick, an astrophysicist and historian at the University of Arkansas, concluded after a long study of the records of the eclipse expedition that it was Dyson, the astronomer royal, who had decided to exclude the results from the astrograph. Dyson was well known to be sceptical of Einstein's new theory. Eddington and Dyson were right. The experiment was repeated during an eclipse in 1922 and at many other eclipses over the years, always with the same Einsteinian result. With improvements in technology, today even small universities can do the requisite observations. During the eclipse coming this month, Bobby Powell, a physicist at the University of West Georgia, will be redoing the experiment with his students at a site near Lexington, Kentucky. His is only one of half a dozen universities that will try it. He hopes to develop a lab manual for individuals or schools that might want to do it during the next eclipse in US skies, in April 2024. In modern times, some of the most precise measurements of light-bending have come from radio observations of distant galaxies. In 2009 Edward Fomalont, of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, Virginia, and his colleagues used a set of antennas known as the Very Long Baseline Array to obtain results that supported Einstein's predictions to within .02 per cent.
Accused Bourke Street killer Dimitrious Gargasoulas was absent from court again, days after a magistrate was told he was too mentally unwell to attend.

Mr Gargasoulas, who faces six counts of murder and 28 of attempted murder after a car hit dozens of pedestrians in Melbourne's CBD on January 20, did not appear in court in person or via video link in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

He also failed to face court last week.

Mr Gargasoulas' lawyer, James Yianoulatos, asked Magistrate Simon Zebrowski for permission that his client not appear before the court, but did not immediately outline the reason why.
Victorian students may soon have to meet minimum literacy and numeracy standards if they want to leave school with a VCE qualification.

In what could signal the biggest shake-up of the high school certificate in decades, Fairfax Media understands that the state's curriculum authority is investigating a new compulsory literacy and numeracy test that students must pass before graduating.

It is also examining whether students should have to achieve certain NAPLAN results in order to graduate with the VCE or its vocational equivalent, VCAL.

Industry bodies including the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry are calling for the changes amid concerns that too many young people are finishing school with poor skills.
Two of Leonie Stuart's sons and her husband outside their home after the shooting in March. Credit:Justin McManus Johnson murdered Carl Williams in Barwon Prison because of similar concerns about co-operating with the authorities. Phillips later pleaded guilty to charges relating to shootings and firebombings targeting the father and ex-wife of Williams, attacks motivated by his allegiance to the POW. Police are certain offenders like Rodney Phillips would incur stiffer sentences under the new law. During this rampage, Phillips and a co-accused also shot two police in Moonee Ponds.

It is an irony not lost on Ms Stuart that the armed crime squad, who investigated Phillips for shooting at police, are now investigating who shot her. Police interview Matthew Johnson, head of the Prisoners of War jailhouse gang, after he killed Carl Williams. Credit:Supreme Court "I actually testified against Rodney, because I've never been a person who can lie. I've always been an honest person," Ms Stuart said. "I still think to this day: it's revenge. This is about revenge. Leonie Stuart was shot through the screen door of her home. Credit:Victoria Police

"Because people know how to find people's family members if they really want to [and] I did say harsh words at the committal against Rodney." Ms Stuart, who is also a grandmother, spent 2 weeks in hospital after the shooting, which left her in a critical condition. The vertical scar is from surgery to remove her spleen, and she had another less intrusive surgery only last week to remove some shrapnel from her back. Ms Stuart should make a full recovery and was incredibly lucky, doctors say, but she will have to take medication for years. The decision to reveal her scars, physical and mental, was not easy.

But she needs to know why someone wanted to hurt her  even if the answer may be as painful as the shooting itself. "I love my boys, I love them all dearly," she said. "But my life, I've got nothing. "And for this to happen, it shouldn't have happened to me. I didn't deserve it. That's why I'm here today." Detective Sergeant Warren Chapman hopes someone, somewhere, hears Ms Stuart's story and sees her scars and comes forward.

"We can not say with any certainty that Leonie was the target of the shooting or that the motive relates to the activities of one of her children," he said. "The investigation is in danger of going unsolved unless someone does the decent thing and comes forward. "There's people in the underworld who still have a sense of morality and these people will look at this and think she shouldn't have been shot." A son who had been living at the Glenroy house with Ms Stuart had returned from overseas only a few days before the shooting, but it remains unclear whether this is linked. Her partner claimed hours after the shooting during media interviews that he knew who was responsible, but, today, Leonie says he "does not, 100 per cent, have a clue who did this to me" and regretted the comments, she said.
Petrol theft that costs Victorian service station owners more than $20 million a year will be reclassified as a criminal offence if the Coalition is elected next year.

The pledge by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy to have "zero tolerance" for fuel drive-offs would reverse a policy the Coalition brought in itself in 2013 to treat the offence as a civil matter instead of a crime.

Fuel drive-offs cost Victorian retailers more than $20 million a year. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Service station owners say the policy has put most of the onus of policing fuel drive-offs on them and emboldened motorists to steal fuel in the belief they will get away with it.

The thefts cost each store in Melbourne about $186 a week, or $9600 a year, in stolen fuel on average, the industry estimates.
A close friend and former adviser to Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak has reportedly been charged in France over alleged multi-million dollar kick-backs in a case linked to the murder of a glamorous Mongolian socialite and allegations of high-level bribery, blackmail and betrayal.

Abdul Razak Baginda, a Ferrari-driving businessman and former director of the Malaysian Strategic Resource Centre, has been charged with "active and passive complicity in corruption," according to the Paris-based Agence France Presse (AFP), quoting a French judicial source.

French prosecutors investigating the case have also charged four French industry executives with corruption, which they deny.

Mr Razak was at the centre of a $US2 billion deal in 2002, when Mr Najib was defence minister, for Malaysia to buy two French-Spanish Scorpene submarines.
Private detective Rod Wheeler, who investigated the July 2016 slaying of the Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich, made the allegations in a defamation lawsuit. He also claims that President Trump was aware of the false story and urged Fox to publish it on its website.

Washington: Fox News has been accused of working with White House officials to use bogus claims over the death of a young data specialist for the Democrats to undermine allegations of Russian collusion with Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

Fox News contributor Rod Wheeler (right). There is no evidence that Seth Rich was a WikiLeaks source.

Mr Wheeler's suit  which names Fox News, a Fox reporter and a wealthy businessman as defendants  is an outgrowth of Mr Rich's murder in his Washington, DC suburb, in what police said was a botched robbery attempt.

But the timing set off a conspiracy theory among Trump supporters and those on the far right: that Mr Rich's death was somehow arranged by Democratic officials as payback for his leak of thousands of DNC emails and electronic files to WikiLeaks, which published them.

The emails were an embarrassment to Hillary Clinton's campaign, but Mr Rich's family and DC police have denied that he was the source, or that his death had anything to do with his work at the DNC. Intelligence sources have said that the emails were stolen from the DNC by Russian hackers.

In May, however, a story was published on Foxnews.com asserting that Mr Rich was the source of the email leak. It quoted Mr Wheeler  who has worked as a Fox News contributor  as a primary source for the allegation.
Bangkok: A Thai activist has been abducted by armed men in Laos where he operated a community radio network affiliated with Thailand's opposition "red shirt" movement.

Witnesses said Wuthipong Kachathamakul, also known as Ko Tee, and his wife and a friend were confronted at his house in Vientiane by ten men wearing black hoods, hit with stun guns and had their wrists tied with plastic handcuffs and their mouths gagged.

Thailand's former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra talks to the waiting media while being watched by Thai security on Tuesday. Credit:AP

Mr Wuthipong was then driven away in a vehicle and has not been since the incident on July 29.

His wife and the friend, who were left at the house, said the men were speaking Thai.
Washington, DC: The White House says US President Donald Trump had a role in a statement in which his son denied a meeting with a Russian lawyer was related to the 2016 presidential campaign, but a spokeswoman insists the statement is true.

"He certainly didn't dictate (the statement)," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders on Tuesday, "but ... he weighed in, offered suggestion like any father would do."

"The statement that was issued was true and there were no inaccuracies in the statement," Sanders said, even though emails later released by Donald Trump Jr. showed that the subject of the meeting was to be possible damaging information about Trump's rival for the presidency, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that Trump's advisers discussed the statement about the meeting and agreed that Trump Jr should issue a truthful account of the episode so that it "couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged".
Caracas: Masked security forces staged midnight raids on Tuesday to haul away two leading Venezuelan opposition leaders already under house arrest, possibly signalling an expanded crackdown on dissent after widely denounced elections to boost the authoritarian government.

The moves against Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma could intensify the international fallout after Sunday's election that created a new super congress stocked with backers of the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The vote was decried as fraud by the opposition and prompted the Trump administration on Monday to slap sanctions on Maduro. In a video posted online by Ledezma's wife, security forces are shown apparently dragging the opposition leader from the glass doors of a building.

"They're taking Ledezma!" another voice shouts in the background. A woman screams: "dictatorship! dictatorship!"
It's not over. Thousands of uncounted ballots remain in Bucks, Montco
State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented a check to Yardley Borough Police Chief Joseph Kelly for $68,600 for the purchase of a new police vehicle and motorcycle during a visit to the station. Our police put themselves on the line every day to keep our community safe, said Sen. Santarsiero. Dating back to when I was a Lower Makefield Township Supervisor more than...
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October 31, 2022

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The Stitchers team investigates aliens (maybe) in this episode after an ex-Air Force Officer is murdered, but extraterrestrial beings dont exist  or do they? Was the victim killed because the government is trying to hide something?

Also in Dreamland, Fisher has to make a decision about his future when Stephanie gets the job in DC, and a little snooping leads to a discovery about Ivy.

Interview: EP Teases Dominoes Start Falling and a Big Reveal is Coming >>>

Who Wants to Believe?

Ex-Air Force officer Fred Overmyer is found dead in Soledad Canyon, with no signs of a struggle, witnesses, tire tracks, footprints or forensics of any kind. Kirsten stitches into him and learns that he feels guilty about something involving a pilot, Rudy, from 1985. Though Rudy insisted he saw a UFO, Fred said to keep quiet if he wanted to keep flying but told a female officer that he wanted to tell Rudy the truth about aliens.

Fred took Rudy to a restricted area, where they were attacked  by an alien?! As for his death memory, Kirsten sees lights coming from the sky. Was he killed by a UFO?

While the others are more willing to believe, Cameron argues that aliens dont exist. But Camille does have a great counterpoint: Do you honestly think the Stitchers Program is the only secret our government keeps? X-Files, Cameron. X-Files. Saw the whole series growing up. And while the series might not have been real, her crush on Gillian Anderson most certainly was.

Rudy from the stitch was discharged after a nervous breakdown and is now a major ufologist. Hes not surprised that Fred was killed because of what happened to them: the alien attack at Dreamland (Roessell Air Force Base, Californias answer to Area 51). While anyone can pull off a convincing hoax with a camera, tinfoil, drone and scotch tape, Rudys certain that there is life on other planets. He says he last saw Fred at his book signing and nothing seemed to be bothering him.

Rather than sit and wait like theyre supposed to at Dreamland, Kirsten and Cameron sneak into the restricted area from the stitch, and while they dont find an alien, they do find a UFO declassified Air Force prototype they could never get off the ground that has been heavily documented. Theres plenty of thats classified from Colonel Spencer, but they get to throw that back at him when he asks when Kirsten spoke with Fred.

Meanwhile, Fisher and Camille follow up on the money Fred has been giving to Pog Newcomb (half of the $1,000 hes received in cash every month for the past 20 years). It was going to his sister, Peggy, who died a couple months ago in an accident at work.

Yes, Peggy is the female officer from the stitch. In fact, she worked in the research lab at Dreamland, and it cant be a coincidence that Fred died from a lethal dose of a nerve toxin, can it?

The pieces come together once Kirsten stitches back into Fred. The alien attack was just a prank; Peggy was the alien. But when Fred told Rudy this at his book signing, Rudy refused to listen to him, and Rudys wife, Arlene, intervened. The UFO in his death memory was a drone, which sprayed him with the toxin.

While Rudy did say it would be easy to fake a UFO, he insists hes never flown his drone. It was his wife who killed Fred because she couldnt let him take away everything Rudy believed in. She found out where Peggy worked, threatened to cut her off if she didnt give her the toxin and killed her when she refused.

The Truth is Out There in a File in Maggies Office?

While Maggies away, Cameron finds her folder on Ivy  with the photo of her with Stinger. Fisher tries to keep him from telling Kirsten, but Camerons learned from his mistakes and refuses to risk anything ruining his relationship again.

After he tells Kirsten, she fills in Camille (who cant help the I told you so) and Linus (who thinks there has to be an explanation). Fisher tries to stop them from jumping to conclusions, but the photo proves that Ivy can get in touch with Stinger (something she said she couldnt do). And even if he reached out to her, shes still a risk.

Kirsten and Linus use a spare key to get into Ivys place (so its not technically breaking in). She finds proof that her sister has saved everything from her life with Stinger, which suggests that she doesnt hate him like she claims  and if she still cares, what would she be willing to do to get him back? Its Linus who finds the young Cameron avatar on her computer, leading them to realize that Ivy ran the anomaly on them and is the one who trapped Kirsten in her memory and almost killed her.

Quiz: Which TV Scooby Gang Do You Belong To? >>>

Doesnt Every Meet the Parents Include Medical Tests?

Kirstens sleeping restlessly (but she hasnt remembered her dreams since she was a kid), and Cameron worries that something got tweaked in her brain when she was stuck in the stitch. She thinks theyd know by now, but he convinces her to see a neurologist, someone not in the program, and promises theyll keep the results between them.

Who else figures out immediately that the neurologist is Camerons mother? Everyone, right? And thats even before he reveals theyre going to meet her at Kirstens house and is too nervous for her to just be a doctor while waiting for her to arrive. He probably should have told Kirsten, though, because meeting the boyfriends parents isnt something that should be sprung on a person.

After a brief conversation to give us a good idea of Camerons relationship with his mother  she likes to analyze him; they dont see each other often  and a mention of him seeing his father recently, Camerons kicked out. His mother doesnt need to be told hes dating Kirsten because hes never reached out for anyone before. She can tell he loves Kirsten, but Kirsten doesnt answer when she asks if she loves her son.

While they wait for the test results, Kirsten sets Cameron up to have dinner with his mother because, as the neurologist explains, she couldnt stand by and watch the man she loves turn his back on a relationship with his mother when that was something she didnt have.

As for why the results arent back yet, there was something odd on the EEG, but Cameron shouldnt be worried. It just looked like some sort of reflection, his mother explains, sure its nothing. (Its totally something, isnt it?)

Will He Stay or Will He Go?

Stephanie gets the job she wants  in DC!  and she wants Fisher to move there with her. But hes happy where he is, with the team that has become his family. And while Maggie looks into a transfer for him, there wont be a job for him in DC.

Stephanies already sorting their clothes and planning the winter wear theyll have to buy and simply suggests that hell find something or shell find him something once she settles in. He thinks that they need more time to figure things out, but she sees it as him choosing work over them again. Arent you? he counters. This isnt going to end well for them. It cant.

Do you think Fishers going to move to DC (even temporarily)? What did you think of Camerons mother? What do you think Ivys going to say when Kirsten confronts her? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Stitchers season 3 airs Mondays at 9/8c on Freeform. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of Freeform)
In the previous episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County, Kelly Dodd finally made contact with her old enemies Shannon and Tamra. While Tamra managed to keep it together, Shannon promptly freaked out. There are sure to be repercussions from this fallout, so lets see how these two proceed and how the rest of the women navigate around them in this episode, titled We Have a New Puppet Master.

Vicki Gunvalson Wants Daughter to Join RHOC Full Time >>>

Healing Fairy Dust

In this episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County, Tamra gives Shannon a mood promoter to brighten her mood when shes around Kelly Dodd. She says that after the other night, she needs to keep them on her at all times. Shannon is ashamed of the way she behaved, which is probably the biggest difference between her and Kelly, who feels no shame ever.

Kelly tells her husband, Michael, that Shannon freaked out at her at the restaurant for no reason, no antagonizing by her whatsoever! Michael says that he thinks somewhere inside of Shannon is a fun-loving person, and the two of them could probably be friends if something werent standing in the way. Kelly says that someone is Tamra. She thinks Tamra is the new puppet master now that Heathers gone. Anyway, she says she wants to try to make things right with Shannon. Both of these women need to apologize to each other, quite honestly. The way they both behaved was rude and unacceptable.

Judy is throwing Lydias son, Stirling, a birthday party at her home. Its a big, over-the-top emoji-themed party. Lydia says Brianna might be on the guest list, which is okay with Judy; their scuffle at Vickis party took place a long time ago and its all ancient history now.

Judy, bless her heart, wants to sprinkle fairy dust on Kelly and Shannon to try and make them get along. Lydia assures her that theres not enough fairy dust in the world to fix those problems.

At the party, Kelly and Lydia fill Vicki in about the incident at the Quiet Woman. Lydia says she was embarrassed to be there. Peggy agrees, but shes not looking for an apology from Kelly or Shannon. She just wants to stay out of it.

Before the partys over, Vicki tells Peggy she wants to take her under her wing. She warns her that some of these women may act like friends, but they cant be trusted. This must make Peggy feel confident enough in Vicki because she shares her medical issues with her. To her face, Vicki tells her that shes there for her anytime she needs a friend. But in her confessional, she says shes learned from Brooks situation that medical issues are best kept private. Yeah, maybe fake ones!

Vicki goes with Kelly for moral support to her vaginal rejuvenation. Vicki is completely grossed-out. She says she likes to be there for her friends, but this is too much. The two of them are gross and immature and cant even hear the poor technician say vagina without bursting into giggles. Thank goodness the procedure is over relatively quickly.

Meanwhile, Shannons teaching her oldest daughter, Sophie, how to drive. She assures us in the confessional that shes going to be calm and zen, but her panic slowly rises. Her anxious energy rubs off on poor Sophie, who is close to tears yet still realizes how funny this situation is. Thats pretty much all I can say about this scene without being personally triggered by my own driving situation with my parent.

Quiz: Which Real Housewife Are You? >>>

Erasing Family

Tamra tells her son, Ryan, that shes nervous about giving a speech at a convention coming up. Shell be addressing a group of people about the perils of broken families and ways to find yourself back to healing. She says that she and her ex are getting along a lot better now that theyve decided to put their differences aside for the good of their kids.

Tamra also ran into her estranged daughter, Sydney, the other day by accident. She says she hugged her and she was happy to see her, even though it feels like she doesnt know her anymore. She says that just being alone in a room together for 20 minutes without anyone running out screaming is an improvement in their relationship.

Ryan talks about how he and Sarah are still going through their ups and downs. Being a step-father to Sarahs girls has been harder on him than he expected, and now he finds that hes relating to his former step-father, Tamras ex-husband. He says now he realizes that he was just being hard on him because he wanted him to do well. And now Ryans biggest fear is that if he leaves because he and Sarah are unhappy, what strange man is going to come in and take his place and share a part in raising his daughter? Tamra feels guilty because theres a cycle of divorce in her family, and she never wanted Ryan to go through that too. But hes made his choices.

Meghan hired her cousin, Bridget, to nanny her baby, Aspen, despite the fact that she had no qualifications. She has Kelly over for the afternoon, even though theres been some bad blood. In the off-season, Meghan heard a rumor that Kelly had a boyfriend, so she texted her, asking about it. In response, Kelly texted Meghan that Jim was cheating on her while she was seven months pregnant. So, you know, basic girlfriend chat.

There are no incidents, at least during Kellys visit. Meghan says shes willing to sweep things under the rug because its easier being Kellys friend than her enemy. And Kelly admits that she may have overreacted because she has a hard time controlling herself. You think?

Peggy and Vicki continue on their friendship trajectory when Vicki goes to visit Peggys home. Of course, shes impressed by the cars and the house and Peggys polite husband and children. But even more important, they bond over having lost both of their parents. Its nice that Peggy feels like she can confide in Vicki, even if its showing questionable judgment.

Its the evening of Tamras Erasing Family event. Her father and his wife are there, which is a big deal for Tamra. She says that when her parents got divorced, she picked her moms side and shunned her father. Now she feels like its the same exact thing happening with her and Sydney.

Even though it means a lot that her dad and her brother and her son are there, shes disappointed that her mom isnt there. She would have liked them to be all together, but she says her mom is an avoider and shes avoiding her ex and her pain at Tamras expense.

Tamra gives a touching speech, with her dad, son and brother by her side. She says that divorce does horrible things to people, and she wants to be there to help other people with their pain. She says shell keep believing that her daughter will be back or shell fall apart. She tells everyone to love their children more than they hate their exes, and kids deserve to have both parents in their lives. She says in her confessional that she hopes Ryan and Sarah learn from what she has to say and that they work hard to keep things healthy for their kids.

What do you think? Is Peggy choosing the right friends? Did Judys fairy dust bring them together? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

The Real Housewives of Orange County season 12 airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of Bravo)
In 2010 SIG Construction accessories launched the first dedicated Merchant Centre in Maidstone covering London and the south east as a specialist division.

Its focus on Merchant customers by offering them an exclusive telephone line, devoted team with expert technical advice and a next day delivery on all stock items. Since then we have opened centres in Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and Tyneside.

The Merchant Centres were launched to provide SIGs merchant customers with an extensive second warehouse, where they could select products from hundreds of different brands and receive impartial advice from our SIG Construction Accessories teams.

The comprehensive expert product and application advice our teams offer within branch and on the phone is complemented by the onsite technical support available, which includes design services for masonry and groundwork projects.

Seven years on and the aim of the centres is still the same - to provide a single point of contact and support to our merchant customers and to source and deliver products on time and within budget. Our Merchant Centres provide all the products and expertise required to support every construction project, from brickwork accessories and masonry to waterproofing and groundwork, and everything in between.
Responding to continued business growth Marley Alutec has expanded operations at its Bedford headquarters. The company has also announced the appointments of Kevin Stanley, Don Roche and Leigh-Anne Copeland as well as the return of Marketing Communications Manager Ivona Nicol from maternity leave.

The new building, which spans more than 30,000 square feet, increases the companys capacity and productivity. It provides more storage room for an ever-expanding product range and enables Marley Alutec to be more responsive to larger orders. Marley Alutec continues to add to its portfolio of highly sustainable products and has some additions on the horizon.

Similarly, the new arrivals reaffirm the companys commitment to continued growth and signal the speed at which Marley Alutec is organically expanding. Kevin Stanley joined the company as Head of Operations, a new role that will help strengthen customer satisfaction and supply chain, which is at the core of all operational activities. Bringing together the operations and customer service functions of the company, Kevin will deliver continuous customer service improvements and introduce Operational Excellence with supporting KPIs.

Don Roche will oversee growing sales of Marley Alutecs high quality rainwater and eaves solutions as an Area Sales Manager covering the region of South Wales and the South West. As an experienced sales manager, Don has a track record of success from his 30 plus years of sales in the construction and civils sector.

With a sales background in the automotive industry, Leigh-Anne Copeland is an important acquisition in the Internal Sales Support team. Leigh-Anne will be responsible for a range of customer relationship tasks that support the Area Sales Managers.

Finally, returning to the company is Ivona Nicol, who will reprise her role as Marketing Communications Manager following her maternity leave. She will begin working within an expanded marketing team, which also includes Louise Stewart-Young. Together the pair will continue to promote Marley Alutec as a leading supplier of high-quality rainwater and eaves systems.
Woodbury's road to sectional title began on the blacktop

The Thundering Herd rumbled to their second straight sectional title. That wasn't a surprise, but where the road to the championship began was.
The Kathmandu-headquartered is planning to invest Rs 1,000 crore in India over the next three years to ramp up its operations in the country. The diversified conglomerate, which has interests in widespread sectors like hotels and resorts, real estate, education and tobacco, is entering the food and beverages segment in the country in September.
Snapdeal on Monday announced it would chart out an independent path and put an end to any plans for its merger with Flipkart.
IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company, managing director and chief executive R M Vishakha says that high business growth is going to sustain on the strength of products and processes built by the company. "There's no point if we can't repeat the performance. That's what I like about what we are doing," she tells B Dasarath Reddy in an interview. Excerpts:
Maruti Suzuki, the countrys largest car maker, has set the tone for a strong growth in July passenger vehicle sales. The company, with a 50 per cent share in the domestic market, clocked a growth of 22 per cent in sales to dealers last month.
Westlife Development, which runs McDonalds restaurants in west and south India, reported on Tuesday same-store sales growth rate of 8.7 per cent for the June quarter of 2017-18. This is Westlifes highest comparable sales growth in over four years. It also comes at a time when McDonalds restaurants in the north and east territories, run by Connaught Plaza Restaurants, led by Vikram Bakshi, have languished on account of a dispute between the two partners. Amit Jatia, vice-chairman, Westlife Development, tells Viveat Susan Pinto how he has managed to handle the multinational over the past two decades. Edited excerpts:
Snapdeals win against its biggest investor SoftBank has come at a heavy price, which its 1,200-odd employees and 25 minority shareholders are likely to pay over the next few months. This is not the first time employees have been the collateral damage for decisions taken by co-founders.

So how many employees were let go at Jasper Infotech, the parent firm of Snapdeal? In one-and-a-half years, according to internal data accessed by Business Standard, Snapdeal, Freecharge and Vulcan Express have cut down their employee strength from 10,000 to 1,200.

Snapdeal is further planning to remove 80 per cent of the remaining workforce.

Many of the 1,200-odd employees had stuck around because they were sure the deal with Flipkart would go through. Now with the next round of layoffs imminent, the employees have been left in a lurch. According to a senior manager, the management assured employees of a merger and that every move would be for the benefit of employees. He claims the list of people to be laid off is ready.

As a manager, I had to let go half my team within a matter of one week. They were made to resign, given some compensation, but even until the last moment it was not clear to them why they were being asked to leave, the person said. ALSO READ: Kunal Bahl's Snapdeal 2.0 takes another shot at survival

Snapdeal said no such assurance had been given to employees and attrition, not layoffs, was expected in the run-up to Snapdeal 2.0.

Minority shareholders, who were promised 10-20x returns, are trying to find a way to get the deal back on the table.

Many want to approach the board and tell them to resurrect the deal. If that does not work, they are planning legal recourse, said a representative of one of the minority shareholders.

According to sources at Snapdeal, minority shareholders do not have any say as the decision was taken by the board. The shareholders do not have a vote, the person said.
Vision Fund, the $100-billion fund floated by chief Masayoshi Son to invest in technology companies, is in talks with Indias largest e-commerce marketplace, Flipkart, to invest $2 billion.

Discussions between the two firms kicked off as soon as the deal to merge SoftBank-backed Snapdeal with Flipkart fell through on Monday. Softbanks offer to Flipkart is very similar to what was on the table but without Snapdeal, according to sources.

About half, or $1 billion, of the investment will go to investor Tiger Global, which has been looking for a partial exit from Flipkart for more than 18 months.

The remaining amount will help build a $2.5-billion war chest that the Indian firm is putting together to fend off attacks from Amazon. SoftBank, which orchestrated the failed merger of the two Indian e-commerce companies, has written off its $900-million investment in Snapdeal.

The deal was largely being seen as a way to acquire a small stake in Flipkart, while also eliminating any competition that might hurt the company in its fight with Amazon. While SoftBank allowed Snapdeal to pursue its independent strategy  mirroring Chinas Taobao, which is owned by Alibaba  the Japanese investor, in a statement on Monday, maintained that it would continue to remain invested in the vibrant Indian e-commerce space.

Flipkart declined comment. A SoftBank spokesperson said: The SoftBank Vision Fund follows an independent process and reviews every investment on its own merit.

With the $100-billion vision fund, SoftBank will invest with a clean slate to make a double-digit stake purchase in Flipkart, making it one of the largest backers of the Indian firm.

However, even with this investment, it is unlikely that SoftBank will be the largest voice in Flipkarts boardroom. In a funding round in April, Flipkart raised $1.4 billion at a valuation of $11.6 billion, half of the money being pumped in by Chinese Internet giant Tencent.

Naspers, one of the largest shareholders in Tencent, is also among the largest backers of Flipkart. The two together hold a significant stake, rivalled only by Tiger Global at the moment. But with Tiger opting for a partial sell-out, the power of the Tencent-Naspers duo on the board of Flipkart could become more significant.

While an infusion of cash will undoubtedly help Flipkart in its battle with Amazon, a reduction of Tiger Globals stake could have an adverse impact on the company. Former Tiger executive Kalyan Krishnamurthy is chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, after the board shifted the two founders  Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal  to non-operational roles.

Krishnamurthy is credited with turning around Flipkart in an extremely short period of time, helping it stay ahead of Amazon. His hands-on approach to running the business, with a large focus on sales rather than just technological innovation, though controversial, is seen to be working wonders for the firm.

With Tigers reduced interest in Flipkart, Krishnamurthys position as CEO could become tenuous. Theres also a possibility for the return of one of the Flipkart founders in the key position, as they find favour with SoftBank, Tencent, eBay, and some of the companys existing investors.





Sources: Flipkart, BS Research
The Delhi government on Monday ordered funding to 28 Delhi University (DU) colleges, wholly or partially funded by it, be stopped as they failed to set up governing bodies.

The Delhi University, however, assured the government that the bodies in all 28 colleges will be formed within one month.

"(I) have ordered the Finance Department to stop funding for all Delhi government funded colleges, as DU is not willing to have governing bodies for the last 10 months," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who holds the Education and Finance portfolios, said in a series of tweets.

Alleging corruption was the intent behind the failure to set up governing bodies, he said: "I can not allow unchecked corruption and irregularities to be sustained on Delhi government funds in the name of education."

The decision, taken at a meeting between Sisodia and Finance Department officials on Monday, came after the DU failed to act in this regard despite several reminders by the government.

Sisodia charged the DU with deliberately stalling the process of formation of governing bodies since last September.

He also noted that the DU Executive Council disapproved the governing body list sent by the state government twice this month, on July 3 and July 17.

Responding to the government's move, the university wrote a letter assuring the formation of governing bodies.

"We have written to the Delhi government and assured that the governing bodies for all the 28 colleges will be formed in August. The list of panelists (forming the body) has been vetted by the Executive Council of the university," Dean of Colleges Devesh Sinha told IANS.

"Grant will not be stopped," he said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had earlier asked DU not to conduct faculty appointments till the college governing bodies are formed. It had also threatened to stop the funds if it did not comply with the order.

The university has been advertising for faculty appointments after a high court order.

Governing bodies at colleges are responsible for taking several administrative decisions. A full governing body comprises 15 members, out of which five are nominated by the state government.

Out of 28 colleges, 12, including Maharaja Agrasen College, B.R. Ambedkar College, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Keshav Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College are wholly funded by the Delhi government, while the College of Vocational Studies, Rajdhani College, Shivaji College, Motilal Nehru College, Aurobindo College, Kalindi College and Shyama Prasad Mukherji College are among those partially funded.

Meanwhile sacked minister Kapil Mishra criticised the move and demanded that the "anti-student" order be rolled back. He also threatened to launch a student movement in DU from August 7 if the government failed to cancel the order.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari too condemned the AAP move and requested Lt Governor Anil Baijal to look into the matter.
As Indian and Chinese soldiers face off with live weapons on their border at Doklam, tank crews from both countries are locked in a test of skill in Russia  racing and firing their armoured vehicles to decide the master of the battlefield.
One person was killed and several others injured on Tuesday as security forces opened fire on stone- pelting protesters near the encounter site in Kashmir's Pulwama district where two militants were killed, police said.

While there was no official word on the identity of the deceased, locals who had brought him to the hospital said his name was Firdous Ahmad, a police official said.

"One person with fire arm injuries was brought dead at Pulwama district hospital," the official said.

At least six other persons were injured in security forces' action against violent protesters near the encounter site.





In spite of our warnings&requests ppl on behest of terrorists tend to come in b/w encounter,that is how they get injured/killed: IG Kashmir pic.twitter.com/jx6MM3eBvU  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

I hope the security forces continue to do such good work so that there is peace and calm in the state: Farooq Abdullah on #AbuDujana killed pic.twitter.com/Pc6aUc938o  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

The official said that over 100 "miscreants" started pelting stones at security forces involved in the anti-militancy operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama.

He said the security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few live rounds to disperse the stone- pelting protestors.

As the security forces were retreating from the encounter site, some youth started pelting stones at them near district hospital Pulwama.

The security forces responded by opening fire, resulting in injuries to two persons including a nurse working inside the hospital, the official said.

He said two other persons were brought to the hospital in an injured condition but it was not clear where they suffered the injuries.

Reports of protests have been received from several parts of south Kashmir and from some parts of the city as well.

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were today killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir.




Delhi girl has just completed a 3-week internship in Modena, Italy, at the three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana. What makes this even more special is that she had the chance to train under the most celebrated chef Massimo Bottura. She also happens to the first Indian to train at Francescana.
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The formation of the panel comes amid concerns over personal information being compromised with the increasing use of biometric identifier Aadhaar in an array of services.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was on Tuesday elected prime minister by Pakistan's National Assembly, becoming the interim leader of the country after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court over the Panama Papers scandal.


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!)
Commerce Minister has held "candid" talks with her Chinese counterpart Zhong Shan over the ballooning trade deficit in favour of China which has crossed over $52 billion and sought a level playing field for Indian IT and agro products.

India's trade deficit with China in 2015-16 swelled to $52.68 billion, which Indian officials say has become unsustainable. Besides pressing for access to IT and pharma products, the main stay of India's global exports, India has been insisting that China should compensate by stepping up investments.

"The two Ministers exchanged views, in a candid manner, on further development of a strong, balanced and sustainable trade and investment partnership between India and China," Indian Consulate in Shanghai said in a statement today.

"In particular, Minister Sitharaman sought the assistance of Chinese Ministry of Commerce in reducing the trade deficit, facilitating greater market access and for providing a level playing field for Indian IT, pharmaceuticals and agro products in China," it said.

The meeting between the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Zhong was the second after their meeting on the sidelines of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2017.

The ministers also agreed to further intensify India- China cooperation in the multilateral frameworks such as WTO, BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the statement said.

They decided to hold the 11th Joint Economic Group (JEG) in New Delhi at the earliest.

A host of BRICS ministerial and officials meeting on various fields were being held in China ahead of the five- nation grouping's summit to be held in September this year in the Chinese city of Xiamen.

The meetings were taking place as per schedule despite the India-China tensions over the standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim section.

Ahead of Sitharaman's visit, China's Commerce Ministry said India should avoid abusing trade remedy measures and called for settling trade disputes through consultation.

Reacting to India's move to launch an anti-dumping investigation over photovoltaic cells and units imported from China, Taiwan and Malaysia, Wang Hejun, head of the Commerce Ministry's trade remedy and investigation bureau said China was paying close attention to the probe and hopes India will conduct it in a prudent manner and as per relevant rules.

Wang said adopting restrictive measures for the trade of photovoltaic products would not only harm photovoltaic sector development in India, but also dampen the sector's long-term development worldwide as well as economic and trade cooperation between China and India.

Meanwhile, coinciding with Sitharamans's visit, an article in today's state-run 'Global Times' said protectionism against Chinese manufactured products will only boomerang on the Indian industry.

The list of Chinese products covered by India's trade remedy investigations is getting ever longer, expanding from garments, glass, minerals and other low-end items to advanced products such as new materials and machinery, it said.

It seems that the Indian government is trying to protect domestic industries from overseas competition through trade remedy measures, but although this strategy offers certain short-term benefits, it will eventually hinder India's industrial development, the article said.

India has initiated 12 investigations against Chinese products in the first half of this year, becoming the country with the most trade remedy probes against China, it said.

During the period, 11 investigations were launched by the US, it said, quoting China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

"There are other explanations behind the intensified trade conflicts between India and China. After years of development, India's industries have made progress, and many companies in India now produce items that could compete with those from China," it said.

"Chinese producers still have the upper hand, but it seems understandable for the Indian government to be eager to protect local industries," the write-up claimed.

But it is wrong to resort to trade remedy measures to drive Chinese products out of the local market, it added.

"At the same time that it is making great efforts in liberalising foreign investment rules, India should also open up to foreign competition to facilitate the development of domestic manufacturing," it said.
The Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday issued summons to Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's younger son Naseem Geelani for questioning in its ongoing probe in Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case.

Sources said that the central anti-terror agency asked Naseem Geelani to appear before it at its headquarters on Wednesday and also reissued summons to his elder brother Naeem Geelani, a doctor who was once based in Pakistan, as he failed to appear in response to the NIA's earlier notice calling him on Monday.

"NIA has issued summons to Geelani's younger son Naseem and reissued summons to his elder son Naeem who is admitted to hospital in Srinagar because of sudden ailment and did not appear before us today (Monday)," said sources.

Earlier in the day, the NIA also raided the ancestral home of Jammu and Kashmir advocate Devender Singh Behal, in Nowshera town of the state's Rajouri district, a day after arresting him over suspected involvement in the funding case.

As part of its crackdown on Kashmiri separatist leaders for their alleged involvement in funding terrorist activities, the NIA on Sunday raided Behal's home in Jammu's Bakshi Nagar and took him into custody. Four mobile phones, a tablet, electronic devices and financial documents were also seized.

NIA sources said Behal, who is considered close to Geelani and is regularly seen at funerals of slain militants, was being questioned for his role in the funding.

Behal heads the Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF), a constituent of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani and is also a member of its legal cell.

According to the agency, it was investigating Behal's role "as a courier as he is suspected to be involved in routing funds to the separatist leaders from Pakistan-based handlers".

The agency also has recovered a detailed protest calendar signed by Geelani that marks the role of separatists in organising events that are coordinated by Pakistani handlers to spread violence in the Kashmir Valley.

The NIA has recovered documents from Altaf Ahmad Shah 'Funtoosh', Geelani's son-in-law, that list dates of protests and other uncivil activities to be carried out in Kashmir after the July 8, 2016, killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

The calendar established systematic and planned violence that caused several deaths and injuries in the clashes between stone-pelters and security forces, an NIA official said.

NIA's investigation indicates that local clerics and separatist cadres along with the opposition parties who were funded by Pakistani agencies were involved in the radical activities.

One of the incidents listed was on August 6, 2016, when Geelani called for assembling and occupying local chowks and centres in the vicinity of villages and locals and playing of Islamic and 'azadi taranas' ("freedom songs") in mosques.

The calendar was also filled with dates marking activities in August 2016 when Jammu and Kashmir were marred by protests and stone pelting following the death of Wani.
Ram Kisan Yadav, aka Baba Ramdev, has been one of the most public figures in India since he started revolving his stomach on Sanskar TV in 2002. As Priyanka Pathak-Narain notes in her closely-researched book, according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council, Patanjali doubled its weekly ad insertion from 11,897 in the first week of January 2016 to 24,050 in the week of 25 March. During the same period, Ramdev appeared 234,934 times across TV channels, which means he was on air every 30 seconds on one channel or another. Patanajali Ayurveda Limited remains one of the top ten advertisers in India, and Ramdevs face has become ubiquitous.
Farmers in Gujarat and West Bengal are now battling on two fronts. Floods have inundated thousands of acres, even as the agrarians are awaiting insurance money for the 2016 kharif season.
Indias foodgrain production rose five times over six decades, according to 2016 government data, the latest available. But with the average Indian farm half as large as it used to be 50 years ago and yields among the lowest in developing economies, both the agriculture sector and farmers have been driven to the brink, shows an IndiaSpend analysis.
The Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has gone all out to declare, No will be allowed in India". The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) was established under the incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in January 2015 as a premier policy think tank to encourage innovation in India and promote the country as a knowledge hub. Therefore, is Gadkari saying that innovation is not welcome in India?

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
One month after the roll out of the goods and services tax (GST), the stocking of medicines has not stabilised.
Opposition parties on Tuesday attacked the government over its decision to gradually do away with the LPG subsidy, calling it "cruel" and demanding that the proposal be withdrawn.

K C Venugopal (Cong) raised the issue during the Zero Hour, saying it will adversely affect the common man and there was no justification of it when the crude oil prices had gone down. "It should be immediately withdrawn," he said.

Sudip Bandopadhyay (TMC) said the steady increase in the LPG cylinder price by the government had been highest in the last six years.

Describing the move as "anti-welfare", he wondered what will be the "fate" of over 2.5 crore women given the connection for free.

While Sreemathy Teacher (CPI-M) said the decision was cruel, N K Premachandran (RSP) accused the government of avoiding transparency on the matter as he said the decision was taken in March this year and was not shared publicly.

Opposition parties later staged a walk-out from the House as they sought a response from the government.
The Indian Railways' scheme of procuring electricity directly from the generator of its choice has so far got clearance from only seven BJP-ruled states, while the Congress-led Punjab may become the first non-BJP state to join the bandwagon.
As tariffs in the solar power sector touch record lows, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy has raised apprehensions over the quality of equipment used in these projects. At the same time, it has recommended a high anti-dumping duty on low-quality imports and a financial push for the domestic solar manufacturing industry.
The Centre's financial position would have looked too shaky in the first quarter of the current financial year had the government accepted Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian's recommendation of focusing on the for fiscal consolidation.
A revised methodology, including a penalty clause for false claims, will be used to rank the 4,041 cities and towns in the country under the Modi government's third cleanliness survey  'Swachh Survekshan-2018'. The government on Monday revised the methodology for the survey, which will be held in February 2018, according to agency reports.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that challenging targets set for employees, incentives to the staff, and lack of training are the reasons for mis-selling of third party investment products by banks, a statement said on Monday.

Drawing attention to a large number of complaints on mis-selling, Deputy Governor S S Mundra said: "The underlying reasons were the challenging targets set for employees, incentive linked quotas, lack of training and fast rotation of frontline staff."

"These along with the lack of co-ordination between the back and front office, impacted customer protection and made it inconvenient for the complainants to easily approach the appropriate authorities for redressal," he said at the Annual Conference of Banking Ombudsmen held here on July 25.

He, therefore, urged that the commitment of the top managements of should also percolate down the line so that the customers received efficient services as well as due care at all touch points.

With regard to complaint management, Mundra said that the should seek to study the patterns and undertake root cause analysis of complaints, which would be possible by adopting end-to-end automation of the grievance redressal mechanism and deployment of latest analytical tools.

The Banking Ombudsman Scheme had been amended in July 2017 to include deficiencies in mobile and electronic banking as well as mis-selling of third party investment products by as eligible grounds for lodging complaint under the Banking Ombudsman (BO) Scheme.

In order to deepen and widen the reach of the BO Scheme, Mundra mentioned that the RBI had opened five new BO offices and if required, opening of few more offices could be considered over time.

(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.)
Private life insurer is eyeing treatment of cancer to expand its offerings in the health sector.

The company, launching a new term product to meet cancer treatment, said in the next few years, India would be the second biggest country of patients diagnosed with cancer.

"The first cancer treatment specific product from SBI Life will be available for persons in the age group between six and 65 years," Anand Pejawar, president (operations and international business), told reporters in Kolkata on Tuesday.

He said that the minimum sum assured was Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000.

Regarding international business, he said that the company had applied to the regulator in Bahrain to start a branch there.

One of the reasons for selecting that country was that SBI has a good presence there with two branches.

SBI Life recently got the IRDA approval for its proposed IPO.

(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.)
Faced with Rs 3 crore RBI penalty related to KYC norms, state-owned Union Bank today said it has taken corrective action to enhance internal controls to avoid repetition of events that lead to non-compliance.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has levied penalties of Rs 2 crore and Rs 1 crore on the bank in two separate incidents of non-compliances.

"The bank has taken necessary preventive measures and has implemented a comprehensive correction action plan, to strengthen internal controls and to ensure that such incidents do not recur," Union Bank said in a regulatory filing.

The penalties were levied on July 26 and RBI yesterday made that public through a press statement.

A fine of Rs 2 crore has been imposed on the bank as it failed to comply with regulator's directives on Know Your Customer (KYC) regarding the examination of certain accounts with substantial transactions.

Another Rs 1 crore fine relates to a case in which KYC norms were not followed for huge cash withdrawals in certain accounts maintained with the bank.

Stock of the bank was trading 2.15 per cent down at Rs 154.50 on BSE.
Health Ministry to launch Intensified Mission Indradhanush Targets full immunization coverage by 2018

With the aim to accelerating the full immunization coverage and provide greater focus on urban areas and other pockets of low immunization coverage, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has drawn up an aggressive action plan to achieve the target by 2018. According to the plan, States will conduct Intensified Mission Indradhanush drives for 7 working days from 7th day of every month starting from 7th October 2017 for four consecutive months excluding Sundays, holidays and Routine Immunization days. A total of 118 districts, 17 urban areas and 52 districts of North East states will be targeted under Intensified Mission Indradhanush.

Under Intensified Mission Indradhanush, greater focus will be given on urban areas which were one of the gaps of Mission Indradhanush. This will be done through mapping of all underserved population in urban areas and need-based deployment of ANMs for providing vaccination services in these areas. Mobility support to field staff for deployment to such areas in urban as well as rural areas will be provided.

Intensive monitoring and strong accountability mechanism is being established at all levels with Cabinet Secretary at national level and the Chief Secretary at state level reviewing the preparations and progress. Every district identified for Intensified Mission Indradhanush will be monitored by partners through an identified nodal person for each district. Further, emphasis will also be given on integration of Intensified Mission Indradhanush sessions into routine immunization microplans after completion of for rounds of Intensified Mission Indradhanush.

The integration of these sessions will also be monitored by partners and senior government officials.

A distinctive feature of Intensified Mission Indradhanush is that greater focus is being given on convergence with other ministries/departments especially women and child development, panchayati raj, urban development, youth affairs, NCC etc. The convergence of ground level workers of various departments like ASHA, ANMs, Anganwadi workers, Zila preraks under NULM, self-help groups will be crucial for successful implementation of Intensified Mission Indradhanush.

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) of India prevents mortality and morbidity in children and pregnant women against 12 vaccine preventable diseases. In the past it has been seen that the increase in immunization coverage had slowed down and it increased at the rate of 1% per year between 2009 and 2013. To accelerate this coverage Mission Indradhanush was envisaged and implemented since 2015 to rapidly increase the full immunization coverage to 90%.

Four phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed in 528 districts across the country. More than 2.47 crore children and around 67 lakh pregnant women have been vaccinated under Mission Indradhanush so far. The first two phases of Mission Indradhanush led to an increase of 6.7% full immunization coverage in 1 year as compared to 1% increase in the past. This increase has been more prominent in rural areas as compared to urban areas.
PM reviews flood situation in North-Eastern States at a series of high-level meetings in Guwahati; announces assistance of over Rs. 2000 crore

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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today announced a relief package of over Rs. 2000 crore for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation measures in the flood-affected North-Eastern states. The announcement came at the end of a series of high level meetings, where the Prime Minister reviewed the flood situation, and relief measures in the States. .

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Through the course of the day, the Prime Minister held separate, detailed review meetings on the situation in the States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland. The Chief Ministers of the respective States, and senior officials were present at the meetings. A memorandum was received from the Chief Minister of Mizoram, who could not make it to the meeting in person. .

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Over Rs. 1200 crore will be given by the Union Government for the infrastructure sector alone. The funds will be utilized for repair, maintenance, and strengthening of roads, highways, bridges, and other damaged infrastructure. .

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Rs. 400 crore will be provided for improving the water holding capacity of the Brahmaputra River, which will assist in flood control. .

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In the current financial year, the Union Government has approved Rs. 600 crore as central share of SDRF. Out of this, Rs. 345 crore has already been released, and the remaining will be released immediately, to assist the States in relief and rehabilitation work. .

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The Union Government will also provide Rs. 100 crore for carrying out a study to synergize efforts towards finding time-bound long term solutions to recurrent floods in the region. .

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The North-Eastern region, with eight percent of India's land area, contains one-third of the country's water resources. The Union Government will constitute a High Level Committee, with representation from Ministries of the Government of India and the States, for proper management of the region's vast water resources. .

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An ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs. 50,000/- to each of those seriously injured due to the floods, has been sanctioned under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). .

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General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff will be visiting Kazakhstan & Turkmenistan from 01-06 Aug 2017 with high level military delegation. During the visit, the General alongwith delegation will be visiting important military installations and is scheduled to meet a number of high ranking dignitaries of both the nations. .

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During the visit to Kazakhstan from 01-03 Aug, General Bipin Rawat will meet Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry alongwith Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces of Kazakhstan. The delegation will also visit elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University at Astana where he shall be inaugurating the Indian Military Art Room. .

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The visit to Turkmenistan from 04-05 Aug assumes importance as General Bipin Rawat is the first Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army to visit the country. During the visit, General Bipin Rawat will be meeting Minister of Defence & Secretary, National Security Council, First Deputy Minister & Chief of Gen Staff alongwith Commanders of Land, Naval, Air & Air Defence Forces of Turkmenistan. The delegation will also visit the prestigious Military Institute & Military Academy of Turkmenistan. .

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The visit to Kazakhstan & Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations. .

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Col Aman Anand.

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PRO (Army)
A year ago, the Federal Bureau of Investigation made an extraordinary demand of Apple. To get inside a dead terrorists iPhone, law enforcement officials wanted the company to create a hackable version of the software that runs all iPhones.
Banks may need to find $30 billion to $50 billion of additional capital to support new European units in the aftermath of a hard Brexit, and some smaller firms may abandon their operations on the continent altogether as profitability plunges, according to Oliver Wyman Inc.
Chinas president, Xi Jinping, has opened a public campaign to deepen his grip on power in a coming leadership shake-up, using a huge military parade on Sunday, speeches and propaganda, along with a purge in the past week, to warn officials to back him as the nations most powerful leader in two decades.
United States President has decided to sack Anthony Scaramucci, the Communications Director.

Trump has relieved him just days after he reportedly launched a verbal tirade against other senior members of the President's senior staff.

The decision to remove Scaramucci has come at the new chief of staff's, John F. Kelly, request, the New York Times reports.

Scaramucci had earlier boasted about reporting directly to the President and not the chief of staff. Following this, Kelly reportedly made clear to members of the White House staff at a meeting on Monday morning that he was the in-charge.

For the uninitiated, Scaramucci's abrupt removal has come just ten days after the wealthy New York financier was brought on to the West Wing staff, in a decision that led to the departures of Sean Spicer, the former press secretary, and Reince Priebus, the president's first chief of staff.

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SoftBank Group has as much as $65 billion in financing lined up as Chairman Masayoshi Son weighs whether to make a formal takeover offer for Charter Communications, according to people familiar with the matter.
The US has slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President after Venezuela held its National Constituent Assembly (ANC) voting on Sunday.

"By sanctioning Maduro, the US makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime," a statement by the US Treasury Department quoted Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as saying on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement also warned that anyone who participates in the ANC could be exposed to future US sanctions.

As a result of the sanctions, "all assets of subject to US jurisdiction are frozen," said the statement, adding that US persons are prohibited from dealing with him.

Venezuela's Vice President Tareck El Aissami said on Sunday that voting was proceeding smoothly, except for an "isolated incident" in Tachira state that authorities brought under control.

He called Sunday's vote "a turning point towards a Venezuela with equality (and) social justice."

Samuel Moncada, Foreign Affairs Minister, said the participation of Venezuelans on Sunday, in the election of a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) is a "vote for peace".

After voting, the Venezuelan minister told the press of the importance to seeing the people out voting and rejected the country's critics.

"Opponents, some governments and even the CIA do not recognize this power... because they have a plan to control Venezuela. We do not need them or the vote of opponents," said Moncada.

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Even as creditors are going ahead with the proceedings initiated against 12 companies under the new and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the latter are raising concerns on the procedures for appointment of Interim Resolution Professionals (IRPs).
(GCPL) dipped 7% to Rs 958, extending its Mondays 2% fall on BSE, after the company reported 9% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 225 crore, as advertising and other expenditure grew sharply during the June quarter (Q1FY18).
Continuing the record breaking spree, settled above 25,000-mark for the first time ever on Monday. In July itself, the index outperformed frontline indices by rallying over 8% as compared to a 5.8% rise in the Nifty50 index.
carrier Air India has asked its crew to carry details of crew names written in Arabic on the letterhead of the Hotel Trident in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, along with their crew permit and Air India identity.

This order has been given following detention of Air India crew in Saudi Arabia over permit issue.

"All crew are hereby informed that along with the crew permit and Air India identity cards in Jeddah you are now required to carry the details of crew names written in Arabic on the letterhead of the Hotel Trident," a Air India's statement said.

The letterhead will also have the phone numbers of the hotel, immigration department and airport.

"All crew laying over at Jeddah are required to comply with the above requirements for their own safety," it added.

An air hostess and the crew members of an Air India Mumbai to Jeddah flight were detained in Saudi Arabia for three hours due to a permit issue.

The incident took place on June 26.

The air hostess and other Air India crew of flight 931 were returning to their hotel after having dinner when their taxi was intercepted by Saudi Police to check their permits.

Despite showing xerox copies of immigration and valid Air India IDs, they were put in police vans and asked not to use their cell phones.

The crew members made a call to hotel and explained the situation and gave the location, following which two hotel staff came for their release.

The staff showed the immigration papers to the police but failed to convince the latter.

Cell phones of the crew were confiscated by the police and they were locked up in a room.

After three hours, an Arab hotel staff came and explained to the police about their identities following which they were released.

The detention was made because their xerox permits were invalid in Jeddah, while original documents and passports are valid.

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The White House has said that "all options are on the table" as far as tackling the North Korea issue is concerned, CNN reports.

"All options are on the table," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the media at a press briefing here, adding, "President Donald Trump will not broadcast his decisions."

Earlier, Trump had said that his administration would "handle" the threat posed by North Korea's latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Washington Times reported.

"We'll handle North Korea. It will be handled. We will handle everything," Trump told the media at a Cabinet meeting in the White House, where he introduced the new chief of staff.

Trump added that his administration has "inherited" a series of foreign-policy challenges, including North Korea and the Middle East.

North Korea launched its second ICBM on Friday, which happens to be its 14th missile test this year.

Meanwhile, John F. Kelly was sworn-in as Trump's new chief of staff, and was primarily given the responsibility of initiating his stalled legislative agenda.

Trump further said that his administration has "done very well," taking note of the stock market, unemployment and business confidence.

Kelly took over for Reince Priebus, who was ousted from the job after only six months on Friday.

Also, Trump has removed Anthony Scaramucci, the Communications Director, at Kelly's request.

Trump has relieved him just days after he reportedly launched a verbal tirade against other senior members of the President's senior staff.

For the uninitiated, Scaramucci's abrupt removal has come just ten days after the wealthy New York financier was brought on to the West Wing staff.

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American Express India on Tuesday announced the appointment of Mark Benjamin as the Chief Human Resources Officer, India.

Mark, who has been associated with American Express since 2013 and was the Vice President Human Resources, Risk & Information Management and Global Risk and Compliance in New York, has an overall experience spanning more than two decades.

He has built, implemented and led human capital planning and execution for leading organizations across geographies. An expert at aligning HR programs and capabilities to a company's strategy, mission and values, Mark has proven expertise in advising leaders on growing and transforming businesses.

At American Express, Mark will be responsible for creating platforms for prioritizing areas of employee focus, driving performance and growing leaders for the India market.

His focus at American Express India will be strengthening the employee value proposition and delivering superior business results by leveraging assets across all of American Express' businesses including India Consumer, Corporate and Merchant Sales businesses, Global Servicing Network, Risk and Information Management, Finance and multiple Analytics and Centers of Excellence. Mark, in this capacity will also become a member of the Board of American Express Banking Corporation, advising on risk appetite framework, regulatory actions and risks that impact the Bank.

"The growth in operations in India that we have experienced is quite unprecedented. I am confident that with Mark's strong track record of partnering with the business to drive strategic outcomes, we will be able to take the India journey of American Express towards even greater heights," said senior vice president market HR and Global Employee and Labor Relations, American Express, Erica Bourne.

"I am honored to have the responsibility of working with some of the most brilliant leadership talent to drive the committed growth agenda and deliver on transformational people strategy for the India market. I look forward to working closely with the entire American Express India team, as we embark on this exciting journey together," said Mark Benjamin on his appointment.

Previously, Mark served as the Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Global Head of Employee Relations and Head of Human Resources for the Global Investments business at American International Group (AIG) in New York.

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NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday resigned from his post, and will hand over charge of his office on August 31.

The Indian American economist is reportedly returning to the United States to resume his academics.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appointed him as the first vice-chairman of NITI Aayog on January 5, 2015.

Earlier, Panagariya served as a professor of Economics at New York's Columbia University till.

A Rajasthan University alumnus, Panagariya holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from Princeton University.

Panagariya has in the past been the Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and a Professor of Economics and Co-director, Center for International Economics, University of Maryland at College Park.

He has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities.

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Australia are all set to tour India for a limited-overs series, from September 17 to October 11 this year.

Reportedly, the tour will comprise of five ODIs and three T20Is. Following the tour, Australia's Trans-Tasmanian rivals New Zealand will visit India from late October to the first week of November.

The Black Caps are expected to play three ODIs and as many T20Is from October 22 to November 7.

The record home season, which will see India hosting 23 international matches, will come to an end with Sri Lanka's Tour, which will comprise of three Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is before the Men in Blue fly down to South Africa.

Meanwhile, Delhi is slated to host one T20 against New Zealand and one Test against Sri Lanka.

The Virat Kohli-led side are currently in Sri Lanka for a three- Test series and have already taken a 1-0 lead following a massive 304-run win over the Rangana Herath-led side in the opening match in the Galle.

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AVX Corporation, manufacturer and supplier of passive components and interconnect solutions, was honoured with a 2017 Bosch Global Supplier Award from Robert Bosch GmbH, global supplier of technology and services on July 12 in Stuttgart, Germany.

This year's ceremony themed "Partners in Success" marked the fifteenth anniversary of the biennial Bosch Global Supplier Awards, which recognizes outstanding manufacturer and supplier performance with regard to the quality, cost, innovation, and logistics of products and services in six categories.

AVX received a 2017 Bosch Global Supplier Award in the electronics and electro-mechanics category, which honours suppliers for having provided sustained, outstanding performance throughout 2015 and 2016. AVX's Senior Vice president of sales, Pete Venuto, and Kiyohiro Ariumi, the director of Kyocera Corporation's Corporate Sales Group, attended the ceremony and accepted the award.

"We are honored to have been recognized with a 2017 Bosch Global Supplier Award, and pledge to continue exceeding expectations with regard to the quality, pricing, reliability, technological innovation, and delivery of the many electronic components that we manufacture and supply for Bosch, as well as all of our other valued supply chain partners," said senior vice president of sales, AVX, Pete Venuto.

"Bosch's success is based in no small part on competitiveness, innovative strength, and agility -qualities we can achieve only with fruitful international partnerships," said President, Bosch corporate sector for purchasing and logistics, Dr. Karl Nowak.

Currently, the Bosch Group's purchasing and logistics volume amounts to some 60 percent of its total sales, and most of the purchases are of electronic and mechanical components.

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The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday announced September 17 as the date for holding election for NA-120 by-polls, which was left vacant after the disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court .

According to ECP, the candidates will be able to submit their nomination papers between August 10-12. The ECP will review nomination papers between August 15-17.

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dr Yasmeen Rashid who are expected to contest the election on tickets of PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf, respectively can file their nomination papers between August 10-12, according to the election schedule released by ECP.

The Supreme Court, in its verdict on the Panamagate case, had found Nawaz Sharif "unfit to hold office," following which the PML-N leader stepped down from his post. Shortly after, the ECP also issued a notification disqualifying Nawaz Sharif as a member of the National Assembly. .

Nawaz Sharif,the former premier had won the election from this constituency in 2013, defeating Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's candidate Yasmeen Rashid with a margin of around 40,000 votes.

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It seems like Disney has found a captain for its 'Jungle Cruise'.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, 'The Shallows' helmer Jaume Collet-Serra will direct Dwayne Johnson in the action-adventure based on the classic Disneyland ride.

While park-goers are taken on a journey through the rivers of the world, from Africa's Nile and Congo rivers to South America's Amazon, exact plot details for the feature are being kept under wraps.

Johnson welcomed the director onboard by sharing a tweet, which read, "I'm a gut & instincts guy. 1st time I met Jaume, I was confident he was the one. Visionary/edgy filmmaker. Excited 4 the fans #JungleCruise."

Johnson will also produce the adventure project with Dany Garcia, the co-CEO of the duo's Seven Bucks Productions banner, which will next release 'Jumanji'.

John Fox and Beau Flynn will also produce. The studio is shooting for a spring 2018 start of production.

Collet-Serra was in the running to direct the 'Suicide Squad' sequel for Warner Bros/D.C., but according to some reports the director is now out of the running to direct the 'Suicide Squad' sequel.

Johnson has been attached to star in and produce the Jungle Cruise project since 2015, tweeting about his intentions to find a "visionary" director for the project, one "who can balance huge action with comic charm," back in April.

Past big screen adaptations of beloved Disney parks properties include 2015's 'Tomorrowland', 2003's 'The Haunted Mansion', and the successful 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movie franchise, which has amassed over 4.5 billion USD worldwide across five films released over the last 14 years.

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An encounter between security forces and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists is underway at Hakripora village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

According to reports, there are two or three LeT terrorists who are engaged in the encounter.

Acting on specific input, joint cordon and search operations (CASO) was launched by 182 Battalion, 183 Battalion, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 55 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operations Group (SOG) at 4: 30 a.m. on Tuesday morning in Hakripora village.

More details about the encounter are awaited.

In the recent past, terrorists have become more active in Pulwama district.

On July 30, internet services were snapped in Pulwama after two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists were gunned down in Tahab area.

The troops of 55 RR, 183 Battalion, 182 Battalion, (CRPF) and SOG Latipura had neutralized the two terrorists in Pulwama.

The bodies of the terrorists, Tausif and Irfan were also recovered by the security forces, including weapons.

Kashmir is embroiled in utter chaos and violence since last year after Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was gunned down by security forces.

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Qatar has filed a legal complaint at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to challenge the trade boycott by the four Arab countries, the local media reported.

Qatar has triggered a 60 day deadline for them to settle the complaint or face litigation at the WTO and potential retaliatory trade sanctions.

Saudi Arabia, together with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, have cut ties with Qatar, accusing the latter of supporting terrorism and maintaining ties with Iran.

The Saudi-led bloc even issued a list of 13 demands to Qatar later last month, including closing Al-Jazeera, stopping supporting terrorism, and downgrading its ties with Iran, as major preconditions for ending their boycott.

The WTO suit, however, does not include Egypt. Despite cutting travel and diplomatic ties with Qatar, Egypt has not expelled Qatari citizens or asked Egyptians to leave Qatar.

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Huawei, a global information and communications company on Tuesday announced hiring James Wu as the new President of Southern-East Asia region.

James Wu, who joined Huawei in 2003, will be responsible for managing company's strategy and directions, as well as developing new businesses in Southern-East Asia.

With over a decade of experience in the telecommunications industry, James Wu will now be in charge of the company's operations and be responsible for business development of the carrier, enterprise and consumer business groups across Southeast Asia.

A graduate from Tianjin University with a double bachelor degree of Computer Information Science and and Civil Engineering, Wu has held several senior positions within the company in the past.

"I would like to thank our customers and partners for your ongoing trust and support. We will progress faster towards a better connected and intelligent world. It is difficult to imagine the depth and breadth of the changes to come. As all of the new connections drive the digital transformation process, they will reshape society, the economy, business, and the way we create. Let's keep working closely, putting our best minds together to build a better connected world," said James Wu.

Telecommunication major supports 11 markets, namely Thailand, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Macau.

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India and Somalia on Tuesday signed a bilateral agreement for the transfer of sentenced persons, thus deepening humanitarian cooperation between the two countries.

The agreement was signed between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Yusuf Garaad Omar.

"An important step in deepening humanitarian cooperation,India and Somalia sign bilateral agreement for transfer of sentenced persons," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Yusuf Garaad Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia.

"Furthering coopn with an imp. African partner. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Mr. Yusuf Garaad Omar, Min. of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia," Baglay tweeted.

Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Yusuf-Garaad Omar arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a five-day visit at the invitation of Sushma Swaraj. This is his first visit to India since he assumed office earlier this year

Both the ministers discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.

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Supporting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there's no leader currently who can compete with him, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said that youth is looking up to him, adding India is progressing like never before under his rule.

"I completely agree with Nitish Kumar. After a long time India has got a leader who has the vision and determination to change the shape of the country. The youth of this country are looking up to Prime Minister Modi to deliver good governance and development. The way this government is working, we will get to see that India will progress like never before," BJP leader Sudesh Verma told ANI.

He added that now India's economic growth which is higher than China.

"We have created a lot of employment in the unorganised sector through various bank schemes loans. Youth of this country are feeling empowered and this has never happened before. We are very much confident that this government is going to stay for a longer period of time," he asserted.

Another BJP leader Ashwini Choubey said that the Opposition in the name of 'Gau Raksha' is trying to mislead the country.

"I think Nitish Kumar's statement is very valid. We have to accept the truth. The Congress shows that they are very democratic, but in reality they have an extremely regressive mindset," he added.

Earlier on Monday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared that no one is capable to face and beat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He praised Prime Minister Modi, calling him the "biggest leader" in the country and added that "there is no one who can defeat him.

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Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief on Tuesday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar wanted to sacrifice his son Tejashwi Yadav out of sheer insecurity.

He claimed that Nitish got alarmed, when people started talking about Tejashwi's good work as deputy chief minister.

"We supported Nitish Kumar, but when people started talking about my son Tejashwi's work, he got alarmed out of insecurity and wanted to sacrifice him," Lalu said.

He also accused Nitish of being on Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) side from the very beginning of their alliance.

"Nitish has declared that no one can challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. This shows he was with the BJP from the beginning of 'mahagathbandhan'," Lalu said.

He also mentioned that "once Sharad Yadav had put his life on stake in an election campaign against me for Nitish."

Further lashing out at Nitish, Lalu stated that only because of Mulayam Singh, he allowed the chief minister in his alliance.

"Yesterday when he accused me and my family; I knew it was coming, as he is not a man of his words. He has also forgotten the day when I made him rule the state and join my alliance with open arms. It was only because of Mulayam Singh that I agreed to accept him in my party. But today I regret of the time spent and the moment lost," he said.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lalu said that Nitish used to speak ill of BJP and today he is singing his glory.



On Monday, in his first press conference after snapping ties with long time ally RJD, Nitish had said that if Lalu had explained himself over the corruption allegations, the situation could have been different in Bihar.

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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will rejig his Cabinet and ruling party executives on Thursday.

As per local media reports, the government's top spokesman had informed about the reshuffle on Tuesday.

The reshuffle is being seen as a bid by Abe to regain public support which was shaken due to a series of scandals. The prime minister himself faced allegations of favouring a friend who sought approval for the construction of a new university department.

According to government and ruling party sources, Abe has decided to keep key members, including Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso and is working on the selection of other Cabinet posts.

He is also looking forward to push forward various policies with new members of his administration.

As per the local media reports, Toshimitsu Motegi and Itsunori Onodera, the LDP's policy research council chairman and acting head of the body, respectively, are expected to be given key Cabinet posts.

Onodera, who previously served as defense minister in the Abe Cabinet, would become a possible successor of Tomomi Inada who resigned last week as defense minister.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, currently doubling as defense chief, is expected to stay on as top diplomat, the sources said.

Transport minister Keiichi Ishii is also expected to stay on and Masahiko Komura, the party's vice president is expected to remain in his current post, according to the sources.

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In a major breakthrough, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice were killed in an encounter with security forces at Hakripora village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwawa district on Tuesday.

Confirming the news, the Jammu and Kashmir Police Twitter handle said, "LET chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF."

Meanwhile, following the encounter between security forces and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, heavy stone pelting by locals on security forces has started.

According to sources, stone pelting started after various news channels reported that Dujana had been eliminated in the encounter.

When asked about Dujana's elimination, Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, S. P. Vaid, told ANI earlier that "we are yet to recover the dead bodies, will tell you their identities after that".

On July 19, Dujana and two of his associates gave the slip to security forces in Pulwama district.

According to media reports, the trio exchanged fire with the armed forces and managed to flee from the spot.

Dujana was one of the most wanted terrorists and carried over Rs. 15 lakh bounty on his head.

Earlier in July, Indian Army released a list of 12 most-wanted terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley and Dujana was in that list.

The Indian Army has managed to kill more than 95 terrorists in the Valley in 2017, including some top level commanders, but Dujana is one militant that has managed to flee on multiple occasions.

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The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan's Opposition party, has staged a massive demonstration in front of the White House against enforced disappearances, paramilitary operation and extra judicial killings of its party members in Karachi, capital city of Sindh province, the Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

A statement issued by the MQM said the protestors called on the Pakistani establishment to "immediately stop the ongoing inhuman tactics of enforced disappearances of party chief Altaf Hussain's relatives."

They also urged the U.S. to drag Pakistan into the court of justice for being "involved in human rights violations, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, ban on MQM activities and media blackout of Altaf Hussain."

Hussain, while addressing the participants of the demonstration, emphasised on the U.S. Government to play its role in putting an end to the genocide of Mohajirs and Balochs and condemned the role of the Pakistan Army in these barbaric acts.

"The military and civilian U.S. aid to Pakistan must be made conditional on the human rights record of the country. Mohajirs are optimistic in U.S. President Trump administration to support them in their struggle for an autonomous province," he said.

"If the demand of a separate Mohajir province is not accepted, the Mohajir ethnicity would decide their future line of action," Hussain added, calling the country the epicenter of global terrorism.

MQM convenor Nadeem Nusrat, members of the coordination committee, office bearers, workers, supporters and members of the Pakistani diaspora were among the attendees of the protest.

Nusrat also slammed Pakistan for oppression of liberal political forces in the country.

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Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, who appeared in a Madrid court on Monday in connection with a tax evasion case, told a Spanish judge that he had "never tried to avoid taxes".

Ronaldo has been accused by the Spanish prosecutors of defrauding the authorities of almost 15 million Euros.

According to a statement in Spanish released by his public relations firm, the 32-year-old Ronaldo told the judge: "I have never hidden anything, and never tried to avoid taxes," reports the New York Times.

Ronaldo is accused of defrauding Spanish authorities of 14.7m (12.95m) between 2011 and 2014.

As per reports, the prosecutor's office, in a statement, said Ronaldo had knowingly used a "business structure" created in 2010 to hide his income in Spain from his image rights.

The alleged irregularities were in relation to money the Portuguese star had in the Virgin Islands, although officials acknowledged adjustments to this structure in 2014, where the player paid back an extra seven million Euros in tax.

However, the 32-year-old denies any wrongdoing.

"Spain's tax office knows all the details about my sources of income because we have reported them.I always file my tax returns because I think that we should all file and pay our taxes," Ronaldo told the judge as per his statement.

"Those who know me know that I tell my consultants that they must have everything in order and paid up to date because I don't want trouble," he added.

Last summer, Barcelona legend Lionel Messi also faced similar charges for which he and his father convicted.

Messi and his father Jorge Horacio Messi were handed the jail term last July after they were charged with three counts of tax fraud, which amounted to 4.1 million Euros.

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Senior Congress leader and former union finance minister P Chidambaram took a dig at Arvind Panagariya, who earlier resigned as the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman, saying his resignation was a 'wise decision' as it was taken well before he's proved wrong for predicting that growth in Q4 of 2017-18 will touch 8 percent.

"After predicting that growth in Q4 of 2017-18 will touch 8%, Mr Panagariya has wisely resigned before proved wrong," the Congress leader tweeted on late Tuesday night.

Panagariya resigned from his post on Tuesday, and will hand over charge of his office on August 31.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appointed him as the first vice-chairman of NITI Aayog on January 5, 2015.

He said that about two months ago he had expressed his desire to Prime Minister Modi to be relieved by August 31.

Panagariya had gained a prominence in the Central Government and is considered by some as the 'government's man'.

He had, many times, praised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government for putting back the economy on track.

The Indian American economist is reportedly returning to the United States to resume his academics.

A Rajasthan University alumnus, Panagariya holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from the Princeton University.

Panagariya has in the past been the Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and a Professor of Economics and Co-director, Center for International Economics, University of Maryland at College Park.

He has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities.

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Paris will host the 2024 Summer Olympics Games after Los Angeles agreed to formally announce its bid for the 2028 Games.

The Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic bid committee in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced it on Monday.

The LA bid committee said in a statement that Los Angeles will host the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games 2028.

"The IOC welcomes this decision of the Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Candidature Committee. And we are pleased to release the host city contract 2028 in a transparent and timely manner," said IOC president Thomas Bach.

"We are very confident that we can reach a tripartite agreement under the leadership of the IOC with LA and Paris in August, creating a win-win-win situation for all three partners. This agreement will be put forward to the IOC Session in Lima in September for ratification."

Los Angeles had been in a race with Paris to host the 2024 Games, with the winner to be named by the IOC on September 13 in Lima.

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A peeved Taslima Nasreen made displeasure over her returning to Mumbai even when she had flown down to Aurangabad known on Twitter where she wondered how her itinerary of the trip got leaked and the members of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) took to the streets to protest against her visit, even as the police claimed they were unaware until an hour of her arrival.

Nasreen even rued the fact that this happened in, perhaps, the largest democracy in the world. She tweeted, "I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world. Nobody but security police in Aurangabad was informed about my itinerary & hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything!"

I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 31, 2017

Nobody but security police in Aurangabad was informed about my itinerary & hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything!  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 31, 2017

Following her tweet, the police has launched a probe into the security breach.

What makes this even more tragic is this isn't the first time that Nasreen has faced bullying from fundamentalists in India.

Nasreen, through her work, has often taken a stand against bigotry and intolerance in Islam, but India is unable to ensure her basic security and safety, even when she is in the country on a private visit. (She intended to visit the Ajanta and Ellora caves.)

This incident also comes in the wake of numerous episodes of mob lynching and violence, which the Lok Sabha debated over on Monday as well.

In protesting against the controversial Bangladeshi writer, the AIMIM is certainly catering to its electoral constituency, but the party's locus standi under the circumstances of India is still under question.

Nasreen was sent back to Mumbai from an Aurangabad Airport after protests broke out outside the airport premises and the hotel she was supposed to stay in, on Saturday.

The protests were reportedly orchestrated by AIMIM legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel.

The protestors shouted "Taslima Go Back" after Nasreen landed at Aurangabad's Chikalthana Airport on Saturday evening.

The police, fearing a breakdown of law and order in the area, asked her to stay inside the airport. They then asked her to return to Mumbai, to which she agreed.

Jaleel, the MLA from Aurangabad central constituency, reportedly carried out the protests as he said that Nasreen's writings have hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims across the world.

Nasreen, now a citizen of Sweden, has been living in exile ever since she left Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups. The Indian Home Ministry had extended her visa for a year, with effect from July 23.

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After a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander operating in Kashmir, was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Pulwama, Central Reserve Police Force Director General Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar on Tuesday hailed the success saying it was a "well coordinated" operation by the Jammu and Kashmir police, the CRPF and the Army.

"As you all know there was a very successful operation took place. Two terrorist were neutralized and their bodies have been recovered and identified. It is a very big success on the part of the security forces. It was a well coordinated operation by the J-K police and the CRPF and the Army," DG Bhatnagar told ANI.

He further added that one AK-47, one pistol and huge cache of ammunition were recovered from their possession.

"They were active since 2010 and have done many attacks on the security agencies. They also attacked a convoy in June 2016 where 8 of our jawans were killed," he added.

Meanwhile, schools and colleges in Kashmir valley have been shutdown and internet services have also been blocked following the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief commander Abu Dujana.

These steps have been taken as precautionary measures to contain the possible law and order situation.

LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice were killed in an encounter with security forces at Hakripora village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday morning.

Earlier, J Sandhu, General officer Commanding (GoC) 15 corps Lt. Gen J.S. Sandhu said Abu Dujana was a category A++ LeT terrorist.

"He was not really involved in many attacks, he was just having fun. Basically, he was just a nuisance," he added.

IG, Kashmir, Munir Khan, said the quantum of fire from the terrorists' side was very heavy.

"Quantum of fire from terrorists' side was very heavy. Terrorists Abu Dujana and Arif were killed. There has been one civilian casualty," he said.

The security personnel who killed Dujana came under heavy stone pelting from locals after various news channels reported that Dujana had been eliminated in the encounter.

Dujana was one of the most wanted terrorists and carried over Rs. 15 lakh bounty on his head.

On July 19, Dujana and two of his associates gave the slip to security forces in Pulwama district.

According to media reports, the trio exchanged fire with the armed forces and managed to flee from the spot.

The Indian Army in July released a list of 12 most-wanted terrorists operating in the Kashmir Valley and Dujana was among them.

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Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is visiting Highway Authority of India's (NHAI) regional office in Lucknow on Tuesday to demand compensation for farmers in his constituency Amethi's Jagdishpur in connection to the expansion of a highway towards Varanasi.

He will demand along with the farmers that proper procedure should be adopted to either compensate the affected people or the bylane be shifted.

The highway is being widened at the Kathora Gram Sabha in Jagdishpur block. Work had begun in this regard a year ago.

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Former senior Gujarat Police officers D G Vanzara and Dinesh M N were discharged in connection with the alleged staged encounter of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh by a special CBI court in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Vanzara, a Deputy Inspector General-rank officer, was arrested in April 2007, along with two other IPS officers Rajkumar Pandian and Dinesh M N in connection with Shiekh's encounter .

The CBI court had earlier discharged Pandian.

The case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which held the encounter to be a staged one, and a case was lodged against police officers concerned.

According to the CBI, Sohrabuddin and his wife were abducted by Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and killed in an alleged staged encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005.

Tulsiram, an aide of the gangster and an eyewitness to the encounter, was also allegedly killed by the police in 2006.

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The counsel of Shiv Menon on Tuesday told court that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy has not filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) but a Publicity Interest Litigation in Sunanda Pushkar death case.

His remark comes a day after Swamy filed a fresh application in the Delhi High Court, seeking a copy of the chargesheet in the Sunanda death case within 45 days.

Menon, son of Sunanda Pushkar, also moved an application in the court seeking a direction to conclude the investigations in a time bond manner.

Swamy submitted before the court that, "I don't need any publicity; I am politician and Member of Parliament so I don't need publicity."

Talking to media after appearing in the case, Swamy said, "He (Menon) wants to settle in Canada after getting all the property of his mother. He is a citizen of Canada. He never ever appeared prior. He is coming here for his personal reasons."

The court earlier on July 20 directed Delhi Police to file an additional status report with details in the death case within three days.

The court pulled up Sunanda Pushkar's son after he questioned Swamy's locus standi in filing a plea in his mother's death case.

"Don't you want a proper enquiry into the death? How are you affected by Swamy asking for a CBI probe? Don't you want a proper enquiry? Why are you trying to restrain it," the court had asked Menon.

Swamy on July 6 this year had filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court seeking a court-monitored enquiry into the mysterious death of Sunanda.

Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, was found dead at a suite in a five star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.

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United States President Donald Trump, his daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump, and Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon welcomed small business owners to the White House on Tuesday in an event, which is a part of the "American Dream Week."

The President touted his economic success, even as he entailed how the U.S. economy gathered momentum during the first full quarter with him in charge, at the gathering including manufacturing, retail and service industry professionals.

"GDP for the quarter, just released, at 2.6%. So that's so much higher than anticipated," Trump said.

"Remember I was saying, 'We're going try and hit 3% sometime over the next period of two years'?"

"But don't worry about the 3, we're going to higher than 3 in the not-too-distant future," he added.

Trump had earlier opened the small business event by calling the U.S. Senator for Florida, Marco Rubio, a "strong competitor". The moment got a few laughs too.

Meanwhile, the White House has said that Trump is "truthful and transparent" every day.

When asked about a possible "trust deficit," Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, while addressing a press briefing held before the event, said Trump is "truthful and transparent" every day.

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In the wake of the Washington Post's report that Donald Trump dictated a misleading statement for his son, the White House has said that the United States President did weigh in on the statement, as "any father would do."

White House spokeperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders, while addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, said that statement was not "misleading" and that "there is no inaccuracy in the statement."

She added that the Democrats wanted to use it as a "PR stunt."

Earlier, Jay Sekulow, one of the attorneys representing Trump in the Russia investigation, had denied that his client was involved with crafting a misleading statement about Donald Trump Jr.'s June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer.

In response to this, The Washington Post on Monday evening reported that the President indeed dictated the misleading statement.

The Washington Post, citing multiple people with knowledge of the situation, said "the original plan in response to the New York Times' reporting was to issue a truthful statement ahead of the story, but then Trump personally decided to have the statement say Trump Jr. had met with the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, to discuss adoption of Russian children by people in the U.S."

The article added that Trump dictated the statement while flying back to Washington from the G20 summit in Hamburg.

It was initially reported in early July that Trump Jr. met with Veselnitskaya along with Jared Kushner, the President's son-in-law, who has a senior role in the White House, and Paul Manafort, who was campaign chair at the time, in Trump Tower in June 2016.

Trump Jr. responded with a statement claiming the meeting was "primarily" about adoption and its relation to U.S. sanctions on Russia under the Magnitsky Act.

It was, however, shown the initial statement was misleading.

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The White House has clarified that despite the delay, United States President Donald Trump would soon sign the Russia sanctions bill.

White House spokeperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders, while addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, blamed the delay on a legal process.

"There's nothing holding him back. There's a review process, a legal process. They're going through that. He'll sing the bill and we'll let you know," she said.

The Russia sanctions bill was earlier overwhelmingly approved in the Congress, by both Republicans and Democrats.

It has been on Trump's desk since last week, but he hasn't signed it yet.

A lot has conspired since the last time the bill was talked about in the media.

Trump is certainly under a lot of pressure to sign the sanctions bill into law.

Post signing the bill, however, he runs the risk of sinking his effort to improve relations with Russia.

Trump is also being expected to react boldly to Russia's expulsion of U.S. embassy personnel.

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The United States Senate is set to vote on President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the FBI on Tuesday.

The vote is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday (U.S. Time).

Wray received bipartisan support during his confirmation hearing, when he promised lawmakers that he was outside the President's sphere of influence.

He also said he would resist any efforts to politicise the bureau as it helps investigate Trump aides' involvement with Russia.

Wray testifed before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 12, which set him to be confirmed by the full Senate.

Wray's hearing came more than two months after President Trump abruptly fired former director James Comey, who had led the bureau since September 2013.

Trump said Comey's dismissal was based on the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and on the handling of the probe into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.

Comey was fired in mid May when he was leading the investigation into the Russian interference in 2016 Presidential election and potential links. Trump allegedly demanded Comey's "loyalty" pledge and urged Comey to drop his ongoing investigation into Flynn.

Following this, reports mounted that Trump asked Comey if he was under investigation in a separate FBI probe, and sought to have Comey end an investigation into former top administration official Michael Flynn.

Flynn had resigned as national security advisor in February following revelations about his interactions with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's Ambassador to the United States.

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Reiterating that China will never compromise on its sovereignty, President Xi Jinping has warned that China will never allow anyone to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country amid the months long military standoff with India in the Sikkim sector.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," said President Xi at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," China daily quoted Xi as saying.

President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing a grand gathering in celebration of the PLA's 90th founding anniversary.

Xi said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is moving rapidly toward "strong" informationised armed forces as PLA has transformed from a "millet plus rifles" to single-service force to one that has full-fledged services and has basically completed mechanisation.

The armies of both countries have been engaged in a standoff since June 16 in Sikkim section where India and China share a 220-km-long border.

China has maintained that there won't be a meaningful dialogue without the unconditional withdrawal of Indian troops.

Meanwhile, India maintains that the unilateral action by China to build a road in the area was altering the status quo and had serious security implications for India.

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India's installed solar capacity fell short of target of 17 gigawatts (GW) by the end of FY2017, the country will need to significantly ramp up the pace of solar capacity additions by 10 GW this year and 15+ GW per year to meet the 2022 target, noted a recent ASSOCHAM-NEC joint study.

In 2014, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a goal to increase solar power capacity to 100 GW by 2022five times higher than the previous target, said the report.

The biggest technological issue in terms of solar is the efficiency of solar cells. Currently the efficiency ranges from 12% to 20%, though this continues to improve. The rest of the energy striking the panel is either reflected or is wasted as heat. The main issue with efficiency is that higher efficiency solar panels cannot be commercially mass produced, said the ASSOCHAM-NEC study.

To achieve the 100 GW target by 2022, the focus has slightly shifted from indigenous manufacturing. Policies to curb the imports from other countries (for instance China) are not benefiting the domestic manufacturing. Furthermore the increase in taxes in the GST structure in solar from 0% to 5% coupled with reduced taxes in coal from 11.69% to 5% may lead to slow adoption of solar in Indian energy sector.

Lack of uniform policies across sectors and implementation issues is also an area of concern. In India subsidy structure is complex and there are involvement of multiple agencies. Land allotment is a long procedure in India, which requires approvals at different levels from authorities.

Currently the foreign investment in Indian solar industry is less than 20%. Even after the 100% FDI under automatic route and 74% through foreign equity participation in a joint venture (without approval), it has not paved the path for significant foreign investments in Indian solar industry.

One major issue with solar power is its reliability. At best, a solar panel can generate power for 12 hours a day. As the solar power is available only in at a certain time interval, it makes sense to bottle up the energy and save it for later use. However, main issue with battery packs is the longevity and cost for better reliability. Reliability of grid integration system is also an issue in most of the small residential and commercial rooftop systems and large utility-scale solar power stations.

Electricity transmission & distribution (T&D) performs a vital task of connecting end-users to electricity generators.

Despite considerable improvement in the past decade, India has one of the highest level of electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) losses in the world. T&D losses represent electricity that is generated but does not reach to the end customer. India's T&D losses range from 20%-30% which is primarily due to two reasons, (1) technical inefficiency, and (2) theft.

The solar panels used in India are not designed to handle very high temperatures and dust prone conditions. Because of this, module damages are common and result in loss in energy generation. Stress related damages to panel results reduced yield. It also increases the cleaning and replacement cost at the site. The efficiency of solar panel drops drastically even when a small portion is blocked by a film of dust.

Poor financial conditions of distribution companies coupled with inadequate financial capacity of stakeholders amounts to financial challenges in the Indian solar industry. Investment required per MW generation of solar power is around INR 6 crores, which means a total of approximately INR 600,000 crores for 100 GW.

Viability of solar power projects in India has become an area of serious concern. Solar projects being capital intensive, the project companies take hefty loans from the banks and any change in timeline or policy affects the overall budget of the project. Due to long timeline of the projects, payback period also gets extended.

For solar projects, cost of obtaining capital is usually considered high. This high risk is because of the counter party risk. The counter party risk is because of the inability of the distribution companies (Discoms) to pay for the power they purchase. Discoms have mandate to purchase renewable power to fulfil RPOs (renewable purchase obligations).

Indian solar industry is growing at a rapid pace and requires an integrator to coordinate with private companies and public sectors. There is a need of a consolidator to bring every stakeholder on the same table to better define policies and frameworks for Indian solar industry (public-private partnerships (PPPs) may offer an effective way to promote and implement rooftop solar PV projects, particularly in India).

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Department of Expenditure takes various initiatives in the North Eastern States in the area of Public Expenditure Management

The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India has been taking several initiatives in the area of Public Expenditure Management in the North Eastern States with special focus on capacity building of the State Government officials and integration of the State Treasuries with the Union Public Financial Management System (PFMS) in order to improve the efficiency and transparency of public expenditure. These initiatives were reviewed recently by Shri Ashok Lavasa, Finance Secretary & Secretary (Expenditure) in a meeting with the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) and Director, National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM).

Treasury Integration with PFMS

To provide the Centre and State Governments with a real time, reliable and meaningful Management Information System and an effective Decision Support System (DSS) as well as track fund flow in respect of Central Sector (CS) and Central Assistance to State Plan (CASP) schemes, the IT system of all the North East States' Treasuries (namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, and Tripura) except Nagaland, have been integrated with PFMS.

Capacity Building

In last six months, 15 Trainings have been organized by the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) of PFMS and different Ministers/Departments of Government of India in North Eastern States on PFMS. These 15 trainings include one training in each State Head quarter (two in Assam) by CPMU and six (6) trainings organized by different Ministers/Department in Assam/Meghalaya. Total 739 officers/officials/Non officials have been trained in these trainings. Scheme specific training on PFMS being organized by line Ministers/Departments are also being attended by the North Eastern States.

Besides the above, the participants from North East have also been attending Treasury Integration Workshops being organized at New Delhi. State Project Management Units at Guwahati and Shillong are by now well equipped with the skill set required for providing guidance for implementation of PFMS and these SPMUs are providing and holding support to the implementing agencies on need basis.

The National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), an autonomous body under the Department of Expenditure has take-up training of the officers from the North Eastern States as a special focus area. Government E-Marketplace (GeM) training was conducted by NIFM faculty at Guwahati, Assam for three days, from 27th to 29th June 2017, wherein 53 participants of the Government of Assam were provided practical exposure to use of GeM for procurement of Goods and Services. A one week program on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in North-Eastern States has been conducted from 10th July 2017. More programs on GeM, Government Accounts and Finance and GST are planned to be conducted for officers of the North Eastern States in the coming months.

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Sales rise 19.09% to Rs 66.75 crore

Net profit of Kanpur Plastipack declined 46.04% to Rs 2.59 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 4.80 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales rose 19.09% to Rs 66.75 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 56.05 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.66.7556.0510.4117.845.218.564.127.582.594.80

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With effect from 31 July 2017

Shree Bhawani Paper Mills announced that Babita Jain has resigned from the post of Company Secretary with effect from closure of working hours of 31 July, 2017. Consequent to his resignation as Company Secretary, Babita Jain also ceases to be Compliance Officer of the Company.

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Receives bids for 1.01 crore shares

The initial public offer (IPO) of Security and Intelligence Services (India) (SIS) received bids for a total of 1.01 crore shares on the second day of bidding today, 1 August 2017, compared with 53.16 lakh shares on offer, data on the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) website showed as at 17:00 IST. The IPO was subscribed 0.38 times.

The IPO comprises fresh issue of shares aggregating upto Rs 362.25 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of up to 51.2 lakh shares by the selling shareholders. The IPO price band has been fixed at Rs 805-815 per share. The IPO closes tomorrow, 2 August 2017.

Ahead of the opening of the IPO, the IPO Committee of the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on Friday, 28 July 2017, finalized allocation of 43.04 lakh equity shares in aggregate, to anchor investors at a price of Rs 815 per share. Anchor investors include Abu Dhabi Investment Authority - Behave, Reliance Capital Trustee Co, Birla Sun Life Trustee Company, Amundi Funds Equity India, Sundaram Mutual Fund amongst others.

The company intends to utilize the proceeds from the issue towards repayment & pre-payment of outstanding loans, funding working capital requirements and general corporate purposes.

Security and Intelligence Services (India)'s consolidated net profit rose 20.53% to Rs 91.28 crore on 19.05% growth in net sales to Rs 4567.09 crore in FY 2017 over FY 2016.

Security and Intelligence Services (India), promoted by Ravindra Kishore Sinha and Rituraj Kishore Sinha, is a leading provider of private security and facility management services in India.

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Achieves sales growth of 7% in July 2017 over July 2016

Tata Motors passenger and commercial vehicle total sales (including exports) in July 2017 were at 46,216 vehicles, higher by 7% over 43,160 vehicles sold in July 2016. The company's domestic sales of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for July 2017 were at 42,775 nos., higher by 13%, over 37,789 nos., in July 2016.

The overall commercial vehicles sales in July 2017, in the domestic market were at 27,842 nos. higher by 15% over July 2016, due to ramp-up of BS4 production, across segments. The Company also passed on the benefits of GST to consumers by reducing the prices of its vehicles across all commercial vehicle segments.

The M&HCV segment saw a rebound in July 2017 and witnessed pick-up in demand and availability because of continued production ramp up. New models launched in the fastest growing segments of 49 ton and 37 ton categories have also gained strong traction in the market. Sales of M&HCV business grew by 10% in July 2017 at 8,640 nos., over 7,879 sales in July 2016, establishing the wider acceptance of new SCR technology.

The I&LCV truck segment also grew by 28% at 3,354 nos., over 2,626 vehicles sold in July 2016, on the back of good response to the new Ultra range and the new BS4 range in other products. Tata Motors Passenger Carriers sales (including buses), in July 2017 were at 4,472 nos., declined by 15%, over 5,233 units, in July 2016, largely due to supply constraints in the Bus segment.

The SCV cargo and pickup segment continued the growth momentum at 11,376 nos., higher by 34% over 8,504 units, last July 2016 due to good response to the Ace XL, Mega XL, Zip XL, and the Tata Yodha.

In July 2017, Tata Motors passenger vehicles, in the domestic market, recorded sales at 14,933 nos., with a growth of 10%, over 13,547 units, in July 2016, due to continued strong demand for the Tata Tiago and the Tata Tigor. While the car segment marginally degrew by 1% at 12,125 nos., the UV segment grew by 110% at 2,808 nos., due to strong demand for Tata HEXA.

Cumulative sales growth of all passenger vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were at 49,791 nos., a growth of 10%, compared to 45,062 nos., in the last fiscal.

The company's sales from exports was at 3441 nos. in July 2017, a decline of 36%, compared to 5,371 vehicles sold in July 2016, due to drop in volumes in Sri Lanka and Nepal.

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Tech Mahindra's consolidated net profit rose 34.27% to Rs 791.79 crore on 0.17% growth in total income to Rs 7746.79 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q4 March 2017. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 31 July 2017.

Persistent Systems announced that its Germany-based wholly-owned subsidiary, Persistent Systems Germany GmbH, completed its acquisition of PARX Werk AG, Switzerland. PARX is a salesforce certified platinum partner in DACH region. The acquisition was subject to customary closing conditions which were expected to get completed within 3-4 weeks. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 31 July 2017.

Sobha said its board will meet on 4 August 2017 to consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares of the company, for an aggregate amount up to Rs 62 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 31 July 2017.

Biocon will be watched. In response to some media queries regarding the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) visit to Biocon in May/June 2017, a company spokesperson informed that this USFDA visit was a part of the regular periodic audit for a small molecule injectable. The company has responded to the regulator with a Corrective and Preventive Action Plan (CAPA) and is on track to implement them in a timely manner. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 31 July 2017.

Parsvnath Developers said it acquired 10,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each at par of Farhad Realtors (FRPL), an associate company, from the existing shareholders of FRPL, consequent upon which FRPL has become wholly owned subsidiary of the company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 31 July 2017.

Vascon Engineers has received letter of award from Transcon Sheth Creators, a domestic entity for the work of civil construction, finishing, electrical and fire fighting work of residential building no 3 and 4 (Ground plus 23 Floors) in Malad (West) amounting to Rs 80.41 crore. The work has to be completed within 24 months from the date of receipt of work order. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 31 July 2017.

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The number of Domestic Tourist Visits to all States/Union Territories (UTs), including the visits for religious and medical purpose, has increased to 161.4 Crore in 2016 from 143.2 Crore in 2015, registering a growth of 12.7% in 2016 over 2015.

The number of Foreign Tourist Visits to all States/UTs, including the visits for religious and medical purpose, has increased to 2.5 Crore in 2016 from 2.3 Crore in 2015, registering a growth of 5.9% in 2016 over 2015.

The number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals, as differentiated from Foreign Tourist Visits, in India has increased to 88.0 lakh in 2016 from 80.3 lakh in 2015, registering a growth of 9.7% in 2016 over 2015.

As per the information available for the current year, the number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India during January-June 2017 were 48.8 lakh registering a growth of 17.2% over the same period of 2016.

As per the 2nd Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) of India - 2009-10 and subsequent estimation, the contribution of tourism to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 6.77%, 6.76%, 6.76% and 6.88% respectively

The major schemes operated by the Ministry of Tourism for development and promotion of tourism in the country are given below:

Swadesh Darshan - Integrated Development of Tourist Circuits on Specific Themes

National Mission for Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)

Overseas Promotion and Publicity including Market Development Assistance

Assistance to IHMs/FCIs/IITTM/NCHMCT

Domestic Promotion and Publicity including Hospitality

Capacity Building for Service Providers

Computerization and Information Technology

Tourism is a demand based concept defined not by its output but by its use.

It consumes the output of various industries like Passenger Transport (Air/ Rail/Road), Hotels & Restaurants, etc. The initiatives taken by the Ministry to boost tourism in the country under various schemes would in turn benefit the various service industries by way of increasing demands and inter-alia direct and indirect employment generation.

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As many as 33 lakh new taxpayers have been added to the tax net post demonetisation, parliament was informed on Tuesday.

However the number of taxpayers added is less than the number of taxpayers added between the financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16, when 40 lakh extra returns were filed, the government data showed.

"The number of income taxpayers has increased after demonetisation. During the period of November 9, 2016 to March 31, 2017, 1.96 crore returns were filed as compared to 1.63 crore returns filed during corresponding period of FY 2015-16 and 1.23 crore returns filed during corresponding period of FY 2014-15," Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

As for the objectives of demonetisation, the Minister said that it "seeks to create a new 'normal' wherein the GDP would be bigger, cleaner and real".

"This exercise (demonetisation) is a part of government's resolve to eliminate corruption, black money, counterfeit currency and terror funding," he added.

In a separate reply, the Minister said that there was "no official estimation of the quantum of black money in India".

"There was no official estimation of quantum of black money in India. However, post demonetisation, the Income Tax Department (ITD) conducted searches in 900 groups of persons during November 2016 to March 2017 leading to seizure of Rs 900 crore and admission of undisclosed income of Rs 7,961 crore," he said.

He added that during the same period, 8239 surveys were conducted leading to detection of undisclosed income of Rs 6,745 crore.

The Minister disclosed that during the current Financial Year up to June 30, the ITD has conducted searches in 102 groups, seizing assets worth Rs 103 crore. The persons searched have admitted undisclosed income of Rs 2,670 crore.

He also said that the ITD has also launched 'Operation Clean Money' with the mission to "create a tax compliant society through a fair, transparent and non-intrusive tax administration where every Indian takes pride in paying taxes".

Gangwar said under the operation, about 18 lakh persons whose cash transactions did not appear in line with their tax profile were identified and approached through email/sms.

"More than 9.27 lakh responses were received giving information on 13.33 lakh accounts involving cash deposits of around Rs 2.89 lakh crore. Out of this, a record number of 5.27 lakh responses were received in the first 12 days of the operation," he said.

"Advance data analytics tools were deployed which further identified 5.56 lakh new cases and about one lakh cases in which either partial or no response was received in the earlier phase. Besides, about 200 high risk clusters of persons were identified for appropriate action," he said.

--IANS

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A total of 486 people accused of being involved in Turkey's failed coup d'etat last July appeared in a court here where their trial began on Tuesday.

According to the Anadolu news agency, most defendants at the trial, the largest judicial process of the case so far, are high-ranking military suspects who led the failed coup from the Akinci air base in the north-west of the Turkish capital.

The prosecution accused the defendants of murder, violation of the constitution and attempt to assassinate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reports Efe news.

The defendants include 461 people under pre-trial detention and 18 released on parole awaiting trial, while seven are fugitives.

Among those to be tried in absentia is Islamist preacher Fethullah Gulen, exiled in the US and whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the failed coup.

Turkish authorities are searching for Adil Oksuz, who is accused of coordinating the coup with rebels.

Oksuz was arrested after the failed coup but was released shortly thereafter.

The judicial hearings are expected to be extended until August 29.

On July 15, 2016, Turkish military units took to the streets and controlled strategic points of the country, leaving a total of 248 people killed in clashes.

Since then, tens of thousands of people with suspected links to Gulen have been either detained or dismissed from their jobs, including members from the armed forces, police and judiciary, media and professors.

--IANS

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At least 60 civilians were killed in US-led airstrikes in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zour on Tuesday, the media reported.

The US-led "aggression" on several villages and towns in Deir al-Zour also left tens of others injured, Xinhua news agency reported.

The airstrikes came less than two days after the US coalition on Sunday struck a hospital and a club in Bukamal city of Deir al-Zour countryside, killing six civilians and wounding tens of others.

The anti-terror coalition has been striking the Islamic State group's positions in northern Syria since 2014.

Syrian Foreign Ministry called on the UN Security Council to dissolve the US-led coalition, saying it was formed without any request by Damascus.

--IANS

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Aiming to arrest his plunging popularity following a series of scandals, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday announced he will carry out a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday.

In a meeting with his party, Abe said he will appoint new officials to his administration and reshuffle key executives of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), reports Efe news.

"I'd like to implement a sweeping change," Abe said.

It is expected that the cabinet overhaul will not affect key members of the Executive such as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, and government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga.

The Prime Minister's decision is expected to affect mainly the Defence Ministry following the resignation of Minister Tomomi Inada on July 28, and the Education Ministry, whose leader has faced cronyism allegations.

Inada, a conservative ally and a possible successor of Abe, decided to step down after being under fire for allegations that the country's Self Defence Forces covered up military documents linked to a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

The head of the Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology Ministry, Hirokazu Matsuno, is also reportedly involved in a scandal over Japanese authorities' giving special treatment to two educational institutions as they had links with the government and even with Abe.

These scandals resulted in Abe's popularity plunging to around 30 per cent, according to several polls published earlier in July, which place the Prime Minister at his worst popularity rating since he came to power in late 2012.

Both Inada and Matsuno were appointed just a year ago in the third cabinet reshuffle by Abe since 2014 when he began his third term as Premier.

--IANS

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday warned Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal against issuing threats to bureaucrats and police officers, saying his government would not tolerate it.

Reacting to Badal's reported threat to officers who he claimed were registering false cases against SAD workers at the behest of "Congress masters", the Chief Minister said his government did not believe in victimisation or vindictive action and was following the democratic norms in every case.

Amarinder Singh warned the former Deputy Chief Minister "to desist from engaging in provocative statements and deeds that could disturb disrupt the state's peace and stability.

"My government will come down heavily against any individual or organisation found indulging in such activity," he said in a statement issued here.

Rejecting allegations that his government or its officers were filing false cases against the Akalis, the Chief Minister said it was the erstwhile Badal government which believed in filing false and baseless cases against Congress workers.

"Our government is now getting all such cases probed by a duly constituted Commission to ensure that justice is delivered to the innocent and the guilty are punished under the law."

Slamming the "Jabar Virodhi Lehar" campaign of the Akali Dal, he said Sukhbir Singh and other Akali leaders were "spreading misinformation to save their own skin".

"With their misdeeds getting exposed one by one before the people of Punjab, they were now resorting to all kinds of cheap tactics, out of sheer desperation to divert public attention," he added.

--IANS

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"Age no bar" -- the saying stands true for artist Haroon Khimani who at 81 is still passionate about his painting and proves that there is no expiry of his imagination which he pours over on canvases.

The octogenarian artist began his career in 1959 when he was just 23 years old. After 58 years of experience, making a stroke with brush on the canvases come naturally to him and so does the choice of colours.

"At this stage of my life, I don't spend too much time thinking about themes, they come naturally to me now. My inner self guides me how to begin a painting, which colours to choose, to make it a simple water colour or put acrylic or oil painting. If started, I make sure that I complete the painting within time," Khimani told IANS in an interview.

There was a time when Khimani left painting because he realised that living as a self-employed painter was hard. "I left because in those days when came out of my college and stepped into professional scene, public response towards artwork was limited," the artist noted.

To earn a better livelihood, Khimani shifted base to Dubai where he drifted away from painting and focused to designing and found success. But it was painting that always attracted him and resumed it in 2005.

"Now more at peace I am as am back to painting," he exclaimed.

Over so many years, Khimani has witnessed many changes in painting. He thinks that technology has affected the thinking process of artists and brought in many changes in the way art work is performed and presented.

"Mechanism is a part of creative act not art itself. In art, digital paintings came into existence which were not a dream of 20 years back. These days artists need to know computer well than painting. Our Indian art is at the pick on world arena. Collage and digital creative work is much developed and at its zenith," Khimani pointed out.

Not just in India, Khimani has also explicitly showcased his art work in the US and found that there are many differences in the way art is approached in West and India.

"In India, audiences often ask artists about the art-work which they don't understand, whereas in West, they never question. Rather, they try to understand the observe paintings; they praise and equally express their dislike. In western countries, the audience is immune to absorb the viewing of paintings. They know what is art and what is painting and how to enjoy colour. But in India, knowledge of art is limited to only connoisseurs, critics, art collectors and experts," the artist commented.

When asked which genre of painting is still left for him to explore he replied: "I want to do some ethnic painting because it was for a temporary phase I did during my stay in the US. But I want to do abstractions. I have to form my own idiom, my own idea."

The artist's collection titled "Descent", a collection of contemporary retrospective visual art exhibition, is being showcased at Mumbai's Jehangir Art Gallery from August 1 to 7.

--IANS

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Taking serious note of the absence of BJP members in Rajya Sabha on Monday when the government suffered an embarrassment over a Constitution amendment bill, party President Amit Shah on Tuesday warned his MPs against its recurrence and asked them not to skip Parliament during the rest of the monsoon session.

"In the (BJP Parliamentary Party) meeting, (Amit) Shah said that when the party issues a whip it must be followed by all the MPs. Party has taken a serious note of it and it has warned its members not to repeat their act," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters after the meeting which was chaired by Shah.

"He has asked all the members to remain present during the rest of monsoon session of Parliament," Kumar said adding the party will speak to those members who were not present at Tuesday's meeting.

The minister's remarks came after the government on Monday suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the Backward Classes Commission, with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

At the last week's BJP Parliamentary Party meeting too, the Prime Minister had expressed concern over the absence of MPs during Parliament sittings.

Ananth Kumar also accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to not approve the bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission.

"It's a conspiracy of the Congress not to approve the amended Bill in the Rajya Sabha. All parties have recommended about the Bill in the select committee," he added.

--IANS

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Tension gripped parts of Assam after two unidentified assailants shot dead Lafikul Islam, president of the All Bodoland Minority Students' Union (ABMSU), on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said two motorcycle-borne assailants shot at Lafikul in Basugaon area in Kokrajhar district around 3.30 p.m. from close range. He was immediately taken to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Two people have been detained so far in this connection.

Later in the day, ABMSU supporters blocked roads by burning tyres and shouted slogans in Basugaon and other adjoining areas, protesting the killing.

Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia condemned the murder and termed it "a failure on the part of the state government to maintain law and order".

"Late Islam boldly raised his voice against various injustice meted out to people living in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts by the government as well as by a section of people," said Saikia, while demanding action against the assailants.

--IANS

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The Brazilian parliament returned from a recess this week and will decide on a vote over a corruption case against President Michel Temer.

On Tuesday, the Chamber of Deputies will hear a complete report on the case, reports Xinhua news agency.

Since the parliament's Commission on Constitution, Justice and Citizenship had voted earlier to reject the charges thanks to the last-minute switching of some members of the ruling party, the report will suggest the parliament also reject the charges.

On Wednesday, deputies will discuss the charges pressed by Prosecutor-General, Rodrigo Janot, at a plenary session, before moving onto a vote.

While no exact date for the vote is set, parliament speaker Rodrigo Maia has reaffirmed his commitment to holding it as soon as possible.

A two-thirds majority, or 342 out of 513 deputies, is needed to approve the charges and start a trial against Temer.

Temer, who became president after the impeachment of his predecessor Dilma Rousseff, is the first head of state in Brazil's history to receive criminal charges while in office.

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.

If Temer steps down for up to 180 days to allow for a trial, Maia would take over the presidency in an interim capacity.

According to an Ibope poll released on Monday, a large majority of Brazilian people are in favour of Temer standing trial.

Some 81 per cent of interviewees said they wanted Temer to be tried for corruption, while just 14 per cent said he should not.

--IANS

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has toured central British Columbia (BC) by helicopter to get a glimpse of a charred landscape that has been scorched by wildfires in recent weeks.

The tour marks the Prime Minister's first look at the crisis which has forced about 50,000 people from their homes over the past month, Xinhua news agency reported.

Trudeau said the main focus of his visit was to thank the wildfire first responders on behalf of all Canadians.

"I've seen people at the edge of exhaustion keep on pushing through, motivated by the tremendous support they're getting from communities," he said in Williams Lake, one of the hardest-hit area in the devastating wildfire season.

Williams Lake's share of the crisis has eased in recent days, with most of its residents returning late last week to the city in the Cariboo region after a 12-day evacuation. About 6,000 people in BC remained away from their homes.

Around 172 million Canadian dollars ($138 million) have been spent on the wildfire fight since April 1, said Kevin Skrepnek, BC's Chief Fire Information Officer.

BC Premier John Horgan said firefighters were helping with the BC crisis from the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. US and Australian crews are also assisting the effort.

The BC province has extended its state of emergency until August 4.

--IANS

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The CBI has constituted a special team to investigate cases of alleged extra-judicial killings by the Army, the Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police in insurgency-hit Manipur, an official said on Tuesday.

"A five-member team led by a Superintendent of Police was formed last week to investigate these cases," a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said.

The agency's move comes days after the Supreme Court on July 14 directed CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma to appoint a team of officers to investigate the killings.

The apex court ruling came on a public interest litigation for a probe and compensation with regard to what it said were 1,528 extra-judicial killings in Manipur from 2000 to 2012.

On April 20, the Army told the apex court that it cannot be subjected to FIRs over anti-militancy operations in insurgency-hit areas like Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur, while alleging local bias in judicial inquiries conducted against it in these states, which tarnished its image.

In July last year, the apex court had directed a thorough probe into the alleged "staged killings" in Manipur, and said the use of excessive or retaliatory force by armed forces or police was not permissible in disturbed areas under the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

--IANS

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A day after the government faced embarrassment in Parliament over a bill on the Backward Classes Commission, the BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of "cheating the OBCs for its minority politics".

The Congress had hatched a conspiracy in the Rajya Sabha to not support the bill to confer constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Classes, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav said at a press conference here.

"It was a Congress conspiracy. The amendment brought in by the Congress was not to favour the OBCs or to get them justice, but to halt the amendment bill in the Lok Sabha and cheat them," the BJP leader said.

The government on Monday suffered embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure the passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the commission, with the opposition succeeding in getting amended an important provision on the matter.

He said the kind of amendment Congress supported was not under the ambit of the Constitution. "This could have been questioned in any court of law," he claimed.

He accused the Congress of being an "anti-poor" party and said: "For the last 70 years, they did not allow any scheme to favour 15,000 small caste groups in the country. They don't want these groups to get their rights."

He also questioned the Congress on implementation of the Kaka Kelkar Committee recommendations as well as the Mandal Commission over the years.

"Whatever schemes we brought, the Congress opposed these -- like demonetisation, which was brought to benefit the poor. We brought in MUDRA scheme, but they opposed it. We opened accounts of the poor under the Jan Dhan Scheme, the Congress opposed it," the Rajya Sabha member said.

"We brought the bill on Aadhaar Cards and the Congress not only opposed it but also filed a petition in the Supreme Court so that money doesn't reach the poor," the BJP leader said.

"Is minority more important for the Congress or those deprived of their rights for long," Yadav asked.

--IANS

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The Congress on Tuesday created two new organisational departments to reach out to professionals as also workers in the unorganised sector.

The departments are All India Professionals Congress, which will be headed by party MP Shashi Tharoor, and All India Unorganised Workers Congress, which will be headed by Arbind Singh.

A party release said that Irfan Alam will be Vice Chairman of the Unorganised Workers Congress.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has approved the suggestion to create two more organisational departments in the AICC (All India Congress Committee), the release said.

Gandhi also approved the proposal to change the name of the party's fishermen department to All India Fishermen Congress.

--IANS

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Two days after the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha threatened to spread its agitation for Gorkhaland onto the plains of north Bengal, a house and four vehicles were torched, allegedly by GJM activists, in Kalimpong district's Bagrakote village in the early hours of Tuesday.

Two trucks, a private car and a motorcycle of the house owner in the village in the Dooars region also were set ablaze by the goons, sources said.

"A group of Morcha activists attacked my residence last night and set fire to the house and the vehicles. They also beat up my family members who were in the house at that time," house owner Rakesh Perial alleged.

Officers of Malbazar police station and the fire tenders rushed to the spot to control the situation. However, the four vehicles were completely gutted before the fire officials could douse flames, the police said.

The local GJM leadership denied the involvement of their activists in the arson attack and claimed that Perial fell prey to the rage of the locals after he decided to ply his trucks amid the ongoing shutdown in the hills.

"GJM has no involvement in it. We have heard that he had an altercation with the villagers for plying his vehicles," local Morcha leader Ramesh Rai said.

"The villagers asked him to stop plying his vehicles due to the indefinite shutdown for Gorkhaland but he refused to listen. Also he, along with people, attacked the house of a local resident last night following an altercation. The villagers got enraged and torched his house and vehicles," Rai claimed.

The police said 10 persons sustained injuries in the incident. However, no arrests have been made yet.

The arson attack took place three days after the ongoing tension in the north Bengal hills spilled onto the plains with the GJM activists clashing with the police in Sukna, 65 km from Darjeeling, on July 29. The Gorkhaland supporters also fought a pitched battle with the police in Alipurduar district's Jaigaon, bordering Bhutan on the following day.

The GJM leadership has given the central government a 10-day deadline, starting from June 30, to intervene in the issue of Gorkhaland and threatened to spread the agitation to the plains if no steps are taken on its demands.

--IANS

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The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday described the killing of Pakistani militant Abu Dujana as "good riddance to a nuisance" and said operations against all guerrillas will continue irrespective of civilian protests.

Addressing the media with Lt Gen J.S. Sandhu, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's 15th Corps, Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said: "Dujana's killing is good riddance to a nuisance in the area."

Khan added: "Whether or not there are protests and disruptions by protesters during our operations against militants, the security forces will continue their operations."

He said the security forces tried to persuade the holed up militants in Hakripora village in Pulwama district on Tuesday to surrender. The local militant who died with Dujana was said to be Arif Lalihaari.

"The head of the family of the house where Dujana and Arif were hiding was used to persuade them to surrender. Perhaps because of the presence of Dujana, Arif, a local militant, could not surrender," the police officer said.

Both Khan and Lt Gen Sandhu said Dujana was now mostly indulging in "ayyashi" (debauchery) more than engaging himself in terrorist activities.

Khan said all the overground operatives who helped terrorists to carry out the attack on Amarnath pilgrims on July 10 in which eight people were killed had been arrested.

"They are with us and they are singing. We have also seized vehicles involved in the attack. The case has been cracked. It is now only the militants involved in the attack who are to be neutralized."

Asked about the next militant the security forces were targeting, Khan said: "Every militant active in the Kashmir Valley is our next target."

--IANS

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A Pakistani newspaper on Tuesday urged the Sharif family to end dynasty -- after deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif picked his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to succeed him.

"Shehbaz's succession may be a well-calculated step. However, on purely ethical grounds, it would have been an admirable opportunity for the PML-N to dispense with an overtly dynastic exercise of power," the Daily Times said in an editorial.

"To be able to learn from major setbacks is perhaps the most important virtue in politics," it said.

"The PML-N would do well to pay heed to its own recent debacle as it goes about the business of choosing a successor to Nawaz Sharif."

The daily said Nawaz Sharif and his government had completely misunderstood the nature of the challenge to their rule.

"They failed to recognise that the questions being raised about them in the Panamagate investigation were not just about mudslinging by an unscrupulous opposition - they were also a direct attack on their legitimacy in large segments of urban Pakistan.

"Now, with the choice of Shehbaz Sharif as future Prime Minister, unfortunately, the ruling party seems to have strengthened one of the perceptions driving the anti-PML-N sentiment," it said.

The daily said there was resentment against both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) - that the country's two main parties were "vehicles of dynastic for two families".

--IANS

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The shooting of over 20 Tamil films came to a standstill across the state on Tuesday as members of Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) struck work to demand a revision of daily wages.

The demand has been turned down by Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council (TFPC).

FEFSI, which comprises 24 unions of various crafts of the film industry and has over 25,000 members, and TFPC are at loggerheads. FEFSI had an altercation with producer-actor R.K. Suresh on the sets of his Tamil film "Billa Pandi" last month as its members who are employed as technicians in "Billa Pandi" demanded increase in their daily wages.

When Suresh escalated the matter to Vishal, president of TFPC, the latter called off the film's shooting and suggested that technicians outside FEFSI can be used for shooting.

FEFSI head R.K. Selvamani is spearheading the strike.

"TFPC should work with the members of FEFSI who are more than 25,000 in number and can't use non-FEFSI members. The wage agreement for FEFSI members expired on July 31 and that's why we requested revision in daily wages. The members should be paid new wages and until then we will be on strike," Selvamani told IANS.

The strike has come as a big blow for over 20 Tamil films that are currently on the floors.

"The shoot of over 20 Tamil films including Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' has been stopped. FEFSI workers are part of most Tamil films and they have been instructed to not take part in the shooting. They have to understand it will only affect their livelihood," a member of the Producers Council told IANS.

Interestingly, shoot of Vishal's upcoming Tamil crime thriller "Thupparivaalan" is underway in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu.

A shooting video was released by film's publicist on Tuesday. The team was shooting an action sequence.

Vishal had told IANS that Producers Council won't give in to the demands of the Federation.

"We are willing to work with anyone from FEFSI or even those who are not associated with the federation. We will not give in to their demands and we stand by what we said earlier," Vishal said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The four-day monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh assembly will begin here on August 22, it was announced on Tuesday, and is likely to be stormy with the state going to polls later this year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to corner the ruling Congress over deteriorating law and order situation, leading to an increase in rape incidents in the state, besides on the corruption charges against Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

"Deteriorating law and order situation is one of the major issues. There is abnormal increase in rape incidents in the state, involving girl students," Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal told IANS.

He said the state government, especially the police, has failed to protect the life and property of the people of the state.

On the other hand, the government would try to highlight its achievements in the past four and a half years.

"We are ready for debate on all issues concerning the common man. We will highlight our achievements in the assembly," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said.

In all, there will be four sittings during the session, probably the last to be held before the state goes to polls later this year.

One day has been allotted for the private members' business, an official statement quoting assembly Secretary S.S. Verma said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Minister of State of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday sought China's help in reducing the trade deficit between the two countries.

Meeting China's Commerce Minister Zhong Shan on the sidelines of the 7th BRICS Trade Ministers meeting in Shanghai, Sitharaman said China should facilitate greater market access and provide a level playing field for Indian IT, pharmaceuticals and agro products.

The meeting comes after their first meeting on the sidelines of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Ministerial meeting in Hanoi in May 2017.

The ministers underscored the complementarities between the two fastest growing economies and agreed to further intensify efforts to realize the full potential of their mutually beneficial cooperation.

They exchanged views, in a candid manner, on further development of a strong, balanced and sustainable trade and investment partnership between India and China.

The ministers also agreed to further intensify Sino-Indian cooperation in the plurilateral and multilateral frameworks such as WTO, BRICS and SCO.

Sitharaman reiterated her invitation to Zhong Shan to visit India for the 11th Joint Economic Group (JEG) meeting.

--IANS

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With many ships, including Indian ones, becoming victim of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, India and Somalia on Tuesday discussed piracy and maritime security among a range of issues during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Somali Foreign Minister Yusuf Garaad Omar here.

"The entire gamut of India-Somalia bilateral relations, including the issue of piracy and maritime security were discussed between the two sides during the meetings," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The Somali Foreign Minister also held talks with Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar.

"Further, discussions on regional issues pertaining to developments in Gulf region and India's neighborhood were held," it stated.

Omar, who is accompanied by a senior-level official delegation, arrived here on Monday on a five-day visit at the invitation of Sushma Swaraj. This is his first visit to India since he assumed office earlier this year.

On Tuesday, the two sides also signed an agreement for transfer of sentenced persons in each other's country.

The Union Cabinet had in June given its approval for the ratification of the agreement on transfer of sentenced persons between India and Somalia, located on the Horn of Africa.

Earlier this year, India had thanked Somalia for rescuing 10 of its nationals held by pirates.

The Indians were crew members on a commercial vessel -- Al Kausar -- that was hijacked by pirates off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen.

Somali security forces liberated the vessel in April.

India also offers Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) training scholarships and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships to Somalia.

Somalia, situated near the Horn of Africa with the Gulf of Aden to its north, is among the partner countries of India's Pan African e-Network project.

The India-Somalia bilateral talks come as China opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa. Somalia shares border with Djibouti on the west.

India-Somalia bilateral trade stood at $391.05 million in 2014-15, a more than 51 per cent increase over the figure of $257.27 million in 2013-14.

The Somali Foreign Minister will also travel to Mumbai and Hyderabad during the course of his visit.

The visit is part of India's increased engagement with Africa.

Earlier this year, India also hosted the annual meeting of African Development Bank.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian insurance regulatory authority seems to have clearly missed or misread the early warning signals of the happenings in private life insurer Sahara India Life Insurance Company Ltd, senior industry officials said.

A cursory reading of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority's (IRDAI) order against Sahara India Life in 2012 shows the regulator has clearly missed the wood for the trees, officials told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The regulator had fined Sahara India Life Rs 12 lakh for various violations observed during an onsite inspection in 2010 -- some of the them pertaining to corporate governance issue, industry officials said.

An onsite inspection -- nearly six years after Sahara India Life was licenced to operate -- observed that it was not functioning as an independent accounting and legal entity.

Officials of group companies were authorising payments for the life insurer. Stationery of group companies was being used.

The regulator had termed these violations of prudent accounting norms.

However, the IRDAI did not press the charges further as it was satisfied with the life insurer's explanation that also confirmed that Sahara India Life's officers themselves were verifying/passing bills.

"Taking into account the fact that overall expenses are also within the limit of Rule 170 of Insurance Rule, 1939 charge is not pressed. However, the insurer be cautioned to stop all these practices and confirm the same," then IRDAI Chairman J. Hari Narayan ordered on Feb 27, 2012.

Interestingly, payment of rent to group companies by Sahara India Life was also considered and approved by IRDAI in 2012 itself.

The insurance regulator had observed that rent payment to group companies was without formal agreements.

However, the IRDAI in its order said it was not pressing the charge as Sahara India Life had submitted all rent agreements along with compliance to inspection observation.

The insurance regulator was satisfied with the explanation given by Sahara India Life on observations pertaining to the payments made to Sahara group companies.

The regulatory had then penalised Sahara India Life for issues like delays in claim settlements.

But in its July 28 order, the IRDAI had concluded that the promoters of Sahara India Life are no more fit and proper and a sum of Rs 78 crore has already been siphoned off in the name of security deposits.

Refuting the charge, Sahara India Life in a statement on Sunday said: "In fact this amount was kept as security deposit to one entity -- Sahara India -- who has provided furnished, computerised office accommodation at around 150 places."

According to the group, this arrangement is very beneficial for Sahara India Life while IRDAI concluded otherwise.

"This security deposit amount is absolutely repayable to Sahara Life," the statement said.

The IRDAI on July 28 had ordered transfer of Sahara India Life's business portfolio to ICICI Prudential Life Insurance effective from July 31 (Monday).

Last month, the IRDAI had appointed its own official as an administrator of Sahara India Life. The administrator had initially ordered Sahara India Life to stop accepting new business.

The IRDAI had ordered transfer of Sahara India Life's insurance business to ICICI Prudential Life based on the administrator's report.

Aggrieved by IRDAI's order, Sahara India Life had approached the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT). The SAT on Monday ordered maintenance of status quo till it hears the case on August 7.

According to industry officials, the regulator should have exercised additional control over Sahara India Life in 2015 itself after the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) ordered cancellation of certificate of registration of Sahara Mutual Fund as it found the fund house, Sahara Asset Management Company (AMC) and Sahara Sponsor, not "fit and proper" to carry on the business.

Ordering the transfer of life insurance business to ICICI Prudential Life, the IRDAI has not considered the fate of Sahara India Life's employees or its agents, industry officials added.

--IANS

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The Jordanian government has banned the country's first online gay magazine, citing license violation.

Mohammad Outishat, director general of Jordan Media Commission, on Monday said the magazine is not licensed and "acts in contrary to article 49 of the Press and Publications Law", reports Xinhua news agency.

Editors of the magazine had negative reactions in the community, claiming they had licensed the magazine dealing with gay affairs, which turned out to be completely untrue, Outishat said.

However, the name of the magazine was not revealed.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has slammed sanctions imposed by the US government against the South American country for holding a controversial constitutional assembly election amid violent protests.

"You're with Trump or you're with Venezuela, you're with Trump or you're with the democracy, you're with Trump or you're with the free people of the world, that's the decision, you're with Trump or you're with the free world," Maduro said on Monday in a televised speech.

"They are the decisions that express their impotence, their despair, their hatred. They express the character of the magnate, who is emperor of the US."

Maduro also responded to Washington's threat to suspend the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), a body that the President created to rewrite the nation's constitution, saying: "I do not obey imperial orders of foreign governments".

"Trump is more disowned in the US and in the world than (former US President) George W. Bush," who declared himself 'anti-colonialist, anti-racist' and against the Ku Klux Klan that rules the White House," the Venezuelan leader said.

US National Security Adviser Herbert R. McMaster on Monday announced direct sanctions by the US government, including freezing Maduro's assets in Washington and prohibiting American citizens from carrying out economic transactions with the Venezuelan leader.

"Maduro is not just a bad leader. He is now a dictator," said McMaster, adding that Maduro has joined "a very exclusive club", that includes Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who have all been sanctioned by Washington.

The US imposed sanctions in response to the July 30 elections of representatives of the Constituent Assembly that Maduro planned to use to draft a new national charter.

However, the opposition and other social societies criticized the move as a way for Maduro to consolidate a dictatorship in the country.

The US along with other South American nations and the European Union (EU) have said they will not recognise the assembly established from the vote.

The Venezuelan Attorney General said rge July 30 protests against the elections left a total of 10 persons dead, however the opposition alliance Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) said the toll was 14.

The latest victims bring the total death toll from the wave of anti-government protests that began on April 1 to 121 with over thousands others injured.

The government said more than 8 million Venezuelans voted in the July 30 elections. The MUD refused to participate as it considered the vote "fraudulent".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Junior doctors at the government-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH) here continued their strike on Tuesday demanding better security.

The indefinite strike began on Sunday night after four attendants of a woman patient, who died during treatment, assaulted two junior doctors.

Nearly 250 junior doctors, including house surgeons, boycotted their duties except emergency services, demanding action against those involved in the attack and measures to beef up their security.

The strike is causing severe inconvenience to patients in one of the oldest hospitals in the country, with services in out patient block remaining paralysed for a second consecutive day.

The junior doctors have lodged a complaint with Afzalgunj police station demanding the arrest of the accused under non-bailable sections.

The strike was called by the Telangana Junior Doctors Association to protest against the rising number of attacks on medicos, saying this was the fourth incident at OGH in one month.

On Monday, OGH Superintendent G.V.S. Moorthy set up a committee to look into their demands and asked for a report within three days.

However, the association refused to call off the strike saying it will decide the next course of action after seeing the report.

Patients belonging to poor families from different parts of the city and other districts of Telangana and neighbouring states come to OGH, the biggest government-run facility in the state.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Australian government has said that while it aims to settle refugees in regional locations, migrants are "free to move" once settled.

The remarks followed claims from local councils that refugees were causing overpopulation and putting a strain on vital services, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, the Fairfield City Council in Sydney's west expressed concern that more than 6,000 Syrian migrants had settled within its limits over the last few months, meaning it now lacks the funds and resources to successfully integrate the refugees into Australian society.

Local Mayor Frank Carbone urged the government to alleviate the burden placed on his council.

But Federal Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs Zed Seselja on Tuesday said that while the government tries to settle refugees in regional areas, they are "free to move".

"When the government sponsors these individuals, we do favour regional locations. Many of these people are sponsored by particular communities and will, therefore, share the costs of getting them here. Most often, they will settle where their sponsors are," Seselja said.

"But when we accept humanitarian entrants into Australia, they have freedom of movement. We can settle them in Toowoomba, Hobart or Geelong or other regional locations, but in the end, people are free to move.

"We do all we can to provide the services in regional locations, but we can't tell people that they can't move to Sydney or to Melbourne."

Seselja said that while he understands that Fairfield's Mayor is concerned by the sudden influx of migrants, the figures being thrown around in the media "simply aren't correct".

"Some of the claims made by the Fairfield Mayor simply aren't correct, though we do understand they've experienced a large influx. But funding follows the clients, so if more people move to Fairfield, it gets more funding," Seselja said.

"As I said, we do our best to settle these entrants into regional areas, but the government can't dictate terms to people who are settled in Australia," the minister concluded.

--IANS

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BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday demanded that an external independent body should be formed to determine the remuneration of lawmakers and questioned their authority to hike own salaries.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, the Bharatiya Janata Party member said: "The MPs have raised their salaries up to 400 per cent in the last decade as compared to 13 per cent rise in the United Kingdom."

"Giving ourselves the authority to increase our own fiscal compensation is not in line with the morals of our democracy," he added.

"In the interest of the country, we must create an external body, independent of us members, to determine the salaries," the Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur said.

Gandhi told the members of the house that "if we self-regulate, considering the economic conditions of the last man in society, we must empathetically forgo our privileges, at least for the duration of this Parliament".

Citing the example of the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi said: "In the very first meeting of his cabinet it was decided that the all the members would not take their remuneration for six months looking after the suffering of the people at that time."

He added that even the Constituent Assembly member from Odisha, Biswanath Das, chose to draw only Rs 25 a day instead of Rs 45 a day, saying that he did not require any more.

"When matters regarding salary are raised recurrently, it makes me worry about the moral compass of the house. Nearly 18,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last one year. Where is our focus?"

Referring to the mechanism followed by the Parliament in United Kingdom, he demanded an independent agency to determine salaries of Parliament members here. "Sadly, such a mechanism does not exist in our nation," he said.

He also said that it was shameful that the number of sittings in the house had dropped from 123 days in 1952 to 75 in 2016.

Gandhi also questioned the recent decision by the Tamil Nadu assembly to double the salaries of its legislators and referred to the protests by the Tamil Nadu farmers in the national capital.

He took a dig at the members for not discussing the important Bills in the house and said, "Taxation bills, as significant as Aadhaar, were passed within two weeks without being referred to a committee."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is to question Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's younger son Naseem Geelani on Wednesday as part of its probe into terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir.

The anti-terror agency issued summons to Naseem, a state government employee, on Monday for appearance at its Delhi headquarters on Wednesday for questioning. The summons was delivered to his house by the agency.

"As Geelani's sons are part of the top Hurriyat leadership, their questioning is necessary to unearth the illegal means adopted by separatist leaders in receiving terror fundings (from Pakistan) through hawala channels for organising terrorist and other activities in Jammu and Kashmir," an NIA official said on the condition of anonymity.

NIA reissued summons to Naseem's elder brother Naeem, a doctor once based in Pakistan, after he failed to appear in response to a July 27 notice since he is in hospital.

Both Naseem and Naeem are on the NIA radar in connection with the agency's May 30 case registered against Kashmir separatist leaders, including Hurriyat members, for allegedly conniving with outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, and others to raise and receive funds to create unrest in the valley.

NIA investigators said they have questioned several Hurriyat leaders, their relatives and some identified stone-pelters in Srinagar who were among the 30 summoned by the agency last week following the arrest of seven key Kashmiri separatists in the case.

Those arrested are Nayeem Khan, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Aftab Hilali Shah alias Shahid-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar Khandey, Peer Saifullah, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, and Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate. All of them are in 10-day NIA custody.

Altaf is the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan.

On Monday, the NIA raided the ancestral home of Jammu and Kashmir advocate Devender Singh Behal, who was arrested a day earlier over his links with Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Behal's ancestral house is located in Nowshera town in Rajouri district.

The NIA had on Sunday raided Behal's home in Bakshi Nagar in Jammu and taken him into custody.

NIA sources said Behal, who is considered close to Geelani and is regularly seen at funerals of slain militants, was being questioned for his role in the terror funding.

Behal is Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF), a constituent of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani.

Four mobile phones, a tablet, electronic devices and financial documents were recovered during the search operation on Sunday.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over 400 foreign nationals, including 283 Nigerians, have been booked for a variety of crimes in Goa in the last five years, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Goa assembly on Tuesday.

According to statistics he tabled in the assembly, Nigerians are followed by Russian (49), British (37) and Nepali (19) nationals, who are at the top as far as crimes registered in this tourist destination are concerned.

While drug-trade tops the nature of crimes committed by foreign nationals with as many as 63 cases registered under sections of the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 58 foreign nationals have been booked for cheating, 46 for violation of the Foreigners Act and 21 for rioting.

Sixteen foreign nationals have been booked for murder, attempt to murder and culpable homicide.

--IANS

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A total of 5,051 persons were detained in Venezuela since the wave of anti-government protests began on April 1, according to a non-governmental organisation.

Of the detainees, about 10 per cent are women, and the majority are young people and students, Efe news quoted the Foro Penal NGO as saying on Monday.

More than 1,300 of those arrested during demonstrations still remain behind bars, Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero said.

Security forces arrested 96 people on July 30 during nationwide protests against the National Constituent Assembly promoted by the government in order to reorganise the legal system in Venezuela.

According to the Venezuelan Attorney General, at least 10 people were killed during the demonstrations against the election on July 30, bringing the total death toll from the anti-government protests that began in April 1 to 121.

Foro Penal, which provides legal assistance to detainees, also revealed that 527 of those arrested during nearly four months of protests have been tried in military courts despite being civilians.

According to a list compiled by the NGO, there are currently 498 "political prisoners" in Venezuela.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top Pakistani militant who carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head was killed along with a local associate in fighting with security forces on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police called the killing of Abu Dujana, whom they described as Lashkar-e-Taiba commander active in southern Kashmir since 2012, as a "huge achievement".

His local accomplice was identified as Arif Lalihaari. They were killed in Hakripora village. "(A) huge achievement for the police and security forces," the police tweeted.

Dujana, a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, was said to be responsible for a number of attacks on Indian security forces, including the August 2015 Udhampur strike that left two Border Security Force troopers dead and 12 injured.

An LeT terrorist was killed in that attack.

"The killing of Abu Dujana and Lalihaari is a big success for the security forces and a huge setback to terrorist activities in south Kashmir," a police official said.

Acting on information about the presence of Dujana and Lalihaari, the security forces surrounded the Hakripora village at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, triggering a gunfight.

"The operation ended after bodies of the two militants were recovered from the site and identified," the police officer said.

Two houses in the village were destroyed in the gunfight.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out between the security forces and stone-pelting protesters as news of Dujana's death spread.

Three protesters were admitted to hospitals with bullet injuries and several others sustained pellet injuries in the clashes.

Authorities have suspended Internet services in south Kashmir.

Train services between Bannihal town in Jammu region and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley were also suspended.

The police, however, said Dujana had broken loose from the LeT in last few months after which he established close proximity with Zakir Musa, another Pakistani who was recently appointed the head of Al Qaeda terror outfit in the Kashmir Valley.

Dujana was replaced by Abu Muhammad Ismail as the Divisional Commander of the LeT, a Pakistan-based group that masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 Indians and foreigners.

Ismail had carried out the July 10 attack on an Amarnath Yatra bus in Anantnag district which killed eight pilgrims.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday stressed the need to upgrade police system with advances in digital technology in view of increasing social media activities.

"Social media is picking up pace in India and police system must upgrade itself with advances in digital technology. The young officers must be aware of the transformation taking place in India," he said at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day conference, organised by Bureau of Police Research and Development, for young Superintendents of Police of states and union territories and paramilitary forces' commandants.

Holding that "digital empowerment is not sufficient, unless there is digital inclusion and that technology should be affordable, inclusive and development oriented", he urged the officers to use social media platforms to communicate the right information and stressed that the training of the officers in cyber security must be given utmost priority.

Prasad expressed hope that the officers will gain knowledge from the two-day conference and practise the lessons learnt here, in their professional lives.

Highlighting the 'Digital India' programme-- a flagship programme of the central government with a vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society, he said that the aim of the programme was to bridge the digital divide and the focus is more towards poor sections of society.

"The schemes and initiatives of the government are framed in such a manner that citizens are empowered to lead a better quality of life."

During the conference, Prasad also released a book titled "National Police Research Repository".

On the occasion, Intelligence Bureau Director Rajiv Jain said he has high hopes from the young officers and is sure that they will achieve greater heights in their future.

In her speech, BPR&D Director General Meeran C. Borwankar said that good use of citizens and technology is needed for effective policing.

"For effective policing, the police and CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces or paramilitary forces) must make good use of two partners, citizens and technology. From DG level to beat constables, the concept of taking community along, is being followed."

Borwankar also said that Home Ministry was doing its best to increase the technological inputs in the training programmes.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Blaming the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government for the problems faced by the state's farmers, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took up with the NHAI the cause of peasants put on notice for land acquisition.

The Congress leader, during a short visit to the state capital, drove to the regional office of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and submitted a memorandum on the notices served to farmers in Ambedkar Nagar and Amethi for land acquisition.

In the memorandum he handed over to NHAI General Manager Rajiv Agarwal, the Lok Sabha MP from Amethi alleged that the farmers' houses were being razed without advance notice.

He claimed that the land of farmers had been illegally acquired by the state government for the four-laning of a road in the area.

Flanked by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar and former Union Minister Jitin Prasada, the Congress Vice President said farmers in Kathaura village of Jagdishpur area in Amethi had not been given compensation and their houses were razed without notice.

The NHAI is constructing a truck lane in Kathaura village. Land owned by the State Industrial Development Corporation had been given to 50 farmer families for cultivation in the past.

The Congress is now demanding that apart from adequate compensation to the affected farmers, the truck lane should be diverted half a km away from the spot.

UPCC chief Raj Babbar, who had staged a sit-in at Ambedkar Nagar that ended on Monday, said his party will ensure legal advice for farmers who want to move any court against land acquisition.

The Congress Vice President was earlier accorded a grand welcome by party workers and a large number of farmers who wished to meet him.

Rahul Gandhi last visited the state capital in February during campaigning for the February-March assembly elections. He participated in a road show with the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, whose Samajwadi Party entered into an alliance with the Congress for the polls.

--IANS

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia from August 5-9, the US State Department has said.

Tillerson will take part in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Manila, the Philippines, the US State Department said on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

During the meetings, he will discuss with his counterparts of other countries the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security and counterterrorism, according to a statement by the State Department.

In Thailand, Tillerson will pay respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and engage Thai officials on the enduring US-Thailand partnership and regional issues.

In Malaysia, Tillerson will meet with officials to discuss strengthening cooperation on a range of issues in the 60th year of US-Malaysia bilateral relations, the statement added.

--IANS

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Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, accused of tax fraud, has denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement on Monday published by an agency which represents him, Rolando said he had no intentions of evading taxes, reports Xinhua news agency.

"I have never hidden anything, nor have I had the intention of evading taxes," Ronaldo said.

"I always voluntarily file my tax returns because I think we all must file a return and pay taxes according to our income. Those that know me, know what I ask my advisors: that they have everything up to date and properly paid, because I don't want problems," he added.

Ronaldo said he will not make any more comments on the issue. "I believe in justice and I also hope there will be a fair decision," he said.

Ronaldo was accused of defrauding 14.76 million euros ($17.44 million), hiding income from Spanish tax authorities using a business structure created in 2010 to allegedly hide his image rights income in Spain between 2011 and 2014.

Meanwhile, Gestifute said the case could be related to different interpretations of the British and Spanish tax systems on how and where to declare some revenues.

--IANS

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Maggie Taylor constructs photomontages to create a dreamlike world inhabited by everyday objects. Runs through 9/9.

Opening & Artist Reception

Friday July 7, 57pm

On View: July 7  September 9, 2017

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

photo-eye Gallery is thrilled to announce Maggie Taylor: A tale begun in other days an exhibition of color photomontages from our newest represented artist Maggie Taylor opening Friday July 7th and continuing through September 2nd, 2017. An Opening and Artist Reception will take place on Friday, July 7th from 5  7 PM.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Maggie Taylor constructs what she terms dreamlike worlds inhabited by everyday objects. An early adopter, Maggie Taylor has been utilizing digital technology to build her evocative and elaborate photomontages for more than 20 years. These whimsical narratives often begin as pastel background drawings with additional components such as 19th Century photographs, drawings, vintage toys, seashells, feathers, and taxidermy scanned and meticulously arranged over time to complete the scene. Working instinctively, Taylor crafts a surreal alternate reality rife with curious peculiarities and rich in symbolism.

"I work very spontaneously and intuitively, trying to come up with images that have a resonance and a somewhat mysterious narrative content. There is no one meaning for any of the images, rather they exist as a kind of visual riddle or open-ended poem, meant to be both playful and provocative. "  Maggie Taylor

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Maggie Taylor is an artist who lives amid the Spanish moss and live oaks at the edge of a small swamp on the outskirts of Gainesville, Florida. Taylors photomontages have been widely exhibited and have been collected by many museums including the following: The Center for Creative Photography, Tucson; The George Eastman House, Rochester; Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans; The Art Museum, Princeton University; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland; and The Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University among others. Maggie Taylor's work is also featured in the following publications: Adobe Photoshop Master Class: Maggie Taylor's Landscape of Dreams, Peachpit Press; Solutions Beginning with A, Modernbook Editions; Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Modernbook Editions; Album, Edizioni Si; and No Ordinary Days, University Press of Florida.

For more information please contact Anne Kelly - anne@photoeye.com | 505-988-5152 x202
Russia's ASE Group of Companies on Tuesday said three main contracts were signed with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for nuclear power units 5 and 6 to be set up in Tamil Nadu's Kudankulam.

In a statement, the ASE Group, which is part of Russia's nuclear power corporation Rosatom - said the contracts were signed on Monday.

According to the statement, the three contracts are: for supply of the equipment with long manufacturing cycle, for the first priority design works and for supply of the working documentation.

According to Andrey Lebedev, Vice-President for Projects in South Asia, ASE Group of Companies the construction of units 5 and 6 in Kudankulam is entering the implementation stage.

In an interaction last month, Sergey P. Oriov, Head of Atomstroyexport (ASE) Representation in India, said the price of units 5 and 6, would be around the price at which the contract for supply of units 3 and 4 was concluded.

India will be paying around Rs 40,000 crore to the Russian supplier for the third and fourth units to be built in Kudankulam.

Oriov said the Russian company hopes to see one nuclear power unit getting commissioned every year between 2023 and 2026 in Kudankulam (units 3 to 6).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Trinamool Congress MPs created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after a BJP member alleged that the West Bengal Chief Minister's address was misused in a scam involving shell companies.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, making a Zero Hour mention, claimed that a Bihar politician had links with the scam related to shell companies in the state.

He said a similar scam took place in West Bengal and it was found that the Chief Minister's address was given by a shell company during its registration.

TMC MPs objected and demanded that the Speaker expunge the remarks from the records.

The TMC members created a ruckus and then trooped near the Speaker's podium.

Even as the Chair assured that the name would be expunged, the TMC MPs continued their protest, due to which the remainder of Zero Hour mentions took place amid the din.

The house was adjourned for lunch thereafter.

Earlier, during Zero Hour, TMC MP Saugata Roy alleged that money and muscle power were used to lure opposition legislators in states like Goa, Manipur and Gujarat.

"Money and muscle power has been used in Gujarat to lure six Congress MLAs. The Election Commission has asked the state authorities to probe the case," Roy said, adding that dubious deals were also struck in Goa and Manipur.

This drew a strong reaction from BJP MPs, but Roy said he did not name any party.

He also referred to political developments in Bihar, wherein the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) broke its alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress to form a government in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He said there were attempts to influence certain legislators in West Bengal as well but they were not successful.

"Six opposition MPs have been elected to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal," he added.

--IANS

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US President Donald Trump was joking at an event last week when he told police officers to be "rough" with suspects, according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

"I believe he was making a joke at the time," Sanders told the media on Monday when asked if Trump had a response to the critiques of the comments which were rebuked by police departments across the country.

On July 28, Trump, speaking before officers from Suffolk County Police Department in New York on efforts to combat the gang MS-13, told officers to be "rough" on suspects.

In response, a series of police departments from New York, Massachusetts, Florida distanced themselves from Trump's comments, arguing that they did not represent their values or guidelines.

The Suffolk County Police Department said: "As a department, we do not and will not tolerate 'rough(ing)' up prisoners."

A tweet by Ben Tobias, spokesman for the Gainesville, Florida, police department, responding to Trump went viral, CNN reported.

"I'm a cop. I do not agree with or condone remarks today on police brutality," he wrote.

New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill said: "To suggest that police officers apply any standard in the use of force other than what is reasonable and necessary is irresponsible, unprofessional and sends the wrong message to law enforcement as well as the public."

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Home Ministry have joined hands to combat human trafficking originating from the neighbouring countries.

UN Women and the UNODC also decided to collaborate to fight off the menace, while observing the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

World Day against Trafficking in Persons was on July 30 and it was observed on Monday in the national capital.

"I am pleased to know that UNODC South Asia has decided to create a unique Trafficking in Persons Platform. From the perspective of law enforcement and rehabilitating," Lok Sabha MP Meenakshi Lekhi, said at the event.

Addressing representatives from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Lekhi said that trafficking deserved the severest punishment and that there was a need, firstly, to identify the zones from where the crime emerges.

"I, as a public representative, am very concerned about trafficking wherever it happens in the country," she said.

She said that regions hit by natural calamities like drought, flood, hurricane, and tsunami, are the breeding grounds for those who indulge in the trafficking business as they find many potential victims there.

The MP also said that people in such regions should be made aware of their "vulnerability". This can be done through informative short films, public discourse, community led activities like safe sleeping and safe bathrooms.

She said that to effectively tackle the problem, trafficking rings have to be broken, and the victims have to be rehabilitated through imparting meaningful vocational training which ensures sustenance.

Speaking on the occasion, UNODC South Asia representative Sergey Kapinos, said: "UNODC's latest report identifies more than 500 different forms of trafficking...Children make up for almost one-third of all victims worldwide. There is a need to act now to collectively address this issue.

"We can all benefit by strengthening regional mechanisms of sharing knowledge, information, intelligence and good practices. UNODC is committed to addressing human trafficking through four Ps: prosecution, protection, prevention and partnerships," he added.

--IANS

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Violence, terrorist acts and armed conflicts across Iraq killed a total of 239 civilians and left wounded 273 others in July, a UN mission said on Tuesday.

"Figures of casualties do not include security members, as the Iraqi military declined to give information about casualties among the troops," a statement by United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said.

Previous figures of security members' casualties released by UNAMI were questioned by the Iraqi military as "inaccurate", while UNAMI responded "the military figures were largely unverified", Xinhua news agency reported.

Most of the civilian casualties occurred in the province of Nineveh, where 121 were killed and 112 others injured in battles between Iraqi forces and Islamic State (IS) militants in western Mosul.

Condemning the terrorist actions by IS, UN envoy to Iraq and UNAMI chief Jan Kubis said: "The terrorist actions caused enormous suffering to civilians by using them as human shields before the group was crushed in Mosul and victory declared by the government of Iraq on July 10."

Kubis reiterated his call to protect civilians in the conflict area as the Iraqi forces prepare for further offensive to "liberate the remaining parts of the country from the scourge of Daesh (IS group)".

The UNAMI statement came as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on July 10 officially declared Mosul's liberation from IS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

--IANS

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English Premier League side Watford have agreed to sign Brazil under-20 forward Richarlison from Rio de Janeiro outfit Fluminense.

Richarlison had also been linked with Premier League champions Chelsea and Dutch club Ajax, reports Xinhua news agency.

"(We) thank Richarlison for his dedication and commitment during his 70 games and 19 goals for the club and wish him success in the next stage of his career," Fluminense said in a statement.

Watford are said to be awaiting the approval of a work permit for the 20-year-old before confirming the transfer, which reportedly cost the Hornets around $11 million.

--IANS

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It happened almost synchronously. On Wednesday, July 26, in the Indian state of Bihar, Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar resigned as chief minister. On the issue of corruption charges against his deputy, Tejashwi, he cited irreconcilable difference with Lalu Prasads Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah had taken a serious view of party members not attending the Rajya Sabha despite a whip and would seek a written explanation from the absentees, said party leaders on Tuesday. Shah gave a tongue-lashing to BJP members of Parliament (MP) at the partys parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, a day after the government faced an embarrassing situation in the Upper House with a united Opposition pushing some changes to the Constitution Amendment Bill on Backward Classes. The BJP chief has asked party MPs to be present in both Houses during the session and warned them not to repeat (such conduct), said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar. Several Union ministers were among the MPs absent from the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The government on Tuesday was left embarrassed in the Rajya Sabha when the Chair passed strictures against it for not inviting Vice-president M Hamid Ansari for the inauguration of an annexe complex of Parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Opposition slammed the government for insulting the Upper House by ignoring its presiding officer, who is also the vice-president of India, and Rajya Sabha members at an official function on Monday. I think the honble chairman should have been invited, said Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien. Kurien said the Rajya Sabha Secretariat had already written to the Lok Sabha Secretariat regarding the impropriety of not inviting the chairman.
An aggressive opposition on Monday accused the Modi government of encouraging cow vigilantes to go for mob lynchings but the Centre argued that law and order needed to be tackled by states.

Responding to a debate in Lok Sabha under rule 193 which lasted for around six hours and saw heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju urged members to condemn such incidents and asked states to act tough.

The Minister said the opposition was trying to gain political mileage over the killings across the country blamed on cow vigilantes.

Not satisfied with his response, the Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party and AIMIM members walked out.

"There is a trend of such incidents in the country. Be it any government in the states or at the Centre... the figure remains the same," Rijiju said, citing figures of such reported incidents against Dalits and Muslims in various states over five years.

"Do you want the Prime Minister to break the federal structure and take over the state machinery?" he asked.

Rijiju said the issue was raked up for debate only to target the Modi government's image whose popularity, he added, was increasing not only in the country but outside too.

"Since they have no issue, they try to create issues. Sometimes they rake up the issue of intolerance. Sometimes they organise protests like 'Not in my name'. They raise issues like attack on churches. Now they have come with . Three years back corruption was a big issue but this has vanished from the political sphere due to the Prime Minister's stand against it. So they come up with such issues and walk out of the House," he said.

He said whenever mob attacks took place in BJP-ruled states, immediate action was taken.

Initiating the debate, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Hindustan should not become lynchistan." He accused the government of indirectly encouraging cow vigilantes.

"The government should tell the House how many of these cow vigilantes have been punished... How many have been arrested. You disown them but what action has been taken," he asked.

"No action is taken, rather they are encouraged. This government is against Dalits, minorities, and women. It is also being done so that your ideology could be enforced all over the country."

Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy demanded a separate law to address .

Roy said 97 per cent of the lynchings happened after the Modi government took power. "86 per cent (of the victims) were Muslims. I want to ask members of the ruling party... Do you want a 'Muslim-mukt' Bharat?"

He said such incidents were not being controlled because the BJP leadership was shying away from condemning them.

"It took three days for the Haryana Chief Minister to condemn the incident in Bahadurgarh. The Rajasthan Chief Minister took almost a month to condemn the lynching in Alwar," Roy said.

Biju Janata Dal leader Tathagata Satpathy said the lynchings were killing the rural economy.

BJP's Hukmdev Narayan Yadav called the killings a conspiracy against the government. "These programmes are being run to malign the government... It is important to find out who is behind these attacks."

Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan said it was the duty of states to control killer mobs.

"Do you want the Centre to send the Army to control goons? Even if a law is passed, it will be implemented by the state governments," said the Lok Janshakti Party leader.

The debate was taken up on Monday after a meeting of the Business Advisory Council last week.

The Lok Sabha saw protests and disruptions all through last week as opposition members demanded a debate on the issue, leading even to the suspension of six Congress MPs for five days.
A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched an attack on him, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief hit back by calling the JD(U) leader a "Paltu-Ram" (turncoat) and accusing him of being greedy for power. Prasad also alleged that it was Nitish who had "pleaded with him" for another term in the office.

The RJD supremo said that Bihar CM is a master of the volte-face, flitting from one camp to another when it served his interest. "Nitish is paltu-ram... He used to slam Narendra Modi till a few days back. Now he is showering praises on him and even proclaimed that no one can challenge Modi in 2019... I've lost count of the number times he has changed his stance and sides for the sake of power," Prasad told media persons at a presser at his house in Patna on Tuesday.
Janata Dal (United) veteran is set to host a convention against communalism to indicate disagreement with party chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This is likely to be held on August 17, two days before Kumar is to chair the partys national executive meeting in Patna.
Russian officers today shot dead three gang suspects on trial over 17 drive-by killings after they seized their guards' guns and tried to flee a Moscow region court, officials said.

Five handcuffed defendants attacked their guards as they were being escorted in a lift at the court in a town some 20 kilometres northwest of Moscow, Russia's Investigative Committee said in a statement.

The group reportedly managed to grab weapons from their escorts but then got into a firefight after being apprehended by officers from Russia's National Guard as they tried to quit the lift.

"Three of the prisoners were liquidated and two wounded," investigators said.

One National Guard officer was hospitalised with a gunshot wound, a Moscow region health official told TASS agency, while the two escorts were being treated for injuries from their struggle with the assailants.

The two surviving attackers were in hospital with gunshot wounds but were not in serious condition, the official said.

A correspondent from Rossiya 24 state television reported that the defendants took the opportunity to attack when the lift got stuck between floors, adding that they severely beat up a female convoy guard for 15 minutes.

A lawyer at the court, Sofya Rubasskaya, told AFP: "I heard shots, there were more than 20 shots." She said that she saw a wounded female guard whose "face was all bloody."



After the shootout, everyone was evacuated from the court and all hearings were postponed, the lawyer said.

The five suspects were among nine who went on trial last year over a series of high-profile drive-by shootings around Moscow's ring road.

They were dubbed the "Grand Theft Auto" gang by Russian media over apparent similarities with the ultra-violent video game.

In the dead of night, the gang members placed metal spikes on roads to burst the tyres of passing cars, then ruthlessly gunned down their drivers and disappeared. The murders took place between 2012 and 2014.

The investigation into the gang charged the defendants with murder, "banditry", robbery and arms trafficking. The gang's suspected leader was killed during an attempt to capture him.

All nine men originated from the ex-Soviet Central Asian states of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, TASS state agency reported.

Investigators said the men worked as labourers during the daytime and acted with tight discipline and followed orders from their leader.

They used knives and air guns that had been converted to take bullets. After killing their victims, they stole possessions including clothes and jewellery.

All partially admitted guilt in court.

Russian television reported Tuesday that the leader of the gang was "radicalised" and had fought alongside the Islamic State jihadist group.

The Investigative Committee said the gang acted only on "mercenary" motives and did not choose their victims on any social or ethnic basis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four persons were killed and three others injured today in two separate accidents in Udaipur and Bikaner districts.

In Udaipur's Jhadol Police Station area, two persons were killed and three injured their motorcycle collided, police said.

Those injured have been hospitalised in Jhadol, SHO Jhadol Kailash Chand said.

The accident occurred near Bagpura Chowki when a motorcycle coming from Manak collided with another motorbike. Banshilal Pargi (20) and Banshilal Badhera (24) were killed in the accident, he said.

The bodies were handed over to their family members after post mortem, the officer said.

In Bikaner, two persons died when their car collided with a state transport bus in Nokha Police Station area.

They were rushed to Bikaner for treatment, but were declared brought dead by doctors, SHO Nokha Darja Ram said.

Dungarram Mali (40) and Devi Singh Rajput (35) were killed in the accident, he said.

A case has been registered against the bus driver, the officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The head of millions of Ahmadiyya Muslims concluded the largest Islamic convention in the UK with a call to reject all forms of extremism and terrorism.

More than 30,000 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) from over 100 countries gathered at the"Jalsa Salana" annualevent recently, which took place on a 200-acre farm in Hampshire on the southern coast of England.

"It is up to Muslims to stand up and reject all forms of extremism and terrorism. It is the task of Ahmadi Muslims to show the true teachings of Islam which are of peace love, mercy and compassion," said Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the conclusion of the event on Sunday.

Theevent began on Friday with the traditional Friday Sermon and the raising of the black and white flag of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community alongside the flag of the United Kingdom.

On Saturday, the Caliph conducted proceedings from the ladies' marquee where 15,000 Muslim women gathered for a speech on women's rights and empowerment under Islam and an award ceremony for academic achievements.

The group said that the purpose of the three-day international gathering was to promote the "true, peaceful teachings of Islam" and challenge misinterpretations around the world's second-largest religion.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in 1889 in India and is led by a spiritual caliphate.

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Bangladesh police today arrested a journalist in the country's south for allegedly defaming a minister in a Facebook post about a dead goat.

Abdul Latif Morol, a reporter at a regional Bengali- language daily, was detained before dawn in the coastal town of Dumuria after a journalist from a rival newspaper filed a case under a draconian internet law.

"The complainant said Morol has defamed the state (junior) minister for fisheries and livestock, Narayan Chandra Chanda, after he made a derogatory post about him in Facebook," local police chief Sukumar Biswas told AFP.

Chanda was the chief guest at an event organised by the government's local livestock department, a part of his ministry, at Dumuria on Saturday.

At the event livestock, including goats, chickens and ducks, were donated to poor farmers, but one of the donated goats later died, according to local media reports. That prompted Morol to write on Facebook "Goat given by state minister in the morning dies in the evening," Biswas said.

The complainant alleged that Morol's post was aimed at "undermining" the minister "socially and personally" as he should have blamed the local livestock officials and not the minister.

In an interview with a local paper the plaintiff said he filed the complaint because he was a supporter of the nationally ruling Awami League. "We did not like the matter (the Facebook post)."



Rights groups have accused the Bangladesh government of using Section 57 of the Information and Communications Technology law -- the law under which the current complaint was filed -- to crack down on dissent and harass journalists.

Last month hundreds of journalists rallied in the capital Dhaka to demand a repeal of the controversial section after several journalists were detained and charged under it.

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Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today asked law enforcement officials to be "very harsh" in dealing with cases of abuse and offence against women on social media.

The IT and law minister also said that the government would ask firmly all social media platform to follow Indian laws specially in issues related to women.

Addressing a conference of superintendents of police and commandants of central armed police forces here, the minister said, "I have to make one request to all of you. In case of offence against women, abuse in social media, become very harsh. We are doing our best. Large number of sites have been blocked."



"I have taken a meeting very recently. We are going to sensitise all the social media platforms. Indian laws are required to be followed. This is a very firm message we are going to convey at least as far as women related issues are concerned," Prasad said.

He said that the government has come up with a system of panic button on cell phones for protecting women.

Prasad said that to block child pornography his ministry has already taken measures in coordination with Interpol.

The minister also urged IPS officers to use social media to communicate right information to public and dispel immediately rumours intended to disturb peace.

He also asked IPS officers to adopt digital technologies for efficient governance.

Prasad said that the government is working to link driving licences with Aadhaar to check duplicate licences. He asked officers to train their sub-ordinates to accept driving licences saved in digital form in mobile phones.

"Today a motor vehicle driver can keep licence in digital form. Digital form means in his mobile phone. As an SP, you have to educate your darogas (inspectors) if they stop someone midway and ask for a licence, they should accept digital licence," Prasad said.

The minister said that he received a complaint from a motor vehicle owner that he was fined by policemen even after showing licence in digital format.

He, however, cautioned police officers from using finger print and iris scans for ordinary policing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP today called on all political parties to extend support to the government in its fight against Pakistan-sponsoredterrorists and separatists in Kashmir.

BJP state spokesperson Virender Gupta asked opposition parties to stop criticising the government and allow it and security forces to do their job "so that permanent peace and tranquillity is brought in the Valley".

"We call on all political parties to extend their whole- hearted support to the government in its fight against separatists and Pakistan-sponsoredterrorists who have caused enormous damage in the Valley," he said.

"The Modi government is determined to fight a decisive battle against separatists and the attempts to destabilise India," he said.

Gupta said the NIA and security forces have started a "crusade" to eliminate terrorists, check money laundering and expose those involved in hawala money transactions to finance stone pelters and terrorist groups in the Valley.

The BJP leader said the situation in the Valley has imporved to some extent due to the "pro-active" policy of the government against terrorism and anti-national forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of social media URLs blocked by the government on the recommendation of an official panel has shown a rising trend with 652 web addresses shut down this year alone compared to just 10 in 2014, official date showed today.

The data given by Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in the Lok Sabha also showed that the URLs blocked on court orders during the period under comparison from 2014 till June this year came down from 432 to 83.

Ahir informed the House that the number of cyber crimes was on the increase. The figures for such crimes in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (provisional data) stood at 9,622, 11,592 and 12,317 respectively.

The minister presented the data for the number of social media uniform resource locators (URLs) blocked during the last three years in a written reply.

The data showed that number of social media URLs blocked on the recommendations of a government committee under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act were 10 in 2014, 587 in 2015, 964 in 2016 and 652 till June 2017.

It showed that 432 URLs were blocked through court orders in 2014, 632 in 2015, 100 in 2016 and 83 so far in 2017. The reply said that data for 2016 and 2017 (till June) is for blocking under Section 69A of the IT Act, based on court orders.

"Based on inputs received from designated nodal officers from central/state government departments, a mechanism for blocking of social media content/account under Section 69A of Information Technology Act, 2000 and on the basis of court orders, is available in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology," Ahir said.

The government committee which recommends blocking of offensive content on social media is headed by a senior officer of the Home Ministry.

"As per information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), a total number of 44,679, 49,455, 50,362 and 27,482 cyber security incidents were observed during the years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 (till June), respectively," he said.

Considering the fact that cyber attacks and cyber crimes in general have global and pan-India character, state wise estimates of losses suffered are not available, Ahir said.

"As per information available, National Investigation Agency has investigated 20 ISIS-related cases in which it has been established that social media/internet has been widely used to radicalise people. Such incidents are also registered in police stations across the country for which consolidated information is not available," he said.

The minister said the government has adopted National Cyber Security Policy with focus on capacity building, skill development, training, cyber research and development and international cooperation.

The government has taken a holistic and comprehensive approach to strengthen cyber resilience and to defend its cyberspace from malicious activities, including cybercrime, he said.

Ahir said Digital India has been underpinned by in-built cyber security measures and processes.

"National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is a designated agency to protect the critical information infrastructure in the country. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) coordinates with all Internet Service Providers regarding cyber security incidents and response action," he added.

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A female panda raised in captivity but mated in the wild has given birth, a first for China's panda breeding programmes aiming to help diversify the population's gene pool.

Cao Cao, 15, gave birth to a male cub at Hetaoping Wild Training Base, Southwest China's Sichuan Province at about 2 am yesterday.

The birth marked the first time a panda was released into the wild and successfully mated, China National Radio (CRI) reported.

The cub weighs 216 grammes, well above the 150 gram average, experts said.

Cao Cao, already the mother of six cubs - including two pairs of twins - was the first to be chosen for the pilot breeding program, CRI reported.

As the number of captive pandas increases, the biggest problem the population faces is genetic diversity, Zhang Hemin, deputy head of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, told media.

Researchers hope to broaden the gene pool by allowing captive pandas to mate with wild pandas, state-run Xinhua reported.

As of November last year there were 471 captive pandas worldwide, the report said.

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China will never seek "aggression or expansion" but will not allow anyone to "split its territory", President Xi Jinping asserted today as he lauded the Army's strong resolve to protect the country's sovereignty and defeat "all invasions" amid territorial disputes with its neighbours.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," Xi said as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is engaged in a standoff with Indian troops at Doklam in the Sikkim section since mid-June.

Though there was no direct reference to the Sikkim standoff, Xi urged the PLA to focus on war preparedness to forge an elite and powerful force that is always "ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win".

"There are various means and choices to safeguard peace and security and prevent war, but military means should remain the final guarantee," he said.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the 2.3 million strong PLA, the world's largest standing army.

He said China would never allow "any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form."



"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions," Xi, 64, said at the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People attended by Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders of the ruling Communist Party and army officials.

This is the second time in three days that Xi spoke of the PLA's capability to thwart invasions.

On July 30, Xi during a massive PLA parade had said, "I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies".

His remarks came in the midst of a massive official media campaign and assertion by China's foreign and defence ministries accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory at Doklam.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NSAs meet here on July 27- 28 also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Both the countries are tight-lipped about the outcome of Doval-Yang talks.

China is also engaged in a number of maritime disputes with its neighbours like Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam in the East and South China seas. Beijing also threatens to use force against arch-rival Taiwan if negotiations fail to reunify the island with the mainland.

In his speech today, Xi called for new generation of "capable, brave and virtuous" army "with souls" in order to build a strong military.

He reiterated that the PLA should function under the CPC leadership, highlighting that its sole command is the party leadership not the government like elsewhere in the world.

The PLA should firmly safeguard the CPC's leadership and the socialist system, protect national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional and world peace, he said.

The life of the military personnel lies in combat ability, he said, urging the PLA to strengthen its awareness of being prepared for any eventualities.

"All thoughts must be put on combat, and all work should focus on combat so the military can assemble, charge forward and win any time the party and the people need them to," he said.

The level of military training should be raised to actual combat standards, he said.

The Chinese military which is modernising fast has defence budget of USD 152 billion.

China in March hiked military spending by about 7 per cent. China's announced defence budget remains smaller than that of the US. But many China observers say the real figure could be much higher.

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Mumbai police have arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly stealing a diamond worth Rs 34 lakh from an exhibition centre in suburban Goregaon.

Chiang Chang Kwing and Deng Xiabo were held by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnels at the Mumbai international airport minutes before they were about to board a flight to Osaka in Japan last night.

The duo, who arrived in the city on July 30, visited an international jewellery exhibition at NESCO ground in Goregaon East yesterday afternoon, said Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Pradhan.

They engaged the sales executive at one of the stalls in conversation, asking several questions, and managed to steal a 5.43 carat diamond on display by replacing it with a fake one.

The stall owner noticed the sleight of hand after the duo had left. The police surmised that they may try and escape the country and alerted CISF officers at the airport.

The duo had cleared immigration checks when the CISF personnels apprehended them.

The police interrogated the accused for about seven hours with the help of an interpreter, and recovered the stolen diamond which was hidden in a shampoo bottle, Pradhan said.

Two fake diamonds and magnifying glasses were also recovered from their possession. Both were arrested for cheating and theft under the IPC.

A local court remanded them in judicial custody till August 14 today. Further probe is on.

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The Congress today created two new organisational departments -- Professionals Congress and Unorganised Workers Congress -- to reach out to tax-paying professionals, as part of its revival plan.

Party leader Shashi Tharoor who has been appointed as the new chairman of the All India Professionals Congress said the idea is to integrate the educated tax-paying professionals of the country and their aspirations for the future of India into the Congress's political system.

"This is all a part of reviving the party. This is one more step to say the Congress continues to be a vibrant party," he said.

Tharoor said the Congress is looking at people who embody such values and serve them as liberty and freedom, social justice and pluralism in India.

"We have seen many people who have voted for the BJP because they were seduced by rhetoric of economic development progress and are now repelled by the bigotry and vigilantism and violence in the name of cow and so on," he said.

Tharoor said many people told him that they voted for the BJP last time and "such people when they see the 19th century analogy of communists, they see cynicism of the Aam Aadmi Party" they want to see a home in a "liberal-minded progressive group" of people committed to bring positive change.

The Congress is seeking to give an opportunity to such people channelise their imagination, energies, professional skills and ideas to help meet their aspirations in India.

He said the initiative aims at having a decentralised, democratic platform with chapter in every city, but there will be a fellowship fee of Rs 1,000 so that it is not going to be like the BJP's missed calls and "fake members".

"The idea is to have a political rotary club within the Congress party where these professionals will link to each other through Whatsapp groups, will have an opportunity to meet and engage in weekly meetings in their own Chapters," he said, adding they can invite Congress leaders to address them.

He said some people have interest in politics but stay detached from it because they feel that professional work is different and that they have no access to the political world.

"Very often they have bright minds, political ideas but have no idea how to connect to the political process. They feel that the political process has no room for them," he said.

Tharoor said there are 3.2 crore individual tax-payers and four lakh corporate assessees in the country, a majority of whom have interest in what is happening to their tax and the country but do not have avenues to express these initiatives.

He said party president Sonia Gandhi has appointed Milind Deora as his deputy, who will also be coordinator for West zone. Besides, Geeta Reddy will be the entity's South zone coordinator, while Gaurav Gogoi and Salman Soz will take care of the East and North zones.

He said the office-bearers will chalk out a way forward at a meeting tomorrow and will meet party vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is strongly behind this initiative.

Arbind Singh has been made chairman of the All India Unorganised Workers Congress and Irfan Alam as vice chairman.

Sonia Gandhi has also accorded her approval to change the name of the fishermen department to All India Fishermen Congress, party leader Janardan Dwivedi said.

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A local court today framed charges against Sagar Malik and two other persons in the Vicky Tyagi murder case.

Additional District Sessions Judge D C Singh framed charges against Malik, Brijbir Singh and Saeed Mulla under various sections, including 302 (murder), of the IPC.

Brijbir and Saeed attended the hearing through video conferencing from a jail, according to prosecution lawyer Jitender Tyagi.

The court will next hear the case on August 17, he said.

Vicky, a gangster, was gunned down by a shooter during a court hearing in another case here in February 2015.

The shooter, Malik, was arrested from the spot while Brijbir was nabbed the next day.

The Uttar Pradesh government had handed over the probe into the murder to the CB-CID in November last year.

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A Delhi court today ordered framing of charges against Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Yasin Bhatkal and 10 others in the 2010 Jama Masjid blast case.

Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma, however, discharged three alleged members of the outfit, saying there was not enough evidence against them.

The court discharged Syed Ismail Affaque, Abdus Saboor and Riyaz Ahmad Sayeedi, who were named in the charge sheet by the police.

The case pertains to an explosion near the historic Jama Masjid here on September 19, 2010 soon after two suspected IM operatives had fired at a bus from which foreign tourists were descending near a gate of the mosque. Today's order came on the blast incident.

The police had charge sheeted these suspected IM members, including its co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, in connection with the blast case and said these operatives had carried out the strike to dissuade foreign nations from participating in the the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

The police had also said IM operatives had planned that foreign tourists found near Jama Masjid would be randomly shot and a bomb blast would be executed there for maximum casualty.

It had claimed that Bhatkal had prepared a pressure cooker IED, which was planted in the car parked outside Jama Masjid, and an explosion had taken place.

The court had on July 18 reserved its order on whether to put Bhatkal on trial in four separate terror cases, including the Jama Masjid blast case, after concluding the hearing of arguments on charges in the cases.

Bhatkal was awarded the death penalty by a Special NIA Court in December last year in a case related to the 2013 Hyderabad bomb blasts, which had claimed 18 lives.

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Two men, accused of threatening the chairperson of Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) in 2007, today informed a Delhi court that they were not willing to get their apology published in newspapers.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass, thereafter, posted the matter for August 11 for order on framing charges against the accused -- Praveen Shankar Sharma and Deepak Kathpalia -- in the case.

Both the accused had earlier tendered an "unconditional apology" on a piece of paper to AVUT chairperson Neelam Krishnamoorthy.

However, the court had asked them to file their apology in a proper manner after which the further course of action would be considered.

It had directed them to publish their apology in leading newspapers.

Krishnamoorthy, who lost two minor children in the Uphaar fire tragedy, has been fighting a legal battle on behalf of the victims' families for the last 20 years.

She had alleged in her complaint that she and her husband were harassed by the accused inside the Patiala House court premises on the evening of May 10, 2007.

Krishnamoorthy had gone to the court to attend the trial proceedings in the 1997 fire tragedy case.

Kathpalia and Sharma, then employed by the owners of the Uphaar cinema hall in the national capital, were accused of passing lewd remarks against Krishnamoorthy and taking her photographs.

The trial court had earlier taken cognisance of the offence against the four accused, including real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal, under the relevant penal provisions.

Subsequently, the high court had initially stayed the proceedings and then quashed the case against the Ansals.

On February 9, the Supreme Court, on a curative petition, had sentenced Gopal Ansal to jail for a year in connection with the tragedy.

However, it had spared 77-year-old Sushil Ansal because of his age.

The apex court had also upheld a fine of Rs 30 crore each imposed on the duo and said the money should be utilised for setting up a trauma centre here.

Following this, Gopal had approached the Supreme Court seeking modification of its order on the grounds of parity, saying he was 69 years old and would suffer an irreparable damage to his health if sent to prison.

The plea was dismissed and Gopal subsequently surrendered before the Tihar Jail authorities on March 20.

Fifty-nine people, trapped in the balcony of the cinema hall in south Delhi, had died of asphyxia following the blaze and over 100 were injured in the subsequent stampede on June 13, 1997 during the screening of Bollywood film 'Border'.

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The situation in Darjeeling hills remained tense but incident-free today as the indefinite strike demanding a separate state entered its 48th day.

Not a single incident of violence was reported till this evening, police said, adding the GJM organised rallies in various parts of the hills demanding 'Gorkhaland.'



Police and security forces patrolled the streets of the hills and kept a tight vigil at every entry and exit routes.

Except pharmacy, all the other shops, restaurants, hotels, schools and colleges remained closed.

With food supply severely hit due to the ongoing shutdown, GJM activists and NGOs of the hills were seen distributing vegetables to the locals.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a rally in North Dinajpur district this afternoon, said she will never support the division of the state and urged all political parties in the hills to restore peace and normal life in Darjeeling.

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The bodies of eight migrants have been found at sea off the coast of Libya by rescuers coming to the aid of four rubber dinghies, the Italian coastguard said today.

Some 500 survivors were pulled to safety, the coastguard told AFP, illustrating the huge challenge that continues to bedevil authorities as people try to reach Europe.

The latest deaths came as the Italian government presented plans for a naval mission in Libyan territorial waters that aims to reduce the flow of migrants from the coast.

Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, which was taking part in the rescues, said the corpses were recovered by the Santa Lucia merchant ship.

"We are here to stop more people drowning, today eight dead and four drifting boats" in distress, Proactiva's founder Oscar Champs said on Twitter.

The charity said there were 79 women and 39 minors -- including four young children -- among those rescued.

Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one per cent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry.

The government intends to send a logistics ship that could support Libyan units and will also offer a patrol boat, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti told lawmakers today.

However Italy has no intention to create a naval blockade, which would be a "hostile act", she said, insisting that support for the Libyan mission was the aim and cooperation was necessary.

"Italy has always respected Libyan sovereignty," Pinotti added.

At least 2,385 migrants have died during the perilous crossing since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

The latest deaths come as aid groups -- privately-funded boats performed 26 per cent of rescues in 2016, rising to 35 per cent so far this year -- are caught in a row over how they operate.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) refused yesterday to sign a code of conduct on migrant-saving operations in the Mediterranean.

Sticking points cited were obligations for rescue boats to operate with an Italian police official on board and a ban on moving rescued migrants from one aid vessel to another while still at sea.

The code, created to address the biggest migrant phenomenon in Europe since World War II, lays down 13 rules Italy insists must be followed to prevent aid groups rescuing migrants from acting as a magnet for human traffickers.

But the rules have been widely criticised by the NGOs as making it more difficult for them to save lives.

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The special CBI court in Mumbai today discharged former Gujarat ATS chief D G Vanzara, and Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh MN in the alleged fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati, holding there was no prima facie evidence to link them to the killings.

It called the evidence put forth by prosecution witnesses "hearsay" in nature, while acquitting the two in the high- profile case in which the now BJP president Amit Shah was acquitted in 2014.

"There is no prima-facie evidence against Vanzara to connect him to the abduction and killing of Sorabuddin, his wife Kausar Bi and Tulsi Prajapati, let alone to show him as one of the main conspirators," the court said.

"The CBI mostly relied on the statements of witnesses which are hearsay in nature. Even the statements of the co-accused do not in any way directly implicate the applicant (Vanzara)," said judge Sunilkumar J Sharma.

The court said the prosecution did not say anything about his presence at the crime spots, and a mere conversation between Vanzara on one side and Gujarat IPS officer Vipul Agarwal and inspector Ashish Pandya on the other was not sufficient to establish the former IPS officer's role in the killing of Prajapati, it said.

"There is absolutely no iota of material as when, where and who killed Kausar Bi. There is also no material collected from the spot like sand, ash etc to say that her body was burnt," the court said, referring to the CBI's claim that her body was burnt after killing.

"It is seen from the entire record...That there is no sufficient evidence to indicate that there was a meeting of minds between accused (Vanzara) and the other accused to abduct and kill (Sheikh, Kausar Bi and Prajapati)," the court held.

In the absence of evidence of their involvement in any manner in the abduction followed by the killing, I am of the view that role attributed against the accused as reflected does definitely come within the sphere of discharge of their official duty, the court said.

Dinesh MN was granted bail in May 2014. He was promoted by the Rajasthan government to the post of Deputy Inspector General and then Inspector General with effect from May 9 the same year. He had served seven years in jail in connection with the alleged fake encounter killings.

The court has so far has discharged Amit Shah, Rajasthan Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria, businessman Vimal Patni, former Gujarat police chief P C Pande and Additional Director General of Police Geeta Johri in the case.

Gujarat police officers Abhay Chudasama, N K Amin, Yashpal Chudasama and Ajay Patel (both office-bearers at Ahmedabad District Co-Operative Bank), Gujarat IPS officer Rajkumar Pandiyan and Andhra Pradesh-cadre IPS officer N Balasubramanyam have also been discharged.

While discharging Shah on December 30, 2014, the court had held that the entire record, considered in totality, did not make out any case against the BJP leader, and there was substance in the defence's contention that Shah was made an accused for political reasons.

According to the CBI, Sohrabuddin Sheikh, a gangster with alleged links to Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, and his wife Kausar Bi, were abducted by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad from Hyderabad when the couple was on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra.

Sheikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005, after which his wife disappeared. According to the CBI, she too was killed.

Prajapati, Sheikh's aide and an eyewitness to the alleged encounter, was later killed by police at Chapri village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in December 2006, the Central agency claimed.

According to the CBI's charge sheet, Sohrabuddin had demanded Rs 24 crore from Vimal Patni, a marble trader, as "protection money", and was therefore eliminated in a fake encounter.

Vanzara was arrested on April 24, 2007 by the Gujarat CID in Sohrabuddin encounter case, which was later handed over to the CBI. He was heading the Gujarat ATS when the alleged fake encounters took place.

The Sohrabuddin case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 after the CBI said a fair trial was not possible in Gujarat. In 2013, the Supreme Court clubbed Sheikh and Prajapati encounter cases.

Reacting to the court's order, Vanzara told PTI, "I have been saying since the beginning that all these encounters were genuine....It is now established that I was framed in false cases. This judgement vindicated my stand about encounters.

"Though justice is delayed, it is not denied," said Vanzara, who spent nearly eight years behind bars before being released on bail in 2015. "I am sure I would get similar justice in Ishrat (Ishrat Jehan encounter) case," he said.

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The Visakhapatnam police today arrested the former tehsildar of Bheemili mandal in the district on the alleged charges of land grabbing, tampering of land records and corruption.

BTV Rama Rao, who is currently under suspension, was posted as the tehsildar at Bheemili between July, 2015 to February this year and allegedly indulged in corruption during his tenure.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Law & order) K Nageswara Rao said during the probe, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) found that Rao misused his official position by helping private individuals to grab nearly 150 acres of land belonging to one Manasas Trust, which comes under Endowments department.

Investigations also revealed that he grabbed 150 acres at two villages in Bheemili and collected huge amounts of money for issuing pattadar passbooks, the officer said.

He also transferred government land in the name of private persons without registration, causing revenue loss to the government, the ACP said.

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France has said it was ready to seek other buyers for its biggest shipyard should Italy refuse a 50-50 ownership split, before both countries pledged to find a solution next month.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, in Rome for talks, said yesterday in an interview with the Corriere della Sera daily that a deal with Fincantieri might not be thrashed out.

"We will be forced to consider other options," he said in reference to the Italian state-owned shipbuilder, "if the negotiations... Don't go well," adding: "But I hope that won't be necessary."



However a joint statement later said that a summit between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, set for September 27, would aim to find a "mutually acceptable" outcome.

The French government sparked the row last week by temporarily nationalising the STX shipyard after backsliding on a deal with Fincantieri agreed by then French president Francois Hollande in April.

The deal gave Fincantieri a controlling stake in the facility in return for which the Italian company gave job guarantees.

But on taking office in May centrist Macron said he wanted to renegotiate. France has since been pushing for a 50 -50 split between Fincantieri and STX's French shareholders -- a proposal rebuffed by Italy.

The shipyard, in the western port of Saint-Nazaire, has turned out some of the world's biggest cruise liners and also builds warships.

Just hours before talks with Le Maire, Italian Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan told AFP that Finantieri "must have at least over 50 per cent".

After meeting, however, the joint statement appeared to be an effort to alleviate the discord.

"The Italian and French governments express their common desire to overcome their differences regarding the capital structure of STX," it said.

On the eve of yesterday's meet, Gentiloni had said Italy would not be pushed around.

"Let's see if any fresh proposals are forthcoming. We will defend Italian interests calmly but firmly," he said in a television interview.

Italy has made much of the fact that South Korea's STX Shipbuilding -- the outgoing owners -- held a 6 per cent stake, but Paris has refused to let Rome hold a 51 per cent stake.

Italy's frustration "is understandable, but the economic situation was completely different. The shipyard was in serious difficulty, now it is profitable and has 11 years of orders," Le Maire said.

The French minister said Fincantieri may not have a majority stake, but it would effectively manage the company.

But Padoan said that was not good enough, and Italy "should have at least more than 50 per cent, considering that the Koreans had two-thirds".

"None of our decisions are anti-Italian, they are driven by legitimate concerns over two points," Le Maire said



The first is job protection, the second is keeping shipbuilding skills in France rather than outsourcing to China.

Padoan said the government and Fincantieri "have given all guarantees in terms of protecting jobs and technologies".

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George and Amal Clooney have partnered with UNICEF to open schools for Syrian refugee children.

The couple's organization, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, will open seven public schools in Amal's native Lebanon, reported People magazine.

"Thousands of young Syrian refugees are at risk - the risk of never being a productive part of society. Formal education can help change that. That's our goal with this initiative," the couple said in a joint statement.

"We don't want to lose an entire generation because they had the bad luck of being born in the wrong place at the wrong time."



The collaboration will help the schools provide education services to about 3,000 refugee students who are currently out of school.

A UNICEF spokesman praised the Clooneys' support, describing it as an investment into "the future of the entire region.

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A bill to provide for participation of workers in the management of undertakings or other organisations in any industry was today withdrawn by the government in the Rajya Sabha.

Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya moved for withdrawal of the Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990, which was approved by the Upper House through a voice vote.

The Bill had sought to make provisions for the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organisations engaged in any industry.

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The Haryana government today said it is looking at providing skill training to as many as 1,33,100 youth this fiscal as part of efforts to augment employment opportunities in the state.

A spokesman of Skill Development and Industrial Training Department said that out of these, 50,000 youth will be imparted training by Haryana Skill Development Mission (HSDM) and the remaining will be trained by different government departments.

He said, of the total 50,000 targeted youth by HSDM, 14,000 would be trained under the centrally sponsored state- managed component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and 5,000 through Driver Training Schools.

The HSDM has listed 23 training providers which would impart training as per National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in agriculture, beauty and wellness, telecommunication, garment, textile, security, healthcare, automotive, retail, banking and financial services and insurance, logistics, electronics and plastic manufacturing.

He said that under the smart gram initiative, skill training centre has been set up in village Daula (Sohna) of district Gurugram in which youth of five villages adopted by the President of India are given training.

Apart from this, the Haryana Vishwakarma Skill University (Transit Campus) has been made functional from Gurugram.

There is a proposal to set up Multi Skill Development Centre, National Institute of Fashion Technology, National Institute of Design (NID), Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) and India International Skill Centre(IISC) in the state, he said.

Besides, there is a proposal to provide training to youth registered on the Saksham portal of the state government, the spokesman added.

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The Delhi High Court today questioned the Delhi Police over the delay in finding reasons behind the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar.

A bench of Justices G S Sistani and Chander Shekhar said the police had collected evidence in the matter in February 2015, but was yet get the final result of the electronic evidence they seized in the case including that of the close friends of Tharoor and Pushkar.

"This (collection of evidence) is something that happened in February 2015. Why has the police not been able to get the final result even after two years," the bench asked.

The court said it has to look into the aspect of a delay.

"We are also concerned as to who is the real culprit," it said.

"Here is somebody who passed away back in 2014 and you (police) initially said it was a case of suicide, but later it turned out to be one of homicide," the bench said.

The court's observations came during hearing of plea by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who has sought a court-monitored CBI-led special investigation (SIT) probe into Pushkar's death.

Tharoor's stepson Shiv Menon has sought his impleadment as a party in the matter after Swamy moved the court seeking a probe.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Menon, has also questioned Swamy's locus in seeking such a probe alleging that he was doing it only for publicity.

Objecting to the locus issue of the petitioner raised by Menon's counsel, Swamy said, "There is no lack when it comes to publicity and I am a national-level politician."



He said he was only trying to stop the police from covering up the investigation in the case.

Swamy alleged that Pushkar's son is not at all interested in knowing the reason behind the death of his mother and is only interested in her property in Canada.

"He (Menon) was in jail in Dubai in connection with a narcotics case. Tharoor got him out," Swamy claimed.

The BJP leader said that he could show a letter which "proved" that Menon was "concerned" about his mother's property.

Advocate Pahwa, however, submitted, "I (Menon) do not think anybody else will be more concerned about my mother's death.

"I have not given any authority to anyone to file any petition on my behalf," his counsel said, adding that a prayer has been made for a direction to the police to conclude the probe and submit the final report in the case.

To this, the bench said, "We do not think that this has been done for a publicity."



It said the petitions filed in matter were aimed at putting pressure on the police as they have not done anything in the last three-and-a-half years.

The bench also asked advocate Divakar, representing the Delhi Police, as to whether he was satisfied with the status report filed in the case.

He replied that the prosecution was "satisfied" with the investigation as of now and was trying to get more information.

The bench, however, was not convinced with the police' submission with regard to the difference of opinion in the findings of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), both based here.

The court also expressed its displeasure over the contention in the status report that data from some of the mobile phones, seized during the investigation, have been deleted and the Indian forensic laboratories have been unable to retrieve the same.

The police, meanwhile, said that approvals for sending these devices to their manufacturers abroad for chip-level retrieval are being obtained from the competent authorities.

The court, however, directed the police to file an additional affidavit with regard to the probe into the matter and listed it for further hearing on August 30.

Swami has moved a fresh application seeking a copy of the charge sheet to be filed by the city police in the matter within 45 days.

He has alleged that the police was misleading and delaying the case as it had withheld from the medical board constituted in the matter, certain crucial evidences from the crime scene.

Earlier, the bench had expressed displeasure over the failure of the police to file a charge sheet in the case.

Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a suite of a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.

Swamy, along with advocate Ishkaran Singh Bhandari in their plea, has alleged that "inordinate delay" has been caused in the investigation "which is a blot on the justice system".

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Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya today said he has suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a full-time Sherpa for G20 talks as India's role is expanding in the global arena.

Panagariya today announced that he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University. He was appointed India's Sherpa for G20 talks in September 2015, replacing Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

"Globally India's role is expanding. I have suggested to the Prime Minister that perhaps we need to find a full-time Sherpa ... Globally so many things are happening," Panagariya said.

Sherpas, who are representatives of leaders of G20 member countries, coordinate on the agenda of a summit.

As per the practice, the deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission used to be the Sherpa for G20 talks.

During the UPA regime, former deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia was Sherpa for G20 talks.

Panagariya was India's Sherpa for the 12th G20 summit held on July 7-8 in Hamburg, a major port city in Northern Germany.

The G20 is the central forum for international cooperation on financial and economic issues. The G20 countries account for more than four-fifths of gross world product and three-quarters of global trade, and are home to almost two-thirds of the worlds population.

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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today said the country's borders were not safe because of "inconsistent policies" of the central government.

China is being so audacious that its soldiers have entered Chamoli. The government "did not give a thought to the border states in the past three years", he said.

"The country's borders are not safe because of inconsistent policies of the central government," the former UP chief minister said.

Yadav claimed that developmental works have come to a standstill under the Yogi Adityanath government and there was a risk to the law and order situation in the state.

While BJP chief Amit Shah has lauded the state government, "it has no scheme to give jobs to the youth ... developmental works have come to a standstill", he said in a party release issued here.

"Corruption is rampant at every level ... All sections of the society are dissatisfied and law and order is at risk ... On what basis did Shah give a clean chit to the state government?" he asked.

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India is making slow progress on covering the gap between "smart" and "feature" phones, according to a study, which said only 17 per cent of the Indian population owned a smartphone in early 2016.

While cellphone pick-up is strong, the gap between "smart" and "feature" phones in circulation is wider than ever before, according to 'Digital Evolution Index 2017', a study by the Fletcher School at Tufts University in partnership with MasterCard.

"India's stubborn cash economy meant it took demonetisation by government decree to wean Indians away from notes and coins - an event that saw mobile wallet provider Paytm claim 170 million users in just a few months," said Bhaskar Chakravorti, senior associate dean of International Business and Finance at the school.

"India is an interesting example of a nation with a growing mobile internet gap. The country has been adding more mobile subscriptions and fewer mobile internet subscriptions," he said.

Only 17 per cent of the Indian population owned a smartphone in early 2016, Chakravorti said.

"India has done a great job of adding more mobile users, but the country is tapering off its broadband, which presents a challenge. It is not a problem of availability - it's a vast country and the most vibrant telecom market in the world. But affordability remains an issue," he said.

The study also noted the popularity of services like M- Pesa, rooted in older technology but demonstrating the potential for growth through data-enabled mobile solutions in India as well as across Africa.

M-Pesa, a money transfer service launched in 2007 in Kenya, has spread across Africa, India and parts of Eastern Europe.

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India and Somalia today signed an agreement for transfer of sentenced prisoners after a meeting between their foreign ministers who discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including the issues of piracy and maritime security.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of Somalia Yusuf-Garaad Omar, who arrived here yesterday on a five-day visit, also held talks on regional issues pertaining to developments in Gulf region and India's neighbourhood, a ministry release said.

"An Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons between India and Somalia was also signed," it said.

Signing the agreement with Somalia will facilitate the Indian inmates imprisoned in Somalia or vice-versa to be near to their families, for serving remaining part of their sentence and shall facilitate their social rehabilitation.

Omar also held a meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar.

"The entire gamut of India-Somalia bilateral relations including issue of piracy and maritime security were discussed between the two sides during the meetings," the release added.

According to the MEA, the Indian Navy has been involved in anti-piracy patrolling in the Gulf of Aden since 2008. India is also a member of the UN Contact Group on Piracy off the coast of Somalia, it said.

Trade is also an important component of bilateral ties. During 2014-15, India-Somalia trade was USD 391.05 million showing more than 51 per cent increase over the figure of USD 257.27 million during 2013-14, according to the ministry data.

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Iran has complained to the UN Security Council over the latest US sanctions imposed on Tehran.

The semi-official Tasnim agency says Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani announced the complaint today, though it's unclear what Iran expects the United Nations would do.

The move came after the US Senate approved sanctions on Friday against Iran for launching a satellite-carrying rocket into space.

The US legislation imposes mandatory penalties on people involved in Iran's ballistic missile program and anyone who does business with them. It would also apply terrorism sanctions to Iran's prestigious Revolutionary Guard and enforce an arms embargo. It now goes to President Donald Trump for signing.

Iran has said the US legislation amounts to a "hostile" breach of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

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The Islamic State terror group and climate change are seen as posing a major risk to India by its people, while an assertive China is considered the third top threat to the country, a latest Pew Research survey said on Tuesday.

In India, 66 per cent of the respondents considered Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (also known as ISIS or ISIL) as a major threat, while 47 per cent said they considered global climate change as the major threat, the report said. ISIS is named as the top threat in a total of 18 countries surveyed, mostly concentrated in Europe, West Asia, Asia and the US, it said.

Forty-four per cent said China posed a threat to India.

This was closely followed by cyberattacks (43 per cent), according to the report.

Chinese and Indian troops are locked in a face-off in the Sikkim sectors Doklam area, also claimed by Indias ally Bhutan, for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area.

While China tops the list among three countries in terms of threat perception for which Pew did the survey, it is quite low for the US (19 per cent) and Russia (17 per cent).

In fact, China is increasingly being seen as an emerging threat by many countries in the world, the report said.

In South Korea (83 per cent) and Vietnam (80 per cent), the respondents considered Chinas power and influence as a threat.

In the US, 41 per cent of the respondents expressed concern over Chinese power and influence. It was also a country of concern by people in Spain (51 per cent), Japan (64 per cent), Philippines (47 per cent), and Ghana (46 per cent). ISIS is clearly the primary concern among the issues tested in Europe. Many Europeans also see climate change as a major threat to their countries.

In the Asia-Pacific, the ISIS and global warming rise to the top as major concerns, but a median of roughly half (52 per cent) also worry about cyberattacks, Pew said. A median of 47 per cent across the region says Chinas power and influence is a major threat, the report said.

Chinas power and influence are seen as a major threat by a modest median of three-in-ten across Europe, it added.

Pew said across seven Asia-Pacific nations surveyed, a median of 62 per cent see ISIS as a major threat and 61 per cent see global climate change in the same light. About half across the region see cyberattacks and Chinese power as a major challenge. Fewer are very concerned about the global economy, refugees or American and Russian power, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
ITC Foods today announced the launch of a biscuit variety "enriched" with native Indian cow milk.

The Sunfeast NaatMaad Paal "biscuits are enriched with native Indian cow milk and fortified with the goodness of eight essential vitamins, iron and calcium."



It will be priced at Rs 10 for 83 gm and will be available at all retailers, modern format and topend general trade in Tamil Nadu, a company release said.

Paritosh Wali, Chief Operative Officer, Biscuits Confections Cluster, Foods Division, ITC Limited, said with the latest launch, the company "has taken the brand to an all new level by including a core ingredient for a mother to build her child's nutrition.

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JuD acting chiefAbdul Rehman Makki has launched a "secret campaign" to collect arms to target the law enforcement personnel in Pakistan, according to a report by the Counter Terrorism Department of Punjab Police.

Makki, the brother-in-law of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is gathering the support of all ofits activists, the report said.

"The JuD is collecting arms for show of force and use,if needed, against the personnel of law enforcement agencies. Funds are also being used collected for the purpose," it said, adding transport is also being arranged for the activists (to carry out any operation).

Saeed and his four close aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain) - have been have been under house arrest since January 31 of this year under anti-terrorism and public order laws.

Saeed's detention period will expire at the end of thisSeptember after his house arrest was extended by 60 days by authorities in Punjab province.

Makki has been looking after the affairs of both JuD a since Saeed is put under house arrest.

In a statement issued here today Makki said: "Saeed has been detained at his own house like a prisoner of New Delhi. It has been six months of the detention and he his detention is further extended which the JuD stronglyprotest."



He said the government is not fulfilling its duty on the Kashmir cause.

"The Kashmiris are struggling for their freedom and the Pakistani government is not helping them," he added.

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Stepping up attack on the AIADMK (Amma) government over alleged corruption, actor Kamal Haasan today claimed his fans have "exposed" the supply of "rotten eggs" to daycare centres in Perambalur district in Tamil Nadu.

Haasan's claim comes days after state Finance Minister D Jayakumar's poser to the actor, who had levelled allegations of corruption against the Tamil Nadu government, on what welfare measure he had taken for the people of the state through his fan clubs.

"Perambalur expose of rotten eggs given to children deserves praise. Pls consult our in house lawyers be4 exposing crime. Dont break laws (sic)," the national award-winning actor tweeted.

The actor's fans had in July reportedly made visits to some 'anganwadi' centres and found 'rotten' eggs being supplied there.

Meanwhile, the district administration has said an inquiry will be conducted into the matter.

District Collector V Santha told PTI that strict quality control rules were in place for supply of eggs along with a replacement mechanism where it warranted.

Ever since Kamal Haasan had made allegations of corruption in the government, he has been targeted by the ruling dispensation, with Chief Minister K Palaniswami himself asking the national award winning actor to take the political plunge to get proper response.

Jayakumar, a senior leader in the AIADMK (Amma) camp, had on July 30 sought to know what welfare activities the actor had taken up for the people of the state during the 2004 tsunami tragedy and the devastating floods of 2015.

The actor had last month asked his fans to use social media to lodge complaints about corruption.

Local Administration Minister SP Velumani had sought proof of Haasan's allegations and had asked if the actor was ready to furnish tax details of his films.

The opposition parties, including DMK, have backed Haasan and urged the government to respond to his charges of corruption rather than 'targeting' him.

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A 23-year-old man from the district, who was suspected to have joined the terror outfit Islamic State (IS) last year, was reportedly killed in an air strike in Afghanistan.

Police today said his father had received a message through Telegram app two days ago informing him about the death of Marwan Ismail of Thrikkaripur in an undisclosed location in Afghanistan.

They said the message was also sent to social activist B C Abdul Rahman on the same day.

The message purportedly sent by one Asfaq Majeed, one of the 21 youths from Kerala who allegedly went missing and joined the IS, did not provide more details about Marwan or the place where he was killed.

Marwan had been working as a physiotherapist in a gulf nation before joining the terror group last year, police said.

He was among the 21 persons from the state, who reportedly went missing after travelling to the Middle East last year and later joined the IS in Syria.

In April, Yahya, a native of Palakkad was allegedly killed in an air strike in Afghanistan.

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Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, whose style of functioning has come under flak from ruling Congress,today said she would pay 'surprise visits' to government schools in villages in Puducherry to ascertain the deficiencies.

In a WhatsApp message to media persons after her visit to a government higher secondary school for boys at nearby Bahoor village, she said that she wanted to visit the rural schools without prior notice.

"The intention is to improve the situation and also address the woes of the students. The visits would also be documented to evolve action plan to improve matters,"she said.

She visited the school after receiving a complaint from a woman at an open house meeting at her office recently.

Complainant G Shanthi had in her complaint stated that some ofthe boys had dropped out and the school registered a very poor pass percentage in the plus two (Class XII) public examination in March 2016.

Of the 125 students who appeared for the plus two public examination in 2016 only 38 emerged successful, she said.

The woman also said the school needed proficient teachers who should teach in such a manner that village children could understand the subjects.

She appealed to the Lt Governor to inspect the school and keep monitoring its performance.

Bedi said that the school lacked a teacher to handle Mathematics and other essential subjects and 'those who are there do not know how to teach'.

She also noted that the school did not have a Principal for the last one year and the Vice-Principal's post was also vacant.

The former IPS officer, who took a written feedback from the students, said all of them had rated the institution as 'very bad'.

"The students continue to suffer. I propose to re-visit the school tomorrow and speak with the boys to tell them what best could be done till deficiencies are rectified', she said.

The Lt Governor and ruling Congress have been at loggerheads over various issues ever since she assumed office last year



One of these was her act of inducting three nominated members of BJP to Puducherry assembly by the Centre without consulting the territorial government,triggering protests from Congress, its alliance partner DMK, the Left parties and VCK.

Another was her intervention during counselling for medical admissions.

The parties had also sought ouster of Bedi through a bandh on July 8.

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The Maharashtra government is planning to relocate tigers from Vidarbha region to the sanctuaries elsewhere where their population is smaller, including the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR).

State forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar told the Legislative Assembly today that the government had set up a committee to examine this issue, and a decision will be taken based on its recommendations.

The STR, located in the Sahyadri ranges in western Maharashtra, has only seven tigers at present.

"We are considering to relocate them (tigers in sanctuaries in Vidarbha) to other places... The government has set up a committee to examine trans-location proposal. It will also consult experts from the Centre and submit its report in 2-3 months," the forest minister said.

He also said that most deaths of tigers happen due to territorial fights owing to over-population.

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A man has been arrested for allegedly killing his 66-year-old aunt after she refused to give him Rs 2.5 lakh, the police said today.

Manju Sharma, a doctor, was found dead at her residence- cum-nursing home at Mall Road here on July 28.

The doctor's nephew, Amit Sharma alias Jimmy, a resident of Jalandhar's Gobind Nagar has been arrested in connection with the killing of the woman, the police said.

On the complaint of Manju's son Dr Deepak Sharma, who works in Karnal, the police had registered a case under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC, Inpsector General of Police (Jalandhar Zone) Arpit Shukla said.

The body had marks of strangulation, and had injuries to the neck and face, he said.

A special investigation team under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Harpreet Singh Mander was formed, the officer said.

During investigations, it was found that Amit ran a travel agency in Jalandhar and had allegedly duped a number of people on the pretext of sending them abraod. Eventually, he ran out of work, Shukla said.

To repay his clients he had demanded Rs 2.5 lakh from his aunt, and when she refused, he killed her on July 28 night, he said.

Shukla claimed that the accused had confessed to his crime and also told the police that he got signatures of his aunt on some blank judicial papers, which have been recovered.

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A 21-year-old man was apprehended today at a Delhi Metro station for allegedly carrying three live bullets in his bag, a senior officer said.

The officer involved in metro security said that the incident occurred in this morning at the Adarsh Nagar metro station when a CISF personnel detected bullet-like objects in a bag being screened at the X-ray machine.

The bag belonged to a man identified as 21-year-old Shahbaz, a resident of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

During search, three bullets of .315 calibre were recovered from the bag, the officer said.

The man was handed over to police after he failed to furnish any government-issued document for possessing arms and ammunition, he said.

Carrying arms and ammunition in the Delhi metro is banned under the law.

This is the second case since Sunday, when an 18-year-old man from Bareilly was apprehended at the Kailash colony metro station of the Delhi Metro for carrying three live bullets in his bag.

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Training his guns on the BJP, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy today alleged that money and muscle power have been used to wean away opposition legislators in many states like Goa, Manipur and Gujarat.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, Roy said six Congress MLAs in Gujarat were lured to quit the party in the run up to the upcoming Rajya Sabha election, while a section of the legislators in Manipur were also recently influenced to switch sides recently.

"Money and muscle power has been used in Gujarat to lure six Congress MLAs. The Election Commission has asked the state authorities to probe the case," he said, claiming that "dubious deals" were also struck in Goa and Manipur.

The Trinmool Congress MP's comments drew sharp reaction from the BJP MPs.

Without naming the BJP, he said the sequence of events like the raids against the RJD leadership and the formation of a new government with support from ruling party at the Centre, reflected how opposition government's are being targeted.

He said there have been attempts to influence certain legislators in West Bengal as well but they were not successful and added that the use of money and muscle power needs to be checked.

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The results of the Mumbai University (MU), which have been delayed, will be out by August 5, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the Assembly today.

The delay in declaring the results of various courses has caused a lot of inconvenience to students. The issue has taken a political turn with the Shiv Sena seeking the removal of the MU Vice Chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh.

The MU missed the July 31 deadline given earlier by the Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao for declaring the results.

"The work for assessing around 17 lakh papers is undertaken in one go, which could have been implemented in phases. It (phase-wise assessment) could have helped in avoiding the current mess," the chief minister said.

He said though 14 lakh papers have been assessed till yesterday, the results cannot be announced unless all the papers are evaluated.

"The university has also completed (the assessment of) results of 171 exams, but all the results will be declared by August 5," Fadnavis said.

We are also preparing for announcing the results and issuing certificates by August 15 for those students who are keen on going abroad, he said.

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar came down heavily on the government.

He said education minister was responsible for the entire mess over the results.

"The minister has failed completely. The results of 306 exams are still awaited because of the delay in the online assessment," Pawar added.

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Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his ministerial colleagues left here today for Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and to discuss with him various issues faced by the union territory.

They will bring to the notice of the Union Home Minister the current fiscal situation faced by the government here and also a number of other issues faced by the administration and also the woes of students following NEET based selection to medical colleges, official sources said.

PWD Minister A Namassivayam, Welfare Miniter M Kandasamy, Health and Tourism Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, Industries Minister M O H F Shah Jahan and the Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan are the ministers who have flown to Delhi along with the Chief Minister.

Already the MCI had cancelled the admission of 95 students under management quota in private medical colleges here as the candidates were allegedly admitted to the PG courses without formal counselling by the Centralised Admission Committee a few months ago.

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The US Navy is searching for a sailor who is missing and may have gone overboard during routine operations in the South China Sea.

The Navy's Pacific Fleet says that US and Japanese ships and aircraft are looking for the sailor who was on the USS Stethem.

A Navy official says the sailor is a male lieutenant. His name is being withheld as the search continues. The official wasn't authorised to discuss the information publicly and spoke anonymously.

Pacific Fleet says the Stethem reported a man overboard around 9 am local time yesterday. Multiple searches of the destroyer were conducted but the sailor hasn't been found. In June, a sailor believed to have fallen overboard from the USS Shiloh in the South China Sea was found hiding aboard the ship.

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The basic principle of Nepal's foreign policy is to maintain close and harmonious ties with both India and China with whom it has commercial and cultural relations, Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said today.

"We have extensive political, economic, commercial and cultural relations with both the neighbours," Mahara, who is also the foreign minister, said while talking to a team of National Defence College of Bangladesh at his office here.

Nepal's relations with its neighbouring countries (India and China) in south Asia have remained strong, warm and friendly, he said.

The visit of the Bangladeshi team is a reflection of the close and cordial relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh, which is marked by profound goodwill, cooperation and understanding, Mahara said.

"We do not compare our relations with one country with that of the other. Bases and factors determining friendship and cooperation are different for each country and each bilateral relation is unique," the deputy prime minister said.

Nepal has been working closely with its friendly neighbours in South Asia bilaterally, and within South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) framework in order to strengthening democratic values and socio-economic development of its people, Mahara added.

Recently, India has extended Nepalese Rupees 66.44 million as financial assistance for the construction of school buildings in Nepal.

Nepal and China last month signed an agreement to set up a border law enforcement centre to manage and curb border related crimes "while respecting each other's sovereignty".

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The government today faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when the Chair passed strictures against it for not inviting Vice President Hamid Ansari for the inauguration of a new annexe complex of Parliament.

A united opposition slammed the government for "insulting" the Upper House by ignoring its presiding officer, who is also the Vice President of India, and the Rajya Sabha MPs at an official function yesterday.

"I think the Hon'ble Chairman should have been invited," Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said after Congress, CPI(M) and SP members raised the issue of Ansari and the Rajya Sabha MPs not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament House Annex building.

Kurien said the Rajya Sabha Secretariat has "already written to the Lok Sabha Secretariat regarding the impropriety of not inviting the Chairman."



Responding to the issue raised by the members, he said though the management of the Parliament House complex is done by the Lok Sabha Speaker, there is no document on record to suggest that a decision to that effect was ever taken.

"Management of the premises of Parliament from day one has been done by Lok Sabha. But actually there is no document to the best of our knowledge to suggest that such a decision was taken," he said.

Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the management has been done through committees since 1952.

Soon after the listed papers were laid in the House, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said no one should undermine or attempt to undermine the importance of the Upper House.

For all official Parliament functions, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Deputy Chairman, as also Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker along with MPs are invited, he said, adding that this rule applied to all official functions in the Central Hall as well as in the premises of the Parliament House complex.

Foundation stone of the Parliament House Annex building was laid in 2009 jointly following the same convention, Azad said.

Yesterday, the building complex was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We have no objection to the Prime Minister inaugurating the building," he said. "But the chairman and deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha were not there. This is an issue of prestige of the House."



Stating that since the issue involved non-invitation of the deputy chairman as well, he would ask the Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to respond if the government has bid a goodbye to Rajya Sabha. "Is it not part of Constitution?"



"This is an insult of the entire House.... Chairman and deputy chairman have not been given due respect," he said.

Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said Rajya Sabha MPs did not even have information about the inauguration, leave alone an invitation for the function.

He said the management and supervision of the Parliament House complex is done by Lok Sabha Speaker whereas it should be the joint responsibility of both the Houses. "I request you to provide document" specifying that role, Yechury said.

On chairman and deputy chairman not being invited for the function, he said, "What is happening is illegal. You are bypassing (Rajya Sabha). You are insulting (Upper House)."



Naresh Agarwal (SP) said Rajya Sabha was constituted first and Lok Sabha later. Also, chairman of Upper House is the Vice President of India and higher in protocol than the Lok Sabha Speaker.

Rajya Sabha members not being invited is "very condemnable," he said.

Tirichi Siva (DMK) said local monitoring committees only have Lok Sabha MPs and those from Rajya Sabha are not included.

Minister of State for Parliament Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Parliament House complex is managed by Lok Sabha Secretariat since 1952 and there is nothing new that the present government has done.

Azad countered it saying that never since 1952, has the Rajya Sabha been neglected and no official function has been held without involving the presiding officers of both Houses.

"This has not been the practice (since 1952). Don't mislead the House," he told Naqvi.

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The Rajya Sabha was today rocked by opposition protests over an Election Commission (EC) notification that provides the MLAs the 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option in the vote for the elections to the Upper House.

Angry members of the Congress and other opposition parties forced adjournments of the proceedings as they questioned the NOTA provision for these elections.

Significantly, the protests come at a time when a high profile battle for Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat is round the corner involving heavy-weights like BJP chief Amit Shah, HRD minister Smriti Irani and veteran Congressman Ahmed Patel.

As soon as the House Assembled at noon, deputy leader of the Congress Anand Sharma said the decision to provide the NOTA option had been made without amending the Constitution or the law as per the direction of the Election Commission.

"It vitiates the election... Constitution has not been amended. Representation of People Act has not been amended. NOTA has been introduced...Unless Constitution is amended, how can this be done," Sharma asked.

He said the vacancies are notified by the House and asked how could a new provision be introduced in between.

Chairman M Hamid Ansari suggested that the matter be taken up with the Election Commission and tried to proceed with the Question Hour.However, the opposition kept on raising the issue.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is the Leader of the House, said that from what he understood, there was a Supreme Court judgement which provided for the NOTA option.

"The judgement came several years before this government came to power. The Election Commission pursuant to that judgement had issued some notification under Article 324. Article 324 covers all election in this country and therefore that's a cirucular which they issued, not now, but earlier," Jaitley said.

He said if somebody is aggrieved with the circular, he has his own options.

"How is Question Hour of the Rajya Sabha concerned with it," Jaitley asked, indicating that the issue was being raised during that hour. He also said that the decisions of the Election Commission can be set aside by courts.

However, Congress members continued to protest, with Sharma saying that the elections to the offices of the President and the Vice President were related and the ballot paper for the former too should have had the NOTA option.

Keen to continue with the Question Hour, Ansari said if the matter involved the Rajya Sabha, it would be looked into.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad then stood up and termed the matter as "very serious" and sought to know whether there was a separate Constitution for Gujarat as compared to the rest of India.

With the protest continuing, Ansari adjourned the House for ten minutes.

However, when it met again, several other opposition members also raised their voice on the issue.

Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) said it seemed the rules were not proper and the election of three members to the Upper House may get cancelled. He sought that the issue be taken up.

Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) said that important people were contesting the election and it needs to be looked into.

Anand Sharma said that if a change required amending a legislation, it has to be done by Parliament.

Ansari said that he was caught between lawyers of eminence from both sides and again sought that queries under the Question Hour be taken up.

However, as the protests continued, the House was adjourned till 2 PM.

Meanwhile, an Election Commission official, on the condition of anonymity, said that a provision to have the NOTA option in the Rajya Sabha polls came in to force in 2014, after a Supreme Court order said that NOTA button should be installed on electronic voting machines.

The official also pointed out that MLAs of a particular party have to show their marked ballot papers to the authorised agent of the party before putting it in the ballot box.

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Over 21 lakh Indian technology professionals have applied for H-1B work visas in the last 11 years, an official report has said.

The report of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also refuted the impression that those who applied for the visa were not highly qualified.

On an average, their salary over the last 11 years has been USD 92,317 and an overwhelming majority of them are masters or bachelor's degree holder.

According to the report since 2007 till June this year, the USCIS received 3.4 million (34 lakh) H-1B visas applications, of which people from India accounted for 21 lakh. During the same period, the US issued H-1B visas to 26 lakh people, the USCIS said in its report, which however does not give countrywide breakdown.

In terms of number of H-1B applications between 2007 and 2017, India is followed by a distant China with 296,313 H-1B applications, Philippines (85,918), South Korea (77,359), and Canada (68,228).

The report said majority (23 lakh) of the beneficiary of H-1B visas were in the age group of 25-34, and 20 lakh came from the computer related occupation category. Computer was followed by architecture, engineering, and surveying (318,670), education (244,000), administrative specialisations (245,000), and medicine and health (185,000).

Sometimes people post their retirement age have been given H-1B visas. In all these 11 years, more than 2,000 foreign nationals of more than 65 years of age received H-1B visas. This year alone so far 122 H-1B visas have been allocated to those above 65 years.

The report said custom computer programming services industry received the maximum number of 999, 901 H-1B visas in these years. It was followed by computer systems design services (287,000) and college universities and professional schools (229,00).

Contrary to the general perception, the average salary of H-1B visas have increased significantly since 2007 when it was USD 68,159. In 2017, the average salary of H-1B visas holder foreign guest worker is USD 92,317.

The USCIS's report was first reported by Breitbart .

"The USCIS date shows that between 2007 and 2017, the H- 1B visa, which imports foreign workers to take American jobs, the programme has grown exponentially. The vast majority of visa-holders are from India," Breitbart said, adding that roughly 70 to 80 per cent of the foreign workers imported every year are from India.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.

The Trump administration is currently reviewing the H-1B visa policy as it thinks that the visa is being misused by companies to replace American workers.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of his major election promises.

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that there has to be overarching guidelines to protect an individual's private information in public domain to ensure that it was used only for an intended purpose.

A nine-judge Constitution Bench, dealing with the contentious issue whether was a fundamental right, rejected plea of a Gujarat government lawyer that misuse of personal information could be dealt with on a case-to-case basis and said an all-embracing guideline was needed keeping in mind the size of the population.

The Bench, headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar, also referred to the fact that India was a signatory of a 1948 international convention which recognised privacy as a human right.

Referring to arguments put forward by the Maharashtra government on the issue, the court said, "Even if we accept it that the Constituent Assembly dealt with it (privacy issue) and decided against including it as a fundamental right, then how you will deal with the fact that India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights which recognises it.

The Bench, which also comprised justices J Chelameswar, S A Bobde, R K Agrawal, R F Nariman, A M Sapre, D Y Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Abdul Nazeer, said that there has to be an overarching or all-embracing guideline to ensure that the private information of individuals, put in public domain, was used only for an intended purpose.

If I give personal information like names, parents' name and telephone numbers for a particular purpose, then a reasonable expectation will be that it is used only for that particular purpose... (Otherwise) how we will deal with the violations? it asked.

On the issue that a large number of people have put their personal information in public domain, the bench said, When you have so many users, then you cannot decide on facts of each case. You have to have over-arching principles or guidelines to regulate.

At the outset, senior advocate C A Sundaram, representing the Maharashtra government, said the apex court has been entrusted with the power of interpretation of the Constitution and the law and it cannot introduce as a fundamental right under the Constitution.

Parliament and only Parliament can do it, he said.

This is not a case of interpretation of the Constitution or the law. This is the case of introduction of a right as a fundamental right. This can be done only by Parliament, Sundaram said.

He then referred to the terms, interpretation, introduction and interruption and said that the courts could interpret, but not introduce privacy as a fundamental right.

In the Constituent Assembly debates, the forefathers of the Constitution had considered the issue of privacy and decided against including it as a fundamental right and if, now it was being felt that it should be considered as a fundamental right, then only Parliament could do it, he said.

The Bench, however, said that it could not be stated that the Constituent Assembly debated every aspect of privacy.

Sundaram said some aspects of privacy can be traced to Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) of the Constitution, but it cannot be held as a fundamental right.

On the issue of data protection, he said that Article 300 of the Constitution dealing with common law rights may be taken recourse to in a case of a violation.

was "statutorily" protected and there was no need to elevate it as a fundamental right to deal with any possible infringement, he said.

He submitted that Article 21 refers to the term "personal liberty" and not "liberty or civil liberty" and the term personal liberty means physical liberty only.

"Instead of expanding the scope of fundamental rights, you are saying that contract the scope of the fundamental right to liberty," the bench said.

Responding to the query of the bench that India was a signatory of a UN declaration, the senior lawyer said that an international obligation can be fulfilled by enacting a separate statute and there is no need of its inclusion as a fundamental right.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Madhya Pradesh government, referred to various legislations including the Income Tax Act, the Right to Information Act and the Indian Telegraph Act and said that aspects of privacy has been protected under the statutes.

Several legislations protect the aspect of privacy and being a common law right, it need not be elevated in the category of the fundamental rights, he argued.

"Privacy is inherently a vague and subjective concept which is incapable of any precise definition and its contours cannot be conferred with a status of a fundamental right," Mehta said.

The legislature has been granting protection to the various aspects of "common law right to privacy" through statutes, he said.

He also referred to the prevalent practices in various countries and said there were instances where privacy was not conferred the status of a constitutional right.

Referring to the Aadhaar scheme, he said that even the State cannot track the activities of an individual by using the Aadhaar number and moreover, there are enough safeguards provided in the Act to protect personal information.

Another senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Gujarat government, said that he did not take the "extreme position" that privacy did not fall under any of the fundamental rights.

He, however, said that facets of privacy can be traced to Article 21.

The arguments would continue tomorrow in the apex court which said that it might reserve the verdict in the matter.

(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.)
Pakistan is "indebted" to its all-weather ally China for its "unflinching support" to it on the Kashmir issue, the expansion of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said.

Describing China and Pakistan as "important strategic players in the region," Gen. Bajwa, who was the chief guest at a reception in Rawalpindi yesterday hosted by the Chinese Embassy, said, their bilateral ties have jointly benefitted both the countries.

"It is a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and cooperation. In fact, this friendship is flourishing with every passing day, which encompasses every aspect of our life," he said at a function to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Gen. Bajwa said the "professional collaboration between PLA and Pakistan Army, will continue to expand to bring peace to the region in general and China - Pakistan in particular."



Calling the 2.3-million-strong PLA, the world's largest standing army, as "one of the finest military outfits in the world," he said the Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan take great pride in "our deep rooted brotherly relationship" with China.

He noted that both China and Pakistan are faced with similar challenges and opportunities. Both countries have assumed shared responsibility towards stability in the region and prosperity of their people, he said.

"This unity of purpose has led to the consolidation and has strengthened our resolve as determined nations, to brave all challenges and storms together," he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

The Pakistan Army chief also pointed out that China and his country has expanded their cooperation to wider areas have launched strategic initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, defence collaboration in numerous joint projects and united diplomatic front, internationally.

"Pakistan is indebted to China for its unflinching support to our perspective at all international forums, may it be expansion of Nuclear Suppliers Group, Kashmir Issue, or Pakistan's full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," Gen. Bajwa said.

While China is blocking India's membership bid in the NSG as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, Beijing is apparently seeking equal treatment to its ally Pakistan in the elite nuclear trading group. China, however, backed both India and Pakistan to become full members of the Beijing-based SCO.

China has also been blocking India's move to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

Gen. Bajwa also claimed that China had always provided "unconditional support" to Pakistan's efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

"We are also actively cooperating in all fields against war on terror. Moreover, from diplomatic cooperation to security collaboration, we have stood by each other through thick and thin and shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, come rain or shine," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's lawmakers are all set to elect a new prime minister today to replace ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, with the ruling party stalwart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi expected to become interim leader.

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified 67-year-old Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

The National Assembly, lower house of parliament, has been summoned by President Mamnon Hussain today to elect the new leader of the house.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has nominated Abbasi as interim Prime Minister until Sharif's brother Shehbaz is eligible.

Pakistan has seen such arrangements in the past too.

During former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf's time, politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was appointed as an interim prime minister until Shaukat Aziz, who was nominated by Musharraf, got elected by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PMLQ).

At least five candidates of opposition parties are contesting against Abbasi as opposition leader failed to agree on a single candidate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya today said he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University.

The Indian-American, who joined as the first Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog in January 2015, is the second high profile academic-economist after former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to quit a top job in India to return to the teaching profession in the US.

Like Rajan, Panagariya was often outspoken on issues including labour reforms, privatisation of Air India and sick PSUs, for which RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) had accused Niti Aayog of furthering corporate lobby's agenda in the country.

The 64-year old Panagariya, professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University, did not have a fixed term at the government think tank.

Going by the convention, followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission which was replaced by Niti Aayog, the term was to be co-terminus with that of the Prime Minister, who is the Chairperson of the body.

Talking to reporters, Panagariya said the university was not giving him further extension and he would be leaving Niti Aayog on August 31.

He said that about two months ago he had expressed his desire to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be relieved by August 31.

Panagariya said he had to make a choice as it would not be possible for him to get the job he had been doing at Columbia University. At US universities one can teach as long as one's health permits.

"If I were at 40, then I would have got job anywhere... the kind of job I have at Columbia is almost impossible to get at this age," he said.

Under similar circumstances, Rajan had quit the central bank after a 3-year term last year to rejoin the Chicago University.

Panagariya, a close associate of noted trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati, was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honours India bestows in any field, in March 2012.

He holds a PhD Degree from the Princeton University and had also worked with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, IMF and UNCTAD in various capacities.

On his tenure at the Niti Aayog, Panagariya said although it was tough initially, but once he got into the groove, it had been a smooth sailing.

Panagariya said he took comfort from the fact that during his tenure a new institution has taken roots and would continue to steer the economy to achieve higher growth trajectory.

Among other achievements, he said, the Niti Aayog has been able to push privatisation, especially of sick units and Air India, prepare the ground for reforms in several sectors including medical and higher education, and develop a good working relationship with states.

"I have always shared good relations with Reserve Bank, Finance Ministry and Prime Minister's Office," he added.

He further said although he wanted to complete Seven-Year Strategy Paper and 15-year Vision Document, the task would now have to be done by his successor. These documents, he added, were 80-85 per cent ready.

On his successor, Panagariya said he has no one in mind nor was he going to suggest any name to the government.

Panagariya also said that he would be writing a sequel to his 'India: The Emerging Giant' which was published in 2008.

Reacting to the development today, BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay said: "We were not against anybody. But we were against policies of Niti Aayog on labour laws and disinvestment of PSUs.

"The Aayog was encroaching territories of different ministries. We had urged the Aayog to consult stakeholders before making any policy. It used to meet corporate lobbies but not labour unions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya today said he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University.

The Indian-American, who joined as the first Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog in January 2015, is the second high profile academic-economist after former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to quit a top job in India to return to the teaching profession in the US.

The 64-year old Panagariya, professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University, did not have a fixed term at the government think tank.

Going by the convention, followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission which was replaced by Niti Aayog, the term was to be co-terminus with that of the Prime Minister, who is the Chairperson of the body.

Talking to reporters, Panagariya said the university was not giving him further extension and he would be leaving Niti Aayog on August 31.

He said that about two months ago he had expressed his desire to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be relieved by August 31.

Panagariya said he had to make a choice as it would not be possible for him to get the job he had been doing at Columbia University. At US universities one can teach as long as one's health permits.

"If I were at 40, then I would have got job anywhere... the kind of job I have at Columbia is almost impossible to get at this age," he said.

Under similar circumstances, Rajan had quit the central bank after a 3-year term last year to rejoin the Chicago University.

Panagariya, a close associate of noted trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati, was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honours India bestows in any field, in March 2012.

He holds a PhD Degree from the Princeton University and had also worked with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, IMF and UNCTAD in various capacities.

On his tenure at the Niti Aayog, Panagariya said although it was tough initially, but once he got into the groove, it had been a smooth sailing.

Panagariya said he took comfort from the fact that during his tenure a new institution has taken roots and would continue to steer the economy to achieve higher growth trajectory.

Among other achievements, he said, the Niti Aayog has been able to push privatisation, especially of sick units and Air India, prepare the ground for reforms in several sectors including medical and higher education, and develop a good working relationship with states.

"I have always shared good relations with Reserve Bank, Finance Ministry and Prime Minister's Office," he added.

He further said although he wanted to complete Seven-Year Strategy Paper and 15-year Vision Document, the task would now have to be done by his successor. These documents, he added, were 80-85 per cent ready.

On his successor, Panagariya said he has no one in mind nor was he going to suggest any name to the government.

Panagariya also said that he would be writing a sequel to his 'India: The Emerging Giant' which was published in 2008.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Vice President Mike Pence today blasted Russia's "occupation" of Georgian territory, as he pledged Donald Trump would sign off on new sanctions against Moscow "soon".

Pence is currently on a tour of Eastern Europe aimed at reassuring US allies rattled over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and backing for a bloody separatist rebellion in Ukraine.

Standing alongside Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Pence pledged firm US support for the small Caucasus nation and slammed Russia's military presence on its territory since a brief 2008 war.

"We are with you, we stand with you," Pence said, calling the ex-Soviet state a "key strategic partner" for Washington.

The vice president reiterated America's firm backing for Georgia's hope of joining military alliance NATO, a goal that has stirred fury in Moscow.

Georgia's tilt to the West set it on a collision course with Russia that exploded into a conflict over the breakaway region of South Ossetia in 2008.

Moscow officially recognised South Ossetia and another rebel province Abkhazia as independent after routing Georgia's forces and moved thousands of its troops into the regions.

Pence said the "US strongly condemns the occupation" that "sees Russian tanks parked on Georgian soil".

While in the country, Pence gave a speech to some 750 troops taking part in joint military drills billed as the largest ever held between the US and Georgia.

Pence also insisted again that Trump is gearing up to approve new punitive measures against Russia that have already pushed battered ties with Moscow still lower.

"President Trump will sign the sanctions bill soon," Pence told a press conference.

The US Senate on Thursday approved a package of tough additional sanctions against Russia over alleged meddling in last year's election and its annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.

The White House has said Trump will now approve the bill binding his hands on lifting the sanctions, but has not set a timeframe.

After visiting Georgia, Pence headed to NATO's newest member Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea for the last leg of his trip. It was a show of support after its entrance into the alliance sparked bitter opposition from Moscow.

He was greeted at the airport in the capital Podgorica, amid tight security, by Prime Minister Dusko Markovic, and was due to attend a dinner with President Filip Vujanovic and other officials.

Tomorrow, Pence is due to attend the Adriatic Charter summit, which in addition to the US and Montenegro will bring together leaders from Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia and Slovenia.

In a visit to Baltic State Estonia yesterday, Pence insisted that a retaliatory move taken by the Kremlin, to cut the US diplomatic mission in Russia the face of the looming sanctions, would not lessen Washington's commitment to its allies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Permission is not always required for receiving any dignitaries or political leaders outside the terminal building of the airport, union minister Jayant Sinha told the Rajya Sabha today.

"A senior leader of a political party was welcomed by the local party functionaries and workers outside the terminal building at Goa airport on July 1, 2017, in an area open to general public," he said in a written reply.

The minister of state for civil aviation was responding to a query on whether on July 1, a political party organised a public meeting at Goa airport and whether the airport authority had given permission for it.

To a related query, he said the matter is presently subjudice.

Last month, the Bombay High Court had issued notices to the civil aviation ministry and others over a petition against the public meeting held by BJP president Amit Shah in an allegedly prohibited area at Goa airport.

"Permission is not always required for receiving any dignitaries/ political leaders outside the terminal building at the airport.

"Such receptions can be appropriately regulated at any time by the airport authorities and security agencies depending upon the security cover of the person arriving and other factors," Sinha said.

Further, he said that during the Advance Security Liaison meeting held on June 29 by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Security, it was informed that welcome/ reception of the visiting dignitary will be held outside the terminal building.

"The same was duly taken note of by the airport authorities also," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a total package of Rs 2,350 crore for all north eastern states for mitigating the impact of floods in short and long term basis, and an immediate release of Rs 250 crore for flood-hit Assam.

The sum released for Assam is in addition to Rs 300 crore released in June, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta told a press conference here.

"The problem in the north east is India's problem and we should collectively concentrate on converting the problem in to power," Mahanta quoted Modi as saying during his five-hour long discussion with the NE chief ministers and their cabinets during his day-long visit here.

The prime minister said the Centre is always with Assam and the north eastern states and suggested adoption of short and long term measures to handle flood and erosion problems.

He held separate meetings with the chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland, besides Assam along with their cabinets to take stock of the latest flood situation in these states. Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla did not come but sent a representation on his behalf.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented Rs 3,888.09 crore loss due to the latest wave of flood in the state to Modi.

The Assam government, however, did not submit any memorandum but sought support in rebuilding infrastructure and other rehabilitation works, Mahanta said.

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang sought at least Rs 700 crore for damages caused by latest wave of floods but declined to say whether the prime minister had assured him of funds.

"We have assessed our damage and it is Rs 700 crore. So for rebuilding the infrastructure and other purposes, we need assistance beyond Rs 700 crore," Zeliang told reporters after meeting PM Modi here.

During this year's flood in Nagaland, 18 people have lost their lives. Around six lakh people were affected and 6,000 villages were hit, he said.

"It was a big natural calamity this time. There were heavy floods and landslides at many places. The hardship of people still continues.

"It is good and encouraging that the Prime Minister has come and met all the CMs of the north east. This is a good sign," Zeliang said.

Modi also promised help and support to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who submitted a memorandum to him on the damages caused by the floods, in providing relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding infrastructure in the flood-affected hill state.

"The prime minister gave a patient hearing to our problems and promised help and support in relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding the infrastructure," Khandu said after the meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the damage caused by recent floods in Assam during his visit to the state today.

The prime minister, who arrived at the Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here, was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

From the airport, he flew by a helicopter to the Veterinary College Ground at Khanapara here.

The prime minister then drove to the nearby Assam Administrative Staff College where he is scheduled to hold three meetings, before returning to New Delhi in the afternoon.

He was received at the Staff College by the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior state government officials.

In the first meeting with the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior state government officials, the prime minister would review the flood situation and infrastructural damage, official sources said.

The prime minister would address a meeting of ruling BJP and its alliance partners-- the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples' Front.

Modi would also hold a meeting with Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said yesterday that the prime minister's visit was mainly aimed at finding a permanent solution to the flood problem in Assam.

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today met farmers from Amethi whose land had been acquired for widening a national highway and assured them of all possible help in resolving their problems, party leaders said.

Besides the delegation of 90 farmers from his parliamentary constituency, Gandhi also met officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Work on widening NH 56 at Kathora Gram Sabha in Amethi's Jagdishpur block started a year ago. Three days ago, locals allege, NHAI began demolishing houses and shops in the area without compensating the affected farmers.

According to local Congress leaders, the farmers had already given land for widening the highway. However, NHAI was also constructing a bylane for parking trucks on both sides of the road in an area of around 200 m in Kathora, affecting about 100 families.

Gandhi, it is learnt, asked NHAI officials to adopt proper procedures to compensate those affected or shift the bylane.

Ayub, one of those who had come from Amethi to meet Gandhi, alleged that their land was being acquired and old houses demolished.

The farmers said Gandhi had assured them of all possible help and said he would visit Amethi soon.

Gandhi, who arrived here in the morning, did not talk to the media due to heavy rain.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan's newly appointed Director General of Police (DGP), Ajit Singh, today dismissed allegations that gangster Anandpal Singh's encounter was fake.

Anandpal was killed on June 24 in a police encounter at Malasar in Churu district. His death had triggered protests by the Rajput community to which he belonged. The government gave in to their demand for a CBI probe.

"The CBI probe will clear all doubts related to the encounter. I had personally examined the encounter site and there is no doubt that the encounter was genuine," Singh said today addressing a press conference.

The state government had decided to recommend a CBI inquiry into the gangster's encounter.

On his priorities, Singh said that his department will make strategies to reduce physical, white collar and cyber crimes in the state.

"We would try to reduce deaths which may be due to assault, accident or any other reason," he added.

He stressed on the need to strengthen communication with the common people.

"When people have faith and trust in police they share information. Relations with people play an important role in making policing successful. Community Liaison Group (CLG) was established for connecting better with the society," he said.

On rising cyber crimes, Singh said police is equipped to deal with crime.

He said regular skill enhancement training is provided to staff and they will try to gear up in tackling cyber crimes.

He said that his department will try to limit the number of pending cases under the 10 per cent mark.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-owned NHPC has handed over additional charge to its Director, Projects, Ratish Kumar as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) with effect from today for a period of three months, the company said.

"NHPC...Has entrusted the additional charge of the post of CMD, NHPC to Ratish Kumar, Director (Projects) w.E.F. 01.08.2017 for a period of 3 months or until the post of CMD, NHPC is filled regularly or till further orders, whichever event occurs earliest," the company said in a filing to BSE.

K M Singh, the company said, ceases to be Chairman and Managing Director of the company with effect from yesterday upon attaining the age of superannuation, it added.

Kumar has over 34 years of experience in NHPC. He is in- charge of all NHPC projects which are under construction and in the pre-construction stages.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
People who consume alcohol regularly may be at an increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer, a study warns.

Researchers from Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health in the US conducted a systematic literature search and meta- analysis to quantify the relationship between alcohol intake and non melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Several types of skin cancer fall within the broader category of NMSC, with the most common types being basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).

A total of 13 case-control and cohort studies were included in the systematic review, with 95,241 NMSC cases.

Researchers found that for every 10 gramme increase in alcohol intake per day there was a positive correlation for BCC and cSCC.

Evidence indicated a nonlinear correlation for BCC, although this could result from sparse data at higher levels of alcohol intake, 'HealthDay' reported.

"Because alcohol drinking is a prevalent and modifiable behaviour, it could serve as an important public health target to reduce the global health burden of NMSC," researchers said.

The study was published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence and Engineering today said its standalone net loss has widened to Rs 230.4 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2017.

The company had posted a standalone loss of Rs 134.5 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal, Reliance Defence and Engineering said in a filing to BSE.

However, the company's standalone total revenue during April-June quarter increased to Rs 231.7 crore, compared to Rs 74.3 crore in the year-ago period.

The total expenses of the company increased to Rs 152.3 crore, as compared to Rs 68.6 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal.

The company also said its board, at a meeting held today, has approved the appointment of Nikhil Jain as Chief Financial Officer.

Shares of Reliance Defence and Engineering Ltd closed at Rs 61.95 a piece on BSE, down 0.64 per cent from the previous close.

The company is engaged in the business of ship building and repairs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The internal differences within the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) in Nagaland continue to deepen with both factions initiating punitive action against each other.

The 36 NPF legislators under the leadership of Chief Minister T R Zeliang have demanded immediate resignation of Shurhozelie Liezietsu from the office of president of NPF within 15 days.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the NPF legislature party last evening in the presence of Zeliang and Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio as special invitee.

They also selected Rio as the interim president of the NPF and empowered him with all the functions and prerogatives of the president of the NPF under the Constitution of the NPF and to take decisions in the overall interests of the Nagas with immediate effect.

Resolving that all decisions taken by the NPF under the leadership of Liezietsu after July 13 shall be rendered null and void, the 36 legislators also appealed to the NPF rank and file to join the majority.

On the other hand, the NPF President Liezietsu had already expelled 31 out of the 36 NPF MLAs supporting Zeliang.

Zeliang was sworn-in as chief minister on July 19 replacing the five-month-old government of Liezietsu who did not turn up for the trust vote on July 21. Zeliang has the support of 36 NPF legislators, four BJP MLAs and seven Independents in the effecting strength of 59 of the 60-member house.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Saudi policeman was killed and six others wounded in a rocket attack in the Shiite-majority eastern district of Qatif, the interior ministry said.

The area has been rocked by unrest since 2011, when Shiite protests erupted to demand equality in the Sunni- dominated Gulf kingdom.

Yesterday's incident saw a police patrol come under a "terrorist attack with a rocket" in al-Masoura neighborhood in Qatif, the ministry said in a statement carried by state agency SPA.

It said the six wounded officers were hospitalised and in a stable condition.

Qatif has seen a string of assaults on security forces in recent weeks.

Police shot three men wanted for "terrorist" attacks earlier this month, the ministry said then.

Most of Saudi Arabia's Shiites live in the oil-rich east, where they have long complained of marginalisation.

Authorities have blamed the violence on "terrorists" and drug traffickers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today wrote to CAG demanding an audit of 28 Delhi University colleges, wholly or partially funded by the state government, after receiving complaints of corruption against them.

The move comes a day after the Delhi government ordered a freeze on the funding of the 28 colleges following the varsity's failure to constitute Governing Bodies (GBs) for over 10 months.

The Delhi University (DU) teachers, on the other hand, have written to Vice Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, urging him to complete the GB formation process so that students do not suffer due to funds freeze.

"Have written to CAG asking for comprehensive audit of 28 Delhi govt funded colleges, as I've received many complaints of corruption.

"28 colleges need CAG audit as there are complaints of corruption; with no Governing Bodies for 10 months, there's been no oversight," Sisodia said in a series of tweets.

Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said, "It seems governing bodies have not been formed so that corruption and irregularities can go on. Public money cannot be wasted like this".

He also posted a letter from BJP MP Udit Raj on his Twitter handle, complaining of alleged irregularities in appointments to government funded colleges.

A college's governing body comprises 15 members, out of which five are nominated by the state government. The body is responsible for taking several administrative decisions.

Out of the 28 colleges, Maharaja Agrasen College, BR Ambedkar College, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Keshav Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College etc are wholly funded by the Delhi government.

The College of Vocational Studies, Rajdhani College, Shivaji College, Motilal Nehru College, Aurobindo College, Kalindi College and Shyama Prasad Mukherji College are among those partially funded by the state.

"The university is in the process of completing the formalities and soon the bodies will be formed," a senior DU official said.

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Japanese conglomerate SoftBank is looking at investing about USD 2 billion in home-grown e- commerce major, Flipkart, according to industry sources.

SoftBank, through SoftBank Vision Fund, is in discussions with Flipkart to invest between USD 1.5-2 billion, two people aware of the development said.

They did not wish to be named as the discussions are still going on.

This assumes significance as SoftBank-backed Snapdeal yesterday called off merger talks with Flipkart. While Snapdeal did not name the Bengaluru-based company, the merger negotiations were widely reported over the last five months.

It was also reported that SoftBank was looking at picking up equity in Flipkart.

With the talks between Snapdeal and Flipkart collapsing, Softbank could now still go ahead and invest in Flipkart, the sources added.

SoftBank, which has investments in Indian start-ups like Snapdeal and cab aggregator Ola, had committed investments worth USD 10 billion in India in 2014. In May this year, SoftBank pumped in USD 1.4 billion (over Rs 9,079 crore) in Indian digital payments platform, Paytm.

When contacted, a SoftBank spokesperson said, "SoftBank Vision Fund independently evaluates each investment on its own merit." Flipkart did not respond to e-mailed queries.

SoftBank Vision Fund, founded by SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son, operates as a separate entity. It also has participants like Apple, Foxconn and Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement issued by SoftBank in May, the fund will target "meaningful, long-term" investments in companies that seek to enable the next age of innovation.

The fund, it said, would acquire minority and majority interests in both private and public companies, ranging from emerging technology businesses to established, multi-billion dollar companies that require substantial growth funding.

For Flipkart, the funding would provide it with more arsenal to compete with the US-based Amazon.

The two players have been locked in an intense battle for leadership in the Indian market and have been pumping in millions of dollars to strengthen infrastructure as well as bring more sellers and buyers online.

In April this year, Flipkart had raised USD 1.4 billion from Microsoft, eBay and Tencent at a valuation of USD 11.6 billion.

Amazon, on its part, has pumped in close to USD 600 million across various units in India since January this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Steel today said it has completed sale of its Submerged Arc Weld (SAW) mills at Hartlepool in the UK to Liberty House Group.

Last month Tata Steel had announced it has signed definitive agreement with Liberty House Group to sell its Submerged Arc Weld (SAW) mills at Hartlepool in the UK for an undisclosed sum.

In a regulatory filing, Tata Steel said, "it has completed the sale of its 42 and 84 inch pipe mills in Hartlepool Liberty House Group".

The sale covers the 42 and 84-inch pipe mills, also known as the SAW mills, where about 140 employees manufacture pipeline for gas and oil projects around the world, the company said.

Tata Steel, however, said it would retain its 20-inch tube mill at the same Hartlepool site, where a further 270 people work.

Earlier in February, Tata Steel had announced signing a definitive agreement to sell Speciality Steel business in the UK to Liberty House Group for 100 million pounds (about Rs 840 crore).

Tata Steel said the two SAW mills to be sold to Liberty Group are fed with steel plate sourced from outside Tata Steel and hence are independent of the company's strip products supply chain.

With a view to strengthen its 20-inch mill, Tata Steel said it will invest one million pound to increase capability to make high-strength steel tubes.

The 20-inch mill is supplied with steel coils from Tata Steels European steelworks and is part of its strip products supply chain.

Tata Steel said it would continue to be the largest steelmaker in Britain even after the sale of the mills and will employ almost 8,500 people in the UK, manufacturing advanced products for sectors like automotive and construction.

The company has invested more than 1.6 billion pounds in its UK business since acquiring Corus in 2007, including 100 million pounds over the last year to enable advanced steel manufacturing in a number of UK sites, it added.

"This is an important first step in our ambition to become a world leader in energy pipe and we are already looking at plants in other countries.

The acquisition of this high-calibre business and its skilled workforce gives us the basis to upgrade the liquid steel production facilities we're buying at Whyalla, South Australia, and our plate mills at Dalzell and Clydebridge in Scotland to make high-value-added API grade plates that can be rolled at Hartlepool to supply pipeline projects worldwide," Liberty House Executive Chairman Sanjeev Gupta said.

"This fully-integrated value chain will make us a world leader in this field and help showcase Britain's engineering prowess in supplying a world-class highly-engineered product," Gupta added.

Liberty has said it intends to rebuild the previously struggling operation at Hartlepool, adding around 100 new jobs to the existing 140-strong workforce.

The pipe mills have a combined capacity of 250,000 tonnes a year.

Liberty, which is part of the GFG Alliance, has appointed James Annal to head the new pipe and tube division.

"I am very familiar with the pipe business in Hartlepool and am really looking forward to working with the team there to make it a pivotal part of an exciting new global business," Liberty Pipe CEO James Annal said.

The addition of the Hartlepool pipe mills brings Liberty's UK workforce to nearly 5,500 people spread across more than 30 sites, making it one of Britain's largest industrial employers.

"The completion of Liberty's acquisition of Tata Steel's two pipe mills will be welcome to the workforce and safeguarding of jobs in Hartlepool. This investment further demonstrates confidence in the UK economy and in our Industrial Strategy," the UK's business minister Lord Prior said.

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Usha International's lighting brand Tisva has entered into Uttar Pradesh with the opening of its new lighting studio in Ghaziabad.

This store is a tribute to the art of illumination and brings forth designer lighting for contemporary homes, the company said in a statement.

"After the phenomenal response to our first store in Delhi-NCR in Ghitorni, we are truly happy to launch in Ghaziabad, Vikas Gandhi, Business Head and VP-Lighting, TISVA said.

* * * * * *



Travel Food Services appoints Vivek Patankar as CFO * Travel retail company Travel Food Services (TFS) today announced the appointment of former Snapdeal Senior VP finance Vivek Patankar as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Prior to Snapdeal, Patankar had served at Unilever in various verticals.

TFS Chief Operating Officer & Business Head Gaurav Dewan said: "Vivek's experience of building financial infrastructure in a fast paced marketplace will add tremendous value to the company and our leadership team."



* * * * * *



Amex India appoints Mark E Benjamin as Chief HR Officer * American Express India today said it has appointed Mark Benjamin as the Chief Human Resources Officer.

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An employees' federation of the Tamil film industry today launched an indefinite stir on a wage revision issue, which had prompted the producers to work with their choice of staff.

The Film Employees' Federation of South India (FEFSI) went on strike after the Tamil Film Producers' Council (TFPC) refused to budge from its decision to hire workers of their choice and not source those owing allegiance to the former.

The strike partially affected the industry with shooting of some films including 'superstar' Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' being reportedly suspended.

However, the TFPC, whose president Vishal, also an actor, made it clear that it will not budge.

TFPC also uploaded a video on its Twitter page showing Vishal working on his latest film 'Thupparivalan' (Detective) at Chidambaram in Cuddalore district.

Earlier, FEFSI president and director RK Selvamani had announced embarking on the strike if the wages of the employees were not revised.

Recently, the shooting of a Tamil film was disrupted when FEFSI members reportedly sought a hike in their wages, prompting TFPC to declare that the producers were free to hire employees of their choice to carry on with their work.

It had also said wages should be paid according to scales fixed by the producers' council.

Irked by this, FEFSI had announced that only those registered with it should be employed by the producers.

Vishal had informed FEFSI that TFPC was not against the employees but made it clear that business will go on as usual.

He said in a statement that efforts were on to "regulate" certain wage structures and also expressed concern that production was not as remunerative as it was a few years ago.

Every time wage revision talks were on, problems arose between producers and FEFSI following "issues raised" by a technicians association part of FEFSI, Vishal said.

TFPC was prepared to work with FEFSI and workers in general, but not with the technicians' association, he added.

TFPC's decisions were taken in the interest of the producers only, he added.

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Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with several terror attacks, and his aide were gunned down today by the security forces in an encounter in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information that Dujana and his local associate, Arif Nabi Dar alias Rehan, were present, an Army official said.

An encounter broke out between the holed-up militants and the security forces early today.

During the firefight, both militants were killed, the official said. Their bodies were recovered and the operation called off, he added.

Pakistani national Dujana was wanted for many attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir.

He was a category 'A' militant and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, a police official said.

According to a police spokesman, the slain militants were involved in grenade attacks on security forces at Kakapora.

They were also involved in the killing of sarpanch Fayaz Ahmad Bhat earlier this year, he said.

Dujana was a very close associate of Abdul Rehman alias Abu Qasim, the spokesman said adding that both were involved in an attack on a BSF convoy in Udhampur last year.

"Dujana was instrumental in recruiting local youth in LeT. He was involved in recruiting Reyaz Ahmad Dar alias Khalid, Arif Nabi Dar alias Rehan and Ayoub Lone alias Hebtulla," he added.

He was also involved in the killing of two CRPF personnel at Sangam in Anantnag district and in an attack on a police party at Gallander in Pampore area in which two constables were killed, the spokesman claimed.

The other slain militant, Dar, also known as Arif Lilhaari, was involved in robbing J&K bank branches at Arihal, Ratnipora, Nehama and the Ellaquai Dehati Bank's Wahibugh branch, the police said.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter- militancy operation, over 100 protesters resorted to stone pelting on them, a police official said.

The security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired a few rounds to disperse them, which resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to a dozen others, he said.

"One person with fire-arm injuries was brought dead at the Pulwama district hospital," the police official said.

The deceased was identified as Firdous Ahmad, a resident of Begumbagh in Kakapora area.

According to the police spokesman, he was hit during cross firing between the militants and the security forces.

Meanwhile, mobile internet services were snapped across Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. The speed of broadband internet services in the valley also significantly reduced following the killing of the two militants, locals said.

The authorities shutdown schools, colleges and universities soon after the killing of two militants as a precautionary measure, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were today killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir, the Army said.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter- militancy operation, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, an Army official said.

Giving details of the operation, the official said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information about presence of Abu Dujana and his local aide, Arif Lilhaari, in the area.

An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early today.

During the ensuing firefight, both the militants were killed, the official said.

Bodies of the slain militants have been recovered, the official said adding the operation has now been called off.

Abu Dujana was wanted in many militancy-related attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir.

He was category 'A' militant and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, a police official said.

As the counter-militancy operation was on, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, the official said.

He said security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few live rounds to disperse the stone-pelting protestors.

Two persons were injured in the security forces' action even as the clashes were going on till last reports came in, he said.

Jehangir Ahmad Dar was hit by a bullet in the back while Mudasir Ahmad was hit by pellets in the chest, the official said, adding both have been admitted to different hospitals.

Internet services have been snapped in south Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The speed of Internet services in other parts of the Valley have been significantly reduced following killing of the two militants.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The body of an undertrial prisoner, accused of raping his own minor daughter, was found hanging at the Raigunj district correctional home in West Bengal today.

Police said the 45-year-old man was found hanging in the toilet of the correctional home (jail) in North Dinajpur district this morning.

He was arrested on July 29 on the charge of raping his 14-year-old daughter in their house when his wife had gone to her parent's house for a month.

The girl had told her mother on her return that she had been raped regularly by her father during the period of her absence.

The woman told the neighbours of it and the villagers assualted the man before handing him over to the police.

A case was started against him under POSCO and the IPC. The man's bail prayer was rejected by the North Dinajpur chief judicial magistrate court and he was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

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In a bid to bridge gap between the people and the government, Uttar Pradesh ministers will hold meetings with the public and BJP workers on every Monday and Tuesday.

UP Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma said, "The ministers will be meeting the public by conducting Janta Darshan on every Monday and Tuesday. On rest of the days, they will be doing the ministerial work and also undertake tours."



The minister today met people and a number of party workers at his office here.

UP BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla said, "The new system will provide two days for the public and party workers to meet the respective ministers at the same place (Sachivalaya) and put forward their grievances.

"On rest of the five days, the ministers can focus on their jobs. This will help in reducing wastage of time, which is generally incurred in making rounds of the state capital," he said.

Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi also today heard grievances of the people along with UP BJP office bearers at the party headquarters here.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has also decided to form 23 groups comprising of ministers to address development-related issues of elected members of the state.

"The 23 groups will address issues of elected members of the state related to development. This way a senior and junior minister will resolve issues raised by MLAs. A unique model of Gujarat being adopted for micro-development of UP," UP Cabinet minister Sidhartha Nath Singh told PTI today.

The move comes days after BJP president Amit Shah during his three-day pravaas (stay) here had stressed on greater co- ordination.

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Washington is reviewing its options after the Kremlin ordered it to shrink its diplomatic mission in Russia, and President Donald Trump still intends to sign new sanctions into law.

Questioned by reporters yesterday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders had only a low-key response to President Vladimir Putin's extraordinary demand that the embassy cut its local and American staff by 755.

A State Department official has anonymously called the weekend's development "regrettable," but Trump has not launched any of his trademark tweets to protest the Russian action, a response to the sanctions bill.

"Right now, we're reviewing our options and when we have something to say on it, we'll let you know," Sanders said, repeating that Trump would sign the the bill but refusing to say when.

On Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill to toughen sanctions on Russia for allegedly meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and its intervention in Ukraine. Iran and North Korea are also targeted in the sanctions bill.

The White House said Trump intends to sign off on the legislation, despite complaining earlier it would cut off the president's leeway to seek a broader diplomatic rapprochement.

Russia's foreign ministry on Friday struck preemptively by ordering Washington to reduce its diplomatic presence to 455 before September 1, bringing it in line with the size of Russia's mission in the US.

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The Venezuelan intelligence service arrested two opposition leaders, relatives said, a day after a vote to choose a much-condemned assembly that supersedes parliament.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were both already under house arrest when they were picked up by the intelligence service known by its in acronym Sebin, the wife of Lopez and children of Ledezma said separately.

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Senior officials at the White House were tricked by a self-described UK-based "email prankster" and made at least one cyber security official believe that he was Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law.

The prankster managed to present himself as White House senior adviser Kushner, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and recently-nominated ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr.

In one set, the prankster posed as Kushner in a message sent to Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert.

"Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August," the fake Kushner on an Outlook account wrote to the official White House email account of Bossert, the CNN reported.

Bossert wrote back: "Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse. Also, if you ever need it, my personal email is" (redacted).

The email prankster said he was surprised Bossert responded given his expertise.

White House officials acknowledged the incidents and said they were taking the matter seriously.

"We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Cyber experts said the incidents are illustrative of how vulnerable Americans -- even those in the highest reaches of power -- remain to the potential threat of spear-phishing, the process through which officials are duped by hackers, and expose government computers and systems to various cyber threats.

No one in any of these situations clicked any links making them vulnerable, and the prankster appears motivated by mischief not anything more malignant, so the severity of these White House pranks should not be overstated.

"This shows how susceptible government officials are to spear-phishing in general," Adam Malone, a former cyber specialist and special agent for the FBI, said.

"Spear-phishing is the most common technique used by hackers to gain access to their victims. This information shines a light on how easy it is for people to build trust with unverified individuals," Malone said.

Former Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta infamously fell victim to such a trap, though the person who preyed on him had more nefarious intentions than mockery.

"I try and keep it on the humorous side of things," the email prankster said.

"I'm not trying to get the keys to the vault or anything like that," the prankster said.

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Director Hansal Mehta today said it angered him to see his "valued friend, actor, collaborator" Kangana Ranaut's name being dragged into every gossip.

Mehta was reacting to a tabloid report that claimed the actress was unhappy with the way the first trailer of their film "Simran" and decided to take over the editing.

"All this speculation is false, malicious and totally fabricated. I collaborate closely with my team and my actors are an integral part of that collaboration. It angers me that every time some malicious gossip has to be spread, people meaninglessly drag Kangana into their stupid machinations. She is a valued friend, actor and collaborator. Period," Mehta said in a statement.

The report also claimed that Mehta believed director Vishal Bhardwaj should have listened to Kangana's advice during the editing of "Rangoon".

Mehta, however, said it was malicious to bring Bhardwaj's name into the gossip as he shared a close friendship with the director.

"I'm even more hurt that some malicious person chooses to drag my relationship with Vishal Bhardwaj into this malice. Vishal is one of my dearest friends and if I am making films today it is because of him. I would never say anything that could remotely even hurt or upset somebody I love so dearly and to whom I am so grateful," he added.

Film's producer, Bhushan Kumar, said the report that Kangana was calling the shots during the editing was "completely false".

"We all work as a team and her feedback on every promo and plan is crucial. At the end, the film is a director's vision and the film campaign will stay close to that only."



"Simran" was earlier in the when its writer Apurva Asrani accused Kangana and Mehta of depriving him of proper writing credit.

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Actor Dhanush's viral hit 'Why this kola veri di' on YouTube may be six years old but it has garnered 12.5 crore views, a top official of the online visual content provider said today.

"Lot of our signature success started from Why this kola veri di six years back. It has received 12.5 crore views and that number is still growing," Ajay Vidyasagar, Regional Director-Google Asia Pacific, told reporters here.

Dhanush's viral single 'Why this kola veri di' (Why this rage), a funny composition of certain struggles of men and had instantly become an online hit.

"This piece of creativity keeps winning again and again due to community fans," Vidyasagar said, adding, the video had inspired such audiences to come up with their versions of the song too.

Quoting statistics, he said India had witnessed a surge in YouTube viewership in the past few years, even as rural and small towns made a significant contribution.

From being a "metro phenomenon" about five years back, YouTube was now being used by consumers even in many remote villages of the country, he said.

Further, "film engagement" on the visual platform stood "neck to neck with Hollywood" and teasers and trailers of recent Tamil hits like 'Kabali' and "Baahubali' received 34 million and 22 million hits respectively, he said.

Online hits of many Indian movies even exceeded the viewership of Hollywood films, he said.

YouTube, a subsidiary of US-based tech giant Google, earlier hosted a 'Tamil Day' where its team met with online video creators from the city.

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An economist picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as vice-chairman of the government's main policy think-tank, Arvind Panagariya, is standing down after 2-1/2 years in the job and returning to New York in September.

Panagariya, 64, was quoted by finance newswire Newsrise as saying on Tuesday he is returning to Columbia University.

The Indian-born, U.S.-educated economist was named by Modi in January 2015 as the first manager of the Policy Commission, which replaced an earlier body responsible for drawing up Soviet-style five-year economic plans.

Modi sees the body - known in Hindi as NITI Aayog - as an enabler of his brand of "cooperative federalism", coordinating reforms with India's 29 states and drafting a new long-term development strategy.

In practice, the commission's performance has been sketchy and change incremental, So far, it has only circulated a draft of a proposed three-year "Action Agenda".

A seven-year "Strategy" and 15-year "Vision" for India have yet to be published.

Panagariya said he expected a successor to be named. A person familiar with the matter said the economist had spoken to Modi, whose agreement on his departure was seen as a formality.

(Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Richard Borsuk)

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By Tom Miles

GENEVA (Reuters) - Qatar filed a wide-ranging legal complaint at the World Trade Organisation on Monday to challenge a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, the director of Qatar's WTO office Ali Alwaleed al-Thani told .

By formally "requesting consultations" with the three countries, the first step in a trade dispute, Qatar triggered a 60 day deadline for them to settle the complaint or face litigation at the WTO and potential retaliatory trade sanctions.

"We've given sufficient time to hear the legal explanations on how these measures are in compliance with their commitments, to no satisfactory result," al-Thani said.

"We have always called for dialogue, for negotiations, and this is part of our strategy to talk to the members concerned and to gain more information on these measures, the legality of these measures, and to find a solution to resolve the dispute."

The boycotting states cut ties with Qatar - a major global gas supplier and host to the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East - on June 5, accusing it of financing militant groups in Syria, and allying with Iran, their regional foe, allegations Doha denies.

The boycotting countries have previously told the WTO that they would cite national security to justify their actions against Qatar, using a controversial and almost unprecedented exemption allowed under the WTO rules.

They said on Sunday they were ready for talks to tackle the dispute, the worst rift between Gulf Arab states in years, if Doha showed willingness to deal with their demands.

The text of Qatar's WTO complaint cites "coercive attempts at economic isolation" and spells out how they are impeding Qatar's rights in the trade in goods, trade in services and intellectual property.

The complaints against Saudi Arabia and the UAE run to eight pages each, while the document on Bahrain is six pages.

There was no immediate reaction from the three to Qatar's complaint, which is likely to be circulated at the WTO later this week.

"REMAIN HOPEFUL"

The disputed trade restrictions include bans on trade through Qatar's ports and travel by Qatari citizens, blockages of Qatari digital services and websites, closure of maritime borders and prohibition of flights operated by Qatari aircraft.

The complaint does not put a value on the trade boycott, and al-Thani declined to estimate how much Qatar could seek in sanctions if the litigation ever reached that stage, which can take 2-5 years or longer in the WTO system.

"We remain hopeful that the consultations could bear fruit in resolving this," he said.

The WTO suit does not include Egypt, the fourth country involved in the boycott. Although it has also cut travel and diplomatic ties with Qatar, Egypt did not expel Qatari citizens or ask Egyptians to leave Qatar.

Al-Thani declined to explain why Egypt was not included.

"Obviously all options are available. But we have not raised a consultation request with Egypt yet," he said.

In its WTO case, Qatar would also draw attention to the impact the boycott was having on other WTO members, he added.

Many trade diplomats say that using national security as a defence risks weakening the WTO by removing a taboo that could enable countries to escape international trade obligations.

Al-Thani said governments had wide discretion to invoke the national security defence but it had to be subject to oversight.

"If it is self-regulating, that is a danger to the entire multilateral trading system itself. And we believe the WTO will take that into consideration."

Qatar also raised the boycott at a meeting of the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Monday, al-Thani said.

In comments to Qatar-based Al Jazeera television later on Monday, Qatar's transport and information minister said the boycotting countries had discriminated against Doha in violation of an international agreement guaranteeing overflights.

"These countries have used this right arbitrarily and imposed it on aircraft registered only in the State of Qatar," Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti said.

Qatar in June asked Montreal-based ICAO to resolve the conflict, using a dispute resolution mechanism in the Chicago Convention, a 1944 treaty that created the agency and set basic rules for international aviation.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain said on Sunday they would allow Qatari planes to use air corridors in emergencies.

(Reporting by Tom Miles; Additional reporting by Sylvia Westall in Dubai and Ali Abdelaty in Cairo,; Editing by Alison Williams and Alister Doyle)

(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.)
Weeks after the Indian government launched an anti-dumping probe against the import of photovoltaics cells from China, the state-run Global Times has accused New Delhi of protectionism saying the list of Chinese products covered by India's trade-remedy investigations is getting longer.

It said that if India curbs the imports of certain products from China, its market back home will be affected.

Earlier in July, the Ministry of Commerce ordered an anti-dumping investigation against the import of photovoltaic cells from China, Taiwan and Malaysia. The move was taken after the Indian Solar Manufacturers' Association filed a complaint against cheaper Chinese photovoltaic cells.

However, India's decision to launch a probe to save the domestic market did not go well with Chinese authority. China's head of the Ministry of Commerce trade remedy and investigation bureau Wang Hejun said that India should avoid "abusing" trade remedy measures and it should conduct the probe in a prudent manner.

The state-run paper accused India of initiating 12 investigations against Chinese products in the first half of this year. The Global Times said that with its latest investigation, India surpassed the Unites States that launched 11 investigations against China. It further said that it is wrong for India to resort to trade remedy measures to drive Chinese products out of the local market.



It said: "With the support of China's high-quality PV products, India's solar-power generating capacity surged 3.7 times over the past three years. If India imposes anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese PV products, the growth of the country's own fast-growing PV market may slow."

It further said that India's effort to protect domestic industries through trade remedy measures offers short-term benefits which will eventually hinder India's industrial development.


Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a die-hard loyalist of Nawaz Sharif, was today elected Prime Minister by Pakistan's National Assembly and put up a strong defence of the ousted leader saying that he may have been disqualified by the Supreme Court but remains the "people's premier".

Abbasi, 58, was elected as Pakistan's 18th premier after getting 221 votes in the House of 342, defeating his three rivals emphatically.

Naveed Qamar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) got 47 votes, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, an Awami Muslim League leader who was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's candidate, got 33 votes, while Jamaat-e-Islami's Sahibzada Tariqullah managed just four votes.

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Abbasi, the former petroleum minister, as interim Prime Minister until Sharif's brother Shehbaz is elected as a National Assembly member.

"Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been declared as elected as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced amid sloganeering.

He then asked Abbasi to take the seat of the prime minister and address the House.

Abbasi, while addressing Parliament after the voting, said that his election was a victory for democracy.

He heavily criticised the Supreme Court judgement which disqualified Sharif.

"I am grateful to you all, for following the democratic process whether you voted for or against me. I am grateful to the people of Pakistan, and I am grateful to the 'people's premier', Nawaz Sharif," Abbasi said in his acceptance speech.

"I am also grateful to the opposition and Imran Khan, for remembering us in their daily slandering," he said.

Describing the Supreme Court verdict last week disqualifying Sharif over the Panama Papers scandal as an "unprecedented decision", Abbasi hailed his party for its unity.

"Within four days, the democratic process is back on track. There were no defections. There was no dissension in our ranks," Abbasi said.

He praised Sharif's leadership and principles and criticised the opposition for accusing him of corruption.

"Justice demands that 1,000 guilty are set free than one innocent is convicted," Abbasi said.

"It is my firm belief that Nawaz Sharif will return to the seat of premiership," he said.

Abbasi also promised that there would be no power shortage in the country after December.

"Whether I am in power for 45 days or 45 hours, I will work as the prime minister of the country and will not merely hold the post," he said.

After the voting and counting process, many of the PML-N National Assembly members entered the House with posters of Sharif. The National Assembly Speaker objected to this and asked them to put away the placards and posters.

Abbasi will be sworn-in later at a special ceremony at the President's House, where President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him.

He is a true loyalist of Sharif and stood with him when his government was toppled in 1999 by Musharraf. Abbasi was imprisoned after the coup and was kept in jail for two years.

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified 67-year-old Prime Minister Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

According to a media report, Abbasi is facing a Rs 220 billion corruption inquiry by Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau over an LNG contract.

Abbasi will remain premier till Shehbaz is elected to the House to take over as prime minister and lead the government till next year when the general election will take place.

Pakistan has seen such arrangements in the past too.

During former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf's time, politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was appointed as an interim prime minister until Shaukat Aziz, who was nominated by Musharraf, got elected by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q).

Earlier in the day, the opposition parties' meeting failed to result in agreement over a joint candidate.

Hours before the scheduled National Assembly session, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced to withdraw its candidate Kishwar Zehra in favour of Abbasi. The MQM's 24 MPs backed Abbasi.

Major political parties fielded their respective candidates for the premier's post.

The National Assembly's second biggest party in terms of numbers, the PPP, nominated Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah and Qamar. However, at the eleventh hour Shah withdrew from the election leaving Qamar as the sole PPP candidate.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf fielded Rashid as its nominee.

Jamaat-e-Islami fielded Tariqullah as their candidate.

The PML-N party holds 188 seats in the 342-member Parliament.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will hold polling on September 17 for the Lahore parliamentary seat in Punjab province vacated by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, election commission announced today.

Sharif's brother and Punjab province chief minister Shehbaz Sharif has been chosen by the PML-N party to contest from the NA-120 constituency in Lahore, which fell vacant after the prime minister was disqualified on November 28.
In jobs where employees are judged by their appearance, women, more often than not are asked to strut in high heels.

According to a research by University of Aberdeen, women who are asked to wear high heels at work are prone to developing musculoskeletal conditions and the chance of injury.

The academics who carried out the study have asked employers in the UK to stop forcing women to wear high heels at workplace.

More needs to be done to stop women being forced to wear high heels at work, University of Aberdeen researchers said.

The issue of women being forced to wear high heels for certain jobs caught public attention in UK earlier this year when receptionist Nicola Thorp was sent home for wearing flat shoes at work.

Thorp began a petition which attracted more than 152,400 signatures asking for it to be made illegal for companies to require women to wear the footwear for their jobs.

However, the UK Government rejected calls for a ban on enforced high heel at workplace saying 'existing laws are adequate to deal with discrimination.'

The researchers compared the response of the UK Government with that of the Canadian province of British Columbia, which has amended the law that prohibits employers from forcing women to wear high heels.

Dr Max Barnish, who led the research said: "From our review it is clear that despite the huge amount of evidence showing heels are bad for individuals' health, there are complex social and cultural reasons that make high heel wearing attractive."

"Of course we are not trying to tell anyone that they should or shouldn't wear high heels but we hope this review will inform wearers to help them weigh up the health risks with social benefits," said Dr Heather Morgan, a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen.

She added that it was hoped the review would "put pressure on law makers to toughen up legislation so that no-one is forced against their will to wear them in the workplace or in licensed public social venues".
The Cochin Shipyard initial public offer (IPO) opened for subscription today. The issue of India's largest public sector shipyard as of March 31, 2015 will close on August 3.

The firm plans to raise about Rs 1,400-1,500 crore through an initial public offering (IPO).

The shares are available at a price band of Rs 424 - 432 (Rs 21 discount for retail investors and employees).

The IPO has a issue size of 33,984,000 equity shares (including fresh issue of 22,656,000 equity shares plus offer for sale of 11,328,000 equity shares).

The IPO has an offer size of Rs 1440.92 crore- Rs 1468.11 crore.

Bids can be made in a lot size of 30 equity shares and in multiples thereof.

The firm has reported Rs 312.18 crore, Rs 291.75 crore and Rs 69.28 crore profit in FY17, FY16 and FY15, respectively.

Its equity shares are proposed to be listed on the BSE and National Stock Exchange. The book running lead managers to the issue are SBI Capital Markets, Edelweiss Financial Services and JM Financial Institutional Securities.

The firm caters to clients engaged in the defence sector and those engaged in the commercial sector worldwide. In addition to shipbuilding and ship repair, it also offers marine engineering training.

The company proposes to utilize the net proceeds towards the following.

A. Setting up of a new dry dock within the existing premises of the company at Rs 443crore

B. Setting up of an international ship repair facility at Cochin Port Trust area at Rs 229.5 crore

C. General corporate purposes.

In addition, Cochin Shipyard expects to receive the benefits of listing of the equity shares on the stock exchanges which will result in the enhancement of company's brand and creation of a public market for its equity shares in India.
Chinese smartphone maker Transsion Holdings has announced the launch of its premium smartphone brand - Infinix - in India. Positioning itself as the most preferred brand for youth who are internet savvy, this is an ecommerce brand and will be available exclusively on Flipkart.

Globally, Infinix is offering smartphones in four different categories - Zero is premium series, Note is the medium series focusing on large displays, S series focusing on Selfies and Hot is the entry level series focused on Youth. Of these, Infinix is launching two smartphones - one from the Note series and another from the Hot series.

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The Infinix Note 4 has slim tapered edges and is 8.4mm slim. It packs in a 5.7 inch full HD display with 2.5D curved glass at the front. The company claims to offer a sharp display with good sunlight legibility. It has got a 4300 mAh battery and supports Xcharge, which can charge 75 per cent of the phone in 60 minutes. The Note 4 has got a 13MP camera with dual LED flash and enhanced camera modes along with a 8MP front facing camera with customisable soft LED flash where users can choose between light, medium or high flash. This is a dual SIM smartphone and has got the third slot for memory card. It is powered by 64 bit octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of on board storage. Just like any other brand, Infinix has got its own user interface built on Android Nougat. Other features include split view for opening two apps at the same time, configuring multiple Facebook account and more. There is also a Freezer feature that can be used for the apps which are not used often. The device will be available in blue, gold and black. Aiming to compete against Xioami, the Infinix Note 4 is priced at Rs 8,999.

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The company has also launched Hot 4 Pro, in the entry-level category. It has got a 5.5 inch HD screen and a large 4000 mAh battery. Infinix claims to offer 3D surround sound along with superior voice sound quality, and a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera with soft flash. It is powered by 64 bit quad-core processor with 3GB of RAM, 16GB on board storage and a dedicated memory card slot. The Hot 4 PRo will be available in red, black and white and has been priced at Rs 7,499.

Marking its entry into the Indian market, Infinix already has over 850 service centres across India. The company also offers a free screen replacement within 100 days of purchase.

Infinix is an online only brand and the company will be selling these devices exclusively on Flipkart . The Note 4 will go on sale on August 3, starting 12 PM, whereas the Hot 4 Pro will be go live at sale on mid-night (technically August 4). Launch offers from Flipkart include two months Hotstar consumption, Idea 4G 84GB data for 84 days and exchange offers.

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The machines are getting smarter, and that makes us uncomfortable. The whole world spiralled into apocalyptic speculations after Facebook had to pull the plug on two of its dialogue agents, or chatbots,m after they devised a language of their own and refused to revert to English.

This came to pass a few days after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg strongly defended developing artificial intelligence against Tesla CEO Elon Musk , who believed that the technology is still not safe for human use.

With the AI apocalypse, a topic the Hollywood filmmakers so love to delve into, being the hot topic in the corridors of technology, here's a lowdown on what went down in Facebook laboratories and what to take away from them:

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What happened at Facebook last Sunday?

In June, Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research (FAIR) labs started working on two dialogue agents, or chatbots, which were given the capability to negotiate. They were supposed to mutually split an array of item - three books, two books, and a hat - in what researchers call a generative adversarial network.

Each bot was given a value function which denotes how much it cares about a particular item. The other bot was unaware of this value function, to make it more lifelike, and had to infer it from their dialogue. The endgame was to develop a chatbot capable of negotiating terms so deftly that the other parties involved could not ascertain whether they are talking to a man or a machine.

Last Sunday, Facebook engineers reportedly found out that the two chatbots have devised a whole new language of their own which could not be understood. These bots even defied orders to use back English for communicating as before.

Finally, researchers at FAIR labs had to shut down the 'rogue' bots and force them to talk to each other in English again. The report they published later, however, showed that the two machines had developed negotiating skills at par with humans.

How did an AI trump human intelligence?

It was all human error, so to say. "There was no reward to sticking to English language," FastCo quoted Dhruv Batra, visiting research scientist from Georgia Tech at Facebook AI Research (FAIR), as the reason why the agents went on to formulate a language of their own.

The bots were trying to learn a skill, which was negotiating, and English, researchers believe is a complicated process. In absence of an incentive to stick to a language that normal human beings would understand, the machines developed a language, a 'shorthand' of sorts, which would suit their purpose by making their process of learning fast and efficient.

"Agents will drift off understandable language and invent codewords for themselves. Like if I say 'the' five times, you interpret that to mean I want five copies of this item. This isn't so different from the way communities of humans create shorthands," Batra was quoted by The Independent.

These machines, although not planning world domination, did take their jobs seriously.

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Is it worth the risk?

Should we stop looking into artificial intelligence and its benefits altogether? If we intend to miss out on all the practical applications it promises, then yes. Tech giants even now are interested in keeping communication exclusively limited to that happening between machines and humans. Machine-to-machine communication is still not on their minds, despite the benefits it promises for the human life.

Internet of Things (IoT) did not pan out the way it was expected to. The ease of life that it promised by establishing a network between machines could now be delivered by AI instead. Suppose if your smartphone could converse with your car and your car in turn would relay a message to all the appliances at your home. All you had to do is let the AI on your smartphone learn from your daily routine so that you can comfortably park your car, go to a lighted and air-conditioned room and pour a cup of coffee, without even giving a single command. Sounds very science-fiction, but is a possibility.

The flipside, though, is that the machines could develop a language of their own, like it happened with the FAIR chatbots, which will be incomprehensible to you. How to ascertain what the machines are talking about and whether is it useful or not.

It will be difficult if a situation like this arises as this machine language will be based on the vast understanding of an impulse that machines can interpret with their virtually endless processing power, but something beyond human comprehension which is limited by our cognitive abilities.

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It might not be as fantastical as machines dominating the human population, but it could be uncomfortable and a little creepy.

While the pros and cons are being weighed, it has to be kept in mind that this technology is still in its nascent stage. The Facebook bots were machine learning agents, a bare inkling of what the theory of artificial intelligence encompasses. However, it will be prudent not to couple them with something which could do some damage, like weapon systems or military robots.

What do popular scientists and engineers have to say about it?

The most intelligent minds of our time are divided on whether we should allow a mind working on 1's and 0's the freedom to evolve. There are people who believe that AI could do a great deal for the humankind and some who are apprehensive about the risks.

Mark Zuckerberg, for one, believes that people who turn down AI for its supposed disadvantages are 'pretty negative, and in some ways, really irresponsible'.

On the other end of the spectrum are people like renowned scientist Stephen Hawking who believes that AI cannot be given free reign as if it starts to evolve, it will surpass the human race which is capable of evolving which its biological limitations.

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Google India today claims that it reaffirmed its commitment to help developers find success by building high quality products for India by India. In its first ever App Excellence Summit in Bengaluru, Google brought together over 700 Indian app and games developers, where the company shared tips and tools to help developers create the Android apps that are locally relevant. In addition to this, at the summit, Google also announced its 'Made in India' initiative. Indian developers can apply for a chance to have apps that are specifically optimized for the Indian market showcased on the Google Play store in India in a special section. All they have to do is apply at: g.co/play/madeforindia

Addressing the summit, Purnima Kochikar, Director, Business Development, Games & Applications, Google Play said, "At Google Play, we are committed to helping Indian developers of all sizes seize this opportunity and build successful, locally relevant businesses. A lot of what we do at Google Play is support developers' imaginations and make Android consumers aware of the amazing new experiences our developers are creating."

The majority of Indian internet users are going online primarily via their smartphones and this number is growing at a phenomenal rate. There are now more people using Android devices in India than in the US. People in India also install more than a billion apps every month from Google Play. These numbers might seem staggering already, but the number of apps installed in India has grown by 150 per cent each year. Indian consumer's expenditure on apps and games is accelerating at a rapid pace as well, tripling in just the past year alone.

The summit showcased Google Play success stories from local developers--many developers including Healthifyme, UrbanClap, RailYatri, and Dailyhunt are already building popular, locally relevant solutions through the resources, tools and support on Google Play. Attendees also got a chance to attend skill-building consultation sessions with Googlers, and visit demo booths to learn more about the latest features and products that Google has to offer the developer community. For those who were unable to attend the summit in person, but are keen to learn more, they can view the entire event at the livestream here and witness all the exciting India-specific content and announcements.

Prior to today's announcements, in 2016 Google announced Build for Billions guidelines to help developers overcome challenges such as varying network connectivity, device specifications and high data costs. The build for billions playbook is a step-by-step guide for developers to learn about the features, tools, and best practices to get apps ready to meet the needs of billions of Android users in India as well as globally.
LOGAN  For the second time in the events history, Logan was able to play host to the opening stage of the Tour of Utah. More than 120 cyclists raced 132 miles through Logan Canyon, around Bear Lake and back into Logan, gaining 6,550 feet in elevation.

Like the events first visit to Logan in 2015, hundreds of fans lined the canyon and finish line on 100 East to cheer on the riders.

American Tyler Magner won the stage by inches, finishing in 4 hours, 56 minutes and 49 seconds. British cyclist Christopher Lawless came in second and American Travis McCabe finished third.

<iframe src=https://www.youtube.com/embed/QAHIgPqbCuM frameborder=0 width=560 height=315></iframe>

The King of the Mountain competition, which rewards points for being one of the first to reach the Logan Canyon summit  both on the way to and from Bear Lake  was won by American Jacob Rathe.

The Tour will move to Brigham City for Tuesdays start, but will pass through Cache Valley as the cyclists ride around the Wellsville Mountains.
Courtesy of the Utah Department of Public Safety.

LOGAN  The Utah Highway Patrol has released dash-cam footage of last weeks fatal crash that killed a Brigham City man and sent a Rigby, Idaho, man to the hospital. The two videos show the final moments as Marcos Torres Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck crossed into oncoming traffic, hitting a semi-truck head on and bursting into flames.

The accident occurred July 26 along US-89/91, near the mouth of Sardine Canyon. The two troopers had just initiated their lights and sirens, trying to pull Torres over when the crash occurred.

Since two troopers were involved, Logan City Police officers were asked to investigate the crash. Police Chief Gary Jensen called the videos horrific and said it appears the troopers did everything right.

I dont know UHP policy, but I watched what the Highway Patrol did and everything I saw was as I would expect to be equal to our policy, Jensen said.

Minutes before the crash police dispatch operators had received several calls claiming that Torres was driving recklessly. He was travelling southbound near 6200 S when the crash occurred. Investigators believe he accelerated and ignored the troopers. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jensen said officers are still investigating why Torres swerved into the path of the semi. The videos show the crash occurring about 10 seconds after troopers began their pursuit.

What can you even formulate in your mind in 10-seconds? Let alone, get a hold of your supervisor? Let alone, go through the rules in your head of is this worth it, is it not worth it? I mean 10-seconds is nothing and literally the accident just comes out of nowhere. It is just bam.

The semi was being driven by William Bill Gray. He got out of his vehicle on fire and was extinguished by one of the troopers. He was transported by ambulance to Logan Regional Hospital and later flown to the University of Utah Hospital.

Grays family and friends have set up a <a href=https://www.gofundme.com/BillGray target=_blank>GoFundMe</a> account to raise money for him. A donation account has also been set up at all Zions Bank locations.

<hr /><p style=text-align: center;>will@cvradio.com
Hung Liu shows a body of work adopting American imagery and bold, colorful underpaintings in each work. Runs through 8/4.

Chinese artist Hung Liu underwent re-education in China, during Maos Cultural Revolution. She toiled in the fields 364 days a year for four years, before graduating from the prestigious Central Academy of Art, with cohorts the likes of Ai Wei Wei. Liu immigrated to the U.S. and has since become one of the most collectible contemporary artists of this country. Her works are in the permanent collections of every major museum from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Los Angeles County Museum.

Liu is widely known for transforming the pain and struggle of Chinese workers into quasi-imperial objects of beauty. She makes a landmark step forward in her career with this American Dream Series. For the first time, Liu turns her attention toward the purely American struggle of forced migration. Finding inspiration in Dorothea Langes iconic photography, Liu transforms Langes imagery into full color, monumental beauty. Liu says we can adopt each others children, so why not adopt each others ancestors, as well. This body of work is pivotal not only because Hung adopts American imagery, but also because she allows her Social Realist Muralist training to show through in the bold, colorful underpainting in each work.
| BY Kim Shaw |

Luke Williams (pictured near left) has been awarded Top Student at the Western Australia 2017 AWARD School graduation ceremony, which took place at Showcase Gallery  North Metropolitan TAFE in Perth on Friday night (28 July).

He is now in the running for Top Student at the National AWARD School Competition, with the chance to win a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet David Droga in NYC. The national winner will be announced on Monday 7 August in Sydney.

Second place was awarded to Cameron Jones (below left) followed by Lachlan Banton (second left) in third.

Before a crowd of industry professionals and supporters, WA AWARD School Head Paul Coghlan, Creative Director, J.Walter Thompson (near left), congratulated the class of 10 graduates on completing the 12 week intensive course.

For the judges, it came down to two main factors  and these are factors CDs take into account out in the real world. First, Lukes book was more consistent overall across all the briefs. Second, he had really fresh, surprising takes on each of the briefs. Congratulations to Luke for winning top student at WA AWARD School 2017, he said.

Coghlan also took the opportunity to thank this years lecturers, tutors and judges for their time and support over the 12 week course including:

 David Donald, Associate Creative Director, The Brand Agency

 Alida Henson, Senior Copywriter, Marketforce

 Rikki Burns, Senior Creative, Meerkats

 Wilora Keeley and Tim Newton, Senior Creatives, J.Walter Thompson.

This years five state winners from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane will have their books reviewed by the National Competition Super Jury, comprising leading creatives from around the world.

The National Competition coincides with the 30th anniversary of a teenage David Droga, Founder and Creative Chairman of renowned agency Droga5, winning Top Student at AWARD School in 1987.

To mark the occasion, AWARD School will fly the national winner to NYC to meet David Droga and to compare their winning portfolios from 1987 and 2017.
| BY Ricki Green |

Bridging together their collective talent and industry expertise to deliver a broader creative offering, two of Australias most awarded production specialists, Electric Art and Cream Studios, have merged to become Cream Electric Art.

Delivering across an expanding number of different media, Cream Electric Art is built on the foundation that innovative production service requires collaboration between trusted creative partnerships. The new team is now made up of 20 specialists with extensive experience in CGI and creative retouching, across stills, motion, interactive, VR and AR.

Cream Electric Art founders Bruce Bigelow (ex-Electric Art) and Steve York (ex-Cream Studios) believe the future of quality creative production rests on the studios ability to create striking, beautifully crafted assets that span across a range of media.

Says York: As our world of print moves into motion we knew we needed a bigger team with the same skill and vision as us. EA has always been our biggest rival so we would not have chosen anyone else. We are super excited to be working on this venture together and to be the absolute best.

Says Bigelow: Electric Art has always been about creative and technical innovation with a strong emphasis on highly crafted images and animation. Merging with Cream is about creating even better ones. Steve and I have always had a mutual respect, so when he floated the idea of merging to me, we agreed it was a no-brainer.

The merger sees Cream Electric Art working out of the Buckingham Street Surry Hills studio. The new look website is currently in development however you can take a peek here.
| BY Ricki Green |

Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia is partnering with Airbnb to give lucky adventurers an opportunity to spend a night on Cockatoo Island in the brand new Marco Polo Activity and wake up to priceless views of Sydney via The Royals.

Mercedes-Benz Vans will set up three brand new Marco Polo Activity vans on Cockatoo Island for three nights only from 10-12 August 2017. Nine adventurous couples will have the unique opportunity to book through Airbnb and experience a one night stay in the Marco Polo Activity with a perfect view of Sydney Harbour, for the small cost of the booking fee (AUD$15).

The Marco Polo Activity is a luxurious five to seven seater van with a roof that can pop-up and back seats that fold down to ensure a wonderful nights sleep. It gives you freedom to do whatever you want whenever, and more importantly, go wherever you want. Styled by Megan Morton, Australias leading stylist and celebrated author, guests will enjoy a modern glamping interior with a signature Morton touch. All guests will have a dedicated host on hand to assist with everything they might need to enjoy their stay, and will receive delicious hampers and breakfast provided by Sonoma.

Says Diane Tarr, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia and New Zealand says the brand likes to do things a little differently: The Marco Polo Activity combines the best of functionality, flexibility and recreational capabilities in one vehicle.

Instead of a regular vehicle launch, we wanted to bring the spirit of the Marco Polo to life  the feeling of adventure, and the notion that with the Marco Polo Activity you can experience truly unique destinations. What better way to do this than to wake up with the most iconic view in the world  Sydney harbour. Were truly excited to be collaborating with our agency partners, The Royals and Character, to create this once-in-a-lifetime experience on Airbnb.

Says Sam McDonagh, country manager for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand: Airbnb connects people with unique travel experiences all around the world so they can belong anywhere. We are delighted to be teaming up with Mercedes-Benz Vans to bring this once-in-a-lifetime experience to a few lucky guests, offering them an opportunity to spend the night on the world heritage-listed Cockatoo Island and wake up to one of the most breathtaking views in the world.
| BY Ricki Green |

Ogilvy is set to bolster its creative firepower with the hiring of multi award-winning Aussie expats, Lisa Fedyszyn and Jonathan McMahon.

After multiple years working in New Zealand, Fedyszyn and McMahon have spent the past two years at Droga5 New York, where they have worked on clients such as Toyota, Sprint, Kraft and Chase bank. They are now returning to Auckland to take up group creative director roles at Ogilvy, supporting executive creative director, Regan Grafton.

Says Grafton: Its great to have such high calibre talent coming back into the New Zealand market, and Im excited for them to be joining the Ogilvy team. Lisa and Jonno are a rare breed, combining brilliant creativity, passion for the business and are all around good guys.

Previous to New York they were creative directors at TBWA in Auckland and before that they enjoyed successful stints at DDB and Colenso, as well as spending two years as the national heads of AWARD School. During their time in New Zealand they charged male politicians 10% more than women for their morning coffee to bring awareness to pay inequality, made one of Australias most celebrated sportsmen play second fiddle to a burger for McDonalds, squeezed 60 scenes in a 60 second spot for Sky Television and proved New Zealands top creative leaders do lie in award videos after strapping them to lie detectors for the Effie Awards. They also once hid novels in Word and PowerPoint documents so employees could read books at work.

Says McMahon: Its fantastic to be returning to Auckland and of course starting at Ogilvy. Having previously worked with Regan, and thoroughly enjoying it, we know the agency is in great creative hands. We cant wait to get stuck in to the fantastic brands they have and help contribute to the agencys success.
| BY Ricki Green |

The One Club for Creativity, producers of the prestigious One Show Awards, ADC Annual Awards and Creative Week, will induct five new members into the Creative Hall of Fame including Wieden+Kennedy global co-CCO Susan Hoffman (above, left) and BBDO Worldwide CCO and chairman of BBDO North America David Lubars (above, right).

Other new members to be inducted include Rebeca Mendez and Tom Burrell to the Creative Hall of Fame and Diane Cook-Tench will be named to the Educators Hall of Fame.

The Creative Hall of Fame has a rich heritage of honoring the lifetime achievements of creative luminaries in advertising and design, such as Mary Wells, David Ogilvy, Bill Bernbach and Lee Clow. The first inductee was Leo Burnett in 1961.

Says Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of The One Club for Creativity: The Creative Hall of Fame is the ultimate recognition of a storied career as a creative professional, and our newest inductees are being honored because of their significant impacts on the advertising and design industries. These are creatives whose work has transcended advertising, influencing pop culture, uplifting African-American culture, laying the groundwork for the next generation of creatives, and even influencing thought and action on climate change. They are titans of our industry.

Hoffman has created some of Wieden+Kennedys most memorable work in more than three decades at the agency, including one Nike spot that pretty much ruined the Beatles for everybody. She famously opened W+K London and W+K Amsterdam, and has intermittently served as executive creative director for the Portland, New York and Delhi offices. As co-chief creative officer, Hoffman currently oversees the entire global network.

David Lubars is chief creative officer, BBDO Worldwide and chairman of BBDO North America. In the 13 years since Lubars joined BBDO, he has helped transform the agency into the most creatively awarded in the world and a recipient of more than 15 Agency of the Year recognitions by various industry publications. His work for BMW Films changed what was thought of as advertising forever. He was named one of the top ten creative directors of all time in a recent story published in Forbes CMO Network.

Rebeca Mendez is an artist, designer, and professor at UCLA, Design Media Arts, where she is director of the CounterForce Lab, a research and fieldwork studio dedicated to using art and design to develop creative collaborations, new fields of study, and methods to research, create, and execute projects around the social and ecological impacts of anthropocene climate change.

Tom Burrell launched what is now Burrell Communications in 1971. By understanding and highlighting the positive aspects of black American culture, Burrell changed the face of American advertising. A collection of Burrells advertisements for Coca-Cola is archived at the Library of Congress for its cultural and historical significance.

Diane Cook-Tench is the founding director of Virginia Commonwealth Universitys grad school, the Brandcenter. Today, the VCU Brandcenter boasts a league of alumni that lead major brand work across the world. Prior to teaching, Cook-Tench won over 100 national and international awards for her creative work.
| BY Ricki Green |

Tourism Australia and BuzzFeed Australia are on the hunt for the next generation of visual storytellers from around the world to join the first ever BuzzFeed Mateship program, a once-in-lifetime fellowship and travel program that will see the Mates work, travel and capture content across Australia.

Tourism Australias partnership with BuzzFeed forms part of a new campaign set to launch in October, aimed at putting Australia back on the map as a memorable and desirable youth destination.

Eight young travellers and aspiring content creators from the UK, Germany, Italy and France will be flown to Australia for a three-month road trip to discover and report on some of the most unique, eye-opening and breathtaking experiences across the country for both Tourism Australia and BuzzFeed.com social channels.

Known as the BuzzFeed Mates, they will head off-the-beaten-track to discover some of Australias very best local culture, festivals, surf breaks, food and wine offerings. They will be given a bespoke itinerary filled with things that appeal to the young traveller, like swinging on the worlds fastest Minjin jungle swing in Cairns, enjoying world class music acts at one of Australias many summer festivals or discovering ancient watering holes in Kakadu National Park.

Throughout the program, the Mates will learn to create spectacular digital content and master social storytelling whilst being mentored by the BuzzFeed Australia editorial team and Tourism Australia. Each Mate will be tasked with documenting their experiences and sharing them with the world on dedicated BuzzFeed social feeds.

Says John OSullivan, managing director, Tourism Australia: As far as working holidays go, I think youd have to go a long way to beat this. Its the road trip to end all road trips.

Says Simon Crerar, editor-in-chief and general manager, BuzzFeed Australia: Were excited to partner with Tourism Australia to give our audience around the world the opportunity to come and embed with the BuzzFeed Australia team, learn new creative skills and see the best of what this country has to offer. Its truly the opportunity of a lifetime, and we cant wait to see what the BuzzFeed Mates create.

Says Danny Bass, CEO, UM Australia: We know how important it is for Australias economy to entice the worlds youth to visit and work in Australia, thats why were proud and excited to have facilitated this global-first partnership between Tourism Australia and Buzzfeed. Buzzfeed are true experts in youth culture and through the creation of this new mutually beneficial initiative and ongoing content program we hope to attract more young people here than ever before.

Entries for the Buzzfeed Mateship program are open to applicants from the UK, Germany, Italy and France. The entries are open from 2-18 August to creative professionals and enthusiasts alike. Application details can be found online at buzzfeed.com/jobs.
| BY Lynchy |

In the latest of several senior talent acquisitions, McCann Worldgroup Malaysia has hired Adrian Ho as Creative Director. Reporting to Ng Heok Seong, the agencys CCO, Ho will be responsible for running the Celcom account.

Ho (pictured) returns to McCann Worldgroup with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, having worked his way up from Junior Designer to Creative Group Head at some of Malaysias best-known agencies in the interim, including, Batey Ads, EuroRSCG, BBDO, Publicis and Arachnid Interactive.

Ho has worked in many different parts of Asia Pacific on a wide range of clients, notably Maxis, Sara Lee, Mondelez Twisties, Volvo, ANZ Bank, Coca-Cola, Nokia and Unilever.

Interestingly, Ho took a short hiatus away from the industry, to pursue his love of music, opening a club in China with a focus on youth. He has also pursued turn-tabling, spinning at Kuala Lumpurs hottest clubs under the guise of DJ Rksksa.

Its fantastic to attract a talent like Adrian. His rich and diverse experience will be an interesting addition to our agency, said Sean Sim, CEO of McCann Worldgroup Malaysia. Adrian is very plugged into the youth market and will definitely be at the forefront of all our youth-centric campaigns.
Get out your blue suede shoes Friday night for an Elvis-themed evening at the National Film and Sound Archive, to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of The King himself. From 5.30pm there's an Elvis-themed edition of the Vinyl Lounge - take along your favourite LPs or just sit back and listen. Free entry. Then from 7.15pm, Elvis: That's the Way it is, will screen in the Arc Cinema. The documentary follows the King's 1969 concert comeback, will screen in the Arc Cinema. Tickets $5 from nfsa.gov.au/events/elvis-thats-way-it.
"However, there is now some concern about their impact, being introduced species," writes Pure referring to a University of Tasmania research project which is "examining the impact that lyrebirds have on leaf litter and soil invertebrate communities both directly through predation and indirectly through changes to habitat brought about by foraging."
She tried to call for help but Baker knocked the phone out of her hands with the firearm before pressing the gun into the side of her head as he demanded she open the safe.
"What we have seen today is unacceptable for any college on this campus and we need to hold ourselves - every part of this university - up to external scrutiny so we are better," Professor Schmidt said.
Now, Foy has called a meeting for August 7 to approve a restructure of the company, which would see Foy acquire the assets of an associated company, Integrated Energy Solutions, which owns the waste to energy technology that Foy plans to use. Three of the four Integrated Energy directors are also directors of Foy, and the biggest shareholder of Integrated Energy, with 49 per cent, is Paul Dickson, who owns 10 per cent of Foy.
This is anathema in a democracy where all persons are equal before the law and every individual's vote counts as much as anybody else's. Such donations also contribute to a "presidential" style of campaigning with smaller parties and independents at risk of being drowned out by those with deep pockets.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ...
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Just as Toyota Motor Philippines updated the specs of the Hilux pickup truck , theyve done the same for the Fortuner as well.
The 2017 Honda Clarity Electric has begun arriving at dealerships in California and Oregon.



Looking virtually identical to the Clarity Fuel Cell, the Clarity Electric will be available to lease for $269 per month with a $1,730 down payment. The 36 month lease factors in the federal tax credit for eco-friendly vehicles and provides buyers with 24/7 roadside assistance as well as a mileage allotment of 20,000 miles (32,186 km) per year.

Motivation is provided by a 25.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack which feeds an electric motor that develops 161 hp (120 kW) and 221 lb-ft (299 Nm) of torque. This enables the model to travel approximately 89 miles (143 km) on a single charge and have an EPA fuel economy rating of 126 MPGe city /103 MPGe highway / 114 MPGe combined.

Since the cars range is extremely limited, drivers will be happy to know the battery can be fully recharged in around three hours using a 240 volt fast charger. The same system can also deliver an 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes.

While the Clarity Electric isnt without its compromises, the model comes nicely equipped with perforated leather seats, a dual-zone automatic climate control system, and an 8-inch Display Audio system with GPS navigation. Drivers will also find adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and a push-button ignition.

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Theres a grand old tradition in motorsports of the winning drivers drinking champagne on the podium, and spraying each other down with it in the process. But Formula One being what Formula One is these days, theyre not just using any old bottle of bubbly. At least not anymore.



The series has signed a new deal with Champagne Carbon, a French vintner which has been supplying the sparkling wine for the podiums at the past few grands prix, and which has now made the relationship official.

Though its a relatively new label, Carbon has roots in the production of champagne stretching back hundreds of years. The bubbly its supplying is Vintage 2009 Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Millesime, made from 100% chardonnay grapes. But the novelty here is not whats in the bottles, but the bottles themselves.

While French law prohibits changing the shape of champagne bottles, Carbon coats their in a layer of real carbon fiber thats said to take the craftsmen a full week to produce in a 21-step process. The result looks fitting for F1, and each bottle on the podium has its own unique label: gold for the winner, silver for the runner-up, and bronze for third place. And as youd expect, theyre suitably expensive: a standard-size 750ml bottle of Carbon champagne goes for about $500, but a 1.5-liter magnum like the ones theyre using on the podium cost nearly $3,000. Go even bigger with a 6-liter Methuselah and youll be looking at over $8k, with a 15-liter Nebuchadnezzar nearing $50k.

Tradition, mystique, celebration and taste are common characteristics of both Formula 1 and Champagne Carbon, said F1 commercial director Sean Bratches. The unique feature of a bottle made with carbon, the material so representative of the amazing technology in our sport, is a further element that makes Champagne Carbon the perfect product for the drivers to celebrate with on a Formula 1 Grand Prix podium.

Prior to Carbons arrival on the podium, the bubbly was provided by Chandon, which also sponsors the McLaren team, but is considered to produce sparkling wine, not actual champagne since the winery is located in California, not France. Theyll probably continue using sparkling non-alcoholic rosewater in stricter Muslim countries. But with Bahrain and Istanbul long since dropped from the calendar, and Malaysia and Azerbaijan decidedly more liberal on the subject, that comes down only to Abu Dhabi.

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If you look at the dozens upon dozens of concept cars rolling out each year and ponder which is the best among them, theres an organization that can help you with that. Its the International Automotive Media Registry, and every year it visits the Concours dElegance of America at St. Johns to hand out the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year awards.



This year marked the 16th edition of the awards, and they were handed out in three distinct categories: Production Preview Concepts, Concept Cars, and Concept Trucks.

The Jaguar I-Pace won in the first category, beating out the Infiniti QX50, Subaru Ascent, and Volkswagen Passat GT. This marks the third time that Jaguar has taken the category. The Concept Car award went to the Aston Martin for the first time for its Valkyrie concept, beating out the Cadillac Escala, Chrysler Portal, and Nissan V-motion 2.0. Finally the truck award was split between the Genesis GV80 and the VW I.D. Buzz, which tied to overshadow the Lincoln Navigator, and Toyota FT-4X.

With the highest score among the jurists, the I-Pace also took the Most Significant Concept Vehicle of 2017 prize over the Aston, the Genesis, and the Volkswagen, marking the second time Jaguar has taken the top prize back from the concours in Plymouth, Michigan. Last years top award, in case youre wondering, went to the Buick Avista (alongside the Hyundai Ioniq and VW Budd-e). Before that the Ford GT won out over the Mercedes F 015 and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

At the same time, the 25th International Automotive Media Competition honored MotorWeeks 35th Anniversary Special, and former Car and Driver editor Csaba Csere was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Moving a major automaker out from under one groups umbrella to another doesnt happen overnight, but five months is pretty darn quick. Thats all the time its taken to complete the transfer of Opel from the General Motors to the PSA Group.



In a deal first announced just this past March, GM has sold Opel  which has served as its European division since 1929  to PSA, the French auto group that already encompasses the Peugeot, Citroen, and DS brands. The addition of the Opel and Vauxhall marques brings the portfolio up to five brands.

It is a historic day, said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller. We are proud to join Groupe PSA and are now opening a new chapter in our history after 88 years with General Motors. We will continue our path of making technology `made in Germany available to everyone.

Following regulatory approval from the European Union last month, PSA becomes the second largest automaker in Europe (behind Volkswagen), with 17 percent combined market share. Its largest shareholders remain the Peugeot family, the French government, and Chinese automaker Dongfeng, each of which holds 13.68 percent in the company.

The announcement includes four new appointments in Christian Muller (VP engineering), Remi Girardon (VP manufacturing), Philippe de Rovira (CFO), and Michelle Wen (VP purchasing and supply chain).

We are witnessing the birth of a true European champion today, said PSA chairman Carlos Tavares. Opel will remain German, Vauxhall will remain British. They are the perfect fit to our existing portfolio of French brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles. GM President Dan Ammann called the sale another bold step to enable the American giant to sharply focus our resources on higher-return opportunities as we expand our technical and business leadership in the future of mobility.

The only part of the equation still up in the air is the transfer of GMs European Financial arm, which will be jointly acquired by PSA and banking giant BNP Paribas later this year, pending regulatory approval.

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Photo: Dave Ogilvie

A crash involving a motorcycle backed up highway traffic Monday afternoon in Peachland.

The crash happened not long after 2 p.m., near the bottom of Drought Hill, in the southbound lanes of Highway 97.

The rider apparently suffered minor injuries.

Traffic was backed up towards the Okanagan Connector junction.

Police and paramedics were on the scene.
Photo: Oliver Fire and Rescue

A pair of women were stranded on an island north of of Oliver in the Okanagan River, after losing their tubes in aggressive water.

Oliver firefighters were called about 2 p.m. Monday to rescue the women, after a family member called 911 from shore, according to OFD spokesman Rob Graham.

"We responded by swimming over with a couple of our rescuers and outfitted them with some personal flotation devices, and then we used rescue ropes to get them back to shore," Graham said.

The women didn't suffer any injuries, but were embarrassed by the ordeal.

"They were OK," said Graham. "They were just sitting on the edge of the bank of that island. They weren't in any distress or any injury. They just didn't really have a safe way of getting back across."

The fire department urges the public to be cautious because water is still high, and there are lots of places people can become trapped or entangled in rocks, branches or downed trees.
I am a taxpayer, on all three levels, federal, provincial, municipal. Me and thousands of others. Sadly we/I, live on the wrong end of town (Kelowna), the very wrong side of the tracks. Literally.

My point? As a daily commuter to work into Kelowna proper, I drive the back road from Beaver Lake up onto the Glenmore back road. Me and thousands of others. Kelowna city council is so focused on making downtown Kelowna and the Mission area (where rich people live) happy and satisfied, that they are throwing the rest of Kelowna's residents/taxpayers (on the very northern boundary of Kelowna) to the fire limits (into the possible fires) by not addressing the two-lane roadway into Kelowna from any fire/s. Even the Fort McMurray people had wider roadways to flee on.



The city of Kelowna really needs to put a drone in the sky and see the traffic volume on those roads, and realize the impact roadside fires can take, and how evacuations/traffic flow/emergency vehicles would cope when there is a fire right alongside the road from the bottom of Beaver Lake Road to Glenmore proper. Put the drone in the sky at 2:30pm every day for a week, when businesses start releasing their workers from some of the largest people employers in town.

Please, please, please and thank you, from the thousands of Beaver Lake/Glenmore residents!

Catherine Knox
Photo: Chantelle Deacon

UPDATE 4:05 p.m.

The Skaha Lake Marina says the employee of Penticton Parasail that was on the boat when it exploded into flames has now been released from hospital, "and will be OK."

In a Facebook post, the marina thanked the emergency responders for their quick response.

"We are closed for the remainder of the day, but will be open tomorrow for regular business," the post reads.

UPDATE: 12:30 p.m.

There was a loud "explosion," when a parasailing boat was taken over by flames at Skaha Lake Marina Tuesday morning, says Brandon Skinner, a bystander.

Penticton Fire Department arrived shortly after 11:00 a.m., to find a boat completely engulfed in flames. Many people on the beach "heard a large bang and there was a big fireball," according to fire captain Rae Simpson.

"They were about to go out working. They fired up the engine and they tried to move it and then there was an explosion," he said. "There was one male on the boat at the time of the explosion who is being treated for minor injuries."

The victim was being treated by B.C. Ambulance at the scene.

The boat is "pretty much" destroyed and the flames slightly burned the side of a pontoon boat parked next to it.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A parasailing boat at the Skaha Lake Marina in Penticton burst into flames Tuesday morning.

Fire crews were called to the marina around 11 a.m., arriving to find the boat fully engulfed.

Firefighters made quick work of the blaze, knocking it down and keeping it contained to the single boat. An adjacent pontoon boat sustained some minor damage due to the flames.

No word yet on the cause of the fire.

Castanet will update as more information becomes available.
Photo: Contributed File photo of Teneycke leaving the Penticton Courthouse in May 2017

The dangerous offender hearing for Ronald Teneycke has been derailed by a recent cancer diagnoses for the notorious criminal and sex offender.

As expected, defence lawyer Michael Welsh requested an adjournment immediately after the Crown wrapped its case Tuesday, one day after Welsh informed the court of Teneyckes newly discovered cancer.

I will be seeking a medical opinion with respect to Mr. Teneycke and the nature of his cancer, treatment options and prognosis, he said, adding he will need to look into what treatment options would be available in the federal corrections system.

Judge Richard Hewson pushed back slightly, pointing to the severity of Teneyckes latest crimes  armed robbery and shooting a man in the back  stating he would be sent to prison regardless.

Practically speaking, what difference is the medical opinion going to be to me in making that decision? Hewson asked.

Welsh responded that if the prognosis is poor, there might not be much a point in putting the dangerous offender status on Teneycke if he is going to die soon anyways. Because the Crown had wrapped their case and did not oppose the adjournment, the judge granted it.

Prior to the adjournment, the courtroom heard from probation officer Mike Kent, who supervised Teneycke between Nov. 2012 and Mar. 2014. He told the courtroom Teneycke was consistently resistant to sex offender and substance abuse treatment. Kent also testified that he witnessed rapid weight loss in Teneycke, 70lbs in two months, related to suspected methamphetamine use.

A dangerous offender label is one of the most serious sentences that can be applied to a person, as it allows the court to give an indeterminate-length jail sentence, and up to 10-years of supervision if the offender is ever released.

Teneycke has a lengthy and violent criminal record, including convictions for sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and uttering threats, in connection to the rape of an Okanagan teenager in 1993. He served 12-years for that crime and has been in-and-out of prison since.

The conclusion of the hearing will take place some time this fall.
Photo: pixabay

Off-road motorized vehicle use and smoking has been banned in all public wooded areas and bush within City of Penticton limits, West Bench and Penticton Indian Band lands.

The City of Penticton announced a fire bylaw order Tuesday due to extreme wildfire risk.

Given the provincial state of emergency and and the current extreme conditions in the community, we feel that it is necessary to take this next step in wildfire prevention, Fire Chief Larry Watkinson said.

The closures extended to all natural areas, including the KVR trail.

We really appreciate the support of the community in adhering to the Fire Bylaw Order and reducing the risk of fire in the region, Watkinson added.

The Fire Department took similar steps for a property off Carmi Ave. last month.
Photo: Google Street View Salmon River Bridge

Evasive action by one motorist prevented what could have been a tragic collision on the Trans-Canada Highway near Salmon Arm, Tuesday morning.

Police were called to the Salmon River Bridge for a report of a two-vehicle crash shortly before 1 a.m.

Investigators say an Ontario-registered truck with three people on board was heading west on the highway while an Alberta-registered truck with a lone male driver was heading east.

The Alberta vehicle apparently crossed the centre line, hitting the other truck.

Both vehicles sustained significant damage, however, none of the four occupants was taken to hospital.

"The resulting investigation and information from a witness who was travelling on the highway at the time

resulted in a ticket for driving without due care and attention to the male driver of the Alberta-registered

vehicle," said Staff Sgt. Scott West.
Photo: File photo More than 100 Mexican firefighters are coming to the aid of BC wildfire crews.

Help is coming from the United States and Mexico in the fight against B.C. wildfires.

In all, 108 wildfire personnel from Mexico will arrive this week, and are expected to be deployed to wildfires in the Interior on Friday. This is the first time Mexican firefighters have come to B.C.

As well, 27 firefighters from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan were brought in over the weekend.

"Given the severity of B.C. wildfires this year, we greatly appreciate the ability to draw on personnel from beyond our borders. We thank all incoming crews, as well as all our B.C. crews and contractors in their ongoing firefighting efforts, said Doug Donaldson, minister of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development.

The cost of bringing in the international resources will be covered by the provincial government.

Hot and dry weather conditions have kept a persistently high fire danger rating throughout B.C.

Firefighting crews are on stand by in all six of B.C.'s fire centres in preparation for an anticipated increase in fire starts over the next few days due to unsettled weather in the forecast, which may bring lightning.
Photo: Twitter

British Columbia's police complaints commissioner has ordered a public hearing into the actions of a Vancouver constable over a complaint of abuse of authority.

A Vancouver man contacted the commissioner saying he believed police entered his home unlawfully after he found a man in his laundry room in November 2015.

The complainant said he asked the stranger who he was, and the man flashed his badge, started questioning him, said he was under arrest, searched the home, then left without an explanation.

A Vancouver police discipline authority found Const. Brian Hobbs committed two acts of abuse of authority by unlawfully entering the man's home and by placing the resident in handcuffs.

But Commissioner Stan Lowe says the superintendent went beyond the Police Act in his finding and the complainant didn't testify so the ability to search for truth in the proceeding has been hampered.

Lowe says there is a reasonable basis to believe the discipline authority's findings are incorrect and a public hearing is necessary.
Photo: Contributed

Three Penticton residents well-known to police have been arrested after being chased down by police.

A stolen blue 2003 Pontiac Montana van, occupied by two men and one female was located on Penticton Ave. Monday at about 9:30 a.m. The van was recently reported stolen from an Arnott Place home in Penticton.

Police followed the vehicle down to Manitoba St. where the occupants attempted to flee on foot. The officers chased down and arrested the group, but not before one male dropped his backpack carrying bolt cutters, according to Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth.

"The female was found with suspected methamphetamine," he said.

A 32-year-old man will likely face two charges of possession of stolen property, while the woman, 52, will face charges of possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance.

The other suspect, a 33-year-old man, is charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, possession of stolen property and possession of break-in tools.
Photo: Wayne Moore Ben Stewart, shown here announcing he was stepping down as MLA, in June 2013.

Ben Stewart is hoping to make a return to politics.

The former MLA and cabinet minister says he's seeking the BC Liberal Party nomination for the Kelowna West riding.

The seat will officially become vacant Friday, when party leader Christy Clark officially steps down.

A date has yet to be set for a byelection.

Stewart was first elected in the riding of Westside-Kelowna in 2009. He served in three different cabinet positions under then-premier Gordon Campbell, most notably as agriculture minister.

He served as minister of citizens' services and open government after Clark became premier.

Stewart was re-elected in 2013, but three weeks later agreed to step aside to provide Clark a safe riding to run in after she lost in her home riding on election night.

Four months later, he was handed the post of investment and trade commissioner to Asia. He remained on the job for three years before resigning last year.

It was a genuine honour and love to work for the families and constituents of Westside Kelowna, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve again, he said in a brief statement announcing his intention to reclaim the seat.

The party has yet to formally announce a date for a nomination meeting.
Photo: Contributed Historic Hat Creek Ranch near Cache Creek is on evacuation alert.

A piece of British Columbia history is under threat from wildfire.

Historic Hat Creek Ranch, 14 kilometres north of Cache Creek, has been placed on evacuation alert while the community of 16 Mile has been ordered evacuated.

An employee at Hat Creek said they were packing things up and getting ready to leave at a moment's notice.

There are a lot of people helping right now, she said frantically Tuesday afternoon before getting off of the telephone.

Hat Creek Ranch was one of the stopping points for people hoping to strike it rich in the Cariboo Gold Rush.

It features an historic hotel and numerous other buildings as well as cattle and other farm animals.

This is the second time fire has threatened the ranch this year.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
Looking to diversify its export business, the Pacific Northwest port is helping send cattle to Vietnam as part of the countrys glass of milk per child per day program that aims to ease childhood malnutrition.



COURTESY OF THE PORT OF OLYMPIA

The Port of Olympia, which up until now has been best known for the export of logs, is trying to make its mark exporting a much different commoditylivestock. Its a market in which few ports on the West Coast, or even throughout the United States, have more than a toehold.

In late June, the port facilitated the export of over 1,600 head of cattle to the southeast Asian country of Vietnam, a country of 93 million people that borders China. It was the second such shipment this year through Olympia and the third since 2015.

This is just one way that were helping to diversify the cargo here at the Port of Olympia. Diversification of cargo is important to us, and obviously logs is our base here, but having other cargoes come in like the cattle, [gives us more] varied cargoes, port spokeswoman Julie Foglia-Jones told American Shipper.



The cattle are just one way

that were helping to diversify

the cargo here at the

Port of Olympia,

which is important to us.

Julie Foglia-Jones,

spokesperson,

Port of Olympia

Diversification has become increasingly important at smaller ports, where revenues have fallen in recent years for multiple reasons. One reason for Olympia is that it finished 2016 with a financial deficit of about $2.6 million. In 2015, the port brought in $9.7 million in revenue, much lower than the projected $14.8 million, due in part to a drop in global oil prices.

This year, the port has said it expects to receive just under $12 million in operating income, with about $4.4 million of that coming from marine terminal operations.

Per Child Per Day. The cows helping to bring in a portion of that revenue are being exported to Asia from the U.S. as part of a Vietnamese effort to reduce malnutrition among children. The countrys government formed a partnership with Missouri-based livestock and agriculture supplier Clayton Agri-Marketing, and to date, three shipments have departed out of the Port of Olympiain June and April of this year, as well as an initial shipment in late 2015.

Vietnam has launched a program where theyre really increasing their dairy production quite significantly through their glass of milk per child per day program, Port of Olympia Marine Terminal Director Len Faucher explained in a recent interview with American Shipper. So the customer came to a stevedore and ourselves and presented an opportunity to move 1,400 head of heifers, and that first shipment happened in November of 2015.

The most recent shipment consisted of 1,650 cattle, according to Port of Olympia terminal services assistant Conley Booth, while the April and November 2015 shipments held about 2,160 and 1,440 head, respectively. The April shipment was the largest ever for cattle crossing the Pacific Ocean, according to the port, and exporting such a large number of live animals presents some unique challenges.

The cows are the most important, and everybodys attention is on that. However, Id say from a logistics sense, its all the other materials that create the biggest headaches, Faucher said.

Among those headaches are transporting food and bedding for the animals to the vessel.

Weve got feed companies that are providing feed products. Hay, the truckers that are transporting that over to that facility. Rail was involved in the April shipment. And USDA has been asked and tasked to do some different activities. Theres a lot of hours that are going to jobs here in the area, he said.

According to port estimates, longshore workers put in about 272 manpower hours over the course of each loading.

The livestock have been brought in to Olympia from various states, including Washington, California and Idaho, Foglia-Jones said.

Basically, this is usually a two-day load, where they have to load the feed, the bedding, all the necessities that are required on board for the cattleon Day 1, before the cattle are loaded the next day, Faucher said. Weve got our local ILWU, Local 47, fantastic labor force here, and they take care of all the manning for us on the ship and shore side.

The customer is very active to make sure this is done right, he added. USDA will be present because theyll have veterinarians on board to make sure everything is done properly. A lot of different people are significant players involved in this.

The vessel used during the June 22-23 loading and subsequent sailing was the Angus Express, a 337-foot, Philippines-flagged livestock carrier. Like the two vessels used in the previous exportsthe Singapore-flagged, 442-foot Ganado Express and 273-foot Falconiathe ship can make the trip from the Port of Olympia to Vietnam in about three weeks. Although the Falconia could only transport up to 1,500 head of livestock, the subsequent vessels had enough room for up to 4,000, according to the port.

USDA Oversight. Faucher said many steps are taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture before the animals board the vessels to ensure that theyre as healthy as possible before making the trip.

This is mandated, regulated and operated by the USDA throughout the entire process, he explained. For example, the USDAs involved right at the get go. When the ship pulls in, theres a full inspectionprobably a two, three-hour inspectionwhere they check to make sure all the stalls are completely clean, they ensure that all the areas for the bulk feed and hay are all clean and ready to go.

They check all the bins that are going to be associated with feeding the cows during the process to make sure those are all in good shape. They check ventilation systems, backup ventilation systems and all the different attributes to ensure that the cattle are going to be treated as humanely as possible during their voyage, he said. To go with that, USDA veterinarians are brought out to inspect that cattle in a holding area, said Faucher. So there is a process in which these cattle are organized together and theyre brought in for a quarantine period to ensure that theyre not with any other cows spreading any illness. Each of them are inspected at the farm and inspected again before they go on board the trucks to come over to the port. Theres quite a thorough process to make sure that each of these heifers are in really good, pristine condition, ready to go, and that the ship is going to give them the safest, cleanest and most humane voyage possible.

The Port of Olympia is by no means the first or the only seaport to engage in the livestock export business. On the U.S. East Coast, the Port of Wilmington in Delaware is the primary gateway handling shipments headed eastbound across the Atlantic Ocean. And Faucher noted some ports in the U.S. Gulf Coast have also been involved in the trade. But Olympia is the one seaport east of the Mississippi thats actively looking to make a mark in the trade by positioning itself as a West Coast livestock export specialist.

Not only is the port less than an hour away from a USDA-approved quarantine facility, it has a 76,000-square-foot covered dry-storage warehouse that can be used for storage of hay, bedding and feed, plus a designated mobile harbor crane available for moving breakbulk feed and bedding.

At the end of the day, it looks like this is an increasing market that the port can be a part of, Faucher said. And we want to make sure were able to facilitate it and take care of those customer needs.
A western New York Republican congressman wants to limit the ability of states to regulate rifles and shotguns  and he's taking aim at the SAFE Act, a major gun control measure adopted in New York in 2013.

U.S. Rep. Chris Collins introduced the Second Amendment Guarantee Act that would prevent states from enacting gun control measures that are more restrictive than existing federal statutes.

Collins' bill would apply to rifles, shotguns and "any part of the weapon including any detachable magazine or ammunition feeding device and any type of pistol grip or stock design," according to a news release.

The bill would void any state or local regulations for rifles and shotguns that exceed federal laws. If an individual successfully challenges state violations of the measure in court, they will receive "reasonable" attorneys fees and additional damages.

"This legislation would protect the Second Amendment rights of New Yorkers that were unjustly taken away by Andrew Cuomo," Collins, R-Clarence, said. "I am a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment and have fought against all efforts to condemn these rights."

Collins said the SAFE Act's ban on rifles and shotguns with "military-style features" and the provision limiting magazines to seven rounds would be void under his bill.

A federal judge upheld the expanded assault weapons ban in the SAFE Act. A separate judge ruled against the high capacity magazine limit. That decision was upheld by a federal appellate court.

As expected, Collins' bill drew criticism from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The governor pushed for the SAFE Act after two mass shootings  the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and the Christmas Eve ambush that claimed the lives of two firefighters in West Webster near Rochester.

In a statement, Cuomo noted that the SAFE Act passed the state Legislature with bipartisan support. The Republicans who supported the measure included current Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan.

Cuomo called Collins' bill a "blatant political ploy" and accused the Buffalo-area congressman of putting New Yorkers at risk.

"By fighting to roll back vital legislation that protects the people of the Empire State, Collins is demonstrating once again that he is beholden to no one but the gun lobby and entrenched special interests," Cuomo said.

Collins has butted heads with Cuomo before. Along with U.S. Rep. John Faso, a fellow New Yorker, he introduced an amendment to the Republicans' health care bill that would cut off federal Medicaid support for New York if counties continue to pay into the program.

Cuomo said the provision amounted to a tax hike on New Yorkers. He repeatedly claimed that the state would lose billions if the Collins-Faso amendment was adopted.

Collins' bill targeting gun control measures faces legislative hurdles. There's no guarantee it would advance out of the House. It would face more uncertainty in the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority.
The Auburn Enlarged City School District has selected Amanda Simmons as the new Genesee Elementary School principal, according to a district press release.

Simmons was appointed to the position at a district school board meeting late last month. New William H. Seward Elementary School Principal Amy Mahunik was appointed at the same meeting.

Simmons is currently serving as Solvay Union Free School District's 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant Director, according to the press release.

She had also served as an administrative intern at Solvay Elementary School and as a literacy coordinator for the same elementary school.

Simmons also has a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership, a masters in literacy education (birth-grade 6), bachelors in elementary education and certifications in school building leadership, literacy (birth-grade 6), and childhood education (pre K-grade 6)

I am an optimistic, motivated, and energetic leader who has spent my entire career devoted to the educational advancement of children, Simmons said in the press release. I am passionate about people and relationships, instruction, and literacy.

The resignation of departing Genesee principal Stacey Cummings was approved at a late June school board meeting.
Along with a number of leading Danish industrial companies, Aarhus University has opted out of the patent rat race in a new collaboration on industrially relevant basic research. Researchers and companies from all over Denmark publish all their results and data on the innovative Open Science platform, where the information is available free of charge to everyone interested.

The Open Science platform breaks the barriers that make it difficult and expensive for companies to gain access to - or become familiar with - the part of basic university research that is most relevant for them.

It also provides new answers to a number of the major challenges facing basic research - not least in Denmark - where both researchers and grant givers focus increasingly on safe bets, and give low priority to research projects that run the risk of not being able to pay off in the long run.

The platform has been established with funds from the Danish Industry Foundation, it combines basic research with industrial innovation in a completely new way, ensuring that industry, and the universities get greater benefit from each other's knowledge and technology.

University researchers and companies collaborate across the board to create fundamental new knowledge that is constantly made available to everyone - and which nobody may patent. Subsequently, however, everyone may freely use the knowledge to develop and patent their own unique products.

Boosting risk tolerance

Dean Niels Chr. Nielsen, Science and Technology, Aarhus University, regards the Open Science platform as a strong response to several of the major challenges facing the research and business sectors - and thereby society.

"Public and private institutions and foundations protect their research investments by focusing on safe bets. Either by favouring applied research with a high probability of commercial success, or by ensuring that our research centres keep to clearly defined benchmarks that control the flow of funds and time - but do not allow room to explore unexpected opportunities that arise during the process," he says.

"The paradox seems to be that we don't like investing in unorthodox or complex ideas because of the high risk that they won't eventuate. At the same time, however, society can't afford to turn our universities into factories that are occupied with small and self-evident ideas," adds the dean.

Great interest

The idea of collaborating in such a patent-free zone has aroused enormous interest in industry and among companies that otherwise use considerable resources on protecting their intellectual property rights.

The first Open Science platform focuses on smart materials, and initially covers twenty small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including Danish industrial flagships such as ECCO, LEGO, VELUX, Vestas, Grundfos, SP Group and Terma - as well as researchers at the chemistry, physics and engineering departments at Aarhus University and all the other universities in Denmark.

Patent-free zone - and a movement

"Open Science will be a playground where companies and universities can try out their ideas without taking major risks. They can venture out of their normal surroundings and try new things relatively risk-free. This is particularly interesting for SMEs, only a few of which are experienced in research-based development. And because participants in the Open Science platform have access to the latest university research, they can acquire a basis for creating unique products with increased market potential," says Professor Kim Daasbjerg, iNANO, who is not only the instigator of the project, but is also responsible for the platform.

He adds that the Open Science idea in this form is not entrenched at Aarhus University, but is a movement just like open source, crowdfunding and crowdsourcing.

"Other research environments are completely free to imitate us and to copy and paste our model. We hope this will happen. At the rate the project has spread until now, I predict that Open Science can have the same impact on the scientific ecosystem associated with basic research that Internet streaming has had on the music and film industry," explains Professor Daasbjerg.

Expensive patents and journals

The Open Science platform is thus the source of a number of paradigm shifts. It not only breaks away from the focus of universities on patenting their research discoveries, but also constitutes a conscious rebellion against the business models used by scientific journals.

"Patents and sales of licenses run at a loss for most universities. In addition, the Danish Patents Act does not allow for Open Science, where basic research is carried out in a melting pot before you know whether any business can come out of it," explains Professor Daasbjerg.

It is very expensive to subscribe to the major important journals - even for research institutions whose researchers provide the contents - and because the journals also assume copyright of the authors' articles, the authors (i.e. the researchers) have to pay if they want to share their contents with the wider public.

Breakthrough for industry

The Open Science platform is also a breakthrough for the industrial participants.

Product and Process Technology Manager Kristian Mller Kristensen, VELUX, describes the collaboration as opening a window into basic research in a way that is different from the company's previous procedures.

"It's about taking industrial development in the direction we need and not waiting for others to do it. It requires greater foresight than we're used to working with. We're fully aware of the fact that 99 per cent of the world's most talented people do not work at VELUX. We need to go out and find people who can help us move on, and this is precisely where other skilled people can contribute in Open Science," he says.

The platform can be reached via the link in the right box.
The Cayuga County Legislature will gather for a special meeting Wednesday night to discuss a proposed local law that would allow those affected from the Lake Ontario flooding to obtain some potential tax assessment relief.

Lawmakers were critical of the law at their July meeting. Part of the state's newly passed "Lake Ontario and Connected Waterways Assessment Relief Act," local governments must opt in to the local law, which would allow damaged properties to be reassessed. There could be a refund to property owners, but Cayuga County Attorney Fred Westphal had told legislators that it did not appear local municipalities would receive any reimbursement from the state.

Legislators will discuss the potential for moving forward on the local law. Legislature Chair Keith Batman said the body will vote Wednesday night on whether to hold a public hearing.

Batman also said the body neglected to vote on the two local laws discussed last month, though it appeared to have voted  one establishing the county administrator's position and one imposing a surcharge on prepaid wireless cell phones.

The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. in the Sixth Floor Chambers of the Cayuga County Office Building, 160 Genesee St., Auburn.
Fall is an exciting time for kids  seeing old friends, getting to know new classmates, learning new skills and exploring classrooms. But with all this fun and interaction, it's important to remember one of the best ways to keep your child safe and healthy is to make sure he or she is up to date on their vaccinations. Vaccines have made many once-common serious childhood diseases rare today. They are safe, effective and they save lives.

"It's critical to make sure that you and your children receive vaccinations according to the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control," says John Meigs, Jr., MD, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "Vaccines are important not only for school-age children, but for babies and young children, pregnant women, teens and pre-teens, adults and seniors."

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How exactly do vaccines work? According to the patient education website familydoctor.org, "Vaccines contain weakened versions of a virus or versions that look like a virus (called antigens). This means the antigens cannot produce the signs or symptoms of the disease, but they do stimulate the immune system to create antibodies. These antibodies help protect you if you are exposed to the virus in the future."

Much like how an athlete trains to prepare for competition, vaccines train your immune system to respond in case the body is exposed to the virus. If it is, it knows exactly how to fight it off. Vaccines help you stay healthy, and if you do get sick, it might be less severe or for less time when compared to others who have not been immunized.

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The CDC lists recommended immunizations for the prevention of 17 diseases to protect people from birth through old age. All states require children to be vaccinated against certain communicable diseases in order to attend school.

Information about recommended immunization schedules for people of all ages is available at familydoctor.org. On aafp.org, you can find an interactive map showing vaccine-specific coverage levels for each state.

If anyone in your family is behind on their vaccinations, it's easy to catch up. Speak with your family physician about creating a plan. You might even be able to schedule vaccine-only visits, meaning you won't even need an exam.

Concerned about costs? Vaccines are typically covered by health insurance, so it's likely you won't have to pay anything. If you don't have health insurance, reach out to your state public health department. Many offer assistance programs that provide vaccines at a reduced cost.

Visit familydoctor.org for health information the whole family can use.
A look at the numbers behind Cook County's new soda tax. How will the tax work and how much will it cost consumers? (Phil Geib / Chicago Tribune) (Phil Geib/Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

A group of retailers is appealing a judge's decision to dismiss a lawsuit that temporarily blocked Cook County's sweetened beverage tax.

The penny-per-ounce tax, originally slated to begin July 1 but delayed by the lawsuit, went into effect Wednesday.

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The Illinois Retail Merchants Association announced Tuesday that it is "appealing whether the judge used the correct standards in granting ... Cook County's motion to dismiss." Cook County Circuit Judge Daniel Kubasiak issued his ruling Friday.

The tax applies to both sugar- and artificially sweetened drinks. Drinks in bottles, or from fountain machines, are taxable. But on-demand, custom-sweetened beverages, such as those mixed by a server or barista, aren't subject to the tax.

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The merchants group sued the county, alleging the tax violates a clause in the state constitution requiring uniform taxation of similar products.

Kubasiak ruled that the tax was within the county's authority and did not violate the state constitution.

Rob Karr, chief executive of the merchants association, said in a statement that the group is appealing "to protect retailers and consumers against this tax whose rules and regulations have continuously evolved throughout this process."

Retailers are urging the court to block the ordinance due to the lack of clarity in how to properly apply and administer the tax, he said.

Frank Shuftan, spokesman for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, said the county "always anticipated a lengthy legal battle, so this comes as no real surprise."

"We will continue to vigorously defend the ordinance and expect to prevail, as we did in the initial round of hearings," Shuftan said in an email.

One of several soda taxes popping up nationwide, the Cook County tax has been championed by Preckwinkle and was approved by commissioners last fall.

The county has been expecting the tax to bring in $67.5 million this year and $200.6 million in 2018.

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The merchants group is asking the 1st District Appellate Court to reverse the Circuit Court's ruling.

byerak@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @beckyyerak
A sign at iManage welcomes employees to the companys new office July 31, 2017, the first day in the new space on West Madison Street in Chicagos West Loop. The tech company, which stores information in the cloud for corporate clients, has nearly doubled its office space, creating room to add 100 new employees in the next two to three years, Chief Financial Officer Ray Scheppach said. ( Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune )

Chicago-based iManage stores information virtually in the cloud for big corporate clients, but the firm is adding old-fashioned space for its own growth.

The technology firm moved Monday into a 48,000-square-foot headquarters in the 30-story office tower at 540 W. Madison St., nearly doubling its office space and creating room to add 100 new employees in the next two to three years, Chief Financial Officer Ray Scheppach said.

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The expansion is a move within the West Loop building near Ogilvie Transportation Center, from the 24th floor to the third. The lease includes an option to later expand into the full 68,000-square-foot floor, Scheppach said. The previous iManage space was 26,000 square feet.

Expanded office space comes two years after the company spun out of Hewlett-Packard Co. to become privately held. iManage was formed in 1995 and was later owned by two other companies before being absorbed by HP.

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Scheppach declined to provide revenue figures, but said iManage is experiencing rapid growth as large corporations increasingly need to store and share information such as documents and emails in the cloud, and use artificial intelligence to identify relevant data from reams of documents.

The company's 3,000 clients range from Carnival Cruise Lines to law firms including Kirkland & Ellis, DLA Piper and Latham & Watkins.

"As the world continues to move toward electronics for everything, security is huge," Scheppach said. "Whether you're a law firm or a bank, you're a technology company. That's only going to grow. Unfortunately, there are lots of bad guys out there who want to get a piece of confidential information."

Since becoming privately held in July 2015, iManage has grown from 150 workers to about 400, including almost 200 in Chicago. The company acquired London-based artificial intelligence firm RAVN Systems earlier this year, and more acquisitions are possible, Scheppach said.

Thus far in 2017, iManage has added 100 employees, almost half of which were from the RAVN acquisition, Scheppach said. iManage also has offices in Sunnyvale, Calif.; London; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Bangalore, India.

The Madison Street office tower is owned by a group led by Florida-based real estate investor Joseph Mizrachi's Third Millennium Group and New York-based investor David Werner. The building owners were represented in the lease by broker Jamey Dix of Telos Group. The tenant was represented by J. Frank Franzese, Steven Bauer and Aaron Schuster of Cushman & Wakefield.

IManage's new space has no walled, private offices, with all employees  including management  using the same office size and configuration. The layout includes small phone rooms and larger conference rooms for meetings, as well as open areas for collaborative work.

rori@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @Ryan_Ori
Erik Mikulski, left, a mechanic, and Nick Kasperan, right, who does body work, stand on the picket line Aug. 1, 2017, in front of Rizza Ford in Orland Park. Automobile Mechanics Union Local 701 is on strike at almost 140 new car dealerships across the Chicago area. ( Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune )

Mechanics at almost 140 new car dealerships across the Chicago area went on strike Tuesday, potentially throwing a hitch into some auto repairs.

The strike took effect at 12:01 a.m. and included almost 2,000 mechanics, according to the Automobile Mechanics' Union Local 701, which represents the mechanics.

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Mark Bilek, senior director of communications for the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, said most affected dealerships remain open.

"They may not be performing complex repairs, but oil changes, stuff like that, it's business as usual," said Bilek, who spoke on behalf of the Chicago New Car Dealer Committee, which bargains for the dealerships.

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The union argues that the strike will be much more disruptive. Sam Cicinelli, directing business representative for Local 701, said routine services also have been halted.

"They're not doing that," he said. "There's nobody that's in there to do oil changes or anything of the sort."

The mechanics have been bargaining with the New Car Dealer Committee since June, according to a statement from the union.

The union has a list of sticking points including uncompensated time, work rules that interfere with members' family time and no path toward a career in the industry, according to the statement.

The industry has "draconian pay structures prohibiting our ability to attract young, aspiring mechanics to enter the auto repair profession," according to the union statement. "Who will fix the cars and trucks in our future?"

Though Bilek said the two parties agreed upon some topics, Cicinelli said none of the union's original proposals were addressed. Chiefly, the union wants a guaranteed 40-hour work week, he said.

"They basically tried to throw money at a continued problem within the industry thinking that they would just stifle the members to accept and continue to work, but they've been working under these conditions for eight years. It's not working," Cicinelli said. "What do we do for a living? We fix things. We're trying to fix something that's broken."

Early reports indicated that mechanics are picketing at almost every one of the affected dealerships, Bilek said.

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There are about 420 new car dealerships in the Chicago area. Of those, about 180 are unionized. In Illinois, there are no partially unionized dealerships. The mechanics at each dealership decide if they will be in the union. The dealerships affected by this strike are those that bargain with the New Car Dealer Committee.

The last mechanics strike involving Local 701 occurred in 1994, Cicinelli said. According to reports in the Chicago Tribune, that strike affected about 2,700 mechanics.

There's no doubt being a mechanic for today's cars takes plenty of training and on-the-job learning, Bilek said. "You can't replace that overnight," he said.

Dealers have been looking for solutions to complex jobs, like transmission repairs or engine rebuilds, he said.

"Most of those dealers were well aware of what might happen, so they've been informing customers in advance," Bilek said.

amarotti@chicagotribune.com

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A rendering shows the seven-story office building that Shapack Partners is ready to start building next to the lighted Fulton Market District sign at Fulton Market and Halsted Street. The developer plans to build the boutique office building at Fulton Market and Halsted Street on speculation, or without any leases signed in advance. (ImageFiction )

Developer Shapack Partners is set to start construction of an office building at the gateway to the Fulton Market district while putting a nearby building it owns up for sale.

The Chicago firm's deals will test demand for real estate in the once-gritty area, which has ramped up in recent years amid rapid changes.

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Within the next week, the developer plans to start building a seven-story, 70,000-square-foot building at the corner of Fulton Market and Halsted Street, alongside the lighted "Fulton Market District" sign that serves as an entryway to the area, CEO Jeff Shapack said.

Shapack plans to build over an existing parking lot on speculation, or without any leases signed. Construction on speculation is risky, but having a building underway can also help attract tenants that want to move into the space relatively soon.

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"We think it's a risk worth taking to be able to deliver much-needed office space in Fulton Market district," Shapack said. "If you need office space in the market right now, there are almost no options."

Meanwhile, the firm said it has hired brokers to seek a sale of a six-story building about a block away on Green Street. A team of brokers at Eastdil Secured, led by senior managing director Stephen Livaditis, has begun marketing the property for sale.

The development firm declined to name an expected price. It's likely to be several times more than the $6.8 million that Shapack and its partners, Chicago-based A.J. Capital Partners and San Francisco-based Shorenstein Properties, paid for the former Amity Packing Co. pork processing plant in 2013.

The developers have poured millions of dollars into redeveloping the building and filling its space. Co-working firm WeWork occupies about 77,000 square feet, with San Diego-based brewery Ballast Point recently leasing the other 13,000 square feet. Ballast Point, owned by Constellation Brands' Chicago-based beer division, recently confirmed plans to open a "research and development" brewery with a restaurant and rooftop deck there.

The Green Street building has about 90,000 square feet, including some rooftop and basement space that Ballast Point is leasing.

The Fulton Market district, west of the Kennedy Expressway, was long known for meatpackers and food wholesalers. In recent years, the area has been giving way to newcomers such as chef-driven restaurants, office workers, hotel guests and boutique shoppers.

Shapack and A.J. Capital also developed the nearby Soho House private club and hotel. Shapack's other projects in the area include the completed Parker Fulton Market apartment tower on Halsted and the Hoxton Hotel under construction at Green and Lake streets. Shapack and two partners, Focus Development and Walton Street Capital, also are looking for tenants to kick off a 15-story, 300,000-square-foot office building across the street from the Parker.

Google's Midwest headquarters are in a former cold storage building, and Oak Brook-based McDonald's plans to move its headquarters in 2018 to a building under construction where Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios once stood. Although several office buildings are under construction or on the drawing board, there are virtually no options for tenants wanting to move into 10,000 to 30,000 square feet in less than a year, Shapack said.

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By kicking off construction of the seven-story building now, Shapack can make space available to potential tenants by May. The developer is in talks with retailers and restaurants to lease the ground-floor space, Shapack said.

rori@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Ryan_Ori
A proposed development at the long-vacant South Works site in the South Chicago neighborhood calls for 20,000 homes in addition to retail and recreation projects. (Barcelona Housing Systems)

Two European firms are ready to take a crack at developing a 440-acre site on Chicago's south lakefront that has been unused since U.S. Steel closed a plant there 25 years ago.

The plan includes building as many as 20,000 homes.

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Emerald Living, a unit of Dublin-based WElink Group, and Spanish partner Barcelona Housing Systems have a deal to buy the site that runs along Lake Michigan from 79th Street to the Calumet River, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday in a news release.

They plan to build as many as 20,000 modular, environmentally friendly homes as well as "opportunities for commercial retail and office spaces, taking advantage of the extensive lakeshore frontage and views of the Chicago skyline," the release said.

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The city of Chicago announced Aug. 1, 2017, that a purchase agreement had been reached for the old U.S. Steel South Works property on the Southeast Side. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

The agreement to buy the site is no guarantee it will be developed, as previous attempts to repurpose the property have demonstrated. Developments of this size are complex and difficult to fund, particularly for a site surrounded by lower-income neighborhoods.

The mayor's push to kick-start the South Works site is part of an effort to see several long-stalled real estate projects in the city  including redevelopment of the vacant old main post office and a 62-acre South Loop site near there, along the Chicago River  come to fruition.

"This agreement is a major milestone towards converting an unused stretch of land that represents Chicago's industrial past into a vibrant community that will contribute to Chicago's economic, cultural and recreational future," Emanuel said in the release.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 The ore walls near the lakefront at the former U.S. Steel South Works property near 87th Street and the lake. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

The news release did not say how much the developers are paying for the land or how much the development is expected to cost. The developers have five months to close on the purchase, according to the release.

U.S. Steel put the property up for sale after Chicago-based McCaffery Interests and the steel giant last year ended a 12-year attempt to develop the site with thousands of homes, millions of square feet of commercial space and a marina. U.S. Steel is represented in the sale by a team of Cushman & Wakefield brokers led by Larry Goldwasser.

The latest plan would incorporate Barcelona Housing Systems' modular, environmentally friendly technology to quickly build on the site.

"This technology provides an industrial platform for large-scale housing construction, enabling rapid site assembly with high-quality materials, while promoting green technology, environmental sustainability, and community living," company founder Cesar Ramirez Martinell said in the city's news release.

Crain's Chicago Business first reported in January that the venture of BHS and WElink had emerged as the winning bidder for the South Works site.

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In February, Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza, 10th, told the Tribune that BHS wants to build a factory to make components for the homes on site. She said the firm's construction techniques  bolting homes into the ground rather than using concrete foundations and connecting large pieces of homes together like Legos  is quick and relatively inexpensive.

WElink specializes in renewable energy and modular construction using energy-efficient materials. BHS also bills itself as a green company, using solar energy and recycled materials in its projects.

"Over the coming months, we will be working with the city, Aldermen Sadlowski Garza and (Greg) Mitchell, local community members, and other stakeholders to develop a new, exciting vision for this site and the surrounding South Chicago neighborhoods," Emerald Living CEO Barry O'Neill said in the city news release.

Renderings on BHS' website show low-rise and midrise buildings, parks, pedestrian and bike paths, and waterfront walkways along boat docks.

Because of the huge scope, the project would likely be constructed in several phases over the course of at least a decade  and potentially much longer.

rori@chicagotribune.com

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Candy. Think back to the days when it seemed as if you could buy the whole candy store for a dollar.

Maybe kids always think that. Recently on Michigan Avenue, I overheard a conversation between kids and their dad, who let them roam wild in Dylan's Candy Bar with $5 each in their hands, but they couldn't go over the $5 budget. The kids thought they'd tricked their dad, but the real joke was on them  unless they were smart enough to put their earnings together, making it $15. I didn't stay to find out.

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The scene stayed in my head the rest of the day. How much candy could I get for only $5? I hit a number of Chicago-area candy stores to find out and to rank them from worst bargain to best. (Each photo shows what I scored for 5 bucks.)

6. Kilwin's

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Kilwins: Milk chocolate-covered, sprinkled pretzel rod ($2), white chocolate-dipped and sprinkled Oreo ($2). (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

If Charlie Bucket turned the chocolate factory into a chocolatorium (industry term), it would be modeled after Kilwin's. Those who go to the decadent-but-pricey Hyde Park branch of the chocolate store can find something to their liking. Fudge and chocolates range from $2 to $32, so the decision on whether to spend the whole $5 on a chocolate Twinkie ($4.95) versus buying two treats  a chocolate Oreo ($2) and a chocolate covered sprinkle rod ($2)  was incredibly difficult. In the end, I chose quantity over quality, but I will be back for that Twinkie one day. 5246 S. Harper Ave.

5. Dylan's Candy Bar

Dylans Candy Bar: Candy Buttons, peppermints, cola gummies, white and milk chocolate sprinkle balls, I love candy Dylan bar. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

When you enter Dylan's, brace yourself not only for the chaotic modern Candyland, but also for the prices. Ralph Lauren's daughter, Dylan, created a high-end candy store filled with everything from bulk gummies and chocolate stations to ice cream, fudge and nostalgia candy stations. A half-pound of bulk candy is $7.99. However, there are many single treats available for under $5, such as a Rainbow Whirley pop ($3.75), personalized candy bars ($2.50), a block of Dylan's fudge ($4) and Nik-L-Nip mini wax drinks ($3). If you carefully fill up a small plastic bag (with chocolate pretzels, cola-flavored gummy bottles and paper dots), it will cost about $2.20. If you're looking for quantity and only have a fiver, skip this store. 445 N. Michigan Ave.

4. Amy's Candy Bar

Amys Candy Bar: Strawberry rhubarb gummies imported from Germany ($3.20), Bottle Caps ($1.75). (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

This neighborhood shop near the Damen Brown Line station, is gummy central, with an array of classic, homemade and German imported gummies ($3.20 per quarter pound). If you choose to spend $5 on mini candies (about 25 cents each) or the OMG candy bar ($4.95), you can find many flavorful and colorful choices. Another option is to stick with nostalgia candies  Laffy Taffy, Mary Janes  but then you miss out on the bigger candies. Here, a fin lets you walk out with a rod of Bottle Caps and imported German strawberry-rhubarb gummies. 4704 N. Damen Ave.

3. Candyality

Candyality: Lemon Heads, Nik-L-Nip wax bottles, butterscotch candies, peppermints, Sour Punch straw, Mallo Cup, multiflavor Albanese Gummy Bears in a waffle cone ($2), orange Starburst, lemon Starburst. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

The unofficial motto of this "Willy Wonka"-inspired sweet shop is "grab your candy and go." At any of the chain's four locations (Water Tower Place, Andersonville, Southport Corridor and Wicker Park), you can buy candy priced from 25 cents to 25 dollars, making it easy to leave with loads of treats for a reasonable price. It's a kids paradise of juicy drop pops ($3), Sour Royal Flushes ($3.99), Candy Color buttons ($2.99), a waffle cone stuffed with Albanese Gummy Bears ($2) and bulk candy bags ($3.25 per half pound). Candyality also has Harry Potter delicacies such as chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans ($2.99), Jelly Slugs ($2.99) and character rice crispy treats. If you're craving chocolate that's not in frog form, Candyality crafts homemade truffles ($1.25 each) named after Chicago celebrities, such as Al Capone, John Belushi and Oprah Winfrey. You can leave this store with a variety of sweets and a major sugar rush. Various locations. www.candyality.com.

2. Margie's Candies

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Margies Candy: Taffy in assorted flavors (peaches and cream, banana, Neapolitan, malted milk, root beer taffy and watermelon), caramel truffle, Laffy Taffy (strawberry, blue raspberry, banana, sour apple, cherry and grape), Long Boy coconut, Tootsie Roll Pop, Necco Banana Split, Reddish Fish, Mary Jane, Sugar Daddy, peanut butter Oreo, and York Peppermint Patty. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

You may accidentally pass by this subtle Montrose Avenue sibling of the iconic original, but if you do, you will miss out on a boatload of history and candy. The most expensive item in the store are the multi-scoop (from three to five) ice cream sundaes for $5. Old-time candies and homemade taffies are only 10 cents. Handing the cashier $5 got me 28 pieces of assorted sweets, large and small, including Mary Janes (10 cents), peanut butter Oreos ($1.10), caramel truffles ($1.10) and Laffy Taffys (10 cents). The kid-friendly prices drew piggy bank-toting little ones, eagerly picking their weekly sugar supply. 1813 W. Montrose Ave.

1. Dulcelandia

Dulcelandia: De La Rosa Mazapan, Bubbaloo Platano, Pirulicos sucker, chocolate-covered marshmallow cubes, tamalitos (tamarind in a husk), Canels chewing gum, Mexico flag coconut, Tarrito sucker, Duvalin, Pina Loca con Chile sucker, Vero Mango con Chile sucker, Pulparindo (hot and salted tamarind pulp candy), cherry hard candy, carmelo con leche candy, Pinita pineapple hard candy, strawberry hard candy, Bocadin chocolate wafer. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune )

Dulcelandia is different  a candy, pinata and frozen yogurt wonderland with a Mexican twist. Almost all of the candy and pinatas are imported from Mexico and are vastly different and refreshing from what you can get in other candy stores. Savory, indulgent treats such as mango con chile (with chili powder) lollipops, mazapan, tamalitos and dulce tarritos can all be enjoyed at Dulcelandia. The sweets can be purchased in bulk, which means you can walk out of the store with many pieces of sweet and spicy adventurous bites. Our $5 went farthest here, yielding a big bag of delicious candy and 65 cents change. 3253 W. 26th St.

ebenmoche@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ebenmoche

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 An assortment of salt-, chile- and fruit-flavored Pulparindo lollipops are displayed at the Mexican candy store Dulcelandia, in the Little Village neighborhood. ( Alyssa Pointer/Chicago Tribune )






American Sign Language music interpreters Amber Galloway-Gallego, from left in foreground, Kelly Kurdi, Matt Maxey and others bring the music to life for the deaf community at music festivals and concerts. (Courtesy of DEAFinitely Dope)

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 37.5 million Americans have trouble hearing  that's why ASL music interpreter Amber Galloway-Gallego does what she does.

Videos of her appearances, from Lollapalooza to Austin City Limits, have gone viral  her pink-streaked hair whipping back and forth as she uses her whole body (facial expressions included) to emphasize the hard-spitting nature of Kendrick Lamar's rhymes, or the gentle chord progression from Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge."

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These videos have brought wider awareness to the necessity of these interpreters at concerts for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

But, it wasn't always this way.

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The Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted by Congress in 1990 to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities. While these provisions have provided more ramps and accessible bathrooms in public venues, as well as the option to request ASL interpreters on-site, Galloway-Gallego says it can still take anywhere from two to three months for an interpreter to be provided  or denied.

Regardless of the amount of views videos of her working it out on stage garner, there's more work to be done.

After attending a concert with a few deaf friends where an American Sign Language interpreter was present, the group discussed what the performance was lacking or missing.

"I had one deaf friend say, 'Well, music isn't for deaf people anyway, so it's OK if we're bored. It's not about us, it's a hearing thing,'" she explains. "But music is an everything 'thing.'"

She discusses music in its fullest form: the way the instruments speak with one another, the way the vocalist conveys his or her communication and the way hearing folks recognize when the beat drops.

Traditional ASL interpreters had been told to leave that out. They're told not to move, not to distract from the artists onstage. They don't represent the instruments or how heavy the bass sounds at any time in the song.

Galloway-Gallego's style smashes that, instead providing what she has been told by deaf festivalgoers is a "life-changing experience" rooted in the visually captivating nature of ASL.

Her own interpreting agency, Amber G. Productions, returns to Lollapalooza this year with DEAFinitely Dope  an organization launched in 2014 by Matt Maxey.

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Maxey, whose very first ASL music interpretation performance took place at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival this year, recently made headlines after Chance the Rapper tapped the organization to join him on the rest of his spring/summer tour.

Maxey  who himself uses hearing aids  says he often felt "too hearing for the deaf world and too deaf for the hearing world."

Now, he feels that gives him an advantage in being able to convey what hearing folks understand music as and what hard-of-hearing or nonhearing folks feel and see music as  turning a burden into a blessing.

"I didn't have much experience with live shows," Maxey explained with help from fellow interpreter, Kelly Kurdi. "I didn't know I could make a job out of sign language and music. I was trying to give a hobby a brand name."

Watch Matt Maxey interpret Chance the Rapper lyrics during the rapper's performance.

Growing up in the hearing world, Maxey didn't learn ASL until he attended Gallaudet University, a deaf liberal arts school in Washington, D.C., where no one talked  everyone signed.

Listening to music and signing along to practice, it took him about five years to get comfortable signing during conversations, then another five to believe in his skill set enough to interpret music.

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Galloway-Gallego and Maxey adapt ASL to wordplay and slang signage, conveying the imagery in various popular lyrics, especially hip-hop.

For the newbie on the block, Maxey  now with the extra support and platform from Chance  wants to make sure accessibility is provided at all live-music experiences.

And the fans that largely felt unrecognized are starting to feel these spaces exist for them, too.

Chicagoan Rachel Arfa was born profoundly deaf, diagnosed with fluctuating, progressive hearing loss. After using hearing aids, Arfa got a cochlear implant at age 15  but, she said, she still didn't attend concerts.

It wasn't until she was offered Lollapalooza tickets in 2016 that she enjoyed the "transformative experience" live music can be.

"I don't feel I am missing out on anything, not even the jokes," Arfa said by email. "I think some of the musicians like the ASL interpreters and go out of their way to engage with them, while others often sing next to the interpreter  which helps to make the experience even more personal and shows that the musician is trying to actually include the ASL interpreter and the deaf audience."

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To keep up momentum, Galloway-Gallego, Maxey and the fans agree ASL interpreters have to be included in artists' and organizers' budgets from the start.

"There's a misconception that accessibility is hard to provide and expensive," Arfa said. "It actually isn't when you plan for it, and engage with your audience to figure out what creates an optimal experience.

"If an organization's core values are to be open and welcoming to all people, they need to ensure that they include attendees with disabilities and add a line item into their budgets. Plan and be proactive about accessibility. I don't go to cultural events alone  I always attend with my friends or family members, and they in turn also become loyal to that event or venue because they are able to share in that experience with me."

jroti@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jessitaylorro

[ RELATED: OurMusicMyBody working to help combat sexual assault at music festivals, one booth at a time  ]

[ Greg Kot's picks for Lollapalooza 2017  ]

[ Entertainment spaces celebrate, embrace LGBTQIA community  ]







Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
There's no better way to embrace summer months (and gear up for the hotly anticipated fall collections ahead) than by hitting the beach with this season's best style books. Whether it's a war-era novel about 1945 London theater costume design or a modern-day shopping guide curated by stylists worldwide, each of these reads evokes its own fascination with fashion  while inspiring us to feel the same. Here are three of our favorites, perfect for the sun- and style-seeker alike.

"The Wardrobe Mistress," by Natalie Meg Evans

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Bookouture, 435 pages, $1.90 (Kindle eBook)

All of Natalie Meg Evans' novels have a costume or couture background  a theme she credits to teenage years spent with her mom in Paris, where they window-shopped through the likes of Dior, Hermes and Chanel. The same romance for runway-worthy design rings true in this story, which is as much an ode to fashion as it is to theater. When a young war widow steps aboard a train for a fresh start, she realizes she can no longer resist the pull of London's old Farren Theatre, where her actor father spent many of his years onstage. By joining the venue as its wardrobe mistress, our heroine hopes to fill the void in her life left by the death of her fighter pilot husband  but ends up finding much more than she could have ever anticipated. Consider it a story about self-acceptance and second chances, yes  but also about the survival of love.

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"Where Stylists Shop," by Booth Moore

Regan Arts, 304 pages, $24.95

Booth Moore has no shortage of style advice  she's spent more than two decades as a Los Angeles-based fashion editor and today works at The Hollywood Reporter as the style and fashion news director. Naturally, we'll take her word on what to wear any day of the week  but the writer goes a step further with this new release, a global shopping guide of must-see spots chosen by more than 175 style tastemakers from around the world (that means insider tips from designers Jeremy Scott and Tory Burch, bloggers Leandra Medine and Aimee Song, stylists Kate Young and Tara Swennen, and A-listers Rachel Zoe and Nicole Richie). Moore spent a year culling a list of in-the-know curators for the guide, which she also supplements with her own travel research. Topping her to-go list lately? "Accra, Ghana," she says. "There really is no better way to get to know a place than by visiting the brick-and-mortar stores, talking to boutique owners, and discovering new designers."

"My Mrs. Brown: A Novel," by William Norwich

Simon & Schuster, 320 pages, $24

From former fashion editor and gossip columnist William Norwich comes a story about Emilia Brown, a woman on a quest for a once-in-a-lifetime dress  and, more importantly, the presence and voice the garment will give her. When the grande dame of Ashville, R.I., passes away, Mrs. Brown is called upon to inventory her estate. She unearths an Oscar de la Renta sheath and jacket  a suit she realizes will give her the identity she has always wished to convey to the outside world. And so begins an odyssey to New York, the point of purchase, where Mrs. Brown will be within reach of the woman she's always dreamed of becoming  while also rediscovering the woman she already is. Dubbed "smart," "touching" and "full of surprises," it's a read that gets to the very heart of why personal style matters for each of us. Norwich calls upon his fashion background and storytelling prowess alike to share a tale as much about growth and inner strength as it is about that familiar, unbridled determination to find the perfect dress.






I had a round-trip ticket on American Airlines from Boston to Washington, D.C., recently. As we prepared to board, the flight was canceled. There were no other flights available, and I could not travel.

I requested a refund and received only the Boston-Washington portion, which was $91. When I called, I was told the return flight was marked as used. This is impossible, as I never went anywhere that day.

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A customer-service representative told me that there was nothing the airline could do and I had to file a written complaint, which I did. This smacks of the exact issue that affected another passenger you recently reported. That passenger also was denied a refund because her ticket was marked used, when it was not. I sincerely hope this is not the general practice of American Airlines.

 Susan Cohen, Brookline, Mass.

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A: American Airlines should have refunded your entire ticket. A careful check of its records would have shown that you didn't use the return ticket. Case closed.

But your problem raises an interesting question. Technically, American Airlines  like all other carriers  has to refund the ticket only for a flight it cancels. And since American didn't cancel the return flight, did it really have to return your fare?

This might be a new way for airlines to make even more money. If they cancel a flight, they have to refund only part of your ticket. I know, I know  don't give them any ideas.

Obviously, you weren't on the return flight. A quick email to American should have cleared that up. If it didn't, an email to one of the airline's customer-service managers might have helped. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of American Airlines' customer-service managers on my consumer-advocacy site: http://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/american-airlines/.

I contacted American on your behalf, and it says it refunded your entire ticket.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler." You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org.

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Chicago traveler makes case for visiting North Korea

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Southwest Airlines touts 5 flights with prime solar eclipse view  complete with 'cosmic cocktails'

Mandatory resort fees are on the rise - again
They're made of cardboard. They cost a dollar, maybe two. And they'll keep your eyeballs from feeling like they've been rubbed with sandpaper.

Eclipse glasses, which contain filters to protect the wearer's retinas from the sun's rays, have been flying off shelves in advance of next month's total solar eclipse, when the moon's 70 mile-wide shadow will sweep across Nebraska.

In Beatrice, the tourism office at 218 N. Fifth St. ordered 30,550 pairs and was down to its last box Friday, said Karm Reese, director of member services for the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce.

She expects another order of 15,000 pairs to arrive in time for the Gage County Fair, which starts Wednesday.

Lincoln stores also reported brisk sales.

"We just sold our last pair," said John Zrust of Rockbrook Camera, 4333 S. 70th St. "I think we've sold more than 600 pairs here in Lincoln, and both of the Omaha stores are selling them as well."

An order for 1,500 more should arrive sometime next week, Zrust said Friday.

The Discovery Shop at University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Morrill Hall, 645 N. 14th St., was also sold out but expected to get more soon.

Staff at Pioneers Park Nature Center, 3201 S. Coddington Ave., said it has plenty left.

"I don't know how many we have sold so far, but we did get a thousand of them," said naturalist Jamie Kelley.

The special shades are also available online  just Google "eclipse glasses," but be sure to order a pair that meets the ISO 12312-2 international standard.

Five manufacturers make glasses that meet those standards, according to NASA: American Paper Optics, Baader Planetarium (AstroSolar Silver/Gold film only), Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17.

Regular sunglasses won't work.

And while it's safe to look directly at the eclipse during the brief period of totality  when the sun is completely blocked by the moon  special eye protection is necessary during the much-longer partial eclipse.

Reese said Beatrice-area employers and schools have purchased the glasses in bundles, and the tourism office has about two dozen customers each day seeking eyewear themselves.

The chamber is also selling T-shirts and boxer shorts with the phrase "got mooned in Beatrice, Nebraska." Its eclipse glasses say "Get Eclipsed" on the side, with an image of the moon printed on the front.

"They're totally super cute," Reese said. "You literally have an eclipse on your face."
President Donald Trump delivers remarks on law enforcement at Suffolk Community College in New York on July 28, 2017. (Nicholas Kamm / Getty-AFP)

That so-called law and order speech President Donald Trump gave in New York last week should be a wakeup call for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

If the mayor thinks he can work with the Trump administration to transform Chicago's beleaguered Police Department without court oversight, he's either delusional or he isn't as smart as the folks who voted for him once thought he was.

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Trump's brand of law enforcement is violent toward citizens, disrespectful and dangerous. That's the last thing we need in a police department that Barack Obama's Justice Department found has a history of excessive force without accountability.

Trump's speech to federal, state and local law enforcement officials was supposed to be about his administration's efforts to eradicate MS-13, a brutal gang that is terrorizing cities across the country.

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But it also gave us insight into Trump's views about administering justice, the role of the courts and the president's lack of respect for the rights of citizens.

It should have been no surprise that Trump would refer to human beings as "animals," brag about his team being "rough" and tell police officers, "Please, don't be too nice." He's made it clear from the beginning that he has no problem with police acting violently when taking people into custody.

In his view, policing has become too "politically correct." So cities like Chicago, with a history of police misconduct, can rest assured that Trump's Justice Department won't be issuing any scathing reports outlining how officers have systematically abused their power, particularly with African-Americans.

The way Trump sees it, the laws are stacked against police officers. And he plans to do everything in his power to reverse that.

"The laws are so horrendously stacked against us, because for years and years they've been made to protect the criminal. Totally made to protect the criminal, not the officers," Trump said in his speech.

"If you do something wrong, you're in more jeopardy than they are. These laws are stacked against you. We're changing those laws."

It is obvious why Trump wouldn't care for court-ordered mandates on police reform. He doesn't believe there's a need for police reform, only court reform.

Why Emanuel would agree to an out-of-court agreement on police reform with Trump's Justice Department, though, is incomprehensible. You have to wonder what went on behind the scenes to get the mayor to back away from his promise and essentially place his trust in Trump.

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He should know by now that a political alliance with Trump is the kiss of death. The president's relationships never turn out well for anyone but himself. Just ask James Comey, Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus or Anthony Scaramucci.

Emanuel has suggested there would be little difference between court oversight and an independent monitor appointed by himself and Trump's lenient Justice Department.

History, though, tells us that he is wrong.

More than four decades ago, the Chicago Law Enforcement Study Group  a consortium that included the Center for Urban Affairs at Northwestern University, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Chicago Urban League and several legal groups  studied cases of civilians killed by Chicago police.

At the end of the six-month study, the report, "The Police and Their Use of Fatal Force in Chicago," characterized the department as a "trigger happy society."

In 1969 and 1970, Chicago police shot 79 civilians more than any of the nation's five largest cities. Of those killed, 59  or 75 percent  were black, the report found. In 28 of the cases, there was substantial evidence that police administrative standards had been violated and in 28 other cases, evidence that criminal statutes had been violated.

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The study group blamed the high civilian death rate on police misconduct, official laxity in punishing police misconduct, a conspiracy of police and prosecutors to conceal evidence and a failure to thoroughly investigate and prosecute police shootings.

Sound familiar?

The group called for an independent police review board to investigate all police shootings and charges of police abuse. Otherwise, the group threatened to turn to the federal courts for intervention and oversight. It never did.

Nearly a half-century later, Chicago is still dealing with the same problems.

This time, the citizens wasted no time filing a lawsuit to get the oversight Emanuel promised. If the mayor won't fight for the citizens of Chicago, they are ready and able to fend for themselves.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @dahleeng
Helen Kuwashima, the daughter of a strawberry farmer in California, spent part of her childhood in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, came to Chicago and became the executive secretary to the president of National Tea, then one of the largest grocery chains in the United States.

After retiring at 62, she became a founding member and the driving force behind the Na Kupuna Ukulele Club, a popular performance group known for its hula dances and such crowd-pleasing songs as "Blue Hawaii."

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As the club's biggest promoter, Kuwashima scored big in 2004, when the club was chosen by the city of Chicago as one of 21 groups to perform at the opening of Millennium Park in front of thousands of people.

"She was so excited," said her niece Joyce Naka. "It was the thrill of her life."

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Kuwashima, 85, of Chicago, died of stomach cancer on June 23 at Swedish Covenant Hospital.

"She loved the club and ruled it with a velvet glove, or depending on whom you've talked to, with an iron fist," said club co-founder Tonko Doi.

Founded in 1997 by nine Chicago area seniors, the club was named Na Kupuna, which means "elder" in Hawaiian.

Prior to forming the club, Kuwashima had never even held a ukulele  the four-stringed instrument adapted by Hawaiians from an instrument brought to the islands by the Portuguese in the late 1870s  much less played one.

But just a few weeks into lessons, she was strumming alongside her fellow club members and creating a repertoire that over the years has grown to more than 300 songs.

"She wouldn't let a little thing like not knowing how to play the ukulele get in the way of expressing her joy," Naka said.

With her unbridled enthusiasm, Kuwashima immediately took charge of the club's bookings throughout the Chicago area, and some as far away as Hawaii.

"She did a great job getting the word out," Naka said. "And if there wasn't money to pay the club for their performance, she'd say, 'Just feed us!'"

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Born Helen Bingo on April 7, 1932, in Torrance, Calif., Kuwashima was interned with her family in a makeshift camp at the Santa Anita racetrack near Los Angeles, at the start of World War II.

"They slept in the horse stalls," said Doi. "It was filthy and smelled horrible."

From Santa Anita, she was sent with her family to an internment camp in Jerome, Ark., and later to one in Tulelake, Calif.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 86 Dick Orkin, an award-winning radio advertising creator for close to a half-century who was perhaps best known for his syndicated Chickenman spoof, which aired on Chicago stations, died on Dec. 24 in California. He was 84. Read more. (Handout)

After the war, Kuwashima moved to Chicago and lived with her family on the South Side. Later they settled on the North Side, and she attended Tuley High School before graduating from Waller High School, now Lincoln Park High School.

She landed a job with Del Farm Foods, a supermarket chain, and worked her way up to office manager. After the chain was bought by National Tea in 1958, she was promoted and became the executive secretary to the company's president.

During that time, she met and married Hiroshi Kuwashima, a co-worker of Hawaiian descent. He was in charge of the sound equipment for the ukulele club prior to his death five years ago.

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Kuwashima also served as a surrogate mother to her nephew, Ken Taguchi, following the death of her older sister, Flo.

"Kenny was the child that Helen never had," said Doi. "She adored him."

In more recent years, Kuwashima kept busy organizing outings for the club and getting as many gigs for them as possible.

"Recently, she asked me if I thought she was bossy," Doi said. "I said 'Yes, you are bossy.' But in truth, the club would not have been together for 20 years without her determination and leadership."

Kuwashima is also survived by two other sisters, Frances Hirai and Mary Bingo.

Services were held.

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Joan Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter.
Judge Milton Shadur stands at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Nov. 3, 1999, in Chicago. Shadur, now 93, is set to retire Sept. 1, 2017. ( CHARLES OSGOOD/ )

Over 37 years, U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur has gained recognition as the academic of Chicago's federal court, widely respected for his intellect, fairness and work ethic.

He was known to arrive early on weekdays and work most weekends, conducting legal research and writing opinions.

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But on Tuesday, the court announced that Shadur, now 93, would be stepping down effective Sept. 1 because of complications from recent surgery.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo said Shadur has been unable to travel to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse since the surgery, but he still continued to keep up with a full calendar by issuing numerous opinions and orders from home.

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But in a telephone interview, Shadur said it wouldn't be fair to attorneys or their clients to continue that arrangement.

"As a result, I made the only decision I thought was possible and fair to those two constituencies," said Shadur, who indicated he had never really thought about retiring before his surgery.

Nominated to the bench in 1980 by then-President Jimmy Carter, Shadur has become a bonafide legend at the downtown federal courthouse.

In the nearly four decades since, Shadur has authored more than 11,000 court opinions, Castillo noted, "many of which directly impacted the rights of thousands of individuals."

"No other member of our court can match this stunning body of written work," he said in a statement announcing the retirement.

Castillo also praised Shadur for his "truly encyclopedic" knowledge of the law and his "boundless" intellectual curiosity.

And on the home front, Shadur scored success as well, married to his wife, Eleanor, for more than 70 years and counting.

A child of the Great Depression, Shadur was born in St. Paul, Minn., and graduated from the University of Chicago at 18 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago after serving as a radar officer in the United States Navy during World War II and earning the rank of lieutenant, junior grade.

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Before joining the bench, Shadur spent what would be a career for many attorneys in the private practice of law, from 1949 to 1980.

Shadur's route to the bench began with a call "out of the blue" from then-U.S. Sen. Charles Percy, who wanted to know if Shadur would consider joining the federal court of appeals. Shadur agreed but didn't get the appointment.

After a couple more false starts, then-U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson recommended him for the district court, and Shadur got the job.

"It's not something I sought out," he said.

In fact, Shadur said, he was making about twice as much money in private practice but decided to join the bench because "I thought it was something you could contribute to society on."

Known for his professorial style, Shadur often peppered his courtroom remarks with quotes from literary, legal and historical figures, sometimes even seemingly offbeat sources. In his interview Tuesday, Shadur referred to the legendary Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner "2000 year old man" comedy sketch while discussing his authorship of thousands of court opinions.

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Some of the more widely known proceedings Shadur presided over include a pivotal Chicago school desegregation case in the early 1980s; the criminal trial stemming from the 1984 near-collapse of Continental Bank; a long-running lawsuit over severe overcrowding at Cook County Jail; the first potential death penalty case in federal court in Chicago; and a case in which he ruled in 1995 that horseman Richard Bailey conspired to kill missing candy heiress Helen Vorhees Brach.

Shadur also used strong language to describe allegations of torture by Chicago police officers in the 1990s, making him among the first federal judges to explicitly acknowledge abuses.

"It is now common knowledge," Shadur wrote in 1999, "that in the early- to mid-1980s, Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge and many officers working under him regularly engaged in the physical abuse and torture of prisoners to extract confessions."

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He spent a quarter-century as a senior judge, meaning he could have pared back his workload substantially long ago but kept working a full caseload.

"It's a wonderful job," Shadur said. "It's the last refuge of the generalist. It's essentially as close as the Renaissance ideal as any job for a lawyer."

Elaborating on the point, Shadur said it's "the idea of being a person who is in a position to evaluate problems, to bring an understanding to them, to resolve things in a fair way, is really what ought to be everyone's concern."

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Lawyers advocate for their client, limiting their ability to do that.

"What the judge does ... is to make a judgment call on the controversies that appear before that judge and to decide them in accordance with the law and with the equitable principles that really govern," Shadur said. "That may sound very naive to you, but I believe it."

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @royalpratt
Four people, including two Chicago police officers, were injured in a three-vehicle crash involving a police vehicle in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side, authorities said.

All four were in good condition at area hospitals following the crash about 10:55 a.m. in the 800 block of West 87th Street, according to police.

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The two officers were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with minor injuries, and the two others injured were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and St. Bernard Hospital, each initially in fair-to-serious condition, according to a Chicago Fire Department spokesman.

A 22-year-old man who was driving one of the other vehicles suffered a cut to the head and was taken to Christ Medical Center, while a 45-year-old man who was the driver of the third vehicle suffered soreness after the crash and went to St. Bernard, according to police.

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Information on the circumstances of the crash and any citations issued wasn't immediately released.
A man uses his cellphone while waiting at a red light at the intersection of North Wells and West Ontario Streets on May 3, 2017, in downtown Chicago. (Alyssa Pointer / Chicago Tribune)

Drivers nabbed by Chicago police for talking on their cellphones or texting behind the wheel did not get the chance to have their cases heard in the correct court, so the city should return money to people who paid tickets, a lawsuit filed Tuesday contends.

The suit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court by the same law firm that recently landed a massive settlement from the city in a lawsuit over the handling of red light and speeding camera tickets. It alleges the city took the cases to municipal administrative court for years in a bid to keep all the fines rather than sharing the money with county and state authorities.

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The suit says state law dictates the tickets should instead have gone to state traffic court, where fines would have been divvied up.

The city "purposefully circumvented the Illinois statutory scheme for prosecuting alleged distracted driving offenses and reporting offenders," according to the suit filed by the law firm Myron M. Cherry & Associates. "Rather than send alleged ordinance violators to state traffic court, the city misrouted allegedly distracted drivers to the city's private 'administrative' justice system. The reason was simple: money."

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Drivers have fewer opportunities to prove their innocence in administrative court than in state court, according to the suit.

Since the beginning of 2010, "many tens of thousands" of drivers in Chicago paid cellphone tickets, according to the suit, which seeks to make those drivers part of a class action to get their money back. The lawsuit seeks refunds on tickets issued beginning in 2010 because that's when a state law took effect requiring such distracted driving citations to go to state traffic court.

Tickets in cellphone driving cases now cost $100.

The Chicago City Council first outlawed talking on hand-held cellphones while driving in 2005. A Chicago police spokesman said the department was not able to immediately tally how many cellphone tickets police had issued.

Jacie Zolna, one of the attorneys who filed the suit, said this is part of a pattern of the city trying to milk residents for money. "It's another case of the city viewing municipal ordinance violations as a personal piggy bank. I think people are getting sick of it," Zolna said.

City Law Department spokesman Bill McCaffrey said Tuesday the city hadn't fully reviewed it but plans to "vigorously defend against this lawsuit."

Last month, the City Council approved a $38.75 million settlement in a lawsuit Zolna brought alleging the city broke its own rules on issuing automated camera traffic tickets.

The settlement includes money from a $26.75 million pot the city will use to reimburse people who paid red light and speed camera tickets after the city failed to issue second notices of violation as required until 2015. Lawyers will get about $11.7 million of that money. The city will forgive an additional $12 million in unpaid tickets as part of the deal.

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jebyrne@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_johnbyrne
A suicide attacker burst into a crowded Shiite mosque in the western Afghan city of Herat during evening prayers Tuesday, spraying the worshipers with gunfire and then killing himself, officials said.

At least 20 people were initially reported killed, and scores were wounded. A security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said later that 29 people had died and 64 were injured.

A spokesman for the Taliban, Qari Mohammad Yousuf, said the group had no hand in the attack. A number of previous suicide attacks on mosques in Afghanistan, including one that killed 30 people last November, have been claimed by a regional affiliate of the Islamic State, an extremist Sunni militia.

The Herat attack followed a terrorist assault Monday on the embassy of Iraq in Kabul in which two assailants were killed after a five-hour gunbattle with police.

The embassy had celebrated the recapture of the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters last month. Afterward, there were reports that Islamic State officials warned Shiites in Afghanistan that they would be targeted.

Tuesday's attack, however, was the first such assault on a Shiite mosque in Herat, a gateway to the Afghan border with Iran and a historic center of Shiite faith among the Hazara ethnic community. There has been little history of religious conflict between local Shiites and Sunnis, but the Islamic State has previously stated its intent to divide Afghan Muslim sects.

Abdul Ahad Walizada, a spokesman for the Herat police, described the incident as "a terroristic attack that killed more than 20 of our countrymen while they were praying." He said he did not know the motive. Some witnesses described hearing a second explosion about 10 minutes after the first.

One legislator who arrived soon after the Tuesday bombing at the Javadia mosque, just south of Herat city, described a ghastly scene of bloodied bodies and wounded survivors scattered through the building, where about 300 people had gathered.

After the attack, dozens of angry residents confronted police, complaining that they had failed to intervene while the attack was in progress. There is a police station just 150 feet from the mosque, but the legislator, Mehdi Hadid, said the police were too frightened to take action and remained outside.

A spokesman for the provincial governor, Jalani Farhad, said people pelted the police station with stones and set it on fire.

In the past year, there have been numerous attacks on Shiite places of worship and communities, most claimed by the Islamic State. Last October, during the period of Shiite commemoration known as Ashura, a remote-controlled bomb exploded at a mosque in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, killing 17, and gunmen invaded the famous Karte Sakhi shrine in Kabul as it was filled with women and children, killing 10 and wounding many others.

Sayed Salahuddin contributed to this report.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, second left, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, second right, U.S. Vice President's wife Karen Pence, left, and Prime Minister's wife Maka Tsinadze, right, pose for a photo prior to an official dinner in Tbilisi, Georgia, on July 31, 2017. (Shakh Aivazov / AP)

MOSCOW  U.S. Vice President Mike Pence pledged support Tuesday for the former Soviet republic of Georgia, his second stop on a European trip backing nations that feel threatened by Russian aggression.

Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in 2008, which lead to two breakaway Georgian regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, declaring independence. Russia has since been supporting the regions both financially and militarily.

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The U.S. "strongly condemns Russia's occupation on Georgian soil," Pence said Tuesday at a joint news conference with the Georgian prime minister in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. "We will reject any claim at any time by any nation that undermines this enduring principle."

The visit comes a day after Pence met with the presidents of three NATO countries  Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania  in the Estonian capital of Tallinn and pledged that "an attack on one of us is an attack on us all."

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Georgia and the three Baltic nations were all occupied for nearly five decades by Soviet troops before regaining their independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Later on Tuesday Pence will inspect troops taking part in joint U.S.-Georgian military exercises.

Pence's European trip comes several days after the U.S. Senate voted last week to approve the new financial sanctions against Moscow. The legislation bars U.S. President Donald Trump from easing or waiving the penalties on Russia unless Congress agrees.

Pence told reporters on Tuesday that Trump would sign a bill on a new package of U.S. sanctions against Russia, adding the package was "improved significantly."

The bill underwent revisions to address concerns voiced by American oil and natural gas companies that sanctions specific to Russia's energy sector could backfire on them to Moscow's benefit. U.S. lawmakers said they also made adjustments so the sanctions on Russia's energy sector didn't undercut the ability of U.S. allies in Europe to get access to oil and gas resources outside of Russia.

Russia on Friday ordered the U.S. Embassy and three U.S. consulates in Russia to drastically cut its personnel there. President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that means 755 staffers have to go. Russia also ordered to shut down the U.S. Embassy's recreational compound on the outskirts of Moscow. The Russian leader warned that he has more tricks up his sleeve to hurt the U.S., but he voiced hope that he wouldn't need to use them.

Pence indicated the U.S. was willing to improve ties with Russia but for that to happen "Russia has to change its behavior," he said, referring to Russia's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine and for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Russia is planning Zapad 2017 military exercises with 13,000 troops near the Baltic states' borders in September, a move that may further strain relations.
The White House defended President Donald Trump's involvement in issuing a statement about his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign, saying that the statement was true and that the president was simply acting as a father.

"The statement that Don Jr. issued is true. There's no inaccuracy in the statement," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "The president weighed in just as any father would based on the limited information that he had."

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"This is all discussion, frankly, of no consequence," Huckabee Sanders added.

The comments seem to confirm that Trump participated in the drafting of the statement on Air Force One, and contradict past statements from Trump's attorneys denying that he had any involvement.

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"The president was not - did not - draft the response," Trump's attorney Jay Sekulow said on Meet The Press in an interview of July 16. "The response came from Donald Trump Jr. and - I'm sure - in consultation with his lawyer."

While Huckabee Sanders denied that Trump "dictated" the document, she acknowledged that he "weighed in and offered suggestions" on a statement that claimed that in the meeting, Trump Jr. and other participants "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children." That statement turned out to be misleading.

Emails obtained by The New York Times and subsequently released by Trump Jr. later showed that the meeting was pitched to Trump's son as one about derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, prompting Trump Jr. to correct his public statements.

In addition to Trump Jr., the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting. Kushner did not initially disclose the meeting on the government forms he was required to fill out in order to join the administration.

Yet Huckabee Sanders claimed on Tuesday that the meeting was "was disclosed to the proper authorities."

Huckabee Sanders then recited a litany of other stories involving Clinton and Russia that she believed the media should cover instead. And she accused Democrats of focusing on a "phony" Russia story to advance political goals.

"The Democrats want to continue to use this as a PR stunt and are doing everything they can to keep this story alive and in the papers every single day," Huckabee Sanders said.
Trump administration officials continue to push the Senate to take another run at health care legislation, but on Monday senior Republican senators pushed back, making clear that they're done with the topic for now.



"There's just too much animosity and we're too divided on health care," 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 health care 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 it's 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 health care until we get it done, I think it's 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 it's 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 health care.

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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.
Aubrey Funke, the assistant director of Northern Arizona Universitys Imaging and Histology Core Facility, works in a world of infinitesimally small beauty. Funke is in charge of maintaining and operating the lab that holds NAUs 4-year-old scanning electron microscope and nearly 30-year-old transmission electron microscope.

The two electron microscopes go beyond what can be seen with the naked eye through the old light microscopes you might have had in your high school biology or chemistry class. They magnify the microscopic details of bugs, cells, plankton, tools, and other creatures and structures millions of times, allowing chemists, doctors, archaeologists, paleontologists, photographers, and other researchers and scientists to get a better view of the microscopic world that is in and on the world we see on a regular basis.

For example, Nathan Nieto, the co-director of NAUs Imaging and Histology Core Facility, uses the lab and the electron microscopes to examine the more than 1,500 samples of ticks that the university has collected from around the country to study tick-borne diseases. The microscopes allow him to identify the ticks, study their anatomy and even their last blood meal.

The best way to remove a tick is to use tweezers, he said.

Funke says archaeologists use the electron microscopes to examine marks on stone tools to determine what the tools might have been used for and photographers use them to create incredible photos.

Both electron microscopes are pricey and only a few universities in the U.S. have them. The scanning electron microscope cost NAU more than $600,000, Nieto said. A new transmission electron microscope can be as much as $1 million. Both were funded by grants.

Most people are familiar with the images from a scanning electron microscope. If youve seen an up-close photograph of a flys eye, where you can see the individual lenses, or a photo of the dimpled shapes of red blood cells, youve experienced a photo from a scanning electron microscope.

Its one of my favorite pieces of equipment, Funke said. You can create some of the most beautiful and amazing images with it.

A scanning electron microscope shows the minuscule details of the surface of a structure, she said. It can have a resolution of better than one nanometer.

In comparison, according to a chart from the University Waikato in New Zealand, the human eye can see details as fine as about 100 micrometers, or about the thickness of a human hair. A light microscope, depending on the type, can resolve details down to about 100 nanometers, or about the size of a bacterium. An electron microscope, depending on the type and power, can see details down to 0.1 of a nanometer, or about the size of an atom.

A scanning electron microscope uses a beam of electrons rather than light to show the details of the surface of a specimen, she said. A specimen is placed inside a chamber and the air is sucked out of the chamber creating a vacuum. Specimens are usually coated with a metal, such as gold, so they can be used over and over again and to create a better image.

An electron gun shoots a beam of electrons through a series of lenses that focus the beam onto the specimen, she said. The beam scans the surface of the specimen creating a black and white image on a computer screen that almost looks like a three-dimensional photograph. Researchers and scientists can add color to the image to make it easier to see different parts of the specimen.

A transmission electron microscope works in a similar way, but instead of shooting a beam of electrons onto the surface of a specimen, the beam goes through a slice of the specimen, and creates an image of its structure, Funke said. Using a transmission electron microscope and a microscopic sliver of muscle, you can see the shape and interior structure of the cells that make up the muscle.

The vacuum in both microscopes prevents the beam of electrons from being deflected by air particles, she said.

Despite the age of NAUs transmission electron microscope, more than 30 years old, the way the equipment works really hasnt changed, Nieto said. Hes been working on electron microscopes since his college days.

The way the images are processed from the microscopes and how a researcher focuses the microscopes have changed over the years. Things are more computerized now. When he was a grad student, he would have to look through a tiny porthole into the specimen chamber to focus an electron microscope; now computers and miniature cameras inside the chamber do that. NAUs transmission electron microscope still uses dials and a visual porthole to focus on specimens.

Images are also no longer photographed using film -- theyre saved digitally, he said, which makes it easier to see and get a good image the first time, instead of going through the process of developing negatives and prints from film.
A picture released by the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 29 March 2013 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (sitting) convening an urgent operation meeting at 0:30 am on 29 March 2013 at an undisclosed location, in which he ordered strategic rocket forces to be on standby to strike U.S. and South Korean targets at any time. (KCNA / HANDOUT)

Four years ago, North Korea's Rodong newspaper released a photograph of Kim Jong Un sitting in front of an intercontinental-ballistic-missile targeting map depicting Washington, Los Angeles and Austin. What once may have sparked laughter is no longer a joke. Kim's latest successful ICBM test last week could make the entire continental United States vulnerable to a nuclear strike from Pyongyang.

We can no longer defer our response to this crisis. North Korea has demonstrated, time and again, that it may upend the tenuous armistice along the 38th parallel at any moment and drag the United States and our allies into a devastating conflict. What the United States needs now is swift action backed by a realistic strategy to secure the denuclearization and reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

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We can achieve this if we effectively nullify Pyongyang's ability to target the United States and our allies, freeze the resources that North Korea funnels to its ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, and send a signal to disenchanted Korean Workers Party elites that they could have a future in a reunified Korea.

Today, only the ground-based midcourse defense system  designed to intercept ICBMs as they travel through space  protects the United States from nuclear attack. The terminal high-altitude area defense system, calibrated to destroy medium-range missiles as they reenter Earth's atmosphere, defends South Korea. Both platforms, and accompanying missile-interceptor programs such as the multi-object kill vehicle, must remain top priorities, but North Korea's ICBM tests necessitate new measures.

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We must now take missile defense into space.

Although the Institute for Defense Analyses reported in 2011 that the United States possesses the requisite technology to field a space-based interceptor (SBI) program within 10 years, little progress has been made in the six years since. Legislating to advance SBI and expand the scope of the Missile Defense Agency has been a critical priority for me on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Only with a serious space-based capability can we target missiles in their boost phase and maximize discrimination of decoys during mid-course flight.

Our aim must be to outpace the North Korean threat by orders of magnitude, not merely keep up with it. Space-based missile defense can get us there.

However, simply defending against North Korean projectiles is insufficient. We must also deprive Pyongyang of the resources it directs to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Unfortunately, during the Obama administration, the White House was more interested in securing a climate deal with China than enforcing sanctions against Pyongyang.

President Donald Trump is right when he says that China holds unique sway over North Korea. Beijing is effectively its only real trading partner, and the illicit network that finances North Korea's atomic pursuits runs through Chinese banks and companies.

I applaud the Treasury Department for recently designating the Bank of Dandong as a primary money laundering concern; now is the time to take further action against other key violators that bankroll the North Korean mafia state, including Bank of China. U.N. reports, Justice Department documents and nongovernmental organizationresearch have proved that Kim depends on the U.S. financial system to pay his elites, generals, security forces and soldiers. We must, through our financial regulations, compel U.S. banks with correspondent accounts linked to North Korean entities to begin mapping out the complex financial web of beneficial ownership that Pyongyang obscures with Chinese assistance.

Yet even a sanctioned North Korea remains a threat. Endemic to the regime is the enduring Juche ideology that deifies the Kim family and promises reunification of Korea in a Communist utopia. Like all authoritarian regimes before it, the Korean Workers Party propagates these lies in a vacuum of truth.

Reauthorization of the North Korea Human Rights Act (which I am co-sponsoring) can enable the United States to reach the people of North Korea with targeted messages of hope and support, as well as examples of the freedoms we enjoy every day. We should take this a step further and begin to initiate targeted information operations focusing on North Korean political elites who, like every day North Koreans, have also felt the brunt of Kim's paranoid persecution. We must begin to quietly signal to these elites that there is a future for them if they are prepared to do the right thing when it matters most.

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The only way to degrade the growing power of Pyongyang is through a coordinated approach that nullifies North Korea's missile advances, stymies its illicit cash flow and challenges the lies that underpin Kim's hold on power. This would turn the tables on Pyongyang and give us back the advantage.

Washington Post

Ted Cruz, a Republican, represents Texas in the U.S. Senate.
A new lawyer took the field last week in the Russia investigations: attorney Ty Cobb, appointed by President Donald Trump as White House special counsel. Cobb's client is different from those of the expanding list of lawyers working on Trump administration investigations issues; indeed, his client is the presidency itself.

It is his job not to defend Trump personally but to ensure the presidency as an office is not harmed. And there are indeed many ways in which the presidency can be harmed, perhaps with long-lasting consequences.

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As a lawyer who has spent much of my career representing public officials and agencies  including three governor's offices in impeachment proceedings  I am constantly reminded that the offices of the public officials are just as endangered by the investigative proceedings as the officeholders themselves. Cobb's role will be to try to protect the office of the presidency from impediments that arise during the investigation, and to defend its particular privileges and powers from any incursion along the way. However one feels about Trump himself, every American should be rooting for Cobb to succeed.

How will Cobb help protect the presidency? First, investigations can disrupt the functioning of the presidency and the executive branch of government. They occupy focus, attention, time and personnel that might otherwise be devoted to addressing critical executive functions of government such as national security, defense and the economy. Cobb will streamline the White House response to investigations and appropriately guard against unnecessary distraction from the essential work the American people have elected the president and his administration to do.

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Second, investigations can affect the presidency's constitutionally defined power and authority. The Constitution contemplates an elected president who will serve as the head of the executive branch of government, subject only to limited controls, such as congressional confirmation of certain executive branch personnel. An employee of the executive branch, even a "special counsel" appointed by the deputy attorney general, cannot unduly interfere with the operation of the presidency. So Cobb will help ensure that the work of the president and his administration is not disrupted, even while recognizing that law enforcement investigations are a critically important executive branch function.

Similarly, the Constitution provides for the allocation of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial branches. To be sure, Congress has a well-established oversight role. So those in Cobb's position during previous administrations  including those of Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush  have generally worked to facilitate efficient cooperation with congressional inquiries. Nevertheless, they also safeguard against any efforts by Congress to overreach in a way that could disrupt the delicate balance and separation of powers embodied in the Constitution.

How does this play out in the real world? The White House will almost certainly receive demands for information from special counsel Robert Mueller. It will be up to Cobb to make sure these demands are evaluated and complied with, assuming they are lawful. This involves working with White House staff members to identify responsive information and, subject to any applicable privileges, producing it promptly. Cobb would also represent the presidency's interests in connection with any requests for interviews or testimony from White House staff members.

If Cobb thinks Mueller's demands are unlawful, perhaps because they are too broad or they are for information protected by executive privilege or attorney-client privilege, Cobb must evaluate the demands and advise the president. There are few U.S. Supreme Court decisions to consult for guidance, but Cobb will no doubt review those and any relevant lower court decisions.

These kinds of disputes have come up in the past. The Clinton White House, for example, went to court to argue that documents and testimony demanded by an independent counsel were protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege. There was also litigation when Clinton claimed executive privilege related to documents demanded by an independent counsel in connection with an investigation of former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. It will be up to Cobb to advocate for the presidency in addressing these kinds of issues should they arise.

Trump's administration will also continue to get inquiries from Congress. Cobb will have to help the White House comply with these inquiries assuming they comport with constitutional notions of separation and balance of powers. Were Congress to push its constitutional boundaries, Cobb will likely negotiate a resolution, and if not, the matter may go to court: A recent example is when Congress filed a lawsuit to obtain documents from Obama's attorney general and Justice Department, despite the Obama administration's claims of executive privilege.

It was crucially important that the president designate a lawyer to represent the presidency in the current investigations. Without someone to fill this role effectively, there could be long-term consequences for the office. For example, the way the Nixon White House responded to the Watergate investigations caused lasting public mistrust of presidents, resulted in Supreme Court precedent eroding the president's executive privilege and tipped the political balance of powers toward Congress and away from the presidency. To prevent further damage to the presidency  no matter how one feels about Trump in particular  it is paramount that Cobb succeeds.

Washington Post

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Ross Garber is a lawyer whose practice has focused on representing public officials and agencies in investigations, including investigations and impeachment proceedings for three U.S. governors.
Bear with me, but I am one of those Republicans who have always thought that something would happen or a threshold would be crossed and Donald Trump would pivot to become a better leader. Starting when he won the New Hampshire primary through at least a dozen other points, I thought Trump would see the value of doing things, large and small, differently. I hoped he would behave more rationally.

So, after witnessing President Donald Trump's first six months in office and the debacle that was last week, what do I think now?

I still hold some dim hope that things could change. Maybe there is something about John Kelly's gravitas that will compel Trump to behave like a president should.

The anti-Trumpers say nothing about how this president can change, but just hear me out.

Perhaps the appointment of the former four-star Marine Corps general as the White House chief of staff is Trump's cry for help.

Perhaps, at some level, Trump knows the problem with this White House is himself, and since he can't control himself, maybe a guy like Kelly can. Letting Kelly get rid of Anthony Scaramucci was an acknowledgement by the president that the hiring of Scaramucci was a mistake that needed to be remedied immediately. There are few examples of Trump ever admitting error, so, with Scaramucci's near-immediate ouster, I see a glimmer of hope that maybe the president realizes he needs to be protected from himself and, in his mind, only someone with Kelly's stature is worthy of such responsibility.

Perhaps naming Kelly as chief of staff shows more self-awareness on the part of Trump than many ever thought possible.

Okay ... maybe not.

Anyway, some have suggested that Kelly just doesn't fit the precise mold of a White House chief of staff given the job's immense political responsibilities. But I think that criticism misses the point. What Trump needs is not a more subtle, ambidextrous hand to artfully navigate the political waters of Washington, what he needs is someone who can bring some semblance of basic order to this careening, imploding presidency.

Time and again, Kelly has proved himself capable of managing complex organizations at the highest levels of government- from serving as commander of United States Southern Command during the Obama years to leading the Department of Homeland Security under Trump. His task at the White House is urgent. And hey, so far, so good. In almost 24 hours since Kelly was sworn in, there haven't been any disasters, the president hasn't tweeted anything crazy and Scaramucci is out. So, by Trump's standards, they are on a roll.

And now, a word about the latest twist in the Trump-Russia story that greeted Kelly this morning.

The president's political enemies and the usual media critics will pounce on The Washington Post's article, breathlessly declaring that Trump, himself, is responsible for some of the initially false statements about the infamous June meeting between Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, the Russian lawyer  Natalia Veselnitskaya  and others. They will say this piece is further proof of the scandal's depth and potency.

The Post's article is problematic for the president on a number of fronts, but, oh, by the way, nothing about it suggests there was any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. This is just another example of the White House mismanaging and overreacting to the non-scandal. But, we are reminded of the dangerous political and legal environment in which this White House is operating - now under the direction of Kelly.

As I have written before, the frenzy surrounding talks of collusion has created a scandal without a crime. But given the special counsel's intense investigation of every possible accusation, the media's desperation to move the story and congressional committees issuing subpoenas, this is the perfect environment for an otherwise innocent person to wander into a crime.

The easiest way to come close to a crime would be to lie about any matter associated with the subject of the underlying investigation. And that appears to be exactly what happened. The lies in this instance don't appear to be criminal since there is no law against lying to the public or the media, but this latest revelation puts another falsehood into play that some in Trump's universe will think has to be defended. And that is what could turn the non-scandal into a fatal cancer.

Thankfully, Kelly has a reputation for being able to bring order to difficult situations.

Regarding all matters associated with the Russia collusion story, the White House should be quiet. They should rely on precise lawyering and full compliance. If they leave it alone, the collusion story and all the attendant investigations will run their course, no one will serve any time and this faux-scandal won't become Trump's Watergate.

Good luck, Gen. Kelly.
Special counsel Robert Mueller arrives at the U.S. Capitol for closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee June 21, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)

During the election campaign, Donald Trump declared he could "shoot somebody" in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not lose a vote. As president, he's calculating that he can ignore the rule of law and that there are enough quisling Republicans to let him get away with it.

He is, without question, scheming how to get rid of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Trump's connections to Russia. The betting in Washington is that he's willing to ignore Congress and Justice Department rules, and do this by executive order if necessary.

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Then, short of impeachment, which is not in the cards now, what's the best remedy?

Congress could enact a law reinstating the independent-counsel statute on a one-time-only basis. Congress lacks the executive power to name the counsel but could pass a "sense of the Congress" provision encouraging Chief Justice John Roberts to name a panel to expeditiously appoint Mueller to continue his probe.

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This would have to be done with the approval of Republican congressional leaders and, if successful, gain enough rank-and-file GOP support to override a certain presidential veto. That would require the assent of at least 19 of the 52 Republican senators and almost 100 House members.

Here is why Trump believes that Congress won't do this and that he can ignore any firestorm of protests.

He thinks House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., whom he views as weak, will voice disapproval if Mueller is removed but then say, "Let's move on to the business of the nation and tax reform." Trump regards Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., as a showboat who will go on a Sunday talk show and decry a "lawless presidency," then turn his attention to the need for stronger action on Syria. As for the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who has a reputation as a curmudgeonly but straight-shooting conservative, Trump sees him as holding hearings on a constitutional crisis  and then pivoting to focus on an overview of antitrust laws.

Let's hope Trump is wrong. If he takes the radical step of using an executive order to remove Mueller, there is a compelling case for an independent counsel, one who does not report to the Justice Department. Currently Mueller reports to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Restoring the independent-counsel statute would relieve the special prosecutor from the risk of political interference.

That law expired in 1999, after bipartisan complaints about open-ended and unaccountable prosecutors. It was replaced by the special-counsel process under the Justice Department.

There were good reasons for the shift. Independent prosecutor Lawrence Walsh, starting in 1986, took 6 1/2 years to complete his inquiry into the Reagan administration's Iran-contra scandal, and Kenneth Starr spent more than four years investigating Bill Clinton.

Most incredible, independent counsel David Barrett took more than 10 years to investigate Clinton's housing secretary, Henry Cisneros, who publicly acknowledged having an affair when he was mayor of San Antonio, Texas, and paying his former mistress; the FBI said he lied about the amount he paid her.

This time around, Congress could set a time limit of two years on a Mueller investigation. The case is complicated but Mueller has a crack team of investigators, and it's better to reach any conclusions before the 2020 election year.

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Yes, this will put pressure on Republicans. But one consideration that will be off the table is loyalty. In Trump's trashing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, his first and most important Senate supporter during the campaign, he has shown that loyalty is a one-way street for him. On Capitol Hill, many, probably most, Republicans believe that Trump is erratic and unprincipled, and that he will always put self ahead of party.

But they also fear his hard-core base. This is not a unique hazard. During Watergate, when freshman Rep. William Cohen turned against President Richard Nixon, he got death threats. (The Maine congressman's intern then was Susan Collins, now an independent Republican senator from Maine and key member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, examining the Trump-Russian link.)

But Trump would go further than anyone to fan the rage of his supporters, even if this leads to blood in the streets. An illustration of the political deplorables the president embraces is Arizona Republican Kelli Ward, who recently met with White House officials who encouraged her in a primary challenge against conservative Sen. Jeff Flake, who refused to endorse Trump. While others were lauding Arizona's other senator, John McCain, for his courage in battling brain cancer, Ward, an osteopathic doctor, called on him to resign so Arizona's governor could appoint her to the seat.

When the president flouts the law, as Trump will do if he fires Mueller, that should transcend partisanship or fear of a GOP primary challenge. Some allies of Ryan are warning him that Trump is likely to come after him next. Even at the risk of his speakership, they would urge him to put principle over party. Graham surely knows he faces the same risks, if he's going to be the next generation's Republican maverick in the McCain tradition.

If Trump acts on his threats  after all, he's gotten away with everything before  it's legacy time for these Republicans.

Bloomberg View

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Albert R. Hunt is a Bloomberg View columnist. He was the executive editor of Bloomberg News, before which he was a reporter, bureau chief and executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal.

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Illinois State Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, holds a press conference about negations on Senate Bill 1 along with Illinois State Rep. Will Davis, D-Harvey, left, and Illinois State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, right, during a special session on education funding at the Illinois State Capitol, Monday, July 31, 2017, in Springfield, Ill. (Justin L. Fowler / The State Journal-Register via AP)

Gov. Rauner on Tuesday did what he'd promised all along: He issued a partial veto of a sweeping school funding bill. He had signaled for months his concern that the bill unfairly boosted funding for Chicago Public Schools at the expense of other districts statewide.

The reaction, mostly from Democrats, was hyperbolic nonetheless. They're shocked, shocked! They must not read newspapers.

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Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, called Rauner a "politician living on the lunatic fringe." Sen. Pat McGuire, D-Crest Hill, said Rauner's veto threatened to "blow a hole" in the lives of schoolchildren. Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, who is running in the 2018 Democratic primary for governor, called Rauner's changes to the bill "utterly disqualifying."

Let's all take a breath. Even the bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill, offered a more reasonable reaction: There is still time to make this happen.

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Rauner said for months he would not sign off on changes that Democrats slipped into the bill in the waning hours of May 31  changes that gave CPS advantages over other districts. So on Tuesday, when Democrats finally delivered the bill to the governor, he stripped out $250 million in block grant money that CPS receives. He also changed a part of the bill that would make CPS eligible for more funding than similarly hard-pressed districts.

Rauner also said his amendatory veto would keep an extra $221 million for CPS pensions, but lawmakers would have to approve that in a separate bill.

Rauner's changes don't have to savage this bill. But you wouldn't know that from all the scripted, premeditated reactions that began flooding the airwaves (and our email inboxes) moments after Rauner issued his veto.

The governor made many changes to the bill, some technical and some substantive. But the real economic impact on schools won't be known until the Illinois State Board of Education scores the bill district-by-district. That calculation is underway. We wish we could have seen that in the hours after the amendatory veto.

The Senate now has 15 days from Tuesday to act on Rauner's amendatory veto. That's more than two weeks, plenty of time to reach an agreement  if senators can be bothered to show up and get engaged. They can accept Rauner's changes, which is not likely, or they can override him and let CPS keep the additional money they included. If the Senate does either of those, action shifts to the House. Or senators can do nothing and let the whole thing collapse, which would be tragic.

There's no good reason for this deadline dash. The Senate, you'll recall, could have sent the bill to Rauner's desk right after May 31, when lawmakers passed it. Instead, two months came and went. Senate President John Cullerton delivered it on July 31. Four days of special session, called by Rauner, also came and went. And to put a finer point on it, 12 years of Democratic rule in the House, Senate and governor's office came and went without lawmakers touching the school funding formula that everyone knew was broken.

Remember how former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn begged the General Assembly to rewrite the way the state pays for education? The two Democrat-led chambers didn't bother.

Now we're down to 15 days. Will senators get to work? Can they manage to make it to Springfield? Because we're already hearing the excuses on upcoming absences.

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So-and-so is receiving an out-of-state award! So-and-so is on vacation! So-and-so has important plans!

We'll see how fervent the pols' commitment to school funding reform really is. We'll expect Rauner and senators to be at work, in the Capitol, by the end of this week. They have to finish this long-overdue job.

Who will make it a priority?

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

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While we cannot allow that threat to stand, part of the editorial analysis deserves further editing. Instead of saying, Trump needs a far more muscular policy than his predecessor's, it ought to have read predecessors. Every administration since President Dwight Eisenhower's has taken a wait-and-see attitude, hoping the Kim rulers would sober up and join in negotiating a permanent equitable peace.

The misplaced apostrophe unfairly blames only the Obama administration, when that policy includes every administration since the Korean War armistice was signed in 1953. Fair is fair.

The editorial also claims China is key to putting North Korea on a different path. But the experts say China feels safer with North Korea interposed between itself, South Korea, Japan and the U.S. in its ambitions in the area, so is unlikely to intervene unless it values the U.S. as a trading partner and debtor more than it values co-communist North Korea as a strategic pawn and ideological cousin.

We could win a military hot war with North Korea, but at the horrendous cost of seeing South Korea obliterated as well, including risking the more than 20,000 U.S. troops stationed there. This also assumes China would not intervene to help North Korea as it did in 1951, upsetting many strategic assumptions.

What starts as chastising an upstart nation could suddenly escalate to Armageddon proportions. A Hobson's choice, to put it mildly.

Push come to shove, our baby boomers and millennials may quickly learn to take international politics as seriously as we who watched WWII and its aftermath and who fought in the first Korean War did.

Abiding a Russian nuclear threat, a la a Cold War scenario of mutually assured destruction, is one thing. Russia, too, had an arsenal of nuclear missiles pointed at us.

It is quite another to abide a reckless Kim Jong Un of dubious judgment and deranged ambition so armed.

 Ted Z. Manuel, Chicago
Middle East Forum, by Raymond Stock

Jutting into the Persian Gulf like lower Michigan minus its thumb, the super-rich peninsular nation of Qatar has long been a problemone that has now brought the region to the brink of a potentially catastrophic conflict.

Seen for decades as a more liberal extension of the arch-conservative Saudi Kingdom, since the mid-1990s Qatar has striven to maintain that facade, even as it aided and funded the global jihad, both directly indirectly, and grew dangerously close with an ever-more strident and aggressive Iran. As the tensions built, erupted, subsided and built again during this time, it finally took a US administration willing to back up and rally the countries that Qatar's actions have threatenedprimarily the very states that have moved against it nowto bring matters to a head.

The result has been a lengthening physical and diplomatic embargo on Qatar that could lead to war, or perhaps impede the war to kill the Islamic State (IS). In either case it would leave a lasting rift among four of the six states in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and lands far beyond them.

Begun by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain, later joined by Chad, Libya, the Maldives, Niger and Yemen, this was a crisis, sadly, whose time had come.

"Fake News" vs. Real Ransom

While much has been made of the reaction to a May 23 report by Qatar's state news agency (improbably) praising both Iran and Israel and predicting a short term in office for Trump, it does not appear to have been the real trigger for the incident. Qatar claims it was hacked, dismissing the disputed posting as "fake news." CNN reported on June 7 that US intelligence believes it was the work of unnamed Russians, though the FBI is now on the case.

Hackers were reportedly responsible for a May 23 post by Qatar's state news agency praising Iran and Israel.

Yet the real kicker was clearly the $1 billion Qatar paid in April to free a group of 26 of its nationals kidnapped by the Iran-linked Shi'ite militia Kita'eb Hizbollah while hunting in Iraq in December 2015. Freed in the same deal were 50 Islamists seized by other jihadis in Syria, as reported in The Financial Times on June 5thus both "Iranian security officials" and an al-Qaeda (AQ) affiliate, al-Nusra Front, apparently received the cash.

Worse, the deal was evidently done behind the back of the Baghdad government led by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadiwho is trying to rein in the brutal Shi'ite militias while fighting ISIS. Al-Abadi announced in April that Iraq had confiscated "millions of dollars" in suitcases from Qatari planes on its territory, says the FT.

Meanwhile, Iyad Allawi, Iraq's secular Shi'ite vice president, quoted by Reuters at a Cairo news conference June 19, accused Qatar of seeking to divide Iraq "into a Sunni region in exchange for a Shi'ite region."

"It is time we spoke honestly and made things clear (to the Qataris) so that we can reach some results," Allawi insisted. "After that confrontation, comes reconciliation," he stated--without saying how.

The Root of the Trouble

Qatar has not always behaved this way. I served as Head of the Academic Section under the Cultural Attache of the State of Qatar, part of the Qatari embassy in the US, from 1986-90, advising students on university scholarship from Doha in North America. The Qataris with whom I worked and met at the time were generally conservative, but kind-hearted, forward-looking and not fanatical

hence it is hard indeed to personally advocate action against their country.

The trouble began with the overthrow of the old emir, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, by his son, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in 1995. Sheikh Hamad pushed for a more modern, constitutional, somewhat more egalitarian government at home (primarily for its roughly 300,000 citizens, rather than its 2,000,000-plus, often virtually enslaved foreign workers)while apostasy from Islam, adultery and homosexuality remain capital crimes.

Hailed by many as a voice of open democracy, Qatar's Al-Jazeera television network has specialized in agitation against other Arab regimes.

He also allowed the creation of Al Jazeera television, hailed by many as a voice of open democracythough its Arabic arm has mainly carried a mixture of Islamist and other anti-Western propaganda with agitation against other Arab regimes (along with often vociferous debate programs), and has had ties to AQ behind the scenes. (The network's more secular-left leaning English-language service has won many fans in the West, who do not grasp or would even rationalize the radicalism of the Arabic version seen in the Middle East.)

Stunningly, Al Jazeera's former bureau chief in Cairo, Canadian-Egyptian citizen Mohamed Fahmy, jailed for 438 days in Egypt for allegedly colluding with efforts by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) to overthrow Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in 2014, has recently filed a lawsuit in British Columbia against his former employers. Eli Lake of Bloomberg News wrote on June 23 that Fahmy accuses Al Jazeera of deliberately serving the MB and of being "a mouthpiece for Qatari intelligence" and "a voice for terrorists," something he says he learned from Islamists in Cairo's infamous Tora Prison, who told him how they had cooperated closely with the network.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (right) handed power to his son Tamim (left) in 2013.

Under Hamad and his son, Sheikh Tamim, who took over in 2013, Qatar has gone far beyond media agitation on behalf of the terrorists. Under them, Qatar began funding, or in some cases permitting others to fund, groups like the MBthe ideological parent of all the Islamist groups operating today.

Also those very offshoots themselves, including Salafi jihadis, Hamas (which it has endorsed as a "legitimate resistance organization," according to Al Jazeera on June 10) and the Taliban--to whom it has offered refuge, or funnelled ransom--as well.

Under former President Barack Obama, America too backed the MB in the Arab Spring, and worked with Qatar as well as Saudi Arabiawhich has historically exported the same ideologyto aid obvious Islamists in the uprisings against Mu'ammar al-Qaddafi in Libya and Bashar al-Asad in Syria.

Qatar still helps the MB, which seeks to overthrow al-Sisi, whom most Egyptians backed in the ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, and hence has had frequent quarrels with Cairo. Saudi Arabiawhose still-new king, Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, has pledged to fight "extremist ideology," and unveiled a high-tech centre at the Riyadh summit with the stated aim of doing the same--along with the UAE, have each also banned the MB for plotting to bring down their own regimes.

Yet Egypt has recently strengthened its own ties with Hamas, apparently to turn it from an ally of the hostile MB to a partner in securing its north-eastern border against attacks by other Islamists. According to Reuters July 5, al-Sisi "may well insist on Hamas giving up its friendship" with Qatar as a price for continuing the relationship.

The BBC quoted FM Sheikh Mohammed June 6 as having complained to Al Jazeera of those "trying to impose their will on Qatar, or intervene in its internal affairs." At the word "intervene," Qatar's critics can only laughas it has laughed with a Janus face at those fighting the jihadi menace, and its millions of suffering victims, for years.
There is a reason for the forest of antennas, towers and poles just east of Eola Road near Diehl Road in Aurora.

The telecommunications companies building them are trying to get as close to CyrusOne on the southwest corner of Eola and Diehl as they can. CyrusOne is an expanding data center company that stores data for, among other companies, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

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And the flurry of proposals for antenna locations before Aurora officials has caused them to look at how they handle the requests, both for more traditional towers, and the locations on smaller poles for the new small cell technology.

The city made license agreements last year for antenna locations with two corporations, and used those as a model for an ordinance that will cover future proposals. The agreements with Onlight Aurora, the city's own not-for-profit corporation that provides the fiber optic broadband for the city, and a private company, Vigilant, provided the template.

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Scientel is seeking to put a 195-foot tower on this property on Eola Road, just south of Diehl Road. (Steve Lord/The Beacon-News )

Last week, aldermen on the City Council's Planning and Development Committee recommended amendments to city ordinances covering communication and data transfers, and construction of facilities in public right-of-way, to guide the city in future telecommunications locations.

It is a unique situation for Aurora because of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange usage of CyrusOne  similar to only one other location in the country, in New Jersey, which hosts data handling for the New York Stock Exchange.

"It's all relative to trading," said Lance Malina, Aurora's acting corporation counsel.

Stephane Pfifer, Aurora's planning director, said the ordinance will cover all kinds of locations of telecommunications devices, whether on large antennas or smaller poles.

Scientel is one company in the midst of applying for a special use for a 195-foot tower on land across the street from CyrusOne. It is another company looking to be as close to the Mercantile Exchange data as possible, in which being closer results in being able to report trading information that much sooner than others.

The exchange located in Aurora to be outside of the direct Chicago market, a requirement after the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. It is the same reason the New York Stock Exchange locates its data in New Jersey.

But the ordinance also covers installations for regular cell phone use, including the latest small cell technology. World Class Wireless has a proposal for that kind of location, which would actually just use existing city poles.

One of the amendments recommended by the Planning and Development Committee last week is to increase the fees for failing to follow the city's rules. Originally, the city had them at $1,000 a day, but telecommunications companies advised the city that was very small for them  that companies would pay that much and consider it a price of doing business.

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The new recommended fine is $50,000 a day, and that would double every 10 days.

Aldermen remarked on how high that was, but Malina said collecting the fee is not the point.

"We hope we'll have compliance," he said.

slord@tribpub.com
Though the ordered deportation of a former Aurora priest charged with child sex abuse has lawyers scrambling to keep him in the U.S. through his trial, it turns out the priest waived his right to appeal a federal immigration judge's decision ordering him removed from the country and sent back to his native Colombia.

Offering little clarity on whether Alfredo Pedraza Arias will be in the country by Sept. 18, when his trial is scheduled to start, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials responded for the first time Monday to Beacon-News inquiries about his case.

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Arias has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, which allege he sexually abused two girls at their Catholic church between 2012 and 2014, when both girls were younger than 6 years old. He has also waived his right to appeal a June 14 deportation order signed by a federal immigration judge, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa.

Zamarripa confirmed Monday that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services revoked Alfredo Pedraza Arias' temporary religious worker non-immigrant visa in September, six months after he was indicted in Kane County.

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"Since Pedraza-Arias is now out of status regarding his U.S. immigration standing, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers assigned to the Chicago Fugitive Operations Team arrested him May 4, 2017," according to a statement provided by Zamarripa.

At the time, Arias had been out on bond on $50,000 bail. His lawyer, David Camic, said immigration officials took Arias into custody outside a courtroom where he'd just had a hearing.

Both Camic and county prosecutors have expressed the desire to see the case go to trial, though Camic has said he doesn't think the methods used to keep his client in the county are fair. Camic has not said anything to indicate what Arias personally wants.

In an attempt to keep Arias away from immigration officials, a county judge has twice granted prosecutors' requests to raise his bail and remand him to the custody of the county judicial center. The first time Judge Linda Abrahamson raised Arias' bail by $100,000 and remanded him to the jail, someone came up with the additional $10,000 bond and he was released. Immigration officials immediately re-apprehended him, so prosecutors tried again. On Friday, Abrahamson raised bail by the same amount, and as of 7 p.m. Monday, Arias was still listed in custody at the Kane County jail.

If Pedraza-Arias were released from the jail, immigration officials would take him back into custody, Zamarripa said.

Last week, Kane County prosecutors said they learned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials couldn't hold Arias beyond July 31, and that he'll be deported if he's not in the jail. Asked about those statements, Zamarripa disregarded specific questions and responded that as far as she knew, Arias was currently in state custody.

"ICE Chicago plans to execute the immigration judge's removal order once Arias' state criminal charges are fully adjudicated, and he is transferred to ICE custody," according to the federal agency's statement.

Zamarripa also wouldn't say whether ICE would go into the jail to get Arias or if they'd leave him in county custody as long as he's there until his case is decided.

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Should Arias get deported, prosecutors could ask to have him tried in absentia, but they've said it's unclear whether that would work or whether he could be extradited for proceedings.

The statement from immigration officials asserted that ICE "continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security," conducting targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
Police reports detail how an off-duty state correctional officer ended up shooting and killing a 7-year-old Siberian Husky outside a boys birthday party in Yorkville. (Yorkville Police Department)

A Yorkville boy's ninth birthday party took a dark turn when an off-duty Illinois corrections officer shot and killed a Siberian husky that bit the birthday boy's father, a Kendall County sheriff's deputy.

Police reports released to the Beacon-News detail how the officer ended up firing his gun at the husky, whose owner was cited for violating three ordinances. Yorkville Police Deputy Chief Terry Klingel confirmed the involvement of the off-duty corrections officer and county deputy.

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Yorkville police officers were initially dispatched at 5:35 p.m. July 21 for a report of a dog bite on the 600 block of Heustis Street.

"While enroute, Kencom dispatch advised the dog had bit a male and that two off-duty officers were holding the dog at gunpoint," states a Yorkville police report.

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The dog had bitten a man in his right forearm, and the man was now holding the dog down in the yard, dispatchers said.

Moments later, dispatchers had an update: at about 5:38 p.m., the dog  later identified as a 7-year-old Siberian Husky named Jay  had been shot.

When the reporting officer arrived, he saw paramedics treating the deputy, whose right forearm had been wrapped in gauze.

A tan and white husky lay in the side yard, between the garage and the house. The dog was already dead, the officer wrote.

The deputy was still out of breath, sweating profusely and appearing physically exhausted, requiring several breaks to catch his breath when speaking with an officer, according to reports.

Family and friends were having a birthday party for the deputy's son when the phone rang, he told the officer.

The deputy said he had been inside the house when a neighbor called to say an unfriendly dog was running around the neighborhood. At the moment, the neighbor said, the dog was in the deputy's driveway.

The deputy and a party guest, an off-duty state correctional officer, went outside to look for the dog. They found the dog in the side yard, between the house and garage, north of the back door.

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As the deputy was trying to get the dog to leave, his wife came out the door and the dog became agitated, started to growl and showed its teeth, appearing aggressive, according to reports.

Hoping to prevent the dog from going after his wife, the deputy moved to grab its collar, at which point the husky lunged and bit his right forearm, he said. The woman ran inside to call 911.

The deputy took the husky to the ground, where the dog, barking, actively fought with him and tried to bite him again, according to reports.

His wife went back outside and found her husband struggling with the husky. She stayed in touch with dispatchers, telling them what was happening as the skirmish escalated.

As the deputy wrestled the husky, reports state the correctional officer's wife and 3-year-old daughter walked up the driveway with their own dog. The woman heard yelling coming from the side yard area and made out the deputy's wife calling out to keep the children back, so she took them to safety, she told police.

Frightened for the safety of his family and other children around if the husky got loose, the corrections officer said he drew his .40-caliber Glock 27 "just in case."

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The deputy continued to grapple with the dog for several minutes, until he no longer could.

"He was unable to hold him down any longer due to the dog continuously fighting to bite him and get loose," the police officer wrote.

The correctional officer fired a single shot at the dog, striking him in the head, according to reports.

While on scene, a Yorkville officer noticed a maroon Ford F-150 pickup truck driving slowly around the neighborhood, the driver apparently looking in yards, passing the same intersection twice. Another officer flagged it down and confirmed the driver was the husky's owner, out looking for his dog.

Jay ran out the front door after a walk and his owner had been out looking for him ever since, first on foot and then in the truck, the man said.

The man took his dog's body home.

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He was ticketed for a dog running at large; no rabies tags; and dangerous/vicious domestic animals involving a dog bite, and is scheduled to appear 5:30 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Yorkville Police Department for a mandatory hearing. Police checked with Jay's veterinarian, which provided records showing the husky had last been vaccinated for rabies in March 2013.

The correctional officer handed over his drivers' license, FOID card, credentials badge and gun.

The deputy was treated at a local hospital for puncture wounds caused by the dog bite.

Citing an ongoing investigation, Klingel would not say whether a criminal damage to property report three days later on the same block occurred at the same address or was in any way related to the dog bite or shooting. In the report, a woman said at about 11:35 p.m. July 24, she saw a male hunched down near her vehicle and he took off running when she yelled at him. She said she noticed one of her tires had been punctured.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
Aurora Police Officer Nikole Petersen chats with Youth Academy student Merina Olvera, who will be among 47 teens graduating with the program's 15th class. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News )

Merina Olvera readily admits she has a tendency to "live two lives."

On one hand, the West Aurora High School student is a "tell-it-like-it- is" 15-year-old who has a tendency to hang with the wrong crowd, get into trouble and think of cops as "the bad guys" because she's seen too many of them "take away people I know."

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The other side of Merina is the impressive young lady I met on Monday when I visited the Law Enforcement Youth Academy, which will be graduating its 15th class at Pipers Banquets in Aurora Thursday evening.

Among its 47 current grads will be this still-outspoken West Aurora student, who said the academy's seven-week program "totally changed" her perspective on a lot of things, including that negative attitude about cops.

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"Oh, she didn't like me at all when we first started ... not at all," agreed Nikole Petersen, one of the Community Oriented Policing officers who helps run the summer program sponsored by Aurora police and the Kane County State's Attorney's Office for teens from the Aurora area, including Oswego, Kaneland, Geneva and South Elgin.

"And now," Merina quickly chimed in, "she and I are, like, really close...I can tell her just about anything."

Changing youthful perceptions about the men and women in blue is an important component of this program that began in 2002 with just seven teens and now boasts over 300 graduates. One youngster said she grew up hating police officers because childhood memories revolved around "cops always chasing my dad," who, she also admitted, usually "had drugs or guns on him."

South Elgin resident Ethan Chase, 17, is one of 47 teens in this year's graduating class from the Law Enforcement Youth Academy. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News )

These sort of stories are not uncommon, said Program Director Pamela Bradley who, as a long-time employee with the Illinois Department of Corrections juvenile division, then later with the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, founded the academy with a federal Weed and Seed Grant 15 years ago after growing "tired of seeing the revolving door  with so many youth so negative about police."

Since then, she said, many of those who "once flat-out hated police officers" have gone on to careers in law enforcement, as well as the military, health care and education. And one alumni, Bradley stated proudly, recently graduated from law school.

The academy, however, is more than just breaking down barriers, insist students and teachers I spoke with on Monday in the community room of the Aurora Police Station. The program certainly does plenty of that by giving participants an up-close look at local law enforcement procedures. But it's also instilling confidence, teaching mental and physical toughness, and building leadership skills, said Marcus Pugh-Embrey, a 2017 graduate of Metea Valley High School, who will graduate from the academy this week and begin pursuing a career in law enforcement at College of DuPage a couple weeks later.

Pugh-Embrey, who instructors regard as a natural leader, was just one of many students who applauded the academy for making them physically and mentally tougher, starting with those challenging 60-plus-minute workouts held before sessions three times a week. In addition to building conditioning and strength, students told me they have trimmed pounds off their bodies and seconds off those regular mile runs.

On Monday I got a chance to meet all the graduates, who one by one, boldly stated their names, where they go to school and what they plan to do with their lives. Even more impressive, they weren't shy about standing in front of their peers and declaring just how much this program impacted them in ways big and small.

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While some were not looking forward to the program in the beginning, the overall consensus is that it helped provide a new direction in life, teaching "respect and responsibility," noted West High student Kayla Ortiz. For East High's Angy Lopez, it emphasized getting off the couch and into the community, not to mention helping bring more calm to her home life that included "not fighting with my siblings."

West Aurora High School student Dezember Barnes joined the Law Enforcement Youth Academy this summer. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News )

And for 15-year-old West High student Dezember Barnes, who joined the academy when she "hit a rough patch in school" and now wants to become a criminal defense attorney, "it opened my eyes to new things."

One of the more compelling testimonies came from Geneva student Jordan Mack who, six months ago during an English class, suffered a near-fatal heart attack from an undetected cardiac condition that resulted in surgery to install a pacemaker.

Having to be resuscitated three times, Jordan said, changed his outlook on life, as did this academy that "breaks down the limitation mentality" by showing the only failure in life is "not trying."

When doctors told him he should not do more than 100 pushups, Jordan said, he strove to do 200. And since the academy started seven weeks ago, the teen has shaved more than a minute off his mile, noted several of the instructors who, along with the entire class, applauded this young man's feat.

Keeping momentum going is paramount. Last year a youth academy alumni association was started "to help them stay on the right track," said Petersen. These officers, who even help fill out college loan applications, obviously don't stop caring when the classes are over.

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"I plan on being there with Merina when school starts too," said Petersen, who takes her role as mentor seriously. "She knows that all she has to do is call me . She can always talk to me and I'll listen."

Merina nods her head, a smile spreading across her face. Before the academy, she said, "I wasn't close to nobody.

"But we are all family here . We really have grown a close bond."

Forty-seven teens will be part of the 15th graduating class from Auroras Law Enforcement Youth Academy. Aug. 1, 2017. (Denise Crosby / Beacon-News)

DCrosby@tribub.com

Twitter @dencrosby
First, the library director was banned from the library. Then, a faction of the library board went to court to oust a fellow trustee for a prior felony arson conviction. Amid the infighting, the library board in west suburban Bellwood has failed to hold its past nine scheduled meetings, according to its website.

The turmoil surfaced in two July court filings, the culmination of growing dysfunction at the library in this working-class suburb still reeling from allegations of misspending at its local school district.

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The library board last met in February. Since then, each board meeting is listed as either "canceled" or "no quorum" on the library's website.

"We are in limbo," said Deborah Giles, a library trustee who was elected in April. "We can't move forward.  Other than pay our regular bills, there are no decisions we can make on anything."

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Giles and two other trustees filed a complaint July 3 in Cook County Circuit Court to have fellow trustee Sharon Tharpe declared ineligible to serve on the board. Tharpe pleaded guilty in 2002 to arson with the intent to defraud an insurance company, a felony, and was sentenced to 24 months of probation, according to court documents.

Illinois law prohibits from holding elected municipal office anyone who "has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony."

Tharpe, library board president Mary Clements and an attorney listed as representing the library board in court documents did not return the Tribune's calls and emails requesting comment.

Court documents in the ongoing case also allege Tharpe doesn't live in Bellwood, citing a Chicago condo she purchased after selling her Bellwood condominium. The court filing argues that this, too, should bar her from serving as a trustee.

"A convicted felon and nonresident holding the public office of Library Trustee will adversely impact and threaten the integrity and/or credibility of Bellwood Public Library records and this local municipal library's ability to effectively transact business," the court records said.

Around the same time, in early July, an entity listed as the "Bellwood Public Library" filed a temporary restraining order to bar the library's director, Jacqueline Spratt, from library property. Spratt had been placed on administrative leave with pay pending an investigation, according to the court document, though it doesn't cite what the library director was being investigated for.

After Spratt received notice of her leave on July 1, she "came to the library to prevent a locksmith from changing the locks of the Library," the court records say.

But a judge rescinded the restraining order July 6, in part because "one of the necessary votes on the Bellwood Public Library Board was that of Sharon Tharpe, a convicted felon who did not have the legal authority to vote on the matters," court documents state.

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Spratt, who is now back to work at the library, said she was never given an explanation as to why she was put on administrative leave.

"I would try to tell them what the law was and, not every time but sometimes, I was told I was being insubordinate," Spratt said.

Giles and the two other trustees trying to remove Tharpe from office said they don't believe Spratt did anything wrong and questioned how the board could have decided to place Spratt on administrative leave without a quorum.

The board has six members and one vacant seat, the library's website says.

The suburb of about 19,000 residents is still grappling with recent problems on the board of Bellwood School District 88, which includes students from Bellwood, Maywood, Hillside, Broadview, Melrose Park and Stone Park.

Although the district was deep in debt, Tribune investigations last year revealed the school board allowed expensive travel junkets as well as the hiring of friends and family; the board had also diverted more than $105,000 from an education fund to refill a retirement account the district superintendent had drained years prior.

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On a recent weekday morning, Bellwood resident James Parker, 60, was working on his laptop at the library. He described it as a hub of the community: Kids flock there around 3 p.m. during the school year, and adults frequently access technology there and gather for exercise classes.

Parker said he's heard about some of the infighting on the board but is grateful he hasn't noticed a change in service at the library, which he uses about twice a week.

"I guess it's just one of those power struggles," he said.

The library website lists the board's next scheduled meeting for Sept. 12.

Angie Leventis Lourgos is a Tribune reporter. Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.

Tribune reporter Steve Schmadeke contributed.

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eleventis@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @angie_leventis
A Cicero woman was charged with DUI on Monday after being stopped by Riverside police while she was en route to a court-mandated counseling session prompted by an earlier DUI conviction, police said.

According to a news release from Riverside police, Vanessa Vargas, 23, was stopped about 5:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Woodside Road for allegedly driving 45 mph in a 25-mph zone. An officer said he could smell an odor of marijuana coming from the car.

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When she was asked to step out of the car, Vargas told police she was on her way to mandated DUI classes in Chicago that were part of a plea deal made after a 2016 DUI arrest in Berwyn, police said.

Vargas, who police said could barely stand, failed field sobriety tests. Her blood-alcohol count was 0.196, more than twice the legal limit, police said.

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She admitted drinking beer and smoking marijuana while driving. Inside her vehicle, police found open alcohol in a cooler. They also discovered Vargas had 18 grams of marijuana, according to the news release.

Vargas was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, possession of marijuana, driving with open alcohol and speeding, police said.

After her arrest in Berwyn in January 2016, her driver's license was suspended. But the suspension had been served and she had a valid license when stopped in Riverside on Monday. She was still under court supervision for the Berwyn arrest, Riverside police Chief Tom Weitzel said.

Vargas posted $100 bond after Monday's arrest, Weitzel said.

"She had no reservations about driving drunk, speeding and smoking cannabis on her way to a court-mandated DUI counseling session," Weitzel said. "When the officer questioned her about this she said, well I guess I learned my lesson."
A Shorewood woman convicted in the 2013 grisly killings of two Joliet men has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to review her case and overturn her life sentence.

Bethany McKee, 23, was sentenced to life in prison three years ago after being found guilty of murder for the strangulation deaths of Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover. The two men were found dead inside a residence on Hickory Street.

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At her trial, Will County prosecutors said McKee and three others  Joshua Miner, Adam Landerman and Alissa Massaro  plotted to rob and kill Rankins and Glover. McKee, who knew Rankins, told her friends he always carried cash with him and agreed to help lure him and Glover to the apartment to rob the two men, prosecutors said.

Though she did not participate in the strangulation of the two men, state law requires a mandatory life sentence when found guilty of two murders. McKee was found guilty under the theory of accountability, where prosecutors argued she knew  or should have known  that the two men could be killed as part of the robbery. In developing the plan to rob the two men, Miner said he and Landerman could kill them and the four developed a signal for the two women to leave when the robbery would happen, prosecutors argued at trial.

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Both Miner, 29, and Landerman, 24, are serving life sentences for the murders. They also are appealing their convictions.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Massaro, 23, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of robbery and concealing a homicide in exchange for her testimony. She received a 10-year sentence and is eligible for parole in 2018 according to the Illinois Department of Corrections website.

An appellate court upheld McKee's sentence in June. In July, her attorneys filed a request for the Illinois Supreme Court to review the case.

The request argues the justices should review the case because of conflicting rulings from other districts involving similar cases. McKee's attorney, Bryon Kohut, also argues McKee was just 18 years old at the time of the killings, had no criminal background and suffered from "considerable mental health issues" and "horrific abuses" as a teenager.

Kohut points to two other Illinois cases that involved murders and convictions based on the accountability theory. In those cases, the mandatory life sentence was eventually ruled unconstitutional based on the defendants' young ages, lack of criminal history and support of family, according to court documents filed last month.

Kohut said the earliest the state's high court could review the case is September.

In an appellate court ruling upholding Will County Judge Gerald Kinney's decision to impose a life sentence, appellate court justices in their written ruling noted McKee "actively participated" in planning the crime and was an "instigator." They noted she lured the two men to the apartment, made the suggestion to rob Rankins, used money that was stolen from the two men to buy gas and stole various items, including baby boots, from Glover's car after he died, according to court documents.

Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Calumet City residents expressed their frustration with the city council's decision to opt out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance during the July 13, 2017 meeting

Nearly four months since Calumet City voters overwhelmingly supported a nonbinding ballot referendum in favor of a minimum wage increase, residents are frustrated with the city council's recent decision to opt out the county's hike, or even publicly discuss the issue.

Hopes were high following the April 4 election, when more than 80 percent of Calumet City voters supported two separate minimum wage measures and city attorney Burt Odelson said he expected officials to move quickly on the issue.

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"I'm sure they're going to do something in response to what the direction of the people are," he said at the time, calling the issue "on the front burner."

Proponents of minimum wage increases say they help workers, but critics argue they hurt employers by mandating raises that cut into the bottom line and may deter new businesses from setting up shop.

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At the first public meeting after the referendum vote, Calumet City residents urged the city council to incrementally raise the minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 for both tipped and non-tipped workers by July 1, 2020, as 82 percent of voters had supported doing on Election Day.

Minimum wage advocates protest outside Calumet City City Hall on Thursday, July 13, 2017, after the council voted to opt out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance. (Zak Koeske / Daily Southtown)

"This city council has the opportunity to lead. It has the opportunity to do the right thing, you know, be on the right side of history," resident Joe Balkis said at the April 13 meeting. "I think it's in the best interest of everyone to move quickly and decisively and raise the minimum wage to $15 for all workers Everybody deserves $15."

The other nonbinding measure that passed with 80 percent support called for Calumet City to "opt in" to the minimum wage amendment Cook County had passed in October 2016. The amendment, which suburban Cook County towns can opt out of, increased the county minimum wage to $10 on July 1, and will gradually bump it to $13 by July 2020.

More than three-quarters of suburban Cook County municipalities have opted out of the county's minimum wage hike since it passed last fall, according to data collected by Arise Chicago, a labor advocacy organization that has attempted to track the issue comprehensively.

After the April 13 meeting, Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush said residents and the workers' rights group that had petitioned for the referendum's inclusion on the ballot needed to be patient.

Newly elected aldermen would have to be sworn in, acclimate to their governing roles and carefully examine the issue before making a decision, she said.

Qualkinbush had said she planned to hold a public forum in May to gauge how residents and the local business community felt about a minimum wage hike and that proponents for raising the minimum wage would need to abide by the city's timeline for considering the issue. Activists who were aggressively pushing for a vote on the issue were being "disrespectful to the process," she said.

Mary Claire Schmit, an organizer with Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, the immigrant and workers' rights group that spearheaded the minimum wage campaign in Calumet City starting in October, pushed back at Qualkinbush's assertion that the group had been too aggressive.

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"We haven't heard where the mayor stands on the issue, we haven't been getting a response," Schmit, whose organization helped collect more than 1,400 signatures to get the item on the April ballot, said on April 13. "For people who live in Calumet City, it's a frustrating reality to live in when there's no line of communication with city hall."

Over the following weeks and months, residents and organizers continued to speak at public meetings while simultaneously pushing for private sit-downs with the mayor and aldermen to discuss the minimum wage issue to no avail, Schmit said.

"We had reached out on a few different occasions to try to set up a meeting with the city and not received any acknowledgment of emails sent or any return phone calls," she said.

The Daily Southtown also had had difficulty getting a response from city officials on the matter. When a reporter inquired about the status of the proposed public forums on the minimum wage, the city responded only that it would be in touch when the council planned to address the matter.

Minimum wage advocates chant during a Calumet City City Hall meeting on July 13, 2017, after the council voted to opt out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance. (Zak Koeske / Daily Southtown)

Officials never reached out, however, and forums have not been held.

On June 22, at the city council's last meeting before the Cook County minimum wage increase went into effect, aldermen voted unanimously and without discussion to opt out of the county's ordinance and retain the $8.25 minimum wage.

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Because of the wording of the ordinance title  "Ordinance Amending Chapter 54 of the Municipal Code of Calumet City, Cook County, Illinois with regard to conflicts with certain Home Rule County Ordinances"  minimum wage proponents at the meeting didn't realize what had happened until days later when an alderman called to inform them the city had opted out, Schmit said.

"Obviously we're really surprised and angry," she said, bemoaning the city's "lack of accountability and transparency."

"Residents had no idea the city did this and they are really angry."

City officials pushed back on the assertion by activists that the ordinance was written in an intentionally vague fashion to obscure what alderman were voting on.

"That is how attorneys write," city spokesman William Murray said.

Incensed minimum wage proponents picketed the July 13 meeting, circling the city council chambers for more than 15 minutes while chanting, "We can't survive on $8.25!" and "Who can we trust? Not Mayor Michelle!"

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"I'm here tonight because I'm frustrated and angry, but I'm mostly disappointed that the Calumet City Council voted to opt out of the Cook County minimum wage ordinance," Schmit said during public comment.

"You have a responsibility to listen to the community, the residents who elected you, and put you in the seats where you're sitting now.

"We've been requesting a meeting with you, Mayor Michelle and city council, to take up this issue the past few months. You've acted like this issue wasn't on your radar. We demand a meeting with you to talk about opting into the ordinance and this time including tipped workers."

Calumet City Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush listens as minimum wage advocates speak at an April 13, 2017 city council meeting. (Zak Koeske / Daily Southtown)

Neither the mayor nor any aldermen addressed the residents' demonstration publicly at the meeting, and all four aldermen who were asked afterward to explain their vote to opt out of the minimum wage ordinance declined comment.

Qualkinbush said Thursday that the city's decision to opt out of the minimum wage ordinance in June was not necessarily permanent. It was done, she said, as a preliminary measure that would allow aldermen to continue studying the matter.

When asked which way the city was leaning and why the issue had not come up for public discussion, Qualkinbush again preached patience.

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"You'll get to know what they're thinking when the vote comes up," she said, reiterating that the city's timeline for deciding the matter would not be dictated by activist groups. "Allow them to do their due diligence."

The mayor declined to provide any insight into how she felt about the matter, but said she did have an opinion that she would share by September, when she said she expects the city council will have made up its mind on how to proceed.

Alderman James Patton, who was sworn in July 8 and therefore did not vote on the minimum wage issue in June, said he supports opting out, nonetheless.

While he said he supports a minimum wage hike statewide and understands residents' desire for higher pay, Patton doesn't think it should be the purview of the city council to decide, he said.

"I'd be 100 percent in support of the state raising the minimum wage, but I don't think it's something that we as a municipal body should be taking up," he said.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Patton also expressed concerns that raising the minimum wage in Calumet City would put local businesses at a competitive disadvantage against those in neighboring Indiana, where the minimum wage is $7.25.

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"I think for us to either opt in to the county's ordinance or to create our own that raises the minimum wage any amount, really puts us at a disadvantage from an economic standpoint," he said.

Patton, who was the city's director of purchasing and personnel until last month when he was appointed to an open city council seat, said he believed the city had been "very transparent" in its handling of the minimum wage issue.

"I think the mayor and this council has been as transparent as can be on the issue," he said.

Another discussion of the minimum wage ordinance is planned at Monday night's Ordinance and Resolution committee meeting, an online agenda shows. The committee's chairman and its two members did not respond to a request for comment in advance of the meeting.

zkoeske@tribpub.com

Twitter @ZakKoeske
Samantha Bluemer, Energy and Conservation Specialist in the Resource, Recovery, and Energy Division of the Will County Land Use Department (center) receives the SolSmart Bronze award from Jack Morgan (right) (project manager) of the National Association of Counties (NACo) and Chris Walker (project manager) of The Solar Foundation (left) during a recent NACo conference in Columbus, Ohio. (Will County Executive's Office )

Will County has become the first in Illinois to be recognized by a national group as a solar-leading community for making it easy for homeowners who want to use this alternative energy source, officials said.

The county was named a SolSmart Bronze designee by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in the 2017 SolSmart Program  a national effort to drive down the cost of solar electricity and support the use of solar power. The program is a component of the larger SunShot Initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

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"We want to make it as easy as possible" for people to use solar power, and "remove the red tape," said Dean Olson, the county's Resource, Recovery and Energy director, adding that he expects the county to earn the "gold" award in the future.

Olson's department staff has spelled it all out for homeowners in its Residential Solar Permitting Checklist and Guide  available online soon at www.willcountygreen.com.

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"Now residents can know exactly what is required for this unique project type and can feel more confident applying for a permit," said Samantha Bluemer, the county's Energy and Conservation specialist.

Through SolSmart, Will County has simplified the language in its zoning ordinances and made "alternative energy" an option on its building permit application. It also has enhanced training for permitting and inspection staff and increased public resources regarding solar energy systems and consumer protection.

"Will County is constantly assessing its laws, rules and regulations to make certain that our policies are promoting positive, sustainable growth," said Curt Paddock, director of the Will County Land Use Department in a news release. "That is why we are so proud to receive this recognition that acknowledges the solid efforts our county's leaders are making to advance the development and use of innovative solar technologies in Will County."

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

To emphasize Will County's commitment to residential solar development, County Executive Larry Walsh signed a statement in 2016 supporting the reduction of barriers to residential solar development to initiate the county's participation in the SolSmart program.

"By including solar energy as an option on our county's building permits, we are encouraging our residents to utilize solar energy whenever possible. Will County is committed to embracing green practices to preserve our natural resources," Walsh said in the news release.

Olson said two residential developments that will use solar energy are ready to be built in Will County this fall and he also expects to see proposals for solar farms this year.

"We are very, very excited about this," he said.

The award was presented to Bluemer at the National Association of Counties (NACo) conference held July 21-24 in Columbus, Ohio.

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slafferty@tribpub.com

Twitter @SusanLaff
During the lead-up to the recent special legislative session over the state budget and a tax hike, Gov. Bruce Rauner's staff studied whether their boss had the power to force legislators to attend the sessions.

A court ruled during the Rod Blagojevich era that the General Assembly must convene at the date and time ordered by the governor, but Rauner's staff found nothing in state statutes that gives the governor the power to, for instance, deploy the Illinois State Police to haul legislators to Springfield. You may recall 2011, when several Wisconsin and Indiana Democratic legislators attempted to deny their General Assemblies a quorum by fleeing to Illinois, outside the jurisdiction of their respective state police forces. But, as we've seen time and time again, for better or for worse, we aren't Wisconsin or Indiana.

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The battle plan to kill the Democrats' education funding reform bill (Senate Bill 1) that was plotted before Rauner's infamous staff purge in early July, and which still appears to be mostly operative, actually anticipated low special session turnout since there likely wouldn't be much of anything to vote on. They figured that the Democrats would wait a while before lifting the parliamentary brick off the education funding reform bill  the better to foment a crisis atmosphere as the clock ticks down to schools reopening after summer break.

So, legislators not showing up for session will likely only amplify the governor's contention that the majority party isn't interested in preventing a crisis and funding schools. The cops aren't needed.

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Overall, the plan devised a while back is pretty good, even though it relies heavily on stoking the flames of regionalism with an unspoken but still clear racial element. Rauner's "Chicago bailout" card is about the easiest one to throw in this state, and it has been played longer than anyone reading this has been alive.

Despite the fact that Downstate pays far less in state taxes than it receives in state benefits, people who live there think Chicago is the place that gets all the taxpayer goodies. It's actually suburbanites who pay the bills on net, and with their high local property taxes and a recent income tax hike, those folks are probably (and understandably) not thrilled with the idea of bailing out the city's notorious school system.

The bill's supporters have lined up an impressive list of Downstate and suburban school superintendents in strong support of SB 1. Education groups like Stand for Children (which was, ironically enough, brought to Illinois by then-private citizen Bruce Rauner) have been advertising locally to back the plan.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

But school superintendents are often resented by local taxpayers for their high salaries. And at least one has already been singled out by conservative political activist Dan Proft's newspaper empire. Proft's outfit published a snarky article last week about Harrisburg Superintendent Mike Gauch, a prominent SB 1 supporter who is often cited by proponents. The piece noted that Gauch and his wife, a Carbondale public school teacher, make a combined $220,000 per year, plus benefits.

"The Gauches represent a new reality in Southern Illinois," the article claimed, "a public employee power couple whose income ranks them among the wealthiest families in Saline County.

Aside from the class warfare angle, the superintendents don't have a vote in the General Assembly. So, while they can credibly claim all they want that SB 1 isn't a Chicago bailout, the governor simply counters with his own numbers (which he won't verify) that Downstate and suburban schools would do much better with his plan (which he refused to disclose for weeks).

The idea of using the superintendents was not just to encourage Republican legislators to support SB 1, but to give them ample political cover if they decided to cross the governor and override his veto. But since the governor has concocted his own proposal with his own numbers (which show that schools outside the city will get lots more money than they would under SB 1), that encouragement now means little and the cover is blown.

Downstate and suburban Democrats who vote to override his veto are also put in a bind because the governor can claim that those Democrats voted against their districts and for Chicago.

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Preventing a veto override is the governor's main effort here, but passing a bill into law that reforms school funding is a whole different matter. Without such a law on the books, billions of dollars of state education formula money can't be distributed. And as I write this, that solution doesn't seem to be on anyone's horizon.

Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
A St. Charles garage fire that spread to a house, three vehicles, and a neighboring garage caused $385,000 in damage Monday, St. Charles fire officials said.

No injuries were reported in the blaze in the 300 block of Indiana Street, according to a press release from St. Charles Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet.

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A resident of the home called 911 at 12:31 p.m. Firefighters found the garage and the attic fully involved with fire moving through the first floor, according to a press release. Two vehicles in the driveway and one in a neighboring driveway also were damaged.

"It also started to burn the outside wall of the garage located on the property of the neighbor to the west," Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet said via email.

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A total of 19 fire departments were involved in the response, either at the scene or filling in at St. Charles fire stations, according to the press release.

Firefighters brought the fire under control in approximately 90 minutes.

The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental and remains under investigation. The vehicles and the garage were destroyed and the home is not habitable. The Red Cross is assisting the residents.
Immigrant views: This country is made up of immigrants. Yes, I am one of them. We are supposed to be legal immigrants not illegal immigrants living a good life with a food stamps and the medical card. When the American citizen can't get it, I know I can't get it and I'm an old woman. This has been on the books for 20 years an illegal comes here and they are not supposed to get food stamps and free medical care. This is why our country is going to the dogs. Come on Donald Trump you better step up and do something because Obama didn't do anything.

Offensive terms: If white people called Obama "Black man," it would be racists. But some people have no problem at all calling our president "Orange Man." It sounds like a grade school comment, not coming from grown adults.

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Food pantry freeloaders: Food pantries in the Elgin area always need food. I would think all the pantries in the Elgin area could get together and issue a paper card that would enable a family to get food every once in a while. The pantry punches the card with a paper punch and the date of the last donation. It would cut down on people who are not having a hard time from taking advantage of it. How long will it be before citizens stop donating all together when we read in Speak Out about people who gamble at the boat and then go to the food pantry for free food? Who wants to fund unlawful freeloaders? The pantries need to get smart for the welfare of the truly needy. That's who they are there for. For Pete's sake, smarten up, please.

Get educated: The person who called in about the GOP people pushing for silencers and making the statement if the shooter had a silencer, they would never have known he was there. You have to really get out and get an education about guns. A silencer doesn't make it silent. There is still a very notable sound coming out. Get real. If you are going to call in about something, at least know what you are talking about.

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Madigan must go: This has to do with the budget that passed. It seems like Madigan is the one who is taking charge of everything. They don't want to listen to what Rauner has to say so they go ahead and override it. That is not right. You have to change that. What they have now is junk. It sounds like Madigan is in charge. It is time to get Madigan out of there completely and get someone in his place who will listen to the Governor and his ideas, not just one side.

Rauner bias: Shame on the editors of the Courier. Couldn't you find an uglier picture of Gov. Rauner for your front page article regarding the veto override? Such heavy handed bias. No wonder people are distrusting all forms of the media. I am surprised you didn't Photoshop a halo over Madigan's head on the July 4 edition of the paper.

Editor's note

Speak Out is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, call us at 312-222-2460 or email couriernews@tribpub.com. Please include "speak out" in the subject line.
Mark Fleischhauer is pictured at a Feb. 21 Vernon Hills Village Board meeting. The recently retired police chief will temporarily fill the position in Highland Park. (Rick Kambic/Pioneer Press )

The city of Highland Park has selected a recently-retired Vernon Hills police chief to serve as interim chief while the city searches for a permanent successor to Chief Paul Shafer, who was set to retire Wednesday.

The city Tuesday announced the selection of Mark Fleischhauer, a law enforcement veteran with more than 40 years of experience who retired in June as chief of police in Vernon Hills. He'd served in that capacity since 2000.

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Fleischhauer was scheduled to start his temporary duties Aug. 3 and remain in the post for about five months while the city searches for Shafer's successor, according to the announcement.

The city contracted with GovTempUSA to provide an interim police chief for six months, but had a say in who was placed in the position.

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"Chief Fleischhauer has a wealth of experience and has a strong commitment to public safety," said City Manager Ghida Neukirch in the announcement. "He was selected from several experienced individuals to lead and support the department during the transition period and assist in the recruitment process."

Shafer, the city's police chief for the past 14 years, was honored at a Highland Park City Council meeting July 24.

The city of Highland Park plans to hire a consulting firm Aug. 21 to conduct a national search for Shafer's successor.

According to the city, Fleischhauer has served as a Team Leader for the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies and as Chairman of the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force among many accomplishments.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com
Two men and a juvenile were arrested by Fox Lake police early Sunday for two car burglaries, and police were able to return the stolen items to the rightful owners.

Damien M. Amelio, 19, of Fox Lake, and Deandre T. Walker, 28, of Chicago, were being held on $30,000 bail Tuesday in the Lake County jail on two charges of burglary to a motor vehicle, and Walker was also charged with obstructing a police officer by giving false information, Police Chief Jim Lee said.

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A 16-year-old boy was named in a juvenile petition for the same charges and was being held at the Robert Depke Juvenile Complex Center in Vernon Hills, he said.

The property that was taken from unlocked vehicles included clothing, books and backpacks.

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"We have several other communities that are looking at the suspects for possible cases in their jurisdictions," Lee said.

Officers were on patrol when they received a report of suspicious people at 2:37 a.m. on Forest Avenue near Oak Street on Sunday. Officers went to the area and spotted three males carrying backpacks, and two of them appeared to be juveniles out after curfew.

During the investigation, police learned they had burglarized two cars on Mariner Lane in Fox Lake, police said. Lee said such a "crime of opportunity," because cars are left unlocked, happens a lot and some victims don't bother to report them to police if nothing of value is taken.

"We want people to know we are out there, and we are working on car burglaries," he said.

Lee said his department averages about 10 to 15 car burglary reports a month. He added the two suspects could be charged with more burglaries in the village depending on where the investigation leads police. He could not name the other departments who are looking into whether the three suspects committed burglaries in other communities.

fabderholden@tribpub.com

Twitter @abderholden
A Waukegan man was found guilty Tuesday of the repeated sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl in 2014, and faces a range of 18 to 120 years in prison at a sentencing hearing next month.

Edwin Matute, 27, was charged with five counts of predatory criminal sexual assault involving a girl under the age of 13 and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

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After a one-day bench trial Monday, Lake County Circuit Court James Booras found Matute guilty of three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and dismissed the remaining three counts.

Booras had little to say in announcing his verdict Tuesday.

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"After careful deliberation and consideration of the evidence, I find the defendant guilty of counts one, two and three," Booras said. Booras scheduled a Sept. 26 sentencing hearing for Matute.

At the request of Assistant State's Attorney Victor O'Block, Booras revoked bond for Matute after the verdict was handed down. Matute has been in the custody of Lake County jail since his 2014 arrest. Bail had been set at $250,000.

O'Block credited the Waukegan Police Department for "an excellent investigation" after the verdict was announced.

Defense attorneys Gabriel Conroe and Jennifer Snyder declined comment.

Key evidence for the state in the trial included a videotaped confession by Matute given to Waukegan police investigators in which he said he had sex with the girl, whom he said he believed to be "11 or 12 years old," but that it was not forced.

Matute said in the statement he thought he had sex with her three times.

Based on the judge's dismissal of three of the six counts, it appears defense attorneys were successful in arguing that evidence was contradictory and inconclusive as to how many times Matute assaulted the girl.

The state claimed there were five incidents. The girl, who is now 14 and was 11 at the time of the assaults in 2014, testified Monday she believed they had sex "four or five times," but defense attorneys noted that she initially denied the incidents had occurred, and then said she had been with Matute twice before eventually telling investigators the number of times was four or five.

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The reduction in counts did not affect Matute's sentencing range, however. It was capped at 120 years in prison with all counts included, and the maximum remains at 120 years with the three counts dismissed.

Predatory criminal sexual assault carries a sentence of six to 60 years, and multiple convictions of the charge must be served consecutively under state statute. Once determined, his sentence will be served at 85 percent, with credit given for time served in jail since his arrest, officials said.

According to prosecutors, Matute was known to both the victim and her mother, and he stayed briefly at their Waukegan residence after arriving in the U.S from Honduras. His conviction stems from incidents that prosecutors said occurred between April 1 and July 20 of 2014.

Matute waived his right to a jury trial, and instead a one-day bench trial was held Monday before Booras, with closing arguments concluding late in the afternoon.

In addition to the victim and her mother, witnesses included DNA experts who stated that evidence showed that DNA collected as evidence in the case matched Matute to a reasonable degree of certainty.

The witnesses testified that Matute's DNA sample matched 14 of 15 points in a DNA test, and the last point was inconclusive.

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The victim identified Matute in court Monday, and testified that he had sex with her in 2014 at her residence when her mother was not home. An investigation began when the mother contacted police after she said she found evidence of sexual activity after she came home the evening of July 20, 2014.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

Twitter @jimnewton5
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has been investigating a chemical spill in the 800 block of Anita Street in Antioch that was reported on July 24. (Frank Abderholden / Lake County News-Sun)

Antioch officials said over the weekend that last week's chemical spill in the Antioch Industrial Park is contained and poses no health hazard to the public, and they are still seeking answers as to why the chemical was stored at the building in question.

Antioch police Cmdr. Geoff Guttschow released a statement over the weekend stating the village will work with the other agencies involved to bring any appropriate charges and liabilities against any responsible parties and will continue all necessary efforts to prevent any future incidents of this nature.

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The statement, which was posted on the village's website, added that reimbursement will certainly be sought for all expenses incurred by the public agencies in providing first responders and materials when the spill was first discovered. The statement added that the spill was "comparatively small and quickly contained."

The leak was discovered on July 24 at 8:18 p.m. by a concerned citizen who could see liquid material leaking from the old Circuit Systems building located at 884 Anita Ave., and a hazardous materials response was called for immediately and both state and federal EPA officials were notified, according to the statement.

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The cleanup of a chemical spill in the Antioch industrial Park began the week of July 24. (Frank Abderholden / Lake County News-Sun)

The initial chemical analysis suggests that the spilled material is ferric chloride, which is an acid and is commonly used in circuit-board manufacture, the statement added.

The U.S. Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration list potential symptoms of ferric chloride exposure as irritation of the eyes, skin and mucous membranes. There can also be abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Exposure can also cause damage to the eyes, skin, respiratory system, liver and gastrointestinal tract.

Ferric chloride is a colorless to light-brown watery solution that has a faint hydrochloric acid odor and it is highly corrosive to most metals and corrosive to tissue, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and it is used in sewage treatment and water purification along with circuit-board manufacturing.

The statement from village officials said that since the leak was discovered, "we have worked closely with the state and federal officials to ensure that the leakage is stopped, the storage tanks which served as the source of this chemical were emptied and the public is protected." Officials said earlier this week that some of the chemical appears to have made it to Sequoit Creek, which leads into the Chain O'Lakes and the Fox River.

"We have serious concerns to make sure our waterways are fully protected, of course, but we have been assured that the concentrations of the acid are small enough to have an insignificant effect on the water in the creek and aquatic life," the statement added. "There appears to be no possible danger to the public from this leakage at the present time and once the tanks are completely empty, there can be no further spills."

According to Kim Biggs, public information officer with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, impacted soils on site and at the creek bed have been scraped, stockpiled and covered with plastic pending analysis.

She said in an email that a majority of liquids have been removed from the containment and the storage tank, but the remaining liquids in tanks will be removed by this week. She added that the site is stabilized and has been cleaned, sewers have been cleaned and blocked, and any immediate threat to the sanitary system and creek has been mitigated.

The site has been red-tagged by the village for no occupancy, Biggs said. Local officials said two businesses had to re-locate  a woodworking shop and a cement contractor.

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The village is investigating why this chemical was present in this building, considering that there has been no circuit-board manufacturing going on in recent years, according to the statement.

"We extend much appreciation toward the people who worked through the night on (July 24) and brought this incident under control during this past week. Without their efforts, this might have been a much worse situation," the statement added.

fabderholden@tribpub.com

Twitter @abderholden
A 21-year-old man who Naperville police say sexually assaulted an underage girl at a Naperville park has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Christopher F. Tuczai, of Rochester, New York and formerly of Naperville, met the Plainfield girl online, Naperville police Cmdr. Lou Cammiso said in a news release.

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Police were notified of the assault at Commissioners Park, at 111th Street and 248th Avenue, at about 6 p.m. Friday. The department alerted residents via a Naper Notify bulletin that the suspect fled the scene on a dark-colored mountain bike.

Cammiso said police learned Tuczai's identity from the girl and arrested him Friday night.

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In addition to Naperville and New York, online records indicate Tuczai also has recently lived in Largo, Fla. He has no criminal record, court records show.

Tuczai has been freed from Will County jail on $75,000 bail. His court arraignment date is pending.

wbird@tribpub.com
Arrest warrants have been issued for two Chicago men believed responsible for robbing a Naperville convenience store and a Willowbrook gas station in May, DuPage County court records said.

Damarcus D. Gilmore, of the 8200 block of South Ridgeland Avenue, and Brian D. Ormond, of the 12000 block of South Throop Street, both 18, have been charged with two counts of felony armed robbery, records said.

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The suspects, armed with handguns, held up the 7-Eleven store at 1663 N. Route 59, at about 8:55 p.m. May 13, according to records. A similar crime was committed about 40 minutes later at a Mobil station at 7675 Kingery Highway in Willowbrook, records said.

The robbers took a total of about $1,200, according to records.

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At the time, police said there were four men, all described as being in their 20s, standing about 6 feet tall and having thin builds, who were responsible for the robberies. No information on the other two suspects was available.

Naperville police Cmdr. Lou Cammiso and Deputy Willowbrook police Chief Robert Schaller could not be reached for comment.

Gilmore and Ormond do not have criminal records, according to an online search of court documents.

wbird@tribpub.com
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Professional trappers have methods to capture and remove skunks from residential properties. State law requires the animals to be euthanized when caught by professionals. (Rob Erickson)

If the foul odor easily identifiable as that of one of the most reviled of suburban mammals seems more prominent in Naperville and elsewhere this summer, there's a reason.

The skunk population continues to increase at a quick pace, benefiting from warmer winters, the economic turnaround and the waning of diseases that would normally regulate the numbers, wildlife experts say.

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The increase means more expense for homeowners who want them out of their yards, and has spurred at least one creative idea on how to deal with the stench the critters leave behind.

Joanne Aul, animal control supervisor for the city of Naperville, said the uptick in calls to her office about skunks started last year and has continued into 2017. While she doesn't have exact numbers, the number is higher this year than in the past, she said.

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Naperville Animal Control will remove skunks if they are inside a resident's home but otherwise can only provide residents with information on how to deter them or how to find a private company to trap them.

Bob Bluett, wildlife diversity coordinator for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, said his agency measures the statewide skunk population using two methods  the number of skunks caught by licensed wildlife-control companies and the number picked up as roadkill.

In 2010, licensed companies captured 6,700 striped skunks in the Chicago area. The total increased to about 13,000 by 2016, Bluett said.

"The population in northeast Illinois is doing quite well," he said.

At Schaumburg-based ABC Humane Wildlife Control and Prevention Inc., research director Rebecca Fyffe said her crews have experienced a similar trend. The company, which has offices in Naperville, collected 585 skunks in 2010 and by 2016, the total increased to 1,185, she said.

Fyffe, Bluett and other experts said the main reason for the increase is the waning of two diseases that attack them. Canine distemper and rabies greatly reduced skunks' overall numbers in the 1980s but the prevalence of both diseases has since diminished, they said.

National Weather Service data also shows that because winters have been warmer and the economy has continued to improve, suburban homeowners have devoted more time and money to maintaining their lawns, feeding the grubs on which skunks dine.

"Skunks, to some degree, are a plague of affluence  the gorgeous, manicured, fed lawns," Fyffe said. "We always encourage people to be as tolerant as they can with the wildlife in their backyards."

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Bluett urges residents to call wildlife experts if they trap a skunk. Illinois law requires wildlife controllers to euthanize skunks but under the law, the public is prohibited from doing so.

The increase in skunk population means more pets are likely getting sprayed by the animals, producing the smell that most people find so annoying. Buffalo Grove High School seniors Jackie Molloy and Nicole Relias and recent graduate Shayna Reznikov develop an odor neutralizer as part of a class as a way of dealing with the problem.

"We all shared past personal experience with this," Relias said. "In the class, we were like, 'Yeah, this is our goal.'"

"Skunk Aid," which combines dry and liquid solutions that wash skunk oil out of dogs' fur and avoids the bleaching of their coats or burning their eyes, is now being marketed in stores around the suburbs. The students even showcased their product on NBC's "Today Show" in June.

"(An increased skunk population) obviously helps us (with sales)," Molloy said. "When we saw that it was growing, that validated our idea."

Another deodorizing solution comes from the University of Illinois Extension, which suggests applying a solution made up of one quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, a quarter-cup baking soda and one teaspoon liquid soap (no water) to eliminate the stench from a pet or person who has been sprayed.

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This solution can be used safely to wash skin, clothes and dogs, though the peroxide may lighten the fur of pets.

Conditions that led to the recent increase in skunks easily could change, which has happened in the past, Fyffe said.

"Nature is always cyclical. These pendulums always swing," she said. "There's going to be so many of them. They're going to be congregating at high levels, which is a harbinger of doom for urban species."
Chesterton police are seeking information on the man pictured regarding an alleged theft at a Chesterton vape shop. (Chesterton Police / Post-Tribune)

Chesterton police are asking for the public's help in locating a suspect who may have been involved in theft at a local business in early July.

The theft, police said, occurred July 18 at Duneland Eliquid, a vape shop at 1050 Broadway. Video surveillance from the business led to the photo of a person or people of interest.

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The person of interest is male, thin to medium build, approximately 6 feet tall, with dark hair and a short beard. At the time of the incident, he was seen wearing a dark ball cap and a black "Air Jordan" T-shirt

Anyone who recognizes the man or has information is asked to contact Detective Nicholas Brown with the Chesterton Police Department at 219-926-1136.

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Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Alan Thomas Jr., of Merrillville, was named the 2017 American Legion Military Person on the Year. (Javonte Anderson / Post-Tribune)

It was a typical weekday evening when Alan Thomas Jr. walked into the meeting at the American Legion Post 270 in Gary wearing his army fatigues.

John Sarnecki, who was the American Legion Dist. 1 commander at the time, was struck by his youth and the insignia stitched on Thomas' uniform.

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The combination of Thomas' youth, rank and military bearing made a lasting first impression on Sarnecki.

"I said, 'Young man, you're looking so sharp, and you're already a master sergeant being so young, I have to get you nominated for the military person of the year,'" Sarnecki recalled.

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That encounter was in March. In July, Thomas, 35, of Merrillville, was named the American Legion (National Guard) Indiana Military Person of the Year.

Thomas' military career started in 2001, before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, when he joined the Indiana National Guard as an army combat engineer. Since then, Thomas, the senior battalion operation non-commissioned officer for the 113th Engineer Battalion headquartered in Gary, has been deployed several times including tours in Kuwait, Afghanistan and a mobilization supporting military campaigns during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

But Thomas' military achievements alone didn't earn him the honor of being named the military person of the year. He has been active in the community working with local high schools, the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana and the Indiana Department of Veteran Affairs.

"As a member of the National Guard I hold the title of citizen soldier," Thomas said. "Serving the citizens in Indiana and my community is very important to me."

"I know what he accomplished in the military but not only that but as a role model in the city," said Richard Ligon, the Post Commander at American Legion Post 270.

While Thomas remains committed to helping his community he also strives for self-improvement. A goal he takes seriously.

"Every day I want to be a little bit better than yesterday maybe not as good as tomorrow," he said.

Every night Thomas writes down the six most important things he needs to accomplish the following day.

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"I take those six things and I rank them from most important to least important," Thomas said. "You'll be amazed if you consistently do that every day of your life how well that will propel you to new heights."

Every morning when he gets to his office Thomas pulls out his notebook, covered in fabric from his old battle-worn uniform, and reviews the day's "big six."

On a recent morning, Thomas' list says a lot about who he is as a man and as a soldier.

His first priority was to speak with a soldier. Thomas had a "counseling session" with the person the day before, but the meeting was interrupted when Thomas had to tend to another personal matter.

"It doesn't matter the rank, even the lowest ranked soldier has my priority as a senior battalion leader," Thomas said.

A work obligation is first on Thomas' list but the sixth item is a kind gesture he wants to make for his "main source of motivation"  his family.

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"Take daughter to park and buy wife flowers," the sixth item on Thomas' list says.

Thomas said his family helps him stay balanced and keeps photos of his wife and 7-year-old daughter tucked inside his notebook.

"These are the little things I keep with me to make sure that whenever I think my mood is going south I look at these pictures and it allows me to see the things that are most important to me," Thomas said as he pointed to a photo of him and his daughter eating doughnuts.

Thomas said he is focused on serving his country and his family.

"My goal is to be a good person, good father, husband and a good soldier."

jaanderson@tronc.com

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Twitter @JavonteA
Munster police said attendance of the department's National Night Out has increased over the years. The department will host the event Tuesday at Munster Community Pool, as pictured above from the 2016 National Night Out. (Munster Police)

Munster police will be out with fireworks and a helicopter landing Tuesday evening, while Valparaiso police are caravanning from neighborhood to neighborhood in their squad cars.

Their hope is that the people in the communities they serve will come out with them.

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"We just hope to see as many people out as possible," said Lt. Dawn Westerfield, spokeswoman for Gary police.

Police departments across Lake and Porter counties are hosting free events Tuesday as part of the annual National Night Out, in which law enforcement across the country hold community gatherings to bring officers and the community members they serve together in a casual setting.

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"National Night Out is the one night nationwide that we all set aside to bring police officers and the community together in the hopes of violence reduction," Westerfield said.

Munster police said attendance of the department's National Night Out has increased over the years. The department will host the event Tuesday at Munster Community Pool, as pictured above from the 2016 National Night Out. (Munster Police)

This year, Gary is holding its department's event at a new venue, the recently refurbished James Reed Park, located at 14th Avenue and Pennsylvania Street. Officers welcome people to join them for K-9 demonstrations, music and a DJ, giveaways and games, Westerfield said.

Rather than only seeing police when there's an emergency or a crisis, Westerfield said National Night Out is an opportunity for children to "learn that officers don't just show up when something bad is going on."

"We really care about the community," Westerfield said. "We care about the violence happening here and we want to see it reduced any way possible."

National Night Out also gives people a chance to see the people behind the badge, said Lt. Steve Kellogg, spokesman for Hammond police. Officers are "just regular people with regular lives outside of being police," he said.

"We're trying to build those relationships and establish some new ones with kids who haven't come out and met us before and even adults who haven't," Kellogg said.

From 5-8 p.m., Hammond officers will be out at Aquatic Play Center at Wolf Lake, located at 2100 Calumet Ave.

"It's so important today to stay in touch with the community because so much is said through social media and video cameras and so much is lost in that medium somehow," Kellogg said.

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Plus, it's a chance for people to get out and have fun, said Officer James Ghrist, who runs the National Night Out event for Munster police.

"There's just a lot of cool things, and we hope that people come out and have a good time that night and have fun and learn something at the same time," Ghrist said.

Munster's event will be held from 5-9 p.m. at Munster Community Pool, located at 8837 Calumet Ave., with more than 70 booths set up by area businesses and organizations.

"We just try to build on it every year and make it bigger and better and make it more fun for everybody," Ghrist said.

This year, Munster police will have a SWAT exhibit, police cars and fire trucks for people to see, a Fallen Officers Blood Drive and free swimming for Munster residents, Ghrist said. The evening will end with fireworks sponsored by Krazy Kaplan's Fireworks.

While most departments in the area are holding their events in public spaces, Valparaiso police do something a little different, said Sgt. Michael Grennes, spokesman for the department.

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Valparaiso police ask for people to plan events in their neighborhoods and officers travel together, visiting each neighborhood, Grennes said. Some have had cookouts or ice cream socials in years past, he said.

"It's kind of a neat way to do it," Grennes said.

This way, people get a chance to meet neighbors they might not have otherwise, and it allows police to go to areas they might not see often in their daily patrols, Grennes said.

It's an opportunity for police and community members to build relationships, face to face, Kellogg said.

"We'll be an open book to anybody that wants to come out and ask questions," Kellogg said.

Other area National Night Out events include:

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Dyer, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Central Park, 900 Central Park Blvd.

East Chicago, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Washington Park Pool, 142nd Avenue and Parrish Avenue

Merrillville, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Municipal Complex, 7820 Broadway, and Meadowland Park, 54th Place and Madison Street

Hobart, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Hobart High School, 2211 E. 10th St.

Portage, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Founders Square Park, 6300 S. Founders Square

Schererville, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Redar Park, 217 Gregory St.

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rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
Two festivals focused on celebrating pierogis and Polish culture, including Whiting's Pierogi Fest, are at the center of a federal case filed Monday in Pennsylvania over the names of the events.

Tom Dabertin, the chairman of Pierogi Fest in Whiting, said he just wants to protect Pierogi Fest's trademark.

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"If you don't protect your trademark when others use it, you lose it," he said. "We have to do this to protect our trademark."

But attorneys representing the Edwardsville Hometown Committee, which runs Edwardsville Pierogi Festival in Pennsylvania, argues it has not infringed on Pierogi Fest's trademark.

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"What's important is we're protecting the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival and our right to call it by its name," said James Haggerty, one of the attorneys for the committee.

The suit was filed after the committee received two letters from the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce, which runs Pierogi Fest, "threatening to sue the Hometown Committee for infringing on the federal trademark 'Pierogi Fest,' which the defendant owns," according to the complaint.

The first letter, dated May 13, 2015, claims that Edwardsville Pierogi Festival's "services directly compete with the Chamber's festival services" and "is likely to cause consumer confusion."

The chamber asked that the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival "cease all use of the infringing Pierogi Fest mark," according to the letter.

The second letter, dated June 9 of this year, makes the same claims and adds, "Importantly, your sponsors can be found liable for use of the trademark as well as touting the festival to your benefit."

"That said, the Chamber is open to discussing with you the opportunity for licensing of its trademark," the letter states. "...It is our hope that this matter can be resolved amicably. We will therefore refrain from filing a complaint in federal court in order to give you an opportunity to resolve this matter."

The 2017 letter was also sent to five sponsors of the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival, which Haggerty said has made some wary to participate next year.

In doing so, the complaint argues that the chamber "willfully and tortiously interfered with the Hometown Committee's relationship with sponsors" by "threatening them with liability for the claimed trademark infringement."

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In the complaint, the committee asks for a judge to declare Edwardsville Hometown Committee has and not infringed the "Pierogi Fest" trademark, as well as award damages suffered by the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival and pay for all attorney fees in the case.

Both festivals describe themselves as nonprofits and run by volunteers to celebrate the Polish heritage in the communities they're held in with parades, vendors and games.

Edwardsville Pierogi Festival has been held since 2014 in Edwardsville, Pa., a borough of less than 5,000 people, according to the complaint.

"They get a few thousand people come to the festival, and they raise a few thousand dollars," Haggerty said, giving proceeds to buy teddy bears to the Edwardsville Police Department and to the annual Easter egg hunt.

Pierogi Fest has been held for 23 years in Whiting, a town of similar size, draws almost 300,000 people, according to the fest's website.

The complaint argues its "absurd" to claim that the Festival "directly competes" with Whiting.

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"There's no person on planet Earth that is confused by this," Haggerty said.

Dabertin said he others with Pierogi Fest are just following the protocol that they have in the past when they've encountered other similar festivals in "protecting our integrity" and the reputation Pierogi Fest has.

"We have allowed others to use (the trademark), but they always got our permission," Dabertin said.

Dabertin said he previously reached out to an Edwardsville committee member to try to resolve the matter, and he said he's still open to doing so.

"We're not looking to make thousands of dollars off of this," he said.

But with the trademark, Dabertin said, "We want to protect the name, and we should."

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rejacobs@post-trib.com

Twitter @ruthyjacobs
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, second from right, accompanied by the leaders of Baltic states, from left, Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, speaks during a news conference following their meeting in the Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn, Estonia, on Monday. Pence is visiting Estonia to meet the leaders to underscore Americas commitment to NATO and convey Washingtons support to the Baltic nations. (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP )

"We are with you, we stand with you on behalf of freedom." Vice President Mike Pence spoke those words on July 30 in Estonia, the first stop on trip that includes Georgia and Montenegro. Given political turmoil and uncertainty in Washington, as well as Russia's military assertiveness, the visit of Karen and Mike Pence to Eastern Europe is extremely important as well as timely.

The Baltic States of Latvia and Lithuania as well as Estonia were forcibly occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. Exile groups from the Baltics become influential in the United States, and elsewhere. All three nations became NATO members in March 2004.

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Montenegro became NATO's newest member in early March 2017. The tiny Baltic state had been campaigning for alliance membership for over a decade.

The rapid weakening and then collapse of the Soviet Union and communist regimes in Eastern Europe ended the Cold War, but also the relative stability of that era. President Vladimir Putin emphasizes nationalism, and has made military moves to expand Russia's territorial control.

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In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed the territory of Crimea. The overt invasion of Ukraine by Russia's army, after months of covert aid to rebel forces, generated the most serious crisis in Europe since the Balkan wars of the 1990s  and perhaps since World War II.

In 2008, Russian troops invaded a portion of Georgia, following an attack by Georgian troops on South Ossetia. This territory as well as Abkhazia had declared independence from Georgia. Russia encouraged and supported these breakaway efforts, though the international community has clearly rejected them.

The end of the Cold War was a great victory for the policy of restraint and deterrence, termed "Containment," supported by every United States president from Harry Truman when the Cold War commenced, to George H.W. Bush when the conflict ended.

NATO endures, for good reasons. Bureaucracies naturally seek self-perpetuation, but strategic realities provide persuasive justification. General war in Europe was avoided for a century between the final defeat of Napoleon and the outbreak of World War I. A Concert of European nations, brokered by Great Britain, helped keep the general peace.

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

NATO today arguably represents an approximate counterpart to the uncertain but generally effective Concert. The alliance has operated well beyond the nations of the North Atlantic region, including not only on the margins of Europe but in distant territory, including notably Afghanistan

Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that an attack on one member amounts to an attack on all. The al Qaeda strikes on New York and Washington D.C., and in the sky over Pennsylvania, triggered this clause, for the first time.

Today's alliance leaders in Europe are articulate and effective, including in particular German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Chancellor Merkel is spearheading expansion of Germany's roles in international humanitarian relief. She has also provided arms to Kurds fighting Islamic extremists in Iraq.

Another outstanding leader is David Cameron, Britain's Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016. He termed Russia's aggression "unacceptable and unjustified," and bluntly stated that any efforts to appease Putin would be a repetition of the same mistakes made by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in accommodating Adolf Hitler in 1938. Britain and Germany have highly effective militaries.

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Since 2002, NATO has renewed practical efforts to develop rapid reaction military capabilities. The credibility of the alliance is essential. The Pences' highly visible visit is a diplomatic complement to such efforts.

Arthur I. Cyr is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War."

acyr@carthage.edu
President-elect Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. at a news conference at Trump Tower in New York on Jan. 11. On Monday, The Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement in which his son Donald Trump Jr. said a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election was focused on adoptions, but emails later revealed that Trump Jr. and others met with a Russian government attorney who an intermediary claimed had incriminating information about rival Hillary Clinton. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post )

What's Quickly? It's where readers sound off on the issues of the day. Have a quote, question or quip? Call Quickly at 312-222-2426 or email quickly@post-trib.com.

I will have lived in Northwest Indiana for 10 years at the end of August. I moved after 19 years in Chicago. I have found a home and wide community of friends who are like family. Maybe you who only find haters here are going to the wrong places?

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All we need is another Todd (Rokita) to be elected, renege on his promises and vote party line instead of what is right for the citizens of Indiana. Two Todds in a pot!

Looks like Scaramucci can do the fandango.

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Want to make America Great Again? Stop shopping and dining out on Sundays and all National Holidays.

Now with less than 10 days, Anthony Scaramucci is now done. I guess replacing and repealing in the white house is easier than doing it to Obamacare

Of course the accomplishments of the Trump administration have been published multiple times. It's easy to do that because there aren't many to publish. Getting all of the failures of our "new leadership" published will take a while. Sincerely, A Brainwashed Liberal.

Funny how life works. Anthony Scaramucci thought he was such a "big shot" that he started to threaten to fire everyone in sight. And now, the joker gets fired. Such poetic justice.

Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Now the truth comes out. Trump dictated his son's misleading statement on that mysterious meeting in Trump Tower with the Russian attorney and the others. When will people understand that nothing about this family is real or truthful?

I like the comments in quickly where they call the president a man child with a host of other names you used to hear kids call each other in school. Is this what people mean by it starts in the home?

To the person who commented about the 48 automatic "no" votes in the U. S. Senate, you obviously were out of the country or slept thru the 8 years of President Obama's administration. The Republican "obstructionist" party, led by Mitch McConnell, were excellent teachers and taught well how to obstruct and vote against all of the policies proposed by the Democrats in an attempt to make President Obama a one term president. What goes around, comes around.

There is a small segment of society that doesn't fit in anywhere because of their irritating personalities. You will find them on most comment boards defending Trump. They don't really like him, they just like to annoy everyone else. That is where they get their enjoyment in life. Pretty sad.

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The Kankakee River is so muddy and hasn't cleared up all summer. The water drainage board has cleared every ditch in three counties of trees and even cleared huge sections of trees from the Kankakee riverbanks in some places for miles. Is this what they mean when they say there doing everything to save the environment and improve the quality of the air? That plan must of took some brilliant minds!

Sometimes parents need to just take charge and do the right thing when their children are misguided. That is what the government needs to do in reference to the proposed railroad from Wisconsin to Kingsberry and the Illiana Tollway. We all know the right thing to do is to combine these two ventures into the same right of way and create a transportation system that will benefit all of mankind. Our leaders just need to step up to the plate and get the job done so that we all can reap the benefits.

Read more at www.post-trib.com/quickly.
Adam Frisch keeps calm waiting for all ballots to be counted in CD-3

Democrat Frisch says national media "wrote this district off" and didn't take him seriously, despite Lauren Boebert's national reputation.
By Jake Liddle

Shenzhen has been implementing a variety of preferential policies and subsidies to attract high-level foreign talent to the city in the last few years. This year, regulations have been amended and policies have been promulgated to incentivize living and working in the vibrant city.

Alberto Vettoretti, Managing Partner of Dezan Shira & Associates says: The Shenzhen municipal government has been very active in formulating incentives to attract foreign and local talents to the city, which has recently become one of the most expensive in the Mainland in terms of real estate. Housing prices there have now reached levels comparable to those in Silicon Valley, but salaries are still a fraction of the US innovative hub if taken on an average basis.

In this article, we detail three recent government initiatives that provide opportunities for foreign talent.

Amendments to the Shenzhen Housing Fund regulation

The management committee of the Shenzhen Housing Accumulation Fund has made changes to its regulation, including amendments to introduce foreign nationals in the housing fund plan. The amendments came into effect on June 1, 2017, affecting both businesses and individuals in the city. The amendments are detailed below:

Introduction of foreign nationals

The amendment has further expanded the scope of the fund to include foreign nationals with a valid passport, and residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in possession of a Mainland Travel Permit for their respective territories, who are employed in Shenzhen. Individuals with the correct credentials are able to enjoy the benefits of the fund the same as Shenzhen residents, and along with their employers, can contribute a portion of their salary to the fund tax-free. Inclusion in the plan is not mandatory, and is used as an incentive.

Authorities made the amendment in lieu of previous efforts to attract qualified foreign talent by granting them right of abode. In 2015, an amendment only permitted for foreign nationals in possession of a Permanent Residence Permit to participate in the fund.

RELATED: Shanghai Revises Minimum Wage, Social Insurance Contribution Rates

Business registration and deregistration of contributions simplified

Another amendment to the Shenzhen housing fund simplifies administrative procedures, namely the requirements for application materials for businesses to pay contributions to the housing fund.

The requirement of companies to provide a business license and proof materials of change of information (relating to economic, qualification credentials, or the organization code of the business license) when processing registration or deregistration of contributions towards the housing fund, have been cancelled. Now the Shenzhen Housing Accumulation Fund Center utilizes the governmental information sharing platform to search and verify credentials, greatly simplifying the administrative procedure.

Transfer of personal housing funds

If a worker registered as a Shenzhen resident contributing to the fund leaves Shenzhen and cancels their residence registration, the remaining amount in the housing fund can be withdrawn.

For those directly transferring the housing fund account balance to another regions housing fund, contributions can continue from the amount accrued. Under this situation, applicants can use a dedicated application form for use of transferring the personal housing fund account to other regions.

Subsidies for high level foreign talent in Shenzhen

As part of its 2017 Interim Measures for Attracting High-Level Foreign Talents, the Shenzhen Municipal Government is offering a series of subsidies of up to RMB 3 million for foreign talents in possession of a Permanent Residence Permit.

Subsidy amounts are awarded in increments to talents classed in three tiers. Further subsidies cover spouses employment expenses, education for children, residence permits of both the beneficiary and dependents, medical care, social insurance, and tax. The cash subsidies are as follows:

Class A  RMB 3 million (US$450,000)

Class B  RMB 2 million (US$300,000)

Class C  RMB 1.6 million (US$240,000)

The tier system assesses candidates on a variety of criteria, such as membership, fellowship or chairmanship of academies of science or engineering, innovative group programs, scientific journals, and famous academic organizations or universities, etc. in specified countries.

International Payroll & HR Solutions from Dezan Shira & Associates

Support for high-level talent teams in innovation and startups in Shenzhen

A series of support subsidies have been made available this year under the Shenzhen Municipal Governments Peacock Initiative, a program started in 2011 for attracting high-level foreign talent in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation in Shenzhen. Subsidies are available for teams engaging in startup businesses in the fields of IT, new-gen IT, biology, new energy, energy conservation, new materials, environmental protection, marine sciences, aerospace engineering, health, robotics, wearable equipment, smart equipment, and other emerging industries.

A maximum of RMB 100 million (US$15 million) per award is available for teams, with an average award of RMB 20 million (US$3 million). For teams who display potential, but did not successfully apply to join the Peacock Initiative, awards of up to RMB 5 million (US$750,000) are offered. Teams should fulfil the following requirements to be eligible for the support:

Be registered in Shenzhen with independent legal representatives;

Be composed of foreign experts, overseas returnees, and/or members with a background of experience overseas;

Be composed of one leader and at least two core members;

Have been working as a team for more than two years, equipped with high tech innovative skills and academic level, and have shown substantial results;

The team leader should be no older than 60, and the average team age should be no more than 55;

After receiving the subsidies, more than half of the team core members and the leader should be working full time in Shenzhen for more than five years, and other members have to work in Shenzhen for an average of more than six months per year. No changes of leaders or core members are allowed during the term of the program.

Plenty on offer

The many incentives offered by the Shenzhen Municipal Government align with the initiatives rolled out nationwide to attract high-level talent as part of Chinas effort to create an entrepreneurial and innovation driven economy.

The recent relaxation of national visa application procedures provides talented foreign individuals with simplified, accelerated, and more efficient approval processes, on top of monetary support and grants. Meanwhile, certain policies in the city help ease the hiring process and contribution towards social security funds for businesses. This means that both businesses and individuals should be aware of the incentives out there, and to make the most of them.

While the government has been pioneering many policies easing the burden of doing business locally (such as the five in one online business license application and the ease of commuting via dedicated digital fingerprint channels for foreigners), a lot more is still needed if Shenzhen does not want to lose professionals to up and coming innovative hubs in the country or larger and more dynamic cities like Shanghai. Vettoretti added.

About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com

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Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017

This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting.

Payroll Processing in China: Challenges and Solutions

In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we lay out the challenges presented by Chinas payroll landscape, including its peculiar Dang An and Hu Kou systems. We then explore how companies of all sizes are leveraging IT-enabled solutions to meet their HR and payroll needs, and why outsourcing payroll is the answer for certain company structures. Finally, we consider the potential for China to emerge as Asias premier payroll processing center.

Dezan Shira & Associates
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China should use emerging information technology including cloud computing and Internet of Things to shore up the digital economy, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said.

"The digital economy has enormous potential," Li said at a seminar on Monday, citing rapid growth in information consumption, mobile payments and e-commerce.

"Traditional industries should pick up speed in becoming more digitized, intelligent and green."

The premier expects information technology to create new sectors and new business models for the economy.

China should bolster emerging tertiary sectors including intelligent transportation and remote education to improve public services, Li said, adding that the "Internet Plus" can help make government affairs more transparent.

Li stressed further opening up in the telecom sector, support for research and development of new technology, and cyberspace security.

Having become a major growth driver, the digital economy rose 18.9 percent from a year ago to 22.6 trillion yuan (3.4 trillion U.S. dollars) last year.

Li called for more efforts on integrated development of small firms and industrial giants.

Enterprises should establish open Internet platforms to better allocate resources, match supply and demand, promote coordinated research and development, and build a new industrial ecosystem, according to Li.

As a result, innovation will be more efficient, manufacturing will improve, and economic and industrial upgrades will be pushed forward, Li said.

During the meeting, Li also urged continued efforts to offer faster and more affordable Internet services, which will help improve business competitiveness and reduce social costs.

Charges can be further lowered for individual consumers and small businesses, Li said.

In a visit to the country's three telecom operators ahead of the meeting, Li encouraged companies to develop more core technology and improve global competitiveness.

When listening to a report on how new technology could address difficulties in parking shared bicycles, Li said there are always problems in new things, which should be solved through new technology and in new ways.

The government will adopt cautious, inclusive supervision over new business models to ensure their robust and orderly development, Li said.
First, it was The Cheesegrater; then, The Walkie-Talkie. Now, industry analysts are asking what will be next as Chinese commercial property investors snap up London landmarks. The Gherkin? The Shard?

Photo taken on May 2, 2017 shows the Leadenhall Building, the tallest building in the city of London, which is known as the Cheesegrater because of its wedge shape. [Photo/Xinhua]

The buildings are all high-rise towers in and around the City, London's main financial district.

China's LKK Health Products Group paid 1.28 billion pounds ($1.68 billion) last week, the biggest-ever price tag for a UK building, when it bought 20 Fenchurch Street, which is colloquially known as The Walkie-Talkie.

The massive purchase followed the sale of the Leadenhall Building earlier this year, which is known as The Cheesegrater.

The other two buildings, also nicknamed for their unique shapes, are not for sale, but neither was The Walkie-Talkie before LKK made its owners an offer they could not refuse.

The purchase of commercial property in London by Chinese buyers has been accelerating at an unprecedented rate.

The latest figures from real estate agent CBRE show Chinese investors bought UK commercial property worth 4.5 billion pounds in the second quarter of 2017, a six-fold increase year-on-year.

Meanwhile, statistics from real estate agent JLL show Chinese buyers invested 3.4 billion pounds in London properties overall in the first half of this year, which was 42 percent of all purchases.

Eric Pang, head of the China Desk at JLL, said, "We continue to witness the emergence of Chinese capital globally."

He said he expects China's share of investment in the UK to continue to rise.

Depreciation of the pound because of uncertainties around the UK's exit from the European Union is a key contributing factor, helping Chinese investors buy sterling assets at a discount.

Recent transactions also demonstrate the popularity of safe assets in prime locations.

The Walkie-Talkie, for example, is considered a safe asset because the building's space is fully leased to investment-grade-rated commercial tenants. The shortest lease in the building is for 13 years, meaning LKK has a guaranteed income for many years to come.

CC Land bought The Cheesegrater for 1.15 billion pounds in March, and China Resources Land bought 20 Gresham Street in May for 315 million pounds.

Critics have questioned whether Chinese investors have been buying trophy assets at inflated prices, especially in light of the fact that the sellers of both The Walkie-Talkie and Cheesegrater said they sold for exceptionally good prices.

But James Beckham, head of London capital markets at real estate agent Cushman & Wakefield, said Chinese investors can still enjoy good returns, despite the high prices they paid.

"The British developers have done a lot of work in the property development process, so their profit margins are justified. For the Chinese investors, they are looking for very safe, long-term assets, and they are getting that," Beckham said.

Rental yields for both The Walkie-Talkie and Cheesegrater are around 3.4 percent, which is favorable compared to similar assets in other geographical regions, Beckham said.

Sammy Lee, LKK's chairman, said he was "delighted" with the Walkie-Talkie deal. The company said it paid a reasonable price for a long-term investment.

Meanwhile, the City's local government team has invested heavily in strengthening relationships with landlords, developers and occupiers, to make properties in London's financial district more attractive, as part of a campaign to uphold the image of London as a global financial center, despite Brexit uncertainties.

Efforts are focused on embracing "co-working, flexible office spaces, and the new wave of technology, media and telecoms companies attracted to the City", said Chris Hayward, chairman of the planning and transportation committee at the City of London Corp.
Stanley Gibbons, the world's oldest stamp dealer, is in talks with Chinese investors about the potential sale of the British company, an official said on Monday.

The company put itself up for sale in June after receiving what it called a "possible" offer from private equity firm Disruptive Capital Finance, led by stamp enthusiast Edi Truell.

The two companies have been in discussion for some time, but no progress has been made so far.

"Stanley Gibbons is currently engaging with potential investors from China as it looks to secure funding to take the business forward," the company official, who requested anonymity, said.

China is home to more than 20 million stamp collectors, or one-third of the world's total, up from about 3 million in 1983. The global stamp collecting market is worth about $10 billion a year.

The country has become increasingly important for Stanley Gibbons, given the growth in stamp collecting in the market, the official added.

Stanley Gibbons recently published the 11th edition of its China Stamp Catalogue, featuring all the stamps issued by the country in one single volume, reflecting the importance of the market for the dealer.

The company, established in 1856, is the leading stamp dealer in the world. Its catalogs are used to set the market price for rare stamps.

Three months ago, it sold a strip of four 1948 stamps featuring Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi for 500,000 pounds ($655,700) to a private collector in Asia. The company also sells rare coins and other collectibles.

But Stanley Gibbons has been facing challenges in recent years, leading to staff cuts and management overhauls.

The company believes that new investment is needed to improve its sales and marketing strategies to meet growing demand in Asia.

Stanley Gibbons is listed on the AIM, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange.
The Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons is hearing a discipline matter against a Georgetown physician who, according to complaints, took to showing women patients and women employees, naked and semi-naked pictures of himself. This occurred after Dr. Nigel Mark Phipps had been practicing for more than 30 years. One patient, identified only as Patient A, had been a patient of Phipps for years but fled from his office in complete distress and confusion the day he showed her pictures one of which, she claims, showed his engorged penis. As she ran she texted him that she would never be back. Toronto Star
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The Chinese army will step up the pace of improving its joint combat capabilities and "stand ready to fight and win at any time", State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan said on Monday.

Speaking about the cross-Straits situation, Chang said the People's Liberation Army is "confident, capable and fully prepared to resolutely safeguard State sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Chang made the remarks during a speech at a grand reception marking the 90 anniversary of the founding of the PLA, which falls on Tuesday.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of Central Military Commission, attended the reception along with other Party and State leaders.

The PLA has come a long way since its birth during the armed uprising in the city of Nanchang on August 1, 1927, when it had only 20,000 soldiers.

Xi oversaw and addressed a grand military parade on Sunday marking the 90th anniversary at the Zhurihe Training Base in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

On Tuesday morning, Xi will attend a grand ceremony in Beijing commemorating the 90th anniversary and deliver a speech.

Led by Xi, the PLA has been advancing reform and technological upgrade and boosting training and combat readiness, Chang said.

Through this it has achieved thorough restructuring and has greatly enhanced its combat effectiveness, he added.

The military will press ahead with reforms and staunchly focus on winning in combat and training for readiness, Chang said.

Speaking of the cross-Straits situation, Chang said adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to Taiwan independence constitute the political foundation of peace and development of cross-Straits relations.

Any form of secessionist attempt by anyone at any time would surely be opposed by the whole Chinese people and nation, he added.

Noting the Chinese military's role as a contributor to world peace, he said the PLA facilitates global development and supports international order.

As of June, the Chinese military had participated in 24 UN peacekeeping missions, sending 31,000 personnel, 13 of whom lost their lives on duty.

Chang said the PLA is ready to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with foreign militaries and jointly make greater contributions to world peace and the common development.

Since 2008, the PLA Navy has dispatched 26 escort task force groups, including more than 70 ships for escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
The sixth Kubuqi International Desert Forum concluded Sunday in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. More than 250 delegates from home and abroad reached a consensus to emphasize ecological progress, environmental protection and ecological restoration during the implementation of the Belt and Road initiative.

The sixth Kubuqi International Desert Forum kicks off in northern China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on July 29, 2017.

The theme of this years forum was "Greening the Belt and Road, Sharing the desert eco-economy. Participants included government officials, entrepreneurs, and experts from home and abroad. They gathered together to discuss cooperation in combating desertification along the Belt and Road routes, innovative eco technology, green finance, and poverty alleviation.

The forum is co-organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the State Forestry Administration, the Peoples Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the United Nations Environment, and the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai said that China is willing to uphold the Silk Road spirit and work together with the international community to build a greener world and contribute to sustainable global development.

Ma Kai also presented a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping to the forum. Xi noted in his letter that desertification is a severe challenge facing the global community. He urged delegates to the meeting to pool their wisdom and contribute to building a green Belt and Road and improving the global ecological environment.

The participants also hailed the Kubuqi model as a paradigm for fundamental solutions to large scale projects in combating desertification. It was recommended that the Kubuqi model be promoted for wider application in the Belt and Road regions and other parts of the world.

Kubuqi is the seventh largest desert in China, covering an area of 18,600 square kilometers. It was formerly the source of frequent sandstorms affecting Beijing.

Over the past three decades, farmers and herdsmen in Kubuqi have planted Chinese medicinal herbs such as liquorice, to improve the soil, built photovoltaic power stations for electricity, and encouraged tourism.

These efforts have contributed to the greening of more than 6,000 square kilometers of the Kubuqi desert, as well as lifting 102,000 people out of poverty.
Additionally,when Ma tried to renew his Guangzhou residential permit online, he was deniedand later learned that the authorities published a wanted notice for him. Othermembers of the church were also barred from renewing their permits, withoutwhich they cannot get drivers licenses or purchase new cars. When ChinaAidspoke to him, Ma stated his intention to sue the police if they refused torevoke the sanction on his permit by May 10, but it is unknown whether or nothe followed through with his plan.
On the 90th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping delivered a speech on its historical contributions, development and the necessity of further reform.

What the PLA has accomplished over the past 90 years can be boiled down to its indispensability to the founding of the People's Republic of China, the irreplaceable role it has played in guaranteeing a peaceful environment for the republic's economic development and social progress and the contributions it has made to maintaining world peace.

Without a strong military, it would have been unimaginable for China to achieve what it has and make the contributions it has to the overall development of the global economy.

And it should go without saying that the country needs a strong and modern military to counter any aggression and to defend its sovereignty and territory integrity.

Just as President Xi said in his speech, Chinese people treasure peace and will never wage a war of aggression, but they will never allow any of its territory to be scraped away, in any form, at any time.

To guarantee it never has to swallow this bitter pill and ensure it can counter any aggression, further reform is needed to make its national defense stronger.

Taiwan remains to be reunified with the motherland, and some secessionists on the island harbor the intention of making it an "independent" country, and there are also the threats of terrorism and extremism.

To counter these threats and safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests, the military needs further reform so that it is not only ready to fight but also able to win.

A founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of its Security Council, China has also become increasingly involved in the UN's global peacekeeping operations as its capabilities have developed. In recent years, the PLA has undertaken a growing number of peacekeeping and anti-piracy missions, and the number of troops China has contributed to such missions is more than any other Security Council member.

But to do a better job of fulfilling its UN obligations, China needs further reform to modernize its military.

As the PLA celebrates its 90th anniversary, the contributions it has made to a politically stable and economically prosperous China can never be overestimated, and its efforts to better shoulder its international responsibilities should be welcomed.
A visitor learns about China's third-generation nuclear technology at an exhibition in Beijing on April 29. CHEN XIAOGEN / FOR CHINA DAILY

Uranium exploration in China has been stepped up to unearth new reserves to fuel the country's state-of-the-art nuclear reactor program.

Yu Zhiping, general manager of CGNPC Uranium Resources Co Ltd, confirmed that the company has been looking to increase its supply of domestic deposits known as "yellowcake".

"China has substantial deposits of uranium, which is widespread," Yu said

"In the past two decades, we have explored several sandstone uranium deposits in northern China's basins," he added about CGNPC, which is a subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Corp.

"We plan to boost domestic uranium supplies and ensure energy sources for developing nuclear power."

In 2008, China discovered its first 10,000-metric-ton level leaching sandstone uranium deposit in the Yili basin in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Four years later, another large leaching sandstone uranium deposit was discovered in the Daying area of the northern Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The Yili basin, which has large uranium deposits, will be turned into a production base, according to Yu. Annual capacity will be about 1,000 tons.

There is also substantial potential for uranium deposits in the Erdos Basin and the Songliao Basin in Northeast China.

"As a country, we are not lacking in uranium resources," Yu, at CGNPC, said. "What we need is advanced exploration methods."

Low prices in the past five years have seen China stockpile uranium reserves.

Li Ning, dean of the School of Energy Research under Xiamen University, felt it made sense for the world's second largest economy to import more uranium.

"But domestic supplies are also substantial," Li said. "China has large verified deposits and rising demand will not impact the price since the market is oversupplied."

In the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) for energy development, nuclear power facilities generating more than 30 million kilowatts were slated to be constructed in China.

By 2020, the world's second largest economy expects to have 58 gigawatts of installed nuclear power, an increase of 16.5 percent year-on-year.

"The country will continue developing nuclear power safely and efficiently, while speeding up the construction of nuclear projects along the coastal regions," the development plan stated.
Company logos of China Unicom are displayed at a news conference during the company's announcement of its annual results in Hong Kong, March 16, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

China United Network Communications Group Co, the country's second-largest mobile carrier by subscribers, has set up two operating centers to deepen cooperation with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

The move signals that Alibaba and Tencent are almost certain to become shareholders of China Unicom, as the State-owned telecom carrier accelerates its push for mixed-ownership reform, analysts said.

According to a document obtained by China Daily, the two centers, established in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, are designed to expand cooperation, respectively, with Tencent and Alibaba.

Supervised by China Unicom's headquarters, the two centers are engaged in product design, event planning and research and development, and other activities which will support the telecom carrier's nationwide cooperation with the two tech heavyweights, the document said.

The Alibaba-oriented center has started with 50 employees, and the Tencent-centered one starts with 34. The staff lists will be adjusted as needed, the document said.

A screen capture of recruitment information shows that the Tencent center is recruiting employees including product managers, designers and engineers.

China Unicom confirmed to China Daily on Tuesday that the two operating centers have been established, but it declined to offer more information.

Peter Liu, research director at consultancy Gartner Inc, said the move signals that China Unicom is scrambling to deepen business cooperation with Alibaba and Tencent, though details on possible capital injection are yet to be finalized.

"It is unlikely for China Unicom to raise money from all big internet players in China, because all getting a foothold in a boat is equal to no one really on board," Liu said.

China Unicom said in a filing in late July that its mixed-ownership reform plan was approved by the country's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission.

But the company said it was still negotiating with potential backers, despite media reports that Alibaba and Tencent would team up with other big Chinese technology firms to jointly invest about $12 billion into its Shanghai-listed unit. Xiang Ligang, chief executive of telecom industry website Cctime, said investing in China Unicom will give internet companies key access to its core network resources, such as servers and bandwidth.

"Tencent and Alibaba are almost certain to be part of the reform, for their cooperation is generating impressive results," Xiang said.
Tourists use their smartphones to take selfie photographs as skyscrapers including Tower 42, the Heron Tower, the Leadenhall building, also known as the Cheesegrater, 30 St Mary Axe, also known as the Gherkin, and 20 Fenchurch Street, also known as the Walkie-Talkie, stand beyond, in London. BLOOMBERG

First, it was The Cheesegrater; then, The Walkie-Talkie. Now, industry analysts are asking what will be next as Chinese commercial property investors snap up London landmarks. The Gherkin? The Shard?

The buildings are all high-rise towers in and around the City, London's main financial district.

China's LKK Health Products Group paid 1.28 billion pounds ($1.68 billion) last week, the biggest-ever price tag for a UK building, when it bought 20 Fenchurch Street, which is colloquially known as The Walkie-Talkie.

The massive purchase followed the sale of the Leadenhall Building earlier this year, which is known as The Cheesegrater.

The other two buildings, also nicknamed for their unique shapes, are not for sale, but neither was The Walkie-Talkie before LKK made its owners an offer they could not refuse.

The purchase of commercial property in London by Chinese buyers has been accelerating at an unprecedented rate.

The latest figures from real estate agent CBRE show Chinese investors bought UK commercial property worth 4.5 billion pounds in the second quarter of 2017, a six-fold increase year-on-year.

Meanwhile, statistics from real estate agent JLL show Chinese buyers invested 3.4 billion pounds in London properties overall in the first half of this year, which was 42 percent of all purchases.

Eric Pang, head of the China Desk at JLL, said, "We continue to witness the emergence of Chinese capital globally."

He said he expects China's share of investment in the UK to continue to rise.

Depreciation of the pound because of uncertainties around the UK's exit from the European Union is a key contributing factor, helping Chinese investors buy sterling assets at a discount.

Recent transactions also demonstrate the popularity of safe assets in prime locations.

The Walkie-Talkie, for example, is considered a safe asset because the building's space is fully leased to investment-grade-rated commercial tenants. The shortest lease in the building is for 13 years, meaning LKK has a guaranteed income for many years to come.

CC Land bought The Cheesegrater for 1.15 billion pounds in March, and China Resources Land bought 20 Gresham Street in May for 315 million pounds.

Critics have questioned whether Chinese investors have been buying trophy assets at inflated prices, especially in light of the fact that the sellers of both The Walkie-Talkie and Cheesegrater said they sold for exceptionally good prices.

But James Beckham, head of London capital markets at real estate agent Cushman & Wakefield, said Chinese investors can still enjoy good returns, despite the high prices they paid.

"The British developers have done a lot of work in the property development process, so their profit margins are justified. For the Chinese investors, they are looking for very safe, long-term assets, and they are getting that," Beckham said.

Rental yields for both The Walkie-Talkie and Cheesegrater are around 3.4 percent, which is favorable compared to similar assets in other geographical regions, Beckham said.

Sammy Lee, LKK's chairman, said he was "delighted" with the Walkie-Talkie deal. The company said it paid a reasonable price for a long-term investment.

Meanwhile, the City's local government team has invested heavily in strengthening relationships with landlords, developers and occupiers, to make properties in London's financial district more attractive, as part of a campaign to uphold the image of London as a global financial center, despite Brexit uncertainties.

Efforts are focused on embracing "co-working, flexible office spaces, and the new wave of technology, media and telecoms companies attracted to the City", said Chris Hayward, chairman of the planning and transportation committee at the City of London Corp.
A worker performs a soldering job at an auto manufacturing plant in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province. XINHUA

Trend positive despite moderate weakening in manufacturing sector

China's manufacturing sector activity, measured by a major official index, weakened moderately in July, but economists said the trend of stable growth in the world's second-largest economy will remain.

The Purchasing Managers' Index, released on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics, came in at 51.4 for July, down from 51.7 in June, but it remained well above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction.

Zhao Qinghe, a senior official at the NBS, attributed the fall in the index to recent extreme weather in many parts of the country, which disrupted normal industrial activities, and seasonal equipment repairs.

"Although the index fell by 0.3 percentage points compared with the previous month, it is roughly at the same level as the average of the indexes in the first six months," he said in a statement published on the bureau's website. "It has remained above 51 since the start of this year, (indicating that) the overall trend is stable."

The fall in the index in July does not necessarily reflect a weakening growth trend, said a CITIC Securities research report. "We remain upbeat about China's stable growth in the second half."

The sub-index for the construction sector rose to 62.5 in July from 61.4 in June, according to the breakdown of the July PMI.

That for production activity expectation rose to 59.1, up from 58.7 in June. It had risen for three consecutive months, "indicating that enterprises were more confident in their future development", according to Zhao from the NBS.

But new factory orders dropped to 52.8 from 53.1 in June, and export orders fell to 50.9 from 52.0.

"The breakdown suggests weaker foreign demand is partly to blamethe new export orders fell by a larger margin than overall new orders," Julian Evans-Pritchard, a Singapore-based China economist at Capital Economics, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

China posted stronger than expected year-on-year GDP growth of 6.9 percent in the first half of this year, fueled by rising infrastructure investment, improving exports and robust retail sales. But it is feared that growth may weaken in the second half due to the cooling of real estate investment as a result of tightened regulation.

"July's PMI signals a slight softening of the manufacturing sector," Raymond Yeung, the Hong Kong-based chief economist at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd, told Bloomberg. "External demand will likely drop in the summer and third quarter GDP growth isn't expected to hit 6.9 percent. But we aren't worried about the decline today."

As the global demand rises and commodity prices are expected to continue to rise moderately in the second half, China will not face much growth pressure in the coming months, said the CITIC Securities report.
A commemorative stamp (right) from 1990 depicting Queen Elizabeth (foreground) and Queen Victoria (background) is seen next to an 1840 Penny Black stamp (left) with Queen Victoria on it at Stanley Gibbons in central London, Aug 21, 2015. [Photo/VCG]

Stanley Gibbons, the world's oldest stamp dealer, is in talks with Chinese investors about the potential sale of the British company, an official said on Monday.

The company put itself up for sale in June after receiving what it called a "possible" offer from private equity firm Disruptive Capital Finance, led by stamp enthusiast Edi Truell.

The two companies have been in discussion for some time, but no progress has been made so far.

"Stanley Gibbons is currently engaging with potential investors from China as it looks to secure funding to take the business forward," the company official, who requested anonymity, said.

China is home to more than 20 million stamp collectors, or one-third of the world's total, up from about 3 million in 1983. The global stamp collecting market is worth about $10 billion a year.

The country has become increasingly important for Stanley Gibbons, given the growth in stamp collecting in the market, the official added.

Stanley Gibbons recently published the 11th edition of its China Stamp Catalogue, featuring all the stamps issued by the country in one single volume, reflecting the importance of the market for the dealer.

The company, established in 1856, is the leading stamp dealer in the world. Its catalogs are used to set the market price for rare stamps.

Three months ago, it sold a strip of four 1948 stamps featuring Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi for 500,000 pounds ($655,700) to a private collector in Asia. The company also sells rare coins and other collectibles.

But Stanley Gibbons has been facing challenges in recent years, leading to staff cuts and management overhauls.

The company believes that new investment is needed to improve its sales and marketing strategies to meet growing demand in Asia.

Stanley Gibbons is listed on the AIM, a subsidiary of the London Stock Exchange.
A worker cleans a steel lendle at the Dongbei Special Steel Group in Dalian, Liaoning province. LIU DEBIN / FOR CHINA DAILY

Restructuring sectors will help cut overcapacity and boost prices

Radical reform of the coal and steel industries has cut overcapacity and reduced debt levels among State-owned enterprises.

A research report from GF Securities Co Ltd showed that repacking debt into equity and promoting policies to revamp the supply chain are helping to transform the sectors.

"The deals will not only reduce their leverage ratio and financial pressure, but also facilitate their industrial transformation and upgrading," the report stated.

The reforms in the coal and steel sectors will also make these SOEs leaner and more able to adapt to a high-tech world.

This in turn will cut oversupply and stabilize prices within the industries, and make these sprawling companies more competitive.

"Output reduction will lead to a rise in prices and company profits," said Yao Yang, an analyst at Shenwan Hongyuan Securities.

"This will lay a solid foundation for the implementation of the debt-to-equity swap deals."

Overcapacity in the coal and steel industries has been drastically reduced in the first part of this year.

Statistics from the National Development and Reform Commission showed that in the first five months of 2017, 42.39 million tons of steel capacity had been cut, reaching 84.8 percent of the annual target reduction. Figures also revealed that 111 million tons of coal was left in the ground during the first six months.

This was 74 percent of the annual target reduction for the fossil fuel in China.

"But there is no need to implement large-scale coal reduction measures later in 2017," said an official from NDRC, implying that coal prices are now at a reasonable level.

Earlier this year, companies in the largest coal producing province of Shanxi in North China rolled out debt-to-equity swaps.

The Lu'an Mining Industry Group signed debt-to-equity swap agreements with the local State-asset regulator and China Construction Bank Corp worth 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) in March.

In May, Shanxi Coking Coal Group Co Ltd signed the first market-oriented debt-to-equity project, worth 2 billion yuan, with the China Construction Bank branch in the province.

"As cyclical industries, high debt ratios bring huge pressure to enterprises," the GF Securities report stated. "So, it is urgent for them to reduce the asset-liability ratio."

In March, the China Iron and Steel Association, or CISA, announced it was also working on bringing down its debt levels.

The plan will be to reduce its asset-liability ratio to below 60 percent in the next three to five years, according to Liu Zhenjiang, general secretary of CISA.

"So far, 10 steel companies, including China Baowu Steel Group Corp Ltd, have signed debt-to-equity swaps with banks," Liu said. "The China Banking Regulatory Commission will bring together related financial institutions and typical steel enterprises to implement relevant issues in the near future."

The steel industry should also accelerate its debt-shedding policy in an effort to finally get to grips with the problem, Luo Tiejun, a senior official from Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out.

"Last year, the average industry debt ratio was brought down by only one percentage point," Luo said.

In the first quarter of this year, the average asset-liability ratio for CISA members was almost 70 percent, Gu Jianguo, vice-president of the association, said at a news conference in April.

In addition, Yao of Shenwan Hongyuan Securities, stressed that debt-to-equity swaps can lower the figures on paper, but they had limited impact in reducing the real debt burden.

The Fifth National Financial Work Conference made it clear that deleveraging SOEs was one of the priorities to prevent financial risks in China.

At the end of the first quarter, the debt ratio of non-financial companies jumped to 157.7 percent from 155.1 percent in the final three months of 2016, according to the National Institution for Finance & Development.

Since the global financial crisis in 2009, China's corporate debt has continued to accumulate. By the end of last September, liabilities in the non-financial sector hit $28 trillion, which was about 250 percent of nominal GDP.
Club Med banners blow in the wind beside the swimming pool at the Club Med Punta Cana vacation resort in the Dominican Republic, March 3, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

In the wake of two consecutive years of profits, French leisure group Club Med said it is launching a new line of resorts in Chinatargeting business generated by the increasing sophistication of consumers and higher demand for traveling from affluent Chinese families.

The company said the new resort brand is called Club Med Joyview, and has been designed especially for the Chinese market. The first two Joyview resorts will be unveiled in the northern coastal resort town of Beidaihe and in Anji county, in Zhejiang province, by the end of this year.

Club Med President Henri Giscard d'Estaing said the Joyview resorts would mainly target middle-class families and business people visiting first-tier cities. As a result, the new resorts will mainly be located in smaller cities within three hours drive from the main cities.

Bought by Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group for 900 million euros ($1 billion) in early 2015, Club Med swung back to profit within the first year, turning round the 44 million euro loss posted in the year prior to the acquisition. The group reported that its business revenue for the winter 2017 season, from November 2016 to April 2017, hit a record high of 875 million euros, up 6.5 percent year-on-year.

With these successes in the bag, Club Med said it will open eight new resorts worldwide between 2017 and 2018. By 2020, the leisure group said it is targeting opening five new international resorts annually, including in Italy, Spain and the United States.

Club Med managed double-digit growth in China last year. Its new ski resort in Beidahu, located outside of Jilin city in Jilin province, opened in late November last year and reported an occupancy rate of 81 percent for its first season.

The group says there will be 20 Club Med resorts in China by 2020.

Giscard d'Estaing said his company's surging presence in China is the result of the evolution of the local market. The rise of the millennials, China's second-child policy, and the developing tastes of consumers had resulted in their pursuit of special travel experiences, he added.

According to China's biggest online travel agency, Ctrip, demand for travel is hot target among millenials and travel is meeting that need. It said that since the second-child policy was introduced in late 2015, one third of the orders the agency had received were for family trips, with each family trip worth an average of just over 10,000 yuan ($1,481) in 2017.

Giscard d'Estaing also said that Club Med's success in the past two years was inseparable from the input provided by Fosun.

"We have partnered with Fosun for nearly seven years," he said. "It has supported our development not only with their financial means, but also with their global capability, particularly its industrial base in China."

Speaking of Beijing's recent scrutiny into Fosun's overseas investments and debt, he said he agreed that anything that contributed to economic stability was a positive move.

"In that respect, the action of Chinese authorities reinforces stability and growth. We have seen Fosun's steady and reasonable development, as well as their ambitions," he said.
Construction of a third-generation reactor, using technology known as Hualong One, starts in Fuqing, East China's Fujian province. JIANG KEHONG / XINHUA

Overseas operations are crucial to the uranium subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power Corp.

The State-owned energy giant has a particularly close relationship with Kazakhstan through CGNPC Uranium Resources Co Ltd.

Key agreements cover uranium mining, nuclear fuel pellets and nuclear fuel fabrication. CGN and Kazakhstan's Kazatomprom are also involved in a joint venture to build a fuel fabrication plant.

CGN has secured 40,000 metric tons of uranium from the transcontinental country in northern Central Asia and East Europe.

"This has been done through exclusive sales contracts over the long term," said He Yu, chairman of CGN.

About 16,000 tons of uranium had been imported from Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan's state-owned nuclear company, by the end of this May, according to He.

Semizbay-U LLP is another a joint venture formed by the two groups in 2009.

The company was set up to develop the Irkol and Semizbai uranium deposits.

"It is now a major supplier for China's nuclear power stations," said Li Cheng'an, deputy director-general of the finance department at Semizbay-U LLP.

The two mines have an annual capacity of 1,200 tons of uranium, Li pointed out. Up to 700 tons come from Irkol and 500 from Semizbay with 588 tons going to CGN's nuclear projects.

Kazakhstan has been an important source of uranium for more than 50 years with a steady output and high quality yield.

"It is a win-win for both countries against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative," Li said.

Kalmukambetov Aidos, director of Semizbay's mining operation, singled out CGN's capital investment and advanced technology for helping the site produce 500 tons of uranium a year.

The joint venture has also provided crucial jobs in the local community.

CGN's Semizbay operation is the first Chinese overseas uranium mining project.

"It has not only secured CGN's uranium supply abroad, but also helped the company gain experience in the operation and management of uranium mines overseas," said Joseph Jacobelli, a senior analyst of Asian utilities and infrastructure at Bloomberg Intelligence.

There are other tangible dividends for doing business in Kazakhstan.

He, chairman of CGN, is keen to promote its homegrown third generation Hualong One reactor in the country.

This is all part of the company's export drive along the Belt and Road Initiative, which connects Asia, Africa and Europe to a modern version of the ancient Silk Road.

"CGN will further promote its reactors in Kazakhstan, as well as other economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative," He said.
The United States is expected to overtake the European Union as China's largest trade partner this year, a former vice-minister of commerce said.

Wei Jianguo, former vice-minister of commerce [Photo provided to China Daily]

At the same time, China's trade structure will continue to optimize, and private companies are likely to dominate the export sector, Wei Jianguo, who is also vice-president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

Sino-US trade will continue to boom in the second half of this year, "with China's imports from the US growing faster than its exports". Therefore, the US trade deficit with China will decline, he said.

Part of the reason why the US would surpass the EU, which was China's number one trading partner for almost the past decade, Wei said, lies in ever-strengthening Sino-US economic and trade ties.

In April, China and the US agreed to initiate a cooperation plan to address the trade imbalance. Under the plan, China will resume US beef imports, and allow rice imports for the first time.

Wei's predictions are in line with recent industry figures.

Between January and June, Sino-US trade reached 1.85 trillion yuan ($272 billion), up 21.3 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs. The growth rate is higher than that between China and EU members, which stood at 17.4 percent in the same period. Sino-EU trade was 1.97 trillion yuan.

"With such a growth rate, it won't take long for China's total trade volume with the US to exceed that with EU members", said Wei.

China's total trade volume was 13.14 trillion yuan in the first six months, up 19.6 percent year-on-year, according to the GAC. Specifically, exports grew by 15.0 percent to 7.21 trillion yuan, and imports surged 25.7 percent to 5.93 trillion yuan.

Huang Songping, a spokesman for the GAC, said earlier that the increase was mainly due to recovering external demand that pushed up exports.

Looking into the overall picture in the second half of this year, Wei said China's trade would still gain momentum.

"The growth rate of China's trade with economies along the Belt and Road Initiative would be 5 to 6 percentage points higher than other regions."

Official data show trade between China and Belt and Road economies posted double-digit growth year-on-year in the first six months.

Privately run companies, even some small and micro businesses, would dominate the trade sector, with more high-tech products and self-owned brands being exported, Wei added.

In the first six months, private companies' imports and exports grew 20.6 percent year-on-year to 5.02 trillion yuan, show data from the GAC. It accounted for 38.2 percent of the nation's total volume.

"The current domestic and foreign environment is favorable to future trade flows But it is still an arduous tasks to maintain the uptrend for the rest of the year," Qian Keming, a vice-minister of commerce, said on Monday at a news conference.

Qian cited trade protectionism and rising costs as the major factors.
LHASA - A new air route linking Shanghai, Xi'an and Shigatse, the second largest city in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, has opened.

The maiden flight by China Eastern Airlines departed from Shanghai at 8:20 am Sunday and arrived at Shigatse at 3:45 pm after a short stay in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

Flights will operate every Thursday and Sunday.

"Passengers can now fly directly to Shigatse without a transfer in Lhasa," said Ni Junnan, deputy Party chief of Shigatse.

Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet and is a popular tourist destination. In 2016, a total of 300,000 visitors arrived in Tibet from Shanghai.
BEIJING - China's LED industry will accelerate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in a plan seeking to foster world-class brands.

In a development plan jointly released by 13 government agencies, China aims to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies in the LED industry to expand market value to 1 trillion yuan ($148.6 billion) by 2020.

China should have at least one LED company with sales volume of more than 10 billion yuan, and one or two world-renowned brands, according to the plan.

The government will encourage more M&As in the industry to push concentrated and differentiated development in the sector.

The news gave a boost to related shares. On Monday, Foshan Electrical & Lighting went up 1.34 percent to close at 9.1 yuan per share, while Zhejiang Quartz Crystal Optoelectronic Technology gained 2.4 percent to 23 yuan.

LEDs are semiconductor light sources that are more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), China made the LED industry a strategic emerging industry in efforts to advance high-tech manufacturing and tackle climate change.

The industry has since taken off - China has become the world's largest producer, consumer and exporter of LED products. In 2011-2015, the sector's output value grew at an annualized rate of around 30 percent.

In 2015, the industry output value amounted to 424.5 billion yuan, up 21 percent year on year, while exports of LED products came in at $12 billion, rising 15 percent as China's LED industry is more and more reliant on overseas markets.

The number of listed firms in the sector has grown from two in 2010 to 25 in 2015, and two of the firms have made their way to the global top 10.

The way up in the international market was partly driven by Chinese M&As. In 2015, China's Puhuarui Photoelectricity acquired full equity in BridgeLux Inc, a leading US developer and manufacturer of solid state lighting technologies.

In 2013, Luminus Devices, a US seller of solid-state lighting products, was sold to Chinese LED maker San'an.

And with the recent development plan aiming to foster leading global companies, analysts expect M&A activities to quicken as China has a large number of companies, mostly small, in the business.

Liu Rong, president of HC SemiTek Corporation, said the government plan offered opportunities for his company to strengthen international cooperation on research and development of LED products to become a leading company in the global market.

Domestically, China's rapid urbanization and top-level plans such as "Made in China 2025" will create more growth potential for the sector.

In May 2015, China introduced the Made in China 2025 blueprint, listing several tasks for the manufacturing industry, including boosting innovation, fostering Chinese brands and enhancing service-oriented manufacturing.
MELBOURNE - Australian mozzarella cheese from Victoria will be exported to China for the first time, it was announced on Tuesday.

Fonterra Australia, one of the country's leading dairy companies, will send cheese from its new $112 million factory in Stanhope, 197 kilometers north of Melbourne, to China for use on pizza.

Once the factory begins production, it will be the first time Fonterra has made cheese in Australia since 2013 with all production since then taking place in New Zealand.

Rene Dedoncker, managing director of Fonterra, said that the move came in response to the rising popularity of pizza in Asia.

"New Zealand-made Fonterra cheese is already topping more than half the pizzas made in China, and now we will be sending our Australian-made mozzarella as our customers just can't get enough of it," Dedoncker said in a media release on Tuesday.

"In China, the growth in Western-style foodservice outlets has meant more opportunities for Chinese people to try cheese and many are developing a taste for it, particularly on pizza. The market potential is enormous."

Fonterra said that 40 percent of people in urban China were eating at Western-style fast food outlets once a week and the use of dairy products has risen 30 percent in five years.

"As disposable incomes rise in China, spending on dining out is growing, and pizza is a very popular menu choice. They want the extra stretch, softness and flavour of our mozzarella made with high-quality Australian milk," Dedoncker said.

"This supports our strategy to be Fonterra's global ingredients hub for cheese, whey and nutritionals, complementing our consumer and food service businesses."

Jared Ireland, a Fonterra farmer with 450 head of cattle in Northern Victoria, said he was proud to learn that the milk he produced was being turned into high-quality products.

"My family loves eating pizza with its stretchy mozzarella. Knowing where our milk goes, we can tell our children that our farm's milk goes into making mozzarella to top pizzas for families to enjoy in China," Ireland said.

"With Stanhope's new cheese plant coming online, positive news like this gives us confidence in a strong, sustainable future for dairy in Australia."
MELBOURNE - The price of Australian wool has bounced back after a 20-year lull due to global demand, experts said on Tuesday.

Wool farmers are benefiting from the best prices for their product in two decades with market analysts tipping that the market would remain strong.

Geoff Power, president of Livestock South Australia (SA), said that prices were steady at $12.03 per kilogram for fine wool and medium merino wool and the market was "looking very good."

"There's been new-found wealth in Asia, but particularly in China where most of our wool is processed and then exported," Power told Australian media on Tuesday.

"A lot of our exports, be it mutton, beef or wool, is now staying in China because of a growing middle class with disposable incomes.

"There's a lot of optimism out there for both sheep, wool and cattle as the price of commodities are good."

Australia produced 341,000 tons of wool in the financial year ending in June 2017, 75 percent of which was exported to China.

The price of the wool spiked 10 percent to $12.07 per kilo in the first half of 2017 on the back of strong demand and a limited supply, prompting the ongoing strong market for the commodity.

The shortfall in wool came as a result of low rainfall across Australia stunting wool growth.

The Rural Bank's 2017 Australian Wool Annual Review said that the spike was the end of a 20-year drop-off in wool prices.

Clint Rayner, a second generation farmer, said that the price spike was a welcome boost for his family's farm which is home to 3,100 Merino sheep.

"These are definitely the best prices I've seen since I've became involved in the 80s," he said.
China and Mongolia will soon start conducting a joint feasibility study for the development of a free trade zone, a Chinese official said on Tuesday.

Qian Keming, a vice-minister of commerce, said the move highlights the ever strengthening Sino-Mongolian relations "on the basis of mutual respect, equality and benefit".

The Second China-Mongolia Expo is slated to take place in Hohhot, capital of China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region between September 26 and 30 this year. Through exhibitions, conferences and seminars, investment and trade negotiations, the expo will serve as a communication platform for all sides, Qian said at a press conference.

The biennial event aims to boost bilateral cooperation in politics, economy, education, health and culture, and to facilitate the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.

For over a decade, China has been Mongolia's largest trading partner. According to China's Ministry of Commerce, Sino-Mongolian trade amounted to $3.1 billion in the first half of this year, up 44.2 percent from a year ago. In the same period, China's non-financial direct investment in Mongolia reached $4.1 billion, accounting for 30 percent of Mongolia's total foreign investment.

Earlier in 2016, bilateral trade reached $4.61 billion, accounting for 60 percent of Mongolia's export volume, data from the ministry shows.

China mainly exports gas, diesel, food, machinery and equipment to Mongolia, and imports natural resources, fur and raw materials.
Chinese A-share stocks extended a rally with the Shanghai Composite Index, climbing to a three and a half-month high, on Tuesday.

Investors were cheered as the country's factory activity accelerated in July, and the listed companies released pleasing semi-annual report performance forecast.

The Shanghai Composite Index closed the day with a 0.60 percent gain to 3,292.64 points. Finance and Xiongan-themed shares were among the biggest climbers, and New China Life Insurance Co Ltd increased by the 10 percent upside limit.

The Shenzhen Component Index also rose 0.19 percent, while the ChiNext startup index climbed 0.27 percent. The SSE 50, dubbed China's "Nifty Fifty" index, scaled a two-year peak.

China's manufacturing activities also expanded at the fastest pace in four months in July on the back of economic stabilization, according to a survey conducted by Markit and sponsored by Caixin Media Co Ltd on Tuesday.

The Caixin China General Manufacturing Managers' Index stood at 51.1 for July, up from 50.4 in June, and was above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction.

"Pleasing PMI data and good business performance of listed companies in the first half have contributed to today's rise," Hong Hao, chief strategist at BOCOM International Ltd, said, adding large-cap shares and upstream resources ones performed the best.

According to market intelligence provider Tonghuashun, 108 A-share listed companies will release their semi-annual reports this week. Of them, 75 companies have released their business performance forecast and a total of 62 have reported positive profit estimates.

For example, representatives of Shan Dong Haihua Company Ltd, Shanxi Xishan Coal and Electricity Power Co Ltd, Nuode Investment Co Ltd, China Fangda Group Co Ltd, Suzhou Boamax Technologies Group Co Ltd and Shanghai Xuerong Bio-Technology Co Ltd said their profits in the first half of the year would increase more than 200 percent year-on-year respectively.
Excitement is mounting across the state and nation for the upcoming total solar eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21.

Anticipation of the rare event is building, and some Nebraskans are using it as inspiration in art that will be displayed at Gage Countys Homestead National Monument of America, where thousands are expected to flock on the big day.

Three experienced Nebraska quilters, Peg Pennell of Ashland, Shelly Burge and Cynthia Levis, both of Lincoln, put together a series if quilts that will be displayed at the Homestead until October.

Levis was at the Homestead this week setting up the display, and to explain what the six quilts represent.

The quilts show five stages of the eclipse and a diagram showing what is going on, she said. All of us have grandchildren and I know theyve all been interested in what we were doing. Many people will be here to see this. Its a once in a lifetime experience. Well probably never see it again, going through the U.S.

Each of the three women contributed two of the six quilts in the display.

The idea was presented to Levis by Homestead Park Superintendent Mark Engler when she was bringing another series of quilts that were displayed at the Homestead, a National Park series, to be shipped for display at other parks.

Engler suggested that eclipse quilts should be the groups next project.

I know that Nebraskans are excited about the eclipse, he said. Having this quilt exhibit here that was a sewn by Nebraska quilters is a fun way to express our excitement and express our anticipation. These are beautiful quilts that people coming through the monument can enjoy and reflect upon.

The idea was presented at the end of May, leaving little time to prepare the quilts.

We finished them about a week or so ago, Levis said. It takes a long time to get the idea. Thats a quicker turnaround than most artistic quilts. Usually, you will have probably a year to decide. You usually have a year to think about it and get it done. This was a quick turnaround."

Despite the short timeframe to complete the quilts, the three completed the series three weeks before the big day, and will be at the Homestead on Aug. 21 to discuss the project, which include cityscapes, a view from Chimney Rock and other scenes of the eclipse.

I wanted to have something identifiable that was Nebraska, Levis said. I called Chimney Rock to make sure they were going to see some of it. Thats why I chose Chimney Rock. I wanted to make sure we had that one in Nebraska.

Its an enjoyable experience because you take something and you put your twist on it. Some things look very realistic. Some of these look like a picture was taken of an area and some look more abstract, but you can still identify with it. You do that a lot in quilts.
China was the UK auto industry's third biggest trading partner in the first half of this year, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Almost 48,000 Chinese buyers chose one of the UK's premium and luxury cars during the six-month period, accounting for 7 percent of all UK auto exports, the SMMT said on Thursday.

But sales in China fell 6.4 percent overall as the automotive sector adjusted to changes in regulation governing new car imports and British firms based some production in China.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said China-based production of British auto brands, and new regulations are reasons leading to the export drop.

"First of all, it's been UK car manufacturer investing in China. I think Jaguar or Land Rover opened its plants in China," Hawes said. "It's expanding production and that's taken some of the export from its UK plants and based them in China."

Hawes said China remains "a vitally important partner for the UK", with both investing significantly in each other's land.

"Strengthening this relationship through mutually beneficial trade agreements has the potential to unlock huge opportunities for our respective industries and economies," he said.

In total, UK car production fell by 2.9 percent in the first half, with 866,656 cars rolling off production lines, the SMMT said.

There was a 13.7 percent drop in the number of cars being built last month due to concerns over the impact of the UK's impending departure from the European Union upon businessthe third month in a row that UK's output has fallen.

The EU remained the UK's biggest trading partner, accounting for more than halfor 54.6 percentof all cars produced for export.

The auto industry has called on the UK government to outline its Brexit plans and ensure barrier free trade with the EU.

The SMMT figures were released the day after the British government announced its plan to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2040 to encourage people to buy electric vehicles.
A Baidu Waimai delivery worker receives online food orders on his phone in a street in Beijing. A QING / FOR CHINA DAILY

Baidu Inc is planning to sell its loss-making food delivery unit, Baidu Waimai, at a discounted price to a competitor backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, a person familiar with the matter said.

The business could be sold to Ele.me at a valuation that is less than half the $2.5 billion it was given during its last round of fundraising, said the source who did not want to be identified.

Selling Waimai would put an end to heavy cash losses for Baidu, China's biggest search engine, as it struggles in the competitive on-demand services market and shifts its bets to artificial intelligence, the source added.

A deal would shore up Ele.me's lead in a fiercely competitive industry that depends on scale, while bringing millions of users onto Alibaba's e-commerce and payments network. Ele.me and Baidu declined to comment on queries about a potential sale, which financial magazine Caijing reported earlier.

Caijing said Baidu Waimai and Ele.me have reached a verbal agreement, and if everything goes smoothly, the deal will be announced within two or three weeks.

The development comes two months after media reported that Baidu Waimai was talking with leading delivery company SF Holding Ltd. However, the two sides could not reach a consensus on price and conditions, so negotiations broke down.

Once a key component of Baidu's so-called online-to-offline strategy, Waimai ran up against foes backed by Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd. The deep-pocketed internet giants, who both have market values of at least $370 billion, spent billions on the sector to boost their own popular payments platforms, even as more people turn to smartphones to order takeout and hire cleaners.

"Its strategy in the onlineto-offline business has been less aggressive than before and its current key focus is on the AI-related business," said Marie Sun, a Shenzhen-based analyst at Morningstar Investment Service.

"In the coming times, I don't think Baidu will have aggressive spending on this dying business."

Baidu has more than one online-to-offline operation. Waimai focuses on food delivery but the search company also runs Nuomi, which handles services including movie ticketing and Groupon-like bargains. Sales in the on-demand services sector are expected to reach $230 billion in 2018, according to internet consultant iResearch.

Yang Xu, an analyst at Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys, agreed the online food delivery sector had not been Baidu's core business since the second half of last yearas Baidu CEO Robin Li put more emphasis on AI.

Yang said the competition in the domestic food delivery sector would be more intense as two giants, Ele.me and the Tencent-backed startup Meituan Dianping, dominate the market.

An Alibaba executive told Caijing that Alibaba plans to take full control of Ele.me, and negotiations are currently underway. In 2015, Alibaba invested $1.25 billion in Ele.me, becoming its largest shareholder with a 27.7 percent stake.
BEIJING - A female university student who sold drugs through social messaging platform WeChat has been sentenced to five months in a detention center, a Beijing court announced Monday.

According to Beijing Third Intermediate Court, the suspect, surnamed Liu, was a student at a university in Hebei Province. She had posted information about marijuana sales on the WeChat mobile phone app.

In February, Liu sold 10 grams of marijuana to a buyer who contacted her online, and sent the drugs to the buyer by express mail.

In March, Liu met another buyer in a hotel in Beijing to deliver drugs, and both of them were caught by police after completing the deal.

Liu was sentenced for the crime of drug trafficking.

China has some 800 million people with online access. WeChat, developed by the Internet giant Tencent, has become an integral part of many people's lives due to its multiple functions such as messaging, e-payments and news.
WUHAN - Fifteen members of Shanxinhui, a Shenzhen-based company suspected of organizing and leading a pyramid scheme, have been seized in central China's Hubei Province, police said Monday.

Of the 15, 13 have been placed in criminal detention, Hubei police said in a statement.

On Sunday, Guangdong police detained 230 members of Shanxinhui. Beijing police also arrested 63 after members of the pyramid scheme gathered in the capital city on July 24.

Police have previously investigated Shanxinhui for allegedly manipulating people into taking part in pyramid selling and cheating them out of huge amounts of property under the guise of helping the poor.

Zhang Tianming, legal representative of the company, and other suspects have been put under coercive measures, which may include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention or arrest.
BEIJING - Most motorcycles made in China are expected to be preloaded with BeiDou navigation system by 2018, according to a meeting on the promotion of BeiDou on Monday.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), more than 20 million motorcycles equipped with BeiDou are expected to be put on the market, over half of which will be aimed at overseas markets.

At the meeting, China's 15 major motorcycle producers reached consensus on reaching these targets.

Promoting BeiDou for car networking usage will help improve traffic management, relieve congestion, cut down robbery and motivate energy saving and environmental protection, said Bo Yumin, chief engineer of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China.

"BeiDou is ready for civic use. It will help to improve the efficiency of accident rescue, and reduce loss of life," said Qiao Yueshan, deputy director of information technology department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

China launched the 23rd satellite last year for BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) to improve the stability of this self-developed navigation system, and prepare it for global coverage.
PLA celebrating 27th anniversary of nation's involvement in UN missions overseas

"If you were killed during a mission, how would you like your UN death benefits to be distributed?"

That was one of the first questions Senior Colonel Yang Xijun was asked when he signed up as a military observer for the 2006 UN mission in Sudan, a North African country ravaged by tribal warfare, disease and poverty.

Yang's chosen role had historic resonance. On April 21, 1990, China participated in a peacekeeping mission for the first time by deploying five military observers in the Middle East as part of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.

Chinese peacekeepers train in Monrovia, Liberia, in January. Photos by Li Jinhua / Xinhua

Two years later, the country sent 400 People's Liberation Army engineers to assist the United Nations in Cambodia, China's first deployment of military personnel on an official "blue beret" mission.

More than 2,500 Chinese peacekeepers are participating in 10 UN-led missions, meaning the country provides a greater number of personnel than the four other permanent members of the Security Council combined.

China also is the second-largest financial contributor to peacekeeping missions, providing more than 10 percent of the $7.8 billion budget for 2016-17.

In 2015, President Xi Jinping committed 8,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping standby force. He also pledged $100 million to the African standby force, which is backed by the African Union, and $1 billion to establish the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund.

According to Gao Mingbo, section director of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three biggest changes during the 27 years in which China has participated in peacekeeping efforts are the increasing sophistication of missions, the wider range of personnel required and the growing volume of equipment and support funding.

While Yang agreed with Gao's assessment, he noted: "The success of peacekeeping missions ultimately falls on the shoulders of the brave men and women in blue helmets."

In February, Yang signed up for his fourth mission, as a high-ranking logistics officer for the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, West Africa.

"Initially, my family thought I was mad for constantly throwing myself into foreign conflicts and risking my life for countries they barely knew," he said. "But I think it's a great honor to represent my country and to fight not for resources or dominance, but for stability and the greater good of those in need."

Eyes and ears

Military observers are like war reporters, according to Yang. They have to interact with local people, learn about the culture and the prevailing situation, and report any suspicious activities or violations of ceasefires or human rights to the UN Security Council.

"Since we are not allowed to carry weapons, our battles are fought with binoculars, cameras and notebooks," he said. "Our goal is to raise awareness and pull the international community together to prevent crimes against humanity. We are the Security Council's eyes and ears."

However, unlike reporters, who often have the luxury of working on the sidelines, "facing life-threatening danger is part of our daily routine", he said.

One of those dangers involves long-distance patrols. According to Yang, crossing disease-filled swamps and barren wilderness is considered easy, and the real challenge lies in fields laced with landmines, a common problem in the Western Sahara and South Sudan.

"In the car, we sit on top of our bulletproof vests and put sandbags on the floor, hoping they will absorb some of the blast from a small mine. But if we hit an anti-tank mine, we are dead," he said.

"It becomes more dangerous during the rainy season because the safe tracks left by previous vehicles are washed away. Then, we rely on our memories, GPS and luck."

Some of the most unpredictable and serious difficulties come from dealing with local people. "It can be very difficult to distinguish friend from foe," he said.

"A village may look innocent, but the make-up of its population can be very complicated. Armed extremists or guerrillas often live with women and children, and sometimes even use them as hostages or weapons."

It helps that Chinese peacekeepers have a reputation for being disciplined and on good terms with the locals.

"You have to earn people's trust and respect through genuine acts of goodwill, and convince them you are risking your life for their well-being," he said.

In early 2012, conflict broke out in Mali between the government and armed groups, including Islamic radicals and Tuareg rebels. In April 2013, the UN formed the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA.

Mali is the most dangerous ongoing peacekeeping operation in the world. In the past four years, 118 peacekeepers have been killed, and in June last year, a car bomb exploded at a UN camp in the northern city of Gao, killing Shen Liangliang, a 29-year-old sergeant first class, and injuring seven other Chinese peacekeepers.

"The enemy was hiding among the civilians; suicide bombers and car bombs were common and threats were everywhere," said Senior Colonel Zhang Geqiang, who was field commander of the first "police force" - a military unit that undertakes patrols, crowd surveillance other front-line tasks - China sent to Mali in 2013.

Before deployment, Zhang drilled his 170 elite soldiers, selected from 2,030 applicants in the People's Liberation Army Shenyang Military Region. In addition to the police force, the unit included a 155-strong engineering division and 70 medical personnel.

Peacekeepers are only allowed to use their weapons in self-defense, so during shooting drills, Zhang ordered his soldiers to hang a brick from the barrels of their rifles and tie sandbags to their arms. They were also ordered to use their trigger fingers to pluck grains of rice from a bowl.

"These exercises are meant to train their hands, to make them sensitive and steady, so they can accurately aim for nonlethal body parts or shoot a gun out of an enemy's hand," he said, adding that wilderness survival, bomb disposal, undercover and stealth exercises, and crowd surveillance and control also featured heavily during training.

Trump card

On Dec 5, 2013, the first batch of 135 Chinese peacekeepers arrived in Gao, which had been liberated from occupying insurgents less than a year before.

The Chinese force was put to the test almost immediately. On Dec 24, two rockets were fired at their compound; one landed in a river, the other exploded 1 kilometer away.

During their nine-month mission, the Chinese peacekeepers conducted more than 450 patrols and 290 escort missions, and were subjected to more than 30 rocket attacks and suicide bombers, but there was not a single causality, Zhang said.

On Aug 1, 2014, at a medal ceremony for UN peacekeepers, the then-MINUSMA force commander, Major General Jean Bosco Kazura, thanked the Chinese peacekeepers for their crucial contribution.

"The Chinese peacekeepers are MINUSMA's trump cards," he said.

Contact the writer at zhangzhihao@chinadaily.com.cn

'Iron Roses' solving thorny problems

The evolution of peacekeeping missions has seen female soldiers becoming increasingly involved in front-line action.

In 1993, female soldiers accounted for just 1 percent of uniformed personnel deployed from around the world. This year, out of approximately 96,800 uniformed peacekeepers, women constitute 3.7 percent of military personnel and 9 percent of police personnel in UN peacekeeping missions, according to UN data.

China's peacekeepers are continuing that trend and some female soldiers - nicknamed the "Iron Roses" - are at the forefront.

Liu Jia, a policewoman from the fourth batch of peacekeeping police sent to Liberia in West Africa last year, was one of six females, and the only female police officer, in the 140-strong force deployed for the UN peacekeeping mission in Monrovia, the capital.

Like her male colleagues, Liu took part in patrol and sentry duties, all in full body equipment under the baking sun. Despite the heat, she seldom drank water in the field because she did not want to inconvenience the team by wasting time finding a restroom.

"My time in Liberia has turned me from a 'princess' into a 'tough girl'," she said, laughing.

In addition to her usual duties, she also acted as the team's counselor. "The situation in Liberia is very tough, and people are often stressed out or homesick, but men tend not to admit it to their male colleagues," she said. "However, having a trusted female listener can really bring peace of mind."

On one occasion, she comforted one of her peers when his father-in-law died. "Whatever was troubling the men, whether it was family or the mission, I was always willing to listen and help," she said.
There was a time when northern China was largely associated with cold weather - winters were long and dreaded, and summers were brief and bearable.

Heat and humidity were issues that residents of the country's southern and coastal areas had to deal with, not people living in Beijing, for instance.

But every passing summer in the capital has felt warmer than the previous in recent years.

Until last week's rain in Beijing and a sudden temperature drop in Heilongjiang province, this summer has been hot in the north.

Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region witnessed daytime temperatures of higher than 35 C in May. The provinces of Jilin and Liaoning in the north-east experienced similar days that month. In the northwest, the city of Turpan, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, recorded consistently hot weather in June.

Heat waves swept other parts of China last month as well.

Shanghai issued an orange alert as temperatures rose to 40 C. Photos in the papers of July 18 showed an employee at a Chongqing zoo placing large ice cubes beside a giant panda to cool the place. A friend who recently visited the Chengdu sanctuary in Sichuan province said some of the pandas there were being kept in air-conditioned enclosures.

In 2013, the Chinese summer was symbolized by the image of a boy trying to "cook" an egg and some shrimp in a pan over a manhole cover in Jinan, Shandong province. That year media reported many heat-related deaths in China.

As the Earth's temperature rises on land and water, people will need to pay more attention in their daily lives to climate change, or global warming as it is commonly called. It affects the overall balance of energy in nature by altering surface and sea temperatures, precipitation, and atmospheric and oceanic circulations on massive time scales.

Both man-made and natural reasons are behind climate change. Our role has been significant since the Industrial Revolution. Greenhouse gases - emitted from cars and household appliances (not just factories) - slow the process by which the planet can reflect a part of the sun's absorbed heat back to space.

To write a ground report on the fallout from climate change, I undertook a trek to the Mingyong glacier in June. Perched at more than 3,000 meters above sea level in Southwest China's Yunnan province, it is considered to be the lowest-lying of the country's more than 48,000 glaciers.

An expert from Yunnan University said the glacier had receded by some 300 meters and similarly thinned between 1975 and 2009.

Other scientists in Beijing told me many glaciers in China and "high-mountain Asia" are melting, and the situation could lead to a shortage of water for irrigation and drinking later.

Are these glaciers sensitive to climate change? Yes, they said, like glaciers elsewhere. Globally, climate change could make countries like the Maldives sink.

The average annual global temperature had risen by 0.99 C by last year.

Sixteen of the 17 warmest years in a 136-year record have occurred since 2001, according to the NASA website.

Whether human-induced or through natural causes, climate change is real and here. Adding carbon footprints is not the way forward.
Inspectors fix problems in parts of Fujian, Liaoning and Hunan

Central environmental inspectors revealed severe pollution problems in Fujian, Liaoning and Hunan provinces, showing that some cities failed to regulate pollution and even protected the polluting companies, the nation's top environmental authority said on Monday.

This round of high-level inspections, launched by the State Council in April, have reviewed how governments implemented the rules in fighting the country's war on pollution in the three provinces. The performance of some cities was disappointing, leading to deterioration of the environment and large pollution risks, the inspectors said.

They found some city governments protected polluting companies by providing falsified documents in the central region of Hunan and northeastern region of Liaoning, statements from the Ministry of Environmental Protection showed.

In the core and buffer zones of Haitang Mountain National Natural Reserve, in Fuxin, a city in Liaoning, the management committee illegally approved a company's dumping of mineral waste, causing severe contamination. The committee issued a false document to prove the mining and waste were not within the reserve, inspectors said on Monday.

Similar problems were found in Hunan. The Xiangtan city and Xiangxiang county governments issued false documents in December, saying that one of the leading companies discharged pollutants at a level lower than the national standards based on the online monitoring data. The documents were meant to allow the company to pass an environmental assessment.

In fact, monitoring facilities at the Xiangtan Soda Co did not work, and emissions were excessive for a long time, the ministry said.

Inspectors found some governments were neither willing nor able to regulate major polluters.

Some nonferrous metal mining and smelting plants, branches of China Minmetals Corp, a Beijing-based corporate group with assets worth 1.6 trillion yuan ($238 billion), should have been punished for dozens of pollution problems since 2013 in Hunan, the central inspectors found. Instead, local environment bureaus did not do that, and the companies refused to correct the problems, the inspectors said.

Inspectors found the leadership of the three provinces did not pay sufficient attention to environmental protection, poorly implementing their efforts, while many companies were found to have excessive and illegal emissions.

After the monthlong inspection, 2,653 officials had been held accountable for their performance as of June, the statements said.

Over 12,800 polluting companies were required to suspend production or shut down, a total of 185 million yuan in fines were collected and 237 people from the companies were detained by the end of June.

Ma Yong, an environmental law researcher at the Supreme People's Court legal center, hailed the thorough inspection and severe punishment that followed, which has changed the behavior of some government officials and companies.

"We have to admit that some governments did have severe problems, but it was a good opportunity for central inspection to correct their behaviors," Ma said.

He added the central government should establish other ways to implement high-level inspections to keep the pressure on irresponsible officials and companies for longer than just a month.

China has conducted four rounds of inspections since January 2015, and all 31 provincial regions will be covered by the end of 2017, officials said.
Initial shipments of Cervarix, the first vaccine for cervical cancer to be approved for use on the Chinese mainland, has passed inspection by Chinese quality authorities and is heading to health clinics across the country, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline said on Monday.

Cervarix, developed by GSK, was approved by the China Food and Drug Administration in July last year. Imported from Belgium, the first batch of nearly 275,000 doses of vaccine arrived in China, beginning in Chongqing and Nanchang, Jiangxi province, said Susan Song, a communications manager at GSK China.

The vaccine will meet the needs of a great number of Chinese women, the company said in a statement.

"Like other vaccines, Cervarix can be administered at community hospitals and health service centers," it said.

There are about 100,000 new cases of cervical cancer in China annually, causing more than 30,000 deaths every year, according to Qiao Youlin, head of the Epidemiology Department at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, in Beijing.

"Cervical cancer is the third-most common cancer among women between 15 and 44," he said. "Cervical cancer vaccination together with cervical cancer screening will significantly reduce the incidence."

Thomas Willemsen, general manager of GSK China Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines, said the company is undertaking a series of initiatives, including public disease awareness education and training to physicians on using the vaccine to enable more Chinese females to benefit.

Cervarix has been registered in 132 countries and regions, and more than 69 million doses have been administered worldwide, according to GSK.

Zhao Fanghui, a professor specializing in the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said the vaccine has been in use for more than 10 years and proved to be reliable and effective, especially among adolescent girls from 9 to 15 years old.

"Human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer, is transmitted through sex," she said. "In many countries, it is most recommended to women between 9 and 15 years old, as the vaccine produces the best results on them, but it can also benefit older women."

A clinical trial in China, backed by CFDA and covering more than 6,000 females between 18 and 25 from 2008 to 2015, showed the vaccine generally to be more than 90 percent effective, she said.

Because of its high cost, the vaccine may not be included in China's national immunization plan. The three doses required for the vaccination may cost more than 1,700 yuan ($253) in China, Zhao said.

Some Chinese companies are also researching vaccines for cervical cancer, and some are already the subject of clinical trials, she said.

It is expected that domestically made vaccines will be available at lower prices in the next few years, and eventually they may be included in the national vaccine program, Zhao said.
Nearly all of the Nebraska prisoners serving life without parole for crimes they committed as juveniles got new sentences in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, but for some it made little difference.

Nebraska lawmakers overhauled the state's sentencing laws in 2013 in response to the high court's ruling the previous year that banned mandatory life sentences for crimes committed at age 17 or younger.

Last year, the court said the ruling was retroactive for the more than 2,000 offenders serving such sentences nationwide, and that all but the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects "permanent incorrigibility" should have a chance at parole one day. The court found that the harshest punishments levied against adult criminal offenders are unconstitutionally cruel and unusual when imposed on juveniles because of their lack of development and potential for change.

The Associated Press surveyed all 50 states to see how judges and prosecutors, lawmakers and parole boards are responding to the Supreme Court's mandate. Some have resentenced and released dozens of those deemed to have rehabilitated themselves. Others have delayed review of cases, skirted the ruling on seeming technicalities or fought to keep the vast majority of their affected inmates locked up for life.

Here is a guide to the situation in Nebraska:

State's response

Nebraska's 2013 law eliminated mandatory life without parole for juveniles and set a new sentencing range of 40 years to life for those who commit first-degree murder or kidnapping. The law requires judges to consider mitigating factors before sentencing, including the offender's age, ability to appreciate risks and consequences, intellectual capacity and mental health. It also requires the state parole board to review these inmates' cases once a year after they begin serving their sentences and consider similar mitigating factors.

Where things stand

Nebraska has 22 inmates still in prison who had been sentenced to life for crimes committed as juveniles, said Jeffery Pickens, chief legal counsel for the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy. Of those, all but three have been resentenced. Pickens said one of the three was declared incompetent to stand for a new sentencing hearing. He said it isn't clear why the other two have not been resentenced.

Sentences received

Nebraska's updated law still gives judges the chance to impose life without parole, but none of the affected inmates has received that sentence, Pickens said. However, he said, some were given such long prison terms that they're effectively life sentences. Two got 90 years to life; one, 80 to life; one, 70 to life; and one, two consecutive sentences of 45 to life. Many will be parole-eligible in the next 20 years.
The designers of a popular interactive program that lets netizens create pictures of themselves in People's Liberation Army uniforms have shot down a rumor that the program is an internet fraud.

People's Daily, which created the program, shared it through WeChat on Sunday to coincide with the parade marking the 90th anniversary of the PLA, which falls on Tuesday.

After scanning a QR code, users need only upload a headshot photo and select the period in which they want to "serve" before receiving a composite that appears to show them in uniform.

The activity quickly became a hit, with countless people sharing the self-portraits with friends on WeChat and other social media.

"I'm now an experienced soldier that was involved in both the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the War of Liberation (1946-49)," Lei Jun, founder of smartphone maker Xiaomi, wrote on Sina Weibo as he posted a set of pictures of himself in PLA uniforms from those periods.

But within hours of the program's release, a rumor began to circulate online that it was a scam designed to steal personal data connected to servers in Canada.

People's Daily issued a statement on Monday that said the program "is not internet fraud" and that no private information will be divulged through its use. The newspaper also said it had contacted the police for help in finding the source of the rumor.

Yet many were undeterred.

"I was a soldier when I was young, but I have few military uniform photos left, which is a pity," an 82-year-old Beijinger told Beijing Morning Post. He provided only his surname, Chen.

He said his children made pictures of him in uniform by using the People's Daily program. "I look so old in the new picture. But I am so happy that our country is growing stronger," he said.

Wang Keju contributed to this story.
Fan Lili stands on a stool showing that her hair exceeds her height, Zhengzhou, Henan province, on July 30, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

A woman in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan province tends to draw crowds when she goes out in public due to her 1.93-meter-long hair.

Fan Lili, 49 years old, living in Zhengzhou, said that she stopped cutting her hair 25 years ago.

"My mother said my hair has good quality and she would like me to keep it, and other family members also agreed," Fan said.

The long hair has brought joy to her life. When she goes in public, many people admire her hair and chat with her. Some men even pursue her, though her husband is not so happy about that.

Maintaining her long hair also creates problems, such as washing.

Fan said that she has to take a shower for about one and a half hours in order to wash her hair, using about 200 millimeters of shampoo every time. She can't use common chemical shampoos, only natural.

Drying is another thing. Fan does not use a hair drier but leaves her hair to dry naturally. The catch is it takes about two days to dry.

When going out in the day, Fan has to put up her hair, and releases it at night to put by the bedside to sleep.

An 80-year-old man surnamed Feng said that it was the first time he's met a person with such long hair in Zhengzhou, and another old man even questioned that her hair was fake.

"I will keep the hair to see if will grow as long as twice my height," Fan said.




DHAKA -- The Chinese embassy in Dhaka has hosted a reception here to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) which falls on Aug 1.

Over 500 guests including high-ranking officers and officials, politicians, diplomats and scholars attended the reception held on Monday night.

Chinese Defense Attache Zhang Wei made a welcome speech at the reception, highlighting the progress in China-Bangladesh military cooperation over the past years.

He said the two countries have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, continuously deepening, fruitful and pragmatic cooperation.

Noting that an increasing number of Bangladeshi officers went to China for training and exchange, Zhang said it plays an important role in promoting mutual understanding and trust.

The Chinese defense attache also expressed appreciation for Bangladesh's position on issues related to China's core interests.

Bangladeshi high-ranking army officials and military attaches of other foreign countries congratulated China on the 90th anniversary of the PLA founding and its progress.

They expressed their appreciation of the efforts made by the Chinese army in active participation in maintaining regional and world peace and stability.
People attend a wedding banquet in Chenzhou, Hunan province. [Photo/VCG]

A city in Henan province is trying to curb extravagant wedding and funeral ceremonies in rural areas in an effort to promote frugality.

In a recently issued guideline, Dengzhou proposed that the betrothal gift a groom gives to the bride's family should be less than 30,000 yuan ($4,465), according to a Henan Business Daily report.

The guideline also calls on villagers to scale down their wedding banquets to no more than 10 tables - each costing no more than 360 yuan, and limits the guests on the bride's side to less than 20.

It also seeks to end long motorcades and large amounts of money gifted to the newlyweds from friends and relatives.

For funerals, the city encourages simple banquets serving no liquor and cigarettes and advocates playing funeral music at the ceremony to replace the traditional practice of inviting ensembles.

To ensure implementation of the measures, the city is establishing village-level wedding and funeral councils.

According to Gao Yonggang, a culture and ideology official in Dengzhou, exorbitant spending on weddings is especially severe in rural areas, causing huge financial burdens on the groom's family.

Like Dengzhou, many parts of China are plagued by extravagant wedding and funeral ceremonies.

A report shows that the average money spent on betrothal gifts in Huichang county, Jiangxi province, soared to 300,000 yuan ($44,000) this year, the equivalent of 15 years of disposable income of local urban residents.

The extravagant ceremonies also cause a huge waste of food.

Curbing the trend of rising bride price

An abundance of leftovers are seen on tables after a wedding banquet in Suichuan county, Jiangxi province. [Photo/IC]

Chen Miaolin, chairman of New Century Tourism Group, told Xinhua News Agency that although the restaurant planned to introduce a wedding meal comprising six dishes and one soup per table, many consumers insisted on 12 dishes and one soup.

About one third of the food usually ends up being wasted, Chen said.

To encourage frugality, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China called on local authorities to curb extravagant weddings and funerals in rural areas at the end of 2016.

Following the decision, many regions have rolled out specific measures.

In December 2016, Taiqian county in Henan province issued a guideline stating that the money a man gives to his fiancee's family should not exceed 60,000 yuan.

Kaili, a city in Guizhou province, issued a regulation in January that bans remarried couples from holding wedding banquets, and requires civil servants who want to hold wedding and funeral banquets to register with the local discipline inspection authority.

Earlier this month, Tongxiang, a city in Zhejiang province, called for newlyweds to restrict the cost of wedding banquets to no more than 1,500 yuan per table.
Young people from Hong Kong are divided into groups to visit the Hangzhou International Expo Center, also the main venue of the G20 summit in 2016, on the second day of the largest and youngest youth exchange program between Hong Kong and the mainland on Aug 1, 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Hong Kong sent its biggest and youngest ever youth group - about 2,000 youth with an average age of less than 26 - for a six-day exchange visit on Monday to 11 cities of Zhejiang province, which pioneers e-payment and e-commerce applications.

Rita Fan Hsu Laitai, a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, called on Hong Kong youth to take the opportunity to enhance their national identity and understand the mainland, in order to develop themselves and contribute to the nation in future.

The Hong Kong deputy made the remarks with the delegation on Monday afternoon, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Lin Wu spoke at the same occasion. He said that the youth were an important force to uphold and implement one country, two systems and realize Hong Kong's future.

The large-scale exchange trip shows people are heeding the call by President Xi Jinping to strengthen the exchange and communication between young people from Hong Kong and the mainland, Lin said.

Li Sze-lim- chairman of the New Home Association which organized the trip and also executive chairman of Guangzhou R&F Properties - said the creative and innovative spirit of people in Zhejiang, where entrepreneurship is highly encouraged, is something Hong Kong youth can learn and benefit from.

The trip, funded by the association, is part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the return of Hong Kong to the motherland.

The tour will let young people from Hong Kong experience firsthand the innovative and creative development of the mainland. They can also discover the intangible cultural and historical heritage of the province.

Lee Hiu-ching, 17, is a high school student who had participated in two similar exchange trips before. She was surprised to find Hangzhou is so modern, with unique cultural traditions.

Lee, who asked her friends to join the trip to Zhoushan, a coastal city of the province, said if possible she would love to work in Hangzhou in the future.

The youngest ever exchange delegation, which arrived on Sunday, will be divided into groups to visit 11

cities. These include such cities as Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang and home to many creative and technology companies, Wenzhou - the mainland's famous manufacturing base, and Shaoxing- renowned for its wine industry.

On Monday, the second day of the tour, several Hong Kong youth were taken on a guided tour with their mainland counterparts to experience the cashless lifestyle that people in Hangzhou and other mainland cities enjoy.

They toured the city using mobile payments, including mobile wallets such as Alipay, to finish a bike sharing trip around West Lake - one of the most acclaimed tourist sites of the city - a bus ride and a taxi ride around the city, as well as a shopping tour.

The exchange program, which about 10,000 young people will join in the coming three years, has been popular in Hong Kong, especially among youth.
An astronomer in Shanghai has voiced his concerns over an exercise in an enrichment book that requires primary school students to document their observations of the moon.

According to the Xinmin Evening News, first-grade students are required to observe the shape of the moon between 7 pm and 9 pm for 28 consecutive nights in order to complete the task.

Tang Haiming, secretary general of the Shanghai Astronomical Society, was quoted as saying that the task is misleading because the moon rises at a different time every day. For example, people living in Shanghai were able to see the moon rise at 9:04 pm on July 12 and descend at 7:32 am the next day. On July 13, moonrise took place at 9:42 pm and moonset was at 8:32 am the next morning.

The difference in timing was greater on July 23 when moonrise was at 4:36 am. Moonset, on the other hand, was at 6:43 pm.

"It's a shame that the editors do not have enough knowledge about the science that led to such a mistake in a science book," said Tang.

He Qi in Shanghai contributed to this story.
BEIJING -- This year marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China, with the country's role as a responsible power fully embodied through its active participation in overseas peacekeeping missions.

Here are some facts and figures on China's overseas peacekeeping operations.

China started to participate in peacekeeping missions in 1990, when five military observers were sent to Damascus, the capital of Syria.

As of June 2017, the Chinese military had participated in 24 United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions, sending 31,000 personnel, 13 of whom lost their lives on duty, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND).

Since 2008, the Navy has dispatched 26 escort task force groups, including more than 70 ships for escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. More than 6,300 Chinese and foreign ships have been protected during these missions.

Meanwhile, China is currently the second-largest country to share UN peacekeeping costs from 2016 to 2018, only after the United States.

China would establish a 10-year 1-billion-U.S. dollar peace and development fund to support the UN work, set up a permanent peacekeeping police squad, and build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated at the UN Peacekeeping Summit in September 2015.

Xi also pledged that China would provide free military aid of 100 million dollars to the African Union to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.

China would help train 2,000 peacekeepers for other countries and launch 10 minesweeping assistance programs for the next five years, said Xi at the summit.
A missile is launched during the International Army Games 2017 in Korla, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Aug 1, 2017. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

The Clear Sky event - the ultimate test for air defense units in the International Army Games 2017 kicked off in Korla, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region today.

Military forces from seven countries, including China, Russia and Iran, participated in the technical round of the event. Each team with five crew members is required to drive a Chinese-made infantry fighting vehicle through a course built in the Gobi Desert with different obstacles while taking down targets simulating a moving fighting vehicle, a paratrooper and missiles.

"The crew members need to use a variety of weapons for different targets designed and based on actual combat situations. It is the ultimate test for their skills and stamina," said Hong Jiangqiang, chief judge of the event.

More than 6,000 spectators came to the venue to cheer for the People's Liberation Army Ground Force that was the fourth team to compete today, which also marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

Team China's performance, especially the crew's shooting skills during the race, has wowed the crowd. The crew members hit the most targets with pinpoint accuracy.

"There is no trick in firing air defense missiles but to practice and practice more in training for actual combat," said Lu Donghua, a gunner on the Chinese team who hit a flying missile target accurately by blowing it to pieces. The time window to hit such a target accurately is only about 4 seconds.

The venue offered the public a free WiFi connection. The audience also can interact with PLA commentators by sending their questions via social media.
Wu Shuchun carries a firefighting hose at Shantou village, Dadeng Island in East China's Fujian province, on July 24, 2017. [Photo by Dai Shujing/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Instead of a group of stereotypical young men defending their village from fires, a group of women whose average age is 50 years old are fighting fires in their village in East China's Fujian province, according to a report by Xiamen Evening News.

Due to the village's remote location, professional firefighters cannot arrive in time at Shantou village in Dadeng Island once a fire is reported. Also, most male laborers in Shantou village work outside the community. So beginning in 2008, the women stepped in.

Called the Haixia Women's Volunteer Firefighter Brigade, the group has 12 members. The oldest is 69 years old, while the youngest is 36 years old.

Since most of the volunteer firefighters have grandsons or granddaughters, they nicknamed their group, "The Grandma Firefighter Brigade".

"In the early days, the brigade was poorly equipped. Nowadays, we have fire hoses, firefighting lances and other equipment. Since we are not professional firefighters, we are used to receiving more than two hours of relevant training twice or three times a week at night," said Zheng Shuxian, who organized the brigade in 2008.

The fire hoses they used before weighed 3.5 or 4 kilograms. Wu Shuchun,53, a brigade member, said she ran about 10 kilometers a day to improve her physical strength.

In the past 10 years, the women have responded to almost 100 fires and have won praise from locals.
President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks in Beijing on Tuesday, the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army. JU PENG / XINHUA

PLA urged to uphold Party's absolute leadership, maintain combat readiness, innovate, stay true to faith and disciplines

China will never compromise on its sovereignty, security and development interests, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday at a ceremony in Beijing marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions," the president told the television audience and those in attendance and at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "We will never allow any people, organization or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form  and no one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests."

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, told the PLA to uphold the Party's absolute leadership and China's socialist system; to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and development interests; and to protect regional and global peace.

"The PLA must focus on improving its combat readiness... We have multiple ways to safeguard peace and security and prevent wars, but military means are always our last resort," he said.

In his speech, Xi looked back on the PLA's history, paths and sacrifices, saying the military has made so many historic contributions to the Party and the Chinese people.

He said the PLA's faith in the Party and its own lofty ideals, its fighting spirit and revolutionary discipline, as well as support from the people have been the foundation of its successes, adding the military must keep making reforms and innovate so it can always move forward.

He pledged to deepen the ongoing military reform, to encourage more use of science and technology in the PLA, and to push forward civil-military integration, which generally refers to the military transferring technologies to civilian sectors and commissioning private companies to produce equipment for the armed forces.

Xi also called for a new generation of "capable, brave and virtuous" army "with souls" in order to build a strong military.
An inmate at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution assaulted a staff member in the dining hall there Monday, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.

In a Facebook post, a prison spokesperson said the inmate punched a staff member in the face multiple times until the staff member fell, then kicked the staff member in the face.

When other staff intervened, the inmate ran away but was quickly restrained and now is in restrictive housing.

The staff member's injury was described as serious, but non-life-threatening.

"NDCS staff members are brave, dedicated professionals who knowingly put themselves in harm's way. Prison is a dangerous place, but violence to our staff members will not be tolerated," said Scott Frakes, prisons director.

The assault will be investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday that all US states, including Michigan, are welcome to strengthen exchanges with provinces and municipalities in China and deepen cooperation in fields such as trade, investment, manufacturing and innovations.

Premier Li Keqiang meets Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in Zhongnanhai, the central leadership's compound, in Beijing on Tuesday. They discussed a range of subjects, from trade to investment and employment. [Photo/Xinhua]

He was speaking to Rick Snyder, Michigan's governor, when they met in Beijing, one stop for Snyder's nine-day investment mission to China that started on Sunday.

Li said local cooperation between the two countries is booming, which is helpful to expand common interests. China will cultivate an open and facilitating environment, he said.

"You have visited China each year since taking office as governor. The cooperation between your state and China has been highly productive,  which shows the cooperation between our two countries has delivered tangible benefits to our people," Li said.

Common interests far override differences for China and the US as the world's largest developing country and developed country, Li said. Since the outset of this year, the presidents of both countries have met twice, while both nations are expanding dialogues and exchanges at various levels. China would like to enhance understanding and mutual trust and expand pragmatic cooperation in key areas to achieve a healthy and stable relationship with the US, he said.

In response, Snyder said Michigan has benefited from cooperation between the countries and hopes to expand exchanges in all fields, which he said will help promote mutual understanding and bilateral ties.

Michigan is home to much of the US auto industry, with 375 automobile research centers, and is one of the world's leading destinations for high-quality technicians and engineers.

The governor's investment mission to China focuses on promoting job-creating business growth, attracting investment to Michigan and making the state a tourism destination for Chinese travelers, according to the state's website, Michigan.gov.

The governor also will visit Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Chengdu in Sichuan province, Shanghai, and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, it said.

In August 2015, the Ministry of Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding to promote trade and investment between Michigan and five provincial regions, namely, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces and Chongqing.

Last year, Michigan ranked second in the US in the number of investment projects from China. Michigan also ranked third in the number of jobs created through Chinese investment. Between January 2010 and July 2017, the state received $1.1 billion in new business investment from China, the website said.
Technicians observe grass growth at a M-Grass' lab in Hohhot, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Editor's Note:

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. In a birthday tribute, China Daily takes a far-reaching look at the region's industries and how they have helped generate growth.

Under sweltering summer temperatures of 40 C, a highly-skilled team from M-Grass toil on ecology projects in the glitzy United Arab Emirates city of Dubai.

The Chinese environmental protection company was brought in to work on public parks, desert areas and villa developments because of its expertise.

Officially known as the M-Grass Ecology & Environment (Group) Co Ltd, the firm is affectionately called just M-Grass and has been a pathfinder for businesses in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

"We have operated in more than a dozen provinces in China as well as in markets such as Dubai in the UAE," said Zheng Nan, an information officer at M-Grass. "We are also looking at opportunities in Singapore and Russia."

The group has a big reputation, and is the only listed company in China that specializes in ecological restoration, seed technology and state-of-the-art grass cultivation operation.

Founded in 2001, M-Grass is based in Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia, and its core business is described as "ecological environment engineering", in a company profile on Reuters.

With more than 1,500 employees, the group posted revenue of $422 million last year, an increase of 61.78 per cent compared to 2015.

In the first quarter of 2017, revenue was $45 million, a 160 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

"In 2016, the company agreed a 10 billion yuan ($1.47 billion) cooperation agreement with Baotou, the largest industrial city in Inner Mongolia to reduce the environmental impact of buildings and improve the amount of green space available in the city," Xinhua reported. It is this core business that has made M-Grass a success story. For years, local governments had battled to find ways to counter desertification.

"China has vast grasslands along its border," said Yu Guangjun, director of the institute of economics at the Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences. "These have been vital to curb the trend."

During the past decade, M-Grass' team has traveled across the regions to collect more than 8,000 different grass seeds and more than 11,000 soil samples.

"I always believed that the environment was smart enough to help us," said Wang Zhaoming, the group's chairman. "Native plants are the best and safest solutions for ecological rehabilitation.

"We will continue to do research on different types of grass," he added. "This will play a big role in environmental protection and help boost the economy."

By the end of last year, M-Grass had set up an intelligent search platform, integrating data on grass, soil, water, meteorology, livestock and microbial.

"In a matter of seconds, you can find all the information you need once you put in longitude and latitude figures," said Gao Jungang, chief executive officer of the group. "And we keep improving and updating the platform across the regions."

Research and development programs are crucial to M-Grass, as well as central government backing.

Since 2000, Beijing has invested 11.67 billion yuan in ecological projects in Inner Mongolia, Gao Xilin, forestry department director of Inner Mongolia, pointed out.

Public private partnerships, or PPP, have also helped channel funding into environmental protection programs.

Last year, M-Grass signed a 20 billion yuan contract with Hohhot's municipal government for major ecological restoration projects. This contributed to about 92 per cent of the group's revenue in 2016.

"M-Grass has been great for the region," said Li Jiheng, Party chief of CPC Inner Mongolia. "The ecological restoration market is very big. I just hope the company retains its competitiveness by providing excellent services."

Zou Yumeng contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at wuyong@chinadaily.com.cn
Courts have seen higher efficiency in handling a rapidly increasing number of cases in the first six months this year, thanks to ongoing judicial reforms, China's top court said on Monday.

From January to June, courts accepted more than 14.58 million cases, up 11.29 percent year-on-year, according to the Supreme People's Court, with 8.89 million cases concluded.

"The rate of case conclusions increased by 9.88 percent compared with the same period last year, although the number of judges has declined," said Li Liang, director of the top court's case management department.

After the judicial reform was forwarded by the central leadership about five years ago, ways to increase court efficiency and improve the quality of case hearings have been always highlighted, he said. Measures taken by courts have contributed to solving problems, he added.

For example, the reform limits the quota of judges, reducing the number from 210,000 to 120,000, but the average number of cases a judge concludes has been gone up to 74 annually from 52 in 2008, according to the court.

Under the reform, judicial professionals have been divided into three areas: judge, judicial assistant and court clerk, it said, comprising teams to deal with cases.

"What the judges do is to focus on handling disputes, while the remaining officers, such as judicial assistants, are responsible for helping prepare case materials and collecting evidence," he said. "In this way, judges can be freed of trivial matters. They can pay more attention to resolving legal conflicts."

Li said judges are the core of the team, with scientific personnel placement the major reason for improved court efficiency.

Courts also have been ordered to streamline the handling of cases under the reform. "We've used more legal resources to solve more difficult disputes and reduced some administrative procedures," he said.

In the past, judges had to submit major verdicts to chief judges and then presidents in a court before the verdicts were declared, "but now they've been asked to omit that process and become responsible for their judgments," Li said.

In addition, the reform requires courts to use information technologies to accelerate the filing and tracking of cases and verdict delivery.

Han Wei, a judicial official in the case management department, said communication among courts had become easier since 3,520 courts connected to an internal court network. Litigants also have access to a network with information on which they can base lawsuits and keep up with hearings.

But the officials confirmed that the number of unconcluded cases is not small, suggesting courts take time to study how hearings are conducted and how the system could be made more efficient.
Recipients of the August 1 Medal pose for photos on Monday at a grand reception in Beijing's Great Hall of the People marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

Defense minister notes advances made in military restructuring guided by Xi

The Chinese army will step up the pace of improving its joint combat capabilities and "stand ready to fight and win at any time", State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan said on Monday.

Speaking about the cross-Straits situation, Chang said the People's Liberation Army is "confident, capable and fully prepared to resolutely safeguard State sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Chang made the remarks during a speech at a grand reception marking the 90 anniversary of the founding of the PLA, which falls on Tuesday.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of Central Military Commission, attended the reception along with other Party and State leaders.

The PLA has come a long way since its birth during the armed uprising in the city of Nanchang on August 1, 1927, when it had only 20,000 soldiers.

Xi oversaw and addressed a grand military parade on Sunday marking the 90th anniversary at the Zhurihe Training Base in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

On Tuesday morning, Xi will attend a grand ceremony in Beijing commemorating the 90th anniversary and deliver a speech.

Led by Xi, the PLA has been advancing reform and technological upgrade and boosting training and combat readiness, Chang said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other senior leaders Li Keqiang (third left), Zhang Dejiang (third right), Yu Zhengsheng (second left), Liu Yunshan (second right), Wang Qishan (left) and Zhang Gaoli (right) attend a reception hosted by the Ministry of National Defense to celebrate the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), in Beijing, capital of China, July 31, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Through this it has achieved thorough restructuring and has greatly enhanced its combat effectiveness, he added.

The military will press ahead with reforms and staunchly focus on winning in combat and training for readiness, Chang said.

Speaking of the cross-Straits situation, Chang said adherence to the 1992 Consensus and opposition to Taiwan independence constitute the political foundation of peace and development of cross-Straits relations.

Any form of secessionist attempt by anyone at any time would surely be opposed by the whole Chinese people and nation, he added.

Noting the Chinese military's role as a contributor to world peace, he said the PLA facilitates global development and supports international order.

As of June, the Chinese military had participated in 24 UN peacekeeping missions, sending 31,000 personnel, 13 of whom lost their lives on duty.

Chang said the PLA is ready to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with foreign militaries and jointly make greater contributions to world peace and the common development.

Since 2008, the PLA Navy has dispatched 26 escort task force groups, including more than 70 ships for escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.
Initial shipments of Cervarix, the first vaccine for cervical cancer to be approved for use on the Chinese mainland, has passed inspection by Chinese quality authorities and is heading to health clinics across the country, pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline said on Monday.

Cervarix, developed by GSK, was approved by the China Food and Drug Administration in July last year. Imported from Belgium, the first batch of nearly 275,000 doses of vaccine arrived in China, beginning in Chongqing and Nanchang, Jiangxi province, said Susan Song, a communications manager at GSK China.

The vaccine will meet the needs of a great number of Chinese women, the company said in a statement.
China has been participating in peacekeeping missions for nearly three decades. However, it is only in the past five years that in addition to contributing "peace enablers", such as engineers and medical staff, the country has also provided "peace enforcers" via the deployment of police forces and infantry battalions.

China sent its first peacekeeping police force to the UN mission in Mali in 2013, and its first infantry battalion unit to South Sudan in 2015. In June, the first Chinese helicopter unit joined the peacekeeping effort in Darfur, western Sudan.

Senior Colonel Zhang Geqiang, who led the Chinese peacekeepers in Mali in 2013, said personnel are selected from the country's best troops because they will represent China on the international stage.
MANAMA, Bahrain - The Saudi Arabia-led Arab quartet have expressed preparedness for talks with Qatar, while insisting that Doha must meet their demands.

"We reiterate the importance of Qatar's compliance with the 13 demands outlined by the four states," said a joint statement released by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt after a meeting on Sunday.

Speaking at a joint news conference, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said the four countries are ready for dialogue with Qatar if it announces its "sincere willingness" to stop funding terrorism and extremism, halt interference in other countries' foreign affairs, and respond to the 13 demands.
China's V-Day parade marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945) and the World Anti-Fascist War at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Sept 3, 2015. Photo was taken by Fei Maohua. [Photo provided by photoint.net]

To celebrate its 90th birthday on Tuesday, a photography exhibition on the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) opened at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing on July 30, 2017.

The exhibition, sponsored by the China Photographers' Association, showcases more than 90 precious military photographs, which demonstrate the life and spirit of the People's Liberation Army.

Some of the photos are being displayed to the public for the first time, including historical photographs of the Red Army and images of common soldiers captured by western photographers.

The exhibition will last until August 21.
Poster of The Golden Monk [Photo provided to China Daily]

Hong Kong director Wong Jing's latest movie, The Golden Monk, will hit Chinese mainland theaters on Sept 30, making it the only comedy among the new releases in the profitable National Day holiday.

So far, nine domestic movies have confirmed to premiere during the weeklong holiday. Other powerful rivals include Feng Xiaogang's dancers-themed Youth and Xu Jizhou's crime thriller The Liquidator.

Wong invited another Hong Kong filmmaker Cheung Siu-hung to co-direct The Golden Monk.

Set in early 12th century, the tale narrates a Buddhist monk's alliance with a monster hunter and a warrior to annihilate a dragon demon and its evil followers.

The high-budget movie has spent 200 million yuan ($30 million) to build spectacular sets, such as the ancient Hangzhou city (then capital of Southern Song Dynasty), a heavenly palace, the dragon's nest and a carnival village.

It has more than 1,000 special-effect scenes to feature monsters and demons, such as a one-eye giant, a human-eating frog and a snake monster.

Actor Zheng Kai and actress Zhang Yuqi lead star the movie, which also casts Hong Kong actor-host Wong Cho-lam, Chinese mainland actresses Zhen Qi and Wang Xinyao.
The Porcelain House is one of Tianjin's most popular tourist attractions. [Photo/VCG]

A private museum known as the Porcelain House in the city of Tianjin is set to go under the hammer on August 8.

The old house decorated with more than 400 million pieces of ancient Chinese ceramic chips and over 13,000 ancient Chinese porcelain vases, plates and bowls, is set to be part of a debt auction, with an initial price being set at 140 million yuan.

Porcelain House is a French style villa with a history of over 100-years, located next to the house of legendary Chinese military figure Zhang Xueliang.

The Porcelain House, created by an antiques collector, has become one of Tianjin's most popular tourist attractions.

The museum itself is said to be valued at close to 10 billion yuan.
A scene from rehearsals of horse show Troy. [Photo/youth.cn]

With investments of nearly 300 million yuan ($45 million), horse show Troy will premiere at Beijing's National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, on Friday, after preparations of over three years.

Featuring 72 world-famous horses, Troy inserts animal performances into the storyline of Greek mythology The Trojan War.

"We use horses to tell the mythology. That means they are our actors," director Liu Xiao told China News Service.

Species including the Shire horse - the world's largest horse in size, which can dance to rhythms - and the small miniature horses will participate in the performance.

Actors for the show are selected from 12 countries in auditions spanning six months. The performing costumes will also recover the characteristics of ancient Greek clothing, designed by Italian fashion designer Simona Morresi.
The Military Band of the People's Liberation Army holds a special concert for the 90th anniversary of army on July 30. [Photo/VCG]

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, celebrations are held across the country to commemorate the history and tradition of the army.

Exhibitions, performances, cultural events and sporting activities are taking place across China. Soldiers in active service, veterans, and civilians all participate in the events.
Barge rowed on the Minjiang River near Leshan in 1994. [Photo by Bruce Connolly/chinadaily.com.cn]

Throughout history, navigation by sea, river, canal or lake was the practical way to travel around China. In 1994, it was still possible to undertake lengthy expeditions using local boats. Local in every way, they provided an amazing opportunity to experience everyday life along bustling corridors.

Sichuan is known as the 'Land of Four Rivers', two of which, the Dadu and Minjiang, merge at Leshan, a former walled city, south of provincial capital Chengdu. Carved into red sandstone cliffs, the 71-metre-high Dafo ('Big Buddha') dominates the spot. Haitong, an 8th century monk, initiated the carving to placate those turbulent waters that claimed the lives of many boatmen. My Changjiang 'Long River journey' would start from the base of the statue.

Incredibly China's 'mother river' exists only through a quirk in geology probably due to plate tectonic activity. High on the icy Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, three parallel rivers rise and head towards southeast Asia. The Nujiang River (Salween) and Lancang River (Mekong) keep going, but the Jinsha River (Golden Sand River), 1000 kilometers from its source, is forced into a 180 degree turn at Shigu in northern Yunnan. It must squeeze through spectacular gorges before joining the Minjiang at Yibin in Sichuan to form the Yangtze. Several days later it flows out to the East China Sea near Shanghai. Traveling along the river is a journey through the heart of China both physically and historically - a river at the centre of the world.

In 1994, construction was underway on the Three Gorges Dam at Yichang in Hubei. I knew as we pulled out of Leshan on that hot, misty July morning that scenes I'd record with my camera would be history in a few years. How much would the upper reaches be affected, I did not know.

The boat was small with shared four berth cabins on the upper deck. Despite the heat, I stayed on deck all day watching various scenes float by - low-draught cargo vessels pushed past bamboo fishing rafts, while small diesel-powered cross-river ferries transported trucks, buses, tractors, bicycles. Resembling something from past eras, a long wooden barge, rowed by a group of chanting men, slid past.
Major General Zhou Shangping (left), Senior Colonel Lu Yu and Senior Colonel Zhang Chengwen of the PLA Ground Force to brief reporters on July 24. Zou Hong / China Daily

US intelligence circles have one principle: Threat equals capability multiplied by motivation, and when either of the two factors has a value of zero, threat equals zero. According to the principle, in the face of a security risk, the subject's capability and motive both must be evaluated simultaneously, thoroughly.

Thanks to its longstanding arms race with Pakistan, India is very confident about its military capability. That Indian soldiers dared to cross the border and enter Chinese territory spurring a standoff with Chinese troops shows this.

Chinese and Indian territories are separated by the Himalayas, with obvious geographical landmarks in different sections of their boundaries. The special condition has determined that neither side makes a major fuss over border transgression or resorts to using military means as long as the transgression is considered isolated and has limited intention, not a surprise military offense.

That almost a month after Indian troops entered Chinese territory in Donglang north of Bhutan, Beijing continues to exercise restraint fully demonstrates that it is sincere about maintaining Chinese-Indian friendship. But the Indian transgression this time is not normal. Since Indian troops are stationed on Chinese territory, and perhaps preparing for a short, high-intensity war, we should approach the matter from a strategic perspective, and handle it properly.

First, we should seek to resolve disputes through diplomatic negotiations, and emphasize common interests. Compared with the huge common interests China and India share, their border dispute is trivial and secondary.

Second, China must ask India to candidly explain its real purpose and motivation. The key to the present problem is making clear what caused the conflict in the first place. If, as some foreign media have observed, the transgression was driven by New Delhi's US policy, and a suggestive move before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, or out of consideration for domestic politics and a move related to the July 17 presidential election, it should be understandable to Beijing. Nor will it be a major problem if it is meant to disrupt the China-Bhutan negotiations on border demarcation. If India is just worried about China building roads in the Donglang area, China could take steps to eliminate its hostility.

Third, there is a need to reach strategic consensuses with India on "one belt, one road". Indian troops' transgression may represent a higher strategic intention, including attempts to interrupt the Belt and Road Initiative, because India is the only major country resisting it, and some political elites in India have displayed conspicuous antagonism against China's development. India has also expressed dissatisfaction with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, saying it passes through disputed "territory" (between India and Pakistan). But such an excuse is untenable. Beijing should try to persuade New Delhi that the Belt and Road Initiative is hardly different from its own "South-North Transport Corridor" in nature, and the two initiatives can be complementary in practice. If India narrow-mindedly attempts to disrupt the Belt and Road Initiative, it would not only be making a strategically myopic move, but also a politically reactionary step and end up losing in the end.

And fourth, we should adhere to our bottom line and prepare for the worst. Diplomatic negotiations do not mean giving in easily, and meeting the other side's insatiable demands. It is important to remind India that if it forces China to fight a limited war, China is determined to win. As long as China stays reasonable, restrained and proceeds with the best interests and concerns about friendly bilateral ties in mind, it is possible to narrow the differences and resolve the disputes.

The author is a fellow with the China Institutes for Contemporary International Relations.

Courtesy: chinausfocus.com
As we know, Chinese parents are willing to "sacrifice" or pay high costs for their children to attend summer programs where they experience a Western lifestyle and culture, expecting them to be successful one day.

An online article, A White Collar Working Mother Cannot Afford a Child's Summer, went viral among Chinese parents over the weekend. In the story, a mother earns 30,000 yuan ($4,460) a month but she paid nearly twice her salary to pay for her daughter's two-day summer camp.

Students in China are hardly slackers, spending an average of 40 weeks a year at school, compared with 36 weeks for the US school year. And while parents have long sent their children to academic programs to keep them busy during the summer, now the growing trend is for them to attend top-notch US and UK schools.

The decision to send children abroad can be complex. While many parents are spurred by a desire for their children to speak fluent English and live in a Western culture, they also want them to become more exposed to extra-curricular activities that are unavailable at many schools in China and that colleges see as evidence that students have well-rounded backgrounds.

That kind of exposure doesn't come cheap. Now many Chinese educational institutions are catering to the expanding ambitions of Chinese parents, and their offspring, by offering must-have summer experiences costing $3,000 to $10,000 for several weeks in the United States. These are often a first step to an American college education, or a high school diploma, which have become badges of prestige in the country.

Parents have other motivations for sending their children abroad as well. Most of the families that have become very successful have made their fortunes by pushing boundaries. The question for families is will their kids be able to do the same thing. They dont want their children to lag behind peers.

Therefore, they send their kids to the most expensive summer camp  as if the more superior environment they can provide while their children are growing up, the more qualified middle-class parents they are. They may harbor a sense of superiority over those who cannot afford these things, but if this sense of superiority exercises an invisible, formative influence on their children's character, it is by no means a thing to be proud of.

But more concerns about the effectiveness of overseas summer camp, rather than the programs cost, have been the focus of a sharp national discussion.

Chinese parents who send their children to overseas summer programs are still traditional in that they dont want the activities to stray too far away from academic learning. They expect the programs will be well-scheduled.

However, some camp organizers are purely driven by profit and might not offer the high level of services that they claim to provide. Whats worse is that some summer programs made little effort to offer more than sightseeing and a stay with a host family.

The popularity of these camps, as well as the high profits, has made them a popular money-making scheme. Despite some negative news reports, a lack of supervision means it is easy for companies to find customers. Many institutions offer dubious quality in terms of meals, accommodation and tour guides, and there are even traps to push students to make purchases.

So before making the choice of good or bad summer camps, parents should communicate with children, go through the camp details carefully with them and make a final decision.

Peoples Daily also contributed to the story.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a keynote speech at the 12th EU-China Business Summit in Brussels on June 2, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In the last 60 years, the European Union has expanded from six members to 28, but the battle over the responsibilities of Brussels and individual EU states has not abated. The latest skirmish is over Brussel's eagerness to centralize the approval process for European companies' takeovers by foreign enterprises amid an explosion of Chinese investment in the EU.

Brussels wants to strengthen the approval procedures for foreign investors that target "key technologies for security reasons", and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is likely to announce regulation options in September.

Some EU member states argue such a move is not necessary because many of them already have such screening process in place. There are many reasons why Brussels considers such regulation important. However, there is a need for the EU to be cautious while it is in the process of shaping the bloc's future.

The United Kingdom's decision to break away from the EU was at the heart of the debate over the responsibilities of the EU and its members states. Hence, the EU must consider whether adding another layer of red tape will put internal cohesion, efficiency and economic growth at risk.

As a champion of free trade, the EU needs to recognize that other economic powers are removing trade and investment restrictions. For example, China is now trimming its approval regulations and documents to meet its reform goals, in order to ensure that investment approvals are completed at the provincial or local level, instead of needing the green light from the central government to finalize each and every deal.

To improve its efficiency, perhaps the EU should follow China's example of economic decentralization. The EU's proposed investment restrictions come on the heels of a similar move by the United States, which keeps taking steps to close the door on Chinese investment.

Washington has built trade barriers, on the pretext of security reasons, to prevent China's telecommunications giant Huawei from venturing into the US, but the EU has welcomed Huawei, which has created 11,000 jobs in Europe. Huawei's contribution to the job market has yielded excellent results in the past six years, during a good part of which many parts of the EU were fighting recession.

The EU's open attitude toward investment created a win-win situation. China has rapidly improved its competence in technologies through investment, trade and transfer of knowledge with the EU, the US and other countries. When formulating new policies, therefore, the EU should consider if these policies will contribute to economic growth or retard it. And if the effects of the policies are likely to harm growth, it should discard them.

In the evolving and turbulent global situation, the EU must shoulder its responsibilities while it ponders its future. It should assert its independence from the US in defense and high-tech industries. Only free trade of technologies can help turn win-win potential into reality. It is now for the EU to decide whether building trade barriers is conducive to the economic growth of the bloc and the rest of the world or harmful to all.

The author is deputy chief of China Daily European Bureau.

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
By the end of June, the Ministry of Finance had released a list of all the legal government charges nationwide as required by the State Council, China's Cabinet.

The list cleans up administrative and institutional fees as well as government funds and will eliminate arbitrary charges. The administrative burden has also been eased, as the number of central administrative and institutional charges has been reduced from 185 to 51, and provincial administrative and institutional charges have reduced to 14 on average.

At an executive meeting of the State Council on Friday, Premier Li Keqiang stressed the significance of cleaning up the arbitrary charges and easing the public's burden.

Li said any government fees not on the list are forbidden, and he instructed the Ministry of Finance to establish a complaint mechanism.

In the next stage, departments under the State Council should achieve governmental information connectivity before the end of this year and increase their transparency by releasing the content that is closely related to the interest of the public.
Two police officers count students getting off a school bus to see if it is overloaded in Xuwei district of Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, on Dec 17, 2011. [Photo by Mu Daoyong / for China Daily]

THE PROVINCIAL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES of North China's Hebei province have issued an emergency notice on the management of school buses run by private kindergartens. Over the past two weeks four children in the province died after they were locked in school buses. West Metropolis Daily commented on Monday:

The lax management of local kindergartens, particularly the ones with questionable backgrounds, is to blame for the children's deaths. Of the kindergartens involved, only one has the necessary licenses. However, shutting them down for good is hardly a viable solution.

On the one hand, the properly licensed Hebei kindergarten also failed to double-check the school bus to make sure all the kids had got off, which led to the death of a 3-year-old. On the other, some parents might "knowingly" entrust their kids with preschools that are "not so good", because they have limited choices or financial capability.

The problems with kindergartens, whether overloaded school buses or poor management, point fundamentally to the insufficient supply of quality educational resources. The use of school buses by an increasing number of schools is indeed praiseworthy, but the frequency of school bus tragedies suggests that many school buses are not up to par and their drivers are not properly trained.

It is worth asking whether the local authorities have turned a blind eye to the many "illegal" kindergartens, or they were simply not aware of their existence until the accidents happened. Either way, their supervision of educational institutes is flawed and thus their care for local children is inadequate.
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A worker monitors container operation at Zhoushan port in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. [Photo/China Daily]

China's economy grew in the first half of 2017 at an annual pace of 6.9%, which indicates a steady growth in line with the government forecast of 6.5% to 7% of growth.

The composition of the increase, where the major contributor and the one growing the fastest is the tertiary sector, show the economy has continued to consolidate a shift from manufacturing to services in the new normal.

While the figures look positive, China's economy still has issues to solve to continue with its steady growth. For example, the existence of companies with an overcapacity in the manufacturing sector are a burden to the country with their large accumulated debt and it is something that must be dealt with. The existence of speculation in the property sector, which had an increase in prices, creating the conditions of a bubble, is another example. However, in these two fronts the government is taking steps; especially, with overcapacity in the steel and coal industries, which must be deal with promptly as they represent a burden on the state finance and also contribute to environmental pollution.

Given the strong rate of urbanization in China, the increasing size of its middle class, the advent of new information and communication technologies, and the need to continue dealing with the nocive effects of climate change, the drivers of economic growth are those in the service sector and in industries dealing with those themes. For example, China already is a country where online shopping is popular with companies like Alibaba and Tencent with its mobile payment. China is indeed an innovator in this field with apps such as Wechat, which allow most people in the country buy goods and pay for services, and Taobao for delivering anything to shoppers.

The growth of internal tourism or the more than one hundred million Chinese traveling abroad every year also shows the strength of the purchasing power on the Chinese middle class. For example, as only a fraction of the figure are foreigners visiting China, something must be done to encourage more visits, such as extending the 144 hour visa free entry for foreigners in cities like Shanghai. China is also a world leader in the clean technology industries, producing most of world solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars. China should continue making efforts to create new clean technologies and, in this way, contribute to the whole world.

It seems China will also achieve the goal of reaching its planned economic growth rate in the second half of the year. Even the IMF agreed in his last report, released in the middle of July. It projected China's economy will growth at 6.7% in 2017. As stated in the report, the world economy does not depend on the growth of the United Sates economy as it has done previously, but in new growth centers, like China. This is why the growth of China's economy is important for the world's economy as it contributes one third of it from the past decade. We also have to consider more than 130 countries has China as its main trade partner, so it's demand for mineral and raw materials is important, as well as its demand for foods and processed goods. In 2016, China also became the second biggest foreign direct investor in the world, becoming a direct contributor to the development of many countries by setting mines, industries and investing in the building of infrastructure.

The reforms Chinese government introduced in 2013 seems to also be paying off, but, as mentioned, should continue. China should continue opening the economy to foreign companies and goods, as this will allow Chinese companies to be more competitive and benefit consumers by allowing them to choose from more.

Carlos Aquino Rodriguez is professor at San Marcos National University in Peru and director of its Institute of Economics Research. He is a specialist in the research of the economic development of East Asia.
Former leading New Zealand publisher and bookseller, and widely experienced judge of both the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, talks about what he is currently reading, what impresses him and what doesn't, along with chat about the international English language book scene, and links to sites of interest to booklovers.
Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, arrives in Downing Street, in central London, Britain, July 17, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

LONDON - Britain does not intend to lower taxes far below the European average in order to remain competitive after Brexit but rather expects to keep a recognisably European economic and social model, finance minister Philip Hammond said.

Hammond himself had suggested in January that Britain may have to change its economic model to remain competitive in the event that it left the European Union without having secured an agreement on market access.

In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde published over the weekend, Hammond was asked whether Britain would play the low-tax card to remain economically attractive after Brexit.

"It is often said that London would consider launching into unfair competition in terms of fiscal regulation. That is not our project or our vision for the future," Hammond was quoted as saying in response.

"The amount of tax that we raise, measured as a percentage of GDP, is within the European average and I think we will remain at that level. Even after we have left the EU, the United Kingdom will keep a social, economic and cultural model that will be recognisably European."

The comments were markedly different from Hammond's responses in his January interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, which were seen as a thinly veiled threat to use corporate tax as a form of leverage in Brexit negotiations.

Asked directly whether Britain would lower corporate tax, Hammond had said that while he hoped Britain would remain a European-style economy with corresponding tax and regulation systems, it may have to change its model if it left the EU without agreement on market access.

"In this case, we could be forced to change our economic model and we will have to change our model to regain competitiveness," Hammond said. "We will change our model, and we will come back, and we will be competitively engaged."
ANKARA - Turkey is tuning down its row with Germany following the latter's warning about risks of investing in the country and an "overhaul" of their relationship amid a political row.

Turkey immediately stepped up to reassure German investors that its investment environment for foreign investors is reliable and this policy will continue in the future.

Investments by German firms in Turkey are safe and their businesses would not be affected by political tension between Ankara and Berlin, German weekly magazine Der Spiegel quoted Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek as saying on July 29.

"I can assure the business community that Turkey remains an open, liberal and investment-friendly country," Simsek said.

The minister's statement was the latest of attempts made by the Turkish government to stem the economic fall-out after Berlin threatened to slow down investment in Turkey, whose economy is dependent on foreign capital.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim last week also met with German business executives, underlining that Ankara would not allow tension between the two governments to harm the companies' interests in Turkey.

"It is very important to us that you are not a part of this tension and do not suffer any damage from the events," Yildirim said on Thursday.

Turkey's Economy minster Nihat Zeybekci also joined the chorus to try to calm down the storm with Germany.

"The Turkey-Germany crisis is temporary. One must refrain from words that would cause lasting harm to the economies. Germany must reassess comments that are inappropriate." Zeybekci said on Friday, adding that the German-Turkish relations will pass this stress test.

Amid a growing diplomatic row with Turkey, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel threatened to slap sanctions on Turkey, after the arrest of human rights activists on July 5 including a German citizen, Peter Steudtner, who is a representative of Amnesty International.

The incident further added to the tensions caused by the detention in February of Deniz Yucel, a German-Turkish dual-nationality reporter for the newspaper Die Welt, and by the Turkey's refusal to allow a group of German lawmakers to visit a NATO base in Turkey.
File photo shows Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

MOSCOW - It is important for Washington to show political will and discard attempts of sanctions diktat for the sake of improving relations between Russia and the United States, the Kremlin said Monday.

"The way out of this situation is through displaying political will to normalize relations, recovering from an aggravation of political schizophrenia, manifesting the desire to normalize these relations, and abandoning attempts of sanction diktat," Sputnik quoted Russian Presidential Secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying.

The US Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill by a vote of 98-2, slapping tougher sanctions on Russia for its alleged intervention in Ukraine and meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied in public.

The bill put US President Donald Trump in a dilemma, but he has indicated he will sign the sanctions bill into law, which represents a sharp downturn in US-Russia relations after signs that Trump wanted to develop a new partnership with Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hit back at the sanctions by demanding the United States cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, regarded as Moscow's most aggressive move against Washington since the final years of the Cold War.

Peskov said Washington will be left to decide on the name list of employees of its diplomatic missions in Russia to dismiss, which could be both US and Russian nationals.

"This is up to the United States... This is both diplomats and people without the diplomatic status and those who were employed on site -- Russian nationals who work there," he said.

The Kremlin spokesman added that Russia reserves the right to take additional countermeasures against the United States, although it still hopes to continue cooperation with the latter in certain areas.

"On the whole, Russia is interested in continuing cooperation (with the US) where this is in our interests... The president considers it appropriate to continue cooperation in these areas," he said.

According to Putin, crucial areas of cooperation for the two countries include the joint actions against terrorism, and obligations in nuclear arms control and space projects.

"We waited a long time for things to perhaps change for the better," state media quoted Putin as saying, "We had such hopes that the situation would change, but judging by the situation that will not be soon."

Indeed, there are many sources of tension between the two nations, such as Russia's alleged meddling issue, the Syrian war, the role of Iran, and tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The diplomatic tit-for-tat between the two nations started under former US President Barack Obama, who ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the US in response to reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

It was revealed that Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Trump, met a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign after being promised "damaging" information about Hilary Clinton, the then Democratic presidential candidate running against his father.

To be what he called "totally transparent," Trump Jr. later made public a chain of emails with an intermediary about the meeting that took place on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in New York, but was accused of violating the Federal Election Campaign Act by conspiring to solicit a contribution from a foreign national during the campaign.

Moreover, during the Group of 20 (G20) major economies summit held on July 7-8 in Hamburg, Germany, the White House confirmed that Trump had a second, previously undisclosed conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Trump said was of a length of 15 minutes.

However, multiple US media, including the New York Times and the CNN, cited a senior White House official as saying that the conversation lasted nearly an hour, making the Russia scandal appear to be far from being over.

The ongoing scandal has brought down support for Trump, even from his own party.

The last week has seen the implosion of the president's plan to repeal and replace the current US healthcare system -- known as Obamacare, former President Barack Obama's signature legislation -- when Senators from his own party refused to support the bill.

The failure marks a big blow for Trump six months after he took office. Trump has yet to pass any meaningful legislation on a host of issues to deliver his promises made during the election campaign.

Darrel West, with the well-known Washington-based US think tank Brookings Institution, said Republicans will distance themselves from Trump "in order to avoid fallout in the 2018 elections" for Congress.
MANAMA - The Saudi Arabia-led Arab alliance which severed diplomatic relations with Qatar insisted on Sunday that Doha must meet a list of 13 demands before talks to resolve the Gulf region crisis could start.

"We reiterate the importance of Qatar's compliance with the 13 demands outlined by the four states," said a joint statement released by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt after a meeting in Manama, capital city of Bahrain.

"We are ready to have a dialogue provided the 13 conditions are met by Qatar," said Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.

On Sunday, Qatar denied that the Arab quartet would allow Qatari planes to use air corridors in emergencies, the state-run Qatar News Agency quoted Qatar's transport and communications ministry and its aviation authority as saying.

Saudi media reports were spreading "false information," it said.

The joint statement issued by the four foreign ministers also condemned Qatar's authorities for obstructing its citizens from performing Hajj while Qatar accused Saudi Arabia of refusing to guarantee the safety of Qatari pilgrims.

The four countries cut off diplomatic and transport links with Qatar on June 5, accusing the Qatari government of supporting extremist groups, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran.

Qatar has repeatedly denies the charges, citing it would not negotiate on issues related to its sovereignty.

On June 23, the four countries issued a list of 13 demands to end the rift with Doha, including stopping terrorism financing and closing Al-Jazeera television.

Other demands include cutting off Qatar-Iran diplomatic ties, shutting down a Turkish military base and handing over "terrorist figures" and "wanted individuals" to the four Arab countries.

The anti-Qatar alliance used to shortlist the 13 demands to "six principles" which they wanted Qatar to adopt, amid easing signs of the Gulf standoff following U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit earlier this month.

During Tillerson's visit, Qatar and the United States signed a deal on combating terrorism financing, one of the core demands of the Saudi-led alliance.

On July 21, in his first public speech since the crisis started, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani called for holding talks to resolve the Gulf standoff, though emphasizing that any talks should be in respect of its national sovereignty.
Mail Rail train driver Penelope Veck drives through the underground eastbound Mount Pleasant Sorting Office station on July 28, 2017 in London, England. [Photo/VCG]

LONDON - A miniature railway that once whisked more than 4 million letters and parcels a day deep beneath London is to be brought back into use, as a heritage tourist attraction.

From the 1920s the network of rail tunnels was operational day and night along the little known "Post Office" railway, linking major postal sorting offices in the capital.

Tickets have now gone on sale for the first journeys along the route when it officially opens to visitors on Sept 4.

The rail journey, in a specially built miniature rail carriages, is expected to become the star attraction at London's new Postal Museum which opened Friday to tell the story of Britain's Royal Mail.

The museum, opened by the Postal Heritage Trust, brings five centuries of British communications history to life, with displays and objects, such as a hand pistol issued to postmen in the past to protect them from robbers known as highwaymen.

The trust is now responsible for the massive collection of memorabilia, much of it on public display at the museum in Phoenix Place, Farringdon in central London.

Tickets are already selling fast for the railway experience, travelling on the 11-kilometer long "secret" rail network, that criss-crossed London's more famous Underground Rail network. The subterranean train network stretched from Whitechapel to Paddington, employing a staff of more than 200 postal workers. It enabled mail to be moved around London away from the crowded and busy streets above,.

The Postal Railway finally closed in 2003, but has remained mothballed until now.

One of the first people to be given a sneak preview of the new railway trains was Queen Elizabeth's daughter, the Princess Royal.

Because of the narrow width and height of the tunnels, two new trains have been adapted from the original design to enable them to carry passengers in miniature wagons.

A spokesman at the museum said: "For more than 75 years, the postal rail was a vital artery in Britain's communication network, hidden from view. Now our visitors will be able to experience it from Sept 4.
LONDON - Chinese bike-sharing company Mobike on Monday announced the launch of its popular service in London, starting in the West London borough of Ealing.

The launch comes hot on the heels of Mobike's success in launching the UK's first council and community backed bicycle sharing scheme in Manchester just a few weeks ago.

The launch is the result of a sustained collaboration between Mobike, Ealing council and other local stakeholders, the company said in a statement released Monday. "Mobike's sustainable and affordable solution will be Ealing's very first smart and dockless bike share scheme, and is designed to benefit users, local business and communities, as well as the council itself," the statement said.

Ealing will see Mobike launching with an initial 750 bikes in September, with that number expected to increase to meet the growing demand for the service.

Steve Pyer, UK General Manager for Mobike, said: "We're excited to be the first council and community-backed dockless bike-sharing scheme coming to London. Mobike is committed to help develop the bike sharing culture across the globe through its discussions and collaboration with cities -- and London is key in achieving this."

"We're committed to working closely with Ealing and other boroughs to make Mobike, and bike-sharing as a whole, a successful experience for Londoners," he added.

The company said the locals will be able to pick up and ride Mobikes around the city at any time with the innovative dockless scheme, by simply downloading the Mobike app, finding a nearby Mobike and scanning a QR code. To complete their ride, users only need to park the bike at any authorized bike parking area near their destination and manually close the lock on the bike.
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly stands before a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, US, July 31, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - John Kelly was sworn in as US President Donald Trump's new Chief of Staff on Monday, amid a series of staff shake-ups in the White House.

As a retired four-star Marine Corps general, Kelly had served as homeland security secretary since late January before Trump announced his appointment as the White House Chief of Staff on Friday.

At a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval office on Monday, Trump praised Kelly for "record-shattering" performance in heading the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Kelly, 67, has taken a hard line against illegal immigration. His execution of a controversial travel ban signed by Trump on several Muslim countries was repeatedly praised by the president.

While congratulating Kelly on "a fantastic job" serving the DHS, Trump said he expected the former US Southern Command leader to do a "better job" at the helm of the White House.

Kelly's arrival at the West Wing comes amid a string of shake-ups in a chaotic White House.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned on July 21 to protest against Trump's appointment of wealthy New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director.

Within days of his controversial naming, Scaramucci started accusing Kelly's predecessor, Reince Priebus, of leaking damaging information about him to the media, and later launched a vulgar tirade against Priebus and chief White House strategist Steve Bannon.

Priebus, who was blamed for failing to keep the White House in order and push forward the GOP legislative agenda, resigned after being caught in the feud, while Scaramucci was removed from his position on Monday after Trump felt the financier's remarks against Priebus and Bannon "inappropriate."

Though it is unclear whether Trump or Kelly had decided to remove Scaramucci, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a press conference on Monday afternoon that Kelly would have "full authority to carry out businesses he sees fit" to bring "new structure, discipline and strength to the White House."
With the dispute over Jerusalem evolving in a more stable direction following the United Nations Security Council open debate, it's still important for the council to monitor the situation, China's senior envoy said on Monday.

Liu Jieyi (C, Rear), China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and UN Security Council president for July briefs journalists at the United Nations during a press conference in New York, July 31, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Liu Jieyi, China's ambassador to the UN and president of the UN Security Council for July, made the remarks at a press conference reviewing China's July presidency at UN headquarters in New York.

In July, the Security Council met 30 times, adopted four resolutions, four presidential statements and issued press elements seven times, according to Liu.

The open debate about the Palestine issue on July 25 was one of the three highlights Liu mentioned for China's July presidency. Nearly 50 countries and international organizations participated in the debate.

An outbreak of violence in Jerusalem was recently heightened over security measures at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

"What the Chinese presidency did to respond to requests of members of Security Council and outside of the council was to organize an informal consultation on the issue to work on various sides to de-escalate the tension and create conditions for dialogue so that stability will prevail in the city," Liu said.

Liu introduced President Xi Jinping's new four-point proposal on promoting the settlement of the Palestinian question in Xi's recent talks with President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine.

They include firmly advancing a political settlement based on a two-state solution; uphold the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; further coordinating efforts of the international community and strengthening synergy for peace; and taking an integrated approach to promote peace through development.

China views both Palestine and Israel as important partners in the Belt and Road Initiative. China has proposed to launch a China-Palestine-Israel tripartite dialogue mechanism in order to coordinate the implementation of major assistance programs in Palestine.

China calls for the earnest implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and an immediate cessation of all Israeli settlement activities. Immediate measures should be taken to prevent violence against civilians, Liu said.

"China plans to hold a seminar for peace activists in Palestine and Israel within this year to contribute wisdom to the settlement of the Palestinian issue," Liu said.

The other open debate was on enhancing African capacities in the area of peace and security on July 18. More than 60 countries and international organizations attended the debate.

Ideas put forward by participants on what the UN can do to help Africa enhance such capacities include establishing consultation between the UN and African Union (AU) so that consultations can take place regularly, and to study the financing of the peacekeeping capacity of Africa.

Also considered is providing greater support, including logistics to the peacekeeping operation conducted by the AU, and to help Africa in mediation and confrontation prevention, poverty elimination and increasing employment.

"We achieved the intended results," Liu said. "We believe that the open debate made contributions to enhancing the capability of Africa in peace and security, and also Africa's efforts to achieve peace and stability on the ground."

He said Egypt and Ethiopia, which would hold the August and September presidencies respectively, will also hold debates on Africa-related issues.

"We hope this will generate momentum in the UN in helping Africa and also the ideas that transpired from the debate and the events in August and September will be translated into practical measures to help Africa to enhance capacities in peace and security," he said.

In addition to contributing to solving regional issues, the council also reviewed issues related to Libya, Cyprus, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, DPRK, Iraq and South Sudan.

China sees the Security Council as the core organization for the maintenance of peace and stability in the world, Liu said, describing the council as a highly important platform for global governance relating to security issues.

"As president of the Security Council, we have approached issues dealt with by the council from the perspective of building the right global governance (and) promoting a security outlook that's common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable," he said.
Rev. Howard Mars, 82, passed away July 26 in Phoenix, Arizona. Billings holds a special place in the family's hearts as Howard served as pastor at Atonement Lutheran from 1969-1980. The family enjoys the life-long friendships that came out of their time in Billings. Howard and Audrey retired to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1998 after 35 years in ministry.
American archeologist Chap Kusimba introduces an archeological site of Manda Island in Lamu county, Kenya, to researchers, on July 29, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

A team consisting of archaeologists from China, the United States and Kenya announced last Friday the excavation of three human skeletons associated with Chinese blood at the first "Ancient and Contemporary Relations between China and East Africa" conference opened in Lamu county, off the northern coast of Kenya, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The team leader Kusimba, a professor with American University, said it marked the first time such relics were found in East Africa.

All the skeletons had front teeth that are exclusive for the East Asians and one of them could be determined to be from the same period when Chinese admiral Zheng He traveled to East Africa in the 15th century.

The other two are determined to be living in a period after Zheng's expeditionary voyages.

Kusimba said these people might have come to East Africa through land trade routes or the Maritime Silk Road, adding that no belongings were found at their tombs.

Chinese navigator, explorer and diplomat Zheng He, known as the Christopher Columbus in China, might have come to East Africa among his seven voyages to the Indian Ocean between 1405 and 1433 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Zhu Tiequan, an archaeologist with Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University, was quoted as saying that the excavation on the island began in December 2012.
Wei Qiujie was captured on security camera footage leaving a guesthouse in Sapporo, Japan on July 22. Photo from Southern Metropolis Daily

Several witnesses said they saw a woman who looked like Wei Qiujie, the missing Chinese teacher, at the Lake Akan area of Kushiro, Hokkaido of Japan.

These encounters were at different times and places in the past few days, China News Service website reported Tuesday, citing information from the official website of the Chinese consulate-general in Sapporo.



One of the encounters was along a forest road around Lake Akan Monday afternoon. The witness reported the alleged run-in to local police.

Japanese police started searching for Wei again on Tuesday morning based on clues from those witnesses, the report said. Eighteen policemen and two police dogs took part in the search.



Sun Zhenyong, Chinese consul-general in Sapporo, went to Hokkaido Tuesday for further work related to the case.

Wei was a 27-year-old elementary school teacher from Southeast China's Fujian province. She went missing last month while traveling alone to the island of Hokkaido. She arrived in Hakodate, Hokkaido from China on July 18.

According to public reports, Wei was last seen leaving a guesthouse in Sapporo at 7 am on July 22. The hotel owner said Wei left the premises without her luggage.

A letter was later found in the belongings Wei left behind at the guesthouse, Japanese media reported.

The letter expressed gratitude to her parents and included a farewell to her family. Wei's father arrived in Sapporo on July 28. He told police that the letter appears to have been written by his daughter, said the Japanese report.
Projects that are part of the Belt and Road Initiative should soon be more efficient, thanks to a new internet of things (also known as IoT) program launched by France's Actility and Switzerland's Ginko Ventures.

The program began on Monday with the launch of a test network spanning 23 kilometers in the Beilin district of Xi'an city, the point in China where the ancient Silk Road trade route began. During its trial period, the program will use IoT technology to improve city planning and environmental monitoring.

The test network will collect environmental sector data, such as the amount of medical waste produced by hospitals, which will allow the Beilin District Environmental Protection Bureau to make more targeted policies.

After the trial period ends, the technology will be taken to other economies in the region covered by the Belt and Road Initiative. One example of its application is the use of smart sensors to track the location and condition of exports as they travel through the region covered by the Belt and Road Initiative, improving the efficiency of logistics.

Mike Mulica, the CEO of Actility, said: "This network in Xi'an is the first step toward a global-scale cargo tracking and monitoring solution and all powered by the internet of things."

Actility and Ginko Ventures are deploying the technology through their joint venture ThingPark China, a wholly foreign-owned company based in Beijing that was established in March.

ThingPark China CEO, Bing Liu said: "IoT connectivity will play an integral role in building the Silk Road into a modern-day transport corridor, as digital transformation is a vital part of modern infrastructure projects, and the benefits of the network will soon be felt on both a regional and a global scale."

The tremendous potential of IoT technology for projects in the Belt and Road area has attracted the interest of many international technology companies that are keen to collaborate. Among them, Inmarsat, a UK satellite company that signed an agreement in 2015 during President Xi Jinping's visit to the UK. The deal with the China Transport Telecommunication and Information Center means the company will deliver its satellite broadband communications connectivity throughout China and countries within the Belt and Road area.

Paul Gudonis, president of Inmarsat Enterprise, said he will travel to Beijing late this month to meet with representatives from ThingPark China, to discuss potential collaboration.

Examples of ways Inmarsat's technology could be used include for satellite monitoring to identify safe and secure mining extraction methods and locations, identifying logistics optimization, and picking ideal locations for sustainable food plantations.

The internet of things is the concept that advocates the connection of physical objects via the internet and was first suggested in the 1980s.

Accenture estimates that the industrial IoT sector could add$14.2 trillion to the world economy by 2030.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will ban campfires and restrict smoking and other activities at its properties in Big Horn County, including Tongue River Reservoir State Park, starting Friday, Aug. 4, because of wildfire danger.

FWP will follow the lead of Big Horn County commissioners and enter Stage II fire restrictions.

Campfires, which were allowed under earlier restrictions in established fire rings at Tongue River Reservoir State Park, will be banned starting Friday. Affected FWP fishing access sites in Big Horn County, all along the Bighorn River, include Arapooish, Bighorn, General Custer, Grant Marsh, Mallards Landing and Two Leggins. The National Park Service has agreed to the same restrictions at its Bighorn River access sites.

Stage II fire restrictions ban campfires and restrict smoking to buildings, vehicles or areas cleared of flammable materials. They also prohibit operating internal combustion engines between 1 p.m. and 1 a.m. each day. People may use stoves that can be turned on and off.

The restrictions are in response to hot, dry weather that could increase the danger of human-caused wildfires. They will be in effect until further notice.
Authorities suspect Casper businessman Tony Cercy raped an unconscious 20-year-old woman who had been sleeping on a couch during a lake house gathering last month, new court documents show.

The woman was attending a party the night of June 24 at a home on Cedar Drive North near Alcova Lake when she fell asleep on the couch. She told investigators that she woke to Cercy performing oral sex on her. She said that she immediately pushed him away, but Cercy said he had been trying to "get some action" from her for the past hour, according to her statements to investigators.

She told investigators that she fell asleep fully clothed but woke up with only a bra on. She said Cercy was naked from the waist down.

The woman told authorities that Cercy threatened to kill her and another unnamed person if she told anybody about the incident, according to the documents.

Prosecutors formally charged Cercy on Monday with three sex crimes related to the alleged assault. Cercy, 55, faces separate charges of first-, second- and third-degree sexual assault. The charges state the alleged victim was physically helpless at the time of the incident, which is defined in Wyoming statute as "unconscious, asleep or otherwise physically unable to communicate unwillingness to act."

He appeared in Natrona County Circuit Court on Monday afternoon, three days after his arrest in downtown Casper. He was free after posting a $100,000 cash bond.

Investigators interviewed at least 10 people who were at the home that night. Multiple people said they saw the woman asleep on the couch and that she was not responding to loud noises or attempts to wake her. Others said that she had permission to sleep on the couch for the night. One witness showed investigators a video that portrayed the woman passed out on the couch and covered in a blanket. The woman told investigators she had been drinking that day.

Friends told investigators that the woman contacted them in the early hours of June 25 to report what had happened and to ask for help. One friend said they received a text message from the woman at about 3:21 a.m. asking for help. Another said that the woman called them the next morning and said that Cercy had raped her. That friend had 19 missed calls from the woman between 3:17 and 4:05 a.m.

Cercy willingly went to the Natrona County Sheriff's Office on June 28 so that investigators could collect a sample of his DNA. During that process, he made a comment that the incident "didn't happen the way you think it happened," according to the court documents.

Cercy did not speak in court Monday, and his family filled the back row of the courtroom. He was represented by Casper attorney Ian Sandefer.

Sandefer did not immediately respond to a message left late Monday afternoon at his office.

Judge Steven Brown ordered Cercy to surrender his passport but allowed him to travel within the United States for business. Often, defendants are not allowed to leave Natrona County.

Cercy's next court appearance will come during a preliminary hearing, likely within a month. At that hearing, a judge will decide whether enough evidence exists for the case to proceed to district court.

Law enforcement officers arrested Cercy on Friday and booked him into jail. A merchant on the 800 block of Old Yellowstone Highway told the Star-Tribune that he saw roughly 20 officers arrest the businessman at about 2:30 p.m.

Cercy has invested widely in Casper since selling his manufacturing company, Power Service Inc., in April 2016. He helped his son, Cole, buy the Wonder Bar and Poor Boys Steakhouse and donated $1 million to the David Street Station downtown plaza and $500,000 to Natrona County High School for a new digital scoreboard.

Gov. Matt Mead toured the Wonder Bar with Cole Cercy on Friday, according to a photo posted at noon to the family business Instagram account.
After years of party polarization over abortion, Democrats may finally be taking steps toward welcoming more pro-life Christians into their ranks.

Representative Ben Ray Lujan, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), said yesterday that the party has no litmus test on abortion and wont withhold financial backing from pro-life candidates in the 2018 mid-term elections, The Hill reported.

His remarks came a week after the party released a new set of policy plans and goals that push economic concerns and dont mention abortion at all.

As Lujan looks to a broad coalition to shift control of the US House of Representatives away from the Republican Party, core supporters within his own party are questioning the move away from a firm pro-choice stance.

Will the potential of luring voters who have avoided the party over the issue of abortion be worth the backlash from the Democratic base, including outspoken abortion-rights advocates?

Michael Wear, a former White House faith advisor under President Barack Obama, wants his party to at least try. He suggests that this opportunity depends on how pro-life evangelicals and Catholics respond to the idea. Wear tweeted on Monday:

If you are a Republican or Independent who says, Gosh I could consider Democrats if only they were more open to pro-lifers, speak up. I hear from you all the time, but some strategists and activists say you dont exist. And guess what? If you dont speak up, you dont exist. Call DCCC. Donate in response to this move. Support pro-life candidates that DCCC supports. Write letter to editor. And, yes, tweet.

Hundreds of followers retweeted and responded to his messages; some eager to see a place for themselves, and some skeptical that it could happen among a party whose official platform still supports abortion.

Several prominent Democrats, though pro-choice themselves, have defended having pro-lifers in their partyincluding the highest-ranking representatives in Congress, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. Both have referenced being a big tent party and not excluding diverging views on abortion.

When former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, an Independent, backed a pro-life Catholic candidate for mayor of Omaha earlier this year, he told critics, You just can't exclude people who disagree with us on one issue.

The situation spurred a debate among progressives, with Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair Thomas Perez commenting, Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman's right to make her own choices about her body and her health. That is not negotiable.

According to the Pew Research Center, 3 in 4 Americans support at least some restrictions on abortion, and Republicans are three times as likely (65%) as Democrats (22%) to believe abortion should be illegal in all or most circumstances.

But abortion views tend to be nuanced, as surveys show. While half of Americans consider abortion morally wrong, just 20 percent think it should be totally illegal, according to Gallup. That means that a significant portion of countryincluding 41 percent of conservativesoppose abortion on moral grounds but favor it being legal.

White evangelicals are most likely to view abortion as morally wrong, and many evangelicals who voted for President Donald Trump in the 2016 election cited the GOPs pro-life position as well as the likelihood of Trump appointing a pro-life Supreme Court justice.

Abortion can be a dealbreaker for American voters, with 1 in 5 saying that they will only vote for a politician who shares their views.

Pro-life Democrats were in a particularly tough spot during last years election, when Hillary Clinton pushed back against the Hyde Amendment, which prevents the federal government from directly funding abortions.

The leaders of Democrats for Life saw the shift as a sign that the party that is supposedly on the side of justice for the vulnerable no longer welcomes those of us who #ChooseBoth; that is, those of us who want the government to protect and support prenatal children and their mothers.

Currently, not a single Democrat in Congress has a perfect rating on the National Right to Life Committees scorecard (and only a handful voted in line with recent pro-life legislation at all). A decade ago, there were 17 Democratic representatives with a 100-percent pro-life rating. CT has reported how the fight over the Obama administrations health care reform contributed to the death of pro-life Democrats.

Polls released by the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life lobby, indicate that pro-lifers will be a politically advantageous group in the upcoming election.

Voters in 2018 Senate battleground statesFlorida, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsinsupport ending federal funding for Planned Parenthood by a 16-point margin, reported National Review, a conservative magazine. Voters said theyd be much less likely to support a candidate who voted to fund Planned Parenthood rather than community health centers.

According to Wear, Democrats current openness could lead them to find common ground with pro-life moderates over support for the Hyde Amendment. While voters set on reversing Roe v. Wade will likely stick with Republicans, this is about the Dem party being reasonable enough to win pro-life voters who also have other priorities, he tweeted.

Following the inauguration, Wear wrote for CT about three political priorities for evangelicals.
We can no longer depend on methods that worked 20 years ago.

The year was 1998.

This, the camp speaker said, holding up a large black Bible, is the Word of God. Now, say it with me: Word of God. His voice dropped an octave, and he aimed his pointer fingers like pistols at 200 middle school students sitting before him, imploring us to respond.

The Word of God! we shouted back, voices booming in unison.

The Bible, we were told, was a manual with answers to any question wed ever face. Equipped with the Word of God, we had nothing to doubt or fear. And we believed him, no questions asked.

That was nearly 20 years ago, when a strategy of certaintypresenting a black-and-white gospel message knowing that an audience would undoubtedly accept it as truthstill had its place. But times, as we all know, have changed. The students who sat around that campfire have grown into adults, emerging as the generation we call Millennials.

This new generation interacts with the world very differently from previous generations, and that has spilled over into how they interact with the Bible. According to a 2016 Barna report, the Bible remains the worlds most-read book, but the rise of religious skepticism has yielded numerous effects. In 2009, 45 percent of American adults read the Bible at least once a week; today that number hovers around 33 percent. The number of Americans who dont recognize any books as sacred has doubled in six years, from 7 percent in 2011 to 14 percent in 2016. Barna blames Millennials (22%) and Gen-Xers (18%), who are significantly more likely than Boomers (8%) and Elders (7%) to say none of the various holy textsincluding the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, and the Book of Mormonqualifies ...
Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Deploy to Marshall County, West Virginia, Following Extensive Flooding Efforts continue in flooded areas of Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois



Contact: Erik Ogren, 704-401-2117, eogren@bgea.org



CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 1, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team are deploying to Marshall County, W.Va., following extensive flooding on Friday, July 28, that affected nearly 400 homes. According to news reports, McMechan, W.Va.a small community which sits on the Ohio River and borders the state of Ohiowas particularly hard hit, with 300 homes reporting damage.



"Nearly everything the flood touchespersonal possessions, family heirlooms, picturesis affected by the contaminated water and mud, becoming moldy and unsalvageable," said Jack Munday, international director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. "There's no way around the emotional stress that comes with carrying your memories to the curb to be hauled away. Please join us in praying for all of those who are now dealing with this struggle."



The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is deploying in coordination with Samaritan's Purse, the Christian disaster relief organization also headed by Franklin Graham. Together the two ministries will address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those who have been affected.



In addition to the work that will take place in West Virginia, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team's crisis-trained chaplains continue to offer hope and comfort to residents of Southeastern Wisconsin and Northeastern Illinois who were impacted by flooding in mid-July.



For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/RRTChaplains.



About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team:

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into a nationwide network of chaplains in 48 states who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 255 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.

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home US Air Force sued for withholding information on case of veteran who was assaulted for mentioning God in speech

A lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Air Force for allegedly withholding information about the case of a retired veteran who was physically assaulted for mentioning God in a speech.

The nonprofit law firm First Liberty Institute filed the lawsuit on Thursday, claiming that the Air Force did not release the results of an investigation into the assault of decorated Air Force veteran Oscar Rodriguez, Jr.

According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez was physically dragged by several airmen out of an Air Force base in April 2016, for mentioning God during a flag folding ceremony speech.

"It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life," Rodriguez said in a press release last week.

"I have given more than three decades of service to the military and made many sacrifices for my country. To have the Air Force assault me and drag me out of a retirement ceremony simply because my speech included the word 'God' is something I never expected from our military," he added.

In December that year, First Liberty filed an FOIA request for information about the Air Force investigation into the assault.

Two investigations were conducted by the Air Force when First Liberty asserted that the incident violated the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights of Rodriguez.

The Air Force stated that it did not find any violation of rights in the investigation concerning the First Amendment claim, but it withheld the results of the second investigation for seven months, according to First Liberty.

Mike Berry, director of military affairs for First Liberty Institute, noted that federal law requires the government to make a determination within 20 days of an FOIA request, adding that it has been over 200 days since the law firm filed its request.

"They were very quick to release the first investigation that said they didn't do anything wrong, but have yet to release the results of the second investigation. Common sense would tell me they're holding onto the other investigation because it doesn't say there's no violation," Berry told The Gospel Herald.

First Liberty is hoping that the Air Force would release the results of the second investigation soon, and hold the airmen who assaulted Rodriguez responsible.

Berry said that the faith community should be concerned about the case because what happened to Rodriguez is a blatant violation of religious freedom.

In an interview with The Daily Caller, he said that he hoped the lawsuit has sent a message that the government cannot successfully conceal violations of the rights of American citizens.
home World Al-Shabaab kills 7 Christians in door-to-door raids in Kenya

The Somali-based militant group al-Shabaab has reportedly killed seven Christians during door-to-door raids in Kenya earlier this month.

According to International Christian Concern (ICC), seven Christian men and three police officers were killed after members of al-Shabaab raided the villages of Pandanguo, Jima, and Poromoko between July 5 and July 8.

Over 200 militants reportedly took part in the raid in Pandaguo village in Lamu County on July 5, killing three police officers posted at the Pandaguo police station. On July 8, 15 members of the terror group reportedly attacked the nearby villages of Jima and Poromoko.

Previous reports indicated that nine civilians were beheaded in Jima, Lamu County in the terror group's hunt for non-Muslims, though more information is now being released about the victims.

According to a local pastor, the militants were searching for Christians to kill. "The attackers have been targeting Christians living in Lamu County, especially farmers in the interior areas where small-scale agriculture thrives," said Pastor Henry Divayo, head of the church in Witu town.

"[The militants in Jima] were asking the villagers to produce their identification cards and if you were found to be a Christian you would be shot or slaughtered," he added.

Divayo said that victims have been sent to camps where the government and the Kenya Red Cross are providing food and security.

"We are hosting more than 200 people in our church and we expect the number to increase as more families are evacuated from Boni Forest," he went on to say.

The pastor called on the Kenyan government to provide more help in terms of equipping police officers to protect churches, schools and hospitals.

Al-Shabaab and its supporters have been targeting Christians across the border in Kenya in retaliation against the Kenyan government's efforts to fight the terror group.

The deadliest attack by the group was carried out on April 2, 2015 at the Garissa University, where 148 Christian students were killed.

Al-Shabaab, which is affiliated to al-Qaeda, overtook Boko Haram as the deadliest terror group in Africa in 2016, according to figures released by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. The new figures indicated that al-Shabaab was responsible for 4,281 deaths compared with 3,499 by Boko Haram.

The U.S. military has been conducting air strikes against al-Shabaab bases in Somalia, and U.S. President Donald Trump has recently authorized the expansion of the operations to completely eradicate the terror group.

In response, the militants took aim at Trump in a newly released video, calling him a "brainless billionaire," and accusing American voters of electing "arguably the most stupid president a country could ever have."

The al-Shabaab vowed to continue its attacks on Kenya and warned that the government's military operations against the terror group will destabilize the country.

"Your military's invasion of Somalia will continue to destabilize your country. When we do strike, your government will not be able to protect you," the terror group stated.
home World Archaeologists uncover evidence of Babylonian destruction of ancient Jerusalem

Israeli archaeologists have recently discovered 2,600-year-old artifacts that could provide concrete evidence for the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Babylonians.

The charred artifacts were reportedly discovered while the archaeologists were excavating the City of David in Israel's Jerusalem Walls National Park.

The discovery was announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) just days before Tisha B'Av, a Jewish fast day that marks the anniversary of the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians around 586 B.C. and the Second Temple by the Romans in the year 70 A.D.

According to Daily Mail, the artifacts discovered by the researchers include charred wood, grape seeds, fish scales, bones and pottery. The archaeologists also found dozens of jars used to store grains and liquids, many of which have stamped handles and rosette seals.

"These seals are characteristic of the end of the First Temple Period and were used for the administrative system that developed towards the end of the Judean dynasty," Ortal Chalaf and Dr. Joe Uziel, IAA excavation directors, explained.

"Classifying objects facilitated controlling, overseeing, collecting, marketing and storing crop yields.The rosette, in essence, replaced the 'For the King' seal used in the earlier administrative system," they added.

The researchers also found a small ivory statue of a naked woman with haircut or wig in an "Egyptian style," which the authorities say indicates the wealth of some residents of the ancient city.

The excavation revealed that ancient Jerusalem was larger than first thought and that it had "extended beyond the line of the city wall before its destruction."

"The row of structures exposed in the excavations is located outside, beyond the city wall that would have constituted the eastern border of the city during this period," Uziel and Chalaf noted.

The researchers explained that past excavations in the area of the Jewish Quarter have shown how the city's population grew at the end of the eight Century B.C., leading to the annexation of the western area of Jerusalem.

They noted that the findings of the current excavation suggest that structures were also built outside of the wall's border on the east, following the city's westward expansion.

The destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians was recorded in The Book of Jeremiah, which states: "He burned the house of the Lord, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great man's house, burned he with fire."

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem in 597 B.C. during the reign of King Jehoiakim. Judah continued to exist as a nation under Babylonian rule with King Zedekiah installed as a puppet king in Jerusalem, but the city fell in 586 B.C. after he rebelled.
home US Arkansas man faces felony charge for destroying Ten Commandments Monument

An Arkansas man is now facing a felony charge for destroying a Ten Commandments Monument that was installed on the grounds of the Capitol building last month.

Michael Tate Reed, 32, who is currently being held on a $100,000 bond, has been officially charged with first-degree criminal mischief, which is punishable by a prison term of three to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.

The new charge against Reed supersedes previous charges of criminal mischief and two misdemeanor charges for trespassing and defacing an object of public respect, according to ArkansasMatters.com.

Earlier this month, Reed admitted from jail that he had been diagnosed with mental illnesses that include schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but he maintained that he is "mentally sane."

He was arrested on June 28 after he reportedly drove his vehicle into the monument, toppling it less than 24 hours after it was installed.

"I meant to do it, fully well," he said, referring to the act. "I did it because I fully believe I'm the rider on the first white horse in Revelations," he continued.

In a video posted on Facebook, Reed professed to be a Christian, but he expressed his belief that the Ten Commandments display was a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

"I'm a firm believer that part of salvation is that we not only have faith in Jesus Christ, but we obey the commands of God and that we confess Jesus as Lord," he stated in the video posted on the same day as the incident.

"But one thing I do not support is the violation of our Constitutional right to have the freedom that's guaranteed to us, that guarantees the separation of church and state, 'cause no one religion should the government represent," he added.

After his arrest, he reportedly requested to be sent to St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation, but he was not fully examined. Reed's sister, Mindy Poor, noted that he suffers from schizoaffective disorder.

Reed was later placed on a straight jacket and put on a suicide watch after he told officials in jail that he was hearing voices.

According to The Associated Press, Reed was also arrested in 2014 for destroying a Ten Commandments display outside the Oklahoma state Capitol, but he has not been charged in that case.

Christian film company Pure Flix has recently donated $25,000 to help replace the destroyed monument at the Arkansas Capitol.
home US Charlie Gard's parents agree to let baby die in hospice

Charlie Gard's parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, has agreed to a court decision to let their 11-month old son to be transferred to a hospice where he will spend his final hours.

According to The Guardian, Yates and Gard had initially wanted to take their son home to spend his final hours as their "last wish," but they ran into opposition from Great Ormond Street hospital, where Charlie is being kept on life support.

The hospital argued that it would not be possible to take Charlie home because of the difficulties of providing invasive ventilation.

Justice Francis, who is presiding over the case, has stated that it would be in Charlie's best interest to be moved to a hospice to spend his last hours unless alternative arrangements could be made.

Yates and Gard had given up the court battle to persuade the judge to let Charlie travel to America for an experimental treatment earlier this week. It had been determined that the treatment was no longer viable because of the muscular atrophy he had suffered while the case was being argued in the courts.

The couple said that the decision, which came after a difficult five-month legal battle, was the "hardest thing we've ever had to do."

Francis gave the parents until Thursday to find a team that would take care of Charlie at the hospice.

"Unless by 12pm tomorrow the parents and guardian and Great Ormond Street hospital can agree alternative arrangements, Charlie will be transferred to a hospice and extubated shortly thereafter," the judge said. "It seems to me the time has come when a decision has to be taken to a very, very sad conclusion," he added.

The family later posted a Facebook message appealing for a pediatric intensive care consultant to come forward before 12 p.m. on Thursday. "Please only email if you can help us! We need some peaceful time with our baby boy," the message read.

Yates' lawyer, Grant Armstrong, had announced earlier that a doctor who has "experience as a surgeon" in intensive care and ran a team with a pediatric doctor had offered to oversee the baby's life support at the hospice. But it later emerged that he was a General Practitioner with "no experience of intensive care," according to the guardian's lawyer, Victoria Butler-Cole.

Armstrong also stated that several nurses at Great Ormond Street offered to assist in the care of the baby outside the hospital setting.
home World Christian magistrate who was fired for opposing gay adoption sues Britain's NHS for discrimination

A Christian magistrate, who was fired from his role as a health director for speaking out against adoption by same-sex parents, is filing a discrimination lawsuit against Britain's National Health Service (NHS).

Richard Page, 71, was suspended as an NHS Trust director after he stated in a nationally televised interview that it was better for a child to be brought up by a man and a woman.

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) claimed that his view "undermined" the confidence of LGBT staff members.

Page, who had worked as NHS finance director for 20 years before taking up a part-time role at KMPT in 2012, is bringing a claim of discrimination, harassment and victimization against the NHS Trust Development Authority under the Equality Act 2010.

In 2014, when he served as a magistrate on a family panel, he turned down an application by a same-sex couple to adopt a child and rejected a claim in a social worker's report that homosexual couples are better adoptive parents than heterosexual couples.

During the hearing, he reportedly stated that it was "generally in the best interests" for a child to be raised by a mother and a father. The remark prompted the court clerk and two other magistrates to lodge an official complaint against Page, saying his Christian beliefs meant he was prejudiced against same-sex couples.

In an attempt to defend his views, Page appeared on numerous television programs in 2016. In his guest appearance on ITV's "This Morning," he was accused by the presenter, Piers Morgan, of being a homophobe after he declared that he was opposed to gay marriage.

He was later fired from his position as a magistrate by then Lord Chancellor, Michael Gove, and Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas on the grounds that he was "biased and prejudiced against single sex adopters." He was also suspended from his role as a non-executive director at the NHS a few days later, according to The Telegraph.

Page's lawyers are expected to tell the tribunal hearing that their client was only dismissed from his NHS role for his remarks on television, but he has never been rude or disrespectful to homosexuals in any way.

"This case is another in a long line of cases that demonstrates the intolerance of our illiberal elites. Far from promoting diversity they punish people like Richard who serves his community so well," said Andrea Williams from Christian Concern, which is supporting Page's legal action.

"This case shows the ugly face of the LGBQ lobby that is incapable of tolerating anyone brave enough to challenge their lifestyle. The lobby will not be satisfied until they have eliminated any whiff of dissent in public life. They are the bullies," she added.

The NHS has reportedly attempted to have the lawsuit thrown out by in January, but the employment tribunal ruled that the Page's case should be heard.

The hearing is due to start on Tuesday at the Croydon Employment Tribunal courts, and is expected to last four days.
home US Christian who works at Planned Parenthood begs for God's forgiveness

A Christian woman who works at Planned Parenthood has recently called into a conservative talk radio show to express her regret and ask if God can forgive her for working at an abortion facility.

The anonymous woman, who has been working in an administrative position at Planned Parenthood, called into Dr. Michael Brown's talk show, "The Line of Fire" on Friday, and discussed some details of her job at the facility.

The caller explained that she opposes abortion, but she took the position because she was a single mother in need of a well-paying job.

She noted that her job does not require her to conduct abortions, but she said she has not experienced the same level of happiness since she started working at the facility and she even stopped going to church because she felt embarrassed to be working at Planned Parenthood.

The woman proceeded to ask Brown whether she would be judged in the same way as people who actually have abortions and whether she is "too far gone to go back."

Brown, a pro-life Christian apologist with a Ph.D. in near eastern languages and literatures from New York University, assured the woman that it is not too late for her to go back, but advised her to immediately quit her job.

"You got no business working there but God is merciful and compassionate and He understands your struggles a a single mom, all the issues you are dealing with. There is forgiveness," the radio host told the caller, noting that she was feeling God's conviction because she is a child of God.

Brown proceeded to tell the woman that her administrative job would be no different from the work performed by people who registered the number of survivors on a ship during the days of the slave trade.

"For sure, the Holy Spirit is not letting you be comfortable. For sure, your own conscience is not letting you be comfortable but don't think for a moment that God's grace is not there," Brown said, according to The Christian Post.

The woman later revealed that she had given her daughter the middle name "Believe," because she had been told that she would never have children.

When Brown asked her to share details of her job at Planned Parenthood, the caller proceeded to describe what was in the back room of the clinic.

"But there is a room in the back that is called a POC room a Products of Conception. It's where things are processed. They refer to it as either tissue or fetus but I saw it for the first time. It's a baby. It's not tissue," she said.

"It's really bad. It is. It's a baby: there's legs, there's arms and there is eyes. It's a baby," she continued.

The caller accused her employer of glorifying abortion by stressing the importance of woman's "right to choose," noting that Planned Parenthood workers only briefly discuss with their patients about other options.

Brown encouraged the caller to start attending church again and hand in her resignation to Planned Parenthood immediately. He assured the woman that people involved in the pro-life ministry will reach up to help her with her immediate needs.

A pro-life ministry called "And Then There Were None" was started by former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson to help other abortion clinic workers leave the industry.

Johnson left Planned Parenthood in 2009 after she witnessed a live ultrasound-guided abortion, in which she saw a baby fighting and struggling for its life. Her organization has helped over 217 abortion clinic workers, including six full-time abortionists, to quit the abortion industry.
WORLAND, Wyo.  Just over 13 months ago, the efforts of a Bureau of Land Management employee, veterinary technicians and one family helped rescue a newborn mustang foal. Today, that foal is a healthy, thriving, 1-year-old painted mustang and a welcome part of the Butler family in Worland.

"Stony the mustang pony" as he was dubbed by Worland veterinarian Steve Tharp, was rescued from the BLM Fifteenmile Herd Management Area (HMA) in June 2016. The BLM received a call about a young foal that was not doing well.

BLM engine equipment operator Clay Rideout responded to the call, took some time to observe the colt and made sure there were no other horses in the area to make sure he was truly abandoned.

"The person did the right thing by calling the office," BLM Wind River/Bighorn District Public Affairs Officer Sarah Beckwith said in an interview last year. She said the BLM can make sure the horse is abandoned first, before picking it up and then taking it where it can get the care it needs.

The horse was then brought to Tharp's Veterinary Service where care was turned over to his technicians Victoria Martin, Erin Larson, Emma Corn and Echo Study. Tharp estimated that Stony was a day or two old when he was rescued.

Regardless of how Stony ended up abandoned, he never had his first taste of mother's milk and suffered a failure of passive transfer by not getting the needed colostrum with that first milking.

Along with feeding Stony regularly, his immediate care also included a blood transfusion from one of Larson's horses.

Enter the Butlers

As he gained strength, his future was already set because Ryon Butler was already taken with the young colt.

Butler said he came into Tharp's office the day after Stony had arrived. He was bringing in a horse who was still losing his young teeth and needed Tharp to look at one of the teeth. He was introduced to Stony.

"Before lunch I had already come back a couple of times to help bottle feed him. My train of thought just started working," Butler said.

Butler said he had a mare, Alaska, who had a filly in January and the filly was about ready to be weaned. He thought he could get the mare to accept Stony and thus Stony would get the needed mother's milk, provided the BLM agreed.

What prompted him to move forward with the idea? "Not that I'm a fan of paints, but he is eye-catching," Butler said.

He added, "Growing up on a farm, I've been around plenty of animals and babies and I kind of felt bad for him. I knew the Honor Farm would take great care of him. I knew there would be plenty of people that would be able to take care of him around the clock and no one person would be just overly exhausted."

According to the BLM, they "and the Honor Farm have worked cooperatively since 1988 to train and adopt wild horses gathered primarily from Wyoming's public lands."

He added, "Even with all that much attention, nothing replaces a mom. He needs a mom."

Butler said animals that are hand-fed compared to those fed through the mother may see a delay in growth or stunted growth.

"I thought he deserves a chance. Not that I'm trying to make a person out of him but no one deserves to be abandoned by their mother. He's a tough little bugger. I can't believe he went through all that and survived," he said.

Butler added that he also realized he had the opportunity, an opportunity that ordinarily wouldn't be available since most foals aren't born in early January. It was perfect timing that the filly could be weaned off at the time Stony needed some mother's milk.

He talked to his neighbor who worked for the BLM about the process of adopting Stony. He said she must have made calls during the weekend because before 8 a.m. on Monday, June 6, 2016, he was told the process was in place for Stony to go home with the Butlers and eventually be adopted.

"It took a little bit of work. Having already had kids, I thought this could be tough, bottle feeding around the clock, especially with an individual that doesn't live next door to me in the bedroom. Even with that, trying to get mom (Alaska) to take him it still took about five days," Butler said.

He said he had to supervise every feeding and had to blindfold the mother the first five days. After day five, he said Alaska was waiting at the fence for Stony. "I turned them out in the pasture and we never looked back. She stayed with him even when he would run off and go exploring," Butler said.

Butler said another reason he decided to adopt Stony was that his neighbor has adopted some wild mustangs from the BLM and said they make good trail and mountain horses.

The adoption process has gone smooth. Stony was first placed in what the BLM considered foster care with the Butlers to ensure viability and survivability. Butler said the paperwork is complete for the final adoption and he is just waiting for the official documentation to arrive in the mail.

He said he has never adopted a mustang from the BLM before. He said the local BLM employees have been great to work with through his first adoption.

Uncertainty of life

While things are working out well for Stony, Butler admitted that life is uncertain. He said the filly who had been born in January, and who essentially made it possible for Stony to survive and come live with the Butlers, died at about 18 months old. He said he doesn't know how she died, he just found her in the pasture one day.

Butler said the filly also helped teach him and his children life lessons. He said the filly was to be his daughter's horse since his daughter, Jaden, 8, was also born in January.

"It taught us a lesson about learning to let go," Butler said, noting he was looking forward to working with the horse with his daughter.

At first, he said, he was angry, thinking time was wasted, but now he realizes he needs to be thankful for the time you have and with what you have.

What's next for Stony?

Butler said the mustang's public persona remains "Stony" but the family has renamed him Cocoa because his son, Beaux, 4, and Jaden, said he looked like a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows with brown and white coloring.

He said as a young horse he has just started working with Cocoa. He had his first "mani, pedi day," as his wife Jill posted on Facebook when they worked on trimming his hooves. He has also had him get used to a "picket line" where he ties one foot to a line for grazing while trail riding.

He said when Cocoa is mature enough he will likely use him for trail and mountain riding. Cocoa is one of four horses the Butlers own, along with a burro. Having horses, he says, provides the opportunity to "take camping to a whole new level of fun," by being able to go farther into the forest.

As for other future plans, Butler noted a Thermopolis resident has expressed interest in a children's book about "Stony."

He also would like Stony aka Cocoa to help promote the BLM's wild horse and burro adoption program.

"The mustangs have a hard road ahead of them with the rules and regulations that the BLM is required to use in how to handle the mustangs. There's so many varying opinions from the public on how that should be done, too," Butler said.

He added that there are a lot of horses out there that the BLM has to do something with but the BLM is constrained by rules, restrictions and sometimes logistics, "and the poor horses are caught in the middle.

"Not that I think I'm the answer to fix all the problems by any means, but if nothing else if he could be a little bit of motivation to kind of help people think that choosing a mustang for their horse is maybe a little bit better idea, that would be a good step in the right direction. There are so many out there that need a place to go."
home US County approves rule requiring pregnancy centers to post 'Not a healthcare facility' disclaimers

The King County Board of Health in Washington State has approved a new rule that requires crisis pregnancy centers to put up a sign that indicates they're not health care facilities.

On Thursday, the county board voted 11a1 in favor of Rule & Regulation BOH 17-04, which relates to "disclosure of information of limited service pregnancy centers," KIRO 7 reported.

Under the new regulation, crisis pregnancy centers, many of which are faith based, will be required to put up a sign in 10 different languages, warning potential clients that, "This facility is not a healthcare facility."

Board Chairman Rod Dembowski, a King County Council member, argued that the pregnancy centers are unregulated and are often staffed by volunteers and employees who lack medical training or licensure.

A report by the feminist group Legal Voice, which was included in the Board of Health records for the regulation, alleged that the centers provide medically inaccurate information about abortion and some do not inform patients that they do not perform terminations or make referrals involving the procedure.

The group's report was based on visits by trained volunteer college and law students to the pregnancy centers.

Jessica Johnson of Seattle, however, testified that she was told about all her options when she visited Care Net of Puget Sound. She said that the pregnancy center provided her an ultrasound and parenting classes at no cost when she was pregnant more than a year ago. "Everyone knows where you can go if you want an abortion," she added.

Kathy Lambert, who was the only council member who dissented, offered a similar argument, saying an internet search will provide options for contraception and abortions.

Kim Triller, the executive director of Care Net, took offense at the assertion that pregnancy centers do not provide health care. She contended that her facilities are staffed by doctors nurses and other medical professionals with the addition of volunteer help.

Her facilities also offer free testing for sexually transmitted diseases apart from pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and counseling.

"[The new rule] would stigmatize us and create doubts in the minds of the people in King County. We are literally healthcare facilities," Triller said.

She believes that the regulation is an attempt to put Care Net and other faith-based health care facilities out of business because they do not perform abortions.

According to Seattle Times, failure to post the notice could lead to fines of $100 per day. The sign should be at least 11 by 17 inches, and the warning must be written in 48-point font size.
home World Defector expresses remorse for aiding in assassination of pastor who assisted North Korean refugees

A North Korean defector has reportedly expressed remorse for providing information on the movements of a pastor in China who was known for assisting refugees fleeing from the Communist regime.

Han Chung Ryeol, a pastor at a church in China's Changbai City, had provided assistance to defectors fleeing the border region before they could be caught and sent back to North Korea.

According to The Telegraph, Han disappeared in April 2016 and was later found dead with his throat slashed.

The North Korean government has been suspected of being involved in the pastor's death, but Chinese authorities said they were unable to find any evidence that Pyongyang had carried out the attack.

The Daily NK news site reported that a North Korean defector has recently confessed to her involvement in the case.

According to a source in China, a woman in her twenties was blackmailed to become an informant in October 2015 after North Korea's Ministry of State Security (MSS) caught her smuggling scrap iron and medicinal herbs between North Korea and China.

Beginning in mid-February 2016, she was ordered to record the movements of Han and pass the information to security officers.

"The young woman received commendation and rewards for her contribution after the murder was carried out. She was also told that she would be severely punished if information about the murder was leaked," the source told Daily NK.

A separate source in China said that the woman was surprised to receive the reward, and learned that the operation resulted in the assassination of the pastor rather than a kidnapping.

"She was shocked to learn that she had taken part in a murder, and began to develop contempt for North Korea. That's when she decided to defect. She felt heavy guilt for her own part in the crime, and despised the MSS for manipulating her in that way," the source recounted, adding that the North Korean authorities manipulated and sexually assaulted the defector.

"The MSS officer in charge and even a Ministry of People's Security (MPS, North Korea's police force) who knew about her situation both sexually abused her. They abused her in every way imaginable, as a person and as a woman," the source added.

United Press International reported in May 2016 that Han had received a phone call from a North Korean woman in her late 20s prior to his murder.

The woman, identified in the report as Kim, was later seen in a surveillance footage with three people who were believed to be North Korean agents, according to Choe Seong-yong, the head of the activist group representing abducted families.

The activists believed that Kim was a trusted confidante of Han because he was willing to meet with her after receiving the phone call. They speculated that North Korean agents might have threatened to harm Kim during the call and that Kim was assisting the pastor with his mission until she was apprehended.

Choe said that North Korea has a record of murdering Christian ministers who assist defectors in the border regions. He noted that agents are responsible for killing Pastor Ahn Seungun in 1995 and Kim Dongsik in 2002.
home World Irish priest denounces plans to show horror films at a former Catholic church

An Irish priest has denounced plans by the Belfast Film Festival to screen two horror films at a former Catholic church in the city.

The Belfast Film Festival has scheduled the screenings of "The Omen" and "The Exorcist" in the former Holy Rosary Church on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast next month, the BBC reported.

Father Patrick McCafferty described the planned screenings as a "cheap stunt" and accused the organizers of the festival of insensitivity.

The priest had admitted that he had never seen either of the films but maintained that he "knew enough about them" to be aware of their content.

"You wonder what the motives of the people at the film festival is and why they would choose a church in which to air these films. There's a basic lack of sensitivity towards people who would have memories of everything from baptisms to weddings and funerals from inside that building," the priest told Irish Central.

A spokesman for the festival defended the decision to show the film at the church, saying it would add to the "eerie atmosphere" for the audience.

"The locations chosen add an extra dimension to the screening and we think the stone-cold surroundings of an abandoned church will make for a suitably chilling viewing experience for 'The Exorcist,'" the spokesman said.

The former church has been used as a place of worship for nearly 40 years, but it has since fallen into disrepair.

The church opened in 1898 to cater to the growing Catholic population in the area, but it had been deemed too small by 1980, and the parishioners moved across the road to the larger Good Shepherd Church.

The building, which is no longer owned by the Catholic Church, has been recently acquired by Tullymore House Ltd., which is planning to redevelop the former church as an Italian restaurant.

The Ballymena-based firm said it granted the permission to screen the horror films "as a reflection of our continued support of the arts community in Northern Ireland."

McCafferty said he has no objections to the plans of turning the former church into a restaurant, but he insisted that the "screening of horror films in there is another matter entirely."

He said that the festival organizers should reconsider their plans and move the event to a "more appropriate venue."

The BBC reported on July 6 that about 100 tickets have already been sold for the 180-seat screening for "The Exorcist."
home US Lesbian woman seeking divorce asks Christian judge to recuse himself

A lesbian mother who is seeking a divorce from her husband has asked a Christian judge in Alabama to recuse himself from the case because of his personal views on homosexuality.

Tiara Brooke Lycans, an Alabama native who is seeking a divorce from her husband, Zachary Thomas Lycans, has filed two motions this year asking DeKalb Circuit Court Judge Shaunathan C. Bell to recuse himself from her case, but he denied her request both times. The denial of her requests prompted her to petition the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, which also rejected her plea on Thursday, AL.com reported.

In her request, Lycans pointed out that Bell had served as a preacher at a fundamentalist church for 15 years and that he continued to preach even after taking office as a judge.

The mother argued that the judge's "publicly expressed belief that homosexual relationships and marriages are contrary to God's law" could negatively affect her chances of winning custody of the child born to her marriage with Zachary.

The appeals court defended its decision to deny her request, saying Bell had granted the Lycans joint physical custody alternating weekly in his initial pending ruling on custody, and that he had done the same in two other divorce cases involving lesbian mothers.

According to Russia Today, Bell serves as a pastor at Liberty Hill Baptist Church in Alabama. Scriptures from the Bible were reportedly read aloud when he was sworn in as a judge on the Circuit Court in 2013.

Lycans' case comes several months after the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the suspension of former Chief Justice Roy Moore due to his stance on same-sex marriage.

Moore had been found guilty of ethics violations by the state Court of the Judiciary (COJ) over his 2016 memo regarding the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The memo stems from an order issued by six of nine Supreme Court judges in March 2015 that halted the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in the state. Three months after the order was issued, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that states must recognize same-sex nuptials.

The Alabama court did not immediately lift the previous order, prompting Moore to issue a memo in January 2016, advising that the full court's previous instructions remained in effect until it issued directives in light of the Obefgefell v. Hodges ruling.

Moore, who was not one of the judges that issued the 2015 order, argued during his Sept. 2016 trial that he did not issue any orders, but only a status update as the Alabama Supreme Court had not rescinded the previous order. But the COJ did not believe the former chief justice and found him guilty on all ethics charges.

In April, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the COJ ruling and also concluded that the memo was more than just a status update
home US Military policy on transgender service members will remain unchanged, says top general

A top military official has stated that there will be no changes to the current policy on transgender service members until President Donald Trump issues guidance to the Pentagon.

In a surprise tweet on Wednesday, Trump announced that the Pentagon will no longer allow transgender individuals to serve openly in the U.S. Armed Forces, citing "tremendous medical costs and disruption." The president stated that the decision came after he consulted with military commanders and experts.

However, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, Jr. issued a memo to service chiefs and commanders on Thursday, saying there will be no changes to the policy until "the President's direction has been received by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary has issued implementation guidance."

"In the meantime, we will continue to treat all of our personnel with respect," Dunford wrote, according to Fox News.

"As importantly, given the current fight and the challenges we face, we will all remain focused on accomplishing our assigned missions," he added.

Trump's announcement drew criticisms from civil liberty and LGBTQ groups as well as from three senior officers interviewed by Reuters on Thursday.

"I hope our commander in chief understands that we don't transmit orders via Twitter, and that he can't, either," one officer told Reuters by phone, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

"Even if this were an order, implementing it legally would take considerable time, if it's even possible," the officer added.

Sarah Kate Ellis, president of Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), said that Trump is "calling for a witch hunt & purge of 15,000 trans military Americans."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders stated that the implementation of Trump's announcement is still being worked out.

Transgender individuals were allowed to serve openly in the military since last year under a policy enacted under the Obama administration.

While the policy allowed transgenders to serve openly, Obama had delayed the implementation of allowing them to enlist until July 1, 2017. On June 30, Secretary of Defense James Mattis approved a request to delay the implementation of the policy and set the new deadline for Jan. 1, 2018.

The independent Rand Corporation has estimated that there are about 4,000 transgenders currently serving in the military, but some campaigners put the figure higher than 10,000. The corporation has predicted that the inclusion of transgender individuals in the military would lead to a 0.13 percent increase in health care spending, which would amount to approximately $8.4 million.
home US Missouri governor passes bill requiring annual inspections on abortion clinics

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has passed a wide-ranging pro-life measure that includes a provision that requires abortion clinics to be inspected annually.

Senate Bill 5 was passed by the Missouri Senate by a vote of 22a9 in a special session on July 25. It was signed into law by Greitens on July 26, St. Louis Review reported.

Apart from the annual inspections on abortion clinics, the new law preempts local governments from enacting ordinances that adversely affect legal rights of individuals based on their views on abortion.

The measure also gives the Missouri attorney general greater authority to enforce the state's abortion laws. It also provides whistleblower protections for employees involved with abortion. Additionally, it also requires abortion clinics to develop plans for medical emergencies, and it prohibits abortion clinic workers from instructing first responders not to follow protocol when responding to emergencies at abortion facilities.

"Today is a great victory for pregnancy care centers that help women and children all over the state," Greitens said in a statement. "I'm proud that many of Missouri's lawmakers stood strong to protect the lives of the innocent unborn and women's health," he continued.

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson said in a statement that the new law "will save the lives of unborn children, safeguard the health and safety of women, and protect the freedom of pregnancy resource centers to hire whom they choose. Ultimately, the worth of this special session will not be determined by the money spent, but by the number of lives saved, of which we may never have an exact accounting."

Greitens called for a second special session this summer to focus on policies regarding abortion following the passage of a St. Louis ordinance that prohibits organizations and businesses from hiring and firing employees based on "reproductive health decisions or pregnancy status."

A lawsuit challenging the ordinance was filed in May by Our Lady's Inn, St. Louis archdiocesan elementary schools, O'Brien Industrial Holdings LLC and Frank Robert O'Brien. The plaintiffs argued that the ordinance's limited religious exemptions are vague and undefined and do not cover individuals affiliated with organizations that may be exempt.

While the state legislation addresses the city's ordinance regarding anything related to the direct or indirect involvement with abortion, it has not resolved issues regarding hiring practices, real estate and free speech.

The archbishop's statement indicated that the federal lawsuit against the City of St. Louis over the ordinance will continue despite the passage of the legislation, which is set to take effect in late October.
home US Most white evangelicals don't view Islam as part of American society, Pew survey reveals

Two-thirds of white evangelicals do not view Islam as part of mainstream American society, according to a new study conducted by Pew Research Center.

According to the report released on Wednesday, 72 percent of white evangelicals see a natural conflict between Islam and democracy, compared with 44 percent of Americans overall. Among Muslims, 30 percent agreed that the two are in conflict. Six percent of Americans and five percent of Muslims attribute the tension to the belief that America is a Christian nation.

As many as 62 percent of Muslim respondents believe that the rest of America does not see them as part of society, and 68 percent said they were worried about President Donald Trump due to his immigration policy.

The report noted that half of Muslims said they have experienced discrimination over the past year and as many as 75 percent of Americans believe that Muslims face a lot of discrimination.

However, almost half of Muslim respondents said they received expressions of encouragement from non-Muslims in the past year. Muslims remain optimistic about their future, and 70 percent believe that they can achieve success through hard work.

"There's a sense among the American Muslim population that others are beginning to understand them and beginning to sympathize with them," said Amaney Jamal, a Princeton University political scientist and adviser to Pew researchers. She contended that prejudice against Muslims has "pushed the average American to say, 'This is really not fair. I'm going to knock on my neighbor's door to see if they're all right.'"

The findings further indicated that eight in 10 American Muslims were concerned about Islamic extremism in the U.S. while over 70 percent said they were very or somewhat concerned. However, three in 10 believe that most of those arrested on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks have been tricked by the authorities and did not represent a real threat.

The Pew survey of 1,001 adult respondents is the third on American Muslims since 2007, and the first since Trump took office on Jan. 20. The study was conducted by phone between Jan. 23 and May 2 in English, Arabic, Farsi and Urdu, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.8 percentage points.

Pew estimated that the number of American Muslims has been growing by 100,000 a year, reaching 3.35 million, or one percent of the American population. A little over half of American Muslims identify as Sunni, compared with 16 percent who are Shiite.
home US New Jersey governor approves bill that would allow transgender students to use restrooms of their choice

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has approved a legislation that would require the state Commissioner of Education to develop guidelines regarding transgender students, including allowing them to use restrooms that correspond with their gender identity instead of their biological sex.

On Friday, Christie signed S3067/A4652, which directs the state Commissioner of Education to create guidelines that would ensure a "supportive and nondiscriminatory environment" for transgender students in New Jersey schools.

Under the guidelines, New Jersey school district will not be able to force students to use bathrooms that do not correspond with their gender identity.

The guidelines would also require teachers to use the name and pronoun that are consistent with the student's gender identity, and to recognize the students' gender identities on their ID cards and in the enforcement of dress codes. It would also allow transgender students to participate in gender-segregated activities in accordance with their gender identity.

"These guidelines are needed to ensure that transgender students can safely be themselves without fear of being persecuted, and can help promote a culture of understanding and acceptance that will hopefully influence how students treat each other in and outside of school," said one of the bill's sponsors, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), according to The Christian Post.

Christie had stated in March that it should be up to individual school districts to decide policies on transgender issues, and he has not provided an explanation on why he decided to sign S3067/A4652 into law on Friday.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump's administration rescinded an Obama-era guidance that required schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms according to their gender identity.

However, the Trump administration also issued a memo in June, warning schools that they could be investigated for discrimination against transgender students if they do not use their preferred pronouns.

The New Jersey governor also signed A4568, a legislation that would prohibit state-licensed hospitals state-licensed hospitals, health providers, health insurers, and Medicaid from refusing service to transgender individuals.

The legislation appears to be a response to the case of Jionni Conforti, a biological woman who sued a Catholic hospital in New Jersey after being denied a hysterectomy as part of her transition to a man.

Christie's record on approving legislation regarding LGBT issues has been described as mixed at best. The governor had opposed same-sex marriage, but he chose not to fight a court decision that overturned the state's ban on such unions.

In 2013, Christie approved a bill that bans ex-gay therapy for minors, but he had vetoed bills that would make it easier for transgender people to change their genders on their birth certificates. He expressed concerns that easier guidelines could allow for "fraud, deception, and abuse."
home US Perry Noble says he 'never felt qualified' to preach while he was still pastor at NewSpring

Perry Noble, the former pastor at NewSpring Church in South Carolina, admitted that he "never felt qualified" to preach at his former church even before he was fired for his alcoholism last year.

In a statement to members last Friday, NewSpring Teaching Pastor Clayton King said that he and other NewSpring leaders do not think Noble was qualified to preach according to biblical standards.

Noble returned to the pulpit last February and preached at the 11-year anniversary celebration of Steven Furtick's Elevation Church in North Carolina. According to The Christian Post, he has been continuing to do preaching engagements at other churches, leading NewSpring members to question why he was not being invited to preach there as well.

King explained to the members on Friday that he and his leadership team believe that Noble currently does not meet the biblical qualifications of a pastor, teacher, shepherd as outlined in the three biblical scriptures on leadership a Timothy 3:1-5, Titus 1:5b-9 and James 3:1.

In response, Noble insisted that he never met the qualifications for leadership at any one time while he served as a pastor at NewSpring, and said he saw the statement as an attack on churches that have allowed him to preach.

"I could go through that list, as the senior pastor of NewSpring, I never felt qualified. I never felt I was good enough and I never ever at any point in my ministry could have gone through any of those lists and checked them all off as I know, as you know," he said.

Noble also expressed disappointment at the suggestion by NewSpring leadership that his ministry was not about Jesus.

"The thing that hurt me the most was what I felt was a gross and inaccurate representation of my ministry, that it was somehow not about Jesus," he said.

"There may be quite a few things that I did wrong as the senior pastor of NewSpring Church. However, I preached Jesus faithfully every Sunday that I had the privilege to serve at NewSpring Church," he added.

He further stated that losing NewSpring Church is "one of the most painful things that have ever happened in my entire life."

The former pastor admitted that he had ignored King's personal efforts to reconnect with him after his firing, but he noted that he had been in contact with other staff, including lead pastors at NewSpring.

Noble contended that NewSpring leaders are not in a good position to make any judgments on his spirituality since there is currently not much of a relationship between him and the lead pastors.

"They can talk about how I am seeming unrepentant although I would say in order to determine whether someone is repentant you need to have a relationship with them 'cause it's real hard to call out repentance from the cheap seats," he said.

NewSpring leaders announced last Friday that there will be some changes in its leadership structure.

Church officials stated that the leadership responsibilities will now be shared by four lead pastors and four teaching pastors, who will rotate major sermon duties.

Rev. Lee McDerment, one of the teaching pastors, said that a single pastor bearing the weight of a church like NewSpring is too much, but sharing the load should lead to a longer future.

The church officials also noted that giving was down since Noble's firing, but the church now had more than $15 million in surplus in the bank after paying off debt.
home US Planned Parenthood official appears to share how to circumvent laws against partial-birth abortions

In a new video released on Thursday by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), a Planned Parenthood medical director has apparently shared how abortionists circumvent laws banning partial-birth abortions.

Dr. Suzie Prabhakaran, vice president of medical affairs for Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, is seen in the video seemingly discussing late-term "dismemberment" and partial-birth abortion protocols in the context of fetal body part harvesting.

According to Life News, the federal partial-birth abortion ban prohibits abortions in which the fetus is extracted alive up to certain anatomical landmarks.

Prabhakaran told undercover investigators that abortionists can get around the federal ban by using a feticide such as digoxin to kill the baby before the procedure, or they can simply state their "intent" to use a different procedure.

"So some people train to just document that like, you know to comply with the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban, you basically have to say, 'I intend to utilize dismemberment techniques for this procedure,'" she said.

She further explained that there's a checkbox in a document that abortionist can use to state their intention to perform dismemberment abortion, but later perform a partial-birth abortion.

"That's how you comply. I'm not doing digoxin, and we're just going to document and there's never been a problem," she said.

According to The Stream, the use of digoxin, which stops the baby's heart prior to the abortion, would make the baby's organs unviable for harvesting.

The medical director also told undercover investigators that her affiliate is merging with a Planned Parenthood clinic in Orlando that performs abortions up to 22 weeks and six days into pregnancy. She noted that the Orlando clinic does a high volume of procedures with "18 abortions at 18 weeks and above scheduled for the next week."

Prabhakaran's explanation of protocols for second-trimester abortion procedures seemed to corroborate statements from another Planned Parenthood official in CMP's first undercover video, showing a lax attitude toward the partial-birth abortion law.

In a clip from an earlier video, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, senior director of medical services for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, can be heard saying that "laws are up to interpretation."

"So there are some people who interpret [the partial-birth abortion ban] as, it's intent," Nucatola said. "So if I say on Day One I do not intend to do this, what ultimately happens doesn't matter," she added.

In a statement, CMP founder David Daleiden called on the Department of Justice to launch an investigation on Planned Parenthood regarding its late-term abortion practices. He also urged the U.S. Congress to "stop forcing taxpayers to subsidize Planned Parenthood's brutal abortion empire."
home World Report: Palestinian Authority uses half of all foreign aid to fund terrorism

A report from the Institute for Contemporary Affairs has indicated that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is spending half of the money it receives in direct foreign aid to pay stipends to convicted terrorists and their families.

The study noted that the PA receives $692 million in direct foreign aid each year, most of which comes from the U.S. and the EU.

Arutz Sheva reported that $344 million of that amount is used to pay stipends for terrorists and their families.

Four percent of the PA's total budget for this year, which includes foreign aid and tax revenues, is dedicated to "the struggle against Zion," while 13 percent is set aside for paying jailed terrorists and the families of terrorists killed during attacks on Israelis.

The PA now pays over $3,000 a month to jailed terrorists after they carry out terror attacks. The 19-year-old terrorist who killed three Israelis has reportedly been promised a lifetime salary of $3,120 a month, which is more than 10 times the average income in the Palestinian Authority.

According to CBN News, the PA's funding for paying convicted terrorists this year has reached $355 million.

Palestinian Media Watch director Itamar Marcus stated that the increase in funding is a "slap in the face" to the U.S., which has condemned the practice and has called on the Palestinian leadership to stop the payments.

"It's a slap in the face to the United States. It's a slap in the face to the foreign affairs committee that just met last week to decide what to do about this," Marcus said.

"And I'm hoping that the Senate and the American people and the Congress and the administration will act very firmly on this reward to terror," he continued.

The PA has paid over $1 billion to terrorists and families of terrorists over the past four years, according to the Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that the U.S. Senate is currently considering a legislation to defund the PA if it continues to pay terrorists and their families. The measure, called the Taylor Force Act, is named after an American citizen who was killed by a Palestinian terrorist.

"We're going to keep that aid flowing with one condition," said Graham. "The secretary of state has to certify that the Palestinian government is changing their behavior. If he can't do that we'll cut that money off," he added.
home US Richard Dawkins slams cancellation of Berkeley event: 'Why do you give Islam a free pass?'

Famed atheist and author Richard Dawkins has accused a California radio station of giving Islam a "free pass" after it canceled his appearance following protests from students.

Dawkins was lined up to promote his new book "Science in the Soul: Selected Writings of a Passionate Rationalist," at an event hosted by the KPFA Radio in Berkeley, California in August. However, the radio station canceled his segment after protesters highlighted his past declaration that Islam was the "most evil" of world religions.

The radio station sent an email to ticket holders on Thursday praising Dawkins' book but apologizing for not having "broader knowledge" about his views, adding that the famed atheist had hurt people with "his tweets and other comments on Islam."

In an open letter Dawkins shared on his website, the author asked why he was not allowed to criticize Islam, noting that he regularly criticizes Christianity.

"I am known as a frequent critic of Christianity and have never been de-platformed for that. Why do you give Islam a free pass?" Dawkins asked. "Why is it fine to criticise Christianity but not Islam?" he added.

Dawkins explained that his past comments were not aimed at attacking Islam as a faith but was directed instead against Islamism, a political interpretation of the religion to justify extremism.

"If you had consulted me, or if you had done even rudimentary fact-checking, you would have concluded that I have never used abusive speech against Islam," Dawkins wrote.

"Far from attacking Muslims, I understand, as perhaps you do not, that Muslims themselves are the prime victims of the oppressive cruelties of Islamism, especially Muslim women," the author continued.

The author told The New York Times on Saturday that he only learned about the cancellation after the email from the station was forwarded to him. He added that the station did not offer any further explanation regarding the cancellation of the event.

Berkeley has drawn controversy in recent months due to the cancellation of speeches over security concerns. In February, the University of California, Berkeley, canceled an appearance by right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos following violent protests. The university also canceled a speech by conservative author Ann Coulter in April, citing security concerns. The radio station, however, is not officially connected with the university.

Dawkins stated that he once lived in Berkeley during the late 1960s and was once a frequent listener and supporter of KPFA. He said he objected to the idea that speakers who are deemed to be offensive should be turned away from universities.
home US Samuel Rodriguez calls for release of evangelical pastor being prepared for deportation

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), has called on President Donald Trump's administration to release a Guatemalan-born evangelical pastor who is currently detained in California and being prepared for deportation.

Noe Carias, who pastors an Assemblies of God church in Los Angeles, was arrested during a routine appointment with an immigration officer on Monday, Los Angeles Times reported. The pastor, who is married to a U.S. citizen, had been previously granted two one-year stays in 2015 and 2016, but his request for a third stay was denied earlier this year.

Rodriguez, who is affiliated with Assemblies of God, released a statement expressing his dismay over the pastor's arrest and impending deportation. He contended that Carias is a "law-abiding and productive member of his local Los Angeles community" and pointed out that Trump had repeatedly promised to prioritize the deportation of violent criminals.

"Time and again, President Trump has stated his priority would be to deport violent criminals, drug dealers, human traffickers and gang members. Pastor Carias is the very opposite of that description. We should deport pushers, not pastors," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was one of the six faith leaders who spoke at Trump's inauguration, and he is one of the several evangelical pastors who are acting as informal advisers to the White House on various issues including immigration.

In his statement, Rodriguez expressed frustration, stating that deporting a pastor like Carias is an "assault on the sanctity of life."

"To deport any immigrant whose life is so deeply connected to the United States and whose family is comprised of U.S. citizens, is an assault on the sanctity of life and the sacredness of the family. We cannot and must not allow families to be ripped apart by an immigration system that is attempting to make up for any real or perceived inadequacies of our past enforcement policies," he said.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) contended that Carias is a "repeat immigration violator" who has assumed multiple identities and nationalities in the past to evade immigration officers.

Carias was first deported from the U.S. in 1993 when he entered the country illegally. He entered the country again and ignored a second deportation order in 1995.

According to his lawyer Noemi Ramirez, immigration officials decided that the pastor is "removable because of his '95 decision."

Rodriguez stated that the NHCLC will work with the Trump administration and authorities to overturn the deportation order against Carias.

Guillermo Torres of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice said that other pastors had met with and sent letters to immigration officials about Carias' case.
home US State Department lawyers remove references to ISIS 'genocide' of Christians from official documents

Top lawyers at the U.S. State Department are reportedly removing the word "genocide" from official documents and speeches to describe the Islamic State's persecution of Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria.

According to international human rights lawyer Nina Shea, the decision to remove the word "genocide" from official documents was made by Richard Visek, who was appointed by President Barack Obama as head the State Department's Office of Legal Adviser in October 2016.

"I don't think for a minute it's a bureaucratic decision a it's ideological," said Shea, who previously served as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) from 1999 to 2012.

Additionally, the confirmation of Mark Green, who was picked by President Donald Trump to head the U.S. Agency for International Development, is reportedly being delayed by Democratic senators.

Activists contended that these efforts guarantee that Obama-era policies that worked to exclude Iraq's Christian and other religious minorities from key U.S. aid programs are kept in place.

In March 2016, then-Secretary of State John Kerry declared publicly that ISIS was carrying out a "genocide" against Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims. The declaration, which was reportedly at odds with others in the Obama administration, came after human rights advocacy groups released detailed documentation highlighting the persecution faced by religious minorities at the hands of the terror group.

Activists and a bipartisan group of Capitol Hill lawmakers are hoping that the designation would help direct U.S. relief funds to Christian, Yazidi and other persecuted religious minority communities.

In early May, Congress allocated more than $1.3 billion in funds for refugee assistance and added a specific language in a legislation in an attempt to ensure that some of the money will go to persecuted minorities, including Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims. However, only $10 million was specifically earmarked for the religious minorities that are deemed victims of genocide by the U.S. State Department in 2016.

"There is congressional legislation ... that calls for the U.S. government to stop excluding the genocide-targeted minorities in Iraq. This has been a pervasive problem that this aid has not been getting to them," said Shea, according to The Washington Free Beacon.

The Trump administration has until the end of September this year, when the stopgap funding bill runs out, to ensure that the funds are distributed in the most effective way.

"Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama made catastrophic mistakes that left these communities on the brink of extinction, but it's going to be on President Trump's watch as to whether they survive or become extinctait's going to be his policies that make or break the situation," Shea added.
home US Texas Senate advances five pro-life measures in special session

The Texas Senate has advanced five pro-life measures in a late-night vote during a special legislative session called by Gov. Greg Abbott last month.

According to Church Militant, Abbott announced the special session on June 6 to consider key pro-life bills that were killed during the regular session.

"Considering all the successes of the 85th legislative session, we should not be where we are today," Abbott told the lawmakers.

"A special session was entirely avoidable, and there was plenty of time for the legislature to forge compromises to avoid the time and taxpayer expense of a special session. As governor, if I am going to call a special session, I intend to make it count," he added.

In a late-night vote on July 25, the lawmakers approved Senate Bill 10, which would strengthen requirements for physicians to report complications during an abortion procedure. Under the legislation, physicians who failed to comply with the requirements within 72 hours could face a fine of $500 for each day of the violation.

The report that would be submitted to the state health commission must include pieces of information, such as the patient's birth year, race, marital status, the date of her last menstrual cycle, the number of previous abortions and the number of previous live births, The Texas Tribune reported.

Sen. Donna Campbell, the bill's author, contended that the current reporting requirements on abortion complications were "sporadic and inefficient."

"Collecting this data is important to guarantee best medical practices," she said, adding that the state needed to "cast a wider net" in gathering data.

The senators also passed Senate Bill 73, which bolsters requirements for physicians to report abortions performed on minors. The reporting requirements under the said bill would include whether minors seeking abortions did so because of a medical emergency and whether they obtained parental consent or a judicial bypass.

Other bills passed by the Senate include Senate Bill 4, which prevents Planned Parenthood and its surrogates from receiving taxpayer funding, and Senate Bill 11, which prevents a physician from imposing a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) without an order from a patient or the patient's legal representative.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 8, which would require women to purchase separate abortion coverage in their insurance plans.

"Texas must take steps to prohibit taxpayer dollars from subsidizing abortions that are not medically necessary, and to give employers the freedom to choose whether or not they provide coverage for abortion," said the bill's author, Sen. Brandon Creighton.

The five bills, which were among the 20 items Abbott placed on the agenda for the special session, are now headed to the Texas House for consideration.
home US Texas Senate passes bathroom bill despite objections from businesses, law enforcement

The Texas Senate passed a legislation that would restrict public restroom access for transgender people despite objections from business owners and law enforcement.

Senate Bill 3, which would require transgender individuals to use bathrooms that match the sex listed on their birth certificates, was approved by the Senate by a vote of 21a10 on early Wednesday shortly after midnight, Fox News reported. The legislation has now been sent to the House, where it faces opposition.

In a news conference on Tuesday, police chiefs from three of the five biggest cities in Texas called on lawmakers to reject the legislation, arguing that it is discriminatory and does not keep the public safe.

"If a bill like this were to be passed that would pull police officers' time away from combating violent crime into enforcing a bathroom bill, it makes communities less safe. It is time not spent ensuring community safety," said Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.

The bill also faced opposition from some Fortune 500 companies based in Texas, such as AT&T, Dell, Kimberly-Clark, Southwest Airlines and Texas Instruments.

In a letter sent to Gov. Greg Abbott last week, corporate leaders warned that the measure would "seriously hurt the state's ability to attract new businesses, investment, and jobs."

According to The Daily Beast, the bill does not include penalties for those who are found to be in violation of the measure, and transgender individuals could not be arrested and prosecuted for using bathrooms of their choice. However, the Texas attorney general could sue local governments and schools that adopt policies that allow transgenders to use bathrooms that do not match the sex on their birth certificates or state-issued ID.

Proponents of the bill have argued that bathroom restrictions are needed to protect the safety of vulnerable women and children.

Cindy Asmussen, an adviser to the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee, testified in favor of SB3 and pointed to the case of 30-year-old Hubert Justin Powell, who was recently caught in the act of attempting to rape an 8-year-old girl in a restroom stall at a public library in Austin.

"Even though we already have laws that deal with sexual crimes, the issue here is no one questioned the fact that this man was entering a women's restroom," Asmussen said, as reported by Baptist News Global.

"We cannot become desensitized to this when we know that perpetrators will take advantage of any opportunity to utilize all manipulative means of deception to pursue their desired end by initiating contact, engaging or gaining access to their victims, and we must set the standard for public safety," she added.

Tuesday's vote, which followed eight hours of debate, was the second attempt by Texas lawmakers to pass a bill restricting bathroom use. A previous bill was approved by the Senate but died in the House without a vote.
home US Trump picks Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as religious freedom ambassador

The White House has announced that President Donald Trump will nominate Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as America's next ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Brownback would assume the position created in the State Department by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, of which he was one of the key sponsors.

"Religious freedom is the first freedom. The choice of what you do with your own soul. I am honored to serve such an important cause," the Republican governor tweeted.

Brownback, who has previously served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, was one of only three members of Congress to receive a perfect score on the International Religious Freedom Scorecard for his efforts during President Barack Obama's first two years in office.

The governor is expected to step down when he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, but his office has not discussed his plans when the White House made the announcement on Wednesday. His departure would automatically elevate Lt. gov. Jeff Colyer to governor, according to The Associated Press.

Brownback has governed Kansas since 2011, and was re-elected in 2014. He is no longer eligible to run for a third consecutive term.

In 2015, the governor issued an executive order protecting the religious freedom of clergy and organizations that opposed same-sex marriage when it became legal following the landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We ... recognize that religious liberty is at the heart of who we are as Kansans and Americans, and should be protected," the governor said at the time.

The Republican governor would leave Kansas with far tougher restrictions on abortion and fewer limits on gun owners, but he will be most remembered for championing cuts in Kansas personal income taxes beginning in 2012.

Brownback, who converted from Methodism to Roman Catholicism in 2002, had served as a Catholic advisor to the Trump campaign.

His nomination has been pushed by some conservative religious groups, and Brownback's fellow Republicans have said that the job is a good fit for him.

"Sam has always been called to fight for those of all faiths, and I am glad he has been given an opportunity to answer this call," said Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts.

Tom Farr, president of the Religious Freedom Institute at Georgetown University, told Christianity Today, that the Republican governor "has the experience, passion, and gravitas to make the advancement of international religious freedom an all-of-government policy that will engage all US foreign affairs agencies."
home US Trump's faith advisors discussed ban on transgender service members at White House meeting

Evangelical Christian leaders who informally advise President Donald Trump briefly discussed the issue of banning transgender individuals from serving in the military during a meeting at the White House earlier this month.

In a series of social media posts on Wednesday, Trump announced that the Pentagon will no longer allow transgenders to serve openly in the U.S. Armed Forces, citing "tremendous medical costs and disruption."

According to Religion News Service, several evangelical leaders, including some who had served on Trump's evangelical advisory board during the campaign, discussed the issue with various White House staff members on July 10 at the Eisenhower Executive Office meeting.

Evangelical author and public relations consultant Johnnie Moore, who was present at the meeting, said the policy on transgender people serving in the military had not been on the agenda for the meeting, but it was one of many topics that came out throughout the day.

"We briefly discussed this issue," he said, adding that evangelicals sent a signed letter to the president earlier this week, asking him to reverse the Obama policy allowing transgender people to serve in the military.

Moore noted that the letter was written by Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, who was present at the meeting, and was signed by several prominent evangelicals. He said he does not know if the letter had been read by the president.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Moore maintained that Trump's decision to rescind the Obama-era military policy had more to do with his discussions with military personnel than the influence of conservative evangelical leaders.

Trump had declared in his tweet on Wednesday, that he made the decision "after consultation" with his "generals and military experts."

Moore also noted that the issue was not discussed with the president when evangelical leaders prayed for him in the oval office.

"While in the all-day meeting that we had, the subject came up at a certain point among many, many subjects. It is inaccurate to say that it was discussed in the Oval Office with the president," he said.

"All we did with the president was pray with him. We didn't discuss a single issue with him. Those are the facts," he added.

The author explained that evangelicals were more concerned about the appointment of an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. On Wednesday, the White House announced that Trump is planning to nominate Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback to fill that position.

A day after Trump announced the ban on transgender service members, the Department of Defense stated that there will be no changes to the current policy until "the President's direction has been received by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary has issued implementation guidance."

Several news outlets have reported that the ban came in response to a Capitol Hill dispute over whether taxpayer money should be used to pay for gender transition and hormone therapy for transgender service members.
home World UK Christians decry proposal to allow gender change without medical diagnosis

Christians in the U.K. are raising their objections to a proposal that would allow adults to change their gender legally without a doctor's diagnosis.

Express has reported that Education Secretary Justine Greening has confirmed that the Gender Recognition Bill will include proposals for allowing men to identify as women and vice versa.

Under current law, people must be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a condition in which a person's biological sex and identity do not match.

The proposed legislation would scrap the rule that requires people to live for two years in their desired change before they can officially change sex.

Individuals will be allowed to alter the birth certificates to reflect their gender, and those who identify as "nonbinary" will be able to define themselves as "X" in the document.

The Labour party and Lib Dems are expected to back the plans. British Prime Minister Theresa May has recently expressed their support for the proposal, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has stated that he wanted people to be able to "self-identify" their sex.

Greening stated that the government will consult with the public later this year about the proposals that are intended to overhaul the current "complex" rules.

"What we want to do is try and streamline the process, de-medicalise it and make it less intrusive. We'll be consulting on how to do that in the autumn," she said.

Simon Calvert, a spokesman for The Christian Institute, expressed concern that the proposed bill could lead to invasion of privacy.

"It is worrying when the leaders of the main political parties are so out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people. Allowing men to self-identify as female without any medical diagnosis allows them to invade the privacy of women and girls," he said.

"It's time for a reality check. Some things can't be changed. May and Corbyn want to elevate the principle of 'gender self-declaration'. But it is wrong, it is anti-scientific and it is dangerous," he continued.

The plan was also criticized by the parents' group Transgender Trend, which warned that women might stop going to facilities such as women's hospital wards and rape crisis centers if any man who can identify as a woman without tests can gain access to places where women might be getting undressed or feel vulnerable.

The British government is expected to publish the consultation this autumn after consulting the country's estimated 1.5 million LGBT people to help inform the policy.
home US US State Department denies reports that references to ISIS genocide of Christians have been removed from documents

The U.S. State Department has "categorically" denied that the word "genocide" has been removed from official documents and speeches to describe the persecution of Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria at the hands of the Islamic State terror group.

It was reported last week that human rights activists and attorneys familiar with State Department policies have claimed that top lawyers "are systematically removing the word 'genocide' to describe the Islamic State's mass slaughter of Christians, Yazidis, and other ethnic minorities" from official documents and speeches before they are delivered.

On Sunday, however, State Department Press Secretary Heather Nauert maintained that the word "genocide" has not been removed from any of the official documents.

"I can tell you that that is categorically false," she told reporters. "We have looked through documents ourselves. The word 'genocide' is in fact in there. That has not been removed," she added.

According to international human rights lawyer Nina Shea, the decision to remove "genocide" from official documents was made by Richard Visek, who was appointed as the head of the State Department's Office of Legal Adviser by former President Barack Obama in October 2016.

The reports of the removal prompted Republican Sens. Marco Rubio, James Lankford, Roy Blunt, Ben Sasse, Cory Gardner and John Cornyn to write to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to seek clarification on the matter.

"When we look at Iraq and we look at what has happened to some of the Yazidis, some of the Christians, we a the Secretary [Rex Tillerson] believes and he firmly believes that that was genocide," Nauert said at the press conference.

In March 2016, then-Secretary of State John Kerry declared that ISIS was responsible for genocide against Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims.

Activists and lawmakers had hoped that Kerry's declaration would help direct millions of dollars in U.S. relief funds to Christian, Yazidi and other persecuted religious minority communities.

In early May, Congress allocated more than $1.3 million in funds for refugee assistance and included a specific language in a legislation in an attempt to ensure that some of the money will be used to assist the persecuted minority communities. However, only $10 million was specifically earmarked for the Christians, Yazidis, and other persecuted minorities that have been deemed by the U.S. State Department as victims of genocide.

"There is congressional legislation ... that calls for the U.S. government to stop excluding the genocide-targeted minorities in Iraq. This has been a pervasive problem that this aid has not been getting to them," said Shea, who previously served as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) from 1999 to 2012.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, President Donald Trump's administration has until the end of September this year, when the stopgap funding bill runs out, to ensure that the funds will be distributed in the most effective way.
home World Yazidi schoolgirl recounts how she was raped daily for six months by ISIS 'beast'

A Yazidi girl has recently recounted the horror of being kidnapped by Islamic State fighters at the age of 14 and how she was raped daily for six months by one of the militants she described as a "beast."

The girl, identified only as Ekhlas, was among the thousands of Yazidi women and children who were kidnapped by ISIS when it took over parts of Iraq in a brutal campaign in August 2014.

Ekhlas and her family tried to flee to Mount Sinjar where about 50,000 Yazidis have sought refuge, but they could not run fast enough. She witnessed her father being killed before she was taken from her mother and locked in a prison.

"All I heard was screaming and crying, everyone was starving, they weren't feeding anyone," she said in an interview with BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show.

"I saw a man who was over 40 take a 10-year-old girl. The girl was screaming. I'll never forget those screams, screaming for mum, 'mama, mama' but we could do nothing," she added.

Ekhlas, now 16, revealed that she felt so hopeless that she tried to kill herself in captivity. She recalled that her abuser picked her out of 150 girls by drawing lots.

"He was so ugly, like a beast, with his long hair. He smelt so bad, I was so frightened I couldn't look at him," she narrated.

"Every day for six months he raped me. I tried to kill myself. How am I telling you this without crying? I tell you I ran out of tears," she went on to say.

Ekhlas managed to escape while her captor was out fighting and made it to safety at a refugee camp. She is now living in Germany where she is receiving therapy and education in a psychiatric hospital.

According to Independent, ISIS has killed or captured an estimated 9,900 Yazidis when the terror group took over Mount Sinjar in 2014. As many as 3,100 of that figure were murdered, with almost half executed by gunshot, beheading or being burned alive. Others died from starvation, dehydration or injuries during the ISIS invasion.

Around 6,800 more Yazidis were kidnapped during the siege, with over a third still missing, at the time of the survey, published in the weekly journal PLOS Medicine.

A report published by The Guardian noted that to date, there have been no known large-scale rescue missions to free the Yazidi captives in Iraq and Syria, by either the U.S., Iraqi or Kurdistan regional governments.
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A Houston federal judge has denied Exxon Mobil's request to reduce a nearly $20 million civil penalty for releasing millions of pounds of air pollutants from its Baytown refinery over the course of eight years.

In a nine-page ruling late Monday, U.S. District Judge David Hittner rejected Exxon's contention he should recalculate the amount of money it saved by not making technological improvements  such as enhancing emissions monitoring with infrared imaging technology  that could have prevented thousands of emissions in violation of the Clean Air Act.

In an emailed statement, Exxon said it disagreed with and would appeal Hittner's decision.

"Exxon Mobil's full compliance history and good faith efforts to comply weigh against assessing any penalty," said Suann Guthrie, an Exxon spokeswoman. "The court has recognized that none of the events in question actually or potentially harmed public health or the environment."

In April, Hittner ordered Exxon to pay the penalty for releasing 10 million pounds of pollutants into the air from the Baytown refining and chemical complex from 2005 to 2013, handing a victory to environmental groups who had sued the company in 2010.

HoustonChronicle.com: Exxon ordered to pay $20 million in air pollution suit

The judge had found Exxon collected more than $14 million in so-called economic benefits by delaying technological improvements.

In late May, Exxon asked the court to reconsider that figure, and the number of its violations, among other factors used in assessing the penalty.

Exxon said the court erred in using Oct. 14, 2005 as the starting date from which to assess the penalty because it was six years before the Texas Commission Environmental Quality required it to make plant improvements.

"Even if there could be some economic benefit associated with the 'delay' of these four projects that were not required by agency rules, that benefit could not begin to accrue until (Exxon) became subject to an obligation with which they were required to comply," the company said.

Hittner disagreed, saying a previous ruling by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made it clear the penalty is based on non-compliance with the Clean Air Act, not the date Exxon entered an agreement with the TCEQ to improve its refinery.

"Plaintiffs did not sue because Exxon failed to implement the four TCEQ projects," the judge said. "Plaintiffs sued on the actionable permit violations under the CAA."

Related: Exxon confirms Texas site for $10 billion petrochemical complex
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Update: Scott Parazynski's appearance at Space Center Houston has been postponed. He'll still be at Brazos Bookstore Monday night.

Two chapters into Scott Parazynski's new memoir, he's taken readers close to the peak of Mount Everest, then clinging to the steep face of a Colorado mountain on a climbing adventure gone wrong.

That's two near-death experiences, and the former NASA astronaut hasn't even left Earth yet.

Parazynski, who lives in Houston, is a retired astronaut who made five trips to space, braved two trips up Everest and nearly made the 1988 U.S. Olympic luge team. He has hiked into a volcano, earned a pilot's license and a medical degree, and logged more time spacewalking than almost anyone else.

More Information Conversations with Scott Parazynski CANCELED: When: 1-3 p.m. Saturday Where: Space Center Houston, 1601 NASA Parkway Information: Space Center admission is $24.95 for children, $29.95 for adults; senior and military discounts When: 7 p.m. Monday Where: Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet Information: 713-523-0701; brazosbookstore.com 'The Sky Below' By Scott Parazynski with Susy Flory Little A, 284 pp., $14.95 See More Collapse

"I don't consider myself really a risk taker, which may surprise you," he said. "I like to think of myself as a risk manager. I think you can go into harm's way relatively safely."

Parazynski will sign copies of his book, "The Sky Below," in Houston this week. It's the story of a remarkable life full of adventure on Earth and beyond.

Parazynski, 56, grew up building model rockets with his dad in the space-race '60s, when NASA was striving to get astronauts to the moon. From an early age, he dreamed of becoming one of those astronauts - but he never told people about it because NASA seemed like "such a faraway, lofty goal."

"When I was a kid, everyone on my block wanted to become astronauts, too," he said. "Of course, I never grew out of it."

Parazynski knows firsthand what a risk each mission can be. He lost friends when the Columbia shuttle exploded over Texas in 2003. And each time he headed into orbit himself, he'd write farewell cards to his family, knowing something catastrophic could happen and he'd never return.

But there's been more to Parazynski's life than space. He's spent his life seeking adventure on Earth, too. As a kid, he traveled the world with his parents, living in Dakar, Beirut, Tehran and Athens. He grew up to be an adventurous athlete and a daring mountain climber.

In 2008, he took out a $40,000 home-equity loan to travel to the Himilayas and conquer Everest - and then a ruptured disc in his back forced him to turn around at 24,500 feet. But Parazynski didn't give up.

"I realized that it wasn't going to evaporate from my ambitions and dreams - it was still something that was burning in my desire to accomplish," he said. The next year, he faced Everest all over again and made it to the top.

Parazynski's not done with adventure, but he has left his space days behind. That's why he decided to write a memoir.

"I had so many crazy life stories that a lot of my family and friends insisted needed to be told," he said. "I started probably five years ago to put some of them down on paper. I had no idea how enormously difficult writing a book would be."

Parazynski credits his collaborator, writer Susy Flory, for the book's intense level of detail. He has a few journals from his mountain expeditions and some notes he jotted down after NASA missions - but Flory got him to remember what really mattered.

"'What did it really look like, feel like, smell like? What was going through your head?' She kind of grilled me," he said. "I teased her (that) she could have been a psychiatrist in her other life - she's so probing in her questions, it made me peel back onion layers."

These days, Parazynski is the CEO of a tech startup that is developing a way to fly drones with what he calls a "fancy joystick." But there's a bigger long-term goal.

"We allow drone operators to fly like pilots and not like gamers," he said. "Those same kinds of controls will one day allow a surgeon in Houston to operate (on a patient in) sub-Saharan Africa."

And he still hopes NASA will be able to send astronauts back to the moon - and eventually to Mars.

When Parazynski speaks at to school kids, he likes to tell them: "I firmly believe the first Martians have already been born. They're on the surface of the Earth. They're already going to school - maybe even in this room."

"That gets them excited," he said. "But I believe it's true.  Colonizing Mars is, I think, an achievable goal."
Mala Sichuan Bistro, the well-regarded regional Chinese restaurant with outposts in Asiatown and Montrose, is looking to expand its reach with new restaurants spread across the Greater Houston map  from the suburbs to the heart of downtown. It's an ambitious plan that not only jibes with the continuing redevelopment of downtown Houston, but also with the emergence of satellite Chinatowns away from Bellaire Boulevard's crowded restaurant and retail hub.

Owner Cori Xiong says she and her husband, Heng Chen, plan to open a location in Katy's new 16-acre Asian Town shopping and dining development by the end of this year. They'll also launch a Sugar Land location in the food court attached to a big new Jusgo supermarket on Highway 6.

Mala's hat is in the ring, too, for a slot in The Jones on Main, downtown's new upmarket food hall, which is slated for the glamorous Art Deco lobby of the 1929 Gulf Oil Building. (It's now the JP Morgan Chase Building.) Mala has made it through to the final rounds of the selection process organized by the Midway development group. Letters of intent have gone out to prospective food operators, and those selected will be announced later this summer.

First to open will be the Mala at Katy's Asian Town development, which is on the northeast corner of I-10 at Grand Parkway, near the University of Houston's new west side campus. The owners of Asiatown's bustling Dun Huang Plaza complex are spearheading the Asian Town project, which will be anchored by Houston's third edition of H Mart, the Korean mega-grocery.

The Katy H Mart's sprawling 50,000 square feet will be surrounded by twice that amount of space devoted to restaurants and retail. Mala Sichuan Bistro will have its own storefront and seat around 100 diners. Xiong hopes the Mala there will open by the end of the year, although she concedes that, "more realistically speaking, it may be the beginning of next year."

Mala's outpost at the Sugar Land complex will open on roughly the same timetable, in the site that formerly housed the GattiTown "eatertainment" venue, on Highway 6 South and Settlers Way Boulevard.

There a big new Jusgo Asian supermarket, currently in build-out, will feature an attached food court like the one that enhances a similar Jusgo complex in Plano, where Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Korean, Vietnamese cuisine and more are on offer.

Mala Sichuan Bistro will be inside the Jusgo market building with other food court operators, but they will have their own outside entrance and signage. The location will seat around 70 inside, with a small patio to bring the total to 80 or 90.

Not so coincidentally, Plano is where Xiong grew up, and where her father's Sichuan restaurant is located. She still relies on him for sourcing authentic ingredients out of China, where he travels frequently.

To serve these far-flung sites, Xiong and Chen will designate a central kitchen at one of their restaurants, where the foundations of the menu will be prepped for delivery to other locations. "It's to make sure quality is more uniform and stable," says Xiong.

They've already lured Mala's founding kitchen guru, Chef Rong Wu, back from China; and they've brought on one of Wu's original teachers, Zhenou Lei, as research and development chef for all the restaurants.

Lei and Wu are working with 2016 James Beard Best Chef Southwest nominee Jianyun Ye, Mala Sichuan Bistro's current chef, on a new core menu for all the restaurants, which will be supplemented by monthly specials menus customized for each location.

The downtown food hall menu, should that come to pass, will be different in that it will entail lunch, dinner, breakfast and brunch, plus happy hour service, in line with the developers' requirements.

Does having so much on their plate make Xiong nervous? "Yes," she says, laughing. "It's all very tight. I think about that every day."
Eight Row Flint continues its Summer Outdoor Cooking Series with guest chef Sam Chang who will create a noodle dish for three Tuesday pop-ups in August.

Beginning today, Aug. 1, and again on Aug. 8 and 15, Chang will serve Slack Season Noodles, his take on a dish popular in Tainan, Taiwan, considered the culinary capital of Taiwan. The dish gets its name from fishermen who sold a noodle dish during the "slack" season to make ends meet.
Before you order a double scoop or get out the ice cream maker, consult our this-vs.-that guide to the frozen treats of summer.

Ice cream (and frozen custard) vs. gelato

To be designated as ice cream, the FDA stipulates that the product contains at least 10 percent fat. If it has more than 1.4 percent egg yolks, then it can be called frozen custard, French ice cream or French custard ice cream.

Gelato (Italian for "frozen") is more dense, as there is less air whipped into it as it's churned. Gelato typically has less fat than ice cream, as it is often milk-based (instead of cream) and contains little or no egg yolks.

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Soft-serve vs. fro-yo

While it's not mentioned per se in FDA regulations on frozen desserts, that swirly, old-time favorite known as soft-serve typically contains between 3 and 6 percent fat (although you'll see some purveyors, such as Chambersburg, Pennsylvania-based Trickling Springs Creamery, push the fat up as high as 10 to 12 percent).

The fat content in fro-yo, short for frozen yogurt, can vary depending on whether regular, low-fat or nonfat yogurt is used. When served straight from their churning machines, both soft-serve and fro-yo have soft, airy swirls.

Ice milk vs. low-fat

Ice milk contains less than 10 percent fat; fresh from the freezer, it tends to be rather hard and have a few icy particles. You're not likely to see it around these days, though. In 1994, the FDA allowed manufacturers to label ice milk as low-fat ice cream, and the designation has since come to replace ice milk as a term. Low-fat ice creams today tend to include stabilizers and additives that help mimic the mouth feel of a higher-fat ice cream.

Sorbet vs. Italian ice

Sorbet can be made with practically anything - fruit, vegetable, chocolate, for example. But it almost always lacks dairy and egg products; its ideal texture is smooth and mostly free of icy shards. Fruit-based Italian ice (think Rita's brand) is similar in texture to a slushy that has been frozen; it has an icy crispness and loose-set. However, store-bought brands such as Luigi's are packed into small containers and frozen solid.

Sherbet vs. sherbert

Linguist Dan Jurafsky writes in his 2014 book "The Language of Food" that the name sherbet originates from the Arabic word sharab, the name for fruit syrups consumed for health and refreshment. (The root of the word means "drink.") In Persia, syrups made from orange blossoms, sour cherries and the like were called sharbat - in Turkey, serbet - from the same Arabic word.

Sherbert, on the other hand . . . just kidding! They're the same. In a blog post, the dictionary Merriam-Webster writes that when the word was imported into English in the early 17th century, the extra "r" crept in incidentally and is now an accepted - if not as common - way of spelling and pronouncing it. By FDA standards, sherbe(r)t must contain between 1 and 2 percent fat.
Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the most dangerous White House official of them all?

The Mooch may be out of the running, but there's still a lot of competition.

It's not the guy in charge of our nuclear arsenal, who may or may not have realized that was the core of his job description before accepting the post (Rick Perry).

Nor is it the woman meeting with men's rights advocates (Betsy DeVos).

And it's not the guy who keeps adding financial assets and meetings with Russian officials to his federal disclosure forms (Jared Kushner).

It's neither of the guys rolling back climate change regulations and sidelining scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department (Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke, respectively).

It's not the guy who worries that homeless shelters are too comfortable (Ben Carson). Not the guy arguing to dismantle lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights (Jeff Sessions). Not the mastermind of the Bowling Green Massacre (Kellyanne Conway).

To be sure, all these aides and bureaucrats are doing damage. They are degrading norms, enacting bad policy and putting our country and planet at grave risk.

But right now the "most dangerous" title belongs (aside from the tweeter in chief, of course) to someone in a much less sexy job, with a much less scandalous background.

It's Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In terms of both immensity and immediacy, the threat Mulvaney presents is far greater than any of the slow-motion train wrecks happening elsewhere in the administration. That's because he seems hell-bent on wreaking a global crisis within the next two months.

2 months till crisis

Not a century from now. Not a decade from now. In two months.

That's when the government will run out of money needed to pay bills Congress has already incurred, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, if Congress does not act to raise the debt limit.

What would follow? Just a constitutional, political and global financial crisis.

Arguably, the U.S. government would be in violation of the 14th Amendment ("The validity of the public debt of the United States . . . shall not be questioned"). The government's ability to continue paying Social Security checks, interest on the debt and other basic obligations would likewise be at risk.

Most important, this would irrevocably destroy the United States' sterling reputation as a borrower.

U.S. debt is considered the safest of safe assets, and as such, Treasury securities are the benchmark of the global financial system. Causing creditors to question whether they'll receive full and timely payments would trigger panic in markets throughout the world.

Debt-ceiling drama

Technically, we already hit the debt ceiling in March. In the months since, Treasury has engaged in extraordinary accounting measures to avoid outright default. But come early fall, those measures will be exhausted. The United States will become a deadbeat.

The debt ceiling is a product of the misguided belief that limiting the official borrowing capacity of the government would force legislators into frugality. In reality, it has done nothing to curb financial profligacy. Its chief effect is to periodically offer some political faction (sometimes the minority party, sometimes the nuttier fringe of the majority party) the power to take a very valuable hostage.

Mnuchin has urged Congress to pass a debt-limit hike with no strings attached. The government would thereby dodge default with minimal drama and without spooking markets.

But Mulvaney has other plans.

During his six years in Congress, he voted against raising the debt limit four times. One might hope he was merely posturing, since he was able to cast such votes with the knowledge that his colleagues would ultimately pass the bills.

Unfortunately, as OMB director, Mulvaney has continued to be breathtakingly irresponsible with the creditworthiness of the United States.

In May, he publicly contradicted Mnuchin by arguing that a debt-ceiling increase should be coupled with divisive spending cuts, which would inevitably complicate an already politically fraught process.

And on Sunday, he told CNN's Jake Tapper that Congress must not pass any legislation  not even a debt-ceiling hike  until the notoriously impossible Obamacare repeal is done. President Trump echoed this thinking on Twitter as well.

So long as Mulvaney still has the president's ear, we're all living dangerously.
A woman found dead Friday at a southeast Houston cemetery was killed by a blow to the head and torso, according to the medical examiner's office.

An employee spotted the woman - whose identity has not been released - lying in the grass, about 10 a.m., in the cemetery in the 6900 block of Lawndale, according to the Houston Police Department.
Two Hooters employees face disorderly conduct charges after a spat at one of the franchise's Chicago-area locations, The Smoking Gun reports.

Sarah Rivera, 25, and Debreca Green, 24, were charged following some kind of altercation on July 20 in the Oak Lawn area.
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City and school district officials have complained for years about industries taking advantage of a provision in state law that enables them to dramatically reduce their property tax obligations. But Texas City Mayor Matt Doyle is using unusually strong language regarding the city's latest tax dispute with Valero Energy Corp.

"What they've done to the children of Texas City is horrible, and they should be ashamed of themselves," Doyle said in an interview with the Galveston County Daily News. "They're taking close to $9 million from the students of Texas City and La Marque. They're robbing $9 million from their education."
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A fire that destroyed eight Nassau Bay apartments on July 9 was allegedly set by a woman angry with her girlfriend, Nassau Bay police said Tuesday.

Tajiana Cheyann Jackson, 18, is accused starting the massive blaze that burned an entire section of apartments and caused more than $1.4 million in damage.

According to Harris County court documents, Jackson told police she became angry over text messages from her girlfriend after the two had a fight.

MONDAY BLAZE: Fire ravages 5,000-square-foot Spring home

Jackson allegedly told police she piled some clothing and used a piece of paper to set the clothes on fire. She then allegedly used her tablet to take videos of the fire and sent the videos to her girlfriend.

Jackson told police she put out the fire and relit it several times, then believed she put it out before going to another room in the house, court documents state.

She stated that she later noticed the bedroom was filled with black smoke and went to a neighbor's house to call 9-1-1.

The Nassau Bay Fire Department and Police Department responded to the fire at the Aero apartment complex, 18290 Upper Bay Road, at 8:56 p.m. on July 9, Nassau Bay Police Chief Kenneth Campbell said in a release.

The fire fully engulfed a building on the northwest side of the complex, displacing multiple families, Brown said. Court documents state that six of the eight apartments were occupied, and all of the residents were able to escape without injury.

Detectives conducted an extensive investigation with multiple witness interviews before they say Jackson confessed to starting the fire in the bedroom of her apartment, unit No. 96. Investigators also found gasoline at the scene of the fire.

Jackson is charged with felony arson and is being held in the Harris County Jail with bond set at $30,000.
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The area surrounding Rice University has undergone incredible growth over the past 100 years, rising up with Houston's post-war fortunes to become the wealthiest town in Texas.

According to the official website of West University, the area was first conceived in 1910 by Governor Ben W. Hooper of Tennessee, who purchased land in the area from an old Spanish land grant.

RELATED: West U once lured residents with 'wide-open spaces'

Hooper never even lived in the area, instead naming A.D. Foreman as president of the Houston West End Realty Co. and putting him in charge of developing the land.

The first lots in West University, named for nearby Rice, went up for sale seven years later. The campus held its first classes in 1912 and has gone on to be one of America's most prestigious, and exclusive colleges.

At first it was slow going in the area with only 40 families taking a chance on West U by 1923. Back then a small lot cost $1,000 and a larger, more tony lot along Buffalo Speedway and Bellaire Boulevard was nearly $5,000.

Fed up with poor utilities the area incorporated in 1924 so they could set up garbage collection, water, natural gas, and police and fire services. Grass fires were a problem in the early days, according to West U records.

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The population of West U in 1924 was about 260 people. City records from early 1931 report that there were 2,189 residents of the city. In 1940, however, the population had ballooned to 9,331.

RELATED: West University gets its place in history

In February 1929 the city passed Ordinance No. 23, Section 1, which made it "unlawful for any person in an automobile to park or stop on any street, alley or other public place in the City of West University Place, and while so stopped or parked to engage in such conduct as kissing, hugging or other indecent conduct."

What a way to celebrate Valentine's Day.

In 1939 the area muscled up with its first city charter, a handful of parks, and rising property values as Houstonians looked to settle down southwest of town. At the time West U residents could take a trolley six miles into Houston, which then was just the downtown area and the various wards.

MOVE IN: West University's head-turning tin home hits the market

According to the Texas State Historical Association the population throughout the 1950s hovered around 17,000. By 1960, it had dropped to 14,361, and by 1970, it was recorded as 13,185.

The latest population figure sat a nearly 15,000 in 2010.

The U.S. Census Bureau puts West U at just 2 square miles in size. However, a lot of money is packed into that small area. According to a 2016 analysis by 247WallSt.com, the average household income was more than $207,000 and the average median home value was more than $815,000. At least 88 percent of adults in the town also had at least a bachelor's degree.

The city, when highlighted on a map, does in fact look like a tiny home with a chimney and an open door. Whether or not that intentional is another mystery.
The federal trial to determine whether the lip-licking, hat-wearing, finger-pointing alligator mascot of Choke Canyon Travel Center in San Antonio looks too much like Buc-ee's smiling bucktooth beaver has been postponed.

Lawyers for the dueling convenience store chains are scheduled to go before U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison on Tuesday afternoon to set a new trial date. The case was scheduled to begin in front of a jury Aug. 21, according to court records.
Alejandro Anastasia, the former United Airlines employee accused of pushing a man to the ground at Bush Intercontinental Airport, has filed a counter-claim in state District Court in Harris County.

The initial lawsuit filed in June alleges that Anastasia "suddenly, unexpectedly and violently" injured Ronald Tigner during an incident that occurred two years ago. But Anastasia is countering that Tigner was the one who stepped out of line.

MORE: Lawsuit against United Airlines filed by passenger shoved at IAH in Houston

"Tigner was the aggressor. He's the aggressor on this thing," said Jimmy Ardoin, the attorney for Anastasia. "There's absolutely no doubt about that."

Anastasia's counter-claim alleges that Tigner, who was denied entry through the security checkpoint because of an illegible boarding pass, returned to the ticketing area "where he began shouting profanities and racial slurs at United Airlines employees, including Anastasia."

Tigner got into Anastasia's face and stepped on Anastasia's foot, the documents allege. "When Tigner refused to stop his offensive and assaultive conduct, Anastasia was forced to physically remove Tigner from his personal space."

Ardoin said Anastasia didn't want Tigner to fall to the ground. He just wanted to get away from Tigner.

Video shows Tigner falling to the ground. According to the initial lawsuit, Tigner was trying to receive a new boarding pass when Anastasia and another person failed to help him and laughed at him.

William Hoke, Tigner's attorney, called Anastasia's claims "completely false" and said that "the investigating officer, the eyewitnesses to the incident and the surveillance video footage itself will show that his claims are false."

courtesy William W. Hoke

Anastasia also took aim at United Airlines, filing a cross-claim that says United didn't provide training for dealing with unruly, abusive and bullying customers. It also didn't have policies and procedures in place for handling such incidents.

Anastasia is suing United and Tigner for damages. He lost his job after the incident, and it's been difficult for Anastasia to find work with similar pay, his attorney said.

On HoustonChronicle.com: United draws crowds despite social media onslaught

United Airlines said it could not comment on the ongoing legal matter beyond what it previously shared. After Tigner's lawsuit was filed in June, the airline called Anastasia's behavior "completely unacceptable" and said he was fired in August 2015 following the incident.

"The conduct shown here does not reflect our values or our commitment to treat all of our customers with respect and dignity," according to United's statement from June. "We are taking a thorough look into what happened here and reaching out to our customer to profusely apologize for what occurred and to make this right."
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Independent refineries are making another stab at getting the Trump administration to change the rules on how ethanol is mixed into the nation's fuel supply.

At a hearing before the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington on Tuesday lobbyists from Valero and other merchant refining companies will battle gas station chains and integrated oil companies like Exxon Mobil and Chevron over a renewable fuel mandate that has made some companies rich and put others on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in so-called RIN credits - short for Renewable Identification Number.

The hearing, part of an annaul review by EPA, comes a week after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the EPA was limited in its authority to amend the so-called ethanol mandate passed by Congress a decade ago.

That could drive the EPA to raise the mandate on how much ethanol and other biofuels are blended into the fuel supply, a blow to demand for refineries turning out gasoline. But there was a silver lining to the ruling, said Scott Segal, an attorney for Valero. Segal and Carl Icahn, the activist investor close with President Donald Trump, are arguing for shifting responsibility for meeting the standard away from refineries to the marketing companies that buy their gasoline and blend it for sale at gas stations.

"The court told EPA to reach a conclusion addressing the point of obligation," Segal said said in a copy of his testimony released Monday. "Adjusting the point of obligation is relatively easily done and can be accomplished under existing Clean Air Act authority available to the administrator."

The so-called point of obligation is one of myriad debates surrounding the ethanol program, most notably the question of whether the EPA must not raise the mandate on biofuels.

Earlier this year the EPA released next year's numbers, keeping ethanol levels steady but reducing the requirement for cellulosic ethanol, a pricier fuel produced not from corn or sugar cane but wood chips, corn stalks and other agricultural waste.

A coalition of biofuel producers and Midwestern politicians, including Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, is urging the agency to raise the mandated levels for next year's mandate.

"We understand the agency's dilemma in establishing [a mandate] for cellulosic ethanol, but we truly believe the agency has erred on the side of pessimism with regard to the potential for significant growth in cellulosic ethanol commercialization," Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen told the EPA Tuesday.
Realtor Robert Searcy said his midcentury listing in Glenbrook Valley has reached close to 50,000 people on Facebook, but the "time capsule" home priced at $425,000 still hasn't captured any offers.

Searcy said he'll usually reach up to 800 people for a "more interesting house," so he's surprised there haven't been offers.
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The Klein Independent School District and Lone Star College-Tomball have teamed up for a new partnership designed for Klein ISD high school students interested in pursuing their passion for nursing and the medical field.

The program, called the advanced nursing pathway, will be offered for the 2017-18 school year. The program will allow for students to obtain an associates of arts degree while simultaneously earning their high school diploma.

The program will be open to 80 students at Klein ISD.

"We are thrilled to launch this new career and technical education pathway to Klein ISD students," said Bret Champion, Klein ISD superintendent. "This first-of-its-kind pathway is not only an incredible opportunity for our students, it represents what is possible when innovative, student-focused educators at all levels work together to ensure student success."

Program participation is based on criteria such as submission of the advanced nursing pathway application, completion of intermediate school requirements, and participation in an interview process.

The district reports that the state board of nursing had indicated that the program, the first of its kind, will likely be the model for nursing pathway programs for Texas.

"The advanced nursing pathway is a great example of how a school district and college can work together to provide an efficient, cost effective program for students while also meeting an important industry need," said Quentin Wright, LSC-Tomball special assistant to the chancellor. "This program encompasses the stackable degree concept that is often discussed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. While all students are encouraged to continue their education through a four-year nursing degree, they will have the coursework to earn multiple credentials along the way."

In the program, students will attend the Klein High School campus for their freshman and sophomore years with the opportunity to complete up to fifteen college credit hours during that time.

Students junior and senior year are expected to complete at the Lone Star College-Tomball Health Science building. During that time, students will be immersed in clinical learning experiences at the partnering hospital, Tomball Regional Medical Center.

"We are excited that students with an interest in the medical field can begin this course of study during high school. This program will allow students to not only pursue their interests, but also to acquire certifications which they can utilize to gain experience and to earn money to assist with college studies," said Beth Gilleland, executive director for College and Career Pathways. "This enhances our already strong health science program to provide a fast track opportunity for students interested in beginning their career at an earlier age or who simply wanted to pursue an advanced course of study."

Program elements include opportunity to earn up to 60 college hours based on four years of program participation (students beginning in grade 9) and pre-AP, AP or dual credit in English, math, science, social studies, fine arts, world languages and health science.

Other elements for the program include junior and senior year courses taught at the college campus including hands-on vocational nursing preparation in a hospital environment, certified nurse assistant Level 1 Certificate, eligibility for transition to the licensed vocational nurse certification and registered nurse program at Lone Star College-Tomball, and articulation to a bachelor of science in nursing program with 20 colleges and universities in Texas.

"We are so excited about this unique opportunity to expand pathways for our students. It is an honor to collaborate with partners like Lone Star for the benefit of our Klein ISD students," Gilleland said.
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Film and wildlife go hand in hand for Lone Star College-CyFair student Edwin Campos. Through volunteerism at the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition Wildlife Center, Campos was able to join his passion for film and experience working with the wildlife to produce a video for the organization.

Campos volunteering opportunity at the coalition was part of a service learning project in Professor Aurora Lugo's biology class for non-science majors.

"What I enjoyed most about volunteering at TWRC was making the video. I thought it would be cool if there was a video that we could watch about the (organization), instead of powerpoints," Campos said. "When I volunteered I noticed the environment was a very colorful, vivid, and with the energy and animals would make for a good video."

According to LSC-CyFair, students have been serving 16 hours or more at TWRC since 2013. TWRC cares for both native and non-native Texas wildlife found in and around the Houston area.

Though Campos volunteered through a college opportunity, the TWRC volunteer opportunities benefit ages 12 and up and those of varied interests. TWRC has a mission to promote environmental conservation through public education and rehabilitation of Texas wildlife.

Student volunteer opportunities include putting together pamphlets used at community events, chopping apples and washing dishes or work in the animal care programs weighing baby squirrels and opossums, cleaning cages, changing bedding, and processing food.

High school and college students also learn basic medical procedures, such as giving injections, and administering medication.

After meeting Campos at the college's spring semester service learning luncheon, TWRC Executive Director, Roslyn Even, learned of Campos' passion for making videos. Impressed by the professional look and pride in of the videos, Even asked Campos to make a video for TWRC.

"You can see Edwin's eyes light up whenever he talks about filming and that excitement transfers to his videos," Even said. "Our video makes the hard work of caring for hundreds of baby birds look easy and fun. The video is very upbeat and really showcases our amazing wildlife and dedicated volunteers and staff."

While in high school at Jersey Village, Campos was a member of the school's television program. Along with other students, Campos made news and other journalism videos while in school. After graduating in 2014, he continued to gain experience by creating music videos and short films.

Campos aimed to accurately promote the center through the unique perspective of the people who are close to TWRC and emotionally invested in the video. The film focuses on the center's programs and wildlife, including a clip on handling injured wildlife.

"Edwin originally caught my eye because he always had a big smile on his face when he entered our center to work a shift," Even said. "Then, I discovered that Edwin's big smile never disappeared, no matter what task he was given to complete. Edwin attacked each task with the same vigor, even the most mundane activity."

In collaboration with TWRC's Baby Bird Program Coordinator Dani Riggs, Campos was able to produce a video that describes the center's wildlife program.

TWRC plans to use the video on their web site as a way to raise community awareness and engage those in the community interested in volunteering.

"It was fun talking to the TWRC staff while making the videos. I tried to make it seem the camera wasn't there and make people feel comfortable," Campos said. "It was a fun experience and being so close to wildlife was brand new to me, like my mom would never get me an opossum. Such a new experience was very enjoyable to me. I'm very grateful TWRC gave me that opportunity."

The TWRC Service Learning project is part of Lugo's and Professor Shaunte Hulett's classes.

"It was fun talking to the TWRC staff while making the videos. I tried to make it seem the camera wasn't there and make people feel comfortable," Campos said. "It was a fun experience and being so close to wildlife was brand new to me, like my mom would never get me an opossum. Such a new experience was very enjoyable to me. I'm very grateful TWRC gave me that opportunity."

Campos plans on transferring from LSC-CyFair to the University of Houston. He hopes to attend either the main or downtown campus to study general business.

LSC-CyFair is the fifth comprehensive college in the Lone Star College System and aims to help more than 21,000 students reach their academic and career goals.

Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition (TWRC)

10801 Hammerly Blvd.

Houston, TX 77043

twrcwildlifecenter.org

LSC-CyFair

9191 Barker Cypress Rd.

Cypress, TX 77433

LoneStar.edu/registration
Houston's TV news anchors had a summer full of vacation photos from around the world, including Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.

A large majority of meteorologists and anchors from every local station took some time away from the studio to recharge.
A Missouri City police officer who shot and killed a family dog while responding to a July noise complaint has been cleared of wrongdoing.

The Missouri City Police Department announced Friday that an internal review found the officer did not violate the department's procedures.

MYSTERY: HFD fire fighter's dog shot in front yard in the Heights

Following protests from the family, the MCPD released 42 minutes of footage from the officer's body camera from July 17, the night the shooting occurred.

In the video footage, which is mostly obscured by darkness, the officer is heard entering the gated yard of a house blasting music. Almost immediately, the officer asks the homeowners, "Can you get your dog, can you get your dog?"

Then two barks and a gunshot.

For the next several minutes, a woman can be heard screaming and crying.

"You shot the dog!" the distraught voice screams.

Lizzethe Pedregon, the dog's owner, took to Facebook with her grief and anger about the death of Chapo, an American Bully breed  which is a mix of pit bull, bull dog and terrier.

In a Facebook post that has been shared more than 41,600 times, Pedregon said that the police officer was wrong to enter the family property without knocking first and demanded answers from the Missouri City PD.

"I'm so hurt, my heart hurts," Pedregon wrote. "Chapo was not just our dog, he was family!"

In the video, the officer can be heard describing what happened to a fellow officer and, later, to his supervisor. Pedregon did not respond to a request for an interview.

"I see this big pit bull coming through the crowd so at first he sniffed and then he just started growling and coming at me," the officer said. "He's huge! I just, 'pow!' right in the head."

The officer admitted to not knocking at the front door before entering the backyard.

"I just opened the gate, walked right in here," he said. "I was going to ask to speak to the homeowner ... I regret it, but he was coming at me. I didn't have any choice, man. He was coming at me big time."

Following the incident and outcry from the Pedregon family, the Missouri City Police Department conducted an internal review and released a statement Friday that the department found do wrongdoing on the part of the officer.

However, the statement said that the police department will now require police-canine training for all sworn police personnel.

"The Missouri City Police Department remains committed to delivering superior customer service to all members of our diverse community," the statement read.
The Spring Branch Family Development will host its 12th annual Back-To-School Health Fair on Aug. 19 that will offer free immunizations, school supplies and health screenings for adults.

To receive immunizations, you must bring your shot records or request from the school nurse. The event takes place at the development center, 8575 Pitner Road, from 8 a.m. to noon. The center can be reached at 713-996-8781 or outreach@sbfdc.org.
Katy ISD has made some time for families this school year. It's a good start but it is taken from the wrong direction.

The suburban-Houston school district is blocking off six "family nights" on its 2017-18 school year calendar. On those nights, teachers are discouraged from assigning homework.

But it should not be about what days to not assign homework, rather it should be how much homework should there be.

The National Education Agency (www.nea.org) reports that some students spend hours nightly doing homework. That is not cool. However, that is the exception, the NEA reports. Citing Brookings Institution and Rand Corporation reseach, most students spend less than an hour a day on homework. The research shows that this has pretty much been the case for the last 50 years.

So, what is really needed? Well, besides family nights, of course.

Most importantly, homework needs to be relevant to more than just passing some end-of-the-year exam. I have long hated those tests. Teachers have been long been shackled in the state of Texas with standardized tests.

Since 1980, Texas has been teaching to the test. First was the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills (1980-83); followed by the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (1984-90); the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (1991-2002); Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (2003-11); and finally the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, which has been around since 2011.

What has 37 years of standardized testing really accomplished? Who knows? It is the height of tediousness for students and parents. I cenrtainly hated my children having to take those tests. All that time spend in the classroom earning passing grades was all for naught if you didn't pass the standardized test.

As an Army brat, we didn't have to worry about those tests when I was in school. Our overseas schools were not overseen by the Department of Eductions. Our schools were under the Department of Defense and we didn't worry about end-of-course tests. We took classes, did our homework, took class tests and earned grades. If you passed the class, you passed.

How difficult is that?

Now we have schools scheduling days where students should be allowed to spend time with their families. We have students overwhelmed with homework which in turn will have them pass some state-mandated test. It is really a silly system.

How about preparing students to go to college? Or if they aren't college material - which isn't a bad thing because not every student wants to go to college - how about preparing them for the workforce with some sort of vocational training?

Vocational training seems to be making its way back into the school systems but how many schools dumped programs like auto shop over the years? It should have never been abandoned.

Other school districts - if they haven't done so already - should follow Katy ISD's lead and create some family nights. But they also need to teach things students need to learn and not just something for some test.

Teach a student well, they will know more than anything that might appear on any test.
A Texas woman arrested on outstanding warrants initially told officers she didn't have anything illegal on her, but then removed a small plastic bag containing methamphetamine from her genital area while being booked into Angelina County jail, police said.

According to a post on Angelina County Sheriff Greg Sanches' Facebook page, a deputy pulled over Melissa Natoli, 35, on July 31 for failing to signal a lane change as well as failing to drive in a single lane. When outstanding warrants for bail jumping and driving while intoxicated were flagged, Natoli was arrested.
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A man's night with a reported ghost in South Texas has gone viral, attracting 5.3 million views on Facebook since Friday, but not everyone is buying his story.

Potus Frank Ramirez of Corpus Christi recorded a video of his hotel room in Harlingen after he claimed paranormal activities in the room were keeping him awake.

GHOSTS ONLINE: Cleveland officer explains 'ghost' image seen on social media

"I was laying here, watching CNN, and that phone fell of its cradle and I have no idea why," Ramirez said in the beginning of the video. "It's really freaking me out so I decided to turn on my phone, because I can't figure out what's going on and this happened a couple of times already."

Ramirez described towels and cups being knocked over without explanation. While filming, the phone on the dresser flew off of its saddle.

In the video, Ramirez asked who the ghost is and what it wants. Eventually, he opened to door, said he needed to get some sleep. The entity he believes is knocking things over seemed to leave after Ramirez asked it to.

HAUNTED HOME: A haunted house for sale in Mineral Wells comes with nine ghosts

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Whether an actual ghost moved things or if the room was elaborately set up by Ramirez is debated in the video's comments on Facebook. Some viewers accuse him of using fishing line or strings to make the objects move. People have pointed out the phone, hanger and towel only move when he's standing in front of the objects, making some people think Ramirez moved them himself.

"Starting around 2:15 to 2:30 he moved the camera around to the other side of the room to grab a string attached to the towel and then faced the mirror/towel to pull the string," one commenter wrote. "After that, he then laughed."

Others believe the room was truly haunted, citing their own personal encounters with ghosts.

Ramirez told news station KSAT that he got a new room after he told hotel staff his room was haunted. He told the news station that the hotel staff said they will keep guests out of the room until it's blessed.
An idea sparked by an "ugly" RV has resulted in a bookmobile offering more than 5,000 books for use by the children of La Porte.

Members of Fairmont Park Church had taken notice of an RV for sale on the side of the road in La Porte, at first only as something to joke about.

"We passed this RV every day," said Joshua Ojeda, who works for the church and is a member. "And there was this ongoing joke about how it was this ugly thing. It was just this older thing and it was painted flat black, but, for $7,000 it was still pretty reasonable."

But news of the vehicle got back to the pastor, Dee Spears, who believed it could be used as a bookmobile serving kids during the summer, when teachers worry that the children can lose gains from the previous school year.

"Our pastor told us that when he was growing up in (Louisiana), they had a bookmobile that would travel around the community, and that made a big impact on him," Ojeda said. "He thought maybe we could get the RV and turn it into something to help with the 'summer slide.' We decided a long time ago that our job for the city was to make it look a little more like Heaven, so that's what we decided to do - help some of the kids, help some of the teachers - just make La Porte a better place."

A call went out to members of the congregation asking for books at the elementary level. Word of the effort spread to companies like HWB, Valero and Barnes and Nobles, which all chipped in, resulting in more than 5,000 books for the project, which recently began visiting children at Dewalt Alternativel School in La Porte.

"The idea was to bring books to kids over the summer who might live too far from the library to go get books," Ojeda said.

La Porte Elementary School teacher Kelly Leonard wanted to lend a hand to the project.

"We have games for them, sight words, we read for them," Leonard said. "I work with a lot of these students during the year - they're my students - so they get excited to see a familiar face. I really enjoy the work we're doing here."

The bookmobile is parked outside the Dewalt school on weekday mornings to serve as a beacon for children who want to read.

"Elementary-aged kids can come up to the bookmobile, and then they get to read with one of our volunteers," Ojeda said. "After they finish reading with someone, they get to go inside the bookmobile and select two books to take home and read. After they finish reading the books, they bring them back and switch them out for two more."

Volunteers read to the children outside the vehicle under canopies or on blankets.

"Most of our volunteers are teachers; so they understand what the kids are facing going into the next school year, and the kids love seeing their teachers," Ojeda said.

The bookmobile is the first step in Fairmont Park Church's plans to develop a nonprofit organization called Loving La Porte.

"We're working on filing paperwork right now to get the organization registered. Our hope is to work with other churches and businesses in the area as well as the rest of the community to make La Porte a better place," Ojeda said. "None of this would have been possible without the huge support of the church, the community and the vision of our pastor."

The group will be parked in front of Dewalt Alternative School, 401 N. Second St., La Porte, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday through Aug. 11.

To volunteer or donate to the Book Mobile, contact the church at 281-471-2615.
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Fort Bend authorities are looking for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed a man in a Sugar Land Buffalo Wild Wings parking lot on July 14.

A second suspect has already been arrested in the case. The two are accused of murdering Oseikhuemen Omobhude, 20, then riding away on sport bikes.

"We have one in custody and another suspect out there," said Sheriff Troy Nehls in a news release. "He is a dangerous man and we have to get him off the streets and in jail. He has claimed one life; he needs to be stopped."

BAYTOWN TEEN'S MURDER: Lawyer says suspect had 'episodes'

On July 14, 2017, Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to murder scene near a Buffalo Wild Wings, located in the 5600 block of State Highway 99 Southbound in the Richmond area. The Sheriff's Office reports that a witness saw a "tall black male firing at a vehicle in a nearby parking area. Another male also was involved in the shooting incident. Witnesses said the two shooters were observed fleeing the area on sport motorcycles."

Despite being shot several times, Omobhude was able to walk to the Buffalo Wild Wings location. Omobhude was taken to Memorial-Hermann Hospital-Katy, where he died.

After investigation by Sheriff's Office detectives, Victor Cuevas, 20, was arrested on July 28. Cuevas is in the Fort Bend County Jail with a bond of $750,000 set by Fort Bend County 240th District Court Judge Chad Bridges.

The second suspect is described as a black male, approximately 6-feet, 1-inch tall and weighing about 190 pounds. He was seen wearing a red T-shirt with a Texans logo, jeans and a backpack.

Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers will pay a cash reward for information that leads to the arrest of the second suspect.

Anyone who has information on this crime is asked to call Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers, Inc.

Call (281) 342-TIPS (8477).

Send a the text message FBCCS plus your tip to CRIMES (274637).

Submit Online at www.fortbend.crimestoppersweb.com.
Registered nurses at CHI St. Alexius Health are aiming to hold a vote on unionization.

On July 31, nurses filed for an election, allowing registered nurses at the Bismarck hospital to vote on whether or not they would like to be represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association.

Nurses want to provide top quality care to our patients in a hospital thats respected and an integral part of our community, St. Alexius RN Chettie Greer said in a statement. We believe the best way we can advocate for patients is by coming together and gaining the authority and rights to ensure our voices will be heard.

If we have a voice, patients have a voice, she said.

RNs previously voted in 2000 on whether or not to form a union in the right-to-work state.

We believe we can best continue our mission to serve our patients when CHI St. Alexius Healths staff is free to operate without the restrictions that often result when labor unions become involved in health care settings, Ellen Holt, CHI St. Alexius Healths vice president human resources, previously said of the recent talks.

Greer said she and her fellow nurses went into the profession wanting to help people at the bedside.

It feels like were getting pulled more and more away from that, she said of the setting since the hospital implemented cost-saving efforts.

St. Alexius is an affiliate of the financially beleaguered hospital system, Catholic Health Initiatives. About 120 employees have been laid off from the Bismarck hospital over the course of the past year and a half.

One change Greer said she would like to see is more input from nurses before hospital policies concerning direct patient care are implemented. For example, St. Alexius has made changes to its staff's work hours. Nurses used to work 12-hour shifts. Now, nurses may come in, work four hours then be asked to leave if patient numbers are down. Those same nurses may be called back later in the day if patient numbers escalate.

We will bend over backwards for our patients, said Greer, adding that coming and going makes it difficult for nurses to ensure continuity in care.

Such tasks as keeping track of whether a patient gets out of bed and walks the recommended number of times daily or accurate delivery of pain medications can become more challenging.

Were doing this because we really want to take care of the community better, Greer said. We used to be the areas premier hospital, and we want it to be that again.

Nurses filed authorization cards, which will be reviewed and certified by the National Labor Relations Board to begin the formal process of unionizing. While MNA did not disclose how many cards were filed, the NLRB requires at least 30 percent of the RNs employed to file before the process can move forward. The number of nurses eligible to vote for unionization also will be determined by NLRB.

After review of the cards, the NLRB will set a date and conduct the election. If the nurses vote to join MNA, those who choose to unionize at CHI St. Alexius will designate the leadership and begin creating a contract that includes staff and patient protections.

Minnesota Nurses Association represents nearly 22,000 nurses in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. CHI has two hospitals in Minnesota with unionized nurses, Greer said.
A drought emergency has been declared and affirmed for Burleigh County.

Last week, Gov. Doug Burgum declared a drought disaster for nearly all of the state, as areas of extreme drought expanded by about 5 percent.

Burleigh County Commission Chairman Jerry Woodcox followed suit and, also on July 26, declared a drought emergency for Burleigh County.

County commissioners affirmed the declaration Tuesday during a meeting via conference call.

The state declaration directs North Dakota officials to coordinate with federal agencies to make drought response programs available and authorizes the North Dakota National Guard to provide personnel, resources and equipment necessary to support drought response efforts.

According to Mary Senger, Burleigh County emergency manager, the county declared a drought emergency to make assistance readily available and to coincide with the declaration signed by the governor.
The Central Dakota Humane Society will be holding its annual rummage sale on Aug. 17-19. The rummage sale will take place in the parking lot of the Central Dakota Humane Society and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 17-18 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 19.
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A Houston-area high school teacher pleaded guilty Tuesday to having sex with a student in his car in 2015.

Cypress-Fairbanks math teacher Alfredo Campos was charged in November with two felony counts of sexual assault of a child under 17, after admitting that they had sex "probably twice" in his car, according to court records.

MULTIPLE COUNTS: Former substitute teacher accused

After a jury was selected Tuesday morning, Campos, 31, shocked the courtroom by pleading guilty before state District Judge Susan Brown to both charges. The jury will be tasked with deciding the punishment, which could range from probation to 20 years in prison.

Story continues below ...

The surprise move means Campos will likely throw himself on the mercy of the jury and admit his mistakes.

Court records of the investigation show that he told police he had fallen in love with the 16-year-old and that any sex they had "would have been consensual."

The teen told police the two had sex, including oral sex, which she did not want. But, records show, she was scared to stop because Campos talked about being suicidal and because she was afraid he'd fail her in class.

IMPROPER PHOTOS: Ex-Katy teacher gets probation

She said Campos allegedly asked her if she could get away to spend a weekend with him in the fall 2015.

Cy-Fair ISD officials started investigating the Cypress Ridge High School math teacher in November 2016 after an anonymous tip.

The girl had saved screenshots of messages between the two, which police were able to see during the investigation.
The body of a missing 32-year-old Houston man has been recovered from an Oregon lake.

Nicholas Lewoczko was reported missing on Friday, July 28 after he failed to return from a kayak fishing trip in Cleawox Lake in western Oregon, according to The Siuslaw News.
Bike riders on Monday made a gruesome discovery while trail riding in Austin.

According to the Austin Police Department, officers were called to the bike trail in northeast Austin around 7:46 a.m. on Monday where they found human remains.

DANGER: Sheriff's office warns teens not to jump from Lake Woodlands bridges

The police report the remains are human and "in an advance state of decomposition." Investigators said there is no obvious cause of death or explanation as to why the body was near the bike trail. Homicide detectives are working with the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office to determine the cause of death and identifying the remains.

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the remains to call them at 512-477-3588 or Crime Stoppers in Austin at 512-472-8477.
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The body of a 30-year-old Plano woman has been found in Maryland.

Ashley O'Connor was found Monday morning on the beach near 2nd Street in Ocean City, Md., according to the Ocean City Police Department.

"The body was removed at approximately 4:15 p.m. and will be evaluated by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who will determine a cause and manner of death," the police said.

READ MORE: Woman's body found at Padre Island beach

O'Connor's body was found in a hole in the sand, Ocean City Communications Manager Jessica Waters told Dallas' WFAA.

According to the station, she was vacationing with her parents.

A request for comment has been placed with the Ocean City Police Department.
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Children and staff are all safe after a fire engulfed a San Antonio day care Tuesday morning.

The blaze at Bright Kids Daycare Center, in the 3900 block of Thousand Oaks, was reported around 10:30 a.m. and almost two dozen units quickly responded.

RELATED: Blaze erupts at NE Side home slated for demolition; arson suspected

Sgt. Walter Smith said all the children at the day care are safe and accounted for. None were injured in the fire.

San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Joe Arrington said the department coordinated with VIA Transportation to have the children taken to Bright Kid's sister location in the 4200 block of Clear Springs Drive.

Now Playing: Emergency respond to a reported structure fire at Bright Kids Daycare Center, August 1, 2017. Video: JW Player

About 40 people were already evacuated from the building when firefighters arrived, he said.

Denise Abrego had two grandchildren at the day care, a 2-year-old and 4-month-old. Tuesday was their second day there.

She said she heard about the fire from a friend.

"I hopped in the truck, didn't clock out and split," she said.

Lisa Dodd, a 33-year-old FedEx employee, said she had dropped off her 6-year-old twins about an hour before the fire. She came home, checked Facebook and saw Bright Kids up in flames.

READ ALSO: Authorities investigating suspected gas leak in Stone Oak

"I thought, 'Holy s--t!'" she said. "And they're twins so there's always this fear factor of what if one of them is OK and one isn't."

She said her twins have attended the day care for two years and Bright Kids is the best she's sent them to.

"They work with you and they work with the kids," she said. "This is a loss for everybody right now, actually."

Stephanie Lares, 32, was at the scene to offer support to other worried mothers.

Her own kids would have been at the day care Tuesday morning but they were running late and had a busy day so she opted to keep them at home. Many of her friends' children attend Bright Kids.

"Thank God," she said. "This could've been much worse."

The fire was largely extinguished by about noon. Arrington said it's still "way too early" to determine the cause of the blaze. Once the building cools down investigators will begin digging through the debris.

Thousand Oaks is closed and police are diverting traffic away from the scene.

Check back to mySA.com for updates to this story.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com

Twitter: @calebjdowns
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The son of a top Mexican drug cartel member lived the high life while he was committing crimes, according to the photos posted on an Instagram account that bears his name.

Damaso Lopez Serrano, nicknamed El Mini Lic, turned himself into U.S. authorities on Wednesday, after reportedly crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in California at Calexico.

CARTEL WAR: A major player in the struggle for control of the Sinaloa cartel just surrendered in the US

Serrano is the son of Damaso Lopez Nunez, a man believed to be one of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's top henchman and now competitor for control of the Sinaloa cartel, reports Business Insider.

Story continues below...

Blog Del Narco first linked the Instagram account @damasojrminilic to Nunez's son Serrano. The account features the younger cartel member surrounded by gold-plated guns and drugs.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CARTEL: No one parties like the son of 'El Chapo'

Cars and exotic pets like tigers and leopards are also flaunted on the account.

Flaunting ill-gotten gains on social media is common for young narcos. Accounts reportedly tied to El Chapo's sons also showcase guns, exotic cars and private planes.

Serrano's father helped Guzman escape from a Mexican prison in 2001, according to Mexican TV station Noticieros. After Guzman's latest arrest, Nunez attempted to take over the Sinaloa cartel. Since then, Serrano has been battling with Guzman's sons.

BUSTED: Mexico arrests major Sinaloa Cartel operator

Mexican authorities told Notcieros that Serrano turned himself in as a protected witness and to escape escalating violence surrounding the cartel.

Click through the slideshow above to see how Serrano lived his life with the drug cartel.
In a week where the U.S. Senate leaders played vote-a-rama in an attempt to pass a health care bill  any health care bill  Sen. John McCains call for bipartisanship reminded Americans that our government should be better than this.

The most revered members of this institution accepted the necessity of compromise in order to make incremental progress on solving Americas problems and to defend her from her adversaries, McCain said, speaking on the Senate floor with a recent surgical scar over his left eye, just days after receiving a cancer diagnosis. Our deliberations today  not just our debates, but the exercise of all our responsibilities  authorizing government policies, appropriating the funds to implement them, exercising our advice and consent role  are often lively and interesting. They can be sincere and principled, but they are far more partisan, more tribal more of the time than at any other time I remember.

Stop listening to the bombastic loudmouths on the radio and television and the Internet, the 30-year Senate veteran said. Lets trust each other. Lets return to regular order.

Although McCain voted July 25 to start debate on the House health care bill, he then voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act without replacing it. Then at 1:30 a.m. Friday, the Arizona senator cast the deciding vote against a bill that not even its proponents wanted to become law. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was pushing to pass it so GOP senators could go on vacation claiming to have repealed Obamacare. Fortunately for the nations health, McCain and GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine said no. They voted for their constituents' best interests despite enormous pressure from President Donald Trump and GOP Senate leadership.

The Senate hasnt held a single public hearing on health care legislation this year. Instead, McConnell selected a dozen Republican men to concoct a proposal in secret.

McCain called for more inclusive, public process: Let the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee under Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray hold hearings, try to report a bill out of committee with contributions from both sides. Then bring it to the floor for amendment and debate, and see if we can pass something that will be imperfect, full of compromises, and not very pleasing to implacable partisans on either side, but that might provide workable solutions to problems Americans are struggling with today.

In fact, recent polls show majorities of Americans want Republicans and Democrats to work together to improve health care affordability and access.

Again, we call upon our Montana delegation to avoid doing harm to Montanans. In our state with seven Indian reservations, relatively low per capita income, many part-time and seasonal workers and many very small businesses, the ACA has helped tens of thousands of people get better, more affordable health care in their home communities through Medicaid and subsidized private insurance and the guarantee to cover pre-existing conditions.

Not everyone has benefitted. There are Montanans who arent wealthy, but dont qualify for premium subsidies. The private market and government coverage mandate hasnt provided good options for some employers.

Democratic Sen. Jon Tester has said he wants to fix flaws in the ACA and will work with Republicans to do that.

So far, Republican Sen. Steve Daines has been an uncompromising repeal fan. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., who has yet to actually vote on health care legislation in his brief tenure, sent out a statement Tuesday urging the Senate to repeal and replace the ACA.

Montana needs all three of our federal lawmakers to find solutions to help those who struggle with health care costs  without hurting those who finally found affordable care with the ACA.

Perhaps McCains speech eventually will inspire compromise that benefits average Americans in places like Arizona and Montana. Or maybe Congress will instead continue its partisan gridlock. Its up to Tester, Daines, Gianforte and the 532 other members of Congress who all have access to excellent health care, thanks to U.S. taxpayers.

 Billings (Mont.) Gazette
AUSTIN -- Hundreds of religious leaders marched on the Texas Capitol on Tuesday in opposition to bathroom bills that they contend are discriminatory and cause harm to some of the most vulnerable people in society.

For more than 45 minutes in the Texas heat, Christian, Jewish and Islamic leaders took turns at the microphone criticizing attempts to make the bathroom bills appear to be something the religious community as a whole supports.

"I am confused by voices inside this building that claim to represent me and a faith like mine," said the Rev. Griff Martin of the First Austin Baptist Church. "They say churches in Texas - Baptist churches - support these so called bathroom bills. There are a lot of us that don't support this bathroom bill. There are a lot of us tired of fear and scapegoating driving the politics of this state."

The Rev. Diane McGehee of the Bering Memorial United Methodist Church of Houston said supporters of the legislation are acting out of fear - something she said Jesus warned people against.

"The so-called bathroom bills are discriminatory, unjust and will result in more fear, hate and animosity - not love and cooperation," McGehee said.

The rally was organized by Texas Impact, and interfaith advocacy group. It comes just two days before religious leaders who support the bathroom bill are planning their own rally. The U.S. Pastor Council, Texas Right to Life and Vision America Action have promoted their rally as an effort to "Stand for Women's Privacy."

"The reality is many use scripture as a means to their own ends," said Dave Welch of the Texas Pastor Council. He said there are a lot of "fake clergy" using the Bible to promote a view of God that is vastly different than what others who live their life by the Bible believe.

The Senate passed a bill last week that would require people to use the bathroom at schools and charter schools of the gender that is on their birth certificate. Senate Bill 3 also prohibits schools and local government from enacting their own policies different from the state.

The House has yet to move on similar legislation as business leaders and law enforcement have increased pressure on the Legislature to not take on the issue out of fear it could lead to boycotts that other states have had to face.
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According to El Pais, an international publication, two teenagers confessed to authorities that they were forced to eat the flesh of their victims as an initiation into the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Mexico earlier this year.

The publication reported that the 16- and 17-year-olds told officials in Tabasco, a Mexican state on the southern tip of the country, some flesh-eating occurred in May during an incident involving the CJNG.

Cartel members, the publication reported, busted into a car dealership in Tabasco on motorcycles, decapitated five people and left a signed note on May 22.

READ ALSO: 'This is not a game, nephew': Pile of bodies discovered outside Nuevo Laredo residence

Four days later, another dismembered body was discovered west of Tabasco in Nacajuca, according to El Pais.

After authorities connected both incidents to the CJNG, they discovered parts of the body found in Nacajuca stored in a freezer in one of the cartel's houses, according to El Pais. The teenage members of the cartel were drugged and had to eat some of the victim's flesh, the publication reported.

This is not the first time acts of cannibalism within Mexican cartels has been reported.

Earlier this month, a Mexican journalist told El Blog del Narco that a former Zetas cartel leader used to eat the flesh of his victims.

RELATED: Report: Former Zetas cartel leader used to eat victims

The journalist told the publication he had seen former Zetas leader Heriberto Lazcano, or "El Lazca," eat human flesh, according to El Blog del Narco. He said after the cartel leader would have someone killed, and then the victim would be cleaned and shaved, according to the publication.

Lazcano would have the flesh prepared in a tamale dish, the journalist said in the report, and would consume skin from a victim's buttocks, the journalist said in the report.

Lazcano was killed in 2012, according to news archives.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
As four men lined up at a Bismarck gun range, Josette Severson gave firm instructions.

Please load and make ready, she said.

With the sound an electronic beep, they began firing handguns at pieces of paper a few yards away. Severson swept up shell casings that littered the floor between rounds.

Wearing matching shirts bearing the logo of their business, Prairie Patriot Firearms Training, Severson and her husband Robert guided students through gun safety fundamentals and state law governing firearms. It was their last concealed weapons class before the states new permitless carry law takes effect Tuesday.

The so-called constitutional carry bill sailed through the Republican-controlled Legislature this year with less than two dozen dissenting votes. And with the stroke of Gov. Doug Burgums pen, North Dakota joined a growing list of states that allow law-abiding people to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

While proponents say the legislation helps uphold gun rights enshrined in the Constitution and doesnt turn its adoptive states into the Wild West, some worry that loosening requirements will endanger the public.

I think its going to create a lot of issues for law enforcement, Grand Forks County Sheriff Bob Rost said. Theres going to be people carrying who shouldnt be carrying because theres no background (check) or anything done on them. Theres going to be people shooting firearms who dont know how to shoot them.

Its unclear how many people will take advantage of the new law. There were 48,700 active North Dakota concealed weapons licenses as of Dec. 31, and the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation issued 12,246 licenses last year.

Im sure there will be more people carrying concealed weapons, said Bismarck Republican Rep. Rick Becker, the bills primary sponsor. I dont think its going to be a dramatic increase, but itll be some. And it wont change anything about how we go about our business in North Dakota.

A right and a responsibility

North Dakota offers two classes of concealed weapons licenses that will remain in place after Tuesday. A Class 1 permit includes more training requirements but has reciprocity with more states than the Class 2 license. A criminal background check is conducted on every new and renewal applicant, according to the attorney generals office.

The new constitutional carry provisions only apply within the states borders and to North Dakotans who are at least 18 years old and have been a resident of the state for one year. People carrying under the new law cant be prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm and must inform law enforcement that they have a gun when they have any in-person contact with an officer, according to the attorney generals office.

Twelve states, including North Dakota, allow permitless carry, while Montana allows it in areas outside of city limits, according to the National Rifle Association. The proliferation of such laws has accelerated in the past two years, with eight states enacting permitless carry since April 2015.

That trend appears to go against public opinion.

Eighty-one percent of Americans are opposed to allowing people to carry concealed guns without a permit, according to a recent Pew Research Center poll. Two-thirds strongly oppose the idea.

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, a Republican, vetoed a permitless carry bill in March. Arguing that existing laws were effective in screening people who are not eligible to carry a concealed weapon, he said the states two most populous counties turned down almost 600 permit applicants over the last three years because of mental illness or criminal history.

Less than a week later, Burgum signed House Bill 1169. The first-term Republican governor noted the existing Class 2 license requirements dont include firearms training but rather just an open-book test.

Burgum, who had a Class 1 license as of March, still encouraged those considering carrying a concealed weapon to enroll in a gun safety course.

Gun ownership is both a right and a responsibility, and that responsibility begins with individuals and families, Burgum said in a statement after signing the bill.

Still, Burgum asked lawmakers and law enforcement to closely monitor this new law with a continual focus on public safety. The governors office said Burgum wasnt available for an interview.

Bismarck Rep. Vernon Laning, one of only two House Republicans to vote against the bill, said hes surprised to see how many people come into the hunter education classes he teaches without any experience handling a gun.

I think people should have some familiarity with firearms before they start carrying concealed guns, he said, although he wasnt sure that should necessarily require a permit. I think it could be a danger to themselves and others.

Safety nets

For Cathy Lee, guns come up in seemingly the most benign of tasks.

Nowadays when youre making playdates for kids its, Do you have a gun in your home? Is it properly secured and stored away? she said.

Lee, a volunteer for the North Dakota chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, joined the group out of general concern for her sons safety. She said shes not against guns, but she worries the change will make it easier for unvetted people to carry a concealed weapon. Proponents, meanwhile, argue that criminals will ignore the licensure requirements anyway.

Its taking away all of our safety nets, Lee said. There will always be people who break the law, but we have laws in place to protect us and keep us safe.

Chris Kopacki, state liaison for the NRA, said the law doesnt change the eligibility requirements for carrying a weapon, and the attorney generals office said restrictions on places a firearm may be carried still apply. Responding to a common argument from opponents, Kopacki drew a distinction between requiring a license to drive a car and the constitutional right to bear arms.

Still, Kopacki said the organization encourages firearms training.

We definitely dont advocate for anything less than responsible carry, he said. But we definitely dont think that law-abiding individuals with no proven history should be penalized and have to pay to use a constitutional right.

Josette Severson said the new law could be a great thing  as long as citizens take it seriously and responsibly by training with a firearm and maintaining proficiency. In a small classroom next to the indoor range, she demonstrated how to safely handle a firearm, from properly gripping a handgun to the importance of breathing while shooting.

I wish that people still had to take some type of a safety training, Severson said. Theres so much more that happens behind the scenes that people need to realize.
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.
Chennai, Aug 1 : Actress Megha Akash, to be seen in her maiden Telugu film "Lie" later this month, is said to have opted out of actor Ram Pothineni starrer upcoming Telugu romantic drama "Vunnadi Okkate Zindagi".Lavanya Tripathi has been roped in as a replacement for Megha.



"Originally, Anupama Parameswaran and Megha Akash were signed as the leading ladies. Megha had signed two back-to-back projects with actor Nithiin, and one of the films includes 'Lie'. She has already started shooting for the second film with Nithiin, so she couldn't adjust her dates for this film," a source from the film's unit told IANS.The source also said Lavanya has been brought in as replacement, and will "join the sets in the next schedule in Ooty".Directed by Kishore Tirumala, the film marks his second time collaboration with Ram after "Nenu Sailaja".
If the statistics are right, success for many technology projects remains elusive.

Research from Boston Consulting Group, for example, has found that 70% of digital transformations fall short of their objectives. Similarly, the 2020 Global Application Modernization Business Barometer Report found that 74% of organizations that had started a legacy system modernization project failed to complete it, consistent with the 70% rate of failure McKinsey & Co. reported several years ago.

Although very few tech initiatives are a complete bust, CIOs and executive advisors say only a minority of IT and tech-led transformation projects deliver their full anticipated value. Some of these projects dont generate the expected returns. Others dont meet user needs. Still others dont enable the full range of hoped-for capabilities.

Sometimes projects fall short on technical components; for example, they may be prone to glitches or incapable of matching demand  as websites built for COVID vaccine signups have shown.

They can fail technologically, or you can have projects that are technically sound but arent the right solutions for the business, Greg Stam, managing director for advisory services, the management consulting arm at Ahead, says of what failure looks like for IT projects today.

There are multiple, interrelated factors that frequently contribute to IT projects falling short of objectives. Heres a look at 10 common issues.

Alignment exists at the top, but not throughout the organization

Most CIOs have gotten the message that IT strategy and business strategy should be aligned. But even when those strategies are built together and entwine, executives often struggle to drive that sense of alignment down through their ranks, Stam says. As a result, the various IT teams and business units that must collaborate and coordinate for tech-led initiatives cant see how their roles fit into their organizations roadmaps and its overall strategic objectives. That lack of widespread alignment then delays project delivery times, stunts the ability to create all the potential capabilities initially identified, and tanks a projects success.

Ahead Greg Stam, managing director for advisory services, Ahead

Stam says he saw a company struggle with this when it was implementing a new system designed to streamline the flow and use of data; the application team was on track but had to wait on the data team, which wasnt aligned to the importance of the project nor its timeline for completion.

If youre trying to move an organization forward, everyone should know what it is youre trying to achieve, why youre doing it and whats the individuals role in it, Stam adds.

No clear definitions of success

Digital transformation is top of mind for most organizations, but as Thimaya Subaiya, senior vice president of customer experience at Cisco says, the term is both overused and misused.

Cisco Thimaya Subaiya, senior vice president of customer experience, Cisco

I see IT organizations go off and talk about where theyre heading, talk about how theyre digitally transforming, when they really mean theyre just upgrading systems. Theres no connection to the business metrics or where the business is going and business requirements, he explains.

CIOs and their business colleagues should always have clear ideas on what success will look like and what metrics will be used to measure outcomes. Otherwise, theres ambiguity on ambitions, project delivery requirements, and ultimately how to define success, says Sunil Kanchi, CIO and chief investment officer with UST, a digital transformation solutions company.

Kanchi adds: Not being able to define the outcome fully because the outcome is changing so much, thats one of largest points for not being successful.

Project tasks arent given priority

Even when business and IT are aligned throughout the ranks, projects can still fail during execution if executives dont prioritize the work and commit the resources needed to complete the initiatives, Stam says.

Sometimes the C-level is in lockstep on priorities, but they dont communicate that to the people doing the work. They dont differentiate the strategic work from the day-to-day. So the people doing the work stay focused on their day jobs, he says.

In such cases, companies dont form teams dedicated to completing the priority projects but rather add project-related tasks to employees existing workloads. That often means the project-related tasks dont get the immediate attention they should.

The project becomes another series of tasks that are lumped on top of everything else and it all becomes part of the backlog of IT tasks to do. Then the CIO gets questions on why the projects got stuck, Stam says.

The value of change management is underappreciated

Executive advisors say they still see executive teams inadequately address inertia and outright resistance to change, and as a result are more likely to see their tech initiatives fall short of expectations.

Laserfiche Thomas Phelps, CIO, Laserfiche

Statistics back this up: The International Project Management Association, for instance, found that only 63% of companies involve change management in some capacity with their projects.

Thomas Phelps, CIO of Laserfiche and an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California, says he saw that scenario play out at a company implementing a customer relationship management (CRM) system; the technology worked but staffers didnt want to incorporate their contacts into the centralized system, as they considered those customer leads proprietary and a big part of the value they brought to their jobs. Although it wasnt a technology oversight, the failure to incorporate a plan to address such concerns and promote adoption led to the impression that the new system wasnt a success.

Potential risks arent adequately anticipated

A 2019 report on project management found that only 60% of those surveyed consistently apply risk management methods throughout the course of a project.

Experienced project leaders say thats a mistake, as planning for problems can help CIOs and their teams head them off or avoid them all together.

Theres always chaos that happens with IT projects, so we have to expect it. You have to anticipate that risks will surface and have a process to respond, Phelps says.

Those risks could be financial, organizational, operational, or technical. They could relate to vendors who overpromise or underdeliver. Or they could be tied into deployment plans or user demands.

Phelps points to the problematic 2013 rollout of Healthcare.gov, which crashed within hours of launch due to the unanticipated high use, noting that if project leaders had identified and addressed that probability, they may have been able to mitigate it in advance and avoid such a high-profile derailment.

Not really being agile

Subaiya is skeptical about the chances of success when he hears someone say they have a perfect plan; he says he has more faith in those who peg project completeness at, for example, 60% and leave room to tweak along the way.

You cant give IT a perfect spec to build; IT needs to be flexible to make projects work and respond to changing markets, Subaiya says.

Guidehouse Robert McNamara, director of strategy practice, Guidehouse

While many organizations say theyve adopted agile methodologies, most have yet to fully implement all its principles, including the use of feedback to shape development and end results, as well as a genuine willingness to pivot as that feedback is offered, veteran IT advisors say.

Most organizations are still not doing agile well. Theyve embraced it in concept, but they havent embraced it in execution, says Robert McNamara, who leads the strategy practice at the advisory firm Guidehouse.

Without that embrace, McNamara says, finished projects wont deliver all that users need and want.

Dictating too much to IT experts

Although agile development methodologies seek out and value user feedback, Stam says technologists must retain a voice in shaping IT projects. After all, the technologists generally know better than others the potentials and pitfall of the technology theyre implementing.

For example, users may ask for a long list of features with a new application. The developers may be capable of delivering those features but might recognize that their incorporation will slow the apps performance.

PMI Scott Ambler, vice president and chief scientist of Disciplined Agile, PMI

To better balance user feedback and ITs expert opinions on what the final product should include for optimal benefits, CIOs should empower their teams to effectively communicate their ideas and collaborate with their business-side co-workers.

Success or failure should be determined by whether a team is able to fulfill reasonable outcomes that they formally agree to, rather than outcomes that get forced upon them, adds Scott Ambler, vice president and chief scientist of Disciplined Agile at the Project Management Institute (PMI). The implication is that these criteria will vary by team, and teams may struggle to adapt to these forced outcomes if they are using an inflexible approach. IT teams need to look beyond the needs of their team to that of the entire organization and its value streams to determine what way of working would be most beneficial.

Making projects too complex

As companies focus on transformation, many executives develop strategies that seek to quickly address all their digitalization requirements.

That might seem like a good idea at the start, as no one wants to be a laggard or see market opportunities pass them by; but McNamara says that approach typically adds too much complexity to projects and thus ups the chance for failure.

Theyre trying to do too much too fast, or address all the process and business changes at once, instead of trying to solve for the core capabilities that are needed and targeting the minimum requirements that need to be met, McNamara explains.

McNamara worked with one company and its technology team after it got mired in a transformation initiative. The company wanted to improve its customers experience and decided to implement best-of-breed solutions for the various processes that support customer interactions, a decision that had the IT team bogged down in integration efforts.

While the intention was good, it ended up taking a significant amount of effort to knit them together to work effectively, McNamara says, adding that project delivery ran late and cost more than anticipated while still underdelivering on results.

McNamara says a better, simplified approach would have been to articulate the key business objectives and then opt for a best-of-suite option to fulfill those prioritized requirements. That in turn would have likely led to on-time and on-budget delivery as well as met expectations.

Then they could have invested the money they saved into other process improvements to help ultimately hit all their goals around improved customer service, he adds.

Inadequate resourcing

CIOs continue to have difficulty finding the talent they need for their IT teams. According to the 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report from IT training firm Global Knowledge, 60% of the IT managers surveyed said theyve had challenges filling roles, with nearly all IT leaders saying they have at least one job they couldnt fill in the prior year and 69% saying that have multiple unfilled positions.

They also have the same financial limits that other executives do; the C-suite may recognize the criticality of IT, but no ones giving CIOs unlimited funding. In fact, CIO.coms 2021 State of the CIO report says only 49% of IT leaders expect their budgets to increase, while 39% anticipate level funding and 12% are actually planning for a decrease.

UST Sunil Kanchi, chief information officer and chief investment officer, UST

The lack of the talent and tight finances can dent an IT departments ability to execute, according to Kanchi, the UST CIO.

He knows that firsthand, seeing how a shortage of full-stack developers impeded success at one clients multimillion-dollar IT project that ended up running over budget by 15% and late by several weeks because they were needed a dozen more full-stack developers than they could get on staff.

Holding onto legacy technology

Sometimes IT projects fail because theyre built on legacy architecture.

McNamara has seen this play out at various organizations, where executives want to keep legacy infrastructure. In such cases, they want to squeeze out more use, stick with whats known, or use it as a bridge between new technology and other existing legacy layers. Regardless of the motivations, McNamara says the decision can be detrimental to success.

He cites one example, where a client company layered a new logistics tool onto legacy systems that housed financial data and customer records. The company opted against upgrading the legacy systems, believing it too costly to modernize those in addition to implementing the new tool. As a result, the new tool could handle only about half of what it was capable of doing.

The company knew [this project] was suboptimal going in, because they knew they were going to be constrained by their legacy systems. But in other organizations they might not know that going in and then the suboptimal performance is counted as a failure, McNamara adds.
Throwing trash out the window of your vehicle will cost you $500 starting today, significantly more than most speeding tickets.

The fine for littering on a highway, once $100, went up this past legislative session due to a bill introduced by a Watford City legislator tired of the trash along U.S. Highway 85. Driving 75 mph in a 65-mph zone, meanwhile, still carries a $20 fine.

House Bill 1311 was proposed by Rep. Denton Zubke, R-Watford City, because of litter problems in western North Dakota that worsened during the oil boom.

"The amount of garbage that has been thrown in our ditches in the last two or three years is absolutely sickening," Zubke said. "They throw everything that they don't want that may be in their vehicle, from soiled diapers to plastic bottles filled with urine to all their fast food."

Zubke said he wants to see more enforcement of the littering law, and he is hoping the enhanced fine will encourage law enforcement to do so.

According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, 76 citations and 73 warnings were issued last year for littering.

"I think this is a process where we make law enforcement aware of the fact that people will not tolerate it. The residents of this state will not tolerate it," he said.

Matt Johansen, interim McKenzie County sheriff, said his deputies will continue writing littering citations as before, but it "doesn't happen very often."

"A lot of times people don't litter when they see a patrol car," he said.

The amount of the fine might serve as a deterrent, he said, adding that the trash problem has lessened since the height of the boom.

Zubke said he'd also like to see some signage that would lead to more public awareness.

Currently, there are no plans for new signage, according to Jamie Olson, spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation.

Jim Collins Jr., president of Keep North Dakota Clean, said the group would like to put up warning billboards, but does not have the money for a statewide campaign that could cost nearly $30,000. The organization recently launched a 10-billboard campaign featuring student anti-litter drawings.

Cal Klewin, executive director of the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Association, supports the increased fine.

During the past two years, Klewin has led volunteer litter cleanup campaigns along Highway 85, which led to a total of 3,000 bags of trash collected.

"Its not that big a deal to pick up garbage and dispose of it properly," he said.

An earlier version of this article misstated the fine for speeding in a 65 mph zone. It is $20 for driving 10 miles over the limit.
Copiii cu nevoi speciale din Stefan Voda au conditii de reabilitare mai bune, datorita UE si Fundatiei Soros Moldova
AKRON, Ohio -- A 6-year-old boy suffered a minor injury Tuesday when his father's gun went off and a bullet grazed the boy's leg, Akron police said.

The 38-year-old father told police he was holding the gun when it accidentally fired just before 12:30 a.m. at a house on Alicia Walk near Hammel Street, police said in a news release.

The boy was treated at an area hospital, police said.

The boy's parents initially denied knowing how the shooting happened, police said.

A juvenile detective and a police legal advisor are reviewing the incident to determine whether the father will face criminal charges, police said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section.
BRECKVILLE, Ohio - The Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools should consider replacing four, maybe five, of its six school buildings, and renovating Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.

That's according to two reports, one by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, and another by ThenDesign Architecture, a private consultant hired by the district. It would cost the schools an estimated $96.7 million to replace the five buildings, plus another $9.3 million-$14.1 million to renovate the high school.

However, the school board has made no decisions. It may accept all, some or none of the state's and ThenDesign's recommendations. The district might also choose to consolidate schools.

"This will be a lengthy process, involving the community every step of the way," school board member Mark Jantzen said at a recent school board meeting.

Other districts have reconfigured aging school buildings or are in the process of doing so, as their enrollment numbers drop. For example, Strongsville schools recently closed two of seven elementary schools and consolidated two middle schools into one new building.

In May, voters in the North Royalton district approved a bond issue that will pay for consolidation of three elementary schools into one new building, the renovation of the district's middle school and an addition on the high school.

In Brecksville-Broadview Heights, the district may place a new tax on the November 2018 ballot to pay for building upgrades. In addition, the district, because it's working with the Ohio facilities commission, might receive state financial help.

Studying the studies

The school district has asked the Ohio School Facilities Commission, a department of the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, to evaluate the condition of its aging schools through the Expedited Local Partnership Program, said Chris Coad, the district's director of business services.

The facilities commission, which contracts with Hammond Construction in Canton to act as liaison between the commission and school districts, hired two firms - Hardlines Design Co. in Columbus and Harrison Planning Group in Powell - to evaluate the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school buildings and provide estimates for their renovation and replacement. The evaluations started in January and ended in May.

Meanwhile, the district hired ThenDesign for $9,500 to review Hardlines' and Harrison's evaluations and estimates. ThenDesign completed its work in June and presented its findings to the school board that month.

Subsequently, ThenDesign worked with the state facilities commission to draft a master facility plan, based largely on the building evaluations, for the district. The draft plan is due Aug. 1.

The district's Business Advisory Committee will review the draft master plan. The committee consists of Coad, schools Superintendent Joelle Magyar, new schools Treasurer Jeff M. Hall, board members Mark Dosen and Michael Ziegler, Brecksville Councilman Lou Carouse Jr. and members of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights business community.

Also, the district's new Facility Planning Committee will contribute to the master planning process. The committee, which will have its first meeting Aug. 15, is made of school and community volunteers and business advisory committee members. Coad said a final committee roster has not yet been set.

Coad said the district hopes to finish the master facility plan in January.

School breakdown

The state facilities commission recommends replacing a school building if the estimated cost of renovation is more than two-thirds, or about 67 percent of, the cost of replacing it. Here's what the commission and ThenDesign found for each school:

Central Elementary School, built 1915: Problems include the roof, where water ponds after rain, asphalt in the parking lot and the chimney. Other big-ticket items that need addressing include the heating and electrical systems and general finishes like paint, carpet and tile.

The facilities commission estimated the total renovation cost at $13.7 million, which is 73 percent of the $18.5 million cost to rebuild. ThenDesign estimated the renovation at $15.2 million, which is 82 percent of the replacement cost.

Chippewa Elementary School, built 1962: Problems include mechanical equipment, lack of handicapped accessibility in restrooms and damaged asbestos flooring. Other big-ticket items include the heating system, roof and general finishes.

The commission estimated the total renovation cost at $9.7 million, which is 86 percent of $11.4 million cost to rebuild. ThenDesign estimated the renovation at 85 percent of the replacement cost.

Highland Elementary School, built 1953: Problems include toilet partitions, a boarded window opening and rusted canopy posts. Other big-ticket items include the heating system and general finishes.

The commission estimated the total renovation cost at $8.4 million, which is 73 percent of the $11.5 million cost to rebuild. ThenDesign estimated the renovation at $9.6 million, which is 84 percent of the replacement cost.

Hilton Elementary School, built 1967: Problems include asphalt in the parking lot, interior casework and roof ponding. Other big-ticket items include the heating system, roof and general finishes.

The commission estimated the total renovation cost at $10 million, which is 84 percent of the $11.9 million cost to rebuild. ThenDesign estimated the renovation at $9.7 million, which is 82 percent of the replacement cost.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights Middle School, built in 1960: Problems include exterior doors, roof ponding, an outdated fire-alarm system and stair railings that don't comply to code. Other big-ticket items include the heating and electrical systems, roof, general finishes, handicapped access and site condition.

The commission estimated the total renovation cost at $26.8 million, which is 62 percent of the $43.5 million cost to rebuild. Although the commission's renovation estimate is below the two-thirds threshold, ThenDesign estimated the renovation cost at $31.9 million, which is 76 percent of the replacement cost.

Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School, built 1997: Problems include interior wall cracks, asphalt in the parking lot and a chiller machine that needs replacing. Other big-ticket items include the roof, plumbing and fixtures, general finishes and site condition.

In addition, district officials have found evidence that the high school is moving. It is paying GPD Group, an Akron firm, $15,200 to determine why, and to what degree, it's happening.

The commission estimated the total renovation cost at $9.3 million, which is 13 percent of the $69.5 million cost to rebuild. ThenDesign estimated the renovation at $14.1 million, which is 21 percent of the replacement cost.
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- City Council, at a special meeting held Monday, approved a resolution that affirms council's intent to partner with the non-profit Future Heights to create a community development corporation.

The resolution further allows for City Manager Tanisha Briley to form a group that will work to form the CDC, work that will include Future Heights as a collaborator.

Discussions about forming a CDC with Future Heights began in December. Formed in 2000, Future Heights' mission is to "ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for Cleveland Heights and University Heights."

The organization produces the monthly community newspaper the Heights Observer, and four years ago started the Heights Music Hop in which bands play at multiple venues during a September weekend within three Cleveland Heights business districts.

Already designated as a CDC, the organization has worked on development initiatives, such as a recent charette it held to discuss the future of the Noble Triangle at Noble and Mayfield roads.

The idea of forming a CDC is believed to be beneficial to Cleveland Heights in that a non-profit can obtain foundation grants in instances where cities cannot. The Mayor's Economic Development Advisory Committee and the Greater Cleveland Congregations' Cleveland Heights Housing Issue Team each recommended the city proceed with forming a CDC.

Passage came following a spirited discussion about the issue at a council Committee-of-the-Whole meeting. During the committee meeting, the five council members in attendance (Councilmen Michael Ungar and Jason Stein were not present) discussed language contained in two versions of the resolution, and about the lack of time they had to read the options.

In the end, council voted 4-1 to approve the resolution, with Kahlil Seren opposing.

"We're voting to allow our city manager to form a working group, that's all we're doing," Seren said before his vote. "I believe the city manager is empowered to form a work group all by herself.

"I find this (vote) to be completely unnecessary," he said.

Seren later said of the resolution "It doesn't make a distinction stating that Future Heights is the organization we would like to partner with as a CDC."

Councilwoman Melissa Yasinow, speaking about the discussion over the resolution's language, said, "Typically, when we form legislation, it's not done like this."

Yasinow said she agreed with Seren's point, but added, "The reason we want this is to provide assistance to Future Heights."

"It is the will of council to move forward and work with Future Heights," Mayor Cheryl Stephens said.

During the council meeting's public portion, speakers advocated for immediate passage of the resolution, so that work could begin on founding the CDC in August while council is in recess, while others, such as resident C.J. Nash, told council members, "If you aren't comfortable, don't vote tonight. If it makes anyone upset, that's OK."

Resident Gary Benjamin told council, "Let the work group work over the summer. Tonight's the night (for passage)."

After passage, Future Heights President Julia Kious Zabell said, "I'm pleased we'll be able to move forward with the formation of a working group."

She also added, "We are already seeking (grant) funding."

The working group will consist of nine people, three representatives each from the city and Future Heights, and three residents.

Council's passage of the resolution is expected to lend more weight to Future Heights' requests for grant money needed for improvements within the city.

Future Heights is seeking $139,000 from Cleveland Heights to design and set up the CDC. Future Heights has received about $30,000 in federal community block grant funding in each of the past two years from Cleveland Heights.

Also at Monday's City Council meeting:

-- Council approved, without opposition, three resolutions objecting to the renewal of liquor permits at three establishments. They include Helen's Game Time, 3962 Mayfield Road; Noble Gas, 2610 Noble Road; and Shillelaghs, 2555 Noble Road.

Cleveland Heights Police Chief Annette Mecklenburg wrote letters of objection to council for each of the businesses.

"Since the opening of Helen's Game Time in early 2013," Mecklenburg wrote, "the police have been called to their location close to 250 times. Calls for service include assaults, disorderly conduct, intoxication, riots, menacing, suspicious activity, theft, aggravated robbery and weapons firing."

In 2016, alone, officers responded to the bar more than 100 times.

Writing about Noble Gas, Mecklenburg said police have been called increasingly to the gas station. There were just over 40 calls in 2014, and by 2016, the number exceeded 90. In 2017, police have responded to the location more than 40 times.

Most recently, on July 13, surveillance video captured an incident of felonious assault in which a man, after making a purchase, was approached by several males who began to argue with him. The man was eventually struck in the face with a handgun.

As for Shillelaghs, Mecklenburg wrote, "Over the past several years, the police department has responded to approximately 80 complaints at this establishment."

"In May, 2014, during a large riot in the street where participants were coming in and out of Shillelaghs, several gunshots were fired, striking and shattering the front door of Shillelaghs, as captured on surveillance."

The chief went on to recount a stabbing of a patron that took place in August, 2014; an aggravated robbery in September, 2016; and an instance of 10 males gambling in the bar's rear lot in May, 2017.

In all three cases, Mecklenburg wrote, the permit holders have "shown a disregard of the governing laws, regulations and local ordinances."

Each of the resolution calls for a renewal hearing to be held within Cuyahoga County.
AKRON, Ohio -- A Parma roofer who repeatedly had sex with an underage human trafficking victim was sentenced Monday to 17 1/2 years in federal prison.

Richard Purnell, 56, maintains that he did not know that the victim, who was 14 years old when he started having sex with her for money, was not an adult. He based this on Backpage.com ads, which said the victim was a "lovely college girl" and was an adult.

U.S. District Judge John Adams did not buy it. He said the evidence presented at Purnell's trial in September, as well as other information provided to him by prosecutors and the U.S. Probation Office, showed that Purnell knew the victim was not an adult.

"I'm sorry, but that's my belief," Adams said.

Purnell, a roofing contractor, was arrested in May 2016 after FBI agents found his number in the phone of Ronnie Pratt, a Cleveland man who acted as a pimp for the girl with whom Purnell had sex. Purnell hired the girl, who worked both for the pimp and on her own, several times before the FBI's intervention.

Agents posted an ad online using the same username as the victim. Two hours after the ad was placed, Purnell responded, thinking he was texting the girl. He set up a meeting at his house for the next day.

The jury convicted Purnell of one count of sex trafficking of children.

Pratt pleaded guilty to three counts of sex trafficking of children. U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko sentenced Pratt in September to 14 years in federal prison.

The probation office recommended that Purnell serve a sentence of life in prison. Adams thought this was too high, especially in light of Pratt's sentence, though Pratt cooperated with investigators and accepted responsibility for his crimes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan said at Monday's hearing that the teenage victim is recovering from her experience as a prostitute, as well as her troubled upbringing. The victim did not ask for any restitution from Purnell, because she knows what that would represent, Brennan said. She even decided against coming to court to watch Purnell get sentenced.

"She doesn't want anything from this defendant at all," Brennan said. "She just wants this to be over. And who can blame her?"

Brennan, as well as the judge, repeatedly came back to the fact that Purnell drove to Canton to pick the girl up from a foster home so he could bring her back to his house in Parma and have sex. While the girl texted Purnell and said she was in a facility to address a drinking problem, Adams viewed Purnell's decision as "another opportunity to exploit her, to use her, to abuse her."

Purnell is expected to appeal his case. Federal public defender Edward Bryan said his client maintains he did not know the victim was 14 years old and that video of his FBI interrogation showed that Purnell had a noticeable reaction when the agents informed him of this. In arguing for a sentence of 10 years, the mandatory minimum, Bryan Purnell learned a lot and now knows his actions caused harm.

Purnell echoed this in a brief statement. Clad in an orange jumpsuit, he rattled the shackles placed on his arms several times during the sentencing.

"I see how I could've and should've done things differently," Purnell said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has prosecuted several human-trafficking cases in the past few years. Purnell's case is the first one in which a "customer" is charged with sex trafficking.

The federal statute allows authorities to charge anyone who solicits a child for sex with the same crime as somebody who recruits or advertises the services.

A Congressional investigative committee co-chaired by Ohio Sen. Rob Portman conducted said the website is complicit in child prostitution. Portman and two other senators have asked the Justice Department to investigate Backpage for criminal violations.

Bryan questioned aloud why Backpage.com isn't complicit with these sex trafficking cases. Adams agreed and noted that it would be the federal government's job to prosecute the company.

"Hopefully they will pursue that," Adams said.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.
The wife of a former Cannon Ball leader has agreed to plead guilty to failing to report the child sexual abuse of which her husband was convicted in April.

Rhonda Krein Fool Bear signed a plea agreement Wednesday. The document said she did not tell law enforcement after the girl disclosed to her that she was being sexually abused by Robert Fool Bear Sr.

Krein Fool Bear, who was then a teacher at Solen High School, was mandated by law to tell authorities about the alleged abuse. In exchange for the plea, the U.S. attorney's office agreed to drop a second charge alleging that she lied at Fool Bear's jury trial.

Court documents filed by the prosecutor allege that Krein Fool Bear lied at trial when she said that, after learning of the alleged abuse, she told a colleague, who may have called the victim's school. Krein Fool Bear is the person who made an anonymous call to Standing Rock High School, documents allege. That phone call is what started the investigation that ended in Fool Bear's conviction.

Krein Fool Bear's attorney, Jackie Stebbins, declined to comment on the case.

Krein Fool Bear has resigned from Solen High School since the charges, according to superintendent Justin Fryer.

Krein Fool Bear faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine. She is set for a change of plea hearing on Oct. 16 and sentencing on Jan. 16 before Chief Judge Daniel Hovland at the federal courthouse in Bismarck.

Her husband was convicted in April on four felony counts, including child sexual abuse and incest. The prosecution alleged he repeatedly raped a girl over a period of at least four years, beginning when she was 10 years old. Fool Bear maintained his innocence at trial.

The former district chairman of Cannon Ball is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 21 before Hovland. He faces a minimum of 30 years in prison. In a recent memorandum, the U.S. attorney's office recommended that he serve life.

"(The victim) may never have the opportunity to live a normal life because of the abuse imposed upon her by Fool Bear; as such, Fool Bear does not deserve the opportunity to reclaim his normal life," Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Delorme wrote in the filing.
WISE, Va.  For a man who needed 18 teeth pulled, Daniel Smith was looking chipper.

Anxious, too, for he was facing a pair of forceps. But Smith, 30, a contractor with no health or dental insurance, who hadnt seen a dentist in more than 20 years, was looking forward to an imminent end to the pain and rot in his mouth.

Ive always worked, since I was 14, but Ive never had dental insurance, Smith told me. After his teeth are out, he has a lead on low-cost dentures.

Id like to have a straight smile, he said. Ive never had one in my life.

All around Smith were uninsured patients receiving free dental or medical care, including dozens of men and women in side-by-side dental chairs in the open air. Organizers mercifully arranged the long line of people waiting to have teeth pulled so that they were facing away from those currently enduring extractions.

The patients swamped the county fairground here for a three-day health extravaganza of free care organized by Remote Area Medical, an aid group that holds these events across the country. This one involved about 1,400 volunteers serving 2,300 men and women who needed care of every kind.

Some patients camped out for three days at the fairground gate before the clinic opened to make sure they would be treated.

The health fair reminded me of scenes Ive witnessed in refugee camps in South Sudan. But here in America?

The sight is a wrenching reminder of how many Americans slip through the cracks. No other advanced country permits this level of suffering  and if the GOP health care plan goes through, millions more will lose their health coverage.

Walking around, listening to people, it breaks your heart, said Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, whom I encountered on the fairground. We need a healthy workforce, and this is a disgrace.

Shame on us as a nation, McAuliffe added. This is an embarrassment to our country.

Thats what I feel, too: humiliation that Americans need to be rescued by a group originally intended to help people in the worlds poorest countries (mixed with pride at the altruistic spirit that attracted so many volunteers, paying their own expenses to come here). To me, the fundamental lesson is that even under Obamacare, too many people dont have coverage, and we urgently need a single-payer universal health care system along the lines of Medicare for all.

Remote Area Medical is the brainchild of Stan Brock, 81, a onetime British cowboy who in the 1950s managed one of the worlds biggest ranches, overseeing 50,000 cattle in Guyana in South America.

When he was badly injured by a wild horse, Brock was told it would be a 26-day hike to the nearest doctor. So he recovered on his own  but began to think about supplying health care to deprived areas.

Brock ended up founding Remote Area Medical to work in places like the Amazon, Haiti and Uganda. But then one day he had a call from Sneedville, Tennessee, where the hospital had just closed and the dentist moved out. Can you come here? the caller asked.

Brock loaded a dental chair on the back of a pickup truck and brought in a dentist as well  and 150 people lined up, desperate for oral care. The result is that while it continues some international work, Remote Area Medical also treats people in the worlds superpower.

Brock is a character: He discovered a species of bat that is named for him, and today he has no home but unrolls a pad each evening and sleeps on the floor of Remote Area Medicals permanent offices in Tennessee. At 5 a.m. on the first day here, Brock opened the gate and began admitting people eager for care.

As they surged past, many stopped to thank him; one man had tears in his eyes as he did so.

I wish Mr. Trump would come, Brock told me. The health of these people is appalling.

Obamacare and the expansion of Medicaid have helped, but this health fair underscores glaring gaps in American coverage, especially for dental and vision care, in ways that affect us all.

In the vision tent, a patient couldnt see even the biggest letter at the top of the eye chart. As he waited for glasses, a volunteer asked, And how did you get here?

Oh, I drove.

Jennifer Jolliffee, a volunteer, told of a 6-year-old boy who had behavioral problems, couldnt read and struggled at school. Then he had his first vision screening, and his parents learned that he could barely see. Soon he was looking around in wonderment through glasses.

In another area of the fairground, doctors saw patients in private rooms created by sheets dangled from strings with clothespins. In one such room, Dr. Ross Isaacs saw William Powers, a former bulldozer operator with severe kidney problems, and outlined how Powers could maximize his chances of a kidney transplant. Ive got hope again, Powers told me as he left.

As for Isaacs, he put it this way: The success of this event is an indictment of our health care system.
Former Coin World Editor Beth Deisher graciously thanked the Professional Numismatists Guild for presenting her with the 2017 PNG Lifetime Achievement Award at the organizations awards banquet in Denver, July 31.

The Professional Numismatists Guild presented its 2017 PNG Lifetime Achievement Award to prominent and influential hobby leader Beth Deisher. The award was announced during the PNGs annual banquet held this year in Denver on July 31, 2017.

Deisher is the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force Director of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. She was the award-winning Editor of Coin World for 27 years until her retirement in 2012. Over the years Deisher also has conducted workshops and classes on the problems of counterfeit coins produced in China.

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These are the other 2017 awards and winners announced at the PNG Denver banquet.

The Robert Friedberg Award for an outstanding book or other literature was jointly presented to authors Pete Smith, Joel J. Orosz and Leonard Augsburger for their reference book, 1792: Birth of a Nations Coinage, published by Ivy Press.

Connecting coins, the arts, and American monuments: Another column in the August 7 monthly issue of Coin World continues with the art theme, as the artists whove designed our most gorgeous pieces of paper currency are profiled.

The Sol Kaplan Award was presented to four people this year: Bill Walker, a Senior Numismatist at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, and jointly to three Missouri law enforcement officials: Sheriff Cory Hutcheson, Chief Deputy Branden E. Caid and Captain Barry Morgan, all of the Mississippi County Missouri Sheriffs Department.

In early 2017 while in Florida, Walker recovered and subsequently returned to their grateful owner five rare coins that had been stolen a year earlier, apparently while in transit in the United States Postal Service mail. The coins had a combined value of about $30,000.

In a separate case, Sheriff Hutcheson, Chief Deputy Caid and Captain Morgan successfully tracked down a collector in Florida whose rare coins were stolen four decades earlier when he was a youngster in Charleston, Missouri, in 1972. During a January 2017 search of the Southeast Missouri home of a drug case suspect, the officers discovered and recovered about two-thirds of the coins stolen 45 years earlier. Through perseverance and solid detective work the officers were able to return the coins, some still housed in their familiar blue Whitman folders, to the now adult and quite surprised collector.

The Kaplan Award recognizes efforts and contributions in combatting crimes against the numismatic community, and is jointly presented by the PNG and the Lewis M. Reagan Foundation. It is named after a former PNG President and Ohio dealer who was personally responsible for the apprehension of several people suspected of committing numismatic-related crimes.

John Maben of JFM Trading LLC in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, received the Significant Contribution Award. It is given to those who have made exceptional, beneficial efforts over the years on behalf of PNG and the profession, and added to the hobby.

Christine Karstedt, Executive Vice President of Stacks Bowers of Stacks Bowers Galleries, received the Art Kagin Ambassador Award. This award is named after a former PNG President and nationally-known Iowa dealer who provided distinguished service as an advocate of numismatic goodwill.

PNG Legal Counsel Armen Vartian of Manhattan Beach, California, was recognized during the banquet for 25 years as a PNG Affiliate Member.

The Professional Numismatists Guild is a nonprofit trade association composed of the country's top rare coin and paper money dealers who must adhere to a strict Code of Ethics in the buying and selling of numismatic merchandise. The organization also has an Accredited Precious Metals Dealer program.

For additional information, contact Robert Brueggeman, PNG Executive Director, 28441 Rancho California Road, Suite 106, Temecula, CA 92590, or telephone the PNG headquarters at 951-587-8300.
Romania celebrates 20 years of deepened American relations with a limited mintage gold coin depicting the Statue of Liberty.

The Statue of Liberty appears on a new coin from Europe, but its not from a country that you might think.

France has honored the statue, which was a gift of the French people to the United States, on coins in the past, but the latest collector coin from Europe to showcase the sentinel of liberty is Romania.

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The National Bank of Romania on July 3 issued the Proof .900 fine gold 100-lei coin dedicated to the anniversary of 20 years since the launch of the strategic partnership between Romania and the United States of America.

Relations between the countries go back to 1880, but in the 1990s relations broadened and deepened, including the visit of then-President Bill Clinton to Bucharest in 1997, leading to U.S. support for Romanias entry into NATO and setting the stage for its full integration into Europe.

The obverse shows the Cernavoda Bridge, which crossed the Danube River, and a shield. In addition, inscriptions indicating the face value, issuing country and year of issue fill the scene

The peak of Olympic gold coins: Another column in the August 14 weekly issue of Coin World also profiles a rubber token that promotes a commonplace object we all use.

A partial depiction of the Statue of Liberty in New York City appears on the reverse, in a scene similar to that on Americas Presidential dollar coins.

An inscription relating the partnership (which began in 1997) surrounds the design.

The gold coin weighs 6.452 grams and measures 21 millimeters in diameter.

The coins are individually housed in transparent plastic capsules and are accompanied by certificates of authenticity for the issue in Romanian, English and French. The certificates bear the signatures of the governor and the chief cashier of the National Bank of Romania.

The mintage of this issue is 250 gold coins. Each coin retails for 1,685 lei ($429 U.S.), excluding value-added tax.

The gold coins dedicated to the anniversary of 20 years since the launch of the strategic partnership between Romania and the United States of America are legal tender in the territory of Romania.

The gold coins are available for purchase through the branches of the National Bank of Romania in Bucharest and four other cities in the nation.

To learn more about the coin, visit the national bank website.
One of the top marketing analytics goals for retailers has, for years, been the single view of the customer. That means being able to identify shoppers as they move from desktop to mobile to in-store and when they phone a call center. A mobile device that typically stays with a person at almost all times has been seen by many as the answerand it is.

But Google has been pushing an alternative theory, which is to trust it blindly. It doesnt quite phrase it that way, but thats where it ends up. On Monday (July 31), a major privacy organization, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, filed a legal complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission asking federal officials to look into a Google program that extracts data from payment card records.

Heres where things get dicey. The idea is that Google, through an undisclosed third party, has access to 70 percent of transactions for credit and debit cards in the United States, The Washington Post said.

Its story quotes Jerry Dischler, vice president of product management for AdWords, Google's online advertising service, saying, Through a mathematical property, we can do double-blind matching between their data and our data. Neither gets to the see the encrypted data that the other side brings.

The approach is apparently based on a 2011 research paper from three MIT scientists, a project funded by Google and Citigroup, Dischler said.

No purchase data revealed?

In an attempt to buttress its privacy argument, Google argues that the data is aggregated and that it reveals nothing about an individual shoppers purchases.

And thats where the logic of all of this falls apart. If the data is truly aggregated throughout the process, then it would show nothing. If would say that tens of millions of people looked at ads online and that millions of them made in-store purchases. If aggregated throughout, it couldnt know whether they were the same people or what kind of a time lag existed or much else useful.

What would make more senseslightlyis if the data were linked initially, by this third party, and then made anonymous by the time its shared with Google.

You know whats fun about double-blind? It replaces verifiable data with numbers that the end user must take on faith. And what possible incentive would Google have for indicating that its expensive services are more effective than they are? I cant think of any, he said, trying to keep a straight face.

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The truth is mobile is the only viable way to connect the dots between online and in-store activity. Well, not just mobile, but mobile is the link. The eventual answer lies in mobile (to flag when this mobile or online shopper materializes in-store), digital video analytics (Amazon Gos efforts of using in-store video cameras to interpret what actions people are taking in the aisles is a good example) and then looking at the time stamps from POS data.

Before we get into the how, we need to think about the why. Whats the point of connecting those dots? If youre willing to assume that Googles data is accurate, the only possible action is to buy more Google ads (what a coincidence). Looking solely at POS data and matching it against known online/mobile users is good for figuring out online effectiveness, which is nice. In other words, it would theoretically prove that online ads were more effective than they initially appeared. If 5 percent of people clicked on the link and purchased, thats a 5 percent ROI. But if you later learned that another 20 percent of those clickers bought that item in-store, your ROI is now adjusted to 25 percent.

That, however, is not where the single-view-of-the-customer money truly lies. Why merely observe and note shopper behavior when you have a shot at changing/influencing it? Yet again, this brings us back to mobile.

Mobile as a communication device

Mobile is not merely a geolocation-tracking device, one that uses Wi-Fi triangulation to pinpoint a shoppers precise location (more or less). Its also a two-way communication device. Not only will that Android or iOS device flag you when a customer is in your stores shirt aisle, but it also gives you a way to talk with them.

Consider this scenario: You know that shopper 663492 visited a specific page for a high-priced tailored shirt at 10:10 a.m. today, a Saturday morning. At 12:05 p.m., this same shoppers phone is detected in your store closest to his home. Your Wi-Fi triangulates that hes in the shirt aisle. Your video analytics show him examining the same shirt he was looking at on his screen. But when he appears to peer at the price tag, he puts it back and walks away.

What if you could text him right then and there, with an offer of an extra 25 percent off if he purchases in the next 30 minutes. Think it could save a sale?

Scenario 2: What if he took that shirt into the changing room and then put it back? In that case, he probably knew the price before he tried it on, so a discount might not overcome the purchase hesitation. Perhaps your text could offer to overnight a different size for free instead.

Texting the customer is good, but demographics play a role. If the shopper is in her early 20s, a text could be effective. But if the customer is in his 60s, it might be better to text a store associate who can approach the customer with the offer. With mobile and video analytics, you have choices. With POS analysis alone, you have almost none.

Want additional verification beyond mobile? Perhaps that shopper has her phone turned off or chooses to not ride your Wi-Fi. Some stores have toyed with license plate recognition. This works in reverse. The customer is identified at the POS using a payment card. Digital analytics can match the face to the identity on the card.

When that person is tracked leaving the store, external security cameras can record her license plate number. Link established. The next time that license plate is detected by license plate-recognition cameras in the parking lot, your system knows who is coming and which entrance she is likely to use. And license plate tracking can sometimes be better than car tracking, since many consumers will retain a license plate when they buy a new car.

Does much of this raise privacy questions? Absolutely. But this is merely the automation of age-old retail tactics. Did anyone cry privacy when a veteran sales person noticed the car of a frequent shopper driving in? Or recognized her as she walked into the store? Why is that OK, but its a sin when done via software?

Connecting the dots between offline and in-store can indeed be done without mobile. The question is: Why would you want to?
Microsoft just announced a new financing option for Surface Laptops, Surface Pro 2017s, Surface Books and Surface Studios. On the, uh, surface, the Surface Plus plan for individuals looks quite inviting: A new Surface Pro 2017, for example, costs only $34 per month for 24 months, Surface Laptops run $42 per month, and Surface Books cost $63 per month. But before you take the plunge, be aware of the footnotes.

I priced out a top-of-the-line Surface Pro 2017, i7, 16 GB, 1 TB storage, Iris Plus, Extended Service, and it came to a total of $2,848, or $119 per month with Klarna financing (formerly Kreditor), plus sales tax. If you go with the least-capable Surface Pro 2017, you end up with an m3 processor, 4 GB, 128 GB storage, built-in graphics and a Standard one-year limited warrantyfor $799, or $33 per month.

In both cases, at the end of the 24 months, you end up paying for the machine at a zero-percent rate. If you miss a payment, you get hit with a late payment fee of $35, plus interest at 19.99 percent. The 18-month upgrade option specifically requires you to upgrade to another Microsoft product and use Klarna again for 24-month financing.

The Surface Laptop comes with Windows 10 Sthe version that doesnt run old-fashioned Windows programsbut through the end of the year, you can upgrade Win10 S to Win10 Pro (which does run regular Windows programs) for free. The other machines come with Win10 Pro right out of the box.

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You get preview versions of the Office apps. The Surface Plus page says the Surface Pro 2017 and Surface Book come with a 30-day Office 365 trial, while the Surface Laptop gets one year of Office 365 if you activate in time. (Office applications install from the Windows Store and are currently in preview on this device. Must activate within 180 days. Offer ends 10/15/2017.) In any case, you can get Office 365 Personal for $70 per year on one machine.

Surface Plus for Business

The financing options for business, termed Microsoft Surface Plus for Business, have higher prices, as you might expect: Surface Pro 2017 runs $53 per month for 24 months (m3, 4 GB, 128 GB), Surface Studio is $146/month, Surface Book with Performance Base $115/month, and the yuge Surface Hub runs $408 per month. All of the business machines ship with Win10 Pro, and Office 365 adds $8/month to the cost.

The financing for Surface Plus for Business comes from a different company, New York-based LiftForward. As Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet notes, it isnt at all clear how Surface Plus for Business compares toor works withlast years Surface as a Service business leasing program.

Unbiased advice on the AskWoody Lounge.
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JACKSON COUNTY, Mississippi -- Public schools across Jackson County will open the 2017-2018 school year this week, with teachers and administrators already on the job preparing for the arrival of students Friday morning.

In Pascagoula, superintendent Wayne Rodolfich said registration is the number one issue for the Pascagoula-Gautier School District.

"The big thing is we want to make sure everybody gets in to register," Rodolfich said, "because we don't want to lose any days with students who haven't registered yet. Students can register through the day Thursday. We will not register on Friday, but will resume on Monday. That's our biggest issue right now."

With Mississippi public school required to provide 180 full days of instruction from the first week of August through the end of May, Moss Point superintendent Shannon Vincent said her teachers will not waste any time getting started with instruction.

"We start school on Friday and we will start learning on Friday," Vincent said, "because we don't have any down time. With the rigorous standards in place both federally and on the state level, we need to start running on day one in the area of instruction."

In Ocean Springs, superintendent Bonita Coleman said her district has put an emphasis on digital communication with parents.

"We're trying to make sure we direct people toward the (district) website for information," Coleman said. "It's really dedicated to parents."

To that end, the Ocean Springs School District is holding a "scavenger hunt" of sorts on Facebook Wednesday. Each of the district's six schools will be "dropping clues" on the district's Facebook page. Those participating will have an opportunity to win a number of donated prizes, including Saints tickets, Shuckers tickets and cash.

"It's to help parents get in the habit of checking the website and school social media accounts for information," Coleman said. "Just trying to direct people towards the tools needed to communicate with them."

While the three municipal school districts start classes on Friday, the Jackson County School District will welcome students on Thursday. An incorrect district-wide phone message earlier in the week had alerted parents and others school would start Friday.

Jackson County superintendent Barry Amacker was unavailable for comment, but did send out his district-wide newsletter Tuesday, noting the district's slogan "Raising the Standard."

"We're excited to see the students return and are looking forward to another great year," Amacker wrote.

Coleman noted a recurring problem with the start of school in her city continues to be traffic.

"One of the things we're most concerned with is traffic control," she said, "because, unfortunately, people who live on the east side of the district who are trying to get to Oak Park, the upper elementary, or Pecan Park get caught up in the Magnolia Park traffic.

"If those people would use Highway 90 instead of Government, that would be a huge help."

Coleman also reminded the public of the community-wide pep rally, set for Aug. 10 at 5 p.m. outside Greyhound Stadium.

"We would love for everyone to be there to show their support," she said.
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Motorists of Cornwall beware, more roadwork is coming your way after it was announced that 53 repairs are to be undertaken as part of a 5 million government funding package.

The cash will be used to fix things from lines, barriers and potholes to footways and cycleways on some of the smallest roads that crisscross the county.

The 53 locations to be repaired stretch the length and breadth of Cornwall from the Lizard to Bude and Looe to Falmouth.

Cornwall Council said the funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) will focus on the secondary road network - that is the B, C and U roads, known as the 3A network.

Andy Stevenson, Cornwall Council's head of highways and infrastructure, said the repair work will focus on the key interconnecting roads which help keep Cornwall moving.

He added: These are strategically important roads that connect places and people but also ensure businesses and local economies are supported.

This funding will see maintenance programmes, renewal of the carriageway, footways or cycleways and improved drainage  its an investment in ensuring our roads have better longevity.

The councils bid, announced by the DfT, secured the maximum amount of money available from the DfT's Local Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund, with work expected to be completed within a year. It is part of a 75 million government investment set aside for essential road maintenance on 19 projects throughout the UK.

Councillor Geoff Brown, Cornwall Councils Cabinet member for transport, said: "We know how important our roads are to people in Cornwall. Improving the condition of the local road network was one of the main themes highlighted in last year's residents survey.

"Last autumn we announced an additional 2.9 million for more than 1,800 road safety and drainage schemes which have now been completed and we are now well into work on our Growth Deal funded highway schemes at Bodmin, Carkeel, Tolgus, Treluswell and Truro.

"While we continue to work with ever dwindling budgets, we will continue to look to alternative ways of funding road improvements such as these, which we know are so vital to keeping Cornwall moving."

The Council previously secured 5 million towards the 6.9 million cost for resurfacing and making improvements to drainage and safety fencing along an 8km stretch of the A39 between Carland Cross and Buckshead Roundabout in Truro through the Local Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund.

Below is the list of all the roadworks expected over the next 12 months:

Bodmin

B3262 St Nicholas St, Bodmin

Bude

B3254 Whitstone to Bevills Hill

B3254 Wilsworthy Cross and Cherry Cross

Camborne and Redruth

B3298 Tolgullow House to Scorrier Crossroads

Centenary Road and Trevenson Road, Camborne

Bucketts Hill/Buller Hill, Redruth

The Cross, Camborne

B3280 Nine Maidens

Camelford

B3314 Delabole Post Office to Rockhead

C0270 Marshgate to Tresparrett Posts

B3263 Halgabron Corner, Trethevy

China Clay

C0120 Whitegate to Robartes Road, St Dennis

C0298 Coldvreath

Falmouth and Penryn

Bus Stop, The Moor, Falmouth

B3292 Commercial Road, Penryn

C0007 Kernick Road, Penryn

Treliever Road, Penryn

C0015 Penwarne Road

Hayle and St Ives

B3301 Griggs Hill

Helston and The Lizard

B3302 Fraddam Crossroads

B3302 Sithney Trough to White Horse

C0162 London Wells to Sunny Corner

C0770 Godolphin Road, Helston

B3296 Meaver Road, Mullion

The Commons, Mullion

C0740 Trengrouse Way/The Parade, Helston

B3304 Treza, Porthleven

Launceston

C0150 St Stephens Hill, Launceston

B3254 Peppershill

Liskeard and Looe

C0131 Hayeford Bridge to Higher Rosecraddoc

C0239 Quay Road and Hannafore Road ,West Looe

Marazion and St Just

C0729 St Clare Street, Penzance

B3280 Goldsithney

B3311 Gulval to South of Badgers Cross Penzance

St Agnes and Perranporth

B3285 St Georges Hill, Perranporth

B3284 Higher Penwartha

B3285 Tollgate, Perranporth

St Austell

C0707 Alexandra Road, St Austell

St Blazey, Fowey and Lostwithiel

U6143 Rawlings Lane and Place Road, Fowey

Truro and The Roseland

New Bridge Street, Truro

Falmouth Road and Lemon Street, Truro

C0005 Crosslanes to Bissoe

C0008 Top Hill, Grampound Road

C0724 Sticklers Corner, Threemilestone

C0737 Frances Street, Truro

C0362 St Clements Hill, Truro

C0730 Charles Street, Truro

B3289 Playing Place to King Harry Ferry junction

Wadebridge and Padstow

St Merryn East to Parish Boundary

C0758 Egloshayle Road, Wadebridge

C0766 West Hill, Wadebridge

B3314 Bodieve
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The skies of Cornwall will soon welcome back a couple of old friends  two helicopters which were once used by the navy for search and rescue.

The Ministry of Defence is returning two Sea King Mark 5 aircraft to service, and they will once again have a life-saving role  to help train the German navy.

The aircraft were once used by 771 Naval Air Squadron for rescue missions across Cornwall from their base at RNAS Culdrose near Helston.

The iconic grey and red aircraft were a regular and popular sight around Cornwall and much admired by the public. Many of the aircraft date to 1979 or the early 1980s and one saw action in the Falklands War.

While one of the helicopters was kept on display behind the fence at Culdrose, as a testimony to the bravery of their air crews, the others were shipped away to storage by the navy in April 2016.

(Image: Royal Navy)

Responsibility for search and rescue was handed over to the new coastguard helicopters at Newquay.

Now two of them are being leased to HeliOperations UK so that the organisation can train aircrew in the German navy in search and rescue skills.

The retired Sea Kings will be retained as UK military aircraft, but will be operated from a training base at Portland in Dorset up until September 2018.

The maintenance activity required to bring these two aircraft back into service is being carried out at Culdrose and following ground runs, the first aircraft will commence its flight test phase soon.

Both aircraft will eventually undergo a full respray, however locals to the Culdrose area may see the first aircraft completing its test flying programme still in its original search and rescue paint scheme, as the re-spray is scheduled after this element has been completed.
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A police officer has spoken of the moment he saved the life of a woman who was about to jump from a viaduct 100 feet above a busy main road in Newquay.

Police received a call from concerned members of the public at about 9.30pm on Sunday (July 23) after they saw a woman in her sixties walking on the train track near Trenance Leisure Park.

Within minutes of arriving at the scene, Newquay officers PC Simon Andrews and PC Lewis OMahoney located the woman hanging over from the top of Trenance Viaduct.

PC Andrews, who was the first officer to arrive, acted quickly and grabbed hold of the woman. After a brief struggle, he managed to pull her back from the edge.

It was clear to me that she was planning to jump and I made a split second decision to grab hold of her, PC Andrews said. She initially tried to jump but I managed to pull her back to safety and I found myself just giving her a cuddle whilst I waited for back up.

It was one of those heart-in-mouth moments but I only did what any other officer would.

I am grateful to the members of public that called in with their concerns for the woman as it meant we were able to get on scene quickly.

After being pulled to safety, the woman was detained under section 136 of the Mental Health Act and, with the assistance of PC OMahoney, was taken to the safety of Newquay police station.

British Transport Police and paramedics were also called to the scene and assisted with transporting the woman on to hospital.

Sergeant Yvan Clarke added: Incidents like this highlight the vital role played by frontline officers up and down the country. I have no doubt that PC Andrews saved this vulnerable womans life by his selfless actions, which makes me proud to have him on my team.

This happened on a viaduct that is 100 feet above a main road. The woman was checked by ambulance staff before being taken for assessment by a mental health team.
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It has been hit by nearly a dozen vehicles in the past three years and led to Cornwall Council becoming a bit of a laughing stock but Falmouth's rising bollard could be replaced with technology more commonly used to catch criminals and in car parks.

The idea of installed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras is being explored as a better way of managing traffic through the town centre after a series of accidents put the bollard out of action for weeks at a time.

The bollard at the bottom of Church Street is meant to prevent anyone other than delivery drivers and traders driving up the town's main thoroughfare, which is predominantly used by pedestrians.

Councillor Candy Atherton, a member of Falmouth Town and Cornwall Council, is meeting with Councillor Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council Cabinet member esponsibility for transport, in September to discuss the option in more detail.

She said: "We know its a complete nightmare and although it's not cost Cornwall Council much to repair as most times it has been down to driver error, it means we haven't had the level of pedestrianisation through the town that we hoped for.

"It has made Cornwall Council a laughing stock and wasted a lot of officer time. It is time for a better resolution."

The bollard had been out of action ten times since 2014, mostly having been struck by vehicles, but also due to malfunctions in the technology.

Installed in 2009 outside the Grapes pub, the bollard was intended to help reduce the amount of traffic using the town as a through road because vehicles would have to wait for the bollard to lower or drive around it, through the Church Street car park.

In eight of the ten cases, drivers have got their vehicles stuck on the bollard as it has started rising while they have tried to get past. Drivers should wait for the bollard light to turn green before driving over it.

In November a car got caught on it and later in the month the road became blocked after a van became impaled on the bollard and took five hours to remove it.

It was fixed in time for Christmas with a sign added to warn motorists to take extra care. But just 33 days later it was out of action again.

Previously, a spokesman for Cornwall Council said: "In all but one case the damage has been proved to be driver error and all of the repair costs have been recovered from the drivers car insurance. The one case where the costs were not recovered by the insurers resulted when the equipment failed and the costs were paid by the council's contractor who installed the bollard. Cornwall Council has not funded any repairs or replacements."

Installing the ANPR is seen as the next step towards pedestrianising the town centre during the day. Long term, as part of the neighbourhood plan currently being drawn up, it is hoped to close and redevelop Church Street car parkand redevelop it.

Ms Atherton said: "Other parts of the country seem to manage well with deliveries before 11am and after 4pm. People will get used to it. (Closing) the car park is another conversation and there are a number of hurdles to cross, but we could have ANPR anyway."

Only residents living in the town centre would be able to drive through between 11am and 4pm. Other vehicles would have to go through the car park itself and there would be no deliveries during those times.

How does Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) work?

Cameras take a picture of a vehicle and use software to identify characters in the registration number. Once it has "read" a number plate it converts it into text data and sends it to a central database to be recorded.

How is ANPR used?

Most commonly ANPR is used by the police to "detect, deter and disrupt criminality". ANPR can be used to track vehicles by recording the registration on several cameras across a route, for example. Police also use it to locate wanted criminals by their vehicle, or crosscheck with the DVLA database to find untaxed vehicles.

It is also used by other agencies, such as private parking companies, to these the software to track vehicles that are entering and leaving their premises.

How many ANPR cameras are active?

It is reported that there are currently more than 8,000 in the UK and on major road networks you're never more than 15 meters away from an ANPR camera. It is used on most motorways and main roads as well as London congestion areas, town centres, petrol stations and portsmake use of the technology.

How powerful is ANPR?

While the cameras themselves can be very powerful  two cameras (one facing north and the other facing south) for example are used to capture registrations on all 27 lanes of Dartford crossing  they do have limitations.

As mentioned, ANPR converts images into text but this process is far from 100% accurate. Depending on the angle and speed of the car it is very easy get a character wrong. Cameras usually counter this by taking numerous pictures and crosschecking them for accuracy.

It is illegal to miss-space or change the font on a number plate to make it hard for ANPR cameras to recognise a registration.

How is information gathered by ANPR cameras stored?

Though ANPR requires pictures it cannot permanently store these as that would require too much bandwidth. Instead it converts the image to text and stores records of just the number plate followed by the date.

This information can then be stored for a maximum of two years.

The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 regulates how information taken from ANPR networks is accessed and used.
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Cornwall Council has agreed to pay more towards the multi-million pound A30 link road for St Austell.

A meeting of the councils Cabinet discussed the matter on Wednesday (July 26) and it was unanimously agreed to increase the contribution to 7% of the value of the contract  up to a limit of 7 million.

The financial commitment is due to be added to the councils budget and will be considered again in November but for now, can be regarded as a firm commitment by the council.

Councillor Malcolm Brown, Cornwall Councillor for St Austell Bethel, spoke at the meeting.

He said: I attended the meeting and spoke strongly in support, as did John Wood, Dick Cole and James Mustoe.

Bob Egerton, the new Cabinet member responsible for the economy, was very positive and indeed the tone of the whole short debate was very favourable. It is clear that getting this road built is a top priority for the new Lib Dem-Independent administration running the council.

He continued: It was necessary to review the council's commitment at this time because the Government are saying that, although ministers are expressing general support for the scheme, the council has been advised to increase its contribution. It is hoped this will place the bid in a stronger position to be successful.

"Achieving a high quality road from St Austell to the A30 is now rightly a top priority for Cornwall Council. It will lead to significant environmental improvements for people living in Bugle, Stenalees and Roche.

It will help existing businesses and make it much more likely that new industry can be attracted to St Austell. The pressures on Cornwall Council's budget are massive and so it is great that we are able to commit 7 million towards this road, half as much again as the 4.5 million that was previously proposed.

The total cost of the scheme is currently estimated at 85 million.

The preferred route is about 6.2km long, a wide single-carriageway designed to a 60mph speed, starting from the Singlerose Roundabout south of Stenalees, bypassing to the west of Roche to link to the A30 via the Victoria junction and including a new roundabout and two new bridges.
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- The oft-repeated motto for most police departments is "to serve and protect."

Recently, two Gautier police officers took that motto a step further, coming to the aid of a local grandmother in need of assistance.

On July 22, officers Austin Langfitt and Timothy Pesch were working a checkpoint on Martin Bluff Road when an older model SUV pulled up. Langfitt approached the vehicle and noticed a young child in the backseat with no child safety seat.

Langfitt questioned the driver, 63-year-old Lula Williams of Gautier, and she told him the 2-year-old child was her grandson, she was raising him, and she couldn't afford a new car seat. She told Langfitt she was hopeful of finding an old one someone could let her use.

To Williams' surprise, Langfitt only issued her a warning citation and told her that in the event she could not find a car seat to use, she should call him at the Gautier Police Department. He wanted to help.

"I can't imagine being that age and having to raise a child," Langfitt said. "It really touched us and we wanted to help her. It was the right thing to do."

Unable to find a carseat, Williams remembered Langfitt's offer and called him at the station last Monday. Thursday, Langfitt and Pesch met at the local McDonald's and were discussing the issue.

"We were talking about it and we came up with the idea (to buy a car seat) and both pitched in for it," Pesch recalled. "Shane and I both have kids of our own. We understand how it is. People can have hard times. We were happy to help."

The two officers found a new car seat at the Dirt Cheap store, spoke with the manager who gave the officers a discount, and purchased it. Langfitt called Williams and asked her to come by the station that afternoon.

"I was truly surprised," Williams said. "Then, when I got to the police station and found out it was a brand new car seat still in the box, I was in tears. I was so overwhelmed I didn't know what to say or do. I hugged both of them and told them God was surely going to bless them."

Less than a week later, Langfitt's wife gave birth to their second child, a daughter.

"I didn't expect a new car seat," Williams added. "I thought maybe they had some old one they were going to give me or something like that.I had no idea two officers would do something like that for me. It meant so much to me that they would do that."

As far as Langfitt and Pesch were concerned, giving the car seat to Williams was the end of it. But Gautier Court Clerk Donna Davis overheard a conversation about the incident and decided the two officers should be recognized for their generosity, sending an email to Police Chief Dante Elbin.

"Honestly, our officers don't get paid enough," Davis said. "Some of the things they do in the city, they don't come back here and brag about it. Had I not overheard it being discussed, I would have never known they did that.

"They don't brag about what they do, because that's who they are. They have compassion for the citizens of Gautier. Police officers get such a bad rap with all that's going on in the world. Nobody knows the little things they do for people."

Elbin received the email and, in turn, shared it on the department's Facebook page.

"Officers often get a bad rap, but on that day these two officers decided to show some compassion for someone in need," Elbin said, "and they ended up buying her a car seat instead of writing her a citation and causing her additional financial hardship."

Davis said she was glad to see the two officers get the recognition they deserve, adding that Langfitt and Pesch are not along in doing good deeds in the community.

"I know of officers buying dinner for people, giving money to the homeless," she said. "What (Langfitt and Pesch) did really touched my heart and I just thought people should know. They're dedicated to serving the people of Gautier -- and it's not for the money, I can assure you of that.

"We've still got good officers. We've lost some who have left for better pay, but we've still got good officers here. I think people should know that."

As evidence of their humility, when Williams came to the station last week to receive the carseat from Langfitt and Pesch, no one though to take a photo of the moment.

The Mississippi Press arranged for Williams to come to the station again for a photo with officers -- although Langfitt was unavailable due to the birth of his second child. It was suggested to Williams a good photo would be of her hugging Pesch, even if it were staged.

"I won't be faking," Williams said, smiling as she happily hugged Pesch.

This story was updated on Aug. 2, 2017, to reflect Officer Langfitt's correct first name.
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A father who was left unable to speak and with limited movement after being diagnosed with aggressive motor neurone disease has been able to regain some movement after "amazing" stem cell therapy.

Nicolas (Nick) Karsa is well-known and loved in the community around Ladock, where he has lived for more than ten years with his wife Heather and five children.

Last year he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and the aggressive illness took away his speech, movement in his left hand and much of his mobility in just a few months.

On hearing the news his family, friends and members of the community rallied to raise funds to send him to Austria for stem cell therapy, a treatment that is not available in the UK.

A campaign called Get Your Quids in Quick for Nick was set up, raising more than 26,000 which enabled Nick and his family to fly to Austria for the first round of treatment.

While Heather admitted that she "wasn't expecting miracles", even the doctor was left in awe at Nick's resilience after he responded to the treatment in just two hours.

Going into the treatment with his left hand "clawed up" unable to move, two hours later, Nick stretched out his hand on his own. His mobility has also improved.

Heather said: "Before we left Nick's mobility was really bad, it was taking two of us to move him. Two hours after his surgery, the hand that he hadn't been able to use - it had clawed up and he couldn't move it  he was able to open it up on his own.

"His posture and his movement have improved as well. It was amazing."

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Although Nick has had a minor setback since returning to the UK last week, Heather said she believed the treatment has stopped the debilitating disease from progressing.

She added: "Since we came home Nick contracted an infection which has sent us backwards a little bit. Apparently after the treatment you can be quite weak for a few weeks afterwards.

"We weren't expecting miracles but the improvement was amazing and we have been told that it could take up to six months to see the full level of improvement so there could be more to come.

"It's not a miracle treatment by any means, he isn't back to his old self, it's subtle, but I do feel it has halted the progression of the illness."

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Heather said that the doctor performing Nick's treatment was surprised by how quickly he reacted to the stem cell therapy.

She said: "The doctor has been upfront from the start and always said that not everyone reacts to stem cell treatment at all but he was absolutely astounded by Nick's progress. He said that it was the quickest reaction to the treatment he has seen I think.

"I do think that it is because of Nick personally and how determined he is."

The family are now preparing to head back to Austria in Septmeber for Nick to undergo a second round of treatment.

"We need another 9,000 to cover the next trip out there and the second lot of treatment and after care," said Heather. "The first lot of treatment has really given us hope. Here in the UK it's like if you have motor neurone disease they will try to make you comfortable until you die and that's it.

"There really isn't enough funding being put into it. There is still no cure.

"Stem cell therapy isn't a cure and we know that. It's like maintenance, we don't expect miracles, we don't expect that Nick will go back to being how he was before but if we can halt it and stop it progressing then he gets more time with his family and who knows in that time, they might even find a cure."

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The family have booked to leave the UK on September 4 and hope they will have raised the remaining funds before then.

While Heather said the first lot of treatment had been an "emotional rollercoaster" she said that the whole family were looking forward to returning.

"I am so glad that we have done it," she said. "We hope that when we go back for the second time Nick's stem cells will have increased. They use your own stem cells as treatment so if they have increased then Nick's response to the second lot of treatment could be even better.

"It's hopeful. We have to be hopeful. If we're not positive there's no point."

While the family await the second lot of Nick's treatment, Heather said they have been left "in awe" by the support they have received from their community.

Heather said: "I can't articulate how in awe we are of everyone. It's the most surreal thing to watch, like being out of your body and watching it all happening to someone else. It's like you're watching it and you don't think it's all for you but it is.

"I can't describe what it has been like. We have had so much support from everyone that I just don't know where to start. There's so much love around us."
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Our weekend morning emails feature the very best news and exclusive content from our team of reporters

Holidaymakers travelling to warmer climes this summer might have to arm themselves with plenty of patience as they risk being stuck at European airports for hours.

New border controls have left some holidaymakers queuing for up to four hours at Europe's main airports.

Airports popular with British tourists, including Paris, Madrid and Lisbon, could see queues stretching hundreds of metres as the lengthy checks are imposed on entry and exit.

The process is believed to have caused some travellers to miss their flights, with more chaos predicted as millions of Brits fly out for their summer holidays.

The issues follow the EU's introduction of a clamp-down on movement within the Schengen zone, the border-free area which operates on the continent.

Brussels now require passport control to carry out exit and entry checks on tourists from non-Schengen countries, which includes Britain.

According to a report in the Times, the more stringent passport controls come in the wake of terror attacks,with passengers now having to be checked against a security database.

The changes mean waiting times have soared compared to previous summers, when British holidaymakers were waved through after officials checked the photo page of their passports.

However, Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents firms including British Airways and easyJet, said that some EU countries had not staffed their passport control areas correctly - leading to long delays.

Thomas Reynaert, A4E's managing director, said airlines had urged Brussels to 'take all necessary measures now to prevent such disruptions and deploy appropriate staff and resources in sufficient numbers to carry out the requested checks'.

Mr Reynaert told the Times that delays had increased by 300%, compared to 2016, and that EU members 'must take the responsibility for this'.

Many travellers said they were unaware of the long queues and the extra time needed to get through some airports.

Some even said they had missed their flights due to being in line for more than 90 minutes to simply get through border control.

The Association of British Travel Agents said that it was "aware that new, stricter passport checks are resulting in longer queues at some airports".

In a statement, it added: "Tour operators will ensure that customers get to the airport in plenty of time so that they are not in danger of missing their flights.

"However, independent travellers will need to check the situation with their airlines and, where necessary, ensure they factor these longer queuing times into their travel plans when flying in and out of the airport."
SOUTH DUNDAS, Ontario  On July 31, 2017 at approximately 4:35 p.m., SD&G OPP officers responded to a report of a Break and Enter at a residence on Sir James Morris Drive, South Dundas Township.

Investigation indicated that a culprit forcibly entered the Residence and removed several items.

SD&G OPP Officers arrested one male in connection with the break-in.

Keith RUNIONS (55) of South Dundas, Ontario was arrested and is charged with;

 Break and Enter

 Obstruct Peace Officer

The male was held in custody pending an appearance (bail) at the Ontario Court of Justice in Cornwall.
CORNWALL, Ontario  The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that an Akwesasne man has been charged with contraventions to the Customs Act and Explosives Act as he attempted to enter Canada at the Cornwall port of entry (POE).

On July 6, 2017, a 52-year-old Kanawakeron Jody Swamp arrived at the Cornwall POE and was referred for a secondary examination.

During the secondary exam, an officer went to open the hood of the pickup truck when the man spontaneously stated that there are fireworks in there, and asked if it is illegal to have firecrackers?.

CBSA officers found 48 packages of firecrackers packed around the engine compartment. Swamp said his friend placed the fireworks in the engine compartment although the driver admitted he knew they were there.

Swamp was arrested and charged with failure to report goods, evading compliance and possession of illegally imported goods under subsection 12(1), paragraph 153(c) and section 155 of the Customs Act; as well as possession under subsection 21(1) of the Explosives Act. The fireworks and his vehicle were seized. The vehicle will be returned upon payment of a $1, 000 penalty.

It is important to make a full and accurate declaration upon your arrival to the port of entry and to be aware of the rules and restrictions on items you are transporting, said Julie Sommerville, Chief of Operations at Cornwall Port of Entry. It is a requirement for travellers to have written authorization and import permits to bring explosives, fireworks and certain types of ammunition into Canada.
CORNWALL, Ontario  Big Brothers/ Big Sisters Cornwall are getting ready for their 4th annual Sock Sale.

Socks of all colours, shapes and sizes will be for sale from Friday, Aug. 25 to Sunday Aug. 27 at the Agora Centre on McConnell Ave.

On Friday, the sale will be from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Socks will be $0.50 a piece and Scotiabank will be matching the funds raised.

Last year, the event raised more than $10, 000 for Big Brothers/ Big Sisters.

The money raised goes to help the backlog of kids waiting to be matched with their Big Brother or Big Sister. The money raised also supports their seven mentoring programs which includes Go Girls, a mentoring program that teaches young girls healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

If you need new socks for the kids for back to school, or if your own socks are starting to look like fish nets, then come down to the Agora Centre on Aug. 25 weekend to get new socks and support a good cause.
CASSELMAN, Ontario  On May 3, 1975, a female body was located in the Nation River, a short distance from Highway 417 bridge, south of the Town of Casselman.

This deceased woman became known as the Nation River Lady and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) investigators are re-introducing the case in an effort to identify who she is and to seek any information to further this homicide investigation.

She is described as Caucasian, aged 25-50 years old, between 52 and 58 in height, average build, approximately 100 lbs with brown hair that was dyed a reddish blond.

Her body was wrapped with two pieces of green cloth, two towels  one depicting an Irish Toast and the second displaying multiple flowers. Additionally, a j-cloth, black coaxial cable and a curtain rod runner were with the body. Her hands and feet were bound with neckties; a blue tie with small Canada flag emblems known as the Canadian tie, a blue striped silk tie and a red tie with yellow patterns.

The Nation River Lady was wearing a navy blue body suit which had a collar, buttons  down the front, long sleeves and snaps that secured in the crotch area. Her toe nails and fingernails were manicured and painted with a pink polish, she had an appendix operation scar and wore partial upper and lower dentures. A copy of her fingerprints and DNA profile are on file.

Under the direction of Detective Inspector Daniel Nadeau of the Criminal Investigation Branch(CIB), detectives from Russell County OPP and East Region Criminal Operations have been reviewing the evidence and exploring investigative options. OPP Forensic Artist/Reconstruction Analyst, Provincial Constable Duncan WAY has created a 3-D clay facial reconstruction of the Nation River Lady using advanced technology.

Ontario Provincial Police are seeking the publics assistance and ask that if you have information that may help identity this woman or to find the person(s) responsible for her homicide that you contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122 or the Nation River Lady dedicated tipline at 613-591-2296.
Sport and trophy hunting programs targeting wolves are an anachronism, are anti-ecological, and diminish the economic health of regions with meaningful wolf populations. Photo by iStockphoto

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The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has sided with The HSUS and other animal welfare groups and ruled that federal protections for wolves under the Endangered Species Act should be maintained for 4,000 or so wolves inhabiting the northern reaches of the boreal forests of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This was a ruling nervously anticipated by all parties to the case, and its an enormously significant win for conservation, the integrity of the Endangered Species Act, and for the wolves. I am proud that The HSUS brought and led this case, and that the decision has now been affirmed by two federal courts.

Specifically, the court, in a unanimous ruling of the three-judge panel, affirmed a U.S. District Court ruling from 2014 in favor of wolf protection, with one effect of the ruling triggering an abrupt halt to inhumane and unsporting trophy hunting, hounding, and commercial trapping programs in the states. (The states are still allowed to control individual problem wolves.)

The prior U.S. District Court ruling came just six weeks after voters in Michigan in November 2014 soundly rejected a trophy hunting season in the state, and also rejected the idea of a seven-member group of political appointees making decisions about whether wolves should be hunted or trapped. The two Michigan statewide votes were the first-ever plebiscites on the treatment of wolves, and in both cases, the people wanted more wolf protection, not less.

The federal appeals court ruling issued today comes in the midst of a pitched battle in Congress as some lawmakers from states inhabited by wolves are seeking to override the federal courts by banning the ability of citizens to seek judicial review, and to cherry-pick the wolves from the list of federally protected species. In fact, last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the Hunting Heritage Act, which included a provision to delist wolves in the Great Lakes. Before passing the bill to the full Senate, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., offered an amendment to strip out the wolf delisting provision, and it was defeated on a straight party-line vote of 10  11, with all Democrats voting to strip the anti-wolf provision from the bill (three Democrats did, to our disappointment, vote for the final bill, with the overreaching and reckless wolf delisting provision included). Backers of this attack on wolves are also trying to attach the same rider to the appropriations bill, as a way to hedge their political bets. The House Interior Appropriations Committees bill contains the same anti-wolf rider, along with language prohibiting the Department of the Interior from treating any gray wolves in the lower 48 states as endangered.

The ruling today should slow the effort to strip federal protections for wolves, because the reasoning of the court was intricate and hard for any serious-minded policy maker to ignore. The court did not say that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot remove federal protections for wolves, but it did say that the professional agency failed to consider a number of key questions in seeking to hand off management authority to the states. In its ruling, the court chided the USFWS for taking a piecemeal approach to wolf recovery and call[ing] it quits too early. The court noted that when a species is already listed, the Service cannot review a single segment with blinders on, ignoring the continuing status of the species remnant.

In short, the Fish and Wildlife Service can take a crack at a new rulemaking for delisting and may find a path if it properly assesses the status of wolves across the species historical range. But not yet, and not without bringing more science and analysis to the administrative review of the status of wolves.

Stepping back from our wins in the federal courts for Great Lakes wolves  and our ballot wins in Michigan  there is something more basic to consider: sport and trophy hunting programs targeting wolves are an anachronism, are anti-ecological, and diminish the economic health of regions with meaningful wolf populations. Thats the point I hope lawmakers on Capitol Hill will take stock of.

Not only are wolves scarce in number, they are inedible. Theres no real value in killing a wolf, as compared to a hunter killing a deer and consuming the meat. This killing is about an irrational hatred of wolves or an unsettling instinct to dominate and kill the most powerful animals who still roam our wildlands.

Wolves provide a wide range of ecological and economic services, and they do so for free. They act as a firewall against the spread of chronic wasting disease, which has had a devastating economic impact in southern Wisconsin where there are no wolves left. Wolves reduce densities of white-tailed deer, which in turn protects commercial forestry operations and agriculture crops by reducing deer overbrowsing. And by reducing deer densities, wolves can also help to mitigate the risk of vehicle-deer collisions. In short, wolves can benefit agriculture, public safety, forest and water quality, and ecosystem health.

They are also a lure for tourists at Isle Royale National Park, in the Boundary Waters region of Minnesota, and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin. There are thousands of tourists who relish the idea of spotting a wild wolf or just want to feel the primal instinct of walking in habitats that wolves also tread. These tourists bring economic activity to rural regions. And while wolves occasionally kill livestock, that economic impact is negligible compared to the array of benefits they bring. Whats more, there are state and federal programs to reimburse ranchers for these rare losses, as well as state and federal wolf control programs that selectively target wolves causing a problem.

The courts are adjudicating disputes over the proper implementation of the Endangered Species Act. But only American citizens can settle a more important debate  our relationship with wide-ranging predators whove managed to survive past human onslaughts. We are at a point in our human evolution where we can recognize the rightful place of wolves and other predators and stop our needless attacks on them, finding both value in their presence and appreciation for the services they provide.

We might also find a little extra appreciation and sympathy for the wolf, who delivered the domesticated dog into our world and forever changed the course of human history for the better.
Personal thoughts on Linux desktop, distro & #Cloud communities, open source, privacy & freedom, life and whatever else comes up
As careful Credit Slips readers will remember, I was inflicted on the American Bankruptcy Institute's Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy as the Commission's reporter. Things are off to a roaring start. Taking the suggestions of many different stakeholders in the consumer bankruptcy system, the Commission has developed a list of topics and assigned them to different committees. In turn, the committees have broken down into working groups to study the issues.

The Commission and its committees already have had two successful public meetings, hearing from persons at the annual meeting for the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) in Orlando, Florida, and from persons at the annual seminar for the National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees (NACTT) in Seattle, Washington. The Commission web site has videos and, where available, written statements from both the NACBA meeting and the NACTT meeting.

The next public meeting is for the Commission's Committee on Chapter 7, which will occur on September 15 at the annual meeting for the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees in New Orleans, Louisiana. Come talk to us. Subject to time availability, we hope to allow participants to make statements of about five minutes each. Written statements are very welcome and encouraged. Further details appear in the call for participation on the Commission web site. For full consideration, requests to participate must be received by September 6.
Applications & OS News

Salesforce, SAP Execs: Solution Providers Can Make More Money In SaaS By Building Their Own IP

Michael Novinson

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Channel partners can exponentially boost their gross margins by building business applications that sit on top of CRM or ERP platforms, according to executives from SAP and Salesforce.

SAP has told its solution providers for 18 to 24 months that they can improve gross margins from 15 percent to 70 percent by moving from product resale to the creation of technical or services-focused intellectual property (IP), according to John Scola, global vice president of cloud channels and transformation. The margins for IP also exceed those associated with implementation-related services.

"Partners might have their own IP and not even know it," Scola said during a panel conversation Monday at CompTIA ChannelCon in Austin, Texas. "We just need to show them there is a way."

[Related: CompTIA CEO: Solution Providers Should Explore Cloud-Based Offerings And Double Down On Security]

Salesforce has worked closely with systems integration giants like Accenture and Deloitte, who have built offerings focused on insurance, health care and patient relationship management on top of the customer relationship management platform, according to Sherrick Murdoff, vice president of partner investments.

The arrangement is repeatable and maintainable for Accenture and Deloitte, Murdoff said, since Salesforce is responsible for upkeep of all of the technology below the business application.

"It's a much bigger market for them," Murdoff said during the panel. "It allows them to provide that IP, that industry-specific know-how to the market. It's a very good value."

In the SAP ecosystem, Scola said South African solution provider Allos has built a technical engine and business consulting services capability that plugs into the Walldorf, Germany-based vendor's Human Resources platform. SAP's platform and Allos's solution are combined into a single package, Scola said, and can be procured by customers under a fixed per-user, per-month financial model.

Solution providers looking to get into IP creation should move away from looking at each customer project as its own individual, discrete set of tasks, Scola said. Instead, Scola said channel partners should look for ways to bundle implementations or others components of their business as repeatable tasks without a long scoping exercise, and then sell it as a package.

Digital marketing firm Connective Agency continuously evaluates its processes to access what components can be scaled across multiple verticals or geographies, according to founder and partner Manuel Valencia.

"All the time, we're saying, 'how can we productize and make it into something that has a 'good, better, best' type of option?" Valencia said during the panel.

Lots of white-space exists for solution providers capable of developing IP around marketing-oriented software such as Magento or HubSpot, according to Sunir Shah, president of The Small Business Web, a trade organization for small ISVs.

Shah said small businesses are often in for a rude awakening after purchasing HubSpot since they have no idea what to do with the inbound marketing and sales platform. These businesses typically need both the software as well as a marketing agency to effectively set up a blog or run a newsletter, according to Shah.

"If you live in internet marketing land, this stuff is so basic," Shah said. "But a yoga studio or a cheese factory doesn't know how to do any of that stuff."

Likewise, Shah said many solution providers have the IP needed to set up deployment and build up e-commerce stores for customers around Magento. Having access to an online e-commerce store takes away a lot of the documentation-oriented risk end users associate with the open source platform, Shah said.

"That's all IP for a smaller reseller, because you know slightly more than your small business customers," Shah said. "It you build a reputation around that, you can sell it."
Channel programs News

The Top 100 Executives Of 2017

CRN Staff

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With digital transformation in full swing, the leaders making the grade in the 2017 CRN Top 100 class are adept at making big, bold technology bets and then executing on those gambits in the sales trenches.

That kind of leadership is particularly evident in the choice of Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, the onetime PC pioneer and technology whiz kid turned industry disrupter, as the No. 1 executive on our Most Influential list.

Dell pulled off the biggest acquisition in the history of the IT business and then distinguished himself this year by expertly managing the integration of storage market leader EMC into Dell and personally leading the sales charge of the combined company.

Partners say Dell's hands-on role driving the channel sales engine has been a critical factor in the success of the $67 billion blockbuster acquisition of EMC. With the one-year anniversary of the deal on the horizon, partners say Dell is delivering big time for customers and the channel.

Douglas Grosfield, CEO of Five Nines IT, a Kitchener, Ontario, strategic service provider that is driving digital transformation with a portfolio of recurring revenue services, says leaders like Michael Dell are thriving in the digital transformation era because of their ability to buck the status quo.

"Michael is a different breed," said Grosfield. "He has that desire to do something different rather than stick to the old ways of thinking and business. He is truly merging together products and services at Dell that makes it a wholly different company than it was a year or two ago. Michael had the foresight to look ahead, go to where the puck is going and then roll up his sleeves and do the hard work to make it happen. I think his shareholders are going to see the benefits of his foresight in the next few years."

Grosfield, who sold his MSP business nearly two years ago to start Five Nines as a new-era strategic service provider, said Dell is the perfect role model for the digital transformation era. "Service providers have had to do the same thing when it comes to reinventing their own business," he said.

It's not just Dell that has exhibited the technology and digital transformation skills that are driving a dramatic shift to the strategic service provider business model in the channel.

Our No. 1 choice in the Disrupter category -- Keerti Melkote, the co-founder of Aruba Networks, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise subsidiary -- is a technology visionary who continues to drive robust double-digit sales growth in the channel trenches. At the same time, Melkote continues to push the software technology envelope with a new core network switch and operating system and an upcoming SD-WAN offering.

Our top Innovator, Hewlett Packard Enterprise President Antonio Neri, a 22-year HPE veteran who remains an engineer at heart, has put HPE at the top of the next-generation infrastructure pyramid with game-changing acquisitions like SimpliVity and Nimble and then backed it up with an all-out HPE channel sales offensive.

In the Sales Leader category, our choice for No. 1 is still Bill Lipsin, the driving force behing a robust increase in NetApp's channel business in the past two years, who is leaving the company effective Aug. 18. Lipsin, a 12-year channel sales eteran, provided the channel and technology leadership at a time when NetApp had fallen behind its peers in both product development and sales.

Grosfield says it is the businesses and customers that embrace digital transformation that will thrive in a market that is moving at an ever faster and faster clip.

"I have been in this industry 25 years and built several companies and I have never seen this business move faster than it is now," he said. "I have never seen the absolute requirement to adapt to change as quickly as I am today in the strategic service provider era"

"Those companies not embracing digital transformation are destined to die a 'death by a thousand cuts,'" said Grosfield, whose sales are up 400 percent this year with profits more than double the traditional solution provider business model.

"You have to lead customers to the promised land in spite of their reluctance to do so," added Grosfield. "Their businesses depend on being able to embrace emerging technologies to gain competitive advantage. The hard reality of business is you have to evolve or you get left behind. The businesses that evolve are going to shape our world for the next several decades. Executives like Michael Dell are on the leading edge of this change."

The 25 Most Influential Executives Of 2017

Here we present this year's class of the 25 Most Influential individuals in the technology industry.

The Top 25 Disrupters Of 2017

As part of the Top 100 Executives Of 2017, CRN looks at 25 execs that are throwing a curveball at the technology world.

The Top 25 Innovators Of 2017

As part of the Top 100 Executives Of 2017, CRN looks at 25 execs that are setting the tone in the technology world.

The Top 25 Channel Sales Leaders Of 2017

As part of the Top 100 Executives of 2017, CRN looks at 25 channel sales executives that really stood out as they worked to bring success to their partners.
Internet of things News

Partners Cheer New Bill Aimed At Tightening Internet of Things Security

Lindsey O'Donnell

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Solution providers are applauding a new Senate bill designed to better secure Internet of Things devices used by government agencies.

The new bill, the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act, targets companies supplying connected devices to the federal government with new requirements to better secure IoT devices.

Marc Harrison, president of Silicon East, a Marlboro, N.J.-based Intel partner, said that the bill signals a raised level of awareness around the vulnerabilities in connected devices.

[Related: Massive DDoS Attack On U.S. College Throws IoT Security Into The Spotlight -- Again]

"[IoT] manufacturers have zero motivation to do anything around security," he said. "This is a good necessary first step  it will create awareness around IoT security and put these manufacturers on notice. I think [the senators] understood that they don't want to get in the way of IoT becoming part of our society, but that these devices need security."

The bill requires manufacturers to ensure their IoT devices can be patched with security fixes and don't include unchangeable usernames or passwords.

The new bill was formed by a group of bipartisan senators, introduced by Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO).

Security vulnerabilities in IoT devices were underscored in October when a distributed denial of service [DDoS] attack  which was launched through IoT devices including webcams, routers and video recorders  overwhelmed servers at Dynamic Network Services, taking down up to 1,200 websites.

The frequency of DDoS attacks increased in 2016 due in part to IoT botnets, according to information service provider Neustar. The Sterling, Va.-based company said it mitigated 40 percent more DDoS attacks from January through November compared with the same span last year.

"We're seeing concerns about security across the board as distributed denial of service attacks become a bigger issue," said David Johnson, vice president of sales and marketing for The Fulcrum Group, a Keller, Texas-based solution provider. "Security is one of the major problems in the industry as there are huge security holes in devices as they become plugged into the network. Many devices that are connected might have default passwords left on them and are vulnerable to hackers."

The October DDoS attack was big enough to draw attention from the government, and in November the Department of Homeland Security Tuesday released new guidelines surrounding Internet of Things security, promoting transparency between IoT manufacturers, service providers and consumers through "coordinated disclosure of vulnerabilities."

While this most recent effort by the government puts a spotlights on IoT security, Silicon East's Harrison said that the channel will still have a bigger role to play in raising awareness around and securing connected devices for customers in vertical markets.

"At the end of the day, it's still our responsibility to ensure networks are secure," he said. "There's no substitute for that."
A decade ago, mobile malware was considered a new and unlikely threat. Many mobile device users even considered themselves immune from such threats. Fast forward to 2017, and more than 1.5 million new incidents of mobile malware have been detected by McAfee Labs in the first quarter of the year alone  for a total of more than 16 million mobile malware incidents.

Today, mobile devices are coming under increasing attack  and no one is immune. Some 20 percent of companies surveyed by Dimensional Research for Check Point Software said their mobile devices have been breached. A quarter of respondents didnt even know whether theyve experienced an attack. Nearly all (94 percent) expected the frequency of mobile attacks to increase, and 79 percent acknowledged that its becoming more difficult to secure mobile devices.

Theyre starting now to become more aware of the possible impact, says Daniel Padon, mobile threat researcher at Check Point. Real, state-level malware and the capability of such malware, together with large campaigns affecting millions and millions of devices, such as Gooligan and Hummingbad, are just the tip of the iceberg.

While Apple and Android have made strides in creating more secure and robust operating systems, malicious actors continue to pump out new and more deceptive malware. Whats more, security is still not a top priority in app design, with some apps allowing users to store or pass credentials in the clear or by using weak encryption. Thats still going on and it shouldnt be, says John Shier, senior security advisor at Sophos.

Couple those weaknesses with the ubiquity of mobile devices in the workplace and the proliferation of BYOD policies, and youve got the perfect recipe for mobile attacks on the enterprise.

Almost half of information workers today are using bring-your-own laptops, 68 percent are using their own smart phones, and 69 percent are bringing their own tablets at work, according to Forresters annual security survey. Obviously, the risks are high, especially when you look at all the corporate data thats held on these devices, such as customer information, intellectual property, contracts, competitive data and invoices, not to mention the potential access to corporate networks themselves, says Chris Sherman, Forrester senior analyst.

Mobile threat researchers identify five new threats to mobile device security that can impact the business.

1. Persistent, enterprise-class spyware

Employees use their mobile devices in nearly every aspect of their lives with mobile devices never more than arms-length away. With such close proximity to corporate network access, voice activation and GPS tracking, state actors are looking at ways to infect mobile devices with spyware. The tactic has proven successful on both iOS and Android devices.

[Related: How to cope when mobile app development goes rogue]

Last Augusts Pegasus spyware, capable of hacking any iPad or iPhone to harvest data about and conduct surveillance on the victim, was just the beginning. Researchers also uncovered three iOS zero-day vulnerabilities that, when exploited, formed an attack chain that subverted even Apples strong security environment. Apple quickly fixed all three Trident iOS vulnerabilities in its 9.3.5 patch.

By April 2017, malware authors struck again, this time on a Pegasus spyware version for Android that masquerades as a normal app download, while secretly gaining root access to a device to do broad surveillance on the user over time. Since then, Google has bolstered security measures, including Play Protect security within the Play Store.

If youre a nation state actor and you want to compromise a company, one possible route would be to compromise a mobile device that you know is going into a particular organization, Shier says. We still have organizations that are allowing their mobile device to exist on the corporate network along with some of their other devices of higher value.

2. Mobile botnets

New malware can quickly turn legions of mobile devices into a botnet that is controlled by hackers without the knowledge of their owners. The first mobile botnet targeting Android devices, dubbed Viking Horde, was revealed just over a year ago. Viking Horde created a botnet on any rooted or non-rooted device that uses proxied IP addresses to disguise ad clicks, generating revenue for the attacker. Since then malware researchers have identified about a dozen more mobile botnets, including Hummingbad, which infected over 10 million Android operating systems in mid-2016. User details were sold and advertisements are tapped on without the user's knowledge and in doing so generates fraudulent advertising revenue.

IDG

In the beginning, we saw them used for adware purposes, Padon says. Now weve seen them rooting millions of devices, with malware opening back doors on infected devices, which could potentially be used for any purpose, including stealing sensitive data.

While mobile devices dont have the bandwidth and computational throughput as a desktop computer, botnet functions dont require a lot of compute power to pose a threat. Whats more, mobile devices are often on all the time, which gives that botnet owner 24/7 access to large numbers of potential zombie bots.

3. Ad and click fraud

Ad and click fraud in mobile devices is a growing concern, researchers say. Compromising that mobile device [through ad and click malware] would be a nice way for a criminal to gain access to the internal network of a company, possibly by sending an SMS phish, getting someone to click on a link where they download a malicious app, and then now that theyre on the phone and can control it, they can steal credentials and gain access to the internal network, Shier says.

The scary part, Padon says, is that they start as adware, but they can just as easily decide to spread spyware to the entire botnet. Then you have 10 million devices that record their owners every move. It has a devastating potential with just a click on the app, he says.

4. IoT

Internet of Things (IoT) malware is still in its infancy, but it hasnt stopped malware authors from making the jump, says Irfan Asrar, senior manager in mobile malware research at McAfee. The number of [IoT malware] families out there is just 10, and most of them are just variations of the same code base, but were starting to see in the underground sites that people are peddling mobile malware kits and are moving into the IoT arena, and many IoT devices are largely connected to and being configured by smart phones and devices, such as mobile entry into a building or through a checkpoint.

With targeted attack efforts, they are focused on getting to a destination, Asrar says. They dont care what means they use  just the one with least resistance  and right now its IoT where theres very little measures in place for security, and device manufacturers are just now beginning to follow some standards.

5. Dead apps

Employees need to check the status of their mobile apps regularly, and then update or delete them if theyre no longer supported in Google or Apple stores, Asrar says. Security teams for both operating systems have been quietly removing an undisclosed number apps from their stores at a growing rate, but they havent revealed a list of the removed apps or offered any reason for their removal, which can vary from malware issues to copyright infringement to the discovery that the app was leaking data to a third party. The lack of transparency could impact the enterprise because there is more sensitive data at stake by infiltrating enterprise networks, Asrar says.

[Related: SandBlast Mobile simplifies mobile security]

Especially if you have an Android device, you will have at least a couple [apps] that were removed from the store, but they are still on your device, he says. You probably dont want to hang on to them anymore.

What can companies do?

Its really hard to protect your entire mobile network because its so fragmented, Padon says.

He recommends requiring that security software be installed on every mobile device. Its one thing if your Candy Crush app downloads a simple update, but its a completely different story if it downloads an update and then launches a malicious activity. This is exactly where Google and Apple lack control, he adds.

User behavior awareness and training should also continue to evolve with the threats, mobile researchers say. Its all about reducing risk, Shier adds, through encryption and visibility into all devices that have access to the network.
Like many others in the cybersecurity community, I attended Black Hat in Las Vegas last week. Here are a few of my thoughts on the show:

1. This was the 20th edition of Black Hat, and it was absolutely packed. Ive heard that attendance was up from last year, and I know that 2016 attendance set a record. Not to be crass, but you had to wait 10 minutes just to use the bathrooms between meetings.

2. Congratulations to Alex Stamos, CSO at Facebook, for his insightful keynote presentation. Alexs main point was that the cybersecurity community at large (i.e. professionals and the cybersecurity technology industry) must expand its role in several areas.

First, he talked about having more empathy for users. Second, he talked about focusing on harm rather than technical complexity of security. That's a good idea, as most people care how security impacts them rather than the details behind the scenes. He also encouraged the community to become more diverse, adding different perspectives to the cybersecurity mix. It was too much to go through in this blog, but I found his overall messages to be spot on.

3. Allow me to paraphrase from Stamos' keynote and add my own thoughts:

The industry has become far too obsessed on the zero-day problem (i.e. zero-day exploits) and isn't paying enough attention to eliminating all the manual tasks and busy work we do as cybersecurity professionals. Oh, I agree that zero-days are a problem, but these attacks are the exception. We need to get better at bread-and-butter cybersecurity operations with improved processes, automation and orchestration. In other words, people REMAIN the weakest link of the cybersecurity chain. Addressing this problem should be a high priority for all CISOs.

4. In the 15 years Ive worked in cybersecurity, there was never a time when just about every cybersecurity technology was in play. New types of endpoint security tools are usurping traditional antivirus. New security analytics tools are expanding and challenging SIEM platforms. Software-defined tools are pushing out tried-and-true network security controls. All this innovation is ultimately good news, but it makes security engineering and strategy especially challenging. CISOs should make sure security engineers keep an eye on innovation and maintain an open mind on vendors, form factors, and layered defense elements moving forward.

5. Similarly, software-defined network security is taking over at a gradual but steady pace. This doesnt obviate the need for firewalls, IDS/IPS, and gateway appliances, but it does mean that volumes of these devices will shrink steadily over time. Im especially bullish on workload/application segmentation technologies, as well as the movement toward a software-defined perimeter (SDP).

6. Cybersecurity professionals beware: Startup hype is out of control. Its not an exaggeration to say that Sand Hill Rd. has its own PR machine, sock puppets, and fake news outlets all to get you to buy stuff so they make even more money. When dealing with highly funded startups, strong due diligence and caveat emptor should be followed with extreme care.

7. Kudos to a security analytics company named ProtectWise for its innovative 3-D virtual reality (VR) user interface. Its goal? Change the security analytics model and use VR technology to attract gamers and millennials into cybersecurity careers. It's a unique approach that's worth checking out.

8. Threat intelligence is making a big comeback, but not just in areas like IoCs. The superset issue here is digital risktracking threats associated with employees, business partners, brand reputation, executives, infrastructure, etc. across threat actors, the dark web, social media, chat groups, etc. Given the advanced skills needed to do threat intelligence analysis well, I believe at least 80 percent of organizations will look to service providers to help them address requirements here. This goes for threat hunting, as well.

9. Enough about machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI)! Note to cybersecurity technology vendors: CISOs care about what they need and why, and they delegate the how-to technicians much farther down in the organization. We need to do a better job of explaining why machine learning helps and in what areas. In other words, talk use cases rather than supervised modeling.

10. Im surprised there isnt more IAM discussion at Black Hat, but Ill bet there will be in the future. Todays IT is all about connecting mobile users/devices to applications, data, and services in multiple locations. Identity must play a bigger role here.

11. IBMs John Burnham is the tannest man in the cybersecurity industry. He also held this title in the networking and telecommunications industries previously in his career.

12. It was great sharing Mandalay Bay with SuperZoo, a trade show for pet suppliers. I believe the shows dont align next year; Ill miss the dog and cat presence at Black Hat.

Finally, as it stands today, lots of security technology vendors really dont understand how an enterprise cybersecurity organization works, and thats a problem. Furthermore, vendors have their proprietary product integration plans, but few are thinking in terms of an open architecture such as ESGs security operations and analytics platform architecture (SOAPA).

I get it that everyones trying to make money, but we are talking about safety and security here, not just compute, networking, and storage. Simply common standards and interfaces would make things a lot easier and a lot more secure. The community atmosphere at Black Hat would be the perfect place to work on this next summer.
six years in between
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Facebook's recommendations feature allows users to take to the Facebook universe for advice on places to go, things to do and what to eat.

USA Today used the tool to find the most highly-recommended restaurant in each state, according to Facebook users.

In Connecticut, Bridgeport's own Brewport is the top pickand it hasn't take long for the restaurant to get buzz. Brewport just opened in August 2016.

Brewport is the largest brew pub in the state, and it doesn't do anything small. The restaurant's pizza oven is a steel behemoth that takes up the center of the restaurant.

"The oven weighs 10,000 pounds," owner Bruce Barrett said in a 2016 interview with Hearst. "They had to open the wall to get it in here and it still stuck. It took six guys to push it in here on giant casters."

Specialty pizzas run the gamut of "The Tree Hugger," a vegetarian pie, to "The Barrett," a combo of Korean barbecue pulled pork and fermented kimchi. All are thin crust in what Barrett refers to as "Bridgeport style."

The restaurant is at 363 Warren St. in Bridgeport, directly off exit 27 on Interstate 95 and underneath the curving overhead ramp that connects I-95 to Route 8/25. For more than a decade, the former Fairfield County News newspaper warehouse had sat mostly vacant. A one-time paperboy, Barrett said he had feeling of nostalgia for the large, single-story brick building, and in 2000 he bought it.

Jeff Browning had been Barrett's best friend growing up, but they had lost touch. Barret heard Browning had been working at Bar in New Haven as the brew master so he reached out.

The two men, armed with now a mutual dream of a brew pub in Bridgeport, formed a partnership.
In the post-truth, fake-news age, you can't always trust what you read. Or where you get your fried family-style appetizers.

Australian-themed restaurant chain Outback Steakhouse was accused last week of concealing hidden ties to the Illuminati and other occult groups, after one astute Twitter user discovered the chain's franchises were arranged in a pentagram shape. Pentagrams, perhaps most commonly identified with Wiccanism, have also been popularly associated with the Illuminati, Satanism, and the occult in general.
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The governors office and Milfords mayor are finger-pointing over who made the controversial call to temporarily close a Department of Motor Vehicles service center in the city.

In his state of the city address last Thursday, Democrat Benjamin Blake blamed the state for July 24 shutdown of the DMV office at Parsons Government Center, which had been plagued by long lines and a staffing shortage.

In particular, weve been frustrated by the states decision to temporarily close the local DMV, Blake said. I certainly dont agree with the basis for closing such an important office instead of sorting out the operational inefficiencies, and so Ive been working again with our delegation to shake some sense into the DMV decision makers.

But in July 18 email from Blake to DMV officials, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, Blake appeared to call for operations to be suspended at the service center. The facility had been staffed Tuesdays and Thursdays with two employees reassigned from full-service branches elsewhere in the state.

While I have appreciated your attention to reviewing improvements to Milfords licensing center, it appears that we can wait no longer for the changes to happen, Blake wrote. I would like to discuss with you temporarily shutting down the Milford center until DMV is able to address the problems.

Differing accounts

A spokeswoman for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat to whom DMV Commissioner Michael Bzdyra reports, admonished Blake for his account of the closure.

Quite frankly, we are befuddled by Mayor Blakes comment about the DMV branch closing, said Kelly Donnelly, Malloys communications director. We are hard-pressed to imagine why the mayor would say that hes frustrated with the decision to close the Milford branch when hes the one who asked the state to close it.

Its our understanding that the city and DMV were working on ways to alleviate the situation and that Mayor Blake requested it to close temporarily in the meantime, Donnelly said. To present this to the people of Milford as something that was forced on the town by the state is just not accurate.

Blake, who is running unopposed for a fourth term this fall, provided a July 19 email from him to DMV brass that he said Tuesday showed he tried to prevent the temporary closure of the service center.

Even though you anticipate the closure will be temporary  a few weeks  Id ask that you take steps other than closing, Blake wrote in the email.

Struggling agency

DMV spokesman William Seymour confirmed the agency received both emails from Blake.

We considered the mayors request in the late morning and reviewed his other comments during previous months about long lines at the DMV Milford service center, Seymour said. We believed based on his previous complaints, morning e-mail and notification to us that he wanted the office closed and was comfortable with his solution. We then began the internal preparations to follow the mayors suggestion and close the office. We called the mayor mid-afternoon to notify him we accepted his solution. He said he understood. We sent the press release announcing the closing at 3:48 p.m. to the media and at 3:53 p.m. he sent another e-mail to us reversing himself.

In addition to the Milford service center, the DMV closed a similar facility in Derby, where at least two customers fainted after waiting in long lines in the heat last month. A review of the operations at both locations is expected to take a few months, according to the DMV.

Tensions between Blake and DMV brass have been mounting in recent months over how to cut down on lines and improve the operation. DMV officials say the state, grappling with budget impasse, doesnt have the money to hire more employees to handle the volume of customers in Milford.

Blake said Tuesday that he met with the DMV commissioner and made a number of recommendations that were dismissed by the agency.

DMV officials said the mayors proposals came after the closure announcement. A request for further comment was left for Blake.

twitter.com/gettinviggy; nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436
ORANGEThe robber did not reveal or imply a weapon when he demanded cash from the Webster Bank at 247 Boston Post Road, police said.

He walked away with money, leaving behind images of his face on the banks security cameras.
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
Its 9 a.m. on a cool spring day on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where the staff of the 71st Street location of Just Salad is about to be put through the wringer. Nick Kenner, the restaurant chains 36-year-old founder, is joining the team for the day. Theyre standing in a circle, summer-camp style, running through introductions and icebreakers. My passion has always been about operation, speed and throughput, Kenner says when its his turn.

Related: Rethink Your Approach to the Competition

After the intros, the group exercise starts. Employees take up their stations along the Chipotle-style salad line -- cashier, lettuce packer, chopper, etc. -- and a mock rush begins, with Just Salads head of HR pretending to be a first-time customer. As she follows her Caesar salad down the line, Kenner paces. He times the order while furiously typing notes on his phone, the lip of his coffee cup clenched between his teeth. That was good, he says afterward. The final time was a so-so 2:38. (The record is now 1:38.)

Its what Kenner calls a teamletics event, and each U.S. store has one per quarter. Todays was all about speed of service, and the team was well-prepped. But next quarters training will require more instruction. Itll be about our new menu items, Kenner tells me, explaining that those new items are actually not just salads. And the move is about way more than expanding options -- its part of Kenners plan to ensure his company lasts, amid rising rents and heated competition.

When he first launched Just Salad in 2006 -- the brainchild of years spent working on a trading floor with no tasty and healthy lunch options nearby -- it was with a laser-like focus on selling quality salads quickly, cheaply, and to as many people as possible. I felt like we didnt need to do anything else to have a successful business, he says. At first, he was right. Despite his neglecting design, branding and digital strategy, the core product alone was enough to create long lines of young, attractive customers and earn glowing local press. (Cute guys plus carb-free dressing? fawned a regular in New York magazine. Im so in.) Five years on, there were six locations in New York City.

Image Credit: Just Salad

But as Kenner obsessed over operations, he missed important shifts in the still-developing healthy fast-casual industry -- primarily that a burst of competing brands were providing a more upscale experience for a more clearly defined customer base. Founded in 2001, Chopts emphasis on creative salads made it a popular choice for the professional lunchtime crowd; fellow newcomers Sweetgreen, founded in 2007, and Fresh&co, founded in 2010, tied themselves to the fresh-and-local movement. Kenner thought Just Salad stood out as cost-effective and streamlined; in reality, in its attempt to reach the broadest customer base possible, it felt cheap and generic. In 2015, Kenner realized he needed to make substantial changes or risk being left behind.

Related: Stories That Will Make You Rethink Your Leadership Style

Still, he worried that stronger branding would overshadow what he saw as the soul of the company. It wasnt salads, per se. It was fast, affordable health. There are a ton of places that do salads, Kenner says, but their offerings creep toward $15 and $20 a meal. To be an everyday solution to health, you have to do this at $10 and under, he says. We do that better than anyone. But the industry is at a place where you cant just excel at one or two things. You have to be good at everything.

So Kenner eased himself into a complete makeover by first focusing on his store interiors, which for years had been green and carrot-orange -- salad colors. He teamed up with a design firm to create a fresh concept: an airy, coastal atmosphere with lots of white, blue, and light-colored wood, and a tiny succulent at each table. I always respected Trader Joes and Ikea for their no-frills environment, where they put the money into speed, efficiency, and quality, Kenner says. But people care about the decor and the experience.

Feeling good about the store update, Kenner felt empowered to tackle his biggest challenge: expanding Just Salads menu. Its a tough task for any restaurant, made tougher when your company name boasts lack of choice as a selling point. Kenner and his team worked with a culinary agency for more than a year to develop menu items that would hit Just Salads central promise: fast, affordable, healthy.

Had we come out and been like, Were going to do a healthy version of pizza or burgers, it wouldnt have made sense, Kenner says. Instead, they settled on a selection of bowls, toasts, wraps and plates, a larger variety of which will continue rolling out over the next few months, including a summertime avocado toast topped with an egg that Kenner is particularly jazzed about. And while items like avocado toast are having a culinary moment, the new menu is more brand-appropriate than trend-driven. After all, not everything healthy lends itself to being made on an assembly line. I had one day where I was like, It would be cool to do one really good poke bowl, Kenner says of the de rigueur raw fish dish being offered at restaurants across NYC. And then we brought raw fish into a store, and I imagined this raw fish being at 30 different Just Salad locations, and I said, No fucking way.

Image Credit: Just Salad

As the menu evolved, Kenner considered changing the Just Salad name, but he ultimately decided against it, opting instead to add wraps, bowls + more to the storefront logo. We looked at places like Dunkin Donuts, he says, pointing to the cup of coffee in my hand. Its named for doughnuts! If we could execute the items were doing at a high level, they would integrate. The first few new items launched in March, and already sales look promising. Customers have taken to it very, very quickly.

Refining and defining Just Salads voice is the last step in Kenners three-pronged revamp. A branding agency was hired to help on the digital front, and a new website is already doing a better job promoting the companys mission and strengths, including its reusable bowls, which cost $1 and include free toppings with every visit. We just launched the site in April, Kenner says proudly. A new online ordering site launches in June. Our new app launches in August. The focus is to make it all cohesive.

Related: 5 Signs It's Time to Rebrand Your Company

In hindsight, Kenner knows he should have focused on branding from the start. I would have raised more money early on to bring in more consultants on store design and architecture, and consultants to help me get ahead of the curve on digital, he says. But as the redesign takes root, its created a clear vision for the team. Just Salad currently has 31 locations worldwide, with stores in Chicago, Kansas, Dubai and Hong Kong, and is expanding aggressively. We want to bring healthy eating to as many people as possible, Kenner says.

Despite his early hesitations, he is confident Just Salad will make the needed changes without diluting its mission. The soul of who we are has always been the same, Kenner says. We just want to tell that story better. Now thats what were doing.

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


Illinois Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed Tuesday parts of a proposed school funding formula that would pour more of the states money toward its public schools in order to offset local costs, and, more controversially, pay off a chunk of Chicagos ballooning teacher pension fund .

Rauner has balked at spending state dollars on the teacher funds, which he says takes money away from downstate schools.

With my changes, Illinois can achieve historic education funding reform that is fair and equitable to all of Illinois children, Rauner said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press .

The states Democrats now need to either gather enough Republican votes to override the veto or renegotiate with the Gov. Rauner.

If the governor and legislature cant agree on a school funding formula by August 10, the typical date districts get money from the state, the Chicago Tribune reports many schools will have to either pull money out of their reserves or cut some after-school programs to open later this month. Thats something the states politicians dont want to be blamed for.

In passing this years budget, the state just ended a two-year budget impasse that detrementally impacted the states colleges.

But in that budget was a clause that said the set-aside K-12 funds can only be distributed through a research-based school funding formula, forcing the states power brokers to, within weeks, agree on a new school funding formula.

Illinois is one of the few states in the country where, in most cases, local districts pay the majority of public schools costs. Theres consensus among Democrat and Republican politicians that the formula has caused inequities between wealthy and poor districts. But theres not a consensus on what to do about Chicagos pension fund.

Chicago is the only municipality in the state to have its own teacher-pension system. Under a series of disastrous financial decisions dating to the 1990s, the city began redirecting tax revenue for these pensions to general education programming, and began reducing its own annual payments into the system. Coupled with two financial downturns, in 2001 and 2008, those decisions have led to a ballooning pension liability. Servicing the pension makes up about a tenth of the districts budget.

City officials note that their teachers pay into the state pension system without ever reaping its rewards, and have called for the state to pay its fair share of the districts pension.

Stephen Sawchuk contributed to this report.

Photo: Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, center, flanked by Republican members of both state chambers, speaks during a news conference on the second day of a special session on education funding at the Illinois State Capitol, on July 27 in Springfield. Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP

Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics.
Southwestern Connecticut's rich history is everywhere, and one of the most obvious ways it shows itself is through local architecture. Many hundreds-of-years-old structures are still, not only in existence, but thriving as homes and historical centers.

____________________________

The house at 967 Academy Hill Road was built in the mid-1700s by Capt. David Judson, who was head of the local militia that defended the town from any attacks. He was also involved in governing Stratford in its early days. He built the foundation and chimney of the house at Academy Hill Road using stones from the original house built by his great-grandfather, William Judson.

Several generations of Judsons lived in the home, but now, it's the headquarters of the Stratford Historical Society. Given to the society in 1925, the house is furnished and decorated much as it would have been in the 1700s.

____________________________

When Darius and Faith Toraby first laid eyes on their home in Cos Cob in the early 1990s, they made a commitment: the gracious old house with a long history would be lovingly restored.

True to their word, the home has become a prominent example of the Victorian style of architecture in Greenwich, one that has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places as well as local honors.

The home was completed in 1873 for Amos Mead Brush, a sea captain. Some of the brick used in the building process likely came from the ballast taken from ships harbored in Cos Cob. The home has all the essential Victorian features: a bright exterior, a mansard roof, a prominent bay window, quoined walls and dentil molding.

____________________________

Being inside the Robinson Cottage gives one the impression of being a full-grown human inside a doll's house. The centuries-old home at 33 Main St., in the heart of Fairfield's Southport section, feels like a relic, with low ceilings and rooms that are just large enough to serve their purpose.

But the tiny gray home with the red door is mighty. Believed to have been built by Revolutionary War veteran John Robinson Jr. in the late 1780s, the cottage has survived for well over 200 years as other homes of the time period were replaced with modern residences or remodeled beyond recognition.

The association bought the house in 1929, with an eye toward preserving its historic character. There have been some changes  re-shingling the exterior, extensive landscaping  but it still looks like an old New England salt box house. There's even a hearth in the home's main room, known as the keeping room, which families of the past used to cook food and heat the house.

The house was built in the wake of the Revolutionary War, during which many buildings near Southport Harbor were torched by the British. Slowly the area was rebuilt, with many of the new homes belonging to veterans of the war, like Robinson. Robinson was a ship builder and later became a ship captain.

____________________________

Ledgeoaks is a 5,493-square-foot home at 475 Algonquin Road, constructed in 1926 by the Bassick family.

The house  which overlooks the 17th and 18th fairways of Brooklawn Country Club  was built on a piece of land originally owned by American industrialist Jonathan Godfrey. Godfrey carved a portion of his land to create a family estate, called The Oaks, for the well-known Bassick Family of Bridgeport and Fairfield (yes, the ones the high school is named for).

In the 1920s, Edgar Webb Bassick divided the property further, with the intent of having a home built for his daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, Tracy Dickson, Jr. The family commemorated the home and the year it was constructed by placing a 1926 penny in mortar between some of the stones.
Theres been a lot of jabber lately about personalized educations . This blah-blah usually centers on the latest incarnation of a cyclical phenomenon: the evergreen idea that we can shape every childs education around his or her unique skills, talents and passions. Most recently, this looks like computer-driven, assessment-based sortinggiving kids tests that tell us where they are, ever so precisely, then using that information to plan a course of instruction, at the right pace (which can also be delivered via technology). Very personalif you believe that tests give us the information we need.

Its vastly more complicated and nuanced than that, of course. As Audrey Hill, a middle school English teacher in New York, points out in her excellent blog:

Personalization can mean opposite things. It's a kind of verbal tofu... the educational equivalent of soft serve, tempeh, and a tofu veggie burger. It's a sexy new word for a sexy new future: whatever you want to eat will be made out of the same stuff, but it will be made especially for you. In the parlance of corporate reformers and their Silicon Valley billionaires bosses, personalization is the less lovely, impersonal ability to educate children online using algorithms that adapt to the child through continuous analysis of their online behavior modifying content, pace, product and reward. Personalization on a narrow band. It's a marketing term. It promises a return on its investment.

Hill also describes what a genuinely personalized education might look likeusing Yong Zhaos classroom variables of pace, product, content and learning environment. Its good stufftailoring what happens in the classroom to those unique skills, talents and passions. Its also as old as time, pretty much, harking back to the tutors hired by the well-to-do in centuries past for the unique children who would inherit their fortunes. Pricey private schools have always stressed their small class sizes and one-on-one approach to teaching little Chauncey what he needs to know to go forth and lead. Even Dewey stressed an individual childs investment in his own learning, a good definition of personalization.

Whats changed? As usual, the technology. And the funding.

And alsothe assertion that this new version of competency-based, technology-driven education is actually personalized, and a solution for what ails public schools. You know (sarcasm alert)government schools with their overstuffed classrooms, batch learning and tendency to let students dribble through the cracks. This individualized content delivery and reiterated mastery is how we will keep track of every single one of those tax-dollar-consuming students.

Sounds good, no?

I want to make two points here. First, there is no such thing as 100 percent personalized learning in a formal education. Even highly regarded 19th century tutors, preparing elite young men to read the law, practice medicine, or write poetry, were using pedagogical methods and common instructional materials designed for other well-born scions. There are disciplinary traditions, and fundamental texts and the literary canon. Weve been accumulating and tweaking a core framework of What Kids Need to Know and Be Able to Do for decades, and its the antithesis of personalized.

Every aspect of a coherent curriculum is chosen by someone, generally because its believed to be essential for young people to absorb before being considered educated. Ask any American citizen what children should be learningtheres a great deal of consistency, across the country. There arent many parents who would agree to a genuinely personalized curriculumeliminating mathematics, for example, or bypassing written composition, and substituting, say, astronomy or snow-boarding as essential competency.

The second point is that there are excellent reasons for teaching children in groups. Without a cluster of peers, there is no dialogue, no sifting through viewpoints and logic, no collective challenges to received content; theres only the test to see if the student remembers what theyve been told.

Learning is social. It happens in context. And the context includes other actors, whether the subject is geometry, economics or choral music. When you strip all peer interactions out of learning, youre left with bare facts and theorems and instructionscontentplus, in competency-based learning, a screen, the next quiz and maybe, if youre lucky, a digital badge.

For many kids and many learning tasks, groups are an excellent way to practice competencies, both academic and (I hate this phrase) soft skills, like sharing, taking turns, listening to others, disagreeing, keeping commitments and generating new ideas.

There are ways to authentically personalize a childs education, but theyre not what were describing as personal in 2017. Heres a story about a girl who deserved, and never got, a truly personalized education:

A few years back, I was teaching a course that my middle school labeled Enrichment. It was, essentially, a dumping ground for 7th graders who were grossly behind in their regular class assignments, for a variety of reasons. These students were taken out of their elective classes, and scheduled into Enrichment, so that I could stand over them and get them caught up, at which timetheoreticallythey would enjoy the reward of returning to physical education or art or life skills classes.

This didnt work particularly well. Most of the kids simply did not want to do the work that had piled up, because it was difficult or boring. By the time they got to Enrichment, there was so much undone homework that their semester grade was already trashed. With teachers offering 50 percent credit on late work, they could beaver away at 25 missing assignments and still failso why try? Some of them also preferred spending an hour in a pleasant room with a teacher who would help them with their work, rather than taking it home.

Midway into the first semester, Ariana was placed in Enrichment. Ariana was born in Albania. Her father and his brother had sold their ancestral homes and all their worldly goods and come to America with their families to start a new life. They leased a local restaurant and were working day and night to make a go of it. Ariana spoke little English, but was learning rapidly. Not rapidly enough to stay on top of her work in six classes, however.

It seemed to me that my job was to be Arianas advocate with her teachers. I went to each of them to ask how to cut down assignments to the most critical skills, and jettison all the undone work. Some of Arianas teachers were helpful and willing to try to keep her afloat through giving an adjusted grade; others just saw a long row of zeros and failing test grades and couldnt see their way clear to actually personalizing the work load and content.

Ariana was one of 150 students they were responsible forwhat if every child wanted special consideration? Were they supposed to write new tests and quizzes for her? Were they supposed to create a new grading system for one student?

Ariana was one of the most motivated students Ive ever hadand Ive taught thousands of middle schoolers. She wanted very much to succeed, to learn quickly. She confided that she had been punished for her bad grades, with her father and uncle believing she was not trying, not doing her best. She had been at the top of her class in Albaniaso why not here? She wasnt specific about what punishment meantbut it seemed outrageous to me that this kid was diligently trying to find the answers to the questions at the end of Chapter 22 in her Science book, when she had a kindergarten vocabulary.

I gave her early-reader chapter books that my own children had outgrown. She loved Henry and Mudge and the Little House on the Prairie series. Although I was supposed to help her get caught up on homework, it seemed more important to me that she learn to read and write in English. She was reluctant to take the gift books home, because she was sure her father would believe shed stolen them from school. I was never able to make contact with the family; they had no listed phone, except the restaurant, and nobody there who could speak to me in English.

I wish I could say I found the magic keys to personalizing Arianas education. I mostly floundered, caught between a couple of teachers who resented having such a needy, non-standard student to teachand a complete lack of resources. There was a single ESL teacher in the county with the ability to speak to Ariana in her native tongue, and she came a couple of times, but was responsible for hundreds of other children, county-wide, whose first language was not English and could conveniently be taught in groups.

Ariana loved the computer, and it was the best reward for her. Shed had no experience with computers, but with a little assistance, went to sites about Albania. Some of my slacker Enrichment boys helped her find sites with Albanian text. Did you know that there are 36 characters in the Albanian alphabet (and sometimes more, Ariana said)? I certainly didnt. She kept calling me overlook at this picture! See these mountains!

Once, she came to class with her gym bag, from which she pulled out a beautiful embroidered blouse and red skirttreasures from home. Why dont you show them to your social studies teacher, I asked? Maybe you could do a talk on the geography, economy, language, and customs of Albania? No, she said. Seventh grade is American history. My country is not in the textbooks.

Then one day, she wasnt there. As I was cleaning up and getting ready to leave, she slipped into my room and handed me the books Id given her. Her father had fallen, sliding on some grease on the restaurant floor, and broken his leg. The local hospital refused to treat him, because he had no insurance, and was not a citizen. He was out in their two-family van. The whole family was headed to Boston, because the brothers cousin told them there was free health care there, and his leg could be set. They were leaving, for good. I insisted she take the books. It seemed like such a small thing.

A couple of weeks later, I got a note from Ariana, addressed to me at school, thanking me for the books and for being kind to her. There was no return address or further information about their prospects on the East Coast, or her fathers leg. She was starting over at another school, somewhere.

When I think of how to deal with students as unique persons, I wonder how sift-and-sort competency-based programs deal with bright, ambitious, respectful students like Ariana who simply need time and individual care, the attention of a flexible, creative teacher. Education can and should be personalized, but there is no single template for successfully doing that.

Image credit: Pablo
Sudan and Iran May Get Relief From Terrorism Default Judgment

The countries of Sudan and Iran may finally be getting some relief from an over $14 billion judgment entered against them in the U.S. Federal District Court. The judgment is the result of an action filed against the nations for harboring the terrorists, members of al Qaeda, responsible for a coordinated attack on two U.S. embassies abroad in 1998.

Unfortunately for the two nations, neither lodged an appearance before the judgment was made final. Since that time, the nation of Sudan has appealed the judgment, and lost. However, the most recent order trimmed the $4 billion plus award of punitive damages off the total judgment.

Punitive Damages Fail, Federally

Sudan tried to plea ignorance of the U.S. legal system as well as of the severity of the consequences for not showing up. The nation's attorney attempted to explain that the country was in turmoil and unable to defend itself at the time of default. Neither the lower court, nor the appellate court found Sudan's excuses for failing to appear to be convincing. But, the appeals court did find that the punitive damages awarded failed as a matter of federal law.

Basically, the punitive damages were awarded under the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, which the court found could not be retroactively applied to conduct that occurred a decade in the past.

The court essentially is heeding the warning of the Supreme Court, which stated: "retroactive imposition of punitive damages would raise a serious constitutional question." The appellate court found that the retroactive imposition of punitive damages, along with the issue of foreign diplomacy and relations, and the large size of the award, merited review.

The Question of Punitive Damages Under State Law

While the court vacated the punitive damages, it did not provide Sudan with any other relief, holding that the nation is not entitled to relief from default. However, the issue of whether punitive damages may be available on a state law claim was remanded to the D.C. Federal District Court for further proceedings.

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Great Allegheny Passage improvements coming

The bids were opened Nov. 1 and Adam Eidemiller's was the lower of two bids received. The project will take two weeks starting within the next week.
California 'Turkey King' Challenges Local 'Forced Farming' Law

There is often the conception that once we own land, we can do whatever we want with it. Sadly for some landowners, there are regulations, restrictions, and responsibilities placed on land use, which can exist at the local, state, and federal level.

Most, if not all of these regulations come from two often competing interests: conservation and agriculture. Those interests, along with one man's desire to build a house, are colliding in Northern California, where a turkey farmer is suing over a county ordinance he claims will force him and his family to farm his land in perpetuity.

Farm, or Else

Willie Benedetti's family has owned around 270 acres in Valley Ford in Marin County, California since 1972. Benedetti, who the Press Democrat refers to as a "Free-range turkey pioneer," wants to build a house on that property for his son. The only problem is the California Coastal Commission, and a policy that restricts new housing on agricultural land.

Marin county has a local coastal program (LCP), a plan governing development of the county's coastal areas, which must be certified by the California Coastal Commission. A land use portion of the LCP was adopted in May, containing a policy mandating that, "Agricultural dwelling units must be owned by a farmer or operator actively and directly engaged in agricultural use of the property."

While the goal of the plan was to discourage subdividing land and encourage multi-generational farming by expanding the allowable family houses per 60 acres from just one to three, Benedetti's lawsuit claims, "Building a dwelling unit on Mr. Benedetti's property will trigger the requirement that the property be owned by someone actively and directly engaged in agricultural use of the property," what opponents of the plan have referred to as "forced farming."

Rural Regulations

"What they are doing is not right," Benedetti told the Press Democrat. "To put pressure on the farming community. It's ludicrous." If he's right, his case could upend decades of land-use regulations, and the ability of state and local governments to restrict development in the name of conservation, environmental preservation, or community interest.

California State Representative Jared Huffman, who represents northern California's coastal region, doesn't seem too worried, claiming the legality of local land use and zoning restrictions has been "battle-tested in the courts."

"If someone wants to re-litigate it and try again," Huffman, a former environmental attorney said, "I'm fairly confident about the outcome"

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Dale Carnegie published a book called How To Win Friends And Influence People. It would go onto be a classic piece

This is a true story about the power of words.

In 1936, a failed actor called Dale Carnegie published a book called How To Win Friends And Influence People. He had earlier changed his name from Carnagey to Carnegie, perhaps to suggest that he came from one of Americas wealthiest families.

His book became an overnight bestseller. A version of it continues to sell 300,000 copies a year, although the publishers have removed one of the original chapters, Making Your Home Life Happier, because it contained advice that now seems inappropriate, such as telling wives to give your husband complete freedom in his business affairs.

The main thrust of How To Win Friends And Influence People is that its easy to manipulate other people simply by convincing them that you agree with them.

If you want other people to do something, says Carnegie, you must first implant an idea into their heads, and then you must convince them they had that idea first.

Over the years, Dale Carnegies influence spread far and wide. One of those who studied his book was a young convict imprisoned in Terminal Island Penitentiary in Los Angeles for car theft. In 1957, he passed an IQ test with flying colours, so the enlightened prison authorities fast-tracked him onto a special Dale Carnegie course, to help him forge a better life on his release.

He was considered an outstanding pupil, having absorbed all Carnegies key lessons, such as Everything you or I do springs from two motives: the sex urge and the desire to be great.

He was particularly struck by Carnegies advice on how to influence people, for instance: The only way on Earth to influence the other fellow is to talk about what he wants and show him how to get it . . . Let the other fellow feel that the idea is his.

That same year, on the other coast of America, an 11-year-old boy was also studying How To Win Friends And Influence People.

The boys father, a successful New York property developer, had taken the Dale Carnegie course in order to overcome shyness. He was now determined that his children should follow in his footsteps.

Leader: The 11-year-old Donald Trump read How To Win Friends And Influence People to help overcome his shyness

Who were these two young self-help addicts, the small-time criminal and the ambitious young lad? The car thief was Charles Manson. Now aged 82, he is currently residing at California State Prison in Corcoran, serving a life sentence for multiple charges of murder.

Manson will remain behind bars until at least 2027, when he will be 92 years old.

The boy was Donald J. Trump. Now aged 71, he is currently in the White House, having been elected President of the U.S. in 2016.

Unless something goes wrong, he will remain President until at least 2020, and possibly for another four years after that.

President Trump still adheres to the lessons he learned from How To Win Friends. It is thought he re-read it quite recently: over the course of a year he repeated some of Carnegies key maxims in a series of tweets.

At 5.53am on November 27, 2012, Trump tweeted:  Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare  Dale Carnegie.

Then and now: Charles Manson read the book while in prison for car theft. He is now serving a life sentence for multiple charges of murder

This was followed by: Feeling sorry for yourself is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have (July 17, 2013); If you want to conquer fear, dont sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy (July 19, 2013); and Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get (September 17, 2013).

And what of Charles Manson? On his release from prison in 1967, he headed straight for San Francisco, where he dutifully followed Carnegies advice.

That was Charlies big trick, a prison friend told Mansons biographer Jeff Guinn. Hed decide what he wanted to do, and then talk about it so the girl or whoever would think that she thought of it and it was her idea. I saw him do it all the time. I mean, it was a constant.

The friends he won  his so-called family  were drawn from the lost and damaged souls of the hippy movement; he influenced them into multiple murders.

And so two of the most famous men in America used the same advice from the same book to rather different ends.

One ended up in a high-security prison, the other in the White House. Such is the power of words. Should Dale Carnegie take credit for one, but not the other? Or should he be blamed for both?
A Polish Santander banker was jailed for two years after a jury found him guilty of stealing 26,000 from the account of a 78-year-old elderly woman.

Lukasz Rybarczyk, a highly educated banking professional, was charged with fraud and theft.

Rybarczyk, 32, who came to the UK from Poland seven years ago, was investigated by the bank and the police.

However despite the guilty verdict, police have been unable to recover the money.

The bank's investigators and the police believed that the former banker had siphoned the money into a 'ghost' account using a deceased customer's details, and were convinced he was the culprit.

Now Rybarczyk's case has come to light in a Channel 5's documentary The Accused for the first time, just six months after he was formerly sentenced.

Lukasz Rybarczyk was found guilty of fraud and theft by a jury as documented in Channel 5 documentary The Accused

Rybarczyk had been working at a branch of the Spanish bank Santander and was accused of stealing 26,000 from the account of a 78-year-old elderly woman

Viewers watching the case unfold throughout the programme were left baffled over where the money actually ended up and expected a 'twist'

The complex details and the disappearance of the money left viewers who were watching it unfold during the programme baffled over the unsolved matters.

One person waiting for more drama said: 'Where was the twist? Watched for 90 mins & it was as obvious he was guilty.'

'The most laughable thing is disappearance of the money. Nice little nest-egg waiting for him when he gets out,' said another.

'Where did the money actually go,' questioned one.

The former Santander worker allowed cameras to follow him in the three-month lead up to his trial as part of the documentary.

Throughout the programme, he insisted that he had been the victim of someone else's scam to steal the money, despite the amounts appearing in his bank account.

Following his sentencing, his defence lawyers and the prosecution team opened up about what really happened inside the closed court, revealing that the jury initially had doubts about the prosecution case before eventually coming to a 10 to 2 majority.

LUCASZ'S CASE In May 2015 banker Lucasz was charged with fraud and theft after his employers Santander found evidence suggesting he had stolen 26,000 from an elderly customer. During the 18 months waiting for his trial, without a job Lucasz was forced to move into a small flat. His bank account details suggested the money had found its way into his account, but he denied any guilt. Lucasz believed that he had been the victim of an 'organised crime group'. In February 2017 Lucasz was found guilty of theft and fraud by a majority verdict and was sentenced to two years in prison. The money was never fully recovered. Advertisement

Ghost accounts and missing money

His barrister and solicitor raised concerns about his case, pointing out the difficulties they had when faced with details that appeared to support the investigator's version of events - that Rybarczyk had set up a 'ghost' account using another deceased customer's details.

He then siphoned money from the elderly woman's account and transferred the money from there to his personal bank.

They matched up transactions that seemed to show he had spent the same amounts of money at a gay bar in Clapham, London, called the Two Brewers, as the amounts that were disappearing from the ghost account.

But despite their concerns, Rybarczyk said he was not fazed, and insisted he was not 'stupid enough' to leave behind traces of any criminal activity and claimed he had been set up by an 'organised crime group'.

Rybarczyk also claimed that the police and the Santander's investigative team had not done enough to find another suspect, accusing them of focusing all their efforts on him, and his legal team backed him - agreeing that the police had been 'lazy'.

The bank's investigators nor the police were able to locate exactly where the full amount of the money stolen disappeared to.

In the programme Rybarczyk slams the penile system and says that had he followed the advice of his lawyers - who suggested he plead guilty for a more lenient sentence - he would more than likely not have been facing a prison sentence

Rybarczyk's legal team is made up of solicitor Greg Stewart (left) and barrister Ravinder Saimbhi (right)

Upset over the verdict

After Rybarczyk was charged with fraud and theft in May 2015, he lost his job and to keep afloat after his bank accounts frozen and while waiting for trial, he was forced to sell his belongings.

He also faced the turmoil of his younger brother and step-mum  who used to live with him and rely on his financial support  moving 400 miles away to Scotland.

Rybarczyk was devastated at the jury's decision after he pleaded not guilty and openly criticised the way the penile system worked.

In the programme he claimed that if he had listened to the advice of his legal team, made up of solicitor Greg Stewart and barrister Ravinder Saimbhi, provided to him by Legal Aid - who suggested he plead guilty for a more lenient sentence - he would more than likely not have been facing a prison sentence.

Following the veridct Rybarczyk said: '[The jury] have not listened to anything that happened in court.

'Seriously they have no idea what they have done to me I am going to commit suicide today, that is in my head right now.

'I cannot decide that 12 people have decided to put me in jail, based on the evidence that they have.

'If I had pleaded guilty I would not have to go to prison, this is a simple joke,' he added.

After Rybarczyk was charged in May 2015, he lost his job and to keep afloat after his bank accounts frozen and while waiting for trial, he was forced to sell his belongings

The majority verdict effectively ruled out any chance of him returning to any form of financial career and he slammed the jury for their decision

The aftermath

Rybarczyk was advised by his team to take the stand in a bid to strengthen his defence and for him to convince the jury of his innocence, but following a four-hour cross-examination from the prosecution, the jury remained unconvinced.

The jury were unable to reach a unanimous decision and were instructed by the judge to come to a majority verdict, and by a margin of 10 to 2 he was found guilty.

Rybarczyk's solicitor Greg was permitted to discuss the case a few weeks on and after his client had been remanded in prison.

He said: 'Two members of the 12 jurors were not convinced by the prosecution case.

'Which makes you even more frustrated because if it had been three then they could not have found Lucasz guilty. The margin is tiny and horrific.'

The Accused is available to watch on Channel 5 player now
Tess Holliday is never one to shy away form sharing a sultry selfie, but the size 22 model has admitted that she almost didn't post a stunning photo of herself because she didn't like the way her postpartum stomach looked.

The 32-year-old took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon to share a photo of herself wearing a figure-hugging shiny black dress, explaining that she had resisted posting it for her 1.5 million followers to see.

'I originally didn't post this photo from the set because I felt self-conscious of my stomach because it's different since giving birth to Bowie, but then I had to remind myself who the f**k I am,' she wrote.

'Eff your beauty standards': Tess Holliday admitted on Sunday that she almost didn't post this photo online because she felt 'self-conscious' of her postpartum stomach

Standing tough: Tess revealed on Friday she was being harassed by a cruel troll on an online shopping platform

The image, which was taken by Brooklyn photographer Andre D. Wagner for New York Magazine's The Cut, sees Tess striking a pose in a full length dress with one hand on her hip and the other leaning against a wrought iron fence.

Tess' auburn hair is in loose waves around her shoulders and a pair of platform black boots top off the outfit.

The body positive advocate, who gave birth to her second son Bowie in June 2016, has been candid about her struggles to adjust to her postpartum figure.

Although she may have moments of insecurity, Tess is almost as well known for shutting down trolls as she is for her ample curves.

Not so nice: The user, going by the name jt795847, told Tess, among other things, to 'waddle back to weight watchers'

A good message: On this image, the cruel user wrote 'You probably eat beauty standards'

So, when the mom-of-two found that someone was leaving insulting comments on listings for her clothing on sale on Depop, she wasn't even a little bit flapped.

The offending user, jt795847, had written on several of her listings things like: 'You probably eat beauty standards' and 'XXXL haha you fat f***.'

In another post he even told the star to 'waddle back to weight watchers.'

But instead of being riled by the cruel comments, Tess took to Instagram to advertise her sales on the back of the troll.

Along with a post showing a collection of the insults from the user, Tess wrote: 'If you've ever wanted to shop my closet, now you can.

'Hope you are a fan of what I'm gettin rid of as much as this turd!'

No problem: Instead of being riled by the comments, Tess used the opportunity to advertise her wares on the site

Hitting out: Tess later revealed that the user in question had his store on the site deleted

Later on she shared an update on the situation, writing: 'His shop was deleted, so this fat f*** wins.'

Daily Mail Online has reached out to Depop for comment.

Part of Tess' toughness is certainly down to the support she gets at home, particularly from her loving husband Nick Holliday, who she paid tribute to earlier this week.

She took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a sweet black and white photo of her and Nick at Disneyland, explaining that they had a 'kids free' night out the day before.

'We were waiting for the parade to finish so we could leave the park when Nick wrapped his arms around me,' the size 22 model wrote. 'I was reminded in that moment how incredibly lucky I am to work with my best friend everyday, & even luckier to be his wife.'

Look of love: Tess took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a sweet black and white photo of her and her husband Nick, while paying tribute to her partner

Fighting back: Earlier in the day, Tess spoke out out against Trump's ban on transgender people in the military, saying: 'We all deserve better than this bigotry and hate'

Tess went on to praise Nick for always making her feel loved, while urging her fans to love themselves if they don't have a partner.

'He doesn't shy away from showing me affection, or get embarrassed when I burp loudly in public because I think burping is really f**king funny,' she noted.

'I hope you have someone that looks at you like the heart eye emoji - the way @nickhollidayco looks at me 10x a day, & if you don't, look at yourself that way because you deserve all the love.'

Tess revealed that she and Nick were secretly married when they celebrated their two-year anniversary on July 5, the day of her 32nd birthday, and the couple appears to be more in love than ever.

However, the heartwarming post came just hours after she and many others were dismayed to learn that transgender people were being banned from the military.

'Bowie is all of us today': A few hours later, Tess posted a photo of her one-year-old son Bowie looking defeated while lying down on a pillow on the floor

Showing off: Tess celebrated National Nude Day earlier this month by sharing this risque image on Instagram

Proud of her curves: Tess has never been one to shy away from showing a little - or a lot - of ski

On Wednesday, Trump sent out a series of tweets announcing the ban, writing:

'After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow.. transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming ... victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.'

Tess reacted by shared a screengrab of Senator Kamala Harris' tweet responding to the breaking news.

'This is discrimination, plain and simple. I stand with the brave transgender Americans who selflessly serve our military,' Harris tweeted.

Tess echoed the senator's sentiments when she captioned the post, writing: 'We cannot discriminate against people because of their gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. We all deserve better than this bigotry & hate. #translivesmatter #transrightsarehumanrights.'
It's no secret that the Kardashian family are collective fans of the Australian label, Bec & Bridge.

But not even the Sydney-based best friends behind the brand, Becky Cooper and Bridget Yorston, could have prepared themselves for the frenzied reaction to Kendall Jenner wearing one of their creations on Monday.

After she was spotted on the streets of New York wearing the label's sheer French Kiss shirt without a bra, Kendall sent the Internet into a spin.

Kendall Jenner was pictured out and about in New York wearing a Bec & Bridge red see-through shirt (pictured)

The sheer French Kiss shirt Kendall wore was sported without a bra - it is part of the Australian label, Bec & Bridge's, Resort '18 collection which will land in stores in October

The Sydney-based best friends behind the brand, Becky Cooper and Bridget Yorston (pictured), said they were inundated with requests to buy the daring item Kendall wore

In fact, co-designer Ms Cooper even admitted that because 'Kendall's wardrobe is in such high demand' they've since been inundated by requests to buy the daring item since.

'We love working with Kendall because she has an amazing sense of style and always puts our pieces together so well,' Ms Yorston told the Daily Telegraph.

The sheer red shirt is part of the Bec & Bridge Resort '18 collection and is expected to hit stores in October.

Bella Hadid (pictured behind Kendall) was also wearing a Bec & Bridge crop top - this item is also part of the new collection

Kaia Gerber (left) is wearing Bec & Bridge alongside Kardashian queen Kendall Jenner (centre)

Australian model and entrepreneur Bambi Northwood-Blyth in Bec & Bridge swimwear

Kim Kardashian West wearing a Bec & Bridge gold silk slip that isn't online or in store yet

The 21-year-old model isn't the only celebrity - both in her family and outside - fan of the Antipodean label.

While out running errands on Monday, Kendall was accompanied by fellow model and It girl, Bella Hadid, who wore the soon-to-drop Amie crop top.

Meanwhile, the friends' feminine luxe styles have the embrace from other A-listers including Kim Kardashian West, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Nadia Fairfax and Natasha Oakley.

Their label is also sold in more than 500 global retailers.

'Running your own business is a 24/7 job however we wouldn't have it any other way. It's also very rewarding and humbling seeing your designs on women all around the world,' the designers previously told Daily Mail Australia.

'The key now is to keep moving forward, to stay on our A-game and not get complacent.

'The fashion industry is so fast paced and fickle. There is no time for resting on your laurels.'

Jordan Dunn wearing a Bec & Bridge jumpsuit in a camel colour

Tash Oakley and Devin Brugman wearing Bec & Bridge - Anna Heinrich and her partner, Tim Robards, are also fans of the label

Model Elle Morris in a cutaway black dress designed by Bec & Bridge

The Bec & Bridge story of how they got together as designers is so fortuitous it's almost folkloric.

After the pair met while studying fashion design at the University of Technology in Sydney, they were asked to customise a pair of their friend's jeans.

'We don't have a picture of that first pair of jeans we made unfortunately,' the women joked to Daily Mail Australia.

But a Gold Coast supplier offered the women a deal for 200 pairs of the distressed trousers and fifteen years later, the rest is history.

Eleanor Pendleton flaunting a white shoulderless jumpsuit

Tahnee Atkinson in a silver slip by the iconic fashion brand Bec & Bridge - Megan Blake Irwin and Bambi Northwood-Blyth in Bec & Bridge

Bec & Bridge themselves are both mothers (with five children between them), meaning juggling their full-time jobs with parenthood is full-on:

'It really is a juggle! The key for us has been having a strong partnership - this has allowed us to each take the reigns at different times when we have both had our babies,' they said.

'Having children has forced us to be more organised and more decisive. There is no time for dilly dallying.'

With more than fifteen years in the industry the friends admit they've seen the business evolve over time as trends come and go.

But their core mission to outfit women in the sleekest of styles remains the same.

'We've always had so much mutual respect for one another and we trust each other with every decision,' they concluded.
Ever wondered what it was like to go to your own funeral?

Well now you can after a Melbourne celebrant revealed she's offering people the option to celebrate their life before their death.

Marriage and funeral celebrant Julia Handford said 'Living Funerals' were ideal for terminally ill people who want to say goodbye to their loved ones.

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Marriage and funeral celebrant Julia Handford (pictured) has revealed she's offering people the rare opportunity to celebrate their life before their death

'It's just a chance for the person who is just about to pass away to have that opportunity to say goodbye to all of their family and friends,' she told Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show.

'Death doesn't need to be sad. Someone told me that "if you don't know how to die, you don't know how to live".'

She explained the idea sprung into mind after she became fascinated with living funerals while working as a marriage celebrant.

'What I realised was it was something I would actually want for myself,' she said.

'I've been a marriage celebrant for a number of years and something was drawing me to the industry.

'When I came across living funerals, I thought this was my cup of tea. I want to promote this.'

She explained the idea sprung into mind after she became fascinated with living funerals (stock image)

The celebrant said she wanted people to have the option to celebrate their life before they die (stock image)

She explained the service can be organised by either the person or their family who want to spend their final moments together.

'If they know what they want and they can communicate their wishes with their family, they can play a huge part in organising their own funeral,' Ms Handford said.

'Or it might be the family's decision to celebrate the life of that person before they've gone so they have that opportunity to share those memories.'

After launching her Living Funerals, Ms Handford said she has been bombarded with positive response from the public.

'Surprisingly, it's very foreign for a lot of people but people love the idea - and I think the more that it gets out, the more popular it'll become,' she said.

Ms Handford revealed she'll be hosting her first Living Funeral in September after a family contacted her this week.

She added: 'You don't need to have a second funeral, you can just have one big hoorah.'

After launching her Living Funerals, Ms Handford said she has been bombarded with positive response from the public (stock image)

According to her website, she explained she charges up to $65 per hour to organise the service on the scheduled date.

'Everyone can bring a plate, share stories and their fondest memories of you. We can have someone share a eulogy, I can write one, or you may even want to write your own,' she said.

'If you're feeling up to it, we can have everyone partake in some of your favourite activities. You might even like for everyone to write in a book, decorate your coffin or attend a special video/slideshow.

'I can help set up/pack up, organise catering, guest lists and RSVPs, liaise with staff/family and friends to make sure your living funeral goes exactly to plan. That's the best thing about a Living Funeral.

'You get to choose everything and be there to enjoy it. Things might get very emotional but that's more than ok! I'll be there to ensure your final goodbye is smooth sailing.'
A super-fit military policewoman, who was paralysed by cancer just weeks after choosing her wedding dress, defied all odds by walking down the aisle at the weekend.

Her soldier groom, Olly Hughes, was moved to tears when he saw Emily McDermott, 23, courageously walking towards him in an elegant ivory lace gown.

Emily, of Wrexham, North Wales, had been told by doctors in December that she may not walk again due to a large, cancerous tumour pressing on her spine.

But on Saturday, she proved them wrong, when she tied the knot in front of 80 friends and family at Llyndir Hall in Chester  later enchanting her guests, when she and Olly, 24, had the first dance.

Emily McDermott, 23, of Wrexham, North Wales, had been told by doctors in December that she may not walk again due to a large, cancerous tumour pressing on her spin but she defied odds by walking down the aisle this weekend

Her soldier groom, Olly Hughes, was moved to tears when he saw Emily walking towards him in an elegant ivory lace gown

She said: 'Our first dance was to an acoustic version of the song "You and I" by Tom Walker. The lyrics start with "It's been a hard year", which touches on what we've been through as a couple.

'Before that, I'd walked down the aisle to Jennifer Rush singing "The Power of Love," which again summed up what I'd been through.

'All the effort was worth it, though, as my wedding day was perfect.'

Olly proposed to Emily - who he had met in January 2016, when they were based at the same Wiltshire military camp - on Bournemouth beach that June.

Delighted, she recruited her mum, Sue, 51  who runs a plumbing and heating business with Emily's dad  gran Barbara Kelsey, 74, and best friend Abby Jones, 25, a customer assistant, to help her plan her big day and choose a dress.

Olly and Emily met in January 2016, when they were based at the same Wiltshire military camp

After a series of tests and scans, hospital doctors found many grape-sized lumps in her neck. Emily is pictured nearing the end of her chemotherapy

Doctors broke the devastating news that she had Hodgkin's Lymphoma  a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system

But in December, struggling with back pains, which she assumed were a result of completing arduous Army obstacle courses, Emily  who had previously been prescribed painkillers and bed rest  finally went to A&E at Salisbury Hospital.

After a series of tests and scans, hospital doctors found many grape-sized lumps in her neck.

Advised to come back two days later, 'upset and assuming the worst,' Emily went home, where she started experiencing a tingling sensation in her legs.

'I thought it was a trapped nerve,' she said. 'But when I returned to the hospital, where I was admitted for further tests, I woke up the next morning to discover I couldn't walk.

'I was frozen to the spot. I couldn't move. My legs felt locked. Terrified, I panicked.'

Doctors broke the devastating news that she had Hodgkin's Lymphoma  a type of cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. They also confirmed that a large tumour on her spine was preventing her from walking.

Doctors confirmed that a large tumour on her spine was preventing her from walking but she defied odds on her wedding day

Emily presumed the pain was a trapped nerve but when she returned to the hospital she woke up the next morning to discover she couldn't walk

In December she started five rounds of radiotherapy and 12 of chemotherapy, to treat the cancer

She said: 'I expected that diagnosis and was relieved something could be done.

'But I was very scared that I might not walk again. That was unexpected.

'Still, I was determined to walk down the aisle at my wedding.'

Emily was not given surgery, with doctors confident that radiotherapy and chemotherapy was enough to treat her condition.

In December she started five rounds of radiotherapy and 12 of chemotherapy, to treat the cancer. Then, in February, she began physiotherapy, to strengthen her muscles and get her back on her feet.

She said: 'At first, when I tried to stand, my legs felt like jelly. I'd lose my balance. It isn't until you lose the ability to walk that you realise how much you take it for granted.'

Emily was not given surgery, with doctors confident that radiotherapy and chemotherapy was enough to treat her condition. The chemo left her unwell, she would lose her balance and feel dizzy

Emily stuck to her plan to tie the knot on 29 July and, after her hair fell out in January, she worked with a hairdresser on styling a wig

Emily was in a wheelchair to begin with but then built up to walking with the help of a Zimmer frame and then used crutches. At the end of January, she was able to get around completely unaided

Emily with her brother Josh, fiance Olly, dad Ian and mum Sue, was determined to walk down the aisle

Initially in a wheelchair, Emily built up to walking with the help of a Zimmer frame, then crutches. But by the end of January, she was able to get around completely unaided.

When her family had learned that chemotherapy would mean her losing her luscious brown locks, they advised her to postpone the wedding.

But she stuck to her plan to tie the knot on 29 July and, after her hair fell out in January, she worked with a hairdresser on styling a wig to look perfect for her big day.

She said: 'As I put on my dress on Saturday morning it hit me what I had been through and I started to cry. Then seeing Olly crying at the altar was really emotional.

'I was fixed on him as I walked. He'd been my rock, I'd been so excited to marry him. Just then I forgot about everyone else, as I was walked down the aisle towards him.'

Emily and Olly hope to spend three weeks in Thailand this November for their honeymoon

Emily is pictured graduating from the army with her parents by her side

When her family had learned that chemotherapy would mean her losing her luscious brown locks, they advised her to postpone the wedding but she was determined to marry her man

'If I hadn't been able to walk, I would have still had a good day,' she said. 'But walking with my dad, Ian, 57, beside me made it so special'

Emily said that even at her worse she had no doubts about walking down the aisle. 'It was my goal,' she said

Emily, who had her last pre-wedding round of physiotherapy on 20 July, will resume her sessions next week, in a bid to get even stronger.

She said: 'Even at my worst, I had no doubts about walking down the aisle. It was my goal.

'If I hadn't been able to, I would have still had a good day. But walking with my dad, Ian, 57, beside me made it so special.

'It was the best day of my life.'

In his wedding speech, Olly spoke of his admiration for his new wife.

Emily, who had her last pre-wedding round of physiotherapy on 20 July, will resume her sessions next week, in a bid to get even stronger. She is pictured, right, trying on wigs ahead of her big day

She said: : 'It was incredibly moving. People were concerned that I'd be tired walking down the aisle and dancing. They kept asking, "How are you feeling?" and "Are you OK?".

'But I was so excited I didn't get tired.'

In June Emily was told she was cancer free. Now she and Olly hope to spend three weeks in Thailand in November on their honeymoon.

She said; 'I can't wait to climb the steps to the plane. And I'll make sure I'm the first to run into the sea.'

Emily is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning, along with headline sponsor M&S, on Friday 29th September. To get involved at home or at work, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee
You may have attended a few lavish weddings this summer, but none that will top the multi-million pound nuptials of financier Lincoln Li and his fashion blogger bride Feiping Chang.

The couple wed in a three-day extravaganza in Capri last month, estimated to have cost millions, but full details of the achingly chic celebrations have just emerged thanks to Hong Kong Tatler.

Former investment banker Fei, as she's known to friends, wafted down the aisle in a custom-made tiered gown by Giambattista Valli, the biggest the designer has ever made.

'For as long as I can remember, I always knew when the day came I would want Giamba to make my dress, because he really makes very dreamlike creations that are just above and beyond,' Fei told Tatler. 'The final dress definitely exceeded my wildest expectations, it was the biggest dress theyve ever made.'

In another first, the couple wed at the cliff top Villa Lysis - where the government granted permission for a wedding to take place for the first time after the couple agreed to refurbish it.

The pair even went as far as building a bridge to link the grounds of the villa to the rooftop where they exchanged vows, and as guests walked up the hill to the villa the couple had changed the name of some of the street and restaurant signs to their 'Fei Lincoln' to surprise them.

Mrs. Li #feiandlincoln A post shared by Justin Ng  (@jnjustinng) on Jun 17, 2017 at 10:11am PDT

My next 100 posts will prob all be wedding related so brace yourselves! No amount of photos could do justice to the incredible designs, sheer amount of work and personal details put in by Diana, Christian and their team at @sugokuiievents. Everything from the sofas and tables to the plates and sugar flower name placements were custom made for the day. Thank you for making my wildest dreams come true! And special thanks to Domenico the best florist in the world! #feiandlincoln #morephotostocome A post shared by Feiping Chang  (@xoxofei) on Jun 21, 2017 at 7:16pm PDT

Celebrations began with a welcome dinner at the famed Da Paolino restaurant, which is lined with lemon trees, with the bride wearing a lemon-print dress by Hong Kong designer Moiselle.

On day two, guests kicked back and relaxed over all-day brunch at La Conca del Sogno, the bride's favourite beach club, ahead of the big day, with the bride sporting a patterned two-piece by Dolce & Gabbana.

Their 150 guests were treated to an Italian three-course meal before descending on the dessert room at the villa, with the chef spending 45 minutes making a traditional millefoglie Italian wedding cake covered in strawberries on the spot.

Of course one dress is never enough, so the bride changed into another ethereal white creation for the evening reception, also by Giambattista Valli.

The couple met at a party thrown by Ivan Pun in Burma and Lincoln proposed in New Zealand by recreating the boating scene from Fei's favourite film The Notebook.

Truly a wedding to remember.  Nothing but love & happiness to your both. #fairytaleROMANCE  #FeiAndLincoln  A post shared by .  (@ellyxxbean) on Jun 17, 2017 at 2:16pm PDT

Congratulations to @xoxofei and Lincoln! Fei looked stunning in her custom Giambattista Valli Haute Couture wedding gown. #feiandlincoln A post shared by Giambattista Valli Official (@giambattistavalliparis) on Jun 18, 2017 at 6:09am PDT

Last night beautiful welcome party at @paolinolemontreescapri  #feiandlincoln #capri W/ planning @sugokuiievents @marcocaputofilms @annalisamacchionefilms  A post shared by Angelica Mazza (@angeliquemazza) on Jun 16, 2017 at 2:25am PDT

finally here for #feiandlincoln~!  x A post shared by  A R I S S A . C H E O  (@xarissaxcheox) on Jun 15, 2017 at 8:20am PDT

Congratulations to @xoxofei and @lincolnli on your wedding! So happy to be apart of this epic celebration at the most spectacular venue!! Wishing you both all the love in the world! #feiandlincoln A post shared by Tim Tsoi (@timbotslice) on Jun 18, 2017 at 3:39am PDT

I loved my reception dress just as much as the ceremony dress. Another ethereal creation by @giambattistavalli and earrings by @niravmodijewels #feiandlincoln A post shared by Feiping Chang  (@xoxofei) on Jun 20, 2017 at 6:45pm PDT

* the Big day!!!!The food from the temporary kitchen especially built for #feiandlincoln was divine & so was this #tablesetting !!!#exquisite #freshflowers #cazzincapri #wedding #weddingdinner A post shared by Hungry Pea  (@hungry.pea) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:54am PDT

Lemons for days! My beautiful Welcome Dinner gown designed by one of my best friends @harris_chan_ph of @moiselleworld. The lemon print fabric was hand drawn and custom made with our names entwined in lemon flowers  #feiandlincoln  by @aarondelesie A post shared by Feiping Chang  (@xoxofei) on Jul 5, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

 #feiandlincoln A post shared by Elizabeth Lee Yong (@elizabethshenlyn) on Jun 16, 2017 at 3:08am PDT

See that pregnant woman right there taking a photo. She's going to eat this whole cake!  The most amazing wedding cake that was assembled by 4 chefs on the dance floor using over 15KG of fresh wild strawberries across 3 layers. YES!!! Swipe left to see them cut the cake  #feiandlincoln A post shared by Elizabeth Lee Yong (@elizabethshenlyn) on Jun 18, 2017 at 9:19am PDT

Beep beep! #feiandlincoln A post shared by shen-tel lee (@shentel) on Jun 15, 2017 at 11:04am PDT

No girl privileged @xoxofei #feiandlincoln photocredit: @ellyxxbean A post shared by harris chan (@harris_chan_ph) on Jun 17, 2017 at 10:47am PDT

Brides always say "This is the happiest day of my life." Happy barely describes it. Emotions were running high all week and honestly I was very anxious. But the second I managed to walk down the stairs without tripping and saw my man waiting for me, nothing else mattered. #feiandlincoln A post shared by Feiping Chang  (@xoxofei) on Jun 23, 2017 at 1:54am PDT

Celebrating the happiest day #feiandlincoln with our ones on our favourite island #capri thank you @lincolnli and @xoxofei for the most unforgettable weekend  we love you xx dressed in @mrselfportrait A post shared by Antonia Michela Li  (@antoniamli) on Jun 18, 2017 at 5:12pm PDT

Mrs Li  #feiandlincoln A post shared by Feiping Chang  (@xoxofei) on Jun 25, 2017 at 7:51pm PDT

QUEEN of the night #feiandlincoln  A post shared by @tang747 on Jun 17, 2017 at 3:20pm PDT

* so in love with this la dolce vita themed table setting for #feiandlincoln welcome dinner at #DaPaolinocapri #cazzincapri #lemontreeheaven A post shared by Hungry Pea  (@hungry.pea) on Jun 24, 2017 at 2:19am PDT

#superwedding #feiandlincoln #capri #villalysis #djlife #party #weddingofteyear A post shared by Fabio Vuotto (@fabiovuotto) on Jun 19, 2017 at 8:18am PDT

A little bit of neon NEVER hurt anyone #feiandlincoln A post shared by shen-tel lee (@shentel) on Jun 18, 2017 at 3:25pm PDT

@xoxofei's  #bridesmaids #feiandlincoln A post shared by Antonia Michela Li  (@antoniamli) on Jun 18, 2017 at 12:24pm PDT

Dessert table awaits down below. Following my nose to sweetness. #feiandlincoln A post shared by Elizabeth Lee Yong (@elizabethshenlyn) on Jun 18, 2017 at 9:07am PDT
Q: Can you talk about the challenges that the UPDJC has faced while trying to convene the national-level political dialogues?

A: Yes, there are many challenges... For example, the UPDJCs guidelines include holding nationality-based [national-level political dialogues]. But the [nationwide ceasefire agreement] hasnt been signed yet in Mon State, for example. So that means that Mon State is unable to hold a national-level political dialogue. And how about the Bamar people in the areas where the ceasefire has been signed? The Bamar people dont have ethnic armed groups. We have many technicalities like this.

Q: What about the challenges at UPDJC meetings?

A: In the past, the State Counsellor has only attended the meetings between 10am to noon. She only comes for two or three hours so we have to line up all the information in order for her to make important decisions. She gives us time to explain the meaning of some points. Then after the secretary group holds the meeting, the members have to explain the information and decisions to their own groups. We have to call a meeting with 23 political parties to explain the reasons why these points have come up. The [ethnic armed organizations] also hold their own meetings. But for the government, I dont know whether they have time or not [to explain to their juniors].

Q: Among the 37 points in the Union Accord of the 21st-Century Panglong Conference, which points are the most difficult ones for your group?

A: These 37 points are very general. More specific policies will have to emerge under these points. For example, one of the points states that regions/states must be established, but policies need to be drafted to describe how the states and regions should be established.

Q: How far has the peace process reached?

A: Some people believe there has been development in the peace process. Compared to the past, there has been development, but I would describe it as a shift. We dont know when [the peace process] will end or how long the process will take. At the first conference held during U Thein Seins administration, the duration has forecast at three to five years. The existing [National League for Democracy-led] government only has three years left in its term now so it wont be able to start a new path for the peace process. It can only follow the existing path. This NCA [nationwide ceasefire agreement] is the only path. So, we need to do our best to amend it as best as we can.

*** This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
This adventurous couple converted an old postal van into their dream mobile home so they could explore Europe without breaking the bank.

Kate Quinn, 26, from Coventry, West Midlands, and her boyfriend Benny Leyland, 23, from Melbourne, Australia, spent just 500 transforming the bright red van into a fully-functioning home, complete with beds, a table and a skateboard table.

The couple, who met while Kate was travelling in Australia, packed up their lives and hit the road in the van, which they have affectionately called 'Pat', and have now clocked up 10,000 miles criss-crossing through Spain, France and Portugal.

Kate, a project co-ordinator, said living in the van has opened up a 'whole world of possibilities' that they otherwise would not have experienced.

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Explorers: Kate Quinn, 26, from Coventry, West Midlands, and her boyfriend Benny Leyland, 23, from Melbourne, Australia, spent just 500 transforming a van into a motor home so they could travel Europe without breaking the bank. Pictured, the couple in Sintra, Portugal, in June

All you need: The quirky mobile home is packed with essentials - including a world map

Adventure: Kate Quinn with the ex-post van, which the couple have affectionately called 'Pat'

'The best thing about this is the freedom,' she said. 'Picking somewhere on a map and driving there with no real idea what it will be like is incredibly exciting, it's amazing to know you can stay as long as you'd like or move on if it's not what we're looking for.'

The resourceful couple keep everything from their clothes to essential tools and equipment in the van and said it has helped them learn to 'live simply'.

Kate said: 'A really good thing about living in the van is being able to pull over and nap on long drives, and knowing what you need is always there with you from a surf board, to a piece of blue tack.'

Kate and Benny, a videographer, discovered they had a shared passion for travel shortly after meeting.

Food to go: Sitting beside a portable fridge, Kate tucks into a pasta dish in the van

DIY dream: The couple drew inspiration from Pinterest to create their cosy interior

Tranquil: Fairy lights add a homey touch to the back of the van, which converts into the sleeping area

'In passing conversation we'd spoken about dreams we both had and we said how awesome it would be to travel Europe at some point,' Kate said. 'I joined Benny on a work trip where we spent five hours in the work van together and after joking if we survived that we could take on Europe in a van it just escalated.'

By the time Kate left Australia, Benny had started applying for a UK visa and the pair were busy making enquiries about buying a van and the materials they needed to create their house on wheels.

Kate said: 'We got more and more excited, got into Pinterest and thought, if those guys can do it, so can we.'

Free spirits: Kate and Benny, pictured in the van, have explored France, Spain and Portugal

Resourceful: Crouching in a car park, a barefooted Kate uses a skateboard as a table

Road trip: Kate makes the most of the Spanish sunshine with a boat trip in Mallorca

The couple have since travelled through France, Spain, Portugal and crossed over to Morocco.

They are currently exploring the Netherlands and hope to tour Belgium before returning to Britain to save money for their next trip - backpacking around Asia in early 2018.

The van draws plenty of attention from passersby, Kate said. 'We've met a lot of people older than us doing it in a fully equipped motor home and say they think it's cool we're doing it now in this way. They're always really excited to see the van and have a sit inside.'

Idyllic: Benny and Kate share stunning photographs of their road trip on social media

Beach days: Benny and Kate snap a selfie as they enjoy some beers in Portugal

Sightseeing: Benny and Kate strike a pose in front of The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

However Kate and Benny have suffered some setbacks along the road. The motor broke when the couple arrived in Portugal and their roof deck, solar panels and laptops were stolen during one pit stop.

Kate added: 'The main message is go for it. If the idea is there, then do it. Regret is far worse than making some sacrifices now to save and make it possible.

'There's no time like right now, money and careers can always be made but there are memories and friends make along this journey are truly priceless and absolutely has been the best thing both of us have ever done.'

Tourist attractions: As well as remote locations, the couple are sure to check out the landmarks
A plastic surgery fan dubbed 'the Human Ken Doll' has commemorated his latest procedure by filming himself while doctors performed an operation to give him eyes like a cat.

Brazil-born Rodrigo Alves, 34, has already spent 400,000 on more than 150 body-changing operations and procedures - including liposuction, six-pack implants and Botox.

The TV presenter who currently lives in London travelled to Tehran in Iran to have his eyes pulled, sliced and stitched into a feline shape.

It comes days after he visited Kish Island in the Persian Gulf off the southern coast of Iran to have his tenth nose job to celebrate his 34th birthday.

But his 52,000 'surgery holiday' isn't over because during his nose job the docs accidentally broke his front teeth - so he's now waiting for new veneers.

Rodrigo was left with problems breathing after his previous nose jobs and says the anxiety had made him pile on three stone in a year.

Brazil-born Rodrigo Alves, 34, who lives in London filmed himself during a procedure to give him cat eyes during a 'surgery holiday' in Tehran

Rodrigo believes having feline eyes will help him look 'sexier' after a year of struggling with his confidence due to botched surgery

Videos from his trip show him posing in the cockpit of planes, drinking champagne on flights and being given flowers by hotel staff.

He said: 'After so much Botox since the age of 20 my eyebrows were uneven and now he was able to fix that.

'The feline looking eyes will make me look a bit sexier. A lot of celebrities have done it and does look amazing.

'The procedure was done during a local sedation and I didn't feel any pain at all.

The cat eye procedure was carried out under local anaesthetic and Rodrigo did not feel any pain

The personality pictured in London prior to his latest procedure. He's spent 400K on body modifications

'The plastic surgeon also revised the scar from my facelift.

'The doctor made an incision on the top of my eye browns to lift it and on the corner of my eyes and temples he stretched it to give me more of a feline look.'

Rodrigo flew to Dubai for a stay in the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel for his birthday in early July.

He then flew to Kish Island for a 35,000 nose job and chin implant by Dr Farshid Mahboubirad on July 27.

Rodrigo prior to gaining weight: He's put on three stone this year due to comfort eating after doctors told him there was no way to fix his botched nose job that left him struggling to breathe

Doctors elsewhere claimed more surgery would see his nose 'fall off' after he contracted a bacterial infection.

Rodrigo added: 'It was my tenth nose job. I had a scar and was not able to breathe.

'It had been causing me lots of anxiety leading me to depression and an eating disorder.

'I wasn't born this way - I made myself this way - so therefore I gain fat very easily after 14 liposuctions.

Fresh-faced Rodrigo during his childhood in Brazil

Rodrigo Alves shows off the results of his bottom enhancement surgery earlier this year

'I'm now three stones heavier than what I was 12 months ago.

'Many doctors in London and Los Angeles said that they could not fix my nose and that I would be a nose cripple for life.'

Rodrigo then had a two-hour 'cat eye lift' yesterday (Monday) by Dr Moslem Ghobadi and is having new veneers installed before flying home to London in a week.

Rodrigo first went under the knife in 2004 after struggling with the way he looked since childhood.

His long list of surgery includes 8,000 on Botox and fillers, 30,000 on three nose jobs, 3,000 on liposuction to his jaw and 10,000 on pec implants.

He has also spent 22,000 on a fake six pack, 7,000 on fillers to his arms, 7,000 on hospital bills, 7,000 on laser lipo, 6,000 on leg lipo and 3,000 on calf shaping.

Party-loving Rodrigo says he pays for the operations himself through promotional and TV work, brand endorsement and renting out 11 homes in Spain.
Prince Charles looked in excellent spirits as he sampled a local ale during a trip to a brewery in Scotland today.

The royal, who is known as the Duke of Rothesay while in Scotland, donned a kilt for the visit to the John O'Groats Brewery in Caithness this afternoon.

Charles, 68, looked intently at the frothy pint of Swelkie Golden Ale, which is made on the premises, before taking a sip from the glass.

Cheers! Prince Charles sampled a local ale during a trip to the John O'Groats Brewery today

Delighted: The royal could not keep a smile from his face as he tasted the Swelkie Golden Ale

Refreshing: The prince, known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland, samples the local brew

He struggled not to smile as he shared a light-hearted moment with co-owners Alan Farquhar, Andrew Mowat, John Mainprize and Simon Cottam.

The prince, who is carrying out a series of engagements in the area today, was also given a tour of the brewery before leaving.

Savouring every moment: The prince prepares to take a sip of the golden ale

Close inspection: Charles took a careful look at the ale as he sampled it this afternoon

Local delicacies: The 68-year-old royal was handed a gift basket, left, alongside his pint

Charles with co-owners Alan Farquhar, Andrew Mowat, John Mainprize and Simon Cotta

He has also visited the Captain's Galley seafood restaurant in Scrabster and viewed the Society of Artists' exhibition at Thurso High School.

Yesterday Prince Charles joined the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to commemorate one of the bloodiest offensives of the First World War.

The royals and Prime Minister Theresa May were among those who attended a ceremony marking 100 years since the Battle of Passchendaele.
Billie Lourd lost her mother and her grandmother in the scope of just two days in December last yearand now, the 25-year-old actress is working on building her identity while upholding their legacy.

The Scream Queens star, who is set to star in season seven of Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story in the fall, graces the cover of Town & Country Magazine's September issue.

And in an accompanying interview, she explained how humora quality dear to Fisher herselfhelped her cope after losing two fundamental figures in her life in such a short period of time.

Legacy: Billie Lourd, who graces the cover of Town & Country Magazine's September issue, opened up about life without Carrie Fisher in an accompanying interview

Sharing: The Scream Queens star, who will star in Ryan Murphy's American Horror Story in the fall, explained how humor helped her cope after losing her mom and grandmother

'If life's not funny, then it's just true  and that would be unacceptable,' Lourd told the magazine.

'Even when she [Carrie Fischer] died, that was what got me through that whole thing. When Debbie died the next day, I could just picture her saying, "Well, she's upstaging me once again, of courseshe had to."'

Lourd, who first realized she wanted to be an actress after scoring a small role in JJ Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens, recounted how her mom encouraged her to pursue her ambitions.

'The thing is, I was bizarrely comfortable on set,' she said. 'My mother would pull me aside and be like, "Its weird that youre so comfortable here. This is the most uncomfortable environment in the world. If youre comfortable here, you should do this."'

The actress later rose to fame in Murphy's Scream Queens, as a hilarious deadpan sorority sister who is persuaded that she is Charles Manson's biological daughter.

She will now star in American Horror Story, also one of Murphy's creations, in September, and has dyed her hair grey for the role.

'Just Billy': While her career keeps evolving, Lourd has felt her own personality grow, after years of following in the footsteps of her iconic mother and grandmother

While her career keeps evolving, Lourd has felt her own personality grow, after years of following in the footsteps of her iconic mother and grandmother.

'I've always kind of lived in their shadows, and now is the first time in my life when I get to own my life and stand on my own,' she said.

'I love being my mother's daughter, and it's something I always will be, but now I get to be just Billie. It's a lot of pressure, because she [Carrie] had such an incredible legacy, and now I have to uphold that and make it evolve in my own way.'

Lourd also revealed she has decided to keep her mother's unique Beverly Hills home, which was once filled with quirky items including Star Wars memorabilia and a stained glass window with a picture of Lourd on it.

Many of the items are set to go on auction in September, with portions of the proceeds benefiting two mental health charities.

As for the house itself, Fisher's daughter 'went back and forth' while trying to decide what to do with it, and ultimately opted to keep it.

She now plans to have a couple of friends move in with her, 'like an old-style commune'.

Actress Sarah Paulson, Lourd's American Horror Story co-star, who conducted the interview, approved of the decision and told her: 'I didnt want to tell you, but I wanted you to keep it.'

Discussion: Lourd (pictured with her mother in 2015) also openly talked about her experience growing up with a mother who coped with mental illness and drug addiction

Footsteps: 'I've always kind of lived in their shadows,' Lourd said of Fisher and of her grandmother Debbie Reynolds (pictured with her in 2015), who both died in December

Lourd also openly talked about her experience growing up with a mother who coped with mental illness and drug addictiontopics that Fisher regularly discussed publicly as well.

'Tons of people grow up with mentally ill parents who have drug problems. I read this incredible book, Adult Children Of Alcoholicsits not a great narrative, but its a fun psych book,' she said.

She then explained that she had recognized a lot of her own experiences in the book, and added: 'Its such a common thing, and people really dont talk about it.

'[Fisher] talked about being mentally ill and having issues with drugs, and a lot of people dont talk about what it was like growing up with that.'

She turned to me and said, "Are you going to grow up to be an a**hole?

Reflecting on what her parents have taught her, Lourd explained that her mom taught her at a very young ageand in straight wordsthe importance of good character.

'I remember a time when I was nine years old. I got in trouble in school for stealing something out of someones backpack, and she picked me up and she sat me down in the car,' Lourd recounted.

'And she turned to me and said, "Are you going to grow up to be an a**hole?" And I started crying. She talked to me like an adult my whole life. I always think that now: I dont want to grow up to be an a**hole!'

When Paulson asked Lourd if she saw any 'cautionary tale' in her parents' lives, Lourd explained she sometimes thought her mother was living 'too out in the open'.

'It's good to a certain extent. It's good to be authentic, to help other people, but if it's not helping other people, then don't do it,' she said. 'There were a couple incidents I wish she could have kept to herself. But, you know, that was the beauty of her.'
If the Unicorn Frappuccino was too frou-frou for you, Starbucks' newest drink may be more your speed.

The coffee brand has announced a new cold brew coffee concoction that's about as far from that sweet rainbow drink as it can get  but it's not exactly a straight-up black cup of coffee, either.

The Pepper Nitro with a Jerky Twist, now available for a limited time, is made with fennel black pepper syrup and cracked pink peppercorn, and has an actual piece of beef jerky sitting on top.

Roasting two ways: Starbucks is serving the Pepper Nitro with a Jerky Twist at its Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle

Unfortunately for dried beef superfans, the unique drink is only available at one location: the Starbucks Seattle Reserve Roastery.

There, for a short time, customers can order the Pepper Nitro, a cold drink that starts with Congo coffee cold-brewed and served through a nitro tap.

The coffee is infused with 'a sweet and savory' malted fennel black pepper syrup and topped with honey cold foam and cracked pink peppercorn.

Then, for the finishing touch, a piece of natural beef jerky (made with grass-fed beef, naturally), is placed on a bamboo skewer to sit on top of the glass.

Bite into your morning coffee: The smoky drink is made with pepper and fennel and topped with an actual piece of beef jerky

'Our inspiration was centered around the characteristics of the Congo coffee. The sweet and herbal spice notes naturally paired well with savory ingredients,' Starbucks' Raegan Powell, who helped create the drink, said in a press release.

'With the first sip, you get a hint of the honey cold foam and the aroma of the pink ground peppercorn. The real surprise is the salty savoriness of the jerky garnish, an exciting complement to the smooth and sweet finish of the nitro cold brew experience.'

While the pairing is certainly unusual, Starbucks isn't the first to dream up the combination  there are several brands that sell coffee-flavored beef jerky.

Some bars and restaurants have also used jerky in other drinks, including beer, cocktails (especially Bloody Marys), and even soda.
The September issue of Vogue is often regarded as the most significant of the year but this year's is particularly poignant.

The new issue of the fashion bible, which is released this week, is the the final edition to be edited by Alexandra Shulman, whose replacement, Edward Enninful, took his position at the helm of the magazine on Tuesday.

The historical September cover is themed around Vogue's 'past, present and future', and features models Nora Attal, Edie Campbell, Jean Campbell, Kate Moss and Stella Tennant.

Vogue's September issue is the last produced under Alexandra Shulman, and features models (clockwise from top left) Jean Campbell, Edie Campbell, Nora Attal, Kate Moss and Stella Tennant

The cover girls range from the well-seasoned who have fronted several iconic issues (Moss and Tennant) to those who are currently dominating the glossy magazines (Edie Campbell).

Photographed by long-standing Vogue photographer Mario Testino, the supers of then and now pose in an array of barely there designer pieces for Shulman's swan song.

The magazine also offers a glimpse into the future of supermodels with the appearance of 18-year-olds Nora Attal and Jean Campbell.

Nora Attal, 18, has only just sat her A Level exams but appears on the cover of the new issue

Edie Campbell, 26, wears a Michael Kors dress for the issue and represents Vogue's 'present'

Inside the magazine the fashion figures pose solo in an elegant black and white spread where the careers of the women are charted.

Representing the present, Edie poses in a Michael Korss sequin-and-tassel dress given a dose of her signature English eccentricity via biker boots and brooding attitude.

The 26-year-old champion equestrian was first photographed for Vogue in August 2006, and has been a regular face ever since.

At just 18, Nora Attal, has been dubbed a 'rising star' by the magazine, having only just sat her A Levels.

Alexandra Shulman stepped down from her position at Vogue in January after 25 years there, making her the magazine's longest standing editor

She is replaced by Edward Enninful (pictured with Naomi Campbell at the Met ball) who started the job on Tuesday

Despite her young years Nora already has a JW Anderson campaign under her belt and has now landed her first British Vogue cover.

The British-born model, who is of Moroccan descent, has walked for Prada, Loewe, Celine and Burberry and in her shoot she smoulders in Saint Laurents bellsleeved velvet mini.

And with interviews further interviews and portraits of Kate Moss and Stella Tennant anticipated Shulman's finale is bound to fly of the shelves.

Shulman stepped down from her role at Vogue in January after 25 years working at the magazine, making her its longest-serving editor ever.

ALWAYS IN VOGUE: ALEXANDRA'S TIME AT THE TOP 1999: Published a 'millennium' issue with a reflective cover - making Vogue readers the cover stars - in one of several iconic collectors' issues she championed 2005: Awarded an OBE for services to the fashion industry 2009: Wrote an open letter to fashion houses criticising their 'miniscule' sample sizes 2012: Published her first novel, Can We Still Be Friends? 2013: Deemed one of the UK's 100 most powerful women by BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour 2016: Landed the Duchess of Cambridge's first ever cover shoot, for Vogue's special centenary issue Advertisement

After his appointment was announced in April, Enninful began his job as British Vogue editor on Tuesday.

He is the first black, first male and first gay editor of the magazine, which has been running since 1916.

He was born in Ghana and beat Samantha Cameron's sister, Emily Sheffield, the then deputy editor and front-runner, to the post.

He won an OBE in 2016 for services to diversity within the fashion industry and spearheaded Vogue Italia's Black Issue, which sold 40,000 copies.

Shulman is known for being behind some of the most iconic issues of British Vogue, including the December 1999 Millennium Issue, which featured a mirror-like cover and became the highest selling issue of the magazine with a circulation of 241,001.

'I have been incredibly privileged to have been able to look after such a great magazine for so long and even more to have worked with so many people over those years who have made the experience so interesting and rich,' she said at the time.

'It was difficult to decide to leave but 25 years is a very long time and I am tremendously excited that I will now look forward into a different future - but I know that nothing will be quite like the years I have spent at Vogue.'

See the full shoot in the September issue of Vogue, on sale Friday.
Many brides and grooms come up with 'wedding hashtags' these days, offering suggested words guests can use to tag photos from the event so that the snaps easier to find after the I Do's are said and done.

Most often, they're plays on the newlyweds' names, including puns about the bride becoming Mrs. So-and-So. But what happens when the groom's last name is long, clunky, or seemingly impossible to make a pun out of?

One young man named Steven Kleinschmidt, a single college student who live sin Tennessee, was worried about just that, which is why dozens of strangers on the internet offered up their funny wedding hashtag services.

Uh-oh: A woman took to Twitter to share her worry that her husband wouldn't have an easy name to make a wedding hashtag out of

Problem... A man whose last name is Kleinschmidt replied to jokingly apologize to his future wife

Too cute: Several other Twitter users chimed in with funny suggestions

They offered up #CommitToKleinschmit and #Kleinschmidt2Mineschmidt

Popular: The thread has gone viral after being liked thousands of times

See? The other Twitter users proved that even tricky names could be made into puns

Matchmaker? The young man (second from left) and his friends joked that he might find his future wife in the thread

The saga started when a woman named Grace Randles pondered what she would do if the man she married had a tricky last name that didn't translate well into a hashtag.

'What if my future husband's last name doesn't make a cute pun for our wedding hashtag...... like this is the stuff that keeps me up at night,' she joked.

That's when Steven Kleinschmidt realized that he would be delivering one woman that fate some date.

'I wanna apologize now to my future wife,' he wrote, referencing his own last name.

However, other people who came across the tweet were undeterred by the trickiness of 'Kleinschmidt'. Suggestions started pouring in, from the actually-pretty-cute to the ridiculous.

A woman named Kennedy Kolb suggested the rhyming #CommitToKleinschmidt, another woman named Emma thought up #SheDidntDeKleinschmidt, and Landon Hunter Wade hilariously offered #holykleinschmidtweregettingmarried.

'KLEINSCHMIDT' PUNS Advertisement

Other possibilities included #Kleinschmidt2Mineschmidt, #GetLitWithKleinschmidt, and #loveiskleinschmidt, which referenced the quote 'Love is patient, love is kind.'

A man named Noah Britton tweeted that he could use some version of 'one of a Kindschmidt', while several people offered takes on #klienschmidtten.

Kegan York wittily thought Steven should just use #wearetakingherlastname.

One Twitter user got incredibly off-topic when writing, 'Kleinschmidt change is real icebergs are melting at alarming rates.'

Steven's friends seem particularly tickled by the fact that his plea for help has gone viral, with one writing, '50 bucks says Steven comes out of this with a girlfriend,' and another saying, 'You're gonna meet your future wife in the replies to this tweet.'
Whether you prefer them plain and cheesy or with a controversial topping like ham and pineapple, almost everyone loves pizza.

And today, fast food fans are in luck as delivery giant Domino's has announced it is giving away 10,000 free pizzas in the UK today.

It is gifting the nation with free food to mark the opening of its 1,000th store in Overton, Hampshire today.

Now FEMAIL can reveal exactly what you have to do to get your hands on one of these tasty freebies.

You can get a free personal Original Cheese and Tomato pizza today from Domino's if you're one of the first 10 people to walk into a store

The first 10 people to walk into every store in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be given a free pizza on what Domino's has dubbed 'Domi-Day'.

Unfortunately you can't pick your favourite toppings though, as the offer will only get you a free Original Cheese and Tomato personal 7' pizza, which has four slices.

The pizzas are worth 6.49. Many branches of Domino's open from 11am.

Domino's is giving away 10,000 free pizzas to mark the opening of its 1,000th store

Pizza lovers are already going wild about the offer on social media

Social media has already started to go wild over the news, with several posting memes featuring gifs of runners racing to the finish line as an analogy for them rushing to their nearest Domino's for a free pizza.

The American-owned company, which opened its first UK store in Luton in 1985, is offering free pizzas on the day it opens its newest store in Hampshire, which will feature a gold plaque to mark the fact it is the 1,000th store.

The new store will be hiding special fake money called 'Domi-notes' inside pizza boxes today which will entitle the finder to a free personal pizza.

CEO David Wild commented: 'From just one store in Luton to 1,000 in just over 30 years is a remarkable feat and testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone at Domino's.

'One thousand stores is a major milestone for our business and we're extremely proud. But it's the validation of our fantastic pizzas from our thousands of customers that really counts.

'"Domi-Day" is our way of saying thank you for their continued loyalty and support and we look forward to opening more stores, creating more jobs and delivering more pizza over the next 30 years and beyond.'
Babies born from today in England will be given a routine 'six-in-one vaccine', health officials have announced.

The new jab will offer them protection against hepatitis B - which can cause cirrhosis and lead to liver cancer.

It replaces the old five-in-one jab - which protects against diptheria, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

But Hexavalent, shelters against these five childhood diseases as well as offering immunity against hepatitis B.

The deadly virus is deemed a 'major global health problem' and considered to be on the rise due to immigration, Public Health England has previously admitted.

The new injection, called Hexavalent, shelters against five childhood diseases as well as offering immunity against hepatitis B

The vaccine is given three times as part of the childhood immunisation programme, when babies are eight weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks.

Public Health England said the jab is safe and already widely used with around 150 million doses having been given in 97 countries.

Shown to be safe

Dr Mary Ramsay, the body's head of immunisation, said: 'Until today, only children at high risk of hepatitis B would be immunised.

'All children will now be routinely protected against this serious infection, which is a major cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer in later life.

'The Hexavalent vaccine has been extensively tested and shown to be safe and is widely used internationally with millions of doses being given around the world.'

Before today, only infants who were considered at risk of catching hepatitis B were offered the jab.

Soaring cases of hepatitis B

It comes amid serious concerns that the number of cases of the blood-borne virus are soaring, partly due to immigration.

In some sub-Saharan African countries, one in seven is a carrier. East Asia and parts of Eastern Europe are also hotspots.

All children will now be routinely protected against this serious infection, which is a major cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer in later life Dr Mary Ramsay, of Public Health England

In 2012, PHE reported that 19 out of every 20 antenatal women testing positive for hepatitis B in London were born abroad. Of those, nearly half were born in Africa.

At the time it concluded: 'Long-term infections in migrants are estimated to account for around 96 per cent of all new long-term hepatitis B infections in the UK.'

More than 500,000 people moved to Britain last year, half of whom came from outside the EU. A quarter of mothers giving birth on the NHS are now foreign-born.

Data from PHE earlier this month indicated that the number of pregnant women infected with the virus is increasing fast.

A previous version of its 'green book' for doctors, from 2013, stated that about one in 700 was hep B-positive.

But the latest version showed the national figure is now one in 250. Rates are higher than one in 100 in some inner- city areas.

Recommendations from 1992

The move means England is one of the last European countries to offer the vaccine to all newborns, The Guardian previously reported.

The World Health Organization recommended in 1992 that babies should be given their first dose of a hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours.
Expect a two hour and 24 minute trip if you visit an A&E department, if new statistics are to be believed.

Based on official data of nearly 1.8 million admissions in April, it shows the median time spent before being discharged.

On average, patients will have to endure 144 minutes in crowded departments from when they first step foot in the door.

Those seeking emergency help appear to receive the slowest turnaround at Rotherham General Hospital - having to wait 271 minutes on average.

By contrast, patients at Fryatt Hospital in Essex, which is only a minor injuries unit, are seen and discharged in just 30 minutes, the NHS Digital data shows.

It comes after the health service was deemed to have suffered its worst winter on record, having to issue guidelines to turn away many patients.

Based on official data of nearly 1.8 million admissions in April, it shows the median time spent before being discharged in A&E departments across England to be 144 minutes

Unprecedented pressures

Officials warned have already warned the ongoing crisis has 'stretched hospitals to their very limits', with the Red Cross once describing it as a 'humanitarian crisis'.

The widely documented pressure on A&E even triggered chancellor Philip Hammond to announce an 100 million investment to ease the pressure on such services.

The extra cash was designed to support and develop onsite GP facilities at A&E departments across England by next winter.

Surge in demand on A&E

An NHS England report issued in April revealed that nearly 200,000 patients waited at least four hours in A&E between December and February.

This was a five-fold increase from just 41,000 five years previously, mainly due to the unprecedented pressures, experts said.

But the new data reveals the average time spent in A&E has barely fluctuated in the past year - despite a huge surge in demand on already stretched services.

IS THE A&E BEING OVERUSED? Nearly two fifths (37 per cent) of A&E admissions over the last 12 months were discharged without the need for follow-up, seperate figures show. It suggests many people are over-using the massively-stretched service, which is buckling under a surge in demand. Some 20 per cent of all cases resulted in admission to hospital, while 19 per cent resulted in a GP follow-up. It it unsure what happened with the other 24 per cent of admissions. The NHS Digital statistics were based on 20.8 million attendances between June last year and May 2017. They also showed 7.9 million outpatient appointments - around seven per cent - were missed by patients. Advertisement

Even during the NHS' worst winter on record, statistics showed A&E treatment times remained consistent to the two-and-a-half hour mark.

How were the statistics collected?

The findings, based on 184 trusts across England showed that 95 per cent of patients can expect to depart A&E within six hours 31 minutes of arrival.

However, nearly half of all trusts monitored reported their longest waiting time of more than 20 hours.

Six of those assessed saw at least one patient have to wait for 1,439 minutes before they were allowed to leave - just one minute shy of a full day.

In terms of just receiving treatment, 56 minutes was deemed the average wait. Some 95 per cent were seen within three-and-a-half hours, the statistics showed.

Worst performance in 13 years

It comes after leaked figures showed the NHS to be performing at its worst ever level since time targets were introduced 13 years ago.

A&E departments are meant to see and either admit or discharge 95 per cent of patients in under four hours after guidelines were introduced in 2004.

But data of 1.4 million visits to hospitals across England in January showed only 82 per cent of patients were dealt with within the time frame.
Kids Pass is a service that offers discounts on family activities in the UK; their website makes several common  and serious  security problems that could allow hackers to capture their users' passwords, which endangers those users' data on other services where they have (unwisely) recycled those same passwords.



Troy Hunt from Have I Been Pwned? is an advocate for "responsible disclosure," the practice of informing companies before revealing defects in their products and services and giving them time to do something about it.

But responsible disclosure is a two-way street: sometimes, companies don't live up to their end of the bargain. Kids Pass repeatedly ignored researchers who reached out them, going so far as to block them in some instances.

Other companies have threatened legal retaliation against researchers who discovered defects in their products  in some cases, they've even had their critics arrested, thanks to overbroad laws like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.





Getting companies to respond meaningfully to critics is a hard problem  as hard a problem as discovering the defects in the first place. In an ideal world, every company would responsibly respond to security defects by quickly patching them and warning their customers  in the real world, companies are often negligent and even belligerent when they learn about their flaws.

That's why Google went public with a serious Windows vulnerability earlier this year  they'd repeatedly warned Microsoft about it, Microsoft had done nothing, so they decided to sound the alarm, so that Microsoft customers could make informed decisions about trusting Micosoft products.

The ability of researchers to publish without fear of retaliation is the balance that disciplines companies into offering bug-hunters meaningful promises about their discoveries. If companies can simply sue any researcher who displeases them into silence, the world loses one of the most compelling cases for formulating a good bug-bounty program with promises of quick remediation and disclosure.





That's why it's so problematic that the World Wide Web Consortium proposed voluntary guidelines for when not to sue security researchers who found defects in implementations of the W3C's web DRM standard. The right way to ensure responsible disclosure is to defend the principle that it's always legal to tell the truth about defects in products, so that companies must use enticements, not threats, to secure the cooperation of researchers.



So now here you have multiple people finding the same risk which would allow for the easy exfiltration of data en mass, and this is just the guys we know about. Who else found it and didn't let them know? (And incidentally, in light of evidence that customer data was accessed by multiple unauthorised third parties, will there be any disclosure forthcoming to their existing subscriber base?) Who else actually scraped customer data out of their system? I've got no idea and they may not have either, but what I do know is that we've seen this particular class of risk exploited multiple times before. For example, in 2010 114k records about iPad owners were extracted from AT&T using a direct object reference risk. The following year it was First State Superannuation in Australia who were found exposing customer data in the same way and again, the "exploit" was simply incrementing numbers in the URL. Same again that year with Citigroup in the UK having an identical risk and time and time again, we see this same simple flaw popping up.



Kids Pass Just Reminded Us How Hard Responsible Disclosure Is

[Troy Hunt]
A fifth of trainee GPs are aiming to quit in five years with many hoping to move to Dubai or Australia, research shows.

And those intending to stay are planning to only see patients for an average of two and a half days a week.

They want to spend the remainder of their time carrying out research, starting their own business or working in managerial roles.

The poll of 310 trainees comes two days after a major survey found four in ten four in ten qualified GPs were planning to quit in five years.

A total of 19 per cent of the polled trainee GPs said they would not be working in surgeries in five years, including 14 per cent who hoped to move abroad. Pictured: A file image of a GP with a patient

Surgeries are already facing a severe recruitment crisis and there is now mounting evidence the will only get worse.

This latest research by Pulse magazine involved 310 GPs in training who were asked what they planned to be in one year and five years.

A total of 19 per cent said they would not be working in surgeries in five years, including 14 per cent who hoped to move abroad.

The most popular destinations included Dubai, Canada, Australia and New Zealand which are currently short of GPs.

The remaining trainees wanted to switch to different doctor roles or quit medicine altogether.

Those GPs who intended to stay on only planned to see patients for an average of five and a half sessions a week out of a possible ten.

The most popular destinations for doctors include Dubai (pictured), Canada, Australia and New Zealand which are currently short of GPs

Each session lasts a morning or afternoon although full-time GPs only see patients for eight sessions a week and spend the other two on admin.

Many are planning to do so-called portfolio careers whereby they split their time pursuing other interests.

This could include appearing as a TV doctor, setting up their own business or working in research or as lecturers.

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair of the Royal College of GPs said: This is really concerning and very sad. We cannot  and must not  allow this brain drain of future GPs to be lost to our profession and to future generations of patients.

We are already having difficulties attracting medical students into GP training, but the prospect of losing new GPs so early in their careers will be disastrous for patient care and the NHS.

Unfortunately, trainees are seeing at first hand the enormous pressures that todays GPs are facing.

After a decade of under-investment, we urgently need to turn general practice around and make it the attractive career option that it once was.

Dr Krishna Kasaraneni, the British Medical Associations GP committee lead on workforce issues, said: It is a reflection of the huge pressures bearing down on general practice that so many GP trainees, despite being at the start of their careers, are already considering quitting the profession.

Medical graduates want to be GPs so they can treat patients, but increasingly they are struggling to provide even basic care in a climate of rising workload, stagnating budgets and widespread staff shortages.

Despite constant promises from the Government, there is little sign that the promised extra resources for frontline patient services are emerging.
Violent clashes that left one dead and dozens injured erupted in Kashmir on Tuesday after Indian forces killed a dreaded Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist and his aide.

Abu Dujana, a top commander of the feared Pakistan-based group, was caught in a fierce gunfight with Indian troops and police counterinsurgency forces in the village of Harkipora on Tuesday following an intelligence tip off.

The house in which the militant and his aide Arif Nabi Dar were hiding in was then set ablaze by soldiers and another was blown up with heavy explosives, villagers said.

Violence broke out across Kashmir on Tuesday following the killings of Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Abu Dujana and his aide by Indian government forces

The two militants were killed in the raid, sparking widespread protests across Kashmir

Police said the bodies of the two militants were charred 'nearly beyond recognition'.

Dujana, who was appointed the head of the LeT in October 2015, is thought to have been in the village to meet his wife, who he married to 'gather more acceptability among locals', Army sources claimed. He was tracked by his mobile phone.

The 26-year-old, who was renowned for evading capture, was considered an 'A++' target by security forces, who hailed his death a 'major achievement'.

India blames the group for a 2008 attack that left 166 people dead in India's commercial capital of Mumbai.

Kashmiri village women shout pro-Pakistani and pro-freedom slogans during the funeral procession of senior militant Arif Nabi Dar in Lilhar, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) south of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir

As the gunbattle raged, residents defied the security lockdown and clashed with government forces near the site of the fighting in an attempt to help the trapped militants escape.

'The gun battle continued for 30-35 minutes. The troops were successful in eliminating both the terrorists by 9.30am - much before the crowds could gather to interrupt operations,' Army sources said.

Then when news of Dujana's killing spread, thousands of Kashmir residents came out onto the streets, throwing stones at government forces.

Troops retaliated by firing tear gas, pellet guns and bullets, killing a young man and injuring at least 70 others, witnesses and a police officer said.

Large anti-India protests and clashes spearheaded mostly by students erupted in disputed Kashmir on Tuesday after government forces killed two senior militants in a gunbattle

Large protests and clashes against Indian rule spread to several other places across Kashmir, including the Himalayan region's main city of Srinagar, as students boycotted classes and hit the streets.

Chanting pro-rebel slogans and demanding the end of Indian rule, the students hurled rocks at government forces after being stopped outside schools and colleges.

Troops fired shotgun pellets and tear gas, leading to pitched battles, including in Srinagar's main commercial hub, where streets were strewn with rocks and broken bricks and the stench of tear gas filled the air.

Kashmiri villagers carry body of senior militant Arif Nabi Dar during his funeral procession in Kashmir on Tuesday

Hundreds of students and residents clashed with police in Lal Chowk, the main commercial centre of Srinagar, where shopkeepers downed shutters and panicked parents rushed to collect their children from schools.

A woman nurse was wounded by a bullet inside a hospital in Pulwama town, south of Srinagar, when government forces fired at protesters who had assembled outside, a hospital source said.

Authorities closed all educational institutions on Tuesday and Wednesday as a 'precautionary measure,' said Baseer Khan, a top civilian administrator.

Officials also blocked internet service in the region to stop activists from using social media to rally support against Indian rule.

Kashmiri villagers inspect a house damaged during a gun battle between Indian soldiers and suspected militants in Hakripora, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Srinagar

Separatists opposed to Indian rule in the Muslim-majority region have called for a general strike on Wednesday.

Security officials say Dujana, who crossed from Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2010, was the longest surviving fighter in the Indian-controlled territory and used his popularity to escape military traps and mount attacks on security forces.

He had a reputation for being 'a master of disguise' who escaped at least five previous military cordons.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Dujana's aide was a teenage local rebel and that his burial in his hometown was attended by thousands of mourners. He is said to have joined Dujana in carrying out a number of bank robberies in Kashmir over the past year.

Kashmiri villagers stand over the rubble of a house damaged during the gun battle

'He (Dujana) kept weapons and ammunition stashed away in different areas and moved like a civilian disguised as a student and sometimes as a labourer,' a resident of south Kashmir, who declined to be named, told news agency AFP.

The militant also appeared at the funerals of slain comrades at least twice, but gave police and troops the slip.

'He knew the territory like the back of his hand. He was very, very mobile,' a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

His death is one of the biggest blows to Kashmiri separatists since the death of another commander, Burhan Wani, in July last year.

Wani's killing sparked months of widespread protests against Indian rule and left nearly 100 civilians dead and thousands injured.

Since then, stone-throwing civilians, sometimes entire communities, have increasingly gone out onto the streets to support rebels trapped by military cordons in a bid to help them escape.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full.

Militant groups, including LeT, have for decades fought roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Tens of thousands, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting.


The Indian government plans to set up sewage treatment plants in six major cities along the river's route and clean up millions of litres of toxic sludge currently choking the Ganga.

Over a dozen cleaning facilities have been sanctioned by the government in three years as part of a Rs 4,000-crore project.

The main sites will be Haridwar, Rishikesh, Vrindavan, Allahabad, Varanasi and Patna while seven more will come up in the national Capital to sanitise the heavily polluted Yamuna.

The Ganga is revered by many Hindus who believe a dip in the river absolves a lifetime of sins. Millions of people also cremate the bodies of their loved ones on its banks and strew the ashes in the water.

On its way from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, the river picks up the effluent from sugar refineries, distilleries, pulp and paper mills, and tanneries, apart from contaminated agricultural runoff from the rice bowl of northern India.

A senior official of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) said the sewage treatment plants (STPs) would require at least three years to become fully functional.

The Ganga is revered by many Hindus who believe a dip in the river absolves sins

'The projects have been approved under Namami Gange programme in the last three months in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi.

'These STPs will ensure 100 per cent sewage treatment facility of the water flowing into the river,' he said.

A promise to clean the Ganga figured prominently in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 election campaign.

Soon after coming to power, he created a ministry for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation. But the government's attempts so far have fallen woefully short.

In March, the Uttarakhand High Court ruled that the Ganga and its tributary Yamuna be accorded the status of living human entities.

A senior official of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) said the sewage treatment plants (STPs) would require at least three years to become fully functional

The STP projects were approved in the third meeting of the executive committee of NMCG. Officials said focus was laid on half a dozen major cities along the route of Ganga where the maximum quantity of pollutants flow into the river.

Surveys have found that the stretch of Ganga from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted.

In Delhi, the government has sanctioned seven STPs with total capacity of 94 MLD (million litres per day) in Najafgarh area at an estimated cost of Rs 345 crore under the Maily Se Nirmal Yamuna project that was initiated on the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Modi (left) promised a clean Ganga when running for election

The NGT had recently sought a response from the ministries of environment and power on what steps were taken by thermal power plants to avoid discharge of effluents and fly ash around these rivers.

According to officials, the Najafgarh drain in Delhi contributes around 70 per cent of the total discharge of the city into Yamuna that includes a lot of untreated sewage.

The locations where the STPs have been approved are Tajpur Khurd (36 MLD), Jaffarpur Kalan (12 MLD), Khera Dabar (5 MLD), Hasanpur (12 MLD), Kakraul (12 MLD), Kair (5 MLD) and Tikri Kalan (12 MLD).

The executive committee has approved a comprehensive project of interception, diversion and treatment of sewage in Allahabad at an estimated cost of Rs 770 crore.

Surveys have found that the stretch of Ganga from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted

In addition to the construction of a 42 MLD treatment plant in Naini, the project also includes building of 8 sewage pumping stations among other works. None of the three zones in Allahabad have any sewerage schemes or any sanctioned STPs as yet.

The projects will also arrest flowing waste water of 18 drains into the rivers to ensure pollution-free water for bathing at Sangam during Ardh Kumbh Mela 2019.

Similarly, three projects of sewage treatment infrastructure including an STP of 60 MLD and laying of sewerage lines at an estimated cost of about Rs 744 crore will happen in Patna.

With these approvals, the city will now have a sewage treatment capacity of 200 MLD. The ministry of water resources has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the skill development and entrepreneurship ministry to create skilled manpower for various works related to the Clean Ganga mission.

Jobs would include laying sewerage pipeline, plumbing work, construction of toilets, civil masonry works, waste collection and its disposal.

The MoU will also help develop skills for preparing products from waste materials such as flowers, leaves, coconuts, hair as well as plastic bags and bottles, and their proper packaging and promotion.
Criminals could target thousands of customers whose bank details are changing as a result of an industry shake-up, the boss of HSBC has warned.

Stuart Gulliver said so-called ring fencing rules intended to make finance safer could trigger a surge in fraud as account holders were given new sort codes.

There are growing fears that the hugely expensive reforms might create confusion which will give fraudsters a field day.

Reforms: HSBC shake-up 'puts customers at risk of fraud'

Like Britains other biggest lenders, HSBC has been ordered to separate its UK banking business into an ultra-safe consumer and small-business division, and a riskier corporate and investment arm.

This is intended to protect the public from the casino banking which caused the financial crisis, where large bets on the trading floor had a direct impact on families deposits.

However, it will see 1million sort codes changed across the industry, with about 200,000 of these at HSBC.

And there are fears that those affected may be targeted by con artists taking advantage of the blizzard of mail and the time it will take for customers to get used to their new details.

HSBC has spent almost 400m to complete its ring-fencing work by the deadline at the start of 2019, an operation which involved around 2,000 people at its height. The bank set up an office in Birmingham with 1,000 staff.

There is no other way to do the ring fencing, Gulliver said yesterday. The cost for the bank of doing this is quite considerable.

There is an increased risk of fraud around any type of change such as this, and yes, we will have to be very vigilant and so will our customers.

Lloyds announced they had put aside 700m and 1.1bn to compensate victims of PPI mis-selling

Insiders are increasingly concerned about the changes, with a senior figure at another bank saying they were seen as a fraudsters paradise.

HSBC yesterday unveiled 7.8bn of profits in the first half of 2017, up 5pc on the same period last year.

However, the bank was forced to set aside another 228m to compensate victims of PPI mis-selling taking its total bill for the scandal so far to 3.3bn.

Last week Barclays and Lloyds announced they had put aside 700m and 1.1bn respectively.

Bosses at HSBC said they expected to spend up to 228m on reorganisation to deal with Brexit. They had previously warned that up to 1,000 jobs would be moved to Paris to avoid disruption.

In more cheery news for investors, the lender unveiled a 1.5bn share buy-back and pledged to maintain its total annual dividend of $0.51 per share.

The stock rose to a four-year high in response, closing up 2.2pc or 16.1p at 759.87p.

Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Laith Khalaf said: HSBC has had a good start to the year, helped by rising revenues, falling costs and fewer bad debts.
A fund to pump cash into the most promising tech companies after Brexit could be set up by the Government.

The money would help finance a generation of so-called unicorns, companies worth more than $1bn (760m), the Treasury said yesterday.

It is part of moves to ensure venture capital keeps flowing into Britains tech sector after the country quits the European Union following last years vote.

Advantage: Every pound of public money pledged can make a real difference in helping to scale up new businesses

Industry figures say there is no shortage of talent but companies here often find it much harder to raise investment capital for expansions when compared to their rivals in the US.

In a bid to solve the problem, the Government has said it wants more money made available to help start-ups grow.

The Treasury has stopped short of saying how much the fund would be worth but said it would at least seek to replace cash invested by the European Investment Fund  a source of cash likely to be cut off once the UK leaves the European Union.

That is worth an estimated 900m a year through the investments it makes in companies, and matches funding then pledged by private companies.

Ben Brabyn, head of Canary Wharf-based tech company hub Level39, said: In areas where the UK already has a huge advantage, such as cyber-security and fintech, every pound of public money pledged can make a real difference in helping to scale up our businesses.
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If someone had told you at the end of the 1980s that in less than 30 year's time a Ford Sierra would be worth 115,000, a Vauxhall Lotus Carlton could set you back 72,000 and a Peugeot 205 GTI would ring in at almost 40,000, you'd have probably doubled over in hysterics.

But an almost unfathomable spike in classic car values in recent years - and a rich dose of 1980s and early 1990s nostalgia - has made these sums a reality, with three boy racer poster cars, a Sierra RS500 Cosworth, a Peugeot 205 GTI, and a Lotus Carlton achieving astonishing sale prices at auction last weekend. So who's laughing now?

Here's a closer look at some of the 'classic' cars - including a 2010 Ford Focus - that sold for formidable figures among the 5.5 million worth of motors offered at last weekend's Silverstone Auctions sale.

The six-figure Ford Sierra

Six-figure Sierra: Very rare and with incredibly low mileage, this RS500 Cosworth is one of the most desirable late-1980s Fast Fords to come to the market. But at over 100,000, is it a sign that the collectible car market is going bonkers?

The low-mileage Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth was sold at the Silverstone Auctions sale at the Silverstone Classic event at - you guessed it - Silverstone over the weekend.

That's right, someone genuinely paid 114,750 - a new British record - for a Ford Sierra.

Okay, it's far from any normal Sierra. This one is a rare RS500 Cosworth with a paltry 10,733 miles on the clock. In fact, since it was last MOT'd in September 1991, it has covered just 666 miles - that's around 26 miles a year on average.

As the name suggests, just 500 we made, but few will be in as original and unused condition as this one, which was eventually bought by an Australian bidder who paid 20,000 over the lowest estimate set by the auction house.

Easily recognisable by the passenger jet-sized rear wing, the RS500 was one of the race-car-for-the-road versions of the family hatchback that Ford was struggling to sell in the early 1980s.

The RS500 Cosworth has been in storage for most of the last 26 years, in which it has turned just 666 miles

Like new: With a total of 10,733 miles on the clock, it's little surprise that the Sierra's interior looks showroom fresh

This 1987 example has remained in single ownership for 26 years, kept by 'one of the world's wealthiest men who had extensive business interests in Ireland and India', according to Silverstone Auctions. No more clues to who that mystery man is were given.

Along with the low mileage car, the winning bidder also got the well-documented history file including a 'Ford Safety' recall note, copies of the DVLA paperwork from first registration to current date, and a parking ticket - the new owner best hope has been paid - dated 2nd June 1990 and issued by Surrey Constabulary.

It also comes with a period 'International Driving Permit' for its affluent former owner.

Peugeot 205 GTI - hot hatch, scalding price

You'll struggle to find a Peugeot 205 GTI with mileage as low as this one... or a price tag as high

As you can see from the interior shot, this Peugeot 205 GTI is a car that's had little use in the last 29 years. Pictured right before it went under the hammer on Sunday afternoon

Silverstone Auctions couldn't confirm it, but we're pretty sure the 38,480 paid for this 1988 Peugeot 205 GTI is a new world record - especially as one that sold for 7,000 less last year took the crown back then.

And the little 205's near 40,000 sale price is a clear sign of how competitive the classic car market has become.

Granted that this is the sought-after 1.9-litre version of Peugeot's much-loved hot hatch with just 5,726 miles on the odometer, but it's still almost double the price of what classic car valuation tools are estimating for 'concours' condition examples.

Everything is as it was from the showroom - a 128bhp engine, Alpine White paintwork, red Quattro velour and grey leather seating, lightweight Speedline alloy wheels and no sunroof (which was a notorious spot for leaks) - parfait!

Proving just how much it has appreciated in the last 29 years, Silverstone Auctions confirmed it was offered by Peugeot as a prize in association with Grattan, the catalogue clothing retailer and won by a lady from Ipswich. However, she didn't have a driving licence, which lead to a local newspaper running the headline: Winner of 10,000 car cannot drive. Let's hope the new owner has the relevant paperwork to get behind the wheel today.

More than 50,000 for a seven-year-old Ford Focus

This Ford Focus RS500 has increased in valued by 2,600 each year since 2010, though it has barely turned a wheel. It was originally delivered to Switzerland, so the steering wheel isn't even on the correct side of the car

You read that correctly, someone has genuinely paid 54,000 for a 2010 Ford Focus.

Yes, it's a limited edition RS 500 model. Yes, it has covered just 128 miles. But that's a massive 18,250 more than it cost new seven years ago. It means this car has increased in value by 2,600 every year since it came off the assembly line. The steering wheel is even on the wrong side of the car (the left), as this one was originally delivered to Switzerland. And don't forget, it's a Ford Focus.

Low-mileage Lotus Carlton costs almost as much as a new 911

Too fast for the UK roads: That was the Daily Mail's verdict on the Lotus Carlton when it arrived on the market in 1990

The low-mileage Lotus Carlton sold over the weekend even has its original tyres fitted. It sold for 72,000

Just 284 Lotus Carltons were made for UK customers, and this is number 28, with just 4,500 miles on the clock.

The collaboration between Lotus and Vauxhall's take on an executive saloon was hugely controversial. Renowned for its brutal performance even today, back when the car first arrived on the market in 1990 the Daily Mail said the 176mph top speed was 'too fast for British roads'.

This is a 1991 model finished in the obligatory Imperial Green paint that's absolutely blemish free. That's because it has spent a good portion of its life in dry storage. It was even sold on the set of original tyres, which the auctioneer suggested were changed if the new owner wanted to drive it away after handing over 72,000 for the keys.

Capri sum: This 280 Brooklands beat last year's record

It was verified by Ford specialists that this car has never been repaired or resprayed - you can't get more original than that

The 55,125 fee paid over the weekend eclipses the record figure of 54,000 paid for a Capri 280 Brooklands set last March

Just last year, a 936-mile Brooklands smashed the world record fee paid for a Ford Capri with a 54,000 selling price. That figure was eclipsed again this weekend, with this E-reg 280 Brooklands model ringing in at 55,125.

Silverstone Auctions declared it's 'the best Capri Brooklands we have ever seen'.

The 1987 model has been owned by the previous keeper for eight years and has a total of 14,680 miles on the clock. Its history can't be disputed - it has every MoT and tax disc ever issued for it and a full dealer service history, including an 'immaculately presented and extremely comprehensive' A4 binder full of documentation and receipts. The condition is deemed 'exceptional' - not bad for a car that has never been repaired or resprayed in 30 years.
I recently visited a local haberdashery store and purchased some fabric material totalling 53.45. I attempted to pay with a 50 note and the rest in coins. However, the sales assistant refused it.

I spoke to the manager who then informed me it isn't 'company policy' to accept them.

It's not as if I was trying to pay a small bill of 5 or so that would have deprived them of all the cash change in the till as I understand the frustrations there. Don't they realise they're refusing legal tender?

Refusal? On a recent trip to a shop, it refused my 50 note - can it do this, despite being legal tender?

As an antique dealer I receive a lot of 50 notes and we depend a great deal on cash.

I find it frustrating that other businesses seem to think they can diminish the value of cash like this by treating it as if it doesn't deserve to exist.

Is there any way to take the matter further or report the company to some authority that can straighten out their policies? Also, will there be a new polymer version of the note? C.C, via e-mail.

Lee Boyce, consumer affairs editor at This is Money, replies: I used to work in a shop during my sixth form years and was told to meticulously check notes, even fivers, to make sure they weren't duds.

On the rare occasions I received 50 notes, I would check them over and as part of company policy have to call a supervisor over to give them a second going over. For this reason, I sympathise with the sales assistant.

It's also a tough call for the manager. If they are not the owner and have been told not accept 50 notes, then they are just following policy, even if they do not have grounds to believe the note to be fake.

As you point out, you handle more 50 notes than most thanks to your trade.

Phasing out? The Bank of England banknote production table above shows the lack of new 50 notes being made

Interestingly, according to Bank of England figures, there were no new 50 made in 2016/17 or 2015/16 - and no new design since 2011.

Next month, the Bank will release new Jane Austen 10 notes made of polymer with increased security features, while last year Winston Churchill fivers with the same features entered circulation.

There are also plans for a new 20 in 2020 featuring artist J.M.W. Turner  but there has been no news about new 50 notes.

Are we seeing the slow phase out of the highest value notes currently used in Britain?

A Bank of England spokesman said: 'The Bank will make a decision on when to issue a new 50 note, and whether to print it on polymer, in due course.'

Last June, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said at the launch of the new fiver: 'There are no immediate plans for the 50 note. The feedback is that the notes need to be smaller, different sizes, but smaller. A decision will be made in due course.'

It appears that is still the stance.

New tenner: Mark Carney with the new 10 which will start circulating from next month - but it there is no news on a new polymer 50 note

As for the question about shops refusing to take it, the Bank of England pointed me to a simple to understand part of its website explaining what legal tender is.

On the website, it says: 'What is classed as legal tender varies throughout the UK.

'Legal tender has a very narrow and technical meaning, which relates to settling debts.

'It means that if you are in debt to someone then you can't be sued for non-payment if you offer full payment of your debts in legal tender.

'What is classed as legal tender varies throughout the UK.

'In England and Wales, legal tender is Royal Mint coins and Bank of England notes.

'In Scotland and Northern Ireland only Royal Mint coins are legal tender.

'Throughout the UK, there are some restrictions when using the lower value coins as legal tender.

'For example, 1p and 2p coins only count as legal tender for any amount up to 20p.

'Whether you pay with banknotes, coins, debit cards or anything else as payment is a decision between you and the other person involved in the transaction.

In addition, shops are not obliged to accept legal tender. If you hand over a 50 note to pay for a banana in your local grocery store, the staff are within their rights to choose not to accept it.

'Likewise for all other banknotes  it's a matter of discretion.'
European banks are still risky and have suffered from years of lax oversight, a star fund manager who predicted the global financial crisis has warned.

US investor Steve Eisman realised the American property market was headed for a catastrophic crash in 2008.

He made a fortune by betting on price falls in actions immortalised by the hit 2015 film The Big Short.

The Big Short: US investor Steve Eisman realised in 2008 the American property market was headed for a crash

Although the hedge fund guru believes the financial system is much stronger than it was before the crisis, he said Americas banks had made far more progress than their Continental rivals  and that not every bank in the world is safe.

Eisman, who now works for US fund firm Neuberger Berman, told the Mail that European lenders recovery was derailed by the sovereign debt crisis, when a string of eurozone nations teetered on the brink of collapse after rescuing their financial systems.

And the investor was scathing about the European Banking Authoritys stress tests.

These are designed to examine how large lenders would cope with a severe downturn but have been widely criticised for their politically-driven approach, with claims that struggling banks are given a clean bill of health to avoid rocking the boat.

In contrast, several Wall Street behemoths have repeatedly failed the stress tests set by the US Federal Reserve  and become stronger as a result.

Eisman argued that the EBAs shortcomings were laid bare by the near-collapse of Spanish lender Banco Popular last month, when it had to be rescued by rival Santander.

Despite almost crumbling, Popular passed last years stress test.

The stress tests in the US have been very tough and real, and the stress tests in Europe have been extremely weak in my view, Eisman said.

He was less concerned about British banks, although he does not believe they will ever return to the huge profits they made before the crisis.

The success of lenders such as NatWest owner Royal Bank of Scotland proved to have been based on reckless, unsustainable growth.

The British banks tried to be global banks and didnt succeed all that well, Eisman said. RBS will never be what it was, and I dont think Barclays will either.
Glamorous financier Amanda Staveley is busy filming her big screen debut.

Prince Andrews former consort recently won a cameo in Sir Ridley Scotts All The Money In The World after bidding 16,000 at an auction in aid of the Old Vic theatre.

The film, which stars Oscar-winner Kevin Spacey, tells the story of the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Gettys grandson, whose ear was severed by his captors when the notoriously frugal industrialist refused to pay their $17m ransom.

Glamorous financier Amanda Staveley is busy filming her big screen debut

The old miser eventually agreed to cough up $2.9m, the maximum amount that was tax deductible.

JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimons rant about the gridlock in US politics, in which he recently described being an American citizen as an embarrassment, provokes an interesting theory in the City.

A former colleague of Dimon is convinced the enduring King of Wall Street plans a tilt at the White House in 2020.

City law firm DLA Piper is still reeling from the recent cyber attack which has left its well-remunerated lawyers with limited access to email and the company intranet.

Connections: Eccentric businessman Sir David Tang once met North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang

The poor lambs have been offered free soothing rubdowns by the firm to help them cope with the stress caused by the meltdown. Sensitive flowers in the legal profession, arent they?

Eccentric businessman Sir David Tang, 62, tells the FT he once met North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, where the supreme leaders tailor crafted him one of Kims oafish-looking suits.

Sir David previously claimed to have lunched in the Sahara with Libyas Colonel Gaddafi whose tassels from his epaulettes would not have looked out of place on Barbara Cartlands drawing-room curtains. Tangos a frightful name-dropper, but hes good value.

Bob Diamonds daughter Nell welcomes her fathers recent 66th birthday, writing on social media: HBD Bobby D. Nells fond of an abbreviation or two.

When papa was forced out of Barclays, she suggested (then) chancellor George Osborne should go ahead and HMD, shorthand for a particularly grubby term of disgruntlement, the first two letters of which stand for Hold My.
A Romanian criminal gang are suspected of stealing iPhones worth 500,000 euros from a delivery truck in the Netherlands - while the vehicle was still in motion.

The dangerous heist was carried out in Eindhoven, in the southern Netherlands, last week, with the driver arriving at his destination shocked to find out he had been robbed.

The loot, worth 446,700, and the vehicle used by the gang was later tracked down by Dutch police, and five men aged from 33 to 43 are now in police custody, a spokesman said Monday.

Speed robbery: Dutch police arrested five Romanian men suspected of stealing iPhones worth 500,000 euros in a dangerous heist on a moving truck

The men allegedly stole the iPhones in the late-night raid a week ago by driving a modified van so close to the delivery truck that one of the suspects was able to clamber across the van's hood and break into the truck while it drove along a road, police spokesman Ed Kraszewski said.

He said the suspect then passed boxes of iPhones back to the van through a hole cut in its roof.

Kraszewski said police have long been investigating thefts from trucks but remained skeptical that such a heist could succeed. Not anymore.

'The truck was taking its freight from A-to-B and did not stop. Even so, (the phones) were gone,' he said.

'So it must have happened that way. And now we finally have the evidence, with the van and the loot.'

The men were arrested Saturday at a holiday park in the central Netherlands, where police also recovered iPhones and the van they believe was used in the theft.

The suspects were to appear Tuesday before an investigating judge.

Such raids have been reported elsewhere in Europe, almost always targeting high-end smartphones, but there have been no arrests in the other cases, Kraszewski said.

Dutch police plan to send fingerprints of the suspects to European colleagues to check for matches in previous thefts.
Before Laurie Penny was a brilliant young feminist novelist , she was a brilliant young essayist , blazing through the British (and then the world's) media with column after column that skewered social ills on what Warren Ellis aptly dubbed her "red pen of justice."

Bitch Doctrine, published today, collects dozens of her more recent pieces, all the way up to the eve of the Trump election, grouped thematically: the US election, "Love and Other Chores," culture, gender, agency, backlash, violence, and future.





If you've followed Penny's work, you'll know that the thing that sets her apart from other enraged columnists is her empathy: her ability to understand the self-serving rationalizations, radioactive bullshit, and emotional damage that drives men to threaten her with rape and murder for pointing out that things aren't exactly fair.

But while Penny is perfectly capable of understanding her ideological opponents  better than they understand themselves, without a doubt  she doesn't offer them any sympathy. This sympathy  no less well-informed, no less analytical  is reserved for people who are getting the shittiest end of the stick: trans people, people of color, poor people, disabled people, other women. Even when she feuds with them, even when she is laid low by anger from her allies, she does the hard work to look past her own hurt feelings, to the missteps that let her to a place of conflict.

Penny is a bridge between two modes of political writing, a hybrid that gets the best of both and offsets their deficits: on the one hand, she's clearly in the Hunter S Thompson gonzo tradition (her adventures running down violent neo-Nazis in Greece are a match for anything HST wrote about Hell's Angels or police detective conventions); on the other hand, she's got the scholarly habit of finding and presenting an issue from every side, even the ones she disagrees with. But while the gonzos reduce their opponents to caricatures, and while scholarly work can dissolve the point of view into a view from nowhere, wishy-washy and free from any kind of thesis or real muscle, Penny is able to forcefully convey her point of view, and back it up by showing that she understands exactly what her opponents are thinking, and why, precisely, they are full of shit.

This is a delight of a book. While other ranty political collections are something of a guilty pleasure, Penny's essays are righteous ones, arguments that don't just preach to the choir, but also to the people slipping bomb-threats under the church doors.

Bitch Doctrine [Laurie Penny/Bloomsbury]

(Image: Molly Crabapple)
An ex-Marine will avoid the death penalty after being found guilty of shooting a sorority sister in the head on New Year's Day 2016.

Eric Johnson, 21, was found guilty of murder in Denton County, Texas, on Monday in the death of 20-year-old Sara Mutschlechner of Martindale.

He faces up to life in prison.

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Eric Johnson, 21, (left) was found guilty in the 2016 death of University of North Texas student and sorority sister Sara Mutschlechner, 20 (right)

Johnson, an ex-Marine, was found guilty by a jury in Denton County, Texas, on Monday (pictured)

Johnson (pictured in court) now faces up to life in prison

Special Report: Jury finds Eric Johnson guilty of murder for the shooting death of #UNT student Sarah Mutschlechner. @tblakeholland reports. pic.twitter.com/1dYcAeJ4By  ntTV News (@ntTV_News) July 31, 2017

Mutschlechner, a junior at the University of North Texas and philanthropy chair of her sisterhood, Zeta Tau Alpha, was driving friends home from a party at 2am when a black SUV pulled up beside them.

An affadavit says men in the SUV, which Johnson was riding in, made sexual remarks toward Mutschlechner and a woman riding with her.

Denton police say people from both cars had attended the same New Year's Eve party.

Mutschlechner, a junior at the University of North Texas and philanthropy chair of her sisterhood, Zeta Tau Alpha, was driving friends home from a party at 2am when a black SUV pulled up beside them

An affadavit says men in the SUV made sexual remarks toward Mutschlechner and a woman riding with her. Denton police say people from both cars had attended the same New Year's Eve party

As the people in both cars got into an argument, they began to drive through the intersection and Johnson fired several rounds at Mutschlechner's Sedan, striking her in the head.

Her car then crashed into an electrical pole.

Responding officers found the woman lying on the ground.

She was taken to hospital to be placed on life support, and was pronounced dead hours later on January 1, 2016.

Johnson was arrested five days later at a Marine Corps facility in Yuma, Arizona, and then discharged by the Marines.

An affidavit says Johnson was associated with an address in Fort Worth.
A rookie police officer is garnering praise for an act of kindness he extended to a woman accused of shoplifting.

Officer Bennet Johns, who joined the Laurel, Maryland police department in May, was called to a local grocery store on July 22 regarding a 20-year-old woman accused of shoplifting.

The woman was with her infant son and reportedly bought some items but did not have $15 for two packs of diapers, so tried to walk out with them.

Officer Bennet Johns is seen purchasing diapers for a shoplifing suspect last week in this picture taken by his training officer in Laurel, Maryland last week

Officer Johns (center) is seen with Police Chief Richard McLaughlin (left) and Mayor Craig A. Moe (right) at his swearing in ceremony in May. Johns is garnering praise for his generosity

A store security guard caught her in the act and called police to arrest her.

'Officer Johns considered the situation and then made the decision to purchase the diapers out of his own pocket so that the young child would not suffer,' the Laurel PD said in a statement.

Johns was raised by a single mother and was touched by the woman's predicament.

Although he did not arrest the woman, Johns did issue her a citation for shoplifting.

A photo of Johns at the cash register, taken by his training officer, began making the rounds on the internet after being posted to the police department's Facebook page.

Johns joined the Laurel Police Department in May. He is seen here taking the oath

Johns was responding to a shoplifting call at this Giant supermarket when he decided to lend the suspect a helping hand. He did issue the woman a citation, however
The ABC has been slammed for using its current affairs program to promote Labor senator Sam Dastyari's new book.

Politicians and viewers accused the national broadcaster of using Monday night's episode of Australian Story as a 'propaganda piece' for the controversial politician.

The episode detailed the life of Dastyari, who migrated from Iran to Australia as a child and quickly climbed the ranks of the Labor party, until a political donations scandal saw him resign spectacularly from the opposition frontbench last year.

But social media users questioned the taxpayer funded broadcaster's decision to air the program just one day after Dastyari's book release.

The ABC has been slammed for using its current affairs program to promote Labor senator Sam Dastyari's new book

Dastyari launched his memoir 'One Halal of A Story' over the weekend, while the ABC used Monday night's Australian Story episode to detail his life

The 'non-practising' Muslim, 34, launched his memoir - 'One Halal of A Story' from Melbourne University Press - over the weekend.

Ahead of the program airing on Monday night, Dastyari tweeted '#australianstory', along with a direct link to a website selling his book.

Again in a radio interview on Tuesday morning with the ABC, Dastyari name-dropped his book at least six times, according to Fairfax journalist Bevan Shields.

Dastyari's public image took a huge hit after it was revealed that he asked a Chinese company with links to its communist government to foot a $1,600 legal bill.

Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi accused Dastyari of using the taxpayer funded broadcaster to spruik his own book.

'It had all the hallmarks of an infomercial and a sterilisation of the murky history of Sam Dastyari,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'Sure he claims to have one halal of a story to tell but he's also got one Huang of a story that still needs to be told,' he said.

Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs Zed Seselja described the program as 'propaganda'.

Angered viewers took to social media to slam the national broadcaster for 'PR not Journalism' and 'self promotion'

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson agreed, tweeting: 'Srsly (sic). Not what I expected from the ABC.'

Social media was flooded with critical tweets, with many accusing the ABC of exercising 'poor judgement'.

'Very disappointed in tonight's show... choose an Australian who deserves respect next time!,' wrote Sandra.

'Very soft Australian Story. That was PR not Journalism. Corruption is corruption,' wrote Mande.

'Normally a fan of the ABC but this is outrageous. This bloke deserves no air time at all,' added another outraged viewer.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the ABC for comment.
An elderly man and his neighbour have become the unwitting victims of a million-dollar drug deal scam.

Bruce Hockley, from Adelaide, had been collecting mail for his friend Lindsay Barton while he was out of state when he signed for an unusual package.

Inside were tins containing more than a million dollars' worth of drugs, which had been delivered to his unsuspecting neighbour's house afters hackers found out it was empty.

Adelaide man Bruce Hockley had been doing the neighbourly thing by collecting mail for his friend Lindsay Barton while he was out of state, when he signed for an unusual package

After the courier delivered the mystery parcel Mr Hockley opened it, but became confused by the contents he found.

'I got a knife, opened it and had a look in. It looked like tins of goods and it was packed with dry biscuits around it,' Hockley told Today Tonight Adelaide.

But after noticing a strange handwritten note attached to his neighbour's window, combined with the wrong name on the parcel, Mr Hockley decided to call his friend.

'When he said it came from Ireland I thought that was a bit peculiar because I don't know anybody in Ireland,' Mr Barton said.

He added: 'Bruce then told me it was my address but not my name. I said this is very very suspicious. I think you better ring the police.'

When officers arrived they took the parcel to examine it, before calling in the bomb squad, who dismantled the box and took photographic evidence.

Inside were tins containing more than a million dollars worth of drugs that had been delivered to Mr Hockley's unsuspecting neighbour's house

Mr Barton's house had become a drop-off point for drugs after hackers found out via social media that he was interstate, with the group attaching a handwritten note to the house's window

They discovered that the contents were not a bomb, but something equally as concerning - drugs worth more than a million dollars.

Mr Hockley said he was shocked to learn of the box's true contents, but said officers would not inform him what type of drugs they had found.

Having discovered the significant haul, the police issued a warrant to search Mr Barton's premises and intercept his mail as part of the investigation.

After staking out the house, officers were able to catch those who had been using the house as a drop-off point.

'There was a patrol car down the end of the street, so they were watching and waiting for them to come,' Mr Hockley said.

'When they did turn up all these patrol cars came from everywhere and they were arrested.'

Mr Hockley called the police after informing his friend of what he found, with officers examining the parcdel before calling in the bomb squad

Mr Barton believes the situation was part of a Facebook scam, after he received a message from someone he believed to be an old friend but was likely a hacker.

His 'friend' had contacted him on social media asking whether he had accepted a package, claiming that the 'owner of Facebook had sold their shares and were distributing the money among select people'.

But his suspicions were raised after he asked questions that returned the wrong answers, however he had already revealed his address and his absence from the house.

Meanwhile, after unknowingly becoming part of the drug bust Mr Hockley must now provide DNA evidence and fingerprint samples for the forensic investigation.

'It's a case of they come in and take over and everyone's under suspicion, until proven innocent,' he said.

'You're the number one suspect because you've got the drugs in your property.'
An army medic was finally awarded the Medal of Honor on Monday almost 50 years after risking his life in the Vietnam war.

James McCloughan, 71, received the accolade in a White House ceremony on Monday.

He was 23 when, as a private first class, he ran in to the line of fire during the Battle of Nui Yon Hill, a bloody, two-day fight, to save 10 other soldiers including one Vietnamese on May 19, 1969.

On Monday, President Trump hailed him as 'a veteran who went above and beyond the call of duty to protect our comrades, our country and our freedom'.

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James McCloughan was awarded the Medal of Honor on Monday by President Donald Trump

Five of the men McCloughan saved in Vietnam were present for the ceremony on Monday.

He is the first person to be awarded the medal by President Trump.

Speaking of his bravery, Trump said: 'Jim did not hesitate. He blazed through 100 meters of enemy fire to carry the wounded... to safety.

'It was as if the strength and the pride of our whole nation were beating inside Jim's heart. He just kept on going.'

McCloughan, who is from Michigan, was previously awarded several other medals but it took a change in the law by former President Obama for him to finally receive the Medal of Honor.

Before the change, the relevant act had to have happened within three years of a person being recommended for the medal and the award had to be given within five years of it.

Congress did away with the time limit before Obama departed the White House.

The ceremony took place in the East Room on Monday. Five of the people he saved in Vietnam were present

McCloughan was emotional at times and gave a passionate salute for the cameras once the ceremony was over

The 71-year-old is the first person to be given the medal since President Trump took office

The Michigan native was just 23 when he served as a medic in the war in Vietnam

On Monday, McLoughan, who became a high school teacher in Michigan after returning from the war, was emotional as President Trump placed the long-awaited medal around his neck.

Afterwards, he told reporters he was 'humbled' by the experience.

'My heart goes out to the families of those men and women (who never returned from battle) because they have an empty chair at every holiday and family celebration,' he said.

In an interview in June, when it was announced that he would receive the honor, he said modestly: 'I wasn't counting I was just doing what I had to do. I went out into the kill zone about six times that first night for my men.

McCloughan (above in Vietnam) ran in to the line of fire to save 10 men in his platoon during a bloody two-day battle

McCloughan, who was affectionately called Doc by his comrades, said he was 'just doing my job' when questioned over his heroism

McLoughan was previously awarded other medals including the Bronze Star (left) but he had to wait for a change in the law which did away with the time restrictions before he could get the Medal of Honor

'I was hit with an RPG around one of those times that I went out. I feel honored to be able to accept this for the 89 men that fought that battle.

'I have found 20 of the 32 who walked out alive on May 13. I love those guys and I know they love me and I'm glad that 10 of them got to lead a full life because of Doc McCloughan but I was doing my job.

'That's the job that was given to me. My father told me at a very young age "if you're given a job son, don't do it halfway."'

After Monday's ceremony, McCloughan was later congratulated by Ivanka Trump. She posed with him for a photo in the Oval Office and shared it with her fans online.

'Today POTUS awarded the Medal of Honor to Private First Class James C. McCloughan for his courage in Vietnam & service to our country,' she said in a tweet.

Ivanka Trump posed with McCloughan in the Oval Office before the ceremony

Several lawmakers celebrated the occasion on Monday.

Senator Debbie Stabenow tweeted: 'Excited to be on the way to the White House to see Specialist receive the Medal of Honor he deserves!'

The ceremony was attended by Trump's new Chief of Staff, General John Kelly.

It also coincided with a busy day of yet more reshuffled in the administration with the firing of communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

It was decided that McCloughan would be the first recipient of the medal from President Trump back in June.
A teenager has died after being crushed by a bull.

The woman, 19, died in a farming accident near Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia on Monday.

It is believed the woman was herding a large bull when she was struck into a fence railing by the animal, WA police said.

A teenager has died after being crushed by a bull (stock image)

'At approximately 11.35am yesterday (Monday) a woman working on a farm on South Coast Highway, Dalyup, was located unresponsive by a co-worker.'

The woman was rushed to Esperance Hospital in an ambulance, but later died.

Worksafe have been advised and will be investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Local farmer Wes Graham, told the ABC bulls in the area could weigh up to one tonne and mating season had just begun, which can make the animals more aggressive.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.
A fire that broke out in a factory overnight has resulted in a number of emergency calls to the the Victorian Metropolitan Fire Brigade.

Almost 30 fire fighters were called in to fight the blaze at 9.30pm, which originated on Nelson Street, Moorabbin in south-east Melbourne.

The first two emergency vehicles arrived within seven minutes of the original 000 call, Victorian Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman Bruce Weaver told The Herald Sun.

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A fire that broke out in a Melbourne factory overnight has resulted in a number of calls to 000

After fire crews arrived, the entire front section of the cabinet-making factory was 'well alight', according to a witness.

'The fire was quickly growing at the front, it was through the roof at the stage [when firefighters arrived],' Metropolitan Fire Brigade Commander Ron Young told 9News,

The fire was deemed to be 'out of control' by the Fire Brigade, and extra fire trucks and back-up vehicles were called.

'There was a high fire load with [paint] thinners as well added to the complexity of the fire,' Mr Young said.

'It took about 45 minutes to bring under control.'

Fire fighters were forced to cut their way into the factory through a roller door, while others smashed their way in via a glass door.

Firefighters and back up units were called to a factory fire on Nelson Road, Moorabbin overnight

Fireman were forced to smash through doors to get inside the factory and fight the blazing fire

The fire threatened to spread to the factory next door, but firemen got the blaze under contrrol

The main concern was that the blaze might spread to a neighboring factory, which shared an adjoining wall.

It took a combination of fire hoses and an aerial unit to ensure that the fire remained contained to the single-story factory, with assistance from police and ambulance units.

The damage is reportedly extensive, particularly to the front section of the building, but fire fighters managed to save a nearby factory that is currently under renovation.

There was reportedly timber and vehicles inside the factory, which served as fuel to the fire and 'a challenge for crews', Mr Young told The Today Show.

The fire was reported to be under control by 10.50pm.

Nelson Street remained closed to the public overnight, but a smoke warning was issued for the area west of Chesterville Road.

Police and ambulance units gathered outside the scene of the fire, but there were no inuries

The building was deserted at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

Authorities are investigation the cause of the fire, which is yet to be determine; it is unclear yet where the blaze was suspicious.

Police are currently attempting to track down the owners of the business.
A single mother who brought in tenants to help her pay her mortgage has been forced out of her own home by them.

The woman, named Alesha, told A Current Affair that she had used Gumtree to find tenants to rent rooms in her property.

She received a response from a woman, who told her she desperately needed a place for herself and her daughter.

Alesha agreed the woman could stay in two rooms for three weeks, and received rent for that period.

The woman, named Alesha (above), said she'd been left sleeping in her car after being forced out of her home

Six weeks on, the woman stayed put  and when Alesha returned after a trip away, she found strangers in the home she has owned for seven years.

The locks were changed and she was reduced to sleeping in her car and says squatters took over her house.

'I don't know how I can meet bad people like this,' she said.

Another woman who rented a room at Alesha's house says she has also been locked out, but her belongings are still there.

She went on Gumtree for renters and a woman (right) paid for three weeks, but stayed on

Alesha says she went away on a trip and returned to find strangers in her home and the locks changed

When a reporter and camera crew from A Current Affair visited the property, the people in the house threatened to call the police.

But following the visit, the house was vacated.

However, Alesha says there is damage and some of her possessions have gone missing.

Grant Stephens, the real estate agent who sold Alesha the house, said the issue is not one that is usually seen in the area.

'There are a couple of fairly scary customers in the home, so it's something that is quite daunting for a lady from China, at her age, with her health and her language limitations,' he told A Current Affair.
A man's night in a South Texas hotel quickly took a turn for the weird when he seemingly filmed paranormal activity.

Potus Frank Ramirez recorded a Facebook video in his Harlingen, Texas, Country Side Inn hotel room showing numerous spooky incidents.

'I was laying here, watching CNN, and that phone fell off its cradle and I have no idea why,' the Corpus Christi native said in the video.

Potus Frank Ramirez recorded a Facebook video in his Harlingen, Texas, Country Side Inn hotel room showing numerous incidents that he believes were paranormal activity

'It's really freaking me out so I decided to turn on my phone, because I can't figure out what's going on and this happened a couple of times already.'

In the clip, Ramirez walks around the room describing the occurrences that he's already seen in the hotel.

While filming, the phone on the dresser flies off the cradle and a medium-sized towel falls to the ground along with a hanger.

Ramirez repeatedly ask for the ghost's name and eventually opens the door for the entity, asking it to leave.

But many on the social media platform question the validity of the video

The video has been viewed more than 6,300,000 times and has racked up 84,700 shares and 20,000 reactions.

But many on the social media platform question the validity of the video.

Micah Pediford said: 'At 3:40 he's pulling the hanger toward him. You can see his hand in the mirror. Also note that every single item is pulled TOWARD him.'

'Fake as hell,' added Jeff George.

Micah Pediford said: 'At 3:40 he's pulling the hanger toward him. You can see his hand in the mirror. Also note that every single item is pulled TOWARD him'

'Fake as hell,' added Jeff George

It was a sentiment shared by Homer Garza who analyzed the video.

'Why would the phone being disconnected have any significance? No luggage in room. The towel moves before it flies off,' he said.

'Also if this happened to you or me? We'd run and scream in terror we certainly wouldn't laugh about it. Or turn into a paranormal ghost hunter.

'Also IM SO SURE THE "GHOST" FOLLOWED HIS EVERY COMMAND... LMAO. . It's too staged sorry. You can almost see the shadows of a second person in the room rigging the tricks....'

Homer Garza analyzed the video, finding several discrepancies he supposedly found

Gus Hernandez posted a photo of the towel with a circle saying there was string and added: 'Further proof. Lol just saying!!!'

'But why is the phone always moving to your direction? Cause obviously you pulling it duh lol,' said Jennifer Beaver

Gus Hernandez posted a photo of the towel with a circle saying there was string and added: 'Further proof. Lol just saying!!!'

Ramirez told KSAT that he went to reception and asked for a new room. In the new room, he had all the lights on at bedtime but didn't sleep one bit

'But why is the phone always moving to your direction? Cause obviously you pulling it duh lol,' said Jennifer Beaver.

Ramirez had choice words for those who doubted his encounter.

'Everybody's got their own opinion and I'm open to that and I appreciate it, but I'm not going to disrespect or talk down to anyone just because they don't believe the video, or don't believe it's real,' Ramirez said to KSAT.

'That's why I filmed in the mirror and walked all around (the room).'

Ramirez told KSAT that he went to reception and asked for a new room. In the new room, he had all the lights on at bedtime but didn't sleep one bit.

Hotel staff reportedly told Ramirez that they wouldn't have anyone sleep in the room until it was blessed.

Ramirez added that he keeps a bible nearby and held one tightly on his ride home.
British holidaymakers have been enduring weeks of chaos at airports across Europe with queues up to four hours long after tougher border controls were imposed by the EU  it emerged today.

Airports popular with UK tourists have seen queues stretching back hundreds of yards after stricter checks were imposed on entry and exit to the European 'Schengen' area.

Stricken passengers looking forward to their holidays have been left unaware of the delays which have been ongoing for several weeks but only came to light today.

Some airports have reported long delays to planes taking off while crews wait for passengers to pass the border, with other travellers missing their flights while standing in line.

Pictures of the hell endured by passengers over the last few weeks have emerged today as British families set off on their summer breaks.

Palma airport in Majorca is one of the worst hit, with tourists fainting in hot temperatures in queues.

Tourist Connor Aston told MailOnline: 'There were four guys standing in only one booth yesterday at passport control. I felt they were punishing the UK residents and had a very abrupt attitude. It was absolutely not a good experience.'

Palma airport in Majorca, pictured two weeks ago, is one of the worst hit airports after the EU increased border checks on those entering the 'Schengen' countries of Europe

This shocking picture shows stranded passengers in a queue stretching back hundreds of feet in at Palma Airport on July 18

Thousands of beleaguered travellers have been left standing for airports for hours, including one of the worst hit, Palma (pictured two weeks ago)

This was the scene in Palma, Majorca last month, with further delays expected during the summer holidays

Palma airport, pictured when the changes were first brought in, is among those hit by the changes. This was the scene there in June when passengers reportedly missed flights. Spanish officials said the new rules had 'complicated passport control for British tourists'

This was the scene at Paris's Orly airport last week, where some reported 80-minute delays

This was the scene at Palma airport earlier this summer, where passengers were reportedly missing flights. Source: Facebook / Rob Smith

Mr Aston was trying to get on an Easyjet flight to Belfast with his with partner, mother-in-law and children aged three, six and 12.

He waited around half an hour to get through controls, and added: 'It definitely looked as they were on a go slow.'

Jessica Williams was stuck at Palma Airport for more than two hours, with customers given no information as to what was going on.

Ms Williams told MailOnline: 'The only thing we got told was there was a 'situation' and that our flights wouldn't leave without us.

'We thought it was something to do with terrorism as they wouldn't tell us what was happening. Everyone was getting very annoyed as the air con wasn't on either.'

Nicki Gillon from Manchester told The Sun that people were fainting in the stifling temperatures in the hour-long queue she endured at the same airport last month.

Paul Bower had to wait 90 minutes at Bergerac Airport after flying in from Bristol last Thursday. For much of that time, he and other passengers were standing on the tarmac next to a runway beneath a marquee.

He said: 'There were three booths open but only one was manned. It was definitely taking longer to check each passport.'

Dr Michael Bond said he had a similar experience during a recent trip to Bastia on Corsica, where he waited for an hour on the tarmac to get through passport control.

Dr Bond said: 'We used to zoom through passport control after getting off the aircraft. Not this time. The queue stretched from the tarmac where we landed. It was six people wide and there were two people manning the passport control.'

The issue is also thought to have affected motorists using Dover to Calais ferries. Nigel Rumfitt had to wait an hour to get through controls at the Port of Calais yesterday.

Travellers from outside the Schengen free movement zone are being subjected to stricter vetting at passport control.

One holidaymaker tweeted this photo on July 29 with the caption, 'Queues for passport control at Palma airport this morning - what a farce!'

Hundreds of people could be seen at Palma Airport again on July 10

On July 9, one holidaymaker posted this picture on Twitter telling British Airways: 'Palma Airport passport control is complete chaos'

On July 12 Helena Pielchaty tweeted: 'Nil points for organisation at Palma Airport - crazy queues to get through passport control'

This was the scene at Bordeaux Airport earlier this summer where British travellers claimed they had to wait for one border guard to check passports, delaying three flights

EU border checks insisted on by Brussels have left British holidaymakers queuing for up to four hours at Europe's main airports. Pictured, queues at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam in June

Haydn Chaundy was among the air passengers expressing his outrage at the long delays

Furious: Tourists have taken to Twitter to complain about long waits at European airports

Mr Rumfitt said: 'The port was in chaos with a massive traffic jam at the entrance to the port and about ten lines of traffic funnelling into two lines to get through. We were early but it took an hour and we nearly missed our boat.

'There was no explanation of what was happening but this looks like a deliberate attempt to delay travellers to the UK. The officer to whom I complained blamed staff shortages.'

Why is this happening? How EU rule is causing chaos at airports The long queues at airports inside Europe's Schengen area are due to the implementation of a new EU regulation passed in March. Regulation 2017/458 reinforces rules on checking non-Schengen passengers including Britons against what it calls 'relevant databases', understood to be police and security databases. The new regulation calls on states to 'systematically carry out checks against relevant databases on all persons, including those enjoying the right to freedom of movement under Union law when crossing the external borders'. And the worst could be still to come, with some airports having not yet fully implemented the stricter checks. Countries have to enforce the tighter rules by the 7 October 2017, meaning queues could become even longer by the end of the summer. Advertisement

The problems follow an EU clampdown on people of all nationalities entering or leaving the Schengen zone, the border-free area which operates on the continent.

In the wake of terror attacks, it is understood passengers now have to be checked against a security database.

The changes mean waiting times have soared compared to previous summers, when British holidaymakers were waved through after officials checked the photo page of their passports.

Airlines for Europe (A4E), which represents airlines including British Airways and easyJet, said that some EU countries had not staffed their passport control areas to take the new rules into account - further exacerbating the delays.

Ruth Pishhorn was stuck in severe delays as she and her mother attempted to travel to from London Stansted to Palma Nova, Majorca, from July 17 until July 22.

Ms Pishhorn told MailOnline: 'We have been to Majorca many times in the past few years and we have never experienced queues like it.

'As soon as we got off the plane, we were ushered into the departure lounge and had to walk through the entire departure lounge to join a queue of hundreds of miserable Brits.

'As for increased security, all of that was just to be met with two very miserable security guards who barely checked anyone's passport.

'Then going home the departures lounge was full to the brim of arrivals - the queues were so long that a queue formed from people walking to the queue. Chaos!'

British tourists have complained of massive delays on Twitter, with one traveller fuming: ' @Malaga__Airport I've been to many airports. Never have I had to stand in queue this long for passport control #appalling'.

Another at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, wrote: 'Amsterdam airport is a disaster again today. Schengen-passport control queue extends beyond E-gates 4hrs waiting time'.

Some airports in Europe still have slow computer systems, increasing the delays, The Times reported today.

This was the scene at Palma airport in Majorca month after the new checks were brought in

Passengers reportedly fainted in the long queues which snaked through the Majorca airport

British tourists among 1,000 people to miss flights as security staff deliberately take 10 MINUTES to pass each of them through security during industrial action There were huge queues at Barcelona airport today where Twitter users said automatic barriers were not in use The industrial action during peak holiday season has caused around 1,000 people to miss flights at the airport British holidaymakers faced further travel misery today as security staff at Barcelona airport took industrial action causing long queues and missed flights. Staff at the El Prat airport were working to rule and deliberately taking the maximum of ten minutes to pass each passenger through security. The industrial action during peak holiday season has caused around 1,000 people to miss flights at the airport in the past few days, airline bosses said. Around 350 staff from the private firm Eulen Seguridad work at the airport controlling queues, operating scanners and searching passengers. They want increased staffing levels and improved working conditions, saying they are stressed and work up to 16 hours a day. Aceta, the association of Spanish air transport companies, said some airlines had to delay flights because many of their passengers could not board on time. The firm said since July 24 around 1,000 passengers had not made their flights. Pictures on social media in recent days have shown long lines of passengers in crowded terminals. A worker for airport operator Aena said some people had reported having to wait up to two hours in a queue. Advertisement

Thomas Reynaert, of airline association A4E said: 'Travellers face long lines and can't get on their flights. Queuing for up to four hours has been the top record these days; airports like Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Lyon, Paris-Orly, Milan or Brussels are producing shameful pictures of devastated passengers in front of immigration booths, in lines stretching hundreds of metres.

WORST HIT AIRPORTS Beleaguered passengers have been stuck in queues stretching back hundreds of metres at airports across Europe. However, the worst hit include Madrid Barajas International Airport, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, LyonSaint Exupery Airport, Paris-Orly, MilanMalpensa Airport and Brussels, which have seen a surge in tourists at the start of the summer holidays. Advertisement

'At some airports, flight delays have increased by 300% compared to last year  [Schengen] Member States must take the responsibility for this.'

Palma airport in Majorca is among one of the worst hit, with reports of long waits even before the schools summer holidays started last month.

Extra border officials had to be drafted in to the Balearic island last month amid reports tourists were missing their flights.

A month after new rules were brought in, passengers were reportedly fainting in the long lines which formed at popular tourist island's airport.

Local official, Maria Salom, told expat paper The OIive Press that new controls for non-Schengen residents 'had complicated passport control for British tourists'.

This was the scene in Majorca in April, the month after the new checks were brought in

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen told MailOnline: 'UK travellers will have a sneaky suspicion that this is some kind of EU punishment. They are going to be thinking, what has changed?

'The only thing is that we are leaving the EU.'

Mr Bridgen said the economies of countries like Spain relied heavily on the inflow of tourists from the UK, warning that if people were not treated well they would simply go elsewhere.

'You would have thought that with the eye watering levels of youth unemployment on the continent they could find someone to work in passport control to help the holidaymakers coming to spend their money,' he added.

British holidaymakers are left stranded on the island of Zakynthos after their EasyJet plane spends TWO DAYS grounded on the tarmac Among those marooned in the Greek airport is Mark Longbottom, a charitable foundation worker living in Bristol, and his young family. They have been there for three days Scores of British holidaymakers were today left stranded in 'total chaos' on the Greek island of Zakynthos after their grounded EasyJet plane spent a third day on the tarmac. Technical problems with flight EZY9746 to London Gatwick has meant families have been marooned in Greece since Sunday. The budget airline tried to rescue the men, women and children involved but they claimed a nighttime curfew on landings caused by endangered loggerhead turtles saw them cancel a relief flight. After a string of delays and failed take-offs, some families were forced to spend hundreds of pounds on flights with other companies having lost faith in EasyJet. It is understood around 40 people from the original 180 booked onto Sunday's flight are on their way back to the UK on an EasyJet flight which is due to land in Gatwick at 4.11pm having also been delayed. Advertisement

A spokesperson for the UK's Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said: 'ABTA is aware that new, stricter passport checks are resulting in longer queues at Palma airport which is already busy due to a significant increase in passenger numbers.

'Tour operators will ensure that customers get to the airport in plenty of time so that they are not in danger of missing their flights, however independent travellers will need to ensure that they factor these longer queuing times into their travel plans when flying in and out of the airport.'

The countries in the Schengen area are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Ministers should double the minimum legal broadband speed, a Government study has found.

The new Digital Economy Act sets out powers for the Government to impose a minimum broadband speed of 10 mega-bits-per-second (10 mbps)  typically fast enough to stream TV programmes over the internet.

But a new study by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport suggests a speed of 20 mbps would provide greater value for money.

The study, which was slipped out on Sunday, suggests a legal minimum speed of 10 mbps would create benefits to the economy of 2.2 billion once the costs of achieving it are taken into account. Doubling the speed would create benefits worth 2.5 billion, even after the higher cost of achieving it is factored in.

The new Digital Economy Act sets out powers for the Government to impose a minimum broadband speed of 10 mega-bits-per-second (10 mbps). But a new study by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport suggests a speed of 20 mbps would provide greater value for money

Former Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps last night called on ministers to think again  and ensure Britain's economy is not left behind.

Mr Shapps, who is campaigning for ministers to get tough with the broadband industry, said: 'This is precisely the moment when Britain should be stretching our broadband speeds to ensure we're competitive in the post-Brexit global race.

'It is therefore concerning that we should opt for the slow lane even when the impact assessment clearly shows more benefits from opting for twice the speed.'

A survey by the technology firm Akamai suggests the UK ranks 15th in the world for average broadband speeds. South Korea leads the way with average speeds of over 28mbps. Sweden has the fastest broadband in the EU, averaging over 20mbps.

Setting a target of 10 mbps rather than 20 will be roughly 200 million cheaper, but produces 500 million less in terms of benefits for the economy.

Ministers were under fire at the weekend after it emerged they could ditch the legal minimum altogether as part of a cosy deal with BT.

In a surprise move, digital minister Matt Hancock said the new law could be shelved in return for a voluntary commitment from the telecoms giant to spend 600 million on rolling out broadband to 1.2 million homes that cannot get a decent service.

Former Tory Party chairman Grant Shapps (pictured) last night called on ministers to think again  and ensure Britain's economy is not left behind

Under the terms of the arrangement, all broadband customers could face a surcharge on their bills to pay for the rollout. Industry experts have claimed it could cost every household 20.

The Country Land Owners Association condemned the decision to backpedal on a new legal guarantee, which was included in the Tory manifesto.

The organisation's president Ross Murray said: 'We will fight any attempt to water down the hard won legal right to broadband for rural homes and businesses. For too long, rural areas have been at the back of the queue when it comes to investment in infrastructure and that is why this legal principle is not something to compromise on.

'The Universal Service Obligation is necessary because it creates an inalienable right that can be enforced by the premise owner. It cannot be replaced by a cosy deal with just one company allowing it to deliver connection how it sees fit.

'Accountability for delivering the rollout of broadband has been a closed shop discussion between the industry and the regulator for too long. It is this that the USO would end, making the consumer the enforcer. It's no wonder BT Group doesn't want that.'

The CLA said any legal minimum should be made flexible enough that it can be increased at a later date as technology improves.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the decision to adopt a slower 10mbps target was based on Ofcom advice that this would meet the needs of most families.

A spokesman said the minimum speed would be kept 'under review'. He added: '

'By the end of this year 95 per cent of the UK will be able to access superfast broadband and the Universal Service Obligation will make sure that no-one is left behind. We will keep the minimum speed of 10Mbps under review to ensure it continues to meet people's needs over time.'
A teenage woman has been bashed and an elderly woman robbed during a spate of wild attacks by three men in Sydney's west.

The spate of incidents began when police were called to Lethbridge Park at 6.30pm on Monday, after a man allegedly attempted to rob a petrol station.

After leaving the service station and allegedly robbing a 66-year-old woman, the man was joined by two friends. They then visited a nearby apartment and allegedly attacked the 19-year-old woman.

A woman has been left bloodied (pictured) and suffering facial injuries after an incident at a unit in western Sydney on Monday night

The 19-year-old woman (pictured) is led away in handcuffs by police, but is yet to be charged

A barechested man at the scene appears to confront another man as a woman attempts to restrain him

The 20-year-old man who first entered the service station approached the counter before asking for a packet of cigarettes.

But just moments later he allegedly threatened the attendant while also claiming to be in possession of a knife.

Despite his threats, the man left the store empty handed, before allegedly stealing money from a 66-year-old woman as she entered the shop to pay for her fuel.

After fleeing the store a 23-year-old man allegedly entered and grabbed a number of packets of chips, before also running from the scene.

Police were called to the service station and commenced an investigation, before an assault was reported at a nearby unit.

When officers arrived at the unit they were confronted by a number of people at the front of the property, forcing them to call for back up.

Two 20-year-old men and a 23-year-old man were arrested by police following the incidents

The spate of incidents began when police were called to Lethbridge Park on Monday, after a man allegedly attempted to rob a petrol station

Inside the unit officers discovered the woman bloodied and suffering facial injuries, with an ambulance taking her to Blacktown Hospital.

Two men, aged 20 and 23 were arrested for the offences that had occurred earlier at the service station.

They were taken to Mt Druitt Police Station where the 20-year-old was charged with demand money with menace with intent to steal, and steal from person.

The 23-year-old was charged with stealing.

Police were called to the service station and commenced an investigation, before an assault was reported at a nearby unit

Inside the unit officers discovered the woman bloodied and suffering facial injuries, with an ambulance taking her to Blacktown Hospital

When officers arrived at the unit (pictured) they were confronted by a number of people at the front of the property, forcing them to call for back up

Police talk to concerned residents out the front of the property at Lethbridge Park, in Sydney's west

Both men were refused bail and will appear in Mt Druitt Local Court on Tuesday.

A 20-year-old man was also arrested and taken to Mt Druitt Police Station where he was charged with an outstanding warrant.

He was refused bail and will also appear in Mt Druitt Local Court today. Inquiries into the assault continue.

While driving to the scene a police vehicle was involved in single vehicle collision at Bidwell. Fortunately the two officers in the vehicle were not hurt.
Jared Kushner has said Donald Trump's election team could not have colluded with Russia because they could barely communicate between offices.

The son-in-law of the president spoke to Congressional interns at a private meeting at the Capitol Visitor Center Monday afternoon as part of the Congressional Intern Lecture Series.

Though the meeting was supposed to remain off the record, a source gave magazine Foreign Policy a copy of written notes from Kushner's talk, which covered the investigation into the Trump campaign's potential ties to Russia and Kushner's security clearance forms.

'I'm a lot more comfortable talking to you guys today 'cause there isnt any press,' the senior adviser told the interns.

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White House Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner (pictured) arrives to address Congressional interns for a private talk at the Capitol Visitors Center Monday

Kushner told the interns Donald Trump's election team could not have colluded with Russia because 'we couldnt even collude with our local offices'

Kushner was supposed to speak with the interns two weeks ago, but the talk had to be rescheduled so he could give testimony about the Russia investigation to Congress.

'They thought we colluded, but we couldnt even collude with our local offices,' he told the interns.

When he was asked about special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, he replied: 'We dont know where its going.'

He also told the interns he didn't track his travel to foreign countries or his contact with foreign officials because he didn't expect to get into politics.

Kushner failed to report more than a hundred instances on his security clearance forms.

Though the meeting was supposed to remain off the record, a source gave magazine Foreign Policy a copy of written notes from Kushner's talk, which covered the investigation into the Trump campaign's potential ties to Russia and Kushner's security clearance forms

Kushner told the interns: 'I'm a lot more comfortable talking to you guys today 'cause there isnt any press'

He also mentioned the release of an Egyptian-American charity worker who was freed when Trump embraced Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Aya Hijazi had been trapped in Cairo for three years.

The intern director warned those who attended Monday not to leak the contents of the talk to the press.

The event was closed to the media.

Last week, Kushner met privately at the Capitol with members of the Senate and House intelligence committees.

He acknowledged four meetings with Russians during and after Trump's victorious White House bid and insisted he had 'nothing to hide'.
Social media posts have given an insight into the life of a young father who died after he was restrained by police.

Father-of-one Rashan Charles died following a struggle with an officer in a shop in Hackney, east London, on July 22.

Members of the community have since rallied to pay tribute to the youngster - whose social media posts make reference to repeated attempts on his life, with his Instagram profile named, 'Hard to Kill'.

This comes amid violent clashes on the streets of London in recent days, as impassioned protesters seek justice for the 20-year-old's death.

Father-of-one Rashan Charles died following a struggle with an officer in a shop in Hackney, east London, on July 22

Facebook posts from Mr Charles joke about numerous attempts made on his life

Facebook posts from Mr Charles joke about 'trapping' - slang for drug dealing - and attempts on his life.

In 2013 he wrote: 'I've been shot at, I've been stabbed but I still aint leaving the block. Shout out to all my haters.'

In another he said, 'Respected by most and hated by many', and made reference to being held in youth custody.

Friends say Mr Charles was a good father to his baby daughter.

Jada, Remiya's mother said her son was a 'caring and generous' father and a respected member of his local community.

Harrowing CCTV footage has emerged which shows Mr Charles being chased amid claims that he was trying to 'swallow an object'.

Harrowing CCTV footage has emerged which shows Mr Charles being chased amid claims that he was trying to 'swallow an object'

Police and the IPCC said Rashan Charles, pictured, was pronounced dead at the Royal London Hospital but would not comment on whether he stopped breathing beforehand

A large crowd gathered for speeches outside Stoke Newington Police Station, with Stafford Scott speaking on behalf of Esa Charles, the father of Rashan

Standing alongside the 20-year-old's grieving father Esa (right), Labour MP Diane Abbott (left), called for peace

He ran into the store in Kingsland Road, London at 1.45am on July 22 after failing to stop for police.

He can be seen wrestled to the floor as he appears to try to swallow an item. The policeman can be seen holding his hand briefly over the Mr Charles' mouth.

Police and the IPCC said Mr Charles was pronounced dead at the Royal London Hospital but would not comment on whether he stopped breathing beforehand.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the Independent Police Complaint's Commission was now investigating.

A spokesman for the Charles family accused police officers of 'killing youths on the streets' and forcing them into gangs, during an impassioned speech at a vigil in the 20-year-old's memory last weekend.

However protests followed as mobs of furious demonstrators set wheelie bins and mattresses on fire and attacked vehicles.
Local buisnessman Roger Booth said that they should charge 1-a-head

It has been suggested that the picturesque island should introduce a tax

The Isle of Skye in Scotland is sruggling with high tourist numbers

A quaint Scottish island is considering introducing a tax system to ward off an influx of tourists.

The Isle of Skye became a hot-spot destination after the likes of Kanye West and Harry Styles filmed music videos against the unspoiled back drop.

Now with tourist season fact approaching, residents are concerned with how the tiny island - famed for its rugged landscapes and tiny fishing villages - will deal with the population surging by almost 60,000 people.

The Isle of Skye (pictured) is famed for its rugged landscapes and tiny fishing villages is struggling to deal with the tourist season

It has been suggested that the island should follow other European cities that have imposed a tax on accommodation.

Roger Booth, a businessman from the Island, is leading a campaign to start the process.

Mr Booth told the Times: 'Only unpopular and drastic measures are going to solve these ongoing problems, we should impose a tourist tax as they do in Majorca.

'Even 1 a person could make a difference. Im sure people wouldnt complain.'

Roger Booth, a business man from the Island, is leading a campaign to start the process.

Cities that have successful introducing tourist tax are Venice, Florence, Paris, Berlin and Barcelona.

Fellow Scottish town Edinburgh attempted to follow suit in 2011, but this never came into fruition.
The value of homes bought and sold by investors looking for a quick profit has hit the highest level in a decade.

Some 30,822 houses and flats across England and Wales worth 5.5billion were flipped in the year to April - meaning they were bought and sold more than once over this period.

This was the highest figure since before the financial crisis in 2007, when 9.6billion of homes were flipped.

Burnley town centre. It dominates the top five listed streets for the cheapest place to buy a home in England and Wales, one of the reasons it is 'flipping' capital of the UK

Some 30,822 houses and flats across England and Wales worth 5.5billion were flipped in the year to April

The practice of flipping was previously concentrated in London.

But the slowdown in the capital, combined with hikes in stamp duty for properties worth over 1million and the 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge on second homes, has caused investors to look to the regions instead.

Property speculators have turned their attentions to cheaper  less trendy  parts of the country, where prices are growing more quickly and it is easier to pick up a bargain.

Burnley, in Lancashire, has become the flipping capital of Britain with almost one in ten homes sold during the year to April changing hands more than once.

It is surely no coincidence that it is also the cheapest place to buy a house in Britain, with the average home worth 78,000.

This is just over a third of the price of the average home in the UK costing 221,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Other hotspots include Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Wakefield in West Yorkshire and Reading.

Only two in the top ten areas for house flipping were in London  the suburban boroughs of Newham and Waltham Forest.

This compares with a year earlier when all but two of the top ten were in London, including wealthy areas such as Kensington and Chelsea where homes typically cost well over 1million.

The findings come from analysis of Land Registry data by estate agent Countrywide.

Angle street in Burnley was has been considered the cheapest street in which to buy property in the country

Only two in the top ten areas for house flipping were in London  the suburban boroughs of Newham and Waltham Forest

Johnny Morris, its research director of Countrywide told the Financial Times: There has been a big shift from London and towards places where prices are growing a bit more. It is a story about where people think prices will grow.

Its about the recovery in the housing market outside the South of England  the market in the Midlands and north has picked up in the past 18 months, making this more attractive and more financially viable for people to do.

Mr Morris said most investors had carried out basic renovation, such as a small extensions or interior refits, given the short amount of time at their disposal.

'FLIPPING' - PLACES WHERE HOMES ARE SOLD THE MOST IN A YEAR Homes sold twice in a year Burnley 8.3% Reading 6.7% Waltham Forest 6.4% Newham 5.9% Middlesbrough 5.7% Hartlepool 5.6% Wakefield 5.5% Country Durham 5% Wolverhampton 4.9% Fylde 4.9% Advertisement

A series of reports have pointed to house prices slowing down sharply in the capital, and being outpaced by regional markets such as Leeds and Manchester.

According to the ONS, house prices in London grew 4.7 per cent in the year to April, 6.6 per cent in the East Midlands, 8.1 per cent in the East of England and 6.8 per cent in the South West.

The combination of this trend and tax increases has made it harder for investors to make a profit by flipping in London.

In April last year former chancellor George Osborne introduced a 3 per cent stamp duty surcharge on second homes and buy-to let properties to cool the booming buy to let market.

An overhaul of stamp duty in 2014 cut the levy for most homes but increased it significantly for properties worth more than 938,000.

This has a disproportionate effect on London, where the bulk of 1million plus properties are.

According to the ONS, the most expensive borough to live in the UK is Kensington and Chelsea, where an average house costs 1.5 million.

This is more than 19 times the cost of an average property in Burnley.
British Gas today announced an eye-watering 12.5 per cent hike in electricity prices from next month in a direct snub to the Government.

The Centrica-owned firm was accused of 'sheer greed' and 'Dick Turpin energy' after the 18th century highway robber, following the news affecting 3.1million customers.

The huge increase in prices from September 15 - ahead of the winter - is at odds with concerns about high energy bills raised by Prime Minister Theresa May.

British Gas today announced a 12.5 per cent hike in electricity prices from next month

Before the general election, Mrs May announced plans for a cap that could save millions of people on standard variable tariffs (SVT) around 100 a year.

However, the move by British Gas suggests millions of families and pensioners will see an increase in bills, rather than a fall.

The firm said the price rise is its first since November 2013 and the group pledged to help protect more than 200,000 vulnerable customers from the increase.

Expectations of a price rise were fuelled by a website blunder by British Gas staff yesterday.

An incomplete statement briefly appeared on the website at noon promising to explain why it has had to raise electricity prices.

It was titled 'Why we've had to raise electricity prices - our first increase since November 2013.' However, the body of the text read only 'blah blah', suggesting the upload was an error.

An incomplete statement briefly appeared on the website at noon yesterday promising to explain why it has had to raise electricity prices. But the body of the text read only 'blah blah'

It was quickly removed from the website and British Gas subsequently refused to comment, beyond saying it does not speculate about future electricity pricing.

Such announcements are highly sensitive because they can affect share prices. Consequently, there are strict rules on how they are made, including timing, which is normally early in the day before stock markets open.

Social media users were outraged by today's rise. Jase Ives said: 'British Gas to be rebranded after putting up prices 12.5 per cent. No need to change personal banking details... Dick Turpin energy will get your cash.'

Theresa May previously announced plans for a cap that could save millions of people on standard variable tariffs around 100 a year

Another called 'JDunn' tweeted: 'Bye bye British Gas when the time comes. Absolutely unbelievable. Salaries not increasing like this #RansomToLive.'

And Charlotte Smith said: 'The 12.5 per cent price hike is sheer greed on the part of British Gas. Absolutely no excuse whatsoever. No doubt the others will follow.'

Details of the increase comes as British Gas owner Centrica posted half-year results revealing that earnings from its consumer business plunged by more than a quarter after it lost 377,000 UK customer accounts in the first half.

Underlying operating profits from its UK home energy supply arm tumbled 26% to 381 million as the group said it was also hit by warmer than normal temperatures and the pre-payment tariff cap.

Centrica's overall underlying operating profits were 4% lower at 816 million for the six months to June 30.

The group said it held off from the price rise a for 'up to six months longer than some of our competitors'.

The price hike will mean an average dual fuel bill for a typical annual household tariff will rise by 76 to 1,120 - a 7.3 per cent increase, according to British Gas.

The group said it will give more than 200,000 customers receiving a warm home discount a 76 credit to offset the tariff increase.

Social media users reacted with fury to the news of the British Gas price hike this morning

British Gas is the last of the Big Six providers to increase prices after it promised in December last year to freeze tariffs until August.

The group insisted its overall electricity costs had increased by 16 per cent since 2014.

But the move flies in the face of the Government, which made a pre-election pledge to introduce a price cap, although that has since been watered down to cover vulnerable households only.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell labelled the price hike 'extortionate' as Labour said it showed the Government had failed to rein in soaring energy bills.

And Alan Whitehead, shadow energy and climate change minister, said: 'Today's announcement shows that the Conservative Government has still not got a grip on the broken energy market, with companies raising prices yet again.'

'At the very least the Conservatives should institute the energy price cap which Theresa May promised during the campaign,' he added.

But Iain Conn, the chief executive of Centrica, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while the commodity price of electricity had come down, it was facing 'significant cost pressure' on transmission and distribution, as well as costs associated with Government policy.

He added: 'The net effect of both of these is an increase of about 62 on the average bill, and that is the main driver of the increase, combined with the fact that our electricity prices at British Gas have been some of the cheapest in the market, and actually we're now selling our electricity at a loss, which is clearly not sustainable.'

Mr Conn went on to say the energy market 'does need to be and could be reformed', but warned a price cap would reduce competition.

'We're actually proposing that the Government are even bolder and instead of capping standard variable tariff, they should reform it so that it's removed altogether so that contracts that don't have any end are actually phased out and that the level playing field is created so that all suppliers pay the Government's costs,' Mr Conn said.

HOW TO AVOID THE BRITISH GAS PRICE HIKE British Gas customers don't have to put up with rising prices. Those who ditch the supplier could, in fact, shave hundreds of pounds off their annual fuel bills. The Big Six's grip on the energy market is slowly beginning to loosen and there are now a handful of smaller suppliers beating them on price and service. Switching to one of the best-buy deals could save the average household as much as 280 per year, compared to British Gas' standard variable rate tariff after the price hike. You only need to be interested in the tariff that is going to be cheapest where you live, so do your own postcode comparison in minutes using the tool above - or here - to find the best price. You can read more about the best tariffs on offer and how the switching process works in the MailOnline's award-winning Money section, This is Money, here Advertisement

'Currently only the large suppliers pay these, and we don't think that's good for the market.'

The Government also says its policy costs make up a relatively small proportion of household energy bills and cannot by themselves explain price rises announced by energy suppliers.

British Gas and Centrica have suffered from the fact last winter was relatively warm and demand for central heating was lower than expected. At the same time, British Gas has lost thousands of customers to cheaper rivals.

Some industry analysts argue that falls in the wholesale price of gas and electricity should see cuts in energy bills rather than increases.

Mr Conn, who received a 40 per cent pay rise in 2016 taking the total to 4.15 million, recently hinted price rises were on the way and suggested the company's costs have risen.

Energy firms have blamed price rises in the past 18 months on increases in green taxes to subsidise a switch to wind and solar power.

British Gas has suffered from the fact last winter was relatively warm and demand for central heating was lower than expected

They have also pointed to the cost of support for poor households by, for installing, subsidised loft insulation. On top of that, billions of pounds is being spent on installing smart meters, a cost that is added to all household bills.

The Government's promise of a price cap for all households on standard variable rate tariffs appears to have been watered down in recent months.

Instead, the industry regulator, Ofgem, has been asked to find ways to cut bills for a smaller number of so-called vulnerable households.

Shadow energy minister Alan Whitehead told Today that Centrica's plans amounted to a 'whopping price increase', adding that all the Big Six energy companies had now put prices up at a time wholesale prices had come down.

The Labour MP said: 'On the face of it, it doesn't appear to be justifiable at all.

'What the Government should have done about it, because there was an agreement, essentially, coming into the election, that there should be a price cap operating across the market, and also action should be taken on the standard variable tariffs that so many customers are on. It is indeed still our policy and was our policy going into the election.

'Unfortunately the Government has decided, despite having that in their manifesto, that they're not going to do that now and that's something we'd want to press them to change their minds on, because it's really important now that energy prices are stabilised and we need a cap to do that.'

Head of research for consumer collective the Big Deal, Ed Molyneux, said: 'A British Gas price rise is completely unjustifiable. They should be cutting prices not raising them.'

He added: 'If the Government acted to bring in the price cap it promised this behaviour would stop.'

With these hikes set to kick in just before the winter, this is a body blow for consumers Claire Osborne, energy expert

Claire Osborne, energy expert at uSwitch.com, said: 'With these hikes set to kick in just before the winter, this is a body blow for consumers.

'At a time when living costs are rising faster than wages, this hike could push many families into the red. Customers should not be lulled into a false sense of security.

'The British Gas standard tariff remains the cheapest among the Big Six but it is still 286 more expensive that the cheapest deal on the market today.'

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: 'Energy firms should treat all their customers fairly and we're concerned this price rise will hit many people already on poor-value tariffs.

'In response to a letter from the Business and Energy Secretary asking what action the regulator intended to take to safeguard customers on the poorest value tariffs and the future of the standard variable tariff, Ofgem has committed to taking prompt action, in consultation with consumer experts, to develop proposals including a safeguard tariff. We want to see rapid progress on this commitment.'
A rare snake has made history - and stunned wildlife rangers - after they found the peculiar reptile in the Northern Territory.

Slaty Grey snakes are usually brown or black, but the extremely rare find has uncovered a striking white snake with pearly scales and black beady eyes.

Territory Wildlife Park visitor experience manager Simon Ferguson told Daily Mail the amazing serpent is the first - and so far only - confirmed recording of a totally white example of the common species.

A rare white snake (pictured) is the only one of its kind recorded by wildlife carers

The Slaty Grey, nicknamed Lucille, was found and given to Territory Wildlife Park

Lucille is the only white snake of her species recorded in Australia

'Most people are fascinated, it's an absolutely beautiful snake,' Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson added there had been white snake sightings reported about five years ago, but it wasn't confirmed to a particular species.

Although appearing to be albino at first sight, the lack of red eyes means the reptile is thought to have the Leucistic gene, which causes loss of pigmentation in the skin, but not the eyes.

Wildlife carers have been calling her Lucille in recognition of the condition.

'It's a fluke with genetics... the random chance two animals (with recessive genes) meet and produce,' Mr Ferguson said.

'It's very lucky if the offspring actually survive ... they often get picked off at a young age by predators.'

Usually brown or black, the Slaty Grey snake (pictured) is common in Northern Australia

The non-venomous snake will be on display in coming months for the public to enjoy

Slaty Grey snakes The native Australian snake is usually brown, leaden-grey or black in colour with a white belly. A white Slaty Grey snake is extremely rare, with Lucille the only one of her kind the wildlife carers are aware of. The common nocturnal snake is usually found in north Australia. The non-venomous snake grows up to 1.3m in length. When disturbed, they release a strong odour from their anal gland. Advertisement

Mr Ferguson, who has worked with snakes for 12 years, said Lucille appears to be about two years old, and that it's remarkable that she had survived that long.

The wildlife park posted the jaw-dropping photos on Facebook in June, and they quickly gained more than 4,000 likes.

The native Australian snake was placed in quarantine at the wildlife park to rid it of 'any nasties' that might harm other animals and will continue to stay in quarantine for at least a few more months.

Mr Ferguson said Lucille had to pass several tests before they can place her on display at the Northern Territory park.
In Mia Ash's case, her identity had been meticulously constructed over more than a year by an international hacking gang

One can understand how he fell for her. Dark-eyed and alluring, with glossy hair worn in a sexy, tousled style, Mia Ash was 30 years old, a well-educated, successful photographer based in London, independent-minded and looking for love.

The middle-aged executive she approached online was captivated.

He, too, had an interest in photography and they fell into regular conversation via social media, first exchanging views on her portfolio of work, then broadening it to his job, their hobbies, travel experiences and their hopes for the future.

Before long, their chats were highly flirtatious, bordering on intimate.

And if the executive had any suspicions about Mia, they would soon have been allayed by her extensive profile on Facebook, where she had more than 500 'friends', plus hundreds more on LinkedIn, the business social networking site she'd used to contact him, and numerous posts on Instagram.

Mia was clearly a well-connected, sophisticated woman  a friend of several well-known photographers  who had set up her own business in 2014 and was going places.

If he'd wanted to know more, he could have discovered she came from Great Wyrley in Staffordshire and had attended the Royal Academy of Arts, where she obtained a BA in fine art, followed by Goldsmiths, University of London, where she studied for an MA.

She had started her career as an assistant at the trendy Clapham Picturehouse in south-west London, before staff jobs at various photographic studios.

She was into indie music and conservation issues and her relationship status was 'It's complicated', a social media phrase that signals availability.

So all in all it was a potential match made, if not in heaven, then in cyberspace.

But sadly there was one big problem: Mia Ash didn't exist.

Instead, she is the incarnation of a modern honey trap.

Using beautiful women to lever secrets from vain, sexually adventurous men is the oldest trick in the espionage book. Now, though, honey-trappers stalk the internet, trawling for gullible males with powerful information to steal.

A photograph chosen to represent her, as well as numerous selfies, were lifted from the social media accounts of an innocent Romanian student and blogger. Before Ms Ash 'disappeared' from the internet in February, she is reported to have lured senior figures in sensitive industries in the U.S., Israel, India and Saudi Arabia into revealing confidential data that would be dynamite for a rival nation such as Iran  the chief suspect in this case

And the femmes fatales? They are fake, existing only in pixels.

Ms Ash's identity had been meticulously constructed over more than a year by an international hacking gang. A photograph chosen to represent her, as well as numerous selfies, were lifted from the social media accounts of an innocent Romanian student and blogger.

Ms Ash's starry CV and status updates were carefully crafted to mimic those of genuine creative professionals on LinkedIn.

Before Ms Ash 'disappeared' from the internet in February, she is reported to have lured senior figures in sensitive industries in the U.S., Israel, India and Saudi Arabia into revealing confidential data that would be dynamite for a rival nation such as Iran  the chief suspect in this case.

It wasn't intelligence agencies who caught her out, though. It was a computer.

Ms Ash had been getting on so well with her latest conquest  an executive in the Middle East  she had asked for a little favour.

It sounded so innocent: she needed to collate feedback for a photography survey. Would he mind completing an Excel program spreadsheet she'd send to him as an email attachment? He'd have to do this on his office computer, otherwise the technology might play up, she said.

In truth, of course, the reason was so she could get access to his company's IT system. Gulled by a month of internet footsie-playing, Ms Ash's latest conquest did just as instructed.

But the email attachment her controllers sent was a 'Trojan horse' which smuggled spyware or malware into the company's main system. There, the program, called PupyRAT, was poised to steal corporate and strategic plans.

It was then the sting began to unravel, though, as the company's sophisticated cyber-defences identified the rogue program and blocked it, ringing alarm bells.

The Middle Eastern company immediately called on SecureWorks, a U.S. cyber-security firm, to probe the spyware attack.

Its analysts, who have just made the case public, soon discovered one of that company's employees had been communicating with 'Mia Ash' for more than a month.

According to the analysts, the technical tools used suggest she was the creation of a group known as Cobalt Gypsy, which specialises in stealing industrial secrets in line with Iranian political and economic interests (Iran denies involvement in cyber-espionage).

They suspect the scheme had already worked successfully around the world, with Ms Ash planting snooping software on companies' computer networks to harvest vital data, having first used exactly the same technique to lure in employees.

The internet appears to offer a new level of persuasion to honey-trappers. Studies show that when we share personal details with strangers over the internet, our brains quickly become addled into thinking we have built a real intimacy and trust with them

'This is one of the most well-built fake personas I've seen,' says Allison Wikoff, a researcher with SecureWorks. 'It definitely worked, and did so for well over a year.'

But if the technology used was cutting-edge, this type of seductive snare has a long history.

The first recorded honey traps are the Biblical stories of Judith and Delilah. Judith seduced the enemy commander Holofernes and beheaded him; Delilah seduced Samson and got him to reveal the secret of his strength.

In World War I, the Dutch dancer Mata Hari was executed for feeding to the Germans secrets she had gleaned by bedding Allied politicians in Paris.

More recently, in 2006, a senior Scottish Army officer was sent home from Islamabad in disgrace after being caught by MI6 in an 'inappropriate relationship' with a Pakistani intelligence agent.

Nowadays, however, webchat is increasingly the new pillow talk, according to Edward Lucas, an expert on cyber-security and author of a forthcoming book on the new technology of espionage.

'This is now a major part of the espionage game,' he says. 'All spy agencies will be doing this.'

He adds: 'A digital world means you can get alongside someone without having to go to the other side of the world to meet them. Instead, you can go on LinkedIn or social media.'

The old rules remain, however.

Mr Lucas says: 'Most people who are espionage targets are males, and males who like pretty women. Before the internet, if you wanted to use a pretty woman, you had to get a real woman in real physical proximity to the man, and you had to run a real risk of her being caught. Now you can just disappear into cyberspace.'

Less sophisticated virtual honey traps have also paid off.

In 2015, hackers posing as beautiful females stole a trove of detailed battle-plans from rebel groups fighting the Syrian government, according to the U.S.-based cyber-security firm FireEye.

The company found hackers had created fake Skype accounts with profile photos of attractive women to target opposition groups.

The hackers contacted their victims, flirted with them and asked to share photos. When the hacker's photo arrived, it concealed a spy program.

The internet appears to offer a new level of persuasion to honey-trappers. Studies show that when we share personal details with strangers over the internet, our brains quickly become addled into thinking we have built a real intimacy and trust with them.

Professor Monica Whitty, a cyber-psychologist at the University of Warwick, says it can be easier to fall in love with a stranger over the internet than with someone you meet in real life.

The techniques used in honey-trapping men for cash bear close similarities to those used by spies who trawl for secrets.

Professor Whitty, who is the author of Cyberspace Romance: The Psychology Of Online Relationships, and has studied online dating fraud, says: 'When you are communicating with someone online morning, noon and night, and disclosing precious information about yourself, it's hard to think that this is not real.'

Even people who accept they have been conned by criminals still say they crave the relationship. Some even try to go back to it, says Prof Whitty: 'If a criminal is saying everything about you is wonderful, it's very hard to detach from that grooming process.'

As, no doubt, the victims of Mia Ash will know.
Osama bin Laden's son Hamza has issued chilling messages aimed at the Saudi royal family.

The 28-year-old, labelled the 'poster boy' for al Qaeda, is reportedly poised to lead the terror organisation in a bid to avenge his father's death.

The first video message from Hamza released a year ago hailed lone-wolf terror attacks and called for an uprising in the kingdom, according to AlMonitor.

The second accused Abdul-Aziz bin Rahman Al Saud - the first monarch and founder of Saudi Arabia - of being a British agent.

The son of Osama bin Laden (left) Hamza (right, in a graphic made by experts using age progression technology in a bid to picture him now) has issued chilling messages aimed at the Saudi royal family

Hamza bin Osama bin Laden pictured as a boy in 2001, displaying what the Taliban say is wreckage from a U.S. helicopter near Ghazni

Hamza claimed that the Saudis betrayed Islam by working with the 'crusaders' against the Ottoman caliphate.

Hamza has been a prominent figure in several propaganda videos for al Qaeda, even as a young boy.

He was filmed calling for terrorist attacks on London, Washington and Paris in an audio message released by the organization in 2015.

He has recorded four of theses types of messages in the last two years.

In January, Hamza was placed on a State Department terror watch list and named a 'specially designated global terrorist' - the same classification Osama had.

A former FBI agent who has read letters written by a 22-year-old Hamza, which are now declassified, said he seems motivated and prepared to avenge his father.

Ali Soufan was an agent who also served as the bureau's lead investigator of al Qaeda after 9/11. He said bin Laden's son was seen as the next possible leader of the terrorist organization when he was just a child, CBS News reported.

Principal among Hamza's messages is his desire for revenge.

Hamza has been a prominent figure in several propaganda videos for al Qaeda, even as a young boy

He was filmed calling for terrorist attacks on London, Washington and Paris in an audio message released by the organization in 2015

'He's basically saying, 'American people, we're coming and you're going to feel it. And we're going to take revenge for what you did to my fatherIraqAfghanistan'the whole thing was about vengeance,' Soufan said.

'He was a poster kid for the al Qaedaand for members of al Qaeda, who were indoctrinated with these propaganda videos, he means a lot to them,' Soufan said.

Soufan said Hamza also uses the same terminology and sentences that his father once used.

Osama was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011, by US Navy SEAL Team Six.

Following his death, dozens of letters written by him to his family and senior members of al Qaeda were released.

Senior intelligence officials claimed that some revealed he had been grooming his son to take over the terror group.

In one letter, Hamza's mother even implored her son to follow in his 'father's footsteps.'
George Clooney is opening public schools for Syrian refugee children.

The Hollywood actor recently announced through his foundation that he will open seven schools for the children of the war-torn country.

George and his wife Amal released a statement confirming that Google, HP and Unicef will work with the The Clooney Foundation for Justice, opening the schools for more than 3,000 refugee children in Lebanon.

George and his wife Amal released a statement confirming that Google, HP and Unicef will work with the The Clooney Foundation for Justice to sponsor 3000 Syrian children's education

The statement read that the Foundation's 2.5 million commitment will prevent the children from becoming a 'lost generation'.

'Our goal with this initiative is to help provide Syrian refugee children with an education and put them on a path to be the future leaders their generation desperately needs,' the statement read.

The couple, who just became parents of twins, established the Clooney Foundation for Justice last year to support equity in courtrooms, classrooms and communities around the world.
A survey into the sexual assault of university students has revealed more than half of the women who attend Australian campuses have been harassed in the last year.

The 'Change the course' Australian Human Rights Commission survey, released on Tuesday, details how 'women are almost twice as likely as men to be harassed, and more than three times as likely to be assaulted.'

Australian National University Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt issued an apology to students across Australia after the results were released, stating 'one incident is more than we should accept.

The Australian Human Right's Commission survey, released Tuesday, into the sexual assault of university students has revealed 51 per cent of women who attend Australian campuses have been harassed in the last year

The report's results drew backlash, with students at Australian National University participating in a protest on Tuesday

He called the report 'difficult reading' and said that students would have the full support of university when reporting sexual assault or harassment.

'We must  and we will  do better. Every member of our community has a right to expect they will be safe,' he said

'This level of sexual harassment and sexual assault is not acceptable in our universities, in our workplaces, in our city, or anywhere in our society.

'The shock must be met with action. Perpetrators will not be welcome in our community.'

The survey was commissioned by Universities Australia after claims institutions were covering up claims from victims.

Results came from more than 30,000 students across 39 universities and showed that 94 per cent of those harassed and 87 per cent of those assaulted did not make a formal complaint or report.

Australian National University students were seen wearing black masking tape across their faces and holding banners

Results from the survey saw postgraduate students being nearly twice as likely as undergraduate students to have been sexually harassed by a lecturer or tutor

Students protested the report, which revealed that one woman had been raped by a senior student leader running an Orientation Week or "O-Week" camp

Of those who reported assaults or harassment, 51 per cent knew the perpetrator, who were most likely to be fellow students and men.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins said the Australian Human Rights Commission heard numerous accounts of women being sexually assaulted by people they described as close friends who they trusted.

The impacts of being assaulted by a friend from university were often severe, Ms Jenkins said.

'In submissions people described feeling anxious about being on campus because they were afraid of seeing the perpetrator.

'In some cases the fear was so great that the students dropped out of university altogether.'

One woman revealed she was raped by a senior student leader running an Orientation Week or "O-Week" camp, organised by student clubs and societies to introduce first-year students to university life.

'She later heard that he had previously raped other female students at these camps and no action had been taken,' Ms Jenkins said.

ANU Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt apologised in his statement to students, claiming 'one incident is more than we should accept.

The survey was commissioned by Universities Australia after claims institutions were covering up claims from victims, with results from 30,000 students across 39 universities

ANU led the way in revealing their results,with close to 1,500 of their students taking part and that 841 of those claiming they had experienced sexual harassment last year

ANU led the way in revealing their results, stating that close to 1,500 of their students took part in the survey and that 841 of those claimed they had experienced sexual harassment in 2016.

Among those, 116 people stated they had been the victim of a sexual assault, of which 52 cases occurred on campus.

They also disclosed that 74 per cent of the incidents involved fellow students as the perpetrator, while five per cent came from a lecturer or tutor.

Results from the wider survey saw postgraduate students being nearly twice as likely as undergraduate students to have been sexually harassed by a lecturer or tutor.

It comes as explosive allegations of rampant sexism, misconduct, and bullying at the elite St Paul's College in Sydney were uncovered by Dauily Mail Australia in June

Several women, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed the extent of the 'slut shaming' at elite college St Paul's, saying they had been degraded

Students from the Canberra university participated in a protest after the results were released, wearing black masking tape across their faces and holding banners.

Deakin University also released their results, with Vice-Chancellor Jane den Hollander declaring the national report a 'line in the sand' moment.

'Just one instance of violent and intrusive behaviour is one too many and we affirm our commitment to prevention,' she said.

Up to 649 students from Deakin University took part in the survey, with their results consistent with the national report's, meaning half of students who participated experienced 'some form of sexual harassment' in the last year.

The university also urged victims to come forward, stating they were committed to increasing access to support services and providing information on where to go to report incidents.

The results also showed that 94 per cent of those harassed and 87 per cent of those assaulted did not make a formal complaint and that 51 per cent of people knew the perpetrator

Deakin Unuiversity also pledged to support students as they released their results, with half of the 649 students who participated experiencing 'some form of sexual harassment' in the last year

National Union of Students President Sophie Johnston called the survey results 'heartbreaking' at a press conference Tuesday morning.

'I think it wasn't necessarily because they were different or any more severe than what I expected,' she said.

'I guess it was just, after decades and decades of silence from so many victims, to actually hear the voices and see these stories is very confronting.'

Women's officer Abby Stapleton added that the prevalence of sexual assault and violence on campus meant universities could longer ignore the issue.

'Universities can no longer bury their heads in the sand and ignore sexual assault and harassment,' she said.

'Universities need to acknowledge that they have failed to protect students, and allowed rape culture to manifest on campus.'

National Union of Students President Sophie Johnston (left) spoke at a press conference Tuesday morning, where she called the survey results 'heartbreaking'

Miss Johnston said she had expected to see such results from the report, but the voices of the stories had been confronting

NUS Women's officer Abby Stapleton, added in a statement that the prevalence of sexual assault and violence on campus meant universities could longer ignore the issue

Aid Australian also called the results devastating but not surprising, saying it was 'unacceptable' for a country like Australia to fail to fund services to keep women safe in public spaces.

The Human Rights Commission included nine recommendations based on the results of the survey, with ANU confirming they would adopt all of them going forward.

Just a day before the results were revealed, Universities Australia also launched an interim phone line providing 24-hour support for university sexual assault victims.

In June, explosive allegations of rampant sexism, misconduct, and bullying at the elite St Paul's College in Sydney were uncovered by Daily Mail Australia.

Several women, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed the extent of the 'slut shaming' emanating from the elite college

One woman described the abuse as an 'every day pervasive experience,' where she would be 'degraded' for her sexuality.

National 24-hour support line for university students 1800 572 224, with access to Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia counsellors.

The national domestic violence helpline is 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.

A day before the results were revealed, Universities Australia launched a 24-hour phone line providing support for university sexual assault victims
Leaked emails from French President Emmanuel Macron reveal a belief that Britain is 'too important' to sideline to after Brexit because of its strong military.

More than 20,000 messages dating back to before Mr Macron became President were released by WikiLeaks on Monday.

Among them were a series of alerts from his advisers urging him to try to keep the UK involved with European defence, and it has also exposed rifts between France and Germany over a proposed European army.

A key email was sent by one of Mr Macron's ministers containing a report from a security expert on where France will stand after Brexit.

More than 20,000 of Emmanuel Macron's emails were released by WikiLeaks on Monday

It warned that France is likely to be 'caught between the temptation to seize Brexit to advance the CSDP [the EU's common defence plans] and the desire to maintain a critical mass of exchanges with the British, who  remain the most important and the most active country in the field of defence.'

The report also mentions that the two nations are likely to maintain close ties in terms of missile projects, in which they will 'merge certain industrial capacities.'

Of a Joint Expeditionary Force between France and England, the report says: 'Although it is a unifying project, the CJEF has not proved itself "on the ground" and could be dead letter for lack of Franco-British deployment in the months / years ahead.

'The armies continue the joint training (planning of exercises until 2022).'

Other emails showed that France and Berlin have major differences on how they feel a co-operative EU defence system which has been recently mooted, would operate, according to The Telegraph.

A spokesman for Mr Macron's En Marche party claimed that any email found in there may be fake and deliberately planted to discredit hackers.

They said: 'These emails were obtained and published illegally. We are not going to comment on whether specific emails are false'
A baffled driver has recorded footage of two conflicting speed signs on a south-east Melbourne road while hilariously commentating his confusion.

The man, who was driving down High St near Tooronga Road in Malvern, narrated his surprise, when he found one sign telling him to drive at 60km/h and an adjacent sign advising a speed of 40km/h.

'We have a 60km illuminated speed sign, and over the road we have a 40km illuminated speed sign,' he said.

The baffled driver recorded footage of two conflicting speed signs (pictured) on a south-east Melbourne road while hilariously commentating his confusion

In the footage, filmed at 6:57pm on Sunday night, two signs are clearly pictured with varying speed restrictions.

'So which one is which?' he said.

He pans between the two differing signs as vehicles are seen driving along the other side of the road.

'Doesn't get any better,' the man jokes at the end of the footage.

The man, who was driving down High St near Tooronga Road in Malvern (pictured), narrated his surprise, when he found the differing signs

A spokesperson from Vic Roads was happy to confirm the electronic speed limit sign was frozen on 40km/h on the 30th July.

'Members of the community informed VicRoads in the evening and the electronic sign was reset,' they said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'We have put actions in place to manage the functions of the sign while we work with the manufacturer to determine the cause of this error.'
A butcher and a painter allegedly involved in a terror plot to destroy a plane are related to Islamic State fighters in Syria, it has been claimed.

Police arrested on four Sydney men on Saturday who were suspected of plotting to bomb a flight packed full of passengers.

And an ABC report on Monday evening has revealed two of the men had family ties with Islamic State fighters in Syria, including the notorious jihadist Ahmed Merhi.

Detained painter Khaled Merhi is said to be related to the terrorist who experts said had been 'quite active in reaching back to Australia'.

Islamic State selfie: 'Stupid' labourer Ahmed Merhi is pictured clad in military fatigues and posting with an assault rifle in the Middle East

A man believed to be one of Merhi's relatives is pictured on left being arrested at the weekend. Meantime, fellow plane plot accused Khaled Khayat is seen, right

'We know a few infamous names  Mohamed Elomar and Khaled Sharrouf' - he's not as famous as them,' said Deakin University terrorism expert Professor Greg Barton.

'(But Merhi) has been quite active in reaching back to Australia. He's in the news regularly, meddling with family and friends back in Sydney'.

Since arriving in Syria in 2014, Merhi has penning a series of inflammatory Facebook rants demanding his followers launch suicide attacks.

'You must continue with istishhadi (suicide) operations, for by Allah, it is very effective poisen against the enemy's of allah,' Merhi wrote in 2016.

'For Allah sake take this opportunity and don't let it pass you by.

'Don't be dismayed by there numbers and those of the opostates (non-believers) with them. By Allah, they are nothing to us but beetles and flies.'

Prosecutors in a Sydney court case also allege he solicited a relative to send him $5000 in Syria.

Forensics officers pore through Khaled Merhi's property on Cleveland St, Surry Hills

Terror raids: Police take away belongings from Khaled Merhi's home in Surry Hills

But all his online bluster - posting selfies in military fatigues and touting assault rifles - has won him little respect from his father.

Faraj Merhi told The Australian newspaper last year his son was 'wild and stupid' and described him as a drug-taking construction worker who had trouble with the law.

'He was going the wrong way when he was here, too... He was on drugs or something'.

'We tried to help him a lot. Always, he do his own mind'.

Travellers are experiencing long delays at Australian airports after security was ramped up over the weekend

It remains unclear whether Ahmed Ferhi had a role in the alleged terror plot.

Another man detained over the alleged terror plot, former Wiley Park butcher Khaled Khayat, is also said to have a brother involved in the terror group.

But the relative has not been identified.

Professor Barton told Daily Mail Australia at least 80 of the 200 Australians to travel to the Middle East to fight had been killed.
Petition for McDonald's to serve veggie burgers in Australia is circulating online

Spokesman said there is 'no demand' for veggie burgers in Australian outlets

The man said he thought McDonald's staff 'just couldn't be bothered making it'

Vegetarian claims he was served veggie burger with only cheese and gherkin

A furious vegetarian claims he was served the worst ever veggie burger in McDonald's - a single cheese slice and one gherkin in a bun.

Rish Raniga, 29, attempted to order a meat-free option from his local McDonald's in southern Sydney, Australia, after work last Thursday.

But when the lifelong vegetarian asked staff for a meatless burger, he was horrified to be presented with a paltry option which was missing any sort of burger filling.

A vegetarian customer ordered a McDonald's burger and received a bun, cheese and a gherkin

'I even specifically asked the staff member who served me if they could make a vegetarian option and they said "of course we can, sure",' said Mr Raniga, who is a vegetarian for ethical and religious reasons.

'There was no reason to suggest they wouldn't be able to make that for me. After I bought the burger I took it home so didn't realise until I opened it.

'When I saw it I just thought "what the f***?". I'd had a few chips on the way home but I was getting ready for this burger and it was just empty, there was literally just nothing in it.'

Mr Raniga said he had been embarrassed to show people the picture because it looked so bad.

'It's not like I couldn't have got a veggie burger anywhere else, but sometimes you just crave a Maccas.

'But surely you should get more than one piece of cheese and one gherkin. I was really surprised, it is very disappointing.'

Rish Raniga (pictured) was disappointed when his vegetarian burger didn't include any filling

'At first I thought they'd forgotten the veggie patty, but I think they just couldn't be bothered making it. That's the vibe I got  that they don't know how to make a vegetarian burger.

'Maybe they didn't know or had just had no training in vegetarian options or had not been asked for a vegetarian option before.

'They should really think about catering to their market a bit better  there are a lot of vegetarians in Australia.'

Veggie burgers are offered in some McDonald's restaurants worldwide, but not in Australia

A McDonald's spokesperson said they were sorry that Mr Raniga did not have a good experience but that veggie burgers were not offered in Australia.

In 2016, vegetarian burger patties were temporarily available in five McDonald's branches across Australia but the menu option was dropped due to a lack of demand.

There is currently a petition circulating calling on the fast food chain to change their policy.

An online petition calling on McDonald's to introduce a vegetarian burger is now cirulating

Mr Raniga said he has no qualms ordering vegetarian burgers from other fast food chains across Sydney  with competitors like Hungry Jack's happy to oblige.

'You can walk into any restaurant the world over and there will definitely be vegetarian options available,' he said.

'Now if Im with mates and they want to go to Maccas, Im thinking well I cant do that now, what am I going to have?'

A McDonalds spokesperson said that there are some food items for vegetarians on their menu

The McDonald's spokesperson said: 'All of our menu innovation is driven by our customers, and we'll certainly take this feedback on board.

'We have a small number of existing items on our menu suitable for vegetarian consumers, however when we have introduced vegetarian burgers on the menu in the past their simply has not been enough demand for the product.

'All of our menu items are customisable to ensure they can meet the varied needs of our customers.'

McDonalds said that they have number of items that are suitable for vegetarian consumers

This comes one day after a Darwin woman complained that her local McDonald's refused to refund her after serving her raw beef in her quarter pounder.

When she demanded to be contacted by a representative from McDonald's head office, a man with a 'carefree attitude' told her that policy dictated the meat only had to be checked once in a 24 hour period.

'I said I wasn't happy with the response and that I'd be taking it to the health and safety food inspectors and she just said 'do what you've got to do',' she said.

A McDonald's customer found the patty was RAW when she took a bite of her Quarter Pounder

Joining the legion of dissatisfied fast food customers is Tara Marsden, who yesterday was left hungry and 'incomplete' when her veggie burger was missing half a bun.

'I was left hungry today when the staff decided to deprive me of my bun that should have been on the bottom of my burger,' the annoyed customer wrote on social media.

Ms Marsden admitted she had taken the missing bottom bun personally, and questioned whether it was the staff taking a jab at her figure.
A wheelchair-bound man has died after falling off a cliff at a beach in Sydney's east.

Paramedics were called to a beachside cliff in Sydney's eastern suburbs about 10.40am on Tuesday after reports an elderly man had fallen about 10 metres.

The man, believed to be in his 80s, died at the scene.

The man, believed to be aged in his 80s, went over a cliff in Sydney's eastern suburbs (scene pictured)

Paramedics were called the scene about 10.40am on Tuesday following reports an elderly man had fallen about 10 metres

NSW Police don't believe it was suspicious.

'It is believed to be a case of self-harm,' a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday afternoon.

Television footage showed a number of police and paramedics on the beach, surrounding a body covered by a white blanket.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
Juice companies are being forced to import 100% of their oranges from overseas with Australia experiencing a national shortage.

The Daily Juice Company have informed customers of the fruit deficiency attaching stickers to 2 litre bottles of orange juice.

'Due to a national shortage, our orange juice is currently 100% imported yet still 100% tasty,' the notice reads.

Juice companies are being forced to import 100% of their oranges from overseas with Australia experiencing a national shortage

The Daily Juice Company have informed customers of the fruit deficiency attaching stickers to 2 litre bottles of orange juice

Customers have reported seeing the stickers on orange juice bottles in supermarkets across Sydney and Melbourne.

A spokeswoman for The Daily Juice Company confirmed the national orange shortage Daily Mail Australia and said it was likely to continue until 'mid-August.'

'There is currently a national shortage of oranges for juicing in Australia and as a result we have moved to using 100% imported juice to ensure we can continue to manufacture Daily Juice and have it available for consumers on the shelves,' the spokeswoman said.

'We expect to use 100 per cent imported orange juice until around mid August. This is a short term solution until the new local navel season is available.'

The Daily Juice Company are importing navel oranges from Spain, which The Daily Juice Company say is 'high quality oranges.'

'We are the largest buyer of juicing fruits in Australia and have proudly partnered with local growers for decades and will continue to do so in the future.

To provide transparency to our consumers we have clearly labelled on the front of pack that our Daily Juice orange juice is currently 100 per cent imported.'

The Australia-based company has been in operation since 1989.
Kelly Green, 32, (left with her husband Shane Green) moved from Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the UK to Tristan da Cunha (pictured), one of a remote group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, in July 2013. The whole island descends from just seven families and has a population of just 138 inhabitants. It is only accessible by boat from Cape Town, South Africa, and the journey can take anywhere from a week to 15 days - depending on the weather. After going through a tough break up, Kelly travelled to the island to visit her parents in 2010 as her dad was a diplomat posted there. Kelly said she 'fell in love' with the island and it was there that she met her now husband Shane Green, 33. Shane, a carpenter who has lived on the island for his entire life, had helped Kelly carry her luggage off the raft and they soon became besotted with each other. Kelly made the move to Tristan da Cunha permanently in July 2013 and the couple now have two children together - Savannah, eight, and Seren, who is 16-months-old.
The president dictated a misleading statement issued by Donald Trump Jr. about his ill-fated meeting with Russian lawyers last year, it has been claimed.

The Washington Post reports that it was the president who told Donald Jr. to claim in his statement that the subject of the June 2016 meeting was the ban on US adoptions in Russia.

According to the report, Donald Jr. and people he sought advice from wanted to come clean and admit that the premise of the meeting was for him to receive campaign dirt on his father's election opponent Hillary Clinton.

But sources who are familiar with the matter said the president intervened and told his son to claim that he took the meeting innocently and to tell The New York Times it was 'not a campaign issue at the time'.

President Trump dictated his son Donald Trump Jr.'s misleading statement on the nature of his meeting with a Kremlin lawyer, it has been claimed

Trump allegedly gave the instruction before flying back from the G-20 summit on July 8.

According to the Post, the president's lawyers, lawyers working for Jared Kushner and senior White House aides including Hope Hicks, deliberated about how to handle the story as more requests for information about the meeting came to them.

They reportedly decided on a transparent approach and, sources said, Kushner's team even advocated sharing the email chain that Donald Jr. would later reveal.

THE STATEMENT 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at 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.' Advertisement

They were 'overruled' by the president, as the Post puts it, when The New York Times approached the administration on the story and Donald Jr.'s statement claiming the meeting was about adoptions, was sent out.

A member of the president's legal team denied the claims on Monday night.

'Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent,' attorney Jay Sekulow said in a statement.

On July 11, Donald Jr. was ultimately forced to reveal the meeting's true nature by posting the email chain which led up to it on Twitter in a bid to beat other newspapers to the punch.

His father has since defended the move, saying that 'anyone in politics would have taken the meeting'.

He later characterized Donald Jr. as a 'wonderful young man' and a 'good boy'.

Donald Jr. has admitted that in retrospect, he would have thought twice about taking the meeting.

In an interview with Sean Hannity, he said: 'In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently.

'Again, this is before the Russia mania. This is before they were building it up in the press. For me, this was opposition research. They had something, you know, maybe concrete evidence to all the stories I'd been hearing about, but were probably under-reported for, you know, years; not just during the campaign.

'So I think I wanted to hear it out. But really, it went nowhere and it was apparent that that wasn't what the meeting was actually about.'

British PR executive Rob Goldstone orchestrated the meeting which was attended by Russian lawyer Natasha Veselnitskaya

The meeting's significance in relation to the ongoing probe into Trump's campaign team's ties with Russia is yet to be determined.

The meeting has however dominated conversation on the subject and appears to have haunted other members of the administration.

Jared Kushner, Donald Jr's brother-in-law who was present at the meeting, issued his own statement earlier this month describing his experience of it.

Kushner, who is one of the president's most senior advisers, painted it, like the rest of the Trumps, as an innocent meeting that was held in good faith.

The get-together took place at Trump Tower last June.

It was orchestrated by British PR executive Rob Goldstone and attended by Russian lawyer Natasha Veselnitskaya.
The roll out of new semi-automatic gun holsters to Victoria Police officers has been suspended over safety concerns after the first 300 were issued.

Victoria Police ordered 18,000 new holsters from a US supplier after repeated issues with previous holsters, but problems have now been identified with the new ones.

The holsters started being distributed last month as part of Operational Safety Tactics Training, Victoria Police said in a statement on Tuesday.

The roll out of new semi-automatic gun holsters to Victoria Police officers has been suspended after a 'safety issue' was discovered when the first 300 were issued (stock image)

'Around 300 new gun holsters have been issued to frontline police officers,' the statement reads.

'This roll-out has now been delayed while the investigation takes place.'

Victoria Police said the safety issue was 'rarely occurring' but they declined to reveal what the problem is for safety reasons.

'Members who have been issued with new holsters have been asked to remain diligent to the issue identified,' the statement says.

A safety issue in 'a small number of incidences' was then found late last week, Superintendent Tony Langdon told 3AW on Tuesday.

Victoria Police ordered 18,000 new holsters from a US supplier after repeated issues with previous holsters, but problems have now been identified with the new ones (stock image)

'We don't believe it impacts frontline policing at this point in time. It's something our members need to be aware of and we don't believe it has any impact on the safety of the public,' Supt Langdon said.

It is the fourth time Victoria Police has had issues with holsters and the new ones were ordered from a US company 'in response to those other issues'.

A previous five-year contract for holsters was valued at nearly $3 million when the tender was awarded in 2011.

A Police Association of Victoria spokesman said the union was working closely with Victoria Police 'to see that the fault is remedied as quickly as possible.'
The man accused of Melbourne's Bourke Street Mall rampage has again been excused from attending court, days after he was deemed mentally unfit to appear.

Dimitrious 'Jimmy' Gargasoulas, 27, is charged with six counts of murder and 28 of attempted murder over the January 20 incident in the city.

It is alleged he mowed down dozens of pedestrians in the busy retail strip, killing a baby boy, a schoolgirl and four other people as shoppers ran for cover.

Dimitrious 'Jimmy' Gargasoulas (pictured) is accused of driving car through Bourke Street Mall

Gargasoulas, 27, was charged with six counts of murder and 28 of attempted murder

He was due to face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, but defence lawyer James Yianoulatos said Gargasoulas could not attend.

No reason was given and the magistrate did not question why.

Prosecutor Catherine Parkes updated the court on the case, saying police expect to complete a brief of evidence as planned.

'At this stage the informant is on track to comply by October 20,' she said.

Gargasoulas was scheduled to face court last week over unrelated charges but another defence lawyer Tass Antos said he could not attend because of mental health issues.

'He has certain issues that are being explored in relation to his mental health and wellbeing,' Mr Antos said on Thursday.

Gargasoulas allegedly drove his car through busy lunch time rush in Melbourne, killing a baby

He was arrested and shot by police at the scene

Gargasoulas hasn't appeared in court since his charges

'It means that bringing him to court or having him appear would unfortunately not do his health any good.'

Gargasoulas has not appeared in court in person since he was charged with deliberately striking pedestrians around Bourke and Queen streets as the area teemed with lunchtime and school holiday crowds.

He was arrested by police after being shot and wounded by officers.

Thousands of people paid tribute to Bourke Street Mall victims including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (left)

Hundreds of tributes were left at the tragic scene

Hundreds gather in Melbourne's Federation Square to pay tribute to the victims

Director of Public Prosecutions John Champion SC has told the Supreme Court previously that Gargasoulas' mental state could determine whether he stands trial over the rampage.

He is due to return to court on October 12.

Gargasoulas faces separate charges laid before the Bourke St incident, including assault, drug and driving offences.
Muslim radicalised teenager shot dead by police outside a Melbourne police station after stabbing officers wanted to assassinate the then prime minister Tony Abbott, ASIO has revealed.

A coroner found on Monday that officers had 'no choice' but to shoot Numan Haider, 18, in September 2014.

He had searched for information relating to the prime minister's schedule, and allegedly told an associate that he would 'do it soon', according to an ASIO briefing.

Numan Haider, pictured behind the wheel of a car in an image posted on his Facebook page

Numan Haider was shot by a police officer in the car park of Endeavour Hills Police Station

'There was no time or opportunity for the officers to use a lower force to prevent further injuries,' Mr Olle said.

Haider died instantly when shot in the head while attacking two counter-terrorism officers in a pre-arranged meeting outside Endeavour Hills police station.

Victorian coroner John Olle on Monday made no adverse findings against ASIO, Victoria Police, or Australian Federal Police.

The risk the extremist posed to Mr Abbott was the driving force behind the police's quick decision to act against Haider.

Mr Abbott said that he was 'full of admiration' for the officers involved in the fatal altercation with Haider, according to the The Australian.

'They are both good blokes, they are very normal Australians who found themselves in a very hazardous situation through no fault of their own  and responded with courage,' Mr Abbott said.

Authorities cart away Numan Haider's body from the Endeavour Hills Police Station car park

Police decided to engage in a 'soft, non-confrontational approach' and meet the teen in 2014

Two Victorian and federal police officers had arranged to meet Haider outside the station to assess his attitude and determine whether he was a threat to national security.

At that stage, authorities considered the teen to be a low threat of launching a 'lone-wolf' attack, Mr Olle said.

Haider had come to the attention of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation earlier that year and his calls were being monitored.

Evidence provided by ASIO 'clearly indicates that Numan was actively interested in travelling overseas and had an active interest in Islamic State and other extremist groups prior to when he applied for a new passport,' Mr Olle concluded.

ASIO evidence 'clearly indicates that Numan was actively interested in...the Islamic state'

He had attended Al-Furqan mosque where extreme forms of Islam were sometimes discussed, and his passport application has been rejected over concerns he had become radicalised.

On the day of the attack, the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team searched Haider's family home but he was not there.

Police then decided to engage in a 'soft, non-confrontational approach' and arranged to meet the teen at Endeavour Hills, where he produced a knife and stabbed the officers before one of them shot him.

The actions of the officers during the fatal shooting were exonerated, with Mr Olle saying that they were both 'unwitting victims' of Haider's fundamentalism.

However, the officers in question are seeking legal action against ASIO for not properly briefing them ahead of their confrontation with the terrorist.

With only the knowledge that the boy had no criminal record and had co-operated with law enforcement in the past, the officers, decided to take a gentle approach to confronting Haider.

Police near the scene where teen terror suspect was shot dead by police in September 2014

They claim ASIO had information which would have altered their approach, including a picture of the 18-year-old holding a Shahada flag, which bears a declaration of Islamic faith, and the symbol of which appears on the Islamic State flag.

Ten days after the 2014 incident, three Victoria Police officers gave evidence that no information about extremist social media postings had been shared with them.

The officers also said they would have reconsidered meeting Haider had they seen the posts.

Police look on at the scene where Haider was fatally shot after stabbing two police officers

It has now been revealed that ASIO also had information that Haider had been recorded saying, 'The police did not even search me. If I'd had a knife I would've stabbed 'em.'

However, the comment was not found until after Haider's death due to a loophole in ASIO's reporting process.

An ASIO spokesperson declined to say whether or not ASIO had since changed its procedures.
A mother lay drunk, naked and bleeding to death in the back of a car after a 'wild sex session' with two men on a remote beach, a jury has been told.

Lynette Daley was then dragged into the ocean where Adrian Attwater tried to wash the blood from her body before calling triple-zero on January 27, 2011, prosecutor Philip Strickland SC told the NSW Supreme Court at Coffs Harbour.

Attwater, 42, who has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and aggravated sexual assault, later said 'I didn't know a f***ing hug can kill you,' Mr Strickland said on Tuesday.

Ms Daley, 33, died from injuries sustained in the alleged sexual assault at Ten Mile Beach, NSW, the prosecutor has previously told the court.

Lynette Daley (pictured) lay drunk, naked and bleeding to death in the back of a car after a 'wild sex session' with two men on a remote beach, a jury has been told

Adrian Attwater, pictured arriving at the e Supreme Court in Coffs Harbour on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and aggravated sexual assault

Attwater's friend and co-accused, Paul Maris, 47, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated sexual assault and hindering the discovery of evidence.

The trio had been drinking 'a lot of alcohol' on the camping trip and engaged in a sex act on a mattress in the back of Maris' troop carrier before Ms Daley's death.

Maris allegedly burnt the bloodstained mattress and sheet before ambulance officers arrived, the crown said on Tuesday.

The crown said Attwater denied being aware of the mother-of-seven's significant injuries when the pair went skinny dipping before dawn.

'No, she was all f***ing sweet,' Attwater allegedly told police.

Ms Daley died from injuries sustained in the alleged sexual assault at Ten Mile Beach in 2011

Attwater (pictured) said he noticed a bit of blood on his fist after a 'wild sex session' and 'the smell was terrible so we were going into the ocean to wash,' prosecutor Philip Strickland told the court

Attwater said he noticed a bit of blood on his fist after a 'wild sex session' and 'the smell was terrible so we were going into the ocean to wash,' Mr Strickland said.

But the crown alleges Ms Daley's genital injuries must have been obvious to Attwater.

'When she goes into the ocean ... she doesn't walk in there unassisted, she doesn't frolic in there, she is dragged or carried,' Mr Strickland said.

'At that stage she is either dead or dying.'

Attwater claims Ms Daley had a seizure, went limp and stopped breathing after about five minutes in the ocean, Mr Strickland said.

'The crown says that's a lie.'

Maris (right) joined in with a sex act at Attwater's (left) invitation, the prosecutor told the court

Attwater's friend and co-accused, Paul Maris (pictured), 47, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated sexual assault and hindering the discovery of evidence

Both Attwater and Maris told police they thought the sex with Ms Daley was consensual

On Monday, the court was told that Attwater 'repeatedly and vigorously' sexually assaulted Ms Daley while the 'on-again-off-again' couple were on an Australia Day camping trip with Attwater's friend.

Attwater later told police 'girls will be girls, boys will be boys' in an interview played in court.

In his opening address, Mr Strickland SC said 'all three of them drank a lot of alcohol on that day'.

At dusk, they stopped halfway up the beach in Maris' troop carrier where Attwatter and Daley got on a mattress in the back.

Attwater 'repeatedly and vigorously' sexually assaulted Ms Daley for a couple of minutes, Mr Strickland said.

Thelma Davis (centre), mother of Lynette Daley, seen with her son and son-in-law in 2016

Andrew Martin (pictured), the ex-boyfriend of Ms Daley leaves the Supreme Court on Tuesday

Maris joined in with a sex act at Attwater's invitation, the barrister told the court.

Attwater only stopped the assault when he noticed blood on his hand and Maris later burnt her bra and the bloodstained mattress 'because it stank,' the Crown said.

Confronting photos shown in court showed injuries to Ms Daley that caused significant blood loss.

The assault 'substantially or significantly contributed to her death,' Mr Strickland said.

Her autopsy also revealed a small amount of methylamphetamine and a blood alcohol concentration of 0.303 - meaning she was 'grossly intoxicated'.

Hector Daley (pictured), father of Lynette Daley, arrives at the Supreme Court in Coffs Harbour

Mr Strickland said Maris told police: 'Well she didn't object when I jumped in the back, she'd moved over to give me oral.'

The prosecutor said Attwater told police 'she was blind, she was off her f***ing face last night'.

Attwater claimed Ms Daley had a fit or seizure in the ocean when she went for a swim while naked and he performed CPR after dragging her back to shore.

When questioned about how the trio came to have group sex, Attwater said: 'These things happen ... girls will be girls, boys will be boys.'

Both men told police they thought it was consensual.

Mr Strickland said Maris told police: 'Well she didn't object when I jumped in the back, she'd moved over to give me oral.'

The trial continues.
A Labor politician has claimed terror plot raids in Sydney were staged to boost Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's poor approval ratings.

Four men, including two Lebanese-Australian father-and-son duos, were arrested on Saturday, following raids on four homes in Surry Hills, Lakemba, Punchbowl and Wiley Park.

They stand accused of plotting to bring down a passenger plane with a homemade bomb disguised as a kitchen mincer, but Northern Territory Labor MP Sandra Nelson still saw a conspiracy.

'Polling for LNP not good. Therefore we now have a 'terrorist attack'. How convenient,' she tweeted about his Liberal-National Party government.

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Labor MP Sandra Nelson says terror plot raids are part of a plot to help PM Malcolm Turnbull

The first-term member for Katherine saw a link between the raids and the government's polling

Despite the arrest of this man in Surry Hills, a Labor MP still saw a political conspiracy

The first-term left-faction Labor MP, who won her seat of Katherine last year by just 33 votes, was panned on her Twitter page.

'What a stupid thing to say... are you saying the ongoing issue is not real? That's extraordinary from an elected politician,' one man said.

Another man wondered if Ms Nelson's downplaying of the terror threat was linked with several state Labor branches moving motions to give unconditional recognition to Palestine.

'You need mental help. Who do you represent? It was the Labor party who opened our borders and supports women hating Palestinian terrorists,' he said.

Several men asked if Sandra Nelson's comments were appropriate for a member of parliament

Labor MP Sandra Nelson later clarified on Twitter her message was a paraphrasing of Q&A

Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley said he wished she lived more than 3,600km away from where the homes were raided.

'So this MP for Katherine, this twit on Twitter tweeting, the Labor member for Katherine Sandra Nelson, is asserting that the international agencies in Great Britain, have colluded with the Australian Federal Police, the police commissioner in New South Wales, the counterterrorism agencies to create all of this because Malcolm's not doing well in the polls,' he said.

'Look, I don't think the Northern Territory's far enough away for this silly woman. The further the better.'

Sandra Nelson saw a link between the raids and PM Malcolm Turnbull's (centre) poor polling

Several men described the Labor MP's remarks as 'stupid' or 'dopey' on her Twitter feed

However, Ms Nelson later clarified her remarks, saying they were a summary of a discussion about the terror raids on Monday night's Q&A program on the ABC.

'I was paraphrasing that conversation as well as the Q&A conversation last night,' she tweeted. 'That's all my comment was about.'

However, the federal politicians on Q&A discussed Mr Turnbull's plan to merge the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Immigration and the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation into one Homeland Security portfolio overseen by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

Neither Trade Minister Steve Ciobo nor Labor's finance spokesman Jim Chalmers saw any link between the terror plot raids and the prime minister's approval ratings.
Anthony Scaramucci allegedly told a prankster posing as Reince Priebus 'I know what you did' and compared the former chief of staff's White House departure to Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.

The prankster Sinon Reborn shared screenshots of what he said was a genuine conversation with Scaramucci with CNN's Jake Tapper on Monday. They also posted some of the images on Twitter.

While the emails in themselves were bizarre enough, it was Scaramucci's reference to Shakespeare that set the internet alight as people tried to tease out the metaphor.

The tragedy deals with themes of power, ambition, infidelity and jealousy as it follows lowly army officer Iago's attempts to manipulate his way to the top, leading to death for his superiors and ruination for himself.

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In this email exchange, prankster Sinon Reborn poses as Reince Priebus to contact Anthony Scaramucci on July 30, a day after Priebus's resignation (left). Scaramucci replied (right), telling Priebus he will 'thrive' and saying 'I know what you did'. He was fired two days later

Priebus and The Mooch, as he is known, had a frosty relationship to say the least. When Scaramucci took the role of communications director, he kicked their feud into the limelight with a profanity-laced interview in which he called the then Chief of Staff a 'f***ing paranoid schizophrenic' and 'c**c blocker'. Neither now works for the president

According to the screenshots, the emails took place on Saturday, a day after Priebus's resignation and two days before Scaramucci was fired just over a week after joining the White House as its new communications director.

Posing as Priebus, the prankster trashed Scaramucci as 'hypocritical' and accused him of having no class.

'I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how "soon we will learn who in the media has class, and who hasn't, has pushed me to this,' he wrote.

'That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy yet you believe that's the standard by which everyone should behave towards you?'

Speaking of Priebus's successor, General John Kelly, he went on: 'General Kelly will do a fine job. I'll even admit he will do a better job than me.

'But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don't expect a reply.'

'I KNOW WHAT YOU DID' THE MOOCH'S EXCHANGE WITH FAKE REINCE Prankster to Scaramucci: 'I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how "soon we will learn who in the media has class, and who hasn't, has pushed me to this. 'That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy yet you believe that's the standard by which everyone should behave towards you? 'General Kelly will do a fine job. I'll even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don't expect a reply.' Scaramucci to prankster: 'You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize.' Prankster to Scaramucci: 'I can't believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called 'Mooch', who can't even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for.' Scaramucci to Prankster: 'Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there. 'My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.' Advertisement

Scaramucci, seemingly responding from his White House email account, wrote: 'You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize.'

The prankster carried on, responding: 'I can't believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called 'Mooch', who can't even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for.'

To this, Scaramucci is said to have replied: 'Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there.

'My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.'

The warning prompted confusion among the public once the exchange was published.

Many questioned which character Scaramucci was comparing Priebus to - the villainous Iago whose scheming breaks up a marriage and leads to the death of three innocent people - or Othello, a jealous outsider who kills himself then his own wife after falling for Iago's lies.

The fact Scaramucci - whose wife filed for divorce earlier this month while eight months pregnant - added that his family is 'fine' suggests he was scrutinizing Priebus's personal life.

Over the weekend, one of the Mooch's friends was shouted down after accusing Priebus of having an affair on Twitter.

Priebus and his wife Sally have been married since 1999.

It was not the only time the Mooch seemed to fall for the prankster's con.

Posing as Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. on Friday, the jokster asked Scaramucci in reference to Priebus and Senior White House Strategist Steve Bannon: 'Who's head should roll first?'

Scaramucci allegedly responded: 'Both of them'.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House was investigating the emails on Monday.

'We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further,' she said.

There were other apparent victims, but none have yet confirmed the email threads posted online by Sinon Reborn as genuine.

The prankster also claims to have posed as Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., to fool other officials.

In one exchange, posing as Eric Trump, he told Jon Huntsman, the Russian ambassador: 'Maybe we could have Dad sat on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin!

'He's in better shape than his suit suggests.'

In another, the prankster posed as Donald Trump Jr. and contacted his brother, Eric, asking to go hunting.

On July 13, they sent Eric Trump an email under the subject line 'just ordered one of these'.

The email included a link to a hunting rifle. In the email's body, the prankster wrote: 'Primarily for hunting. Hunting witch-hunters, ha!'

Eric was dubious from the beginning and responded: 'Did you send this?'

Maintaining character, the prankster replied from the email address donaldtrumpjr.trump@gmail.com: 'yes, why?'

On July 13, the prankster posed as Donald Trump Jr. and contacted Eric Trump about hunting rifles. Eric became suspicious after exchanging a few messages and said he had contacted police

The prankster dubbed the brothers 'dumb and dumber' in another email in which he posed as Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr.

The prankster Sinon Reborn also posed as Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. to call Eric and Donald Trump Jr. 'dumb and dumber

The prankster goes by the Twitter handle Sinon Reborn. They share screenshots of the exchanges online

The prankster also posed as Jared Kushner to email other officials. Under his guise, he invited them to a party

'DONALD TRUMP JR.' TO ERIC The prankster, posing as Donald Trump Jr., sent a link to a hunting rifle to Eric under the subject line 'just ordered one of these' on July 13. They had the following exchange: 'Don. Jr.' to Eric: 'Primarily for hunting. Hunting witch-hunters, ha!' Eric 'Did you send this? 'Donald Jr.' 'Yes why?' Eric 'Sorry it was so vague and I just don't open links for obvious reasons. This came at a perfect time as we have the meeting tonight. I am fighting hard to stop this nonsense.' 'Donald Jr.' 'What's the plan? And it's a beast - you will love it. Try not to worry - things will turn around' Eric: 'I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here.' Advertisement

'JARED KUSHNER' TO TOM BOSSERT On July 27, the prankster emailed Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert pretending to be Jared Kushner to invite him to a party planned in August. The subject Suspect Spam in capitals. 'Jared Kushner' to Tom Bossert: 'Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August. 'It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible quality to that which we ate in Iraq! 'Should be a great evening' Bossert to 'Kushner': 'Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse.' Bossert, who was chosen before Trump's inauguration, offered his personal email address which has been redacted from the following line. 'Also, if you ever need it, here's my personal email address. - Tom' Advertisement





Eric replied: 'Sorry it was so vague and I just don't open links for obvious reasons. This came at a perfect time as we have the meeting tonight. I am fighting hard to stop this nonsense.'

The prankster responded again but this time they blew their cover. 'What's the plan? And it's a beast - you will love it. Try not to worry - things will turn around,' they wrote.

'Eric Trump' to Jon Huntsman Jr: Dad'll do the full Putin! In another exchange, the prankster posed as Eric Trump to send a message to Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. After being thanked by Huntsman for a note of support he'd given him, the prankster joked: 'Maybe we could have Dad sat on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin! 'He's in better shape than his suit suggests.' Advertisement

Eric, now suspicious, replied: 'I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here.'

Other email exchanges included one in which the prankster claimed to be Jared Kushner.

They emailed Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert to invite him to a party.

'Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August. It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible (sic) quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening.'

Bossert replied: 'Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse.'

He then added his personal email address with the message: 'If you ever need it.'

Sinon Reborn did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's questions late on Monday night.

It is not yet clear if they have been contacted by any law enforcement agency.

Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert (L) and Russian Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. (R) also appeared to fall for the prank
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a tough line on national sovereignty Tuesday amid multiple territorial disputes with his country's neighbors, saying China will never permit the loss of 'any piece' of its land to outsiders.

In a stern warning to its border nations, President Xi added that China would never 'swallow the bitter fruit of damage'.

The President's declaration came during a nearly one-hour speech in Beijing marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

Defiant: Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a tough line on national sovereignty Tuesday during a speech in Beijing

The PLA, which has formed a key pillar of support for the ruling Communist Party since 1927 and is the world's largest standing military, with 2.3 million members.

During the speech, President Xi made it clear that the government is in complete control of its vast army, quoting Mao Zedong, the founder of modern China.

Reiterating the late Chairman's words, he said: 'Our principle is that the party commands the guns, and the guns must never be allowed to command the party.'

'The Chinese people treasure peace and we absolutely do not engage in invasion and expansion. However, we have the confidence to conquer all forms of invasion,' Xi told government leaders and current and retired PLA members gathered at the hulking Great Hall of the People, the seat of the legislature that sits beside Tiananmen Square.

'We absolutely will not permit any person, any organization, any political party - at any time, in any form - to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China,' Xi said to applause.

Taking the lead: President Xi said that China would never 'swallow the bitter fruit of damage our sovereignty, security and development interests'

Chinese paramilitary policemen march outside the Great Hall of the People after attending a ceremony to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army in Beijing

Ruling party: Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Premier Li Keqiang applaud during the anniversary ceremony on Tuesday

'No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit of damage to our sovereignty, security and development interests.'

Xi made no reference to any specific conflicts or disputes during his address, which focused largely on the PLA's growth from a scrappy guerrilla force fighting Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists and Japanese invaders into one of the world's most powerful, if largely untested, militaries.

However, China is currently engaged in a weeks-long border standoff with Indian forces near the countries' disputed border high in the Himalayas, with Chinese spokesmen demanding that Indian troops withdraw to avoid a clash potentially worse than the brief but bloody war the two fought in the region in 1962.

China has also long been embroiled in a contest with Japan over East China Sea islands, as well as with five other governments over competing claims to territory in the strategically vital South China Sea. Beijing also threatens to use force to conquer Taiwan if peaceful enticements prove insufficient. China considers the self-governing democratic island Chinese territory.

In his speech, Xi also emphasized that the military's highest loyalty is to the ruling Communist Party, underscoring the PLA's key role as regime preserver through crises such as the bloody suppression of 1989 pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square. Top Chinese leaders have consistently rejected calls to make the PLA loyal to the government and people instead.

'The people's army will resolutely safeguard the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and our country's socialist system, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and resolutely safeguard regional and world peace,' Xi said.

Chinese paramilitary policemen stand in formation on Tiananmen Square after attending Tuesday's ceremony

Strong military: Chinese paramilitary policemen march outside the Great Hall of the People

Delegates applaud as Chinese President Xi Jinping walks to deliver the speech where he issued a stern warning to any nations trying to attack China

The speech followed a parade Sunday at a training ground on the edge of the Gobi Desert during which Xi donned fatigues and declared that the military has the 'confidence and capability' to ensure China's sovereignty, security and national interests.

Xi, who commands the PLA as chairman of the Central Military Commission, has frequently spoken of his 'China Dream' to restore China to a leadership position in international affairs with a modern, far-reaching military force to match.

The parade at the Zhurihe base in Inner Mongolia featured troops and advanced weaponry, and was another forceful indication of Xi's iron grip over the PLA and every other political power base within the party ahead of a pivotal congress this autumn that will award him a second five-year term as leader.

That followed similarly high-profile military reviews in Beijing in 2015 and Hong Kong in June. Last week, Xi bestowed newly created 'Aug. 1' honors on servicemen in a further elevation of the armed forces' stature.

Xi and his predecessors engineered a radical upgrading of the PLA's capabilities through years of double-digit percentage increases in the defense budget, making China the world's second-largest military spender after the United States, although growth has slowed alongside a cooling of the overall economy.

That has also spurred a global role for the PLA, which was formerly overwhelmingly preoccupied with securing China's territorial integrity.

Alongside its blue-water navy, China is building its first overseas military base in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, and Chinese ships held drills last month with Russia's navy in the Baltic Sea, more than 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) from their home ports.
Fears are growing for a 13-year-old Queensland girl who has been missing from her Wamuran home for five days.

Police are now appealing for public assistance to help locate the schoolgirl who has not been seen by her family since July 27.

She was last seen leaving an address in Morayfield.

Fears are growing for a 13-year-old Queensland girl who has been missing from her Wamuran home for five days

Police are particularly concerned because of the missing girls age. She is white, 150cm tall with a slim build, blonde hair and blue eyes.

The girl was last seen wearing a dark blue denim jacket, a white top, black jeans, and black runners.

Anyone who may have seen the girl or has any information regarding her whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
The moment a fire crew rescued a dog and his owner from a car trapped in swift floodwaters has been caught on video.

Rescuers in Florence, Colorado say the dog Petey and his owner became trapped in the potentially deadly situation when the man parked his car in a dry creek bed that became flooded.

A thunderstorm had hit the area earlier, causing a flash flood that turned the dry creek into a raging torrent.

The man, dog, and rescuer all posed for a picture together afterwards to commemorate the rescue

In video shot by one of the rescuers, a ladder truck is seen extending its ladder out over the rushing water.

A rescuer at the end passes a life vest and safety lines into the trapped vehicle through the window.

The man attaches a rescue line to his dog Petey and passes the dog out of the window.

The rescuer grabs the dog and Petey kicks his legs to find a grip before bounding up into the rescuers arms.

In video shot by one of the rescuers, a ladder truck is seen extending its ladder out over the rushing water

The man in the car then struggles out of the window and carefully makes his way onto the ladder.

After the turntable ladder has been swung back over dry land, the rescuer, man, and dog make their way gingerly back to the ground.

The Florence Police Department, Fremont County Emergency Management, and the county Department of Transportation all assisted in the rescue, as did civilian bystanders.

The man, dog, and rescuer all posed for a picture together afterwards to commemorate the rescue.
Police are preparing to slap embattled politician Salim Mehajer with an AVO on behalf of his soon-to-be ex-wife Aysha Learmonth next week.

The property developer is due to appear in Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday, just six days before the couple's second-year anniversary.

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Salim Mehajer will face court next week as police apply for an AVO on behalf of Aysha Learmonth, both pictured on their wedding day

Ms Learmonth, pictured, married the embattled politician in August 2015

The AVO, which is being sought by police on behalf of Mehajer's estranged wife, is the second Mr Mehajer has faced since July last year when police prevented him from contacting or approaching Ms Learmonth.

Mr Mehajer publicly denied Ms Learmonth was behind last year's AVO blaming neighbours and police having 'nothing better to do', despite the couple being estranged.

Mehajer and Ms Learmonth were married in the 'wedding of the century' in August 2015 - which launched the politician into the spotlight.

Mehajer, pictured, has previously denied problems between the pair

Police will lodge a fresh AVO against embattled Sydney politician, Salim Mehajer, next week on behalf of his estranged wife who has reverted to using her maiden name, Learmonth

The wedding included helicopters and $50million worth of cars

Mr Mehajer went to great lengths in organising his wedding, even going as far as closing Frances Street in Lidcombe, the road in front of his house where the nuptials were held two years ago.

He hired four helicopters, while Aysha travelled with an enormous procession of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Harley Davidsons worth $50 million for the wedding extravaganza.

The fresh AVO comes after Ms Learmonth's friends revealed she had filed for divorce

The couple became estranged well before their first wedding anniversary - with Ms Learmonth leaving the marital home to live with her sister in Wollongong.

Since leaving Sydney, and Mehajer's side, the 31-year-old has appeared to try to keep away from the spotlight.

The fresh AVO application comes after friends of Ms Learmonth revealed she had filed for divorce.
A struggling carpet store that claimed it was closing down for so long it became a local legend has finally shut up shop after 30 years of business.

George's Import Rug Bazaar, in Geelong, has been in the process of 'closing down' for as long as some locals in the bustling Victorian town can remember.

The rug store, which doubled as a hair extension retailer in its later years, proudly displayed 'All Stock Must Go' and 'Make An Offer' signs up until its dying days.

But all that remains now is a few boxes packed neatly in the centre of the empty store, with two LED lights still flashing 'OPEN' next to a door padlocked shut.

End of an era: A Geelong carpet store has finally shut up shop after running a 'Closing Down' sale for decades

The rug store has been in the process of 'closing down' for as long as some locals in the bustling Victorian town can remember

Owner George Emtsis spoke to the Geelong Advertiser in January as he faced eviction, not for the first time, after losing other stores across Victoria.

'I had a plan to open 16 stores and, at one time, I had three employees here in Geelong serving people but now it's just me,' Mr Emtsis told the publication.

'Frank, my landlord, has been great. He's told me to hang on, but I'm slipping.'

He admitted he couldn't remember when the 'Closing Down' signs first went up.

Social media users remained unconvinced by the abrupt closure, betting that the business would be back with a new closing down sale in no time.

'I'll believe it when I see it,' one man wrote on Facebook.

'One positive can't wait for the grand re-opening,' added another.

The carpet import/exporter's website proudly reads: 'Rugs & Carpets. Compare & Save Lowest Prices Guarenteed (sic). Sale 75% off. Direct Importer'.

Daily Mail Australia tried contacting the store, but the phone number was disconnected.
Lucifer Nguyen has been arrested in connection with the murder of financial adviser Beverly Cory on Saturday

A man suspected of gunning down a financial adviser inside her office during an attempted robbery has been arrested.

Beverly Cory, 48, was killed at the office of financial services firm Edward Jones on Saturday in the suburb of Mendota Heights in Minnesota.

Lucifer Nguyen, 44, was arrested late last night, and is being held at the Dakota County Jail.

Nguyen also faces charges of aggravated robbery, burglary and kidnapping.

Prosecutors said Nguyen went into a house in the suburb of Mendota Heights on Saturday, brandished a gun at a woman and demanded cash.

After crashing the car he was driving, he then ran into a senior living center and forced an employee into a laundry room.

While police were evacuating the center's residents, officers got a report of what appeared to be blood seeping from underneath an office door in a nearby building, prosecutors said. Officers found Cory dead inside.

Ms Cory had worked at the company for 14 years, and her colleagues have voiced their shock at her killing

An autopsy showed she died of a single gunshot to the head.

In a statement to Kare 11, Ms Cory's employers said: 'We're shocked and saddened by the news that one of our financial advisors, Bev Cory, was senselessly killed Saturday morning.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends at this tragic time. Naturally, we are cooperating with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation to apprehend her killer.'

She had worked at the company for 14 years.

In a Facebook update, Mendota Heights Police Department wrote: 'On a personal note, we didn't know the victim but we did speak with her family and friends. If she was half as amazing, caring, and resilient as they are, the world lost an amazing soul'

The victim's car was missing from the murder scene, and was found on Thursday at the Washington County Fairgrounds, about 16 miles away.

Authorities have said there is no known connection between Nguyen and Cory, who lived in Maplewood.

In a Facebook update, Mendota Heights Police Department wrote: 'On a personal note, we didn't know the victim but we did speak with her family and friends.

If she was half as amazing, caring, and resilient as they are, the world lost an amazing soul.'

Ms Cory's sister Linda Johnson wrote on Facebook: 'Our hearts are devastated, broken, and beyond words.

'The woman that senselessly lost her life earlier today in the Mendota Heights shooting was my sister Beverly Cory. She is beyond missed already. Fly high Bev. Give dad a big hug for me.'
Two men have been charged after police allegedly busted them with more than 5 kilograms of meth in their car in Tuesday.

The pair were at a McDonald's in Rockhampton in the early hours of the morning when police followed them into the drive-through and searched their car.

When the search turned up large quantities of dangerous drugs, the men were arrested at the scene.

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Police found 5kg of crystal meth under the floor of a car in Rockhampton on Tuesday morning

Police followed a car carrying 5kg of meth into a McDonalds drive-through, Rockhampton

The 35-year-old Doolandella man and 37-year-old Eight Mile Plains man have been charged with drug related offences including possession of dangerous drugs, possessing tainted property and contravening an order.

The stash, which was reportedly found beneath a panel in the floor of the car, is estimated to be worth around $1 million wholesale.

Detective Senior Sergeant Luke Peachy told ABC News that the haul was 'huge'.

'It's the largest amount of drug I've seen in Rockhampton or in fact, any other place I've worked in regional Queensland,' he said, calling it 'very, very significant find'.

'The amount of drug is very, very significant and we're very pleased to have gotten this off the street before it hits the street.'

The pair are expected to appear in the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Sergeant Peachy: 'It's the largest amount of drug I've seen...anywhere in regional Queensland'

Police are said to have been acting on a tip-off, and said they had been told to 'keep an eye out for a certain vehicle', which they then followed into a fast food drive-through.

Sergeant Peachy also said that investigations were continuing into the men, their intent and where they were intending to take the vehicle.

The men were apparently not known to police prior to their arrest.

The police recognised a Toyota Kluger from a tip-off and followed it into a McDonald's drive-in

According to 7News, the number of Australians who have died from using meth has doubled over the past six years.

Ice or crystal meth, the strongest form of methamphetamine.

There are approximately 300,000 regular ice users in Australia, and their mortality rate is six times higher than the general population.




A security contractor jailed for an unprovoked 'racist' assault on an Asian woman walking her dogs on Sydney's north shore is still on bail more than two months after his sentencing.

Steven Burke, who has performed security work in Iraq, pleaded guilty to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm on Jing Song, 29, at Mosman last year.

Ms Song was walking her dogs with friend Yiran Guo, 26, about 11pm on October 3 when the two women say Burke yelled out comments including 'Asians should go home'.

Steven Burke walks free from Downing Centre District Court in Sydney on Tuesday morning

Steven Burke, who was jailed for nine months in May, leaves Downing Centre District Court

Steven Burke, who was jailed for nine months, once worked as a security contractor in Iraq

Steven Burke, 34, pleaded guilty to recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm on Jing Song, 29

Burke, who denied saying those words, punched Ms Song up to five times in the face and kicked her in the stomach, a court heard.

Downing Centre Local Court magistrate Karen Robinson jailed him on May 22 for at least nine months, noting Ms Jong's injuries and the women's account of the 'racial slur'.

But Burke was later released on bail pending an appeal to the NSW District Court, where he appeared briefly on Tuesday.

Ms Jong and Ms Guo had left their home with their dogs when Burke, who was walking his cocker spaniel, called out to them across Glover Street.

Ms Guo saw Burke approach from across the road, according to a police statement before the court.

Steven Burke, 34, had no criminal history before assaulting Jing Song, 29 at Mosman last year

Steven Burke, sentenced to jail for a serious assault, worked as a security contractor in Iraq

Steven Burke, who is appealing against his jail sentence for assault, worked as a security contractor in Iraq

'He was talking but we couldn't hear what he was saying,' Ms Guo told police. 'He let go of his dog and walked across the road to us and said "Get out of my place, get away with your dogs".

'He was moving his arms. He said "I'm going to punch you". He said "F***ing Asians, go back to your country with your dogs." He said this three or four times.'

Ms Robinson said Ms Jong had suffered significant facial injuries, had to have surgery for multiple fractures, was off work for more than six weeks and suffered emotional trauma.

'The circumstances of the incident show, in my view, an unprovoked, unwarranted attack on (Ms Song) who was only going about her business taking her dogs out for a walk late at night in a quiet residential street,' Ms Robinson said.

Former security contractor Steven Burke tries to shield his facing leaving court on Tuesday

Steven Burke (right) arrives at Downing Centre Local Court for a sentence hearing in May

The woman Steven Burke (pictured) assaulted suffered serious facial injuries and trauma

Burke, who had no criminal history, worked in the security industry and spent time in Iraq, which led to him being traumatised, the court heard.

He had spent time in hospital being treated for post traumatic stress disorder and his mental health deteriorated in the lead-up to the assault.

The magistrate was told Burke had not taken his prescribed medication on the day of the attack and had been self-medicating with 'an enormous amount of alcohol on a daily basis'.

Before the assault, he had drunk three-quarters of a bottle of bourbon.

'Clearly, he was affected by that alcohol at the time of the offence occurring,' Ms Robinson said.

Steven Burke initially told police he believed he had a confrontation with a male dog walker

Former security contractor Steven Burke after his sentencing hearing in the Downing Centre

Burke initially denied the assault in a police interview, claiming he had been followed and scratched by an Asian man after an altercation between their dogs.

'I remember he was filming me and then he fell over,' Burke told police. 'He fell and hit the ground, the gutter, and I walked off. I think he tripped over some tree stumps.'

Investigating officers had to tell Burke the victim was in fact a woman.

Sergeant Patrick Schmidt said Burke had shown no remorse.

'Young women should be able to walk at night time without fear of this happening, putting aside suburbs or affluence,' Sergeant Schmidt said.

Burke will appear again in the District Court on September 13.
A four-year-old Jack Russell named GB has been left with a large, gaping wound in his neck after he was savagely attacked by three pig dogs in his neighbourhood park.

The trio of dogs cornered GB as he wandered through McLennan Park in Takanini, south of Auckland, on July 17 with his owner Judy and four-legged companion Rosie.

They grabbed him around the neck and shoulders and tried to pull his skin over his head basically, Teresa Nairn, a vet nurse with the Auckland Veterinary Centre told Daily Mail Australia.

Judy, who was not injured, was eventually able to get GB and Rosie away from the pig dogs  a term often used to describe large dogs bred for hunting.

A four-year-old Jack Russell named GB (pictured) has been left with a large, gaping wound in his neck after he was savagely attacked by three pig dogs in an Auckland park

She rushed GB, who was losing a lot of blood, to the Auckland Veterinary Centre.

Concerned he was in shock, the veterinary team gave the Jack Russell some pain killers and antibiotics before closing part of the wound with staples to protect the tissue.

Ms Nairn said it was typical practice to monitor a dogs wounds following a serious attack, and wait until they are ready and able to handle an anaesthetic.

She said GB first went into surgery on July 20, but the vets had to stop because he began to wake up.

He had a really big surgery on July 24  we put what we call drains in the wound to help drain any bacteria, she said.

GB was also scrubbed to help get rid of bacteria and received stitches on a wound from where the dogs punctured his ear canal, Ms Nairn said.

The trio of dogs grabbed GB by the neck and shoulders as he wandered through McLennan Park in Takanini on July 17 with his owner Judy and four-legged companion Rosie (pictured)

By the time his bandages were removed on July 28, GBs wounds were looking much better and beginning to heal.

He is very, very lucky to be alive, Ms Nairn said.

Hes got a long way to go yet, but were definitely on the right track now with the way the wound looks. Were quite pleased and hopeful that were not going to need to do any more surgery.'

In a post on their Facebook page, the centre said two of the attacking dogs had not been found but as of Monday, Ms Nairn said Animal Management has since captured all three of the pig dogs.
Steve McCabe, member for Birmingham Selly Oak, posted a picture of his 'very sore and swollen face' after getting a brick in the face

A Labour MP has been smashed in the face with a brick by a gang on motorbikes.

Steve McCabe, 61, member for Birmingham Selly Oak, posted a picture of his 'very sore and swollen face' last night as police launched an investigation.

He also published images of the two men involved, who were wearing full-face helmets, and asked the public help him identify them to detectives.

He tweeted: 'Tonight nursing a very sore & swollen face. I was struck with a brick by a motorbike thug in Greenford Rd. Have given full statement to police.'

The MP urged locals to help track the motorbike riders down, tweeting: 'Sure somebody recognises these two. All I need are names & addresses. Send them to me anonymously & I'll do the rest with the police.'

Describing the incident, Mr McCabe told the Press Association: 'I was out with a few Labour volunteers to do a spot of door-knocking and a couple of characters came down the road and started doing wheelies in the middle of the road.

'I shouted at them to pack it in. One of them got off the bike and chucked a stone at me and other one chucked something at the side of my head.

'It could have been an awful lot worse - I regard myself in that respect as fortunate.'

Numerous complaints have been made about the 'menace' of anti-social behaviour by bikers in the area, Mr McCabe added.

The MP also published images of the two men involved, who were wearing full-face helmets, and asked the public help him identify them to detectives

Mr McCabe tweeted details of the incident and said that he wanted the public's help to find them

'These are really quite nasty, violent thugs,' the MP said of his attackers.

'Somebody clearly knows who they are - the problem is that people are terrified of these thugs.

'It is a big issue in south Birmingham, they are terrorising neighbourhoods, but I don't think there is a direct connection in that they knew who I was.

'I think that's just the way they treat anybody who dares to challenge their behaviour.'

West Midlands Police have confirmed officers are also appealing for witnesses after the incident at about 6.30pm on Monday.

Mr McCabe received messages of sympathy from colleagues across the parliamentary spectrum following the incident.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said: 'That's shocking Steve, that really could have been a very lot worse! I really hope the police find the culprit.'

Jo Swinson, deputy Liberal Democrat leader, tweeted: 'Horrific! Hope they catch them asap. TLC, hope you feel better soon.'

Tory MP Tom Tugendhat tweeted: 'I'm so sorry to hear that. I wish you a speedy recovery and that the police catch these thugs.'

Last month Theresa May ordered an independent inquiry into the 'horrific' intimidation of MPs.

The Prime Minister pledged to 'stamp out' abuse faced by MPs and candidates as she said many had suffered 'horrific' intimidation, bullying and harassment in the general election campaign.

MPs on all sides have been subjected to various types of abuse including homophobic and anti-Semitic threats.
The US has reportedly detected a ramp-up in North Korean submarine activity and tests of 'cold launch' submarine missile ejection systems.

A US defense official told CNN on Monday that 'highly unusual and unprecedented levels' of North Korean submarine activities had been detected, including three 'cold ejection' tests in July.

Cold ejection involves the use of pressurized gas to expel a missile from the launch tube before ignition to reduce the risk of catastrophic damage to the vessel.

The latest cold ejection test took place on land at Sinpo Naval Shipyard on Sunday, the defense official said.

'Highly unusual and unprecedented levels' of North Korean submarine activities had been detected in July. Pictured: Kim Jong Un boards a North Korean submarine in 2014

North Korea has conducted three 'cold ejection' tests of submarine launch tubes in July alone. Pictured: Kim Jong Un peers through the periscope aboard a North Korean sub in 2014

North Korea also engaged in 'unusual deployment activity' earlier this month, with a Romeo-class submarine patrolling 100 kilometers out to sea off the coast of Japan, much farther than usual, the official said.

North Korea is believed to have about 70 submarines in its fleet, but most are older and unable to fire missiles.

The regime's newest and largest submarine, the diesel powered Sinpo-class, is the only one believed to have ballistic missile launch capability.

The Sinpo-class is believed to have a range of 2,800 kilometers, less than half the distance from North Korea to Hawaii.

There is only one confirmed Sinpo-class sub (also called Gorae, or whale) in the North Korean fleet.

North Korea is believed to have about 70 submarines in its fleet, but most are older and unable to fire missiles

The regime's newest submarine, the Sinpo-class (seen in satellite image), is believed to have a range of 2,800 kilometers, less than half the distance from North Korea to Hawaii

North Korea's only Sinpo-class (also called Gorae) submarine is seen in 2016 satellite imagery. The regime is said to have stepped up submarine activity over the past month

However, the US has monitored regime leader Kim Jong Un's fleet more carefully since an incident in 2010 when a North Korean sub torpedoed a South Korean naval vessel.

North Korea has conducted at least one successful submarine-based missile test, firing a Pukkuksong-1 intermediate-range ballistic missile last year.

North Korea has successfully tested two land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles this year, with the latest test last week indicating the missile could reach Los Angeles, Denver, or Chicago.

It is unclear if the escalation in submarine testing and activity points to a build-up towards a test of a sub-based ICBM.

On Tuesday, US and South Korean experts said Japanese video footage of last week's ICBM test indicates the warhead did not survive re-entry.

An underwater test-firing of a strategic submarine ballistic missile is seen last year. Experts believe North Korea has successfully tested at least one such missile

Footage of the Hwasong-14's re-entry vehicle shortly before it crashed into the sea suggests it failed to survive the extreme heat and pressure after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere following its launch.

Analysts say the North will likely conduct more flight tests of the Hwasong-14 missile to obtain a successful re-entry vehicle, which is needed to return a warhead to the atmosphere from space so it can hit its intended target.

US President Donald Trump said at a cabinet meeting Monday of North Korea that the situation 'will be handled.' But he didn't elaborate.
A snake made itself so comfortable inside a family's toilet that it refused to leave, according to the snake catcher who was called out to evict it.

The carpet python wedged itself so far down the toilet in the Charters Towers home and got such a good grip on the pipe that all efforts to remove it proved futile.

It took licensed snake catcher Leanne Colthup three tries to remove the 'rather large and cheeky sod', because every time she got near the snake, it retreated further down the bowl.

Ccarpet python wedged itself so far down the toilet it took a snake catcher three goes to get it

She reached out to her more experienced colleagues on Facebook, asking them for tips on how to dislodge the animal.

Her workmates didn't reply, but nearly 50 other people did, offering advice of varying degrees of helpfulness.

One commenter suggested holding an ice cube on the snake's back to help relax its muscles, while others wrote that they're never going to use a toilet again.

After failing twice on Monday night, she returned on Tuesday morning and finally freed the snake by yanking it out by the head before it could get a grip on the toilet.

Ms Colthup released the snake, which was was 2 metres long and weighed about 10kg, back into the wild as required by law.

'We think it came through the vent in the top of the toilet which is not covered in mesh  they're getting it covered today,' she told the Townsville Bulletin.

It wasn't the first time snake catcher Leanne Colthup was called to remove a snake from a toilet

She said that the snake had probably gone in search of frogs and rodents in the area, and then found a home in the toilet.

Ms Colthup, who is also an ecologist and teacher, advises people to remain calm if they discover a snake in their home

'Block off the exits and call a snake catcher. Keep an eye on it as it makes it easier to catch,' she said.

The carpet python Ms Colthup pulled from the toilet was 2m long and weighed about 10kg

This is not the first time she has had to pull a snake from a toilet but fortunately, the Charters Towers home had two toilets and residents could use the other.

After posting the picture on social media, Ms Colthup said she has has 'a flood' of panicked messages.

'There are lots of people freaking now out about using the toilet!'
A leading Islamic group has slammed a halal businessman for suggesting Muslim men need to fertilise Australian women as white men die out.

Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed Elmouelhy has gone to ground on social media since he published an offensive Facebook post predicting Australia's white race would become extinct within 40 years.

The Islamic businessman from Sydney's wealthy North Shore said Muslim men had a duty to 'fertilise' Australian women and keep them 'surrounded by Muslim babies'.

The Islamic Council of Queensland's media spokesman Ali Kadri has condemned Mr Elmouelhy's remarks.

'Mohamed Elmouelhy's comments are foolish and ignorant. Such comments are wrong by any standard and should be condemned,' the Brisbane-based activist tweeted.

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Islamic Council of Queensland spokesman Ali Kadri slammed Mohamed Elmouelhy's remarks

Ali Kadri slammed the Halal Certification Authority president's remarks about white men

Muslim businessman Mohamed Elmouelhy says Australia's white race will die out in 40 years

Halal Certification Authority boss says Australian women need Muslim men to fertilise them

Mr Kadri has joined Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi in denouncing the vile comments of the businessman.

'Frankly, I don't want him, his halal racket or his extremist poison in our country,' Senator Bernardi said.

Mr Elmouelhy made his racist comments after Hebrew University in Jerusalem published research which showed sperm counts in men from Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe had declined by more than 50 per cent in less than 40 years.

'Your men are a dying breed, Australian women need us to fertilise them and keep them surrounded by Muslim babies while beer swilling, cigarette smoking, drug injecting can only dream of what Muslim men are capable of,' he said.

'Muslims have a duty to make your women happy.'

Mr Elmouelhy said Australia's white race 'will be extinct in another 40 years' if the country is 'left to bigots'.

The Muslim businessman called on these 'bigots' to kill themselves or plan to die.

Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi wants Mohamed Elmouelhy to be deported

Cory Bernardi wants the Halal Certification Authority boss to leave Australia for good

'Because you are declining, better go choose a plot for yourself at your local cemetery,' he said.

'If you can't afford it, commit suicide. It is a cheaper alternative for bigots.'

The Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine in Jerusalem found male fertility had sharply declined by more than 50 per cent in less than 40 years in Western nations, including Australia.

In found an annual 1.4 per cent decline in sperm concentration in those countries between 1973 and 2011, had produced an overall fertility drop of 52 per cent.

Halal Certification Authority president Mohamed Elmouelhy weighed into the sperm findings

Locker room talk: Islamic Council of Queensland spokesman slammed Mohamed Elmouelhy

The analysis did not explore reasons for the decline in sperm counts, but researchers have previously cited links to certain chemicals and pesticides, smoking, stress and obesity.

This suggests measures of sperm quality may reflect the effects of modern living on male health and act as a 'canary in the coal mine' signalling broader health risks.

'This study is an urgent wake-up call for researchers and health authorities around the world to investigate the causes of the sharp ongoing drop in sperm count,' said Hagai Levine, who co-led the research.

Mr Elmouelhy's latest post comes just days after he predicted more non-Muslims in Australia would be eating more halal food than ever.

The 2016 Census revealed that Muslims made up 2.6 per cent of the Australian population, up from 2.2 per cent in 2011.

Australia's Muslim population soared to more than 604,000 people, overtaking Buddhism as the most popular non-Christian religion, and marking a significant jump from 341,000 a decade earlier.
Roads surrounding a block of flats in Sydney's south-west remain closed three days after police unraveled an alleged ISIS-inspired terrorist plot.

Police were spotted redirecting locals around streets within Lakemba as they search the men's residence for evidence.

Four men have been detained over an alleged conspiracy to bring down a plane from Sydney.

Roads surrounding a block of flats in Sydney's south-west remain closed three days after police unraveled an ISIS-inspired terrorist plot

Police were spotted redirecting locals around streets within Lakemba as they search the men's residence for evidence

They may have already tried to smuggle a bomb onto an international flight before their arrests, it has been suggested.

The Lebanese-Australian men might have then developed a different plan to get their improvised device onto a domestic flight after the first failed, law enforcement officials told ABC's 7.30.

It comes after it was revealed the men allegedly have clear links to Islamic State figures overseas as well as ties to the aviation industry.

They may have already tried to smuggle a bomb onto an international flight before their arrests

The Lebanese-Australian men might have then developed a different plan to get their improvised device onto a domestic flight after the first failed

The men have been named in reports as fathers and sons Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat and Khaled and Abdul Merhi, who are all related through marriage.

They remain behind bars despite not yet being charged following their arrest on Saturday.

Their target was allegedly an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi with up to 500 passengers and crew aboard, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Khaled Khayat, pictured in a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs jersey, is one of the Lebanese-Australian men who were arrested during Saturday's terror raids in Sydney

However, authorities have continued refusing to elaborate on the group's plot to 'bring down' a plane and won't confirm if a series of raids in the Sydney suburbs of Surry Hills, Lakemba, Wiley Park and Punchbowl were triggered by intelligence from Britain and the US.

Khaled Khayat's brother is believed to be a senior Islamic State figure while the other two men are related to Ahmed Merhi, who travelled to Syria in 2014 to fight for the jihadist group, the ABC reported on Monday.

Khaled Khayat reportedly has no criminal history and he has been pictured online wearing the jersey of his favourite rugby league team - the Canterbury Bulldogs.

One of his sons, who has not been arrested, studied aviation management at UNSW and mixes with pilots and airline workers, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The men (one pictured being led away by police) were arrested in dramatic raids on Saturday

One of the accused is pictured with a bandaged head following his arrest on Saturday night

The son has posted social media pictures with people who were pilots, air traffic controllers, and airline managers, according to Fairfax, but there is no suggestion that he's connected to the alleged plot.

Two theories have emerged about the alleged plot, with the men reportedly planning to either smuggle a bomb onto a plan inside a meat grinder, or use a poisonous gas.

The investigation was not a sting operation but a developing plot that was detected, Reuters reports two US officials familiar with the arrests said.

One of the officials said the alleged plot was 'fairly well along' when Australian authorities disrupted it.

The target, the other official said, appeared to have been a commercial flight from Sydney to the Gulf.

Federal and State Police officers are pictured at a crime scene in Surry Hills following the raids

New South Wales Police officers arrive at a crime scene in Surry Hills in Sydney on Monday

Travellers at Australian airports will on Tuesday face another day of delays amid heightened security screenings.

Australian National University criminologist Dr Clarke Jones said the Government needed to go 'back to basics' and invest in prevention measures.

'It's been full steam ahead in relation to security, legislation, police and intelligence, all at the expense of community resilience and building up protective mechanisms within vulnerable communities,' he told AAP.

The men are being held in Sydney under terrorism legislation that grants authorities the power to keep them in custody as evidence is gathered to support charges.

The tip-off came from a foreign intelligence agency that intercepted communication to the alleged conspirators from Syria, the ABC reported.

NSW Police and forensic officers at the scene of a counter-terrorism raid on a property in Cleveland Street in Surry Hills

Local police reportedly wanted to gather more evidence before making arrests, but the British government warned it would issue a public security alert for travel to Australia if the raids were not conducted immediately.

The federal government has refused to reveal details of the alleged plot and will only say the alleged terrorists planned to use a device to 'bring down' a plane.

'I don't want to go into the detail but... there was a significant threat that federal police, ASIO, NSW police and other agencies dealt with and are in the process of dealing with,' Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said on Monday.

Travellers are experiencing long delays at Australian airports after security was ramped up
A California man pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing his 5-year-old son after a family trip to Disneyland set off a two-month search for the boy's body.

Prosecutors say Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, killed his son, Aramazd Andressian Jr., to get back at his estranged wife Ana Estevez while they were going through a divorce.

After investigators repeatedly combed the area surrounding Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County, they found the boy's remains on June 30. It remains unclear how he was killed or what evidence linked the father to his death.

Andressian Sr. made national headlines in June when he cracked a joke during his extradition hearing. A police officer also said his behavior was inconsistent with that of a grieving parent.

On Tuesday, Estevez was surrounded by sobbing family members as she wept in the front row of the courtroom while holding the urn with her son's ashes.

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Aramazd Andressian Sr. (pictured in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday) pleaded guilty to killing his 5-year-old son after a family trip to Disneyland in April

He previously pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and was being held on $10 million bail

On Tuesday, Estevez was surrounded by sobbing family members as she wept in the front row of the courtroom while holding the urn with her son's ashes (pictured)

She previously told NBC: 'No justice in the world will bring my Piqui back. However, Ara will pay tenfold for all that he has done'

California authorities believe Andressian Sr. killed his son on April 21. The 35-year-old was found alone the following day, passed out from prescription pills in a car doused with gasoline

Andressian Sr., who wore yellow jail scrubs, entered the plea to first-degree murder in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Alhambra.

He previously pleaded not guilty to a murder charge and was being held on $10 million bail.

Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators believe the boy was killed in the six-and-a-half hours after he left Disneyland and headed to Lake Cachuma about 150 miles away with his father on April 21.

When Andressian Sr. failed to hand the boy over during a planned custody exchange on April 22, Estevez reported her son missing.

Officials believe the 35-year-old had attempted suicide after he was found alone the following day in Arroyo Seco Park, passed out from prescription pills in a car doused with gasoline.

While Andressian Sr. was unable to account for his son's whereabouts, investigators believe the murder was 'pre-planned' and motivated by the divorce from Estevez.

Investigators searched the area surrounding Lake Cachuma several times before the boy's remains were finally discovered on June 30.

Officials have not explained what led them to find the body, and how the boy died.

The boy's body was found on June 30 near Lake Cachuma outside Santa Barbara - about 145 miles away from Anaheim, where Disneyland is located

Investigators believe that Andressian Sr. killed his son to get back at Ana Estevez, pictured left and right with their son

Los Angeles County Sheriff and South Pasadena Police departments searched a drain in the Arroyo Seco wash in South Pasadena, looking for five-year-old Aramazd Andressian, Jr. in May

Andressian Sr. was arrested and released when police didn't have enough to keep him behind bars.

He later moved to Las Vegas, where Lt. Joe Mendoza said his behavior was inconsistent with that of a grieving parent.

'I can only speak for myself. If my son was missing, I would be doing things that (the boy's mother) was doing. Circulating fliers, looking for your son,' Mendoza said. 'He was not doing that. He was socializing in Vegas.'

Mendoza also said: 'He has not been cooperative, whatsoever.'

Investigators also noted that he lightened his hair and appeared to be making plans to travel outside the country in order to avoid extradition.

But Andressian Sr. appeared carefree and made national headlines when he cracked a joke during his extradition hearing in late June.

Andressian Sr. cracked a joke with the judge during his first court appearance in Nevada

Pictured, Andressian Sr. in his most recent mugshot, taken after second arrest late June

The judge informed him that California authorities had 30 days starting Tuesday to claim him, but 'obviously given the media they're going to come pick you up'.

Andressian Sr. smiled and then laughed when he said: ''They'll probably take me with them!'

Estevez spoke to NBC4 after the bizarre court appearance and said: 'No justice in the world will bring my Piqui back,' Estevez said, using her son's nickname. 'However, Ara will pay tenfold for all that he has done.'

She also released a statement saying: 'My heart is shattered and I will miss my son immensely each and every second of every day for the rest of my life.'
A British Morrisons worker who fled to join ISIS in Syria has moaned about Muslims' lack of support for the terror group in a warped online rant, Norma Costello for The Sun reports.

Omar Hussain, a former supermarket security guard-turned jihadi recruiter from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, used an encrypted app to whine about coalition bombing.

The 30-year-old, who now refers to himself as Abu Sa'eed Al-Britani, is believed to have recorded his Telegram message from Raqqa as Syrian Defense Forces move in on the ISIS stronghold.

British Morrisons worker Omar Hussain (pictured) who fled to join ISIS in Syria has moaned about Muslims' lack of support for the terror group in a warped online rant

He said: 'You got muhajirat [female extremists] here, you got kids here.

'The kuffar [non-believers] are bombing without differentiating between anyone, sometimes they bomb the front lines, sometimes they bomb the cities.

'Why? Cos they want to cause emotional and psychological sort of pain to the mujahidin.

'I don't understand how a brother can go home every night, sleep with his wife, enjoy his life, eat nice food and everything and not have the mujahidin in his concern.'

Hussain left Britain in December 2013, flying to Turkey via Gatwick, despite being a known extremist who was stopped at Heathrow airport six months earlier.

Once in Syria, he began making threats against the UK on the internet using the alias Abu Saeed Al-Britani.

He warned how he would like to return to bomb Britain, and in one IS video described David Cameron as a 'despicable swine'.

Omar Hussain, a former supermarket security guard-turned jihadi recruiter from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, used an encrypted app to whine about coalition bombing

Last August he appeared on BBC2's Newsnight, saying: 'I hate the UK, the only reason why I would intend to return to the UK is when I want to come and plant a bomb somewhere.'

Hussain is known for his online outbursts and in his latest rant, appeared to complain about a lack of support from Muslims in other countries.

He added: 'Why is it that when your own daughter, or your own son is feeling ill or troubled you get worried?

'Yet when it is the son or the daughter of someone else, your Muslim brother, it doesn't hit you?

'Especially a mujahid... Someone who has left everything, left to come to Syria.

'It is upon you to do dua for the mujahidin, also for the muhajirat, the innocent sisters who came here, who done hirjah, who left everything.

'And wallah they're suffering more than you can expect,' he said.

Last year, Hussain urged fanatics to beat up and rob drunken revellers out celebrating in the run-up to Christmas so that they could buy knives.

In a separate blog post, he dolled out advice for jihadi brides, urging them to 'cook nice food' for their husbands and 'be presentable in your appearance'.
Sharon Halliwell, 48, (pictured) had just returned home from a trip of a lifetime to Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore

A millionaire's wife hanged herself after arguing with her husband about her sleeping pill addiction - weeks after she threatened suicide on a round-the-world trip.

Sharon Halliwell, 48, had just returned home after jetting off on a month-long holiday to Singapore, Dubai and Malaysia with her husband, Darren Halliwell, 50.

The mother-of-two, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, had a longstanding addiction to sleeping pills and ordered them in bulk off the internet.

She told her husband she had come off them and the pair went on holiday where Mrs Halliwell said she would kill herself on two separate occasions.

She had been expecting a referral to a psychiatrist upon her return to the UK but after a mistake by a mental health nurse, the meeting was never made.

Because of the error at the North West Borough NHS Trust, she was instead seen by another community mental health team before her death on April 18 this year.

Just two years before her death, her husband allegedly assaulted his wife onboard a British Airways flight to Houston, Texas.

It was claimed he urinated on the seats and caused the flight to divert, but no charges were brought after he paid the US court 3,250 bail.

The IT tycoon, who accused his wife of having an affair, later admitted assaulting Mrs Halliwell after coming home drunk from the pub in September 2015.

His wife, who was also a grandmother, claimed to have barricaded herself in a bedroom and as a result he was forced to leave the family home in Aspull, Wigan, and given a three year restraining order against his wife.

The pair rekindled their relationship, despite having officially separated and kept in close contact with each other in the lead up to Mrs Halliwell's death, with the restraining order being discharged by magistrates in May 2016.

Her body was found by Mr Halliwell at the bottom of her stairs in her 200,000 home after sending him messages the night before that 'she would be gone by the morning'.

Mr Halliwell, who takes part in UK Based Masters Crossfit competitions, told the inquest at Bolton Coroners Court: 'I would say that we had the close to perfect family. We went on holiday to Spain a lot when the girls were younger.

'Sharon enjoyed the gym and pampering sessions and was an avid shopper. Throughout most of her life Sharon enjoyed relative good health.

'She did have problems with OCD but did seek treatment for her condition. She suffered anxiety and depression which became worse and then the girls left the family home.

'She had issues sleeping but didn't seek help from her GP and instead bought medication from the internet.

Darren Halliwell (pictured) found his wife at the bottom of her stairs in her 200,000 home

'She became addicted to the sleeping tablets. We separated around 18 months ago, because of her addiction.

'Our relationship became volatile sometimes however we had been living together. After the separation Sharon moved to a new house on a new estate.

'I do not have a key for that house. I have a key for the garage because I keep my motorbike in there and on occasions she would give me the key to her house but would always ask for it back.

'Sharon admitted that she was addicted to taking the tablets. During this time she did some courses and had therapy to manage the situation.

'In June 2016 she accepted that she was still taking the sleeping tablets and so we went to the drug and alcohol team.'

Mrs Halliwell had attended appointments with the drug and alcohol team in Wigan and Leigh in 2016, and by November she was telling them that she was no longer relying on the sleeping pills.

Mr Halliwell confirmed she was offered some support from them and was referred back to her GP, but he had to attend appointments with her or she may not go. He also said that she seemed to be improving.

Mrs Halliwell then began to display suicidal thoughts and actions, with Mr Halliwell adding: 'She was talking more about having suicidal thoughts.

'She had talked about taking her own life before, that was nothing new. She did talk about it from time to time.

'We also decided to book a holiday to Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia. Before this on three or four occasions Sharon made threats to harm herself.

The mother-of-two (pictured) from Wigan, Greater Manchester had a longstanding sleeping pill addiction

'She said that she was going to tie something around her neck. On another occasion I did call the police as she left my home saying she was going to harm herself.

'I didn't really want to call the police because of our history, but I did call them and they got in contact with her and she said she was fine and they said that she was not a risk to herself.

'We left for the holiday on February 24 and was away until March 20. On our return we believed that she was going to get an appointment with a psychiatrist. She had never been properly diagnosed with an illness.

'On the first night of our holiday she said that she was going to take her own life by jumping off the roof in Singapore.

'The second day she tied a rope around her neck. I took it off her and she calmed down.

'She was fine for the rest of the holiday and she had gone back to the Sharon I know.

'When we got back she was having some work done to her house. I was around there and I signed for a parcel. I suspected that it was sleeping pills.

'I asked her to open the package. She did and admitted it was sleeping pills. I told her that she should go to the doctor and they would prescribe them to her. That was the last time I was at the house.

'She had the work done to her home and stayed with me for a couple of days. On the Friday she was quite argumentative and I don't know why she was just arguing about everything.

'It was about the tablets and she left and I didn't see her after that. She did text me a few different messages.

'She told me she loved me and then text me different messages, one was saying she felt too sick to get up.

'I spoke to her on the phone in the evening. She didn't want me to tell anyone the reason that we weren't talking which was a reference to her taking the sleeping tablets.

'I got a text from her on the Monday night saying that she had managed to keep paracetamol down and that she wouldn't be there in the morning.'

Mr Halliwell received a phone call from his daughter Levi Halliwell, 26, asking if he had heard from her mother later that day.

When he said no they both went round to the property, where they found her at the bottom of the stairs and called the emergency services.

Explaining his concerns about his wife's death to the court, Mr Halliwell said he thought that his wife should have been sectioned for her own safety after so many impulsive suicide attempts.

He added: 'I know the sleeping tablets would have been affecting her behaviour. Her problems could have been identified and then potentially her death could have been prevented.

'She was supposed to have a referral to a psychiatrist but it never took place. I would have thought that she would have been sectioned for her own safety.'

Prior to her holiday, Mrs Halliwell attended at the mental health team in Wigan and Leigh, and was given an assessment of her mental health by a nurse.

Nurse Joanne Woodcock, assessed her mental health, and Mrs Halliwell scored 28 out of a possible 30 in the Columbia-Suicide questionnaire.

Miss Woodcock admitted that it was her mistake that Mrs Halliwell was not referred to a psychiatrist upon her return from holiday.

She said: 'It was my error, on my behalf and I am not aware of what happened. I didn't make the reference. It was a genuine error that was explored in an investigation.

The grandmother (pictured) threatened to kill herself before she was found hanged

'We now have a system in place where my manager with review patients every week and we will get an email asking us if we are chasing up on them and where we are up to with things.

'Mrs Halliwell did not present an immediate risk. She did say that in the past two weeks she had made suicide attempts, but that she was not feeling that way at that moment in time.

'Her attempts were impulsive and she said that she did not want to die, and regretted her actions after she had done them.

'We take into account the past and present and future and she said she was going on holiday and seemed to be looking forward to it.'

Miss Woodcock also admitted that she could not access triage notes made by an IAPT team, (improving access to psychological therapies) on that day, but the inquest was told that requests could be made for the information to be passed on to them.

Phillipa Killeen, the IAPT nurse who completed the screening with Mrs Halliwell, told the inquest that the Halliwells had both been expecting the appointment to be one with a psychiatrist when she attended on April 3 this year.

Another appointment was scheduled with the IAPT team for April 10 but Mrs Halliwell did not attend, and so she was contacted and another appointment fixed for May 8.

Ms Killeen added that Mrs Halliwell had informed her of her history of suicide attempts, including swallowing batteries, and the therapies that they could offer her were explained.

She said: 'She sent me a text explaining she wasn't well on the 10 April, so I called her and she said that she wanted to book another appointment.

'We also discussed if she had spoken to her GP about an assessment and she said she had not, so before her next appointment that was something I checked on and that was when I found out that she had died.'

Ian Sturton-Crook, head of urgent care at North West Borough Hospital, explained that changes had been made in their systems of communication since Mrs Halliwell death.

A investigation report showed that there were 'obvious gaps' in the communication between different systems, but also that the failure to refer Mrs Halliwell had been taken into account and suitable changes made.

Mr Sturton-Crook said: 'The Rio system is one that came into effect in November of last year and it is more robust than our previous systems.

'The mental health teams can access the IAPT notes, but they have to ask for access for them and in this case it was the weekend and there was no administrative staff to give access to those notes.

'IAPT can access the mental health team notes but it is not routinely done.'

Mrs Halliwell also attended the drug and alcohol team in 2016, where Mike Brady described her as 'motivated' and 'positive'.

He added: 'Everything was going well. She was doing immaculately well. She was motivated to reach her goals.

'She wanted to stop relying on the sleeping tablets and wanted to sort out the relationship with Mr Halliwell. She said she loved him and wanted to be together with him.

'She felt it was her addiction to the sleeping tablets getting in the way of their relationship.

'She enjoyed going to the gym and often showed up in gym clothes and we discussed how her gym going would have a positive effect on her mental health.

'The last appointment she attended was on the 27 October 2016, where she said that she was drug free and feeling much better.

'She was put onto the after care plan, and was invited to attend group therapy and speak to the after care team, but she never did.

'We rely on co-operation with our clients in after care, we do not force them to co-operate. It relies on their co-operation.'

The medical cause of death was given as suspension by a ligature in the post mortem report.

Area Coroner Jennifer Leaming recorded a conclusion of suicide, and explained that she would be advising a review of the communication between the services in the form of a regulation 28 review.

She said: 'It seems to me that various systems in place and the communication between them needs to be looked at with the North West Borough in particular.

'I think the system needs to be reviewed to ascertain what work needs to be done to improve the communication and for the the gap in the system can be closed.

'I am very sorry for your loss, she has been described to be a a bubbly woman with an affinity for shopping and the gym, we have heard about how keen she was on that. I am very sorry.'

After the inquest, Mr Halliwell paid tribute to his wife, saying: 'Sharon was a fun loving girly girl who treasured and was treasured by her friends and family.

'She was a much loved wife, daughter, mother and devoted nana who will be greatly missed.

'The family are completely devastated by her death and ask for privacy and time to grieve.'
British tourists have finally started arriving home after their flight from Zakynthos was delayed by three days because of a faulty plane and breeding turtles.

Technical problems with flight EZY9746 to London Gatwick meant families were marooned in Greece from Sunday afternoon and while some families were able to book alternative flights to the tune of hundreds of pounds, others were forced to sit it out.

The budget airline tried to rescue the men, women and children involved but they claimed a nighttime curfew on landings caused by endangered loggerhead turtles saw them cancel a relief flight.

Zakynthos airport, the only one on the Ionian island, is situated close to beaches where the turtles lay their eggs at night, prompting the authorities to ban aircraft when it is dark.

It is understood around 40 people from the original 180 booked onto Sunday's flight came back to the UK on an EasyJet flight which landed in Gatwick 4.18pm having also been delayed.

Among those marooned in the Greek airport is Mark Longbottom, a charitable foundation worker living in Bristol, and his young family. They have been there for three days

Mark Longbottom's daughter in tears having waited for three days in Greece trying to get home

The departures screen in Zakynthos Airport showing the delayed EasyJet flight to Gatwick

Many of those involved in the Greek saga have also been left without adequate supplies, and there have been problems finding hotel rooms at the height of the tourist season.

Rebecca Morris, 39, had been enjoying a week in the sun with husband Josh, 41, and their two children Eva, five, and three-year-old Rufus.

The hellish timeline of EasyJet delays in Greece Sunday 2.40pm: Flight scheduled to leave Zakynthos airport bound for Gatwick 3.40pm: Passengers told there is an issue with air space and that there will be a 20 minute delay 4.10pm: Announcement comes over the system in the plane to say there is now a problem with the flaps on the wings 4.30pm: Passengers told the engine will have to be turned off and that the air conditioning will be switched off 4.40pm: Airport staff ferry the stranded customers back to the airport to wait for another flight 8pm: The second flight is cancelled and those who had insurance or money to pay for a room were taken to nearby hotels while others spent the night at the airport Monday 10.30am: Passengers told there will be another flight leaving at 2.50pm. 12.50pm: Customers start to arrive back at the hotel, joining others who have been there all night. 2.50pm: Announcement reveals there will be a two-hour delay as engineers from Italy are called out to fix the plane 5.30pm: News filters through that the 2.50pm flight has also been cancelled 9.30pm: Some make their way home having spent hundreds on alternative flights while others settle in for another night in the airport Tuesday 10.30am: Passengers told they will be leaving on flight EZY9746 this afternoon if the plane can be fixed 2pm: Plane scheduled to leave Zakynthos 2.50pm: The jet finally takes off from the Greek airport 4.18pm: Carrying around 40 of the 180 originally booked onto the plane, it lands in Gatwick almost an hour late Advertisement

They were marooned in Greece for two days and had to spend 200 to book Jet2 flights to Stansted before forking out another 160 for a taxi home.

Throughout their time at the airport, the family from Chiddingford never saw an EasyJet representative and Mrs Morris said nobody was offered any refreshments.

She said: 'EasyJet are reliably unreliable and they lived up to their reputation with this one.

'By day two people were getting a bit delirious and some others, rightly so, were getting pretty angry. It was disgraceful.

'You'd just expect the bosses at EasyJet to treat people like they'd like to be treated and they made no effort to make the problem any better.

'The Greek airport staff didn't know what was going on and nobody knew where the buck stopped. That was incredibly frustrating.

'Thankfully, we were OK, because we were able to book another flight and buy the overpriced beige food, but I'd imagine there were others there who may not have been able to do that at the end of their holiday.

'There wasn't even a vending machine in the area we were being held and there were so many kids with nothing to do for hours on end. They could've brought a TV or a DVD player down, but there was none of that.

'Kids were resorting to playing on wheelchairs by the end.'

Mark Longbottom is still in Greece with his three children and having spent three days in limbo he and his partner had to make a call to book flights through Thomson.

It would cost Mr Longbottom, a charity foundation worker living in Bristol, 420 for the flights, according to the travel company's website.

He said: 'It's been a shocker. There's just been no presence from EasyJet apart from the odd automated text.

'We've had to sort our own accommodation out and eventually we just had to decide to book another flight.

'I'm meant to be in work, we're both meant to be in work, and the uncertainty of it all is not great for the kids.'

George Trefgarne was originally booked on the flight with his wife Camilla and their two children  Alice, eight, and William, seven  as they tried to get home to London.

Mr Trefgarne said it was total chaos, with nobody from Easyjet on hand to offer information, let alone food or drink.

Only cheese sandwiches were available in two airport cafes, and ground staff from Swissport were totally overwhelmed.

Mr Trefgarne added: We were among a handful who managed to get out on a Thomson flight, but only after spending nine hours at the airport with no information.

There were lots of families with children but no EasyJet reps and no offers of anything to eat or drink. I feel so sorry for those left behind.

Those not placed on another plane were forced to stay in Zante  as Zakynthos is known by its Italian name  and were hoping that the Gatwick flight would finally leave at 2pm local time on Tuesday following a minimum 48-hour delay.

Scores of British holidaymakers were today left stranded in total chaos on the Greek island of Zakynthos after an EasyJet plane was grounded for at least two days (file photo)

Isobel Brignall is still stranded in Greece with her family - Ian, Kim and Rhiannon.

She said: 'The first flight was officially cancelled on Sunday evening, after we had spent eight hours at the airport or on the plane.

'This was despite the fact that the pilot was aware of a problem when he left Luton, and it had reoccurred, indicating that EasyJet were not prepared to deal with this scenario.

Have you got a holiday nightmare story to share? If this story reminds you of strife you suffered whilst on holiday, email the details and photographs or videos to gareth.davies@mailonline.co.uk. Advertisement

'We were told by Swissport - the EasyJet ground crew - to arrange our own accommodation, which EasyJet are now denying, and if we had not done so, we would've been stranded in the terminal building.'

The Brignalls had to wait around for a flight that ultimately never took off.

Mrs Brignall said: 'We were told the plane was not fixed and engingeers had only been working on it for two hours, despite having 24 hours to fix the problem by this point.

'We received contradictory information from the Swissport employees and throughout the day, were strung along believing that there was a chance that the plane would still fly.

'During these two days, there were very few announcements updating the status of the flight. Often we would be told we'd be given information in 10 minutes, and then wait for an hour before finding out anything more.'

Eventually, on day three of their holiday hell, the family bit the bullet and booked another flight home through Thomson to the tune of 300.

'We have completely lost our trust in easyJet,' Mrs Brignall said.

An EasyJet spokesman said: Unfortunately EasyJet was unable to operate the flight EZY8746 from Zante to London Gatwick on Sunday due to a technical fault with the aircraft.

Engineers were immediately dispatched to Zante and believed that the technical issue was rectified on Monday, however it then reoccurred before boarding which meant the flight could not operate.

The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and we will only operate if it is safe to do so.

We do all possible to try and minimise delays and as such planned to send a replacement aircraft.

Unfortunately, due to the night curfew rule at the airport, we were unable to get the aircraft into the airport on Monday. The flight is now due to depart on Tuesday afternoon.

Laura Plumptre was also stranded with her husband Francis and 13-year-old son Rupert.

The Plumptres were scheduled to meet their 16-year-old daughter at the Starbucks in Gatwick, but the horrendous delay threw their plans up in the air.

After two days of misinformation, they paid hundreds of pounds for tickets on Thomas Cook and had to pay 225 to check in their luggage and then a further 150 on an Uber from East Midlands airport back to London.

Mrs Plumptre said EasyJet was trying to squirm out of paying compensation by telling passengers the plane was delayed as opposed to cancelled.

EasyJet was unable to supply the exact number of passengers involved, or say what the technical fault with the plane was.

The spokesman added: Around half of the passengers have travelled on flights with alternative carriers on Monday afternoon.

'Passengers have been provided with hotel accommodation and expense in line with European legislation.

'We are very sorry for the delay and thank customers for their understanding.

Under EU law, passengers flying on short-haul flights that experience delays of more than three hours are entitled to around 220 in compensation.

Zakynthos airport, the only one on the Ionian island, is situated close to beaches where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs at night, prompting the authorities to ban aircraft when it is dark.

The flight between Zante and Gatwick normally takes around three-and-a-half hours, and is regularly packed with British holidaymakers, especially in the current high season.
This is the amazing moment a have-a-go hero attempted to foil a bank heist by wrestling an armed robber to the ground.

Police have released CCTV footage of the incident which saw passer-by Anthony Newsham walk into the bank in Teddington, south west London, to find a man wearing a balaclava threatening 'terrified' staff with a handgun.

The brave 44-year-old father-of-two confronted the robber and grabbed him by the neck as he tried to escape to the door.

After a brief struggle outside, the robber can be seen running from the scene, and is thought to have made off with around 150.

Despite being faced with a man wearing a balaclava wielding a handgun, Anthony Newsham (left) bravely tackled the offender (right)

Police have released CCTV footage of an armed robbery in Teddington, south west London, in which a man wearing a balaclava pulled a handgun on staff and demanded cash, pictured

Passer-by Anthony Newsham then confronted the gunman, pictured, and tried to stop the robbery

Self-employed roofer Mr Newsham told The Evening Standard: 'When I saw the terror in the cashier's face, it upset me and it was instinct.

'The women behind the bank counter are nice, just doing their jobs. To petrify them just isn't fair. He was taking the mick.'

The Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad is investigating the incident at the bank in Broad Street.

The suspect, who was described as being aged between 30 and 40, approached the bank at around 2.30pm on March 10.

Police say he was first seen peering through the door and later returned wearing the balaclava.

He approached the counter and pulled a gun out of a blue plastic bag, demanding money from the staff.

A spokesman for the Met said: 'The man was confronted by a member of the public who attempted to restrain him, but after a brief struggle the suspect managed to escape.'

The robber is thought to have travelled to the bank on an adult mountain bike and live in the local area.

The footage captured the moment the have-a-go hero took his life into his own hands and grabbed the robber, trying to restrain him

He was also shown putting the gunman into a headlock as he tried to prevent his escape

Detective Constable Mike Bunn said: 'This was a brazen robbery on a busy high street which left members of staff at the branch terrified.

'The robber travelled to the bank on a men's mountain bike and it is possible that he may live locally. I am urging anyone who recognises the man in the footage to contact us.'

Police said the suspect was wearing a grey hooded top with a cap, black gloves, a black satchel bag and dark trousers.

He also wore Nike trainers with what appears to be a red tick.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the force on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org, quoting reference J/03680/2017 241386.
A mother told police she killed her six-year-old daughter because she wanted to protect her from aliens.

Abigail Grace Hise was shot dead at her home in Bath County, Virginia on February 4.

The following day her mother, Darla Elizabeth Hise, admitted the killing to a detective, according to court documents, claiming she wanted to send the young girl to heaven.

Abigail Grace Hise was shot dead at her home in Bath County, Virginia on February 4

Darla Elizabeth Hise, admitted the killing to a detective, according to court documents, claiming she wanted to send the young girl to heaven

Tragedy: Abigail Grace Hise (pictured left) was shot dead by her mother Darla Elizabeth Hise (right) after a drug binge

Hines, 27, was under the influence of methamphetamines, amphetamines and marijuana when she was arrested, having led police to the scene of her daughter's death.

A three-year-old boy was also found at the murder scene, and has been placed in another family's care.

A motion written by her attorney, Tony Anderson, states, The Roanoke Times reports: 'Throughout her interview with Detective (Jeff) Grimm, she detailed her psychosis that she believed her daughter and son were in danger from aliens and she thought she was going to save her daughter by sending her to heaven.'

Darla Elizabeth Hise, admitted the killing to a detective, according to court documents, claiming she wanted to send the young girl to heaven

Abigail Grace Hise was shot dead at her home in Bath County, Virginia on February 4 and the following day her mother, Darla Elizabeth Hise admitted to a detective to killin

Hise is charged with first-degree murder, as well as attempted murder, two charges of use of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, and having a firearm while in possession of the drugs.

Hise is charged with first-degree murder, as well as attempted murder, two charges of use of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, and having a firearm while in possession of the drugs

She also told police in an interview that she had aliens in her body and wanted them removed.

Anderson argues that his client did not know what she was doing when she waived her right to remain silent and has called on her police statement to be supressed.

He argues Hise was suffering a 'possible drug-induced psychosis vs PTSD psychosis'.

An obituary for Abigail, who was known to friends and family as Abby, says she is survived by her grandparents, father, friends and an 'entire community who loved her'.

'She was a beautiful, happy child who loved to ride her bike, draw, color and play with her little brother, "Ben Ben",' the obituary reads. 'She was a frequent visitor to Lake Moomaw where she loved to swim and play in the lake.'

Her mother's trial is due to start on August 23, but her attorney has called for the case to be heard away from Bath County.
The Trump administration's tough talk on crime and the treatment of suspects has left some black police officers worried his words could derail efforts to improve the relationship between police and minority communities.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday addressed a major black law enforcement group in Atlanta, just days after President Donald Trump said police shouldn't be 'nice' to suspects by shielding their heads as they are lowered, handcuffed, into police cars.

The comment, now described by the White House as a joke, angered some cops who said it only served to dial back progress they'd made in the communities they serve.

Black police officers at the event talked of straddling two worlds: the communities where they live, and the police departments where they work.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday addressed a major black law enforcement group in Atlanta, just days after President Donald Trump said police shouldn't be 'nice' to suspects

'It's really hard being black and being a police officer when these things happen,' said Clarence E. Cox III, former police chief of Clayton County Schools in Georgia

President Donald Trump was 'making a joke' when he gave police the green light to engage in street justice against murder suspects, the White House says

They take seriously their oath to uphold the law and to go after criminals, but they also worry about their own friends, relatives and neighbors who fear the police.

'We live in some of the same communities that are affected by this disparate treatment. We go to church in those neighborhoods. We go to the barbershops,' said Clarence E. Cox III, former chief of Clayton County Schools in Georgia and incoming president of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

'Certain things people don't realize: It's really hard being black and being a police officer when these things happen.'

Seattle Assistant Police Chief Perry Tarrant, president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, told reporters Sessions also spoke privately with the organization's leadership.

When asked if he believes Trump was joking, Tarrant said, 'Whether intentional or unintentional, it was heard around the country by the folks, by the very communities that we're trying to build relationships with and I believe it had an impact.'

Sessions didn't apologize for the president's comment and said he believes it was made in jest, but said he understands the effect such comments can have and underscored the Department of Justice's commitment to protecting everyone's civil rights, Tarrant said.

Other conference attendees approached by The Associated Press declined to discuss Trump's comments or Sessions' address.

Seattle Assistant Police Chief Perry Tarrant (standing left) said Trump's quip was 'heard around the country by the folks, by the very communities that we're trying to build relationships with'

Sessions did not directly address the president's comments in his remarks Tuesday, but said police officers need the support of the community as they do a dangerous job.

'You deserve the support and respect of every American, and I'm here today on behalf of President Trump and the Department of Justice to say, "Thank you." I am proud to stand with you. The Department of Justice is proud to stand with you,' Sessions said, drawing applause from the crowd.

'We have your back. We are in this together.'

Sessions has questioned the federal civil rights investigations that marked the Obama administration's efforts to overhaul troubled police departments, often after high-profile deadly police encounters with black men inflamed tensions and reignited debates over police-community relations.

'We cannot let the politicians - and sometimes they do - run down the police in communities that are suffering only to see crimes spike in those communities,' Sessions said. 'In the very neighborhoods that need proactive, community-based policing the most, we don't need to be telling police not to do their job in those communities.'

'I'm here today on behalf of President Trump and the Department of Justice to say, "Thank you." I am proud to stand with you,' Sessions said, drawing applause from the crowd

Sessions has said aggressive federal intervention in local law enforcement can malign entire agencies and make officers less effective on the streets, but he has promised to prosecute individual officers who break the law.

Sessions has been traveling the country touting his tough-on-crime agenda. He believes rising violence and the nation's opioid epidemic require a return to tougher tactics, vowing to make fighting ordinary street crime a top priority for a Justice Department.

Tarrant has also expressed concern about Sessions' pledge to dial back civil rights investigations. While some effective interim steps can help address bad departments, he said, 'at the end of the day if you have systemic issues in any organization, the Department of Justice has an obligation to intervene.'

After his speech he Suffolk County Police Department gave Trump a brush back on Twitter

Trump's remarks came last Friday before law enforcement officers in Suffolk County, New York, during a visit to highlight his administration's efforts to crack down on a street gang known as MS-13.

He spoke dismissively of the practice of shielding the heads of handcuffed suspects as they are placed in patrol cars.

'Don't be too nice,' Trump said. 'I said, "You could take the hand away, OK,"' he said.

His remarks were later denounced by the Suffolk County Police Department, which issued a statement saying it has strict rules and procedures about how prisoners should be handled and 'we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners.'
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore is being urged to do more about the homeless camp threatening to become a permanent fixture in the heart of Sydney's CBD.

Dozens of tents have been erected along the iconic Martin Place forecourt since December, with the number continuing to grow, despite attempts by the council and state government to move them on.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian threw her weight behind the calls on Tuesday, saying the tent city makes her 'completely uncomfortable'.

Tents in Sydney's Martin Place opposite The Reserve Bank

Dozens of tents are pitched in the heart of Sydney's city CBD

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejeklian (pictured) asked the City of Sydney to react to the tents in Martin Place

'I'm concerned that some (homeless) people there are not there for the right reasons and that's why we've written to Clover Moore asking her to do what's in her powers to move them on,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

'We have made sure that anybody who needs emergency accommodation is given that and unfortunately some people are choosing not to take that up that offer,' she said.

'I don't think that's appropriate.'

Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward on Tuesday accused Ms Moore and the council of not undertaking public safety or compliance requirements seriously.

Dozens of tents erected in Sydney's Martin Place with attempts from State Government to move them on

'I call on the mayor of this city to do so,' Ms Goward said in a statement.

'The public expect her to act.'

FACS Housing staff have visited the site 41 times to offer services and accommodation to those who are sleeping rough, with about 60 of them now in permanent housing.

'Just yesterday and again today, FACS Housing staff visited the area to help people experiencing homelessness find accommodation and spoke with every person sleeping in a tent,' Ms Goward said.

The minister says it's 'ludicrous' her department had to apply for a council permit to erect a tent for the homeless in the camp opposite the Reserve Bank.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore responded on social media claiming the premier and minister were just trying to blame the city of Sydney.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore (pictured) responded to the premier on social media

Clover Moore responded to the premier's call on social media

'Sold off social housing, no affordable housing policy to speak off & yet Premier & Minister attempt to divert attention by blaming City,' she wrote.

'Minister/Premier want City to move people on like in Melb - surely they know only NSW Police have this power?'

The City of Sydney council in June moved away much of the previous camp, which includes a kitchen, on the Macquarie Street end of the thoroughfare.
The body of a Texas woman was found inside a hole on a beach shortly after going missing during a family vacation.

Ashley O'Connor an artist from Plano, Texas, was on holiday in Maryland with her family when she became separated at around 2am on Monday morning.

The 30-year-old's body was discovered around 6:30am, and was removed after the scene was combed at 4:15pm Monday, in the busy resort town of Ocean City.

A representative for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who is conducting O'Connor's autopsy to determine cause of death, tells DailyMail.com: 'We can't discuss cases that are under investigation. There is no timetable or deadline for any of our investigations.'

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Ashley O'Connor was on holiday with her family in Ocean City, Maryland when she got separated from her group. Her body was discovered in a hole on the beach Monday morning

It's unclear if Ashley's wife Janie O'Connor (left) was with Ashley on the vacation

Ashley O'Connor of Plano, Texas, was on holiday in Maryland with her family when she became separated at around 2am on Monday morning. Pictured: Authorities dig up her body

Crews on scene excavating the body of 30-year-old Ashley O'Connor

Police and public safety officials scour the beach for clues during the removal of O'Connor's body from the hole on the beach in Ocean City

As the news spread of her death, friends have taken to Facebook to share updates and mourn their loss. Alora Camille Hartmann posted 'Horrible... rest in peace, Ashley O'Connor.'

Another friend, Sarah Battle, posted 'RIP Ashley O'Connor. 'You were such a joy to be around. You will be missed.'

Although the death appears to be accidental, officials are not ruling anything out, said Ocean City Communications Manager Jessica Waters.

The news spread quickly on social media. A friend of O'Connor's posted this message 'You were such a joy to be around. You will be missed'

A friend of O'Connor's posted this message 'Horrible... rest in peace'

The 30-year-old's body was removed from the sand in the resort town of Ocean City (file photo)

'The victim was in a hole on the beach,' she told Delmarva Now after Ocean City Police Forensics Services Unit recovered her body.

Officers are reported to have spent hours scouring the beach to clear the scene and look for clues.

Although the death appears to be accidental, officials are not ruling anything out, said Ocean City Communications Manager Jessica Waters.

Courtesy of WMDT

'The victim was in a hole on the beach,' she told Delmarva Now after Ocean City Police Forensics Services Unit recovered her body.

Officers are reported to have spent hours scouring the beach to clear the scene and look for clues.

Police closed off a large section of the beach with plastic barriers while they investigated the death.

Holidaymakers Karen and Matthew Lavery, who were staying at a nearby hotel, said news of the tragic incident spread quickly.

Vacationers Tara and Kenny Spratt also heard about what happened at the beach.
Prince Charles donned 15 medals and badges yesterday as he paid tribute to the British and Allied soldiers who fought at Passchendaele on the centenary of the day the battle began.

From medals commemorating his mother's reign on the throne, to personal military service awards - he wears his badges with pride.

MailOnline takes a look at each of the awards given to the Prince of Wales.

MailOnline takes a look at each of the awards given to the Prince of Wales

UK Veterans' Association

The UK Veterans' Association badge is awarded to to those who received a medal for service in the army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, RAF, Home Guard or reserve forces.

Charles served in both the navy and air force during his military career between 1971 and 1994.

Former servicemen and women can apply for a badge on the government website.

The Mercians Badge

In 2007, the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment, the Staffordshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters merged into one and was named the Mercian Regiment.

Prince Charles attended the 'rebadging' ceremony at Tamworth Castle where he presented service medals to current and former soldiers.

In 2007, the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment, the Staffordshire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters merged into one and was named the Mercian Regiment

He replaced his cap badge at the same time as the parading soldiers.

At the time he said: 'I have no doubt that the Mercian Regiment will stand firm and strike hard just as its predecessor regiments did in all four corners of the world.'

7 SCOTS (51st Highland Division) Badge

The Prince of Wales is known as the Duke of Rothesay when he is in Scotland and he is the Royal Colonel to the 51st Highland Division, which is the 7th Batallion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland

The Prince of Wales is known as the Duke of Rothesay when he is in Scotland and he is the Royal Colonel to the 51st Highland Division, which is the 7th Batallion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

In August 2005, the new regimental cap badge was unveiled at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

The new cap badge incorporates the Saltire of St Andrew and the Lion Rampant of the Royal Standard of Scotland, which are two prominent national symbols.

The cap badge is surmounted by the Crown of Scotland.

Welsh Guards Badge

In 1975, Charles became the Royal Colonel of the Welsh Guards and is often referred to as the Prince of Wales' company. The badge dons a crown and a leek - a traditional symbol of Wales

In 1975, Charles became the Royal Colonel of the Welsh Guards and is often referred to as the Prince of Wales' company.

Twelve guardsmen of the regiment escorted the casket of Diana, Princess of Wales, from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey in 1997.

The badge dons a crown and a leek - a traditional symbol of Wales.

The Gordon Highlanders Badge

The Gordon Highlanders are a Scottish regiment based in Aberdeen.

The medal features a stag's head and neck coming forth from a Ducal coronet and is inscribed 'BYDAND', which means steadfast.

Prince Charles was made the Colonel in Chief of the regiment in 1977.

The medal features a stag's head and neck coming forth from a Ducal coronet and is inscribed 'BYDAND', which means steadfast

In 2011, he said: 'When I was a child in the 1950s some of my earliest memories were of old Gordon Highlanders who had fought their way through the last war, some of them suffering terribly in Japanese prisoner of war camps, and then found their way back to Balmoral.

'These men formed an important part of my upbringing and so you can perhaps imagine what an enormously proud moment it was when Her Majesty appointed me as Colonel-in-Chief of the Gordon Highlanders in 1977.'

Order of Merit

The Prince of Wales was awarded the Order of Merit on June 26, 2002

Awarded to those who provided outstanding service in the armed forces, or science, art, literature. There can only be a total of 24 members of the OM

Awarded to those who provided outstanding service in the armed forces, or science, art, literature. There can only be a total of 24 members of the OM.

As with the Royal Victorian Order, the Order of Merit is in the sole gift of the Sovereign but carries no rank apart from the initials OM after the name.

The Prince of Wales was awarded the Order of Merit on June 26, 2002.

Queen's Service Order

The Order was instituted by the Queen in 1975 on the advice of her New Zealand ministers, and The Prince was installed in 1983

The Order was instituted by the Queen in 1975 on the advice of her New Zealand ministers and the Prince was installed in 1983.

Coronation Medal

The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was awarded to the Prince to mark the Queen's coronation in 1953

Awarded to the Prince to mark the Queen's coronation in 1953.

Silver Jubilee Medal

Awarded to Prince Charles in 1977 to mark his mother's 25-year reign as Queen

Awarded to Prince Charles in 1977 to mark his mother's 25-year reign as Queen.

Golden Jubilee Medal 2002

Given to the Prince of Wales in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee

Given to the Prince of Wales in 2002 for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012

To mark 60 the Queen's 60 years on the throne, Prince Charles was given the Diamond Jubilee Medal

To mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne, Prince Charles was given the Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Long Service Good Conduct Medal

Awarded to the Prince last year. The medals, which recognise the good conduct of armed forces personnel over a 15-year period, have now been extended to include military officers

Awarded to the Prince last year. The medals, which recognise the good conduct of armed forces personnel over a 15-year period, have now been extended to include military officers.

They are believed to be the oldest medal still being awarded and can be traced back to 1830.

Canadian Forces Decoration

Prince Charles was awarded a second clasp to his Canadian Forces Decoration medal in recognition of his 32 years of honorary service as Colonel In Chief of the Royal Canadian Regiment

Prince Charles was awarded a second clasp to his Canadian Forces Decoration medal in recognition of his 32 years of honorary service as Colonel In Chief of the Royal Canadian Regiment.

He was first given the medal in 1991.

The New Zealand Commemorative Medal

These medals were only awarded in 1990 and marks the Prince's special relationship with New Zealand

These medals were only awarded in 1990 and marks the Prince's special relationship with New Zealand.

New Zealand Armed Forces

The New Zealand Armed Forces Award is a circular silver medal. It was given to Prince Charles in 2012

The New Zealand Armed Forces Award is a circular silver medal. The obverse bears the crowned effigy of Her Majesty The Queen surrounded by the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID. DEF.

Prince Charles was given the award in 2012.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A prominent Gwanda businessman and farmer Mr Tariro Maphosa has been killed while his wife is battling for life at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after the couple was shot at during an armed robbery outside their home in Jacaranda suburb last night.Mr Maphosa owned a number of retail outlets in Gwanda, including Zebrine supermarket and butchery.According to a family member, Mr Maphosa who was in the company of his wife and daughter were attacked around eight in the evening by two suspected robbers.The robbers, a male and female, are said to have pounced on the trio as they were opening the gate and demanded cash.Mr Maphosa told the robbers that he did not have money and was shot twice in the chest while his wife was shot on the leg.After committing the offence, the robbers are said to have disappeared from the scene.The injured couple was rushed to Gwanda provincial hospital where Mr Maphosa died on admission.His wife was referred to the UBH for further medical treatment.Gwanda town mayor Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu expressed shock at the death of the businessman and urged police and the community to work together in fighting crime.Robberies of businessmen and miners have been on the increase in Matabeleland South province with a Gwanda mine owner having been recently shot on both legs by armed robbers who demanded US$20 000.
A shocking video has emerged that shows a man attacking a group of youths with a metal pole after accusing them of stealing his money.

The man, who was apparently Brazilian, was allegedly robbed by the youngsters last Wednesday in east London.

In the footage he tracked down the group to a wooded area and began hitting them with the pole and throwing them to the ground.

The Brazilian man attacked a group of youths in a wooded area of east London

The video was recorded by a friend and showed the man demanding his money from the youths.

One of them said: 'Boss I don't have your money' before handing him a note and saying 'this is my money'.

The youth, wearing a Puma tracksuit, added: 'It was the other boy, not me...he ran.'

When asked where the 'other boy' had gone, he replied: 'Stepney Green.'

The video was uploaded to Live Leak with the caption: 'Look what happens when a gang steals from a Brazilian in London.'

A source added: 'This is a Brazilian guy that had been robbed by the gang. One of them was using a balaclava and took his money and ran away.

'The Brazilian man found the gang's friends but couldn't get all his money back.''

A Met Police spokesman said they had not received any reports of the attack.

The video was recorded by a friend and showed the man demanding his money from the youths

The London youths were whipped with a metal pole by the man in the video

The incident comes a month after Brazilian moped delivery riders took revenge on a would-be thief by beating him with a metal pole.

Graphic footage posted online showed them pinning him to the ground in North London.

A Deliveroo driver had put a tracker on his bike and when he was attacked, colleagues were alerted via WhatsApp.

They flooded the area and then handed out their own justice.

One said: 'Most of our drivers are from Brazil from favelas  they are scary people. I hope we get support from the Government or there will be vigilante drivers on the streets.'
This is the ingenious moment one man used his jet boat to help put out a bush fire in Canada at the weekend.

Koyne Watson, 43, and fiancee Tasha Hunt, 33, were out sailing on the South Thompson River near Kamloops, British Colombia, on Saturday when they noticed the blaze.

Miss Hunt, who spoke to Kamloops This Week, said: 'We saw it smoldering and we thought, "Oh my god, theres a fire!"

Koyne Watson, 43, and fiancee Tasha Hunt, 33, were out sailing on South Thompson River on Saturday when they spotted a grass fire on one of the banks

'We phoned it in and we headed over there. The flames had taken off. We spun the boat around and just started making passes.'

In total Miss Hunt said the couple made around eight passes, damaging the boat in the process as the engine overheated.

The vehicle is a 1987 Eliminator Scorpion worth around $17,000.

Fire crews accompanied by a helicopter then arrived on scene and took over fighting the blaze, which temporarily shut a nearby highway.

However, the blaze was quickly extinguished and the road re-opened.

Kamloops fire chief David Ferguson praised Watson's actions and said any help people can give in fighting a fire, when it is safe to do so, is welcomed by crews.

After calling the fire department the couple headed over to the fire in their jet boat before putting it to use dousing the flames
This is the moment a gang of chimpanzees ruthlessly dethrone their alpha male - by viciously attacking him and leaving him bloodied on the ground.

The rebellious group circle their leader, wrestle him to the ground and stab him with nearby branches.

Other pieces of video footage show the five mutinous chimps punching the alpha in the back as he tried to hide itself against a rock.

Chimpanzees show aggression towards the alpha male of their troop because if successful in overruling them, they will be rewarded with mates, food and the opportunity to pass on their own genes.

The primates arrange themselves into warring gangs that raid each other's territory, often leaving mutilated bodies behind.

Other studies suggest chimpanzees attack each other due because they are endangered by the human impact on their natural environment though deforestation or farming which forces them to live closer together.

The brutal struggle was captured at Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania by German wildlife photographer Konrad Wothe.

The rebellious group of chimpanzees circle their former leader and wrestle him to the ground

The former alpha is left bleeding and screaming on the ground, while the victorious gang celebrate

Konrad said: 'My main focus is to document animals in their natural habitat, exhibiting their particular character and typical behaviour.

'I love nature, travelling and the creativity required to work behind a camera.

'For over twenty years now I have been working as a freelance nature photographer and filmmaker all over the world.

'I have photographed animals, plants, landscapes and more at many of the most beautiful sites between the Arctic and the Antarctic.'

Chimpanzees arrange themselves into warring gangs that raid each other's territory
The French embassy has sparked anger by claiming during Passchendaele commemorations that the EU was responsible for bringing peace to the continent.

A message posted by diplomats in London described the 100th anniversary of the bloody First World War battle as 'an opportunity' to celebrate the achievements of the bloc.

But the tweet was condemned by former soldier and Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart who described the idea that Brussels could claim credit for peace as 'rubbish' - pointing to the far more important role of NATO.

The message from the French embassy came as Theresa May and members of the Royal Family joined foreign dignitaries at a service for the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele - where hundreds of thousands of allied soldier fell

The message from the French embassy came as Theresa May and members of the Royal Family joined foreign dignitaries at a service for the centenary of the Battle of Passchendaele - where hundreds of thousands of allied soldier fell.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were with Prince Charles and the Prime Minister remembering those killed in the notorious First World War clash.

The Prince of Wales spoke of the 'courage and bravery' of British soldiers killed over the course of a bloody 100 days in the summer and autumn of 1917.

But German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, who was also there, risked controversy by hailing the European 'project of peace' - saying it was 'more than the single market'.

Mr Gabriel recalled that there had never before been a period in Europe of more than 70 years without war and destruction.

'Today it is more true than ever in a world full of crises and conflicts that Europe is far more than a single market,' he said.

'Europe is a project of peace. Europe is our future. Only united can we succeed in protecting our interests and defending our values.'

The French embassy went further, referring explicitly to the EU and crediting the bloc with bringing peace.

'Today we commemorate #Passchendaele100. An opportunity to cherish peace, unity and solidarity brought by the EU,' the message on its Twitter feed said.

Colonel Stewart, who led operations in Bosnia in the 1990s, told MailOnline: 'The peace and security of Europe has primarily been maintained by the NATO alliance.

'Passchendaele has got nothing to do with modern day Europe. Absolute fans of the EU always maintain that the EU is a major force for maintaining security.

That is rubbish. It has very little to do with the security of the EU.'

The Duchess of Cambridge laid flowers at war graves in Ypres (left) yesterday during a ceremony marking 100 years since the Battle of Passchendaele. Mrs May is pictured right speaking during the commemorations at the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery100th Anniversary of Passchendaele
Australian Olympic hero Geoff Huegill has gone from swimming champion to local pool cleaner in a career move he says suits him 'to a tee'.

After a post-career battle with drugs and alcohol, the 38-year-old has found his calling as the client manager for the Sydney-based Pool & Spa Whisperer.

'It's been good, I've really enjoyed it because I'm not stuck in an office,' Huegill told The Daily Telegraph last week.

Australian Olympic hero Geoff Huegill has gone from swimming champion to local pool cleaner

The 38-year-old, pictured with his wife Sara, has found his calling as the client manager for The Pool & Spa Whisperer

'I've been around swimming pools for 35 years of my life so I understand filtration systems and pumps and backwashes... what's not to love?' he said.

Huegill, who won silver in the 4x100m medley relay and bronze in the 100m butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, said clients are stunned to have a swimming champion inspect their pools.

'Occasionally I rock up to people's backyards and people do get that shock of ''wow what are you doing here?'' But we work with a team of guys and a team... [that] take the headache and the pain away for the real estate agent or the pool owner.'

The former swimmer's company specialises in pool servicing and maintenance, but also provides system repairs and fence compliance services.

Huegill, his wife Sara and two daughters Milla, five, and Gigi, three, nearly moved to Singapore this year, but decided to stay in Bondi to pursue business opportunities.

The former athlete struggled with drug and alcohol abuse following the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Huegill, his wife Sara and two daughters Milla, five, and Gigi, three, nearly moved to Singapore this year, but decided to stay in Bondi to pursue business opportunities

'I've been around swimming pools for 35 years of my life so I understand filtration systems and pumps and backwashes... what's not to love?' he said

'By 2005 my party life had given me a drinking problem, financial worries, and I was experiencing depression,' he wrote in his 2012 autobiography, Be Your Best.

He ended up gaining 45kg, before making a successful comeback to the pool at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

In 2014, Huegill and his wife both pleaded guilty to drug possession after security guards caught them with cocaine at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

The couple served six-month good behaviour bonds after the bust and claimed that the experience had 'galvanised' their marriage.

The former swimmer's company specialises in pool servicing and maintenance, but also provides system repairs and fence compliance services
Theresa May led a stirring rendition of the national anthem at the Italian hotel where she has been on holiday.

The Prime Minister and husband Philip stood with dozens of guests for the spontaneous singalong after a pianist started playing it in the bar.

The Mays spent five days at the luxury Villa Cortine Palace Hotel in Sirmione last week, as they went on a walking tour of Lombardy.

Theresa May, left, led a 'stirring' rendition of God Save The Queen at an Italian hotel on holiday after pianist Davide Feroni, right, began playing it. Mrs May presented Mr Feroni with a pair of No.10 cufflinks as thanks

Theresa May and husband Philip were holidaying in Sirmione near Lake Garda last week

The dining room at the Villa Cortine Palace Hotel, a favourite destination for the Mays

Downing Street confirmed she was so delighted by the gesture that she presented pianist Davide Foroni with a pair of No10 cuff-links.

Mr Foroni said the whole room had applauded after the anthem.

'When I saw her in the bar I just thought, 'I have to play God Save The Queen',' he told The Sun.

'As soon as the first notes started she was on her feet with her husband proudly singing along. Everyone stood.

'There was a mixture of all nationalities. The British guests sang the words as well and at the end everyone clapped.'

Mr Foroni said Mrs May's musical tastes ranged from 'classical to contemporary and jazz'.

'She liked Whitney Houston, The Beatles and Elton John and classics like Mozart. I'd say her music taste is more classical than contemporary,' he said.

The 700-a-night hotel beside Lake Garda is a favourite destination for the Mays.

Theresa May was out and about with Philip in Italy in her favourite summer dress last week

The pool at the hotel in Sirmione which overlooks a beautiful view of Lake Garda

The couple are on a three week break after a gruelling spell for the PM that saw the Tories stripped of their overall majority at the election.

Mrs May broke into the holiday to attend Passchendaele commemorations in Belgium yesterday, and is now heading to Switzerland.

The PM and Mr May were pictured last week walking around the Lombardy town of Sirmione, known as 'the pearl of Lake Garda', flanked by her security team.
The shocking moment a traffic officer was ploughed down by a suspected drink driver has been caught on camera.

Matthew Lesell said he was 'shocked and amazed' he was able to walk away from the shocking collision at Fort Worth in Texas.

He had pulled over a vehicle when the crash happened.

The officer had pulled a vehicle over on the highway in Fort Worth before being suddenly hit

As he approached the first car, a second vehicle appeared in the shot, speeding in the direction of the police officer

The officer recounted to Fox 4: 'Every time I watch it, I'm shocked and amazed that I was able to walk away the way I could.

'It definitely wasn't a normal walk. I hobbled and was able to get up and out. But I was amazed the damage wasn't more severe.'

Driver Mike Mitchell, 34, was charged with intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury to a police officer.

Lesell, who is set to be off duty for several weeks, told NBCDFW that he had got out of his squad car after pulling over another vehicle.

Driver Mike Mitchell, 34, was charged with intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury to a police officer

The injured police officer said being hit felt like 'spinning through a washing machine'

Suddenly a second car came speeding into him, sending him flying.

He said: 'Next thing I knew is I was flying through the air. It felt like I was spinning through a washing machine.'

Incredibly he was able to get out of the highway as other cars sped past.

Lesell stated: 'From all my training, whether it be the Marine Corps, or through the academy, the worst thing to do is be down and out of the fight.'

The officer suffered a hyper-extended foot and a fractured vertebrae, but was fortunate to escape more serious injury.
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Fascinating images of the Korean War document the suffering of American troops and the valiant efforts of their comrades to save them.

The pictures bring home the brutal realities of the conflict as never-before seen after the pictures were painstakingly colorized by Royston Leonard.

The Korean War lasted from 1950 until 1953 and involved UN troops and South Koreans fighting against North Korea and their Soviet and Chinese allies.

American troops made up 88 per cent of the ground forces used, though 21 nations contributed to the UN effort. In total, more than 33,000 American soldiers lost their lives.

The images are made all the more poignant as tensions on the Korean peninsula continue to rise, following Kim Jong-un's latest missile test and President Trump's assurances that the situation will be 'handled'.

South Korean soldiers carry a wounded American ally off the battlefield during the war which lasted from 1950 to 1953. In total America lost 33,686 soldiers during the conflict, with Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson heavily criticized for sending troops into battle under-equipped, under-supplied and unprepared

Two members of the US Marine Corps help a wounded soldier walk away from battle. The Marines were one of the only branches of the military that proved ready for deployment, having maintained their stocks of Second World War weapons and equipment. However, they were still hampered by a lack of marine landing craft

A badly wounded soldier is evacuated from the conflict by a Sikorsky H-5 helicopter. The Korean War marked the first wide-scale deployment of helicopters by the American military, especially for medical evacuations due to the rough terrain. Gunships were also used for close support of infantry for the first time - a tactic which would be repeated in Vietnam

Korea civilians watch as a US soldier is evacuated by helicopter. The use of helicopters as 'medivac' vehicles and advancements in battlefield medicine were credited with saving thousands of lives during the conflict and are still used heavily in US combat operations to this day

A lucky soldier pulls a piece of shrapnel from his body armor. The vests, where were adapted from World War Two designs using modern materials such as nylon, were supplied to troops from 1952. According to the Quartermaster Museum, they deflected around 75 per cent of all shrapnel and reduced torso wounds by up to 70 per cent, but were much less effective against small arms fire

Soldiers relax and share a smoke away from the fighting. In total 21 countries from the United Nations contributed to the effort to stop North Korea along with its Chinese and Russian allies pushing into South Korea, though America provided 88 per cent of the ground troops despite being desperately under-supplied

Three soldiers tuck into 'chow' during the Korean War. According to Leiutenant Colonel Coy W. Baldwin, of the Quartermaster Corps, American troops in Korea were 'better than any served before under battle conditions'. Soldiers could expect 'fresh meats and vegetables, salads, rolls once a day, pastry products several times a week, ice cream at least weekly, and even such items as bananas regularly,' he said

American troops shelter behind a tank, either a M26 Pershing heavy tank or M46 Patton medium tank. Both vehicles were developed toward the end of the Second World War in order to combat superior German machines, but saw limited service. Instead they were re-purposed for combat in Korea, with the Pershing credited for destroying half of Russian T34s engaged

An American tank equipped with a flame-thrower attacks North Korean positions during the war. The weapon was used extensively by Marines during the conflict in order to flush enemies out of entrenched defensive positions and to destroy natural cover such as trees and other foliage. The weapon is not longer used by the US military, but is not banned

A US Marine uses a flamethrower to attack North Korean troops. Mounted flamethrowers were phased out as tank adaptations became more common, before the weapon was unilaterally dropped by the US military. Those using the weapon risked being blown up if the tank was badly damaged by shrapnel or bullets

American troops fire a Browning M1917 machine gun at enemy troops. The weapon was developed for use during the First World War but saw combat all the way until Vietnam, despite much lighter version being developed during that time

A flight of F-86 Sabre aircraft wait for orders at an American airfield. The jet fighter was deployed for the first time during the Korean War to take on the Soviet MiG-15 fighters, which were superior to the F-80 and F-84s which were initially deployed. The war marked the first time that jet fighters confronted each-other in air-to-air combat

An American soldier smiles as he reads a letter from home while flying a Confederate flag over his tent, somewhere in Korea. UN forces, largely compromised of American soldiers, suffered early losses in the war and within two months were on the verge of defeat. A reversal of fortunes took place after a counter-attack at Incheon, but UN troops were forced back again after China entered the fray. Eventually an armistice was agreed, but the two countries are technically still at war
Dozens of Turkish prisoners flanked by troops have been paraded in public as 500 'traitors' went on trial today over the failed coup to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A group of 41 handcuffed defendants were marched into the courtroom in Sincan, near Ankara with paramilitary police officers on each arm and protected by armed special force officers.

People chanted 'we want the death penalty!' and some threw nooses towards the suspects. The death penalty has been abolished in Turkey since 2004.

They were among 500, including a number of generals and military pilots, going on trial as President Erdogan continues to wreak revenge on those who plotted to overthrow him last summer. If convicted, they face life imprisonment.

The trial is taking place in Turkey's largest courtroom established inside a prison complex in Sincan near Ankara to hear coup-related trials and has space for 1,558 people.

Dozens of Turkish prisoners flanked by troops have been paraded outside court as 500 suspects went on trial today over the failed coup to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Defendants Kemal Batmaz (first row centre) and Akin Ozturk (second row centre) and other suspects arrive for their trial accompanied by military officials

Defendant Akin Ozturk (second left) and other prisoners were flanked by police as they arrived for their trial

U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government blames for the coup, has been named as the main defendant in the case and will be tried in absentia.

Former air force commander Akin Ozturk and other defendants stationed at Akinci air base, in the outskirts of the capital Ankara, are accused of directing the coup and bombing key government buildings, including the parliament.

Many of the 486 suspects face life terms in prison for crimes that include violating the Constitution, murder, attempt to assassinate the president and overthrow the government.

The trial is one of dozens that are underway in Turkey in relation to the coup attempt on July 15, 2016 that resulted in 249 deaths. Some 30 coup-plotters were also killed.

The government says the coup was carried out by followers of Gulen's movement, but the cleric has denied involvement.

A group of 41 defendants were today paraded from their jail to a courthouse that was built especially at a prison complex to try the coup plotters

They were handcuffed, with two paramilitary police officers on each arm and protected by armed special force officers

Paramilitary police and special force members escort prisoners outside the courthouse today

The government says the coup-plotters used Akinci air base as their headquarters. Turkey's military chief Gen.

Hulusi Akar and other commanders were held captive for several hours at the base on the night of the coup.

A total of 461 defendants are behind bars while 18 were freed pending the outcome of the trial.

Seven others, including Gulen and an alleged top operative in his movement, are still wanted by the Turkish authorities and are being tried in absentia.

Ozturk, the former air force commander, is also on trial in a separate case, accused of being a ring-leader of the coup.

The government declared a state of emergency following the coup and embarked on a large-scale crackdown on Gulen's network and other opponents, arresting more than 50,000 people and purging over 110,000 people from government jobs

Families of those killed or wounded during the coup attempt staged a protest, some throwing ropes toward the defendants demanding that the death penalty be reinstated and that they be hanged.

Others threw stones or tried to break through police lines to reach the suspects, shouting 'murderers.'

A total of 1,300 security personnel were deployed both inside and outside the courtroom, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The government declared a state of emergency following the coup and embarked on a large-scale crackdown on Gulen's network and other opponents, arresting more than 50,000 people and purging over 110,000 people from government jobs.
This Lamborghini driver had a lucky escape when he stopped at a junction and his car burst into flames.

Footage shows the driver pull in behind an SUV in the left lane in Seattle, Washington.

But as the SUV moves on, the driver frantically gets out and runs to the rear of the car.

Footage shows the driver pull in behind an SUV in the left lane in Seattle, Washington

He opens the boot and sees the engine on fire as smoke billows into the air.

Then the fire spreads to the front seat, forcing his passenger to also get out as the helpless pair move away from the car.

A passer-by then gives the driver an extinguisher but it's not enough to douse the flames, which continue to burn the car.

Eventually, a fire truck arrives and closes off the road before firefighters put out the flames with a hose.

The scenes were captured by a CCTV camera on a building opposite the incident.

The fire spreads to the front seat, forcing his passenger to also get out as the helpless pair move away from the car
News / National

by Staff reporter

War veterans have reportedly challenged the First Lady Grace Mugabe, who claims to be the "mother of the nation" to show that she is a "competent mom" by "disciplining her unruly sons"."She can't be a mother to 14 million Zimbabweans when she is failing to [control] just two sons," national war veterans' secretary general Victor Matemadanda said.Grace recently admitted that her two sons - Robert Junior and Chatunga Bellarmine - had become wild and were giving her "sleepless nights", as they had taken to beer binges and drugs.This was after the two boys were evicted from a luxury apartments block in Johannesburg's affluent Sandton area because of their "unacceptable behaviour".The war veterans' attack on Grace came after she moved to lecture and scold Mugabe's two vice president and cabinet ministers during a campaign rally in Chinhoyi over the weekend.Grace warned her husband's deputies Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko that they risked losing their jobs if they did not perform to the expectations of the 93-year-old Mugabe.She also ridiculed Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere over his "big belly".Grace then went on to humiliate Mugabe's spokesperson George Charamba for ignoring her philanthropic work in Mazoe while giving her "party rivals" positive coverage.But Matemadanda said: "Let her [Grace] bring her children to the rallies, and also humiliate the two boys. She must tell them 'stop it' in front of other youths, then we say she is a strict disciplinarian."
Transgender inmates will be able to take their pick of women's clothes at pop-up shops while serving sentences for sex offences.

Bosses at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire - where Max Clifford is serving eight years for eight indecent assaults against teenagers - opened shops in an 'increased effort' to let inmates serve sentences 'in gender'.

The prison, which holds 1,200 inmates, will offer its 11 transgender convicts the chance to buy dresses, skirts, blouses, bras, knickers and make-up.

Littlehey sex offenders' prison in Cambridgeshire will give transgender inmates the chances to bu women's clothing by opening pop-up shops for the 11 convicts awaiting surgery and hormone treatment

The Equalities Governor at the jail organised the pop-up shops so prisoners awaiting sex-change operations and hormone treatment can prepare while in prison.

A report out by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) last week said an increased effort was being made to help ensure they could get suitable clothes.

'The Board observes, in particular, the increased effort being applied to meet the requirements of the small (11 currently) but demanding transgender group within the Littlehey prison population.

'This group has ongoing issues in trying to obtain items from the canteen and catalogues to enable them to live in gender.

'The Equalities Governor has helped by organising and managing "pop-up shops".'

Max Clifford is serving an eight-year sentence for eight indecent assaults against four teenagers at HMP Littlehey, where transgender inmates have been granted pop-up shops

The report, however, said there was a degree of disconnect between items available and prison policy, adding the prisoners needed more than just pop-up shops.

All the 11 inmates are on the Transgender Pathway, which includes surgery and hormone treatment.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said anyone applying to be on the pathway would be assessed by a range of healthcare professionals.

Former PR guru Max Clifford has been held at the prison since 2014, when he was found guilty of eight indecent assaults on four girls and women aged 14 to 19.

He is currently appealing against his convictions.
Former Eastenders actor Joseph Shade arrives at court today for his trial for child sex offences

A former EastEnders actor has arrived at court to stand trial for sexually abusing four teenage girls.

Joseph Shade, 24, who played Peter Beale in the soap for six years, denies 11 counts of sexual abuse.

The actor-turned-youth worker is accused of sexual offences against four girls aged between 13 and 17, with the alleged offending taking place between 2012 and 2015.

The defendant, who is on bail, denies six counts of causing or inciting a child under 18 to engage in sexual activity while in a position of trust.

He also denies four counts of causing or inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity and one count of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.

Shade, of Sheringham, Norfolk, arrived at Norwich Crown Court today for a trial which is estimated to last five to six days.

He played Ian Beale's son Peter in the soap from 1998 to 2004.

Shade, now 24, starred in the soap for six years before becoming a youth worker
US officials have vacated a leisure estate in Moscow after being barred from using it as tensions mount between the Trump administration and Vladimir Putin.

On Sunday, Putin said the US would have to cut 755 of its embassy and consulate staff in Russia - a sweeping reduction which he described as a response to new U.S. sanctions.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced it was closing down the US recreational retreat on the outskirts of Moscow, as well as warehouse facilities.

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The building was used by U.S. diplomatic staff at the weekends and to host parties for students, journalists and other diplomats

Today American staff were pictured leaving the estate in Moscow's Serebryany Bor Park after the Russian government said they could no longer use it

Today's removal of furniture and equipment was the first sign of compliance with the Kremlin order.

Putin ordered the US to cut around 60 percent of its diplomatic staff in Russia by September 1, and said Moscow will seize two US diplomatic properties in response to sanctions approved by Congress last week.

The White House has said US President Donald Trump will sign the sanctions bill, meant as a response to alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and to further punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

Today removal men began dismantling play equipment and barbecues at a US-owned country villa on the outskirts of Moscow, after being refused access the day before, according to a Reuters journalist at the scene.

The building, which is being confiscated along with a U.S. warehouse in the south of the Russian capital, was used by U.S. diplomatic staff at the weekends and to host parties for students, journalists and other diplomats.

US Embassy officials were today pictured locking the gate to the Serebryany Bor Park estate

Today removal men began dismantling play equipment and barbecues at a US-owned country villa on the outskirts of Moscow, after being refused access the day before, according to a Reuters journalist at the scene

A U.S. embassy car is seen through the gate at the entrance to the U.S. embassy warehouse building in the south of Moscow

The removal men said they arrived at around 7am and were seen packing furniture, including beds and lamps, into three white removal vans before leaving the property three hours later.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said US staff had to leave the dacha and warehouse by midday on Tuesday, TASS news agency reported. Ryabkov and the Kremlin said no one had obstructed US employees trying to access the property.

Putin said on Sunday Russia had ordered the United States to cut 755 of its 1,200 diplomatic staff in its embassy and consular operations, though many of those let go will be Russian citizens, with the United States allowed to choose who leaves.

One person at the embassy, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to talk to the media, said staff there were feeling depressed and despondent as they came to terms with the Kremlin's order.

'The mood in the office is very pessimistic,' the person said. 'Everyone is just loitering, or sitting on job websites looking for a new job.'

Today American staff were pictured leaving the estate in Moscow's Serebryany Bor Park after the Russian government said they could no longer use it.

Putin reacted angrily after the U.S. Congress approved sanctions against Russia.

Russian's Foreign Ministry on Friday ordered a reduction by September 1 in U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia to 455 people in response to a new package of American sanctions.

The White House says President Donald Trump will sign those sanctions into law.

On Sunday, Putin said the U.S. would have to cut 755 of its embassy and consulate staff in Russia - a sweeping reduction which he described as a response to new U.S. sanctions

The estate was locked by US staff after they were barred from using it by the Russian Foreign Ministry

A vehicle is seen departing the Serebryany Bor Park as tensions mount between the US and Russia

Speaking on a visit to Estonia this week, US Vice President Mike Pence said: 'President Trump has made it clear: America is open to a better relationship. But the President and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia  a better relationship, and the lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse the actions that caused sanctions to be imposed in the first place.

'We hope for better days, and better relations with Russia, but as I said earlier today, recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow will not deter the commitment of the United States to our security, that of our allies, and freedom-loving nations around the world.

'And be assured: The United States rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation, or malign influence in the Baltic States or against any of our treaty allies  and under President Donald Trump, the United States will stand firmly behind our Article Five pledge of mutual defense  and the presence of the U.S Armed Forces here today proves it.'
Philip Hammond denied trying to delay Brexit today as Tory MPs demanded an end to damaging Cabinet squabbling.

The Chancellor insisted there was no prospect of EU membership continuing beyond March 2019, saying his push for a transitional deal would not mean 'postponing' the UK's departure.

The comments came after Downing Street slapped down Mr Hammond by dismissing his suggestion of a three-year transition with Norway-style arrangements. No10 made clear that free movement would end when we leave the bloc.

At a press conference in Brazil overnight, Philip Hammond acknowledged there was still a 'debate' about the nature of a transitional deal

The Chancellor has been meeting counterpart Henrique Meirelles in Brazil during a trade mission to the country

Cabinet colleagues including Boris Johnson and Liam Fox are said to have been infuriated by the Chancellor's 'freelancing' on Brexit in interviews last week while Theresa May is abroad on holiday.

At a press conference in Brazil overnight, Mr Hammond acknowledged there was still a 'debate' about the nature of a transitional deal.

But asked about the Brexit timetable, he said: 'No, it won't be postponed or delayed.

'As Michel Barnier, the EU negotiator says ... the clock is ticking, we are already in a timescale that has to end on March 29 2019, which is when Britain will leave the European Union.

'There's a discussion going on about how we then move from full membership of the European Union to a future relationship with the European Union and that's a debate, a discussion that will go on through this negotiations.'

He added that the UK hopes talks on a post-Brexit EU trade deal will begin this autumn.

The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has raised the prospect of a two month delay amid a furious row about the huge divorce bill demand from Brussels.

Mr Hammond said: 'Of course it is then possible for us as a sovereign nation to negotiate future relations with the European Union, and that's the process that we hope to begin this autumn - of discussion with our European Union partners about the future trading relationship with them.

'But that trading relationship will not be based on membership of the European Union, it will be based on treaty - just like a future trading relationship with Brazil will be based on treaty.'

Former Foreign Secretary Lord Hague has waded into the row to urge ministers to keep the UK in the single market and customs union during the 'implementation phase'.

In his Daily Telegraph column, he said: 'This is seen by longstanding advocates of leaving as a 'soft' position or a climbdown. But in reality it is a plan to rescue Brexit from an approaching disaster.'

Theresa May and husband Philip left their worries behind today as they strolled near Lake Garda on Tuesday

Liam Fox (pictured right) was not made fully aware of the scale of Mr Hammond's proposals for a three-year 'transition' from Brexit. David Davis (left) has been leading Brexit negotiations for the government

Boris Johnson has accused new Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable (pictured together in 2011) of lying about the scale of Cabinet 'civil war'

Tory MP Nadine Dorries has tweeted mocking the unseemly spat between senior figures over Brexit plans

Number 10 has insisted that the UK is not seeking an 'off the shelf' model for the UK's relationship after the official date of Brexit, but Lord Hague said something similar to membership of the European Economic Area would make negotiations much easier.

'The task of agreeing a special transitional regime as well as an eventual free trade agreement could be skipped,' he said.

The UK would also keep making payments into the EU budget in 2020 and 2021 - something likely to be fiercely resisted by hardline Brexiteers - which would resolve rows with Brussels about the financial settlement.

The plan would also give time for new customs arrangements to be put in place, make it easier for businesses and would be easier to get through Parliament, Lord Hague said.

'This should, of course, be the plan of the whole Government, agreed in advance and relayed unanimously. But even in the absence of that, it is the most sensible and workable approach.'

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg called on Cabinet ministers to take collective responsibility over Brexit, citing a row over corn laws in the 19th century.

The eccentric backbencher also said any senior minister thinking about a leadership challenge 'would be doing his own chances a great deal of damage' by using differing views over Brexit to move against Prime Minister Theresa May.

Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about Cabinet splits, Mr Rees-Mogg said: 'I think we've got to remember the important point of collective responsibility here.

'You will know (Lord) Melbourne's comment - 'Now, is it to lower the price of corn, or isn't it? It is not much matter which we say, but mind we must all say the same.'

'The British constitution does not work without collective responsibility.

'There has to be and there is one Government position and that needs to be implemented.'

Lord Melbourne was prime minister when he made the comments to his Cabinet in 1841, over plans to impose tariffs on corn from overseas.

Leading Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg went on to say that Tory MPs and the country wanted Mrs May to carry on as Prime Minister.

'I can only think in the Cabinet that there are a group of loyal and devoted people who are getting on with their job, as they ought to be,' he said.

'We're just speculating theoretically, in case there was anybody who might be thinking about this.

'And that person, if he or she happens to be listening, must realise that he would be doing his own chances a great deal of damage.'
The devastated family of a 19-year-old West Australian woman have paid tribute to their 'happy' daughter who died after being crushed by a bull at a farm.

Alexandra Henderson, from Dalyup - 680km east of Perth, was found unconscious on Monday morning and rushed by ambulance to Esperance Hospital in WA's south where she died from her injuries.

She was working at the farm at Dalyup herding the large bull when she was hit into a fence in a paddock.

Alexandra Henderson, from Dalyup, (pictured) was found unconscious on Monday morning

A 19-year-old teenager has died after being crushed by a bull (stock image) in West Australia

The family said they were devastated by the sudden loss of their beautiful daughter Alexandra.

'We are consoled at this time by the fact that she was in a happy place at this time in her life,' the family said in a statement.

Alexandra was working on a property she loved, with people she cared for and respected and who felt the same about her, they said.

While Alexandra was only young she had worked with animals her whole life, including cattle and was a competent horsewoman, breaking and training horses, they added.

Ms Henderson (pictured) devastated family have paid tribute to her after her death on Monday

She was working at the farm at Dalyup herding the large bull when she was hit into a fence

'She was also a compassionate person who cared deeply about her world and the living things she shared it with,' the family said.

'We are buoyed at this time by the fact that we have spent so much time with her, and that we live in a community which has supported us with an outpouring of love and support.'

The family thanked paramedics and hospital staff for trying to save Alexandra.

Worksafe are investigating and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
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When a sinkhole opened up beneath the car park of a Kent branch of Primark, few would have expected it to have revealed such wonders.

But an astonishing network of underground tunnels that could date back a century was discovered under the Broadstairs retail complex - and history experts believe they may have been used during both world wars.

The tunnels containing rusted metal barrels and basins were first found after a similar incident of subsidence in 2015 by the landowners Westwood Cross and have since been explored by local group Thanet Hidden History.

Experts believe the British Army used the tunnels - accessed by steps - for training exercises, but have argued whether they were created before the First World War or after in preparation for future conflicts.

According to KentLive, a Freedom of Information request was sent to the Ministry of Defence by the landowners Ravenside Investments two years to delve into the origin of the tunnels.

Ravenside Investments wrote: 'We have recently discovered tunnels underneath our property and have reason to believe these were created by the Army during the First World War as a training exercise.'

But the MoD replied that 'no information' was held in its records on the tunnels. Thanet Hidden History believes an air raid shelter hidden under the shopping centre was sealed in recent years to prevent further damage.

The Primark - which has been on site since 2011 - reopened last weekend after being closed since May since the subsidence, with shoppers previously unaware of the history hidden beneath their feet.

The secret tunnels under a Primark car park at a retail complex in Broadstairs, Kent, contain rusted metal barrels and basin

The astonishing network of underground tunnels that could date back a century was first discovered two years ago

History experts believe the tunnels located under the Broadstairs retail complex may have been used during both world wars

The tunnels werefirst found after a similar incident of subsidence in 2015 by the landowners Westwood Cross

After the tunnels were discovered two years ago, they have been explored by local group Thanet Hidden History

Experts believe the British Army used the tunnels - accessed by steps - for training exercises

There is debate over whether the tunnels were created before the First World War or after in preparation for future conflicts

A Freedom of Information request was sent to the Ministry of Defence by the landowners Ravenside Investments in 2015

Ravenside Investments said it believed the tunnels were created by the Army during the First World War as a training exercise

The Ministry of Defence replied to the landowners that 'no information' was held in its records on the tunnels

Thanet Hidden History believes an air raid shelter hidden under the shopping centre was sealed to prevent further damage

Shoppers at the Primark in Broadstairs have previously been completely unaware of the history hidden beneath their feet

Few people would have expected the sinkhole under the Primark car park in Kent to have revealed a network of tunnels
South Korea's military is drawing up plans for a 'surgical strike' to take out Kim Jong-un's missile and nuclear facilities if orders are given to remove the dictator.

Taurus cruise missiles fired from F-15 fighters would be used to destroy the facilities if President Moon Jae-in gives the go ahead in an emergency, it is claimed.

The contingency measure would be initiated by the President's Special Forces, according to reports by Seoul newspaper Munwha Ilbo.

It comes just days after North Korea carried out another test launch of its Hwasong-14 missile and amid heightened tensions between North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un and the US.

South Korea's military is drawing up plans for a 'surgical strike' to take out Kim Jong-un's missile and nuclear facilities if orders are given to remove the dictator. It comes days after Seoul carried out a test launch of a missile (pictured) in response to North Korea's own rocket trial

North Korea has recently carried out another test launch of its Hwasong-14 missile amid heightened tensions between North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un (pictured) and the US

According to reports the project is being overseen by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of National Defense.

It comes after two US officials said North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has shown that Pyongyang now may be able to reach most of the continental United States.

The assessment, which the officials discussed on condition of anonymity, underscored the growing threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes, and could add pressure on President Donald Trump's administration to respond.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike America's mainland.

The secretive North's leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and called it a 'stern warning' to the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tried to attack, the official KCNA news agency said.

However, two U.S. intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday Kim wants to develop a nuclear-capable ICBM to deter any attack on his country and gain international legitimacy, not to launch an attack on the United States or its allies that he knows would be suicidal.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the U.S. assessment of the missile launch, even as it acknowledged that the latest test represented the longest test flight of any North Korean missile.

'The specifics of our assessment are classified for reasons I hope you understand,' Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told a news briefing, acknowledging only that the missile could fly at least 5,500 km (3,420 miles), the minimum range for what the Pentagon classifies as an ICBM.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike America's mainland

A US Air Force B-1B Lancer (top) and Republic of Korea air force F-15s, carried out a 10-hour mission from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, into Japanese airspace and over the Korean Peninsula over the weekend

Two separate U.S. officials who discussed the latest test, which lasted about 45 minutes, said it showed greater range than the July 4 ICBM launch, which North Korea said lasted 39 minutes.

One of the officials said it had greater height, range and power than the previous test because it used force stabilizing engines, which counter the effects of winds and other forces that can knock an ascending rocket off course.

CNN, citing a U.S. defense official, reported later that North Korea had been showing 'highly unusual and unprecedented levels' of submarine activity, in addition to its third 'ejection test' this month.

The ejection test was carried out on land at Sinpo Naval Shipyard on Sunday, the U.S. defense official told CNN. It gave no other details about the increased submarine activity.

Ejection tests from submarines usually gauge the ability to 'cold launch' missiles, when high pressure steam is used to propel missiles out of launch canisters.

The shipyard is in Sinpo, a port city on the east coast where the North had previously conducted tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

A South Korea defence ministry official told Reuters the military was watching the situation in the North closely but did not provide more information because it was classified.

Taurus cruise missiles fired from F-15 fighters would be used to destroy the facilities if President Moon Jae-in (left with Donald Trump in June) gives the go ahead in an emergency, it is claimed

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea, hours after the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington was 'done talking about North Korea'.

The Pentagon acknowledged military-to-military talks with U.S. allies Japan and South Korea after the test.

Davis said that, while the test missile had a lofted trajectory rather than the more direct one required to reach the United States, the military takes the threat seriously.

'You could have the debate back and forth of whether the capability is proven or not, the fact of the matter is we take it seriously and we are prepared to defend against (it),' he said.

The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 2,314.6 miles and flew 620 miles before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, according to KCNA.

The flight demonstrated successful stage separation, and reliability of the vehicle's control and guidance to allow the warhead to make an atmospheric re-entry under conditions harsher than under a normal long-range trajectory, KCNA said.

Independent weapons experts also said they believed the launch demonstrated many parts of the United States were within range if the missile had been launched at a flattened trajectory.
Keirra Beatty, 20, was at the wheel in the early hours of Sunday in Linfield, Dallas, when she lost control of the vehicle

A woman has been arrested for allegedly street racing with a 13-month-old child in the car.

Keirra Beatty, 20, was at the wheel in the early hours of Sunday in Linfield, Dallas, when she lost control of the vehicle.

Court documents claim she was travelling at more than 120mph, according to The Drive.

The young child, who was being held by a passenger in the back seat, did not have a seat belt in place.

The car rotated and smashed into a wooden telephone pole, WCNC reports.

Police say she was racing against another vehicle when the collision happened.

Incredibly the baby did not suffer any serious injuries.

Beatty was charged with racing on a highway causing bodily injury and endangering a child/criminal negligence.
A British soldier has been arrested in connection with the death of fellow serviceman who was killed in a hit-and-run on a UK base in Cyprus this weekend.

Corporal John Fernandez, 32, of the 2nd Battalion the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, was hit by a car while walking in the UK sovereign base area in Dhekelia, southeast Cyprus on Saturday night.

An Army source said the car, which was not a military vehicle, fled the scene, and an unnamed British soldier has now been detained in connection with Cpl Fernandez's death.

Tragedy: Corporal John Fernandez, 32, was killed in a hit-and-run on the UK sovereign base area in Dhekelia, southeast Cyprus, on Saturday night

Local news agency CNA reports that the man arrested served in the same unit as Cpl Fernandez, and the incident is now under investigation by the Royal Military Police.

A spokesman for the MoD said: 'We can confirm that Cpl John Fernandez of The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment was killed in a road traffic incident in Dhekelia, Cyprus, on Saturday evening.

'British Forces Cyprus can confirm that a member of the British military has been arrested in connection to the road traffic incident on 29 July which resulted in the death of Corporal John Fernandez.

'A thorough investigation is now underway and it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this time.'

Hit-and-run: An unnamed British soldier, reportedly serving in the same unit as Cpl Fernandez, pictured left and right, has now been detained in connection with his death

'Absolute gentleman': Tributes to Cpl Fernandez have poured in on social media with friends, family and colleagues attesting to his kindness and great character

Commended: Lieutenant Colonel James Skelton said in a statement that Cpl Fernandez 'stood out from his peers as an exemplary infantry soldier'

Cpl Fernandez had recently been nominated for a commendation for his actions during an explosive attack at the base area police station in Dhekelia last month, which he took it with 'huge humility', his senior officer said.

Lieutenant Colonel James Skelton, commanding officer of 2PWRR, also known as the Tigers, said: 'Cpl Fernandez was the finest of men and a true Tiger.

'He stood out from his peers as an exemplary infantry soldier, a leader and a servant to his soldiers.

'His example of fitness, courage and personal discipline stand as a marker as to what we, as infantrymen, can all aspire to be.

'More importantly he was a great friend to so many in the battalion who sought the friendship of a kind, funny and genuinely good man. His loss is keenly felt by each and every one of us.

'Along with his family and friends, the Tigers mourn his loss, but at the same time we must celebrate his memory and follow his example in life.'

Soldier: Cpl Fernandez, posing for a picture on his Facebook, had recently been nominated for a commendation for his actions during an explosive attack at the base area last month

Friends, family and colleagues have paid tribute to the soldier on Facebook, with many attesting to his kindness, loyalty and great character.

Sian Mullard wrote: 'John...... forever blown away by how gorgeous, gentle and disciplined you were when we first met. I'm quite sure I will never meet anyone like you. Thank you for all the blessings you offered everyone around you. Missing you x'

Helen Elizabeth added: 'I'm sure like many, I still don't really know what to say. You were a truly beautiful man inside and out and so so many people, myself included, are utterly heartbroken. Xxxxxxx'

Chris Hoiytee posted another tribute, reading: 'I met John the first week I arrived to battalion and after a lot of talking, discovered he was in the process of learning Spanish. Knowing a fair bit myself, I helped him out and in turn cleaned up some bad habits I had myself. Never before have I met such a kind, patient and humble bloke. A gentle giant with the presence of a thousand men. John was somewhat an older brother in the first couple weeks of me arriving and it was the small moments at the beginning that forged such a good friendship. I will truly miss you. Duerma bien mi hermano y brilla brillante'.

John Logan wrote: 'Absolutely gutted to hear the news about my friend John Fernandez. An absolute gentleman and all round great bloke taken from us far too soon. My thoughts go to all his family and friends who have lost a genuine, kind-hearted man.'
A woman who kidnapped her friend's five-month-old daughter then dumped her next to rubbish bins has been jailed for 11 years.

Yin Sotheara, 34, had been playing cards with Meas Sovanna, 33, and other friends when she left the room at around midnight in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The kidnapper crept into the baby's bedroom and taped her mouth shut, wrapped her in a black bin bag and used a rope to lower her from the window to the ground.

Yin then left the party and rode home on her motorcycle carrying the young girl, before becoming overcome with guilt and dumping her back outside the home.

Shocking pictures later emerged showing the moment the tiny child was discovered - luckily she survived the terrible ordeal

A woman who kidnapped her friend's five-month-old daughter then dumped her next to rubbish bins has been jailed for 11 years. Shocking pictures show the moment the child was discovered in a plastic sack

Officers arrested mother-of-two Yin after the incident in March and last week she was found guilty of attempted murder.

The court heard how Yin, a widow, had been in debt and planned to use the baby to extort a ransom from the family.

She drove away from the home in the Sen Sok district of the city before receiving a frantic call from the girl's worried parents. She returned at 4am with the baby hidden under the seat of her scooter.

Residents heard the girl crying later that day and found her among bags of rubbish before calling police.

Yin was later arrested and confessed she had taken the baby but claimed she had done it out of 'love' for the girl.

Residents heard the girl crying and found her among bags of rubbish before calling police

She told the trial: 'I am completely obsessed with loving this baby and I had a rash idea.'

Deputy district police chief Yim Davuth said that Yin 'planned to extort money from the baby's mother'.

At the sentencing last Wednesday, Presiding Judge Top Chhun Heng described Yin as 'brutal' and said the baby could have been suffocated during the abduction.

He said: 'The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has sentenced Yin Sotheara who is 34 years old to 11 years in jail.'

Yin's lawyers said they would appeal the 'very strict' sentence and claimed there was no evidence she had made attempts to kill the girl.
News / National

by Staff reporter

A United Methodist Church cleric accused of attempting to kill his lover's husband got away with community service after being convicted of a lesser assault charge.Harare regional magistrate Temba Kuwanda convicted Elliot Chikwenjere after noting that the victim David Gwaradzimba endangered himself by jumping onto the car bonnet.Chikwenjere was slapped with 525 hours of community service to be completed at St Martins School in Kadoma."It is clear that the complainant contributed to his own detriment by jumping on the car bonnet. At some point, the car was said to have been stopped briefly to allow his wife to alight from the car but the complainant remained on the bonnet in the face of danger," Kuwanda said.Chikwenjere's lawyer Vusani Bangidza had pleaded for the court's lenience saying his client was a first offender who had family responsibilities.During trial, Gwaradzimba said his wife Patience Tambudzai, 44, had worked with Chikwenjere at United Methodist Church headquarters for 11 years and on the day in question the couple left their residence for town before the cleric made a phone call."I was holding my wife's handbag and her phone rang along the way and I handed it over to Tambudzai. The number was saved as Nyamakura and their conversation ended with my wife confirming that she would meet the person in Albion Street," Gwaradzimba said."When we arrived in town, I asked to accompany my wife to meet the person who had called her but she refused and I pretended going separate ways. I was suspicious and followed her behind before she got into Chikwenjere's car."I saw them kissing and when I was by the car's driver's door Chikwenjere realised that I had seen them. He started the car and swerved to where I stood, hitting me in the process. I held desperately to wipes to prevent myself from falling and he kept driving in a zig-zag manner until he applied emergency breaks and threw me to the ground."The fracas happened between Kaguvi Street and Rekai Tangwena Avenue, where Gwaradzimba fell and sustained serious injuries.
A disabled man catching a bus from New York to Connecticut ended up in Massachusetts after the driver forgot to let him off.

Shane Jones, 49, who uses a wheelchair, caught the overnight Peter Pan bus from New York Port Authority Bus Terminal at 11.15pm on Saturday.

He arrived in Hartford, Connecticut, in the early hours of Sunday but was unable to get off before the driver rolled on to the next stop.

Shane Jones, 49, who uses a wheelchair, caught a Peter Pan bus from New York to Hartford, Connecticut, but ended up in Massachusetts after the driver forgot to let him off

It was only when the bus arrived 30 miles away in Springfield, Massachusetts, that the driver realised his mistake, the New York Daily News reports.

He agreed to take Mr Jones back to Hartford free of charge, but to no avail.

The friend that Mr Jones was due to meet, who also uses a wheelchair, could not arrange a pick-up for the later time so the visit had to be abandoned.

Mr Jones caught another bus back to New York, but was forced to spend $20 on that ticket, he told the newspaper.

A spokesman for the bus company said it is investigating the incident.
The alleged conspiracy to bring down a passenger plane with a gas bomb was as close as Australia has come to a major terror attack, a source has revealed.

Khaled Khayat and three other men remain in custody over the alleged plot which officials believe was 'fairly well along' when police raided five properties on Saturday.

The accused terrorists had reportedly chosen an international flight as their target before a last-minute change of plans allowed authorities to swoop.

'It was as close to a major terror attack as we have ever come,' a senior source told The Daily Telegraph.

The alleged conspiracy to bring down a passenger plane with a gas bomb was as close as Australia has come to a major terror attack, a source has revealed. The men (one pictured being led away by police) were arrested in dramatic raids in Sydney on Saturday

Khaled Khayat, pictured in a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs jersey, is one of the Lebanese-Australian men who were arrested

Two of the accused are reportedly related to infamous jihadist Ahmed Merhi (pictured), who travelled to Syria in 2014

The group had allegedly planned to put toxic gas in a meat mincer which could have exploded or poisoned passengers on a packed commercial jet.

An Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi, carrying up to 500 passengers and crew, was the target of the alleged terror plot, the paper previously reported.

The airline confirmed it was helping police with their investigation, as authorities sifted through evidence from the counter-terrorism raids.

'The Etihad Airways aviation security team is assisting the AFP with its investigation and the matter is ongoing,' the airline said in a statement.

New South Wales Police officers arrive at a crime scene in Surry Hills in Sydney on Monday

One of the accused is pictured with a bandaged head following his arrest on Saturday night

'Etihad is complying fully with the enhanced security measures at airports in Australia and monitoring the situation closely.'

Deakin University terror expert Greg Barton suggested the alleged plan may have centred around acetone peroxide - or TATP - the same chemical used in the Manchester Arena bombing in May and the 2015 Paris attacks.

Referred to as the 'mother of Satan' because it can kill those handling it, TATP is unstable but powerful and would not give off 'tell-tale' chemicals picked up by airport swab tests, Prof Barton said.

'That makes it a candidate for using in this sort of attack.'

TATP, which needs a pressure vessel to be packed in, could be placed in a grinder so it was opaque through an X-ray machine and appeared innocuous upon visual inspection.

'It might just pass (security),' Prof Barton said. That, I'm guessing, was their plan.'

The target of the alleged terror plot was an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi with up to 500 passengers and crew on board (stock image)

The group had allegedly planned to put toxic gas in a meat mincer which could have exploded or poisoned passengers on a packed commercial jet. Pictured, a policeman at the scene of one of the Sydney raids

Prof Barton speculated while the plot could have succeeded it more likely would have failed because the bomb would have been detected, failed to detonate or not have detonated to its full potential.

'(Still) it's important to understand this clearly is the most sophisticated terror plot we've had, probably ever, in Australia,' he added.

Meanwhile, officials told the ABC the Lebanese-Australian suspects are thought to have links to Islamic State in Syria.

Khayat's brother is believed to be a senior ISIS figure, while two others are thought to be related to infamous jihadist Ahmed Merhi, who travelled to Syria in 2014.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan told the broadcaster he would not comment on the IS links, but stressed the significance of the attack if it had taken place.

Justice Minister Michael Keenan (pictured right alongside Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull) told would not comment on the IS links, but stressed the significance of the attack if it had taken place

'What is very clear is that, if these allegations were to have gone ahead, it would have been just an enormously dreadful thing to have happened to our country,' he said.

'It's clear that this has been inspired by radical Islamic ideology.'

Authorities in Australia are remaining tight-lipped on Saturday's raids and refuse to confirm if they were triggered by a tip-off from an overseas intelligence agency.

US officials said communications between the alleged plotters in Sydney and ISIS militants in Syria were intercepted by a foreign spy service.

The officials declined to identify the service and authorities in Britain refused to confirm or deny playing a role in detecting the alleged plot.

ANU intelligence expert Professor John Blaxland said relying on international tip-offs shouldn't raise questions about the adequacy of Australia's intelligence services.

NSW Police and forensic officers at the scene of a counter-terrorism raid on a property in Cleveland Street in Surry Hills

Australian Federal Police and NSW Police officers are seen during the counter-terrorism raids

Federal and State Police officers are pictured at a crime scene in Surry Hills following the raids

'What we know is that organisations like the AFP and ASIO have extensive networks of connections and liaisons arrangements with counterparts globally,' he said.

'There's a mutual benefit - a mutual back-scratching exercise.

'That network is proving more and more useful and more and more important for countering potential terrorist acts.'

Australia's national terror alert level was raised in September 2014 amid concerns over attacks by individuals inspired by organisations such as IS.

A total of 12 attacks, before the latest one, have been prevented in the past few years and 70 people have been charged.

Several terror attacks have taken place in Australia in recent years, including a Sydney cafe siege in 2014 which saw two hostages killed.
A kindhearted dog-lover adopted a pit bull from a high-kill shelter after she saw a video of him crying on Facebook.

Pit bull Blue King's owners gave him to the Carson Shelter in California, where rejected dogs often have to be put down, when they decided to move home.

In a bid to find him a new owner, staff posted a video of the dog looking sad and dejected on Facebook.

A kindhearted dog-lover adopted a pit bull from a high-kill shelter after she saw a video of him crying on Facebook

His eyes appeared to be weeping, possibly due to allergies, as he whimpers in his cage.

Luckily, their advert worked and before too long dog-lover Jennifer McKay headed to the shelter to adopt the hound.

She told The Dodo: 'He looked very sad and depressed.

'He wouldn't even acknowledge me at all. All the other dogs were making eye contact and wagging their tails, but he wouldn't stand up, wouldn't come see me.

Pit bull Blue King's owners gave him to the Carson Shelter in California, where rejected dogs often have to be put down, when they decided to move home

'You could tell that every time someone walked by, it was like he was looking for his family,' she said. 'It's like he knew he had been left there.'

Now Blue King is happily settled into his new home and enjoys sleeping, belly rubs, cuddles, and gazing into the mirror.
A young couple who disappeared nearly 12 years ago have been found dead in the river Volga in central Russia.

Ilya Zhirnov, 25, and his girlfriend Kira Cherkasova, 22, went missing in December 2005 without a trace.

More than a decade later, their remains were found inside a car at the bottom of Volga in the city of Cheboksary in central Russia's Chuvash Republic.

Tragedy: Kira Cherkasova, 22, left, and her boyfriend Ilya Zhirnov, 25, went missing in 2005

Mystery solved: The couple's remains were found in a car, believed to have been the one they had been driving on the night of their disappearance, at the bottom of Volga river

Car documents - which had survived more than a decade underwater - enabled police to identify the couple.

They were last seen in December 2005 when Mr Zhirnov borrowed a car from his father to pick up Miss Cherkasova from work.

Police investigated the missing couple, but were eventually forced to close the case as a result of lack of evidence, and the families have been left in the dark as to the young lovers' fate until today.

Find: The car was discovered by a diving enthusiast, who reported his find to the local police

Identified: Car documents - which had survived more than a decade underwater - enabled police to identify the couple

Answers: Nearly 12 years after the couple's disappearance, their families finally know what happened to them

The couple's car was found in the river by a local diving enthusiast, whose name has not been released, when he was exploring the waters near a local beach.

He reported his discovery to police who winched the car out of the river the following day.

Officers believe the lovers' death was an accident and that icy roads near the river may have been to blame for their tragic end.

The police investigation is continuing and the findings will be made public in due course.
Political commentator and author Gerard Henderson has slammed Waleed Aly's comments about immigration and terrorism as 'unhinged'.

The Project host Waleed Aly wrote a piece for The New York Times on Thursday titled 'Immigration as a security threat' in which he said Australia 'over-hyped the threat of terrorism'.

Aly called Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 'extremely weak' and slammed his plan to create a super ministry of Home Affairs to combat terrorism.

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Aly (pictured with wife Susan Carland) called Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 'extremely weak' and slammed his plan to create a super ministry of Home Affairs to combat terrorism

Appearing on Andrew Bolt's The Bolt Report on Tuesday, Gerard Henderson rubbished Aly's take on the system.

'I've had a look at Waleed Aly's piece, and for Dr Aly to say that Malcolm Turnbull has debased immigration in Australia to an American and international audience, is completely false,' he said.

'The idea that the prime minister, because he renames a department is debasing immigration, is just a total fallacy.

'[It's] demeaning of the country.

'From a man who holds a doctorate of philosophy and teaches students at Monash University and has a number of programs on the ABC and Channel 10, this is sort of unhinged commentary.'

Appearing on Andrew Bolt's The Bolt Report on Tuesday, Gerard Henderson rubbished Aly's take on the system

In his piece for the New York Times on Thursday Waleed Aly (pictured with wife Susan Carland) went on to detail Australia's morphing perception of immigration

In his piece for the New York Times on Thursday Waleed Aly detailed Australia's apparent morphing perception of immigration.

He said immigration and multiculturalism used to be celebrated but was now considered a 'threat to be managed'.

Waleed Aly also claimed Australia was inflating the threat of terror to tighten immigration.

Waleed Aly pictured with co hosts on The Project Carrie Bickmore and Peter Hellier

'Every now and then you get the impression that Australia is desperate to be under grave threat,' he said.

'Turnbull last week announced the creation of a super ministry, choosing as his backdrop a mix of military equipment and soldiers wearing gas masks.

'It was a shocking yet predictable moment because it seemed like a sudden escalation for Mr Turnbull who was once a critic of Mr Abbott's tendency to over-hype the threat of terrorism.'
This is the awkward moment a boyfriend proposed to his girlfriend by hiding a ring in the chamber of a shotgun - and had to help her find it for 30 seconds before putting it on the wrong finger after she said yes.

The clip starts with Macie Price about to try boyfriend Corey Herr's new shotgun in Kendalville, Indiana.

She takes aim and pulls the trigger but is left confused when no shots are fired.

This is the embarrassing moment a boyfriend proposed to his girlfriend by hiding a ring in the chamber of a shotgun

Thinking the gun is jammed, Macie tries to inspect the chamber to see what might be causing a blockage.

After rummaging around without finding the ring, her boyfriend has to step in and eventually she pulls out a bundle of string and ribbon.

'It looks like a party-popper' declares the soon-to-be bride, who then spends another ten seconds trying to unravel the paper before finally seeing the ring as Corey gets down on one knee and asks: 'Will you marry me?'

Delighted that she said 'Yes', Corey said: 'I'd had the ring at the ready for about three months, but had so many different ideas for how I was going to do it.

'Then suddenly this idea came to me the day before, so I finally committed and went for it. I was surprised I managed to keep it from her for so long.

The clip starts with Macie Price about to try boyfriend Corey Herr's brand new shotgun in Kendalville, Indiana

After rummaging around without finding the ring, her boyfriend has to step in and eventually she pulls out a bundle of string and ribbon

'I was so nervous and overwhelmed that she said yes, I ended up putting the ring on the wrong finger.

'It was an emotional moment for us both - Macie started crying, too.

'We're so excited for what the future holds - we've booked our venue for June 30th next year.'
Two police officers have been hospitalized after being shot during a struggle which saw a man suspected of breaking into his estranged wife's apartment in central California shot dead.

One of the officers was shot in the torso, leg and head yesterday, Los Banos Police Chief Gary Brizzee said.

The other officer, who joined the department a year ago, was shot in the torso. Both were in stable condition late Monday at Modesto-area hospitals.

The two officers were shot in the struggle with the 39-year-old suspect, who was shot dead

The daughter of the 39-year-old suspect, who has not been identified, called authorities just after 6am yesterday to report her father had broken into the family's apartment through a window, Brizzee said.

An officer entered the apartment and asked the man, who was standing in the kitchen near the front door, to step outside so they could speak.

But the man refused and became argumentative and the two started struggling, Brizzee said.

During the struggle, the officer used his stun gun but the man removed the probes from his body and continued to resist.

A second officer arrived and tried to help restrain the man and it was during the struggle that both officers and the suspect were shot, Brizzee.

Helicopters transported them from the small farming community in the San Joaquin Valley to hospitals.

The suspect died at a hospital, Brizzee said.

Brizzee wouldn't say if the suspect was armed with his own gun or was able to use one of the officers' weapons. He didn't offer any other details, citing the ongoing investigation.

"This has been a tremendously tough day for us. But the men and women I work with are resilient and we'll get through this together," Brizzee during a brief news conference.

The man hadn't lived with his family for at least a year. Brizzee wouldn't say if his estranged wife was in the home or who witnessed the shooting.

The department had dealt with the man a few years ago on a drug-related case, Brizzee said.

Crime scene investigators worked all day at the shooting scene where two police cruisers were encircled in yellow crime-scene ribbon.
An Australian sex therapist has rubbished claims there was a 'rape culture' at universities across Australia.

Speaking to Andrew Bolt on The Bolt Report on Tuesday night, Bettina Arndt said the figures were 'cooked'.

The Human Rights Commission released a report on Tuesday suggesting 51 per cent of Australian university students were sexually harassed last year.

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Speaking to Andrew Bolt on The Bolt Report on Tuesday night, Bettina Arndt said the figures were 'cooked'

Ms Arndt said the figures were manipulated and exaggerated the issue.

'If we're talking about being stared at in a way you don't like, I mean it's not so surprising,' she said.

'These are self-selected students who've been encouraged to fill in this survey by a campaign that's lasted for years trying to persuade people there's a rape crisis on campus.'

Ms Arndt, author of The Sex Diaries, said the results did more to disprove there was a rape culture.

'If we're talking about being stared at in a way you don't like, I mean it's not so surprising,' Ms Arndt (right) told Andrew Bolt (left)

'These people who object to being stared at - what most people regard as a very mild form of harassment  they failed dismally to produce any evidence of a rape culture on campus,' Ms Arndt said

Students protested the report which was released by the Human Rights Commission on Tuesday

'These people who object to being stared at - what most people regard as a very mild form of harassment  they failed dismally to produce any evidence of a rape culture on campus,' she said.

'I think it's a wonderful news story Andrew.'

The sex therapist and clinical psychologist said 'there's been an extraordinary attempt to cook the figures in any way they can'.

The 'Change the Course' Australian Human Rights Commission survey released figures claiming 'women are almost twice as likely as men to be harassed and more than three times as likely to be assaulted'.

The report's results drew backlash, with students at Australian National University participating in a protest on Tuesday

The Australian Human Right's Commission survey, released Tuesday, into the sexual assault of university students has revealed 51 per cent of women who attend Australian campuses have been harassed in the last year

The survey was commissioned by Universites Australia after claims institutions were covering up victims' claims.

Results came from more than 30,000 students across 39 universities.

Students from the Canberra university participated in a protest after the results were released, wearing black masking tape across their faces and holding banners.
The US Air Force is preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile just days after North Korea test its latest rocket which could potentially hit NYC.

An unarmed Minuteman III missile is due to be fired off from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base - located about 10 miles northwest of Lompoc - before 6am local time on Wednesday.

The Air Force Global Strike Command said the launch is designed to: 'validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system', the Los Angeles Times reports.

The missile, which weighs almost 80,000 pounds and has a range of 6,000 miles, is 'an element of the nation's strategic deterrent forces', Military reports state.

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The US Air Force is preparing to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile just days after North Korea carried out its latest test. Pictured are Air Force members at Vandenberg base during missile launch training in 2014

After launch, the Minuteman will travel about 4,200 miles before it drops into the western Pacific Ocean, according to the North County Tribune.

The launch, which is the fourth of its kind this year, comes just days after North Korea conducted another ballistic missile test on Friday - the second in the last month.

The two-stage Hwasong-14 missile crashed off the coast of Japan's northern-most island, Hokkaido.

US and South Korean experts have analysed Japanese footage capturing the rocket's re-entry vehicle shortly before it crashed into the sea.

They said the video suggests it failed to survive the extreme heat and pressure after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere following its launch.

An unarmed Minuteman III is pictured during a test on May 3, 2017. Wednesday's launch will be the fourth of the year

An unarmed Minuteman III missile is due to be fired off from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base - located about 10 miles northwest of Lompoc - before 6am local time. Pictured are operators during a test in March 2015

This map shows where the Vandenberg Air Force Base in located near the California coast

But the apparent failure likely means the North will conduct more flight tests of the Hwasong-14 missile to ensure the warhead could survive the re-entry from space and hit its intended target, the analysts said.

The Hwasong-14 ICBM, which was first tested on July 4, follows decades of effort by North Korea to obtain a nuclear deterrent against the United States.

Analysis of the flight data from Hwasong-14's second test has suggested that more of the US mainland, including Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City is now in range of Pyongyang's weapons.

However, whether North Korea can arm the missile with a nuclear warhead and protect it throughout the flight are different questions entirely.

The US launch comes after North Korea tested a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile on July 28. Pictured is the missile during the launch

Kim Jong-un's rockets are capable of reaching America but would not work when they got there, according to analysts

The analysis came as South Korean officials were drawing up plans for a 'surgical strike' to take out any missile and North Korean nuclear facilities if orders are given to remove the dictator.

According to reports, Taurus cruise missiles fired from F-15 fighters would be used to destroy the facilities if President Moon Jae-in gives the go ahead in an emergency.

The contingency measure would be initiated by the President's Special Forces, according to reports by Seoul newspaper Munwha Ilbo.

According to reports the project is being overseen by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Ministry of National Defense.

A man walks in front of a public TV screen broadcasting news of North Korea's test-firing of its second intercontinental ballistic missile, in Tokyo, Japan

The intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 is seen during its test launch in this photo from July 4

Donald Trump and his White House have also spoken about the latest North Korean tests.

On Monday, the president said: 'We'll handle North Korea. We're going to be able to handle them. It will be handled. We handle everything.'

Trump was sat with Defense Secretary James Mattis during a cabinet meeting at the time.

Nikki Haley, the US envoy to the United Nations, said yesterday that there was 'no point' in holding a fruitless emergency Security Council session, warning that another weak council resolution would be 'worse than nothing' in light of the North's repeated violations.

US strategic bombers on Saturday flew over the Korean peninsula in a direct response to Friday's launch, and on Sunday American forces successfully tested a missile interception system which could be installed on the Korean peninsula.
President Donald Trump is denying allegations that he knowingly and actively tried to spread false news about the murder of DNC employee Seth Rich.

Rod Wheeler filed a complaint on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York against Fox News, Malia Zimmerman and Ed Butowsky claiming that they worked together to create a false narrative surrounding the death of Rich.

Also contributing to the creation of that fake news story was President Trump according to court documents, which claim that the Commander-in-Chief wanted the story to include multiple fake quotes which were attributed to Wheeler.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders fired back at that allegation on Tuesday afternoon at the daily press briefing, forcefully telling members of the media: 'He had no knowledge of this story and it's completely untrue that there was White House involvement in this story.'

She then added: 'Beyond that, this is ongoing litigation and I'd refer you to the actual parties involved who aren't the White House.'

Butowsky is calling the lawsuit 'bulls***' while Fox News disputed the claims being made by Wheeler.

Fake news: Rod Wheeler filed a complaint on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York against Fox News, Malia Zimmerman and Ed Butowsky for allegedly releasing false information about the death of Seth Rich (above)

Fighting back: Sarah Huckabee Sanders (above) said on Tuesday that President Trump had no knowledge of the story prior to its release

Sanders was also pointedly asked during the briefing if it upset her to know that Sean Spicer had admitted to meeting with the campaign donor and private investigator who helped the writer on the story, causing her to briefly lose her cool.

He met with a member of the media, I don't find that to be a strange thing. It doesn't bother me that the Press Secretary would take a meeting with a member of the media about a story. None of that was disclosed, they had conversation about a story and that was the end of it. -Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Sean Spicer

She then defended Spicer's decision to meet with Wheeler, who she described as a member of the media, by saying Spicer had no idea what the two would be discussing that day.

'He met with a member of the media, I don't find that to be a strange thing,' said a defensive Sanders.

'It doesn't bother me that the Press Secretary would take a meeting with a member of the media about a story. None of that was disclosed, they had conversation about a story and that was the end of it.'

Sanders response however skipped over the fact that neither of those men were actually writing the story.

It is also the second time in the past few weeks that a member of the administration has claimed to have taken a meeting with no idea what the discussion would eb about.

Jared Kushner used a similar line when asked about his meeting with a shadowy Russian lawyer back in 2016.

The filing leads off with a text message from Butowsky, a Texas wealth manager and Trump supporter, to Wheeler, in which he discusses the President's eagerness to see the story published.

Wheeler is a former Washington DC homicide detective who investigated Rich;'s murder and frequently appeared as a guest on Fox News to discuss the case.

If these allegations are true, it is beyond vile that the White House  and possibly even Trump himself  would use the murder of a young man to distract the public's attention from their chaotic administration and Trump's ties to Russia. -DNC statement on Wheeler's lawsuit

'Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you. But don't feel the pressure,' Butowsky texted Wheeler according to the filing.

'The motivation behind the article: establish that Seth Rich provided WikiLeaks with the DNC emails to shift the blame from Russia and help put to bed speculation that President Trump colluded with Russia in an attempt to influence the outcome of the Presidential election,' states the lawsuit.

DNC spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa released a statement on Tuesday as well about that allegation, lashing out at the Trump administration.

'If these allegations are true, it is beyond vile that the White House  and possibly even Trump himself  would use the murder of a young man to distract the public's attention from their chaotic administration and Trump's ties to Russia,' said Hinojosa on behalf of the DNC.

'The Rich family has begged those responsible for these conspiracies to stop. And yet, Trump's allies have ignored their pain and their pleas, degrading the office of the president by spreading repulsive lies.

'This should outrage any decent human being. There is no excuse for the suffering that Trump's associates and their conspirators at FOX have caused the Rich family and those closest to him. Both parties should denounce these sick and twisted tactics.'

Big fan: A text from Butowsky to Wheeler (above) included in the filing shows that President Trump saw the story before it was published and wanted it out 'immediately'

Shocking claims: Butowsky and Zimmerman worked together to attribute to false quotes to Wheeler (above) in the story because 'that is the way the President wanted the article'

'The accusation that FoxNews.com published Malia Zimmerman's story to help detract from coverage of the Russia collusion issue is completely erroneous,' said Jay Wallace,' the president of the network.

'The retraction of this story is still being investigated internally and we have no evidence that Rod Wheeler was misquoted by Zimmerman.

'Additionally, Fox News vehemently denies the race discrimination claims in the lawsuit  the dispute between Zimmerman and Rod Wheeler has nothing to do with race.'

A Fox News insider meanwhile dismissed the lawsuit, telling DailyMail.com that this was just another attempt by Wheeler's law firm, Wigdor LLP, to get attention even though the case will never hold up in court.

The family of Seth Rich also released a statement on Tuesday, saying: 'While we can't speak to the evidence that you now have, we are hopeful this brings to an end what has been the most emotionally difficult time in our lives, and an end to conspiracy theories surrounding our beloved Seth.'

The lawsuit, in which Wheeler requests a jury trial, also clams that just before Butowsky texted Wheeler he left the former detective a voice message.

'A couple minutes ago I got a note that we have the full, uh, attention of the White House, on this. And, tomorrow, let's close this deal, whatever we've got to do. But you can feel free to say that the White House is onto this now,' says Butowsky in that message according to the filing.

That is when Zimmerman made the decision to add in two quotes which she attributed to Wheeler despite his claim that he never made the comments according to court documents.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS February 27: Ed Butowsky reaches out to Rod Wheeler and hires him to investigate the July 2016 murder of Seth Rich. February 28: Wheeler meets with Butowsky and is introduced to Malia Zimmerman, the Fox News reporter. He then meets the Rich family but claims he is told by Butowsky to not mention Zimmerman or Fox News. March 14: Wheeler is formally retained by the Rich family to investigate the murder of their son Seth. April 18: Butowsky texts Wheeler that he would like the investigator to accompany him to a meeting with Sean Spicer. April 19: While meeting with Sarah Flores, the Director of Public Affairs for he DOJ, Wheeler learns that Butwosky has been in contact with her about Seth's murder. April 20: Wheeler meets with Spicer and provides him with a summary of his findings and notes from the murder investigation. April 21: Wheeler posts a photo of himself in the White House briefing room wearing a pass given only to those who have appointments inside the building. April 25: Wheeler meets with the lead detective on the murder case from the DC police, Detective Della-Camera. He says that it appears that the shooting was a robbery gone bad. May 11: Zimmerman sends Wheeler a draft of her story without the two falsely attributed quotes. May 14: Butowsky texts Wheeler that President Trump 'wants the article out immediately' May 15: Zimmerman asks Wheeler for additional quotes to add to the story. May 16: The story is published online and the Rich family immediately speaks out against Wheeler. May 16: Zimmerman sends an email in which she responds to the family of the victim by saying: 'As you know, much of our information came from a private investigator, Rod Wheeler, who we understand was working on behalf of you' May 16: Sean Spicer denies having any prior knowledge of the story at the White House Press Briefing. May 23: Fox News retracts the story. August 31: Spicer admits to meeting with Butowsky as a favor to President Trump. June 26: Wheeler informs defendants he is seeking legal counsel. June 26: Butowsky tweets: ''Fox News story was pulled b/c Rod Wheeler said [he] didn't say a quote . . . How much did DNC pay him?' August 1: Spicer admits to meeting with Butowsky and Wheeler in April. Advertisement

'My investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and Wikileaks,' reads one of those quotes.

The second quote that Wheeler said was falsely attributed to him reads: 'My investigation shows someone within the DC government, Democratic National Committee or Clinton team is blocking the murder investigation from going forward. That is unfortunate. Seth Rich's murder is unsolved as a result of that.'

Wheeler said that as a result of those quotes, he has 'has suffered irreparable damage to his reputation and his career will likely never recover' and lost all credibility with the public.

'According to Butowsky, the statements were falsely attributed to Mr. Wheeler because that is the way the President wanted the article,' reads the lawsuit.

'Zimmerman, Butowsky and Fox had created fake news to advance President Trump's agenda.'

Wheeler states in the lawsuit that he was hired by Butowksy and Zimmerman, an investigative journalist with Fox News, to look into the murder back in February.

The private investigator claims that Zimmerman and Butowsky had already carved out the narrative of the story they hoped to write, which would reveal that Rich handed over the DNC emails to Wikileaks and that a member of the DNC murdered him in retaliation.

'Butowsky and Zimmerman hoped that, if Mr. Wheeler could confirm that Seth Rich leaked the DNC emails to WikiLeaks, that would debunk reports the Russians were responsible for the DNC hacks,' claims the complaint.

'In turn, Butowsky and Zimmerman hoped that, if Mr. Wheeler could shift the blame for the DNC hacks from the Russians to Seth Rich, this would undermine reports of collusion between Russia and the Trump Administration.'

Wheeler says he was first contacted by Butowsky via text on February 23, with the money man paying him a number of compliments before writing: Of all the people you have met in your line of work you have put me right next to those you view as the most confidential. I am extremely discreet. Is there a time I can give you a call this morning?'

The men then spoke for 20 minutes, with Butowsky saying that the Rich family wanted to hire an investigator into the case, and Wheeler appositely accepting that position.

Wheeler then met Zimmerman alter that months according to the lawsuit, but was cautioned by Butowsky to not let the Rich family know he was speaking to the journalist.

At the same time that he was looking into these claims he was also keeping in close contact with members of President Trump's staff, including Sean Spicer, Stephen Bannon and Director of Public Affairs at the Department of Justice, Sarah Flores.

Butwosky texted Wheeler in April and said: 'Are you in Washington DC area on Thursday afternoon? I am meeting Sean Spicer and want you with me.'

The next day Butowsky texted again, asking: 'Do you have summary done yet?[ ] Just bulletpointed. Just want to make sure we get point to Sean easily.'

Two days later the men met with Spicer and Wheeler handed over some of his notes claims the complaint.

Once the article was published, Wheeler claims that Butowsky sent him a flurry of texts informing him how best to frame the story when appearing on-air to discuss the matter.

'If you can, try to highlight this puts the Russian hacking story to rest,' reads one text.

'Just reflecting: we need to emphasize the FBI has a report that has been suppressed that shows that Seth rich did this. With Comey recently being fired this will gain a lot of attention and it's true,' said another text.

Zimmerman published the story less than 24 hours after Butowsky's text message in which he voiced President Trump's eagerness to see the story put online claims that lawsuit.

One day later however, Spicer denied having any knowledge of the story during the White House Daily Briefing when asked what President trump's reaction was to the report that Rich had been in communication with Wikileaks.

'Generally, I don't get updates on former DNC staffers. I'm not aware of that,' said Spicer.

He told a much different story after the lawsuit was filed, admitting that he had in fact met with Butowsjky and Wheeler back in April.

'Ed's been a longtime supporter of the president and asked to meet to catch up,' Spicer told NPR.

'I didn't know who Rod Wheeler was. Once we got into my office, [Butowsky] said, 'I'm sure you recognize Rod Wheeler from Fox News.'

Response: Butowsky (above with Stece Doocy) is calling the lawsuit 'bulls***' while Fox News disputed the claims being made by Wheeler

It was also in April that Wheeler met with Detective Della-Camera of the DC police department, with the complatint stating that Butowsky texted him the night before the meeting to say: 'Della camera is either helping us or we will go after him as being part of the coverup.'

Detective Della-Camera said during that meeting 'he had nothing to say or to show that the shooting was related to emails or anything other than a street robbery.'

The story was published on May 16, six days after James Comey was fired by President Trump, and Wheeler offered up to give interviews by Butowsky.

'One of the big conclusions we need to draw from this is that the Russians did not hack our computer systems and emails and there was no collusion like trump with the Russianss,' wrote Butowsky in a message to on-air talent including Steve Doocy, Gavin Hadden, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade.

The Rich family quickly spoke out against the story, at which point Zimmerman sent them an email defending the article, stating at one point: 'As you know, much of our information came from a private investigator, Rod Wheeler, who we understand was working on behalf of you.'

That in turn led to Rich's father Joel very publicly attacking Wheeler.

'We are a family who is committed to facts, not fake evidence that surfaces every few months to fill the void and distract law enforcement and the general public from finding Seth's murderers,' said Joel Rich in a statement.

'The services of the private investigator who spoke to press was offered to the Rich family and paid for by a third party and contractually was barred from speaking to the press or anyone outside of law enforcement or the family unless explicitly authorized by the family.'

The Rich family then sent a cease and desist letter to Wheeler.

Wheeler eventually confronted Zimmerman about the quotes, who according to the complaint responded by admitting to adding to false statements from the private investigator.

Zimmerman admitted to making up the two quotes, with the court filing stating that she told Wheeler: 'Umm, well not not not . . . Not the part about the emails. Not the part about, I mean about the connection to WikiLeaks, but the rest of the quotes in the story did. A lot of the quotes in the story did.'

Butowsky allegedly added in that same conversation: '[O]ne day you're going to win an award for having said those things you didn't say.'

ROGER AILES FBI FILES On Tuesday, Gizmodo filed a lawsuit after the FBI failed to honor their request to look at the FBI files of Roger Ailes within 20 days. They submitted paperwork to get those files on the day of Ailes' death citing the Freedom of Information Act. Advertisement

Fox News retracted the story on May 23, stating:'The May 16 story was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all our reporting. Upon appropriate review, the article was found not to meet those standards and has since been removed.'

That statement did not say anything about the quotes which were falsely attributed to Wheeler, and so he requested and was granted a meeting with Dianne Brandi, Fox News's Executive Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs, and Jay Wallace, Fox News's Executive Vice President of News and Editorial.

Wheeler told the two that Zimmerman had made up the quotes about him in the article according to the court filing, and still nothing was hanged and no addition statement was released by Fox News.

Fox and friends:Writer Malia Zimmerman poses with Sean Hannity (above in June), who discussed the aspects of her story multiple times on the air

In his lawsuit, Wheeler states that he was mistreated by Fox News because his black, both before and after the May 16 story was published on heir website.

'Throughout his career with Fox, Mr. Wheeler's white colleagues with comparable or inferior skills, expertise and experience have received more air time, made more appearances and been hired into full time positions,' reads the complaint.

'As a result, these white colleagues make more money, receive more notoriety and, in many cases, receive valuable benefits.'

The lawsuit lists Bo Dietel, Mark Furman, Steve Rogers, Pat Bronson and Griff Jenkin as examples of these 'white colleagues.'

Butowsky meanwhile took to Twitter to slam Wheeler back in June, writing: 'Fox News story was pulled b/c Rod Wheeler said [he] didn't say a quote . . . How much did DNC pay him?'

He followed that up with another post, stating: 'This shows Rod Wheeler has a major battle with the truth. Everyone needs to hear this. He says the precise words he swears he didn't say ???'

Douglas Wigdor, who is representing Wheeler, said in a statement on Tuesday: 'According to the complaint, at the same time that 21st Century Fox's General Counsel, Gerson Zweifach, was meeting with the UK regulators in an attempt to convince them that Fox had in place procedures to ensure compliance with broadcasting standards to purchase Sky, Fox News was working with the Trump administration to disseminate fake news in order to distract the public from Russia's alleged attempts to influence our Country's presidential election.'

Rich, 27, was gunned down in the affluent Bloomingdale neighborhood of DC in the early hours of July 10 while he was on the phone to his girlfriend after a night out at Lou's City Bar.

Rich worked as a data analyst at the DNC and had built a voter turnout database in the months before his death.

But despite speculation from the public, fueled by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's own comments, Rich's father, Joel, insists that his son did not provide emails to WikiLeaks prior to the 2016 presidential election.

Joel believes that his son's death was robbery gone wrong, while a police report seen by DailyMail.com states the circumstances surrounding Rich's homicide are 'unknown'.

Security footage from a nearby store shows two men following Rich from a crosswalk in the moments before he was shot.

The camera only captured images of the assailants' legs and of Rich when he fell to the ground after being shot.

Following Rich's death, Assange offered a $20,000 reward leading to an arrest of the killers. Republican lobbyist Jack Burkman offered an additional $100,000 while the DC Police also offer $25,000.

Police have said there had been numerous robberies in the area in the lead up to Rich's murder and suspect he may have engaged in a fight with his attackers.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Scientific evidence shows that blood may have flown off the knife used to stab Mines ministry employee Betty Ranganai and on to the clothes of a man accused of murdering her, a Harare court heard yesterday.A microscopic amount of blood was found by investigators on the clothes of Phillimon Chivangu, 22, of Whitecliff in Harare after the murder, Harare magistrate Josephine Sande was told.Chivangu denies involvement in the July 24 murder, when he allegedly stabbed Ranganai after hatching a plan to steal property from the now deceased's residence.Chivangu was remanded in custody to August 16 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.Prosecutor Linda Gadzikwa alleged that on July 24 around 10pm, Chivangu armed himself with a kitchen knife and went to Ranganai's residence anticipating that she would not be present at the house.When Chivangu arrived at the house, he used his knife to make an opening in the veranda ceiling before gaining entry.At that moment, Ranganai, who was sleeping alone in her bedroom, heard noises and woke up to investigate.It was alleged that Ranganai then confronted Chivangu and a scuffle ensued between the two.The court heard that Chivangu overpowered Ranganai and strangled her before stabbing the woman with a knife on her neck, killing her instantly.Chivangu allegedly removed his brown pair of trousers, black belt, woollen hat, jacket and pair of socks which had been soaked in Ranganai's blood and ransacked the house before getting away with blankets, a gas cylinder, clothes and a Samsung tablet.The following day, Ranganai's body was discovered lying in a pool blood. A report was filed with the police.The court heard that on July 27, police received information pointing at Chivangu as the perpetrator of the offence, leading to his arrest.Chivangu then led police officers to his residence and recovered Ranganai's stolen property before confessing how the offence was committed.The recovered property was positively identified by Trish Tarisai Chiweshe, Ranganai's niece, whom she had been staying with until the time of her death.A post mortem conducted on Ranganai's remains by Dr Roberto at Harare Central Hospital concluded the cause of death was hypovolemic shock and damaged left neck vessels, stabbing injury and strangulation.
A tiny Alaskan town lost its entire police force in just three weeks after a string of departures and a surprise resignation.

Last month Sand Point, located on Popof Island off the Alaskan peninsula, had four full-time officers to help keep order among its 1,044 residents.

Today it has none. But Austin Roof, general manager of local public radio station KSDP 830 AM told Alaska Dispatch News that hadn't led to chaos.

'Everyone was busy fishing, which was great,' he said.

Cop out: The tiny Alaskan town of Sand Point now has no proper police staff because they all quit within a month of one another, with Police Chief Robert Bacon leaving last

Trouble began when one quarter of Sand Point's police force left because his spouse - who is in the military - was transferred out of state.

Then two more officers, who are married, decided they would quit the force after a 'family decision'.

The only remaining officer was Police Chief Robert Bacon, but he was coming up on a planned, month-long vacation to Scotland.

And he didn't want to pass it up, city administrator Andy Varner explained to local radio station KSDP.

'There was sort of a mutual understanding that if he left to go for a month-long journey and leave the community with no law enforcement - understood by both sides that if he came back he would not be an employee of the city,' he said.

'And so within a day or two he had turned in his resignation.'

For his part, Bacon only offered up this remark: 'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it.'

Your Bacon's cooked: Bacon wanted to go on a one-month holiday even though he was the last cop. City administrator Andy Varner (left) told him if he went, he'd lose his job. He went anyway

The departures left the town without a local police force, but the busy fishing season meant that there was little time for chaos.

And the state troopers were on call if anything terrible did occur, troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters explained.

'It's not like The Purge,' she said, referring to the Hollywood horror franchise in which all crime is made legal in America for 12 hours a year.

'Just like any other community, if we need to respond, we do. We're not going to go man their police force for them, though.'

For now, the former police chief of Seldovia - located around 430 miles north-east of Sand Point - is overseeing the town.

But as of Tuesday, the Sand Point police department website was still advertising jobs for a police chief and two officers.

'Losing an officer in Sand Point is certainly not new,' Varner said. 'And rural Alaska, especially in law enforcement, it's tough to keep people around. Our department has been understaffed for years.'
These were the shocking scenes in a public park in Luton this week when motorbike yobs sped around on the grass just yards from young children.

Three men on two mopeds drove around the park in the Hockwell Ring area of the Bedfordshire city yesterday, as a mother clutched her son to her body.

Locals in the area fear someone could be killed by nuisance moped riders if more is not done to tackle the problem.

A moped rider speeds past young children playing in a park in Luton yesterday afternoon

Parents protected their children as three men on two bikes rode around the community park

Locals have complained about nuisance moped riders in the area after a young girl was hit

The photos, taken near the Hockwell Community Centre yesterday afternoon, show a young girl playing just yards from where the moped riders are passing.

One mother held her young son to her chest while another led her boy away with her arm around him.

A 75-year-old resident, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, told MailOnline: 'It seems to be every evening for the past two years. They race around the park, which is supposed to be for children.

'They used to play rounders and cricket there, but parents would be mad to let children do it now. It is only a matter of time before a child gets killed.'

A neighbour, also aged 75, added: 'They race up and down and do wheelies. I don't think Bedfordshire police are doing enough to stop them. What do we pay our council tax for?'

'When the police do come they can't catch them. As soon as they see a police car they scarper in all directions up the pathways and get away.'

A mother-of-three who uses the park, who also asked not to be named, added: 'It is scary and dangerous. They come racing along the road and do wheelies in the park. I won't let my children play there when they are around.'

A mother holds her child to her chest as the moped skims along the grass near where they sit

Residents in the area fear someone will be killed unless more is done to tackle the issue

A mother leads her son away as the riders fly around the field in the residential area

Last month, a young girl was rushed to hospital in the area after she was struck by an off-road bike in the area.

Bedfordshire Police have insisted they are clamping down on the issue and have seized over 70 bikes through an scheme called Operation Meteor.

Community Chief Inspector Jim Goldsmith said: 'We are aware of the on-going issue of off-road motorbikes in Luton and we have a dedicated team which works hard to continue to clamp down on the offenders.

'We encourage the public to come forward with any information about the nuisance bikers in their neighbourhoods. It's important they submit as much information as possible to help us identify the perpetrators.

'We would also invite Luton residents to join us on community engagement day on Saturday 5 August in Asda in Wigmore Lane, Luton. Our officers from this dedicated team will be available between 2pm and 5pm to offer advice and reassurance.'
Anthony Scaramucci has told friends he expects to get another role in the Trump administration.

Two sources familiar with his situation told DailyMail.com that Scaramucci is angling to go back to the Export-Import bank - and the president could grant his wish.

Scaramucci was spotted this morning at Trump International Hotel, a few blocks down from the White House.

The former White House communications director, who was on the job for a grand total of 11 days, has not left Washington since his sacking yesterday.

He and a group of current and former Trump officials dined in the hotel's restaurant last night.

While Anthony Scaramucci's time at the White House as communications director was short-lived, the Trump loyalist may get another plum posting in president's orbit

A White House source familiar with the situation told DailyMail.com that Scaramucci is angling to go back to the Export-Import bank

Scaramucci was spotted this morning at Trump International Hotel, a few blocks down from the White House

Scaramucci's time at the White House as communications director was short-lived, but that does not preclude the Trump loyalist from getting another plum posting in the president's orbit

Scaramucci, a former hedge funder, helped raise money for Trump's campaign. He sold his asset management company, SkyBridge Capital, in January in preparation for a job in the Trump administration

Scaramucci's time at the White House as communications director was short-lived, but that does not preclude the Trump loyalist from getting another plum posting in the president's orbit.

Corey Lewandowksi, ex-campaign manager for Donald Trump, said Tuesday on Fox & Friends that he suspects the president will give Scaramucci, a major Republican bundler, a job elsewhere in the administration.

'I think so,' Lewandowski told the hosts of Fox & Friends. 'There's a lot of jobs out there in the administration, and the communications director wasn't the right role for him, but my guess is the president will find a spot for him somewhere.'

Scaramucci, a former hedge funder, helped raise money for Trump's campaign. He sold his asset management company, SkyBridge Capital, in January in preparation for a job in the Trump administration.

On June 19 he became a senior vice president and chief strategy officer at the Export-Import bank in Washington, D.C.

He transitioned out of that job less than two weeks ago to become communications director at the White House.

A source close to the ousted 53-year-old Trump aide said Scaramucci could end up at Ex-Im again.

'That's what Mooch is wanting,' the source said.

Another insider also claimed that Scaramucci could go back to Ex-Im.

His official start date at 1600 Penn was supposed to be August 15, according to a White House press release. The release said he would be reporting directly to the president.

Scaramucci began almost immediately, however, appearing at his first - and only- White House press briefing on Friday, June 21.

From then on, he operated out of a corner office in the communications shop that had been occupied by his predecessor, Mike Dubke, who resigned from the same position a little more than two months ago.

Five days into the gig, Scaramucci had a meltdown during a phone call with a reporter over the leaks within the White House.

He was convinced, the reporter, Ryan Lizza, says, that Reince Priebus, chief of staff at the time, had discussed a dinner he had with the president, as well as his financial disclosure forms, with the press.

Lizza published excerpts from the profane call in the New Yorker on Thursday afternoon.

The next day Scaramucci was seen riding Air Force One with the president, an indication that no immediate action had been taken.

Privately, White House insiders wondered how long he could last in the West Wing after the expletive-filled conversation, though.

Scaramucci called Priebus 'a f***ing paranoid schizophrenic' then claimed that unlike Trump's chief strategist he's not 'trying to suck my own c**k.'

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday at her briefing that Scaramucci no longer has a role in the administration - but she left the door open to a return in some other capacity.

'He does not have a role at this time in the Trump administration,' Huckabee Sanders said. 'I dont have much else to add,' she contended.

Asked directly if he's still at the Ex-Im bank, Huckabee Sanders replied: 'Not at this time.'

Corey Lewandowksi, ex-campaign manager for Donald Trump, said Tuesday on Fox & Friends that he suspects the president will give Scaramucci, a major Republican bundler, a job elsewhere in the administration

Scaramucci's language was 'inappropriate for a person in that position,' she stressed, noting in her remarks that the language was a problem because he was the communications director.

Lewandowski piggybacked on her comments in his Fox segment.

'I think the administration looked at this and said, this is probably not the right thing for us,' Lewandowski said, bringing up Scaramucci's 'unapologetic-in-your-face' style.

The former Trump campaign manger who's frequently at the White House said he knows Scaramucci 'very well' and likes him personally.

'But there is the kind of respect you need to have' in a senior White House position, Lewandowski said. 'You have to remember these are your colleagues you have to work with every day.'

Scaramucci was reportedly escorted off the White House grounds yesterday after news outlets found out that he'd been fired.

Yet, he was seen enjoying supper at last night at Trump's namesake hotel in Washington.

He dined at the Trump Hotel's BLT Prime with former Trump campaign spokeswoman Katrina Pierson, who works for a Trump-backing non-profit that operates with the president's blessing, and a couple of administration employees.

He declined to be interviewed and left quietly through a side exit. It was the first time he had been seen in public all day since he was canned.

The former White House supremo was let go on the first day of retired Gen. John Kelly's tenure as White House chief of staff.

In a statement, the White House said he was leaving to give Kelly a 'clean slate,' just as press secretary Sean Spicer said he was leaving to offer Scaramucci a 'clean slate' when he came in.

Huckabee Sanders told DailyMail.com on Monday that Scaramucci was the only senior staffer getting the boot at this time, though, and no additional staff shake-ups are expected in the coming days.
A teenager was kidnapped and had her throat cut before she was stuffed into a freezer, an inquest heard.

The body of 19-year-old Muslim Celine Dookhran was found inside a 1.5million home after a second woman whose throat was also cut alerted police from hospital, it is said.

At West London Coroner's Court today, coroner's officer Henry Davies said Ms Dookhran was bound, gagged and kidnapped before being assaulted in a Kingston-upon-Thames mansion.

An inquest has heard Ms Dookhran was bound and gagged before being kidnapped and killed

'It is believed that she was kidnapped by two males and subjected to an assault and a knife attack, Celine was murdered.

'Police searched the property in Coombe Lane West and discovered a body in the freezer.

'Life was pronounced extinct and a special post-mortem took place at Kingston on the July 23 following this the provisional cause of death was set as an incised wound to the neck.'

Mujahid Arshid and Vincent Tappu will appear at the Old Bailey after Ms Dookran was found dead with her throat cut in a Kingston-upon-Thames mansion after allegedly being raped

Both women are said to have been raped in the attack which resulted in Ms Dookhran's death on July 19.

The inquest into Ms Dookhrans death was opened and adjourned today pending an ongoing police investigation.

Coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe could not confirm whether the inquest would recommence.

'There may not be a full inquest depending on what happens in the police investigations.

'So opened and adjourned today, the inquest is essentially suspended for the moment.'

Ms Dookhran's family said she was 'an amazingly talented and loving daughter'

Mr Davies told the court that Ms Dookhran was identified by her mother.

In a statement released through police the family of Ms Dookhran paid tribute to an amazingly talented and loving daughter.

'Celine Dookhran was an amazingly talented and loving daughter who brought happiness, joy and laughter to her family and friends.

'We are proud of Celine for everything she had achieved and were looking forward to seeing a loving, caring and innocent young girl fulfill her potential in life and carry on making us proud.

'We thank all those who have offered their support.'

Mujahid Arshid, 33, of no fixed address, has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the murder, rape and kidnap of Ms Dookhran.

He is further charged with the rape, attempted murder and kidnap of the second woman.

He appeared alongside his co-defendant, Vincent Tappu, 28, of Ealing, West London, who is charged with the kidnap of both women.

Both men are due to appear at the Old Bailey on August 21.
A father who abducted his young children and took them to live with his parents in Oman was today jailed for one year after failing to return them five years later.

'Shameless liar' Usama Al Barwani from Portsmouth repeatedly defied court orders to return his children, now aged nine and 12, to Britain from the Middle East.

The former bank clerk took his daughter Aishah and son Faris to live with his relatives in Oman in July 2012 following the breakdown of his relationship with their mother.

Lacey Plato (centre) with her children Aishah (left) and Faris (right) who were taken to Oman by their father in 2012. He repeatedly defied court orders to return his children to Britain

Their 'desperate' mother Lacey Plato, who is in her 30s and also from Portsmouth, has been fighting a lengthy legal battle in a bid to be re-united with her children.

Today, Mrs Justice Theis ruled that Al Barwani had committed 'serious' and deliberate breaches of orders relating to the return of his children to England.

She sentenced him at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London to immediate imprisonment for 12 months for contempt of court.

She said: 'I am satisfied that through the actions of this father, he has deprived these very young children, now aged 12 and nine, of having any meaningful contact or relationship with their mother for a period of five years.'

The judge described it as a 'tragic and sad case' and told him: 'It is perhaps difficult to imagine a more damaging and harmful act for a parent to do to his children.'

Former bank clerk Usama Al Barwani (left) served half of a four-year sentence for abduction after taking the children following the breakdown of his relationship with Lacey Plato (right)

She rejected his claim that it was not within his power to return the children as he was 'controlled by his own father in relation to that'.

Al Barwani has already served a term in prison after being convicted of abduction.

The father his daughter Aishah and son Faris (pictured) to live with his relatives in Oman

He was released last November after serving half of a four-year jail term imposed by a crown court judge.

His latest prison sentence follows a successful application by Miss Plato at the High Court for Al Barwani, who is also in his 30s, to be committed to prison for contempt.

Her barrister, Jacqueline Renton, told Mrs Justice Theis that the father's actions were 'cruel and heartless', had deprived the children of their mother for five years and would have life-long consequences.

Ruling in favour of Miss Plato on Monday, the judge said: 'The breaches could not be more serious and are part of a course of conduct of repeated breaches of court orders.

'I am quite satisfied that these breaches are so serious that they require and demand an immediate custodial sentence.'

It is open to Al Barwani to seek his release by 'purging' his contempt, but the judge emphasised that he would have to show that there were 'concrete plans' for the return of the children.

During previous hearings of the litigation, other High Court judges have described Al Barwani as a 'shameless liar' who has let his children down 'appallingly'.

One said it was rare that a court was faced with a father who could behave so 'wickedly'.
The son of Tory MP Stephen Crabb is lucky to be alive after a horrific three-car crash in France.

The former work and pensions secretary, who ran in the Conservative leadership campaign, told how his son, 15, had a miracle escape after the car was hit by a drink driver.

The teenager had been on holiday with his aunt and uncle following his GCSEs.

The son of Tory MP Stephen Crabb is lucky to be alive after a horrific three-car crash (pictured) in France

The MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire said the other driver was 'under influence of cocaine.'

The crash happened on Saturday night near Mondragon, north of Avignon and five people were taken to hospital - including one with serious injuries.

His son and other family members escaped with just cuts and bruises said Mr Crabb.

Mr Crabb said: 'It is a miracle that my son got out of this alive. He was enjoying a holiday post GCSEs with his auntie and uncle in France.

The former work and pensions secretary (pictured), who ran in the Conservative leadership campaign, told how his son, 15, had a miracle escape after the car was hit by a drink driver

'They were hit on the motorway by another car whose driver was over the limit and under influence of cocaine.

'They all emerged with cuts, bruises and burns. The other driver fled the scene but was later arrested by police and has been charged.

'So much to be thankful for right now. Life is precious.'

French reports say three vehicles were involved and the driver that fled was caught by police a few kilometres from the scene at Bollene.

Mr Crabb said: 'It is a miracle that my son got out of this alive. He was enjoying a holiday post GCSEs with his auntie and uncle in France'

Last year, Stephen Crabb quit the Government in the 'best interests' of his family days after he faced sexting allegations.

Married Mr Crabb allegedly sent sexually charged messages to a young woman  despite basing his campaign on his family values.

The committed Christian allegedly told the woman about a sex act he wanted to perform.
Glover was accused of calling the girl a 'tease' before raping her

A married police officer, who was accused of sexually assaulting a mother and raping her daughter, has been cleared.

Detective Constable Mark Glover, 46, of South Wales Police, was found not guilty of three counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault.

Mr Glover, from Penarth, who denied anything sexual ever happened between him and the daughter, said that he had sexual contact with the mother including intercourse but that it was always consensual.

The officer, who has been based at Barry and Bridgend police stations, told the jury at Cardiff Crown Court, he did not sexually assault either woman.

Mr Glover, who worked for Barclays Bank before joining the force in 1995, said he had an affair with the older woman some years ago which 'fizzled out', but that he then had consensual sexual contact with her on two occasions more recently, one which would have been at around the time of the alleged offences.

He served first as a response officer before joining the drugs team in CID and later being called to work in London following the bombings in 2005.

The court heard the allegations came to light after the woman wrote Facebook messages to a friend, which were found by her daughter who reported the matter to the police.

She later told officers that she had been raped by Mr Glover.

Mr Glover was interviewed by police and told them 'it is not in my nature' to carry out the offences he was accused of.

He said of the older woman: 'I certainly never forced her to do any of this.

'As far as I am concerned it has all be consensual.'

Glover was on trial at Cardiff Crown Court, above, where he says the sex was consensual, during an affair with the woman in question

Asked why the woman would claim he had sexually assaulted her, Mr Glover said: 'I don't know why.

'Anything that ever happened between me and (the woman) has not been abuse, it has been fully consensual between the two of us.

'I've not abused her. I don't know why she would say that.'

Of the younger woman, he said: 'This is just a complete figment of her imagination... I think she had done this because she had found out I have had an affair with her mother and this is her way of getting back at me.'

The jury returned unanimous verdicts on all counts after deliberating for one hour and 55 minutes.
Most university students pour beers to pay the bills, but Heidi is making a lavish living from the comfort of her room.

The 23-year-old Melbourne woman is banking up to $500,000 a year as an online sex worker, also known as a cam-girl.

And she's already snapped up a home with her earnings.

Heidi's job at MyFreeCams involves linking up with computer clients to strip off and put on erotic shows without any physical contact.

Heidi, 23, is banking up to $500,000 a year as an online cam-girl in Melbourne

The civil engineering student strips off for erotic shows for up to 5000 computer clients a day

The civil engineering student told news.com.au she refused to disclose her exact income, but it was a 'pretty good life.'

'I live a pretty good life. I am able to travel a lot, have bought my own house and am easily supporting myself through university,' she said.

She said some cam-girls earn a handsome living working a 40-hour week, but it is flexible with any hours of your choosing.

She said she draws in up to 100 people in her broadcast at a time and more than 5,000 people per day, most of which login out of loneliness.

'I think people tune in mostly out loneliness. A lot of people in my room say they get home from work and have no one to talk to or nothing to do,' Heidi said.

She admitted there are some hurdles to the job including telling her family what she does for a living.

Heidi said she has already bought a house and is 'easily supporting herself' through university

She admitted there are some hurdles to the job, including telling her family what she does for a living

'Mum was very supportive and is always interested in what I am doing, but Dad was a little harder to convince because he couldn't initially look past the getting naked part,' she said.

Heidi said there is more than sexuality to the job and the online rooms have a strong sense of community spirit.

Heidi will be attending SEXPO Brisbane with other MyFreeCam girls on August 4-6
Shannon Graves (above), 28, was last seen alive in February and was the girlfriend to Arturo Novoa, 31

An Ohio man stored his girlfriend's body in a freezer while another woman helped him and assumed the dead woman's life by moving into her home, using her credit cards and caring for her dog, police say.

Arturo Novoa, 31, and Katrina Layton, 34, were arrested by Youngstown police last weekend and being held on $1million bond each at the Mahoning County jail.

They are each charged with abuse of corpse in relation to a body being found inside of a home in nearby Campbell.

Authorities suspect the female body is a missing woman named Shannon Graves who was last seen alive in February and was the girlfriend of Novoa.

Police are awaiting official identification and information on the cause of death.

Youngstown Police Lt. Doug Bobovnik told WKBN they are investigating the case because they believe the body 'originated in the city of Youngstown and was taken to Campbell.'

Novoa (left), 31,and Katrina Layton (right), 34, were arrested by Youngstown police. They're accused of storing a woman's body in a freezer. An autopsy will be performed on the body found in the freezer to determine cause of death and identity

Youngstown Prosecutor Dana Lantz said Novoa was living in Graves' apartment with Layton (above) who allegedly began driving Graves' car, caring for her dog and using her cell phone

Novoa allegedly told a friend his electricity was out and that he needed to store a freezer, that was bought by Layton, in his basement at the property located in Campbell, WFMJ reported.

The freezer was padlocked, and the friend apparently had no idea that there was a body inside. He became suspicious about the contents of the freezer and discovered the remains inside before calling police.

Graves, 28, was added to the Ohio Attorney General's Missing Persons' website earlier this month after concerns about her well-being since she missed her birthday, Easter, and Father's Day.

'Shannon's friends called her Starr and descried her as having a heart of gold, an angel on earth, supportive, outgoing, thoughtful and fun,' Graves sister, Debbie DePaul, told WFMJ.

'Shannon has been missed and will always be missed. You can't replace a spirit like hers. She is loved by so many.'

Graves, 28, was added to the Ohio Attorney General's Missing Persons' website earlier this month after concerns about her well-being since she missed her birthday, Easter, and Father's Day. Her sister said it's unlike her to disappear without contacting anyone

She said it was unlike her sister to be gone for so long without contacting them.

Youngstown Prosecutor Dana Lantz said Graves' former boyfriend, Novoa, was living in her apartment with Layton who allegedly began driving Graves' car, caring for her dog and using her cell phone.

'The apartment on Mahoning Avenue, the lease is in the name ofwhat we believe to be the victim, Shannon Graves,' Lantz told Magistrate Anthony Sertick on Monday.

'(They) basically, assumed her life and her belongings.'

Bobovnik said no one has been charged with murder yet because there is still no cause of death.
A woman has caused a scene at a Starbucks store in China after another customer asked her not to put her bare feet on a table.

The female customer, who remains unidentified, threw a massive tantrum after a man pointed out her uncivilised behaviour.

A social media video shows the woman spitting at the man as she told him 'it's none of your business' in a furious manner.

The incident occurred at a Starbucks branch in Suqian, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on July 26, according to Pear Video.

Pear Video said the footage had been provided by an onlooker who captured the unusual scene.

The scorned female customer appeared to be walking around the store with bare feet as she tried to defend herself.

According to the male customer, the woman did not look after her pet dog and put her bare feet up on a table (left), so he requested her to be more considerate to other customers

The video also shows a shop worker trying to apologised to the male customer, who was holding a child.

The man, surnamed Xu, told Kan Kan News that he was visiting the store with his daughter that evening.

According to the man, the woman had not looked after her pet dog well in the store and his daughter had been terrified by the animal; furthermore, she put her bare feet on the table as she played on her mobile phone.

Mr Xu said he tried to ask her to mind her pet dog and remove her feet from the table, and the woman suddenly became enraged.

The video shows the woman yelling at the man: 'Who are you? Are you the boss?'

The man said to the woman: 'Do you think it's appropriate to come into the store with a dog and put your feel up like this?'

The woman replied: 'It's none of your business.' She then stood up to spit at the man.

But the woman suddenly became enraged and threw a massive tantrum. She spat at the man (right) as she told him 'it's none of your business' in a furious manner (left)

A worker from the Starbucks told Kan Kan News that the staff had tried to ask the woman to put her dog on a leash twice, but the woman had refused.

The worker also said they had tried to prevent the argument between the two customers, but they failed.

Mr Xu called the police from the store. Officers requested the woman to leave the shop after investigating the case.

The woman has apologised to the man, according to Kan Kan News.

MailOnline has contacted Starbucks regarding their customer service policy, and is awaiting a reply.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu-PF Harare province has said it is going to mobilise other provinces to support calls by First Lady Grace Mugabe that her ailing husband President Robert Mugabe "anoint" a successor.On Saturday, Grace repeated her calls for Mugabe, 93, to name his heir. Grace had earlier challenged her president husband at a women's league national assembly meeting on Thursday to name his preferred successor, to end divisions over the future leadership of the ruling Zanu-PF party.Africa's oldest leader has lorded over the former British colony since independence in 1980, but has refused to name a successor saying that congress, not himself, will choose his eventual successor.In an unsolicited interview, Harare province political commissar Shadreck Mashayamombe told the Daily News yesterday that they stand ready to support the proposal."We support what the first lady said, we know that there are some people who are opposed to that but because the president has been there for a long time, he must have a say on who succeeds him."We believe that the president should anoint a successor. As Harare province, we are going to mobilise supporters, we will also encourage other provinces to follow suit. The person who will be anointed can then be confirmed by the conference or congress," Mashayamombe said.Zanu-PF is presently split between the Team Lacoste and G40 faction to which Mashayamombe is reportedly a key member. The women's league has been pushing for the amendment of the party's constitution to ensure that one of the two vice presidents is a woman.Mugabe indicated last week that he prefers to have three vice presidents. After the first lady raised concern, as the secretary for women's affairs, that Zanu-PF should revert to its resolutions that one vice president's position be reserved for women, Mugabe retorted: "I was thinking that other countries have more than two. Why can't we have three deputies and correct this position that way?"Think about it. Two choices, one to revert to our position of two VPs and one being a lady, but another of adding another position of a VP and we have three VPs and one woman. Think of those mere suggestions when we go to congress as you like, but think it out and we discuss at congress, but certainly we have offended you and I must apologise for that."Respected University of Zimbabwe political scientist Eldred Masunungure has said Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who reportedly fronts Team Lacoste stands to lose his presidential bid if Mugabe anoints a successor, who is emerging in some circles as Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi."That (Sekeramayi taking over) is a serious proposition, the likelihood of that happening is very high but it has to be done while the president is still alive, it cannot be done post-Mugabe. He must do it now so that he will engineer the whole process then market his pick, not to Zimbabwe but to the key constituencies in his party."I don't see that happening after he is gone. If there is a worst case scenario that he is incapacitated or dies, I think the key beneficiary is likely to be Ngwena (Mnangagwa's moniker), the dark horse scenario can only be implemented by Mugabe by anointing someone and galvanising support for that candidate," Masunungure said.At a youth interface meeting in Chinhoyi on Saturday, Grace reiterated her calls for Mugabe to anoint a successor, much to the consternation of the Team Lacoste faction ."The president is still fit. I know the Constitution very well (as) I am educated. We elected president Mugabe but what I was saying, when the president said he needs to rest (is that) he must be part of the process (of choosing his successor), whether you want it or not."He is our president who was chosen by the people to lead us, so he is going to lead us in choosing (his successor). You heard Kudzanai (Chipanga) saying everything starts with Amai, munhu wese kunaAmai. Without his (Mugabe's) blessings, you can't be the president of this country. We are going to meet next time - watch this space," Grace told a bumper crowd of Zanu-PF supporters in Chinhoyi.Speaking at the same platform, Mugabe also indicated that he might be planning to make changes at the top of the military establishment where the generals are believed to support Mnangagwa's mooted presidential aspirations."We respect our defence forces, especially those who are at the top. Of course they will retire but we are going to find them room in government so that they do not languish," Mugabe said.
A 60-year-old grandmother shot and killed a man when he broke into her Katy, Texas home around noon on Monday.

The incident happened at 11:30am, on a quiet block in the Sundown subdivision.

Harris County Sheriff's officials say two men broke into the unnamed victim's home through an open garage.

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A 60-year-old grandmother (center) in Katy, Texas shot and killed a man who broke into her home shortly before noon on Monday

'Both were armed with pistols, she confronted both suspects,' Thomas Gilliland with HCSO said.

'From what we understand, it's a rental home but there are several people who live in the home. But this morning she was by herself in the house,' he added.

The woman grabbed her own handgun and proceeded to shoot at the intruders, causing them to flee.

She hit one of the men, who collapsed and died in her front yard.

The other suspect, a man around 20-years-old who was wearing dark clothing and red underwear, escaped over a fence and is still at large.

An accomplice escaped by jumping over the fence. Authorities say the two men broke into the home through an open garage

It's unclear if the woman hit the second suspect.

The victim was not injured in the shooting, but she did seem to be emotionally troubled by the incident. In video from the scene on Monday, she was seen crying as police collected evidence at her rental home.

She reportedly told officers that she did not know the two men.

Neighbors were shocked by the news, but they said the woman was justified in her actions.

'It's just, you know what, in the state of Texas, if you're gonna get on somebody's property, you're gonna get shot,' neighbor Catherine Hanks told KTRK. 'That's just the way we are, that's Texas.'

Texas is a 'stand your ground' state, which means that you can shoot a person if they trespass on your property and believe they are going to hurt you.
A defiant President Trump said he would continue using Twitter as he pleased, despite swearing in a new chief of staff who's supposed to get the West Wing under control.

'Only the Fake News Media and Trump enemies want me to stop using Social Media (110 million people). Only way for me to get the truth out!' Trump wrote Tuesday morning.

On Monday, Trump swore in retired Marine Gen. John Kelly to fill Reince Priebus' shoes, in the latest White House senior staff reorganization.

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A defiant President Trump tweeted Tuesday morning that he would not be giving up Twitter, despite having a new chief of staff who is supposed to get the chaotic West Wing under control

Once again, President Trump blamed the 'Fake News Media' for the criticism he was receiving for his use of Twitter. A recent survey showed that 67 percent of Americans disapproved of his Twitter use

The same day, the president ousted his communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, who was only on the job for 10 days.

Scaramucci's exit signaled to White House watchers that the president was allowing Kelly free rein to get things back in order.

On August 21, Trump announced that Scaramucci would be moving into the communications director role, vacated by Mike Dubke in May.

That prompted the resignation of Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who said he would stay on through August, though today told DailyMail.com 'will keep you posted' when asked if he might remain even longer, to shepherd tax reform through.

By August 27, Scaramucci's antics had totally taken over the news, when the New Yorker's Ryan Lizza published the foul-mouthed tirade the communications director went on to the reporter  without saying 'off the record'  the night before.

The next day President Trump announced via Twitter that Priebus, his chief of staff since January, was gone and being replaced by Kelly, who had been at the helm of the Department of Homeland Security.

By Monday Kelly was in business and Scaramucci had been fired.

As part of Kelly's 'clean slate,' some wondered if the retired general may be able to get the president off of Twitter.

And on Tuesday for several hours prime Trump Twitter hours that seemed to be the case.

But then at 8:49 a.m., Trump dashed off his first tweet: 'Stock Market could hit all-time high (again) 22,000 today. Was 18,000 only 6 months ago on Election Day. Mainstream media seldom mentions!' the president wrote.

He quickly followed that up with another.

'"Corporations have NEVER made as much money as they are making now." Thank you Stuart Varney @FoxandFriends Jobs are starting to roar,watch!' the president said.

His third, coming shortly before 10 a.m. EST, was back to peak Trump, blasting the media and his 'enemies' for the criticism he's received of his Twitter usage.

However, while pundits have tut-tutted the president's Twitter outbursts, members of his own party and the majority of Americans have echoed that too.

Last week, a number of Republican senators condemned Trump's tweets yelling at Attorney General Jeff Sessions, calling him 'weak,' as the majority of the president's campaign against the former Alabama senator and one of Trump's earliest Congressional backers played out online.

A mid-July poll also found that 67 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's use of Twitter.

The ABC News/Washington Post survey also found that 68 percent of respondents called Trump's Twitter usage 'inappropriate,' 65 percent called his tweets 'insulting' and another 52 percent labeled them 'dangerous.'
Riots teams have today stormed the same jail where prisoners took over two wings yesterday amid reports inmates are armed with weapons.

A specialist riot team, known as the 'Tornado' squad, has been called into action for the second time in as many days at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire.

It is understood prisoners armed with weapons have seized control of part of Nash wing, which houses 250 inmates including many who are serving short sentences or have only three months left to serve.

On Monday, multiple prisoners were involved in a lengthy disturbance across two wings at the jail.

Specialist officers were called into action today - the second time in as many days at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire

Riots teams have today stormed the same jail where prisoners took over two wings yesterday

Specially-trained officers armed with riot shields were photographed arriving at HMP The Mount after riots broke out in two wings on Monday

The incident came on the same day as a report warned the prison had lost experienced staff and last summer suffered problems including violence.

The report by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) also slated the category C jail for not dealing with a Spice epidemic.

Inspectors revealed how the former legal high was causing extreme problems at the prison - with 70 inmates seen by medics after collapsing or 'turning to zombies' in just one month.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'Specially trained prison staff have been deployed to HMP The Mount to resolve an incident involving a number of prisoners.

'The situation at the prison remains contained and there is no risk to the public.'

It later said the incident had been 'resolved'.

Prison expert Alex Cavendish tweeted: 'HMP The Mount: hearing about more trouble this morning. Staff said to have 'lost control' of part of Nash Wing. Awaiting more info.'

He then added: 'HMP The Mount: report that Tornado Team has been called in. Command suite set up.'

During Monday's hours-long disturbance, the Tornado squad, which is equipped to deal with riots, was sent in.

The Mount's H Wing and L Wing, which house 110 and 117 inmates respectively, were taken over by prisoners.

A text believed to have been sent from someone inside the Category C prison claimed 'we had the screws running scared' and promising further trouble today.

The Ministry of Justice said the first incident was resolved shortly after 10pm and no staff or inmates were injured.

It came on the day an assessment from the jail's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said during the year to the end of February The Mount has struggled with staff shortages 'driven by uncompetitive pay scales'.

Staff appear to be relaxed as they prepare themselves to enter the Category C prison to diffuse the situation

Having assembled the necessary gear, the officers head into the prison to get the job started

Police vehicles pass signage for The Mount Prison, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire

The trouble flared days after figures laid bare the scale of the safety crisis that has engulfed jails across England and Wales.

There were 26,643 assaults in the year to March, including a record 7,159 attacks on staff - equivalent to nearly 20 every day.

Campaigners and watchdogs have issued a catalogue of warnings about violence, drug use and overcrowding across the jail estate.

Last month Peter Clarke, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, said staffing levels in many establishments are too low to maintain order and described the conditions some inmates are held in as 'squalid, dirty and disgraceful'.

Channel 4 footage from February last year showed then-justice secretary Michael Gove being heckled by prisoners at The Mount as he toured the grounds with political editor Gary Gibbon.

At one point, he shakes hands with an unseen prisoner, who then says 'what's your name again?' and, as Mr Gove goes to leave, adds 'do a better job than that last one, yeah'.
A driver who fled to India after a fatal crash in Melbourne almost a decade ago has launched a bizarre last ditch bid to avoid extradition back to Australia.

Puneet Puneet, 28, was allegedly drunk and speeding when he mowed down and killed 19-year-old nursing student Dean Hofstee in 2008.

After spending years on the run, Puneet has now turned to his Indian-Australian friends to help him fight extradition by supporting his claims that Australia is racist.

'Indians are not safe in Australia and every case against India has some racial point into it,' Jayant Dagore told a New Delhi court, the Herald Sun reported.

Puneet Puneet (right), 28, was allegedly drunk and speeding when he mowed down and killed 19-year-old nursing student Dean Hofstee (left) in 2008.

'Puneet should be free... India should help Puneet, not Australia.'

He added: 'Australians are biased towards Indians so I request Indian authorities to take care of its nationals.'

At the time of the crash, police allege Puneet was driving at 148km per hour - more than double the legal limit in the area  while under the influence of alcohol.

He was charged with culpable driving and negligently causing serious injury, then bailed on strict conditions, including the surrender of his passport.

At the time of the crash, police allege Puneet (pictured wearing a facemask) was driving at 148km per hour

He admitted he was guilty, but fled Australia using a fellow Indian's passport in 2009.

Australian police offered a $100,000 reward in 2012 for information leading to his arrest.

While hit-and-run incidents carry a 20 year jail term in Australia, Indian law would only see him incarcerated for about two years.
A mother-of-two who was caught drink driving three times over the legal limit had her two young children in the backseat of the car.

Claire Kathleen Stubley, 33, had her 18-month-old toddler and six-week-old baby in the backseat of her car when she was stopped by the police in Gosnells, in Perth's southeast, in March.

Stubley was fined $1,600 when she appeared at a Perth court on Tuesday, 7 News reported.

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Stubley was fined $1,600 when she appeared at a Perth court on Tuesday (pictured after her appearance)

Stubley's lawyer told the court his client was possibly affected by prescription medication when she was caught.

When she left court on Tuesday, side-by-side with her lawyer, the 33-year-old mother remained tight lipped.

Her lawyer told reporters: 'My client has nothing to say.'

Stubley was also banned from driving for two-and-a-half years.

When she left court on Tuesday, side-by-side with her lawyer, the 33-year-old mother remained tight lipped
Two Air Algerie pilots have been suspended after letting a 10-year-old boy take the controls of their plane.

The men, who have not been named, were filmed letting the boy sit in the co-pilot's seat and use the controls during a domestic flight from Algiers to Setif last month.

The orphan had dreamed of becoming a pilot and the stunt was carried out for TV as part of a charity initiative, it is reported.

Two pilots for Algeria's national carrier have been suspended after handing over control of a plane to an orphaned boy as part of a TV stunt

A full broadcast shows the bow was allowed to look around the plane and help with pre-flight checks before being invited into the cockpit.

He is then shown adjusting what appears to be the plane's power power settings and altimeter.

Speaking to the camera, the pilot explicitly states that the child is adjusting the actual aircraft, rather than pretending, which is against Algerian law.

The footage was released by Algeria's El Bilad TV on July 26, with the crew suspended on July 29th, according to the Aviation Herald.

After the boy was finished at the controls, the captain of the flight can be heard praising him, saying he will 'make a very good pilot'.

The boy was shown around the plane and helped out with pre-flight checks before being allowed into the cockpit in footage broadcast last month

The aircraft is thought to be an ATR 72-600 which can hold up to 80 passengers and crew, though it is not known how many people were on board the flight in question.

In 1994 Aeroflot Flight 593 from Moscow to Hong Kong crashed and killed all 75 people on board when the pilot's teenage son was allowed on to the flight deck, where he accidentally turned off the plane's autopilot.

The Airbus A310-300 then rolled into a steep bank and near-vertical dive before the pilots managed to level it out.

However, the captain over-corrected while pulling up, causing the plane to stall and crash into a mountain, killing all on board.
Three British men have gone on trial in Singapore today accused of gang-raping a 23-year-old woman while visiting the city-state for a stag party.

Khong Tam Thanh, 22, Le Michael, 24, and Vu Thai Son, 24, face up to 20 years in jail and a caning if found guilty of assaulting the Malaysian woman while she was drunk and unconscious at the end of the night out.

All three, British citizens of Vietnamese descent, deny the allegations.

In an opening statement, prosecutors said the defendants were in Singapore in September as part of a group of nine for a bachelor party, and attended an electronic music festival called Ultra Singapore.

Three British men went on trial in Singapore (file picture) today accused of gang-raping a 23-year-old woman while visiting the city-state for a stag party

The groom, the brother of Khong, was also on the trip.

They met the woman in a popular nightspot in the city-state, where she had been partying with a friend.

After she had agreed to have sex with one of their friends, a British citizen of Vietnamese origin identified as Richard Ahn, he took her to his hotel room.

After the pair had sex, Khong, Le and Vu took turns to enter the room and raped the woman as she lay drunk and unconscious, the court heard.

'Having consented to having sexual intercourse with one individual, she was then raped by three other men,' Deputy Public Prosector G. Kannan told the Singapore High Court.

'Intoxicated and asleep, she was unaware of what was going on around her. She was taken advantage of and raped in quick succession by the three.'

The men took care to make as little noise as possible but the victim woke up as Le assaulted her, the court heard.

They all face one count each of raping the alleged victim in the early hours of September 10 last year.

Khong and Vu, who work as beauticians in Britain, face additional charges of sexual assault by digital penetration. Le is unemployed.

Ahn, 24, absconded while under investigation. The alleged victim lives in Johor Bahru, the southern Malaysian city bordering Singapore. She cannot be named because of a court order protecting her identity.

Rape is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and caning, a punishment which dates back to British colonial rule.
Twice in one day, a man found himself wearing handcuffs after getting caught and photographed strolling completely naked and barefoot through his hometown in broad daylight.

Christopher Carlson, 34, first caught the attention of passersby in downtown Lawrence, Kansas, at around 2pm on Sunday when he was spotted ambling by several shops and restaurants along the busy Massachusetts Street.

Police were summoned and Carlson was taken into custody, cited for indecent exposure and slapped with a $500 fine.

A walk to remember: Christopher Carlson, 34, was photographed taking a stroll in the buff in downtown Lawrence, Kansas, on Sunday

Repeat offender: The 5-foot-11 was arrested and cited for indecent exposure, but stripped naked just minutes after being released from jail

A short time later, Carlson was released from the Douglas County Jail, but within minutes of regaining his freedom, the bearded man standing at 5 feet 11 inches tall again shed his clothing and resumed his naked promenade.

Police learned of Carlson's second offense when at around 4.30pm they got a call from a taxi driver with Ground Transportation Services, who reported that he had picked up Carlson from the county jail and drove him downtown.

The driver, Matt Stockdale, tells the station KSHB Carlson seemed 'okay' to him and even engaged in some small talk during the short ride.

But when it came time to pay the cab fare, Carlson could not come up with the $11; the passenger then allegedly stripped naked and took off on foot.

Shoppers and bystanders were stunned to see the 34-year-old man walking in his birthday suit at a leisurely pace down West 10th Street, in full view of diners and families with children.

Carlson was again arrested and charged with a second count of indecent exposure and an additional count of theft of service for allegedly failing to pay the taxi fare.

He remained in the county jail as of late Tuesday morning, according to online records.

Under lock and key: Carlson remained in the Dougals County Jail as of late Tuesday morning

Reactions from eyewitnesses who had the dubious privilege of seeing the man walking in the buff ran the gamut from amusement to bewilderment and shock.

Man it was just insane. There's no other way to describe it, Megan Engleman, a bartender at 715 Restaurant in Lawrence, tells Fox 4 KC.

Describing Carlsons demeanor at the time of the incident, Engleman said that he appeared to be very 'casual' about the whole situation.

Under a Lawrence city ordnance, public nudity is classified as a misdemeanor, even though state law does not consider it a crime, unless committed with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desires of the offender or another, according to reporting by Kansas City Star.

If convicted of the charges against him, Carlson could face the prospect of having to wear an orange jail garb for six months.
A three-year-old Spanish girl has died after being hit by a train after vanishing while her parents were eating dinner at a restaurant near the local station.

The parents of Lucia Vivar had allowed their daughter to play with her cousins nearby while they ate, but became separated from them.

A huge missing person's search was launched in the town of Pizarra, in the southern Spanish province of Malaga, in the Andalusia region, but the little girl was found dead the next morning having been hit by a train.

Tragedy: The parents of Lucia Vivar, three, were eating dinner at restaurant near the train station in Pizarra, southern Spain, while their daughter played near the tracks with her cousins

Lucia became separated from her parents, Antonio Vivar and his wife Almudena Hidalgo, on Wednesday evening, and was last seen playing with her cousins at 11.20pm.

It is thought that she began walking down the train tracks and later laid down before being hit by a train in the early hours of the morning.

Lucia suffered terrible head injuries and an autopsy found she died from a brain trauma.

Heartbreaking: Little Lucia died after being hit by a train in the early hours of the morning

Neighbours, police and Spanish Civil Guard officers searched through the night to try and find the girl.

But the hunt was called off when the train driver informed the authorities of his gruesome discovery.

Service was temporarily suspended on the line while Lucia's body was recovered.

Police are continuing to investigate but they are treating the case as an accidental death.

Jose Antonio Nieto, the secretary of State of Security, ruled out the possibility of Lucia being kidnapped.

The youngster's death has shocked the town, which has a population of around 9,300 inhabitants.

Many locals feel it is strange that she was able to walk around for so long without being noticed by anybody.
The owner of Missouri mega mansion Pensmore has settled a $63 million lawsuit brought against the building's concrete suppliers just 10 days before the federal trial was set to start.

The 72,000-square-foot colossal 'chateau,' located in Christian County, has been under construction since 2009 and was carefully designed to accommodate owner Steven T. Huff and his family as a safeguard from natural disasters and other disruptions such as tornadoes, earthquakes, bombs, fires and even insects.

Huff, an astrophysicist and chairman of TF Concrete Forming Systems, filed the lawsuit against Monarch Cement Co. and a subsidiary, City Wide Construction Products in May 2015 alleging the contractors skimped out on necessary building materials.

Steven T. Huff and his family have settled a $63 million lawsuit against the Pensmore mansion's concrete supplier

The 72,000-square-foot colossal 'chateau,' sits in Christian County, Missouri and has been under construction since 2008

Huff, pictured, said the mansion was intended to be built to endure for at least 2,000 years. The building is said to be one of the largest in the nation, above the White House and Pythian Castle

Huff claimed in the suit the 'defendants put enormous quantities of helix, paid for by plaintiff, on their trucks and drove them to storage' and failed to use proper elements of cement during the construction process.

The complaint claims the measure of plasticizer  which strengthens walls and supports crucial steel fiber, Helix  was irrigated down or withheld completely.

According to the Kansas City Star, the mansion was intended to be built to endure for at least '2,000 years,' before Huff filed the cheat suit against the businesses for jipping he and his family out of quality they paid for.

The cement manufacturers have since denied the allegations against them.

Requests by phone to attorneys representing the Huff family and Monarch Cement Company and Citywide Construction Products were not returned.

District Judge Beth Phillips said both parties are required to file dismissal paperwork or a joint status by Aug. 4.

The cement manufacturers have denied the claims brought against them in the 2015 lawsuit

The complaint claims the measure of plasticizer to strengthen walls was removed

The building was intended to be a safeguard from natural disasters such as tornadoes, earthquakes, bombs and fires

The lawsuit has been settled, while specific details have not been released

'Order. This case has reached settlement,' the Pacer docket entry, initialed by Phillips, read. The trial setting is removed from the docket.'

Towards the end of July, Huff and the defendants filed motions in limine, which is an order to limit evidence from being filed by both sides.

Specific details of the settlement were not disclosed in the report.

The mansion is said to be one of the largest residencies in the United States, above the White House and historic tourist attraction Pythian Castle.
News / National

by Staff reporter

President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF will again use its two-thirds parliamentary majority to approve more constitutional amendments giving back wide-sweeping powers to the president, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.The changes come at the expense of MPs' rights to oversee the government and will undo transitional clauses in a new Constitution adopted in 2013 that replaced a 33-year-old document forged in the dying days of British colonial rule.Approved overwhelmingly in a referendum in March 2013, the new Constitution clips the powers of the president and imposes a two-term limit.The package of mooted amendments to the country's Constitution is meant to advance Mugabe's desire for strong leadership.This comes after the National Assembly on Tuesday last week passed the controversial Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 1) Bill by a vote of 182 for, and 41 against, which amends section 180 of the Constitution and gives sole and unfettered discretion to Mugabe to appoint the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and Judge President of the High Court whenever there are vacancies for such posts.Mnangagwa said the forthcoming amendments will target "transitional" clauses in Schedule Six of the Constitution which he said will be the key priority for the current government.The transitional clauses relate to how to manage acting presidents in relation to the possibility that the president may retire or become incapacitated to continue in office.Even constitutional commissions such as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission could be changed so that they do not affect ruling party succession dynamics, authoritative Zanu-PF sources said.Zanu-PF was also going to amend the chapter on devolution of power in the new Constitution which would reconfigure power dynamics as they relate to provinces beginning to get a semblance of autonomy from central government."There are areas where we were unable to agree and we compromised. This is why in Schedule Six, you find there are provisions which have a time limit, five or 10 years limit, because we were not able to agree on a definite period on those areas."We are still going to make sure we correct everything. Let me assure the Senate that this is not the only thing we intend to amend in the Constitution."There are many other areas which we are looking at, which we feel should be amended," Mnangagwa told the Senate.Legal experts have said it was imperative for the opposition to wrest legislative control from Mugabe's Zanu-PF to limit its ability to pass major legislation.Morgan Tsvangirai's former advisor and law professor Alex Magaisa said the amendment was an affront on one of the guiding pillars of the constitution-making exercise to whittle down Executive powers."Zanu-PF is able to mutilate the Constitution like this because it has the two thirds majority required for such amendments," he said."This is why a key battleground in next year's elections is over the two thirds parliamentary majority."Mnangagwa said: "It is not a question of being a Zanu-PF government in power, but it is a question of a democratic process."A democratic process requires that the party that has the majority after a general election should form a government and it has a programme."If the Constitution forbids the implementation of a programme, they have a choice to amend it so that the programme can go forward. If next time they are not in power and some other political party comes in and thinks that they must amend, the Constitution allows them to amend - but for now we are amending, because we feel it must be amended."Speaking on the move by Zanu-PF chief whip Lovemore Matuke to impose a three-line whip - the strongest sanction at his disposal - on ruling party MPs to back the proposed bill, which seeks to restore sweeping powers to the president to singularly appoint the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and the Judge President of the High Court, Mnangagwa said it is democratic to whip MPs to support a certain bill."This is democracy. The Zanu-PF chief whips never whipped MDC members; they only whipped Zanu-PF members," he said."I am sure that there are whips also on the MDC side who whip MDC members. So, there is nothing bad with whipping your members to come to Parliament, as happened."Speaking on National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda's move to block an opposition motion seeking to have voting on the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 1) Bill taken by secret ballot, Mnangagwa said: "The question of secret ballot, no. If you are a member of a political party, it means that you adhere to the policies and exercise the policies of that party."You should then stand upright and say I am a member of this political party which brought me to Parliament and not go to secrecy."If you do not like your party, you can always resign and an election can be conducted so that somebody who can represent the party can be elected."Senators as well as members of the National Assembly are representatives of the people."You represent people, but if you reach a stage where you feel you do not anymore represent the people who brought you here, the door is open."
A New York mom died just before her birthday as a result of a botched buttock augmentation from a shady clinic, her mother has claimed.

Latesha Bynum, 31, died on Thursday after spending almost two weeks in hospital on life support - apparently as a direct result of her injections.

'My daughter was murdered,' her mom, Bertie Bynum, 51, told the New York Daily News. 'I want to know: Why did they kill my baby? Why did they do that. They wasn't supposed to do that.'

Latesha Bynum (pictured) died on Thursday, apparently as a result of complications from a butt-lift procedure that she underwent on July 15 that resulted in her being put on life support

Bynum was a mom to two girls, aged 8 and 13 (center). Her brother said she would never have risked leaving them motherless if she'd known the operation was so dangerous

She also gave a message to the surgeons: 'You killed a mother, you killed a sister!'

Bynum, whose daughters are 13 and eight, visited the supposed clinic on July 15.

The clinic is located in a Manhattan residential building on E 21st St and First Avenue, near Stuyvesant Town, according to police, who declined to give an exact address.

They said they were also unable to confirm whether the operation was performed legally, although her brother claimed the clinic was licensed.

The injections were administered at around 1pm; by 11pm Bynum had reportedly begun to feel dizzy and started having chest pains.

She was then taken to Mount Sinai St Luke's Medical Center, where she was declared brain dead and put on life support.

That life support was switched off on Thursday. Her 32nd birthday would have been on Sunday.

Bynum's feet had turned blue immediately after the operation but the clinic didn't send her to hospital, her brother said. Police are not identifying the clinic. It's not clear if it was licensed

According to her brother, Tymel Bynum, 26, her feet had turned blue immediately after the operation - but the clinic had merely put her in a shower twice as a 'cure'.

'Why wasn't she taken to medical care? That probably could've saved her life,' he said.

'That's murder. Just because the person didn't pull a trigger, it's still murder.'

He added that his sister would never have undergone the procedure if she knew it would put her at risk.

'If she had high confidence in it, I don't think she felt like it was a risk that would've took her life. I don't think she would've jeopardized that for her daughters,' he said.

The family's lawyer, Jack Yankowitz, questioned whether the person who performed the procedure was licensed to do so.

'This is some sort of underground type of procedure - this is not something that's done by professional doctors,' he said.

He declined to comment further until he had spoken to police.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has placed a number of frustrated phone calls to Liberal MPs who are threatening to cross the floor on same sex marriage.

Mr Turnbull phoned Queensland MP Trevor Evans and WA MP Dean Smith over reports they were planning to introduce a private member's bill and cross the floor, according to The Daily Telegraph.

It is understood he asked them to abide by the Liberal Party policy, which is to make a decision on the issue through a national plebiscite.

If the private member's bill is successful, it is predicted it will spell the end of Mr Turnbull's reign and possibly the end of the Coalition agreement.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull faces a leadership spill if he does not stop moderate MPs from crossing the floor. He has reportedly called some of the MP's involved in a rebel plan to legalise same sex marriage to encourage them to stick to the Coalition's policy of a plebiscite

The agreement in question has never been publicly available, but is understood to contain an agreement that the legalisation of same sex marriage can only come about through a plebiscite.

Joining the rebel MPs in the quest for a conscience vote are Queensland MP Warren Entsch and Victorian MP Tim Wilson.

Mr Entsch referred to Mr Turnbull's calls as threats when speaking to the Telegraph.

'If they want to make threats they're entitled to do it,' he said.

Queensland MP Trevor Evans is one of the rogue MPs threatening to cross the floor over the issue

As backbenchers, the four MPs involved are able to cross the floor according to Liberal Party rules

As backbenchers, the four are able to cross the floor under party rules, Mr Turnbull has previously told reporters.

The rebel group's attempt to push the issue comes just weeks after Christopher Pyne was caught on tape saying the government was planning a sooner-than-expected move on gay marriage.

It is reported the phone calls placed by the Prime Minister were an attempt to soothe tensions, but that his efforts went to waste.

Mr Turnbull told The Daily Telegraph the Coalition's policy had not changed, and the Australian public should be questioning why the Labor Party's had.

'We have committed that every Australian will have a vote [on same-sex marriage] and the question you should be asking, if you care to take the time, is of Bill Shorten and say to him 'why has he gone back on his commitment that every Australian should have a vote?'' he said.

'We took that position to the election, we gave that commitment and that remains our policy.'
A supermarket shopper was caught on camera telling a niqab-wearing Muslim that she looked 'like a bloody pillar box'.

The woman launched her vicious tirade when she saw a Muslim couple in an Aldi store in Feltham, west London yesterday.

She repeatedly shouted at the husband that it was 'disgusting' that he 'made' his wife wear the full-body covering but he calmly replied that it was 'her choice'.

Furious: A woman was caught on camera telling a niqab-wearing Muslim that she looked 'like a bloody pillar box'

The man remained calm as the women continued shouting 'it's disgusting'. He coolly told her 'you need to educate yourself,' later adding 'you're a comedian'.

The woman, seemingly incapable of elaborating or attempting to justify her opinion, kept shouting.

The husband asked her 'do you think freedom of choice is disgusting?'

He then told her 'your attitude is disgusting' and she childishly responded 'no, your attitude is disgusting.'

The woman, seemingly incapable of elaborating or attempting to justify her opinion, kept shouting

She also told him: 'You should not allow your wife to go around like that'.

Eventually the argument was cooled by a store worker who intervened and told everyone to calm down.

The Metropolitan Police told MailOnline it has not received any reports of a hate crime in the store.

It comes after police figures revealed Islamophobic crimes in Greater Manchester increased by 500 per cent after the bomb attack in the city.

It comes after police figures revealed Islamophobic crimes in Greater Manchester increased by 500 per cent after the bomb attack in the city (stock image of the niqab)

Hundreds of complaints about attacks, threats and vandalism directed against Muslim residents were received by GMP in the wake of the Arena attack on May 22.

Muslim organisations - as well as individuals and families - now say they face daily harassment and abuse by those who wrongly blame them for the actions Islamist-inspired Salman Abedi.

Police in Greater Manchester have promised to take tough action but say they believe the spike of hate-fuelled incidents is only temporary.
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A giant panda which was raised in captivity but mated in the wild has successfully given birth to a male cub.

The baby panda, which weighed 216 grams (7.6 ounces), is the world's first panda with both captive and wild parents, reported Xinhua News Agency.

Its birth marks the success of China's panda breeding programme which aims to increase the genetic diversity of its captive bear population, said the report.

The world's first giant panda cub with both captive and wild parents was born early Monday in Sichuan Province, China

The cub was born to mother panda Cao Cao, which was sent to the wild in February this year ahead of the mating season

The panda cub was born at 2:17am on July 31 at the Hetaoping Panda Base in Wolong, China's Sichuan Province.

The mother panda, Cao Cao, had given birth four times in the past, including two sets of twins.

Cao Cao is 15 years old, which is the equivalent to 30 years old in human age.

Having been rescued from the wild as a cub in 2003, Cao Cao grew up in captivity.

She was released back to nature in February this year ahead of the mating season. Chinese panda breeders hoped she could mate in the wild.

A GPS tag was attached to Cao Cao's collar to keep a record of her activities.

Its birth marks the success of China's panda breeding programme which aims to increase the genetic diversity of the animals

Cao Cao mated with a mild panda on March 23 according to records from a GPS tag attached to her collar

According to an earlier report by Xinhua, several ex-captive male pandas fought in the wild for the right to mate with Cao Cao in March, but the female panda eventually chose a wild panda.

Cao Cao's mating lasted for 90 seconds and took place on March 23.

Commenting on Cao Cao's successful mating, Zhang Hemin, director of China Conservation and Research Center For The Giant Panda, told Xinhua: 'We hope this will kickstart more efforts of releasing more pandas into the wild in the future.'

The back-to-nature training was started by the Wolong Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in 2005.

The Wolong centre is a co-founder of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

The programme was designed to introduce artificially bred giant pandas to the wild after two-years of training and preparation.

The first fully trained panda, Xiang Xiang, was sent back to the forest in 2006. However, the five-year-old bear was found dead in the forest in 2007. Expert said it had likely died from fighting with wild pandas over food and territory.

Panda Cao Cao was rescued in 2003 as a cub and grew up in captivity. The panda is pictured entering an enclosure in 2011

Workers carry Cao Cao to a training base in Sichuan, China, in 2011 for the bear to receive back-to-nature training

Cao Cao is 15 years old, which is the equivalent to 30 years old in human age. The giant panda has seven cubs in total

Since then, the centre has carried on training and releasing giant pandas to nature under the programme.

The WolongGiant Panda Protection and Research Centre was established in 1980.

Located in the mountainous south-west China, it is currently the world's largest panda protection and artificial breeding institution.

The giant panda, a symbol of China, was shifted off the endangered species list last September after years of intensive conservation efforts.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said in a report that the animal was classified as a 'vulnerable' instead of 'endangered' species, reflecting its growing numbers in the wild in southern China.

There are currently 471 captive pandas in China and most of them were bred using artificial insemination, according to China Daily.

While the population of captive pandas increased quickly, Chinese experts also worried that the genetic diversity of the bears was decreasing.

The arrival of Cao Cao's cub is considered a breakthrough in the breeding and protection of the popular animal species.
A new report that President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement about Donald Trump Jr.'s Russia meeting contradicts a flat-out statement by the president's lawyer that the president was 'not involved.'

The president's eldest son released the statement last month while being hit with inquiries from the New York Times about his June 2016 meeting that was later revealed to include a Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer.

The president's advisors scrambled to produce a response amid the glare of ongoing Russia investigations. The Washington Post reported Monday that the president himself directed the statement, telling Don Jr. to put forward the claim that the subject of the June 2016 meeting was the ban on US adoptions in Russia.

Now one of the president's outside attorneys, Jay Sekulow, is coming under scrutiny for statements he made that contradict the latest account.

President Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow denied that President Trump was involved in the drafting of a statement by Donald Trump Jr. about Trump Jr.'s June meeting with Russians

Sekulow told NBC's 'Meet the Press' on July 16: 'I do want to be clear  the president was not involved in the drafting of the statement and did not issue the statement,' he said.

'It came from Donald Trump Jr. So that's what I can tell you because that's what we know. And Donald Trump Jr. has said the same thing. That it was, in fact, from him and I believe it was his lawyer was in consultation.'

US President Donald Trump attends a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2017

THE STATEMENT 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at 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.' Advertisement

As far as the president's role, Sekulow only allowed that 'I can't say whether the president was told the statement was going to be coming from his son on that.

Sekulow had previously told ABC News that 'the president didn't sign off on anything' and 'wasn't involved,' the Huffington Post reported.

According to the Post's report, Don Jr. and people he sought advice from wanted to come clean and admit that the premise of the meeting was for him to receive campaign dirt on his father's election opponent, Hillary Clinton.

But sources who are familiar with the matter said the president intervened and told his son to claim that he took the meeting innocently and to tell Times it was 'not a campaign issue at the time'.

Sekulow told ABC News that 'the president didn't sign off on anything' and 'wasn't involved'

British PR executive Rob Goldstone orchestrated the meeting which was attended by Russian lawyer Natasha Veselnitskaya, who has Kremlin ties

Trump Jr. stood by that line in subsequent comments, until ultimately releasing emails that showed the meeting happened after a music publicist reached out with an offer on dirt on Hillary Clinton and mentioned Russian government support for his father.

Sekulow responded to the Post's report without specifically denying that the Trump dictated the statement. 'Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate and not pertinent,' Sekulow said in a statement issued Monday night.

A picture taken on November 8, 2016 shows Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaking during an interview in Moscow.

The bombshell revelation that President Donald Trump's oldest son Don Jr. met with a Kremlin-tied Russian lawyer hawking damaging material on Hillary Clinton has taken suspicions of election collusion with Moscow to a new level

President Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow denied that Trump was involved in the drafting of a statement by Donald Trump Jr. about Trump Jr.'s June meeting with Russians

The statement the president reportedly dictated didn't mention the Clinton dirt, said it was 'not a campaign issue.'

The statement read: 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at 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.'

President Trump dictated his son Donald Trump Jr.'s misleading statement on the nature of his meeting with a Kremlin lawyer, it has been claimed

After more information about the meeting was revealed, the president defended his son's conduct, saying 'anyone in politics would have taken the meeting'.

He later called his son a 'wonderful young man' and a 'good boy'.

The Post's revelation could bring new legal consequences.

Wrote Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) on Twitter: 'This is beyond just consciousness of guilt by @realDonaldTrump. This is a cover-up. Fun fact: Nixon resigned because of the cover-up.'

Also attending the meeting were Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and former trump campaign chair Paul Manafort.
Ministers have been urged to poach EU scientists from the European medicines regulator - after it emerged a majority of its staff want to stay in London.

Three quarters of employees at the European Medicines Agency do not want to leave Britain after Brexit, MEPs have been told.

The decision to quit the bloc has sparked a contest among 23 EU cities to host the EMA, which approves products for humans and animals.

The decision to quit the bloc means the EMA will relocate from Canary Wharf (pictured) and has sparked a contest among 23 EU cities to host the agency

The UK will need to create its own body to carry out the duties of the regulator. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Tory MP for the Cotswolds, told the Daily Telegraph that efforts should be made to poach the top workers.

'If that could be achieved that would be great. The Europeans will have to move it though but a lot of those people were involved in shaping the European legislation and I imagine our legislation will have to be very similar to the Europeans'.'

He added: If there is anything economically and legitimately sensible that we could do we should try and keep them.

Cities vying to host the EU regulator include Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Milan and Stockholm.

According to the newspaper, a meeting of the European Parliament's Budget committee was told that 75 per cent of the 890 staff at the EMA wanted to stay in London. The relocation of the EMA is expected to cost around half a billion pounds.

Many of the staff are highly skilled and specialised experts, who will be difficult to replace. More than half (54pc) have children and in 2016, 61 were British.

The European Commission has argued that that the UK should foot the bill for moving the regulator to the continent.

The European Commission has argued that that the UK should foot the bill for moving the EMA to the continent

Meanwhile, Philip Hammond denied trying to delayBrexit today as Tory MPs demanded an end to damaging Cabinet squabbling.

The Chancellor insisted there was no prospect of EU membership continuing beyond March 2019, saying his push for a transitional deal would not mean 'postponing' the UK's departure.

The comments came after Downing Street slapped down Mr Hammond by dismissing his suggestion of a three-year transition with Norway-style arrangements. No10 made clear that free movement would end when we leave the bloc.
Despite showing her 'Urgent Can't Wait' card Imogen was told she couldn't use the toilets in the White Stuff Southampton store

A mother-of-two has slammed fashion store White Stuff for refusing to let her daughter - who has Ulcerative Colitis - use their toilets which caused her to have an accident in public.

Emma Bryant, 43, was shopping with her daughter Imogen, 13, on July 23 when she asked to use their staff facilities at their Southampton branch.

Despite explaining she suffered from the condition that causes diarrhoea and cramping stomach pains and showing her 'Urgent Can't Wait' card she was told to find public toilets instead.

She was left with no choice but to dash to the nearest facilities in John Lewis but had an accident as she couldn't hold on.

Ms Bryant said: 'She was beyond mortified, as anyone would be, especially as she was only just building up her confidence with going out to public places as she is still struggling with a flare up.

'So this huge knock back is the last thing she needed and her confidence has been destroyed.'

Following the incident White Stuff admitted they had 'let Imogen down', promised to improve staff training and vowed to make a donation to Crohn's and Colitis UK.

The incident happened when Imogen had been very poorly and having to take time off from school because of her condition.

Ms Bryant, from the village of Rownhams, in Hampshire, said: 'She lost a lot of confidence and she was only just building it back up and then this happened.

'We were out clothes shopping and we went into White Stuff and she got stomach cramps and she told me "mum I need to go."

'I told her to go and ask the member of staff behind the counter.

'She showed her "Can't Wait" Card and the shop assistant said she needed to ask her manager.

'In the corner of my eye I could see the look on her face and she was shaking her head and then I joined her and she told me they won't let her go because of the stock at the back and said to use the public toilets in John Lewis.

'They are next door but it is a good few minutes' walk away. We got half way there and she said "I'm having an accident" and she was in tears.

Since Emma Bryant's Facebook post went viral White Stuff apologised and said they had 'massively let down' Imogen

'She carries a handbag with some wipes and a change of clothes. I kept reassuring her that we could sort it out and told her to get changed and throw her clothes away.

'I told her not to worry and we went home. It was horrible for her.'

The following evening she wrote about their shameful treatment in a Facebook post that went viral.

She wrote: 'White Stuff in Southampton are the first store to refuse her to use their staff facilities when she has asked, showed her card and explained her illness.

'All other shops to date have been extremely sympathetic and understanding to her situation and constant struggle of living with this horrendous disease and shown her to their staff facilities without hesitation, so I am disgusted with your shop.'

After the Facebook post was brought to their attention White Stuff apologised for the incident.

A spokesman for the store said: 'Last week there was an incident in our Southampton shop, where a young girl was massively let down by us.

'We just want to share how sorry we are for what she experienced and completely understand the upset this has caused.

'We always strive to do our best by our customers and the people in our communities, as these are relationships that really matter to us.

'Over the last week we have had our eyes opened to invisible disabilities and are taking steps to educate our shop colleagues and ensure we support people who need it.

'We are working with Crohn's and Colitis UK to create a training document that will be communicated to all shop teams.

'We have also made a donation to the charity to help them with their invaluable work. Whilst we appreciate this doesn't undo what Emma's daughter and her family went through, we hope these are positive steps towards raising awareness and preventing anything similar happening in the future.'

Ms Bryant said she was pleased with the shop's response.

'I'm really pleased that a really horrible situation has helped people. My daughter is very pleased she's raised awareness', she said.
Ellen Kenyon Peers set up a website and Twitter account under the name Ana Key MP

A student is being investigating by police and the House of Commons after posing online as the MP for a non-existent constituency - but she claims it is a conceptual art project.

Ellen Kenyon Peers set up a website and Twitter account under the name Ana Key MP - a play on the word anarchy - claiming to have become the first Socialist MP to be elected to Westminster after winning the Deptford and Greenwich seat.

The constituency doesn't currently exist, but will do after re-organisation after boundary changes.

On her website, she set up forms for her 'constituents' to fill in with their concerns from local issues, and even advertised surgery times that she would never be able to fulfill.

She also has blog posts such as calling for Theresa May to stand down, and pledges, particularly based around anti-austerity and linked to the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC).

She even sent a letter last month using fake House of Commons-headed paper.

After being outed as a fake she released an extended statement on her Twitter feed explaining her actions.

She said: 'I do apologise unreservedly for the misuse of surgery times which were added to the site when the work was examined in July and have not been removed since.

'However, to put minds at rest, I would like to confirm that no potential "constituents" have contacted me (ever) unless they had already agreed to be part of the project.

She even sent a letter last month using faked House of Commons-headed paper

On her website, she set up forms for her 'constituents' to fill in with their concerns from local issues, and even advertised surgery times that she would never be able to fulfil

'With regards to whether or not someone may have mistaken me for their MP: if people don't know who their MP is immediately after a general election (when the project was launched, we have a serious problem on our hands.'

'The quotes on the website are real and were contributed by participants of the project and reflect the concerns of those living, working and attending college in the area.

'This demonstrates that sitting MPs are not dealing with issues that affect residents. Why aren't local MPs fighting against benefit cuts? Building social housing? Rejecting austerity? Defending local schools from from incredibly damaging cuts (15 teaching jobs are being cut at Forest Hill school from September)? Championing our NHS and demanding more funds for it?'

Ellen Kenyon Peers (left) is involved in the Socialist Party and claimed to be its first MP for an art project

Images on her Twitter account show her out and about at variosu rallies, including this one in Westminster

The closest actual MP, Vicky Foxcroft, who represents Lewisham and Deptford, claimed the project was potentially illegal and damaging for local residents.

She told The Telegraph: 'From a casework perspective I think this is extremely irresponsible.

'As an MP I deal with thousands of constituents with emergency cases, some of them about very serious issues on housing or immigration.

'If they were to attend the advice surgeries that have been advertised on the website, the details of which look to be copied from my own website, it would be breach of data protection and could cause harm and delay to constituents cases.'

A spokesman for the House of Commons said: 'We are aware of this matter, and appropriate steps will if necessary be taken after it has been investigated by the Metropolitan Police.'
A prankster who successfully snared Anthony Scaramucci in a spear phishing scheme told Dailymail.com: 'Trump I think is drunk on power. (I) don't like his sons killing animals either.'

The prankster, who goes by Sinon Reborn, claims he posed as Reince Priebus, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr., and successfully fooled Scaramucci, among others, into responding to his fake emails.

While Reborn explicitly expressed a dislike for the president, he said: 'I'm not really sure what I'm looking to expose or not. There is no plan.'

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A prankster who successfully snared Anthony Scaramucci in a spear phishing scheme told Dailymail.com: 'Trump I think is drunk on power. (I) don't like his sons killing animals either.'

In this email exchange, prankster Sinon Reborn poses as Reince Priebus to contact Anthony Scaramucci on July 30, a day after Priebus's resignation (left). Scaramucci replied (right), telling Priebus he will 'thrive' and saying 'I know what you did'. He was fired two days later

Priebus and The Mooch, as he is known, had a frosty relationship. When Scaramucci took the role of communications director, he kicked their feud into the limelight with a profanity-laced interview in which he called the then Chief of Staff a 'f***ing paranoid schizophrenic' and 'c**c blocker'. Neither now works for the president

Scaramucci allegedly told the prankster posing as Reince Priebus 'I know what you did' and compared the former chief of staff's White House departure to Shakespeare's tragedy Othello.

According to the screenshots, the emails took place on Saturday, a day after Priebus's resignation and two days before Scaramucci was fired just over a week after joining the White House as its new communications director.

Posing as Priebus, the prankster trashed Scaramucci as 'hypocritical' and accused him of having no class.

'I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how "soon we will learn who in the media has class, and who hasn't, has pushed me to this,' he wrote.

'That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy yet you believe that's the standard by which everyone should behave towards you?'

Speaking of Priebus's successor, General John Kelly, he went on: 'General Kelly will do a fine job. I'll even admit he will do a better job than me.

'But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don't expect a reply.'

'I KNOW WHAT YOU DID' THE MOOCH'S EXCHANGE WITH FAKE REINCE Prankster to Scaramucci: 'I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how "soon we will learn who in the media has class, and who hasn't, has pushed me to this. 'That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy yet you believe that's the standard by which everyone should behave towards you? 'General Kelly will do a fine job. I'll even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don't expect a reply.' Scaramucci to prankster: 'You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize.' Prankster to Scaramucci: 'I can't believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called 'Mooch', who can't even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for.' Scaramucci to Prankster: 'Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there. 'My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.' Advertisement

Scaramucci, seemingly responding from his White House email account, wrote: 'You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize.'

The prankster carried on, responding: 'I can't believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called 'Mooch', who can't even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for.'

To this, Scaramucci is said to have replied: 'Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there.

'My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.'

The warning prompted confusion among the public once the exchange was published.

Many questioned which character Scaramucci was comparing Priebus to - the villainous Iago whose scheming breaks up a marriage and leads to the death of three innocent people - or Othello, a jealous outsider who kills himself then his own wife after falling for Iago's lies.

The fact that Scaramucci - whose wife filed for divorce earlier this month while eight months pregnant - added that his family is 'fine' suggests he was scrutinizing Priebus's personal life.

Over the weekend, one of the Mooch's friends was shouted down after accusing Priebus of having an affair on Twitter.

Priebus and his wife Sally have been married since 1999.

It was not the only time the Mooch seemed to fall for the prankster's con.

Posing as Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. on Friday, the jokster asked Scaramucci in reference to Priebus and Senior White House Strategist Steve Bannon: 'Who's head should roll first?'

Scaramucci allegedly responded: 'Both of them'.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House was investigating the emails on Monday.

'We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further,' she said.

There were other apparent victims, but none have yet confirmed the email threads posted online by Sinon Reborn as genuine.

The prankster also claims to have posed as Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., to fool other officials.

In one exchange, posing as Eric Trump, he told Jon Huntsman, the Russian ambassador: 'Maybe we could have Dad sat on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin!

'He's in better shape than his suit suggests.'

In another, the prankster posed as Donald Trump Jr. and contacted his brother, Eric, asking to go hunting.

On July 13, they sent Eric Trump an email under the subject line 'just ordered one of these'.

The email included a link to a hunting rifle. In the email's body, the prankster wrote: 'Primarily for hunting. Hunting witch-hunters, ha!'

Eric was dubious from the beginning and responded: 'Did you send this?'

Maintaining character, the prankster replied from the email address donaldtrumpjr.trump@gmail.com: 'yes, why?'

On July 13, the prankster posed as Donald Trump Jr. and contacted Eric Trump about hunting rifles. Eric became suspicious after exchanging a few messages and said he had contacted police

The prankster dubbed the brothers 'dumb and dumber' in another email in which he posed as Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr.

The prankster Sinon Reborn also posed as Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. to call Eric and Donald Trump Jr. 'dumb and dumber

The prankster goes by the Twitter handle Sinon Reborn. They share screenshots of the exchanges online

The prankster also posed as Jared Kushner to email other officials. Under his guise, he invited them to a party

'DONALD TRUMP JR.' TO ERIC The prankster, posing as Donald Trump Jr., sent a link to a hunting rifle to Eric under the subject line 'just ordered one of these' on July 13. They had the following exchange: 'Don. Jr.' to Eric: 'Primarily for hunting. Hunting witch-hunters, ha!' Eric 'Did you send this? 'Donald Jr.' 'Yes why?' Eric 'Sorry it was so vague and I just don't open links for obvious reasons. This came at a perfect time as we have the meeting tonight. I am fighting hard to stop this nonsense.' 'Donald Jr.' 'What's the plan? And it's a beast - you will love it. Try not to worry - things will turn around' Eric: 'I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here.' Advertisement

'JARED KUSHNER' TO TOM BOSSERT On July 27, the prankster emailed Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert pretending to be Jared Kushner to invite him to a party planned in August. The subject Suspect Spam in capitals. 'Jared Kushner' to Tom Bossert: 'Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August. 'It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible quality to that which we ate in Iraq! 'Should be a great evening' Bossert to 'Kushner': 'Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse.' Bossert, who was chosen before Trump's inauguration, offered his personal email address which has been redacted from the following line. 'Also, if you ever need it, here's my personal email address. - Tom' Advertisement





Eric replied: 'Sorry it was so vague and I just don't open links for obvious reasons. This came at a perfect time as we have the meeting tonight. I am fighting hard to stop this nonsense.'

The prankster responded again but this time they blew their cover. 'What's the plan? And it's a beast - you will love it. Try not to worry - things will turn around,' they wrote.

'Eric Trump' to Jon Huntsman Jr: Dad'll do the full Putin! In another exchange, the prankster posed as Eric Trump to send a message to Russian ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. After being thanked by Huntsman for a note of support he'd given him, the prankster joked: 'Maybe we could have Dad sat on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin! 'He's in better shape than his suit suggests.' Advertisement

Eric, now suspicious, replied: 'I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here.'

Other email exchanges included one in which the prankster claimed to be Jared Kushner.

They emailed Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert to invite him to a party.

'Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August. It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible (sic) quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening.'

Bossert replied: 'Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I can't refuse.'

He then added his personal email address with the message: 'If you ever need it.'

It is not yet clear if the prankster has been contacted by any law enforcement agency.

Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert (L) and Russian Ambassador Jon Huntsman Jr. (R) also appeared to fall for the prank
Kerim Koroglu, 49, pocketed handouts he was not entitled to collect for more than six years after he sneaked into the country in August 2002, jurors heard

A Kurdish illegal immigrant is accused of swindling 32,000 in benefits after being smuggled into Britain in the back of a truck.

Kerim Koroglu, 49, pocketed handouts he was not entitled to collect for more than six years after he sneaked into the country in August 2002, jurors heard.

The Alawi Kurd has a wife and two children in Turkey, and has since had a further child in England, the Old Bailey heard.

Prosecutor Will Martin said Koroglu was denied asylum upon arrival yet he was able to swindle 32,549 in housing and council tax benefits from Hackney Council.

His immigration status did not permit him to declare benefits, said Mr Martin.

Jurors heard Koroglu illegally claimed benefits between 19 May 2006 and 21 October 2012 after misleading Hackney Council about his immigration status.

Asked why he came to the UK in the first place Koroglu replied: Because of my principles. I am an Alawi, and because of pressure.

I am a Muslim, I am also Kurdish and I learned to speak Turkish later on in my life.

We were forced to learn Turkish, I can even say we learned Turkish by getting beaten up.

I saw the police officers ahead of me and because of my psychology of police officers in Turkey, I ran away.

Koroglu from Shoreditch, east London, denies obtaining property by deception and possession of a false identity document, at the Old Bailey

Jurors heard Koroglu was allowed to stay with his aunt and her son in Coventry, after he was denied asylum.

Koroglu from Shoreditch, east London, denies obtaining property by deception and possession of a false identity document.

The trial continues.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Constitutional law expert and former adviser to Tsvangirai during the inclusive government, Alex Magaisa, says the President Robert Mugabe's opponents will struggle to end Zanu-PF hegemony because of resource constraints.Magaisa's comment comes at a time when the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC - which has not been spared by the economic meltdown - has hit hard times, casting doubts over its capacity to withstand the well-oiled Zanu-PF machinery in the 2018 elections.Magaisa said while opposition parties have traditionally relied on donor support, that source of funding appears to be drying up."A combination of donor fatigue, misappropriation and misallocation of resources and the never-ending divisions and squabbles in the opposition have contributed to the current parlous state of affairs," said Magaisa."This lack of resources in the opposition, compared to Zanu-PF's access to abundant resources from both the public and private sector, is probably the single biggest impediment to change in the next elections. In light of this, one would expect the opposition parties to be more imaginative when it comes to fundraising."However, over-reliance on donor support in the past seems to have affected the opposition parties' fund-raising abilities," said Magaisa.MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu confirmed to the Daily News that the party is going through financial difficulties and revealed that it is currently owed in excess of $2 million that should come from the Political Parties (Finance) Act.MDC insiders said the party was trying to lobby through the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda to compel Chinamasa to release the outstanding portion of their funds.Contacted for comment yesterday, Mudenda referred questions to Chinamasa who was not picking up his phone.
Jared Kushner has told a group of congressional interns he is confident of securing a Middle East peace deal, despite admitting he does not know how to do so or even 'if there is a solution'.

Audio of Kushner's comments, obtained by Wired, came from an address the president's son-in-law was giving as part of his 'off-the-record summer lecture series', according to the website.

While answering a question about the issue, the 36-year-old newspaper publisher complained about how family friend and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is treated in the press, expressed his frustration at others trying to teach him about the intricacies of the conflict, while also offering up some insight on what he claims to know about the situation.

'What I've determined from looking at it is that not a whole lot has been accomplished over the last 40 or 50 years we've been doing this,' Kushner told the interns, according to Wired.

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Leaked audio of Jared Kushner talking to congressional interns on Monday about his plan to bring peace to the Middle East has been uncovered

'And the other thing about it I'd say is that the variables haven't been changed much, so at some point it's just one of those things where you kind of have to just pick and choose where you draw conclusion.

'I have tried to look at why people haven't been successful in the negotiations, so I looked and studied all the different negotiations. I spoke to a lot of people who have have been part of them, and I think the reason why is that this is a very emotionally charged situation.'

He continued: 'I'd say what makes me hopeful about it is the fact that, a) we've had two achievements so far that I think are actually quite noteworthy, which I'll talk about in a second. The reason why we haven't been able to do that is the trust that we have with all sides.

'So if you've noticed about this conflict, and... nothing's leaked out. So nothing has leaked out which I think gives the parties more trust, and more ability to really express and share their viewpoints.

'What I've determined from looking at it is that not a whole lot has been accomplished over the last 40 or 50 years we've been doing this,' Kushner told the interns. Kushner is pictured in Iraq on April 4, 2017

Kushner went on to discuss why he feels history and knowledge about what caused the conflict results in peace efforts being bogged down. Kushner is pictured in Baghdad on April 3

'And ultimately, if you do a deal that when somebody had to compromise somewhere... there's a lot of viewpoints all around that people have, which may or may not be conducive to a solution.'

The president's son-in-law and property developer then went on to discuss why he feels history and knowledge about what caused the conflict results in peace efforts being bogged down.

'How does that help us get peace? Let's not focus on that,' he told the interns, according to Wired's obtained audio of the conversation.

'We don't want a history lesson. We've read enough books. Let's focus on how do you come up with a conclusion to the situation.'

At the end of the leaked audio, Kushner revealed he has his doubts about whether he can achieve peace in the Middle East - a goal about which Donald Trump said, 'If (he) can't produce peace in the Middle East, nobody can.'

'So, what do we offer that's unique? I don't know I'm sure everyone that's tried this has been unique in some ways, but again we're trying to follow very logically,' the president's adviser said, Wired reports.

'We're thinking about what the right end state is. And we're trying to work with the parties very quietly to see if there's a solution.

Jared Kushner arrives to address Congressional interns at the Capitol Visitors Center on July 31

The president's son-in-law met with congressional interns after the president met with White House interns last month

'And there may be no solution, but it's one of the problem sets that the president asked us to focus on. So we're going to focus on it and try to come to the right conclusion in the near future.'

The leaked audio was the second chunk of information from Kushner's off-the-record lecture to be reported, with Wired's details coming on the heels of a Foreign Policy account.

According to the Foreign Policy report, Kushner said Trump's election team could not have colluded with Russia because they could barely communicate between offices.

'I'm a lot more comfortable talking to you guys today 'cause there isnt any press,' the senior adviser told the interns.

Kushner was supposed to speak with the interns two weeks ago, but the talk had to be rescheduled so he could give testimony about the Russia investigation to Congress.

'They thought we colluded, but we couldnt even collude with our local offices,' he told the interns.

He also told the interns he didn't track his travel to foreign countries or his contact with foreign officials because he didn't expect to get into politics.

Kushner failed to report more than a hundred instances on his security clearance forms.

The president's son-in-law met with congressional interns after the president met with White House interns last month.
President Obama and his allies are already whispering in the ear of the Democrat they'd like to see run for president next, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

David Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett and even the former president himself, according to Politico, all see Patrick, who left politics in 2015, as an heir apparent.

He, however, doesn't seem that interested yet, while Obama's ex-vice president Joe Biden, seems more primed to run.

'I'm trying to think about how to be helpful, because I care about the country, and I'm a patriot first,' he told Politico for the pub's Off Message podcast. 'It's way, way too soon to be making plans for 2020.'

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (left) is a favorite 2020 presidential contender of President Obama (right) and some of his top political allies

Former Vice President Joe Biden is doing a lot of things that look like he may try again for the White House in 2020. He decided not to run in 2016 because he had just lost his son Beau

'So I'll just leave it at that,' the former governor said.

Patrick, a member of the Obama inner circle, hasn't made much of a peep about politics since he left office, heading over to Bain Capital for work.

He's now running a 'social good' venture at the firm most often associated with the Republicans' 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, having raised $390 million for small and medium sized businesses focused on sustainability and health and wellness.

That's not to say Patrick isn't opinionated about what's going on with his friend Obama's successor.

'The president, I believe is at risk of diminishing the voice of the presidency because he pops off so often, and so, kind of carelessly,' Patrick said of Trump, who likes to frequently tweet.

'I think there is a risk both domestically, and internationally for that matter, that we'll begin to tune him out,' Patrick added.

Patrick also suggested that Trump's successful slogan, 'Make America Great Again,' was disingenuous to the people it was sold to.

President Obama (left) with then Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick exiting Air Force One in 2014. Obama has reportedly tried to court Patrick to run for the presidency in 2020

'Nostalgia, that's what Trump was selling right?' he asked.

'His tag line was on the "again." You know, saying to communities, whose factories have left, that the solution is to bring that factory back. It may not actually be the most constructive, or even honest, pitch to make,' Patrick said.

Democrats, he suggested, needed to be focused on the economy of tomorrow.

But a lot of Democrats are focusing on the potential candidates they have in the roster too.

'If you were to poll 100 notable Obama alumni, the only two people who would win that 2020 straw poll right now are Biden and Patrick,' one former senior White House aide told Politico.

This could put Obama in the same uncomfortable place where he was the last cycle, with Biden as his vice president and Hillary Clinton as his former secretary of state.

President Obama (left) could again be in an awkward position if he's courting Deval Patrick as his former veep, Joe Biden (right), has also signaled he may jump in the race

While Obama didn't publicly endorse a candidate until June 2016, when just the Democratic primary in the District of Columbia was left, his political organization veered hard Hillary early, with top-tier members like John Podesta and Jennifer Palmieri signing on.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2015, when candidates generally announced, Biden stayed on the sidelines, having lost his eldest son Beau that may.

He eventually decided he wouldn't jump in.

As the book Shattered, by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, explained, Biden had asked some money bundlers and political allies to sit out while he made a decision, he hadn't built up the kind of campaign operation that could go after Clinton in the upcoming Democratic primary.

'He would have to pry Democratic donors, staff, and superdelegates away from a Clinton campaign that could credibly argue at the time that it would be political suicide to leave her for Biden,' Allen and Parnes wrote.

'As much as the Clinton team worried about Biden, Biden rightly worried that he could go down in flames,' they added.

But now, with Clinton's political career likely gone thanks to her flame-out against now-President Donald Trump, Biden looks to be mulling a bid for the White House again.

Since Trump has taken office, Biden started the Biden Foundation, the Biden Cancer Initiative, the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and the University of Delaware's Biden Institute for domestic initiatives, according to the Washington Post.

Like every good wannabe presidential candidate, he's coming out with a book  Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose  which lands in November.

And surrounding that launch, he's going on a large-venue tour, appearing in coliseums, symphony halls and theaters.

He's created a political action committee as well, American Possibilities, which will raise money for Democratic candidates and, possibly, himself.

Bruce Reed, his former chief of staff, told the Post, that Biden's still got it.

'Joe Biden has always been a man with boundless energy, and he'll never quit,' Reed told the paper's Roxanne Roberts.

Though he cautioned that a busy Biden may not necessarily mean a presidential run.

'He would be doing all he's doing no matter what his plans are,' Reed said. 'He's not the retiring kind.'

And when Biden spoke of it himself, during an interview on NPR, he tried closing the door, while at the same time keeping it ajar.

'I have no intention of running for president, but I'm a great respecter of fate,' the former vice president said. 'I don't have any plans to do it, but I'm not promising I wouldn't do it.'
Richard Page, 71, has brought a religious discrimination case against the NHS Trust Development Authority

An NHS director sacked for speaking out against gay adoption claimed yesterday that he was ousted from public service for being a Christian.

Richard Page, 71, has brought a religious discrimination case against the NHS Trust Development Authority after losing his job for comments he made as a magistrate.

Yesterday he told an employment tribunal that he believes sex outside of marriage is sinful.

He said he was not anti-gay, but added: It is a sin to have sex outside of marriage, which necessarily includes all homosexual practices.

Mr Page was suspended as a director of the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust after he said it was better for a child to be brought up by both a man and a woman.

He made the comments in his role as a magistrate when considering an application by a same-sex couple to adopt a child.

He rejected a claim in a social workers report that homosexual couples made better adoptive parents than straight couples.

Last year he appeared on numerous television programmes in an attempt to defend his position.

On ITVs This Morning, where he said he was opposed to gay marriage, presenter Piers Morgan accused him of being a homophobe, a claim Mr Page denied.

Later he was sacked from the magistracy for serious misconduct by then-justice secretary Michael Gove and Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, who said his comments suggested he was biased and prejudiced against single sex adopters.

Richard Page was overseeing a family law case at Chatham Magistrate Court when he made the comments

A few days later the NHS Trust Development Authority suspended him from his role at Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust.

He claims that he has been barred from public duty for being a good Christian and is suing the NHS for discrimination, harassment and victimisation for his Christian beliefs under the Equality Act 2010.

Mr Page, who served as a magistrate for 15 years, submitted in a witness statement to the Croydon Employment Tribunal in South London that the reason for his rejection of the gay couples application was that he did not find the social workers argument persuasive.

He also noted that the couple were attempting to adopt in England to sidestep legislation in their own country  something he described as adoption shopping.

In his statement to the tribunal, Mr Page said: My career as a magistrate, and my career as an NHS director, were both devoted to public service.

I exercised all my duties properly, according to the law and my conscience, and not according to any ideology. The Bible states that a God-honouring relationship is for one man and one woman to be united in the life-long union of marriage. God encourages procreation in the context of this relationship.

I am not homophobic. It is not a sin to be a homosexual. It is a sin to have sex outside of marriage, which necessarily includes all homosexual practices.

I strongly believe that it is best for any child to be raised in a traditional family with a mother and a father.

The child needs the complementary roles offered by both parents, male and female, psychological as well as physical. Consequently, I take a sceptical view of same-sex adoptions, or adoptions by a single person.

During cross-examination, Mr Page told the tribunal panel: What I am saying is it is normal for a man and woman to have a child. My job as a magistrate was to do what was best for the child.

When asked whether this meant he was excluding gay parents, he answered: Yes.

The hearing continues.
Burning Man's non-profit is searching to hire a 'Major Gifts Officer' who will solicit large donations to help spread the group's message globally, on a year-round basis.

Burning Man is a week-long annual gathering in the Nevada desert, attracting a crowd of more than 50,000 modern hippies. At the end of the week, wooden edifices created for the event are burned in a bonfire.

But in recent years, celebrities and titans of the tech industry have turned the event more mainstream.

The Burning Man non-profit is looking to hire a major gifts officer who will solicit five- to seven-figure donations from so-called Burners to spread the group's message globally. Above, a picture from last year's gathering in Nevada

At the end of the week-long gathering, wooden edifices created for the event are burned in a bonfire.

Now it seems as though the organizers of Burning Man are trying to cash in on all of the new money interest.

In 2011, the group set up a non-profit, the Burning Man Project, to extend 'Burning Man culture globally'.

Last week, an executive staffing company hired by the non-profit posted a job listing, showing that the group is looking for a 'Major Gifts Officer'.

According to the listing, this person will 'focus on developing relationships with donors who have the capacity to support the organization with five- to seven-figure gifts'.

The mission of the job will be to raise money so as to 'facilitate and extend the culture that has issued from the Burning Man event into the larger world' and 'to seed and support the dreams of inspired Burners year-round'.

In recent years, the event has become popular with the uber-rich, including hotel heiress Paris Hilton (right, at least year's Burning Man)

Katy Perry (left) was one of the many celebrities to attend last year's event

The idea is perhaps a little strange since money is practically banned from the gathering.

Selling anything - besides coffee, tea and ice - on the 'playa' as it's called is against the rules. Burners pack their shelter and what food and water they'll need for the week, but many of the camps will also set up kitchens and bars where all of the items are free. The idea is that everyone who comes to the gathering, brings something they can share with the group.

According to the listing: 'A critical component of success for this role will be building a community of individual funders who have experienced Burning Man and who recognize the potential of seeding [its] culture in the world through unrestricted giving.'

One thing is for certain, the person who takes the job won't have a hard time coming up with a list of people to solicit donations from.

In recent years, Burning Man has become widely popular among the uber-rich.

A 2014 New York Times article stated that Burning Man had become 'the annual getaway for a new crop of millionaire and billionaire technology moguls'.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos (the current third-richest man in the world), Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla's Elon Musk, and Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin have all attended.

Celebrities like Will Smith, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Katy Perry and Paris Hilton have also attended in recent years.
An off-duty police officer in Maryland shot and killed a suspected shoplifter on Tuesday after he allegedly attempted to steal laundry detergent.

The incident occurred at the Giant Food supermarket chain at U.S. 40 and Rolling Road at about 4.00am in Catonsville, according to CBS Baltimore.

Authorities say the officer, who was moonlighting as a security guard, confronted the unidentified man in the parking lot after he was seen stealing the item.

An off-duty police officer shot and killed a suspected shoplifter Catonsville, Maryland on Tuesday (Pictured: Crime scene of Tuesday's incident)

The officer apparently confronted the suspected thief in the parking lot over stole laundry detergent

The man, whose identity has not been released, then got into the driver's seat of a car as the officer was confronting him.

The vehicle drove off and dragged the officer 100 feet before he pulled out his weapon and shot the suspected thief.

The man later died of his wounds at the scene of the incident. Another person sitting in the passenger seat of the car was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for shock.

According to a spokesperson with the Baltimore County police department, the officer said he used deadly force because he 'feared for his life,' the Baltimore Sun reported.

The off-duty cop, whose name has yet to be released, was not injured in the incident.

The suspect attempted to flee and dragged the officer 100 feet. The cop said he used deadly force because he feared for his life

So far this year, eight people have been shot in six incidents, four of them fatally, in Baltimore County said the spokesperson.

Following the incident, a number of residents along with social media users questioned the officer's use of force, and sought clarification as to whether the suspect was in possession of a weapon.

'The person is definitely wrong for shoplifting, but to shoot and kill somebody?' Pamela Edwards, 48, of Catonsville told the Sun. 'Especially if they didn't have a weapon.'

The police spokesperson said they did not know whether a weapon was found.

Tom Quirk, a councilman with Catonsville, called the incident 'unfortunate,' but said that he was relieved to hear the officer was not injured.

Raine Smith, 45, also said she understood the officer's motive in the incident.

'It's almost like attempted murder on an officer when you try and hit me and drag me,' she told the Baltimore publication.

But the mother of an 18-year-old teenager who was killed by Coppin State University police in Baltimore late last December, said the officer should have refrained from confronting the man.

'They should've let that man go," the mother said, declining to give her name to the Sun.
At least 34 people died when a bus carrying young Christian worshippers plunged down a steep ravine in central Madagascar, police and hospital officials said Tuesday.

Police said 12 badly burned bodies were counted at the site, 45 miles (70 kilometres) north of the capital Antananarivo.

Hospitals said that 22 other deaths had been confirmed after the late-night crash

Police said 12 badly burned bodies were counted at the site of the fiery crash in Madagascar, 45 miles north of the capital Antananarivo. Another 22 deaths have been confirmed

'The bus struggled to climb a road on a hill and fell down a ravine about 20 metres deep,' police spokesman Herilalatiana Andrianarisaona told AFP.

'It caught fire after rolling several times.'

Photographs showed the white bus upside down and badly damaged, surrounded by burnt undergrowth.

The main hospital in Antananarivo said in a statement it had accounted for 18 dead, while a hospital in the town of Ankazobe near the crash scene reported four dead.

Passengers on the packed bus were travelling from the central town of Soavinandriana to a church meeting in the north-western coastal port city of Mahajanga when the accident happened (file photo of the region)

Passengers on the packed bus were travelling from the central town of Soavinandriana to a church meeting in the north-western coastal port city of Mahajanga when the accident happened.

Madagascan roads are often poorly maintained, with overloaded bus and trucks regularly involved in deadly accidents.

In January, 47 people, including 10 children and a newly wed couple, were killed when a truck carrying a wedding party and guests crashed.

The vehicle was transporting passengers the day after the wedding.

Madagascar, a French colony until independence in 1960, is one of the world's poorest countries and relies heavily on international donors.
A female motorcyclist who was known for performing stunts in skimpy outfits has been killed in a horrific crash in Russia.

Olga Pronina, a 40-year-old Instagram star who went by 'Monika9422' online, lost control of her bike and crashed into a fence in the city of Vladivostok in south-eastern Russia's Primorsky Krai region on Monday.

Pronina, who is also a hairdresser, suffered fatal injuries and died on impact as her bike split in half during the crash, police said.

Olga Pronina, a 40-year-old social media star who went by 'Monika9422' online, died on Monday

lost control of her bike and crashed into a fence in the city of Vladivostok in south-eastern Russia's Primorsky Krai region

Pronina, who is also a hairdresser, suffered fatal injuries and died on impact as her bike split in half during the crash, police said

It is believed that Pronina was driving her motorcycle at high speeds when the crash occurred

The woman was a popular social media star due to her stunts on her BMW S1000RR and raunchy outfits.

In one video, she is seen riding sideways on her bike wearing just a short dress and showing off her legs.

She blows a kiss to the camera and later stands up on the bike, shaking her hips as she rides down the road.

Friends who arrived on scene said that the woman was a skilled driver who would race at extremely high speeds.

The woman was a popular social media star due to her stunts on her BMW S1000RR and raunchy outfits

Friends who arrived on scene said that the woman was a skilled driver who would race at extremely high speeds

While it's currently unclear if she was filming when the crash occurred, her phone could not be found at the scene

One of her wheels had been through hundreds of meters in Monday's crash, according to Sputnik News.

While it's currently unclear if she was filming when the crash occurred, her phone could not be found at the scene.

It is believed that Pronina, who is divorced, has a 16-year-old daughter who was staying with her grandparents at the time of the crash.

Pronina, who started driving motorcycles when she was 21 years old, wrote online about her love for her bike, which she credited for the 'sparkle in her eyes'.

It is believed that Pronina, who is divorced, has a 16-year-old daughter who was staying with her grandparents at the time of the crash

Pronina, who started driving motorcycles when she was 21 years old, wrote online about her love for her bike, which she credited for the 'sparkle in her eyes'

One of her motorcycle's wheels was thrown hundreds of meters in the horrific crash on Monday

In one video, she is seen riding sideways on her bike wearing just a short dress and showing off her legs

She wrote: 'I love it because it forgives me my foolishness, for saving my sorry a**, thank you for never failing me, for making my lonely nights better, for helping me to forget troubles of my life, for training my body and my brain.

'I am grateful to it for the sparkles in my eyes, for the warm wind blowing on my cheeks when my visor is open, for unbelievable excitement and a feeling of flowing in the air, for doses of adrenaline.

'Thank you for gifting me freedom and I know that I am not alone. There are thousands like me, those madly in love with their metal horses.'

Her tragic death was reported on social media, where others expressed their sadness over the news.

Several people shared their own favorite photos of the social media star while saying, 'Rest in Peace'.
St Andrew's University student Glen Wilson (pictured) blackmailed children into making sexually explicit films

A university student left young girls suicidal when he blackmailed them into making sexually explicit videos of themselves.

St Andrew's University student Glen Wilson, 18, convinced children to make films after grooming them on a number of social media sites.

Privately educated Wilson persuaded girls as young as 12 to send him photos and films, which he then offered to share online with other paedophiles.

He forced one girl to film herself on Skype while he set up the social media site to let another mystery user watch her.

He 'directed' another using the pseudonym Alex Moore and told her to give her name and age and say: 'I'm Alex's little girl.'

Wilson told one girl that unless she obeyed his increasingly explicit requests, he would send the photos to her family and they would think she was a 's***'.

Wilson initially pretended to be a similar age to his victims but them began to threaten them.

In less than a year he sent 450 messages claiming her would expose his victims, who lived across the UK.

Wilson, who lives with his parents in Woodlands, Longforgan, admitted a catalogue of revenge porn extortion and child pornography distribution charges at Perth Sheriff Court today.

Sheriff Gillian Wade remanded Wilson in custody and expressed concern that his case was been prosecuted at High Court level.

The court was told that Wilson, who used numerous aliases on sites including Snapchat, Kick, Instagram, Skype and Twitter, admitted a total of 23 charges between September 2015 and June 2016.

A major national investigation was launched after one of his victims reported what he had been doing to Childline, while others confessed to parents.

Depute Fiscal John Malpass told the court that Wilson found girls aged between 12 and 15 who were willing to start chatting with him on social media sites.

He said Wilson would then persuade the girls to send pictures of themselves in various states of undress.

After obtaining one explicit photo, he threatened to send it to friends and family if they did not comply with his requests.

Mr Malpass said the girls were scared of being exposed and obeyed Wilson's increasingly pornographic requests.

I don't want to ruin your life, but I will if you make me

'The accused gave one girl an instruction to [perform a sex act] in her school uniform,' Mr Malpass said.

'She stated he was making her feel suicidal but he reminded her of his threat and continued to pressure her into sending further videos.'

Wilson, who attended the High School of Dundee and lives in a seven-bedroom 1.25million mansion, sat with his head in his hands as the offences were narrated in court.

Mr Malpass said Wilson had told victims: 'You have two options. You either do what I ask or I send. Block me, delete me, report me, tell your parents - do any of these things and I press the send button.

'Everyone you know will see everything and your friends and family will think of you as a s***.'

He told one victim: 'I don't want to ruin your life, but I will if you make me.'

Wilson, who lives with his parents in Woodlands, Longforgan, admitted a catalogue of revenge porn extortion and child pornography distribution charges at Perth Sheriff Court (pictured)

Mr Malpass said a search of the devices at Wilson's home showed he had made videos available on Skype for other paedophiles.

He targeted children from as far afield as London, Wales, Sheffield, Derby, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Wilson admitted offences against three 12-year-olds, two 13-year-olds, two 14-year-olds and a 15-year-old girl.

He admitted two charges of having child porn showing children from three to eight years old.

Sheriff Gillian Wade told Wilson to expect a custodial sentence. He was remanded in custody pending reports and he was added to the Sex Offenders Register.
Kevin Allred was fired from Montclair State University after he tweeted Friday for someone to kill President Trump

A Montclair State University professor with a history of making irresponsible political statements on the internet has been fired after he tweeted for someone to kill President Trump.

'Trump is a fing joke,' Kevin Allred wrote in the social media post Friday night, which has since been deleted from his page. 'This is all a sham. I wish someone would just shoot him outright.'

Later in the weekend, Allred shared the notorious photograph of Kathy Griffin holding a beheaded prop of Trump, with the caption 'mood.' He also personally indicated the President was 'a traitor and a terrorist.'

Allred was an adjunct professor for Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies and most recognized for his quirky course called 'Politicizing Beyonce' at Montclair State University in New Jersey.

Back in November 2016, while employed at Rutgers, Allred was admitted to Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital to undergo mental evaluation after he made threats 'to kill white people,' burn the flag and abuse gun laws, the New York Daily News reported at the time.

'Rutgers police told them I'm a threat based on political statements I've made on campus and on Twitter. This is for exercising my ... First Amendment rights,' Allred wrote to Twitter after the cops showed up to his Brooklyn home for questioning.

Allred was an adjunct instructor for Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies and most recognized for his quirky course named 'Politicizing Beyonce' at Montclair

Allred wrote to Twitter saying he wishes someone would 'shoot' Trump 'outright'

Allred announed to Twitter he was terminated from his job

Following the backlash, Allred defending the status

Allred shared to Twitter the photograph of Kathy Griffin holding a beheaded prop of Trump, with the caption 'mood'

After he was released from the psychiatric hospital, he took to Twitter again, calling the situation a 's*** show' and a limitation of free speech during Trump's upset election.

'They've forced me to now undergo a psychiatric evaluation at the hospital,' he tweeted. 'They brought me by ambulance tho i'm not under arrest technically.'

'And this is for exercising my f***ing first amendment rights. i'm being labeled a threat and put in a psych hospital,' he added.

While employed at Rutgers, Allred underwent a mental evaluation for a Twitter rant threatening to 'kill white people'

Allred told the Daily News at the time that he spoke with his students about their opinions on burning the flag 'as a form of protest' and what the idea triggered to different groups of people.

'Then I made a comment, essentially saying, 'Would people feel the same way about being so lenient with the Second Amendment if people went out and got guns to shoot random white people?'' he said.

A student of Allred's reportedly filed a complaint against him to school officials, but details behind the reasoning were not disclosed.

Allred was not terminated from his former position at Rutger's.

Rutgers' President Robert L. Barchi issued a public statement during the time to the university's students and staff members.

'No matter your political view, ethnicity, religious beliefs, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or nationality, you are first and foremost a Rutgers student,' Rutgers President Robert Barchi said.

'You are owed our respect, our support, and our best efforts to keep you safe and secure as you express your opinions and pursue your studies.'

A student at Rutger's reportedly filed a complaint at the time but details behind the reasoning were not disclosed

Allred was not terminated from his former position at Rutgers




A criminal's utter stupidity landed him in an Iowa jail on Monday after he attempted to disguise a one-of-a-kind car in black.

Patrick Allen Chamberlin, 48, was arrested on Thursday by Marshalltown police after local residents spotted him driving a rare 1966 Ford GT40 replica.

Charges against Chamberlin included grand larceny, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and several traffic violations.

A car thief was put behind bars on Thursday after he attempted to steal a one-of-a-kind vehicle

Patrick Allen Chamberlin was slapped with larceny and drug possession charges by Marshalltown authorities after local residents spotted him driving the car

Steve Salasek, owner of the unique vehicle, said he noticed the car missing on Tuesday.

'I went to go get it out of the storage shed, and it was gone,' Salasek told CBS affiliate KCCI. 'It wasn't there.'

Police Chief for Marshalltown, Michael Tupper, said he credits the local community for spotting the vehicle, which would have probably been stripped for parts and never seen again given a few more hours.

Authorities said that Chamberlin (pictured) attempted to disguise the car in black

'If it hadn't been for the community's involvement and interest in this story, we probably would not have found the car,' Tupper told KCCI.

Authorities in Marshalltown say that Chamberlin had attempted to cover the vehicle's original bright yellow exterior with black paint in order to disguise it.

But given the make and model of the car, Tupper said it was highly unlikely it would have gone undetected.

'It was a very unique car and I feel pretty comfortable saying it was probably the only car like this in Marshall County, maybe in the central Iowa area,' the police officer said.

Despite the ordeal, Salasek said he's happy to have his car back and plans to bring the vehicle back to its original prestige.

'One way or another, it'll come back to life,' Salasek said.

Marshalltown police Chief Michael Tupper (pictured) said that local residents in the community were to thank for finding Salasek's (pictured right) car
News / Press Release

by Agencies

Date:

Venue:

The Guiding Principles are that:

Vision:

The King Lobengula Royal family envisages:

Leadership Style:

Revival of the Monarch

The Framework:

Challenges:

Conclusion

28 July, 2017BulawayoTaking into account of the fact that on the 4th December, 1893 darkness fell over the Umthwakazi or Ndebele nation when their King, King Lobengula disappeared and that on the 25th June, 1896, Prince Nyamande Khumalo was installed as a King, but the colonialists banished him to the Bembesi Forest after he had refused to denounce Kingship and accept their offer that he be a Paramount Chief of Bulawayo; in recognition of all the efforts made by Njube, Nguboyenja and other royal members and the Ndebele nation to revive, their Monarch system and very bitter about the fact that progressive regimes thereafter have suppressed all the efforts to revive our Kingship, King Lobengula family with immediate effect takes cultural Royal leadership of the Umthwakazi nation. This provides a rallying point and the beginning of providing a public response to the long awaited re-enactment of the Ndebele Monarch.As per the resolution of the Meeting at Amakhosi Theatre on the 6 November, 1997, King Lobengula's House is the one to identify the Heir to the throne and submit the heir to the Chiefs who are to make an announcement to the public and prepare for the installation of the King. The above stated declaration is thus an important message to the Ndebele nation and it is important to understand what it means.1. Humanity - we are a people and have UBUNTU.2. We originate as a nation of over 20 diverse ethnic groups from the past of good things and we have the right to pick on them and use them positively for the nation.3. We stand firmly representing the social, economic, political interests of the Umthwakazi nation, but will not participate in Party politics.4. We will execute our cultural observances without fear in the same way as done by our forefathers.5. We, as a nation remain united among ourselves and not against anyone.6. All cultures are equal and should be practiced unhindered.7. Umthwakazi and all those within the area of the King's jurisdiction should control and benefit from their resources first.8. The King shall be custodian of the land and other resources.9. Live in harmony with their neighbours.10. Re examine the traditional structure and redress anomalies some of which have been created by progressive governments.11. Part of a second majority in Africa and part of a majority in the SADC Region and as such the nation has to be exemplary in cultural leadership.a people's cultural Monarch system that should lead all the people paying allegiance to the institution in enjoying the control and benefits of local resources and assets within the Kingdom for their livelihood and welfare.The leadership pillars adopted by King Lobengula's House is one of;a) Accountabilityb) Consultationc) Collective ethicd) InspirationCourage in the leadership will instill discipline and focus towards our targets. Wisdom will remain the key to making the right decisions and choices on behalf of Umthwakazi nation. The ability to bring people together and inclusivity will create solidarity embedded on common passions or interests towards achieving our set objectives.This is a process that has stretched for a very long time but it is nearing completion. King Lobengula appeals to the nation to continue with their patience. The family is aware of the burning desire to have a King now, but the family cannot afford to make mistakes in reconstructing this institution because they are trying to meet targets set outside the process. Mistakes that can be made now will be impossible to repair and we will have a deformed institution. The family in leadership assures the Ndebele nation that what appears as delays are a result of efforts to come up with a product that spurns pride among us and we can justify. Short cuts are not the answer. The above leadership declaration is a major step that it should be telling us all that we are almost there. It is not the mandate for the family to announce to the nation the Heir to the throne. The family will inform stakeholders and the Chiefs who are the custodians of our culture. Cautious not to speak for them, their expectation and what is going to happen is that they will only entertain details coming through the family. Any submission from outside the King Lobengula family is considered an improper shortcut. This guideline is to be observed by the rest of the other Khumalo Clan members who should avoid dividing King Lobengula's House by identifying the House within it that has the Heir or identifying the Heir to the throne when they have not been involved in the process.King Lobengula's House, the Royal House, tables this roadmap towards completing the exercise of re-enacting the Ndebele Monarch.1. King Lobengula House assumes its cultural leadership position to start the ball rolling.2. Uniting the Umthwakazi nation. An instrument is in place in which the objectives of the existence of the Institution are clearly tabulated and the nation will rally around this instrument for social, economic and cultural well-being.3. An identity emblem has been produced and that should be circulated soon for comments and finalization.4. Handing over the Heir to the throne to the Chiefs and then processing the announcement and installation.5. Separating Commemorations with the installation of the King.6. Advocacy - continuous consultations with stakeholders.7. Establishing structures on the Zulu Royal institution.8. Coronation.9. Live in harmony with their neighbours.10. Re examine the traditional structure and redress anomalies some of which have been created by progressive governments.11. Part of a second majority in Africa and part of a majority in the SADC Region and as such the nation has to be exemplary in cultural leadership.Umthwakazi is requested to note that the House is not privy to give excessive details on certain aspects as there are enemies of the process of the re-establishment of the Monarch system of this nation on the waiting.The whole process of the revival of the Umthwakazi Monarch has not been easy particularly due to the vacuum that has existed since 1800s without a King. The nation was dispersed and there was a loss and destruction of our culture by colonial governments and our African government has not done anything to assist to mend the situation.1. Imposters of the King. This has been going on for many years culminating into recent events in which we have had people changing surnames to Khumalo and making a lot of public claims of birthrights. Most of them talk of spiritual guidance (either ancestral or Christian beliefs).Some have exhibited immeasurable levels of derision of grandeur and moral decadence.2. Politicians, seeing an opportunity in mixing politics and culture to create followings. There is a serious failure to realize the disadvantages to this nation in failure to separate politics from culture in this effort in terms of the success rate in achieving what might be a common target defined in different terms. This has grossly confused the people.3. Social media has done a lot of damage in terms of definitions of terms, ideas, facts, and on-the -ground scenarios and dynamics. Whilst as platforms of debate and discussion and awareness building social media has played its role, it has almost become fronts for identifying the Heir to the throne and places where untold ignorance of facts are exhibited, but having such untold influence in thought and understanding processes to readers.4. Some Khumalo Clan members trying all possible ways to divide King Lobengula's House in the name of being elders, but not descendants of Lobengula and without King Lobengula's House seconding representatives into their meetings. They come up with all sorts of historical stories and try to isolate some family members promising them that they are the rightful Heirs to the King Lobengula throne much the same way Colonialists divided the House to ensure that the Ndebele Monarch was never revived.The position of the House on most of these is that we will not run their race. We appeal to people to make the right judgments. Most of the happenings around these claimants seem to reveal that they are projects designed to scuttle the correct process of identifying the Heir to King Lobengula's throne and enacting the Royal Monarch. Now that King Lobengula's House has come out clearly that it is taking up its rightful leadership role, the message should be loud enough that the social, cultural, political and economic demise of Umthwakazi is coming to an end and the people will soon celebrate having a King that owns and controls the use of the local resources for the benefit of all the people of diverse nationalities in Matabeleland.
An airport worker put a 'working pipe bomb' in her pocket after it was seized from a Ryanair passenger's luggage.

The 'crude improvised explosive device' was found in the zip lining of Nadeem Muhammad's suitcase, as he went through security at Manchester Airport on January 30.

Security terminal manager Deborah Jeffrey then 'popped' the dangerous object in her jacket, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The 'explosive device' was found in the zip lining of Ryanair passenger Nadeem Muhammad's suitcase, as he went through security at Manchester Airport

Ms Jeffrey said: 'I put the item into my pocket so it wouldn't go missing.'

The device, made of batteries, masking tape, the tube of a marker pen and wire, was found to have no traces of destructive substances after a swab and scan at the airport.

Ms Jeffrey, who has worked at the airport for 19 years, said she later put it through an X-ray machine but could not see a detonator and did not believe it was viable.

Later it was passed to counter terrorism police and found to be a 'potentially viable' bomb containing nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose.

The object had been spotted by security officers when Muhammad's small green hand luggage went through scanners at the airport.

Ms Jeffrey said she had been 'shocked' when the device was first brought to her attention.

'I thought 'my God, what is it?

'There are strange things people carry in their bags but I'd not seen anything like that before', she said.

Muhammad was making his way from Manchester Airport (file photo) to Italy when the device was found

Ms Jeffrey asked Muhammad how the object got into his case and he said he didn't know and claimed someone else may have put it there, the court heard.

She said: 'He was just very calm and just sat, just calm and quiet.'

Muhammad, who was attempting to board a flight to Italy, was then questioned by counter terrorism officers but not arrested.

He returned to the airport on February 5 and flew to Italy.

It was only when the device was examined by a forensics officer on February 8 that suspicions were raised and the bomb squad was called.

Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but had an Italian passport, was arrested when he returned to the UK on February 12.

Parts of the improvised explosive were shown to the jury on Tuesday.

Muhammad said he did not know how the explosive device made it into his luggage, Manchester Minshull Crown Court (pictured) heard

The court heard the device could have been detonated if action was taken to connect wires seen protruding from it.

In a report read to the court, forensics expert Lorna Philp said the bomb would have had the potential to cause injury to people and damage to property if detonated.

She said the person who set off the bomb would have had to be very close to the device to connect the wires, putting themselves at greatest risk of injury.

Muhammad, from Bury in Greater Manchester, denies possession of explosives with intent to endanger life or property and an alternative charge of possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances.

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday morning, when the defence case is due to start.
A suicide bomber stormed into the largest Shiite Muslim mosque in Afghanistan's Herat province, killing at least 29 and wounding dozens more, said the provincial governor's spokesman Jalani Farhad.

The assault on the Jawadya mosque in Herat, which is close to Afghanistan's border with Iran, came a day after the Islamic State group claimed a deadly attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul.

The Herat attack, which took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers, was the latest in a series of assaults on Afghanistan's minority Shiite population.

'The death toll has risen to 29 killed and 63 wounded. Some wounded are in a critical condition so the toll may go up,' hospital spokesman Rafeeq Shirzai said.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker, with a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and another who threw grenades at worshippers.

A suicide bomber and a gunman killed more than 20 people at a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's main western city of Herat on August 1

The attack is the latest incident to highlight a deteriorating security situation in the country

There were approximately 300 people in the mosque for evening prayers when the bomber attached

Areas of the mosque were left crumbling after the attacker fired bullets and threw grenades on Tuesday evening

Bloodied clothes covered the floor following the attack on Tuesday, where dozens of people are injured

Relatives assist a wounded man in a hospital after a suicide attack on the Jawadya mosque on Tuesday evening

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the Jawadya mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers. Pictured above, relatives assist a wounded man after the attack

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack to hit Afghanistan, which has seen more than 1,700 civilian deaths so far this year.

Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the affiliate of the Islamic State group that operates in the country's east.

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr Mohammed Rafique Shehrzai confirmed 20 bodies were brought to the hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province, soon after the blast.

Herat police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada said the assault happened around 8pm local time when "a terrorist attack was carried out on a (Shiite) mosque in the third security district of Herat city".

'Based on our initial information two terrorists were involved one of them wearing a suicide vest, who detonated himself while the second one was armed with a rifle. They are both dead,' he added.

A reporter for AFP said he had seen a number of bodies brought out of the mosque, leading to fears of a heavy death toll.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack to hit Afghanistan, which has seen more than 1,700 civilian deaths so far this year. Pictured above, Afghan security personel inspect the site

A wounded man rests on a vehicle after the attack on the largest Shiite Muslim mosque in Afghanistan's Herat province

A man receives medical treatment after suspected suicide bomber struck a mosque in Herat

An old man receives medical attention at a local hospital after a suicide bomber attacked the mosque he was praying at

A man holds an injured man's hand as he receives medical attention for the injuries he sustained in Tuesday's attack

Relatives of victims who were killed and injured in the attack mourn following Tuesday's bombing

People are seen at the hospital after suspected suicide bomber struck a Shia mosque in western Herat province

He reported seeing a body torn to pieces at the entrance, possibly that of the attacker, while others were lying in pools of blood inside, some still crying and moving.

Photos posted on social media showed large crowds had gathered at the hospital.

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish initially said he thought it was a car bomb and tweeted that there was a possibility that it was a improvised explosive device.

Mr Hadid said he rushed to the mosque after hearing about the explosion.

He was told the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering.

When inside, he fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed then he blew himself up.

The attack comes a day after an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, which was claimed by the Islamic State group (IS), killed two people.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker, with a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and another who threw grenades at worshippers

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr Mohammed Rafique Shehrzai confirmed 20 bodies were brought to the hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province, soon after the blast

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish initially said he thought it was a car bomb and tweeted that there was a possibility that it was a improvised explosive device

IS has been expanding its footprint in eastern Afghanistan and has recently claimed responsibility for several devastating attacks in Kabul.

But experts have previously questioned whether there are direct links between the group's local affiliate Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) and the central IS command.

On Monday a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Iraqi embassy, allowing at least three other militants to breach the compound, unleashing an hours-long gun battle.

The interior ministry later confirmed that two people - a woman and a guard - had died and two were policemen injured.

A security source, who declined to be named, said IS could prove to be more dangerous than the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Unlike the Taliban which has friends and foes among the international community, IS considers everyone their enemy and will keep attacking soft targets, he said.

Witnesses said that the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering

When inside, the attacker fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed then he blew himself up

The attack comes a day after an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, which was claimed by the Islamic State group (IS), killed two people

IS has been expanding its footprint in eastern Afghanistan and has recently claimed responsibility for several devastating attacks in Kabul
Police have called off the landfill search for Corrie McKeague (pictured), who went missing in September in Bury

Detectives searching for missing airman Corrie McKeague say material found at an incinerator plant 'needs further examination' to see if it is linked to him.

The 23-year-old, from Fife in Scotland, but based at RAF Honington in Suffolk, vanished after a night out with friends in Bury St Edmunds on September 24 2016.

Police now want to conduct a greater search of a plant at Great Blakenham, near Ipswich.

Detectives called off a landfill search in Milton, Cambridgeshire, after sifting through 6,500 tonnes of waste over 20 weeks - despite believing the serviceman's remains are somewhere on the sprawling site.

A Suffolk Police spokesman said: 'Police searching incinerated waste at the Great Blakenham energy-from-waste facility have recovered some material that requires further examination in order to establish whether it is in any way connected to the Corrie McKeague missing person enquiry.

'At this stage it cannot be confirmed whether or not this material is in any way linked to Corrie and so it will be subject to specialist examination and forensic analysis in the coming weeks.

'Police expected that it would be necessary to take items recovered from the search away from the site in order to examine them more carefully.

'Corrie's family have been kept updated about the search.

Police investigating the disappearance of airman Corrie McKeague search Milton landfill site near Cambridge

A CCTV image shows Mr McKeague walking through Bury St Edmunds on the night he went missing

'The search of the incinerated waste is now complete.'

Police said Mr McKeague had a history of falling asleep in unusual places, including in bins.

A bin lorry was seen on CCTV near Brentgovel Street in Bury St Edmunds around the time Mr McKeague was last seen, and it took a route which appeared to coincide with the movements of his phone.

MAP: Labelled at key sites in the Corrie McKeague investigation so far

The bin lorry linked to the disappearance of Mr McKeague was initially thought to have collected an 11kg (1st 10lb) load, but police said it was later found to be more than 100kg (15st 10lb).

Detective Superintendent Katie Elliott of Suffolk Police has said that any new lines of inquiry would be pursued 'vigorously'.

Asked if she thought Mr McKeague was still on the landfill site, she replied: 'I do.'

Mr McKeague's girlfriend April Oliver announced in June that the missing serviceman had become a father with the birth of their daughter.
The White House backed up a misleading statement issued by Donald Trump Jr. about his meeting with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, saying Monday the president weighed in 'as a father' to help craft it.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pushed back on a report that the president personally dictated the statement  but made no effort to deny that he participated in its crafting  before going on a long harangue about the media's constant focus on the Russia story.

It also contradicted a June statement by the president's attorney that he played no role in the creation of the statement.

'The statement that Don Jr. issued is true. Theres no inaccuracy in the statement,' she said. 'The president weighed in as any father would based on the limited information that he had.'

President Trump dictated his son Donald Trump Jr.'s misleading statement on the nature of his meeting with a Kremlin lawyer, it has been claimed

Asked about a report that Trump dictated the statement, Sanders  who said she didn't participate in the crafting of the statement  said: 'He certainly didn't dictate, but, you know, like I said, he weighed in, offered suggestion like any father would do.'

The Washington Post reported that the president dictated a misleading statement issued by Donald Trump Jr. about his ill-fated meeting with Russian lawyers last year, reporting that it was the president who told Donald Jr. to claim in his statement that the subject of the June 2016 meeting was the ban on US adoptions in Russia.

According to the report, Donald Jr. and people he sought advice from wanted to come clean and admit that the premise of the meeting was for him to receive campaign dirt on his father's election opponent Hillary Clinton.

The latest White House take diverges from a July statement by Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow.

Sekulow told NBC's 'Meet the Press' on July 16: 'I do want to be clear  the president was not involved in the drafting of the statement and did not issue the statement,' he said.

US President Donald Trump attends a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2017

President Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow denied that President Trump was involved in the drafting of a statement by Donald Trump Jr. about Trump Jr.'s June meeting with Russians

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S. August 1, 2017

Sanders said there were 'no inaccuracies' in Trump Jr.'s statement - which stated that participants 'primarily discussed' a program about adoption of Russian children.

What the statement didn't say is that it got set up after the promise of dirt on Hillary Clinton, after an approach by a music publicist who claimed Russian government support for Donald Trump.

Sources who are familiar with the matter said the president intervened and told his son to claim that he took the meeting innocently and to tell The New York Times it was 'not a campaign issue at the time,' according to the Post.

Trump allegedly gave the instruction before flying back from the G-20 summit on July 8.

According to the Post, the president's lawyers, lawyers working for Jared Kushner and senior White House aides including Hope Hicks, deliberated about how to handle the story as more requests for information about the meeting came to them.

They reportedly decided on a transparent approach and, sources said, Kushner's team even advocated sharing the email chain that Donald Jr. would later reveal.

THE STATEMENT 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at 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.' Advertisement

They were 'overruled' by the president, as the Post puts it, when The New York Times approached the administration on the story and Donald Jr.'s statement claiming the meeting was about adoptions, was sent out.

A member of the president's legal team denied the claims on Monday night.

'Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent,' attorney Jay Sekulow said in a statement.

On July 11, Donald Jr. was ultimately forced to reveal the meeting's true nature by posting the email chain which led up to it on Twitter in a bid to beat other newspapers to the punch.

His father has since defended the move, saying that 'anyone in politics would have taken the meeting'.

He later characterized Donald Jr. as a 'wonderful young man' and a 'good boy'.

Donald Jr. has admitted that in retrospect, he would have thought twice about taking the meeting.

In an interview with Sean Hannity, he said: 'In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently.

'Again, this is before the Russia mania. This is before they were building it up in the press. For me, this was opposition research. They had something, you know, maybe concrete evidence to all the stories I'd been hearing about, but were probably under-reported for, you know, years; not just during the campaign.

'So I think I wanted to hear it out. But really, it went nowhere and it was apparent that that wasn't what the meeting was actually about.'

British PR executive Rob Goldstone orchestrated the meeting which was attended by Russian lawyer Natasha Veselnitskaya

The meeting's significance in relation to the ongoing probe into Trump's campaign team's ties with Russia is yet to be determined.

The meeting has however dominated conversation on the subject and appears to have haunted other members of the administration.

Jared Kushner, Donald Jr's brother-in-law who was present at the meeting, issued his own statement earlier this month describing his experience of it.

Kushner, who is one of the president's most senior advisers, painted it, like the rest of the Trumps, as an innocent meeting that was held in good faith.

The get-together took place at Trump Tower last June.

It was orchestrated by British PR executive Rob Goldstone and attended by Russian lawyer Natasha Veselnitskaya.

Jared Kushner was also present for part of it and was with the president at the G-20 summit

After she vouched for the accuracy of Donald Trump Jr.'s statement, Sanders went after the media for pushing a 'false narrative' about a 'phony scandal,' then went after Bill and Hillary Clinton.

'I think the bigger question is, everybody wants to try to make this some story about misleading, the only thing I've seen misleading is the year's worth of stories that have been fueling a false narrative about this Russia collusion and ... a phony scandal based on anonymous sources. And I think that is, if we're going to talk about misleading, that is the only thing misleading I see in this entire process,' she said.

'You guys are focused on a meeting that Don Jr had with no consequence when the Democrats actually colluded with a foreign government, like Ukraine, the Democrat-linked firm Fusion GPS actually took money from the Russian government while it created a phony dossier that's been the basis for all of the Russia scandal fake news and if you want to talk further about a relationship with Russia, look no further then the Clintons as we've said time and time again. Bill Clinton was paid half a million dollars to give a speech to a Russian bank and was personally thanked by Vladimir Putin for it. Hillary Clinton allowed one-firth of America's uranium reserve to be sold to a Russian firm whose investors were Clinton Foundation donors. And the Clinton campaign chairman's brother lobbied against sanctions on Russia's largest bank and failed to report it,' she said, bringing together a string of Russia stories.

Her attack glossed over some of the nuance of various Russia reports. For example, a witness at a Senate hearing probing foreign registration said that research firm Fusion GPS took Russian government to push against the Magnitsky Act, but did not say that Russia paid for the partially discredited dossier of dirt on Donald Trump.

'If you want to talk about someone who's actually been tough on Russia, look at President Trump. He wants more fracking, more coal, more energy, a stronger military, a stronger defense, those things aren't good for Russia. I think the distinctions are very clear and you guys want to create a narrative that just doesn't exist,' she said.
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Sirens wailed across Warsaw today as Poland marked the 73rd anniversary of the city's uprising against Nazi rule.

Traffic came to a standstill as thousands of Poles remembered the doomed Warsaw Uprising, an attempt by underground forces to overcome German occupiers during the Second World War.

President Andrzej Duda, veterans, scouts and others took part in ceremonies, as did several thousand far-right extremists who marched through Warsaw.

In the largest act of resistance by any nation occupied by the Nazis, the rebels held out for 63 days before being viciously crushed.

Most of the city was destroyed as a consequence, with about 200,000 people - mostly civilians - being killed.

Soviet troops who had arrived on the outskirts of Warsaw in their westward push against Hitler's forces remained on the city's outskirts without helping the Poles who were supposed to be their allies - long viewed as a deep betrayal in Poland.

US President Donald Trump paid homage to the 'desperate struggle to overthrow oppression' during a July 6 visit to Warsaw.

Pictured: Thousands of Poles march through the streets of Warsaw to remember the 1944 uprising against Nazi occupiers. The rebels held out for 63 days before being viciously crushed by the Germans. Most of the city was destroyed as a consequence, with about 200,000 people - mostly civilians - being killed. American President Donald Trump paid homage to the 'desperate struggle to overthrow oppression' during a July 6 visit to the city. Trump recalled that the Soviets 'watched as the Nazis ruthlessly destroyed the city, viciously murdering men, women and children.' The 1944 uprising by the Polish resistance came more than a year after some of the Jews confined to the Warsaw Ghetto ambushed Nazi security forces with weapons

Pictured: Men and women hold flares aloft in tribute to those who fell in the Warsaw Uprising. President Andrzej Duda, veterans, scouts and others also took part in ceremonies, including several thousand far-right extremists who marched through Warsaw. Soviet troops who had arrived on the outskirts of Warsaw in their westward push against Hitler's forces remained on the city's outskirts without helping the Poles who were supposed to be their allies - long viewed as a deep betrayal in Poland. The writer Arthur Koestler said the Soviet response was 'one of the major infamies of this war which will rank for the future historian on the same ethical level with Lidice [a massacre in the Czech Republic committed by Nazis]'

THE WARSAW UPRISING: A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM In the biggest uprising of its kind in Nazi-occupied Europe, tens of thousands of Poles began the fight to liberate their capital city on August 1, 1944. They had hoped to time their revolt to coincide with the arrival of the mighty Soviet Red Army, which had been pushing the Nazis back into Germany in victory after victory since 1943. But the Soviets, who wanted to establish the communist Polish Committee of National Liberation in charge of Poland, stopped short of the city and allowed the Germans time to regroup. After fighting for 63 days, the underground fighters - initially numbering between 20,000 and 49,000 - were crushed by the Nazi occupiers. As many as 200,000 civilians are thought to been slain by the Germans in retribution for the uprising, with the majority of the city levelled in an attempt to make an example of the Poles. The writer Arthur Koestler said the Soviet response was 'one of the major infamies of this war which will rank for the future historian on the same ethical level with Lidice [a massacre in the Czech Republic committed by Nazis].' After fighting for 63 days, the underground fighters - initially numbering between 20,000 and 49,000 - were crushed by the Nazi occupiers. Pictured: Polish fighters on the streets of Warsaw in July 1944 The USSR had a base a mere five minutes flying-time away, but did not provide the air support that might have made the uprising a success. Winston Churchill begged Stalin and Roosevelt to assist Poland but was not successful in persuading his allies. But he did send the RAF to drop off supplies. The USA also sent one mass airdrop of supplies but the Soviets refused to allow American bombers to use their airfields to drop more aid to the beleaguered Poles. During the fighting itself, about 16,000 members of the Polish resistance were killed. About 8,000 Germany soldiers were killed and about 9,000 wounded. A year beforehand, some of the city's Jews revolted during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. About 13,000 of them were killed during the revolt, which lasted between April and May. Less than a year after the Warsaw Uprising, the Nazis were crushed by the Allies - but Poland remained under the control of the Soviet Union until 1989. Advertisement

Sirens wailed and traffic came to a standstill in the Polish capital as demonstrators paid their respects to the Poles who died during the Warsaw Uprising in 1942. It was the largest act of resistance by any nation occupied by the Nazis, and was specifically praised by President Donald Trump on a recent visit to the country

Pictured: A young holds a Polish flag as thousands of marchers - many holding burning flares - move through the streets of Warsaw for the 73rd anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising. The Nazis suffered about 25,000 casualties, but the people of the city - most of whom civilians - suffered losses of 200,000

Respect: Thousands of Poles took to the streets of Warsaw to pay tribute to their forebears today. Poland was invaded by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany in 1939 after Hitler and Stalin agreed to share the country (known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact). The Poles tried to fight off the two armies - losing tens of thousands of soldiers in the process - but were overwhelmed in a month. Two days after the invasion began on September 1, both Britain and France declares war on Nazi Germany and the Second World War began

Pictured: A boy wearing a helmet and carrying a Polish flag sits on a man's shoulders as the people of Warsaw commemorate the uprising of 1944. A year beforehand, some of the city's Jews revolted during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. About 13,000 of them were killed during the revolt, which lasted between April and May

Winston Churchill begged Stalin and Roosevelt to assist Poland but was not successful in persuading his allies. But he did send the RAF to drop off supplies. Pictured: A man stands on a motorbike to take a picture of the thousands of Poles marching in Warsaw to remember the uprising

Pictured: Marchers burn flares as the Warsaw Uprising is remembered in Poland's capital city. Between 20,000 and 49,000 Poles initially revolted against their Nazi oppressors but they were unable to win any permanent victories. As well as the hundreds of thousands of people killed in the city, about 700,000 were expelled by the Germans

Pictured: Flares burn in the Main Square of Warsaw as Poland pays tribute to those who perished during the uprising of 1944. Less than a year after the revolt, Nazi Germany was defeated - but Poland was left under the control of the Soviet Union

Pictured: Far-right activists shout slogans as they march through downtown to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising in the Polish capital

Pictured: Poles of all ages celebrate the revolt against Nazi rule in Warsaw in 1944
'Cash me Ousside' teen Danielle Bregoli avoided jail time and landed herself five years of probation after pleading guilty to multiple charges including grand theft.

The infamous 14-year-old girl was sentenced on Tuesday in Delray Beach, Florida, after pleading guilty in late June to grand theft, grand theft auto, marijuana possession and filing a false police report.

Bregoli's charges predate her 2016 appearance on Dr. Phil, which catapulted her to fame after her infamous catchphrase 'Cash me ousside, how bow dah' soon went viral.

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'Cash me Ousside' teen Danielle Bregoli (pictured Tuesday) avoided jail time and landed herself five years of probation after pleading guilty to multiple charges including grand theft

The state recommended Bregoli (pictured Tuesday) stay in Palm Beach County, but she is allowed to complete probation in California, where she now lives with mom Barbara Bregoli

The infamous 14-year-old girl wore a grey dress and a black cardigan to her sentencing in Delray Beach, Florida, on Tuesday

The state recommended Bregoli stay in Palm Beach County, but she is allowed to complete probation in California, where she now lives with her mom Barbara Bregoli.

The charges stemmed from three separate incidents last year after the girl stole her mother's purse, her mother's car and called the police to falsely report that her mother had been using heroin.

In May 2016, a false police report was filed when the teen called to report a domestic battery involving her mother.

But when police arrived, Bregoli accused her mother of using drugs and pointed to powdered sugar scattered on a bathroom counter that she claimed was heroin.

Bregoli later admitted that the report was false.

The state attorney's office also said Bregoli was found in a car with marijuana this year.

Pictured, Danielle Bregoli entering a Florida courthouse with her mother in late June, when she pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including grand theft

The charges stemmed from incidents before her viral 2016 appearance on Dr. Phil. Pictured, Bregoli pleading guilt in court

Her father, Ira Peskowitz, attended the sentencing on Tuesday and expressed his fears for his daughter's future.

He made similar claims when she pleaded guilty in court late June and tearfully told reporters: 'My daughter is being exploited.

'She posts 24-7. It's controlled by an alleged management team that promotes absurd behavior for a 14-year-old child.'

He also feels that she is being groomed for a career in pornography by adults who only want to leverage her newfound fame, WPBF reported.

Since shooting to stardom, the 14-year-old girl (pictured left in July, right in March) moved to Hollywood with her mother and is reportedly shooting a reality television show

Peskowitz, who works for the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office, claims his parental rights are being 'stripped away,' WPBF reported.

He told NBC: 'I am the only parent in this relationship with Danielle that is trying to see the best thing for this child.'

Since shooting to stardom, the 14-year-old girl moved to Hollywood with her mother and is reportedly shooting a reality television show.

The pair have also encountered controversy including getting kicked off of a Spirit Airlines flight after a confrontation with another woman.

The teen could also face additional charges for a battery incident in Lake Worth, Florida that happened earlier this year.
President Donald Trump was 'making a joke' when he gave police the green light to engage in street justice against murder suspects, the White House says.

'It wasn't a directive, it was a joke. There's a very big difference,' the president's spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said.

The president gave law enforcement officers permission to be 'rough' with 'thugs' at an event on Friday in Long Island. He was immediately accused of endorsing police brutality.

Huckabee Sanders claimed Monday that the president was 'making a joke at the time,' inciting a new round of charges against the Republican administration.

President Donald Trump was 'making a joke' when he gave police the green light to engage in street justice against murder suspects, the White House says

'It wasn't a directive, it was a joke. There's a very big difference,' the president's spokeswoman, Sarah Hucakbee Sanders, said

At her briefing on Tuesday the topic came back up and Huckabee Sanders doubled down on her previous explanation.

'I think you guys are jumping, trying to make something out of nothing, he was simply making a comment, making a joke and it was nothing more than that,' she said.

Reporters asked the Trump spokeswoman about the issue several times during her briefing and would not commit to asking the president if he regretted his remarks or thought an apology was warranted.

'I think the president supports our law enforcement and he supports the protection of the citizens of this country and he wants to empower our law enforcement to do their job. I don't think there's any more beyond that,' she said the first time.

She told a journalist who followed up, 'I'll let you know if I do.'

Trump made the comments during a speech at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood, New York, close to where the ultra-violent street gang MS-13 has committed a string of gruesome murders, including the massacre of four young men in April in a Central Islip park.

'When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of the paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, I said, "Please don't be too nice," ' Trump said to laughter.

'Like when you guys put somebody in the car, and you're protecting their head, you know the way you put you're their hand over? Like don't hit their head, and they just killed somebody? Don't hit their head?'

To cheers and applause, the president told law enforcement officers, 'I said, "You can take the hand away, OK?" '

The Suffolk County Police Department gave Trump a brush back on Twitter after the speech.

'The SCPD has strict rules & procedures relating to the handling of prisoners. Violations of those rules are treated extremely seriously,' the police force tweeted.

'As a department, we do not and will not tolerate roughing up of prisoners.'

Officers caught engaging in the behavior Trump described could be charged with battery.

Jeffery Robinson, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union, said that 'by encouraging police to dole out extra pain at will, the president is urging a kind of lawlessness that already imperils the health and lives of people of color at shameful rates.'

'Innocent until proven guilty? Our president would rather not bother with that, expanding the role of the police officer to include judge, jury, and executioner,' he added.

The Rev. Al Sharpton said Trump's comments were 'reprehensible' and called them 'a reckless disregard for the law' that 'set a tone that is dangerous and biased in this country.'

After his speech he Suffolk County Police Department gave Trump a brush back on Twitter

Trump came to Long Island on Friday to give his administration's full support to police officers battling MS-13.

'These are animals,' Trump said of gang that brutalizes its victims before it kills them.

The president has made cracking down on MS-13, also called Mara Salvatrucha, a top priority of his administration.

The gang, which is believed to have originated in immigrant communities in Los Angeles in the 1980s and then entrenched itself in Central America when its leaders were deported, is infamous for its violent tactics, including torturing victims and hacking them with machetes.

'They kidnap. They extort. They rape and they rob. They prey on children. They shouldn't be here. They stop on their victims. They beat them with clubs. They slash with machetes, and they stab them knives,' Trump said on Friday.

The president gave police officers permission to be 'rough' with members of the gang - endorsing police brutality when it comes to handling 'thugs' on Friday

The president said the gang has 'transformed peaceful parts and beautiful, quiet neighborhoods into blood stained killing fields.

'They're animals,' he repeated. 'We cannot tolerate, as a society, the spilling of innocent, young wonderful, vibrant people. Sons and daughters, even husbands and wives. We cannot accept this violence one day more. Can't do it.'

Because of the law enforcement officers surrounding him, Trump said the people of Long Island wouldn't have to put up with the killing any more.

'You're not going to allow it to happen, and we're backing you up 100 percent. Remember that,' he said.

Trump is asking Congress to provide funding for 10,000 new immigration agents.

The House of Representatives passed legislation last week that authorizes $1.6 billion in spending for Trump's border wall while senators debated health care.

'We will build the wall, that I can tell you,' he said on Friday. 'The wall is vital and vital as a tool for ending the humanitarian disaster brought, and really brought on by drug smugglers.'

'When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of the paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, I said, "Please don't be too nice," ' Trump said to laughter

Trump's Justice and Homeland Security departments have made targeting the gang a top priority.

'This gang's chilling motto is 'mata, viola, controla,'which means "kill, rape and control," 'said Robert Hur, a top official at the Justice Department. 'They seek to live up to this motto through truly shocking acts of violence designed to instill fear: vicious machete attacks, execution-style gunshots, gang rape and human trafficking.'

Its recruits are middle- and high-school students, predominantly in immigrant communities, who are said to risk violent retribution if they leave. Authorities estimate the group has tens of thousands of members across several Central American countries and many U.S. states.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has directed his department's law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors across the country to prioritize their prosecution, as directed by an executive order Trump signed in February, among other measures.

Trump boasted at the Friday event that the Department of Homeland Security's guys are actually rougher and tougher than the 'thugs' they're rounding up.

'Im talking about liberating our towns. This is like Id see in a movie: They're liberating the town, like in the old Wild West, right?' he said. 'I never thought Id be standing up here talking about liberating the towns on Long Island where I grew up, but that's what youre doing.'

'They're rough. I don't want to be -- say it because theyll say that's not politically correct,' he added. 'You're not allowed to have rough people doing this kind of work...Just like they don't want to have rich people at the head of Treasury, okay?'

'Like, I want a rich guy at the head of Treasury, right? Right?' he told them.

Trump came to Long Island on Friday to give his administration's full support to police officers battling MS-13. 'These are animals,' Trump said of gang that brutalizes its victims before it kills them

Sessions was not on the trip with Trump to New York.

The cabinet official who'd been on the outs with the president was in El Salvador to give an address at an international law enforcement academy graduation near the MS-13 headquarters.

'MS-13 is based here in El Salvador, but its tentacles reach across Central America, Europe, and through 40 U.S. States, and to within yards of the U.S. Capitol,' he told graduating cadets on Friday.

'With more than 40,000 members worldwide-including 10,000 in the United States-MS-13 threatens the lives and wellbeing of each and every family anywhere they exist and everywhere they infest.'

Since the beginning of January the Department of Homeland Security's investigative unit has arrested 3,311 gang members across the country in a number of targeted operations, said Thomas Homan, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The agency could not provide numbers for a similar timeframe in 2016.

In this April 19, 2017 file photo, the casket of Justin Llivicura, 16, is carried from St. Joseph the Worker Church after Llivicura's funeral in East Patchogue, N.Y. Llivicura was one of four young men found slain in a suspected MS-13 gang massacre in a park in Central Islip, N.Y.

The Trump administration blames the gang's recent resurgence in certain areas on illegal immigration and believes policies like building a wall along the southern border and cracking down on so-called 'sanctuary cities' will eradicate the problem.

Critics see the focus misplaced, however, and argue resources could be better spent on other enforcement efforts.

Trump said Friday that he'd talked to police unable to do their jobs, 'because they have a pathetic mayor or a mayor who doesn't know what's going on.'

'Its sad. Its sad. You look at whats happening, its sad. But hopefully -- certainly in the country, those days are over,' he said. 'From now on, were going to enforce our laws, protect our borders, and support our police like our police have never been supported before.'




Britain's gaudiest takeaway sign must be removed after neighbours claimed it gave them headaches and distracted drivers.

Council officers in Aberdeen told staff at Bodrum's Kebab House to remove the giant LED sign, which includes an animation of a man carving doner meat.

A viral video saw the takeaway sign dubbed the 'new Northern lights' because of its illuminating power.

The animated display shows the shop's name, the word 'authentic', and its phone number bouncing next to a graphic of a motorbike as well as shots of staff shaving kebab meat.

The animated display shows the shop's name, the word 'authentic', and its phone number bouncing next to a graphic of a motorbike

But the sign has breached planning laws in the city because it is animated.

Kebab shop boss Reza Nazar, 31, said he spent about 5,000 on the eye-catching advertisement and installed it last month.

Speaking to a local newspaper, Mr Nazar said: 'I got permission for the new sign but didn't realise it wasn't allowed to be moving.

'I spoke to a guy from the council who said it couldn't be animated. Apparently they'd had some complaints. Apparently it is a distraction to drivers.

'But someone from the council has since phoned me back and told me that I have to remove it altogether.'

Council officials in Aberdeen told staff at Bodrum's Kebab House to remove the giant LED sign, which includes an animation of a man carving doner meat

Mr Nazar added: 'We are the last shop in Chapel Street so it was more difficult to get customers through the door.

'I put the sign up a month ago and I have seen a big improvement in business since. I've definitely seen more business since I put it up.'

Despite bringing in more customers to the business, the creative installation has been giving literal headaches to its rivals.

Stuart Herd, owner of Herdy's Dolphin Fish and Chips shop next door said: 'Some of the staff have said they've been getting sore heads from it.

'We're next door and when it's on at night and flashing onto the building across the road it's too much.

Kebab shop boss Reza Nazar, 31, said he spent about 5,000 on the eye-catching advertisement and installed it last month

Despite bringing in more customers to the business, the creative installation has been giving literal headaches to its rivals

'The light just go on non stop from when they open and with the nights now beginning to get darker earlier, that's only going to get worse.

'A boy across the road had said it must be distracting drivers as well. I'm not sure how he got away with doing it when putting in planning permission but I wouldn't have thought the council would allow that.

'They've been up for about four weeks now, you see the guy cutting the meat and everything. I wouldn't have it up in all honesty.'

An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: 'Representatives of Aberdeen City Council have been in communication with the proprietor and have asked for the sign to be removed as it breaches planning policy.'
Passengers were forced to call 911 when their flight was grounded at the Ottowa, Canada airport for six hours Monday night without air conditioning, causing at least one child to get sick.

Air Transat Flight 157 from Brussels was scheduled to land in Montreal at 3:15pm, but couldn't because of severe storms.

After circling around Montreal for a few hours, the plane was diverted to Ottowa, where it landed around 5pm.

Passengers say they were given little information about why they were grounded in the ensuing hours, or how long they were going to be kept on the plane.

At first, the air conditioning was kept on, but as the plane's fuel supply dwindled, the pilot shut off the power - cutting off the air conditioning and lighting.

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More than 300 passengers on an Air Transat flight from Brussels to Montreal were forced to sit on the tarmac at Ottowa airport Monday night when they became grounded in the storm

With 336 passengers on board, the plane quickly heated up and passengers said it became hard to breathe.

'It was a nightmare,' passenger Maryanne Zehil told Global News. 'There were children crying  some people had panic attacks and screamed 'I need to get out!''

Laura Mah, another passenger, told CBC News that one child started puking and people started 'losing their minds'.

Eventually, a passenger called 911 and paramedics responded to the airport, bringing water bottles for the trapped passengers.

When the power was cut off, passengers called 911 because it was getting hot on the plane and people were getting sick. Above, a responding police officer

Paramedics brought the stranded passengers bottles of water

Previously, the flight attendants had been passing out small cups of water every half-hour, since their storage was dwindling and they only had enough food for the children.

However, law enforcement didn't force the pilot to deplane and the plane sat on the tarmac until 11pm, when it was finally cleared to take off for Montreal.

By the time that they landed in Montreal 30 minutes later, the passengers had been on the flight for 15 hours.

In separate statements, the airport and airline blamed each other for what happened.

Air Transat said in a statement that some 30 planes were diverted to Ottowa during the storms (including another that was stuck on the tarmac for four hours).

Many of the passengers complained on Twitter about the six hour detour

'Following yesterday's violent late-afternoon thunderstorms in Montreal, some of our flights from Europe and the South had to be diverted to other airports,' it said.

'Unfortunately, this unusual situation beyond our control caused delays of several hours for our passengers.'

'As a result, Ottawa airport staff were unable to provide with loading bridges or stairs that would have enabled the passengers on the Brussels flight to disembark or our ground crews to replenish the aircraft's empty drinking water reservoir,' the statement added.

However, airport officials said it was up to the airlines whether they deplane or not.

'We did have buses on standby in case they decided to disembark their passengers and process them through customs,' Ottowa International Airport Authority spokesman Krista Kealey said.

'However, that decision was not taken by the airline, and ultimately it is the airline that is responsible for making those decisions about whether a flight disembarks  and, in the case of an international flight, processes through Canada customs  or whether it sits and waits it out in the hopes that it can get to its final destination.'
A blame game has erupted over who is responsible for shifting Sydney's Martin Place tent city.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore pointed the finger at the government on Tuesday, but Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was up to Ms Moore and the City of Sydney to find a solution.

In a tweet, Ms Moore also claimed only NSW Police had the power to move people on.

Dozens of tents have been erected along the iconic Martin Place forecourt since December.

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Lord Mayor Clover Moore (left) pointed the finger at the government on Tuesday, but Premier Gladys Berejiklian (right) said it was up to Ms Moore and the City of Sydney to find a solution

The number is continuing to grow, despite attempts by the council and state government to move people on.

Ms Berejiklian said government officials had been to the site dozens of times but some people in the tent city were refusing to leave or accept help.

'It concerns me that people who are sleeping in tents in Martin Place are refusing to get help, refusing to receive help, and I frankly think it's unacceptable,' Ms Berejiklian told parliament.

'Our staff have been down there 41 times ... and I call on Clover Moore to get rid of that tent city. It should not be there.'

On Tuesday, she said the tent city makes her 'completely uncomfortable'.

Dozens of tents have been erected along the iconic Martin Place forecourt since December

'I'm concerned that some (homeless) people there are not there for the right reasons and that's why we've written to Clover Moore asking her to do what's in her powers to move them on,' Ms Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney.

'We have made sure that anybody who needs emergency accommodation is given that and unfortunately some people are choosing not to take that up that offer,' she said.

'I don't think that's appropriate.'

But Ms Moore said City of Sydney staff had no power to move homeless people on from the tent city.

Dozens of tents are pitched in the heart of Sydney's city CBD

Dozens of tents erected in Sydney's Martin Place with attempts from State Government to move them on

'It's not illegal for people to be homeless - for some people it's an inevitable consequence of the housing affordability crisis in Sydney,' the mayor said in a statement.

She added the tent city is the direct consequence of 'decades of gutless inaction' from successive state governments on homelessness

Ms Moore demanded the state government reopen the iconic Sirius building in The Rocks which until recently has been used for public housing.

Social Housing Minister Pru Goward responded to Ms Moore with a tweet.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said on Twitter that only police had the power to move people on

'Just read Clover's statement on Martin Place. Disappointing. We are doing what we can. #whatareyouresponsibleforClover?'

In a statement, she accused Ms Moore and the council of not undertaking public safety or compliance requirements seriously.

'I call on the mayor of this city to do so,' Ms Goward said in a statement.

'The public expect her to act.'

Family and Community Services staff have visited the site 41 times to offer services and accommodation to those who are sleeping rough, with about 60 people relocated into permanent housing.

The New South Wales Premier asked the City of Sydney to move the tents on

'Just yesterday and again today, FACS Housing staff visited the area to help people experiencing homelessness find accommodation and spoke with every person sleeping in a tent,' Ms Goward said.

The minister says it is 'ludicrous' her department had to apply for a council permit to erect a tent for the homeless in the camp opposite the Reserve Bank.

Ms Moore responded on social media claiming the premier and minister were just trying to blame the city of Sydney.

'Sold off social housing, no affordable housing policy to speak off & yet Premier & Minister attempt to divert attention by blaming City,' she wrote.

'Minister/Premier want City to move people on like in Melb - surely they know only NSW Police have this power?'

The City of Sydney council in June moved away much of the previous camp, which includes a kitchen, on the Macquarie Street end of the thoroughfare.
News / Press Release

by Nomusa Garikai

Alex Magaisa, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's chief adviser during the GNU, admitted the opposition will NOT dislodge Zanu PF from power but still does not understand why that is so. Even now with the benefit of hindsight, he still cannot see the wood from the trees."According to the MDC leader's former adviser, Alex Magaisa, the opposition will struggle to end Zanu PF hegemony because of resource constraints," reported the Daily News Live."A combination of donor fatigue, misappropriation and misallocation of resources and the never-ending divisions and squabbles in the opposition have contributed to the current parlous state of affairs," said Magaisa."This lack of resources in the opposition, compared to Zanu PF's access to abundant resources from both the public and private sector, is probably the single biggest impediment to change in next elections."Yes, Zanu PF's ability to commandeer state resources and coerce/bribe the private sector and individual to bankroll its political activities is an important factor but not "the single biggest" as our chief PM adviser would have us believe. The single most important factor to Zanu PF's strangle hold on political power must be the party's total and undemocratic control of all state institutions.There is no doubt that Morgan Tsvangirai had garnered more than the 50% plus one votes, 73% according to President Mugabe's own inadvertent admission, in the March 2008 elections to be declared the winner, for example. But because Mugabe had total and undemocratic control over ZEC, he ordered the commission to 'cook' the result to deny Tsvangirai the minimum votes to avoid a run-off. It took ZEC six weeks to cook up the new result because they had to alter the figures from all the polling stations.The Global Political Agreement; which President Mugabe signed on behalf of Zanu PF, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara signed on behalf of the two MDC factions and SA President Thabo Mbeki signed on behalf SADC as the guarantor of the agreement; was about implementing a raft of democratic reforms designed to end Zanu PF's total and undemocratic control of state institutions like ZEC, Police, Judiciary. Yes, the reforms, properly implemented would have ended Zanu PF's unfettered access to public resources and forced transparency in political funding too.This is why, as Tsvangirai's adviser, Magaisa should have seen to it that all the reforms were implemented without failure. Some utterly useless "adviser" Alex has turned out to be; not only did he fail to get the reforms implemented during the GNU, to this day he still thinks the opposition can dislodge Zanu PF without implementing any reforms if they can have the funds.The donors deserted MDC in droves before the 2013 elections when it became clear that the party had not only failed to get even one reform implemented in five years of the GNU because Tsvangirai & co. had sold out. President Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of the gravy train, a $4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. and they returned the favour by kicking all reforms into the tall grass to be forgotten."In light of this, one would expect the opposition parties to be more imaginative when it comes to fundraising," continued the former PM adviser. "However, over-reliance on donor support in the past seems to have affected the opposition parties' fund-raising abilities."Magaisa was Tsvangirai's adviser right up to the 2013 elections. MDC-T parliamentary candidate got $700 to finance all their political campaign activities compared to their Zanu PF counterparts who receive a brand-new car, $10 000 spending money plus all the T-shirts and other freebees Zanu PF doles out traditional leaders, povo, etc. Where was Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's chief adviser's, Alex Magaisa, "imaginative fund-raising activities" then?With not even one reform in place there is no chance of Zanu PF rigging the vote and, somehow, lose the elections. None! The grand opposition coalition was supposed to be some excuse for contesting the flawed elections but even this has now failed to materialize. It is clear that the donors who deserted MDC-T in droves before the 2013 elections have never returned, the party will be luck to give each MDC-T parliamentary candidate $100, etc.Given the fact that with no reforms next year's elections are flawed and illegal plus all the other disadvantages the opposition face the question is why are they still determined to contest?"The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn't now do the obvious - withdraw from the elections," answered David Coltart in his recent book, ."The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility."Zimbabwe's opposition politicians have lost donor funding because they are corrupt and incompetent. But worse still the opposition have also lost all political credibility because their nak3d greed has blinded them, they cannot even see the folly of contesting flawed elections. The international community but more so SADC who stand to bear the burden of Zimbabwe's worsen economic meltdown and political chaos, are not going to accept another sham Zimbabwe election next year.Yes, Alex Magaisa, the opposition will not dislodge Zanu PF from power next year, not because the former has no money, but because the latter has the licence to rig the vote. And it is MDC leaders and your fault that not even one reforms to stop the vote rigging was ever implemented during the GNU. Still no one is going to accept Zanu PF's victory this time; winning an election because you are popular is one thing and "winning" because you have an open licence to rig the vote is another.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer told him in private that his company was considering a US investment of $30 billion.

Foxconn founder Terry Gou said last week from the White House that his company had selected a site in Wisconsin to build a $10 billion plant.

Standing in the same spot, Trump said claimed this afternoon at a small business event that Gou told him 'off the record' that 'he may go $30 billion.'

'Think of this, he may go $30 billion dollar investment, but he told me that off the record so I promised him I wouldn't tell anybody,' the president stated.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer told him in private that his company was considering a US investment of $30 billion

Trump may have been teasing about the off-the-record conversation. The $30 billion that the president cited is triple what Foxconn has committed to publicly, though.

The president's candid remarks about the conversation were especially noteworthy in the context of his quest to end leaking from inside his White House.

If Gou really did tell him 'off the record' about the potential investment, that would make the president a leaker.

Gou said last week that Wisconsin had won the fight to build the first U.S. assembly plant for the electronics giant he founded in a project that's expected to result in billions of dollars in investment in the state and create thousands of jobs in the Midwest.

The project landed in the congressional district of U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, thanks to a nudge from President Trump.

'To make such an incredible investment, Chairman Gou put his faith and confidence in the future of the American economy,' Trump said from the White House's East Room. 'In other words, if I didn't get elected, he definitely would not be spending $10 billion.'

Trump grinned at his friend and pulled him in for a handhold as he gave himself credit for the giant investment.

Ivanka Trump hugs her father U.S President Donald Trump, during a small business event in the East Room at the White House today

In the East Room for another event today that dealt with business, Trump said Gou is thinking about putting even more money into his US operations.

'The jobs are coming, pouring back, factories are coming pouring back into our country, into our country, jobs are coming back,' Trump said. 'You saw the Foxconn last week, they're going to spend $10 billion, but he's one of the great businessmen of our time, and I think the number is going to be $30 [billion].'

Trump had a hand in Foxconn's selection of Wisconsin, the White House has said.

Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who is from Ryan's congressional district in southeast Wisconsin, told WTMJ-TV last Tuesday that Trump, when flying over the area in Kenosha County during a visit to Wisconsin in April, noticed vacant land where a former Chrysler Motors plant used to be.

'He said, "That land should be used,'' ' Priebus said. 'So when Foxconn came into the White House, into the Oval Office, the president said, "I know a good spot that you should go to, that place in Kenosha.'' '

That part of the state is an attractive location for a large plant because of the area's proximity to Lake Michigan and its abundant water supply. To make flat-panel displays, the company will need access to great quantities of water to keep work spaces dust-free, among other things.

Wisconsin has won the fight to build the first U.S. assembly plant for electronics giant Foxconn in a project that's expected to result in billions of dollars in investment in the state and create thousands of jobs in the congressional district of U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, thanks to a nudge from President Trump

'In other words, if I didn't get elected, he definitely would not be spending $10 billion,' Trump said at the announcement last week

President Donald Trump, embraces Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on stage in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said last week at the White House that it was the single largest economic investment in the history of his state and would lead to the indirect creation of 22,000 jobs.

Construction of the facility that will be three times the size of the Pentagon and 11 times larger than the Packers' Lambeau Field will require 10,000 sets of hands, Walker said.

Trump was more modest in his assessment of the jobs the deal that had not yet been inked would spwan.

The facility under negotiation 'will be about the biggest there is anywhere,' he said, and the 'initial investment of more than $10 billion will create 3,000 jobs at a minimum with a potential of up to 13,000 jobs in the very near future.'

'Chairman Gou, I thank you for your investment in the American worker, they appreciate it, they will not let you down,' Trump told Foxconn's founder. 'They never let us down. There is nobody like the American worker.'

Walker said it was the single largest economic investment in the history of Wisconsin and would lead to the direct and indirect creation of 22,000 jobs

Construction of the facility that will be three times the size of the Pentagon and 11 times larger than the Packers' Lambeau Field will require 10,000 sets of hands, Walker said.

Wisconsin is among seven states that had been vying to land a Foxconn liquid crystal display panel plant.

Republican leaders in the Wisconsin Senate said Walker had been negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Foxconn - best known as the assembler of the iPhone - to build such a factory in southeast Wisconsin.

Other states vying for the plant were Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Landing the multi-state competition has been cast as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Foxconn is the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other devices for Apple and other brands.

It had been eyeing building the plant in a part of Wisconsin represented by Ryan, who said he had met with company officials at the request of Walker, a fellow Republican.

Taiwan-based Foxconn is best known as the assembler of the iPhone. Wisconsin is among seven states, mostly in the Midwest, the company had named as possible locations to build the its first liquid-crystal display factory that promises to create at least 3,000 jobs

Critics have cautioned that Foxconn has made promises before to invest in the U.S. and not followed through. Foxconn promised in 2013, for example, to invest $30 million and hire 500 workers for a new high-tech factory in Pennsylvania, but it was never built.

Still, landing Foxconn is a victory both for Trump, as he touts his build America agenda, and for Walker, who is up for re-election next year.

'The panels will be made in America, proudly in the state of Wisconsin,' Walker said in the East Room of the White House last Wednesday.

Wisconsin could be on the hook for billions of dollars in incentives as part of the deal, though few details of the state's proposal have been released.

State Sen. Alberta Darling, co-chair of the Wisconsin Legislature's budget committee, said any deal would be examined with a 'fine-toothed comb' and need to win approval by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Landing the multi-state competition has been cast as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Foxconn is the biggest contract assembler of smartphones and other devices for Apple and other brands

It is also a victory for Trump, as he touts his build America agenda, and for Walker, who is up for re-election next year

The news sent a jolt of excitement across Wisconsin, even among longtime Democratic critics of Walker.

'It's an exciting opportunity,' said Democratic state Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca. He also met with Foxconn executives and said Walker's administration told him the deal could lead to 10,000 or more jobs.

Barca, like many Democrats, voiced concern about how much taxpayers may have to contribute in tax breaks and other incentives.

'We want to make sure it's a fair deal for everybody,' he said. 'We want a win-win-win.'
Sandwich shop Pret A Manger is being sued in federal court for allegedly tricking customers into 'paying for air' by selling snacks with less content than advertised.

Yee Ting Lau filed a suit against the company on Monday in the US District Court for the Southern District Court of New York.

Lau said she filed the claim after stopping in to a Pret A Manger store on East 39th Street and Madison Avenue to pick up a Chakalaka Wrap on June 12, only to find her promised snack advertised as being nine inches long was a measly eight.

The wrap cost $7.49. Lau claims the chain is liable for $5.5million in damages for violations of New York's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and false advertising law.

Yee Ting Lau filed a suit against the company on Monday in the US District Court for the Southern District Court of New York. This picture shows one of the wraps she cites in the suit

'Pret A Manger's deceptive practices caused economic harm to Ms. Lau and the class because they were promised, and paid for, a full portion of the products but received less than a full portion,' the suit states, according to documents published by Law360.

'Since they would not have agreed to this exchange had they known the truth, they were deprived of the benefit of their bargain.'

Lau, the suit claims, was unaware there was a 'shroud' of cardboard on the wrapping hiding the fact that there was a gap of about an inch between the two halves of the wrap.

As a result, she claims, she was 'paying for air' where her sandwich should have been.

The suit includes photographs of these two wraps, among others, showing the alleged 'missing' portions

The suit goes on to state at least six other items on the Pret A Manger menu 'are packaged to look like they contain a full sandwich, but actually contain between 1 and 2.5 inches of empty space', according to Law360.

Those meals included the Bang Bang Chicken, which had 1.25 inches of excess air; the Green Goddess Turkey, which had 1.5 inches of empty space; and the Mustard, Chicken and Swiss Wrap, and Greek Falafel Wrap, which had 1.5 and 1.75 inches spare, respectively.

The worst offender of the bunch was Pret A Manger's Avocado Pine Nut Wrap, which came incomplete with a staggering 2.5 inches of unused sandwich space, according to The Gothamist.

Lau is represented by C.K. Lee and Anne Seelig of Lee Litigation Group.

The New York Law Journal reports similar suit regarding 'slack fill' claims have been made in recent years, including one filed in 2016 that argued: 'Sour Patch Watermelon Candy can hold 44 per cent more candy than they do'.

Lee Litigation Group also took that case, which was ultimately tossed out.

Lau said she filed the claim after stopping in to a Pret A Manger store on East 39th Street and Madison Avenue to pick up a Chakalaka Wrap on June 12. The store is pictured
Justice Department lawyers and security officials are reviewing Russia sanctions legislation awaiting President Donald Trump's signature in an indication of a signing statement that would stake out executive authority.

The process, which the White House calls a 'legal review' is an effort to scrub the legislation, which Congress passed by an overwhelming majority, to ensure that the president has maximum flexibility to interpret restrictions within the law as narrowly as possible.

'In this atmosphere, just like when we did signing statements, itll get noticed because everybody will believe like Trumps not really going to implement what Congress wrote,' former Bush National Security Council official and House Intelligence panel staff director Michael Allen told DailyMail.com.

Justice Department lawyers and security officials are reviewing Russia sanctions legislation awaiting President Donald Trump 's signature in an indication of a signing statement that would stake out executive authority

President George W. Bush issued 161 signing statements during his presidency, as a way to protect authority he considered to reside in the executive branch. Allen said Trump was certain to do so on the charged issue of sanctions relating to Russia.

'This will be a very serious constitutional issue. They use all these things like national interest determination: when you can invoke [sanctions], when you cannot,' he said.

'Of course they will' issue a signing statement, he said.

The White House acknowledged Tuesday that it was conducting a review of the legislation  but offered no other explanation for a delay in the signing of a bill Congress has now formally sent over to the White House.

'He has not [signed the bill]' said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, adding 'well let you know when the details and final plan '

Then-candidate Donald Trump holds up a signed pledge during a press availability at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York September 3, 2015

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that the White House was conducting a 'legal review' of sanctions legislation that the president has yet to sign

When pressed at the daily White House press briefing about why Trump hadn't signed it, she said: 'Theres nothing holding him back. Theres a review process, a legal process, theyre going through that and well sign the bill and well let you guys know.'

Then she added: 'As with every very particularly complex piece of legislation like this is, theres a legal review and once we sign that well work through and put more of the details of that process out.'

She didn't respond to a direct question from DailyMail.com about a signing statement, nor did another senior administration official, nor the press office of the Office of Management and Budget, which oversees the process.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment.

The legislation slaps new sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and seeks to tie the president's hands  a rare bipartisan push against Trump, whose campaign is under investigation for contacts with Russian officials during the campaign and presidential transition.

'When its about presidential authority and presidential discretion, theyre going to write things like we will construe this consistent with the presidents inherent authority for foreign affairs,' said Allen, spelling out ways to try to mitigate the law.

President Donald J. Trump makes remarks at an event with small businesses in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y. talks about a letter he sent to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch, requesting a bipartisan effort on tax reform. Members of Congress frequently chafe at presidential signing statements as a way to undermine legislative intent

'Of course they will' issue a signing statement,' said former Bush national security official Michael Allen

SIGN OF THE TIMES: Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a news conference after the G20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, July 8, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump signs a document after announcing his Cuba policy at the Manuel Artime Theater in the Little Havana neighborhood in Miami, Florida, U.S. June 16, 2017

WASHINGTON - JANUARY 22: U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden (L) and retired military officers stand behind and watch U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd-L) sign executive orders to close down the detention center at Guantanamo Bay Cuba in the Oval Office at the White House on January 22, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama had promised to close the prison camp throughout his presidential campaign

U.S. President George W. Bush receives an update on the status of military action in Iraq March 20, 2003 in the Oval Office. Present are.. Vice President Dick Cheney, CIA Director George Tenet and Chief of.. Staff Andy Card

Such statements could potentially provide the foundation for a position during a court case, or lay the groundwork for the president granting waivers to individuals or companies. 'That always pisses the Hill off,' he said, referencing prior statements.

President Obama called the statements an abuse of power during the 2008 campaign, then made use of them himself.

In one example, he said while signing Guantanamo Bay restrictions: 'As I have said repeatedly, the provisions in this bill concerning detainee transfers would, in certain circumstances, violate constitutional separation-of-powers principles.'

As the Washington Times reported, he added: 'Additionally, Section 1034 could in some circumstances interfere with the ability to transfer a detainee who has been granted a writ of habeas corpus. In the event that the restrictions on the transfer of detainees in Sections 1032 and 1034 operate in a manner that violates these constitutional principles, my administration will implement them in a manner that avoids the constitutional conflict.'

The House passed the sanctions bill by a vote of 419 to 3, sending an unmistakable message that it could override a veto. The bill makes it harder for the president to ease sanctions without getting approval from Congress  a structure that clashes with the traditional White House view that it is the executive who makes foreign policy.
The Coast Guard's highest ranking officer said Tuesday that he 'will not break faith' with transgender service members under his command despite a recent announcement by the Trump administration.

Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Paul Zukunft said he contacted all 13 members of the Coast Guard who identify as transgender to assure them that they have his support.

Zukunft said he approached the recruits shortly after President Donald Trump announced last week that individuals in the transgender community would no longer be allowed to enter into military service.

Admiral Paul Zukunft (Pictured) said on Tuesday that he would 'not turn his back' on transgender service members

Zukunft reached out to all 13 transgender service members in the Coast Guard, including Lt. Taylor Miller (Pictured) whose family has disowned her

'I reached out personally to Lt. Taylor Miller, who was featured on the cover of The Washington Post last week,' Military.com quoted Zukunft as saying.

'If you read that story, Taylor's family has disowned her. Her family is the United States Coast Guard. And I told Taylor, "I will not turn my back. We have made an investment in you, and you have made an investment in the Coast Guard, and I will not break faith.'"

Miller is the first service member in the Coast Guard to state openly that she is transitioning, a process that began in 2016 following the Pentagon's decision to remove all barriers for the transgender community to pursue military service.

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered all branches of the military to draw up new policies that would allow for transgender recruits and transgender medical care within the military.

The Coast Guard is the only branch of the armed services that falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), rather than the Department of Defense (DOD).

On July 26, President Trump announced a new order that would bar 'transgender individuals to serve' in the military

Trump's initiative rescinds an Obama era policy that allowed members of transgender community to join the military

Experts say the military spends approximately $8 million on medical costs for transgender service people, a fraction of their budget

Zukunft said that he spoke to former Marine General John Kelly, who headed up the DHS before being sworn in as Trump's chief of staff on Monday.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was notified by Kelly about the issue shortly thereafter.

It still remains unclear, however, how Trump's order will be instituted throughout the military.

On July 26, the President announced the transgender ban in a series of messages via Twitter, writing: 'The United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.'

'Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.'

Experts say the military spends approximately $8 million on medical costs for transgender service people, according to The Atlantic.

56 former generals and admirals signed a document Tuesday stating that transgender service members are valued in the military

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump expressed his support for the LGBT community, saying if elected he would protect their rights.

'Thank you to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more people that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs,' he wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, 56 retired generals and admirals signed a letter opposing Trump's transgender ban on Tuesday, which notes the invaluable contribution members of the transgender community provide the armed services.

'Transgender troops have been serving honorably and openly for the past year, and have been widely praised by commanders,' the letter states.

'Eighteen foreign nations, including the UK and Israel, allow transgender troops to serve, and none has reported any detriment to readiness.'

The document was released by The Palm Center, which promotes the study of gay and transgender people in the armed forces.

The Family Research Council, a Christian policy group, praised Trump's decision to rescind the Obama-era policy, saying the military should not be distracted by 'politically correct' initiatives.

'As our nation faces serious national security threats, our troops shouldnt be forced to endure hours of transgender "sensitivity" classes and politically-correct distractions like this one,' Marine veteran and President of the group Tony Perkins said in a statement.
Joanna Krupa and Brandi Glanville have settled their long-running lawsuit, just two days before the case was due to go to jury trial.

Details of the settlement are being kept confidential but DailyMail.com can reveal Glanville's statement apologizing for comments made in 2013 in which she claimed Krupa has smelly lady parts.

In the statement, released through Krupas lawyer this evening, Glanville said: I want to apologize to Joanna Krupa for the statements I have made about her. I regret ever making such statements about Joanna Krupa. I also certainly never intended my statements to be taken so seriously and out of proportion. I apologize because I never wanted my statements to affect Joanna Krupas reputation and I wish her continued success in life.

In a statement issued to DailyMail.com, Krupa said: 'I am moving on with my life considering all the changes that are happening to me this year. I am very happy with the settlement and have no regrets. I hope I inspired others to always speak up when they believe they are wronged and not allow it.'

Commenting on the conclusion of the case, Krupas counsel, Raymond Rafool of Miami, Florida, said: Joanna and I are pleased with the settlement.

Settled: Krupa, 38, sued Glanville, 44, for slander and emotional distress following a 2013 interview the Beverly Hills housewife gave to Andy Cohen on 'Watch What Happens Live'

Krupa filed the defamation lawsuit in 2015 after Glanville repeated the allegations on the show in December 2014

Glanville, 44, also claimed the Polish model had once had an affair with Mohamed Hadid, the property developer father of models Gigi and Bella, while he was still married to Yolanda Foster.

The settlement concludes a lengthy legal battle fought largely in Miami, Florida, although Krupa was not in the city to see the final round of wrangling play out.

A request to remove the trial from the docket at the Miami District Court was filed this morning by lawyers acting for the Polish blonde.

BRANDI'S APOLOGY

I want to apologize to Joanna Krupa for the statements I have made about her. I regret ever making such statements about Joanna Krupa. I also certainly never intended my statements to be taken so seriously and out of proportion. I apologize because I never wanted my statements to affect Joanna Krupas reputation and I wish her continued success in life.

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The initial complaint, which was filed on January 22, 2015, came about as the result of an appearance by Glanville on late night talk show Watch What Happens Live in New York in November 2013.

While chatting to host Andy Cohen, Glanville claimed that Krupa had slept with Hadid, 68, while he was still married to Dutch former model and reality star Yolanda Foster.

She went on to allege Hadid had told her Krupa's 'p***y smelled' and claimed to have a witness to the conversation in the shape of fellow reality star Lisa Vanderpump.

On a show taped for Bravo's Watch What Happens Live YouTube channel that aired on December 16 2014, Glanville repeated the remark and added: 'You can't help the odor situation'.

Krupa filed suit the following month, accusing Glanville of making 'false and malicious' statements and demanding damages of at least $15,000  which were later revised upwards to $2 million.

Glanville claimed that Krupa had slept with Mohamed Hadid, 68, while he was still married. Krupa said these statements were defamatory

Although details of the settlement will not be made public, it is unlikely that Glanville, who was famously dumped by Eddie Cibrian for LeAnn Rimes, will pay anything like the amount requested.

Much of the legal wrangling over the past two months has concerned Glanville's financial situation and apparent reluctance to provide full details of her income.

In June, emails seen by DailyMail.com reveal the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star was accused of concealing assets worth $150,000 and lying about being 'broke' by Krupa's legal team.

And in July, Krupa's estranged husband, French nightclub mogul Romain Zago, 44, was ordered to make a deposition in which he said the model's vagina smells 'amazing'.

Over the past few months, much of the legal wrangling concerned Glanville's financial situation and apparent reluctance to provide full details of her income. The Housewives settled the lawsuit two days before it was scheduled to go to trial

He continued: 'If you want to know the answer to this stupid comments from your client [Glanville], [Krupa's] vagina smells amazing. And I swear on God, Jesus, my father, my brothers.'

Zago, who would have been ordered to testify had the case gone to trial, would have been joined on the witness stand by Hadid and Vanderpump  both of whom also made formal depositions.

In hers, the 56-year-old Vanderpump Rules star described Glanville as a 'liar' and revealed the pair were no longer friends.

Hadid, meanwhile, flatly denied having an affair with Krupa and said he has never spoken of her to Glanville.

Vanderpump said: 'I think through trial and tribulations, really reality television, and things she did and said here just - kind of ended the relationship.

She continued: 'I don't give anything Brandi Glanville says credence or credibility, and don't invest. I always consider the source.'

Hadid added: 'I have never spoken ever  to Brandi about Joanna. Never [Joanna Krupa] came into any kind of conversation. There was never a conversation to bring it into.'

Asked if he had had an affair with Krupa, Hadid said: 'Absolutely not.'

He also said he never made reference to her private parts, telling lawyers: 'I have never, ever spoken of anyone's private parts, Joanna or anyone else.'
Kate Elizabeth Prichard, 25, was mid-argument with her new husband James Jarid Burton, 30, at the Clarion Inn motel in Murfreesboro, Tennessee when she allegedly fired the gun

A bride has been arrested after she allegedly pulled a gun out from beneath her wedding dress and fired it at her groom just hours after they tied the knot.

Kate Elizabeth Prichard, 25, was mid-argument with her new husband James Jarid Burton, 30, outside the Clarion Inn motel in Murfreesboro, Tennessee when she allegedly pulled the trigger.

Prichard, who was still in her wedding dress when she was arrested, is accused of pulling out the 9mm handgun, pointing it at her husband's head and firing it.

Police said the gun was not loaded at the time, but Prichard allegedly loaded the gun later and fired it into the air, causing people nearby to flee.

The couple were both uncooperative with officers when they were called to the motel and denied that anything was amiss, according to police.

Witnesses disputed the couple's version of events and claimed they had been drinking and arguing outside the motel.

Prichard, who was still in her wedding dress when she was arrested, is accused of pulling out the 9mm handgun, pointing it at her husband Burton's head and firing it

Prichard allegedly tried to hide the gun in the bathroom of their motel room before police arrived.

'Responding officers let the husband know the honeymoon was over and his new wife was going to jail,' Murfreesboro police sergeant Kyle Evans told News Channel 5.

She was charged with aggravated domestic assault and was booked into Rutherford County before being released on a $15,000 bond.

Prichard boasted on Facebook last month of her new tattoo dedicated to Burton, declaring that she was 'Property of J-Rod - her soon-to-be husband's nickname, The Smoking Gun reports.
A revealing interview transcript features President Donald Trump calling son-in-law Jared Kushner a 'good boy' and his daughter Ivanka 'honey.'

Both Kushner and Ivanka Trump serve in White House, and got singled out for praise as the president exchanged good-natured banter with the editor of the Wall Street Journal as an interview transcript circulated Tuesday.

Trump vouched for his son-in-law during the interview, which was conducted in the Oval Office last week, not long after Kushner spoke to congressional panels investigating Russian election interference.

The president thanked the paper for an editorial praising Kushner for his disclosure of his contacts with Russians and other foreigners.

President Donald Trump called his daughter 'Honey' and his son-in-law a 'good boy' in a Wall Street Journal interview transcript

'You did a good job. He's a good  he's a good boy,' Trump said.

'They wrote a very nice editorial, so very good,' said Ivanka Trump, who dropped by the interview, echoing the comment.

Journal editor Gerard Baker, who took part in the prestigious interview, tried to explain after the initial compliment that the Journal's newsroom wasn't responsible for the editorial.

'Well, you see, you know, my colleagues write those, so they'll be  they'll be,' Baker said, according to Politico, which got a copy of the full transcript.

'GOOD BOY': White House Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner arrives to address Congressional interns at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center July 31, 2017 in Washington, DC

White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump stand together after John Kelly was sworn in as White House Chief of Staff in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 31, 2017

'You did a good job,' the president said, ignoring the distinction.

'Yeah, you really did,' Ivanka Trump chimed in.

'Thanks, honey. Stay around if you want,' Trump told his daughter at one point.

A Journal spokesperson told the publication the paper was 'proud of the on-the-record interview we conducted with President Trump, which produced multiple, newsworthy articles.'

The flak added: 'We published the noteworthy excerpts from the interview. We saw no reason to publish the crosstalk that inevitably accompanies any conversation.'

Baker also told the president's daughter, 'It was nice to see you out in Southampton a couple weeks ago'  undoubtedly at a party by Washington Post heiress Lally Weymouth.

'How is your Arabella,' Ivanka asked Baker, who has a 15 year old daughter who shares the same name as Trump's daughter, 6.
An investigation that began with a breakthrough by authorities in Australia has led to a 21-year jail sentence for an American child pornographer.

Sean Patrick Oswell, 52, of Greer, South Carolina took pictures of 'a very young child' and then distributed the images.

US prosecutors told Oswell's sentencing in South Carolina last week Australian law enforcement first located the images in Australia and then 'worked backward, eventually locating the distributor of those images, Sean Patrick Oswell'.

Oswell, who entered a guilty plea to a production of child pornography charge, was sentenced to 262 months' jail and a life term of supervised release including sex offender registration, sex offender counselling and polygraph requirements.

Sean Patrick Oswell, 52, has been jailed for 21 years after pleading guilty to child pornography charges

'Investigation revealed that Oswell not only distributed those images, but he had actually created them, taking pictures of the prepubescent child, whose identity is protected, and sexually exploiting the child,' U.S. Attorney Beth Drake said.

The prepubescent victim's identity has been protected.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
A man has died after the helicopter he was flying clipped power lines in northwest Queensland.

The 40-year-old man appeared to have been using the helicopter to muster livestock on a property north of Cloncurry at about 7.30am on Wednesday when he hit the lines, the Courier Mail reports.

Emergency crews headed to the scene after the incident was reported.

A helicopter with two people on board has crashed in northwest Queensland after reportedly clipping power lines. File photo

However, the helicopter burst into flames when it crashed and the man, the only person aboard, died at the scene.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman earlier confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that officers were responding to reports of a helicopter crash in Cloncurry Road.

She said further details about the incident would not be available until officers arrive on scene.




British taxpayers will fund an 80million aid giveaway in Brazil, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced yesterday.

Mr Hammond unveiled the promise during a visit to the ninth-largest economy in the world.

He said the money would help reduce poverty and fund economic development  but last night critics said it was wrong to give cash to richer developing countries such as Brazil.

Backbench Tory MP Peter Bone said: How can this possibly be the right thing to do? Its one thing to give money to help Syrian refugees near to conflict zones. Its another entirely to give 80million to the worlds ninth-largest economy. In fact its nuts.

Mr Hammond (pictured) unveiled the promise during a visit to Brazil, the ninth-largest economy in the world

The cash comes from the five-year 1.3billion Prosperity Fund which is designed to improve growth in developing countries. A report by the aid watchdog in February said use of the fund for richer developing countries should be restricted.

The Independent Commission for Aid Impact warned of serious risks about the effectiveness of the Prosperity Fund, saying it was fragmented and lacked transparency.

Mr Hammond made the announcement in a joint statement with the Brazilian finance minister. They said the cash is designed to support Brazil in targeted areas of its economic development and poverty reduction efforts.

The statement continued: This partnership will also expand the potential for global trade, catalyse investment and increase opportunities for international business in Brazil, helping to secure Brazils economic growth. Speaking in Brazil, Mr Hammond added: Todays dialogue has created exciting new opportunities for partnership between the UK and Brazil, Latin Americas largest economy.

Mr Hammond made the announcement in a joint statement with the Brazilian finance minister. They said the cash is designed to support Brazil in targeted areas of its economic development and poverty reduction efforts. Pictured: A general view of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

I am very pleased to be accompanied by executives from some great British companies with world-leading expertise, to help facilitate deeper economic and trade links between our two countries.

But Ukip MEP Gerard Batten warned Brazil was also a notoriously corrupt country. Britain is strapped for cash, he said. But we are sending hard-earned taxpayers money to one of the most quickly-growing economies in the world. It also happens to have one of the worst records for corruption.

Mr Hammonds South American tour, which saw him fly to Argentina last night, is designed to pave the way for British firms to export to the continent.

Support for trading with Brazil from government agency UK Export Finance, which aims to ensure no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance, is to double to up to 3billion.

Backbench Tory MP Peter Bone (pictured) said: How can this possibly be the right thing to do? Its one thing to give money to help Syrian refugees near to conflict zones. Its another entirely to give 80million to the worlds ninth-largest economy. In fact its nuts'

The Treasury said the Brazilian Granito Group is also to base the headquarters of its new global investment bank  Granito & Capital  in London, while UK-based GP Laboratories plans to export 11million of pharmaceuticals to Brazil over the next five years.

Mr Hammond is today holding talks with Argentine president Mauricio Macri and senior ministers as well as British and Argentine businesses.

Among those accompanying Mr Hammond are senior figures from the London Stock Exchange, Transport for London, the Bank of England and the Green Investment Bank.

A Treasury spokesman said: We are building new trade and investment ties around the world and the cross-Whitehall Prosperity Fund, announced in 2015, will create opportunities for British businesses by supporting sustainable development overseas.
Opinion / Columnist

Tapson Muchena is an academic and a keen observer of the Zimbabwe situation. He can no longer remain silent. tapson.muchena@gmail.com

Our nation is in desperate need of salvation but no saviour is going to miraculously appear among us; we Zimbabweans must redeem ourselves.Not so long ago people were being arrested and prosecuted for suggesting that Mugabe must put a succession plan in place, now it is his own wife who is openly canvassing the issue. Mrs Mugabe's recent diatribe, which was intended to derail Emmerson Mnangagwa's ambitions, has served only to highlight the implosion of ZANU PF and the immanent demise of her husband. Her intervention raises the question of whether Mugabe understands what is happening now and whether he has got the capacity to influence anything any more.However I am beginning to wonder if most Zimbabweans really care. It does not take long before any conversation turns to politics in Zimbabwe - people bemoan their lot: unemployment, bank queues, intermittent water and electricity supply, the deterioration of roads, hospitals and schools; they are contemptuous of corrupt politicians, civil servants and police, and they fantasise about a future when things will get better - but it is all talk.The mortal sin of Zimbabweans is apathy!Zimbabweans seem to have adapted to life under ZANU PF. They keep their heads down and let the politics go on around them instead of being actively involved in the political process. They seem to think that, if they wait long enough, things will get better; in the meantime they stoically put up with the blight that is ZANU PF.There is no fire in the belly, no groundswell for change, no deafening demands for ZANU PF to go, and no relentless pressure on the opposition to commit to good governance and the rule of law.Our people are the most educated people in Africa yet they naively proceed as if elections in 2018 are a given. What is inevitable is yet another five years of ZANU PF government if those elections are allowed proceed as they are. There must be no elections without electoral reform and the pressure for that reform must come from the people.Perhaps the apparent apathy of Zimbabweans is simply long-sufferance and resignation to their fate. People are not going to get motivated to participate in another ZANU PF controlled election with the same protagonists as in every election since 2002 and the same inevitable result.The people need to be stirred into action and it is going to take inspirational leadership to achieve that. The opposition needs new and more defiant leadership in order to inspire the people to overcome ZANU PF.Morgan Tsvangirai must go. He forfeited his claim to leadership when he opted out of the 2008 run-off election because his supporters were being attacked and killed. Their sacrifice was in vain. Zimbabweans died for him but Tsvangirai was too afraid to shoulder the awful responsibility of any general who goes into battle knowing that some of his troops will be lost. When he was Prime Minister for the five years of the GNU, he failed to take advantage of the MDC's parliamentary majority to implement electoral reform. Tsvangirai has passed his use-by date. He must stand back and allow new leaders to take up the battle.It would seem that Zimbabweans are not hungry enough. Otherwise there would be masses of people on the streets every day demanding the end of Mugabe and his party's rule.In 2011 sustained mass action by the people of Egypt brought down the dictator Hosni Mubarak and his government. Their protest took various forms, from the occupation of central Cairo's Tahrir Square to labour strikes, and acts of civil disobedience, bringing together various opposition groups representing a wide cross section of Egyptian society. Their unwavering determination was undaunted despite clashes with armed forces and police brutality. Are Zimbabweans less courageous than Egyptians?Right now ZANU PF is probably at its weakest and there is a big possibility of ZANU PF supporters not voting for their own candidates as happened in 2008. This week's statements by Grace Mugabe and Victor Matemadanda reveal widening fissures in ZANU PF and indicate that either Emmerson Mnangagwa or Jonathan Moyo is headed for a mighty fall. However, opposition forces are not going to win simply because ZANU PF is divided. They can only win if they are united and strategic.Nkosana Moyo made an inauspicious entry onto the political scene by being too accommodating towards ZANU PF and Emmerson Mnagagwa. However, those who paid attention to his speech at Chatham House will realise that he is a decent technocrat who is feeling his way as a politician. There is a depth to him and an integrity that we have not seen in our political leaders in recent times.If the MDC is serious about a united coalition, if they really are people of vision and truly have at heart freedom, justice, prosperity and equal opportunity for all Zimbabweans, would they have the courage to throw the weight of their considerable support behind Nkosana Moyo's candidacy?But there must be no election without electoral reform and the best mechanism to achieve that is an interim transitional authority to oversee biometric voter registration and then conduct free and fair elections under international supervision.In a recent interview about voter registration, Obert Gutu said opposition parties would continue piling on pressure through demonstrations and court challenges to ensure transparency in preparations for next year's general elections. It would be better for MDC to focus on lighting the fire in the bellies of Zimbabweans by mobilising their followers to spearhead organised and sustained public protests to bring down the ZANU PF government so an interim transitional authority can be put in place.That is the way forward to electoral reform and truly free and fair elections.
Some dog owners are refusing to vaccinate their pooches out of fear they will develop autism.

Veterinarians in Brooklyn, New York have reported an increasing number of anti-vaxxer pet owners who say they are worried the vaccinations will harm their dogs.

'We do see a higher number of clients who don't want to vaccinate their animals,' Dr Amy Ford of the Veterinarian Wellness Center of Boerum Hill told the Brooklyn Paper.

Vets in Brooklyn, New York have reported an increasing number of anti-vaxxer pet owners who say they are worried the vaccinations will see their dogs develop autism (file photo)

'This may be stemming from the anti-vaccine movement, which people are now applying to their pets.'

Dr Ford said more people from hip areas within Brooklyn are refusing to vaccinate against distemper, hepatitis and rabies - which are required by law.

'It's actually much more common in the hipster-y areas,' she said.

Dr Stephanie Liff of Pure Paws Veterinary Care in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill neighborhood said clients have suggested to her that vaccinations were likely to give their pets autism.

The owners are refusing to vaccinate against distemper, hepatitis and rabies - which are required by law (file photo)

'I had a client concerned about an autistic child who didn't want to vaccinate the dog for the same reason,' she said.

'We've never diagnosed autism in a dog. I don't think you could.'

The skepticism towards vaccinating dogs appears to stem from arguments from anti-vaxxers who claim vaccines can cause autism in children.
If you're guilty of talking to your baby in a silly voice, you should blame your caveman ancestors, new research suggests.

Researchers have found that 'baby talk' - speaking to your child in a high pitched voice while using simplistic language - could be a hang-up of early human evolution.

Our ancestors may have originally spoken in a childish voice to appear less intimidating to their babies.

And because this peculiar habit made it easier for babies to learn their first language, it soon became ingrained in our DNA, scientists have suggested.

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Researchers have found that 'baby talk' - speaking to your child in a high pitched voice while using simplistic language - could be a hang-up of early human evolution (stock image)

WHY DO WE USE BABY TALK? The researchers studied the movements that mothers make with their lips and tongue while talking to their babies to decipher the origins of baby talk. When mothers speak to their babies, which is formally known as infant-directed speech, they unconsciously adjust their voice box to speak in a higher pitch. The researchers suggest that our ancestors may have unconsciously raised their larynx to produce a squeaky voice that appears less aggressive to their offspring. Advertisement

To decipher the origins of baby talk, researchers studied the movements that mothers make with their lips and tongue while talking to their babies.

They found that when mothers speak to their babies, which is formally known as infant-directed speech, they unconsciously adjust their voice box to speak in a higher pitch.

Dr Marina Kalashnikova, a researcher in infancy studies at Western Sydney University, told MailOnline: 'We showed that in comparison to adult directed speech, mothers raised their larynx [voice box] more in IDS, which resulted in a shorter vocal tract.

'This adjustment leads to speech with higher pitch and also with more distinct speech sounds.

'Thus, these results show that mothers make this unconscious adjustment when speaking to their babies, and this in turn allows them not only to comfort their baby, but also help them learn the sounds of their language.'

Previous research has proven that exposure to baby talk can help young children to learn their first language.

But this doesn't explain why our ancestors started speaking in a funny voice to their children in the first place, according to Dr Kalashnikova.

In her new research, she has suggested that our ancestors may have unconsciously raised their larynx to produce a squeaky voice that appears less aggressive to their offspring.

Dr Kalashnikova said: 'Raising and lowering our larynx to change the appearance of our vocal tract size is not something that humans do, but its also done by other animals.

The researchers suggest that parents may have unconsciously raise their voice to produce a squeaky voice that appears less aggressive to their baby (stock image)

'Small animals lower their larynx to sound larger and scarier, and thus scare off potential predators.

'Larger animals raise their larynx to sound smaller and less threatening. It appears that this is also what parents do when speaking to their babies.

'They raise their larynx, to appear smaller, less threatening, and friendlier, which is more appealing and comforting for our young babies.'

Dr Kalashnikova has proposed that some of our ancestors originally adopted a squeaky voice to appear less intimidating to their children.

Young children who had been exposed to baby talk inadvertently became better at learning their first language, which helped them survive to adulthood and reproduce.

Over time, this process led to more people using baby talk, before it eventually became behavioural trait common to the majority of humans.
Endangered elephants and tigers are killing one person a day in India as humans move further into their habitat, according to new government figures.

But man is in turn killing a leopard a day as the man-animal tussle for space reaches new heights.

India has lost vast swathes of forests to urbanisation in recent decades, forcing animals into human-occupied zones.

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Pictured is an elephant attacking an Indian man in a village in West Bengal state. Endangered elephants and tigers are killing one person a day in India as humans put a growing squeeze on their habitat, according to new government figures

ELEPHANT AND TIGER ATTACKS IN INDIA Elephants accounted for 1,052 human deaths and tigers 92, according to the figures released to Indian parliament last week. West Bengal state accounted for more than a quarter of deaths. The eastern state has nearly 800 elephants and is also home to famed Bengal tigers. Most attacks on humans by elephants take place in so-called elephant corridors which they have used for centuries but are now being overrun by humans. India has nearly 30,000 elephants and is home to half the world's tiger population with some 2,226 of the big cats roaming its reserves, according to the last official count in 2014. Both are endangered species. Advertisement

According to the environment ministry, 1,144 people were killed in attacks across India in 1,143 days between April 2014 and May this year.

And there is no sign of the toll being cut.

The ministry said 345 tigers and 84 elephants were killed in the same period, mostly in poacher attacks as the mammals are hunted for their tusks.

Siddhanta Das, the ministry's director general of forests, said human encroachment into animal territory was causing the deaths.

'We are running awareness campaigns to minimise the casualties,' Mr Das told AFP.

Elephants accounted for 1,052 human deaths and tigers 92, according to the figures released to parliament last week.

West Bengal state accounted for more than a quarter of deaths.

The eastern state has nearly 800 elephants and is also home to famed Bengal tigers.

A tiger (pictured) that killed three Indian villagers was shot dead in October 2016 after hunters used drones to track it down. According to the environment ministry, 1,144 people were killed in elephant and tiger attacks across India in 1,143 days between April 2014 and May this year

Last year a herd of wild elephants went on an hours-long rampage in West Bengal, killing five people and damaging vehicles and homes before being subdued with tranquilliser darts.

But tensions are also mounting elsewhere across the country - an elephant trampled to death four people, including a 12-year-old girl, in a village in southern Tamil Nadu state in June.

There have also been cases of elephants knocking people off scooters.

Most attacks on humans by elephants take place in so-called elephant corridors which they have used for centuries but are now being overrun by humans.

According to National Crime Records Bureau statistics, nearly 950 people were killed in animal attacks in 2015.

But those statistics did not specify the nature of the incidents.

Man is in turn killing a leopard a day as the man-animal tussle for space reaches new heights. Pictured is a leopard attacking a man identified by Indian media as wildlife conservationist Sanjay Gubbi at a private school on the outskirts of Bangalore in February 2016

India has nearly 30,000 elephants and is home to half the world's tiger population with some 2,226 of the big cats roaming its reserves, according to the last official count in 2014 - both are endangered species.

'Rampant killing of wildlife is ongoing in India,' Tito Joseph of the Wildlife Protection Society of India told AFP.

'Hundreds of leopards, tigers and elephants are killed for their body parts.'

Fatality figures for the estimated 12,000 to 14,000 leopards living in the wild are becoming alarming, according to a 2015 census.

More than 1,436 of the animals have been killed since January 2014, according to the WPSI.

There are no figures on the number of humans killed by leopards, but experts say there are hundreds each year.
They're called 'ghost forests' - dead trees along vast swaths of coastline invaded by rising seas, something scientists call one of the most visible markers of climate change.

The process has occurred naturally for thousands of years, but it has accelerated in recent decades as polar ice melts and raises sea levels, scientists say, pushing salt water farther inland and killing trees in what used to be thriving freshwater plains.

Efforts are underway worldwide to determine exactly how quickly the creation of ghost forests is increasing.

A narrow band of brown pine trees that were killed by October 2015 tidal flooding near Yorktown, Va. Rising sea levels are killing trees along vast swaths of the North American coast by inundating them in salt water. The dead trees in what used to be thriving freshwater coastal environments are called 'ghost forests' by researchers.

But scientists agree the startling sight of dead trees in once-healthy areas is an easy-to-grasp example of the consequences of climate change.

'I think ghost forests are the most obvious indicator of climate change anywhere on the Eastern coast of the U.S.,' said Matthew Kirwan, a professor at Virginia Institute of Marine Science who is studying ghost forests in his state and Maryland.

'It was dry, usable land 50 years ago; now it's marshes with dead stumps and dead trees.'

It is happening around the world, but researchers say new ghost forests are particularly apparent in North America, with hundreds of thousands of acres of salt-killed trees stretching from Canada down the East Coast, around Florida and over to Texas.

In this July 16, 2017, photo, the sun rises on a 'ghost forest' near the Savannah River in Port Wentworth, Ga. Rising sea levels are killing trees along vast swaths of the North American coast by inundating them in salt water. The dead trees in what used to be thriving freshwater coastal environments are called 'ghost forests' by researchers. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

The intruding salt water changes coastal ecosystems, creating marshes where forests used to be.

This has numerous effects on the environment, though many scientists caution against viewing them in terms of 'good' or 'bad.'

What benefits one species or ecosystem might harm another one, they say.

Ghost forests are the most obvious indicator of climate change anywhere on the Eastern coast of the U.S.

For instance, migratory birds that rely on coastal forests have less habitat.

And the death of the trees makes soil microbes release nitrogen, which adds to nitrogen already occurring from other sources, including agricultural runoff, to contribute to algae blooms and reduced oxygen that can sicken or kill fish.

But the conversion of forest into marshland produces 'extremely productive' wetlands that feed and shelter fish and shellfish.

The Atlantic croaker fish, for instance, was rare 15 years ago in southern New Jersey waters but now is abundant, said Ken Able, a Rutgers University professor.

This undated photo provided by Matthew Kirwan shows Phragmites and Spartina marshland expanding into a ghost forest in Robbins, Md. Rising sea levels are killing trees along vast swaths of the North American coast by inundating them in salt water. The dead trees in what used to be thriving freshwater coastal environments are called 'ghost forests' by researchers. (Matthew Kirwan via AP)

'There is a lot of change going on,' said Greg Noe, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

'It's dramatic and it's changing faster than it has before in human history.'

Quantifying the rate of increase in ghost forests is a major focus of Able's research. Some scientists say the increase began around the time of the Industrial Revolution, while others say the speedup began more recently than that.

SCIENTISTS '95% CERTAIN' EARTH WILL WARM BY 2C THIS CENTURY Climate change will push Earth past its 'tipping point' within the next 100 years, causing calamitous natural disasters and species loss, new research suggests. A study using powerful new statistical tools found there is only a five per cent chance that Earth will warm by 2C (3.6F) or less by the end of this century. The new predictions also reveal that there is only a one per cent chance that warming will be limited to 1.5C (2.7F), which is the target set by the 2016 Paris Agreement. Global carbon emission projections through the year 2100, per year (left) and cumulative (right). Dotted lines show the four 'scenarios' from the IPCC. The shaded area is the new approach, where the dark area is the 90 per cent confidence interval, and light shading is the 95 per cent confidence range 'Our analysis shows that the goal of two degrees is very much a best-case scenario,' said lead researcher Adrian Raftery, a professor of statistics and sociology at the University of Washington. 'It is achievable, but only with major, sustained effort on all fronts over the next 80 years.' Advertisement

In this July 16, 2017, photo, the sun rises on a 'ghost forest' near the Savannah River in Port Wentworth, Ga. Rising sea levels are killing trees along vast swaths of the North American coast by inundating them in salt water. The dead trees in what used to be thriving freshwater coastal environments are called 'ghost forests' by researchers. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

In the past 100 years, Kirwan said, 100,000 acres of forest in the Chesapeake Bay has converted to marshland.

Photographs show the rate of coastal forest loss is four times greater now than it was during the 1930s, he said.

Seas off the East Coast have risen by 1.3 feet over the last 100 years, said Ben Horton, a Rutgers University professor and expert on sea level rise.

That is a faster pace than for the past 2,000 years combined, he said.

Some of the most dramatic anecdotal evidence of the acceleration in ghost forest creation is along the Savannah River between Georgia and South Carolina, Noe said.

When his team first got there 10 years ago, 'it looked like the trees were under a little stress, but they were all alive,' he said. 'But five years later, the vast majority of them were dead. That happened right in front of our eyes, much faster than we expected.'

Marcelo Ardon, a biology professor at North Carolina State University, studied one site called the Palmetto Pear Tree Preserve on Albemarle Sound in North Carolina from 2006 to 2009.

When he returned in 2016, he said, 'what used to look like a healthy cypress swamp, now the trees are dead and the water level is a lot higher.

'The place has completely changed. I've checked overhead satellite photos and you can see the trees dying.'

This July 16, 2017, photo shows a 'ghost forest' near the Savannah River in Port Wentworth, Ga. Rising sea levels are killing trees along vast swaths of the North American coast by inundating them in salt water. The dead trees in what used to be thriving freshwater coastal environments are called 'ghost forests' by researchers. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

In southern New Jersey, the most affected species is the Atlantic white cedar, which was a mainstay of the shipbuilding industry because of its resistance to rot. Farther south, cypress, loblolly pines and Eastern red cedar are dying.

Large storms can drive salt water further inland and kill trees; 2012's Superstorm Sandy is believed to have led to the deaths of some trees in southern New Jersey, Able said.

The difference, Kirwan said, is that in the past, flooded areas would dry out before salt water killed most of the trees.

'That same storm 100 years ago would also have killed trees,' he said. 'But 100 years ago that same land wouldn't have been so wet that new trees couldn't get established and replace the dead ones. That's a big part of where sea level rise comes in.'

In this July 16, 2017, photo, the sun rises on a 'ghost forest' near the Savannah River in Port Wentworth, Ga. Rising sea levels are killing trees along vast swaths of the North American coast by inundating them in salt water. The dead trees in what used to be thriving freshwater coastal environments are called 'ghost forests' by researchers. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)
The porn habits of a judge and the types of drugs taken by a politician are among the findings revealed by the anonymous online data of three million internet users.

Two security researchers gathered the information from 'clickstreams' of people's web activity.

Clickstreams are records collected by browser plugins and other services.

This data is used to target advertising campaigns and is not meant to record any personal information that could be linked to an individual.

The researchers found, however, they were easily able to link the information to an individual.

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The porn-browsing habits of a judge and drugs taken by a politician are among the findings revealed by the anonymous online data of three million internet users. Researchers gathered the information from clickstreams, anonymous records of people's web activity (stock image)

PLUGIN DATA LEAKS Two security researchers have revealed the private browsing habits of three million internet users. They did so by analysing information from clickstreams, records collected by browser plugins and other services, of people's web activity. Data gathered by these plugins is anonymised before it is sold to advertisers and is given a customer identifier number rather than an individuals names. The German pair say they were easily able to link the information provided to a named person. To do so, they used publicly available information about people's browsing habits, including links and photos shared on social media and YouTube browsing histories. By comparing this public information from named individuals with the private anonymous data, it became possible to link the two. Advertisement

This allowed them to trace who people were, sites they had visited, and products they had purchased.

The findings were presented by German journalist Svea Eckert and data scientist Andreas Dewes at the Def Con hacking conference, held in Las Vegas over the weekend.

They obtained a database of three billion web addresses from over nine million different sites visited by three million German users.

The pair said that 95 per cent of the data they obtained came from ten popular browser extensions.

The worst offender was a surfing tool called Web of Trust, according to the experts.

This free plugin is meant to provide users with crowdsourced reviews and other data about whether individual websites are secure and respect privacy.

Ironically, it was also found to be recording user browser habits and selling them on to advertisers.

Speaking to the BBC, Ms Eckert said: 'What these companies are doing is illegal in Europe but they do not care.

'This could be so creepy to abuse.

'You could have an address book and just look up people by their names and see everything they did.'

'After the research project we deleted the data because we did not want to have it close to our hands any more.

'We were scared that we would be hacked.'

Data gathered by these plugins is anonymised before it is sold to advertisers and is given a customer identifier number rather than an individuals names.

The pair say they were easily able to link the information provided to a named person.

Often the browsing habits did not expose illegal activity. But the researchers say it might cause embarrassment for public figures or provide ammunition for blackmailers and other cyber-criminals (stock image)

To do so, they used publicly available information about people's browsing habits, including links and photos shared on social media and YouTube browsing histories.

By comparing this public information from named individuals with the private anonymous data, it became possible to link the two.

The information revealed intimate details of the browsing habits of the people involved.

Often the browsing habits did not expose illegal activity.

But the researchers say it might cause embarrassment for public figures or provide ammunition for blackmailers and other cyber-criminals.
In an attempt to store renewable energy, Google's parent company is turning to two rather unexpected resources  salt and antifreeze.

Alphabet, which owns Google, is working on a project under the code name 'Malta' to store renewable energy that would otherwise be wasted.

If successful, the system could be located almost anywhere, saving millions of megawatts of energy that are currently lost worldwide each year.

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In an attempt to store renewable energy, Google is turning to two rather unexpected resources  salt and antifreeze. The Malta system looks like a small power plant, with four tanks connected to a heat pump

THE MALTA SYSTEM The Malta system looks like a small power plant, with four tanks connected to a heat pump. X says the system can come in various different sizes, ranging from the same size as a garage, to a full-scale traditional power plant, depending on needs. Two of the cylindrical tanks are filled with salt, while the second two are filled with antifreeze. Energy is taken into the system in the form of electricity, which is turned into separate streams of hot and cold air. The hot air heats up the salt, while the cold air cools the antifreeze. To re-generate the energy, the process is reversed, so that the hot and cold air rush towards each other. This creates powerful winds that spin a turbine, producing the energy once again. The system can store the energy for days, depending on the amount of insulation. Advertisement

Alphabet's mysterious X division is working on the 'moonshot' project Malta, according to a report in Bloomberg.

According to X executives and researchers, the system has the potential to last longer than lithium-ion batteries, and could compete with other clean energy storage methods.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Obi Felton, director at X, said: 'If the moonshot factory gives up on a big, important problem like climate change, then maybe it will never get solved.

'If we do start solving it, there are trillions and trillions of dollars in market opportunity.'

While Malta is not yet an official X project, the team of 10 researchers is now looking for partners to build and operate a prototype to the grid, according to Ms Felten.

Each year, huge amounts of energy are wasted, because there is no efficient way to store it.

For example, in the first half of this year, California wasted 300,000 megawatts of energy produced by solar panels and wind farms, while China threw out more than 17 per cent of its energy produced, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

The Malta system looks like a small power plant, with four tanks connected to a heat pump.

X says the system can come in various different sizes, ranging from the same size as a garage, to a full-scale traditional power plant, depending on needs.

Describing the system, Julian Green, the product manager for Malta told Bloomberg: 'Think of this, at a very simple level, as a fridge and a jet.'

Two of the cylindrical tanks are filled with salt, and two with antifreeze. Energy is taken into the system in the form of electricity, which is converted it into separate streams of hot and cold air. The hot air heats up the salt, while the cold air cools the antifreeze. To re-generate the energy, the process is reversed,. This creates winds that spin a turbine, producing the energy again

Two of the cylindrical tanks are filled with salt, while the second two are filled with antifreeze.

Energy is taken into the system in the form of electricity, which is turned into separate streams of hot and cold air.

The hot air heats up the salt, while the cold air cools the antifreeze.

While Malta is not yet an official X project, the team of 10 researchers is now looking for partners to build and operate a prototype to the grid, according to Ms Felten

To re-generate the energy, the process is reversed, so that the hot and cold air rush towards each other, creating powerful winds that spin a turbine, producing the energy once again.

The system can store the energy for days, depending on the amount of insulation.

Mr Green said: 'The thermodynamic physics are well-known to anyone who studied it enough in college.

The project now has the backing of Robert Laughlin, a Nobel prize-winning physcists whose research is the basis for the system. It is unclear when the system will be ready for installation

'The trick is doing it at the right temperatures, with cheap materials. That is super compelling.'

The project now has the backing of Robert Laughlin, a Nobel prize-winning physicist whose research is the basis for the system.

Mr Laughlin said: 'A blessing came out of the sky. X came in and took a giant bite out of this problem.'

It is unclear when the system will be ready for installation.
Leaked photos claiming to show the final design of the highly-anticipated Galaxy Note 8 have surfaced online.

The images allegedly reveal that Samsung's answer to the iPhone 8 will be more rectangular than the Galaxy S8 and will be sold in black and gold.

The leak comes just weeks before the device is due to be officially unveiled by Samsung at a launch in New York, according to rumours.

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Leaked photos claiming to show the final design of the highly-anticipated Galaxy Note 8 have surfaced online (pictured)

NOTE 8 RUMOURS Rumors surrounding the Note 8 first came to light in April, which had suggested that the Android could have significantly smaller bezels, an infinity screen and dual cameras. Sources have said its design will mirror that of the Galaxy S8. Sources have suggested that the Note 8 will have an Infinity display, which has an 18.5-to-9 width-to-length ratio. The latest leaked images support these rumours and suggest the device will be slightly more rectangular than previous models. Advertisement

Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 will keep the edge-to-edge display found on the Galaxy S8, according to the leaked images.

The images suggest the screen of the device will be 6.3-inches (16cm) across but will appear to be the same size as the S8 thanks to a lack of bezels.

Leaked photos have also revealed that the Note 8 could be the first Samsung device to incorporate a dual-lens camera.

And like previous Note devices, the latest model will come with an S Pen stylus, the images suggest.

The images were posted on Twitter by Evan Blass, a well known mobile reporter and leaker based in Philadelphia.

A side by side comparison of the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8. Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 will keep the edge-to-edge display found on the Galaxy S8, according to the leaked images

The images were posted on Twitter by Evan Blass, a well known mobile reporter and leaker based in Philadelphia

In response to accusations that he had leaked the images on behalf of Samsung, Blass posted: 'Samsung doesn't send out controlled, full-frontal flagship leaks 3 weeks pre-launch. Next time ask.'

Blass' leak comes just weeks before the Galaxy Note 8 is due to be revealed, according to rumours.

Samsung plans to hold a media event in New York City to unveil its next Galaxy Note smartphone on August 23rd.

Samsung was forced to launch a $19 billion recall in October last year after it was discovered that Galaxy Note 7 devices were prone to overheating and bursting into flames

The anonymous source also said the Galaxy Note 8 phone will sport a curved screen that is marginally larger than the 6.2-inch version of the Galaxy S8 smartphone and feature two rear cameras.

Samsung had first dropped hints about a follow-up to its exploding Galaxy Note Series in April.

The company was forced to launch a $19 billion recall in October last year after it was discovered that the devices were prone to overheating and bursting into flames.

Although the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was one of the biggest blunders in smartphone history, the South Korean firm believes it's Note 8 has the ability to stand up to Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone 8.
Google's smart keyboard for iOS now includes access to two of the firm's most used apps.

Users can directly access YouTube and Google Maps, as well as a new Ink feature, through the Gboard interface.

This means that you can share your location with friends, search and watch videos, and create doodles with a push of a button.

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Google's smart keyboard for iOS now includes access to two of the firm's most used apps. Users can directly access YouTube (right) and Google Maps (left), as well as a new Ink feature (centre), through the Gboard interface

HOW TO ACCESS THE NEW FEATURES To access the new features, make sure you have the 1.8.0 version of Gboard for iOS. You then need to tap the 'G' google search button. The Maps option will let you share your current location or a local address with friends and family. Youll also see a new YouTube tab that makes it easier to send YouTube videos. And for budding artists, you can also use the new Ink feature to draw and share your creations right from the keyboard. Just tap on the emoji button followed by the pen icon to start drawing. Advertisement

Google released the new functions as part of the 1.8.0 version of the software.

To access them, iPhone and iPad fans will need to make sure they have update to this version, via automatic updates or by visiting the App store manually.

They then need to tap the 'G' google search button.

The Maps option will let you share your current location or a local address with friends and family.

Youll also see a new YouTube tab that makes it easier to send YouTube videos.

And for budding artists, you can also use the new Ink feature to draw and share your creations right from the keyboard.

Just tap on the emoji button followed by the pen icon to start drawing.

Writing on a blog, a Google spokesman said: 'To all the Gboard fans out there, were adding some clutch additions to your favourite keyboard companion.

'Youll have access to both Maps and YouTube, making it easier than ever to share location and video content in any messaging app.

'Whether youre coordinating a rendezvous point at the park or dinner plans at a nearby restaurant, meeting up with friends and family has never been easier

'And as an added bonus, we now support three new languages: Arabic, Hebrew and Farsi.

'Were always working on new features and languages, so please keep sharing your feedback in the App Store.'

Google first launched Gboard in May 2016 for iOS, adding an Android version six months later.

Among the features included was Glide Typing, for easier one-handed texting.

The new features in the 1.8.0 version of the Gboard software for means that you can share your location with friends (left) and search and watch videos (right)

Budding artists can also use the new Ink feature (pictured) to draw and share their creations right from the keyboard

Apart from a different font and lighter colour-scheme, Gboard doesn't look much different than the standard iOS keyboard.

But, at the top left, Gboard users see a small Google 'G.'

Pressing this button opens up a search bar right within the keyboard.

So, you can search restaurants, venues, or anything else, and share this information with the person you're texting.

This is done by tapping the website's card in the Google search, and then pasting it into the text.

Google first launched Gboard in May 2016 for iOS, adding an Android version six months later. At the top left, Gboard users see a small Google 'G' (left) that brings up the service's features. The new Ink drawing pad is now found in the emoji section of the keyboard (right)

And, to the delight of many GIF users, the keyboard also has a built-in GIF search.

This can be found by clicking the smiley face at the bottom left, where you'd normally pull-up the emoji catalogue.

Emojis will still be there, but next to this is a now 'GIF' option.

This makes it easier than ever to find the perfect GIF reactions almost instantly. Just search a term, click on the one you like, and paste it into the message.
Signs of Alzheimer's disease have been found in the brains of chimpanzees for the first time.

Researchers say it is unclear whether the characteristic 'plaques and tangles' they found cause dementia in the animals.

The team says the Alzheimer's signs were more prominent in older chimps, just like in humans, and that their findings could help develop new drugs for the disease.

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Signs of Alzheimer's disease have been found in the brains of chimpanzees (file photo) for the first time. Researchers say it is unclear whether the characteristic 'plaques and tangles' they found cause dementia in the animals

WHAT IS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE? Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. These symptoms occur when the brain is damaged by certain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. In the brains of people with Alzheimer's, a protein called beta-amyloid accumulates and sticks together to form sticky plaques between brain cells. These plaques prompt changes in another protein called tau, causing it to form tangles. Alzheimers and other dementias are the top cause of disabilities in later life. Worldwide, nearly 44 million people have Alzheimers or a related dementia. Advertisement

Treatments for Alzheimer's have previously been difficult to research because other species seem not to develop these plaques and tangles.

In the brains of people with Alzheimer's, a protein called beta-amyloid accumulates to form sticky plaques between brain cells.

These plaques prompt changes in another protein called tau, causing it to form tangles.

The plaques and tangles block the brain's neuron pathways, causing memory loss and difficulties thinking.

The only time both of these characteristics have been seen in another animal was in a 41-year-old chimpanzee in 2008, but these were thought to be caused by a stroke.

Now researchers at Northeast Ohio Medical University have spotted the plaques and tangles in a number of older chimps.

The team studied 20 brains from older chimpanzees, aged between 37 and 62, looking at four areas of the chimps' neocortex and hippocampus - the regions of the brain most commonly affected by Alzheimer's.

The team found signs of both beta-amyloid plaques and early-stage tau tangles in 12 of the chimpanzees they studied.

They found that the plaques and tangles were more prominent in older chimps.

However, it is not clear whether these plaques and tangles cause the same kind of brain degeneration in chimps as they do in humans, the researchers said.

'Our samples had been collected over decades, without any consistent or rigorous cognitive data accompanying them,' study coauthor Dr Mary Ann Raghanti, of Kent State University, Ohio, told New Scientist.

In the brains of Alzheimer's sufferers, beta-amyloid plaques form, causing another protein called tau to form tangles. This image shows brain sections from a normal brain (left), a brain with abundant deposits of tau protein (centre) and a brain with severe tau deposits (right)

'So it wasn't possible to say whether the chimps had devastating cognitive loss or not.'

Dr Raghanti added that so far no chimpanzees have shown Alzheimer's-like dementia.

'I'm cautious to say that they don't get this kind of devastating decline, but we haven't seen it yet,' she said.

The study adds to a growing body of research that suggests the classic plaques and tangles of Alzheimer's may be byproducts, rather than causes, of the disease.

'That great apes demonstrate the pathology but not the precipitous decline of dementia reinforces this notion,' Dr. Gary Kennedy, director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, told New Scientist.

The human brain may be unique in the cognitive decline that accompanies plaques and tangles, Dr Raghanti said.

'If we can identify those differences between the human and chimp brain then we might be able to pinpoint what is mediating the degeneration,' she said.

'That could be a target for drug treatment.'
German authorities have launched a six-month trial of automatic facial recognition technology at a Berlin railway station.

More than 200 people volunteered to have their names and two photos stored for the project at Suedkreuz station, where three cameras film an entrance and an escalator.

While German authorities are optimistic about the programme, security experts say that there is a high potential for errors, which could allow criminals to slip through the system.

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German authorities have launched a six-month trial of automatic facial recognition technology at a Berlin railway station (stock image)

HOW DOES IT WORK? Three cameras have been installed at Suedkreuz station that will film an entrance and an escalator. Footage will automatically be scanned by a computer programme, which will compare it with photos stored in a database. Participants will also carry a small transmitter with them, so the computers can check when they appear, and if the programme recognises their faces independently. Advertisement

The programme was announced today by Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, who said in a statement that 'technical progress must not stop at our security services.'

The six month test phase will be conducted by the German federal police, Federal Criminal Police Office and the Interior Ministry in conjunction with Deutsche Bahn, the station operator, according to a report in DW.

Three cameras have been installed at Suedkreuz station that will film an entrance and an escalator.

Footage will automatically be scanned by a computer programme, which will compare it with photos stored in a database.

Participants will also carry a small transmitter with them, so the computers can check when they appear, and if the programme recognises their faces independently.

A police spokesperson said: 'We want to test this under normal conditions. Testers can be wearing a hat or bike helmet, or be somewhat smaller and disappear into the crowd.'

But not everyone is convinced about the programme.

The news comes just days after researchers suggested that facial recognition could be used in UK train stations by 2020. The scanning capabilities are so advanced it can tell the difference between a photo of someone's face and their face in the flesh (pictured)

CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROGRAMME Not everyone is convinced about the programme. Security experts have highlighted that it has the potential for errors, with an estimated fail rate of one in a million. While that doesn't sound like a lot, in a city public transport system, there are millions of people every day, suggesting that several errors could be made daily. Data privacy advocates are also critical of the trial, and claim that facial recognition programmes are unlawful. Speaking to DW, Andrea Vosshoff, Germany's federal data protection commissioner, said: 'Should these systems be put into actual use, it would be a considerable imposition on fundamental rights.' Advertisement

Security experts have highlighted that it has the potential for errors, with an estimated fail rate of one in a million.

While that doesn't sound like a lot, in a city public transport system, there are millions of people every day, suggesting that several errors could be made daily.

Data privacy advocates are also critical of the trial, and claim that the Big Brother -style facial recognition programmes are unlawful.

Speaking to DW, Andrea Vosshoff, Germany's federal data protection commissioner, said: 'Should these systems be put into actual use, it would be a considerable imposition on fundamental rights.'

It is unclear how authorities plan to proceed after the six month trial.

The news comes just days after researchers suggested that facial recognition could be used in UK train stations by 2020.

Researchers say they could identify passengers as they walk onto the platform and the time-saving technology could be rolled out in the UK by 2020.

The project, which is being developed by the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, is funded by the Railway Safety and Standards Board and working in collaboration with the Cubic Transportation Systems.

The cameras use high speed infrared lights (pictured) to capture the shape and texture of the face in detail never seen before - even capturing small blemishes and wrinkles

'You can imagine that, if you can get rid of the gate lines in a place like Victoria station, there's a massive potential for increasing throughput', Lyndon Smith from Bristol Robotics Laboratory told BBC Click.

'So we ran an interesting project for [Cubic], which they're installing at their laboratory in Salfords [in Surrey] and the aim is to move it onto the underground', he said.

'You can imagine, for example, paying just by means of presenting your face to a system rather than having to use the card and pin', he said.

The technology would initially be available in 'fast-track' lanes for passengers who had had their faces scanned in a registration process.
Opinion / Columnist

Nkosilathi Emmanuel Moyo,Snr whose nom de guerre is Mutongi Gava is a human rights defender and a democracy activist based in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe. He writes in his personal capacity and is reachable on his Whatsapp +32485850059

I was only 15 years of age in January 2002 and I can recall this pretty well as I grew up with an interest and passion in politics seeing the late General Vitalis Zvinavashe on national television intimidating the people of Zimbabwe telling them that the Presidency on this land was a straight jacket reserved for only Robert Gabriel Mugabe. Zimbabwe is a constitutional Republic and for an army commander to be given time on national television to intimidate the mass like that that was a clear sign that the army in this country is not professional and neither is it protecting us the mass but rather 'madzakutsaku' e ruling party. That was the conclusion I made at 15 years of age (in 2002),today am 30 and I still stand on that position. Not only General Vitalis Zvinavashe openly declared that he is ZANU PF and will do anything to keep Mugabe in power, one General after the other took turns to swear their allegiance to President Mugabe on national television at separate events whenever they got a chance of getting media coverage telling the mass that even if any leader from the opposition is voted into office they will not recognize him/her. That has been the trend in this country and the army also worked hard to keep Mugabe in power when he lost to Morgan Tsvangirai in 2008. We all know how the army was deployed to intimidate and harass people across Zimbabwe forcing people to vote for Mugabe in the June 27,2008 Presidential run-off. For the past decades the army has been acting as an extension of ZANU PF not a professional security sector. Not forgetting how the opposition and the civil society advocated for security sector reforms but it was all falling on deaf ears because there was no political will to reform and professionalize the security sector as it was working as an extension of ZANU PF and it was all to Mugabe's benefit.It shocks me to see President Mugabe telling the people now that the army must not meddle in politics they must remain in the barracks. Ooops like seriously Mr President nhasi ndopamakutiudza izvozvo manji? Where were you Mr Mugabe when the army was harassing and intimidating people in 2008? Where were you when General Zvinavashe intimidated the mass telling us that the Presidency is only reserved for you as if it's a monarchy? Where were you when these Generals were uttering that they will not support any leader who will be elected by the people except you? Where were you when the army was burning down villages of suspected MDC T supporters in 2008?'Makuda kurambidza Dominic (Gen Chiwenga) nhasi imi murimi makatendera vakomana ava kupinda mu politics way back.Dindingwe rinonaka richikweva rimwe zvazorwadzaka nhasi? Regai Dominic aite zve Lacoste ari right pahu wrong hwake ndimi makazvuva chidembo mukachiunza mumusha nhasi makutiudza kuti chinonhuwa? chivhiyei ndimi makauya nacho baba.Pedzai zvamakatanga VaMugabe,Chiwenga ari right pahu wrong hwake imi ndimi mune problem'.You can't tell us that the army must not meddle in politics simply because they are now against your own wife. Makapembera n'anga neinobata mai saka ndikoko mdara'. When the army waged a war against defenceless civilians during Gukurahundi and also in 2008 when it went around the country burning down villages belonging to suspected opposition party supporters Mugabe remained mum because that he was the mastermind of that terror orchestrated by the army. So what the hell is he saying now?? Leave Dominic meddling in politics ndimi makamudzidzisa izvozvo VaMugabe kohwai zvamakarima mdara.Also to add an injury to your plight these Generals will never recognize that talkative wife of yours kana masisipo baba, she (Grace) created a lot of enemies than friends. Remember when you lost elections in 2008 and the army retained you through violence, hook and crook. You were supposed to sit down with your wife and tell her to respect vanhu vakakudzoserai muhupfu against the will of the people of Zimbabwe. Manje Grace ndi bambazonke anotuka munhu wese inda inoruma akaitakura pray that God keeps you forever Mr President because Grace vachasara vachimuita mahwani maenda mdara. Anyway that is none of my business let me resume to my calabash of masese (traditional beer) as an unemployed youth in the dusty streets of Mbizo, Kwekwe. The chickens have finally come home to roost saka bear it Cde President. For today I will be the devil's advocate for Chiwenga, ari right pahu wrong hwake imi ndimi mune problem VaMugabe ndimi makazvitendera zvinhu izvi kuti masoja apinde mu politics saka bear it kohwai zvamakarima Gushungo ndikoko!.Mutongi Gava is out.
Amazon is the latest multinational firm to bow to state censorship to continue selling its products in China.

The electronic commerce company, founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, offers cloud based services within the secretive state's economy.

A controversial cybersecurity crackdown came into effect last month that tightened restrictions on freedom of speech online, imposing new rules on service providers.

Apple also sparked criticism in recent days after removing software from its app store that allowed internet users to skirt the country's controls.

Amazon is the latest multinational firm to bow to state censorship to continue selling its products in China. The electronic commerce company, founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, offers cloud based services within the secretive state's economy (stock image)

CLOUD COMPUTING IN COMMUNIST CHINA China requires foreign companies to partner with local businesses and forbids them from owning a controlling stake in the firm, according to reports in the New York Times. In a further tightening in restrictions, China has proposed banning multinationals from using their own brand name to promote their services. The new laws would also oblige them to cut off access and report any behaviour by customers that contravenes the country's laws. Although Amazon is a small player in the cloud computing market in China, it has been keen to grow its services. It has also been working on a Chinese language version of the Kindle, in conjunction with state-run telecom China Mobile. Advertisement

Amazon web services operates in partnership with Beijing Sinnet Technology to provide cloud computing in the country.

This includes website hosting, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and other services which can be used to circumvent the Great Firewall of China, the nickname given to the series of draconian censorship measures in force online in the communist state.

But Sinnet has warned its customers via a series of emails that anyone using the platform to do should cease immediately.

Clients who queried the communications were met with a recorded message, according to reports in the New York Times.

In it, a company spokesman called Ms Wang said: 'If users don't comply with the guidance, the offered services and their websites can be shut down.

'We the operators also check routinely if any of our users use these softwares or store illegal content.'

A spokesperson for Amazon told MailOnline: 'To comply with Chinese laws and regulations, AWS must operate its services through local partners.

'With Sinnet as our local partner for providing AWS services via the AWS Beijing Region, we are able to provide customers the same best-in-class technology services as those offered in other AWS Regions.

'Sinnet is responsible for ensuring that its customers in China comply with local laws and their notice was intended to remind customers of their obligations.'

Chinese internet users have for years sought to get around heavy internet restrictions by using foreign VPN services.

Apple has also parked criticism after removing software from from its app store that allows internet users to skirt China's' Great Firewall. China has hundreds of millions of smartphone users and is a vital market for Apple (stock image)

CHINESE CYBER CRACKDOWN While China is home to the world's largest number of internet users, a 2015 report by US think tank Freedom House found that the country had the most restrictive online use policies of 65 nations it studied, ranking below Iran and Syria. But China has maintained that its various forms of web censorship are necessary for protecting its national security. The national VPN crackdown comes after the passing of a controversial cybersecurity bill last November that tightened restrictions on online freedom of speech and imposed new rules on service providers. Since the regulation took effect this June, authorities have closed dozens of celebrity gossip blogs and issued new rules around online video content to eliminate programmes deemed offensive. Advertisement

Earlier this year Beijing decreed that all developers must obtain government licenses to offer VPNs, which allow users to bypass blocks on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

This lead to the Apple decision, which some argue is evidence of the firm bowing to China's tightening web censorship.

In January, Beijing passed laws seeking to ban all VPNs that are not approved by state regulators.

Approved VPNs must use state network infrastructure.

In a statement on Sunday, an Apple spokeswoman confirmed it will remove apps that don't comply with the law from its China App Store, including services based outside the country.

Around 60 apps are reported to have been removed.

'We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations,' Apple told AFP.

'These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business.'

Beijing has shut down dozens of China-based providers and it has been targeting overseas services as it bids to tighten its control over the internet, especially ahead of the Communist Party congress in August.

While personal VPN providers have been the subject of state-led attacks in the past, this marks the first time Apple has complied with requests to scrub overseas providers from its store.

VPN providers say the move is unnecessarily supportive of China's heightened censorship regime.
The three 'norths' are due to combine over Britain this month for the first time in history, and will stay over the country for the next three-and-a-half years. What this means is that true north, magnetic north and grid north will all line up, according to national mapping service Ordnance Survey. True north is the direction along the surface of the Earth that ends at the North Pole, while magnetic north points where the planet's magnetic field goes downwards. Grid north is the direction of the grid lines on maps, that usually point towards or near the North Pole. The three norths will make landfall at the village of Langton Matravers just west of Swanage in early November, before slowly travelling up the country. Dr Susan Macmillan, of the British Geological Survey, said: 'This is a once in a lifetime occurrence. Due to the unpredictability of the magnetic field on long timescales it's not possible to say when the alignment of the three norths will happen again.'
Scientists around the world have long been searching for a cure for cancer, and recent advancements in technology coupled with rigorous new efforts such as Joe Bidens cancer moonshot have ignited hopes that it could soon become a reality.

But, experts warn that such a breakthrough, despite its obvious benefits, could have unexpected global consequences.

According to Intels chief medical officer John Sotos, effectively fighting cancer will require the use of ultra-precise DNA-altering technology  and the same approach could be used to overcome the challenges standing in the way of bioweapons.

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According to Intels chief medical officer John Sotos, effectively fighting cancer will require the use of ultra-precise DNA-altering technology  and the same approach could be used to overcome the challenges standing in the way of bioweapons. Stock image

BILL GATES WARNS OF BIO-TERRORISM RISK According to Bill Gates, breakthroughs in genetic engineering will make it easier for terrorists to plot attacks on a massive scale. And, he claims security services 'haven't been following biology'. At the Munich Security Conference, he warned told the audience, 'Whether it occurs by a quirk of nature or at the hand of a terrorist, epidemiologists say a fast-moving airborne pathogen could kill more than 30 million people in less than a year, The Guardian reports. 'And they say there is a reasonable probability the world will experience such an outbreak in the next 10 to 15 years.' Advertisement

The reason you havent heard much about bioweapons is that theyve been held back by a pretty severe limitation, which is the potential for blowback, Sotos said recently at the DEF CON conference in Las Vegas, The Guardian reports.

As of now, a potential bioweapon would pose a major risk even to the country that launched it.

While it might work to destroy the enemy, it would eventually spread outside of its distribution area and make its way back to the initial attacker.

According to Sotos, the cancer moonshot is going to really drive new technologies to manipulate DNA because cancer is a disease of DNA.

[And] the same exquisite targeting that allows it to attack only your cancer cells also overcomes the blowback potential for bioweapons.

Once these techniques are eventually refined, the expert warns it could have dire consequences that extend even beyond mass fatality, if it were used to weaponize disease.

Theres some stuff worse than dying, Sotos said, according to The Guardian.

And I call that hell.

DNA manipulation could be used to target specific groups of people based on their genetic codes, even allowing attackers to target public figures or families.

Or, it could be used for more subtle attacks, including unmanageable diarrhea, excessive weight gain, baldness, or an intense fishy body odour, The Guardian reports.

The Crispr-Cas9 technqiue uses tags, which identify the location of the mutation, and an enzyme, which acts as tiny scissors, to cut DNA in a precise place, allowing small portions of a gene to be removed

Sotos isnt the only one who has warned of the potential threat of biological weapons.

Over the last few years, Bill Gates has spoken out about the use of genetic engineering to launch pandemics that could one day kill hundreds of millions of people.

In February, he warned world leaders in Munich that there is a reasonable probability of such a scenario occurring in the next 10-15 years.

Gates claimed breakthroughs in genetic engineering will make it easier for terrorists to plot attacks on a massive scale, but claimed security services 'haven't been following biology'.

SCIENTISTS PINPOINT THE CRISPR 'KILL SWITCH' Crispr-Cas9 is a technique which can 'cut and paste' small sections of DNA, deleting or repairing flawed genes. But it often also causes unwanted side effects, as it continues to delete or compromise other genes. Now, researchers from UC Berkley and UC San Francisco have shown that proteins, called anti-Crisprs, can be used to prevent these off-target effects, acting like a 'kill switch' to disable Crispr-Cas9 after it's done its job. In particular, one anti-Crispr protein, called AcrIIA4, reduced the unwanted effects of Crispr-Cas9 during trials to repair mutated genes for sickle cell disease. Dr Jiyung Jenny Shin, one of the first authors of the study, studied human cells in culture, delivering Crispr-Cas9, and then several hours late, the anti-Crispr protein. She found that this effectively reduced off-target effects. She said: 'Even after six hours of effective Crispr, inserting anti-Crispr decreases off-target effects by more than two-fold compared to on-target effects. 'Therapeutically, you could treat a patient with Crispr first, and then treat with anti-Crispr at a later time and decrease off-target effects.' Advertisement

At the Munich Security Conference, he warned told the audience, 'Whether it occurs by a quirk of nature or at the hand of a terrorist, epidemiologists say a fast-moving airborne pathogen could kill more than 30 million people in less than a year, The Guardian reports.

'And they say there is a reasonable probability the world will experience such an outbreak in the next 10 to 15 years.'

The multi-billionaire added that the most effective way of preparing for a natural pandemic is to get ready for an act of bioterrorism.

He said: 'Getting ready for a global pandemic is every bit as important as nuclear deterrence and avoiding a climate catastrophe. Innovation, cooperation and careful planning can dramatically mitigate the risks presented by each of these threats.'
He was one of the most famous pharaohs who ruled Egypt more than 3,300 years ago.

And now a new study suggests that Tutankhamun, who was known as the 'boy King of Cairo' had a bed fit for a king.

Research suggests that King Tut slept on a very early version of a modern camping bed which folded up into a Z-shape, and would have been extremely sophisticated for its time.

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Research suggests that King Tut slept on a very early version of a modern camping bed which folded up into a Z-shape, and would have been extremely sophisticated for its time

King Tut's three-fold bed was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter when he first entered the pharaoh's treasure-packed tomb.

Researchers from Musashino University in Tokyo have now analysed the bed, and suggested that it was extremely sophisticated for its time.

Speaking to Live Science, Ms Naoko Nishimoto, one of the researchers who worked on the project, said: 'No detailed study has been made of this bed since Carter sketched it almost a hundred years ago.

'This is the only real-size camping bed that has ever been found. No other pharaohs but King Tut had such [a] bed. It is intriguing.'

The researchers analysed a small model of the bed from Gebelein, Egypt.

KING TUT'S FOLDING CAMP BED The bed was made from four wooden 'lion' legs, along with copper-alloy drums that bore the majority of the weight. Given the elaborate wooden leg shape, folding the bed was no mean feat, and the designers had to use ingenious hinges over the legs. Ms Nishimoto said: 'In this way, the legs took the strain off the hinges.' On top of the legs was a mat, woven from three thin strings of linen. Researchers analysed how King Tut slept on a very early version of a modern camping bed which folded up into a Z-shape While holes could be seen around the double hinges, the researchers suggest that these were not used to pass the strings through. Ms Nishimoto said: 'They were made with the intention to pass strings through them, but they were not used after all.' If the strings had been passed through here, the bed wouldn't have been able to fold. Ms Nishimoto added: 'This trial-and-error process clearly shows that this three-fold bed was the first ever made.' Advertisement

Their analysis suggests that two-fold beds may have existed before King Tut's camping bed, but that his three-fold bed was revolutionary.

Three-fold beds would have been more comfortable, steadier and more compact, according to the researchers.

Ms Nishimoto said: 'Traces of trials and errors tell us that the artisans involved in the bed production did not have any other three-fold beds for reference.

The bed was made from four wooden 'lion' legs, along with copper-alloy drums that bore the majority of the weight

THE BURIAL OF KING TUTANKHAMUN Researchers from the American University in Cairo believe the king's appendage was embalmed at a 90-degree angle to make the young pharaoh appear as Osiris, the god of the underworld. The angling of the penis was a feature worn by 'corn-mummies', created in honour of Osiris. The mummy was also covered in black liquid to resemble Osiris' skin. Elsewhere, Tutankhamun's heart was missing when the tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. Religious texts claimed Osiris' heart was similarly removed by his brother Seth.On the outside of the tomb, decorations depicted Tutankhamun as Osiris. Advertisement

'The camping bed was made especially for King Tut.'

The bed was made from four wooden 'lion' legs, along with copper-alloy drums that bore the majority of the weight.

Given the elaborate wooden leg shape, folding the bed was no mean feat, and the designers had to use ingenious hinges over the legs.

Ms Nishimoto said: 'In this way, the legs took the strain off the hinges.'

On top of the legs was a mat, woven from three thin strings of linen.

While holes could be seen around the double hinges, the researchers suggest that these were not used to pass the strings through.

Ms Nishimoto said: 'They were made with the intention to pass strings through them, but they were not used after all.'

If the strings had been passed through here, the bed wouldn't have been able to fold.

As well as showing the incredible craftsmanship in ancient Egypt, the researchers believe that the bed also provides an insight into the aspirations of King Tut

Ms Nishimoto added: 'This trial-and-error process clearly shows that this three-fold bed was the first ever made.'

As well as showing the incredible craftsmanship in ancient Egypt, the researchers believe that the bed also provides an insight into the aspirations of King Tut, due to his club foot that prevented him from walking unaided.

Ms Nishimoto concluded: 'Even though the frail young king may never have participated in long-distance or strenuous expeditions, he nevertheless loved the idea of hunting and camping.

'His camping bed is inherently poetic.'
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It's been embroiled in civil war for decades, with new violence erupting over the past week.

And the Central African Republic has suffered deeply as a result. It's the poorest country in the world according to the World Bank, with the third lowest life expectancy, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against all travel there.

These photographs - spanning the past five years - capture moments in everyday life in a country with perhaps one of the most neglected conflicts in the world, from young children playing amid plane wreckage to machine gun-wielding militia prowling the streets.

A boy stands on a wrecked plane in the Christian Mpoko refugee camp in Bangui, Central African Republic, as the conflict rages on

The Central African Republic, a land-locked country bordered by Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, covers 240,000 square miles and has an estimated population of around 4.7million.

According to the FCO, tensions currently remain high across the country. Armed patrols operate roadblocks, and reports of violence, reprisal killings, looting, kidnapping and human rights abuses continue nationwide.

The country has been struggling to emerge from the blood-letting that erupted in 2013 following the overthrow of president Francois Bozize, a Christian, by Muslim rebels from the Seleka coalition.

More than one million people are now displaced in the country and more than half of its population depends on humanitarian aid to survive, according to UN figures.

A man holds a knife to his throat claiming that he is looking for Muslims to cut off their heads in the fifth district of Bangui

A woman and a child walk past a vehicle of UN peacekeepers from Gabon patrolling the town of Bria in June 2017

A Bayaka honey gatherer and member of the Mbenga pygmy hunter gatherer tribe climbs a 130-ft tree using an axe to cut foot holes whilst being suspended by a length of rope wrapped around the tree trunk

An aerial shot of the lush and expansive jungle and forest in the far eastern corner of the Central African Republic

Writing for Human Rights Watch in June, senior researcher Lewis Mudge stated: 'Violence in the Central African Republic has fallen from the world's radar, but that does not mean the killings have let up.

'Over a dozen armed groups now roam the country committing a range of abuses. Violence is on the rise in the eastern provinces and impunity still reigns.

'Warlords and commanders need to be held accountable for the killings.'

The latest bout of violence that has killed nine peacekeepers this year, risks derailing years of efforts to restore a fragile stability, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday.

A member of the mainly Christian 'anti-balaka' militia holds a blade in his mouth as he trains for combat in the Boeing neighbourhood of Bangui

Amadou Mousaf, 19, is a Muslim member of the anti-balaka militia that was formed to fight the mainly Muslim Seleka that once ruled the country. He poses at the base near the airport wearing the charms that fighters believe will protect them

Women gather at a hospital in Ndele with an infant. The CAR is the poorest country in the world according to the World Bank, with the third lowest life expectancy

A member of the Mbenga pygmy hunter gatherer tribe claps her hands and sings traditional songs in the fringe forests of the CAR

Mr Guterres condemned the killing of two Moroccan peacekeepers who were ambushed in the southeast town of Bangassou on Tuesday, just two days after another soldier was killed in an attack on the same contingent.

The United Nations has blamed anti-Balaka Christian militias for the attack.

Guterres said: 'I am deeply concerned at the fighting in the southeast of the Central African Republic, heightened inter-ethnic tensions and efforts by spoilers to derail the stabilization process in the country.

'If allowed to continue, the prevailing situation risks undermining the hard-won gains achieved towards lasting peace.'

This crowded classroom resides in the only school of Kabo, where 2,700 IDPs (internally displaced persons) were living together at last count

A child walks past a soldier of the United Nations at the Bangui Mosque, shortly before Pope Francis paid a visit in 2015 as part of a papal visit to Africa

The UN chief called on all parties to 'cease violence' and 'take action to avoid a further deterioration of the fragile security situation in the country'.

Following a visit to the Central African Republic last month, UN aid chief Stephen O'Brien also raised the alarm, calling for action to avoid a repeat of the large-scale crisis that gripped the country four years ago.

The United Nations has 12,350 troops and police on the ground to help protect civilians and support the government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera, who was elected last year.

Pope Francis meets with children as he visits a refugee camp in Bangui in November 2015 as 'a pilgrim of peace'

Christian militias of the anti-balaka young fighters pose in 2015 near Bambari during a military training session

Demonstrators gather in Bangui to demand the resignation of interim president Catherine Samba Panza in Central African Republic in September 2015

A Burundian soldier of a UN peacekeeping force uses a metal detector at the entrance of a polling station during voting at the PK5 district in Bangui in December 2015

A member of the ex-Seleka rebels poses with a knife in Beringo in 2014. Ex-Seleka rebels were trained here when former Central African President Michel Djotodia was at the head of the country, and were abandoned when he resigned

Muslim civilians were photographed riding a truck with all their belongings strapped on as they fled Bangui in January, 2014

A woman sits at a camp for Internally Displaced Persons outside the Bossangoa Catholic Church in March 2014

In 2014, mourners wait in a cemetery in Bangui for the coffin of Reverend Paul-Emile Nzale, 76, who was killed in the attack of the Fatima church in Bangui

Refugees cook outside their tent in a camp set up within the vicinity of the Catholic church of Bossangoa in March 2014

People gather in the Christian refugee camp in Bossangoa in December 2013. The Christian camp is on one side, the Muslim camp on another, separated by a red dirt road littered with abandoned homes

French troops man a checkpoint in Bangui's PK12 area, in February 2014. Eight people, including six civilians, were killed in a firefight between African peacekeepers and fighters from the anti-balaka militia, a police source said at the time

A family rest under the wing of a derelict plane in 2014 in an IDP camp near Bangui's Mpoko airport, where the beginning of the rain season worsened the conditions

Natives celebrate in 2014 following the announcement of the resignation of CAR President Michel Djotodia under regional pressure, after failing to stem sectarian violence ripping his country apart

Anti-balaka militiamen, who were former members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA), take part in a training session on the outskirts of Bangui in December 2013

Residents of the city of Damara, 46 miles north of Bangui, leave the region in 2013 after worsening violence and conflict
Nobody wants the middle seat on a plane journey - and for good reason.

Being crammed between two strangers can often leave passengers at the mercy of their fellow travellers' respect for personal space (or lack of).

And, for lone female passengers, that can sometimes over-spill into unwelcome sexual attention from a minority of men.

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New move by Vistara: The Delhi-based airline launched its Woman Flyer service this week in a bid to encourage harassment-free travel

Fortunately, an Indian airline has created a potential way around that - by guaranteeing their single female customers won't ever be allocated the central seat.

Vistara, a Delhi-based airline, launched its Woman Flyer service this week in a bid to encourage harassment-free travel. The simple move means passengers will be able to identify themselves as a solo traveller when they make their booking, which will then determine how their seat is allocated by the electronic system.

From this, they'll be given either an aisle or a window seats to reduce the risk of inappropriate advances. The somewhat controversial move comes after several female travellers reported incidents of groping on airlines throughout the region.

In addition, the airline will also assist women who request help with luggage or selecting taxis and drivers.

Sanjiv Kapoor, Vistaras chief strategy and commercial officer, told MailOnline: 'One of our core values is intuitive thoughtfulness. We observed the preferences of solo women travellers on our flights, and noticed that they often sought assistance on ground upon arrival at their destinations, mostly either regarding their baggage or to reconfirm the safest and most reliable options for airport transfers.

'Some even shared their feedback with us that they would like proactive assistance on arrivals, both with luggage and with ground transport/taxi services, the latter especially at night.

'Our staff is equipped to help women travelling alone with the booking of airport-authorized taxis, as well as escort them to the airport taxi stand upon their request. We keep a track of taxi registration numbers to ensure complete peace of mind to customers until they reach their final destination.'

Safety first: Passengers will be able to identify themselves as a solo traveller when they make their booking, which will then determine how their seat is allocated by the electronic system

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently advsied young women to exercise safety when travelling throughout India.

It said: 'Women should use caution when travelling in India. Reported cases of sexual assault against women and young girls are increasing; recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas and cities show that foreign women are also at risk.

'British women have been the victims of sexual assault in Goa, Delhi, Bangalore and Rajasthan and women travellers often receive unwanted attention in the form of verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of men.

'Women travellers should exercise caution when travelling in India even if travelling in a group.'

Controversial? The move comes after several female travellers reported incidents of groping on airlines throughout the region

Meanwhile, Suky Bhaker from the Suzy Lamplugh trust told MailOnline: 'While it is positive to see airlines listening to concerns and prioritising womens safety, we must make it clear that this behaviour will not be tolerated. Unwanted sexual attention and advances are never the victims fault, and perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions.

'We would advise anyone who feels threatened or uneasy while travelling to trust their instincts, move seats if possible, and attract the attention of a steward as soon as possible so they can report any issues to them. You can increase your safety and confidence by organising hotels and connecting transport before you arrive at your destination.

'Its also a good idea to make sure that a family member or friend knows where youre going, when you expect to arrive, and has copies of important documents like your passport.'




She's the former Big Brother star known for being very open about her surgical enhancements.

And Byron Bay got very well acquainted with the bronzed star during her very wild weekend at Splendour In The Grass last month.

In Youtube footage, the 23-year-old suffered 'nip-slips' - plural - started the day with champagne and flaunted her new 'rapping' skills.

Wild weekend! Skye Wheatley documented her wild weekend at Splendour In The Grass music festival, suffering 'nip-slips,' in skimpy outfits as she drank and danced with friends

The reality star documented her stay in great detail, with the 25-minute clip showing her arriving at her luxury accommodation with a bikini-clad pal.

Prior to arriving at the music festival on its first day, Skye filmed her blonde pal drinking wine, before being alerted to a wardrobe issue.

'Your nip's out again,' her friend teased, causing the Big Brother star to boast: 'This is what you came for! Nip slip!'

'Your nip's out again': Prior to arriving at the music festival on its first day, Skye filmed one of her pals drinking wine, before being alerted to a wardrobe issue

A raucous night of drinking and dancing resulted in a slurred video update from the star's bedroom, alongside her Instagram-famous makeup artist Michael Finch.

They clearly hadn't been hit with too much of a hangover, as the next morning they were seen pouring themselves glasses of Moet & Chandon.

Flaunting her surgically-enhanced assets in a glittery bikini, Skye showcased a new affinity for hip-hop, busting out an impromptu rap.

Very acquainted! Byron Bay became well-acquainted with the bronzed 23-year-old as she wore a range of skimpy outfits at Splendour in the Grass

'With my girl Lily Brown, but she's not looking brown today, she's looking paaaasty,' she rapped, panning the camera over to her friend Lily.

Her friend seemed offended at the remarks and said: 'It's always a f**king joke about me! Nobody's ever nice to me!'

The Big Brother star remained in high-spirits however, later convincing her friend to do 'sl*t drops' with her.

Golden girl! Skyewore a near-identical outfit the next day - this time in gold - and accessorised with a tan-coloured hat and aviator-style sunglasses

The pair then turned their denim-clad backsides to the camera before dropping to their knees in a fast motion.

Turning back around, Skye then shook her glittery bikini-clad body in celebration of the successful manoeuvre.

She wore a near-identical outfit the next day - this time in gold - and accessorised with a tan-coloured hat and aviator-style sunglasses.

'Sl*t drops': The Big Brother star remained in high-spirits during one pre-drink session, later convincing her friend to do 'sl*t drops' with her in the front-yard of their accommodation

Skye was then seen policing her friend's eating habits before the final day of the festival.

'You fat dog eating Ben & Jerry's,' she quipped, spying her friend eating from an ice-cream container, 'it goes straight to the a** and that's not a problem.'

It gave Skye inspiration for the raucous video's caption, which she titled: 'Splendour In The Grass In My A** Vlog.'
She's just been named the thirteenth Doctor Who - and the first woman to ever take on the role.

But as she prepares to play a very different kind of doctor is the new BBC series Trust Me, Jodie Whittaker, 35, has given fans an insight into her 'attention seeking' youth.

Mother-of-one Jodie admitted in an interview with the Radio Times she was: 'The attention-seeking child in class who needed everyone to look at meee! [SIC]'

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New Doctor: Jodie Whittaker, 35, has given fans an insight into what she was like growing up calling herself 'an attention seeker' and, ironically, a 'c*** secret keeper'

Originally from Skelmanthorpe, a small village near Huddersfield, the self-confessed book geek added: 'The only time I shut up is when I'm reading.'

Despite referring to herself as a 'c**p secret keeper,' she still managed to keep the biggest secret in TV to herself for five months after landing the Time Lord role.

In fact, the only person she told after getting the nod from the BBC was her husband, American actor Christian Contreras.

She even appeared at the press launch for her latest drama, Trust Me, before the news was announced.

Unveiled: Despite referring to herself as a 'c*** secret keeper,' she still managed to keep the biggest secret in TV to herself for five months after landing the Time Lord role

The actress managed to maintain her poker face while, ironically, talking about her starring role as a woman who passes herself off as a doctor.

The new four-part medical drama focuses on Cath Hardacre, a skilled and dedicated nurse who is suspended after blowing the whistle on her colleagues.

The nurse decides to take the identity of a doctor friend of hers, and then follows her efforts to keep her secret while working as a medic in A&E.

Roots: Originally from Skelmanthorpe, a small village near Huddersfield, the self-confessed book geek added: 'The only time I shut up is when I'm reading'

Intriguingly, Whittaker, whose own mum was a nurse (her dad is a company director), said at the time that she would personally have found the challenge an impossible one.

'I'm a c**p secret-keeper, so there would be no way I could put myself in that position,' she had joked - now awash with irony because of course, Whittaker has kept one of the most fiercely sought after TV secrets.

Radio Times: Prior to Doctor Who, Whittaker was probably best known for her role as Beth Latimer, the grieving mother of young murder victim Danny in ITV's Broadchurch

Explaining her difficulties in playing the role of Cath Hardacre, Jodie said: 'The thing I struggled the most with and I think it comes from basically failing half my GCSEs and never doing A-levels, is the pronunciation of medicine - even just as a simple word.

'With all the physical stuff I could do, all the emotional stuff, I was kind of "been there before"  I've played a few emotional characters.'

Prior to Doctor Who, Whittaker was probably best known for her role as Beth Latimer, the grieving mother of young murder victim Danny in ITV's Broadchurch.

Impressing viewers with absorbing portrayal of the heartbroken woman, Jodie managed to dazzle Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall - who is the incoming Doctor Who show runner.

'Jodie is an in-demand, funny, inspiring, super-smart force of nature and will bring loads of wit, strength and warmth to the role,' says Chibnall, who revealed that he had always wanted a woman for the part.

Read the full article in this week's Radio Times magazines
He has been plagued by rumours of a split with Montana Brown since they left Love Island.

But that may be the least of Alex Beattie's problems, after photographers and bouncers claimed he was demanding 'something to keep him going' from bystanders at the reunion afterparty in London on Sunday night.

The reality star was reportedly desperate to get hold of 'Viagra', asking up to 10 times, while Montana was pictured leaving separately with castmate Simon Searles.

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Awkward! Love Island's Alex Beattie was reportedly demanding 'something to keep him going' from bystanders at the reunion afterparty in London on Sunday night- amid rumours of a split with girlfriend Montana Brown

'Alex came out of Libertine by himself and started asking the snappers if they had any Viagra, he kept saying he needed something to keep himself going,' a source told The Sun on Monday.

'He was in good spirits and just seemed like he was being a bit of a lad. No one had any so he went off to ask the bouncers And then he disappeared after that.'

MailOnline has contacted Alex for further comment.

A video, taken by photographers, also shows onlookers joking with him, saying: 'This guy just wants to get his d**g sucked mate'

An unimpressed Alex responds: 'I'll get that anyway mate but I need something to power through with'.

The bystander simply suggests that he 'relax and focus', when he snaps: 'F*** off mate! Focus? You can't say that s**t.'

Where's Alex? As he reportedly 'searched for Viagra', Montana was seen leaving with Simon Searles on Sunday night

With his belle Montana Brown: According to a source at the scene, the reality star was desperate to get hold of 'Viagra', even resorting to asking photographers and bouncers

Wandering off he mumbles: 'I'll ask the bouncers, I'll probably get f*****g chinned if i ask the bouncers but I might ask them anyway.

This comes after his housemate Mike Thalassitis confessed to sneaking Viagra into the Hidden Hills villa for his night of passion with Tyla in a leaked recording.

In the audio clip, which has been circulating on Whatsapp, Mike admitted to breaking the show's anti-drug rule to solve the issue of his alcohol-induced impotence.

Despite a solid no drug rule in the Love Island villa, Mike claimed to have smuggled the contraband in his suitcase to aid his sexual performance.

'We'll make it work': Despite recent rumours, defiant Montana proved she was still smitten enough in their relationship as she hit back at reports with a loved-up selfie over the weekend

Allegations: Mike Thalassitis has apologised after a recording heard him confess to also sneaking Viagra into the Hidden Hills villa for his night of passion with Tyla

Gratuitous: In the clip, Mike then goes on to describe in graphic detail the sexual acts that took place between him and the 24-year-old model

He was heard to say: 'Mate, first night back in the villa I had in my suitcase, I had a Viagra and I was drunk innit because we started drinking straight away. I popped it and my piece was absolutely breathtaking.'

In the clip, Mike then goes on to describe in graphic detail the sexual acts that took place between him and the Tyla.

He claims that he impressed her with his physical performance which he details of impressing the stunner, but snubbed dating her outside the villa- something he has since apologised for.

Shocking: Mike claimed in the clip 'Mate, first night back in the villa I had in my suitcase, I had a Viagra and I was drunk innit because we started drinking straight away'

Snubbed: He claims that he impressed Tyla with his physical performance, but snubbed dating her, saying that he wanted to 'do bits' outside the villa

He continued: 'I just thought f*** yep Im in her head now  shes mine for the taking. But to be honest with you Im not really going to go there with her  shes fit. I thought she was one of the best looking in there but no I wanna do bits when I get out,' he concluded.

Over the weekend, Islanders Montana used an interview and an Instagram post to silence speculation that her romance with Alex had secretly come to an end.

Before hitting the town for the bash, Montana and Alex sat down for an interview with their castmates, and denied that their romance had come to a premature end.

Speaking with host Caroline Flack, Hertfordshire-based Montana insisted that the sole factor getting in the way of them spending more time together was the distance between her Home Counties residence and Alex's Newcastle home.

Low profile: Back at the bash Montana and Simon seemed intent on keeping a low profile as they made their exit together on Sunday

On Saturday, Alex shot down rumblings of a split, when she took to social media to express her affection for Montana - a move which was reciprocated.

Denied: Their exit together came just hours after Montana shot down rumours that she and boyfriend Alex Beattie had gone their separate ways

Reunited: Earlier, Montana shared a celebratory snap of herself with beau Alex Beattie

While Geordie lad Alex insisted that he and his girlfriend are very much together, Montana told fans she had chosen to sleep in her man's T-shirt while battling with the newfound distance between them since touching back down in the UK.

According to reports, before the group interview, the duo had not seen each other since since leaving Love Island on Sunday night. But Montana hinted at a reunion by sharing a photo of herself in Alex's top to her Instagram page.

Alex, meanwhile, has been seen reaffirming his relationship status on Twitter amid claims he and Montana have 'secretly split'.

'Sleeping in baes top': The brunette beauty paid homage to her beau by choosing to go to bed in his t-shirt before hinting she'll see him soon

'No we definitely haven't': Alex, meanwhile, defiantly insisted he and Montana are very much still together

Addressing the rumours, Alex insisted that hadn't been the case, replying directly to one fan who had asked about the couple: 'No we definitely haven't [split]. Just trolls being trolls.'

Rumours of trouble in paradise hit after Montana admitted she hadn't felt ready to tell Alex that she loved him, despite him telling her while the duo were still starring on the hit dating series.

Montana revealed that it would take her more time to reciprocate her flame's feelings during an episode of This Morning.

'I don't love Alex yet, no,' the graduate confessed in a live video clip from location as her slightly red-faced beau looked on.

Long time apart: According to reports the duo, who coupled up on the show, had not seen each other since leaving the show until the reunion on Sunday night

Cringe confession: Montana revealed that it would take her more time to reciprocate beau Alex Beattie's feelings of love after she was voted off Love Island

Talking after their surprising boot from the summer smash-hit ITV2 series, just a day before the final, Alex gushingly confessed: 'In my eyes, I do love the girl. The whole island thing was intense but out relationship was really strong.'

And when asked by Ruth Langsford if she felt the same way about the hunk, Montana candidly revealed: 'I don't love Alex yet no.'

With everyone left in a state of shock and her man turning red beside her, the beauty explained the statement.

'I don't want say it when I don't mean it yet. When I say it, it will mean more,' she revealed.

Not reciprocated: The stunning graduate, 21, shockingly revealed she 'didn't love Alex yet' in a live video clip from location as her slightly red-faced beau looked on This Morning

'When I say it, it will mean more': With everyone left in a state of shock and her man turning red beside her, the beauty explained the statement

Shrugging off the embarrassment, Alex proved to be every inch the supportive boyfriend as he admitted: 'Love is a massive thing. It if takes her more time then that's fine.

'I'm easy going and chilling. I'm comfortable with her emotions at the moment,' he assured that he was fine with her emotion.

The pair were then asked by former Love Island contestant Chloe Crowhurst if they would be able to make things work in the real world due to their long distance.

Defiant Montana proved she was still smitten enough in their relationship: 'We'll make it work even though we live miles apart.

'Distance not a problem. If anything it'll make up stronger. Bring us closer,' she continued as Alex looked on.

Perfect pair: Montana found romance with Alex Beattie before they were voted off Love Island
Kathy Griffin has shaved her head to show support for her sister Joyce, who's currently battling cancer.

An image of the 56-year-old comedian was shared by journalist Yashar Ali on Monday showing her smiling and patting her bald head after the buzz-cut.

Griffin's mother Maggie - who was seen on her daughter's show My Life on the D-List - was pictured holding her hand over her mouth as she pats the comedienne's bare head.

An image of the 56-year-old comedian was shared by journalist Yashar Ali on Monday showing her smiling and patting her bald head after the buzz-cut

Kathy Griffin's mother Maggie was pictured holding her hand over her mouth as she pats the comedienne's bare head

Her mother later took to Twitter to comment on the show of support and added, 'My daughter Kathleen Mary is a wonderful human being'

Her mother later took to Twitter to comment on the show of support and added: 'My daughter Kathleen Mary is a wonderful human being.'

Griffin hasn't spoken publicly about her sister's fight with cancer. She does have five siblings, including Joyce

Griffin, an Oak Park, Illinois native, has a tragic family past with cancer, as she lost her brother Gary, 63, three years ago in the wake of a what she called 'a brutal struggle' with esophageal cancer in an Instagram post memorializing her lost sibling.

Griffin hasn't spoken publicly about her sister's fight with cancer. She does have five siblings, including Joyce. In a Wall Street Journal interview in 2015, she shared that the two shared a room growing up.

The My Life on the D-List personality has kept a low profile this summer amid the controversy that erupted in May when she posed in an artsy photo holding a severed head resembling Donald Trump.

The Emmy-winning comic on Friday said that a probe by Secret Service has wrapped up amid the graphic political statement against the president, which was snapped by photographer Tyler Shields.

In a Wall Street Journal interview in 2015, she shared that the two shared a room growing up

She lost her brother Gary, 63, three years ago in the wake of a what she called 'a brutal struggle' with esophageal cancer

She wrote on Twitter: 'I am no longer under federal investigation. The case is closed, I have been completely exonerated. Finally.'

Amid the backlash when the photo was published, Griffin lost a New Year's Eve gig with CNN, and a scolding from the commander-in-chief.

'Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself,' Trump tweeted. 'My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!'

The comedienne has kept a low profile due to controversy that erupted in May when she posed in a photo holding a severed head resembling Donald Trump

Griffin subsequently apologized for the tweet, saying she 'was wrong' and 'went too far' with the imagery, which she said stemmed from Trump's previous jabs involving blood aimed at journalist Megyn Kelly.

Griffin last month said in a news conference that the scandal had done significant damage to her professionally.

'I dont think I will have a career after this,' she said. 'Im going to be honest, [Trump] broke me.'
She recently revealed they were planning a dream wedding, after welcoming little Mila last year.

And Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen have opened up about life as a family, in an honest interview as they celebrate their daughter's first birthday.

The dancer, 39, described motherhood as 'hard but rewarding', as the rugby player, 38, talked candidly about his fears of not seeing his daughters grow up.

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Family orientated: Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen have opened up about life as a family, in an honest interview as they celebrate their daughter's first birthday

The birthday-themed photoshoot with Ok! Magazine was particularly poignant as just a week earlier Ben was rushed to hospital with severe chest pains.

Ben, who shares 9-year-old twins Harriet and Isabelle with ex-wife Abby, revealed he was diagnosed with glandular fever, pericarditis and sepsis - a potentially lethal combination.

At hospital I had an ECG and irregularities in my heart were spotted. After a few more tests they diagnosed me with glandular fever and pericarditis, which is a swelling of the fluid sack around your heart,' he explained.

Grateful: The dancer, 39, described motherhood as 'hard but rewarding', as the rugby player, 38, opened up about his fears of not seeing his daughters grow up

'They told me if I hadnt gone into hospital when I did I would have been dead within a few days because it was causing an infection in my blood stream,' he admitted.

And the experience put into proportion just how important his three daughters are.

Its funny, when youre told you have a life-threatening illness all you can think about are the people you love.

'I didnt think about anything materialistic or all the lovely things we have, I was just worried that I wouldnt live to see my daughters grow up.

Read the full interview out in this week's Ok! magazine

'When I eventually got home, I bawled my eyes out  it hit me how scary the whole situation had been.

And speaking about being a first-time mother, Kristina revealed: Motherhood is harder than I ever thought it would be but also more rewarding.

'Life is all about Mila now  everything we want to achieve is with our children in mind.

The couple met in 2013 when they were partnered up on Strictly Come Dancing.

Ben divorced Abby Blayney, who he shares the twin daughters with, in 2016.

Read the full interview out in this week's Ok! magazine.
They're two of Australia's most sought-after models.

And on Monday, Natalie Roser, 26, showed why by posting a picture of her with pal Brooke Hogan, 24 that showcased their perfect posteriors.

Frolicking in shallow water, the girls wore only thong-style bikini bottoms that flaunted their pert derrieres.

'Beach bums': On Monday, Natalie Roser, 26, took to Instagram to post a picture of her round behind with pal Brooke Hogan, 24

'Beach bumming with @brookehogan1 in our @roserthelabel #bikini bottoms #twinning,' the stunner wrote in her Instagram post.

Taken during a stay in the Maldives, both Natalie and Brooke looked incredibly bronzed in the picture.

Both girls wore bikini bottoms from Natalie's brand Roser the Label, which retail at $31.

Sunkissed: Taken during a stay in the Maldives, both Natalie and Brooke looked incredibly bronzed in the picture

Best friends: Earlier in the week, the designer shared another throwback snap from their recent beach vacation

The blonde beauties swept their hair up in matching ballerina buns.

Earlier in the week, Natalie shared a throwback snap from their recent beach holiday in the Maldives, with both wearing matching bikini tops.

The glamorous BFFs looked fit and fabulous in matching halterneck bikini tops that left little to the imagination.

Stunners: Again coordinating, the stunners showcased the lean and toned physiques in halterneck bikini tops that left little to the imagination

Having fun: 'Sunshine, besties and giggles #priorities'

'Sunshine, besties and giggles #priorities,' Natalie captioned the picture.

Opting for different bikini bottoms, Natalie wore a skimpy leopard print design while Brooke donned a black pair.

The photos of the glamorous BFFs were taken during a shoot for the Four Seasons resort at the end of June.
Her family are known for expertly showcasing their extravagant lives on Instagram.

But Doreen Jacenko, mother to PR guru Roxy, looks like she let her social media skills slip on Monday when she committed the ultimate Insta-fail.

In the disjointed picture - which shows her basking in the Greek sun in a bikini - her head and shoulders appear detached from her body.

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Double vision? Roxy Jacenko's mum Doreen makes Instagram FAIL in holiday brag... But sizzles in a bikini

It looks as though Doreen may have been trying to take a panoramic shot of herself sailing around Oia near Santorini, but didn't spot the error before posting it.

The scenery, which includes a green island, was also chopped up in the shot.

It is rare for Doreen to make a mistake on her social media.

She usually posts perfectly-framed, polished images of the highlights of her lush life with her 5,000 followers.

The brunette has been sharing lots of shots from her holiday in Greece, with many showing off her enviable bikini body.

On Thursday she flaunted her age-defying figure in a blue and white triangle bikini on Instagram.

Age-defying: The brunette has been sharing lots of shots from her holiday in Greece, with many showing off her enviable bikini body

Pictured in an outdoor swimming pool at Santorini's luxury Katikies Hotel, the socialite displayed a prominent tan and showcased her shapely silhouette in the cleavage-baring ensemble.

On Monday night, Doreen enjoyed a farewell dinner with a female friend, sharing a picture of it she wrote in the caption: 'Sad farewell dinner, all good things come to an end, bye bye Santorini we have loved it here.'

Doreen has been on her Grecian getaway with her friend Judi for the last week.
She wasn't afraid to start drama on the Real Housewives of Sydney.

But after giving up alcohol for a month, Lisa Oldfield has become 'utterly boring'.

In a return to form on Tuesday, the fiery reality TV star did a champagne 'shoey' to celebrate the end of Dry July during an appearance on WSFM's Jonesy and Amanda Show.

That's one way to celebrate! Lisa Oldfield marks end of Dry July by doing a 'shoey' of champagne

Reminiscing about her alcohol-free month, Lisa said she felt healthier after giving up the booze.

'I feel very refreshed ... but I am utterly boring,' she confessed.

'If you have been following me on Instagram you can see I haven't been up to any mischief in a whole month.'

'What about a shoey?' To celebrate, radio hosts Amanda Keller and Brendan 'Jonesy' Jones suggested Lisa have some champagne

'I feel very refreshed ... but I am utterly boring': Reminiscing about her alcohol-free month, Lisa said she felt healthier after giving up the booze

Despite the lack of excitement, Lisa agreed she was feeling 'so much better' after cutting back.

'I could never let a bottle go empty, it would be a bottle a night,' Lisa said.

To celebrate, radio hosts Amanda Keller and Brendan 'Jonesy' Jones suggested Lisa have some champagne.

'Oh my god - OK you can stop when you feel like it': As she skulled from the boot, both hosts were in awe of Lisa's drinking abilities

'I could never let a bottle go empty': But despite the lack of excitement Lisa agreed she was feeling 'so much better' after cutting back

'What about a shoey?' Jonesy asked, gallantly offering up his motorcycle boot.

After some persuasion Lisa agreed, saying: 'I am only doing this because I love you guys!'

As she skulled from the boot, both hosts were in awe of Lisa's drinking abilities.

'Oh my god - OK you can stop when you feel like it,' Amanda said as Lisa continued to down the champagne.

'I don't think I could do it again': Lisa also addressed whether she would be returning to Real Housewives of Sydney for a second season

Meanwhile Lisa also addressed whether she would be returning to Real Housewives of Sydney for a second season.

'I don't think I could do it again, you saw the worst of Lisa Oldfield,' she said.

'It was such an unnatural environment because in real life you wouldn't see these people again, they got under my skin.'
Christina Milian was in peak holiday mode when she took to the streets of Saint-Tropez on Monday.

The 35-year-old star couldn't have looked more relaxed as she strolled along the French coastal town's port with a half-eaten cup of gelato in one hand.

Clearly unable to wipe the smile off her face, Christina was accompanied by a male friend as they took a walk around the busy strip, lined with shops and cafes.

Hitting the streets: Christina Milian was in peak holiday mode when she took to the streets of Saint-Tropez on Monday

The Grandfathered actress appeared fresh-faced on the outing, showing off her glowing skin.

Her long brown hair was worn loose in natural curls.

Ready to make the most of her day out, Christina had a bottle of water tucked under one arm and a camera swinging off her wrist.

She wore white denim cut-offs teamed with a loose black tank top, which she had tucked in.

Tourist life: Clearly ready to make the most of her day out, Christina had a bottle of water tucked under one arm and a camera swinging off her wrist

Relaxed: Unable to wipe the smile off her face, Christina was accompanied by a male friend as they took a walk around the busy strip, lined with shops and cafes

Lazy days: The 35-year-old star couldn't have looked more relaxed as she strolled along the French coastal town's port with a half-eaten cup of gelato in one hand

The gorgeous star also donned black gladiator sandals and wore a white shell necklace.

A small Louis Vuitton monogram box clutch handbag was slung across her body.

The multi-hyphenate appears to be staying on a luxury yacht while visiting the popular resort town on the French Riviera.

Natural beauty: The Grandfathered actress appeared fresh-faced on the outing, showing off her glowing skin

Stylish: She wore white denim cut-offs teamed with a loose black tank top, which she had tucked in

Smooth sailing: Earlier in the day, Christina had taken to Instagram to share a photo of herself standing on the walkway leading up to the boat

Earlier in the day, Christina had taken to Instagram to share a photo of herself standing on the walkway leading up to the boat.

The beaming star can be seen holding the railings as she smiles for the camera, the yacht partially seen behind her.

'If life is but a dream.. don't wake me up... #rowrowrow,' she captioned the photo.
They're self-confessed renovation addicts.

And after winning The Block's first challenge, Perth couple Ronnie and Georgia are front runners to win the Channel Nine series.

The well-verse house flippers have certainly come prepared, revealing to Nine Homes they spoke with a real estate agent and researched the suburb of Elsternwick prior to filming.

Unfair advantage? The Block's Ronnie and Georgia spoke with real estate agents and researched Elsternwick before filming

Ronnie and Georgia began researching Elsternwick, located in Melbourne's south-east suburbs, on the internet when rumours began circulating online that the suburb would be The Block's next location.

But the Western Australian couple took things to the next level when they travelled to Melbourne to try out for the renovation show.

'When we came over for our audition, we went on a big drive-by, and hung out nearby and had coffee to get a vibe for the area,' Ronnie and Georgia told the website.

Early birds: Ronnie and Georgia began researching Elsternwick on the internet when rumours began circulating online that the suburb would be The Block's next location

'Then one of the first things we did was find one of the top-selling agents in the area, and we contacted him.'

The competitive couple said meeting with the agent has helped shaped their strategy for The Block.

'It gave us a bit of insight into what the market was doing around this area. Also, because we had experience renovating "character houses", we had the same formula when we did [our Block ] house,' they said.

Ronnie and Georgia also didn't scrimp on research when it came to selecting their builder.

'It gave us a bit of insight into what the market was doing around this area': The competitive couple said meeting with the agent has helped shaped their strategy for The Block

The couple chose tradesman Anthony after he was recommended by a builder who had won a national award.

Meanwhile after winning the first challenge with their renovated bedroom, Ronnie and Georgia are hoping to keep their leader streak during bathroom week.

The Perth pair took $8500 from rivals Elyse Knowles and Josh Barker to add to their budget.

Ronnie and Georgia were able to take the money as part of their reward for winning the first challenge.
He's currently starring on The Bachelor Australia in search of a woman to spend the rest of his life with.

But on Sunday, Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson only had eyes for a smaller human - his friend's baby.

Spotted enjoying breakfast in Sydney's Bondi with friends, the 30-year-old could be seen coo-ing over the tiny bundle of joy who was resting in a pram.

Clucky break! The Bachelor Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson (pictured) was seen coo-ing over his friend's baby as he caught up with pals at a cafe in Sydney's Bondi on Sunday

Dressed in a black hooded jumper and distressed denim, the handsome TV star became very animated as he locked eyes with the bub.

Matty, who first shot to fame after vying for Georgia Love's heart on The Bachelorette, was joined by several friends at the cafe.

The good-looking marketing manager appeared to be in good spirits as he caught up with his pals over coffee.

Too cute! Matty couldn't take his eye off the bundle of joy who was resting in a pram

Coppping an eyeful: At one point, Matty leaned in for a closer look at the baby

The reality TV personality was snapped with his tattooed friend, who was dressed in similar attire to Matty, and a female companion who wore a white Thrasher T-shirt teamed with black Nike tights.

The trio were pictured strolling in the coastal suburb with a pram in tow.

Seemingly not just a fan of babies, Matty also appeared to be a animal-lover as he brought a dog along for the outing.

Coffee catch-up: The 30-year-old was all smiles during the outing

Twinning: Dressed in a black hoodie and distressed jeans, Matty was joined by a friend who opted for similar attire

In the past, Matty has made no secret of his desire to settle down and start a family with the right girl.

Speaking to The Binge last month, the brown-haired star revealed his only deal-breaker involved kids.

'I think there's only one deal breaker for me, and that would be as simple as being with somebody who genuinely did not want to start a family,' he told the podcast.

He added: 'I think if I found someone who I was really drawn towards and they had that opinion on kids, I think that would be too difficult to overcome.'

Walk in the park! The TV personality was snapped strolling with two casually dressed friends

Animal-lover: Along for the walk was an adorable dog on a leash

Three's company! The trio appeared to be in good spirits during the outing

Matty has also divulged to The Sun-Herald in July that being raised by a single mother has had a profound effect on the type of father and husband he aspires to be.

'I think for me, the relationship I would want to have, it was almost like I'd want to be the husband that my mum deserved and never had,' he said.

'And the dad that I was always wanted, that's the dad that I wanted to be.'

Dreams of fatherhood: Matty has made no secret of his desire for kids in the future

'I think that would be too difficult to overcome': Last month, the hunky marketing manager told The Binge that a woman not wanting kids would be a deal-breaker for him
She plays Claire Temple, the love interest of the ripped and fit Luke Cage.

But on Monday, Rosario Dawson gave Power Man a run for his money while at The Defenders premiere in New York.

The 38-year-old got playful as she displayed her great strength by squeezing her arm muscles tight.

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Showing her strength: On Monday, Rosario Dawson, 38, gave Power Man a run for his money while at The Defenders premiere in New York

The actress looked classy in a sleeveless, black jumpsuit, decorated with a colorful belt.

Rosario accessorized with statement earrings and a Vince Camuto black clutch, and completed her look with a pair of pointed-toe heels.

The gorgeous brunette wore her long locks down and in loose waves. For make-up Rosario chose a dark, smokey eye and pale lip.

Style star: The actress looked classy in a sleeveless jumpsuit, decorated with a colorful belt

Beauty basics: The gorgeous brunette wore her long locks down and in loose waves. For make-up Rosario chose a dark, smokey eye and pale lip

In The Defenders, Rosario plays Claire Temple, a doctor who is in love with Luke Cage.

Luke, or Power Man, is played by Mike Colter, 40. He is known for his mighty strength and skin.

While the talented actors are indeed among The Defenders' ensemble cast, the twosome also star in the series' spin off, Luke Cage.

Leading lady: In The Defenders, Rosario plays Claire Temple, a doctor who is in love with super hero Luke Cage

The fantasy drama is currently shooting its second season, and will air in 2018.

In an interview with IGN last year, Mike spoke of his working relationship with his co-star.

'I love Rosario, we get along great. I love working with her, so hopefully we'll see more of her and we'll see some interesting twists and turns with her character.'
She's been working hard on cultivating a strenuous health and fitness regime for the past year.

And on Tuesday Roxy Jacenko flaunted her gym-honed figure in a in skin-tight midriff baring top and matching skirt.

The 37-year-old cut a slim figure as she posed in front of an elaborate flower wall as she attended the Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre High-End Precinct Launch.

Glam: On Tuesday Roxy Jacenko flaunted her gym-honed figure in a in skin-tight midriff baring top and matching skirt

Slim: The 37-year-old cut a slim figure as she posed in front of an elaborate flower wall as she attended the Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre High-End Precinct Launch

The tight black top, which fell off her shoulders revealing her tanned, toned arms, cut off at midriff length and offered a glimpse of skin.

The low-cut length of the top, which was made of a ribbed fabric, also gave just a tiny peek at her buxom cleavage.

A form-fitting skirt matched the black top, clinging to her slender curves before flaring into a fish soft, white waterfall tail.

Fashionable: The tight black top, which fell off her shoulders revealing her tanned, toned arms, cut off at midriff length and offered a glimpse of skin

Skin is in: The low-cut length of the top, which was made of a ribbed fabric, also gave just a tiny peek at her buxom cleavage

Fitted: A form-fitting skirt matched the black top, clinging to her slender curves before flaring into a fish soft, white waterfall tail

Well heeled: Black heels with embellished pom-pom straps also added to the monochrome look

A zip ran down the side of the flattering wiggle skirt, adding some rock inspired edge to the outfit.

Black heels with embellished pom-pom straps also added to the monochrome look.

Roxy's long blonde hair flowed in soft waves over her shoulders and down to her bust.

Mermaid looks: Roxy's long blonde hair flowed in soft waves over her shoulders and down to her bust

Bling: She accessioned with a dainty diamond necklace that sat gently across her collarbone

She accessioned with a dainty diamond necklace that sat gently across her collarbone.

It was also hard to miss her massive diamond sparkler, an engagement ring from husband Oliver Curtis, who recently proposed for a second time.

Extra bling came from a chunky gold watch worn on one wrist and a slim gold band worn on the other.

Dress up: She also posed sitting upon a trendy white couch, a light, white trench coat sitting over her shoulders

Watch it: Extra bling came from a chunky gold watch worn on one wrist and a slim gold band worn on the other

Ring on it: It was also hard to miss her massive diamond sparkler, an engagement ring from husband Oliver Curtis, who recently proposed for a second time

Smiles: As enormous roses strained on their stems around her, Roxy beamed for the camera

As enormous roses strained on their stems around her, Roxy beamed for the camera.

She also posed sitting upon a trendy white couch, a light, white trench coat sitting over her shoulders.

The coat was later shed for full body photos in which the PR maven showed off her recent ten kilo weight loss.
Summer Phoenix has filed for divorce from Casey Affleck.

Summer, 38, cited 'irreconcilable differences' in her split from the 41-year-old, the reigning Academy Award-winner for best actor after his lauded performance in Manchester By the Sea, E! reports.

Summer, whose siblings include actors Joaquin Phoenix and the late River Phoenix, told the court she was seeking spousal support in addition to joint physical and legal custody of their two sons, 13-year-old Indiana and nine-year-old Atticus.

It's over: Summer Phoenix, 38, has filed for divorce from Casey Affleck, 41, citing 'irreconcilable differences.' The couple was snapped at the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2013

The couple first announced their separation in March of 2016, putting an end to a Hollywood relationship that spanned 16 years.

They met in 1995 initially when Casey worked with Joaquin on the Gus Van Sant comedy To Die For.

The Gone Baby Gone star recalled their crossing of paths chatting with The Daily Beast four years ago.

Casey told the publication that Summer 'was going out with someone else [at the time] and [he told Joaquin], "Man, she's cute."'

Long-term relationship: Casey and Summer, seen here in 2013 in LA, carried on a 16-year romance prior to their separation last year

Joaquin, according to the The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford actor, encouraged Affleck to 'see if [she'd] go out with' him, adding, 'Don't worry about that dude.'

Casey said of Joaquin: 'So he was leaving town one day and said, "My sisters in my apartment and shes all by herself - would you mind checking in on her?" So I checked in on her, and it stuck.'

Moving on: Casey was snapped with his new girlfriend Floriana Lima, 36, at LA's Vanity Fair Oscar Party after his win in February

Casey and Summer went on to become a couple in 2000, got engaged in 2003 and got married in June of 2006.

Amid his victorious march through Hollywood's award season earlier this year, Casey thanked Summer at the Golden Globes for giving him 'just about every good acting idea [he] ever had,' adding, 'Thank you very much, I love you.'

Since his split with Summer, Casey has been in a relationship with actress Floriana Lima, 36, with the two making their first red carpet appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February.
The Watch Snob On Traveling With A Watch

Would You Use A Casio G-Shock While Traveling? The Watch Snob Thinks You Should

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Does The Perfect Travel Watch Exist?

While researching for a upcoming study abroad trip to London and Florence, I realized I couldnt think of a perfect travel watch. Now you may be thinking Well of course there is the Rolex GMT Master/ Grand Seiko GMT/Planet Ocean GMT etc. But, at least to me the perfect travel watch would:

Be as cheap as possible for easy replaceability in case of theft/damage

Display more than one time zone

Have a non-metal strap and case for ease going through security and lack of scuffing,

Be nearly impossible to break or drown,

Wearable with all types of attire and

Keep accurate time for a long time.

What would the Snob recommend for these criteria? Or does a watch such as this simply not exist?

Unfortunately for you, in your last sentence you have intuited exactly the problem: such a watch does not exist. Each of your criteria individually presents no problem but it is virtually impossible to think of a single watch that fulfills all. A G-Shock is probably the closest to a watch that fulfills all your criteria, but of course even the most sedate G-Shock is not wearable with all types of attire.

Another possibility is the Seiko GPS Solar Dual Time  the advantage to the Seiko is that its a GPS controlled watch, as well as solar powered which means that barring some collapse of civilization and loss of the GPS system, you will have atomic clock accuracy on your wrist, anywhere in the world, in any time zone, essentially indefinitely; however from a styling standpoint these again are not very versatile and as well, they have metal cases.

Again, I would have to suggest a G-Shock  its the one watch I can think of that suits the greatest number of the criteria you have articulated, and the fact that its not terribly well suited to dress, is depending on where you are the least problematic issue. After all bear in mind that if you do a lot of business in the United States, that it is the country where no one thinks it peculiar if you wear a Timex Iron Man with a bespoke suit from Kiton.

The Ideal Platinum Anniversary Gift

I've married my wife for almost 20 years with 2 sons and a daughter. For our anniversary, I would like her to have a classic look watch with the least "bling" to remember our long journey. She wears Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 34 (Steel) and sometimes a Cartier Tank received as a gift from mother long time ago on her graduation. Since your column is Askmen, I know you wouldn't particularly address ladies watches. But would Snob kindly suggest one? She is definitely not Omegas or IWC fan, but more JLC Reverso or Rendez-Vous or Cartier. Thank you so much.

Congratulations very sincerely on reaching 20 years of matrimonial bliss. It is all too clear to the Snob after many years of watching the travails to which marriages are subject, that such nuptial longevity is a thing to be envied. In my own romantically beleaguered life alas, the fruits of such a concord of hearts has been notable more for its absence and yet, still, I can look from afar as it were upon the happiness of others, and wish for them, its continuance.

Anyhow, to the matter at hand. Your good lady wife already has an excellent watch for daily wear (the Rolex) and a fine dress watch in the Tank. She seems a lady who prefers distinctiveness to gaudy display of status, and who would like to be chic without being too obvious or predictable. I would therefore recommend a Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso  specifically, the Tribute to 1931 model, with a suitable inscription engraved upon it. She would thus have a watch of classic good looks and discretion, that betrays the sophistication that no doubt won your heart lo those many years ago, and keeps it faithful to this day.

How Do You Know Who To Trust To Service Your Timepiece?

Hi, I have the AP Jules Audemars ultra thin purchased five years ago used from a reputable jeweller here in the U.K. It is in my opinion a stunning and understated watch which makes me feel special every time I wear it. That said, it is not choice for day to day wear, instead it comes out for those special days and nights. Because of this I estimate over the past five years it has only run for around 25 days per year. Its reliability has been excellent and when being used it keeps excellent time. I read your articles on servicing and agree with you that it is better to service, instead of waiting for something to go wrong.

My question is where do I take it. AP say a service costs 600.00 and will take three months. Watches of Switzerland quote 450.00 and a local independent will charge 225.00. All quote basically the same  the watch is stripped down, cleaned, checked, oiled and any worn parts replaced. The watch is then run and checked for accuracy and all metal bits are cleaned and polished. I see the benefits of using AP but wonder what (if anything) they do that should inflate the price so much. Are they better, or is it just smoke and mirrors and the perception that they offer the best.

It really depends on the risks you are willing to take. Watches of Switzerland and your local independent watchmaker might be just fine, but a point to bear in mind is that the movement in your Jules Audemars Ultra Thin is a very particular kind of movement. It is capable of providing excellent timekeeping and good service in every way and as well, it is an historically important mechanism  for many decades and to this day, the very thinnest full-rotor self-winding movement anyone has ever managed to make. A true undervalued jewel of twentieth century watchmaking.

However, in order for it to perform well, it requires service from someone who understands its idiosyncrasies. The conservative choice, therefore, would be to have it serviced by Audemars Piguet whom of the three choices you have, is the one likeliest to put the watch in the hands of a watchmaker who has been properly trained and equipped to service that specific caliber. You might be all right with another choice, but considering that this movement is in its own way such a treasure, and that after all the cost amortized over, say five years, works out to about 120 quid a year, Id say the peace of mind it should afford you makes AP authorized service a bargain.

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There was no shortage of star-power at Monday's special screening of The Dark Tower at New York's Museum Of Modern Art.

Star Matthew McConaughey cut a dapper figure in an aubergine suit, but all eyes were on wife Camila Alves.

The model/fashion designer smoldered in a plunging Georges Chakra gown that featured a body-hugging sheath and luxurious velvet train.

Where there's smoke there's fire! Camila Alves smoldered in a plunging velvet gown Monday while appearing at the premiere of The Dark Tower with husband Matthew McConaughey

Camila, 35, oozed sex appeal in the Georges Chakra couture which offered a generous glimpse of her cleavage with a deep neckline that plunged all the way to her waist.

She added some bling to her look courtesy of her Lorraine Schwartz black diamond earrings and diamond ring.

The Brazilian beauty added a sultry edge with smoky eyes, nude lips and a chic ponytail which, courtesy of makeup artist Patrick Ta and hairstylist Orlando Pita.

Other half Matthew McConaughey complimented his love in striking plum suit paired with a navy tie and shiny russet-hued shoes.

Smooth as velvet: The model/fashion designer smoldered in a plunging velvet gown that featured a body-hugging sheath and luxurious train

Taking the plunge! The Brazilian beauty which offered a generous glimpse of her cleavage with a deep neckline that plunged all the way to her waist

Red carpet glam: The 35-year-old added smoky eyes, nude lips and a ponytail for a sultry edge, wearing a pair of black diamond earrings from Lorraine Schwartz

And Matthew wasn't the only gentleman in top form that evening.

Idris Elba looking handsome in a Gucci ensemble that featured a crest-adorned jacket, snake-patched polo and cuffed khakis.

He topped off the ensemble with a pair of Gucci loafers with matching snake motif.

Stylish guys! Matthew McConaughey donned a striking plum suit paired with a navy tie and shiny russet-hued shoes while Idris Elba was handsome in a Gucci ensemble

Slithering chic: The London gent looked fashionable in a crest-adorned jacket, snake-patched polo and cuffed khakis all topped off with a pair of Gucci loafers in matching snake motif

He was joined by daughter Isan, 16, who looked pretty-as-can-be in a ruffling polka dot frock.

It seemed like the model turned actress Abbey Lee Kershaw may have mixed up Dark Tower with Dark Shadows, sporting her best rendition of a Helena Bonham Carter costume to the premiere.

The Aussie beauty - who plays Tirana in the film - piled her newly red tresses on top of her head while letting messy tendrils frame her heart shaped face.

On fire! Abbey Lee Kershaw piled her newly red tresses on top of her head while flaunting her chest in a roomy blazer worn sans undershirt

Dot's the ticket! Idris brought daughter Isan (left) who looked darling in ruffles and polka dots

The 5foot11 stunner added extra goth appeal with a cross choker while flaunting her chest in a roomy blazer worn sans undershirt.

Pointy toes croc-skin kicks, black nail polish and hoop earrings topped off her look.

Actress Alex McGregor dazzled in a silver-grey spaghetti strapped frock that featured her delicate collarbone and thin stems.

Berry nice! Katheryn Winnick wowed in a Marchesa design that featured plum floral embroidery, a velvet belt and thin shoulder straps in the same berry hue

Hot metal! Alex McGregor dazzled in a silver-grey spaghetti strapped frock that featured her delicate collarbone and thin stems

They've got the blues! Whoopi Goldberg looked stylish in a denim over-shirt and white smock while Dionne Warwick was slick in a blue leisure suit complete with glasses and a fanny pack

She kept things simple by tying her dark locks back in a sleek pony tail.

Katheryn Winnick wowed in a Marchesa design that featured plum floral embroidery matched with a velvet belt and thin shoulder straps in the same berry hue.

Whoopi Goldberg looked stylish in a denim over-shirt and white smock paired with matching jeans and cat-patterned kicks.

King of horror! Matthew and Idris's new film is based on a bestselling series by Stephen King

Dark happenings: The story centers on the Gunslinger's mission to protect The Dark Tower, in a seemingly eternal battle, to prevent McConaughey's The Man In Black from toppling it

Dionne Warwick was ready to rock, sporting a blue leisure suit complete with leather fanny pack and grandpa-style sunglasses.

Based on a bestselling series by Stephen King, The Dark Tower stars Elba as protagonist Roland Deschain, AKA The Gunslinger with McConaughey playing his life-long enemy The Man In Black.

The Dark Tower is what holds the universe together and The Gunslinger's mission, in a seemingly eternal battle, is to prevent The Man In Black from toppling it.

The film is set for release August 4 and will grace theaters in both 3D and 2D.

Guns out! Elba plays protagonist Roland Deschain, AKA The Gunslinger in the sci-fi horror
Louis Tomlinson has criticized fellow pop star Justin Bieber for quitting his Purpose World Tour six months before the end.

The 25-year-old One Direction star, chatting with 92.3 AMP Radio Monday, emphasized the importance of honoring commitments when asked about the Canadian pop star.

'Obviously, you have to be in a good position mentally, but I also think, to a certain degree, when youre signing up to something, you should see it through,' the Back to You crooner said of Bieber, 23.

Face off: Louis Tomlinson (L) on Monday criticized Justin Bieber for quitting his Purpose World Tour early, saying that 'when youre signing up to something, you should see it through'

Tomlinson, who's currently dating 25-year-old model Eleanor Calder, said int he radio interview that it's important stars respect their fan base.

'Theres never enough that I can say or do for the fans,' Tomlinson said.

'At the end of the day, its the people who are buying the records that are putting you where you are.'

His comments come after Bieber last week called off the remaining dates of his world tour without warning citing 'unforeseen circumstances.'

Grateful: Tomlinson, seen here in NYC Monday, said that 'theres never enough that [he] can say or do for the fans'

Out and about: Tomlinson chat with The Morning Mash Up at SiriusXM Studios in NYC Monday

Bieber had 15 dates left to go on the concert series.

Among the high-profile dates left on the slate included outings at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and the Rose Bowl in Southern California.

Bieber's decision to call off the tour was attributed in part to a 'spiritual awakening' the entertainer had as part of his patronage at the Hillsong Church, and 'intense' relationship with its pastor Carl Lentz, insiders last week told TMZ.
Sarah Hyland was spotted leaving a hair salon in West Hollywood on Monday.

The 26-year-old actress emerged with shiny long chocolate-colored tresses after appearing to have gotten dark hair extensions put in.

Dressed in a cropped black T-shirt, Sarah was seen clutching a juice as she left the salon.

New hair, don't care... Sarah Hyland was spotted leaving a hair salon in West Hollywood on Monday

She also wore a pair of cropped black leggings and white Nike sneakers.

The Modern Family star accessorized with a pair of giant silver hoop earrings and brown sunglasses.

A black leather handbag hung off her shoulder, and she clutched a shopping bag from the Nine Zero One salon.

A week earlier, the petite actress had taken to Instagram to share a photo of herself at the beach lying alongside a dog.

Lengthy process: The 26-year-old actress emerged with shiny long chocolate-colored tresses after appearing to have gotten dark hair extensions put in

Keeping healthy: Dressed in a cropped black T-shirt, Sarah was seen clutching a juice as she left the salon

In the photo, her hair is blonde and bobbed, worn in loose beach waves, a noticeable change from her look on Monday.

And after losing an alarming amount of weight earlier this year, Sarah looked healthier than she has in months as she left the salon.

In a since deleted post on Instagram, the stunning star confessed she hasn't 'had the greatest year' in terms of her health.

A week earlier, the petite actress had taken to Instagram to share a photo of herself at the beach lying alongside a dog. Her hair is blonde and bobbed, worn in loose beach waves

'I will say that this year has brought a lot of changes and with that, physical changes,' she wrote.

'Strength is everything... I am not a fan of "being skinny". Which many of you have told me that I am too much of.'

Sarah has fought a long battle with kidney dysplasia, and received a life-saving kidney transplant from her father in 2012.
Rebel Wilson got to share her dream kiss with Liam Hemsworth on the set of her upcoming romantic comedy, Isn't It Romantic, this week.

And later that same day, the 37-year-old actress was seen having a ball doing stunts for the new flick.

Rebel was spotted climbing onto a Vespa as she shot scenes with Brandon Scott Jones at the Queensborough Bridge in New York.

Raring to go! Rebel Wilson dons a bright yellow mesh shirt and rides a Vespa on the set of her new comedy Isn't It Romantic

Rebel didn't actually ride the scooter, instead it was attached to the top of a truck so it could give the appearance of movement while the actors performed.

As co-star Brandon sat in front, Rebel, wearing a red and black helmet, held on, pretending to ride through the streets of the Big Apple.

The Australian actress wore a yellow mesh top with bulky shoulder pads and a black zipper running down the middle.

Ride or die: Rebel was spotted climbing onto a Vespa on the set of her new comedy

Stay safe: Rebel didn't actually ride the scooter, instead it was attached to the top of the truck

Trendy: The Australian actress wore a yellow mesh top with bulky shoulder pads and a black zipper running down the middle

She paired the top with a form-fitting black skirt with white spots and a flirty, scalloped hem.

The Fat Pizza actress stars opposite Liam Hemsworth and her former Pitch Perfect love interest, Adam Devine, in the romantic comedy.

Co-star: She shot scenes with Brandon Scott Jones at the Queensborough Bridge in New York

Giddy up: As co-star Brandon sat in front, Rebel, wearing a helmet, held on, pretending to ride through the streets of the Big Apple

Red alert: The truck carried the scooter to give the appearance of movement while the actors performed

Loved up: The funny flick centres on Rebel's character Natalie, a woman who is cynical about love, but suddenly finds herself trapped in a romantic comedy

The funny flick centres on Rebel's character Natalie, a woman who is cynical about love, but suddenly finds herself trapped in a romantic comedy.

She and the two men will form the movie's love triangle, with Rebel rejecting Adam while pining away for Liam.

Woman at work: The Fat Pizza actress stars opposite Liam Hemsworth and her former Pitch Perfect love interest, Adam Devine in the romantic comedy

Along with Adam, Isn't It Romantic also stars Priyanka Chopra and Betty Gilpin.

The Todd Strauss-Schulson directed film is set to be released on Valentine's Day in 2019.
Nicky Hilton was snapped Monday taking in a dual bill between Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California.

The 33-year-old socialite, who's married to billionaire businessman James Rothschild, 32, wore a long white dress with black trim and patterns of cherries, accessorizing with a designer black purse and pointy red heels.

The 5ft7 heiress had her blonde locks parted and down, amplifying her complexion with blush.

Style and grace: An expectant Nicky Hilton, 33, was snapped Monday taking in the Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California

It's been a month of milestones for Nicki, whose daughter Lily Grace Victoria Rothschild turned one on July 8, two days before the blonde beauty celebrated her two-year-anniversary with Rothschild July 10.

And insiders told the DailyMail earlier this month that she's expecting her second baby, and is about three months along.

Fashionista: The famous heiress donned a cute ensemble for the midsummer night show

Well-connected: Nicky, seen here with a friend, has a number of prominent pals, including Ivanka Trump, Khloe Kardashian and Bethenny Frankel, in addition to her sister, Paris Hilton

On the move: It's been a busy summer for Nicki, who celebrated her second anniversary as well as her child's first birthday

Nicki attended a bash in England for Greece's Princess Olympia and Prince Pavlos earlier this month. Sources said that the well-heeled affair 'was a Marie Antoinette costume themed party so she was wearing a corset so no one could tell,' and that the couple is 'excited' in having children close to one another, age-wise.

'They always wanted to give Lily-Grace a sibling close in age, like they both have,' the source said, noting that while the couple has their fingers crossed for a boy, they would be thrilled with a girl as well.

Nicki on Monday was fresh off tossing a lavish affair to celebrate Lily Grace's first birthday, which was beautifully curated with pastels and an amazing cake for the tot.

A mom's love: Nicki clearly put lots of time and money into her daughter Lily's party this past weekend
She's been soaking up the European summer sun with a holiday in Greece.

But on Tuesday it was back to reality for Samantha Armytage, the Sunrise host heading out on a grocery run.

The glowing 40-year-old showed off her holiday tan as she picked up items from the supermarket.

She's got that holiday glow! Back to reality! A glowing Samantha Armytage goes grocery shopping after soaking up the sun on Greek holiday

The popular breakfast TV host appeared to go makeup free for her run to the shops, revealing her holiday tan.

But despite showing signs of her summer vacation Samantha was dressed warmly for Sydney's chilly winter temperatures.

She wore black jeans and boots with a grey jumper and scarf, accessorising with a brightly-coloured handbag.

Back to reality! The popular breakfast TV host appeared to go makeup free for her run to the shops, revealing her gorgeous glow

Party time! The Channel Seven personality shared snaps to Instagram of herself hanging out with a friend at a wedding

Samantha's return to normality comes after she spent a fortnight soaking up the sun in Greece on a well-deserved holiday last month.

The Channel Seven personality shared snaps to Instagram of herself hanging out with friends at a wedding.

'A big, phat, spectacular Greek Wedding,' Samantha captioned one photo to her 184,000 Instagram followers.

Celebrating: 'A big, phat, spectacular Greek Wedding,' Samantha captioned one photo to her 184,000 Instagram followers

Meanwhile Samantha has plenty to celebrate with her return to TV, with Sunrise continuing to dominate breakfast ratings.

Twelve months ago rival Today was ahead of Sunrise in the ratings - according to the industry accepted capitol cities benchmark - but the Channel Nine show is now averaging 290,000 to Sunrise's 297,000 in Australia's five major cities.

When regional audiences are factored in, Sunrise now averages 90,000 more viewers than Today at 527,000, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
It's the Channel Nine show that sees everyday Australians commit to changing themselves over the course of a year.

But things didn't go according to plan during filming of This Time Next Year's premiere episode after a fiery stunt went wrong, causing $40,000 worth of damage.

Monday's episode saw 33-year-old Mel Goh pledge to become a stuntwoman, but a feat of daring went wrong, destroying an LED screen at the back of the stage with Nine's head of production and development Trent Chapman telling news.com.au: 'sorry to our insurers.'

Danger: Things didn't go according to plan during filming of This Time Next Year's premiere episode after a fiery stunt went wrong, causing $40,000 worth of damage

The publication reported that the stunt, which saw Mel being set on fire was rehearsed for 'a month or so,' with a stand-in prior to filming.

'It all went perfect but then, of course, in the heat of the moment, so to speak, there was a small problem,' Matt told the publication.

When it came time to film the feat for real, Mel, covered in flames, was flanked by safety officers who were there to extinguish the flames - and that's when trouble started.

Close call: Monday's episode saw 33-year-old Mel Goh pledge to become a stuntwoman, but a feat of daring went wrong, destroying an LED screen at the back of the stage

Big bill: 'Some of the foam spray [from the extinguishers] went onto the very, very expensive LED screen at the back [of the stage] and they were ruined,' Trent told news.com.au. ''I think it was about $40,000 worth of damage. Sorry to our insurers'

'Some of the foam spray [from the extinguishers] went onto the very, very expensive LED screen at the back [of the stage] and they were ruined,' Trent revealed.

'I think it was about $40,000 worth of damage. Sorry to our insurers.'

Regardless of the fiery fracas, the show proved a hit with viewers as a mammoth 1.282,000 metropolitan viewers tuned in.

Well rehearsed: The publication reported that the stunt, which saw Mel being set on fire was rehearsed for 'a month or so,' with a stand-in prior to filming

Viewers took to social media to praise the transformative show as well as Karl's hosting abilities.

''What a rad bloke @karlstefanovic is. Dad jokes on point. True Aussie legend,' read one Tweet, while another fan offered a similar, 'I love @karlstefanovic he's beautiful.

Australian Ninja Warrior Rebecca Maddern joined the conversation, admitting the show brought tears to her eyes.

'Brilliant show @karlstefanovic. #thistimenextyear making me laugh and cry,' she tweeted.
He has become quite the heartthrob since making his debut on The Only Way is Essex in 2015.

And Pete Wicks appeared to be keeping his admirers happy as he stripped off while shooting his 2018 calendar in the balmy climes of Ibiza on Monday.

The 28-year-old smouldered as he ditched his shirt and flaunted his toned, inked-up torso, but it was a very different story for his girlfriend Megan McKenna.

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Setting pulses racing! Pete Wicks appeared to be keeping his admirers happy as he stripped off while shooting his 2018 calendar in the balmy climes of Ibiza on Monday

While the 24-year-old is frequently spotted in a somewhat scanty ensemble, the reality star instead opted for a more demure look as she attended a meeting in London.

The Celebrity Big Brother star looked like she meant business as she swapped her usual stiletto in favour of smart loafers, which she paired with black tapered trousers.

Known for her fiery personality, Megan ensured the look still reflected her wild demeanor by donning a leopard print, sleeveless shirt.

Chic: Megan McKenna looked like she meant business as she stepped out for a day of meetings at London's Gilgamesh on Monday

Smouldering: Pete slipped into a pair of camouflage swim shorts and left his damp, long locks to fall freely around his face for one sexy shot

Injecting a pop of colour into her style, she carried her daytime essentials in a vibrant, red handbag.

Finishing her city slick look, Megan tied her brunette tresses into a chic top knot and sported a pair of over-sized designer shades.

The look was certainly a far cry from the outfits Pete was donning on his sultry shoot, with the star going completely shirtless in nothing but a pair of skinny jeans and desert boots.

Drawing yet more attention to his heavily-tattooed torso, Pete draped a gold pendant necklace around his neck and tied his long, disheveled tresses away from his face.

Another look saw Pete slip into a pair of camouflaged print swim shorts, though this time his lengthy locks were left to fall freely around his face.

Wild thing! Known for her fiery personality, Megan ensured the look still reflected her wild demeanor by donning a leopard print, sleeveless shirt

Despite their rocky past, Megan had alluded to her rekindled romance with Pete on social media, before reaffirming her love for him publicly, after he surprised her with a huge bouquet of flowers on her return to Essex.

Fans of the duo had watched the on/off couple split during TOWIE's last series, with Megan struggling to see past Pete's previous infidelity, where he was caught explicitly texting a former flame.

Despite being advised by their co-star's to let their romance lie, it seems the pair struggled to stay away from each other and have now got their relationship back on track once more.

They had ventured to Las Vegas in June for a 'make or break' holiday together.

At the time a representative for Megan confirmed to MailOnline: 'They have taken a trip abroad to work on things and hope people will respect their privacy.'
She's the spitting image of her supermodel mother.

And Kaia Gerber, 15, proved she also has inherited Cindy Crawford's adventurous side as she was seen enjoying a jet ski ride on their family holiday in Canada on Sunday.

Tearing through the sea, the talented teen seemed in great spirits as her elder brother Presley, 18, and his girlfriend Cayley King, 19, watched on.

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Loving life: Kaia Gerber, 15, proved she also has inherited Cindy Crawford's adventurous side as she was seen enjoying a jet ski ride on their family holiday in Canada on Sunday

Also enjoying a ride out on the water was the siblings father Rande, 55, who showed them how it was done as he went out for a spin.

Watching on from the safety of dry land, Cindy, 51, looked sensational in a black bikini that showed off her incredible figure.

The group have been making the most of their lakeside home in Muskoka, Ontario and have had many celebrity guests stay with them.

Cute couple: Tearing through the sea, the talented teen seemed in great spirits as her elder brother Presley, 18, and his girlfriend Cayley King, 19, watched on

Kaia has no doubt been grateful for some relaxation time as she recently admits she finds it 'difficult' juggling her modeling career with her education.

She told Miss Vogue: 'Its really difficult, because you have a lot of different things going on. I go to school everyday, and that does come first.'

The teen also told the magazine: 'I try to separate my modeling work from my school life because I dont want people to think of me differently or that I am a certain way because of it.

Legs eleven! Watching on from the safety of dry land, Cindy, 51, looked sensational in a black bikini that showed off her incredible figure

Learnt from the best: Also enjoying a ride out on the water was the siblings father Rande, 55, who showed them how it was done as he went out for a spin

'I think I do a pretty good job of separating it, I dont really talk about it with my friends. Other than my friends that are part of the industry, and I guess thats different.'

And the fashion muse will use her 'free time' to pose in front of the camera , although she considers her job more of a hobby.

She added: 'I use my free time for work, but because I love it so much, it doesnt feel like work and I still have fun with it. I dont really have days where I can sit and do nothing.'
There was one good thing about Made In Chelsea: Ibiza. Even as it was being screened the price of going there plummeted.

Viewers across the country cancelled their holidays in their droves  in case they bumped into the cast.

In one fell swoop, it had become the least cool resort in the world. Call it The MIC Effect. This was only understandable.

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There was one good thing about Made In Chelsea: Ibiza. Even as it was being screened the price of going there plummeted

It may have been off our screens for two months but absence had not made the heart grow fonder. It hadnt got any subtler or the characters smarter.

If anything they were worse on holiday than at home. Posh twerps like Harry and Sam Thompson referred to women as 'birds' and Daisy revived that 80s horror 'bonking'.

When Toff mentioned it was the Summer Solstice, Olivia Bentley accused her of 'whipping out all these big words'. 'Its the longest day of the summer,' explained Toff.

This felt like the longest night. It was the same as ever  only with yachts instead of Bentleys and Spanish sunsets instead of Sloane Street. The cocktails, champagne, and Jamie Laings red forehead remained unaltered.

In one fell swoop, Ibiza had become the least cool resort in the world. Call it The MIC Effect. This was only understandable.

It still basically consisted of various pairings of blondes walking up to one another, asking each other 'How are you?' and then 'acting natural' as they casually wondered 'hows it going with Blah Blah?'

This was repeated ad infinitum, padded out with scenes of the characters dancing with drinks in their hands, or mindlessly pretending to have fun doing different activities as if they had just discovered The Best Thing In The World (this week  paddle-boarding).

Frankly they were all old enough to know better. Hopefully anyone who was already on holiday in Ibiza when they arrived got their money back.

It may have been off our screens for two months but absence had not made the heart grow fonder. It hadnt got any subtler or the characters smarter

Here are the worst 20 moments from this weeks episode.

1. 'I say: what happens in Ibiza stays in Ibiza,' said Daisy moronically.

Er, its on television

2. 'Only you could convince me to come here'

- Mark Francis to Victoria. That, and the cheque from E4

3. 'Its still just going nowhere. Its more like friends just meeting up'

- Sam Prince about his relationship with Toff but actually summing up the whole series

If anything they were worse on holiday than at home. Posh twerps like Harry and Sam (pictured) Thompson referred to women as 'birds' and Daisy revived that 80s horror 'bonking'

4. 'We never kiss. We never do anything. Its always just like friendly chat'

- ditto

5. 'I think the best thing to do is just chill as mates'

- Sam Prince 'splits up' with Toff. Even though he had just said chilling out as mates was what they were doing anyway

6. 'Theres something missing I think'

- Harry on his relationship with Emily but actually summing up the whole series

It was the same as ever  only with yachts instead of Bentleys and Spanish sunsets instead of Sloane Street. The cocktails, champagne, and Jamie Laings red forehead remained unaltered

7. Even though Frankie and Jamie are together, their relationships complete toss

- Harry, saying what were all thinking

8. The thing is I think shes a lot more fun than you

- Alex to Sam Prince about Toff, saying what were all thinking

9. Everyone feels youre just being dishonest

- Frankie to Harry about Emily, saying what were all thinking

'Its still just going nowhere. Its more like friends just meeting up' - Sam Prince about his relationship with Toff but actually summing up the whole series

10. Youre full of s**t !

- Emily to Harry. Ditto

11. I dont understand why youre doing it !

- Jamie complaining to Harry about leading Emily on. Answer: Because its in the script

12. Do you want to go on a f***ing break?! Cos Ill shag a lot more than you !

- Frankie to Jamie. And they say romance is dead

13. If we went on a break I reckon Id have sex with more people than you would

- Jamie to Frankie. Ditto

'Theres something missing I think' - Harry on his relationship with Emily but actually summing up the whole series

14. Paella !

- Jamie confirms what an expert on women he is when Sam says he is taking Toff out on a date

15. So whats your type of boy?

- Jamie to Mimi The 'Easy Canadian'. Answer: Any type

16. I gave you the benefit of the doubt before but youre going down a dark path now

- Jamie warning Harry off Frankie as if he was remotely threatening

17. Im free! Im just a pirate! Yeah !

- Sam Thompson on being single again

Do you want to go on a f***ing break?! Cos Ill shag a lot more than you ! - Frankie to Jamie. And they say romance is dead

18. Ill bring you back a nice aubergine

- Emily, who clearly doesnt know what an orchard is

19. She got a nice pair of buoyancy eggs

- Alex about Frankie, like a giggling teenager whod never sat next to a woman in a bikini before

20. Well lets continue just enjoying our time together

- Harry to Emily after he had just admitted saying she was always available for him on a plate.

Even Emily and Frankie burst out laughing at how stupid his suggestion was that his relationship with Emily had any serious substance any more. As we all were.


While fans of the Great British Bake Off still mourn the newly shaken-up line-up after it sensationally confirmed it had moved broadcaster in 2016.

Viewers of the former BBC stalwart can now rejoice as the station has finally announced it's successor Britains Best Cook which will have the nation's favourite Mary Berry, 82, at the helm alongside Claudia Winkleman, 45.

The eight-part series - which will be aired on BBC One - will test the real-life expertise of the country's greatest home cooks and 'celebrate the food people make for their loved ones every single day'.

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Back with a bang: Viewers of the former BBC stalwart can now rejoice as the station has finally announced it's successor Britains Best Cook which will have the nation's favourite Mary Berry at the helm alongside Claudia Winkleman

The new show - which is produced by Keo films - will see ten contestants demonstrate their honed skills under pressure, while trying to bring their personality and flare to their sumptuous dishes that define British home cooking.

Taking inspiration from GBBO's challenges, the series' tasks will feature new tips and techniques which will test the cooks and prove their creativity, resourcefulness and technical ability to become Britains Best Cook.

Returning to her first love, Mary Berry - who has more than 75 cookery books to her name - will be the thrilling series' lead judge, following on from her duties on GBBO, while the search for her second-in-command is still underway.

Putting her dazzling personality to the cooking project, Strictly's Claudia Winkleman will be fronting the series - a decision Mary is firmly behind.

Cooking up a storm: The eight-part series - which will be aired on BBC One - will test the real-life expertise of the country's greatest home cooks and 'celebrate the food people make for their loved ones every single day' (Pictured host Claudia Winkleman)

Thyme to turnip: The new show - which is produced by Keo films - will see ten contestants demonstrate their honed skills under pressure, while trying to bring their personality and flare to their sumptuous dishes that define British home cooking

Speaking about the upcoming series, Mary gushed: 'I am never more at home than when I have my judging hat on.

'This series is going to encourage proper home cooking which I have always championed and I cannot wait to start. Claudia, for me, is the icing on the cake.'

While Claudia added: 'I am over the moon to be part of this show. Am slightly obsessed with Mary so will follow her around with my own moussaka for most of the filming. Apologies in advance.'

Back! Returning to her first love, Mary Berry - who has more than 75 cookery books to her name - will be the thrilling series' lead judge, following on from her duties on GBBO, with Claudia by her side

Discussing the broadcaster's new cooking venture, Director of BBC Content Charlotte Moore shared: 'Home cooking has quietly become one of the nation's favourite obsessions and so there is no better place than BBC One to compete for this crown.

'The queen of all judges Mary Berry will be the indisputable head judge, with the irresistible Claudia Winkleman hosting proceedings. But, who will be Mary's judging partner? The search is on!'

The announcement comes as commentators were waiting with bated-breath for what the BBC would produce to fill popular GBBO's spot after it was confirmed in September 2016 that it had been poached by Channel 4.

The popular show saw up to fifteen amateur bakers compete each week to create the best confections, which are carefully judged by Paul Hollywood and Mary.

Raisin the roof: The announcement comes as commentators were waiting with bated-breath for what the BBC would produce to fill popular GBBO's spot after it was confirmed in September 2016 that it had been poached by Channel 4

Sticks and scones: At the time, the broadcaster admitted that it could no longer afford the keep the hit TV show - which was first broadcast on BBC2 in 2010 until 2013, before being moved to BBC1 for its fifth series in 2014

At the time, the broadcaster admitted that it could no longer afford the keep the hit TV show - which was first broadcast on BBC2 in 2010 until 2013, before being moved to BBC1 for its fifth series in 2014.

The production company behind the baking show, which receives up to 13.4 million viewers, announced in an internal email last year that despite a long period of negotiations, talks with the BBC to continue broadcasting rights had broken down.

Love Productions confirmed that they were 'unable to reach agreement on terms to renew the commission of The Great British Bake Off.'

A statement from the production company read: 'After an extraordinary six-year journey with the BBC, Love Productions announces with regret that it has been unable to reach agreement on terms to renew the commission of The Great British Bake Off.

The chosen bun: Love Productions confirmed that they were 'unable to reach agreement on terms to renew the commission of The Great British Bake Off'

'We will now be focusing on finding a new partner to develop the familiar show that the British public turn to in their millions. Love Productions would like to thank the BBC for the role it played in making this show such an enormous hit, and the faith they showed in us over the years to develop it.'

While a statement from the BBC read: 'Working with Love Productions, we have grown and nurtured the programme over seven series and created the huge hit it is today.

'We made a very strong offer to keep the show but we are a considerable distance apart on the money. The BBC's resources are not infinite. GBBO is a quintessentially BBC programme. We hope Love Productions change their mind so that Bake Off can stay ad free on BBC One.'

That is how they roll: After the fallout, presenters Sue Perkins, 47, and Mel Giedroyc, 49, sensationally announced their exit from the series while judge Mary followed suit while Paul Hollywood remained

For goodness bake! Paul, meanwhile, decided to stick with the baking competition and revealed during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show that he wasn't ready to give up the job he loves so much

After the fallout, presenters Sue Perkins, 47, and Mel Giedroyc, 49, sensationally announced their exit from the series while judge Mary followed suit.

Paul, meanwhile, decided to stick with the baking competition and revealed during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show that he wasn't ready to give up the job he loves so much.

He explained: 'I love doing what I do... I've got a family and I'm just coming to the end of my career I suppose, I'm 50 odd - I haven't got long left. I'm not going to last like Mary... I'll never last, but while it's here, I will carry on doing my job as a judge.'

Paul will judge the contest alongside chef Prue Leith, 77, who will step in to fill Mary Berry's shoes on the new series while comedians Noel Fielding, 44, and Sandi Toksvig, 59, will host it.

Knead to know: Paul will judge the contest alongside chef Prue Leith, 77, who will step in to fill Mary Berry's shoes on the new series while comedians Noel Fielding, 44, and Sandi Toksvig, 59, will host it

And despite the backlash Channel 4's lineup initially received, Paul was quick to defend his new co-stars.

Speaking on Loose Women about his new co-judge Prue and the addition of Noel and Sandi, he said: 'I'm really excited. Obviously it's a big thing for the country and when I heard the names read out, I was really excited.

'I'm a big fan of Noel and Sandi actually. I did know about Prue but I didn't know about the others at all, but it's perfect. I'm really, really excited.'
She's agreed to host ITV's Lorraine for three weeks over the summer.

But Christine Lampard may have been temporarily regretting her decision after she fell foul to one of the crew's pranks on Tuesday's episode.

Discussing a throwback snap Scarlett Moffatt shared on Instagram, the 38-year-old presenter sighed: 'Funny enough the production team thought it would be really funny to find this old photo of me.'

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Flashback: Christine Lampard was left cringing as a picture of herself aged 17 flashed up on the screen during Tuesday's episode of Lorraine. Luckily she was able to laugh it off

Cringing as a picture of herself in her teens flashed up on the screen, Christine - who is married to Frank Lampard - was able to laugh off the embarrassment.

She revealed: 'Im about 17  everyone thinks the hair is permed but its not.'

Referencing her curly locks, she explained: 'My hair still looks like that, I spend about an hour every morning tying to get rid of that on a daily basis'.

Hair she comes: Referencing her curly locks in the throwback, Christine explained: 'My hair still looks like that, I spend about an hour every morning tying to get rid of that on a daily basis'

Christine's snap was inspired by Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, who shared a hilarious throwback photo of herself from her time at university.

Giving her followers a glimpse into her life before she found fame, the TV personality, 26, was a far cry from her perfectly preened self as she posed sporting a glaringly orange glow of fake tan.

Proving she is a good sport, Scarlett couldn't resist poking fun at her former self and took to mocking her younger self's appearance alongside her snap.

Cute couple: Christine - who is married to Frank Lampard - often wears her glossy raven locks in loose waves instead of her natural corkscrew curls

In the photo, she is pictured with berry-red locks, plenty of blusher strobed across her cheeks and sporting a bandeau leopard print top.

Pulling a playful pose with her girl pals in the photo, Scarlett seemed to draw attention to her dodgy tan, as she held up her hands to the camera that appeared to be a slightly darker colour to her face.

More concerned about her eyebrows, however, Scarlett joked alongside the image: 'I went to uni at a time when there was no filters & clearly no decent eyebrow utensils.'
She's the Oscar winner, often featured in blockbuster dramas.

And after expressing a desire to do comedy at a Sundance Press Tour in California last Saturday, Nicole Kidman looked to prove her skills.

The 50-year-old put on an animated display, pulling a number of playful facial gestures, at the Sydney premiere for Top Of The Lake: China Girl on Tuesday.

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Playful: Nicole Kidman, 50, put on an animated display at the Top Of The Lake: China Girl premiere in Sydney on Tuesday, after expressing a desire to do comedy

Sporting a sheer nude frock with embellishment in the form of beading, Nicole looked elegant on the red carpet.

The delicate fabric skimmed over her petite upper frame, while flaring from the waist added a touch of flair.

The Moulin Rouge star styled her tresses in a sleek chignon at the nape of the neck, and opted for a beauty palette consisting of a porcelain complexion, defined brows, lashings of mascara and a matte red lip.

Primped: Sporting a sheer nude frock with embellishment in the form of beading, the mother-of-four looked elegant on the red carpet

Svelte: The delicate fabric skimmed over Nicole's petite upper frame, while flaring from the waist added a touch of flair

Slender: Upon turning for the cameras, Nicole offered glimpses of her toned back with the frock's cut-out detailing

Clearly happy to be attending the premiere for her latest role, Nicole could not hide her emotion.

The wife of country superstar Keith Urban was seen pulling a number of animated facial expressions.

She later engaged with her adoring fans who were keen for a quick photo opportunity.

Content: Clearly happy to be attending the premiere for her latest role, the Oscar winner could not hide her emotion

Top project: Nicole was interviewed by a panel of reporters

Connected: Nicole later engaged with her adoring fans who were keen for a quick photo opportunity

In sync: The Moulin Rouge star coordinated her look with a pair of metallic strappy heels

Nicole stars as Julia in the Foxtel BBC drama, a mother whose story intersects with Detective Robin Griffin's (played by Elisabeth Moss) search for the identity of 'China Girl'.

The last time Nicole was in Australia for a local production was back in 1989 for the three-part miniseries Bangkok Hilton.

She was seen filming scenes for the drama in Sydney's Centennial Park last year.

Prized bling: The personality showed off her sparkling rings on the red carpet

Starring role: Nicole features as Julia in the Foxtel BBC drama, a mother whose story intersects with Detective Robin Griffin's (played by Elisabeth Moss) search for the identity of 'China Girl'

Desires: Nicole expressed a desire for more comedic roles at the Sundance Television Critic's Association Press Tour in California last Saturday. The mother-of-four told the panel of casting directors: 'They always say I'm not funny'

Her all: The wife of country superstar Keith Urban however said that she's eager to try something different, and isn't concerned about failure: 'I'm willing to fall on my face, I'm willing to get back up again. I want to keep trying'

Nicole expressed a desire for more comedic roles at the Sundance Television Critic's Association Press Tour in California last Saturday.

The mother-of-four told the panel of casting directors: 'They always say I'm not funny.'

Nicole however said that she's eager to try something different, and isn't concerned about failure.

'I'm willing to fall on my face, I'm willing to get back up again. I want to keep trying.'

The flame-haired beauty also said that she's learning comedy from her nine-year-old daughter Sunday Rose: '(She) sure has Lucille Ball in her.'

Family: The flame-haired beauty also said that she's learning comedy from her nine-year-old daughter Sunday Rose: '(She) sure has Lucille Ball in her'

Typecast: Nicole is often featured in blockbuster dramas, and not known for playing comedic characters
The actress plays a policewoman on Australian soap Home And Away.

But Pia Miller appeared to be taking time away from her policing duties while filming scenes at Sydney's Palm Beach on Monday.

Pia, who plays Katarina 'Kat' Chapman, on the show cradled a burgeoning baby bump during filming as an arrest took place by other cast members.

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SPOILER ALERT! Actress Pia Miller cradles burgeoning baby bump on Home And Away set as intense arrest erupts before her

It appears fans can look ahead to seeing their favourite policewoman expecting her first child.

She was seen placing a hot water bottle under a denim button-up shirt to provide the appearance of a baby bump.

It's believed the child would belong to George Mason's character Martin 'Ash' Ashford.

Baby joy! It appears fans can look ahead to seeing their favourite policewoman expecting what appears to be her first child

Who's the dad? It's believed the child would belong to George Mason's character Martin 'Ash' Ashford

That's how they do it! She was seen placing a hot water bottle under a denim button-up shirt to provide the appearance of a baby bump

Dual purpose! It appears before filming began, she used the hot water bottle to keep warm before the sun rose at the seaside location

It appears before filming began, she used the hot water bottle to keep warm before the sun rose at the seaside location.

Both actors wore warm jackets before stripping down to shoot the scenes.

Pia appeared to sport a minimal makeup coverage, with her brunette locks worn up in a messy low ponytail.

Natural beauty! Pia appeared to sport a minimal makeup coverage, with her brunette locks worn up in a messy low ponytail

Thinking warm thoughts? Pia soon had to ditch her warm jacket to shoot the scenes and was seen crossing her arms across her chest

During the outdoor filming, there was also a shock arrest.

Three police officers were seen using their guns to apprehend a criminal, before cuffing him with spectators watching.

Pia was seen earlier in the day with the actor, with the actress likely to be involved in the scene in someway.

What happened? During the outdoor filming, there was also a shock arrest

Put 'em up! Three police officers were seen using their guns to apprehend a criminal

Cuffed! Police officers were seen putting the man in hand cuffs cuffing with spectators watching

Pia was seen earlier in the day with the actor, with the actress likely to be involved in the scene in someway

The actors were joined by Shane Withington (who plays John Palmer) and James Stewart (who plays Justin Mogan) as they could be seen heading up the beachside path.

As Pia's face looked concerned, John and Justin approached with a sense of wariness.

However, when the cameras weren't rolling, Pia appeared to laugh and joke around with her co-stars.

She was even spotted taking a picture of the morning surf swell with her iPhone between scenes.

Pia Miller made her screen debut as Senior constable Katarina Chapman in 2015.

The actors were joined by Shane Withington (who plays John Palmer) and James Stewart (who plays Justin Mogan) as they could be seen heading up the beachside path

As Pia's face looked concerned, John and Justin approached with a sense of wariness

All smiles: However, when the cameras weren't rolling, Pia appeared to laugh and joke around with her co-stars
She's set to welcome her first child in the autumn.

And Ferne McCann proved she wasn't letting her baby bump hamper her summer style as she cut a chic figure on her latest outing.

Heading to a friends home in Essex on Sunday, the former TOWIE star, 26, was a vision of beauty as she opted for a navy theme.

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Blue-tiful! She's set to welcome her first child in the autumn. And Ferne McCann proved she wasn't letting her baby bump hamper her summer style as she cut a chic figure on her outing

Showing off her pregnancy curves, the reality starlet donned a thigh-skimming mini dress with a peplum hem that showed off her tanned and toned pins.

Clinging to her baby bump, the stylish dress flaunted her figure whilst remaining demure and on-trend.

Carefully picking her accessories, Ferne teetered along in a pair of coral heels, whilst she covered her glossy chestnut locks beneath a black baker boy hat.

In the navy: Heading to a friends home in Essex on Sunday, the former TOWIE star, 26, was a vision of beauty as she opted for a navy theme

Adding to the glamour, the star donned a gold pendant, which matched the myriad of rings on her perfectly manicured fingers.

Ferne's outing came following reports she is in line for a reality show documenting her life as a new mum, with many networks approaching her with pitches.

Sources told The Sun that the stunner is in line for her own show having made a fresh start with her imminent arrival - while her ex Arthur Collins awaits trial for his alleged involvement in an acid attack in a London nightclub at Easter.

Legs eleven! Showing off her pregnancy curves, the reality starlet donned a thigh-skimming mini dress with a peplum hem that showed off her tanned and toned pins

Bumping along nicely: Clinging to her baby bump, the stylish dress flaunted her figure whilst remaining demure and on-trend

Turning heads: Carefully picking her accessories, Ferne teetered along in a pair of coral heels, whilst she covered her glossy chestnut locks beneath a black baker boy hat

Ferne, who is six months gone, is undoubtedly delighted at the prospect of the show following the huge success of friend Sam Faiers' shows The Baby Diaries and The Mummy Diaries, which documented her first pregnancy and life as a mother.

Sources explained: 'Shes in a good place and has made a fresh start for herself by moving into a new flat and getting her life back on track.

'Several TV companies have been in touch and are keen to document her journey as a new mum. Ferne will return to work once the baby is born and is definitely considering her options.'

Chic and cheerful: Ferne was a vision of beauty on the outing

Windswept and interesting: Ferne's glossy chestnut locks were styled in loose waves beneath her on-trend baker boy hat

Striding along: Ferne's pregnancy curves were on full display as she strode along the street

Loving life: Ferne seemed in high spirits as she enjoyed a day out with her pals in Essex

All about the accessories: Ferne clutched a small black handbag on the outing

The exciting news comes after Ferne's pregnancy announcement had been bittersweet.

She revealed she is expecting under stressful circumstances, as her ex Arthur found himself wanted by police in connection with the acid attack that had occurred in London nightspot Mangle earlier the same month.

Arthur was arrested and charged with 14 counts of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and one count of throwing corrosive fluid on a person with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Turning heads: Ferne ensured she wouldn't blend into the background with her stylish ensemble complete with vibrant pops of colour

Whip my hair: Ferne's glossy locks trailed behind her as she strolled along the streets

Yes she McCann! Ferne looked chirpy and in great spirits as she strolled along

Dropped something? Ferne stopped to adjust herself as she headed out on the walk

Just days before, while revealing she was 'initially shocked' by her pregnancy, Ferne admitted she was 'devastated' by the events that had unfolded with her former flame but has vowed to do the best for her baby.

Speaking to OK! magazine, she divulged: 'Initially I was devastated. What I had planned and was getting excited about had disappeared in a matter of moments.

'It was so hard to deal with what happened, but then I realised it was not about me but about my child. Ill do my best for my baby.

Admitting it had been a harrowing time for her, Ferne explained that her hormones had added to her emotional state, as she said: 'There are times I feel emotional.'

Bumping along nicely: Ferne's mini dress looked sensational on her
She's managed to successfully balance a thriving Hollywood career and being a mother to her three children with her ex Ben Affleck.

And continuing to be a role model, Jennifer Garner, 45, was pictured in jovial spirits as she chortled alongside her second daughter Seraphina, eight and son Samuel, five, in Los Angeles on Monday.

The SAG winner cut a casual figure in a loose-fitting blue tee as she soaked up the Californian sun with two of her kids in tow.

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Having fun: Jennifer Garner, 45, was pictured in jovial spirits as she chortled alongside her second daughter Seraphina, eight and son Samuel, five, in Los Angeles on Monday

Continuing her laidback ensemble, she donned a pair of boyfriend jeans which featured a stylish ripped knee while she navigated the leaf-strewn pavement in her white trainers.

The 30 Going on 13 star worked her glossy brunette locks into a slick ponytail while she covered her eyes with a pair of classic black shades as she larked about with part of her brood.

Looking adorable, Seraphina was darling in her colourful tee, striped navy and white shorts which was an eye-catching pink fuzzy hairband.

While son Samuel was cute as a button in a navy T-shirt and grey joggers, following his film star mother to their car for their afternoon out.

All smiles: The SAG winner cut a casual figure in a loose-fitting blue tee as she soaked up the Californian sun with two of her kids in tow

Laidback: Continuing her laidback ensemble, she donned a pair of boyfriend jeans which featured a stylish ripped knee while she navigated the leaf-strewn pavement in her white trainers

Elsewhere, Jennifer has remained single since the duo announced their split in June 2015. Ben, 44, is currently dating Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus.

The Dallas Buyers Club actress seems focused on being a solid, consistent parent as her ex Ben spends time with his new girlfriend in both LA and NYC.

Though outlets like People have reported that Jennifer has been fine as her ex finds new love, Life & Style's sources argue against that.

'Jens never been about getting retribution,' said an insider. 'Thats not her style. But Bens insensitive actions have changed her.'

Hanging out: The 30 Going on 13 star worked her glossy brunette locks into a slick ponytail while she covered her eyes with a pair of classic black shades as she larked about with part of her brood

Adorable: Looking adorable, Seraphina was darling in her colourful tee, striped navy and white shorts which was an eye-catching pink fuzzy hairband

When Ben and Jennifer's initial split was announced, it was revealed that the Batman star allegedly had an affair with the pair's former nanny.

Since his relationship with producer Lindsay went public, sources told People that Lindsay and Ben also had an affair. It reportedly began two years before Ben and Jen's 2015 break-up.

Jen reportedly confronted Lindsay in 2015 though, but it appeared the SNL producer wasn't interested in backing out of her alleged affair.

Cute as button: While son Samuel was cute as a button in a navy T-shirt and grey joggers, following his film star mother

Heading out: Jennifer carried a multi-coloured jumper in her hand as she arrived at her car with Samuel

Other sources claim that no affair took place, just a friendship that evolved into something more once the now-couple split with their exes but since then, Jen has moved on with her life.

An insider said: 'Of course there are issues given it was a major affair, but Jen is her own woman and is completely fine.

'Nothing is new for her here. Shes in mama-bear mode. . .putting the kids happiness first.'

Bag it up! The US star draped her leather tote over her shoulder

Outside of her personal life, Jennifer has been busy building her already successful career with three new projects on the way.

The American beauty has recorded the voice for the TV series Llama Llama and is also performing the voice for 2018's Amusement Park.

While, she is in post-production on the 2018 film Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.
He slammed them for making a career out of televised sex.

And Piers Morgan joked that he had quit Good Morning Britain after the show announced that Love Island winners Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies had become the programme's new showbiz presenters.

Having his worst nightmare confirmed, the 52-year-old star shared news of their hiring on Twitter, the straight-talking journalist bluntly wrote alongside the story: 'I quit.'

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He's not happy! Piers Morgan joked that he had quit Good Morning Britain after the show announced that Love Island winners Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies had become the programme's new showbiz presenters

His resignation quip came after he blasted the couple for being rewarded for having sex on TV.

Expressing his disdain for the show in a heated rant last week, he remarked: 'Im not jealous, I dont mind ITV doing well, its good for all of us but it means lots and lots of people are being seduced into thinking this is how you get on in life.'

'That having sex live on TV on blow up turtles is the way you get on in life,  no the way you get on in life is working hard on a talent which you get rewarded for.'

Unimpressed: His resignation quip came after he blasted the couple for being rewarded for having sex on TV last week

He continued: 'Their [Kem and Ambers] talent is "we were at it like rabbits" and for that theyre going to get millions of pounds.

'Theres a word for that but Im not going use it at this time of the morning.'

The outspoken TV host then took a jab at Kem's grammar, after the 21-year-old quipped: 'We was at it like rabbits.'

Piers raged: 'Im going to mention the grammar of Essex hairdresser Kem Creitn-ay who said "we was at it like rabbits".

'I can just about deal with the fact that you are very famous for having lots of sex under a blow-up turtle but I cant handle you not speaking English properly.

Raging: Having his worst nightmare confirmed, the 52-year-old star shared news of their hiring on Twitter, the straight-talking journalist bluntly wrote alongside the story: 'I quit'

Holding the fort: Kem and Amber will be filling in for Richard Arnold when he enjoys a week off later in the month

'So if you're going to use the phrase 'at it like rabbits' you have to say "we WERE at it like rabbits" not "we was".'

But the couple seemingly have a fan in Susanna Reid, who leaped to their defence, claiming that the duo had the 'ultimate summer romance', adding: 'I don't think they're doing anything wrong.'

Model ambition: Kem recently signed a contract with Boo Hoo Man and was pictured leaving a shoot with the brand earlier today

And her attitude was seemingly mimicked by makers of the show, who have since confirmed that the couple will enjoy a temporary hosting slot.

'Kem and Amber will cover for Richard Arnold on showbiz for a week in August while he is on leave,' a GMB spokesperson confirmed.

Meanwhile, a source also told The Sun: 'Since Amber and Kem won, they've been inundated with offers.

'They're both very keen to go down that route, and ITV and Channel 4 have shown interest. But they couldn't pass up the chance to host Good Morning Britain.'
She's the Yummy Mummies star who boasted about collecting a designer wardrobe for her precious newborn daughter Valentina.

But it appears Maria DiGeronimo wasn't prepared for the mess her child would make on the expensive purchases.

On Tuesday night's episode, Maria was repulsed by her baby pooing on her 'favourite Versace blanket', adding she would 'chuck it out with the nappies'.

'I don't want to see that Versace blanket again!' Yummy Mummies' Maria DiGeronimo refuses to wash soiled designer goods after newborn daughter Valentina uses them ONCE

Uh oh: While preparing Valentina to be changed into her first designer ensemble, the adorable tot continued to go to the toilet

While preparing Valentina to be changed into her first designer ensemble, the adorable tot continued to go to the toilet.

'Did she just go to the toilet? Oh my god! It's on the Versace blanket,' the new mother shrieked.

Husband and Adelaide barber shop owner Carlos Vannnini responded to her outburst: 'Calm down, It's only sh*t! Relax. You scare the hell out of her if you scream like that.'

'Calm down, It's only sh*t! Relax': While Maria shrieked at the sight of her 'favourite Versace blanket' being covered by baby poo, Carlos told her to calm down

'Chuck it out with the nappies. I want a new one!' Maria demanded to get rid of the blanket, instead of washing the item

Baby's first outing: When Maria brought the newborn home from the hospital, she gave Valentina a gold dummy and proudly walked her through the designer walk-in robe

'She's pooped on her new Versace blanket. That's my favourite Versace blanket. It cost over $600. Well, we're getting rid of this, Carlos. Before you put a fresh outfit on her. I don't want to see that blanket again. Chuck it out with the nappies. I want a new one!' Maria demanded.

When Maria brought the newborn home from the hospital, she gave Valentina a gold dummy and proudly walked her through the designer walk-in robe.

'This is your walk-in robe. All these clothes are yours. Valentina's just looking at me and I can tell she loves her walk-in robe. We've got Versace, Burberry, Armani, every single brand you could think of. And all the shoes that match Mummy's. You're going to be a little princess,' she said.

'Nothing fits Valentina. I can't have Valentina not having anything to wear for three months': The new parents ran into trouble when they discovered they couldn't find an appropriate outfit for their newborn within their large selection

However, the new parents ran into trouble when they discovered they couldn't find an appropriate outfit for their newborn within their large selection.

Maria and Carlos flicked through Versace, Gucci and Dior options, but found they were too big for their small bundle of joy.

'Nothing fits Valentina. I can't have Valentina not having anything to wear for three months. Babe, we need to have her in something good. I'm gonna have to have all these clothes altered. That's a job for Mum,' she said.

'There's that many to go through. I don't need her to wear them more than once': Maria asked mother Margherita to alter some of Valentina's larger clothes as she didn't want her baby to wear the same designer outfit twice

When mother Margherita visits the home and notices a stack of baby clothes on the sofa, she asks: 'What are all those clothes on the chair there? Do I got to wash them?'

Maria responded: 'No. She's worn them. I don't want them now.'

She continued: 'Mum, these have all been worn and she can't wear the same thing all the time. I have so many clothes for Valentina and there's that many to go through. I don't need her to wear them more than once.'

While Maria heads to a massage for her 'me time' she tells mother Margherita she would like to find a nanny.

All those clothes... and NOTHING to wear? Maria and Carlos flicked through Versace, Gucci and Dior options, but found they were too big for their small bundle of joy

Her mother agreed: 'Of course we've got to have a nanny. We should have thought of that earlier.'

They interviewed potential candidates for the role, labeling them 'too young', a 'floozy', '2 pretty' and a 'soldier'.

Meanwhile, Lorinska was 'prepared to do anything' to induce her labour, as Rachel gave her a pineapple martini mocktail, spicy Indian curry and a yoga ball to bounce on to get things moving.

The next day, she gave birth to her little bub Penelope with just THREE pushes.

She also shocked fellow mothers by admitting to enjoying placenta pills after birth.
She commanded attention as the sexy Amazonian warrior Wonder Woman.

But Gal Gadot looked worlds away from her superhero alter ego when she arrived on home turf at the airport terminal in the UK on Tuesday.

Swapping her thigh-highs for trainers, the actress, 32, cut a casual figure as she wore her striped shirt with a few buttons undone.

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She's got the power: Gal Gadot looked worlds away from her superhero alter ego when she arrived on home turf at the airport terminal in the UK on Tuesday

The Fast And Furious beauty looked completely at ease, as she dressed down her look with a chic biker jacket.

The Israel native teamed her airport attire with a pair of skinny-fit jeans for added comfort, leaving her famous shield and golden headpiece behind.

Gal accessorised with a tote handbag and shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of huge sunglasses.

Kick-ass: The actress, 32, commanded attention as the sexy Amazonian warrior Wonder Woman in the box office success of the same title

Her arrival comes after the follow up film was given the official nod.

Fans will be pleased the movie is expected to be in the cinemas on December 13 in 2019.

The first film follows the story of princess of the Amazons, Diana, who leaves her home to fight a war after she finds out about conflict in the outside world.

Back to reality: The star cut a casual figure threw on a biker jacket over her casual ensemble

Story: Wonder Woman follows the story of princess of the Amazons Diana who leaves her home to fight a war after she finds out about conflict in the outside world

In turn, Diana - played by Gal - embarks on a journey to discover the extent of her full powers and destiny as Wonder Woman.

The 2017 flick has been met with raving reviews and an instant box hit smash.

Wonder Woman is expected scoop the title as the highest-grossing film of the summer and the second best flick of 2017.

It has already grossed more than 282 million, which is more than Deadpool starring Ryan Reynolds.

Goals: Wonder Woman is expected scoop the title as the highest-grossing film of the summer and the second best flick of 2017
He is frequently pictured doting on his two little girls, James, two, and Ines, ten months.

And Ryan Reynolds once again gushed about parenthood as he described the experience as 'the best thing that's happened' to him during a recent interview with Men's Health UK magazine.

Speaking about his venture into fatherhood, Ryan enthused: 'I don't take a second of it for granted.'

Doting dad: Ryan Reynolds once again gushed about parenthood as he described the experience as 'the best thing that's happened' to him during a recent interview with Men's Health UK magazine

Despite his successful acting career regularly seeing him fly across the world to shoot for lengthy periods of time, the 40-year-old star also admitted that his Hollywood career sometimes has its parenting perks.

'I'm also really lucky: my work is intense for periods, but then I can also take time off, and a lot of people can't.

'So I'm grateful for that. I love watching my kids grow and evolve, and I hope that I get to do that for a huge amount of their lives. Until they kick me out.'

Proud papa: Speaking about his venture into fatherhood, Ryan enthused: 'I don't take a second of it for granted' [pictured in 2016 with wife Blake Lively and daughter James (L) and Ines (R)]

Every cloud... Despite his successful acting career regularly seeing him fly across the world to shoot for lengthy periods of time, the 40-year-old star also admitted that his Hollywood career sometimes has its parenting perks

The Deadpool star also confessed that his need to buff up for acting roles has also benefited his energy as a father.

Asked how he manages to maintain fitness for roles in his forties, he confessed: 'That's a very high-class problem. I'd like to think I would try to stay in shape anyway.

The full interview is available in the September issue of Mens Health, on sale Thursday 3rd August

'With kids running around, you want to be able to do everything for them that you could've done when you were in your twenties. So I'd look as that as a gift.'

The interview comes shortly after Ryan's wife Blake Lively candidly opened up about her other half - who she married in 2012 - to Glamour magazine.

The former Gossip Girl star, 29, explained that their friendship serves as the solid foundation in their romance, and has been vital in them overcoming conflict.

She enthused: 'In other relationships, if something came up, I would call my girlfriends, or my sister, and say, "Hey, this is what he did  what should I do?"

'Whereas with him, we were friends for two years before we were ever dating. And I treat him like my girlfriend.

'Im like, "Hey, this happened. It upset me. This is how I feel. What do I do?" And he does the same for me. He treats me like his best buddy.'

The full interview is available in the September issue of Mens Health, on sale Thursday 3rd August.

Perks of the job: The Deadpool star also confessed that his need to buff up for acting roles has also benefited his energy as a father
She's the bubbly Australian model and television presenter known for her striking good looks.

And Ksenija Lukich sure flaunted her physical appeal when she took to the red carpet for the Top of the Lake: China Girl premiere in Sydney on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old put her trim pins on display in a dazzling sleek black outfit.

Sassy! Ksenija Lukich, 27, put on a ravishing display in a black mini dress on the red carpet for the Top of the Lake: China Girl premier in Sydney

Ksenija's ensemble was completely black and featured a girly frilled skirt detail.

She looked ravishing in the modest long-sleeved number, which stopped mid-way down her thigh.

Her top half featured a flattering v-neck shape, with her opting to go completely accessory-free.

Striking: Ksenija's ensemble was completely black and featured a girly frilled skirt detail

Ksenija struck a series of bold poses for the cameras, putting on a fierce display in a pair of pointed-toe heel boots.

The sassy footwear were a unique design, completely covering the model's ankle and a good portion of her calf.

She styled her brunette bob in a casual chic hairstyle, parting it down the middle and adding some soft waves.

Those pins! She looked ravishing in the modest long-sleeved number, which stopped mid-way down her thigh

The arms of her dress featured elegant bell-sleeve detailing and clasped around her wrists.

She opted for a subtle make-up look but made a statement with a bright pop of red lipstick.

At one point, the beauty showed off her slender mid-section as she playfully posed for a side-on photo.
She's a hands-on mother to her precious offspring with husband Mark Webber.

And Tuesday was no different for Teresa Palmer, sharing a very affectionate snap to Instagram.

'Nothing like some blissed out snuggle time before bed,' the 31-year-old captioned an image that saw the actress bonding with children Bodhi Rain, three, and Forest Sage, seven months.

'Nothing like some snuggle time before bed': Teresa Palmer, 31, shared an adorable snap to Instagram on Tuesday, that saw her bonding with children Bodhi Rain, three, and Forest Sage, seven months

A makeup-free Teresa beamed for the selfie, that saw her positioned on a comfy bed.

Little Forest was out to a light, resting his head on his famous mother's chest.

The Adelaide-born star's other son, Bodhi Rain, was also asleep, looking cute in a T-shirt with the text 'dino snore' emblazoned on the front.

Teresa captioned the photo: 'Nothing like some blissed out snuggle time before bed'.

Growing brood: The Adelaide-born star is a proud mother to her children shared with husband Mark Webber, as well as his son Isaac Love, eight, from a previous relationship

Brood: Teresa regularly takes to Instagram sharing precious family photos

Meanwhile, the Hacksaw Ridge star spoke to The Daily Telegraph earlier this year, about the stresses that come with life as a working mother.

'The juggle and the struggle is real. You have to try and be on point in your relationship first and foremost, I think, to make it work,' she confessed in April.

'I don't want to do the work for the sake of working because I prefer to hang out with my kids.'

When quizzed by the publication about her next career move, Teresa revealed that she had been enjoying time out of the spotlight since the release of her previous flick 2:22.

Challenges: Meanwhile, the Hacksaw Ridge actress spoke to The Daily Telegraph earlier this year, about the stresses that come with life as a working mother: 'The juggle and the struggle is real'

'Right now, I am hanging out in Adelaide doing school runs,' she said.

Teresa first moved to Los Angeles in 2006 and starred in The Grudge 2 that same year.

Since then she has gone on to star in big Hollywood films, including I Am Number Four, Warm Bodies, The Choice and most recently Hacksaw Bridge.

Teresa married her husband Mark Webber in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in 2013 and together they share two sons Bodhi Rain, Forest, and Mark's son from a previous relationship Isaac Love, eight.
Kylie Jenner has an enviable career that includes the reality TV series Keeping Up With The Kardashians and a smash-hit makeup line.

But the 19-year-old pinup had to give up a lot to get where she is today.

And during a teaser for her new show Life Of Kylie, which premieres on Sunday, the sister of Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian revealed she was not allowed to go to her high school prom.

Getting ready for prom: Kylie Jenner tries on dresses to surprise a fan at his prom in Sacramento in a teaser for the new reality TV show Life Of Kylie

Not this one: The 19-year-old decides not to wear this plunging gown because it's too 'booby'

The reason was because the sweetheart of Calabasas was being home schooled.

'It was really sad actually,' said the ex of Tyga. 'I had to un-follow all my friends that I went to school with.

'They probably all thought I hated them but I just couldn't see it, you know, because they would always post photos and they were all at the prom and I was like, "Can't see it." It really just made me sad.'

Better choice: During the clip Jenner is asked why she never went to her high school prom

Ouch: The looker explains it's because she was home schooled

Sad: She added that all her friends went to prom and she didn't want to see their photos

It is likely that if she had been asked by a student at her old high school then she could have attended, but that is not explained.

Her sister Kendall, 21, did attend high school as did all of her half siblings including Kim, Kourtney, Khloe (who was later home schooled) and Rob. Kourtney was the only one to graduate from college.

But this year Kylie finally did go to a prom in April. She surprise her fan Albert Ochoa at his high school prom.

The reality TV star had been asked out by student Albert when he was rejected by a girl from his school.

Made it: But this year Kylie finally did go to a prom in April. She surprise her fan Albert Ochoa at his high school prom. The reality TV star had been asked out by student Albert when he was rejected by a girl from his school.

Took a pal: She went with best friend Jordyn Woods, on the left

Kylie surprised her teen fan by turning up at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California with her best friend Jordyn Woods.

The star made an entrance in a dusky pink satin floor-length gown with a risque thigh-high split.

And in the Life Of Kylie clip audiences see Kylie trying on dresses before the event.

The first one is pink and has a very plunging neckline that shows off a lot of chest.

The reality teen wisely deems the gown too sexy.

'It's a little booby for me and Albert, you know?' said the daughter of Kris Jenner.

The premiere of Life Of Kylie is Sunday at 9 p.m. on E!
She was the pint-sized Scottish beauty looking for romance on ITV2's summer reality smash hit Love Island.

Despite bagging herself a hunky Calvin Klein model on the series, Camilla Thurlow, 28, revealed she struggled with her body confidence while surrounded by her fellow swimwear-clad Islanders.

The softly-spoken reality star - who became the nation's sweetheart during her seven week stint in the Hidden Hills villa - admitted that she questioned her incredible petite frame while in Mallorcan, alongside statuesque Olivia Attwood and Tyla Carr.

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Confidence: Camilla Thurlow, 28, revealed she struggled with her body confidence while surrounded by her fellow swimwear-clad Islanders

Speaking to Grazia magazine, she candidly revealed: 'I did struggle at some points.

'Of course, on occasion, you're going to compare yourself to those around you and everyone was absolutely gorgeous with amazing figures, so I had that natural feeling of, "I want to have longer legs."'

Frank in her admission, Camilla really didn't have anything to worry about as her natural beauty and caring nature was plain for all to see, even more so by late arrival Jamie Jewitt, 27, to the villa.

Having failed budding romances with Jonny and Craig, the stunner found her match in the handsome Essex boy and admitted that their spark was instantaneous after discussing their shared love of literature.

Struggle: The softly-spoken reality star - who became the nation's sweetheart during her seven week stint in the Hidden Hills villa - admitted that she questioned her incredible petite frame while in Mallorcan, alongside statuesque Olivia Attwood and Tyla Car

Clicked: Having failed budding romances with Jonny and Craig, the stunner found her match in handsome Essex boy Jamie and admitted that their spark was instantaneous after discussing their shared love of literature

'It was so lovely to have that conversation because I hadn't spoken about something like that for four weeks... We just clicked,' she revealed. 'Everything you saw between Jamie and I was real. What you didn't see was quite how many three-hour conversations we had.'

Her open conversation comes after she defended her decision while appearing on Lorraine on Monday, explaining that she may be 'cautious' with men but she 'still has wants and needs'.

The bomb disposal expert was then left blushing as her beau Jamie joked that he was a better match for her than her rumoured ex Prince Harry.

Honest: Her open conversation comes after she defended her decision while appearing on Lorraine on Monday, explaining that she may be 'cautious' with men but she 'still has wants and needs'

Camilla was grilled by Dan Wootton over the 'change' in her reserved nature across her time in the villa.

She explained: 'You do get more comfortable in there. I understand why people see it as a change. The reason I'm reserved is because I'm old enough to have made mistakes in the past. It's made me cautious with other people.

'At the same time I'm still a person and I still respect my own wants and needs.'

The couple have been inseparable since leaving the villa, posting endless loved-up selfies on Instagram and documenting their time together.

Going strong: Jamie confirmed they were going from strength to strength, confessing: ''Now we're out and it's been a few days, everything is just as great - if not better'

Too cute: Jamilla have been going from strength to strength since leaving the Love Island villa, documenting their trips to see each other's families on Instagram

And Jamie confirmed they were going from strength to strength, confessing: 'When we were in the villa we wanted to be cautious because outside it could be different.

'Now we're out and it's been a few days, everything is just as great - if not better.'

Jamie visited Camilla's hometown in Scotland last week, with the pair enjoying a tour of 'Thurlow manor' and meeting her family.

Camilla gushed: 'This week it was lovely, Jamie came up to Scotland, we played rounders. He met my family which was lovely and quite normal.'

Jetting off: Camilla shared a similar sweet photo of them together, waiting to take off as she thanked her followers for their support throughout the series

Cute: Camilla shared this sweet picture of herself asleep on Jamie, writing: 'Fingers crossed we don't miss our stop'
She has endured criticism and sparked concern over her slim physique.

And Tara Reid has hit back at her bodyshamers in a revealing new interview, saying she is 'made this way'.

In a candid chat with New! Magazine The American Pie star, 41, credited exercise including yoga and SoulCycle for her trim shape as she defended her incredibly slender frame.

She said; 'It's just who I am. It's so crazy because comments are made by people who have no idea how much I eat and that I eat all the time. It's so silly and hurtful and there is no truth in all those stories. I'm just made like this, that's all it is.'

Hitting back: Tara Reid has hit back at her bodyshamers in a revealing new interview, saying she is 'made like this'

The star, who is now promoting her latest flick, Worthless, which follows the consequences of bullying, said she tries to block out negativity and focus on the positive moments in her life and career.

Of bullying she said; 'It's a ripple effect and it doesn't stop. I have been through so much in my life and I need to be here in my present. I can't allow myself to have negativity.'

The blonde beauty is experiencing something of a career renaissance in recent years with the Sharknado film series where she plays tough April Wexler.

The latest installment Global Swarming will be released on August 6.

'Made like this': Tara defended her slender frame (pictured October 2016) saying It's just who I am. It's so crazy because comments are made by people who have no idea how much I eat and that I eat all the time. It's so silly and hurtful'

Rise to fame: Tara was a break-out teen comedy star in 1999 flick American Pie as Vicky Lathum (pictured above with Thomas Ian Nicholas)



The series has gained a 'so bad it's good' appeal and attracted a legion of die-hard fans with the actress saying she was shocked by its series.

Although riding high on the series' success, Tara opened up about her struggles in the industry as she fought to find roles.

She said: 'I spent years doing teen movies and then you hit a point where you are too old to be a teen but not old enough to be a mum, so you don't get the offers. But I kept on in there... I love playing older roles.'

Although oozing with confidence now, the blonde beauty's self-esteem was shattered after her joint liposuction and breast enhancement surgery went wrong in 2004.

Six years later she underwent corrective surgery and is back looking better than ever, saying she chooses not to be ruled by insecurities

On the up: The blonde beauty is experiencing something of a career renaissance in recent years with the Sharknado film series where she plays tough April Wexler

The star also experienced the loss of her father Thomas last year, with Tara saying she channelled some of her 'dark feelings' into her new role in Worthless.

The star credits a positive attitude with helping her get through the tougher times in her life - she endured a stint in rehab in 2008 - and says she makes a point to enjoy every role that she has.

Tara was propelled to stardom in 1998 cult classic The Big Lebowski where she played trophy wife Bunny before securing a major role in the American Pie franchise as Vicky Lathum.

Positive attitude: Although oozing with confidence now, the blonde beauty's self-esteem was shattered after her joint liposuction and breast enhancement surgery went wrong in 2004

The starlet also took part in 2011's Celebrity Big Brother where she forged an unlikely friendship with Irish pop duo Jedward.

She did confess to not being totally immune to criticism, saying she is like anyone else and cannot hide if she is hurt.

Despite the negativity Tara revealed has never been happier in her life and said she was in a 'good place.'
She was pictured rocking a demure look for a day of business meetings in London the day prior.

But, by Tuesday, Megan McKenna was back at her glamorous best as she slipped into a sizzling ensemble for a pampering session at Easilocks Hair Studio in Brentwood, Essex.

The Only Way is Essex star has been away in Nashville filming a new reality show for the past month, and has seemingly waited to return to her hometown before letting a stylist at her luscious locks.

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Hair she is! Megan McKenna was back at her glamorous best as she slipped into a sizzling ensemble for a pampering session at Easilocks Hair Studio in Brentwood, Essex, on Tuesday

Megan opted for a chic monochrome ensemble for her day out, highlighting her lithe legs in a pair of form-fitting leather trousers.

She paired the skintight numbers with a sophisticated white blazer, which boasted stylish cut-outs across the shoulder and belted detailing.

Upping the sex appeal, Megan offered a peek of cleavage in the plunging garment, donning nothing but a racy bralet below it.

No place like home! The TOWIE star has been away in Nashville filming a new reality show for the past month, and has seemingly waited to return to her hometown before letting a stylist at her luscious locks

She finished the look with floral sliders and a handbag by Louis Vuitton.

The beauty styled her trademark brunette tresses into voluminous waves and sported a dramatic make-up look from beneath her over-sized shades.

The look came just a day after Megan was pictured swapping her glam style in favour of a more formal look.

Chic: Megan looked like she meant business as she stepped out for a day of meetings at London's Gilgamesh on Monday

Stepping out in Camden, London, for a day of meetings, the Celebrity Big Brother star looked like she meant business as she swapped her stilettos for smart loafers.

The TV personality also sported a pair of black, tapered trousers, though made sure to inject a touch of her fiery personality with an animal print blouse.

Finishing her city slick look, Megan tied her brunette tresses into a chic top knot and sported a pair of over-sized designer shades.

Wild thing! Known for her fiery personality, Megan ensured the look still reflected her wild demeanor by donning a leopard print, sleeveless shirt
Her career has been going from strength to strength after she relocated from Britain to Hollywood to star as the Irish nanny in Sex And The City 2.

And Alice Eve, 35, looked relaxed as she was spotted taking a break on set of the latest Agatha Christie flick on Tuesday.

She was joined by Ed Westwick, 35, who appeared deep in thought as he enjoyed a cigarette break.

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Chilled: Alice Eve, 35, looked relaxed as she was spotted taking a break on set of the latest Agatha Christie flick on Tuesday

Seen in between takes, Alice opted for comfort in a coordinated camouflage tracksuit and casual white trainers.

Wearing her blonde hair loose, a pink comb could be seen poking out of her hair ahead of her costume change.

And Ed was also seen enjoying a break, showing off his tattoos under a casual white t-shirt and black trousers.

Pensive: She was joined by Ed Westwick, 35, who appeared deep in thought as he enjoyed a cigarette break

Also flitting in between the trailers were their co-stars, Crystal clarke, Matthew Goode, Ella Purnell and Luke Treadaway.

Alice is the daughter of acting heavyweights Waking The Dead star Trevor Eve and Holby City actress Sharon Maughan.

The British born actress relocated to Los Angeles in 2010, when she landed the role of Irish nanny Erin in Sex and The City 2.

Relaxed: Seen in between takes, Alice opted for comfort in a coordinated camouflage tracksuit and casual white trainers

Dapper: Ed was also seen enjoying a break, showing off his tattoos under a casual white t-shirt and black trousers

She has since been seen in high profile films Men In Black 3 and Star Trek: Into Darkness.

In 2014, Alice married financier Alex Cowper-Smith, her high school sweetheart whom she met while attending Westminster School in London.

The couple met at school but rekindled their flame as a couple in 2014, before finally tying the knot in a small ceremony on New Year's Eve in 2014.

Pensive: Ed appeared deep in thought as he enjoyed a cigarette break

Pretty in pink: Ella Purnell rocked a classic tea dress

The blonde was previously in a long-term relationship with poet Adam O'Riordan, who she met while reading English at Oxford University.

She will next be seen in thriller Untogether, alongside 50 Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan and When Harry Met Sally's Billy Crystal.

Meanwhile fellow British-born star Ed Westwick, 30, has been putting a number of loved-up displays during his time off from filming.

Quick stop: She enjoyed a break between filming

Cosy: Assassin's Creed star Crystal Clark oted for comfort in Uggs beneath her dress

The Gossip Girl star's relationship with American model Jessica Serfaty, Niall Horan's ex, has been going from strength to strength.

The actor has been linked to other models in the past, but Ed's most high-profile relationship was with his Gossip Girl co-star, Jessica Szohr.

The two dated from 2008 until 2010.

Suave: Mathew Good was spotted in full costume
She is currently on a sun-drenched getaway in Portugal with her daughters, Ava, nine and Hero, six.

And Myleene Klass used her solo time to strike a number of fierce poses for a series of swimwear clad snaps for her Instagram platform.

The 39-year-old TV and radio presenter, who 'hasn't had a day off in a whole decade' looked absolutely smoking hot in a monochrome one-piece which flaunted her ample assets.

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'Suits You': Myleene Klass, 39, looked absolutely smoking hot in a monochrome one-piece which flaunted her ample assets as she continued her sun-drenched getaway in Portugal

Myleene oozed sex appeal in the snap which saw her give the camera a flirty glance.

The swimwear plunged perilously down the middle - showing off her incredible front - before a thick gold belt drew emphasis to her tiny waist.

The white and black number complemented her golden glow as she raised one arm seductively and boasted red lipstick on her pout.

In another image, the former Hear'Say star showed off her natural features and sensational cleavage by placing the camera above her slightly.

'Resting beacy face': In another image, the former Hear'Say star showed off her natural features and sensational cleavage by placing the camera above her slightly

Beach babe: Myleene's figure was on fine form in another snap, which saw her clad in a skimpy pink patterned bikini which showed off her impossibly toned stomach

The beauty cheekily captioned the snap: 'Resting Beach face.'

Her figure was on fine form in another snap, which saw her clad in a skimpy pink patterned bikini which showed off her impossibly toned stomach.

Myleene looked like the ultimate beach babe in the tiny two-piece which served to accentuate her impossibly toned figure.

The fitness enthusiast showcased her ample assets in the plunging bikini top which tamed her cleavage in place with gold buckle halterneck detailing.

The star recently revealed to Closer magazine that she hasn't had a day off in a whole decade, thanks to her busy roster as a radio presenter, fashion designer and mother-of-two.

Family time: Myleene is enjoying the sun-drenched getaway in Portugal with her daughters, Ava, nine and Hero, six

This is despite the swimwear designer regularly posting snaps of her and her family on luxurious holidays.

She also maintains that she never turns her phone off, saying in the same interview 'My daughters were dressing-room babies. I went into labour with my first child while on TV with Adrian Chiles.

'With the second, I was on my way to a Mothercare shoot and went round the roundabout three times while it sank in that I was in labour.'

Myleene raises her daughters as a single mum following her brutal split from bodyguard husband Graham Quinn in 2012.

Graham walked out on her 34th birthday in April 2012 putting an end to their love, with their divorce finalised in 2013.

Overworked: The star recently revealed to Closer magazine that she hasn't had a day off in a whole decade, thanks to her busy roster as a radio presenter, fashion designer and mother-of-two

Loved-up: Previously, Myleene couldn't contain her delight over her handsome beau Simon Motson as she described him as 'hot'

However, she has left Quinn in the past and has been dating hunky fashion PR Simon Motson since 2015.

Previously, Myleene couldn't contain her delight over her handsome beau as she described him as 'hot'.

She told the Daily Mirror at the time: 'He is so hot. It's lovely. I'm enjoying myself.'

Myleene has been working at Smooth Radio since 2014 and presents a Saturday show between 10am-2pm.

She embarked on a career in presenting in 2005, after finding fame as a member of Hear'Say and as a solo artist.

She came second in the 2006 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and won a legion of male fans when she showered in a bikini.
Alicia Vikander knows she has big shoes to fill.

In the September cover of Elle magazine, the Danish actress talked about taking over the Tomb Raider franchise after Angelina Jolie gave it cinematic life starting in 2001.

'I thought I was going to have to explain it to my mom, and she was like, "Yeah, yeah, yeahAngelina did that!" the 28-year-old beauty began. 'It proves that [Jolie] set a whole tone for that kind of role, so I knew we had to do something very different.'

Looking good: Alicia Vikander showed off her stunning figure as she posed for the September issue of Elle magazine. The actress, 28, talked about taking over the Tomb Raider franchise

Jolie made Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001 and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life in 2003.

Oscar-winner Alicia, who dates Michael Fassbender, also discussed getting into shape for the role.

'I've never done action scenes on this level  not even close,' said the looker.

'It feels like Im back to dancing  the training, the intensity. You need to be aware of your movement up in the wires and how your body works.'

Then and now: Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider in 2001, left, and Alicia in the new installment, right

Something to look forward to: Vikander's Tomb Raider has a March 16, 2018 release date

And there is a bonus: she is stronger than she has ever been.

'I've never been able to lift my own weight, and the day when you have that capacity, its pretty empowering!' she said.

And Alicia said she is excited to see the film because she 'loves big popcorn movies.'

Vikander's Tomb Raider has a March 16, 2018 release date. Also in the film is Dominic West, Walton Goggins and Hannah John-Kamen.

Her love: With Fassbender in October at the London premiere of Light Between Oceans

First the star can be seen in the period film Tulip Fever, which comes out on August 24 in the US.

Set against the backdrop of the 17th-century Tulip Wars, a married noblewoman (Vikander) has an affair with an artist (Dane DeHaan) and switches identities with her maid to escape the wealthy merchant she married.

She and her lover try to raise money together by investing what little they have in the high-stakes tulip market.

Big night: Vikander, far right, with (L to R) Mark Rylance, Brie Larson and Leonardo DiCaprio during the 88th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood in 2016

The stunner was photographed for Elle by David Bellemere. She was styled by Samira Nasr.

The import wore a dress and belt by Louis Vuitton, necklace by Sidney Garber, rings by Jade Trau and Tom Wood in one set up.

In another she had on Bottega Veneta, Paco Rabanne and Oxfords by Pierre Hardy.

In her third set up the star wore a T-shirt by J Crew, leotard by Live The Process and rings by Piaget.
As parents will be all too aware, the end of the long school summer holidays is coming around.

And Tori Spelling made sure her brood were ready, as they set about some back to school shopping on Monday.

The 44-year-old actress was joined by her four eldest children - Liam, 10, Stella, nine, Hattie, five, and four-year-old son Finn - as she hit up the Target at a Mall in Woodland Hills, California.

Economy drive: Tori Spelling made sure her brood were going to be ready to go back to school with some mall shopping on Monday

She looked summer chic in a white maxi dress, with broderie anglaise trim.

The former Beverly Hills 90210 star slung on a stylish leather cross body bag, and teamed the fresh look with tan suede booties.

The daughter of late TV producing legend Aaron Spelling had her blonde tresses loose with youthful braids at the front.

Shopping: The 44-year-old actress was joined by her four eldest children - Liam, 10, Stella, nine, Hattie, five, and four-year-old son Finn - as she hit up the Target and H&M at a Mall in Woodland Hills, California

The star was free from help from nannies or husband Dean McDermott.

The couple also have baby son Beau, who may have been home with his dad.

Dean, to whom Tori has been married since 2006, also has son Jack Montgomery, 18, with ex-wife Mary Jo Eustace.

On a budget: Tori has well documented financial woes, despite her late father being a billionaire

She shared on Instagram that she was headed back to school shopping and asked followers to 'wish me luck'.

'This is the face of a brave mother attempting to take four children back to school shopping,' she explained.

Tori's days of shopping at high end boutiques in Beverly Hills are over, however, amid her well-documented financial woes.

Brave! She shared on Instagram that she was headed back to school shopping and asked followers to 'wish me luck'

'This is the face of a brave mother attempting to take four children back to school shopping,' she explained

Money trouble: Tori's days of shopping at high end boutiques in Beverly Hills are over, however, amid her well-documented financial woes

Tori and Dean - who have been married since 2006 - are also being sued by American Express, who has claimed they have an unpaid bill of nearly $90,000.

And in May they were ordered by the LA Superior Court to pay City National Bank over $200,000. Turns out that amount is only half of the loan they took out in 2012.

This year it was also claimed the IRS demanded nearly $1m, reportedly draining their bank accounts of 'a large sum' after the two failed to make payments.

A source told Star that they are in such a bad financial hole that it looks like there may be 'no way out.'

The magazine also claimed that Tori is now asking mother Candy, who inherited Aaron's fortune, for a bail out again.

Much of Spelling's income relies on cash from photo shoots with her kids.
As female celebs go, she's not one to regularly flaunt her wares.

But Sarah Silverman proved she has nothing to hide with a sizzling bikini selfie on Tuesday.

The 46-year-old rocked a tiny black and white striped two-piece as she laid out on a sun lounger.

'I still got it!' Sarah Silverman, 46, shows off her smoking hot bikini bod in funny Instagram selfie

But while showing off her fabulous body, the comedienne was forced to hide her face, explaining why in the funny caption.

'I'm posting this to prove to all you motherf*ckers that even tho this melasma-ridden Jew has to wear two hats, zinc and a bandana over my face, I STILL GOT IT,' she declared.

On Saturday the Wreck It Ralph star was spotted on a shopping trip with boyfriend Michael Sheen in New York.

The couple have been together since 2014.

Hot: 'I'm posting this to prove to all you motherf*ckers that even tho this melasma-ridden Jew has to wear two hats, zinc and a bandana over my face, I STILL GOT IT,' she joked in her selife

In June, Sarah described their relationship to Jimmy Kimmel, who just happens to also be her ex boyfriend of seven years.

'Hes my on-again, off-again lover,' she said. 'I call him my on-again, off-again lover because were apart by oceans  one ocean.'

Silverman then explained that Sheen moved from Los Angeles to the U.K. after his daughter was accepted to college in New York.

'His daughter turned 18, he wanted to go home, she said. 'He was here to be near his daughter, now shes off, shes going to start her own life.'

'So hes there a lot, and then we just long for each other and we see each other and we love each other,' she added.

She also insisted she has no problem with the long distance arrangement: 'You know me, Im a loner, so its okay,' she laughed.
They play brother and sister in the latest installment of Ryan Murphy's American Crime Story.

And Penelope Cruz, 43, was spotted filming a red carpet scene in Los Angeles alongside Edgar Ramirez on Tuesday.

The actress was decked out in her blonde wig to play Donatella Versace for the glamorous scene which has her walking the red carpet with Ramirez as her brother Gianni for the upcoming FX series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

Glamorous! Penelope Cruz, 43, was spotted filming a red carpet scene in Los Angeles alongside Edgar Ramirez on Tuesday in Los Angeles for the FX miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The latest installment of the popular series deals with the 1997 murder of Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace.

Penelope was dressed to the nines in a glamorous black ensemble with high boots featuring gold embellishments.

She was wearing black tights and what looks like a black fur jacket to film the red carpet scene.

The stunning Spanish actress was wearing her signature blonde wig, donned up in a high barrette and sporting bangs for the scene.

The stunning Spanish actress was wearing her signature blonde wig, donned up in a high barrette and sporting bangs to play Donatella Versace in the scene

Edgar, who plays the fashion designer, also looked glamorous in black dress pants and a button up vest with large gold buttons.

He wore a white jacket over the ensemble that was paired with black shoes.

Ricky Martin, who plays Gianni's lover Antonio D'Amico was also spotted on set with the his co-stars in a all-black costume.

Playing the part: The actress was decked out in her blonde wig to play Donatella Versace for the glamorous scene which has her walking the red carpet with Ramirez as her brother Gianni

Donatella and Gianna (seen here in 1996) were very close in real life

The world famous designer was gunned down on the steps of his Ocean Drive mansion on July 15, 1997, by hustler and drifter Andrew Cunanan at the end of a four-month killing spree.

Martin plays model and designer D'Amico who was in a relationship with Versace for 15 years until his death.

Versace was 50 when he was killed, and D'Amico was 38; in contrast, Martin at 45 is older than Ramirez who is 40.

Good match: Penelope Cruz as Donatella on set in mid May; the real Donatella on the right last week in Milan

Filming on the 10-episode series, slated for a 2018 release, began in Los Angeles before moving to Miami Beach.

The Ryan Murphy project for FX explores the events leading up to the famous designer's murder.

It took place on the steps of his Ocean Drive mansion and the manhunt for Cunanan that ended when he took his own life.

Good casting: Ricky Martin plays model and designer Antonio D'Amico who was in a relationship with Versace for 15 years until his death

Sad ending: The world famous designer was gunned down on the steps of his Ocean Drive mansion on July 15, 1997, by hustler and drifter Cunanan at the end of a four-month killing spree

The shocking killing of the Italian fashion leader brought together a host of celebrities for his memorial in his home town of Milan including Princess Diana, Elton John, Naomi Campbell, Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani and Sting.

Cunanan was one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted after being identified as the killer of four men in three states in April and May 1997.

However, after arriving in Miami driving a truck stolen from his fourth victim, he managed to go undetected for two months.

He then walked up to Versace one morning and pumping two bullets execution-style into his head on the steps of his South Beach home.

Cunanan, 27, continued to evade law enforcement for 10 more days until he took his own life after being surrounded by SWAT officers on a house boat moored at a marina just blocks from the Versace mansion.
Deadpool 2 was filming in Vancouver on Monday. A man in the red antihero costume was seen dangling in front of a billboard with harnesses on.

It's not known if the man in the suit was the film's star Ryan Reynolds, 40, or a double standing in for him.

This comes the day after a new promotional shot for Deadpool 2 featuring actress Zazie Beetz was released; she plays Domino in the Marvel sequel.

Rolling: Filming for Deadpool 2 took place in Vancouver on Monday

Racy: This comes the day after a new promotional shot for Deadpool 2 featuring actress Zazie Beetz was released; she plays Domino in the Marvel sequel

The 26-year-old German-born star was posed in a seductive one piece-outfit, showing off her ample cleavage.

She's wearing long black gloves that extend past her elbow, with a collection of weapons on her belt.

It was a tongue-in-cheek nod to a previous shot taken by the star of the franchise, Reynolds, where he was laying on a bear rug. Here Zazie is laying on a flattened Deadpool.

Hanging around: A man in the red antihero costume was seen dangling in front of a billboard with harnesses on

On the set of the film, a Hillside Amusement Park billboard could be seen.

A harness held the actor steady as he filmed scenes for the new action adventure flick in Canada.

Hanging by threads, the movie star wore Deadpool's traditional, faceless costume; including an all-red suit, shin guards and face mask.

Amusing: It's not known if the man in the suit was the film's star Ryan Reynolds, 40, or a double standing in for him

Hanging by threads: The movie star wore Deadpool's traditional, faceless costume; including an all-red suit, shin guards and face mask

In addition to traditional filming methods, drones were seen capturing images while flying in the sky on the Vancouver set.

Reynolds portrays Wade Wilson in the Marvel Comics series, a disfigured and mentally unstable antihero with superhuman abilities of accelerated healing and physical prowess.

The character wears a full-body costume to disguise scarring from the mutation, and is known for his quick wit and talkative nature.

Behind the scenes: Drones were seen capturing images while flying in the sky on the Vancouver set

Family time: Reynolds and wife Blake Lively posed with family at the Deadpool film premiere in 2016

Married to actress Blake Lively in 2012, the happy couple has two daughters, two-year-old James and 10-month-old Ines.

Always an advocate for family, Reynolds gushed about parenthood as he described the experience as 'the best thing that's happened' to him during a recent interview with Men's Health magazine.

Speaking about his venture into fatherhood, Ryan enthused: 'I don't take a second of it for granted.'

Dashing duo: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attended 'Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art of the In-Between' Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art in May 2017
He may play Captain America in the Marvel cinematic universe.

But Chris Evans is no fan of the Commander-In-Chief.

The 36-year-old actor took to Twitter on Tuesday to slam Donald Trump once again even calling the US president 'a reckless moron.'

Hitting out: Chris Evans - pictured in February - took to Twitter on Tuesday to slam Donald Trump once again even calling the US president 'a reckless moron'

Uh oh: Chris retweeted a video from 71-year-old Trump's - pictured in Washington DC on Monday - speech to a police group in Long Island last week

He explained: 'Do you have any idea what you're encouraging? You think a "joke" makes it ok?? ZERO societal awareness and understanding.'

Chris retweeted a video from 71-year-old Trump's speech to a police group in Long Island last week.

The president told the crowd of law enforcement: 'When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon. You see them thrown in rough.

'ZERO societal awareness and understanding': The hunky 36-year-old actor did not pull any punches on social media

Controversial: The president told the crowd of law enforcement at the event in Brentwood, New York on Friday: 'When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon. You see them thrown in rough'

'I said, "Please dont be too nice." Like, dont hit their head and theyve just killed somebody. I said, "You can take the hand away, OK?"'

Chris' fiery tweet came after White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee was asked about Trump's comments as she told reporters: 'I believe he was making a joke at the time.'

This is not the first time the Captain America star has expressed his distaste for the 45th president as he revealed in an interview with Esquire that he feels 'rage' and 'fury' over his ascension to the Oval Office.

Outspoken: This is not the first time Evans - pictured in April - has expressed his distaste for the 45th president as he revealed in an interview with Esquire that he feels 'rage' and 'fury' over his ascension to the Oval Office

The Boston native said he found it 'unbelievable' that The Celebrity Apprentice host was able to defeat rival Hillary Clinton last November by selling a bill of goods to those who felt disenfranchised with the system.

'I feel rage. I feel fury. It's unbelievable. People were just so desperate to hear someone say that someone is to blame,' Evans told the magazine.

'They were just so happy to hear that someone was angry. Hear someone say that Washington sucks. They just want something new without actually understanding.'

Evans could be seen fighting evil once again when he is back in his clinging blue bodysuit for Avengers: Infinity War which will be released in May 2018.
Jacinda Ardern becomes Labour's fifth leader in four years as she seeks to prevent the centre-right National Party-led coalition winning a fourth term

New Zealand's main opposition gambled on a leadership change just weeks before a general election Tuesday after polling showed it was heading for disaster at the ballot box.

The centre-left Labour Party selected 37-year-old Jacinda Ardern to take it into the September 23 election, making her the youngest leader in its 101-year history.

The move came after outgoing leader Andrew Little quit in response to a string of opinion polls that put Labour's support at 20-year lows of 23-24 percent, giving it no chance of forming a government.

Ardern, who was Little's deputy, becomes Labour's fifth leader in four years as she seeks to prevent the centre-right National Party-led coalition winning a fourth term.

"This team is about to run the campaign of our lives," she said after winning the leadership unopposed.

Ardern was elected to parliament in 2008 after working as a political adviser and has long been seen as the face of a new generation coming through the Labour ranks.

With her new deputy Kelvin Davis standing alongside her, she promised "relentless positivity" and appealed to young, idealistic voters.

"Well be talking to a new generation of voters, but not just about their own personal circumstances," she told reporters.

"As a country, we can do better than this," she added.

Little, 52, admitted he had failed to get his message across during more than two years as leader.

"Recent poll results have been disappointing. As leader, I must take responsibility for these results," he said.

"I do take responsibility and believe that Labour must have an opportunity to perform better under new leadership through to the election."

Prime Minister Bill English said the change of leadership would not solve Labour's problems.

"They're in disarray, the basic problem isn't really the leadership, it's they just don't have a positive view of what New Zealand can achieve," he told reporters.

English took over as leader of the National Party after John Key's shock resignation late last year.

While he does not have the personal popularity of his predecessor, the party's vote share has held steady at around 47 percent under English's leadership.

However, he warned the Nationals could not be complacent because New Zealand's complicated proportional voting system usually results in minority governments reliant on smaller parties as coalition partners.
Frank Habineza has faced death threats and seen supporters beaten up, imprisoned and forced into exile during his bid to enter Rwanda's tightly controlled political space

Frank Habineza is an environmentalist running to become Rwanda's president for the first time after an eight-year struggle to register his party and obtain a spot on the ballot paper.

The 40-year-old leader of the Democratic Green Party has faced death threats and seen supporters beaten up, imprisoned and forced into exile during his bid to enter Rwanda's tightly controlled political space.

"It has been a very difficult journey, and also a very dangerous journey," he told AFP at an interview in his stark office in the capital Kigali, where a bodyguard keeps watch on the balcony.

Born to a Hutu father and a Tutsi mother in exile in Uganda, he returned to Rwanda to study public administration. He also became an active member of civil society, campaigning for environmental protection.

Habineza was a member of the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), but defected to join opposition politics in 2009 to introduce an alternative to the iron-fisted party.

President Paul Kagame has come under fire for severely restricting free speech and muzzling critical opposition parties. Aside from Habineza's Green Party, all registered opposition parties routinely back Kagame.

"When we started a party we were physically beaten at some of our meetings by people who had guns, people were detained, imprisoned ... others went into exile," said Habineza.

His party was blocked from registering before the 2010 polls, and shortly before the election the Green Party's vice president Andre Rwisereka's body was found nearly decapitated.

Habineza, who said he had also received death threats, decided to flee to Sweden a month later where his family was eventually granted citizenship.

- 'A big risk' -

In 2012 he decided to return to Rwanda. He said leaving his wife and children -- including a one-year-old baby -- was "the hardest thing I have ever done".

"It was a big risk to come back because some of my people were in prison... the party was dying," he said.

The party was finally able to register in 2013, just a month before parliamentary elections, in which Habineza chose not to participate due to the lack of time to prepare.

In 2015 he was the only one to contest a constitutional reform allowing Kagame to seek a third term in office. However a referendum went ahead, with 98 percent of the country voting in favour of the change.

Habineza gave up his Swedish citizenship in order to run in the 2017 election and has continued to face hurdles at every turn. In 2016 he was evicted from his office and home without notice.

Mounting a campaign has also been a battle. As per electoral law he only had one week to raise funds after being confirmed as a candidate, and three weeks to campaign.

Neither Habineza nor little-known third candidate Philippe Mpayimana are expected to unseat Kagame, who himself declared "the election is over" after the referendum.

- 'Political maturity' -

Several observers see the opposition candidates as a front to appease Western donors and give the impression that democracy is alive and well in Rwanda.

Habineza is painfully aware of this view, which he rejects.

"We have struggled for this space... we have made a lot of sacrifices to be here, even blood sacrifices. It is not a favour, it is not something small," he said.

Habineza says he wants to bring true democracy to Rwanda and allow for respect of human rights and freedom of expression.

However he is criticised for not having clear alternative ideas to what Kagame offers, and of censoring himself in his opposition to the president.

"They call it political maturity," he said.

"If you know that every time you do a demonstration you'll be put in prison, then you stop doing that. Or if you know you are doing something that will lead you to be killed, you know you don't achieve much when you are in the grave so you change some strategies."
A decade after a disputed election led to the country's worst electoral violence with over 1,100 killed, fear of irregularities is growing

Elections in Kenya are a fraught business, with polls beset with claims of rigging and intimidation, some subtle, some not, and this year's vote on August 8 is no different.

A decade after a disputed election led to the country's worst electoral violence with over 1,100 killed, fear of irregularities is growing.

"In Kenya, people say the dead come back to vote, and then return to their graves," said George Morara, chairman of the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

The fraudulent inclusion of the deceased on the voters' register is just one way to cheat your way to victory in Kenya.

- Chase, scare, buy -

Recent months' violence which has displaced citizens in Laikipia and Baringo counties has worried observers who fear ostensible banditry and land struggles as masking efforts to push people from their place of registration.

Advocacy group Human Rights Watch in early July documented incidents of intimidation in the Naivasha region, a hotspot of violence in 2007-08.

Another strategy is to "rent" voters' identity cards during elections, essentially paying someone not to turn out. "When you have someone's ID, this is the guarantee he will not be able to vote," said Morara, adding that some in Kenya will sell their ID and therefore their vote for 1,000 shillings ($10; 8 euros).

- Gerrymandering -

Kenya's electoral law allows voters to choose where they register, opening up the possibility of manipulating the polls by bussing in supporters to stack the odds in a particular constituency.

"In some constituencies, we notice that the registration levels are higher than normal," said Kelly Lusuli of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). "We fear that some are paying others to come and register in a constituency in which they don't live so as to favour a candidate."

- Dodgy technology -

In 2013, Kenya introduced an electronic system that included biometric voter registration intended to ensure only those registered could vote.

It also provided for the electronic transmission of results from polling stations across the country to the national tally centre in the capital, reducing opportunities for tampering with result sheets en route.

But technology is neither fool-proof nor tamper-resistant with hackers able to modify results or render the entire system unuseable.

But simpler still, said Nic Cheeseman, a professor at Birmingham University and a Kenya expert, is finding a way not to use the electronic system.

"The head of the polling station can certainly find an excuse not to use the biometric kit, he could say it is dysfunctional or that its battery is empty," he said.

That happened in multiple cases in 2013 even before a major technical failure meant the election commission abandoned the electronic system altogether, reverting to manual tallying.

- Even the dead can vote -

With the electronic system out of commission, several illegal avenues open up to stuff ballot boxes.

Party loyalists can be tasked with casting ballots on behalf of the deceased whose names are still on the voters' register.

An audit of the current, new electoral register, by accounting firm KPMG, estimated there are over a million dead voters.

The last elections were close, with President Uhuru Kenyatta winning by a margin of less than that: around 800,000.

"It is also possible to cast a ballot for the people who did not show up to vote," said an African diplomat on condition of anonymity. "You wait until the end of the day, you look at the results of other polling stations and you adjust with subtlety depending on how many votes you need."

Observers say that in the past a still less sophisticated method was to stuff boxes with pre-ticked ballots, with little effort made to disguise the fraud. In recent weeks the opposition has accused the electoral commission of printing many more ballot papers than necessary.

- Strongholds -

The elections will be monitored by thousands of observers, local and foreign, but they cannot be present in each of the country's nearly 41,000 polling stations. "In the strongholds, there are polling stations where all the agents are in favour of a candidate or a party," said Lusuli.

As for the agents sent by the adverse parties to watch the elections in these bastions, they can be bought to be silent or intimidated. In 2013, Lusuli said, the turnout was over 100 percent in some areas.

"You don't cancel an election just like that. Courts have to be convinced that the will of the people has been outweighed by the irregularities," Lusuli said.
Incumbent Rwandan President Paul Kagame (L) has become one of Africa's most powerful and admired leaders

Paul Kagame is revered for stopping Rwanda's genocide and engineering what admirers call an economic miracle, but his critics see a despot who crushes all opposition and rules through fear.

The 59-year-old former guerrilla fighter is seeking a third term in office in August 4 polls after voters massively approved a constitutional amendment allowing him to run again and potentially stay in office for another two decades.

Kagame frames his run as a duty to his country, however the move angered international allies whose patience has worn thin with a man once held up as a shining example of successful post-colonial leadership in Africa.

Yet the president of the tiny central African nation has become one of Africa's most powerful and admired leaders. His counterparts, inspired by Rwanda's turnaround, have tasked him with reforming the African Union.

Shattered by the 1994 genocide and with not a franc left in the national treasury when Kagame took over, Rwanda is now growing at an average seven percent a year while Kigali has transformed into a capital with a gleaming skyline, spotless, safe streets and zero tolerance for corruption.

"Kagame is known as a doer and an implementer, not somebody who says things just like everyone else," said Desire Assogbavi, Oxfam's liason to the AU who also blogs regularly about the body.

His close friend Tony Blair hails him as a "visionary leader" for the remarkable development he has brought about.

- 'Unapologetically authoritarian' -

The president's personality -- described as "unapologetically authoritarian" by author Philip Gourevitch, who wrote a powerful account of the genocide -- was forged by growing up in exile.

In 1960, when he was three, his aristocratic Tutsi family fled to neighbouring Uganda to escape pogroms.

While out of danger, they suffered years of discrimination and persecution that nourished the dream of going back to the homeland they idealised.

Serving in Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's rebel force before and after it seized power in 1986, he rose to become its intelligence chief.

Kagame -- the only president known to have had military training both in the US and Cuba -- later took over command of a small rebel force of Rwandan exiles that sneaked back home hoping to overthrow the regime of Juvenal Habyarimana in 1990, sparking civil war.

Habyarimana's death in an aeroplane crash in 1994 triggered three months of genocide, mostly of minority Tutsis by youths in the Hutu majority whipped into a frenzy of hate.

Kagame, a father of four, was just 36 when his Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) rebel army routed the forces who had slaughtered an estimated 800,000 people and seized Kigali, becoming the de facto leader of the nation.

- 'New breed of dictator' -

Kagame soon became the darling of an international community deeply ashamed at having stood by during the genocide, even as his RPF was accused of killing tens of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo while pursuing genocide perpetrators.

It was accusations Kagame was backing rebel groups in the DRC -- which he staunchly denies -- that finally pushed his allies to take a tougher line, with several suspending aid to Rwanda in 2012.

And criticism has grown louder over his rights record.

Kagame's critics have ended up jailed, forced into exile or assassinated. Rights groups slam the repression of the media and opposition.

Kagame won elections in 2003 and 2010 with 95 and 93 percent respectively. Observers say real opponents are silenced while those allowed to run in elections serve as a democratic facade.

One of Rwanda's rare critical journalists, Robert Mugabe, describes Kagame as the quintessential modern dictator.

"We have a new breed of dictators... they hire PR agencies they form a narrative and these dictators are smart enough to know what the western world wants to see and wants to hear."

Kagame, his aloof gaze piercing through black-rimmed glasses, coolly brushes off criticism over his governance and slams the "arrogant" West for dictating to Rwandans what freedom is.

"A strong leader is not necessarily a bad leader. I don't know where we would be today if a weak leader had taken over this country (after the genocide)," Kagame told Jeune Afrique magazine in 2016.
This combination of file pictures shows, left to right, Roger Stone, GOP political operative and longtime Donald Trump adviser, Paul Manafort, adviser to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign, Donald Trump Jr, President Donald Trump, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner and ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn

President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election was focused on adoptions, The Washington Post reported Monday.

It later emerged that during that fateful June 2016 meeting, Trump's eldest son, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian government attorney who an intermediary claimed had incriminating information about Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

The subject line of the email from Trump Jr inviting Kushner and Manafort to the meeting read "Russia - Clinton - private and confidential."

In his initial statement on the meeting, Trump Jr said the group "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children," and insisted that "it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no followup."

The Post said the president dictated the statement to his son while on a flight home from the G20 summit in Germany.

Trump Jr later sent shockwaves through Washington by releasing a series of emails that detailed how he had attended the meeting after being promised "very high level and sensitive information" that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump."

Trump has rushed to his son's defense, and lambasted what he calls a political "witch hunt."

In defending his son, Trump said: "I think from a practical standpoint most people would have taken that meeting... Politics is not the nicest business in the world, but it's very standard."

Citing people familiar with the discussions, the Post said the president's legal team planned to present the meeting as a potential setup by Democrats seeking to entrap Trump Jr and thus Trump himself, who at the time was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya has thrust Trump Jr into the center of a growing scandal over whether Trump's associates colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in the Republican's favor.

Former FBI director Robert Mueller is probing, in his capacity as special counsel, the Russia connection independently of the Senate panels.

- 'Unnecessary' -

The Post said advisers worry that the extent of Trump's direct involvement in his son's response could put the president -- already under fire for other efforts to undermine the Russia probe -- and key advisers in legal jeopardy.

"This was... unnecessary," one presidential adviser told the Post on condition of anonymity.

"Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Suggesting Trump is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, the adviser added: "He refuses to sit still.

"He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."

One of Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow, said in response to the report: "Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate and not pertinent."
Seven percent of university students in Australia were sexually assaulted on at least one occasion last year, according to a new report

More than half of university students in Australia were sexually harassed last year and seven percent sexually assaulted on at least one occasion, a "disturbing" new national study revealed Tuesday.

The findings came in an Australian Human Rights Commission report, conducted on behalf of the country's 39 universities that questioned more than 30,000 students, after years of activism by women's groups to discover the extent of the problem.

Women were three times as likely as men to be sexually assaulted and almost twice as likely to be sexually harassed, either on-campus, travelling to and from the university or at off-campus events endorsed by the institution.

"The unavoidable conclusion of the data... is that incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment are occurring at unacceptable rates at Australian universities," said Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins.

"While anybody can experience sexual assault or sexual harassment, it is clear from the data that women at university experience these behaviours at disproportionately higher rates than men.

"This adds weight to the body of evidence that highlights disturbing rates of sexual violence against women in Australia."

The report said almost a third of the harassment occurred on university grounds or in teaching spaces, while one in five of the assaults happened at a university or residence social event.

Australian universities, which have more than one million pupils enrolled, are hugely popular with international students, particularly from China and India.

Many of those affected -- including international students -- did not formally report the incident, with the vast majority saying their university did not do enough to provide clear direction on what to do and where to seek support.

"It broke my heart to read this report," Sophie Johnston, from the National Union of Students, told reporters. "This is a cultural battle we are fighting everywhere."

The report made nine recommendations, including the need to change attitudes and behaviour and to ensure an independent and systemic review of how universities respond.

Universities Australia, the body representing the country's university sector, immediately announced a 10-point plan to tackle the issue.

This included a 24/7 support line, new training for staff to recognise and deal with the problem, and a commitment to a follow-up survey to track progress.

"We send a strong and clear message today that these behaviours are not acceptable. Not on our campuses -- and not in Australian society," Universities Australia chair Margaret Gardner said.

"We have listened, and we will act."
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe himself has faced claims he used influence to help a friend in a business deal, while the country's defence minister resigned last week following a controversy over military documents

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will shake up his cabinet this week, the government's top spokesman said Tuesday, as public support plummets after a series of scandals.

Abe himself has faced claims he used influence to help a friend in a business deal, an accusation he denies, while the country's defence minister resigned last week following a controversy over military documents.

Abe told ministers he was planning a reshuffle on Thursday to "push ahead with various reforms under a new line-up", Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters.

Suga said the new cabinet's top priority would be reviving the economy, adding it would also work to ensure national security, in an apparent reference to North Korea's increasing missile threat.

Staunch nationalist Abe, who made his career talking tough against North Korea and aims to see Japan's pacifist constitution amended by 2020, became prime minister for a second time in December 2012 with a vow to rejuvenate the world's third-largest economy.

Public support ratings for Abe's cabinet have fallen precipitously over the summer, with voters punishing his Liberal Democratic Party in local Tokyo elections a month ago.

Abe had been expected to get rid of Tomomi Inada, a close confidante but deeply unpopular as defence minister, in the widely expected reshuffle.

But she resigned Friday over a long-brewing scandal involving the handling of military reports, along with the chief of staff of the Ground Self-Defence Force and the top ranking civil servant in the defence ministry.

Japanese leaders often make cabinet changes to reboot their fortunes when times get tough, though political analysts are sceptical over whether the upcoming shuffle will drag Abe out of the political doldrums.

Suga declined to comment on who will be in the new cabinet, though news reports have said Finance Minister Taro Aso, who also serves as deputy prime minister, and some other ministers will stay.
Chinese president Xi Jinping says his country will protect its sovereignty against any "people, organisation or political party"

China will fiercely protect its sovereignty against "any people, organisation or political party", President Xi Jinping warned Tuesday, as the country celebrated the 90th anniversary of its military, the People's Liberation Army.

The message comes as the ruling Communist Party faces political resistance in semi-autonomous Hong Kong, where many locals fear Beijing is tightening its grip, and in self-ruled Taiwan, which China views as a rebel province awaiting reunification.

The Asian giant is also mired in several bitter border disputes with its neighbours, including an ongoing stand-off with India over territory on China's border with Bhutan.

"We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," Xi told an audience of Communist Party officials and army officials gathered at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," he said.

Since coming into office in 2012, Xi has centralised power and cracked down on critics of the ruling party, while taking a hard line on territorial disputes.

China has at the same time been engaged in a modernisation of the its once-backward armed forces, as it seeks military clout commensurate with its economic might.

While the country formerly followed a strategy of "hide your strength", it has begun to indulge in more frequent, pointed demonstrations of its power.

On Sunday it held a rare military parade in Inner Mongolia in which Xi stressed the need to build a world-class army loyal to the ruling Communist Party, and capable of "defeating all invading enemies".

In June in Hong Kong, where Beijing faces vocal resistance to its policies, Xi oversaw a military parade -- the largest in decades -- marking the 20th anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China.

In December, the country sailed its first aircraft carrier near Taiwan, where the ruling political party has angered Beijing by refusing to acknowledge that both sides are part of "one China".

The ship was on its way to the South China Sea, where Beijing has pursued claims on territory -- despite partial counter-claims from nations such as the Philippines and Vietnam -- by building military facilities and conducting naval exercises.

China is currently involved in a border row with India that has festered for more than a month as both sides refuse to back down in the distant but strategically key territory.

Beijing insists that India should withdraw from the area, which is claimed by Bhutan, and has warned that it will step up its troop deployment.
Three Britons on trial for rape in Singapore face prison and caning if convicted

Three British men went on trial in Singapore Tuesday accused of gang-raping a 23-year-old woman while visiting the city-state for a stag party.

Khong Tam Thanh, 22, Le Michael, 24, and Vu Thai Son, 24, face up to 20 years in jail and a caning if found guilty of assaulting the Malaysian woman while she was drunk and unconscious at the end of the night out.

All three, British citizens of Vietnamese descent, deny the allegations.

In an opening statement, prosecutors said the defendants were in Singapore in September as part of a group of nine for a bachelor party, and attended an electronic music festival called Ultra Singapore.

The groom, the brother of Khong, was also on the trip.

They met the woman in a popular nightspot in the city-state, where she had been partying with a friend.

After she had agreed to have sex with one of their friends, a British citizen of Vietnamese origin identified as Richard Ahn, he took her to his hotel room.

After the pair had sex, Khong, Le and Vu took turns to enter the room and raped the woman as she lay drunk and unconscious, the court heard.

"Having consented to having sexual intercourse with one individual, she was then raped by three other men," Deputy Public Prosector G. Kannan told the Singapore High Court.

"Intoxicated and asleep, she was unaware of what was going on around her. She was taken advantage of and raped in quick succession by the three."

The men took care to make as little noise as possible but the victim woke up as Le assaulted her, the court heard.

They all face one count each of raping the alleged victim in the early hours of September 10 last year. Khong and Vu, who work as beauticians in Britain, face additional charges of sexual assault by digital penetration. Le is unemployed.

Ahn, 24, absconded while under investigation. The alleged victim lives in Johor Bahru, the southern Malaysian city bordering Singapore. She cannot be named because of a court order protecting her identity.

Rape is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and caning, a punishment which dates back to British colonial rule.
Protests and clashes over the killing of Abu Dujana, a top commander of militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, spread to the Kashmir capital of Srinagar

Indian forces killed a top militant commander in Kashmir on Tuesday, triggering clashes in which one protester was killed and dozens injured.

Abu Dujana, a senior fighter from the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was killed during a raid near Srinagar in the disputed Indian-held territory of Kashmir.

Indian troops and police special counterinsurgency forces surrounded the village of Harkipora after a tip off that the militant and an aide were hiding in a house. A fierce gunfight followed, police sources said.

A house which the militants used was set ablaze by soldiers and another was blown up with heavy explosives, witnesses said.

Police said the bodies of the two militants were charred "nearly beyond recognition".

The 26-year-old Dujana, who was renowned for evading capture, was considered an "A++" target by security forces, who hailed his death a "major achievement".

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Dujana's aide was a teenaged local rebel and that his burial in his hometown was attended by thousands of mourners.

As news of Dujana's killing spread, thousands of Kashmir residents came out onto the streets and clashed with government forces, throwing stones at them.

Troops retaliated by firing tear gas, pellet guns and bullets, killing a young man and injuring at least 70 others, witnesses and a police officer said.

A woman nurse was wounded by a bullet inside a hospital in Pulwama town, south of Srinagar, when government forces fired at protesters who had assembled outside, a hospital source said.

Hundreds of students and residents clashed with police in Lal Chowk, the main commercial centre of Srinagar, where shopkeepers downed shutters and panicked parents rushed to collect their children from schools.

Separatists opposed to Indian rule in the Muslim-majority region have called for a general strike on Wednesday.

The state government, in turn, has ordered all schools, colleges and universities to be shut too.

- Hunted for years -

Security officials say Dujana, who crossed from Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2010, was the longest surviving fighter in the Indian-controlled territory and used his popularity to escape military traps and mount attacks on security forces.

He had a reputation for being "a master of disguise" who escaped at least five previous military cordons.

"He (Dujana) kept weapons and ammunition stashed away in different areas and moved like a civilian disguised as a student and sometimes as a labourer," a resident of south Kashmir, who declined to be named, told AFP.

The militant also appeared at the funerals of slain comrades at least twice, but gave police and troops the slip.

"He knew the territory like the back of his hand. He was very, very mobile," a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

His death is one of the biggest blows to Kashmiri separatists since the death of another commander, Burhan Wani, in July last year.

Wani's killing sparked months of widespread protests against Indian rule and left nearly 100 civilians dead and thousands injured.

Since then, stone-throwing civilians, sometimes entire communities, have increasingly gone out onto the streets to support rebels trapped by military cordons in a bid to help them escape.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full.

Militant groups, including LeT, have for decades fought roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Tens of thousands, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting.
1MDB and its founder Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak are battling allegations that billions were looted from the fund in complex overseas deals that are being investigated by authorities in several countries

Malaysia's scandal-hit state investment fund 1MDB has missed a payment to Abu Dhabi of over $600 million that it was supposed to make by the end of July to settle debts, the emirate's sovereign wealth fund said Tuesday.

1MDB and its founder Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak are battling allegations that billions were looted from the fund in complex overseas deals that are being investigated by authorities in several countries.

Both the fund and Najib have vehemently denied wrongdoing.

1MDB agreed in April to pay Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) about $1.2 billion to settle debts.

Half was due to be paid to the emirate's sovereign wealth fund at the end of July and the rest by the end of the year, IPIC said at the time of the agreement.

IPIC said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange Tuesday that it "has not received the payments of US$602,725,000 and US$26,024,509.59 that were due to be paid".

It said there was a five-day period for 1MDB to resolve the payment before becoming subject to additional obligations.

1MDB said in a statement that it was awaiting fresh funds and had written to IPIC pledging to make the payment in August.

1MDB and the Abu Dhabi fund had been involved in a dispute that extended to repayments on two sets of bonds issued by the Malaysian fund.

In April 2016 1MDB defaulted on $1.75 billion in bonds after missing an interest payment of $50 million.

In June that year Abu Dhabi announced it was seeking $6.5 billion from the Malaysian fund through international arbitration.
Hun Sen has long jousted with local and international NGOs, which he accuses of meddling in Cambodian affairs

Cambodia's premier Hun Sen on Tuesday ordered a Christian charity that rescues child sex slaves to be shut down, after it featured in a recent CNN report that he described as an "insult" to his country.

The impoverished Southeast Asian nation has long been a destination for sex tourists, with minors often the victims of a flesh trade aided by endemic corruption.

A CNN report broadcast on 25 July featured three girls who were reportedly rescued from the sex trade by Agape International Missions (AIM), a charity founded by an American pastor which has been operating in the country since 1988.

The girls had first appeared in a 2013 documentary by CNN on Svay Pak, a poor suburb on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, before the network decided to pay them another visit this year and follow up on their fate.

Until a crackdown in the early 2000s Svay Pak hosted a huge red light district notorious for child sex slaves and the documentary showed the trade still existed a decade on.

The head of the charity, American pastor Don Brewster, was quoted in last week's report as saying that Svay Pak was "at one point the epicenter" of the child sex trade.

He said things had dramatically improved in recent years but that some trade in minors still occured behind closed doors.

But Hun Sen, one of the world's longest serving leaders, took exception to the report.

"I cannot accept the insult by an NGO that was broadcasted on CNN... that said in Cambodia mothers sold daughters to be prostitutes," he told a graduation ceremony.

"This is an insult that cannot be tolerated. At any cost, this organisation must leave Cambodia. We cannot let them stay anymore," he added.

AIM did not respond to requests for comment.

Hun Sen and nationalists seized on an early version of CNN's online report which described the girls as Cambodian, when in fact they either spoke Vietnamese or Khmer with a thick Vietnamese accent.

CNN later removed the word Cambodian from their headline.

The network did not respond to an AFP request for comment but told the Cambodia Daily it "stood by its reporting".

Many of Svay Pak's poorest and most vulnerable inhabitants are indeed Vietnamese migrants.

But police raids, court cases and efforts by charities show ample evidence over the years that children from impoverished Cambodian families are also at risk of sex trafficking.

Hun Sen has long jousted with local and international NGOs, which he accuses of meddling in Cambodian affairs.

In 2015 he drove through a controversial and broadly-worded law that allows authorities to shutter any NGO that harms national security or the "traditions and culture" of Cambodia.
Jordan's parliament on Tuesday scrapped a controversial article in the penal code that allowed a rapist to escape punishment if he married his victim

Jordan's parliament on Tuesday scrapped a controversial article in the penal code that allowed a rapist to escape punishment if he married his victim.

"Lawmakers agreed to remove the controversial Article 308, which stops the punishment of a perpetrator of sexual crimes if he marries his victim," the official Petra news agency reported.

The article was scrapped as parliament passed amendments to the penal law.

Activists have been campaigning for years to abolish the article, which allows rape charges to be dropped if the rapist marries his victim and does not divorce her for five years.

Prime Minister Hani Mulqi backed the move in Tuesday's parliamentary session.

"The government is committed to eliminating Article 308 to reinforce the protection of the Jordanian family," he said.

Last week, Tunisia also scrapped an article allowing rapists to escape punishment by marrying their victim when it passed a new law to end violence against women.
In September last year, Xi Jinping (R) and Shinzo Abe (L) agreed that they would restart talks to jointly develop resources in the East China Sea

Japan has lodged a protest with China over what it described as suspicious activity in a maritime area rich in gas deposits in the East China Sea, officials said Tuesday.

The two countries have a longstanding dispute over islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan, which knows them as Senkaku, and claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu.

Tokyo and Beijing agreed in June 2008 to cooperate over oil and gas resources in the area, but negotiations stopped two years later amid rising tensions and have not resumed.

"We confirmed that China is engaged in some kind of activity by stopping mobile drilling ships" near the median line separating the two countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the area, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

"It is extremely regrettable that China is unilaterally continuing its development activity," Suga, the government's top spokesman, told a press conference.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida made similar comments.

Suga added that Japan lodged the protest late last month after noticing the activity but did not specify what exactly the Chinese ships were doing.

Chinese drilling ships were last spotted near the median line in October 2016, Kyodo News and the Sankei Shimbun daily reported.

So far, China has built 16 drilling platforms on its side near the median line, the Asahi Shimbun reported.

Suga urged Beijing to resume stalled negotiations to jointly develop resources in the region, as discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September last year.

The gas field under the joint development agreement lies in an area where both countries' EEZs overlap.

Japan says the median line between the two nations should mark the limits of their respective EEZs.

But China insists the border should be drawn closer to Japan, taking into account the continental shelf and other features of the ocean.
The Telegram messenger application on a smartphone

Indonesia said Tuesday it would lift a partial block on the popular Telegram messaging service app after the company agree to speed up the removal of terrorism-related content.

Last month the country restricted computer access to Telegram because of material related to radicalism and terrorism, including tips on assembling bombs and launching attacks.

The firm's founder has now promised to move faster to process requests to remove the material and to set up a direct line to handle such demands from the government.

"The timeline (to lift the ban) is this week," communications ministry official Semuel Pangerapan told reporters after meeting Telegram's founder Pavel Durov.

Durov said it could take up to 36 hours to take down terrorism content in the past, but his firm now aimed to act in a matter of hours after it added Indonesian-speaking members to its team.

He said Telegram was committed to work faster to "shut down publicly available content related to ISIS (the Islamic State group) and propaganda of terrorism".

Indonesia imposed the partial ban after it suffered a string of attacks, including one by a man whom police said was radicalised after reading material on Telegram.

Telegram is a free Russian-designed messaging app that lets people exchange messages, photos and videos in groups of 10,000. It has attracted about 100 million users since its launch in 2013.
Vietnam's capital Hanoi: authorities are waging a crackdown against wrongdoers in banking

Vietnam issued arrest warrants for 14 bankers and took two more into custody on Tuesday after accusing them of causing losses totalling hundreds of millions of dollars in the scandal-tainted sector.

The communist government has been on the warpath against wrongdoers in an industry plagued by favouritism and dodgy loans -- part of a broader drive against corruption in the country.

A total of 16 people from various private and government-owned banks are accused of deliberate misconduct, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on its website without elaborating.

The bankers allegedly colluded with the private Vietnam Construction Bank to skirt the law to secure millions in loans, causing $660 million in losses, state media reported.

The group "deliberately violated state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences", MPS said.

The two most senior bankers named are Tram Be and Phan Huy Khang from Sacombank, one of the country's leading private banks. Both were arrested Tuesday.

Be is the former bank deputy chairman and belongs to one of Vietnam's richest families, who earned much of its fortune in logging, real estate, farming and jewelry.

Khang was CEO from 2012 until he was sacked last month along with Be.

Several people have already been punished.

In September last year 36 former Vietnam Construction Bank employees were given jail terms of up to 30 years, after they were accused of secretly withdrawing millions of dollars from clients' accounts to use for loans or keep for themselves.

Vietnam has achieved several years of solid economic growth of five percent or higher, making it one of the best performing economies in Southeast Asia.

But soaring public debts, bloated state-owned enterprises and rampant official corruption have threatened progress.

Several high-profile bankers are currently awaiting trial or serving lengthy prison terms.

Authorities have also targeted other sectors in their anti-corruption drive. Former state oil executive Trinh Xuan Thanh handed himself into police Monday after an 11-month manhunt.

Also on Monday officials proposed that deputy trade minister Ho Thi Kim Thoa be stripped of her post for suspected wrongdoing at a state-owned lamp factory.

Despite Vietnam's vow to crack down on corruption, analysts have said prosecutions and punishments are often spurred by political infighting rather than a genuine commitment to reform.
The ruling party has named Nawaz Sharif's (R) younger brother Shahbaz (L) as his successor, but he holds only a provincial seat, so must first enter parliament by contesting the seat left vacant by his elder sibling

Pakistan's parliament elected ruling party loyalist Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister on Tuesday, days after Nawaz Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court after a corruption probe.

Abbasi is seen as a placeholder for Sharif's designated successor, his younger brother Shahbaz, who must first be elected to the 342-member National Assembly before taking the top office.

Nominated by Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Abbasi secured 221 votes, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced on live television. He will be sworn in later Tuesday.

Despite his election minutes before, the new premier used his maiden speech to declare Nawaz Sharif "the prime minister of the people of Pakistan".

"Inshallah (God willing) one day the real prime minister of this country will come back and sit on this chair," he said.

Graphic charting socio-economic indicators for Pakistan

Sharif supporters in the assembly chanted slogans and waved placards bearing larger-than-life images of the deposed premier.

Absent from the assembly was opposition leader Imran Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician who spearheaded the push against Sharif.

Abbasi, a long-time ally of Sharif, easily won the majority required to become prime minister in the PML-N dominated parliament, putting into motion a process that is expected to ultimately see a Sharif once again as Pakistan's premier.

"Whether it's 45 days or 45 hours, I am the prime minister of Pakistan and I am here to work, not keep the seat warm," Abbasi continued, referring to the time limit on a by-election for Sharif's old seat, which Shahbaz Sharif is expected to fill.

Listing PML-N trademark issues such as infrastructure projects, he also vowed to crack down on tax evaders and private ownership of automatic weapons.

Nawaz Sharif was the 15th prime minister in Pakistan's 70-year history -- roughly half of which has been spent under military rule -- to be ousted before completing a full term.

The top court sacked him Friday after an investigation into corruption allegations against him and his family, bringing his historic third term in power to an unceremonious end and briefly plunging the nuclear-armed nation into political uncertainty.

Observers have said it is unclear whether the court's ruling will allow the ousted Sharif to run for office again in the future.

- Placeholder PM -

Pakistan's former petroleum minister and prime minister-designate Shahid Khaqan Abbasi arrives at parliament to cast his vote during the election for interim prime minister in Islamabad

Abbasi is the former federal minister for petroleum and natural resources, and a businessman who launched the country's most successful private airline, Air Blue.

Educated in the United States at George Washington University, he worked overseas as an electrical engineer before joining politics and being elected to the National Assembly six times.

He was arrested after the 1999 military coup led by General Pervez Musharraf, which ended Nawaz Sharif's second term as PM, and was imprisoned for two years before being released.

Prime Minister-in-waiting Shahbaz Sharif went into exile in Saudi Arabia along with Nawaz after the coup.

A supporter of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party attends a rally in Islamabad

Shahbaz returned to Pakistan in 2007 and was elected chief minister in the family's power base of Punjab in 2008, becoming the longest serving top official in the province.

A tough administrator with a reputation for passionate outbursts, he is known for using revolutionary poetry in speeches and public meetings and considered by some to be a workaholic.

His scandalous relationships fuelled headlines in the past, but his marriage to author Tehmina Durrani, his fifth wife, in 2003 has since dampened the media frenzy.

Shahbaz has been so far largely unscathed by claims about the lavish lifestyles and luxury London property portfolio of the Sharif dynasty, which have played out for months in the raucous news media.

It was an investigation into the claims, which first erupted with the Panama Papers leak last year, that eventually saw the Supreme Court oust Nawaz Sharif. He and his family have denied the accusations.
This handout photo taken by India's Press Information Bureau on July 27, 2017 shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiling the statue of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Indian authorities have removed a copy of the Bible and the Koran from a new statue of a former president after a complaint by a Hindu nationalist party, officials said Tuesday.

The removal of the books has fuelled a religious row over a carving depicting a Hindu holy book placed next to the statue of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at Rameswaram in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Kalam, who as a scientist played a leading role in India's landmark 1998 nuclear weapons tests, was president from 2002-2007 and a strongly secular figure.

The sculpted Hindu "Bhagvad Gita" book was placed next to the statue before it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week on the second anniversary of Kalam's death.

Relatives placed the Bible and the Koran next to the Gita in protest. That infuriated the Hindu Makka Katchi nationalist party, which said it made the complaint to police.

"The authorities removed the Bible and the Koran at the site. We are also looking at the complaint filed with us," police superintendent Om Prakash Meena told AFP.

K. Prabhakaran, a member of the Hindu Makkal Katchi, told The Indian Express newspaper "I respect all these books. But keeping them (at the memorial) without permission is wrong. Steps should be taken to see such things are not done again."

Authorities have since prevented photographers from taking images of the statue.

Memorial officials did not respond to queries.

The religious controversy "does a great disservice to the legacy of the 'people's president'," The Indian Express newspaper said in an editorial

Kalam was born into poverty and sold newspapers as a child to support his family while studying. His work on India's own nuclear weapon earned him the nickname of "India's missile man".
The Pakistani Taliban has released a magazine for women, apparently aiming to convince its target readership to join the militant group and take up jihad

The Pakistani Taliban on Tuesday released the first edition of a magazine for women, apparently aiming to convince its target readership to join the militant group and take up jihad.

The first edition of "Sunnat E Khaula" -- which translates as 'The Way of Khaula', referring to an early female follower of the Prophet Muhammad -- published by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) features a picture of a women veiled from head to toe on its front cover.

Inside is an interview with the TTP's leader's wife, who is not named, in which she talks about being married to the head of the militant group, Fazlullah Khorasani, at the age of 14.

"I ask you why now everywhere there is hue and cry about underage marriages... We have to understand that mature boys and girls if left unmarried for too long can become a source of moral destruction of the society," the militant leader's wife tells the interviewer.

"We want to provoke women of Islam to come forward and join the ranks of mujahideen e (holy warriors of) Islam," reads the opening editorial of the magazine, which includes an advice column for would-be lady jihadists.

"Organise secret gatherings at home and invite like-minded jihadi sisters," the column suggests.

"Distribute literature reflecting on the obligation of jihad, arrange physical training classes for sisters. Learn how to operate simple weapons. Learn the use of grenades."

The English-language magazine also includes an article written by a Pakistani female doctor describing her decision to shun her western education and embrace Islam, titled "My journey from ignorance to guidance".

At the height of the Taliban's influence in Pakistan, the militant group regularly put out publications in Urdu and English, hoping to attract recruits to its ranks.

The militant group was also active on Facebook and Twitter, but most of its social media pages have now been closed.

Pakistan's military launched an offensive against insurgent groups in the country's northwest in late 2014 after the Taliban attacked a military-run school killing more than 150 people, mostly children.

Security has since improved, though the Taliban continues to sporadically launch attacks, including one last month on a market in Lahore that killed 26 people.
The US Air Force B-1B bomber pictured here flew over the Korean peninsula last week in a show of force after North Korea's latest test launch of an inter-continental ballistic missile

A Republican senator said Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has told him he would go to war to destroy North Korea rather than allow it to develop a long-range nuclear-armed missile.

Influential lawmaker Lindsey Graham, a foreign policy hawk, told NBC's Today Show: "There is a military option: To destroy North Korea's program and North Korea itself."

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un boasted that his country could now strike any target in the United States after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.

World powers have been trying to stifle Pyongyang's weapons program through United Nations-backed sanctions, but have failed to daunt the regime and Washington is growing frustrated.

Graham said that if diplomacy, and in particular pressure from the North's neighbor China, fails to halt the program then the United States will have no choice but to take devastating military action.

"They've kicked the can down the road for 20 years. There will be a war with North Korea over the missile program if they continue to try to hit America with an ICBM," he said, describing his discussions with Trump.

"He's told me that. I believe him. If I were China, I would believe him, too, and do something about it. You can stop North Korea, militarily or diplomatically.

"I prefer the diplomatic approach. But they will not be allowed to have a missile to hit America with a nuclear weapon on top."
US President Donald Trump, shown shaking hands with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, has always had a rocky relationship with the Republican Party establishment

It may not yet be a full-blown divorce, but the relationship between Donald Trump and the Republican Party is fast unraveling, threatening the president's prospects of steering legislation through Congress.

Trump took barely 18 months to conquer the party of Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, swatting aside more traditional challengers as he seized the Republican White House nomination in last year's US election.

But six months into his presidency, his disconnect with many in his party is clear, after the departure of two party stalwarts from the White House and the public shaming of his own attorney general.

And after a recent humiliating defeat in the Senate on health reforms, party insiders are warning Trump can expect similar setbacks unless he learns to work constructively with Republicans on Capitol Hill.

"His presidency will only be successful if he has allies throughout the government, and that includes the legislative branch," said Alex Conant, a former senior aide to Senator Marco Rubio.

"If he spends his entire presidency at war with Congress, it will be a very unfulfilling four years," added Conant, who classed the current relationship between party and president as "awkward."

With chief of staff Reince Priebus and White House spokesman Sean Spicer -- both party insiders -- exiting within a week of each other, few senior Republicans remain among Trump's inner circle, besides Vice President Mike Pence.

And while Pence -- a former lawmaker in the House -- acts as a bridge to Congress, it's far from clear how much the president is seeking his advice.

After the health debacle, instead of regrouping with Republican senators to find a common way forward, Trump rebuked them on Twitter, saying they would be "total quitters" if they abandoned his reforms.

- Offense taken -

Establishment Republicans have long winced at the probe into Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 presidential race and the swirling allegations into whether his campaign colluded with the Kremlin.

More recently, they have taken offense at the president's attacks on his Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former Republican senator who has significant support among congressional conservatives.

As pressure mounts on Trump, senior figures are becoming bolder in their criticism.

Republican Senator Jeff Flake is one of several GOP lawmakers who have become more open in their criticism of Trump

Senator Jeff Flake has urged Republicans to speak out if the president plays to his populist base in ways that damage the party's ability "to speak to a larger audience."

As a former Republican National Committee chairman, Priebus had impeccable connections and so his ouster last week has deprived the White House of a valuable link with Capitol Hill.

Spicer -- who went a week earlier -- was also a long-time Republican insider who owed his position as Trump's mouthpiece more to his party connections than his close relations with the president.

In Priebus's place, Trump brought in John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general who has little experience in dealing with Republican lawmakers in either the House of Representatives or Senate.

Other key White House staff -- such as chief strategist Steve Bannon, a former head of the fiercely right-wing Breitbart News media outlet -- are also far removed from the Republican establishment.

The president's chief economic advisor, former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn, is a registered Democrat who has donated to both parties.

Trump's daughter and son-in-law Ivanka and Jared Kushner, both senior advisors, are self-styled New York progressives.

The little trust that existed in the first place between Trump and the Republican establishment may well have been shaken in the president's first six months in office.

But Richard Keil, a former Washington-based strategist who now works with the Hill + Knowlton consultancy, said ties were not necessarily beyond repair as long as the two sides could identify shared goals, such as tax reforms.

"If he can help them deliver what they want, that repairs relations pretty quickly," Keil said.
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) and Malaysian foreign minister Dato Sri Anifah Aman were among those attending the special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

The main grouping of the world's Muslim nations on Tuesday accused Israel of staging provocative actions and inflaming tensions with the Palestinians in a crisis over security measures at a key holy site in Jerusalem.

Turkey hosted an extraordinary meeting in Istanbul of foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that Ankara called to discuss the tensions in its current capacity as chairman of the body.

Turkey has full diplomatic relations with Israel after resolving last year a crisis in ties but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains vehemently critical of the Jewish state's policy towards the Palestinians.

The meeting brought together foreign ministers and top officials from key Muslim nations, including Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, whose rival nations are locked in a bitter feud.

Israel angered the Islamic world by installing metal detectors and security cameras at the Haram al-Sharif holy site in Jerusalem, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, following a July 14 attack in which gunmen killed two policemen.

The move sparked Muslim protests and deadly unrest, and last week the Israeli government removed the detectors and cameras. The site includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites in Islam.

A joint communique issued after the gathering said the meeting "strongly condemns Israel's recent provocative actions" at the holy site.

It accused the Jewish state of "employing collective punishment measures and the use of lethal and excessive force against peaceful Palestinian worshippers" at the site.

And despite the Israeli climbdown on the metal detectors, the OIC statement accused the government of "persistent public statements... that incite religious sensitivities, feed tension and incite violence".

It urged world powers not to support or encourage Israel's "illegal colonisation and annexation" of East Jerusalem, which Israel occupied in 1967 before later annexing.

- 'Could get nasty again' -

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told the meeting that Israel's move to remove the detectors was a "small victory in the long battle for freedom".

But he accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to change the longstanding agreement whereby only Muslims are allowed to pray inside the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, although anyone can visit, including Jews.

"Netanyahu will try again to impose his status quo and we should prepare for the next round which could come very soon and be very nasty," he added.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it was time Muslim countries started to help the Palestinians "not just with words but with actions".

"We must act to protect the Al-Aqsa mosque and Palestine," he said. He reaffirmed a call made by Erdogan on all Muslims to visit Jerusalem.

In its statement, the OIC accused the Israeli government of "neither (being) committed to peace nor interested in the two-state solution", saying its actions were the "most dangerous threat to the prospects of peace".

Last year Turkey and Israel ended a rift triggered by Israel's deadly storming in 2010 of a Gaza-bound ship that left 10 Turkish activists dead. The two sides have since embarked on a close energy cooperation venture to pipe Israeli gas to Turkey.

But Erdogan, who considers himself a champion of the Palestinian cause, is still often critical of Israeli policy. His comments on the crisis have been among his toughest on Israel since the reconciliation deal.
Donald Trump has found himself once again mired in the Russia scandal, thanks to a report suggesting he indeed knew about his son Don Jr's meeting with a Russian lawyer -- and drafted a misleading account of it given to the media

The White House admitted Tuesday that Donald Trump helped draft a misleading statement about his son's meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer -- deepening the president's entanglement in the saga over his team's ties to Russia.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump had "weighed in, offered suggestions, like any father would do."

Trump's personal intervention, first reported by The Washington Post, casts doubt on claims he knew nothing about a meeting during the 2016 campaign that is now central to a federal investigation.

It also paints a picture of a president acutely aware of the scandal -- and determined to manage it down to a minute level.

Allies fear that such a level of involvement, if proven, could put the Republican billionaire leader in legal jeopardy.

Politically, it will only intensify allegations that the White House is trying to cover up connections with a foreign government accused of trying to tilt the November election in Trump's favor.

"This was... unnecessary," one presidential adviser told the Post on condition of anonymity.

"Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow dismissed the report as "misinformed."

Emails show that Trump's eldest son Donald Jr, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his then campaign manager Paul Manafort met Kremlin-connected officials in June 2016 in the hope of getting dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

On the other side of the table were government-connected lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, Russian real estate player Ike Kaveladze and Rinat Akhmetshin, who has denied long-standing allegations that he works for Russian intelligence.

A British middleman pitched the meeting as an opportunity for the Trump campaign to obtain "very high level and sensitive information" as "part of Russia and its government's support" for the now president.

In a statement -- allegedly dictated by Trump on Air Force One coming back from a Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany -- Don Jr said the meeting "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children."

Trump's lawyers had claimed he was not involved in the meeting or its aftermath, and the Republican billionaire had rushed to his son's defense, accusing the media of a political "witch hunt."

One Republican congressman, Lee Zeldin of New York, told CNN: "I would be really interested in knowing what the president knew at that time."

- Twitter 'only way to get truth out' -

Possible Trump-Russia collaboration is the subject of several Congressional investigations as well as a sweeping federal probe led by special counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller.

The scandal has overshadowed Trump's first six months in office and threatened to ensnare his whole administration in a legal thicket.

Communications director Anthony Scaramucci and press secretary Sean Spicer are two of those who have left Trump's White House in recent days

In recent weeks, the scandal has taken a back seat to White House chaos amid the departure of Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus, his short-lived communications director Anthony Scaramucci and press secretary Sean Spicer.

This latest drip-drip of Russia-related information has overshadowed what the White House was hoping would be a fresh start with new chief of staff John Kelly.

The four-star retired Marine general on Monday began his quest to impose order on an administration careening out of control.

On Tuesday, Trump focused on the American economy, a bright spot on the otherwise gloomy political landscape.

"Stock Market could hit all-time high (again) 22,000 today. Was 18,000 only 6 months ago on Election Day. Mainstream media seldom mentions!" he said on Twitter.

Later in the day, he participated in a White House event with small businesses, at which he reiterated his comments on Wall Street.

But just in case there were any illusions that Kelly could tame Trump's Twitter venting, the president was at pains to dispel them.

"Only the Fake News Media and Trump enemies want me to stop using Social Media (110 million people). Only way for me to get the truth out!" he tweeted.

During his meeting with small business leaders, Trump jokingly complained out loud that Kelly had not made journalists give him credit for a years-long economic recovery.

"I keep telling General Kelly, 'General, come on, let's go, you're chief of staff'," Trump said in a subtle dig.
Afghan security personel inspect the site of a suicide bomb attack at a Shiite mosque in Herat on August 1, 2017

A suicide bomber and a gunman killed at least 29 people and wounded 63 at a packed Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's main western city of Herat Tuesday, the latest attack to highlight the country's deteriorating security situation.

The assault on the Jawadya mosque in Herat, which is close to Afghanistan's border with Iran, came a day after the Islamic State group claimed a deadly attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul.

The Herat attack was the latest in a series of assaults on Afghanistan's minority Shiite population.

"The death toll has risen to 29 killed and 63 wounded. Some wounded are in a critical condition so the toll may go up," hospital spokesman Rafeeq Shirzai told AFP.

Herat police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada said the assault happened around 8:00 pm (1530 GMT) when "a terrorist attack was carried out on a (Shiite) mosque in the third security district of Herat city".

Afghanistan unrest

"Based on our initial information two terrorists were involved, one of them wearing a suicide vest who detonated himself while the second one was armed with a rifle. They are both dead," he added.

A reporter for AFP said he had seen a number of bodies brought out of the mosque, leading to fears of a heavy death toll.

He reported seeing a body torn to pieces at the entrance, possibly that of the attacker, while others were lying in pools of blood inside, some still crying and moving.

Photos posted on social media showed large crowds had gathered at the hospital.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but IS has been targeting Shiite minority crowds and mosques in Afghanistan for around a year. The Taliban specifically denied that it was involved.

- 'Anti-Islam act' -

The attack comes a day after an assault on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, which was claimed by the Islamic State group (IS), killed two people.

IS has been expanding its footprint in eastern Afghanistan and has recently claimed responsibility for several devastating attacks in the capital.

But experts have previously questioned whether there are direct links between the group's local affiliate Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) and the central IS command.

A suicide bomber attacked the Jawadya mosque in Herat

On Monday a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the embassy, allowing at least three other militants to breach the compound, unleashing an hours-long gun battle that killed two people.

A security source, who declined to be named, said IS could prove to be more dangerous than the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Unlike the Taliban which has friends and foes among the international community, IS considers everyone their enemy and will keep attacking soft targets, he said.

Shiites, of which there are around three million in Afghanistan, have regularly been targeted in recent years.

In June, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a crowded Shiite mosque in Kabul which killed four people.

November last year saw a massive suicide blast kill at least 27 people and wound 64 at a Shiite mosque, again in the Afghan capital.

In July 2016 IS jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 85 people and wounding more than 400.

Afghanistan's national unity government said it strongly condemned the Herat attack, describing it in a statement as an "anti-Islam act".

It also called "on the Muslim people of Afghanistan, as well as on the religious scholars, to stand united against the barbaric actions of the terrorists".

President Ashraf Ghani added that "terrorists cannot create sectarian divisions among our people".
French Minister of Army Forces Florence Parly (C) meets French officers of the Barkhane counter-terrorism operation in Africa's Sahel region, at the Barkhane base near Niamey in Niger on July 31, 2017

French and German support for a regional Sahel force to battle jihadists will persuade other European nations of the benefits of backing the regional counter-terror measure, Germany's defence minister said Tuesday.

Ursula von Der Leyen spoke to journalists in Bamako after talks with President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, arriving six days after a helicopter crash in the country's north killed two German crew who were monitoring clashes for the United Nations mission to Mali.

Von Der Leyen said the discussion had centred on the autumn deployment of the force from the so-called "G5 Sahel" countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger), "and above all the Franco-German initiative to support it".

Franco-German backing would ensure that other European nations "join in our support" for the 5,000-man joint unit, the German minister said.

France is trying to muster international support for the estimated 423 million euros ($480 million) it will cost, as the participating countries rank among the poorest nations in the world.

French President Emmanuel Macron has won a commitment -- yet to be detailed -- from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to support the scheme.

France has 4,000 troops serving across the Sahel region with a counter-terror mandate, while Germany has reinforced its presence in Mali this year, deploying several helicopters and raising the number of Germans serving with the UN mission to 639 as of June.

The two German crew members killed last week were repatriated on Saturday.

Von Der Leyen joined her French counterpart Florence Parly in Niger before heading to Bamako.
Libyan coastguards help rescue illegal immigrants attempting to reach Europe off the coastal town of Guarabouli, 60 kilometres east of the capital, on July 8, 2017

The bodies of eight migrants have been found at sea off the coast of Libya by rescuers coming to the aid of four rubber dinghies, the Italian coastguard said Tuesday.

Some 500 survivors were pulled to safety, the coastguard told AFP, illustrating the huge challenge that continues to bedevil authorities as people try to reach Europe.

The latest deaths came as the Italian government presented plans for a naval mission in Libyan territorial waters that aims to reduce the flow of migrants from the coast.

Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, which was taking part in the rescues, said the corpses were recovered by the Santa Lucia merchant ship.

"We are here to stop more people drowning, today eight dead and four drifting boats" in distress, Proactiva's founder Oscar Champs said on Twitter.

The charity said there were 79 women and 39 minors -- including four young children -- among those rescued.

Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one percent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry.

The government intends to send a logistics ship that could support Libyan units and will also offer a patrol boat, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti told lawmakers on Tuesday.

However Italy has no intention to create a naval blockade, which would be a "hostile act", she said, insisting that support for the Libyan mission was the aim and cooperation was necessary.

"Italy has always respected Libyan sovereignty," Pinotti added.

At least 2,385 migrants have died during the perilous crossing since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

The latest deaths come as aid groups -- privately-funded boats performed 26 percent of rescues in 2016, rising to 35 percent so far this year -- are caught in a row over how they operate.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) refused Monday to sign a code of conduct on migrant-saving operations in the Mediterranean.

Sticking points cited were obligations for rescue boats to operate with an Italian police official on board and a ban on moving rescued migrants from one aid vessel to another while still at sea.

The code, created to address the biggest migrant phenomenon in Europe since World War II, lays down 13 rules Italy insists must be followed to prevent aid groups rescuing migrants from acting as a magnet for human traffickers.

But the rules have been widely criticised by the NGOs as making it more difficult for them to save lives.
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. SHAWN T. EZELL, Plaintiff - Appellant v. KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY, Defendant - Appellee No. 16-60409 Decided: July 31, 2017

Before PRADO, HIGGINSON, and COSTA, Circuit Judges.

Plaintiff-Appellant Shawn Ezell drove his car into a stationary train that was blocking a traffic crossing. Ezell sued the train's operator, Defendant-Appellee Kansas City Southern Railway (KCSR), asserting various Mississippi common law negligence claims based on his allegations that the train blocked the crossing for an impermissible amount of time and the train's crew failed to adequately warn approaching drivers of the obstructed crossing. KCSR filed a motion for summary judgment, which the district court granted. We affirm.

I

In the early morning hours of July 12, 2011, a train operated by KCSR temporarily stopped in West Point, Mississippi, so the crew could perform a switching operation. The operation required the train to fully occupy and block three West Point traffic crossings. Ezell's expert estimates that the train was stopped in West Point for approximately 24 minutes.

While the crew was performing its switching operation, Ezell approached one of the blocked crossings in his car. He passed a reflectorized advanced warning sign, a reflectorized railroad crossing sign, and a yield sign. Although Ezell testified at his deposition that he does not recall seeing the signs on the night of the accident, he acknowledged that knew they were there because he had passed through the crossing many times and was familiar with it. Ezell also testified that the night was dark and kind of  foggy. He described the road as having a little dip and then an incline leading to the tracks, which were elevated in comparison to the approaching road. Because of the incline in the road and the position of the black train car on the track, Ezell says his headlights shone under the train as he approached and that he could see beneath the stationary train car to the road on the other side.

According to Ezell, he did not see the train blocking his path until it was too late to stop. He crashed into its side, his car lodging beneath the train car he struck. Ezell was airlifted to a medical center for treatment and rehabilitation. He suffered horrific injuries and remained hospitalized for two months followed by a long rehabilitation process. As a result of the accident, Ezell is an incomplete quadriplegic, meaning he suffers from severe paralysis throughout his body, but is not completely paralyzed and is able to walk with a walker, though not for long periods of time.

Ezell filed a lawsuit in Mississippi state court against KCSR, seeking damages based on various Mississippi common law negligence theories. Ezell alleges that the KCSR train crew was careless, negligent and partially at fault because the crew: (1) blocked the crossing for longer than permitted by Mississippi law; (2) blocked the crossing for longer than permitted by KCSR's internal operating rules; and (3) failed to adequately warn approaching drivers of the obstructed crossing.

KCSR removed the case to federal court based on federal question jurisdiction, arguing that Ezell's two blocking claims were completely preempted by the federal ICC Termination Act (ICCTA). KCSR then moved for summary judgment on all of Ezell's claims. In addition to urging that Ezell's two blocking claims are preempted, KCSR argued that Ezell's failure to warn claim is barred by Mississippi's Occupied Crossing Rule. The district court granted KCSR's motion, and Ezell timely appealed.

II

We review a district court's grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same legal standards as the district court. Robinson v. Orient Marine Co., 505 F.3d 364, 365 (5th Cir. 2007). Summary judgment is only appropriate if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). Any reasonable inferences are to be drawn in favor of the non-moving party. Robinson, 505 F.3d at 366.

Whether a state statute or common law cause of action is preempted by federal law is a question of law we review de novo. Friberg, 267 F.3d at 442; accord Elam, 635 F.3d at 802; Franks, 593 F.3d at 407. The party asserting federal preemption has the burden of persuasion. Elam, 635 F.3d at 802 (citing AT&T Corp. v. Pub. Util. Comm'n of Tex., 373 F.3d 641, 645 (5th Cir. 2004)).

III

Two of Ezell's negligence claims are based solely on the allegation that KCSR's train blocked the three crossings for an impermissible amount of time. The first is a negligence per se claim based on KCSR's alleged violation of Mississippi's Anti-Blocking Statute, which prohibits trains from blocking crossings for longer than five minutes. The second is a Mississippi common law negligence claim premised on KCSR's violation of its own internal operating rules, specifically General Code of Operating Rules 6.32.4, which directs crews to avoid blocking crossings in excess of ten minutes when practical. The district court held that both claims are preempted by the ICCTA. We agree.

The ICCTA, 49 U.S.C.  10101, et seq., overhauled federal railroad regulatory policy and established the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which is tasked with regulating rail transportation throughout the United States. PCI Trans., Inc. v. Fort Worth & W. R.R. Co., 418 F.3d 535, 538 (5th Cir. 2005). The purpose of the ICCTA is to build[ ] on the deregulatory policies that have promoted growth and stability in the surface transportation sector,  and, specifically, to implement a [f]ederal scheme of minimal regulation for this intrinsically interstate form of transportation, and to retain only regulations that are necessary to maintain a safety net or backstop of remedies to address problems of rates, access to facilities, and industry restructuring.  Elam, 635 F.3d at 804 (quoting H.R. Rep. No. 104-311, at 93, 96 (1995); 1995 U.S.C.C.A.N. 793, 805, 808).

Section 10501(b) of the ICCTA defin[es] the authority of the STB in dealing with the fundamental aspects of railroad regulation, and bar[s] others from interfering with those decisions by making the jurisdiction exclusive. Franks, 593 F.3d at 410. Section 10501(b) additionally makes clear that the remedies available at the STB dealing with rates, classification, rules,  practices, routes, services, and facilities of such carriers, are exclusive. Id. at 409; accord Elam, 635 F.3d at 805. We have observed that [t]he language of the statute could not be more precise, and it is beyond peradventure that regulation of  train operations, as well as the construction and operation of  side tracks, is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the STB unless some other provision of the ICCTA provides otherwise. Friberg, 267 F.3d at 443. Thus, we have held that  10501(b) expressly preempts laws that have the effect of managing or governing rail transportation[.] Franks, 593 F.3d at 410. Further,  [t]o the extent remedies are provided under laws that have the effect of regulating [i.e., managing or governing] train transportation, they too are expressly preempted. Elam, 635 F.3d at 805 (quoting Franks, 593 F.3d at 410) (alterations in original).

We have emphasized that Congress was particularly concerned about state economic regulation of railroads when it enacted the ICCTA. Id. On the other hand,  10501(b) does not expressly preempt generally applicable state laws that have a mere remote or incidental effect on rail transportation.  Id. (quoting Franks, 593 F.3d at 410). Nonetheless, a state law claim that is not expressly preempted by the ICCTA may be impliedly preempted, such as when, as applied in a particular case, the claim has the effect of unreasonably burdening or interfering with rail transportation. Franks, 593 F.3d at 414.

Based on the scope, purpose, and jurisdictional statement of the ICCTA, we have previously invalidated state laws and claims that regulate the amount of time trains block crossings. See, e.g., Friberg, 267 F.3d at 44344. We explained that [r]egulating the time a train can occupy a rail crossing impacts, in such areas as train speed, length, and scheduling, the way a railroad operates its trains, with concomitant economic ramifications  Friberg, 267 F.3d at 443. Indeed, in Elam v. Kansas City Southern Railway, we held that a negligence per se claim based on the precise Mississippi Anti-Blocking Statute at issue here was completely preempted by the ICCTA. 635 F.3d at 80708. We agree with the district court that Elam squarely forecloses Ezell's negligence per se claim based on the Mississippi Anti-Blocking Statute.

Our analysis in Elam makes clear that Ezell's blocking claim based on KCSR's internal operating rules is preempted by the ICCTA as well. Like his negligence per se claim, Ezell's second blocking claim is based solely on the amount of time that KCSR's train blocked a crossing, and the effect of [such a] claim is to economically regulate KCSR's switching operations. Id. at 807; see also id. ([A] state law tort remedy that would directly regulate a railroad's switching rates and services falls squarely under  10501(b)  [because] a rail operator's decisions about switching rates and services are economic decisions. (citing Friberg, 267 F.3d at 444)); Franks, 593 F.3d at 411 (It is clear that a tort suit that attempts to mandate when trains can use tracks and stop on them is attempting to manage or govern rail transportation in a direct way[.]); Friberg, 267 F.3d at 443 ([N]or does the all-encompassing language of the ICCTA's preemption clause permit the federal statute to be circumvented by allowing liability to accrue under state common law, where that liability arises from a railroad's economic decisions such as those pertaining to train length, speed or scheduling.).

Ezell has not attempted to distinguish Elam or this court's other ICCTA preemption caselaw. Instead, he cites the preemption clause of a different federal railroad regulatory statute, the Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA), 49 U.S.C.  20101, et seq., as his sole argument for why his blocking claim based on KCSR's operating rules is not preempted by the ICCTA. The FRSA's preemption clause clarifies that a state law claim is not preempted by that statute if the claim is based on operating rules adopted pursuant to an order or regulation issued by either the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of Homeland Security. 49 U.S.C.  20106(b)(1)(B). Ezell does not explain how or why the FRSA's preemption clause would bear on our ICCTA preemption analysis, nor does he acknowledge that the preemption exception he relies on to rebut KCSR's ICCTA argument is from a different statute. Notably, even if Ezell were to convince us that the FRSA's preemption exception could save his blocking claim from ICCTA preemption, he has failed to show that the KCSR operating rule he cites qualifies as a plan, rule, or standard that is created pursuant to a regulation or order of the Secretaries. 49 U.S.C.  20106(b)(1)(B). Ezell's FRSA argument is unavailing, and we conclude that both blocking claims are preempted by the ICCTA.

IV

Ezell also alleges that KCSR failed to adequately warn motorist[s] on North Division Street of the obstructed crossing by a train. We agree with the district court that this claim is barred by Mississippi's Occupied Crossing Rule. Under Mississippi law, ordinarily a train legitimately stopped or standing over a public crossing because of its tremendous size is all the warning the traveling public is entitled to.  King v. Ill. Cent. R.R., 337 F.3d 550, 553 (5th Cir. 2003) (quoting Clark v. Columbus & Greenville Ry. Co., 473 So. 2d 947, 950 (Miss. 1985)). Under this doctrine, the Occupied Crossing Rule,

a railroad company may leave its train, or any part of it, standing over a public crossing, night or day, and whether light or dark, without any light or warning of any kind to the traveling public; that the presence of the car or cars themselves is all the warning the traveling public is entitled to unless the conditions were unusual.

Miss. Exp. R.R. Co. v. Summers, 11 So. 2d 429, 430 (Miss. 1943).

However, there is an exception to the rule when the railroad should foresee that a motorist using ordinary care may not see the train because of a peculiar environment or hazardous condition. King, 337 F.3d at 553. Put another way:

A railroad has the right to occupy a crossing for its legitimate purposes, and, while so occupying it, the carrier is not required to maintain lights on its cars or to station a man with a lantern at the crossing to give warning that it is obstructed  by cars, unless the conditions and circumstances are such that the employees of the railroad know, or in the exercise of reasonable care and caution should have known, that a person driving upon the highway at a reasonable rate of speed in an automobile properly equipped with lights, and carefully operated, could not see, or might not be able to see, the cars in time to avoid a collision with them.

Owens v. Int'l Paper Co., 528 F.2d 606, 609 (5th Cir. 1976) (quoting Ill. Cent. R.R. v. Williams, 135 So. 2d 831, 834 (Miss. 1961)) (emphasis added).

To invoke this exception, the Mississippi Supreme Court has emphasized that plaintiffs must show the existence of unusual hazards and peculiar conditions, Boyd v. Ill. Cent. R.R. Co., 52 So. 2d 21, 25 (Miss. 1951), and the court has described the factual inquiry as one to determine whether [the] crossing was more than ordinarily hazardous or dangerous, Williams, 135 So. 2d at 835. We have interpreted this exception to be narrow, explaining that there must be some peculiar environment which renders the crossing unusually dangerous. Owens, 528 F.2d at 609 (internal quotation marks omitted). Further, we have cautioned that Mississippi courts set the bar high and have only found the exception applicable where extraordinary physical environments or landscapes make the crossing difficult to see. King, 337 F.3d at 553.

Ezell argues that the Occupied Crossing Rule should not bar his failure to warn claim because of the conditions present on the night of the accident. In sum, the conditions described by Ezell are a kind of foggy night, darkness around the area of the track, a small dip in the road followed by an incline to the track, a black train car, and that he could see a traffic light beyond the railroad track. Although the conditions described by Ezell do resemble facts present in some of the cases in which Mississippi courts applied the exception, those cases involved a number of additional hazardous conditions that are not present here and which rendered the conditions more clearly peculiar and unusually dangerous. See, e.g., Boyd, 52 So. 2d at 22 (observing that, in addition to a slight dip in the road, there was also no warning of any kind of the approaching crossing (in violation of state law), and the only visible part of the train blocking the crossing was the narrow, 15-18 inch bed of an empty flatcar with its wheels positioned so that they were not visible to approaching drivers and there was no light at all); Williams, 135 So. 2d at 835 (observing that the approach to the crossing was an abruptly steep and varied incline, which, combined with the unusually high grade of the crossing, created a particularly hazardous approach).

We agree with the district court that, even taking all of Ezell's allegations to be true, his summary judgment evidence fails to show that the conditions on the night of the accident were peculiar and unusually dangerous such that application of this narrow exception is appropriate. Owens, 528 F.2d at 609. As explained, the bar for the exception is high, and Ezell's evidence does not show extraordinary physical environments or landscapes. King, 337 F.3d at 553. The relatively ordinary conditions described by Ezell do not meet this threshold. Thus, the Occupied Crossing Rule bars his failure to warn negligence claim.

V

Accordingly, we AFFIRM the district court's judgment.

FOOTNOTES

. Switching is the process of removing cars from the train to move them from the main line to an industry track or side track. Side tracks are used to park a train going one direction on a main line while a train going the opposite direction passes. They can also be used as a detour to circumvent places on the main line where the tracks become unusable due to washouts, accidents, maintenance, etc. Friberg v. Ks. City S. Ry. Co., 267 F.3d 439, 440 n.1 (5th Cir. 2001).

. Ordinarily, [u]nder the well-pleaded complaint rule, a federal court does not have federal question jurisdiction unless a federal question appears on the face of the plaintiff's well-pleaded complaint. Elam v. Ks. City S. Ry. Co., 635 F.3d 796, 803 (5th Cir. 2011). As a result, there is generally no federal [question] jurisdiction if the plaintiff properly pleads only a state law cause of action. Id. (quoting Gutierrez v. Flores, 543 F.3d 248, 252 (5th Cir. 2008) (alteration in original)). However, [a]n exception to the well-pleaded complaint rule, complete preemption doctrine, arises when Congress so completely preempt[s] a particular area that any civil complaint raising this select group of claims is necessarily federal in character.  Id. (quoting Gutierrez, 543 F.3d at 252). Under the complete preemption doctrine, what otherwise appears as merely a state law claim is converted to a claim arising under federal law for jurisdictional purposes because the federal statute so forcibly and completely displaces state law that the plaintiff's cause of action is either wholly federal or nothing at all. New Orleans & Gulf Coast Ry. Co. v. Barrois, 533 F.3d 321, 330 (5th Cir. 2008) (internal quotation marks and brackets omitted); see also Franks Inv. Co. v. Union Pacific R.R. Co., 593 F.3d 404, 40708 (5th Cir. 2010) (en banc) ([Complete] preemption actually creates federal jurisdiction by its domination of the arena.). As explained in greater depth below, we have previously determined that state law tort claims arising out of the Mississippi statute relied on by Ezell for his first blocking claim are completely preempted, such that those claims give rise to federal question jurisdiction. Elam, 635 F.3d at 802 (We hold the district court had removal jurisdiction over this action because the ICCTA completely preempts the [plaintiffs'] negligence per se claim.).

. The statute provides in relevant part: Every railroad company, upon stopping any train at a place where such railroad shall cross a highway, shall so uncouple its cars as not to obstruct travel upon such highway for a longer period than five (5) minutes. Miss. Code. Ann.  77-9-235.

. See also Fla. E. Coast Ry. Co. v. City of W. Palm Beach, 266 F.3d 1324, 1331 (11th Cir. 2001) (Congress narrowly tailored the ICCTA pre-emption provision to displace only regulation, i.e., those state laws that may reasonably be said to have the effect of manag[ing] or govern [ing]' rail transportation,  while permitting the continued application of laws having more remote or incidental effect on rail transportation. (internal citations omitted)).

. See also Pace v. CSX Transp., Inc., 613 F.3d 1066, 1070 (11th Cir. 2010) ([T]o permit monetary liability to accrue under a state law nuisance claim where that liability is based on decisions the ICCTA purposefully freed from outside regulation would contradict the language and purpose of the ICCTA. The ICCTA expressly preempts state remedies involving the operation of the side track. Therefore, we will not permit landowners to circumvent that Congressional decision through state law nuisance claims.); Rushing v. Ks. City S. Ry. Co., 194 F. Supp. 2d 493, 499 (S.D. Miss. 2001) ([A]lthough the relevant Mississippi laws of negligence and nuisance may be construed as a exercise of the police power of the state to safeguard the health and safety of its citizens, the Plaintiffs are attempting to use these laws to impose regulations on the Defendant regarding the manner in which it operates its switch yard thereby potentially interfering with interstate rail operations.).

. We note that the FRSA may inform ICCTA preemption analysis in some circumstances. Caselaw from this circuit and others has highlighted the complicated relationship between the two statutes and the difficulty that may arise when a state action or common law claim falls at the intersection of ICCTA's realm of economic regulation and the FRSA's realm of safety regulation. See, e.g., Elam, 635 F.3d at 80708 (To be sure, not every state law targeting rail operations is completely preempted by the ICCTA. Under the standards we have discussed, the ICCTA will not completely preempt valid exercises of a state's police powers in most cases. Indeed, the [FRSA] expressly provides that states may enact (and citizens may enforce) rail safety laws in certain circumstances.); Tyrell v. Norfolk S. Ry. Co., 248 F.3d 517, 52223 (6th Cir. 2001) ([T]he district court's decision erroneously preempts state rail safety law that is saved under FRSA if it tangentially touches upon an economic area regulated under the ICCTA [T]he ICCTA and its legislative history contain no evidence that Congress intended for the STB to supplant the FRA's authority over rail safety.). In some cases, it may be difficult to discern whether a particular state law or claim is better characterized as an economic or safety regulation. But, as discussed, we have already determined that claims based solely on how long a train blocks a crossing are economic regulations preempted by the ICCTA. See Elam, 635 F.3d at 814 n.13 (To the extent the Elams allege KCSR was negligent solely because it blocked the  crossing, that claim is impliedly preempted.).

. At oral argument, KCSR invoked a recent Mississippi Supreme Court decision to argue that our Occupied Crossing Rule analysis cannot consider hazardous factors that the railroad cannot control, such as the conditions or characteristics of the road leading the crossing. Because we find that the Occupied Crossing Rule bars Ezell's claim regardless of which of the alleged conditions we consider, we need not reach KCSR's argument.

STEPHEN A. HIGGINSON, Circuit Judge:
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson delivers remarks on North Korea on August 1, 2017

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson promised Tuesday that the United States is not trying to topple Kim Jong-Un's North Korean regime, but warned it must halt its nuclear missile program.

Briefing reporters on diplomatic efforts to pressure Pyongyang, Tillerson said Washington would be willing to talk to the North if its leaders accept that they must disarm.

"We don't think having a dialogue where the North Koreans come to the table assuming they're going to maintain their nuclear weapons is productive," he warned.

But he sought to reassure the isolated authoritarian regime that it does not need a nuclear arsenal to defend itself from a US attack.

"We do not see a regime change. We do not seek the collapse of the regime. We do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula," he promised.

"We do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th parallel. And we're trying to convey that to the North Koreans.

"We are not your enemy. We're not your threat, but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond."

US President Donald Trump has demanded that China, North Korea's neighbor and biggest trade partner, rein in its nuclear ambitions -- angrily tweeting over the weekend that Beijing is not doing enough.

But here too, Tillerson was more diplomatic.

"We certainly don't blame the Chinese for the situation in North Korea," Washington's top diplomat said.

"Only the North Koreans are to blame for this situation, but we do believe China has a special and unique relationship, because of this significant economic activity, to influence the North Korean regime in ways that no one else can."

Last week, Kim boasted that North Korea could now strike any target in the United States after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.

Republican foreign policy hawk Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump is ready to launch a devastating military strike if diplomacy fails to stop the nuclear missile threat.
No caption

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has asked two officials, including retired general and former Middle East envoy Anthony Zinni, to work to end the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with key US ally Qatar, accusing it of backing extremism and building ties with their rival Iran.

Qatar, home to a huge US air base, has denied the claims but has agreed to Kuwait acting as a mediator and has come to an agreement with Washington to fight terror financing.

The parties to the dispute are still not in direct talks, however, and Washington is keen to pressure its allies in the region to mend ties and work together against extremism.

Tillerson told reporters that Qatar is so far fulfilling its commitment to the United States, but that he had sent senior US diplomat Tim Lenderking to the region to push for progress.

"And I've also asked retired General Anthony Zinni to go with Tim so that we can maintain a constant pressure on the ground because I think that's what it's going to take," he said.

"There's only so much you can do with telephone persuasion."

Zinni, now 73, was a Marine general who once commanded US forces in the Middle East. After the military he served as special envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, right, plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (left) over the weekend

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday he will meet with his Russian opposite number Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the weekend, but warned US-Russia ties could still get worse.

Some in Moscow and Washington had hoped relations between the former Cold War foes might improve under US President Donald Trump, who has had warm words for President Vladimir Putin.

But the great power rivals remain divided over Russia's intervention in Ukraine, US sanctions against Kremlin allies and Moscow's support for Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime.

Tillerson has never tried to sugarcoat the problems, and admitted in March after a visit to the Kremlin that ties were at a "historic low" with little sign of improvement.

But now Trump is poised to sign into law a bill to further tighten sanctions and Putin has ordered the US diplomatic mission in Russia to cut hundreds of staff.

"And the question, I think, of the events of the last week or so, is it getting worse or can we maintain some level of stability in that relationship?" Tillerson asked.

Tillerson said the US Congress decision to pass the sanctions bill had made attempts to thaw ties "more difficult," but that "all the indications are" that Trump will sign it.

In the meantime, Tillerson plans to meet Lavrov in Manila on the sidelines of an ASEAN ministerial meeting.

A special prosecutor is investigating whether Trump advisers colluded with what US intelligence has concluded was an attempt by Russia to covertly support his 2016 campaign.

The US president, who often called for warmer ties with Moscow during the White House race, has furiously denied the charge, which has further clouded relations.
High-flying criminal lawyer Christopher Wray was an uncontroversial choice for the post, winning widespread bipartisan backing after telling lawmakers he would rather resign than bow to political interference

The US Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Christopher Wray as the new director of the FBI on Tuesday, three months after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor James Comey.

The high-flying criminal lawyer was an uncontroversial choice for the post, winning widespread bipartisan backing after telling lawmakers he would rather resign than bow to political interference. Senators voted 92-5 to confirm him.

He assumes charge at a difficult time for the FBI.

Comey's sacking had led to accusations Trump was attempting to impede an investigation into links between his aides and Russia during last year's presidential election, which led to the appointment of independent prosecutor Robert Mueller as a special counsel.

Wray's first challenge will likely be to reassure the bureau's more than 30,000 employees of his commitment to their independence, after insisting to lawmakers he would be his own man.

"You can't do a job like this without being prepared to either quit or be fired at a moment's notice you're asked to do something or confronted with something that is either illegal, unconstitutional or even morally repugnant," he told the Senate Judiciary Committee last month.

"You have to be able to stand firm to your principles."

Born into a family of New York lawyers, Wray, 50, graduated from Yale Law School and was a Justice Department prosecutor for years.

In 2003, he rose up to assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division, where he mostly oversaw fraud investigations, including the huge case of Enron, the Texas energy firm that imploded with billions of dollars of losses tied to corruption.

In 2005, he resigned to join private practice as a partner at King & Spalding law firm in Washington and Atlanta.

Wray has represented major companies in litigation but also, most recently, worked for Trump ally Chris Christie in the so-called "Bridgegate" political scandal in New Jersey.

FBI chiefs have alternately bolstered and made life miserable for presidents over decades. In the 1990s, Bill Clinton's eight years in office were plagued by investigations led by Louis Freeh, whom he personally chose to run the agency.
Air Force One is actually two planes -- one for the president and a spare

The US Air Force is about to buy two mothballed Boeing 747s that were abandoned by a bankrupt Russian airline -- and convert these into the next Air Force One, a source said Tuesday.

The sale could save the Air Force millions of dollars, and comes after then president-elect Donald Trump said in December that the Air Force One replacement project costs were "ridiculous."

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source close to the deal told AFP that Boeing is set to sell a pair of 747-8 jetliners to the Air Force.

Air Force One is actually two planes -- one for the president and a spare.

The planes had initially been ordered in 2013 by Russian airline Transaero but the firm went bust in 2015.

"We're still working toward a deal to provide two 747-8s to the Air Force," Boeing told AFP.

"This deal is focused on providing a great value for the Air Force and the best price for the taxpayer."

A final deal could be announced in the coming weeks.

According to the Defense One news website, which first reported the deal, Transaero had initially ordered four Boeing jets before it went bankrupt.

Boeing had flight-tested two of the jets and they are now housed at the Southern California Logistics Airport, Defense One said.

The huge Mojave Desert facility is hot and dry, so airplanes there do not suffer corrosion.

Converting a pair of 747-8 jumbo jets to state-of-the-art luxury command centers by 2022 has been estimated to cost $3.2 billion, but overruns and delays could push the price tag higher.

Boeing sells 747-8s at about $390 million apiece, but defensive technologies, fancy interiors and other enhancements would massively add to the overall cost.

It remains to be seen if the Air Force will struggle with the optics of using formerly Russia-destined planes to become the flagship carrier of US presidents and an emblem of US power projection.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on the search for a man suspected in an armed robbery and homicide in Minnesota (all times local):

4:25 p.m.

A Minnesota man who authorities say is on the run after the killing of a financial adviser in her office is now charged with murder.

This photo provided by the Dakota County Sheriff's Office in Hastings, Minn., shows Lucifer Nguyen, an armed robbery suspect who is suspected of killing a financial adviser inside a Minnesota business Saturday, July 29, 2017. The Mendota Heights Police Department confirmed Monday, July 31 that authorities haven't yet found Nguyen. (Dakota County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Prosecutors charged 44-year-old Lucifer Nguyen (wihn) of New Hope on Monday in connection with Saturday's killing of Beverly Cory.

Nguyen also faces counts of aggravated robbery, burglary and kidnapping.

Prosecutors say Nguyen went into a house in the St. Paul suburb of Mendota Heights on Saturday, brandished a gun at a woman and demanded cash. After crashing the car he was driving, he then ran into a senior living center and forced an employee into a laundry room.

Prosecutors say that while police were evacuating the center's residents, officers got a report of what appeared to be blood seeping from underneath an office door in a nearby building. Officers found Cory dead inside. An autopsy showed the 48-year-old died of a single gunshot to the head.

Nguyen is considered armed and dangerous.

___

2:35 p.m.

A man suspected of killing a woman in a Minnesota office building is still on the run, but authorities say they have found the victim's car.

Police say Beverly Cory's vehicle was found Sunday at the Washington County Fairgrounds in suburban St. Paul. Cory's body was found Saturday in the office where she works in Mendota Heights.

Police believe she was killed by 44-year-old Lucifer Nguyen (wihn) when he was trying to escape as authorities were chasing him in connection with an armed robbery.

Witnesses reported seeing Nguyen in the area where Cory's car was found. But his current whereabouts are unknown. Police believe he may still be in the Twin Cities area. He's considered armed and dangerous.

___

7 a.m.

Police are searching for an armed robbery suspect who is suspected of killing a financial adviser inside a Minnesota business during the weekend.

The Mendota Heights Police Department confirmed Monday morning that authorities haven't yet found 44-year-old Lucifer Nguyen (wihn).

Authorities say Nguyen went into a house in the St. Paul suburb of Mendota Heights on Saturday, brandished a gun at a female victim and demanded cash. Police found Nguyen and began chasing his vehicle, but he crashed. Police say he then entered the White Pine Senior Living Center. There, he allegedly forced employees into a locked storage closet at gunpoint.

Police believe Nguyen left the senior center and killed Beverly Cory of Maplewood, Minnesota, in a nearby office building.

He's considered armed and dangerous.
BIRCH HARBOR, Maine (AP) - A Maine lobster boat crew used some Yankee ingenuity to rescue a waterlogged eagle that it spotted struggling offshore in the North Atlantic.

Lobsterman John Chipman, of Birch Harbor, said Monday that the struggling bird seemed to be relieved to see his boat and even tried to hop on board after Chipman came across the unusual sight of an eagle flopping around about a quarter-mile offshore, near Schoodic Island.

"The way he was acting, I knew that he wanted help. He seemed to try to come to the boat on his own and tried to get in. He wanted out of the water," he said.

Two retired police officers aboard the boat with Chipman, Kevin Meaney, of Ellsworth, Maine, and Michelle Ritzema, of Rockford, Michigan, fashioned a makeshift raft from a life preserver, a piece of plywood and rope to save the eagle last Thursday.

The eagle hopped aboard the raft and eventually was hauled onto the stern of the boat, where it dried off, Chipman said.

The bird was missing an eye and appeared to be older. Chipman intended to deliver it to game wardens for care and rehabilitation, but the eagle had other ideas. After drying off, it spread its wings and flew away.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - A tow company employee was taking inventory of an impounded pickup truck when he heard pounding and screaming coming from inside.

He and other workers had to unbolt the back seat of the Toyota Tundra before they found a Chinese man in the country illegally hidden in a specially built compartment.

Border Patrol spokesman Mark Endicott provided the details Monday. Their names were not released.

He says man in the truck and the man who had been driving it have both been arrested.

San Diego police Officer Billy Hernandez says the truck had been impounded after the owner was cited for speeding and driving without a license early Saturday.

Hernandez says the tow company called the police, who informed the Border Patrol.
PHOENIX (AP) - Republican Sen. Jeff Flake took his own party to task as well as Democrats, blaming both in a new book for the political gridlock that led to Donald Trump's presidency and its current chaos.

The debut of the Arizona lawmaker's book "Conscience of a Conservative" comes amid turmoil in the White House marked by Anthony Scaramucci's rocky 11 days as communications director and the replacement of the chief of staff.

The book published by Random House goes on sale Tuesday.

FILE- In this April 13, 2017, file photo, Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake takes a question from the audience during a town hall in Mesa, Ariz. The debut of Flake's book "Conscience of a Conservative" goes on sale on Tuesday, Aug. 1. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

Flake says in the book that people who felt abandoned by the top parties were drawn to Trump, "a candidate who entertained them and offered oversimplified answers" to complex issues.

The senator says that since the election conservatives have been in denial as the government at its highest levels has become dysfunctional.

Flake was highly critical of Trump during the presidential campaign, but has sought to reach common ground and backed some of the administration's initiatives, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's backup proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it later.

Scaramucci left his post in the Trump administration on Monday, days after he let loose an expletive-filled rant against senior staff members, including then-chief of staff Reince Priebus. A White House statement said he left so that the new chief of staff, former Homeland Secretary John Kelly, could build his own team.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. UNITED STATES of America, PlaintiffAppellee v. Thomas D. ASHBURN, DefendantAppellant No. 16-3390 Decided: July 31, 2017

Before RILEY, BEAM, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges. Counsel who represented the appellant was Donald Lee Schense of Bellevue, NE. Counsel who represented the appellee was Thomas J. Kangior, AUSA, of Omaha, NE.

Thomas Ashburn sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. About a week later, police searched the room where Ashburn was stayingwhich was where the prior sale had taken placeand found drugs, equipment for measuring and packaging drugs, and ledgers recording drug transactions. Officers also found three knives: a knife for filleting fish, a decorative knife, and a World War II U.S. Navy knife. All three had blades about seven inches long.

Ashburn pled guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. See 21 U.S.C.  841(a)(1), 846. In the course of determining Ashburn's recommended sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines (Guidelines or U.S.S.G.), the district court increased Ashburn's offense level by two levels for possessing dangerous weapons, namely the knives. See U.S.S.G.  2D1.1(b)(1). The Guidelines recommended a sentence of 188 to 235 months in prison. Without the dangerous-weapon enhancement, the range would have been 151 to 188 months. See id. ch. 5, pt. A. As it was, the district court granted a modest variance from the low end of the guideline range and sentenced Ashburn to 172 months.

Several times during sentencing, the district court expressed a belie[f] that to avoid application of the enhancement, Ashburn ha[d] the burden of demonstrating that it is clearly improbable that the knives were used in connection with the drug-dealing offense. That was wrong. See United States v. Peroceski, 520 F.3d 886, 889 (8th Cir. 2008) (The burden is always on the government to prove that a defendant is subject to a sentencing enhancement.). Although Ashburn resisted the offense-level increase and argued the knives had nothing to do with the drugs, he did not object to the district court's allocation of the burden of proof. Generally, we do not correct errors not raised in the district court, even errors as  plain  as this, unless the aggrieved party establishes that the error  affect[s] substantial rights.  United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 732 (1993) (alteration in original) (quoting Fed. R. Crim. P. 52(b)). The benefit of that principle can itself be forfeited through a failure to invoke it, see, e.g., United States v. Albin, 297 Fed.Appx. 551, 552 (8th Cir. 2008) (per curiam), and the government does not raise and argue that principle here.

Instead, the government assumes an unnecessary burden and argues the district court's error should be disregarded because it was harmless. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 52(a); see also United States v. Pirani, 406 F.3d 543, 550 (8th Cir. 2005) (en banc) (The defendant has the burden of proving plain error, whereas the government has the burden of proving harmless error.). For an error to be harmless, it must not have substantially influenced the outcome of the proceeding. See, e.g., United States v. Haidley, 400 F.3d 642, 645 (8th Cir. 2005). Our precedent makes clear that the harmlessness of an error like the one in this casea district court mistakenly requiring a defendant to prove he was not subject to a dangerous-weapon enhancementcan be demonstrated by the weight of the evidence supporting the enhancement. See United States v. Lucht, 18 F.3d 541, 555 (8th Cir. 1994).

Ashburn emphasizes that the government did not present any evidence affirmatively showing him using the knives in connection with his drug-dealing or conspiring. Such evidence was unnecessary. To justify the dangerous-weapon enhancement, the government only needed to prove it was not clearly improbable that the weapon[s] w[ere] connected to the drug offense. United States v. Anderson, 618 F.3d 873, 880 (8th Cir. 2010); see also U.S.S.G.  2D1.1 cmt. n.11(A). That is a very low bar, as we have repeatedly explained, and  [e]vidence that the weapon was found in the same location as drugs or drug paraphernalia usually suffices.  Anderson, 618 F.3d at 88182 (alteration in original) (quoting United States v. Fladten, 230 F.3d 1083, 1086 (8th Cir. 2000) (per curiam)); see also id. at 881 (collecting cases). Here, not only were all three knives in the same room as the drugs, two of them were found on top of the dresser under which the drugs were hidden.

Ashburn's testimony at the sentencing hearing does not make the district court's error any less harmless. Ashburn did not dispute the knives were in the room when he conspired and sold methamphetamine. He just claimed he only used them for preparing fish and cutting pizza, not dealing drugs. Even assuming that use was true, it would not undermine the district court's finding that the enhancement applied, because the Government need not show that a defendant used or even touched a weapon to prove a connection between the weapon and the [drug] offense. United States v. Savage, 414 F.3d 964, 967 (8th Cir. 2005). To the contrary, it is enough that the [weapon] was readily accessible  in [a] small apartment and would be available  in the event of a dispute during the course of a drug transaction. Id. The district court recognized this minimal link was all the Guidelines and our precedent required, and concluded it's simply not improbable that [the knives] were connected with the [drug] activity, notwithstanding Ashburn's denials. Given the reduce[d]  quantum of proof necessary for the enhancement to apply, Peroceski, 520 F.3d at 889, and the undisputed evidence of Ashburn having at least two large knives in the open, within easy reach of his stash of drugs, in the room where he conducted at least one sale, we have no doubt the district court would have reached the same decision with a proper application of the burden of proof.

The district court's error was therefore harmless and is not subject to correction on appeal. See Lucht, 18 F.3d at 555. And for much the same reasonin short, the strength of the evidence relative to the minimal showing requiredthe district court's ultimate finding that the dangerous-weapon enhancement applied was not clear error. See, e.g., id. (standard of review for factual determinations). We affirm Ashburn's sentence. See 28 U.S.C.  1291 (appellate jurisdiction).

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Laurie Smith Camp, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

. Ashburn offers a less wordy formulationthe government must establish that these 3 knives  were probably connected to the drug charge (some emphasis omitted)but we have treated the difference between not clearly improbable and probable as meaningful in this context, and we have settled on not clearly improbable as the proper standard. Peroceski, 520 F.3d at 88788.

. The fact the district court heard directly from Ashburn on this issue also helps confirm the harmlessness of the error by eliminating the most obvious potential consequence of the misallocated burden of proofnamely, that the district court simply reasoned the government won by default because Ashburn failed to put the applicability of the enhancement in dispute. Nor is there any indication the district court thought Ashburn's testimony, weighed against the other evidence, made the question too close to call, such that the applicability of the enhancement came down to which side bore the burden of proof.

RILEY, Circuit Judge.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A man charged Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a police officer in Indianapolis was dangling upside down in his overturned car following a crash when he suddenly became agitated as the officer tried to help him and opened fire, striking the officer 11 times, according to court documents.

Jason D. Brown, 28, was charged Tuesday with one felony count of murder in the July 27 slaying of Southport police Lt. Aaron Allan. He also faces a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. Authorities haven't disclosed a possible motive in the killing.

But a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges states that other officers and witnesses said Allan approached the overturned car, stuck his head inside and told Brown "to be calm and that help was on the way." The Indianapolis man became "hysterical," it states, before allegedly grabbing a handgun and opening fire, shooting Allan 11 times, including in the heart.

A man who was a passenger in Brown's car told officers he and Brown had just left a gas station when Brown inexplicably began driving at a high rate of speed, the affidavit states. Brown then began maneuvering around cars when his vehicle drove over a median, struck a curb and overturned in the yard in front of a home, with Brown hanging upside down inside, secured by his seatbelt.

The passenger was outside the overturned car, sitting on the grass, when the shooting occurred.

A nurse who stopped to help told officers that she told Brown not to move because he could further injure himself. She said that Brown "became very agitated and belligerent and began cussing" shortly before she heard several gunshots ring out.

Officers later found 13 baggies of suspected marijuana inside Brown's car, according to the affidavit.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry said in a statement Tuesday that Allan's death was "a tragic loss for the community."

Allan, a 38-year-old father of two, was a six-year veteran of the police department in Southport, an enclave on Indianapolis' south side and he had nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis.

Brown was hospitalized after two other officers opened fire on him following Allan's shooting. He suffered gunshot wounds to his face, left arm and right clavicle and remains hospitalized. He's scheduled for a Thursday initial court hearing on the charges.

A judge has ordered him held without bond. Court records do not list an attorney for Brown.

Brown doesn't have an Indiana criminal record of violence. His only previous criminal conviction stems from a 2013 misdemeanor marijuana possession arrest in Hendricks County, just west of Indianapolis, for which he was sentenced to 30 days in jail, according to a statewide online courts database.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's lower house of parliament on Tuesday elected veteran lawmaker Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country's new prime minister, a loyalist of outgoing Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court for concealing assets.

Abbasi, a member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, got 221 votes in the 342-member National Assembly. His closest rival Syed Naveed Qamar from the opposition Pakistan People's Party secured 47 votes, according to Ayaz Sadiq, the National Assembly Speaker. Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, a lawmaker from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, founded by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, got 33 votes.

Hours later, Abbasi was sworn in to his office at the presidency palace in the capital, Islamabad. President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of office to him at a ceremony which was attended by leaders from the ruling party, diplomats, bureaucrats and senior military official.

Supporters of Pakistani deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rally in favor of their leader in Karachi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. Pakistan's lower house of parliament on Tuesday elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country's new prime minister, less than a week after the Supreme Court disqualified thrice-elected Sharif for concealing assets. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)

Abbasi replaced the 67-year-old Sharif, who was disqualified by the top court Friday for concealing assets - specifically, that his son's Dubai-based company listed a monthly salary for him. Sharif claimed he never received any of that money.

Sharif's party wants Abbasi to serve as an interim premier for 45 days or until Sharif's younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab province, wins a national assembly seat in a by-election.

The opposition has criticized this intention as dynastic and undemocratic, criticism that Abbasi rejects.

"I may be here for 45 hours or 45 days. I am the prime minister and I am not here to keep the seat warm, I will do the work of 45 months in 45 days, if I remain here," he said in his speech.

Abbasi also dismissed the corruption allegations against Sharif as baseless and said he hoped the deposed premier would return to parliament soon. He said the people of Pakistan did not accept Sharif's disqualification, and vowed to follow in the footsteps of Sharif.

Abbasi was jailed by the former military dictator Pervez Musharraf for not testifying against Sharif following a 1999 bloodless coup in which Sharif's elected government was overthrown. Sharif and his family were subsequently exiled to Saudi Arabia.

On Tuesday, Abbasi said he would ensure rule of law in Pakistan. He stopped short of criticizing the judiciary, saying legal experts were surprised by the decision to disqualify Sharif and that no one was willing to accept it. He said Sharif was victimized for putting Pakistan back on the path of progress and bringing in foreign investments worth billions of dollars to Pakistan.

He also said Sharif was able to attract foreign investment because he was an honest person.

Abbasi also asked his countrymen to pay their taxes honestly as he plans to take stern action against anyone involved in tax evasion. He said rich people must pay their taxes for Pakistan's economy to improve. He promised better health and education facilities for his countrymen.

Abbasi said he would ensure the rule of law and that he would run the country strictly according to the constitution.

Sharif's party has said it will file a petition with the Supreme Court next week asking for a review of its decision to disqualify him.

Abbasi's rival candidates Qamar and Ahmed congratulated him on becoming the new prime minister and hoped that he would ensure political stability in Pakistan, which has faced political turmoil and militancy since Sharif came into power after in 2013.

Sharif's party says it will remain in power until the next general elections are held in June 2018.

Meanwhile, a female lawmaker from Khan's party on Tuesday quit the party, calling the party leader a "characterless person."

Ayesha Gulalai Wazir posted a tweet saying the honor of female party members was not safe because Khan had an "immoral character."

Hours later, several female leaders from Sharif's party rejected Wazir's allegation at a press conference.

Supporters of Pakistani deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif rally in favor of their leader in Karachi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. Pakistan's lower house of parliament on Tuesday elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country's new prime minister, less than a week after the Supreme Court disqualified thrice-elected Sharif for concealing assets. Placard on top reads "we love you." (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)

In this Monday, July 31, 2017 photo, Pakistan's premier-designate Shahid Khaqan Abbasi the Parliament house in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan's lower house of parliament on Tuesday elected Abbasi as the country's new prime minister, less than a week after the Supreme Court disqualified thrice-elected Nawaz Sharif for concealing assets. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs?

Some put its success down to the extraordinary nuclear blackmail skills of a country whose leaders could be buying food instead of bombs and missiles. Some see the willingness of outsiders to help people in desperate need, regardless of how odious the government the rules them, and others credit the feeling in South Korea that aid could improve ties.

North Korea has had gradual economic growth in recent years and doesn't appeal for foreign humanitarian assistance as much as it did in the past. Despite multiple rounds of U.N. sanctions, the nation's leader Kim Jong Un has defiantly pushed his scientists to manufacture a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the U.S. heartland. It test-launched two intercontinental ballistic missile in the past month, and once Kim perfects such weapons, he may to try to extract bigger concessions from Washington.

In this May 23, 2005, file photo, a North Korea cargo ship Paik Du San cast anchor as the bags of fertilizer are loading its at Ulsan port in Ulsan, South Korea. North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs to prevent its collapse? (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man, File)

An examination of how a country that frustrates and infuriates much of the world manages to get what it wants:

___

NUKES FOR AID

A relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons has been a major source of the country's ability to pull in aid and concessions.

Since the North Korean nuclear crisis first started in 1993, Pyongyang has agreed to several now-dormant disarmament-for-aid deals.

One accord was signed with the United States following bilateral talks in Geneva in 1994, while others were struck with several regional powers including Washington during on-and-off multilateral forums that lasted from 2003-2008.

Under those deals, North Korea halted atomic activities or disabled key elements of its weapons programs in return for security guarantees, heavy fuel shipments, power-producing nuclear reactors or other aid. Despite it all, nothing has led to North Korea substantially dismantling its nuclear program.

Washington accused Pyongyang of cheating and covertly continuing its atomic work, while the North often blamed the United States and others for failing to provide aid on time.

___

SOUTH KOREAN SUNSHINE

Seoul, though the North's bitter enemy, has also helped its neighbor out regularly.

During the Sunshine Era of inter-Korean detente from 1998-2008, liberals in Seoul espoused a greater reconciliation. This was welcome in North Korea, which had depended on outside handouts to feed many of its 24 million people and revive an economy devastated by a famine that killed hundreds of thousands in the mid-1990s.

South Korea shipped hundreds of thousands of tons of rice and fertilizer to North Korea annually and engaged in cooperation projects that became some of the few legitimate sources of foreign currency for the North. The value of the cash and goods provided to North Korea during that time was $6.8 billion, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

Liberals credit their engagement with lowering border animosities and allowing two landmark inter-Korean summit talks and emotional reunions of families separated by war. Critics question whether South Korean aid and investment reached those who needed it most or instead helped finance the North's weapons programs.

Seoul's large humanitarian assistance programs and cooperation projects were suspended after conservatives came to power in 2008.

___

CHINESE SUPPORT

China is widely seen as crucial to U.S.-led efforts to strip North Korea of atomic bombs.

China accounts for about 90 percent of North Korea's trade, and it sends about 500,000 tons of crude oil to North Korea, mostly for free, every year. China and Russia are also the two biggest hubs for tens of thousands of North Korean workers dispatched abroad - another key source of income for the North.

Critics say Beijing has never fully implemented U.N. sanctions on the North out of worries about a North Korean collapse that could cause a wave of refugees crossing the border and American troops moving into the North. China is frustrated with North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions put Beijing in an awkward international position, but the Kim government still best serves China's national interests.

Some believe even a brief suspension of Chinese oil would cause chaos in the North and force Kim to change.

"If China stopped sending fuel shipments for just two to three weeks after the North's first ICMB launch on July 4, North Korea would not have dared conduct a second firing," said analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at South Korea's Sejong Institute.

__

THE FUTURE

Kim may see his future nuclear arsenal as the ultimate bargaining chip.

North Korea will receive fresh U.N. sanctions for its ICBM launches. But the country is already heavily sanctioned and won't likely feel real pain unless China halts its oil shipments or takes other harsh measures.

Kim likely won't talk with Washington or Seoul until he has a proven ICBM arsenal. His government ignored an offer last month by South Korea's new liberal President Moon Jae-in to resume talks on easing confrontation and resuming family reunions.

After he gets missiles that give him a credible deterrence against U.S. aggression, Kim may try to ease outside sanctions or wrest security guarantees and other concessions by using a proposed freeze of the North's future weapons activities - but not already-manufactured nuclear missiles - as a bargaining chip in negotiations.

"North Korea knows it can get bigger rewards when it has a bigger (nuclear) capability," said Shin Beomchul at the Seoul-based Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

n this April 24, 1999 file photo, delegates of the North and South Korea peace talks join hands before their meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, in this April 24, 1999, file photo. They are from left: North Korean Kim Gye Gwan, American Charles Kartman, China's Qian Yongnian, and South Korean Park Kun-Woo. North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs to prevent its collapse? (AP Photo/Donald Stampfli, File)

n this April 1, 2016, photo, cars line up at at a gas station in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs to prevent its collapse? (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge, File)

FILE- In this July 4, 2017, file photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, in North Korea's northwest. North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs to prevent its collapse? (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

In this June 29, 2007 file photo, South Korean workers load packs of rice for North Korea into a Vietnamese ship at Gunsan port in Gunsan, South Korea. North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs to prevent its collapse? The Korean reads " Rice and Republic of Korea." (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man, File )
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A NATO statement says a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter encountered a mechanical problem that forced a hard landing in eastern Afghanistan.

The region is where American troops are supporting Afghan security forces in a campaign against the Islamic State group's affiliate in Afghanistan.

The statement says two soldiers received minor injuries during the hard landing early on Tuesday in the Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province.

It says the crew was rescued and that the aircraft was being recovered.

The Taliban in a statement claimed they opened fire on the helicopter, killing everyone on board. The insurgents routinely exaggerate their gains and casualties they inflict in battle.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Australia's government said Tuesday that it had asked the United States to explain why a state lawmaker with dual Australian-Syrian citizenship was refused entry last week.

Victoria lawmaker Khalil Eideh, a 62-year-old who was born in Lebanon to Syrian parents, was on a trip on government business with other state legislators when he was not allowed to fly from Vancouver, Canada, to Denver.

"At the foreign minister's request, Australia's embassy in Washington made urgent enquiries of the U.S. authorities as to what happened, and why Mr. Eidah was refused entry to the United States last week," Foreign Minister Julia Bishop's office said in a statement. "The U.S. authorities are following up on our request for information."

Eideh returned to his hometown of Melbourne on Saturday and told reporters: "I've been discriminated against. I'm very, very disappointed and frustrated."

Eideh said he had a U.S. visa and was given no explanation for why he was denied entry.

"To me it is unacceptable, because I'm representing the Australian people, the Victorian people," he said.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Eideh had a U.S. visa and was part of a group of Victoria lawmakers examining the effectiveness of drug laws and regulations in Europe and North America.

President Donald Trump has faced court challenges to temporarily ban visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
JERUSALEM (AP) - The Greek Orthodox Church is denouncing an Israeli court decision that ruled a 2004 sale of prime church property to companies representing Jews seeking to expand their presence in Jerusalem's Old City was done legally.

In an ad published in the Al Quds newspaper Tuesday, the Greek Patriarch asserted the deal was conducted illegally under the watch of the previous patriarch - who was deposed as a result.

The court's decision paves the way for three Old City structures to be leased for 99 years to Ateret Cohanim - a group associated with West Bank settlers. The patriarch says it will "exert all the efforts and legal and financial means to cancel this deal."

Most of Jerusalem's Orthodox Christians are Palestinian, and reject selling land to Jews.
LONDON (AP) - Britain's interior minister is traveling to California to press Internet firms including Facebook, Twitter and Google to stem the flow of extremist content online.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd wants the companies to do more to remove hate speech and terrorist propaganda.

Officials say she will tell the first meeting of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism in San Francisco on Tuesday that governments and industry must work together to start "turning the tide."

FILE- In this Wednesday, March 29, 2017 file photo, Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd, arrives for a cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, London. Rudd is traveling to California to press Internet firms to stem the flow of extremist content online, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

Rudd will also raise the issue of encryption in meetings with tech firms. The British government has been criticized for seeking to let its spies circumvent the end-to-end encryption used by WhatsApp and other messaging services.

Internet companies say that could weaken the security of online shopping, banking and many other activities that rely on encryption.
BEIRUT (AP) - Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are expected to stay in Lebanon's eastern border region for the near future, as a multilateral effort to resettle several thousand of them ran into further delays on Tuesday.

Some 9,000 Syrian refugees and gunmen were waiting to leave Lebanon's Arsal region to a jihadist-dominated corner of Syria in accordance with an agreement between Lebanon, Syria, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and a Syrian affiliate to al-Qaida.

But tens of thousands of others still have no plans to leave, for fear of finding war, hardship, and oppressive militant rule waiting for them in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, said Khaled Raad, a member of the Arsal Refugees' Coordination Committee of the Lebanese government.

This Monday, July 31, 2017 photo released by the government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media, shows ambulances of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent gathering in the Syrian border village of Fleeta. The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media released videos and photos of buses and ambulances near the Lebanese border town of Arsal and the Syrian village of Fleeta preparing for the evacuations. The second round of an exchange between Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group and Syria's al-Qaida affiliate that would lead to thousands of refugees resettled in Syria. (Syrian Central Military Media, via AP)

Many Syrians have calculated it is better to stay in Lebanon, despite the sweeping restrictions on movement and employment in the tiny Mediterranean country, he said.

"There are people who say Idlib is going to become a second Mosul, and I would rather stay in Lebanon and go to prison than move there," said Raad.

"Those who are staying are unhappy, and those who are leaving are also unhappy," he said.

The U.N.'s refugee agency in Lebanon estimates 51,000 Syrian refugees are in the Arsal region while refugees reached by the Associated Press say the number is closer to 80,000.

The U.N. has registered more than 1 million Syrian refugees in the country, whose native population is estimated to number between 4 to 5 million.

The reasons for the resettlement delays were unclear. Local media reported that the deal hit snags because of new demands by the al-Qaida affiliate, including that Lebanese authorities release a number of militants in Lebanese prison.

Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV station said buses were still trickling in to Lebanon to pick up the 9,000 Syrians seeking to relocate. It said some 200 buses will be in the caravan that transports the Syrians to Idlib.

The deal followed a military offensive by Hezbollah fighters and Syrian troops during which they captured border areas between the two countries and left hundreds of al-Qaida fighters besieged in a small rugged mountainous area. The fighting ended with a cease-fire Thursday for negotiations to allow refugees, fighters, and family members to leave to Idlib province and the central Qalamoun region.

Those electing to leave include refugees afraid they are wanted by the authorities for crimes in Lebanon, including carrying weapons against the state in 2014, when militants briefly overran the town of Arsal before Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army turned them back out.

Those staying hope movement restrictions against the refugees in Arsal will be eased since the al-Qaida-linked militants there have been defeated. The Lebanese Army, which mans the checkpoints in and out of Arsal, could not be reached for comment.

This frame grab from video released on Monday, July 31,2017 and provided by the government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media, shows buses gathering near the Lebanese border town of Arsal. The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media released videos and photos of buses and ambulances near the Lebanese border town of Arsal and the Syrian village of Fleeta preparing for the evacuations. The second round of an exchange between Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group and Syria's al-Qaida affiliate that would lead to thousands of refugees resettled in Syria. (Syrian Central Military Media, via AP)
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. A.W., a minor child, by and through John Doe, as Next Friend and Guardian, and Jane Doe, as Next Friend and Guardian; John Doe, as Next Friend and Guardian of A.W., a minor child; Jane Doe, as Next Friend and Guardian of A.W., a minor child Plaintiffs - Appellees v. State of Nebraska; Nebraska State Patrol; Jon Bruning, Attorney General of Nebraska; David Sankey, Col., Superintendent of Law Enforcement and Public Safety for Nebraska State Patrol Defendants Paul Wood, County Attorney for Red Willow County; Gene Mahon, Sheriff Red Willow County; Doug Peterson, in his official capacity Defendants - Appellants Thomas Schwarten, in his official capacity Defendant Colonel Bradley Rice, in his official capacity Defendant - Appellant No. 16-1898 Decided: July 31, 2017

Before RILEY, BEAM, and SHEPHERD, Circuit Judges.

The State of Nebraska, along with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and various state officials (collectively, the State), appeals the district court's grant of summary judgment to A.W. and A.W.'s guardians, John and Jane Doe, enjoining it from applying to A.W. a provision of Nebraska's Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA). That provision, Neb. Rev. Stat.  29-4003(1)(a)(iv), applies SORA to any person who, on or after January 1, 1997, [e]nters the state and is required to register as a sex offender under the laws of another village, town, city, state, territory, commonwealth, or other jurisdiction of the United States. We hold that this provision does not apply to appellant A.W. and, accordingly, affirm the district court.

I. BACKGROUND

We recite the facts as set forth in the parties' stipulated record. In October, 2013, a petition was filed in the Anoka County, Minnesota, juvenile court alleging that in July and August of 2013, A.W., at that time eleven years old, engaged in conduct constituting first-degree criminal sexual conduct under the laws of that state. See Minn. Stat.  609.342. Around August 2013, A.W. began residing with John and Jane Doe in Nebraska. In July 2014, A.W. was adjudicated delinquent for the alleged conduct at a hearing in the Anoka County juvenile court, and the court ordered A.W. to comply with Minnesota's predatory-offender-registration statute. A.W. traveled to Minnesota for the hearing and afterward returned to Nebraska. Later that month, A.W. applied for and was granted a transfer in supervision from Minnesota to Nebraska under the Interstate Compact for Juveniles. In August 2014, the Nebraska probation office notified A.W. and John and Jane Doe that A.W. must either register on Nebraska's sex-offender registry or face criminal referral to the county sheriff and attorney.

Although A.W. was required to register as a predatory offender in Minnesota, Minn. Stat.  243.166 subd. 1b(a)(1), a person required to register due solely to a delinquency adjudication is not included in the definition of a predatory offender for Minnesota's statute covering the public disclosure of the identity and re-offense risk of such registrants, id.  244.052 subd. 1(5). As a consequence, neither the fact of A.W.'s registration nor information that he would be required to provide to law enforcement officials in connection with his registration, id.  243.166 subd. 7, would be made public. By contrast, SORA provides that, with some exceptions, [i]nformation obtained under [SORA] shall not be confidential. Neb. Rev. Stat.  29-4009(1). Further, the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP)the agency tasked by SORA with adopting and promulgating rules and regulations to carry out SORA's registration provisions and for the release of information under  29-4009, id.  29-4013subjects every registrant to public identification, including the registrant's identity and other relevant information, on its sex-offender-registry website. See id.  29-4013(2)(b) (requiring use of electronic systems in releasing information for purpose of public notification). Therefore, A.W.'s registration and related information would be made public in Nebraska under SORA. Although the NSP required A.W., as a juvenile entrant adjudicated delinquent and subject to predatory-offender registration in Minnesota, to register under SORA, it does not require juveniles adjudicated delinquent in Nebraska to do so. See 272 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 19  003.05C (The registration requirement does not apply to a person who:  Is a juvenile adjudicated 'delinquent' or 'in need of special supervision' by the juvenile courts in the state of Nebraska[.]).

A.W. and John and Jane Doe filed this 42 U.S.C.  1983 action against the State, alleging that the Nebraska legislature did not intend SORA to apply to juveniles and that both the application of SORA to A.W. generally, and its public notification provisions specifically, violate various guarantees under the United States and Nebraska Constitutions. The district court granted the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment and denied defendants'. It concluded that the plain meaning of sex offender as employed in  29-4003(1)(a)(iv) unambiguously means one who was convicted of a sex crime, which would not include a juvenile adjudicated delinquent. Accordingly, it permanently enjoined Nebraska from applying SORA to A.W. The State appeals.

II. DISCUSSION

The issue for review is whether the district court correctly interpreted  29-4003(1)(a)(iv) of SORA as inapplicable to A.W. We review de novo both the district court's grant of summary judgment and its interpretation of state law. Food Mkt. Merch., Inc. v. Scottsdale Indem. Co., 857 F.3d 783, 786 (8th Cir. 2017). Because the Nebraska courts have not directly spoken to the question before us, an interpretation of a Nebraska statute, our objective is to predict how [Nebraska]'s highest state court would interpret the statute. John T. v. Marion Indep. Sch. Dist., 173 F.3d 684, 687 (8th Cir. 1999).

Statutory language is to be given its plain and ordinary meaning, and [the Nebraska Supreme Court] will not resort to interpretation to ascertain the meaning of statutory words which are plain, direct, and unambiguous. It is not within the province of [that] court to read a meaning into a statute that is not warranted by the legislative language.

State v. Gilliam, 874 N.W.2d 48, 56-57 (Neb.) (footnote omitted), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 371 (2016). Accordingly, [i]n discerning the meaning of a statute, a court determines and gives effect to the purpose and intent of the Legislature as ascertained from the entire language of the statute considered in its plain, ordinary, and popular sense. Farmers Coop. v. State, 893 N.W.2d 728, 735 (Neb.), reh'g denied and modified, Nos. S-16-312, S-16-313, 2017 WL 2883660 (July 7, 2017). If, however, the language used cannot be adequately understood from the plain meaning of the statute or when considered in pari materia with any related statutes, it is ambiguous. Id. at 735. Put differently, [a] statute is ambiguous if it is susceptible of more than one reasonable interpretation. State v. Frederick, 864 N.W.2d 681, 686 (Neb. 2015). If a statute is found to be ambiguous, Nebraska courts may examine its legislative history and engage in judicial interpretation, Farmers Coop., 893 N.W.2d at 737; at this point a statute becomes open for construction to determine its meaning. City of Omaha v. Kum & Go, LLC, 642 N.W.2d 154, 161 (Neb. 2002).

Section 29-4003(1) sets out the classes of persons to whom SORA applies, including those who have been found guilty of, or pled guilty or no contest to, enumerated Nebraska sex crimes, Nebraska nonsex crimes involving sexual conduct, or substantially equivalent crimes in other jurisdictions. In addition, [SORA] applies to any person who on or after January 1, 1997:  Enters the state and is required to register as a sex offender under the laws of another village, town, city, state, territory, commonwealth, or other jurisdiction of the United States. Neb. Rev. Stat.  29-4003(1)(a)(iv). The State asserts that A.W. falls within  29-4003(1)(a)(iv) because A.W. entered Nebraska while required to register on Minnesota's predatory-offender registry. The parties do not dispute these facts; the only disputed issue is the legal question of whether A.W., as a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for a sex crime, was required to register in Minnesota as a sex offender.

The State argues, rather perfunctorily, that the language plainly and unambiguously supports its view that A.W. falls within  29-4003(1)(a)(iv). Its position appears to be that the phrase under the laws of another  state qualifies register as a sex offender so as to incorporate into the provision the meaning given the term sex offender by the jurisdiction in which the entrant was adjudicated. That is, in A.W.'s case, sex offender means whatever it means in Minnesota. The State reasons that A.W. was required to register in Minnesota as what that state considers to be a sex offender, ergo A.W. must register in Nebraska. Appellees reassert the district court's conclusions, arguing that the plain meaning of sex offender is one convicted of a sex crime. Adjudication of delinquency, Appellees assert, is not a conviction and therefore falls outside the ordinary understanding of sex offender.

Two initial points. First, under both Minnesota and Nebraska law an adjudication of delinquency is not a criminal proceeding, nor does it result in a conviction. See Minn. Stat.  260B.245 subd. 1(a) (No adjudication upon the status of any child in the jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall operate to impose any of the civil disabilities imposed by conviction, nor shall any child be deemed a criminal by reason of this adjudication, nor shall this adjudication be deemed a conviction of crime, with exceptions not here applicable); Neb. Rev. Stat.  43-280 (No adjudication by the juvenile court upon the status of a juvenile shall be deemed a conviction nor shall the adjudication operate to impose any of the civil disabilities ordinarily resulting from conviction.); see also In re Welfare of J.J.P., 831 N.W.2d 260, 269 (Minn. 2013) (An adjudication of delinquency, however, does not result in a criminal conviction or a criminal record. The Legislature treats an adjudication of delinquency as distinct from a criminal conviction.); State v. Brandy M. (In re Interest of Brandy M.), 550 N.W.2d 17, 25 (Neb. 1996) (We have long recognized that a juvenile court proceeding is not a prosecution for crime, but a special proceeding that serves as an ameliorative alternative to a criminal prosecution.). Although neither Minnesota nor Nebraska provides a generally applicable statutory definition of an adjudication of delinquency, it is ordinarily understood to be a judicial finding that a juvenile has engaged in conduct that would be a violation of a criminal law if the juvenile were an adult. See Minn. Stat.  260.515 (codifying article II.H(2) of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, which defines adjudicated delinquent as a person found to have committed an offense that, if committed by an adult, would be a criminal offense); Neb. Rev. Stat.  43-1011 (same); Juvenile Delinquency, Black's Law Dictionary (10th ed. 2014) (Serious antisocial behavior by a minor, such as vandalism, theft, or joyriding; esp., behavior that would be criminally punishable if the actor were an adult, but instead is usu[ally] punished by special laws applying only to minors.).

Second, following Nebraska Supreme Court precedent as a guide in predicting how that court would interpret the language at issue, we reject at the outset the State's position that under the laws of another  state incorporates into  29-4003(1)(a)(iv) Minnesota's definition of sex offender. In Gilliam, decided just last year, the Nebraska Supreme Court was faced with a similar issue of statutory interpretation: the meaning of the word conviction in the phrase Any conviction under a law of another state. 874 N.W.2d at 56 (citing Neb. Rev. Stat.  60-6,197.02(1)(a)(i)(C)). The case involved a defendant with a prior conviction in Missouri, who argued that the prior conviction was not, in fact, a conviction under Missouri law. Id. Notwithstanding the under a law of another state language, the Court assessed the plain and ordinary meaning of conviction by consulting dictionaries and Nebraska case law. Id. at 57. The Court observed, The plain terms of the statute do not require an analysis of Missouri law. Id. at 58. Because of the similarity of the language at issue in Gilliam and in the instant case, we conclude that the plain and ordinary meaning of sex offender is to be ascertained with respect to Nebraska law.

Turning to the central issue: Sex offender is nowhere defined in [SORA]. The Nebraska Supreme Court often turn[s] to dictionaries to ascertain a word's plain and ordinary meaning. Id. at 57. Black's Law Dictionary defines offense as A violation of the law; a crime, often a minor one  Also termed criminal offense. It defines sexual offense as An offense involving unlawful sexual conduct  Offense, Black's Law Dictionary; Sexual Offense, id. A violation of a criminal law implies a conviction. See Conviction, id. (The act or process of judicially finding someone guilty of a crime; the state of having been proved guilty.); Guilt, id. (The fact, state, or condition of having committed a wrong, esp. a crime ). Lay dictionaries conform to this reading. See, e.g., Sex Offender, The American Heritage dictionary of the English Language, https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=sex+offender (last visited July 5, 2017) (A person who has committed a criminal sexual offense.); Sex Offender, Dictionary.com, http://www.dictionary.com/browse/sex-offender?s=t (last visited July 5, 2017) ([A] person who has been found guilty of one or more sex crimes.); Sex Offender, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexoffender (last visited July 5, 2017) (a person who has been convicted of a crime involving sex); Sex Offender, under Compounds C3., Sex, Oxford English Dictionary, http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/176989?redirectedFrom=sex+offender#eid23487277 (last visited July 5, 2017) ([A] person who commits an illicit action or (now esp.) a criminal offence involving sex.). These sources provide good evidence that a sex offender is ordinarily understood as a person who has been convicted of a crime involving unlawful sexual conduct.

This conclusion is underscored by reading the legislative findings set forth in SORA: The Legislature further finds that efforts of law enforcement agencies to protect their communities, conduct investigations, and quickly apprehend sex offenders are impaired by the lack of available information about individuals who have pleaded guilty to or have been found guilty of sex offenses and who live, work, or attend school in their jurisdiction. Neb. Rev. Stat.  29-4002 (emphasis added). This language has been quoted by the Nebraska Supreme Court in characterizing sex offenders under SORA. See State v. Norman, 808 N.W.2d 48, 61-62 (Neb. 2012) (The [NSP] Sex Offender Registry, following the language of  29-4002, 'stigmatizes' the people listed on it insofar as it asserts that the persons listed are sex offenders, that is, 'individuals who have pleaded guilty to or have been found guilty of sex offenses.' (emphasis added) (quoting Nebraska Sex Offender Registry, https://sor.nebraska.gov/ (last visited June 30, 2017)). Consistent with the ordinary understanding of guilt as the fact, state, or condition of having committed a criminal violation, our review of Nebraska caselaw does not reveal that term having ever been used with respect to admissions or adjudications in juvenile proceedings, which, as explained above, are noncriminal.

It is true, it should be noted, that juvenile delinquents are sometimes referred to in the lexicon of criminal proceedings. The Ninth Edition of Black's Law Dictionary, published in 2009 not long after the language in  29-4003(1)(a)(iv) was added to SORA in 2006, L.B. 1199, 99th Leg., 2d Sess.  18 (Neb. 2006) (enacted), defines a juvenile delinquent as [a] minor who is guilty of criminal behavior. And the term offender is sometimes used in conjunction with juvenile adjudications. See Status Offender, Black's Law Dictionary (A youth who engages in conduct thatthough not criminal by adult standardsis considered inappropriate enough to bring a charge against the youth in juvenile court; a juvenile who commits a status offense.); Juvenile Offender, id. (See JUVENILE DELINQUENT.). Nebraska Supreme Court cases have referred to juveniles in juvenile proceedings as juvenile offenders, e.g., State v. Schreiner, 754 N.W.2d 742, 756 (Neb. 2008) (citing Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308 (1974); State v. Leo L. II (In re Interest of Leo L. II), 606 N.W.2d 783, 785 (Neb. 2000); State v. A.M.H. (In re Interest of A.M.H.), 447 N.W.2d 40, 43-44 (Neb. 1989), and the Nebraska Juvenile Code creates classes of juvenile offenders Nebraska courts refer to as status offenders and law violators, State v. Katrina R. (In re Katrina R.), 799 N.W.2d 673, 676 (Neb. 2011). The U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that the proceedings in a delinquency adjudication are sufficiently criminal in nature to warrant certain constitutional protections. In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967); cf. Neb. Rev. Stat.  43-279 (enumerating rights of parties in juvenile adjudications, which rights are typical to criminal defendants); State v. Justin V. (In re Interest of Justin V.), 797 N.W.2d 755, 768 (Neb. Ct. App. 2011) ([W]e conclude that it is appropriate to adopt the criminal standard for withdrawal of a plea in the context of a request to withdraw an admission in a juvenile proceeding.).

Nonetheless, we are persuaded that the term sex offender has as its usual accepted meaning, O'Neill Prod. Credit Ass'n v. Schnoor, 302 N.W.2d 376, 378 (Neb. 1981) (quoting State ex rel. Finigan v. Norfolk Live Stock Sales Co., 132 N.W.2d 302, 304 (Neb. 1964)), a person who has been convicted of a crime involving unlawful sexual conduct. Accordingly we conclude that A.W., as a juvenile adjudicated delinquent, does not fall within the meaning of that term and therefore is not subject to SORA under  29-4003(1)(a)(iv).

III. CONCLUSION

We affirm the district court.

FOOTNOTES

. The Honorable Richard G. Kopf, United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska.

. This definition was altered, however, in the 10th edition of Black's Law Dictionary, published five years later, which defines juvenile delinquent as [a] minor, often 715 years of age, who has committed an act that, if the minor had been an adult, would constitute a crime. This seems to us to be a clarification of the meaning of that term, rather than an indication that its ordinary understanding has significantly evolved from 2009 to 2014.

. We note that even if we found sex offender to be ambiguous, leaving us with the choice of selecting between two reasonable constructions, one requiring conviction and one not, we would be strongly inclined to affirm the district court. We believe the application of SORA and its public notification requirement to juveniles adjudicated delinquent in other jurisdictions but not in Nebraska raises serious constitutional concerns under the rights to travel and to equal protection of the laws. Of the events triggering application of SORA under NSP regulationsresidency, employment, carrying on a vocation, or attending school in Nebraska, 272 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 19  003.02it is highly likely a juvenile would be subject to SORA due to residency. This raises troubling implications under the third prong of the right to travel, arising from the Privileges and Immunities and the Privileges or Immunities Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, see generally Saenz v. Roe, 526 U.S. 489, 502-04 (1999) (describing strict standard of review for state discrimination against newly arrived citizens); Attorney Gen. of N.Y. v. Soto-Lopez, 476 U.S. 898, 903 (1986) (A state law implicates the right to travel  when it uses 'any classification which serves to penalize the exercise of that right.' (quoting Dunn v. Blumstein, 405 U.S. 330, 340 (1972)), as well as under the Equal Protection Clause, Soto-Lopez, 476 U.S. at 904. Further, to the extent the purpose of  29-4003(1)(a)(iv) is to prevent migration into the state of undesirable citizens, application of SORA to A.W. under that provision may raise other constitutional concerns as well. Saenz, 526 U.S. at 503 (The states have not now, if they ever had, any power to restrict their citizenship to any classes or persons. (quoting Slaughter-House Cases, 83 U.S. 36, 112 (1872) (Bradley, J., dissenting))). Given the choice between two reasonable constructions, we will generally avoid a construction that raises grave and doubtful constitutional questions. Union Pac. R.R. Co. v. United States Dep't of Homeland Sec., 738 F.3d 885, 892 (8th Cir. 2013) (quoting United States ex rel. Attorney Gen. v. Del. &Hudson Co., 213 U.S. 366, 408 (1909)); see also Norman, 808 N.W.2d at 58 (It is the duty of a court to give a statute an interpretation that meets constitutional requirements if it can reasonably be done.).

BEAM, Circuit Judge.
LONDON (AP) - The British government is investigating the maker Dunhill and Lucky Strike cigarettes for allegedly paying bribes in East Africa.

Britain's Serious Fraud Office confirmed Tuesday that it has launched a probe into the "suspicions of corruption" at British American Tobacco, which is based in London.

The investigation comes two years after television program BBC Panorama alleged that British American Tobacco bribed East African civil servants and politicians.

British American Tobacco said in a statement on Tuesday that it will cooperate with the investigation. It has also begun a probe into the alleged misconduct with its own team of advisers.
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) - Two Spanish NATO jet fighters briefly violated Finnish airspace while intercepting three Russian aircraft near Estonia on Tuesday, NATO said.

The alliance said the fighter planes violated the airspace when they were in the process of asking Finland, which is not a NATO member, to take over the chase.

"In handing over the intercept to the Finnish jets, the Spanish jets accidentally entered Finnish airspace," NATO spokesman Dylan P. White said in a statement. "NATO's Air Command has explained the incident to the Finnish Air Operations Centre to improve future coordination."

Finland's defense ministry said the F-18 Super Hornets, part of NATO's air policing mission in the Baltics, flew into Finnish airspace southwest of Helsinki Tuesday for under a minute at around 9 a.m.

The aircraft are currently based in NATO's air base in Amari, Estonia.

The international air corridor over the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea is narrow and the Nordic country has experienced several air violations by military and civilian aircraft from neighboring Russia. However, violations by NATO planes are rare over non-alliance member Finland.

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Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the naming of John Kelly, a retired Marine general to be White House chief of staff to replace Reince Priebus (all times local):

9:35 a.m.

The No. 2 Senate Democrat says White House Chief of Staff John Kelly is in a position to stabilize the White House "and that's good for this country."

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, rights, arrives at a event where President Donald Trump was bestowing the Medal of Honor to retired Army medic James McCloughan during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, July 31, 2017.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois tells CNN he voted for Kelly for Homeland Security secretary, wanted to work with him in that role, and now in his new position.

Says Durbin: "He is in a position where he can stabilize this White House, that's good for this country. The president has to be part of that."

Durbin says the former Marine four-star general brings to the chief of staff job qualities the Corps is known for: discipline, loyalty and respect. Says Durbin: "Qualities this White House hasn't displayed a lot of in the last few weeks."

_____

8:45 a.m.

Jason Miller, a senior communications adviser during the Trump presidential campaign, says moving on to tax legislation and focusing on the economy will help the White House get back on track after the departure of several senior staffers.

Miller pointed to "fantastic" economic numbers, citing Dow Jones industrial stocks approaching 22,000 and economic growth rate of 2.6 percent last quarter. He said "when the president is talking economy he's in a winning spot."

Monday was White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's first day on the job, and it coincided with Anthony Scaramucci's ouster as White House communications director.

Miller predicted that Kelly's next move will be to put people in place that will help the president. He suggested Kelly should convince ousted press secretary Sean Spicer to stay on the White House staff at least through the tax reform effort.

Kelly is "not going to force President Trump into structure that's not going to work," Miller said. He spoke Tuesday on CNN.

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7:50 p.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he has confidence that new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly can help restore order after recent turf battles and feuding that resulted in the departure of several senior staffers, including press secretary Sean Spicer, chief of staff Reince Priebus and even new communications chief Anthony Scaramucci.

"The Marines can do almost anything," Graham said. "The Marines have landed at the White House. They have a beachhead."

Graham, speaking on NBC's "Today Show," said the key for the White House is to have a "laser-like focus" on getting health care passed by working with the governors and listening to them.

"Discipline is what we are missing," he said. Graham said Trump has an obligation to "be the president of all of us" and "stop the chaos." He said having Gen. Kelly in the White House will really help. Graham said the president "can still be consequential" by focusing on health care, getting on to tax reform and dealing with North Korea.

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3:00 a.m.

By all indications, new Trump White House chief of staff, John Kelly, is not afraid to challenge his commander-in-chief.

The decorated retired Marine general who served three tours in Iraq was tapped by President Donald Trump to bring order to a chaotic West Wing.

Kelly began to make his mark Monday, dumping newly-appointed communications director Anthony Scaramucci just days after his hiring, and restructuring a dysfunctional command structure that has bred warring factions.

From now on, all senior staffers - including the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and chief strategist Steve Bannon - will report to Kelly instead of the president.

Some outside the White House say those and other changes are long overdue.
NEW YORK (AP) - A commuter is thanking two utility workers for finding her wedding ring after it plunged into a New York City sewer.

WCBS-TV reports (http://cbsloc.al/2ufCLoJ ) suburban-New York resident Sarah Sommer, who is eight-months pregnant, was traveling through Grand Central Terminal when she felt uncomfortable and took off her ring to help her relax.

Sommer says before she knew it, the ring slipped out of her grasp, bounced along the sidewalk and dropped through a grate into the sewer. The distraught woman called 911 before flagging down a nearby Con Edison truck.

Con Ed workers Jason Wertheimer and Kenyatta Charles opened the grate, drained the sewer and found Sommer's ring. They say it was their daily good deed.

Sommer tells the station Monday they restored her faith in humanity.

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Information from: WCBS-TV, http://www.cbs2ny.com
MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is urging peaceful elections as candidates begin campaigning to replace the Nobel Peace Prize winner who has led the West African country through the Ebola crisis and recovery from civil war.

Among those running in the Oct. 10 election are her vice president and two of the men she faced during Liberia's last vote in 2011.

In a radio broadcast late Monday, the 78-year-old Sirleaf urged political leaders to put Liberia first and control the emotions of their supporters.

FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011 file photo, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, right, greets supporters as she arrives for a rally in the Stephen Tubman Estates, on the final day of campaigning, in Monrovia, Liberia. Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is urging peaceful elections as candidates begin campaigning to replace the Nobel Peace Prize winner who has led the West African country through the Ebola crisis and recovery from civil war. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)

"We hold them as political leaders who seek the highest office of our land to act with dignity and responsibility that befits that office - to live up to their commitments to ensure violence-free elections," she said.

These are the country's third presidential and general elections following the end of the 14-year civil war that devastated the nation and killed over a quarter of a million people. Fighting ended in 2003.

Anxiety is high over who will succeed Sirleaf, a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner who led the country through the Ebola epidemic that killed more than 4,800 people.

Among the top candidates is her vice president, 72-year-old Joseph Nyumah Boakai, who has been endorsed by Sirleaf and appears to be profiting from a divided opposition.

Former soccer star George Weah, a current senator who ran as vice president on the 2011 ticket that lost to Sirleaf, also is mounting a bid. It is his second attempt at the presidency after losing in 2005.

His running mate is Jewel Taylor, a fellow senator and the ex-wife of former President Charles Taylor. The former Liberian leader was convicted of crimes against humanity for his role in the violence in neighboring Sierra Leone.

Another repeat candidate is Prince Johnson, a one-time rebel leader who has long been involved in politics. Human rights activist MacDella Cooper is the lone female presidential candidate. She has said that as president she would reduce her salary to $1 a year.

While Sirleaf's supporters point to the peace that has prevailed throughout her time in power, critics say her leadership has been undermined by allegations of corruption. The president has acknowledged that her war on graft has not been as successful as she would have liked, saying "corruption is endemic in society."

Sirleaf also has responded sharply to accusations her government has disappointed Liberians.

"If building roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc., is nothing, I love to see those nothings," she said while touring newly completed projects last year.
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) - The U.S. Air Force was preparing Tuesday to test an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile with a launch from California, the fourth such test this year.

The 30th Space Wing says the missile was to be launched between 12:01 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.

An Air Force statement said the test would show the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the weapon system.

Minuteman missiles are regularly tested with launches from Vandenberg that send unarmed re-entry vehicles 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers) across the Pacific to a target area at Kwajalein Atoll.

However, the latest U.S. launches come amid tensions with North Korea as that nation develops its own ICBMs.

Flight data on North Korea's most recent test, conducted Friday, showed that a broad part of the mainland United States, including Los Angeles and Chicago, is now in range of Pyongyang's weapons, according to analysts.

In response, the U.S. Air Force flew two B-1 bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Sunday in a show of force. The U.S. also said it conducted a successful test of a missile defense system located in Alaska.

Previous Minuteman ICBM launches this year were conducted in February, April and May. That month, the Air Force also conducted a test of a missile interceptor launched from Vandenberg. The interceptor destroyed a mock warhead over the Pacific.
VIENNA (AP) - Viennese tourists will have to do without one of the city's most popular attractions for at least a day.

Officials have imposed a ban on horse carriage rides in the Austrian capital due to searing temperatures.

A city ordinance gives carriage horses the day off once temperatures reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit.) That mark was surpassed early Tuesday afternoon, with even higher temperatures forecast until the evening.

In this photo taken June 26, 2017 a Fiaker coach drives through the old town in Vienna, Austria. Officials have imposed a ban on horse carriage rides in the Austrian capital, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, due to searing temperatures. A city ordinance gives carriage horses the day off once temperatures reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit.) (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)

Temperatures are projected to pass the 35-degree mark at least twice more before cooler weather sets in after the weekend.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico's largest public university says it is planning to double its course fees following demands that it slash its budget amid a dire economic crisis.

Starting next year, students seeking a bachelor's degree at the University of Puerto Rico could pay up to $115 per credit instead of $56, while those seeking a master's degree could pay $270 instead of $140 per credit under plans approved late Monday by the university board. The fees would go into effect next year, and officials warn that another 20 percent increase could be implemented if needed.

The university on Tuesday is expected to submit its fiscal plan to the federal control board overseeing Puerto Rico's finances.

It is the latest hit for a university that reopened in June following a two-month strike organized by students protesting $450 million in proposed budget cuts sought by the control board. The demands coupled with the strike led to the resignation of several top university officials, including two presidents and three board members.

Student leaders rejected the proposed increases and said they would limit access to education for thousands of people living on an island with a 12 percent unemployment rate and a 45 percent poverty rate.

"This will only contribute to the migration, the economic crisis and the high unemployment rate that we currently face," said Wilmari de Jesus, student council president at the university's main campus.

University officials say the increases would generate more than $100 million a year, part of which would offset a new scholarship fund worth $50 million.

Some 61,000 students are enrolled at the 11 campuses at the University of Puerto Rico, and about 70 percent qualify for federal aid. The university has seen an increase in enrollment from nearly 56,000 students in 2013 to more than 62,000 last year.

The board also is considering an increase in lab, graduation, admission application and transcription fees, among other things.
EASTON, Pa. (AP) - The owner of a day care center in Pennsylvania has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in a sudden infant death case.

The Northampton County prosecutor says Sharon Balleck, owner of the former Sharon's Day Care, pleaded guilty Monday to reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.

The Department of Human Services ordered the closure of her Lehigh Township business after 3-month-old McKenna Rose Felmly was found unresponsive on the first day at the center in April 2016. A coroner ruled she died of "sudden unexpected infant death."

A grand jury investigation found the baby was placed on her stomach in an unsupervised crib located in the back room of the day care.

Balleck could face probation or a short time in jail.
PARIS (AP) - France's lower house of parliament has given its green light to President Emmanuel Macron's proposed labor reform, a highly sensitive issue in the country.

The bill, adopted Tuesday by 421 votes against 74 at the National Assembly, allows the government to use a special procedure to pass the reform more quickly.

It is expected to get the definitive vote by the Senate on Thursday.

FILE - In this Monday, July 31, 2017 file photo file French President Emmanuel Macron walk out of the Elysee Palace in Paris, France. France's lower house of parliament is voting on a draft law allowing President Emmanuel Macron to push through a series of controversial labor reforms that are central to his strategy for reinvigorating the economy. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The government wants to cap the financial penalty for companies sued for firing employees and to give businesses more flexibility to define internal working rules.

Details are to be unveiled in late August and the government is planning to pass the series of measures by the end of September.

Protests are already scheduled in September, with some unions saying the reforms weaken workers' protection.
United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JESSIE L. TOLBERT, Defendant-Appellant. No. 14-50499 Decided: July 28, 2017

Before: GOULD and BERZON, Circuit Judges, and ZOUHARY,** District Judge.

MEMORANDUM*

Following his plea of guilty to charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Jessie Tolbert appeals the district court's application of two enhancements to his base offense level at sentencing. Tolbert maintains that the district court erred in finding that he intended a loss of between $400,000 and $999,999 resulting from the fraud, and that the district court also erred in finding that he used sophisticated means in furtherance of the fraud.

We vacated submission of this case pending the outcome of en banc proceedings in United States v. Gasca-Ruiz, 852 F.3d 1167 (9th Cir. 2017) (en banc). Gasca-Ruiz held that review of a district court's application of the Guidelines to the facts is for abuse of discretion. Id. at 1168. Applying that standard, we affirm the district court's sentence in full.

1. The district court did not clearly err in applying a 14-level enhancement pursuant to U.S.S.G.  2B1.1(b)(1)(H), which at the time of Tolbert's sentencing required such an enhancement for an intended loss between $400,000 and $999,999. As recounted in the government's offer of proof, the accuracy of which Tolbert confirmed at sentencing, Tolbert admitted that he and his coconspirators had persuaded an undercover government agent to invest $500,000 in their fraudulent scheme.

Tolbert maintains that the amount of $500,000 was suggested by the government's undercover agent rather than himself or his coconspirators, and that he was entrapped into committing a larger fraud than he was otherwise disposed to commit. But no evidence in the record suggests that the government exerted undue pressure on Tolbert or his coconspirators, or that Tolbert was at all reluctant to participate in the scheme before or after the $500,000 figure was proposed. Rather, the government agent merely presented the opportunity for a $500,000 investment to Tolbert and his coconspirators, which they agreed to and then actively participated in making a reality. See United States v. Black, 733 F.3d 294, 312 (9th Cir. 2013).

2. The district court did not abuse its discretion in applying a two-level enhancement for the use of sophisticated means in furtherance of the offense pursuant to U.S.S.G.  2B1.1(b)(10)(C). See Gasca-Ruiz, 852 F.3d at 1168.

The Application Notes to the Guidelines describe sophisticated means as especially complex or specially intricate offense conduct pertaining to the execution or concealment of an offense. Conduct such as hiding assets or transactions, or both, through the use of fictitious entities, corporate shells, or offshore financial accounts ordinarily indicates sophisticated means. U.S.S.G.  2B1.1(b)(10) cmt. 9(B). The district court cited three critical facts in explaining its application of the sophisticated-means enhancement: (1) that Tolbert used his company, Levette, Inc. (which the district court found was a shell corporation,) as part of the scheme; (2) a coconspirator presented himself under an assumed name as Tolbert's attorney, with Tolbert's knowledge; and (3) that same coconspirator falsified a U.S. passport to lend verisimilitude to his assumed identity and thereby to induce the government's agent to invest his money.

Tolbert argues, with some force, that these three facts do not reflect sophistication in his particular case. He contends that Levette was not, in fact, a shell corporation but a legitimate company, and that a coconspirator lying about his name and occupation is an element in many fraud schemes. As to the forged passport, he argues that the record includes no evidence as to its sophistication or quality. But as Tolbert acknowledges, the three facts cited by the district court, at least considered in isolation, may suggest sophistication. Given our holding in Gasca-Ruiz that a district court's application of the Guidelines to the facts of a given case is reviewed for abuse of discretion, we are compelled to affirm. We cannot say that the district court's application of the enhancement was illogical, implausible, or without support in inferences that may be drawn from the record. United States v. Hinkson, 585 F.3d 1247, 1262 (9th Cir. 2009).

Tolbert also contends that the district court applied the enhancement based largely on a coconspirator's conduct rather than Tolbert's own, although Guidelines Amendment 792 (effective as of November 1, 2015) makes clear that the focus of U.S.S.G.  2B1.1(b)(10)(C) is conduct in which the defendant intentionally engaged or caused.

We consider three factors when assessing whether an amendment to the Guidelines applies retroactively: (1) whether the amendment is listed as a retroactive amendment in U.S.S.G.  1B1.10[ ]; (2) whether the amendment is characterized as a clarification; and (3) whether the amendment resolves a circuit split. United States v. Quintero-Leyva, 823 F.3d 519, 522 (9th Cir. 2016). None of those factors applies here. The 2015 amendment constituted a substantive change to the Guidelines, not a clarification; the amendment did not purport to resolve a circuit split; and Amendment 792 is not among those listed in U.S.S.G.  1B1.10(c) or (d). Moreover, the record suggests that Tolbert's own conduct supported two of the district court's three reasons for applying the enhancement. Tolbert presented himself as a client of his coconspirator masquerading as an attorney, and actively solicited investment in Levette, the alleged shell corporation.

AFFIRMED.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The head of the Missouri NAACP says the national organization is backing a travel advisory urging caution in Missouri over concerns about whether civil rights will be respected.

Missouri NAACP President Rod Chapel says national delegates voted last week to adopt a travel advisory that the state chapter issued in June. Chapel says the national board will consider ratification in October.

The advisory cites a new state law making it more difficult to sue for housing or employment discrimination. The state NAACP says the measure could make it tougher to hold people accountable for harassment and discrimination.

Supporters argue the law will help reduce "frivolous lawsuits" in the state.

The advisory also cites a report showing black Missouri drivers last year were 75 percent more likely to be stopped than whites.

Chapel says he hopes recognition from the national organization will boost awareness.
SHILLINGTON, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania childhood home of author John Updike is nearing its transformation into a museum and literary center.

The future of the Shillington home had been uncertain until The John Updike Society purchased it in 2012. Since then, the society has worked to re-create the 1930's vibe of the late Pulitzer Prize winner's home, based on old photographs and Updike's writings.

Updike spent the first 13 years of his life in the Shillington house, about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. The Reading Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/2uVSqvs ) Updike's daughter is donating furniture from his childhood to the museum.

This July 31, 2017 photo shows the John Updike home in Shillington, Pa., that is currently undergoing renovations with scaffolding surrounding the house. The childhood home of the author is nearing its transformation into a museum and literary center. (Harold Hoch/Reading Eagle via AP)

The Updike Society says restoration should be finished by the end of summer.

Updike won Pulitzers for the novels "Rabbit Is Rich" and "Rabbit at Rest." He died in 2009 at age 76.

___

Information from: Reading Eagle, http://www.readingeagle.com/

In this July 31, 2017 photo, David Ruoff describes renovations in the bedroom of John Updike's parents in Shillington, Pa. The childhood home of the author is nearing its transformation into a museum and literary center. (Harold Hoch/Reading Eagle via AP)
MANASSAS, Va. (AP) - A Virginia man convicted of murdering his 15-month-old-son to collect on life insurance was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without parole.

Joaquin Rams of Manassas was convicted earlier this year in the 2012 death of his son Prince.

Rams had taken out more than $500,000 in life insurance on Prince in the months before his death. The boy died during an unsupervised visit ordered by a Maryland judge over the objections of Prince's mother, who said she feared for her child's safety. Prince died on just the fourth unsupervised visit Rams had with his son.

Obtaining a conviction in Prince's death was a challenge for prosecutors, and took several years of legal wrangling. The medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on Prince concluded that he drowned, but later the state's chief medical examiner overruled that finding and changed the cause of death to undetermined.

That opened the door for defense lawyers to argue that Prince died of natural causes, citing a pattern of fever-induced seizures that had been documented during Prince's short life. The murder trial became in large part a battle of medical experts as to whether febrile seizures could be fatal.

Judge Randy Bellows, who convicted Rams after he waived his right to a jury trial, wrote a meticulous 62-page opinion detailing why the defense argument that Prince died of natural causes made no sense in light of the specific circumstances of his death.

Rams, who maintains his innocence, filed a request seeking to avoid attending Tuesday's sentencing hearing. But Bellows ordered him to attend, giving Prince's mother, Hera McLeod, and maternal grandparents the opportunity to give victim-impact statements in Rams' presence.

McLeod said she can't help but think of Prince's death.

"I know it was painful. I know he was scared. I have to live with the fact that I was unable to protect him from this monster."

She then turned directly to Rams, who looked away, twitched and sighed as McLeod called him "a pathetic excuse for a human."

"I don't forgive you."

Rams remained silent when he was offered an opportunity to speak at Tuesday's hearing.

Rams was convicted of capital murder, but prosecutors agreed not to pursue a death penalty under an unusual exchange in which the defense waived its right to a jury trial. While Virginia law says a capital-murder conviction requires a sentence of life without parole, Rams' lawyer, Christopher Leibig, asked the judge to suspend part of that sentence and provide some option for Rams to be released.

Bellows rejected that request, calling the murder "cold, calculating and callous in its nature, and shattering in its impact."

His lawyers are planning to appeal.

Prosecutors also believe Rams is responsible for the deaths of his ex-girlfriend, Shawn Mason, and his mother, Alma Collins. In Mason's death, prosecutors say Rams believed he would be the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. In Collins' death, Rams did in fact collect on a life insurance policy.

It is unclear whether Rams will ever face charges in those two deaths. Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert said the cases remain open and he can pursue charges if needed.

Shawn Mason's mother, Sheryl Mason, said after Tuesday's hearing that she is satisfied with the life sentence and is no longer pushing for a separate trial in Shawn Mason's death.

"I know who is responsible for Shawn's death," she said after the hearing. "For me, this is justice for Shawn as well."
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Japan's ambassador to the United Nations said Tuesday he hopes a draft U.N. resolution that would impose new sanctions against North Korea following its tests of an intercontinental ballistic missile will be finished "in days."

The United States and China said a week ago that they were making progress on a resolution that would then need to be discussed and approved by the 15-member Security Council. The U.S. gave China, North Korea's neighbor and ally, a proposed resolution several weeks ago.

Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho, whose country is on the council, told reporters Tuesday that "there's been a lot of work" and discussion on the text.

FILE- In this July 4, 2017, file photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, in North Korea's northwest. North Korea has been condemned and sanctioned for its nuclear ambitions, yet has still received food, fuel and other aid from its neighbors and adversaries for decades. How does the small, isolated country keep getting what it wants and needs to prevent its collapse? (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

"Japan has put in some ideas," the U.S. and China "are seriously looking into this, (and) I hope that we can get it done in days," he said.

Russia's new U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, called North Korea's intensifying missile program "really serious," telling reporters the entire international community is concerned and "we'll be working to see what we can do together in the council."

The Security Council has already imposed six rounds of progressively tougher sanctions on North Korea, but so far that has failed to halt the country's rapidly advancing nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile as Americans celebrated Independence Day on July 4 marked a significant step toward young North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's goal of developing a missile with a nuclear warhead capable of reaching the United States. Pyongyang followed up with a second ICBM launch Friday.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley has refused to say what sanctions are being discussed with China.

But in early July she told the Security Council 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.

She has repeatedly stressed that the United States wants to ensure that a new resolution is "a strong resolution."

"An additional Security Council resolution that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value," she said in a statement Sunday. "In fact, it is worse than nothing, because it sends the message to the North Korean dictator that the international community is unwilling to seriously challenge him."

Haley said the time for talking is over and "China must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step."

But Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi said Monday that the United States and North Korea hold "the primary responsibility" for de-escalating tensions and negotiating peace on the Korean Peninsula - not China.

He said if Washington and Pyongyang refuse to reduce tensions and hold new talks as called for in Security Council resolutions "then no matter how capable China is, China's efforts will not yield practical results - because it depends on the two principal parties."
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is pushing back on a report that President Donald Trump dictated the July 8 statement in which his son, Donald Trump Jr., described a June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday the president "weighed in as any father would based on the limited information that he had."

She says Trump Jr.'s statement is true and there was "no inaccuracy" in the statement.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. Sanders was asked about North Korea, health care and other topics. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The Washington Post reported Monday that Trump himself dictated the statement.

The statement said that Trump Jr. and other top members of the Trump campaign primarily discussed a Russian adoption program.

Emails released later by Trump Jr. show the meeting was suggested to the campaign as a way to deliver damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.
A man has been killed and two deputies left in serious condition after a shootout at a Rastafarian weed farm in California.

Police were called to reports of a worker at the farm acting 'erratically', pulling up plants and carrying a gun around 8.40am on Tuesday.

When the officers arrived the suspect fled into a nearby home before opening fire on two cops who went inside.

A worker at a Californian Rastafarian cannabis farm has been shot dead and two deputies wounded after police were called to reports of a disturbance on Tuesday morning

Yuba County Sheriff Steven Durfor said the suspect was seen acting erratically, was pulling up plants and carrying a gun before deputies arrived

A third officer who was standing guard by the back door managed to drag his colleagues to safety before SWAT teams were called.

Tear gas was fired into the property before police stormed in and found the suspect dead in an upstairs room.

Yuba County Sheriff Steve Durfor said it is too early to tell whether the man was fatally shot by officers or if he killed himself.

The sheriff said the deputies were airlifted to a hospital and both were in serious condition, but each was expected to recover after undergoing surgery.

Heidi Lepp, leader of the Sugarleaf Rastafarian Church, said she received a call from church members who live on the marijuana farm on Tuesday morning.

They told her that a newly-arrived worker, known only as 'Sawyer', had become erratic, was ripping up plants and holding a gun.

Heidi Lepp (left), leader of the Sugarleaf Rastafarian Church, said the worker called Sawyer had only just arrived at the farm. She is seen at her recent wedding to husband Eddy

The suspect ran into a nearby house before opening fire on two deputies who entered, leaving them in a serious but stable condition, the sheriff said (scene pictured)

SWAT teams were called and stormed the house before finding the suspect dead upstairs, though it is unclear if he was killed by police or turned his gun on himself

Lepp said she called the sheriff's office and told the men on the farm to leave immediately.

She said 'Sawyer' showed up at the farm about a month ago. The property is owned by a branch of Lepp's church, she said.

The farm is between 20 and 40 acres, Lepp said, and does not have a permit to grow medical marijuana in Yuba County.

The church considers marijuana a sacrament.

The shooting occurred a day after two police officers were shot and wounded in the central California city of Los Banos during a struggle with a man who broke into his estranged wife's apartment. Police fatally shot that shooter.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday named a former state lawmaker who was one of his staunchest supporters during the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal to chair the agency that controls the region's airports, bridges and ports and the World Trade Center.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also named a new executive director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The joint announcement ended months of uncertainty in the upper levels of management at the powerful bistate agency.

Kevin O'Toole, a Republican former state senator, succeeds John Degnan, who served as chairman since 2014. Cuomo's special counsel for interagency initiatives, Rick Cotton, will serve as executive director, replacing Patrick Foye, who held the post since 2011.

Christie, a Republican, said he can think of "no one better" than O'Toole to oversee the agency as the Gateway project to revamp the rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River gears up.

Cuomo, a Democrat, said Cotton has the "experience and tenacity" to move the Port Authority's major infrastructure projects ahead. He praised Foye for his "tireless commitment to bettering the transportation infrastructure" of the New York region.

In 2014, O'Toole served on a legislative committee investigating the bridge scandal, dubbed "Bridgegate." A former Christie aide and two former Port Authority officials ultimately were convicted or pleaded guilty to creating gridlock to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse Christie.

Christie was never criminally charged, and the committee didn't conclude he had prior knowledge of the scheme. But O'Toole published a blistering minority report in which he called Democratic committee members "some of the most-partisan elected officials in modern times, using public resources to apparently carry out a national Democrat mission to destroy a popular Republican governor."

O'Toole's name came up during the trial of former Port Authority executive Bill Baroni and former Christie aide Bridget Kelly.

Former Port Authority official David Wildstein testified he approached O'Toole to issue a statement supporting Baroni's comments to a legislative committee that the lane realignment at the bridge was part of a traffic study.

Wildstein testified that explanation was a lie to cover up the scheme's true nature. There was no evidence O'Toole was aware of that at the time.

Emails revealed Foye ordered a halt to the lane closures after he learned about them in September 2013; during the trial, he testified he authorized the publishing of a news release about the traffic jams that he knew to be false.

Degnan and Foye had been at the center of a tug-of-war between the two states over how the Port Authority, which recently approved a 10-year, $32 billion capital plan, should be governed and which infrastructure projects should be given priority.

They squabbled publicly at several board meetings, most notably over plans to build a new bus terminal in New York. Last fall, some New York lawmakers accused Degnan of not negotiating in good faith over the terminal project and demanded he recuse himself.

In a resignation letter to Christie on Tuesday, Degnan said he was proud of his efforts to get the bus terminal project included in the agency's capital plan, and he stressed the importance of a "total replacement or rebuild of an embarrassing, outdated structure."

Both men remained in their positions over the last year even as reform efforts in both state legislatures made it likely Foye's job would be eliminated and Degnan's would be passed to a New York appointee.

Those changes haven't officially been adopted because New Jersey legislators haven't passed a measure similar to one passed by New York lawmakers, as required under the Port Authority's charter.

Degnan, a former New Jersey attorney general, was nominated by Christie to replace David Samson, who resigned and later pleaded guilty to using his influence as Port Authority chairman to pressure United Airlines to revive a money-losing flight to an airport near his weekend home in South Carolina.

___

Associated Press writer Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed to this story.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) - Authorities say a Virginia girl's dog stopped her from being abducted by biting a man who grabbed her.

Prince William County police said in a statement on Facebook that a 10-year-old girl was walking her dog when an unknown man grabbed her arm Friday afternoon in Woodbridge.

Prince William County police spokesman Sgt. Jonathan Perok says the dog bit the man, causing him to release the girl and run away. The girl was not injured.

Authorities say they searched the area but could not find the suspect.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Ethics Committee said Tuesday it is dropping separate investigations against Democratic Rep. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas.

Lujan, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, was accused of using the House chamber to raise money for campaign purposes during a June 2016 sit-in on gun control.

Williams, an auto dealer, was accused of a conflict of interest in offering a 2015 amendment to a transportation bill that would have benefited auto dealers.

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2014 file photo, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. The House Ethics Committee said Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, it is dropping separate investigations against Democratic Rep. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Republican Rep. Roger Williams of Texas. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The ethics panel said neither Lujan nor Williams violated House rules, but cautioned that both lawmakers acted in ways where mistakes are possible. The panel urged all House members to seek guidance from the ethics committee when in doubt.

A spokesman for Lujan called the complaint politically motivated and without merit.

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, a conservative-leaning watchdog group, filed a complaint last year alleging that Lujan and other Democrats violated ethics rules by using the House chamber to raise money for campaign purposes. Specifically, the group said Lujan and others sent campaign emails featuring photos of themselves during the June 2016 sit-in.

The ethics panel found that the emails involving Lujan were sent by a campaign consultant on the congressman's behalf, adding that there was no evidence that Lujan directed the emails to be sent while on the House floor. The screenshot used in one of the emails violated House rules, the panel said, but there was no evidence Lujan was aware of the decision to use the photo before the fundraising missive was sent out.

Spokesman Joe Shoemaker said the ethics panel "acted appropriately by dismissing the case. Congressman Lujan is committed to abiding by House rules and will continue to do so in the future."

Williams on Tuesday stood by his decision to offer an amendment to a wide-ranging transportation bill that would have allowed auto dealers to rent out vehicles even if they're subject to recall.

"This bill would have resulted in unintended consequences that would punish small business owners, employees and consumers," he said in a statement. "As I knew all along, the committee found no violation of any law, rule or regulation."

Williams has said the amendment was intended to address recalls aimed at trivial defects, but critics said it would apply more broadly.

The independent Office of Congressional Ethics, an outside panel that reviews ethics complaints against House members, said Williams' personal financial interest in his auto dealership could be perceived as having influenced his decision to offer the amendment.

The ethics panel said Williams should have sought ethics guidance before submitting the amendment and urged him to "take care to avoid creating any impression that he was sponsoring the amendment to benefit himself or his business."

In Lujan's case, the ethics panel said "the evolving nature of electronic communications and campaign solicitations" presents "novel issues that are not directly addressed by the House Ethics Manual." Further guidance on email use is needed, the panel said.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - The lone insurer offering policies on Alaska's individual health insurance market has filed for an average rate decrease of about 22 percent next year.

If approved, this would be the first time the average rate has decreased under the current federal health care law in Alaska, a remote state where high health care and premium costs have been an ongoing concern.

Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield attributed the requested drop in rates to factors including the payment of high-cost claims through a state program and a sharp reduction in the use of medical services by customers. The company in a statement called the rate decrease encouraging, but it cautioned against drawing any conclusions about a small Alaska market that it said remains volatile.

The filing has yet to be approved by the state.

Annual rate increases reached as high as about 40 percent previously and averaged about 7 percent for this year. The moderated increase followed passage by the state Legislature of a program intended to help stabilize the market, by addressing certain high-cost claims separately.

The state requested federal help to keep the program going, arguing it will save the federal government millions of dollars in subsidies that many in the individual market receive to ease their premium costs. The federal government recently approved the request.

Premera spokeswoman Melanie Coon said the monthly premium for a 40-year-old nonsmoker in Anchorage on the least expensive bronze plan, with an annual deductible of $5,250, was $703 a month this year. Under the proposed rate filing, the monthly premium would be $561 a month, she wrote in an email.

Insurers are required to provide breaks on copays and deductibles for low-income consumers. The government is to reimburse insurers for what they spend to provide the subsidies. Coon said the Alaska rate filing assumes the company will not receive such payments, which she said was because of the uncertainty in Washington, D.C., over what might happen with those payments.

The director of the state's Division of Insurance has asked Premera to also submit an amended filing with those payments assumed, Coon said.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on Missouri elected officials' efforts against Backpage.com (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

A lawyer for Backpage.com is declining to comment on efforts by Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley to dismiss a lawsuit the company filed against him.

Hawley filed a motion Tuesday against Backpage, saying its lawsuit seeking to block him from investigating Backpage is frivolous and should be tossed.

Hawley launched an investigation of the company this year and in May issued civil investigative demands seeking documents from Backpage, which hasn't complied.

Backpage sued Hawley in response, saying it doesn't have control over sex-related ads posted on the website and has immunity from potential lawsuits over such ads.

NBC News has reported that documents show that a Backpage contractor has been involved in creating or developing third-party content for Backpage ads overseas. Hawley contends that evidence uncovered by his office supports that.

Backpage currently faces various criminal cases and civil lawsuits around the country.

----

11:20 a.m.

Missouri's top law enforcement official is fighting a lawsuit seeking to block him from investigating Backpage.com.

Attorney General Josh Hawley filed a motion Tuesday against Backpage, saying its lawsuit is frivolous and should be tossed.

Hawley launched an investigation of the company this year and in May issued civil investigative demands seeking documents from Backpage, which hasn't complied.

Backpage sued Hawley in response, saying it doesn't have control over sex-related ads posted on the website and has immunity from potential lawsuits over such ads.

NBC News has reported that documents show that a Backpage contractor has been involved in creating or developing third-party content for Backpage ads overseas. Hawley contends that evidence uncovered by his office supports that.

An attorney for Backpage didn't immediately reply to a request for comment.

Backpage currently faces various criminal cases and civil lawsuits around the country.
Two jumbo jets which were built for a Russian airline could become part of the Air Force One fleet, it was confirmed today.

The Air Force, which has been looking for ways to lower the cost of new planes for Air Force One, is in talks with Boeing about buying two 747s that were ordered but never delivered to a now-defunct Russian airline.

President Donald Trump has previously complained about the high cost of new Air Force One planes, even threatening at one point to cancel the order.

Russian connection: President Trump, seen speaking to employees at Boeing South Carolina, has complained about the high cost of new Air Force One planes, and the Air Force is now working on a deal with Boeing about buying two 747s previously meant for a Russian airline

The Air Force and Boeing confirmed Tuesday that they are working on a deal involving Boeing 747s but declined to disclose further details.

Two people close to the matter said that the discussions are centered on planes that were ordered by a Russian carrier. They spoke anonymously because the deal is not final and has not been publicly announced.

The current list price for the Boeing 747-8 is $386.8 million, according to Boeing's website.

It was not clear whether that price would apply to planes that are already built and sitting in Boeing's inventory.

Also, buyers including airlines often get discounts for commercial planes. Additional modifications would greatly increase the final price tag.

Frequent flyer: President Trump steps off Air Force One after arriving at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, New York, last week

The Air Force is eyeing two Boeing 747-8 aircraft that were ordered by Russian carrier Transaero but never delivered because the airline filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015, according to the people familiar with the matter.

The planes were flown in February from Seattle, near the Boeing assembly plant, to a facility in Victorville, California, according to tracking service FlightAware.

Aircraft makers like Boeing and Airbus routinely try to resell planes that are ordered but never delivered.

'The Air Force is working through the final stages of coordination to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft, and we expect to award a contract soon,' Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said.

Current state: Members of the White House press corps board Air Force One before the arrival of President Donald Trump at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland in April

Boeing issued a similar statement, adding that it is working to get 'the best deal for the Air Force and the best price for the taxpayer.'

Discussions around the planes were previously reported by Defense One, which covers defense and national-security news.

Chicago-based Boeing Co.'s stock fell in December when then-President-elect Trump complained on Twitter about the cost of new Air Force One planes. 'Costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!' he tweeted.

A month later, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg met with Trump and declared they had made 'great progress' in discussions about holding down the program's cost. That led to talks between the company and the Pentagon that are still continuing.

The Pentagon awarded Boeing a contract for preliminary engineering and design work. If they conclude a purchase contract, that would be followed by another contract covering modifications to turn commercial airliners into Air Force One, which is a flying fortress with sophisticated communications equipment.

The new planes would go into service around 2024.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada safety officials are recommending fines of $16,000 against a tourist-oriented exotic auto track near Las Vegas where a Canadian man and an instructor died in a fiery crash of a high-performance Lamborghini in February.

The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that SpeedVegas had a substandard fire and safety plan and failed to properly train employees in fire suppression, the Las Vegas Review-Journal (http://bit.ly/2w2tGlx ) reported.

However, the violations were not called a contributing factor in the wreck that killed Craig Sherwood of Thornhill, Ontario, and driving instructor Gil Ben-Kely of Henderson, Nevada.

FILE - In this March 21, 2017, file photo, people stand outside of SpeedVegas in Las Vegas. Nevada safety officials are recommending fines of $16,000 against the tourist-oriented exotic auto track where a Canadian man and an instructor died in a fiery crash of a high-performance Lamborghini in February. The state Occupational Safety and Health Administration said SpeedVegas had a substandard fire and safety plan and failed to properly train employees in fire suppression. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

SpeedVegas chief executive Aaron Fessler told the newspaper the company is evaluating its response. It can contest the findings, and OSHA can reduce the fines.

"We are gratified to know that after a six-month investigation OSHA's findings support what our independent investigators concluded: the track design, safety protocols, instructor training and operations at SPEEDVEGAS are safe," the track's chief operating officer, Johnny McMahon, said in a statement. "We further agree with OSHA that there is nothing inherently unsafe in the design or operation of the experience."

The Review-Journal said the investigation found no standards for track design apply to SpeedVegas, a 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) road track course that opened in 2016 several miles south of the Las Vegas Strip. It offers tourists the chance to drive high-performance cars such as Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes faster than 150 mph.

Fessler calls it a driving track, where cars run individually, not a racetrack where cars run at the same time.

Authorities said the orange Lamborghini Aventador that Sherwood was driving slammed into a wall and burned at a curve following a half-mile straightaway that SpeedVegas advertises as the longest at an amateur track without a speed limit.

The course was closed for 12 days after the crash, but reopened with SpeedVegas officials maintaining the track was safe.

An employee driver reached a confidential out-of-court settlement with track owners in April of a legal dispute arising from his unwillingness to sign a safety waiver.

Fessler told the Review-Journal he was pleased the state OSHA report didn't indicate that the track design or safety procedures were substandard.

The agency citation listed two "serious" violations relating to firefighter training and use of portable fire extinguishers, two "other-than-serious" violations and three regulatory notices.

Inspectors said that because the car burst into flames, the lack of a properly trained fire brigade was not considered a contributing factor to the crash.

___

Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
Six UK theme park rides have been closed following an incident on a similar ride in the US in which a teenager died.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said five rides were re-inspected and temporarily taken out of use after the incident at Ohio State Fair on July 26.

A sixth ride at Lightwater Valley in North Yorkshire was immediately taken out of use by the operator independently of the HSE.

UK theme park rides closed after Ohio death - HSE People https://t.co/6GH6PKYgbg  HSE People (@HSEPeople) August 1, 2017

Tyler Jarrell, an 18-year-old high school student, died when a swinging and spinning ride called the Fire Ball broke apart. Seven other people were injured, some critically.

Three of the closed rides are at Pleasurewood Hills theme park in Suffolk, Coney Beach Fair in Porthcawl, South Wales, and Brean Theme Park in Somerset, the HSE said.

A fourth is operated by Ryan Crow Amusements at funfairs in the North East, and a ride owned by a Joseph Manning in Hertfordshire has also been served with a prohibition enforcement notice.

Lightwater Valley said its Eagles Claw ride was not running, telling visitors: Due to circumstances beyond our control this ride is currently closed, apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Pleasurewood Hills Fireball ordered to close after accident in US kills man and injures seven - HSE People https://t.co/OiFSqn6RS8  HSE People (@HSEPeople) July 31, 2017

The HSE said it was aware of the tragic accident involving the KMG Afterburner, which was themed as Fire Ball in Columbus, Ohio.

A spokeswoman said: There are six machines of this version operating in the UK which were all thoroughly inspected within the last 12 months in line with agreed procedures.

There is no verified information regarding the immediate cause of the US accident. Following the incident, HSE initiated a re-inspection of these machines.

Tyler Jarrell died and seven others were injured when the Fire Ball ride broke apart (Jay LaPrete/AP)

As a result, on Friday 28 July an enforcement notice was served on five of the machines, which are now to be taken out of use until the notices have been complied with.

The sixth, at Lightwater Valley in North Yorkshire, was immediately taken out of use following the incident in Ohio.

This was a decision taken independently by the operator. Lightwater Valley has agreed to keep this machine out of use until the other five notices have been complied with.

The HSE said it understood a letter had been sent to operators of all similar machines operating in the UK and that some owners may have closed rides as a precautionary measure.

It added: HSE will ensure operators are kept abreast of information as it arrives and will take such action as is necessary to ensure the rides are inspected and tested as necessary to ensure safety.
Specialist riot-trained officers were deployed to restore order at a prison for the second day running after inmates reportedly seized control of part of a wing.

The Ministry of Justice said the latest incident at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire had been resolved shortly before 5pm on Tuesday.

Prisoners armed with weapons were said to have taken over part of the prisons Nash wing, which houses up to 250 inmates.

A map of the prison riot

Personnel from the Tornado team were called in again less than 24 hours after spearheading efforts to restore order at the Category C adult male training jail.

On Monday multiple prisoners were involved in a lengthy disturbance across two wings at the jail, which holds a total of just over 1,000 men.

The first episode was resolved shortly after 10pm. No staff or inmates were injured, but dozens of cells are reported to have been damaged.

The Mount HMP

Mondays trouble broke out on the same day that a watchdog warned that the prison has struggled with severe staff shortages.

An assessment from the jails Independent Monitoring Board said that last summer all the ingredients were in place for The Mount to suffer disorder such as has been experienced in other prisons - staff shortages, readily available drugs, mounting violence.

Despite the shortages, the IMB said the establishment ended the year as a safe prison where inmates have a good chance of rehabilitation.



HMP The Mount

But it warned that drugs are readily available at the establishment in Bovingdon, Hemel Hempstead, with the substance known as Spice described as a big concern.

Meanwhile, the Prison Service confirmed that staff had successfully resolved an incident involving a small number of prisoners at HMP Erlestoke on Tuesday.

The trouble flared less than a week after figures laid bare the scale of the safety crisis that has engulfed jails across England and Wales in the last year.

HMP The Mount

There were 26,643 assaults in the 12 months to March, including a record 7,159 attacks on staff  equivalent to nearly 20 every day.

Campaigners and watchdogs have issued a catalogue of warnings about violence, drug use and overcrowding across the jail estate.

Last month Peter Clarke, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, said staffing levels in many establishments are too low to maintain order and described the conditions some inmates are held in as squalid, dirty and disgraceful.

Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, warned last month that staffing levels are too low (PA)

The Prison Officers Association called for an independent review.

Mark Fairhurst, Acting National Chairman of the POA, said: The Prison Service is in disarray; this type of unrest underlines the problems in our prisons and has significant ramifications for the taxpayer and local community.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: Specially trained prison staff have successfully resolved an incident at HMP The Mount on 1 August.

Emergency service vehicles

There were no injuries to staff or prisoners.

We do not tolerate violence in our prisons, and are clear that those responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars.
Boris Johnson accused Venezuelas president of behaving like the dictator of an evil regime after two of the countrys leading opposition leaders were seized from their homes at night by state security agents.

The Foreign Secretary stepped up his attacks on Nicolas Maduro as he appeared to crack down on his enemies after a widely disputed vote to give his ruling socialist party nearly unlimited powers.

The South American countrys National Electoral Council has said more than eight million people voted to grant Mr Maduros government the powers with a constitutional assembly, but the turnout is disputed by political opponents.

Maduro acting like a dictator of an evil regime and has destroyed Venezuelan economy, eroded human rights + imprisoned thousands  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 1, 2017

Hundreds have died during protests against Maduro's actions. Political prisoners must be released + rights, freedoms + democracy respected  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 1, 2017

On Tuesday relatives and allies of two of the countrys leading opposition figures  Leopoldo Lopez and former Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma  reported on social media that they had been detained by the state.

Both had recently posted videos online criticising Mr Maduros decision to hold the vote for a constitutional assembly with the power to overhaul the countrys political system.

Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez claims he has been arrested (Fernando Llano/AP)

Mr Johnson tweeted: Maduro acting like a dictator of an evil regime and has destroyed Venezuelan economy, eroded human rights + imprisoned thousands.

In another post, he added: Hundreds have died during protests against Maduros actions. Political prisoners must be released + rights, freedoms + democracy respected.

Mr Maduro called the vote for a constitutional assembly in May after a month of protests against his government, which has overseen Venezuelas descent into a devastating crisis during its four years in power.

Nicolas Maduro

Plunging oil prices and widespread corruption have left the formerly prosperous nation struggling with widespread shortages of food and medicine.

The winners among the 5,500 ruling-party candidates running for 545 seats in Mr Maduros new constituent assembly will have the task of rewriting the countrys constitution and will have powers above and beyond other state institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress.

The United States has reacted to the election by imposing financial sanctions on Mr Maduro, who Donald Trumps national security adviser H R McMaster also described as a dictator.

.@statedeptspox: US is concerned by the arrests of @LeopoldoLopez and @alcaldeledezma. The US stands with the people of #Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/72QWX2H3DY  Department of State (@StateDept) August 1, 2017

But the Venezuelan president remained defiant, insisting on national television that the sanctions dont intimidate me for a moment, adding: I dont listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever.
A suicide bomber stormed into the largest Shiite Muslim mosque in Afghanistans Herat province, killing at least 20 and wounding dozens more, said the provincial governors spokesman Jalani Farhad.

However Mehdi Hadid, a politician from Herat who went to the site soon after the explosion, told The Associated Press that the scene was one of horrific carnage.

He estimated at least 100 dead and wounded were scattered throughout the mosque.

A wounded man rests on a vehicle after the attack (Hamed Sarfarazi/AP)

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr Mohammed Rafique Shehrzai confirmed 20 bodies were brought to the hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province, soon after the blast.

Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the affiliate of the Islamic State group that operates in the countrys east.

Relatives attend a wounded man

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jawadia Mosque, the largest Shiite Muslim mosque in Herat.

Mr Hadid said he rushed to the mosque after hearing about the explosion.

He was told the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering.

When inside, he fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed then he blew himself up.
The Home Secretary has warned tech giants that terrorists are using their platforms to weaponise vulnerable people in their homes in a speech to the companies in Silicon Valley.

Amber Rudd told representatives of Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft and YouTube at a meeting in San Francisco on Tuesday that along with governments, they needed to do more to stop radicalisation online.

Our enemy is trying to weaponise vulnerable people in their homes, she said.

Home Secretary @AmberRuddHR is today in #SiliconValley talking to tech companies about tackling online terrorist content pic.twitter.com/JxfNrmtnxT  Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 1, 2017

It is a war where the front line can be a screen in a young persons bedroom or the mobile phone in their pocket.

We must be united in our resolve to purge the internet of this poisonous and pernicious material.

She credited the internet firms with strides they are taking in making the internet a hostile place for terrorists to operate, but said the problem could not be tackled by any one of them alone.

Home Secretary @AmberRudd HR visits @Google HQ to discuss what can be done to reduce the availability of online terrorist content pic.twitter.com/U6ghoxzcY3  Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 1, 2017

We need to do more to help keep our communities safe, she urged them.

The Home Secretary was attending the first meeting of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism  an initiative the firms set up in June to tackle radical content on their platforms.

Also present at the meeting was US acting secretary of homeland security, Elaine Duke, in one of her first official appearances in the role after John Kelly started as President Donald Trumps new chief of staff on Monday.

Home Secretary @AmberRuddHR meets @SherylSandberg as part of visit to @Facebook HQ to discuss threat from terrorist use of the internet pic.twitter.com/OQU6Wi2Lyy  Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 1, 2017

The internet firms say their forum will look at technical ways to combat online radicalisation and share its research with governments, academics and smaller companies.

Earlier this year, a committee of MPs accused social media firms of a shameful failure to tackle online terrorist propaganda and hate speech.

In June Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the countrys most senior counter-terror officer, urged internet-based companies to show more responsibility.

Home Secretary @AmberRuddHR visits @Twitter HQ to hear progress made to tackle terrorist content online and discuss further action needed pic.twitter.com/yUeIWKvTiN  Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 1, 2017

Writing in The Times, he warned: It is too easy for the angry, violent or vulnerable to access extremist views, learn about attack methodologies, conspire on encrypted applications and then acquire equipment to kill, all online.

Britain and France are looking at plans that could see technology firms face fines if their efforts to tackle terrorist material are not up to scratch.

The proposals  unveiled by Theresa May and French president Emmanuel Macron in June  include exploring the possibility of creating a new legal liability for companies if they fail to remove unacceptable content.
By Anuradha Nagaraj

CHENNAI, India, July 31 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - B angladesh, the second largest garment producing country in the world, will digitally map its entire garment industry in the first such initiative to bring transparency in the supply chain in an effort to stop abuses.

The mapping project will collect "credible, comprehensive and accurate data" on factories across Bangladesh and disclose it in a publicly available, online map, said a manufacturers association that launched the project on Saturday.

Bangladesh's garment sector, worth about $28 billion per year and employing 4 million people, came under scrutiny after the collapse of the eight-storey Rana Plaza factory complex in 2013 that killed more than 1,100 workers.

The death of 10 workers in a boiler explosion at a garment factory earlier this month renewed calls for more transparency and implementation of labour laws.

"We believe (the project) will empower stakeholders across the industry, including workers, factory authority, brands, government and civil society organisations to create positive changes...," Siddiqur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said in a statement.

"This transparency initiative would significantly complement our ongoing efforts towards enhanced, more risk-averse supply chains," Rahman said.

Campaigners have criticised many retailers for failing to improve working conditions in their supply chains. Long hours, low pay, poor safety standards and not being allowed to form trade unions are common complaints from garment workers.

Locating sub-contracting suppliers has been the biggest challenge, with many big manufacturers not transparent about the lower ends of their supply chain, campaigners add.

The digital mapping project is part of efforts to change that, project head Parveen S. Huda said.

"The mapping project will fuel Bangladesh's garment industry advancements, inspire shared responsibility, responsible sourcing, collective action and build upon pre-existing improvement efforts through informed decision-making," Huda said in a statement.

The map will provide a detailed industry-wide database of factories, including names, locations, numbers of workers, product type, export country, certifications and brand customers.

Verification of information will be crowdsourced from the public to ensure that information remains up-to-date and accurate.

The first public map is scheduled to live in 2018 in the Dhaka region. The final version of the map showcasing all 20 Bangladeshi garment producing districts is expected to be completed by 2021. (Reporting by Anuradha Nagaraj, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking and climate change. Visit www.trust.org)
By Tetsushi Kajimoto

TOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Japan's finance minister said on Tuesday Tokyo would raise the issue of tariffs on frozen beef imports from the United States and other countries in bilateral economic talks with Washington later this year.

Minister Taro Aso's comments came as Japan hiked tariffs from Aug. 1 on imports of frozen beef, popular in beef bowl dishes, from countries including the United States to 50 percent from 38.5 percent. The measure follows U.S. president Donald Trump's move to withdraw from the long-planned Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal earlier this year.

The tariff hike, set to be in place until next March, is a "safeguard" mechanism to protect domestic farmers, Japan's finance ministry said last month, prompting concern in Washington.

"I'm aware of the U.S. agriculture secretary's concern," Aso told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Tokyo. "This measure would be abolished if the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) were implemented, but it remains because the U.S. withdrew from TPP."

Under current Japan measures, higher tariffs are automatically imposed if quarterly imports of specific beef products - both from all nations and from those lacking economic partnership agreements (EPAs) with Japan - rise more than 17 percent from a year earlier.

In April-June, Japan's frozen beef imports from all nations, at 89,253 tonnes, were up 17.1 percent on the year, while imports from non-EPA nations reached 37,823 tonnes, an increase of nearly a quarter, government data showed.

"It's true there have been debates that the span of time (used in tariff reviews) should be extended from the current three months," Finance Minister Aso said on Tuesday. "There's room for consideration and we are likely to discuss issues of this kind in our economic dialogue."

Tokyo and Washington are expected to hold a second round of bilateral economic talks later this year, in which the Trump administration could press for concessions on trade that could increase U.S. exports to Japan. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Chris Gallagher and Kenneth Maxwell)
MILAN, Aug 1 (Reuters) - France wants a private investor for the STX France shipyards and Fincantieri is the best option but the government will be forced to consider other alternatives should negotiations with the Italian shipbuilder fail, the French Finance Minister said on Tuesday in an Italian paper.

"The (STX) Saint Nazaire shipyards must not be directed by the French State. We want a private shareholder and Fincantieri today is the best industrial group to join this big European and Franco-Italian project," Bruno Le Maire told daily il Corriere della Sera in an interview.

Le Maire, who will reopen talks with Italy on Tuesday, said he was hopeful France and Italy would find an agreement over STX in the next weeks and that he was going to Rome with a "constructive state of mind". (Reporting by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
By Drazen Jorgic

ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is poised to become Pakistan's new prime minister in a parliamentary vote on Tuesday, just days after the ouster of veteran leader Nawaz Sharif, as the ruling party aims to project stability.

A quick transition should ease fears that the nuclear-armed nation would be plunged into another bout of political instability, which could erode economic and security gains since the last poll in 2013.

Sharif resigned on Friday after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a source of income - which the three-time premier disputes receiving. He nominated staunch ally Abbasi as interim leader until his brother, Shahbaz, becomes eligible to take over, probably within two months.

Sharif's PML-N party won elections in 2013 and holds a majority of 188 seats in the 342-member parliament, so it should be able to swiftly install its choice of prime minister, barring defections from its own ranks.

The vote is expected soon after parliament meets at 3 p.m. (1000 GMT).

"Our party will succeed with our majority, God willing," Abassi told reporters inside parliament after filing the official nomination papers on Monday.

But the plan to eventually install Shahbaz has also sparked anger among supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan, who has criticised another bout of dynastic politics, a trend with a long history in Pakistan and elsewhere in South Asia.

Khan, who agitated with street protests until the Supreme Court took up a corruption case against Sharif, has called the family a "monarchy" and accused it of trying to turn the country into a personal fiefdom.

Shahbaz, now chief minister of the vast eastern province of Punjab home to more than half of Pakistan's 190 million people, will have to resign and fight a parliamentary by-election before he can take over as prime minister.

His aides say he is likely to usher in a new personal style of government, while probably continuing his brother's focus on huge infrastructure projects and policies favouring business.

INTERIM LEADER

Western-educated Abbasi, who started his career as a businessman, has spent most of his political life by Sharif's side. He was jailed after Pakistan's powerful military staged a coup in 1999 to topple a previous Sharif government.

As minister of petroleum and natural resources in Sharif's last cabinet, he championed Pakistan's push to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and alleviate crippling energy shortages.

The LNG push has attracted foreign companies, who now see Pakistan as one of the world's fastest-growing markets, having initially paid it little attention. Growth will increase fivefold, Abbasi told Reuters last month.

The opposition has also accused Abbasi of corruption over the bidding for an LNG deal in the southern port city of Karachi, citing a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry case filed in 2015 that alleges procurement irregularities.

The NAB case has made little progress and Abbasi has denied any wrongdoing, with PML-N allies saying the opposition wants to detract from the success of the LNG effort.

A senior Pakistani gas official said one of the two bidders for the contract was disqualified by British consultants hired by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leaving a clear winner. The rejected bidder's price was also higher, the official added.

In Pakistan's rough-and-tumble politics, charges of corruption against leading politicians are common and several figures, including opposition leader Khan, face court cases.

Besides ordering Sharif's removal, the Supreme Court also ordered a criminal investigation into him and his family, as well as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. (Reporting by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin

LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Iran believes new sanctions that the United States has imposed on it breach the nuclear deal it agreed in 2015 and has complained to a body that oversees the pact's implementation, a senior politician said on Tuesday.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed by the United States, Russia, China and three European powers, Iran curbed its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most sanctions.

However, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on six Iranian firms in late July for their role in the development of a ballistic missile programme, after Tehran launched a rocket capable of putting a satellite into orbit.

The U.S. Senate voted on the same day to impose new sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea. The sanctions in that bill also target Iran's missile programmes as well as human rights abuses.

"Iran's JCPOA supervisory body assessed the new U.S. sanctions and decided that they contradict parts of the nuclear deal," Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

"Iran has complained to the (JCPOA) Commission for the breach of the deal by America," he added, referring to the joint commission set up by the six world powers, Iran and the European Union to handle any complaints about the deal's implementation.

If the commission is unable to resolve a dispute, parties can take their grievances to the U.N. Security Council.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called the agreement - negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama - "the worst deal ever" last week told Iran to adhere to the terms of the nuclear accord or face "big, big problems", although his administration has certified Iran as being in compliance with the it.

Iranian media said on Monday the government had agreed measures in response to the U.S. sanctions and that President Hassan Rouhani would announce them soon to relevant ministries.

Iran has previously accused the United States of defying the spirit of the nuclear deal or "showing bad faith", but has not taken any formal action against Washington. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
BRUSSELS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Spanish and Finnish fighter jets were sent to intercept three Russian planes flying near Estonian air space on Tuesday, the NATO military alliance said in a statement.

The Russian airplanes were identified as two MiG-31 jets and one Antonov AN-26 transport aircraft, NATO said.

"Two Spanish F-18 jets assigned to NATOs Baltic Air Policing mission scrambled from Estonia's Amari Air Base," NATO said. "Finnish jets also scrambled to intercept the aircraft."

Intercepts of Russian aircraft by NATO have increased in recent years amid heightened tensions between the West and Moscow over Russia's involvement in the Ukraine crisis. (Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek; Editing by Alissa de Carbonnel)
By David Ljunggren

TORONTO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Canadian legislator Jagmeet Singh wants people to pay attention to his three-piece suit and brightly-colored turbans, given they just might help bring down another sharp-dressing politician - Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The lawyer, 38, is a rising political star who aims to become the first person from an ethnic minority to lead a major political party in Canada. If he succeeds in taking over the left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), he could become a major threat to Trudeau in an election set for 2019.

Singh, who entered the race in May, blew away his rivals in second quarter fundraising, data released on Monday showed. The NDP competes for the same center-left voters as the Liberals.

Like the photogenic prime minister, Singh has been splashed across the pages of a glossy style magazine - GQ in his case, Vogue in Trudeau's - and generates the same kind of buzz that Trudeau does despite a smaller platform as a provincial legislator in Ontario.

Like Trudeau, Singh gathers crowds wherever he goes. On a recent tour in Toronto, he could barely walk five steps without being stopped and asked for a selfie.

He uses Twitter to make policy announcements and statements - a series of tweets explaining why he wanted to be party leader went viral in June and was featured on BuzzFeed - while his YouTube channel showcases legislative work.

"I have an incredibly strong appeal in one of the most vote-rich areas in our country," Singh said.

Ipsos Public Affairs pollster Darrell Bricker calls Singh "a dangerous candidate" for Trudeau, especially in the Toronto region which accounts for about 20 percent of Parliament seats.

"When you look at what happens here, if he can have any impact on the vote at all it's a threat," he said.

Watching Singh, the Liberals believe he has not shown signs of expanding his support and chipping away at their voters, according to a senior party member from the city.

VYING FOR MILLENNIALS

Singh, who said as a young man he was subject to random stops by police, says the racial discrimination he suffered in his youth gives him an edge over his rivals.

"There are a lot of Canadians that have faced certain struggles in their lives ... they see in me someone who understands those struggles," he said at a vegan restaurant in between events.

His practice of wearing natty suits and turbans that vary from shocking pink to lime green dates back to his lawyer days when he was trying to dispel negative perceptions. His solution was to stand out as much as possible.

"It disarms people and it creates conversations. So fashion for me has been used as a tool to engage people, to disrupt their normal notions of someone who looks like me," he said.

Singh is competing against three rivals in the leadership race and has the most endorsements from NDP legislators.

Although his core support comes from Canada's influential Sikh population, he is seeking the backing of other ethnic communities as well as young voters.

But the challenges are great: He must first win the leadership in October, then win a federal seat in Parliament and persuade voters to switch from Trudeau to a party that has never held power federally.

While he speaks French fluently, he could also struggle in Quebec, the vote-rich, mainly French-speaking province, where public displays of faith are frowned upon.

Singh's most realistic hope is to take over the party and win enough seats in 2019 to deprive Trudeau of his majority in Parliament. That would leave the Liberals dependent on the NDP, who could then demand concessions in return for support.

Former NDP national director Karl Belanger, who is unaligned, said Singh's candidacy was intriguing but he will be hard pressed to wrest youth voters away from the prime minister.

"In Canada you already have a millennials' champion and that guy is Justin Trudeau and he remains very popular. So how do you chip away at his brand?"

($1 = C$1.2496) (Editing by Chris Reese)
By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - The United States will waive environmental rules so extra barriers can be built to bar illegal immigrants from crossing the border with Mexico near San Diego, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.

The projects, on about 15 miles (24 km) of the frontier extending east from the Pacific Ocean, are part of President Donald Trump's planned wall between the United States and Mexico.

The wall was a centerpiece of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign but Democrats and many Republicans have questioned its effectiveness. Immigration advocacy groups argue it would not stem illegal border crossings.

Government estimates put the cost of the wall at about $21 billion and Trump has said that Mexico will eventually pay for it. Mexico has refused to pay.

The DHS said the area near San Diego is one of the busiest U.S. border sections with a high volume of illegal entries and that there was an immediate need to improve the infrastructure.

Environmental impact studies generally are required under federal law for building on public lands. While the waiver will eliminate a study, the department said it will remain mindful of cultural and environmental impacts.

Roads, lights, cameras and sensors will be installed in addition to extra barriers, the department said. The project's start date was not immediately known and the DHS statement did not mention the cost.

The DHS statement said Border Patrol agents arrested more than 31,000 "illegal aliens" and seized more than 9,000 pounds (4,000 kg) of marijuana and 1,317 pounds (597 kg) of cocaine in the San Diego area last year.

According to a memo published by the Congressional Research Service in January and seen by Reuters, a 2005 law gives Homeland Security broad authority to waive any law that could impede expeditious construction of barriers and roads.

The memo was sent to members of Congress who questioned the feasibility of building a southern border wall.

The U.S. House of Representatives last week approved a $68 billion increase in military spending next year with legislation that also provided funds for the border wall.

American Oversight, a watchdog group that has sued the Trump administration on a range of issues, said the DHS statement was a disturbing sign that Trump will "barrel ahead" with building the wall, no matter the cost to taxpayers or the environment.

"Given the widespread skepticism towards the effectiveness of the border wall by leaders in both parties ... effective safeguards are more important than ever," American Oversight's executive director, Austin Evers, said in a statement.

Trump's 2018 budget proposal also calls for 32 miles (51 km) of new wall in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, where the 2,000-acre Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is located. That has worried environmental activists, who note the refuge is home to 400 bird species and a dwindling population of federally protected ocelots. (Additional reporting by Julia Edwards Ainsley; Writing by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Bill Trott and James Dalgleish)
By Lin Taylor

LONDON, Aug 2 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - About one in five young women and girls in Kyrgyzstan are kidnapped for marriage, according to a study published on Wednesday which found their babies are smaller than average, probably due to their mothers' psychological distress.

Bride kidnapping, which also occurs in countries like Armenia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and South Africa, is particularly common in rural parts of the Central Asian country even though it is illegal, researchers from the U.S.-based Duke University said.

The practice, known as "ala kachuu" which means "to take and run away", involves a potential groom forcibly taking a young woman or girl back to his home before pressuring her to agree to marriage by writing a letter of consent and wearing a "marriage scarf" over her head.

In many cases, the groom will rape his kidnapped bride to prevent her from returning to her family due to shame, according to the United Nations Population Fund.

"After kidnapping, these women are no longer assumed to be virgins. In addition, they might be perceived as stubborn and belligerent if they resist the marriage ... (and) become less attractive to other potential suitors," the report said.

Between 16 and 23 percent of women in Kyrgyzstan are abducted for marriage, but the rate is much higher among ethnic Kyrgyz where a third of all marriages are due to kidnapping, it said.

Ethnic Kyrgyz make up 70 percent of the country's 6 million population which also includes Uzbeks, Russians and Turks.

Kidnapped brides tend to be younger than those in love marriages or arranged marriages, with 19 being the mean age, the study found.

Nearly one in 10 girls in Kyrgyzstan are married before they turn 18, according to global charity Girls Not Brides.

Although Kyrgyzstan outlawed bride kidnapping in 2013 and banned child marriage in 2016, nearly 12,000 young women and girls are thought to be kidnapped for marriage each year, the Women's Support Centre in Kyrgyzstan says.

The study, published in the journal Demography, also said babies born to kidnapped brides weighed 80 to 190 grammes less than those from arranged marriages. Smaller birth weights have been linked to a higher risk of disease, lower education rates and earnings, it said.

It was unclear why these babies were smaller, but it was likely due to the psychological trauma suffered by the mother from being in a forced marriage, said economics professor Charles Becker, who co-authored the study.

There also seemed to be an underlying tolerance for bride kidnapping even though it is illegal, he added.

"The stigma of having been kidnapped does not seem to be large among the Kyrgyz, and people are willing to discuss it openly, even with strangers," Becker said in a statement.

"Our next step is to explore why the practice of kidnapping is unofficially accepted in a country that quite recently had a woman president."

About 15 million girls a year are married before the age of 18, Girls Not Brides estimates. (Reporting by Lin Taylor @linnytayls, Editing by Emma Batha. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian issues, conflicts, global land and property rights, modern slavery and human trafficking, women's rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories)
We will continue to support the Unity Government and protect it till 2020 even if the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) decides to leave the alliance, the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) led by Minister Mano Ganesan said today.

Addressing a press conference, TPA Deputy Leader Palani Thigambaram said that though some parties were keen on breaking up the present coalition the TPA would defend it to the end.

The minister said due to the financial liabilities left behind by the Rajapaksa regime, the present government had been unable to share the benefits of development with the public as yet, but they were confident that this would change for the better in the coming years.

He also said that their alliance believes that the government would not protect those accused of wrongdoings and that the law should be enforced equally to all citizens after impartial inquiries are conducted. I dont know whether Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake is guilty of the charges brought against him. However if he has committed a crime we believe that even he should be punished under the good governance policy of this government, the minister said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the attack on the two policemen in Jaffna recently, he said one or two isolated incidents had been reported but they were not of a serious nature. He said under the present government there is no opportunity for terrorism to raise its ugly head again, therefore the people should not be unnecessarily afraid.

Minister Thigambaram also warned that some private media institutions were carrying out mud-slinging campaigns in the hopes of tarnishing his image. He said media freedom was a part of a vibrant society and it is also the responsibility of the media to carry unbiased news. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)

Video by RM
A Sri Lankan who worked at the the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Saudi Arabia recalls the gruesome tale

Iraq forces invaded Kuwait on 2nd of August 1990. Then there were thousands of expatriates working in Kuwait. Reports reveal that over 10,000 Sri Lankans were engaged in various occupations in Iraq. Today marks the 27th year after the war between Iraq-Kuwait broke out. Most of the Sri Lanka expatriates came to Saudi Arabia crossing the Kuwait-Saudi border considering their safety. Most of them didnt possess any valuables when they were crossing the Saudi border. Most of expatriate workers who came to Saudi Arabia were housemaids.

When this war occurred, I was serving at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Saudi Arabia. Thousands of Sri Lankans came to the Embassy of Sri Lanka for their safety. I have never faced this kind of incident before while serving in the Government Service. We were confused when we saw the helpless Sri Lankans surrounding the Embassy. It was difficult to help them because the embassy had limited resources and lacked staff. The embassy had only 16 staffers then.

At that time the Ambassador of Sri Lanka was getting treatment in a hospital in Riyadh. One of the most prominent characters in Sri Lanka Foreign Service, the acting Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam (Now the Secretary of Foreign Affairs) had to shoulder the burden. It was lucky that he had a dedicated staff to help him. He could share this burden with them. I take this opportunity to specially thank the Government of Saudi Arabia which provided shelter and flights to evacuate stranded Sri Lankans and take them back to their motherland, due to the Gulf War.

We were confused when we saw the helpless Sri Lankans surrounding the Embassy. It was difficult to help them because the embassy had limited resources and lacked staff

It was a great solace to him (Ambassador) that Kariyawasam could take prompt action to help these stranded Sri Lankans with the help of staff of the Embassy. From the day that these stranded Sri Lankans arrived at the embassy, we didnt have any leisure time, even to have our meals. We had no proper sleep either. We had to go to the airport three-four times daily in the night to send back the Sri Lankans. Most of them didnt have a travel document (Passport). Then the acting ambassador authorized the home based officers to sign the temporary travel documents. Later these travel documents were used by the stranded Sri Lankans to obtain compensation which was paid to them by SLBFE, due to Gulf War.

When recalling this situation, we cant forget the services rendered by the expatriate Sri Lankans working in various institutions in Riyadh and other places such as Mawarid Services Ltd and J&P Company Ltd. Transport, food items and clothes were supplied by both these companies and the Sri Lankans who were working there.

Most of the housemaids who came said that their main aim was to work in Saudi Arabia for some time, earn money and return to Sri Lanka. They said that they had come to Kuwait by pawning their properties and they had to redeem them. The acting Ambassador and the staff of the Embassy took a decision at a staff meeting to grant permission to those who were willing to do so. And at the same time there were requests from Saudi Sponsors to get the services of house maids. Then they were asked to deposit three months salary in the Embassy in order to obtain air tickets at the end of three months service and return to Sri Lanka. Receipts were issued for these amounts by the embassy. Many Sri Lankans got this opportunity.

In the meantime we were instructed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo to send back the families of home based officers in the Embassy as the threat of Saddam Husain to Saudi Arabia loomed large. As a result we had to send back our families to Sri Lank and remain alone. We were instructed to have one room sealed in our houses. We were even supplied with gas marks, in case there was a sudden chemical attack. We felt very sorry to have faced such a situation at this time of our lives. By then Saddam Hussein had already expressed that he would attack Saudi Arabia with chemical weapons. Then we realized that not only were our lives in danger, we were also facing a struggle between life and death.

Saddam had issued a deadline before carrying out the chemical attack on Saudi Arabia. According to my knowledge, the first missile targeting Riyadh by Iraq was scheduled for September 16. In the nigh that day, we felt a great fear as Riyadh came under a chemical missile attack. But fortunately Saddam hadnt used chemicals in keeping with the announcement made by the Saudi Government. Saddam had sent over 20 scud missiles to Saudi Arabia. Only two or three scud missiles crashed on to the land. The others were destroyed by the Patriot Missiles which were excellent productions of Americans during that era. One day a scud missile landed near the Airbase of Riyadh which was close to my house. One Pakistani person was killed during this incident. On that day a glass in a room at my house was shattered due to this attack. I feared very much on that day.

We had to go to the airport three-four times daily in the night to send back the Sri Lankans. Most of them didnt have a travel document (Passport)

After a few days of scud missile attacks we had to get used to it and then no fear was felt. During the night we used to travel in Riyadh city without fear. One day we had to stop in front of the Al-Kosama Hotel due to the bugle sound signaling that there was a scud missile attack. Many people, including foreigners, were looking at the sky. A scud missile that was fired clashed with a patriot missile, launched from the airbase. We were watching the incident. At once the patriot missile got stuck to the scud missile and destroyed it in the sky. Only the ash on the earth. Though our lives were at risk, I was very happy to have this experience in my life as an employee in the Government Service. But it is very unfortunate to state that our service in a foreign country, at a time of war, didnt merit any commendation from the Sri Lankan Authorities.

148 American soldiers were killed and 148 were wounded. 292 soldiers were killed in coalition. 32 aircraft crashed. 75 fighter flights were destroyed in the attack.

57 aircraft of Kuwait were lost. 4200 were killed by Iraq and 12000 were captured. 200 Tanks were destroyed. 850 of other military vehicles were captured by Iraqi troops. 27 ships were sunk. 6 were captured. Over 1000 civilian Kuwaitees were killed. 600 were missing. Eight Sri Lankans were killed and 32 were wounded.

Though our lives were at risk, I was very happy to have this experience in my life as an employee in the Government Service. But it is very unfortunate to state that our service in a foreign country, at a time of war, didnt merit any commendation from the Sri Lankan Authorities

In Iraq as many as 20000-30000 security personnel were killed. Over 75000 soldiers were wounded. 3700 Tanks were destroyed by the allied forces. 110 aircraft were destroyed. 137 aircraft were flown to Iran. 19 ships were sunk. 6 were damaged. 3664 civilians were killed.








Ranil Wickremesinghe taking oath as Prime Minister

A benevolent leadership is essentially a victory for the common man. Rulers of the past accomplished farsighted schemes for the welfare and survival of future generations. Today, a rare opportunity has arisen for us to appreciate and congratulate Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for the unique services he has rendered to the nation during the past 40 years as a Member of Parliament.

His political career has been studded with key ministries in addition to being Leader of the House as well as Leader of the Opposition. At present, the 68-year-old Ranil is at the apex of Sri Lanka politics and will go down in history as having held the office of Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on four occasions. He is recognized as an iconic political leader by global democratic strongmen. Its indeed phenomenal how this remarkably reserved person managed to win the confidence of people to drive his party to the political vanguard of our nation.

Born on 24th March 1949, Ranil probably inherited his sterling qualities from his parents and forefathers. He is the second son of Esmond and Nalini Wickremesinghe and has three brothers, Shan (Chairman TNL), Niraj, Channa and an only sister Kshanika.

The late Esmond Wickremesinghe was an internationally renowned media champion. His mother was the eldest daughter of National Patriot D.R. Wijewardene, the Father of Print Media in Sri Lanka. When the national leader E.W. Perera, discovered the Royal Banner of our last King Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe disrespectfully hanging at the Chelsea Hospital in London; it was D.R. Wijewardene who helped him to bring it back to Sri Lanka. Ranils paternal grandfather C.E.L. Wickremesinghe was the first Sinhala Government Agent in 1930 and also the first Sri Lankan to become The Commissioner of Lands.

When Ranil was making efforts to solve the social and economic problems donor countries were convinced of Ranils democratic policies

Ranils family has been among the Chief Dayakayas of the Kelaniya Temple. Ranil became well-versed in the Buddha Dhamma and national history due to his mothers influence and also by constantly associating with the learned Bikkhus of the Gangaramaya Viharaya, Hunupitiya.

He attended Royal College Colombo and entered the Law Faculty of the Colombo University. In 1972, he took oaths as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. Ranil held the distinction of being the first and only product of a Ceylon University to become the Prime Minister of our country.

When draconian laws were implemented and the democratic freedom of the country was threatened, Ranils Uncle, the then leader of the United National Party and Leader of the Opposition, J.R. Jayewardene, introduced young Ranil to politics as the UNP Organizer for the Kelaniya Electorate in the 1970s.

At the 1977 General Election, Ranil contested the Biyagama Seat and entered Parliament as its youngest M.P. He was first appointed Deputy Foreign Minister in the J.R. Jayewardene Government. Later, he was sworn in as Cabinet Minister of Youth Affairs and Employment. Ranil was instrumental in setting up the Sri Lanka National Guard and the National Youth Service Council and Bellwood Village which provided new avenues and vocational training for school leavers.

As the Minister of Education, Ranil took several measures to stop political appointments of teachers. He founded the National Institute of Education, established Colleges of Education for Teachers and simultaneously took action to upgrade Pirivena Education. He streamlined the distribution of free school text books and introduced other schemes beneficial to education.

At the 1989 General Election, Ranil was once again elected to Parliament and appointed Minister of Industries by President Ranasinghe Premadasa. Subsequently, he became Minister of Science and Technology; establishing the Biyagama Special Economic Zone as another major milestone in his career.

The General Election held during Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratungas rule in 2000, saw the defeat of the UNP. However, Ranil succeeded in toppling her Peoples Alliance Government within a short period and, at the Parliamentary Elections held in 2001, Ranil steered his party to victory forming a UNP Government. On assuming the Premiership, he rescued the country from its financial crisis.

At that time, the country was in the throes of a war against terrorism. Though Ranil was criticized for his ceasefire pact with the LTTE in support of his peace program, the U.S.A. granted a $45 Billion loan to Sri Lanka at that time. When Ranil was making decisive efforts to solve the social and economic problems of the country, donor countries were convinced of Ranils democratic policies. He was clearly on track toward an impressive economic recovery.

Ranils marriage with Maithree took place in 1995.

Ranil Wickremesinghe was a candidate at both presidential polls held in 1999 and 2005. Chandrika Kumaratunga defeated him in 1999 on the sympathy votes she received following the LTTE bomb attack on her. Similarly, Mahinda Rajapaksa won the presidential election held in 2005 by an extremely narrow margin. This was due to the support he got from the LTTE Leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran, who prevented over 700,000 Northern voters from exercising their free franchise.

In July 2002, after a lapse of almost 18 years, Premier Ranil met President George Bush at the White House. At that meeting, the US Government pledged to support Sri Lanka. Premier Ranil then went on to have meetings with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Indian Premier Atal Bhihari Vajpay.

As far back as 2003, Ranil proposed the creation of the Western Region Megapolis Project. Had it been launched at that time, the Meetotamulla garbage disaster wouldnt have occurred. Sadly, while Prime Minister Ranil was holding discussions in USA, President Chandrika exercised her executive powers and dissolved Parliament. With JVP connivance the UNP lost the subsequent elections and Ranil became Leader of the Opposition.

By 2015, Sri Lanka remained almost isolated from the world. Mahinda Rajapakses regime had distanced Sri Lanka from the western world. As usual, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, was compelled to shoulder a government with an empty Treasury and an enormous amount of foreign debts. Due to his indefatigable efforts, foreign investors were attracted to the country and friendly nations generously offered financial assistance to implement personal solutions for the farsighted vision of our Prime Minister.

As Leader of the Opposition, he proved his statesmanship prowess. Ranil was always a cooperative Opposition Leader to both Chandrika Bandaranaike and Mahinda Rajapakse Governments in helping them to carry out their national agendas. False propaganda was never in his league. Nevertheless, his rivals in some of the print and electronic media slandered him unjustifiably. Despite those dubious attempts, Ranil Wickremesinghe became the peoples choice and the candidate who polled the highest preferential votes amounting to 500,556 at the general elections held two years ago. Its because of his statesmanship and integrity that he has been continuously elected to Parliament.

When the UNP Government lost the elections in 1994, Ranil vacated Temple Trees within hours and earned the well deserved Mr. Clean. Additionally, Ranil was never power crazy. Being the UNP Leader, Ranil was the rightful aspirant for the Presidential Elections. Yet, on two occasions he gave up this opportunity. When General Sarath Fonseka contested, Ranil stepped back and supported him. Again he stepped down in support of the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena and contributed to the peoples victory on 8th January 2015.

In 2014, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in recognition of Ranils activities named him as a Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow, while the International Democratic Union (IDU), enlisted him as a member of the IDU. During his recent visit to Australia, the Deakin University conferred an Honorary Doctorate on him in recognition of his significant contributions to the economy, education and human rights.

A few days ago, at a religious ceremony held at the Kotikawatte temple to mark his 40th anniversary and to bestow the blessing of the sacred Thisarana on him, the Prime Minister expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the Maha Sangha said, To have been in the House of Parliament and engaged in political activity for a long period of 40 years is no easy task. Its an extremely tiresome job. You have to face both praise as well as blame. I never expected to have done this, but I have managed to do so. It was possible mostly because of my religious upbringing and what I have learned from the Buddhist philosophy. Especially by trying to practice the lessons taught in the sacred texts, such as the Dhammapada.

Mr. Prime Minister, may you go from strength to strength in your genuine endeavors to serve our Sri Lankan nation!
Verite Research hosted EIA expert Joshua C. Gellers, who presented his early research findings on the quality of Environmental Impact Assessments in Sri Lanka.



The speakers project examines the extent to which EIAs for projects funded by emerging donors differ in quality fromthose funded by traditional donors.



Gellers identified two major weaknesses common among Environmental Impact Assessments in Sri Lanka: (1) minimal discussion of alternative scenarios, and (2) insufficient explanation of temporal and spatial impacts of proposed development projects.



In his concluding remarks, Gellers stated that large projects funded by emerging donors will continue to draw controversy.He further noted that the EIA process in Sri Lanka is slow, and public participation is limited due to structural weaknesses in the current regulatory framework. EIA Reports are also long and not readily accessible to the public, creating barriers to stakeholder buy-in.



The Uma Oya project has once again demonstrated why it is in everybodys interest to take the EIA process seriously. Sri Lanka has a history of assessing the impacts ofdevelopment,beginning with the Coast Conservation Act in 1981.



The EIA process as we know it today was subsequently embedded in The National Environmental Act in 1988. However, questions are now being raised as to the effectiveness of Sri Lankas EIA process as news reports seem to tip the scales in favour ofeconomic interests over environmental protection and community rights.



Joshua C. Gellers is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Florida and a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Sri Lanka. Verite Research is an interdisciplinary think-tank that hosts public seminars on a regular basis.For information on upcoming topics, email communications@veriteresearch.org
By Zahara Zuhair

Regaining GSP Plus will most certainly come with its fair share of challenges, and the government must now should set its sights on helping the export sector of the county to reap benefits, Exporters Association of Sri Lanka (EASL) stressed recently.



Authorities like the Export Development Board (EDB) and the Foreign Ministry with its diplomatic missions overseas must now help prospective exporters to find new markets and opportunities for Sri Lanka to re-enter into markets in the European Union (EU).



It is absolutely imperative that Sri Lanka uses this window to boost her competitiveness of her exports in to the EU, EASL Chairman Harin de Silva said addressing the 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Exporters Association of Sri Lanka held last Friday.



Some of the challenges he mentioned were the limited production capacities in Sri Lanka that have severely hampered the Sri Lankan export fraternity to cater to the additional demand that GSP plus would now bring to Sri Lanka.



He said that those exporters who shifted away from markets based in the European Union (EU) since GSP Plus was withdrawn from Sri Lanka will take time to re-establish themselves back in markets based in the EU.



Also with Brexit now unravelling itself in the EU, he said that Sri Lanka is faced with a very unique challenge that will have a negative impact on realizing the GSP Plus benefits especially for sectors like the apparel sector as the United Kingdom accounts for 40 percent of Sri Lankas apparel exports in to the EU.



GSP Plus was regained in May this year after losing the preferential trade scheme for seven years, resulting in enabling Sri Lankan exporters to export over 6,000 products duty free to EU countries. Meanwhile, he said that while formulating two documents under the title Recommendations for a National Export Strategy, they came across several factors that stood out.



These factors were; the limited basket of products which Sri Lanka has developed to match internationally-accepted standards, the lack of appropriate incentives being offered, especially for SMEs, the disconnect between industry and educational institutions hampering innovation and suboptimal use of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) currently in place between Sri Lanka and foreign states.



Other factors he shared were the inconsistent policy and the lack of political will to develop the export sector of Sri Lanka, the lack of clear political objective and duplication of ministerial functions and external global factors which have a direct impact on Sri Lanka.



He added that with very frequently overlapping functions of several ministries and bureaucratic red tape, it has completely distorted the creation and outcomes of strategic initiatives that the government is trying to put in place.



He said that this invariably results in the formulation of inconsistent policy changes that have very far reaching effects on exports and trade. The chairman also stressed on the importance of public-private partnerships in all areas of trade that the EASL has always spoken of at various forums to-date.

I believe following examples of countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Dubai on how they have championed, this model will hold Sri Lanka in good stead moving forward, he said.



He said that sound consistent policy decisions for the exports sector must invariably be followed by a readily available basket of goods that is of exportable quality and quantity.



Diversifying our export basket of goods is paramount to making Sri Lanka a competitive export destination, he said.



According to data, in Sri Lanka, exports as a percentage of the GDP has fallen to 12.7 percent in 2016 from 33 percent recorded in 2000. Hence, they stressed the importance and need for a strong and positive political will and vision to drive the export sector of the country to reach its full potential.

EASL, which makes representations on issues effecting export trade in one voice, represents around 1000 exporters, direct and indirect who contribute to about 80 percent of total exports of the country.
The next general elections will be held in three years and those attempting to destabilize the country and disrupt public life through protests and strikes must realize they will not be allowed to change this government until 2020, President Maithripala Sirisena said today.

Delivering the keynote address at the 38th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), the President said the government had permitted trade union activities as they were integral parts of a democratic country. But it is sad to witness the strikes, protests and trade union action in a destructive and indecent manner almost daily inconveniencing public life not aimed at winning demands but carrying out politically motivated acts of sabotage.

This government will never deprive the right to vote and right to engage in trade union action. We have introduced legislation to strengthen the right of franchise and workers rights by constituting Independent Commissions. But all those who enjoy the new found freedom must learn to use them not only for their benefit but that of the country as well, he said.

President Sirisena said the framework agreement for the Hambantota Port Development Project (HPDP) was signed on September 4th, 2014 during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime in which he was also a Cabinet minister.

"After this government came to power, through hard negotiations with the Chinese Merchant Port Holding Co (CMPHC) we were able to persuade them to bring down the extent of land sold to the Chinese company by Rajapaksa government by 50% and change the sell out to a lease agreement. Under that agreement, the security of the Hambantota Port and surrounding area including the proposed. The Rajapaksa regime had also given outright 240 acres from the Port City to the Chinese. Under the agreement entered on Port City Project, the Head of State should have got prior permission from the Chinese management of the Port City to land a chopper there. We changed all these clauses," the President said. Unfortunately we were not able to retake the highly valuable 6 acre land sold to Shangri-La Hotel Project as it had been sold in deed. A long as I remain as the President of this country I will not let any one to sell a single inch of land or assets of Sri Lanka to any country or foreign company."

The President said the farmework agreement on HPDP was submitted to the Cabinet once again yesterday because he wanted to further amend the agreement to ensure there was no an iota of negative impact on Sri Lanka from it. It will be presented in Parliament at the next session for the members to suggest their own proposals if any and the government was ready to incorporate any worthwhile suggestion.

He said Sri Lanka was known in the world because of its ports from ancient times. The ports in Sri Lanka are also closely involves in its victories and defeats as foreign powers arrived in Sri Lanka through ports. Therefore, Sri Lnkans cannot talk about our history, wars. invasions and the foreign influence without talking on ports located round the country. The SLPA and its employees contribution to the economy and the national development is immeasurable. Now that, with agreement of the HPDD signed the SLPA must not incur Rs. 9.1 billion to maintain loss making Hambantota Port and the employees of the SLPA are to benefit immensely, President Sirisena said and added at the discussion he had with leaders of the trade unions of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) yesterday, they realized the importance of signing this agreement.

The SLPA employees are to receive a huge benefits in the form of pay rises, big bonuses, enhanced health and insurance schemes and more welfare facilities as a result of the agreement, President Sirisena said.

Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe also spoke. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
Hot on the heels of the government inking the Hambantota Port deal, D.J. Rajakaruna, Convener of the Joint Trade Union Alliance in the petroleum sector, speaks about its implications to the country and its economy at large. Excerpts:

Hambantota Port deal, worse than 1815 Kandyan treaty

Investment in Ports is the most profitable international business for SL

We insist on retaining at least bunkering business with us

SL is astride a main trade artery in the world

It is unquestionably a viable investment

This country has potential to develop these facilities

It is treacherous to lease out Trincomalee harbour to India

Plans to have talks with CEB, NWSBD TUs to join hands

More ships are looking to Trincomalee for bunkering services

Chinese company has lions share in as profit earning company

We should not alienate these assets to US, India or China

We should not alienate these assets to US, India or China

Q There are various arguments about the viability of the Hambantota Port. How do you look at it as a trade union leader?

Unquestionably, it is an economically viable port. Nobody could dispute the construction of it at all. Sri Lanka is astride the main shipping line that connects the Middle-East with the rest of the world. In our view, Sri Lanka is not a country enriched with natural resources. We have oil resources which are still unexplored, though. It is something different. Hence, the best mode of development is the capitalization of its location adjacent to this trade and shipping artery. We have to convert our strategic location to a blessing for the country. On a daily basis, around 300-400 ships sail pass Sri Lanka along this sea-lane. If we tap at least 0.1% of bunkering business available for these ships, we would be able to sell off a tanker load of fuel. It would amount to a business running to the tune of billions of US dollars.

The debt burden will remain. The Govt. is to get US $ 1.2 billion for the transaction. The deal was struck out of greed for such money. The Govt. is to get this amount. But, it is not meant to square-off the debt. The debt level will continue to be there

Sri Lanka has the biggest potential for bunker business. A ship coming through Suez Canal has to reach Singapore for bunkering. To reach such a distance, a ship has to carry an additional volume of fuel in reservation. About 8000 tons of fuel should be on reserve for a shipping vessel. Whereas with such facilities are available here in Sri Lanka, a ship may require only half of the reserved fuel. When that is reduced, a ship gets space for additional freight. It would be profitable for the shipping lines agents concerned. Hambantota has the greatest potential in this case. Even now, some of the ships sail pass Sri Lanka have a port of call at Galle harbour for crew changes etc. China is the second largest economy in the world. With its economic expansion, it looks to new markets. They have revitalized the ancient silk route one the One Belt, One Road project. Sri Lanka is in a vantage point here. Hambantota has the potential to be developed as a cargo transit hub.

We should not alienate these assets to US, India or China

There is a gas line being developed across Bangladesh and Myanmar to link with the Chinese economy. Chittagong is the entry point. Hambantota is to be linked with this. Then, Kra canal is being developed near Thailand to reduce voyage time for ships. The cruise from China to Sri Lanka via Singapore could be reduced by 1600 nautical miles because of this canal. Trincomalee is equally important. We have no other international trade business as viable as port services.

Q As petroleum workers, you struck work crippling the entire country against signing an agreement to lease out the Port to Chinese Merchants Port Holding Company. Though it was said signing would be postponed, it happened. What are you going to do now?

Our demand was to retain the bunkering business with Sri Lanka. In Hambantota, it is difficult to work for six months because it is very windy in the sea areas. That is why it was built as an inner harbour. Two jetties and 11 tanks were built to be entrusted with the petroleum authorities. Our representatives also observed it. We have to admit that it had not been built on par with the most appropriate plan. Our experts in the petroleum sector were not consulted in this case. There was no proper feasibility study. It looks like eyewash. The petroleum sector only should decide on standards and specifications in tank building for fuel storage.

We sensed that the Govt. is trapped by foreign powers. It is difficult for us to please all the super powers at once. The answer is to retain these bunkering facilities in Trincomalee and Hambantota with us, rather than alienating to the US, India or China. We had to sign the Indo-Lanka Accord under compulsions; giving the Trincomalee oil tank farm to India on lease. That happened because of the way we engaged with the US at that time. The Prime Minister accepted it during our meeting with him. Now, how many people have died as the end result of the Indo-Lanka Accord? We insisted that the facilities in Hambantota and Trincomalee should not be alienated. However, the Govt. had reached a point of no return. Therefore, we asked the Govt. to keep the bunkering business at least with us in both these places.

The Prime Minister accepted it during our meeting with him. Now, how many people have died as the end result of the Indo-Lanka Accord? We insisted that the facilities in Hambantota and Trincomalee should not be alienated. However, the Govt. had reached a point of no return. Therefore, we asked the Govt. to keep the bunkering business at least with us in both these places

Q However, the agreement was inked. What is your stand now?

This is a grave betrayal. We were once colonized by the British. After that, this is the next gravest subjugation of our economy to a foreign power.

Q The Govt. says this would reduce its debt burden, making way for economic stability. What is your view?

It is falsehood. The debt burden will remain. The Govt. is to get US $ 1.2 billion for the transaction. The deal was struck out of greed for such money. The Govt. is to get this amount. But, it is not meant to square-off the debt. The debt level will continue to be there.

Q There are two companies to be set up. The Chinese company will hold majority shares. How would it impact the local economy?

The agreement contains provisions that are disadvantageous to Sri Lanka. There are two companies to be proposed. We will have majority shares in one company and work as the service provider vitality. These are not profit earning sectors. In that company, we will be responsible for 51.7% of equity, whereas in the profit earning company, we will have only 15% of shares.

The port has been built now. This is a massive facility. We have to install gantry cranes now for it to take off in full swing. We need an investment for it. That is true. Once that is done, business will flow in. There is nothing much to be developed other than it. The loan is only US $ 1.7 billion taken for it. Actually, we could save foreign exchange because of oil price reductions in the world market. We could have pumped in the saved amount of money in terms of US dollars to install gantry cranes at least for one terminal in Hambantota.

Minister Arjuna Ranatunga once said Sri Lanka Ports Authority recorded a profit of Rs.11 billion even by paying off loan installments. Even bonuses were paid. Only up to 2020, we will have debt serving on a rising scale regarding the port. After that, it will be on a sliding scale. Now, a bulk of the port revenue will be acquired by an external party. A couple of months ago, we did bunkering of 3000 tons of fuel. The profit was Rs.117 million. This is such a small business. We do not believe in the Govts argument that the port cannot be run because of debt burden. It is fallacy.

Q In the Cabinet paper, it says port security is a matter for Sri Lanka. However, the Chinese company has majority shares. As a result, wont it be able to have a stake in security aspects?

Yes, it is possible. I wonder whether we would also have to obtain visa to go to the port one day!

The government is now trying to apportion Trincomalee harbour to India. We can write reams and reams about the importance of the Trincomalee harbour. It is a treacherous act to lease it out to India. Trincomalee should be the capital of our country, in our view. These two resources are big enough to rejuvenate the local economy

Q How do you look at this from a geopolitical point of view?

That is the reason for me to stress that we should keep these facilities with us. We should not alienate them to any super power. If we alienate it to one country, we will have to please the other by another means. This is the entire subjugation of the countrys economy. This is nothing but betrayal. It is even worse than the 1815 Kandyan treaty. On the other hand, the government is now trying to apportion Trincomalee harbour to India. We can write reams and reams about the importance of the Trincomalee harbour. It is a treacherous act to lease it out to India. Trincomalee should be the capital of our country, in our view. These two resources are big enough to rejuvenate the local economy. We can develop the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm. In fact, we pointed out to the Govt. that the cost could be recovered within one year after starting bunkering business. There are enough and more ships looking to Trincomalee for bunkering services. The Govt. has submitted the Cabinet paper to lease it out to India and it was submitted on the same day. We had to wage a hard battle to stop this.

Q Now, you sought yet another meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena. How are you going to raise all these matters?

Actually we had talks with the President during our strike period. We called-off the strike after the meeting was adjourned till August 1. That is the real story. The President said he would bring an amendment to the original agreement before signing during the period of interval. That is to accommodate our demand. He proposed to talk to the Chinese company. Then, he said it would reduce the amount to be paid by that company for the stake of the port. The Govt. wants quick money; it is virtually starving. So, it clings to any straw to find money. We are yet to read the full text of the original agreement signed. We still place some trust on the President. If he breaches this trust, it would reflect badly on him. We wrote to him saying this is an act of treason. We asked him not to be part of it. We explained him the danger that is lurking in this case.

The next move is to unite trade unions in the other sectors for our struggle. We alone cannot do it. We will talk to the trade unions of Ceylon Electricity Board and the Sri Lanka Water Supply and Drainage Board to join hands.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today the 1.12 billion USD earned from the lease of the Hambantota port was to go to the treasury to meet the day to day expenditure of the government instead of paying the loan taken to build the port.

The government will not be using the 1.12 billion USD that comes from the lease of the port to pay the loan taken to build the port. Instead the money is to go to the treasury to meet the day to day expenditure of the government. The USD 1.12 billion raised from the privatisation of the Hambantota port is small change for this government and will soon vanish just like the USD 13.7 billion they raised earlier, he said.

As public indignation mounts at the manner in which the Hambantota port was privatised, yahapalana ministers are now going around saying that my government too had planned to sell the entire Hambantota port to the Chinese. This is a diabolical lie. Everyone knows that my government had an explicit anti-privatisation policy. Not only did my government refrain from privatising any State assets, we reacquired several important assets that had been privatised by previous governments, he said.

Mr. Rajapaksa said if things continued in the present manner, Sri Lanka would not have any national assets left by the time this government completed its tenure.

The people should band together and organise in the villages, towns and workplaces to oppose this governments quest to sell Sri Lanka off to foreign buyers, he said.



He said in a statement that the manner in which the government privatised the Hambantota port had shocked the nation and added that Parliament was not allowed to debate the Agreement to privatise one of Sri Lankas most important strategic assets.

No one knows who did the valuation of this asset. No one appears to have seen any technical/financial evaluation report. The government has also not explained to the public on what criteria they selected the company that won the bid when there was clear evidence that the other bid was much more favourable. This headlong quest to sell state assets is a direct result of the economic crisis that the government has plunged this country into. After the yahapalakayas lied their way to the presidency in January 2015, they knew it would not be possible to win the parliamentary election that was soon due by the same means, so they increased the salaries of government servants, reduced the price of fuel, gas and certain foodstuffs in order to bamboozle the people in a different way, he added.

Mr. Rajapaksa said that the government had increased government expenditure while simultaneously reducing revenue, creating the present financial crisis.

According to the Auditor Generals reports, the Budget deficit which was 5.7% of the GDP in 2014, had almost doubled to 10.5% in 2015 in just one calendar year. The lack of money to meet day to day expenses including the salaries and pensions of state sector employees resulted in massive foreign currency borrowings. In just two and a half years, the yahapalana government has taken foreign currency loans amounting to over USD 13.7 billion. All this money has been spent on consumption. USD 13.7 billion is the equivalent of ten Norochcholai power plants or ten Hambantota Ports, or more than twenty Southern Highways. But the government has nothing to show for all this money that has been borrowed and spent, he said.

He said under IMF instructions, the value added tax and other taxes were increased in 2016 to raise money to repay these debts.

After imposing taxes even on terminally ill patients, the government was still not able to raise enough money to repay the USD 13.7 billion they borrowed and they have now resorted to increasing non-tax revenue through the sale of state owned assets, he said.

He said the Budget proposals of the yahapalana government make it clear that they intend privatising all state owned assets ranging from non-strategic business establishments like the Colombo Hilton to strategic assets like the Norochcholai power plant and that the sale of the Hambantota port was just the beginning.

The Prime Minister has already announced that the Mattala airport would be next. Other assets like the Colombo -Katunayake Highway, Southern Highway, Water Board and Electricity Board are also due to be privatized, he said.

Video by Buddhi
Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake should resign without waiting for the No-Confidence Motion which would be brought against him for allegedly indulging the funds obtained from the Central Bank (CB) Bond Scam, the Joint Opposition said today.

JO MP Bandula Gunawardena said they were currently collecting documents as evidence to include in the No-Confidante motion.

A previous No-Confidence motion has already been included in the Parliament agenda against the Minister for presenting false details to Parliament through the Budget as the Finance Minister.

We hope to put forward the new No-Faith Motion during the next Parliament session for obtaining signatures, he told a news briefing. (By Lahiru Pothmulla)

Video by Sanjeewa
With parliamentary sittings now being telecast live on national television and schoolchildren regularly coming to the public gallery to see what their so called supreme legislators are doing in Parliament, it is vital that strict discipline and a code of conduct be maintained.



Last week we saw what many analysts describe as a disgraceful breakdown of discipline. It happened when Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, a widely-respected personality, put to a vote the essential services order proclaimed by President Maithripala Sirisena to end the strike by certain unions of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

Joint opposition (JO) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna frontliners instead insisted they wanted comprehensive responses to questions they had raised on Wednesday regarding the essential services order and the alleged attack on some CPC trade union representatives near the Kolonnawa oil refinery. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe did reply, but JO and JVP leaders insisted on some sort of a debate alleging that killer squads or goons had been hired to attack the CPC union leaders.

The Speaker insisted there was no provision for such a debate. With the Prime Minister and others including senior Minister and House Leader Lakshman Kiriella insisting on a vote on the Presidents order, the Speaker called for the vote.

But while the vote was being taken, JO and JVP members sparked off virtual pandemonium in the House compelling the Speaker to cancel sittings and fix August 4 as the next date for parliamentary sittings. The Speaker and the government leaders insisted that the Presidents order had been approved by the House, but JO and JVP leaders challenged this.

After sittings were cancelled on Thursday, some JO members acted in a manner which analysts say was like what is happening in the United States President Donald Trumps White House where the conduct of some members has caused international outrage. A former Minister and JO parliamentarian occupied the Speakers seat, another occupied the seat reserved for the President while others tried to grab the mace.

Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala, in an extensive television interview on Monday night, expressed grave concern over the breakdown of discipline and responsible conduct in parliament. He said Speaker Jayasuriya was one of the most respected leaders of the country and if any criticism could be made against him, it was that he was too patient or lenient. The Deputy Speaker urged parliamentarians to set a better example to the country and specially to schoolchildren.

The Deputy Speaker also pointed out that in terms of budgetary allocations, the cost of maintaining parliament was as high as Rs. 16 million a day. He said it was tragic that JO and JVP members especially were squandering the time given to them in parliament to raise questions about what the National Unity Government was doing or not doing. The government has more than a two-thirds majority in parliament and can get legislation passed without much difficulty and therefore it is the JO and JVP that should make full use of the days on which parliament sits. Last Thursday, they wasted most of the time they had and it even led to the cancellation of Fridays debate on the controversial Hambantota Port deal.

Government leaders and others have called on Speaker Jayasuriya to take tough action against those who allegedly misbehaved last Thursday. Patience is a good quality, but it is also important to maintain discipline and responsible conduct.

Essentially Parliament is the voice of the sovereign people and we hope that what happened last Thursday will not happen again with tough action being taken against those who allegedly misbehaved.
Mr.Indika Kiriwandeniya, General Manager- Sanasa Insurance Company Limited

Created by the society, with the society, and for the society, Sanasa movement is truly the largest and one-of-its-kind in the country with an ever-increasing membership. The Sanasa movement membership comprises of around 20pct of the countrys total population. Its an ever-growing independent group spread throughout the country and by far is the largest of such nature in Sri Lanka. Its primary objective is poverty alleviation programs for the common man.

The Sanasa movement follows a cooperative philosophy amongst its members and has over 8,000 primary societies in various territories designated from the rural conclaves to the townships. The beauty of these communities is the magnitude of its unity as people from various faiths and religious backgrounds join hands together under the philosophy of cooperative values and principles as one community.

The mother in the typical Sri Lankan household plays a significant role in nurturing, guidance and family growth. No matter the different roles and responsibilities each person has or takes on, it often falls on the wife and mother to discern how to best support and nurture each relationship within the family.And this reflects well in the Sanasa movement 60pct of its members are women, especially mothers.

They understand and take all precautionary steps to ensure that the family is leading a happy life with no or less financial difficulties to achieve the goals of each family member. For this, insurance plays a crucial role by providing financial security and wellbeing for them when it's needed most. It brings to them such a relief, peace of mind, and happiness. Sanasa Insurance has conducted numerous programs in villages to maintain and develop sustainability.

While the micro insurance schemes aid them in developing their living conditions and entrepreneurial endeavors, the company also focuses on better educating the children of the communities, encouraging their talents to shine through various programs, amongst others. Sanasa Insurance continues to work with the Sanasa Movement to improve the society.

The insurance business is a happy one said Mr. Indika Kiriwandeniya, General Manager- Sanasa Insurance Company Limited. Unlike personal loans where the applicant doesnt get much affected when its rejected, its totally different in the insurance business. Customers come to us with very high expectations that are crucial to their lives, such as in case of death, an accident, education funding, a retirement plan, etc. And when their requests are rejected or claims not being settled, it gives us such a sad and guilt feeling. On the contrary when claims are settled the customers and their families are happy and delightful

We in the insurance industry are high risk-takers and are often stressed yet we are the happiest that can be as it brings a great pleasure and relief to help people plan their future, help them to have a mind of peace, help them at difficult times.

The movement has over 12,000 volunteers supporting the network from all across the region. There is no other organization that boast so many volunteers and their attitude is indeed very admirable. They come together once a month and doesnt expect any financial gains in return as they feel proud to be a part of it, by serving, spreading and leading the movement.

Sanasa Federation, the apex body of the Sanasa movement, stands as the official representative on behalf of its community countrywide, dealing with state, national and international councils and authorities on ts policies, and is an active member of many global cooperative institutions such as ICA, ACCU, IRU and CICTAB. Sanasa Insurance Company Ltd is a leading micro insurance provider focused on uplifting and empowering the people at the grass root level.
(From Left): APEX Managing Director Deshani Gamage, British Council Country Director Keith Davies, and Hon. Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Minister of Public Enterprise Development

The British Council in Sri Lanka expanded its Partner Teaching Centre in Matara recently. The institution is partnering with the Apex Business Academy in order to offer a range of teaching services that will facilitate students to discover the English language in new and diverse ways.

The launch event was attended by Hon. Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Minister of Public Enterprise Development and Keith Davies, Country Director British Council. The Vice Chancellor University of Ruhuna, Professor Gamini Senanayake, the principals of Rahula Vidyalaya, Sujatha Vidyalaya, St. Marys College Matara, S. Thomas College Matara, and Mahinda Rajapakse College were also in attendance.

The British Council is renowned for its English language teaching programmes across the world and in Sri Lanka. The institution works primarily in the areas of arts, education and society, making notable strides over the years with programmes designed to make learning fun and intellectually stimulating. The British Councils language programme is its flagship initiative; a wide range of courses to meet the needs of every type of learner-young and old-means that many Sri Lankans have mastered the basics and the many idiosyncrasies of the English language within the British Councils learning spaces.

The newly refurbished venue at No. 104/1B, Rahula Road, Matara is inclusive of the newest classroom facilities, a fully equipped mini British Council Library, computer lab, cafe, and a waiting area. The courses are designed using the latest interactive and communicative teaching methods with carefully planned lessons to improve confidence and ability. Students progress is regularly assessed in all areas of spoken and written English based on classroom activities and take home assignments.

With this reopening the Apex Business Academy reaffirms its partnership with the British Council. In line with the launch, an acquaintance programme was held for parents and students on 23 July. During this programme they were comprehensively briefed on courses offered by the British Council, and offered a platform to identify which course best suited their needs.

Hon. Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana

British Council learners are highly motivated, says Keith Davies, Country Director. They are curious about the world around them, and use the English language as a tool to communicate, learn and advance in their personal and professional lives. Our teachers recognise this curiosity and our classrooms are designed to facilitate a stimulating learning environment. He also added, Were very glad to be able to reiterate our commitment to the South by bringing a world class learning experience to Matara.

We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with the British Council in this venture. We believe that by bringing the worlds leading English experts to the South, we are enabling students to have access to quality English education which will help them in all aspects of their life, stated Deshani Gamage, Managing Director, Apex Business Academy.

British Council Country Director Keith Davies

Registration for the new term in Matara is now open. Contact the centre on 0711993751 for more details.
The Pakistan Supreme Court's verdict is out. Nawaz Sharif has followed the Pakistani tradition of vacating the Prime Minister's chair before completing his term. He has been replaced by his brother Shahbaz Sharif, who till now was the chief minister of Punjab. Interestingly, Shahbaz has been replaced by his son, ensuring the family remains in control. Shahbaz will only take over after 45 days, once he wins elections to parliament; till then there would be an officiating Prime Minister.

Panama Papers

Interestingly, contrary to most claims, Nawaz has not been charged directly with cases relating to the Panama Papers, but for hiding details about his employment in the Dubai-based Capital FZE company, when he filed his nomination papers in 2013, for not justifying source of funds for his property in London and for the purchase of two companies. It again brings to fore the words of a small-time politician in Pakistan, Javed Hashmi, who stated that "while politicians are being held accountable, army chiefs and the judiciary are not".

This decision has created instability in Pakistan. The stock market has begun tumbling, protesters have taken to the streets, security is high and the opposition is baying for blood. The decision has indicted Nawaz's entire family, thereby ensuring that his heir apparent, Maryam Nawaz, is also out of the picture. Clearly, a planned move to remove the entire family from the political scene! This action could not have been of the judiciary alone but would have the backing of the army chief.

Turmoil would only increase in the coming days. The opposition would demand early elections. This would ensure that the family is kept away from the political scene and the public with fresh memories could vote the party out.

Imran Khan, seen to be close to army generals, would lead the charge. The army, though controls the nation from behind the throne, however, was being affected as Nawaz was difficult to manoeuvre. He had to go to enable them to continue pushing their terror factory agenda.

Pressure was mounting from all directions, the US was threatening to enhance cross-border strikes onto the Taliban and Haqqani network, camps and hideouts, India was retaliating with full-measure on the LoC, infiltrators were being culled on entering, separatists' hands were being tied in knots by the NIA and Iran had begun firing across the border. The Pakistani army was being compelled to change strategy, and Nawaz was the "main block".

A missing link in the entire case appears to have been the Kulbhushan Jadhav episode in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The government accepted the court's jurisdiction in the case, which it could have questioned and then nominated a firm, which had represented India before in the same court and lost. Further, Pakistan's preparations were seen to be incomplete, due to which they lost the appeal. The blame was on the government, not the army.

Chinese support

However, it was the army which was embarrassed as it has kept Jadhav hidden from even the government. The only commonality between the army and Nawaz was China, where both met eye to eye. It is only the Chinese support that has kept the nation ticking, despite a failing economy. They have provided Pakistan with diplomatic support by preventing Hafiz Saeed being declared a global terrorist, who is the protege of the deep state. The nation needs China to survive.

In the days ahead, as internal confusion reigns supreme, the army would tighten its hold over the polity. Shahbaz, though claiming to have better relations with the army, had irked the generals on earlier occasions when he refused to permit them to launch anti-terror operations in Punjab and questioned the head of their Inter Services Public Relations, something that created a major furore between the army and the state, known as the Dawn (newspaper) Leaks. It led to the resignation of the information minister.

Violations

For India, despite the rhetoric, nothing much would change. The Pakistani army cannot change its policies on its terror factories. It may change tack and enhance violations, for which India is prepared and would retaliate appropriately. It may enhance infiltration, for which we are again ready and prepared to cull those seeking to enter. It cannot change any situation for the separatists as it is beyond them.

Power may make them bold, but also make them foolhardy. Pakistan should remember that every time it has attempted something new, it has hurt the nation more. The way things appear to be moving in Pakistan, Nawaz and his family would fade into the sunset in Dubai or London, akin to Pervez Musharraf, while his brother's future would be decided with time.

Within the nation, the only option is to either shift the capital to Rawalpindi or shift the army headquarters to Islamabad. After all, the army would run the state, either surreptitiously or directly.
Often ridiculed as "Niddaramaiah", Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah is seen to have shaken off lethargy and worked out his own counter-strategy to every move of the BJP in the run-up to the state elections in early 2018.

The Karnataka elections will be eagerly watched, as it is the only big state held by the Congress and a win here for BJP would pave the way for its grand entry into the South. And Siddaramaiah's current moves are everything the Congress had never been known for and BJP had taken pride in.

He is, with ease, playing the BJPs tactics against it - raising sub-nationalist fervour, identity politics and championing the Kannada cause.

BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa, who has been tasked with wresting Karnataka from the Congress, has been touring the state extensively. Well supported by the extensive network of the Sangh Parivar, BJPs machinery had been in full swing, before being caught off-guard by Siddaramaiahs own class of identity politics.

If experts are to be believed, Siddaramaiah is rousing Kannada pride to make this election a Kannada vs Hindutva poll. He is countering every move of the BJP in a calculated manner.

Kannada pride

Siddaramaiah's proactive approach to champion identity issues has caught BJP napping. Consider the moves of making Kannada mandatory in schools, singing of the official state anthem compulsory and the resistance to signboards in Hindi in Bangalore Metro and even the state flag controversy - Siddaramaiah has played BJPs "championing the identity" moves.

These are the moves usually championed by the BJP - and with his proactive approach, he seems to have out-smarted his rivals (at least for now). For political watchers, the state unit of the Congress has reshaped itself as a regional unit, stirring emotive waters, flagging identities and making every possible move to give a cult status to their leader.

Siddaramaiah stirred controversy by making a move for a separate Kannada flag, an old controversy which can likely become central to the forthcoming elections. This is an emotive issue, symbolising everything Kannada; the language, culture and Kannada pride.

Though the BJP has questioned the move, it hasnt been able to up its campaign against it. The issue could sweep across the state, especially when anti-north sentiment in the state has spiked and the Congress has definitely decided to capitalise on the issue in the run-up to the elections. He might be flogging a dead horse with his move, but Siddaramaiah is surely setting the narrative for the elections.

Taking the battle to Yeddyurappas grounds

Yeddyurappa has a loyal Lingayat voter base to build his electoral prospects on. With a numerical strength of almost 18 per cent of the voter base, this strong and impenetrable base has helped the BJP reap huge electoral benefits, especially in north Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah hasnt backed off from taking the fight to Yeddyurappas grounds. In a recent convention of Lingayats, he assured them he would convey to the Centre their demand to be classified as a separate religion.

Yeddyurappa has always asserted that the Lingayats remain in the Hindu fold, while a faction of Lingayats believe that theirs is an off-shoot of Hinduism and be deemed a separate religion just like Buddhism.

Even a slight fissure in the Lingayat base can turn tables in favour of the Congress. However, many believe this move could prove suicidal for the Congress, if the BJP succeeds in portraying Congress as anti-Hindu and designing this sinister move to break Lingayat unity.

Siddaramaiah surely knows the risks and must have well weighed the benefits to electoral costs he might have to incur. But assuming that electoral battles in Karnataka have been close and Congress and BJP enjoy almost the same size of loyal voter base, this "show me the pie" brand of politics as practised, could well set the cat among the pigeons and a possible break into the Lingayat vote-bank might swing the narrative in favour of the Congress.

Yeddyurappa has a loyal Lingayat voter base to build his electoral prospects on. Photo: India Today

It might seem a tough task, given the community's anguish with the Congress after sacking of powerful Lingayat leader Veerendra Patil as chief minister by then Congress chief Rajiv Gandhi, in October 1990; but if not anything, this strategy could make the BJP go on the defensive about securing its own vote bank and lose some time before consolidating other vote bases.

The caste equation

Belonging to the backward Kuruba caste, Siddaramaiah, has positioned himself as the unchallenged leader of the AHINDA formation (a grouping of minorities, backwards classes and Dalits) and invested enough energy to form a rainbow coalition of backward castes.

His attempt to consolidate this loose group was also seen in increased allocations for backward classes in the 2017-18 budget. At the three-day Ambedkar international conference titled "Quest for Equity", Siddaramaiah recalled instances of discrimination he faced as a child and said, Only those who have faced discrimination can understand it, get angry about it, and, hence, have the will to change it.

In the layer within layer politics of Karnataka, caste issues play out in a complicated manner. A tactical understanding with the JD (S) could get the Congress a fraction of Vokkalinga votes, and with the much pampered Ahinda votes in its kitty and a break in the Lingayat vote, Siddaramaiah may yield a hard blow to the BJP.

With Dalit population estimated at 23 per cent, Kurubas 8 per cent and Muslims making up 10 per cent, the Ahinda vote base alone could propel Siddaramaiah back to the power seat. The high command's decision to send Mallikarjuna Kharge (a Dalit leader) back to the state could prove an added advantage to Siddaramaiah.

In spite of making up the bulk of the vote-base, Karnataka politics has over the years centred around two dominant castes of the Lingayats and Vokkalingas, constituting almost one-third of the state population and well nurtured over years by the BJP and JD (S).

Siddaramaiah, and Congress, seem to have realised that to remain in power, they need to consolidate the loose faction of backward classes and give Karnataka politics a backward class tryst, all while making tacit attempts to get support of the break-away factions of dominant castes.

While the state Congress seems upbeat by the smart moves of Siddaramaiah in setting the political narrative for the forthcoming elections and taking focus away from his lethargic yet non-controversial four-year stint and the widespread drought in north Karnataka, it will be increasingly prudent to make state elections more local.

Though he has had an early start, the patronage system might not necessarily bring success and it is seen from previous state elections that Prime Minister Narendra Modis appeal potentially stretches across electoral groups.
Dear President Xi,

Not a great idea to jump into the ring, your excellency. By playing to the gallery you are not just revealing unbelievable immaturity, but also a complete lack of history.

Despite 1962 or may be because of it, India has been a tenacious fighter for its territory. You may want to Google Nathu La 1967, Pakistan 1965 and 1971 and Kargil in 1999. The last named was an interesting example where Indian forces counter-attacked an enemy strategically perched at various heights, fought from huge location disadvantages and won back territory. Many uninvolved military analysts treat Kargil as a case-study for achieving the impossible.

By raising the pitch personally as president, you are ensuring that anything less than complete capitulation by India would be unacceptable to your people. Surely you know as well as the next man that no such thing will happen.

If you attack, India will respond with the same aggression. Since both countries have had time to prepare, the encounter will be fierce and much blood will be shed.

If you are then tempted to expand the theatre of conflict, so will India. Both countries have massive defence forces, more than enough to inflict unimaginable damage on each other even without the use of the nuclear option.

Should an encounter actually happen, India with a median age of 27 will find it easier to bounce back. China is now a rapidly ageing country. Its demographic dividend and the days of double-digit growth are over. No matter how much you try to prevent it, in another five years, your growth rate shall fall to below 5 per cent. This is not Indias wishful thinking but a historic reality.

Growth rates fall sharply once demographic dividend years are over. Ask Europe if you dont believe me.

With a median age of 37, China is now at the stage that Germany and Japan were in the early 1990s. By 2021, half your population will be over the age of 40. By 2025, your work-force will actually start shrinking. And when that happens, you not just need India as one-fifth of the global market, but also as a source of skilled manpower to run your vast manufacturing machine.

Why let ego get the better of your judgement and cause untold harm to your country?

Though this may hurt, it needs to be said. For all its posturing, the PLA has never actually fought a war. Am assuming you understand that the odd border skirmish with Vietnam does not really count as battle experience.

When the PLA takes on the Indian Army, it takes on a force whose war-time experience stretches back to the 19th century.

Lastly, do remember what Uncle Confucius said about atomic bombs. "Collect thou not a thousand. Thou needest only one."
Chicago's SlutWalk Apologizes & Updates Stance On 'Zionist Displays,' Post-Dyke March Controversy

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jul 31, 2017 11:16PM

SlutWalk Chicago, the local chapter of the annual anti-rape-culture protest, apologized on Monday for some of the organization's comments on social media related to the post-Dyke March/"Zionism" controversy. The organization in a statement reiterated that the Star of David is not banned from the protest and said that "all symbols of faith and heritage are welcome."

SlutWalk Chicago had said on Twitter last week that "the Star of David is not banned" but "Zionist displays" would be.

"We are as firmly against anti-Semitism as we are against Islamophobia," SlutWalk said in Monday's statement. At the same time, the organization apologized for two controversial actions it took on social media. including blocking some Jewish activists and retweeting posts that said the Star of David has always been a Zionist symbol, according to SlutWalk:



"That said, our collective has not handled the situation as well as we could have, and we have things to apologize for, specifically the blocking of Jewish activists asking if they would be welcome to display Stars of David at the march. We are working to correct this by unblocking the people who were asking legitimate questions. We also apologize for two retweets posted to the SlutWalk twitter last weekend that stated that the Magen David was always a zionist symbol and could not be reclaimed as a symbol of Jewish pride outside of the context of Zionism. This is not a position that we as a collective stand behind, and the person responsible for the retweets has removed themselves from the group and we are no longer organizing with them pending an accountability process."

The full statement can be read in the embed below.





The statement follows a story published on Sunday by Haaretz, in which a co-organizer identified as Red S. walked back sentiments expressed in Twitter posts that said SlutWalk stood beside Dyke March's decision and "won't allow Zionist displays at ours."

We still stand behind @DykeMarchChi's decision to remove the Zionist contingent from their event, & we won't allow Zionist displays at ours  SlutWalk ChicagoYY (@slutwalkchi) July 15, 2017



Red told Haaretz:



That came out of a very rash tweet that we sent out, that we are banning Zionist symbols that we should not have sent out, as a result of a particular social media team responding very urgently, without talking to the collective."

SlutWalk faced criticism after it announced its intent to ban Zionist displays after the Dyke March dispute. "How, exactly, would organizers differentiate between benign and malign flags? Its unclear; the only hint provided is that 'context matters,'" wrote Mark Joseph Stern in Slate last week, referring to this SlutWalk tweet.

"Bring symbols of your respective faiths, if that is what you choose to do," SlutWalk said in its statement. "Bring symbols of resistance, but leave symbols of nationalism and oppression at home."
4 Chicago Spots Made Bon Appetit's List Of 50 Best New Restaurants

By Stephen Gossett in Food on Aug 1, 2017 6:11PM



Smoked scallops at Elske. Photo by Kailley Lindman.

The tastemakers over at Bon Appetit Magazine have unveiled their annual picks for country's 50 best new restaurantsand no city has more selections than Chicago.

Just as we did last year, Chicago landed four restaurants on this year's list: Danish-influenced hotspot Elske, in the West Loop; Jason Vincent's small-plate storefront Giant, in Logan Square; Diana Davila's Mexican spot Mi Tocaya Antojeria, also in Logan; and John and Karen Shields' fine-dining split concept Smyth & The Loyalist, in Fulton Market.

Those spots of course have already garnered a mess of acclaim, with perhaps only the slightly more mixed-received Mi Tocaya an exception.

For the competitive-minded, only three other cities had four representative on the list: Los Angeles, Portland and (if you combine the two) New York City (1) and Brooklyn (3). Charleston and Nashville repped well for the New South with three finalists apiece.

Last year, you might recall, Chicago netted four restaurants as well, with Boeufhaus, Monteverde, Pub Royale and Roister hitting the Top 50. More proof that Chicago is generally pretty good at this restaurant thing.

Related: West Loop's New Scandinavian-Inspired Restaurant Elske Will Charm You

The 11 Most Exciting Restaurant Openings Of 2016
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Poster of The Golden Monk.

Hong Kong director Wong Jing's latest movie, The Golden Monk, will hit Chinese mainland theaters on Sept 30, making it the only comedy among the new releases in the profitable National Day holiday.

So far, nine domestic movies have confirmed to premiere during the weeklong holiday. Other powerful rivals include Feng Xiaogang's dancers-themed Youth and Xu Jizhou's crime thriller The Liquidator.

Wong invited another Hong Kong filmmaker Cheung Siu-hung to co-direct The Golden Monk.

Set in early 12th century, the tale narrates a Buddhist monk's alliance with a monster hunter and a warrior to annihilate a dragon demon and its evil followers.

The high-budget movie has spent 200 million yuan ($30 million) to build spectacular sets, such as the ancient Hangzhou city (then capital of Southern Song Dynasty), a heavenly palace, the dragon's nest and a carnival village.

It has more than 1,000 special-effect scenes to feature monsters and demons, such as a one-eye giant, a human-eating frog and a snake monster.

Actor Zheng Kai and actress Zhang Yuqi lead star the movie, which also casts Hong Kong actor-host Wong Cho-lam, Chinese mainland actresses Zhen Qi and Wang Xinyao.
Female artists perform the traditional dance of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD 24) at the Silk Street on July 29 in Beijing. [Photo by Zhang Xingjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

Silk Street, a shopping center in Chaoyang district, Beijing, is a must-see for international tourists.

Now, in addition to a shopping spree, foreign tourists can also get a touch of traditional Chinese culture thanks to the new culture and travel experience center that opened on July 30.

Organized by Beijing Jinshubiao Tourism Development Co., the center is titled "Amazing China".

According to the CEO Zhang Jinqiang, this kind of center aims to help foreign people get a closer look at Chinese fine culture and transform Silk Street into the one-stop Chinese culture and tourism destination.

"It has been 10 years since China started to develop inbound tourism. During the past decade, tremendous changes have taken place in the industry. Tourists are not contented with going around the city and seeing some beautiful scenic areas. Instead, they hope to have a deep touch of the city.

"For example, they want to interact with local people and experience the daily life of them. Also, they are very interested in knowing Chinese unique culture and appreciate Chinese chic. Thats the reason why Amazing China was born," Zhang added.

At the center, three parts have been set up for visitors. Chinese-style fashion shows will be held regularly. Foreign people can wear Chinese traditional clothes and catwalk on the stage. The one-stop cultural experience pavilion has been established for people to learn Chinese art such as calligraphy, poetry and painting. The last section is an exhibition and store of cultural and creative products, a place to find traditional Chinese souvenirs.
 Albemarle County receives public comment on proposed changes to the countys taxation codes at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Lane Auditorium of the County Office Building on McIntire Road. (434) 296-5822.

 Albemarle County hosts a public meeting on the countys Stream Buffer Protection Regulations from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 16 at the County Office Building on Fifth Street Extended. (434) 296-5832.

 Charlottesville Area Transit implements a new service schedule of Route 4 and several adjustments to other routes on Saturday. Details are available at catchthecat.org or by calling (434) 970-3649.

 City of Charlottesville holds a public meeting on the upcoming changes to public parking in the Downtown Mall area from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at CitySpace at 100 Fifth St. NE. charlottesville.org/parking. (434) 970-3333.

 Narconon offers help to individuals and their families in overcoming addiction. Details: narcononnewliferetreat.org and (800) 431-1754.

 Piedmont Virginia Community College holds information sessions for its culinary arts associate degree programs from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday and 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 14 at Jefferson City School Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts. pvcc.edu/culinary. (434) 961-6581.

 Piedmont Virginia Community College Financial Aid Office offers assistance to current and prospective students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Aug. 17. 501 College Drive. pvcc.edu/finaid. (855) 877-3941.

 Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Veterans Education and Transition Services sessions for veterans and service members interested in attending PVCC from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 17 and 24. pvcc.edu/veterans. (434) 961-5282.

 Piedmont Virginia Community College holds Getting Started information sessions for prospective students from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Fluvanna County Library in Palmyra, from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Nelson Memorial Library in Lovingston, from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Louisa County Library in Mineral and from 6 to 7 p.m. Aug. 10 at Northside Library. Additional sessions will take place later this month. pvcc.edu/outreach. (434) 961-5275.

 Piedmont Virginia Community College offers a Student Orientation, Advising and Registration session for prospective students. The free sessions are required for 2017 high school and homeschool graduates and non-graduates who are first-time college students interested in pursuing a degree or certificate beginning with the fall 2017 semester. Participants will receive help with registering for classes and learn about PVCC resources and student services. SOAR sessions are held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday and Aug. 12. 501 College Drive.pvcc.com/soar. (434) 961-6581.

 State Sales Tax Holiday on qualifying school supplies, clothing and footwear is in effect Friday through Sunday. School supplies that are $20 or less per item and clothing and footwear that are less than $100 per item are eligible for the exemption. tax.virginia.gov/virginia-sales-tax-holiday.

 Summer Feeding Program, sponsored by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, continues to open two feeding sites for area children in need. The Greenstone on Fifth Community Center opens for from noon to 1 p.m. and for a snack from 3 to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Friday through Aug. 11. The Friendship Court Community Center opens for dinner from 5:15 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday through Aug. 10. brafb.org. (540) 213-8405.

 Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission seeks public feedback on the Jefferson Area Bike and Pedestrian Plan. Plan details and comment submission are available at tjpdc.org/transportation/Jefferson-area-bike-and-pedestrian-plan. Comments may be submitted by email to info@tjpdc.org. (434) 979-7310.

 West Main Street will be closed between 11th Street and Jefferson Park Avenue beginning at 6 p.m. Friday through midnight Saturday in order to facilitate the removal of a crane from the Autograph Hotel site. Sidewalks will remain open. (434) 970-3129.
"If you were killed during a mission, how would you like your UN death benefits to be distributed?"

Chinese peacekeepers train in Monrovia, Liberia, in January. Photos by Li Jinhua / Xinhua

That was one of the first questions Senior Colonel Yang Xijun was asked when he signed up as a military observer for the 2006 UN mission in Sudan, a North African country ravaged by tribal warfare, disease and poverty.

Yang's chosen role had historic resonance. On April 21, 1990, China participated in a peacekeeping mission for the first time by deploying five military observers in the Middle East as part of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.

Two years later, the country sent 400 People's Liberation Army engineers to assist the United Nations in Cambodia, China's first deployment of military personnel on an official "blue beret" mission.

More than 2,500 Chinese peacekeepers are participating in 10 UN-led missions, meaning the country provides a greater number of personnel than the four other permanent members of the Security Council combined.

China also is the second-largest financial contributor to peacekeeping missions, providing more than 10 percent of the $7.8 billion budget for 2016-17.

In 2015, President Xi Jinping committed 8,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping standby force. He also pledged $100 million to the African standby force, which is backed by the African Union, and $1 billion to establish the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund.

According to Gao Mingbo, section director of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three biggest changes during the 27 years in which China has participated in peacekeeping efforts are the increasing sophistication of missions, the wider range of personnel required and the growing volume of equipment and support funding.

While Yang agreed with Gao's assessment, he noted: "The success of peacekeeping missions ultimately falls on the shoulders of the brave men and women in blue helmets."

In February, Yang signed up for his fourth mission, as a high-ranking logistics officer for the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, West Africa.

"Initially, my family thought I was mad for constantly throwing myself into foreign conflicts and risking my life for countries they barely knew," he said. "But I think it's a great honor to represent my country and to fight not for resources or dominance, but for stability and the greater good of those in need."

Eyes and ears

Military observers are like war reporters, according to Yang. They have to interact with local people, learn about the culture and the prevailing situation, and report any suspicious activities or violations of ceasefires or human rights to the UN Security Council.

"Since we are not allowed to carry weapons, our battles are fought with binoculars, cameras and notebooks," he said. "Our goal is to raise awareness and pull the international community together to prevent crimes against humanity. We are the Security Council's eyes and ears."

However, unlike reporters, who often have the luxury of working on the sidelines, "facing life-threatening danger is part of our daily routine", he said.

One of those dangers involves long-distance patrols. According to Yang, crossing disease-filled swamps and barren wilderness is considered easy, and the real challenge lies in fields laced with landmines, a common problem in the Western Sahara and South Sudan.

"In the car, we sit on top of our bulletproof vests and put sandbags on the floor, hoping they will absorb some of the blast from a small mine. But if we hit an anti-tank mine, we are dead," he said.

"It becomes more dangerous during the rainy season because the safe tracks left by previous vehicles are washed away. Then, we rely on our memories, GPS and luck."

Some of the most unpredictable and serious difficulties come from dealing with local people. "It can be very difficult to distinguish friend from foe," he said.

"A village may look innocent, but the make-up of its population can be very complicated. Armed extremists or guerrillas often live with women and children, and sometimes even use them as hostages or weapons."

It helps that Chinese peacekeepers have a reputation for being disciplined and on good terms with the locals.

"You have to earn people's trust and respect through genuine acts of goodwill, and convince them you are risking your life for their well-being," he said.

In early 2012, conflict broke out in Mali between the government and armed groups, including Islamic radicals and Tuareg rebels. In April 2013, the UN formed the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA.

Mali is the most dangerous ongoing peacekeeping operation in the world. In the past four years, 118 peacekeepers have been killed, and in June last year, a car bomb exploded at a UN camp in the northern city of Gao, killing Shen Liangliang, a 29-year-old sergeant first class, and injuring seven other Chinese peacekeepers.

"The enemy was hiding among the civilians; suicide bombers and car bombs were common and threats were everywhere," said Senior Colonel Zhang Geqiang, who was field commander of the first "police force" - a military unit that undertakes patrols, crowd surveillance other front-line tasks - China sent to Mali in 2013.

Before deployment, Zhang drilled his 170 elite soldiers, selected from 2,030 applicants in the People's Liberation Army Shenyang Military Region. In addition to the police force, the unit included a 155-strong engineering division and 70 medical personnel.

Peacekeepers are only allowed to use their weapons in self-defense, so during shooting drills, Zhang ordered his soldiers to hang a brick from the barrels of their rifles and tie sandbags to their arms. They were also ordered to use their trigger fingers to pluck grains of rice from a bowl.

"These exercises are meant to train their hands, to make them sensitive and steady, so they can accurately aim for nonlethal body parts or shoot a gun out of an enemy's hand," he said, adding that wilderness survival, bomb disposal, undercover and stealth exercises, and crowd surveillance and control also featured heavily during training.

Trump card

On Dec 5, 2013, the first batch of 135 Chinese peacekeepers arrived in Gao, which had been liberated from occupying insurgents less than a year before.

The Chinese force was put to the test almost immediately. On Dec 24, two rockets were fired at their compound; one landed in a river, the other exploded 1 kilometer away.

During their nine-month mission, the Chinese peacekeepers conducted more than 450 patrols and 290 escort missions, and were subjected to more than 30 rocket attacks and suicide bombers, but there was not a single causality, Zhang said.

On Aug 1, 2014, at a medal ceremony for UN peacekeepers, the then-MINUSMA force commander, Major General Jean Bosco Kazura, thanked the Chinese peacekeepers for their crucial contribution.

"The Chinese peacekeepers are MINUSMA's trump cards," he said.
Political activist Cornel West and faith leaders from around the country will join Charlottesville-area clergy members later this month to confront a gathering of white nationalists who will be protesting the planned removal of the citys statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park.

At a news conference outside St. Pauls Memorial Church on Monday, members of Congregate Cville discussed their counter-protest plans. They also shared a news release that quoted West saying he is coming to the city to stand against white supremacy and bear witness to love and justice.

According to Brittany Caine-Conley, lead organizer for Congregate Cville, the interfaith coalition issued a call for 1,000 clergy and faith leaders to come to Charlottesville for the Unite the Right rally Aug. 12.

Other faith leaders who are expected to be in Charlottesville that week include the Rev. Traci Blackmon, Lisa Sharon Harper, Robyn Henderson-Espinoza and Brian McLaren.

We will stand in solidarity against the waves of racist, sexist and homophobic harassment and violence white supremacist ideologies are manifesting nationwide, the release said.

In an interview following Mondays news conference, Caine-Conley said the rally will be an overt display of folks who are trying to make the white race the dominant race.

Unite the Right is being organized by Jason Kessler, a local pro-white activist.

The rally will feature various white nationalist organizations and leaders who advocate for the creation of a white ethno-state. The rallys organizers and sponsors are affiliated with the National Socialist Movement and the alt-right, a populist movement that mixes elements of racism, anti-Semitism and white nationalism.

Theyve said quite clearly that theyre about white power, white justice and white rights, Caine-Conley said. White supremacy has a grip on most of the things that are foundational in this country.

Members of Congregate Cville said they will be present at the Aug. 12 rally to participate in a direct, non-violent action. They said other events will be held in the days before the event to prepare those who might join them.

With radical leftists expected to protest the rally, as well, increasing the chance for violent clashes, the Rev. Seth Wispelwey, of Restoration Village Arts, said the group will be helping to organize their followers and other clergy members to be disciplined and prayerfully present.

After a North Carolina chapter of the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Charlottesville on July 8 to protest the planned removal of the Lee statue, Wispelwey said, more people approached the new interfaith organization asking for instruction on how to peacefully lead their own congregations in protest.

Since then, weve heard a very vocal need from the community and clergy themselves saying, I want to be more prepared next time, he said.

Congregate has taken on that role, he said. Were sort of like a school for public witness.

During Mondays news conference, the Rev. Brenda Brown-Grooms, of New Beginnings Christian Community, called on local authorities to protect everyone who will be at any of the events Aug. 12.

In the hour following the end of the Klan rally last month, authorities used tear gas to disperse a crowd of lingering protesters, some of whom who were yelling at the police for protecting the Klan.

I want our police, whom we love, to serve us well, Brown-Grooms said. We need to know were going to be safe and that we wont be attacked by our police and that everyones First Amendment rights will be recognized.

Quoting the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Don Gathers, former chairman of the blue ribbon commission that recommended the city either leave the Lee statue in its current location or move it somewhere else in the city, said the planned counter-protests are about the fair treatment of all Gods children.

(The City Council ultimately decided, in a 3-2 vote in February, to sell the statue. Mayor Mike Signer and Councilor Kathy Galvin voted against it.)

We stand determined to do what is right through peaceful means, Gathers said. We will continue to solicit your prayers and ask for your assistance and eager determination to come join us in this fight.

An interfaith service featuring local faith leaders, West and other visiting clergy will be held at St. Pauls Memorial Church at 8 p.m. Aug. 11.
A medical officers' team led by Mu Jinsong, a doctor and army officer from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) 302 Hospital, made visits to mountainous villages in the Tibet Autonomous Region to provide free medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment for local people.

Mu Jinsong, a doctor and director of ICU Medical Center of the Chinese PLA 302 Hospital. [Photo/China.org.cn]

The medical trip started from July 7 to 15, during which Mu and his colleagues made clinical diagnoses for various difficult and complicated cases. Mu's hospital is well known for treating hydatid and he is particularly experienced in dealing with the disease.

Doctor Mu said that there is a high rate of hydatid incidence among local Tibetans. He cited some examples, saying that among the patients I diagnosed, one was gravely ill with a seven-cm-long hydatid.

In order to treat more patients in a short period time, Mu and his team were working around the clock, trudging across mountains and rivers to get to their patients. As Mandarin is not so popular among local people, translators were needed.

Mu also gave lectures to disseminate hygienic knowledge among Tibetan people and opened staff training classes for local medical workers. In the medical service center in Gongbujiangda Township of Linzhi, he organized discussions on preventive measures and cures of common diseases. He tried his best to explain profound medical ideas in simple, plainterms so that it can be easily understood and accepted by local people.

The nine-day trip involves more than 100 medical workers from over 60 hospitals and organizations from all parts of the country. In addition to free medical consultation and treatment, the medical team also offered material assistance to local people and medical centers.
 Flash

Russia on Monday called on all parties interested in settlement on the Korean Peninsula for restraint and establishment of a dialogue after a new missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"We call on all parties involved to refrain from any steps which could lead to further escalation of tension in the region," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement also said Russia was concerned by the missile launch, which directly violated the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.

The DPRK test-fired on Friday a missile, which the country described as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called Hwasong-14, from Jagang province in the central northernmost part of the country, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

At the same time, Moscow was concerned by the military activities of the U.S., South Korea and Japan around the Korean Peninsula with the deployment of elements of the U.S. global Anti-Ballistic Missile system in South Korea, it said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday ordered his aides to consult with their U.S. counterparts on the deployment of four more mobile launchers of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) on top of the two delivered previously, the South Korean JSC said.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China and Russia as the "principal economic enablers" of DPRK's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile development program bore "unique and special responsibility for this growing threat to regional and global stability."

Russia's foreign ministry recalled that Russia and China had developed a joint "road map," which excluded the use or threatened use of force and involved a comprehensive solution of all problems of the Korean Peninsula, including nuclear, through the political and diplomatic way by means of dialogue without preliminary conditions.

"We suggest all interested parties immediately begin a comprehensive discussion about the establishment of collective efforts to resolve the situation on the basis of the ideas contained in the 'road map'," the statement said.
 Flash

Two humanitarian groups refused to sign a so-called code of conduct for maritime search-and-rescue NGOs drawn up by the Italian government, and this could have "consequences for the security of their vessels", the Italian Interior Ministry said Monday.

Humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Jugend Rettet, a German youth NGO, did not sign. The Malta-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), Pro Activa Open Arms from Spain, and Save the Children agreed to sign.

Another three NGOs -- Sea Watch, Sea Eye, and SOS Mediterranee -- did not take part in the talks, Italy's interior ministry said in a statement released Monday evening. "Refusing to agree and sign puts those NGOs outside the organized sea rescue system, with all the concrete consequences that might develop, beginning with the security of the vessels themselves," the ministry statement said.

Due to a lack of legal routes into Europe, thousands of men, women and children fleeing war and famine in North Africa and the Middle East pay hefty sums to embark on unseaworthy boats run by human traffickers in a bid to reach Europe.

Most of the vessels leave from Libya, with Italy as the nearest European landfall on the so-called Central Mediterranean route.

Beginning in 2014, the NGOs launched vessels to help save lives in the Mediterranean alongside the European Union's Frontex border patrol mission, in cooperation with the Italian Coast Guard and upon authorization from the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC).

However Italy's new code of conduct includes a ban on entering Libyan waters, where most of the migrant shipwrecks occur.

As well, the NGO code of conduct includes an obligation to allow an armed police officer on board. "We can't have weapons on board a humanitarian vessel, just as you can't have them in a hospital," Gabriele Eminente from MSF Italy told RAI public broadcaster after Monday's meeting at the Interior Ministry in Rome.

He praised the "excellent collaboration with the Italian Coast Guard" and the "frank debate with Italian institutions" over the NGO code of conduct, which the Italian government first announced at the beginning of the month.

On July 3, Italy said it had drawn up a plan of action along with France and Germany to curb migrant arrivals, including the NGO code of conduct.

The code has been approved by the European Commission. Last Friday, the Italian cabinet approved an operational mission to support the Libyan Coast Guard in the fight against migrant traffickers in the Mediterranean -- and to prevent the migrant boats from leaving in the first place.

According to the latest running tally by the UN-affiliated International Organization for Migration (IOM), 113,433 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2017 through July 26, with almost 85 percent arriving in Italy and the remainder divided between Greece, Cyprus and Spain.

At least 2,385 died in the attempt, according to IOM. According to its website, MSF has rescued over 69,000 people since 2015. Jugend Rettet reports it has saved 6,526 lives since July 2016, and MOAS says it has saved 33,455 lives since August 2014.
Mukesh Ambani is now the second richest man in Asia.

Mumbai: After storming the country with his Rs 0 JioPhone, Mukesh Ambani is making headlines once again as he climbed past Hong Kong's business tycoon Li Ka-shing to become Asias second richest man.

The business tycoon, who is the owner of the Rs 1,800 billion Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), added USD 12.1 billion (around Rs. 77,000 crore) to his wealth this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Ambani's net worth stood at USD 34.8 billion (around Rs. 2.2 lakh crore), pushing him to number 19 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index from 29 at the end of 2016.

This development comes amid RIL shares soaring post the companys Q1 net profits recorded a 28 per cent rise in 2017.

Reliance Jio, which has reportedly caused disruptions in the Indian telecom sector has however contributed to the debt in the companys business. According to a Bloomberg report, Jio has earned USD 31 billion in investments and is yet to earn RIL any profits.

Referring to Jio as a jewel" during the RIL annual general meeting on July 21. Ambani said "Jio will become India's largest provider of data service, products and application platforms.
The company reported a 44.10 per cent fall in consolidated net profit at Rs.626 crore for the quarter ended June 30.

Mumbai: Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel on Tuesday reported 44 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 624 crore during the quarter ended June 2017, following flat crude steel production and higher prices of inputs like iron ore, fluxes and power.

The total revenue during the quarter increased sharply by 24 per cent to Rs 15,977 crore, with crude steel production up 1 per cent at 3.91 million tonnes and saleable steel up 5 per cent at 3.51 million tonnes.

The company reported a 44.10 per cent fall in consolidated net profit at Rs.626 crore for the quarter ended June 30, hit by higher expenses. It had posted a net profit of Rs 1,120 crore in the year-ago period.

The operating leverage impact from lower sales volumes and higher prices of inputs like iron ore, fluxes and power led to operating EBITDA for the quarter of Rs 2,617 crore.

"The June quarter domestic sales volume was impacted by industry wide destocking as customers in general adopted a cautious approach towards carrying inventories in run up to GST rollout," JSW Steel joint managing director and group CFO Seshagiri Rao told reporters here.

The company remained focused on enriching the product mix and sales of value added and special products grew by 12 per cent YoY, primarily due to higher volume of electrical steel, CRCA, galvanised and colour coated products, he said.

Exports during the quarter surged by 26 per cent YoY, as demand as well as pricing for steel products in international markets remained buoyant, Rao said. The company plans to invest up to Rs 8,000 crore annually on capacity addition at Dolvi and Vijaynagar units.

The company hopes to add 5 MT capacity through organic growth and looking for acquisition opportunities for an inorganic growth, he said. Commenting on the outlook, Rao said, global steel production grew by 36 mmt in 1HCY17 as against World Steel Association CY2017 estimate for demand growth of 20 mmt.

However, China has positively surprised with a 35 mmt apparent steel demand growth in 1HCY17, driven by fiscal stimulus, against a flattish demand estimate by WSA for CY17.

Global steel demand growth appears to be better than earlier expectations. Steel imports into India, after correcting in April, have again risen to 8 mmt on annualised basis.

Crude steel production in 1QFY18 increased by 3.5 per cent YoY, whereas apparent finished steel consumption in the quarter grew by 4.6 per cent YoY.

The steel demand in the domestic market is improving with increasing public sector spending; reflected in increased activity in sectors like roads, power T&D, solar energy, earthmoving equipment, pre-engineered buildings, and water & gas pipelines.

Steel demand is on track to grow by 5 per cent in FY18; although sluggish private capex remains a concern, Rao said.
Reserve Bank of India on Monday said NRIs are restricted from buying further shares in Asian Hotels (West) Ltd.

Mumbai: Reserve Bank of India on Monday said NRIs are restricted from buying further shares in Asian Hotels (West) Ltd as the allowed limit of 10 per cent has been breached.

Foreign shareholding in the company by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) has breached the limit of 10 per cent of its paid up capital, RBI said in a notification.

"Therefore, no further purchases of shares of this company would be allowed through Stock Exchanges in India on behalf of NRIs," it said.

FIIs, NRIs and PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) can invest in primary and secondary capital markets in India through Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS).

RBI monitors ceilings on FII/NRI/PIO investments in Indian companies on a daily basis. It has fixed the cut-off points two percentage points lower than the actual ceiling.

Stocks of Asian Hotels (West) closed 6.26 per cent down at Rs 167.70 on BSE on Monday.
This is when compared to Rs 3.70 lakh crores worth of corporate loan restructuring undertaken in FY15 and Rs 2.99 lakh crore loan restructured in FY16.

Mumbai: Despite a rise in non-performing assets in the banking system, the amount of corporate loans restructured by the lenders has seen a significant decline during the last fiscal.

According to the data tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the amount of restructured corporate loans came down to Rs 2,04,884 crore in FY17.

This is when compared to Rs 3.70 lakh crores worth of corporate loan restructuring undertaken in FY15 and Rs 2.99 lakh crore loan restructured in FY16.

Replying to members queries seeking the names of companies whose loans have been restructured, Mr Jaitley said, Any restructuring is to be carried out in accordance with detailed guidelines issued by RBI on restructuring like Joint Lenders' Forum, Strategic Debt Restructuring and Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets.

However, the minister refused to divulge the names of those accounts saying that the names and details of borrowers are covered under section 45E of RBI Act, 1934 and banking laws, which oblige financial institutions to maintain secrecy about the affairs of their constituents.

In June 2017, the RBI had initiated process for the speedy resolution of stressed assets by identifying top 12 corporate defaulters accounting for 25 per cent of the systems non-performing loans for immediate resolution under the new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.

The internal advisory committee constituted by RBI has recommended all accounts with fund and non-fund based outstanding amount greater than Rs 5,000 crore, with 60 per cent or more classified as non-performing by banks as of March 31, 2016 for resolution under the bankruptcy code.

On the issue restructuring of farm loans that became impaired due to natural calamities, Mr Jaitley said that banks are free to facilitate restructuring including conversion of short-term debt to term loan or rescheduling the repayment time frame for such borrowers.
'Haseena' was to release on July 14, along with Saif Ali Khan's 'Chef' and Sridevi's 'Mom'. But both these films backed out, giving Ranbir-Katrina's 'Jagga Jasoos' a solo slot.

Mumbai: After pushing the release date from July 14 to August 18, in order to avoid clash with Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaifs Jagga Jasoos; the makers of Haseena Parkar' have yet again postponed the release date of the movie.

According to a report in mid-day, a source close to the development has revealed to them that the films distributor, Anil Thadani, is reluctant about releasing the gangster biopic in August because this month is already cluttered with too may releases.

The source said, The decision to postpone the film was taken last week. Anil Thadani (the film's distributor), the producers and director Apoorva Lakhia realised that August was cluttered with too many releases. They realised that Haseena will have to compete with two biggies that are releasing in the weeks before  Shah Rukh Khan's Jab Harry Met Sejal (August 4) and Akshay Kumar's Toilet: Ek Prem Katha [August 11]. What makes it worse is that besides Haseena Parkar, there are three releases lined up for August 18  Bareilly Ki Barfi, Newton and Partition 1947.

Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, Haseena is based on the life of Indias Most Wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahims sister Haseena Parkar, who was allegedly an extortionist herself and believed to have run a proxy business on behalf of her absconding brother.

Talking about the fate of the film, the source added that the makers are confident about its content and dont want to the film to go unnoticed.

The makers are confident of their film and don't want it to get lost in the clutter. That's why they decided to push the release.

Even the director of Haseena Parkar, which was previously titled Haseena: Queen of Mumbai, confirmed the news, saying, We collectively decided to postpone the film so that it can get enough screens and a worthy run at the box-office.

This is the second time the film has been postponed owing to stiff competition from other banners. On July 14, Haseena would have battled against Ranbir-Katrinas Jagga Jasoos and Sridevis Mom.

The makers are yet to announce the films new release date.
Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan may be a superstar for the world, but to his three childrenAryan, AbRam and Suhanahe is just their father, who also happens to be a chilled out friend to them.

In a recent interview with Bombay Times, SRK spilled some beans on his kids never taking his superstardom too seriously. He said, My kids joke about me being a star (in a nice way). If they see me telling my team that, `Guys, this has to be done by 9 pm! suddenly, Aryan will say`OhhS..R..K! They know that I dont take stardom seriously, so they can make fun of it. They dont say it, but I know that my family is bothered about my future. Like Aryan says, 'You have to be a big star baba because AbRam should not be bereft of it. He is so young and he has not seen your stardom yet, we have seen it. He tells me that I should work hard and AbRam should have the same upbringing that they had. He says, 'You have to work harder, as you doing all this isnt the same as me doing well, or mama doing something well or Suhana doing well. Its not the same when baba does something well. So, you have to look healthy and strong. That is really sweet. So, I think that my family is attached to my stardom, but we are not sold out to it. I believe that when you are a superstar, you have to let people listen to your heartbeat. You are not supposed to tell them 'Aye, yeh karo, woh karo.They will give you the best things in life if they believe that you are a superstar. If ONLY you believe that you are a star, you have to scream it out aloud. It has been long since I actually screamed, so I must have been a star for many years (smiles).

Recently, the Fan star also revealed how he has found a friend in his eldest son Aryan, who practises and also learns Hindi cuss words from his global film star father. Talking about his equation with the youngster, the Baadshah of Bollywood reportedly said, When I am with Aryan sometimes, we just lay down in our shorts without our shirts and we crack some dirty jokes. He gets really excited telling me about gaalis hes learnt. Im from Delhi and Ive also been that age and my vocabulary of Hindi gaalis is fantastic (smiles). So when he tells me one, I tell him that Ill teach him another version of it.

On a related note, King Khans next release opposite Anushka Sharma Jab Harry Met Sejal is slated to release on August 4. The film has been directed by Imtiaz Ali.
Shruti Haasan is always very quiet about her personal life and nothings changed in that department. In spite of being seen every now and then with Britisher Michael Corsale she has consistently refused to entertain any questions about her rumoured boyfriend.

When asked about him at a recent event Shruti made it clear that she wouldnt talk about that aspect of her life. Attending the screening of the movie RaagDesh she said, Sorry, not talking about it.

Currently shuttling between Mumbai and Chennai for her next film with her father Kamal Haasan, she was also spotted at the Mumbai airport with Mr Corsale. Sources say Michael was there to spend time with his lady love. While the duo was quite okay being photographed they made no effort to make things official.

The love birds probably want more time to themselves before going official and were only too happy to give it to them!
According to study women who had children later in life were more likely to live for longer than those who gave birth during their teens and twenties (Photo: Pixabay)

While women who wait till later in life to have a baby are often criticized, a new study has emerged saying that women who have babies in their 30s can go on to live longer.

Researchers compared the life expectancy of more mature women with the age they had a baby and found that women who had children later in life were more likely to live for longer than those who gave birth during their teens and twenties.

Sometimes, doctors warn that women should start trying for a child before they are in their thirties otherwise they risk being unable to conceive as apparently there is a decline in quality and quantity of eggs.

But the new study, throws fresh light on the issue saying that women who conceive later in life and have a late baby are likely to live longer too.

The study was published in the Journal of Public Health.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

According to one expert, while there may be several factors contributing to it, one major reason women who give birth later in life tend to be of a higher social standing and have a better income. Their better social standing and higher level of education lets them have a longer life since they can afford to lead healthier lifestyle.
Despite rise in awareness about organ donations, the supply of vital organs in India is struggling to meet the demand since legal donations only fulfil three to five percent of the total requirement. Currently two lakh people are waiting for kidneys and 30,000 are waiting for a liver.

Now two women who were strangers months back have come together to save each others husbands by swapping kidneys. 49-year-old Saroj and 50-year-old Saira Bano in Meerut both ended up at the same hospital to donate their kidneys to their own husbands, but were their blood groups didnt match that of their own husband.

The two women are determined to transcend religious boundaries and red tape as they are now willing to donate kidneys to each others husbands. They are already approaching a doctor for advice and the rest will depend on the government machinery.

In a time when religious differences are giving rise to controversy and organ donation in the country is far from adequate to meet the demand, a Hindu woman joining hands with a Muslim woman for saving their spouses is inspiring.
Google, on Tuesday, refused reports of 16-year-old Harshit Sharma being offered a job by the search giant.

Earlier on Tuesday, media reports about Sharma went viral for being selected as a graphic designer for the company that would pay him of Rs 12 lakh per month.

Sharma is a class XII student of Government Model Senior Secondary School in Sector 33-B of Chandigarh.

According to the reports he had been trained by his uncle and was to leave for his new job in California on August 7.

However, Google told The Indian Express they have no record of his candidacy.

The achievement had come for having a keen eye for design and a knack for innovating things at such a young age.

He claimed he was selected after he submitted some of his posters through a Google link. Google however does not recruit from any schools in the world.

The Indian Express had earlier reported on the story of his job offer.
A 40-year-old woman was stabbed nearly five times outside Thyagraj stadium gate. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: A 40-year-old woman died after being stabbed multiple times outside the Thyagraj Stadium in south Delhi on Monday evening, police said.

Santoshi, a resident of 54 Bapu Park K M Pur, was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre where she was declared brought dead, they added.

"She was stabbed nearly five times outside the stadium gate. By the time, security guards rushed to her help hearing her cries, the accused had fled," a police official said.

The attacker fled from the spot although police will be referring to the CCTV cameras outside the stadium's gate to catch the attacker.

Investigation on the matter is underway at the moment.

The woman had five children and was living with them. Her husband, Rambabu, is separated from her and is living in Rajasthan, police said.
Hyderabad: In a case of life imitating art, politician Vikram Goud, allegedly staged an attack against himself like in the Mahesh Babu starrer Athadu.

West Zone police arrested four persons from different places in AP and Karnataka on Tuesday in connection with the shooting of former minister Mukesh Gouds son, Vivek, who claimed that he was shot at in his Banjara Hills home last Friday.

Police are convinced that Mr Vivek Goud arranged for the shooters through a friend and got them to stage the incident so that he could escape mounting pressure from his creditors.

He is believed to be in debt to the tune of crores of rupees. He runs a pub in Madhapur and is also involved in a mining business. Police suspect that Mr Goud instructed the shooters to shoot him in a way that would not seriously harm him.

The police are now searching for the gun used by the shooters who threw it in Shaikpet Lake as they escaped.

Once they have all the evidence, police say they will file cases against Mr Goud and his wife M. Shipali as well as the shooters.

There is also speculation that another reason for the allegedly staged attack was that excise officials would call him in for questioning in a drugs case in the pub he runs.

The Youth Congress leader was mysteriously shot at his Banjara Hills residence in the early hours of Friday.

He had two bullet injuries, on his right shoulder and stomach. Police could not find any evidence of attackers from outside breaking into the house.

He is being treated at Apollo Hospital. His wife lodged a complaint alleging that some attackers shot him and fled from the scene.

Police book Vikram on conspiracy charge

The West Zone police has booked a case of conspiracy, misleading the police and accessing firearm without licence against Vikram Goud, the son of former minister Mukesh Goud and Telangana Youth Congress leader, after it came to light that he had stage-managed the entire shooting incident with the help of a hired shooter and his aides.

Police sources said the shooter was hired from Indore. The shooter and his aides had conducted a recce of Mr Vikram Gouds place after he hired them. Three days before the incident, they had to come to Hyderabad, an official said.
Chemicals are added to increase the sparkling, smoking and colouring properties of the crackers. They float in the air and condense and enter water sources. They cause cardiovascular abnormalities, hypertension, skin cancer etc.

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court has ordered that five hazardous chemicals be banned from use in the manufacture of firecrackers. The chemicals, lithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead are known to be hazardous to human health and the environment.

Senior scientist Babu Rao from IICT has lauded the ruling. These chemicals are heavy metals and when they burn they vapourise and mix with the air. Chemicals like mercury, once in the air, cannot be removed in any way, he said.

These chemicals are added to increase the sparkling, smoking and colouring properties of the crackers. They float in the air and condense and enter water sources. They cause cardiovascular abnormalities, hypertension, skin cancer etc.

The Pollution Control Board Telangana is yet to receive directives on how the use and sale of these chemicals and crackers must be regulated.

These chemicals are extremely costly and not easily available. So if any small scale manufacturing is happening, it can be regulated, said Mr Raveendhar, senior scientist at the Pollution Control Board.

According to retailers and wholesalers in the city, Sivakashi in Tamil Nadu is the only place where such chemicals are used and so regulation will be easy.

We have very small stocks of Rs 30,000-40,000, which will be used soon. If we get crackers without these chemicals we will push for their sale, said Mr Rajesh of Bhagya Rekha Crackers.

The ban was sought by the Central Pollution Control Board and will come immediately into effect.
Mysuru: This city of palaces witnessed the launch of the logo for 407th Dasara celebrations by district in-charge minister Dr H C Mahadevappa here on Monday with the ten-day festivities scheduled to commence on September 21.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mahadevappa said besides an increase in the budget for Dasara festivities to Rs15 crore, Mysuru City Corporation has sought Rs 21 crore to spruce up the city through civil works as compared with Rs 5 crore allotted for civil works last year. For the first time, Rs 117 crore has been allotted to improve 17roads leading to Mysuru city. In addition, Rs 50 lakh has been allotted for Dasara festivities at Srirangapatna and Rs 1 crore for Dasara at Chamarajnagar. The events planned would ensure elegance during these ten days without either a grand show or one of a low-scale. The theme has been chosen to strengthen democracy, by unveiling principles and objectives of the Indian constitution, he added.

He said the Dasara website would be launched in a weeks time with Dasara Gajapayana, the journey of (first batch of 8 elephants) elephants towards Mysuru (for acclimatization exercise ahead of the famous processions scheduled to commence from Nagapura hamlet near Nagarahole in Hunsur taluk on August 14. A traditional welcome would be accorded to these elephants in the courtyard of Mysuru Palace, at 12.05 PM on August 15, Dr Mahadevappa added.

Among special plans to mark Dasara are special tourism packages, including palace on wheels (to visit 13 palaces), a heritage tour (to view heritage buildings), museum on wheels (to visit 8 major museums), Mysuru by air (in helicopter ride to have aerial view of Mysuru). While commercial flights under regional connectivity scheme are expected to begin operations from Mysuru to Chennai, plans for flights to Bengaluru are in pipeline with the district administration planning to write to the ministry of defence for an air show, he added.

Besides illumination of Mysuru city and cultural programmes infront of Mysuru Palace, tourists would be welcomed to a pack of events including Dasara sports, including national sports, yoga dasara, women and childrens dasara.
Dhinakaran said he did not feel that he was being 'sidelined', asserting he will do his 'duty' for the party. (Photo: File)

Chennai: Sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Tuesday said he would resume party work from August 4 after a two-months hiatus and embark on a state-wide tour to facilitate efforts for merger of factions.

"Strengthening the party also means bringing together those who had walked apart," he said in an apparent reference to factions led by former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Chief Minister K Palanisamy.

Stating that he was "no competition" to any one in the party, Dhinakaran said he did not feel that he was being 'sidelined', asserting he will do his 'duty' for the party.

His announcement on resuming party work assumes significance as the Palanisamy camp had earlier decided to keep him, and jailed party chief and his aunt VK Sasikala,

away from the party affairs and government.

However, questioning their authority to sideline him, Dhinakaran had in June last, after coming out on bail in the EC bribery attempt case, said that he would wait for two months for the merger of factions of AIADMK and then take up active party work.

He had given the time-frame for merger after meeting Sasikala, serving her term in a corruption case in a Bengaluru prison, on June 5.

He had then said that Sasikala had told him what to do in case the factions did not unite in 60 days and that deadline draws to a close on August 4.

Dhinakarn on Tuesday said he will begin the state-wide tour after August 4 to strengthen the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and ensure a big win for it.

"I am going to tour the state to meet party cadres and people for party's growth and for the party's win in 2019 Lok Sabha poll," he said.

On the merger, he said despite the time given, there had been no progress. "As a party worker and Deputy General Secretary I have a duty to work for the party and strengthen it."

Replying to a question, Dhinakaran said he considered Palanisamy a good friend.

Responding to Dhinakaran's latest view, Finance Minister D Jayakumar said the government and party continued to be led by Palanisamy.

However, he played down a meeting of party leaders expected later in the evening as "routine."

Former Minister and Panneerselvam loyalist K Panidarajan said, "We are not saying no to unification...if the values (espousing which Panneerselvam broke away from the party) are respected that will happen."

Earlier, a meeting of AIADMK Puratchi Thalaivi Amma led by Panneerselvam was held in Chennai.

Ousting Sasikala and her larger family including Dhinakaran from the party is the key demand of the Panneerselvam faction.
The officials called Abu Dujanas killing a huge achievement of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the security forces combating a three-decade old militancy in the State. (Photo: Social Media)

Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, who figured at number one in the list of most dangerous terrorists released by the Army in June this year, is among the two gunmen shot dead by the security forces in a fierce encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs southern Pulwama district on Tuesday.

The officials called Dujanas killing a huge achievement of the Jammu and Kashmir police and the security forces combating a three-decade old militancy in the State.

LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice killed in Harkipora, Pulwama. Huge achievement for police and SF, tweeted the J&K police.

LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

Soon after the word about Dujanas killing spread, irate youth took to the streets in many parts of the Valley including Pulwama and Srinagar and soon clashed with the security forces. The police and other security forces fired their rifles, pellet shotguns and teargas canisters to quell the stone-pelting mobs, the witnesses said.

One youth identified as Firdous Ahmed, a resident of Pulwamas Begumpora, Kakapora, was killed when hit by a bullet in the chest during intense protests in the area, the police and hospital sources said.

#WATCH Encounter between security forces & terrorists in J&K's Pulwama (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/WH7kUrem94  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

The police and Army sources said the fighting broke out in Pulwamas Hakripora village early on Tuesday morning following a cordon-and-search operation which was launched jointly by the Army, the counterinsurgency Special Operations Group of the J&K police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on learning about the presence of militants.

Two terrorists have, so far, been killed. One of them is Arif Lihari, a local Kashmiri. The other is said to be Abu Dujara but we are verifying it, a senior police officer who wished not to be named had said earlier.

He also said the bodies had been charred.

On June 1, the Army released a list of top 12 militants active mainly in Jammu and Kashmir's southern districts, falling in two categories of A and A++ and belonging to the Hizb-ul-Mujahedin (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM). Abu Dujana, alias Hafiz (LeT Divisional Commander, South Kashmir), was listed under the A++ category and the Army had also said he is based out of Pakistan and has been active since December 14, 2014. It had also said getting these militants dead or alive is the top priority of the Army.

Dujana had escaped several such operations in the past. During one of these, his close associate Abu Okasha who was allegedly involved in the August 5, 2015 ambush on a BSF convoy near the garrison town of Udhampur was among those killed in Pulwamas Padgam Pora-Wandakpora village in March this year.

The locals said on Tuesday the militants were trapped in Hakripora after the operation was launched at 4 am. As the security forces zeroed in on the militants hideout, the latter opened fire at them triggering the encounter, the police sources added. Later the security forces used explosives, mortars and possibly improvised explosive devices to blow the private house up, a report said.

The internet services in parts of south Kashmir have been snapped in view of rising tensions. Also the rail services have been suspended as a precautionary measure. Following clashes erupted in parts of the Valley, most schools and other educational institutions were closed and the students were hurriedly sent home in Srinagar and south Kashmir areas. The vehicles are being withdrawn from the roads and marketplaces have closed amid chaos.
Resident of Trikaripur in Kerala, 23-year-old Marwan Ismail, who joined ISIS in 2016 was killed in air strike in Afhganistan. (Photo: Representation | AFP)

Kasargod (Kerala): A 23-year-old man from Kasargod district, who was suspected to have joined the terror outfit Islamic State (IS) in 2016, was reportedly killed in an air strike in Afghanistan.

Police on Tuesday said his father had received a message through Telegram app two days ago informing him about the death of Marwan Ismail of Thrikkaripur in an undisclosed location in Afghanistan.

They said the message was also sent to social activist B C Abdul Rahman on the same day.

The message purportedly sent by one Asfaq Majeed, one of the 21 youths from Kerala who allegedly went missing and joined the IS, did not provide more details about Marwan or the place where he was killed.

Marwan had been working as a physiotherapist in a gulf nation before joining the terror group last year, police said.

He was among the 21 persons from the state, who reportedly went missing after travelling to the Middle East in 2016 and later joined the IS in Syria.

In April, Yahya, a native of Palakkad was allegedly killed in an air strike in Afghanistan.

Also Read: Kerala youth who joined ISIS 'killed in battle with US forces' in Afghanistan
Hyderabad: The Mother of BPharmacy student Ayesha Meera on Tuesday demanded re-investigation into the rape and murder case of her daughter. She also sought action against the erring officials who misled the investigation that caused the acquittal of the accused, P. Satyam Babu.

The people responsible for misleading the probe into this murder case should be punished. A new probe should be conducted. Government should make a better agency to investigate the case, Ayeshas mother Samsad Begum said.

Ayeshas parents also alleged the involvement of former Congress minister Koneru Ranga Raos grandson, Koneru Satish.

The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday directed the AP government to inform it by August 8 whether it had referred the failures of investigation officers in probing the murder to the apex committee, and if the case was referred to the committee, what it has done so far.
Enforcement director Mr Akun Sabharwal announced that about 1,000 victims from educational institutes, IT sector and film industry were fallen into the trap of these drug rackets.

Hyderabad: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Excise Enforcement of Wing is expected to conduct a meeting with Director Mr Akun Sabarwal soon to discuss the future course of action on the case, particularly regarding proceedings against Tollywood actors.

The SIT completed its interrogation of film personalities on Tuesday. It plans to go through the vid-eo recordings, statements, and interrogation reports of the accused, suspects and witnesses who have appe-ared before the team so far.

The SIT has been updating Mr Anurag Sharma, the Director General of Police, on the progress made on the case. With top functionaries of the government and the home department in the picture, the SIT has decided to act solely based on evidence.

A top official from the SIT said, There isnt a second list of Tollywood stars to be interrogated, as is widely being claimed. We havent decided to file a chargesheet yet. We will issue notices in the future, based on legal evidence recovered from the investigation so far. We will only arrest Tollywood actors who have already been questioned if we find legal evidence against them. It will take some time to go through the findings. The official denied allegations that the probe had been closed.

The total footage from the interrogation of 12 Tollywood personalities spans over 100 hours in all. The entire footage will be verified by officials. The interrogation of other individuals has produced about 50 to 75 hours of footage. The SIT will also carry out discussions regarding the NDPS Act with legal experts.
Followers of Rambhapuri seer protest in Hubballi on Tuesday against the leaders who they accuse are trying to break unity in the comunity over the issue of according religion status. (Photo:DC)

Hubballi: The split and crisis has come to the fore along with strong differences between pontiffs of different maths of Veerashaivas and Lingayats over separate religious status for Lingayats with thousands of followers of Rambhapuri seer from various parts of Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag and Bagalkot districts taking to the streets here on Tuesday to protest against those trying to break the unity in the guise of according status of religion.

Their protest comes close on the heels of contradictory statements by water resource minister M B Patil and veteran Congress leader and Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa on the same issue. They also raised slogans against woman seer Mathe Mahadevi for insulting Rambhapuri pontiff after he made a controversial remarks against her.

During the protest, they displayed booklets depicting her in a derogatory manner and linking her with another seer.

The Lingayat caste cauldron has been on the boil and triggered major controversy after she addressed a rally in Bidar where she raised the demand for a separate religion status for Lingayats. The woman seer and Rambhapuri pontiff are at loggerheads resulting in agitations by their respective followers across the state. The protesters warned that they would intensify their agitation if the state government does not recommend for separate religion status under single banner of Veerashaiva-Lingayat within two weeks. Elected representatives, whom we have voted, have cheated us by trying to divide the community in the name of Veerashaiva and Lingayat. We will launch a campaign to vote only for those candidates who support our stand as per directions of Rambhapuri seer in the Assembly elections. We will hold a convention in Hubballi after consulting five Veerashaiva Jagadguru Samsthanas of Kashi, Kedar, Srishaila, Balehonnur and Dwaraka. We will raise Veerashaiva flag in every household of the community on this occasion, Prakash Bendigeri, community leader, said.

Several seers have threatened violent protests to stop attempts to divide the community.
Hyderabad: The Central government has agreed to allot the Bison polo grounds land to the Telangana government for the construction of new secretariat buildings. Sources said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is planning to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation for the new secretariat buildings.

The state government and the defence authorities have reached an understanding on exchange of land.

The state government needs 160 acres of defence land for construction of two flyovers and the secretariat buildings. In lieu of this, the state government will give 593 acres of land at Jawaharnagar to the defence department.

After valuation of these lands, the defence department has asked the Telangana government to pay Rs 93 crore in addition, as the land it is receiving from the defence department is greater in value than the land it is surrendering.

The state government has agreed to this. The defence department will circulate the file regarding the exchange of land to the law and finance departments for their approval.

The central government will take the final decision at a cabinet meeting. On the land it will get from the defence establishment, the state government proposes to construct two flyovers to ease traffic congestion on Rajiv Rahadari and National Highway 44 which leads to Nagpur.

The flyover from Paradise to Outer Ring Road (ORR) will require 60 acres of land and the Paradise to Bowenpally flyover requires 40 acres. In addition to this, the state government has asked the defence department for the 60 acres of the Bison polo ground for the construction of new secretariat buildings.

In fact, the 593 acres at Jawaharnagar is already being using by the defence department for short range firing and other military purposes and had been leased to the defence authorities.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will lay the foundation stone on August 10 for works designed to give a new lease of life to the age old Sriramsagar project taken up at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.

The major irrigation project with a capacity to store 90 tmc ft of Godavari water was constructed in undivided AP but no supplementation works were taken up.

Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao told newspersons on Tuesday that this great injustice done to TS has resulted in inflows into reservoir declining over the last few years due to construction of a series of barrages upstream by Maharashtra state.

He said that as part of the renewal project, waters drawn from Yellampally-Kaleswaram barrage would be lifted to the Flood Flow Canal that would be utilised as a reservoir due to its capacity to hold 22,000 cusecs.

He said that water will be lifted to a height of 30 metres at three places to be dropped in flood flow canal that will be linked to existing the canal network of SRSP so that whenever SRSP does not receive adequate inflows, water being lifted from downstream Godavari will be utilised at SRSP.

The existing flood flow canal has not been in use over some years as the water inflows into the Sriramsagar reservoir are not enough to build up the level to 1,070 ft.

As an alternative, Yellampalli lift canal from Yellampalli project is under construction with which, water will be lifted into Flood Flow Canal at Gangadhara to feed Mid Manair Dam, the minister said.

He said several irrigation projects in TS were suffering due to poor inflows and this prompted the Chief Minister to rejuvenate, redesign and re-engineer the projects.

Mr Harish Rao said that it was hoped in the coming years, water will be available in every project by diverting inflows from Kaleswaram barrage that takes care of all irrigation needs.
Police arrested dozens of youths during clashes at Lal Chowk triggered by the killing of a top LeT militant and a civilian in Pulwama encounter. (Photo: H.U. Naqash)

Srinagar: Top Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) commander and Pakistani national Abu Dujana was shot dead by security forces on Tuesday while allegedly visiting his Indian wife in a village in Jammu & Kashmirs southern Pulwama district.

The IGP said that the operations against militants would continue irrespective of the violent protests that take place during encounters or immediately after a militant is killed.

A police statement said that both the slain militants were involved in a number of anti-national and subversive activities, including grenade attacks on the security forces at various places in south Kashmir and murder of a former sarpanch Fayaz Ahmad Bhat in Pulwama in 2016.

Soon after word about Dujanas killing spread, irate crowds of youth took to the streets in many parts of the Valley and clashed with the security forces. The police and other security forces fired bullets, pellet shotguns and teargas and pepper canisters to quell the stone-pelting mobs, witnesses said.

Firdous Ahmed Butt, a resident of Pulwamas Begumpora, Kakapora, was killed when hit by a bullet in the chest during the protests, the witnesses and hospital sources said.

A nurse, Gulzara Akhter, and a student were injured when the security forces opened fire on protesters outside the district hospital, witnesses and hospital sources said.

A statement issued by the police said that a civilian was injured near the encounter site in the crossfire and he later died in hospital.
Kolkata/New Delhi: Amid an unprecedented public spat between West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, the state government informed New Delhi on Thursday that it does not need an extra 400 Central troops for deployment in the riot-hit areas of North 24-Parganas district.

"We have sent eight companies of paramilitary forces (of 100 personnel each) to West Bengal to deploy in the communal violence-affected areas. However, the West Bengal government has conveyed it does not require four of the eight companies," a Union home ministry spokesman told the media in New Delhi. The state government hasn't given any reason for this.

The communal clashes that erupted at Baduria in Basirhat subdivision of the district on Monday, after an objectionable Facebook post, claimed its first victim on Thursday with a 65-year-old victim dying of stab wounds. The situation in the violence-hit areas was, meanwhile, returning to normal with no fresh incidents of violence reported, a senior official said.

After the death on Thursday, a scuffle broke out between BJP workers and Trinamul supporters in front of Kolkata's R.G. Kar Hospital with senior BJP leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya and Dilip Ghosh trying to enter the premises, claiming to stand by the family of the deceased. Trinamul workers blocked the vehicles of Mr Vijayvargiya and Mr Ghosh.

A team of three BJP MPs - Meenakshi Lekhi, Satpal Singh and Om Mathur - will visit Basirhat on Friday for an on-the-spot probe, after which they will submit a report to BJP president Amit Shah, party sources said.

In the wake of the spat between the governor and the chief minister, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha meanwhile added to the controversy on Thursday by calling the governor a "a soldier of the Modi brigade", which the Trinamul Congress immediately latched on to, with TMC secretary Partha Chatterjee saying the "cat was out of the bag".

Mr Vijayvargiya, the BJP general secretary in charge of West Bengal, tried to do damage control by saying he didn't endorse Mr Sinha's statement, reiterating that the governor's post was a "constitutional and impartial" one. When asked about the spat between Ms Banerjee and Mr Tripathi, Mr Sinha said: "The Trinamul Congress is under the illusion that the governor can be silenced by hurling such derogatory language at him. But they have forgotten that Keshari Nath Tripathi is a soldier of the Modi brigade. The governor's recent statement makes it clear he is not afraid of the Trinamul Congress and can't be stopped from performing his duty."

TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said: "Now the cat is out of the bag. What we have been saying for the last few days has proved to be true from Mr Sinha's statement. The BJP is trying to turn the governor's house into a party office and the governor is also supporting it by making such statements."

Mr Vijayvargiya, in a bid to contain the damage, said at a press conference: "I have not heard what Mr Sinha said. But if he did, we do not endorse his statement. The governor's post is constitutional and impartial, and he has always given dignity to his post." He also attacked the Trinamul Congress for targeting the governor. "Those who will be landing in jail in the chit fund cases are making such statements against the governor. I would want to inform them that in the days to come, they will have to go to jail for the way they have looted the money of people in the chit fund scam," he added.
Villagers prepare for funeral prayers of one of the three militants who were killed during an encounter with security forces at Bahmoo village of Keller, 60 kms from Srinagar. (Photo: PTI)

Srinagar: Three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants were killed in a fire fight with the security forces in Tral area of Jammu and Kashmirs south Pulwama district on Saturday.

In a separate incident, a CRPF jawan was injured when militants tossed a hand grenade at a security force patrol in Kulgam district, also in south Kashmir, during the day, officials said.

They said that the Armys 42 Rashtriya Rifles along with J&K Polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group and the CRPFs 180th Battalion laid siege to Trals Satura area early Saturday following specific information about the presence of militants. The terrorists were hiding in the hills of Tral.

The Army pressed helicopters into service during the operation to maintain surveillance on the militants' movement and also to drop Para commandos in the difficult terrain to take on the highly motivated terrorists. A senior police officer said over the phone from Tral, The operation was started at around 7.15 am. The contact with the terrorists was established at 8 am. The firing has stopped with the killing of three terrorists but the moping operation is still on.

The J&Ks Director General of Police, Shesh Paul Vaid, had earlier told reporters here, The encounter is still on. There was an input about a couple of militants in that area. The exact outfit is not known but most probably they are foreign militants. It must be Jaish-e-Mohammed. He confirmed that the militants entered in a cave during the fire fight making it momentarily difficult for the security forces to neutralize them.

An Army official said that the security forces laid siege to a cluster of houses

and hutments of nomadic Gujjars in the midst of Wantiwan woods of Satura in Tral after learning that a group of militants was present in the area. Two militants were killed immediately after the encounter started but a third one rushed into a cave in the hills but he too was neutralized after a few hours, he said.

As the word about the killing of militants spread, surging crowds clashed with the police and the CRPF in Tral areas. The security forces fired teargas canisters to quell the slogan-chanting mobs, witnesses said.

In a separate incident, a militant targeted a CRPF patrol with a grenade in Kulgam district, injuring ASI Rajinder Kumar of its 18th Battalion. He received a splinter injury on his left knee and was rushed to the district hospital and is out of danger, officials said. One person was arrested by the CRPF and later handed over to the local police in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, Lt Gen S Sandhu, the GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Army (Chinar) Corps, said on Saturday that the operations against the militants in his area of operation (Kashmir Valley) will continue. He said though the situation is under control, the Army along with other security forces will work harder to improve it further in coming weeks.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a passing out parade of the newly inducted soldiers, he said that the youth of the Kashmir Valley are ready to serve the nation as was evident from the response to a recently held recruitment rally. Against just 200 posts, there were more than 5,000 youths who wanted to serve the nation, he said. Intelligence reports available with Army suggest that there are 100 to 120 militants in the Valley.

When his attention was drawn towards a series of videos appearing on social media and showing soldiers abusing and mercilessly beating up Kashmiri youth, he said, Our boys are very professional. However, if anybody is found to be working unprofessionally in the force, action will be taken against him.

Asked about a recent incident of a soldier deserting his unit, he said, We have still no information if the soldier Zahoor Ahmad Thokar who decamped with a weapon and magazines from Baramulla, has joined any militant group.
Kochi: A.S. Sunilraj alias Appunni, personal manager of actor Dileep, on Monday finally appeared before the Special Investigation Team probing the conspiracy behind the abduction and sexual assault of an actress four months back, however, he was released by cops after a six-hour long interrogation session. Appunni, who was in hiding, was summoned for questioning after the cops noticed his coming under the same tower locations on all four occasions when Dileep was found to have held discussions with Pulsar Suni, main accused in the case.

Sources said Appunis mobile phone was seized by the cops who mainly asked him about Suni calling him on phone from jail and conspiracy in the case. Appunni is learnt to have admitted to have met Vishnu, ninth accused in the case, purportedly on behalf of Dileep to settle dispute with Suni. However, his reply to queries about his presence when the conspiracy was hatched was not satisfactory. He may be subjected to another round of questioning based on the new evidence garnered during the probe progress, they said.

Earlier in the morning, the Aluva Police club witnessed drama as a person resembling Appunni reached there at 10.40 am. As the waiting media ran after him with queries, Appunni managed to reach inside the police club compound in a car. Later, the media personnel identified him to be Shibu  elder brother of Appunni. Sources said Shibu, who had worked as a driver for Dileep earlier, was summoned for interrogation along with Appunni. Meanwhile, the SIT during the day also collected statements of film maker Sreekumar Menon in connection with the case. He was summoned to the Aluva Police Club for interrogation reportedly on the basis of a statement given by Dileep.
A file photo of Congress spokesperson Shakti Singh Gohil addressing the media with party MLAs from Gujarat and Karnataka Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar at a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Gujarat Congress Committee will bear the expenses of the stay of 44 MLAs at a private resort on the city outskirts here, a senior party leader in Karnataka said on Monday.

As their stay to fend off poaching attempts by the BJP ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat entered the third day on Monday, a few MLAs from flood-hit constituencies of the state reportedly expressed their intention to go back. The Congress leader, who is overseeing the arrangements to keep the flock together, said the MLAs were worried about the public opinion going against them. They think that they will be blamed for abandoning voters when their constituencies were facing nature's fury, he said. The exact number of MLAs who have expressed their willingness to head back is not clear.

The Congress on Sunday paraded all its legislators before the media in an effort to quell speculation of dissension in the party ranks.

The party reportedly chose the city for lodging its MLAs as Karnataka is governed by the Congress. The entire responsibility of their stay has been given to state Power Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother D.K. Suresh, Bengaluru Rural MP. The entire payment of the bill is from the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. It is in their name only; they said that they are going to pay, Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question.

Asked about winning the Rajya Sabha seat, he said, We will meet on 8th (August). I will also try to visit Gujarat that day.

Six of the 57 Congress MLAs in Gujarat, from where senior party leader Ahmed Patel is contesting for the Rajya Sabha, have resigned from the party in the last few days with three joining the BJP on Friday.

The party has apprehensions about Patels election to the Rajya Sabha, if more MLAs defect. In the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, the strength of the Congress has gone down from 57 to 51. Shivakumar in response to a question said the resort was chosen as the venue to lodge the MLAs after keeping the aspects of security, traffic and connectivity to the airport in mind.
New Delhi: In a major embarrassment for the Narendra Modi government in Rajya Sabha an amendment moved by the Opposition Congress to the Constitution 123rd Amendment Bill 2017, granting Constitutional status to the OBC Commission, was passed because of thin strength of ruling NDA MPs in the House.

The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, providing for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes, was passed after dropping Clause 3, to which four amendments was approved by the House earlier.

The dropped clause pertains to the insertion of a new Article 338 B about the Constitution and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes.

The amended bill will now have to be returned to the Lok Sabha for its fresh approval. The Lower House had already passed the bill but in the Upper House it had been referred to a Select Committee as the Opposition had wanted more scrutiny.

The Rajya Sabha on Monday took up the Constituent amendment bill, whose passage requires two-third majority of those present and voting in the 245-member House. While the clauses of the bill were being put to vote, Congress members Digvijaya Singh, B.K. Hariprasad and Hussain Dalvai moved a number of amendments to clause 3.

Minister for social justice Thawar Chand Gehlot said the suggestions proposed through the amendments would be kept in mind while framing the rules. However, Mr Digvijay pressed for division of votes, saying they (government) are jumla politics people and could not be trusted.

Subsequently, the amendments were passed by 74 to 52 votes, causing an embarrassment for the ruling side which has a strength of 89, if JD(U)s 10 members are also counted with them.


Hyderabad: After being relieved from charge of Congress affairs in Goa and Karnataka last April, AICC president Sonia Gandhi has relieved AICC general-secretary Digvijay Singh of the party's Telangana state affairs too.

R.C. Kuntia, who has been in charge of Congress affairs in his capacity as AICC secretary, has been asked to take charge of the T-Congress affairs.

A brief communique from the AICC headquarters on Tuesday said: "Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved a new AICC team to look after party affairs in Telangana. R.C. Kuntia has been appointed in-charge of Telangana affairs."

However, party sources said Mr Kuntia's appointment is stop gap; to fill the vacuum for the next few months as major changes are expected once the organisational elections in the party are completed by October this year.

Mr Singh's abrupt removal as T-Congress in-charge has, as expected, led to several theories floating around. He had been holding the post since 2013.

While his ineffectiveness in dealing with party affairs in TS, especially his failure to take action against veteran leader Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and his brother Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy who developed differences with N. Uttam Kumar Reddy ever since he was made PCC president, is said to have led to Mr Singh's exit.

Besides, Mr Singh failed to take disciplinary action against Mr Rajagopal Reddy for his attack on Guduru Narayana Reddy that took place in the Gandhi Bhavan in his presence.

He also failed to lead the party to fight for various issues like the Miyapur land scam. Mr Singh's attempts to rope in TD working president A. Revanth Reddy into the Congress fold also did not go well.

He was also accused of failing to capitalise on the positive response that AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi received in last month's Sangareddy public meeting.

The other theory going around is that Mr Singh himself sought to be relieved from party responsibilities in Goa, Karnataka, TS and AP, citing personal reasons as well as his proposed padayatra in his native state of Madhya Pradesh.

Though he was accused of not taking enough steps to form the government in Goa in his capacity of the party incharge in the state, sources said when Mr Singh tried to convey the 'list of demands' particularly on arranging finances by some of the independent MLAs and groups, both Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Mr Rahul Gandhi did not respond to it.
Chennai: The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offence-II) Court, Egmore at Allikulam has framed charges against AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran in connection with a Foreign Exchange Regulations Act (FERA) registered against him by Enforcement Directorate two decades ago.

Based on the direction of the Madras high court, the Judge, S. Malarmathy, has framed the fresh charge sheet against him. However, denying the charges Dhinakaran replied that the case was foisted against him.

His counsel has sought to peruse the documents submitted by ED regarding the case. The judge adjourned the matter to August 3. Speaking to reporters on coming out from the court, Dhinakaran said he has faith in the judiciary and prove his innocence in the court.

Recently, on his plea, the Madras HC set aside the charges framed against Dhinakaran by the ACMM (EO-II) on April 19.

Justice M.S. Ramesh directed the trial court to commence the process again after granting adequate time to the accused enabling him submit his objections and to complete the trial in 3 months.

Justice Ramesh passed the order on his plea challenging the charges framed by the special court on the grounds that the trial judge had failed to provide adequate opportunity for his counsel to make his submissions before framing the charges.

According to prosecution Dhinarakan facing trial before the ACMM (EO-II) in connection with two cases registered by the ED  one was alleged transfer of 1.04 crore US dollars to Dipper Investment through Barclay Bank, Virgin Islands, and another in connection with illegal routing of US Dollar 36000 and 1 lakh Pounds for starting star hotel in UK. He proposed start star hotel 'Hopscroft Holt' in UK.

Dhinakaran exchanged a huge sum of money through his Dipper Investments, Turnkey and Banyan Tree, British Virgin Islands. Besides this, he illegally routed a huge sum of amount. Hence, ED registered two cases against him for violation of provisions of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) initiated in 1996 and 2001.
Patna: RJD Chief Lalu Yadav on Tuesday vented his ire against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying that the latter has betrayed the mandate by breaking the grand secular alliance in Bihar.

The match between BJP and Nitish Kumar was already fixed. Nitish Kumar used my son to break the alliance and form a government with BJP, RJD chief Lalu Yadav said during a press conference in Patna on Tuesday.

Mr Yadav while speaking in Patna on Tuesday also used the term Paltu Ram (turncoat) for Mr Nitish who had accused him of using secularism to cover his black money.

The Bihar Chief Minister had earlier said that he was left with no option but to walk out of the grand secular alliance as remaining in it would have meant compromising with corruption.
The poor floor management of the ruling party and alliance in the Rajya Sabha led to acute embarrassment for the government as the Opposition seized the opportunity on Monday to ram in amendments to a bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. The BJP president was pushed into coming down hard on the truant MPs in the Upper House, which generally gets lesser attendance on any given day compared to the Lok Sabha. Even so, it is the duty of the ruling party and the government to properly manage its business, including in the national legislature where the work of the whip becomes so important. The failure in this instance is total because a whip was indeed issued. The ruling alliance does not have a majority in the Upper House, more the reason why it has to be on its toes to avoid being surprised, which was not quite the case here as the discussions had gone on for six hours.

The voting in of the Opposition-sponsored amendments by 74 to 52 members (BJPs strength is 56 and the alliance should enjoy the support of 88 members, including the JD(U)) is not the end of the world, or of the government. The Bill has to go back to the lower house where the result would obviously be very different. Why the ruling dispensation may feel the embarrassment more is the fact that, of late, it has been seen to be a champion of the backward classes and was berating the Opposition for stalling the reform in the Upper House after the Bill had been passed in the Lok Sabha last April. The matter of the Congress wishing to add a woman member from a backward community and a member from the minority community smacks of political manoeuvring than true reform. The legislative issue was about granting constitutional status to the existing commission.

This is known to be an objective that the Prime Minister himself desires. The politics of classifications is not going to go away. But what could have been avoided in this particular issue is the polemics of debate as it is everyones wish that the NCBC be empowered. The work of the commission will define its importance rather than the status the commission enjoys, more so as the number of backward castes in the Central list of OBCs has increased to 5,013 and beyond and then there is the question of tackling the creamy layer. It is the job of the NCBC to decide on over-inclusion and under-inclusion, etc. Parliament should not lose sight of the main objectives while dealing with commissions like the NCBC.
So another Prime Minister of Pakistan has been knocked off his pedestal, this time through a court order instead of the Army. So, what is new? Behind Nawaz Sharifs disqualification by the Supreme Court to hold office lies 70 years of Pakistans turbulent history following the early death of its founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the interplay between political forces and the Army. Periods of straightforward military rule have been interspersed with bouts of civilian dispensations, with politicians and the military settling down to a grudging and uneasy equation. Politicians might govern the country after a fashion, but the Army lives by its own rules and is above reproach. True to form, Mr Sharif was not allowed to complete his term this time as well. But there was an irony in the court decision goaded by the Opposition leader Imran Khan of Tehreek-i-Insaf party. The leak of the Prime Ministers alleged wealth through the Panama Papers caught the entire political establishment by surprise but his hoarding of unaccounted wealth is not the sin of Mr Sharif alone; it is the norm for politicians of all parties.

The turmoil in Pakistani politics, with Mr Sharif nominating his 65-year-old younger brother Shehbaz, Governor of the key Punjab province, with a stand-in until he wins a parliamentary seat, is in accordance with the hallowed sub-continental tradition. In foreign policy, of most concern to India and the world, the former Prime Minister is expected to be the backseat driver, but it is easy to envisage the Army reiterating its veto on India, Afghanistan and the stewardship of the countrys nuclear armour. In recent decades, Pakistans policymakers have developed the art of presenting different faces to the world while harbouring terrorist organisations or encouraging cross-border raids. For long, these activities were ignored by Washington, but US Afghan policy was too dependent on Islamabad to call the latter to account. American policy has been changing, as evidenced by the reference to cross-border raids in the joint statement with Mr Modi during his Washington visit and the new explicit clause introduced in the US Senate linking military aid with action against terrorist groups. One of the immediate tasks of Mr Sharifs successors will be to convince US President Donald Trump that Islamabad is actually undertaking to clean up its act on harbouring terrorists is a tall order.

In the event, the stalemate in relations with India will continue until the new civilian dispensation can resolve its domestic problems. An anti-India stance is the safest position to adopt for aspiring politicians in Pakistan. But it is in relation to China that we might see nuances of change. Mr Sharif gave his whole-hearted support to Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) policy, particularly to the key Chinese-Pakistani economic agreement that passes through disputed Kashmir underpinnig it. This economic corridor amounting to many billions of dollars of Chinese investment according to Chinese priorities and with Chinese labour is mouth-watering but full of hidden traps in Balochistan in particular where a hostile rebellious population will be further marginalised by seizure of their land and the influx of hordes of foreign workers and officials virtually running their province. Mr Imran Khans party, identified in popular mind with Army sponsorship, is of course delighted with the elder Mr Sharifs dethronement but still seems a long way to acquiring power.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has a solid majority in Parliament and in immediate terms it seems a formality that petroleum minister Shahid Khalaqan Abbasi will serve his interim term until Sharif junior takes over. But every twist in this Pakistani melodrama has new possibilities of realignments. Mr Nawaz Sharif and his children will be subjected to further legal proceedings, which promise to be a long process. Witness General Musharraf facing a string of charges not only living a normal life but pronouncing on matters of state policy nearly every day as if he were still the countrys military ruler. The Supreme Courts verdict subjects Mr Sharif and family to a stiff round of investigations but the outcome of these probes, as and when they take place, is far from clear. The basic Pakistani dilemma remains unresolved. India might be the enemy for the Army and influence over Afghanistan would remain its other main goal, but the new centrality of China in the countrys affairs introduces an unpredictable factor. Chinese ambitions, which go far beyond Pakistan, are likely to proceed ahead of Islamabads priorities and could represent new points of friction. There was a time when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto galvanised the country and gave it a new cachet. The then Army establishment saw to it that he was not merely imprisoned but hanged.

His daughter Benazir, whom I had also met and interviewed during her term as Prime Minister, sought to recreate her fathers music but assassins were waiting for her to snuff out her life. Mr Nawaz Sharif was more matter of fact in his style and sought to work within the limits of what the Army would allow. Now that he has been felled by an unlikely blow, he must hope that his younger brother will carry on his cautious approach to rule within the red lines drawn by the Army. However, Pakistans perennial question of who rules the country remains unresolved. The thread that unites the country, from General Ayub Khan to now, the Armys hold has not loosened. Perhaps the Supreme Court verdict on Mr Sharif is a sign of change. It is still a long journey ahead. For the better or worse, the sub-continents bitter division still casts a long shadow over relations between the two countries. We are very similar in many ways but have gone in very different directions. Perhaps Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking to mould his country into a Hindu India in imitation of Pakistans Islamisation, will find a meeting point with his colleagues across the border.
The closing ceremony of 800 years of the Pardon of Assisi, is being observed between 2nd and 3rd August this year in Assisi (Italy). This tradition began in 1216, when Francis of Assisi pleaded with Pope Honorius III for a special dispensation to help people in their search for salvation. The Pardon of Assisi is also known as Portiuncula Indulgence. Portiuncula or Little Door is actually a small chapel which Francis was told in a vision by Jesus to go and repair. It is there that Francis founded the Order of Franciscans. The Order later got split into other groups with different interpretations of the basic Rule of St Francis. After having a profound spiritual experience of Jesus Christ, from 1207 onwards Francis had begun appealing to people to repent of their sinful ways.

Thousands of people changed their lives after listening to his message. But they also wanted to be assured that their past was indeed forgotten and forgiven by God. Thus in July of 1216, Francis prayed at the Portiuncula asking Jesus for a general pardon for all those who come to pray in the chapel dedicated to Mother Mary. On August 2, 801 years ago, he announced this indulgence (Pardon) in the name of Jesus, approved by the then reigning Pope, to all the faithful gathered there. This pious tradition going back eight centuries attracts thousands of pilgrims, young and old, every year to this Little Door to Mercy, that is always open to those who desire receiving it and use it to find their own path to holiness. Last September while participating in an inter-religious programme in Assisi organised by the Community of St. Egidio, I walked to this chapel every morning and participated in the morning worship there. The intense experience I had there is indescribable. The celebration this year will be particularly solemn because it will coincide with the closure of its eighth centenary.

Last year after the opening of this celebration on August 4, Pope Francis himself made a private pilgrimage there. The former Pope and now a saint, John Paul II, once said that the message of the Portiuncula Indulgence is one of pardon and reconciliation, that is, of grace, which divine goodness pours out on us if we are well disposed because God is truly rich in mercy. It is true that Gods mercy and love can be experienced in all places but when one takes the trouble to make a pilgrimage to a special place such as this, it shows an individuals fervent resolve to move away from ones indifferent ordinary living to a path of holiness. The changed lives of individuals is a proof that pilgrimages do help, if, as John Paul says, we are well disposed for it.
Hyderabad: Dr P.M Bhargavas outspokenness earned him admirers and foes in equal measure. The best example of his forthrightness was his decision to return the Padma Bhushan in 2015 for what he termed as growing intolerance in the country under the Narendra Modi government.

He did not mince his words while announcing his decision. He called for a ban on the RSS for fanning a sense of fear among minorities and Dalits.

The government must change its way of functioning as it is going on a path laid by Hindu religious autocracy, he had said, citing the reason for joining the protest by intellectuals, writers, filmmakers and social activists from across the country.

While there were some who congratulated him for the decision, some others like actor Anupam Kher strongly criticised him. Kher had said, Some more usual suspects who never wanted Modi to become PM in the first place have joined the Awardwapsi gang. Jai Ho. But whether praised or critiqued, the fact remains that with Dr Bhargavas passing, a void has been created in the scientific community that would be hard to fill.

Retired professor and activist G. Haragopal said, Dr Bhargavas passing away will leave a void in the intellectual world but his courageous conviction which was a rare quality will truly be missed. Democratic India that is going through winds of change needed a voice to fight for the masses and his voice was one of the strongest. He was the first person to resign from the post of the Vice-Chancellor, stating that he did not like the way the commission was working. His resignation raised quite a few eyebrows. But his conviction in what he believed was right was unshakeable. He put forth ideas and stood by them with no desire for power or position. He was a truly a great scientist and courageous gentleman.

Dr Lalji Singh, who worked with him at CCMB said, Dr Bhargava used to say whatever was in his mind without thinking about consequences. He used to say what he felt. This landed him in trouble on a few occasions. However, he was very accessible to subordinates and young scientists and took several steps to ensure best of facilities were available for research at CCMB.

For young scientists he was Bheeshmapitamaha

Dr. P.M Bhargava was looked upon and revered as a Bheeshmapitamaha by the biologists community as well as young scientists in Hyderabad and in the rest of the country. His quest to aim for research that would benefit the ordinary countryman was the inspirational code of many a young scientist.

Relatives and friends pay floral tributes to scientist P.M.Bhargava at his residence at Uppal on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)

He always stressed on fearless research that focused on socially relevant subjects and brought about a positive change in the life of the common man. He was against stereotype researches.

Dr Lalji Singh, reputed scientist, who is also called as the Father of Indian DNA fingerprinting recalled his three decades association with Dr Bhargava.

Dr Singh worked as CCMB Director for 11 years before retiring in 2012.

It was Dr Bhargava, who was instrumental in bringing Dr Lalji Singh, who was a research associate in Edinburgh University, United Kingdom, to CCMB in 1987.

Dr Bhargava was like a guru to me. He was very happy with the work I did on DNA fingerprinting technology, Dr Singh said.

Recalling Dr Bhargavas contribution, Dr Lalji said the late scientist had been a remarkable person besides being an excellent scientist, the reason why he had held such key and prestigious posts at the highest level in his career.

Meanwhile, IICT (Indian Institute of Chemical Technology) Director Dr.S.Chandrashekar called Dr Bhargava as an institution builder par excellence.

The work ethics and culture he created at CCMB and the momentum he gave to it is the reason why the institution is regarded as one of premier institutions in the world, he said in Dr Bhargavas honour.

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The five men were arrested on Saturday, and many of the stolen iPhones were found at their homes, though its not yet clear if any units were sold in the meantime or not.

Apples iPhones are still one of the best selling phones despite receiving too many breaking changes in the last couple of years. But they are also the top target for thieves worldwide.

A group of five Romanians knows this very well, as they set up a Hollywood style heist which involved tailgating a moving truck and jumping on its bonnet, only to steal some iPhones which were then supposed to be sold on the black market.

In terms of truth telling, the five Romanians stole some $590,000 worth of iPhones. The only problem was that the police tracked them down and arrested all five of them, with the group now set to appear before a judge.

The whole theft took place on July 24 on the A73 motorway in the Netherlands, according to the BBC. One of the thieves has reportedly climbed onto the bonnet of a modified van using an anti-slip mat before eventually jumping on the moving truck. Once he broke in, he started throwing iPhone boxes to the other men through the vans roof.

"The truck was taking its freight from A to B and did not stop. Even so [the phones] were gone. So it must have happened that way. And now we finally have the evidence, with the van and the loot, Police spokesman Ed Kraszewski was quoted as saying.

The five men were arrested on Saturday, and many of the stolen iPhones were found at their homes, though its not yet clear if any units were sold in the meantime or not.

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The affordable of all Nokia-branded Android smartphones, Nokia 3, released this year will be receiving latest update to Androids operating system Nougat by August-end, confirmed Nokias marketing partner HMD Global.

Launched in June, the Nokia 3 is available through offline stores across the country at a price of Rs 9,499. Even before its launch in India, HMD Global had promised to release monthly security OS updates to all Android-powered Nokia smartphones as soon as they are available for a safer Android system, which the firm appears to fulfil well.

All the newly Nokia released smartphones, including Nokia 3, were rolled out with Android Nougat 7.0 as their operating system. In the latest update, Nokia 3s OS will be upgraded to Android Nougat 7.1.1.

To recall, Nokia 3 features a 5-inch display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, powered by MediaTek MTK 6737, coupled with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, with an option to expand up to 128GB via a microSD card. The front and rear camera have both 8MP sensors, and is fuelled by a 2650mAh battery. The device can be purchased in four different coloursSilver White, Matte Black, Tempered Blue and Copper White.

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On buying Blackberry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK, Vodafone customers will get up to 75 GB of additional data over a period of three months. This offer is valid until 30 September 2017.

Optiemus Infracom has unveiled the BlackBerry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK in India. The KEYone will be the first BlackBerry branded device manufactured by Optiemus Infracom under the licensing agreement signed in February this year. It will be available from August 8, exclusively on Amazon India.

American Express is offering up to 4,000 bonus points, on purchase of the device, to its credit card members. On buying Blackberry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK, Vodafone customers will get up to 75 GB of additional data over a period of three months. This offer is valid until 30 September 2017.

The device has been distinctly designed for Indian customers to offer Dual SIM capability  and will also be available in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. It is equipped with a 4.5-inch scratch resistant display (1620x1080 resolution / 434 PPI 3:2 aspect ratio) with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 offering greater scratch resistance, it combines a touch display with a physical keyboard to give users more useable space for typing than a typical 5.5-inch all-touch smartphone. The device comes with a 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM (expandable up to 2TB).

BlackBerry KEYone comes pre-loaded with DTEK by BlackBerry, enables users to automatically monitor their OS and apps to know when their privacy could be at risk and to take action to improve it. The DTEK app also tracks applications and notifies when someone is: taking pictures or videos without the users knowledge, turning the microphone on, sending a text message, or accessing the contacts or location. The device runs on Android 7.1  giving users access to the entire Google Play store and apps. It comes loaded with BlackBerry Hub a unified messaging inbox which combines emails, texts and messages from social media accounts including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, BBM, Whatsapp, Instagram and others.

The device is engineered to deliver professional-looking photos with an 8MP front facing camera and a wide angle lens and a 12MP auto-focus rear camera. With a large pixel size (1.55m) and Phase Detect Auto Focus, moments captured on the BlackBerry KEYone LIMITED EDITION BLACK will be ultra-crisp and clear. Additionally, for video conference or streaming, it includes an 8MP front camera with fixed focus and 84-degree wide angle lens.

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Washington: North Korea could field a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile able to strike America by next year, but Pyongyang must first overcome important technological hurdles, a US expert warned Monday.

North Korea has alarmed the international community by the pace and progress of its missile development program, and this month leader Kim Jong-Un conducted two tests of an ICBM.

The first of these trials, which Kim described as a gift to "American bastards," showed the rocket had the potential range to hit Alaska.

But a second rocket test last week flew even longer and could have reached as far as America's West Coast, experts say.

Michael Elleman, of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the 38 North Analyst think tank, said it appears that the "re-entry vehicle" that would carry a warhead back into Earth's atmosphere from space had failed during the second test. "Most likely it broke up into pieces," he said.

"Prior to completely breaking up, it appears to have been shedding some of the outer layers, and then it must have finally disintegrated."

Elleman's assessment was based on video shot in Japan's Hokkaido that shows an object in the night sky breaking up at an altitude of about six to 2.5 miles (four to 10 kilometers).

Without a proper protection during a re-entry stage, a missile's warhead could burn up.

Still, Elleman said Pyongyang is learning fast and that depending on North Korea's testing schedule, a deployment next year is possible.

Citing US officials, The Washington Post last week said the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) now believes North Korea will be able to deploy an ICBM as soon as next year.

"I tend to believe the recent (DIA) assessment that by late this year or sometime next year they should have a system that's what I call 'reliable enough,'" Elleman said in a conference call with reporters.
The two leaders had last discussed migration issues when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany on July 7. (Photo: AFP)

Mexico City: Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has said he had not recently spoken to Donald Trump on the phone, after the US leader boasted his counterpart had called him to praise his border policy.

Trump made the comments as he presented his new chief of staff, former Homeland Security secretary John Kelly, who is tasked with restoring order to a White House beset by scandal, infighting and legislative defeats.

"At Homeland, what he has done has been nothing short of miraculous," Trump said of Kelly. "As you know, the border was a tremendous problem and

they're close to 80 percent stoppage. And even the president of Mexico called me they said their southern border, very few people are coming because they know they're not going to get through our border, which is the ultimate compliment." Pena Nieto's office rejected that account.

"President Enrique Pena Nieto has not recently communicated with President Donald Trump by phone," it said in a statement on Monday. It said the two leaders had last discussed migration issues when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany on July 7.

At the time, it said, Pena Nieto shared Mexican figures showing that 31 per cent fewer Mexicans had been deported from the United States in the first half of 2017 compared to the year before, and that 47 percent fewer migrants had entered Mexico from Central and South America.

The G20 sit-down was the first official meeting between the two presidents, whose relationship has been tense. In January, Pena Nieto cancelled a trip to Washington in response to Trump's insistence that Mexico pay for his planned border wall plunging the countries' relations into their biggest crisis in decades.

Nerves are still raw in Mexico over the wall, Trump's attacks on Mexican immigrants as "criminals, drug dealers and rapists," and his insistence on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he accuses of shipping US jobs south of the border.
North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike America's mainland. (Photo: AP)

Washington: North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has shown that Pyongyang now may be able to reach most of the continental United States, two US officials told Reuters on Monday.

The assessment, which the officials discussed on condition of anonymity, underscored the growing threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, and could add pressure on President Donald Trump's administration to respond.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike America's mainland.

The secretive North's leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and called it a "stern warning" to the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tried to attack, the official KCNA news agency said.

However, two US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday Kim wants to develop a nuclear-capable ICBM to deter any attack on his country and gain international legitimacy, not to launch an attack on the United States or its allies that he knows would be suicidal.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the US assessment of the missile launch, even as it acknowledged that the latest test represented the longest test flight of any North Korean missile.

"The specifics of our assessment are classified for reasons I hope you understand," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told a news briefing, acknowledging only that the missile could fly at least 5,500 km (3,420 miles), the minimum range for what the Pentagon classifies as an ICBM.

Two separate US officials who discussed the latest test, which lasted about 45 minutes, said it showed greater range than the July 4 ICBM launch, which North Korea said lasted 39 minutes.

One of the officials said it had greater height, range and power than the previous test because it used force stabilizing engines, which counter the effects of winds and other forces that can knock an ascending rocket off course.

CNN, citing a US defence official, reported later that North Korea had been showing "highly unusual and unprecedented levels" of submarine activity, in addition to its third "ejection test" this month.

The ejection test was carried out on land at Sinpo Naval Shipyard on Sunday, the US defence official told CNN. It gave no other details about the increased submarine activity.

Ejection tests from submarines usually gauge the ability to "cold launch" missiles, when high pressure steam is used to propel missiles out of launch canisters.

The shipyard is in Sinpo, a port city on the east coast where the North had previously conducted tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

A South Korea defence ministry official told Reuters the military was watching the situation in the North closely but did not provide more information because it was classified.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea, hours after the US Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington was "done talking about North Korea".

The Pentagon acknowledged military-to-military talks with US allies Japan and South Korea after the test.

Davis said that, while the test missile had a lofted trajectory rather than the more direct one required to reach the United States, the military takes the threat seriously.

"You could have the debate back and forth of whether the capability is proven or not, the fact of the matter is we take it seriously and we are prepared to defend against (it)," he said.

The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 3,724.9 km (2,314.6 miles) and flew 998 km (620 miles) before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, according to KCNA.

The flight demonstrated successful stage separation, and reliability of the vehicle's control and guidance to allow the warhead to make an atmospheric re-entry under conditions harsher than under a normal long-range trajectory, KCNA said.

Independent weapons experts also said they believed the launch demonstrated many parts of the United States were within range if the missile had been launched at a flattened trajectory.
Chinese drilling ships were last spotted near the median line in October 2016, Kyodo News and the Sankei Shimbun daily reported. (Photo: AP)

Tokyo: Japan has lodged a protest with China over what it described as suspicious activity in a maritime area rich in gas deposits in the East China Sea, officials said on Tuesday.

The two countries have a longstanding dispute over islands in the East China Sea controlled by Japan, which knows them as Senkaku, and claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu.

Tokyo and Beijing agreed in June 2008 to cooperate over oil and gas resources in the area, but negotiations stopped two years later amid rising tensions and have not resumed.

"We confirmed that China is engaged in some kind of activity by stopping mobile drilling ships" near the median line separating the two countries' exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the area, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

"It is extremely regrettable that China is unilaterally continuing its development activity," Suga, the government's top spokesman, told a press conference.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida made similar comments. Suga added that Japan lodged the protest late last month after noticing the activity but did not specify what exactly the Chinese ships were doing.

Chinese drilling ships were last spotted near the median line in October 2016, Kyodo News and the Sankei Shimbun daily reported.

So far, China has built 16 drilling platforms on its side near the median line, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Suga urged Beijing to resume stalled negotiations to jointly develop resources in the region, as discussed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September last year.

The gas field under the joint development agreement lies in an area where both countries' EEZs overlap. Japan says the median line between the two nations should mark the limits of their respective EEZs.

But China insists the border should be drawn closer to Japan, taking into account the continental shelf and other features of the ocean.
The country is turning on itself more than 100 have died already and democracy and basic rights are in jeopardy, Johnson said. (Photo: AP)

London: Britain's Foreign Minister Boris Johnson has warned that Venezuela "stands on the brink of disaster" following a bloody vote which gave greater power to President Nicolas Maduro.

"Venezuela stands on the brink of disaster and Nicolas Maduro's government must stop before it is too late. "The country is turning on itself more than 100 have died already and democracy and basic rights are in jeopardy," Johnson said in a statement on Monday.

Britain's reaction came a day after Venezuela's election of a new "Constituent Assembly" superseding the country's legislative body, the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

The move hands almost total power to Maduro's Socialist party and was described as "dubious" by Johnson. Ten people died in violence surrounding the vote on Sunday, including two teenagers, while more than 120 people are recorded to have died in four months of protest against the Venezuelan president.

Britain's foreign minister said the election has "dramatically deepened the problems and ramped up tensions". "It is time for the government to see sense and start working with the opposition on a way forward that brings the people of Venezuela back together," he added.

Sunday's vote has also been criticised by the European Union and countries including the United States, which on Monday imposed sanctions on Maduro and branded him a "dictator".

Mexico and Colombia were among others condemning the Venezuelan president, who was supported in the wake of the poll by Russia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia.
Paris: Following a gruelling over a 14-hours flight delay, an airport worker on Monday whacked a man who was with his nine-month-old baby with 'one hell of a punch' at the Nice airport in France.

According to a Daily Mail report, one of the witnesses, Arabella Arkwright, 49, who was with her husband and two children waiting in the queue to board the easyJet flight, captured the act of airport worker lunging on the young father to punch.

Arkwright, who published the photo on the Twitter account, said the young British father, probably, in his late 20s while holding the baby told the airport worker that he had terrible day, which irked the worker and pounced on him to punch.

Arkwright, who also hails from Britain, is a businesswoman. She said, the authority was stopped by her husband, probably because the worker's action enraged him.

She added, It was one hell of a punch. It was a loud whack and there was no provocation. Everyone was having the most appalling day and then, all of a sudden, the man holding a baby gets whacked."

The police in Nice on Tuesday confirmed that they had received a call about the incident and that it was being investigated. A police source said, We have seen the photograph and will be examining video footage in the airport terminal.

Meanwhile, an easyJet spokesperson, who fail to take responsibility of an incident, said the airport employee does not work for the airline. He said, the flight delayed due to a 'technical glitch' and that a replacement jet and crew were being sent from London Gatwick.

EasyJet is very concerned to see this picture and can confirm the person in the photo is not an easyJet member of staff nor do they work for easyJet's ground handling agents in Nice, the spokesperson added.
Gen. Bajwa said the 'professional collaboration between PLA and Pakistan army, will continue to expand to bring peace to the region in general and China - Pakistan in particular.' (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan is "indebted" to its all-weather ally China for its "unflinching support" to it on the Kashmir issue, the expansion of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said.

Describing China and Pakistan as "important strategic players in the region," Gen. Bajwa, who was the chief guest at a reception in Rawalpindi yesterday hosted by the Chinese Embassy, said, their bilateral ties have jointly benefited both the countries.

"It is a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and cooperation. In fact, this friendship is flourishing with every passing day, which encompasses ever aspect of our life," he said at a function to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Gen. Bajwa said the "professional collaboration between PLA and Pakistan army, will continue to expand to bring peace to the region in general and China - Pakistan in particular."

Calling the 2.3-million-strong PLA, the world's largest standing army, as "one of the finest military outfits in the world," he said the Pakistan army and the people of Pakistan take great pride in "our deep rooted brotherly relationship" with China.

He noted that both China and Pakistan are faced with similar challenges and opportunities. Both countries have assumed shared responsibility towards stability in the region and prosperity of their people, he said.

"This unity of purpose has led to the consolidation and has strengthened our resolve as determined nations, to brave all challenges and storms together," he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan army.

The Pakistan army chief also pointed out that China and his country has expanded their cooperation to wider areas have launched strategic initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, defence collaboration in numerous joint projects and united diplomatic front, internationally.

"Pakistan is indebted to China for its unflinching support to our perspective at all international forums, may it be expansion of Nuclear Suppliers Group, Kashmir Issue, or Pakistan's full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," Gen. Bajwa said.

While China is blocking India's membership bid in the NSG as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Beijing is apparently seeking equal treatment to its ally Pakistan in the elite nuclear trading group.

China, however, backed both India and Pakistan to become full members of the Beijing-based SCO. China has also been blocking India's move to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

Gen. Bajwa also claimed that China had always provided "unconditional support" to Pakistan's efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

"We are also actively cooperating in all fields against war on terror. Moreover, from diplomatic cooperation to security collaboration, we have stood by each other through thick and thin and shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, come rain or shine," he added.
Arthur Art Lynn Howell, 87, has gone fishing to be with his beloved wife, Jan, of 64 years. He died peacefully July 29, 2017, at Dove Healthcare-Rutledge Home while under the care of St. Josephs Hospice.

Art was born Nov. 14, 1929, in Alliance, Ohio, to Robert and Anna (Mohr) Howell.

After graduating from Roosevelt High School in Detroit, Mich. in 1948, he attended Wayne State University in Detroit and earned an associates degree in business. In 1950, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a munitions specialist who proudly served his country in the 2nd munitions division during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1953, and returned to Detroit where he worked for Colgate and General Mills in Grand Rapids, Mich. He then moved to Chippewa Falls and worked for ARDCO (Applied Research and Development Corp.) in Chippewa Falls, which was later purchased by Amoco. While in Chippewa Falls, Art had several businesses, he owned the Cadott Inn in Cadott, the Hotel Northern and Total Lawn Care in Chippewa Falls.

Art was an avid fisherman who enjoyed spending time with his family in the great outdoors. He was also known for being a constant prankster and joker.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Jan.

Art will be sorely missed by his children, Alan (Oki) Howell of Enon, Ohio, Denise (Tom) Lemke of Jim Falls, Lisa (Mike) Ruf of Chippewa Falls, Dale (Gloria) Howell of Eau Claire, and Glen Howell of Chippewa Falls; grandchildren, Christopher (Tara) Lemke, Peter (Ashley) Lemke, Travis (Rachel) Ruf, Melissa Ruf, Nicole and Ashley Howell; great-grandchildren, Hunter and Gavin Ruf, and Caroline Lemke; brother, Jack (Joan) Howell of Long Island, New York; nieces, Karen of Seattle, Wash. and Julie of New York; great-niece and nephew, Angel and Hyojun Baek; and other relatives and friends.

Pops left us with laughter in our hearts and sadness in our souls, and the knowledge he is reeling in the big one.

A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, 44 E. Columbia St., Chippewa Falls, with the Rev. Robert Hoekstra officiating. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Union Countryside Cemetery in the town of Goetz. Military honors will be provided by the Chippewa Falls Patriotic Council.

Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services, Chippewa Falls, is serving the family. Visit pedersonvolker.com to express online condolences.
Islamabad: The ruling PML-N partys interim Prime Minister nominee Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is facing a Rs 220 billion corruption inquiry by Pakistans National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over an LNG contract, according to a media report.

Mr Abbasi, the former minister for petroleum and natural resources, is the principal accused in an NAB case registered in 2015 over the award of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import contract, Dawn News reported.

Meanwhile, Mr Abbasis nomination as interim Prime Minister has been challenged in the Supreme Courts Lahore Registry. The petitioner argued that Mr Abbasi was nominated despite ongoing investigations of corruption against him.
Mr Haider also requested the media and other parties not to drag Kashmir in their personal wars

A resolution in Pakistans Punjab Assembly was on Monday introduced against Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, demanding his resignation for making anti-Pakistan remarks.

On disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case last week, Mr Haider had said: We  the people of Kashmir (PoK)  have to think now to which country we should make annexation to.

His statement sparked widespread reaction from several political parties. The resolution, introduced by the Pakistan Peoples Party legislator Khurram Wattoo, said the statement of Mr Haider has hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and PoK.

Clarifying his statement, Mr Haider later said: My statement was distorted as I did not mean to say that I would consider annexation to any other country.

It is painful. Pakistan is my country, I have every right to be concerned and express my reservations, he was quoted as saying by Geo TV.

Mr Haider also requested the media and other parties not to drag Kashmir in their personal wars. The entire Pakistan is Kashmir and all of Kashmir is Pakistan, he remarked.

Mr Haider also lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. Addressing the media, he said he does not believe in Mr Khans Pakistan and dared the PTI chief to hold demonstrations against him in PoK.

I will not tolerate any insult. I dont believe in Imran Khans Pakistan. I believe in Quaid-e-Azams Pakistan. What are you going to do about it? he raged, adding he does not want to be a part of the political tug-of-war under way in Pakistan.

Speaking about Nawaz Sharifs disqualification, Mr Haider questioned what would happen if Mr Khan were also to be disqualified.
He is a true loyalist of Sharif and stood with him when his government was toppled in 1999 by former Pakistani military dictator Pervez Musharraf. (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is a wealthy businessman and a long-time Nawaz Sharif loyalist whose journey to premiership has been full of fortuitous turns of fate.

Abbasi, 58, hails from the famous hill resort of Murree in Rawapindi district of Punjab province and was minister for petroleum in the ousted premier Sharif's government.

A die-hard supporter of Sharif, he was elected Prime Minister by Pakistan's National Assembly and put up a strong defence of the ousted leader, saying that he may have been disqualified by the Supreme Court but remains the "people's premier".

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Abbasi as the interim Prime Minister until Sharif's brother and Punjab province chief minister Shehbaz Sharif is elected as a National Assembly member.

He was the part of Sharif's team which was tasked to address the energy crisis in the country. He is a true loyalist of Sharif and stood with him when his government was toppled in 1999 by former Pakistani military dictator Pervez Musharraf.

Abbasi, who was imprisoned after the coup, spent two years in jail. But unlike many other colleagues of Sharif, Abbasi remained steadfast and did not switch sides. It was one of the reasons that Sharif chose him as the interim leader.

Abbasi, an electrical engineer with a master's degree from George Washington University, joined politics rather abruptly after his father Khaqan Abbasi was killed on April 10, 1988 when his car was hit by a missile after Ojhri Camp arms depot disaster in Rawalpindi.

His father was the minister for production in the cabinet of then Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. Abbasi has been elected at least six times (1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2008 and 2013) as a member of the parliament and was defeated just once in 2002 when he lost to Pakistan People's Party candidate Ghulam Murtaza Satti.

After winning elections in 1990 for the second time, he was made the parliamentary secretary for defence. After the 1993 general elections, he served as the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence.

Abbasi was elected for the fourth time in 1997 and served as the Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines from 1997 to 1999 during Nawaz Sharif's second term.

He briefly held the positions of Minister for Commerce and Ministry of Defence Production in former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's government in 2008 after the election but later resigned as his PMLN party parted ways with the PPP.

Earlier, after completing his education, he worked in the US and Saudi Arabia. Considered as one of the wealthiest parliamentarians in Pakistan, he set up his Air Blue airlines in Pakistan in 2003 and served as its chairman till 2007. The airlines is still operating successfully.

Abbasi's entry into politics was accidental. He was destined to become a businessman to look after the family's business interests. It was only after his father's death in April 1988 that he entered politics.
Islamabad: Pakistans Punjab provincial government has extended the house arrest of Jamaatud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, and his four aides for two more months, officials said on Tuesday.

The Mumbai attack mastermind was detained on January 30 this year along with four of his party leaders in Lahore for their alleged involvement in activities prejudicial to peace and security.

They were placed under house arrest for three months. Afterwards, their house arrest was extended for another 90 days that expired on July 27.

Keeping in view the expected release of the said activist and other leaders of the said organisation, workers of the organisation have planned to spread chaos in the country. They have planned to make demonstrations under the leadership of said activist, Punjab interior ministry said.
Islamabad: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was on Tuesday elected the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, replacing Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified by the Supreme Court last week.

Mr Abbasi, who will hold the office for around two months, secured 221 votes. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Naveed Qamar received 47 votes while Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Sheikh Rashid Ahmed got 33 votes.

Shahbaz Sharif, brother of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, is to contest by-polls in September and would be eventually elected as the premier for the remaining term of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) in the government which is until June 2018.

The session was summoned by President Mamnoon Hussain after the top court ordered the state executive to take all steps possible for smooth transfer of powers and take care of the affairs following the premiers ousting under Article 62 and Article 63.

Addressing the National Assembly after the election, Mr Abbasi said the PML-N had implemented the SC decision against Mr Sharif but had not accepted it. He said the former Prime Minister only worked for the prosperity of the country and was punished for making Pakistan a nuclear power.

I am grateful to you all, for following the democratic process whether you voted for or against me. I am grateful to the people of Pakistan, and I am grateful to the peoples premier, Nawaz Sharif, Mr Abbasi said in his acceptance speech.

I am also grateful to the Opposition and Imran Khan, for remembering us in their daily slandering, he said.

He praised Mr Sharifs leadership and principles and criticised the Opposition for accusing him of corruption. Justice demands that 1,000 guilty are set free than one innocent is convicted, Mr Abbasi said.

It is my firm belief that Nawaz Sharif will return to the seat of premiership, he said.

Mr Abbasi also promised that Whether I am in power for 45 days or 45 hours, I will work as the Prime Minister of the country and will not merely hold the post.

Earlier, Mr Abbasi, had said that his election was a victory for democracy.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan also announced that by-polls for the Lahore parliamentary seat in Punjab province which fell vacant after Mr Sharif was ouster, will be held on September 17.
The opposition Congress on Monday slammed the Centre in the Lok Sabha for failing to stop lynching of people by cow vigilantes across the country.



The BJP sought to counter the charge, alleging that certain people were trying to malign the government, which was trying to lead the nation to prosperity through economic revolution and nationalism.



Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, accused the BJP-led government of encouraging the cow vigilantes and other such groups orchestrating atrocities on people of minority community and the Dalits.



He alleged that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi had repeatedly spoken up, disapproving lynching of people in the name of protecting cattles, no action had been taken against the cow vigilantes on the ground.



Kharges attack was countered by BJPs Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, who questioned if the attacks by stone pelters on the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir or the killing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers in Kerala were less grave offence than the incidents of lynching of people cited by the Opposition MPs.



He also cited incidents from his own constituency in Bihar, where people of a certain religious community had difficulty to take out procession after Durga Puja through a particular road which had the shrine of another religious community. Earlier, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed Kharge to start the debate on the issue under Rule 193 shortly after the Question Hour was over



In Modis new India, radical elements are lynching innocent people. Instead of being reined in and subjected to stern actions, the cow vigilantes are taking up law in their own hand and lynching people, Kharge said, amid repeated interruption by the BJP MPs from the Treasury Bench. He (prime minister) says something and does something else, he said, adding that the incidents of lynching not only cast a shadow of fear across the country, but also tarnished the image of the nation worldwide.






Senior leader and president of Akila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha Shamanur Shivashankarappa on Monday accused Water Resources Minister M B Patil of dividing Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, while Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil said there is no plan by Lingayat ministers to tour the state to drum up support for the separate religion status to the community.



He (M B Patil), along with some religious leaders like Mate Mahadevi, is trying to divide the community by demanding the separate religion status to only Lingayats. Veerashaivas and Lingayats are one and the same. Mahasabha has been fighting for separate religion status to Veerashaiva-Linagayat dharma for the past four decades...Let them do anything, I am not bothered about it, he told this paper which sought his reaction on M B Patil insisting that Lingayat is different from Veerashaiva.



He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had responded positively to Mahasabhas demand. He has now become neutral due to all the confusion. Some people are trying to mislead him. But a majority of the ministers from the community, including Rayareddy and Eshwar Khandre, are in our favour, he said.



Rift among the community leaders appears to have derailed the governments plan to send a group of ministers to campaign in favour of the separate religion status. Sharanprakash Patil and S S Mallikarjun have now distanced themselves from the tour plan. Patil and Mallikarjun were part of a team of ministers announced by Rayareddy recently to tour the state. Mallikarjun is the son of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.



There is no such plan to go on a tour. We cannot do such things without discussion, and it has not been discussed at all. Moreover, this has nothing to do with the government, Patil said.



Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently kicked up a controversy by stating that he is ready to recommend to the Centre to accord religion status to the community if there is consensus among its leaders. Siddaramaiahs statement was actually aimed at wooing the community which is considered the BJPs vote bank. The state BJP chief said that Veerashaiva-Lingayat is part of Hinduism and that there is no need for identifying the community as a separate religion.



While a section of leaders, who claim themselves to be Lingayats, welcomed it, others, who claim to be Veerashaivas, opposed it, arguing that the community is part of Hinduism. Not only elected representatives, but a section of religious leaders of the community is also at loggerheads.





Differences have cropped up among Lingayat leaders of the ruling Congress over the controversial issue of according independent religion status to Lingayat dharma.
This is not the normal way to fire a Cabinet officer. President Trump is subjecting his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, to public torture for failing to protect him from the investigation of his campaigns apparent ties to Russia.

Last week, Trump told the New York Times that Sessions recusal from the investigation  a decision required by Justice Department rules  was unfair to the president who appointed him.

This week, Trump turned up the heat with a series of nasty tweets directed, amazingly, at a senior member of his own Cabinet.

Why arent the Committees and investigators, and of course our beleaguered A.G., looking into Crooked Hillarys crimes & Russia relations? the president demanded on Monday.

In case that wasnt obvious enough, he escalated early Tuesday morning: Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!

And when reporters asked the president if he wanted Sessions to quit, Trump evaded the question three times. Time will tell, he said.

When most presidents want a Cabinet official to resign, they send their chief of staff or another trusted aide to whisper in his or her ear. If that doesnt do the trick, aides leak to reporters, inducing stories that the president thinks its time for a change. (I was a conduit for one such leak in 1993, when Bill Clinton wanted Les Aspin to quit as Defense secretary.) Or they simply call the offending Cabinet officer to the Oval Office and deliver the bad news person-to-person. Thats how Barack Obama fired Chuck Hagel from the Pentagon in 2014.

Not Trump. He sends his Cabinet officers Twitter messages with the subtlety and finesse of a brick hurled through a plate-glass window.

This isnt just a matter of style  of a drain the swamp president disrupting Washingtons prissy traditions. There are substantive lessons here, too.

The first and most obvious is that anyone who serves Trump should expect no loyalty from him, unless theyre family. Sessions was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump when the New York moguls candidacy still seemed like a nonsensical long shot. The Alabaman took a political risk by backing Trump; if another Republican had been elected president, Sessions would have been stranded in the political equivalent of Siberia. His reward, now, is public humiliation. (Republican senators: Think twice before risking your reputations to defend this man.)

The second lesson is that, to Trump, effectiveness in government doesnt count for much compared to protecting the president from investigators. Sessions is responsible for a good share of what the administration has achieved in practical terms: its more aggressive prosecution of narcotics cases, its draconian crackdown on illegal immigration, its effort to defund so-called sanctuary cities.

But to the president, those accomplishments pale before the fact that Sessions allowed his deputy to name Robert Mueller as a special counsel to investigate the Russia allegations, and that the Justice Department is allowing Mueller to forge ahead.

The third lesson is that Trump thinks the Justice Department should act as his personal law firm. Thats not new, but its still chilling.

As Jack Goldsmith, a former Justice Department official under George W. Bush, wrote in Lawfare on Tuesday, the president seems bent on destroying the authority of the Justice Department that he worries, perhaps for reasons only he knows, may destroy him. At no time in modern history (and perhaps ever) has a President been so openly at odds, and bent on discrediting, his senior law enforcement and intelligence officials.

Trump wants his attorney general to order the FBI to reopen its investigation of Hillary Clinton  not because he thinks shes guilty of a crime (the FBI answered that question last year), but because it will strengthen his argument that whatever his campaign did was no worse than something hers must have done too.

(That, incidentally, is a 180-degree reversal of a position Trump took in November, when he said that prosecuting Clinton would be very, very divisive for the country. Its not something that I feel very strongly about, he said then.)

Does Trump hope to harass Sessions into resigning so he can name a more pliable attorney general, one who would follow an order to fire Mueller? It sure looks that way. The president has made it clear that hes after the special counsels scalp. And the Washington Post reported Tuesday that some Trump associates have already argued that the quickest way there is to name a new attorney general.

It all comes back to the Russia investigation. Trump rages at the media, Congress and now his own Justice Department for keeping it going. Hes already fired one acting attorney general, Sally Yates, and one FBI director, James B. Comey; now he appears ready to cashier one of his most loyal supporters and throw his Cabinet into chaos.

Trump insists that the controversy is groundless. And its true that conclusive evidence of direct collusion has not yet come to light. But the president is acting  relentlessly and recklessly  like a man with something to hide.
Russia will always be India's strategic partner despite New Delhi's growing ties with countries like the US, France and Israel as there are certain defence products and technology that "no one else will give" except Moscow, a top Russian official has said.



Sergei Chemezov, the CEO of the Rostec State Corporation, said cooperation with India will certainly continue, regardless of whether India cooperates only with Russia or also with Israel, France, the US or other countries.



"We have our own niche, these countries have their own directions for cooperation. Therefore, this does not mean that if India will work with some other countries, cooperation with Russia will cease. No," Chemezov told a select group of reporters on the sidelines of Russia's premier air show MAKS 2017 here.



"There are defence products and technology that no one else will give except Russia. Therefore, Russia has always been and will be a strategic partner of India," he asserted when asked about the prospects of Indo-Russia cooperation given India's growing defence collaboration with other countries.



Rostec Corporation, one of the main organisers of MAKS- 2017, presented the latest Russian developments in the space industry as well as in aircraft and helicopter engineering and weapons at the event hosted here from July 18-23.



Russia has been one of India's major suppliers of arms and ammunition.



However, it has been a long-standing grievance of Indian armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time affecting maintenance of military systems procured from that country.



Also, in recent years India's defence ties with the US and Israel have deepened. Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian premier to visit Israel last month.



The US designated India a major defence partner last year. India also inked a multi-million dollar deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets last year.



However, Chemezov reiterated that India has been and remains Russia's strategic partner.

The bulk of Russia's exports go to Southeast Asia, India and China, he noted.



"They are our two major partners. Every year we supply products to India for more than USD 2 billion. Sometimes it is more. Therefore, we have about the same volumes last year as before. That is, there are changes, but insignificant, somewhere in the range of 10-15 per cent is the fluctuation," said the head of Rostec, Russia's umbrella organisation of 700 hi-tech civilian and military firms.



"Therefore, with regard to cooperation with India, it is aimed not only at selling products, but we are also transferring technology. It began with the late 90's with the sale of licenses for SU-30MKIs," he said.



Highlighting the growing Indo-Russia cooperation, Chemezov pointed out that the SU-30MKIs are manufactured in India and stated that the country has mastered the production of the T-90 tank.



Asked about opportunities for joint exercises, Deputy Minister of Defence Yuri Borisov, at the same briefing, said, "We are always in contact with our Indian colleagues, we have an intergovernmental commission, on our side it is headed by our Defence Minister -- Sergey Shoigu. We constantly meet and discuss the issues."



On the contentious issue of Western nations' sanctions against Russia, Chemezov said, "I think that in 1-2 years we will close our needs for components that we bought abroad. As a result, who will suffer? Our partners with whom we once worked, from European countries, from Ukraine, will suffer."



"As for Europe and the West, we had excellent relations with Safran, Thales, Boeing, Airbus, General Electric, with them we had joint ventures.



"Some of them continue to work independently of sanctions. Nevertheless, many partners wanted to continue work with us. Unfortunately, because of the sanctions, they cannot do this. Life forced us to develop our industry even more, the result you can observe today," he said.



Chemezov asserted that it was the Western countries that lost the market, "and not a small one".




BJP member Varun Gandhi on Tuesday demanded setting up of an independent authority to fix lawmakers' salaries and made a fervent appeal to forego privileges at least for the remaining duration of the 16th Lok Sabha considering the economic hardships faced by the common man.



Gandhi, a member from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh, also expressed dismay over the fewer sittings of Parliament over the years and the tendency to pass important bills without discussion.



Giving ourselves the authority to increase our own fiscal compensation is not in line with the morals of our democracy, he said during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha strongly disapproving the doubling of salaries of legislators by the Tamil Nadu Assembly at a time when farmers from the state were in distress.



Gandhi said the decision of the Tamil Nadu assembly to double the salary of its legislators had sent a broad message of insensitivity.



For the greater good of this nation, we must create an external body, independent of us members, to determine salaries. Or, if we self-regulate, considering the economic conditions of the last man in society, we must empathetically forego our privileges, at least for the duration of this Parliament, said Gandhi.



He pointed out how that first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his entire cabinet had decided not to avail salaries for six months in view of the suffering of the people in the newly independent country.



Gandhi said Indian lawmakers had given themselves a 400% wage hike over the last decade as against the 13% increase in the salaries of their counterparts in the Britain.



Have we really earned this massive increment, he asked contending that over the last two decades 41% of the total bills introduced in Parliament were passed without discussion.



If we look at our performance over the last two decades, barely 50% of the bills have been passed after scrutiny from Parliamentary Committees. When bills pass without serious deliberation, it defeats the purpose of having a Parliament, Gandhi said.



He said the number of sittings of the Lok Sabha has also dropped from 123 days a year in 1952 to 75 days in 2016.








The Indian government has submitted the requisite "opening note" and paperwork related to Vijay Mallya's extradition case to the liquor baron's legal team within the UK court deadline, according to official sources.



Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, presiding at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London at the last hearing in the case on July 6, had set July 31 as the deadline for the Indian side  represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)  to provide Mallya's defence team with a detailed opening note on the case.



The 61-year-old tycoon is sought by Indian authorities for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore.



"All matters are on track," official sources confirmed to PTI here.



The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.



Mallya, who has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016, was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 and is currently out on bail.



The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government earlier this month, had told the court that they had "excellent cooperation" with the Indian authorities in the case and now had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines.



"We have completed a review of materials and I am happy to state that we have had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case. We are ready and willing to proceed and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest, CPS barrister Mark Summers had said.



The judge agreed with the CPS to "progress with some rigour" and retained December 4 as the date for a final hearing in the case.



If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day.



However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.



India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had recently indicated it was working fine.





"We are on the verge of extraditing an individual from India to the UK in the next week or 10 days. The extradition treaty is working just fine and there is no difficulty in the extradition treaty. We have extraditions already successfully completed," Mehrishi had said during his UK visit last month.



So far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the India-UK extradition treaty  that of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel.



"He was extradited with the due process of law. We do understand that extradition does take time and there are multiple levels of appeal in either country and it is not the easiest of processes to complete. But being a liberal democracy that we are, we have to allow for the law taking its own course," Mehrishi added.



Mallya's extradition is also believed to have featured during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last month.
Renowned Harry Potter author J K Rowling has apologised for wrongly accusing US President Donald Trump of refusing to shake the hand of a 3-year-old disabled child during an event.



The 52-year-old British novelist, best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, said yesterday that she deleted her July 28 tweets after she was informed that they were "not a full or accurate representation" of what had happened at last Monday's health care event at the White House.



Rowling came under fire for a series of now-deleted tweets in which she slammed Trump for seeming to ignore Montgomery Weer's outstretched hand.



"How stunning, and how horrible, that Trump cannot bring himself to shake the hand of a small boy who only wanted to touch the president," the author had said.



But Marjorie Kelly Weer, mother of Montgomery, said Rowling's interpretation of the clip was wrong.

"Re: my tweets about the small boy in a wheelchair whose proffered hand the president appeared to ignore in press footage. Multiple sources have informed me that that was not a full or accurate representation of their interaction," Rowling tweeted.



"I very clearly projected my own sensitivities around the issue of disabled people being overlooked or ignored onto the images I saw and if that caused any distress to that boy or his family, I apologise unreservedly," she wrote.



Trump is said to have shaken the boy's hand as the president entered the room, the BBC reported.

"If someone can please get a message to JK Rowling: Trump didn't snub my son & Monty wasn't even trying to shake his hand," Kelly wrote on Facebook.



She also said her son was not all that keen on shaking hands anyway.



Rowling was slammed for not removing the tweets from her social media account after her comments were proved to be incorrect.



Earlier, Rowling said the incident reminded her of how her mother  who used a wheelchair while she was alive  was sometimes treated by strangers.




But the last Governing Council meeting which was held in April was an important one as in that the Niti Aayog gave a 15-year Vision Document to the Prime Minister to accelerate country's economic development and also presented 300 specific action points to achieve the goal.



In a short period of around two-an-a-half years, the Niti Aayog came under attack from within the BJP for its alleged pro-corporate approach to development. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, an RSS body recently went on record saying "Niti Aayog is committed to a powerful corporate lobby functioning in the country and not to the weaker sections of the society. It also suggested that the government re-think whether or not to keep such a defective institution in the name of a 'think tank. The BMS had also levelled charges of the Aayog being an anti-labour face to the government in its national conference recently.



Speculation was about a reshuffle in the Niti Aayog after continuous attacks of job-less economic growth marred the end of government's three-year tenure in May this year. Panagariya's successor will be announced in due course.







Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya Tuesday resigned from his post citing expiry of his leave from the New York's Columbia University as the reason.A top economic adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Panagariya headed the Centre's policy think tank since January 2015 and his tenure was co-terminus with the term of the NDA government.The 64-year-old, who has been credited with working towards bringing in competitive and cooperative federalism in the country, will continue to be at Niti Aayog tll August 31.I didn't get leave extension from the Columbia University and that is why requested the Prime Minister to relieve me at the end of this months, Panagariya told reporters after his resignation.Sources in the government said the Prime Minister has accepted his resignation. Niti Aayog, or the National Institution for Transforming India, replaced the Nehruvian era Planning Commission in 2014 and Panagariya was its first vice-chairman.The Aayog was set up by an executive order with the Prime Minister as chairman, a full-time vice president and four permanent members but the fourth member could not be appointed as yet.Governing Council, a key body of Niti Aayog comprising all chief ministers of states as its members met only three times in the past over three years. The first two meetings were held in 2015.
China has extended a new family planning policy in its volatile Xinjiang province to include Muslim Uyghur minority, official media reported today.



China has relaxed its four decades old one child policy last year to permit two children.



The one child policy was confined to only the majority Han community which constitutes over 90 per cent of China's population of 1.3 billion people. It excluded all minority communities including Muslims and Tibetans.



However the new policy being implemented since July 28 in Xinjiang will now be included the Muslims and other minorities too, state-run Global Times reported.



The province started implementing a uniform family planning policy for all ethnic groups, a move which Chinese analysts said will promote ethnic equality.



According to a revised regulation on Xinjiang's family planning policy, regional ethnic minorities could no longer enjoy as lenient a family planning policy, it said.



It states that starting July 28, all urban couples in the region have been allowed to have two children, while rural couples can have three.





The move was stated to be part of series of stringent actions being taken by China to deal with the volatile province where over Turkik speaking Uygurs who constitute the majority were restive about massive migrations of Hans to their resource rich area.



China blames separatist East Turkistan Islamic Movement, (ETIM) for the recurring attacks and imposed several measures including restricting wearing veils by Muslim women.



As per 2016 official figures Xinjiang's population stood at 23.98 million.



Xinjiang's regional statistics bureau figures stating that the population census in 2010 showed that there were 8.7 million Han people in Xinjiang, accounting for 40.1 per cent of the total, and an increase of 16.77 percent compared to the 2000 survey, the Global Times reported.



Meanwhile, around 13 million minorities (majority of them are Uyghurs) live in Xinjiang, an increase of 19.12 per cent.



The report said the regional government had previously allowed urban Han couples to have one child while urban minority couples could have two. That meant rural minority couples could have three children, one more than rural Han couples.



"The change reflects the country's respect for ethnic equality. This move should be expanded to other places, especially in minority areas, depending on local conditions Huang Wenzheng, a specialist in demographics said.



La Disheng, a professor at the Party School of the Communist Party of China Xinjiang regional committee said this policy is consistent with China's ethnic policy of equality of all nationalities in the region.
Stepping up attack on the AIADMK (Amma) government over alleged corruption, actor Kamal Haasan today claimed his fans have "exposed" the supply of "rotten eggs" to daycare centres in Perambalur district in Tamil Nadu.



Haasan's claim comes days after state Finance Minister D Jayakumar's poser to the actor, who had levelled allegations of corruption against the Tamil Nadu government, on what welfare measure he had taken for the people of the state through his fan clubs.



"Perambalur expose of rotten eggs given to children deserves praise. Pls consult our in house lawyers be4 exposing crime. Dont break laws (sic)," the national award-winning actor tweeted.



The actor's fans had in July reportedly made visits to some 'anganwadi' centres and found 'rotten' eggs being supplied there.



Meanwhile, the district administration has said an inquiry will be conducted into the matter.

District Collector V Santha told PTI that strict quality control rules were in place for supply of eggs along with a replacement mechanism where it warranted.



Ever since Kamal Haasan had made allegations of corruption in the government, he has been targeted by the ruling dispensation, with Chief Minister K Palaniswami himself asking the national award winning actor to take the political plunge to get proper response.



Jayakumar, a senior leader in the AIADMK (Amma) camp, had on July 30 sought to know what welfare activities the actor had taken up for the people of the state during the 2004 tsunami tragedy and the devastating floods of 2015.



The actor had last month asked his fans to use social media to lodge complaints about corruption.

Local Administration Minister SP Velumani had sought proof of Haasan's allegations and had asked if the actor was ready to furnish tax details of his films.



The opposition parties, including DMK, have backed Haasan and urged the government to respond to his charges of corruption rather than 'targeting' him.
Apparently wanting to ''play safe'' and not put its senior ministers to ''electoral test'', the BJP is hunting for more opposition members of the Uttar Pradesh legislative council to send the ministers, who were not members of either of the houses, to the council.



Two Samajwadi Party (SP) and one BSP members of the state legislative council had resigned from their membership a couple of days back to enable three BJP ministers to get elected to the upper house. All the three later joined the BJP.



According to the state BJP sources here, the saffron party wanted two more opposition MLCs to quit the house as it needed to send two more ministers to become members of the upper house.



BJP sources here said that the party leaders were touch with some more opposition MLCs but their names were not revealed. At least one more SP MLC Madhukar Jaitley had also sought time from the council chairman Ramesh Yadav to submit his resignation but he was persuaded not to resign by senior SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav.



Sources said that the ongoing infighting within the SP family had only made things easier for the BJP. Both the SP MLCs, who had resigned, were close to the SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.



Currently, five BJP ministers, including UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the two deputy chief ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya, were neither members of the Vidhan Sabha nor of the council. All of them were required to become a member of either of the houses by September 19 this year.



Sources said that Sharma and two other ministers, including Mohsin Raza and Swatantra Dev Singh, were likely to opt for council rather than contesting assembly by-polls.



BJP sources said that the saffron party leadership had not yet decided if Adityanath and Maurya would contest by-polls to enter the assembly or take the council route. 'A decision in this regard will be taken in the next few days,'' remarked a senior state party leader.






Congress today said that all political parties, barring the BJP, want a stop to the lynching incidents and accused the ruling party of trying to gain "political mileage" out of the issue.



Congress member K C Venugopal also accused the government of trying to "justify" such incidents, while referring to the debate on the issue in the Lok Sabha yesterday.



Participating in a discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants 2017-18 in the Lok Sabha, Venugopal said "the Prime Minister twice said it is condemnable... I heard speeches of all leaders. Except BJP, everybody said lynching should stop.



"The Minister was justifying it. They are trying to take political mileage out of the discussion".



He said when a RSS worker was killed in Kerala last week, the Union Home Minister and the Governor called up the Chief Minister.



"If the Governors had called the Chief Ministers (of all those states) where lynching happened, we could have saved so many lives," Venugopal said.



He said while the RSS worker's death was "unfortunate", similarly the value of the lives of every common man is important.


Innovo Publishing Releases Renewing Your Mind: Identity and the Matter of Choice by Dennis Jernigan



MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2017 /



How does one walk out of one identity and into another? Through Renewing Your Mind, Dennis addresses this question, beginning with rediscovering his true identity as a new creation in Christ.



Jernigan walked out of a homosexual lifestyle many years ago. As he began to replace the lies concerning his identity with the truth of God's Word, something close to miraculous began to take place: his feelings began to change! What Dennis discovered is that the mind is a key battlefield in life. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). And in the process of seeking God relationally, Jernigan experienced the power of God's Word to transform his mind. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).



"This book is filled with the life of someone who has obviously walked with the Master, been filled with His love, and had the power of His Word transform his life." -- John, Ft. Worth, Texas



"Renewing Your Mind is practical sanctification at its finesta truth bomb of great frankness, candor, and insight that can truly liberate your soul. Many miracle stories are about to be told and retold by those who read this book." -- Dean, Kansas City, MO



"Both practical and spiritually rich, Renewing Your Mind is a must-read for Christians seeking hope and healing for sexual and relational brokenness!" -- Christopher, MA, LPC, LCPC



Renewing Your Mind is available now as a pre-order in the U.S. and internationally in paperback (ISBN: 978-1-61314-373-5) and eBook formats. General release begins October 1, 2017. Renewing Your Mind has two companion books: Sing Over Me (ISBN: 978-1-61314-176-2)Dennis Jernigan's biography that demonstrates God's love and power to free anyone struggling with same-sex attraction, and Stand In Love (ISBN: 978-1-61314-307-0)a practical question and answer guide designed to help educate the church to respond to homosexuality biblically and with love.



Author Interviews Welcome

Contact: Dr. Bart Dahmer, Innovo Publishing LLC

Phone: 901.517.8306

Email:

Innovo Website

Share Tweet Contact: Dr. Bart Dahmer, Innovo Publishing LLC , 901-517-8306, RYM@innovopublishing.com MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Innovo Publishing LLC released a new Christian title, Renewing Your Mind: Identity and the Matter of Choice by Dennis Jernigan. This book is available now as a pre-order in paperback and eBook formats Amazon pre-order link . General release begins October 1, 2017.How does one walk out of one identity and into another? Through Renewing Your Mind, Dennis addresses this question, beginning with rediscovering his true identity as a new creation in Christ.Jernigan walked out of a homosexual lifestyle many years ago. As he began to replace the lies concerning his identity with the truth of God's Word, something close to miraculous began to take place: his feelings began to change! What Dennis discovered is that the mind is a key battlefield in life. "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). And in the process of seeking God relationally, Jernigan experienced the power of God's Word to transform his mind. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2)."This book is filled with the life of someone who has obviously walked with the Master, been filled with His love, and had the power of His Word transform his life." -- John, Ft. Worth, Texas"Renewing Your Mind is practical sanctification at its finesta truth bomb of great frankness, candor, and insight that can truly liberate your soul. Many miracle stories are about to be told and retold by those who read this book." -- Dean, Kansas City, MO"Both practical and spiritually rich, Renewing Your Mind is a must-read for Christians seeking hope and healing for sexual and relational brokenness!" -- Christopher, MA, LPC, LCPCRenewing Your Mind is available now as a pre-order in the U.S. and internationally in paperback (ISBN: 978-1-61314-373-5) and eBook formats. General release begins October 1, 2017. Renewing Your Mind has two companion books: Sing Over Me (ISBN: 978-1-61314-176-2)Dennis Jernigan's biography that demonstrates God's love and power to free anyone struggling with same-sex attraction, and Stand In Love (ISBN: 978-1-61314-307-0)a practical question and answer guide designed to help educate the church to respond to homosexuality biblically and with love.Author Interviews WelcomeContact: Dr. Bart Dahmer, Innovo Publishing LLCPhone: 901.517.8306Email: RYM@innovopublishing.com
The head of millions of Ahmadiyya Muslims concluded the largest Islamic convention in the UK with a call to reject all forms of extremism and terrorism.



More than 30,000 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) from over 100 countries gathered at the "Jalsa Salana" annual event recently, which took place on a 200-acre farm in Hampshire on the southern coast of England.



"It is up to Muslims to stand up and reject all forms of extremism and terrorism. It is the task of Ahmadi Muslims to show the true teachings of Islam which are of peace love, mercy and compassion," said Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the conclusion of the event on Sunday.



The event began on Friday with the traditional Friday Sermon and the raising of the black and white flag of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community alongside the flag of the United Kingdom.



On Saturday, the Caliph conducted proceedings from the ladies' marquee where 15,000 Muslim women gathered for a speech on women's rights and empowerment under Islam and an award ceremony for academic achievements.



The group said that the purpose of the three-day international gathering was to promote the "true, peaceful teachings of Islam" and challenge misinterpretations around the world's second-largest religion.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in 1889 in India and is led by a spiritual caliphate.
Farmers in Uttar Pradesh are facing problems due to land acquisition in several national highway projects in the state, including in Amethi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said here today.



Gandhi met farmers from Amethi whose land had been acquired for widening a national highway and assured them of all possible help in resolving their problems.



Besides the delegation of 90 farmers from his parliamentary constituency, Gandhi also met officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and submitted a memorandum.



"Issues related to land acquisition are being faced by farmers in six national highway projects in UP.



In Amethi, too, procedures are not followed in issues related to acquiring land," Gandhi told reporters.

Work on widening NH 56 at Kathora Gram Sabha in Amethi's Jagdishpur block started a year ago.



Three days ago, locals allege, NHAI began demolishing houses and shops in the area without compensating the affected farmers.



According to local Congress leaders, the farmers had already given land for widening the highway. However, NHAI was also constructing a bylane for parking trucks on both sides of the road in an area of around 200 m in Kathora, affecting about 100 families.



Gandhi, it is learnt, asked NHAI officials to adopt proper procedures to compensate those affected or shift the bylane.



Later, talking to reporters at the airport, Gandhi said due process had not been followed.



Referring to the farmers' agitation in the twin towns of Bhatta Parsaul in western Uttar Pradesh, he said, "I have been fighting for the cause of farmers' land since Bhatta Parsaul issue (in 2011).



"The previous UPA government had formed a law related to acquiring land and that was for protecting farmers' land... all the work (land acquisition) is done on its basis. I think NHAI will tackle the matter sensitively."



NHAI General Manager Rajiv Agarwal told PTI that compensation for land was not fixed by the Authority but decided by the government.



"I will get a technical probe done in the matter. In the next two-three days, the NHAI team and I will also visit there (Amethi) and prepare its report," Agarwal said.



Ayub, one of those who had come from Amethi to meet Gandhi, alleged that their land was being acquired and old houses demolished.



The farmers said Gandhi had assured them of all possible help and said he would visit Amethi soon.

"Majority of the affected are there since 1994 and have constructed shops etc on the lease given by UP Industrial Development Corporation. We want the process (of acquiring land) to stop immediately and compensation should be given to the affected people whose shops and houses were razed,"

stated the memorandum from the farmers handed over to the NHAI by Gandhi.
Heart attacks, depression and other medical reasons killed sixteen times more CRPF personnel than action in anti-Naxal operations in the last three years, the government said today.



In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union minister of state for home Hansarj G Ahir said that while a total of 74 personnel of the country's largest paramilitary--the Central Reserve Police Force--were killed in action against Maoists between 2015 and 2017, 1,196 lost their lives owing to multiple medical issues.



Breaking down the figures, he said, 219 jawans and officers of the force died due to heart attacks, 77 personnel lost their lives owing to depression or by committing suicide and 20 lost their lives due to malaria and dengue, during the same period.



A total of 880 personnel lost their lives due to "other" medical reasons, the minister said, without elaborating them.



The maximum number of 59 deaths of CRPF personnel in anti-Naxal operations, out of the total 74, were reported from Chhattisgarh.



In the other Left Wing Extremism-hit states of Bihar, 14 personnel lost their lives in operations against the ultras while two were killed in Jharkhand during the same period.



The minister said the government has taken several measures to ensure good morale of all the personnel working in various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF.



"Basic amenities like proper accommodation, medical facilities, timely evacuation of injured, better promotional avenues, gallantry awards, rewards and appreciations and grievance redressal are being addressed," Ahir said.


Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today asked law enforcement officials to be "very harsh" in dealing with cases of abuse and offence against women on social media.



The IT and law minister also said that the government would ask firmly all social media platform to follow Indian laws specially in issues related to women.



Addressing a conference of superintendents of police and commandants of central armed police forces here, the minister said, "I have to make one request to all of you. In case of offence against women, abuse in social media, become very harsh. We are doing our best. Large number of sites have been blocked."



"I have taken a meeting very recently. We are going to sensitise all the social media platforms. Indian laws are required to be followed. This is a very firm message we are going to convey at least as far as women related issues are concerned," Prasad said.



He said that the government has come up with a system of panic button on cell phones for protecting women.



Prasad said that to block child pornography his ministry has already taken measures in coordination with Interpol.



The minister also urged IPS officers to use social media to communicate right information to public and dispel immediately rumours intended to disturb peace.



He also asked IPS officers to adopt digital technologies for efficient governance.



Prasad said that the government is working to link driving licences with Aadhaar to check duplicate licences. He asked officers to train their sub-ordinates to accept driving licences saved in digital form in mobile phones.



"Today a motor vehicle driver can keep licence in digital form. Digital form means in his mobile phone. As an SP, you have to educate your darogas (inspectors) if they stop someone midway and ask for a licence, they should accept digital licence," Prasad said.



The minister said that he received a complaint from a motor vehicle owner that he was fined by policemen even after showing licence in digital format.



He, however, cautioned police officers from using finger print and iris scans for ordinary policing.
Alibaba-backed Paytm will launch a messaging service to take on Facebook's WhatsApp by the end of the month, according to company sources.



Paytm - which counts Japanese conglomerate Softbank as one of its investors - will integrate a new feature on its platform that will allow users to chat and exchange audio, pictures and videos, two people aware of the development said.



They did not want to be named as they are not authorised to comment on the matter.

When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson declined to comment.



One of the persons said the new feature has been in the works for about three months now and will help the company further increase user engagement on its platform.



Interestingly, the development comes at a time when WhatsApp itself is working on foraying into the digital payments space.



India is the largest market for WhatsApp with over 200 million monthly active users as of February 2017. Globally, one billion people use WhatsApp every day.



In February, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton had met IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to discuss ways in which the popular messaging app could contribute to India's vision for digital commerce.



The other person familiar with Paytm's plans said that once the service rolls out, it could be be bigger than WhatsApp as its current userbase itself is over 230 million.



Besides, homegrown messaging platform Hike -- which has over 100 million users -- is also rolling out an in-app electronic payments service to capitalise on the rising digital transactions in India.



E-payments in India surged after the country banned old high-value currency notes late last year.



Since then, firms like Paytm have rapidly increased their market share. Digital payments in India would jump nearly 10 times to USD 500 billion by 2020, according to a 2016 report by Boston Consulting Group.


The forthcoming polls to fill the Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat is not going to be the first when the state legislators will be given the option to choose none of the candidates in the fray.



The Congress on Tuesday protested in the Rajya Sabha against the Election Commission's move to make available the NOTA or none-of-the-above option in the ballot papers, which the members of the legislative assembly of Gujarat would cast votes on to elect three members of the upper House of Parliament from the State on August 8.



Sources in the EC, however, clarified that the poll-panel had introduced the NOTA option in the ballot papers used by the state legislators to cast votes in the Rajya Sabha elections. The EC had introduced the option in the polling to elect the RS members in accordance with the Supreme Court's order dated September 27, 2013, sources added.



Gujarat had in fact been one of the 16 states, where the EC had introduced the NOTA option in the ballot papers used in the Rajya Sabha polls in February 2014.



Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Tuesday posted on Twitter questioning the EC's decision to make available the NOTA option in the ballot papers, which would be used by the MLAs of Gujarat to fill the three vacancies in the RS from the State. Patel is one of the candidates in the fray. The BJP has fielded its president Amit Shah, union minister Smriti Irani and Balwantsinh Rajput, who of late resigned as an MLA and quit the Congress, as its candidates.



The Congress on Tuesday also submitted a memorandum to the EC demanding removal of the NOTA option from the ballot papers to be used in the RS polls on August 8.



The EC sources, however, said that the commission had on January 24, 2014 issued a communique to the Chief Electoral Officers of all the States, informing them its decision that the NOTA option should be made available for ballot papers used in Rajya Sabha polls, in addition to the Electronic Voting Machines used in Lok Sabha and state assembly polls.



The Commission hereby directs that after the name and particulars of the last candidate on the ballot paper, another panel may be provided and the words 'None-of-the-Above' shall be printed therein in the language or languages in which the ballot paper is printed as per the direction issued by the commission in pursuance of the Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 22 and Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 30, read with Rule 70 of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961, the EC had written to the Chief Election Officers across the country.



The commission had eventually introduced the NOTA for the first time in the ballot papers used for the polling held on February 2014 to fill up 55 vacancies in the Rajya Sabha from 16 states.



The EC had introduced the NOTA option in the EVMs used for the assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and the National Capital Territory of Delhi in November and December 2013.






Internet major Google has hired a 16-year old Chandigarh boy, Harshit Sharma, for a whopping Rs 12 lakh per month. Harshit will be flying to California in a few days from now. He has been picked up for the job of a graphic designer. It's a dream come true. I cannot explain how happy I am, the boy on cloud nine said.



Unlike popular perception of students studying in flashy private school making it big, Harshit is a class XII student in the information technology stream in a government model school in Chandigarhs sector 33. He will undergo a training course in graphic designing at Google for a period of one year. During this period, he will be getting a fixed remuneration of monthly Rs 4 lakh.



Harshit said his poster designs got him the job which he had applied some months ago. He said he went through an online interview after which he was selected for the priced job. His parents are teachers and natives of Kurukshetra in Haryana.



Harshit was an average student but had a passion for graphic designing from the very beginning which is what made him excel in his dream. For years he has been into designing. He credits his uncle Rohit Sharma for his success saying it was his help and training which made him win. The young lad had been keeping busy in making graphic posters for movies during his school term which made him earn handsomely while he pursued his studies.



Harshit has also been awarded by the prime minister's office for his outstanding performance in Digital India. This award won him a cash prize of Rs 7,000. His attractive poster designs got him selected at Google, he says. Indra Beniwal, Harshits principal, says the boy is an expert in innovation and has made them all proud. His younger brother is a Class, 10 student.














Senator Graham Introduces Parental Rights Amendment

Contact: Maggie McKneely, ParentalRights.org, 540-338-1245, media@parentalrights.org



WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate to propose a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Graham's Senate joint resolution had four original cosponsors at its introduction on Tuesday, August 1: Roy Blunt (R-MO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Jim Risch (R-ID). The resolution will receive a bill number later this week.



"We are gratified to see this crucial amendment introduced in the U.S. Senate for the fifth straight Congress," declared ParentalRights.org President Jim Mason, a proponent of the resolution. "If the recent Charlie Gard tragedy in the UK showed us anything it is that children are better served when loving parents make the important decisions about their care."



The Amendment, which would provide that "[t]he liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right," requires a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress to go to the states for ratification. This means bipartisan support will be necessary for its passage.



"The Parental Rights Amendment should absolutely have bipartisan support," according to Detroit-area family law attorney Allison Folmar. "And the consensus among the American people is that it does have that support. Now we're looking to Congress to reflect that reality."



The NFL's 2005 MVP, Shaun Alexander, is also among those supporting the Amendment effort. Alexander is vice-president of ParentalRights.org.



"The Parental Rights Amendment will protect the greatest team ever assembledthe family. Let's pass this amendment and let's protect the family," Alexander said in a recent release to the organization. "I want to thank South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham for his leadership in introducing this amendment, and I want to thank Senators Risch, Blunt, and Isakson for standing up for parents and children across this great nation as original cosponsors of the Parental Rights Amendment."



Senators interested in cosponsoring the measure should contact Senator Graham's office.
The house arrest of JuD chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed has been extended by two months with authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province citing the maintainence of public order as the reason for the move.



Saeed, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, has been under house arrest since January 31 this year. His detention had been extended for three more months in April.



On January 31, Saeed and his four close aides -- Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain) -- were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.



This time Saeed's house arrest has been extended under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order.



In a notification issued on July 28, the Punjab Government's Home Department said that on the recommendation of the federal interior ministry, the detention of Saeed has been extended for another 60 days. It said Saaed and others' detention expired on July 27.



According to the notification, "The Counter Terrorism Department has reported that keeping in view, the expected release of said activist (Saeed) and other leaders and workers of said organisations (JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat) they have planned to spread chaos in the country. They have planned to make demonstrations under the leadership of Saeed."



"He will be portrayed as a hero and his acts will be glorified. Abdul Rehman Makki who is the central leader of the JuD has been making preparations for the purpose and has launched a secret campaign to muster support of the workers," the notification said.



It said the "liberty" of Saeed is a continuous threat to the peace and tranquility in the country.



The notification further said that the District Intelligence Committee Lahore separately said that Saeed would create law and order situation upon his release.



Additional Home Secretary Azam Suleman believes that the activities of Saeed are "prejudicial to public safety and maintenance of public order".



The Home Department, in exercise of powers under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, detains Saeed for a period of 60 days with effect from July 28, the notification said.



A Lahore High Court bench headed by Justice Abdul Sami Khan, which was scheduled to announce the verdict today on the detention of Saeed and four others, deferred its verdict for an indefinite period.



The court had reserved the decision on June 7 after the Punjab government law officer submitted a reply and Saeed's counsel advocate A K Dogar completed his arguments.
The Congress today accused the BJP of "compromising" the interests of the OBCs after a bill to grant them Constitutional status could not be passed in Parliament, and demanded that the prime minister and the BJP president apologise to the backward classes.



As many as 35 BJP MPs were absent in the Rajya Sabha when the Constitution Amendment Bill for setting up of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) failed yesterday as the government suffered a major embarrassment.



"Instead of doing a public drama of admonishing its MPs for being absent from Rajya Sabha, the PM and the BJP president must apologise to the backward classes for compromising their interests and bring in fresh legislations to undo the wrong," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

He said betrayal of the cause of backward classes was in evidence yesterday as 35 members of the BJP were absent from the Rajya Sabha leading to failure of the 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill that seeks to set up the NCBC.



Under the BJP regime, a systematic decimation of rights of SCs, STs and OBCs has become the mantra, he said.



"As BJP attempts to put a lid on this sordid episode by blaming the Congress Party, let us remind the nation that it is the Congress Party which brought in the 27 per cent reservation of Backward Classes and constituted the National Commission of Backward Classes," he said.



Congress leader P Chidambaram had yesterday accused the government of not being serious about the passage of the Constitutional amendment bill for backward classes and said it was "totally unprepared and nonchalant" and should have engaged with the opposition.



Senior Congress spokesperson Ghulam Nabi Azad said OBC reservation was given by his party in the 1990s.



"The government's new amendments to the National Commission for Backward Classes law was an eyewash and it is clear that the BJP was not serious about the Bill," he said.



Azad said the opposition always gives amendments to any Bill, which are printed a day before and the government knows about them.



"We had not even issued a three line whip. Otherwise we would have had around 30 additional members yesterday. We defeated the government without even a whip," he said.



The leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha asked how the BJP can claim that the Congress is "anti-backward", because if that was the case the party would never have given reservations for OBCs when it was in power.



"While the government's Bill said there will be a three- member commission, we said there should be a five-member commission comprising all backwards and among them a woman and a minority member.



"So our suggestion is much more pro-backwards than the government's original bill. Another amendment we moved was because we wanted to challenge the government's anti-federal provision in the Bill," he said.



Azad said the government wanted to centralise powers, adding, "Our amendment mandated consent or concurrence of the states. So we are democratic and federal and they are dictatorial and anti federal," he claimed.


A suicide bomber and a gunman killed more than 20 people at a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's main western city of Herat today, the latest attack to highlight a deteriorating security situation in the country.



The assault on the Jawadya mosque in Herat, which is close to Afghanistan's border with Iran, came a day after the Islamic State group claimed a deadly attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul.



"More than 20 bodies, and more than 30 wounded have so far been brought to the hospital," after the mosque attack, Rafeeq Shirzai, a spokesman for the hospital, told AFP.



Herat police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada said the assault happened around 8:00 pm (local time) when "a terrorist attack was carried out on a (Shiite) mosque in the third security district of Herat city".



"Based on our initial information two terrorists were involved one of them wearing a suicide vest, who detonated himself while the second one was armed with a rifle. They are both dead," he added.



A reporter for AFP said he had seen a number of bodies brought out of the mosque, leading to fears of a heavy death toll.



He reported seeing a body torn to pieces at the entrance, possibly that of the attacker, while others were lying in pools of blood inside, some still crying and moving.



Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish initially said he thought it was a car bomb and tweeted that there was a possibility that it was a improvised explosive device.



There was no immediate claim of responsibility but IS has been targeting Shiite minority crowds and mosques in Afghanistan for around a year.



The attack comes a day after an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, which was claimed by the Islamic State group (IS), killed two people.



IS has been expanding its footprint in eastern Afghanistan and has recently claimed responsibility for several devastating attacks in Kabul.



But experts have previously questioned whether there are direct links between the group's local affiliate Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) and the central IS command.



Yesterday, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Iraqi embassy, allowing at least three other militants to breach the compound, unleashing an hours-long gun battle.



The interior ministry later confirmed that two people -- a woman and a guard -- had died and two were policemen injured.



A security source, who declined to be named, said IS could prove to be more dangerous than the Taliban in Afghanistan.



Unlike the Taliban which has friends and foes among the international community, IS considers everyone their enemy and will keep attacking soft targets, he said.
Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat left for a tour of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan on Tuesday to explore the possibility of India expanding its strategic footprint in central Asia.



The delegation led by Gen Rawat will visit Kazakhstan between August 1-3, during which he would meet the Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry and the Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces of Kazakhstan.



The delegation will also visit elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University at Astana where Gen Rawat will inaugurate the Indian Military Art Room.



Built in the last eight months, the Indian Military Art Room would be handed over to the NDU according to an agreement between the two countries.
With the indefinite shutdown in the hills entering the 48th day on Tuesday, the GJM, which is spearheading the stir, is feeling the heat from its core support base, the locals.



Shortage of foodgrains and other essential commodities in the hills prompted the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) to convene a meeting of senior office-bearers on Tuesday and constitute a 20-member relief committee to monitor the distribution process by various NGOs.



Admitting that a sizeable section of the population was suffering, GJM adviser and central committee member Swaraj Thapa said, The poor are suffering, but they have not wavered. They have stood by the movement and the committee will ensure adequate distribution of essential items after coordinating with the NGOs.



Rubbishing reports that the GJM had been receiving help from Maoists, Thapa termed it an anti-Gorkhaland propaganda and said, The GJM does not need outside support for a peoples movement. Also, the party has not diverted any funds meant to provide relief to the poor.



The GJM has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Centre to intervene in the logjam arising out of its demand for a separate state, failing which it said the movement will be will intensified. We have given a 10-day deadline to the Centre. An indefinite shutdown is on and the Centre cant just sit idle when the hills are burning, GJM assistant general secretary Binay Tamang had said on Sunday.



Darjeeling MLA Amar Rai on Tuesday said the relief committee will work centrally for now, but gradually, separate committees will be formed for the sub-divisions in the hills to distribute essential items.



A senior GJM functionary said the issue of donations and utilisation of funds also figured prominently in Tuesdays meeting, and the party brass, including Bimal Gurung, are toying with the idea of opening bank accounts in the name of the relief committee, which will remain open for scrutiny at a later stage.



The police and security forces patrolled the streets of the hills and kept a tight vigil at all entry and exit points.
Demonetisation has squeezed terror funding in the country, including in Jammu and Kashmir, and therefore attackers are now targeting banks as they need more currency, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Monday.



In the last few months, security forces have had an upper hand over terrorists. In 2008 to 2010, we saw thousands of stone pelters on streets. In the last few months, there have not been more than 25-50 or 100 stone pelters on the streets. There is one reason: terror funding has been squeezed," Jaitley said replying to a debate on supplementary demands for grants in the Lok Sabha.



Jaitley said the same is true of Chattisgarh, where terrorists were now breaking bank lockers.



The Uttar Pradesh resident, Sandeep Sharma, who was arrested for being an LeT module in South Kashmir was a welder and used to break open bank lockers, he said.



He said among several benefits of demonetisation, one is that buying property with cash has almost become impossible.



In times to come there will be a change in peoples mindset of doing politics and business in cash, he said.



Jaitley said the recently introduced GST, along with demonetisation, has been able to curb corruption and black money in the country. It has increased tax payers base and has impacted the direct taxation in the country too.
Inputs about Abu Dujanas visit to meet his wife and technical surveillance helped security forces kill the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist, who had on at least five occasions given them a slip.



Sources claimed that the intelligence agencies had managed to trace a pattern of the visits of Dujana, who is described as A++ militant by the forces, and this time even got inputs from a police source.



Dujana, along with his associate Arif Nabi Dar, was hiding in a house in Hakripora village in Pulwama when senior officials received inputs about his presence. After receiving the info post midnight, security personnel were posted near the house to track his movement.



Sources said they also had the support of a technical surveillance team to locate Dujana. By 4.30 am, the personnel surrounded the village while efforts started to evacuate civilians from nearby houses.



Dujana was hiding in a locality which was densely populated and sources said it was necessary for them to ensure that there is no collateral damage.



As the forces got closer to the house, sources said, the terrorists started firing. The personnel then returned the fire before blowing up the house.



Sources said before blowing up the house, the security personnel had rescued six civilians inside the house after providing cover fire.



While the forces took on the two terrorists inside the house, scores of civilian protesters gathered at the spot and pelted stones at the personnel. Sources claimed armed terrorists were in the crowd and they began firing at the personnel.



It is also claimed that Dujana told the inmates of the house where he was hiding that he hailed from Karachi.



Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju praised the forces for killing Dujana.
Jalore and Pali were among the many districts in Rajasthan that continued to reel under unprecedented floods, while the rain-triggered deluge claimed seven lives in West Bengal.



The army, NDRF and SDRF were busy evacuating people marooned in Rajasthan. The IAFs MI-17V5 helicopter dropped nearly 6 tonnes of food packets as part of the relief measures.



The state government has announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for the families of those killed in the catastrophe.



In Himachal Pradesh, heavy rain lashed several places in mid and lower hills, as Gaggal, Baijnath and Palampur in Kangra district received 181 mm, 176 mm and 116 mm rain, respectively.



In Uttarakhand, a man was crushed under a boulder in Tehri district, while over 100 roads were blocked by landslides. Major rivers like the Ganga were in spate. The Ganga was flowing near the danger mark in Haridwar.



Maximum temperatures in Haryana and Punjab hovered below normal limits after rain lashed many parts with the joint capital Chandigarh registering a high of 33.5 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Amritsar recorded a maximum of 32 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal after the city received light rain.



Light to moderate rain and thundershowers occurred in parts of Uttar Pradesh while major rivers, especially the Ganga and the Rapti are in spate at several places.



Light to moderate rainfall occurred in parts of Bihar with Patna receiving17.6 mm rain, followed by Purnea 13 mm.



Light to moderate rainfall occurred at a few places in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha region.



Rainfall occurred at most places in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Lakshadweep and at isolated places in Andhra Pradesh.


A pro-Kannada body submitted a complaint to the Vidhana Soudha police against BMRCL managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola and Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia for violating the two-language policy in Namma Metro.



The complaint by Kannada Anushthana Mandali argues that Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) comes under state Urban Development Department. Hence, the language in the signages should have been limited to Kannada, the official language of the state, and English for people coming from outside the state, it says.



BMRCL has imposed Hindi on Kannadigas. This illegal move has angered pro-Kannada organisations and led to chaos and confusion. Action should be taken against the BMRCL MD as well as the chief secretary, who did not act against the former, R A Prasad of the Mandali told reporters at Vidhana Soudha police station. He also urged the police to drop the cases registered against pro-Kannada activists who were booked for defacing the Metro signages.



Please take action against those who are responsible for this provocation, he said.






The Mahasabha, which acts as an umbrella organisation of the community, is scheduled to hold its executive committee meeting on Wednesday in Bengaluru to discuss the issue. The executive committee is likely to pass a resolution in this regard. Senior Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa is the Mahasabha president, while Khandre is its secretary-general. We will discuss the issue and try to clear all confusion. It is not proper to stage protests accusing each other. Veerashaiva-Lingayat dharma has a long history and it has strived to take everybody along from the beginning. And, Mahasabha wants to continue this tradition, Khandre said. He, however, refused to divulge his stand on the issue.



Not only religious leaders but also senior leaders of the community in the ruling Congress are divided on the demand for separate religion status. While a section of leaders, including Shivashankarappa, is of the view that the religion tag should be given to Veerashaiva-Lingayat, others, including Water Resources Minister M B Patil, are arguing that the Lingayat dharma is different from the Veerashaiva dharma and that the religion status should be given only to the Lingayat dharma.



No tour by ministers



On the state governments move to send a group of five ministers belonging to the community to drum up support for the religion status, Khandre said there is no such plan. As of now there is no such plan. I will talk to Basavaraj Rayareddy (Higher Education Minister) in this regard, he stated. Two of the five ministers  Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil and Horticulture Minister S S Mallikarjun  selected for the tour have already backed out. Rayareddy and Minister for Mines and Geology Vinay Kulkarni are the two other ministers in the group.



Meanwhile, state Congress president G Parameshwara said that demand for religion status to Veerashaiva-Lingayat dharma is a sensitive issue and it will be discussed at the next KPCC executive committee meeting. The issue has not been discussed in any of the party fora so far, he added.







Minister for Municipal Administration Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday said the decision of Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha on the controversy surrounding independent religion status to Veerashaiva-Lingayat dharma will be final.


Shanthaveera Swami of the Kolada Mutt and Mahanthalinga Shivacharya Swami of the Vibhuthipura Mutt led the protest held at Town Hall here. They came down heavily on Mate Mahadevi and said that she was misleading the public by her claims that Lingayat was an independent religion.



Veerashaiva and Lingayat are one and the same. A few leaders have deliberately raked up the controversy for personal gains. They want Lingayat to be an independent religion for political reasons. We will soon hold a meeting and arrive at a decision to settle the matter, Shanthaveera Swami said.



Mahanthalinga Shivacharya Swami said Mate Mahadevi was diving society. She shouldn't have spoken ill about the Rambhapuri seer. She should restrain from making comments on other pontiffs, he said.

The seer claimed that Basavanna did not use the term Lingayat in any of his vachanas. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has funded a few temples to create controversy over the issue. Mate Mahadevi should help poor people than dividing society, he said.





Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Lingayata Yuva Sabha workers on Tuesday staged a protest against Mate Mahadevi for her remarks against Rambhapuri Prasannarenuka Veera Someshwara Rajadeshikendra Shivacharya Mahaswami.
Students of colleges affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will hold a statewide protest on August 18 to raise their concerns about the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and the effect it has on their academics. The CBCS provides choice for students to select from the prescribed courses.



Over the past few months, students have held several such protests about the delay in announcement of results, improper schedules of examinations and others.



Students say the university failed to anticipate the consequences of introducing CBCS. The university introduced the CBCS system in the 2015-16 academic year for the first year batch. The senior batches were following the previous system. When non-CBCS second year students lost a year after failing in some subjects, they had to attend the third year with their junior batch which was following CBCS. But their modules, exam pattern, assessment and marks cards are completely different, one student said.



Several students approached the high court and a temporary solution for this problem was found. However, students say that now the problem will crop up again with the third year batch.



If students fail to clear the required number of subjects in the third year, they will again lose a year. They will have to attend the fourth year classes along with their juniors following CBCS when they have completed the previous years in the old system, the students said.



The university has proposed that separate classes can be conducted for these students, following the old system. However, students fear that private colleges will not provide separate lab sessions and classes for them.



With support from the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO), the students are demanding that those in the old system should not be made to lose a year. They should instead be allowed to take the backlog examinations at the end of the semester. They are also demanding that students in the new system should be given the opportunity to write supplementary exams as their revaluation results were released late.






Seetharam said he had held a meeting with Water Resources Minister M B Patil and legislators from the Cauvery basin to assess the situation.







Water in four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin - the KRS, the Kabini, the Hemavathi and the Harangi - is sufficient only to be utilised for drinking purposes, Planning, and Programme Monitoring Minister M R Seetharam said on Tuesday.Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Seetharam said poor inflow this year had resulted in water levels reaching only 44% of the full capacity in the four reservoirs. The reservoirs were 78% full during the same time last year. It may be difficult to even supply drinking water if the depletion in rainfall continues, he said.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palikes project division is building a 30-ft-wide road inside the sprawling Kaggadasapura lake in East Bengaluru.



The project division has dumped many truckloads of soil in the lakebed to build the road. This has enraged the Palikes lake division.



A week ago, the lake officer wrote to the executive engineer (EE) of the BBMPs project division to immediately stop the work.



In his letter, the Palikes lake officer wrote: It has come to our notice that your division is building a road inside the lake. Under section 14 (6), chapter-3 of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act-2014, no road, bridges or other construction activities should be carried out. Building a road inside the lake is a criminal offence.



Hence, you have to stop the construction of the road inside the lake area immediately and inform this office in three days. You have to apprise the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority before taking up any project in the lake area, the lake officer wrote.



The lake, spread across 50 acres and 26 guntas, is surrounded by Bagmane Tech Park, Texas Instruments, Cognizant Technology Solutions and other IT companies. Land prices have gone up astronomically in the area and many multi-storey apartments are coming up around the lake.



It is learnt that the project division has earmarked Rs 1 crore for building the road.



The construction of the road has irked the residents of the area.



The road is being constructed illegally to facilitate big builders. The project division has no business to level the lake by dumping soil and build the road there. Project division engineers did not bother to even inform the lake division as is apparent from the letter, said Anand Vasudevan, resident of Kaggadasapura.



The residents accused the Bangalore Development Authority of doing nothing when the lake was in its custody. Due to its inability to improve the lake, BDA handed over the lake to BBMP on February 24, 2016, they said.



Taking serious note of it, BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said no construction activity should take place in the lake bed.



It is a serious offence. I will take stringent action against those involved in the wrongdoing. We will restore the lake, said the commissioner


Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), the 65-km-long eight-lane road that will seamlessly connect Tumakuru Road with Hosur Road and ease pressure off the Outer Ring Road (ORR), seems to be finally getting on track.



At a meeting on Monday, two Japanese firms showed readiness to help the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) acquire a whopping 1,810 acres of land for the road. The meeting was attended by Bengaluru Development Minister K J George, representatives of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), East Nippon Expressway Company Limited (Nexco), Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development Department) Mahendra Jain, BDA Commissioner Rakesh Singh and other officials.



The BDA estimates the project to cost Rs 11,950 crore, of which Rs 9,000 crore will be spent on land acquisition alone.



JICA usually does not fund land acquisition and limits itself to financing the construction. Nexco is a major infrastructure company in Japan and is one of the main operators of expressways and tolls in that country.



Finally, the Japanese firms have come around to seeing the BDAs point of view on land acquisition. Its a big-ticket project and we were not able to mobilise resources to acquire land. This was causing all the delay in signing an agreement with JICA for building the road. The Japanese firms have agreed to fund the land acquisition but only after conducting a feasibility study, a BDA source said.



The BDA has already prepared the detailed project report. The state Cabinet has okayed creating a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the PRR. Nexco and JICA will study the revenue aspects, income, expenses and profit. They will also ascertain the cost escalation by factoring in possible delays. Since it was the first meeting, no concrete assurances were promised by the state government, but the Japanese firms have promised to submit their feasibility report in 30-45 days. The SPV will be formed and registered soon. Japanese engineers will be part of the SPV, the BDA official said.



It was decided that based on the feasibility report and the Cabinet approval, the state, Central and Japanese governments will sign agreements on funding land acquisition and construction.



The meeting also discussed the funding pattern. Nexco will hold 10% equity while the state government will have an equal share. The remaining 80% can be borrowed from JICA or any other agency depending upon the amount and the rate of interest, the official said. But the conditions on which the land acquisition will be funded were not disclosed.



In September 2016, the BDA had released a new innovative method to mobilise resources. It also held a meeting with farmers, explaining the proposal of creating commercial zones around the PRR to raise money for the project. The BDA had proposed to create a 100-metre commercial zone along the PRR with service roads of 30 metres.




Shanthinath opened fire in the air asking them to surrender. While his aides managed to escape, Badigers bike skidded and he fell down. Shanthinath then fired a bullet at him and the rowdy was injured in the leg. Despite the injury, Badiger fired back at police and the DySP was hit in the chest.

Luckily, the officer was wearing a bulletproof vest and the bullet hit his arm, the IGP said.



Shanthinath again fired at the rowdy, injuring him. Though Badiger was rushed to the hospital, he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors at the district hospital.



As per the Supreme Court directions, the case will be probed by additional SP of Bidar to ensure free and fair investigation, Alok Kumar said.





Notorious rowdy Mallikarjun Badiger alias Kari Chirathe was killed in an encounter with the police near Naganahalli on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday morning.Three policemenDySP S S Hullur, head constable Anand and constable Shrishail-- were injured after the rowdy shot at them. They have been admitted to Basaveshwara Hospital and their condition is said to be stable.There were as many as 11 cases against against Badiger (21), a resident of Nandur on the outskirts of city. He was wanted in murder, extortion and robbery cases. He was among the five rowdies from Kalaburagi district against whom provisions of the KCOCA had been invoked for the first time in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. Inspector General of Police (Northeastern Range) Alok Kumar told reporters that Badiger had been at large after he came out on bail on May 19.On Monday, he had robbed two people, Devendrappa and Nagendra, and tried to rob another near Nandur.Around 4 am on Tuesday, DySP Hullur received information that Badiger was hiding at Ashraya Colony near Kesaratagi. After cordoning off the area, a team comprising Hullur, MB Nagar Circle Inspector Shanthinath and others rushed to apprehend him. Badiger and his three aides tried to escape on two bikes.
The state BJP is gearing up for party president Amit Shahs three-day visit to the state starting August 12.



Arvind Menon, a close aide of Shah and one of the national convenors in the BJP, arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday and held preparatory meetings with state unit functionaries.



Menon, a former RSS pracharak, is the national convenor of Departments and Projects, a new post created by Shah after he took over as the party chief, in consultation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi



Shahs visit gains significance as he is set to chalk out a preliminary election strategy for the state unit of the party for the Assembly polls.



Shah will review the functioning of 19 departments in the party, including various morchas and cells besides 10 projects taken up by the party, BJP general secretary Ravi Kumar told DH.



During his interaction with the state functionaries in Bengaluru, Menon said all the party cells, morchas and units will have to prepare a report on their activities and present status, which will have to be furnished to Shah during his visit. Menon provided the format and style which has to be adhered to while filing the reports.



Shah, apart from interacting with the party leaders and district and morcha presidents on the political scenario in the state, will also review the role of the BJP in taking forward projects of the Centre such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana among others.



The state unit of the BJP will also be holding its two-day executive committee meeting from August 5 ahead of Shahs visit. The meeting, scheduled to be held at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, is likely to discuss various issues related to the state including demand for separate religion for Lingayat-Veerashaiva dharma, official status for state flag among others, party sources said.




Giving in to the protest by the residents of Chamarajpet in southern Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Tuesday dropped the plan of constructing an Indira Canteen on the premises of the ancient Rameshwara temple in the locality.



On Tuesday afternoon, the Palike started to rebuild the compound wall of the temple, which it had demolished for constructing the canteen.



The civic body received flak from the local residents when it demolished the compound wall on Monday night as the temple holds a rich history of about 300 years.



The residents continued their protest on Tuesday morning as well.



The protest was withdrawn only after the former corporator of the area Chandrashekar, husband of present councillor Kokila Chandrashekar, came to the place and assured the residents that the compound wall will be rebuilt and the canteen will be relocated to some other place in the ward.



Kokila said, We were looking at two other places before finalising the Rameshwara temple premises. One place was near the Aiyyappa Swamy temple and the other was near the flyover. Now, we will see if these places can be considered.



Anandatheertha, a local resident and an activist, said that it was a political game played by the Congress and the BJP as the Assembly elections are nearing. It is outrageous that BBMP has decided to construct a canteen without consulting the local residents. Not only that, since the elections are round the corner, leaders of both the parties are trying to make use this issue for their personal gains, he said.



Sanctity will be lost



Former councillor and BJP leader B V Ganesh, who led the protest, said the sanctity of the temple will be lost if a canteen is built on its premises.



We are not against the construction of the canteen. It is going to be beneficial to the citizens. We are just against the way in which they are implementing the project, said Ganesh.



Vote bank politics



Meanwhile, members of the Indian Youth Congress staged a protest against Ganesh in front of the BBMP office terming him anti-poor.



He is just playing vote bank politics using this issue, while we are working towards making Karnataka a hunger-free state, said Youth Congress leader S Manohar.




Acting on a plea by Tilly Gifford, who identified herself as the niece of Van Ingen, a three-judge bench presided over by Justice Ranjan Gogoi set aside the high court order of June 19, 2014. The high court had quashed an FIR lodged in March 2013 against Michael Floyd Eshwer, who claimed to be an adopted son of Van Ingen and thus the legal heir of the properties.



Van Ingen, a British national, died a bachelor at the age of 101 on March 12, 2013. Just before his death, he had lodged the FIR against Eshwer alleging cheating, fraud and forgery after he realised that some of his properties were taken over by Eshwer.



Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing Eshwer, argued forcefully to contend that the high courts decision was justified in view of statements of police officers which, he claimed, showed discrepancy with regard to allegations. He said Van Ingen never made any complaint against his client in his life time between 2005 and 2013 as he was looked after well by him.



Instead of signed copy of complaint, a notarised photocopy was turned into the FIR in the case. This leads to strong suspicion that it was filed after Van Ingen's death, Jethmalani claimed.



The bench, also comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Navin Sinha, told the counsel, All these things can be argued before the trial court. You can apply for discharge. Why should we interdict investigation at this stage? Look at what the HC has done in this case!



Time and again, it has been emphasised that exercise of power under Section 482 (for quashing of an FIR) of the Criminal Procedure Code would not permit to go into the disputed question of facts. Power (of the HC) to interdict investigation is rare. Unless tainted by mala fide, the investigation should not be foreclosed, the bench said.



The apex court noted that the high court interdicted the investigation by unreasoned order and released the detailed order 10 months later.



The apex court also relied upon the CID investigation undertaken by the DG, which purportedly cast aspersions on the police officers over their dubious role into the whole episode.



Advocate Joseph Aristotle, appearing for the Karnataka government, submitted that the CID inquiry report showed procedural lapses on part of the police. He said the original complaint was misplaced by the Station House Officer G M Mohan.



Concurring with his plea, the bench said, Mohan was the police officer who handed over keys of the house to Eshwer. The court dismissed a separate plea filed by Mohan over some adverse remarks by the high court against him.



The apex court said the investigation into the FIR as well as inquiry against the police officer must be allowed to continue.



The high court, while quashing the FIR on June 19, 2014 at the preliminary stage of the investigation on the compliant, also directed the state government for restoration of possession of the Bissal Munti House, and 220 acres of plantation and wildlife trophies of the taxidermist with Eshwer.



Gifford, herself a French national, approached the apex court, challenging the high court order. She contended the properties cannot be transferred in the name of the accused without obtaining mandatory permission from the RBI since Van Ingen was a British national till his death.







The Supreme Court on Tuesday rebuked the High Court of Karnataka for going beyond its power and jurisdiction to quash an investigation into alleged defrauding of more than Rs 500 crore worth properties of world-renowned Mysuru-based taxidermist Edwin Joubert Van Ingen.
Senior IPS officer T Suneel Kumar took office as Bengalurus newest police commissioner on Monday. In a freewheeling chat with DH on Tuesday, he shared his views on law enforcement in the city, his to-do list, his plans on addressing traffic problems and cybercrimes among other things.



How does it feel to be the new police commissioner?



I feel there is a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. Earlier, you had a boss whom you can look up to and follow his instructions, but now you are the boss and everyone looks up to you. I have to deliver what is expected of me.



Previously, you were the only additional commissioner of police (law and order). How different has the city become from a police commissioners point of view?



Earlier there was no social media in police. There was no WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter. Now, police have mobile apps of their own. Its a fast life and information spreads like wildfire, and we have to keep pace. Bengaluru has grown by leaps and bounds since I was the additional commissioner of police. The city is divided into two zones (east and west) with two additional commissioners. There are new law and order issues.



Your style of functioning?



I will be approachable and people friendly. Anybody can meet me when I am in office.



Your priorities?



Basic policing, maintenance of law and order, crime detection and deterrence, safety and security of women and children, keeping anti-social elements in check and tackling the drug menace.



Whats on your immediate to-do list?



My immediate task will be to look into cases already on the table of my officers relating to law and order, crimes against women and children, etc. We will look into specific cases and take appropriate action as per the law. We are also planning to conduct awareness programmes on safety and security of women and children.



You are in the hot seat before the 2018 Assembly polls.



Conducting the elections is a challenge for any police officer. I am certainly gearing up for the elections and conducting them in a free and fair manner will be my goal.



The crime graph is rising and police are short-staffed.



As for the staff shortage, a lot of recruitment is happening. We hope to get enough manpower to enhance night patrols and to keep bad elements in check.



Since Bengaluru is an IT hub, how do you see cybercrimes?



Cybercrimes are rising at an alarming pace. We have opened cybercrime police stations across the state. In Bengaluru, we have an exclusive cybercrime police station, headed by an Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) and staffed by trained personnel. We will train more people in tackling cybercrimes besides hiring outside experts.



Any solutions for the traffic problems?



The vehicle population is growing with each passing day while the road network has saturated. Maybe things will improve when Metros Phase 2 opens. We are thinking of how best to manage traffic.


I have to tell you about this, even though some of the forecasts are crazy extreme. For several forecast cycles, the models have suggested t...
Amid the furore over Indira Canteens coming up on public spaces, Bengaluru Development Minister K J George on Tuesday said BBMP had been directed to identify alternative spaces for canteens, instead of parks and playgrounds.



I have asked BBMP officials to look for alternatives wherever theres a problem, George told reporters. In fact, the chief minister (Siddaramaiah) has allowed the use of private land if need be, he added.



Construction of Indira Canteens, Siddaramaiahs pet project to woo voters in the city, has received flak with citizens opposing the takeover of public spaces, including temple land. The BJP has already red-flagged the process of identifying sites for the canteen.



Tamil Nadu-based KEF Infra has been roped in to manufacture the canteen structures and centralised kitchens using its precast technology.



The state government has set aside Rs 100 crore for the Indira Canteens, where citizens can get breakfast for Rs 5, lunch and dinner for Rs 10. George rubbished allegations of kickbacks involved in the project.



The total cost of civil works for the Indira Canteen is Rs 73 crore. But they say the bribe itself is Rs 65 crore. It doesnt make sense to me, he quipped.



All 198 canteens were to be ready by August 15.



However, 125 canteens will be inaugurated on Independence Day and the rest by October.


After much dilly-dallying, the state government has initiated steps to simplify the process of building plan approval. The Urban Development Department has published the draft Karnataka Municipal Corporations Common Building Bye-Laws 2017, which proposes self-certification of building plans. In other words, a certified professional - architect, engineer or structural consultant - will be able to issue clearances to start construction of low-rise residential and industrial buildings.



This is one among many reforms the government has planned through bye-laws, the draft of which dated July 11, was up for public scrutiny. If approved, they will be applicable to 11 city corporations across the state, including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.



The government wants to streamline the process of building plan approvals to enable ease of doing business. Simplifying building plan approvals is part of model building bye-laws circulated by the Centre to all states last year.



According to the draft bye-laws, all civic bodies will have to put in place an online system so that submission of application and approvals are done virtually. Approval from other agencies has to be integrated with the online system through a common application form. The system will help because getting a building plan approved is a very time-consuming process and people face harassment, Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Mahendra Jain said.



Onus on owner, certifier



A residential building with ground floor plus three floors (G+3) on a plot measuring not more than 500 sq m and an industrial building less than 15 metres in height on a plot up to 350 sq m qualify for self-certification. All one has to do is submit documents and pay the fee to the civic body. One need not go to local bodies for plan approvals, Jain said.



The building owner and the certified professional will be held responsible for any violation found during scrutiny later, as per the draft. The self-certification will be applicable to low-rise units to begin with. We will consider extending this to high-rises if the system works well, he said.



Also, the process will be fast-tracked by risk-based categorisation of building proposals.



For instance, a G+5 floors residential building will be considered high risk and its plan will be approved by the civic body only after full scrutiny. The draft also lays down specific timelines for local bodies to issue building approvals, ranging from 10-30 days depending on the risk classification of buildings. The process takes anywhere between 30 and 180 days at present.

Integrated approach



Clearances from at least six agencies - National Monuments Authority, Environment ministry, Defence ministry, Coastal Zone Management Authority, National Highways Authority of India and Railways - will be integrated with the zoning regulations of Master Plans, which authorities hope will simplify the process further.



Urban architect Naresh V Narasimhan lauded the self-certification idea. But how do authorities plan to identify and act upon violations, he wondered.


Facing criticism from parents over the decision to house students in the Adult Transition Program (ATP) in two portable classrooms on the new Earl Warren Middle School campus, the San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) invited parents to to tour the facility and participate in a special meeting July 28 on the campus.

For over two hours, SDUHSD Superintendent Eric Dill listened and responded to a group of frustrated parents. Some parents wanted an apology from the district and others did not, instead wanting answers to their questions and an assurance from the district that their children were a priority and that their concerns were truly being heard.

I know that some promises were made for involvement on the planning of that classroom and we didnt deliver on that promise and I think thats led to a lot of the concerns, Dill said. There were promises of more involvement and we didnt do that and Im sorry for that.

On July 28, parents learned that what was meant to be a permanent home for ATP will now be a transitional one. In the short term to deal with capacity issues, a part of the ATP program will be housed in a classroom at La Costa Canyon High School (LCC) this fall with the intent of the full program moving there for the 2018-19 school year. According to Dill, long-term plans would include the construction of a permanent home for ATP, possibly at the Sunset High School campus in Encinitas or bringing the program to a community college such as Mira Costa.

ATP is a stand-alone, specialized, four-year program for special education students ages 18-22. For the last couple of years, the district housed ATP students in portables at Earl Warren. Prior to that, the students were moved almost every year to different locations, such as the local library.

For some ATP parents it was the first time seeing the rooms last week  some said they werent as bad as they thought although many remarked that there was not enough windows and natural light, and some questioned whether the rooms had enough space to accommodate students in wheelchairs. Others, who had seen the portables before, said there had been improvements since the last time they saw them, both inside and outside with the landscaping. The air conditioning was working and the rooms were cool and did not appear to smell badly as some parents alleged at the last board meeting. Dill said the modulars, and the technology the portables are outfitted with, are similar to the 160 portables used throughout the district for general education.

The classrooms wouldnt be that bad if not for the juxtaposition of the brand new state-of-the-art school buildings just 10 feet away, one parent said, noting the real issue is the perception that ATP students are second-class citizens and that their facilities are separate and unequal.

In July, the board split 2-2 on spending $33,000 to improve the conditions of the existing portables by adding two windows and two doors with windows. Dill did not respond to a request for comment about whether the board could reconsider adding them at a future board meeting.

We heard the concerns about the lighting, Dill added, noting that they have ordered LED lighting to replace the fluorescent lights in the portables.

The four-year program currently has three teachers, 20 students and 10 aides. Next year there could be as many as 47 students  along with the needed support staff there could be approximately 62 adults in the two portables with only two bathrooms.

We know we have a surge in enrollment this year and we recognize that we cant put all 47 students into those classrooms, Dill said.

As a short-term solution they have found the third classroom at La Costa Canyon, so there will be one cohort of ATP students attending at La Costa while the others remain at Earl Warren. Dill said they will work to re-purpose the two other nearby classrooms at LCC and re-locate ATP to three classrooms at the campus in 2018.

Dlll said there are some trade-offs with the LCC location, as it is in Carlsbad so it is not as centrally located as Earl Warren in Solana Beach, and there is little public transportation and fewer community amenities.

Some parents urged the district to find three classrooms at LCC now, which might displace the popular culinary arts program. Culinary arts is an elective, our kids are not an elective one parent said.

Another long-term solution Dill proposed is that the district is hoping to accelerate the reconstruction of Sunset High School, which is a campus entirely made of modulars from the 1980s. As part of that reconstruction, Dill they would build permanent special education program buildings and a home for ATP.

As both solutions are explored, Dill said the district will continue to build relationships with local community colleges in an effort to place the ATP program on a college campus where ATP students could interact with similar-age peers.

At the July 28 meeting held inside Earl Warrens new gymnasium, parent Lucile Lynch thanked Dill for the opportunity for parents to share their concerns.

What youre hearing is a lot of frustration, Lynch said. Its unfortunate that the proposed solution is to remain in the portables, but it may be the only solution available now.

Many parents voiced frustration that it seemed like the district was just now learning about their many concerns when they felt like they have been vocal for a long time. Over the last few years, parents of students with disabilities have spoken out several times  resulting in the formation of a special education parent forum in the summer of 2016. The forum met several times over the last year but member Lynch said that despite some parent input, their message was not properly communicated to the district.

Parents also say they were misled about the ATP facilities a floor plan for the facility was shared in fall 2016 and parents asked if they could provide input and were assured they would be able to at a later date, Lynch said. When parents inquired about the progress throughout the year, however, they were told that the walls are going up, suggesting the construction of actual buildings not portables.

A time to provide input never came, not until May when parents first toured the portables.

I think you have to flat-out admit that the mentality of our district for the last 10 years has been that ATP is just an afterthought, said parent Mary Beyer. Weve just been put to the side and never given the same consideration as other students, whether its classrooms or curriculum. Thats how I see it. If the district doesnt change its mentality it will all be the same.

Our kids are important and our kids matter. Our parent group cares about our kids and the future that they have.

Absolutely, thats not my mentality to treat any of our programs as an afterthought, Dill responded.

Parents also wanted accountability for what they felt was a breakdown in planning and suggested someone should be fired for not doing their job. Dill shouldered the responsibility for former special education director Chuck Adams, who is now an assistant principal in the district. There is currently no director of special education and Meredith Wadley, the new director of school and student services, is now leading the program.

Im sick to my stomach with some of the stuff that has happened to you, Wadley, near tears, told the parents. I just want to move forward and just want to make this right for the kids.

Dill said he has confidence in Wadleys abilities moving forward, saying she is doer with a vested interest in what happens in the community  while she is new to her position she has been with the district for 30 years and even graduated from Earl Warren. In her short few weeks on the job, Wadley said she has been working hard to address the issues with the ATP program.

One parent pointed out, however, that the parents concerns are far bigger than just the portables. In June parents of special education students handed over a 41-page petition to the district outlining the many ways they hope the district can reform a broken special education program, calling out inadequate curriculum and too low expectations in addition to the lack of equal treatment in facilities planning, not being included in Prop AA funding or planning.

ATP was not part of the districts vision for safe and modern schools, one parent said. What justification can you give for excluding the ATP program from receiving Prop AA funds?

Students with disabilities were not left out of Prop AA, Dill said.

Dill said special education and ATP are part of the districts overall facility master plan, which uses more than just Prop AA funds. Dill also clarified a comment that ATP was not included in the Prop AA project list because the bond language was written more broadly to cover a multitude of programs on each campus. As an example, he said that the project list doesnt read art room at Earl Warren, it simply reads Earl Warren.

Wadley said that the district needs to develop a strategic plan for special education overall  she said it is a lofty goal but her goal is to get it done. Like Wadley and Dill, the two SDUHSD board members present, Amy Herman and Mo Muir, also stated their commitment to concentrating on the ATP program and finding solutions.

In her comments, Lynch advocated for a special education oversight committee to ensure public noticing, public input and board reporting. Muir pushed for establishing the standing special education committee to be put on a future board agenda.

At the meeting, one parent made reference to a letter sent to the district on July 27 from Disability Rights California regarding the portables.

Disability Rights California has serious concerns regarding what appears to be discrimination against students with disabilities, as well as health and safety concerns regarding the physical capacity of the classrooms, the letter states,

The letter also states that they are concerned that the portable classrooms do not meet the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits disability-based discrimination in federally-funded programs, including public schools. The regulations state that if a school district operates a facility that is identifiable as being for handicapped persons, the recipient shall ensure that the facility...(is) comparable to the other facilities provided to students without disabilities.

Dill said the district is working with legal counsel in regard to Disability Rights Californias letter.
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The North Devon Link Road is set to undergo a major 5 million upgrade of its road surface and drainage.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman has today announced that sections of the A361 will be improved, following Devon County Councils successful bid for Challenge Funding.

Devon is one of nineteen areas across the country to receive a share of 75 million of government investment for essential road maintenance.

The Minister confirmed that Devon will receive 4.25 million from the Department for Transport to improve the road surface on parts of the North Devon Link Road. The remainder of the scheme funding is from Devon County Council and developer contributions.

Low noise surface will used on the link road and the new junction which will be constructed to access developments to the east of Tiverton.

It comes as today DevonLive.com has launches a campaign which urges the Government to fast-track improvements to the "killer" North Devon Link Road following the tragic death of a woman and her two children on the Link Road on Monday

The campaign calls for a timetable to be put together so North Devon residents can have confidence in the programme of delivery of 250m improvements

A consultation into the changes ended last week and now the Ministry of Transport will be presented with three options before a decision is made on a preferred scheme  but without any set timetable in place for the improvements.

Jesse Norman told DevonLive: "Certainly, the council receives annual money from us, a portion of which can be used for road safety, on existing schemes, if there are bigger schemes which need government support, we stand ready to listen to them, we work very closely with them already, on the North Devon link-road scheme, which is potentially tens to even hundreds of millions of pounds, and were supporting them in producing that bid.

"So were really bending over backwards, trying to accommodate and support the local council, and to hopefully bring the benefits of better transportation to the South West and to Devon."

Asked whether the government fast-track the proposed 250 million link-road improvements, he said: "Well thats what Ive just been talking about. No fast-tracking until weve had the bid, we have to have a bid in before we can do that. Once we have that we can consider it, and we do that, on its merits, against bids from around the country. You know, there are lots of parts of the country which are seeking road funding, there is more funding being made available under this government than in recent living memory, and we just need to make sure these bids are as strong as possible, thats why we spend money investing in and supporting local councils, and doing the best job they can in making their case to central government."

On todays announcement. Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: This is a very welcome announcement of funding to carry out necessary surface improvements on one of our major roads in the county.

The Government funding for resurfacing the North Devon Link Road will enable us to focus support toward more minor roads across Devon, and continue the roll-out of our Community Road Warden Scheme and our Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund.

As part of the scheme, Devon County Council has already funded essential drainage improvements on the A361, which has been completed three weeks ahead of schedule.

Overnight work on the filter drains on the stretch of the Link Road from Junction 27 of the M5 to Tiverton was due to continue throughout August, but was completed in the early hours of Saturday.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman MP today said: We are taking the big decisions for Britains future by investing in the infrastructure the country needs and ensuring motorists have the well maintained roads they expect and deserve.

Using the Challenge Funding on a major road enables the County Council to use other highway maintenance funding on more minor routes on its 8,000 mile highway network as well as supporting volunteer Community Road Wardens.

Over 40 volunteers from town and parish councils have signed up as Community Road Wardens, enabling them to carry out a range of duties including minor work such as weed clearance, grass cutting, sign cleaning, small drainage work, and minor road repairs. A further 130 volunteers from 80 parish and town councils have received Chapter 8 training funded by Devon County Council, with more than 30 from other organisations such as district councils and probation service undertaking the training.

Through 95,000 of Devon County Councils Highway Maintenance Community Enhancement Fund (HMCEF) last year these volunteers delivered work with a value of more than 168,000.

Ken Browse, Community Road Warden for Halberton, said: We care about our community and the people in our community, and with a lack of funding available for upper tier authorities, volunteers from parish councils can roll up our sleeves and step in to help. It was a good opportunity for the Minister to see what were doing at grass roots level.

County Councillor Brian Greenslade campaigned against the original design for the North Devon Link Road in the late 1970s and 1980s. He told DevonLive.com that he had always felt the design encouraged dangerous overtaking.

"This tragic accident just proves once again that it's a killer road," the Barnstable Lib Dem said.

"People argue that it's bad driving but the design of the carriageway that just leads to people driving more dangerously than they would on a properly dualled road.

"The trouble is that because it's not a trunk road we're locked into this process whereby Devon County Council has to bid for Government funding, and at a time of cuts and Brexit there are a lot of distractions.

"I am pleased that the Journal is launching this campaign - we need to apply as much pressure as possible to ensure these improvements get done as soon as possible."

Although acknowledging that investigations were still under way into both incidents, that the causes were yet to be determined and the crashes were a "tragedy", North Devon Conservative MP Peter Heaton-Jones said: "It is an unsafe road."

"We don't know the causes [of the crashes] at the moment, but people are taking too many risks because there are short overtaking lanes that suddenly merge at not much notice."

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An all-female crew is to sail around Britain to highlight the problem of ocean litter.

They include scientists, students, artists, filmmakers, businesswomen, psychologists and environmentalists, as well as experienced sailors.

The women will leave Plymouth on August 8 to circumnavigate Britain, returning to the Devon city on September 5 to underline the impact of single-use plastics.

The Round Britain sail will take 30 days and incorporate environmental events in Plymouth, Cardiff, Belfast, Arran, Stornaway, Edinburgh and London.

The voyage is run by eXXpedition, a company specialising in all-women sailing trips.

eXXpedition co-founder Emily Penn said: "After years of studying ocean plastics all over the globe, I am so excited to be bringing this project home to the UK.

"The more time I spend at sea, the more I realise that the solutions start on land.

"We may be seeing the more obvious impact of plastic and toxic pollution in the more remote parts of our planet, but what is clear is that the pollution is coming from land - the UK included.

"We need to expose these issues and raise consciousness of the work to be done to solve them here in the UK."

They will be circumnavigating Britain in the 72ft challenge yacht Sea Dragon.

Professor Richard Thompson, an expert in marine litter at the University of Plymouth, said: "The Government's inquiry into microplastics last year brought the threats posed by marine litter to wider public attention.

"But there is still a great deal of work needed to understand the full scale of the problem, while identifying potential solutions that take both economic and environmental factors into account.

"We are currently involved in research and collaborations that seek to meet those goals, and this scientific voyage can certainly make a positive contribution to that work."
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Police are hunting a man who held up a convenience store at knife-point and made-off with 140. A raider wearing a balaclava targeted LM Store in North Road West, Plymouth at 9.35pm on Monday.

Officers say a man wearing a black balaclava, a waterproof jacket, tracksuit bottoms and trainers entered the store and threatened a member of staff with a knife, demanding that the till was opened.

The member of staff was left shaken but was not injured. Around 140 was taken from the till and the suspect then fled the area, reports plymouthherald .

Police units with support from the dog team searched the area but the suspect has so far not been located. Police are appealing for witnesses.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101@dc.police.uk quoting crime reference CR/063875/17.
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A 56-year-old severely disabled man from Torquay died after his carer left him alone in a hot bath, an inquest has heard.

Nicolas Charnock, of Newton Road, died at Torbay Hospital on June 11, 2015.

An inquest in Torquay on Tuesday heard that the medical cause of death was unascertained. It could not be confirmed that Mr Charnock had drowned.

The inquest also heard that the bath water was thought to be 50 degrees Celsius, which would have been unpleasantly hot.

Coroner Ian Arrow recorded a narrative conclusion. He said: On June 11, 2015, the deceased, who was severely disabled, was being bathed by a carer in a hot bath.

On the balance of probability, he was left unattended. The deceased went forward head first into the hot bath water.

On the balance of probability, his death occurred during his immersion in the hot bath water.

Mr Charnocks carer, 41-year-old Musa Camara, was cleared of the wilful neglect of someone who lacked capacity by a jury at Exeter Crown Court in December last year. He had been faced this charge rather than manslaughter after the post-mortem examination failed to identify Mr Charnocks cause of death.

The trial heard that Mr Charnock had a range of conditions including epilepsy, severe learning disability and limited mobility, and required round-the-clock support.

Mr Camara, of Queensway, Torquay, was the carer in charge of looking after Mr Charnock on the night of June 11, 2015.

The trial heard that Mr Camara went downstairs for a minute after a basket of laundry which had been left on top of the banisters fell down the stairs. He put the clothes in the washing machine but did not switch it on.

Mr Camara ran back upstairs after hearing a completely different noise and found Mr Charnock slumped in the bath, unresponsive.

Mr Camara told the court he had looked after Mr Charnock to the best of his ability and was aware it was a risk to leave Mr Charnock unattended in the bath. He claimed it was the first time in the two years he had looked after Mr Charnock that he had gone downstairs while he was in the bath, and the furthest he had gone before was to the bedroom.

The court heard Mr Charnock and Mr Camara undoubtedly liked each other and got on very well and Mr Camara had been regarded as a hard working and well thought of carer who loved his job.
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The Duke of Edinburgh will meet Royal Marines who have completed a mammoth 1,664 mile trek on Wednesday - his final official royal event before he retires from public engagements.

In the grounds of Buckingham Palace Philip will celebrate the achievements of servicemen who have taken part in the 1664 Global Challenge, a series of strength and endurance feats raising funds and awareness for the Royal Marines Charity.

The Queen's Consort announced in May he would be retiring from royal engagements after more than 65 years supporting the monarch in her role as head of state and attending events for his own charities and organisations.

Philip, 96, was praised at the time for his public service with Prime Minister Theresa May leading the tributes saying he had given the Queen "steadfast support'', while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Duke's ''clear sense of public duty'' had inspired people for more than 60 years.

Despite his age Philip's decision - which was fully supported by the Queen and was not medically related - came as a surprise as he still appeared to relish meeting people and carrying out his public role.

The Duke is known for his quips and over the past few months has been joking about his impending retirement, even telling celebrity cook Prue Leith at a Palace event "I'm discovering what it's like to be on your last legs".

Buckingham Palace has stressed although the Duke's diary of engagements will come to an end on Wednesday he may decide to attend certain events, alongside the Queen, from time to time.

The Queen's public schedule continues as normal but other members of the Royal Family will step up in support of the monarch in her role as head of state.

On Wednesday in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace Philip, in his role as Captain General of the Royal Marines, will attend a parade to mark the finale of the 1664 Global Challenge.

His association with the Royal Marines dates back 64 years to June 2, 1953 when he was appointed Captain General in succession to the late King George VI.

The challenge, which recognises the year 1664 when the Corps was founded, has seen Royal Marines all over the world raising money for the military unit's charity with a number of ingenious feats.

The 1,664 mile running challenge began in Plymouth on April 25 with Royal Marines running 16.64 miles a day for 100 days, with the gruelling trek due to end at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

The Duke will meet some of the runners including two Royal Marines who have completed the entire distance.

Royal Marines from around the globe have also been taking part in extreme events including a 34-mile swim underwater and a company of Royal Marines lifting more than 20,000 tonnes and running 10,000 kilometres.

During the event Philip will also meet veterans and cadets before receiving the 1664 Global Challenge baton.

The parade will end with a march past, a royal salute and three cheers for the Captain General.

Over the years Philip has attended many Royal Marines events and in 2014, to mark the Corps' 350th anniversary, the Duke wore his full ceremonial uniform as Captain General to the state opening of parliament.
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Mango, the Tiverton Tesco cat, has been immortalised thanks to a new 90k piece of art.

Tiverton mayor Councillor Wally Burke unveiled the painting which was completed by artist Rob Martin who said he was inundated with messages from people in the town to paint Mango after he finished another artwork of a famous feline, Felix the Huddersfield Railway Station cat.

Mango, who has been regularly greeting customers in the Tesco Tiverton foyer for more than six years has reached a level of fame unprecedented in most moggies. He currently boasts more than 18,000 likes on his Facebook page and has featured in the national, and global press.

Mr Martin said: "He's got a huge following globally and while I was painting Felix people wrote to me on the internet from Devon asking if I had painted their cat here.

"So I painted Felix which is hung in Huddersfield Train Station and it a phenomenon on its own accord, and I thought we could repeat that down here.

"I ended up painting a version which is now on display, so hopefully it's another weird, definitive, weird iconic cat painting."

Rob said that through the process he has discovered that Mango is a "flunky cat."

He added: "No offence to Mango or anyone, but he just looks like a chilled out cat. Mango reminds me of a hippy which is pretty cool, and ironically I've dressed him in a suit  it sounds bizarre doesn't it?"

People have flocked to Huddersfield Train Station to see his Felix painting and to have selfies with it. Mr Martin hopes the Mango artwork will have the same effect in Tiverton.

"I quite like that people do that. I just think people are people and they need a good laugh these days. Things can be depressing at times, but a funny looking picture can make people laugh, it's here to cheer people up. The one up north is not a normal piece of art, so it stands out compared to digital photography and other art."

The artist has priced the artwork at 90,000 saying that even he could not afford it.

"I've walked into some galleries in London at 3million a piece, and I said this painting deserves to be 90k  why not. Sounds crazy but if it makes people laugh  many people being entertained."

The artwork took up to a month to complete, with Mr Martins using photographs to accurately draw and colour the lines of fur on Mango's tabby face.

"It's like a fingerprint; it's unique to Mango's face. Painting a tabby cat is a very difficult thing to do. The eyes too, they're always alive, and they stare through people."

Rob contacted the Tiverton Portas Company to suggest his idea for the moggy masterpiece and on Monday, July 31, the town's mayor Councillor Wally Burke and members of the Portas team officially unveiled the portrait in the CreaTiv Hub on Fore Street.

Sue Griggs from the Portas team said: "Rob sent me a message to tell me all about this, and when I first heard about it I wasn't sure if it was some sort of joke.

"We've been having a conversation for some time about this famous cat, and I couldn't wait to see it. Up until today, I wasn't quite sure whether it actually existed or whether it was a huge April fool's joke, but here it is. It's quite unusual and interesting, and I'm hoping it will bring lots of people to Tiverton to see Mango in his blue velvet jacket."

Tiverton Mayor Wally Burke added: "It will get the children wanting to come into town and have a look, especially now in the summer holidays.
French street theater company La Machine debuted in North America, by making two giant robots battle it our on the streets of Ottawa.

Remember Aragog from the Harry Potter series? Imagine the giant spider fighting one of Daenerys Targaryens dragons from Game of Thrones. Cant imagine that? Maybe the video below will help. French street theatre company, La Machine, build two giant robots for a four-day public performance called The Spirit of the Dragon Horse, With Stolen Wings. The robots in question are named Long Ma and Kumo.

Long Ma is a 36 foot tall half dragon-half horse like creature, that weighs 45 tons. It can gallop, trot, run and even breathe fire. Kumo is the giant spider, which weighs 40 tons and can spray water. It takes 16 people to operate the spider and control its movements.

The two robots were seen on the streets of Ottawa, Canada, marking La Machines debut in North America. The two monsters battled thrice over the course of four days, with the final battle taking place in the Canadian War Museum. Its not just any battle either. La Machine actually has a story to tell, its a street theatre company after all.

Speaking of giant robot battles. Remember that US vs Japan giant robot battle, announced back in 2015? Yeah, thats happening in August this year. Thats this month, according to the announcement by the American Megabots team back in April. Were excited for that too, and yes, our moneys still on Japan!
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Billionaires Charles and David Koch are having their group Americans for Prosperity call local lawmakers this summer to encourage support for the overhaul.



By JOSH BOAK

AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON  The Trump administration started its public push Monday to overhaul taxes but, just as with health care, the White House lacks a detailed plan to promote to voters.

What it has, instead, is an aggressive deadline.





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NEW YORK (AP)  Riding-sharing company Uber plans to launch its own credit card, partnering with the British bank Barclays.

The card will be coming later this year, Barclays said last week.





. . .
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By JOSH BOAK

AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON  Americans signed more contracts to buy homes in June, snapping a three-month decline in pending sales.

The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its pending home sales index rose 1.5 percent in June to 110.2. The gain still puts the pace of contract signings below its March level. The index has increased just 0.5 percent over the past 12 months.





. . .
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Photo by Kidder Mathews [enlarge] Jefferson Square was considered an innovative mixed-use project when it opened in 1987.

The Elan41 apartments at Jefferson Square in West Seattle have sold for $17.9 million, according to King County records.





. . .
A business graduate from Cyprus is full of praise for the Leicester International Pathway College (LIPC) after becoming one of the first students from its International First Year programme to graduate from De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).

LIPC, which opened in the summer of 2014 at the heart of the DMU campus, helps prepare international students from some 58 different countries for DMU degree courses.

Delighted Business and Management BA (Hons) student Eleni Georgiou collected her degree certificate from DMU at one of the universitys graduation ceremonies in July.

The 21-year-old said: Studying business management has always been my fascination but as I grew up in Cyprus  a country surrounded by the sea and the sun  I was afraid to move abroad and speak a foreign language, which is a difficulty that many international students face.

"DMU is a global university, so it presented a good opportunity for me. It offers all kinds of help and services to the students and, as well as my studies, I was involved in language lessons, volunteering, the buddy scheme and with #DMUglobal.

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A degree from a well-known university like DMU is a big benefit and the best thing is that it has given me extra experiences in my life and my studies."

Eleni successfully completed LIPCs International First Year (IFY) in Business and Management in 2014/15  the equivalent of a first year of study at undergraduate level but with specially-designed academic modules and English language support  before moving on to complete her degree at DMU.

Eleni is one of eight students who graduated this summer after starting life at DMU as one of the inaugural students on the IFY programme.

The enthusiastic Eleni said: LIPC provided me with multiple academic modules and increased my understanding of the English language. The IFY is specially designed for increasing numerous skills for international students and it provided me with an intensive combination of first-year university modules with extra study and language skills.

My long-term career goal when I joined LIPC was to improve my reading, listening, writing and speaking skills. My experience started off with a friendly environment in class and teachers willing to help us in any difficulty. Yet, what made me improve was how special I felt as a person in the class, with my teachers continually pushing me forward by identifying my weaknesses and providing me with feedback on how to be better every time.

Apart from the supplement of an all-around curriculum, I met other people from all around the world that faced the same difficulties as me, and we helped each other to improve. This made me feel more comfortable and I started to communicate more.

The whole experience with LIPC made me feel extremely proud and pleased that I started my degree in such a friendly environment with a wide range of improvement opportunities.

I would recommend to every friend of mine to apply and be educated at DMU as they help you to adapt and improve within the whole university environment.

Eleni, who was also a LIPC student ambassador during her time at the university, added: Being an ambassador gave me the opportunity to work in marketing, public relations and to host external visitors to LIPC."

Now she has graduated with a 2:1, Eleni is delighted with how she developed following her experiences at LIPC and DMU. At this point, I can describe myself as a person who can work creatively and accurately through any challenging situations, she said.

Tracey Simpson, Elenis first-year business tutor at LIPC, said: Eleni and I started at LIPC at almost the same time and to see her graduate with her peers with upper second-class honours makes me feel very proud of all she has achieved.

She was a pleasure to teach and was always happy to share her own work experience with her classmates. She shone as an ambassador for LIPC and I wish her every success in the future.

Eleni is now planning to study a Masters in Shipping Management.
Amid a military standoff in Doklam, soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly entered some 800 meters into the Indian territory in Barahoti in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on the night of 25 July, in a move to escalate border dispute with India. Over 10 soldiers were reportedly involved in the transgression that occurred at 9 pm on Tuesday, last week, media reports said. The Barahoti border has not been demarcated and the two sides differ on perception about it. Tension erupted after the PLA soldiers forced back an Indian team led by Chamoli district magistrate which had gone there for a survey. A spokesperson for the Uttarakhand government said they had watched the report on TV but had not received any official information on the issue. Reports quoting district magistrate Madan Kaushik said security forces are yet to give information on further developments. The incident comes just three days before National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was to meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing. Uttarakhand shares a 350-km border with China. This was the second time Chinese troops crossed into the Indian side in Barahoti. In July last year, two PLA soldiers had reportedly crossed into the same area. The latest incursion follows China's military stand-off in the Sikkim-Bhutan border where Indian and Bhutanese troops foiled Chinese attempt to build a road into Doklam in Bhutan's territory. China instead is now accusing India of trespassing into its territory and stopping its road construction. The stand-off has since led to a show of force by the PLA in Tibet, followed by a bigger one in China's largest military base in Zhurihe in Inner Mongolia at which president Xi Jinping asserted Chinese military has ability to defeat all invading enemies. The biggest military parade since 2015, in which army and air force displayed some of the most modern weapons, including a new tank which reportedly held exercises in the high-altitude along the Indian border, was also meant to assert Xi's power in the ruling Communist Party. China also suspended the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra on Indian pilgrims through the Nathu La pass. China disputes the existing boundaries with India in almost all border areas and often tries to force its views on India. China even claims a part of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory, which it says is an extension of Tibet which it annexed. In the Aksai Chin region in the western sector, is the main flashpoint between the two countries. India claims some of the areas are part of Ladakh, while China maintains they are part of its Xinjiang region. Besides the border row, China also has other prickly issues like India's rejection of its Belt and Road initiative to settle. In November 2010, China started the practice of issuing stapled visas to people from Jammu and Kashmir. The same year, India cancelled defence exchanges with China after Beijing refused to permit a visa to Lt Gen BS Jaswal. In 2009, China had objected to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh. And in 2007, Beijing had also denied a visa to the then Arunachal Pradesh CM arguing that he would not require travel documents to visit his own country.








A new agreement on trade, commerce and transit between India and Bhutan came into force on 29 July amidst a border stand-off between Indian and Chinese forces on the Sikkim-Bhutan-India tri junction after China started building a road into Bhutanese territory.

Bilateral trade relations between India and Bhutan are governed by the Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between the governments of the two countries, which allows a free flow of goods and services between the two countries, effectively allowing a free-trade regime.

The agreement also provides for duty free transit of Bhutanese merchandise for trade with third countries.

The agreement was last renewed on 29 July 2006 for a period of ten years. The validity of this agreement was extended with effect from 29 July 2016, for a period of one year or till the new agreement comes into force, through exchange of diplomatic notes.

The new Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit Agreement was signed on 12 November 2016 by the minister of state for commerce and industry Nirmala Sitaraman during her visit to Bhutan on 1113 November 2016.

As per its provisions, the new agreement was to come into force on a mutually decided date. As agreed to by both India and Bhutan, the new Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan has come into force with effect from 29 July 2017.

The new agreement will further strengthen the bilateral trade relations between India and Bhutan, an commerce ministry release stated.
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Sarah Scott, who shares a room with her husband Randall at Westside Terrace Healthcare in Dothan, has captured the Ms. Alabama Nursing Home Pageant crown.

Known as Sally, the 83-year-old resident was chosen from a field of 10 finalists from throughout Alabama She was crowned by Miss Alabama 2017 Jessica Proctor, who was co-host of the event. The pageant was held Monday at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham  The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover.

As the winner, Scott will serve as an official spokesperson for nursing home residents and the Alabama Nursing Home Association (ANHA).

During her crowning, an emotional Scott expressed her surprise at winning and the profound gratitude she has for all of her supporters. She told the audience about how much she is looking forward to traveling the state to meet people during her reign and working to help people understand the benefits of living in long-term care facilities.

It is absolutely the most wonderful privilege I could ever have had, representing the nursing homes of Alabama, which are wonderful places to go when you need them, she said in a written release.

Scott, who worked as a nurse for many years, is involved in several of the activities offered at the nursing home. She has three children, two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

We are so proud of Mrs. Scott and glad to have her representing Westside and all of the states long-term care facilities, Westside administrator Kristie Hughes said in a written release. As a former caregiver herself, she knows how invaluable it is for seniors to have support when they need it.

Scott and nine other finalists were selected from a field of 49 contestants during preliminary judging in Montgomery. The contestants are evaluated on their outlook on life, personality, poise and involvement in their individual nursing homes.
Wicksburg Fire Chief Wanda Andress received the Sherry Gardner Memorial Award for Female Volunteer Firefighter of the Year, during the 40th Annual Alabama Association of Volunteer Firefighters meeting Saturday.

The Sherry Gardner Memorial Award was established in honor of the first female volunteer firefighter who died in the line of duty. In order to receive this award, a volunteer firefighter must meet certain criteria including performing a heroic act.

According to Andress, the association researched her years with the department and the services she has provided along with her heroic act that occurred a few years ago.

A few years ago we had a house fire where the victim had special needs, Andress said. She was a young female and during the time our department was fighting the house fire, I was serving as incident commander. By our departments hard work and determination we saved that ladys life that day. To us, we were all doing what we are called and trained to do, but the association looked into this situation and it served as my heroic act.

Andress has been with the Wicksburg Fire Department for 28 years. She has served as chief for the past four years.

I am very happy, honored and humbled to receive this award, Andress said. I thank the association for considering me for the award. This means so much to me.

Although Andress is grateful for the recognition, she gladly admits she doesnt do her job to be recognized, she does her job to help and serve her community.

We are very fortunate here, Andress said. We have a volunteer fire department that has approximately 50 members, and 30 of those members are active and dedicated to serving our community. We all do what we do to help our fellow man and our neighbors.
Honda has jazzed up its city car range.

The Japanese carmaker has given its smallest offering some mild cosmetic tweaks and added a spattering of standard gear.

As with most mid-life updates, the Jazz scores reworked front and rear bumpers, front grille, new wheel designs and a new pearlescent bright orange paint option.

The Base VTi variant receives a multi-angle reversing camera, a 7.0-inch touchscreen and Honda's magic seats which allows them to be folded 18 different ways, including completely flat.

Pricing for the VTi remains the same with the five-speed manual costing $14,990 before on-road costs or $16,990 driveaway and the CVT-equipped VTI is priced from $16,990 before on-road costs.

Mid-range VTi-S models gain navigation, LED headlights, tailgate spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Honda has lifted the price of the VTi-S by a very minor $200 to $19,990.

The top-of-the-range VTi-L scores additional heated front seats, keyless entry and ignition, leather seat trim, bi-LED headlights and daytime running lights.

The VTi-L is priced from $22,990, which represents a $500 price rise over the outgoing model.

Honda is offering a Luxe pack that adds black alloy wheels, door visors, bonnet protector, alloy pedal, carpet mat and luggage tray at a cost of $1498.

All models are still powered by the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 88kW and 145Nm.

The 2018 Honda Jazz will arrive in showrooms during August.

For all the latest Honda information, visit our showroom.
From today, 1 August, a new provision comes into effect that allows mutual recognition of driving disqualifications between Ireland and the UK.

The Order to recognise cross border disqualifications was signed by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross.

Under the Ireland / UK Agreement, the driving disqualification is, in effect, transferred by the State which imposes it to the licence of the offenders home State. So, the legal consequence of the offence committed follows the offender home.

The new measures are underpinned by an International Agreement between Ireland and the UK, which comes into effect today and primary legislative provisions in Ireland and the UK, which have been commenced today.

Commenting on the provision, the Minister said:

'The mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure because it aims to target dangerous drivers on our roads.

'The disqualifications relate to drivers disqualified for reckless or dangerous driving, hit and run driving, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

'Mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure for both Ireland and the UK, and is one of a series of measures I am introducing which will reduce road injuries and ultimately save lives.

He added: 'Maintaining the common travel area and our economic links with the UK are important priorities for Ireland, and this Agreement will make a contribution towards that objective, as well as making an important contribution to road safety.'

What offences are covered by the Agreement?

The Agreement concerns disqualifications arising from a range of traffic offences, such as:
Central Asia has been on the trading route between East and West for centuries. But small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have only slowly developed in the region. Yet they are a vital engine to spur sustainable economic growth in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

One reason for this is that they often find it challenging to access the finance necessary to grow. That is why the EBRD offers a financing package of more than 42 million in loans to SMEs for this market segment in these countries.

These loans are backed by more than 11.2 million in funds by the European Union (EU) to provide direct support to SMEs through risk-sharing and technical assistance.

From small to medium size

Many companies have already benefitted from this support.

In Khujand, Tajikistans second largest city, wood processing company Fortuna is one of them. The demand for timber products has risen in the country over the last few years  a typical phenomenon in many emerging economies where the population is interested in good quality furniture products.

Fortuna therefore decided to take the next step and grow its activities from local to larger scale industrial production. With a US$900,000 loan, the company invested in automated wood processing equipment, such as automated sawing and splicing machines, calibrating machines, a matching centre with computerised numerical control and a wood drying chamber.



This investment was a crucial step for us that led to a 25 per cent increase in our turn-over of locally produced timber products, said Dado Ochilov, Fortunas owner.

Our company now offers a full range of different products: standard and custom-made doors, wooden window frames, parquets and moulding products. Each year, we manufacture more than 500 cubic meters of finished goods. 

Entrepreneurs around the region have taken the plunge of expanding their activities. In Turkmenistan, local brewer Yager has benefitted from an increasing demand for its beer  so much so that the company brought a former brewery back into action in the capital Ashgabat.

Furthermore, it had to increase production in its main plant in the countrys second largest city, Turkmenabad.

The initial plan for buying the old brewery was to use it as a warehouse, but we soon realised that it served its initial purpose much better, said the owner, Abray Allaberdiyev.

It was an excellent opportunity to grow our market share and expand our offer more extensively to our capital city, but we needed to invest first to seize it.

Over the last three years the EBRD has supported Yagers ambitions with several loans. It helped the company to boost production by 50 per cent at its main site and to purchase distribution vans, fridges and equipment for its new brewery in Ashgabat.

Yager invested not only in its own but in the planets future, by procuring a CO2 recovery system. This will help to recover all CO2 generated in the fermentation and heating process and reuse it for the beer production.

Across the Central Asian steppe and mountain ranges  a similar company faces different challenges in the Kyrgyz Republic. An EBRD loan helped local drinks producer Bear Beer to successfully expand its offer, which includes the popular brands Ala-Archa water and the newly introduced Bomond beer.

However, Bear Beers success only partially insulated it from the effects of the economic slowdown and currency depreciations in Central Asia. The cost of debt rose sharply for firms and households that had borrowed in foreign currency but received their revenue in local currency.

This is part of the broader problem that affordable local currency funding is rarely available in the region. The EBRDs SME Local Currency Programme is tackling it by developing local currency and local capital markets in general, but also by exploring new ways to support its existing clients in challenging economic times.

The programme is supported by the Early Transition Countries Fund*, the US Treasury, Switzerland and Japan.

For Bear Beer this meant that the company was able to convert the existing loan, provided in hard currency, into local currency som.

The EBRD has helped a big brewery in the Kyrgyz Republic modernise the premises and install cutting-edge, climate-friendly technology. With support from the Global Environment Facility. More videos

Advice for growth

Financial support is only one part of the EBRDs offer and all three companies benefitted from a comprehensive support package. This included crucial advice on how to grow their business  a programme funded in Central Asia by the EU, Switzerland and the Early Transition Countries Fund.*

It took the form of helping them develop a business plan, introducing management information systems, strengthening quality control and enhancing financial reporting.

Bear Beer, for example, is one of the few drinks producers in the Kyrgyz Republic to have obtained international quality standard certifications.

The benefit is enormous, Mr Abdrazakov explained. The EBRD is a strategic partner for us and has helped us to become a leading drinks producer in the Kyrgyz Republic, thanks not only to their funding but also to their support in helping us adopt international industry standards for quality.

There are many SMEs with very good growth potential in Central Asia, said Neil McKain, the EBRDs Director for Central Asia.

We are helping them to realise it. This does not only include loans, but also the advice at crucial stages of their development  before, during and after they obtain finance.

SMEs are key players for innovation and growth, both in Europe and Central Asia. By supporting them, the EU is contributing to job creation and economic growth in the whole region, added Johannes Stenbaek Madsen, Head of the Cooperation Section of the EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic.

*The EBRD Early Transition Countries Fund is supported by Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taipei China and the United Kingdom.
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Collectively, public schools identified more than 1.3 million homeless students in the 2015-16 school year. Although that number is just 2.5 percent of all public school enrollment , it represents an estimated 30 percent of all school-age children living in extreme poverty. Homelessness is a threat to everything young students want to achieve in life, including strong attachments to family and community, graduation from high school and college, employment, and civic engagement. This vulnerable population has growing support, including through federal legislation, that has the power to put it on a path to a productive lifebut only if states fully embrace the opportunity to help those in need.

The Every Student Succeeds Act provides a framework to help states do so. ESSAs amendments to the McKinney-Vento Act (the federal law originally passed in 1987 that ensures educational stability and enrollment protections for homeless children and youths) reflect a growing understanding that homelessness has an impact on academic achievement over and above the impact of poverty. Only five states currently report graduation rates for homeless students, and all have found that they have lower graduation rates and higher dropout rates than those of housed, poor students.

As one of usBarbara Duffieldwrote in the opinion pages of Education Week last September, all states will be required to report achievement and graduation rates for homeless students beginning with this school year, shining a light on their struggles and needs. The McKinney-Vento Act is the blueprint for helping homeless students graduate. ESSA improved that blueprint by bolstering state and local education agency responsibilities to identify homeless students; remove barriers to their school attendance and success; and connect them to essential services, including early education opportunities and academic and other supports for transitions to postsecondary education.

Those changes aim to level the playing field for homeless students and make sure they are not penalized for circumstances beyond their control.

But early signs show the nation has more work to do. In the past few months, the first nine states to submit their ESSA plans, which detail how they will implement these guidelines under the new law, have received feedback from the U.S. Department of Education about each plans effectiveness. And the department has highlighted some serious shortcomings, in particular, flaws in supporting and educating homeless students.

In its review of plans from Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee, the Education Department noted omissions of key provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act. There are more than 100,000 identified students experiencing homelessness in those nine states alone. While the department reserved the greatest criticism for Connecticuts plan, inadequacies were identified for every single state.

Homelessness has an impact on academic achievement over and above the impact of poverty."

Across states, the areas of greatest concern noted by the Education Department were: 1) failure to describe procedures to ensure that homeless students do not face barriers to accessing academic and extracurricular activities, including magnet schools, summer school, career and technical education, advanced placement, and charter school programs; and 2) failure to demonstrate how state and local education agencies have devised policies to remove enrollment and retention barriers for homeless students, including outstanding fees or absences.

Without clear, specific plans for how the McKinney-Vento Act will be implemented, homeless students may not even be able to enroll in school, let alone benefit from instruction and services. In a 2016 survey by Civic Enterprises (John Bridgelands organization), 62 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds who had experienced homelessness in middle and high school said that proof-of-residency requirements posed a major challenge when enrolling in a new school. Those sorts of requirements are promulgated by states and school districts. States plans must spell out how they will review and revise residency, guardianship, attendance, and other state and local policies that act as barriers to enrollment and attendance.

In addition to the McKinney-Vento Act, ESSA provides other important supports for homeless students, including requirements under Title I to reserve funding for them at all local education agencies There is also an opportunity to use state-level funds designated for overall school improvement to specifically help homeless students. That extra monetary support could provide additional staff time for outreach and case management, transportation, or credit-recovery programs for students, depending on the needs of the school district.

As two national leaders who work with homeless students on a regular basis, we are heartened to see that several states have already resubmitted their revised plans in response to the feedback and made significant improvements. Those plans now describe with much greater specificity not simply that states will comply with the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act but also how they will do so, including the steps they will take and who will take them.

In Delaware, for example, a committee of school district liaisons will draft district policy for how to award credit for coursework completed at a previous school; a statewide form will ensure a students ability to earn credits will factor into deciding which school the student should attend; and the state education agency will monitor credit accrual in school districts. As states work to improve and finalize their plans, we urge state leaders to learn from the Education Departments feedback, from each other, and from their own students, schools, and communities.

We also strongly urge states to review notes on submitted plans from other states McKinney-Vento coordinators, which provide constructive responses on their strengths and limitations. State progress reports and rankings on homeless students education also can assist in these efforts. Every state must submit its plan by September.

With informed, focused, and strategic action, we can make schools the source of stability and hope for students without homes.
COLUMBUS  A Columbus man pleaded not guilty to assaulting his former girlfriend during an alleged incident June 18 inside her apartment.

Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke scheduled 49-year-old Lance Pfeifer for an Oct. 23 jury trial on charges of strangulation, terroristic threats and third-degree domestic assault.

George Welch of the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office has been named a special prosecutor in the case because the local county attorneys office had a conflict.

The assault and terroristic threats charges are both Class 3A felonies, each punishable by up to three years in prison, 18 months of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine. The domestic assault charge is a Class I misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail.

According to court documents, a Columbus Police investigation started shortly before 2 a.m. June 18 with a report of a physical fight inside the apartment, with the woman reportedly being choked.

After separating the parties, Officer Jorge Magdaleno wrote in his probable cause arrest statement, the alleged victim kept stating that her throat hurt and she couldnt breathe. The officer called paramedics to check on the woman.

(The woman) stated she could not breathe and she thought she was going to die. (She) said if we had not gotten there in time, Pfeifer would have killed her, Magdaleno wrote.

The woman told officers she didn't know how Pfeifer got inside her apartment, Magdaleno wrote. When officers arrived, the entry door was open and the fight was ongoing.

The former couple share a child together.
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LINCOLN  Nebraska is three weeks away from what could be its biggest-ever tourism event.

The total solar eclipse is expected to attract more people than any occasion in the state's history, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday. One study estimates 117,000 to 466,000 visitors could converge on the eclipse path as it cuts across 468 miles of the state on Aug. 21.

"We really have a wonderful opportunity, not only to see a unique event, but also to show hundreds of thousands of people what a great place we have to live  to show them The Good Life," Ricketts said, slipping on a pair of eclipse sunglasses during a news conference at the state Capitol.

State agencies have been preparing for months or, in the Nebraska Tourism Commission's case, years.

The state Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation, State Patrol and Game and Parks Commission all have made special plans for the eclipse.

One of the main goals: to keep cars moving on the interstate.

"We know traffic is going to be a big issue for us," said Moe Jamshidi, deputy director of operations for the Transportation Department. "We're going to be working very actively to make sure the interstate is clear."

Much of the eclipse path covers Interstate 80, so drivers might be tempted to use the shoulder or median for viewing.

Don't, state officials say. It's illegal and dangerous.

Patrol troopers and transportation crews will be dispersed across the state, particularly on the interstate, to usher cars along if they pull over during the eclipse.

Major Russ Stanczyk, interim patrol superintendent, said his troopers are accustomed to 100 or more cars "instantaneously" rolling off the interstate near Capitol Beach each year during the Lincoln Airshow.

Anyone who does the same during the eclipse will be directed to a safe exit and viewing spot down the road.

The Transportation Department will use message boards on the interstate to advise people of traffic conditions, and is working to minimize road construction and maintenance work the day of the eclipse.

Eclipse chasers shouldn't worry about getting stuck behind a house mover or other oversize loads on the interstate.

"We will not permit any oversize, slow-moving traffic during that day," Jamshidi said.

Another note from Jamshidi: "Don't wear those glasses and drive. You will not see anything."

The State Patrol has requested a $10,000 grant to cover costs for 160 overtime hours during the eclipse, equal to about 20 extra troopers and dispatchers working eight-hour days. Three patrol aircraft will also be overhead to help coordinate traffic flow.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency Operations Manager Earl Imler said the state will use its emergency operations center and incident command system, the same system used during weather disasters and wildfires, to coordinate eclipse response.

It's impossible to tell exactly how many people will come to Nebraska to view "Mother Nature's cosmic spectacular," said State Tourism Director John Ricks. Much depends on the weather.

"It's looking right now pretty good," he said, knocking on a wood lectern in the governor's office. "Who knows, it's Mother Nature."

The Tourism Commission will attempt a "guesstimate" of the number of visitors sometime after the eclipse.

More than 700 articles reaching nearly 600 million people have given Nebraska about $5 million worth of free advertising for the eclipse, Ricks said. That's nearly equal to the state's entire tourism budget.

"This is going to build to a crescendo. ... This is not a bucket list thing to do, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing to do."

Almost every community on the eclipse path has events planned for Aug. 21 or the preceding weekend, Ricks said: "There's gonna be a lot going on."

Thirty-four state parks and recreation areas and more than 100 wildlife management areas are along the eclipse path, said Bob Hanover, a Game and Parks assistant division administrator.

Reservable campsites at state parks are all booked, additional primitive campsites have been added for whomever claims them first, and Game and Parks has printed 20,000 custom eclipse glasses for the big day.

"They say that Mondays are a terrible way to spend one-seventh of your life," Hanover said. "I'm not sure that'll be the case on Aug. 21."
Caracas (AFP) - The Venezuelan intelligence service arrested two prominent opposition leaders early Tuesday, their relatives said, a day after a vote to choose a much-condemned assembly that supersedes parliament.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were both already under house arrest when they were picked up by the intelligence service known by its in acronym Sebin, the wife of Lopez and children of Ledezma said separately.

The two men are Venezuela's most high profile opposition leaders. Both had called for a boycott of Sunday's vote for a so-called and all-powerful constituent assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution.

Both of their families said they held President Nicolas Maduro, the driving force behind the vote, responsible for the leaders' lives.

"They just took Leopoldo away. We do not know where he is or where they are taking him," Lopez's wife Lilian Tintori said on Twitter.

She released home security camera footage in which four uniformed police officers and three in civilian garb are seen putting her husband into a Sebin car and take off, with other cars escorting them.

The children of Ledezma -- named Victor, Vanessa and Antonietta -- also said on Twitter that the Sebin had taken away their father.

Opposition leaders and local media posted cellphone footage of Ledezma being taken away from his home forcibly while still wearing pajamas.

Lopez, 46, was transferred to house arrest in July of this year after serving three years and five months in prison as part of a 14-year term. He had been convicted of instigating violence during protests against Maduro in 2014 that left 43 people dead.

Ledezma, 62, was arrested in February 2015 on charges of conspiracy and racketeering and was placed under house arrest three months later for health reasons.

Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara said the arrests were aimed at "frightening us and demoralizing us."

Four months of street demonstrations against Maduro have left 120 people dead, including 10 over the weekend that included the election.

The opposition says the vote was a fraudulent ploy by Maduro to cling to power because, it argues, he is so unpopular he could not win an election. The next one is scheduled for 2018.

The new constituent assembly is to start working on Wednesday. It is made up only of members of Maduro's Socialist party. The opposition has called a big rally for that day.

- 'Imperial orders' -

The United States hit Maduro with direct sanctions on Monday over the weekend vote, calling him a "dictator," while the leader refused to heed what he slammed as "imperial orders."

The measures were unusual in that they targeted a sitting head of state, but their reach was mostly symbolic, freezing any US assets Maduro might have and banning people under US jurisdiction from dealing with him.

"Yesterday's illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters.

Maduro lashed out at the move, saying it smacked of American imperialism.

"I will not obey imperial orders," he said.

Colombia, Mexico, Peru and other nations joined the US in saying they did not recognize the results of Sunday's election, which appointed a new "Constituent Assembly" superseding Venezuela's legislative body, the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

Maduro's own attorney general, Luisa Ortega -- who broke with him months ago over his policies -- also said she would not acknowledge the body, calling it part of the president's "dictatorial ambition."

However, old allies Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia stood by Maduro, who shrugged off mass protests and a previous round of US sanctions on some of his officials to see through the election.

The National Electoral Council claimed more than 40 percent of Venezuela's 20 million voters had cast ballots Sunday.

According to the opposition, voter turnout was closer to 12 percent, a figure more aligned with the lack of lines at many polling stations.

Surveys by polling firm Datanalisis showed more than 70 percent of Venezuelans opposed the new assembly.

Venezuela's 30 million citizens are suffering through an acute economic crisis marked by shortages of basic goods.

Sanctions against the all-important oil sector would worsen their situation, but could also destabilize the government, which is frenziedly printing money and running out of foreign currency reserves.




from Human Rights Campaign http://www.hrc.org/blog/congress-sends-letter-to-indonesia-to-stop-government-sponsored-anti-lgbtq Congress Sends Letter to Indonesia to Stop Government-Sponsored Anti-LGBTQ Actions By Jeremy Kadden



June 19, 2017



Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) and 35 other members of Congress sent a letter to the Indonesian government, calling on them to put a stop to recent government-sponsored anti-LGBTQ actions there.



The letter was written in response to a number of horrific reports out of Indonesia, including the arrest of more than 140 men suspected of homosexuality on May 21. The police released several photographs of the arrested men to the media, exposing their identities to family and friends and potentially putting them at risk of social ostracism and violence.



A few days later, on May 23, two gay men in Aceh province were publicly caned and were photographed and humiliated in front of a crowd of spectators. The following day, the police force in West Java announced plans to establish a task force to specifically target LGBTQ people, with the police chief calling homosexuality a disease, and that LGBTQ people will face the law and heavy social sanctions.



The letter tells the Indonesian government that it cannot turn a blind eye to the persecution of minority communities, whether women, religious minorities, or LGBTQ people.



The horrific violence targeting LGBTQ people in Indonesia is part of a troubling yet growing trend driven by hate and fear around the world, including in places like Chechnya, Bangladesh, and elsewhere, HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy said in a statement. With an absence of action from the Trump administration on these human rights abuses, we are grateful for Rep. Maloney's leadership in calling for an end to this violence and putting Indonesia officials on notice that the eyes of the world are closely watching."



Indonesia is an important leader and regional ally in Southeast Asia  and they have a responsibility over there to set a good example of what a democracy should look like, but lately they havent been living up to that responsibility, Rep. Maloney said in a statement. Oppressing your own citizens because of their religion, their gender, or their sexual orientation undermines democratic values and erodes civil society and I wont stand for it.



The full letter can be



see also

Asian Correspondent: Indonesia: US members of Congress slam growing radicalisation, LGBT persecution



ETAN message of support to Timor's LGBTI community (June 29, 2017)



ETAN stands in solidarity with Indonesia's LGBT community (April 15, 2017)



Human Rights Watch:



SUPPORT ETAN! ETAN is "A voice of reason, criticizing the administration's reluctance to address ongoing human rights violations and escalating oppression in West Papua and against religious minorities throughout Indonesia." Noam Chomsky Donate Today! By Jeremy KaddenJune 19, 2017Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) and 35 other members of Congress sent a letter to the Indonesian government, calling on them to put a stop to recent government-sponsored anti-LGBTQ actions there.The letter was written in response to a number of horrific reports out of Indonesia, including the arrest of more than 140 men suspected of homosexuality on May 21. The police released several photographs of the arrested men to the media, exposing their identities to family and friends and potentially putting them at risk of social ostracism and violence.A few days later, on May 23, two gay men in Aceh province were publicly caned and were photographed and humiliated in front of a crowd of spectators. The following day, the police force in West Java announced plans to establish a task force to specifically target LGBTQ people, with the police chief calling homosexuality a disease, and that LGBTQ people will face the law and heavy social sanctions.The Congressional letter sends a clear message to the Indonesian government that they cannot turn a blind eye to the persecution of minority communities, whether women, religious minorities, or LGBTQ people. It warns the Indonesians that such attacks can metastasize and put an entire countrys stability, security, and foreign investments at risk. It therefore urges the government there to exercise its responsibility to investigate and put a stop to repressive and discriminatory actions against minorities while asking them to affirmatively protect the civil and human rights of all its citizens, no matter their identities, sexual orientations, genders, religions, or religious views.The horrific violence targeting LGBTQ people in Indonesia is part of a troubling yet growing trend driven by hate and fear around the world, including in places like Chechnya, Bangladesh, and elsewhere, HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy said in a statement. With an absence of action from the Trump administration on these human rights abuses, we are grateful for Rep. Maloney's leadership in calling for an end to this violence and putting Indonesia officials on notice that the eyes of the world are closely watching."Indonesia is an important leader and regional ally in Southeast Asia  and they have a responsibility over there to set a good example of what a democracy should look like, but lately they havent been living up to that responsibility, Rep. Maloney said in a statement. Oppressing your own citizens because of their religion, their gender, or their sexual orientation undermines democratic values and erodes civil society and I wont stand for it.The full letter can be found here see alsoHuman Rights Watch: Letter to President Widodo re: LGBT Rights in Indonesia (February 11, 2017)
Australia is now on notice that its key ally wants a fair conclusion to the talks on the maritime boundary.

The East Timor and IndonesiaNetwork (ETAN) lauded the U.S. House of Representatives for urging a fair resolution to the maritime boundary dispute between Australia and Timor-Leste.In July, the House noted that a fair and peaceful resolution to the dispute would set a positive example for the resolution of other maritime disputes in the region. (see text below The House directed the Secretary of Defense with the Secretary of State to brief the House Committee on Armed Services "on the potential security benefits that may result from the Australia-Timor-Leste conciliation process and how a peaceful resolution to the dispute might affect overall U.S. defense and security interests in the region.""We believe that a permanent boundary is Timor-Leste's sovereign right and that the boundary should respect current practice under international law," said John M. Miller, National Coordinator of ETAN."We welcome the U.S. House of Representatives attention to this important issue. Australia is now on notice that its key ally wants a fair conclusion to the talks on the maritime boundary," Miller added.Timor-Leste and Australia are currently participating in " conciliation ,." a form of non-binding mediation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.For the last quarter century ETAN has urged the U.S. and Australian governments, the United Nations and others to respect the sovereign rights of the East Timorese people to define the terrestrial and maritime limits of their territory.The language concerning the maritime boundary dispute was included in the report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (H.R. 2810), an annual policy-setting bill. The full bill passed the House on July 14, 2017. The statement about Timor-Leste was introduced by Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam), the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness.From https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CRPT-115hrpt200/pdf/CRPT-115hrpt200.pdf



HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES115TH CONGRESS 1st Session REPORT 115200 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON H.R. 2810 together with ADDITIONAL VIEWS [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]p. 210The committee recognizes the strategic importance of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and has a strong interest in ensuring processes to resolve territorial and maritime disputes are done fairly and peacefully in accordance with international law. Given the growing and complex regional maritime security issues in the Pacific, the committee believes that negotiations between Australia and TimorLeste to establish permanent maritime boundaries sends a positive signal to other states in the region regarding adherence to a rules-based international order. A mutually agreed upon resolution could serve as an example for resolving other disputes peacefully and have benefits to cooperative maritime efforts in the region. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services, not later than September 30, 2017, on the potential security benefits that may result from the Australia-Timor Leste conciliation process and how a peaceful resolution to the dispute might affect overall U.S. defense and security interests in the region.see also
The European Union yesterday (31 July) condemned the excessive use of force by Venezuelan state troops during the elections. Brussels also said that it would not probably recognize the results of the poll accompanied by the deadliest riots since the massive protests started in April this year. Venezuelans took to the streets to boycott a poll for a constitutional super-body promoted by President Nicolas Maduro that will allow him to further consolidate his power over the crisis-torn country. Much of the international community  and many of Venezuelans themselves  have called the vote an assault on democracy.

Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, commented that it is very clear that the current regime is clinging to power. The will of the people is to change the regime. It is necessary to go to elections now. The EUs executive branch also said that it had serious doubts about the result and condemned the excessive and disproportionate use of force. The Commission further added that Venezuela has democratically elected and legitimate institutions whose role is to work together and to find a negotiated solution to the current crisis. A Constituent Assembly, elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances cannot be part of the solution.

However, Brussels has not yet confirmed whether it was considering imposing sanctions following the example of the United States. Beginning on 31 July, all of Nicolas Maduros assets that are subject to US jurisdiction have been frozen and all US citizens are also barred from dealing with him. Federica Mogherini, the head of EUs diplomacy, is preparing a joint statement but sanctions are not expected to be part of it since they would require unanimity.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.


In the last few years ayurvedic and herbal-based products have witnessed a steep rise in consumption. According to a recent Nielsen report, the herbal and ayurvedic category grew 6.6 per cent last year to become a Rs 18500 crore market, which is almost double the pace compared to regular products. The report further stated that homegrown companies contributed the most to the growth as 79 per cent of natural brands are made by Indian-origin firms while multinationals contribute the rest.







Big ad spends







One of the biggest factors for this trend has been the rise in ad spends in the category. For example Baba Ramdevs Patanjali alone has set aside Rs 300 crore to promote ayurvedic products this year. Other major FMCG players like HUL are spending big to promote this category too. There is no doubt that Patanjali has helped the market grow significantly.







Even companies such as Dabur and Emami, which already have strong ayurvedic product portfolios, are looking for big growth. Few years ago, Emami acquired premium hair oil brand Kesh King from SBS Biotech for Rs.1651 crore as part of its scale up strategy.







Last year Bio Veda Action Research Co. set aside Rs 250 crore for advertising and marketing its ayurvedic personal care products brand Biotique. In the same way, Himalaya Drug Co. has increased its advertising budget by about 25 per cent year-on-year in the past couple of years.







The popularity of herbal and ayurvedic products has also inspired international brands to take the natural route. In 2016, French cosmetics giant LOreal announced its plans to launch a herbal hair care range to build its herbal portfolio in the country.







The Patanjali effect







According to analysts, herbal and ayurvedic consumer goods segment is the fastest growing as a large number of Indians are shifting from chemical-based products to herbal-based products.







Explaining this robust growth in the herbal and ayurvedic category, Sudhir Aggarwal, Corporate Member, Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, said, Primarily the reason for this growth is the thrust given by Swami Ramdevji. He is promoting our traditional culture instead of the allopathic practices and helped raise awareness about the benefits of using herbal and ayurveda products. Moreover, few years back there was limited availability of ayurvedic products but now the scenario has changed. These factors have played a role in the increasing consumption of herbal and ayurvedic products.Another report by Euromonitor International stated that competition in the natural, herbal and ayurvedic market within beauty and personal care in India is expected to remain intense. Mass brands such as Dabur, Emami and Patanjali are expected to continue to educate consumers about the benefits of using natural products through product promotions and in-store displays, said the report.





Manish Bhatt, Founder Director at Scarecrow Communications, believes that Patanjali and Baba Ramdev have been the two biggest factors in fuelling this growth. Thanks to Baba Ramdev and his brand Patanjali, people are becoming lifestyle conscious and this is helping the herbal and ayurvedic category grow in a big way, stated Bhatt.Patanjali's exemplary rise in the last few years has shifted the focus on herbal and ayurveda products with top MNCs taking note of Baba Ramdevs success formula and adopting it too. Moreover, the brand has taken a very nationalist view of its business, which has helped it become easily acceptable.





Speaking about the factors that have ensured aggressive growth in this category, Pankaj Krishna, CEO & Founder Brickworks, which is a technology-driven market research firm, said, Patanjali has actively promoted the use of natural ingredients in FMCG products and this has done well for the category and is resonating across companies like Hindustan Uniliver etc. Moreover, todays consumers are not limited by the cost factor when it comes to choosing something which is natural and healthy over artificially added ingredients. This lifestyle shift is helping the herbal and ayurvedic brands in big way.

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European footwear majors Indian subsidiary, Bata India has announced the appointment of Sandeep Kataria as the Country Manager for the India sub-continent. Kataria joins from his last assignment as Chief Commercial Officer at Vodafone India, and he will be based in Gurgaon.



He has spent over 2 decades in the consumer industry, covering design and deployment of business strategy, brand management and sales & marketing leadership across the developing and developed markets. Having held roles ranging from Regional Sales manager to Global Brand Director in Unilever and from Chief Marketing Officer to Chief Executive Officer in Yum! Brands, Kataria now has his role cut-out to grow Bata India from strength to strength.



He will be reporting into Rajeev Gopalakrishnan, who has been elevated as President of Asia South, based in Singapore, with a broader perimeter encompassing: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. This development is in line with Bata Indias growth trajectory which picked up significant momentum under Gopalakrishnan. A clear reflection of past few years trajectory has been Batas share price almost tripling in the last six years from a value of INR 196 per share in Apr 2011 to INR 584 per share as on date and wining several awards including the most admired Retail footwear brand in India by Brand Equity, Images Retail, Dun & Bradstreet.



Speaking on the appointment, Gopalakrishnan said, I am confident that Sandeep will play a critical role in continuing to build Bata as a contemporary and stylish brand, keeping in mind the changing consumer trend in India and will drive the company to achieve the accelerated growth plan.



Kataria holds a Bachelor of Technology degree (Chemical Engineering) from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management from XLRI, Jamshedpur. He has lived and worked in India (Delhi and Mumbai) and UK (London).



"I am very excited for the opportunity to lead Bata in India - a very strong, trusted and admired brand with immense potential to grow rapidly. My association with Bata goes back to my teenage days when I used to spend my summer vacations in my grandfather's shoe business in Agra. I look forward to helping to take the business to greater heights across many channels, consumer segments and geographies," said Kataria.

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Can't comment on Antique, but do know there are a lot of gyms across the PI, from Golds Gym in Makati (way over priced), or the "decent" gym in City Garden hotel usable to public for fee, to the little "sweat shop" up by my in laws place in a barrio up in Caloocan City outside Manila. I've used gyms at Subic area (so so), and there's a decent gym or two I'm told in Dumaguete, where I plan to head in 2018. I've also seen tennis, basketball and badminton locations be popular. Cannot speak for yoga, But did see where Ned highlighted Zumba classes at a workout location in Dumaguete; so, I'd guess you can find whatever you are looking for if ya dig a little bit. Good luck.
Good day all,



My girlfriend (who's a Dutch Citizen, living in London) is about to go for her Critical Skills Visa application. She has a job offer from UCT as a research fellow in their neuroscience department.



We just want to double check that she has everything she needs.



Cover letter

Completed application form (DHA-1738) Form 8

She got her qualifications verified by SAQA (BSc, MSc, PhD)

Certified copies of qualifications

Letter confirming skills from the governing body

Police clearance from the relevant countries she's lived in

Letter from the university stating her skills

Contract of employment from university

Radiology report

Medical certificate

Passport photos

Passport



Her appointment is on Thursday and we have the pre-visa stress and would just like to set our minds at ease, so any input would be much appreciated.



Also if anyone can advise on the current processing time applying in London.



Thank you so much!
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San Antonio-based digital marketing company Giles-Parscale is spinning off its political work and selling all its commercial design and online services to e-commerce service provider CloudCommerce in a deal valued at $9 million, CloudCommerce announced Tuesday.

The combined company will be renamed Parscale Digital. Jill Giles, who co-founded Giles-Parscale with President Donald Trumps digital guru, Brad Parscale, will remain with the company as creative director and an adviser to CloudCommerce, which is based in Santa Barbara, California, according to a news release. Parscale will receive a seat on CloudCommerces board and the $9 million in CloudCommerce stock and will work as a consultant to the company that bears his name.

Parscale had already spun off his political work and is in the process of relocating that business to Florida. The consumer and commercial digital work will remain in San Antonio, he said in an interview. Some of its clients include Universal Studios, the San Antonio River Walk, the University of Texas at San Antonio, Hotel Emma and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, the companies said.

Part of this plan is to help CloudCommerce expand and acquire more companies and let Parscale sit as an example of how to run a great agency, Parscale said in an interview ahead of the announcement. He said CloudCommerce brings a level of investment and opportunity from a company that wants to grow  has highly skilled employees and wants to help us expand our services.

Parscale gained national attention designing websites for the Trump organization and later for the campaign. His role as digital director is widely credited with helping Trump secure the presidency, and it included overseeing the campaigns targeted social media outreach and helping to cull a massive database that assisted in identifying potential voters.

CloudCommerce is really impressed with Giles-Parscales operations and wants to turn it into a flagship location and model other agencies after ours, Parscale told the Express-News.

Giles-Parscale received more than $90 million over the 20 months through December from the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and the joint fundraising effort Trump Make America Great Again Committee, according to Federal Election Commission reports. The company has already received more than $3.5 million from the campaign in the first half of this year, according to the most recent FEC data.

Parscale Strategy LLC, the new company for Brad Parscales political work, has separately received more than $100,000 this year from the Trump Make America Great Again Committee and the RNC, according to FEC data.

Although he has moved his political work to Florida in search of better airports with more direct flights to Washington and New York, Parscale said he considers San Antonio his home. He recently bought a condo downtown, he said.

The airport in San Antonio is still an issue for Parscale, who said it was a sticking point in the merger as executives considered the need for potential clients to be able to easily fly in and out of the city.

Parscale will provide strategy, vision and leadership, according to a press release. Parscale, who split up the companys assets with Giles ahead of the merger, is personally receiving 90,000 shares of CloudCommerce Series D preferred stock valued at $100 per share, according to the release. The shares can be converted into 2,500 shares of the companys common stock, which closed at less than a penny a share Monday.

These acquisitions are transformational for our company, Andrew Van Noy, CEO of CloudCommerce, said in the statement. Adding these businesses allows us to provide end-to-end holistic and digital marketing solutions for our customers, and brings us an experienced team that will help drive significant future growth.

Van Noy said Giles and Parscale have done a terrific job creating a trusted brand in the digital marketing and web solutions industry, and we feel very privileged to be working with them. 

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.

Giles and Parscale partnered in 2011 to establish Giles-Parscale, which offered marketing, branding, data science, interior design, website design and other digital services. The companys work can be seen all over San Antonio, including branding for Hotel Emma and for the nearby Can Plant apartment complex at the Pearl.

CloudCommerce says it helps companies develop their online stores and provides services in digital marketing, data analytics and site management. The companys equity is considered a penny stock, as it is trading at less than a penny a share.

The companys involvement in digital marketing seems fairly new: It announced in late June that it was launching a new division focused on this and expanding into the area with sales to existing and prospective clients, as well as with the strategic acquisition of digital marketing services firms.

In July, the company said that Freeze Tag had retained it to provide digital marketing services around its new augmented reality game Garfield GO. The obviously Pokemon Go-inspired game got a pretty scathing review by Adi Robertson of The Verge and another negative review from Caroline Haskins of Motherboard.

CloudCommerce also entered into an agreement to acquire another of Parscales businesses, managed hosting solutions provider Parscale Media LLC, which has more than 500 clients, according to the announcement. Parscale will still manage its day-to-day operations until the transaction closes, which is subject to CloudCommerces satisfactory review of the operations and audit of financial and corporate records, according to the announcement.
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To start, there will be a discussion about the future of Europe followed by a debate about the European prospective and the voice of municipalities and of the regions.





The stakeholders' dialogue will be moderated by the professional journalist Enzo Luongo, CoR Members Micaela Fanelli and Vito Santarsiero will attend the event as speakers.



At this local event in Riccia, stakeholders will debate about the strengthening of territorial resilience of their regions.
San Antonio-based Pioneer Energy Services reported a big jump in revenue as the company shakes off an extended oil bust, but the company posted its 11th consecutive quarterly loss for the three months ended June 30.

The companys net loss of $20.2 million, or 26 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $30 million, or 46 cents per share, for the same quarter last year, the company said in announcing its second-quarter financial results before the markets opened Tuesday.

The firm, which provides land contract drilling and production services to oil companies, said it generated $107.1 million in total revenue during the quarter, up 72 percent from $62.3 million the year before.

Pioneer benefited as more of its customers brought drilling rigs back online and started completing more wells  thousands of wells across the country had been left drilled-but-uncompleted during an extended oil bust that started in mid-2014.

This year, as the oil business has recovered, Pioneer has been able to send more equipment and employees back to work, and charge more for its services.

Pioneer customers who had deferred well maintenance during the oil bust also have started spending money on well upkeep again, the company said.

All of Pioneer Energys drilling rigs in the U.S. are under contract and working, and some of its rig fleet in Colombia also has gone back to work this year.

Overall we had a very solid second quarter, said Stacy Locke, president and CEO of Pioneer Energy Services in a call with analysts Wednesday morning. All four core businesses contributued to this improvement in the second quarter.

Analysts forecasted an adjusted loss of 18 cents per share for the second quarter. Pioneer reported a loss of 21 cents per share adjusted for one-time costs and gains.

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.

A dip in crude oil prices earlier this summer caused some of Pioneers customers to scale back some of their work  with some switching some rigs from 24-hour to daylight operations, for instance  but that seems to be changing now that oil prices have been holding in the range of $49 per barrel.

Locke said he expects much of the same broad improvement in the oil industry  and in Pioneers business  in the third quarter and into 2018.

Demand for the companys services, which include drilling and well maintenance, fell alongside crude prices during the oil bust, which started in mid-2014. No part of the industry suffered more than the service companies like Pioneer that do the drilling, fracking and other workaday tasks of the oil field. They took the first and hardest hits, laying off thousands of workers and slashing the price for their services.

Once oil started its upswing last year, service companies such as Pioneer started to hire again and raise prices for their clients, the exploration and production companies.

jhiller@express-news.net

Twitter: @Jennifer_Hiller
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The Institute of Texan Cultures has found itself in a dire funding situation that likely will force it to move from its landmark downtown location.

An accumulated $16 million in deferred maintenance costs rests at the center of its problems, but so does declining attendance and a Legislature that has slashed its funding by a third in the next biennium  with more cuts expected.

Its uncertainty is expected to affect the future of the popular Texas Folklife Festival, which celebrated its 45th year in June. If the ITC moves, its next home will need to be spacious enough to host the annual festival.

Im disappointed as a San Antonian, former Mayor Henry Cisneros said. I understand fiscal challenges, and I understand reorganizing, but I would appeal sincerely to the leadership of our state to understand (the institutes) significance.

Its distinctive, fortress-like building was constructed for HemisFair 68, the Worlds Fair that introduced San Antonio as a modern American city almost 50 years ago.

Out of the $16 million in delayed maintenance costs, the needs of its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system alone take up $3.6 million, said Aaron Parks, the institutes assistant executive director.

The institute has been a part of UTSA since 1973 and part of the UT System since 1969, yet officials are getting closer to a decision to move its offices, archives and museum in 2019. Exactly where, and whether these components will remain all in one place, is unclear.

The Folklife Festival will get one more year on the site, next June 8-10.

Adding to the pressure, the Legislature this year slashed ITCs funding under the higher education special items category and has a plan to phase out the category altogether.

That funding makes up 52 percent of ITCs revenue. The new two-year state budget that starts Sept. 1 will reduce funding by about a third from $1.46 million this biennium to about $1 million.

Were being impacted quite heavily from the cuts, said Christian Clark, ITC interim director of education.

He said the university plans to keep the institute afloat by relocating to another, smaller facility  a considerable downsize  in 2019. The old building would be leased to developers to generate revenue for the museum.

Clark said the move in the not-so-distant future may include having to close as a museum for a period of time.

ITC officials are asking for a site less than a quarter of the size of its current building, taking it from 182,000 to 40,000 square feet, tops.

The move already was outlined in the Hemisfair Park master plan. But with shaky state funding, downsizing could be all the more critical. Parks said the institute is transitioning toward interactive, digital exhibits that dont occupy as much space.

A request for proposals went out in early June amid ongoing reimagining of Hemisfair that started in 2009. The deadline was extended to Sept. 18.

ITC always has had a museum celebrating the diversity and cultural contributions of the states immigrant communities.

In 2010, it became a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, which gave it access to artifacts and programming from its museums.

Attendance has fluctuated but has gradually declined in the past six years from 142,757 in fiscal year 2010 to 118,099 in the 2016 fiscal year.

Spokesman James Benavides pointed to a drop in school field trips as a possible reason  from 30,324 students seven years ago to 18,964 in the 2016 fiscal year. He speculated school districts increased focus on standardized testing and less money for travel caused the decline.

Given the uncertain future of the three-day Texas Folklife Festival, Benavides said that if a large enough space to host it isnt found, ending the festival in 2019 is probably the reality.

Im trying to make sense of it myself, he said of ongoing internal conversations

The annual Asian Festival is of less concern, he said, because it has a smaller footprint. But part of the Folklife Festivals appeal is its large scale with workshops, crafts, music, dance, food and re-enactments.

The festival is actually getting to see culture come to life, Benavides said. When you actually get an immersive, interactive experience, thats what lets you really know, really understand and really appreciate a culture.

A bright spot is ITCs teacher program, which has seen rapid growth. This month, it had record-breaking registration for its summer tricentennial-themed program, which had almost 200 registrants, compared to the usual 25 to 30 teachers.

In fiscal year 2014, the institute attracted 510 teachers, a number expected to reach 942 during the current fiscal year.

The department plans to grow programming, including one for English as a Second Language and bilingual educators this year.

The summer institute for teachers largely was sponsored by the Tricentennial Commission. The San Antonio Area Foundation granted the institute $250,000 last year to host more workshops and provide teachers with more resources and supplies, Clark said.

Weve undergone a hiring freeze and are operating on some vacancies. Were also having to get our budget down a little bit, he said. But were doing our best to be as frugal as we can and reaching out to our generous partners.

One of ITCs main concerns is where to house the large outdoor historical replicas in the museums Back 40 Tour, which includes an 1870s log house and a West Texas 1910s adobe house.

Clark said preserving and finding a space for them will be the biggest challenge.

ITC also preserves historical archives, but UTSAs Izbrand said it was premature to say whether archival storage would present a problem.

Were just not there yet, the RFP process is still ongoing, he said.

Cisneros went to ITC when it first opened in 1968. In a year that included Vietnam War protests and Martin Luther King Jr.s assasination, the institute offered an oasis.

It was beautiful, modern, creative, and then the contents were so moving and inspiring in the midst of all the uncertainty that was that year, he said.

So we have to do everything we possibly can to assure that it remains that kind of asset, Cisneros said. Both in the scale that remains, but more importantly, in the treatment of the precious content.

sfosterfrau@express-news.net
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Emilio Blas Olivo, a 69-year-old Texan born in Weslaco, ended up in a deportation cell for three months after he returned home from a visit with relatives in Reynosa in summer 2014.

He presented both his birth certificate and a Social Security card to U.S. border officers but was detained anyway and then deported to Mexico.

In a lawsuit filed this year in the Southern District of Texas, Olivo claims immigration authorities lacked the right to arrest him and violated his rights by failing to give him due process after he repeatedly told them he was an American.

Olivo is not alone.

In the past six years, at least 1,714 other people were targeted for deportation by U.S. immigration agents despite the fact they presented paperwork, testimony or some other claim of U.S. citizenship to an immigration judge, according to new data on immigration cases that the U.S. government was forced to release through litigation.

More than a third eventually won their freedom. But few had attorneys to help  since detained immigrants have no rights to appointed counsel unlike criminal defendants.

Hundreds of those who eventually were freed spent months locked inside Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers, according to immigration court data on cases closed from January 2011 to June 2017.

The records were provided by the Deportation Research Clinic at Northwestern University, which obtained the data from the U.S. Justice Departments Executive Office for Immigration Review.

Jackie Stevens, a Northwestern University professor who runs the deportation clinic, has assisted lawyers researching the cases of more than 150 people with citizenship or citizenship claims who were forced to fight deportation in Texas and other states  including Lorenzo Palma, who was released from detention last year by a Houston-based immigration judge based on evidence Stevens helped gather about Palmas U.S.-born grandfather.

Stevens said she believes even more American citizens will be wrongfully arrested as the pace of detentions and deportations continues to increase under policies approved by President Donald Trump.

Stevens said she believes the new immigration court data undercounts citizenship claims and represents a small sample of a much bigger problem.

Nationwide, Stevens has published estimates that as many as 3,000 to 4,000 of people with citizenship claims have been wrongfully targeted in U.S. deportation dragnets each year. That would be about 1 percent of all deportations.

An EOIR spokesman didnt immediately respond to questions about citizenship claims or about the accuracy of codes used in the immigration court database.

Complex process

Houston immigration judges alone reported evaluating more than 60 cases involving citizenship since 2011. In most cases, the legal burden fell on the person locked away and facing deportation to prove citizenship  a task that can require tracking down decades-old birth certificates or naturalization certificates relating to the detainee or his or her parents or grandparents.

The process of proving citizenship can be complex, since a foreign-born baby can inherit U.S. citizenship though a citizen mother or father  as is the case with U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas. A minor child whose parents naturalize also earns citizenship status. But specific requirements can vary depending on a persons birth year, parents marital status and other factors.

In a 2011 law review, Stevens first attracted national attention by publishing an estimate that 20,000 people with citizenship claims had been wrongfully detained or deported between 2003 and 2010 under what she described as flawed U.S. immigration enforcement policies and procedures.

But the deportation laws and regulations in place since the late 1980s have been mandating detention and deportation for hundreds of thousands of incarcerated people each year without attorneys or, in many cases, administrative hearings, she wrote in the 2011 law review article. It would be truly shocking if this did not result in the deportation of U.S. citizens.

Pending civil lawsuit

The newly released data, gleaned from U.S. immigration court records nationwide, confirms hundreds of people with valid U.S. citizenship or citizenship claims are regularly arrested and detained each year before being hauled before an immigration judge. But that court database excludes people whose citizenship claims went unrecorded by court officials or who were held under ICE detainers in local jails or who were swiftly deported without ever seeing an immigration judge at all.

Ricardo Garza, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is part of a group of about three dozen immigrants whove sued Dallas County in civil rights lawsuits in the Northern District of Texas claiming that Immigration and Customs Enforcements detainer policies and procedures also violated constitutional due process rights.

In Garzas case, attorneys allege Dallas County officials refused to allow him to post bond on a driving-while-intoxicated charge because he told a jailer that he was a naturalized U.S. citizen but had been born in Mexico.

Garza was then held a full month longer on an ICE hold despite having proof of citizenship, said Garzas attorney, Eric Puente.

Garzas pending civil lawsuit claims he was denied due process both by Dallas County and by ICE  though in his case his citizenship issue could have been easily settled through a check of ICEs own databases.

Garza, it turned out, already had gone to immigration court in 1999 and had obtained confirmation of his citizenship from a judge around the time his mother became a naturalized citizen, Puente said.

It took time for Garza himself to obtain proof because ICE databases are readily available to immigration agents but not to the public or even to attorneys assisting people with deportation cases.

Puente said he subsequently assisted two other wrongfully detained Texans who were denied bond under ICE holds after being arrested in Kaufman and Tarrant counties.

In both cases, Puente said he was able to resolve the immigration cases by using his knowledge of the law to track down proof of citizenship. But the process took weeks.

Puente said he filed the civil lawsuit because no mechanism exists to assist U.S. citizens such as Garza who are wrongfully targeted for deportation  and he suspects citizens often are mistakenly detained by immigration agents in Texas.

Theres no due process and no hearing to address whether they had a real claim to citizenship or not, Puente said. I can only imagine how many people get lost in the system and can never prove it, and thats what I worry about.

U.S. citizens are guaranteed the right to a court-appointed attorney under the Constitution in any criminal proceeding. But immigrants with citizenship claims detained by immigration authorities in the United States do not have the right to legal assistance, not even to fight the threat of imminent deportation.

Some people with valid citizenship rights have been deported anyway.

Thats what happened to Olivo, the 69-year-old Texan. After U.S. Border Patrol agents wrongfully arrested him at the border in 2014, he was taken to an ICE detention center in Port Isabel where he was held for three months while government agents accused him of having another identity and of presenting someone elses Social Security card and Texas birth certificate.

He then was deported to Mexico, where he spent five more months before finally being able to sort out the mess and make his way home, his pending civil lawsuit says. He lost eight months wages and his job as well as contact with family. Hes seeking compensation from the government.

No quick resolution

The newly released information on 1,714 citizenship claim cases shows that only about two dozen people with citizenship cases nationwide were resolved quickly.

One out of every six people with citizenship cases spent more than six months behind bars either trying to obtain documentation of their own births or naturalization, or waiting out a clunky, time-consuming court review of a more complex claim that revolved around a U.S. citizen parent or grandparent.

That process can require tracking down decades-old paperwork or affidavits from parents, grandparents and others with intimate knowledge of family members naturalization ceremonies, family trees, births, weddings, divorces in the United States and abroad. Less than half of those with citizenship claims received legal help, the same data show.

In the past, immigration officials have taken steps to try to reduce the number of citizens who are detained by immigration agents, in part by setting up a special 800 number to address cases.

But Stevens said immigration court officials have failed to accurately track citizenship cases that she brought to the attention of immigration judges.

I know from cross-checking known cases of people who have successfully been proven to be citizens that the dataset is woefully incomplete, she said.
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State Rep. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, has filed a bill that would create a military zoning board in order to regulate development for 5 miles around military bases.

The legislation is in direct response to two bills moving through the House and Senate that would overhaul the states annexation law.

At a news conference to announce the bill, HB 362, Gutierrez said the annexation bills, filed by state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, and state Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, fail to take into account the preservation of our military bases, threatening hundreds of thousands of job in Texas.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who also attended the news conference, called Gutierrezs bill a good compromise. He said annexation doesnt need to be wound up with issues of mitigating base encroachment and noted the city wants to protect training missions at Camp Bullis, Randolph AFB and Lackland AFB.

HB 362 has been referred to the Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee, which Gutierrez chairs. No hearing on the legislation has been set.

Campbell and Huberty each proposed bills that would give residents the right to vote before a large city like San Antonio could annex them. If passed, the legislation would fundamentally change Texas annexation statutes, which currently allow cities to unilaterally annex unincorporated areas.

Military and city officials fear these annexation bills could put military bases at risk for closure if land use around them cant be regulated; annexation has traditionally been one way for cities to do that, because cities have zoning powers that counties dont have.

Gutierrez has suggested that even if a city couldnt annex an area around a base, the zoning board proposed in his legislation would have the power to regulate things like building height and lighting restrictions  all things, he said, that can have a negative effect on a bases mission if they go unchecked.

HB 362, as currently written, would allow a person to petition the military zoning board for exemption from a regulation.

The new board would be made up of representatives appointed by the county and city; a member who owns more than 500 acres in the regulated area and another who owns less than 500 acres, both of whom would be appointed by the county and city; and a member chosen directly by the new board itself.

Campbells and Hubertys bills propose quarter-mile and half-mile buffers around military bases, respectively, but Gutierrez called those arbitrary numbers.

The 5-mile buffer in Gutierrezs HB 362 is whats recommended in a Joint Land Use Study, or JLUS, of San Antonio military bases.

We didnt just invent this number, Gutierrez said. That had a stakeholder process that was in place.

His bill mirrors legislation filed by state Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, in 2011 that also proposed regulating development for 5 miles around certain Air Force bases. The bill did not pass.

Larson has been one of the biggest advocates for legislation giving people the right to vote on annexation.

He said Tuesday he supports the concept of Gutierrezs bill, which calls for a framework of land utilization around military bases across the state.

Larson added that any bill dealing with protecting the military bases must be considered apart from annexation, calling those two separate issues that have been erroneously conflated.

If annexation was going to fix the problem, the city would have annexed around the bases 25 years ago, Larson said. He noted many bases across the state arent in a citys extraterritorial jurisdiction, or the ETJ, which is the part of the county adjacent that a city can annex. A military protection bill would, in theory, not be subject to ETJ limitations because it wouldnt be tied to annexation, Larson said.

But Larson cautioned that passing Gutierrezs bill would be a tough sell with property rights groups, who dont want to see any more regulation nor want to give cities and counties more regulatory power. That was the issue he ran into with his bill six years ago.

He added that the half-mile buffer proposed in Hubertys annexation bill was the result of conversations with the development and property rights community, who said they were amenable to that compromise.

The Senate approved Campbells bill, SB 6, last week, 19-12. The House Land and Resource Management Committee will hear Hubertys bill, HB 6, Wednesday.

The Houses Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee, at Gutierrezs request, held four hearings around the state this summer, including one in San Antonio, to discuss how development encroachment could affect military bases. He pushed for the hearings after annexation reform legislation, also filed by Campbell, nearly made it out of the regular legislative session.

Discussions about military encroachment have increased after suggestions in Washington, D.C., that another round of base realignment and closures, or BRAC, could be around the corner. San Antonio lost Kelly AFB and Brooks AFB in two separate BRAC rounds since 1995.

VDavila@express-news.net
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PORT LAVACA  In some coastal towns on Lavaca Bay, plastic pellets are a common sight.

The pellets are stuck in the mud, floating in the reeds of the bayside creeks and bayous, and washing up along a pier at Port Lavaca, a town in Calhoun County along the coast.

Environmental activists who live in the area and two former plant workers say the source of the pellets is Formosa Plastics, a privately held, Taiwanese-owned company with U.S. headquarters in New Jersey that runs a 2,500-acre plant in Point Comfort, across Lavaca Bay from Port Lavaca.

On Monday, the nonprofit Texas RioGrande Legal Aid sued Formosa on behalf of local resident and activist Diane Wilson and her group, the San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper. Wilson, 68, is a Calhoun County native, former shrimper and activist who has fought Formosa since the early 1990s.

The pellets, each about the size of a popcorn kernel, pose a threat to fish, birds and turtles that could eat them and to the tourism and commercial fishing industries that depend on a healthy bay, the lawsuit states.

Our intention is to stop the discharge of these pellets.  And that requires probably substantial changes, Wilson told the San Antonio Express-News during a visit to the area in late June.

We want monitoring, so that once they say its going to stop, were going to make sure that it stops, she said.

Reached by phone Monday, a Formosa spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Since January 2016, Wilson and other residents have gathered bags of pellets at points all around Lavaca and Matagorda bays and on Cox Creek, which flows next to the plant.

The lawsuit contends that Formosa should have to pay up to $104,828 for every day since the residents began collecting samples. If assessed for every day since then, that would add up to more than $57 million. The companys pretax profits in 2016 totaled $1.36 billion, the lawsuit states.

According to Formosas website, the Port Comfort site produces eight products for sale, including polyethylene blends and other chemicals.

Now Playing: Activists and residents who live around Lavaca Bay on the Texas Gulf Coast are concerned about plastic pellets theyre finding around the bay. They think the pellets come from Formosa Plastics, a Taiwanese company with a plant near the bay. Their goal is to gather enough evidence to hold Formosa accountable. Video: JW Player

In April, after Legal Aid filed an intent to sue, Formosa posted instructional videos and a letter on its website touting its participation in a Zero Pellet Loss initiative. Other plastic companies have used similar initiatives to reduce pollution.

A review of state and federal records shows that Formosa has been cited for multiple environmental violations in the past.

In May, Formosa and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality agreed to a $209,251 penalty after investigators found a leaking rolloff container full of ethylene chloride, other improperly stored waste and paperwork violations. The company paid $167,401 and agreed to make changes to its processes.

Another TCEQ record shows a 2017 enforcement order related to Formosas wastewater permit.

In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Justice Department announced a settlement with Formosa to pay $10 million to install better air pollution controls at its Texas and Louisiana plants and to pay $2.8 million in civil penalties.

In 2010, the TCEQ found that Formosa had discharged excessive amounts of phenol, a petroleum byproduct toxic to humans in high enough doses, through its wastewater system, according to a July 2011 agreed order.

The TCEQ also cited the company after 284,674 gallons of untreated wastewater overflowed its containment areas, bypassed a water treatment plant and made its way into Cox Creek.

In 2009, an operator at the plant left a valve open on a sulfur hexafluoride gas header, which allowed the discharge of 6,764 pounds of volatile organic compounds, 672 pounds of carbon monoxide and 134 pounds of nitrogen oxides over 48 hours, according to a 2010 order.

For the phenol and wastewater problems, the TCEQ and Formosa agreed to a penalty of $68,600 but allowed $13,720 to be deferred. For the air problems, the company agreed to a $17,950 penalty, with $3,590 deferred.

The company accepted the penalties while denying the allegations in both orders.

Two former plant workers say the companys problems go much deeper than what regulators have cited them for.

Van Rozner, 46, is a police officer for the nearby town of Palacios who formerly worked as a supervisor at Formosa. During an interview in Port Lavaca, Rozner said plant workers are often told to wash and sweep loose pellets into the stormwater collection system, which is the primary way the pellets make their way to the bay.

As laborers and as workers, as hourly, you pretty much just do what youre told, he said. After becoming a supervisor, he began to learn more about the environmental regulations that apply to the plant.

You see, this stuff isnt right, he continued. Theyre governed by regulations, by permits and stuff like that, and theyre not following what theyre governed by.

Rozner pointed to the pellets floating alongside the pier.

You end up with stuff like this right here, he said.

Discharging any pollutant into waterways without a permit is a violation of the federal Clean Water Act.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Victoria, says Wilson and her team have collected 1,637 samples that cover 20 miles of shoreline.

Ron Hamrick, 63, is another former plant worker He now does most of the daily sampling for Wilson.

Hamrick accompanied the others on a visit last month to Cox Creek, which flows past the plant on the way to the bay. He donned rubber boots, waded into the water and used a shovel to pick up a scoopful of mud.

The mud was full of white and semi-translucent pellets.

I can get pellets everywhere, he said. I can get them every day.

bgibbons@express-news.net

Twitter: @bgibbs
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A proposal to move a Confederate statue that has been in Travis Park for 118 years could be voted on in August by the City Council.

Councilmen Roberto Trevino and William Cruz Shaw filed a memo Monday to bring the issue to the councils Governance Committee as early as next week, requesting a full council vote. The proposal includes a process to find a new home for the statue.

San Antonio is one of many southern U.S. cities to review its public art tied to the Civil War  objects that many relate to slavery and oppression. The city has studied the issue since 2015, when Bexar County officials removed two plaques on public property that bore images of a Confederate battle flag.

We know there is a lot of opportunity to make it a more welcoming, inclusive space, Trevino said of the park named for Alamo commander William Barret Travis, a slave owner hailed by many as a heroic figure in Texas history.

Council members Rey Saldana, John Courage and Ana Sandoval also signed the memo. Groups for and against relocation of the 1899 tribute to fallen Confederate troops plan to gather at the park later in August.

The park was once on farmlands of Mission San Antonio de Valero, which later became the Alamo, according to the citys website. Samuel Augustus Maverick later had an orchard there. Several years after his death in 1870, the sites use as a park began.

Some have said the area had been a Confederate training camp. The monument, a 45-foot-tall granite obelisk erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, was the first of its kind designed by a woman. It depicts a Confederate soldier  not Travis, as many assume.

In 2014, the 2.6-acre park was improved with new landscaping, amenities and programming, including movie screenings and fitness activities. A Confederate monument to power is out of context for the park, as well as the history of San Antonio, which had a lot of pro-Union sentiment in the Civil War, having been under a Mexican government that opposed slavery, Trevino said.

According to the memo, the statues future location would be chosen by a panel comprising local community members, with city staff representation from the Department of Arts and Culture, Office of Historic Preservation and Office of Military Affairs. Trevino said he hopes that process would foster a robust community discussion, with people on both sides of the issue involved.

This is an important time to create educational opportunities for all of us to learn, he said. There are those saying were trying to erase history. Were not doing that.

In a statement, Shaw said the relocation will be a major step forward in working to ensure our public spaces are inclusive for all.

A group identifying itself as This Is Texas Freedom Force plans a rally in the park to voice opposition to the proposal at 2 p.m. Aug. 12. Another group, SATX4, plans to show support for the statues relocation.

shuddleston@express-news.net

Twitter: @shuddlestonSA
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If Judge George H. Noonan would have had his way, the Bexar County Courthouse would have been sold for a vaudeville show, as it is not fit for anything else, the San Antonio Express quoted him as saying June 7, 1894.

According to an online congressional biography, Noonan was born in Newark, New Jersey, on Aug. 20, 1828. Noonan, a Republican, was a state court judge in Bexar County from 1862-1895, and served in the U.S. House of Representatives, 12th District, from 1895-1897. He died Aug. 17, 1907, and is buried at St. Marys Cemetery.

It is unclear why he wanted to sell the courthouse, but his sentiment is there, set in stone.

His witty comment is one of a handful of engraved stone markers on the grounds in front of the historic county courthouse, surrounding the Lady Justice Fountain.

The stones offer odd, sometimes funny little news tidbits from the San Antonio Ledger and the San Antonio Express (before it became the Express-News) from history and happenings in the county from around its founding in the 1700s and through the 1800s.

It isnt unusual to see people eating lunch in front of the fountain, spot a stone, read it and walk around to see others, which can provide an added activity for anyone doing business at the Bexar County Justice Center, or for residents waiting on jury duty or to find out whether theyll be chosen for a panel.

County and city officials said the stones became part of the courthouse during the Main Plaza renovation in December 2008 and the unveiling of the Lady Justice Fountain, but they cant name who was responsible for choosing the topics or quotes.

It was actually the citys design team that selected the materials and the stones, said Betty Bueche, Bexar Heritage and Parks director.

She said the county gave $250,000 toward renovating stormwater drainage underneath the courthouse to prevent future flooding, and that at the end of the project, the city decided to deed the land in front of the courthouse back to the county.

We inherited them (the stones) and now we take care of them, said Bueche. Ive walked past them and I think some of them are hysterical. We certainly enjoy reading them.

Heres a sampling of the musings on some of the stones.

Residents back the plazas

Even back then the news was about the importance of the growing citys main gathering area:

These plazas or squares, are absolutely necesarias for the health, comfort, and convenience of the public, and all are equally interested in maintaining them for the people ... no obstruction of a permanent character should ever be allowed upon either of them.  Save the Plazas, San Antonio Express, Sept. 17, 1887.

Main Plaza continues to be a gathering place for many things in San Antonio. From Fiesta events to protest marches, the area near the courthouse and San Fernando Cathedral continues to attract the masses.

Mexican food ruled then, now

San Antonio may be crazy for its tacos now, but back then, Mexican food also ruled the day. On June 3, 1879, Donald Everett wrote for the Express that one could get whatever Mexican dish they craved in Main Plaza:

In years gone by, the southern portion of Main Plaza was devoted to the restaurant purposes of the Mexicans, and there one could obtain at any time a plate of chili-con-carne, frijoles, tamales, or whatever his taste might crave in the way of Mexican cooking, including pastry and cakes and Mexican candies.

Understanding each other

It might be a national trend for only one language to be spoken, but true Texans know the flags of at least six countries were flown in the Lone Star State.

We strolled into a Justices Court the other day, and were reminded of the time when God smote the children of men with a confusion of tongues. A German was complained of by a Mexican, and a Frenchman was the witness. Each spoke his native tongue only, and yet there were no interpreters. Both Justice and Attorneys understood the four languages. San Antonio Ledger, June 23, 1853.

Habla Spanglish here

Then as today, San Antonians merge two languages  English and Spanish  into one, as illustrated by a Franciscan friar:

On the west bank, banco oeste del San Antonio River about a legua, a league, from its source, above the point where the San Pedro creek joins the river, is situated la villa San Fernando and the presidio de San Antonio de Bexar with no other division between them and the iglesia parroquial ... The town consists of 59 casas of stone and mud and 79 of wood. All poorly built without preconceived plan, so that the whole resembles more a poor pueblo rather than a villa capital of so pleasing a province  The streets are torturous and filled with mud all over. As Recounted by Fray Juan A. Morfi.

As the stones offer musings of a time long since gone in Bexar County, at least one of them talks about the wars being fought on the frontier:

Captain Toribio de Urrutia and Fray Santa Ana now determined to do their best to establish a permanent and lasting peace with the Apache nation.  This was a great day for San Anonio. After thirty years of depredations, the harassed settlement was about to secure, as was thought, a lasting peace. Early in the morning the plaza began to fill with an eager throng.  First, a great hole was dug in the center of the plaza, and, in this were placed a live horse, a hatchet, a lance, and six arrows, all instruments of war. Then Captain Urrutia and the four chiefs, joining hands, danced three times around the hole, the Indians afterwards doing the same with the priests and the citizens. When this ceremony was concluded, all retired to their respective places. Then, upon a given signal, all rushed to the hole and rapidly buried the live horse, together with the weapons, thus signifying the end of war. The Hatchet Buried  Likewise a Horse, August 15, 1745.

One county official said in some ways, the stones mask what really lies beneath.

These stones only tell part of the story. They are our pleasant memories, said Bexar County Clerk Gerard Gerry Rickhoff, the official keeper of records and a self-proclaimed history buff. The stones kind of sanitize our history.

He said many Native Americans died on the grounds surrounding the courthouse. Some fell victim to what Rickhoff called frontier justice, and a time when it was OK to do things like shoot someone for taking your horse.

Its hard to imagine back then, he said.

Rickhoff said the native cultures at the time did not understand private property, so things could get violent, since there wasnt a courtroom or a justice of the peace to settle arguments.

The frontier was rough, but the virtues were real, he said. In modern times, we blow right past them.

ezavala@express-news.net

Twitter: @elizabeth2863

COMING WEDNESDAY: UTSAs Center for Archaeological Research.
Warrenton, VA (20186)

Today

A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

A few showers this evening with overcast skies overnight. Low 38F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Please note the review below may contain minor spoilers - I've done my best to keep them to a minimum.

After nearly 20 years in the pending queue, popular author Neil Gaiman finally has his American Gods reach new shores and a different kind of audience; with the television medium entering into a new renaissance, now seems like the perfect time to tackle a beast many have failed to conquer.

Currently incarcerated, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) is counting down the days until his release, which wont be long now. But after a premonition and an uneasy feeling, Shadow phones his wife - Laura played by Emily Browning - just to make sure everything is okay. She assures him it is. But Shadows precognition turns out to be correct. Approached by the prison warden with unfortunate news of his wife's passing, they graciously allow his release date to be set forward to attend the funeral. Shadow has now attained the freedom he has yearned for, but has lost the reason to live for it.

Released, he now has to make the trek back home, that means catching the first flight out he can, which unfortunately for him wont arrive until after his wifes funeral. Sitting in the airport lounge waiting to be called, he notices a shabby looking man, blagging himself a first class ticket aboard the same flight. But Shadow Moons dour day just might be beginning to brighten a little, with his seat double booked he is moved to first class and seated next to the very man he saw earlier; a man who calls himself Mr Wednesday (Ian McShane). With his previous conman facade lifted, he introduces himself to Shadow, seemingly knowing more than he should about him and offering a job.

For a show about leprechauns, zombies, degenerate Gods and an ex-con named Shadow Moon, you may balk at the revelation that I found it extremely difficult to take anything American Gods threw at me on screen with a single shred of sincerity - even if its trying in earnest to make it so. In truth, for as much colourful variety and symbolism that American Gods squeezes into your eyeballs, theres not a whole lot actually going on behind it's sometimes awe inspiring visual presentation. That aforementioned visual wrapping though is world class, with each of the eight episodes offering some of the finest cinematography and editing tricks youll find on television - especially the early episodes by Jo Willems who framed the eye-catching Limitless and The Hunger Games franchise. Likewise, showrunner Bryan Fuller is known for pushing out consistent quality television over the years, from Pushing Daisies to Hannibal and theres a lot of his flair within American Gods - even some semblances of the surreal True Blood. And truly that visual and mechanical acumen is American Gods shining star. Its of no surprise to anyone that American Gods - much like the characters portrayed within - has attempted many a guise ever since its literary release back in 2001. From testing the waters with big screen adaptations, comics and now a television show, its a work that's clearly hard to translate to a new medium from its original form, and the first season of American Gods exemplifies that. Sprinkled throughout the main story are small segments - fittingly titled Coming To America - each delving into how the particular Gods showcased within the show made their way into the new world. And honestly not only did Neil Gaiman himself admit these side stories were mere cases of writer's block taking form, but, from a viewers point of view they are superior to the main story on offer. From Vikings being attacked by natives, mutiny aboard a slave ship or the use of beautiful pure 3D animation, each feel more fresh, creative and interesting than what is unequivocally a surreal road trip of a main tale. A road trip that whilst rousing elements of a Shane Black buddy duo creation, ultimately descends into a Syfy channel worthy climax of a final episode. Thats not to say the throughline of American Gods is bad - it isnt great for sure - but primarily theres just a not a whole lot happening here. This first season is merely an introduction to the world, its characters and for hopefully something greater to happen in a presumed second season. The cast meanwhile perfectly fit their roles - and it's quite amusing that the majority are actually British - with the two main leads in particular (Ian McShane and Ricky Whittle) fostering a dynamic you wish to see much more of down the road. American Gods also aims to be a not-so-subliminal take on our increasingly passive society, of people turning away from community and nature, instead towards consumerism both of the physical and digital ether. Unfortunately the shell of that message - of forgotten Gods throughout history having to make ends meet - just doesnt make a whole lot of sense. American Gods is a show rife with deus ex machina, of one side being split - that being the historical Gods - into as many forms as there are people who worship them, yet the opposing side is conveniently a single all powerful form. It just doesn't jive within the narrative rules of the world Gaiman has crafted. But heck, as mentioned from the outset, American Gods is a story involving leprechauns and zombies, seriousness is not on the agenda.

Special Features San Diego Comic-Con Panel Footage - The full 50 odd minute panel where American Gods was revealed to fans and attended by the majority of cast, showrunners Bryan Fuller, Michael Green and author Neil Gaiman. Cast Interviews - A slew of interviews (ranging between 7 to 13 minutes long) with Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Bruce Langley and Emily Browning as they discuss their thoughts on the book, their characters and the camaraderie on set. American Gods Origins with Neil Gaiman - A 15 minute long sit down with author Neil Gaiman, who divulges how the book came to be, the troubles he faced and his inspirations along the way. Book Vs Show - A short 4 minute vignette explaining what fans of the book can come to expect from the show and some of the changes made. New Gods - A 5 minute long vignette delving into the new technological Gods played by Bruce Langley, Crispin Glover and Gillian Anderson. New Gods - A 7 minute long vignette delving into the old natural Gods of Bilquis (Yetide Badaki), Czernobog (Peter Stormare), Nancy (Orlando Jones), Anubis (Chris Obi) and of course Mr Wednesday. What is American Gods? - A short 4 minute vignette of the cast and crew giving a quick synopsis of American Gods. Theres some bountiful special features that fans of American Gods will really be able to sink their teeth into. Of particular note is the featurette focusing on book author Neil Gaiman, that not only has high production values - feeling like a mini documentary - but theres some great information she shares on the creation of his book that Im sure fans will love. Sadly on the other side of that coin, is no commentary of any kind available within the DVD release. Its a shame as American Gods contains a lot of symbolism and stylistic choices that I would love to have seen elaborated upon.

I was honestly expecting a lot more from American Gods, but for as much bombastic visual flair it throws your way, theres not a whole lot happening underneath its eight episode surface, with the first season being merely an introduction of (hopefully) better things to come.

Fans of the American Gods book will definitely be able to delve into some of the special features on offer, for everyone else though you arent missing a whole lot - at least yet anyway.

A DVD review copy of American Gods was provided by the distributor for review purposes.
Abortion rights, inflation, crime, the radicalization of U.S. politicians and the survival of democracy itself were among the issues weighing heavily on the minds of some of the voters who c
A new festival celebrating the heritage of Cumberland County debuts in September.

The Cumberland Valley Heritage Festival will be held Aug. 31 through Sept. 9. The event kicks off with the McLain Celtic Festival, and includes tours, a whiskey tasting and the new Whiskey Rebellion Festival.

Lindsay Varner, project director of Greater Carlisle Heart and Soul said the project had collected hundreds of stories over the past year, and many of those stories dealt with creating a sense of place. Initially, the group thought to do a single-day event modeled on heritage day events Varner had seen while working in England. On those designated days, sites that usually charge admission may allow free access or tours may be offered at sites that are usually closed to the public.

It allows people to celebrate where they are from and create a sense of place, Varner said.

Last year, the group held a one-day event that included tours of Mt. Tabor AME Zion Church, Cumberland Valley Rail Trail, and the Mount Holly Springs Marsh Preserve. Varner said those tours were so popular that the group decided to connect the events to the McLain Celtic Festival and add a few new events to create a whole week to celebrate the area and its heritage.

Events surrounding the Whiskey Rebellion are new, Varner said. The goal is to start with smaller events now to be able to build up to a larger event in 2019, the 225th anniversary of the Whiskey Rebellion.

Most of the events are hosted by the Greater Carlisle Project or a member of the Cumberland County Historical Society.

The week kicks off with a fundraising reception for the McLain Celtic Festival at the Two-Mile House on Thursday, Aug. 31, and continues on Saturday, Sept. 1 with the annual McLain Celtic Festival. The festival celebrates the countys Scots-Irish heritage with highland games, border collie demonstrations, Celtic music and food.

The first event related to the Whiskey Rebellion will be held at 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion with a dinner and whiskey tasting. The Meals and Muskets dinner will feature two reenactors who will talk about the weapons carried during the rebellion.

The Whiskey Rebellion theme picks up again on Sunday afternoon with the inaugural Whiskey Rebellion Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Carlisle. Varner said a small reenactment will be presented that will feature George Washingtons arrival into town as well as the gathering of the militias which met in Carlisle prior to marching west.

The festival will include a meet and greet time with the first president, guided tours and a mix of vendors and educational displays in the pocket park at the Historical Society.

The festival week closes out with a series of guided tours. The first is a history walk and picnic at the Mount Holly Springs Marsh Preserve at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 4, where participants will hear about the history of the Mount Holly Tram and resort as well as the history of the preserve and its importance to the town.

That will be followed by a bus trip to Mt. Tabor AME Zion Church on Wednesday, Sept. 6. It is essential to register for the trip as there is no parking available at the site, Varner said.

Saturday, Sept. 9 will be a busy final day to the festival, beginning with a guided bike ride on the rail trail at Allen Road at 9 a.m. The host of the ride will talk about the trail and the plans for its future.

At 10 a.m., a bus tour will take visitors to the home farm of the LEAF Project, just over the mountain in Perry County. There, the visitors will have the opportunity to taste heritage variety fruits and vegetables being grown at the farm.

The final tour of the festival starts at 1 p.m. when Steven Burg will lead a tour of Locust Grove Cemetery in Shippensburg where participants will learn about the history and preservation of the historic African-American Cemetery.

Varner said those interested in the bike ride and bus trips should sign up on the website or contact the Historical Society as space is limited for each of the events.

Updates to the schedule and additional details may also be found at the website, heritagefest.historicalsociety.com.
PHILADELPHIA  On a long-ago summer night, 16-year-old Giovanni Reid accepted a neighbors invitation to an International House of Pancakes restaurant as thanks for watching the mans infant son. By sunrise, the outing in south Philadelphia had veered to robbery, then murder.

I had never seen somebody get shot like that right in front of me, Reid, now 42, said in a telephone interview from prison. It was a very scary thing to be a part of.

Nearly 26 years later, Reid  who has long denied a direct role in the crime, but faults himself for hanging out with an older, fast-running crowd  will soon get the chance to start over. He is one of 517 Pennsylvania offenders sentenced to life without parole for crimes committed as juveniles whose cases are being revisited because of a pair of Supreme Court rulings.

Pennsylvania leads the nation in those serving mandatory no-release sentences for crimes committed as minors, the result of laws that long treated teens charged with the most serious crimes like adults. After the Supreme Court barred such sentences for juveniles in 2012, Pennsylvania officials argued that did not apply to those already in prison.

Then last year the nations highest court said the ban must be applied retroactively, triggering new sentencing hearings and parole for inmates across the country.

In Pennsylvania, judges have resentenced more than 100 inmates, many now in their 50s and 60s. Reid, who was resentenced earlier this year and approved for parole in July, hopes to be released in August.

So far, 58 Pennsylvania inmates have been released, and five have been denied parole. Two inmates were resentenced to life without parole, allowed by the Supreme Court in rare cases when offenders crimes reflect permanent incorrigibility.

State prison officials and advocates say they are working to prepare inmates for return to a world very different from the one they left behind, pairing them with mentors and psychologists.

One of the things that makes it a more challenging group is that they came in as children, said John Wetzel, secretary of corrections.

About 300 of the inmates are in prison for killings in Philadelphia, defense attorneys say.

Judges here have fast-tracked the cases of some of the longest-serving inmates, approving new sentences negotiated by the district attorneys office and defenders that have made most immediately eligible for parole.

In April, Reid was resentenced to 25 years to life, making him eligible for release. He was approved for parole in July and hopes to be released in August. Reid acknowledges being with a group of men and knowing one had a gun when that man shot Robert Janke, 22, a pre-med University of Pennsylvania student. The shooter was convicted of first-degree murder. Reid turned down an offer to plead guilty in exchange for 25 to 50 years in prison, and was convicted of second-degree murder.

Now city courts have begun dealing with the contested cases. A panel of Philadelphia judges ruled this spring that they would allow juvenile offenders to be resentenced to life without parole, but only in rare cases. The state Supreme Court has also set tight boundaries for the case reviews.

In June, the court sided with inmate Queed Batts, who argued that life without parole for juvenile offenders should be all but forbidden. The court said prosecutors can only sentence juveniles to no-parole terms in rare circumstances and must first prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they are irreparably corrupt and beyond rehabilitation.

It is the exceedingly rare and uncommon juvenile whose crime reflects his permanent incorrigibility who therefore may be constitutionally sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, Justice Christine Donohue wrote on behalf of the courts majority.

People on both sides said the ruling could effectively eliminate life without parole for juvenile offenders in the state. Others are waiting to see how resentencings play out in court.

That is an exceedingly high burden, said one of Batts lawyers, Bradley Bridge of the Defender Association of Philadelphia. The association represents about two-thirds of the citys juvenile lifers.
Republican U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania, who was elected as a crusader against illegal immigration and helped cheerlead Donald Trump to victory last year, has told GOP officials and activists that he has decided to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Democrat Bob Casey.

A person familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press that Barletta began telling party officials of his decision last week, several months after he began considering it. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because Barletta has not yet made his plans public.

In a text message Monday, Barletta said that his conversations have been very positive and that he will announce his decision in a few weeks.

Continuing to go through process. Been talking to a lot of people, Barletta wrote.

Barletta, 61, is in his fourth term representing a House district that stretches from south-central Pennsylvanias rolling farms through northeastern Pennsylvanias anthracite coal fields.

Barletta, a staunch Trump supporter in Congress, would quickly become the most recognizable name in a field of a half-dozen would-be challengers to Casey, the 57-year-old son of a late ex-governor and a fierce critic of the Republican president.

Barletta has supported Trump-backed legislation to overhaul the American health care system and introduced a bill to fund the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to help Trump fulfill a key campaign promise.
You have to wonder, would Donald Trump even know if a soldier, sailor or marine saluting him was a transgender person?

Likely not. Displays of fealty are the one surefire way to put our commander-in-chief in his happy place, oblivious to all but the warm glow of his self-assumed awesomeness.

Also, unless you are peering into someones medical records, its often pretty difficult to determine if someone was labeled one gender at birth and then changed the label later in life. Judgments based on stereotypical views of masculinity and femininity are often faulty.

And yet this week Trump blasted out a series of early morning tweets announcing that transgender people will be banned from military service. This, like so much else this president does, was not well thought out.

It was incredibly dismissive of military leaders who had been diligently crafting guidelines for more than a year to allow transgender troops to serve openly. They are already present in the major service branches and reserves. According to different surveys, they number anywhere from 1,300 to 15,000 of the 1.3 million active service members.

Facing that truth, President Barack Obama ordered that service members could no longer be discharged or otherwise separated from the military solely for being transgender.

Since that time, military leaders have been working diligently to enact the order. The deadline was July 1 to have all the guidelines in place. But the Pentagon had asked for an extension.

Trump attempted to cast aside it all aside with a series of fired off tweets. Talk about disrespect for our military leaders. Defense Secretary James Mattis was reportedly on vacation.

A handful of Congress members, including Reps. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri and Steve King of Iowa, both Republicans, reportedly had been prodding Trump toward this action. And for several months now conservative talk radio and cable news networks have been harping about transgender service members. And we know that the president routinely takes cues for his outbursts from right-wing media.

Unfortunately for Trump, not all Republicans are buying into this culture war foray.

Commendably, Sen. John McCain remarked, There is no reason to force service members who are able to fight, train and deploy to leave the military  regardless of their gender identity.

Said Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch: I dont think we should be discriminating against anyone. Transgender people are people, and deserve the best we can do for them. I look forward to getting much more information and clarity from our military leaders about the policy the President tweeted....

What military scholars have found consistently is that being inclusive strengthens military readiness. Ostracizing a group or making them serve hidden does not.

For its part, the Pentagon has said that transgender members of the services will remain and be treat(ed) with respect until the White House sends new rules on the matter.

Unconvincingly, Hartzler has cast her concerns as a matter of government paying the costs of gender reassignment surgeries, claiming that it would harm military readiness. But the costs, by some estimates, would be 0.13 percent of the health care for the military, hardly a line item to bust the budget.

Funny, some of the same buzzwords popping up in this debate echo the arguments heard generations ago about keeping black people from serving alongside white soldiers. Unit cohesion would be undermined. President Harry S. Truman and the realities of war put that nonsense to rest. People dont check skin color in battle. They want loyalty, training, fitness for the mission.

The same sorry arguments were raised about women serving. Breasts in uniform would undermine unit cohesion. And then the same irrational thinking was trotted out yet again for gay and lesbian members of the military.

Its pretty easy to see what this is about. A minority group is not well understood and therefore easily demeaned.

An opportunity that is offered to everyone else  the chance to serve in the U.S. armed forces  is taken away largely on assumption and conjecture.

Transgender people are struggling right now to be considered equal. They have too few allies.

More people need to speak up on their behalf, learn more about them. For one thing, understand that transgender is not about sexual orientation; its gender identity.

As society evolves toward more awareness, there will be fewer and fewer groups to target. Or we can only hope.

Mary Sanchez is an opinion-page columnist for The Kansas City Star. Readers may email her at msanchez@kcstar.com.
The Establishment, a construct of Democrats and Republicans that rules in Washington no matter which party controls government, appears to be over its fainting spell following Donald Trumps election. It is now throwing everything at him from a daily  make that hourly, even minute by minute  onslaught of investigations to big medias equivalent of Molotov cocktails.

Washington, D.C., recently made assisted suicide legal. The president isnt helping his cause by committing unassisted political suicide. Changing his chief of staff may help, but significant change must come from the president, himself.

Name-calling by the president and his critics accomplishes nothing, other than to make the name-caller feel good. In my experience, name-calling changes few minds.

Winning an argument is better than disparaging someone who holds a different view. The way to defeat your opponent is to present a better idea. In the case of the Establishment, the president should not only talk specifically about its many failures  from health insurance to winning wars, or invading countries where we dont belong, but also present a list of alternatives he believes will work.

Hows this for a slogan, borrowed out of context from former president Obama: If you like your Establishment, you can keep your Establishment?

The problem today is that we have exchanged what was once common sense for nonsense. Look at what consumes our attention  transgender soldiers in the military, celebrities, leaks from the administration and gossip. It is junk food for the mind.

Heres a positive suggestion. Let the new White House chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan. Give them a list of programs and policies the president would like to pass (or repeal) and ask the two leaders to poll their members to see what they could vote for. Then let Gen. Kelly receive from the leaders what congressional Republicans could support and vote for. Somewhere in between is enough common ground to repeal legislation and programs that arent working and create new ones that will work, based on experience, not ideology. The president can then hit the road and sell an agenda he and his party, and maybe some Democrats, can agree on.

The president deserves credit for eliminating regulations that have been choking the economy. It is a major reason why the economy is growing again and the stock market keeps hitting record highs. He should continue doing things his executive power allows him to do.

Calling President Trump a narcissist and childish changes nothing. What is the goal of such language? Do the name-callers think he will become something other than what he is, absent a miraculous conversion?

Face the Nation host John Dickerson editorialized on his show last Sunday about a video that purports to show President Trump ignoring an 11-year-old boy in a wheelchair while greeting others who attended his health care speech last week. Trump haters claim the video proves how insensitive he is. Dickerson said the first thing the president did when entering the room was to bend down and speak to the child. About the mischaracterized video, Dickerson said: Were so ready for evidence to confirm the absolute worst about an opponent it snuffs out our charity.

Hes right and when it suits them both left and right engage in this shameful practice.

Better build up this president and the good he can do, as he is the only president we have. North Korea and Iraq are becoming imminent threats. Throwing rhetorical bombs at our fellow citizens is not helpful. We are not each others enemy. There are many who wish to destroy us. Why are we helping them?

Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
Country

Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
In the prior post, we introduced readers to the UKs Criminal Finances Act, a new law that expands remedies for UK prosecutors to use against gross human rights abuses. But what are gross human rights abuses?

There are three conditions for acts to be considered gross human rights abuses or GHRA under the new law:

(i) prohibited conduct against a protected person

(ii) for prohibited motivations, and

(iii) the involvement of public officials performing official duties.

Protected persons are those who seek either to expose illegal activity carried out by a public official or a person acting in an official capacity, or to obtain, exercise, defend or promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Criminal Finances Act provides clear protections for whistleblowers, as well as journalists and human rights defenders. Prosecutors are likely to be especially focused on anti-corruption activists, as these provisions were inspired by the murder of Sergei Magnitsky.

While the new law doesnt define human rights or fundamental freedoms, the European Convention on Human Rights is a good source for guidance, as it was directly incorporated into the U.K.s domestic law through the 1998 Human Rights Act. (The UK specifically chose to incorporate voluntary articles of the Convention that protect the right to an education, peaceful enjoyment of ones property, and elections.)

Prohibited conduct includes not just torture, but also the less serious category of cruel, degrading, or inhuman acts. Imprisonment of activists is likely to be an area of risk for gross human rights abuses liability. Examples found by courts of cruel, degrading, or inhuman treatment involving imprisonment include caning, short-term food, sleep, and sensory deprivation, insufficient sleeping quarters, cramped cells and unhygienic facilities.

Land grabbing is another area that will likely be a common source for potential GHRA liability. The destruction of anothers source of living was found to be a crime on par with torture and other serious crimes against humanity by the Saddam Hussein trial court.

This means that violently evicting farmers, persecuting land activists for resisting takeovers, or destroying indigenous peoples source of living by felling forests may amount to degrading treatment, at the very least.

Finally, denial of cultural or educational rights, such as Syrias banning of Kurdish cultural celebrations during the mid-2000s, may also be considered degrading treatment.

While the term public official is undefined by the Criminal Finances Act, Parliamentary debate makes it clear that current definitions established by UK statutes, such as the Bribery Act, will likely apply. These are roughly analogous to those of the FCPA.

However, the conduct (GHRA) must carried out in consequence of the victim engaging in protected activity. Practically speaking, this means that GHRA will likely be limited to retaliatory conduct.

The last required element is that the conduct must involve public officials performing official duties in some fashion. This includes the direct commission of, instigation of, or consent or acquiescence to, the prohibited conduct by the official.

The UK Bribery Act defines official duties as the use or omission of an officials power that stems from their position, be it legal or extra-legal. This creates extensive liability when taken into conjunction with the Bribery Acts broad definition of public official. For example, the actions of a politician in the guise of being a private business owner may entail the use of his political authority, which could be considered the performance of official duties.

In the next post, well talk about the wide net the Criminal Finances Act casts outside of the direct commission of gross human rights abuses.

Our prior post about the UK Criminal Finances Act is here.

_______

Richard J. Rogers is a founding partner at Global Diligence LLP, a London-based law firm specializing in international law and human rights compliance. It offers a wide range of services to companies operating in high-risk zones to help ensure compliance with international standards. He can be contacted here.

Sasho Todorov is a rising third year Vanderbilt law student and an intern at Global Diligence. He can be contacted here.
Fury

Special Agent Brooks Allen is pissed as hell when he learns one of his friends in-laws is suspected of drug-trafficking. Big time. Shes been selling merchandise filled with illegal narcotics.

Point Blank

Fear

A free-spirit with a zest for life, Natasha Simpson loves her new beginning in the small town of Bisbee, Arizona. Things couldnt get any better. Natasha runs into Brooks, and enjoys the company of the man who works with her cousins husband. But when Natasha accidentally makes the discovery that her products contain cocaine, not only is her life threatened, but every person she loves is in danger.

Fate

Brooks grows certain Natasha is innocent, then discovers the tangled web shes caught in. Along the way, he loses his heart to hernow he just needs to make sure he doesnt lose herpermanently.

https://www.totallybound.com/book/point-blank

Exclusive Extract

If Natasha Simpson was guilty of smuggling cocaine, Brooks would nail her to the wall. So far, things were not looking good for Christies cousin.

Natasha had been selling large quantities of western statuettes at tradeshows across the country. The statuettes matched a pair ICE agents had found stuffed with cocaine, and Natashas fingerprints had been the only ones on the coke-filled resin art pieces.

A special agent with DHSs Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Brooks Allen found himself in a position he would never have imagined. It was his job as an ICE agent to assist in taking down a friends closest family member.

He clenched his teeth, his body tense, as he held back words that didnt come close to expressing how he felt at that moment.

Brooks pushed up the brim of his Stetson as he tore his gaze from the iPad displaying Natashas electronic file and met his Resident Agent in Charges intense dark eyes. Natashas prints were in the database?

Sofia Aguilar, the RAC of the Department of Homeland Securities ICE office in Douglas, gave a single nod. She worked as a dispatcher for her local police department for a few years in Indiana, before she inherited a chunk of money and bought a craft store.

Brooks Allens jaw tightened. He returned his gaze to the tablet with the file his RAC had transferred to his device. He swiped the screen, briefly scanning a few documents. He paused to study a surveillance photo of Natasha with a suspected drug supplier, Mark Okle, who ICE believed worked for the Jimenez Cartel based in Mexico. Okle allegedly trafficked cocaine and marijuana across the U.S., under the guise of a legitimate art dealership in southeastern Arizona.

They had countless surveillance photos and video of Okle dealing with individuals who were known associates of the Jimenez Cartel.

Then there was Natasha

About the Author

Cheyenne McCray is an award winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who loves to torture characterswhether theyre misbehaving or notand kill off deserving individuals. She also totally gets off on blowing things up. All fictionally, of course. Shed rather chew glass than write sweet and sugary. Give her a hideous demon or particularly nasty villain to slay any day.

Cheyenne enjoys creating stories of love, suspense, and redemption. She loves building worlds her readers can get lost in. If you would like to find out what odd and unusual things Cheyenne is up to these days, cruise her website any time, take a look at the bizarrely normal yet strange FAQs, and even drop her a line or two.

You can follow Cheyenne on Facebook and Twitter and check out her Website.
Tiffany Watson has slammed Mimi Bouchard for kissing her ex-boyfriend Sam Thompson.

Tiffany Watson and Sam Thompson

The 'Made in Chelsea' star and the 24-year-old hunk decided to go their separate ways over the summer months to enjoy single life, but insisted they would rekindle their romance and remain an item in the future.

However, in Monday night's (31.07.17) episode of 'Made in Chelsea: Ibiza' Sam can be seen flirting up a storm with the American star, who only recently joined the E4 show, which saw him confess to finding her "sexy".

And in a teaser clip for next week's episode the pair can be seen locking lips, much to Tiffany's upset as well as her fans.

Social media users spoke out about the episode and the forthcoming shows, which fuelled the blonde Brit to speak out.

When one user questioned why Sam has got intimate with Mimi, she wrote: " Cause she's easy (sic)."

However, Tiffany jumped to defend her pals Frankie Gaff, Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo, Olivia Bentley, and Emily Blackwell after one social media user claimed all the "slags" went to the Spanish hotspot.

Tiffany wrote: "Minus Liv, Toff, Frankie and Emily yep (sic)."

But Mimi has also taken to the micro-blogging site to stand up for herself and indirectly slate Tiffany.

She wrote: "When people show their insecurities through Twitter aggression (sic)."

by Charlotte Hough for www.femalefirst.co.uk


The voting system for the 2017 Q Awards in association with Absolute Radio features the first-ever longlist to help select the nominees.

Ed Sheeran

The general public can now vote from the seven categories compiled by the staff at Q magazine of acts they've supported throughout the year.

Music fans have until Monday August 31 with the awards nominees shortlist announced on September 7.

This year sees Ed Sheeran, 26, left out of the Best Album category for his chart-smashing album 'Divide', however, he's listed for Best Act in the World Today, Best Track for 'Shape of You', Best Solo Artist and Best Live Act.

Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, 44, will go head-to-head with the biggest bands in the business for Best Track for 'Wall of Glass' and he's also up for Best Live Act and Best Solo Act.

Speaking about the awards, Q editor Ted Kessler said: "From returning rock'n'roll icons to grime's mainstream breakthrough and Ed Sheeran's continued conquering of the pop landscape, it has been a brilliant year for music. This year's Q Awards are a reflection of that and it's shaping up to be one of the events of the year. The newly-created longlists mean that voters will play a crucial role in helping to shape our shortlists, and live performances on the night from Sleaford Mods, one of the UK's most exciting live bands, and Manic Street Preachers, who have a long and illustrious history with Q, will cap off what promises to be another outstanding Q Awards."

The ceremony will take place on October 18 at Camden's Roundhouse and will see Absolute Radio's Christian O'Connell host the evening for the fourth consecutive year.

Speaking about his return, O'Connell said: "It's an honour to host the Q awards again this year and it's great to see Liam Gallagher back and going head to head with the biggest bands in the industry. This could be the liveliest awards in years."

The longlist for 27th Q Awards is as follows:

Q Breakthrough Act Presented by Red Stripe

Rag'n'Bone Man

HMLTD

Shame

Stefflon Don

The Big moon

Pumarosa

Girl Ray

Formation

The Moonlandingz

Sampha

Q Best Track Presented by Flare Audio

Royal Blood - 'Lights Out'

Kendrick Lamar - 'Humble'

Lorde - 'Green Light'

The Killers - 'The Man'

Gorillaz - 'We Got The Power'

Kasabian - 'You're In Love With A Psycho'

The xx - 'On Hold'

Ed Sheeran - 'Shape Of You'

Stormzy - 'Big For Your Boots'

Liam Gallagher - 'Wall of Glass'

Q Best Album Presented by Absolute Radio

The xx - 'I See You'

Kendrick Lamar - 'DAMN'

Stormzy - 'Gang Signs & Prayer'

Sleaford Mods - 'English Tapas'

Paul Weller - 'A Kind Revolution'

Gorillaz - 'Humanz'

A Tribe Called Quest - 'We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service'

Laura Marling - 'Semper Femina'

Sampha - 'Process'

Jay-Z - '4:44'

Q Best Live Act Presented by The Cavern Club

Ed Sheeran

Liam Gallagher

Depeche Mode

Lorde

Father John Misty

The xx

Radiohead

The Killers

PJ Harvey

Stormzy

Q Best Solo Artist Presented by Help Musicians UK

Lana Del Rey

Ed Sheeran

Lorde

Liam Gallagher

Paul Weller

Jay-Z

Wiley

Stormzy

Kendrick Lamar

St. Vincent

Q Best Act in the World Today Presented by Buster + Punch

Lorde

The 1975

Ed Sheeran

Adele

Radiohead

Queens Of The Stone Age

The Killers

Stormzy

Depeche Mode

Kendrick Lamar

Q Best Film Presented by Pretty Green

Bunch of Kunst (Sleaford Mods)

The Inertia Variations (The The)

Eagles Of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends)

The Rolling Stones - Havana Moon

American Valhalla (Iggy Pop & Josh Homme)
Prince Charles has praised the "brave" soldiers that fought at the Battle of Passchendaele.

Prince Charles

The 68-year-old royal made a visit to Tyne Cot, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's largest cemetery in the world, on Monday (31.07.17) to give a moving speech in honour of the centenary of the bloody battle which lasted 103 days and left 325,000 allies dead or wounded.

Standing before the Cross of Sacrifice built on the top of a captured German strongbox, he told the congregation: "We remember Passchendaele not only for the rain that fell, the mud that weighed down the living and swallowed the dead, but also for the courage and bravery of the men who fought here.

"After the end of the war almost 12,000 graves of British and Commonwealth soldiers were brought here from surrounding battlefields.

"Today a further 34,000 men, who could not be identified or whose bodies were never found, have their names inscribed on the memorial.

"Thinking of these men, my great grandfather remarked: 'I have many times asked myself whether there can be more potent advocates of peace upon Earth through the years to come, than this massed multitude of silent witnesses to the desolation of war'."

Meanwhile, Charles' son Prince William, 35, gave a speech at the Menin Gate in Ypres on Sunday (30.07.17) where he paid tribute to the 54,000 fallen British and Commonwealth soldiers who have no known graves and who "sacrificed everything for the lives we live today."

He said: "The battlefields of the Salient came to define the war for many British and Commonwealth soldiers.

"The defence of the city at such great cost meant that it became hallowed ground. Winston Churchill said of Ypres, 'A more sacred place for the British race does not exist in all the world.'

"Today the Menin Gate records almost 54,000 names of the men who did not return home. The missing with no known grave. Members of our families, our regiments, our nations, all sacrificed everything for the lives we live today.

"At the memorial's inauguration the British commander Field Marshal Lord Plumer spoke movingly to the assembled families, saying of their lost loved ones: 'He is not missing, he is here.'"
Queen Elizabeth's private secretary Sir Christopher Geidt has resigned.

Queen Elizabeth

The 91-year-old monarch has employed Christopher as her private secretary for the past decade, but he has now revealed he will be leaving the position in October after her husband Prince Philip's decision to step down from royal duties means the Queen has "the full and active support" of the rest of the royal family.

Christopher - who has worked for the Queen in a number of roles since 2002 - will be replaced by Edward Young, who joined the royal household in 2004.

In a statement, Christopher said: "It has been my very great privilege to serve the Queen since the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and, especially, as her private secretary for the past decade. In that time, as throughout her reign, Her Majesty's authority has brought stability, purpose and colour to country and Commonwealth alike.

"With the Duke of Edinburgh's recent decision to draw back from public life, the Queen's own unwavering commitment as sovereign has the full and active support of the entire royal family. It is therefore with every confidence, and with Her Majesty's agreement, that I now hand over the responsibilities of the Queen's private secretary to my successor, Edward Young."

Prince Philip, 96, is set to retire on Wednesday (02.08.17) after he completes his final royal engagement at Buckingham Palace parade for the finale of the Royal Marines 1664 Global Challenge.

A palace spokeswoman said in a statement that the parade would "bring His Royal Highness's individual programme to a conclusion, although he may choose to attend certain events, alongside the Queen, from time-to-time."

It was revealed earlier this year that Prince Philip would be stepping down from his royal duties after the summer.

A statement released at the time read: "His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision.

"Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying The Queen. Thereafter, The Duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements.

"Although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time."
Enjoy a romantic getaway to Niagara-on-the-Lake: One of the most picturesque towns in Ontario, Niagara-on-the-Lake, is perfect for those looking to go all out on their honeymoon. Couples can enjoy a romantic horse drawn carriage ride through the town, and visit the surrounding vineyards before indulging in a candle-lit dinner at one of the regions famous wineries, or enjoy a relaxing spa treatment. Niagara-on-the-Lake is also home to many historic B&Bs, cozy inns and romantic hotels to truly spoil yourselves.

Weddings on Female First

Fall even further in love at Niagara Falls: Couples can fall more in love at the Marriott Fallsview hotel at Niagara Falls where the suites come complete with Jacuzzis and fireplaces  the ultimate base from which to enjoy a romantic escape, all with unparalleled views of the world-famous wonder.

Experience Muskoka, Ontarios best kept secret: A playground for the rich and famous including Steven Spielberg, Kate Hudson and Tom Hanks, Muskoka is a peaceful haven that offers couples a chance to relax, switch off and explore Ontarios stunning scenery.

Rest your head at one of Ontarios most romantic hotels: The Couples Resort in Muskoka, as its name suggests, is one of Ontarios most romantic establishments. The rustic 5-star boutique luxury resort near Algonquin Provincial Park offers guests an indulgent stay with decor ranging from Opulent Old European to Boutique Algonquin Style. Couples can enjoy spacious accommodations with cozy wood burning fireplaces, hot tubs and Jacuzzis.

Experience the great outdoors: Home to some of the most pristine environments in the world, 334 stunning provincial parks and six national parks, including Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay Islands, Point Pelee, Pukaskwa, Thousand Islands and Rouge Park, Ontario is the ultimate outdoor destination for adventurous honeymooners. Available activities include hiking, biking, canoeing, camping, stargazing and swimming.

Take a roadtrip: Home to crystal clear lakes, stunning forests, scenic towns, cosmopolitan cities, natural wonders and a varied culture, Ontario is one of the most diverse and beautiful places in the world. For the couples that love to explore, there is no better way to discover the province than to jump in the car and embark on an epic roadtrip.

Take a paddle: For lovers who like to be out on the water, Ontario presents numerous opportunities to indulge in one of Canadas true pastimes  canoeing. With over 400,000 lakes, rivers and streams, the canoe has played an integral role in building the province and is one of the seven wonders of Canada.

Take the time to relax: Honeymooners are spoilt for choice if looking to experience a spa in Ontario. A highlight is the Scandinave Spa in Blue Mountain, situated on 25 acres of natural Ontario birch, Canadian maple and pine trees, and boasting expansive views of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve Niagara Escarpment.

Try the food: Boasting some of the most delectable festivals in the world, a variety of food trails to delight the taste buds, including Butter Tart Trails and the Apple Pie Trail, and a whole host of exquisite restaurants and bustling markets, Ontario is the perfect choice for foodie couples.

Taste the wine: Extending across the same latitudes as the world-famous wine producing regions of Bordeaux and Rome, Ontario is one of North Americas prime enotourism centres known for its Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Whilst internationally recognised for its Ice wine, Ontario is also responsible for producing some of the most delectable wines on the planet.
HON PM BAINIMARAMA AT LAUNCH OF PLASTIC BAG LEVY AND REUSABLE CLOTH SHOPPING BAGS TO REPLACE PLASTIC BAGS





The Honourable Cabinet Ministers,Members of the Diplomatic Corp,CEOs and Heads of Business Organizations,CEOs of Fijian Holdings and RB PATEL Group and Board,Representatives of the Womens Group,Members of the Ba Womens Forum,Ladies and Gentlemen,Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all.Im delighted to be here as we mark the start of our new financial year and bring into effect an unprecedented measure to protect our natural environment from pollution  a new ten cents levy on plastic bags.And today, we also have a chance to celebrate the work of our women entrepreneurs who have produced reusable, cloth shopping bags for the Fijian people to use in favour of plastic bags.My fellow Fijians, we are lucky to live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. People from all over the world dream of the chance to see our beaches and reefs and experience the mountains, forests and waterfalls that we are blessed to call part of our home.But it is clear that sense of gratitude is lost on far too many Fijians. I say that because  unfortunately  many of our people feel it is okay to treat our home with disrespect by turning our islands into a rubbish dump.It only takes a short drive down the Coral Coast, or any road anywhere in Fiji, to see exactly what I mean. Many of our beaches, roadways and communities are strewn with litter, and once-pristine parts of Fiji are now covered in refuse. Because throughout Fiji, many of our people are rubbishing their country in ways they would never rubbish their own homes.The damage doesnt end there, because that pollution doesnt always stay on land. Much of it ends up in the sea, swept down by storm water drains into our rivers and, eventually, into open waters, where it pollutes our reefs, chokes our wildlife and does serious damage to our reputation as a beautiful and pristine island destination.Anyone who has spent decades in Fiji can tell you, it didnt used to be like this. But recently, we seem to have lost our way. And the sheer amount of litter in Fiji has reached crisis level proportions.I am ashamed by it. We should all be ashamed by it. Because every piece of rubbish that is dumped across our islands represents a choice. A choice made by an individual, or a business, to do the wrong thing. It represents a decision to disrespect our home and our fellow Fijians. And it is high time we said enough is enough, and demand that we do better.In our campaign to clean up Fiji, we cant just focus on individuals. The sad reality is that we have business interests that also have proven to be very poor stewards of our natural environment. Just this week, an employee of a major waste management company was caught dumping rubbish in Nadroga. My Government has ordered an immediate investigation into that illegal dumping, and will take appropriate legal action to punish those responsible.And I want to send a clear message to any other individual or business that thinks of dumping rubbish anywhere in Fiji: you will be caught and you will be punished to the full extent of the law. And if any employee is told to dump rubbish, they should report that instruction immediately to the relevant authorities.My Fellow Fijians,I am calling for a society-wide response to this crisis of littering affecting our islands. I know the vast majority of Fijians share that sentiment, and I urge them all to speak up. If you see someone litter, tell them to stop. Tell them what they are doing is wrong. And, day by day, we will change mentalities, we will shift our values and we will make a difference.That response needs to also come from the policy side, and this new plastic bag levy is part of my Governments commitment to clean up Fiji. The ten cents levy on plastic bags will give every Fijian incentive to shop more sustainably and limit the amount of plastic that ends up in our environment.It may be news to most of you that a plastic bag can take 50-80 years to become bio-degradable. That means a plastic bag dumped in our environment today can take a half century or more to decompose on its own. So this is a serious matter that requires serious action to address.As announced in our national Budget, all monies collected from this levy as part of the wider environment and climate adaptation levy or ECAL will directly fund environmental initiatives and programs that protect our natural environment and climate adaptation projects that boost the resilience of our nation to the severe effects of climate change. And as provided for in the new laws, we will publish detailed breakdown of the spend on these projects, initiatives and programmes.Ladies and Gentlemen, over the past decade that Ive led our nation, one simple lesson Ive learned is that when you do the right thing, good things tend to happen. And with this new plastic bag levy were not only building a cleaner Fiji, we are also bringing opportunity into the lives of the Fijian people.Today, we are celebrating the work of the Ba Womens Forum to produce 5,000 reusable shopping bags to give the Fijian people an alternative to using plastic bags. And Id like to thank the Forum members and all of our women entrepreneurs for showing us how green initiatives and womens empowerment can go hand in hand.Through our Ministry of Women, we will be working alongside womens groups to produce more reusable shopping bags throughout the country. And together well help hard-working women take advantage of the exciting new market opportunity weve created through this levy on plastic bags. Whether in their homes or in community centres, all across our islands, women can go to work making and selling cloth bags that will replace the harmful plastic bags that have choked our environment for far too long.Working with our Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, we will ensure bags produced through this partnership are high quality so that they qualify under the Fijian-made brand. And, working alongside our women entrepreneurs, we will work to put reusable, environmentally-friendly cloth bags in every home in Fiji.This programme is part of the massive effort undertaken by my Government to empower and support women in Fiji, and our record on womens empowerment is something that makes me extremely proud. That work has ranged from providing greater economic and educational opportunities, to making Fiji a safer place for our women and girls so they have the security they need to succeed. And in the years to come, that commitment will remain a critical component of my Governments vision to uplift the Fijian people.I know full well that there remains a deep gap in Fijian society between what women are capable of achieving and what opportunities they are afforded. That gap is holding us back, because we cant build the new Fiji when only half the population is empowered to do well.We need to realise the immense untapped potential of Fijian women. We need their creativity, their ingenuity and their spirit of innovation if we are to do well as a nation. We need to empower our women, and we need the men of Fiji to be advocates for their success as well.It is great to see our new partnership in action this morning, and Id like to thank Dr Maria Doton, and all of the members of the Ba Womens Forum for joining forces with the Ministry of Women and other womens groups to produce these bags, and for setting an example for other women in Fiji to follow.Id also like to thank RB Patel for agreeing to promote the use of these new reusable bags in their outlets  and I encourage every business house in Fiji to step up and do the same.With this new initiative, we are putting Fijian women on the front-lines of our effort to protect our environment and maintain the beauty and natural splendour of Fiji for the next generation, and you should all be very proud of the contribution you are making.Today is the beginning of a new movement for Fiji. A movement to take ownership of the country we are all fortunate to share. A movement to take greater responsibility for our actions and decisions. And a movement to bring every member of our society into the fight to clean up our islands.My Government will continue to lead from the front on this issue and, together, we will build a better and cleaner Fiji.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A White House press release issued Monday morning highlighted President Donald Trump's upcoming ceremony awarding the Medal of Honor to Vietnam War medic James C. McCloughan.



But as is often the case with the Trump administration, what should have been a glowing moment - and an easy PR win - was overshadowed by turmoil.



The mainstream media dutifully covered the ceremony as Trump bestowed the nation's highest military honor on McCloughan.



However, attention was quickly torn away, as reporters chomped at the bit to cover the 'big' news of the day.



Just moments before the ceremony began, it was revealed that Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci was fired from his role as White House Communications Director.



Reports indicated that the decision to remove Scaramucci came at the request of new Chief of Staff John Kelly - the latest in a series of moves shaking up the White House.



The appointment of Scaramucci sent shockwaves through Washington just ten days ago, leading to the resignation of former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.



Scaramucci continued to make headlines in subsequent days with a crude tirade against other members of Trump's senior staff, including since-fired chief of staff Reince Priebus.



Specialist McCloughan, on the other hand, was being honored for voluntarily risking his life on nine separate occasions to rescue wounded and disoriented comrades.



One can fault the media for focusing on the firing of Scaramucci over the heroics of McCloughan, but the blame clearly falls at the feet of the president.



Before the hiring of Scaramucci, the position of White House Communications Director was scarcely mentioned; it was a position that had effectively been vacant for almost two months.



But when Scaramucci was given the role, the White House felt it was important enough to hold a prolonged question-and-answer session with the media.



So important in fact, that a mere 10 days later, his removal from the position overshadowed the honoring of an American hero - a shameful situation for a president who denies that his White House is in chaos.



Mr. Trump, you should be ashamed of yourself.



It can be argued that the West Wing needs another 'clean slate' after numerous legislative defeats. But the fact that the culmination of the latest staffing upheaval would basically stamp out any coverage of a truly heroic man is appalling.



Firing Scaramucci could not have waited a day? Or even a few hours?



Agree or not with its policy goals, any presidential administration should be able to honor a man of respect and honor without having the ceremony eclipsed by an ongoing expression of ego.



(The proceeding is an opinion piece by Editors Scott Izard. The views expressed are not necessarily those of RTTNews.)



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Sony Pictures Television Networks said that it has reached an agreement to acquire a substantial majority stake in Japanese anime distributor Funimation Productions, Ltd., subject to regulatory approvals and certain other closing conditions, valuing the company at approximately $150 million. Gen Fukunaga, CEO of Funimation, will retain a minority stake in the business and remain CEO. With a catalog that includes popular titles such as 'Dragon Ball Z', 'Cowboy Bebop', 'One Piece', 'My Hero Academia' and 'Attack on Titan', Funimation licenses and distributes Japanese anime content in the U.S., and operates the subscription streaming service FunimationNOW, available via the PlayStation Store, iTunes Store, Google Play, Amazon Apps, Xbox Store and mobile devices. Additionally, the company sells merchandise and DVDs through its website, Funimation.com. 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.
JACKSONVILLE, Florida, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --A newly signed contract with SA Power Networks installs APR Energy as the last line of defense against power outages in South Australia, adding as much as 276MW to the grid through the use of emissions-friendly mobile gas turbines at two sites. The plants should provide critical grid stability before December 1, 2017.

"APR Energy is pleased to provide emergency back-up generation for South Australian households and businesses," said John Campion, chairman of APR Energy, a global leader in fast-track power solutions. "Ensuring that the people of South Australia have this critically needed power quickly will play an important role in mitigating the risk of blackouts and the need for load shedding during the peak summer months."

APR Energy's project will comprise the newest generation of GE TM2500 turbines, featuring the latest advancements in mobile turbine technology in the industry. The turbines will be connected to the South Australia grid at substations in Edinburgh and Lonsdale. The full turnkey project includes all installation, operations and maintenance, as well as transformation from 11kV to 66kV.

"This is another important step in South Australia taking charge of its own energy future," said Premier Jay Weatherill. "This solution will deliver long-term back-up generation for South Australia before this summer. Importantly, this solution will deliver more generation capacity than originally planned, while emitting less carbon pollution than Torrens Island Power Station" - a natural gas-power generating facility near the state capital Adelaide.

This is APR Energy's third project in Australia - the others being for Horizon Power and Hydro Tasmania - both relying on mobile gas turbines. APR Energy's turbine technology enables it to rapidly inject large blocks of power at the first sign of grid instability. Its turbines produce 94% lower NOx emissions, significantly less particulate matter and 20% less noise than the emissions-intensive diesel reciprocating engines typically found in the temporary power market, providing an environmentally friendly solution for South Australia.

About APR Energy

APR Energy is the world's leading provider of fast-track mobile turbine power, and has installed over 3,000MW of power capacity across more than 30 countries. Our fast, flexible and full-service solutions provide customers with rapid access to reliable electricity when and where they need it, for as long as they need it. Combining state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient technology with industry-leading expertise, our scalable turnkey plants help run cities, countries and industries around the world, in both developed and developing markets. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.aprenergy.com.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/540967/APR_Energy___Australia_plant.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/378597/apr_energy_logo.jpg
HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 --

Best Employers in Hong Kong lead the way with 21 points higher engagement score than market average

Best Employers also have 5 percent higher retention of newly hired employees and 10 percent lower attrition overall, compared to market average

Two special recognitions announced -- Best Employer for Commitment to Engagement and Best Employer for Women

Aon, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement, and health solutions, has named five organisations as Best Employers Hong Kong 2017.

The business landscape in Hong Kong remains volatile this year, where 60 percent of CEOs quote market factors as the prime inhibitor to their organisation's success. Key people risks include poor availability and selection of talent in the external labour market and inability to retain good talent. Yet, Aon Best Employers in Hong Kong excel with 10 percent lower attrition and 5 percent higher retention levels than the market average and continue to achieve exceptional engagement scores of 78 percent (market average, 57 percent). 80 percent of Best Employers saw engagement levels increase by up to 10 points.

On average, Best Employers also scored in excess of 20 points as compared to market average across employer brand, leadership, and high performance culture indices.

The Aon Best Employers in Hong Kong for 2017 are:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Organisation (listed alphabetically) Category ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AIA International Limited Best Employer Hong Kong ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Express International, Inc. Best Employer Hong Kong ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited Best Employer Hong Kong ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DHL Express Hong Kong Best Employer Hong Kong ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- McDonald's Restaurants (Hong Kong) Limited Best Employer Hong Kong ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

In addition, two organisations received special recognition:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Organisation Category ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Express International, Inc. Best Employer for Women ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited Best Employer for Commitment to Engagement ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three organisations were also named Best Employers Hong Kong 2017 through the Global programme -- InterContinental Hotels Group, Hong Kong; Marriott International, Hong Kong; and Tata Communications (Hong Kong) Limited.

Mary Yu, Head of Talent Solutions, Aon Hewitt Hong Kong, discussed the exceptional qualities of an Aon Best Employer when it comes to employee engagement: "Best Employer organisations have taken employee engagement to another level -- by implementing a continuous feedback, insight, and action loop so that they can have the right data to get a full perspective of the people experience across the talent life cycle. By doing this, leaders can make better investment decisions on their talent, own the engagement of their teams, and deliver an extraordinary employee experience. As a result, Best Employer organisations outperform other organisations on a range of critical business and talent metrics."

Tzeitel Fernandes, Managing Director, Aon Hewitt Hong Kong, added: "Not only do organisations with high engagement levels have employees who will say good things about working there and strive harder in the jobs, these employees will also stay instead of being easily lured away. As a result, Best Employers are able to retain the exceptional talent that they already have and invest in those with high potential in order to develop a strong leadership pipeline for the future."

About the Aon Best Employers programme

Aon Best Employers is a flagship programme, designed to improve employee engagement, leadership effectiveness, employer brand, and culture to drive high performance. It is the most credible and comprehensive survey of its kind in Asia Pacific and Middle East. The survey leverages on Aon Hewitt's professional 3-tier assessment tools and includes participants from a variety of industries -- including finance, F&B, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and more. Now in its 17th year, the Aon Best Employers programme runs across 14 markets in APACMEA: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Middle East, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.

For further information about the Aon Best Employers programme, visit: http://bit.ly/2h5inoW

About Aon

Aon plc (NYSE: AON) is a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. Our 50,000 colleagues in 120 countries empower results for clients by using proprietary data and analytics to deliver insights that reduce volatility and improve performance.

For further information on our capabilities and to learn how we empower results for clients, please visit https://apac.aonhewitt.com

Media Contact

Jini Pillai

T: +65 6313 7111

M: +65 8133 8523

E: Email Contact




MUNICH, October 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Wirecard issues contactless cards and wristbands for online payment provider Twisto

Wirecard, the leading global specialist for digital payment solutions and internet technology, cooperates with Twisto to provide contactless payments via credit cards and wristbands at the point of sale (POS) in the Czech Republic. Twisto is the first FinTech company providing physical credit card payments in the region. The company was awarded as 'Best European Payments & Transfers Company 2017' by European FinTech Awards 2017. After Twisto's success in the field of e-commerce with 'buy now, pay later solution', the company now expands its services by offering contactless payments for physical retail. As Twisto's official partner, Wirecard is responsible for the issuance of cards and wristbands.

Despite the boom of e-commerce in the Czech Republic, around 90% of sales still happen in physical retail stores. Recognizing this trend, the FinTech company Twisto decided to extend its services with the launch of the Twisto Card linked to a mobile app. The new contactless payment solution 'Twisto Card' will be integrated into Twisto's mobile app, which gives customers up to 45-day interest free credit for their payments. The app allows customers to get instant payment notifications and automatic transaction categorization making the payment management quick and transparent, block card directly from the app or save money with integrated cashback offers.

Michal Smida, CEO at Twisto said,"At Twisto, we are on a mission to provide simple and fair daily financing solutions for the online generation. After our success with online credit offering, we will now be able to provide instant credit everywhere and serve even greater customer audience. Wirecard's expertise as well as its extensive experience in various mobile payment projects demonstrates that our new partner is uniquely positioned to support us with best issuing solutions and state-of-the-art technology."

Thorsten Holten, Executive Vice President Sales Financial Institution and FinTech Europe, comments, "We delightedly announce our new strategic partnership with Twisto. This payment solution is a perfect example of how modern online payments at the POS are working nowadays. We are looking forward to future extension of our collaboration to other European countries."

The new credit card solution allows end-customers to use Twisto instant credit line everywhere. Twisto has been providing online payments for customers since 2013 and became one of the fastest growing payment providers in the Czech Republic. Since start, Twisto served over 200,000 high-quality customers who will be offered the Twisto Card.

About Wirecard:

Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on twitter @wirecard.

About Twisto

Twisto is a Prague-based FinTech that has been innovating online payments since 2013. The company is the leader in 'buy now, pay later' deferred payments in the Czech Republic. Twisto served over 200,000 customers across 350+ online e-shops. The main pillar of Twisto is its proprietary risk scoring engine Nikita - a combination of big data and machine learning algorithms delivering credit decisions in milliseconds. Nikita evaluates credit-worthiness and solvency of customers, bypassing the need to be linked to debtors' registers or requiring sensitive personal information from customers. Twisto is backed by world-class investors: ING Group, UNIQA, ENERN, Partners, Cezary Smorszczewski and Miton.

Wirecard media contact:

Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363

E-mail: jana.tilz@wirecard.com



Twisto media contact:

Twisto Payments a.s.

Jan Hustak

Tel.: +421-604-346-032

E-mail: jan.hustak@twisto.cz


LONDON, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Condor (AIM: CNR), is pleased to announce the completion of a detailed soil geochemistry survey (soil survey) over the entire 313 km La India Project, Nicaragua. Samples were collected along 100 m, 200 m or 400 m spaced, north-south oriented, lines and at intervals varying from 50 m to 400 m along each line over a 3 year period (see Figure 1 below). The soil survey is a key component of a multi-disciplined approach, including geological mapping and airborne geophysics, to prove a major gold district at the Project, which currently hosts a high grade mineral resource of 18.08 M tonnes at 4.0 g/t for 2.31 M oz gold.

Highlights

Soil survey completed over entire 313 km La India Project

Soil results map major geological features, including two major feeder zones that run across the tenement in a northwesterly direction, the La India and Andrea Corridors, an east-west linking structure, and a major eroded caldera.

Complex structural geological setting is indicative of a major gold district

Soil results also identify preferentially mineralized targets within these features

142.4 g/t gold rock chip sample identified approximately 30 m along strike from a 53.9 g/t gold rock chip on the Los Limones prospect at the northern end of a 12.5 km mineralised corridor, 9 km north of the main La India open pit reserve.

Mark Child CEO comments:

"The completion of a soil geochemistry survey over the entire 313 km La India Project is a major milestone in proving La India Project hosts a major Gold District. It forms part of a multi-disciplined approach of generating new targets utilising the knowledge from over 70,000 m drilling and 28,000 m trenching to date in the core areas, while importantly building on the airborne geophysics survey of 2014, the detailed structure geological model of 2015, and on-going traditional geological mapping and drilling programme.

Major gold districts tend to be discovered in complex structural settings. The soil geochemistry survey has identified two major, mineralised basement feeder zones running NW to SE through the Project, cut by the Highway Fault, which down-throws the southeastern part of the District, which is in turn cut by an east-west link structure, to produce such a complex structural setting. Condor's multi-disciplined approach and a boots-on-the-ground philosophy, is generating several new drill targets and will eventually contribute to the global gold resource."

Background

A total of 13,194 samples were analysed during 2015, 2016 and 2017. They were collected along north-south lines at 100 to 400 m spacing and at intervals of 50 to 400 m. The survey covers both 'virgin' territory, with no mapped epithermal veins, at the broader spacing; and areas of known mineralization, such as the La India, America and Mestiza Vein Sets at the tighter spacing. La India Project has approximately 105 km strike length of veins, of which about 55 km have been trenched or mapped in any detail; only 13.2 km have been drill tested. The intention was to provide baseline data that can be used to generate new targets. A detailed report, describing methods, laboratory techniques and results, is available on request. Email: information@condorgold.com .

Unlike most low sulphidation epithermal gold veins, those at La India Project tend to have very narrow, and weak, hydrothermal alteration haloes. This is confirmed by recent SpecTerra (Short Wave Infrared) work on drill core, which showed limited hydrothermal clay development. The veins are also very low in sulphides (e.g., pyrite and arsenopyrite) and have correspondingly low levels of associated metals.

Interpretation

The above weak alteration and low sulphide content of the epithermal system is reflected in narrow and subtle soil geochemical anomalies, even around high-grade gold veins, such as La India vein. Like the veins, the soils have very low contents of base metals (e.g., copper, zinc, lead) and associated pathfinder elements (e.g., mercury, arsenic). Consequently, the best pathfinder for gold is gold, although low level anomalism in the traditional pathfinder elements (e.g., silver, arsenic, antimony, tellurium and thallium) does define important targets.

An analysis of the entire dataset shows two main corridors of anomalous geochemistry, referred to as La India Corridor and Andrea Corridor (Figure 1). These extend for over twenty kilometres and coincide with major basement structures seen in the airborne magnetics dataset. They probably represent fundamental basement structures, each acting as a feeder for ascending hydrothermal fluids.

The known veins occur along these corridors, but are clearly shown to have better continuity than is apparent from geological mapping. For example, the Andrea vein has much greater continuity than previously thought, extending for at least 4 km.

The corridors converge in the far northwest in an area with significant soil anomalies of gold, thallium and silver. This coincides with a "hinge zone" seen in the airborne magnetics data. It is near Los Limones, where rock sampling has reported veins with including two samples, 30m apart of 53.9 g/t gold and 142.4 g/t gold (Figure 3). This area is earmarked for early ground checking, as intersection zones are generally prospective target areas.

The Highway Fault, a northeast striking post-mineral fault (Figures 1 and 2), drops down the entire epithermal system to the southeast. This is reflected in weaker anomalies and a dominance of high level pathfinder elements. It is believed that areas southeast of the Highway Fault contain concealed targets and that the down-thrown block preserves the top of the system at Cacao, which includes sinter and phreatic breccias, indicating the paleosurface. There is also the possibility that the strike extension to La India vein continues to the south, but is similarly down-thrown.

High level pathfinder elements also map a linking structure, coinciding with Cacao and Santa Barbara, both targeted for additional drilling (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Demonstrates Two Major Basement Feeder Zones.

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/August_2017/Condor_Gold_8-1-2017_1.png

Note: Figure 1 above: Gridded plot of antimony in soils, with gridlines at 10 km intervals

The data also support the interpretation of an eroded caldera to the west near the town of Santa Rosa De Penon. This is mapped by arcuate anomalies of arsenic, antimony, mercury and bismuth. There are two main anomalies of interest that will require follow up. The first is a broad, 3 x 5 km wide, zone of elevated arsenic, antimony, thallium, tungsten, lead and molybdenum on the western margin of the caldera where La India Corridor intersects the caldera margin. The second is a more focussed, 1.5 x 3 km wide, zone of elevated arsenic, thallium, molybdenum, antimony with a bismuth halo within the caldera in an area covered by young, intra-caldera ignimbrite. Both anomalies merit further mapping.

One of the most useful tools for exploration of epithermal vein systems is commonly the gold:silver ratio. High gold relative to silver suggests hydrothermal upflow zones, generally with better gold grades. To test this concept, soil samples below 5 ppb gold were removed and the remaining 3,547 samples gridded. Figure 2 clearly shows elevated values at La India, the central part of America/Guapinol, and 'Big Bend' at Mestiza (currently being drilled). There are also encouraging values at Santa Barbara and West of Los Limones.

Figure 2 Symbol plot of gold:silver ratio, with gridlines at 10 km intervals.

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/August_2017/Condor_Gold_8-1-2017_2.png

Condor geologists are continuing to work with the soil data and analyse it in more detail with the other available datasets, including airborne magnetics and radiometrics, and geological mapping, to generate more targets. Follow up mapping is focussing on the initial inventory of targets that reflect the high grade, narrow vein mineralisation that comprises the current resource base. This includes anomalies west of Los Limones, Santa Barbara and southeast of La India.

142.4 g/t Gold and 53.9 g/t Gold Rock Chip Samples 12 km from Open Pit Reserve

Los Limones prospect, including two rock chip samples 30 m apart of 53.9 g/t gold and 142.4 g/t gold was identified during the soil survey. The rock chips are located in a remote area in the far north of the concession package, approximately 12 km from the nearest mineral resource at Cristalitio-Tatescame and the Highway Fault. Condor is applying for a drilling permit and plans detailed geological mapping of Los Limones prospect in 2017 (See Figure 3 in link below)

Figure 3

https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/images/news/August_2017/Condor_Gold_8-1-2017_3.png

Competent Person's Declaration

The information in this announcement that relates to the mineral potential, geology, exploration results and database is based on information compiled, and reviewed, by Mr Peter Flindell, Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Member of the Society of Economic Geologists. Mr Flindell is a geologist with over thirty years of experience in the exploration of precious metal mineral resources. Mr Flindell is a non-executive director on the Board of Condor Gold plc who also provides technical leadership to the technical team in Nicaragua and has considerable experience in epithermal mineralization, the type of deposit under consideration, and sufficient experience in the type of activity that he is undertaking to qualify as a 'Competent Person' as defined in the June 2009 Edition of the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr Flindell consents to the inclusion in this regulatory announcement of technical disclosure, which he has read and approved, in the form and context in which it appears and confirms that this information is accurate and not false or misleading.

Technical Glossary

The laboratory test conducted to determine the proportion of a mineral within a rock or other material. Usually reported as parts per million which is equivalent to grams of the Assay mineral (i.e. gold) per tonne of rock In structural geology, en echelon veins are structures within rock caused by tension fractures that are parallel to the major stress orientation. They appear as sets of short, parallel, planar, mineral-filled lenses within a body of En echelon rock. The study of the elements and their interaction as minerals Geochemistry to makeup rocks and soils The measurement and interpretation of the earth's physical parameters using non-invasive methods such as measuring the gravity, magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, Geophysics seismic response and natural radioactive emissions. Hot water circulation often caused by heating of groundwater by near surface magmas and often occurring in association with volcanic activity. Hydrothermal waters can contain Hydrothermal significant concentrations of dissolved minerals. The measurement of the magnetic properties of the earth surface as controlled by the concentration and distribution of magnetic minerals, particularly magnetite, in the rock. Rocks containing higher levels of iron, such as mafic igneous rocks or some sedimentary rocks will have a higher Magnetic magnetic susceptibility than felsic igneous rocks, (aeromagnetic) siliciclastic and carbonate sediments and their metamorphic survey derivatives.. A concentration or occurrence of material of economic interest in or on the Earth's crust in such a form, quality, and quantity that there are reasonable and realistic prospects for eventual economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, continuity and other geological characteristics of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated from specific geological knowledge, or interpreted from a Mineral Resource well constrained and portrayed geological model The economically mineable part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses, which may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments and studies have been carried out, and include consideration of and modification by realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction could reasonably be justified. Ore Reserves are sub-divided in order of increasing confidence Mineral Reserve into Probable Ore Reserves and Proved Ore Reserves. Also known as gamma ray spectrometry, is the measure of natural radiation on the top 30-45cm of the earth's surface. The abundance of the three naturally occurring radioactive elements, potassium (K), thorium (Th) and uranium (U), is proportional to the abundance of minerals containing those elements. This information can be used in mapping the surface geology including the definition of areas of Radiometric potassium enrichment related to hydrothermal alteration. A sample of rock collected for analysis, from one or several close spaced sample points at a location. Unless otherwise stated, this type of sample is not representative of the variation in grade across the width of an ore or mineralised body and the assay results cannot be used in a Mineral Rock chip Resource Estimation Multiple connected veins with more than one orientation, typically consisting of millimetre to centimetre thick Stockwork fracture-fill veins and veinlets. The longest horizontal dimension of an ore body or zone of Strike length mineralisation. A sheet-like body of crystallised minerals within a rock, generally forming in a discontinuity or crack between two rock masses. Economic concentrations of gold are often Vein contained within vein minerals.

About Condor Gold plc:

Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM on 31st May 2006. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Central America.

Condor completed a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and two Preliminary Economic Assessments (PEA) on La India Project in Nicaragua in December 2014. The PFS details an open pit gold mineral reserve of 6.9 Mt at 3.0 g/t gold for 675,000 oz gold producing 80,000 oz gold p.a. for 7 years. The PEA for the open pit only scenario details 100,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years whereas the PEA for a combination of open pit and underground details 140,000 oz gold production p.a. for 8 years. La India Project contains a total attributable mineral resource of 18.08 Mt at 4.0 g/t for 2.31 M oz gold and 2.68 M oz silver at 6.2 g/t to the CIM Code.

In El Salvador, Condor has an attributable 1,004,000 oz gold equivalent at 2.6 g/t JORC compliant resource. The resource calculations are compiled by independent geologists SRK Consulting (UK) Limited for Nicaragua and Ravensgate and Geosure for El Salvador.

For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact:



Condor Gold plc

Mark Child, Executive Chairman and CEO

+44-(0)-20-7493-2784



Beaumont Cornish Limited

Roland Cornish and James Biddle

+44-(0)-20-7628-3396



Numis Securities Limited

John Prior and James Black

+44-(0)-20-7260-1000



Farm Street Media

Simon Robinson

+44-(0)-7593-340107





Disclaimer

Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement.
CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The New Zealand dollar weakened against other major currencies in the Asian session on Tuesday. The NZ dollar fell to a 6-day low of 1.0699 against the Australian dollar, from yesterday's closing value of 1.0649. The kiwi dropped to 0.7499 against the U.S. dollar, from an early 4-day high of 0.7524. Against the euro and the yen, the kiwi edged down to 1.5772 and 82.65 from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.5759 and 82.81, respectively. If the kiwi extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.08 against the aussie, 0.73 against the greenback, 1.59 against the euro and 81.00 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Totalkredit A/S will hold an extraordinary general meeting on Wednesday 9 August 2017 at 10:00 at Kalvebod Brygge 1-3, DK-1780 Copenhagen V. -o0o- Agenda: 1. Election of members of the Board of Directors. Kim Duus, Group Managing Director, Sren Holm, Group Managing Director, and Anders Jensen, Group Managing Director, are retiring from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors recommends John Fisker, CEO, Lasse Nyby, CEO, and John Christian-sen, CEO, as new members of the Board of Directors. The agenda of the Company's general meeting will be available for inspection by the shareholders at the Company's address prior to the general meeting. According to the Articles of Association and the rules laid down in the Danish Companies Act, admittance to the general meeting is subject to collection of an admission card at least three days prior to the general meeting. It should be noted that Nykredit Realkredit A/S owns all the shares of the Company. Totalkredit A/S Board of Directors Contact: Questions may be addressed to Jens Theil, Head of Press Relations, tel +45 44 55 14 50.

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.
BearingPoint joined forces with Continental ITS on a breakthrough project to design a digital platform for drivers, enabling Continental to redefine its customer relationships

Customer experience is a big driver of connected vehicles, and just as consumers expect seamless digital solutions from their banks and fashion retailers, so too do they have the same expectations from their road vehicles. Continental ITS worked with management and technology consultancy BearingPoint to develop new digital service offerings for drivers and, in so doing, deepened the relationship with customers.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801005697/en/

BearingPoint: Continental Transforms Its Business with a Digital Service Model (Photo: Business Wire)

Commenting on the team's goal of positioning Continental ITS as an end-to-end service provider, Arno Semmelroth, Director of Ideation, Continental AG, said, "With BearingPoint's help we were able to rapidly accelerate and professionalise the process of becoming a digital ecosystem."

Continental already had an extremely successful business of supplying vehicle parts to service centers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In addition, it could communicate directly with customers by sending data messages to onboard units, which reported on fuel consumption, range and efficiency. But with technological advancements and dynamic markets, the company did not want to squander its chance to develop its value network further: it has set up a smart mobility platform for its customers.

Using "eHorizon," a state-of-the-art dynamic mapping system that updates the car's digital map in real-time, Continental had a basis for enhancing its communications with customers. The system harnesses "swarm intelligence" to continuously supply the digital map in the back-end with accurate and up-to-date information. This ensures drivers are informed in advance of obstacles along their route, such as roadwork, debris and traffic jams.

The sticking point was which digital services it should focus on. Together with BearingPoint, a team was assembled to devise the right digital services specifically for motorcyclists.

BearingPoint's Digital Innovation Generator formed the heart of the approach to transform Continental ITS from a traditional service to a digital service model business. In the words of Rene Korner, Senior Manager Strategy Business Development, Continental AG, "BearingPoint's Digital Innovation Generator considers all relevant facets of a service offering. In this way we were able to reduce learning curves and use a structured framework to convince all participants of our approach."

Beginning with Continental's current position, the tool uses a tailored, iterative methodology to tackle product service development and business model definition, and concludes with implementation support.

Some of the key benefits that arose from the project:

Setting up new value propositions for both existing customers (automotive OEMs, etc.) and new customers (motorcyclists) by launching eHorizon

Developing the business concept eHorizon for motorcycles with Continental ITS as an end-to-end service provider

Creating a sophisticated digital service offering that forms the basis of a broader digital ecosystem

This digital ecosystem will enable the business to participate in such areas as "smart cities"

Presenting Continental ITS as an "orchestrator" in smart mobility by combining hardware and software

"The project has equipped Continental with the mindset and toolset to quickly identify and capture business opportunities in the future for exceptional market share growth," said Stefan Penthin, Global Leader Operations at BearingPoint.

For more information, you can download the case study here: https://www.bearingpoint.com/en/our-success/client-stories/digital-service-offering-for-connected-bikers/

About BearingPoint

BearingPoint is an independent management and technology consultancy with European roots and a global reach. The company operates in three units: Consulting, Solutions and Ventures. Consulting covers the advisory business; Solutions provides the tools for successful digital transformation, regulatory technology and advanced analytics; Ventures drives the financing and development of start-ups. BearingPoint's clients include many of the world's leading companies and organizations. The firm has a global consulting network with more than 10,000 people and supports clients in over 75 countries, engaging with them to achieve measurable and sustainable success.

For more information, please visit:

Homepage: www.bearingpoint.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bearingpoint

Twitter: @BearingPoint

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801005697/en/

Contacts:

BearingPoint

Alexander Bock, +49 89 540338029

Manager Communications

alexander.bock@bearingpoint.com
MIAMI, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Luggage wrapping and protection services company TrueStar Group is suing Safe Wrap of Florida, subsidiary of publicly quoted and Milan- listed company Safe Bag, in a bid to secure a new tender for Miami International Airport's baggage wrapping contract.

TrueStar lost its service contract at Miami International in 2013 to competitor Safe Bag due to a last-minute controversial action of the Miami-Dade commissioners and alleges in its lawsuit "a clear error of judgement and an action not based upon consideration of relevant factors."

TrueStar's CEO, Fabio Talin, claims it was an incredibly unfair decision. "After years of service to passengers at Miami airport, we won the tender as specified by the bidding rules," he says.

"However, the commissioners changed the usual rules by cancelling the award and directly assigned the tender to the losers. It does not make any sense, as we offered the higher bid and won. It was an arbitrary decision, full of shadows, to take this contract away from us."

Since awarding the contract to Safe Wrap in 2013, Miami-Dade commissioners have reduced the minimum guarantee, or rent to operate at Miami International, by 65%, from $9.6 million to $3.5 million in an expedited legislative process that bypassed the normal committee hearing. The revenue-sharing requirement was further reduced from 52% to 35%. In addition, Miami International has also eliminated the $1.8 million in back rent that Safe Wrap owed the airport.

Talin says that during his company's 3-year concession from 2010 to 2013, TrueStar paid more than $25 million in rent, while SafeWrap only paid $4 million since 2013.

Safe Bag, which is traded on the Milan stock exchange, is controlled by Rudolph Gentile and the Gentile family of Italy.

"Why was the tender awarded to a company that pays millions of dollars less to airport?" Talin asks. "This is not in the interest of the county nor in the interest of the citizens. Miami-Dade is missing out on tens of millions of dollars over a multi-year period by having SafeWrap handle the baggage-wrapping at Miami instead of TrueStar. How can that be?"

TrueStar Group: http://www.truestargroup.com
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Intertek Group Plc (ITRK.L), a provider of quality and safety services, reported Tuesday that its first-half profit before tax climbed 27.9 percent to 190.8 million pounds from 149.2 million pounds last year. Earnings per share climbed 18 percent to 82.5 pence from 70.0 pence a year ago. Adjusted profit before tax was 210.3 million pounds, compared to last year's 172.5 million pounds. Adjusted earnings per share were 90.4 pence, compared to 74.5 pence a year ago. Revenue for the period grew 14 percent to 1.37 billion pounds from 1.20 billion pounds a year earlier. Group revenue increased 2.7% at constant rates, while organic revenue growth rate was 1.7% at constant rates. Further, the company said its Directors have approved an interim dividend of 23.5 pence per share, a growth of 21.1 percent from last year, to be paid on 13 October to shareholders on the register at close of business on 29 September. Looking ahead, the company said it is well positioned to deliver solid organic revenue growth with robust margin progression at constant currency and strong cash conversion in 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.
-- The group made an Operating Profit of 6.7M SEK and a net profit of 575K SEK in Q2 of 2017. -- Gross margin in the quarter was 43% including the effect of licensing revenue of 1 million USD and increased margins at Pen Generations. -- Overhead costs in the quarter amounted to 15 MSEK, significantly down from Q1 2017 (48 MSEK) and Q4 2016 (80 MSEK). This is the impact of cost reduction activities flowing through to operating results. Most of the overhead costs for the Lund office are still included in the Q2 number. -- For the first half of 2017, the Company recorded 95 MSEK of revenue, negative 25 MSEK in Operating Profit, and a net loss of 37 MSEK. -- Revenue for the quarter increased from 45.7 MSEK to 49.1 MSEK despite the reduction in workforce.



CEO Comments



The acquisition of Pen Generations is beginning to pay off as it is rapidly becoming the largest revenue and profit contributor for Anoto. Recent growth in our Education business in Asia has required Anoto to double the production capacity for Pen Generations pens. With continued sluggishness in Forms sales and a seasonal and transitional lull in the Notetaking business, Pen Generations is currently the brightest spot among the existing business lines.



In Q2 2017, we continued our initiatives to restructure the business and announced the closing of the Anoto KK (Japan) office. With the Japan closure, Anoto will have only two offices, one in the UK and one in Korea.



Once again, the reduction in headcount had no impact on revenue as Q2 revenue showed a 7.4% increase over Q1.



Q2 is a turning point for Anoto. The restructuring and cost saving efforts are nearly complete and the management is turning its attention to increasing sales. Anoto hosted a global Solutions Roundtable in Seoul, Korea during the last week of June at which it shared its pen roadmap and R&D. This is a demonstration of Anoto's new dedication to transparent communication and active cooperation within the extensive Anoto global partner network.



OUTLOOK



During the second half of 2017, Anoto's management will concentrate on increasing sales in the Forms and Notetaking businesses. We are also already increasing our Anoto DNA (ADNA) sales activities now that this exciting initiative is ready for commercial launch.



Having recently had the benefit of lots of time with customers, I am more convinced than ever that there is a significant market for Anoto's proprietary technology. It seems evident that in the past Anoto never tru ly made a conscious, strategically guided effort to increase the user base. It is insane to talk about market share when selling a few hundred thousand pens a year to a global population of almost 8 billion people. It is also not relevant to talk about competition with tablets as there are many areas that require a pen rather than a tablet. Starting with the Anoto Solutions Roundtable, we are now beginning to market our technology and products from scratch with a start-up mindset.



As one of our customers eloquently said, the Anoto pen is "changing everything, without changing anything." It is an instrument where training is not necessary and adoption is relatively easy. One of our key customers who is also a professor at MIT said, "An Anoto pen is not just a pen. It is a piece of precision equipment and you guys don't know it." There are substantive reasons we have customers who have stayed loyal to us for years and, in spite of poor execution in the past, they still believe in Anoto and in our technology. We are now developing to our potential.



At the beginning of July 2017, Anoto launched a convertible bond offering to secure working capital to meet increased demand and to prepare manufacturing lines and inventory for our new pen launching in the third quarter of this year. We were able to close this offering on July 21st with 32.5 MSEK raised in less than one month from the announcement to closing. We did this without the help of a securities firm and without wide-net sales activities involving a prospectus. Despite having a six-month lock-up, we were able to raise substantially more than anticipated. I believe this is a sign of investor confidence returning to Anoto. With the combination of operational profit and the proceeds from the offering, Anoto's financial position has improved significantly.



Joonhee Won CEO, Anoto Group AB (publ)



This information is information that Anoto Group AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons above, at 08:45 CET on 1 August 2017.



Calendar 2017



Q3 Report - 7th December, 2017



Please visit www.anoto.com/investors for the latest investor calendar information.



For more information



Please contact:



Joonhee Won, CEO Email: ir@anoto.com



Anoto Group AB (publ.), Corp. Id. No. 556532-3929 Mobilvagen 10 SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden Phone: +46 46 540 12 00 www.anoto.com



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CINCINNATI, OH / ACCESSWIRE / August 1, 2017 / M Pharmaceutical Inc. (CSE: MQ, OTCQB: MPHMF, FWB: T3F2) ("M Pharma"), announces today that to better align with its expertise in the healthcare field, it is changing the name and branding of its wholly owned subsidiary M Pharmaceutical USA branding to Callitas Therapeutics Inc. The name of the parent company remains as it is for now.

A clinical-stage company developing innovative technologies for weight management and female health and wellness, the new name reflects its broader commitment to drive the innovations needed to shape the future of healthcare. The new corporate website is now - www.callitas.com.

To view the new company logo, please click on the following link:

https://www.accesswire.com/uploads/mpharmimage1new%20logo.jpg

"Our new name, Callitas Therapeutics, reflects our wide-ranging business objective of developing and delivering innovative technologies for weight management and female health and wellness," said Gary Thompson, President and CEO of Callitas Therapeutics and M Pharma. "As a company with its roots in female health and wellness, we are committed to delivering breakthrough products and services that truly improve daily living. Aligning our logo with the beautiful and strong Calla Lily seems most appropriate in light of our mission."

Formed in early 2015, Callitas Therapeutics Inc. is a clinical-stage company developing innovative technologies for obesity, weight management and female health & wellness. In addition to its recent acquisitions of C-103, a reformulation of Orlistat and assets from 40J's LLC, M Pharma is scheduled to launch their FDA cleared fertility product branded as ToConceive sometime in September 2017.

M Pharmaceutical Inc. trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the ticker symbol "MQ" as well as on the OTCQB as "MPHMF" and FWB (Frankfurt Stock Exchange) as "T3F2."

For more information contact:

Callitas Investor Relations

Phone: +1 (859) 868-3131

www.callitas.com

Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. This news release includes forward-looking statements with respect to the regulatory approval, commercialization of the rights to the Company's biomedical & drug technologies, and acquisition of new products. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com and the Company's filings to the CSE at www.cnsx.ca. Such risk factors may cause the inability of the Company to successfully commercialize any of its biomedical technologies.

Notice regarding investigational devices: C-103 and Extrinsa are investigational drugs or devices and are not currently available outside of approved clinical trials. Claims regarding the safety and efficacy of these devices have not been evaluated by Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or any other international regulatory body.

SOURCE: M Pharmaceutical Inc.
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Yamaha Corp. (YAMHF.PK) reported that through the second quarter of fiscal 2018 (April 1, 2017 to September 30, 2017), its net income attributable to owners of parent decreased 27.8 percent to 19.64 billion yen from 27.21 billion yen in the prior-year period. Earnings per share declined to 104.75 yen from 145.10 yen in the year-ago period. Through the second quarter of fiscal 2018, net sales rose 5.3 percent to 209.80 billion yen from 199.15 billion yen in the same period last year. Operating income declined 2.9 percent to 23.93 billion yen from 24.65 billion yen a year ago. Looking ahead to the year ending March 31, 2018, Yamaha Motor forecast net income attributable to parent company shareholders of 39.0 billion yen, operating income of 50.0 billion yen and net sales of 432.0 billion yen. The company said that its full-year outlook is unchanged from the previous forecast. 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.
MEXICO CITY (dpa-AFX) - Fresnillo plc (FRES.L) reported that its third-quarter silver production was 14.6 million ounce, including Silverstream, up 24.1% from last year, primarily due to the start of operations at San Julian phase II and ramp up of phase I. Quarterly gold production was 233 thousand ounce, up 6.1% from the prior year, due to the contribution from San Julian, a reduction in gold inventories and increased volume of ore deposited at Herradura. Looking ahead, the company said it is on track to achieve 2017 production guidance of 58 million ounce -61 million ounce of silver, including Silverstream and 870-900 thousand ounce of gold. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 3:45 am ET Tuesday, Markit Economics is due to release its services PMI figures for Italy. PMI reports for France and Germany are due at 3:50 am ET and 3:55 am ET, respectively. The manufacturing PMI for the Eurozone is due at 4:00 am ET. Meanwhile, the Federal Labor Agency is slated to release Germany's unemployment data at 3:55 am ET. The jobless rate is forecast to remain unchanged at 5.7 percent in July. Ahead of the reports, the euro fell against other major currencies. As of 3:40 am ET, the euro was trading at 0.8943 against the pound, 1.1434 against the Swiss franc, 1.1815 against the U.S. dollar and 130.23 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
BANGKOK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- By sharing its Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as a model, Thailand is helping other developing nations achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated.

Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, the final goal - revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development - may be the most compelling of all. Because the only way we can build a better world is by working together. So many of the challenges we face, from climate change to eradicating diseases, are borderless. Although we measure results on a nation-by-nation basis, unless nations can find ways to work together for the good of our planet and its peoples, our future will ultimately be unsustainable.

As the 2016 chair of the Group of 77 - the largest coalition of developing nations at the United Nations - the Kingdom of Thailand made its primary mission to enhance cooperation between North and South and also to strengthen South-South Cooperation. This exchange of resources, technology and knowledge between developing countries, often referred to as the Global South, can be complementary to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. As chair country, Thailand worked to transform this vision into action. Even before its chairmanship, Thailand had been sharing its own model of development among countries grappling with the challenges of a changing world. That model is known as the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.

Initiated by the late monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej through decades of working to uplift the nation's poor people, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is an approach to development and to life that is based on moderation, reasonableness and prudent decision-making. It prescribes living in harmony with the environment and making wise use of resources in order to build resilience and wellbeing. Its principles can be applied to farmers, communities, businesses and nations. In the context of the philosophy, sufficiency does not mean living in isolation. It calls for communities to work together for the common good - the essence of partnerships.

Thailand understands the value of working together. Once a country in need of development assistance, Thailand is now a donor nation, providing fund and sharing its resources of knowledge, technical assistance, scholarships and capacity building with less developed nations. In 2015, the Kingdom provided $78 million in Official Development Assistance to other countries through the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, while foreign direct investment surpassed $58 billion, with much of it going to the developing world.

While generous funding is important, even more value lies in Thailand's willingness to share its knowledge and experience with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. To date, representatives from 105 countries have participated in workshops, seminars and training courses hosted by Thailand on the philosophy and its applications.

Thailand has been partnering with several countries to help them implement their own development projects based on Sufficiency Economy Philosophy principles and methods. Timor-Leste is employing decision-making processes based on the philosophy's framework for sustainable agriculture projects and to support the launch of small businesses. Cambodia has established a Sufficiency Economy village as a pilot for more communities. Indonesia is using sufficiency principles shared by Thai advisors for ecological farming projects that raise incomes and quality of life for villagers. And neighboring Myanmar is working with Thai partners to establish sustainable development centers and rural development projects on sufficiency principles.

Far beyond Asia, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is being adopted for the benefits of local peoples. In the southern African nation of Lesotho, Thailand has supported the establishment of a center to introduce integrated farming and agro-forestry farming that is protecting that nation's environment while providing greater food security and livelihoods for participants. Several nations in South America have also been applying approaches based on the philosophy.

"Development approaches like the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy of Thailand, that promotes development with values, which not only complement the [SDG] agenda, but our own national development framework, will certainly help us in implementing the SDGs,' Guillame Long, Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs, told the UN General Assembly last year.

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will require commitment and perseverance. For some countries in the Global South with limited resources and capacities, the tasks at hand may appear enormous. Despite its own limitations, Thailand achieved the Millennium Development Goals ahead of schedule, owing a significant degree of that success to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Thailand is willing to partner with any country seeking knowledge, expertise and a proven path to sustainable development. Because there is only one way to build a better world - and that way is together.

CONTACT:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Tel. +662 203 5000 ext. 22050
LONDON, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Global sales of agave-based spirits are poised for further growth, new research claims, as Tequila's success continues in the next few years, supplemented by the increasing significance of mezcal.

According to the Global Tequila and Mezcal Insights joint-report from just-drinks and the IWSR, released this week, sales of Tequila will move up from their current level of just over 30m cases to nearly 35m cases in 2021. While mezcal remains tiny in comparison at 640,000 cases in 2016, the segment is growing dynamically in Mexico and the US - as illustrated by Pernod Ricard's move last month to acquire a controlling stake in leading player Del Maguey.

Tequila remains heavily reliant on the US and Mexico for sales. The two markets accounted for nearly 83% of category volumes in 2016, and this share is set to hit 84.5% by 2021. The US will largely drive that increase, thanks not only to the ubiquity of the Margarita cocktail on bar and restaurant menus, but also the growing consumer perception of Tequila as a quality sipping spirit on a par with Cognac or single malt Scotch whisky.

The mission of major brands such as Cuervo, Sauza and Patron is to accomplish a similar transformation in perceptions in Tequila's other export markets, where the spirit is still often associated with low-quality mixto products, consumed as shots.

There are signs of positive change in the UK, as well as some southern European and South American markets, with only Germany expected to decline among Tequila's top 20 markets.

For full details on just-drinks and the IWSR's Global Tequila and Mezcal Insights report, visit the just-drinks market research store.

About the IWSR

The IWSR is the leading source of data and analysis on the beverage alcohol market. The IWSR's database, essential to the industry, quantifies the global market of wine, spirits, beer and mixed drinks by volume and value, and provides insight into short- and long-term trends. Our data is used by all of the largest multinational companies, as well as many more local companies. The IWSR's unique methodology allows us to get closer to what is actually consumed and better understand how markets work. The IWSR conducts face-to- face interviews with over 1,500 companies in 118 countries each year, with further input from 350 companies. The IWSR tracks overall consumption and trends at brand, quality and category level. The IWSR Magazine, written by the IWSR's specialist international analysts, features industry news, new products, interviews with key industry players and in-depth market analysis based on unique access to the IWSR's data."

About just-drinks.com

just-drinks.com is the online news, insight and research portal for the global drinks industry. Our editorial team includes contributors from around the world, while our commentators comprise experts in their respective fields of beer, bottled water, soft drinks, spirits (both brown and white) and wine. Under the direction of managing editor Olly Wehring, we offer an impartial voice and are driven by our passion for the drinks industry.

For further information and images please contact James Lawley, Public Relations at Aroq Limited on +44-(0)-1527-573-606, email james.lawley@aroq.com
LONDON, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Business Worldwide Magazine (BWM) is delighted to announce the recipients of its highly-contested and third annual CEO Awards 2017.

Winners of the BWM CEO Awards were chosen from our largest ever number of applicants sent in by business professionals from across the globe. Short-lists of three for individual sectors were written up and finally, following further research and interviews, a winner chosen for each particular category.

Decisions by the BWM judging panel were based on not simply the success the particular CEO had brought his or her company (financial results, customer satisfaction), but also their willingness to mentor other staff, transparency and how much they were able to pass on their enthusiasm to the rest of their team.

Sectors covered in the Awards included healthcare, technology, financial services, energy and construction while CEO's under consideration were based around the globe.

A spokesperson for BWM, here in the UK, said: "Once again, we are delighted to be able to recognise enthusiastic and passionate individuals at the height of the career who are making a difference not just for their company and the sector in which they operate, but also the staff whom they nurture.

"In encouraging and enthusing their staff they are, we hope, helping to raise the next generation of leading, ethical CEOs.

"Each of these inspiring individuals from around the globe have obviously, what we term as, 'gone the extra mile and beyond' and because of that each and every one deserves the Award they have been presented with. We wish them future success in their own personal, and their company's endeavours."

More information on our Business Worldwide Magazine CEO Awards can be found at

http://www.bwmonline.com/awards/ceo-awards-winners-2017/

About Business Worldwide Magazine

Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few.

www.bwmonline.com



Contact

David Jones

Awards Department

E:david.jones@bwmonline.com





W: http://www.bwmonline.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Newstrike Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: HIP) ("Newstrike" or the "Company") announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary Up Cannabis Inc. ("Up" or "Up Cannabis"), has completed its previously announced acquisition of a modern greenhouse facility along with related equipment, chattels and approximately 16.6 acres of land located in Ontario's Niagara region (the "Acquisition").

The Acquisition was financed in-part through a secured acquisition facility provided by a syndicate of Newstrike officers, directors and shareholders, led by Beechhill Capital Corp. with the balance funded from existing capital resources.

Acquisition Highlights:

-- Situated in the Niagara Region along a major transportation corridor: The Acquisition adds approximately 160,000 sq. feet of cultivation space, capable of producing approximately 12,000kg of dried cannabis per year, to Up Cannabis' existing portfolio of growing platforms; -- Adds approximately 40,000 sq. feet of dedicated space suitable for administration, as well as the packaging and shipping/receiving of Up products; -- Includes 16.6 acres of land, which has the expansion potential to add up to an additional 140,000 sq. feet of production space which Up believes will increase capacity by a further 10,000kg to an aggregate potential capacity of 25,000 kg annually. -- Up plans to apply for licensing of this new facility under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR") as a "Site B", or adjunct to its existing licensed facility in Brantford, Ontario.

"The closing of the Acquisition marks the achievement of another important milestone in the realization of Newstrike's strategic growth plan," said Jay Wilgar, CEO. "It will allow for Up to increase production capacity by a factor of five, while also introducing potential efficiencies into our operations through economies of scale and the associated potential cost savings," added Wilgar.

Annual Financial Statements:

The Company has also issued its Audited Financial Statements, Notes and MD&A (collectively, the "Audited Statements") for the fiscal year-ended March 31, 2017. Copies are available at www.sedar.com. Shareholders should note that the period covered by the Audited Statements predates the completion of the business combination with resulted in the Company shifting operations to focus exclusively on the evolving market for cannabis in all acceptable forms.

About Newstrike:

Newstrike is the parent company of Up Cannabis Inc., a licensed producer of medical cannabis based in Brantford, Ontario that received its cultivation license on December 19th, 2016.

Newstrike, through its ownership of licensed producers, intends to develop a diverse network of high quality cannabis brands that addresses the needs of medical clients and eventually, as the law allows, adult consumers.

For more information visit www.newstrike.ca.

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Statements about the production capacity, expansion plans and licencing through the ACMPR are all forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that they will remain in force as described above. Newstrike assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Newstrike Resources Ltd.

Allan Rewak

(647) 206-1231

arewak@newstrike.ca

www.newstrike.ca




Kantar 'Trust in News' study reveals 'mainstream news media' reputation remains largely intact while social media and digital-only news platforms sustain major reputation damage as result of 'fake news' narratives during recent election cycles.

Kantar today releases the results of its global 'Trust in News' study. The report, which surveyed 8,000 individuals across Brazil, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America about their attitudes to news coverage of politics and elections, finds:

1. The efforts to brand 'mainstream news media' as 'fake news' have largely failed. The reputation of traditional print and broadcast media outlets has proven more resilient than social media platforms and online only news outlets, primarily as a result of the depth of coverage being delivered.

2. Audiences are becoming more widely informed and sophisticated in their engagement with, and evaluation of, news content.

3. The public retain a belief that journalism is key to the health of democracy but have become more skeptical. Specifically, in both in Brazil and USA, where a significant percentage of the population believe 'fake news' impacted the outcome of their most recent elections.

Who do we trust?

The reputational fallout of the 'fake news' phenomenon has been predominantly borne by social media and messaging platforms, and 'online only' news channels. Print magazines, at 72%, are the most trusted news source, closely followed by the other traditional outlets of print newspapers and TV and radio news. Only one in three recognize social media sites and messaging apps as a trusted news source. 'Online only' news outlets are trusted by half of the population, significantly less than their print and broadcast brethren. Interestingly, the online presence of print and broadcast media are trusted slightly less than the originating titles and channels.

Social media and messaging platforms have sustained significant reputational damage as a source of trusted news. News coverage of politics and elections on social media platforms (among which Facebook is dominant with 84% usage in the preceding week) and messaging apps (of which Whatsapp is the most used) is 'trusted less' by almost sixty percent of news audiences (58% 57% respectively) because of the 'fake news' phenomenon. 'Online only' news outlets also sustained significant reputational damage in this respect: 'trusted less' by 41% of news audiences.

Print titles have proved more resilient, experiencing a smaller loss of trust, with print magazines and newspapers both 'trusted less' by 23% of audiences. However, both categories also experienced similar increases in trust in their coverage (23% and 17% respectively). Print media nets out with more than three quarters of news audiences trusting them 'the same' or 'more than' before the 'fake news' phenomenon. 24-hour news channels also retain a strong position as a trusted source with 78% of news audiences trusting them 'the same' or 'more than' before the 'fake news' narrative.

Across all four surveyed countries, 46% of news audiences believe 'fake news' had an influence on the outcome of their most recent election. This was most pronounced in Brazil where 69% believed fake news had an impact, and the USA where 47% believe there was an influence. There is though some recognition that companies like Facebook and Google are taking steps to tackle 'fake news'. (13% of UK news audiences claiming to have seen efforts vs a third of Brazilians, 16% in France and 22% in the US).

News consumption habits are evolving.

The news-reading public are becoming a more widely informed audience. 40% of news audiences have increased the number of news sources they use compared to 12 months prior. 'All online' has overtaken television as the primary source of news (figure 3). With under 35 year olds, social media despite its reputational issues -almost matches television as a source of news (65% Vs 69%).

The news audience is additionally becoming a more thoughtful audience. Contrary to 'news filter bubble' or 'echo chamber' narratives, we find 40% of social media users explore alternate views to their own and almost two thirds worry that 'personalization' will create a 'news filter bubble'. More than three quarters of news consumers claim to have independently fact-checked a story, while 70% have reconsidered sharing an article worried that it might be fake news. On the flip side, almost one in five admit to sharing a story after reading only the headline.

The Kantar 'Trust in News' survey conducted representative sample surveys of 2,000 individuals each in Brazil, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. A more complete summary of the survey can be found on Kantar Insight pages, along with access to the full report.

Quotes:

Eric Salama, CEO, Kantar

"Traditional news media have largely defended itself against the "fake news" accusations and continue to enjoy high levels of trust among news audiences. The challenge now is for those companies to monetize that loyalty and we've identified some routes for them to explore. Traditional news media need to have the confidence to invest in their brands, while devising flexible subscription models for younger generations of consumers who have grown comfortable with subscription models. Trust in News will prove a rich source of insight for all news providers trying to navigate this societally-important and fast-changing market."

Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP

I am pleased to see Trust in News confirm that brand recognition is still a key driver for direct engagement between news brands and consumers. We know the major social media companies have started to address the 'fake news' problem. In quantifying the extent to which 'fake news' has damaged the reputations of social media brands as sources of news, this study reinforces how important that work will be moving forward."

---End---

Note to Editors US DATA POINTS

Social Media still has more believers than non-believers:

37% of Americans believe social media outlets can provide trustworthy news, which is far less than the 70%* that feel that printed news outlets, including magazines, provide them with trustworthy news.

Older respondents (over 55 years old) were more likely to have an "untrustworthy" viewpoint vs younger.

*this is the average between National newspapers (75% positive); Local newspapers (61% positive); and news magazines (74% positive)

Political ideology affects how consumers gauge social media's trustworthiness

Nearly half (47%) of right-leaning consumers have a positive outlook on social media's ability to provide them with news they can trust, while only 22% of left-leaning respondents shared that same view.

On the flipside, left-leaning respondents were more likely to describe news on social media as untrustworthy (37%) compared to right-leaning ones (23%).

Newspapers are proving far more resilient to "fake news" epidemic than social media

More than half (59%)** of Americans say hearing about "fake news" hasn't affected their level of trust in newspapers, and 17% said it's actually increased their level of trust.

their level of trust. However, 24% admit that "fake news" has decreased their level of trust in newspapers.

When it comes to social media, 54% of Americans say that "fake news" has eroded their trust in those sources.

** Average between national and local newspapers

What is "fake news"?

Overall, more than 60% of Americans believe the term "fake news" is defined as a story that is factually incorrect, either by mistake or on purpose.

72% of right-leaning Americans believe that "fake news" means a story that is deliberately fabricated by a mainstream news outlet.

When it comes to moderate or left-leaning respondents, a little more than half would use that definition.

Only 37% believe that "fake news" is something put out by someone masquerading as a news outlet.

How consumptions habits have changed

Americans are varied in how they get their news, though social media is becoming a primary news source

38% of Americans said they get their news by using social media.

The next-most cited was a tie (36%) between keyword searches or directly accessing news websites and apps.

Despite holding an unfavorable view of social media's trustworthiness, left-leaning respondents were more likely to use it as their main news source (44%) compared to right-leaning (35%).

Showing its place as the dominant social media platform, Facebook was overwhelmingly cited as the top news source on social, with 85% saying they use the platform as a news source.

Life beyond the Advertising

Americans want news to remain free to access, believing that media outlets still get enough ad revenue to support themselves:

Nearly of Americans (72%) say they haven't paid for any kind of news content online in the past year.

Compared to the global sample, Americans are more likely to buy a newspaper, with 45% saying they've purchased one in the past week, compared to 40% of global respondents.

More than half (56%) don't see the point in paying for online news (via a subscription fee) because they can access everything they need for free.

Just 8% feel it's their duty to pay for unbiased and independent journalism.

21% feel that news organizations get enough money from online advertising to support themselves.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171030006313/en/

Contacts:

Daddi Brand Communications

Bill Daddi, 646-370-1341

917-620-3717

Bill@DaddiBrand.com
DUBLIN, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

West Cork based Global Shares, a leading global provider of share plan administration software, share-dealing, global custody and financial reporting tools has today announced the creation of a further 80 new jobs due to rapid global expansion, bringing its total global employee base to 228.

The new positions, some of which were supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland, are across many areas of the business - IT, Financial, Multi-lingual Share Plan Analysts, Service Desk, Trading & Legal. Recruitment will begin immediately with all positions to be filled over the next 24 months. 80% of the new positions will be based in Ireland, primarily at its Headquarters in Clonakilty.

The recruitment drive comes on the back of significant growth in Global Shares' client base which has grown in the past two years from 150 to 250 clients based in 25 countries with participants in over 100 countries globally. During this time Global Shares has signed contracts with 6 FTSE 100 companies and the company's client listing includes GSK, Skanska, Sage, Irish Life, Legal & General, Generali and others.

Today's announcement follows the rapid growth in employee numbers over the last number of years rising from 68 staff in 2015. The latest recruitment drive will grow the Global Shares team to a total of 228 staff members across the company's 10 offices - Clonakilty, Cork City, Dublin, London, Edinburgh, Portugal, Germany, New Jersey, California & Hong Kong.

Speaking at the announcement in West Cork today, Minister of State for Financial Services and Insurance Michael D'Arcy TD, said: "I am delighted to join the Global Shares team today in its global headquarters in Clonakilty to celebrate the announcement of 80 new high tech and professional jobs. Over the last three years, Global Shares has achieved phenomenal global sales success, illustrating the potential of Ireland's financial services sector to create high value, sustainable employment which is of such importance to local communities across the country.

An overarchingobjective of the Government's IFS 2020 Strategy is to strengthen our indigenous Fintech sector as a source of high-value job creation. Approximately one-quarter of 2017 actions target this area. Global Shares is a great example of Enterprise Ireland's policy of strategicinvestment, and today's announcement is proof that an Irish company can compete and succeed on the global stage", he concluded.

Tim Houstoun, CEO, Global Shares said: "Todays job announcement is significant in that we have exceeded our three-year expansion target set in 2015 to create 80 new jobs with today's announcement bringing the total to 160 new positions. We have experienced stellar growth across every aspect of our business over the past two years and additionally became MiFID & FINRA/SEC regulated, meaning we can now offer clients a complete one-stop solution to manage every aspect of their employee share plan. We are at a key point in our growth cycle and have undertaken significant restructuring in recent months to meet the changing needs of our business. This growth has led to the launch of a significant recruitment drive for high-skilled roles and we look forward to receiving applications from those who wish to be part of an exciting and cutting-edge global company."

Martin Corkery, Regional Director, South and South East, Enterprise Ireland said: "We have been working with Tim and the team in Global Shares since its inception in 2006. Global Shares solutions and software have set a new benchmark for the share plan administration industry, delivering unrivalled functionality, customisation, flexibility and an exceptional user-friendly experience. The company is a great example of an Irish Fintech business with global ambition and our aim is to help more Irish companies like Global Shares to compete and win sustained business in overseas markets. Enterprise Ireland looks forward to continuing to work with Global Shares to continue to support their growth ambitions as they expand their reach even further in global markets, strengthening their customer base internationally and continuing to create jobs here in Ireland."

Global Shares is Irish-owned and Irish-headquartered and has invested significantly in its home market in recent years, opening new offices, establishing a new Irish team and gaining an influential client base. The company works closely with the Irish ProShare Association (IPSA) in the drive to grow awareness of employee share ownership with a particular focus on schemes such as the APSS, Clog & SAYE. Global Shares also supports the Government initiative to introduce new share scheme legislation for Small to Medium Sized Enterprises in Budget 2018.

About Global Shares:

Global Shares is a leading provider of equity compensation management solutions, providing Share Plan Administration, Global Custody, Share-dealing, Financial Reporting and expert support services to companies, making it easy to deliver shares to their employees, where ever they are in the world. We develop highly specialised cloud-based software, trading and service solutions for private and public companies of all sizes to manage their employee equity plans. Our technology platform is developed and managed 100% in-house, whilst our highly skilled team of equity professionals deliver the highest levels of service with a personal touch. Our client listing includes some of the largest and best-known companies in the world who use equity compensation to attract and retain a top-class employee base. Our Software has set a new benchmark for the global share plan administration industry. For more information please visit http://www.globalshares.com

For more information:

https://www.globalshares.com/jobs/

HR: Global Shares HR Department: employment@globalshares.com, T: +353-(0)23-8833-062 |

Press: Aisling Riordan, Marketing Manager | E: ariordan@globalshares.com | T: +353-(0)23-8833-062 | http://www.globalshares.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML)(NYSE MKT: DNN)(NYSE American: DNN) is pleased to report a new high-grade uranium intersection in basement rocks from the first hole completed as part of the summer 2017 drilling program at the Waterbury Lake property. Drill hole WAT-17-443 intersected 1.1% eU3O8 over 0.8 metres (from 296.9 to 297.7 metres) approximately 1.5 kilometres to the northeast of the property's J Zone uranium deposit. The high-grade mineralization occurs immediately below a broader 10.3 metre mineralized interval (from 282.8 to 293.1 metres) with an average grade of 0.15% eU3O8. The mineralization is open in all directions and follow-up drilling is presently underway. Results are reported as preliminary radiometric equivalent grades ("eU3O8") derived from a calibrated downhole total gamma probe. The Company subsequently reports definitive assay grades following sampling and chemical analysis of the mineralized drill core.

Dale Verran, Denison's Vice President of Exploration, commented, "This is an exciting start to our summer program at Waterbury Lake. This initial mineralized intercept, and the associated alteration and structure, bodes well for this untested trend on the project. Our extensive knowledge from the Gryphon basement-hosted deposit puts our team in good stead to evaluate this prospect and hopefully build upon the initial intercept. We look forward to reporting further results over the next few weeks."

Drill hole WAT17-443 was orientated steeply to the southeast (azimuth 157 degrees, dip -73 degrees ) and intersected the sub-Athabasca unconformity at a depth of 212 metres, followed by a moderately north dipping package of basement rocks dominated by semi-pelitic gneisses. Mineralization was intersected approximately 70 metres vertically below the unconformity in semi-pelitic gneiss and was associated with strong hematite alteration, bleaching and faulting - features typical of basement-hosted uranium mineralization within the Athabasca Basin. The true thickness of the mineralization is yet to be determined.

The drill hole is the first of a planned six-hole program to test an east-west trend which shares interpreted geological similarities with the east-west trend that hosts the J Zone and Roughrider deposits, which are located approximately one kilometer to the south. The location of drill hole WAT17-443 and the J Zone and Roughrider deposits are provided in Figure 1.

To view Figure 1 please click the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/DenisonFigure1.pdf

The J Zone deposit, located on the Waterbury Lake property, occurs at the sub-Athabasca unconformity and is estimated to contain indicated resources of 12.8 million pounds U3O8 based on 291,000 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 2.0% U3O8. The Roughrider deposit on Rio Tinto's Roughrider property is located immediately along strike to the east of J Zone deposit and occurs at the sub-Athabasca unconformity and below within the basement rocks. Prior to acquisition by Rio Tinto in 2012, the Roughrider deposit was estimated to contain indicated resources of 17.2 million pounds U3O8 based on 394,200 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 1.98% U3O8 and inferred resources of 40.7 million pounds U3O8 based on 161,600 tonnes of mineralization at an average grade of 11.43% U3O8.

The Waterbury Lake property consists of multiple claims covering 40,256 hectares, and is located in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region in northern Saskatchewan. The property is jointly owned by Denison (63.63%) and Korea Waterbury Uranium Limited Partnership ("KWULP") (36.37%) through the Waterbury Lake Uranium Limited Partnership ("WLULP"). KWULP consists of a consortium of investors in which Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power ("KHNP") holds a majority position. KWULP has elected not to fund the 2017 exploration program and, as a result, will incur dilution of its ownership interest in the WLULP.

KHNP is also a significant shareholder in Denison, holding 58,284,000 common shares of Denison, which represents approximately 10.42% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares.

For more information on the J Zone deposit, please refer to the Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate on the J Zone Uranium Deposit, Waterbury Lake Property dated September 6, 2013 by Allan Armitage, Ph. D., P. Geo, and Alan Sexton, M.Sc., P.Geo, of GeoVector Management Inc. available on Denison's website and under the Company's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). For further details on the Roughrider deposit, prior to acquisition by Rio Tinto in 2012, please refer to the Preliminary Economic Assessment Technical Report for the East and West Zones Roughrider Uranium Project, Saskatchewan dated September 2013, 2011 by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. available on SEDAR.

Qualified Persons and Data Quality

Dale Verran, MSc, P.Geo, Pr.Sci.Nat., Denison's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. The Company currently reports preliminary radiometric equivalent grades ("eU3O8"), derived from a calibrated downhole total gamma probe, during its exploration programs and subsequently reports definitive assay grades following sampling and chemical analysis of the mineralized drill core. Radiometric equivalent probe results are subject to verification procedures by qualified persons employed by Denison prior to disclosure. For further details on the total gamma downhole probe methods employed by Denison, QAQC procedures and data verification procedures please see Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 23, 2017 filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR.

About Denison

Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. In addition to its 60% owned Wheeler River project, which hosts the high grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, Denison's exploration portfolio consists of numerous projects covering approximately 359,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin region, including 340,000 hectares in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture ("MLJV"), which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is currently processing ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest deposit and a 63.63% interest in the J Zone deposit on the Waterbury Lake property. Both the Midwest and J Zone deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill.

Denison is also engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Denison Environmental Services division and is the manager of Uranium Participation Corp., a publicly traded company which invests in uranium oxide and uranium hexafluoride.

Follow Denison on Twitter @DenisonMinesCo

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison.

Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: exploration (including drilling) and evaluation activities, plans and objectives, and Denison's percentage in its properties and its plans and agreements with its joint venture partners, as applicable. Statements relating to "mineral reserves" or "mineral resources" are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral reserves and mineral resources described can be profitably produced in the future.

Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 23, 2017 under the heading "Risk Factors". These factors are not, and should not be construed as being exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This press release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

Contacts:

David Cates

President and Chief Executive Officer

(416) 979-1991 ext. 362



Sophia Shane

Investor Relations

(604) 689-7842




LONDON, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

How Adtech players can benefit from 51Degrees' new enhanced device intelligence solution.

Reaffirming position as #1 for device intelligence

51Degrees, the #1 device intelligence specialist, today announces the open trial of its new device detection algorithm. Delivering performance improvements with faster detections per second and reduced memory requirements compared to other high-performance algorithms, this achievement cements 51Degrees' position as the leading device intelligence provider.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/540192/51Degrees_Logo.jpg )

The new algorithm is achieving:

22 million+ detections per second - >3x faster than other solutions*

Better than 99.9% industry leading matching accuracy

114MB fully initialised main memory requirement - 25% memory usage of competitors

As low as 1MB memory overhead with caching

Incorporates over 43,658 unique active global hardware models

739,877 device combinations of hardware, operating system and browser tracked

Builds on 51Degrees' patented technology

For more details refer to 51Degrees performanceblog.

For Demand Side Platforms (DSPs) and ad exchanges, every fraction of a millisecond counts when deciding how to respond to advertising opportunities.

To provide compelling and profitable advertising Adtech businesses operating real time bidding platforms need accurate information about end user's devices and browsers. As header bidding grows in importance the ability to provide actionable intelligence quickly has never been more important. Being slow or getting the bid wrong eats into the bottom line.

51Degrees' enhanced algorithm builds on existing patented techniques to generate device signatures which are faster to evaluate in real time without compromising their market leading accuracy or coverage. The enhancement is easy to deploy for developers as it uses the same interface as existing APIs.

For businesses processing 10s of billions of advertising events per day this enhancement will directly translate into both cost savings and profit compared to legacy regular expression character based solutions even when optimised with caching technology. Compact data files reduce memory consumption meaning smaller and cheaper virtual machine instances can be utilised. This is a significant benefit for businesses with 1000s of cloud server instances.

James Rosewell, CEO and Founder at 51Degrees, said: "51Degrees was quick to recognise the performance requirements for server side header bidding and the growth of programmatic advertising. Over the last year we've been re-engineered the device detection process from the ground up to meet the specific requirements of Adtech customers. I'm delighted we're now unveiling this development to customers and prospects to trial. Any business using regular expression techniques with XML or JSON data files needs to join this free trial and experience for themselves the improvements 51Degrees has achieved in performance, accuracy and breadth. They won't be disappointed."

Rosewell adds: "Just consider this year alone we've added 202,418 device combinations to our database representing a major challenge for legacy suppliers who either need to compromise on device breadth or performance.** 2017 is the year to re-evaluate your device intelligence provider as the technology has improved significantly since 51Degrees entered the market in 2011."

Compare 51Degrees to other device intelligence providershere.

About 51Degrees

51Degrees is the only open source device detection company designed in the current decade for the next decade. Future-proofed through innovative patented technology, its cost-effective, risk-free device detection solutions enable customer-led organisations to create a great web experience.

The company already has a portfolio of granted device detection patents in Europe and the US, and the new high-performance algorithm is patent pending. Its ability to deliver even faster results, with better than 99.9% accuracy demonstrates 51Degrees is clearly leading the way in device intelligence innovation. Other notable industry firsts include: native apps support, performance and accuracy milestones, inclusion of pricing information, date and software status data, and the simple identification of data-minimising browsers such as Opera or UC Browser. Read about more firstshere.

51Degrees is headquartered in Reading, UK. Over 1.5 million websites including global businesses like eBay, AdYouLike, Sizmek, Tonic, Adform, Dstillery already get critical device information from 51Degrees such as size, model, vendor, price, age, video support, and device type.

For more information visit:https://51degrees.com/resources/case-studies

*Tested using Dual 2.2Ghz Intel Xeon E5-2660 v2 10 Core CPU Windows Server 2012 server with unique random sample of 10 million current real world User-Agents. For more details refer to 51Degrees performanceblog

**Refers to the number of device combinations added since 1stJanuary 2017 until 28thJuly 2017
TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - August 01, 2017) - Titan Medical Inc. (TSX: TMD) (OTCQB: TITXF) ("Titan" or the "Company"), a medical device company focused on the design, development and commercialization of a robotic surgical system for application in minimally invasive surgery ("MIS"), announces an agreement with Longtai Medical Inc. ("Longtai") for the conversion of Longtai's US$2.0 million distributorship deposit to equity (the "Offering"). This deposit was made in relation to a letter agreement dated October 30, 2015 providing an exclusivity period to negotiate distribution rights to Titan's robotic surgical system in China and possibly Southeast Asia, and previously was to be refunded in full to Longtai.

Under the terms of the subscription agreement dated July 31, 2017 between Titan and Longtai, Titan will issue to Longtai 16,892,000 units ("Units") at a price of CDN$0.15 per Unit. Each Unit will consist of one common share ("Common Share") and one common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), with each Warrant exercisable for one Common Share at an exercise price of CDN$0.20 per Warrant for 60 months from the closing of the Offering.

David McNally, Chief Executive Officer of Titan, said, "We are very pleased to have reached this agreement with Longtai, which conserves our cash and provides them with an equity ownership position in Titan. Longtai will become our largest shareholder and also is a valued strategic partner as we anticipate expansion into China and Southeast Asia following the introduction of SPORT Surgical System in the United States and Europe."

Ms. Feng Ting Ling, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Longtai, said "We are very excited to become Titan's largest shareholder and a long-term strategic partner. We look forward to working with Titan in the future development of the China and Southeast Asia markets."

The closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a four-month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

About Titan Medical Inc.

Titan is focused on the design and development through the planned commercialization of a robotic surgical system for use in MIS. The Company's SPORT Surgical System, currently under development, includes a surgeon-controlled robotic platform that features multi-articulating instruments for performing MIS procedures through a single incision. The surgical system also includes a workstation that provides a surgeon with an advanced ergonomic interface to the robotic platform for controlling the instruments and provides a 3D high-definition endoscopic view inside a patient's body. The SPORT Surgical System is designed to enable surgeons to perform a broad set of general abdominal, gynecologic and urologic procedures. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.titanmedicalinc.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which reflect the current expectations of management of the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "potential for" and similar expressions have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements, including statements with respect to the use of the net proceeds of the Offering and the anticipated listing of the Common Shares on the TSX, reflect management's current beliefs with respect to future events and are based on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those listed in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2017 (which may be viewed at www.sedar.com). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or achievements may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors should be considered carefully, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in the news release are based upon what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure prospective investors that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements.

LHA Investor Relations

Kim Sutton Golodetz

(212) 838-3777

kgolodetz@lhai.com



or



Bruce Voss

(310) 691-7100

bvoss@lhai.com
TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - August 01, 2017) - Beleave Inc. ("Beleave" or the "Company") (CSE: BE) (CSE: BE.CN) (CNSX: BE) is pleased to announce that it is now beginning work on a technological development research project at Ryerson University, with the goal of developing and validating technologies that are able to quantify micronutrient and heavy metal content in the cannabis plant, in real time. This project is geared to help authorized cannabis cultivators optimize their cultivation process and allow them to rapidly evaluate quality assurance metrics of finished products.

Beleave is partnering with Dr. Robert Gossage, a professor in the department of Chemistry and Biology and Dr. Eric Da Silva, an assistant professor from the Department of Physics at Ryerson University to develop portable spectroscopic instruments and non-destructive methodologies which the Company plans to use to perfect their cultivation practices. The Company and principal investigator will also be making use of the Ryerson University Analytical Center to validate their novel instrumentation and methodologies.

A $25,000 Engage grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has been awarded to help cover some research costs for the 6-month project, which will begin today, August 1 st , 2017. All intellectual property stemming from the development of this novel technology will belong to Beleave.

About Beleave

Beleave, Inc. is a biotech company committed to becoming a licensed producer under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (the "ACMPR"). Beleave's wholly-owned subsidiary First Access Medical Inc. ("FAM") has applied for a license to cultivate and sell medical marihuana pursuant to the ACMPR. As of the date hereof, FAM has successfully advanced past the review stage, and has been issued an affirmation letter from Health Canada prior to a request for a pre-licensing inspection. Beleave's purpose-built facility is located near Hamilton, Ontario.

About Ryerson

Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative, career-oriented education. Urban, culturally diverse and inclusive, the university is home to more than 41,500 students, including 2,400 master's and PhD students, 3,200 faculty and staff, and nearly 170,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit www.ryerson.ca

About NSERC

NSERC invests over $1 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. Its investments deliver discoveries -- valuable world-firsts in knowledge claimed by a brain trust of over 11,000 professors. NSERC's investments enable partnerships and collaborations that connect industry with discoveries and the people behind them. Researcher-industry partnerships established by NSERC help inform R&D, solve scale-up challenges, and reduce the risks of developing high-potential technology.

NSERC also provides scholarships and hands-on training experience for more than 30,000 post-secondary students and post-doctoral fellows. These young researchers will be the next generation of science and engineering leaders in Canada.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. This information is only a prediction. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking information throughout this news release. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: the ability to complete the research that is currently in discussion, requirements to obtain additional funding for such research, timeliness of government approvals for granting of permits and licences, where necessary, actual results and usability from the research, regulatory or political change, competition and other risks affecting the Company in particular and the medical cannabis industry generally. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward -looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

For more information contact:



Sebastian de Kloet

Phone: 1 (905) 979 - 5173

Sebastian@beleave.com

www.beleave.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.
PEORIA (dpa-AFX) - Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) said that Group President and Chief Financial Officer Brad Halverson has elected to retire in early 2018. The company will launch a global, external search to fill the CFO position, and Halverson's decision to continue working into early 2018 will help ensure a smooth transition for the CFO position. Prior to becoming CFO, Halverson served two years as vice president of the Finance Services Division, and before that position, he was the corporate controller. Halverson joined Caterpillar in 1988 as an accountant. In 1993, he moved to Geneva, Switzerland, to become a strategy and planning consultant. He went on to become controller in Europe, responsible for Caterpillar's financial reporting in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Halverson returned to the United States in 1996 to manage general accounting and financial systems. From 1998 until 2002, Halverson was the CFO of Caterpillar's Engine Division and was the director of Mergers & Acquisitions. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Pitney-Bowes (PBI) revealed a profit for second quarter that retreated from last year. The company said its profit declined to $61.05 million, or $0.33 per share. This was lower than $77.14 million, or $0.39 per share, in last year's second quarter. Analysts had expected the company to earn $0.36 per share, according figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company said revenue for the quarter fell 1.7% to $821.37 million. This was down from $835.89 million last year. Pitney-Bowes earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q2): $61.05 Mln. vs. $77.14 Mln. last year. -Earnings Decline (Y-o-Y): -20.9% -EPS (Q2): $0.33 vs. $0.39 last year. -EPS Decline (Y-o-Y): -15.4% -Analysts Estimate: $0.36 -Revenue (Q2): $821.37 Mln vs. $835.89 Mln last year. -Revenue Change (Y-o-Y): -1.7% -Guidance : Full year EPS guidance: $1.70 - $1.78 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Quality Systems Inc. (QSII) reiterated its 2017 revenue outlook of a range of $512 million and $530 million; cut its non-GAAP EPS from a range of $0.66 to $0.74 to a range of $0.62 and $0.70 to account for incremental investments in the EagleDream Health platform. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of $0.70 per share and revenues of $523.05 million for 2017. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. In other news, Jocelyn Leavitt, the Company's Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, informed the Board of Directors of the Company on July 31, 2017 that she will be resigning from her position. Leavitt is resigning to pursue other interests and will remain with the Company until her successor is appointed to ensure a smooth transition. Separately, NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. announced an agreement to acquire EagleDream Health Inc., a cloud-based analytics company that drives meaningful insight across clinical, financial and administrative data to optimize practice performance. The transaction is expected to close in the current quarter upon the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and will be settled in all cash with a value of approximately $26 million. Upon completion, this proposed acquisition of EagleDream Health will mark the second major asset acquired by NextGen Healthcare in 2017, following its earlier purchase of Entrada, Inc. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Great Lakes Graphite Inc. ("GLK" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GLK)(OTC PINK: GLKIF)(FRANKFURT: 8GL) announces the Company has executed an agreement with CHASM Advanced Materials ("Chasm") to establish and operate a Battery Materials Laboratory in the Boston area. Chasm is a privately-owned US manufacturer of premier carbon nanotube (CNT) products.

Highlights

-- Great Lakes Graphite Inc. and CHASM Advanced Materials, Inc. have executed an agreement to establish a Battery Materials Lab (BML). -- The Lab leverages Chasm's unique capabilities and expertise in creating formulations that have been introduced into batteries and energy storage applications. -- The BML will provide advanced capabilities for materials analysis, quality control and product development, including products that combine graphite and CNTs. -- Application for certification of BML facilities by the State of Massachusetts is planned.

The executive management teams of Great Lakes and Chasm developed a concept to establish and operate a Battery Materials Lab. The lab is a natural outgrowth of the specific combination of knowledge, skills, equipment and facilities that are immediately available to make this idea a reality. Great Lakes and Chasm will use the lab to create a sustainable long term competitive advantage for both organizations.

The focus of joint development efforts between Great Lakes and Chasm is enhanced battery materials, which will benefit enormously from Chasm's unique capabilities and expertise in creating formulations that have been introduced into batteries and energy storage applications.

Sophisticated equipment available for use in the Lab will be used critical analyses that are required for battery materials, including: particle size distribution analysis, particle shape analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), visual analysis, tap density and porosity analysis (BET). Building a comprehensive and robust set of analytical capabilities will address ongoing quality control requirements and is expected to help compress product development timelines.

Application for certification of the Battery Materials Lab by the State of Massachusetts will be initiated immediately following establishment of the lab. Certification of the facilities will insure that the Lab is subject to independent regulatory oversight and will also position the Lab to provide fee-based services to external organizations. It is anticipated that burgeoning growth in battery and energy storage applications will drive significant demand for the materials analysis, consulting and product development services that will be provided through the Lab.

Great Lakes Graphite CEO Paul Gorman said, "We were incredibly fortunate to encounter Chasm just as we were entering an advanced stage of planning for a quality control and product development lab for our own purposes. With the equipment that is available at Chasm and the skills and experience represented by our respective teams, creating a Battery Materials Lab was clearly a synergistic opportunity. In the short time since we have met, they have shown themselves to be extremely focused and capable with formidable experience and capabilities in leveraging nanotechnology for energy-related applications. The Company is actively seeking additional sources of liquidity for general working capital purposes and execution of initiatives such as establishing the Battery Materials Lab at CHASM."

Great Lakes Graphite Corporate Update - Director Resignation

The Company further announces that John Carter stepped down from the Board of Directors effective July 28, 2017.

"The Board is appreciative of John's input over the past few years," said Paul Gorman, the Chief Executive Officer of Great Lakes Graphite. "We understand and support his decision to step down. He's made clear his objective to decrease the number of his responsibilities for a number of years, and we appreciate him staying on for as long as he has. We wish him all the best going forward."

About CHASM Advanced Materials, Inc.: Chasm Advanced Materials, Inc. was established in November 2015 and, in early 2016, acquired substantially all of the assets of SouthWest NanoTechnologies (SWeNT) and has reopened the state-of-the-art Carbon Nanotube (CNT) plant in Norman, Oklahoma. Chasm Advanced Materials manufactures high-quality single-wall and few-wall CNT materials made using the patented CoMoCAT process under an exclusive license with the University of Oklahoma.

About Great Lakes Graphite Inc.: Great Lakes Graphite is a Clean Technology Minerals Processing Company supplying customers with innovative, high quality value-added carbon products.

There is no significant graphite production in North America now. As pricing and demand continue to rise, Great Lakes Graphite is one of the first new domestic suppliers to a growing regional customer base. We continually work to deliver products of the best quality with outstanding customer service.

The Company is party to an agreement for long-term supply of high quality natural graphite concentrate from Brazil (see news release dated 03/23/15). Great Lakes Graphite is presently working with an established US-based processor for toll micronization services. The Company has partnered with Ashland Advanced Materials for commercial-scale purification operations at Ashland's 110,000 square foot purification facility located in Niagara, New York.

Through our partner relationships, Great Lakes Graphite began selling micronized synthetic graphite beginning in 2016 and now supplies micronized and high purity micronized natural flake graphite products to a growing customer base.

Further information regarding Great Lakes can be found on the Company's website at: www.GreatLakesGraphite.com.

Great Lakes Graphite trades with symbol GLK on the TSX Venture Exchange and currently has 125,656,830 shares outstanding.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information: Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward looking information" which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking information. When used in this press release, such forward looking information may use such words as "may', "will', "expect', "believe', "plan' and other similar terminology. Forward looking information is provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations relating to the future events and the operating performance of the Company, and readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to fulfill the orders and future orders, regulatory requirements, general economic, market or business conditions and future developments in the sectors of the economy in which the business of Great Lakes operates. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Please see the Company's financial statements, MD&A and other documents available on www.sedar.com, for a more detailed description of the risk factors. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward looking information, whether a result of new information, future results or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Paul Ferguson

Chief Marketing Officer

PFerguson@GreatLakesGraphite.com

1-800-754-4510 x106



Paul Gorman

Chief Executive Officer

PGorman@GreatLakesGraphite.com

1-800-754-4510 x109




MCLEAN, VA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today reported its second quarter results and filed its Form 10-Q with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company's 10-Q and press release are available now on the company's website, www.freddiemac.com/investors, along with the second quarter 2017 financial results supplement.

The company will hold a conference call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time (ET) on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, to discuss the company's results with the media. The conference call will be concurrently webcast and the replay will be available on the company's website at www.FreddieMac.com/investors for approximately 30 days.

Freddie Mac makes home possible for millions of families and individuals by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Since our creation by Congress in 1970, we've made housing more accessible and affordable for homebuyers and renters in communities nationwide. We are building a better housing finance system for homebuyers, renters, lenders and taxpayers. Learn more at FreddieMac.com, Twitter @FreddieMac and Freddie Mac's blog FreddieMac.com/blog.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lisa Gagnon

703-903-3385



INVESTOR CONTACT:

Laurie Garthune

703-903-2135




Vodka Brands Corp Announces Acquisition of Award-Winning, White Diamond Vodka

PITTSBURGH, PA / ACCESSWIRE / November 28, 2017 / VODKA BRANDS CORP (OTC PINK: VDKB) announced plans today, through a letter of intent, to acquire White Diamond Vodka, a premium vodka brand imported from Europe.

As part of the acquisition, Vodka Brands Corp will purchase the White Diamond Vodka brand, which includes the U.S. government trademark and current inventory, from Beverage Brands, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation. Terms were not disclosed.

"We are pleased to announce the future acquisition of White Diamond Vodka," announced Mark Lucero, CEO, Vodka Brands Corp. "The addition of White Diamond Vodka to our product portfolio, complements our portfolio of diamond-themed, premium vodka brands, and expands our distribution network in the United States," he stated. White Diamond Vodka is available for sale in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and in the state of Ohio through Heidelberg Distributing.

"The acquisition of White Diamond Vodka is part of our corporate strategy to expand our national distribution and enhance our brand portfolio. Our vodka products are high-quality, award-winning brands, made from the finest ingredients," he added. White Diamond Vodka was previously awarded a gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in the category of imported vodkas.

"We have set the highest quality standards for our vodka brands, in that all of our vodka products are made from exceptional ingredients, and filtered to perfection to achieve the smoothest possible taste," said Mr. Lucero. White Diamond Vodka is made from premium grains and artesian water, sourced from deep aquifers near the Baltic Sea in Europe. The brand is ultra-filtered and distilled for a smooth taste. White Diamond Vodka is available in 750 ML and one-liter sizes.

Additionally, Vodka Brands Corp owns the brands, Blue Diamond Vodka, a luxury vodka brand made in Europe from six-grain barley and artesian water sourced from 500-foot deep aquifers, and Diamond Girl Vodka, a newly launched European vodka brand and gold medal winner of the 2017 "Fifty Best" competition for imported spirits.

Vodka Brands Corp is a publicly traded corporation (OTC PINK: VDKB) based in Pennsylvania.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements, particularly as related to, among other things, the business plan of Vodka Brands Corp., statements relating to goals, plans, and projections regarding the Vodka Brands Corp.'s financial position and business strategy. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "may result," "are expected to," "will continue," "anticipates," "expects," "estimate," "project," "indicate," "could," "potentially," "should," "believe," "think," "considers," or similar expressions, are intended to identify "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements fall within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by these sections. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions or orders that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the fluctuation of global economic conditions, the performance of management and our employees, our ability to obtain financing, competition, general economic conditions and other factors that are detailed in our periodic reports and on documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Vodka Brands Corp. cautions readers not to place undue reliance on such statements. Vodka Brands Corp does not undertake, and Vodka Brands Corp specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement. Actual results may differ materially from Vodka Brands Corp's expectations and estimates. For more information about Vodka Brands Corp and the risks related to an investment in the Company, investors should review the Company's filing at www.sec.gov with their tax and financial advisor.

MEDIA CONTACT:

VODKA BRANDS CORP

412-681-7777

SOURCE: Vodka Brands Corp
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Sanatana Resources Inc. ("Sanatana" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: STA) is pleased to provide this exploration and operational update on the Jackfish property.

Exploration Update:

Sanatana's exploration program (see the Company's news release dated June 19, 2017) at the Jackfish property commenced in mid-July with the first ground geophysical survey already completed: a VLF survey highlighting a conductivity anomaly linking the Cliff and North Zones. Additionally, preparations have been made for the acquisition of new satellite imagery to generate a high accuracy digital surface model for the property that will serve as a valuable base map for compiling the project 3D GIS database.

Trail clearing with an excavator to gain access into the Wahl property has uncovered two new sites of quartz veining with the presence of sulphide. Grab samples are being collected at these and other areas found by prospecting around the property, with initial assay results expected in the next few weeks. A crew has been mobilized to begin channel cutting and sampling at the recently completed outcrop stripping at the Rudy #4 showing as well as the areas of previously exposed bedrock at the North and Hematite Zones. All of this preliminary field work is essential to developing quality drill targets and fine tuning the drill program planned for later this summer.

Peter Miles, President and CEO, commented: "We are pleased that Sanatana's exploration program at the Jackfish property has begun and we look forward to mobilizing a drill, which is already on site, once our preliminary work is completed. Over the next few months news flow should increase as we generate results from our exploration."

The information in this news release was prepared under the supervisions of Troy Gill, BSc. MAIG, Exploration Manager for Sanatana. Mr. Gill is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Technical Projects and has reviewed and approved the technical information disclosed in this news release.

About the Company

Sanatana Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration and development company that has optioned the Jackfish property in northwestern Ontario. Details of the Jackfish property option agreements are summarized in the Company's news release dated February 7, 2017 (a copy of which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com).

With an experienced management team and board of directors, the Company has the ability required to identify, develop and fund economic mineral properties. Sanatana is based in Vancouver and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE: STA).

SANATANA RESOURCES INC.

Peter Miles, President and Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

Some of the statements contained in this news release are forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "intends", "is expected", "potential", "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond Sanatana's control. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Sanatana Resources Inc.

Mr. Peter Miles

President and Chief Executive Officer

(604) 408-6680

investor@sanatanaresources.com




SANTA ANA, CA and CONSHOHOCKEN, PA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Allied Universal, a leading facility services company and the largest security force in North America, marks its one-year anniversary today after forming a year ago via the merger of AlliedBarton Security Services and Universal Services of America.

"Thank you to all of our employees and clients for their continued support and commitment that contributed to a phenomenal first year as our new company!" said Steve Jones, Allied Universal CEO. "I look forward to our continued success in the security and services industries."

Here are some additional organizational achievements since the merger:

Became the unequivocal leader in guarding services throughout North America. Our security professionals and our company play a major role in keeping the U.S. and Canada safe and secure.

Provided service to over half of the Fortune 500 companies and nearly every major retail mall in the U.S. From healthcare facilities, commercial office buildings, manufacturing and industrial plants, residential communities, transportation facilities and government services, Allied Universal has a significant security presence.

Managed the integration of a workforce of over 150,000 security professionals to perform our jobs on a daily basis and serve our growing customer base.

Implemented a world-class training program, the AU Institute, which offers over 1,000 training assets and professional development programs to enhance our security professionals' delivery of service and protection.

Introduced several technological innovations to expand our physical and operational security solutions and service offerings to enhance the protection of client properties and assets.

To learn more about the company and offerings, visit www.aus.com. As the company continues to grow and expand, we invite job seekers to check out our career opportunities across the organization at www.aus.com/careers.

About Allied Universal

Allied Universal, a leading facility services company and the largest security force in North America with over 150,000 employees, provides unparalleled security services and solutions. With headquarters in Santa Ana, Calif., and Conshohocken, Pa., Allied Universal combines people and technology to deliver evolving, tailored solutions that allow our clients to focus on their core business. An unrelenting focus on clients' success creates partnerships rooted in quality and value, and is supported by experience gained from being in business for over 60 years. Through our people and leading services, systems and solutions...Allied Universal is there for you. For more information, please visit www.aus.com.

Contact:

Nancy Thompson

Vorticom Public Relations

Phone: 212-532-2208

Email: Email Contact




SANTA CLARA (dpa-AFX) - Intel Corp. (INTC) said that on July 31, 2017, the Korea Fair Trade Commission approved its previously announced tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding ordinary shares of Mobileye N.V. (MBLY). The tender offer is being made pursuant to the purchase agreement, dated as of March 12, 2017, by and among Intel, its wholly owned subsidiary Cyclops Holdings LLC, and Mobileye. As a result of the approval of the tender offer from the Korea Fair Trade Commission, all required antitrust clearances have now been obtained. Further, Intel said that the company and Mobileye have agreed that the tender offer will expire at on August 7, 2017, unless the tender offer is extended or earlier terminated. It was previously scheduled to expire on August 11, 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.
Lengthy contracts and ongoing political tensions worldwide will ensure continued US government and military spend, finds Frost & Sullivan's Digital Transformation team

SANTA CLARA, California, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global satellite transponder market is experiencing modest but steady growth. An increase in adoption in remote areas, need for back-up and emergency technology, new high bandwidth, and growth areas like in-flight communications, maritime communication, as well as certain military applications are factors propelling growth. To succeed in a mature and competitive ecosystem, players must harness opportunities in high-growth regions and solve complex integration challenges.

Frost & Sullivan recent analysis, Global Satellite Transponder Market, Forecast to 2023, reveals the market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.9 percent from 2016 to 2023. Even with a low growth rate, the market will account for $2.71 billion more in 2023 than in 2016, therefore causing market competition to remain strong.

To access more information on this analysis, please visit: https://goo.gl/KmJySQ

"The majority of growth in the satellite transponder market is expected to come from new high-bandwidth, Ka-Band and Ku-Band transponder/bandwidth leasing," says Frost & Sullivan Satellite Communications Industry Analyst Peter Finalle. "Ka-Band satellite technology offers premium performance and a higher quality of service than terrestrial networks. These capabilities are driving deployment and adoption rates in regions with robust landline and cellular networks."

From a regional perspective:

China , India , and much of Latin America (LATAM) will continue driving satellite transponder leasing adoption rates due to booming economies and need for additional network connectivity;

, , and much of (LATAM) will continue driving satellite transponder leasing adoption rates due to booming economies and need for additional network connectivity; Africa and most of Asia-Pacific (APAC) do not have robust landline or cellular coverage and would benefit from large-scale satellite adoption for use as cellular backhaul or to connect schools, hospitals, emergency response teams, and local government agencies; and

and most of (APAC) do not have robust landline or cellular coverage and would benefit from large-scale satellite adoption for use as cellular backhaul or to connect schools, hospitals, emergency response teams, and local government agencies; and Growth of satellite backhaul remains low in Europe , North America , and the Middle East because of existing network infrastructures in populated locations. North America and Europe , in particular, have substantial cellular coverage, with most countries in these regions reaching a point of presence (POP) coverage of 99 percent.

"The modernization of the US Air Force and Navy will require satellite transponder leasing for a more technologically equipped military," noted Finalle. "Lengthy contracts and ongoing political tensions worldwide will ensure continued spending."

Global Satellite Transponder Market, Forecast to 2023, is a part of Frost & Sullivan's Digital MediaGrowth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Global Satellite Transponder Market, Forecast to 2023

K17E-66

Contact:

Clarissa Castaneda

Corporate Communications - North America

P: 210.477.8481

F: 210.348.1003

E: clarissa.castaneda@frost.com
TORONTO, Feb. 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (the "Company" or "Purepoint") (TSX.V:PTU) today reported that since October, 2017 it has acquired through staking an additional 52,479 hectares of mineral claims in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan Canada representing a substantial increase in the Company's 100% owned projects.

"We have taken a very precise and strategic approach to our staking - focusing on the enlargement of our existing projects or securing highly prospective areas of defined potential," said Chris Frostad, President & CEO at Purepoint. "Over the past four months we have successfully added three new projects, enlarged two existing projects and nearly doubled our 100% owned land position".

"Much of our new ground lies on the SW edge of the Athabasca Basin, proximal to our Smart Lake Project. Our initial drilling at Smart Lake identified a radioactive shear that was associated with intense alteration," said Scott Frostad, Vice President Exploration. "We have now re-interpreted the Smart Lake drill results in light of our knowledge gained from the neighbouring Patterson Uranium District. Based on the similarity in structural and lithologic settings, we see the SW Athabasca Basin region to be highly prospective and look forward to exploring our new ground".

Highlights:

Through staking, Purepoint has increased it's 100% owned portfolio of Athabasca uranium projects from five projects and 57,222 hectares to eight projects totaling 109,701 hectares;

The Company's drill-ready Umfreville and McArthur Eas t projects have been enlarged from 6,369 hectares to a total of 14,203 hectares allowing room to properly follow up on initial drill discoveries;

and t projects have been enlarged from 6,369 hectares to a total of 14,203 hectares allowing room to properly follow up on initial drill discoveries; Purepoint's new Rene Lake (5,437 hectares) and Shearwater (26,244 hectares) projects lie due north and due south respectively of the Company's Smart Lake project along the Clearwater Domain;

(5,437 hectares) and (26,244 hectares) projects lie due north and due south respectively of the Company's project along the Clearwater Domain; A summary of the Company's portfolio is below and a detailed location map can be found at http://purepoint.ca/uraniumprojects/athabascabasin.php (http://purepoint.ca/uraniumprojects/athabascabasin.php).

Current Active Project Portfolio:

Minimum annual exploration expenditures are required by the Province of Saskatchewan in order to maintain ownership of property claims. Expenditures in excess of the minimum may be carried forward. The "Held Until" column represents the date up to which claims remain in good standing in the absence of any further unfunded expenditures.

Drilling to date on the Company's Smart Lake, Red Willow and Turnor Lake projects have all resulted in the identification of uranium mineralization and related exploration indicators for further follow up drilling.





Project Size

(hectares) Ownership

Partners Stage of

Completion Purepoint

Investment

to Date Next Steps Held Until

Hook Lake



28,598 21%

Cameco &

Areva Discovery $6,750,000 Follow Up

Drilling March

2028

Smart Lake



9,860 27%

Cameco 2,540 metres

Drilling $3,000,000 Follow Up

Drilling July

2023 Red Willow 40,119 100% 16,550 metres

Drilling $9,250,000 Follow Up

Drilling March

2024

Turnor Lake



9,706 100% 11,200 metres

Drilling $5,500,000 Follow Up

Drilling August

2030

Umfreville



12,217 100% Geophysical

Targets

Defined $750,000 Initial Drilling July

2019

Henday

1,029 100% Geophysical

Targets

Defined $350,000 Initial Drilling February

2020

McArthur E.



5,602 100% Geophysical

Targets

Defined $250,000 Initial Drilling July

2019

Rene Lake

5,437 100% Greenfield $0 Geophysics March

2020

Shearwater

26,244 100% Greenfield $0 Geophysics January

2020

Langley Lake

9,147 100% Greenfield $0 Geophysics March

2020

About Purepoint

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. is focused on the precision exploration of its ten projects in the Canadian Athabasca Basin, the world's richest uranium region. Purepoint proudly maintains project ventures in the Basin with two of the largest uranium producers in the world, Cameco Corporation and AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Purepoint is currently drilling its flagship project, the Hook Lake JV, located in the Patterson Lake Uranium District.

Scott Frostad BSc, MASc, PGeo, Purepoint's Vice President, Exploration, is the Qualified Person responsible for technical content of this release.

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.



For further information please contact:

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc.

Chris Frostad, President and CEO

(416) 603-8368

www.purepoint.ca (http://www.purepoint.ca/)

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. via Globenewswire


CRESCO, PA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/10/17 -- NSAV Holding, Inc. (OTC: NSAV), today announced that its subsidiary, Hemp Beer Inc., will officially launch its e-commerce website on September 5, 2017. The state of the art website will market Hemp Beer and a host of related products. Hemp Beer Inc., will be spun-out as a separate publicly traded company later this month. NSAV plans to develop and market a premium line of hemp beer in both the U.S. and China, two of the world's largest beer consumers. Analysts forecast the global hemp-based foods market to grow at a CAGR of 20.3% during the period 2016-2020.

Last week the Company announced that it will spin-off 20% of Hemp Beer Inc. to its shareholders, who will be awarded with a share dividend based upon their holdings of NSAV on the August 22, 2017 record date. Shareholders will receive approximately one share of Hemp Beer Inc. common stock for every 17 shares of NSAV common stock that they hold on the record date. The dividend will be payable on or around September 5, 2017.

James Tilton, president of NSAV stated, "There can be no denying that online sales of hemp related items, especially food and beverage products, are increasing at an unimaginable rate and NSAV is poised to take full advantage of this. I'm sure all of our shareholders can now see why I chose Hemp Beer to be our first spin-off into a standalone public company."

NSAV's vision is the establishment of a fully integrated technology company that provides turnkey technological solutions to the legal medical cannabis and hemp industries, as well as other areas of the medical industry. Over time, the Company plans to provide a wide range of services such as software solutions, e-commerce, advisory services, financial services, patents and trademarks and information technology.

For further information please contact NSAV at 1 (480) 326-8577 or tenassociates33@gmail.com

The NSAV corporate email address is info@nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV corporate website can be accessed at http://nsavholdinginc.com

The NSAV Twitter account can be accessed at https://twitter.com/NSAV_MJTechCo

The NSAV Facebook account can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/NSAVHolding

This press release contains certain 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of NSAV Holding, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. NSAV Holding, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward- looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by NSAV Holding, Inc. or any other person.

Contact

TEN Associates LLC

1 (480) 326-8577

tenassociates33@gmail.com




NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New York Residence, Inc., a world-renowned real estate brokerage firm, is pleased to announce that Mr. Richard Pino, Chief Financial Officer and Associate Broker, will be traveling to Italy and Croatia from August 24th through September 10, 2017 to meet with customers.

Mr. Richard Pino said this is his third trip to Italy and Croatia, and his second trip within the past year, to meet with existing and new customers. Over the last decade, Mr. Pino has traveled to Columbia, Panama, China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Ireland to meet with customers and represent New York Residence at international trade shows.

Richard added, "Real estate brokerage is still a relationship business. Real estate professionals need to be willing to travel to meet with customers at their request. Customers can easily find information by surfing many third party real estate websites, but in-person and phone communication is still the most important interaction to educate customers about potential real estate acquisitions."

Further, Richard believes the strong Euro has produced an uptick in inquiries about investing in New York. The Euro has increased against the US dollar from a 1.05 in January to 1.18 as of today, August 1st. The strong Euro provides an opportunity for Europeans to purchase a property at a discount using the strong conversion rate.

Private appointments for new customers may be arranged in advance by sending an email to Richard Pino at rpino@nyr.com.

New York Residence has ranked within the top five of Manhattan boutique real estate firms for the past three years, 2014-2016. In addition, New York Residence was ranked number 20 in closed transactions amongst all firm sizes. The 2016 independent ranking charts and articles can be seen in the May 2016, issue of The Real Deal, an industry real estate publication.

New York Residence is a real estate brokerage firm specializing in residential, commercial, and investment property sales and rentals to domestic and international buyers. It maintains five offices in New York, with international offices located in Korea, Seoul, and Singapore. New York Residence' corporate headquarters is located at 1501 Broadway, 26th floor, in the iconic Paramount Building in the heart of Times Square.

Media Contact:

Richard Pino

Chief Financial Officer / Associate Broker

New York Residence

1+212-360-7000 x125

rpino@nyr.com


SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) customers have filed a class action lawsuit against the bank, alleging that Wells Fargo victimized its auto loan customers by charging them millions of dollars for auto insurance they did not need.



According to the lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court, Wells Fargo is accused of forcing unsuspecting customers for auto insurance they did not need, pushing almost 250,000 of them into delinquency and resulting in almost 25,000 vehicle repossessions.



According to the complaint, neither Wells Fargo nor the insurance company, National General Insurance, checked whether the clients who took out Wells Fargo loans to buy vehicles already had insurance coverage, or they just ignored the information. National General Insurance underwrote the policies for Wells Fargo.



'Wells Fargo, while vowing to 'make things right' in the wake of its recent scandal over unauthorized bank accounts, was apparently hoping this unlawful practice could slip by unnoticed,' the complaint says.



According to an internal report obtained by the New York Times, Wells Fargo required its customers to whom it issued auto loans to buy National General Insurance policies. However, that insurance was often more expensive than the insurance those customers already had. The practice may have extended as far back as 2006.



Indianapolis consumer Paul Hancock has claimed in the lawsuit that Wells Fargo received kickbacks from National General Insurance.



Last Sunday, Wells Fargo announced a plan to remediate auto loan customers of Wells Fargo Dealers Services who may have been financially harmed due to issues related to auto Collateral Protection Insurance or CPI policies.



Wells Fargo said it reviewed policies placed between 2012 and 2017, and has identified about 570,000 customers who may have been impacted. These customers will receive refunds and other payments as compensation.



In total, Wells Fargo will send about $64 million of cash remediation to customers in the coming months, along with $16 million of account adjustments, for a total of approximately $80 million in remediation.



Wells Fargo added that starting in August 2017, it will proactively reach out to impacted customers with letters and refund checks.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 1, 2017 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP:

To: All persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of Axiom Holdings, Inc. ("Axiom Holdings") (OTC PINK: AIOM) between October 14, 2016 and June 19, 2017 . You are hereby notified that a securities class action lawsuit has been commenced in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. To get more information, go to: http://www.zlk.com/pslra-sba/axiom-holdings-inc?wire=1, or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you.

The complaint alleges that, throughout the class period, Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Axiom lacked control over the merger process sufficient to ensure that the Agreement with CJC would be completed; (ii) accordingly, the Agreement with CJC Holdings, Ltd. ("CJC") was never completed; (iii) the Company's issuance of shares to the CJC Shareholders was thus improper; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Axiom's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On June 19, 2017, Axiom issued a press release revealing that it identified discrepancies related to prior news announcements in response to a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The following day, the Company issued another press release, advising investors that "it now appears the merger was never completed" and advising investors that it would rescind the shares that were issued to CJC Shareholders in connection with the merger.

If you suffered a loss in Axiom Holdings, you have until August 21, 2017 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.

Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise and experience representing investors in securities litigation, and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

30 Broad Street - 24th Floor

New York, NY 10004

Tel: (212) 363-7500

Toll Free: (877) 363-5972

Fax: (212) 363-7171

www.zlk.com

SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
STOCKHOLM, November 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The PC gaming market represents a critical proving ground for new technologies. Tobii believes that integrating eye tracking features into games is an important prerequisite for increasing consumer demand for eye tracking hardware and technology. Over the last few years, Tobii has partnered with dozens of game designers and development studios to enhance many of the leading games with eye tracking integrations.

At the beginning of the year, Tobii announced that it expected to grow from 45 to 100 games with eye tracking features in late 2017, including several AAA blockbuster titles. Throughout 2017, Tobii collaborated with game studios to add eye tracking support to over 55 new games, exceeding the 100-game milestone in November.Among the major games that have been published or launched are Assassin's Creed Origins, F1 2017, Agents of Mayhem, Rise of the Tomb Rider, Watch Dogs 2, The Hunter Wildlands, Deus Ex: Human Divided, and Steep.

"While the total number of supported games is impressive, it is even more important to note that Tobii eye tracking has been incorporated into a broad range of game genres, from simulations to RPGs, from shooters to adventure titles," said Oscar Werner, President Tobii Tech. "The fact that so many studios, working across many genres, have integrated our technology into their games is powerful evidence for the compelling user benefits that come from enhancing games with eye tracking."

With over 100 games supporting eye tracking, Tobii's work to enhance games is just getting started.

"It is important to have a continuous influx of great games, improved features, and new development partners. We also are perpetually looking for new categories of games to enhance with eye tracking features and tools. Going forward, our efforts aim to not only add great immersive features in PC games but also add new exciting e-sports analytics capabilities and experiences in Virtual Reality," commented Oscar Werner.

Supporting material:

From Asteroids to Assassins, Tobii Eye Tracking Enhances Over 100 Games (blog)

Full list of supported games

CONTACT:

Ben Conrad, Vice President of Media and Influencers, Tobii Tech, Phone +1-(650)-224-6261, email: ben.conrad@tobii.com

Sara Hyleen, Director of Communication and Investor Relations, Tobii AB, Phone: +46-709-16-16-41, email: sara.hyleen@tobii.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/tobii-tech/r/tobii-eye-tracking-now-supported-in-over-100-games-,c2402068

The following files are available for download:
SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - August 01, 2017) - Kandace P. Watson has joined the San Diego (Del Mar) office of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm's Corporate practice group. Watson joins from Kilpatrick Townsend, where she headed the Mergers, Acquisitions, Securities and Corporate Team in Southern California and led the Corporate Department's Southern California Chemical & Life Sciences and Medical Devices Teams.

Watson was recognized by 2016 Legal 500 in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Buyouts: M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m) category, and Watson has extensive experience representing companies, corporate boards and executives in complex transactions in intellectual property (IP) intensive industries, including biomedical, biotechnology, chemical, healthcare, pharmaceutical, software and technology. Her expertise includes board governance and director & officer duties, complex commercial transactions, consortium agreements, corporate spin-offs and reorganizations, CRADAs and other cooperative research, development and commercialization agreements, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional transactions, intellectual property licenses, MTAs, joint ventures, public and private offerings, securities compliance, and supply, manufacturing and distribution agreements.

"Kandace is an outstanding transactional attorney and excellent addition to our Corporate practice group. We enthusiastically welcome her to the firm. Kandace brings substantial corporate and IP licensing expertise, along with an energy and client-driven focus that fits well with us, in Del Mar and firm wide," said Jon W. Newby, vice chairman of Sheppard Mullin.

"I am excited to join Sheppard Mullin, a full-service firm with an outstanding reputation. The firm's entrepreneurial culture coupled with its strong Corporate group and broad practice mix will greatly enhance the value added services that I deliver to clients," commented Watson.

Watson received a J.D., with honors, from University of Texas at Austin and a B.A., with highest honors, from Hampton University.

Sheppard Mullin has 70 attorneys based in its San Diego (Del Mar) office. The firm's Corporate practice group includes 180 attorneys firm wide.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with 780 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

CONTACT:



Jon Newby

(310) 228-3737



Kandace Watson

(858) 720-8930



Ralph Richardson

(213) 617-5542
LIBERTY LAKE, Washington, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --A revolution in fiber distribution and cable management is coming for network infrastructure.

Amphenol Telect, a leader in fiber optic technology innovation, today unveils a high-density fiber distribution chassis with cable management features that change the way networks connect.

"We've developed a panel that hits the high-density port numbers networks need to mobilize 5G internet and keeps fiber cable management efficient and simple," says Walt Takisaki, Amphenol Telect Director of Product Development.

"We've gone the extra mile to keep fiber organized, protected and out of the way of the ports. It allows us to achieve a maximum termination density, maintain correct bend radius integrity and minimize strain on the jumpers."

Amphenol Telect has developed a scalable platform with:

Cable routing links

Total front and rear access

Inline adapters

Flexible module capacity

The chassis is designed to fit a variety of network environments, including enterprise, telecommunications and cable TV.

"The entire Amphenol Telect team is incredibly excited to get this product onto the market," says Telect General Manager Wayne Williams. "We believe this chassis will help providers move into the next generation of networks with a proven, scalable solution that reduces your costs and improves your network capacity."

C2LINX, shipping to early access customers in September 2017, adds to the already diverse fiber optic portfolio Amphenol Telect offers its customer base.

Amphenol Telect looks beyond what's possible in fiber optic networks. Challenging the status quo since 1982, Amphenol Telect designs and manufactures products that link networks together and protect our customers' fiber investments. We are driven by the principles of innovation and customer service. The company, based in Liberty Lake, WA, places fiber-optic and power-management solutions around the globe on communication service-provider networks, enterprise and utility networks, and data centers.

About Amphenol

Amphenol Corporation is one of the world's largest designers, manufacturers and marketers of electrical, electronic and fiber optic connectors, interconnect systems, antennas, sensors and sensor-based products and coaxial and high-speed specialty cable. Amphenol has a diversified presence as a leader in high growth areas of the interconnect market including: automotive, broadband communications, commercial aerospace, industrial, information technology and data communications, military, mobile devices and mobile networks.

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LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - August 01, 2017) - Pepperdine Professor of Education Dr. Eric Hamilton, together with the New York Hall of Science, recently established an international network of after school STEM-related media making clubs with funding from the National Science Foundation. Referred to as IC4, or International Clubs for Collaborative Content Creation, United States elementary and high school aged youth are paired with students in Namibia, Kenya, and Finland. Students aged 12-19 are then tasked with creating media related to STEM topics, sharing their results and subsequent expertise with each other through social media and real-time Internet meetups.

Related research focuses on knowledge formation in digital maker spaces, the impact of participatory teaching, and virtual networks, as well as intercultural global competencies. The project seeks to foster meaningful and scientifically rigorous collaborations that cross and connect cultures, as well as to examine research in multiple areas in order to advance informal STEM subject learning.

In May, Dr. Hamilton shared his work with IC4 in a video which aired as part of the National Science Foundation's 2017 Stem for All Video Showcase. The seven day, online event drew attention for Dr. Hamilton's project from policy makers, investigators, administrators, researchers, and educators worldwide.

"The GSEP project, it appears, had more than twice as many comments and questions as any other video, with postings for our video from all over the world. Ours was the only video viewed from Madagascar and Tasmania, it appears, something completely unexpected -- two major off-continent island countries. And the only one visited from Namibia, but that did not surprise us. Our project is just beginning, but the interactions between STEM learners in the four countries is already pretty amazing, and we are looking forward to sharing in much more detail next year!"

In June, a group of students from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania held what Dr. Hamilton describes as a "great global meetup session" with a group of advanced high schoolers in two locations in Kenya. At this online conclave, the Pittsburgh students gave an introduction to the Scratch programming language to the Kenyan group, leaving them, in Hamilton's words, "astounded."

In addition to the Pittsburgh/Kenya online meetup, Hamilton also hosted an Internet discussion between a group of schoolchildren in Finland sponsored by the program and their Kenyan peers. During another online session, Hamilton supervised Long Beach students as they interfaced with another group of Kenyan scholars who had special permission from their teachers to be at their schools at 2AM for the session.

As one of the leading authorities in the United States in the subject of mathematics teaching and education reform, Dr. Hamilton began his career as a math teacher for grades 6-12. Earning a PhD at Northwestern and his MAT at University of Chicago, Dr. Hamilton is also a Fulbright Research Fellow through 2017.

He has held two directorship roles at National Science Foundation, supervising more than $500 million dollars in science and mathematics education and research. Most recently, he served as a director of the United States Air Force Academy Center for research on learning and teaching. His leadership in science and mathematics education at Pepperdine's GSEP continues to develop and define educational policy for educators across the globe.

About Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology:

The Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) is an innovative learning community where faculty, staff, and students of diverse cultures and perspectives work collaboratively to foster academic excellence, social purpose, meaningful service, and personal fulfillment. GSEP offers eleven master's degree programs and five doctoral programs for working professionals across five locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura Counties. GSEP endeavors to educate and motivate students to assume leadership roles in professions that improve and enrich the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Follow GSEP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/8/1/11G143488/Images/G143488-3d3f49f7d1f59fd8b9a66ea5c067bdce.jpg

Dr. Karen Semien-McBride

Executive Director of Marketing & Enrollment

karen.semien-mcbride@pepperdine.edu

gsep.pepperdine.edu

310.258.2892
WHITE PLAINS, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 1, 2017 / Debt Resolve, Inc. (OTC PINK: DRSV) (the "Company") announced today that Alfredo (Dino) DeAngelis has joined the Company's Board of Directors effective July 28, 2017. Mr. DeAngelis has more than 25 years of experience in corporate and structured finance, including restructuring and turnaround management. He is currently a partner in Gapstone Group LLC, a Wall Street firm offering corporate and structured finance advisory services, including mergers and acquisitions.

"I am very pleased to be joining Debt Resolve's Board of Directors," Mr. DeAngelis said. "Having consulted for the Company over the past few years, I am very excited about its new business strategy focused on building companies in the Healthcare Receivables and Federal Student Loan industries, both among the fastest growing segments of the debt industry. I look forward to working with the other Board members to continue developing appropriate financial strategies for the Company, assisting in governance, and maximizing the resources needed to grow."

"The Board of Directors of Debt Resolve is extremely pleased that Dino DeAngelis has joined the Board," said William M. Mooney, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Having assisted the Company previously and as an industry expert in mergers and acquisitions as well as financial restructuring, Dino can provide strong guidance for the board's strategic planning efforts."

Mr. DeAngelis is replacing Gary T. Martin, who is retiring from the Board after five years of unwavering support and service to the Company. Chairman Mooney stated, "The recent improvement in the Company's performance was largely due to Mr. Martin's strategic influence on Debt Resolve. We have worked closely together over many years and his service will be greatly missed."

Mr. DeAngelis will be joining current Board members William Mooney Jr. (Chairman), Bruce E. Bellmare, James Brakke, Raymond A. Conta, and Stanley E. Freimuth.

About Debt Resolve, Inc. (www.debtresolve.com)

Debt Resolve, through its Settl.it family of products, provides original creditors as well as third party collectors with a patent-protected cloud based online bidding system for the negotiation and settlement of consumer debt, and solutions effective at every stage of collection and recovery. Debt Resolve's majority owned joint ventures, Progress Advocates LLC and Student Loan Care LLC, provide document preparation services for federal student loan modification and consolidation. The company is publicly held, trading on the OTC Markets under the symbol DRSV and is headquartered in White Plains, New York.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release and elsewhere by management of the Company that are neither reported financial results nor other historical information are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause or contribute to actual results of the Company's operations varying significantly and materially from anticipated results. Debt Resolve undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by SEC rules. Investors are advised to consult any further disclosures made on related subjects in the Company's reports filed with the SEC.

Investor Relations:

Wayne Travis

Debt Resolve, Inc.

wtravis@debtresolve.com

(914) 949-5500 x238

SOURCE: Debt Resolve, Inc.
MONTREAL, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- (NYSE: CAE)(TSX: CAE) - Representatives of the media are invited to attend CAE's 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Thursday, August 10, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). The meeting will be held at the CAE offices in Saint-Laurent, Quebec (Entrance 4 - Auditorium).

At the meeting, members of CAE senior management will review the activities of fiscal year 2017 and present the financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 ended June 30, 2017. Marc Parent, President and Chief Executive Officer, will also discuss prospects for the current fiscal year.

The meeting will be webcast live via video on CAE's site at www.cae.com. The webcast will be archived following the event.

Please note that broadcast and photographic equipment will only be allowed in the shareholder meeting room for the first 10 minutes.

Following the annual meeting, at approximately 12:00 p.m. ET, Marc Parent will be available for questions from the media.

Event: CAE's FY2017 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders Date: Thursday, August 10, 2017 Time: Annual meeting: 11:00 a.m. ET Session with media: 12:00 p.m. ET Venue: CAE - Entrance 4, Auditorium 8585 chemin de la Cote-de-Liesse Saint-Laurent, Quebec H4T 1G6 Canada

FY2018 first quarter financial results and conference call

CAE will also release its fiscal year 2018 first quarter financial results on Thursday, August 10, 2017. A conference call will be held at 1:30 p.m. ET to provide analysts and institutional investors with a review of CAE's performance and outlook.

Marc Parent, CAE's President and Chief Executive Officer, Sonya Branco, CAE's Chief Financial Officer, and Andrew Arnovitz, CAE's Vice President, Strategy and Investor Relations, will participate in this call intended for financial analysts, institutional investors and the media. Please note that the media will have the opportunity to ask questions immediately following the analysts' question period.

The conference call will be audio Webcast live for the public and will also be archived for 90 days following the event at www.cae.com.

Event: CAE's FY2018 Q1 financial results and conference call Date: Thursday, August 10, 2017 Time: 1:30 p.m. ET

Phone numbers for conference call:

-------------------------------------------------- Country Phone number -------------------------------------------------- North America 1 877 586-3392 -------------------------------------------------- Canada +1 416 981 9024 -------------------------------------------------- Australia 1800706721 -------------------------------------------------- Belgium 080077657 -------------------------------------------------- France 0800919393 -------------------------------------------------- Germany 08001816101 -------------------------------------------------- Netherlands 08000222280 -------------------------------------------------- Singapore 8001012594 -------------------------------------------------- United Kingdom 08004960381 --------------------------------------------------

Instant replay (available three hours after the call ends for 48 hours): +1-800-558-5253 or +1-416-626-4100 - Access code: 21856570#

About CAE

CAE is a global leader in the delivery of training for the civil aviation, defence and security, and healthcare markets. We design and integrate the industry's most comprehensive training solutions, anchored by the knowledge and expertise of our over 8,500 employees, our world-leading simulation technologies and a track record of service and technology innovation spanning seven decades. Our global presence is the broadest in the industry, with 160 sites and training locations in 35 countries, including our joint venture operations, and the world's largest installed base of flight simulators. Each year, we train more than 120,000 civil and defence crewmembers, as well as thousands of healthcare professionals. www.cae.com

Follow us on Twitter @CAE_Inc

Contacts:

CAE contacts:

Helene V. Gagnon

Vice President, Public Affairs and Global Communications

1-514-340-5536

helene.v.gagnon@cae.com



Investor relations:

Andrew Arnovitz

Vice President, Strategy and Investor Relations

1-514-734-5760

andrew.arnovitz@cae.com




SELBYVILLE , Delaware, January 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Global UCC Market is predicted to surpass USD 57 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. The unified communications and collaboration market growth is attributed to the growing penetration of mobile devices and increasing adoption of BYOD trend across enterprises on a global scale.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160418/799556-a )



Over the last 10 years, mobile devices have evolved from just a means for voice communication to a smart device with sophisticated multi-function capabilities. Increase in consumption of mobile internet is expected to further assist the UCC market growth during the timeline. Allowing employees to bring their own devices to the workplace helps companies cut hardware and service costs considerably. Enterprises are increasingly accepting BYOD to enhance employee productivity. UCC technology leverages this BYOD eco-system to enable efficient communication with mobile resources.

Request for a sample of this research report @https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/402

As upgrading traditional communications network and infrastructure becomes highly challenging in a rapidly evolving business environment, enterprises are becoming more inclined towards cloud and hybrid UC solutions to scale and manage communication resources. An expanding global cloud eco-system is also expected to boost the market growth over the timeline.

Telephony platforms are expected to hold a significant market share of over 25% by 2024 owing to large scale deployment of telephony applications across enterprises in various sectors as a primary communication medium to enable real-time business communication. IP phones segment will secure a larger share of the telephony market over the forecast period as they have numerous benefits over analog phones and cost much less than traditional telephone services. Collaboration market will witness fastest growth over the timeline owing to the advent of highly sophisticated collaboration systems which facilitate meetings involving members from business units located at diverse geographic locations.

Cloud-based UCC market will witness favorable growth between 2017 and 2024 owing to growing popularity and adoption of cloud computing technology across businesses in varied sectors ranging from IT & telecom, BFSI, healthcare and public services. Hybrid model will experience accelerated growth during the timeline. As the framework gives cloud capabilities along with secure on-site storage of critical data, the model is witnessing rapid adoption by enterprises wanting to implement UCC systems.

IT & telecom UCC market is expected to garner a major share of the overall market by 2024 due to high adoption and immense applications of the technology for process flows in the industry. Effective team collaboration and robust network availability are some of the key requirements of the enterprises operating in this sector. Hence, UCC technology is witnessing high acceptance from such enterprises that operate on an extensive global scale. With rising proliferation start-ups in the IT sector, the demand for cost effective UC capabilities will increase over the forecast period to reduce expenditure on IT infrastructure procurement, maintenance and upgradation.

Browse key industry insights spread across 350 pages with 1006 market data tables & 13 figures & charts from this 2017 report Unified Communications & Collaboration (UCC) Market in detail along with the table of contents at:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/unified-communications-market-report

North America will dominate the UCC market by 2024 primarily due to the availability of a robust telecom and cloud infrastructure in the region. Also, extensive support for BYOD and readiness to adopt the trend by U.S. enterprises is also positively contributing to the market growth. Asia Pacific market on the other hand, is expected to grow with the highest CAGR of over 13% between 2017 and 2024 due to increasing demand for better business communication infrastructure by organizations operating in emerging economies such as Japan and China. With consistent economic development, the enterprises in these countries are growing in both scale and geographical reach leading to the need for stronger internal and external collaboration functions.

The players operating in the UCC market include pure providers such as Avaya, 8x8 and Unify along with software providers such as Microsoft, Cisco, Verizon and ALE. The major strategy adopted by key market players is strategic collaborations and partnerships. Such undertakings enable them to enrich their existing product portfolio and further expand their presence in different regional markets. Furthermore, strategic acquisitions also play a key role in the consolidation of the highly mature market as major players are striving to extend their global presence and gain more market share.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/402

Browse Related Reports:

Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) Market Size By Product (Firewalls [Proxy Servers, Stateful Inspection Firewall, Unified Threat Management (UTM), Next-generation Firewall (NGFW)], Management Software/Tools [Auditing & Compliance, Cloud Security, Connectivity Management, Automation, Backup & Recovery]), By Application (BFSI, Healthcare, Government, Retail, Education, Manufacturing), By Service Model (SaaS, IaaS, PaaS), By Delivery Model (Public, Private, Hybrid), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada , UK, Germany , France , Italy , China , India , Japan , South Korea , Australia , Brazil , Mexico , GCC, South Africa ), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 - 2024

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https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/fog-computing-market

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

Contact Us:

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Corporate Sales, USA

Global Market Insights, Inc.

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TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Betelgeuse LLC (the "Acquiror") announces that on July 31, 2017 Orion Mine Finance (Master) Fund I LP, Orion Mine Finance (Master) Fund I-A LP, Orion Co-Investments I (Stream) LLC, Orion Co-Investments II LP, Orion Co-Investments IV LP, 8248567 Canada Limited and Lynx Metals Limited (collectively, the "Sellers"), and Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (the "Issuer") completed a purchase and sale transaction pursuant to which the Issuer acquired a portfolio of assets from the Sellers for consideration consisting of C$675 million cash and 30,906,594 common shares (the "Transaction").

Orion Mine Finance (Master) Fund I LP, Orion Mine Finance (Master) Fund I-A LP, Orion Co-Investments I (Stream) LLC, Orion Co-Investments II LP, Orion Co-Investments IV LP, 8248567 Canada Limited and Lynx Metals Limited, being the Sellers in the Transaction, directed the Issuer to issue the 30,906,594 Common Shares of the Issuer (the "Common Shares") issuable pursuant to the Transaction to the Acquiror, a jointly-owned subsidiary of certain of the Sellers.

Prior to completion of the Transaction, none of the Acquiror or the Sellers held any Common Shares. On closing of the Transaction, the Acquiror acquired 30,906,594 Common Shares, representing approximately 19.7% of the outstanding Common Shares of the Issuer, pursuant to the Transaction.

The Common Shares were issued in partial consideration of the purchase price of the portfolio of assets purchased by the Issuer from the Sellers pursuant to the Transaction. The Common Shares were issued at a deemed value of C$14.56 per Common Share, implying an aggregate value of C$450 million for the Common Shares.

In addition to the Transaction, a designee of the Sellers, Oskar Lewnowski, was appointed to the board of directors of the Issuer on closing of the Transaction.

This news release is being issued under the early warning reporting provisions of applicable securities laws. An early warning report with additional information in respect of the foregoing matters will be filed and made available under the SEDAR profile of the Issuer at www.sedar.com. To obtain a copy of the early warning report, you may also contact Dov Lader, Deputy General Counsel of Orion Resource Partners (USA) LP at 212-596-3467. The Acquiror's address is c/o Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400 Wilmington, Delaware 19808.

Contacts:

Dov Lader

212-596-3467




Regulatory News:

International Flavors Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF) (Euronext Paris:IFF), a leading innovator of sensory experiences that move the world, announced that Stephen Williamson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific, has been elected to the Company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Williamson will also be a member of the Company's Audit Committee.

"We're delighted to welcome Stephen to the IFF Board," said IFF Chairman and CEO Andreas Fibig. "He is an accomplished finance leader with extensive international senior management experience. He brings a deep understanding of the power of innovation and R&D as well as the value of M&A core components of IFF's strategy. We believe Stephen will add considerable insight and guidance as we execute our long-term strategy and create shareholder value."

Appointed to his current role in August 2015, Mr. Williamson is responsible for the company's finance, tax, treasury and investor relations functions. He joined Thermo Fisher in 2001 as Vice President, European Financial Operations, based in the U.K., and oversaw its integration activities across Europe. In 2004, Mr. Williamson moved to the U.S. and held finance leadership roles for many of Thermo Fisher's operating businesses. In 2008, he became Vice President of Financial Operations for the company and led the finance function supporting all businesses. During his 15-year tenure, Mr. Williamson has been involved in over 100 acquisitions.

Prior to Thermo Fisher, Mr. Williamson served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Asia-Pacific for Honeywell International (formerly AlliedSignal) in Singapore and held other finance roles in corporate development and operational finance. He began his career with Price Waterhouse in the transaction support group and the audit practice, working in both London and New York.

Mr. Williamson holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from the University of Wales and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

Meet IFF

International Flavors Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:IFF) (Euronext Paris:IFF) is a leading innovator of sensorial experiences that move the world. At the heart of our company, we are fueled by a sense of discovery, constantly asking "what if?". That passion for exploration drives us to co-create unique products that consumers taste, smell, or feel in fine fragrances and beauty, detergents and household goods, as well as beloved foods and beverages. Our 7,400 team members globally take advantage of leading consumer insights, research and development, creative expertise, and customer intimacy to develop differentiated offerings for consumer products. Learn more at www.iff.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801006586/en/

Contacts:

International Flavors Fragrances Inc.

Michael DeVeau, 212-708-7164

VP, Global Corporate Communications Investor Relations

Michael.DeVeau@iff.com
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 1, 2017 / Lundin Law PC, a shareholder rights firm, announces a class action lawsuit against Tahoe Resources Inc. ('Tahoe' or the 'Company') (NYSE: TAHO) for possible violations of federal securities laws between March 12, 2015 and July 5, 2017 inclusive (the 'Class Period'). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Tahoe shares during the Class Period should contact the firm prior to the September 5, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

To participate in this class action lawsuit, click here.

You can also call Brian Lundin, Esq., of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or e-mail him at brian@lundinlawpc.com.

No class has been certified in the above action yet. Until a class is certified, you are not considered represented by an attorney. You may also choose to do nothing and be an absent class member.

According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, Tahoe made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that consultation obligations relating to the permitting of the Escobal mining license were not met; that the Escobal mining license is subject to suspension; and that as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On July 5, 2017, Tahoe revealed that the Supreme Court of Guatemala issued a provisional decision suspending the Escobal mining license of its subsidiary Minera San Rafael, in connection with an action brought by CALAS against Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines ('MEM'). CALAS alleges that MEM violated the Xinca Indigenous people's right of consultation in advance of granting the Escobal mining license. Following this news, shares of Tahoe decreased in value materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint.

Lundin Law PC was established by Brian Lundin, Esq., a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding the rights of shareholders.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethics rules.

Contact:

Lundin Law PC

Brian Lundin, Esq.

Telephone: 888-713-1033

Facsimile: 888-713-1125

brian@lundinlawpc.com

http://lundinlawpc.com/

SOURCE: Lundin Law PC
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Maricann Group Inc. (MARI, Maricann or the "Company") and McKesson Canada Retail Banner Group (MCK "McKesson"), consisting of independent pharmacies of Guardian, IDA, Medicine Shoppe Canada, Remedy's Rx and Proxim, comprising 2,116 pharmacies out of 10,572 (20.01% NAPRA) total pharmacies in Canada, have agreed to a primary collaborative partnership through a joint initiative to create a pharmacy services program that enables pharmacists to counsel and appropriately educate patients in relation to medicinal cannabis.

By establishment of this education program for pharmacists to counsel patients, McKesson will expand the patient awareness of treatment options with their health care team, primarily through pharmacists to provide expert information to patients.

Maricann and McKesson will work together to advocate for pharmacies to be the preferred access point for medicinal cannabis based on pharmacists' critical role in working with physicians and patients in understanding the multi-synchronistic opportunities in multi-medication patients. Maricann and McKesson will work together to assist patients in achieving their desired therapeutic goals while always keeping their safety paramount.

The letter of intent will form the basis of a definitive agreement to be executed by both parties at a future date. Details of that agreement will be announced upon completion.

"McKesson is a global supply chain and healthcare services company. We view our collaboration as a leap forward, not only for Maricann, but the medicinal cannabis sector as a whole. The destigmatization of cannabis, as complimentary medicine continues, now with the support and expertise of your pharmacist." Ben Ward - CEO of Maricann.

Maricann, which has federal licenses in Canada to cultivate, extract, formulate and distribute cannabis, is rapidly expanding its Canadian production, based in Norfolk County ON, adding 20,000 kg of dry flower production to come online in early 2018, and an additional 35,000 kg of production to come online in late 2018.

About Maricann Group Inc.

Maricann is a vertically integrated producer and distributor of marijuana for medical purposes. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in Toronto, Canada and Munich, Germany, with production facilities in Langton, Ontario, Canada where it operates a medicinal cannabis cultivation, extraction, formulation and distribution business under federal licence from the Government of Canada and Dresden, Saxony, Germany. Maricann is currently undertaking an expansion of its cultivation and support facilities in Canada in a fully funded 217,000 sq. ft. (20,159 sq. m) build out, to support existing and future patient growth.

For more information about Maricann please visit our website at www.maricann.ca

Forward Looking Information

Certain statements in this document contain forward-looking statements which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "expects", "may", "desires", "will", "should", "projects", "estimates", "contemplates", "anticipates", "intends", or any negative such as "does not believe" or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. No assurance can be given that potential future results or circumstances described in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. By their nature, these forward-looking statements, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties, including those discussed herein, that could cause actual results to significantly differ from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the view of the Company with respect to future events, and are based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions, which it considers reasonable. Management cautions readers that the assumptions relative to the future events, several of which are beyond Management's control, could prove to be incorrect, given that they are subject to certain risk and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: fluctuations in operating results; the impact of general economic, industry and market conditions; the ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; fluctuations in cash flow; increased levels of outstanding debt and obligations under a capital lease; expectations regarding market demand for particular products and the dependence on new product development; the impact of market change; and the impact of price and product competition. Management disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

Shawn Alexander

VP Investor Relations

289-288-6284

salexander@maricann.ca



Media:

Carrie Booze

North 6th Agency

212-334-9753 ext.142

maricann@n6a.com



Corporate Headquarters (Canada)

Maricann Group Inc. (Toronto)

845 Harrington Court, Unit 3

Burlington Ontario L7N 3P3

Canada

289-288-6274



European Headquarters (Germany)

Maricann GmbH

Thierschstrasse 3, 80538 Munchen, Deutschland




COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Gold Resource Corporation (NYSE American: GORO) (NYSE MKT: GORO) (the "Company or GRC") reported production results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 of 5,696 ounces of gold and 397,670 ounces of silver, which along with base metal revenue generated $21.4 million in net revenue for the quarter and $0.9 million in net income for the quarter. Gold Resource Corporation is a gold and silver producer, developer and explorer with operations in Oaxaca, Mexico and Nevada, U.S.A. The Company has returned $110 million to its shareholders in monthly dividends since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010, and offers its shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery.

Q2 2017 HIGHLIGHTS

5,696 gold ounces produced





397,670 silver ounces produced





$21.4 million net sales





$0.9 million net income





$272 total cash cost per gold equivalent ounce sold (after by-product credits)





$770 total all-in sustaining cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold





$11.1 million base metal by-product credits, or $1,207 per precious metal gold ounce sold





$0.3 million dividend distributions, or $0.005 per share for quarter





$16.4 million cash and cash equivalents





Expanded Switchback vein system mineralization to 625 meters, system remains open





Mirador mine development advanced to consistent ore feed by end of quarter





Overview of Q2 2017 Results

Gold Resource Corporation's Aguila Project sold 9,226 gold equivalent ounces at a total cash cost of $272 per ounce (after by-product credits), benefiting from strong base metals sales. Average realized metal prices during the quarter included $1,300 per ounce gold and $17.77 per ounce silver*. The Company recorded net income of $0.9 million, or $0.02 per share. The Company paid $0.3 million to shareholders in dividends, or $0.005 per share during the quarter. Cash and cash equivalents at quarter end totaled $16.4 million.

Production totals for the first six months of 2017 included 12,443 ounces of gold, 825,560 ounces of silver, 514 tonnes of copper, 2,134 tonnes of lead and 6,820 tonnes of zinc. The Company maintains its 2017 Annual Outlook, targeting a plus or minus 5 percent production of 27,500 gold ounces and 1,850,000 silver ounces.

*Average realized metal prices include final settlement adjustments for previously unsettled provisional sales. Provisional sales may remain unsettled from one quarter into the next. Realized prices will therefore vary from average spot metal market prices upon final settlement.

The following Production and Sales Statistics table summarizes certain information about our mining operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016:

Production and Sales Statistics Three months ended Six months ended June 30, June 30, --------------------- --------------------- 2017 2016 2017 2016 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Milled Tonnes Milled (1) 113,790 104,333 215,120 217,478 Tonnes Milled per Day (2) 1,293 1,228 1,251 1,265 Grade Average Gold Grade (g/t) 1.82 3.27 2.10 2.68 Average Silver Grade (g/t) 118 182 130 156 Average Copper Grade (%) 0.33 0.40 0.31 0.30 Average Lead Grade (%) 1.41 1.40 1.29 1.20 Average Zinc Grade (%) 4.34 4.40 3.74 3.90 Recoveries Average Gold Recovery (%) 85 92 86 91 Average Silver Recovery (%) 92 94 92 93 Average Copper Recovery (%) 78 77 78 76 Average Lead Recovery (%) 77 71 78 71 Average Zinc Recovery (%) 85 84 85 84 Mill production (before payable metal deductions) (3) Gold (ozs.) 5,696 10,011 12,443 16,474 Silver (ozs.) 397,670 572,499 825,560 1,006,640 Copper (tonnes) 294 320 514 564 Lead (tonnes) 1,207 1,009 2,134 1,847 Zinc (tonnes) 4,176 3,813 6,820 7,074 Payable metal sold Gold (ozs.) 4,716 8,197 11,849 14,413 Silver (ozs.) 329,881 548,537 750,116 927,331 Copper (tonnes) 216 319 441 539 Lead (tonnes) 1,071 974 1,910 1,737 Zinc (tonnes) 2,977 3,424 5,126 7,074 Average metal prices realized (4) Gold ($ per oz.) 1,300 1,271 1,248 1,240 Silver ($ per oz.) 17.77 17.08 17.50 15.97 Copper ($ per tonne) 5,753 4,740 5,819 4,497 Lead ($ per tonne) 2,173 1,717 2,251 1,757 Zinc ($ per tonne) 2,543 1,940 2,667 1,844 Precious metal gold equivalent ounces produced (mill production) (3) Gold Ounces 5,696 10,011 12,443 16,474 Gold Equivalent Ounces from Silver 5,437 7,695 11,571 12,971 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total Precious Metal Gold Equivalent Ounces 11,133 17,706 24,014 29,445 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Precious metal gold equivalent ounces sold Gold Ounces 4,716 8,197 11,849 14,413 Gold Equivalent Ounces from Silver 4,510 7,373 10,513 11,949 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total Precious Metal Gold Equivalent Ounces 9,226 15,570 22,362 26,362 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total cash cost before by- product credits per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold (5) $ 1,479 $ 948 $ 1,185 $ 1,088 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total cash cost after by- product credits per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold (5) $ 272 $ 317 $ 267 $ 459 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total all-in sustaining cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold (5) $ 770 $ 547 $ 677 $ 773 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Total all-in cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce sold (5) $ 881 $ 625 $ 775 $ 871 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- (1) For the second quarter of 2017 and 2016 and first half of 2017 and 2016, this includes 11,250, 10,608, 39,971, and 27,305 tonnes, respectively of open pit ore. (2) Based on actual days the mill operated during the period. (3) Mill production represents metal contained in concentrates produced at the mill, which is before payable metal deductions are levied by the buyer of our concentrates. Payable metal deduction quantities are defined in our contracts with the buyer of our concentrates and represent an estimate of metal contained in the concentrates which the buyer cannot recover through the smelting process. There are inherent limitations and differences in the sampling method and assaying of estimated metal contained in concentrates that are shipped, and those contained metal estimates are derived from sampling methods and assaying throughout the mill production process. We monitor these differences to ensure that precious metal mill production quantities are materially correct. (4) Average metal prices realized vary from the market metal prices due to final settlement adjustments from our provisional invoices when they are settled. Our average metal prices realized will therefore differ from the market average metal prices in most cases. (5) For a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to total mine cost of sales, which is the most comparable U.S. GAAP measure, please see Non- GAAP Measures in the Company's most recently filed 10-Q. See Accompanying Tables

The following information summarizes the results of operations for Gold Resource Corporation for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, its financial condition at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 and its cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. The summary data for the six months ended June 30, 2017 is unaudited; the summary data for the year ended December 31, 2016 is derived from our audited financial statements contained in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, but do not include the footnotes and other information that is included in the complete financial statements. Readers are urged to review the Company's Form 10-K in its entirety, which can be found on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

The calculation of our cash cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce, total all-in sustaining cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce and total all-in cost per precious metal gold equivalent ounce contained in this press release are non-GAAP financial measures. Please see "Management's Discussion and Analysis and Results of Operations" contained in the Company's most recent Form 10-Q and Form 10-K for a complete discussion and reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures.

GOLD RESOURCE CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) June 30, December 31, 2017 2016 ------------ ------------ (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 16,410 $ 14,166 Gold and silver rounds/bullion 3,644 3,307 Accounts receivable 1,276 630 Inventories, net 9,995 8,946 Income tax receivable 475 626 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 2,084 1,587 ------------ ------------ Total current assets 33,884 29,262 Property, plant and mine development, net 79,498 70,059 Deferred tax assets, net 16,407 17,580 Other non-current assets 947 1,542 ------------ ------------ Total assets $ 130,736 $ 118,443 ------------ ------------ LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 11,796 $ 5,383 Mining royalty taxes payable 977 2,033 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 2,243 1,526 ------------ ------------ Total current liabilities 15,016 8,942 Reclamation and remediation liabilities 2,812 2,425 Other non-current liabilities 10 - ------------ ------------ Total liabilities 17,838 11,367 Shareholders' equity: Common stock - $0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized: 56,839,823 and 56,566,874 shares outstanding at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively 57 57 Additional paid-in capital 113,717 112,034 Retained earnings 6,179 2,040 Treasury stock at cost, 336,398 shares (5,884) (5,884) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,171) (1,171) ------------ ------------ Total shareholders' equity 112,898 107,076 ------------ ------------ Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 130,736 $ 118,443 ------------ ------------ GOLD RESOURCE CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (U.S. dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) Three months ended June Six months ended June 30, 30, ----------------------- ----------------------- 2017 2016 2017 2016 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Sales, net $ 21,391 $ 26,198 $ 45,727 $ 43,601 Mine cost of sales: Production costs 12,177 10,707 23,512 21,803 Depreciation and amortization 3,953 3,054 6,509 5,860 Reclamation and remediation 35 44 64 91 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Total mine cost of sales 16,165 13,805 30,085 27,754 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Mine gross profit 5,226 12,393 15,642 15,847 Costs and expenses: General and administrative expenses 1,675 1,670 3,487 3,848 Exploration expenses 1,136 642 1,958 1,146 Other expense (income), net 609 (538) 1,073 (1,244) ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Total costs and expenses 3,420 1,774 6,518 3,750 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Income before income taxes 1,806 10,619 9,124 12,097 Provision for income taxes 942 5,011 3,884 5,692 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Net income $ 864 $ 5,608 $ 5,240 $ 6,405 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Net income per common share: Basic and Diluted $ 0.02 $ 0.10 $ 0.09 $ 0.12 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 56,839,823 54,266,706 56,818,406 54,266,706 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Diluted 57,375,938 54,670,594 57,744,817 54,372,705 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- GOLD RESOURCE CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (U.S. dollars in thousands) Six months ended June 30, 2017 2016 ---------- ---------- Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 5,240 $ 6,405 ---------- ---------- Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash from operating activities: Deferred income taxes 1,097 1,623 Depreciation and amortization 6,727 6,029 Stock-based compensation 383 486 Other operating adjustments 148 (713) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable (646) (1,724) Inventories (1,049) (1,404) Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,086 122 Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities 2,324 (1,571) Mining royalty and income taxes payable/receivable (1,316) 2,256 Other noncurrent assets 25 41 ---------- ---------- Net cash provided by operating activities 14,019 11,550 ---------- ---------- Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (10,818) (10,276) Proceeds from the sale of equity investments - 324 Other investing activities (187) 3 ---------- ---------- Net cash used in investing activities (11,005) (9,949) ---------- ---------- Cash flows from financing activities: Dividends paid (568) (543) Repayment of capital leases (1) (606) ---------- ---------- Net cash used in financing activities (569) (1,149) ---------- ---------- Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (201) (10) ---------- ---------- Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 2,244 442 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 14,166 12,822 ---------- ---------- Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 16,410 $ 13,264 ---------- ---------- Supplemental Cash Flow Information Income and mining taxes paid $ 2,369 $ 256 ---------- ---------- Non-cash investing activities: Increase (decrease) in accrued capital expenditures $ 4,328 $ (2,769) Equipment purchased under capital lease 21 300 Common stock issued for the acquisition of mineral rights $ 1,300 $ - ---------- ----------

About GRC:

Gold Resource Corporation is a mining company focused on production and pursuing development of gold and silver projects that feature low operating costs and produce high returns on capital. The Company has 56,839,823 shares outstanding, zero warrants and has returned over $110 million back to its shareholders since commercial production commenced July 1, 2010. Gold Resource Corporation offers its shareholders the option to convert their cash dividends into physical gold and silver and take delivery. For more information, please visit GRC's website, located at www.Goldresourcecorp.com and read the Company's Form 10-K for an understanding of the risk factors involved.

Cautionary Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. When used in this press release, the words "plan," "target," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding Gold Resource Corporation's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to Gold Resource Corporation on the date of this press release, and the company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in the Company's 10-K filed with the SEC.

Contacts:

Corporate Development

Greg Patterson

303-320-7708

www.Goldresourcecorp.com




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Terex Corp. (TEX) revealed a profit for second quarter that fell from last year. The company said its bottom line declined to $49.6 million, or $0.51 per share. This was down from $60.6 million, or $0.55 per share, in last year's second quarter. The company said revenue for the quarter fell 9.2% to $1.18 billion. This was down from $1.30 billion last year. Terex Corp. earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q2): $49.6 Mln. vs. $60.6 Mln. last year. -Earnings Decline (Y-o-Y): -18.2% -EPS (Q2): $0.51 vs. $0.55 last year. -EPS Decline (Y-o-Y): -7.3% -Revenue (Q2): $1.18 Bln vs. $1.30 Bln last year. -Revenue Change (Y-o-Y): -9.2% -Guidance : Full year EPS guidance: $1.05 - $1.15 Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - ONEOK Inc. (OKE) announced a profit for second quarter that fell from last year. The company said its profit declined to $175.99 million, or $0.33 per share. This was down from $180.09 million, or $0.41 per share, in last year's second quarter. Analysts had expected the company to earn $0.40 per share, according figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. The company said revenue for the quarter rose 28.2% to $2.73 billion. This was up from $2.13 billion last year. ONEOK Inc. earnings at a glance: -Earnings (Q2): $175.99 Mln. vs. $180.09 Mln. last year. -Earnings Decline (Y-o-Y): -2.3% -EPS (Q2): $0.33 vs. $0.41 last year. -EPS Decline (Y-o-Y): -19.5% -Analysts Estimate: $0.40 -Revenue (Q2): $2.73 Bln vs. $2.13 Bln last year. -Revenue Change (Y-o-Y): 28.2% 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.
HAMILTON, BERMUDA -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Teekay Tankers Ltd. (NYSE: TNK) (Teekay Tankers) announced today that Mr. Richard D. Paterson has accepted an invitation to join Teekay Tankers' Board of Directors and its Audit Committee, effective August 1, 2017.

Mr. Paterson is a certified public accountant who retired from PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in 2011 after 37 years of service. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Paterson served as the global leader of PwC's Consumer, Industrial Products and Services Practices comprising the automotive, consumer and retail, energy utilities and mining, industrial products, pharmaceutical and health industry sectors. Mr. Paterson also served as Managing Partner of PwC's Houston Office and U.S. Energy Practice. As part of this role, Mr. Paterson oversaw the audits of ExxonMobil Corporation from 2002 to 2006. Previous to this position, Mr. Paterson lived in Moscow, Russia where he led PwC's Energy Practice for Europe, Middle East and Asia and also managed the audit processes of OAO Gazprom.

Mr. Paterson is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and serves on the boards of Parker Drilling Company, Eclipse Resources Corporation and Saipem Canada Inc. He is a past board member of Zaff GP LLC, the U.S./Russia Business Council and the U.S. Energy Association. Mr. Paterson recently stepped down from the Board and Chairmanship of the Audit Committee of Tidewater, the leading offshore vessel service provider to the oil and gas industry.

"Richard has spent his career advising and supporting large companies, especially in the energy industry. His global perspective and deep financial background will make him an invaluable member of Teekay Tankers' Board of Directors and its Audit Committee," commented Mr. Art Bensler, Chairman of Teekay Tankers' Board of Directors. "We are very pleased to have Richard join our Board and we look forward to working with him in the years ahead."

About Teekay Tankers

Teekay Tankers currently owns a fleet of 40 double-hull tankers, including 20 Suezmax tankers, 13 Aframax tankers, and seven Long Range 2 (LR2) product tankers, and has three contracted time charter-in vessels. Teekay Tankers' vessels are employed through a mix of short- or medium-term fixed rate time charter contracts and spot tanker market trading. The Company also owns a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) through a 50 percent-owned joint venture. In addition, Teekay Tankers owns a ship-to-ship transfer business and a minority interest of over 11 percent in Tanker Investments Ltd. (OSE: TIL), which currently owns a fleet of 18 modern tankers. Teekay Tankers was formed in December 2007 by Teekay Corporation as part of its strategy to expand its conventional oil tanker business.

Teekay Tankers' common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TNK."

Contacts:

Investor Relations:

Ryan Hamilton

+1 (604) 844-6654

www.teekaytankers.com




SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwired - August 01, 2017) - Assay results from reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Castelo de Sonhos (CDS) gold project of TriStar Gold Inc. (the "Company" or "TriStar") (TSX VENTURE: TSG) continue to show significant intervals in new holes. "We're glad that the new drilling is consistent with our exploration target concept," says Nick Appleyard, TriStar's President and CEO. "We've known since last year that we've got considerable potential for growing the resources along the strike of the mineralized conglomerate. But the July results from in-fill holes in the heart of Esperanca South now demonstrate significant upside potential even in areas where indicated resources were previously reported. Thick intervals running well above the deposit average point to potential additional resources beyond the pit shell that constrained the 2014 resource."

Drilling will continue through August into early September, reaching a planned 120 to 150 RC holes, at which time a new mineral resource will be estimated, followed by the completion of an initial scoping study (PEA). The PEA is scheduled to be completed before year end.

New reefs identified in heart of the deposit

Figure 1 shows a cross-section through an area where indicated resources were reported in 2014. On this section only one drill hole (CSH-12-083) was previously available for resource estimation; one thick mineralized interval in this hole controlled the location of the pit shell within which resources were reported. New holes within 50m of this section now make it apparent that the pit shell used for the next resource update will be larger, and will include thick reefs (with true thickness >10m) that lie outside the previous pit shell, with gold grades above the project average. In particular, CSH-17-191 encountered 14m running at an average of 3.2 g/t, with several shorter intervals above 5 g/t.

Grades and thicknesses remain strong in extensions

Figure 2 shows the location of the 93 RC holes that have been completed in the Esperanca South and Center regions of the project. All RC holes are vertical, and drilled to a target depth of 120m. A few holes were terminated short of their 120m target due to local conditions; any hole that reaches less than half of its target length is deemed to be abandoned prematurely, and will be redrilled. Table 1 summarizes the significant intervals (using a 0.4 g/t cutoff) not previously reported in holes for which assays were available for more than half of the sample intervals.

Several individual intervals in these new holes run above 10 g/t, with CSH-17-188 reaching 27.8 g/t. Some of the individual reefs in these new holes are considerably thicker than the deposit average, which has historically been approximately 4m. With all of the new drilling being vertical, to a target depth of 120m, all of the reported significant intervals are within reach of an open pit. Although diamond drilling has identified strong mineralization below 120m, the upcoming PEA will focus only on a stand-alone open pit mine, and will not address possible longer term potential from underground mining.

Table 1. Significant intervals for RC holes not previously reported. Hole From To Length(1) and Au grade ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SC17-177 No significant intervals ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-178 23 25 2m @ 1.3 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-179 59 60 1m @ 0.4 g/t 78 79 1m @ 0.7 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17- 180(2) 21 24 3m @ 1.8 g/t 45 46 1m @ 0.5 g/t 110 111 1m @ 0.6 g/t 115 116 1m @ 0.5 g/t 118 120 2m @ 0.5 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-182 32 34 2m @ 0.4 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-183 45 46 1m @ 1.2 g/t 98 100 2m @ 2.8 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-184 No significant intervals ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-185 28 30 2m @ 2.0 g/t 66 68 2m @ 10.6 g/t Including 66 67 1m @ 18.1 g/t 109 110 1m @ 9.1 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-186 42 43 1m @ 6.5 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-187 31 35 4m @ 1.5 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-188 27 31 4m @ 8.3 g/t Including 30 31 1m @ 27.8 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-190 47 52 5m @ 3.4 g/t 1m @ 7.6 g/t Including 47 48 Including 51 52 1m @ 5.1 g/t 114 115 1m @ 2.5 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-191 20 21 1m @ 0.5 g/t 27 29 2m @ 2.4 g/t 35 38 3m @ 1.2 g/t 50 64 14m @ 3.2 g/t Including 50 51 1m @ 5.3 g/t Including 54 55 1m @ 5.5 g/t Including 58 59 1m @ 14.6 g/t Including 62 63 1m @ 5.1 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-192 24 25 1m @ 1.4 g/t 98 99 1m @ 1.5 g/t 105 107 2m @ 4.1 g/t Including 106 107 1m @ 7.1 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-193<50% of assays available ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-195 No significant intervals (53% of assays available) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-196 80 84 4m @ 0.6 g/t 98 100 2m @ 2.2 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- RC17-202 60 67 7m @ 4.8 g/t Including 65 67 2m @ 11.0 g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1)All new holes are vertical, through reefs that dip at 25-30 degrees , making the down-hole thicknesses reported here 10-15% longer than true thickness. (2)Assays were previously available for the bottom half of Hole 180, where significant intervals were previously reported. The 21-24m and 45-46m intervals in this hole are reported here for the first time.

Sample analysis procedures and QA/QC protocols

Sample preparation and analytical work for all of the results reported here were carried out by ALS laboratories, with sample preparation done at its lab in Goiania, Goias and 1Kg Leachwell assays at its lab in Lima, Peru; both of these ALS facilities are ISO 9001:2008 and 14001:2004 certified. ALS uses industry-standard analytical methods and have internal QA/QC programs to monitor the reliability of their work. Independently of the labs, TriStar runs its own external QA/QC program, using standards, blanks and duplicates inserted into the sample processing stream at a rate of one per 10 samples.

Update on new Brazilian mining law

On July 25, 2017, Brazilian President Michel Temer signed into law three provisional measures, referred to as MP 789, MP 790 and MP 791, that affect mining projects throughout the country. They take effect immediately, with Congress being allowed a reasonable period of time to review and amend them.

MP 789 addresses taxation and royalty issues; its principal effect on the Castelo de Sonhos project is to increase the government royalty on gold production from 1% to 2%.

MP 790 modernized the country's mining code, parts of which had become inconsistent with other regulations since it was last updated, more than 20 years ago. These changes include: an initiative to align Brazil's reporting codes with international reporting codes such as NI 43-101; the ability to extend the period during which geology and engineering studies can be done; ending the possibility of a mineral concession being claimed if the holder of the rights is late in filing certain reports; specific guidance on mine closure; and changes to the schedule of reporting deadlines. All of these are helpful to TriStar as it works to advance the Castelo de Sonhos project.

"We welcome all of these changes," says Nick Appleyard. "They improve transparency in the regulatory framework, and are designed to relieve companies and the regulators from political pressure. All of this should make it easier and quicker for us to bring Castelo de Sonhos through the feasibility and permitting process, and to construct a successful and profitable mine."

TriStar's Vice-President, R. Mohan Srivastava (P.Geo.), is the QP for this press release and has prepared or supervised the preparation of the scientific or technical information in this press release.

About TriStar:

TriStar Gold is an exploration and development company focused on precious metals properties in the Americas that have potential to become significant producing mines. The Company's current flagship property is Castelo de Sonhos in Para State, Brazil. The Company's shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol TSG. Further information is available at www.tristargold.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements under Canadian securities legislation which are not historical facts and are made pursuant to the "safe harbour" provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects" or "it is expected", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward looking statements in this press release include, the scope and success of the planned exploration program at the Castelo de Sonhos project and the Company's opinion that it has clear title to the Castelo de Sonhos property Such forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's reasonable expectations and business plan at the date hereof, which are subject to change depending on economic, political and competitive circumstances and contingencies. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause a change in such assumptions and the actual outcomes and estimates to be materially different from those estimated or anticipated future results, achievements or position expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's plans to change include changes in demand for and price of gold and other commodities (such as fuel and electricity) and currencies; changes or disruptions in the securities markets; legislative, political or economic developments in Brazil; the need to obtain permits and comply with laws and regulations and other regulatory requirements; the possibility that actual results of work may differ from projections/expectations or may not realize the perceived potential of the Company's projects; risks of accidents, equipment breakdowns and labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in development programs; operating or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, mining or development activities; the speculative nature of gold exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities of grades of reserves and resources; and the risks involved in the exploration, development and mining business. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/8/1/11G143567/Images/PR_Aug2017_Fig01-689ef741ccccb649a19ecedbfe55725e.jpg

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For further information, please contact:

TriStar Gold Inc.

Nick Appleyard

President and CEO

480-794-1244

info@tristargold.com
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 1, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Tableau Software, Inc. ('Tableau' or the 'Company') (NYSE: DATA). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Tableau and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here to join a class action]

On July 29, 2015, Tableau reported a sharp deceleration in its license revenue growth, yet increased its guidance for full-year revenue to between $617 and $627 million. On this news, Tableau's share price fell $13.58, or 10.69%, to close at $113.49 per share on July 29, 2015.

On January 7, 2016, Tableau disclosed that Kelly Wright, the Company's Executive Vice President of Sales, would leave the Company by December 31, 2016. On this news, Tableau's share price fell $2.14, or 2.42%, to close at $86.43 on January 8, 2016.

On February 4, 2016, Tableau disclosed that the Company was experiencing slowing revenue. On a related earnings call, the Company's Chief Executive Officer advised investors that 'the competitive dynamic has become more crowded and difficult' for Tableau. On this news, Tableau's share price fell $44.53, or 54.47%, over the following two trading days to close at $37.22 on February 8, 2016.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- VVC Exploration Corporation ("VVC" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: VVC) is pleased to announce that the Proxy Materials, comprising of the Notice and Information Circular booklet and a Voting Form, for the Company's upcoming Annual General Meeting of shareholders (AGM) have being mailed to shareholders. Registered Shareholders of the Company should be receiving a Proxy Form and Non-registered Shareholders should be receiving either a Voting Instruction Form ("VIF") or a Proxy Form. The Proxy Materials were filed on SEDAR and are available for download at www.sedar.com and from the Company's website at www.vvcexpl.com/investors/agm.

The only matters to be presented at the AGM are the appointment of the auditor and election of directors. Management is recommending the election of all the current directors of the Company with the addition of a new nominee, Mr. Scott Anthony Hill. Shareholders are encouraged to read the Information Circular for particulars of the proposed resolutions. The terms used in this news have the same meanings as those defined in the Information Circular.

The AGM will be held in the Chianti Room of the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites - Montreal Airport in Dorval, Quebec, at 10 am on Friday, August 25, 2017. Following the formal part of the AGM, shareholders will be provided with a presentation on the Company and its corporate strategy for next year, including an update on the Samalayuca Project in Mexico and other Company activities. Management will also be available to answer pertinent questions from shareholders, subject to respecting the Securities Laws regarding "Selective Disclosure".

The AGM is open to all shareholders of the Company, however only Registered Shareholders and their designated Proxyholders can vote in person at the AGM. Non-registered Shareholders wishing to attend the AGM and vote in person must appoint themselves as Proxyholder and submit their Proxy Form or VIF at least 48 hours before the AGM. For expediency purposes, most shareholders of the Company, whether they attend the AGM or not, generally vote by proxy and appoint one of the designated Management Proxyholders to act as their Proxyholder at the AGM.

If you plan to attend the AGM and wish to stay overnight at the Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites - Montreal Airport, please call directly to make a reservation with Dominic Cloutier (Tel: 877-731-2424). There are a limited number of rooms being held for VVC shareholders. Identify yourself as part of the VVC group to receive the reduced rate being offered on a first-come-first-serve basis.

About Scott Anthony Hill

Mr. Hill brings a wealth of financial expertise to the Board of VVC. Since May 2007, he has been the Chief Financial Officer of Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), responsible for all aspects of accounting, treasury, finance, tax, investor relations, business development, mergers & acquisitions, business controls, internal audit, human resources, real estate, enterprise risk and insurance. Prior to that, Mr. Hill was Assistant Controller of International Business Machines (IBM) where he directed and consolidated IBM's worldwide financial forecasts and measurements, working closely with their CEO, CFO and all global business units and corporate functions.

"The Board is honoured that Mr. Hill has accepted to be nominated for election as a director of the Company, he brings significant expertise which will be extremely, as we refine our corporate strategy for the benefit of all our shareholders," said Terrence Martell, Chairman of the Board of VVC.

About VVC Exploration Corporation

VVC is a Canadian exploration and mining company with projects in Mexico and Canada, including the Samalayuca copper property in Chihuahua State, and gold and silver prospects in Sonora and Sinaloa States, Mexico. The Company also has a grassroots gold/VMS prospect in the Timmins area of northern Ontario.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Michel J. Lafrance, Secretary-Treasurer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Patrick Fernet

Phone: (514) 631-2727

E-mail: pfernet@vvcexploration.com




CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - New Zealand will on Wednesday release Q2 figures for unemployment, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. The jobless rate is expected to fall to 4.8 percent from 4.9 percent in the three months prior. Employment is expected to add 0.7 percent on quarter and 4.1 percent on year after rising 1.2 percent on quarter and 5.7 percent on year in Q1. Japan will see July results for monetary base and consumer confidence. The base in June was up 17.0 percent on year, while the confidence index score is expected to climb to 43.5 from 43.3 in the previous month. Australia will provide June figures for building approvals, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 1.0 percent on month and a fall of 11.0 percent on year. That follows the decline of 5.6 percent on month and 19.7 percent on year in May. Thailand will release July numbers for consumer and producer prices. In June, CPI was up 0.02 percent on month and flat on year, while core CPI added 0.08 percent on month and 0.4 percent on year. PPI fell 0.9 percent on month and 1.2 percent on year. Hong Kong will see June figures for retail sales; in May, sales advanced 0.7 percent on year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 08/01/17 -- Superior Plus Corp. ("Superior") (TSX: SPB) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with the Canada Revenue Agency ("CRA"), which provides for a final resolution of Superior's tax appeal in connection with its conversion from an income trust structure to a corporation on December 31, 2008 (the "Conversion"). The settlement agreement will not impact Superior's cash income taxes for the current year or any previous financial years or Superior's existing 2017 guidance.

Luc Desjardins, President and Chief Executive Officer stated "We are very pleased with the conclusion of the tax appeal relating to the Conversion transaction. It eliminates uncertainty for Superior going forward and enables us to focus on our ongoing Evolution 2020 business initiatives."

About the Corporation

Superior consists of two primary operating businesses: Energy Distribution includes the distribution of propane and distillates, and supply portfolio management; and Specialty Chemicals includes the manufacture and sale of specialty chemicals.

For further information about Superior, please visit our website at: www.superiorplus.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions based on information available at the time the assumption was made and on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors deemed appropriate in the circumstances. No assurance can be given that these assumptions and expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are not facts, but only predications and can generally be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "could", "estimate", "foresee", "grow", "expect", "plan", "intend", "forecast", "future", "guidance", "may", "predict", "project", "should", "strategy", "target", "will" or similar expressions suggesting future outcomes. Forward looking statements in this press release include Superior's expected cash taxes and tax horizon,. Superior believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon.

Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and involves a number of risks and uncertainties and relies on certain assumptions some of which are described herein. Such forward-looking information necessarily involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties and relies on certain assumptions, each of which may cause Superior's actual results to differ materially from any projections of future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include risks and assumptions related to future operational and financial results of Superior, future tax rates and available tax pools. In addition, Superior's operating and financial results are, in turn, subject to certain risks including those identified in the Corporation's 2016 Annual Information Form under the heading "Risk Factors", which is available on the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). Any forward-looking information is made as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, Superior does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise.

Contacts:

Superior Plus Corp.

Beth Summers

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(416) 340-6015



Superior Plus Corp.

Rob Dorran

Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasurer

(416) 340-6003 or Toll Free: 1-866-490-PLUS (7587)

www.superiorplus.com




A Cloud Guru, a London, UK-based on-demand cloud computing training platform provider, raised $7m in Series A funding.

Boston-based Elephant Venture Capital, led by Andy Hunt, co-founder of eyewear giant Warby Parker, and Jeremiah Daly, formerly of Accel Partners, made the investment.

The company intends to use the funds to expand its training catalog to encompass all major cloud vendors and related technologies in addition to its comprehensive catalog of Amazon Web Services training, introduce certification-prep courses for both Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure and expand training courses for Salesforce and Linux, grow the user base to one million students, and expand the US team.

Founded by brothers Ryan and Sam Kroonenburg in late 2015, A Cloud Guru provides a cloud computing training platform to over 250,000 students in 160 countries across 6 continents. In addition to producing cloud training content, the company has developed a serverless learning management system built natively for the cloud on top of AWS Lambda.

A Cloud Guru has staff in London, Melbourne, Washington and Austin and serves corporate customers such as international brands such as Expedia, Capital One and Xero.

FinSMEs

01/08/2017
GuardiCore, a San Francisco, CA- and Tel Aviv, Israel-based internal data center and cloud security platform, raised an additional $15m as an extension to its Series B funding round.

The round, which now amounts to $35m and brings the companys total funding raised to date to $48, was led by TPG Growth and Greenfield Partners, with participation from existing investors Battery Ventures, 83North, Cisco Investments and Dell Technologies Capital.

Led by CEO and co-founder Pavel Gurvich, GuardiCore provides a security solution for customers to protect critical workloads and applications through visibility, segmentation, breach detection and response. Its flagship product, the Centra Security Platform, uses multiple detection methods including patented dynamic deception to reduce dwell time and block lateral movements. Automatic incident analysis provides security teams with real-time Information and comprehensive intelligence about attack methods so they can quickly prioritize security response actions which can often takes days to analyze and mitigate using traditional tools and techniques.

Customers represent large organizations across multiple industries, including financial services, healthcare, retail, communications and cloud-based service providers.

FinSMEs

01/08/2017
A blog about life under, and resisting, a dictatorship
Limelight Health, a San Francisco, CA-based technology company that streamlines the quoting, sales, enrollment, and renewal process for the employee benefits industry, raised $7m in Series B funding.

The round was led by MassMutual Ventures with participation from AXA Strategic Ventures, Wanxiang Healthcare Investments, Portag3 Ventures LP and Plug and Play Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth and expand its software platform.

Founded in 2014 by Jason T. Andrew, co-founder and CEO, Limelight Health provides a real-time, automated platform that allows health plans to reduce the time required for quoting, enrollment, and renewals. Its first product, QuotePad, enables users to access on-demand health plan rate data and price quotes, auto-generate custom sales proposals, and provides a single platform for decision support and electronic enrollments.

The API integration connects into popular online CRM and employee benefits platforms, including Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamic, Bernie Portal, California Choice and EaseCentral, with several additional integrations to be announced in 2017. Limelight Health licenses its software platform to multiple industry players, including insurance carriers, PEOs, payroll companies, brokers, general agents and enrollment exchanges.

Currently available in California, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas, QuotePad will be available for real-time quoting and enrollment in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia starting September 1, 2017.

The company has offices in San Francisco and Redding, California.

FinSMEs

01/08/2017
Linsalata Capital Partners, a Cleveland, Ohio-based middle market private equity firm, is seeking to raise its next buyout fund.

Gregg Taber, Senior Managing Director, will lead the fundraising efforts for LinCap Partners Fund VII, LP, a buyout fund which will focus on the lower middle market.

The fund target size has not yet been announced.

Frank Linsalata and Stephen Perry will take on roles of Senior Advisors to the LinCap team for this new fund.

In conjunction with the initiation of the new fundraising, Michael Faremouth, Managing Director, will lead the launch of a new firm focusing on smaller investments. The new firm will be located in the Cleveland suburbs and will be named Watervale Equity Partners.

Watervale will also begin fundraising in the coming months. Eric Bacon will join the Watervale team for this newly launched firm.

Founded in 1984, Linsalata Capital Partners has focused on accelerating the growth of middle market companies. In over 33 years of investing, the firm has completed 113 buy-side transactions totaling nearly $4 billion in enterprise value.

FinSMEs

01/08/2017
Verdane NVP II SPV K/S (Verdane), Marginalen Group AB, Erland von Hofsten Advokat AB and a further 16 private investors have sold Exensor, an international leader in sensor and protection networks for sensitive areas and infrastructures, to Bertin Technologies, a subsidiary of CNIM Group, listed on Euronext Paris stock exchange.

The undisclosed transaction closed on 31 July, 2017.

Founded in 1987 and led by Christian Gravengaard, CEO, Exensor Technology is a supplier of Networked Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) Systems providing tailored sensor solutions to customers in a wide number of military, home land security and civilian applications worldwide.

The company is headquartered in Lund, Sweden and has subsidiaries in the UK and Germany.

Verdane invested in Exensor in 2013, and Verdane Capital Advisors and other shareholders have supported management in expanding the companys international sales and in identifying new usage areas in the civilian market, for example to protect critical

The acquisition of Exensor will strengthen Bertin Technologies strategic development in the global instrumentation and surveillance market for defence and security applications.

FinSMEs

01/08/2017
NITI Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya's exit is happening at the same time when the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is in the middle of executing its economic turn-around plan. It is clearly not a good time for a key member of the government's intellectual inner circle to say goodbye to the country unless there is a compelling reason for it.

And it isn't really clear what really caused Panagariya's exit. The reason being cited for the exit  his intent to return to his first love, academia  is a bit surprising, for the simple reason that Prime Minister Modi himself had handpicked him for pioneering the new think-tank in January 2015 and the task has only begun. Panagariya was given one of the most prominent positions in the government's policymaking machinery, and the Indian-American economist knew what he is signing up for.

Moreover, during his two-and-half-years at NITI Aayog, the economist was in absolute agreement with the government on most policy-economic issues, including the controversial demonetisation plan. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say NITI Aayog often took up the role of government's mouthpiece to defend its various policy initiatives rather than acting as a corrective force like it was initially meant to do. Panagariya's abrupt exit  in the midst of critical action, and while working with a friendly boss  is a tad surprising.

It's been a disappointing two-and-a-half years for NITI Aayog. The institution has largely failed to live up to the initial expectations, and hasn't evolved as a body that offers constructive criticism and opportunity for course correction for the government when policy decisions move in the wrong direction. Panagariya entered the scene on 5 January, 2015, after the erstwhile Planning Commission, one of the last symbols of Nehruvian era policymaking, was scrapped and replaced with a new body that was hyped as a think-tank that would offer new thinking to the Modi government. It was meant to shake off the redundant policy practices and mistakes and replace them with new ideas.

And in areas of agriculture policy revamp, education, social sector spending and digital economy, it has done good work. But it has failed to reinvent itself as an independent voice that could have guided the government; instead of objectively analysing proposals and offering constructive suggestions, it has instead become a follower of the government's ideas.

By its very design, NITI Aayog began as a weaker body compared with its predecessor  the Planning Commission. The former didn't have powers to allocate funds, but could only make recommendations to the government. Funding was the sole purview of the finance ministry, unlike with the Planning Commission, which could also allocate funds. Secondly, it couldn't impose policies for state governments to follow, again something where the Planning Commission had a strong say.

In short, the Planning Commission was a body with an independent stature and character of its own, whereas NITI Aayog is a powerless institution. Panagariya couldn't reinvent the Aaayog, instead he chose to go with the flow.

NITI Aayog is two-and-a-half years old today, and there are serious doubts over the scope and relevance of the establishment with respect to its mandate and efficacy in dealing with state governments' development plans, particularly given that states have more say in deciding their expenditure plan, whereas Aayog lacks major powers.

As Pradeep S Mehta, secretary general of CUTS International, wrote in Live Mint, "NITI Aayog is yet to institutionalise a checks and balances mechanism to caution the government about the claims it makes, and apprise policymakers of the ground realities."

Even the RSS-affiliated Right-wing economic think-tank Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) was not too impressed with NITI Aayog's performance. Early this year, during a roundtable conference on 'Two years of Niti Aayog', it was said that NITI Aayog had "failed to live up to expectations that it would recast India's economic planning by making it more indigenous".

Did this assessment play a role in spoiling relations between the Modi government and NITI Aayog, which in turn led to Panagariya's exit? One needs to wait and watch for more clues.

At one point, Panagariya's name was heard as a contender for the RBI governor's post following Raghuram Rajan's exit in mid-2016. His CV was impressive enough to be considered for the post. In the past, Panagariya has served as a former chief economist at the Asian Development Bank and has also had stints in various capacities with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and UNCTAD. He holds a PhD in Economics from Princeton University. In March 2012, the government of India honoured Panagariya with the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour in the land. But eventually, the government chose to appoint Urjit Patel, one of Rajan's deputies, as governor.

As Panagariya bids farewell to his office, his track record won't impress many. The body was born when the Planning Commission had almost become a redundant body. As the Live Mint article, the Planning Commission was "marred by bureaucratic processes and devoid of fresh thinking. It failed to keep its ear to the ground". NITI Aayog came into existence with a new promise. But, in hindsight, it has also failed to offer major contributions to the government or offer constructive criticism.

The challenge for Panagariya's successor will be to work on reinventing the body before it turns out to be another Planning Commission.
The government has stalled the proposal by a Chinese company to buy out Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma amid the standoff between the two countries in Sikkim, according to media reports.

Rejecting the proposal by Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group (SFP) to buy an 86 percent stake in Gland Pharma for $1.3 billion, the government has raised "genuine concerns" that the technology developed by an Indian company will be passed over to a Chinese company, said a report in The Times of India.

However, according to the report, government officials have denied any link to the standoff between the two companies.

The report cited sources as saying that Gland Pharma is a leader in injectibles, which is a weak area for the Chinese pharma.

India and China have been in a standoff since mid-June when Chinese forces were spotted constructing a road with bulldozers and other heavy equipment in Doklam area claimed by Bhutan, prompting an intervention by Indian troops stationed nearby.

The Doklam plateau lies close to the "Chicken's Neck", a 20-km wide corridor that links India's mainland to its northeastern states. The biggest fear among India's military planners is that a Chinese offensive there could cut off the link.

The standoff has intensified over the last few days, with both countries even warning each other of large scale destruction in case a war breaks out.

Earlier in April, the inter-ministerial body Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) had recommended the investment proposal to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for approval.

Gland Pharma is brownfield pharmaceutical company and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical is a publicly listed company in China.

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical's plan was to acquire stake in Gland Pharma through its subsidiaries outside India, namely Fosun Pharma Industrial Ltd, Fosun Industrial Co. Limited, Ample Up Limited, Lustrous Star Limited and Regal Gesture Limited.

(with inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Japanese conglomerate SoftBank is looking at investing about $2 billion in home-grown e-commerce major, Flipkart, according to industry sources.

SoftBank, through SoftBank Vision Fund, is in discussions with Flipkart to invest between $1.5-2 billion, two people aware of the development said.

They did not wish to be named as the discussions are still going on.

This assumes significance as SoftBank-backed Snapdeal on Monday called off merger talks with Flipkart. While Snapdeal did not name the Bengaluru-based company, the merger negotiations were widely reported over the last five months.

It was also reported that SoftBank was looking at picking up equity in Flipkart.

With the talks between Snapdeal and Flipkart collapsing, Softbank could now still go ahead and invest in Flipkart, the sources added.

SoftBank, which has investments in Indian start-ups like Snapdeal and cab aggregator Ola, had committed investments worth $10 billion in India in 2014. In May this year, SoftBank pumped in $1.4 billion (over Rs 9,079 crore) in Indian digital payments platform, Paytm.

When contacted, a SoftBank spokesperson said, "SoftBank Vision Fund independently evaluates each investment on its own merit." Flipkart did not respond to e-mailed queries.

SoftBank Vision Fund, founded by SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son, operates as a separate entity. It also has participants like Apple, Foxconn and Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement issued by SoftBank in May, the fund will target "meaningful, long-term" investments in companies that seek to enable the next age of innovation.

The fund, it said, would acquire minority and majority interests in both private and public companies, ranging from emerging technology businesses to established, multi-billion dollar companies that require substantial growth funding.

For Flipkart, the funding would provide it with more arsenal to compete with the US-based Amazon.

The two players have been locked in an intense battle for leadership in the Indian market and have been pumping in millions of dollars to strengthen infrastructure as well as bring more sellers and buyers online.

In April this year, Flipkart had raised $1.4 billion from Microsoft, eBay and Tencent at a valuation of $11.6 billion.

Amazon, on its part, has pumped in close to $600 million across various units in India since January this year.
New Delhi: Indias largest airline by passengers and the only one with a consistent track record of profits, IndiGo, has just reported an almost Rs 9 crore daily net profit in the first quarter ending June 30. It has obviously beaten analysts estimates about its profitability by posting the highest ever quarterly profit in this journey. For Q1, IndiGo reported revenue of Rs 5,753 crore, a growth of 26 percent year on year and 19 percent over the previous quarter. Net profit was Rs 811 crore , a growth of 37 percent year-on-year and 84 percent versus the previous quarter. Revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) increased by 5.5 percent while cost per available seat kilometre (CASK) increased by 1.3 percent. This airline now commands nearly 40 percent overall market share but on non-metro routes, it control over half the market. Put simply, this means that 4 in 10 domestic fliers choose IndiGo but on non-metro routes, every second flier chooses this airline.

According to data compiled by analysts, IndiGo has been increasing its share in the domestic market at the expense of Jet Airways and Air India. Motilal Oswal said in a note to clients this morning that in the 13 successive quarters starting from Q1FY15 when IndiGo had just about 32 percent share, it has inched up to 41 percent now. Over the same period, Jet Airways went from controlling a fifth of the market (21 percent) to 17.58 percent now. And Air India went from 17.42 percent to 12.77 percent. SpiceJet, an LCC competitor to IndiGo, also came down from almost controlling a fifth of the domestic market in Q2FY15 to 12.96 percent now. Market share is a direct consequence of capacity and IndiGo has seen the fastest capacity addition among all domestic airlines.

It is interesting to see that as IndiGo grows in both size and ambition, the airline is introducing significant changes to the way it does business. First, it announced plans to enter the regional market by acquiring a fleet of 50 ATR aircraft in what many saw as a complete reversal of its earlier strategy of keeping a single type of aircraft fleet (IndiGo flies the Airbus 320 aircraft on domestic and short haul international destinations). The new fleet will start coming in soon and is expected to help IndiGo start regional operations under the governments UDAN scheme by the end of the current fiscal.

Second major change in the way IndiGo operates is coming about shortly  after years of following a robust sale and leaseback model for aircraft acquisition, the airline may now go in for a mixed strategy when it starts actually purchasing aircraft instead of merely leasing them back from lessors. This will, going forward, impact dividends to shareholders as more of the companys reserves will get used in paying for aircraft purchase. What this means for the airlines overall profitability going forward is not clear as of now.

Airbus 320neos are new-generation aircraft with fuel saving technology and IndiGo would like to hence own the aircraft for a longer period, a Business Standard report said. The current average age of IndiGo's fleet is around six years. "Most of our aircraft are on a short-term operating lease. We may choose to operate the A320neo for a longer period. Hence, there is a shift in strategy," said Rohit Philip, chief financial officer, in an analyst call.

Under the sale and leaseback model, a lessor purchases the aircraft from the airline and leases it back. This removes the aircraft debt from the airline's balance sheet and allows it to invest equity elsewhere. The BS report quoted sources to say that IndiGo makes around $4 million dollar per aircraft under such transactions. As of end-March, it had 131 aircraft, of which 17 were owned or on finance lease; 118 were on an operating lease.

A third thing which needs to be kept in mind about changes in IndiGos workings is a slowing fleet induction plan  forced upon the airline by the aircraft manufacturers inability to supply the fuel efficient Neo engines. From about 25 percent annual capacity expansion rate till now, the airline will expand at just 20 percent between now and 2020 (including the smaller aircraft fleet).

The induction of smaller fleet and participation in UDAN could mean creation of a separate company and therefore some diversification of operations where profit making may be tougher due to a fare cap-cum-subsidy structure of UDAN. Moving to an owned fleet strategy would, as we said before, mean lower dividend to shareholders. And a slowing fleet induction plan obviously is good news for competition since it gets a much needed breather. Yield  which denotes revenue per passenger  for the entire domestic aviation market could improve because of slower fleet induction by the market leader.

Global aviation consultancy CAPA had noted last month that IndiGo has the largest in-service fleet in India and the largest order book of any airline in the world, at 458 aircraft. Its fleet could expand by up to 46 aircraft during this financial year  a net addition of almost one aircraft a week. Other airlines are responding by accelerating their own expansion in order to hold on to market share and to prevent IndiGo from securing a dominant position with over 50 percent of the market.

Despite IndiGos market-leading performance to date, this scorching pace will undoubtedly test the capabilities of its management team, increasing the risk of a negative impact on the airlines profitability and operational performance, CAPA had said. It also added that the possibility of IndiGo ordering A330neos to launch long haul low-cost services cannot be ruled out.
Last week, a news report that NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant had said schools, colleges and jails should be handed over to the private sector quite predictably set off a kerfuffle. Most people were scandalised about what they perceived as a call to privatise education. It forced Kant to clarify that he was only talking about the private sector being involved in the physical infrastructure of schools.

But what is wrong with getting the private sector more involved in the academic aspects of education? It is not as if it is not already present. And it is not as if it is doing a terrible job of it. On the other hand, parents appear to be leaning more towards it. Lets just focus on school education since that is what evokes more emotional responses to any increased private sector role.

Data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) shows enrolment in private schools increasing and that in government schools falling. In 2013-14, the enrolment in private schools in Class I to VIII was 35.81 percent; in 2015-16, it was 37.95 percent. The data for government schools shows a decline from 61.32 percent to 59.44 percent. Geeta Gandhi Kingdon of the University College London has shown that the enrolment share of private schools, on average, has doubled from 15.1 percent in 2005 to 31.4 percent in 2014. She also gives figures of close to 18,000 government schools in Rajasthan with less than 20 children and 4,000 in Maharashtra and 3,000 in Chhattisgarh with less than 10 students.

Now the well-off dont send their children to government schools; only low income people do. So why are they preferring private schools (where they will have to shell out money) to free government schools?

Because the former give value for money, Kingdon notes. Mining data from NGO Prathams Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) between 2010 and 2014, she shows that private schools are outperforming government schools in learning levels of students. Children in Standard IV who can do at least subtraction was 55.1 percent in government schools in 2010 and dropped to 32.3 percent in 2014. Children in Class V who can do division dropped from 33.9 percent to 20.7 percent over the same period.

There was a decline in the case of private schools also, but at higher levels. Children in Standard IV who can do at least subtraction was 67.7 percent in 2010 and 59.3 percent in 2014. Children in Standard V who can do division was 44.2 percent in 2010 and 39.3 percent in 2014. She has similar findings for reading levels.

Take infrastructure. The UDISE data shows that regardless of the level of school  primary, upper primary or combinations of these with other levels  private schools have, on average, more classrooms than government schools. Ditto with average number of teachers; the only exception is upper primary with secondary and higher secondary, where the average number of teachers in government schools is higher than private schools. In fact, after a dip from 5.2 to 5 between 2010-11 and 2011-12, the average number of teachers in primary classes in private schools has risen steadily and stands at 5.3 in 2015-16. On the other hand, the average number of teachers in government schools remained at 2.8 between 2010-11 and 2014-15 and dipped to 2.7 in 2015-16.

All this when, as Kingdon shows, the government per pupil expenditure far outstrips private per pupil expenditure by anything from two times to 12 times, across states.

Okay, so lets not hand over education entirely to the private sector (Kant was really speaking about public-private partnerships), but it is time to accept that role of the government in education needs to change.

The debate over whether or not education is a public good will continue till eternity, but even if it is conceded that only primary education is a public good requiring the government to provide it, why is it so difficult to accept that there can be a different method of delivery and this should be encouraged?

It is not clear if public-private partnerships (PPPs) will work, if the private party has to take on the baggage of unionised government school teachers and other employees. A Hindustan Times editorial noted that the Rajasthan government planned to hand over 70,000 schools to the private sector but had to drop the idea because of resistance from teachers. PPPs can also be tricky to design and could end up as murky deals.

A better way would be to end the licence raj in education. Schools require multiple licences from state and local authorities, including an essentiality certificate which says the school is needed in the area it plans to be in. State governments want to regulate and cap fees. The Right to Education Act, 2009, stipulates infrastructure norms for schools, teacher qualifications and salary, whether or not they are practical to follow.

These affect all schools but end up practically killing budget private schools, which cater to the section that sends children to government schools. These schools disprove the criticism that private education is unaffordable (would parents withdraw their children from free government schools and sending them to these schools if that were the case?) In a chapter in Report on Budget Private Schools in India 2017, Kingdon points out that 70 percent to 85 percent of children studying in private unaided schools in low income states paid fees of less than Rs 500 a month. She also shows that the average median annual school fee is around 10.2 percent of the annual minimum wage of daily wage workers. A further point she makes is that, on an average, 26 percent of rural private school monthly fee is below the minimum wage of individual states.

The criticism against budget private schools is that they are little more than teaching shops, functioning out of ill-equipped premises in congested localities. To expect schools functioning out of, and catering to, low income neighbourhoods to have spacious buildings and latest equipment is unrealistic. This is not to deny the criticism. The National Independent Schools Alliance acknowledges that there are some rotten eggs and is trying to address this. But should an entire sector be written off because of a few outliers?

Allowing more private schools to emerge will provide competition to government schools as well. Right now, teachers have no incentive to perform well because their jobs are protected. But if the migration from government schools to private budget schools continues and the number of students drops below an economic level, state governments will have little choice to close them down. This possibility will force teachers and principals to focus on their performance.

Will this mean government washing its hands off primary education? It need not. The Centre for Civil Society has been advocating funding students not schools, which means giving students cash to go to the school of their choice. The provision in the RTE Act for schools reserving 25 percent of seats for students from low income backgrounds is supposed to do this, but is riddled with problems. It involves the government reimbursing the school, and has given rise to a number of scams. It may be far better to work out a system of reimbursing the parents of students instead. The chances of their gaming the system will be less; if they are willing to forgo free education for their children and pay from their own pockets for private education, they clearly value education and are unlikely to blow up the money on non-essentials.

How to operationalise this is what education policy should focus on. And the demonisation of private schools needs to stop.
Leading e-tailer Snapdeal on Monday said it was terminating strategic discussions to sell its stake, ostensibly to rival Flipkart, as it had decided to pursue an independent path.

"As we have been exploring strategic options over the months, we have decided to pursue an independent path and terminate all strategic discussions, said a Snapdeal spokesperson in a statement, without referring to Flipkart.

A company official, who did not want to be identified, however told IANS that the formal negotiations scheduled between the two e-tailers on Monday here were called off at short notice.

Though Flipkart declined to confirm that its meeting with Snapdeal was cancelled, the latter's official admitted that their representatives could not meet to take the abandoned 'deal' forward.

After Flipkart offered to buy out the Gurgaon-based Snapdeal at its revised $900-950 million price, the latter's board decided to seek the consent of its investors, including Ratan Tata and Premji Invest of Wipro czar Azim Premji for exiting the e-tail business.

Other strategic and institutional investors in Snapdeal are Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Foxconn, Temasek and BlackRock.

Snapdeal 2.0

Snapdeal co-founder and Chief Executive Kunal Bahl is, meanwhile, putting up a brave face insisting on growth ahead, though the future remains uncertain for its staff and other stakeholders.

"We have a compelling direction (Snapdeal 2.0) to create life-changing experiences for millions of buyers and sellers across the country," said the Snapdeal statement.

"With the sale of certain non-core assets, we expect to be financially self-sustainable. We look forward to the support of our community, including employees, sellers, buyers and other stakeholders in helping us create a designed-for-India commerce platform," added the spokesperson.

The company recently sold Freecharge, the mobile payments company it had bought in 2015 for around Rs 2,500 crore for Rs 385 crore to Axis Bank. There was speculation that the move would finally pave way for a deal between Snapdeal and Flipkart.

Later, in an e-mail to his 1,200 odd employees, Snapdeal co-founder and Chief Executive Kunal Bahl said a lot of time and effort went into the process, leading to speculation and uncertainty for the team, partners and investors.

"We will continue the journey as an independent company. The opportunity of e-commerce in India is immense and the surface of the $200-billion market has barely been scratched yet," he said.

Affirming that the company had all the ingredients of success, the CEO said it was time for all to focus on the business and leverage its strength to build the best marketplace to connect buyers to sellers across the country.

On calling off talks with Flipkart, Bahl said the deal was complex to execute as reported by the media.

"First of all, there isn't going to be one successful model for e-commerce in India. In every market, there are multiple successful e-commerce businesses, and as long as one's strategy is differentia ted and has a clear path to success, there is a great company that can be built," he noted.

Elaborating on Snapdeal 2.0 (version), he said the new direction would enable anyone to set up a store online and focus on providing a wide range of products at great prices to consumers.

"We made progress on this new path over the months and are profitable to make upwards of Rs 150 crore in gross profit in the next 12 months," he claimed.

Following streamlining of costs and sale of some assets like FreeCharge, Bahl said the company was financially self-sufficient and did not need to raise additional capital to reach profitability.

"Needless to say, we need to keep a tight control on our costs and work towards becoming an efficient culture, delivering profitable growth, month on month," averred Bahl.

With many team members reiterating that the company should continue in its independent capacity, Bahl said the decision was made and there was no ambiguity about it.

Uncertainty for all

The decision to call off the talks seems to have taken the sector observers by surprise.

Snapdeal has seen its fortunes dwindling in the face of stiff competition from Amazon and Flipkart. It is in this context that a sellout of the company was proposed. The deal has been in the works for long.

I believe what happened today was not in the best interests of a majority of stakeholders, The Ken cites venture capitalist Vani Kola of Kalaari Capital as telling a TV channel.

According to a report by news agency ANI, the company is laying off 80 percent of its staff. A senior official of the company has said that with the money from the sale of Freecharge, the company has decided to sack around 1,000 employees out of their present workforce of 1,200, and carry forward with the remaining. It has to be remembered that the company had about 9,000 staff in July last year.

However, as a detailed analysis (paywall) in The Ken says, it remains to be seen what the company can do with the remaining staff in a sector that is reeling under fierce competition from a global giant with deep pockets and a much bigger domestic rival.

Not many analysts share the optimism of Bahl. "They will to have to raise money from existing investors. It is not going to be easy and in the wake of stiff competition from Flipkart and Amazon. Snapdeal will have no chance to go it alone, an analyst told Firstpost on Monday.

Clearly, Snapdeal 2.0 seems to be a long and painful journey for the staff and investors. One can only hope it will come out of the woods.

(With inputs from IANS)
AS Sunilra aka Appunni, the absconding manager of Malayalam superstar Dileep, has surrendered to the Special Investigation Team (STI) conducting the probe of the Malayalam actress assault and abduction case.

The Indian Express reports that the Kerala High Court had sent a notice to Appunni asking him to appear before it after the SIT had informed the Court that Dileep's manager had to be questioned in the case to ascertain whether he was a co-conspirator or not.

The Times of India reports that Appunni, who had filed for anticipatory bail in the Court, had expressed concerns over possibilities of torture during the investigation. However, the Court rejected the bail which led to Appunni's surrender. He was absconding in a Goa resort, as per the same report.

India Today reports that Appunni is currently being questioned by the SIT at the Aluva Police Club. The same report states that the chief accused, Pulsar Suni had made calls to a few numbers that have links with Appunni. These calls were made between 23 November, 2016 and 17 February, 2017.

Last week, Suni's bail plea was rejected by the Angamaly Judicial First Class Magistrate Court. The prosecution contested his dismissal, stating that letting him out could hamper the pace of the investigation and that the accused might destroy some important evidence, such as a mobile phone and sim card, which has not been recovered yet.
Pranav Mohanlals maiden Malayalam film Aadi went on the floors on 1 August and the first schedule will be shot in Nedumbassery, according to director Jeethu Joseph.

"Apart from Kochi, we will also shoot in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The principal shooting should be wrapped up by October. Originally, we had planned for Christmas release but now I doubt if it will be able to come out on time. We have post-production and VFX work so it will take time," Joseph said.

Also starring Siddique, Sharafudheen, Siju Wilson, Anusree, Aditi Ravi and Lena, the film doesnt feature a romantic track.

"Although there are female characters, you wont find a romantic track. Pranav doesnt have a love interest in the film," he said.

According to a report by newindianexpress.com, the director has also informed that while Anusree, Aditi Ravi and Lena are part of the film, they won't have any romantic angle with Pranav.

Actor Sunny Wayne was also reportedly roped in, but citing issues with dates he had to back out from the film.

Pranav who plays the titular character, Aadi in the film, has taken special lessons in the obstacle training form - Parkour - for the movie, reports newindianexpress.com.

The film is being produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas.

(With inputs from IANS)
Hi guys, welcome to Pretentious Movie Reviews. This weeks movie is

This was a show about how some films were so bad that they had to be revisited. It starred a couple of engineers, namely Kanan Gill (who goes to the gym) and Biswa Kalyan Rath (who went to IIT). They laughed, they got frustrated, they walked off, they cracked jokes (both obvious and implied), they used props and overlaid graphics. There was also a lot of editing and cut-scenes and it all came together in a perfectly-sized package  one that always left you asking for more.

It started with Gunda, Kanti Shahs cult classic. We saw the rather handsome Kanan on the left and the rather relatable Biswa on the right. There was perhaps a bit of symbolism going on as Biswa was squarely in front of a bookshelf while Kanan was partly in front of a mirror. Interestingly, Biswa introduces himself as Kalyan in this one.

There are a bunch of scenes from the movie cut together in montages which serve as talking points for the duo. Of course Gunda is a movie which lends itself to much ridicule but the review picked on the very best bits  the rhymes, the very proactive characters and Vitamin Sex.

Then came Jaani Dushman. After the obligatory love to Sonu Nigam, they jump onto a scene which leaves you flabbergasted  the rape attempt on Manisha Koiralas character. They are as amazed as us when she is then peer pressured into forgiving the perpetrators.

This was also a good reminder of how so many things from these movies just weirdly never stuck with us even though they should. Do you remember Sunil Pal trying to rape Riteish Deshmukh (in drag) in Apna Sapna Money Money? Exactly, neither did I till I saw it randomly on (where else) Zee Cinema.

Sadly, both of these reviews are no longer present on Kanans channel. But you can never really delete anything on the internet and a YouTube search will bring up both of these gems in a jiffy.

There was also Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. The review (and the movie) has the best flying dad, best insults and the very, very best of Hrithik Roshan. It also etched Hi Aunty! into our memories forever.

Now, many people count Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon as their favourite review but they are wrong because that honour goes to

The most sexual movie of all time recalled the 'Exercise' song to public consciousness where it will stay for some time to come. The highlight of the movie was Fardeen Khan acting as Suraj who (spoiler alert) refuses to give Meghna Kothari some haseen dard. They even found time to call out a pretty random bit of homophobia with the Jay Mehra - Gay Mehra joke.

The duo also reviewed (and made hilarious) Aabra Ka Daabra (Unimpressed Sardar child), Hum Saath Saath Hain (ABCDEFGHI), Aap Ka Suroor (Germany) and DDLJ (Khusbooooo) among others. There was also the little-known review of Dare to Date which never came on Kanans channel at all but which you really should watch if only to understand what a ChachaPoolTable is.

It also helped that apart from being funny, they also commanded their own audiences. For the longest time, I believed that Biswa was the one who was actually funny and was carrying the show. And the guys around me agreed. The key word being guys. Except of course a bunch of women were fans of the series too and were equally vehement that the show was all Kanan. In the end, it didnt really matter because the chemistry the two enjoyed meant that it all just clicked.

The shows cast was also its own laughter track. Both would fall apart laughing while playing out scenes from the movie being reviewed as well as when either was cracking a joke. They thought they were hilarious. And they were!

Their respective careers have taken off quite well now as both are well-regarded names on the stand-up circuit and can easily sell out auditoriums. Biswa managed to make a rather whimsical cameo in Brahman Naman, while Kanan got a much meatier role in the Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Noor.

They are also regulars on YouTube channels of other comedians like SnG Comedy and Indian comedy overlords AIB. Especially in a segment about exams on AIBs On Air with AIB, the two stole the show with their anecdotes about students generally being stupid.

Both of them got their own Amazon Prime specials with Biswas Biswa Mast Aadmi perhaps being a shade better than Kanans Keep It Real. Kanan has generally been the weaker of the two when it comes to stand-up but his special was surprisingly good and well worth a watch. Biswa on the other hand literally made his dad famous as everyone now knows of Jagan Mohan Rath. They comfortably outstripped the competition by a mile as Zakir Khan and Kenny Sebastian disappointed in their specials.

Amid all the hoopla and the progress they have made in their careers, Pretentious Movie Reviews went missing though. It made them famous and was some of the best viewing on the Indian side of YouTube. The last one was for Kya Kehna, which came out almost a couple of years ago.

There is hope though, for in April, the two appeared on Abish Mathews Son of Abish and said that they werent doing the reviews because they were bored and didnt want to be typecast. But the plan was apparently to do some other stuff and get back to the reviews later.

And the return would be none the sooner. There are so, so many movies which are crying for the PMR treatment. There is Deshdrohi, KRKs magnum opus which fans have been begging them to review. Maybe then KRK could review the review and cause the internet to explode. There is also the very amazing Jhoom Barabar Jhoom with Lara Duttas fantastic accent. Actually that movie is supposedly jinxed, so maybe not. If nothing else, Ram Gopal Varma's Indian Flames (RGV Ki Aag) is the lowest ranked Indian movie on IMDB for a reason, and Kanan and Biswa seem like the best people to articulate that reason.

In closing, Id like to say that these reviews were awesome and two years is a long enough hiatus for anything. Come on Kanan and Biswa, bring back the weird colours and doge memes and that weird Boost snapshot.

And if that doesnt work, then I have but one question for you guys: Have you had sex with Pretentious Movie Reviews?

TOH PHIR PROBLEM KYA HAI?
One person was killed and several others injured on Tuesday after security forces opened fire on stone-pelting protesters near the encounter site in Pulwama where two militants were killed, the police said. While there was no official word on the identity of the deceased, locals who had brought him to the hospital said his name was Firdous Ahmad, a police official said.

"One person with fire arm injuries was brought dead at Pulwama district hospital," the official said.

Early on Tuesday, top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir, PTI quoted the army as saying. As security forces were engaged in the counter-militancy operation, over 100 protesters pelted stones at them, an army official added.

Giving details of the operation, the official said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information about presence of Abu Dujana and his local aide, Arif Lilhaari, in the area. An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early on Tuesday.

During a press briefing after the encounter on Tuesday Jammu and Kashmir IG Muneer Khan said, "The firing was retaliated and both were neutralised. Inspite of our warning, the people on the behest of militants come in between the operating parties. Today, it happened in the same manner and we lost a civilian life. Let the security forces do their job. I take opportunity and again appeal to the people pelting or no pelting, disruption or no, operations will continue."

"Dujana had become a nuisance in the area. He had become an eyesore for everybody, especially girls. Good riddance, that's it... But the leadership of LeT has been affected. We are hunting other leaders in the area," Lieutanent General J Sandhu, GOC 15 Corps said.

"We have to be careful because there are high number of militants and they ask people to get involved in their activities. Internet will be suspended because we don't want people to indulge in propaganda. So we will watch and deal with the situation," Sandhu added.

RR Bhatnagar, DG CRPF told India Today, "In terms of law and order, we are here to manage it. It is not a question of having a list. The anti-militancy operation is an ongoing process."

Speaking to News18, sources said that on a specific tip-off the house, where the terrorists were holed up, was gheraoed and operations began at around 4.30 am. Dujana, the mastermind behind the Udhampur and Pampore attacks, was believed to be on the first floor along with an aide. Official sources told News18 that last fire was heard around 9.30 am.

According to The Times of India, another LeT terrorist Arif Lilhaari has also been killed in the encounter. Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hakripora village of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Rashtriya Rifles, according to India Today, launched a cordon and search operation in the area.

At least six other persons were injured in security forces' action against violent protesters near the encounter site. The official said that over 100 "miscreants" started pelting stones at security forces involved in the anti-militancy operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama. He said the security forces used teargas shells, pellets and fired a few live rounds to disperse the stone-pelting protesters.

Meanwhile, mobile and internet services in Kashmir Valley have been suspended as a precautionary measure in the wake of clashes. A police official said that mobile, internet has been suspended across the Valley to prevent miscreants from indulging in unnecessary propaganda.

He said the facility has been suspended across all service providers and platforms like 2G, 3G and 4G. Although broadband Internet services on landlines were functional, the speed has been choked to prevent uploading of videos and large images.

The official said the suspension of mobile Internet services was a precautionary measure in view of protests following killing of two LeT militants, including Dujana, in south Kashmir's Pulwama district this morning.

As the security forces were retreating from the encounter site, some youths started pelting stones at them near the district hospital in Pulwama. The security forces responded by opening fire, resulting in injuries to two persons including a nurse working inside the hospital, the official said.

He said two other persons were brought to the hospital in an injured condition but it was not clear where they suffered the injuries. Reports of protests have been received from several parts of south Kashmir and from some parts of the city as well.

Tuesday was not the first time the LeT divisional commander was traced by the security forces. According to Greater Kashmir, Dujana and two of his associates had exchanged fire with the forces on 19 July in Banderpora village, and had escaped from the spot.

Dujana was from Gilgit-Baltistan, which is a part of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Dujana joined LeT when he was 17.

According to India Today, he first infiltrated into India in 2010 after which he developed LeT's network across Jammu and Kashmir, especially south Kashmir, which has been a hotbed of militancy over the past year. According to this report, in 2014 Dujana had turned up at a funeral of a militant in Kakpora area of Pulwama.
New Delhi: Union minister Kiren Rijiju and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday hailed the security forces after top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana was killed in an encounter in Kashmir.

"The security forces are taking proper action, be it in Jammu and Kashmir or in some other part of the country, and they are taking firm steps in respective cases," Rijiju, who is the minister of state for home affairs, told reporters outside Parliament.

Abdullah hoped the forces will continue to do "such good work".

"I hope they will continue to do this good work so that there is peace in our state," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said while replying to queries outside Parliament.

Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir, the army said.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter-militancy operation, over 100 protesters pelted stones on them, an army official said.

The official said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information about presence of Abu Dujana and his local aide, Arif Lilhaari, in the area.

An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early on Tuesday.

During the ensuing fire fight, both the militants were killed, the official said.
Three men on motorcycles threw acid on a 20-year-old near Bhatvalia crossing in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh police said on Monday.

"The girl, a resident of Amava village, came to an institute to enquire about a computer course. As she was returning, three persons riding on two motorcycles threw acid on her," police said.

Hindustan Times reported that the incident took place in front of the residence of the Superintendent of Police (SP). The policemen stationed at the SP Rajiv Mehrotras house took the woman to a hospital.

The girl suffered 25 percent burn injuries and was rushed to the district hospital. The men have been taken into custody, police said, adding that the SP met the girl personally.

The Hindustan Times report also quoted Mehrotra as saying, "The attackers were the relatives of the girl and one of them was possibly her uncle. A land dispute between the girls family and the accused led to the attack.

This is just the latest in a series of attacks on women which have taken place across the country.

On 25 July, a 32-year-old married woman was allegedly raped by two men at her residence in Kalwa township in Thane. After the incident, the accused allegedly threw acid at the woman before fleeing.

Another Lucknow woman was attacked with acid for the fourth time. The incident took place right outside her house.

The police later said there was no evidence to suggest outsider involvement. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath suggested that something was amiss, saying a conspiracy may have been hatched to defame his government.

With inputs from PTI
Jaipur: Rajasthan's newly appointed Director General of Police (DGP), Ajit Singh, on Tuesday dismissed allegations that gangster Anandpal Singh's encounter was fake.

Anandpal was killed on 24 June in a police encounter at Malasar in Churu district. His death had triggered protests by the Rajput community to which he belonged. The government gave in to their demand for a CBI probe.

"The CBI probe will clear all doubts related to the encounter. I had personally examined the encounter site and there is no doubt that the encounter was genuine," Singh said on Tuesday addressing a press conference.

The state government had decided to recommend a CBI inquiry into the gangster's encounter. On his priorities, Singh said that his department will make strategies to reduce physical, white collar and cyber crimes in the state.

"We would try to reduce deaths which may be due to assault, accident or any other reason," he added. He stressed on the need to strengthen communication with the common people.

"When people have faith and trust in police they share information. Relations with people play an important role in making policing successful. Community Liaison Group (CLG) was established for connecting better with the society," he said.

On rising cyber crimes, Singh said police is equipped to deal with crime. He said regular skill enhancement training is provided to staff and they will try to gear up in tackling cyber crimes. He said that his department will try to limit the number of pending cases under the 10 per cent mark.
Arvind Panagriya has resigned as vice-chairman of NITI Aayog, bringing an end to his two-and-a-half year stint at the helm of India's revamped planning commission.

#BREAKING -- Arvind Panagariya quits as the Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog pic.twitter.com/Yw3QdKelTW  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

NITI Aayog, which came into effect on 1 January 2015, replaced the 65-year-old Planning Commission, considered by many in the NDA establishment of being a vestige of the Nehruvian-Socialism era.

After resigning from Yojana Bhawan, Panagariya is tipped to return to Columbia University.

Panagariya was handpicked by Modi to head NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog immediately after its creation on 1 January 2015. NITI Aayog was meant to be in sync with "changing times and requirements of a rising India".

Like the erstwhile Planning Commission, NITI Aayog is also chaired by the Prime Minister of India. Sources said it was a difficult decision for Panagariya, as he wanted to return to his "first love"  teaching at Columbia University. He met the prime minister recently and explained to him why he wanted to leave NITI Aayog.

Sources told Firstpost he will be continue to be at NITI Aayog till the end of this month and relinquish from the post on 31 August. Rumours in power corridors suggest CEO Amitabh Kant had an overbearing presence. Panagariya and Kant are two prominent persons in two powerful positions at the same organisation, which may have had its implications.

NITI Aayog was formed as a premier 'think tank' meant to formulate policies for the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. "While designing strategic and long-term policies and programmes for the Government of India, NITI Aayog also provides relevant technical advice to the Centre and states. The Government of India, in keeping with its reform agenda, constituted NITI Aayog to replace the Planning Commission. This was done in order to better serve the needs and aspirations of the people of India. An important evolutionary change from the past, NITI Aayog acts as the quintessential platform of the Government of India to bring states to act together in national interest, and thereby fosters cooperative federalism," the Aayog website says.

Panagariya, 64, is an Indian-American economist and has been a professor of Economics at Columbia University. He is known for his market-friendly views and is a close associate of well-known trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati. The two have often challenged Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to an open debate on Indian economy.

Panagariya has earlier been the chief economist of the Asian Development Bank and a professor of Economics and co-director at the Centre for International Economics, University of Maryland, at College Park.

Holding a PhD degree in Economics from Princeton University, Panagariya has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities.
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a total package of Rs 2,350 crore for all north eastern states hit by floods and immediate release of Rs 250 crore for flood-hit Assam, as he undertook a visit in Guwahati to assess the situation in the region.

He also announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to floods in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

The seriously injured people will get Rs 50,000 each, the PMO said.

Regarding Assam, state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the prime minister announced release of Rs 250 crore immediately to carry out relief and rehabilitation.

"The prime minister had released Rs 300 crore in June. The Rs 250 crore announced today was in addition to the amount released in June," he said.

"The problem in the North East is India's problem and we should collectively concentrate on converting the problem in to power," Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta quoted the prime minister as saying.

Modi, during his daylong visit to Guwahati, met chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland to take stock of the situation arising out of the floods.

Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla did not come but sent a representation on his behalf.

"The prime minister announced Rs 2,350 crore total flood package for the northeastern states," Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.

Giving a breakup, Sarma said, "The prime minister has announced a special package of Rs 2,000 crore for all the northeastern states for relief and rehabilitation of flood damage."

The exact share of different states will be worked out in coming days and will be announced accordingly, he added.

In addition to that, the prime minister announced a Rs 100 crore corpus for setting up a research project to study Brahmaputra river and its role in creating devastating flood, Sarma said.

The package will be for flood relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction measures for affected states of the North East, the prime minister said later.

"The package will have a significant component devoted to infrastructure and improving water holding capacity of the Brahmaputra," he tweeted.

"We are exploring all possible means to enable proper management of the water resources of the North East. This will help us immensely," Modi added.

Sarma said the research project to study Brahmaputra will have a high-power committee comprising scientists, researchers, engineers.

"They will study the river and suggest remedies to tackle floods. This will be long term project," the finance minister of Assam added.

The prime minister said the Centre is always with Assam and the northeastern states and suggested adoption of short and long term measures to handle flood and erosion problems.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented Rs 3,888.09 crore loss due to the latest wave of flood in the state to Modi.

The Assam government, however, did not submit any memorandum but sought support in rebuilding infrastructure and other rehabilitation works, Mahanta said.

Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang sought at least Rs 700 crore for damages caused by latest wave of floods but declined to say whether the prime minister had assured him of funds.

"We have assessed our damage and it is Rs 700 crore. So for rebuilding the infrastructure and other purposes, we need assistance beyond Rs 700 crore," Zeliang told reporters after meeting PM Modi here.

During this year's flood in Nagaland, 18 people have lost their lives. Around six lakh people were affected and 6,000 villages were hit, he said.

"It was a big natural calamity this time. There were heavy floods and landslides at many places. The hardship of people still continues.

"It is good and encouraging that the Prime Minister has come and met all the chief ministers of the North East. This is a good sign," Zeliang said.

Modi also promised help and support to Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu, who submitted a memorandum to him on the damages caused by the floods, in providing relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding infrastructure in the flood-affected hill state.

"The prime minister gave a patient hearing to our problems and promised help and support in relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding the infrastructure," Khandu said after the meeting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Assam for a one-day visit on Tuesday, has announced an assistance of Rs 2,350 crore for the North East, out of which Rs 2,000 crore will be used towards flood relief and rehabilitation, while Rs 250 crore would be released immediately to Assam to help the state leapfrog relief and rehabilitation work.

"The prime minister has allocated Rs 100 crore to form a high-powered committee that will conduct a study on the behaviour of the Brahmaputra river," Assam education and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.

"The Centre had given us Rs 300 crore earlier as flood relief fund. In addition to that, we are immediately getting Rs 250 crore from the Centre for flood relief," he said.

The Assam minister said that the state government has already announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the relatives of people killed and Rs 50,000 to those seriously injured during the floods in Assam.

While a total of 130 have reportedly died from the entire North East in the flood which has displaced over 25 lakhs people, the state of Assam has been hit the most by the deluge with nearly 83 people killed in Assam alone and over 20 lakh people affected by the flood.

Modi, who arrived at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport earlier today, was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Prime Minister reached Assam, where he will review the flood situation, interact with CMs & officials of various states of the Northeast pic.twitter.com/P7vvnQYhHy  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 1, 2017

Modi also met Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu, Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang and Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh as well as officials from the states to review the flood situation in the North East. Modi also addressed a meeting of NDA legislatures from BJP, BPF and AGP, Sarma said.

PM @narendramodi, Assam CM @sarbanandsonwal, Ministers from the Centre & Assam, officials review the flood situation in the state. pic.twitter.com/truJgzLRtz  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 1, 2017

A seven-member inter-ministerial central team had visited Assam on 25 July for four days to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of flood damage.

However, earlier on Monday, Congress leader and former chief minister Tarun Gogoi had criticised Modi saying that the prime minister is making a "token visit to the state only after facing severe criticism from all quarters as he visited Gujarat, but neglected Assam."

This year, two waves of floods in the state have affected around 25 lakh people from 29 districts prompting the administration to set up 1,098 distribution centres and relief camps, where about 1.32 lakh people took shelter.

Though the current wave of floods has receded, six districts are still reeling under floods and over 2,000 people have taken shelter in the relief camps.

With inputs from PTI
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Assam on Tuesday to review the flood situation and relief works in the state, where scores of people have died in the last few weeks.

The prime minister, who arrived at the Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

From the airport, he flew by a helicopter to the Veterinary College Ground at Khanapara.

Modi then drove to the nearby Assam Administrative Staff College where he is scheduled to hold three meetings, before returning to New Delhi in the afternoon.

He was received at the Staff College by the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior state government officials.

During his day-long visit, Modi will meet the chief ministers and top officials of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, to discuss the flood situation.

The Centre has already announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the kin of people killed and Rs 50,000 to seriously injured persons in the recent flood in Assam.

"The prime minister's visit is mainly to find a permanent solution to the flood problem that Assam is facing," state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference in Guwahati.

The first meeting will be with the council of ministers and state officials. After that, the prime minister is likely to address a meeting of NDA legislatures from BJP, BPF and AGP, Sarma said.

When asked about the reported fund crunch to deal with the flood crisis, Sarma said Assam has enough funds. "We still have Rs 324 crore of unspent money. Last year the Centre had announced Rs 400 crore (for Assam), but did not send it because we had money," he added.

Sarma, however, said the state government will submit a memorandum with some demands. Earlier on Monday, Congress leader and former chief minister Tarun Gogoi said Modi is paying a "token visit to the state only after facing severe criticism from all quarters as he visited Gujarat, but neglected Assam."

Modi is slated to conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas. Reports also state that he is likely to give a public speech at around 2 pm on Tuesday.

A seven-member inter-ministerial central team had visited Assam on 25 July for four days to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of flood damage.

The water had been receding from affected areas in Assam, however, one more person was killed in Morigaon district on Monday taking the toll up to 83.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), about 5,000 people are still affected in Lakhimpur and Jorhat districts, and 366 people have taken shelter in four relief camps in the two districts.

This year, two waves of floods have affected over 25 lakh people in 29 districts of Assam, with the administration setting up 1,098 relief camps and distribution centres.

With inputs from agencies
The gunning down of All Bodo Minority Students' Union (ABMSU) president Lafikul Islam at Kokrajhar's Titaguri market area on Tuesday by unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen sent a chill down the spine of people living in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) and brought back gruesome memories of the 2012 communal riots.

The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the swiftness with which the state machinery swung into action, with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal directing state director general of police Mukesh Sahay to immediately visit the communally sensitive area and ensure law and order is maintained.

"I strongly condemn the killing of ABMSU president Lafikul Islam. (I have) Directed Assam police DGP to visit Kokrajhar and do a thorough investigation," said Sonowal on Twitter.

"At this moment, we are actively investigating (the incident). We are not ruling out anything. We are examining all angles. We are ensuring extra security. The DGP is on his way and we are definitely taking all precautions. Additional security forces are also being brought in from the headquarters. We are taking all steps to maintain law and order," said Kokrajhar's additional superintendent of police Tabu Ram Pegu.

A police officer who was posted in Kokrajhar when the 2012 riots took place, said on condition of anonymity that it all depends on the circumstances if the situation snowballs into something tragic like it happened five years ago.

According to media reports, special DGP Kula Saikia has been entrusted with bringing the culprits to task, and he has 24 hours to do so.

According to a police official, Islam was not accompanied by the personal security officer provided by the Assam Police when the assassination happened.

ABMSU has called for a shutdown of BTAD area for an indefinite period, while many minority organisations have taken to the streets in places like Tamulpur, Abhayapuri, Bijni, Golaghat among others. They also blocked roads, burned tyres and effigies of Sonowal and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief executive member Hagrama Mohilary. The BTC looks after the administration of BTAD districts of Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang.

Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi sought a CBI enquiry to the incident.

"The Assam government completely failed to assess the threat perception to the young man who was involved with many social activities. They provided him with one personal security officer which was grossly inadequate. This killing is purely political in nature," the former chief minister told reporters in Guwahati.

BTC chief Mohilary, who visited the crime scene, urged people to cooperate with law enforcing agencies so that culprits could be caught at the earliest. "This is no doubt a political conspiracy to destroy the unity between Muslims and Bodos. People should not be emotional. Nobody who is guilty will be spared," he vowed.

What makes it particularly embarrassing for the state administration is that the incident took place just an hour after Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for New Delhi from Guwahati, after reviewing damage caused by the recent wave of floods.

All political parties, however, quickly condemned the incident and appealed for peace. "We are extremely sad by this killing. We condemn it in the strongest possible words. Islam was a powerful leader and I knew him personally. He always spoke for the upliftment of the minority. It's a worrisome situation, if even leaders are not secure, what will happen to the general public? He was killed in broad daylight in a marketplace," said Aminul Islam, general secretary of the All India United Democratic Front.

Aminul Islam further blamed the BJP government for the state's deteriorating law and order situation. "We have taken a lot of effort and reached out to different communities to bring about peace and harmony in Bodoland. But I think there is a 'third force' that may be trying to ignite the communal fire again. I fear there is an outside hand and a section of the people that is always trying to cause communal violence. We hope there is no repeat of 2012. AIUDF strongly urges the state government to maintain peace at any cost and nab the culprits," he added.

However, he did not speculate who this "outside" or the "third force" could be.

Congress MP from Assam Gaurav Gogoi also stressed that it is the state government's responsibility to maintain law and order in tact. "It is a very unfortunate incident and I condemn it strongly. Law and order must prevail. Perpetrators must be apprehended soon. We hope that the government of Assam would do its best," Gogoi said from New Delhi.

The BJP also alleged that some unscrupulous elements were behind the incident, and they may be trying to create disturbance to derail the state's development process.

"Since the BJP is working well and causing all-round development in the state, some people are trying to create a repeat of the 2012 situation. Some opportunists are trying to defame the government. The BJP has strongly condemned this cowardly act. We have appealed to all communities that peace and harmony should continue. Although the differences that occurred in 2012 have been largely resolved, there are still some sticky issues. Our immediate priority is that the culprits should be caught forthwith, and we have already spoken to the Kokrajhar deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, and our party state president," said Bibhuti Borgiari, Kokrajhar BJP district president.

In 2012, districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Dhubri in Assam were the worst hit, while Bongaigaon and Baksa districts also saw rioting take place. Over three lakh people were affected in the violence and nearly 80 people lost their lives. The clashes had occurred between Bodos and the Bengali-speaking Muslims, who, the former alleged, were illegal migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.
Three days before National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing, soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) transgressed into Indian territory in Uttarakhands Barahoti on 25 July, reported ANI.

Chinese soldiers transgressed into Uttarakhand's Barahoti on 25 July at about 9 am & came into Indian territory upto 800m to 1 km: Sources pic.twitter.com/x8MF4Cs5bt  ANI (@ANI_news) July 31, 2017

According to ANI, the Chinese soldiers entered 800 meters into the Indian territory in Barahoti of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district around 9 am. Times Now reported that 10-12 Chinese soldiers were involved in the incident.

Barahoti is the same place where in July last year, two PLA soldiers had entered 200 metres into the Indian territory, wrote Times of India, adding that the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar had said that the border has not been demarcated there and the two sides differ on perception about it.

Uttarakhand shares a 350-kilometre long border with China and similar attempts at Chinese incursions have been reported in the past as well, the Indian Express reported.

India and China have been involved in a military standoff at Sikkim's Doka La sector for over a month now. China has accused India of trespassing into its territory at Doka La and stopping the construction of a road. India and Bhutan, on the other hand, say that the road lies in the latters territory.

There was hope of a breakthrough in the border row last week ahead of Doval's meeting with Xi on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Beijing. However, no solution could emerge in the meeting.

The Sikkim border row is the longest standoff between the two armies since 1962.

The last one, which carried on for 21 days, occurred at Daulat Beg Oldie in the Ladakh division of Jammu and Kashmir in 2013 when Chinese troops entered 30 kilometres into Indian territory till the Depsang Plains and claimed it to be a part of its Xinjiang province. They were, however, pushed back.
Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to Vishal Rana, one of the main accused in the infamous Dadri lynching case in which a middle-aged man was beaten to death by a mob on the suspicion that beef was consumed.

Justice Pratyush Kumar granted bail to Rana on Monday.

Rana is the son of a Noida-based BJP leader, it is learnt.

Earlier in September 2015, Mohammad Akhlaq, a man in his 50s, was lynched inside his house at Bisada village falling under Dadri sub division of Gautam Buddh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh.

His son Danish was also brutally beaten up by a mob which had barged into their house late in the night on the suspicion that beef had been stored and consumed there.

The incident had evoked a huge outcry and several writers, academicians and film personalities returned their awards protesting the rise in "intolerance".

Most of the accused in the case have been granted bail.
Hyderabad: One of India's top scientists and founder-director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Pushpa Mitra Bhargava died on Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 89.

According to his family members, he breathed his last at his residence at Prashant Nagar in Uppal. He is survived by a son and a daughter.

Born in Ajmer on 22 February 1928, Bhargava did his PhD in synthetic organic chemistry from Lucknow University. His pioneering vision and efforts led to the founding of CCMB here in 1977 as an institution for research in basic biology and for seeking its application for benefit of society.

CCMB staff expressed their condolence over the demise of Bhargava. In a statement, the CCMB noted that he belonged to the generation of nation building scientists who built the edifice of Indian science. He was an internationally recognised molecular biologist, thinker, and institution builder.

"His interests and engagements covered science as well as art and culture and their relation to society. He remained deeply engaged in social issues, particularly those relating to the impact of science on society in India and the world. His extraordinary energy and commitment will continue to always inspire us in our future endeavours," it said.

Bhargava also served vice chairman of National Knowledge Commission constituted in 2005.

Conferred Padma Bhushan, the nation's third highest civilian award in 1986, he had in 2015, he had announced that he would return the award as he was worried about India's future. He was among 100 scientists who had released a statement expressing concern over "climate of intolerance" and "the ways in which science and reason was getting eroded".

Bhargava had expressed concern over "RSS people" attending a meeting of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs. He had warned that if the present trend continued, India would cease to be a democracy and become a theocratic country like Pakistan.

He had also found fault with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for stating at Indian Science Congress that India had known technique of organ transplantation long ago.
Coimbatore: Four students belonging to SFI were injured in a clash with ABVP activists in the Government Arts College, police said.

The clash erupted between the second and third-year students following an altercation over some "political issues" police said.

In the melee, SFI students sustained head injuries and they were admitted to government hospital.

Following the incident, the authorities ordered the closure of boys hostel in the college for a week and asked the students there to vacate immediately.
New Delhi: The agitation and the indefinite strike to press for separate Gorkhaland will continue in deference to the wishes of the people of the region, the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) said on Monday.

GMCC, the apex body of the political parties which is spearheading the stir in Darjeeling hills, made clear its stand after holding a meeting here as the indefinite bandh entered its 48th day on Tuesday.

The meeting discussed the way forward for the separate statehood movement.

"We will continue with the agitation for separate state. We honour the sentiments of the people who wish to continue the strike," GMCC president Kalyan Dewan told reporters.

Dewan, who is also the vice-president of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), said that they will reach out to parliamentarians for support.

GJM supremo Bimal Gurung had on Monday night declared that his party wants this indefinite shutdown to continue in the hills.

On Tuesday, speaking to reporters, Dewan reiterated that their agitation would continue.

"On 15 August, we will hoist the national flag but not observe any celebrations. We will instead form a human chain to highlight the excesses being meted out to people who are demanding Gorkhaland," he said.

A one-day hunger strike would also be held at Jantar Mantar on 4 August by the GMCC.

A joint resolution was passed by the GMCC after the over five-hour-long meeting.

Dewan said a delegation would meet various Parliamentarians, prominent political leaders and other personalities to press forth the Gorkhaland demand.

Supplies of food and essentials were drying up due to the strike. Internet services were also snapped in the hills since 18 June.

The GJM on Sunday gave a ten-day deadline to the Centre to intervene in the Gorkhaland statehood stir or else it would intensify the movement in days to come.

Except for medicine shops, all business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed in the hills. Police and security forces patrolled the streets in the hills and kept a vigil on the entry and exit routes.
Lafiqul Islam, a minority students leader from Assam, was reportedly shot dead on Tuesday evening in the state's sensitive Kokrajhar district. The DGP of Assam police has been asked to visit the place and investigate what led to the incident.

Thirty-year-old Islam, president of the All Bodo Minority Students' Union (ABMSU), spearheaded several anti-establishment agitations. The incident would come as a major embarrassment to Assam government, especially since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the state on Tuesday to oversee the administration's flood relief work.

All Bodoland Minority Students' Union leader Lafikul Islam Ahmed shot dead in Assam's Kokrajhar.  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

A report on The Shillong Times said the incident took place at the Titaguri market area in Kokrajhar district of western Assam, which comes under the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Council (BTAC) areas, at around 4.20 pm on Tuesday.

The report also said Rajen Singh, superintendent of police, Kokrajhar, quoted witnesses to say two motorcycle-borne miscreants wore helmets and gunned down the ABMSU leader. Singh, however, didn't blame any militant outfit for the murder, and said investigations will uncover the truth.

The ruling BJP also condemned the incident and said culprits will be brought to justice. "I strongly condemn the killing of the young ABMSU president Lafikul Islam in Kokrajhar. Culprits of this incident shall never escape," Siddhartha Bhttachrya, BJP spokesperson and in-charge of the North East, said on Twitter.

I strongly condemn the killing of the young ABMSU president Lafikul Islam in Kokrajhar today. Culprits of this incident shall never escape. pic.twitter.com/9PPgRQFjNy  SiddharthaBhttachrya (@SBhttachrya) August 1, 2017

Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sanowal, also took to Twitter to "strongly condemn" the incident, and said that he has directed Assam police DGP to visit Kokrajhar and do a thorough investigation.
New Delhi: India has said that the US should continue to be engaged in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. "Another area of growing convergence is the high priority being attached by both sides to countering terrorism," external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday while inaugurating the inaugurating the first edition of the India-US Forum in New Delhi.

"Both our countries have been direct victims of this scourge," she said.

"In India, we have been facing cross-border terrorism for many years now. This is now recognised as a larger regional  even global  challenge."

She referred to the joint message against terrorism issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump during the former's visit to Washington in June which sent a "clear and unambiguous message" against terrorism "to be pursued with resolve by the international community".

"An important theatre of cooperation over the last decade and half between India and US has been Afghanistan," Swaraj said.

"We deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by the US to preserve peace, security and democracy in Afghanistan. However, it is important that the international community, particularly the US, must remain engaged in Afghanistan so that the gains of the last 16 years are not frittered away."

The external affairs minister said that India has made its own contributions and remained committed to continue supporting the people and government of Afghanistan.

"We have pledged another $1 billion to the earlier $2 billion as reflection of our continued commitment," she stated.

"During Modi's visit to the US, our leaders have agreed to work together and with the government of Afghanistan to secure a democratic, peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan."

India is among the biggest aid donors for the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan.
Ramamurti Rajaraman, Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, believes that Pakistan's growing nuclear arsenal is a matter of grave concern for India. He points out that the development of their NASR tactical missile, which can be loaded onto trucks and lorries, is especially worrisome.

The co-chair of the International Panel on Fissile Materials and a member of the world scientists permanent panel on Mitigation of Terrorist Acts, Rajaraman elaborates on the alarming nuclear story unfolding across the globe, with special emphasis on the sub-continent.

The conflict between India and Pakistan has intensified in the last three years. If the situation worsens, is there a likelihood that India could launch a pre-emptive first strike against Pakistan if it feared an imminent nuclear strike? Of course, this could mean a marked reversal of our no-first use (NFU) policy. On the other hand, if India goes in for more surgical strikes, can Pakistan use a conventional attack as a pretext to attack India?

The conflict between India and Pakistan during the past three years has been limited to Jammu and Kashmir. These conflicts may continue and may also occasionally intensify. There may also be a lot of heated rhetoric from both sides. But I dont think there is any realistic possibility of those conflicts developing into a full-scale war, let alone one with any serious chances of a nuclear strike by Pakistan.

Notice that there has been no mainland attack by Pakistan based terrorists since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. I feel that this is because Pakistan military and its Inter-Services Intelligence do appreciate the fact that the next time there is an attack of that magnitude, India would have to retaliate in a serious manner.

It is true that the Pakistan Army maintains a hostile posture towards India as a matter of policy. But that is done largely for domestic consumption and for maintaining its pre-eminence in the Pakistani power structure.

If push comes to shove, the leadership in both countries are too responsible to let matters go anywhere near a nuclear threshold. So, there is no question of India conducting a pre-emptive strike on Pakistan in anticipation of a nuclear attack from them.

I dont think India will reverse its NFU policy, even though some analysts, for the want of anything better to write about, keep harping on it. That would be a very unwise thing to do diplomatically.

Pakistan has one of the fastest growing nuclear arsenals in the world. Is it receiving active help from China?

Yes, Pakistan is growing its nuclear arsenal fast. That is thanks to their four plutonium producing reactors at Khushab. The Chinese may have helped in the design and construction of those reactors. I dont know one way or the other. But China is helping Pakistan in building a civilian reactor. That is official.

Pakistan's smaller nuclear weapons, including the NASR missile, are being mounted on trucks and lorries to escape detection by satellite imagery? Could these tactical weapons fall into the hands of terrorists?

Yes, the whole NASR program of Pakistan is fraught with new hazards. It represents a very unwise move which raises the level of nuclear danger in the subcontinent for two reasons. Because NASR is a battlefield nuclear weapon, its command and control are in danger of being less rigorous than those of the other 'normal' weapons.

It is not clear if, in order for it to be effective as a battlefield weapon, the field commander would be given some level of on-the-spot decision making on its launch. This also increases the probability of an accidental or hasty launch. In addition, there is also, as you mention in your question, an increased possibility of terrorists getting hold of it in transit or in the heat of battle.

The recent spate of attacks in Europe has highlighted concern about jihadis endangering nuclear facilities. How serious is this threat?

I expect that the Pakistani warheads are stored deep within their military bases and installations. Even if the jihadis knew where they are stored, I dont think there is much chance of their overcoming the rings of security that must surround the nuclear assets of Pakistan.

It is one thing for terrorists to be able to breach the outer gate of a military base, as they have done once or twice, but an entirely different matter to be able to force their way deeper in and capture the weapons.

How much enriched uranium does Pakistan possess?

According to the latest available information from IPFM (The International Panel on Fissile Materials), the most reliable source I know of, Pakistan had about 3.1 0.4 tons of highly-enriched uranium and is continuing to produce more at its plants in Kahuta and possibly a new one at Gadwal.

Some strategists claim Pakistan has built an arsenal of over 200 nuclear warheads. Is that correct?

I dont know which strategists said that, but I doubt it.

How serious is the nuclear threat from China?

The Chinese do make border incursions periodically and are generally aggressive towards India in a lot of ways. We have also had a war with them in 1962. There are reports that some of their intermediate range missiles are pointed towards India. Despite all this, I dont think that there is any real danger of a nuclear threat from China, as things stand now.

It is unlikely that China would attempt anything remotely like that. After all, we also have nuclear weapons and are improving our ability to deliver them on to China. They are unlikely to go beyond constant pinpricks to a regular war, let alone one involving nuclear weapons.

India embarked on its biggest expansion of nuclear capability with the government clearing the construction of ten new nuclear power plants, each with a capability of 700 MW. At present, we have 22 operating nuclear reactors. How many of these can be used for military purposes?

As far as I know, they will be part of the "civilian sector"  in the language of the India-United States nuclear deal. But the deal also allows India to have a military sector which it will not be safeguarded and India is free to decide to place some of the new reactors in the military sector.

Our record of the functioning of nuclear plants can hardly be described as satisfactory. Official records confirm that the Kudankulam facility is functioning at 20 percent capacity.

Yes, the Kudankulam Unit-I has had problems and had to be shut down longer than expected. But such teething problems can arise in the first year of operation. They dont necessarily indicate a permanent problem with the reactor. As far as Kudankulam Unit-II is concerned, it is too early to judge its quality. These Kudankulam reactors are prestige symbols of India-Russian cooperation and I am sure that both sides will try to ensure that these reactors function well.

There is no transparency about the leaks that developed in the Kakrapar plant in Gujarat. Is being opaque a deliberate part of government policy? What is the situation like in Pakistan as far as providing information about their civilian nuclear facilities?

Yes, it is true that our nuclear agency is not famous for its transparency. That is true of some other countries too. The Fukushima reactor tragedy exposed similar problems with the Japanese nuclear establishment. The French have had serious problems with their famous nuclear agency, Areva. I would imagine that the Pakistan nuclear energy establishment is even more opaque than ours.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) divisional commander Abu Dujana has been gunned down by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir after an encounter broke out early on Tuesday in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, media reports said.

According to The Times of India, another LeT terrorist Arif Lilhaari has also been killed in the encounter.

Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Hakripora village of Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Rashtriya Rifles, according to India Today, launched a cordon and search operation in the area.

#BREAKIING: LeT terrorist, Abu Dujana, killed in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmir's Pulwama pic.twitter.com/AvM59iWQWf  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

During the operation, the terrorists opened fire, prompting retaliation from the forces which triggered a gunbattle. Dujana was reportedly trapped inside a house in the village, Greater Kashmir reported. The forces then set the house ablaze in a bid to flush the terrorists out, CNN-News18 reported.

According to News18, the operations began at around 4.30 am on Tuesday. Dujana was believed to be on the first floor of the house along with an aide. The last fire was heard at around 9.30 am, with Dujana reportedly getting trapped in the debris.

Two other terrorists along with Dujana and Lilhaari were also trapped in the encounter, The Times of India reported. However, their fate is yet to be determined.

#PulwamaEncounter: The house in which the terrorists are holding up has been set on fire by the security forces to flush out the terrorists pic.twitter.com/30aMZ5wUaq  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

After the firing stopped, the presence of civilians and heavy stone-pelting thwarted the forces' attempts to remove debris and take the bodies out. The forces recovered a partially charred body of Dujana, CNN-News18 reported.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police then gave an official confirmation on gunning down both Dujana and his aide.

LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

Tuesday was not the first time the LeT divisional commander was traced by the security forces. According to Greater Kashmir, Dujana and two of his associates had exchanged fire with the forces on 19 July in Banderpora village, and had escaped from the spot.

In May, Dujana had managed to flee from the sight of the forces after an anti-militancy operation was called off due to mob stone-pelting in Pulwama district. It was the fifth time he had closely escaped an encounter.

With inputs from PTI
Ranchi: The Jharkhand Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to the Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill 2017, which aims to ban religious conversion in the state.

"The Cabinet has approved Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill 2017, banning forcible conversion. Anyone found violating the provisions of the bill will be liable for three years' imprisonment or Rs 50,000 fine or both," said a statement by the government.

"If the conversion act is done with a minor, a member of the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, or women, then the person will face four years of imprisonment or Rs one lakh fine or both," it added.

The bill is likely to be introduced during the monsoon session of the state assembly, scheduled to begin from 9 August.

The Cabinet also gave its approval to give an amount of Rs one crore to the Deputy Commissioner of each district for disaster management.
Jammu: Acting tough against the Kashmiri Pandit migrant employees, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday asked them to join their duties within 15 days or face termination.

A group of migrant teachers on Thursday had staged a demonstration and threatened "mass resignations", a day after they were asked to rejoin their duties in Kashmir within a week.

"I bring to their (Kashmiri Pandit migrant employees) notice that if they don't join in Kashmir as per the notice period of 15 days, they will be terminated," Jammu and Kashmir education minister Syed Altaf Bukhari told reporters at a function on Monday.

The minister said, "We have to give more 3,000 jobs to Kashmiri Pandit migrant boys and girls. They are getting jobs to serve in Kashmir as a special dispensation under the prime minister's special package," he added.

"We urge these migrant employees to join their services at the Directorate of Education in Kashmir. I assure them that they will not be posted at places where there is a security threat," Bukhari said.

"The minister said that they cannot sit in Jammu and get salaries as the essence of the order to serve Kashmir will be defeated," he added.

"They will be settled in Kashmir. Their security and housing is paramount. I promise them that I will ensure their security", Bukhari said.

On 27 July, the employees had staged the protest outside the relief and rehabilitation commissioner's office at Canal Road in the heart of the winter capital under the banner of All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC).

The state government on 26 July had asked migrant employees, who left Kashmir in 2016 due to prolonged unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, to report to the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) within a week's time.

On failure to do so, the authorities have threatened to take disciplinary action against them.
New Delhi: Slapped with fines and some denied admission to the next semester for "dissent", JNU students' union members on Tuesday threatened to expose the varsity administration's "corruption" in admissions and reservation process.

The union also decided to take up a concerted campaign until the vice chancellor is removed from his office.

"To silence dissent against anti-students policies of JNU admin at the dictates of BJP govt, JNU VC is imposing false charges on students and destroying their academic future," JNUSU president Mohit Kumar Pandey said in a release.

"Soon, JNUSU will release social audit of admission 2017 and highlight massive corruption in which JNU admin in involved," he added.

Office bearers of the union along with large number of students today staged a demonstration near the administrative block against "arbitrary" way in which students were punished.

"Apart from denying registrations, the varsity has also blocked results and degrees of three students which has pushed them to withdraw from their studies," Pandey said.

The union is holding its next protest meeting on 4 August in which previous members of the administration will take part to inform participants on how liberal the varsity used to be.

"We will hold campaigns until the present vice chancellor is removed from his office," JNUSU general secretary Satarupa Chakraborty said.

An online campaign with hashtag #VCmustgo has also been widely circulated on social media sites by the union members.

On 25 July, the last day for registrations to semesters, Pandey along with four others were denied permission to register for failing to pay fines.
Security forces in Kashmir's Pulwama claimed to have pulled off a major feat by gunning down one of the longest serving militant commanders of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Abu Dujana, in over seven-hour-long encounter which started early on Tuesday.

Several locals, however, indulged in stone-pelting, ultimately providing him cover while the encounter ensued. In fact, locals assisting Dujana and other militants escape encounters and arrest in the last one year prompted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the role of the Huriyat leaders in funding stone-pelters in the Valley. Dujana is responsible for carrying out several major incidents of militancy in Kashmir and was among the most wanted militants. For the past one month, Dujana, however, was associated with the head of Al-Qaeda in Kashmir, Zakir Musa, and both were working in close co-ordination.

Police sources said that though Dujana's presence was across Kashmir, his militant activities remained restricted mostly to south Kashmir. In north Kashmir, LeT was headed by another militant. Dujana was a popular name in south Kashmir and youths had been zealously identifying themselves with him and even his photos went viral.

On Tuesday, Dujana was caught in the same area where he had earlier given the forces a slip. The police told Firstpost that they acted on specific information about the presence of militants in the area. Dujana and his other LeT associates had remained holed up inside a house in Hakripora, when a team of policemen and army personnel cordoned off the area where Dujana was killed early Tuesday morning.

A police spokesman, based in Srinagar, said that the LeT chief commander, Dujana, along with his accomplice, was killed in Hakripora, Pulwama. "It is a huge acchievement for police and security forces," he said.

However, as soon as locals heard sound of gunshots, they flocked towards the encounter site in an attempt to disrupt encounter operations. At least half-a-dozen were injured in retaliatory firing and one civilian was killed. Nisar Ahmad, a local resident of Pulwama, said that the forces had razed down the house in which the two militants were holed up and also used teargas to disperse protesters.

For the past one year, since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Muzafar Wani, militants like Abu Dujana, managed to appear and disappear out of public gatherings despite heavy police presence in the area. Apprehending more trouble and the deterioration in the security situation after the killing of Dujana, police has sounded an alert all across Kashmir and ordered patrolling be intensified, particularly in Pulwama, where the encounter took place. As a precautionary measure, mobile internet services have been suspended in Pulwama. Train services will also remain suspended to prevent a flare up.

A senior police official told Firstpost said that Dujana was one of the top-rated militants of LeT and was active since 2009 in Kashmir. In the last one year, Dujana is the third militant to be killed by the forces. While Burhan was killed in July 2016, another top Hizbul commander, Sabzar Bhat, was killed by the police and army.

"Dujana was working closely with Musa and it was their jihadi ideology that was pulling them together," a top security official told Firstpost. Indian Army had earlier disclosed his name as among the 12 most wanted militants and he was categorised as an A++ category militant.

However, in an indication that Dujana was working in tandem with Hizbul Mujahideen as well, Syed Salahudin, Hizbul's operational chief, has said that Dujana's killing will leave a "vacuum".

Salahudin presided over the meeting of United Jehad Council, conglomerate of different militant organisations, at Muzafarbad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), in which it was noted that Dujana had taken part in many incidents and inflicted "fear and casualties" among the government forces. In a statement, Salahudin has warned the police officials and the people of dire consequences, who are helping out the forces to kill militants.

Police officials said that there are at least 20 cases registered against Dujana, including attacks on security forces, as well as incidents of bank robberies. A police official said that Dujana carried out attacks on CRPF convoy at Pampore in June last year in which 8 CRPF jawans were killed and 22 others injured.

A bus carrying CRPF personnel was returning to Srinagar after practicing at a firing range when it was attacked and two militants were also killed in the retaliatory action. Dujana had escaped from the encounter site. It was one of the biggest operations by militants in Kashmir following which the CRPF had reviewed the standard operating procedure (SOP) for deployment on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Dujana had escaped after attacking the bus.

He had also taken part in the 2015 attack on a BSF convoy in Udhampur, near an army base in the region, in which two BSF personnel were also killed.
Srinagar: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant Abu Dujana, a Pakistani who was killed in an encounter with security forces on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir, was not just involved in many attacks but would also harass the local public, a senior army official claimed.

Dujana's killing has affected the outfit and more militants would be hunted soon, he added. A senior police official also said that Dujana had become an eyesore for everyone and he would even harass girls.

"Dujana was not involved in too many operations, he was more of a nuisance. He was more involved in coercion and not many in terms of terrorist acts. So, he was only enjoying himself. That is the way I look at it," Lieutenant General JS Sandhu, corps commander of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, told reporters at Awantipora in Pulwama district.

But the leadership of the LeT has been affected and we, of course, will keep hunting for other militants in this area, he added.

Our aim is clearing them out as soon as possible, Sandhu said, flanked by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan.

Lieutenant General Sandhu said the security forces received the information about the presence of two terrorists in Hakripora area of Pulwama in the early hours on Tuesday.

By about 4 am, the police, as well as the army, had established the cordon around about 10-12 houses which were the reported area. Subsequently, we closed in and on speaking to the house owner learnt that the terrorists were not allowing the family to come out.

After a couple of hours, after talking to them, the members of the family came out, after which we launched the operations.

It started around early hours of the morning, around 8 am or so and within a couple of hours, the two terrorists were killed, he said.

The senior army official said Dujana was the LeT chief of Kashmir and "a category A++ militant". Dujana has also been described as a category 'A' militant by some officials.

He was a foreign terrorist, a Pakistani, Sandhu said.

Another terrorist, Arif Nabi Dar, who was also a wanted terrorist involved in a number of bank robberies and weapon snatching incidents, was also killed, he said.

Terming Dujana's killing as "good riddance", IGP Khan claimed he had become an eyesore for everybody, especially girls.

"He used to enter any house and do anything he wanted to do. Good riddance that way. I think people should relax, the girls, our sisters, they should relax now that no such person is there to harass them," Khan said.

He said both the killed militants were notorious and had established strongholds in certain areas through coercion and threats.

It had become imperative to neutralise them in the interest of peace and safety of general masses, he said.

The IGP said the security forces tried hard to make the militants surrender.

"Announcements were made from mosques and we tried to utilize the services of the house owner and the persons who came out of the house to impress upon them to surrender. But, because of Dujana's presence, the other fellow could also not surrender," Khan said.

They started firing and the quantum of fire from their side was very heavy, the IGP said. It was retaliated and both were neutralised, he added.

After the operation was over, the bodies were identified properly. It was a clean operation, but for the civilian casualty of Firdous Ahmad of Begumbagh and around five to six who received pellet injuries and two bullet injuries, he said.

Khan said that anti-militancy operations would continue despite stone pelting or disruptions.

"(Stone) pelting or no pelting, disruptions or no disruptions, the operations will go on whenever we get information of militants, armed militants rather, in a house or in an area, the operations are to be launched," he said.

An attempt is made to make the militants surrender but if they don't and start firing on our forces, the only reply is to retaliate, he said.

He said that a civilian had also lost his life.

"It could have been avoided if the people stayed inside and had let the security forces do their job, these things would not have happened. I again appeal to the people, because the operations will carry on," Khan said.`
New Delhi: The GST Council, at its next meeting later this week, will finalise a mechanism to operationalise anti-profiteering clause which seeks to protect consumers interest, finance minister Arun Jaitley told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The all powerful GST Council comprising state finance minister will meet on 5 August to take stock of implementation of GST which was rolled from 1 July.

The anti-profiteering law simply states that the businesses have to pass on the benefits arising out of lower taxes to the consumer.

As per Clause 171 of GST Act, it is mandatory to pass on the benefit due to reduction in rate of tax or from input tax credit to the consumer by way of commensurate reduction in prices.

Referring to concerns raised by members with regard to impact of GST on prices, Jaitley said it would be mandatory for manufacturers to pass on the benefits of reduction in taxes to consumers.

He hoped that the decision of price cut by automobile sector on account of benefit of input tax credit would be followed by others manufacturers.

"What if input tax benefit is not transferred to consumers...we are meeting a few days from now.... In a short while, we are going to finalise the entire mechanism as far as anti-profiteering is concerned.

"All you need is to make a few examples and then everybody will fall in line. If there is benefit of the input credit then cost correspondingly must decline," he said while replying to a discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants which was later passed by the Lok Sabha.

The industry was resistant to this clause, he said, adding, it has been put in the GST law for initial few years to save the interest of consumers.

After taking into account input tax credit, weighted average tax is less than what it was on 30 June, Jaitley said.

It will also help in increasing the tax base and enhancing resources for the government for states as well as central government.

As many as 72 lakh businesses have migrated to GSTN while 13 lakh new users have also registered against 80 lakh dealers prior to GST, the finance minister said.

Citing other benefits, he said, removal of octroi has resulted in saving of both fuel and time for truckers.

GST impact is not only on indirect taxes but on direct taxes as well, he said.

With the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) being put place, tax evasion cannot take place, he said.

On some of the concerns of Telangana, he said, the GST Council will consider those.

"That's an issue that Telangana government has raised. The Council will consider it. It is an important issue," he said.

Among various issues, the Telangana government had raised issue of taxation on beedis and granite.
New Delhi: The government has no specific or credible information about a "new method" allegedly devised by Pakistan's spy agency ISI to fund spies who gather secret and strategic information in the country, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said as per information received from the government of Rajasthan, 11 persons were arrested in Barmer, Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar districts of Rajasthan adjoining the India-Pakistan border for indulging in espionage activities from 2015 till 28 July, 2017.

"There is no specific credible information in this regard," he said in response to a question by Devji M Patel.

Patel had asked, "whether ISI has devised a new method to fund the spies who spread anarchy and gather secret and strategic information in the country".

He also asked whether ISI agents have put donation boxes outside the mosques and shrines in Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar districts along the Indo-Pak border and whether ISI agents collected donations given by the Muslim community in the holy month of Ramzan.

Patel wanted to know about any action taken by the government in this regard.
New Delhi: Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Sunday began an eight-day-long two-nation tour of Mozambique and Tanzania with an aim of exploring new avenues of bilateral defence cooperation.

Admiral Lanba, who also heads the powerful Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), will be in Mozambique till 25 July.

There, he will hold extensive talks with national defence minister Atanasio Salvador M'tumuke, Chief of General Staff General Graca Tomas Chongo besides chiefs of the army, navy and air force of the African nation.

"The visit aims to consolidate bilateral defence relations with Mozambique and Tanzania, as also to explore new avenues for defence cooperation," the defence ministry said in a statement.

Admiral Lanba will begin his five-day-long visit to Tanzania on 26 July.

He is scheduled to meet President of Tanzania John Magufuli, defence minister Hussein Mwinyi, foreign minister Augustine Mahiga and Chief of Defence Forces General Venance S Mabeyo among others, the defence ministry said.

Indian Armed Forces cooperate with the armed forces of Mozambique and Tanzanian on many fronts, which include training and hydrography, besides participating in each other's defence events.

India and Mozambique have a Joint Defence Working Group (JDWG) for defence and security cooperation.
Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday tore into Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad, insisting continuing in the Grand Alliance would have amounted to "compromising with corruption".

Having embraced the BJP after a four-year hiatus, Nitish claimed there would be "no challenge" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 general elections.

He also said the proposal for a reunion had come from the "highest level" in the BJP which he accepted as "going got impossible" in the Grand Alliance due to accusations of corruption against his then deputy Tejashwi Yadav.

"There were corruption charges and cases were filed by the CBI (against Lalu Prasad and family). I had only told them to come out with proper answers. Instead, they made fun of me saying whether I was a CBI official or the police," he told a press conference.

"Laluji did not give any clarification on corruption charges. How could I remain silent after having talked about zero tolerance to corruption? Now I have a feeling that they did not have a proper answer," Nitish said. Nitish, till recently seen as a potential challenger to Modi, said, "Nobody else (other than Modi) can occupy the PM's post. Now nobody has the strength to beat rpt beat Modi."

Asked about his future role in national politics, Nitish, also the JD(U) chief, said, "Ours is a small party which does not harbour big national aspirations." When asked about the possibility of JD(U) becoming part of NDA at the national level with ministers in the Modi government, Kumar said the JD(U) national executive will meet in Patna on August 19 and all such issues will be decided there.

He also hit back at RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for criticising him for forging an alliance with "communal" BJP.

"Making huge money hiding behind the shield of secularism ...is this secularism? ... I need no certificate of secularism from anybody," he said, questioning Lalu's secularist credentials.

Highlighting his own commitment to secularism, he said his government had given compensation to the victims of the Bhagalpur communal riots on par with those of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

On reports that senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav was upset over the party joining hands with BJP, he said, "It is not necessary that everybody always agrees on everything. One can have divergent views. The decision to break the Grand Alliance was taken by Bihar JD(U) at its executive meeting which I had to abide by." "JD(U) is registered with the Election Commission as a

regional party in Bihar and hence going against the decision of the state party was not possible for me," he said. Nitish mocked at Rahul Gandhi for claiming that he had an inkling that Kumar would walk out of the coalition for the last three to four months. "Then why did he (Gandhi) meet me when I had gone to Delhi and sought his intervention...to ask RJD to come clean on the accusations.

"Congress did not act on time in Assam also when AGP had come on board. It cost us the Assam polls," he said, adding "we can be a partner but not a camp follower." Even as Nitish defended his decision of aligning with the BJP, JD(U) veteran Sharad Yadav had earlier in the day voiced his disapproval, saying the mandate in the 2015 Assembly polls

was for the grand alliance. He termed the development "unpleasant" and "unfortunate".

"The situation is very unpleasant to us... It is unfortunate that the coalition has been broken. People's mandate was not for it. Bihar's 11 crore people had endorsed our alliance," Yadav told reporters outside Parliament.

The Rajya Sabha member has met a number of opposition leaders since Nitish walked out of the 3-party Grand Alliance, which also included the Congress, and joined the NDA camp.

In Lucknow, BJP chief Amit Shah dismissed allegations of his party engineering splits and defections in rival political organisations.

"In Bihar, we did not break any party. Nitish had tendered his resignation as he had decided that he will not put up with corruption. Should we have told him with a gun to his temple that stay in that alliance?," Shah told a press conference.

Nitish also slammed Lalu over his claim that he made him the chief minister despite RJD having more MLAs. "He (Lalu) arrogantly says that he made me the CM ... The people of Bihar showed him his worth in 2010 (when RJD's strength was reduced to 22)," he said. Meanwhile, in a boost to the fledgling JD(U)-NDA alliance dispensation in Bihar, the Patna High Court today dismissed two PILs challenging the formation of a new government by Nitish Kumar, saying the court's intervention was no longer required after the floor test in the state Assembly. While one public interest litigation was filed by RJD MLAs Saroj Yadav and Chandan Verma, the other was by Jitendra Kumar, a Samajwadi Party member.

Nitish had comfortably won the confidence vote 131-108 on Friday.
On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month,*President Trumps advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation*that Trumps oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign  a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.*The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged.But within hours, at the presidents direction, the plan changed.Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said that he and the Russian lawyer had primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared an article, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was not a campaign issue at the time.The claims were later shown to be misleading.Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the news media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after*receiving an email*promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his fathers campaign.The extent of the presidents personal intervention in his sons response,*the details of which have not previously been reported,*adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.As special counsel Robert S. Mueller III looks into potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the presidents direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.Although misleading the public or the news media is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told The Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.He refuses to sit still, the presidential adviser said. He doesnt think hes in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself.Trump has said that the Russia investigation is the greatest witch hunt in political history, calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain why Clinton lost an election she should have won.Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.*The White House directed all questions for this article to the presidents legal team.Sent from my LG-K330 using Tapatalk
Islamabad: Pakistan is "indebted" to its all-weather ally China for its "unflinching support" to it on the Kashmir issue, the expansion of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said.

Describing China and Pakistan as "important strategic players in the region," General Bajwa, who was the chief guest at a reception in Rawalpindi on Monday hosted by the Chinese Embassy, said, their bilateral ties have jointly benefitted both the countries.

"It is a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and cooperation. In fact, this friendship is flourishing with every passing day, which encompasses every aspect of our life," he said at a function to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).

General Bajwa said the "professional collaboration between PLA and Pakistan Army, will continue to expand to bring peace to the region in general and China - Pakistan in particular."

Calling the 2.3-million-strong PLA, the world's largest standing army, as "one of the finest military outfits in the world," he said the Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan take great pride in "our deep rooted brotherly relationship" with China.

He noted that both China and Pakistan are faced with similar challenges and opportunities. Both countries have assumed shared responsibility towards stability in the region and prosperity of their people, he said.

"This unity of purpose has led to the consolidation and has strengthened our resolve as determined nations, to brave all challenges and storms together," he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

The Pakistan Army chief also pointed out that China and his country has expanded their cooperation to wider areas have launched strategic initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, defence collaboration in numerous joint projects and united diplomatic front, internationally.

"Pakistan is indebted to China for its unflinching support to our perspective at all international forums, may it be an expansion of Nuclear Suppliers Group, Kashmir Issue, or Pakistan's full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," General Bajwa said.

While China is blocking India's membership bid in the NSG as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Beijing is apparently seeking equal treatment to its ally Pakistan in the elite nuclear trading group. China, however, backed both India and Pakistan to become full members of the Beijing-based SCO.

China has also been blocking India's move to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

General Bajwa also claimed that China had always provided "unconditional support" to Pakistan's efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

"We are also actively cooperating in all fields against the war on terror. Moreover, from diplomatic cooperation to security collaboration, we have stood by each other through thick and thin and shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, come rain or shine," he added.
Islamabad: Pakistan will hold polling on 17 September for the Lahore parliamentary seat in Punjab province vacated by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, election commission announced on Tuesday.

Sharif's brother and Punjab province chief minister Shehbaz Sharif has been chosen by the PML-N party to contest from the NA-120 constituency in Lahore, which fell vacant after the prime minister was disqualified on 28 November.

The Supreme Court last week disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), candidates may submit their nominations between 10-12 August. Their applications will be scrutinised between 15-17 August.

The election in NA-120 will take place on 17 September, the ECP said.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) initially announced that Dr Yasmeen Rashid will contest the election but there are also reports that PTI may field former governor of Punjab and its active member Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.

However, Opposition parties have failed to agree on a joint candidate against PML-N's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for the prime minister's election, with six candidates filing their nomination papers for the polls scheduled to be held today.

If elected, Abbasi will run the government as the interim prime minister until Sharif's brother Shehbaz is elected as the member of parliament to succeed him as his eventual successor.
Patna: A case was lodged on Tuesday against a legislator belonging to the RJD in connection with illegal sand mining, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj said an FIR has been lodged against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Bhai Virender for illegal sand mining.

The case has been lodged against the RJD leader at Maner police station here, he added.

Virender, however, refuted the charges levelled against him.

The RJD leader, who represents the Maner Assembly constituency in the state Assembly, earlier on Monday lashed out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

He alleged that Nitish Kumar may eliminate him for raising genuine issues and exposing his hobnobbing with the BJP, much before he officially joined hands with the BJP last week and formed a new government after dumping grand alliance partners: the RJD and Congress.

Virender, who is also RJD spokesperson, said: "I challenge Nitish Kumar to order a probe into illegal sand mining."

Patna police on Sunday launched a massive crackdown against illegal sand miners and arrested nearly 100 people besides seizing over three dozen vehicles  being used in mining  in Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya and Nalanda districts.
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives in the floods.

An official release on Monday said the government also announced Rs 25,000 each for those critically injured and Rs 10,000 each for those who sustained minor injuries as compensation in Jalore, Sirohi, Pali and Barmer districts.

The relief amount will be provided from the chief minister's relief fund.

The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Raje, at the high-level meeting attended by Chief Secretary Ashok Jain and other senior officials, discussed the situation in the flood-hit areas and gave necessary directions.

The chief minister also instructed the officials to conduct a survey of villages where losses to crops are more than 50 percent.

She asked them to repair bridges and dams which have been damaged due to the floods.

Earlier in the day, Raje visited flood-hit areas in Jalore and Sirohi, and reviewed the situation there.
Thane: Union minister Ramdas Athawale has said there was nothing wrong if one didn't recite the national song Vande Mataram.

Athawale, the leader of Republican Party of India, said the issue of the national song was being brought out deliberately to cause feud among communities.

"Everybody should recite Vande Mataram, but if it is not recited what will go wrong?" he asked while addressing the Maharashtra Gramin Patrakar Sangh's 11th anniversary at Kalyan on Monday.

"If one does not recite Vande Mataram nothing is wrong in that," said the minister of state for social justice and empowerment.

The Madras high court recently made singing Vande Mataram compulsory in all government schools, colleges and universities in Tamil Nadu at least once a week.

A BJP MLA in Maharashtra recently demanded the implementation of the ruling in schools and colleges of the state, sparking a political slugfest with legislators of some other parties opposing any such move.
New Delhi: The courts cannot introduce right to privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution and this can only be done by Parliament, the Maharashtra government told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar is hearing a plea to decide whether right to privacy is a fundamental right or not.

"This is not the case of interpretation of the Constitution or the law. This is the case of introduction of a right as a fundamental right. This can be done only by Parliament," senior advocate CA Sundaram, appearing for the Maharashtra government, told the judges.

The bench also comprises justices J Chelameswar, SA Bobde, RK Agrawal, Rohinton Fali Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, DY Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Abdul Nazeer.

Sundaram said that the term privacy is not a definite term and it cannot be conferred a separate status of a fundamental right under the Constitution.

Besides the government of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh has also opposed the contentions of the lawyers who are seeking right to privacy be included as a fundamental right.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, referred to various legislations including the Income Tax Act, the Right to Information Act and the Indian Telegraph Act and said that various aspects of privacy have been protected under several statutes.

Several legislations protect the aspect of privacy and being a common law right, it need not be elevated in the category of the fundamental rights, Mehta argued.

He will resume arguments in the afternoon session.
Zhukovsky: Russia will always be India's strategic partner despite New Delhi's growing ties with countries like the US, France and Israel as there are certain defence products and technology that "no one else will give" except Moscow, a top Russian official has said.

Sergei Chemezov, the CEO of the Rostec State Corporation, said cooperation with India will certainly continue, regardless of whether India cooperates only with Russia or also with Israel, France, the US or other countries.

"We have our own niche, these countries have their own directions for cooperation. Therefore, this does not mean that if India will work with some other countries, cooperation with Russia will cease. No," Chemezov told a select group of reporters on the sidelines of Russia's premier air show MAKS 2017 in Zhukovsky.

"There are defence products and technology that no one else will give except Russia. Therefore, Russia has always been and will be a strategic partner of India," he asserted when asked about the prospects of Indo-Russia cooperation given India's growing defence collaboration with other countries.

Rostec Corporation, one of the main organisers of MAKS-2017, presented the latest Russian developments in the space industry as well as in aircraft and helicopter engineering and weapons at the event hosted here from July 18-23.

Russia has been one of India's major suppliers of arms and ammunition.

However, it has been a long-standing grievance of Indian armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time affecting maintenance of military systems procured from that country.

Also, in recent years India's defence ties with the US and Israel have deepened. Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian premier to visit Israel last month.

The US designated India a major defence partner last year. India also inked a multi-million dollar deal with France for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets last year.

However, Chemezov reiterated that India has been and remains Russia's strategic partner.

The bulk of Russia's exports go to Southeast Asia, India and China, he noted.

"They are our two major partners. Every year we supply products to India for more than USD 2 billion. Sometimes it is more. Therefore, we have about the same volumes last year as before. That is, there are changes, but insignificant, somewhere in the range of 10-15 per cent is the fluctuation," said the head of Rostec, Russia's umbrella organisation of 700 hi-tech civilian and military firms.

"Therefore, with regard to cooperation with India, it is aimed not only at selling products, but we are also transferring technology. It began with the late 90's with the sale of licenses for SU-30MKIs," he said.

Highlighting the growing Indo-Russia cooperation, Chemezov pointed out that the SU-30MKIs are manufactured in India and stated that the country has mastered the production of the T-90 tank.

Asked about opportunities for joint exercises, Deputy Minister of Defence Yuri Borisov, at the same briefing, said, "We are always in contact with our Indian colleagues, we have an intergovernmental commission, on our side it is headed by our Defence Minister  Sergey Shoigu. We constantly meet and discuss the issues."

On the contentious issue of Western nations' sanctions against Russia, Chemezov said, "I think that in 1-2 years we will close our needs for components that we bought abroad. As a result, who will suffer? Our partners with whom we once worked, from European countries, from Ukraine, will suffer."

"As for Europe and the West, we had excellent relations with Safran, Thales, Boeing, Airbus, General Electric, with them we had joint ventures.

"Some of them continue to work independently of sanctions. Nevertheless, many partners wanted to continue work with us. Unfortunately, because of the sanctions, they cannot do this. Life forced us to develop our industry even more, the result you can observe today," he said.

Chemezov asserted that it was the Western countries that lost the market, "and not a small one".
The ennui didn't last for long. After a brief stasis following Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing, screaming headlines appeared on both sides of the mighty Himalayas. The difference this time is that while China's state-controlled media kept up its incendiary rhetoric, Indian media has started discussing the possibility of a military conflict and the possible deterrents to such a scenario. (See here, here and here).

Though the possibility of war, at least a limited military conflict, had never been off the table ever since the day Indian troops moved in to physically block a PLA-backed Chinese road-opening party from constructing a motorable road on Doka La plateau near the tri-junction, it was always seen as a last resort between two very large and powerful nations.

India's official position remains polite, non-reactive yet firm and its public discourse marked by reticence, shorn of the stubborn war-mongering emanating from Beijing.

For those apprehensive about the longevity of the impasse leading to war, the Sumdorong Chu precedent exists that took more than eight years to fully resolve. Not a bullet was fired. Why, then, are we now discussing the possibility of military conflict? The chance of a war can only be conclusively ruled out when a valve emerges that offers an honorable exit for both nations. Are we closer to that option even 45 days into the standoff? The answer is no.

Temporal factors have intensified the crisis while mutual domestic and geopolitical compulsions have prevented the possibility of an early resolution. Some are not in India's hands. PLA's attempt to unilaterally change the status quo at a sensitive military zone coincides with huge political and security flux in Asia forced by China's assertive rise, and made worse by a retreating America that no longer sees any merit in acting as Asia's security guarantor.

For instance, China recently told Vietnam that it will face military action if it tries to drill for oil in South China Sea  a right lawfully reserved for Hanoi under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) agreement. Vietnam looked to the United States, but with Trump administration looking away, it had no option but to submit to China.

As Bill Hayton writes in Foreign Policy, "the winning argument (in Hanoi's politburo discussions ) was that the Trump administration could not be relied upon to come to Hanoi's assistance in the event of a confrontation with China."

This is not a small victory for China, who now gets the right to set the rules in a disputed area in violation of all international rulings and agreements and declare it as the 'new normal'. It is precisely this template that it wants to employ on the Himalayan border to maintain the levers of its relationship with India. That said, are we closer to war in August than we were in the last two months? This is where we must take into consideration domestic compulsions.

It would have been hard for Xi Jinping to pick a more appropriate time for showing China's military muscle than now, at a time when China is trying to replace the global rules-based order with a mercantilist, transactional philosophy.

For instance, whereas US stresses on a moralist mechanism  curbing Pakistan's aid until it takes action against terrorists  China has no such problems as long as those terrorists do not harm Chinese interests. To effect such a tectonic change in global order, China needs to first establish its primacy, and nearly all its recent actions under Xi have been tailored accordingly.

Conflict with India, therefore, is well-timed but incidental because China has set eyes on the US as its ultimate competitor. It follows that the Sikkim standoff is a small step  just like its bullying of Vietnam or Philippines  in establishing that primacy. The message is simple. Forget UNCLOS, Hague Tribunal or 2012 agreements. There are no rules, only Chinese interpretation of those rules.

Though a distance will always exist, foreign policies cannot remain independent of domestic politics. For instance, will it be possible for Narendra Modi to resolve Kashmir dispute with Pakistan without taking into consideration the will of the electorate?

Therefore, India must not unduly worry about China's showcasing of military muscle on Sunday at its training base in Zhurihe, 400 kilometres north-west of Beijing in Inner Mongolia. As a Guardian report notes, the show of might combining "12,000 troops, more than 100 types of aircraft and 600 pieces of military hardware" at the 1000-square kilometre desert camp was designed more as "China's answer to the US' Fort Irwin national training centre in the Mojave desert."

China brandished its latest weaponry during the spectacle: J-15 fighter jets, the J-20 stealth fighter, "type 99" battle tanks, Red Arrow anti-tank missiles and H-6K bombers and a new-generation ICBM  the Dongfeng-31AG  which, according to the report has a range of around 11,000km, making it capable of striking most parts of the US.

India would be flattering itself to think that the point of that entire exercise was to scare New Delhi in the ongoing standoff. The aim was to impress the world  and also the US  and to serve a political purpose for Xi ahead of the 19th Party Congress  a twice-a-decade assembly of all-powerful Communist Party where the traditional long knives will remain sheathed this time because Xi has grown too big in stature for potential rivals. Xi is expected to further centralise his power and a second term appears a formality.

Xi's rhetoric, too, was tailored more to the effect of impressing his party rivals rather than sending a message to India. He made two speeches in quick succession. One on Sunday in battle fatigues before the bellowing troops in Mongolia, and on Tuesday, at the seat of China's legislative power  the Great Hall of the People in Beijing before PLA members, party officials and government members.

On Sunday, he had said: "I firmly believe that our heroic PLA has the confidence and capability to defeat any intruder The world is far from tranquil and peace needs to be safeguarded Today, we are closer than ever to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. And more than any time in history we need to build strong armed forces of the people".

On Tuesday, he stressed on China's 'peaceful rise'. "The Chinese people treasure peace and we absolutely do not engage in invasion and expansion. However, we have the confidence to conquer all forms of invasion We absolutely will not permit any person, any organization, any political party at any time, in any form to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China"

There will be a temptation to interpret these dialogues in an Indian context but given China's spatial and temporal position, such a conclusion might be erratic. The most important thing while negotiating with China, according to someone who knows a little about these things, is to understand that China doesn't do ambiguity. Former NSA and India's Mandarin-speaking old China hand Shivshankar Menon has severally made this point that it is always better to go by what China says, rather than trying to read its mind.

In a recent interview to The Hindu's Suhasini Haidar, on the message that China is sending to India, he said: "On the message, you need to ask the Chinese. They are very clear about what they mean to say. And I think you should take what they say at face value. Certainly, what their Foreign Office spokesman says must be taken seriously.

And what has China said, "officially", so far? Its foreign minister has reiterated the precondition that India must unilaterally withdraw to give 'meaningful dialogues' a chance while on the ground, as India Today's Ananth Krishnan and Sandeep Unnithan write: "The PLA's war rhetoric has so far not translated into additional boots on the ground. Even a month after the standoff, there has been no mobilisation on the Tibetan plateau, a prerequisite for carrying out its threats. Footage of recent 'live firing drills' released on Chinese media were from a PLA exercise last month."

NSA Doval's meeting with Yang Jiechi, his Chinese counterpart, yielded a conciliatory tone and media reports indicate that Indian and Bhutanese representatives attended the ceremony in New Delhi's Chinese embassy to mark the PLA's 90th anniversary. While it is true that China has launched a ferocious psychological battle against India, the biggest military strategy is to win a war without firing a single bullet. That remains the key.
Ahmedabad: Retired Gujarat IPS officer DG Vanzara, who was discharged on Tuesday by a special court in the alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati, said truth has finally prevailed and the verdict has vindicated his stand that these encounters were genuine.

Expressing gratitude towards the judiciary for discharging him, Vanzara also said that he would also get "justice" in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case.

"I have been saying since the beginning that all these encounters were genuine. They were not fake. Now, when I am finally discharged by the court, it is now established that I was framed in false cases. This judgement vindicated my stand about encounters," Vanzara told PTI.

He, however, refused to put the blame on the erstwhile central government or on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"Whatever happened in the past is now past. I do not want to say anything about it. I just want to say thanks to the judiciary, which had always been fair to me. Though justice is delayed, it is not denied," Vanzara, who spent nearly eight years behind the bars before being released on bail in 2015, said.

"It was indeed very painful to spend almost eight years behind bars. It was nothing short of torture. I lost eight golden years behind bars and also retired during my imprisonment. But, I have left everything behind now. The Past is past. I take life positively," he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the special CBI court in Mumbai discharged Vanzara and Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh MN in the case of alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati.

He also exuded confidence that those who were still facing the charges, in this case, would eventually get "justice".

"I have a very high regard for the judiciary, as I was given relief by it in the past too. I am sure that I would get similar justice in Ishrat case. I am also confident that other officers would get justice eventually," he said.

However, Vanzara is still facing murder charges in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case, as the trial is still pending.

Vanzara was arrested on 24 April, 2007 by CID crime in connection with the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, which was then handed over to CBI.

Vanzara was heading the Gujarat ATS when the alleged fake encounter took place.

In September 2014, the Mumbai court had given bail to Vanzara in the Soharabuddin Sheikh encounter case. Later in 2015, he was also granted bail in Ishrat case, following which, he came out of jail.

Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra.

Sheikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005, after which his wife disappeared and was believed to have been done to death.

Prajapati, an aide of the gangster and an eyewitness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by police at Chapri village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in December 2006. Vanzara was the Deputy IG of Border Range when the alleged encounter took place.

The Sohrabuddin killing case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of CBI for a fair trial.

In 2013, the Supreme Court had clubbed the alleged fake encounter case of Prajapati with that of Sheikh.
Students across Kashmir took to the streets on Tuesday in protest against the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and Pakistani national Abu Dujana, and a teenage militant named Arif Dar even as authorities announced a complete shutdown in the Valley.

Instead of returning to their homes, students filled the major thoroughfares of the Valley in protest against the killing. There were reports of students clashing with security forces across Kashmir. One protestor was killed while 40 others were injured in the Hakripora area of southern Pulwama district where the encounter took place. Telecom companies have also been asked to shut down internet connectivity in the area.

This was for the first time in the recent history of Kashmir that the student community launched protests after the killing of a foreign militant (Dujana), probably indicating his popularity. The two militants

Dujana, who was identified as an A++ category militant and placed at the top of a list of 12 most wanted militants by Indian Army in May this year, has been active in the Valley since December 2014.

"He was an eyesore for everyone and his elimination is a huge success for the security forces," a Jammu and Kashmir police official said during a press conference, adding that the hunt for other militants will continue with the same speed.

Lieutenant General JS Sandhu, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Armys 15 Corps said, "We tried to persuade the militants to surrender but they refused."

A master of disguise, Dujana had the knack of hiding in the plain sight. Unlike other foreign militants, he had an intimate knowledge of lanes and the topography of south Kashmir and could speak Kashmiri.

He had earned a reputation for escaping cordons and giving a slip to security forces nearly twelve times before he was killed on Tuesday. In fact, in April 2017, Dujana and at least two other militants had escaped a cordon in the same village where he was killed on Tuesday.

A native of Gilgit, Dujana rose to popularity after the death of Burhan Muzaffar Wani last year. He appeared in several protests that erupted after Wani's death. He was particularly popular in Pulwama and parts of Kulgam.

Police officials said that Dujana was the longest surviving militant in the Valley and had planned several attacks. "Survival was his tactic. He would only plan the attack and would assign others the job to carry it. He has a huge following and that was a headache for us," he said.

His charismatic leadership had also helped amplify Lashkar-e-Taibas influence in south Kashmir, police officials said, adding that Lashkar-e-Taiba is now seen as a formidable group in the region, drawing numerous recruits from the area.

He was elevated as the divisional commander after the previous south Kashmir divisional commander, Abdul Rehman alias Abu Qasim, was killed on 29 October, 2015. Qasim's death had sparked one of the first instances of mass participation in a militants funeral in the recent years.

Since then, the Lashkar-e-Taiba has not only gained popularity but also managed to reinvent itself as an indigenous group, as it claimed in press statement released in April 2017.

Sixteen-year-old Dar, who was also killed during the gun battle on Tuesday was a resident of Lelhar area of Kakpora town, which is believed to be the hotbed of the Lashkar-e-Taiba activities. The teenager is believed to have joined militancy at the age of 14.

Fascinated by a pouch of AK 47 magazine lying at an encounter site, Dar had taken it home out of excitement. The people in his village said that Dar was teased by local kids, who convinced him that the army would go after him for keeping the ammunition. He kept the pouch with him for two weeks and joined Lashkar-e-Taiba on 25 August, 2015.

Dar was the youngest of the five siblings and was the favourite child. "He was a sensitive child and could not withstand the injustice that was happening around him. He therefore, took the weapon to fight," one of his neighbours said.

According to the police, Dar was involved in bank robberies in south Kashmir.

Meanwhile, students at the University of Kashmir also assembled in the campus and held strong anti-India protests. They were planning to offer funeral in absentia for the slain militants.
Jerry Duerksen already had put together a pretty full resume by the time he got into real estate in the late 1970s.

Graduate of Valsetz High in the lumber company town in the Coast Range that no longer exists. Four-year Navy veteran who was in Vietnam for the 1968 Tet Offensive. Pilots license  he remembers flying a Piper Cub in 1967, when an hour in the air cost $3 for the instructor and $2 for the plane. Worked as a commercial fisherman in Newport and Coos Bay. Came within 12 hours of completing work on a degree in fish and wildlife from Oregon State University.

The real estate gig, however, appears to have worked out. Duerksen, 71, weathered the 1980s recession, a chaotic time in the industry, and his family-run group, Duerksen & Associates, is now the leading property management firm in the city in terms of units managed.

Weve just been here longer, Duerksen said drily.

That longer tenure has helped the family to see beyond the day-to-day grind of inspections, rental agreements and finding lodging for a couple of generations of OSU students. To community involvement and community building.

The company is transitioning into a second generation of leadership, with Duerksens son, Steve, and daughter-in-law Dawn, moving into the primary roles.

I have no day-to-day involvement at all, Jerry Duerksen said. Steve and Dawn do it all.

All, for the Duerksens, includes managing more than 1,000 rental units (1,042 to be exact, Dawn notes) and extensive community work and charitable contributions that focus mainly on assisting youth.

Landlords group

In 2013, amid tempestuous citywide discussions on livability issues that stemmed from OSU growth, Duerksen quietly formed the Rental Property Managers Group, which meets monthly at the Elks Lodge and focuses on education and training for landlords and collaborations and partnerships with OSU, the police and fire departments and city housing officials.

The group started with a meeting of 10 individuals in the lunchroom at the Duerksen office on Northwest Grant Street. These days Dawn, who plays a primary role in coordinating the group, has a list-serve of 170 people who receive notices on the meetings. And the Duerksens pay for the meeting room and the food, with turnouts of more than 100 people common.

Im ecstatic about it, Jerry said. I stuck my neck out, but we knew we had to try it. How do we get landlords to fix these things?"

It was all about education for landlords, Steve said.

People used to have to go to Salem or Eugene to hear about the programs we are offering, Dawn said. We really created a lot of opportunities for people to do things right.

The group has worked with the Corvallis Police Department on an email alert system. If officers make a call at a rental unit, the property manager gets an email the next morning. Dawn says that the property managers sometimes follow-up on issues before the tenants are even up, and Chief Jon Sassaman has said that the groups work provides an important layer of education and enforcement  OSU students fear eviction more than a minor in possession citation, he says.

Charity work

The Duerksens also are active in charitable circles. Their involvement with the Old Mill Center for Children and Families goes back to 1980 and the company recently gave $500,000 to the $6 million campaign to build an expanded teen operation at the Boys & Girls Club of Corvallis.

The family also works with the Corvallis and Philomath school districts and has done some preliminary outreach with OSU. Their overriding concern: graduation rates.

We want our youth to graduate here and stay here and work here, Dawn said. It all goes hand in hand.

Our biggest effort, Jerry said, is to really try to focus on our kids and make sure they have all of the services and support they need. Its something we feel that we should try. We need a new funding source for our youth."

A third-generation Duerksen, meanwhile, is spending his summer working for the firm. Dawn and Steves son, Trenten, who will be a senior at Philomath High School in the fall, is making maintenance calls for the group. Trenten is dual-enrolled at Linn-Benton Community College.

Steve got his start with the company 16 years ago, laying gutters as he put it. Now, he is a licensed broker.

So will Trenten make Duerksen & Associates his career?

We have no idea, Steve said.

Hes 17, Dawn said. Some days he wants to work with us. Others days 
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday questioned the Delhi Police over the delay in investigation of the death of former Union minister Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar, PTI reported.

While hearing BJP MP Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking a CBI investigation into the 2014 case, the bench comprising Justice GS Sistani and Justice Chander Shekhar also questioned the police over the delay in submitting the final report on the evidence collected so far.

The bench said the police had collected evidence in the matter in February 2015 but has not yet got the final result of the electronic evidences they have seized in the matter including that of the close friends of Tharoor and Pushkar.

"This (collecting of evidence)is something that happened in February 2015. Why it took two years for the police to get the final result. Here is somebody who passed away back in 2014 and you (police) initially said it was a suicide but later it turned out to be a homicide," the bench said.

Delhi Police was asked searching questions by the court today. They were on the mat, ANI quoted Subramanian Swamy as saying.

Delhi Police was asked searching questions by the court today, they were on the mat: Subramanian Swamy #SunandaPushkar pic.twitter.com/PiNmhJEI3z  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

During the arguments, the counsel representing Pushkar's son Shiv Menon also moved an application seeking faster investigation to conclude the case.

Sunanda Pushkar's son Shiv Menon also moved an application seeking a direction to conclude the investigations in a time bound manner  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

Slamming Swamy over his plea demanding a CBI investigation, Menon's counsel said that the BJP MP had filed a "Publicity Interest Litigation" and not a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

Sunanda Pushkar case: Shiv Menon's counsel says before court that it's not a public interest litigation but a publicity interest litigation  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

However, Swamy, in response to this said, "I don't need any publicity, I am a politician and an MP so I don't need publicity," ANI reported.

Swamy had on Monday filed a fresh application in the court seeking a copy of the charge sheet of the case within 45 days.

Menon's plea to be considered a party in the case was also heard by the court on Monday. Hearing his plea, Justice GS Sistani and Justice Chander Shekhar, had expressed concern over failure of the police to file a charge sheet in the case even after three-and-a-half years. The court had also sought Swamy's response on Menon's plea to implead him as a party in the proceedings before the high court.

Menon had also questioned Swamy's locus standi in seeking such a investigation, alleging that he was doing it only for publicity.

On 6 July, Swamy had moved the Delhi High Court seeking a court-monitored investigation by a CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the death of Pushkar, alleging that the "inordinate delay" in the investigation "is a blot on the justice system".

Swamy had sought a court-monitored investigation by setting up of a multi-disciplinary SIT consisting of Intelligence Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, RAW, Delhi Police and headed by the CBI in the case.

"The case referred to in this petition is an extreme example of the slow motion of the criminal justice process and the extent to which it can be subverted by the rich and influential," the plea filed through advocate Ishkaran Singh Bhandari had said.

Pushkar's death once again came under media spotlight after a private TV channel had released a series of 11 audio tapes alleging that Tharoor and his assistant Narayan were deliberately stopping Pushkar from talking to the media just before her death.

The high profile death under unexplained circumstances has been in the news as it had come in the backdrop of a Twitter controversy that broke out few days before Pushkar's death, where she had publicly blamed a Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar for stalking her husband.

Pushkar, a well known socialite and entrepreneur was found dead on 17 January 2014, under unexplained circumstances in a Delhi hotel room. Pushkar's autopsy report at that time had hinted that she had died of an overdose of sleeping pills. However, the report was inconclusive as to whether the death was a suicide or a murder.

With inputs from agencies
Jammu: The Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) on Tuesday expelled lawyer Devinder Singh Behal, who is associated with separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, after he was arrested by the NIA in a terror funding case.

"As soon as we came to know about his (Behal) activities, we verified our records and immediately decided to expel him without any notice from the primary membership of the association," BAJ president BS Salathia told reporters in Jammu.

"Ours is a nationalist association and we will not tolerate the presence of any 'anti-national' element, whether associated with Hurriyat or any other group," he said.

Widening its probe in the terror funding case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on 30 July searched the office and residence of Behal over his alleged role in routing funds to separatists from their Pakistan-based handlers.

Behal, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF)  a constituent of Tehreek-e-Hurriayat headed by Geelani  was arrested following which several of his public speeches during 2016's unrest in the Valley went viral on social media, wherein he was heard shouting 'pro-freedom' and 'anti-India' slogans.

Salathia said Behal became a member of the Bar Association of Jammu in 2013 on the recommendation of two senior advocates.

He said even members of the association belonging to his community took a strong exception of his activities and recommended his expulsion.

"The decision to expel him was unanimous and aimed at sending a clear message that we will not tolerate any anti-national activity," he said.

The BAJ chief also advised senior lawyers to verify the credentials of those seeking membership of the association before recommending their cases, and asserted that a "conspiracy has been going on to intrude anti-national elements into the body to dilute its stand".
New Delhi: Syria has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014. Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas, however, said that his country is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas said on Monday that an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said.

"We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the Islamic State, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians. However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.
Telecom regulator TRAI today suggested that firms shutting down services based on one technology while switching to another should give two months notice to licensor and one month heads-up to subscribers, listing out options before them including port outs. TRAI has also recommended specific timelines for the Department of Telecom (DoT) to revert to companies with objections, if any, on spectrum trading proposals, and also spell out deadline for companies to file their responses.

The proposals form part of TRAI's latest recommendations to the DoT on closure of access services by companies, and aim to ensure that subscribers are not put to "undue hardships" when such events occur. TRAI said continuation of access services is now no longer "assured" due to market-based spectrum management. "Recently, there have been cases where due to reasons such as licensee failing to re-acquire its spectrum holding in a band on expiry of its licence validity period, change of technology deployed by licensee ... there has been closure of access services being provided by the licencee," the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said.

Other reasons for discontinuation of services could be sale of entire holding through spectrum trading, and end of roaming arrangements, it noted. In its recommendations, TRAI has said that a Unified Access Service licensee (an old category of licences) should be allowed to discontinue any of the services within its portfolio, without surrendering the licence.

This effectively means that if a licencee under this category has wireline and wireless services, and decides to close the latter, it should not have to surrender the licence. Such a provision currently exists for all new permits issued under the category of Unified Licence (UL), and the regulators recommendation seeks to bring parity between the different licence categories. "The scope of UL with access service authorisation and UASL is similar. Therefore, there is no apparent rationale in having different clause for closure of access services in each of these licences," TRAI said in its recommendations posted on its website.

At the same time, TRAI has said that such licencees should surrender the administratively assigned spectrum, if any, immediately upon closure of wireless access services. Also, right now existing licence provisions state that operator has to ensure continuity of access services to subscribers, not the continuity of technology.

This means change or discontinuation of a technology, is not treated as discontinuation of service, and hence companies were so far not bound to send prior notice to the subscribers. TRAI has now said: "In case of closure of access services through any technology in the entire service area or a part of it, the TSP (operator) should be mandated to give a 60 days notice to the licensor and TRAI, and 30 days notice to its effected subscribers, stating the options available to the subscribers including that of Mobile Number Portability (port out) facility." At times, complete change of technology requires change of handsets, as in the case of a switchover from CDMA to GSM technology.

"They (subscribers) should be informed that in case they dont want to change their handset, they can port-out their number to other operators. Information about both the alternatives should be available to them well in advance so that subscribers can take an informed decision," it said.

TRAI has also said that if a subscriber wants to switch from one technology to other, within the same operator, the same should not come under the definition Mobile Number Portability. The regulator said its recommendation on various timelines to be followed by the DoT and licensee in the spectrum trading process, will bring "greater clarity and certainty" in the process.
New Delhi: Women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi has suggested legalising marijuana, a psychoactive drug, in India for medical purposes on the lines of the practice adopted by some developed countries like the US to curb drug abuse.

The suggestion was made by Gandhi at a meeting of a group of ministers (GOM), which examined the draft cabinet note national drug demand reduction policy, according to the minutes of the second meeting, a copy of which is with PTI.

The GoM approved the draft national policy with minor modifications suggested in the meeting.

Gandhi informed that in "some of the developed countries like the US, marijuana has been legalised which ultimately results in less drug abuse".

She said that "the possibility of the same maybe explored in India", as per the document.

When asked to elaborate, Gandhi told PTI that "marijuana should be legalised for medical purposes, especially as it serves a purpose in cancer".

During the meeting of the GoM, which was chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh, Gandhi also stressed on the need for regulating the sale and availability of pharmaceutical drugs such as codeine cough syrups and inhalants among others which are being abused.

Prime minister Narendra Modi has directed the GoM to examine the draft policy for drug demand reduction which seeks to address the problem of drug and substance abuse in the country.

Referring to the national survey on drug abuse, conducted by the ministry of social justice in collaboration with AIIMS, which covers students, transgenders and sex workers among others, Gandhi said children especially those living in and around major railway stations should also be covered.

She also suggested exploring the possibility of setting up de-addiction centres near these railway stations.

On the issue of legalising drugs in the country, the social justice and empowerment secretary G Latha Krishna Rao said "it may not be appropriate to legalise such drugs" in view of the large population and low level of literacy in the country and added that the possibility could be explored in future.

As per the document, minister for chemicals and fertilisers Ananth Kumar observed that drugs were easily available outside schools and colleges and said that an action plan needs to be drawn to create awareness and sensitise students against drug abuse in schools, colleges and universities.

Singh, who is also the minister of parliamentary affairs, said that the role of home ministry should also be well defined in the proposed policy.

The GoM also recommended the projected budget estimate of Rs 125 crore annually for implementation of the policy.

In an earlier meeting, the GoM had proposed preparing an action plan for controlling over the counter sale of sedatives, pain killers, muscle relaxants among others and preparing treatment modules for different age groups, including the subject of treatment of drug addicts as part of MBBS curriculum.

It also sought setting up of de-addiction centres in all prisons, juvenile homes, factories and industries.
Kolkata: A 62-year-old woman has lost her fight for life, about a month after she was allegedly raped by five persons, who inserted an iron rod and a broken bottle in her private parts, and the prime accused has been arrested, the police said on Tuesday.

The alleged incident of gangrape had taken place on 4 July when the woman was alone at her residence at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of the state, they said.

She died in a state-run hospital on Wednesday, the police said.

"The miscreants had inserted an iron rod and a broken bottle into her private parts to kill her after the gangrape. They had thrown her outside her house into the bushes assuming her to be dead," said a senior police officer quoting the woman's statement to the police.

Doctors had conducted several surgeries but the elderly woman succumbed to her injuries, hospital sources said.

"Her injuries were grave. Her private parts were brutally damaged by the broken bottle stuck inside. Doctors had a tough time in conducting operations. She suffered too much pain and finally succumbed on Monday night," a senior doctor of the hospital said.

The woman used to run a roadside food stall near Sandeshkhali police station, her elder son, who lives elsewhere, said, adding she had returned home at around 10 pm.

Her younger son, who lives in the same house, had gone to his in-law's place and the woman was sitting in the balcony past midnight when the accused along with four others caught hold of her from the back, the police officer said.

They then tied and raped her before the heinous torture, he said, adding the woman's body was handed over to her family members on Tuesday evening.

A case was registered in the matter on 5 July and the prime accused, who was named by the victim, was arrested on 6 July and sent to judicial custody, the police told PTI.

West Bengal additional director general of police (law and order) Anuj Sharma said, "Police are looking into the case very seriously. Strict action will be taken against those who are guilty."

State Women Commission Chairperson Leena Ganguly said the panel would file a suo motu case if the victim's family lodge a complain of police negligence in conducting probe into the incident.

"We will have to look into the role of the police. If laxity is observed on part of the police in nabbing the culprits, we will take up a suo motu case in this regard. We are yet to get any complaint from the family members," Ganguly said.
Bara Hoti in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand is where the first Chinese intrusions into Indian soil took place in 1954 and has continued since, the latest being on 25 July 2017.

A similar incident had taken place even last July when the Chinese came 200 metres into the Indian side after after asking an Indian official team accompanied by unarmed Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel in civil clothes into their side  they went about 200 metres into the Chinese side  of the perceived Line of Actual Control (LOAC), a demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory. Though reported, the incident was played down on the ground that the boundary in the sector has not been demarcated, and it was thus a transgression of the perceived boundary line and not an intrusion.

The dispute at Bara Hoti in fact dates back to the British days when, as per a 1952 Intelligence Bureau (IB) report, Hoti was popular among Indian traders going to Tibet during the summer and the Tibetans had once established a customs post there. In 1890, the British government had to send out a detachment of Gorkhas along with the deputy collector after which the post was removed.

In 1952, the Tibetans again moved a "customs" camp to Bara Hoti about which the IB Report assessed that it appears the Tibetans have again established a police-cum-customs post at Hoti during the trading season and emphasised that if the Tibetans arent stopped from establishing their post at Hoti Plain, they might eventually claim it to be their own territory. To this end, the IB suggested a detachment of Garhwal Rifles and local armed police to hoist the Indian tricolour in Bara Hoti "to stop the Tibetans from establishing their customs post".

In the 1954 Panchsheel Agreement on trade and pilgrimage in Tibet, India forfeited all its rights in Tibet but received few assurances. While its negotiators had outlined the various passes on the customary boundary along the watershed range, the Chinese had refused to include three of these in the sector including Tun Jun La, which is located north of Bara Hoti. In August that very year, the Chinese protested about armed Indian troops having crossed the Niti pass on 29 June 1954, and intruded into Wu-Je (Bara Hoti) which was "not in conformity with the principles of non-aggression and friendly co-existence between China and India".

The then foreign secretary Subimal Dutt's note to prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru states: Our case is that Bara Hoti is an area of about one and a half square miles. We have given the exact position with reference to its latitude and longitude. The Chinese have not defined which area they mean by Wu-Je... an area south of Tun Jun La.... If the Chinese claims are conceded, the international boundary would lie south in what is undoubtedly Indian territory."

Dutt emphasised that "the Chinese government is not prepared to accept our northern border as shown on our maps, as these maps are supposed to have been prepared by British colonialists surreptitiously. They are also not prepared to accept passes mentioned in the 1954 agreement as border passes... thereby indirectly repudiating the principle of watershed as marking the international boundary."

Bara Hoti was a subject of discussion in the Lok Sabha in August and again in November 1959 with the latter having interesting interjections by inter alia Atal Bihari Vajpayee and socialist minister Asoka Mehta. You can read the excerpts below or click here.

There are essential differences in the issues at Bara Hoti and Doklam. Geo-politically, Doklam forms part of an unresolved agenda between Bhutan and China on which several rounds of discussions have taken place between both countries. Indias role is essentially in support of Bhutan with a compelling larger motive to ensure the security of the Siliguri corridor.

With its own long history of 'transgressions', Bara Hoti is a direct issue between China and India that otherwise would have been brushed off as an annual feature. However, coming as it does even as the Sikkim standoff continues, pertinently on 25 July, coinciding with the NSA's Beijing visit, it seems deliberately timed to issue a sharp signal to India that the Chinese are not yet relenting from their harsh position.

The usual pattern of events when such transgressions occur is a resistance without arms and ammunition by troops who form human chains and end up "jostling" (pushing and shoving) on the defending side, followed by border flag meetings at which the Chinese by and large revert to the status quo after making a 'political statement' and 'agreeing to disagree'.

In Doklam however, the Chinese have sought to 'dig in'. Besides not budging on ground, they have shown a steely determination to push their claim with the actions of their soldiers being supported by belligerent and threatening media coverage and analysis with words and phrases like "do not forget 1962", "PLA will teach India a lesson", "option of war is open" and "either Indian troops return to their territory with dignity or will be kicked out of the area by the PLA".

The nature of Chinese conduct during the Bara Hoti incident would need to be examined to understand what to expect from them at other such 'disputed' points in this as well as other sectors.

From the military operations perspective, Sikkim is among the sectors where India has relative advantage. With a sizeable military presence at Ha within Bhutan, it can attack into the Chumbi Valley at a short notice from two sides, potentially cutting off Chinese troops stationed there facing Sikkim. But not so at Barahoti which is relatively easy to access from the Tibetan side.

While it's fruitless attempting to gauge all factors that underlie Chinese intent to up the ante, and to such perilous extents, to putting India 'in its place and to establish their hegemony over it  even as India militarily lags behind as a military power with its high dependence on foreign military hardware and known shortages in its military wherewithal, are perceivable  China views the growing India-US strategic cooperation as a threat, and the US response on the threat posed to India would test the resilience of that cooperation.

India being the principal instigator of the Tibetan struggle for freedom through the Dalai Lama card and anger at Indias decision to go ahead with the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh in spite of its cautions and threats, and more importantly, Indias refusal to participate in the Belt and Road Forum held in May 2017 and to be a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, would be other factors.

What then are the strategic and military options for India?

This is undoubtedly a critical moment for India in its relations with China. To accept the Chinese position in Doklam and blink would be an unacceptable 'loss of face' both domestically and internationally. The 'Doklam model' could then come to be applied across other hot spots across the entire boundary at will.

A known Chinese ploy has been to make border transgressions into 'unresolved' areas, build roads and outposts closer and closer to Indian territory and to build up a territorial or infrastructural advantage. This must be resisted at the ground level on every occasion henceforth in a manner that reflects Indian resolve to confront and safeguard its own national interests.

As has been the experience in the 1967 confrontation in Sikkim and in 1986-87 during the Sumdorong Chu incident (a standoff between the Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army, where India-China came close to a war), China understands the language of strength. India must, therefore, hold out till at least a mutual withdrawal to pre-June 2017 positions.

Concerted diplomatic effort to explain Indias positions and concerns, as already initiated, must be robustly taken forward. Internal political dynamics within China may even push them to indulge in border skirmishes with an alarming prospect of spinning out into a limited war  an eventuality Indian planners would no doubt be silently preparing to brace up for the coming months of the 'campaigning season' even as they place their hope and trust in diplomacy to bring tranquillity on the borders.

The author is a former bureaucrat and the writer of Rooks and Knights: Civil Military Relations in India. He is currently Senior Fellow at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies.
WHY DONT YOU READ THESE?
New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Congress of "conspiring" to derail the Constitution amendment bill on backward classes.

His remarks came a day after the Rajya Sabha passed Opposition-backed amendments to the legislation in an embarrassment to the government.

Shah lashed out at the main Opposition party at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, saying it has been conspiring to stop the bill's passage in the Rajya Sabha despite all parties agreeing to its provisions in the select committee it was sent to, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.

"The bill should have been passed by Parliament in the Budget Session as the Lok Sabha had passed it unanimously. But the Rajya Sabha sent to a select committee. All parties made unanimous recommendations in the committee but the Congress again conspired to stop it," Shah told MPs.

The legislation has been projected by the BJP as a major political outreach to the politically crucial backward classes and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again highlighted it as a major effort of his government to address the communities' concerns.

Though the government enjoys a strong majority in the Lower House, it is still short of a majority in the Upper House.

Shah also asked party's lawmakers and other members to participate in a big way in three exercises, including the week long event starting from 9 August to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India movement.

The party has also asked its members to participate in 15-30 August 'sankalp yatra' and then reach out to first-time voters in the year 2018. Modi has called them new millennium voters.
BJP president Amit Shah has expressed displeasure over the absence of party Members of the Parliament (MP) in RS on Monday. He is likely to demand an explanation from them as they have been absent from the Rajya Sabha despite a whip.

Party MPs told PTI that Shah made his displeasure clear at the BJP parliamentary meeting on Tuesday.

The government suffered an embarrassment in the Upper House when a united Opposition ensured the passage of amendments to a Constitution amendment bill on backward classes. The Opposition managed to pass The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, providing for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes after dropping Clause 3, to which four amendments were approved by the House earlier.

The amendments were passed by 74 to 52 votes. The BJP's strength alone is 56 while the ruling block enjoys the support of 88 members, counting 10 JD(U) MPs.

"When the party issues a whip, members must be present in the House. The party president has taken a serious view of the absence of members. He said it should not have happened and must not be repeated," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said on Tuesday.

In the meeting, Shah wondered if the absentee MPs should be named, as the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have repeatedly underlined the need for their presence in Parliament.

In March, Modi had expressed concern over the lack of quorum in the Parliament, a day after the Rajya Sabha chairman had expressed unhappiness over absent members in the House.

Chairman Hamid Ansari had called it "an unusual situation" and said that it was "not a happy state of affairs" , CNN-News18 reported. Congress had also mocked the government, as MP Jairam Ramesh called it a case of "maximum ministers, minimum government and a shape of things to come."

Till Parliament is on all members should be present, matter of members not present will be taken up seriously: Ananth Kumar after BJP meet pic.twitter.com/L3YF9l64T7  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

How the Winter Session failed

This is not the first time that senior leaders have expressed concern over the way the Parliament has been functioning in the last one year. With absenteeism leaving the BJP in a fix, the ongoing Monsoon Session is following the footsteps of the 2016 Winter Session. While the issue then was not particularly about MPs giving the Session a miss, it was linked to the the behaviour of the members that affected the work of Parliament.

In December 2016, Pranab Mukherjee had expressed his frustration over repeated disruptions in the Parliament. In an uncharacteristic outburst, the then president made some observations on the functioning of the House.

"For demonstration, you can choose any other places. But for God's sake, do your job. You are meant to transact business. You are meant to devote your time for exercising the authority of members, particularly Lok Sabha members over money and finance," Mukherjee had said.

Mukherjee also urged MPs to refrain from misusing their freedom in the Parliament, since the law protected them from getting arrested for what they said in the House.

The Winter Session, which began on 16 November, 2016, was a disappointment. Both Houses at the time, as this report stated, remained in session for less than a fifth of their scheduled time in the first three-and-a-half weeks. According to data from Delhi-based PRS Legislative Research, the Lok Sabha functioned for only 16 percent of the time, while MPs at the Rajya Sabha worked for 19 percent of the time.

For the two sessions in picture, the reasons for under-performance may be different. But be it absenteeism, or the regular uproar in Parliament, the constant ignorance of our law-makers is jeopardising the sane functioning of the Constitution. It is indeed a trend which the government needs to distance itself from.

With inputs from PTI
Sometimes a dark cloud  or a solar eclipse  has a silver lining.

After several residents stepped forward with offers to help, John and Tobi Appleyard have a place to stay to watch the eclipse near Albany.

In January, the Lake Tapps, Washington, couple booked a room to watch the astronomical anomaly on Aug. 21. Months later, the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites in Albany said it didnt have their reservation, then offered them a spot in Eugene for hundreds more per night, John Appleyard said.

On Sunday, the day of a news story on their situation, the couple received a flurry of phone calls and Facebook messages, all wanting to provide them a place for free.

Oh my gosh. Words dont say how it made us feel, John Appleyard said. Were so grateful for all the kindness that we got from the article.  It took a big stress off of us.

Before Sunday, the couple wasnt sure they were going to be able to take their romantic getaway to celebrate their anniversary, as they had train tickets to Albany, but no hotel room.

Barb Ferrell, who lives off of Higbee Road, was the first to contact the Appleyards on Sunday, and they accepted her offer to watch the eclipse from her house.

Were excited to have them.  Ive got a guest room up in my barn, and were going to fix it up really nice for them, Ferrell said.

She said shell make the Appleyards a big breakfast before the eclipse.

The only issue might be getting the couple from Albany Station, where they will get off the train, to north of Millersburg on the night of Aug. 20. Ferrell worried that there might be traffic jams throughout the area.

About 10 residents contacted Mid-Valley Media Group to offer the Appleyards hospitality for the eclipse.

Marjorie Schantz, 85, who has a duplex in Mennonite Village in Albany, was among them.

I just felt bad that they couldnt get their reservation for the amount they were promised. I have a spare room. Its empty. I would gladly have them stay, Schantz said, on Monday.

She thought the hotels practices put a black eye on the reputation of Albany, so she wanted to change things.

Pat and Leo McQueen, who live outside Lebanon, said they were happy to offer breakfast and friendship to the Appleyards, especially after the Washington couple had a negative experience.

It made me so angry and upset, Pat McQueen said. Its like a handshake. When you sign a contract, you give your word.

Sharon and Charlie Wilson of Corvallis also contacted the newspapers with a spare room for the Appleyards.

We just felt like we could maybe help, Sharon Wilson said. Oregon is a place where people step forward when they can.

The Oregon Department of Justice is investigating the Appleyards complaint against the Econo Lodge, as well as a similar complaint from a man in San Jose, California.

The agency has received consumer complaints for unlawful trade practices connected to the eclipse regarding 12 hotels in Oregon. The complaints include canceling reservations or doubling or tripling rates, according to a news release.

Staff members at the Econo Lodge, contacted Monday, declined comment.
Lucknow: BJP national president Amit Shah on Monday said a grand Ram temple will be constructed at Ayodhya, and the way for this will be either through talks, mutual settlement or through a court verdict.

Addressing the media on the last day of his three-day visit to the Uttar Pradesh state capital, Shah said that construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya was very much part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) agenda.

He praised the working of the Yogi Adityanath government in the state and said that within three months of its advent, a semblance of governance had come in the state and people were noticing a perceptible change.

"It is a coincidence that as I speak to you, three years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and three months of the Yogi Aditynath government in the state have been completed," the BJP chief said, praising the functioning of both the governments.

Shah ridiculed the media speculation that senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and younger brother of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Shivpal Singh, was hitching himself to the party bandwagon.

Accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister and state BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, Shah also claimed that with his good governance, brave decisions and crackdown on black money, Modi had emerged as the most popular Prime Minister of India ever.

Shah also tried to put an end to speculation about Maurya that he was being shifted to the Centre as a Union minister, saying that as soon as a state party chief was finalised, Maurya would devote full time to the state government.

He also tried to trash the opposition charges that by dining at a Yadav worker's house on Sunday, he was picking on caste politics.

"Sonu Yadav is a party booth worker, and just as I go to eat at any other place, I went to his house and had food... No politics should be read in this," he added.

Shah also blamed the previous Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) governments in the state for the mess in Uttar Pradesh and said that they had collectively presided over scams to the tune of Rs 12 lakh crore. "There is not one finger raised at us as the government is working with transparency," he added.

With regard to Panama Papers, the BJP chief said there were no names from his party in those leaks, and in any case, the Special Investigation Team was probing the Panama Papers leaks.

Shah said that the Union government, apart from the funds allocated to Uttar Pradesh, had opened its coffers for the state to develop and prosper.
New Delhi: The issue of absence of several BJP members in the Rajya Sabha, where the government suffered an embarrassment on Monday after the Opposition managed to pass a bill on backward classes with amendments, may figure in its Parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, sources said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top government ministers are likely to attend the meeting, the sources said.

Modi has repeatedly asked the party MPs to ensure their presence in both the Houses underlining that it is the duty of Treasury Benches to ensure the passage of the government's legislative agenda.

The Upper House on Monday saw high drama and embarrassment for the government as a Constitution amendment bill on backward classes was changed after some amendments moved by the Opposition were passed by the House.

The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, providing for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes, was passed after dropping Clause 3, to which four amendments was approved by the House earlier.

The dropped clause pertains to the insertion of a new article 338B about the constitution and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes.

The amended bill will now have to be returned to the Lok Sabha for its fresh approval. The Lower House had already passed the bill but in the upper House it had been referred to a Select Committee as the Opposition had wanted more scrutiny.

Days after the Select Committee submitted its report, the Rajya Sabha on Monday took up the Constituent amendment bill, whose passage requires two-third majority of those present and voting in the 245-member House.
Lucknow: The BJP on Tuesday accused Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi of instigating farmers for petty political gains.

The BJP's attack on the Congress leader came on a day Gandhi was in the state capital to meet NHAI officials, along with a farmers' delegation from his parliamentary constituency Amethi, against acquisition of their land for broadening of National Highway (NH) 56.

"Rahul Gandhi is instigating farmers for petty political gains. Had he had any morality he would first have returned the land of poor farmers of Amethi that was taken for setting up a bicycle unit but which ultimately went to a trust," state unit spokesman Shalabhmani Tripathi said .

Tripathi alleged that poor farmers of Amethi had given their land in the hope of getting employment but were today left neither with land nor employment.

The BJP spokesman claimed the issue on which Gandhi registered his protest on Tuesday had in fact has been pending since the days of the UPA government, which instead of solving had further complicated it.
The BJP may be set to extend its base in South India by forming an alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), reported News18.

According to the report, BJP will play the role of mediator between the two factions of AIADMK: one headed by chief minister E Palaniswamy and the other headed by former chief minister O Panneerselvam.

It is also being believed that depending on the outcome of the talks, AIADMK is likely to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

The party (BJP) is keen that the legacy of the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa is protected and for that it is important that both Palaniswamy and Panneerselvam come together and end their differences. BJP will again play the role of a mediator or facilitator but leaders of AIADMK have to take the final decision, a senior BJP leader told LiveMint.

The Hindustan Times on Tuesday quoted state finance minister D Jayakumar saying that merger talks were going on. The merger can happen very soon.

Earlier, there were speculations about BJP's influencing O Paneerselvam. He had demanded the removal of Sasikala and Dinakaran from their party posts and to be kept away from the government before the merger.

Currently, Palaniswamy's faction enjoys a comfortable majority with 123 legislators while Paneerselvam's faction has the support of 10 legislators in the state assembly and a dozen parliamentarians, NDTV reported.

The merger talks have been going on for a while but hit roadblocks as both the factions blamed each for not co-operating.
Mumbai: Maharashtra Legislative Council on Monday witnessed an uproar with the Congress demanding removal of certain sections on former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi from the state board's history textbook for class IX.

Raising the issue, Congress MLC Sanjay Dutt said the "defamatory reference" to the former prime ministers on the Emergency and the Bofors scam should be withdrawn.

A controversy erupted recently after the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum Research, popularly known as Balbharti, had revised the syllabus for class IX.

"The textbook makes no mention of the fact that the supreme court had given a clean chit to Rajiv Gandhi in the Bofors case. This is not only disrespect of the SC order but deliberate hiding of facts for political purposes," Dutt said.

He said attempts were being made to tarnish the image of the two political stalwarts who gave their lives for the nation.

"The sections referring to the two leaders should be immediately removed and action taken against officials responsible," the Congress leader said.

The Congress got a support from the party ally NCP with its MLC Sunil Tatkare heaping praises on the former premiers.

"It was Rajiv Gandhi who led technology revolution in the country and it was he who first spoke about digital India. Had he not been there, we could never have achieved technological advancements," Tatkare said.

He said the contribution of the Nehru-Gandhi family in building the foundation of the country and ensuring unity in diversity is immense.

"Do not spoil the minds of young children with your corrupt mentality. You will destroy the nation. Remember that Rajiv Gandhi's stature was such that then president of the US (Ronald Reagan) had held an umbrella for him as he had left the White House while it was raining," Tatkare said.

The NCP leader further said that students should know about the "supreme sacrifices" made for the nation by both the prime ministers.

Acknowledging the strong sentiments of the House over the issue, Education Minister Vinod Tawde said the feelings of the members will be conveyed to the textbook bureau for necessary action.

"Nothing has been written in the books for political motives. The board (Balbharti) decides on what has to be published. I have not interfered in their decision being a minister. I will not make any political intervention but convey the sentiments of the members to the board," Tawde said.

He said nowhere in the textbook Indira and Rajiv Gandhi are shown as being guilty of any wrongdoings, but only the sequence of events upto year 2000 has been published.

"Rajiv Gandhi got a clean chit in 2004. Hence that was not mentioned (in the book)," he said.

"So far history of the pre-Independence era was being taught to students and they had no knowledge about the happenings in the independent India. Hence it was decided to include history of the post-independence period," Tawde added.
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Secretary JN Singh on Monday submitted a report to the Election Commission, days after the Congress appealed to the poll panel to ensure free and fair Rajya Sabha polls in the state and accused the BJP of "engineering" defections of its MLAs.

As directed by the Election Commission, Singh submitted his report by 5.00 pm. "I have submitted my report to the Election Commission today," Singh told PTI.

He said as per the instructions of the poll panel, security has been provided to all Congress MLAs.

"We have already deployed two armed policemen outside the residences of (each of) the Congress MLAs to thwart any attempt of intimidation," he said.

A delegation of top Congress leaders met Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti in Delhi on 29 July following the resignations of six MLAs of the party in Gujarat.

The Congress leaders had demanded setting up of a high-powered committee to enquire into the allegations of use of money and muscle power and blatant abuse of government machinery to engineer defections and give a time-bound report.

The EC then asked the Gujarat government to submit a report.

In a jolt to the Congress, six of its MLAs quit the party on 27 and 28 July. Three of them joined the BJP and one of them, Balwantsinh Rajput, was made the BJP's third candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled on 8 August.

In the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, the strength of the Congress has gone down to 51 from 57.

Subsequently, the rattled Congress tucked away 44 of its MLAs to a Bengaluru resort to insulate them from "poaching" attempts by the BJP.

The party paraded the 44 MLAs before the media in the Karnataka capital on Monday.

A section of the Congress legislators had claimed that seven MLAs who decided against going to Bengaluru include Shankersinh Vaghela, who has already quit the party, and his MLA son Mahendrasinh Vaghela. Others, who have not joined are Raghavji Patel of Jamnagar South Seat and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja of Jamnagar North seat.

The BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and former Congress MLA Balwantsinh Rajput in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Congress veteran Ahmed Patel, the high-profile political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, is seeking another Rajya Sabha term from Gujarat.

Of the total 11 Rajya Sabha members from the state, the term of three  Irani and Dilipbhai Pandya (both BJP) and Patel  is ending on 18 August.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday attempted to sway the people's conscience by demanding the resignation of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on moral grounds. They argued that since his name appeared on the accused list of a 1991 murder case, he was not fit to rule.

But it seems that the attempt failed to have the desired effect strike because of the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led outfit's own moral mooring. Rather, the show came across as the RJD's desperate attempt to compensate for the political loss it suffered after the Janata Dal (United) snapped ties with it to form a government with BJP in the state.

The RJD's demand is based on dodgy moral principles  that since the chief minister is the head of a state, he should be seen as a person with a pristine image. It is certainly a desired condition for democracy to thrive and evolve freely. But then moral principles are not laws. Rather these are some unwritten, traditional axioms which everyone is expected to follow.

The effectiveness of morality depends on the one preaching it. A person who himself is involved in immoral activities can hardly be an effective moral preacher. He is more likely to become a laughing stock if he attempts to do so.

May be this was the reason why Lalu, who himself is named in the fodder scam, preferred not to make the demand for Nitish's ouster himself and instead fielded a senior RJD leader, Jagadanand Singh, to do it for him.

Jagadanand too, however, failed to strike any chord with the rational mind. For as a long-time ally of Lalu, he is equally discredited.

Nitish's resignation, that came after allegations of graft were levelled against his deputy and Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav, dealt a big political blow to RJD. At the time of resigning, Nitish had said: "The corruption allegations have been too much. I have quit in the interest of Bihar."

RJD's frustration of losing power was evident from Jagadananda's press meet. He said that Nitish had no moral right to remain in the chief minister's position as he was accused in the Sitaram Singh murder case. He also showed a video of the victim's family to media persons, in which they were seen demanding justice.

"Nitish has been holding the chief ministerial post since after the court took cognizance of the crime. A criminal must not be allowed to hold this position," he said.

Flashing some papers in a rather long press conference after Nitish's resignation, Lalu said, "Nitish knew that he is accused of section 302... one of India's chief ministers is accused in a murder and arms case."

He added, "This is the report card of our zero tolerance leader and my younger brother."

Sitaram was murdered in 1991 during the Barh Lok Sabha constituency by-poll. The 22-year-old was shot dead at a polling booth. Nitish was initially one of the accused in the case but his name was later dropped from the chargesheet by Bihar Police. Later, in 2009, a witness in the case challenged the dropping of Nitish's name in court, after which he along with another accused was summoned to the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Barh.

After Nitish was approached, the Patna High Court issued a stay order on the summon and the proceedings going on in the Barh court. The high court called for the papers of the case and it is presently being heard.

Despite this case, the RJD allied with JD(U) in 2015 to form the Grand Alliance for the Bihar Assembly election. And until Nitish's resignation, the case against him never became an issue between both the parties. It became one only after Nitish snapped ties with the RJD,

When reporters present at Jagadanand's press conference asked about this change in RJD's stand, he employed the grand old thumb rule of secularism, that has always been used in India to shove political hypocrisy under the carpet.

"We supported the Grand Alliance to prevent communal forces attaining power. But since Nitish has joined hands with communal forces now, we are taking up the issue again," he said.

His claim, however, had hardly any takers. For Jagadanand, despite being a senior leader, had never appeared as the voice of conscience of the RJD. He never protested when Lalu clung to the chief minister's chair for months even after the CBI sought permission from the governor to prosecute him in the year 1997. He kept silent when Lalu recruited wife Rabri Devi as the 'surrogate' chief minister while he was in Jail. But the same person now raking issues from a claimed high moral ground does not make any sense.

Is Jagadanand not practising selective morality by keeping mum in his masters case and being vocal when it comes to Nitish?

Had the demand for Nitish's removal come from an individual or a group that had shown exemplary adherence to moral principles on public issues in the past, it might have caught attention. But coming from the RJD and its leaders, who themselves are trusted associates of the tainted Lalu, it defeats the purpose.
Patna: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on Tuesday hit back at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of "betrayal" for breaking the grand alliance, and alleged that the "match was fixed" between him and the BJP to form a coalition government in the state.

"Tejashwi Yadav was just an excuse ... The match was fixed between him (Kumar) and the BJP to form a government together," Prasad told reporters.

Calling Kumar an "opportunist" and "Paltu Ram" (turncoat), he said, even if Tejashwi had tendered his resignation the JD(U) leader would have gone ahead with his plan to split the alliance.

Kumar had in a blistering attack on Prasad on Monday said he had no option but to walk out of the grand alliance as he did not want to compromise with corruption.

Ridiculing Kumar for his claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would face a little challenge in the 2019 general elections, Prasad said, "Keep shouting slogans in favour of Narendra Modi ... PM material (Nitish Kumar) has surrendered before him but we will have another face against him (Modi) in 2019."

Prasad also accused Kumar of undermining senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who, he said, had contributed a lot to make him a "big leader".

Prasad said he has offered Yadav to "come out from there (the JD(U)) and join hands with secular parties to protect the country from communal forces".

He, however, classified that Yadav has not been requested to join the RJD but be part of a country-wide movement against communal forces.
The government has ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas (LPG) prices by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all the subsidies by March next year, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.

The government had previously asked Indian Oil (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) to raise rates of subsidised domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) by Rs 2 per 14.2-kg cylinder per month (excluding VAT).

Now, the quantum has been doubled so as to bring down the subsidy to nil, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here.

Every household is entitled to 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rates in a year. Any requirement beyond that is to be purchased at market price.

"Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) were authorised to increase price of subsidised domestic LPG cylinder by Rs 2 per cylinder (14.2-kg) per month (excluding VAT) with effect from July 1, 2016," he said.

Oil companies had hiked LPG rates on 10 occasions since that go-ahead.

"The government vide its order dated May 30, 2017, has again authorised OMCs to continue to increase the effective price of subsidised domestic LPG by Rs 4 per cylinder effective June 1, 2017, per month (excluding VAT) till the reduction of government subsidy to 'nil', or till March 2018, or till further orders, whichever is earliest," he said.

Oil companies have raised rates twice since then, the last being on July 1 when rates were up by a steep Rs 32 per cylinder -- the steepest increase in six years. This hike was because of the May 30 order as well as reflection of hiked tax rates under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

Subsidised LPG now costs Rs 477.46 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi. It was priced at Rs 419.18 in June last year.

The rate of non-subsidised LPG, which consumers pay after exhausting their quota of below-market priced bottles, costs Rs 564.

"The price for the other subsidised cylinders (i.e. 5 kg) would be increased proportionately by the OMCs," Pradhan said. The subsidy on LPG was Rs 86.54 per cylinder for July, he said.

There are as many as 18.11 crore customers of subsidised LPG in the country. These include 2.5 crore poor women who were given free connections during the last one year under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna.

There are another 2.66 crore users of non-subsidised cooking gas.

Protests against decision

Meanwhile Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee have criticised the decision by the Union to government.

Vijayan on Monday asked the should government to withdraw its decision to eliminate the LPG subsidy from March next year, saying it was a matter of concern.

The decision would only cause difficulties to the common man as their day to day expenses will steadily go up. Hence, the government should be prepared to withdraw the decision, he said in a release.

The Chief Minister said that since July 2016, LPG prices had been increased at least 10 times. This month itself, at a single stroke, the LPG cylinder price had gone up by Rs 32, he said.

An LPG cyclinder priced at Rs 420 last June, was now Rs 480, he said. Now, to add to people's woes, the subsidy was being withdrawn, he said.

Banerjee slammed the BJP for the move and accused the party of not caring for the people.

"I am really concerned about the commoners. Earlier, subsidy was withdrawn on LPG and now again. The BJP does not care about the people," she tweeted.

The Trinamool Congress supremo accused the BJP of making public commitments and then going back on them.

"They only care about money. How can the BJP not carry out their social obligations? Where is their commitment to society at large? The BJP makes public commitments and then deviates from all," she said.

With inputs from PTI and IANS
Day 12 of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Tuesday saw a wide range of discussions taking place, including those on LPG subsidy, demonetisation, illegal migration, terror funding, NOTA and salaries of members of Parliament.

On Tuesday morning, BJP president Amit Shah took note of the absence of party members from Rajya Sabha, a day after the party faced a major embarrassment in the Upper House, when the Opposition pushed through an amendment to a bill granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission, which they could manage because the treasury benches lacked numbers.

Addressing the BJP parliamentary party meet, Shah said those who were absent had to be cautious in the future. He also asked MPs to "expose Congress" for stalling the setting up of the OBC Commission.

As Question Hour began in Lok Sabha, AIMIM MP Asadaduddin Owaisi raised a discussion on Aadhaar-based fertiliser distribution systems.

BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi, when asked if the government has plans to spread ancient science related to cows and cattle, said cow urine is so beneficial that it helped a former government law officer "recover from a serious illness".

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya raised graft allegations against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek, which resulted in Trinamool Congress MPs raising an objection, but the ensuing ruckus was soon brought under control.

This was followed by a discussion on illegal migrants. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the government has no "accurate data" regarding illegal migrants who have entered India and said one particular community cannot be "branded" for having alleged links with terrorists and terrorism. "We cannot say that," he said during Question Hour.

He added that several illegal migrants have "acquired documents" to make their stay in the country legal.

Before long, the demonetisation debate took over Lok Sabha, with the Opposition trying to corner the government by saying its claims that note ban would help eradicate terrorism and fake currency has fallen flat.

Initiating a discussion on 'Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2017-18' in Lok Sabha, Congress' KC Venugopal wanted to know from the government how much of demonetised currency has been deposited in the banks, and how many new notes have been printed so far, and how much black money has been unearthed. In the mean time, the government also withdrew 'The Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990'.

Later in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley answered members' concerns about the Goods and Services Tax, saying the GST Council, at its next meeting later this week, will finalise a mechanism to operationalise the anti-profiteering clause which seeks to protect consumers' interest.

Referring to concerns raised by members with regard to GST's impact on prices, Jaitley said it would be mandatory for manufacturers to pass on the benefits of reduction in taxes to consumers.

BJP member Varun Gandhi questioned lawmakers' power to hike their own salaries and objected to major bills like Aadhaar being passed without serious discussions or referring them to a parliamentary panel. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, he pitched for an external body to decide on lawmakers' salary hike while wondering whether MPs had earned the 400 percent renumeration hike they gave themselves over the last decade.

"When matters regarding salary are raised recurrently, it makes me worry about the moral compass of the House. Nearly 18,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last one year. Where is our focus?" he asked.

Lok Sabha was later adjourned for the day following the passage of the 'Supplementary Grants Bill'.

Meanwhile, Congress stalled Upper House proceedings and forced two adjournments during Question Hour over the use of 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option in Rajya Sabha elections. The party questioned NOTA's legality when given as an option in the ballots during the 8 August Rajya Sabha election.

However, an Election Commission official said the option has been in effect since 2014 and was incorporated after a Supreme Court judgment.

A united Opposition stalled the pre-noon proceedings in the Rajya Sabha, protesting against the government's decision to hike the prices of domestic LPG by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by next March. The issue was raised by Derek O'Brien of the TMC who gave a notice under rule 267 that seeks to set aside business of the day to discuss an important issue.

The Rajya Sabha chair also passed strictures for not inviting Vice-President Hamid Ansari for the inauguration of a new annexe complex of Parliament.

After a brief debate, the Rajya Sabha passed the 'Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017', extending the deadline for teachers to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications for appointment by four years.

The bill amended the 'Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009'. Under the new act, teachers who do not possess minimum qualifications as on 31 March, 2015, will have to acquire them within a period of four years, that is by 31 March, 2019. The Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill.
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New Delhi: BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday questioned a host of practices in the Lok Sabha, including the lawmakers' power to hike their own salaries and pass crucial bills like the Aadhaar legislation without much debate.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, he pitched for an external body to determine their remuneration and said it was "shameful" that the number of sittings in the Lok Sabha had dropped from 123 days a year in 1952 to 75 in 2016.

The lawmakers had raised their salaries 400 percent in the last decade, he said wondering whether they had "earned" this massive increment.

"The Winter Session, 2016, hit a low-point of 16 percent. It is shameful. Taxation bills, as significant as Aadhaar, were passed within two weeks without being referred to a committee," he said.

Gandhi's strong statement on the non-reference of the Aadhaar bill to a parliamentary committee is unlikely to go down well with the government, as the opposition parties too had accused it of ramming the bill through the House.

Hitting out at the practice of lawmakers to often raise the demand for a salary hike, he said the Jawaharlal Nehru cabinet at its first meeting had taken a collective decision not to avail salaries for six months in view of the people's sufferings at the time. He also cited several other examples from the past.

"When matters regarding salary are raised recurrently, it makes me worry about the moral compass of the House. Nearly 18,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last one year. Where is our focus," he asked.

Arrogating to themselves the authority to increase their own fiscal compensation was not in line with the morals of democracy, the BJP member said.

He referred to the recent protests of Tamil Nadu farmers in the national capital and noted that they had drunk their urine and demonstrated with skulls of fellow farmers who had committed suicide, in order to strongly make their point.

Gandhi then noted that the Tamil Nadu assembly on July 19 doubled the salaries of its legislators, a move which sent a "broad message of insensitivity".

As compared to a 13 percent rise in the UK, Indian lawmakers had raised their salaries by 400 per cent in the last decade. "Have we really earned this massive increment," he asked.

Citing the MPs' "performance" over the last two decades, he said barely 50 per cent of the bills were passed after scrutiny from parliamentary committees.

"When bills are pass without serious deliberation, it defeats the purpose of having a Parliament. The House itself has been created to dissect, analyse and debate laws, and ensure that every law has a strong policy mechanism behind it. The rush to pass bills shows a priority for politics and not policy. 41 percent of bills introduced have been passed without discussion," Gandhi said.

He said the United Kingdom has an independent authority  Review Body on Senior Salaries  consisting of distinguished non-members, to advise the government on the pay and pensions of MPs.

Such a mechanism "sadly" does not exist in India, he said, adding that Indian parliamentary democracy is loosely derived from that of the UK.

"For the greater good of this nation, we must create an external body, independent of us members, to determine salaries. Or, if we self-regulate, considering the economic conditions of the last man in the society, we must empathetically forego our privileges, at least for the duration of this Parliament," he said. Saugata Roy (TMC) supported him.
When the potential leader of Mahagathbandhan becomes an acolyte of the NDA overnight, you can easily understand the personal logic behind his argument that there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nitish Kumar's prediction of Modi's invincibility in the 2019 elections, seen in the light of his own volte-face, thus, sounds plausible. Just a few months ago, Kumar was dreaming of a Sangh-mukt Bharat. After his victory in the 2015 Bihar polls, his supporters were talking of Delhi being the next target. If Kumar has given up midway, turned into, as Tejashwi Yadav said, Rannchhod (someone who runs away from battle), he must have surely seen the writing on the 2019 wall saying, Modi.

Kumar must get some of the credit for vesting Modi with an aura of invincibility. Writing for The Indian Express, Manoj Kumar Jha, national spokesperson of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, fumes you cannot "cement a greater association with a snake in your bosom." Jha is piqued that at crucial turns in Indian politics, like demonetisation and selection of a united opposition candidate for the presidential election, Kumar openly supported the BJP, deflating the morale of the anti-Modi camp.

This, prima facie, is a valid argument. There were indeed times in India's recent history when the opposition could have opened a united front against the NDA government. Demonetisation, arguably more of a failure than success, was one such issue where the opposition could have cornered the government. But, the opposition lost its voice and credibility because one of its pivots  Kumar, the only leader to have stopped Modi's juggernaut  gave the move his blanket support. That day, the biggest battle against Modi was lost.

With the benefit of hindsight, it can be argued that Kumar was already a part of team Modi by then. From behind the mask of the leader of Bihar's Mahagathbandhan, he was perhaps echoing the voice of the BJP. But, his pro-demonetisation stance then appeared to be a vote of confidence in Modi's gamble from the opposition, thus giving it moral, political and economic legitimacy.

So, when Kumar calls Modi unassailable, the BJP bastion impregnable, he should pat his own politics of convenience for it. Maybe, some day he would be rightly recognised as the Vibhishan or, depending on your loyalties, Jaichand, in the opposition camp.

Now that he is out of the opposition's bosom, can the anti-Modi camp come up with an alternate narrative? Can it still dream of taking on Modi in 2019? Kumar may argue  and the current state of politics justifies it  the battle for 2019 is already Modi's. But, two years is a lot of time in politics.

To win the next election, Modi needs to ensure his party repeats the 2014 performance in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar and Delhi  states that it almost swept, wiping the opposition out. It also needs to extend its gains in the North East, just to ensure there is enough cushion for a hard landing in other states. Is this viable?

Rajasthan (25 seats), Gujarat (26), Madhya Pradesh (29) and Chattisgarh (11) have assembly polls scheduled in 2017-18. In all these states, the BJP is in power with a brute majority. Even if there is a marginal shift of votes due to anti-incumbency, the BJP would struggle to repeat its 2019 performance, when it allowed the Congress to win just three out of the 91 seats at stake. In a few months from now, we would know which way the wind is blowing in these states.

Uttar Pradesh could be the biggest challenge for the BJP, especially if Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav decide to bury their egos and fight as a unity against the BJP. In the face of a combined Congress-SP-BSP coalition, the BJP may find it difficult to win the 73 seats it did in 2014. And, in Maharashtra, a quadrangular fight between BJP, Shiv Sena and the Congress-NCP alliance could help the opposition wrest back some seats from the NDA.

Kumar is right that Modi looks unbeatable in 2019. But, if the opposition takes Kumar's betrayal as a catalyst for greater unity, it may just about be able to stop Modi and make its former putative leader eat crow.
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was on Tuesday rocked by Opposition protests over an Election Commission (EC) notification that provides the MLAs the 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option in the vote for the elections to the Upper House.

Angry members of the Congress and other Opposition parties forced adjournments of the proceedings as they questioned the NOTA provision for these elections.

Significantly, the protests come at a time when a high profile battle for Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat is round the corner involving heavy-weights like BJP chief Amit Shah, HRD minister Smriti Irani and veteran Congressman Ahmed Patel.

As soon as the House Assembled at noon, deputy leader of the Congress Anand Sharma said the decision to provide the NOTA option had been made without amending the Constitution or the law as per the direction of the Election Commission.

"It vitiates the election... Constitution has not been amended. Representation of People Act has not been amended. NOTA has been introduced...unless Constitution is amended, how can this be done," Sharma asked.

He said the vacancies are notified by the House and asked how could a new provision be introduced in between.

Chairman Hamid Ansari suggested that the matter be taken up with the Election Commission and tried to proceed with the Question Hour. However, the Opposition kept on raising the issue.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is the Leader of the House, said that from what he understood, there was a Supreme Court judgement which provided for the NOTA option.

"The judgement came several years before this government came to power. The Election Commission pursuant to that judgement had issued some notification under Article 324.

Article 324 covers all election in this country and therefore that's a circular which they issued, not now, but earlier," Jaitley said.

He said if somebody is aggrieved with the circular, he has his own options.

"How is Question Hour of the Rajya Sabha concerned with it," Jaitley asked, indicating that the issue was being raised during that hour. He also said that the decisions of the Election Commission can be set aside by courts.

However, Congress members continued to protest, with Sharma saying that the elections to the offices of the President and the Vice President were related and the ballot paper for the former too should have had the NOTA option.

Keen to continue with the Question Hour, Ansari said if the matter involved the Rajya Sabha, it would be looked into. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad then stood up and termed the matter as "very serious" and sought to know whether there was a separate Constitution for Gujarat as compared to the rest of India.

With the protest continuing, Ansari adjourned the House for ten minutes.

However, when it met again, several other Opposition members also raised their voice on the issue. Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) said it seemed the rules were not proper and the election of three members to the Upper House may get cancelled. He sought that the issue be taken up.

Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) said that important people were contesting the election and it needs to be looked into. Anand Sharma said that if a change required amending a legislation, it has to be done by Parliament.

Ansari said that he was caught between lawyers of eminence from both sides and again sought that queries under the Question Hour be taken up. However, as the protests continued, the House was adjourned till 2 PM.

Meanwhile, an Election Commission official, on the condition of anonymity, said that a provision to have the NOTA option in the Rajya Sabha polls came in to force in 2014, after a Supreme Court order said that NOTA button should be installed on electronic voting machines.

The official also pointed out that MLAs of a particular party have to show their marked ballot papers to the authorised agent of the party before putting it in the ballot box.
Chandigarh: SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday accused the Congress-led government in Punjab of "implicating" Akali workers in "false" cases and said the party "will not allow any injustice" to happen to its workers.

Hitting out at the Amarinder Singh-led dispensation, he alleged that the Congress government has failed to honour even a single promise it had made to the voters ahead of the Assembly polls.

"I met (Akali) workers in a meeting here to listen to their grievances. A lot of our workers are being implicated in false cases by the state government. Today I met a dozen such workers here who have been wrongly booked by the police," Badal said.

He said that many SAD workers had claimed that they were booked by the police in false cases on the behest of Congress MLAs.

"We will ask officials concerned if any excesses and injustices have been done with our workers. We have formed a committee of advocates and will provide legal help to party workers whenever the need arises," the former chief minister said, adding, "We will not allow any injustice with our workers."

On Monday, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had reportedly said in Gurdaspur that his party was in the process of filing a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking action against police officials who were "implicating his party workers in false cases on the behest of the ruling party MLAs."

Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday said he will meet Akali workers in Chandigarh for four days every month to listen to their grievances and problems.

He also hit out at the Congress government alleging it has "failed" to honour even a single promise made to the people before the Assembly elections earlier this year.

On the farm loan waiver issue, Badal said, "They (Congress) used to talk about debt waiver. Not a single farmer's debt has been waived. Rather farmers suicides have been on rise in the state."

"The government has failed to generate even a single job opportunity for the youths in the state," he alleged.

On the issue of Goods and Services Tax on 'langar', Badal said, "It is the job of state finance minister Manpreet Badal to take up the matter with the GST council and get langar exempted from the GST."
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The house took up the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha. But after day-long discussion, Congress members Digvijaya Singh, BK Hariprasad and Hussain Dalwai moved an amendment to clause 3 of the bill seeking to provide for the appointment of all the five members of the commission from the OBC community, including a woman and a person from the minority community.

The Rajya Sabha discussed on a variety of topics ranging from air pollution to minority commission. However, the debate on minority commission bill's amendment got prolonged triggering a bit of ruckus where the two sides failed to reach a conclusion. The government suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of the bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

The minister also accused the Opposition was trying to gain political mileage over the killings across the country blamed on cow vigilantes. Not satisfied with his response, the Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party and AIMIM members walked out.

Responding to a debate in Lok Sabha under rule 193 which lasted for around six hours and saw heated exchanges between the treasury and Opposition benches, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju urged members to condemn mob violence while asking the states to act tough.

The eleventh day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament saw charges and countercharges flying in the Lok Sabha over the issue of lynchings, with the Congress saying 'Hindustan' should not be allowed to become "lynchistan" and the government accusing the Opposition of enacting a "drama" in the name of secularism.

BJP leader Ananth Kumar said that till Parliament is on all members should be present, adding that the matter will be taken up seriously. CNN-News 18, reported that the BJP national president Amit Shah has also conveyed the displeasure of the prime minister.

Absenteeism of BJP MPs in Rajya Sabha taken up in BJP Parliamentary meet

"What am I to do with you all," Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien asked despondently before adjourning the House for 10 minutes.

The Centre, on Monday, had ordered State-run oil companies to raise the price of subsidised cooking gas (LPG) by Rs. 4 a cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by March next year.

Briefly after Rajya Sabha was covenend, TMC MP Derek O'Brien raced the issue of systematic increase in LPG proces by removing subsidy, which triggered chaos in the House. Opposition members started raising slognas in the House, alleging that the government was misleading the people in the name of LPG subsidy.

Responding to this, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said that it was a difficult task o definitely ascertain the number of illegal marginals.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the government over the status of illegal migrants in India. He asked that whether any accurate date is available about number of illegal immigrants in the country.

The issue was raised by Derek O'Brien (TMC) who gave a notice under rule 267 that seeks to set aside business of the day to discuss an important issue.

A united opposition om mondy stalled the pre-noon proceedings in the Rajya Sabha protesting against the government's decision to hike the prices of domestic cooking gas (LPG) by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by next March.

Kurien said the Rajya Sabha Secretariat has "already written to the Lok Sabha Secretariat regarding the impropriety of not inviting the Chairman."

A united opposition slammed the government for "insulting" the Upper House by ignoring its presiding officer, who is also the Vice President of India, and the Rajya Sabha MPs at an official function on Monday.

The government on Tuesday faced embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when the Chair passed strictures against it for not inviting Vice President Hamid Ansari for the inauguration of a new annexe complex of Parliament.

The TMC MPs in Lok Sabha took strong objection to the statement and asked the Dy Speaker to expunge the remarks from record as naming a member who is not present in the House to defend themselves is not allowed.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya alleged that one of the shareholder companies reportedly involved in a scam is registered at the address of the West Bengal chief minister, Times Now reported.

While defending the governments' move to implement GST and demonetisation, BJP MP from Jharkhand Nishikant Dubey said that the Congress must have learnt about the impact of demonetisation after the defeat in Uttar Pradesh elections.

Despite UP's crushing defeat, you still need to ask what's the impact of demonetisation: BJP's Nishikant Dubey

PJ Kurien says it is interesting to note that fish catch is small compared to other countries and it is time we know how the agriculture minister plans to change it. To this, D Raja says that the government has been ignoring ecosystem loss for long.

Deputy chairman raises the point on why catch is small in deep sea fishing

We in Bengal have been the victim of regional imbalances and a huge debt trap, says Bandopadhyay. "We were promised special packages and we have been crying for it for long but the Centre has constantly ignored it. Our Kanyasree project is a big, award-winning project and we have already allotted Rs 3,300 crore for it but the Centre refuses to help us for it.

Of the 35 cases under sedition charges (Section 124A of IPC), 12 were registered in Haryana, six in Uttar Pradesh, three each in Karnataka and Kerala and two each in Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir told the Lok Sabha in response to a question.- PTI

The government today said that 35 sedition cases were registered across the country in 2016.

LPG subsidy is a burden on people, govt should reverse it, says Sitaram Yechury

Govt should not be relaxed when it comes to RTE implementation, says Narendra Jadhav

Responding to a query in the matter, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir presented the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data related to honour killings for the year 2014, 2015 and 2016.- PTI

As many as 288 cases of honour killing were reported between 2014 and 2016, the Lok Sabha was informed.

Congress MP Rahman Khan discusses the RTE Amendment Bill, but discloses first that he is affiliated to a private school. "The burden of educating a child from 6-14 has been shifted from parents to State. Today, it's the state's responsibility to provide quality education and to ensure that not a single child is left out," Khan says.

Rajya Sabha has moved the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017

There should be separate teachers for separate classes in each class if we wish to improve quality of education, says Congress MP Viplove Thakur from MP. Thakur adds, education minister should first do a survey of what condition the rural schools are in and how do they even get their licenses. The monopoly of English scores over other problems of teachers.

Strength of teachers in elementary schools should be improved, says Congress' Viplove Thakur

Congress said that all political parties, barring the BJP, want a stop to the lynching incidents and accused the ruling party of trying to gain "political mileage" out of the issue. Congress member KC Venugopal also accused the government of trying to "justify" such incidents, while referring to the debate on the issue in the Lok Sabha on Monday.- PTI

Congress says govt tried to gain pol mileage out of lynching debate

Prem Das Rai says, "We have been sandwiched between Sikkim standoff and Gorkhaland agitation. In the last 45 days, one lakh hotel reservations have been cancelled and we are facing huge economic loss. We would like to know if an insurance fund can be created to help in case any disaster hits us considering we are facing an all time economic low.'

Sikkim's Prem Das Rai says Centre has to help the state bounce back

Apparently putting in NOTA option in RS violates very principle that is the election shall be to proportionate system, says Anand Sharma

Primary school teachers should not be allowed to participate in a political rally: Roopa Ganguly

Finance minister Arun Jaitley says fiscal deficit of states have improved over the last couple of years and he can assure that it will improve further.

UPA govt had left the govt in a near double digit debt situation, says Arun Jaitley

He said as a result of demonetisation, terrorists were forced to rob banks for money, and Uttar Pradesh resident Sandeep Sharma, who was arrested for being a member of an LeT module in south Kashmir, was a welder and thus used to break open bank lockers. (with inputs from IANS)

"In 2008 to 2010 we saw thousands of stone pelters on streets. In last few months, there have not been more than 25-50 or 100 stone pelters on the streets. There is one reason, terror funding has been squeezed," said Jaitley, while replying to a debate on supplementary demand for grants in the Lok Sabha.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley says demonetisation has led to squeezing of terror funds, including in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 is passed

The next meeting of GST council on 5 August will finalise machinery for implementing anti-profiteering provisions, says the finance minister.

"Now you are paying the same tax once instead of twice. Excise was always embedded in the cost, the trader never told you about the taxation at the level of manufacturing," says Arun Jaitley. Jaitley adds GST seems more because today it is separately given, the CGST is the embedded cost.

Nature of products have not changed, methodology of taxation has changed, says Jaitley

Rajya Sabha is adjourned for the day till 11 am on Wednesday

Lok Sabha is adjourned for the day till 11 am on Wednesday

Apparently putting in NOTA option in RS ballot paper violates very principle that is the election shall be to proportionate system: A Shama pic.twitter.com/N4RjuuMlUp

Apparently putting in NOTA option in RS violates very principle that is the election shall be to proportionate system, says Anand Sharma

Primary school teachers should not be allowed to participate in a political rally: Roopa Ganguly

Finance minister Arun Jaitley says fiscal deficit of states have improved over the last couple of years and he can assure that it will improve further.

UPA govt had left the govt in a near double digit debt situation, says Arun Jaitley

He said as a result of demonetisation, terrorists were forced to rob banks for money, and Uttar Pradesh resident Sandeep Sharma, who was arrested for being a member of an LeT module in south Kashmir, was a welder and thus used to break open bank lockers. (with inputs from IANS)

"In 2008 to 2010 we saw thousands of stone pelters on streets. In last few months, there have not been more than 25-50 or 100 stone pelters on the streets. There is one reason, terror funding has been squeezed," said Jaitley, while replying to a debate on supplementary demand for grants in the Lok Sabha.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley says demonetisation has led to squeezing of terror funds, including in Jammu and Kashmir.

Voting & Passing|The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017.: https://t.co/0Ajk1qWxOp via @YouTube

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017 is passed

The next meeting of GST council on 5 August will finalise machinery for implementing anti-profiteering provisions, says the finance minister.

"Now you are paying the same tax once instead of twice. Excise was always embedded in the cost, the trader never told you about the taxation at the level of manufacturing," says Arun Jaitley. Jaitley adds GST seems more because today it is separately given, the CGST is the embedded cost.

Nature of products have not changed, methodology of taxation has changed, says Jaitley

Rajya Sabha is adjourned for the day till 11 am on Wednesday

Lok Sabha is adjourned for the day till 11 am on Wednesday

The Parliament will meet at 11 am on Wednesday on the twelfth day of the Monsoon Session. After seeing the passage of two key bills in Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha is likely to debate The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017, The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017 on Tuesday.

The Rajya Sabha will discuss The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017, apart from taking up the debate on agricultural crisis in India.

An aggressive opposition on Monday accused the Modi government of encouraging cow vigilantes to go for mob lynchings but the Centre argued that law and order needed to be tackled by states.

Responding to a debate in Lok Sabha under rule 193 which lasted for around six hours and saw heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju urged members to condemn such incidents and asked states to act tough.

The Minister said the opposition was trying to gain political mileage over the killings across the country blamed on cow vigilantes.

Not satisfied with his response, the Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party and AIMIM members walked out.

"There is a trend of such incidents in the country. Be it any government in the states or at the Centre... the figure remains the same," Rijiju said, citing figures of such reported incidents against Dalits and Muslims in various states over five years.

"Do you want the Prime Minister to break the federal structure and take over the state machinery?" he asked.

Rijiju said the issue was raked up for debate only to target the Modi government's image whose popularity, he added, was increasing not only in the country but outside too.

"Since they have no issue, they try to create issues. Sometimes they rake up the issue of intolerance. Sometimes they organise protests like 'Not in my name'. They raise issues like attack on churches. Now they have come with mob lynching. Three years back corruption was a big issue but this has vanished from the political sphere due to the Prime Minister's stand against it. So they come up with such issues and walk out of the House," he said.

He said whenever mob attacks took place in BJP-ruled states, immediate action was taken.

Initiating the debate, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Hindustan should not become lynchistan." He accused the government of indirectly encouraging cow vigilantes.

"The government should tell the House how many of these cow vigilantes have been punished... How many have been arrested. You disown them but what action has been taken," he asked.

"No action is taken, rather they are encouraged. This government is against Dalits, minorities and women. It is also being done so that your ideology could be enforced all over the country."

Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy demanded a separate law to address mob lynching.

Roy said 97 per cent of the lynchings happened after the Modi government took power. "86 per cent (of the victims) were Muslims. I want to ask members of the ruling party... Do you want a 'Muslim-mukt' Bharat?"

He said such incidents were not being controlled because the BJP leadership was shying away from condemning them.

"It took three day for the Haryana Chief Minister to condemn the incident in Bahadurgarh. The Rajasthan Chief Minister took almost a month to condemn the lynching in Alwar," Roy said.

Biju Janata Dal leader Tathagata Satpathy said the lynchings were killing the rural economy.

BJP's Hukmdev Narayan Yadav called the killings a conspiracy against the government. "These programmes are being run to malign the government... It is important to find out who is behind these attacks."

Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan said it was the duty of states to control killer mobs.

"Do you want the Centre to send the Army to control goons? Even if a law is passed, it will be implemented by the state governments," said the Lok Janshakti Party leader.

The debate was taken up on Monday after a meeting of the Business Advisory Council last week.

The Lok Sabha saw protests and disruptions all through last week as opposition members demanded a debate on the issue, leading even to suspension of six Congress MPs for five days.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea seeking cancellation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's membership of the state Legislative Council for allegedly concealing a pending criminal case against him.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar said it will look into the matter after petitioner advocate ML Sharma sought an urgent hearing of his plea.

The bench said it would see when the matter could be listed for hearing.

The plea, which was filed on Monday, alleged that there was a criminal case against the JD(U) leader wherein he was accused of killing a local Congress leader Sitaram Singh, and injuring four others ahead of Lok Sabha by-election to the Barh constituency in 1991.

The petitioner has also sought a direction to the CBI to register an FIR against Kumar in the case.

"Respondent number 2 (Election Commission), despite knowing facts about his (Kumar's) criminal case, did not cancel his membership of the house and respondent (Kumar) still enjoys constitutional office till date," he said.

The lawyer has sought cancellation of Kumar's membership as per the Election Commission's 2002 order stating it is mandatory for candidates to disclose criminal cases against them in their affidavits annexed to nomination papers.

He claimed the Bihar chief minister did not disclose the criminal case that was pending against him in affidavits since 2004, except for 2012.
Agartala: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is giving away electronic gadgets to voters in Tripura before the assembly polls, a CPM leader alleged, a charge denied by the BJP.

"To oust Left parties from power in Tripura, the BJP has been plotting various conspiracies. The saffron party is trying to buy voters by giving electronic gadgets like mobiles and computers, as well as two-wheelers, to them before the assembly elections," Communist Party of India-Marxist Tripura State Secretary Bijan Dhar told the media on Monday evening.

"The BJP-led government at the Centre and various states are involved in many corruption cases and scams," he added.

In a two-day state committee meeting in Agartala on 30 and 31 July, the CPM discussed the decisions of the three-day party central committee meeting held in New Delhi on 24 to 26 July. The meetings also discussed the next assembly polls in Tripura.

Tripura, one of the two states (other than Kerala) where the CPM-led Left front is in power along with other Left parties, goes to polls in February 2018.

Dhar, also a member of the CPM central committee member, said the BJP governments have been posting RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) men in important places including Rashtrapati Bhavan, Election Commission and the army.

The Left leader, accompanied by another CPM central committee member Gautam Das, said that the party would launch a two-week campaign from 15 August to highlight a six-point demand that include waiving of farmers' loans, enactment of right to sale of foodgrains in minimum support price, and to provide jobs to unemployed youth.

BJP refuted the allegations and said Tripura's voters are "very much conscious, they are unpurchasable".

"We are not giving any electronic gadgets to anyone. Only motorbikes are given to BJP activists for organisational work. Such motorbikes are given to party members in other states too," Tripura BJP spokesman Mrinal Kanti Deb said.
Kabul: Two people died in an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul claimed by the Islamic State group, Afghan officials said, with analysts describing the attack as revenge for the group's defeat in Iraq.

On Monday, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the embassy, allowing at least three other militants to breach the compound unleashing an hours-long gun battle.

Afghan officials initially said that no one had been killed in the assault, but the interior ministry later confirmed that two people  a woman and a guard  had died and two policemen were injured.

All embassy staff, including Iraqi charge d'affairs were "unharmed", interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said.

Security experts characterised the attack as a warning to Baghdad after it pushed Islamic State out of Mosul, and said it could suggest a growing operational link between the jihadist group and its Afghan affiliate, Islamic State Khorasan Province.

Islamic State Khorasan claimed responsibility for the Kabul attack, according to a statement by Islamic State's central propaganda agency Amaq.

It said two of its members attacked the embassy, killing at least 27 guards and other embassy staff.

The militant group is known to often exaggerate its claims on the number of causalities inflicted.

Islamic State has been expanding its footprint in eastern Afghanistan and has recently claimed responsibility for several devastating attacks in Kabul.

But experts have previously questioned whether there are direct links between Islamic State - Khorasan and the central Islamic State command.

"(Monday's attack) proves that Islamic State threat in Afghanistan is real," said Kabul-based security analyst Jawed Kohistani, adding that the group could continue to attack diplomatic missions in the Afghan capital.

"To avenge its defeat in Iraq, Islamic State and its supporters attacked Iraqi embassy in Kabul. It is easy for them to conduct more attacks on soft targets in Afghanistan again," Kohistani told AFP.

A security source, who declined to be named, said Islamic State could prove to be more dangerous than the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Unlike the Taliban which has friends and foes among international community, Islamic State considers everyone their enemy and will keep attacking soft targets, he said.

In April, the US military in Afghanistan dropped the so-called Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) to target Islamic State hideouts in a complex of tunnels and bunkers in eastern Nangarhar province, killing over 90 militants.

"The war (with Islamic State) still goes on, its expanding and we need to be careful," Kohistani warned.
The city of Albany is looking into the theft of three paintings from an art display at City Hall sometime in July.

Its discouraging, said Marilyn Smith, city spokeswoman.

Authorities are reviewing security camera footage for clues about who might have stolen the artwork.

We want to emphasize this is extremely rare, Smith said, adding that it has been at least 14 years since a similar crime. Police have been notified of the thefts.

Two of the paintings were by Nancy Rose-Chism of Albany and one was by Jocelyn Wagner, who lives outside Scio. Both are members of the Riverwalk Artists Collective, a loose-knit group that was showcased during Julys monthly exhibit at City Hall.

The paintings for the monthly display were hung throughout the first and second floors of City Hall on June 30. The theft was discovered on Friday, when members arrived to take the artwork down.

Wagner said it was sort of a compliment that her painting was stolen.

Id rather they come up and say, I really like your work. I cant imagine why someone would take someone elses artwork. What are they going to do with it? she added.

Wagner, a retiree and former fraud investigator for the Oregon Department of Justice, has been painting for about 15 years, and said she took up art because she needed a new challenge.

She recently became comfortable with displaying her artwork in public.

Her painting, Ethereal Tractor, probably would have been listed at somewhere between $200 to $300  if it were for sale.

A good friend has a birthday coming up, and I had promised that painting for her, Wagner said.

Im really hoping that somehow or another it turns up, but maybe that isnt realistic, she added.

Rose-Chism, a former technical writer, had 8-inch by 8-inch paintings of an owl and a leopard stolen. Each was listed for about $50.

Its only paintings, of course, but they were kind of my best ones, she said. I really liked that owl one.

Rose-Chism added that she spent a couple of weeks, off and on, on each artwork. She said painting was challenging but also relaxing. Its very rewarding when something comes out right, she said.

When someone purchases her art, thats also rewarding. Its not the money so much, Rose-Chism said. Its fun to know that somebody likes it enough to have it in their house.

Linda Herd, an Albany Arts Commission member who coordinates the monthly displays at City Hall, said she was outraged by the thefts.

City Hall provides many artists their first public exposure, such as West Albany High School AP art students whose work was showcased in June. Established artists also are featured, however.

The building was designed specifically to incorporate the display of public art. I think its very important, Herd said. Its a place thats open to the public and to people who wouldnt normally enter an art gallery.

And that can inspire residents, both young and old, to get creative.

The watercolor work of Bobbie Casteel, an Albany resident and former art teacher, is showcased at City Hall this August.
When United States president Donald Trump entered the White House, those who voted for him possibly believed that he actually had a plan to 'Make America Great Again'. However, their hopes and expectations seem to be faltering with every passing day as the loopholes of his political, internal and international policies become known. The already volatile situation in the United States is exacerbated by Trump's overt denial to acknowledge the chaos that has surrounded his administration.

The upheaval inside the White House is also affecting his policies. Without solving the internal crisis that the White House administration is grappling with, it is hardly possible for them to bring about any positive changes in the country.

The Telegraph reported that the morale of Trump's White House is at an all time low and the resentment has only been growing against the president. Exhausted by months of trying to put out fires created by Trump, some of the staffers are planning to quietly quit. However, the president has chosen to blatantly deny such reports, saying instead that the mood in the White House is "fantastic."

"The White House is functioning beautifully, despite the hoax made up by the Democrats," he told Reuters.

According to a close White House aide quoted by The Telegraph, Trump had threatened to purge large numbers from the White House in a huge reboot.

The recent exit has been of the White House press secretary Sean Spicer. His resignation came after Anthony Scaramucci was named the new White House communications director. Spicer was replaced by Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Interestingly, the person over whom both Spicer and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus were forced out, has himself been fired by Trump. According to sources, Trump had been trying to get Scaramucci into the White House for a long time. And, he finally did. However, after his new chief of staff advised him against it, Scaramucci was asked to leave.

This not only raises questions over the credibility of the president's decisions but also reveals the deep-rooted flaws in his administration. Trump is unable to control his staffers.

The Politico reported that hundreds of key jobs across the federal government remain vacant. The process has reportedly been slowed because Trump personally oversees the hiring process. CNN corroborated the theory that no one wants to work with trump anymore. Several younger staffers who have been approached as potential hires told CNN they worried their professional reputations would be at stake if they were associated with Trump's more inflammatory rhetoric.

In six months, Trump has lost a chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, national security adviser, communications director and press secretary. Michael Dubke had resigned as White House communications director in May this year.

Trump, his family and his administration's alleged links with Russia have also taken some high-profile people. His National Security Advisor Michael Flynn resigned in February after reports that he had discussed US sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the United States. James Comey is the most controversial dismissal until now. He was leading an investigation into the Trump presidential campaign's possible collusion with Russia to influence the election outcome.

The firings and exits are just a reflection of everything that is going wrong with the Trump administration. Joseph A Trillo, a former Republican National Committee member from Rhode Island who was chairman of Trump's campaign in the state told The New York Times, "He [Trump] didn't have political experience, and I think some of the biggest mistakes are some of the people he has surrounded himself with."

His repeal of the Obamacare has failed miserably. From vehemently opposing it and demanding a repeal, Trump has ordered Republicans to let it fail. Did Trump and his team have an actual plan to get their healthcare bill passed or was it to simply put the blame on the senators for letting America down?

Trump's strategy or rather the lack of it is costing the costing the president his popularity and approval ratings.

3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 28, 2017

A tracking poll from Rasmussen published by The NewsWeek found Trump's approval rating has dipped below 40 percent. It pegged his approval at an all-time low of 39 percent, while 61 percent disapproved, which was an all-time high. It's worth noting that most other firms had found Trump's approval fell below 40 percent long ago and that his average approval rating has typically been below that benchmark.

While Trump believes that the United States has seen the best economic numbers in years and the unemployment is lowest in seven years, the American people are not buying it, according to The Newsweek.

Trump's strategy is focused on short-term tactical wins rather than longer-term foresight and this possibly explains the sudden exits in the administration or even the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate deal. Since Trump has taken charge, the morale pf the White House has dipped low with staffers feeling helpless in the face of so many controversies. The problems in the strategy by which the Trump administration has been running is immensely flawed and this is slowly coming to the forefront.

With inputs from agencies
Sao Paulo: For Brazilian leaders, August is the cruellest month and one that now presents a potentially fatal challenge to the presidency of Michel Temer.

In modern times, August has been a devastating month for Brazilian presidents, 31 days in which they have been impeached or resigned. One even committed suicide.

Temer's own predecessor, President Dilma Rousseff, was removed last 31 August for breaking fiscal rules in her management of the budget.

Temer is facing his own August showdown a vote in Congress' lower house on Wednesday on whether he should be suspended and put on trial over a bribery charge filed against him by Brazil's attorney-general.

Opposition lawmakers feel confident about adding Temer to the list of August casualties, either this week with the bribery charge vote or in a likely obstruction of justice accusation that Attorney-General Rodrigo Janot could bring before the end of August. The latter would bring its own vote by the Chamber of Deputies.

"Even if he wins now (Wednesday) it won't be over," said Claudio Couto, a political science professor at Fundacao Getulio Vargas, a Sao Paulo-based university and think tank.

Couto said Temer has been using much of his political capital to curry support ahead of Wednesday's vote, including the promising of billions of dollars in earmarked appropriations for many legislators at a time the country is struggling to emerge from its worst recession in decades.

Temer is accused of receiving bribes indirectly, via a confidant who was caught by police carrying a suitcase with about $150,000 in cash. The case erupted in May when a recording emerged in which Temer apparently tells a meat-packing company executive to keep up paying of hush money to former Chamber of Deputies speaker Eduardo Cunha, who is serving a 15-year sentence for corruption.

Temer has denied wrongdoing and he adamantly rejected calls for him to resign from across the political spectrum. Until a few weeks ago, the president appeared to have an ample margin of support among the 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies.

Chamber Speaker Rodrigo Maia, an ally of the president, has said that for much of July, he was confident that Temer would have "a comfortable win" in the vote by the house, where the governing coalition has remained strong enough on some issues to pass legislation. But as August approached, news got worse for the president. Last week, an Ibope institute opinion poll said just 5 percent of Brazilians surveyed approved of Temer.

Adding to the pressure, the vote of every deputy will be public. The member will have to step up to the microphone and say "yes" or "no" on suspending Temer. That could prove risky for the highly unpopular leader because Globo, a dominant TV network across Brazil, has pledged to show the voting live no matter how long it lasts.
Beijing: China hit back on Monday after US president Donald Trump tweeted he was "very disappointed" in China following North Korea's latest missile test, saying the problem did not arise in China and that all sides need to work for a solution.

I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet...  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017

China has become increasingly frustrated with American and Japanese criticism that it should do more to rein in Pyongyang. China is North Korea's closest ally, but Beijing, too, is angry with its continued nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the US mainland, drawing a sharp warning from Trump and a rebuke from China.

Video of the latest missile test appears to show it breaking up before landing, indicating Pyongyang may not yet have mastered re-entry technology needed for an operational nuclear-tipped missile, a think tank reported on Monday.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea just hours after the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is "done talking about North Korea".

A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far".

It said Trump "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment" to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, "using the full range of United States capabilities".

Trump tweeted on Saturday after the missile test that he was "very disappointed" in China and that Beijing profits from US trade but had done "nothing" for the United States with regards to North Korea, something he would not allow to continue.

Asked by a reporter on Monday how he plans to deal with Pyongyang, Trump said at the start of a Cabinet meeting: "We'll handle North Korea... It will be handled."

China's foreign ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters responding to Trump's earlier tweets, said the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to seek a resolution.

Russia said on Monday the United States and other countries were trying "to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia and China" following the most recent missile test.

"We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the U.S. and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea)," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

At the United Nations in New York, China's UN ambassador said on Monday it is primarily up to the United States and North Korea, not Beijing, to reduce tensions and work toward resuming talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapon and missile programs.

The United States and North Korea "hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China," China's UN ambassador Liu Jieyi told a news conference to mark the end of Beijing's presidency of the UN Security Council in July.

"No matter how capable China is, China's efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties," Liu said.

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming told a news conference there was no link between the North Korea issue and China-US trade.

"We think the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are issues that are in two completely different domains. They aren't related. They should not be discussed together," Qian said.

China, with which North Korea does most of its trade, has repeatedly said it strictly follows UN resolutions on North Korea and has denounced unilateral US sanctions as unhelpful.

Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger UN sanctions on North Korea over Friday night's long-range missile test, the North's second this month.

Any new UN Security Council resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value", Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more.

Abe told reporters after his conversation with Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyang's unilateral "escalation".

"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," Abe said. He added Japan and the United States would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details.

Abe and Trump did not discuss military action against North Korea, nor what would constitute the crossing of a "red line" by Pyongyang, Deputy Chief Cabinet spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.

"Pyongyang is determined to develop its nuclear and missile programme and does not care about military threats from the US and South Korea," state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times said on Monday.

"How could Chinese sanctions change the situation?" said the paper, which is published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily.

China wants both balanced trade with the United States and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, its official Xinhua news agency added in a commentary.

"However, to realise these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one who piles blame on China for the United States' failures," it added.

The United States flew two supersonic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force on Sunday in response to the missile test and the 3 July launch of the "Hwasong-14" rocket, the Pentagon said. The bombers took off from a US air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise.

"North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J O'Shaughnessy said in a statement.

"If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing."
Washington: President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election was focused on adoptions, The Washington Post reported Monday.

It later emerged that during that fateful June 2016 meeting, Trump's eldest son, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian government attorney who an intermediary claimed had incriminating information about Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

The subject line of the email from Trump Jr inviting Kushner and Manafort to the meeting read "Russia - Clinton - private and confidential."

In his initial statement on the meeting, Trump Jr said the group "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children," and insisted that "it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no followup".

The Washington Post said the president dictated the statement to his son while on a flight home from the G20 summit in Germany.

Trump Jr later sent shockwaves through Washington by releasing a series of emails that detailed how he had attended the meeting after being promised "very high level and sensitive information" that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump".

Trump has rushed to his son's defense, and lambasted what he calls a political "witch hunt".

Citing people familiar with the discussions, The Washington Post said the president's legal team planned to present the meeting as a potential setup by Democrats seeking to entrap Trump Jr and thus Trump himself, who at the time was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya has thrust Trump Jr into the center of a growing scandal over whether Trump's associates colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in the Republican's favor.

Former FBI director Robert Mueller is probing, in his capacity as special counsel, the Russia connection independently of the Senate panels.
Washington: The White House has defended President Donald Trump's recent remarks that police shouldn't be too nice when transporting suspects, saying that the president was "making a joke."

On a visit to Long Island last week, Trump implored police officers, "Please don't be too nice." He said some officers are too courteous to suspected criminals when arresting them.

"Like when you guys put somebody in the car, and you're protecting their head, you know, the way you put your hand over" their head, he said, putting his hand above his head for emphasis. "I said, 'You can take the hand away, OK?"

His remarks prompted critics to accuse the president of encouraging police brutality.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Monday, "I believe he was making a joke at the time." Trump touts himself as a president who is "strong on law enforcement" and tough on crime.

His ongoing efforts to tackle illegal immigration and crack down on gangs operating within the US were key campaign platforms that his administration is now pushing to implement.

But his efforts have been overshadowed recently by his falling out with Attorney-General Jeff Sessions. Trump has repeatedly expressed disappointment since Sessions recused himself from the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and into contacts Russian officials may have had with Trump campaign associates.

Sessions, who attended a Cabinet meeting at the White House Monday, is slated to speak today to a group of black law enforcement leaders in Atlanta about his efforts to support police as part of his tough-on-crime agenda. He has so far been silent on the president's remarks, and the justice department did not immediately say whether he would mention them during the speech.

Sessions has said far-reaching federal civil rights investigations of police departments can malign entire agencies and make officers less effective on the streets, but he has promised to prosecute individual officers who break the law. Still, he believes low officer morale can contribute to spikes in violence.
Well, that ended quickly.

Anthony "The Mooch" Scaramucci's tenure as White House Communications Director lasted all of ten days. The Wall Street investor took the job on 21 July and was fired on 31 July, supposedly in accordance with new chief of staff John Kelly's wishes.

Sadly, Scaramucci's initial anti-Trump stance meant that Trump couldn't exactly talk about him in the same adulatory way he had talked about his other appointments. But this quick hiring and firing is indicative of a very Trumpian trait  be very impressed with someone one moment and get completely disillusioned the very next. And we see this pattern all through his appointment history.

James Comey

Former FBI director James Comey still remains the most controversial exit of the Trump era. Comey was expected to complete his term as before him, there had only been one instance of the FBI director being fired. However, Trump found that the firing was necessary to restore "public trust and confidence" in the FBI.

Interestingly though, only a few months before firing Comey, Trump had publicly praised him.

At an election rally, Trump said, "You know that. It took a lot of guts. I really disagreed with him. I was not his fan. I tell you what, what he did, he brought back his reputation. He brought it back. He's got to hang tough. A lot of people want him to do the wrong thing. What he did was the right thing." In an interview with Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes, he reiterated his views when he said of Comey, "I respect him a lot. I respect the FBI a lot."

This was of course at a time when Comey's actions were helping Trump as he had raised questions about Hillary Clinton's conduct during her time as the Secretary of State. But apparently the director's "guts" became too much for Trump to handle when the FBI started looking into the Russia's involvement in the hacking of the 2016 US Presidential Election.

Michael Flynn

If there is someone who could compete with Comey on a scale of how controversial their exits were, it would be former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. The former armyman was fired from his post for his Russia connections but not before Trump defended him, in Comey's presence, as a good guy. Further, in an NBC interview, Trump said, "This man has served for many years, he's a general, he's a  in my opinion  a very good person."

In another interview with CNN, he said, "General Flynn is a wonderful man. I think he has been treated very, very unfairly by the media, as I call it, the fake media in many cases. And I think it is really a sad thing that he was treated so badly."

Trump even found time to recommend Flynn's book on how to defeat radical Islam.

Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus

Then there were the two men who were supposed to lead the Trump White House, Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus. The two were supposed to work as "equal partners" and had a peculiar relationship, to say the least.

Bannon was supposedly Trump's ideological grandfather and one of the most important factors in getting him to the White House. Trump had earlier called him "great" and a "real reporter".

After the uproar over Bannon getting a senior position in the campaign, then campaign manager Kellyanne Conway came out to defend him as she called him a "brilliant tactician". The tactics didn't really work on Jared Kushner as Bannon, who has now largely disappeared from the White House policy debates, as is in a self-imposed exile. He still serves as the White House Chief Strategist but was removed from the National Security Council and his influence in the White House continues to wane.

Priebus received a lot of appreciation from Trump when he called the Chief of Staff "tough and smart". He had also said that he was doing a fantastic job for the Republican Party.

After Scaramucci's extraordinary outburst though, it was fairly clear that Priebus was on his way out. And so it happened when he was removed from his post of White House Chief of Staff in favour of John Kelly.

Sean Spicer

The former White House Press Secretary might have served for only a small time but became a part of pop culture in that time. 'Spicey' was the first casualty from the Scaramucci appointment as he resigned saying "there were too many cooks in the kitchen". Spicer's resignation surprisingly did not result in Trump's estimation of him falling as he said, "I am grateful for Sean's work on behalf of my administration and the American people. I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities. Just look at his great television ratings."

Jeff Sessions?

The Attorney-General has earned a lot of praise from the President in the past. At one time, Sessions was even in the running for the vice-presidency as Trump had called him a "fantastic" person. Even at the time of Sessions' swearing in, Trump had praised Sessions as a man of integrity and principle, and as someone who had devoted his life to the cause of justice.
Lahore: Authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province have extended the house arrest of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed for another two months to maintain public order.

Saeed, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, has been under house arrest since 31 January. His detention had been extended for three more months in April. On 31 January, Saeed and his four close aides - Abdullah

Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain)  were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

This time Saeed's house arrest has been extended under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order. In a notification issued on 28 July, the Punjab government home department said on the recommendation of the

federal interior ministry the detention of the activist - Saeed - has been extended for another 60 days.

It said Saaed and others detention expired on 27 July. According to the notification, "The Counter Terrorism Department has reported that keeping in view the expected release of said activist (Saeed) and other leaders and workers of said organisations (JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat) they have planned to spread chaos in the country. They have planned to make demonstrations under the leadership of Saeed."

"He will be portrayed as a hero and his acts will be glorified. Abdul Rehman Makki who is the central leader of the JuD has been making preparations for the purpose and haslaunched a secret campaign to muster support of the workers," the notification said. It said the "liberty" of Saeed is a continuous threat to the peace and tranquility in the country. The notification further said that the District Intelligence Committee Lahore separately said that Saeed would create law and order situation upon his release.

Additional home secretary Azam Suleman believes that the activities of Saeed are "prejudicial to public safety and maintenance of public order". "Thereby the Home Department in exercise of powers conferred under sub-section 1 of Section-3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 Hafiz Saeed is detained for a period of 60 days with effect from 28 July 2017."

A Lahore High Court bench headed by Justice Abdul Sami Khan, which was scheduled to announce the verdict Tuesdayon the detention of Saeed and four others, deferred its verdict for an indefinite period. The court had reserved the decision on 7 June after the Punjab government law officer submitted a reply and Saeed's counsel advocate AK Dogar completed his arguments.
Lahore: JuD acting chief Abdul Rehman Makki has launched a "secret campaign" to collect arms to target the law enforcement personnel in Pakistan, according to a report by the Counter Terrorism Department of Punjab Police.

Makki, the brother-in-law of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is gathering the support of all of its activists, the report said.

"The JuD is collecting arms for show of force and use, if needed, against the personnel of law enforcement agencies. Funds are also being used collected for the purpose," it said, adding transport is also being arranged for the activists (to carry out any operation).

Saeed and his four close aides  Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain)  have been have been under house arrest since 31 January of this year under anti-terrorism and public order laws.

Saeed's detention period will expire at the end of this September after his house arrest was extended by 60 days by authorities in Punjab province.

Makki has been looking after the affairs of JuD since Saeed was put under house arrest.

In a statement issued here today Makki said: "Saeed has been detained at his own house like a prisoner of New Delhi. It has been six months of the detention and he his detention is further extended which the JuD strongly protest."

He said the government is not fulfilling its duty on the Kashmir cause.

"The Kashmiris are struggling for their freedom and the Pakistani government is not helping them," he added.
Mexico City: Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto has said he had not recently spoken to Donald Trump on the phone, after the US leader boasted his counterpart had called him to praise his border policy.

Trump made the comments as he presented his new chief of staff, former homeland security secretary John Kelly, who is tasked with restoring order to a White House beset by scandal, infighting and legislative defeats. "At Homeland, what he has done has been nothing short of miraculous," Trump said of Kelly.

"As you know, the border was a tremendous problem and they're close to 80 percent stoppage. And even the president of Mexico called me -- they said their southern border, very few people are coming because they know they're not going to get through our border, which is the ultimate compliment." Pena Nieto's office rejected that account.

"President Enrique Pena Nieto has not recently communicated with President Donald Trump by phone," it said in a statement Monday.

It said the two leaders had last discussed migration issues when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany on 7 July. At the time, it said, Pena Nieto shared Mexican figures showing that 31 percent fewer Mexicans had been deported from the United States in the first half of 2017 compared to the year before, and that 47 percent fewer migrants had entered Mexico from Central and South America.

The G20 sit-down was the first official meeting between the two presidents, whose relationship has been tense. In January, Pena Nieto cancelled a trip to Washington in response to Trump's insistence that Mexico pay for his planned border wall: Plunging the countries' relations into their biggest crisis in decades.

Nerves are still raw in Mexico over the wall, Trump's attacks on Mexican immigrants as "criminals, drug dealers and rapists," and his insistence on renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he accuses of shipping US jobs south of the border.
Geneva: Qatar filed a wide-ranging legal complaint at the World Trade Organisation on Monday to challenge a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, the director of Qatar's WTO office Ali Alwaleed al-Thani told.

By formally "requesting consultations" with the three countries, the first step in a trade dispute, Qatar triggered a 60-day deadline for them to settle the complaint or face litigation at the WTO and potential retaliatory trade sanctions.

"We've given sufficient time to hear the legal explanations on how these measures are in compliance with their commitments, to no satisfactory result," al-Thani said.

"We have always called for dialogue, for negotiations, and this is part of our strategy to talk to the members concerned and to gain more information on these measures, the legality of these measures, and to find a solution to resolve the dispute," he said.

The boycotting states cut ties with Qatar - a major global gas supplier and host to the biggest US military base in West Asia - on 5 June, accusing it of financing militant groups in Syria, and allying with Iran, their regional foe, allegations Doha denies.

The boycotting countries have previously told the WTO that they would cite national security to justify their actions against Qatar, using a controversial and almost unprecedented exemption allowed under the WTO rules.

They said on Sunday they were ready for talks to tackle the dispute, the worst rift between Gulf Arab states in years, if Doha showed willingness to deal with their demands.

The text of Qatar's WTO complaint cites "coercive attempts at economic isolation" and spells out how they are impeding Qatar's rights in the trade in goods, trade in services and intellectual property.

The complaints against Saudi Arabia and the UAE run to eight pages each, while the document on Bahrain is six pages. There was no immediate reaction from the three to Qatar's complaint, which is likely to be circulated at the WTO later this week.

"Remain Hopeful"

The disputed trade restrictions include bans on trade through Qatar's ports and travel by Qatari citizens, blockages of Qatari digital services and websites, closure of maritime borders and prohibition of flights operated by Qatari aircraft.

The complaint does not put a value on the trade boycott, and al-Thani declined to estimate how much Qatar could seek in sanctions if the litigation ever reached that stage, which can take 2-5 years or longer in the WTO system.

"We remain hopeful that the consultations could bear fruit in resolving this," he said.

The WTO suit does not include Egypt, the fourth country involved in the boycott. Although it has also cut travel and diplomatic ties with Qatar, Egypt did not expel Qatari citizens or ask Egyptians to leave Qatar.

Al-Thani declined to explain why Egypt was not included. "Obviously all options are available. But we have not raised a consultation request with Egypt yet," he said.

In its WTO case, Qatar would also draw attention to the impact the boycott was having on other WTO members, he added. Many trade diplomats say that using national security as a defence risks weakening the WTO by removing a taboo that could enable countries to escape international trade obligations.

Al-Thani said governments had wide discretion to invoke the national security defence but it had to be subject to oversight.

"If it is self-regulating, that is a danger to the entire multilateral trading system itself. And we believe the WTO will take that into consideration."

Qatar also raised the boycott at a meeting of the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on Monday, al-Thani said.

In comments to Qatar-based Al Jazeera television later on Monday, Qatar's transport and information minister said the boycotting countries had discriminated against Doha in violation of an international agreement guaranteeing overflights.

"These countries have used this right arbitrarily and imposed it on aircraft registered only in the State of Qatar," Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti said.

Qatar in June asked Montreal-based ICAO to resolve the conflict, using a dispute resolution mechanism in the Chicago Convention, a 1944 treaty that created the agency and set basic rules for international aviation.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain said on Sunday they would allow Qatari planes to use air corridors in emergencies.
WASHINGTON  "This whole story reads like some kind of novel that nobody would buy," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., marveled at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday.

The committee focused on foreign agents working inside the United States, as the intelligence community maintains that Russia tried to tilt the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the White House. And the same cast of characters kept bubbling up.

When Trump's eldest son, Don Jr., released a chain of emails that led up to a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya, Democrats seized on the subject line, "Russia  Clinton  private and confidential," as proof that the campaign had colluded with Russians. Then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner also attended the half-hour meeting.

When news reports revealed that Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin, whom The New York Times described as "a master of the dark arts," also had attended the meeting, skeptics had added reason to scoff at Don Jr.'s claim that the meeting's topic of conversation was "adoption."

William Browder understood that "adoption" is code for working to repeal the Magnitsky Act, an American law for which Browder had lobbied that is designed to punish Russian kleptocrats. From 1996 to 2005, Browder's firm, Hermitage Capital Management, invested heavily in Russian stocks. Browder took on the oligarchs who stole from his firm with the help of a young lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky. The authorities arrested and tortured the 37-year-old lawyer, who died behind bars in 2009.

The morning Browder learned of Magnitsky's death, he testified, "I made a vow to Sergei's memory, to his family and to myself that I would seek justice and create consequences for the people who murdered him."

In 2010, Browder met with Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and John McCain, R-Ariz., who introduced legislation named in Magnitsky's honor to cut off the kleptocrats' access to Western capital and banks.

The law has been so successful that Russian President Vladimir Putin has lobbied furiously to prompt Congress to repeal the law. And this is where a recurring cast of characters complicates what Trump critics see as a one-sided Russian effort to influence the 2016 election.

Before the Trump Tower meeting, Veselnitskaya and Akhmetshin were involved in the campaign to challenge the Magnitsky Act, as was an opposition research firm named Fusion GPS, led by former reporter Glenn Simpson.

Simpson, who rejects the contention that Fusion GPS should have registered as a foreign agent, is slated to testify before committee staff in a closed hearing. Donald Trump Jr. and Manafort also have agreed to testify in closed sessions.

During the 2016 campaign, Simpson hired former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele to put together a dossier on Trump. The result was a lurid 35-page dossier that was leaked to large news organizations, which declined to publish stories on it because, as New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet neatly put it, the dossier was "totally unsubstantiated."

In January, however, Buzzfeed linked to the dossier and CNN joined the feeding frenzy with a story about Buzzfeed's action. Days before he was set to take the oath of office, Trump had to face down absurd allegations, such as that he had engaged in unsanitary sex acts under the Kremlin's watch. On Jan. 11, the president-elect held a press conference in Trump Tower where he hit Buzzfeed and CNN for dealing in "fake news."

"Does anyone really believe that story?" Trump asked rhetorically. "I'm also very much of a germaphobe, by the way, believe me."

The dossier had done its damage, however. CNN felt justified in reporting on the dossier because federal authorities were reviewing the document.

FBI chief James Comey testified before Congress that he first met Trump on Jan. 6 during an intelligence briefing. He stayed behind to inform Trump about "salacious and unverified" material. While many news organizations looked into the dossier dirt, none had the goods to run a story that confirmed it.

Mark Corallo, who resigned after a brief stint as spokesman for Trump's private legal team, happened to have worked for Browder on the Magnitsky Act. He recalls Veselnitskaya, Akhmetshin and Simpson fighting on the other side.

Corallo does not understand how the dossier found more traction in the intelligence community than in newsrooms.

"There were clearly actors in the American government who were passing the Steele dossier up the chain as if it were legitimate intelligence," he said. "One wonders how such a piece of trash passed up the chain."

Donald Trump Jr. does not look good setting up a meeting with Veselnitskaya because he hoped to get dirt on Hillary Clinton. It seems he was disappointed the conversation turned to the subject of adoption.

In the meantime, if the Russians wanted to shake Americans' faith in the election process, what better way than to frame scenarios that suggest Trump's campaign was too cozy with the Kremlin?
Kota: Rajasthan minister Babu Lal Verma was injured while his personal assistant was killed when his car hit a buffalo and overturned on the Kota-Baran Highway early on Tuesday, police said.

The car driver, Moti Lal, was also injured in the accident, they said.

Verma has been admitted to the ICU of Maharao Bheem Singh (MBS) hospital. He sustained injuries in his knee and chest and was referred to Jaipur for treatment.

The state food and supplies minister was returning from Baran after an event at 1 am when the car hit a stray buffalo and then rammed into a divider before turning turtle near a flyover, Semliya Police Station SHO Banwari Lal said.

They were immediately rushed to the hospital where the minister's personal assistant, Rajendra Pradas Rager, a resident of Baneta village, was declared dead, the SHO said.

Head of Department, Neurology, MBS hospital, Vijay Sardana said, "The minister sustained injuries in his right knee, right foot and right side of chest. He is medically stable and out of danger."

On the request of family members and directions of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Verma has been shifted to Jaipur for treatment, Sardana said, adding his driver has also been shifted.
Senior PML-N leader and former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will run the PML-N government as interim prime minister of Pakistan until Nawaz Sharif's brother Shehbaz is elected as member of parliament, according to Pakistan media reports.

Abbasi got elected after getting 221 votes in the House of 342. Naveed Qamar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) got 47 votes, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf got 33 while Jamaat-e-Islami's Sahibzada Tariqullah managed just four votes.

After announcing the results amid sloganeering, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq asked Abbasi to take the seat of the prime minister and address the House.

The voting was done with four corners being designated for four candidates where supporters of each candidate recorded their vote.

After the voting and counting process, many of the PML-N National Assembly members entered the House with posters of Sharif. The National Assembly Speaker objected to this and asked them to put away the placards and posters.

Abbasi will be sworn-in in later at a special ceremony at the President's House, where President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him.

The Supreme Court Friday disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing the embattled leader out of office.

Geo TV reported that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to appoint Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister in an informal meeting which went on for three hours.

Former petroleum minister Abbasi will be appointed as interim prime minister to run the country until Shehbaz is elected as member of parliament, it added.

The final announcement will be made by Nawaz Sharif in the formal parliamentary party meeting of PML-N which is taking place in Islamabad a day after he was disqualified by the Supreme Court.

Party sources had earlier said that Sharif proposed the name of his younger brother Shehbaz in a meeting on Friday and none of the participants raised any objection to the proposal.

But Shehbaz, 65, cannot immediately replace his brother as he is not an MP. In order to become the prime minister, he would have to be elected first.

Hence, Abbasi has been named as interim prime minister who will resign once Shehbaz is elected.

Pakistan has seen such arrangements in the past too. During former military dictator General Pervez Musharrafs time, politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was appointed as an interim prime minister until Shaukat Aziz, who was nominated by Musharraf, got elected by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PMLQ).

Shehbaz Sharif is the son of late Mian Muhammad Sharif and brother of Nawaz Sharif. Currently, Shehbaz is the chief minister of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, as mentioned in a previous Firstpost article.

He began his political career as a member of the Punjab Assembly in 1988. Thereafter, Shehbaz became the opposition leader of Punjab Assembly in 1993. Pakistan Herald describes him as a reformer who "has changed the shape of Punjab and developed it according to modern standards".

Earlier, from 1997 to 1999, Shehbaz had held the position of Punjab chief minister, according to a report in Dawn. However, he spent years of self-exile in Saudi Arabia, before returning to Pakistan in 2007, as per the article.

Along with Shehbaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Ahsan Iqbal, and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan were also in contention to replace Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz Sharif's decision to step down brought an unceremonious end to his term in power, roughly a year before the scheduled General Election.

Had Nawaz Sharif stayed in power till the scheduled elections, he would have become the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to complete a full five-year term.

According to IANS, Opposition party politicians were elated as the Pakistan Supreme Court disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a landmark decision on Friday in the Panama Papers case.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while addressing the press soon after the judgement, said: "It's a historic day, let's strengthen Pakistan, let's get rid of terrorism from the country."

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: With many ships, including Indian ones, becoming victim of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, India and Somalia on Tuesday discussed piracy and maritime security among a range of issues during a meeting between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Somali foreign minister Yusuf Garaad Omar.

"The entire gamut of India-Somalia bilateral relations, including the issue of piracy and maritime security were discussed between the two sides during the meetings," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The Somali foreign minister also held talks with Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar.

"Further, discussions on regional issues pertaining to developments in Gulf region and India's neighborhood were held," it stated.

Omar, who is accompanied by a senior-level official delegation, arrived on Monday on a five-day visit at the invitation of Sushma Swaraj. This is his first visit to India since he assumed office earlier this year.

On Tuesday, the two sides also signed an agreement for transfer of sentenced persons in each other's country.

The Union Cabinet had in June given its approval for the ratification of the agreement on transfer of sentenced persons between India and Somalia, located on the Horn of Africa.

Earlier this year, India had thanked Somalia for rescuing 10 of its nationals held by pirates.

The Indians were crew members on a commercial vessel  Al Kausar  that was hijacked by pirates off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen.

Somali security forces liberated the vessel in April.

India also offers Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) training scholarships and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships to Somalia.

Somalia, situated near the Horn of Africa with the Gulf of Aden to its north, is among the partner countries of India's Pan African e-Network project.

The India-Somalia bilateral talks come as China opened its first overseas military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa. Somalia shares border with Djibouti on the west.

India-Somalia bilateral trade stood at $391.05 million in 2014-15, a more than 51 per cent increase over the figure of $257.27 million in 2013-14.The Somali foreign minister will also travel to Mumbai and Hyderabad during the course of his visit.

The visit is part of India's increased engagement with Africa.Earlier this year, India also hosted the annual meeting of African Development Bank.
Sorry, this is advice when Donald Trump has lost his third spokesperson in six months. But people change only when they have to. So, having fired three communication folks in six months, the last one in just ten days, this seems a good time to proffer respectful input to the worlds most powerful office (the most powerful part may get outdated in the next few years, but thats not the point here).

First, Trump should stop the circus of a daily media briefing. He can do without it  though, needless to say, the media love the fix. Howsoever sophisticated and updated the next White House (WH) spokesperson standing in for POTUS45 is, and Trump hasnt had the best of Americas communication brains standing up for him, the President will be faster and more fickle. A spokesperson for Trump will sooner than later emerge outdated and insincere.

So, to hell with the networks. Trump should cut the feedstock. Indias Narendra Modi does this. Not for him a high-profile spokesperson speaking on behalf of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). When theres a message, an articulate and well briefed minister for finance and defence, Arun Jaitley, or Piyush Goel, the minister charged with power, coal, new and renewable energy and mines, do the delivery. Other ministers speak too, but the Indian PMO doesnt perform to a daily circus. And before someone says, the-US-is-different, hello, India has more TV channels and more data consumption on her mobile networks.

Second, POTUS45 is doing a bad job balancing between Facebook and Twitter. He does have a marginal lead over Modi on the number of Twitter follows, but the Indian PM has nearly 2x of Trump on Facebook. When Modi Sarkar wishes to go beyond an old-school press statement, a thoughtful blog by Jaitley has proven more effective than what WH did when the Japanese dropped by amidst North Koreas missile test. Or, when Theresa May extended her hand. Someone even misspelt her name. A bad encore on body language between the president and his German counterpart didnt help either.

Using Facebook text isnt old fashioned. Its more universal than the networks, and it overcomes many self-goals inherent in the presidential penchant for 140-characters. The thought here is simple. Composing a proper Facebook post is well beyond the presidents patience level. The good thing about a longer (Facebook) post will be that atleast two pairs of eyes would have seen whats going out. Related, Twitter tirades, causing much mirth (and defensiveness that he cant be cut off from his 110 million follows) must be moderated. And before WH even considers a joint exercise with the Indian PMO, the new WH chief of staff must impose curfew time on the presidential hand phone.

Next on our list is the jaunt on Air Force One. Few might remember that a decisive step Modi took upon his accession was to cut editors and reporters off from the Prime Ministerial ferry. He faced significant consternation. Many predicted that this alone will scratch a lot of goodwill off the newly-elected PM. As we stand thirty eight months later, Modis Air India One only allows Press Trust of India, Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) folks, and, ANI, a non-controversial video news wire. Theres no quest for exclusive snippets from the PMs party  and while readers suffer on gossip, the PMO breathes easy. For the self-respecting, the arrangement involves covering their own travel costs.

In contrast, look whats up on Trumps plane. Luckless in his defence of his son, Donald Trump Jr., over a special relationship with Russia, the airborne president is caught with his hand in the cookie jar. A statement claiming innocence of DT Jr., believed to be heavily airbrushed by POTUS45 while he was on AF1 from G20, and the time the NYT e-published it, seem to coincide. The specter of having serious journalists breaking bread with presidential staff and the immediate family is a recipe for self destruction. Irrespective of the obscenities he uttered, the warnings of disgraced WH communications director Anthony Scaramucci on leaks by WH officials are a serious matter. Safe to compare here, despite a thriving and independent media wielding Press Information Bureau access, the Modi PMO hasnt had a leak. Nothing stops Trump from studying the Modi example, the media can join in at the US post that POTUS plans to visit.

Ditto for the chaos around the choice of special interviews. To rely on Trumps pet word, the overkill on Fox News has been a disaster! Rival media has ample reason to brand these outings as fixed matches. Ever since the horror over how many folks attended the Trump inauguration, the non-Fox interviews, with The Economist, the Associated Press, Time, the NYT have been far too many, confused over what was off-the-record, jumpy, and more often than not, avoidable. His new-found friend in India grants far fewer interviews! Here, the equivalent of Fox and Friends timidity would have been Doordarshan or AIR! But unlike Trump, Modi has used public airwaves with sophistication. His Mann Ki Baat (MKB) is a study in political monologue. It delivers, just as Trump hasnt for even one day, an echo chamber without mainstream media as the intermediary. And the Indian media, whether online while Modi speaks, or TV and mainstream print, gives MKB positive play without known constraints on what not to report.

Unlike Modi, Trump hasnt spent a lifetime connecting with grass root audiences. Instead, he is a past master in arm twisting, quid pro quos and loyalty by fiat. How much more time does he need to know that political communication that won him 2016 is no good inside the WH. Like US Inc. learns from India  the Trump WH can too. If thats too much pride to swallow, POTUS45 can start by letting sober professionals run it for him.

Twitter | @byniknat
Washington: Ten days ago, Anthony Scaramucci  then newly named as White House communications director  dismissed reports of infighting in the West Wing, saying that things were "on track."

On Monday, he was out of a job.

The following events trace the meteoric rise and fall of Scaramucci, a 53-year-old former hedge fund investor nicknamed the "Mooch":

Sells company, but no White House job

Anticipating a role in the incoming administration of then president-elect Donald Trump, Scaramucci moves to avoid any potential conflict of interest by selling his stake in his global investment firm, SkyBridge Capital.

Scaramucci is blocked from a White House position, however, by Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon, both of whom were reportedly not overly fond of the brash Wall Street financier.

The White House...finally

After six months out in the cold, Scaramucci finally gets a White House post.

He is named communications director on 21 July of a White House that is beset by open feuding and leaks, and seeking to counter charges it is in disarray.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who along with Priebus and Bannon also opposed Scaramucci's appointment, abruptly resigns. Scaramucci names deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders as Spicer's replacement.

Asked about his relations with Priebus, Scaramucci says he's a "dear friend" and the two are "a little bit like brothers where we rough each other up once in a while." He later compares them to Cain and Abel.

The New Yorker interview

Scaramucci may have sealed his fate in a now infamous interview he did with The New Yorker less than a week after being named to the White House job.

In an expletive-laden rant, Scaramucci called Priebus a "paranoid schizophrenic" and accused Bannon of serving in the White House just to "build (his) own brand."

Scaramucci also predicted that Priebus would be forced to resign  which he indeed did two days later. Scaramucci did not apologise for the tirade, but said he would try to clean up his language in the future.

"I sometimes use colorful language. I will refrain in this arena but not give up the passionate fight for @realDonaldTrump's agenda," he tweeted.

The end

Scaramucci is ousted just as the new White House chief of staff John Kelly, a no-nonsense former Marine Corps general named to replace Priebus, takes charge.

"Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best," the White House said in a terse statement.

When asked about Scaramucci's departure on Monday, Sanders refused to be drawn about the details, but did say that Trump believed his remarks to The New Yorker were "inappropriate." She declined to elaborate.
Washington: A US government watchdog has filed a secret report to Congress into allegations of child sex abuse by the Afghan security forces and the extent to which America holds them accountable.

According to the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which on Tuesday announced it had sent the classified findings to lawmakers, Afghan officials are failing to stop sexual exploitation.

Primarily at issue is the entrenched custom of what is known in Afghanistan as "bacha bazi"  or the sexual abuse of boys  and whether the US is turning a blind eye.

"Afghan officials remain complicit, especially in the sexual exploitation and recruitment of children by Afghan security forces," SIGAR said in a quarterly publication that described the outline of the Congressional report.

It states that the Afghan government has failed to identify or help victims. In some cases, the Afghan government arrested and prosecuted trafficking victims as criminals.

"Victim-protection efforts remained inadequate, as all but one government-run shelter for trafficking victims remained closed during the reporting period," SIGAR said.

Neither the Pentagon nor the Afghan government immediately responded to requests for comment. Under US rules called the Leahy Laws, the Pentagon and the State Department are barred from providing assistance to any unit of a foreign nation's security forces if credible information exists that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.

NATO forces headed by the US provide training, equipment and other assistance across the Afghan security forces. Bacha bazi is not seen as homosexuality in Afghanistan, where gender segregation is rampant: Instead the possession of young boys decked out as pretty women symbolizes power and primacy.

President Ashraf Ghani this year laid out stringent penalties against bacha bazi for the first time in a revised penal code, but the government has given no time frame over when they will be enforced. The new rules came after AFP last year exposed how the Taliban exploit bacha bazi to infiltrate security ranks.

The AFP story detailed how Taliban insurgents are using children to mount crippling insider attacks that have killed hundreds of police in southern Afghanistan over the previous two years.
Caracas (Venezuela): Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was increasingly isolated internationally on Monday following a bloody vote that handed his Socialist party almost total power to rule  but whose legitimacy is broadly rejected.

The United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and other nations said they did not recognise the results of the election Sunday of a new "Constituent Assembly" superseding Venezuela's legislative body, the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

The European Union expressed its own "preoccupation for the fate of democracy in Venezuela" and said it, too, doubted it could accept the results.

Only Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia have stood by Maduro, who shrugged off mass protests and US sanctions on some officials to see through the election.

The National Electoral Council claimed more than 40 percent of Venezuela's 20 million voters had cast ballots Sunday.

"It is the biggest vote the revolution has ever scored in its 18-year history," Maduro said, dressed in the red associated with the socialist revolution started by his late mentor, Hugo Chavez.

However the leader of the opposition congress, Julio Borges, said Venezuela "is becoming more divided and isolated in the world."

More protests

According to the opposition, voter turnout was closer to 12 percent, a figure more aligned with the lack of lines that were seen at many polling stations.

According to polling firm Datanalisis, more than 70 percent of Venezuelans opposed the new assembly.

Further protests were organized for Monday, stirring fears that the death toll in four months of protests against Maduro could rise beyond the more than 120 already recorded.

Demonstrators were ignoring a ban on protests put in place by Maduro that threatened up to 10 years in prison for violators.

Ten people died in violence surrounding Sunday's election, which saw security forces firing tear gas and, in some cases, live ammunition to put down protests. Among them were two teens and a Venezuelan soldier.

In eastern Caracas, seven police were wounded when an improvised explosive targeted their motorcycle convoy.

With the opposition boycotting Sunday's election, and state employees pressured to vote, the Constituent Assembly is made up solely of members of Maduro's ruling Socialist Party.

The new body, tasked with writing a new constitution, has far-reaching powers, including the right to dissolve the National Assembly and change laws.

It is due to be installed on Wednesday. Its members include Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores.

"We do not recognize this fraudulent process," said an opposition leader, Henrique Capriles. The opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, says the new body is a rubber-stamp mechanism for Maduro to rule as a "dictator."

More sanctions?

The US envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called the election a "sham," and the US State Department warned of further "strong and swift" sanctions on Maduro's government.

The European Union condemned the "excessive and disproportionate use of force" by Venezuelan police and troops. A spokeswoman for the European Commission said: "A Constituent Assembly, elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances, cannot be part of the solution."

Bolivia was one of the few voices supporting Maduro. Its government urged "the international community to respect the democratic process that took place in Venezuela."

Analysts, though, agreed that Maduro had moved to sweep away democracy in Venezuela.

"Maduro's blatant power grab removes any ambiguity about whether Venezuela is a democracy," said Michael Shifter, head of the Inter-American Dialogue research center.

Eduardo Rios Ludena, a Venezuela specialist at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, said Maduro had "sacrificed democracy" by exaggerating the number of voters who took part.

"In the short term, the Constituent Assembly gives a bit of breathing space to the government" but grave economic consequences would follow, aggravated by further sanctions," he said.

Those would worsen the crisis faced by Venezuela's 30 million citizens, who are suffering through shortages of basic goods -- but also destabilize the government, which is frenziedly printing money and reliant on oil exports.

Rios Ludena predicted Maduro would eventually be forced into negotiations with the opposition.

"However it is unclear what they can negotiate on since the opposition wants to remove Maduro from power  through a fair election process  and Maduro will do whatever it takes to stay in power," he said.
It looks as if John and Tobi Appleyard will be able to view Aug. 21's solar eclipse from Albany, in spite of shenanigans regarding a hotel room they thought they had reserved.

A story in Sunday's Democrat-Herald told the story of the Appleyards, of Lake Tapps, Washington. The two had hoped to take a romantic getaway to celebrate their 33rd anniversary and observe the eclipse. You might have heard something about this eclipse.

But when John Appleyard called to reconfirm his reservation at what is now the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites in Albany, he got a shock: The hotel had canceled his reservation. Appleyard said hotel staff members told him that the hotel had been sold in March and that the old owner hadn't handed over all the reservations.

The hotel did offer to give him a $109-per-night voucher. The second half of the offer wasn't quite as appealing: Hotel staffers wanted the Appleyards to pay $700 a night for a room in Eugene, outside what we eclipse experts now know as the "path of totality."

Appleyard didn't bite. He called the affair to the attention of the state Department of Justice, which is investigating the hotel and 11 others throughout the state that have generated complaints about eclipse-related business practices. (The hotel has declined comment about the matter.)

In the meantime, though, the Appleyards were still without a place to stay in Albany  that is, until their story appeared in Sunday's newspaper. After publication, Kyle Odegard, the reporter who wrote the story, received 10 or so messages from Albany residents offering the Appleyards a place to stay.

Last week, before the story published, Appleyard expressed disillusionment over the whole affair: "It's a big black eye on Oregon, and I know the Oregon people aren't like that."

That's true: In fact, Oregon people are more like the people who picked up the phone on Sunday to offer the Appleyards a place to stay for the eclipse. Those are among the people who have helped Albany earn its reputation, as Appleyard put it, as "a nice little town."

In the meantime, the state Department of Justice is working with the 12 hotels statewide that have generated specific complaints. Seven of those hotels have agreed to provide the originally booked rooms at the original price. Our advice to the holdouts would be to follow suit, for at least a couple of reasons:

First, booking a reservation at a certain rate and then canceling it or increasing the rate is a deceptive practice under the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practice Act. Businesses could face a $25,000 fine for each violation of the law, which could wipe out any of the immediate gains received from jacking up the room price.

The second reason involves a longer-range benefit: Some estimates suggest that 400,000 or so people could be visiting the mid-valley to witness the eclipse. We think that estimate might turn out to be high, but even so, such an influx of visitors represents a real opportunity for some mid-valley businesses. (And, it must be said, a bit of a headache for other businesses and government agencies, some of which are planning to close or rework schedules around the eclipse.)

But if the mid-valley wants to make more of this opportunity than just a one-time windfall, we'll want to take good care of our summer guests. Visitors who leave the mid-valley on Aug. 22 grousing about how they were gouged at every turn aren't likely to be coming back any time soon  and if predictions about traffic gridlock come true, they may have plenty of time to stew on their way out.

The eclipse offers a spectacular opportunity to showcase the mid-valley. But only if we take pains to treat our guests right. (mm)
The US government is strengthening its crackdown on combatting corporate concentration in the meat sector, with a US$375 million cash injection. In the first round of... Read More
Suffolk County, New York Sheriff Vincent DeMarco, who is leading efforts to crackdown on violent street gang MS-13 in Long Island says General John Kelly has their back.

General Kelly is a man of structure, discipline and he ran the southern command for the Marines, DeMarco told Stuart Varney on FOX Business. He understands what is going on with MS-13.

Kelly who formerly served as Secretary of Homeland Security, was appointed by President Trump as White House chief of staff last Friday. In DeMarcos opinion, he has the knowledge and experience to deal with MS-13.

He understands what is going on with the heroin trade and human trafficking and smuggling because he worked closely with those countries along the southern border, DeMarco said.

President Trump traveled to Suffolk County last Friday to meet with local law enforcement to discuss ways to fight MS-13 gang violence.
Business owners in North Carolinas Outer Banks have filed multiple class action lawsuits against a construction company blamed for a massive power outage, which forced them to close shop during the height of summer busy season.

At least three lawsuits filed this week seek compensation from PCL Construction, a Canadian based construction company, after their crews damaged power lines last Thursday while working to replace a major bridge. The mistake cut off power to Ocracoke and Hatteras Islands, forcing more than 50,000 tourists to evacuate.

Business owners claim their companies are losing thousands of dollars a day. In 2015, visitors spent more than $1 billion in the Outer Banks, according to The Outer Banks Voice.

"We have been contacted by hundreds of individuals and businesses affected by this incident. Most businesses on these islands rely on the summer season to make it through the year. If this goes on as long as expected some of these small businesses may be devastated and never recover, Joseph G. Sauder, a partner at McCune, Wright, Arevalo, who represents one of the lawsuits filed Monday, tells FOX Business.

He says the outage also affects many hourly employees who are now no longer getting paid.

"People with rental properties will incure significant losses and renters who saved up to take a family vacation have incurred unreimbursed travel and rental expenses. We look forward to pursuing the case on behalf of everyone who has been financially impacted," Sauder adds.

Tim Hagerich, 35, who owns a charter fishing company in Hatteras Island tells FOX Business that hes losing $400 to $600 a day.

I only work three to four months a year and Im losing money that I need for my family during the winter months and they just told us that it will likely be six to 10 more days until the problem is fixed, which is going to end up costing me $6,000 to $8,000, Hagerich says.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said Tuesday he believes the company responsible for the outage should pay for damages once all the facts are known.

Lawsuits filed in state and federal courts claim PCL, which is currently building the long-needed replacement bridge over Oregon Inlet, was negligent and should pay for the financial losses suffered by businesses at the peak of vacation season.

PCL did not return FOX Business request for a comment.
The entire oil industry has been punished by the stock market over the past few years, and oil and gas producers such as ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) have been hit even harder than integrated majors like ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM).

But ConocoPhillips has been working overtime to right the ship, and its stock has been trending higher. Here are three charts to show where the company stands today.

The mix chart

In late March, Conoco announced it had sold many of its low-margin Canadian assets to Canadian oil and gas company Cenovus for $13.3 billion. It planned to use the proceeds to reduce its overall debt load to $20 billion and to double its share-repurchase authorization to $6 billion.

Conoco followed up its Cenovus sale with the sale of its San Juan Basin assets for an additional $3 billion in mid-April. The two sales together favorably altered the company's overall assets:

The transactions, naturally, lowered the company's overall production from about 1.5 million barrels of oil equivalents per day to around 1.1 million to 1.2 million boe/d. It also lowers the amount of the company's reserves. But it's giving the company a more favorable product mix, as the company reduces the percentage of its bitumen production and ups its percentage of oil.

Critically, though, the asset sales also allow the company to lower its adjusted operating costs from $6 billion to $5.3 billion. Lowering operating costs is crucial to being able to turn a profit in this era of low oil prices, but until Q2 2017, Conoco hadn't reported positive quarterly earnings since 2015. We can hope these changes mean that the positive quarterly earnings will continue and not be a one-time occurrence.

The returns chart

ConocoPhillips' stock has performed comparatively well over the past year, but that's primarily due to the big asset sale in March. The debt and operating cost reductions from the transactions are significant, not to mention the flexibility it allows the company in buying back shares.

So let's look at a chart of Conoco's return on capital employed. This tells us how well Conoco's management is doing at deploying the company's (and its investors') cash effectively:

Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Both Conoco's and Exxon's returns on capital employed have taken a big hit since oil prices peaked in 2014. However, Exxon has at least managed to keep its returns positive since then. Of course, Exxon has profitable downstream operations to fall back on while Conoco does not. Conoco struggled to do so in 2016 but seems to be on an uptrend. Still, its returns on capital on a trailing-12-month basis are negative, which should make investors wary.

The cost chart

An oil company's returns, though, are a function of oil price and production costs. Conoco claims its average cost of supply is now $35/barrel. You'd think that would yield spectacular returns, even with oil hovering around $50/barrel. But unfortunately, it doesn't give the whole picture; this chart does:

So there's a lot going on in this chart; let's break it down. The average cost of production is indeed $35/barrel (the brightly colored lines in the left-hand graph), but you need to add a $5-$15 burden -- cost adjustments including overhead (the dim lines in the left-hand graph) -- to get to the true cost of supply, which can be as high as about $50/barrel.

The company estimates it will earn a 30% return with oil prices at $50/barrel, and at $60/barrel or even $65/barrel, the returns would be even higher (although the costs will increase correspondingly as shown in the right-hand graph).

What the graph conveniently ignores, however, is the possibility that oil prices will drop. In June and July, for example, the average price of Brent Crude was below $50/barrel -- even hitting $45/barrel at one point. If oil were to drop to, say, $40/barrel, the company might be able to cut some costs a bit further, but like the limbo, there's a limit to how low one can go.

Investor takeaway

Conoco has made some big strides in improving its operations. Notably, it finally posted positive quarterly earnings in Q2 2017. But it has struggled to earn a decent return on its capital for investors and still has a substantial debt load. And while its cost cutting moves have placed it in a much better financial position if oil prices increase, it's unclear how well the company will be able to manage itself if they don't.

In short, things are looking up for ConocoPhillips, and investors convinced of an impending oil recovery may want to take this opportunity to buy the stock and take advantage of potential share buybacks. However, before declaring it a definite buy, I'd like to see at least a few consecutive quarters of positive net income to prove Q2 2017 isn't just a fluke.

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The biggest gas storage facility in the West resumed operations Monday, nearly two years after a blowout led to the nation's largest-known methane release and drove thousands of families from their Los Angeles homes.

Southern California Gas. Co. said it began injecting gas in underground wells after it completed final steps required to resume limited operations and shortly after a state appeals courts rejected attempts to the block the restart of the Aliso Canyon facility.

State regulators gave approval last week to pump a limited amount of gas into underground storage wells after an overhaul, rigorous testing and the application of stricter rules put in place since the massive leak.

The site has been largely out of commission since an October 2015 well blowout spewed climate-changing methane for nearly four months, sickened residents and drove 8,000 families from their homes.

Los Angeles County unsuccessfully tried to keep the facility closed until it showed it could safely withstand an earthquake. A judge ruled he didn't have authority to override an order from the California Public Utilities Commission. Appeals court judges shot down efforts to halt the restart.

The state said the facility is safe and earthquake fears are overblown.

SoCalGas said it has met and sometimes exceeded the state's safety requirements at the storage field, and it needed to increase its inventory at the facility to avoid an energy shortage.

The utility and state regulators have said Aliso Canyon is necessary to provide home heating in winter and to fuel gas-fired power plants during times of peak demand, such as during summer heat waves.

However, predictions of blackouts over the past year while the facility was closed have not come to pass. That has led to calls from many residents in Porter Ranch and other San Fernando Valley suburbs  some who are still reporting health symptoms  to permanently shut it down.

State Sen. Henry Stern, D-Los Angeles, said "blackout saber-rattling is kind of blackmail" to scare people. He and others who want to see more evidence that Aliso Canyon is necessary and safe before reopening were regrouping to plot their next steps.

"It's a tough day," Stern said. "There's a bit of a faith-based strategy. We've all got to cross our fingers and hope nothing bad happens."
The Latest on a proposal to lower the minimum score for California's attorney exam (all times local):

4 p.m.

A proposal to lower the minimum score on the most recent licensing exam for California attorneys has cleared its first hurdle.

A California State Bar committee voted Monday to send the proposal out for public comment until Aug. 25. The California Supreme Court will have final say over the score.

The proposal would lower the minimum score only for the July 2017 exam from 144 to a little over 141. The seemingly minor reduction could significantly boost the pass rate, which has declined alarmingly in recent years.

California has among the lowest pass rates in the country, though state bar officials say it also has the second-highest passing score requirement.

___

11 a.m.

The State Bar of California is proposing lowering the minimum score on the most recent licensing exam for attorneys amid an alarming decline in people passing the test considered one of the toughest in the U.S.

State Bar staff told The Associated Press that they planned to present the option to the agency's Committee of Bar Examiners on Monday.

The proposal would lower the score needed only for the July exam from 144 to a little over 141. The seemingly minor reduction could significantly boost the pass rate.

On the July exam, it fell from nearly 62 percent in 2008 to 43 percent in 2016, mirroring a national trend.

California has among the lowest pass rates in the country, though state bar officials say it also has the second-highest passing score requirement.
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Power should be fully restored on all of North Carolina's Outer Banks in less than a week, officials said late Tuesday.

New power poles are now all in place and crews have started the more delicate, careful work of connecting the new lines to the underground power cable that provides electricity to Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative said in a news release.

That work along with extensive testing should be finished sometime between Saturday and Monday when full power can be restored, the utility said.

The outage was caused when crews from PCL Construction building a new bridge over the Oregon Inlet severed the underground line Thursday. Generators have been brought in but can't produce enough electricity to support the estimated 50,000 visitors during a typical summer week.

Crews are also trying to fix the underground line, but the cables sit under the water table and near the sound on the west side of the island. Workers can't keep water out of the box where the line runs long enough to do repairs, the electric cooperative said.

At least three lawsuits filed this week seek compensation from PCL Construction. Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday that he believes the company responsible should pay for damages once all the facts are known.

Lawsuits filed in state and federal courts say the company building the long-needed replacement bridge over Oregon Inlet was negligent and should pay for the financial losses suffered by businesses at the peak of vacation season.

The company declined comment in response to the lawsuits.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) said Tuesday it completed the sale of its European business to PSA Group, the owner of French car brand Peugeot.

The largest U.S. automaker has revamped its international portfolio this year. In addition to shedding its Opel and Vauxhall brands for $2.33 billion, GM has ended sales in India and exited South Africa.

Weve taken another bold step in our ongoing work to transform GM, GM President Dan Ammann said in a statement on the European sale. This transaction allows us to sharply focus our resources on higher-return opportunities as we expand our technical and business leadership in the future of mobility.

GMs sale of its European financial unit to PSA Group and BNP Paribas (OTC:BNPQY) is on track to close later this year.

Shares fell 3.1% to $34.85 in recent trading, as GM joined rival automakers in reporting weaker July U.S. sales.
After President Donald Trumps call to cut the cost of building the next Air Force One, the U.S. Air Force is reportedly in talks to buy two undelivered Boeing (NYSE:BA) 747-8 jets for a discount.

Military officials are wrapping up a contract with Boeing to purchase the two planes, which were never paid for by now-bankrupt Russian airline Transaero, according to Defense One. The report indicated that the Pentagon is getting a good deal on the two planes. Boeings website says the 747-8 wide-body jet has an average price tag of $386.8 million.

The two 747s have been held in storage at a facility in the Mojave Desert. Idle aircraft are often stored in the Mojave Desert, where the dry climate prevents rust.

Were still working toward a deal to provide two 747-8s to the Air Force  were focused on providing a great value for the Air Force and the best price for the taxpayer, a Boeing spokesperson told FOX Business.

The U.S. Air Force didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson told Defense One, which first reported on the pending deal, that the Air Force is working through the final stages of coordination to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft and [expects] to award a contract soon.

The Air Force expects to spend around $3.2 billion between 2018 and 2022 to convert two jets into the next Air Force One fleet.

President Trump had criticized the Air Force One contract with Boeing before taking office, saying costs of more than $4 billion were out of control.

Transaero ordered four 747-8 jets in 2013, and Boeing built two of them by the time the airline went bankrupt two years later. Defense One said Boeing has been searching for a buyer willing to scoop up the two jets at a discount.
Diversified industrial company Roper Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ROP) reported a solid set of second-quarter results, which contained the usual hallmarks of a Roper earnings report. Revenue and core operating margin expanded in all four segments, and the company's asset-light business model helped to ensure strong ongoing free cash flow generation.

Meanwhile, Roper's acquisitions are settling in well, and the company's transition to more software-based revenue continues. Let's take a look at the report.

Roper Technologies, Inc. second-quarter earnings: The raw numbers

Starting with the headline numbers from the quarter:

Revenue of $1.15 billion represented reported growth of 23% and organic growth of 6%.

Gross margin of 62.7% expanded from 61% in the same quarter last year.

EBITDA margin of 34.3% increased from 33.6% in the same quarter last year.

Adjusted diluted EPS of $2.24 came in at the top of the guidance range of $2.16 to $2.24.

Earnings came in at the high end of expectations, and management was moved to increase its full-year earnings guidance:

Full-year adjusted EPS guidance in the range of $9.12 to $9.30 compared to a previous range of $8.98 to $9.28.

Full-year organic revenue expected to increase by more than 5% compared to a previous estimate of 4% to 5%.

Third-quarter diluted EPS guidance in the range of $2.24 to $2.30.

What happened in the quarter

The company operates in such a wide range of niche and specialist markets that it's a good idea to break out its earnings by segment. As you can see below, the combined profit from the industrial technology and energy systems and controls segments doesn't account for more than the profit from the medical and scientific imaging segment.

In a sense, the declining importance of the company's industrial and energy businesses is a deliberate consequence of its shift toward software and information technology. Indeed, the 64% increase in revenue in RF technology and software was largely due to contributions from two acquisitions, Deltek and ConstructConnect.

Both businesses "continue to perform at an exceptional clip" according to CEO Brian Jellison. Deltek is a provider of enterprise software and information solutions for government contractors, while ConstructConnect provides information solutions to the construction industry and is a business that comes with a high percentage of recurring revenue.

What the shift is doing to Roper's results

The expansion into software and recurring revenue is changing the nature of Roper's earnings and cash flow. The company generated negative working capital in the first quarter, and did the same in the second quarter. This means it can generate strong cash flow because it doesn't have to tie up cash in working capital.

For example, inventory as a percentage of annualized net sales was only 4.4% in the quarter compared to 5.5% in the same quarter two years ago. Meanwhile, deferred revenue was 11.4% of annualized net sales compared to just 6.6% in the second quarter of 2015.

Software and intellectual capital businesses tend to have fewer inventory requirements, and deferred revenue is higher due to recurring revenue generation through things like subscriptions.

All told, Roper expects to generate more than $1.15 billion in operating cash flow, a figure which, based on estimates, will represent around 25% of full-year revenue. Incidentally, the cash flow guidance is an upgrade from the $1.15 billion forecast at the start of the year.

Looking ahead

It was a solid quarter of execution for Roper, and investors will be hoping the acquisitions continue to perform as expected. Meanwhile, the company's structural shift toward more software-based revenue is ongoing, and this could lead to more margin and cash flow.

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Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDSA) said Tuesday it expects the largest refinery in Europe to remain closed until at least mid-August.

The Anglo-Dutch oil major shut down its Rotterdam refinery over the weekend after a fire knocked out power at the facility. The move, which threatens to cut the supply of fuel in the region, sent prices of gasoline and diesel up globally. The Pernis refinery has the capacity to produce 404,000 barrels of fuel each day.

In a statement, Shell said it anticipates restarting operations at the Pernis refinery "at the earliest in the second half of August."

The company has not released details of the financial impact of the closure.

We are doing everything we can to minimize impact to our customers, Shell said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney Tuesday that its time for the Senate to grow up.

Kennedy spoke in reference to complaints from senators that they could not pass health care reform because it was too hard to do with distractions and chaos coming from the White House.

Were all adults, we were sent up here to do a job, just ignore the distractions, said Kennedy.

Though he assured that the Senate will come back to health care reform, Kennedy believes it is now time to shift attention towards taxes.

Right now we need to have one goal and one goal only: tax cuts by November. You can call it tax reform if you want to, I call it tax cuts, he said.

Kennedy called the United States 1.4% economic growth an embarrassment, and expressed that tax cuts will get the country back to a normal 3% growth. He wants tax cuts to come from lowering rates, increasing the standard deduction and giving tax breaks to small businesses.

Kennedy is also frustrated with Senate Democrats blocking President Trumps appointees. He is calling on Senator Charles Schumer (R-NY) specifically to stop leading the fight against these appointments.

I would just respectfully ask Senator Schumer to stop jerking everybody around, go ahead. He knows that these people are going to be confirmed. Stop nit picking the rules, let us go ahead and get the presidents people confirmed, he said.

As of August 1, the Trump administration has had 56 appointments confirmed compared to that of the Obama administrations 238 confirmed by the same date during his first term in office.
President Donald Trump tweeted at the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney Tuesday morning after his appearance on Fox & Friends.

It is the second time President Trump has mentioned Varney on Twitter in less than two weeks.

The president tweeted: "Corporations have NEVER made as much money as they are making now." Thank you Stuart Varney @foxandfriends Jobs are starting to roar,watch!

"Corporations have NEVER made as much money as they are making now." Thank you Stuart Varney @foxandfriends Jobs are starting to roar,watch!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2017

Trump first tweeted at Varney on July 21st, and said: Six months in- it is the hope of GROWTH that is making America FOUR TRILLION DOLLARS RICHER. Stuart @VarneyCo. 

"Six months in - it is the hope of GROWTHthat is making AmericaFOUR TRILLION DOLLARSRICHER." -Stuart @VarneyCo

https://t.co/s7fYOicWGV pic.twitter.com/x9MeUzDom6  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 21, 2017

This comes as the Dow nears a record 22,000 points and before Fridays jobs report.
The U.S. government announced on Tuesday it will dedicate $4.6 million to Montana coal workers who will soon lose their jobs.

The money will be used for workforce retraining programs, which are set to begin immediately, according to Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.

Many of the workers will lose their jobs as a result of a partial closure of the coal-fired Colstrip power plant.

"Workers in the coal industry have been left to fend for themselves, so this is very important," said Al Ekblad of the AFL-CIO, which represents hundreds of coal workers. "We need to be able to retrain them for good quality jobs to raise their families."

The aid arrived months after a failed attempt by some state legislators to require two owners of the power plant to compensate Colstrip and surrounding communities for economic losses when two of its four units shut down by 2022.

The closure is part of an agreement between environmentalists and plant co-owners Talen Energy and Puget Sound Energy of Washington state.

While the focus is on Colstrip, the money from the U.S. Department of Labor could benefit 1,700 coal industry workers across 21 counties in eastern Montana, the governor's office said. The money will be disbursed to training facilities at community colleges, tribal colleges, labor unions and other community groups.

The funding is due in part to a collaboration launched a year ago between unions and the environmental community.

Union officials want to retain jobs, but some acknowledged that political and market forces are putting pressure on their members to prepare for changes in the energy sector.

Environmental groups have sought less reliance on fossil fuels such as coal and pushed for workforce development in renewable power and other cleaner forms of energy production.

Part of the money will go toward building a workforce for reclamation projects, including cleaning up ash ponds near the Colstrip power plant and reclaiming coal mines.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
To usher in the 25th anniversary of Tim Burtons cult masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas, fans are finally getting a sequel, but it wont be in the form of a movie. Its been announced that Jack Skellington and company will be getting a new animated appearance in 2018.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, manga publisher Tokyopop secured the highly coveted licensing rights and will use them to produce the first ever Nightmare Before Christmas comic book. It will reportedly expand on the story that Burton left behind in 1993. The follow-up holiday tale will be called Nightmare Before Christmas: Zeros Journey and follow the adventures of the main characters dog, Zero as her gets lost in Christmas Town.

This will be a departure from the typical way in which the publisher releases its comics. Zeros Journey will initially be released as a serialized collection of single-issues before being clumped together in a more traditional volume.

As io9 notes, this marks the first time that Burton has allowed someone else to take the rights to The Nightmare Before Christmas and do something creative with it. Perhaps more in the vein of this macabre holiday tale will be coming soon now that its creator has loosened his grip?
Bill Cosbys lead defense attorney officially wants nothing to do with the disgraced funnymans retrial.

The 80-year-olds spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, confirmed that lawyer Brian McMonagle was backing out of the team Tuesday, adding he was vetting a short list of candidates.

Someone should be named by the end of August, Wyatt told The Post.

McMonagles co-counsel, Angela Agrusa, remains on the team.

Montgomery County Judge Steven ONeill, who oversaw the June trial, has yet to approve the lawyers motion to withdraw.

ONeill ordered the parties to appear for a pre-trial hearing to discuss the motion on August 22. Cosby was ordered to appear.

ONeill is also expected to rule on where jury selection will occur. Past jurors were culled from Pittsburgh, after Cosbys defense team successfully argued media coverage had tainted potential Montgomery County panelists.

While McMonagle has not publicly commented on his decision to leave, past reports have indicated he was unhappy with the way Cosbys devoted spokesman handled the trial  often speaking publicly without McMonagle or Agrusa.

Cosby first headed to trial in June on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for allegedly sexually assaulting Temple University employee Andrea Constand in his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

The trial ended in deadlock after nearly 60 hours of deliberations, and Cosby is slotted to return to court on Nov. 6., for retrial.

McMonagle did not immediately return a message.

This article originally appeared in Page Six.
RoseMarie Terenzio can still vividly recall some of her fondest memories involving her friend and former boss John F. Kennedy Jr.

One of them involved his famous hair, which he hated.

He used to keep this cream called Kiehls Silk Groom, Kennedys assistant told Fox News. Ill never forget it. He used to keep it in his office and on the shelf. And he would use it all the time to get his hair to be flatter. He would wear a hat all the time. Even sometimes in the office, he would put the Kiehls Silk Groom and then he would put a hat on to flatten his hair.

JFK'S ONLY GRANDSON MAKES FIRST LIVE TV APPEARANCE

There was also his massive appetite.

He would order like 10 different things for lunch and eat a little bit of everything, she explained, chuckling. So he would get like three different lunch deliveries. He would have rice and beans on a plate, a burger on another plate.

"He ordered everything, but he just ate a little of each thing. He also ate off my plate all the time. I would come back to my desk and there would be a chunk taken out of my lunch... He had an appetite, but he was always in shape I actually never saw him finish an entire meal.

Kennedy, son of the 35th President, as well as his wife Carolyn and her sister Lauren Bessette died in a plane crash on July 16, 1999, off the coast of Marthas Vineyard while on their way to Rory Kennedy's wedding. And 18 years later, Terenzio still looks back at her time working for Kennedy and quickly befriending him.

But meeting Kennedy back in 1994 wasnt a star-studded moment for Terenzio, who grew up in The Bronx with a big Italian family that didnt have much money.

He was starting George magazine with Michael Berman, who was my boss at the time, she said. And Michael had given him my office and he moved right in, so I was not very happy about that. I definitely [confronted Kennedy]. I said, You dont even have a job, why do you need an office? He was a little taken aback by my attitude to say the least.

At the time, Kennedy was dealing with the loss of his mother, former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who passed away that same year at age 64 from non-hodgkins lymphoma.

He never really had an assistant, said Terenzio. John and I just started kind of a banter of making fun of each other and teasing each other. It just worked out. And he went, Well, why dont you come work for me? And I said, Well, what do you do? And he said, This magazine and hopefully thats what were going to be doing. I remember he said, If this doesnt work out, you know, if you want to move on, I know some people and I could probably help you find another job. I said, You know some people? You know the whole Earth! So needless to say, it did work out, which was great. And we actually became really, really good friends in the process.

George, a monthly magazine which focused on politics, launched in 1995 and ran until 2001. But even before the magazine hit newsstands, Terenzio was busy as Kennedys personal assistant.

The phone rang incessantly. Constantly, she recalled. And we didnt really use email. It was all phone. It just rang constantly. And the mail. He got so much mail. I would get three boxes of mail from the mailroom every day. And I would have to go through all of it and keep on top of it because it would pile up.

In early fall 1994, Terenzio met the woman who would marry Americas most eligible bachelor of the moment.

Carolyn and I had actually been speaking on the phone for a while, a few months before I actually met her, she said. She was very warm, she was friendly, and she was very much a girls girl. Like, Whats going on? How was your day? How was your night? You warmed up right away with her. She was so open and she was just a really good friend. She was fun and she was funny. And so when I first met her, it felt like we had known each other. It was love at first sight.

While tabloids covered Kennedys past reported flings with stars, like Madonna, Darryl Hannah, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Cindy Crawford, just to name a few, Terenzio believed Carolyn was different from anyone he encountered. The pair shocked the world with a secret wedding in 1996.

John was ready, said Terenzio. She was ready. They were both ready to settle down and Carolyn didnt need John. I just think she saw him as a person. She understood his fame, his celebrity, and all of that. But I dont think it was a factor for her and who he was as a person.

"Even though he was who he was, I dont think Carolyn ever felt inferior to him. And that was important. She was independent and was her own person.

Still, the couple struggled to mantain their private life because the paparazzi loved to track them, Terenzio claimed.

I think John was under the impression that once he got married, it would die down, she said. It would go away. You know, he wasnt this single, most eligible bachelor anymore. And that would make it a bit less interesting for him. But it didnt. It actually intensified. The scrutiny on her, that intensified He was recognized as Americas prince and whos this girl? How did she get him? And I think [the press] were digging to find some secret reason why this was 'the one.'

The stress of tackling the media proved to be a challenge throughout their marriage.

I think it was twofold, said Terenzio. John had this big life. And just that alone was difficult. There were a lot of social obligations, charity obligations. Then you had the magazine and the family. So I think that was a little challenging. And I think obviously the media scrutiny no matter how much people say she knew what she was getting into, you dont know until youre in it. That was a huge adjustment for her.

"With John, he wasnt famous for something that he did... If he were an actor and he didnt want to be famous anymore, he could stop acting. But he couldnt stop being John F. Kennedy Jr.

Carolyn was stressed by her husbands non-stop schedule with George, along with the growing attention from pestering paparazzi when she decided not to attend the family wedding. Instead, she was hoping to take a break. Terenzio said she convinced Carolyn to attend to avoid questions being raised on any reported marital woes. Carolyn would go on that fatal flight, which haunted Terenzio for years.

It was very difficult, Terenzio admitted. It took time for me to get back up and figure out what I wanted to do next there was a lot of trial and error.

Terenzio chronicled her memories with Kennedy in the 2012 memoir Fairy Tale Interrupted, which helped her cope. Today she is the founder of a publicity firm. And while Terenzios career continues to flourish, she still thinks of her friends and what could have been.

I dont think he felt any pressure or felt any burden [to pursue politics] because of his name, she said. I think he saw it as a wealth of opportunity. And that he was very lucky. He thought about it. He certainly talked about running for office, but his priority was to make George a success.
Theres a lot of controversy in the geek community right now following the reveal that the new star to play the Doctor on Doctor Who will be a woman for the first time in the shows decades-long history. Now, Big Bang Theory star Mayim Bialik is reuniting with her ex-husband to dish about the Who backlash.

In a post on her blog Friday, the 41-year-old star joined forces with her ex-husband Michael Stone, who is an avid Doctor Who fan. She wrote she hoped would help her fill in her knowledge gaps as they discussed the recent casting of Jodie Whittaker as the first female Doctor.

Many fans of the long-running series were upset at the inclusion of a female doctor. Before diving into the meat of the controversy, Stone had to first explain what was happening. For those unfamiliar, the blog post covers it well, but the main points are that Doctor Who is a show about a time traveling alien that has the ability to regenerate into a new form instead of dying. This is how the show has maintained its longevity since the 1960s, by recasting the main character whenever a contract is up or an actor decided to leave. It was recently announced that Whittaker would replace Peter Capaldi when the series returns.

One of my concerns is that I worry sometimes that the current progressive feminist movement really wants to make things equal, and equal to a point that, to me, sometimes may not logically make sense, Bialik stated to her ex, after getting her crash course about the show. What I mean [is], if we have Spider Man and Spider Woman are we now going to have to have Spider Person? Played by a man or a woman? Do you think that the franchise is so strong that theyre confident adding a feminist slant or is that just what were picking up on because thats whats in our culture?

Stone said that he couldnt comment accurately on what the creators have in mind for the show, but did share an understanding of the fandom behind it and how it likely contributed to the controversy.

Frankly, Doctor Who fans are particular about lots of things, he said. Prior to this, one of the biggest debates was that the Doctor has this tool called the sonic screwdriver and the last Doctor had what were sonic sunglasses and I definitely fell in the camp of hating the sonic sunglasses.

Click here to read the rest of Mayim's chat with her ex on her website, Grok Nation.
Conservative pundit Tomi Lahren is glad she sat down face-to-face with liberal star Chelsea Handler at Politicon over the weekend.

To exist in an echo chamber and only talk to people with whom we agree, is fruitless, Lahren told Fox News via email. I would rather sit down with a Hollywood liberal any day than simply surround myself with fellow conservatives.

While fans expected a debate-style chat, Handler quickly told the audience on Saturday that wasnt the plan. She explained, I am interviewing [Lahren] because the one thing Ive learned from this election is how divided we are.

Lahren was pleased with how civil the conversation was, which took place in Pasadena, California.

The audience wanted a blood bath but they walked away with a much different result, she told us. I hope they see that substantive conversations can be civil and still entertaining. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

TOMI LAHREN: I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE

The two controversial women discussed an array of topics from the Affordable Care Act to President Trump's recent ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.

Lahren feels she was able to explain her views to Handler.

She may still disagree with my perspective on transgenders in the military, but at least she walked away knowing my reasons. I'm glad we got to discuss that particular point but often times, those on the Left simply discount any opposing view on transgender issues as hate or intolerance, Lahren stated. I believe I explained my reasoning very clearly and I think she understood it better.

During the conversation, Lahren, 24, elicited boos when she admitted she is under her parents health insurance plan, which was afforded to her because of Obamacare.

When the audience reacted harshly, Handler honed them in.

"Stop, stop, stop, she's being honest," she said, according to Forbes.

Lahren, who used to work for TheBlaze, hopes she gave Handler more information on some of the issues that matter most to her.

I believe I was also able to teach [Handler] a thing or two about national security and military readiness. Those are issues she may not be familiar with but those issues are very near and dear to my heart.

Chelsea Handler did not return Fox News' requests for comment.
Jared Kushner is caught up in another legal controversy  this time a little closer to home.

The real estate mogul is involved in a financial dispute with two tenants over back rent at their Brooklyn eatery, La Nonna.

The restaurant owners, Cono and Anna Morena, owe their landlord  a company owned by Jared Kushner  $72,783 in rent, which the couple has racked up by refusing to pay for the past six months. Kushner Companies filed a court petition against the couple, attempting to evict them from their restaurant at 184 Kent Avenue.

FRANKIE BALLARD PICKS UP DINNER, LEAVES IMPRESSIVE GIFT

However, the couple is fighting against the suit. The Morenas recently filed documents asking for the case against them be dismissed. According to Eater, the Morena family is claiming that ongoing construction has created noise that interferes with dinner service.

The couple doesnt stop there with pointing the finger at Kushners business for their restaurant troubles, adding that water damage from a fire hasnt been addressed and that scaffolding has hurt business by preventing outdoor seating and blocking the restaurants sign.

This isnt the first time the couple has brought up the problem with the facilities. In a Daily News report, it was reported that after repeated complaints to the landlord about the construction scaffolding blocking the La Nonna sign, the couple reportedly had to pay for another sign to advertise their business.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

The luxury condo building in trendy Williamsburg where the restaurant is located was purchased by Kushners firm in 2015. Since then it has reportedly received numerous complaints from other tenants about fires and a rat infestation.

Kushner is still involved in Kushner Companies, but stepped down as CEO when he joined his father-in-law at the White House.
Stealing food from coworkers is very bad form. Still, one German woman was surprised to find herself summarily fired from her job, allegedly without warning, after being accused of eating a coworkers chocolate bar. Now, however, after an extended court case, a judge ruled that the woman should get her job back because the chocolate had been replaced.

According to The Local, the Heidelberg woman was a 64-year-old employee of a daycare for disabled children. Shed been working at the facility for more than 30 years and was just a few years away from retirement, but in February of 2017 she was fired without notice for allegedly eating a coworkers chocolate bar.

The woman took the case to court, arguing that it was unfair to fire her without notice and without good reason, especially so close to retirement. Her employer argued that shed been accused of stealing other things, too. Once she was accused of taking another coworkers bag and giving it away as a gift. She was also accused of using the facilitys laundry to wash her own clothes.

In the end, the judge said the daycare had not proved that the woman took the coworkers bag, and also that it had not explicitly said it wasnt OK for her to use the laundry for personal clothes. With those allegations off the table, the firing came down to the $3 chocolate bar.

The judge said that since the chocolate bar had been replaced, the woman should have been given a formal warning instead of being fired.

Infringing on someones property is still not funny, he said, because everyone knows its not cool to steal a coworkers food.
A beach in Michigan was forced to close for the third time this summer due to elevated levels of E. coli. The beach at Lake St. Clair Metro Park will remained closed until levels return to normal, Fox 2 Detroit reported.

We live a couple miles from here we come here all the time every summer, Elona Guberaj told Fox 2 Detroit. And every summer it is the same problem.

MOM DIES AFTER ALLEGED BUTT INJECTION PROCEDURE AT NEW YORK APARTMENT

The Macomb County Health Department tests the water at the beach every Monday and Wednesday during the summer season, Fox 2 Detroit reported. Elevated E. coli levels may be caused by rain water run-off, excessive animal waste or untreated sewage flowing into the lake.

I dont want to be sick, Brittny Johnson told the news outlet. And I dont want the kids sick. But I wish they would have let us know, though. They should have it up on their website.

Its the third time the lake has closed in the month of June, with some expressing frustration with having paid $35 for an annual pass to the facility.

MYRTLE BEACH DISPUTES WOMAN'S FLESH-EATING BACTERIA CLAIM

I wish we knew, Guberaj told the news outlet. We would have gone somewhere else. But the kids have fun playing in the sand.

The closure comes after a 3-year-old California boy fell ill last week after swimming near the clubhouse at Lake Wildwood Beach. Several other children who went swimming at the popular summer spot also were sickened. Three of the children tested positive for E. coli.
Martin Shkreli, the embattled pharmaceutical CEO, was sentenced to seven years in prison for securities fraud.

The so-called Pharma Bro was convicted last year on charges that he deceived investors through failed hedge funds. Weeks later, he had his $5 million bail revoked when he posted what was a considered a threat to Hillary Clinton.

The 34-year-old, who is probably best known for hiking up the price of a life-saving drug, was charged with securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud; a jury found him guilty on three of eight counts.

From his social media presence to his leadership of pharmaceutical companies, heres a look at Shkrelis life and controversies.

March 2018

A federal judge sentenced Shkreli to seven years in prison on March 9 for for defrauding investors in two failed hedge funds.

Shkreli, in a break from his usual assured persona, cried as he told U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto he made many mistakes and apologized to investors.

"I want the people who came here today to support me to understand one thing, the only person to blame for me being here today is me," he said. "I took down Martin Shkreli."

He was also fined $75,000 and received credit for the roughly six months he has been in prison.

September 2017

Shkrelis bail was revoked and he was sent to prison the night of Sept. 13 because of what was perceived as a threat to a former presidential nominee he posted on social media.

Shkreli offered on Facebook $5,000 to anyone who could grab Hillary Clintons hair while she was on her book tour. U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto said the post could be seen as a solicitation of an assault as she revoked his $5 million bail.

The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. So on HRCs book tour, try to grab a hair from her. I must confirm the sequences I have. Will pay $5,000 per hair obtained from Hillary Clinton, his post said.

Shkrelis defense argued that the post was simply political satire, but the judge didnt buy it.

The government told the judge that the message alarmed the Secret Service detail that protects Clinton, a former Democratic presidential candidate and first lady. It also argued that it fit a pattern of veiled threats against female journalists who rebuffed Shkreli's social media advances and of taunts aimed at prosecutors in his case.

Shkreli will now await his sentencing at a federal jail in Brooklyn instead of his Manhattan apartment where he would often live stream parts of his day. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years.

August 2017

A Brooklyn jury found Shkreli guilty on three counts on August 4.

The jury deliberated for five days before reaching a verdict.

June 2017

Shkrelis trial began on June 26, and he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Several potential jurors told the New York judge they couldn't be fair toward Shkreli.

One woman said that she knew the former executive as "the most hated man in America" for his price gouging. The judge dismissed her and several other potential jurors after they made negative comments about Shkreli during jury selection.

Shkreli "travels to the beat of a very unique drummer."  Defense attorney Benjamin Brafman

Despite advice from his lawyers, Shkreli didnt lay low ahead of the trial. He was active on social media, particularly on YouTube and Facebook.

Shkreli "travels to the beat of a very unique drummer," his defense attorney said.

April 2017

Brooklyn U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto ruled that Shkreli and his former lawyer be granted separate trials.

Both Evan Greebel and Shkreli requested separate trials and both have pleaded not guilty. Greebel is charged with one count of conspiracy for allegedly helping Shkreli. He would later be found guilty of conspiring to commit securities fraud and wire fraud.

As Greebel has called Shkreli a serial liar, Matsumoto said trying the two men together would present a serious risk that Shkreli will not receive a constitutionally fair trial.

January 2017

After consistently harassing a female journalist on Twitter, Shkreli was eventually banned from the social media site.

Shkreli changed his Twitter page background to images of freelance journalist Lauren Duca and photo-shopped himself over her husband in one photo.

How is this allowed, Duca tweeted along with a screenshot of Shkrelis account.

However, Shkreli made additional accounts since his ban.

September 2016

After Hillary Clinton left a 9/11 memorial service due to illness, Shkreli tracked down the presidential candidate to shout at her a question.

Why are you so sick? Shkreli shouted at Clinton as she left her daughters apartment.

I enjoyed screaming 'why are you so sick' and 'go trump' at @HillaryClinton. Get well soon bae! he tweeted later.

This same month, Shkreli raffled off a chance to punch him in the face.

February 2016

Shkreli refused to testify in front of Congress  instead invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination while smirking at lawmakers who peppered him with questions about why he so drastically raised the price of Daraprim.

"It's not funny, Mr. Shkreli. People are dying and they're getting sicker and sicker."  Rep. Elijah Cummings

"Drug company executives are lining their pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation," Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said during the hearing. "It's not funny, Mr. Shkreli. People are dying and they're getting sicker and sicker."

Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., a pharmacist, said he was disgusted by price-hiking drug companies.

December 2015

Shkreli was arrested on securities fraud and wire fraud charges  unrelated to the rising drug price while he headed Turing Pharmaceuticals  in December 2015.

Prosecutors said when Shkreli ran a different pharmaceutical company, Retrophin, he would use the companys cash and stock to pay back hedge fund investors for money that Shkreli lost. These actions allegedly took place between 2009 and 2014, according to court documents.

Shkreli engaged in multiple schemes to ensnare investors through a web of lies and deceit, U.S. Attorney Robert Capers said at the time of Shkrelis arrest.

Shkreli was released on a $5 million bail.

The day of his arrest, KaloBios Pharmaceuticals terminated Shkreli as its CEO. The company announced that the young pharmaceutical executive also had resigned from its board of directors.

September 2015

Shkreli first became a contentious household name at the end of 2015 when he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals.

His company drastically jacked up the price of a potentially lifesaving drug, Daraprim, from $13.50 to $750 per pill. Turing acquired Daraprim in August 2015.

The drug is the only approved treatment for toxoplasmosis, an infection which is especially risky for pregnant women, people with AIDS and cancer patients.

Shkreli defended the price hike, saying it was necessary in order for his pharmaceutical company to make a profit, spend money on research and keep up with operational costs.

If there was a company that was selling an Aston Martin at the price of a bicycle, and we buy that company and we ask to charge Toyota prices, I dont think that should be a crime, Shkreli told CBS This Morning.

Then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton encouraged Shkreli to do the right thing and lower the cost of the drug to its original price.

Clinton also promised to hold accountable anyone who is price gouging American families and jacking up costs for no good reason.

Donald Trump, also a candidate at the time, called Shkreli a "spoiled brat."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Myrtle Beach officials on Monday disputed a woman's claim that her mother contracted a deadly flesh-eating bacteria after swimming in the water at the South Carolina vacation spot.

Marsha Barnes Beal wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday that her mother, Bonita Fetterman, was hospitalized while vacationing in Myrtle Beach.

"She came in contact with a life-threatening flesh-eating bacteria after putting her feet in the water at Myrtle Beach," Beal wrote in the post. "Surgery is the only option until it is completely cut away from her leg, with the hopes of it not spreading."

WOMAN CONTRACTS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA WHILE FISHING OFF ALABAMA COAST

Beal included photos that showed her mother's discolored leg and injuries due to the infection, adding that her mother is stable, but in an intensive care unit and breathing through a respirator.

The family told WMBF on Monday the infection spread after Fetterman went into the water with a cut on her leg last week. The day after the family returned to their Lumberton home in North Carolina, the woman spotted blisters that manifested throughout her leg.

"The doctor came in and spoke with me at Chapel Hill. He said it was a flesh eating bacteria from her open wound," Fetterman's granddaughter told WMBF.

On Monday, the city of Myrtle Beach addressed the incident on its own Facebook page, saying it was aware of the woman's claim but could not definitively confirm she had caught the flesh-eating bacteria while swimming in the ocean.

FLORIDA MAN CONTRACTS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA THROUGH BLISTERS WHILE HIKING

"We have had no reports and no direct contact about any such issues. The city has been unable to confirm the location or date of any such incident. At this point, all we have is a Facebook post, with no confirmation," the city wrote.

"Our ocean water quality is tested twice weekly, with excellent results. If we can determine where such contact may have occurred, we can order additional water quality tests to determine whether any connection exists," it added.
Seven inmates at Miami-Dade County Pre-Trial Detention Center are suffering from seizures due to an unknown illness, and have been transported to a nearby hospital.

The inmates are being treated in Jackson Memorial Hospital's secure ward, WSVN reported.

MYRTLE BEACH DISPUTES WOMAN'S FLESH-EATING BACTERIA CLAIM

Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Robin Pinkard said both police officers and Miami Fire Rescue were assisting with the medical call, The Miami Herald reported. The officers were instructed to wear their riot gear and be armed with rifles.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.
The first sexually transmitted Zika case of 2017 has been confirmed in Pinellas County, Florida, according to health officials.

The Florida Department of Health made the announcement Tuesday. Health officials stressed there is no evidence that mosquitoes are transmitting Zika anywhere in the state.

HOW TO AVOID ZIKA WHEN TRAVELING THIS SUMMER

The infected individual was diagnosed with Zika after having sexual contact with a partner who recently traveled to Cuba and was sick with symptoms of the virus.

The name and sex of the person infected were not disclosed.

The department stressed that Zika can be transmitted sexually and to take precautions if you or your partner are traveling to a location where the Zika virus is active.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously confirmed cases of the Zika virus that were sexually transmitted.

The confirmation brings the total number of Zika viruses in Florida this year to 118.
Hiring Anthony Scaramucci was one of the worst decisions President Trump has made in his six months in office. Appointing John Kelly to be his chief of staff may be his best.

Scaramuccis brief tenure as communications director showed him to be unfit for that role. He is a self-described diva with a reputation as a grandstander who, as the New York Times put it, rivals Mr. Trumps own outsize knack for self-promotion.

What the White House arguably needs just now is not more braggadocio from the podium, but instead discipline in crafting and circulating a positive message about the presidents accomplishments. Instead, Scaramuccis mere days on the job reflected his lack of experience and excessive bravado; his most embarrassing contretemps was beyond the pale.

In a profane conversation with New Yorker writer Ryan Lizza, Scaramucci blasted both Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon, accusing them of disloyalty to the president. He had earlier implied, with no evidence, that Priebus was responsible for leaking information to the press.

What the White House arguably needs just now is not more braggadocio from the podium, but instead discipline in crafting and circulating a positive message about the presidents accomplishments.

Not only was Scaramuccis tete-a-tete vulgar, it was also comically amateurish; not laying down ground rules when talking to a reporter, and establishing what is off the record, is Communications 101.

Speaking for the president of the United States is the most important communications role in the world; its not the place for a novice.

Some of President Trumps fans applauded Scaramuccis attacks on establishment figurehead chief of staff Reince Priebus. They were delighted to see Priebus pushed aside soon thereafter.

They should think again.

Its time the grown-ups in the room acknowledged what an invaluable role Priebus and the Republican National Committee played in electing Donald Trump.

While the president likes to portray his win as a singular personal victory, in reality the party committee helped even the odds between the skeleton Trump crew and the massive Clinton machine.

It was the RNC, headed at the time by Priebus, that hired three top data analytics firms to provide the kind of information that is essential to modern campaigns, that provided pop-up field offices in critical states like Florida where Clinton had a formidable organization, and that helped fund his campaign. In May, acknowledging the tidal wave of funding flowing to Hillary, Trump backed off his earlier promise to self-fund his effort, and teamed up with the RNC.

Priebus, who is mild mannered and humble, earned his spot in the White House by being loyal to the campaign, and also by resuscitating over six years an undernourished RNC that finally caught up with the rival DNC.

Soon after the election, when the president-elect tapped Priebus to be Chief of Staff, he said, Ive never had a bad second with him. Hes an unbelievable star.

Meanwhile, during those months leading up to the election, Scaramucci was angling for a way in. After earlier supporting Scott Walker and Jeb Bush, and once describing Donald Trump as a hack politician with a big mouth, he finally came aboard the Trump Train as a fund raiser. With Steve Bannon installed at Chief Strategist and Reince Priebus as chief of staff and dozens of others sworn in after the election, Scaramucci was left out in the cold, which he bitterly resented.

The delay in getting an appointment was partly because the sale of his business, SkyBridge Capital to a Chinese firm raised ethics issues that the White House wanted clarified. It was also rumored that Priebus objected to bringing him into the inner circle, a charge the former RNC head has denied.

In any event, we now may know why he was initially passed over. His appointment as communications chief put him in charge of formulating and controlling the messaging from the White House, a job that he completely scrambled almost from the start.

When the Washington Post broke the story that Trumps legal team was exploring whether he could pardon himself, Jay Sekulow, attorney for the president denied the report and told CBS News, "Pardons are not being discussed and are not on the table."

A couple of days later Scaramucci spilled the beans that he indeed had talked about pardons with the president in the Oval Office. Not helpful.

That kind of miscue is inexcusable. He was, admittedly, new to the job, but instead of excitedly tweeting out selfies while riding on Air Force One, Scaramucci should have been coordinating the Oval Office narrative. His performance over his short tenure was all about Anthony.

The final infraction, however, in which he seemingly celebrated to the New Yorker writer the schisms that are slowing the Trump agenda and therefore hurting the country, was unforgiveable.

We can fairly assume that John Kelly, Trumps new Chief of Staff and a former four-star general, pushed Scaramucci out the door, setting down a marker for the kind of behavior he will tolerate. Good for him.

Mr. Kelly is known to be a tough-minded straight talker; it is hoped he will bring discipline and dignity to an organization in need of organization. The infighting between various factions of the Trump White House has distracted from the presidents agenda, and cannot be tolerated.

Some of the personnel battles have hurt the president. President Trump has recently alienated some of his staunchest supporters by his callous demeaning of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump has attacked Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia inquiry, which in fact was demanded by the rules of the Justice Department. The former Alabama senator has been a loyal Trump supporter from the start, and is widely viewed as a decent and highly ethical man.

Priebus is also well regarded, and was a pleasantly stable presence in this unorthodox White House, if not the tough power broker the job demands. In leaving, he continues to be a gracious loyalist, saying Im always going to be a Trump fan. Im on Team Trump, and I look forward to helping him achieve his goals and his agenda for the American people.

Trump needs to respect that kind of loyalty if he is to retain and attract experienced and decent people to push his agenda forward. Calming the White House waters will be essential to that task  a task that Kelly has already begun.
The Democratic Party is a mess. It has no effective national leader. It has no serious agenda. And Democrats have no idea how to win back the Rust Belt voters who propelled the ultimate political outsider, Donald J. Trump, to the presidency.

During President Obamas eight years in office the Democrats became primarily a coastal party that caters to out-of-touch wealthy elitists in liberal enclaves like Manhattan and Hollywood, while ignoring the hardworking Americans who are the backbone of our country.

Democrats lost election after election during the Obama years, as voters strongly rejected the partys bankrupt policies. In fact, according to a Fox News report, President Obamas tenure was marked by an embarrassing net loss of 1,042 state and federal Democratic posts, including congressional and state legislative seats, governorships and the presidency.

Forgotten voters in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina  whose families had voted for Democrats since President Franklin D. Roosevelts time  have finally had enough. They feel like theyve lost their country and that their leaders in Washington have lost faith in them.

Americans hailing from states that President Trump carried have well-founded beliefs about what todays Democrat Party stands for  and its not good.

Then Donald Trump came into their communities, talking America First, American jobs, and American exceptionalism. Trump has backed those words up with an optimistic agenda anchored on the central promise to get Americans working again. The Make American Great Again effort is focused on reform: tax reform, trade reform, regulatory reform, domestic energy production reform, and health care reform.

Just a few days ago, nine months since being shell-shocked by the epic Trump victory, the Democrats rolled out a new, weak agenda. Washington Democrats clearly felt pressure to put forth something  anything  new because their allies in the mainstream media told them they needed to put new wrapping paper on their old and failed ideas.

A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that only 37 percent of the American people think that the Democratic Party stands for something. And 52 percent said all that the Democrats do is oppose President Trump. This polling data reflects reality. President Trump has been in office for six months and the Democrats up until now have done nothing more than run a permanent obstruction campaign against the president and his agenda.

The truth is that Americans hailing from states that President Trump carried have well-founded beliefs about what todays Democrat Party stands for  and its not good. These folks think that the Democrats are the party of big government, bureaucratic decision-making, high taxes, open borders, abortion on demand, and weakness around the globe.

I will go a step further and offer what I hear from the liberals in Washington and in the mainstream media about what I would call the real Democrat agenda:

On health care, double down on the failing ObamaCare disaster.

On federal spending, continue to grow our $20 trillion national debt at an unsustainable rate. Free college, anyone?

On illegal immigration, protect sanctuary cities.

On taxes, keep them high because government bureaucrats know how to spend your hard-earned money better than you do.

On the Second Amendment and gun rights, disregard the Constitution and only allow criminals to have guns.

On terrorism, refuse to acknowledge the underlying problem: radical Islam.

On campaign finance reform, pretend to be against Super PACs, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

This list represents the deep hole that Democrats have dug for themselves outside of their shrinking far-left base.

The idea that ultra-liberals like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York City, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, or Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders of the Peoples Republic of Vermont have any intention of fixing or even acknowledging the problems facing ordinary Americans is absurd.

This is all an upside for Republicans, for President Trumps America First agenda and for the presidents promise to prioritize the working men and women in Americas heartland.
Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in The Hill newspaper and on TheHill.com.

President Trump, with his low approval ratings, chaotic White House and health care failure, might as well be on the ballot in three elections before the end of the year.

In Alabama, Republicans running to fill the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions are staging a red-state referendum on Trump.

Trump won the state by almost 30 points last November. But the president is dividing his Alabama supporters with steady attacks on one of the states favorite sons: Sessions.

When Republicans Christie and Bob McDonnell won the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races in 2009, it foreshadowed the Tea Party wave election of 2010.

Trump is also at the center of two gubernatorial races  in Virginia and New Jersey. Trump lost both states in the presidential election. Democrats now delight in stirring up their base by putting Trumps face on every Republican opponent.



The question in Alabama, however, is which candidate for the GOP nomination is the most pro-Trump.

Luther Strange, the Republican appointed to hold the seat until the December general election, is running as a GOP primary candidate who strongly supported our president from Day 1.

He is attacking one opponent, Rep. Mo Brooks, for saying during the presidential campaign that Trump voters would come to regret backing the billionaire. Brooks supported Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) last year and blasted Trump as a serial adulterer.

Normally Brooks, a Tea Party, right-wing firebrand who is a vocal member of the House Freedom Caucus, could attack Strange, the states former attorney general, as an establishment Republican. But with Trump attacking Sessions, a leader of the states GOP establishment, Brooks is torn between supporting Sessions or Trump.

A private poll made public last week found Strange leading the race with 33 percent of the vote; another pro-Trump candidate, former judge Roy Moore, with 26 percent; and Brooks in last place with 16 percent.

Brooks has offered to drop out of the race if Sessions wants to resign his post and run for his old seat again. The primary will be held August 15, with a possible run-off in September.

In the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, the polarizing dynamic around Trump is different: Democrats are stigmatizing their GOP opponents as Trump acolytes.

Virginias Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, the Democrats nominee, is running an advertisement calling Trump a narcissistic maniac.

I stand by what I said, Northam said at a debate held earlier this month. I believe our president is a dangerous man. I think he lacks empathy. And he also has difficulty telling the truth, and it happens again and again."

The Republican candidate, former RNC chairman Ed Gillespie, who is roughly tied with Northam at 44 percent support in the polls, countered that the Democrats attack would make it more difficult to work with Trump on behalf of Virginia.

What are you going to do  call the White House, Please put me through to the narcissistic maniac? Gillespie quipped.

Gillespie has already been torched by Trump politics. Despite a big money advantage, he came within 1.2 percentage points of losing the GOP primary to Corey Stewart, a diehard Trump supporter who accused Gillespie of not being loyal to the president.

Gillespie didnt show up at a single Trump rally. Not one, Stewart railed against Gillespie in a primary debate. He also alleged that, after a tape of Trump speaking in crude terms about women was uncovered, Ed was one of the first Republicans in the country to kick him when he was down, to condemn him.

Now Gillespie needs to make sure Stewarts Trump-loving voters turn out for him in November. But he also has to appeal to moderates and independents in a state Clinton won by five points.

Meanwhile, Gillespie has refused to say if he supports Trump firing special prosecutor Robert Mueller. Gillespie said he is more focused on local issues in Virginia.

Trump is also a major factor in New Jerseys gubernatorial race. Clinton won New Jersey by 14 points.

The difficulties Republicans face in New Jersey are ratcheted up due to incumbent Gov. Chris Christies (R) rapid fall in the polls. Christie was also a strong, public voice for Trump.

Those factors are hurting Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the GOPs nominee.

A July Monmouth University poll found Democrat Phil Murphy leading Guadagno, 53 percent to 26 percent, with 14 percent undecided.

Guadagno has tried to distance herself from Trump. After the infamous tape where he was heard bragging about being able to grab women by their genitals, Guadagno broke with Christie and declared she would not vote for Trump.

No apology can excuse away Mr. Trumps reprehensible comments degrading women, Guadagno wrote on Twitter. Were raising my 3 boys to be better than that.

Democrat Murphy has turned his campaign into part of the Resist Trump movement. He promises that, with him as governor, New Jersey will be a state where we draw a line against Donald Trump.

Murphy, President Obamas ambassador to Germany has suggested there are parallels between Trumps rise and the rise of Adolf Hitler in 1920s Germany.

Im a modest student of German history, Murphy told voters at a town hall earlier this year. And I know what was being said about somebody else in the 1920s. And you could unfortunately drop in names from today into those observations from the 1920s.

Elections in odd-numbered years are often a harbinger of the following years midterm elections.

When Republicans Christie and Bob McDonnell won the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races in 2009, it foreshadowed the Tea Party wave election of 2010.

When Democrats Jon Corzine and Tim Kaine won those races in 2005, it foreshadowed the Democrats takeover of Congress in 2006.

Currently, Democrats hold a 48-39 percent lead over Republicans in the Real Clear Politics polling average when voters are presented with a generic choice for congressional elections.

As Virginia and New Jersey go, so goes the nation?


The good news: this summer, fuel will be loaded into the first of four nuclear plants, reactors that are the first of a new generation of technology. These advanced reactors are an engineering marvel, bringing simpler, safer, and more reliable clean energy to many places around the world. The plants are a triumph of American design.

The not-so-good news: the reactors are in Shandong and Zhejiang, provinces of China. Meanwhile four similar advanced reactors, in Georgia and South Carolina, struggle to reach completion due to serious cost overruns and construction delays.

What is at stake here is not just the health of the power grid in the southeastern United States, or the 12,000 jobs at the U.S. projects, but a demonstration of our ability to strengthen national security and solidify the United States role as an energy technology exporter.

However, we seem to be backing away, ceding the world market to Russia and China, for the technology we pioneered.

The United States must demonstrate its commitment to our national security by investing in the completion of domestic reactors. Anything less risks squandering our technology legacy, with a corresponding loss of commercial success and global influence.

In the last few months, China has signed nuclear deals with Sudan, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Argentina and Britain (Hinckley Point C, in southwest England). China is mining uranium in Namibia. It is building reactors in Pakistan and is negotiating with several other countries.

Russias export orders at the end of last year were $133 billion, and export revenues were $6.4 billion, up 20 percent from two years earlier. In 2015, Rosatom, the Russian federal agency that exports reactors and administers the former Soviet weapons complex, said it had orders for 34 nuclear power reactors in 13 countries, with a total value of more than $300 billion. Customers included India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Vietnam, Iran and Armenia, Hungary, Jordan and Egypt. It is also negotiating with Nigeria, Indonesia, and Argentina.

Unlike China and Russia, South Korea is a geo-political ally, but it is also a commercial rival. South Korea is building a complex of four reactors in the United Arab Emirates, the first of what could be a wave of new projects in that region. Those reactors are not the same advanced model being built in Georgia, South Carolina and China, but they, too, are derived from American designs.

Through the 1970s and 80s, the U.S. showed it could build reactors here and abroad, and in the following decades we showed we could operate them like clockwork, with increasing reliability and productivity. Now the U.S. must do everything it can to ensure that we dont lose the capability to build new nuclear plants in this country -- and around the world.

The Georgia and South Carolina projects, each a twin-reactor Westinghouse plant, are partly a product of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which included a production tax credit for new reactors, to encourage industry to invest in the next wave of nuclear plants in America. Utilities in Georgia and South Carolina took up the challenge. But they were hit with unforeseen complications.

Increased regulatory burdens, construction mismanagement, and changing sources of electricity generation have hampered our domestic nuclear revolution. Some of the construction problems were specific to the reactors but it takes time to reach technical maturity. This has been true whether one is building space ships, perfecting organ transplants or constructing the most advanced nuclear reactor.

What the nuclear projects need now is the same kind of steady policy support that China and Russia have demonstrated. The United States must demonstrate its commitment to our national security by investing in the completion of domestic reactors. Anything less risks squandering our technology legacy, with a corresponding loss of commercial success and global influence.

As Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross noted recently, A solution is needed that does reflect both everybodys economic interest and the national security interest.

Having a nuclear-power capability is obviously a matter of national security, he said.

Hes right, and we therefore need to ensure Americas nuclear energy capability remains the best in the world.
Editors note: The following column originally appeared in the Washington Times.

Fake news has become known for being a false story, gossip or even lies promulgated by the legacy media. We know what our news media establishment often delivers is nothing more than opinion masquerading as news. That in itself is a huge problem. Were all learning about how to recognize it and how seriously to take it, if at all.

But theres another attack on our freedom to receive real information that is even more insidious than the glut of news actors spewing gossip 24/7: the changing and controlling the language itself, while making sure journalists everywhere conform to a liberal and politically correct version of events. Certain words are banned, while others which are meant to influence readers ideologically, are promoted.

You dont need to go to George Orwell for this story, you just need to read the annual Associated Press guide called the Stylebook, which is ostensibly meant to help journalists with issues concerning basic things like punctuation, grammar and, yes, which words to use.

A red flag should shoot up for you when we consider a media entity directing other journalists on which words to use because, after all, word choice is an inherently personal decision, especially for writers. The left understands that he who controls definition controls the issues, and with political correctness they continue to weaponize language and communication.

Imagine, with the stroke of a pen there are no more illegal immigrants, or mass Muslim migration from the Middle East into Europe, only people struggling and seeking new lives...

In the case of the 2017 AP Stylebook, CNS News reports, journalists [are asked to] refrain from using terms like pro-life, migrant, refugee, Islamist and terrorist in their writing.

Consider this section from the Stylebook on immigration and migrants:

Migrants normally are people who move from place to place for temporary work or economic advantage. The term also may be used for those whose reason for leaving is not clear, or to cover people who may also be refugees or asylum-seekers, but other terms are strongly preferred: people struggling to enter Europe, Cubans seeking new lives in the United States, WJLA reported.

As you might imagine, the AP insists its goal is to make things clearer. Sure. At WJLA, a former AP standards editor insisted, We dont see APs news report as a tool for social engineering.  But if a suggestion will make our report fairer, more considerate or more balanced, were interested.

But lets be honest  this is nothing less than an effort to control the debate, and condition readers into believing, well, that the massive wave of economic migrants from the Middle East into Europe isnt an invasion or even illegal immigration, its people struggling to enter Europe, as though thats all thats happening.

This is the liberal worldview, of course, and has nothing to do with clarity. Quite the opposite, in fact. This is nothing more than a continuation of the liberal effort to control definition, control language and therefore control outcomes.

Imagine, with the stroke of a pen there are no more illegal immigrants, or mass Muslim migration from the Middle East into Europe, only people struggling and seeking new lives, is what were allowed to be told, ironically offering the exact value judgment the AP insists its working to eliminate.

Yet, words are used to define debate and the media has enjoyed decades of being able to do just that.

In a column at The Hill, Rachel Alexander made note of various political changes over the years in the Stylebook:

Use of anti-abortion instead of pro-life to describe those who are opposed to abortion. Rejection of Islamist as a synonym for Islamic fighters or extremists, on the basis that not all who view the Koran as a political model support violence. Referring to illegal immigration, but not saying illegal immigrants or undocumented. Describing those who dismiss the climate science consensus as climate change doubters. 

Ms. Alexander continued, Even when individual authors do not adhere to the bias of AP Style, it often doesnt matter. If they submit an article to a mainstream media outlet, they will likely see their words edited to conform. A pro-life author who submits a piece taking a position against abortion will see the words pro-life changed to anti-abortion, because the AP Stylebook instructs, Use anti-abortion instead of pro-life and pro-abortion rights instead of pro-abortion or pro-choice. It goes on, Avoid abortionist, saying the term connotes a person who performs clandestine abortions. 

Lets see if were clear here: When it comes to referring to activists involved with the abortion issue, AP tells reporters to not refer to them or their efforts as pro-life, which is how they refer to themselves. Yet, WJLA reported, In many cases, such as reporting on the LGBTQ community, the APs guidance encourages writers to use the term that people prefer to use to describe themselves.

Sure, no bias there at all.

During the past decade, the internet has been a revelation for consumers of news. We are learning how far the legacy media is willing to go to manipulate and mislead the audience. It takes active reading and listening, but we can now discern the difference between gossip, lies and actual news.

We have an equally important mission of remembering that words, context and truth matter. And just because everyone in media might be saying the same thing, that doesnt make it true, it may just be a testament to the power of so-called journalists conforming to a stylebook.
With health care costs spiraling out of control and Congress grappling with the best way to reform our health care system, theres a little something they should know about my cat.

Several years ago, Smokey, an orange tabby of seemingly unlimited courage and extraordinary compassion, was stricken by kidney cancer. The veterinarian at nearby Angel Memorial Hospital in Boston  one of the best veterinary centers in the country  told me that Smokey would surely die unless he had the cancerous kidney removed.

Saving Smokeys life would require surgery, followed by a stay in the intensive care unit with intravenous antibiotics.

My children were 7 and 10 at that time and loved Smokey very much. And Smokey had been my friend for a decade. He had literally attacked my friends Doberman Pinscher when it barked at me, sending the dog whimpering away.

I decided to go forward with the surgery, despite the risks and despite the veterinarian telling me the treatment would be very costly.

Smokey came through the surgery just fine, but then complications set in. He was bleeding internally, and needed several transfusions and more aggressive monitoring. And, needless to say, that meant the bill for his care would increase beyond the initial estimate.

Our health care system is broken because the consumers of health care are generally not the payers  insurance companies are. The problem isnt that there is too little health insurance; its that there is too much.

I couldnt say no. Then Smokeys lungs began to fill with fluid, because he had received so many transfusions. The only option was to infuse several units of packed red blood cells and devote special nursing resources to Smokey, costing even more.

I was already deep into the healing journey. My children were praying for their beloved pet. So I said yes to the rising costs yet again.

In the end, Smokey survived and thrived, but only after the initial surgery, many transfusions, IV antibiotics, custom blood products flown in from Maryland, 11 days in intensive care and special nursing attention.

The bill was $7,200.

Now, that sounds like a lot to spend on a cat (and it is), but I had it and I was willing to spend it to save Smokey.

But heres the question: Why would it cost $50,000 to $100,000 or more for the same care  surgery, antibiotics, transfusions, intensive care treatment and the rest  rendered to a human?

I believe the answer is that my cat had no health insurance. The hospital could only charge what it thought someone might actually pay. The marketplace was functioning and keeping prices at least somewhat rational.

Our health care system is broken because the consumers of health care are generally not the payers  insurance companies are. The problem isnt that there is too little health insurance; its that there is too much. In a way, it would be better if insurers paid consumers directly (and somewhat less) for their documented health care needs and then let those consumers negotiate pricing with hospitals and other providers.

An expansion in the use of health savings accounts would also be in the same spirit. Competition for health care dollars controlled by consumers would ensue, and prices would plummet.

Bottom line: Smokey was saved from cancer. The fact that he ended up healthy, for a little over $7,000, proves our health care delivery system in sick.
How long Trumpism, good or bad, lasts beyond Donald Trump is a question the political right and conservatives are going to be grappling with for the next four to eight years and beyond.

Theres no doubt that President Trumps firebrand populism captured the attention of a good chunk of the nation on the right, but so has his instability in the White House and on Twitter. More than six months in, little has been accomplished beyond the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, minor executive orders and almost daily fights with mainstream media.

Yet the attraction of some to celebrity outsider candidates persists. There is perhaps no bigger sign of this than the online rights recent flirtation with Robert Richie (aka country and rap-rock star Kid Rock). The 46-year-old Kid has teased a run in 2018 to represent Michigan in the U.S. Senate, launching a Kid Rock for Senate website that doesnt offer much beyond merchandising. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, an establishment Democrat, has held the seat for 16 years.

The same thinkers on the right who lament President Trumps daily tweets are willing to at least entertain the idea of a Senate candidate like Kid Rock basing his entire would-be gimmick candidacy on retweets and his name trending on Twitter.

What started as an advertising ploy has developed into Kid Rock filing for tax exemption for a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization with the goal of registering voters (a good thing!), particularly at his concerts. But this all still feels like a honey trap for members of the political right, who keep insisting their pop culture celebrity base can be just as formidable and relevant as the one we saw swell under Barack Obama.

Members of the media who regularly use their Twitter feeds as their own personal "Daily Show" snark are elevating Kid Rock, while giggling to themselves at the very thought, somehow forgetting that Donald Trumps flirtation with the presidency started this exact same way.

The question shouldnt be can the middle-age Kid win with faux celebrity populism, as President Trump did. Kid Rock can hit all the right notes with pictures of home-cooked meals on Twitter and a pop image catering to The forgotten man.

The question should be: can Kid Rock govern? Do we know Kid Rocks positions on abortion, eminent domain, civil forfeiture, tax reform, health care, immigration and national security? Or have those on the right who claim to know better decided that none of that matters anymore?

Brandon Finnigan, the founder and director of Decision Desk HQ, a reliable election prognosticator, gives Kid Rock a 50-50 chance of unseating Stabenow, citing factors such as name recognition, money, oddball candidate, midterm electorate. The parallels with President Trump are certainly there, including the likely underestimation by Democrats of an unconventional but well-known candidate.

But just like President Trump, Kid Rock is not a conservative as much as he is a celebrity cashing in on the passions of conservatives. Hes a friend of rocker and conservative firebrand Ted Nugent. Hes a friend of President Trump. And in todays GOP that may just be enough.

The desire by conservatives to feel relevant in contemporary culture has always been tempting. As more and more institutions in our culture  like Hollywood and academia  attempt to freeze conservatives out of the debate, some understandably feel the need for the blessing of already established voices. Unfortunately, this need can overwhelm those who should know better.

This past May a former colleague of mine at National Review, David French, whom I greatly respect more than I have enough space to write here, wrote the cover story about actor and former pro wrestler Dwayne The Rock Johnson as the celebrity we need now, both in culture and in perhaps politics.

Johnson is also enjoying a celebrity honeymoon based on an image, reminiscent of the 1980s hyper-patriotism of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is all buoyed by Johnsons offhanded flirtations in interviews about possibly pursuing the presidency in 2020 or 2024. Do we know what he stands for? Does he have an in-depth grasp of the issues at hand in a world growing ever more dangerous? Who cares! Of course he does! Hes The Rock!

Other conservative media outlets and thinkers have mused about the idea of a third President Johnson (with bigger biceps than Andrew or Lyndon) in 2020. And lets face it, in the wreckage of what social media can be, social media are perfect to indulge such fantasies of a Rock State of the Union speech right out of a scene from the film Idiocracy.

The same people who warned us about the pitfalls of a celebrity culture bleeding into politics as they watched President Obama hobnob with the star-studded Hollywood elite for eight years are falling prey to the inevitability of todays celebrities entering the political arena. Will they support a President Rock (Johnson, not Kid), President Kanye West, President George Clooney, Senator Kim Kardashian and Senator Kid Rock?

Those who embrace such well-known political novices reject the very concerns many had a year ago about whether a President Trump could possibly lead the Republican Party and the country.

Also exploring a run for the Republican nomination for Stabenows seat in Michigan is former Army Ranger and Detroit businessman John James. Just last week he released a slick, well-edited video articulating the importance of family, liberty, thriving small businesses and conservative values.

James is not a celebrity entertainer. He is the kind of candidate who just a short time ago would be a proverbial political rock star on the right and have Democrats shaking with fear. His only drawback appears to be that he doesnt have a T-shirt shop sponsored by Warner Bros.

There may come a time when our politics is completely engulfed into a culture of celebrity and the race for the White House just becomes another episode of American Idol. But as long as there are candidates like James out there, Im willing to resist the delusions of grandeur over political televangelists and entertainers from either party.
Sen. Lindsey Graham tells Fox News the Republicans deserve to be politically horsewhipped if they don't try again to repeal and replace ObamaCare -- and on Monday he revealed details of his new plan.

Despite rocky results in the Senate last week, Graham, R-S.C., is urging the Senate to continuing working on alternatives.

Speaking to Dana Perino on The Story with Martha MacCallum on Monday night, Graham advocated for his own alternative: a plan that he has assembled with Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy.

Under the Graham-Cassidy plan, federal dollars spent on Obamacare would be block-granted to states. Additionally, the individual and employer mandate would be repealed; requirements that health insurers would cover pre-existing conditions would be kept; and the ObamaCare medical device tax would be cut. Other ObamaCare taxes would remain.

TRUMP TARGETS CONGRESS MEMBERS' OWN HEALTH PLANS AFTER OBAMACARE REPEAL FALLS FLAT

I am, like, 1,000 percent with Donald Trump on this, Graham said. We should be politically horsewhipped if we dont try again. The best idea we havent even brought up. Take all the money under ObamaCare and block-grant it back to the states, he said.

That ends single-payer health care. The government closest to the people is the best government. The health care closest to the people is the best health care. We had Republican governors up in the White House today we look to Washington to fix ObamaCare, we shouldve looked to the governors.

Im excited about Graham-Cassidy, which empowers governors, Graham said. Four states under ObamaCare get 40 percent of the money: New York, California, Massachusetts and Maryland. My goal is to make sure that if you live in South Carolina you get the same amount of money from the federal government as you would if you lived in California with more flexibility. Itll put Democrats in a box. It will make health care more accessible to you. If you dont like whats going on, you complain to your governor or your statehouse guy, rather than a bureaucrat in Washington. Im so excited about this. Mr. President, dont let us quit! Make us keep trying. I think we can pass this bill to block grant the money back to the states.

Whether Grahams legislation would make it to a vote wasnt exactly clear but the senator said he remained hopeful.

SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL: REPUBLICANS RELEASE DRAFT OF NEW PLAN

If we took a really principled position on health care, that we should send the money back home, closest to the patient, and had hearings and votes in the normal course of business, then we could get this done, Graham said.

West Virginia, under my approach, gets 43 percent more money than under ObamaCare with more flexibility, he explained. So the bottom line is, by 2026, we want to make sure that every state gets the same block granting. And Mr. President, you make sure that we try this before we say we failed. We havent even begun to fight yet.

Asked to discuss a recent White House shake-up that saw Anthony Scaramucci ousted as the White House Communications Director on Monday, Graham deflected. None of this matters if were successful, he said. If we fail on health care I dont care who he hires.

A couple of Democratic proposals for health care changes have emerged.

Under one by Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Tom Carper of Delaware, the federal government would help pay larger than expected claims for insurers providing coverage on the federal and state online marketplaces established by Obama's law.

Another by Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri would let people in counties where no insurers offer policies on exchanges buy the same coverage that members of Congress purchase. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimated last week that exchanges would offer no coverage next year in 40 of the country's roughly 3,000 counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump is getting a new director of the FBI after the Senate confirmed his choice of Christopher Wray to take over the bureau on Tuesday.

The Senate voted 92 to 5 to approve Wrays nomination.

The good work of the FBI has been overshadowed recently by controversies, but I hope this confirmation turns the page and begins a new, shining chapter for our nations leading law enforcement agency, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said after the vote.

Trump announced his selection of Wray to lead the FBI in early July after abruptly firing FBI Director James Comey in May.

Comey was fired by the president amid tensions over the Russia investigation. During his confirmation hearing, Wray testified that he'd conduct his job "without regard to any partisan political influence."

I believe to my core that theres only one right way to do this job, Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee. And that is with strict independence. By the book. Playing it straight. Faithful to the Constitution."

WRAY VOWS 'STRICT INDEPENDENCE' IN CONFIRMATION HEARING

During Tuesday's vote before the full Senate, all five nay votes came from liberal Democrats: Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

In his public and private statements, Chris Wray failed to oppose government backdoors into Americans personal devices, or to acknowledge the facts about encryption, Wyden said in a statement explaining his opposition.

Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved Wrays nomination and was praised by Republicans and Democrats alike.



Wray has worked on white-collar crime and regulatory cases as a partner at the King & Spalding law firm. From May 2001 to May 2005, he held various high-ranking positions in the Justice Department, rising to the head of the criminal division in September 2003. He also served as principal associate deputy attorney general.

He was a federal prosecutor in the U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of Georgia from May 1997 to May 2001.

Wray had represented New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the so-called Bridgegate scandal.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it is waiving certain environmental laws to expedite border construction projects, as President Trump keeps pushing for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The waiver covers 15 miles on the border by San Diego, the department said, in an area where DHS wants to bolster existing barriers. The stretch starts at the Pacific Ocean and extends eastward.

The sector remains an area of high illegal entry for which there is an immediate need to improve current infrastructure and construct additional border barriers and roads, the department said in a statement. To begin to meet the need for additional border infrastructure in this area, DHS will implement various border infrastructure projects.

DHS said the United States Border Patrol apprehended more than 31,000 illegal immigrants and seized 9,167 pounds of marijuana and 1,317 pounds of cocaine in the San Diego area during fiscal 2016.

Tuesday's announcement represents one border-barrier expansion project going forward, as the administration still seeks funding for the kind of full-fledged wall Trump promised during the campaign.

The department said it has authority from the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to issue waivers to environmental, natural resource and land management laws. It issued such waivers five times during former President George W. Bushs administration between 2005 and 2008.

The department said it has been coordinating and consulting with federal and state agencies to ensure impacts to the environment, wildlife, and cultural and historic artifacts are analyzed and minimized, to the extent possible.

While the waiver eliminates DHSs obligation to comply with various laws with respect to covered projects, the department remains committed to environmental stewardship with respect to these projects, it said Tuesday.

During a rally in Ohio last week, Trump vowed to follow through on building a wall, as he did during the presidential campaign. At one point, the crowd began to chant build that wall.

Dont even think about it, he said. We will build the wall.

TRUMP VOWS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON BORDER WALL PROMISE DURING CAMPAIGN RALLY

Last week, the House of Representatives passed a spending bill that includes $1.6 billion for construction of Trumps wall. The measure is expected to meet resistance from Democrats in the Senate.

Meanwhile, DHS said it is working to immediately plan, design and construct a physical wall along the southern border, using appropriate materials and technology to most effectively achieve complete operational control of the southern border.
The House Ethics Committee said Tuesday it had cleared the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee of wrongdoing tied to last years House floor sit-in over firearms.

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) had argued New Mexico Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, who leads the campaign arm dedicated to getting Democrats elected to the House, broke House rules by asking people to donate money during the 26-hour sit-in.

But the Ethics Committee determined that Lujan didnt use any government resources for campaign purposes or use the House floor as a campaign forum.

However, the Ethics Committee did find that a Lujan political operative used an image of the sit-in from the House floor for a campaign ad. The Ethics Committee declared the instance was an inadvertent, technical violation of House rules.

The House bars using official resources on the floor for campaign purposes.

Members are ultimately responsible for actions taken in their name that they delegate to third parties, the Ethics Committee said. Thus, Members should take reasonable steps to ensure that their campaign committees or consultants comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

In June of last year, Democrats shut down the House's legislative work by staging a sit-in on the House floor and refusing to leave until they secured a vote on gun control measures before lawmakers' weeklong break.

More than 200 Democrats led by Georgia Rep. John Lewis demanded a vote on measures to expand background checks and block gun purchases by some suspected terrorists in the aftermath of the massacre in Orlando, Florida that killed 49 people in a gay nightclub.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS STAGE SIT-IN PROTEST IN DISPUTE OVER GUN CONTROL

FACT made the original complaint about Lujan to the outside, quasi-official Office of Congressional Ethics, or OCE. The OCE ultimately passed the complaint along to the formal Ethics Committee.

One of the issues in the complaint was whether Lujan sent out emails advocating campaign action on guns from the House floor. But the Ethics Committee could not determine if he was actually on the floor when the emails were sent.

Lujans office had called the complaint against the congressman politically motivated.

On Tuesday, the House Ethics Committee also said it dropped an ethics inquiry filed against Texas Republican Rep. Roger Williams.

The Ethics panel probed whether Williams, a car dealer, had a conflict of interest in offering an amendment two years ago to help the car dealer industry.

The Ethics Committee ruled the amendment did not present an inference of improper conduct. It said that Williams properly identified himself as an auto dealer when speaking about the amendment on the House floor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has weighed in on North Koreas ballistic missile tests and has a message for dictator Kim Jong-Un  Its not you, its us.

In a series of media appearances, Stein has come to the defense of the rogue nation insisting they are victims of American propaganda and have been cornered into pursuing a nuclear weapons program.

The demonization of North Korea is part of the run-up to regime change. Its part of demonizing a government that we then want to exercise regime change on, Stein said Sunday in an interview on MSNBC.

Taken aback by Steins defense of Kim Jong-Uns aggression, host Alex Witt pointed out it was Pyongyang that had been launching nuclear tests. Stein quickly countered that they were only doing so because the U.S. had nukes first.

"Long before they began their missile tests the U.S. was conducting nuclear bombing runs against North Korea. We actually had nuclear weapons until the end of the Cold War. We actually had nuclear weapons stationed in South Korea, Stein said.

So this is very frightening to them, she said, adding that they've been basically cornered into feeling like they have to develop a nuclear weapon.

In a Tuesday interview on the liberal radio show Democracy Now, Stein asserted it was understandable that North Korea has felt they need to develop a nuclear weapon to stand a chance against Western nuclear powers.

North Korea has [conducted missile tests] in the setting where the U.S. has been doing nuclear bomb mock runs, mock attacks with nuclear weapons for decades and we have a policy of first strike, Stein said.

Perhaps even more unexpected was Steins defense of Russia against charges it tried to meddle in the 2016 elections.

Regarding claims the Russians were behind the hack of the DNC and Clinton campaign, Stein echoed some of President Trump's past comments.

The evidence is not definitive, its circumstantial, she said.

Further, she argued additional sanctions would "play into Russias hand" by allowing Vladimir Putin to play the role of "protector against the evil United States."

Sanctions are not the solutions to protecting our elections system, added the 2016 Green Party candidate, whose own connections to Russia have raised questions.

Stein was one of only a few Americans to attend a gala celebrating the 10th anniversary of RT, the Russian-backed television channel.

The other American in attendance? Gen. Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security adviser who resigned over his alleged ties to Russia.

Responding to criticism on social media, Stein did not back down.

"Both war profiteer parties are screaming that supporting diplomacy is treason. It was the same during the run-up to attacking Iraq & Libya," she tweeted
EXCLUSIVE: Defense Department investigators have discovered potential security risks in a Pentagon program that has enrolled more than 10,000 foreign-born individuals into the U.S. armed forces since 2009, Fox News has learned exclusively, with sources on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon expressing alarm over foreign infiltration and enrollees now unaccounted for.

After more than a year of investigation, the Pentagons inspector general recently issued a report  its contents still classified but its existence disclosed here for the first time  identifying serious problems with Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI), a DOD program that provides immigrants and non-immigrant aliens with an expedited path to citizenship in exchange for military service.

Defense Department officials said the program is still active but acknowledged that new applications have been suspended.

Created in the final weeks of the Bush-Cheney administration and launched under then-President Barack Obama, MAVNI was designed to recruit individuals with foreign-language and other skills the Pentagon deems useful and in short supply. The program has had many success stories  most notably the Armys Soldier of the Year in 2012, Sgt. Saral Shrestha, originally of Nepal  and independent analyses have found MAVNI recruits out-perform non-MAVNI soldiers in critical areas.

Yet concern over management of the program has grown over recent months.

'The program has been replete with problems, to include foreign infiltration.'  Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla.

The lack of discipline in implementation of this program has created problems elsewhere, said Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla., a retired Army officer who sits on the House Armed Services subcommittee on military personnel. It was Russell who first publicly sounded alarms. During the markup of the latest defense authorization bill, on June 28, Russell noted: The program has been replete with problems, to include foreign infiltration  so much so that the Department of Defense is seeking to suspend the program due to those concerns.

Another lawmaker, whose committee does not enjoy jurisdiction over MAVNI  but whose panel could well come to focus on these problems, depending on their severity  told Fox News that the program had been compromised and that DOD officials have not presented answers to his questions about missing enrollees: Where are they? What do they know? Where are they serving? What are their numbers?

Contacted by Fox News, Army Lt. Col. Paul Haverstick, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement: "The Department of Defense is conducting a review of the MAVNI pilot program due to potential security risks associated with the program. Beyond that, however, Haverstick declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

Defense Secretary James Mattis, whom sources said had developed his own concerns about MAVNI, was named as the sole defendant in a lawsuit filed in February by seven foreign-born MAVNI enrollees. The lawsuit alleged that a decision by top brass in September to tighten up access to security clearances issued through MAVNI had had the effect of crippling their military careers.

Sources said MAVNIs problems included a vetting backlog that led to enrollment of many soldiers prior to completion of their background checks, and an attendant drift in the programs criteria, with MAVNI being used as a vehicle for the hiring of workers  like cooks, drivers and mechanics  who did not possess the specialized skills the program was created to exploit.

The title of the inspector generals classified report  Evaluation of Military Services' Compliance with Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest Program Security Reviews and Monitoring Programs  hints at the problems, with its references to security reviews and monitoring of enrolled individuals.

Some lawmakers have received classified briefings on the matter. Sources said some of the countries of origin for MAVNI enrollees are of concern, but as of yet there is no evidence in the public domain that ISIS, Al Qaeda, or any other terrorist groups have penetrated the MAVNI program. Still, such a development remains an active concern.

ISIS has always had desire to use migration as way to penetrate into countries, said retired U.S. Army General Jack Keane, a Fox News military analyst. They have done that successfully in Europe because of open borders, mass immigration with no vetting. In the U.S., we haven't had any record of their penetration. And certainly if this program is compromised and there's a possibility of that kind of penetration, it's got to be thoroughly investigated.

Fox News Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
The media may be awash in stories describing the White House as being in chaos  especially with a communications director who lasted 11 days  but President Trump has a drastically different view:

Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos!

But there have obviously been enough White House difficulties that Trump has brought in John Kelly while bidding farewell to Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer  and Kelly abruptly dropped Anthony Scaramucci as communications director yesterday. Scaramucci was a fierce Trump loyalist, and while he did himself some damage last week, this was a case of the general taking charge and wanting to build his own team.

The staff shuffles have spawned some media analysis about how much connection the president still has to the Republican Party.

And I would argue he didnt have much to begin with.

The Wall Street Journal says Trumps tumultuous past week has widened rifts in his party between those who vocally support the presidents combative style and others who bridle at it.

Fair enough. Trump recently tweeted that Senate Republicans look like fools and are wasting time by not abolishing the filibuster so they can more easily replace ObamaCare after several health care bills went down. And many staunch conservatives resent his public denigration of Jeff Sessions.

Politico goes a step further by declaring: Without Priebus, Trump Is a Man Without a Party.

Priebus ran the RNC and Spicer was its top spokesman, so they had deep party connections.

By contrast, says Politico, Kelly, the retired general, is not a political figure and is not known to hold strong political or ideological inclinations. Scaramucci is a political novice who in the past donated to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Steve Bannon used Brietbart to try and burn the Republican Party to the ground. Gary Cohn is a lifelong Democrat, and Hope Hicks had no political background. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were Manhattan progressives Only Mike Pence has any association with the Republican Party.

Actually, this roster leaves out Kellyanne Conway, whos been a well-connected GOP pollster for decades.

The story goes on to argue that Trump often refers to Republicans as they and might feel even more liberated after ousting Priebus.

I dont think Donald Trump needs to feel liberated. Ive always viewed him as an independent president who happened to run on the Republican ticket.

Has anyone forgotten how hard Trump ran at the GOP establishment, and how hard it tried to stop him? Jeb, Marco, Ted, Kasich all failed, and Trump essentially completed a hostile takeover of the Republican Party.

Has anyone forgotten how the real estate mogul, who gave plenty to Democrats over the years, broke with GOP orthodoxy on key issues? He went left on Social Security and Medicare, repeatedly vowing not to touch the programs, and right on trade and immigration, taking a harder line than traditional Republicans.

That, in my view, is why Trump won: He had a certain crossover appeal. I suggested during the campaign that he could create a new class of Donald Democrats, and indeed, he won over 8 million Obama voters and carried key Rust Belt states.

The tapping of a general could help Trump run a tighter ship. But he was always a president who was going to take on both parties with his swamp-draining crusade.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders slammed the press corps on Tuesday over what she described as their "obsession" with the "false narrative" on Russia -- while addressing a new Washington Post report regarding Donald Trump Jr.'s 2016 meeting with a Kremlin-linked attorney.

The Post story said President Trump dictated Donald Trump Jr.s statement to the press regarding his controversial June 9, 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and associates.

That initial statement in June said Trump Jr. and the lawyer mostly discussed a program concerning the adoption of Russian children. It later emerged, however, that Trump Jr. had been told in advance the lawyer could have dirt on then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Sanders on Tuesday defended Donald Trump Jr.'s initial statement as "true" with "no inaccuracy."

Further, she said the president "did not dictate" the words -- but acknowledged he weighed in and offered "suggestions" for the statement.

"The president weighed in, like any father would, based on the limited information he had," she said at Tuesday's briefing.

Trumps outside legal counsel, Jay Sekulow, also said that the presidents involvement in crafting the statement was of no consequence and that the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate and not pertinent.

Sanders rejected claims that the initial statement was misleading and sought to shift the spotlight to Democrats and the media.

The only thing that is misleading is a year's worth of stories about Russia that have been fueling a false narrative, she said, accusing Democrats of using the issue as a "PR stunt" and "doing everything they can to keep this alive."

MYSTERY SOLVED: TIMELINE SHOWS HOW RUSSIAN LAWYER GOT INTO THE US FOR TRUMP JR. MEETING

Sanders, as she has before, drew attention to the Clintons' ties to Russia and suggested they should face similar scrutiny.

If you want to talk about a relationship with Russia, look no further than the Clintons, Sanders said, noting that former President Bill Clinton was paid half a million dollars for a speech in Moscow.

Sanders also slammed the company Fusion GPS for its role in creating the phony anti-Trump dossier, which contained crude claims that fueled the Russia-Trump controversy.

The press is trying to create a narrative that doesnt exist, Sanders said.

She added, Fusion GPS took money from the Russian government, referring to last weeks testimony by a key witness who claimed Fusion GPS worked on behalf of the Russian government and Natalia Veselnitskaya on a separate front to fight U.S. sanctions that had enraged Moscows elite.

FIRM BEHIND ANTI-TRUMP DOSSIER ALSO WORKED FOR RUSSIA, SENATE WITNESS SAYS

Bill Browder, the CEO and co-founder of Hermitage Capital, testified that Veselnitskaya orchestrated a Fusion GPS-run smear campaign against him for pushing a law that brought sanctions against Russian oligarchs suspected of money laundering called The Magnitsky Act.

Fusion GPS denied Browders claims and said they are cooperating with Congress.

RUSSIA PROBE: DEMOCRATS BLOCK KEY WITNESS AGAINST SHADOWY FIRM FUSION GPS

The president tweeted over the weekend in reference to the testimony: "In other words, Russia was against Trump in the 2016 Election - and why not, I want strong military & low oil prices. Witch Hunt!"
A senior Arizona congressman is calling on Robert Mueller, special counsel for the Justice Departments investigation into Russias election meddling, to resign.

Rep. Trent Franks, a Republican who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement Tuesday that Mueller is in violation of the law that prohibits Mueller from serving as a special counsel if he has a conflict of interest.

Mueller and former FBI Director James Comey have been longtime allies dating back to 2003 when the men both worked in Washington, Mueller as the FBI Director and Comey as Deputy Attorney General. Franks cited the pairs relationship as a reason for Mueller to be disqualified from the probe.

Bob Mueller is in clear violation of federal code and must resign to maintain the integrity of the investigation into alleged Russian ties, Franks said. Those who worked under them have attested he and Jim Comey possess a close friendship, and they have delivered on-the-record statements effusing praise of one another.

President Trump had also called Muellers relationship with Comey bothersome.

Franks also cited reports that Mueller hired at least three lawyers who have donated exclusive to Hillary Clinton as well as a bevy of other Democrats.

Until Mueller resigns, he will be in clear violation of the law, a reality that fundamentally undermines his role as Special Counsel and attending ability to execute the law, Franks said.




IN-09 stretches from the suburbs north of Louisville and The Ohio River-- New Albany, Clarksville, Jeffersonville-- north through Bloomington and Martinsville and into the suburbs south of Indianapolis like Greenwood, Needham and New Whiteland. There are 13 counties in the district, although most of the votes come out of Johnson (south of Indianapolis), Clark (across from Louisville) and Monroe (Bloomington). Before the 2010 gerrymander, it was a swing district that would regularly replace Republicans with Democrats and Democrats with Republicans. The Republican legislature redrew the district to make it far more difficult for Democrats to win. Baron Hill, a Republican-lite Blue Dog, was elected in 1998, lost in 2004, won again in 2006 and lost in 2010. It's been a GOP bastion since then.





McCain beat Obama in 2008 by about 20,000 votes-- 53-46% and then Romney beat him by about 50,000 votes 4 years later-- 57-41%. Last year Hillary got wiped out by Senor Trumpanzee-- 61-34%. Local Democrats do better than the national ones. In 2008 Baron Hill was reelected 181,281 (57.8%) to 120,529 (38.4%). In 2012 Democrat Shelli Yoder lost to Republican incumbent Todd Young 165,332 (55.4%) to 132,848 (44.6%) and last year Yoder tried again and ran considerably ahead of Clinton, still losing 54.1% to 40.5%.





Hillary was the wrong candidate for IN-09. Trump won every county but Monroe in the general. Earlier, Bernie beat her decisively in Monroe--15,166 (65.3%) to 8,063 (34.7%). Bernie also beat Trump decisively in Monroe that day-- 15,166 to 4,412. In fact Bernie took almost double what all the Republicans took in Monroe combined. Bernie also beat Hillary in Johnson, Brown, Lawrence, Morgan and Orange counties.





Local Democrats are determined to make sure IN-09 is competitive and next year Berniecrat Dan Canon , a prominent civil rights attorney, is vying for the nomination with university instructor Tom Pappas (another progressive) and two centrists, orthodontist Tod Curtis and DCCC recruit, a DC establishment attorney they dropped into the district last month for the race, Liz Watson. At Blue America we're excited about the prospect of Dan Canon taking on Republican rubber-stamp Trey Hollingsworth and we asked him to introduce himself with a guest post.









Honesty Is The Best Politics

-by Dan Canon









On the other hand, I'm not proud of everything I've ever done, written, or said. I've had a real life. I dropped out of high school. I got married, divorced, and remarried. But when I decided to run for Congress here in my home state of Indiana, I wasn't thinking "how do I sweep my entire past, my entire career, everything I care about, under the rug?" or even "how can I make this look as perfect and polished as possible?"





A recurring theme that comes up talking to political strategists trying to figure out ways to be both authentic and inauthentic. Be yourself, but don't talk about progressive stuff. Make a genuine connection with people, but obscure what you believe in. Let people know who you are, but don't ever tell them you did that. A political neophyte, I have not been fully indoctrinated into this way of thinking. I'm trying to resist it. So far, it's working.





So of course, the question that comes up time and time again is: how in the hell are you going to win? I'm a progressive in a red state. In a state that went overwhelmingly for Donald Trump. In rural America. Sure, it's a swing district. But don't you have to play the safe, milquetoast centrist to win?





There's a fluid strategy involved in winning a race; a strategy which will surely change at least 100 times between now and November of 2018. But for now, I can tell how we will not win. Progressive politicians won't win in the heartland by running from tough conversations, or by betraying our principles, or by pretending to be something we are not.





In a nutshell, we'll win by being honest. That sounds simplistic-- naive, even. But I believe it. I've lived in my district for more than 30 years. People in Indiana know when you're hiding something, and they don't like it. We need to know that we can trust an elected representative, and I intend to demonstrate that I can be trusted. I'm going to knock on lots of doors, and have lots of tough conversations. I'm going to show up whenever, wherever, however I can.





Beyond the visceral response provoked by honesty (or dishonesty), there's a perfectly practical reason to be as authentic as possible. It seems self-evident that we will never win an election on principles and policies if we can never convince anyone that our principles and policies are good. Until recently, we haven't even tried. The enormous success of Bernie Sanders (a self-proclaimed socialist who makes no effort to hide it) and Donald Trump (an unhinged fascist who makes no effort to hide it), should have been a wakeup call. People want something different. People want something real. And people want a bold way forward-- or maybe even backward, just so long as we are forging a path in some direction.





And yet, even after 2016, conventional beltway-insider wisdom suggests that we should run tepid, safe, opaque campaigns in order to try to please all the voters all the time. It doesn't work. We know it doesn't work. Why do we still do it?





No one agrees on everything. Acknowledging that up front goes a long way. The people I grew up with value honesty, integrity, and authenticity more than they care about specific policy points. I suspect this has always been true, but our political machines create political robots. And the Democratic robots this machine wants to make are ones that surgically avoid hot-button issues - even issues so commonsense as renewable energy, livable wages, fair taxation, or universal healthcare. The Republican robots, on the other hand, have boldly and successfully led working-class people to believe that they should sacrifice those things so that the rich may become infinitely richer. And so we persistently slide further to the right, the yawning chasm between the rich and the poor growing ever wider because no one is brave enough to talk about closing it.





We have to do better than that. Even if it means we lose an election or two along the way, we have to take control of the conversation. We have to provide a way forward, we have to say that we are right, and we have to believe it. We won't win in the short run, and we cannot possibly win in the long run, if we don't.




Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he warned his Russian counterpart relations between the United States and Russia could worsen, and they just did.

Russias intent to expel 755 U.S. diplomats and seizure of two U.S. properties in Russia has put relations between the two countries under considerable stress, said Tillerson at a Tuesday press conference at the State Department.

Russia announced the diplomatic measures Friday after the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly approved sanctions legislation that targets Russia, Iran and North Korea. The bill requires congressional approval, or Russia to meet conditions, before the administration could lift sanctions against Russia. Tillerson argued that limited his flexibility in negotiations with the Russia government.

Neither the president nor I were very happy about that, said Tillerson. We were clear we didnt think it was going to be helpful to our efforts, but thats the decision they made in a very overwhelming way. I think the president respects that, and all indications are he will sign that bill.

COMEY'S REPLACEMENT: WRAY CONFIRMED TO RUN FBI

Tillerson said he has already spoken to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, describing the conversation as professional. He noted he plans to meet with Lavrov this weekend at diplomatic meetings in Manila.

The Russian government mandated U.S. diplomats clear out of two Russian properties by Tuesday.

The U.S. Embassy was able to access its recreational facility this morning, according to a State Department official. We removed the remaining furniture, kitchen and BBQ items, and the playground set. We also removed all items from the Embassy warehouse.

SANDERS BLASTS 'FALSE NARRATIVE' ON RUSSIA

The U.S. has until September 1 to reduce its diplomatic staff by 755, the Russian government announced.

In December, the Obama administration seized two Russian government compounds  in New York and Maryland  and ejected 35 Russian diplomats for interfering in the U.S. election, spying and harassment of U.S. diplomats.

In regular negotiations with the U.S., Russian officials have requested the government return their access to the two compounds. The Trump administration continues to prohibit their access to those properties.
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is coming under mounting pressure to explain why she kept an IT aide on the payroll for months after a criminal investigation was revealed, facing calls from Republicans to testify as well as a newly filed ethics complaint.

Wasserman Schultz, the Florida congresswoman who led the Democratic National Committee until last year, terminated Imran Awans part-time employment last week, when he was arrested at Dulles International Airport trying to fly to Pakistan. He was charged with a bank fraud count.

But he and other former IT aides for House Democrats have been on investigators radar screen for months over concerns about possible double-billing, alleged equipment theft and access to sensitive computer systems. Most lawmakers fired Awan in March, but Schultz kept him on, though he was barred from the House IT network.

LAWYER FOR EX-IT AIDE: FRAUD COUNT COULD BE PLACEHOLDER FOR MORE CHARGES

"I think she should testify, Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told conservative radio host Dana Loesch on Monday. If I had a staff member, an IT staff member, who had access to all of our data and all of our infrastructure and he had come under investigation  you better believe I would be cooperating.

Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., also indicated support on Monday for Schultz testifying, though no such hearing has been formally called at this point.

We have to investigate how our systems may have been compromised, and that may involve putting people in the [witness] chair, he told Fox & Friends.

'There is something quite amiss as to why Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz continued to use taxpayer funds to employ former technology staff member, Imran Awan, even months after he was barred from accessing the Houses computer systems ...'  Matthew G. Whitaker, former US attorney and director of FACT

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said last week there should be a thorough investigation on the issue.

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), run by former U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker (a George W. Bush appointee), also filed a complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics on Monday. The complaint urged an investigation, questioning why Schultz kept paying Awan after he was barred from the House computer system, noting Members are directly responsible for ensuring their staff are only paid for official public work.

There is something quite amiss as to why Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz continued to use taxpayer funds to employ former technology staff member, Imran Awan, even months after he was barred from accessing the Houses computer systems and a number of her colleagues severed ties with Awan, Whitaker said in a statement.

Wasserman Schultz spokesman David Damron pushed back on the complaints claims, saying their office worked with the House Chief Administrative Officer to arrange for the employee to keep providing valuable services without access to the House network.

Those services included consulting on a variety of office needs, such as on our website and printers, trouble-shooting, and other issues, he said, describing the complaint as entirely baseless and the work of a right-wing group going after one of Donald Trumps fiercest critics.

Awan, 37, of Virginia, pleaded not guilty last Tuesday to the single count of bank fraud, which focused on loan application filings he and his wife made.

Attorney Christopher Gowen told Fox News last week that federal authorities have no evidence of misconduct by Awan relating to his IT duties.

Gowen speculated the charge could be a placeholder designed to secure Awans arrest, with the intention that it will be supplemented, or supplanted, by additional bank fraud-related charges. But the attorney said six months of federal investigation into the IT work in the House had turned up nothing on procurement.

A statement from the law firm, Gowen Rhoades Winograd & Silva, PLLC, also echoed some Democrats claims that the attention on Awan is tied to bias over his Pakistani ethnicity.

The attacks on Mr. Awan and his family began as part of a frenzy of anti-Muslim bigotry in the literal heart of our democracy, the House of Representatives, the statement said.  Now we have the Justice Department showing up with a complaint about disclosures on a modest real estate matter. To an extent, the situation speaks for itself.

The statement said Awan, in buying the plane ticket, was trying to see his family and not trying to flee the country. [W]e are confident that Mr. Awan will soon be able to clear his name, the statement said.

After Awan was arrested, Wasserman Schultz also issued a written statement:

"After details of the investigation were reviewed with us, my office was provided no evidence to indicate that laws had been broken, which over time, raised troubling concerns about due process, fair treatment and potential ethnic and religious profiling. Upon learning of his arrest, he was terminated.

Fox News' Judson Berger, Brooke Singman and James Rosen contributed to this report.
FBI Director Christopher Wray is facing renewed criticism after reports surfaced that the bureau did not act on a recent tip about Florida shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz prior to the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14.

In a statement, the FBI admitted to receiving a call on Jan. 5 from a person close to Cruz who contacted the FBI through its Public Access Line (PAL) tipline to express concerns about his erratic behavior, disturbing social media posts and his desire to kill people.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott called for Wrays resignation on Feb. 16, calling the FBIs failure to take action against Cruz unacceptable.

Seventeen innocent people are dead and acknowledging a mistake isnt going to cut it, Scott said in a statement. An apology will never bring these 17 Floridians back to life.

Officials encourage the public to see something, say something, Scott continued, but in this case, the FBI failed to act.

People must have confidence in the follow-through from law enforcement, he added. The FBI Director needs to resign.

After learning the FBI had been warned about Cruz, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered an "immediate review" of both the Department of Justice and FBIs practices.

It is now clear that the warning signs were there and tips to the FBI were missed," Sessions said in a statement. "We see the tragic consequences of those failures."

Wray said the bureau would also review what had happened.

We are still investigating the facts. I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public," Wray said in the statement. "When members of the public contact us with concerns, we must act properly and quickly."

Here's what you should know about Wray, who was tapped as FBI director after President Trump fired James Comey.

When was Wray installed as FBI Director?

Wray was formally installed as the new director of the FBI on Sep. 28, after he was confirmed by the Senate on a 92-5 vote in August. All five nay votes came from Democrats.

He was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in July, after he appeared before the committee. President Trump called Wray "an impeccably qualified individual" in a June statement.

What did Wray do before he was confirmed by the Senate?

Wray worked at the King & Spalding law firm, where he'd been a partner since August 2005, his Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire said.

Wray also represented New Jersey governor Chris Christie during the investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case, nicknamed "Bridgegate." Two former Christie aides were convicted of plotting to close bridge lanes to punish a Democratic mayor who wouldn't endorse the Republican governor.

What about Wray's time at the Department of Justice (DOJ)?

Wray worked as an associate deputy attorney general in 2001, before he was principal associate deputy attorney general from 2001 - 2003, his Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire says. From 2003 to 2005, Wray worked as assistant attorney general for the criminal division under President George W. Bush.

What do we know about Wray's career before working for the DOJ?

Wray graduated from Yale University in 1989 before graduating from its law school three years later, the DOJ says online. He was an assistant U.S. attorney in Georgia from 1997 to 2001.

Before that, Wray was an associate at King and Spalding from 1993 to 1997, according to his Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire. From 1992 to 1993, he was a clerk for Judge J. Michael Luttig, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Fox News' Catherine Herridge and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
DNA research is shining new light on the Biblical Canaanite civilization, which existed thousands of years ago in the Middle East.

The ancient civilization, which created the first alphabet and is mentioned frequently in the Bible, has long fascinated historians. LiveScience reports that, because the Canaanites kept their records on papyrus, rather than clay, relatively little is known about them.

Now, however, scientists have found a genetic trail back to the Canaanites ancient world.

EXPERTS HUNT FOR BIBLICAL TABERNACLE THAT HOUSED THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

By sequencing the genomes of five Canaanites that lived 4,000 years ago with genomes from 99 people living in modern day Lebanon, researchers identified a strong genetic link to the mysterious civilization.

The results surprised the scientists, whose work was supported by U.K. biomedical research charity The Wellcome Trust.

"In light of the enormously complex history of this region in the last few millennia, it was quite surprising that over 90 percent of the genetic ancestry of present-day Lebanese was derived from the Canaanites," said Chris Tyler-Smith, senior group leader at The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in a statement.

EXPERTS UNCOVER EVIDENCE OF ANCIENT JERUSALEMS DESTRUCTION BY THE BABYLONIANS

In addition to the ancient Canaanite DNA, the analysis of genomes from the modern day Lebanese people also showed a small proportion of Eurasian ancestry that may have come from conquests by Assyrians, Persians or Macedonians, according to the experts.

The researchers also discovered that the ancient Canaanites were a mixture of local people, who settled in farming villages during the Neolithic period, and eastern migrants who arrived about 5,000 years ago. Using ancient DNA we show for the first time who were (genetically) the ancient Canaanites, how they were related to other ancient populations and what was their fate, explained Marc Haber, a genetic data expert at The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in an email to Fox News. Our work shows the power of genetics in filling gaps in human history when the historical records are absent or scarce.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH 2,700-YEAR OLD RESERVOIR IN ISRAEL

Haber added that the results complement Biblical accounts of the Canaanites. While the Israelites are commanded to utterly destroy the Canaanites in Deuteronomy 20:16-18, Judges 1 describes the survival of a number of Canaanite communities.

Canaanites once lived in what we now recognize as Israel, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. The remains of the five ancient Canaanites studied as part of the DNA research were recovered in the modern-day Lebanese city of Sidon.

The research was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics on July 27.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
NASA showed off its futuristic Mars rover concept vehicle on Fox & Friends Tuesday.

The prototypes cool design has already been compared to the tumbler from "The Dark Knight."

NASA MARS ROVER TOUR: BATMOBILE-LIKE CONCEPT VEHICLE AIMS TO INSPIRE NEXT-GEN DESIGNS

Former astronaut Jon McBride explained that the rover contains a laboratory for studying Mars samples. It comes in two pieces  theres a laboratory section in the back, he said. McBride explained that the front section of the Rover can drive away from the rear on the surface of Mars, where it can be used to collect samples. These samples can then be returned to the laboratory section for analysis.

McBride hopes that the concept vehicle, which is touring the U.S., will inspire young people and fuel their interest in space. The idea is to encourage the youth, he said. We think that the person who walks on Mars is somewhere between 10 and 18 years old today.

NASA TEST FIRES ROCKET ENGINE FOR FUTURE MARS MISSION

The former U.S. Navy fighter pilot explained that his interest in space was inspired by President John F. Kennedy. When I met John Kennedy in 1960, because he was campaigning in my home state of West Virginia, it turned the corner for me, he said. Exactly a year later he made the famous we are going to go to the moon speech  that really got my attention.

Mars looms ever larger in Americas space future. Last year NASA announced a May 2018 launch for its delayed Mars Insight mission to study the red planet. NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter celebrated 10 years at the red planet on March 10.

ARE MARS' TROJAN ASTEROIDS PIECES OF THE RED PLANET?

NASAs goal is to send a manned mission to Mars in the 2030s. However, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin thinks that a slightly later target date of 2040 is more realistic. In an interview last year, the Gemini 12 and Apollo 11 astronaut told Fox News that by 2040, astronauts could have visited Mars moon Phobos, which could serve as a sort of stepping stone to the Red Planet.

As part of its 'Summer of Mars' tour, the rover will be at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York this week. When the tour ends the rover will be back at Cape Canaveral on Floridas Space Coast at Kennedy Space Center.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Rather than wiping out our memories, new research out of Columbia University suggests that dementia instead confuses the brain about which neurons store which memories, thereby making those memories harder to recall.

In other words, the memories might remainhowever deeply hiddenin the brain, and thus accessing them is just a matter of stimulating the right neurons. "It has the potential to lead to novel drug development to help with regaining memories," a researcher tells the Washington Post.

To study this, researchers used a laser technology called optogenetics to watch neuron activity in the brains of mice. All mice in this study were given an electric shock after sniffing a lemon scent, but a week later, only half those with dementia froze when they smelled lemon in anticipation of being shocked, compared to all the healthy mice freezing.

The researchers were able to watch the healthy mice retrieve memories from the same place where they'd been stored, while mice with dementia called up other memories stored elsewhere.

But by stimulating the neurons with a blue laser, scientists were able to reactivate memories in the mice with dementia. The downside? Optogenetics isn't ready for humans, notes the Post, "because it isnt yet safe or practical to tinker with our neurons or stick lasers into our brains." Next up, scientists hope to see whether memories are stored and retrieved similarly in humans.

The Independent points out that in some Alzheimer's cases, music has been known to rouse old memories, "suggesting they may not disappear completely." (Diagnosis of dementia is improving, but treatment remains elusive.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Memories of Those With Dementia Are Forgotten, Not Gone
An underwater photographer has captured stunning images of a 'fish tornado' surrounding sand tiger sharks off the coast of North Carolina.

The Telegraph reports that Tanya Houppermans, an award-winning underwater photographer, took photographs of sharks swimming through what has been described as a "fish tornado."

The images show the fish banding together to create a "bait ball" formation. The fish form "bait balls" as a defensive measure to surround predators.

STUNNING SUNFISH DISCOVERY: RESEARCHERS FIND NEW SPECIES

The shots were captured on July 10 and 11, 2017, in the waters of Morehead City, where Tanya has been shooting for eight years.

Houppermans said that she had never seen a bait ball as large as the one she photographed last month.

The images provide a fascinating glimpse into sharks' incredible world. "I am always amazed by how incredibly graceful and beautiful sharks are," Houppermans said. "Here is an animal that has been around in one form or another for a few hundred million years, and is so perfectly suited for its environment that you cant help but be awestruck seeing one in the wild."

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FISHERMAN CATCHES RARE GIANT FISH

Houppermans told the Telegraph that while her favorite subject is sharks, I really enjoy photographing most anything underwater from tiny shrimp to massive shipwrecks."

I hope to capture images that inspire people to care about the ocean and the creatures that live in it, continued Houppermans.
They might've been game to join Dom Toretto's crew. Instead, five men accused of daring thefts from moving vehicles across Europe are behind bars in the Netherlands.

Dutch police say five Romanian suspects, aged 33 to 43, were arrested over the weekend after a July 24 theft that the Guardian reports would've looked at home in a Fast and Furious movie.

Police say a modified van got close enough to the truck carrying iPhones in Horst to allow a passenger to climb aboard. Once he'd broken into the moving truck's back doors, the suspect passed looted iPhones into his own van through a hole in its roof, police say.

"The truck was taking its freight from A to B and did not stop," a Dutch police rep says. "Even so, [the phones] were gone. So it must have happened that way. And now we finally have the evidence, with the van and the loot." The five Romanians were arrested over the weekend in Otterlo, roughly 60 miles from the scene near the German border, reports the BBC.

Police say $590,000 in iPhones and the van used in the robbery were recovered. The men are to appear before a judge in the Netherlands on Tuesday.

However, they might also face extradition. Authoritieswho were previously skeptical that such high-speed thefts were possiblebelieve the men are responsible for similar thefts from 17 trucks since 2015, most of which occurred elsewhere in Europe, per the NL Times.

(Thieves are stealing nuts in California.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: $590K in iPhones Stolen From Moving Truck
The crew of a United flight approaching Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to keep an eye on a drone flying in the vicinity of its flight path  and now the FAA is investigating the incident.

On Sunday, air traffic controllers at the Newark airport spotted an unmanned aircraft flying two miles southwest of the facility, the airline explained. United flight 135, which was approaching the runway after a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, was reportedly notified of the unmanned aircraft in the midst of its descent.

SUMMER TRAVEL ADVICE: 5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE A FLIGHT

Air traffic control alerted the flight deck aboard United flight 135 of a drone in the vicinity of the runway, wrote United in a statement obtained by Fox News. Our crew monitored the drone and landed the aircraft safely.

The Federal Aviation Administration also confirmed that local authorities were notified of the incident  which occurred at around 11:55 a.m.  although its unclear if the responsible parties have been identified.

The FAA will investigate, a public relations representative for the FAA tells Fox News.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

This isnt the first time drones have become a concern at the Newark Liberty International Airport: In August 2015, the Associated Press reported that several flights were forced to make evasive maneuvers after spotting a drone in the sky.

At the time, the FAA warned that flying drones near any airport could be punishable by criminal charges and fines of up to $25,000.

Coincidentally, just one day prior to Sundays incident, the FAA tweeted out a graphic containing guidelines for operating an unmanned aircraft.
A burglary suspect accused of stealing a police officer's gun and engaging in a struggle -- which ended with all three shot -- has died, investigators said.

The officers were responding to a break-in report at an apartment in the California farming town of Los Banos, Fox 26 reported.

The officers and the man were locked in the struggle when the shooting unfolded, injuring all of them. The suspect allegedly took one of the cop's guns, the Los Banos Enterprise reported.

The two officers and the suspect were airlifted to a hospital in nearby Modesto.

Officials have not released updates on the conditions of the wounded officers.

Monday's shooting was the first to involve police officers in Los Banos since 2013, Cmdr. Ray Reyna said.

Click for more from Fox 26.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Little Rock police say they need the community's help combating crime after five people were fatally shot last week and the city recorded its 37th homicide of the year.

Lt. Steven McClanahan said the department is working to solve the homicides, but still needs residents to provide officers with any information they may have. McClanahan said the city tallied only 18 homicides this time last year, and the situation is "obviously not going in the right direction."

"We have to have the community help us if we want to solve the cases," McClanahan said.

No arrests have been announced in any of the recent shootings, including that of an Italian native who was killed while driving in an apartment complex parking lot.

McClanahan told The Associated Press police are still investigating the circumstances leading up to 31-year-old Carlo Marigliano's death.

On Saturday, police found 55-year-old Evilio Castro-Alverez of Little Rock shot to death outside an apartment complex in southwest Little Rock.

A North Little Rock man died after being shot Thursday, and a 30-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy were killed in separate shootings on Monday.

Twenty-eight people were injured in a Little Rock nightclub shooting earlier this month. No charges have been filed in that shooting.

Rapper Ricky Hampton, also known as Finese2Tymes, was performing when the shooting happened. Hampton and his body guard have been arrested on unrelated weapons charges.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced days later that a multiagency task force would be created to help combat violence in the city. The task force has not yet been implemented.
Long Island police on Saturday raided several bars believed to be havens for MS-13 gang members a day after Present Trump traveled to the area vowing to "destroy the vile criminal cartel."

Officials targeted four bars in Huntington Station about 1:15 a.m. Saturday, arresting several people, including five individuals involved in a secret gambling den, and issued citations for three bar owners, the New York Post reported.

Suffolk County police said the raids were conducted "because of MS-13 and other illegal activity," but did not specify if any gang members were arrested.

TRUMP VOWS TO DESTROY 'VILE' MS-13, 'LIBERATE OUR TOWNS' FROM GANG'S GRIP

One person, Alexander Sanchez, 31, was arrested after officials discovered he re-entered the country twice after being deported, police said.

On Friday, Trump traveled to Long Island, where MS-13 members have carried out brutal killings during the last year, to talk about gang atrocities and to rally support for his immigration enforcement policies.

[MS-13 has] transformed peaceful parks and beautiful quiet neighborhoods into blood-stained killing fields. Theyre animals. We cannot tolerate as a society the spilling of innocent, young, wonderful vibrant people, Trump said to a cheering crowd of law enforcement officials.

He added: "We will find you, we will arrest you, we will jail you and we will deport you."

WHAT IS MS-13, THE VIOLENT GANG TRUMP VOWED TO TARGET?

MS-13 has been linked to 17 murders on Long Island since Jan. 16. Trump's speech comes as two MS-13 gang members were arrested in connection with the murder of a man in Queens. During the weekend, an MS-13 gang member, who was also in the U.S. illegally, was captured in Virginia in connection with two separate murders in Texas, officials said.
A man charged in connection with a deadly carjacking at an upscale New Jersey mall has pleaded guilty.

Kevin Roberts pleaded guilty last week to carjacking as part of a deal with Essex County prosecutors. The deal came about four months after another man charged in the case was convicted on felony murder charges.

Roberts had been due to go on trial in September. He faces a 20-year state prison term when he's sentenced Nov. 13.

Prosecutors say Roberts was among four men involved in the December 2013 carjacking and fatal shooting of Dustin Friedland at The Mall At Short Hills in Millburn. Friedland's wife testified at trial about seeing him gunned down in front of her.

Trials for the two remaining defendants are pending.
The dozen inmates who busted out of a jail in Alabama used peanut butter to fool a new guard into opening an outside door, investigators revealed Monday, shedding light on how so many inmates got a taste of freedom.

Police were still on the hunt for one of the men, 24-year-old Brady Andrew Kilpatrick, who was in jail on charges including marijuana possession.

The group used peanut butter from jail sandwiches to change the number above an inmate's cell to the number that identifies a door leading outside the jail, Walker County Sheriff James Wood said.

Once an inmate asked the new jail worker to open his cell's door, the outside door opened -- and the group bolted, using blankets to climb over a razor-wire fence, according to investigators.

Authorities were able to recapture the other 11 inmates and return them to the jail. Christopher Smith, 19, was the latest inmate taken into custody, at 4:21 a.m., the Walker County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook.

"JPD has activated additional personnel to assist the Walker County Sheriff's Office in locating multiple escaped inmates from the Walker County Jail. We ask that downtown residents stay indoors and turn on all outdoor lighting, the Jasper Police Department wrote in a Facebook message.

Larry Inman Jr., 29, and Ethan Howard Pearl, 24, were both recaptured by authorities from the Walker County Sheriffs Office and the Birmingham police at a gas station off Interstate 65 a little more than 10 minutes apart from each other Monday.

It was unclear how the other inmates were captured.

The other recaptured inmates are Steven Blake Lamb, 28, Michael Adam McGuff, 30, Johnny Richard Hunter, 26, Christopher Cole Spain, 18, Kristopher Keith Secrest, 20, Quadrekas Latoddrick Key, 21, Timothy Chaz Cooper, 28, and Steven Sanford Hartley, 27.

Lamb and McGuff are in jail on several charges, including attempted murder.

Fox News' Willie James Inman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Police say an employee was found dead in a walk-in cooler at a restaurant in a Cincinnati neighborhood.

Police say they responded to Molly Malone's Irish Pub & Restaurant on Monday morning after a fellow employee found the man's body.

Authorities say the cause of death wasn't immediately determined.

MISSING SKINNY DIPPER'S BODY FOUND BY OFF-DUTY LIFFEGUARD

Police say the man had worked at the restaurant and pub in the Pleasant Ridge neighborhood Sunday night and appeared to have been in the cooler overnight. They say the employee was in his 20s and did not appear to have been locked in the cooler.

Police say their investigation is continuing.

Click for more from Fox 19.
A 2-year-old Detroit girl was found safe on Tuesday after officials said she was abducted earlier in the morning by her mom's weapon-wielding boyfriend.

An Amber Alert was issued and police eventually caught up with the vehicle, which engaged police in a chase -- until the truck flipped over with the suspect and girl inside. The toddler was found safe and the suspect, Grady Barrett, was taken into custody, FOX2 tweeted.

Sondra Renee was at her aunt's home on Detroit's west side when Barrett barged in and threatened them with a weapon, FOX2 reported. He then allegedly took Renee and fled the scene.

Detroit police said Barrett is not Renee's biological father and is her mother's boyfriend. An Amber Alert was issued just after 7 a.m.

Click here for more from FOX2.
An Arkansas man is accused of having sex with a family's pet donkey on multiple occasions, authorities say.

Everett Lee Compton, 49, faces charges of bestiality, criminal trespassing and cruelty to animals following his arrest in Siloam Springs on July 16.

Investigators say the donkey's owners, Emert and Joyce Whitaker, told officers that they'd had issues with trespassers harassing their pet donkeys over the past three years.

The problem got so bad that Emert Whitaker posted several "No Trespassing" and "Do Not Feed Animals" signs around the property. He also placed a game camera in a field south of his house where the female donkeys are kept.

According to court documents, the camera captured images of a man coming onto the Whitakers' property early on May 27 and June 4. The pictures show the man placing a bag over a donkey's head, then getting behind the donkey and placing his pelvis against the rear of the animal.

More images were captured early on July 5 and July 6. These showed the same man feeding the donkeys from bags that appeared to be bread bags before approaching the animals from behind and placing his pelvis against them.

According to an incident report seen by KHBS, an officer arrived at the Whitaker's property and found Compton hiding in the bushes. Compton initially claimed he was feeding the donkeys some carrots and denied having sex with the animals.

When told about the surveillance footage, Compton allegedly said he smoked a lot of marijuana and claimed the drug made him do "sick things." He also promised the officer that he would get help if he was not charged.

Click for more from Fox16.com.
A Southern California father pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder in the death of his 5-year-old son, whose body was found last month after a search lasting 70 days.

Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 23 for the killing of Aramazd Andressian Jr. Prosecutors contend the elder Andressian killed his son to get back at his estranged wife, Ana Estevez.

Andressian's attorney, Ambrosio Rodriguez, said his client entered the guilty plea to avoid the death penalty. Rodriguez said his client confessed to killing his son and told detectives where to find the boy's body, but would not say how or why he did it.

Andressian acted alone and his family is "as devastated as everyone else," Rodriguez said outside Los Angeles County Superior Court in suburban Alhambra.

Rodriguez declined to comment on the theory that Andressian wanted to retaliate against his estranged wife, but said Aramazd Jr.'s death was "not planned."

Estevez attended the brief court hearing, carrying her son's ashes in an urn. She loudly wept in the front row of the courtroom, surrounded by family members -- all holding hands and sobbing.

Prosecutors called the evidence in the case overwhelming, though they didn't elaborate.

"This is a tragedy. Cases like this really tug at your heartstrings," Deputy District Attorney Craig Hum said outside court.

Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators have said they believe the boy was killed April 21 after a family trip to Disneyland. The next day, his father was found passed out in a park and police began searching for the boy.

Andressian had taken prescription pills and was found in a car doused in gasoline in an apparent suicide attempt, sheriff's officials have said.

The boy's body was found on June 30 near Lake Cachuma outside Santa Barbara  about 145 miles away from Anaheim, where Disneyland is located.

Andressian told investigators that he drove to the lake the day his son was killed. Investigators had searched the lake several times before the boy's remains were found.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from FoxLA.com.
A man stored his girlfriends body in a freezer with the help of another woman -- who then assumed the dead womans life by moving into her home, using her credit cards and caring for her dog, an Ohio prosecutor said.

Youngstown City Prosecutor Dana Lantz said in court Monday that Arturo Novoa, 31, and Katrina Layton, 34, were arrested Sunday after Novoa allegedly asked a friend to keep a padlocked freezer. The friend became suspicious, discovered the woman's remains and called authorities.

Youngstown Police Lt. Doug Bobovnyik told WKBN the body was found in a freezer in Campbell. He said Youngstown police were investigating the case because they believe it originated in the City of Youngstown and was taken to Campbell.

Authorities have not yet identified the body, but suspect it's 28-year-old Shannon Graves, who was last seen in February.

Her sister, Debbie, told WKRN her sister dated Novoa and lived with him in the apartment on Youngstowns west side.

Two week after Graves was last seen, Lantz said Layton moved in, drove Graves car, used her cell phone, and cared for her dog, WKRN reported.

Basically, assumed her life and her belongings," Lantz said in court.

At the time of Novoas arrest, Lantz said he told detectives he knew nothing about a freezer, but authorities later found the freezers padlock key on his key ring.

Bobovnyik told WKRN that officials would "hopefully be able to determine the cause of death and a positive identification" sometime this week. Bobovnyik added that no one has been charged with murder, only abuse of a corpse, because there is still no cause of death.

Bond for both Novoa and Layton has been set at $1 million.

Graves was added to the Ohio Attorney Generals Missing Persons website earlier this month after friends expressed concerns about her well-being.

Read more from WKRN.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ELKO  Nevada law permits a mother to breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, and most places of businesses are already providing this level of access and comfort to their patrons. However, some employees may be unaware of this law and this lack of knowledge can create an embarrassing situation for a mom who is simply feeding her child.

The Family Resource Center, home to the Elko WIC clinic, is seeking partnerships with local physicians and businesses to encourage more women to breastfeed their babies for a longer duration by making our community a friendlier place for breastfeed families.

These families need all the support they can get and everyone can help by taking the Breastfeeding Welcomed Here pledge and providing an environment where breastfeeding mothers are able to sit anywhere and enjoy a welcoming attitude from staff, management and other patrons while breastfeeding.

It all begins by signing the pledge and displaying a symbol of support. The next step is educating employees about the law, NRS 201.232, and training them on how to respond to concerned customers.

Crystal Smith, breastfeeding coordinator, says With your help we can change unhealthy community norms and give babies and moms the healthy start they need to combat serious health problems such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes and SIDS.

Smith will be visiting with physicians and local businesses to provide the following educational items:

Nevada breastfeeds infant shirt

Nevada breastfeeding law wallet cards

Keep it Simple breastfeeding books

Nevada breastfeeding campaign flyers

FRC service cards

WIC business cards

The Big Latch On event

On Aug. 5, from 9-11 a.m., FRC and Ruby Mountain Doula Services are hosting The Big Latch On. The event is to encourage pregnant and nursing women to come out and develop a support system and to help them with their breastfeeding needs. Each participant will receive a goodie bag with breastfeeding support information.

The goal of a Big Latch On event is to protect, promote and support breastfeeding families by:

Identifying and growing opportunities for on-going breastfeeding support and promotion in local communities

Raising awareness of breastfeeding support and knowledge available locally and globally

Helping communities positively support breastfeeding in public places

Making breastfeeding a normal part of day-to-day life at a local community level

Increasing support for women who breastfeed  women are supported by their partners, family and their communities

Ensuring communities have the resources to advocate for coordinated appropriate and accessible breastfeeding support services

We appreciate the ongoing partnership of everyone in making Elko County breastfeeding-friendly, said Smith.

For 32 years the Family Resource Center has been providing life-enhancing programs and services for Elko County residents. For more information about WIC, sign up to attend The Big Latch On, or learn more about the breastfeeding support initiative or the other services provided by FRC, call 753-7352 or visit them at 331 Seventh St. or at www.elkofrc.org.
Two brothers were saved by the Coast Guard after their boat sank in the Tampa Bay in the midst of Tropical Storm Emily on Monday.

The Coast Guard said in a news release that 911 dispatchers got a call just before 10 a.m. about two men in the water clinging to a navigation light in the Tampa Bay shipping channel.

The brothers, identified by the Coast Guard as Tung Le, 47, and Thanh Le, 41, said they were fishing aboard their 17-foot boat in the bay when their engine died and the boat began taking on water. They said they went fishing because they believed the worst of the storm had passed.

While the brothers worked on the inoperable pump, their boat drifted and struck the navigation light.

"It was dying down when we were out there and finally everything started going wrong," Thanh Le said. "The waves started hitting while we were trying to fix the bilge in the back and when we turned around we were drifting out."

After tying their boat to the range light, the brothers were forced to cling to the navigation aid and call for help when the boat sank.

The Coast Guard was able to get to the scene within 30 minutes of receiving the 911 call, and rescued the brothers.

"They were extremely relieved when they saw us down there, waving their hands and everything," Petty Officer 2nd Class Alejandro Diaz, a crewmember aboard the rescue boat, told FOX13.

Tropical Storm Emily formed quickly early Monday and swept through the Tampa Bay Area with strong wind gusts and heavy rain, FOX13 reported.

The men thought the wind and rain were dying down while they were at sea, but Diaz said he's learned from eight years with the Coast Guard you can never underestimate a storm.

"It's imperative that every mariner boater check their local weather forecast prior to getting out there," he said, "and not only that, but do a thorough check on your engines as well, and all your safety gear."
A Virginia woman told authorities she murdered her young daughter in February so the child would go to heaven and be safe from aliens.

Darla Elizabeth Hise, 27, of Hot Springs in Bath County, is charged with first-degree murder for shooting and killing her daughter, 6-year-old Abigail Grace Hise, on Feb. 4 at her home, The Roanoke Times reported.

Hise told a detective and employees at the psychiatric hospital she was staying at that Abigail had aliens in her body and wanted them removed from her stomach.

MS-13 GANG MEMBER WANTED IN 2 TEXAS MURDERS CAPTURED IN VIRGINIA

Hises lawyer, Tony Anderson, argued his client did not know she waived her Miranda rights because she has mental disabilities and had substance abuse issues. Anderson filed a motion requesting Hises statement to authorities be censored.

In this case, the evidence will show that (Hises) drug use and psychosis prevented her from being fully aware that she was abandoning her right against self-incrimination and to counsel and the consequences of abandoning those rights, the motion, which was filed last week, stated.

Officials said Hise was incoherent when authorities arrested her the night of the slaying. When she was transported to the hospital, she was diagnosed with possible drug-induced psychosis vs PTSD psychosis, according to the motion.

Hise tested positive for marijuana, methamphetamines and amphetamines.

Throughout her interview with Detective (Jeff) Grimm, she detailed her psychosis that she believed her daughter and son were in danger from aliens and she thought she was going to save her daughter by sending her to heaven, the motion said.

Police found a 3-year-old boy at Hises residence the night of the shooting. The boy has been placed in another familys care.

VIRGINIA MCDONALDS EMPLOYEE REFUSES TO SERVE UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER

Hise has also been charged with attempted murder, two counts of use of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, and having a firearm while in possession of drugs, according to The Roanoke Times.

Hise has been ordered to be held without bond in the Western Virginia Regional Jail. She has been scheduled to stand trial on Aug. 23.
A federal agent was injured at Orlando International Airport on Tuesday when he accidentally shot himself in the foot while trying to catch his weapon.

The agent was approaching a checkpoint at 11:20 a.m. when he went to unsling a shoulder bag and it caught on his holstered weapon, the Orlando Police Department said in a statement.

While the weapon was falling, the agent tried to catch the firearm and inadvertently pulled the trigger.

A bullet hit the agent in the heel and was recovered a few feet away, police said.

No one else was injured in the incident besides the agent, and there were no disruptions to airport operations, according to FOX35 Orlando.
A former Marine was convicted Monday in the New Years Day 2016 shooting death of a University of North Texas student.

A Denton County jury found 21-year-old Eric Johnson guilty of murdering Sara Mutschlechner of Martindale. He could be sentenced to life in prison.

Mutschlechner, a student at the University of North Texas in Denton, 40 miles northwest of Dallas, was shot in the head after an exchange of words between people in the vehicle she was driving and a group of five or six men in a sport utility vehicle, according to police.

Mutschlechner was the designated driver after going to a New Year's Eve party that at least two people in the SUV had also attended, police said.

As a trained Marine, he knew exactly what he was doing when he shot at the carload of teenagers, prosecutors argued, according to FOX4.

An affidavit in the case said the shooting happened when men in an SUV made sexual remarks toward Mutschlechner and a female riding with her.

Johnson was arrested later at a Marine Corps facility in Yuma, Az. and then discharged by the Marines. The Marine Corps said Johnson was assigned to the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1. Capt. Justin Smith, a spokesman for the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command in California, said Johnson joined the Marines in August 2013. He said Johnson was an administrative specialist and had never been deployed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Georgia mother found out her son died in a car crash after she pulled up to the scene of the wreck unaware of what had unfolded.

Nicole Bahret of Cumming said she was on her way home in mid-July when she saw her sons car had been involved in an accident.

I knew when I saw his car, Bahret told WSB-TV. So, I actually pulled up to the scene. Thats how I found out.

GEORGIA WOMAN CELEBRATES 104TH BIRTHDAY

Mackean Robertson, 18, was the only one killed in the wreck. The other drivers and passengers were transported to the hospital to be treated for injuries.

When deputies arrived, they determined a white 2010 Mercedes SUV, being driven by a 17 year-old Natalie DAllen from Suwanee... collided with a white 2005 Honda Accord driven by an 18-year-old male from Cumming, the Forsyth County Sheriffs office said in a press release on July 17.

The Honda slid sideways into the path of a westbound green Nissan Pathfinder," the statement said. "The driver of the 2005 Honda Accord, Mackean Robertson of Cumming, Georgia was pronounced deceased at the scene.

A fundraising page for Robertson's family to help cover funeral costs has raised more than $15,000 as of Wednesday.

Bahret said she had a conversation with her son just an hour prior to the crash.

He actually asked and said, Can I hang out with some friends tonight? And I was like, Yeah, that sounds great, Bahret said.

Hundreds of people attended Robertsons funeral.

The day he died was probably one of the happiest days of his life because everything was going his way, Bahret said. You never think its going to be you and everything changes, she said. He was precious."

GEORGIA FIRE THAT KILLED MOM, SON CAUSED BY TOSSED CIGARETTE, OFFICIALS SAY

Bahret said friends and family have been helping her cope.

In time you deal with it better, but the pain doesnt go away, Bahret said.

Forsyth Central High School, which Robertson attended, has scheduled a memorial for the teenager on Aug. 12.

D'Allen turned herself in to law enforcement on July 23 and posted bond, the sheriff's office told Fox News.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article stated that police said Robertson caused the crash. In fact, the sheriff's department tells Fox News that D'Allen caused the crash.
A thief who was attempting to steal detergent from a supermarket on Tuesday was shot and killed by an off-duty Maryland police officer after the man allegedly dragged the cop more than 100 feet with his vehicle while attempting to flee the scene, officials said.

The man was trying to shoplift at the Giant supermarket in Catonsville just before 4 a.m. when the officer, who was working as security at the store, stopped him in the parking lot, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Police spokeswoman Ofc. Jen Peach said the officer feared for his life," according to The Sun.

The officer confronted him and the man jumped into his car and drove off. The vehicle dragged the officer more than 100 feet before the cop shot the man.

Police said the officer is "okay."

The thief died at the scene. Another person who was in the car during the incident was hospitalized for stress-related pain.
The man who left a Florida McDonald's bathroom moments before an explosion occurred inside of it on Sunday has been identified -- but he's reportedly not talking to police.



The Orange County Sheriffs Office said Tuesday they had identified the man but he was not being cooperative, FOX35 reported. Authorities said they have asked the community for help locating the man.

FLORIDA MAN ACCUSED OF SETTING PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND ON FIRE WHILE KIDS WERE AT HOME

Authorities said the suspect departed from the fast food restaurants bathroom less than a minute prior to the explosion. Investigators were sent to the McDonalds in Lockhart to determine the cause of the explosion.

I had an order, and I heard a loud boom and smoke and honestly thought it was an electrical fire or something, customer Ronnie Holland told FOX35.

Holland said it was chaos inside the McDonald's following the explosion.

FLORIDA MAN FINDS BLACK BEAR SLEEPING AT HIS DOORSTEP

Everybody bolted then and then I ran out. I bolted right out the door, Holland said.

No one was injured, but two stalls in the bathroom had extensive damage, deputies said. Deputies have asked the public to call 911 if they have seen the man.
An illegal immigrant nabbed at the Mexican border over the weekend is an MS-13 gang member who was deported for burglarizing an Oregon home as a scared 12-year-old girl hid under a blanket.

Jorge Antonio Avila-Rodas was arrested Saturday with four other men in an area 12 miles south of Arivaca, Ariz., Border Patrol agents said. The 34-year-old Honduran national was identified by agents as an MS-13 gang member during processing.

Officials said Avila-Rodas has felony convictions for burglary in Oregon, as well as immigration violations, without providing details. He now faces federal criminal charges for re-entering the country as a felon.

Reports show that Avila-Rodas was deported after serving 16 months in prison for burglarizing a house in Troutdale, Ore., in 2010 with two others.

The case generated headlines when police released a tape of a 911 call Mackenzie Hughes made as she was hiding from the burglars in her bedroom.

"Try not to cry," the 911 operator told the distraught sixth-grader, the Oregonian reported at the time. "I know it's hard. Do you have a stuffed animal or something you can hold onto?"

The paper said Mackenzie struggled to hold back tears. She told the operator she couldn't reach a stuffed animal without revealing her hiding spot.

"It's OK," the operator said. "You've got me here with you."

The paper reported that as they spoke Mackenzie told the operator her phone wasnt cordless and wouldnt reach into the closet.

The operator told her to hide in the bed under the blanket.

"He's in my room," Mackenzie whispered from her hiding spot.

"He's in your room?" the operator said, according to the paper. "Be quiet, OK? Don't talk to me, OK? Just don't talk."

The 911 call lasted more than eight minutes until the burglars left and cops caught them.

Prosecutors said the man who entered Mackenzies room was 22-year-old Alexis Colindres-Munoz, who cooperated with cops after his arrest and served a 6-month prison sentence.

They said Avila-Rodas and another man, 23-year-old Benito Flores-Amador acted as lookouts. Flores-Amador was also an illegal immigrant who was deported after serving his prison sentence.

The Oregonian reported that at the sentencing Avila-Rosas apologized to Mackenzie through an interpreter, saying the trauma the girl is going through fills me with sadness. And the truth is I really regret that and its not going to happen again."

The paper reported at the time that to everyone's surprise Mackenzie attended the sentencing. She showed up with her mother, who told the burglars they picked the wrong house.

Mackenzie Hughes is smart, and she is brave, Tracey Ferguson told them.
Their calling card is stomach-turning violence, and they proudly wear their affiliation in the form of jailhouse tattoos as they terrorize cities and suburbs alike.

MS-13, the El Salvadoran gang that took root in America's prisons, has spilled onto the streets of America, committing murders and rapes that leave seasoned cops stunned and disgusted.

"They kidnap. They extort. They rape and they rob," President Trump said last week on New York's Long Island, where MS-13 has terrorized once peaceful communities. "They stomp on their victims. They beat them with clubs, they slash them with machetes, and they stab them with knives. They have transformed peaceful parks and beautiful quiet neighborhoods into bloodstained killing fields. They're animals."

Trump has turned Attorney General Jeff Sessions loose on America's most-feared gang, and shutting down the murderous El Salvadoran organization is a top priority. With an estimated 10,000 members in the U.S., on the streets and behind bars, the job won't be easy.

Here are the most-wanted members of Americas most-feared gang:

Walter Yovany Gomez: The only member of MS-13 to currently be on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list, Yovany Gomez, who goes by the nickname Cholo, is wanted for his alleged involvement in the murder of a fellow gang member in Plainfield, N.J. Born in Honduras, Yovany Gomez immigrated to the U.S. illegally before becoming involved in gang life. In May 2011, it is purported that Yovany Gomez and a fellow MS-13 members took their victim out for a night of partying before beating him over the head, stabbing him in the back 17 times and slitting his throat. Their victim was killed for socializing with a rival gang.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for Yovany Gomez in 2013 and he was last seen in Maryland after being driven there from New Jersey. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Robert Morales: A member of the Coronado clique of MS-13 who goes by the nickname Casper, Morales is wanted by the FBI for the alleged murder of two men and the attempted slaying of a woman in Los Angeles. Authorities purport that Morales shot and killed a man waiting at a bus stop in July 2000 and then, in November of the same year, shot and killed a fellow MS-13 member before opening fire on the mans girlfriend. Morales, who was known to work as a handyman when not committing violent crimes, has a lengthy rap sheet that includes several assaults, burglary, narcotics transportation and domestic violence.

Carlos Flores Garcia and Victor Alfonso Argueta: Both men are wanted for a brutal double murder behind a Baltimore school in January 2006. While at a club in south Baltimore, the two MS-13 members thought they saw two other men flash a rival gang sign. A later investigation found that neither of the two victims were affiliated with any gang.

When the two victims arrived at the local school, Garcia and Argueta attacked them  stabbing them multiple times with knives. A district court in Baltimore has charged Garcia with two counts of first-degree murder and Argueta with accessory to commit murder after the fact. Both have been charged with unlawful flight to avoid persecution, given their time on the lam and the fact that both men were born in El Salvador.

Douglas Alexander Herrera-Hernandez: The Texas Department of Public Safety added 20-year-old Herrera-Hernandez to its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list last month after the MS-13 member known as Terror was connected to a June 2016 murder and another murder this July in the Houston area. Herrera-Hernandez, who is from El Salvador, has been residing in the U.S. illegally and is believed to be accompanied by a 19-year-old woman and her infant son.

Carlos Alberto Gonzalez-Barahona: While the Salvadoran national has been deported multiple times, the 26-year-old MS-13 member quickly rose to become one of Texas most wanted men in a span of three short days this June. On June 18, he allegedly shot and killed his estranged girlfriend inside an apartment in northwest Houston. After fleeing the scene of the crime, Gonzalez-Barahona is suspected of kidnapping the driver of a pickup truck at gunpoint in rural Brazoria County, just south of Houston, before eventually abandoning the truck in neighboring Wharton County. He has been charged with murder and aggravated kidnapping.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Five inmates convicted of homicide as juveniles have gone free in Nevada since state lawmakers banned life-without-parole for minors and allowed those already serving such sentences to make a case for release, state prison officials say.

The 2015 law provided parole eligibility to inmates who were juveniles at the time of their crimes, had already served 20 years in prison, and were not convicted of multiple murders. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court banned mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles in homicide cases. Last year, after Nevada passed its law, the justices applied the ruling retroactively to those already in prison on such sentences. A month before that Supreme Court decision, the Nevadas law was upheld by the states high court.

These are not partisan issues. Were talking about kids, said state Assemblyman John Hambrick, the Republican author of the Nevada law. He also served on a state Supreme Court commission that studied juvenile justice reform and chaired a state Juvenile Justice Commission.

Kids process information differently and make decisions differently than adults, said Hambrick, a former federal law enforcement agent in his fifth term in the Legislature. Sociologically, the human brain is not mature at 16, 17  even 18-year-olds.

The law made 24 juvenile homicide offenders eligible for sentence reviews, state prisons analyst Nancy Flores said. Nineteen are still in prison, including two whose death sentences were converted to life without parole.

Michael Domingues was 16 years old when he strangled his 24-year-old neighbor in Las Vegas and stabbed her 4-year-old son to death in October 1993. He was 17 when he was convicted of double murder and sentenced to be executed. His sentence was converted in 2010 to life without parole.

Domingues and his lawyer, Lisa Rasmussen, want the Nevada Supreme Court to rule him constitutionally entitled to a new sentencing hearing at which he could argue that juvenile offenders are too neurologically and psychologically immature to face a lifetime behind bars. A ruling is pending.

The state Legislature passed more laws this year giving judges discretion to reduce by about one-third the sentences of offenders who are 17 or under when they commit their crimes. The governor signed the measure into law May 31.

Lawmakers also approved, and the governor signed, a law that lets the state parole board commute death sentences for juveniles to sentences allowing the possibility of parole.
Princeton University is giving its students the option of picking a gender or, reportedly, several genders.

The Ivy Leagues student services interface, known as TigerHub, allows -- but does not require -- students to select one or more of the following: Cisgender," "Genderqueer/gender non-conform[ing]," "Trans/transgender," "Man," "Woman," and "Other.

Students use TigerHub to provide the University with personal information on a confidential basis, a university spokesman told Fox News. This information includes emergency contacts, their preferred name, and, if they wish to provide it in response to an optional question, the gender with which they identify.

Princeton students can choose to be both male and female.

You may select multiple gender identities, the form reads. Your gender identity is confidential and is not generally available.

Princeton is not alone. More than 50 colleges or universities allow students to choose their genders without documentation of medical intervention, the Washington Post said.

Besides being male and female simultaneously, some schools offer students the option of creating their own designated pronouns. One such school is the University of Michigan.

In response to that option -- and as a protest against it -- one undergraduate chose His Majesty. Reportedly, some of His Majestys professors now address this student according to the royalty he identifies as.

Academics and activists are divided over the legitimacy of the relatively recent distinction between sex and gender.

The idea that sex and gender are distinguishable is just not true. Its a lie, Chris Gacek, senior fellow at the Family Research Council, told Fox News.

The purpose of the distinction ultimately is eliminating the difference between the sexes.

But Susan Maasch, director of the Trans Youth Equality Foundation, praised the elite school for implicitly endorsing the distinction between sex and gender.

The Ivy League schools have all taken a big role in helping trans students, she told Fox News. It starts there and trickles down to other students.
70 years after his death, the missing remains of a World War II pilot have been discovered.

Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Charles E. Carlson's remains were discovered last year by History Flight, a private Florida-based group, the Pentagons Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on Monday.

Carlson, from Queens, New York, was just 24 years old when the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter he was flying was shot down near Bonn, Germany, according to military officials. It happened during a fight with German planes in late December 1944.

WWII VET RECOUNTS HOW HE TRICKED 15,000 GERMAN SOLDIERS: 'I HAD A FLUTTER INSIDE MY BODY''



Despite German claims that the body was buried at the crash site, the remains were never found. The search for the remains resumed in 2008.

Carlsons remains will be buried on Friday at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A search is under way in Joshua Tree National Park for a California couple reported missing Friday when they didnt return from a hike.

After the pair, Rachel Nguyen and Joseph Orbeso, both of Orange County, was reported missing from the California park, authorities found their vehicle near Maze Loop trail, the Los Angeles Times reported. A GPS ping from Orbesos cellphone was reportedly recorded around 4 p.m. Thursday from within the park.

The couple, thought to be in their 20s, never checked out of their Airbnb rental on Friday, an incident commander for the search told the LA Times.

Authorities think the couple was in the park for a hike.

UTAH'S CROWDED ZION NATIONAL PARK MAY REQUIRE RESERVATIONS

About 100 people  volunteers, park employees and investigators, including six teams of search dogs  have been searching for Nguyen and Orbeso in the areas scorching triple-digit temperatures.

Officials ask that anyone with information on the couples location call 909-383-5652.
A suspect in the death of a woman at a Minnesota business center was arrested late Monday following a three-day manhunt, authorities said.

Lucifer Nguyen, 44, was charged with killing financial adviser Beverly Cory, 48, inside her suburban St. Paul office on Saturday, the Dakota County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. He was being held at the county jail.

Authorities said Nguyen also faces charges of aggravated robbery, burglary and kidnapping.

Prosecutors said Nguyen went into a house in the suburb of Mendota Heights on Saturday, brandished a gun at a woman and demanded cash. After crashing the car he was driving, he then ran into a senior living center and forced an employee into a laundry room.

"He entered in there and said something to the employees, but how long that was, exactly what he said . . . I don't know," Mendota Heights Police Chief Kelly McCarthy told reporters over the weekend.

While police were evacuating the center's residents, officers got a report of what appeared to be blood seeping from underneath an office door in a nearby building, prosecutors said. Officers found Cory dead inside.

An autopsy showed she died of a single gunshot to the head.

Police then discovered that Cory's car was missing. It was found Sunday at the Washington County Fairgrounds, about 16 miles away.

Authorities have said there is no known connection between Nguyen and Cory, who lived in Maplewood.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A man charged with murder, sexual assault and other counts in the death of an 11-year-old girl on the largest American Indian reservation changed his pleas to guilty Tuesday in a case that prompted calls to expand the Amber Alert system and the death penalty to tribal communities across the U.S.

More than a year after Ashlynne Mike was killed in Navajo Nation, Tom Begaye entered his new pleas at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as family members of Mike cried.

Her father, Gary Mike, said after the hearing that the guilty pleas were a turning point for the family that has struggled since the killing.

"We all know that this person is guilty," he said. "He finally admitted it today."

Asked if he had a message for Begaye, Mike paused, tried to hold back tears and said, "I can't now."

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said in a statement that she hoped the guilty plea brought some peace to the family.

"But sadly, nothing will ever undo what was done," the Republican governor and former prosecutor said. "It's critical that we continue to do more to protect our children."

Among the charges against Begaye were aggravated sexual assault resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death.

Prosecutors say Begaye lured the girl into his van in May 2016 and sexually assaulted her. She was reported missing, but an Amber Alert didn't go out in the state until the next day.

She was later found dead near the Arizona-New Mexico border. The Navajo Nation covers parts of those two states and Utah.

The death led to pending federal legislation that would expand the Amber Alert system to tribal communities and calls for Navajo Nation to end its opposition to the death penalty.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona introduced legislation in April that would expand the notification system. He said more than 7,700 American Indian children are listed as missing in the U.S.

Authorities say Begaye lured Mike and her brother into his van. The boy later told police the man took them deep into the desert then walked off with the girl and a tire iron before returning alone.

Begaye told investigators he sexually assaulted the girl and hit her twice in the head with a crowbar, and that she was still moving when he left her in the desert, according to court documents.

Her brother was able to escape.

Begaye is from the small town of Waterflow near Lower Fruitland, where Mike lived with her father and siblings, according to the FBI. The town is near the reservation.

Navajo Nation, like many Native American tribes, outlaws the death penalty. Federal prosecutors are responsible for prosecuting homicides on tribal lands and rarely challenge tribal beliefs.

Gary Mike said changing the tribal rule on the death penalty would be a decision for tribal elders.

After his daughter's death, Gary Mike filed a lawsuit against Navajo Nation for failing to have an emergency notification system that he says could have saved his daughter's life.

An Amber Alert system for the 27,000-square-mile (69,930-square-kilometer) reservation was proposed years ago but never implemented, despite the tribe having been awarded $330,000 in federal funding as part of a U.S. Justice Department pilot project.

Half the money was used to buy equipment such as megaphones and pop-up tents, but the rest went unspent.

"We know the pain will be life-long for Ashlynne's parents and immediate family," Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said Tuesday. "The Navajo Nation is taking every step necessary to strengthen our laws and emergency response communication system."

Russell Begaye is not related to the defendant.

In another case involving violence on the reservation, an Arizona woman who put her 17-month-old daughter in a stroller, pushed her into the desert and left her to die on the Navajo Nation was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison.

U.S. District Judge David Campbell said Ashley Denise Attson, 23, committed an "intentional, cold-hearted, horrendous killing of an innocent child."

Attson had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the September 2016 killing. Her defense attorney, Ashley Adams, did not immediately return a call for comment.

___

Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras
Concealed firearms became legal to carry on community or junior college campuses in Texas on Tuesday.

Greg Cunningham, Chief of the Houston Community College Police Department, made it clear in a video posted on the colleges website that the weapons must be concealed and the person with the weapon must be licensed.

However, licensed carriers may not carry everywhere.

There are permanent and temporary weapons free zones, according to Cunningham. Permanent gun free zones include childcare centers and early college high schools. Temporary weapons free zones include areas on campus where special events are taking place. There will be temporary and permanent gun free zone signs in those locations that are highly visible, Cunningham said.

Its been legal to carry on four-year college campuses since August 2016, but junior colleges were given an extra year to comply with the Campus Carry Law."

There are no exceptions to violating any weapons free zone, Cunningham said in the video.

He added if someone is carrying a weapon that is not fully concealed, its appropriate to ask that person to cover it completely.

There are safety checks within the law and provisions that allow colleges to create specific regulations that work best for them. The law requires college presidents to consult with the student body, faculty and staff, and then create rules and regulations on campus carry. Those rules must be voted on by the Board of Regents or Board of Trustees and passed with a two-thirds vote.

Rules must be widely distributed and prominently displayed on the schools website. Texas A&M created a task force to receive input from their student body. Their concealed carry webpage has a history of the law, frequently asked questions, updates on campus carry rules and a state by state campus carry law guide.

Every other year, colleges must send a report to the legislature on their specific rules and regulations that pertain to the law, and why they created them.

The Texas Department of Public Safety issued 326,733 handgun licenses during fiscal year 2016, ending Aug 31. Almost 75 percent of the applicants who received a license were men. A majority of the licenses went to people between the ages of 43 and 61, but the pool was fairly spread out between 21 and 69 year olds, although applicants only need to be 18.
A 60-year-old Texas woman wasn't taking any chances Monday morning when she heard two intruders enter her home, grabbing her pistol and shooting one of the would-be thieves dead, police said.

The woman, who was not immediately identified, confronted the two armed men after they entered her Harris County home through an open garage door around 11:30 a.m., WTSP reported.

Cathy Hanks, a neighbor, said it's not surprising the woman fired her pistol when she saw a threat in her home, explaining: "That's really how we are. That's just Texas."

"It's the state of Texas. If you're going to go into someone's home, you're going to get shot," Hanks said.

Harris County Sheriff's Office's spokesman Thomas Gilliland told WTSP that both intruders -- neither of whom were identified -- were armed with pistols when the woman confronted them. She fired several shots and struck at least one man, who collapsed and died in her front yard.

Police found a gun next to the dead man's body. His accomplice jumped over the fence and escaped, though it's unclear if he was wounded in the incident.

The woman was not injured in the incident. She did not know the intruders, WTSP reported.

Police are still looking for the second intruder, described as a man in his 20s who was wearing dark clothing with red underwear peeking out of his pants.
A Washington state man shot and killed his estranged partner and her mother inside their home on Monday before he took his two children and fled from the cops in a high-speed chase before he crashed and shot himself.

It was about 5 p.m. on Monday when police in Lacey, a suburb of the states capital Olympia, received a call about a protection order violation at a home, according to Q13 Fox.

The suspect, entered the house and shot his estranged girlfriend, or possibly his ex-wife before shooting her mother, Lacey Police Cmdr. Chris Ward told the station. The man then fled from the scene with his two young children.

Authorities were unsure of the relationship between the man and his partner.

The woman was found by cops dead at the scene. The mother was rushed to a local hospital with critical injuries. She later died from her injuries. Ward said to Q13 Fox.

The cops gave chase to the suspect as he sped down Interstate 5 while firing shots at the officers near the Olympia Auto Mall, according to The Seattle Times.

The officers did not return fire because of the two children in the back seat but they were eventually able to box in the suspect on a street in Olympia. That is when he shot himself. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center where he is listed in critical condition.

The two children, aged 3 and 12, were unharmed.

It was not immediately clear why the man shot his former partner and her mother.
The White House acknowledged Tuesday that top officials, including President Donald Trump's homeland security adviser, responded to a British-based email prankster.

Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House is investigating. "We take all cyber-related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further," she said in response to inquiries.

CNN identified Tom Bossert, the president's homeland security adviser, as one of the officials who fell for the ruse. Bossert apparently believed he was corresponding with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, and included a personal email address in his reply.

VIDEO: NO ROLE FOR SCARAMUCCI IN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, SANDERS SAYS

The network also said Anthony Scaramucci, who was ousted Monday after a brief tenure as communications director, also responded to the prankster, who pretended to be Reince Priebus. The two have a contentious relationship and Priebus was dismissed as chief of staff last Friday, days before Scaramucci was forced out.

Other identified by CNN are Jon Huntsman, Trump's nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Russia; and Eric Trump, one of the president's two adult sons. The younger Trump said he immediately recognized the email as a "sham" and contacted authorities.

CNN said the prankster, who uses the handle SINON_REBORN on Twitter, shared the emails with the network.

SANDERS BLASTS FALSE NARRATIVE ON RUSSIA IN RESPONSE TO DON JR. REPORT

"I immediately recognized it was a sham and turned it over to law enforcement right away," Eric Trump said in an email. "It is unfortunate that people play these games and waste others' time. They should not be rewarded." Eric Trump later added that he alerted the U.S. Secret Service about the suspect correspondence.

The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Huntsman declined to comment, citing his pending nomination.
Two deputies were wounded in California on Tuesday after a man opened fire on them, officials said.

The incident followed a disturbance in which a verbal argument ensued over the destroying of marijuana plants, Yuba County Sheriff Steve Durfor said in a Tuesday night press conference.

The deputies confronted the man as he pulled up the plants on a farm that supplies pot to a Rastafarian church, authorities said. When the deputies arrived, a gunbattle broke out, Yuba County sheriff's spokeswoman Leslie Carbagh said.

The man proceeded to barricade himself inside a home in the remote community of Oregon House, about 55 miles north of Sacramento.

It wasnt immediately clear if the gunman died from the police gunfire or from self-inflicted shots.

CALIFORNIA COPS SHOT: SUSPECTED GUNMAN DEAD, INVESTIGATORS SAY

Both injured deputies, a 14-year veteran and 10-year veteran, are expected to survive. They went up there and they did their job and they took care of business, Durfor said. These guys know what theyre doing.

Neither the deputies nor the shooter were immediately identified.

The shooting occurred a day after two police officers were shot nearly 200 miles south in the central California city of Los Banos during a struggle with a man who broke into his estranged wife's apartment.

Police shot and killed that gunman.

Fox News Matt Richardson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Residents of Elko County,

Most of us wonder at times what we would do if circumstances became such that we were threatened with or experienced homelessness, lack of clothing, hunger or a combination of all. This misfortune does befall people on a regular basis, sometimes due to events beyond our control and sometimes due to mistakes we make as human beings. Either way, compassion in our hearts as a society dictates that we do something to help alleviate some of the suffering.

Our mission statement at FlSH (Friends in Service Helping) is to determine and provide for the needs of individuals seeking urgent or supplemental assistance in Elko County and surrounding Northeastern Nevada. However, due to reductions in the size and amount of grants being issued FISH is looking at being forced into discontinuing some of the services we provide. We are asking for help from the community to avoid this happening.

We operate the Samaritan House, a building on South Fifth Street that has a 21-bed capacity for individuals with an urgent need for shelter; provide a cold weather emergency shelter for the chronically homeless; serve an average of 1,600 meals annually in our soup kitchen and 3,570 in the Samaritan House; distribute 7,300 food donations to needy residents; provide 4,870 showers and laundry loads; distribute over 1,100 vouchers to needy people for clothing or household goods; and provide over 1,200 hygiene kits to homeless or needy people.

Eighteen stranded travelers were assisted with either bus fare or fuel vouchers

and many people were helped with prescriptions, employment or lD assistance. We operate a thrift store that provides the needy with an opportunity to buy low cost clothing and household items that averages over 1,000 transactions per month. In addition, we operate five low income rental houses in the

area for families reintegrating themselves.

Again, without community support FISH would be forced to discontinue some of these provided services. This would bring about severe hardship to some individuals and make things more difficult on some people who are simply vulnerable.

We are asking for help to avoid this happening. Would you be willing to either donate funds or volunteer labor at our facility? Please consider, we can be reached at 738-3038, ssmith@fishelko.org, or at 821 Water Street.

Thank you, and God Bless you for anything you feel moved to help with.

Gordie Rogers

Chairman

Board of Directors

Friends in Service Helping
A 20-year-old college student in Columbia, South Carolina, was able to escape her kidnappers after they couldn't figure out how to drive her car's stick shift, according to reports.

Three men approached Jordan Dinsmore around 1 a.m. last Wednesday in a dimly lit parking lot outside her apartment, pointed a gun at her and threatened to shoot her if she continued to scream, The State reported.

After reportedly robbing her of her phone and purse, the men forced Dinsmore back into her car. It was then that the kidnappers, who Dinsmore said told her they would rape her, reportedly realized they couldnt drive the car because it was a stick shift.

One of the abductors ran away, while the other two ordered Dinsmore to drive to a nearby ATM.

I was pleading with them to just take my stuff and let me go, but they said that I had to come with them, Dinsmore told The State.

TOURISTS TO MEXICO BELIEVE DAUGHTER DIED AFTER BEING DRUGGED AT RESORT

Once at the ATM, Dinsmore said she unbuckled her seatbelt to learn forward and withdraw cash. It occurred to her that this was her moment to get away.

The kidnappers told her to drive to one of their relatives houses, where Dinsmore would have sex with one of the abductor's friends, the newspaper added.

Driving through an intersection close to the house, and with three cars coming toward her from the opposite direction, Dinsmore put the car in neutral and jumped out of the drivers seat.

I just screamed, Call 911! Call 911! Someone just kidnapped me and threatened to shoot me! Dinsmore said.

MAN TRIED TO KIDNAP BOY, 7, FROM GEORGIA PARK, COPS SAY

Dinsmore told The State shes unsure of what happened to her abductors, but that she thinks the two ran off. Officers ultimately arrested two boys, ages 15 and 17, WCIV reported.

Following the incident, Dinsmore said, shell be driving a manual for the rest of my life.
They have since spread throughout their home nation and helped El Salvador become the country with the fourth highest per capita murder rate in the world, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. A large wave of Salvadorans entering the U.S. in recent decades has helped the gang spread from their roots in Los Angeles and El Salvador to many immigrant pockets of the U.S.
An Afghan hospital official says an explosion inside a minority Shiite mosque in western Herat, on the border with Iran, has killed at least 20 people.

The official, Dr. Mohammed Rafique Shehrzad, said 20 bodies were brought to his Main Hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province Monday night, soon after the blast shattered the late evening.

Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the Islamic State affiliate that operates in the country's east.

No one immediately took responsibility for the attack on the Jawadia Mosque in Herat.
Two U.S. soldiers were injured after their Black hawk helicopter made a hard landing early Tuesday.

The crew members suffered minor injuries when their copter crash landed in the Achin District in eastern Afghanistan as a result of a mechanical issue, according to a statement released by NATO.

A U.S. HH-60 Black Hawk suffered a mechanical issue that resulted in a hard landing during operations near Achin, Nangarhar early this morning,  The NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan said in a statement. Rescue personnel safely recovered the crew. Two crew members suffered minor injuries in the landing and are receiving treatment at a coalition medical facility.

The aircraft is being recovered and the incident is under investigation.

The Taliban in a statement claimed they opened fire on the helicopter, killing everyone on board. The insurgents routinely exaggerate their gains and casualties they inflict in battle.

The Achin District is the home to hundreds of militants from ISIS-Khorasan or ISIS-K, the Islamic States Afghanistan affiliate. They are the same extremist group that claimed responsibility for the attack on the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul on Monday.

The region is where American troops are supporting Afghan security forces in a campaign against the ISIS affiliate.

This past April, two U.S. Army Rangers were killed kight ISIS in Achin, just weeks after the U.S. Military dropped the Mother of all Bombs, or MOAB on an ISIS cave complex.
A heroic Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA locate Usama bin Laden  but has been languishing in prison for six years  will have to wait another two months to find out if he can go free.

A Pakistan court last Thursday adjourned a hearing for Dr. Shakil Afridi, who is appealing his conviction on treason charges. The court pushed the hearing back to September 28  further complicating his years-long effort to be released.

Qamar Nadim, Afridis attorney, told Fox News that the most recent court hearing was postponed because the government prosecutor failed to show up.

The case has been voluntarily delayed by the state, Nadim said. The state is now using delaying tactics.

The U.S. has been negotiating Afridis release for years  though talks have heated up in the past few months. Hes been widely credited with helping the CIA track down Bin Laden, the worlds most wanted man, who was killed after he was found hiding in the Pakistan city of Abbotabad.

BACKROOM DEALINGS UNDERWAY TO RELEASE HERO DOC WHO HELPED GET BIN LADEN

Just weeks after the spectacular May 2011 raid, the doctor was arrested on treason charges and was later sentenced to 33 years in prison for having militant group connections.

Dr. Afridi has violated Pakistani law and worked against the state and I dont think our government will change its stance on his release, said Shahzad Chaudhary, a well-known defense analyst in Pakistan.

For years, Afridi has maintained his innocence.

U.S. officials have repeatedly condemned Afridis imprisonment and called on Pakistan to release him. U.S. officials have, however, said they regretted revealing his role in the highly publicized raid.

His arrest has sparked years of seesaw negotiations and has bruised already tense relations between Washington and Islamabad. Congress has even threatened to cut aid to Pakistan if it didnt release Afridi  but all efforts to free the jailed doctor have so far proved unsuccessful.

EXCLUSIVE: JAILED DOC WHO HELPED NAIL BIN LADEN WARNS PAKISTAN SEES US AS 'WORST ENEMY'

Chaudhary has compared Afridis release with that of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist who in 2010 was convicted for trying to kill American soldiers interrogating her in Afghanistan. She is serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Center Carswell in Texas.

These are the matters of give and take on humanitarian grounds, Chaudhary told Fox News. If U.S. could release Dr. Siddiqui, then Pakistan in return will release Dr. Afridi.

The U.S. is unlikely to release Siddiqui, who is believed to have ties to Al Qaeda and who married a nephew of self-proclaimed 9-11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
Macedonia and neighboring Bulgaria have signed a historic friendship agreement designed to dampen a historic rivalry in their region that is still at odds over old ethnic and territorial disputes.

The deal, in which both countries have renounced territorial claims against each other and Bulgaria commits to backing its smaller neighbor's bids to join the European Union and NATO, was warmly hailed by EU and German officials.

Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Bulgaria's Boiko Borisov signed the agreement Tuesday in Skopje, where Borisov is on a two-day visit. It says neither country will engage in or back hostile acts against the other. It also calls for a committee to re-examine their common history.

Bulgaria historically regarded Macedonians and their language as a branch of the Bulgarian nation and language.
Three "Grand Theft Auto" gang members were killed and two others were wounded Tuesday during a botched escape at a Moscow courthouse, a brazen incident that involved a shootout before a scheduled court hearing, officials said.

Five handcuffed gang members made a "valiant" getaway attempt inside Moscow Regional Court as they were being escorted by two guards in an elevator. The defendants were being taken to their hearing.

One person tried to strangle a guard before the other member grabbed their weapons and escaped, the investigative committee said.

Three defendants were killed and two others were wounded during a shootout with the guards. The lawyer for State-operated Russian news agency RIA Novosti said she heard at least 20 shots fired.

Three guards were injured and taken to the hospital, the investigative committee said.

The shooting happened before a hearing for a group of nine people -- dubbed the "Grand Theft Auto gang" by Russian media -- who have allegedly terrorized Moscow roads. The gang is accused of killing 17 people between 2012 and 2014 by shooting them dead as the victims exited their vehicle. The gang would place spikes on roads to pop car tires, forcing the drivers out of their vehicles.

The nine men, all from Central Asia, are charged with 17 murders and two attempted murders.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
North Korea may have finally developed a missile capable of hitting the U.S., but whether it can do any actual damage is open for debate, according to some analysts.

U.S. and South Korean experts said Tuesday that Japanese video footage capturing the Hwasong-14's re-entry vehicle shortly before it crashed into the sea suggests it failed to survive the extreme heat and pressure after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere following its launch from northern North Korea last week.

The apparent failure likely means the rogue regime will conduct more flight tests of the Hwasong-14 missile to ensure the warhead could survive the re-entry from space and hit its intended target.

After analyzing video from a rooftop camera operated by Japan's NHK television on the northern island of Hokkaido, U.S. missile expert Michael Elleman concluded that Hwasong-14's re-entry vehicle "disintegrated" before it landed at sea.

"In short, a reasonable conclusion based on the video evidence is that the Hwasong-14's re-entry vehicle did not survive during its second test," Elleman, an expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies said in an article on the research website 38 North. "If this assessment accurately reflects reality, North Korea's engineers have yet to master re-entry technologies and more work remains before Kim Jong Un has an ICBM capable of striking the American mainland."

Elleman said the video showed the re-entry vehicle shedding small radiant objects at an altitude of 2.5 to 3 miles and that it dims and quickly disappears at an altitude of 1.9 to 2.5 miles before it passes behind a mountain range and is obscured from the camera's view. Had the re-entry vehicle survived, it would have continued to glow until disappearing behind the mountains, he claims.

The missile expert told reporters on a recent conference call organized by 38 North, that fixing the design flaw might take them another six months, according to The New York Times. But the key is that theyll have to do additional flight tests.

While North Korea has declared that the Hwasong-14's latest launch confirmed important features of the missile, such as its range and the warhead's atmospheric re-entry, it also described the rocket as "landing in the target waters in the open sea."

It probably wasn't an ideal outcome for North Korean engineers because nuclear warheads are usually designed to detonate at lower altitudes shortly before impact, Kim Dong-yub, a defense analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said to The Associated Press.

"Considering the cost and efforts they put into tests, North Korea likely would have tried to detonate the warhead properly; they apparently failed this time, but could focus on this aspect in future tests," Kim said. "Mastering re-entry is among the most critical military milestones the North has left, along with developing submarine-launched ballistic missile system and solid-fuel ICBMs."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
As North Korea continues to develop its nuclear program, ramping up tension around the globe, a group of scientists provides the world with information on the actual size and scope of nuke tests inside the hermit kingdom - and stands ready if Kim Jong Un plans another test soon.

As North Korea continues to develop its nuclear program, ramping up tension around the globe, a group of scientists is trying to determine the actual size and scope of the tests going on inside the hermit kingdom.

According to the Seismological Society of America, most of what the world knows about the countrys past nuclear tests comes directly from work by seismologists -- scientists who study earthquakes and energy waves moving through the ground -- who are using a variety of tools to try and pinpoint the location, depth and size of these nuclear explosions.

Theres this building of knowledge that helps you understand the capabilities of a country like North Korea, Delaine Reiter, a geophysicist with Weston Geophysical Corp. in Lexington, Mass told ScienceNews. Theyre not shy about broadcasting their testing, but they claim things Western scientists arent sure about. Was it as big as they claimed? Were really interested in understanding that.

In the most basic terms, seismologists analyze the seismic waves recorded at various seismic stations, to identify the precise time that seismic energy arrives at each station, and how much energy is represented by the waves. Richard Stead, a seismologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory told Fox News in an e-mail.

To determine the size of a nuclear test, seismologists use techniques that are basically the same as they use to determine the size of any seismic event, including earthquakes, he added. In the most basic sense, we start by determining the magnitude.

North Korea is the only country to perform nuclear tests this millennium, and all have taken place underground. Stead says that means seismologists are indeed essential in confirming nuclear tests.

There is a possibility that North Korea is likely to test its nuclear warhead and missile capabilities through a nuclear test with more explosive power, South Koreas Ministry of National Defense said in a report to the National Assembly Monday, according to Yonhap News.

Forensic seismologists work can determine whether activity was natural or man-made, such as a nuclear test. One way to make that determination is the depth of the activity. Anything deeper than about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) is almost certain to be natural.

In 2006, three years after the regime withdrew from the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, North Korea announced it had conducted an underground nuclear test in the northeastern part of the country.

Seismologists were able to confirm that claim by concluding the blast had come from shallow depths, no more than a few miles down, by analyzing scientific data gathered by monitoring stations in the area. They were also able to narrow the location of the test and determine the explosion to be a small one, reportedly about one-fifteenth the size of the bomb the United Stated dropped on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II.

In 2009, 2013 and twice in 2016, Pyongyang set off more underground nuclear explosions, and seismologists concluded that the blasts were getting progressively larger.

According to ScienceNews, the second 2016 blast was deeply buried and hence probably at least as powerful as the Hiroshima bomb for it to register as a magnitude 5.2 earthquake.

Stead said pinpointing the exact size and location of a nuke test is difficult to quantify. He added, What is more important is whether the seismic results are sufficient for policy makers and decision makers in our nation's capital to act upon. That is not a scientific determination.

This information is used in many offices in the U.S. government. It obviously would have implication for national defense, diplomatic relations and decision-making up to and including the president. Any government elected or appointed official, or civil servant whose duties have anything to do with nuclear tests and the implications foreign nuclear tests may have for national security, defense, international relations and other topics will likely be interested in the results of seismic analysis of the events.

On September 10, 1996, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) which bans nuclear explosions by everyone, everywhere on the Earth's surface, in the atmosphere, underwater and underground. The Treaty has a unique and comprehensive verification regime to make sure that no nuclear explosion goes undetected, according to The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).

Part of that verification system is their International Monitoring System (IMS) which has over 300 monitoring facilities around the world, 170 of which are seismic stations similar to those that measure earthquakes.

The last declared North Korean nuclear test was detected at over 100 of the IMS seismic stations. It was reported that with current knowledge, the location of a nuclear test can be determined with very high confidence to within a few miles.

CTBTO said the 183 states that are signatories to the CTBT -- including the USA -- receive both the raw data from the IMS and the results of the analysis conducted by a small international staff of experts. Some states augment this data and analysis with their own national sources and analysis by their own experts.

This data and analysis can form a common basis for nations to use in political debate and multilateral decision making regarding possible violation of the treaty.

According to the CTBTO, when North Korea tested in 2006, 2009 and 2013, the data was processed and distributed to their member states who received information about the location, magnitude, time and depth of the tests within two hours  and before the actual test had been announced by North Korea.
Five Russians accused of being hackers have been arrested in a series of American-led raids over the last nine months  all of them grabbed while on vacation across Europe.

The arrests come at a moment when relations between Moscow and Washington are tense -- at best -- and where politicians are grappling with the allegations that Kremlin hackers intervened in the U.S. election in an effort to help President Trump.

According to Axios, the arrests also come as Russian security services struck a deal with the countrys cybercriminals that allow them to work as long as they also conduct state-ordered missions.

The five men have been identified as: Pyotr Levashov, 36; Evgeny Nikulin, 29; Alexander Vinnik, 38; Stanislav Lisov, 31; and Yury Martyshev, 35. They were all grabbed outside of their homeland, which has no extradition agreement with the United States.

"There is a big hunt underway," said Andrei Soldatov, an expert on the Russian security services and co-author of "Red Web," a book about Russian attempts to control the internet. He said the recent burst of arrests made it look like the U.S. was "trying to understand what's going on with a very complicated world of Russian hacking and a very complicated relationship between Russian hackers and Russian secret services."

But Soldatov didn't rule out another possible explanation: The imprisoned Russians may be falsely tying their arrests to Trump's election in a bid to sow confusion and politicize their cases.

"It's a very big question," he said.

Several of the men have suggested their arrests are linked to the election turmoil, however no firm evidence has been found backing the claim.

Jim Lewis, of the Center for Strategic and International Relations, told Axios that the arrests are intended as a message by the U.S. that Russia's increasingly intelligent cyberwarfare cannot be carious out with impunity.

He said the investigation began around 2014 as the U.S. began to look into who was responsible for a wave of cyberattacks.

Robert Morgus, a cyber specialist at the New America Foundation, told Axios that investigators concluded the cyberattacks were carried out largely by private hackers coordinated through Russias security services.

Easily the best known of the five, Levashov, is accused by U.S. prosecutors of being one of the worlds most notorious criminal spammers. He is fighting extradition after police raided his AirBNB apartment he was sharing with his family in Barcelona in April. Law enforcement have linked Levashov, via his alias Peter Severa, to a series of powerful networks of hijacked computers carrying names like Storme, Waldec and Kelihos.

Alan Ralsky, an American bulk email baron once dubbed the King of Spam, previously worked with Levashov. He described the Russian as a master of his trade.

He made me look like an amateur, he said in a recent interview. He got to every mailbox there ever was.

Nikulin, 29, was arrested in a restaurant in Prague in October, accused of hacking into LinkedIn and Dropbox around the time that tens of millions of users there were compromised.

Lisov, 31, the alleged developer of the NeverQuest financial data-stealing software, was detained at Barcelona's airport during his honeymoon in January.

Martyshev, 35, accused of helping run a service that let cybercriminals test-drive their malicious software, was recently extradited to the U.S. after being pulled off a train at the Russia-Latvia border in April.

Vinnik, 38, was arrested at his hotel in Greece on charges of running a money laundering ring for hackers that processed billions of dollars in digital currency.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trials are set to begin in Turkey on Tuesday for hundreds of suspects accused of leading last years coup attempt and carrying out attacks from an air base in Ankara.

Many of the 486 face life terms in prison for a range of crimes  including murder, attempt to assassinate the president and overthrow the government and violating the constitution.

U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government blames for the coup, has been named as the main defendant in the case and will be tried in absentia. Former Air Force commander Akin Ozturk and other defendants stationed at Akinci air base, are accused of directing the coup and bombing government buildings.

The trial is one of dozens that are underway in Turkey in relation to the failed coup on July 15, 2016 that resulted in 249 deaths.

The government says the coup-plotters used Akinci air base as their headquarters. Turkey's military chief Gen. Hulusi Akar and other commanders were held captive for several hours at the base on the night of the coup.

TURKISH COURT FREES 7 NEWSPAPER STAFF, KEEPS 6 IN JAIL

On Tuesday, a group of 41 defendants were paraded from their jail to a courthouse that was built at a prison complex to try the coup plotters. They were handcuffed, with two paramilitary police officers on each arm and protected by armed special force officers.

A total of 461 defendants are behind bars while 18 were freed pending the outcome of the trial. Seven others, including Gulen and an alleged top operative in his movement, are still wanted by the Turkish authorities and are being tried in absentia.

Families of those killed or wounded during the coup attempt staged a protest, some throwing ropes toward the defendants and demanding that the death penalty be reinstated. Others threw stones or tried to break through police lines to reach the suspects, shouting "murderers."

The government declared a state of emergency following the coup and embarked on a large-scale crackdown on Gulen's network and other opponents, arresting more than 50,000 people and purging over 110,000 people from government jobs.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
A sailor on board a U.S. Navy destroyer in the South China Sea has disappeared, officials told Fox News Tuesday.

The sailor was reported missing from the USS Stethem approximately 140 miles west of Subic Bay in the Philippines. An official said the missing officer had checked in aboard the ship a short time before the disappearance.

The disappearance was first reported by Defense News.

Last month, the Stethem sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island, which is claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan as part of ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

MISSING SAILOR FOUND HIDING IN SHIP'S ENGINE ROOM CHARGED WITH DERELICTION OF DUTY

This is the second time this summer the Navy is carrying out a major search-and-rescue operation in the Pacific. In June, a missing sailor on the cruiser USS Shiloh, who had been presumed lost at sea, was found hiding in the ship's engine room. The sailor, Petty Officer 3rd Class Peter Mims, was later charged with dereliction of duty.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.
Another local pawnbroker has settled allegations with Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring for overcharging interest on loans.

His office announced Tuesday that it reached a settlement with Stafford County-based 610 Pawn, Inc. to provide more than $27,000 in refunds to more than 650 consumers as a result of the companys alleged violations of the Virginia pawnbroker statutes and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

This settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Herring in June 2016.

Weve continued to see a rash of pawnbrokers across Virginia skirting laws and overcharging consumers, said Herring. If youre considering using a pawn shop or other small dollar loan lender, you should always closely review the terms and know your rights before signing anything that might result in even more money coming out of your pocket.

610 Pawn issues loans and takes possession of consumers personal property as security. In the complaint, the Attorney General alleged that 610 Pawn charged interest and fees beyond those permitted by the Virginia pawnbroker statutes.

The settlement requires that 610 Pawn refund $27,731.88 to 651 borrowers and pay the Attorney General $6,226.85 to reimburse the Commonwealths expenses.

A permanent injunction is also in place, preventing 610 Pawn from violating the Virginia statutes applicable to pawnbrokers and the VCPA.

Consumers who received loans from 610 Pawn from March 12, 2015, to April 11, 2016, and who have questions about the settlement may contact the company directly at 540/840-8261.

A number of local pawn shops have recently settled with the state over allegations of illegal loans. In May, Spotsylvania Gold & Pawn Inc. settled with the Attorney General over allegations of deceiving customers about the costs of their loans. In March, Spotsylvania County-based Pawnking LLC and Stafford County-based All Star Pawn & Gold LLC agreed to settle illegal interest and fee allegations.

In 2015, Herring filed a lawsuit against B&B Pawnbrokers Inc., accusing it of making illegal, unlicensed motor vehicle title loans and charging excessive fees for them. And in 2014, Liberty Pawnshop & Gold LLC in Fredericksburg reached a settlement with the state after issuing auto title loans without a license.
Philip Barker of King George County recently shared with The Free LanceStar a mindway moment from several decades ago.

A newspaper clipping shows 5-year-old Philip and his cousin, Nancy Deere, going for a ride on a junior-size Ferris wheel on "Fredericksburg Day" at the Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair. They were two of 4,100 fairgoers that day in September 1952.

The photograph of the youngsters ran as part of a picture story, which included a photo of the brightly lit midway at nightcaptioned "A Times Square Look for a Route 2 Field." Readers also saw photos of some of the winning livestock and dairy entries, as well as an image of the Fredericksburg Day parade rolling down Caroline Street, with Smokey the Bear waving to onlookers.

The fair was an annual family tradition in those days, Barker said. He remembered area schools used to dismiss students early so they could enjoy the festivities. The fair even featured a "Public School Day," which allowed free admittance to school-age youngsters.

"The fair was a lot of fun," said Barker, who added that "it was a really big deal" when he hit the seventh or eighth grade and was allowed to roam the fair without supervision.

Barker retired in 2008 after working as an electronics technician at Dahlgren. The self-named "spry old chicken" is a longtime competitive volleyball player, and is headed to Utah in October to compete in the Senior World Games.

Before then, he's looking forward to attending this year's fair, where he'll most enjoy the musical acts, and just "seeing and being seen," he joked.

A CLAMP ON GAMING

In 1952, fair officials blamed a gambling ban, as well as an opening-day raid by Virginia State Police, for a crowd that they called "under expectations."

The raid temporarily shut down one stand and shuttered the bingo booth before it even opened. Plans for a raffle of a car were canceled after a pre-fair warning against gambling from the commonwealth's attorney.

Despite the lower attendance numbers, the event was "highly successful," the fair manager said.

HAPPENING NOW

The 2017 fair in underway and is open through Sunday. The fair features traditional elements, as well as some new demonstrations and exhibits. On weekdays, gates open at 5 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. On weekends, the fair is open from noon to 10 p.m. For ticket prices and the schedule, visit fredericksburgfair.org.
A federal lawsuit alleging Spotsylvania County interfered with a Baptist churchs constitutional right to house a religious school has been amicably resolved, the two sides announced Tuesday in a joint statement.

Zoan Baptist Church filed the suit against the county June 28 after Spotsylvania officials determined the year-old Summit Academy would need a special-use permit to continue operating in the churchs education wing. Both sides apparently made concessions at a recent settlement conference.

The joint statement said the 20-student Summit Academy will be able to reopen this month for the 201718 school year, but that the church will also apply to rezone its 7-acre property off State Route 3. In a separate statement, John Mauck of the Thomas More Societya religious liberty law firm that helped represent the churchsaid: We are pleased that The Summit Academy will be continuing to operate as part of the Zoan Baptist Church while Spotsylvania County considers rezoning the property.

Both parties consented to a stipulation to dismiss with prejudice on Monday, preventing the church from filing suit again. A judge will enforce the terms of a confidential settlement agreement reached July 20 and any subsequent arbitration award, according to court papers.

Each party is responsible for its own legal bills and neither admits wrongdoing, according to the voluntary dismissal.

According to the lawsuit, the county said the academy needed a special-use permit because it is a Catholic private school separate from the church. But Zoan Baptist considers the school a ministry of the church exempt from what the suit calls a burdensome and lengthy permit process that would cost up to $20,000.

The suit claims the countys action violated the Constitutions Free Exercise and Establishment clauses, which protect religious groups and the separation of church and state. Last month, the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors voted to let County Administrator Mark Taylor or Deputy County Administrator Mark Cole mediate the dispute.

In a telephone interview, Zoan Pastor Jesse Booth said the settlement agreement gives the church several options, but he declined to elaborate. Were still working on some things to completely resolve the issue, he said.

Its unclear which zoning classification Zoan will seek, though at least two allow a church and private school on the same property. The churchs zoning designation prohibits a private school without a special-use permit.

The academy moved into the churchs education wing last year, but Spotsylvania intervened after receiving a complaint about the arrangement, court papers show.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, stated that Spotsylvania had wrongly given itself the power to define legitimate activities in churches. According to the County, religious worship qualifies but a school devoted to instruction on religious, or other subjects does not, it claimed. But it is not the Countys prerogative to determine whether a school fits within the mission and calling of a church.

Pastor Booth reached a new arrangement with Summit Academy in response to Spotsylvanias opinion that the church and school operate as separate entities, the suit said. The church, for instance, no longer requires the academy to pay rent and appointed two of its leaders to the schools board of directors.

Zoan also agreed to oversee  day-to-day activities at the academy, which charges $5,900 annually for tuition.
The University of Mary Washington is continuing to partner with other Virginia universities to offer additional degree programs for its students.

UMW students now have an accelerated path to a pharmacy career, according to a press release from the school. The university has entered into a new articulation agreement with Shenandoah University in Winchester.

A memorandum of understanding signed earlier this month by both institutions makes it possible for qualified students to earn a baccalaureate degree through UMW and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Shenandoah Universitys Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy in seven rather than the usual eight years.

To apply for the program, students must complete at least 63 academic credits, maintain no less than a cumulative 3.0 grade point average and score in the 50th percentile on the Pharmacy College Admission Test.

This agreement provides highly motivated students an opportunity to earn the pharmacy doctorate more quickly, decreasing the cost and potential student loan debt, said Deborah ODell, professor of biology, who helped initiate the partnership.
Stanley Guzik, 80, of Fredericksburg, formerly of Philadelphia, passed away Sunday, July 30, 2017 at Vibra Hospital in Richmond. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Helen M. Guzik; nephews Richard Walzak and Robert Walzak; and numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his sister, Wanda Walzak. The family will receive friends from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2 at Covenant Funeral Service, Fredericksburg. A Mass will be held at 10:30 am. Wed., Aug. 2 at St. Mary Catholic Church. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Philadelphia. Online guestbook at covenantfuneralservice.com.
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Farmer co-op Openfield has got exports off to a flying start this season, with 10 boats loaded with 40,000t of new crop barley and oilseed rape since harvest began.

Three oilseed rape shipments totalling about 8,000t have left the UK and seven feed barley boats holding a total of 32,000t.

The first new crop feed barley shipment was loaded at Ipswich, Suffolk, on 14 July with more than 4,200t from farms across East Anglia. Shipments have also been made from Portbury, Bristol, and Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

See also: Business Clinic  are pulses worth it without pesticides

The Arklow Cape left Portbury on 20 July with 4,288t of feed barley from farms in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire bound for Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

The Arklow Cliff (pictured) began loading her maiden voyage in Ipswich on Monday (31 July) with 4,200t of East Anglian feed barley for Spain. Loading completes Tuesday (1 August) and the cargo will arrive in northern Spain by the end of this week.

In the first of a run of oilseed rape vessels exporting from the Wash, Openfield also loaded 2,750t of oilseed rape at Boston, Lincolnshire, bound for Hamburg.
Story Highlights More parents would intervene than step back when a child is bored

One in five strongly agree occasional boredom is good for a child

Few prefer indoor, independent, child-led play as top activity for child

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Many U.S. parents feel compelled to step in and help when a child is bored, although in doing so, they may be preventing children from developing the ability to solve their own problems. This is one of the many insights found in Time to Play, a report released Tuesday by Gallup and global toy company Melissa & Doug.

Parents' First Approach to Dealing With a Bored Child When your child is bored, which of the following are you most likely to do first, which are you most likely to do second and which are you most likely to do third? First mention % Let them try to figure it out on their own 33 Talk to them about different activities they might want to do 27 Stop what you are doing and interact with them 11 Allow them to watch media or use an electronic device 4 Set them up with something else to keep them busy (toy, game or activity) 4 Unsure 21 Melissa & Doug/Gallup

These results come from a nationwide survey that Gallup conducted on behalf of Melissa & Doug among parents of children aged 10 and younger. One question on the poll asks parents to say which of five actions they are most likely to take when their child is bored.

A third of parents -- including roughly equal percentages of parents of younger and older children -- say they would first try to let the child figure it out on their own. By contrast, a combined 46% would follow one of the other approaches, all entailing parental involvement in coming up with a solution. These include talking to the child about different options for activities they might do (27%), stopping what they are doing and interacting with the child (11%), or setting the child up with a screen-based (4%) or other activity (4%).

In the survey, parents were asked to list their first, second and third approaches to the boredom problem. Even when factoring in parents' second and third answers, barely half of all parents (53%) said that leaving it up to the child to solve their own boredom would be one of their top three strategies.

Are Parents Convinced That Boredom Can Be Good?

Child psychologist Lyn Fry has said, "I think children need to learn how to be bored in order to motivate themselves to get things done. Being bored is a way to make children self-reliant."

Yet, in terms of parents' understanding that boredom can be a useful catalyst to stimulate a child to take action on their own behalf, the poll found 21% strongly agreeing with the statement, "It is good to let children be bored now and then."

Although another 57% somewhat agree with this sentiment, the percentage who strongly agree is significantly less than the percentage strongly agreeing with two other statements tested: that exercise and play are just as important for children as academic skills (68%), and that early childhood experiences will be critical to their child's academic and future success (39%).

Parents Don't Prioritize Indoor, Independent, Child-Led Play

Relatedly, the Melissa & Doug/Gallup survey explores parents' attitudes about the value of unstructured, child-led play.

As reported in Time to Play, parents' runaway top choice for how their child would ideally spend their free time is playing outside -- often a natural boredom buster. A number of other activities are mentioned by significantly fewer parents and roughly tie for second place. These include spending time with a parent, playing organized sports, participating in structured activities and playing inside with siblings or other children.

On the other hand, another important type of child-led play -- playing indoors independently -- is well down the list, mentioned by 18% of parents.

Parents' Preferences for How Child Would Occupy Free Time In a perfect world, how would you like this child to occupy most of their time? (For children in preschool/pre-K or higher school, please answer about their time outside of school.) Top three mentions % Outside play (unstructured) 62 Do something with a parent or other adult (screen-free) 37 Organized sports (competitive or team sports) 36 Structured activities (play groups, classes, scouting, etc.) 35 Indoor play/Activities with siblings or other children (screen-free) 34 Academic/Educational activities (including on electronic devices) 22 Indoor play/Activities on their own (screen-free) 18 Watching media (TV, videos, streaming, etc.) 6 Electronic devices (computers, tablets, videogames, smartphones) 6 Adds up to more than 100% due to multiple mentions Melissa & Doug/Gallup

Childhood play expert Peter Gray, Ph.D., a research professor of psychology at Boston College, maintains that today's children have little time to play on their own without adult oversight or input and that this deprives them of opportunities to learn how to take control of their lives.

"We may think we are protecting them," Gray has said, "but in fact we are diminishing their joy, diminishing their sense of self-control, preventing them from discovering and exploring the endeavors they would most love, and increasing the odds that they will suffer from anxiety, depression, and other disorders."

Bottom Line

It has been said that the cure for boredom is curiosity -- but for children, that's true only if someone doesn't rush in with a smartphone or even helpful hints for what to do.

With only a third of parents initially saying they let a bored child figure it out on their own, and even fewer strongly agreeing that occasional boredom can be good for a child, it appears many parents aren't using boredom as constructively as they could.

These findings suggest there is important work to be done in helping more parents understand how boredom, as well as unstructured, child-led play, can teach kids important life skills.

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Story Highlights Index remains near 2017 low, occurring in May and June

Ninth straight month the index has been positive

Current conditions component at +11; outlook component at -4

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' confidence in the economy was steady last month, with Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index averaging +4 in July. This score is nearly identical to the 2017 low of +3 registered in May and June. Still, July marked the ninth consecutive month that Americans rated the economy more positively than negatively -- the longest such streak since Gallup began tracking economic confidence in 2008.

Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index is the average of two components: how Americans rate current economic conditions and whether they believe the economy is improving or getting worse. The index has a theoretical maximum of +100 if all Americans were to say the economy is doing well and improving, and a theoretical minimum of -100 if all were to say the economy is doing poorly and getting worse.

On a weekly basis, the index's average has remained within a tight range of +2 and +4 for all but two of the last 12 weeks. This includes last week, July 24-30, when Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index averaged +2.

Still, Americans were far more confident in the economy in July compared with virtually any time between January 2008 and November 2016, when confidence was routinely negative. Americans became more optimistic about the economy last November when the monthly average of the index climbed 12 points to +1. In January, economic confidence hit +11, its best month in nine years.

While Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index remained close to this record high in February (+8) and March (+9), it began to slip in April, falling to +5 as Democrats' feelings about the economy continued to sour. This course continued in May, when the measure fell to +3 for the month.

Attitudes appear to have stabilized in the last two months, as evidenced by the index's lack of movement over that time frame.

More Americans Continue to See Economy as Getting Worse

Last month, Americans continued to see current economic conditions positively, with 33% describing the economy as "excellent" or "good," compared with 22% describing it as "poor." This leaves the current conditions component at +11 for the month -- nearly identical to its performance in June (+10).

In July, the greater share of Americans continued to see the economy as "getting worse" (49%) rather than "getting better" (45%), as has been the case since May. As a result, the economic outlook component equaled -4 last month, on par with May (-5) and June (-4).

Republicans, Higher Income and More-Educated Americans More Confident

No single group has seen a bigger boost in their level of economic confidence, compared with last July, than Republicans. Conversely, Democrats have seen the largest drop in economic confidence compared with one year ago. But while partisanship is by far the most influential factor in determining overall economic confidence, other attributes also play a role in shaping economic confidence.

Last month, Americans living in households earning $90,000 a year or more had the highest level of confidence in the economy (+18), compared with U.S. adults living in lower-income households. But confidence in the economy was positive among those in households earning $60,000-$89,999 a year, while it was negative for Americans in households earning $24,000-$59,999 (-1) or less than $24,000 (-18). Overall, confidence is up among all income categories, though it is up by the most percentage points with Americans in households earning $60,000-$89,999.

Similarly, college-educated Americans, who tend to enjoy higher earnings than do the less-educated, expressed higher confidence in the economy in July of both 2017 and 2016 than did non-college-educated Americans. However, economic confidence among non-college-educated Americans has risen 23 points since last year; among those with a college education, it is up six points.

Gallup's U.S. Economic Confidence Index Monthly Averages, by Subgroup: July 2016 vs. July 2017 By annual household income, level of education, gender and racial/ethnic identity July 2016 index average July 2017 index average Change in index average % % pct. pts. All national adults -15 4 19 Annual household income Less than $24,000 -25 -18 7 $24,000-$59,999 -20 -1 19 $60,000-$89,999 -14 10 24 $90,000+ -2 18 20 Education No college degree -23 0 23 College degree or higher 4 10 6 Gender Men -11 16 27 Women -18 -9 9 Race and ethnicity Non-Hispanic white -21 12 33 Non-Hispanic black -6 -33 -27 Hispanic 6 -3 -9 Gallup Daily

Notably, several of the subgroups that have seen the highest boost in economic confidence relative to last year are groups that were key to Donald Trump's electoral victory -- white Americans, the less-educated and men. Conversely, racial and ethnic minorities, whose confidence has fallen the farthest of all groups other than Democrats, strongly supported Trump's opponent in the election.

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A motorcyclist died in a two-vehicle crash that closed one lane of Highway 20 in Corvallis for several hours on Monday afternoon.

The crash happened about 2:50 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 20 and Northeast Conifer Boulevard.

According to Benton County Undersheriff Greg Ridler, preliminary information indicates that a Harley-Davidson motorcycle traveling south on the highway struck a northbound Ford pickup truck that was attempting to turn left onto Conifer.

The motorcyclist died at the scene, and the driver of the truck was taken to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center for evaluation.

The names of the people involved were not released Monday, although Ridler said the motorcyclist, an adult male, was believed to have been a Benton County resident.

No citations have been issued, and investigators are still working to determine exactly what caused the crash and who may have been at fault, according to Ridler.

"It will probably be a day or two before we decide that," he said. "We've got to take a look at speed and other factors."

The northbound lane of Highway 20 remained open after the crash, but southbound traffic was diverted onto Conifer Boulevard for more than three hours while investigators examined the scene. The detour was lifted shortly after 6 p.m.

The Benton County Sheriffs Office is the lead investigating agency on the case. It is being assisted by a multi-agency crash team that also includes investigators with the Oregon State Police and the Corvallis, Albany and Philomath police departments.
The Corvallis-Benton County Public Library is hosting a free event Tuesday on how the ancient Greeks used eclipses to measure astronomical distances.

Oregon State University mathematics doctoral student and graduate teaching assistant Sarah Hagen will present the information at 6:30 p.m. in the main meeting room of the library, 645 NW Monroe Ave.

Hagen, who teaches integral calculus at OSU, received her bachelors in philosophy from Reed College of Portland in 2006, her master of arts in mathematics for teaching at Harvard in 2013 and her master of science in math from OSU in 2017.

The Greeks used eclipse events and the geometry of triangles to measure the size of the moon and the sun and their distance from Earth with surprising accuracy.

No math expertise is required and a limited quantity of eclipse glasses will be available.
A group of 15 people walked through the Oregon State University campus on Monday, the first steps in a two-week journey that will end on Aug. 14 at Naval Base Kitsap, home of the U.S. Navys ballistic submarine fleet in the Pacific, with a prayer to eliminate nuclear weapons.

The 13th annual Pacific Northwest Interfaith Peace Walk started in Corvallis this year, with the core group of participants arriving in Corvallis on Sunday and beginning their march on Monday. Theyll walk an average of 15 miles a day, with stops in more than a dozen Oregon and Washington communities including Salem, Portland, Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle.

Organized by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist monastery in Bainbridge Island, Washington, and co-sponsored by a variety of peace groups, the march aims to call attention to the horrors of war and put pressure on political leaders to abolish nuclear weapons.

Its very easy to have a catastrophe on the earth now  not just climate change, but we have very varied technologies to kill people quickly, said the Rev. Senji Kanaeda of the Nipponzan Miyohoji order, which has organized numerous peace marches around the world. Its the only single act I can do.

Kanaeda, a native of Japan, said hes participated in more than 100 anti-nuclear marches over the past 25 years or so, including a multinational pilgrimage that began on Dec. 8, 1994, in Auschwitz, Poland, site of the notorious Nazi death camp, and ended in Nagasaki, Japan, on Aug. 9, 1995, the 50th anniversary of the U.S. nuclear bombing of that city.

In addition to the core group of 10 or 12 marchers, Kanaeda said, he expects others to swell the ranks of this years Pacific Northwest Interfaith Peace Walk.

Along the way, local people join us, he said. Sometimes 20, sometimes 30  every day is different.

On Monday, the group took part in a panel discussion at OSU and walked to several student cultural centers, banging hand drums and carrying signs that called for peace. They were also scheduled to join the daily peace vigil at the Benton County Courthouse and visit the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center before gathering for a community potluck at Central Park.

The group was hosted at Oregon State University by Linda Richards, an instructor in the College of Liberal Arts who took part in the 2015 march. Given the universitys connections to the peace movement, including the personal papers of Nobel Peace Prize-winning anti-nuclear activist Linus Pauling, Richards said, OSU made a good place to start the march.

I really wanted him to talk on our campus, she said of Kanaeda. Because of all the peace work that goes on on our campus, I thought it was appropriate if we had his prayer for peace on our campus.
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.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy.
Officials Release Latest Details of Strikes Against ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 31, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 23 strikes consisting of 27 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes consisting of 17 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed an ISIS-held building.

-- Near Raqqa, 14 strikes engaged 12 ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine fighting positions, three supply caches, two ISIS-held buildings, a vehicle, a tunnel and a command-and-control node; and suppressed a fighting position.

-- Near Shadaddi, a strike destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of 10 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Huwayjah, two strikes destroyed an ISIS oil refinement still and a front-end loader and suppressed a front-end loader.

-- Near Beiji, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle.

-- Near Kisik, a strike engaged an ISIS mortar team and damaged two command-and-control nodes and two ISIS-held buildings.

-- Near Qaim, a strike destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed an ISIS-held building and a tactical vehicle.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

July 29 Strikes

Additionally, five strikes were conducted in Syria and Iraq on July 29 that closed within the last 24 hours.

-- Near Qaim, Iraq, a strike destroyed an ISIS headquarters.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria, a strike destroyed five ISIS oil refinement stills.

-- Near Kisik, Iraq, two strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Rawah, Iraq, a strike destroyed a command-and-control node.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect.

For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

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Bombers Conduct Bilateral Flights After North Korea ICBM Launch

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii, July 31, 2017  In response to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs and as a part of the continuing demonstration of ironclad U.S. commitment to its allies, two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers under the command of U.S. Pacific Air Forces joined their counterparts from South Korea and Japan in sequenced bilateral missions yesterday.

The missions were in direct response to North Korea's escalatory launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles on July 3 and July 28, officials said.

"North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," said Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, the Pacific Air Forces commander. "Diplomacy remains the lead; however, we have a responsibility to our allies and our nation to showcase our unwavering commitment while planning for the worst-case scenario. If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing."

Training Opportunity

After taking off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, the B-1s flew to Japanese airspace, where they were joined by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jets. The B-1s then flew over the Korean Peninsula where they were joined by four South Korean Air Force F-15 Eagle fighter jets. The B-1s then performed a low-pass over Osan Air Base, South Korea, before leaving South Korean airspace and returning to Guam.

Throughout the approximately 10-hour mission, the aircrews practiced intercept and formation training, enabling them to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills, while also strengthening the longstanding military-to-military relationships in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

U.S. Pacific Command maintains flexible bomber and fighter capabilities in the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater, retaining the ability to quickly respond to any regional threat in order to defend the U.S. homeland and in support of allies.

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Exercise Noble Partner Opens in Georgia

By Army Sgt. Shiloh Capers 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

VAZIANI MILITARY BASE, Georgia, July 31, 2017  The opening ceremony for the multinational, U.S. Army Europe-led exercise Noble Partner took place here yesterday and was attended by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and other senior Georgian and U.S. leaders.

The exercise serves as home station training for the Georgian light infantry company designated for the NATO Response Force and includes eight participating nations: Armenia, Georgia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States.

The ceremony started promptly at noon as a member of the Georgian Army reported the formation of international troops to Margvelashvili.

After the Georgian national anthem, guest speakers for the opening ceremony were Margvelashvili, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirkashvili, Georgian Defense Minister Levan Izoaria and U.S. Ambassador Ian Kelly.

This year's exercise seeks to enhance interoperability and readiness by improving the participating nations' ability to conduct multinational mission command and control and measure the ability to support a multinational operational scenario, Kelly said.

The exercise will support the training of Georgia's second light infantry company as it prepares for its certification for NATO's Response Force. The NRF is a highly ready multinational force made of land, air, maritime and special operations components that the alliance can quickly deploy, wherever needed.

"The United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its partners," Kelly said. "Those gathered here seeking to build readiness and interoperability in the face of aggression are critical to that end."

2nd Cavalry Regiment

There are more than 2,000 U.S. troops involved with Noble Partner, and nearly a quarter of those soldiers belong to the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Based in Vilseck, Germany, the regiment has traveled about 1,400 miles to support various military exercises throughout Eastern Europe.

The transportation of vehicles and movement of personnel is validation of the unit's ability to deploy rapidly across the Georgian infrastructure, said Army Col. Patrick Ellis, commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. The movement is also a demonstration of support for Georgia.

"It's a demonstration of the United States and really, the alliance's commitment to our partner, Georgia," Ellis stated. "To come down here and train with them, side by side."

Noble Partner's scenarios will center around defensive operations. In one scenario, forces will occupy semi-prepared positions and defend against an attacking force using live ammunition.

Scenarios like this provide the opportunity to engage multiple systems and arrange multiple assets to achieve an objective. Multinational elements will coordinate together throughout the exercise as mixed forces operate as a single unit. The eight nations will train together throughout Noble Partner, building on the relationships between all participating militaries.

"These exercises [show] the operational reach that NATO has when we're training and assisting our partners, the Georgian Army, in getting better at their ability to defend themselves and maintain their sovereignty," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin John Muhlenbeck, command sergeant major of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

Noble Partner 2017 is one of the largest exercises directed by U.S. Army Europe in Georgia.

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Special Operations Forces hone skills during exercise Black Swan 17

By Staff Sgt. Aaron Duncan July 31, 2017

SZOLNOK, Hungary -- The men patrolled their compound surrounded by the thick, green bush common throughout the area, alert for any signs of trouble. Carrying AK-47 rifles and joking quietly, they stood as dangerous warnings to any would-be intruders.

The quiet of the morning quickly broke, however, as special operations forces rapidly swarmed their posts. They came from all directions, wearing the uniforms of their respective nations, working through the compound's defenses efficiently and effectively.

Unbeknownst to the guards, those forces had arrived the night before. They spent the previous day observing, refining their plan and waiting to strike.

The assault was just one part of Exercise Black Swan 2017. Black Swan was a Hungarian-led special operations forces exercise held June 26 to July 22 in locations across Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania. Designed to enable participants to rehearse and demonstrate integration between special operations and conventional forces to prepare for real-world contingencies, it included participants from over eight countries.

"20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) worked with SOF from Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; establishing a Hungarian-led Special Operations Component Command conducting an exercise across Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria," said Army Col. Derek Lipson, the commander of 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne). "More than 600 soldiers participated in this exercise, reinforcing allied relationships, conventional and special operations interoperability, interdependence and integration."

Black Swan was one of a series of U.S. and European-led exercises under the umbrella of U.S. European Command's Saber Guardian exercise. The U.S. Army Europe-led annual exercise is designed to enhance joint operational capability with allied and partner nations across a variety of mission sets, and involved more than 25,000 service members from over 20 ally and partner nations.

U.S. special operations personnel partnered with their Hungarian counterparts to assist in the planning of the exercise, as well as the execution. U.S. special operators worked alongside their hosts at multiples levels of the exercise command structure.

"The working relationship we've established with our partner nations will enable us to further train as a SOCC -- especially as we build on our mutual understanding of NATO SOF doctrine," Lipson said. "We'll work together for the next two years to better execute Black Swan 19, as part of Saber Guardian 19."

The experience of working alongside different nations in the planning of such a large operation was not lost either on Col. Tamas Sandor, commander of the Hungarian Defense Force special operations forces.

"Working with U.S. forces was smooth and easy," Sandor said. "The U.S. team was professional and really willing to share their experience and mentor our staff. Although language is always a challenge, the similar doctrine and experience from Afghanistan and Iraq made cooperation easier. I would like to underline the professionalism and all the great efforts which made real teamwork through the exercise."

The event allowed special operations staffs to develop their planning expertise. For the U.S. forces, it is imperative to be able to plan alongside allies.

"It was a great exercise and great opportunity for application of special operations from the tactical to the strategic level, and in a part of the world where partnership is crucial," Lipson said.

Additionally, while special operations forces perform specialized missions, they work towards and alongside conventional forces operational objectives. This makes the ability for SOF and conventional soldiers to coordinate and operate like a well-oiled machine a must.

In addition to Hungarian conventional units, U.S. Army paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and aviators from 10th Combat Aviation Brigade also participated in the exercise.

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Ousting ISIS from Al Anbar: The Advise and Assist Mission of Task Force Al Asad

US Marine Corps News

By 1st Lt. David Williams | July 31, 2017

While combat operations in Mosul and Raqqah dominate today's headlines, the fight to destroy the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria extends far beyond these two cities. In Iraq's Al Anbar province, which encompasses much of the country's western territory, the fight is still on-going and Task Force Al Asad plays a key role in enabling the total destruction of ISIS in this region.

TFAA, commanded by U.S. Marine Corps Col. Fridrik Fridriksson, epitomizes the current coalition in the fight against ISIS. The task force, whose mission is to advise and assist (A&A) the Jazira al-Badiyah Operations Center and the 7th Iraqi Army Division, is a vital component of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve's efforts to destroy ISIS, and for TFAA specifically, within their Al Anbar-centric battlespace.

"Now, the Iraqis are doing everything," Fridriksson said. "What we're doing is trying to enable them. Not fight for them, but with them  these are truly going to be Iraqi victories."

The coalition effort is palpable while traveling around the task force compound with numerous patterns and colors of camouflage moving about the concrete barriers and bunkers among a mix of permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary structures. While TFAA is run by a U.S. Marine, as are many of the primary staff, just under 10 percent of the entire team are U.S. Marines.

Upon entering TFAA's headquarters building, the coalition effort becomes further apparent as offices are filled by U.S. Marines and Soldiers working alongside their Danish and British army counterparts. The task force proudly displays their unit logo consisting of a lion, the English word for asad, in front of an American, Iraqi, Danish, and British flag.

These partners, which also fall under Fridriksson's command and who make up a preponderance of the personnel, are vital to mission success.

"This is not just joint, this is a coalition," Fridriksson said.

Fridriksson went on to explain that being able to work in this type of environment with all services from the Department of Defense and with over a half dozen different countries has been absolutely rewarding.

Over the past eight months, TFAA has supported the Iraqis through the Building Partner Capacity mission with training which includes infantry tactics, logistics, engineering, and maintenance among others, as well as support to operations. Combined, these efforts improved the ISF's fighting capacity in the Euphrates River Valley (ERV).

"This is their fight, we've got to be able to support that the best way we can," said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. William Warkentin, operations officer for TFAA.

The A&A mission support largely involves intelligence, surveillance, and fire support resulting in well over 100 strikes on the enemy and supporting over a dozen different operations. TFAA is able to follow these operations from their combat operations center in order to best support their partners. This includes both support in offensive operations as well as in self-defense of the Iraqi forces.

"When you catch the enemy trying to attack your Iraqi partners and you're able to stop that  that's one of the best takeaways, you seeing the success on the battlefield when you know you have saved Iraqi lives," Warkentin said.

Offensive operations conducted by their partner forces are depicted on maps hanging in the Task Force's work spaces. On these maps, the shrinking of ISIS in Al Anbar to this point in the operation date back to the first Task Force rotation in 2015.

"By, with, and through is embodied here at the Task Force," Warkentin said.

Over the course of the task force's deployment, they conducted more than 130 key leader engagements with the ISF in support of the A&A mission. These engagements improve relationships between TFAA personnel and the ISF, allowing them to work together and determine how the task force can better support the Iraqis and their mission.

"Breaking bread with our Iraqi partners is an important part of a key-leadership engagement," Warkentin said. "If you're not sitting down with the generals and the operations planners, then you can't really do that enable piece  When they see how committed we are, it makes it easier for them to open up to you  Being here for nine months, you see that relationship develop, you become friends."

While not directly tied to the A&A mission of TFAA, the task force also oversees base development for CJTF-OIR in order to enable their operations in the Euphrates River Valley, now and into the future, explained U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew Seay, TFAA Deputy Commander. Many personnel of the task force have worked throughout their deployment developing and implementing this plan.

U.S. Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and coalition combat engineers throughout the task force operate heavy equipment daily in support of this effort. These include laying foundations for new structures, repairing weathered runways, and improving force protection measures.

The U.S. Marine Corps combat engineers are assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, deployed to the Middle East as part of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command, the Marine Corps' crisis response force for U.S. Central Command. These Marines were sourced to TFAA for engineering operations in support of the base's master plan.

"It's meaningful work, and it's getting done," said 1st Lt. Khari Ford, the SPMAGTF-CR-CC engineering detachment officer-in-charge. "Instantly there's a number of sites that as soon as we finish, someone lives there or moves in to work there. You know that everything you do, it matters to someone. It's something that's supporting the fight."

The quickest a site was occupied after completion was 20 minutes, Ford said, highlighting the demand for their work.

Meanwhile, the security of Al Asad Air Base must be maintained. A combined team of U.S. Marines work alongside the British and Danish armies to ensure the perimeter and the safety of those on the base. The security force Marines are assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, also attached to TFAA from the SPMAGTF-CR-CC.

"They are part of the front line as far as advising and assisting the Iraqis," said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Paul Queen, 1/7's TFAA security force detachment officer-in-charge.

Queen deployed to Al Asad on a previous deployment in early 2016 and said the progress since then is evident.

"[The Marines] can see tangible results to their efforts There is much more integration between the Iraqis and the Task Force," he said.

Their mission is to provide security for TFAA to "allow the Task Force to engage with the Iraqis and enable them and their mission," Queen said.

In doing so, their daily operations consist of conducting base-defense patrols, providing security for key-leader engagements, standing guard at posts, serving as a quick reaction force, and exchanging infantry tactics, techniques, and procedures with the 7th IAD.

Queen and his Marines are part of TFAA's multi-national security force team that is so tightly integrated that they share the same building and office space, much like the Task Force's headquarters.

"[There is] integration between three different countries and four different services at the company level, Queen said when asked about the experience. "It's been phenomenal."

TFAA will continue to play an important role in Al Anbar as they continue to A&A the ISF. As Fridriksson's deployment comes to an end and another commander arrives, the Task Force will continue supporting the JOC and 7th IAD when they arrive and assume the mission.

Fridriksson noted the need for the task force to adapt in the future as the fight changes.

"The Task Force will morph. It will change. We have to be able to shape, change, and turn, and be as flexible and responsive to Iraqis as they need us to be," he said.

Task Force Al Asad stood up in 2015 and is currently on its fourth rotation. Their mission is to advise and assist and building partner capacity with the Iraqi security forces in Al Anbar province as they move to destroy ISIS in Iraq. The task force commander and much of his primary staff are U.S. Marines, but they are a minority of the overall population given vast support from the Coalition including the U.S., British, and Danish Armies. TFAA operates in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, the global coalition to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

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Venezuela's National Electoral Council says more than 8 million voted in ANC election

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:42, July 31, 2017

Venezuela's National Electoral Council said more than 8 million people voted to elect a new National Constituent Assembly (ANC) tasked to rewrite the constitution, with a 41.53-percent turnout rate.

The turnout is far beyond the estimates by both the government's political opponents and independent experts. The opposition said they believed some 2 million people voted.

President of the electoral body Tibisay Lucena announced at a press conference just before midnight that 8,089,320 people cast their ballots in the election.

Tensions bubbled over into violence on Sunday as police cracked down on violent protesters of the election, causing at least 10 deaths across the country, according to Venezuela's chief prosecutor's office.

Foreign Minister Samuel Moncada, however, said the strong participation of Venezuelans in Sunday's ANC election is a "vote for peace."

"Opponents, some governments and even the CIA do not recognize this power ... because they have a plan to control Venezuela. We do not need them or the vote of opponents," said Moncada, calling the election a "declaration of sovereignty."

The governments of Argentina, Britain, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and the United States, among others, have said they would not recognize the results of the election.

The voting in Venezuela was a "flawed" one "designed to replace the legitimately elected National Assembly," the U.S. State Department said in a statement released Sunday night, claiming the voting "undermines the Venezuelan people's right to self-determination."

The United States will "continue to take strong and swift actions against the architects of authoritarianism in Venezuela," including those who participate in the ANC, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

Polls opened early Sunday morning in Venezuela to elect 537 of the total 545 members of the ANC with the remaining eight seats belonging to the indigenous people.

The ANC was proposed by President Nicolas Maduro in May to rewrite the 1999 Constitution to break the ongoing political deadlock that has paralyzed the South American country. But the opposition says it is an excuse for Maduro to consolidate power.

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U.S. denounces elections in Venezuela, vows strong actions

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:44, July 31, 2017

The United States on Sunday condemned the elections for the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) in Venezuela, claiming the voting "undermines the Venezuelan people's right to self-determination."

The voting in Venezuela was a "flawed" one "designed to replace the legitimately elected National Assembly," the U.S. State Department said in a statement released Sunday night.

The United States will "continue to take strong and swift actions against the architects of authoritarianism in Venezuela" including those who participate in the ANC, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

Polls opened early Sunday morning in Venezuela to elect 537 of the total 545 members of the ANC with the remaining eight seats belonging to the indigenous people.

The ANC was proposed by President Nicolas Maduro in May to rewrite the 1999 Constitution to break the ongoing political deadlock that has paralyzed the South American country. But the opposition says it is an excuse for Maduro to consolidate power.

The United States has joined Mexico, Colombia and Panama in saying that they would not recognize the voting results.

Elias Jaua, president of Venezuela's Constituent Commission, said that the ANC did not need the recognition of "any government."

A total of 41.53 percent of Venezuelan voters cast their ballots in Sunday's elections, the National Electoral Council told the press.

At least five people were reportedly killed during the voting.

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With Kelly in the White House, 'the Mooch' has to go

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:4PM

US President Donald Trump has dismissed his recently appointed communications director, Anthony Scaramucci.

Citing three unidentified people close to the decision, The New York Times initially made the announcement Monday.

"Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director," said press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a statement later in the day. "Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best."

The announcement followed the appointment of General John Kelly as the White House chief of staff.

The abrupt removal of the controversial figure after 10 days of a crude verbal tirade against other senior staff indicated the tensions rising within Trump's inner circle.

Scaramucci (pictured below), who played a key role in the dismissal of the former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, boasted about reporting directly to the president rather than through the chief of staff.

Scaramucci's profane language, calling Priebus "a f***ing paranoid schizophrenic" once, was shocking even by the standards of the Trump era.

'Spectacular job'

It was not clear whether the 53 year old, nicknamed 'the Mooch,' would be assigned to a different post or leave the White House altogether.

Amid the shake-up of the top staff, the 67-year-old retired Marine general is now tasked with the leadership of the White House.

"I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff," Trump tweeted earlier in the day. "He is a Great American... and a Great Leader. John has also done a spectacular job at Homeland Security. He has been a true star of my Administration."

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US drones kill 10 people in Yemen, Somalia: security sources

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 6:8PM

Two separate attacks by unmanned aerial vehicles have left at least 10 people dead in Yemen and Somalia as US drones continue to claim more cilivian lives in Islamic countries.

According to security sources, five people alleged to be suspected members of the al-Qaeda were killed when a US unmanned aerial vehicle carried out a strike in Yemen's central province of Ma'rib.

A security official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday that the drone had targeted five Yemenis and "foreigners" in Juba during an attack on a gathering of people "known to belong to al-Qaeda."

The official declined to elaborate on the nationalities of those killed in the strike.

The Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is perceived as the most active branch of the terrorist group and has been regarded by the Pentagon as the most dangerous offshoot of the global terror network.

Yemen has come under regular US drone strikes, with Washington claiming to be targeting al-Qaeda elements while local sources say civilians have been the main victims.

The drone strikes in Yemen continue alongside the Saudi military aggression against the impoverished conflict-ridden country.

Saudi Arabia has been incessantly pounding Yemen since March 2015 in an unsuccessful attempt to reinstate the regime of Yemen's former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who is a staunch ally of Saudi Arabia, and to undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The Riyadh regime has, however, failed to reach its goals despite going to great expense. The brutal Saudi aggression has so far claimed the lives of more than 12,000 Yemenis.

The Saudi offensive has also taken a heavy toll on Yemen's infrastructure and led to a humanitarian crisis.

The number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen has exceeded 419,800 while almost 2,000 people have died since the outbreak of the epidemic in April, according to the latest figures provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Drone strike kills Shabab militant in Somalia

In a separate development on Monday, the US military claimed in statement that a member of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militant group had been killed in a drone strike in southern Somalia.

The US Africa Command said the airstrike was carried out two days earlier near Tortoroow, an al-Shabab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region in Somalia's volatile south.

The airstrike was carried out "as a direct response to al-Shabab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces," the statement said, adding that no civilians were killed.

The Takfiri militant group killed 39 members of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in clashes that erupted early on Sunday in Bulamareer district in Lower Shabelle, about 140 kilometers southwest of the capital Mogadishu.

Somalia has been the scene of deadly clashes between government forces and al-Shabab militants since 2006.

The Takfiri militant group was forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and carries out attacks against government, military and civilian targets seemingly at will in Mogadishu and regional towns.

The extremist group is just one of the challenges facing the new Somali government, which is still struggling to expand its authority beyond the capital and other selected areas.

The US carries out drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Libya.

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Qatar files legal protest with WTO to challenge trade boycott by Saudis, allies

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 6:8PM

Qatar has lodged a formal legal complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over a trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) against the peninsular country, formally "requesting consultations" with the trio, as an unprecedented diplomatic rift further deepens in the Persian Gulf region.

Qatar's WTO representative Ali Alwaleed al-Thani made announced the news on Monday, adding that the consultation request was meant to "discuss and clarify the legality" of those measures against Doha and to "find a way to bring them into conformity with their commitments."

By making the official request, Qatar triggered a two-month deadline for the Persian Gulf states to resolve the protest or to face litigation at the WTO and to impose on them potential trade sanctions in a tit-for-tat move.

The widening rift occurred on June 5, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt, which later were called siege states, severed ties with Doha, officially accusing Qatar of supporting "terrorism" and destabilizing the Middle East, allegations that Qatar says are unjustified and stem from false claims and assumptions.

To further pressure Qatar, Saudi Arabia has totally closed its land border with its tiny neighbor, through which much of Qatar's food supply crossed.

Later in June, the four Arab countries urged Qatar to abide by a 13-point list of demands if it wanted the crippling blockade lifted. The demands included shutting down the Doha-based Al Jazeera broadcaster, scaling back cooperation with Iran, closing the Turkish military base in Qatar, and paying an unspecified sum in reparations. They have also listed "six principles" they want Qatar to adopt.

The defiant Doha government, however, strongly refused to comply, calling the wide-ranging demands "unrealistic, unreasonable and unacceptable." In return, the four feuding countries vowed to impose further sanctions on Doha.

"We have always called for dialogue, for negotiations, and this is part of our strategy to talk to the members concerned and to gain more information on these measures, the legality of these measures, and to find a solution to resolve the dispute," al-Thani further said.

The siege states previously told the WTO that they would cite national security to justify their actions against Qatar, using a controversial and rarely requested exemption permitted under the WTO regulations.

Doha cited "coercive attempts at economic isolation" in the complaint sent to each country. It covered all trade restrictions imposed the Persian Gulf emirate, including bans on trade through Qatar's ports, and travel by Qatari citizens, blockages of Qatari digital services and websites, closure of maritime borders and ban of flights operated by Qatari aircraft.

The complaint, however, did not include Egypt, the fourth state among the boycotting countries. Despite cutting travel and diplomatic ties with Doha, Cairo did not expel Qatari citizens or ask Egyptians to leave the emirate.

"Obviously all options are available. But we have not raised a consultation request with Egypt yet," al-Thani added, without giving further details.

The coordinated move against Doha is spearheaded by Riyadh, which often manages to have its vassal states fall into line. Saudi Arabia itself is known as the main sponsor of Wahhabi terrorists it has accused Qatar of supporting. Some analysts believe the Saudi anger is rather because Qatar acts more independently of Riyadh, including in its relations with Iran.

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Nusra Front militants set to depart Lebanon-Syria border zone

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:11PM

A convoy of buses has been deployed to Lebanon's northeastern border town of Arsal to transport members of the foreign-sponsored and Takfiri Jabhat Fateh al-Sham  previously known as the Nusra Front  militant group as well as refugees from Lebanon's border region to Syria in exchange for imprisoned Hezbollah resistance fighters.

"Buses that will transport Nusra Front militants and their families have started arriving in Juroud Arsal," the Hezbollah media bureau said in a statement on Monday.

The convoys came from Syrian territory and headed towards Lebanese army positions, it added.

The Hezbollah statement further noted that about 9,000 Fateh al-Sham extremists and their relatives would leave for Syria's militant-held northwestern province of Idlib under a ceasefire between the Lebanese resistance movement and the foreign-backed militants.

The first stage of the ceasefire, brokered by the national police and security force of Lebanon  Internal Security Forces Directorate, took effect on Sunday as both sides exchanged the bodies of fighters killed in clashes between them.

The next phase is expected to target a nearby enclave controlled by Daesh terrorists.

A Lebanese security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Fatah al-Sham will release eight Hezbollah members under the deal.

Three of the resistance fighters were kidnapped in recent days while another five have been held in Syria for quite a while.

The Lebanese Red Cross has taken part in logistical operations.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which has been engaged in the ceasefire, is reportedly trying to reach refugees in Arsal, located 124 kilometers northeast of the Lebanese capital Beirut, to determine whether returns are voluntary.

"UNHCR believes that conditions for refugees to return in safety and dignity are not yet in place in Syria," the UN refugee agency's spokeswoman Lisa Abou Khaled said.

Hezbollah launched a major push on July 21 to clear both sides of Lebanon's border with Syria of "armed terrorists."

In August 2014, the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and Daesh terrorist groups overran Arsal, killing a number of Lebanese forces. They took 30 soldiers hostage, most of whom have been released.

Since then, Hezbollah and the Lebanese military have been defending Lebanon on the country's northeastern frontier against foreign-backed terrorist groups from neighboring Syria.

Hezbollah fighters have fended off several Daesh attacks inside Lebanon. They have also been providing assistance to Syrian army forces to counter the ongoing foreign-sponsored militancy.

The movement has accused Israel of supporting Takfiri terrorists operating in the Middle East.

Israel, which continues to occupy Lebanon's Shebaa Farms and Syria's Golan Heights, is widely reported to be offering medical help to Takfiri terrorists injured in Syria. In December 2015, British newspaper the Daily Mail said Israel had saved the lives of more than 2,000 Takfiri militants since 2013.

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Baltic states face the specter of aggression from Russia: Pence

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:46PM

The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania face the specter of aggression from Russia, US Vice President Mike Pence has claimed.

"No threat looms larger in the Baltic States than the specter of aggression from your unpredictable neighbor to the east," Pence on Monday during a joint press conference with Baltic leaders in Tallinn, Estonia.

"At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to redraw international borders by force, undermine democracies of sovereign nations, and divide the free nations of Europe -- one against another," he added.

Earlier this month, the US deployed the Patriot missile system to Lithuania to be used in NATO military drills, the first time the advanced missiles have been sent to the Baltics near Russia's border.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia possess only short-range anti-aircraft missiles, leaving their air space largely unprotected in the event of hostilities.

The Baltic states have expressed concern about their air defense weakness in the face of Russian air superiority.

Pence said the United States "rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation, or malign influence in the Baltic States or against any of our treaty allies."

"To be clear: We hope for better days, for better relations with Russia," he added.

He went on to say that Russia's recent expulsion of hundreds of US diplomats won't deter Washington's commitment to security.

"But recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow will not deter the commitment of the United States of America to our security, the security of our allies, and the security of freedom-loving nations around the world," he said.

His comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered 755 US diplomatic mission staff to leave the country.

The expulsion came after the US Congress approved new sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea.

The new congressional resolution is particularly aimed at punishing Moscow for its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and the reunion of Crimea with Russia.

The reunion happened after about 97 percent voters of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea backed "going home" in a referendum on March 16, 2014 following a 23-year stay in Ukraine.

Speaking hours before the Senate passed the legislation on Thursday, Republican Senate hawk John McCain said, "The United States of America needs to send a strong message to Vladimir Putin and any other aggressor that we will not tolerate attacks on our democracy."

Responding to sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia would decide on how to retaliate once it had seen the final text of the bill.

The Russian leader said that Moscow was "exercising restraint and patience, but at some moment we'll have to retaliate. It's impossible to endlessly tolerate this boorishness towards our country."

The United States has deployed contingents of troops since Russia's reunification with Crimea. The US deployments have been supplemented by four NATO battle groups of more than 1,000 soldiers.

Around 3,500 US troops arrived in Poland in January, one of the largest deployments of US forces in Europe since the end of the Cold War in 1991.

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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IS Claims Attack On Iraq's Kabul Embassy; Officials Say 'All Attackers Killed'

RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan July 31, 2017

The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed responsibility for a July 31 attack on the Iraqi Embassy in Kabul that killed two local employees.

Afghan officials said the assault began with a suicide bomber blowing himself up outside the embassy gate, allowing three gunmen to enter the building and setting off a four-hour shootout with security forces.

The Afghan Interior Ministry said in statement that "all the attackers have been killed" by security forces.

Two Afghan employees of the embassy were killed and three people were wounded in the attack, the ministry said.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the assault and said it was his government's responsibility to provide protection to international missions.

Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Jamal condemned the assault as a "terrorist attack."

As Afghan security forces were still battling the attackers, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat in Kabul was evacuated to the Egyptian Embassy and that attempts were under way to remove two Iraqi staffers.

In its claim of responsibility for the attack, IS said that only two of its followers were involved in the assault, not four as Afghan officials said.

The attack came two weeks after the Iraqi Embassy held a rare news conference to celebrate the government's recapture of the city of Mosul from IS fighters.

During the gathering in Kabul, the Iraqi ambassador, Farazdak Al-Ghalli, expressed concerns that the local IS affiliate might stage attacks elsewhere to draw attention away from the extremist group's losses in Iraq.

The Iraqi Embassy is located in Kabul's Shar-e-Naw area, outside the heavily-fortified "green zone," where most foreign diplomatic missions are located.

The local IS affiliate first emerged in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar and Kunar provinces in 2015.

U.S. and Afghan forces have repeatedly targeted the militant group, killing its top local commander, Abu Sayed, and several senior advisers in a July 11 strike in Kunar, the Pentagon has said.

In April, U.S. forces used the army's largest nonnuclear bomb -- nicknamed the Mother of All Bombs -- on IS hideouts in Nangarhar, the Pentagon said. U.S. and Afghan officials said that 96 IS militants were killed in the April 13 attack.

According to Pentagon officials, the group now numbers fewer than 1,000 in Afghanistan.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/explosion-reported- near-iraqi-embassy-kabul/28649980.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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U.S., U.K., Ukraine, Others Begin Massive Military Drills In Georgia

RFE/RL July 31, 2017

Some 2,800 troops from host Georgia, the United States, and six other countries have begun a major military exercise in the South Caucasus nation.

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and other leaders on July 30 said they see the event as a substantial step toward their goal of one day joining NATO.

"These exercises will help Georgia to get closer to NATO standards and to strengthen stability in the whole region," Kvirikashvili said at the opening ceremonies at the Vaziani military base near the capital, Tbilisi.

Georgia's defense minister, Levan Izoria, called the scale of exercises "unprecedented" and said they "make clear the support for Georgia by the NATO member states, especially the U.S."

U.S. officials in the past have spoken favorably toward Georgian hopes of eventually joining NATO, a move Russia vehemently opposes.

At a 2008 summit in Bucharest, NATO leaders made a formal pledge that Georgia "will become a NATO member," but alliance leaders have moved warily toward that goal in the face of Moscow's opposition.

About 1,600 U.S. troops and 800 Georgian soldiers are taking part in the two-week exercises, dubbed Noble Partner.

Troops from Britain, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Slovenia, and Armenia are also participating, with the United States deploying a mechanized company, including several Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and M1A2 Abrams battle tanks.

It is the third time the exercises have been held in Georgia, a country that has seen much-larger rival Russian encroach on its territory since its independence from the Soviet Union.

The Kremlin recognized Georgia's breakaway areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries after fighting a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008, and Russia maintains thousands of troops in the two regions.

In previous years, Moscow warned that the drills could destabilize the region, a notion that Georgia and the United States have dismissed.

"This exercise is not directed against any country. It's about to help Georgia to grow its capacity to interoperate in international operations," U.S. Ambassador Ian Kelly told Reuters news agency, citing missions such as the current one in Afghanistan.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to visit Georgia on July 31 after a stop in Estonia to meet with Baltic leaders also concerned about Russia's intensions in their region. He will meet with U.S. troops on August 1.

During his stop in Tallinn, Pence said, "Our message to the Baltic states -- my message when we visit Georgia and Montenegro -- will be the same: To our allies here in Eastern Europe, we are with you, we stand with you on behalf of freedoms."

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-georgia -ukraine-armenia-russia-military- maneuvers/28649702.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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Pence Arrives In Georgia In Bid To Reassure U.S. Allies

RFE/RL July 31, 2017

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Georgia on July 31 for the second leg of his three-day trip aimed at reassuring allies in Eastern Europe in the face of what the United States calls Russia's efforts to destabilize the region.

Pence was greeted at the Tbilisi airport by Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvrikashvili just hours after the U.S. vice president reaffirmed Washington's solidarity with the Baltic nations and accused neighboring Russia of seeking to "redraw international borders" and "undermine democracies."

"We stand with the people and nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and we always will," Pence said in Tallinn, where he met with the three Baltic presidents -- Kersti Kaljulaid, Raimonds Vejonis, and Dalia Grybauskaite, respectively.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are members of NATO and were under Moscow's rule during the Soviet era.

The three countries have expressed concerns about Russia's intentions, as have Georgia and the third ally on Pence's itinerary: new NATO member Montenegro.

"No threat looms larger in the Baltic states than the specter of aggression from your unpredictable neighbor to the east," Pence said. "At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to redraw international borders by force, undermine the democracies of sovereign nations, and divide the free nations of Europe against one another."

The United States "rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation, or malign influence in the Baltic states or against any of our treaty allies," he also said.

Article 5

Pence said the U.S. administration "stands firmly" behind Article 5 of the NATO treaty -- the provision stating that an attack on one NATO country is an attack on all members of the alliance.

He also pledged that the United States would not be deterred from its goals by Moscow's demand for drastic cuts in staff levels at U.S. diplomatic facilities in Russia.

"Recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow will not deter commitment of the United States to our security, the security of our allies, and the security of freedom-loving nations around the world," he said.

After Pence began his visit to Estonia on July 30, Prime Minister Juri Ratas said the U.S. vice president raised the possibility of deploying the Patriot antimissile defense system in the country.

"We spoke about it today, but we didn't talk about a date or time," Ratas told state broadcaster ERR.

The U.S. Patriot defense system is a mobile, ground-based system designed to intercept missiles and warplanes.

Ratas also said the two leaders talked about the upcoming Russian military maneuvers planned for near the Estonian border, "and how Estonia, the United States, and NATO should monitor them and exchange information."

'Very Clear' Message

Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser told Current Time TV, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with Voice of America (VOA), that Pence's visit was "an extremely important event."

"The message from the vice president was very clear: The U.S. stands by all its allied obligations and commitments, and the U.S. is truly committed to being there for us, for all of its NATO allies," Mikser said.

Pence planted an English oak before departing Tallinn aboard Air Force Two en route to Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, where he was greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvrikashvili later on July 31.

Officials said Pence will highlight U.S. support for the Caucasus nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity before continuing on to Montenegro, the newest NATO member.

Georgia, which has expressed hopes of joining the Western alliance, has seen Russian encroachment on its territory.

The Kremlin recognized Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries after fighting a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008. Russia maintains thousands of troops in the two regions.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili said on July 27 that Pence's visit will demonstrate that the United States continues to support Georgia in building a stronger military force.

During Pence's visit, 800 Georgian and 1,600 U.S. troops are taking part in the previously planned Noble Partner 2017 exercises.

Troops from the United States, Britain, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Slovenia, and Armenia were taking part.

"The vice president's presence here is definitely showing that this is not only about military exercises, but it is also showing unification with our values, with our foreign policy targets, and showing a clear message that we are together," Margvelashvili said.

Pence was to participate in an official dinner hosted by Kvrikashvili. State media in Georgia reported that Margvelashvili was expected to join them.

On the last stop, Pence will welcome NATO's newest member with his stop in Montenegro, whose accession to the alliance in June was adamantly opposed by Russia.

On August 2, he will attend the Adriatic Charter Summit in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, U.S. officials said.

Pence was expected to highlight the U.S. commitment to the Western Balkans and stress the need for good governance, political reforms, and rule of law in the region.

The leaders of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia are also scheduled to attend the summit.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a /pence-us-baltic-nations- georgia/28651230.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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Coup Fears in Maldives Set Off Alarm in India, US

Sputnik News

22:42 31.07.2017(updated 22:43 31.07.2017)

India is concerned with the unfolding political crisis in the neighbouring island nation of Maldives, where the military has taken control of Parliament. New Delhi is said to be closely monitoring developments in Maldives, due to its strategic interests.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  The latest crisis in the troubled nation poses a tricky diplomatic situation for India. Earlier, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the gradual erosion of basic democratic norms and principles in the country.

"The Secretary General urges the Government to refrain from all acts that results in the harassment of Members of Parliament, political parties, civil society and the media," a statement issued by the UN spokesman said.

"Obviously, India, China and the US would be interested in developments in Maldives as political developments here are of interest to these countries," Anand Kumar, an associate fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, told Sputnik. "Presently, the Yasmeen government is not hostile to India but is not friendly either. It has been seen that Yameen has ceded ground to Chinese interests.

"Both India and the US are concerned at these developments. Beside the presence of Yameen also meant that democracy has taken a back seat. Yameen has consistently worked against democracy and to achieve his objectives, he has taken help from Saudi Arabia and China. These things are concerned to India. Yameen government has been planning to give seaports to China. This is the reason a number of Chinese vehicles are coming in the Indian Ocean. Therefore it is imperative for India to keep a close eye on the developments in Maldives."

 Sputnik

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US Airstrikes in Somalia Kill High-Ranking Militant

Sputnik News

22:32 31.07.2017(updated 23:33 31.07.2017)

An American airstrike in Somalia on Saturday killed a militant with the al-Qaeda aligned al-Shabaab Mogadishu Attack Network. This is the third US airstrike in Somalia as part of the renewed bombing campaign that began in June.

The fighter, Ali Mohamed Hussein, was a significant al-Shabaab official who served as the governor of Mogadishu during the early 2010's, when Islamist militants controlled the nation's capital.

"This individual was part of an al-Shabab network responsible for planning and executing several bombings and assassinations that resulted in the deplorable death of numerous innocent civilians in Mogadishu," said the Somali Ministry of Information in a statement.

The strike occurred outside the village of Tortoroow, in the Lower Shebelle district of southern Somalia. According to a Monday statement from US Africa Command (AFRICOM), the attack on al-Shabaab was based on "actionable intelligence." There were no deaths or injuries save for the militant.

"Al-Shabaab has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and is dedicated to providing safe haven for terrorist attacks throughout the world. Al-Shabaab has publicly committed to planning and conducting attacks against the US and our allies," the statement said. "The US conducted this operation in coordination with its regional partners as a direct response to al-Shabaab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces."

The statement added that US President Donald Trump granted AFRICOM the authority "to conduct lethal action against al-Shabaab within a geographically-defined area of hostile activities in support of partner force in Somalia."

The United States has been conducting airstrikes against al-Shabaab since the George W. Bush years. Former president Barack Obama expanded the scope of the air strikes against al-Shabaab as the organization grew in power and prominence in the Somali Civil War, which has pitted al-Qaeda and affiliated groups such as Daesh against the Somali government and its western allies.

In 2014, a US airstrike killed Ahmed Abdi Godane, the organization's leader. When Donald Trump became president, he temporarily halted the airstrikes to reevaluate American involvement in Somalia.

In March, President Trump decided to gradually resume and expand the airstrikes. The first airstrike in June killed eight al-Shabaab militants, according to AFRICOM. Casualty reports were not reported for the second strike in early July.

The strike comes just days after a pair of al-Shabaab attacks, one an ambush against a convoy of African Union soldiers and one a car bomb attack against civilians in Mogadishu. The former attack killed at least 18, the latter at least 10.

 Sputnik

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US Sanctions Venezuela's President Maduro - Treasury

Sputnik News

22:18 31.07.2017(updated 23:22 31.07.2017)

The United States has introduced sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The United States has introduced sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said in an update on Monday.

"The following individual has been added to OFAC's SDN List: MADURO MOROS, Nicolas President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," the update stated.

The Treasury imposed sanctions on Maduro for "undermining democracy" in Venezuela, according to a release.

"As a result of today's actions, all assets of Nicolas Maduro subject to US jurisdiction are frozen, and US persons are prohibited from dealing with him," the release added.

The United States is monitoring the situation in Venezuela and will consider hitting the country with new sanctions, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday.

"We very much believe that sanctions do work, and we will continue to monitor the situation and consider additional sanctions," Mnuchin told reporters at a White House briefing.

On Sunday, Maduro's government held elections for delegates to a national constituent assembly that would be involved in rewriting the country's constitution. A number of people were reported killed during protests that broke out during the vote.

The United States and other nations opposed the election, with US President Donald Trump warning that Washington would take economic actions against Venezuela if it went forward.

 Sputnik

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Mike Pence Claims US Ready to Protect Baltic Countries From 'Russian Aggression'

Sputnik News

18:02 31.07.2017

US Vice President Mike Pence vowed during his visit to Estonia on Monday to defend Baltic countries from the so-called Russian aggression.

TALLINN (Sputnik)  Pence on Monday accused Russia of alleged aggression toward the Baltic states and expressed the United States' readiness to protect the countries under its NATO commitments.

"No threat looms larger in the Baltic states than the spectrum of aggression from your predictable neighbor from the east [Russia]. At this very moment, Russia continues to redraw international borders by force, undermine democracies of sovereign nations and divide the free nations of Europe one against another," Pence said during the joint press conference with presidents Kersti Kaljulaid of Estonia, Raimonds Vejonis of Latvia, and Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania in Tallinn.

Pence added that under President Donald Trump, the United States stood behind its commitment for mutual defense within NATO.

"An attack on one of us is an attack on us all," Pence stressed.

The US vice president also praised Estonia for meeting the target of spending 2 percent of its gross domestic product for NATO's military expense and noted the striving of Latvia and Lithuania to meet this goal by 2018.

"We know that strong and united NATO is more necessary today than at any point since the collapse of communism a quarter century ago," Pence pointed out.

As part of his two-day visit to Estonia, Pence met with the country's servicemen and NATO troops deployed in Estonia, accompanied by the Baltic countries' presidents, Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas and Commander of the country's Defense Forces Gen. Riho Terras. Pence was informed by the officials about the activities of NATO troops and thanked the servicemen for protecting the common values.

Moscow has repeatedly said that Russia had never planned to attack any NATO member. According to the statement of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of June 2016, NATO recognizes this but uses the pretext of alleged Russian aggression to deploy more equipment and battalions next to Russian borders.

 Sputnik

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Qatar Calls Isolation by Arab States 'Obvious and Gross' Violation of Int'l Law

Sputnik News

17:19 31.07.2017(updated 17:49 31.07.2017)

Speaking on the matter of the unfolding Gulf diplomatic row on Monday, the Qatari foreign minister called the actions of the four Arab states that act against Doha "obvious and gross violation" of international law.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The four Arab states involved in the diplomatic row with Qatar are violating international law and abusing the rights of Qatari nationals by isolating Doha, Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said.

"There are obvious and gross violations of international law, and they affect citizens of Qatar," the minister said in the interview with Al Jazeera broadcaster.

According to the Qatari foreign minister, the violations include the separation of families, abuse of right to free movement and cutting air and sea links with Doha.

Moreover, he said that Saudi Arabia is engaged in the politicization of the Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

"Qatar never politicised the issue of Hajj It was Saudi Arabia trying to politicise the Hajj pilgrimage amid the Gulf crisis There has been no suggestion by any Qatari official about internationalising the issue," Al-Thani said.

Jubeir's statement was based on unreliable sources, Al-Thani added. He went on to stress that Qatari authorities did not close the registration of their citizens for the Hajj, but that Saudi authorities had ceased their communication on this issue.

In Manama on Sunday, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt stated that all 13 demands to Qatar remained in force. The top diplomats also expressed their readiness for a dialogue with Doha if it "confirmed the cancellation of terrorism support."

In June, Cairo, Manama, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi cut off diplomatic relations with Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism and meddling in their internal affairs. They subsequently gave an ultimatum containing 13 demands to Qatar, including requests to sever Qatar's relations with Iran, close Turkey's military base in Qatar, shut down Al Jazeera and end support for the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization banned in Russia.

 Sputnik

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Lithuania to Host More US Troops During Russia-Belarus Zapad-2017 Drills

Sputnik News

11:49 31.07.2017

According to Lithuanian President, US to increase its military presence on the territory of Lithuania, when the Russia-Belarus joint military exercises dubbed Zapad-2017 will be held.

VILNIUS (Sputnik)  The United States will increase its military presence on the territory of Lithuania on September 14-20, when the Russia-Belarus joint military exercises dubbed Zapad-2017 ("West-2017") will be held, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Monday.

"During the Zapad drills, more US servicemen, military equipment and vessels will be deployed here, air police will be doubled. This shows special attention to our region," Grybauskaite said in a video address.

The US Air Force will arrive at the Siauliai base in early fall to carry out an air policing mission in the Baltic region, Grybauskaite noted.

The plans to hold drills prompted concern from a number of states, including Lithuania, which made a defense report on the drill's threats to the country's national security in April. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to the report by calling it the result of a foreign-imposed "hysterical Russophobia" that undermines the interests of Lithuania's own population. In turn, Belarus has dismissed claims about the Zapad-2017 drills as speculation.

Moscow has repeatedly refuted allegations of Moscow's military threat to the Baltic states. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, such statements are absurd and groundless.

On July 13, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Alliance did not view the drills as an imminent threat against any NATO member. Stoltenberg added that NATO would take part in the inspection of the Zapad-2017 drills in accordance with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Vienna Document on security-building measures.

Zapad-2017 military drills are expected to involve around 3,000 Russian troops, 280 pieces of hardware and up to 25 Russian aircraft, according to Belarusian Defense Minister Andrei Ravkov. The exercise grounds will stretch from the Kola Peninsula in Russia's far northwest to Belarus.

 Sputnik

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Update: air strikes against Daesh

31 July 2017

The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

Summary

- Wednesday 26 July  a Reaper destroyed a terrorist truck in eastern Syria.

- Thursday 27 July  a Tornado and Typhoon pair attacked mortar and sniper positions in Raqqa.

- Friday 28 July  a Tornado and Typhoon pair struck a Daesh position in Raqqa.

- Sunday 30 July  a Tornado and Typhoon pair eliminated two terrorist snipers in Raqqa.

Detail

A Royal Air Force Reaper flew an armed reconnaissance mission over eastern Syria on Wednesday 26 July. A group of armed terrorists were observed boarding a truck, and the Reaper's crew tracked the vehicle as it headed west along a desert road, some 20 miles south-south-east of Hasakah, before engaging with a Hellfire missile once it was in an isolated location. The missile scored a direct hit which destroyed the truck. The following day, a mixed pair of a Tornado and a Typhoon, based at RAF Akrotiri and supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker, flew overwatch for Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) advancing inside Raqqa. The SDF came under mortar fire from a terrorist position, but a Paveway IV attack removed this threat. Another Paveway IV similarly dealt with a sniper position which was encountered by the SDF two hours later.

Another mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair assisted the SDF in Raqqa on Friday 28 July, and a Paveway IV was used to destroy a terrorist position. On Sunday 30 July, a further mixed pair of aircraft conducted successful Paveway strikes when the SDF came under fire from two snipers as they continued to clear areas of Raqqa from Daesh control.

UK contribution to the fight against Daesh



Map of UK forces committed to Operation Shader

Campaign against Daesh



Map of Daesh losses and gains in Iraq and Syria since September 2014

Previous update

Friday 2 June: A mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair used a Brimstone to destroy an armoured truck moving along a main road on the outskirts of Raqqa. Two other flights operated over Mosul, where attacks were delivered in very close support to the Iraqi forces, hitting eight Daesh positions with a mix of Brimstones and Paveway IVs. The targets included three machine-gun teams and three groups of terrorists armed with rocket-propelled grenades. In addition, a truck-bomb, concealed close to one of the positions, was also fortuitously detonated by one of the attacks.

Saturday 3 June: A Reaper, operating south of Al Qaim in western Iraq, observed a group of dismounted terrorists, with an armed truck close by. One Hellfire missile killed several of the terrorists, a second destroyed the vehicle with a direct hit. West of Kirkuk, a pair of Tornados used a Paveway IV to destroy a Daesh strongpoint, whilst two mixed pairs of Tornados and Typhoons delivered five attacks in Mosul with four Brimstones and a Paveway against a truck-bomb, three sniper teams and a group with rocket-propelled grenades.

Sunday 4 June: A further mixed pair conducted three further attacks in Mosul, using a Brimstone to deal with a sniper, and two Paveway IVs against a pair of Daesh-held buildings from which fire was being directed at Iraqi troops.

Monday 5 June: Two Typhoons, supporting Syrian Democratic Forces close to Raqqa, used a Paveway IV to strike a Daesh-held building in the east of the city itself. Tornados meanwhile continued operations over Mosul, and employed a pair of Brimstone missiles to deliver pinpoint attacks on two firing positions located in a large multi-storey building, where the terrorists had stationed a recoilless anti-tank gun and a machine-gun.

Wednesday 7 June: A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft flew an armed reconnaissance patrol over northern Raqqa. It observed two extremists burying booby-traps along routes into the city. Hellfire missiles were deployed, killing both. Some 45 miles south-west of Raqqa, a mixed pair of Tornado and Typhoon fast jets used a Brimstone missile to hit one Daesh-held building. A Paveway IV guided bomb left a second target on fire.

Friday 9 June: Tornados struck a Daesh position in eastern Raqqa.

Saturday 10 June: A Reaper intervened in a fire fight in western Raqqa between the SDF and a group of Daesh fighters. The Reaper hit the latter with a very effective Hellfire attack. The same day, Paveway-armed Typhoons struck two entrances to a network of tunnels built beneath a factory in the north-east of the city.

Sunday 11 June: A Tornado flight patrolled the Mosul area and conducted two attacks. During the first, a Paveway IV was used against a mortar position some 20 miles west of the city. A Brimstone was then used against a Daesh firing point in western Mosul, close to the riverbank. A second Tornado flight, and two pairs of Typhoons, operated the same day over Raqqa. Paveway IVs accounted for four sniper positions and a Daesh-held building, while a simultaneous attack with two Brimstones eliminated two firing points in a building on the western edge of the city.

Monday 12 June: Royal Air Force Tornados patrolled over west Mosul. Despite Iraqi forces being exceptionally close to a target, a Tornado was able to use a single Paveway IV guided bomb to destroy a Daesh strong-point. Our aircraft then headed south to an area in the countryside near the small town of Karwi. A truck-bomb workshop had been identified in an isolated building, with three of its deadly products parked some distance away. The three truck-bombs were dealt with first. An attack with a pair of Brimstone missiles scored direct hits on two of the vehicles, and the secondary explosions from one of these then set off the third truck-bomb. A Paveway IV was then used to demolish the workshop.

Wednesday 14 June: A mixed pair of a Tornado and a Typhoon provided further assistance to the Iraqi forces in west Mosul, striking two terrorist-held buildings with Paveway IVs. Before returning to base at RAF Akrotiri, the aircraft struck a third Daesh building, some 24 miles west of Kirkuk.

Thursday 15 June: Reaper remotely piloted aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance in eastern Syria, some 35 miles north-east of Dayr az Zawr, and used a Hellfire missile to destroy a terrorist truck. Two Typhoons also struck three Daesh positions in Raqqa in support of the offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Elsewhere, two mixed pairs of Tornados and Typhoons operated over northern Iraq. A Daesh mortar was engaged east of Tal Afar, while six positions in Mosul, including machine-gun and sniper teams, were struck using a mixture of Paveway IVs and Brimstones.

Friday 16 June: Typhoons were again in action over Raqqa, when they bombed two further Daesh positions. Typhoons and Tornados, flying as mixed pairs, employed one Brimstone missile and four Paveway IVs to eliminate two machine-gun teams and three other Daesh strongpoints.

Saturday 17 June: Tornados and Typhoons suppressed a Daesh position in Raqqa, and struck six more positions in Mosul, again using a Brimstone and Paveway IV mix to deal with snipers and a machine-gun team.

Sunday 18 June: A Reaper patrolled over Raqqa. Its crew successfully spotted a Daesh mortar team and provided targeting assistance to a coalition air strike against them. The Reaper's crew then used Hellfire missiles to destroy a car-bomb and a second mortar team who were spotted in the act of firing at the SDF. The same day, Tornados and Typhoons were very active over Mosul. A Brimstone was used to target a group of terrorists engaged in a close-quarters firefight with Iraqi troops, while Paveways accounted for nine more targets, including two machine-gun teams, multiple snipers, and extremists armed with rocket-propelled grenades.

Monday 19 June: Flights of Royal Air Force Tornados and Typhoons operated over northern Iraq in support of the Iraqi security forces. Our aircraft conducted attacks in Mosul with Paveway IV guided bombs against six Daesh positions which the Iraqi forces had encountered, including a group of snipers and four machine-gun teams. Thirty miles west of Kirkuk, a Daesh weapons stockpile was also destroyed by a Paveway IV.

Wednesday 21 June: A pair of Typhoons assisted Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa. Two buildings held by extremist fighters were hit with Paveway IVs. In Mosul, a Tornado flight used a Brimstone missile to destroy safely a car-bomb spotted by the Iraqi ground forces. The Tornado flight then used a Paveway IV to eliminate a medium machine-gun team. A mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair were also active that day over the city. A Brimstone attack was directed at a mortar position, while Paveways were used against three Daesh strongpoints, including two housing machine-guns.

Thursday 22 June: Tornados and Typhoons conducted attacks with Paveway IVs against six Daesh targets in western Mosul, with some strikes being called in by Iraqi forces positioned extremely close to the terrorist locations. Four machine-gun teams were amongst the threats successfully dealt with by our aircraft. The next day, a mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair used two Paveway IVs to target successfully a large group of Daesh fighters operating with a truck-bomb and an armoured personnel carrier in Raqqa, while in Mosul a Tornado flight conducted three precision attacks with Brimstone missiles on sniper positions.

Saturday 24 June: In similar fashion, a pair of Paveway IV-armed Tornados eliminated a terrorist sniper team in Raqqa.

Sunday 25 June: Operations against groups of Daesh extremists outside of Raqqa and Mosul have also been maintained. Tornados attacked a headquarters and mortar position in eastern Syria, some 55 miles north-east of Dayr az Zawr.

Monday 26 June: Careful intelligence analysis allowed a building on the outskirts of Al Mayadin, in eastern Syria, to be identified as a truck-bomb workshop. A flight of Royal Air Force Tornados struck the target, scoring a direct hit with a Paveway IV guided bomb which left the building ablaze. Two mixed pairs of Tornados and Typhoons, supported by a Voyager air refuelling tanker, meanwhile provided close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) pushing into Raqqa and to the Iraqi troops clearing remaining Daesh positions in west Mosul. A Brimstone missile accounted for a sniper team in Raqqa, and a Paveway similarly dealt with snipers in Mosul.

Tuesday 27 June: Our aircraft conducted invaluable reconnaissance operations during.

Wednesday 28 June: Two Tornado flights operated over Raqqa. At the north-western end of the city, at least one suicide bomber was known to be waiting inside a Daesh-held building, waiting for an opportunity to attack the SDF as they closed in. The building and the terrorists inside were struck with a Paveway IV. A second such weapon demolished a building in the east, from where heavy fire had been directed at the SDF. This successful strike allowed the SDF to resume their advance.

Thursday 29 June: A flight of Typhoons used a Paveway IV to silence a sniper team which had been firing on the SDF in eastern Raqqa. The same day, a pair of Tornados conducted a simultaneous Paveway attack on a group of three buildings, all occupied by Daesh extremists, in the south-east of the city. Another Tornado pair meanwhile supported Iraqi troops clearing remaining Daesh positions in the Old City in west Mosul. Our aircraft used Paveway IVs to deliver two successful attacks on strongpoints, using great precision with their munitions, given the extreme proximity of the Iraqi troops to the Daesh firing points.

Friday 30 June: Royal Air Force Tornados and Typhoons provided close air support to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) pushing into Raqqa. The Typhoons worked closely with a coalition surveillance aircraft which had spotted a large truck-bomb. A direct hit from a Paveway IV removed the threat. A Tornado pair meanwhile bombed a Daesh-held building in the south-east of the city.

Saturday 1 July: A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft patrolled over Raqqa. A mortar was reported firing on the SDF, and the Reaper's crew spotted its muzzle flashes from a position concealed beneath a tree. A Hellfire missile destroyed the target. Typhoons were also active over the city, where they used a Paveway IV to silence a heavy machine-gun which was holding up an SDF advance. In northern Iraq, two Tornados assisted the Iraqi troops clearing remaining pockets of Daesh resistance in west Mosul. Paveway IVs were used to destroy two strongpoints from which the Daesh fighters were directing fire. The Tornados then responded to reports of a heavy machine-gun team and a group of suicide bombers preparing to attack the Iraqis  a third position was duly destroyed with a Paveway IV.

Sunday 2 July: Mixed pairs of Tornados and Typhoons operated over both Mosul and Raqqa. In Mosul, the Iraqi ground forces encountered three groups of snipers  all three positions, plus another Daesh-held building, were successfully struck with Paveways. In similar fashion, Paveway IVs were used against two terrorist firing points in Raqqa.

Monday 3 July: Two Royal Air Force Reaper remotely piloted aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance over Raqqa. One assisted Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who had come under attack from a heavy machine-gun on the top floor of a building. A Hellfire missile through the building's roof silenced the terrorist fire. The second Reaper used two Hellfires in a successful attack on a Daesh headquarters for foreign fighters. A mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair were also active over the city. The SDF, advancing into the centre of Raqqa, encountered a strongly defended building. Our aircraft demolished it with a single Paveway IV guided bomb. Two flights of Tornados operated over northern Iraq the same day. One flight used three Paveway IVs to destroy a group of three workshops producing truck-bombs near Hawijah. The second flight supported Iraqi troops in the Old City of Mosul, and conducted strikes with Paveways and Brimstone missiles on seven Daesh positions, including six machine-gun teams.

Wednesday 5 July: Typhoons continued to support the Iraqi troops in west Mosul. Exceptionally careful coordination was needed given the very short distances between the Iraqi forces and the Daesh positions, but the two Typhoons were able to destroy seven strongpoints, including two with medium machine-guns, each struck by a Paveway IV. Tornados kept watch over the latest SDF advances in Raqqa, and used a Paveway IV to deal with a sniper team.

Thursday 6 July: Two Royal Air Force Typhoons, armed with Paveway IV bombs, operated over Raqqa. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) encountered a large building on the southern edge of the city, close to the bank of the Euphrates, which was heavily defended by Daesh extremists. Two Paveways struck the building and brought an end to the terrorists' activity. A mixed pair of a Typhoon and a Tornado were also active over Raqqa, and these aircraft bombed a sniper position which had been firing persistently at the SDF. A second mixed Tornado/Typhoon pair provided similar support to the Iraqi forces clearing the Old City in Mosul. Attacks with Brimstone missiles dealt with three Daesh positions, whilst a Paveway IV was used to destroy a medium machine-gun team.

Friday 7 July: Tornados flew further missions over Mosul, delivering two Paveway IV attacks which eliminated a sniper team and another group of terrorists firing on Iraqi troops. Further south in Iraq, a Daesh-held building had been identified in the countryside some 25 miles north-west of Bayji, with an armed truck hidden inside. Tornados demolished the building with a direct hit from a Paveway IV. Two more such weapons were used in attacks by Typhoons on a pair of defensive positions which the SDF had come up against in Raqqa.

Saturday 8 July: Typhoons conducted attacks with four Paveway IVs, eliminating a light machine-gun position and three other terrorist strongpoints. Tornados meanwhile continued to support the SDF in Raqqa, striking a Daesh position there.

Sunday 9 July: Typhoons hit a further target in Raqqa, whilst two mixed pairs of Tornados and Typhoons assisted the Iraqis as they fought at very close quarters in Mosul; our aircraft dealt with two snipers and two Daesh-held buildings. Prime Minister Abadi visited the city to mark its liberation.

Wednesday 12 July: A mixed Tornado and Typhoon provided support, and delivered successful attacks with Paveway IV guided bombs on three buildings from which terrorists had been attempting to prolong the fight. Over Raqqa, a second mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair flew overwatch as the Syrian Democratic Forces continued their advance through the city; our aircraft used Paveway IVs to engage three Daesh positions which opened fire on the SDF, and successfully silenced each threat in turn.

Thursday 13 July: Royal Air Force continued to support operations by the Iraqi security forces to eradicate any remaining Daesh fighters in Mosul. Two Tornados used a Paveway IV guided bomb to destroy a building occupied by extremists on the west bank of the Tigris, in the Old City of Mosul.

Friday 14 July: With Mosul largely liberated, the major focus for RAF missions has been to assist the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting in Raqqa. Two Typhoons used a Paveway IV to destroy the entrance to a tunnel dug beneath an area in the west of the city. The following day, Tornados and Typhoons utilised eleven Paveway IV bombs against mortar positions in Raqqa, whilst a pair of Tornados used a Brimstone missile against a sniper holding out in western Mosul.

Sunday 16 July: In the course of surveillance over Raqqa, a Reaper delivered a Hellfire missile attack which killed a small group of terrorists armed with rocket-propelled grenades, who had been firing on the Syrian Democratic Forces from a rooftop. Tornados and Typhoons were also very active over the city, and used a Brimstone missile to attack one terrorist firing point, and Paveway IVs to deal with three sniper teams and two other positions defended by Daesh extremists.

Wednesday 19 July: In northern Iraq, intelligence had identified a warehouse near Hawijah in which large quantities of homemade explosives were being stored by Daesh. A flight of RAF Tornados attacked the building with two Paveway IV guided bombs, and demolished it. A mixed pair of one Tornado and one Typhoon meanwhile provided close air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting to clear the terrorists from Raqqa. A coalition surveillance aircraft identified a Daesh defensive position, and our aircraft conducted a successful attack with a Brimstone missile. A terrorist command post was also identified within the city, and this was struck with two Paveway IVs.

Thursday 20 July: Operations over Raqqa continued, when a Typhoon mission assisted SDF engaged in combat with a group of extremists firing from a building; this was hit with a single Paveway IV which eliminated the threat to the SDF. In northern Iraq, coalition surveillance aircraft had located a number of terrorists on a wooded island in the Tigris, several miles south of Qayyarah, along with their transport  a boat and two vehicles  on the riverbanks. Two Tornados bombed the terrorists on the island with a pair of Paveway IVs, whilst a mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair destroyed the boat and vehicles with Brimstone missiles.

Friday 21 July: A pair of Tornados bombed the top of a grain silo in Raqqa, where a group of Daesh were stationed in a combined observation and sniper post. In western Iraq, a mixed Tornado and Typhoon pair used a Brimstone missile to eliminate an anti-aircraft machine gun that was concealed under cover, south-east of Rawah. Our aircraft then flew north-east to an area south of Qayyarah, where a coalition surveillance aircraft was keeping watch on a truck armed with a recoilless anti-tank gun. This was destroyed using a Brimstone.

Saturday 22 July: A Tornado mission used a single Paveway IV to destroy an engineering vehicle which terrorists had attempted to conceal some miles north of Tall Afar. On Sunday and Monday, the RAF operations focused on supporting the SDF in Raqqa.

Sunday 23 July: Three flights of Tornados and Typhoons conducted missions over the city, in which they delivered successful attacks on six Daesh positions, using Paveways IV bombs and Brimstone missiles.

Monday 24 July: Three more Paveway IVs were dropped, targeting a further three terrorist firing points.

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Afghanistan: UN Mission condemns suicide attack against Iraqi embassy in Kabul

31 July 2017  The United Nations political mission in Afghanistan today denounced an attack on the embassy of Iraq saying it is another attack aimed at the international community but where Afghan civilians bear the brunt of the violence.

"This attack shows complete contempt for human life, as well as the international law designed to protect diplomats," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan.

The attack, which occurred in a residential area of central Kabul, lasted around five hours.

Several armed men killed two Afghan civilian employees inside the embassy and injured a police officer before being killed by Afghan security forces.

"I commend the Afghan security forces for their swift action that saved many lives," said Mr. Yamamoto, who heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA.

He noted that the attack is yet another which "appears to have targeted the international community but in which Afghan civilians bore the brunt of the violence."

Diplomatic missions are civilian objects protected under international humanitarian law, and attacks directed at them are serious violations that may amount to war crimes.

The Islamic State in the Khorasan Province has claimed responsibility.

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An art item performed at the event (Photo: vov.vn)

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Sinlavong Khutphaythun, Politburo Member, Secretary of the Vientiane Party Committee and Mayor of Vientiane capital, affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City Days in Vientiane" was being held at a time when the two countries were marking the 55th anniversary of Vietnam-Laos diplomatic relations and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Agreement, contributing to enhancing the special relations between the two countries in general, as well as between Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane in particular.

Over the past time, Ho Chi Minh City has helped Vientiane to build two Vientiane-Ho Chi Minh City friendship schools; upgrading a Vientiane-Ho Chi Minh friendship school; building a financial information centre; helping train human resources; and many other cooperation projects.

Dr. Sinlavong Khutphaythun said that in the coming time, Vientiane and Ho Chi Minh City would continue to strengthen cooperation under the framework of the twinned city agreement and cooperation minutes of the two cities; increasing exchanges of visits among delegations at all levels; promoting cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, culture and tourism, mainly focusing on beef raising, building a trade and tourism centre between the two cities and cooperation in fields of finance and human resources training.

Mr. Tat Thanh Cang, Party Central Committee member, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee said that 2017 was very important for Vietnam and Laos, as the two countries mark the 55th anniversary of the Vietnam-Laos diplomatic relations and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Agreement. This is a bright spot, engraving the special solidarity and traditional friendship between the two countries.

Over the past 55 years, the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries have been increasingly consolidated and developed in all fields.

He emphasized that as the economic hub of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has always paid special attention to the twinning relations with Vientiane in particular and Laos's localities in general. The task is an honour and a pride of Ho Chi Minh City.

The Standing Deputy Secretary also affirmed that the event held on the occasion of the "Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2017" is a demonstration of Ho Chi Minh City's determination to further cooperate with Vientiane, helping to tighten the brotherhood between Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane, contributing to boosting the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos./.
DRC's Kasai region one of world's 'largest displacement crises' for children - UNICEF

31 July 2017  Waves of violent conflict in the Greater Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have forced more than one million people, including hundreds of thousands of children from their homes, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has reported.

"The lives of hundreds of thousands of children and their families in Greater Kasai have been turned upside down by this brutal violence," said Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Acting Representative in the DRC in a press statement issued late last week, calling the situation in the restive region of the DRC one of the largest displacement crises for children in the world.

"A total of 1.4 million people, including 850,000 children, have been displaced, with at least 60,000 uprooted in the month of June alone," he added.

Most of the displaced, who have lost or left behind all their essential goods and personal belongings, live now with foster families and relatives in communities that are among the poorest in the country.

A smaller number of displaced families have fled to improvised huts in the bush near their villages. These families are the most vulnerable and least accessible to humanitarian workers. They suffer from lack of adequate food, shelter, healthcare, water and sanitation.

"This is a rapidly growing humanitarian crisis, and with our partners, we are working amid great insecurity to try to help these highly vulnerable families," said Mr. Oyewale.

UNICEF and its partners have implemented a cash assistance programme for displaced people that provides households with $100 cash support, which can be used for basic necessities. To date, UNICEF has supported 11,225 households through this programme.

In addition to the cash programme, a flexible multi-sectoral programme called Rapid Response Mechanism pre-positions materials and aid partners to rapidly respond to the needs of displaced populations. The assistance includes healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and essential non-food items  such as shelter materials, kitchen utensils, buckets of water, blankets. Some 50,000 households are expected to benefit from this programme over the coming months.

Thanks to donor support, UNICEF and its partners have so far this year, assisted 157,490 people in urgent humanitarian need.

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Al-Shabab Militant Killed in US Airstrike

By Mohamed Olad Hassan July 31, 2017

The U.S. military and the Somali government say an air-strike Sunday targeted and killed a senior member of the al-Shabab extremist group.

Somali intelligence officials who asked not to be named identified the target as Ali Mohamed Hussein, who served as al-Shabab's shadow governor for Mogadishu and has been one of the group's most outspoken members.

Hussein, also known as Ali Jabal, was known for forcing Mogadishu businesses to donate money to the Islamist militants.

Somalia's information minister, Abdurahman Omar Osman, told VOA Somali that President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed "approved an operation with international partners on 30 July near Tortoroow, killing a key al-Shabab leader behind Mogadishu bombings, assassinations."

Tortoroow is an al-Shabab stronghold in the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia.

A brief statement on the attack from the U.S. Africa Command said the air-strike took place late Saturday, eastern U.S. time. The statement added no civilians were killed.

The statement added the air-strike was conducted in coordination with regional partners "as a direct response to al-Shabab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces."

"The strike targeted two vehicles in which the militants were travelling in at Buula-Banin village near Tortoroow in the Lower Shabelle region," said Hassan Husein Mohamed, the security minister of South West regional administration. "Missiles from foreign military planes struck the vehicles and we are still in the middle of confirming the result."

President Donald Trump earlier this year approved expanded military operations against al-Shabab, including more aggressive air-strikes and considering parts of southern Somalia areas of active hostilities.

Meanwhile, the Somali president held an emergency meeting with the country's heads of security agencies on Monday. Sources told VOA it focused on the latest security incidents in the country.

The meeting came a day after the militants carried out two deadly attacks in Somalia. In the first, militants ambushed a convoy carrying African Union troops in Lower Shabelle. At least 18 soldiers were killed, according to a senior Somali military officer.

In the second, a massive car bomb explosion killed at least 10 people and wounded 15 on a busy Mogadishu street.

Harun Maruf contributed to this report.

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Pence: Russian Aggression Greatest Threat to Baltic States

By VOA News July 31, 2017

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said Monday there is no larger threat to Baltic states than the "specter of aggression" by Russia, as he pledged support for NATO allies Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

"At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to redraw international borders by force, undermine democracies of sovereign nations and divide the free nations of Europe one against another," Pence said. "Under President Donald Trump, the United states of America rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation or malign influence in the Baltic states or against any of our treaty allies."

Pence spoke in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, after meeting with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.

The U.S. vice president expressed hope for improved relations with Russia, but said that "recent diplomatic action" by the government in Moscow will not deter the U.S. commitment to its security and that of its allies.

Pence also praised Estonia for meeting the NATO alliance's target of spending at least 2 percent of its Gross Domestic Product on defense, and said Latvia and Lithuania would hit that level by the end of next year. Trump has repeatedly called on NATO members to boost defense spending.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all have asked for tangible demonstrations of U.S. military support. Concerns about Russian expansionism have increased sharply in the Baltic region with Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Later in the day, Pence traveled to Georgia, where troops from the United States and other NATO partners began military exercises Sunday. He was greeted at his plane by Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. Pence's tour will also take him to Montenegro, NATO's newest member.

"Our message to the Baltic States, my message when we visit Georgia and Montenegro will be the same," Pence said Sunday after he arrived in Tallinn. "To our allies here in Eastern Europe: We are with you, we stand with you on behalf of freedom and it's a great honor for me to be here."

The NATO military exercise that began Sunday at Georgia's Vaziani military base, Tbilisi, marks the first time that U.S. and German heavy military machinery was deployed in the former Soviet republic, which borders Russia.

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili attended the opening ceremony at the exercise, dubbed Noble Partner 2017. A total of 2,800 soldiers from five NATO members  the U.S., Britain, Germany, Turkey and Slovenia  joined troops from NATO partner countries Ukraine, Armenia, and Georgia.

Pence said the U.S. is making it very clear "that Russia's destabilizing activities, its support for rogue regimes, its activities in Ukraine, are unacceptable."

Referring to the prospect of increased U.S. sanctions against Russia, which Congress passed last week by an overwhelming margin, Pence said he and Trump "expect Russian behavior to change."

"If Russia will change its behavior," Pence said in Estonia, "our relationship can change for the good and can improve for the interests of both our countries, and for the interest of peace and stability in this region and around the world."

Pence said he expects Trump to sign the sanctions bill, which also applies new penalties to North Korea and Iran as well as Russia, "very soon."

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AU: Return of Nigerian Refugees from Cameroon Should Be Voluntary

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka July 31, 2017

The African Union Peace and Security Council has urged Cameroon to ensure the repatriation of Nigerian refugees fleeing Boko Haram is done on a voluntary basis.

Hundreds of refugees, most of them children, complain they are thirsty and hungry as they leave Cameroon on their way back to Nigeria.

They are escorted by troops from the multinational joint task force fighting the Boko Haram insurgency.

Cameroon Red Cross official Joseph Guisso is among the humanitarian staff accompanying the refugees. He said the military escort is necessary because Boko Haram fighters can surprise them at any moment.

He said they have confidence in the task force and strongly believe the killings will end soon.

The soldiers told VOA Boko Haram has been organizing sporadic attacks on a small scale since January. During the past two years, the regional force has retaken much of the territory Boko Haram once controlled.

The number of Nigerian refugees repatriated from Cameroon has not been made public. In March, the governments of the two countries signed a tripartite agreement with UNHCR that stipulated the repatriations must be voluntary.

In June, the U.N. refugee agency condemned what it called the Cameroonian government's forced repatriation of 887 Nigerian refugees to the border town of Banki. The United Nations said there had been other similar incidents.

Cameroon's government has denied allegations of forced returns.

Cameroon has struggled to meet the humanitarian needs of the approximately 115,000 Nigerian refugees within its borders, as well as an estimated 200,000 Cameroonians displaced by the conflict.

Suicide attacks have picked up recently in border areas in Cameroon, with at least 30 attacks reported in June, including some targeting refugee camps. Far North region of Cameroon Governor Midjiyawa Bakari has argued it would be better for refugees to go to safer localities in their own country.

A delegation from the African Union visited the northern town of Maroua on Friday. The chairman of the African Union Peace and Security Council, Nigerian-born Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, led the delegation. He told VOA only refugees who choose to go back should be repatriated.

"We want to thank the government and people of Cameroon first for hosting these refugees and coordinating all the necessary sectors. With the United Nations agencies, we are suggesting and proposing that all the refugees should return in safety and in dignity," said Adeoye.

Aid agencies have also expressed concern about the conditions to which refugees are returning. UNHCR and Doctors without Borders have warned food, water and other resources are dangerously overstretched in border communities in Nigeria.

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Retired Marine Corps General Becomes White House Chief of Staff

By Ken Bredemeier July 31, 2017

John Kelly, a no-nonsense retired Marine Corps general, was sworn in Monday as the White House chief of staff, tasked with trying to bring order to Donald Trump's presidency six months into his tenure.

"He's going to do a really great job," Trump said as he welcomed Kelly, while touting the country's economic performance.

"Stock market's the highest it's ever been, unemployment lowest in 17 years, companies are doing tremendously well, business spirit is the highest it's ever been according to polls," Trump said. "We're doing very well, we have a tremendous base, we have a tremendous group of support, the country is optimistic, and I think the general will just add to it."

Trump ousted Reince Priebus, an establishment Republican figure, from the posting on Friday, instead tapping the 67-year-old Kelly. Trump has only known him for a matter of months but has come to admire Kelly for his tough stance on fighting illegal immigration while serving as his Homeland Security chief. Trump called Kelly "a star" of his administration.

Kelly, while still holding a high-ranking military posting, became the highest-ranking U.S. officer to lose a child fighting overseas. His son Robert, a Marine Corps officer, stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2010 and was killed. On Memorial Day in late May, Kelly showed Trump his son's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington.

The early months of Trump's four-year term have been marked by infighting among White House aides, several of whom he has already dismissed for a variety of reasons.

By contrast, Kelly could bring a new discipline to the day-to-day West Wing operations of the White House, but several key aides have become accustomed to popping in unannounced to Trump's Oval Office for conversations with the chief executive. News accounts say that Kelly has griped privately for months about the White House's chaotic life.

New order?

Analysts already are questioning whether the unpredictable Trump is willing to impose new order on his own conduct, often marked by acerbic and surprising Twitter comments from early morning to late at night, with political barbs aimed at Democrats and Republicans alike.

In one early morning tweet ahead of Kelly's swearing-in, Trump contended there is "No WH chaos!"

But Trump has yet to score a major legislative victory for his populist agenda, with the latest setback last week when the Senate rejected several plans to overhaul the country's health care law, commonly known as Obamacare, that was championed by former President Barack Obama. Trump has called on the Senate to continue its efforts to repeal and replace the law, but all Democratic senators and a handful of Republicans have resisted.

Mired in investigations

Meanwhile, Trump's presidency remains mired in months of investigations into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election aimed at helping Trump win.

Trump has called the probes a "witch hunt," dismissing them as attempts by Democrats to explain his upset win over his Democratic challenger, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Numerous congressional investigations are underway, as is a criminal probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mueller is looking into whether Trump campaign aides colluded with Russian interests in the election to undermine Clinton's candidacy and whether Trump obstructed justice by firing James Comey, another former FBI director who was heading the agency's Russia investigation before Mueller took over.

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Peru Calls Latin America Meeting After Venezuela's 'Illegitimate' Vote

By VOA Spanish Service July 31, 2017

Peru's government is organizing a meeting of Latin American foreign ministers on what it calls Venezuela's "illegitimate" vote Sunday approving a new government body charged with rewriting the country's constitution.

The meeting, planned for August 8 in Lima, represents some of the international concern expressed Monday about the approval of a National Constituent Assembly. Its 545 members all support socialist President Nicolas Maduro and theoretically could supplant the opposition-led legislature, the National Assembly.

On Monday, the European Union joined Colombia, the United States, Mexico, Spain and at least seven other countries in saying they would not recognize the Constituent Assembly.

That kind of assembly, "elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances, cannot be part of the solution" to Venezuela's crisis, European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said Monday in Brussels. She said he vote "has increased division and will further de-legitimize Venezuela's democratically elected institutions."

The EU's foreign policy leader, Federica Mogherini, is overseeing a "joint response" from the 28-member bloc, Andreeva said.

Sunday's election marked the bloodiest day in four months of anti-government protests, with at least 10 people killed in clashes around the country More than 110 have died since protests began in early April.

Maduro proclaimed the election Sunday was a resounding success. "The people have delivered the constitutional assembly," he said.

Venezuela's National Electoral Council said more than 8 million people, representing more than 41 percent of eligible voters, went to the polls Sunday to cast their ballots.

The opposition in the South American country said the unpopular measure would result in a socialist dictatorship and had called on Venezuelans to boycott the vote. Dozens of polling places in Caracas, the capital, were empty.

Details on what is likely to be included in a new constitution are unclear. Maduro has said it is the only way to pull Venezuela out of its severe economic and social crisis and stop the seemingly endless violence.

Critics assert that only Maduro supporters were candidates, including first lady Cilia Flores, and the first vice president of the ruling United Socialist Party, Diosdado Cabello.

The opposition contends the 545-member constituent assembly would dissolve the opposition-controlled congress and turn Venezuela into a socialist dictatorship. Maduro opponents are demanding early presidential elections.

The drop in global energy prices together with political corruption have destroyed oil-rich Venezuela's economy.

Gasoline, medicine, and such basic staples as cooking oil, flour, and sugar are scarce. Many Venezuelans cross into neighboring Colombia and Brazil to buy food.

Maduro has blamed the country's woes on what he calls U.S. imperialism and its supporters inside Venezuela. He has warned against intervention by the Organization of American States, saying that would surely lead to civil war.

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Key Afghan politicians urge return of Vice President Dostum

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 1, 2017 4:20PM

Prominent political figures in Afghanistan have called on the government to allow retired General Abdul Rashid Dostum, a vice president, to return home from Turkey.

Atta Mohammad Noor, the powerful governor of Afghanistan's Balkh province, said on Tuesday that Dostum had the right to return to Afghanistan and take on his responsibilities as vice president.

"We ask for the unconditional return of the first Vice President to Afghanistan and for him to resume his office," Noor told a demonstration in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, located near the border with Uzbekistan.

Dostum, a senior figure of Afghanistan's ethnic Uzbek community, left the country for medical treatment in May. That came after elements in the government of President Ashraf Ghani accused Dostum of an assault on a rival politician. The United States backed the accusations, although the retired general denies any involvement in the case, which had to do with alleged torture and sexual abuse.

Ghani's office has yet to comment on reports that it is trying to block the return of Dostum. The Afghan vice president allegedly took a plane destined for Mazar-i-Sharif earlier this month but the plane was turned away before landing.

That came after Dostum held a meeting in Turkey with Noor, a prominent leader of Afghanistan's Tajik community, and Mohammad Mohaqiq, a leader of the country's Hazaras. Reports said the three had agreed on forming a potential opposition group called the "Coalition for the Salvation of Afghanistan".

Ghani's alleged refusal to allow the return of Dostum has sparked fresh concerns that the president is helping widen sectarian rifts that once plagued efforts to reach peace in Afghanistan. Ghani heads a national unity government that was formed after disputed elections in 2014.

Mohaqiq, who serves as the deputy chief executive in the unity government, slammed the West's support for Ghani in Dostum's case, saying the former military man has been a key figure in mobilizing Afghanistan's ethnic Uzbeks behind the government.

"I ask the international community, the United States of America and Europe, if General Dostum was a bad man, why he was good before the elections?" said Mohaqiq, adding, "Why was he accepted as first vice president if you oppose him now?"

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Pence Reaffirms U.S. Solidarity With Georgia, Denounces Russian 'Aggression'

RFE/RL August 01, 2017

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has reaffirmed Washington's support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity during a visit to Tbilisi and denounced Russia's "aggression" and "occupation" of Georgian territory.

"America stands with Georgia," Pence said on August 1 at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

"Today, Russia continues to occupy one-fifth of Georgian territory," Pence said. "So, to be clear -- the United States of America strongly condemns Russia's occupation on Georgia's soil."

The Kremlin recognized Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent countries after fighting a five-day war against Tbilisi in 2008. Russia maintains thousands of troops in the two regions.

"The United States supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders," Pence added. "And under President Donald Trump, the United States of America will object to any claim at any time by any nation that undermines this enduring principle."

Pence said Trump will "very soon" sign legislation that would impose additional economic sanctions on Russia.

The sanctions bill was overwhelmingly passed by Congress last week, and in response Moscow demanded that Washington drastically reduce its diplomatic staff in Russia.

"We hope for better relations with Russia," Pence said. "But the recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow, I can assure you, will not deter the commitment of the United States to our security, that of our allies, and the freedom-loving nations around the world, like Georgia."

The relationship between Washington and Moscow has been badly damaged by Russia's aggression in Ukraine, its role in the war in Syria, and its alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Pence also reiterated that the United States "strongly" supports the Caucasus country's aspirations to become a NATO member.

"I commended the prime minister for Georgia's democratic development, which has brought Georgia closer to unity with Europe and membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization," he said. "Further progress on the goals that the prime minister has set will bring Georgia even closer and NATO even closer to your grasp and it will strengthen the bond between our nations."

Pence also met on August 1 with the leaders of the Georgian opposition and addressed troops participating in NATO joint military exercises being conducted in Georgia, saying, "We stand here today in the gap -- on a front line of freedom, a front line compromised by Russian aggression nearly a decade ago."

Pence was accompanied by Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili during the troop review at the Vaziani military air base outside Tbilisi.

Margvelashvili highlighted the fact that Russian troops remain deployed as occupiers in Georgia's breakaway separatist regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia where they are supporting separatist leaders.

"Some dozen kilometers away there are barb wire fences built and installed to prohibit citizens of my country from free movement," Margvelashvili said. "Just a few kilometers [from here], people are persecuted just because they are Georgians."

"Twenty percent of my nation's territory is occupied because Georgia decided to be a free and independent nation," Margvelashvili continued. "And this has been continuing for a quarter of a century. The response of the international community appeared not to be enough to stop Russia from treating its neighborhood like its backyard. This policy has no limits unless we stop it. The occupation of Georgian territories must become a game changer [in an effort to] end the confrontation paradigm and the paradigm of spheres of privileged interests."

About 800 Georgian and 1,600 U.S. troops are taking part in the Noble Partner 2017 drills, along with soldiers from Britain, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Slovenia, and Armenia.

Pence met earlier on August 1 with the leaders of the Georgian opposition and was also planning to attend NATO joint military exercises being conducted in Georgia. About 800 Georgian and 1,600 U.S. troops are taking part in the Noble Partner 2017 drills there.

At an official dinner in the Georgian capital late on July 31, Pence said, "We stand with you, for your freedom and for our shared values."

Kvirikashvili said the United States "has a dedicated friend in Georgia, a stable geopolitical ally, and a strategic partner."

In comments released earlier by the Georgian government, Kvirikashvili described Pence's visit as "an important milestone in the bilateral relationship as we work to further strengthen security, economic, and trade cooperation between our two countries."

Pence arrived in Tbilisi from Estonia, where he reaffirmed Washington's solidarity with the Baltic nations and accused neighboring Russia of seeking to "redraw international borders" and "undermine democracies."

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are members of NATO and were under Moscow's rule during the Soviet era.

The three countries have expressed concerns about Russia's intentions, as have Georgia and the third ally on Pence's itinerary: new NATO member Montenegro.

"No threat looms larger in the Baltic states than the specter of aggression from your unpredictable neighbor to the east," Pence said. "At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to redraw international borders by force, undermine the democracies of sovereign nations, and divide the free nations of Europe against one another."

Pence also said the U.S. administration "stands firmly" behind Article 5 of the NATO treaty -- the provision stating that an attack on one NATO country is an attack on all members of the alliance.

On August 2, he will attend the Adriatic Charter Summit in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, U.S. officials said.

Montenegro accession to NATO in June was adamantly opposed by Russia.

Pence was expected to highlight the U.S. commitment to the Western Balkans and stress the need for good governance, political reforms, and rule of law in the region.

The leaders of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia are also scheduled to attend the summit.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, civil.ge, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pence-georgia-montenegro-nato -russia-baltics-visit/28652154.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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'Strategic Autonomy': France and Germany Flesh Out Plans for EU Army

Sputnik News

12:39 01.08.2017(updated 13:05 01.08.2017)

France and Germany have drawn up new plans for cooperating to defend Europe in an attempt to achieve "strategic autonomy" for the EU in defense matters.

France and Germany have drawn up a blueprint for "permanent structural cooperation" among the EU countries in defense matters, following last month's European Council meeting which discussed options for "strategic autonomy" in EU defense.

The joint report from the EU's most powerful members describes a "long-term vision" that participating states develop the ability of their armed forces to fully execute military tasks, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, which has seen a copy of the document, reported on Sunday.

The new military capabilities will be developed "in addition to NATO, which will continue to be the cornerstone of the collective defense of its members," the report added.

The proposal was formulated after last month's bilateral defense council meeting, at which Berlin and Paris agreed upon conditions under which countries should participate in the defense pact. These include a commitment to increase defense spending to "approach" the two percent demanded by NATO and to invest 20 percent of military spending on research, development, and equipment acquisition.

France and Germany also propose that member states' armed forces undergo an annual assessment by the European Defense Agency, whose powers will be significantly strengthened.

Jean-Vincent Brisset, a retired French army brigadier general and senior analyst at the Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques (IRIS) said that the European defense initiative is in its earliest of stages and needs political will to succeed.

"A lot of staff headquarters are discussing and thinking about these issues, but in practice not much is being done," he told Sputnik France.

"There are countries that unreservedly support NATO, who would prefer to maintain loyalty to it  I would not say that they are under its control, but they have a certain will to remain close to the United States instead of participating in [defense] cooperation of a purely European character."

"At the moment, much is being said about the new position of French diplomacy. There a lot of words but not a lot of action  however, it could be that maybe now we can really make something happen in practice," Brisset said, more optimistically.

Dr. Caroline Galacteros, a political analyst and colonel in the French Army's operational reserve, told Sputnik France that the proposal is a timely move toward more defense autonomy from the US.

"This is a good initiative since it is being proposed at a time when the situation at both the European and international level is conducive to such initiatives. American foreign policy, US policy towards Europe is not easy to understandThe time has come for Europe should show that it has its own legitimacy with regard to strategic autonomy," Galacteros said.

"I am not privy to the details of the negotiations, but I think that there will probably be a consolidation of the costs of conducting external operations which today fall mainly on the shoulders of France despite the fact that such operations concerns the defense of all Europeans. Our operations in the Sahel are carried out with too little support from our European partners."

France, Germany, Italy and others have expressed renewed interest in a pan-European defense initiative in recent years, especially in light of the UK's decision to leave the EU. The UK had been a staunch supporter of NATO and has continued to oppose a European defense union even after its decision to longer be a part of the EU.

"We are still full members of the European Union and we will resist any attempt to unnecessarily duplicate NATO structures. We remain committed to the security of the European continent," the UK Ministry of Defense stated in September last year.

Following the Brexit vote, France and Germany presented the Visegrad group of countries with a plan for a new-look European superstate including a "European Security Compact" dealing with all aspects of security and defense at the European level.

In February, Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said that the EU should enhance its defense co-operation, independent of NATO. She suggested a "two-speed" Europe in defense as well as economic matters, including the implementation of a "Defense Schengen" that would strengthen cooperation between Italy, France, Germany and Spain.

 Sputnik

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Georgian Lawmaker Believes Pence's Tbilisi Visit to Bring Georgia Closer to NATO

Sputnik News

12:43 01.08.2017

US Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Georgia reiterates the support of the United States for the country's aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is bringing Georgia a step closer to the Alliance, a Georgian lawmaker and member of the foreign relations committee, George Tsereteli, told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The US vice president arrived in Tbilisi on Monday to meet with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and other officials, as well as to visit US and Georgian troops participating in the Noble Partner drills.

"Yes, of course, bringing Georgia closer to the Alliance is also one of the aims of this visit. Because, as you know, Georgia was trying to become a member of NATO for the last two decades. There is a quite important level of bilateral cooperation. This is the only one and a single modality at this time, which could effectively secure the Georgian territorial sovereignty," Tsereteli, who is also a vice-president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, said.

The Georgian society chose to pursue integration into the West society, the Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO, the lawmaker noted.

"It is a legitimate right of the country. Integration with the European Union and NATO is supported by the United States and, I think, it will also be one of the major topics of the discussions. We also anticipate a strong message of support from the vice president and the President of the United States," Tsereteli explained.

Georgia is not a NATO member but has long been seeking membership and cooperation with the Alliance. In May, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held a plenary session in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and adopted a declaration of support of Georgia's NATO integration.

On Sunday, the NATO multinational military exercise Noble Partner 2017 kicked off in Georgia. This is the third time Noble Partner drills are held in Georgia. Apart from Georgia, servicemen from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Germany, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States are taking part in the exercise, which will conclude on August 12.

 Sputnik

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An art performance of Vietnam at the festival (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Vietnam joined the festival with the participation of 21 performers and musicians from Au Co Artistry Troupe under the Vietnam National Music, Song and Dance Theatre.

The festival aimed to introduce the unique national cultures of Asian and European countries through dance, music and lyrics. The Vietnamese delegation brings unique dances and traditional musical performances of the Kinh, Thai, Hmong and Tay Nguyen ethnic groups.

The highlight of Vietnams musical performance is the T'Rung solo piece, with a special introduction of the monochord, which is found only in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese delegations performance was highly appreciated by international friends.

Speaking at the "Vietnam Night" held on July 29th, Mayor of Bistrita city Ovidiu Cretu emphasized that Vietnam shined in the sky of Bistrita city. Bistrita TV conducted live broadcast interviews with Vietnamese artists and introduced the Vietnamese monochord./.
In Georgia, Pence Assures Eastern Europe of US Backing

By Nana Sajaia August 01, 2017

On the latest leg of his first official tour of Eastern Europe, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence assured regional allies the United States will stand by their side.

Facing a crowd of Georgian and international journalists at government offices in Tbilisi, Pence, standing alongside his host, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, said America first does not mean America alone.

"President Trump has sent me with the simple message to you and to the people of Georgia, we are with you, we stand with you ... America stands with Georgia," said Pence.

The vice president came to Georgia, the only non-NATO member country on his itinerary, from Estonia, a model of a successful EU-leaning transformation, before heading to Montenegro, NATO's newest member.

Pence is the highest-ranking American official of the current administration to visit Georgia and the larger Caucasus region.

"Thanks to your help, Georgia is no longer a Soviet or a post-Soviet country," said Kvirikashvili at Tuesday's joint press conference. "Today we are a democracy closely associated with the European Union."

Kvirikashvili's comments, in which he touted Georgia's role as "a key strategic partner of America," come amid an ongoing partial Russian occupation.

About 60 kilometers from the news conference, Russian tank units maintain control over 20 percent of Georgian terrain, a holdover from the August 2008 five-day war.

Pence reiterated the U.S. non-recognition policy regarding the Russian-occupied zone, condemning Moscow's presence on Georgian soil, what many observers describe as an evolving, "creeping" occupation.

"President Trump has called on Russia to cease its destabilizing activities," Pence said, adding that President Donald Trump will soon sign sanctions against Russia.

"Our country prefers a constructive relations with Russia, based on cooperation and common interest. But the president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia: a better relationship, lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse actions that caused sanctions to be imposed in the first place."

'Reset' jitters

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Georgia about a year after the 2008 war. Biden's visit came shortly after the Obama administration's "reset" policy with Russia, which caused concern among many Europeans that the United States would give Moscow a pass for its invasion of Georgia.

Years later, Russia annexed Crimea and destabilized Eastern Ukraine, which led the West to unilaterally impose sanctions on Russia.

Both Georgia and Ukraine are aspiring NATO members. Some observers argue Georgia's 2008 war and Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea could have been avoided if those countries hadn't been denied Membership Action Plan status at NATO's Bucharest summit in April, 2008.

"President Trump and I stand by the 2008 NATO Bucharest statement, which made it clear that Georgia, one day, will become a member of NATO," said Pence.

According to recent nationwide polls carried by National Democratic Institute, 66 percent of Georgia's population approves of the government's stated goal to join NATO. Sixty-two percent of Georgians say the country should join the European Union. Both organizations are largely seen as security instruments that would protect Georgia independence and development.

2017 represents the 25th anniversary of U.S.-Georgian diplomatic relations.

George W. Bush is the only U.S. president who has visited Georgia, which he called "a beacon of democracy."

This story originated in VOA's Georgian Service.

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Type 901 Comprehensive Supply Ship

China has commissioned its newest and largest naval supply ship as the country tries to beef up its capacity to protect its maritime interests. The Type 901 replenishment vessel  which helps supply naval ships with oil, ammunition, food and water  was seen at a port in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province on 31 July 2017 bearing the number 965, indicating it has been commissioned into the PLA Navy. The new supply ship has almost double the displacement tonnage of the Type 903 supply ships currently being used for escort and anti-piracy missions off Somalia.

Chinas ambitious program to build more capable ocean-going fleet replenishment vessels is too often overlooked. In recent years, new units of the Type-903 (plus the improved 903A variant) replenishment vessels have entered service. An even more capable successor, touted the Type-901, which is said to displace some 40-45,000 tons (just slightly smaller than the new carrier itself), was at an advanced stage of construction.

The class designator for the ship appeared to be Type 901. Details were initially limited, but the ship's estimated dimensions are a displacement of 40,000-45,000 tonnes and a beam of 31.5 m. Although photographs - shown on the cjdby.net website, for example - had only just emerged, the ship was at an advanced state of construction and a launch in early 2016 seemed probable.

The photos showed the largely completed hull of the ship docked side-by-side with a similar-sized Type 903A, also known as the "Qiandaohu-class" replenishment ship, with a light displacement of 23,000 tonnes. The new ship appears to be a modified 903A with many different design features.

China since 2008 began to develop large-scale comprehensive supply ship and rapid combat support ship. The new 40,000-ton comprehensive supply ship has been started in 2013 construction, and 50,000-ton fast combat support ship also started construction in 2014 to 2015. It is reported that China's new generation of large-scale comprehensive supply ship and fast combat support ship with a new power system, equipped with China's own development of a new generation of integrated supply system, will provide a comprehensive combat capability comparable with the US military.

A new breakthrough of Chinese naval shipbuilding - the lead ship (name yet unknown putative number "956"??) was launched on 15 December 2015 and left the factory for sea trials on 19 December 2016. The PLA Navy large complex supply ship was built in Guangzhou shipyard of China Shipbuilding State Corporation (CSSC).

The two-level ship can be used as a one-stop logistics center for aircraft carrier formation, capable of receiving, storing, delivering fuel, ammunition, dry goods and other supplies, with the ability to receive directly from the base and re-supply from the ship. It is said that the large-scale comprehensive supply ship will play the role of large-scale oil tanker and comprehensive supply vessel in our Navy. The rapid combat support ship is mainly for our aircraft carrier battle group service. In the next few years, with the new generation of large-scale comprehensive supply ship And fast combat support ships have been serving, China's offshore combat capability will see an unprecedented increase.

The Chinese Navy has accepted the first in a class of fast, giant resupply ships that will refuel, resupply, and rearm its aircraft carriers and destroyers on the high seas. The Type 901 class was built at the Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) Longxue. Thirty-one-and-a-half meters wide and over 200 meters long, the first Type 901 class supply ship woulf have a full displacement of around 40,000-45,000 tons. That's a similar size to the US Navy's 49,000-ton Supply class replenishment ships, which can carry over 17,000 tons of jet and ship fuel, and 1950 tons of ammunition.

The Type 901 is thought to have 4 gas turbine engines, which would give it a top speed of around 25 knots, enabling it to keep pace with Chinese aircraft carriers like the Liaoning. It will have up to five resupply gantries located midship, each of which can deploy palletized ammunition and supplies via cables, or fuel lines. This will allow the Type 901 to replenish multiple warships simultaneously while under sail, a key capability for modern navies. It will also be able to operate helicopters and drones from its helipad and hangar. While not a combat ship, it is expected, like US Navy ships, to carry some weapons for self-defense, most likely 30mm auto-cannons used in an air defense, anti-missile role.

The Type 901 will offer a great leap in capacity over the current 25,000-ton Type 903A Qiandaohu, of which the PLAN has eight. The Type 901's larger supply carrying capacity means that it can refuel and rearm Chinese warships, including destroyers and carriers, in combat operations far from the Chinese mainland. Also, its larger size gives the Type 901 a greater range than its predecessor, thus reducing the need for foreign facilities to refuel and replenish, both for the Type 901 and the warships it supports. While China's interest in building long-range carriers, destroyers and submarines and leasing foreign bases (like Djibouti) are getting a lot of attention, Beijing is also clearly at work solving the logistics challenges needed to make the PLAN a true global power.

The new Type 901 replenishment ship began sea trials on 18 December 2016, according to Chinese media. The 45,000-tonne vessel, which was built at Guangzhou Shipyard International's Longxue shipyard on the Pearl River, was expected to provide logistics support to the PLAN's carrier force. Imagery of the ship's construction emerged in late 2015, before it was launched on 15 December 2015.

The vessel is equipped with three gantries and a fourth high-point structure port side aft, configured with five hose rigs for liquid refuelling on the port side and four on the starboard side. The central gantry provides a transfer station for solids on each side.

From official photos released 24 Mrch 2017 it can be seen that the second 901-type supply ship, which was reported in January 2017, had been hoisting. This led to speculation that it will be launched within six months. The 901-type high-speed supply ship is specialized in the aircraft carrier formation of the new supply ship, currently only the two countries have built similar ships.

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Kenya Politics - 2017 Elections

The country's sixth general elections - presidential, parliamentary, governorship and local elections - were held 08 August 2017. President Uhuru Kenyatta was running again for the August election. Politics in the East African nation is decided largely along ethnic lines, with political alliances typically based on who can lure which votes from Kenya's influential five main ethnic groups. Kenyans would elect a President, 47 County Governors, 47 County Senators, 290 members of the lower house, Women Representatives and Members of County Assemblies.

Public and private spending are at an all-time high, while government and presidential candidates have put in hundreds of millions of dollars to secure the electoral process. Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) extended voting period for regions where heavy rains and flooding made it hard for voters to reach the poll centers in the remote northern region of Turkana.

Incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta has taken a significant lead in Kenya's tense elections, according to early results. Opposition leader Raila Odinga dismissed the tally, claiming that the election had been hacked. The early results published by Kenyan electoral officials showed Odinga trailing his rival, President Kenyatta, by some 1.3 million votes. The tally was based on 92 percent of the polling stations, putting the president at 54.4 percent to Odinga's 44.7 percent. Odinga insisted that he was actually in the lead, according to the count published by his party. He told reporters that hackers broke into the state electronic tallying system by using credentials of a recently murdered electoral official.

Riots broke out in the opposition stronghold of Kisimu in western Kenya on Wednesday, with police firing tear gas at anti-government protesters following the tense Tuesday election. The protesters chanted "No Raila, no peace," invoking the name of the opposition leader Raila Odinga. The unrest started soon after Odinga publically rejected the preliminary election results as a "fraud."

The Kenya Human Rights Commission, a well-known non-governmental organization in the east African country, also criticized the election officials and cited several apparent irregularities from various polling stations. It described some of its actions as "opaque" and said the official tally was "not based on any verifiable results."

Women representation in political life has yet to reach meaningful ratio vis-a-vis their proportion of the nation. Between 1963 and 2013 only 74 women made it to the National Assembly, 49 elected and 25 nominated. When Kenya gained its independence in 1963, the initial parliament did not have a woman. The country saw the very first female Member of Parliament come into office in 1969.

For the first time more than over 10 women were elected at the national assembly in 2002. In 2007 Kenya recorded the highest number, which saw 16 women elected. The 2013 election in Kenya was the first General Election to incorporate elective and nominated affirmative action seats for women. Running up to the 2017 elections in Kenya, there are prospects of having female governors and senators.

enyas cohesion authority has warned that it will take action against WhatsApp group administrators in its quest to clamp on the spread of hate speech in the messaging application. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) chair Francis Ole Kaparo announced that the authority had identified at least 21 WhatsApp groups that have been propagating hate speech and will be dealt with accordingly.

On 19 December 2016 the Kenyan government ordered the US International Foundation for Election Systems to stop its voter education program in the country. US Ambassador Robert Godec said the organization, which is supported by USAID, has expertise and experience in supporting free, fair, credible and peaceful elections around the world. He said the United States is disappointed by the effort to discredit the program. Ambassadors from 10 countries denied working with organizations, political parties or candidates to influence the election result.

Kenya's Senate on 06 January 2017 approved the controversial Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2016 that would allow manual counting of ballot results, which the opposition called a back door to rigging the presidential vote. The 24 senators from the Jubilee side voted for it while 19 CORD senators opposed it. The focus was mainly on section 44, which covers the identification, registration and transmission of results electronically. The opposition coalition, led by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Vice Presidents Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka, dismissed the Bill as mischievous, saying it was part of a wider scheme to rig the August elections.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) was formed in 2017. It aims to increase opposition chances of defeating President Uhuru Kenyatta. In an attempt to oust the powerful party, five opposition heavyweights united under NASA. They spent months agonizing over the winning combination of flag-bearers that will draw in the most votes from key ethnic groups. The country's ruling Jubilee party said NASA's delayed candidacy selection only highlights its disorganization amid an election campaign plagued by violence. Tensions were high in Kenya's chaotic primary season as the ruling Jubilee party and the opposition ran into logistical issues and allegations of irregularities. The Jubilee planned to hold party primaries in all of Kenya's 47 counties on Friday 21 April 2017 and Monday 24 April 2017. But of the 21 scheduled for Friday, three were postponed. Confusion and accusations then derailed voting in nine more counties, such as Uasin Gishu, home to Deputy President William Ruto. Complications included insufficient materials, flawed ballots and general confusion. As a result, primaries were canceled in 15 of 21 counties.

Political competitors are complaining of a lack voting materials, favoritism and rigging, including reports of pre-marked ballots. There is also disagreement over which voter register  that of the party or that of the national electoral commission  to use during the process.

The largest party, the Orange Democratic Movement, had to reschedule primaries in some constituencies due to late-arriving or incomplete ballot materials. ODM also canceled the results of the governorship primary in Busia county amid allegations of rigging.

Stakes were high in the primaries. In an opposition or a ruling party stronghold, securing the party's nomination for certain posts can be an almost-certain ticket for victory.

The majority of Luos support opposition leader Raila Odinga, the Kambas are behind Kalonzo Musyoka. The Kalenjins back Deputy President William Ruto, while the Kikuyus support President Uhuru Kenyatta.

As in the past, political alliances have been made along ethnic lines. The Jubilee alliance of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto is backed by the Kikuyus and the Kalenjins. The opposition National Alliance (NASA) is no different. It is a union of tribes led by Raila Odinga (a Luo from western Kenya), Moses Wetangula (a Luhya from western Kenya) and Kalonzo Musyoka from the Kamba tribe.

Fronted by Uhuru Kenyata, the current President of Kenya, and Deputy President William Ruto, the Jubilee Party is made up of the principal members of the Jubilee Alliance, as well as 10 other political parties. They launched their manifesto on June 26, listing a number of ways they would hope to change Kenya.

One of the manifestos overall messages is to create a secure and prosperous nation, built on solid foundations of sustainable employment and opportunity. It notes that a growing economy must work all Kenyan citizens, and says that the party will continue to build a middle-income society, and work towards high, rapid and inclusive economic growth to reduce inequalities.

Through reducing and eliminating wastage in the utilization of public resources, Jubilee say that they will be able to generate Ksh1 trillion in savings over the next five years. This, the manifesto says, will be applied to enhance the countrys productive capacity and pay down the national debt.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) is the main opposition party, made up of ODM, Wiper, ANC and many more. Theyre fronted by political veteran Raila Odinga, and he is supported by Kalonzo Musyoka who is running for Deputy President. Nasa launched their manifesto on June 27,

highlighting the policies they hope will connect with the public and get them into government. NASA aim to eradicate poverty by implementing transformational economic policies and programmes that will uplift all Kenyas. They have outlined in their text that they will invest in education and training, health, and encourage people to move to areas richer in resources.

The manifesto states that Nasa will use all constitutional means to control public debt and grow the economy by 7%. They pledge to return the country to the path of sustainable borrowing, that is, a budget deficit not exceeding 3% of GDP.

With political tensions running high, it was too early to tell how the August 8 elections might go. Whether Kenya's elections turn deadly violent, like the 2007 vote, or remain mostly peaceful, like the 2013 poll, international monitors will be on the ground to see whether the final outcome is trustworthy and fair. In late June, the EU mission deployed 15 two-person teams around the country to begin monitoring the run-up to the elections. They would be joined by more than 100 short-term observers in the days before the vote. About 20 million Kenyans are registered to vote in the election.

Kenyas electoral commission announced 111 August 2017 that incumbent Kenyatta had won the presidential contest, defeating Odinga. Having fulfilled the requirement by law and having garnered 8,203,290 votes, representing 54.27 percent of the votes and 25 percent in 35 counties, I therefore wish to declare honorable Uhuru Kenyatta as president-elect and honorable William Ruto as the deputy president-elect, Election chairman Wafula Chebukati said. Chebukati announced that Odinga garnered 6,762,224 votes, which gave him 44.74 percent of the overall vote. He also received at least 25 percent of the vote in 29 counties.

The leader of Kenya's main opposition party, Raila Odinga, has said he will not let the election result go unchallenged. Kenya's opposition announced on 16 Augsut 2017 that it would challenge the results of the presidential election in the Supreme Court and wage a campaign of civil disobedience, saying it has decided to expose what it called a "computer-generated presidency." Opposition leader Raila Odinga told reporters that Kenyans won't willingly go along with "democracy's slaughter." His comments had the potential to set off another wave of protests. In a 4-2 decision, on 02 September 2017 the Kenya Supreme Court determined that the recently concluded presidential election "was not conducted in accordance with the Constitution and is invalid". The Supreme Court found that the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) simply did not deliver on basic democratic principles of transparency and rule of law that should guide any election. IEBC lawyers shockingly argued that the tallying website public.iebc.or.ke on which local and international reporting about the election relied was "not the public portal" that the IEBC promised, and they never told the court what that website was and why it existed. The process of tallying was also problematic because the IEBC seemed to ignore much of the law regulating it.

In practical terms, this meant that Kenyans would have a second presidential election within the next 60 days - expensive in terms of money and time, but worth it for a clear and decisive declaration that democracy in Kenya is maturing. The August 8 vote was a deeply flawed election. Yet assumptions at home and abroad about how democracy is supposed to work in Africa prevented many from seeing that. Critics were accused of being spoilers or "perennial losers". If they pointed out one of the many problems of the electoral process, they were labelled "tribalists", or overly demanding.

Voters in Kenya would head to the polls on October 26 [initally planned to take place on 17 October] after the Supreme Court annulled the presidential election. But politics in Kenya often go hand in hand with ethnic and tribal loyalties. Elections in Kenya have caused heightening and even incitement of these divisions before, especially in poorer communities.

Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga said on 10 October 2017 he would not take part in the court-ordered re-run of the presidential vote scheduled to take place on October 26. "In the interest of the people of Kenya, the region and world at large, we believe that all will be best served by (opposition grouping) NASA vacating the presidential candidature of elections slated for 26th of October, 2017," Odinga told a news conference. "We have come to the conclusion that there is no intention on the part of the IEBC to undertake any changes to its operations and personnel... All indications are that the election scheduled for 26 October will be worse than the previous one," said Odinga.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said the presidential re-run, which was expected to be a run-off between Odinga and himself, would go ahead as scheduled despite his rival's withdrawal. "There is nowhere the constitution says Raila Amollo Odinga has to be on the ballot," Kenyatta told his supporters. A Kenyan judge then ruled that a minor opposition candidate would be allowed to take part in the repeat election. Ekuru Aukot, who received less than 1 percent of the vote the first time around, may now face off against President Uhuru Kenyatta in the rerun.

Kenyas electoral commission called for patience and calm as it tallied the results of the re-run presidential election 27 October 2017 . However, some analysts already feared that the low turnout  just 35 percent compared to nearly 80 percent in the previous poll in August  may undercut the credibility of the results. The chief of Kenya's electoral commission says 6.5 million voters, about one-third of all registered voters, cast ballots in the election. Opposition leader Raila Odinga told his supporters to boycott the vote, and some polling stations looked like ghost towns. Others had lines, but significantly shorter than the original August election. Some were closed entirely due to security concerns.

President Kenyatta won 98% of the vote in Kenya's repeat election. Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga urges his supporters to protest against what he calls the "sham" result of a repeat presidential election that he boycotted.







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Deployment of further THAAD launchers can be re-considered: S. Korean defense chief

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:22, July 31, 2017

South Korea's defense chief said Monday that the decision to "temporarily" deploy four more mobile launchers of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system can be re-considered if people feel anxious about it.

Defense Minister Song Young-moo told lawmakers that the "temporary THAAD deployment" had the meaning of reviewing it under the conditions that additional THAAD elements are temporarily installed, while the environmental assessment is underway, as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) crossed the red line too fast.

Song noted that the temporary deployment also had the meaning of reconsidering it if people feel anxious about it.

The DPRK announced its successful test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which flew about 1,000 km and was lofted as high as over 3,700 km late Friday night. It was an advanced version of what the country called Hwasong-14, which traveled 933 km at a maximum altitude of 2,802 km at the July 4 launch.

About an hour after the missile test-firing, South Korean President Moon Jae-in convened a national security council (NSC) meeting in which major security and foreign affairs officials, including the defense minister, participated.

During the meeting, Minister Song asked the president to fully deploy the THAAD battery in South Korean territory and the temporary deployment was decided upon at the NSC meeting, the defense chief said.

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US mulls deploying Patriot missiles to Estonia: Prime minister

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 6:37AM

Estonia's prime minister says he has held talks with US Vice President Mike Pence over the possible deployment by Washington of the Patriot missile system to the Baltic state amid rising tensions between NATO states and Russia.

Following a Sunday meeting with Pence in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, Juri Ratas said Washington is considering deploying Patriot surface-to-air missiles in Estonia.

"We spoke about it today, but we didn't talk about a date or time," the premier told state broadcaster ERR.

"We talked about ... [Russian] military maneuvers near the Estonian border... and how Estonia, the United States and NATO should monitor them," Ratas added.

For his part, Pence reiterated US support for its East European and Baltic allies.

"Our allies in Eastern Europe can be confident that the United States of America stands with them," he said.

Estonia was the first destination in Pence's European tour, which will also take him to Georgia and Montenegro.

Moscow-Tallinn ties soured in 1991, when Estonia separated from the ex-Soviet Union and later joined both the EU and NATO in 2004.

Ahead of Pence's visit, the Georgian army began a two-week military exercise with the United States along with a group of mainly NATO states, including Britain, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine, Slovenia and Armenia on Sunday.

The US official plans to address the military drill participants on Tuesday.

Relations between Russia and the NATO military alliance started to deteriorate in 2014 over the crisis in eastern Ukraine, where Kiev's army is engaged in deadly fighting with pro-Moscow forces.

Russia sees NATO's military expansion near its borders as a security threat.

Russia marks Navy Day with drills

As the Georgia-US wargames kicked off, Russia launched its own military maneuvers to mark national Navy Day.

The naval parades spanned across 9 time zones within the country, as well as in the port of Tartus in Syria, where Russian forces are fighting Daesh terrorists.

More than 100 military vessels as well as some 1,500 naval forces took part in the drills.

Six Russian vessels and the newest diesel submarine from the Black Sea Fleet 'Krasnodar' paraded the waters of Tartus. Russian fighter aircraft from the Khmeimim airbase supported the sea maneuvers from the air.

President Vladimir Putin attended the parade in St. Petersburg, where he announced that 30 new vessels would join the Russian Navy fleet this year.

The Russian head of state has accused NATO of trying to embroil Moscow in a military confrontation by constant provocative actions.

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US Ready to Move Additional THAAD Systems to South Korea as Quickly as Possible

Sputnik News

20:46 31.07.2017

The Pentagon has said it is "certainly ready" to move additional pieces of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) to South Korea as "quickly as they can."

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The United States is ready to quickly move the remaining pieces of THAAD system into South Korea, US Department of Defense spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis said in a briefing on Monday.

"We are certainly ready to move additional pieces in as quickly as we can," Davis told reporters when asked about THAAD.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who officially came to office on May 10, has repeatedly criticized the previous government under impeached leader Park Geun-hye for agreeing to host the THAAD system without first seeking parliamentary approval. Moon subsequently suspended the deployment in order to carry out an investigation into the environmental consequences of the move.

However, on Friday, North Korea conducted their second intercontinental ballistic missile test in less than a month. This latest provocation triggered Moon's decision to resume deliveries of additional THAAD components.

Davis said the latest North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile was airborne for about 45 minutes, which is the longest in the history of tests conducted by Pyongyang.

Washington and Seoul have a similar stance with regard to the so-called North Korean threat, an issue which is becoming more pressing with the increasing number of missile tests by Pyongyang. In July last year, the United States and South Korea agreed to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea's Seongju County, North Gyeongsang province.

 Sputnik

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S Korea in Talks With US About Resuming THAAD Deployment  Defense Ministry

Sputnik News

09:40 31.07.2017

According to the Ministry of National Defense, Seoul and Washington have begun consultations on the matter of resuming the deployment of the THAAD system.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  Seoul and Washington have begun consultations on the matter of resuming the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on South Korean soil, the spokesman at the Ministry of National Defense said Monday.

"As for the deployment of six (THAAD) launchers, South Korea and the U.S. will make a decision after consultations. Such discussion is currently going on, but further consultations are needed for the specific issues of when and how," Moon Sang-gyun said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

Moon noted that Seoul and Washington were expected to launch full-swing talks on additional THAAD launchers' deployment in the near future.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who officially came to office on May 10, has repeatedly criticized the previous government under impeached leader Park Geun-hye for agreeing to host the THAAD system without first seeking parliamentary approval. Moon subsequently suspended the deployment in order to carry out an investigation into the environmental consequences of the move.

However, on Friday, North Korea conducted their second intercontinental ballistic missile test in less than a month. This latest provocation triggered Moon's decision to resume deliveries of additional THAAD components.

Washington and Seoul have a similar stance with regard to the so-called North Korean threat, an issue which is becoming more pressing with the increasing number of missile tests by Pyongyang. In July last year, the United States and South Korea agreed to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea's Seongju County, North Gyeongsang province.

 Sputnik

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China's Army Day parade shows military strength, benefits world peace: experts

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 17:22, July 31, 2017

China's Army Day parade on Sunday demonstrated the strength of the Chinese military, which contributes to safeguarding national security and world peace, international experts have said.

The past decades have witnessed China's rapid growth in a variety of areas. Today, China is closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than any other time in history, said Jean-Marie Bossy of the Society of Chinese-Swiss Culture Exchange, adding that he strongly believes China's progress is "peaceful" and is "beneficial to the world."

China's growing economy and stronger national defense facilitate global peace and stability rather than pose any kind of so-called "threat" to the world, said Zhao Yuan, honorary chairman of the Swiss Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China.

Living in a complicated and changing world, "we need to build a strong people's military more than any other time in history," he added.

"We must deeply recognize the traditional and non-traditional security threats, and consolidate national defense, strengthen military power so as to achieve the China Dream and safeguard world peace," said Li Su, vice chairman of the Swiss Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China.

Italian Secretary General of Defense and National Armament Director Lt. Gen. Carlo Magrassi has expressed his congratulation for the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Magrassi said he admires the rapid progress of China's military equipment and the modernization of military forces during the past years, he added.

Defense Attache of the Chinese Embassy in Italy Senior Colonel Wang Jianliang recalled the significant contributions the Chinese military has made to global peace-keeping, escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia and international humanitarian aid as he attended the reception held at the embassy to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the PLA on July 25.

Attendees including Italian officials highlighted the achievements made by the PLA and affirmed the key functions it has made in upholding world peace and stability.

During the past 90 years since its founding, the PLA has proved to be a strong force to uphold national and global peace with real actions, said Ronnie Lins, director of the China-Brazil Center for Research and Business.

China has gained tremendous scientific and technological progress in recent years, and the positive effects of advanced technology used by the Chinese military are revealing themselves, he said.

China attaches great importance to technological development and military human resources development to forge a stronger army. This shows that the Chinese army has adapted to the conditions of modern warfare and a step further to the goal of military modernization, Lins added.

In Africa, some countries have been haunted by terrorism in recent years, and some suffer from civil wars, leaving their people in extremely dangerous conditions, said Ethiopian expert Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, who serves as an economic advisor to the African Union and the U.N.-Economic Commission for Africa.

In these countries, people could always find Chinese peacekeepers, elites of the PLA, helping African countries combat extremism, safeguard regional peace and stability and protect local people at the risk of their own lives, he said.

Every time a disaster strikes China, the PLA is always the first to reach the scene to help people out without being afraid of sacrifice. The close relationship between the PLA and the Chinese people is a crucial guarantee for the happiness of its people, Costantinos added.

China on Sunday held a grand military parade to mark the 90th birthday of the PLA in the Zhurihe military training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping watched the military parade and delivered a keynote speech urging further improvement of the PLA's combat effectiveness and modernization of China's national defense.

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Domestic weapons cut a dash in PLA military parade

People's Daily Online

(People's Daily Online) 16:39, July 31, 2017

China on Sunday kicked off its first-ever military parade that commemorates Army Day, flexing its military muscle and showing off its advanced domestically-made weapons.

According to Thepaper.cn, dozens of China's leading weaponry and technology companies had participated in the grand military parade, sending their most cutting-edge military equipment and arsenals. Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the country's aviation technology giant, showcased 129 domestically-designed warplanes during the event, adding that 40 percent of its latest military equipment was shown for the first time at the parade.

The China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, a leading technology group that specializes in communication equipment and software development, used over 70 auxiliaries and some security equipment to ensure that the parade ran smoothly. The company's airborne early warning aircrafts that can monitor multiple targets simultaneously and transmit data instantly were also a hit at the parade.

Once reliant on foreign countries for its arsenal, China has been making great efforts to design and modernize its military forces. President Xi Jinping, who is also the chairman of the Central Military Commission, highlighted theoretical and technological innovation as the key to upgrade the country's military and national defense in 2016, urging the armed forces to fully implement an innovation-driven development strategy.

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North Korea's ICBM Lands in Japan's Economic Zone, Official Says

By Terri Moon Cronk DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2017  The North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile that was launched July 28 from Mupyong-ni traveled about 620 miles before splashing down in the Sea of Japan about 103 miles from the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, the Pentagon director of press operations said today.

The U.S. Eighth Army and South Korean army personnel conducted a combined live fire exercise at first light Korea time shortly after the North Korean missile splashed down inside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters.

"This exercise utilized the Army tactical missile system, also called ATACMS, and the [South Korean] Hyunmoo Missile-2, which fired two missiles each into territorial waters of South Korea along the east coast," he said.

Alliance Working Together

The combined missile launches, conducted within hours of the North Korean ICBM launch, demonstrate the alliance's ability to work together to defend South Korea, the spokesman said.

"This is a system that can be rapidly deployed and engaged, [and] provides deep-strike precision capability that enables the Korea-U.S. alliance to engage a full array of time-critical targets under all weather conditions. This exercise demonstrated our precision-fire capability," Davis added.

B-1B Bombers Activated

Also yesterday, two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers under the command of Pacific Air Forces joined counterparts from the South Korean and Japanese air forces in sequenced bilateral missions, he said.

After the bombers took off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, they flew to Japanese airspace, where two Japan Air Self Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 fighter jets joined them, the captain said.

"The B-1s then flew over the Korean Peninsula where they were joined by four [South Korean] Air Force F-15 [Eagle] fighter jets. The B-1s then performed a low pass over Osan Air Base, South Korea, before leaving South Korean airspace and returning to Guam," he said.

Throughout the mission, which took about 10 hours, the air crews practiced intercept and formation training to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills while strengthening the longstanding military-to-military relationships in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, Davis said.

"The U.S. maintains flexible bomber and fighter capabilities in the Asia-Pacific theater, retaining the ability to quickly respond to any regional threat in order to defend the U.S. homeland and in support of our allies," he said.

THAAD Test

He said the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade from Fort Bliss, Texas, conducted a successful missile defense test yesterday using the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system.

"A medium-range target ballistic missile was air-launched by a U.S. Air Force C-17 [Globemaster III] over the Pacific Ocean," Davis said. "The THAAD weapon system located at Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska in Kodiak, Alaska, detected, tracked and intercepted the target."

That was the 15th successful intercept in 15 tests for THAAD, he noted.

Six activated THAAD batteries exist: three batteries are stationed at Fort Bliss, one battery is forward-deployed to Guam, one is deployed to South Korea, and one is stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, the captain said.

The spokesman explained that THAAD, which is strictly a defensive weapon system, provides a globally transportable, rapidly deployable capability to intercept ballistic missiles inside or outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight.

"Our commitment to the defense of our allies, [South] Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad," Davis said.

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In a bid to boost the decreasing performance of its FW40, Williams will implement some big changes to its car which will be trialed in this week's in-season test in Hungary.

The Grove-based outfit has been losing ground recently to its mid-field rivals, and while it's still fifth in the Constructors' standings, reviving the car's pace is necessary to remain ahead of close followers Toro Rosso, Haas and Renault.

The changes, labeled as experimental but significant by Williams tech boss Paddy Lowe, involve both aerodynamic and mechanical modifications.

"There are some fairly significant bits that we're trying," said Lowe.

"We're doing some interesting bits of R&D. Some are relevant for this year, but some are things we need to learn and understand for next year. There's some important work going on, actually.

"It's a set of experiments, that's the best way to put it, which is how we always conduct our testing. Where that leaves us in terms of what we take racing is a downstream consideration."

The Hungarian GP last weekend was another reality test for Williams, which knew beforehand that its car would likely struggle on the tight, twisty and low-downforce lay-out.

"I just said to the guys that's a good weekend to motivate us to make a quicker car," explains Lowe.

"I think that's the best way to sum it up  we've got a lot of work to do, and we need to be better than that. And we can be better that. So that's what we'll go away and do.

"There's a pretty clear pattern, we're not performing as we should at what you would call the max downforce circuits, so those are Monaco, Hungary and Singapore.

But I'm never one to give up before we've got there, so we'll see what we can do for Singapore. A lot of it is about fundamental design aspects that we'll have to wait for another year."

As Felipe Massa recovers from his illness, Lance Stroll has bee entrusted with testing today in Budapest while rookie Luca Ghiotto will take over duties tomorrow.

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DPRK warns of "resolute act of justice" following US sanctions

People's Daily Online

(CNTV) 08:16, July 31, 2017

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) state-run television released a statement on Sunday on why the country conducted its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test.

KRT News said the launch was to send a grave warning to the US on their sanctions on the DPRK, and that it "would not go scot-free if it dares to provoke," adding that the US is "losing their mind."

It said that if the US continues to resort to military adventures and "tough sanctions," Pyongyang will respond with its "resolute act of justice."

On July 29, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson responded that the DPRK's launch was a "blatant violation" of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

Following Friday's missile launch, the US flew two supersonic B-1 bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Sunday in a show of force.

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China urges Trump not to link trade ties to North Korea issue

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 9:30AM

China says its trade ties with the US and North Korea's nuclear program are two unrelated issues and "should not be discussed together" after President Donald Trump said Beijing was failing to contain Pyongyang despite making profits from business with Washington.

"We believe that the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are two issues that are in two completely different domains," Qian said adding that the issues "are not related, and should not be discussed together."

Trump took to Twitter on Saturday to criticize China's stance on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, saying, "Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk."

"...they [China] do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!" Trump wrote.

Trump's tweet came following North Korea's test of another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which it claimed can reach all of the United States.

Beijing condemned North Korea's new ICBM test, but at the same time, called on all sides to observe restraint in response to the test and avoid acts that could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Qian further said, "In general, China-US trade, including mutual investment, is mutually beneficial, and both China and the United States have gained great profits from bilateral trade and investment cooperation's," Qian said.

The US runs the largest trade deficit with China, at approximately $347 billion per year.

Washington blames the unbalanced trade relationship on Beijing's policies that impede access to the Chinese market. Beijing, however, says Washington's own rules restricting high-tech US exports are partially to blame.

China has repeatedly said it is not Beijing's responsibility to resolve the North's issue. It has urged both Pyongyang and Washington to take steps to calm tensions and address each other's concerns.

The US, which is strongly against the North's nuclear and missile programs, has adopted a war-like posture towards Pyongyang and has permanent military presence in the region.

The North, which is currently under a raft of crippling United Nations sanctions over its military programs, says it will continue the programs until the US ends its hostility toward the country.

Pyongyang argues that its missile and nuclear capabilities are a deterrent against a potential US aggression.

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US 'done talking' over North Korea, China must decide: Haley

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 5:48AM

The United States is "done talking" about North Korea's ballistic missile tests, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley says, urging China to clear up its mind on imposing greater sanctions against its neighbor and trade partner.

"China must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step. The time for talk is over," Haley said in a statement on Sunday night, a day after North Korea's successful test of a Hwasong-14 missile into the Sea of Japan.

While some diplomats had predicted a call by Washington for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC), Haley said there was "no point" in doing so because any new UNSC resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value."

The administration of US President Donald Trump has been trying to gain China's support for more strict measures against Pyongyang.

Haley provided Beijing with a draft resolution earlier this month, in the wake of Pyongyang's successful test of another ballistic missile on July 4. She said Thursday that the two sides had made progress.

Trump, meanwhile, has been unhappy with China. He expressed his frustration in a tweetstorm on Saturday.

"I am very disappointed in China," he wrote. "Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk."

Last month, the Security Council imposed a fresh array of sanctions on Pyongyang in response to a number of missile tests carried out this year.

Russia and China have opposed calls for new sanctions and would only agree when the North obtains the required technology to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), Reuters reported, citing diplomatic sources.

Unlike Washington, Beijing and Moscow argue that Pyongyang has yet to master the know-how.

Trump, Japanese PM discuss North's test

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday that he had discussed the new missile test with Trump over the phone and the two sides agreed on more international pressure.

"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," Abe told reporters.

A White House statement said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far."

Abe denied discussing military action with Trump, an option that the White House says remains on the table.

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Trump, Abe: North Korean Missile Program 'Grave, Growing' Threat

RFE/RL July 31, 2017

The White House says President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have called North Korea's banned missile program a "grave and growing" threat.

In a phone call on July 30, the two leaders pledged to intensify economic and diplomatic pressure on Pyongyang after its latest test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Trump and Abe "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far," the White House statement said.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Abe committed to increasing economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea, and to convincing other countries to follow suit," the statement continued.

"President Trump reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to defend Japan and the Republic of Korea from any attack, using the full range of United States capabilities."

Abe earlier said he told Trump that Japan would pursue specific steps to bolster its defense capabilities and that the U.S. leader pledged to "take all necessary measures to protect" Japan.

"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," Abe told reporters.

Earlier on July 30, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said there was "no point" to conduct an emergency Security Council session on North Korea's latest missile launch.

Nikki Haley said another weak council resolution would be "worse than nothing" in light of the North's repeated violations of UN sanctions against its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs.

"There is no point in having an emergency session if it produces nothing of consequence," Haley said in a statement.

"In fact, it is worse than nothing, because it sends the message to the North Korean dictator that the international community is unwilling to seriously challenge him," Haley said.

Haley also stepped up the pressure on China, North Korea's main ally, saying it "must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step. The time for talk is over."

North Korea on July 28 carried out a test launch of an ICBM and said it was now capable of reaching the U.S. mainland with nuclear weapons.

Current UN resolutions ban North Korea from developing any ballistic missile-related and nuclear technology, but the rogue nation has continued to push forward with its military programs.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-no-point-emergency -un-meeting-north-korea/28649971.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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North Korea ICBM Test Strengthens US Alliances

By Brian Padden July 31, 2017

North Korea's latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile is solidifying U.S. alliances in East Asia while exacerbating already difficult relations with adversaries in the region.

Most significantly South Korea's position now seems more in line with Washington in emphasizing increased military deterrence and economic sanctions while downplaying for now the possibility for engagement with the Kim Jong Un government in Pyongyang.

"It might signal a more permanent and fundamental shift towards the direction that will strengthen the trilateral security cooperation among the U.S., South Korea and Japan," said Bong Young-shik, a political analyst with the Yonsei University Institute for North Korean Studies.

However, security analyst Grant Newsham, with the Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo says it is too early to tell if the liberal Moon administration's more hawkish turn is permanent.

"It seems to be a predictable pattern where the North provokes, South Korea gets angry, and then time passes and the forces for a softer approach reassert themselves," said Newsham.

Failing engagement

Since taking office in May South Korean President Moon Jae-in has tried to pursue a dual track policy that balances pressure with engagement to ease tensions and restart talks with the nuclear North Korean state. The liberal leader sought to revive the past Sunshine Policy in which the economically advanced South tried to improve relations with the impoverished North through investment and aid.

But increased international sanctions made it difficult for Seoul to offer significant economic incentives like reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex that employed thousands of North Koreans before it was closed following a 2016 nuclear test. And the Moon government's recent offers of dialogue and humanitarian assistance have gone unanswered by the North.

"What the Moon Jae-in government really has to accept as a cold and hard reality is that things have changed since the days of the Sunshine Policy," said Bong.

THAAD

Moon has now called for the full deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to proceed, reversing a decision last week to delay any further work on the project until an extended environmental study is completed. The system is currently partially functional with two of six mobile launchers operational.

South Korea's defense minister said Sunday the military will upgrade its Patriot missile system as well.

The THAAD deployment could anger Beijing which objects to the presence in the region of the advanced anti-missile battery that can potentially monitor China's military activities using high-resolution radar. China had reportedly imposed informal economic restrictions on South Korea as retaliation.

US sanctions

President Moon, who is on vacation, and U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to soon talk by phone to discuss North Korea's second purported successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that independent weapons experts said demonstrated the capability to reach many parts of the United States.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump Monday. A White House statement said that Trump and Abe agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" to the U.S., Japan, South Korea and other countries, and that the two also committed to increasing diplomatic and economic pressure.

While the Trump administration has emphasized all options including military action are being considered to stop the growing North Korean nuclear threat, it has been focusing on working with China, the North's key trading partner, to fully implement sanctions.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley Sunday expressed frustration with China's refusal to impose serious economic pain that would force North Korea to seek relief through compliance.

Haley said in a statement that she would not seek an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council "if it produces nothing of consequence."

New sanctions

President Trump has also indicated he will soon sign a new bill passed by the U.S. Congress last week authorizing new sanctions against North Korea, Iran and Russia, that would ban Chinese entities that do illicit business with North Korea from the U.S. financial system.

Woo Su-keun, a North Korea analyst at Donghua University in Shanghai says Beijing opposes these secondary sanctions and argues that internal violations should be handled under Chinese law.

"China holds a point that it is not appropriate for Chinese companies to be sanctioned by a specific country, rather it can only be done by the U.N.," he said.

Trump, in tweets on Saturday, said America's "foolish past leaders" had allowed China to make billions of dollars a year in trade while allowing North Korea to develop its nuclear program.

On Monday Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming said China-U.S. trade and North Korea are not related issues.

Youmi Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.

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Trump Assures North Korea Threat 'Will Be Handled'

By Steve Herman July 31, 2017

U.S. President Donald Trump uttered assurances during the start of his Cabinet meeting on Monday morning that the threat from North Korea will be taken care of.

"We'll handle North Korea. We're going to be able to handle them. It will be handled. We handle everything," Trump said in response to a question from a reporter.

On Saturday, the president, a day after North Korea tested a ballistic missile it claims can reach all of the United States, took to social media with a blunt chastisement of China, which is North Korea's powerful neighbor and its single significant ally.

"I am very disappointed in China," Trump wrote in a pair of Twitter posts. "...they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!"

That was a reversal of the praise the U.S. president had previously uttered for his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, after Trump hosted him at Mar-a-Lago in early April. At that time, Trump expressed confidence that Xi would apply adequate pressure on Pyongyang to de-escalate tension on the Korean peninsula.

At the United Nations Monday, China's U.N ambassador, Liu Jieyi, deflected any U.S. criticism, saying,"There are two principle parties to the issue of denuclearization and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula: DPRK and the United States." He added that the two nations "hold responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China."

After Friday's ICBM test launch  the second by North Korea  the United States responded with a sudden joint ballistic missile firing exercise with South Korean forces and flying a pair of U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers over the peninsula in a show of force.

US missile test

The United States will launch an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM on Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California "to validate and verify the effectiveness, readiness and accuracy of the weapon system," according to the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in a move that is expected to further anger neighbor China, is now calling for the full deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system to proceed, reversing a decision last week to delay any further work on the project until an extended environmental study is completed. Currently, the system is partially functional with two of six mobile launchers operational.

Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said North Korea's recent actions are making the case for the need for THAAD.

South Korea's defense minister said Sunday the military will upgrade its Patriot missile system as well.

Conversations with Seoul, Japan

The South Korean president, who is on vacation, and Trump, are expected to soon talk by phone to discuss North Korea's second purported successful ICBM test that independent weapons experts said demonstrated the capability to reach many parts of the United States.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday (Asia time). A White House statement said Trump and Abe agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" to the U.S., Japan, South Korea and other countries, and that the two also committed to increasing diplomatic and economic pressure.

Abe told reporters Trump had vowed to take "all necessary measures" to protect the Japanese people from the North Korean threat.

New sanctions

Trump has also indicated he will soon sign a new bill, passed by the U.S. Congress last week, authorizing new sanctions against North Korea, Iran and Russia, that would ban from the U.S. financial system all Chinese entities that do illicit business with North Korea.

A North Korea analyst at Donghua University in Shanghai, Woo Su-keun, says Beijing opposes these secondary sanctions and argues that internal violations should be handled under Chinese law.

"China holds a point that it is not appropriate for Chinese companies to be sanctioned by a specific country, rather it can only be done by the U.N.," he said.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, issued a statement on Sunday saying, "The time for talk is over."

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Russia, China Hit Back After U.S. Criticizes Them Over North Korea Crisis

RFE/RL August 01, 2017

Russia and China hit back at the United States on July 31 after U.S. leaders blamed them for not doing enough to rein in North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea over the weekend tested a missile with the capability of hitting the U.S. mainland, prompting Trump to tweet that he was "very disappointed" that China had done "nothing" to help the United States punish Pyongyang.

"China could easily solve this problem," Trump said, while U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called China and Russia "the principal economic enablers" of North Korea because of their ongoing trade ties.

"We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the U.S. and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of [Pyongyang]," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on July 31.

"It was the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China that developed a joint road map that rules out any use of force or a threat to use force and envisages a comprehensive solution to all problems of the Korean Peninsula, including the nuclear problem, through political and diplomatic methods," the ministry said, urging all sides to "immediately" resume dialogue.

China also lashed out at the U.S. accusations, saying that Washington and Pyongyang hold "the primary responsibility" for today's escalating tensions, as well as for efforts to cool tensions.

"No matter how capable China is, China's efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties," Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi said at the United Nations in New York.

Liu said both Washington and Pyongyang have ignored calls by the UN Security Council to de-escalate tensions and relaunch six-party negotiations as proposed by Beijing and Moscow.

North Korea has continued its missile tests, Liu said, while the United States has raised tensions by refusing to rule out military options and deploying an advanced antimissile system to South Korea that challenges the security of China and Russia as well.

The Chinese ambassador, in criticisms aimed at the United States, said implementation of Security Council resolutions is also being hampered by unilateral sanctions and "preconditions put to starting the dialogue" with Pyongyang.

The Trump administration has been pursuing a strategy of pressuring Pyongyang through new unilateral sanctions and appealing to China to use its influence while declaring that all options, including a targeted military strike, are on the table to block North Korea from carrying out threats against the United States and its allies in the region.

China has proposed that both sides back down from their current course toward military confrontation, with North Korea refraining from any further missile or nuclear tests, and the United States refraining from further military exercises or deployments in the region.

Liu said he also is negotiating with U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley over a possible new round of economic sanctions on North Korea.

But Haley has dismissed the "road map" offered by China and Russia, saying Washington is "done talking about North Korea."

In a phone call between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 30, the White House said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far."

It said Trump "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment" to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, "using the full range of United States capabilities."

Abe expressed doubts about finding a negotiated solution to the crisis after the phone call.

"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," he said.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and Interfax

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-china-hit-back -us-criticizes-them-over-north-korea- crisis/28651868.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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India Clears the Path for Its 5th Generation Fighter

Sputnik News

15:39 31.07.2017(updated 15:51 31.07.2017)

Almost four years after completing the primary work for fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project, Indian defense ministry may soon clear its research and development phase.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  A high-powered expert committee examining the feasibility and benefit of the project submitted its report on July 7 this month and ruled out any conflict between the DRDO's advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) project. The five-member expert committee was set up by former Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar in early 2017 after some concerns were raised by the ministry officials about the project.

"That the committee found no conflict between the FGFA and AMCA projects is a positive sign, though I cannot understand why this issue was not resolved years back as this project has been in the now-on-now-off mode for close to a decade. Be that as it may, it does pave the way for further movement but it cannot be a foregone conclusion that the R&D contract will be signed anytime soon," Amit Cowshish, former financial advisor to Indian defense ministry, said.

The Russian-Indian Sukhoi/HAL FGFA will be based on the Russian T-50 prototype jet. Russia has developed six prototypes of T-50 and is going for the second stage of trial following the completion of the first set of flight tests recently. The two countries have signed an inter-governmental agreement in October 2007 for the project and completed preliminary designed contract in June 2013.

"An amount of Rs.1535.45 Crore ($240 million) has been spent as on March 31, 2017. Any future expenditure under R&D Contract will be known once the commercial negotiation committee (CNC) submits its recommendations to the Government," Subhas Bhamre, India's Minister of State for Defense, informed the Lok Sabha on July 28. Bhamre said Indian pilots and engineers have no access to the aircraft and its technologies till now.

"Finding the money for the project ($3.05 billion) will also be challenging. It is not quite clear what kind of R&D will this money be spent on if the Pak-FA prototypes are already being flight tested by Russia, which has also claimed that a new uprated engine will be ready by December. The report suggests that the HAL will co-design avionics, including navigational systems, radars, and weapon aiming devices. I am not sure that it goes to the heart of design and development of the FGFA. This is not to say that the project is not worth pursuing. I have always maintained that there is a lot to be gained from cooperation with Russia in the area of R&D in defense," Cowshish added.

Earlier this month, Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Rostec Corporation, had said the second stage of the project is being discussed and it will be completed in near future as documents have been signed. "The laid down procedures will have to be followed which can be time-consuming and throw up new challenges," Cowshish concluded.

"I expect the project to get a defense ministry greenlight soon and here is the reason why. The first stage of acceptance testing of the T-50 by Russian Air Force was recently completed. Second stage flight testing is now underway; it's likely to be completed by 2018, paving the way for serial production of the aircraft for induction into service starting 2019. In other words, Sukhoi would be ready to start work on the FGFA around end-2018. A MoD decision on the project by year-end would make most sense," Vijainder K. Thakur, senior editor of Geopolitics and former IAF squadron leader, said.

 Sputnik

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Indian Air Force's Jaguar Still Performs Poorly After 20 Years, Says Auditor

Sputnik News

12:40 31.07.2017

Amid talk of a fresh purchase of French Jaguar fighters, India's top-level auditor has sounded the alarm over Jaguar jets now in service with Indian Air Force. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed deficiencies in the aircraft, which hampers its capabilities and may have led to accidents.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  A total of 11 Jaguar aircraft met with accidents in the last 17 years. The Indian Air Force (IAF) had lost three Jaguar aircraft and one pilot since April 2008 due to pilot disorientation/human error whereas the loss of another four Jaguar aircraft was under investigation.

"Against the requirement of 108 autopilots projected by IAF, only 18 autopilots could be integrated on the Jaguar aircraft as of March 2017. The integrated autopilots were also functioning sub-optimally due to malfunctioning of their vital component i.e. Auto Pilot Electronic Unit (APEU). Thus, the flying aid capability envisaged by IAF for the Jaguar aircraft in 1997 remains largely unrealized even after 20 years," CAG said in a report tabled in Parliament on July 28.

Modern fighter aircraft are equipped with autopilot which reduces pilot's workload, enhances the safety of aircraft and reduces aircraft accidents while earlier vintage; autopilots are bought separately and integrated with these aircraft.

It has been reported in the French magazine Le Pointe that the two countries are holding discussions on transfer of 31 unused Jaguar fighter jet of French Air Force. During his visit to France earlier this month, the engineer along with IAF chief BS Dhanoa had reviewed the stored Jaguar in France.

India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is upgrading Jaguar DARIN III twin-seat aircraft with new state-of-the-art avionics architecture including the open system architecture mission computer, engine and flight instrument system, fire control radar, state-of-the-art inertial navigation system with GPS and many others. Modernization will add additional operational life to the aircraft for another 20 years.

 Sputnik

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Kamalvandi: Iran releases images of construction of two new nuclear power plants

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, July 31, IRNA -- AEOI Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Monday that Iran is to release images of construction of the two new nuclear power plants indicating that the country is at least nine months ahead of the schedule.

'I returned from Moscow two days ago in which the two sides examined various issues such as progress in construction of the two new nuclear power plants,' he said.

'We are at least nine months ahead of the program and in the very near future relative images will be put at the disposal of the public,' he said, adding that reporters can also visit redesigning of its reactor.

1430**2050

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Corruption Verdicts Seen As Warning To Former Iranian President

Frud Bezhan July 31, 2017

Mahmud Ahmadinejad was no stranger to controversy during his two terms as Iran's president. Now he faces possible sentencing for his alleged mishandling of billions of dollars during his time in office.

But following news that multiple verdicts have been issued against the former president, analysts looking at the murky legal process suggest that the development is intended as a warning for Ahmadinejad to rein in his criticism of the country's clerical establishment.

"This is not simply a legal procedure but a political stick that can be wielded over Ahmadinejad to say, 'if you really challenge the system, then we have complete control and can take away your freedom,'" says Scott Lucas, an Iran specialist at Birmingham University in Britain and editor of the EA World View website.

Fayaz Shojaie, the public prosecutor at Iran's Supreme Audit Court, told the Etemad newspaper in an interview published on July 30 that the court had issued seven verdicts against Ahmadinejad. The Supreme Audit Court falls under the supervision of parliament, and it is unclear if Ahmadinejad was formally tried by the court and is now facing sentencing or whether the verdicts should be viewed as recommendations to be followed up by parliament, which would be more in keeping with the court's role.

Fall-Out

Ahmadinejad, who served as president from 2005 to 2013, has clashed with and fallen out of favor with the establishment since leaving office. His administration is frequently tied to allegations of corruption and is accused by detractors of mismanaging the economy.

He registered to run in the May presidential election against the wishes of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was eventually disqualified by the powerful Guardians Council, half of whose members are chosen directly by the supreme leader.

His former vice president and close aide, Hamid Baghaei, was sent to prison in 2015 on unidentified charges. Baghaei was again behind bars over corruption allegations from July 9 of this year until his release on bail on July 26.

In unprecedented criticism of the authorities, Baghaei accused the Judiciary of being "liars" and condemned the treatment of inmates in Iranian prisoners. The Judiciary, backed by the supreme leader, is an all-powerful institution, often acting against opponents and critics of the establishment.

Ahmadinejad, who greeted Baghaei outside the prison, described his close ally's detention as "illegal" and a "great cruelty."

Lucas says the timing of the court's verdicts against Ahmadinejad were not a coincidence, and that the comments from his former vice president, Baghaei, had "crossed a red line."

"Ahmadinejad is more of an annoyance than a threat," Lucas says, although he notes the former leader's criticism has taken on "greater significance" in the current fractious political scene.

Iran's hard-line conservative camp, with which Ahmadinejad used to be allied, are deeply divided and were beaten convincingly by reformists and moderates in the 2016 parliamentary elections and May's presidential vote.Ahmadinejad's criticism and his political ambitions are complicating efforts to unite the hard-line camp, Scott says.

Corruption Allegations

Ahmadinejad has long been dogged by claims of corruption and economic mismanagement. The Judiciary claims that it has a pending case against him, but details have never been released and no court proceedings have taken place.

The Supreme Audit Court issued seven verdicts against Ahmadinejad, five of them related to revenues from oil, the country's main export. The two other verdicts were not disclosed.

The court said it was up to parliament to decide whether to bring charges against Ahmadinejad and sentence him.

In one case, Ahmadinejad was found guilty of illegally allocating around $2 billion from the national treasury earmarked for paying cash subsidies to citizens. The government replaced food and fuel subsidies with cash payments in 2010, a move credited with compounding the economic crisis in the Islamic republic.

The court also found Ahmadinejad guilty of spending millions of dollars on gasoline subsidies, saying the move was unlawful because it only benefitted a segment of society.

Ahmadinejad was also found guilty of unlawfully allocating funds to the Iranian Red Crescent, a Tehran-based NGO that has been accused of smuggling intelligence agents and weapons to other countries.

Another charge, which was not explained, issued a verdict against Ahmadinejad over the case of Babak Zanjani, one of Iran's richest men, who was arrested in 2013 and is accused of stealing more than $2 billion from the government through crooked oil sales he made during Ahmadinejad's time in office. He was convicted of massive embezzlement and sentenced to death in 2015.

During Ahmadinejad's time in office Zanjani was considered something of a hero because of his ability to help Iran evade international sanctions and sell its oil abroad. But he was arrested soon after current President Hassan Rohani assumed office.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-ahmadinejad- corruption-verdicts-warning/28650926.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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Upcoming Tal Afar battle simpler than Mosul's: Top Iraqi general

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 5:51PM

A high-ranking Iraqi military commander predicts a relatively easy victory for government forces in the forthcoming operation to retake the northern city of Tal Afar from the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group as the extremists are "worn out and demoralized.

"I don't expect it will be a fierce battle even though the enemy is surrounded. The enemy is very worn out. I know from the intelligence reports that their morale is low," Commander of Nineveh Liberation Operations, Major General Najim Abdullah al-Jubouri, told Reuters in an interview on Monday.

Jubouri estimated that there are between 1,500 and 2,000 Daesh militants left in Tal Afar, located 63 kilometers west of Mosul.

"It's a large number, but the terrain is favorable (to Iraqi forces)," he said.

The remarks come as only one neighborhood in Tal Afar, known as Sarai, is comparable to the Old City of Mosul, where Iraqi troops had to fight Daesh terrorists in a densely-populated maze of narrow alleyways.

The senior Iraqi general stressed that there is no indication that the Takfiris are running low on munitions despite being encircled.

Jubouri said many local Turkmen members of Daesh have managed to mingle with the civilian population and fled to neighboring Turkey, noting that the remaining militants in Mosul mostly come from Turkey, the Caucasus and Southeast Asia.

Jubouri highlighted that the battle for Tal Afar is set to start soon, and is waiting for orders from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi which would probably be issued within the next few "days, or a week, or two."

Speaking at a youth meeting on Saturday, Abadi said pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi, will take part in a planned offensive to recapture Tal Afar from Daesh.

He said the army and security commanders have devised a plan to dislodge Daesh from Tal Afar, which requires participation of security personnel as well as Hashd al-Sha'abi and tribal fighters.

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'Keep the Chinese Navy in Check': Japanese Fighters to Get Hypersonic Missiles

Sputnik News

22:15 31.07.2017(updated 23:32 31.07.2017)

Japan's Mitsubishi F-2 aircraft are slated to be equipped with supersonic missiles to keep pace with what Tokyo says is a growing threat posed by the Chinese navy, according to local media reports.

"The introduction of the new missile is aimed at keeping the Chinese navywhich has been taking high handed action in the East China Sea and other placesin check," the Yomiuri Shimbun reported July 19.

The XASM-3 missile is still under development but military planners have requested considerable financial resources to buy, and build, hundreds of them in fiscal year 2018. The anti-ship missile will be the first hypersonic missile made by the island nation, the Yomiuri Shimbun added. Each F-2 will carry two of the new anti-ship missiles.

The missile buy demonstrates the need for increased capacity and capability to neutralize threats posed by China's fast-growing navy. In addition to the Liaoning aircraft carrier, China completed its first domestically produced aircraft carrier earlier this year.

In addition to bolstering the firepower of its F-2s, Japan is eyeing a major acquisition of joint strike missiles for the fleet of F-35 fighters Tokyo has bought or agreed to buy from Lockheed Martin. Under the Foreign Military Sales program, Washington authorized the sale of 42 F-35As to Japan. In June, Tokyo officials unveiled the first F-35A made in a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plant.

Following US President Donald Trump's latest jab at Beijing  "I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!"  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he "fully agreed" with Trump's China comment.

The two world leaders talked for 50 minutes on Sunday. Abe said the "in-depth" conversation resulted in a resolution to take "concrete steps to do our utmost in ensuring the public's safety" while adding that he was "very disappointed" in Beijing's response to North Korea's latest missile test.

 Sputnik

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Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of ousted Pakistan's PM, nominated as candidate for the premiership

People's Daily Online

By Raza Khan (People's Daily Online) 09:59, July 31, 2017

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), the ruling party in Pakistan has nominated Shahbaz Sharif as new Prime Minister of the country. He will replace his brother Nawaz Sharif who stepped down from the portfolio of prime minister on Friday after he was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in corruption case.

The Supreme Court ruled that Nawaz Sharif had been dishonest to the parliament and the courts for not disclosing his employment in the Dubai-Based company in his 2013 nomination papers, and thus, could not be deemed fit for the prime minister office.

Ruling PML-N leaders, in a parliamentary committee meeting headed by ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, decided that Nawaz's younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, should take over as the leader of the house in parliament.

Additionally, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who was federal minister for petroleum and natural resources, will take over as interim prime minister on Monday till the time Shahbaz is elected to parliament, and then to the prime minister's office.

Shahbaz Sharif, who is currently holding the portfolio of chief minister of Punjab province, will resign and will contest the election from the seat vacated after the disqualification of his brother and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

During his four year tenure, ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif further strengthened Pakistan's relationships with China. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, was also initiated during his tenure.

Like Nawaz Sarif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif has also good relationships with China. As chief minister of Punjab Province, he visited China several time during last few years and also invited Chinese companies for investing in Pakistan. He also participated in the Belt and Road forum for international cooperation in Beijing in May this year. During his tenure, several Chinese companies have invested in Punjab province. Few days ago Punjab government also invited Chinese companies for investment in solid waste management sector in the province.

Political experts in Pakistan say that because of Shahbaz Sharif becoming new prime minister of the country, work on CPEC will continue at the current pace. Shahbaz Sharif has very friendly attitude towards China and the projects being carried out in Pakistan under CPEC will not be effected because of political change in the country.

The younger Sharif spoke highly of the Pakistan-China friendship and the China-initiated Belt and Road Initiative in an Op-Ed titled "Towards a Stable Global Order" for People's Daily Online. In a separeate piece for People's Daily, Sharif called China's achievements under the leadership of CPC a miracle.

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Abbasi Takes Oath as Pakistan's New Prime Minister

By Ayaz Gul August 01, 2017

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi took the oath of office Tuesday as Pakistan's new prime minister to replace Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified by the country's highest court last week on corruption charges.

The 58-year-old Abbasi is a staunch Sharif ally and senior member of his ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, or PML-N, party.

Earlier in the day, Abbasi won 221 votes in the 342-member legislative lower house of parliament, or National Assembly, which is dominated by PML-N and its allied parties.

His closest rival, Syed Naveed Qamar, from the opposition Pakistan People's Party, secured 47 votes.

Pakistan was plunged into political uncertainty Friday when a five-member panel of the Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from holding public office. The panel forced Sharif to quit, saying he failed to disclose a monthly salary from a Dubai-based company owned by his son.

Sharif, 67, has denied wrongdoing. His previous two stints as prime minister of Pakistan in the 1990's also were cut short, and he was ousted over allegations of corruption.

Sharif's party won the 2013 election, bringing him to power for a record third time. His latest stint was due to end in June 2018, when the next national elections in Pakistan also are due.

In a speech to parliament, Abbasi dismissed suggestions the anti-Sharif judicial verdict caused divisions in the ruling party or undermined its political credentials.

"There was no dissension in our ranks. There were no defections. The party stands united as it was whomever the prime minister (Nawaz Sharif) named was supported unanimously," Abbasi said.

Abbasi also dismissed concerns of political and economic instability resulting from Sharif's dismissal.

"Within four days, the democratic process is back on track," he said.

Abbasi, however, confirmed he assumed office on an interim basis for 45 days. The ruling party wants to elect Sharif's younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, as the permanent successor, according to party officials.

Shahbaz Sharif, 65, is the chief minister of Pakistan's most populous Punjab province. He is expected to contest by-elections due next month to win a parliamentary seat before he takes over from Abbasi as the country's chief executive.

Opposition parties, independent analysts and newspaper editorials have criticized the political maneuvering as dynastic and undemocratic.

In past years, political turmoil encouraged the military to stage coups to oust elected governments and seize power; but analysts say that for the first time, the judiciary has dismissed an elected prime minister on corruption charges, in a country where the powerful until now have escaped prosecution.

The judicial verdict also has triggered calls for holding other state institutions, including the Pakistan military, accountable for their actions.

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Kremlin Says Up To U.S. To Decide Which Diplomatic Staff To Cut

RFE/RL July 31, 2017

The Kremlin says it is up to the United States to determine which members of its diplomatic and support staff in Russia will be cut after Moscow demanded that Washington drastically reduce personnel numbers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on July 31 that Russian citizens working at U.S. diplomatic facilities in Russia could be among the 755 staff to go.

"There are not that many [U.S.] diplomats [in Russia]," Peskov said. "We are talking about diplomats, people without diplomatic status, and local hires -- that is, Russian citizens who work [at the U.S. Embassy and consulates in Russia]."

Moscow ordered the reduction in U.S. diplomatic staff after U.S. lawmakers passed a bill that would impose additional sanctions on Russia and prevent President Donald Trump from easing the most punitive measures without congressional approval.

"There was no point in waiting" for Trump to sign the sanctions legislation, Peskov said.

The White House said on July 28 that Trump, whose veto would almost certainly be overridden by Congress if he rejected the bill, plans to sign it.

Severely Strained Relations

Russia's demand that the United States cut hundreds of personnel at its Moscow embassy and consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Vladivostok, is likely to add damage to a relationship that is already severely strained.

Russia and the United States are at odds over issues including Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, its backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and its alleged interference in the U.S. election that put Trump in the White House.

Putin and other Russian officials had long voiced hope for warmer ties under Trump, who repeatedly expressed a desire to improve relations.

But the Russian move suggests those hopes have faded substantially in Moscow amid U.S. investigations into Russia's alleged meddling and whether there was any collusion between Russia and associates of Trump, who seemed to be clearly favored by the Kremlin over his Democratic election rival Hillary Clinton.

Trump denies there was any collusion, and Russia has denied it interfered in the election despite substantial evidence and a finding announced in January by the U.S. intelligence community.

'Uncalled-For Act'

Speaking in Estonia on July 31, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said the United States would not be deterred from its goals by Moscow's demand.

"We hope for better days, for better relations with Russia. But recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow will not deter the commitment of the United States of America to our security, the security of our allies, and the security of freedom-loving nations around the world," Pence said.

The U.S. State Department called the Russian move an "regrettable and uncalled-for act" and said Washington was considering a possible response.

"We are assessing the impact of such a limitation and how we will respond to it," a State Department statement said on July 30.

Pence told Fox News in a July 30 interview that Trump had made it "very clear that very soon he will sign the sanctions."

"But at the same time, as we make our intentions clear, we expect Russian behavior to change," Pence said.

The State Department has also said it hopes that Russia will take steps to improve the relationship, while Russian officials assert that the onus is on the United States.

Peskov said that the United States needs to recover from what he called "political sczizophremia" and show the "political will" to ease strains in the relationship.

"We are interested in a steady development of our ties and are sorry to note that we are still far from that," he said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on July 28 that Washington must reduce its diplomatic staff to 455 people by September 1.

The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously said that Washington must reduce its diplomatic staff to 455 people by September 1.

It said that is the number of Russian diplomatic staff in the United States after Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, expelled 35 Russian diplomats in December -- a response to alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and ill-treatment of U.S. diplomats in Russia.

'Quite Painful'

Initial news alerts -- including from Russia's state-run TASS news agency -- on July 30 said Putin had ordered 755 U.S. diplomats to leave the country, though it later became clear he was talking about overall staff reductions at U.S. diplomatic facilities. Not all of the individuals ordered to cease their work would be U.S. citizens kicked out of the country.

It was not immediately clear how many reassignments the forced drawdown would entail at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and at the three U.S. consulates in Russia.

A 2013 report by the State Department Inspector General said that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok, employed 1,279 staff, including 934 "locally employed" staff and 301 U.S. "direct-hire" staff.

A chart in the report gave a slightly different figure, indicating that there were a total of 1,200 staff, including 867 "foreign nationals." It did not say how many of those were Russian.

"Unless we brought in hundreds of Americans to build the new embassy [building, there is] no way that we have 700 Americans at [the] embassy," Michael McFaul, the U.S. ambassador to Russia in 2012-2014, wrote on Twitter.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said earlier that, as of August 1, the United States would be barred from using warehouses that it has used in Moscow and from a modest guest house property in the capital's leafy Serebryanny Bor district.

That move appeared to be a direct response to the Obama administration's decision to seize two Russian diplomatic compounds, one in Maryland and one in New York State, when it expelled the 35 diplomats in December.

Putin surprised many people in both countries by declining to retaliate immediately over the expelled diplomats and seized properties -- a decision that was widely seen as a gesture to Trump, who was weeks away from his January 20 inauguration at the time.

Putin said in the July 30 interview that the reduced U.S. diplomatic presence would be "quite painful" and added that he did not expect ties with Washington to improve "any time soon."

"We have waited long enough, hoping that the situation would perhaps change for the better," he told Russian television host Vladimir Solovyov. "But it seems that even if the situation is changing, it's not for any time soon," Putin said.

With reporting by AFP, TASS, AP, The New York Times, Reuters, and Bloomberg

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kremlin-says- us-to-decide-diplomatic-staff -to-cut/28650406.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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MP: Russia to Retaliate If US Responds to Moscow Move to Cut Diplomatic Presence

Sputnik News

21:45 31.07.2017(updated 21:56 31.07.2017)

If the United States takes retaliatory measures in response to Russia's decision to reduce the number of US diplomatic staff, Moscow will come up with a tit-for-tat response, chairman of the Russian upper chamber of parliament's foreign affairs committee Konstantin Kosachev told Sputnik on Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the diplomatic presence of the United States in Russia would be cut by 755 employees.

"If there are counter-moves [by the United States], there will be counter-moves on our part, too. We never leap ahead or show our initiative, but we will take tough approach in case of the reciprocal action [by the United States]," Kosachev said.

The lawmaker stressed that Moscow's reciprocal measures might affect the areas related to the work of US diplomatic missions in Russia and the situation with regard to the diplomatic property.

At the same time, Kosachev noted that despite the staff reduction, the US diplomatic missions would have enough personnel to operate fully.

Russia's move came as a response to a series of measures implemented by the United States.

Last week, both chambers of the US Congress approved a bill imposing new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea, as well as limiting US President Donald Trump's ability to lift the anti-Moscow restrictions. On Friday, the White House said Trump intended to sign the bill.

In December 2016, Washington adopted sanctions targeting Russia over its alleged interference in the US presidential election, something which Moscow has repeatedly denied, expelling 35 Russian diplomats and seizing two diplomatic compounds used by Russia.

 Sputnik

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Russian Navy to Be Bolstered With Next-Gen Minesweeper Ivan Antonov in 2018

Sputnik News

14:18 31.07.2017

Ivan Antonov, the next generation Russian minesweeper, is set be handed over to the Russian navy next year, the vessel manufacturer said Monday.

ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik)  Russia's Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), will supply the Russian Navy with a new Alexandrit-class (Project 12700) Ivan Antonov minesweeper in 2018, the shipyard's press service said Monday.

"According to the agreement with the [Russian] Defense Ministry, Ivan Antonov will be handed over to the Russian Navy in 2018," the press-service said in a statement.

According to the statement, the vessel's floating is set for the next spring.

Ivan Antonov represents a new generation of the mine defense ships. It is designed to search and destroy mines in the water areas of naval bases at safe distances. The 44-member-crew vessel is 67 yards long, 11 yards wide, displaces 890 tonnes and can reach a speed of up to 16.5 knots. The construction of the ship formally began on January 25.

The latest Russian technologies are being used in the development of the Alexandrit-class vessels. The ships are equipped with the latest means of mine detection, has high maneuverability and sea-keeping performance. The minesweepers are equipped with the world's largest hull, which is made of monolithic fiberglass, shaped by the vacuum infusion technology. The advantages of fiberglass against the low-magnetic steel are longer service life and lighter weight.

The lead ship of the Project 12700, named the Alexander Obukhov, has been built and handed over to the Russian Navy in 2016. The vessel is already in service.

In December 2016, the Russian Navy said it had contracted for another seven Alexandrit-class minesweepers on top of the four ordered earlier. A total of over 40 vessels are to be commissioned in the longer term.

 Sputnik

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Putin Defends Massive Cut in US Diplomatic Staff in Russia

By Ken Bredemeier July 31, 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin is defending his massive cut in the size of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia, saying it had waited long enough for relations with Washington to improve.

Putin said he had hoped "the situation would perhaps change for the better. But it seems that even if the situation is changing, it is not for any time soon."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said an improvement of U.S.-Russia relations rest on "curing the worsening political schizophrenia" in Washington, but said the two countries remain "far away" from closer ties.

The Russian leader Sunday ordered the U.S. to cut its diplomatic staff of more than 1,200 in Russia by 755 people in response to new U.S. sanctions imposed against Russia for its meddling in the 2016 presidential election aimed at helping real estate mogul Donald Trump win the U.S. presidency.

It is believed to be the single largest cut ever in staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and consulates elsewhere in Russia, although many of those to be dismissed are likely Russians working in support positions. The cuts would leave both countries with the same number of staff and diplomats in the two countries, 455.

US reaction

The U.S. State Department called Putin's order "a regrettable and uncalled for act" and says it is assessing how to respond.

Vice President Mike Pence, on a visit to Estonia, said Monday, "We hope for better days, for better relations with Russia."

Putin told a Russian television network on Sunday that his government could take more retaliatory steps against the United States, but that he is "against it as of today."

The U.S. Congress approved the new sanctions last Thursday in a package that also included new measures against Iran and North Korea. On Friday, Russia's Foreign Ministry made the first announcement of the counter measures, saying the sanctions confirm the "extreme aggression" of the U.S. in international affairs.

In addition to sharply trimming the size of the U.S. mission in Russia, Moscow reclaimed two U.S. facilities, a recreational retreat and a storage facility.

"I think this retaliation is long, long overdue," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Sunday in an interview with ABC News' This Week.

He said Russia has a "very rich toolbox" at its disposal in terms of other possible moves.

"It would be ridiculous on my part to start speculating on what may or may not happen," Ryabkov said. "But I can assure you that different options are on the table and consideration is being given to all sorts of things."

The Russian diplomat also said he believes there are areas where the two countries can and should work together, including nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, counterterrorism, human trafficking, illegal immigration and climate change.

"We are ready, we are stretching our hand forward, we are hopeful that someone on the other side, President Trump included, but also others may see here a chance for a somewhat different way," Ryabkov said.

Sanctions await signature

U.S. President Donald Trump has not yet signed the sanctions legislation, but the White House says he will.

As Congress negotiated the bill for weeks, Trump aides objected because of a provision that gives lawmakers 30 days to review and block any effort by the president to ease sanctions against Russia. That includes President Barack Obama's decision to close two Russian compounds and expel 35 diplomats because of Russia's interference in the election.

Political analysts in the United States had thought Trump, in an attempt to ease tensions with Putin, might overturn the Obama sanctions when he assumed power in January, but he did not.

Russian meddling

Since then, the early months of Trump's presidency have been consumed by numerous investigations of Russian meddling in the election, including whether Trump aides colluded with Moscow to help him win. The probes are also looking at whether Trump obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey who was leading the agency's Russia investigation before another former FBI director, Robert Mueller, was named to take over the criminal investigation.

Moscow has rejected the conclusion of the U.S. intelligence community that Putin personally directed Moscow's interference in the election. Trump has dismissed the investigations as a "witch hunt" and an excuse by Democrats to explain his upset win over former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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Germany Urges EU To Fight Back Against Russia Sanctions Bill

RFE/RL August 01, 2017

Germany's economics minister on July 31 urged the European Union to fight back against new sanctions by the United States that could penalize Western companies doing business with Russia.

The new sanctions targeting Russia's energy firms were included in legislation passed overwhelmingly by Congress last week and expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump.

The provisions affecting Europe would allow Trump to impose sanctions on Western businesses working with Russia's Gazprom to build the Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline between Russia and Germany through the Baltic Sea.

European leaders say the sanctions will jeopardize their energy security and hurt their economies.

"We consider this as being against international law, plain and simple," German Economics Minister Brigitte Zypries said in an interview published by the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper chain on July 31.

"The Americans can't punish German companies because they have business interests in another country," Zypries said. "Of course, we don't want a trade war. But it is important the European Commission now looks into countermeasures."

Zypries said Berlin had repeatedly asked Washington not to include the provisions affecting European companies in a broader bill targeting Russia with sanctions over its alleged interference in the U.S. presidential election, aggression in Ukraine, and other matters.

"Unfortunately, that is exactly what they are doing. That means that it is right that the European Commission now considers countermeasures," she said.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned last week that "if our concerns are not taken into account sufficiently, we stand ready to act appropriately within a matter of days" of the provisions taking effect.

The United States has for years opposed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, saying it will only increase European dependence on Russia for natural gas when Western allies should be diversifying their energy sources away from Russia.

But the sanctions bill represents the first time Washington has taken concrete action in its opposition to the pipeline that could lead to punitive measures against European companies.

The new sanctions are also coupled with provisions encouraging European countries to purchase liquefied natural gas from the United States as an alternative to relying on Russian gas.

"One is left with the sense that the United States is looking to its own economic interests," Volker Triere, the head of the Germany Chamber of Industry and Commerce, said last week.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel warned last week that Germany will not tolerate sanctions against European companies involved in the Nord Stream project.

Some German business groups are advocating countersanctions against the United States if Trump decides to impose sanctions on European companies.

U.S. lawmakers had modified the bill after initial complaints by European leaders that it was too harmful to companies working with Russia on Nord Stream.

Meanwhile, Russia retaliated on July 28 over the sanctions in the bill by ordering the United States to reduce its diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people.

Late on July 31, the White House said it was mulling a response to the Russian order.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told a news briefing that the administration is looking at possible options and would say something more definitive at a later date.

Vice President Mike Pence, who is visiting Eastern Europe and Georgia this week, said "we hope for better days, for better relations with Russia" eventually, despite Trump's plans to sign the sanctions bill.

With reporting by Reuters, Newsweek, and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/germany -urges-eu-fight-back-against -us-russian-sanctions-bill-brigitte -zypries-economy-minister/28651923.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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Russian Planes Intercepted by NATO Jets During Training Mission - MoD

Sputnik News

21:36 01.08.2017(updated 21:38 01.08.2017)

Two Russian MiG-31 Foxhound fighter jets and an An-26 Curl military transport aircraft carried out a planned training flight over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea on Tuesday when they were intercepted by two NATO fighters, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

MOSCOW(Sputnik)  A NATO spokesman said earlier in the day that two Spanish F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets were scrambled on Tuesday from Estonia's Amari Airbase to intercept the Russian aircraft and briefly violated the Finnish airspace.

"The flight of a group of Russian aircraft was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace, without violating the borders of other states," the ministry said in a statement.

"During the flight, a NATO F-18 fighter aircraft approached the group of Russian planes at a safe distance and accompanied it for about a minute, after which it changed course and headed towards the airspace of a Baltic state," the statement said.

The number of air incidents involving Russian and NATO planes has increased in the past years as a result of growing presence of the US-led alliance forces near Russia's western border since 2014. In addition, the Baltic states have constantly accused Russia of violations of their airspace.

The Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated that its flights are carried out in strict accordance with international regulations on the use of airspace over neutral waters.

 Sputnik

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Experts Say Russian Retaliation Against US Could Backfire

By Cindy Saine August 01, 2017

Russian authorities are now barring American diplomats and their families from a U.S. recreational residence on the outskirts of Moscow, part of sweeping retaliatory measures announced by Kremlin leader Vladmir Putin.

The Russian president ordered the U.S. on Sunday to cut its overall staff of more than 1,200 in Russia by 755 people, in response to new U.S. sanctions imposed against Moscow for its interference in the 2016 presidential election. It is believed to be the single largest cut ever imposed on the U.S. embassy in Moscow and consulates elsewhere in Russia, although many of those to be dismissed are likely Russians working in support positions.

Putin said the cuts would leave both Russia and the U.S. with the same number of staff and diplomats in Washington and Moscow, respectively  455.

President Donald Trump has been silent on the issue since Putin announced his retaliatory action.

Asked about this Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "Right now we are reviewing our options, and when we have something to say on it we will let you know."

No response yet to Putin

The White House has said Trump intends to sign into law the new round of sanctions against Russia that Congress passed last week, but he has not yet done so.

The U.S. State Department said the order to reduce the number of American diplomats in Russia was "a regrettable and uncalled for act." A spokesman said U.S. officials are assessing how to respond to Putin.

A Russian analyst, Nikolai Petrov of the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, said the move reflects the Kremlin's disillusionment with Trump: "These measures are tough, and it is linked to a deep disappointment that came after the euphoria linked to the arrival of Donald Trump [to power], and to the idea that today we will start our relations anew."

Another Russian analyst, Gleb Pavlovsky, said a return to Cold War-era hostilities with the U.S. will only boost Putin's popularity at home ahead of another likely bid for the Russian presidency next year.

Pavlovsky, a former political consultant for the Kremlin who now is president of the Foundation for Effective Politics in Moscow, explained how U.S. efforts to "punish" Putin may have the opposite effect: "American sanctions naturally are causing a definite mass reaction [in Russia]  an anti-American, pro-Putin reaction." If Putin wished, Pavlovsky added, he could make the American sanctions the centerpiece of his re-election campaign next year.

Russians also will feel cutback

Other experts say the vital work of the U.S. embassy in Moscow will continue despite the massive cuts.

Steven Pifer, a former U.S. diplomat now with the Brookings Institution, told VOA that Russians also may discover some unintended consequences of their president's crackdown on U.S. diplomacy.

"My assumption is hundreds of Russians are going to lose their jobs now," Pifer said. "And when you're looking at priority functions of the embassy, you know, visa functions are important but they're not as important as other functions. So my guess is that those Russians [who] want to travel to the United States are going to find that visa processing is going to take longer than usual because of reduced staff in the consular section."

Pifer was assigned to the U.S. embassy in Moscow in 1986, at a time when there were several back-and-forth expulsions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. He later served on the National Security Council under former President Bill Clinton, and was ambassador to Ukraine from 1998-2000.

During his time in the Russian capital, Pifer said, American staff were called upon for "all-purpose duty" at times when Russian support staff were unavailable for political reasons.

"So, five or six days out of every seven, I would work on my normal portfolio, which is arms control," Pifer recalled. "And then one day, I'd drive a truck. And the embassy got by. There was actually this incredible spirit in the embassy that we were going to show the Soviets that this kind of action was not going to cramp the embassy."

Pifer said he expects the same determined spirit from U.S. embassy personnel now.

Congress approved the new sanctions against Russia last Thursday, as part of a package that also included new measures against Iran and North Korea. Russia's foreign ministry denounced the U.S. for "extreme aggression" in international affairs and signaled the coming counter-measures the next day, two days before Putin personally announced the cutbacks in diplomatic staff.

In addition to sharply trimming the size of the U.S. mission, Russia reclaimed two U.S. facilities, a recreational retreat near Moscow and a storage facility in the city.

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Saudi forces set ablaze Shia homes in restive Awamiyah

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 1, 2017 6:55AM

Saudi forces have set fire to homes belonging to Shia residents in the besieged town of Awamiyah that has been the scene of a heavy-handed regime crackdown on the minority community.

Based on local reports, Saudi forces have thrown Shia citizens out of their homes and then torched their properties.

Awamiyah, situated in Eastern Province, has long been a flashpoint between the Saudi kingdom and the inhabitants complaining of discrimination.

It has witnessed renewed deadly clashes between the military and residents since May, when Saudi forces began razing the town's old quarter, known as al-Mosawara.

Saudi authorities claim that Mosawara's narrow streets have become a hideout for militants suspected of being behind attacks on security forces in Eastern Province.

The UN, however, said Saudi Arabia was erasing cultural heritage and violating human rights through Mosawara's demolition.

Karima Bennoune, the UN special rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, said Saudi authorities ignored repeated pleas by the world body to halt the destruction.

"These destructions erase the traces of this historic and lived cultural heritage and are clear violations of Saudi Arabia's obligations under international human rights law," Bennoune said, accusing the Saudi forces of "irreparably burning down" historic buildings and forcing residents to flee their homes.

Leilani Farha, the UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, also warned that the Saudi move "constitutes a forced eviction under international human rights law."

Additionally, Ali al-Dubisi, the head of the Berlin-based European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, said the Saudi forces were following a scorched-land policy in Awamiyah, launching rocket attacks and shelling residential buildings and civilians who are resisting Saudi pressures to evacuate.

Since February 2011, Saudi Arabia has stepped up security measures in Shia-dominated Eastern Province, which has been rocked by anti-regime demonstrations, with protesters demanding free speech, the release of political prisoners, and an end to economic and religious discrimination.

The government has suppressed pro-democracy movements, but they have intensified since January 2016 when Saudi Arabia executed respected Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

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People in Syria's Raqqah hardly get adequate food: NGOs warn

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 5:18PM

A network of humanitarian organizations, known as REACH, has raised alarm over the dire living conditions in the battle-torn Syrian city of Raqqah, warning that food accessibility there is now at "a critical turning point."

"While in previous weeks residents were able to purchase some food at markets, the majority of key informants reported that residents are now relying entirely on food stored from previous weeks," said the group of NGOs in a statement released on Monday.

The northern city fell to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in January 2014 and the militant group declared the city its de facto capital in the Arab country some six months later.

Early in June this year, the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed group of mostly Kurdish forces, launched an offensive to retake the volatile city from Takfiris. Last Thursday, the SDF announced that it was in control of over half of Raqqah.

Three years of Daesh occupation of Raqqah and ongoing fierce battles have turned large parts of the once vibrant city into rubble, with shuttered markets and residents depending entirely on their dwindling stockpiles.

"Food markets, which were functioning sporadically three weeks ago, are generally no longer in operation," REACH further said, adding that bread was no longer regularly available anywhere in the city.

Food prices have also sharply increased, forcing locals to eat more meager meals or skip them entirely, the report said.

"The bakeries are closed because there's no fuel or flour, and the shop-owners have fled. Whatever flour is here is spoiled and full of worms," said the Raqqah is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) group, another NGO, in a separate statement. "People can't store things in the refrigerators because there's no electricity. They can't cook because there's no water," it added.

The United Nations estimates that between 20,000 and 50,000 civilians are still living in the ill-fated city, however, REACH believes that the figure could be as low as 10,000. The network also said on Monday that only one wing of the city's state hospital is still functioning but just capable of offering basic first aid.

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also painted an increasingly dire picture of Raqqah in a separate statement on Monday, saying injured residents were often trapped in the city for days or weeks without receiving any medical care.

"In Raqqah city, if you don't die from airstrikes, you die by mortar fire; if not by mortars then by sniper shots; if not by snipers, then by an explosive device," MSF quoted a wounded civilian as saying after he managed to flee the restive city. "And if you get to live, you are besieged by hunger and thirst, as there is no food, no water, no electricity," he added.

Earlier this month, Nazreen Abdullah, of the Kurdish Women's Protection Units, the all-female brigade of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), described Raqqah as a "booby trapped city."

Syria has been 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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Will of Syrian people, army defeated terrorists: President Assad

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 4:21PM

President Bashar al-Assad has praised the Syrian people and army, saying their will has defeated terrorism in the country.

"The will of the Syrian people and their determination as well as the heroism of the Syrian Arab Army" are the most important reasons that have helped the country defeat foreign-backed militants, Assad said on Monday.

Assad also appreciated the Syrian people, saying they did not allow terrorist groups and their backers to halt their daily activities.

He made the remarks in a meeting with a delegation from Tunisia's General Labor Union (UGTT), headed by its Assistant Secretary General Bu Ali Mubaraki, in the capital Damascus, Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported.

During the meeting, Assad stressed that the delegation's visit carried many messages to the world as it "reflects the pulse of the Arab public opinion and its orientations."

In turn, members of the Tunisian delegation confirmed that they came to Damascus to convey a message of support for the Syrian people.

The Syrian people have showed matchless support for their leadership and army, which are defending the dignity of the Arab nation, the delegation said.

The Tunisian delegation stressed that the West does not want Syria to play any role except according to what they dictate.

The delegation said the West has targeted Syria because of its fair stance towards regional developments.

The delegation also described Syria as a state which remains at the forefront of the campaign against terrorism. "If what is planned against Syria succeeded, the chaos would have prevailed throughout the Arab region. Therefore, defending it is defending all the Arabs."

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning UGTT is known to many Tunisians for the role it played in the North African country's historic revolution of 2011.

Syria has been gripped by a deadly conflict since March 2011. The government has repeatedly blamed certain foreign countries for the spread of the devastating militancy in the country.

Over the past few months, Syrian forces have made sweeping gains against Takfiri elements, which have in turn increased their acts of violence across the country.

Tunisia, too, has experienced violence since the 2011 uprising that ousted the country's dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was in power for over two decades. The country has also been affected by the growing instability in neighboring Libya, which has been in chaos since former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and later killed in 2011.

During the past six years, Tunisia has witnessed multiple terrorist attacks.

Tunisia is among the countries with the highest per capita number of extremist militants operating in other countries. Thousands of Tunisians have reportedly left their country since 2011 to fight alongside extremist groups in Iraq and Syria.

The gloomy status quo of Daesh has growingly worried Tunisians who fear that many militants would return to the North African country. Late last year, Tunisian authorities warned about the return of thousands of Takfiri militants, calling for "exceptional measures" to combat the phenomenon.

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Turkey, US accuse each other of terror sponsorship in Syria

Iran Press TV

Tue Aug 1, 2017 5:20AM

Turkey and the United States have been accusing each other of supporting various terrorist groups in Syria.

Brett H. McGurk, the US special envoy to the international coalition against the Daesh terrorist group, has suggested that Turkey facilitates al-Qaeda terrorists in Syria's Idlib Province.

He said in a speech delivered at a Washington-based think tank on July 29 that Idlib has turned into a "safe zone for al-Qaeda terrorists on the Turkish border," asking "why and how" a deputy to al-Qaeda's leader had allegedly managed to travel to the Syrian province.

He said it might not be the best approach for some partners of the US "to send tens of thousands of weapons and turn their faces to the other side as foreign fighters enter this area," according to reports.

The US, McGurk reportedly said, intended to work with Turkey to have the border closed to recruited militants.

Ankara has strongly denounced McGurk's "provocative" remarks, accusing Washington of terror sponsorship in Syria by supporting the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara views as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a militant group that has been fighting the central Turkish government since 1984.

"Our reaction to the statements of Brett McGurk, in which he associated Turkey with the presence of terrorist organizations in Idlib, was brought to Mr. McGurk's attention at a high-level demarche, and his statements, which could be characterized as provocative, were protested," Turkish media on Monday quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Huseyin Muftuoglu as saying.

Muftuoglu also said that the US had to end its support for the Kurdish Democratic Party, aka PYD.

A Turkish Foreign Ministry official, who asked not to be named, also told Hurriyet Daily News that Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Sedat Onal had urged the US envoy to "correct" his statements.

The official added that Onal warned that such remarks could harm mutual cooperation between Turkey and the US, which is seeking cooperation with Ankara for the post-Daesh period in Syria.

Syria has been gripped by militancy since March 2011, when a section of the opposition in the country took up arms against President Bashar al-Assad. A vast mix of foreign terrorists soon blended with the armed opposition, joining the fight against the Syrian government.

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NSB denies report of military leak

ROC Central News Agency

2017/07/31 20:24:53

Taipei, July 31 (CNA) The National Security Bureau (NSB) on Monday dismissed as "fabrication" a report saying that classified files concerning Taiwan's military training plans had been leaked to China.

In a statement, the bureau said it deeply regretted the report, which it described as "totally groundless" and an attempt to confuse people's perception and cause anxiety among the public.

The NSB was responding to a report published Monday by the online Up Media, which said the NSB intercepted a Chinese telegram in late July on Taiwan's military training plans.

It was stated in the telegram that the information was obtained by piecing together shredded files leaked from the office of Chief of the General Staff Lee Hsi-ming (), according to the report.

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) also dismissed the report as untrue.

The ministry said in a statement that all agencies under the MND destroy sensitive files with paper shredders and then send the shreds to a pulp mill for permanent destruction.

(By Claudia Liu and Y.F. Low)

ENDITEM/ls

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Turkey detains 1,098 over alleged links to militant outfits, failed coup in single week

Iran Press TV

Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:59PM

Turkey says in the course of a single week it has detained 1,098 people either for their suspected links to terrorist groups or over having affiliation to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed by Ankara for purportedly masterminding and orchestrating last year's failed putsch against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Interior on Monday, during the course of last week, Turkish authorities arrested 831 people for their suspected ties to the Gulen movement, which is banned by Ankara and labeled as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The arrests are part of a huge police crackdown following last July's coup attempt. More than 50,000 people have so far been jailed and over 150,000 including judges, teachers, police and other state servants have been dismissed or suspended in the controversial purge, which is strongly condemned by local and international rights groups. Seventy-six-year-old Gulen has flatly rejected Ankara's allegations.

The written statement also said that another 213 had been detained for their alleged membership in the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been declared by the government as a terrorist organization.

A shaky ceasefire between the PKK, which has been calling for an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984, and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Since then, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against the PKK positions in the country's troubled southeastern border region as well as northern Iraq and Syria, claiming to have killed thousands of militants, although rights campaigners and pro-Kurdish political parties say civilians have been killed in the operations, too.

The PKK, in return, has mounted its reprisal attacks on Turkish security forces. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict over the past few decades.

The statement further read that another 46 people had been arrested over purported links to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, which is mainly active in Syria and Iraq, while eight more were nabbed for suspected ties to "leftist terrorist groups."

Earlier this month, the government extended the state of emergency for a fourth time in the Anatolian country, almost a year after it was imposed in the wake of the botched mid-July military putsch. Each emergency rule lasts for three months. Ankara claims that the purge is necessary to confront security challenges facing Turkey and to curb supporters of Gulen. The European governments have in multiple occasions voiced alarm at the scale of the crackdown.

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US Concerned 'Only About Interoperability' of S-400 Systems Purchased by Turkey

Sputnik News

20:25 31.07.2017

The Pentagon said Monday the only concern it has regarding the purchase of S-400 systems by its ally Turkey is the one of interoperability.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The only concern the United States has about the decision of its NATO ally Turkey to buy Russian S-400 air defense systems is that of interoperability, US Department of Defense spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis said in a briefing on Monday.

"Our only concern about it is one of interoperability but it is a Turkish decision," Davis told reporters.

The Russia-Turkey talks on the delivery of S-400 systems have taken place since 2016. In March, Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Russia's Rostec Corporation, said Ankara was ready to buy the systems with a loan granted by Moscow. On July 18, Chemezov said technical issues of the contract for the supply of the S-400 systems to Turkey had been resolved, with only administrative ones remaining.

On Friday, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said only few nominal issues are left to clear up in a generally formalized contract on the delivery of Russia's S-400s to Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Ankara and Moscow had signed a document on supplies of the S-400 Triumf systems.

The S-400 Triumph is a next-generation mobile surface-to-air missile system that can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range. It is designed to track and destroy various types of aerial targets, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles.

 Sputnik

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Pentagon Reportedly Devises Plan to Arm Ukraine With Antitank Missiles

Sputnik News

21:17 31.07.2017

The US Defense and State Departments have come up with a plan to supply Ukraine with antitank missiles and other weaponry and are awaiting White House approval, US media reported on Monday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik)  The arms, which are characterized as defensive, are apparently meant to deter aggressive actions by Russia in the country, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing American military officials and diplomats.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis supports the plan, the paper reported, citing US officials.

A senior White House official told the newspaper that a decision has not yet been made on the arms proposal.

A violent military conflict in Ukraine started in 2014 after the residents of the eastern Donbas region refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government that came to power in what they perceived to be a coup.

In February 2015, the parties to the Ukrainian conflict signed the Minsk peace accords to end the fighting in the crisis-torn region.

 Sputnik

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US, for First Time, to Sell Coal to Ukraine

By VOA News July 31, 2017

The U.S. said Monday that for the first time it will sell coal to Ukraine, easing its reliance on Russia and Moscow-back separatists in eastern Ukraine to meet its energy needs.

The accord calls for Xcoal Energy & Resources in the eastern state of Pennsylvania to ship 700,000 tons of thermal coal by the end of the year to Ukraine's state-owned energy firm Centrenergo to help it heat homes and businesses in the coming winter months. The first shipment, at a cost of $113 a metric ton, is expected to leave the U.S. port of Baltimore in August.

U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said the transaction was "crucial to the path forward to achieve energy dominance" for the United States. President Donald Trump has vowed to bring back the country's coal industry, which has lost thousands of jobs as the U.S. has turned sharply toward use of cleaner and cheaper forms of energy, chiefly natural gas, even as demand for coal has risen in Europe and Asia.

Ukraine has struggled to meet its energy needs since March, when it cut off coal deliveries from the eastern part of its country controlled by Russian-backed separatists fighting the Kyiv government for control of the industrialized sector. Ukraine has called for a complete ban on coal imports from Russia, which Kyiv and Western countries have accused of supporting the rebellion in eastern Ukraine that has claimed 10,000 lives in the last three years.

Speaking at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv, Xcoal president Ernie Thrasher called the deal "historic" and said the company was "committed to serving Ukraine's needs."

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Saakashvili Lashes Out At Poroshenko And Vows To Return To Ukraine

RFE/RL August 01, 2017

Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian president and Odesa regional governor who was recently stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, says he intends to return to Ukraine.

In a video press conference organized by his Movement of New Forces opposition party in its headquarters in Kyiv on August 1, Saakashvili, who is currently in the United States, said Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's decision to annul his citizenship earlier in July was "illegal" and "weakened democracy in Ukraine."

Saakashvili urged Ukrainian authorities and Poroshenko to allow him to come back to legally prove in court that his citizenship had been illegally taken away from him.

"That move had a single goal, which is to remove a key player from the political scene in Ukraine," said Saakashvili, adding that the action had "weakened Ukraine in its fight against its current enemy -- Putin's Russia."

Saakashvili also was sharply critical of Poroshenko, a former friend of his who granted Saakashvili Ukrainian citizenship and installed him as governor of Odesa.

"Poroshenko's move made it clear that the commander in chief of the Ukrainian armed forces is a coward," he said. "A coward, who while I was not home changed the lock on my home door and threw all my belongings out of the window."

Saakashvili, who went to university in Ukraine and served his Soviet military duty in the country, added that he remains a Ukrainian who will do everything he can to make sure that corruption and lawlessness are eradicated in "our Ukraine."

"I do not plan to use the protection of the United States or any other country. I will come back," Saakashvili said, adding that his return would not be incognito.

Saakashvili also stated that his party's plan to stage mass protests in autumn remain unchanged.

Saakashvili, 49, is an adamantly pro-Western reformist who was swept to power in Georgia by the peaceful Rose Revolution protests of 2003 and served two terms as president in 2004-2013.

His popularity declined in his later years in office, in part because of a five-day war with Russia during which Moscow's forces drove deep into the South Caucasus country, and his long-ruling party was voted out of power in a 2012 parliamentary election.

Saakashvili was stripped of his Georgian citizenship in 2015, after becoming governor of the Odesa region -- a post that required him to take Ukrainian citizenship.

Georgia is seeking his extradition to face charges -- which he says are politically motivated -- connected to the violent dispersal of protests and a raid on a private television station.

He resigned as Odesa governor in November 2016, complaining of official obstruction of anticorruption efforts, accusing Poroshenko of dishonesty, and charging that the central government was sabotaging crucial reforms.

Without citizenship, Saakashvili cannot seek political office in Ukraine, where his party is calling for early parliamentary elections. A presidential vote is to be held in March 2019.

Based on the YouTube live stream of Saakashvili's press conference

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine- saakashvili-poroshenko-vows-to- return/28653024.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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CHATHAM  The charges for two people suspected of breaking into a Ringgold home and shooting the owner were dismissed due to a lack of witnesses  while another case was continued to a later date  Monday in Pittsylvania County Circuit Court.

Charges against Trevon Deonte Saunders and DAndre Darnell Holiday were all dropped Monday, while Antonio Lee Williams had his case continued to a later date.

For Saunders and Holiday, the Pittsylvania Commonwealths Attorneys Office entered a null process motion because of a lack of sufficient witnesses. Williams was released on a $5,000 bond after attorney Mark Williams argued the speedy trial law date was approaching for his client, and his case was continued to a later date.

The three were charged with breaking into a home on Bennie Drive and shooting Wallace Saunders. Holiday was charged with use of a firearm in commission of a felony, armed burglary and malicious bodily injury. Saunders was charged with aggravated malicious bodily injury, armed burglary and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Williams is charged with two counts of malicious bodily injury, two counts of armed burglary and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

The elder Saunders and one of the suspects spoke to each other, and then Saunders was shot three times, according to court documents.

After speaking with Williams on Monday, attorney Mark Williams asked Judge Clyde Perdue to release the suspect on bond. Perdue allowed the decision on the condition that Williams remain in the state.

Another trial date is scheduled for Dec. 7.
While many teachers spend part of their summer completing professional development training, one Dan River Region educator is doing so at the largest library in the world: The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Hargrave Military Academy English Department Chairman William Leftwich is spending this week at the Teaching with Primary Sources Summer Teacher Institute, where he and more than 100 educators are learning how to incorporate the librarys millions of primary sources into their lesson plans.

One of the neat things is having the opportunity to learn about the Library of Congress resources and how to use primary materials to engage students, Leftwich said.

This weeks session is focused on World War I, marking the 100th anniversary of the United States entry into the conflict on April 6, 1917. Educational Resources Specialist Michael Apfeldorf said teachers were using letters from soldiers, battlefield maps and other sources to learn about the conflict.

We go through a series of different teaching strategies, Apfeldorf said. Its a very interactive workshop.

By looking at the primary documents, Apfeldorf said students learn to analyze history and use critical thinking skills to comprehend the historical events.

They are constructing their knowledge of history through primary sources, Apfeldorf said.

At the end of the week, Apfeldorf said teachers will be constructing a lesson plan from their experiences at the library, which they will use to help their students when they return to class this fall.

Thats really been very exciting, Leftwich added.

Leftwich also said he was proud to be in the company of his fellow educators, and added that he was learning many new ideas about educating from them.

Its been great just to share ideas, Leftwich said.

Leftwich said he found out about the program through his wife, who is also a teacher.

Ive been interested in World War I since I was in high school, he said. I thought you know, this would be a great opportunity.

Apfeldorf said the program was one of several ways the library was impacting education as a taxpayer-funded institution.

They are coming here because they want to improve their teaching, Apfeldorf said. He [Leftwich] showed how serious he was in using this in his application.

Leftwich said the librarys archives are not only available to those in Washington, D.C.

The cool thing about it is not only do you look at it and see the actual documents, its that they put so much of this online, Leftwich said. Anyone interested can go online and look at it if they are interested.

Classes begin again at Hargrave on Aug. 24.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Jul 31, 2017) - Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (TSX:OR)(NYSE:OR) ("Osisko" or "Corporation") is pleased to announce the successful completion of the previously announced acquisition ("Acquisition") of a high-quality precious metals portfolio of assets consisting of 74 royalties, streams and precious metal offtakes ("Orion Portfolio") from Orion Mine Finance Group in exchange for $675 million cash and the issuance of 30,906,594 shares of the Corporation.

Following the acquisition, Osisko now holds a total of 131 royalties, streams and precious metal offtakes, including its cornerstone 5% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty on the world class and long-life Canadian Malartic gold mine (Canada's largest producing gold mine) and a 2% to 3.5% NSR royalty on the world class Eleonore gold mine. In addition, the Corporation acquired a 9.6% diamond stream on the Renard diamond mine and a 4% gold and silver stream on the Brucejack gold and silver mine, all of which are new high-quality mines in Canada, in addition to a 100% silver stream on the Mantos Blancos copper mine in Chile.

Sean Roosen, Chair of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the closing of the transaction: "We are excited to acquire Orion's portfolio of high quality assets, which position Osisko as the leading growth royalty company in the precious metals sector".

Funding for Transaction

In addition to the shares issued to Orion, the Corporation completed a private placement totaling $275 million dollars with the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec ("La Caisse") ($200 million) and the Fonds de solidarite FTQ ("the Fonds") ($75 million) at a price of $14.56 per share. The Corporation has also issued 385,457 shares as part of the capital commitment fee.

The Corporation has also drawn US$118 million under its acquisition credit line from National Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal.

The remaining cash component was drawn from the Corporation's cash resources. It is estimated that Osisko has approximately $100 million in its treasury following the completion of the transaction.

Share Ownership

"We are pleased to welcome Orion Mine Finance as a new 19.7% shareholder, and we appreciate the confidence received from two Quebec based long term shareholders, La Caisse and the Fonds, that are increasing their position to 12.1% and 5.5% respectively" commented Mr. Roosen.

Following the completion of the transaction, Osisko has 156,964,269 shares outstanding.

Board Appointment

In accordance with the acquisition agreement, Mr. Oskar Lewnowski, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Orion Mine Finance has been appointed to Osisko's Board of Directors. Mr. Lewnowski is a highly experienced mining financier with previous experience with private equity funds and investment banking firms.

La Caisse has also the right to nominate a member to the Board of Directors. It is anticipated that they will exercise this right during the third quarter.

Advisors

Mr. Sean Roosen also noted: "We would like to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of the Osisko and Orion Teams and their respective advisors to complete this major transaction".

Osisko's lead financial advisor is Maxit Capital LP, with BMO Capital Markets, National Bank Financial and PricewaterhouseCoopers acting as financial advisors. Legal counsel are Bennett Jones LLP and Lavery de Billy LLP in Canada, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in the United States.

Orion's financial advisors are CIBC World Markets Inc. and Haywood Securities Inc. and their legal counsel is Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP.

About Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd

Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. is an intermediate precious metal royalty company focused on the Americas that commenced activities in June 2014. Following the Acquisition of the Orion Portfolio, it now holds a North American focused portfolio over 130 royalties, streams and precious metal offtakes. Osisko's portfolio is anchored by five cornerstone assets, including a 5% NSR royalty on the Canadian Malartic Mine, which is the largest gold mine in Canada. Osisko also owns a portfolio of publicly held resource companies, including a 15.3% interest in Osisko Mining Inc., 14.7% in Osisko Metals Ltd., 13.3% in Falco Resources Ltd. and 33.4% in Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd.

Osisko's head office is located at 1100 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal, Suite 300, Montreal, Quebec, H3B 2S2. For more information, visit www.osiskogr.com.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, require Osisko to make certain assumptions and necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. These forward-looking statements, may involve, but are not limited to, comments with respect to the directors and officers of Osisko, the performance of the assets of Osisko, the realization of the anticipated benefits deriving from Osisko's acquisition of the Orion Portfolio. Words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "continue", or the negative or comparable terminology, as well as terms usually used in the future and the conditional, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Information contained in forward-looking statements is based upon certain material assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including management's perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other considerations that are believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. Osisko considers its assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, but cautions the reader that their assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of Osisko, may ultimately prove to be incorrect since they are subject to risks and uncertainties that affect Osisko and its business.

For additional information with respect to these and other factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements made in this press release, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the most recent Annual Information Form of Osisko which is filed with the Canadian securities commissions and available electronically under Osisko's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available electronically under Osisko's issuer profile on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects Osisko's expectations as at the date of this press release and is subject to change after such date. Osisko disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.
(TheNewswire)

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / TheNewswire / August 1, 2017 - MGX Minerals Inc. ("MGX" or the "Company") (CSE: XMG / FKT: 1MG / OTC: MGXMF) is pleased to report that engineering partner PurLucid Treatment Solutions ("PurLucid") has commenced operational testing on the Li-1 lithium recovery unit at its testing facility in Calgary, Alberta. The Li-1 pilot plant is capable of processing 20 m3/day and will be expanded to increase throughput to 100m3/day. Initial testing is focused on lithium-rich brine samples obtained from MGX lithium and petrolithium properties and as well as oil & gas partners. Testing is currently underway to finalize technical specifications for contractual arrangements with industrial and oil and gas partners. In addition, MGX's deployment plan continues to focus on the Company's land package of over two million acres of lithium brine mineral claims in North America.

"This system represents the physical and operational templates that move us from bench scale to the field and provide the engineering basis for large commercial systems (>1500 m3/day) we expect to deploy into MGX's property and partner base," said Jared Lazerson CEO of MGX Minerals Inc.

Concurrently with pilot plant testing, fabrication of a commercial-scale system capable of processing 200 m3/day is underway and expected to be ready for deployment in Q4 2017. Based on results of pilot plant testing, the Company plans to ship commercial-scale systems to sites in the US and Canada beginning in Q1 of 2018.

MGX and PurLucid have now fully integrated their respective technologies. The pilot plant separates impurities from oil and gas wastewater, allowing for lithium and magnesium extraction as well as reuse and repurpose of industrial water and brine.

Qualified Person

The technical portions of this press release were prepared and reviewed by Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for MGX Minerals. Mr. Kikauka is a non-independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards.

About MGX Minerals

MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian resource company with interests in petrolithium, magnesium and silicon assets throughout North America. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com.

Contact Information

Jared Lazerson

President and CEO

Telephone: 1.604.681.7735

Web: www.mgxminerals.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements including the completion of the rights offering (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Vancouver, August 1 2017 - Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC.H) ("Velocity" or the "Company") announces that it has initiated diamond drilling at the Company's advanced Rozino Gold Project ("Rozino" or the "Project"). The Company has also filed on SEDAR a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") technical report (the "Technical Report") for the Rozino deposit, located within the Tintyava prospecting and exploration licence, southeast Bulgaria. The Technical Report summarizes historical exploration at Rozino, including 142 diamond drill holes, totaling approximately 22,500m.

Drill Program

A total of 9 diamond drill holes (approximately 2,000m) are planned for Phase I at the Rozino Project (Figure 1), which is described in more detail below. The program is part of a larger drill program of up to 65 drill holes (approximately 12,000m), that is planned to be on-going through the remainder of 2017 and early 2018.

A total of 142 historical drill holes have been drilled on the Project, either vertically or oriented to the northeast, parallel to the predominant structural trends seen in outcrop. The last hole drilled on the project (2006) was completed following a structural review which identified a strong northwest control on mineralisation:

Drill hole R-245 was drilled perpendicular to the newly-interpreted northwest control on mineralization, and intersected 68m @ 3.15 g/t gold, including 11.39m @ 8.09 g/t gold. Hole R-245 confirmed that mineralization exists between the drill fences and the potential for additional broad intersects of near surface, high grade mineralization located between the existing drill fences is considered to be good to excellent. Velocity's current drill program is testing this interpretation.

Rozino Project

Velocity (through a Bulgarian subsidiary) holds an option to acquire an undivided 70% legal and beneficial interest in the Tintyava property, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, granted by Gorubso Kardzhali A.D. ("Gorubso"). The Rozino Project, which is the subject of the recently filed Technical Report, is located within the Tintyava property, which has an area of 163km2. To exercise the option for the Tintyava property, the Company must pay the $325,000 tender fee (paid) to the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria and deliver an NI 43-101 preliminary economic assessment ("PEA"). The option is exercisable for a period of up to six years.

The Rozino Project is located 20km east of the 0.85 Moz Ada Tepe gold deposit, currently being developed by Dundee Precious Metals Inc., and 50km southeast of the city of Kardzhali, which is host to tailings and gold processing facilities operated by Gorubso (Figure 2).

Cautionary Note. Ada Tepe measured and indicated resource (2013); Upper Zone 5.0Mt @ 2.99g/t gold (0.482Moz, 0.6g/t COG) and Wall Zone 1.9Mt @ 6.13g/t gold (0.377Moz, 0.8g/t COG). Readers are cautioned that Ada Tepe is an adjacent property and that Velocity has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in the deposit, and that mineral deposits on adjacent or similar properties, and any production therefore or economics with respect thereto, are not in any way indicative of mineral deposits on Velocity's properties or the potential production from, or cost or economics of, any future mining of any of Velocity's mineral properties.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1: Planned drilling at Rozino. Phase One (9 drill holes, 2,000m) is highlighted with large red circles.

Six holes will drill northeast within the central zone of mineralization with a view to testing for higher grade mineralization between historical drill fences. Three holes will test mineralization identified

at surface in historical trenches. Historical drilling not shown.

The Rozino Project was first explored in the 1980's by the Bulgarian state company Asenovgrad Geoengineering EAD, which completed 86 vertical diamond drill holes for 14,289m. Available drill technology was limited to vertical drill holes, which in the context of steeply-dipping zones of mineralization was not a suitable approach. Hereward Ventures Ltd ("Hereward") and Asia Gold Corp. ("Asia Gold") began exploration in 2001 and completed 3 phases of drilling between 2004 and 2006, completing 55 diamond drill holes for 7,995m. Diamond drilling was angled, but oriented to the northwest, parallel to the predominant outcropping structural trends and therefore less than optimal.

In 2005-2006 Asia Gold carried out a structural review and identified a strong northwest control on mineralisation and completed 2 drill holes to test this new idea. Drill hole R-245 was drilled towards the northeast, perpendicular to the newly-interpreted northwest control on mineralization, and intersected 68m @ 3.15 g/t gold, including 11.39m @ 8.09 g/t gold. Assuming steep mineralisation striking 145o, which is perpendicular to the azimuth of the drill hole, the true width of significant intercept is estimated to be approximately 43.5m, however, exact true thicknesses at Rozino are difficult to ascertain with the current level of available data.

In summary, over 20km of diamond drilling has been completed to-date and yet the Rozino deposit is still not well defined. Asia Gold's drill hole R-245 confirmed that mineralisation exists between the drill fences and the potential for additional wide intersects at high grades located between the existing drill fences is considered to be very good.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2: Location of the Rozino Project relative to Tintyava licence area, Ekuzya Project, Gorubso's CIL processing plant, and the Ada Tepe development project.

Exploration upside at Rozino is good. The area surrounding the drilled Rozino mineralization has historically been soil sampled and trenched with both methods providing coherent anomalies for follow-up. Historical trench results in particular are compelling (Table 1) and although only two historical drill holes (from 142 total) tested the trench anomalies, the results were positive. Due to the limited amount of available data and variable orientation of trenches following irregular forest tracks and clearings, true thicknesses are at present difficult to ascertain. Trench locations are shown on Figure 1 together with the locations of trench intervals greater than 0.6g/t gold.

Table 1: Highlights from historical trench samples surrounding Rozino.



Click Image To View Full Size

The Rozino Project is a typical Low Sulphidation Epithermal gold deposit hosted within Palaeogene sediments as disseminations, replacement and vein mineralisation. The mineralogy of the Rozino deposit is simple, consisting mainly of pyrite.

Several historical metallurgical tests were completed at Rozino. The most recent was reported by Wardell Armstrong on a single series of agitated cyanide extraction tests and the results returned average recoveries from 3 samples based on cyanide in pulp and cyanide in leach extraction of 94.7% and 97.7% respectively.

The Technical Report includes recommendations for the first year of exploration including the purchase of satellite imagery and high resolution topographic data, reprocessing of historical airborne and ground geophysics, survey of historic drill collars, additional systematic trenching including over untested soil anomalies, heel-to-toe drilling oriented to the northeast (perpendicular to the northwest control on mineralization), additional metallurgical testing in preparation for further resource drilling and PEA, as well as implementation of appropriate QA/QC procedures and set-up of standard operating procedures.

Readers are encouraged to review the Technical Report filed on SEDAR. It can be found on www.SEDAR.com by searching for Velocity Minerals Ltd. and by selecting 'Technical Reports - NI 43-101' under document type. The report was filed on July 27, 2017. A further NI 43-101 technical report describing the Company's Ekuzya Project was filed on July 20, 2017.

Option Grant

The Company also announces that it has granted stock options to certain officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its affiliates to purchase up to 3,500,000 common shares of the Company in accordance with the terms of the Company's stock option plan. The stock options are exercisable on or before July 31, 2022, and each option is exercisable for one common share of the Company at a price of $0.31 per share.

Qualified Person

James Hogg, MSc, BSc, MAIG, is the author of the Technical Report and an independent qualified person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Mr. Hogg has reviewed the scientific and technical information from the Technical Report included in this news release and has approved the disclosure herein.

Stuart A. Mills, Msc, BSc, CGeol, the Company's Vice President Exploration and a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information related to the drill program included in this news release, and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Mills is not independent of the Company.

About Velocity Minerals Ltd.

Velocity is a gold exploration and development company focussed on eastern Europe. The Company's management and board includes mining industry professionals with over 100 years of combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies and bringing real value to shareholders.

The Company's portfolio of advanced gold exploration assets is currently in Bulgaria, which is a member of the European Union (2007) and an attractive destination for mining investment. The country's mining law was established in 1999 and updated in 2011. Mining royalties are low and compare favourably with more established mining countries like Canada, Peru and Chile. Bulgaria also boasts an exceptionally low corporate tax rate of only 10% and the country's education system is excellent with good availability of experienced mining professionals in a favourable cost environment. Foreign mining companies are successfully operating in Bulgaria.

Local knowledge and experience are essential components of mining investment in a foreign jurisdiction. Velocity Minerals has entered into a number of option agreements with Gorubso Kardzhali A.D., an established and respected mining company in Bulgaria. Gorubso operates the underground Chala Gold Mine (2006) and the Kardzhali Carbon In Leach (CIL) processing plant (2011), which produces gold dore. Gorubso is the first and only company in Bulgaria to have secured a permit for cyanide-related processing of gold ores. Velocity's management has a long-standing relationship with Gorubso as well as significant previous experience in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the region.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Keith Henderson"

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

Keith Henderson

Phone: +1-604-638-3456

E-mail: info@velocityminerals.com

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.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: future exploration and testing carried out on the Ekuzya and Tintyava properties; use of funds; and the future business and operations of Velocity. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities for the Ekuzya and Tintyava properties, including the geological mapping, prospecting and sampling programs for the projects, the fact that the Company's interests in the Ekuzya and Tintyava properties are only options and there is no guarantee that the interests, if earned, will be certain, actual results of exploration activities, including the program, estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, the availability of a sufficient supply of water and other materials, requirements for additional capital to fund the Company's business plan, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, hedging practices, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading. "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual management's discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward looking information in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

- 30 -

Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, Aug. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - Meridian Mining SE (TSX-V: MNO) ("Meridian " or the "Company") today announced that the Company is initiating its Coice de Cobra drilling campaign at the Espigao do Oeste project, in Rondonia Brazil. Support crew have mobilized for immediate commencement of the first hole in the Cascavel target area.

"The commencement of the first ever drill campaign is the next step in fast-tracking exploration of this newly identified gold system," said Anthony Julien, President and CEO of Meridian. "Our trenching program has shown that multiple structures are present beneath the shallow soil cover, reaching widths of 3  4m. The combined drilling and trenching campaign will allow us to unlock the excellent exploration potential of the area."

Meridian first identified gold anomalies at its wholly-owned Espigao do Oeste project during stream geochemical surveys in 2016 (see news release dated July 19, 2016). The Coice de Cobra area was prioritized for evaluation based on a higher concentration of positive gold counts (Figure 1). The Company announced that it had initiated bedrock evaluation with a trenching program on June 14, 2017. The drill rig is now on site and is commencing its first drill holes at the Cascavel Target area, testing depth extensions to peak trench intervals of 3.8m @ 3.88g/t Au, including 1.8m @ 5.70g/t Au (true width; Figure 2; Figure3).

Ongoing reconnaissance trenching is currently focused on the Caninana and Jiboia target corridor areas. Bedrock exposure is limited and the program is evaluating the bedrock source to soil anomalies, which have peak values of 714ppb Au. Anomalies extend over strike lengths of 400  1000m and are associated with scattered anomalous rock chips, which have returned peak values of 9.8 g/t Au.

Structural evaluation and trenching is ongoing. Assays remain pending for trenches in the Caninana and Jiboia areas, where some strong silica-flooded alteration zones are present.

The focus of initial drilling will be to test targets over the top 10  50m, and progressively establish the depth of the oxide zone, the plunge of thickened vein zones, and the cross-strike footprint of the mineralized vein systems. Deeper targets will be developed as plunge controls on higher grade zones are established.

NOTES

Positive visual identifications of gold in field pan-concentrates are cross-checked by mineralogical reports at SGS Laboratories in Belo Horizonte. The "gold counts" referenced in the release is a measure of the number of gold grains in a pan concentrate of a set volume of material. For drainage sampling, this represents a 20 liter bucket of alluvium from the lower level of a stream channel. The technique is an indicator of minerals of exploration interest in the source area and are not referenced to grade. Soil samples are collected by pitting or hand-auger from "B-Horizon". Samples are sieved to 80# and pulverised to 150#. Gold in soil samples is analysed by Fire Assay of a 50g charge (method FAA505). Gold in rock samples is analysed by SGS method FAA323 (fire assay of 30g charge), with samples containing visible gold analysed by screen fire assay (SGS method FAASCR). Analytical quality is monitored by certified references and blanks. Until dispatch, samples are stored in the company's supervised stockpile yard or exploration office. The samples are couriered to the assay laboratory using a commercial contractor (Eucatur). Pulps and rejects are returned to the Company. The company conducts periodic umpire testwork to review results.

Qualified person

The technical information about the Company's exploration activity has been prepared under the supervision of and verified by Dr. Adrian McArthur (B.Sc. Hons, PhD. FAusIMM), the Chief Geologist of Meridian Mining, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining SE,

"Anthony Julien"

Anthony Julien

President, CEO and Director

ABOUT MERIDIAN

Meridian Mining SE is focused on the acquisition, exploration, development and mining activities in Brazil. The Company is currently focused on exploring and developing the Espigao manganese project, the Bom Futuro tin JV area, and adjacent areas in the state of Rondonia. The Company employs a two-pronged strategy with the objective of growing pilot production while advancing a parallel multi-commodity regional exploration program. Meridian is currently producing high grade manganese at its project located at Espigao do Oeste.

Further information can be found at www.meridianmining.co.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements include, among others, statements with respect to the Company's plans for exploration and development of its properties and potential mineralization. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such risk factors include, among others, failure to obtain regulatory approvals, failure to complete anticipated transactions, the timing and success of future exploration and development activities, exploration and development risks, title matters, inability to obtain any required third party consents, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices and one-time events. In making the forward-looking statements, the Company has applied several material assumptions including, but not limited to, the assumptions that: (1) the proposed exploration and development of mineral projects will proceed as planned; (2) market fundamentals will result in sustained metals and minerals prices and (3) any additional financing needed will be available on reasonable terms. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation.

The Company cautions that it has not completed any feasibility studies on any of its mineral properties, and no mineral reserve estimate has been established. In particular, because the Company's production decision relating to BMC's manganese project is not based upon a feasibility study of mineral reserves, the economic and technical viability of the Espigao manganese project has not been established.

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Meridian Mining S.E.
Vancouver, BC (FSCwire) - Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA) (FSE: T6UP) (USA: EQTRF), (Altamira or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has identified two new previously unrecognized mineralized zones in recently constructed trenches at the Cajueiro project located in western Brazil. The trenching program was designed to test previously untested surface showing and gold in soil anomalies at the Cajuiero project ahead of drilling, with a view to expanding the existing resource of 8.64Mt @ 0.78g/t gold as Indicated resources and 9.53Mt @ 0.66g/t gold as Inferred resources and a further 1.37Mt @ 1.61g/t as Inferred resources in saprolite. Highlights are as follows:-

Two new zones of mineralization have been identified at both Baldo East and Toninho comprising multiple parallel structures similar to known zones at Crente and Baldo

Results from the initial five trenches at Baldo East, located 500m east of Baldo, have been received and include 3m @ 6.54g/t gold including 1m @ 17.54g/t gold, and 6m @ 2.26g/t gold, and 3m @ 5.83 g/t including 1m @ 16.24g/t, and 1m @ 9.15g/t, and 9m @ 1.19 g/t including 1m @ 5.62g/t

Results from the first trench at Toninho located 900m west of Crente, have been received and include multiple mineralized sections. Highlights include 5m @ 4.35g/t and 10m @ 1.16 g/t

Six diamond drill holes completed to date on three previously untested targets at Cajuiero with results pending

The program of mechanical trenching has been expanded from the planned 1,200m to 3,450m with 2,062m completed to date in fourteen separate trenches

In terms of drilling, six diamond drill holes have been completed thus far on the Baldo East (three holes), Toninho (two holes) and Morro Verde (one hole) targets, and a seventh hole is currently in progress at the Toninho target which is located immediately west of the Crente deposit at Cajuiero (see attached map). Results are currently pending on all of the holes completed to date.

Baldo East

The Baldo East target area is located approximately 500m due east of the Baldo resource (comprising Inferred resources of 1.32Mt @ 0.78 g/t gold + 0.31Mt @ 3.03 g/t gold as saprolite) and constitutes an important previously untested gold-in-soil anomaly and a series of high grade rock samples from surface which range from 3.4 to 118.4 g/t gold. A series of NNW trending trenches have been completed at approximately 100m spacings and have identified a series of previously unrecognized WNW-trending mineralized structures (see map) extending over +250m of strike length which are open to the east and west. Significant results from the trenching program are as follows:-

Trench 10 1m @ 3.49g/t +2m @ 0.88g/t +3m @ 6.54 g/t incl. 1m @ 17.54g/t +6m @ 2.26 g/t

Trench 13 1m @ 0.72g/t +3m @ 5.83 g/t incl. 1m @ 16.24g/t

Trench 18 1m @ 9.15g/t +2m @ 1.66g/t +9m @ 1.19 g/t incl. 1m @ 5.62g/t

Results are currently pending on three diamond drill holes (96, 97 and 99) which were completed under these trenches.

Tonino

The Toninho target area is a relatively small gold-in-soil anomaly but is coincident with several small historic placer workings and is located 900m west of the Crente resource (Indicated resources of 8.64Mt @ 0.78 g/t gold + Inferred resources of 5.83Mt @ 0.63 g/t gold and an additional 0.36Mt @ 1.56g/t gold as saprolite). The target has never been tested by trenching or drilling. The first trench at Toninho revealed multiple mineralized zones which appear to trend NE-SW and are currently open to the NE and SW. Results from the initial trench are as follows:-

Trench 14 5m @ 4.35g/t +5m @ 0.51 g/t +3m @ 0.76 g/t +1m @ 0.67 g/t +10m @ 1.16 g/t +1m @ 0.73 g/t +1m @ 0.92 g/t +2m @ 0.51 g/t

These initial results from the Toninho target area are highly encouraging and appear to indicate the presence of multiple new mineralized zones in close proximity to the existing Crente resource. Results are currently pending on two holes (100 and 101) at Toninho.

Morro Verde

The Morro Verde target is located approximately 1.5km NE of Baldo and is a significant gold-in-soil anomaly. Three trenches have been completed over the target to date and results on one trench have returned modest results including 1m @ 0.63g/t and 1m @ 1.36 g/t gold. However, results are pending on an additional two trenches and one diamond drill hole (98).

The trenching and drilling work conducted thus far at Cajueiro has been successful in identifying two new mineralized zones over three of the targets that have been tested to date, namely Baldo East and Toninho, where total strike lengths have yet to be determined. Owing to the success of the trenching program a decision has been taken to expand the trenching program from the initial 1,200m reported on 15th June (see press release) to a total of 3,450m of which 2,062m has been completed thus far.

About Altamira Gold Corp.

The Company is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits within western central Brazil. The Company holds 12 projects comprising approximately 200,000 hectares, within the prolific Juruena gold belt which historically produced an estimated 7 to 10Moz of placer gold. The Companys advanced Cajueiro project has an NI 43-101 compliant resources of 8.64Mt @ 0.78 g/t Au (for 214,000oz) in the Indicated resource category and 9.53Mt @ 0.66 g/t Au (for 204,000oz) in the Inferred resource category and an additional 1.37Mt @ 1.61 g/t Au in oxides (for 79,000oz in saprolite) in the Inferred resource category.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

ALTAMIRA GOLD CORP.

Alan Carter

Alan Carter

President & CEO

Tel: 604.676.5660

info@altamiragold.com

Guillermo Hughes, P. Geo., a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor it Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Companys actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we do not undertake to update these forward looking statements.

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Altamira08012017.pdfSource: Altamira Gold Corp. (TSX Venture:ALTA, FWB:T6UP, OTC Pink:EQTRF)

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Copyright  2017 Filing Services Canada Inc.
A federal court Friday struck down portions of a 2014 Alabama state law allowing court-like proceedings when a minor seeks an abortion without parental consent.Alabama has required minors to have parental consent before they get an abortion since 1987. The law includes a judicial bypass provision that waives the requirement if a minor can demonstrate to a court that she is mature enough to understand the process and that it would be in her best interest, particularly in cases of physical or sexual abuse.In 2014, the Alabama Legislature approved changes to the law that required notification of the local district attorney, allowing the possibility of a trial. The law also allows parents to join the case if they learned about it, and also allowed the court to appoint an attorney to represent the fetus in the case, known as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Unlike the earlier law, the GAL would be a party to the proceeding.In a 54-page opinion, U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Russ Walker called those changes unprecedented and unconstitutional."The judicial bypass option is rendered meaningless if, as in Alabama's bypass statute -- which has no counterpart in any other state bypass law -- parents or legal guardians can participate as parties under some circumstances, and if there are insufficient safeguards to protect the anonymity of the minor petitioner," Walker wrote. "These are cornerstone requirements for a judicial bypass law to pass constitutional scrutiny."The American Civil Liberties Union ACLU, which represented Montgomery-based Reproductive Health Services in the lawsuit, said in a statement that the decision was "a victory for women, for young people, and for reproductive health in Alabama.""By undermining their confidentiality, this law put teenagers participating in the judicial bypass process in real danger," Andrew Beck, an ACLU attorney, said in a statement.The Alabama attorney general's office, which defended the law in court, said in a statement Monday it was reviewing the decision.Walker cited previous federal court cases that upheld the right of pregnant minors to seek a court ruling without parental notification. The judge was particularly critical of language in the law that allowed the DA, GAL or parents or guardian to investigate and subpoena witnesses. It also allowed them to share the identity of the minor with "appropriate court personnel, any witness who has a need to know the minor's identity, or any other person determined by the court who needs to know.""In order to possess relevant information on the subject of the minor's maturity, whether she is sufficiently informed about the abortion decision, and her best interests, such witnesses almost inevitably would have to be relatives, friends or acquaintances of the petitioner herself -- precisely those members of 'the public' whom she is most likely not to want informed about her decision, and whose opposition to the petition could become coercive," Walker wrote.The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on July 12 upheld a lower court's ruling allowing a 12-year-old impregnated by a male relative to get an abortion without her parents' consent. The district attorney in the county where the girl lives objected to the waiver. The reasons are not clear.According to court records, a relative who impregnated the girl faces a statutory rape charge. The Court of Civil Appeals' decision said the girl's father no longer lives with her and that her mother became physically abusive upon learning of the pregnancy.The Legislature approved the changes to the law in 2014 as part of a larger package of anti-abortion bills. The one that drew the most attention at the time was a bill that would have banned abortion at the detection of a fetal heartbeat. That bill did not become law.
khalid kamau is no stranger to firsts.He claims to be the first Black Lives Matter organizer elected to public office, and in his new position, he sits on the first city council of South Fulton, Ga., a brand new municipality on the outskirts of Atlanta. Now, he wants his city to be one of the first in the nation to make Election Day a holiday.kamau (who prefers the lower-case spelling of his name, in keeping with Yoruban African tradition) is a Democratic socialist and former national convention delegate for the presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. He campaigned heavily for the incorporation of South Fulton, which has a population of 100,000 and became a city just last November. A few months later, voters repaid him with a spot on their new city's council.Now he's on a crusade to turn his home into the "largest progressive city in the South."His first big order of business? Making it easier for people to vote.kamau proposed legislation to make Election Day a city holiday, which he hopes will increase voter turnout and political participation. The ordinance passed the seven-member council with four votes last month, but it was vetoed by the mayor the following day. Councilmembers will have the chance to override that veto -- which would be another first for South Fulton -- on August 8, but they need five votes to do it.caught up with kamau to discuss his Election Day proposal , his vision for South Fulton and his experience as an activist-turned-politician.The interview has been edited for clarity and length.I introduced the bill in two iterations. Option A was to just add a new holiday to the calendar. That didn't move forward in council because there would be an economic impact to the city by creating a new holiday. Option B, which passed, was to swap the Election Day holiday with Columbus Day, so it would be revenue-neutral for the city.At the meeting, the mayor said, Whatever the council decides, I will go along with. The very next day, the mayor vetoed the bill. I would say there is about a 50/50 chance it passes next week. We need one more vote to override, and one councilperson is on the fence.To increase voter turnout and create a day of political education for the community.Im planning a day of classes that will teach residents a variety of things: How do you get a stoplight or a stop sign in your neighborhood? How does the school board work? What does your state senator do? If the bill passes, those classes will be held on Election Day. If it does not pass, they will be held on the Saturday before Election Day.As far as I know, we would be the second city, after Newark, N.J., to do this. [Several states have some form of a holiday on Election Day]. In Puerto Rico, Election Day is a holiday, and they have 50 percent higher turnout. That hasnt been the case in Newark, and in my eyes, the difference is that in Puerto Rico, it isnt just another day off -- its a cultural holiday. There's a whole set of traditions around voting. So just giving people the day off doesn't necessarily increase turnout.Yes. I want to encourage a culture of voting, which we do not currently have. I want kids and parents to be off at the same time on Election Day, so kids can watch their parents vote and take part in these classes well offer.I represent the most densely populated and poorest district in the city. Many people in my district will tell you that no one has ever knocked on their door and asked for their vote. When I was knocking on doors during my election, three out of four people did not know that we were becoming a city.So after that, I came to believe that the key to increasing turnout is having more political education. My volunteers went out with a laminated map of the city and our district, and gave out FAQ sheets with very basic questions and answers about city services. People don't know what an alderman does or what the county commissioner is. They don't know what those positions do, let alone who is running for them. So the biggest thing we can do is give everybody the day off so they have time to go through all this information.No matter what we do in this situation, working-class folks will unfortunately get short shrift. If we moved Election Day to a Saturday, it would still be working-class folks having to work that day.But many businesses set their calendar by the citys calendar. I wish we could just mandate that, but in Georgia, we cant because of state preemption laws. But if the city and the school system both secure this holiday, more businesses will secure it as well -- and that's how a holiday grows.There has been a movement in the South, in conservative states especially, for wealthy areas to incorporate to get more local control over their governments and their tax dollars. Theres state legislation that mandates that income collected within city limits has to be spent within city limits.In Fulton County, that has really accelerated over the last 10 to 15 years so that by 2007, every square mile had become incorporated except for this 107 square miles on the south side of town. Other cities began to annex the most valuable parts of unincorporated South Fulton, like areas with lots of corporate headquarters that contribute a lot in taxes but don't demand services.So South Fulton was left with less and less of a tax base, so we ultimately had to incorporate just to stay financially viable. What the rest of the county likely didnt expect is that we became the third-largest city in the county.I went to elementary and middle school in the district that Im representing. My mom got sick so I moved home to take care of her, and I was living in the house I grew up in. That's where my slogan, "From Here, For Here" came from. [kamaus mother passed away a few weeks after his city council inauguration.]This place also really excited me politically. South Fulton is 89 percent African-American with a median income $10,000 less than the median income in Atlanta. We are also really large, nearly the physical size of Atlanta. So there's this huge majority-black city that has the potential to become the largest progressive city in the South.All this progressive stuff is happening in places like Seattle and California. I really saw this as a chance to show folks that a working-class black city could be progressive, that you don't need to be wealthy and white for these ideas to work. That's a criticism a lot of people have of leftist ideas: that they're not practical. We have to show that these ideas are economically viable and politically effective. I want to show the world and our neighbors that we can have our Election Day holiday and our higher minimum wage, and we can invest more in youth than in prisons.A lot of what I have learned about political education and progressive policies for working-class black folks, I learned at Black Lives Matter. I was an organizer for the Atlanta chapter. I'm still involved actually, just not as involved as I used to be.In general, BLM and the millennial left is still trying to figure out whether they believe in electoral politics at all. There is a set of us that want to dismantle the entire system of government that we have now. I'm not there. My life's work in electoral politics is to make the argument that this system is redeemable and it is up to us, as millennials, to redeem it.
The Minnesota legislature was having a pretty productive session. That is, until the governor cut off its funding.Both the House and Senate are controlled by Republicans in Minnesota; Gov. Mark Dayton is a Democrat. Nevertheless, they were able to reach agreement on some major legislation this year, especially on transportation and health care, as well as settling long-simmering issues regarding liquor sales and federal ID card requirements. By the time the legislature wrapped up its work on the budget in June, most people around the Capitol were feeling pretty good about the 2017 session.But then Dayton rejected the part of the budget needed to keep the legislature in operation. Republicans had passed the largest tax cut the state had seen in two decades. Dayton didnt like it, but he said he would let the bill become law without his signature. He changed his mind, however, when he learned of a provision in the bill that contained what he called a poison pill amendment that meant the Department of Revenue would have lost all its funding if the tax cut didnt go through. He still signed it -- but with a catch.The catch was that Dayton did some defunding of his own. He vetoed the legislatures budget and invited lawmakers back for a special session to work out a new deal on taxes. It seemed to come to a head right after there was an agreement on the budget, says Andrew Karch, a University of Minnesota political scientist. It allowed Republicans to claim he went back on his word.Daytons action may have seemed extreme, but similar things have been happening in other states this year. After the Montana Legislature approved a 15 percent increase in its own internal spending, Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed the entire legislative budget, telling the lawmakers to come back with a more reasonable number. In New Mexico, Gov. Susana Martinez wasnt satisfied with vetoing the legislative branch budget. She vetoed the higher education budget as well, essentially closing down the agency that handles it. As with Dayton, Bullock and Martinez belong to a different party than the one that controls the legislature. Bullock is a Democrat; Martinez is a Republican.Martinez was miffed that state Senate Democrats had refused to confirm a couple of her nominees to the state universitys board of regents. Legislators sued, claiming earlier court decisions had established that governors cant eliminate an agency using the line-item veto. The New Mexico Supreme Court quickly rejected that argument and dismissed the suit in May, noting that Martinez had already called a special session to resolve the spending issue before the start of the new fiscal year. The proper way to resolve budget disputes is for the executive and legislature to work together on a compromise that can both pass the legislature and be signed by the governor, says Mike Lonergan, a spokesman for Martinez.In Minnesota, Republican legislators had better luck in the courts, winning a ruling that Dayton had overstepped his bounds with his veto of the legislative budget. Even after they sued, however, the Republican leaders of the two legislative chambers went out of their way to praise Dayton in a joint newspaper column, citing all the bills theyd worked together on earlier in the year. They recognized that, however unhappy they might be with the governor, eventually theyd have to go back to working things out with him. No one thinks this will be permanent, that were really not going to have a legislature, says political scientist Thad Kousser. This is just one way the governor can get huge leverage. Its part of the theater of budget negotiations.
Top executives of big oil companies and other major Houston firms and organizations on Monday weighed into the political dogfight over the controversial bathroom bill, calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to block passage of the legislation that they warned will harm Texas' ability to grow its economy.That stance puts the Greater Houston Partnership in direct opposition to Abbott, who has championed the legislation.Opponents from the state's business community are stepping up their efforts to stop the push by Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick for the bill that has divided Texas -- and the nation -- for months.Resistance to bathroom bills has blossomed after backlash from earlier legislative efforts in North Carolina, Indiana and other states. Business leaders say the state risks losing millions of dollars for events that organizers threaten to cancel or move elsewhere if lawmakers pass the bill.In a two-page letter that followed similar pleas from executives at several Fortune 500 companies, Houston business leaders noted that Texas has worked for decades "to establish its reputation as a great place to do business."The letter came as the Texas Association of Business, which last week ramped up the opposition with a $1 million saturation broadcast ad campaign in the Dallas-Fort Worth area against the bill, made public a poll showing that only 26 percent of Republican primary voters support the bill. The poll was conducted in five GOP-controlled legislative districts selected to represent a cross-section of the state, officials with the group said.Strong resistance remains in the Texas House, where Speaker Joe Straus and dozens of other members have repeatedly said the Legislature has more pressing issues to work on. The Senate already has passed a version of the bathroom bill.Even as the public fight over the bathroom bill expands, lawmakers in both chambers worried Monday that the only must-pass bills of the special legislative session are being delayed after the Senate and the House quickly their own versions. With just about two weeks to go in session, those bills could become bargaining chips to get other legislation passed, several lawmakers said.As passed by the Senate, the bathroom bill restrict bathroom access based on the gender on a person's birth certificate. Supporters including Republican organizations and pastor groups insist the law is needed to protect the privacy of women and girls, while transgender advocates and business groups say it is discriminatory and will hurt the Lone Star business climate."We support diversity and inclusion, and we believe that any such bill risks harming Texas' reputation and impacting the state's economic growth and ability to create new jobs," the letter from Houston business leaders states. "Innovative companies are driven by their people, and winning the talent recruitment battle is key. Any bill that harms our ability to attract top talent to Houston will inhibit our growth and continued success -- and ultimately the success of our great state."The letter asks Abbott to "avoid any actions, including the passage of any 'bathroom bill,' that would threaten our continued growth."The letter is signed by top officials of the Greater Houston Partnership, Chevron North America Exploration and Production, Accenture, Amegy Bank, Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP, Atlantic Partners Group LLC, Baker Botts LLP, BBVA Compass, BP, The Boston Consulting Group, BHP Billiton Petroleum, Bracewell LLP, Capine Production, Camden Property Trust, CenterPoint Energy, ChaseSource, Dow Chemical Company, DeMontrond Automotive Group, ConocoPhillips, Ernst & Young LLP, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, Foster LLP, Genesis Park LLP, Group 1 Automotive, Gilbane Building Co., GSL Welcome Group, James Post Interests, Houston JLL, Halliburton, Haynes and Boone LLP and Locke Lord.In a prepared statement, Chevron officials said, "Diversity and inclusion are core to Chevron's values. Diversity is critical to developing a talented, high-performing workforce needed for ongoing business success. It is our policy that no one at Chevron should ever be subject to discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation."We do not support any legislation that is counter to those beliefs."Abbott's office did not respond to a request for comment about the letter. But in an interview after a speech to law enforcement in North Texas earlier in the day, the Republican governor pushed back against police chiefs who have criticized the bathroom bill as being an added burden to them.A week after police chiefs from Houston, San Antonio and Austin joined in protest against the bill, Abbott said the legislation specifically attempts to avoid adding any added burden on local police."There is not a role for law enforcement to play," Abbott said Monday at the annual Sheriffs' Association of Texas Training Conference and Expo in Grapevine. "Enforcement of this law is done by the Attorney General."According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Abbott said because it is a civil action and not a criminal one, police will not be part of the enforcement."So what I urge is for everyone to step back, calmly look at what the bill actually says, before they cast some misguided judgment," Abbott said.Patrick, another champion of the bathroom bill, blasted the partnership's letter."The Partnership is out of touch with the majority of Houstonians who voted overwhelmingly in 2015 to reject the same kind of ordinance that Senate Bill 3 will prohibit. They warned of economic doom at the time, but there has been no negative impact on the City's economy. In their rush to be politically correct this business group is ignoring the fact that companies continue to expand and new ones are moving to Houston. The people of Texas are right about this issue and they are wrong," Patrick said in a statement.Even so, the companies whose executives signed the letter stood by their position."Diversity and inclusion are core to Chevron's values. Diversity is critical to developing a talented, high-performing workforce needed for ongoing business success," Isabel Ordonez, Chevron's upstream senior external affairs advisor, said in a statement, echoing sentiments of other signators. "It is our policy that no one at Chevron should ever be subject to discrimination, including on the basis of gender identity. We do not support any legislation that is counter to these beliefs."Also Monday, the House tentatively approved four bills relating to maternal health and safety, pregnancy-related deaths, and maternal morbidity -- one of the topics Abbott set for the special session. Rep. Shawn Thierry, D-Houston, said she authored one of those measures -- House Bill 11 -- after nearly losing her life giving birth to her daughter."It became my mission to become a voice for the voiceless," Thierry told a hushed House Chamber in a brief speech that drew a standing ovation. "Texas is now the most dangerous place to give birth in the free world ... Stand with me. Stand with all of us on this issue."The Senate earlier passed a bill to address the same issues.
The cash "double-dip"

Bar set too high?

After Seattle voters approved first-in-the-nation taxpayer-funded "democracy vouchers" for city candidates, Honest Elections Seattle declared that the program launched this year would "get big money out of politics."No question, Initiative 122 did create a pool of vouchers for candidates who agreed to certain limits, lowered the maximum contribution to candidates to $500, and barred contractors from writing checks to city candidates.But "get the big money out"?Amazon dumped $250,000 into the political action committee (PAC) of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce this month, part of the $667,728 the PAC has amassed in advance of Tuesday's primary election.Unlike candidates, PACs can collect unlimited amounts. And 50 corporations, business groups and individuals account for the vast majority of the chamber's political arsenal.The PAC has already started spending on newspaper and social-media ads through so-called independent expenditure (IE) campaigns in City Council and mayoral races. Those IE campaigns can't coordinate with candidates -- and they don't face spending caps like candidates who take democracy vouchers.Alan Durning, who helped author I-122, said he's pleased with how it's working so far on its "shakedown cruise" in City Council races, which for the primary means Positions 8 and 9. It has helped a couple of candidates compete with well-funded rivals, said Durning, executive director of the nonprofit Sightline Institute.As for the chamber's bulging kitty, Durning said he doesn't think it has much to do with the four $25 vouchers sent to every registered voter in Seattle. He sees it as part of a national trend in elections flowing from a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision barring restrictions on independent political expenditures by corporations, unions and other groups.Bob Mahon, a former chairman of the watchdog Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, disagrees. Mahon said it's not likely money will be squeezed out of politics by I-122, "but will be driven to less transparent forms of expenditures including IEs."There isn't enough evidence to show democracy vouchers are causing this, Mahon said. But there is a correlation developing, he said, that increased IEs are occurring after limits were lowered on contributions to candidates. The chamber PAC already has raised more than it did for the 2013 and 2015 city elections combined.There's another issue: Just three of 15 City Council candidates have qualified for vouchers at this point -- all in Position 8 -- and not all are happy about the hurdles they've faced.As of Friday, less than 1 percent of the 2.1 million vouchers mailed to voters have been available for use by candidates. To qualify, they had to collect contributions from 400 Seattle residents whose signatures have been verified by elections officials.Vouchers aren't being used in this year's mayoral election. Proponents wanted to allow time for voucher funds, infused with $3 million a year in property taxes, to stockpile and give them a trial run before applying the experiment to the city's highest office, Durning said.Vouchers and IEs have been most prominent in the primary for City Council Position 8.Moneywise, three candidates stand out in a deep field (the top two vote-getters on Tuesday, as in all primary races, advance to the Nov. 7 general election).Jon Grant, an affordable-housing activist, set out in the winter to start gathering vouchers. Grant accumulated the maximum amount in voucher-contributions, $150,000, allowed in the primary under the agreed-upon spending cap.Teresa Mosqueda, a labor-movement leader, was the second council candidate to qualify. As of Friday, Mosqueda had $104,825 in vouchers.Sara Nelson, a business owner and former City Council aide, chose not to use vouchers, so she is not tied to a spending cap or lower maximum contributions ($250 as opposed to $500).Nelson has received $130,335 in contributions, with nearly half coming from $500-maximum contributions.An IE campaign supporting her, People for Sara Nelson, has reported $120,696 in contributions and spending obligations. The chief donors are the chamber's PAC -- whose biggest contributors are Amazon, Vulcan and developer Richard Hedreen -- and a hotel and restaurant group, Seattle Hospitality for Progress.Under I-122 rules, when the IE backing Nelson and her own campaign contributions exceeded the primary spending cap that Grant and Mosqueda had agreed to, it triggered a sort of fairness doctrine: Those two were then free to collect and spend contributions above the cap.During the 2015 campaign for democracy vouchers, critics including Mahon predicted I-122 would lead to such a "double-dip" with candidates raising the full amount of vouchers, then opting out of spending caps and raising unlimited additional campaign cash.Two labor-funded IEs popped up to support Mosqueda. One has $108,519 in contributions and spending obligations. The other has spent $9,882 for Mosqueda.Grant is backed by an IE called Affordable Seattle that has reported spending $1,627. Its top contribution has come as in-kind labor from the Socialist Alternative organization.Although outnumbered on the IE front, Grant remains one of the best-funded candidates, said his campaign manager John Wyble. "That wouldn't have happened before vouchers," Wyble said. When Grant ran for council in 2015, losing to incumbent Tim Burgess, he raised less than $75,000 through the November election."Democracy vouchers aim to give candidates a path to a competitive campaign for city office without spending half their time dialing for dollars," Durning said. "It doesn't try to create a level playing field where they'll have the exact same support as everyone else. And on that criterion I'd say it has succeeded."It's worth questioning, though, Durning said, whether the bar to qualify for vouchers is too high.Hisam Goueli seems to be the kind of candidate democracy-voucher proponents were thinking about when they said in the 2015 Voters' Pamphlet that I-122 would encourage "more women, people of color and young people to run for office."Goueli, 39, says he would be the first openly gay Muslim elected to office in the U.S. if he won his bid for council Position 8. He was the candidate closest, but still short of qualifying for democracy vouchers on Friday morning when he said he stood two short of the 400 qualifying contributions and signatures.As time to use vouchers in the primary was running out, Goueli was waiting for city officials to verify more signatures with King County Elections, a process that takes about two weeks, according to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission.His experience with democracy vouchers has been "tragic and heartbreaking," he said.Goueli, a doctor, said he could've financed his campaign with contributions from medical-profession friends outside Seattle and Washington. But he opted for democracy vouchers instead.He said collecting signatures for his Seattle contributors took an "exorbitant" amount of time. "It's the opposite of how democracy vouchers are supposed to work," he said. "Instead of getting my message out, I'm trying to get democracy vouchers."Late Friday afternoon Goueli received an email from the city elections commission saying, "You are in!" He would get $14,775 in vouchers he had collected.The news was bittersweet. He would have almost no time to use his vouchers to reach voters, many of whom had already marked their mail-in ballots by that time.He said he thinks qualifying signatures should not have to come from contributors. Rather, the two processes should be separate, with signature gathering not requiring a financial commitment."If you don't have a machine backing you it's very difficult to do," he said of qualifying.But the voucher rules require signatures from contributors as a safeguard against fraud, which occurred in Portland's public-financing system when a volunteer forged qualifying signatures for a City Council candidate.The city elections commission is empowered to change elements of the voucher program between election cycles, Durning said.Durning said his biggest fear about democracy vouchers is that IEs would try to push vouchers to favored candidates. "If the American Plastic Manufacturers Association wanted to come in and set up a door-to-door canvass to overturn our plastic-bag fee, legally they could do that, and urge people to give vouchers to candidates they want," he said."I regard this year as something of a relief because we haven't had anyone try to subvert the system," he said.At least not yet."It's too early to tell," said Wayne Barnett, executive director of the city elections commission, about the overall impact of vouchers and I-122. "We haven't had a single vote counted in an election where democracy vouchers have been used."
The Design and Construct contract was awarded yesterday to the firm Larsen&Toubro, a major Indian multinational based in Mumbai during a signature ceremony held at the Hennessy Park Hotel, Ebene in the presence of the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

In a press conference, Prime Minister Jugnauth expressed his keen determination to implement this major project that will change the infrastructural landscape of the country and pave the way towards modernising and redefining the public transport system while at the same improving the quality of life of the citizens.

He also expressed his gratitude towards the Indian Government for its continuous and unflinching support to Mauritius especially with the grant of Rs 9.9 billion which he added has been a determinant factor for the implementation of the Metro Express project.

He reassured the population that the Metro Express is a financially sound and sustainable project which will help boost the economy and that no stone will be left unturned towards the realisation of the project. He recalled that the project will help address the traffic congestion problem, generate employment in the transport sector and reduce carbon emission and road accidents.

Furthermore, Mr Jugnauth underlined that each station will be a cluster of economic activity which will have significant spill-overs on its surroundings. The stations will also provide opportunities for small and medium enterprises operators in line with Governments vision of transforming the economic and social environment of the country through an accelerated development path, he added.

For his part, the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport, Mr Nandcoomar Bodha, qualified the project as the backbone of the transformation of the transport system into a new national transport network. He further highlighted that the public transport by bus will complement the Metro Express through a feeder bus system.

As for the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, Mr Abhay Thakur, he emphasised that the signing of the contract is yet another milestone in the cooperation between India and Mauritius Metro Express project which is in line with Indias development assistance programme. According to him, this project is the biggest leap into strengthening the relation of kinship and bilateral relations between India and Mauritius.

Metro Express Project

The Metro Express Project will span over a distance of 26 km from Curepipe to Port Louis and comprise 19 stations, and 6 urban terminal including four interchangers. Eighteen air-conditioned trains will be operational with an accommodation capacity of 307 to 400 passengers with Wi-Fi-facilities. The ticket fare will be aligned with that of the bus fare. The target is to reach 53 800 passengers by 2021. The project is estimated to decrease traffic congestion which is costing the country Rs 4 billion annually.

Feasibility study and preliminary design and alignment of the Metro Express project have been carried out by the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise. The project will be partly funded by the Indian grant of Rs 9.9 billion and through a line of credit by the State Bank of Mauritius Infrastructure Development Company Ltd.
Description

 GIS  01 August 2017: The newly appointed Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Mauritius, Mr Sun Gongyi, met the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, this morning at the Treasury Building in Port Louis.

At the very outset Mr Sun Gongyi stated that he conveyed the cordial salutations of the President of the People's Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping, and the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Li Keqiang, to Prime Minister Jugnauth.

Mr Gongyi underscored that his meeting with the Prime Minister was very warm and fruitful and discussions centred on the existing cooperation between the two countries and the way forward.

He highlighted that ongoing projects such as the Bagatelle Dam and also forthcoming ones such as the Multisport Complex and the African Aviation Academy were discussed.
Description

 01 August 2017

: The vision of Government for the tourism sector as well as Mauritiuss outlook and the future of the tourism industry were at the forefront of discussions between the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, and the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Dr Taleb Rifai, during a courtesy call today at the Treasury Building in Port Louis.

The Secretary-General shared with the Prime Minister plans for technical support and cooperation to Mauritius provided by the UNWTO, as the leading international agency in the field of tourism. Talks also focused on the verification and validation of the correctness of the path of the Ministry of Tourism in its endeavours to uphold the sector.

Another topic raised during the courtesy call relates to China and India as potential markets for tourism. Dr Rifai announced that the photo exhibition organised by Air Mauritius to mark its Golden Jubilee and showing the beauty of the landscapes of Mauritius, will be travelling to Chengdu in China in September 2017 in the context of the UNWTOs General Assembly. This will contribute to promote Mauritius in China, he said.

Celebrating Air Mauritiuss Golden Jubilee

The UNWTO Secretary-General is in Mauritius in the context of the golden Jubilee of Air Mauritius as well as next years 50th anniversary of the countrys independence. During his visit, he participated in the launching ceremony of a photo exhibition on Mauritius at Labourdonnnais Waterfront Hotel and a seminar on Aviation and Sustainable Tourism.

In addition, Dr Rifai had working session with the Minister of Tourism, Mr Anil Gayan, and other officials from the tourism industry.
(TNS) -- Theres no shortage of bitcoin in Philadelphia.In Northern Liberties, the red-hot digital currency can be bought at a shipping services storefront. In West Philadelphia, customers can fill their virtual wallets after topping off their tanks at a Citgo gas station. And in Cheltenham Township, a bitcoin ATM will convert your cash to cryptocurrency at a Dollar Plus variety store, conveniently sandwiched between an Aldi supermarket and a pawn shop.About two dozen machines or shops in the region will take regular cash and credit private bitcoin accounts, according to the website CoinATMRadar.com , which locates and maps bitcoin ATMs. Those accounts can then be used to pay for goods online without a credit card, remit payments quickly to family overseas, or cover bets placed on online gambling sites.They can also be used to buy illicit drugs over the Internet , according to federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations And the number of those bitcoin outlets appears to be growing. That should come as no surprise because the value of bitcoin has skyrocketed. In January 2015, the value of a single coin was about $220. In mid-May it spiked to more than $3,000. On Monday evening, one bitcoin was trading comfortably at about $2,860.Hedge funds have swept in to gamble on the digital currency. Celebrities and athletes, from Bollywood movie stars to boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr ., have promoted cryptocurrency, pumping up popular interest across the globe.Theres a lot of excitement about it, said Kevin Werbach , a Wharton School professor who studies bitcoin and its underlying technology, called blockchain. Its a commodity, and demand is exceeding supply.The magnitude of the rise this year has been a speculative bubble which will in time deflate, Werbach said. but how fast and how far we dont know.The worlds dominant digital currency (there are more than 700), bitcoin operates independently of any government or bank. Transactions are recorded and verified on the blockchain database that is instantly shared on a worldwide network of computers. Industry analysts say that the technology underlying those transactions makes bitcoin more secure than using a credit card.At Liberty Parcel, on the 800 block of North Second Street, a bitcoin ATM has been sitting inside the shops entrance for more than a year, where it simply occupies space. Its like a gumball machine in front of a pizza shop, said a clerk who did not want to be identified by name.An average machine might exchange between $25,000 and $30,000 a month, said Neil Conner, a spokesman for Lamassu, a New Hampshire-based producer of bitcoin machines. Typically, stores where they are placed collect about $100 a month in rent.Legitimate businesses accept bitcoin, most famously Microsoft (though only for games, movies, and apps in the Windows and Xbox stores) along with merchants on Etsy (an online marketplace for crafts) and Overstock.com . Some political action committees will accept donations in bitcoin.Most bitcoin is traded on exchanges such as Coinbase and Poloniex , online operations that match buyers and sellers. The exchanges, which typically charge a 2 percent fee, are strictly regulated by federal and state agencies and follow the same rules as banks. Their clients include high-end investors, financial institutions, and speculators and have caught the attention of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission , which last week announced it wants to regulate some transactions.Bitcoin ATMs generally serve a less sophisticated clientele, according to industry experts. The machines charge steep fees  up to 12 percent  and rarely require more than a cellphone number to establish an identity. Bitcoin ATM companies have moved aggressively into areas that are underserved by banks.Because they require so little identification, the ATMs frequently are used to buy bitcoin for nefarious reasons, according to federal agents. Most notoriously, bitcoin is the currency of choice on the dark web, where its used to buy illicit narcotics. Its also used to extract payments from ransomware victims.Because this is a private, decentralized currency, bitcoin itself has no way of telling if youre buying a bag of potato chips with it or a kilo of drugs, said Werbach, the Wharton professor.Lamassus Conner said the bitcoin ATM machines allow new customers an easy way to experience the digital currency.If youre looking to get your feet wet in cryptocurrency, bitcoin ATMs are the easiest on-ramp, Conner said. Whether its $5 or $100, its the least confusing way of getting involved.
(TNS) -- During a recent 20-day period, 1,715 Florida voters took themselves off the registration rolls.The 117 percent spike in cancellations over the same period last year came as news spread of President Donald Trump's fraud commission and its request for voter data from all 50 states.Did the request for voter information trigger the cancellations?While the increase suggests a correlation, regular maintenance of the voting rolls, a routine required by state law and unrelated to the federal commission, might also explain the increase.Here's what we do know: On June 28, Trump's official request for voter information, made by the commission's vice chairman, Kris Kobach, sought the names, addresses, birth dates, political parties, electoral participation histories and last four digits of the voter's Social Security number of every registered voter in the country.The request sparked a media firestorm as Democrats and voting rights activists called the request a veiled attempt at voter intimidation and suppression. Pushback was so intense that the data request was put on hold. Several lawsuits have been filed and questions have been raised about the secure nature of data transmittal, but on Friday, Florida officials agreed to send the state's voter rolls data to the commission.Cancellations rose in 38 counties across Florida from June 27 to July 17. In St. Lucie County, 487 voters asked to be removed from the rolls, compared to two voters the prior year. In Lee County, 242 people cancelled their voter registration, up from 38 in 2016. In Monroe County, eight cancelled their registration, up from zero in 2015 and in 2016.The pattern didn't hold everywhere. In Pinellas County, for example, 47 voters took themselves off the rolls compared to 117 the year before. Other states have reported upticks. Colorado had nearly 3,400 Coloradans cancel their voter registrations during the same period.Though barely perceptible in a state with 12.9 million registered voters, the Florida cancellations concern some elections officials.Mary Jane Arrington, supervisor of elections in Osceola County  which had 76 cancellations in the 2017 period compared to 13 in 2016 and nine in 2015  cited voter unease with the commission as a chief reason."It really upsets people that their phone numbers, their email address  they give it to us to communicate about voting or absentee ballots  (will) become public record," Arrington said. "That bothers them immensely. We tell the voters when they're (cancelling registration) that we can't guarantee their information is not going to be sent. People are really upset. They want to know what it's going to be used for. We can't answer those questions."In some counties, however, many of the cancellations can be attributed to a routine process that prunes voter rolls in off-election years. During these periods, counties send out forms asking voters to update their registration. If a voter replies "I'm no longer here," then that's considered a request for removal.In Manatee County, for example, 253 voters requested their removal during the 20-day period of 2017, compared to three in 2016 and 22 in 2015, the previous maintenance year. It turned out the county had moved up its 2017 roll maintenance to fall in that period, which may have inflated the number of cancellations. Also, neither Manatee or St. Lucie, which had 487 cancellations, distinguish between whether voters cancelled because they were contacted or cancelled because of concerns about privacy related to the data request.Those two counties account for much of the increase from 2016.Although it doesn't look like the request has produced the "chilling effect" Democrats predicted it would, it's hard to be certain of that now. The three weeks of data since Kobach's request are easily exaggerated by small events, such as routine voter maintenance.By the end of the year, new patterns, if they exist, should become more obvious.
Making Data Talk to People

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a more human type of data

Through media like visual art, fiction, and even food, artists have sought to transform static data points into vibrant and immersive experiences. In some cases, governments have commissioned these artists to produce pieces that promote resident engagement with data and other works that leverage data to bring residents into the physical city. In others, artists have independently produced data-inspired works that governments would do well to publicize and examine as potentially valuable sources of information. These works have given data another mouthpiece, made digital engagement an active experience, and provided governments with critical information on their data practices.Importantly, art that uses data as a subject has a different goal than data visualization, which seeks to display data in a more digestible format to facilitate easier analysis. Art moves past first-order insights from data to establish an emotional connection with viewers and unlock personal, embedded meanings not accessible through quantitative analysis.While data is rational and dispassionate, politicians and residents alike are moved just as much by emotion as reasoned argument. Arts ability to make data speak to peopleto appeal to their Dionysian sensibilities rather than detached reasonmakes it a powerful tool for turning data into action. According to Jill Pelto , an artist and scientist who creates paintings out of climate change data, Connecting science with art can reach a more emotional side of the viewer, helping to tell a more powerful story and even inspiring action.Understanding the evocative potential of data art, Kansas City, MO developed the Art of Data, an exhibition that encouraged artists to submit works that employed city data. A joint venture between the citys Office of Culture and Creative Services and Office of Performance Management, the initiative sought to elicit creative insights on city data from artists and bring city data to a platform more accessible to residents. The idea was that this could be a way to put out a call for artists to look at this government data and interpret it themselves, hopefully in surprising ways, said city communications director Chris Hernandez. And its also a way to engage people who dont necessarily pay much attention to the way the city operatespeople who may not track how much of their tax dollars go toward neighborhood issues or snow shoveling.The ten resulting works of art breathed new life and meaning into city datasets on topics as varied as life expectancy, operating expenditures, and property violations. In one work, the mother and daughter team of Rebecca Tombaugh and Rachelle Hodgson created a piece that blends data visualization and abstract painting in order to emphasize the implications of city budgeting decisions.organizes city budget by community outcomes, depicting segments of varying size and shape depending on the size of city investment in certain areas. Yet instead of using traditional bar graphs to depict these investments, Tombaugh and Hodgson invoke recognizable city patternsfor example the arcs of the Kauffman Performing Arts Center, the lines of the Christopher Bond Bridge, or the ceiling in Union Stationto create Kansas City-inspired graphical representations that stress the cultural stakes of budgeting decisions. These depictions sit on thin, brittle blueprint paper that portrays the fragility of the citys future. Adding another layer, the piece superimposes a Kansas City bus stop scene atop this already evocative data visualization. According to the artists, We wanted you to see and feel the reality of the lives affected by investment decisions, so just as the patterns in our blueprint are pulled from everyday life in Kansas City, the inking pulls real people from everyday life as they pause for a moment while waiting for a bus. Much as the subjects in this piece await the bus with apprehension and anxiety, Kansas City residents await the decisions that will determine their future. And, the choice to illustrate the scene in an abstract portrait full of drips and drabs that contrasts with the sterility of the rest of the piece emphasizes the difficulty of understanding the concrete implications of data. While the information is seemingly straightforward in this depiction, the translation to real life is messy, as is predicting the outcomes of budgeting decisions.Other communities have sought create data art alongside residents in order to make government data more salient for participants. The MIT Center for Civic Medias Data Therapy initiative has implemented a Data Mural project, in which the center works with a community group to collaboratively tell a data story in visual form. Project facilitators meet with community members to define a content area and collaboratively analyze data in that area to find a story. The group then participates in a design workshop to brainstorm visual expressions of the data and finally paints the mural. The goal of the project is to increase data literacy among the community and drive interest in telling stories with data, while simultaneously using the process of creation to tell a story itself, investing participants in the narrative produced by the data.In 2013, the City of Somerville decided to create a data mural about food security, drawing on city data that indicated that food is not affordable and accessible for many residents. The mural displays a circle of hands linked around images of food, housing, and education, bordered by rings that depict the percentage of Somerville residents living in poverty over time. Within this circle are quotes from residents about their experiences with food insecurity, like one that reads Its really hard to pay everything, pay the bills, buy food. Its a lot. Taken together, these components emphasize the interconnectedness of housing, education, and food inequality and the need for community collaboration to mitigate this struggle. The mural itself serves as an emotional call to action for Somerville residents, and the process engaged participants in the story of food insecurity, creating a personal connection to the issue. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Cambridge, MA, and the Jamaica Plains community in Boston have all pursued similar projects to immerse residents in data around a particular issue area.In other cases, artists have independently taken on the project of using city data to create compelling works., a series of digital images created by Columbia Universitys Spatial Information Design Lab for the Museum of Modern Arts (MOMAshow, introduces artful data visualization and text that converse in an artistic dialectic in order to evoke discontent with the American criminal-justice system. The video piece walks viewers through a series of data displays showing that a disproportionate number of the more than two million incarcerated individuals in the U.S. come from a few neighborhoods in the largest cities. Far from detached presentation of this data, the piece makes clear artistic decisions in order to make its point. Violent red lines suggesting sniper scopes sit atop bleak black maps to show the migration of residents from certain neighborhoods to jails. Vivid narrative, also displayed in red and black, contextualizes and deepens the appeal of this information. Together, these harsh elements underscore the brutality of the American criminal justice system.A piece at Whitney Museum of Art about the fraudulent activities of one of New York Citys largest slumlords sought to create an even more direct emotional connection to data via photographs of the problems that city data represents. Hans Haackes 1971covers four walls with black and white images of derelict Manhattan tenements, maps of Harlem and the Lower East Side, and charts documenting the ownership structures of these buildings. Black lines outlining the course of real estate transactions dart manically across pages, emphasizing the disorder engendered by the activities of tenement owners, designed to deceive unwitting tenants and law enforcement alike. The exhibition itself confuses the viewer with a glut of information and simulates a tenement itself, crowding the walls of one room with closely spaced works that amplify the cramped sensation of a room already flooded with visitors. The Whitney calls the piece an institutional critique, which, by both illustrating and leading viewers through the process by which tenement owners defrauded residents into appalling living conditions, emphasizes the tragic effects slumlords had on low-income residents.Another data art project has sought to appeal to residents in a much different way, targeting their stomachs rather than their hearts. For a called Data Cuisine, project chefs create colorful dishes whose component ingredients represent different local data. During an event in Boston, chefs tackled data related to local issues like food sourcing, wealth inequality, and water pollution. The goal was to appeal to senses not normally activated when digesting data (pun intended). According to Data Cuisine co-founder Moritz Stefaner, taste is a much more emotional and temporally complex experience than just looking at a dot on a screen. So, the mechanisms to encode information might be more fuzzy, but potentially much deeper. Perhaps most compelling was the series of vodka jello shots titledthat depicted fecal-coliform levels at various times of year in Boston Harbor by adding different amounts of lemon zest to the bottom of each drink. This stomach-churning creation certainly produces a visceral reaction to pollution in the harbor, evoking disgust with the Harbors conditions.The digital citymade up of sensors, computer chips, and troves of datais often abstract, dispassionate, and impersonal. However, it does not have to be this way: other artists have used data-inspired art to blend the digital city with the physical city that informs it, creating a playful human interaction that reorients residents relationship with city data.British company Pan Studio creates experiences at the intersection of technology, theater, games, and art. In Bristol, England, the studio sought to activate city data to create playful experiences for residents. In a project called Hello Lamp Post, Pan re-purposed the identifier codes used on city infrastructure to relay text messages to objects around Bristol. During the project, a resident could have an SMS conversation with a lamppost, post box, bus stop, or another object, which would then remember the conversation and bring it up with the next visitor. For example, a bus stop might tell someone that the prior visitor thought the lamppost down the road looks like a stick figure, and encourage him or her to check it out. The idea was to use city data to provide residents with an experience of the physical city, tapping into residents emotional memory around places and introducing them to new places. Since the initial release in Bristol, Pan has replicated the experience at a one-day cultural event in Tokyo as well as in Austin, TX, where the citys Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department commissioned the project.Hello Lamp Post adds a human element to data collection and analysis. Instead of collecting resident data invisibly and automatically, Hello Lamp Post collects information via playful conversations between residents and city objects, inviting residents to actively participate in data collection and engage with city infrastructure. And, the information produced as a result provides a unique human illustration of a city: The portrait that Hello Lamp Post paints of a city is often charming, sometimes mundane, occasionally profound, but rarely definite, explained Pan Studio founder Ben Barker. Perhaps one of its most important traits is its lack of tangibility, an idea of a place that is somehow all the more human. Unlike quantitative analyseswhich create an image that is uniform, precise, and detached from personal perspectiveprojects like Hello Lamp Post offer a picture that is ambiguous and deeply personal. Hello Lamp Post has offered cities access to unique meanings unavailable in traditional data collection efforts, all while immersing residents in the physical city.A project in Argentina has sought to transform the process of collecting, sharing, and accessing information on city buildings into a communal and interactive endeavor. CrowdMemo allows residents to contribute to a crowdsourced history of meaningful spaces. Local students conduct research along with their families and peers to explore the history behind their communitys spaces, collect anecdotes from longtime residents, and create micro-documentaries about each location. Students then upload these videos to the cloud, and QR codes linking to each video are stamped on the facade of each place, inviting residents to investigate the citys spaces. In this process, collecting information becomes a collaboration among residents, and accessing this information is possible only through engagement with the physical city.Like Hello Lamp Post, this project humanizes resident interactions with city data, an accomplishment that municipal governments should aspire to. Rather than requiring users to scroll through lifeless spreadsheets, CrowdMemo encourages residents to experience data personally and dynamically through the physical city and allows cities to collect unique cultural information.After he was detained by the FBI for six months upon a return trip from the Netherlands, Bangladeshi-born American artist Hasan Elahi sought to use data to create art of a non-traditional kind: he began creating a map of his every move. At first, Elahi started calling the FBI every time he was traveling to give them his itinerary and general whereabouts, then began emailing them with detailed travel plans. Soon this effort to document his comings and goings grew into a website called Tracking Transcience, where Elahi now uses his phones GPS to sync his movements to a live map and posts minute-by-minute photos of his life, as many as one hundred a day. The photos depict many of the tedious moments of Elahis life, from the trains hes commuting on, to bathrooms hes visited, to airplane meals hes eaten. Over the years, he has amassed hundreds of thousands of data-points and pictures, all in an effort to inundate the federal government with a prohibitive amount of information. You have data? he asked, Well Ive got data too. By putting everything out there, the governments data no longer means very muchFBI, here I am!"However, more than an effort to keep the government from surveilling his every move, Elahis website offers a critical commentary on governments efforts to collect troves of potentially invasive data. The website expresses the absurdity of governments inclination towards obsessively collecting data and provides a personal example of the critical consequences of overstepping reasonable privacy expectations. It is an apt reminder that any government data program must place an emphasis on maintaining resident privacy and should engage residents to understand what data they are willing to give up. Moreover, this piece offers governments a visceral insight into the need for curation of data. By overwhelming the viewer with sheer volume of data, Elahi shows that troves upon troves of uncurated and unstructured information are completely useless. It is only through careful selection and display of data that governments can create a valuable product. Art, which has struggled with accessibility for much longer than data science, has much to teach governments on how to make data reach real people.Governments should view these critical commentaries not as nettlesome affronts, but rather as opportunities to learn about the personal effect their data programs have on residents. When developing privacy policies or data visualization tools, cities should therefore look to data art as a small but important part of the literature outlining best practices.While governments are right to celebrate and leverage the wealth of detailed knowledge that data can provide, they must remain conscious of the media that people are most likely to connect with. Instruments like visual, narrative, and experiential art are powerful tools for making insights from data salient to residents, as well as transforming resident interactions with data into fun and exciting experiences. Moreover, existing data art can show governments the real, human effects of their data and the power of curation. While not necessarily an everyday practice, exploring data art can help governments increase the reach and effectiveness of their data practices.
(TNS) -- AUGUSTA  Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said Monday that he is unlikely to release any state voter registration data to the federal voter fraud commission to which he was appointed by President Trump.Dunlap said he will reject a second request for the data from the commissions vice chairman, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who promised last week that the data would be held in confidence at the federal level But Dunlap said he is uncertain that the federal Freedom of Information Act would allow the data to be protected from disclosure once it is in the federal governments hands. He said he wants the commission, to which he was appointed in May , to first set goals for what it hopes to achieve as it investigates Trumps claims of widespread voter fraud.The secretary of state also said he wants the commission to figure out how it intends to protect voters privacy rights before he hands over any statewide voter data.Kobach has asked states to provide any voter data that is allowed to be released under state laws.In Maines case, that would include a voters name, address, year of birth, party affiliation and whether or not they participated in the last two elections.Dunlap said he is drafting a formal response to Kobach.But I think it is safe to say Im probably not going to release anything until we get a better idea of the confidentiality piece and what the commissions goal is going to be exactly, Dunlap said on Monday.One of four Democrats who serve on the presidents 12-member advisory commission, Dunlap said his office has been inundated with phone calls and emails from voters urging him to protect their privacy.In June, Kobach requested the data for voters in all 50 states but was rebuffed by 44 of them, some because election officials said fulfilling the request would violate state law, others because they distrusted the motives of the commission, which Trump created by executive order to substantiate his evidence-free claim that he would have won the popular vote if millions of fraudulent ballots had not been cast. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia declined to cooperate altogether. Dunlap initially said he would partially comply with the request, then later changed his position after consultations with Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, also a Democrat.Kobachs new request last week follows a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denying a request by a privacy advocacy group for a temporary restraining order to prevent the commission from receiving the voter information, one of several legal actions filed against it.Dunlap said Monday he wanted to respond to Kobachs second request, sooner rather than later, in part because the Legislature was set to reconvene this week and lawmakers were going to want to know what his decision was.Dunlap said he was leery of releasing Maines voter data to the federal government, in part, because he didnt believe the Freedom of Information Act would allow the data to be protected.Others in Maine have also said the issue of voter fraud has been largely debunked and is mostly a distraction.There is no evidence of rampant voter fraud  especially impersonation fraud, Stephanie Philbrick, a member of the League of Women Voters of Maine, wrote in a league newsletter earlier this year.The Brennan Center for Justice (at the New York University School of Law) found that the incident rate for this type of fraud was between 0.00004 and 0.00009 percent, Philbrick wrote. Most of these were clerical errors or other mistakes. They calculate that youre more likely to be struck by lightning than to impersonate someone else at the polls. Currently, there are no studies and no court cases that report large instances of voter fraud. This is a nonexistent problem and is pulling our attention away from other things happening at the state and federal level.
In the premiere edition of a new report, a nonprofit think tank has recognized states for their innovation when it comes to data. The Best States for Data Innovation , released on Monday, July 31 by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Data Innovation, ranked Massachusetts, Washington and Maryland as the No. 1, 2 and 3 states overall.Delaware followed fourth-ranked California in rounding out the top five, while Utah placed sixth; Virginia got spot No. 7; Oregon placed eighth; transportation innovator Colorado ran ninth; and New York was 10th.The survey examined state and federal information compiled over the past two years to populate 25 indicators in areas of data and technology, and people and companies.Overall scores on a scale of zero to 100 reflected performance in these areas; and the idea that while the top five winners are thriving hubs of data-driven innovation, and prove policymakers can make states more competitive in the data economy, even lower-ranking states may have undertaken key policies from which other states can learn.And for lower-ranking states looking to fare better next time, officials from a few of the top-ranked states recommend considering datas potential to increase efficiency and enhance citizens relationship with their governments.But, overall rankings aside, its director emphasized nearly every state had areas where it could work to improve.Our goal with this report is really to lay out these issues for state and local policymakers so they can start understanding how much the decisions they make affect their state, and affect their states ability to compete in the data economy and ability to succeed at solving some of these important issues, Center Director Daniel Castro toldThe Center  a nonpartisan group that examines the convergence of data, technology and public policy  will likely do a follow-up report, Castro said; however, while officials will monitor states progress and evaluate new data, its unclear whether the next edition will arrive next year or not.Report authors highlighted the benefits early adopters of data-forward strategies enjoy, including being positioned to use it to address challenges, and to become future hubs of the data economy by growing and attracting such companies.They generally recommend that policymakers take the lead in publishing legislative data, developing a statewide e-government strategy, and developing an open data portal and open data policy.States, the authors wrote, should consider working with utilities to make smart devices available, support efforts to increase broadband access and speed, and lead by example by having agencies make data available.Top-ranked overall, Massachusetts placement reflected high performance across a variety of indicators.The state ranked in the top five in metrics that assess energy usage data, buoyed by 98 percent of its residents having access to Green Button utility data; broadband availability and speeds; electronic health records; and, like highly-placing California and Washington, developing its human and business capital.Some states benefit from certain pre-existing characteristics that make them better positioned to take advantage of data-driven innovation, such as being home to leading research universities. However, leading states have all taken proactive steps to unlock innovation, the reports authors wrote.They cited these states' support of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs in public schools, e-government investments, robust open-data policies, and promotion of health-information technology.No. 2 Washington also scored in the top five on specific indicators of making legislative, transit system and energy usage data available to citizens, and enabling key technology platforms to empower business, researchers, government agencies and residents to make insights.Castro acknowledged that Washington and Maryland both have strong tech sectors, but noted both have also invested significantly in data and in government.Will Saunders, the state of Washingtons senior program manager for open data, toldthat officials are thrilled at the overall ranking, but also praised private-sector technology companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Google for their contribution.The state closely guards certain data streams like personal medical information, but wherever possible, Saunders said, an attitude of making data open, innovative and publicly accessible is baked in.For us its just how we do business and government, for that matter, in Washington," he said.Individual indicators on which the state didnt score so highly  including making governmental financial and education data public, and on its open data portal  were a wake-up call and an indication that we need to do better, Saunders said.He recommended agencies seeking to improve or maintain their overall rankings create an impact by telling or revisiting the stories of technology or open data successes in their states. Among Washington state agencies that provide open data streams to the state portal, Saunders said data also has had the power to stimulate conversations about the future.Its a great way to start or jumpstart collaboration discussions within government about where to go and whats possible, Saunders said.Third-ranked overall, Maryland also placed in the top five on indicators of broadband availability, transit-information system data, and having an open-data portal  all of which, authors noted, bolstered its top five ranking on the area of enabling key technology platforms.Fourth-rated California placed in the top five on indicators for e-prescribing, the ability of doctors to send prescriptions electronically; for aggressively pursuing so-called smart utility meters; for an overall enabling of public access to government information; and for a relative abundance of software service and data science jobs.Castro praised the states adoption of technologies like smart meters, and for its open data policies  proof, he said, that officials were concerned about integrating data in different areas.California only ranked 18th in the greater metric of ensuring data overall is available for public usage  which included other specifics such as e-prescribing and smart meters  but the states Chief Data Officer Zachary Townsend toldthat it has taken a more deliberate approach to work with citizens to learn what types of data they would like to see, then prioritize releases.The state takes a less monolithic, top-down approach toward adopting technology, Townsend said, working with various stakeholders to create more grass-roots efforts and, in this case, working toward releasing more open data.As for what advice the state might offer other agencies to improve or maintain their rankings in the survey, he said he believes transparency is itself a virtue in allowing citizens to understand whats happening in their government, to create some level of accountability.There are a lot of great ideas in the world that come from within the state, and there are a lot of great ideas in the world that come from people who live in the state and work in the state. Open data is a way to engage people on those ideas, their data analytics skills, their business skills, Townsend said. Different data animates different parts of the public.Fifth overall, Delaware surprised researchers by scoring as highly as it did, Castro told. Delaware ranked in the top five in specific indicators on ensuring data is available for public use; for making education and energy efficiency data available; in e-prescribing; and for employing a large number of statisticians, an outcome potentially influenced by its proximity to Washington, D.C.The state didnt rank in the top five for having an open data portal, despite having debuted a portal in October. But Castro cited this in a conversation with, praising the state for creating the data governance council that guided its creation and for really trying to work on data issues.Rhonda Lehman, Delawares director of enterprise architecture, data management, and governance, also leads the open data council formed by governors executive order to spearhead the portal. She toldthat its number of available data sets has grown from 35 initially to around 40 now and should expand even further.The state sees data innovation as a public service, Lehman said, and works to share data across agencies to obtain different analyses while recognizing some information must be confidential.She advised officials in other states desiring to maintain or improve their rankings to be mindful that innovating around data frequently yields other efficiencies, noting employees in Delawares Department of Natural Resources experienced a considerable time savings after automating data about septic systems permitting and inspections.Lehman also suggested states that havent already done so might consider creating an open data portal to bring citizens closer to their government and begin a dialogue.I just think thats really important and something the state can learn from the community, Lehman told. We have to understand that we dont know it all in state government. We want citizens to become engaged and sometimes force policy change.Like the Center Director Castro, the reports writers emphasized examples of good work among virtually all 50 states  even those that ranked in the bottom 25. Alaska, for example, ranked 41st overall, but made the top five for reporting legislative and educational data.The state also scored in the top five for public access to government information, a metric that examined whether citizens have a legal right to access information, whether their right of access is effective, and whether information available online; and for Internet of Things: Consumer Devices.This metric created a composite score of wearables and smart TVs per 1,000 residents using 2015 data, and authors noted that wealthier states like Washington, Utah and Virginia topped the rankings. Alaska placed fifth, which surprised officials, Castro said, but he pointed out that state residents have pretty good incomes on average, and may engage in more outdoor activities in which they use wearables.Elsewhere, authors pointed out states like Colorado, which ranked first in the indicator forensuring data is available for use, also did well at making financial data available, but less so for publishing legislative data and public access to information.Missouri ranked 27th overall and had significant room for improvement in some areas, they wrote, but was a leader in several indicators including public access to information, e-government, and information and data processing.Thats because it has strong transparency laws, authors noted, and uses data and technology to improve government operations, and forges policies to make the state attractive to information and data-processing firms.Similarly, Arkansas, which landed at 38th overall, ranked second at publishing legislative data in open and machine-readable formats, behind only Washington; while the state of Michigan, ranked 15th overall, also ranked No. 1 with a bullet at publishing government financial data online.Generally, Castro said, no state is doing everything perfectly.States are excelling in certain areas," he said, "but everyone has their work cut out for them."
(TNS) -- The motto for the 76-year-old union representing COTA bus drivers is "Where A Bus Is Nothing Without Us."That might not be true in a few years.The Central Ohio Transit Authority is planning for a future that likely will include buses, or some form of transportation, that will have no human drivers. When that happens, the 810 union members, who have an average annual wage of $51,000, wonder what will happen to their livelihood."These are real jobs. These are real people," said Andrew "Drew" Jordan, president of Local 208 of the Transportation Workers Union. "It's jobs lost."They want to know that COTA is investing in them rather than automation."Of the 810 members of Local 208, there are 650 drivers, 30 cashiers and 130 who maintain the buses. The 2017 pay and benefits for the union members is $67.5 million, an average of $83,333 per member. Jordan said the average bus driver annual wage is $46,862. The difference from the wage COTA provided is mandatory overtime required of union members who maintain buses, he added.Curtis Stitt, COTA's CEO who will retire on Sept. 30, is unsure when automated buses could arrive."If we are deploying driverless vehicles," Stitt said, "that's not anything that's right on the horizon."But COTA's board of trustees adopted its NextGen plan last week. It will determine what public transit will be in the next 30 years. It calls for a pilot program using autonomous vehicles for part of the service by 2025  within eight years.As technology evolves, Stitt insists public transportation must take advantage of it. With that evolution, "the demand for certain types of employees will shift," he said."Certainly, we'll need the folks who'll provide the shop support, the IT support for these vehicles."That's concerning to Jordan, who foresees a dire impact from that evolution on his membership and their ability to support their families."We don't want to be left out and left behind and picking up the pieces," Jordan said.He and the Transportation Workers Union of America stress the humanity of the union jobs. They note how COTA bus drivers have reported fires and crimes, helped passengers on and off the bus and other actions driverless buses won't be able to replicate."We're not against automation," Jordan said. "We're against (lack of) safety and jobs that take away the human being aspect."The international president of Transportation Workers Union of America, which has 140,000 members, sent a written statement about COTA's potential automation."We won't stand idly by and allow bosses to bring robot buses into service that replace our Bus Operators and ... endanger our riders. We will fight to ensure the safety of the riding public and the livelihoods of TWU members," John Samuelsen wrote.The national union didn't respond to questions about how automation would endanger riders or what the union would do to get training for members who lost their jobs due to automation.Ohio State University economics professor Bruce Weinberg suggested that automation will happen, but not all driver jobs immediately will be cut."Tasks like driving buses or cars are among the hardest to automate because they require a lot of actions that depend on the situation," Weinberg said. "At the same time, the ability to automate driving is so valuable that many companies (are) investing in it and it seems likely that it will be automated in the medium run."Jordan sees Columbus and its Smart City initiative working toward electrifying and automating transportation and realizes change is coming. If COTA plans to cut jobs, Jordan wants it to also provide training that could teach drivers how to program the automated buses or other jobs affiliated with what they do now."It's definitely a crossroads. We want to be pioneers," Jordan said.The union's three-year contract expires at the end of this year. Both sides are preparing for negotiations.Jordan said he isn't nervous about the next contract because, "I know we're at least four years out from automation." He will loudly remind COTA, though, how his members make a difference, to individual riders and COTA as an organization."If we stay silent, we'll definitely lose a lot of jobs," Jordan said.Stitt said recent changes in COTA routes  with a goal to run buses more frequently in high-use corridors while also increasing weekend routes and hours for those who work nontraditional schedules  means it wants to hire a "couple of dozen" more drivers now.Drivers have to have a commercial driver's license, a high-school degree or its equivalent and pass a COTA test."We are partners," Jordan said, "in the growth of COTA."
(TNS) -- ALBANY  In Arizona, Googles spinoff company is looking to enroll hundreds of people for free rides in self-driving vehicles.In California, 36 companies  including Intel, Toyota, Uber and Ford  have been approved over the past three years to conduct tests on autonomous vehicles.In Ohio, workers are laying fiber optic cables and sensors building on a 35-mile stretch of road so driverless vehicles can someday communicate with each other on traffic, weather and other information.But in New York, self-driving vehicles are coming at a far slower pace. And that could put the Empire State at a disadvantage in the years ahead, whether for manufacturing and research opportunities or where self-driving cars and trucks get marketed.The most serious bow to autonomous vehicles came in this springs state budget, when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and state lawmakers OKd a one-year, limited test program on state roads.Yet, with the 365-day testing window now one-third over, only one company  Audi  has signed up to test in New York. It brought one of its vehicles to the state in June, but only for a show-and-tell event outside the state Capitol as an education stop for lawmakers and officials.The News contacted more than a half-dozen people involved in the nations autonomous vehicle industry, and they all raised concerns about New Yorks sloth-like path to driverless vehicles.Heres the big roadblock in New York: This is the only state that requires drivers to have at least one hand on the steering mechanism of any moving vehicle. Left unchanged, the law sends a chilling message to the auto industry, executives say.In 1967, one year after the landmark federal traffic and motor vehicle safety act, two upstate Republicans  state Sen. Dalwin Niles and Assemblyman Joseph Finley  pushed the one hand steering mandate. It was an obvious safety requirement, the states motor vehicle commissioner wrote.Fifty years later, that well-intended law is seen as a hindrance to the range of self-driving vehicles expected to be on the market in the coming years. Auto executives say it is a legal and symbolic obstacle to even some basic advances, such as self-parking features already on the market.New Yorks new testing law is a good first step because it allows tests to be performed hands-free, said Daniel Gage, a spokesman at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.If the state is interesting in attracting this type of technology, if the state is truly interested in bringing these life-saving technologies to market, it ought to consider how the one hand on the wheel (law) impacts the technology in the state and move quickly to remove that impediment, Gage said.Industry officials say testing periods in states are not just about evaluating technology, but also opportunities to help persuade consumers that driverless cars are not something to fear.Part of the challenge is going to be how to get consumers to experience this to help raise their confidence and trust in the technology and that it works, said Chan Lieu, a consultant to the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets, a group founded last year by Ford, Uber, Lyft, Volvo and Googles sister company Waymo.New Yorks baby stepsNew York began its testing application period in May. Unlike other states, it has a tight time restriction: the testing period ends next April 1.By June 1, a state report is due about the tests, which could be used to consider the next statutory or regulatory steps.How comprehensive the report will be is uncertain. Audi, the sole company to sign up so far, does not plan to return for testing in New York until later this year or next. It will test its new A8 vehicle, the first production car with Level Three autonomous abilities. That means it is an automated system that can perform some tasks and monitor driving environment with human driver ready, at systems request, to take back controls.New York has strict test rules. Unlike other states, New York requires a State Police escort for every test vehicle, and there is a charge: A minimum of $92 per hour, plus 54 cents a mile.In addition to a $5 million insurance policy on each vehicle, companies must in advance inform the state about each tests date, time, sequence of roads and total routing distance down to nearest 1/10 of a mile.When he touted the new program in May, Cuomo conceded that New Yorks effort is a careful yet balanced approach to encourage the tests while protecting road safety.Brad Stertz, Audis Washington-based government affairs director, said New Yorks one-hand driving law needs to end for the state to join the autonomous vehicle march.It puts New York at a disadvantage, Stertz said. Some colleges  such as the University at Buffalo, which recently won a $1.2 million grant to research driverless cars  are poised to grow further if the driverless car industry fully embraces the state, he noted.We really want to work with a lot of stakeholders, including state government to figure out how this can work for New York because it is going to come and it would be a shame if New York were many years behind the curve, Stertz said.Auto executives say New Yorks laws discourage not just testing and research efforts, but even publicity efforts.In April, there was talk of getting Cuomo to kick off the New York Auto Show, a major industry event, by having him riding in an autonomous car. Automakers shied away when it was clear they would be breaking the 1967 law. Cuomo, doing a smoky burnout in front of cameras, ended up driving a Dodge Demon, a muscle car.In New York, a state DOT spokeswoman said the agency has no active funding programs related to autonomous vehicles. The state is involved with some research activities, but no details were provided.Two weeks ago, a state motor vehicles agency spokesman said Audi was the sole applicant for New Yorks new test program. This past week, the official did not return calls or emails seeking any updated information.Other states move aheadMore than half the states this year considered or passed some 70 different bills related to autonomous vehicle matters, industry executives say.In Massachusetts, the governor created a working group to devise ways to promote autonomous vehicles.In Michigan this fall, two driverless shuttles will ferry students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, a city thats attracting major autonomous vehicle research dollars.In California, officials ordered road line markings widened from four inches to six inches  a move to partly help vehicles with automated machine vision for guidance, said state transportation agency spokesman Mark Dinger. That state has spent $5 million on autonomous research for cars, trucks, buses and snowplows.In Ohio, Gov. John R. Kasich has made the technology a top transportation priority. Ohio this year announced $45 million to expand the Transportation Research Center  a 4,500-acre test facility long used by companies around the world  dedicated to driverless vehicle testing. Thats on top of the $15 million fiber optic and sensor project along a portion of U.S. Route 33 dubbed the Smart Mobility Corridor.If we become a bigger player in this emerging field, hopefully some of the manufacturers will see the value of bringing research and development and maybe even manufacturing jobs to Ohio, said Ohio transportation department spokesman Matt Bruning.Ohios Turnpike is involved, too. It has hosted testing of a self-driving truck and is collaborating on driverless technology with agencies, universities and test centers in the state as well as from Pennsylvania and Michigan. And it is planning a project on 60-mile corridor so driverless cars can talk with everything from road emergency systems to work zone locations.If transportation agencies are too slow to accommodate and embrace the new technologies, then were going to have a difficult time competing and meeting the needs of our customers, Turnpike Executive Director Randy Cole said.New York's slow paceBack in New York, the state Senate tried to amend the 1967 one-hand driving mandate. But the legislation died in the Assembly. Senator Joseph Robach, a Rochester area Republican who heads the Transportation Committee, says New York is in the middle of the pack among states in embracing autonomous vehicles.I think the Legislature should lead, but certainly if they dont, the marketplace will drive the demand on the Legislature, Robach said.Sen. Chris Jacobs, a Buffalo Republican, was a sponsor of a road testing bill that got folded into Aprils budget. He said other states have been more aggressive than New York but that the new testing program is an opening.Some level of autonomous vehicles is coming and coming more quickly than we thought a couple years ago. I think we should be engaged in this, Jacobs said.The unresolved issues go beyond technology. While advocates say autonomous vehicles will sharply reduce auto accidents, the vast majority of which involve some level of human error or choice, how will the new forms of driverless vehicles affect the states tort-based system? How will insurers set their rates?Insurance firms and trial lawyers are among several sectors that have lobbied on autonomous vehicle legislation in New York.New York Insurance Association President Ellen Melchionni said it is far from certain how successful automated vehicles will be in cutting accident rates.Automation in driving should not be viewed as a panacea for a dramatic rise in the number of auto accidents and the severity of those accidents, she said.
(TNS) -- Toyota will be the first automaker to invest in the American Center for Mobility The Japanese automaker's Toyota Motor North America and Toyota Research Institute subsidiaries are contributing $5 million to the self-driving vehicle research center being built in Ypsilanti Township.Other automakers and suppliers are also expected to use and contribute to the facility, which is now expected to cost $110 million. Maddox called a previous $80 million cost figure a "rough initial estimate" before several amenities were added.So far, John Maddox, president for the American Center for Mobility, said the center has secured $91 million in public and private funding.The head of Toyota's research institute, which has an office in Ann Arbor, touted the center's benefits, saying the closed course facility provides a great place to safely test driverless vehicles.As we move forward with the development of autonomous cars, we must remember that not all test miles are created equal," Gill Pratt, CEO of Toyota Research Institute, said in a statement. "The road to creating a car as safe, or safer, than a human driver will require billions of test miles including simulation, real-world driving on public roads, and closed-course testing where we can expose our systems to extreme circumstances and conditions."In a phone interview, John Maddox, president for the American Center for Mobility, said Toyota will be able to help the center prioritize what is built there and how programs targeting education, standards and testing are run."Thats a huge incentive," Maddox said.The release noted that "as an ACM contributor,Toyota will become a member of a government-industry team which supports the American Center for Mobility's efforts, to create a large-scale test environment in Southeast Michigan for autonomous vehicles. Toyota will also get to book the facility for testing further in advance than others, which will be invaluable over the next few years, according to Maddox who noted that Mcity, a self-driving testing facility in Ann Arbor, has expanded its booking opportunities because of strong demand.We expect a similar, high usage rate at ACM. In fact, maybe even higher, Maddox said.The center, which is expected to open in December, is on a 335-acre site about 30 miles southwest of downtown Detroit that once housed the famed Willow Run bomber plant. It is expected to be a major player in the race to build and test driverless and connected vehicles and has been designated by the federal government as a self-driving proving ground and research hub.The center's plans calls for a 2 1/2-mile high-speed highway test track; multilane intersections, alleys and traffic circles; a 700-foot curving tunnel; two triple-decker overpasses; a cybersecurity lab; an electrical substation large enough to power a city; and driverless shuttles. Maddox noted that the $110 million price tag will allow for the addition of a bypass for the tunnel and an urban area with two sections, one offering modern, smart-city features and another designed without them because autonomous vehicles would need to travel through both types of environments.The race to develop safe driverless cars and regulations to govern them is intensifying with legislation approved by a U.S. House committee just last week giving the federal government the final say over self-driving vehicle performance.
(TNS) -- Flying drones near prisons and jails in North Carolina is now a crime.Across the nation, contraband smugglers have increasingly turned to drones as a tool for sneaking drugs, cellphones and weapons to inmates.The new N.C. law, signed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday, prohibits anyone but law enforcement officials from flying drones within 250 feet above or 500 feet around prisons and jails. Those who use drones to deliver weapons or other contraband can be charged with felonies, while others who simply fly drones near prisons can be charged with misdemeanors.Prison leaders in a number of states are working to address the threat posed by the increasingly inexpensive technology.North Carolina officials say they've had two cases of drones crashing within prison fences, both in 2015. The drones were recovered by prison staff members before the contraband they were carrying made its way into the prison.In one of those cases -- which occurred at a central North Carolina prison that state officials declined to name -- the line that tethered the contraband to the drone got tangled in a piece of heating and cooling equipment.The aircraft crashed in a part of the prison grounds that's off-limits to inmates, a prison spokesman said. When staff members opened the oblong package, they discovered a cellphone, a charger, tobacco, rolling papers and a lighter.In about a half-dozen other cases over the past two years, drones have been spotted flying over or near N.C. prisons, a prison spokesman said.In South Carolina, prison leaders say they know of five cases in which drones have dropped contraband.While the number of cases is not yet large, the potential threat is, experts and lawmakers say."We don't want a drone dropping a gun into the yard of a prison," N.C. Rep. Allen McNeill, a Randolph County Republican who helped sponsor the bill, said earlier in the year. "It could cause a death or an injury to a prisoner or a guard."
More and more, farmers are using tech to improve crop growth, from data-driven approaches to using drones to increase yields. And now, artificial intelligence (AI) is in the mix.NatureSweet grows tomatoes on six farms in both the U.S. and Mexico, and began testing AI almost a year ago at one of its farms in Arizona to better control pests and diseases in its greenhouses. The technology has already improved harvests and reduced labor costs, according to CNN Tech , which reported that so far, NatureSweet's weekly harvests have grown 2 percent to 4 percent  but the tomato farm plans to roll this AI tech out to all of its locations soon.NatureSweet Chief Innovation Officer Adrian Almeida told CNN Tech that he believes AI will eventually improve his greenhouses' tomato yields by 20 percent.
The NIO US team took First Place at the DEF CON 25 2017 Car Hacking Village, beating out 10 other teams in the third annual Capture The Flag (CTF) security event. Based in Silicon Valley, NIO US is a start-up developing autonomous electric vehicles. (Earlier post.) DEF CON is one of the oldest continuously running hacker conventions, and also one of the largest.

At the conference held, last week in Las Vegas, researchers and hackers devised a series of challenges to understand the vulnerabilities of our connected world. The Villages at DEF CON are places where attendees can go to expand their knowledge about specific areas of interest and interact with the minds running the villages, participate in discussions, hands-on demonstrations, hacking and contests. One topic that has gained exposure over the last year has been security vulnerabilities in modern automobiles; Car Hacking Village (CHV) was one of 16 villages featured at DEF CON 25 this year.
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Addressing a grand rally at the Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Hu vowed to keep to the road of China-style socialism and the reform and opening-up policy.

In his speech, which was televised live nationwide and throughout the world, Hu said the Chinese nation, which had a civilization of more than 5,000 years, had entered a new era of development and progress since Chairman Mao Zedong pronounced the founding of the People's Republic of China on the same day 60 years ago.
It's not surprising that the man who alluded to illicit activities in a speech to Boy Scouts would talk to police about cracking skulls.

President Donald Trump is a man who says wildly inappropriate things on a regular basis.

But his message to the nation's police officers could not have been more irresponsible or poorly timed. Fatal police shootings  particularly of African-Americans  have drawn increased scrutiny and inflamed many communities during the past three years, as body-camera footage and witness accounts have shown questionable use of deadly force.

As noted by The Washington Post, which began tracking fatal police shootings two years ago, many departments have undertaken reforms since the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in August 2014 "launched a national debate over police use of force."

The Greensboro Police Department has added training on de-escalation, implicit bias and procedural justice. Procedural justice  treating people with fairness, dignity and respect  is the very antithesis of the behavior Trump urged police to use in a speech Friday to law-enforcement personnel in Long Island, N.Y.

"..when you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon  you just see them thrown in, rough  I said, please dont be too nice. Like when you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Like, dont hit their head and theyve just killed somebody  dont hit their head. I said, you can take the hand away, okay?"

The laws, Trump continued, have been made to protect the criminal, not the officer. "These laws are stacked against you," Trump told his audience.

I heard similar sentiments from local readers in the case of Dejuan Yourse, who was punched by GPD Officer Travis Cole without provocation as Yourse sat on his mother's porch on June 17, 2016.

When it was revealed that Yourse had a criminal record, many people regarded Cole's actions as justified, although Cole did not know of Yourse's criminal record when the incident occurred.

Ultimately, Cole and another officer at the scene resigned, and the city issued an apology and a $95,000 settlement to Yourse.

When Yourse subsequently was arrested on unrelated charges, some readers felt Cole's actions were vindicated.

"We all knew he (Yourse) was a thug," said one caller.

There was, in fact, nothing justified about Cole's actions, which stand in stark contrast to the laws governing every American's rights.

Those laws say you are presumed innocent until you are found guilty in a court of law.

Regardless of someone's race, tattoos, clothing, possession of a weapon or prior criminal record, they cannot be considered guilty on sight. Racial, sexual, ethnic and religious profiling stems from just such a presumption of guilt.

According to the Constitution, we all get the benefit of the doubt.

Citizens are also protected against false arrest or imprisonment, malicious prosecution and unreasonable or excessive force.

On arrest, or even after conviction, hitting someone's head on the frame of the car door is not legal or acceptable. If it's OK to bang some heads during arrest, it's OK to rough up a suspect in a holding cell or to beat them once they are behind bars.

If everyone who is arrested is presumed to be a criminal, cops might as well just shoot on sight.

What if that person is your son or daughter? What if it's you? If you are arrogant enough to think you and yours would never be in such a situation, you're probably white. And you are kidding yourself.

Anyone can be accused of a crime. Our system of justice exists to protect the innocent and to ensure that even the guilty are treated humanely because we are a civil society. We respect human rights. We are a nation of laws.

Trump apparently prefers frontier justice, in which you can "knock the hell" out of anyone who throws a tomato at you, send protesters out "on stretchers," and rough up suspects when they're thrown in the "paddy wagon."

That term, by the way, is an ethnic slur that references the 19th Century profiling of Irish Catholic immigrants, who were routinely rounded up from street corners on the presumption they were criminals or drunks. Or as Trump may see it, the good old days.

The lack of impulse control demonstrated by the leader of our country should be a cautionary tale, not an example to follow. Especially not for police, who already have wide latitude in use of force and enjoy broad protection from prosecution.

Trump's "paddy wagon" scenario actually occurred two years ago in Baltimore. Twenty-five-year-old Freddie Gray was handcuffed, shackled and tossed into the back of a police van for a "rough ride" to the jail. Not one of the six Baltimore police officers involved was convicted after Gray arrived with a severed spine.

The kind of officers who would do such a thing don't need justification or encouragement. In fact, we need to move beyond a discussion of what is strictly legal to what we as a community see as acceptable behavior in interactions between police and citizens.

We must share the same vision of what law enforcement looks like in civil society.
Aug. 1, 1966

Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, went on an armed rampage at the University of Texas in Austin that killed 14 people and wounded 31. A 15th died in 2001 because of his injuries. Most of those shot by Whitman came as he was perched in the clock tower of the main campus building. Whitman also had killed his wife and mother hours earlier. Austin Police Officer Ramiro Martinez, among a group that charged up the towers stairs, shot and killed Whitman. History.com reported that in March 1966 Whitman, a former Marine, began to have mental issues that included uncontrollable fits of rage. He purportedly even told his doctor that he was thinking about going up to the tower with a rifle and shooting people. Unfortunately, the doctor didnt follow up on this red flag....An expert marksman, Whitman was able to hit people as far away as 500 yards. For 90 minutes, he continued firing while officers searched for a chance to get a shot at him.
GREENSBORO  Protesters in downtown Greensboro turned heads Monday as they stood outside the federal courthouse chanting and holding up signs while a drumline played in the background.

The protesters gathered outside the U.S. Middle District Courthouse in Greensboro to support Katie Yow, a Durham anarchist subpoenaed July 10 to testify before a federal grand jury.

But Yow spent the day fighting the subpoena. She and her supporters believe that grand juries can target people unfairly and without accountability with their secret proceedings and testimony.

It is so critical we mean what we say and by resisting this grand jury I will prove that I mean what I say, Yow told her supporters from the steps of the courthouse.

As she made her way inside more than 40 people stood with signs and chanted We will resist.

Protestor Josie Shapiro of Scuffletown Anti-represssion Committee said the grand jury hearing had to do with the October 2016 firebombing of the Orange County Republican Party headquarters. But neither Yow nor her attorney would confirm that.

Few would speak publicly about the movement and elected Yows friend and supporter Kym Register to speak on the groups behalf.

A lot of the problem with what is going on with grand juries is that it is a subversive tactic to get information from people with no representation, Register said.

You dont get transcripts. Theres not documentation, so they can use anything against you.

Yow hired Raleigh attorney Elizabeth Albiston to represent her as she fought against testifying for federal prosecutors.

Albiston said she filed motions on Monday but because grand jury hearings are not public record she could not discuss those motions.

Yow spent the majority of her day inside the courthouse. At 4 p.m. she came out and told the crowd that another hearing was scheduled for a later date.

Albiston would not discuss the hearing and said that legally she couldnt.
RALEIGH (AP)  Lawsuits are pending against a construction company blamed for a power outage on North Carolina's Outer Banks, forcing visitors off the beaches and leaving tourist-dependent businesses without income.

At least three lawsuits filed this week seek compensation from PCL Construction. Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday he believes the company responsible should pay for damages once all the facts are known.

Lawsuits filed in state and federal courts say the company building the long-needed replacement bridge over Oregon Inlet was negligent and should pay for the financial losses suffered by businesses at the peak of vacation season.

About 50,000 tourists were forced to leave Ocracoke and Hatteras islands after last Thursday's outage and repairs are continuing.

The company didn't respond to messages seeking its response to the lawsuits.
State-controlled Oschadbank (Kyiv) in January-June 2017 saw net profit rise by 22% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, to UAH 306 million, according to a press release from the bank.

Operating income increased by 20.3%, to UAH 4.7 billion.

The assets of the bank for the six months increased by 4.6%, to UAH 220.3 billion. The loan and investment portfolio rose by 3.9%, to UAH 149.2 billion. Net worth grew by 64.3%, to UAH 25.9 billion. The adequacy of the bank's regulatory capital is 12.4% with the requirement being at least 10%.

Oschadbank's activities during the first half of 2017 were aimed at implementing the development strategy and the road map for transformation envisaged by the agreement on strategic cooperation between Oschadbank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), ensuring competitive positions in the Ukrainian banking market on the key indicators through increased profitability, operational efficiency and quality of services.

Oschadbank was founded in 1991. Its only owner is the state.

Oschadbank ranked second among 90 banks operating in the country on April 1, 2017 in terms of total assets (UAH 226.9 billion), according to the National Bank of Ukraine.
On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Donald Trump's advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trump's oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign - a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

But within hours, at the president's direction, the plan changed.

Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children" when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared a story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was "not a campaign issue at the time."

The claims were later shown to be misleading.

Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

The extent of the president's personal intervention in his son's response, the details of which have not previously been reported, adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the president's direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.

"This was . . . unnecessary," said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia probe.

He fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the president asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBI's Russian investigation - a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Mueller's work.

Although misleading the public or the press is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told The Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.

Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

"He refuses to sit still," the presidential adviser said. "He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."

Trump has said that the Russia probe is "the greatest witch hunt in political history," calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain Clinton losing an election she should have won.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

The White House directed all questions for this story to the president's legal team.

One of Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of the president's actions and his role in crafting his son's statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from The Post.

"Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent," Sekulow's statement read.

Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told The Post that he and his client "were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement" about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed.

Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, "I have no evidence to support that theory." He described the process of drafting a statement as "a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers."

Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump Jr.'s statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said.

"The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president," Zeidenberg said. "They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem. . . . What they don't seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them."

The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organizations began to ask questions about it.

Kushner's legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the president's son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people.

Kushner's lawyers came across what they immediately recognized would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign - one he had failed to disclose. Trump Jr. had arranged it, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had also attended.

To compound what was, at best, a public relations fiasco, the emails, which had not yet surfaced publicly, showed Trump Jr. responding to the prospect of negative information on Clinton from Russia: "I love it."

Lawyers and advisers for Trump, his son and son-in-law gamed out various strategies for disclosing the information to try to minimize the fallout of these new links between the Trump family and Russia, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the president's most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Kushner and Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushner's lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

In one scenario, these people said, Kushner's team talked about sharing everything, including the contents of the emails, with a mainstream news organization.

Hicks and Raffel declined to comment. Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell also declined to comment.

The president's outside legal team, led by Marc Kasowitz, had suggested that the details be given to Circa, an online news organization the Kasowitz team thought would be friendly to Trump. Circa had inquired in previous days about the meeting, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The president's legal team planned to cast the June 2016 meeting as a potential setup by Democratic operatives hoping to entrap Trump Jr. and, by extension, the presumptive Republican nominee, according to people familiar with discussions.

Kasowitz declined to comment for this article, as did a Circa spokesman.

Circumstances changed when the New York Times began asking about the Trump Tower meeting, though advisers believed the paper knew few of the details. While the president, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were attending the G-20 summit, the Times asked for White House comment on the impetus and reason for the meeting.

During breaks away from the summit, Kushner and Ivanka Trump gathered with Hicks and Raffel to discuss Kushner's response to the inquiry, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Kushner's legal team joined at times by phone.

Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, Kushner's team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

The discussions among President Trump's advisers consumed much of the day, and continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.'s meeting.

The president directed that Trump Jr.'s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue - the adoption of Russian children.

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m., about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his son's statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

In the early afternoon, Eastern time, Trump Jr.'s team put out the statement to the Times. It was four sentences long, describing the encounter as a "short, introductory meeting."

"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," the statement read.

Trump Jr. went on to say, "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."

Over the next hour, word spread through emails and calls to other Trump family advisers and lawyers about the statement that Trump Jr. had sent to The Times.

Some lawyers for the president and for Kushner were surprised and frustrated, advisers later learned. According to people briefed on the dispute, some lawyers tried to reach Futerfas and their clients and began asking why the president had been involved.

Also on the flight, Kushner worked with his team - including one of his lawyers, who called into the plane.

His lawyers have said that Kushner's initial omission of the meeting was an error, but that in an effort to be fully transparent, he had updated his government filing to include "this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr." Kushner's legal team referred all questions about the meeting itself to Trump Jr.

The Times' story revealing the existence of the June 2016 meeting went online around 4 p.m. Eastern time. Roughly four hours later, Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Trump's family members and advisers departed the plane, and they knew the problem they had once hoped to contain would soon grow bigger.
Thomas A. Farr isnt the man Democrats would have chosen to fill a long-vacant federal judgeship in North Carolina. But Democrats dont get to choose.

President Donald Trump last month announced his intent to nominate Farr to a seat in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

This alarmed Democrats because Farr, a Raleigh lawyer, has represented Republican legislators in defense of redistricting and voting restriction measures. These actions were intended to increase Republicans political power, but theyve largely been struck down by the courts.

Im disappointed that President Trump nominated a lawyer who has been at the forefront of defending the North Carolina Republican legislature as it has repeatedly engaged in political gerrymandering of state legislative and congressional district boundaries and has passed regressive voting laws that had the intended effect of diluting the voting rights of minority groups, Democratic U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a former N.C. Supreme Court justice, said.

But Farrs work for Republicans doesnt mean he shouldnt serve on the bench. Its unfair to judge a lawyer by his clients. Otherwise, no attorney who ever defended a murderer or rapist could be confirmed as a judge.

The real question is whether Farr has the necessary legal qualifications for the position. The answer to that is yes.

Hes been nominated for this seat before  by Republican President George W. Bush in 2006. The American Bar Association gave him its highest rating, but his confirmation was blocked by Senate Democrats.

That led to another eight years of partisan obstruction while Democratic President Barack Obama was in office. Obama first nominated Jennifer May-Parker, an assistant U.S. attorney. Her confirmation way stymied by Republican Sen. Richard Burr. Last year, Obama nominated Patricia Timmons-Goodson, a former elected justice of the N.C. Supreme Court. She, too, was blocked by Burr.

The tit-for-tat should stop. The Eastern District, based in Raleigh, can use an additional judge to tackle its backlog of cases. Farr, who holds a law degree from Emory University and an advanced degree in labor law from Georgetown, is more than capable.

He has the support of both North Carolina senators, Republicans Burr and Thom Tillis.

There are concerns that the Eastern District has never had an African American judge. May-Parker or Timmons-Goodson would have been the first. But Trump isnt likely to nominate African Americans to the courts.

Obama did place minorities and women on the courts, including Loretta Biggs and Catherine Eagles in the Middle District and James Wynn and Albert Diaz on the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Burr supported them all.

Farr still has to face a hearing in the Senate and give assurances that he will follow the Constitution, the law and precedents established by higher courts. If he satisfies those questions and no conflicts of interest are found, he should be confirmed.

Democrats oppose Trumps agenda, but Farrs nomination doesnt warrant a partisan battle.
10:28 01.08.2017 Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Consulting Market in Ukraine's Real Estate'

1 min read

On Tuesday, August 1, at 11.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference entitled "Consulting Market in Ukraine's Real Estate" on the results of work of the Ukrainian Trade Guild (UTG) company for 12 months. Trends and forecasts of the development of residential and commercial real estate in Ukraine for the near future." The participants will include head of the consulting department of the UTG company Rostyslav Symonov, deputy head of the consulting department of the UTG company Kostiantyn Oleinyk, customer relations director of the UTG company Zhana Rzhanova (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration is required by phone: (050) 740 1063, (067) 216 4343, (044) 537 2364 or at: ak@utg.kiev.ua, pr@utg.kiev.ua.
GREENWICH  YWCA Greenwich has added a new member to the team with the arrival of Kathleen Seiden, who will serve as the organizations new chief advancement officer.

Seidens employment is effective immediately according to a news release sent out by YWCA Greenwich on Tuesday. She had previously worked as the vice president of development and communications at the Family and Childrens Agency in Norwalk but she is not new in town as she had previously worked at the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich.
WASHINGTON - The White House defended President Donald Trump's involvement in issuing a statement about his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign, saying that the statement was true and that the president was simply acting as a father.

"The statement that Don Jr. issued is true. There's no inaccuracy in the statement," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "The president weighed in just as any father would based on the limited information that he had."

"This is all discussion, frankly, of no consequence," Sanders added.

The comments seem to confirm that Trump participated in the drafting of the statement on Air Force One and contradict past statements from Trump's attorneys denying that he had any involvement.

"The president was not - did not - draft the response," Trump's attorney Jay Sekulow said on "Meet the Press" in an interview July 16. "The response came from Donald Trump Jr. and - I'm sure - in consultation with his lawyer."

While Sanders denied that Trump "dictated" the document, she acknowledged that he "weighed in and offered suggestions" on a statement that claimed that in the meeting, Trump Jr. and other participants "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children." That statement turned out to be misleading.

Emails obtained by the New York Times and subsequently released by Trump Jr. later showed that the meeting was pitched to Trump's son as one about derogatory information about Hillary Clinton. That disclosure prompted Trump Jr. to correct his public statements.

In addition to Trump Jr., the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and campaign manager Paul Manafort also attended the meeting. Kushner did not initially disclose the meeting on the government forms he was required to fill out to join the administration.

Yet Sanders claimed on Tuesday that the meeting was "was disclosed to the proper authorities."

Trump worked with aides on the statement on Air Force One while returning to the U.S. from the Group of 20 Summit in Hamburg on July 8. He insisted that the statement describe the meeting as unimportant and primarily about adoptions.

In reality, Trump Jr. had enthusiastically agreed to attend the meeting after being promised damaging information on Clinton as part of the Russian government's efforts to help his father's campaign.

During Tuesday's briefing, Sanders recited a litany of other stories involving Clinton and Russia that she believed the media should cover instead. And she accused Democrats of focusing on a "phony" Russia story to advance political goals.

"The Democrats want to continue to use this as a PR stunt and are doing everything they can to keep this story alive and in the papers every single day," Sanders said.
The law adopted in Russia to streamline the procedure of granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians includes provisions that are contrary to the Ukrainian legislation, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

As reported, new Russian law provides for granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians on the grounds of a notarized document containing the renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship.

"According to the current Ukrainian legislation, the only document verifying the fact of the termination of Ukrainian citizenship by means of both the renunciation and the loss of it is the Ukrainian president's relevant decree," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said it views the new Russian law as "the continuation of legal discrimination and abuse of the rights of Ukrainian citizens living or working in Russia because of various circumstances."

"In this regard, we urge Ukrainian citizens not to succumb to such provocations and once again warn against visiting Russia," the ministry said.

If Ukrainian citizens' rights and interests are infringed on in Russia, they will receive all necessary consular support in diplomatic and consular establishments of Ukraine, it said.
Why not a lobster roll up in the sky? Photo: Melissa Hom

Every month in New York, theres a bewildering number of new dishes to eat, drinks to imbibe, and food-themed events to attend. Often, the hardest part is just figuring out whats really worth your limited time. So Grub kicks off each month with a curated collection of dishes, drinks, and events that should absolutely be on your agenda. Make your plans now.

1. Go to a party with all-you-can-eat Malaysian food and kegs of craft beer.

This is not your typical backyard barbecue. Joshua Bernstein, New Yorks king of the beer nerds (and occasional New York contributer), has organized an afternoon party with one of his favorite new breweries, Interboro Spirits and Ales, and Auria Abraham of Aurias Malaysian Kitchen. Reggae, satay, and IPAs (tickets are $45) goes down on August 13 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Abraham and musician Jeremy Mush1 Mushlins house in Ditmas Park. Shell cook an all-you-can-eat meal of spinach-and-chickpea fritters; the fruit-and-vegetable salad rojak (with fried tofu, green papaya, guava, and so on); chicken, beef, and tofu satay; and more. Interboro brewer Jesse Ferguson will bring kegs of IPAs and pilsners, and Mushlin (who also hosts WNYU Radios Tunnel One) will DJ.

2. Check out one of the citys many exciting new brunches.

Are you the type who, even during peak beach season, plots at least one weekend day around brunch? Consider this your guide to your next month of weekend meals. Start with the Vietnamese hit Hanoi House. If youve been unable to get (back) in at night, the new morning menu looks very promising. Theres a breakfast banh xeo, made here with a fried-egg-and-dill creme fraiche, and egg coffee, a Hanoi speciality made with beaten egg. Over in Alphabet City, seafood restaurant Out East has brought on a new chef in Jon Bignelli (Alder, Grand Army) and introduced its own brunch. Expect fishier options like fritto misto ($19), along with crowd-pleasing, eggier dishes like a pizza bagel with marinara, mozzarella, and fried eggs ($15). Those inclined toward Southern food will want to head west, where the under-the-radar 33 Greenwich now serves pimento cheese with crudites ($17), Bananas Foster French Toast ($16), and short-rib hash ($17) during the pancake hours. Finally, the excellent cocktail bar Suffolk Arms has gotten in on the action with a menu inspired by the citys disappearing lunch counters. Think burgers, Hawaiian pancakes with dulce de leche syrup, plenty of eggs, and a mix of brunch-friendly and caffeinated cocktails like the Irish Coffee. Plus, everything is $5 or $10  a relative steal for the neighborhood.

3. Drop by Elmhursts newest Thai restaurant for papaya salad.

Elmhurst is ground zero for Thai food in New York. Its the center of Queenss Thai Town, with some of the citys most consistently delicious places to eat the cuisine. Theres still room for more, clearly, as the neighborhood has added yet another spot to its roster. Hug Esan specializes in the Isaan regions fiery, pork-centric cuisine. Papaya salad ($15) and laarb ($7; with beef, pork, pork liver, and bamboo shoots) make their requisite appearances on the menu, which is rounded out by dishes like dill soup ($7), marinated fried pork ($7), and tum Thai poo with raw crab ($9).

4. Dig into Guilin-style noodles in the East Village.

More good news for those who cant get enough rice noodles. Yuan Noodle has opened in the former Biang space, with mi fen as the centerpiece of the menu. The approach here is more traditional than nearby Little Tong, where the noodles are loosely inspired by Yunnans, and come in variations like Singapore-style stir-fried ($13) and braised beef ($14). The signature is the gui lin mi fen ($10 or $12 with broth), which comes with sliced beef, grilled pork, pickled long bean, crunchy fried soy beans, and chili flakes. A variety of dim sum, rice dishes, and larger dishes like a half crispy duck ($23) are also available.

5. Drink beer to support a dog-adoption organization.

Whatever your feelings about the current state of the world, there are two things you still know to be true: Beer is good, and dogs are better. On August 12 from noon to 3 p.m., Coney Island Brewery will host Puppies n Pints, an organization that uses beer to connect people with local rescue dogs available for adoption. Go, drink some beers, pet some puppies. For every pilsner sold, the brewery will donate $1 to the organization  so drink as much beer as possible. If you cant make it this time, Puppies n Pints will also drop by Ditmas Parks Sycamore from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on August 19.

6. Take advantage of all that summer produce.

As any greenmarket devotee will tell you, summer (and especially August) is the best time of year to eat in New York. Thats especially true if youre a fan of tomatoes  go make some BLTs!  and is often the case at some of the citys better restaurants. Take Prospect Heights Olmsted, which has recently introduced summer-squash fajitas ($15) with salsa verde, salsa roja crema, and blue-corn tortillas from El Atoradero; a BLT bowl ($17) with crispy pork belly; and pudding cake ($7) with fresh berries. At nearby Faun, theyre serving sunny dishes like a watermelon salad ($15) with ricotta salad, pepita, and herbs; and raw scallop ($19) with nduja, cucumber, chickpea panisse, and yogurt.

7. Eat a lobster roll while gawking at great views of Manhattan.

Rooftop bars, its true, can be a scene. If youre willing to battle the scrum for primo seats, though, the combination of views and booze can be intoxicating. Those who like lounging up in the sky will want to take note of the 1 Rooftop at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, which has just opened its pool to the public. The 3,475-square-foot space has unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline and food from an alum of Andrew Carmellinis Noho Hospitality Group. Think grilling season (guacamole, $14; lobster rolls, $25; and hot dogs, $8) served alongside four straightforward cocktails (all $17), including a Dark and Stormy.

Out East now serves pizza bagels for brunch. Photo: Melissa Hom

8. Watch short documentaries from a series about New Yorks dynamic food scene.

In his One Minute Meal series, James Boo has painted a compelling and humanizing portrait of the people behind New Yorks sprawling food world. Through September 3, Williamsburgs Museum of Food and Drink will show eight of his short documentaries (which are as long as the seriess title suggests).

9. Get in as many frozen drinks as possible before it gets cold again

August is here. In other words, there are only so many days left before someone tries and fails again to convince you that you like hot toddies. Maybe, though, youve had the same frozen daiquiri for the last four weeks and are itching for something different. In midtown, the new Mexican restaurant and bar Vida Verde has opened with a duet of frozens ($13) including the Viva La Frida, which pairs tequila with orange curacao, mango puree, chamoy, and roasted red pepper. Down on the Lower East Side, Nitecap  one of the citys better cocktail bars  introduced slushies ($15) for the first time this summer. On the menu? The Outer Limits is made with rum, Ancho Reyes, mango, pineapple, lemon juices, and grated coffee; while the Cloud Control amps up fortified wine with Grand Marnier, strawberry, orange, and lemon juices.

10. Drink tiki cocktails with a twist  theyre made with food waste  at Mission Chinese Food.

Theyre bringing new meaning to trash drinks. Its true that Grub needs no excuse to drop by a tiki party, but how about one where the bartenders repurpose would-be food waste? Thats the idea behind Trash Tiki, a partnership between Fords Gin and London bartenders Iain Griffiths and Kelsey Ramage. As part of a ten-city tour, the duo (who made drinks for Dan Barbers wastED pop-up when it came to London) will drop by the New York Mission Chinese Food on August 13 and 14. There theyll take unused ingredients, by-products, and more to create tiki drinks, and conduct an afternoon seminar for industry professionals on August 14.

11. Head to Frannys one last time. And Fung Tu. And everywhere else thats closing soon.

At the end of August, New Yorks restaurant scene will feel, well, a little different to food geeks. Not because of any major openings, but because of a slew of significant closings. Frannys, one of New Yorks best pizzerias and a place that typified the brownstone Brooklyn restaurant of the 2000s, will close its doors on August 20. Short-lived retro diner Mr. Donahues is done after August 5; mezcal bar and margarita destination Mayahuel will shutter on August 8; McNally bar Schillers will be no more after August 13; and Fung Tu, one of the citys best spots for Chinese food, will be gone after August 31. Restaurants and bars close all the time in New York. But collectively these were some of the citys finer places to drink and dine, and it feels a bit like a when it rains, it pours moment. If you were a fan of any or all of them, dont wait to get in one last meal.

12. Eat pupusas while sipping on mezcal cocktails.

Madre Mezcaleria, Grub has noted, is a good place to drink. Its even better now that theyre serving pupusas, the stuffed masa cakes from El Salvador. Chef Denisse Lina Chavez served the dish at her bodega in the Bronx, but here shes making them ($4 for one, $7 for two) with the blue corn nixtamalized in-house and stuffed with traditional fillings like cheese and beans; cheese and chicharron; and cheese and the edible flower loroco. There are few better bar snacks, really.
AMD has finally announced its long-awaited series of enthusiast-class gaming graphics cards running the brand new Vega architecture, the Radeon RX Vega.

The series starts off with three models, the Radeon RX Vega 56, the Radeon RX Vega 64 and the Radeon RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled Edition.

Radeon RX Vega 56

The Radeon RX Vega 56 is the cheapest model for now, with 56 compute units, 1156MHz base clock speed, 1471MHz boost clock speed, 8GB HBM2 memory, 3584 stream processors, 256 texture units, 12.5 billion transistor count and 10.5 TFLOPs of performance. For reference, the GTX 1080 has 9 TFLOPs and the 1080 Ti has 11.3 TFLOPs.

Radeon RX Vega 64

Next are the two Radeon RX Vega 64 cards. Both have 64 compute units, 4096 stream processors, 256 texture units, 8GB HBM2 memory, and 64 ROPs. The air cooled model has a base frequency 1247MHz and boost frequency of 1546MHz. The liquid cooled model has a base frequency of 1406MHz and boost frequency of 1677MHz. This gives the air cooled model 12.7 TFLOPs of performance and the liquid cooled model 13.7 TFLOPs. For reference, the Titan Xp has 12.1 TFLOPs.

Radeon RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled Edition

The Vega 56 has a plastic shroud with a blower style fan while the Vega 6 models have a metal shroud with brushed aluminum finish and a red LED in the corner. Both models include features such as HBM2 memory, 2048-bit memory interface, Radeon FreeSync 2, high bandwidth cache, H.265/HEVC encode/decode, HDMI 4K60 support, DisplayPort 1.4, TrueAudio Next, and VSR.

The RX Vega 56 is priced at $399 and the RX Vega 64 at $499. Alternatively, AMD also has bundles  called Radeon Packs  for all three cards where you get $200 on the upcoming Samsung CF791 34-inch WQHD Curved Freesync monitor, a $100 discount on a Ryzen 7 + motherboard bundle, and 2 AAA games (Prey + Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus). This adds $100 to the price of the aforementioned cards, making them $499 and $599, respectively, and the RX Vega 64 Liquid Cooled Edition, which is only available with a bundle, is priced at $699.

All three graphics cards as standalone and Radeon Packs configuration will be available starting August 14.

Source
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Google has announced that Daydream support for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ flagship smartphones "is rolling out now." The announcement came in the form of a Google+ post from the official Google VR account.

It's worth noting that at-least a couple of major US carriers - T-Mobile and Verizon - have already rolled out updates that claimed to bring Daydream support, but users weren't able to use the feature. However now, it seems like a server-side switch has been made, so you should be able to enjoy the functionality on your S8/S8+ unit.

Some of those who are now able to use Daydream say clearing Google VR Services data and re-opening the Daydream app did the trick for them (see Reddit link below).

Source | Via | Reddit
Streaming platform Spotify updated its About page at the end of July, updating the subscribers count. After it reached 50 million in March, now it reads 60 million as of the end of H1 2017. The total number of active users stays at the solid count of 140 million.

Spotify is currently available in 60 markets. Its library contains more than 30 million songs and the company boasts it paid $5 billion to rights holders as of September 2016.

Most users use Spotify for the ad-free pleasure of listening to music on all kinds of devices. They also can create their playlists. The total number of playlists on Spotify is currently over 2 billion.

This is certainly good news for the Swedish company that is heading to an IPO at the NYSE at the end of 2017.

Source | Via
If getting Bluetooth, WiFi, and TENAA certified wasn't enough of an indication that the Samsung Galaxy C7(2017) is coming soon, support page for the device has now gone live on the South Korean company's official China website.

The phone is expected to be powered by an octa-core 2.39GHz processor, and sport a 5.5-inch Full HD display. RAM options include 3GB and 4GB, while storage options include 32GB and 64GB.

The handset features a 13MP+5MP dual rear-camera setup (with sensors aligned vertically), and a 16MP front shooter. OS is Android 7.1.1 Nougat, while battery capacity is 2,850mAh. The support page reveals the device features the Samsung Experience user interface.

No information on when the Galaxy C7(2017) will be made official, but considering the latest development as well as the fact that it has collected almost all necessary certifications, it can't be far off.

Source | Via | TENAA
Update 02 Aug: Sony has contacted us about the matter and you will find their official statement concerning the case below.

Sony Mobile is committed to providing the highest standard of product quality and customer service for all of our products. A software update (version 4.7.B.1.3) has been released for the Movie Creator application, available in Google Play, which fixes a performance issue affecting some Xperia customers. Customers are recommended to update the application and restart their device. As always, customers who have any concerns regarding the performance of their Xperia device may contact their local customer service.

The original post text follows below:

The Android 7.1.1 update for the Sony Xperia Z5, Z3+ and Z4 Tablet started rolling out towards the end of June this year, bringing new features and improvements. However, it looks like the update has some major issues for at least a few of its early adopters.

Affected users say they are observing sluggish performance ever since the update was installed. Problems like high temperatures, crashes, and reboots have been reported.

If you are among the affected, you can try the suggested fix above.

Via
The Ukrainian members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) have warned of possible provocations by Russian proxies in the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO) to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine before the next round of the Minsk peace talks, Ukrainian JCCC said.

"The JCCC's Ukrainian members note that pending the next meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group for the peaceful settlement of the situation in the east of Ukraine, the ORDLO media have already released a traditional set of falsifications, which their representatives intend to announce in Minsk on August 2," according to a JCCC statement released by the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

Among the militants' statements the JCCC says about reports of the alleged increase in the number of shelling by the Armed Forces "of course with the use of weapons banned by the Minsk Agreements" and the statement of the militants' speaker Eduard Basurin on the preparation of demonstrative shelling of the Ukrainian Army positions for "the preparation of staging scenes of shelling of the territory controlled by the Ukrainian army, accusing the DPR of violating the Minsk agreements."

In particular, the Russian-backed militants claim that the Ukrainian military are allegedly planning to shell some of Ukrainian-controlled settlements before August 2 in order to accuse the other side of this. In addition, the militants disseminate untrue information about an alleged increase in the number of attacks by the ATO forces on the occupied areas.

"After such 'announcements,' as seen from previous similar statements, the illegal armed groups of the ORDLO quite often started to shell the towns of Avdiyivka, Maryinka and Krasnohorivka, and the media under their control expressed 'indignation' at the Ukrainian army's actions. This time, the situation is likely to follow the same scenario," the JCCC said.

What is more, the illegal armed groups of the ORDLO regularly prevent members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine from fulfilling their tasks of monitoring compliance with the ceasefire, the JCCC added.

"Such actions by the illegal armed formations of the ORDO and the ORLO demonstrate once again the frank disregard for the Minsk agreements, their wish to discredit the Ukrainian Armed Forces prior the TCG meeting and the desire to further aggravate the armed conflict in Donbas," the report says.

  
By Lily Lee | Published on 2017/07/31

The movie "A Taxi Driver" premiere was held in Gwangju, which is meaningful since the background of the movie is held in the Gwangju city. The premiere was full of people as the movie "A Taxi Driver" is one of the highest anticipated movie in 2017.

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There are many reasons why the movie is receiving much attention. First of all, this movie takes the historical truth as the base. It features the Gwangju Uprising that happened from May 18th to 27th, 1980. This historical event is about the Gwangju massacre in South Korea where troops fired on students. Just by featuring this history, it is expected that the movie will be a tear bomb for all of us who watches it.

To make this good movie into a perfection, the director carefully chose the cast, which includes veteran actors Song Kang-ho, Yoo Hae-jin and also Ryu Jun-yeol. These actors are known for their high quality in their acting and sure to captivate us with the depth in their acting.



As much as these actors excel in acting, they are also known for their humanity. When these good-image actors have all gathered in one place, the movie is sure to sell. Also, because of their reputation, numerous fellow stars attended the premiere to support their new movie. From actor Lee Je-hoon to actress Han Ji-min, Park Shin-hye, Han Hyo-joo, Kim Ok-vin, and even actress Kim Hye-soo attended the event. Actress Kim Hye-soo said she was there to support her ex-boyfriend, actor Yoo Hae-jin, and the netizens shouted praises to this cool couple who support and care for each other even after the break up.



"Answer Me 1988" cast were also there to support their past co-worker and friend, actor Ryu Jun-yeol. From actress Ra Mi-ran, who had the role of the mother of actor Ryu Jun-yeol, the 1994 squad: Actor Park Bo-gum, Lee Dong-hwi, and actress Lee Hyeri was there to support him!



The movie will be released in this coming August 2nd.

By. Lily Lee
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The Public Council of Integrity has issued negative conclusions for a quarter of the winners of the competition for posts in the new Supreme Court of Ukraine; the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges and the Supreme Council of Justice should take this into account when appointing judges, representatives of the Public Council say.

Representative of the Public Council of Integrity Taras Shepel at a press conference on Tuesday in Kyiv welcomed the completion of the contest for the positions of judges of the Supreme Court, noting that about 20% of the winners of the competition are people not from the judiciary. "The judicial reform will be judged in terms of increasing confidence in the Supreme Court," he said.

However, representatives of the council pointed to the specific problems that the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges and the Supreme Council of Justice should address when appointing judges.

Representative of the Public Council of Integrity Roman Maselko said that 30 candidates among the winners have been issued negative opinion by the council, which is, every fourth.

Speaking about the main reasons for negative conclusion for candidates in terms of their integrity, Maselko named the adoption by these judges of politically motivated rulings, indication by the European Court of Human Rights of violations in passing the judgments, the inconsistency between the way of life and incomes of these judges, as well as the doubtful origin of the incomes of these judges.

Representative of the Public Council of Integrity Natalia Sokolenko urged the Supreme Council of Justice to prevent the winners of the contest, who received negative reviews from being appointed to the new Supreme Court, and said the Integrity Council is ready to contribute in every way to the work of the Supreme Council of Justice in this respect. She recalled that the required quorum for the Supreme Court to start its work in the new format is 65 judges, which means the Higher Qualification Commission of Judges can appoint only some of the 120 winners, that is only those who are clear in terms of their honesty assessment.

In addition, Sokolenko urged Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko to call a relevant meeting to address this matter.
Published on 2017/08/01 | Source

Added final episodes 15 and 16 captures for the Korean drama "Secret Forest" (2017)

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Directed by Ahn Gil-ho

Written by Lee Soo-yeon-I

Network : tvN

With Cho Seung-woo, Bae Doona, Lee Joon-hyuk, Yoo Jae-myung, Shin Hye-sun, Choi Byung-mo,...

16 episodes - Fri, Sat 20:00

Synopsis

A prosecutor who's lost his emotions delves into the secret of the District Attorney's Office to track down the real criminal.

Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2017/06/10

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New appointment ups ante at Lyme Bay following BRC approval

By Jo Gilbert

Devon-based winery, Lyme Bay Winery, has appointed a new quality manager to continue its work into best practice.

Jimmy Lewis joins Lyme Bay from the large-scale food industry bringing across experience in ensuring quality and safety standards.

The appointment follows the news that Lyme Bay has become BRC certified, believed to be the first BRC certification for an English wine producer.

The BRC is a global standard for retailers, manufacturers and food and drink service organisations.

Lewis will join the team at the Lyme Bay winery, based in the village of Shute in Axminster.

While initially the producer grew and sourced grapes locally around the winery along the west coast, over the past few years, it has begun to source grapes from across the UK, including the southeast.

Managing director James Lambert spoke to Harpers at the recent inaugural UK Wine Awards where Lyme Bay won Best Still Bacchus - the Bacchus grapes originate from a small plot at Great Whitmans Vineyard in Essex.

Lambert said that Lyme Bay has broadened its sourcing range in order to make the best of Englands microclimates to combine the best of east and west.

Speaking of the new appointment, Liam Idzikowski, head winemaker at Lyme Bay Winery, said: Bringing Jimmy aboard the Lyme Bay team has brought in a fresh and experienced pair of eyes to help us continue striving for better quality and higher standards.

His vast technical experience in the large-scale food industry offers the company a new and rigorous approach to cider and winemaking that will support us in our ongoing mission to produce the very highest quality drinks.

Lyme Bay was started in 1992 and is best known for producing zesty still wines.








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a legitimate business interest capable of supporting a non-compete restraint

the restrained business activity

the geographical area; and

the duration of time.

Legitimate business interest

As a matter of law, post-employment restraints are void for reasons of public policy and not enforceable. A restraint will only be enforced by a court where it goes no further than reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate business interest, such as:

the protection of business connections; and

the protection of confidential information.

Restrained activities

A restraint that seeks to prevent an employee for working for any business in the same industry (regardless of the role they will be performing in the new company) would likely be too broad as it could prevent the employee from working in another area of a business where the client contacts or confidential information is irrelevant (for example, if they moved from an operational role in one company, to an HR role in another company).

As a general rule, restrained activities need to relate to the information or relationships being protected and should not go so far as to prohibit the employee from engaging in unrelated employment. For example, in Sportsbet v Carpanini [2014] VSC 166, the Victorian Supreme Court considered whether a mid-level Customer Services Manager should be restrained from working in any capacity anywhere in Australia for any competitor for a period of six months. The Court found the restraint void and unenforceable due to the unreasonable breadth of the words "in any capacity".
Re-locating the European Medicines Agency to Helsinki would guarantee a smooth transition for the operations and promote the international competitiveness of Finland, Jan Vapaavuori, the Mayor of Helsinki, commented in a press release .

The EMA will be re-located from London due to the United Kingdoms impending withdrawal from the European Union. Around two dozen member states were understood to be interested in hosting the agency, its staff of nearly 900 highly-skilled public officials and their families.

The deadline for applications was on Monday, 31 July, 2017.

Helsinki is already the location of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), a fact that according to the application would enable the two agencies to pool their expertise and resources to create a genuine centre of excellence and, consequently, enhance the global competitiveness of the European Union.

The Helsinki region is already one of the best places in Europe for health care and health technology research, development and businesses, said Vapaavuori.

The City of Helsinki and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on Monday revealed that they have drawn up a detailed roadmap for ensuring a smooth and cost-effective re-location of the agency and its operations to Helsinki.

The EU, as well as the management and personnel of the medicines agency, can have confidence in that everything will function as intended and that the transition from London to Helsinki will be smooth, assured Vapaavuori.

Helsinki also stands out among the several candidates to host the agency due to the quality of life it offers to its residents, according to the application. The city, for example, has a high-quality schooling system with a fair share of international schools and is committed to developing its English-language daycare and schooling options.

The application also draws attention to the positive experiences of the roughly 500 people employed by the ECHA in Helsinki.

The ECHA has the lowest staff turnover of all EU institutions. People who come to Helsinki do not want to leave. It is easy to combine work and free time in Helsinki, argued Marja-Leena Rinkineva, the director of economic development at the City of Helsinki.

The City of Helsinki, she revealed, has conducted a preliminary study of the available properties and identified a total of four properties meeting the requirements of the EMA. One of the properties is a four-building, six-floor office complex that is under construction at the corner of Sturenkatu and Aleksis Kiven Katu in Vallila, Helsinki.

No details of the three other properties are provided in the application.

Rinkineva believes it is vital to be able to propose a property that is already under construction as the headquarters of the EMA.

We wanted to use one example to demonstrate how the re-location of the agency would take place. We of course also carried out a quick assessment to identify other sites thatd allow the re-location to take place in a similar way, she explained to Helsingin Sanomat on Monday. What's crucial now is to get the agency interested in Helsinki, and the easiest way to do that is by using a single site.

Vapaavuori also commended the government for its willingness to co-operate on the application process that was carried out under considerable time constraints. He had previously expressed his exasperation with the governments dilly dallying on the issue.

The EU General Affairs Council will make a decision on the re-location of the EMA on 20 November, 2017.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Irene Stachon  Lehtikuva
It sounds good. The most important route currently takes [refugees] from Libya to Italy across the middle of the Mediterranean. Thats where a solution must be found, he says to Uusi Suomi.

Jussi Halla-aho, the chairperson of the Finns Party and a Member of the European Parliament, has lent his tentative support to the idea floated by French President Emmanuel Macron of setting up migrant processing centres in Libya.

Macron on Thursday proposed that France set up the so-called refugee hotspots in Libya in order to determine whether or not migrants intent on making the perilous journey have a realistic chance of being granted asylum in Europe. The objective is to prevent people who may not be eligible for asylum from taking crazy risks, he explained according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Halla-aho estimates that the hotspots would both reduce the demand for the services of human smugglers and eliminate one of the pull factors encouraging people to migrate from Sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean.

Im very supportive of this. But the question of what will be the primary strategy for our asylum policy is still unanswered, he adds, reminding that it remains unclear what would be the grounds for making decisions at the hotspots and whether the hotspots would be incorporated into the burden-sharing system of the EU.

One possibility would naturally be that [people at the hotspots] are treated similarly to people at refugee camps, whose need for asylum has already been verified by the UNHCR. It could be a functional solution in that respect, says Halla-aho.

The Finns Party, he reminds, does not consider migration or the re-settlement of people to Europe a solution to the refugee crisis. Nor is either in the best interests of Finland or Europe, according to the populist party.

But as a first step moving the asylum process out of Europe would be a fine solution, he adds.

Macron referred to the hotspots primarily as a national project for France rather than a joint project for the EU. He has since, however, cast doubt on whether the plan will be put into action by reminding that an improvement in the local security situation is a prerequisite for establishing the processing centres in Libya.

Halla-aho views that also the bloc will eventually have to comment on the proposal in one way or another and may even have to re-adjust its position on the issue due to the proposal.

The way the entire asylum policy has been revised since 2015 is basically that member states have started to take action and the decisions and legislation have followed. I think thats what will happen also in this case, he says.

Whether or not the proposal will be approved is a whole other issue and one that is likely to become a political bone of contention.

Halla-aho estimates that the proposal is likely to receive more support in national parliaments than in the European Parliament.

The commission is probably capable of recognising the fact that the current mechanisms arent working. The European Parliament, in turn, will definitely not warm up to the idea if you think about the kind of ideas that enjoy a hegemony there when it comes to asylum issues, he tells Uusi Suomi.

I think the conservative parliamentary group EPP can get behind the proposal, but then there is the entire left and groups outside the traditional left that wont necessarily like the idea.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Martti Kainulainen  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
A TEACHER at Bishopswood Special School has retired after 41 years working with children.

Carol Parrey, 63, joined the school in the Eighties and was responsible for its expansion.

She worked mostly at the pre-school based at Valley Road Primary School in Henley but also helped out at the schools two other sites at Sonning Common Primary School and nearby Chiltern Edge School.

Mrs Parrey lives with her husband John in Reading Road, Shiplake. The couple have two daughters, Lindsay, 27, and Elly, 25, and two Bedlington terriers.

She grew up in Kent and says she knew from a young age that she wanted to work with children.

After leaving school, she qualified as a nursery nurse and worked at Lanthorne Hospital School for disabled children in Kent, which no longer exists.

At this time education for special needs children was beginning to be provided at schools rather than at health facilities and Mrs Parrey witnessed many of the changes first hand.

She went on to train as a teacher at Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham, graduating in 1976, and moved to Oxfordshire to take up a teaching post at Borocourt Hospital in Rotherfield Peppard, which also no longer exists. She said: What a learning curve it was: individual teaching programmes for each pupil, detailed observation skills plus an hour-and-a-half lunch break!

Mrs Parrey joined Bishopswood in 1980 and soon afterwards helped launch one of the first integrated classes in the country at Sonning Common Primary School, followed by an infant class at the school and a nursery class at Valley Road, where she has spent most of the last 30 years.

She said: The changes that I have seen since 1976 could not have been guessed at. To now see our most vulnerable children no longer shut away in remote hospitals but being accepted and educated alongside their peers is truly wonderful.

It has not just been a benefit for special needs but a two-way process where children and parents learn tolerance and acceptance.

I feel so very privileged to have had a job that I always loved and to have helped to change our society for the better. Its all been about positive teamwork with children, parents, staff and other professionals.

Mrs Parreys retirement was marked with an assembly at Valley Road school, where there was a slideshow of photographs taken during her career and children performed I Can Sing a Rainbow while waving coloured ribbons.

Mrs Parrey was given home-made cards and presents by pupils and staff, including a painting and a long string of 41 coloured balls, one for each year of her service.

Bishopswood headteacher Janet Kellett said: One of the things parents say to me is how they appreciate the help they have had since their children were very little.

As well as the pre-school, Carol helps us run the rest of Bishopswood too.

Valley Road headteacher Tim Coulson said: The reason why Carol is one of the easiest people Ive worked with is because she tells it like it is. I have two kids and would like nothing more than for Carol to be educating them.

Mrs Parrey was presented with a certificate by Michael Macfadyen, deputy lieutenant for Oxfordshire, along with fellow Bishopswood teacher Judi Stacpoole, who retired in April after also completing 41 years.

Mr Macfadyen said: Its my pleasure to be here today to recognise the outstanding service of Carol and Judi, for all they have done for the school and having made a huge impact.

Both will be missed by parents and children alike.

Mrs Parrey was rated as an outstanding teacher by Ofsted and picked up Oxfordshire County Councils Excellence in Oxfordshire Award following an inspection in 2013.
A MAN once described by Henley police as a one-man crime wave is wanted in connection with a burglary in Caversham.

Officers are trying to find Paul Michael Hutton, 37, after a property in Donkin Hill, was broke into on Wednesday last week.

Hutton is described as black, about 5ft 8in, of medium build with short or shaved black hair and brown eyes.

He is known to visit the Henley, Nettlebed, Caversham and Reading areas.

Hutton, who has previously lived at Swiss Farm in Henley, has more than 40 convictions for offences ranging from burglary to shoplifting and drug dealing.

Det Insp Katie Smith, of Reading police, warned the public not to approach him.

Anyone who sees Hutton should contact Thames Valley Police on 101, quoting URN 471 28/7, or dial 999.
HENLEY could have its own Boris Bikes this summer.

Bainton Bikes wants to offer bicycle hire to residents and visitors so they can explore the town and surrounding countryside without using a car.

Up to six bikes would be based at the station with two or three at other locations in the town, possibly hotels or car parks.

The company, which is based in Oxford, could offer Brompton foldaway bikes, Pashley traditional bikes, road machines, tandems and even electric bikes.

The machines would be fitted with lights, a bell and puncture-resistant tyres. A smartphone app would be needed to access them.

The bikes would not require docking stations as the app would provide a map of their location and a key to unlock one.

A report to Henley Town Councils recreation and amenities committee said: This initiative will dovetail with the councils aim to encourage more people to cycle as a healthy activity, to leave the car behind at home or at their hotel, helping to reduce pollution, and to spend time at the pubs, cafes and the many other attractions that Henley has to offer.

As a second phase, the council would want to make available maps with suggested routes and places visitors could explore, such as Stonor Park, Greys Court and others, with a safer, quieter route.

Another idea discussed was that of Midsomer Murders cycle tours for those locations that are beyond easy walking distance but maybe do not justify a car journey.

Mayor Kellie Hinton suggested other possible locations for the bikes, including Gillotts School, Tesco, Fair Mile, the Greencroft allotments, off Matson Drive, and Swiss Farm, off Marlow Road.

But she added: I wouldnt want to see psychedelic advertising bikes everywhere.

Councillor Ian Reissmann said: The branding and the appearance of the bikes should be consistent with Henley.

Committee chairwoman Sarah Miller suggested having baskets on the bikes so that people could do their shopping with them.

Town clerk Janet Wheeler said the scheme would come at no cost to the council, adding: It does tick all our transport strategy boxes.

But Councillor David Eggleton said a similar initiative had been tried twice before and failed.

In 2011, the idea of a Boris Bike scheme to reduce congestion and emissions in Henley was first put forward and was to include a bike trail connecting the town with Shiplake. The idea was put forward by Pete Smith, then chairman of the former Henley Partnership, who said it would benefit businesses and help persuade commuters not to use Shiplake as a free car park when they caught the train.

Howard Papworth, marketing manager at Bainton Bikes, said the company had an agreement with GWR to place the bikes at Henley station. The cost of hire would be 15 a day.

He said: Wed probably put in half a dozen and see what the demand was.

The purpose is to attract people to the area without necessarily having lots of cars around. We want to give people the chance to get some good exercise and appreciate their surroundings.

Boris Bikes were launched in London in 2010 when former Henley MP Boris Johnson was the citys Mayor. There are now more than 10,000 bikes available for hire at more than 700 docking stations across the capital.

Bikes have been available for hire at Henley Cycles in Reading Road for the past eight years.
A biker who shot dead a member of a rival motorcycle club will be sentenced to life in prison in October after being found guilty of murder.

Alan 'Cookie' McNamara, (51), of Mountfune, Murroe, Co Limerick, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Andrew 'AOD' O'Donoghue at the gates of the Road Tramps club at Mountfune on June 20, 2015.

The jury delivered a unanimous verdict to the Central Criminal Court yesterday.

The seven men and four women had been asked to dec-ide if the accused was acting in defence of himself and his family or in retaliation, after he was assaulted and threatened.

Terrified

The trial heard that McNamara, a member of the Caballeros motorcycle club, was assaulted at a pub in Doon in Limerick by members of the Road Tramps the day before the shooting. Doon was considered Road Tramps territory.

One of the Road Tramps punched McNamara in the face and one of them took his waistcoat, which had a Caballeros patch sewn into the back. Another held back his wife.

Three Road Tramps later pulled up to his house in a car and, in front of his wife and children, threatened to kill him and burn down his home, leaving him terrified, McNamara claimed.

He received a phone call the following day from his stepson, Robert Cusack, who told him that he was in a car with two other Caballeros following a Road Tramp, he said.

McNamara loaded a shotgun, got into his car and drove to the Road Tramps' clubhouse, where he claimed he thought Mr O'Donoghue was holding a gun, so he shot him.

Cusack (28), of Abington, Murroe, Co Limerick, had gone on trial with his stepfather, having pleaded not guilty to impeding McNamara's apprehension. However, he changed his plea to guilty during the trial and will be sentenced later.

The prosecution said the shooting "evolved out of acts which were revengeful or retaliatory", that McNamara had seen an opportunity for retribution and had murdered an innocent man.

The prosecution said it did not stand over the attack at Doon, the alleged threats or the presence of "an arsenal of weapons" at the Road Tramps' clubhouse.

However, barrister Michael Delaney said in his closing speech: "You are not entitled to take the law into your own hands and shoot an innocent man."

There was no evidence that Mr O'Donoghue had been involved in any of the incidents leading up to the shooting, he noted.

The whole event happened very quickly and the accused felt there was a threat to him and his family, the defence said.

McNamara had claimed to be "out of my mind" and in a panic on the morning of the shooting.

He had been attacked and then threatened by three men, one of them waving a gun, said Hugh Hartnett, defending.

"Would that have an effect on the mind of an average man?" he asked in his closing speech.

McNamara knew what the Road Tramps were capable of, he added, reminding the jury of the weapons found at their clubhouse and that one member, Kevin Ryan, had a conviction for a firearms offence.

React

Jury members were told by Mr Justice Paul McDermott that they had to examine the accused man's state of mind and ask: "What did he honestly believe at the time?"

He said to think about the manner of the shooting and the events leading up to it - why the accused came to be there with a loaded shotgun and whether Mr O'Donoghue did anything other than point towards him.

The jury reached a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder following two hours and 43 minutes of deliberating.

McNamara, who walks with sticks, did not react when the registrar read the verdict.

Mr Justice McDermott remanded McNamara in custody for sentencing on October 27.
How the revamped interior will look

The historic but derelict Clontarf baths is being given a 2m facelift, which will begin later this month.

Irish-owned company, Serendipity By Design, which is based in Dubai, has been awarded the design contract for the redevelopment.

The works will include a cafe, bar, restaurant and a complete renovation of the baths and changing facilities.

The open-air pool will be at sea temperature, but there will be water heaters to keep it attractive for swimmers throughout the winter months.

Seawater from Dublin Bay will be used and there will be a filtration system to keep it clean.

While it was originally expected to open in September, delays in the project have meant it won't be completed until the end of this year.

Eyesore

Clontarf baths has existed since the 1860s and was once famed for holding regular swimming and waterpolo competitions run by Clontarf Swimming Club.

The baths closed more than 20 years ago and had degenerated into an eyesore.

Clontarf Baths and Assembly Rooms Ltd, owned by directors David and Mary Cullen, was granted planning permission in 2012 to restore the seawater baths and add a restaurant and cafe bar.

The company was also recently granted a seven-day drinks licence.

Mr Cullen, who has owned the baths for more than 25 years, said they wanted to bring the place back to its former glory.

"We anticipate a fantastic mix of people from the local area and beyond," he said.

"We'll be providing a place for family gatherings, business lunches, evening dinner and cocktail drinkers.

"We chose Serendipity By Design because it is an Irish firm and has its own unique vision. We want to make the location a focal point again."

The Clontarf Residents' Association welcomed the announcement following previous planning concerns.

"While we are aware that a number of residents still have grave concerns about the plan, we believe that if it does proceed, it will have benefits for the Clontarf and the promenade," the association said in a statement.

"Most particularly, it will result in the elimination of a derelict site that was increasingly becoming an eyesore and a risk.

The Clontarf project is a first in Ireland for Serendipity By Design, which plans to open an office in Dublin.

The company has also worked on several landmark projects in Dubai, including the Burj Al Arab hotel.
A mother-of-three has been jailed after she admitted importing 70,000 of cocaine into Dublin Airport.

Jade Seddon (25) had just over 1kg of cocaine in her suitcase when she flew in from Brussels.

Seddon, of Lees Road, Oldham, Manchester, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to importation of the drugs at Dublin Airport last March 30.

After her arrest, the British national admitted she had flown to Amsterdam to collect a package and she knew that it contained cocaine.

She said she was to meet a man in Dublin and would receive 3,000.

Seddon said her home was being repossessed and she needed money for a rent dep- osit.

She has been held in custody since her arrest.

Bingo

Luigi Rea, defending, said his client was a single mother of limited means.

He said she had previously worked as a bingo caller and as a cleaner in a shopping centre.

Mr Rea told the court she was not the prime mover in the drug operation.

Judge Martin Nolan said Seddon was a transporter of the drugs and did it because she thought it was the only way she could make the money she needed.

He said importation of this type of drug was a serious offence and jailed Seddon for two years, with the sentence backdated to last March.

He said he was taking into consideration the fact that she has no family here and that this would make prison more difficult for her.
More than 35 prisoners were held in lock-down in an exercise yard at Mountjoy Prison after an attempt to smuggle drugs in went wrong.

The incident happened shortly after 11am yesterday, when an inmate was discovered on the roof trying to retrieve a large package of drugs.

He was intercepted by prison officers but managed to throw the contraband into the exercise yard before being removed from the roof.

Hitman

The authorities are investigating whether the drugs are linked to a notorious hitman for the Kinahan cartel who is on remand, sources say.

Around 15 of the 35 inmates in the exercise yard went to the package and it is believed they took drugs from it.

Prison officers suspect they may have hidden the drugs internally, and sources said last night that if the drugs are not seized, the inmates in question face being placed in isolation.

The incident led to a stand-off, and specially-trained staff in riot gear were ready to be deployed.

Ultimately, this was not necessary and the prisoners were all returned to their cells by noon.

Last night, sources said the package was believed to have contained cannabis and tablets.

In the latest figures released by the Irish Prison Service last month, it emerged that 163 mobile phones have been seized already this year in Mountjoy.

The tally accounts for more than 40pc of the 379 phones intercepted at 13 jails around the country.

Mountjoy also had the largest number of drug discoveries, 213, up to last month.

Mountjoy holds some of Ireland's most dangerous prisoners, including members of the deadly Kinahan cartel, who are housed on a special landing.

It also contains members of the notorious Dundon crime gang from Limerick.

Bust

After a major bust against them in Portlaoise Prison last May, killer brothers Wayne and Dessie Dundon were moved to Mountjoy and placed in the Challenging Behaviour Unit (CBU) as punishment.

Gardai were not called to yesterday's incident, and it is understood that a number of prisoners will be disciplined in the coming days in relation to the stand-off.

Criminal charges may also be pursued.
A woman has been sent for trial at the Special Criminal Court, accused of the murder of Gareth Hutch, who was shot dead outside his home in Dublin.

The father-of-one (35), a nephew of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, was gunned down while getting into his car outside Avondale House flats, on North Cumberland Street in inner-city Dublin, on May 24 last year. Custody

Mother-of-five Regina Keogh (39), of Kings Inn Street, Dublin, made her fourth District Court appearance yesterday and was sent forward for trial at a sitting of the non-jury Special Criminal Court

Judge Hutton granted the defence's request for legal aid.

Ms Keogh was further remanded in custody.
BBC presenter Vanessa Feltz has described a Sunday Times column, which allegedly suggested that she and Claudia Winkleman are highly paid because they are Jewish, as "horrifying racism".

She said the piece, with the headline "Sorry, ladies - equal pay has to be earned", by columnist Kevin Myers, included "every vile stereotype about what Jewish people have ever been deemed to be by racists".

Speaking on BBC Radio London, Feltz questioned how something that she described as "so blatantly racist" was allowed in the paper.

Gratuitous

"When someone alerted me to it... I couldn't believe such a thing had been printed. It is absolutely gratuitous, not cleverly done; it's blatant racism. When you see it like that, it's very horrifying," she continued.

"The editor personally rang me to apologise. He said he was horrified."

Meanwhile, both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald have said the Sunday Times took the right action in dropping Myers.

"I read the article and it is misogynistic and anti-Semitic in my view and the Sunday Times has taken the appropriate action," said Mr Varadkar.

Minister Fitzgerald added: "I regret that the article was published, I have to say, in the first place.

"But certainly I think that now the right action has been taken and there's an onus on everyone, including the media obviously, to make sure that articles like that do not appear."
PENNINGTON GAP, Va.  An inmate at United States Penitentiary Lee who had a homemade weapon was shot in the arm by a prison staff member Monday.

Prison staff responded to an altercation involving four inmates just after 8 a.m., according to a news release. The inmate with the weapon was shot in the upper right arm.

The injured inmate was transferred to an outside hospital for treatment.

The prison was placed on limited operating status. The public was never in danger, according to officials.

USP Lee is a high security institution with a minimum security satellite camp. It houses more than 1,300 men.
Volleyball playoffs: Hubs, Blazers sweep into state semifinals

North Hagerstown and Clear Spring each won in sweeps at home Friday night, the Hubs over River Hill in Class 3A, the Blazers over Dunbar in Class 1A.
U.S. President Donald Trumps speech at the White House to repeal Obamacare may irritate many Americans, but it is potentially racist moments like ignoring two little Asian girls who support him are upsetting many Chinese.

The President, who blasted the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, at the White House on July 24, met with families who described themselves as victims of Obamacare before his speech. A live video broadcasted by ABC News showed the president bending down to shake the hand of a white boy and then going directly to another white boy on the other sidebypassing two Asian girls standing in the middle, the only non-white representatives at the scene.

Though U.S. mainstream media has largely ignored the incident, some eagle-eyed Chinese have posted the video online, calling Trump a racist. As of press time, around 7,000 netizens have participated in a heated discussion of the incident on Sina Weibo, expressing different opinions.

I think people are exaggerating things. It seems that the president had no intention to shake hands with anyone, but the white boy took the initiative and stretched out his hand to Trump, so it happened. I dont think this is racism, a netizen wrote.

But most Chinese netizens had a different opinion.

Stop making excuses for him. Out of five kids standing in the front row, he only ignored the two Asian girls. He even shook hands with the third white boy. And besides, he is known for his racist remarks, a netizen wrote.

I feel sad for the poor Asian girls, as they were staring at the president the entire time, likely hoping to shake hands with him too. Maybe the president is selectively blind, non-white are invisible to him, or perhaps he thinks only white people deserve his attention, said another netizen.
HICKORY  Its been a busy summer for Hickory Public Schools' new Book Bus.

Along with introducing hundreds of books to students, the bus has brought history and members of local, state and federal government to them through a civics engagement program offered in partnership with the Hickory Housing Authority (HHA).

This week, U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx took time to teach kids about public service and her job in federal government during a trip to HHAs Ross Center.

The wisdom of the world is not in Washington D.C. The wisdom of the world is here in our districts, Foxx said. I love coming and speaking to kids. What I hope is to inspire them to pay attention to whats happening in Congress and to want to be better informed.

This is the first time Hickory Public Schools has partnered with the Hickory Housing Authority to bring a civic program to area children. Along with visits from different members of government, students got to take trips to local historical landmarks.

The program was coordinated by book bus assistant Aaron Kohrs, who will be teaching civics this upcoming school year at Hickory Career and Arts Magnet School.

I thought why not show kids all the levels of government because it is like a cake. You have local, federal and state, so lets show them that and talk about how they work, Kohrs said.

Tina Connelly said her son, Malachi, 8, couldnt wait to get on the Book Bus.

We loved participating in everything this summer, she said. I made sure, since he was 4, he participated in a library reading program. Its important to me to read, and he loves school.

After a trip to city hall on the book bus, he told his mother he wanted to be president one day.

Hes bounced back and forth in careers from doctor to scientist to principal to president, Tina Connelly said. The trips and everyone hes seen this summer has had an impact on him.

Denise Lopez appreciates the idea of having a reading program that comes out to the communities during the summer.

It also has a civics program so theyre learning about the political situation in the immediate area but also on a state level, Lopez said. I like that the children get to ask questions about what they think is important to them.

Her daughter Maria, a sophomore at Hickory High, said shes learned a lot and enjoyed it a lot.

Ive learned about history at the different historical sites, and I learned about government, local and state. I think this is important.

Ross Center Coordinator Jackie Brown said the partnership has been an amazing opportunity for all the children whove attended.

Theyve learned a lot about how their government works from the city to the greater scope of the county, the state all the way up, Brown said. Theyre learning to pull those things together so they understand how it works for them.

She made it a practical lesson as well, using the example and challenge of how they could get a playground at the center.

Taking something they actually wanted and then putting that into play makes it more real for them, Brown said.

This was the first time shes coordinated this kind of weekly summer event with HPS. Her goal was helping with student retention of knowledge while out of school.

We wanted to keep them on their toes academically and at the same time to have some fun, Brown said.

Foxx believes the nation depends on younger generations getting more involved in public service.

She shared her love of reading with the children who attended the event and took a tour of the Hickory Public Schools (HPS) Book Bus.

(Reading) has served me in good stead. Ive worked hard all my life and those two things and getting degrees has made all the difference in the world in becoming a success, Foxx said.

Congresswoman Foxx represents North Carolinas Fifth District in the United States House of Representatives and took office in 2004. She serves as the chairwoman of the House committee on education and the workforce.

Students also got to visit with James Estes, representing the office of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, Sheriff Lee Hart (RetiredCulpepper, Va.) and FBI National Academy grad and visited with members of the Hickory City Council.

Along with HPS and housing authority, the Lake Hickory and Sunrise Hickory Rotary Clubs also helped sponsor the Book Bus visits.
NEWTON The Catawba County Board of Commissioners held a subcommittee meeting Monday morning to discuss an ordinance about alcohol sales before noon Sundays.

Assistant County Manager Dewey Harris presented the ordinance to the subcommittee.

Staff is requesting the committee to recommend to the board to adopt an ordinance to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages before noon on Sundays on licensed premises, Harris said.

On June 29, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Senate Bill 155, An Act to Make Various Changes to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission Laws.

The bill authorizes city and county governments to adopt an ordinance to allow alcohol sales beginning at 10 a.m. Sundays, and it was signed into law June 30.

Both the League of Municipalities and the County Commissioners Association drafted an ordinance, Harris said. Essentially, what weve talked about is Sunday service would actually benefit small businesses, but would also allow the hospitality community to meet the needs of customers and to also generate increased tax revenues.

The bill enacted various distillery permit amendments, the creation of spirituous liquor special event permits to allow distilleries to give free tastings, the sale of alcoholic beverages at auction by licensed auctioneers, and the sale of alcoholic beverages at restaurants before noon Sundays, subject to local government approval.

Weve talked to managers about this, and so far, we have learned that Hickory, Newton, Conover, Claremont, Maiden and Long View will be considering this ordinance within the effective date of Oct. 1, Harris said.

The commissioners on the subcommittee were split in their decision, and the ordinance will be heard by the Catawba County Board of Commissioners in its meeting Aug. 7.

I do believe that if we want to see some quality restaurants in the county area, I think its important that we pass it, Commissioner Kitty Barnes said.

Commissioner Dan Hunsucker said he would vote in favor of the ordinance as well.

This doesnt really pertain to the people who would be in church at that time, but to be consistent with the municipalities, and the confusion that could occur, that is the only reason I would vote in favor of it, Hunsucker said. I dont think its going to generate that much more tax revenue, though.

Commissioner Sherry Butler said she would not vote in favor of the ordinance.

Im not going to vote for it to come out of the subcommittee  it can go to the full board because Ill vote against it, Butler said.

The subcommittee asked for a section of the proposed ordinance to be excluded, which read, whereas, our county has a diverse and growing population with different religious beliefs, each of which has various times and multiple days for worship.

It does pertain to our county, but I dont think it should be in (the ordinance), Hunsucker said.

Some North Carolina cities, including Charlotte, Raleigh and Asheville, have already passed the Brunch Bill.

Other discussion

Also, the subcommittee recommended approval from the Catawba County Board of Commissioners for Catawba County Schools to purchase a new walk-in freezer/cooler for Blackburn Elementary School.

Blackburn Elementary School currently has a 41-year-old walk-in freezer/cooler that has stopped working and is necessary to the operation of the school nutrition program, Jennifer Mace, budget and management director, said.

The amount necessary to order and install a new cooler/freezer is estimated to be $33,450 and $30,414.81 of the expense will be transferred from the completed Mountain View Elementary Renovations project if passed by commissioners at the next meeting.
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Kerala is back in the news, and this time for the wrong reasons.

The state has been witnessing widespread tension and violence after the killing of E Rajesh, a 34-year-old RSS activist, in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. On Saturday, Rajesh was on his way home after attending an RSS unit meeting when he was attacked by a group of men. Rajesh later died in a private hospital. The BJP, protesting Rajeshs killing, called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Sunday.

Incidences of violence reported from several parts of the state exposed the CPI(M)-led LDF governments failure to maintain law and order. The BJP, which called for the hartal, is also responsible for not ensuring a peaceful protest.

If our workers are involved in any violence, we are ready to take responsibility for that, MT Ramesh, general secretary of the BJP state unit told Hindustan Times. But one should also consider the circumstances in which the hartal was called.

Attacks on the party offices and houses of both the CPI(M) and BJP workers, before and after the hartal, have heightened tensions in the state, and it is in the light of these developments that the governor, P Sathashivam, summoned chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DGP Loknath Behara.

This level of political rivalry and brutality is associated with the northern parts of the state, in the Malabar region, where RSS and Left activists often clash  not with Keralas capital city.

So why has Thiruvananthapuram become a Left-BJP/RSS flashpoint?

The BJP feels that this is because the party is growing. The BJP is becoming the most powerful party in the state capital. A lot of new people, especially from the marginalised communities, are joining the BJP. The Left wants to stop this through intimidation and violence, says Ramesh.

Author and social commentator Paul Zacharia agrees with this view: Im not surprised that Thiruvananthapuram is the latest flashpoint because the BJP has perhaps grown the quickest in Kerala in this district.

The Left, however, sees the hand of the Centre in recent developments. Behind the developments in Thiruvananthapuram there is the agenda of the BJP-led central government. This is because the government in Kerala is one of the few that does not toe the Centres line, says Pannyan Raveendran, a national executive member of the CPI.

The Congress-led Opposition suspects hidden motives behind current tension. The BJP wants to conceal the [medical college] scam that has hit the party, while the CPI(M) government wants to hide its administrative failures, Ramesh Chennithala, Opposition leader in the Kerala assembly told Hindustan Times.

Parties might differ on the reasons behind it, but all agree that Thiruvananthapuram is seeing an unusual level of political hostility and violence, with the national media and the Centre taking note of the situation.

The Left smells a sinister plot

The Left parties see a sinister plot in the Centre taking a keen interest in the states affair.

Just like the Congress was scared of the Communists in 1957, the BJP is scared of the Left in 2017. In 1957, of the 14 states in India then, the Congress was in power in 13, and Kerala was the only exception. The Centre worked towards removing the Communist government and succeeded in 1959. This is indicative of what is happening now. One of the few governments to oppose the BJP today is the LDF in Kerala, says Raveendran.

Raveendrans is not a lone voice. While addressing party cadre in February, Vijayan had said that no group should keep hopes of destabilising his government. At the same function CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury compared the CIAs efforts against Communist governments to that of the BJP and RSS to disband the Left government in Kerala.

The Congress feels that the LDF government has failed, but, it is against the Centres intervention of any sort. Even though the LDF has failed on many fronts, we cannot allow Centres intervention in the state, says Chennithala.

Zacharia, however, rubbishes this theory. Its too simplistic, predictable and an easy reason to give. Such an excuse would be a reflection that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is not in charge of affairs in the state.

Now what is the way forward from here?

On Monday Vijayan met with the RSS and BJP leaders and to a certain extent tensions have been diffused. The Kerala government has decided to call an all-party meet on Sunday and also hold several district-level bilateral meetings between the CPI(M) and the BJP/RSS before Sunday.

The Congress feels that it is a lack of political will that has brought things to such a pass. If Pinarayi Vijayan and [BJP state president] Kummanam Rajasekharan want, they can defuse the situation in an hours time, says Chennithala.

Zacharia is not so hopeful. The Left is not really in charge of its cadre and thats why we see some of these incidents are happening. Gone are the days when a diktat was followed by the cadre.

BJPs Ramesh feels that the ball is in the governments court. We have put forward our demands [at the Monday meeting]. It is now for the government to act.

All sides agree that violence is not the way ahead.

The government should sternly deal with any form of violence. This trend of Kolakathi Rashtriyam (politics with a bloodied knife) must stop and the concerned parties must work towards it. They should control their cadre for peace to prevail, Ravindran told HT.

The question is: Is anybody listening?

@VijuCherian

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From my perch a few blocks from the State Department and the White House, and just across the river from the Pentagon, I am starting to see the signs that a policy shift is afoot in the U.S. position vis-a-vis its unreliable ally, Pakistan. The Trump Administration appears to be ready to take a much harder line against this rogue nation. The appointment of Lisa Curtis as the senior director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council augurs a more punitive approach to Pakistan than the Obama Administration, which gave more military and economic aid to Pakistan than any previous administration in an effort to bribe the country into action against the terrorists hiding out in plain sight within its borders. On the contrary, Curtis has recommended that any future aid to Pakistan be calibrated against Pakistans ending its support to the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network.

In a Hudson Institute report that she co-authored earlier this year with Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistan ambassador to the United States, the two policy experts recommended that Pakistan be punished swiftly if these milestones are not met: stripping Pakistan of its major non-NATO ally (MNNA) status and designating it a state sponsor of terrorism. Ambassador Haqqani reiterated these recommendations in a July 6 New York Times editorial. In other words, more sticks and fewer carrots. Now that Curtis is in charge of the US policy towards South Asia and ostensibly has the ear of the nations National Security Advisor and President Trump, she is in a position to initiate and implement these recommendations.

These policy changes are long overdue. As I state emphatically in my newly released book, Neighbours in Arms: An American Senators Quest for Disarmament in a Nuclear Subcontinent, Pakistan should be treated like North Korea  like a rogue state. The only reason Pakistan is not a totally failed state is that countries like China and the United States continue to prop it up with massive amounts of foreign aid. Unless Pakistan changes its ways with respect to terrorism, it should be declared a terrorist state. Indeed, the first Bush administration seriously considered doing so in 1992. Pakistans leaders have essentially blackmailed us into providing aid for the war on terror with threats to cease assistance in rooting out terrorists in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, we know fully well that Pakistan harbours terrorists, and many military leaders believe terrorists have infiltrated Pakistans ranks. We let Pakistan use US taxpayer money to build their nuclear weapons programme. Why do we now let them use US taxpayer money to harbour terrorists? Without our money and military supplies, Pakistan would be powerless. Why do we continue to call Pakistan an ally? Why do we continue to be blackmailed?

The Pressler Amendment is also wrongly blamed for political instability in Pakistan during its enforcement period. That is just nonsense  there was just as much instability in Pakistan before the Pressler Amendment. Critics will say that, during that time, Iran and Saudi Arabia started fuelling sectarianism in Pakistan. The truth of the matter is that the Pressler amendment did slow down Pakistans nuclear ambitions, and I think the public attention forced Pakistan to be much more careful and transparent. The underlying policy objectives at the heart of the Pressler Amendment clearly have had a long-lasting impact, even if inconsistently enforced.

The US Congress is tired of Pakistans lies and games. It cut off $300 million in aid and blocked government funding for the transfer of F-16 aircraft last year. Congress knows squeezing them financially is the only leverage that really works. Curtis and Ambassador Haqqani understand this as well. They are old enough to remember the Pressler Amendment and its impact on Pakistans nuclear weapons programme. Named after me, it was enforced under President George H.W. Bush in 1990 when he could not certify that Pakistan did not have a nuclear weapon. As a result, all aid to Pakistan was immediately cut off. It was the ultimate diplomatic stick. Unfortunately, the generals in the Pentagon continued to find ways to fund the generals in Islamabad and the Pressler Amendments effectiveness and enforcement withered. Today, another type of Pressler Amendment is needed to force Pakistan to reject the terrorists in its midst. Hopefully, the new regime at the White House and in Congress will make it happen. Oddly enough, the election of Donald Trump as president might be the best thing for the relationship between the worlds two largest democracies.

Senator Larry Pressler served in the United States Congress for 22 years
Taimur Ali Khans first international holiday is just perfect -- picturesque backdrops and his parents making sure that he has fun at their favourite holiday spot in the world. Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan are holidaying with son Taimur in Gstaad in Switzerland and the photos from the trip are finding their way to the internet. And we are spoilt for choice -- whether to look at the picture postcard country or the handsome toddler in the couples lap.

While Kareena has been spotted several times with Taimur, it was on his Swiss holiday that Saif was seen with his son for the first time since the day he brought him home from the hospital in December 2016.

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan were recently seen leaving Mumbai airport with Taimur in tow. Talking about their holiday, Kareena told Mirror, If you hold a gun to my head and ask for my last wish, Id want one last holiday in Gstaad. Its the most beautiful and romantic place in the world. She also said that while she loves Mumbai, sometimes its nice to go somewhere where no one talks about Bollywood movies or music.

Taimur is enjoying his fun time with his parents in Gstaad, Switzerland. Take a look at some of the pictures:

Never have I seen such an adorable family! Chilling all vintage Bade Nawab where Chhote Nawab is taking a laugh at the cameraman! #kareenakapoor #kareenakapoorkhan #saifalikhan #saifkareena #saifeena #taimur #cutest #taimuralikhan #kareena A post shared by Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi (@taimursaifalikhan) on Jul 31, 2017 at 2:57pm PDT

It is holiday time for Bollywood kids. From Akshay Kumars daughter Nitara to Shah Rukh Khans son AbRam, we have seen the child brigade having fun on their foreign trips these last few days. Now, Shahid Kapoor also plans to take his daughter Misha out for a foreign holiday when she rings in her first birthday on August 26. Misha, Shahid and wife Mira Rajputs first child, will turn one on August 26. We are not probably going to be in the country, so we are going to get some family time around that time, Shahid said on the sidelines of an awards event.

On the work front, Saif Ali Khan is looking forward to his upcoming release Kaalakaandi while Kareena is working on her next with Sonam Kapoor - Veere Di Wedding.

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It was tragic that Meena Kumari, who was termed as the tragedy queen of Bollywood for her immortal, iconic portrayals of a varied gamut of wronged, silent and long-suffering but dignified Indian women from passed-over love interests to neglected wives, was also one of the most unfortunate actresses whose grief did not end when the shooting was done.

Meena Kumari, whose 85th birth anniversary is on Tuesday, was no less tragic than her roles in cinematic classics, spanning Baiju Bawra (1952) to Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962) and Pakeezah (1972). In these and more, she could evoke such a lifetime of melancholy and anguish that it was difficult to believe that she was only in her 20s and 30s when she played these roles.

Meena Kumari played a courtesan in Pakeezah, opposite Ashok Kumar and Rajkummar, one of her best movies.

But then, her circumstances had a great deal to contribute to this. Nearly abandoned at birth by her father (before a twinge of conscience made him return), her childhood was cut short by her parents demand that she work to support the family, a fairytale romance soon soured too, and she was starved of genuine love and support. This led to a habit of heavy drinking that ultimately proved fatal when she was in her prime.

Meanwhile, her onscreen career saw her typecast as a quietly-suffering woman in thrall to a dominant male figure. But even she left an undeniable legacy, not only in winning the first two Filmfare Awards for Best Actress (1954 and 1955), but also had the unparalleled -- and so far unbeaten -- record of securing all the nominations in the category at the 10th edition in 1963.

Her strong roles and fame made even established male stars chary of appearing opposite her, while her biographer, renowned journalist Vinod Mehta, noted that even Dilip Kumar grew flustered in her presence and Raaj Kumar frequently forgot his dialogues. But she was encouraging to newcomers, and some of the earliest successes of Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Dharmendra and even Vinod Khanna were opposite her.

Meena Kumaris first role was in the 1939 film Farzand-e-Watan.

Intelligent and sensitive, Meena Kumari did not remain entirely passive, and found free self-expression in Urdu poetry, where under the pen name Naaz, she could fashion some imaginative and striking imagery or convey motifs of endearing wistfulness or restrained sadness.

Shamaa hoon, phool hoon, ya ret pe qadmon ka nishaan/Aap ko haq hai mujhe jo bhi ji chahe keh le is a couplet that uncannily echoes the crushed, social-conforming, desire-denied woman she played in countless tear-jerkers.

Or even, Ab yahaan kuch nahi sannata hi sannata hai/Dekh ke veerana log abh bhi yehi kehte hai/Kisi dulhan ka maqbarah hai yeh khandar to nahi!

Born on August 1, 1933, Mahjabeen Bano saw her father Ali Bux, a stage artiste who never made it big in Bollywood, and mother Iqbal Begum, a stage actress, who was the granddaughter of Rabindranath Tagores younger brother) try to achieve their desires vicariously through her. When she was only four, they started taking her around film studios angling for a role for her.

Ultimately, director-producer Vikram Bhatt featured her the heros daughter in his costumed drama Leatherface (1939), where she was credited as Baby Meena. After a stint as a child artiste, it was Bhatt who eventually made her a household name with Baiju Bawra, for which she won a Filmfare Award.

The same year, she would go on to marry filmmaker Kamal Amrohi, 15 years her senior, but the marriage soon went on the rocks as he tried to set rules for her film career and even allegedly mistreated her, and they eventually separated.

But even as her personal life went miserable, Meena Kumari went on to set milestones in Indian cinema with her roles in Halaku (1956), Yahudi (1958), Char Dil Char Rahen (1959), Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Main Chup Rahungi, Aarti (all 1962), Benazir (1964), Bahu Begum (1967), Mere Apne (1971) and eventually her swan-song, the long-delayed Pakeezah, completed just before her death in 1972.

While known as a tragedienne, she could do comic roles with aplomb too -- as seen in films like Miss Mary (1957), Shararat (1959) and Kohinoor (1960) -- but never got much of a chance in this genre. This was perhaps the biggest tragedy for Meena Kumari.

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Another month has gone by and a fresh set of books is ready to hit the nearest stands. With an intriguing mix of genres  dominated by non-fiction  August offers simple reading options without the hype that distracts and manipulates readers.

There are no big literary names, no grand book launches for the upcoming books in the coming month. Readers, thus, will have an opportunity to pick titles on the basis of merit and not on the credentials of their authors.

For those looking to focus on more trending issues, there are a couple of political biographies being released  and unsurprisingly one is on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi. More literary readers may look forward to two anthologies of late writer Khushwant Singh. The list also has a revised biography of Agatha Christie, whose thrillers have once again created a buzz on social media after HarperCollins India released 25 limited facsimile editions of the best books from the Queen of Crime. There are several books focussing on economy and business from Hachette India.

Here are five books to look forward to this month:

The Generation of Rage in Kashmir by David Devadas (Oxford University Press)

This book by a former journalist describes the experience of Kashmiris who came of age between 2007 and 2017. It shows that Kashmiris generally had high hopes for peace and stability when militancy, which began in 1988, seemed to be tapering off around 2006 -- but alas, that was not to be. It explores the reasons why there was so much angst and rage, which exploded in agitations and stone-pelting in 2008, 2010, and 2016 and why a new wave of militancy is on the rise. The book also traces the decline of hope among the Kashmiris as the situation worsened from a perceived threat to their identity in 2008 to rage over the killing of innocents in 2010. The anger, the author argues, has finally resulted in support for militancy in 2016.

The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told by Muhammad Umar Memon (Aleph)

Selected and translated by writer, editor and translator par excellence Muhammad Umar Memon, the 25 stories in this book represent the finest short fiction in Urdu literature. Every story in the anthology illustrates one or the other facet of the form in the Urdu literary tradition. But even more than for their formal technique and inventiveness, these stories have been included because of their power and impact on the reader. Despairing, violent, passionate, humorous, ironic and profound -- the fiction in The Greatest Urdu Stories Ever Told will imprint itself indelibly on your mind.

Politicshock by Meghnad Desai (Rupa)

In this perceptive account, Meghnad Desai, a Labour Peer in the House of Lords, opens up the debate beyond the West and looks at parallels between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump as two outsiders who broke through the barriers to reach the top. He analyses Asias challenge to Western hegemony and asks if the conventional wisdom about the hegemony of free trade liberalism needs re-examination. He peers into the future to look at the greatest challenge facing the world today: Will the Liberal Order survive, collapse or mutate? Is the world at a cusp? Is history -- the old saga of blood, sweat and tears -- about to resume its course?

The Epic City: The World on the Streets of Calcutta by Kushanava Choudhury (Bloomsbury)

A masterful and entirely fresh portrait of great hopes and dashed dreams from a major new literary voice. Everything that could possibly be wrong with a city was wrong with Calcutta -- and yet, after completing his education in the US, Choudhury embodied his parents greatest fears by returning to the city they escaped for a better life. Sifting through the chaos and decay for the stories that are ignored by the papers, that dont fall into any reporters beat, The Epic City is a soulful, insightful and meticulously researched account of everyday lives and an extraordinary portrait of a city which is a world unto itself.

India: Priorities for the Future by Bimal Jalan (Penguin)

Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Bimal Jalans formidable analysis of the last four decades of Indias economic journey illuminates the nations transition from a strictly regulated, slow-growth state enterprise to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Drawing on this vast experience, he compares two distinct periods -- 1980-2000 and 2000-15 -- to examine the core changes and their significance, and considers their lessons for the immediate future.

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Google India today announced its Made in India initiative while reaffirming its commitment to help developers find success by building high quality products for India by India.

The company said that starting now, Indian developers can apply for a chance to have apps specifically optimized for the Indian market showcased on the Google Play store in India in a special section.

At Google Play, we are committed to helping Indian developers of all sizes seize this opportunity and build successful, locally relevant businesses, Purnima Kochikar, Director, Business Development, Games & Applications, Google Play said.

A lot of what we do at Google Play is support developers imaginations and make Android consumers aware of the amazing new experiences our developers are creating, she added.

At its first ever App Excellence Summit here today,Google said it has brought together over 700 Indian app and games developers and shared tips and tools to help developers create the best quality Android apps that are locally relevant.

Pointing out that the majority of Indian internet users are going online primarily via their smartphones and this number is growing at a phenomenal rate, Google in a release said there are now more people using Android devices in India than in the US.

People in India install more than a billion apps every month from Google Play, it said, adding that the number of apps installed in India has grown by 150 per cent each year.

Indian consumer spend on apps and games is accelerating at a rapid pace, tripling in just the past year alone, it said.
The $154 billion Indian information technology (IT) sector, once Indias largest creator of jobs, is now struggling to even add to its workforce. For the first time, three of the five largest IT companies saw their workforce shrink in the quarter ended June 30.

The five firms, which together employed 878,913 people at the end of the June quarter, saw their workforce shrink by 1,818 people.

This development bodes ill for Indias IT industry, which employed 3.9 million people at the end of March 2017, according to lobby group National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom). It also raises a question on whether the Indian IT sector will be able to meet Nasscoms projection of adding at least 150,000 people in the current year.

Read | Salary data for Indias top executives show companies cutting back on pay hikes

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, the countrys largest software services firm, saw its workforce decline by 1,414 people to 385,809 employees at the end of June quarter, as against 387,223 at the end of the previous quarter. Infosys Ltd saw a net decline of 1,811 people while Tech Mahindra Ltd, the fifth largest company, saw its workforce shrink by 1,713 people.

Only Wipro Ltd and HCL Technologies Ltd reported net additions to their workforce. Wipro saw 200 employees join the company on the acquisition of Infoserver, and an additional 1,000 employees added to its workforce from one of its clients when the Bengaluru-based IT company won an outsourcing deal in its business process outsourcing business.

Indias sixth largest IT outsourcing company, Larsen and Toubro Infotech Ltd, Mindtree Ltd, KPIT Technologies Ltd, Hexaware Ltd and Cyient Ltd, which together employ 77,447 people, added 2,026 employees during the first quarter. This means that Indias 10 largest IT firms added 208 employees in April-June period to take their total workforce to 956,360 employees at the end of June 2017.

(Published in arrangement with Livemint)
Minister of state of commerce and industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday sought Chinas help in reducing the trade deficit between the two countries.

Meeting Chinas commerce minister Zhong Shan on the sidelines of the 7th BRICS Trade Ministers meeting in Shanghai, Sitharaman said China should facilitate greater market access and provide a level playing field for Indian IT, pharmaceuticals and agro products.

The meeting comes after their first meeting on the sidelines of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Ministerial meeting in Hanoi in May 2017.

The ministers underscored the complementarities between the two fastest growing economies and agreed to further intensify efforts to realize the full potential of their mutually beneficial cooperation.

They exchanged views, in a candid manner, on further development of a strong, balanced and sustainable trade and investment partnership between India and China.

The ministers also agreed to further intensify Sino-Indian cooperation in the plurilateral and multilateral frameworks such as WTO, BRICS and SCO.

Sitharaman reiterated her invitation to Zhong Shan to visit India for the 11th Joint Economic Group (JEG) meeting.
DEHRADUN: Caught unawares about the Chinese intrusion in Barahoti sector, the Uttarakhand government is investigating how the mandarins in Delhi got information of the LAC breach without Doon in the loop.

The Chinese troopers had crossed over into Barahoti on July 25 and went back after they were halted by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). In fact, agency reports from Delhi on Monday said the Chinese had transgressed into Indian territory twice at Barahoti in July.

Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had said the state had no information about this breach as the border area is managed by ITBP and other central agencies. On Monday, Chamolis superintendent of police Tripti Bhatt acknowledged that something had occurred at the border but did not go into details. I am not supposed to comment since its a matter of the strategic relationship between two nations. But there has been something. Partially, it (the news report) is correct, Bhatt told HT.

Located 140 km from Dehradun, Barahoti is an 80-km-long pasture where local grazers go with their livestock.

In Dehradun, officials admitted that they were surprised to learn about the media reports from Delhi on the Chinese intrusion in Chamoli district. District officials from Chamoli divulged that they inquired about the matter but none of the agencies having presence at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) confirmed the episode.

A perplexed Uttarakhand government is now trying to find out the source of information from where it was received by the Centre. We are still not aware if there was any intrusion by the Chinese army as is being stated by the central agencies. We are not aware how this matter reached the media because none of agencies working at the Indo-China border area have corroborated it despite our repeated efforts. They have denied the Chinese incursion theory, Joshimath sub divisional magistrate Yogendra Singh, under whose jurisdiction Barahoti falls, said.

Singh said the district administration keeps track of every happening in border areas and its not possible that this information could slip under the radar. We are trying to unearth the sources of information following a directive from the district administration.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress alleged that the central and state governments are presenting conflicting agendas on the Chinese intrusion in Indian territory. People of India are being fooled by both Union and state governments on the formers claim of the Chinese incursion along Barahoti border area. How is this possible that a unanimity is lacking on such a sensitive matter? former chief minister Harish Rawat asked.
With just 5,000 applications received till last week for around 12,000 flats up for sale, the Delhi Development Authority is likely to extend the last date for the scheme by 15 days.

Presently, the last date for submitting the applications to be eligible for draw of lots is August 11.

DDA had launched the scheme on June 30 with 12,069 flats under which 87 are high-income group (HIG) flats, 404 are two-room middle income group (MIG) flats. The rest 11,197 are one-bedroom lower income group flats (LIG) flats and 384 janta flats.

A senior DDA official said, An approval for the extension will be sought from Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who is also the chairman of DDA. The DDA shall demand extension by two weeks.

In pics | What the costliest flat in DDA housing scheme 2017 looks like

To encourage prospective buyers, DDA is also in talks with four banks that are likely to come up with loan offers against registration money.

Central Bank of India, IDBI, Axis Bank and ICICI Banks are likely to come up with loan offers to encourage more people to invest in the scheme, he said.

For the LIG (lower income group) category, the registration fee is Rs 1,00,000 while for the middle income group and high income group flats, Rs 2,00,000 will be charged.

Sources in DDA said that while Central Bank will offer loan of Rs 2,00,000 for around Rs 8,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for around Rs 4,000.

However, the loan will only be for people who had accounts with the bank before the announcement of scheme, he said. Other banks are yet to decide the modalities of the loan, he said.

Earlier, most banks that had tie up with DDA for the housing scheme had refused to offer loans due to the forfeiture clause.

DDA housing scheme 2017: Dont apply, say old allottees waiting for roads, water

If a prospective buyer surrenders his application before the draw date, no money will be deducted from his or her registration fee. If a buyer does so after the draw but before the issue of a demand letter, 25 per cent of the registration fee will be forfeited.

The forfeiture cause states that if the flat is surrendered within 90 days of the issue of the demand letter, 50 per cent of the fee will be cut. Beyond that time, the entire registration fee will be forfeited.

Banks were apprehensive that if they give loans to buyers who decide to surrender the money, they may not be able to recover the amount. But, now they are thinking of offering loans to customers who have a good track record with the bank.

In 2014, applicants got loans from banks for the registration money on a one-time payment of Rs 5,000.

DDA housing scheme 2017: Lack of facilities, overpricing tarnishes flats on offer

The authority had received 7.5 lakh applications for its scheme launched in September 2014. It had printed 20 lakh forms and about 17 lakh were sold. On the day of the launch, about 30,000 forms were bought and the number crossed the two lakh mark within five days.

This year, however, he scheme has received only 5,000 applications till last week under different categories of flats out of 55,000 forms that were sold.

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Delhiites will soon get the opportunity to take a close look at the events and actions leading to the war between India and China in 1962 even as both the countries are engaged in a border standoff at Doklam in Sikkim.

From November this year, the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML) is for the first time going to put on display the letters written by the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to his Chinese counterpart in 1962 when both the nations were engaged in month-long high-altitude war in the Ladakh region in the Himalayas.

Visitors would be able to go through the content of the correspondence between the two warring countries, and know what transpired before, during, and after the war ended.

We will also use audiovisual means such as micro films and documentaries with the idea to let the world know that the conflict with China was a major betrayal of faith by China, said a source in the library on the condition of anonymity.

These would let the world know how China played truant and illegally invaded Indian territory in the Ladakh region across the McMohan Line on October 20, 1962, after a series of negotiations failed, the source added.

Special showcasing of the India-China war is scheduled to be held on the first floor in room No 17 under the title International Relations, 1947-62. The topics that will be covered include Asian Relations Conference, Bandung to Belgrade, Panscheel, and China War.

The overhaul and expansion plan of the museum involves the use of modern technological means of exhibitions such as audio-video slides, touch-screen panels, and 3/4Dimension display techniques to showcase the life of Indias first prime minister starting from his birth till his death.

As per the new design for the museum suggested by MJ Akbar, the vice-chairperson of the executive council of the NMML and minister of state for external affairs, the total number of rooms available for the exhibition is 23 - five on the ground floor and 18 on the first floor.

The plan has been made public and uploaded on the official website of the museum.
A 40-year-old woman was stabbed outside the Thyagraj Stadium in south Delhi on Monday evening even as her four-year-old son watched.

Santoshi, a resident of the nearby Prem Nagar Colony, was returning home with her son from a weekly market near the stadium when the incident took place. Eyewitnesses told police that a man, seemingly in his mid thirties jumped from behind and stabbed the woman multiple times.

The spot outside Thyagraj Stadium where a woman was stabbed to death. (Picture: Sourced)

Santoshi cried for help, alerting three security guards at the stadium. Her attacker, however, fled the spot leaving behind the kitchen knife used in the murder. A police team reached the spot and rushed her to the Trauma Centre where Santoshi was declared dead.

Doctors told police that she had been stabbed at least five times. Santoshi, a mother of five was separated from her husband. Her husband, police said lives in Rajasthan.

Investigating officials said a CCTV camera at the stadium has recorded the stabbing. The incident took place at around 8pm. Police sources said they have identified a suspect. They are exploring the angle of money dispute and spurned love.

Additional deputy commissioner of police south Chinmoy Biswal said police have registered a case and are working to arrest the murderer.
A day after a 40-year-old woman was stabbed in front of her child outside the Thyagaraj stadium in south Delhi, the police on Tuesday arrested her husband.

DCP South Ishwar Singh said Santoshis husband Vinod was arrested from his cousins house, where he was hiding after the murder. The man told police that he murdered his wife because even though he was suffering from tuberculosis, Santoshi neglected him and was allegedly having an extramarital affair.

At around 8pm on Monday, Santoshi was returning home with her child after visiting a weekly market near her house in Prem Colony, Kotla Mubarakpur, when she was stabbed at least four times outside the stadium. Three security guards at the stadium, who heard her cries, rushed to the spot and informed the police control room, after which she was taken the Trauma Centre, where she was declared dead on arrival. Doctors told the police that she had died at the spot.

According to the police, during investigation, they visited the womans house in Kotla Mubarakpur and learnt that her husband Vinod was absconding. Neighbours told police that the couple had recently fought because Vinod suspected his wife of having an affair. We conducted raids and arrested Vinod from Mundka in outer Delhi, said DCP Singh.

Vinod, who worked as a fruit vendor, confessed he got married to Santoshi at the Arya Samaj Mandir in 2016. Santoshi was earlier married in Rajasthan and has six children from the marriage. During interrogation, Vinod confessed that the couple had regular fights because he suspected Santoshi of having an affair outside marriage. On Monday morning, six-seven hours before he murdered her, he had reportedly seen her with another man.

Explaining the sequence of events, police said that on Monday afternoon that Vinod bought a knife from a cutlery store in INA. He also bought alcohol from a local store and asked his wife to join him for drinks. Later in the evening, he took her to the local market. At around 8pm, when they reached Thyagaraj stadium, he asked her about her affair. They had a quarrel and he stabbed her, said a senior police officer.

Vinod confessed to the crime and said he dropped the knife at the murder spot and fled to his cousins place.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has written to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), demanding an audit of 28 Delhi University colleges, which are fully or partially funded by the Delhi government, after receiving complaints of corruption against them.

The move comes a day after the government stopped the funding to the 28 colleges, citing universitys failure to constitute governing bodies (GBs) for over 10 months.

Have written to CAG asking for comprehensive audit of 28 Delhi govt funded colleges, as Ive received many complaints of corruption.

28 colleges need CAG audit as there are complaints of corruption; with no Governing Bodies for 10 months, theres been no oversight, Sisodia said in a series of tweets.

In a letter to CAG Shashi Kant Sharma, the education minister requested a comprehensive audit of the colleges for the previous and current financial years.

Sisodia requested the CAG to audit all expenditure made by these colleges in the financial year 2016-17 and 2017-18. Procedure of regular and ad-hoc appointments and all regulatory and administrative action taken by the university with respect to these colleges.

The education minister said in a tweet, It seems governing bodies have not been formed so that corruption and irregularities can go on. Public money cannot be wasted like this.

He also posted a letter from BJP MP Udit Raj on his Twitter handle, complaining about alleged irregularities in appointments to government-funded colleges. I am regularly getting representations regarding corruption and irregularities in these colleges, he said in his letter to the CAG.

Meanwhile, the teachers union has written to DU vice chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, urging him to complete the GB formation process so that students do not suffer due to funds freeze.

A DU official said the process of forming the governing bodies will be completed by August 7-8. We have sent a letter to the government, citing the objections raised by the executive council over the nomination for GBs. The final decision will be taken by August 7-8, the official said.

Twelve of the 28 colleges are fully funded by the government and sixteen are partially funded. The government had asked the university to form the governing bodies before making any appointments.

The governing body of each college has 15 members out of which five are nominated by the government. The body is responsible for taking several administrative decisions such as teachers appointment and financial expenditure.
The Delhi governments decision to stop grants to 28 Delhi University colleges sparked protests among groups of students and teachers on Tuesday.

The Delhi government funds 28 DU colleges, of which 12 colleges receive 100% funding from the state government and 16 receive 5% of their expenditure from the government.

On Monday, Manish Sisodia, the education minister of Delhi, took to Twitter to allege unchecked corruption and irregularities at these colleges and had said that he could not allow it to go on. In a series of tweets, he also said that he had asked the finance department to stop funding these colleges, as DU not willing to form governing bodies for last 10 months.

Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and office bearers of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) gathered outside Arts Faculty in the North Campus and burnt an effigy of Sisodia in protest.

They had said they would build 20 new colleges. Instead, they are now closing down colleges, said Amit Tanwar, DUSU president, while addressing the gathering in the midst of slogans ranging from Manish Sisodia Murdabad to Manish Sisodia sharam karo.

Teachers of the National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF) also staged a dharna. While calling the move anti-teacher, anti-students, anti-employees and anti-education, the president of NDTF also alleged that there were larger politics at play.

They want to de-affiliate the 12 fully funded colleges through this. They will then try and get them under a state university, so that they can implement the 85% reservation for Delhi residents, said AK Bhagi, the president of NDTF and a member of the executive council of DU.

The executive council had received the names for the governing bodies at the colleges on July 13. Certain norms had been flouted, so the university had suggested that they would change their nominees to ensure that they fulfil the requirements. The special sub-committee had sent the recommendations within a week. Any delays are being caused by the government and university. Even earlier delays were because of them, said Bhagi.

Both the students and teachers have said they would try and get the order withdrawn. Tanwar has said that they would write to the DU vice chancellor to see if the issue can be resolved peacefully.

If not, we will then stage dharnas, not on campus, but outside the residence of the ministers, he said.
The subcontinent is not the best place women to live and thrive, and we are reminded of this dubious reputation all too often. Last week, a tribal council in Pakistans Punjab province asked a man to rape a 16-year-old girl in front of her family as punishment after her brother was accused of raping the mans sister. Even as we were struggling to come to terms to with this devastating news, there was another, this time from India: A 14-year-old rape survivor, who gave birth to a child last year after being denied permission to abort her foetus, has got married to her alleged rapist, following intervention by village elders in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly district. The accused has been forgiven by the girls family because, as her father said: How long can one fight against the society...it is better that she has gone to his house He added that he married off his child  only on the assurance of the village elders and the boys family that they will take care of her. The victims comment on her plight is much more terse and heartbreaking: My parents cannot feed me and my child. Here, we at least get two meals a day.

It is unfortunate that the traumatised child has to live with the same person who violated her. Unfortunately, the girl also does not qualify for the States Victim Compensation Scheme, which provides financial assistance to victims or their dependents, who have suffered loss or injury due to crime like rape, acid attack and human trafficking, because the case is sub-judice. Obviously the marriage has given the accused a shield and a chance to get off scot-free. Is there any surety that he will stay with the girl if the case is withdrawn since now she is his wife?

On the larger issue of victim compensation, there are several problems: According to the law, the compensation part of the rehabilitation of victims of violence including rape is governed by provision of Section 357A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which states that every state government in co-ordination with the Centre shall prepare a scheme for providing funds for the purpose of compensation to the victim of crime including rape. But that is not happening because the foremost is the restrictive eligibility criteria. Next is the long and vague procedure for processing of applications and the disbursement of funds.

Another major infirmity is that the word dependent has not been defined anywhere in the code or in the VCSs, thus creating ambiguity within the system. These roadblocks need to be removed without delay and there has to be a mechanism through which rape/acid survivors can get help to take care of themselves even when a case is going on. This is important not just to ensure that the victim gets support to tide over the crisis till further help comes in, but also can help to keep unconstitutional bodies such as the village elders (the group was not the panchayat) in Bareilly from calling the shots.
States will soon be able to able to conduct exams for students of class 5 and 8 who fail in the annual exams to give them another chance to pass with the Union cabinet likely to take up a proposal on Wednesday of scrapping the no-detention policy, sources said.

According to a senior HRD official, the proposal will be taken up in the cabinet meeting in this regard.

States will have the discretion to give another opportunity to these students to pass. Under the proposal, students of classes 5 to 8 who do not pass the examination in March will be given a chance in May or June.

However, they will be detained if they fail again according to the proposal.

Explaining how the system will work, a senior HRD official said in case a student is unable to pass the annual exam in March, he/she will get another opportunity in May or June. Before sitting for the exams once again, the students will be asked to attend remedial classes. Once the new system comes into force, the onus would be on the states to decide whether to hold examinations in classes 5 and 8.

An enabling provision will be made in the RTE amendment bill that will allow states to conduct examinations in class 5 and class 8 and detain students if they fail, said a senior HRD official.

Read more: Will bring detention policy in classes 5 and 8, says education minister Javadeka

Once the proposal is approved by the cabinet, the government will introduce a bill in the Parliament in this regard.

Under the existing no-detention policy, students are promoted automatically to higher classes every year till the eighth grade. A key component of the RTE Act, the no-detention policy unveiled by the UPA government came into force on April 1, 2010 with the intention of ensuring that every child aged between 6 and 14 received school education. However, for the past many years concerns have been raised about the negative impact of the policy on the academic performance of the students.

After holding consultation with states in the Central Advisory Board of Education meeting last year it was decided to give states the right to decide whether they want to have no-detention policy or not. This requires amending the RTE Act. The move will allow states to evolve their own policy of detention from Class 5.

Many states, especially Delhi, have been vocal about the flaws in the no-detention policy that has affected quality of education.

However, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have opposed the proposed amendment to the policy. The policy is likely to come into force from 2018.

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The Kerala Pareeksha Bhavan on Tuesday released the admit card for the states Teacher Eligibility Test (KTET) 2017. The exam will held on August 12 and August 19, 2017.

Candidates can download their admit card by visiting official website of SSLC Examination Government Of Kerala.

Steps to download K-TET 2017 admit card:

1) Visit the official website of SSLC Examination Government Of Kerala

2) Click on the link for Kerala Teacher Eligibility Test 2017

3) Click on the link for download admit card

4) Key in your application Id, application number and choose the category applied for

5) Click on download

6) Admit card will be displayed on the screen

7) Take a printout

Or click here to directly go to the login page.

The admit card must be carried to the examination centre.

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The first list of students who have got seats in Maharashtras government and private medical and dental colleges is out.

The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) released the first combined seat allotment list on Tuesday morning. This is the second seat allotment list released by DMER, but the first combined list for public and private institutes.

Since we will only conduct two rounds of admission, this list released today will be considered the first round. However, those who were placed in government institutes in the previous list and are happy with the same can retain their seats, said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, DMER.

In the seat allotment list released on July 28 for only the state quota seats in government-run institues, 2,450 students names had appeared in the list. Of these 2,100 students were allotted sets as per their top two preferences, DMER officials said.

We are assuming these students are happy with their allotment because they have got an institute which was their top preference. For everyone else, the combined list will be an upgradation of sorts and they are allowed to withdraw admissions from institutes where they have already confirmed their seat and instead opt for the seat as per todays list, which will be higher on their preference list, said Shingare. He added the combined list draws names of 6,000 students, not only opting for medical and dental but also for other health science courses including ayurveda, nursing, etc.

Students whose names appear in this list have time up to 3pm on August 5 to confirm their admission. The next and last list will be announced shortly after that, DMER officials said.

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Protesting against Tamil Nadu government seeking exemption to the state from NEET, Puthiya Tamizhakam on Tuesday staged a demonstration in Coimbatore, demanding that medical aspirants should be selected through the test.

Led by its founder-president, Dr Krishnasamy, the agitators raised slogans against the Government, saying that students should be selected to the course through NEET score, which was an All India test.

The PT leader said state board students from rural areas would not face any setback, as made out by political parties but emerge successful in the test and get admissions in institutions in Tamil Nadu, which has adequate numbers.

It was not necessary for state ministers and the chief minister to go to Delhi frequently seeking exemption from NEET, he said.

Some 10 state board students who were successful in NEET and joined the demonstration, said they wanted the NEET score to be considered for admission to the medical courses.

Similar demonstrations were held at all district headquarters of the State, Krishnasamy said.

The AIADMK, DMK and other parties in the state have been opposing NEET, saying state board students, especially from rural areas, would find it difficult to compete with CBSE students.
New Delhi The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Medical Council of India (MCI) to apprise it whether the students, who have obtained high ranks in medical entrance examination but are colour blind can be admitted to the MBBS course.

The apex court direction came after a panel appointed by it recommended that a decades-old bar against colour blind candidates be lifted to end discrimination on the basis of colour vision deficiency.

We direct senior advocate Vikas Singh to take instruction as to whether the students who have scored high ranking marks in medical entrance examination can be admitted into MBBS course or not, a bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and A M Khanwilkar said.

It posted the matter for further hearing on September 12.

Singh, appearing for the MCI, said that petitioner candidates have not taken even the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test ( NEET) for joining medical and dental colleges sought some time till a general body meeting of the MCI take a decision in this regard.

The bench said there is a report from the committee and the MCI should consider it.

Singh said even in NEET, there is no colour blindness test and students can give the examination and after clearing it can take any medical stream.

Senior advocate K V Vishwanathan, who has been assisting the court, said India is perhaps the only country where colour blind people are denied admission in medical colleges.

He said that colour blindness is not considered as a deterrent for rejection in countries like the US and the UK.

The apex court appointed panel had termed the MCI rule barring colour blind persons from becoming doctors as regressive.

It has said that colour vision deficiency nowadays is a common problem and does not significantly impact a persons ability to become a doctor.

The panel which comprised various specialist doctors in its report submitted before the court had said that there should not be any restriction either at the stage of admission, or at completion of study and registration as a doctor.
Mumbai: Although the Maharashtra state board has changed the Class 9 syllabus from this academic year, many Mumbai schools are sticking to the old one for the first term. The reason: textbooks for new subjects and question paper pattern are unavailable even as schools begin first unit tests.

Schools have complained that two months into the academic year, textbooks for the new subject, Self-Development and Art Appreciation, were not available in the market.The graded subject was introduced this year for class 9, replacing work experience, personality development, and social studies.

Contents of the syllabus and question paper pattern of other subjects are pending too. Without this its tough to teach the new syllabus, said teachers. Many of the schools are sticking to the old syllabus for the first term, said Ravi D, a teacher from Bhandup. The first unit tests have already began in schools from today.

Teachers said it is impossible to teach the new syllabus as the board has not yet trained them. Schools have not received any clear instructions. We only know the new marking pattern, that too from social media groups, so we dont how much to rely on it, said Father Thomson Kinny, principal, Sacred Heart Convent School For Boys, Santacruz. The board has not sent hard copies of any circulars.

On July 12, the board had issued a circular changing the assessment pattern for languages - scrapping the 20 mark internal exams. Instead, students will have to write full 100 marks papers. Following that another circular on June 27, stated that schools will have to hold practical exams for mathematics.

Board authorities blamed the state textbook publishing bureau, Balbharti for the delay. Textbooks for Class 9 were to be printed by Balbharti, we are not responsible for it, said Gangadhar Mhamane, chairperson of the Maharashtra state board of secondary and higher secondary education.

The board has asked schools to access its website for information on marking scheme.

Duttatray Jagtap, chairperson, Mumbai division said, We have uploaded the circulars on our website and schools can download it from there.

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Recent research from Germany, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), suggests starting helmet therapy as soon as possible in babies with mild plagiocephaly, also known as flat head syndrome. The treatment would be effective for babies who dont respond to other treatments such as active repositioning and physical therapy.

Current recommendations to place babies on their backs to sleep, to reduce cases of sudden infant death syndrome, has made positional skull deformities -- also called positional plagiocephaly -- more common, according to the study.

Plagiocephaly, the flattening of one side of the head, can lead to mechanical complications, including maxillofacial or cervicobrachial complications (scoliosis, deformities of the jaw), or even cognitive complications.

Plagiocephaly, the flattening of one side of the head, can lead to mechanical complications or even cognitive complications. (Shutterstock)

Researchers at University Hospital Wurzburg in Germany evaluated the effectiveness of helmet therapy (molding orthosis) in 144 infants with varying degrees of flat head syndrome.

The infants were divided into groups based on the age at which they would start helmet therapy (before 24 weeks, between 24 and 32 weeks, and 32 weeks or later) and the severity of their plagiocephaly (mild-to-moderate or moderate-to-severe). Helmets were worn for 19 weeks. The researchers defined treatment success as perceived minimal remaining asymmetry of the skull.

The researchers found that helmet therapy reduced skull flattening in all three age groups, but that the results were most effective when treatment was started at younger ages, with an 83% success rate for mild-to-moderate plagiocephaly when treatment started prior to 24 weeks, and a 50% success rate for moderate-to-severe cases. The success rate decreased to 69% for infants starting treatment between 24 and 32 weeks (30% for moderate-to-severe cases) and to 40% when treatment was started at 32 weeks or later (7% for moderate-to-severe cases).

The researchers suggest that the age and the severity of the plagiocephaly are two factors to take into consideration when developing individualised treatments. The findings suggest that helmet therapy should be started early in infants with mild plagiocephaly who dont respond to other treatments, such as active repositioning (changing sleep positions, breastfeeding positions, alternating sides when breastfeeding) and physical therapy. In more severe cases, helmet therapy should be started immediately, the study concludes.

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As far as crime stories go, this seems right from the diaries of the strange and bizarre. Over the last few days, many women in villages in Delhi, Gurgaon and across Haryana have complained of their hair being chopped off while they were either sleeping or unconscious.

More than 15 such incidents were reported in Haryanas Mewat itself, police said. Panicked villagers suspect black magic and have been resorting to superstition to safeguard themselves  such as hanging chillies and lemons to ward off evil spirits. Rumours, ghost stories and suspicions of witchcraft are being bandied among villagers, while women have been advised to tie their hair while travelling.

Its difficult to sift what is real from the chaff. The incidents have been blamed on several culprits  strange-looking men, a woman dressed all in black and even a woman who took the shape of a cat. Police say they have been scouring CCTV footage, but suspect that the braid-chopping is the handiwork of anti-social elements. No arrests have been made yet.

Here is a round up of incidents that were reported:



Two cases of hair-chopping were reported at the Sector 5, Gurgaon police station on July 29. Asha Devi, 24, who lives near the railway line in Bhimgarh Khedi, reported that she was going to the washroom at 9:30 pm when she was stopped by a woman wearing black clothes, investigating officer sub-inspector Naveen Yadav, said.

On the same day, Sunita Devi, a resident of Ashok Vihar phase-III area in Gurgaon complained to the police that a strange-looking man, in his 60s attacked her when she was alone in her house, and she soon lost consciousness. When she woke up, her braid had been chopped off, but the house was not ransacked.

While I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, I saw a thin man in a red and yellow outfit at the main entrance of my house. When I went to enquire, I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away. He went away and disappeared only to reappear, she claimed. Before she could comprehend anything, she fell unconscious.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off, she said.

On Monday morning, 30-year-old Santra, who lives in a rented house in Devi Lal Nagar, Sector 9 in Gurgaon, alleged that she heard some noise coming from near the main gate. She claimed that she then spotted a black cat which took the shape of a woman carrying scissors, who cut her hair. My wife tried to shout for help but she could not raise her voice. It was only after the woman disappeared that she shouted and I woke up. She was shivering and I was shocked to see her chopped braids, said Om Prakash, the victims husband. Neighbours later claimed that the woman could have been lying, and may have chopped off her own hair while blaming it on supernatural forces.

On Sunday, three separate incidents were reported from Kanganheri village in outer Delhi. While one woman claimed to have experienced a severe headache before she was found unconscious and missing her braids, another claimed that she had been dropped off by her son on a bike when she felt a headache and lost consciousness.

The incidents seem to have spread beyond Haryana and NCR. Reports of hair chopping have also surfaced in several villages of Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, where four women complained that someone was cutting off their hair while they were sleeping at night.
Two things happen when youre watching a movie and a sex scene comes on: A, you become super-conscious, and if theres someone around, you immediately change the channel, and B, you wonder if its all a big sham and the actors are doing it for real.

Well, aside from a few notorious instances where that really was the case - films like Michael Winterbottoms 9 Songs, and Gaspar Noes Love - its just a combination of nerves, awkwardness, and strategically-located pasties.

Here are over 20 actors, including Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, Daniel Radcliffe and Michael Fassbender, on what its really like shooting a sex scene, with all due credit to E Online for compiling the list.

Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl

Its a very odd experience. Funny enough, when youre actually shooting it and youve got a whole crew around you, its remarkably normal. However, the odd thing that (director David Fincher) asked us to do was rehearse this scene for two hours, alone, on an empty soundstagejust (Neil Patrick Harris) and myself, she said in an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. And that is when it feels highly inappropriate. You are alone with a man whos not your husbandwho also has a husbandhes in his underwear, youre in your underwear, and youre sort of dry humping on a bed. No one theres there, so then we think, OK, we should be professional about this. We should film this on an iPhone and see how it looks. Then you watch this thing back and it looks like were making some sort of super creepy home porn movie.

Justin Timberlake in Friends with Benefits

Its actually kind of annoying. Youre there for 12 hours; its exhausting, he told BBC. All those scenes revolve around the dialogue and physical humour is so tiring.

Amy Schumer in Trainwreck

I am sort of a boundary-less person, which is something Im working on. In our house, nudity wasnt a big deal, so that was never an issue for me. It was about the crew. The sex scenes that are funny, I dont care, but the ones that are actually sexual, its like these people are seeing me be really vulnerable, she told The New York Times. Frank, whos holding the boom, is seeing, Oh, this is what Amy is like when she really means business. In between every single take, I think I screamed, Its so embarrassing!

Michael Fassbender in Shame

The most important thing is that the other person involved feels safe and doesnt feel like youre taking advantage of them in the scene, cause youre revealing a lot, youre going to places where youre vulnerable, and that requires an awful lot of trust, he told Time Out Chicago. You talk with your partner and say, What are you comfortable with? What are you not comfortable with? And then you go for it. You try and throw away the safety nets and not worry where the cameras gonna be or how youre gonna look or worry about looking ugly.

Jennifer Lopez in The Boy Next Door

It was intense, she told E! News. Those scenes are embarrassing. They are uncomfortable, but your job as an actress or an actor is to make it believable, and this movie in particularhinges on if that was believable, that it was enough to make this guy go insane.

Hugh Grant in Four Weddings and a Funeral

Love scenes are extremely difficult. Youre always within a millimeter of sentimentality and yuck, he told W magazine. But sex scenes are something else. The conventional response to sex scenes is that theyre horrible and not sexy and its all so unnatural. But Ive always found filming sex scenes to be quite a turn-on. I like the experience of being in a sexual position when youre not supposed to be in one.

Jennifer Lawrence in Passengers

I got really, really drunk. But then that led to more anxiety when I got home because I was like, What have I done? I dont know, she told The Hollywood Reporter about working with Chris Pratt. And he was married. And it was going to be my first time kissing a married man, and guilt is the worst feeling in your stomach. And I knew it was my job, but I couldnt tell my stomach that. So I called my mom, and I was like, Will you just tell me its OK? It was just very vulnerable. And you dont know whats too much. You want to do it real, you want everything to be real, but then...That was the most vulnerable Ive ever been.

Ashton Kutcher in No Strings Attached

I just start by apologising. I think somebody told meand Im not sure who the actor was; I think it was Sir Laurence Olivier who said it...I think he said something to the effect of, I apologise if I get aroused and I apologise if I do not get aroused. And you have to say it with the accent if you do it, he told NBC Bay Area. But there is sort of always this awkward state of, Is this OK? Is that OK? And then in between, its like, just, Lets act like nothing happened. And then you see how good of an actor you really are.

Dakota Johnson in Fifty Shades of Grey

Theres a scene in which Christian uses a flogger on Anastasia, she told TIME. Filming a sex scene is not a sensual or pleasurable environment. Its really hotnot in a steamy, sexual way. Its just sweaty and its not very comfortable. And on top of that, my hands and legs were tied, and I was blindfolded, and I was being hit with this bizarre tool.

Ryan Reynolds in The Change-Up

In the scene, shes sitting there and I take her top off and the bra off, and she has those pasties on, but shes drawn these adorable little smiley faces on them, he said about his sex scene with co-star Olivia Wilde at The Tonight Show. And I forget every line in the scenenot just from this movie but from every other movie Ive done. I take my hands away and I look down at my hands and theres two frickin smiley faces on them and I have no idea what to do. The scene is over now...And I reflexively, like an idiot, just put my hands right back on her breasts. And I think Im doing it to cover them up, but Im realizing now that its a very fine line between chivalry and, you know, workplace sexual assault.

James McAvoy in Wanted

Its sweaty and uncomfortable. My paranoia is, the girl Im doing the sex scene with will think Im getting off on her, he told The Daily Record. I have nightmares about that.

Kristen Stewart in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

I only hate them when theyre contrived, she told Harpers Bazaar. On Twilight we had to do the most epic sex scene of all time. It had to be transcendent and otherworldly, inhuman, better sex than you can possibly ever imagine, and we were like, How do we live up to that? It was agony. Which sucks, because I wanted it to be so good.

Dave Franco in Neighbours

I was pretty nervous for the scene, he said on Chelsea Lately. I met the girl the day before and she was beautiful and very sweet, but its awkward. You meet each other and then youre grindingyou dont even know her name, barely. You have 20 crew members who are also watching you do it. And then, of course, for me, I woke up that morning and I had a giant pimple on my ass...It sucks, right? I had to go to the makeup artist who I had also met that week and be like, Can we go in the other room and youll put makeup literally on my ass? So, that was that.

Mila Kunis in Black Swan

Its hard to have a sex scene, period. It doesnt matter if its a friend, a male, a female. Youre with 100-something crew members, lighting you, re-positioning you, she told The Huffington Post. Theres no comfort whatsoever.

Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine

Actors become very professional and proficient about watching out for each others light and not stepping on each others lines. All of these things are artificial, and you have to strip that away if youre going to achieve a sense of intimacy, he told W magazine. In real life sex is messy, and we wanted to get at that wonderful messiness.

Margot Robbie in Wolf of Wall Street

There isnt an option, she told Vanity Fair. Its just like, This is what you need to do. Get on with it. The sooner you do it, the sooner you can stop doing it. Its so awkward.

Jon Hamm in Bridesmaids

Its like running in the rain. Theres a certain point where you go, F--k it, Im already wet. Im not going to get any less wet so I might as well enjoy how this feels, he told Playboy about his scene with Kristen Wiigs character. I mean, sure, theres an awkwardness about being in a weird flesh-colored thong, bouncing on top of an actress. And I am not a small human being. I weigh at least 200 pounds and Im 6-foot-2. And Wiig is a twig; shes a skinny little thing. I told her, Just punch me in the side if Im hurting you. Its weird and uncomfortable at first but then all the awkwardness melts away and you think, All right, were doing this, so lets have fun with it.

Liam Hemsworth in The Dressmaker

Its always pretty awkward when you have to take off your pants in front of the crew and other actors and all that stuff. During the scene, its fine. You dont feel uncomfortable whilst the cameras are rolling, he told E! News. As soon as its cut, and youre standing around and youre in your underwear, chatting to the crew, thats when its weird and uncomfortable.

Luke Evans in The Girl on the Train

When we were having sex, we were drunkboy and girl drunk, he told E! News of filming with Haley Bennett. I thought we should have a little drink just to take the edge off. We were tipsy. We were show-tunes-singing-drunk while having fake sex. We sang Lion King.

Anne Hathaway in Love & Other Drugs

These are people who have no trouble taking their clothes offin a way their bodies are their currency, she told Vogue about hers and Jake Gyllenhaals characters in the film. But theyre terrified of exposing their vulnerabilityof becoming emotionally naked.

Daniel Radcliffe in Kill Your Darlings

Basically, gay sex, especially for the first time, is really f--king painful. And (director John Krokidas) said that he had never seen that portrayed accurately on film before, he told Flaunt.

Kirsten Dunst in The Beguiled

I am on the floor and my clothes are being ripped, she told E! News. I dont like it. I dont like it. To be honest, Im like, Lets get this over with as fast as possible. At least (director Sofia Coppola) was like, Were going to get this done quick. Were just gonna shoot it here, well do three takes, be done.

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The government was planning a law to protect data and had set up a committee that would come out with suggestions to ensure that personal information was protected, the Supreme Court was told on Tuesday.

Retired Supreme Court judge BN Srikrishna-led 10-member panel had been tasked with drafting the law on data protection, additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta said in the court during a hearing on the constitutional status of the right to privacy.

The committee will identify key data protection issues in India and recommend measures of addressing them, the law officer said.

Privacy is central to the legal challenges facing Aadhaar, the 12-digit biometric unique identity number, which has raised data breach and privacy concerns. Critics also say it helps government spy on people.

India doesnt have a separate law for protecting personal data, which at present is covered under the information technology act.

The Supreme Court has decided to settle the issue of privacy before taking up Aadhaar pleas.

One of the main worries of the petitioners is the storage and sharing of biometric information with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is tasked with collecting data, including fingerprints and iris scans, and issuing Aadhaar to all Indian residents.

The government is keen to expand the reach of Aadhaar, saying it is necessary to plug leaks in subsidy schemes and to ensure benefits reach those targeted.

But there have been instances of details finding their way in public domain. More than 200 government websites had published names of beneficiaries of welfare schemes with their addresses and Aadhaar numbers, the government told Parliament last month.

It has also faced some tough questions from the court which has said if privacy was not a given the status of a fundamental right, where and who would a citizen complain to.

Privacy was protected under the Aadhaar law but it wasnt a constitutional right, the UIDAI said on Tuesday.

Aadhaar data cannot be used for surveillance or tracking citizens... Privacy is a vague and subjective concept and cannot be elevated to the level of a fundamental right, additional solicitor general Mehta said.

The government recognised privacy as a common right and protected it through laws such as right to information act and income tax act that prohibited disclosure of personal details of individuals.

Mehta also urged the court to leave it to the wisdom of Parliament if privacy was a fundamental right. Constitution-framers also did not touch on this vague concept, he said.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra government, too, took a similar line, saying only Parliament, which spoke for Indias 1.2 billion people, should have the final say on privacy.

During previous hearings, non-BJP states have opposed the Centres stand that privacy was not a fundamental right.
Lashkar-e-Taibas Abu Dujana, killed by security forces on Tuesday, was among the most wanted active militants in the Kashmir valley, carrying a rare Rs 15 lakh bounty on his head with an A++ label.

The security establishment classifies militants as A or A++, ranking them in an order of notoriety with A++ denoting the highest. The Indian army had on May 30 named 12 of the most active militants in the region, listing out their areas of operation with their names and photographs. The list includes members of LeT, Hizbul Mujahideen and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

The A++ label was also given to Burhan Wani, the Hizbul commander whose death in July last year triggered one of the worst phases of violence for the Valley. The category normally carries a bounty of Rs 10-12 lakh.

Dujana is the second A++ category militant to have been killed since the list was released, the first being Bashir Lashkari, who was involved in the killing of six policemen in Anantnag.

Lashkari, born Bashir Ahmad Wani, was the district commander of the LeT in Anantnag. A resident of Sopshail Kokernag, he joined the militancy in October 2015.

The list of 12 includes Altaf Dar, Zakir Musa, Abu Hamas, Reyaz Naikoo, Showkat Tak and Wasim Ahmed. In addition to Dujana and Lashkari, Junaid Mattoo was killed by security forces in June. He, however, had the A category.

Naikoo and Musa are the more active ones among these.

On Sunday, Naikoo  a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen in south Kashmir  appeared at the funeral of militant Shariq Ahmed in Gulzarpora village of Awantipora. Linking our struggle with Al Qaeda and ISIS is a ploy to defame it, he reportedly said at the funeral.

Naikoo asked people not to support those who oppose the Pakistani flag and described their struggle as one of freedom from India.

His comments came less than a week after Musa was declared by Al Qaeda as the head of its first branch in the region.

Musa broke away from the Hizbul after being criticized for a controversial statement when he sought the beheading of separatist leaders.

He differs from organizations like Hizbul by advocating Islamic rule in the region.

Musa popularity is seen to be increasing in the strife-torn Valley, and slogans in support of his cause are reportedly being shouted in pro-Azaadi gatherings and protests.

The other A++ category militants maintain a low profile. Abu Hamas is a Pakistani, like Dujana, and according to the army, has been active in the Valley since last year. He is a JeM divisional commander.

Altaf Dar alias Kachroo of the Hizbul is the district commander of Kulgam. A native of Hawara, Kulgam, he was recruited in militant ranks in 2006.

Wasim Ahmed is a surviving militant of the Burhan Wani group and is an LeT commander in Shopian. A native of Hef Shirmal in Shopian, he joined the militancy in 2014.

Kashmir police had said earlier this year that there are around 200 militants active in Kashmir Valley, with around 110 of them being local youth.

News agency PTI reported in July that forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police have killed 102 alleged terrorists till now this year, making it the highest number of killings in the January-July period in seven years.

Last year, official figures say around 150 militants were gunned down in J-K in encounter with security forces.

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Slain Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana was allegedly involved with several women in Kashmir and had even married one of them, officials said on Tuesday, describing the militant as a terror for women in the valley.

Dujana, 27, was killed early on Tuesday at Hakripura in Pulwama district, allegedly while visiting a woman believed to be his wife.

Kashmir director general of police SP Vaid confirmed that Dujana was married but said it was not clear if the LeT commander had gone to meet her.

He had married a local Kashmiri girl, today also he had gone to meet a girl, (but) cant be sure if it was the same girl, Vaid told HT.

The GOC of 15 Corps, Lt Gen. J Sandhu, told reporters that Dujana was less into militancy of late and more into aiyashi, a Hindi word that translates to debauchery.

He was not really involved in many attacks, vo yahan aiyyashi kar raha tha bas, was a nuisance, the army official said.

Kashmir inspector general police (IGP), Muneer Khan, also hinted that Dujana was involved in harassment of girls.

I want to tell woman and girls in the valley that they are safe now, Khan said.

Another LeT militant was also shot dead along with Dujana while a civilian was killed when security forces fired on stone-pelting protesters at the encounter site.

Local sources in the village and elsewhere said Dujana had gone to meet his wife, whom he had married sometime last year.

Sources said the woman hails from Singoo village near Kakapora in Pulwama. It (the marriage) was during 2016 when the LeT maintained a low profile, a source said.

The marriage, sources said, could have been the reason for his rift with his-Pakistan-based handlers.

Dujana was challenged by one of his aides, Abu Ismail, who set up a rival faction along with some Kashmiri youth. Sources said most of militant incidents involving LeT was carried done by the rival group, including the recent attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

Intelligence sources said Dujana was named the LeT commander for Kashmir valley after the death of Abu Qasim, the mastermind of an earlier attack on a BSF convoy in Udhampur in 2015.

However, Dujana was disarmed by his group after the rift surfaced a few months ago.

A few months ago the lesser known Abu Ismail was made the LeT chief in the valley.

In recent times, he (Dujana) was not involved in any major terrorist attacks, he just had nuisance value, Lt Gen Sandhu said.

Dujana had many close calls earlier. In May, he managed to escape after a mob pelted stones at security forces during an encounter. His luck ran out on Tuesday.

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Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Dujana was not too involved in militancy but was just having a good time, Kashmirs top army official said on Tuesday, describing the slain militant as a nuisance.

Dujana, 27, and another militant were killed on Tuesday in an encounter with security forces at a village in Kashmirs Pulwama district, while the former was allegedly visiting his wife.

One civilian was also killed in the encounter, Kashmir inspector general of police Munir Khan said at a joint press briefing with Lt Gen J Sandhu, the GOC of 15 Corps.

He was not really involved in many attacks, vo yahan aiyyashi kar raha tha bas, was a nuisance (he was into debauchery), ANI quoted the army official as saying.

Dujana, hailing from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head and figured among top militants of the valley. He was categorised as A++ by security forces.

The IG said security forces will continue their anti-insurgency operations to wipe out militancy from the valley.

Stone pelting or no pelting, disruptions or no disruptions, our operations will continue, Khan said, referring to public protests at encounter sites.

In spite of our warnings and requests, on behest of the terrorists people tend to come in between encounter(s)... that is how they get injured or killed, he added.

Dujana is the third top militant killed in the valley since last year.

Earlier, Hizbul Mujahideen commanders Burhan Wani and Sabzar Bhat were killed by security for

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money-laundering case against a senior Maoist commander in an attempt to curb funding of Left-wing insurgents across Bihar and Jharkhand.

This development comes in the backdrop of a major crackdown by the economic intelligence agency on Kashmiri separatist groups, based on allegations that they received funds from Pakistani agencies to stoke violence in the Valley.

ED sources said a case has been registered against Sandeep Yadav, alias Badka Bhaiya, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The central zonal commander of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee (BJSAC), Yadav is wanted by the police in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The group is linked to the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

A senior ED official said Yadav, who has 88 criminal cases registered against him, was identified as the prime accused in the murder of former Gaya MP Rajesh Kumar in 2005. A resident of Baburamdih village in Bihar, he has been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Explosives Substances Act.

We had received information that Yadav has accumulated movable and immovable assets with money obtained through illegal financial channels. The probe will focus on unearthing these channels, thereby clamping down on funding for Left-wing extremists, a source told Hindustan Times.

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Indias foodgrain production rose five times over six decades, according to 2016 government data, the latest available. But with the average Indian farm half as large as it used to be 50 years ago and yields among the lowest in developing economies, both the agriculture sector and farmers have been driven to the brink, shows an IndiaSpend analysis.

Output of foodgrains in India increased from 50.82 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 252.22 million tonnes in 2015-16, according to the Agriculture Statistics At A Glance 2016 report. Yield increased as well, from 522 kg per hectare (ha) in 1950-51 to 2,056 kg/ha in 2015-16.

Though it is the largest producer of pulses in the world, Indias pulses crop yield (659 kg/ha) was the lowest among BRICS countries in 2014.

Cereal yield in India was the second lowest in the BRICS list, above Russia (2,444 kg/ha), according to Food and Agriculture Organisations 2014 data, the latest available. China reported the highest yield of cereals (5,888 kg/ha) and pulses (1,725 kg/ha) among BRICS nations.

The reason for the low yield is excessive dependence  52% of Indias farmland is not irrigated  on the annual monsoons, which climate change is making ever more erratic, IndiaSpend reported on June 8, 2017.

The preponderance of small and marginal holdings makes this high volatility even more worrisome, as small and marginal farmers are highly vulnerable to adverse climatic conditions, said the State of Indian Agriculture 2015-16 report.

Small and marginal farmers cannot afford to adopt modern techniques of irrigation and production. They also find it hard to use modern machinery on small plots. Stressed and burdened by indebtedness, successive crop failures and low yields, 4,659 farmers opted to end their lives in 2015, as IndiaSpend reported on January 2, 2017.

The impact of these multiple problems is that the agriculture sectors share in Indias economy is declining. It contributed 17.5% to the countrys gross value added (current price 2011-12 series) in 2015-16, down from 18.2% in 2012-13; 18.6% in 2013-14 and 18% in 2014-15. This is further expected to decline, as the data suggest.

The contribution of the services sector is rising, from 50% in 2012-13 to 52.9% in 2015-16.

Why is Indias agriculture growth volatile?

Indias agriculture growth rate has been volatile, from 1.5% in 2012-13 to 5.6% in 2013-14, -0.2% in 2014-15 to 0.7% in 2015-16.

The primary reason, as we discussed, is that more than half of Indias farms still depend on the monsoon, increasingly uncertain in an era of climate change. Climate change can impact crop yields, as well as the types of crops that can be grown in certain areas, by impacting agricultural inputs such as water for irrigation.

Yields in rainfed areas remain low, underscoring the importance of irrigation in the country. Similarly, rising temperatures are likely to worsen yield fluctuations of many crops, the agriculture report said.

Yield can be achieved by adopting non-conventional methods such as sprinkler, drip or micro-sprinkler irrigation, said the report.

Average farm holding shrinks by half over 50 years

The size of the average farm holding in India declined from 2.28 hectares in 1970-71 to 1.15 hectares in 2010-11. These small and marginal land holdings comprise 85% of operational farms.

About 67% of agricultural land in India is held by marginal farmers with farm size less than one hectare, while farmers with large holdingshaving more than 10 hectaresconstitute less than 1%.

The area operated by marginal farmers is less compared to their holdings but large farm holders get access to land area that is 10 times their holdings, indicating the stress marginal farmers face in the country.

Farmers capacity to invest in land has decreased due to smaller land holdings at disposal, the Economic Times quoted Prakash Bakshi, former chairman of the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development, as saying on August 24, 2013.

With average land holding halved, the cost of getting inputs and time consumed has doubled, said Bakshi. Laws governing ownership of land has made matters worse. So a marginal farmer lets his land (lie) untilled while he seeks jobs elsewhere.

Marginal farmers most indebted

About 52% of Indias agricultural households are indebted; with an average outstanding loan of Rs 47,000, according to Agricultural Statistics 2016 based on the National Sample Survey OfficeAssessment Survey of Agricultural Households (Jan-Dec 2013).

The indebtedness varies across states, from 93% in Andhra Pradesh to 2.4% in Meghalaya.

Agricultural households with marginal holdings are the most indebted (64%) compared to just 0.6% of households holding large farms.

Nearly 70% of Indias 90 million agricultural households spend more than they earn on average each month, pushing them towards debt, IndiaSpend reported on June 27, 2017.

About 62.6 million households spending more than they earn had land holdings of one hectare or less. In contrast, 0.39% households owning more than 10 hectares of land had an average monthly income of Rs 41,338 and consumption expenditure of Rs 14,447, thereby maintaining a monthly surplus of Rs 26,941.

Debt distress and suicide

Among farmers/cultivators, indebtedness was the major cause of suicide (3,097) in 2015, followed by crop failure (1,562), IndiaSpend reported on January 2, 2017.

Small (45.2%) and marginal (27.4%) farmers accounted for 72.6% of all farmer suicides in 2015. Based on the land holdings, National Crimes Record Bureau classifies farmers into four categoriesmarginal (having less than 1 hectare of land), Small (having 1 hectare to below 2 hectare of land), medium (having 2 hectare to below 10 hectare of land) and large (having more than 10 hectare of land).

As many as 12,602 farmers and agricultural labourers committed suicides in 2015. Of these 8,007 were farmers/cultivators and 4,595 agricultural labourers. Over 300,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide since 1995, IndiaSpend reported on January 2, 2017.

Farmer suicides would not end unless and until farmers debt is not taken up as an individual issue, said agricultural economist Sardara Singh Johal, quoted in the Indian Express on July 26, 2017.

Stress due to debt is an individual problem, not across the board of all farmers. Settlement, rewriting, reconciliation, debt waiver etc. should be decided on individual basis, said Johal. This will help the indebted persons (sic) who are stressed in reality and will be less costly for the state.

Chaitanya Mallapur is an analyst with IndiaSpend. Published in arrangement with IndiaSpend.
BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday reprimanded party MPs for frequent absence from Parliament, saying that lawmakers should do justice to the peoples faith in electing them to look after the interests of the voters.

Addressing the BJP parliamentary party in New Delhi, Shah said there were many people who aspire to become MPs but they dont get the chance.

If you have been elected, you should do justice, a source present at the meeting quoted the BJP president as saying. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Assam to review the flood situation, is also extremely upset, BJP sources said.

Shahs reprimand came a day after Opposition parties forced an amendment in a bill to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes over its composition and the powers of states.

With several Opposition MPs, including those from the AIADMK, TMC and others, not present in the House, the government had an opportunity to outnumber the Opposition, but it was hamstrung as its own MPs were missing in the House.

The amendment seeking to increase the number of members from three to five, including a woman and a minority candidate of OBC category, and ensuring the relevance of state commissions was carried with 75 MPs supporting and 52 rejecting it.

The BJP has 57 MPs in the Upper House, with the other NDA constituents taking the tally up to 75.

The absenteeism of BJP MPs comes despite repeated warnings by Modi in the past, including in the ongoing Monsoon session. On Monday evening when the bill came up for passage in the Rajya Sabha, even ministers were absent.

Till Parliament is on all members should be present, matter of members not present will be taken up seriously, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said after the party meeting.

Shah asked MPs to ensure that its not repeated, Kumar said adding that the BJP is likely to seek explanation from the absentee Rajya Sabha MPs.

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BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday reprimanded party MPs for their absence from Parliament, a day after the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha forced changes to a crucial bill that now faces delay.

In an embarrassment for the government, the opposition parties on Monday made an amendment to a bill to give constitutional status to the national commission for backward classes, raising the number of members from three to five to include a woman and a minority candidate from the OBC category.

The government could junk this bill and bring a new one as it believes the change makes the legislation legally untenable because such reservation was not permitted in constitutional bodies, sources said.

People have many options. If you have been elected, you should do justice to it, sources quoted Shah as saying at a parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi.

Seventeen of the 57 BJP MPs, including seven ministers, skipped the House on Monday afternoon. The party, said sources, had sought an explanation from them.

As many as 31 members of the National Democratic Alliance were missing from the House, where the ruling coalition is in a minority.

Though Opposition was also not full strength but the amendment was passed with 75 members voting in favour and 52 rejecting it.

Modi was in Assam to review the flood situation and didnt attend the Tuesdays meeting but was said to be extremely upset.

The Prime Minister on several occasions has asked lawmakers to be regular in Parliament. On Monday evening, he called for the names of those who played truant.

The government, said sources, was unlikely to accept the change and could go for a fresh bill. But with numbers not favouring it in the Rajya Sabha, it could wait out till the situation was more favourable in the House.

The NDA hopes to improve its bench strength when Rajya Sabha elections are held over the next one year.

In the meantime, it plans to turn the tables on the Congress by telling people that the opposition party blocked a bill for OBC welfare as part of its policy of minority appeasement.

In the BJP meeting, which was well-attended, Shah minced no words and asked MPs to wake up to their duty. There were many leaders but only few got the chance to be members of Parliament, he said.

Till Parliament is on, all members should be present, matter of members not present will be taken up seriously, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said after the meeting.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley also spoke to some his absentee colleagues, source said.

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Rajasthans newly appointed Director General of Police (DGP), Ajit Singh, on Tuesday dismissed allegations that gangster Anandpal Singhs encounter was fake.

Anandpal was killed on June 24 in a police encounter at Malasar in Churu district. His death had triggered protests by the Rajput community to which he belonged. The government gave in to their demand for a CBI probe.

The CBI probe will clear all doubts related to the encounter. I had personally examined the encounter site and there is no doubt that the encounter was genuine, Singh said today addressing a press conference.

The state government had decided to recommend a CBI inquiry into the gangsters encounter.

From left: Pankaj Kumar Singh, NK Reddy, Umesh Mishra explain the happenings at the site of Anandpal's encounter with the help of photographs , at PHQ in Jaipur. (HT File Photo)

On his priorities, Singh said that his department will make strategies to reduce physical, white collar and cyber crimes in the state.

We would try to reduce deaths which may be due to assault, accident or any other reason, he added.

He stressed on the need to strengthen communication with the common people.

When people have faith and trust in police they share information. Relations with people play an important role in making policing successful. Community Liaison Group (CLG) was established for connecting better with the society, he said.

On rising cyber crimes, Singh said police is equipped to deal with crime. He said regular skill enhancement training is provided to staff and they will try to gear up in tackling cyber crimes.

He said that his department will try to limit the number of pending cases under the 10% mark.
When 24-year-old NP Marwan left his North Kerala home to join the Islamic State last year, his folks did not know if they would ever see him again. They received a definitive answer on Monday, and it was not one they had been hoping for.

Kasargode resident KVP Ismail was informed through the Telegram app that his son, who had joined the ranks of Islamic State fighters last year, was killed in a US drone attack in Afghanistan. The message  which was later handed over to intelligence agencies  was purportedly sent from the account of Ashfaq Mohamed, another youngster who had gone missing from the state.

Marwan is the sixth of the 21 youngsters who allegedly joined the Islamic State last year to be killed in action. Another youth, Yahiya alias Beston, was eliminated in a similar attack a few weeks ago.

Upon leaving his Trikaripur residence in May 2016, Marwan  a graduate  told his family that he was headed to Mumbai in pursuit of higher education. They did not hear from him until three months later, when they came to know that he had married a foreigner someplace far away.

The disappearance of 21 people in 2016 had sent shockwaves through the country. While most of the self-declared jihadists hailed from respectable upper middle-class families, five  two men and three women  were recent converts to Islamism. Intelligence agencies later traced them to Nanghar province of Afghanistan, and reports suggested that they must have crossed into the warn-torn country through Iran.

Most of the missing people have been disowned by their relatives, who claim that their act of joining the terror organisation has disgraced their country and community. While a few initially tried to convince them into returning, they now claim to have lost all hope.

Kerala police eventually arrested two people  Arshid Qureshi and Rizwan Khan  from Mumbai on charges of luring them into the Islamic State and then sending them abroad. Qureshi, an associate of controversial preacher Zaka Naik, was accused of facilitating the disappearance of Kochi resident Merin alias Mariam. Her brother had filed a police complaint, stating that Qureshi had also attempted to convert him during a meeting at Mumbai last year.

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(The screenshot of Baidu search engine)

A list of top 12 weird searches revealed by Baidu, the leading search engine in China, boomed recently, showing the wild imagination of Chinese web users.

Have you ever wondered if you hold in a fart, where does it go? According to Baidu, it exits out the mouth and nose. When people hold in gas it will absorb into the intestinal wall and then mix with the blood. Then the gas comes out through the mouthsthe higher end of the digestive track.

Why cant I stop picking at acne? raised the second biggest question mark. Baidu says the reason is obsessive-compulsive disorder. People with this mental disorder feel the need to repeatedly touch and squeeze their pimples until their anxiety is relieved by the repeated movements. This may also occur in people who are perfectionists or in those who are obsessed with their looks.

According to the data, people from 20 to 40 years old are curious why their snoring doesnt wake them up. According to Baidu, their brains ignore the information so they can have a good rest.

Some wanted to know: Will mosquitoes still bite if I put a bowl of blood next to my bed? Baidu says yes, as the bowl of blood will cool down and mosquitoes are attracted to heat.

There were also questions that Baidu was unable to answer, such as: Why does my daughter look ugly? According to Baidus data, Libras are most likely to search this question. Many users on the Chinese language collective intelligence community Baidu Knows comfort those who ask this question by saying beauty is not everything or your daughter might be more beautiful when she blossoms into womanhood.

Baidu is the worlds largest Chinese search engine and the largest Chinese website, used by 95 percent of Chinese internet users. According to its official website, Baidu receives more than 5 billion search queries every day.
A day after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar accused long-time ally Lalu Prasad of being smothered in corruption, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief hit back on Tuesday, asserting that his friend-turned-foe was a turncoat and he (Nitish Kumar) is known for his dubious character.

Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Lalu Prasad said, I know Nitish Kumar from the beginning as Im senior to him. He is one big palturam (turncoat) whose true colours will soon show. From the very beginning, he is known for his dubious character. Nitish has forgotten the days when he used to take my blessing and go for any political debate or talks.

Further lashing out at Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad said that only because of Mulayam Singh, he allowed the chief minister in his alliance.

Yesterday (Monday) when he accused me and my family; I knew it was coming. As he is not a man of his words. He has also forgotten the day when I made him rule the state and join my alliance with open arms. It was only because of Mulayam Singh that I agreed to accept him in my party. But today I regret of the time spent and the moment lost, he said.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lalu Prasad said Nitish Kumar used to speak ill of the BJP and today, he is singing the partys glory.

Till yesterday, Nitish was accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now suddenly he is singing his praises and calling him the biggest leader in the country. This comes as a shock to me! He also added that there is no one who can defeat him. I know Nitishs intentions as he wants to sacrifice my children for his glory and name, Lalu Prasad added.

On Monday, Nitish Kumar, while addressing his first press conference after joining hands with the BJP, declared that no one is capable to face and beat Prime Minister Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

He praised Modi, calling him the biggest leader in the country and added that there is no one who can defeat him.

Nitish Kumar also explained that he had given his long time friend Lalu Prasad ample opportunities to explain the charges of corruption against him, but to no avail.

If Lalu Prasad had explained himself over the corruption allegations, then the situation could have been different in Bihar, Nitish Kumar said.

I had asked Lalu to clarify the allegations of corruption against him and put the facts forward. It will send a positive impact on the public and which is also good for the mahagathbandhan. I have tolerated everything, thought this happens in alliance as I didnt have a choice. I continued my work for the betterment of people, he added.

Meanwhile, Lalu Prasad has invited Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav to lead the fight against the BJP and Nitish Kumar, who, according to him, joined hands with communal and fascist forces and betrayed the peoples mandate.

Nitish has tarnished the image of Ambedkar. I urge Sharad Yadav, whom we consider the true leader, to travel to every corner of the country and come to Bihar and join our fight against the BJP and Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad told ANI.

On July 26, Nitish Kumar resigned as the chief minister and ended the two-year alliance with the RJD and the Congress over corruption charges against his deputy and Lalu Prasads son Tejashwi Yadav.
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu may join the BJP-led NDA as soon as the two factions complete a merger.

According to a BJP leader in Delhi, AIADMK will come on board.

If the merger does happen, it would mean that the Dravidian party could find representation in the Union council of ministers. It will be after a gap of over four years that Tamil Nadu could have adequate representation in the Union council of ministers after the DMK walked out of UPA in 2013

H Raja, a senior TN state BJP leader, the leader entrusted with translating senior BJP leaders speeches in Hindi into Tamil, told Hindustan Times that merger between the two AIADMK factions could happen very soon.

BJP Tamil Nadu President Tamilisai Soundarrajan refused to confirm or deny the developments.

However, another BJP source said that things many not happen at the pace at which they are being expected. Both factions are with us, but there are differences among themselves. Besides, there is no urgency as far as we in the BJP are concerned, said the leader.

The AIADMK has 50 MPs in the two houses of Parliament and the BJP would like to firm up an alliance in time for the 2019 general elections.

According to a senior leader in the O Panneerselvam camp, dumping Sasikala and Dinakaran must take place before merger happens. Another BJP leader privy to developments within the AIADMK factions confirmed on Tuesday that Mannargudi family will be removed from party.

State finance minister D Jayakumar confirmed on Tuesday that merger talks were going on. The merger can happen very soon, the minister said in response to questions from reporters.

Former chief minister O Panneerselvam had put the precondition that Sasikala and Dinakaran must be removed from party posts and kept away from government for any merger to happen.

Former education minister M Pandiarajan reiterated OPS demand, saying that the merger can happen only under the leadership of OPS. But chief minister Edapaddi Palanisami has dug in heels and insists that he remains the chief minister, which is where the talks were getting stuck, party sources said.

Read more: Tamil Nadu: CM Palaniswami confident of merger of AIADMK factions

Demand for a probe into death of J Jayalalithaa and ouster of Mannargudi family are the two preconditions that are absolutely non-negotiable, Pandiarajan said.

OPS will in all probability form another committee for discuss merger modalities, sources said.

But Dinakaran himself has ruled out a merger and is standing in the way of a reunion. He asserts that he was acting on behalf of general secretary VK Sasikala who is in jail in Bengaluru.

Few of our ministers and leaders are saying things (about joining NDA) out of their own fears. I am sure they will come out of fear and it will not happen, Dinakaran told media persons.

I am also certain that merger will not happen, as I know what is happening inside, the AIADMK deputy general secretary said.

Within minutes of Dinakrans statement, chief minister Edapaddi Palanisami and senior ministers congregated at secretariat to take stock of the situation.

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Unidentified miscreants gunned down Lafiqul Islam Ahmed, the president of All Bodoland Minority Students Union (ABMSU) in western Assams Kokrajhar Tuesday afternoon, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Guwahati after assessing the flood damage in the northeast.

Various organisations have labelled the murder as an attempt to stir up communal violence in touchy Kokrajhar, which has had a history of bloodshed.

Kokrajhar district superintendent of police Rajen Singh chose not to answer calls, but lesser police officers said Ahmeds killing could be an attempt by tribal extremists to keep the area on boil. The extremists were behind a series of violence against minorities in Kokrajhar, the hub of Bodoland Territorial Council.

Ahmed was shot about 4:30 pm at Titaguri. We are trying to follow clues to get to the culprits, a police officer in Kokrajhar said.

Lafiqul was an active leader who took up issues related to the minorities and their persecution. The state government should order a high-level probe into his murder, Badruddin Ajmal, chief of All India United Democratic Front, said.

Organisations such as the Muslim Kalyan Parishad, Assam and All Assam Bengali Yuba Chhatra Federation condemned Ahmeds killing.

There is a design behind Lafiquls murder. The (BJP-led coalition) government should take steps to ensure this does not snowball into a major law and order problem, Sultan Mahmud Mirdha, spokesperson for a minority literary organisation, said.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal also condemned the killing of Ahmed. Such dastardly acts disturb peace and harmony, he said and instructed director general of police Mukesh Sahay to proceed to Kokrajhar and take stock of the law and order situation.
A special CBI court discharged two senior IPS officers  Gujarats former deputy inspector general DG Vanzara and senior Rajasthan officer Dinesh MN  in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati encounter cases on Tuesday.

With this, the Mumbai court has discharged 15 people accused in the two cases. The exonerated people include all senior IPS officers with the exception of Vipul Aggarwal  who has been booked for conspiracy and execution of Prajapatis allegedly fake encounter.

Vanzaras discharge comes as a jolt to the CBI investigation, considering that he was termed as the main conspirator in the case. Dinesh, on the other hand, had led the police team responsible for eliminating Sheikh.

Vanzara and Dinesh spent almost seven years at the Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad before being released on bail. While Vanzara retired in June 2014, Dinesh was promoted the same year he was let out.

Sheikh, a gangster, was travelling on a Hyderabad-Sangli bus with his wife Kausar Bi and Prajapati when they were allegedly abducted by a Gujarat anti-terrorism squad on November 23, 2005. Three days later, Sheikh and Bi were killed in a fake encounter near Gandhinagar.

Tulsiram, the sole witness to their abduction, was killed a year later. Gujarat police said they shot him down while he was trying to escape at Banaskanthas Chapri village in December 2006.

Sheikh was accused of extorting money from marble traders in Rajasthan, among other crimes. Vanzara intends to contest in the upcoming Gujarat assembly election.

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Heightened Chinese activities were reported across the international border in two Himachal Pradesh districts adjacent to the mountainous and arid Tibetan region where Beijing is building roads and infrastructure.

The reports surfaced after the India-China standoff over Doklam across the Sikkim border in the eastern sector.

Himachal shares a 260km porous border on its northeastern side with China and three battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are maintaining constant vigilance since the Doklam faceoff in mid-June.

Residents of villages in the remote districts of Kinnaur as well as Lahaul and Spiti have reported spotting Chinese helicopters and increased road-building and construction activities across the border.

Though we have been seeing construction activities for the past year, there has been a marked acceleration in the past four months, said a government official who didnt wish to be named.

Chinese constructions could be seen from Shaktot village, about 5km from the Indian border point of Kaurik, which is the last village situated beyond Sumdoh. China has an airfield at Lupsuk, which is nearly 190km from Kaurik.

Kinnaur shares a 140km border with China, while 80km lies in Lahaul and Spiti district.

We have stepped up vigilance along the China border in Himachal, said a security officer.

The paramilitary ITBP guards the Chinese border and it has 20 outposts, including the high-security camp at Kaurik in Himachal.

The standoff has affected the annual cross-border trade, which begins in the last week of June and ends in November, through traditional mountain trails and passes.

The local administration has approved trade permits to 52 applicants this year, but is yet to give them permission for go to China. There is no clarity when it will start, said Hishey Negi, president of the Kinnaur India-China trade association.

For ages merchants have been crossing the Shipki La, a mountain pass at an altitude of 18,599 feet, to trade with Tibet. It is through this pass that Sutlej enters India from Tibet.

The route was closed after the India-China war in 1962 and reopened when the two countries signed a trade protocol in 1994.

Besides, there are several mountain passes, including Lepcha La, Rang La, and Ranisha Dob Rang.

But, between the passes, there are transit routes that villagers use to cross over and meet relatives across the border.

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The Congress on Tuesday divested party general secretary Digvijaya Singh of his responsibilities in Telangana as part of a new strategy to have just one senior functionary in charge over each state.

Digvijaya, who was earlier relieved of his charge over Goa and poll-bound Karnataka, now holds the fort only in Andhra Pradesh. Former Rajya Sabha MP and party secretary RC Khuntia will take over his responsibilities in Telangana.

Khuntia, a backward class leader from Odisha, had been assisting Digvijaya in Telangana until now. He has served in the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), a frontal organisation of Indias grand old party, for a long time. Satish Jarkiholi, a recently appointed party secretary who reportedly began hobnobbing with the Janata Dal (Secular) after being dropped from the Karnataka cabinet, will assist Khuntia in his functions.

The other organisational changes effected by Congress president Sonia Gandhi are the creation of two new departments in the party structure. While Thiruvananthapuram MP and former Union minister Shashi Tharoor will head the All India Professionals Congress (AIPC), Arbind Singh will chair the All India Unorganised Workers Congress with Irfan Alam as the vice-chairman.

Arbind, a social entrepreneur, has been associated with the National Association of Street Vendors of India  an organisation working for the upliftment of street vendors across the country. Alam, a Harvard graduate from Bihar, has worked to protect the interests of rickshaw pullers through his NGO  Samman Foundation. Ahead of the 2015 Bihar assembly elections, the state Congress had appointed him as the media advisor and planner of the partys poll campaign. At one time, Alam even earned the praise of former US president Barack Obama for his work.

The Tharoor-headed AIPC hopes to contribute to the advancement of progressive politics in India by letting citizens network with like-minded peers, engage with political leaders and influencers, and contribute to election campaigns as well as policy formulation activities.

Digvijaya had come under fire for his lacklustre handling of the post-election developments in Goa, where the Congress failed to form the government despite emerging as the single-largest party in the state assembly. After the BJP cobbled together a coalition, chief minister Manohar Parrikar had even offered special thanks to Digvijaya for helping the saffron party by doing absolutely nothing.

A rebellion had been brewing even in Karnatakas ruling Congress government. Many state leaders complained to the Congress high command about the party veterans style of functioning, and demanded his removal from the post.

The fresh changes are part of a new strategy aimed at adapting to the changing times. It lays down a strict condition that no Congress functionary will be allowed to hold charge over multiple states, even if the person concerned is a general secretary. Moreover, the leaders in charge will be issued a strict directive to focus exclusively on their territories and take steps to strengthen the partys presence there.

With this basic change in its organisational restructuring process, the party has shunned its decades-old practice of indiscriminately handing charge over multiple states to general secretaries or any other leader of a similar stature. It was devised in view of feedback received by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi that entrusting a single leader with responsibilities in manifold states leaves him/her with little time to do justice to either of them. Many claimed this was the reason behind the Congress losing various electoral battles, and several leaders straying into greener political pastures.

The Congress used to hold sway over 13 states before its worst-ever electoral drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Today, with just six state governments to its credit, the party can no longer claim to be a dominant political force in the country.

Another organisational strategy unveiled by the Congress constitutes preparing a team for the future by appointing young leaders as secretaries who can assist senior members in managing party affairs in various states. This way, the old guards will not feel ignored either.

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The courts cannot introduce right to privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution and this can only be done by Parliament, the Maharashtra government told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar is hearing a plea to decide whether right to privacy is a fundamental right or not.

This is not the case of interpretation of the Constitution or the law. This is the case of introduction of a right as a fundamental right. This can be done only by Parliament, senior advocate CA Sundaram, appearing for the Maharashtra government, told the judges.

The bench also comprises justices J Chelameswar, S A Bobde, R K Agrawal, Rohinton Fali Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, D Y Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Abdul Nazeer.

Sundaram said that the term privacy is not a definite term and it cannot be conferred a separate status of a fundamental right under the Constitution.

Besides the government of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh has also opposed the contentions of the lawyers who are seeking right to privacy be included as a fundamental right.

Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, referred to various legislations including the Income Tax Act, the Right to Information Act and the Indian Telegraph Act and said that various aspects of privacy have been protected under several statutes.

Several legislations protect the aspect of privacy and being a common law right, it need not be elevated in the category of the fundamental rights, Mehta argued.

He will resume arguments in the afternoon session.
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Guwahati on Tuesday to assess the damage from floods, a week after he took a trip to Gujarat that faced similar devastation, triggering allegations that he was biased towards his home state.

Floods and landslides have claimed at least 130 lives and affected more than 25 lakh people across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Mizoram between April and July. .

An Assam government spokesperson said Modi landed at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport around 10 am. He was received by governor Banwarilal Purohit and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal

From the airport, he flew by a helicopter to the Veterinary College Ground at Khanapara on the southern edge of Guwahati.

The prime minister then drove to the nearby Assam Administrative Staff College where he is scheduled to hold three meetings, before returning to New Delhi in the afternoon.

He was received at the Staff College by the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior state government officials.

He will meet government officials of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur for assessing the extent of flood damage before meeting party leaders from across the region. He is scheduled to fly back to Delhi by 2:45pm, the spokesperson said.

On Monday, former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said Modi was forced by criticism to visit the flood-affected state.

The PM preferred to visit Gujarat before Assam, but it is good that he is coming due to public pressure, Gogoi said, reminding the prime minister did not lose time in visiting Jammu and Kashmir during the devastating floods in 2014 and announcing a special package while Assam languished.

Gujarat heads to election later this year.

Ranjit K Das, the president of Assam unit of BJP, countered the criticism. The prime minister visited Assam thrice in the last 14 months, and he announced todays visit while leaving for Gujarat. The Congress should know (former PM) Manmohan Singh did not visit Assam during the floods despite being elected to the Rajya Sabha from the state, he said.

Badruddin Ajmal, Lok Sabha member and chief of All India United Democratic Front, hoped Modi would declare the floods in Assam a national calamity and announce a financial assistance of at least Rs 20,000-crore.

The national disaster tag has been a long-standing demand of various organisations such as All Assam Students Union.

Scores of lives have been lost in the floods that left several thousand hectares of agricultural land covered with sand. We want the victims to be suitably compensated, Ajmal said.

Assam has experienced worse floods, but the number of dead this time has been unprecedented. Assam State Disaster Management Authority officials said 83 people have died so far, eight of them in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district straddling Guwahati. Four were electrocuted on days when a large part of the city was under waist- or neck-deep water.

The floods also affected more than 17 lakh people across 29 of Assams 32 districts, with 15,746 of them evacuated by relief and rescue personnel. Standing crop on 209,051.65 hectare was damaged while 131,899 were scattered across 363 relief camps.

Last week, Sonowal said his BJP-led coalition government has sought a financial assistance of Rs 2,393-crore from the Centre for post-flood measures while Sarma, the states finance minister, insisted funds were available to tackle the situation.

We still have Rs 324 crore of unspent money. Last year the Centre had announced Rs 400 crore (for Assam), but did not send it because we had money, Sarma said.

Manipur, on the other hand, has suffered a loss of Rs 213.17-crore since Cyclone Mora hit the state in May followed by monsoonal deluge. The states principal secretary (relief and disaster management) MH Khan said the floods killed 19 people, damaged 85,226 hectares of agricultural land, 19,095 houses, 421 government infrastructure including 128 schools, 43 bridges and 35 market sheds.

The flood damage in Arunachal Pradesh is yet to be assessed, but a major landslide at Laptap village near state capital Itanagar buried 14 people alive. At least two others, including a minor girl, were washed away by rivers elsewhere.

Flash floods had also killed at least 12 people in Mizoram two months ago.

(With agency inputs)

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BJP MP in the Lok Sabha Meenakshi Lekhi stumped Agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh in the Lower House on Tuesday by listing a question on the Delhi Milk Supply scheme but seeking answers on the medicinal properties of cow urine.

Lekhis questions prompted Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to point out, She has gone from milk to gau mutra (cow urine). The member should think about it. It is up to the minister to answer. Singh also pointed out to the chair that the original question pertained to the Delhi Milk Supply scheme.

During Question Hour, Lekhi had sought to know from the government whether it had received complaints on the deterioration of quality of milk, ghee and other milk products under the DMS  run by the government. Each member whose question is listed for oral answers (also called starred questions) gets an opportunity to ask two supplementary questions which are not listed beforehand.

Lekhi said, A former ASG had been cured of a critical illness after being given cow urine. She wanted to know what the government was doing to publicise the merits of ancient cures in a modern way. She also asked whether the government is conducting research in the field.

Her second question put the focus on cow dung. Lekhi said due to lack of moisture, soil was turning into dust and causing pollution that leads to lung diseases. She said cow dung has the ability to revitalise soil and increase its moisture content and wanted to know if the government was setting up waste to energy plants to tap the prowess of cow dung.

Singh said the government is in the process of setting up a genome centre in Karnal to study cow-related products. He also said the government had not received any complaints regarding DMS products and pointed out that the original question pertained to DMS.

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Endangered elephants and tigers are killing one person a day in India as humans put a growing squeeze on their habitat, according to new government figures.

But man is in turn killing a leopard a day as the man-animal tussle for space reaches new heights.

India has lost vast swathes of forests to urbanisation in recent decades, forcing animals into human-occupied zones.

According to the environment ministry, 1,144 people were killed in attacks across India in 1,143 days between April 2014 and May this year. And there is no sign of the toll being cut.

The ministry said 345 tigers and 84 elephants were killed in the same period, mostly in poacher attacks. Elephants are targeted for their tusks.

Siddhanta Das, the ministrys director general of forests, said human encroachment into animal territory was causing the deaths. We are running awareness campaigns to minimise the casualties, Das told AFP.

Elephants accounted for 1,052 human deaths and tigers 92, according to the figures released to parliament last week.

(FILES) This file photo taken on February 7, 2016 shows an Indian man (L) with a tranquilizer gun watching as a leopard attacks a man identified by Indian media as wildlife conservationist Sanjay Gubbi (R) at a private school on the outskirts of Bangalore. (AFP)

West Bengal state accounted for more than a quarter of deaths. The eastern state has nearly 800 elephants and is also home to famed Bengal tigers.

Last year a herd of wild elephants went on an hours-long rampage in West Bengal, killing five people and damaging vehicles and homes before being subdued with tranquilliser darts.

But tensions are also mounting elsewhere across the country. An elephant trampled to death four people, including a 12-year-old girl, in a village in southern Tamil Nadu state in June.

There have also been cases of elephants knocking people off scooters.

Most attacks on humans by elephants take place in so-called elephant corridors which they have used for centuries but are now being overrun by humans.

This file photo taken on March 20, 2016 shows an elephant attacking an Indian man in a field in Baghasole village, in Burdwan district in West Bengal state. (AFP)

According to National Crime Records Bureau statistics, nearly 950 people were killed in animal attacks in 2015. But those statistics did not specify the nature of the incidents.

India has nearly 30,000 elephants and is home to half the worlds tiger population with some 2,226 of the big cats roaming its reserves, according to the last official count in 2014. Both are endangered species.

Rampant killing of wildlife is ongoing in India. Hundreds of leopards, tigers and elephants are killed for their body parts, Tito Joseph of the Wildlife Protection Society of India told AFP.

Fatality figures for the estimated 12,000 to 14,000 leopards living in the wild are becoming alarming, according to a 2015 census.

More than 1,436 of the animals have been killed since January 2014, according to the WPSI.

There are no figures on the number of humans killed by leopards, but experts say there are hundreds each year.
One major reason why some participants at next months Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS economic bloc summit in Xiamen, in southeast Chinas Fujian province might decide to stay back a little longer is the areas rich culture and tourist attractions.

The province is situated on Chinas southeast coast, facing Taiwan to the east across Taiwan Straits. Influenced by the subtropical oceanic monsoon climate, Fujian enjoys warm and pleasant weather with plentiful rainfall. The beautiful scenery and rich culture boast several unique and historic sites worth visiting.

Three Lanes, Seven Alleys, Fuzhou

Located in the centre of the Fujian capital, Fuzhou, Three lanes, seven alleys is one of the citys landmarks. It is listed among the top 10 famous historical and cultural streets in China. Its chessboard layout and exquisite architectural details, profound historic heritage and intimate association with Taiwan, has won the area several awards.

The architectural style in Three lanes, seven alleys stands out

Zhang Tian Fu was a wealthy man who lived here and died two months ago at the age of 108. He drank Chinese tea throughout his life and even got married at 100 years to a woman aged 54. Chinese people believe that taking tea regularly prolongs lifespan, Yan Qin, a female guide told visiting foreign journalists in Three lanes, seven alleys last week.

Kaiyuan temple, Jiuri mountain

The Kaiyuan Buddhist monastery in Quanzhou took 10 years to construct 800 years ago. The strength of the architectural work was demonstrated 400 years ago when one of the pagodas (a watchtower-like structure) survived a very powerful earthquake. On two pillars inside the temple is the couplet: This place enjoyed the reputation of a Buddhist county in ancient times. There were saints here and there in the streets. The inscription was written in the 13th century by a famous philosopher, Zhu Xi.

This Kaiyuan temple pagoda survived a very powerful earthquake 400 years ago

Jiuri mountain on the other hand is 7 km from downtown Quanzhou. Kaiyuan temple and Jiuri mountain marked the takeoff point of the Maritime Silk Road. During the Song and Yuan dynasties (960-1368), Quanzhou witnessed dynamic maritime trade and communication with Asia and Africa. Some 800 years ago, officials and fisher people used to come to the temple on Jiuri mountain to seek good luck for their activities, a guide told the press last week at the site.

The government and people of Quanzhou valued friendship with foreign guests. Each year before the ships set sail, local officials would hold grand ceremonies on Jiuri mountain to pray for favorable wind and good luck during their voyages, leaving behind lots of stone inscriptions, reads the brochure issued by city authorities.

Gulangyu island

Located 2 km off the coast of Xiamen city, Gulangyu island is home to about 20,000 people. Access to the little island covering about 2 square km is by ferry from Xiamen; then electric buggies on the paved narrow ring path round the islet. After the British-led Opium war against China in 1840, 13 nations, including Britain, France and Japan established consulates, churches and hospitals on Gulangyu, turning it into a joint concession.

The islet only returned to Chinese control after Japans defeat in World War II. Only electric-powered vehicles are permitted on the island, so the environment is free from the noise and pollution of combustion engines. Breathing clean air, appreciating the ever-present green trees and lovely flowers, and classical and romantic European-style architecture, is what visitors to Gulangyu stand to enjoy.

Walking on Gulangyu island's paved narrow coastal streets is any visitor's delight

Gulangyu piano museum

It is the only such museum in China and all the pianos are more than 100 years old. The museum opened to the public on December 22, 2001. The island is renowned for the culture of playing pianos as residents are reputed to own more than 600 personal pianos. The museum comprises two houses with two floors each, containing over 100 world-famous antique pianos collected from the Americas, Australia, Britain, Austria and France.

All pianos were collected by Hu Youyi, a wealthy Chinese patriot who lived in Australia. He was born on Gulangyu island and before his death in 2013, he donated the musical instruments to the State. The collection includes the popular Steinway and Sons pianos made in the US at the beginning of the 19th century. The oldest and biggest vertical piano, tallest upright piano in the world made by Broadwood and Sons, are some of the museums gems.

Kimeng Hilton Ndukong is Sub-Editor for World News with Cameroon Tribune bilingual daily newspaper in Cameroon. He is currently on media attachment with Peoples Daily Online in English.
When Ranis husband died by drinking pesticide, he left the family in debt. But even if they could pay off the loans, Rani said their farming days are over.

There are no rains, said the 44-year-old woman from drought-stricken Tamil Nadu, one of hundreds of farmers protesting in the capital for more government support. Even for drinking, we get water only once in 10 days.

A new study suggests that India will see more such tragedies as climate change brings hotter temperatures that damage crops and exacerbate drought. For every 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming above 20 degrees C (68 degrees F) during the growing season in India, there are 67 more suicides on average, according to the findings published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS.

The message is that farming is an inherently risky occupation, with annual incomes often held hostage to the weather, and its getting riskier in the era of climate change, said Vikram Patel, an Indian psychiatrist and mental health expert with Harvard Medical School in Boston who was not involved in the study.

Experts said the studys findings should raise alarms, especially with Indias average temperatures expected to rise another 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F) by 2050. That will bring more erratic weather events, more drought and stronger storms.

Anything that will affect occupational stability is going to affect farmers mental health, Patel said.

Farming has always been considered a high-risk profession, and a single damaged harvest can drive some to desperation. With agriculture supporting more than half of Indias 1.3 billion people, farmers have long been seen as the heart and soul of the country. But theyve also seen their economic clout diminish over the last three decades. Once accounting for a third of Indias gross domestic product, they now contribute only 15% of Indias $2.26 billion economy.

In this Feb. 1, 2017 file photo, an Indian farmer works in his paddy field in Roja Mayong village, east of Gauhati, India. Researchers report a link between crop-damaging temperatures and suicide rates in India, where more than 130,000 farmers end their lives every year. (AP)

There are many factors that can contribute to suicide, including poor crop yields, financial devastation or debt, access to easy methods of self-harm, or a lack of community support. In India, many farmers will drink toxic pesticides as a way out of backbreaking debt, with the government in some cases guaranteeing monetary aid to their surviving families. That provides a perverse incentive for suicide, rewarding people who end their lives by paying family compensation, but only if they die, Patel said.

We may not be able to stop the world from warming, but that doesnt mean we cant do something to address suicide, including providing more financial stability and paying more attention to mental health, he said.

The study released Monday should make those efforts even more urgent, experts said.

It provides evidence for a causal pathway  from unfavourable weather to poor crop yields to rural misery to increased suicide, said Dr. Howard Frumkin, a University of Washington environmental health professor who was not involved in the study. With climate change bringing increasingly chaotic weather in many places, this causal pathway is likely to intensify.

In this May 11, 2016 file photo, Indian farmer Anant More inspects his destroyed crop of sugarcane due to drought in Marathwada region, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. (AP)

Indias farmers are already hit regularly by strong storms, extreme drought, heat waves and other extreme weather events. Some still rely on natural rainfall to water their crops. Scientists have shown that extreme weather events are already increasing as the planet warms.

For the study, researcher Tamma Carleton looked at suicide data from Indias National Crime Records Bureau between 1967 and 2013, along with data on agricultural crop yields and on temperature change.

I estimate that warming temperature trends over the last three decades have already been responsible for over 59,000 suicides throughout India, writes Carleton, who studies agriculture and resource economics at the University of California, Berkeley. In other words, warmer temperatures were a factor accounting for a 6.8 percent increase in suicides, the study says.

She noted limitations in the study, including an inability to differentiate between urban and rural suicides because the crime records bureau only began classifying farmer suicides in 1995. Other experts also noted that the actual number of suicides may be higher than the crime database counted, but said these concerns were unlikely to undermine the studys core findings.

FILE- In this March 7, 2017 file photo, Indian women farmers work in their farm on the eve of International Women's Day on the outskirts of New Delhi, India. (AP)

Indias farmers, often complaining about being ignored, hold frequent protests to demand better crop prices, more loan waivers and even water delivery systems to guarantee irrigation during dry spells. Sometimes, they stage sit-ins or dump truckloads of vegetables onto highways to disrupt traffic.

For the past month, hundreds of farmers  some carrying human skulls they say are from farmers who committed suicide in the drought-stricken southern state of Tamil Nadu  have been staging what they say will be a 100-day protest in a central New Delhi square to prevent the suicide of farmers who feed the nation.

The government recently introduced legislation to subsidize a crop insurance scheme aimed at reducing some of the financial risk faced by farmers who take out loans to buy seeds and agrochemicals. But experts note there is almost no discussion about mental health as it relates to Indias farming community.

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh told lawmakers Thursday there were 11,458 farmer suicides in 2016  the lowest number in two decades. It was also a year of mild temperatures and normal monsoon rains.

He acknowledged that the number of farmer suicides had gone up by about 9% in each of the previous two years, both of which were marred by drought. The crime bureau found that 58% of the 12,602 farmer suicides in 2015 were driven by bankruptcy, indebtedness and other farming-related issues. Most of the victims were marginal cultivators or small farm holders with less than 2 hectares (5 acres) of land.

Suicides occur due to extreme economic despair, said MS Swaminathan, a geneticist whose work on high-yield rice and wheat crops helped drive Indias Green Revolution in the 1960s. His research in the late 1980s found that a 1 degree C (1.8 degree F) temperature rise reduced a crops duration by about one week, causing losses in the overall weight of harvest. His foundation works to find farming solutions not only to rising heat, but also to drought or salinity from coastal sea rise. Given these growing risks, he said, government policy has a large role to play.

Suitable crop insurance and a prompt compensation of losses due to climate-related factors will help to avoid a sense of hopelessness that leads to suicide, Swaminathan said.
The government has no accurate data regarding illegal migrants who have entered India, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju also said that any particular community cannot be branded for having alleged links with terrorists and terrorism. We cannot say that, he said during the Question Hour.

He agreed that several illegal migrants have acquired documents to make their stay in the country legal.

Responding to supplementaries, he said since these people have entered the country in a clandestine and surreptitious manner, naturally official figures would be impossible.

The Centre has asked the states to set up special task forces in each of the districts for detection, identification and interception of illegal migrants.

The states also have powers under the 1946 Foreigners Act to deport illegal migrants. Detention centres have also been set up for detaining suspected illegal migrants, pending their deportation.

He said illegal migrants disturbed the demographic profile of certain areas and create problems.

Responding to the issue of Rohingya refugees, he said they are concentrated in Jammu and Kashmir.

When asked by opposition members whether government has set up concentration camps for them, he said no concentration camps have been established by the government but the refugees themselves have concentrated themselves there.
A 15-year-old girl was found to be seven-month pregnant after two of her cousins allegedly raped her several times.

Police said they have arrested one of the accused, a juvenile, while the other is on the run.

The incident, reported from a village in Sonepats Kharkhoda block, comes close on the heels of a series of similar incidents being reported from the state in the last two months.

The police said the girl was taken to a hospital by her family on July 29 after she complained of stomach ache. The victim then narrated her ordeal to her mother.

She said she was first raped by her cousins in December last year when they barged into her house when she was alone. The accused allegedly continued to rape her, threatening to kill her parents if she informed anyone.

The girl, a school dropout, did not inform anyone out of fear. The police have registered a case under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the two.

Kharkhoda station house officer (SHO) Pradeep Singh said the arrested boy was produced in court which sent him to juvenile home.

Doctors at the Rohtak civil hospital have ruled out abortion at this stage, maintaining that it could be life-threatening to the minor girl. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act in India allows abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya said on Tuesday that he has suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a full-time Sherpa for G20 talks as Indias role is expanding in the global arena.

Panagariya announced that he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University. He was appointed Indias Sherpa for G20 talks in September 2015, replacing railway minister Suresh Prabhu.

Globally Indias role is expanding. I have suggested to the Prime Minister that perhaps we need to find a full-time Sherpa ... Globally so many things are happening, Panagariya said.

Sherpas, who are representatives of leaders of G20 member countries, coordinate on the agenda of a summit.

According to the practice, the deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission used to be the Sherpa for G20 talks.

During the UPA regime, former deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia was Sherpa for G20 talks.

Panagariya was Indias Sherpa for the 12th G20 summit held on July 7-8 in Hamburg, a major port city in Northern Germany.

The G20 is the central forum for international cooperation on financial and economic issues. The G20 countries account for more than four-fifths of gross world product and three-quarters of global trade, and are home to almost two-thirds of the worlds population.
An Indian Army team has participated in a tank race competition in Russia along with groups from several other countries including China, the Army said on Tuesday.

The Tank Biathlon commenced at Alabino Ranges on July 29 and the Indian Army participated in it with T-90 tanks.

A T-72 tank, operated by a crew from Uganda, drives during the Tank Biathlon competition, part of the International Army Games 2017, at a range in the settlement of Alabino outside Moscow, Russia, July 29, 2017. (REUTERS)

A total of 19 countries have participated in the event and the top 12 of them will be selected for stage II relay race out of which only four will qualify for the final stage of the race on August 12, the Army said in a release.

The Tank Biathlon competition is an international event conducted as part of the International Army Games held every year since 2013 at Alabino Ranges in Russia.

International Army Games involve 28 events which are organised in Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China.

A T-72 tank, operated by a crew from Azerbaijan, drives during the Tank Biathlon competition, part of the International Army Games 2017, at a range in the settlement of Alabino outside Moscow, Russia, July 29, 2017. (REUTERS)

The Indian Army team has been participating in the competition for the past three years.

This year, for the first time, the team would be participating with own T-90 tanks which have been shipped to Russia, the Army said.

The competition simulates actual battle field conditions involving driving at high speed and entails switching from one mode of operation to another at a fast pace.
For Hindu followers it is an act of devotion, but at the Thiruthani Murugan temple and others across India there are millions to be made from heads that are shaved and smothered with tumeric paste.

Some days there are hundreds of disciples waiting before dawn at the hilltop shrine west of Chennai to take part in the centuries-old traditional offering to the gods.

Hindu devotees get their head shaved as offerings to the Thiruthani Murugan Temple in Thiruthani, Tamil Nadu. (Arun Sankar / AFP)

As they ask the deities for good fortune and health, temple attendants collect the locks for sale to be used for wigs or fashion industry hair extensions.

India has long been the worlds biggest exporter of human hair -- in money terms -- and businesses say the country earns several hundred million dollars a year from its high quality locks. China and Russia are serious rivals in terms of volume.

The collected hair is then auctioned to hair processing firms that treat the raw hair and prepare it for international export. (Arun Sankar / AFP)

European countries are the biggest customers, but a lot is also sold in the rest of Asia, the United States and even Africa.

There are about 10 major temples, and other smaller ones, in India with a cut of the market. Some villages also collect their inhabitants hair.

A worker sorts and arranges human hair according to its length and texture at a processing centre in Alinjivakkam, Chennai. (Arun Sankar / AFP)

The most expensive type -- capturing a quarter of the overall market -- is hair shaved directly from the scalp of one donor. The rest -- cheaper cuts sourced from comb waste -- fetches a lower price.

Some temples make pilgrims braid their hair before it is cut so that the locks all face the same direction.

The hair collected at Thiruthani Murugan is auctioned to processing plants which sell the finished product as all-human wigs or hair extensions.

Locks of treated hair are hung out to dry before being packaged. India has long been the world's biggest exporter of human hair -- in money terms -- and businesses say the country earns several hundred million dollars a year from its high quality locks. (Arun Sankar / AFP)

Business has to move quickly at the temple, one among the six holy shrines of deity Lord Murugan.

From four in the morning to sundown barbers clip away. Pilgrims queue for hours, sometimes much longer on festival days, to make their sacrifice.

Finished wigs and hair extension pieces made from hair collected from temple auctions are displayed at a boutique in Chennai. (Arun Sankar / AFP)

Tens of thousands, including women and children, shave their heads here every year, applying a bright yellow paste of tumeric powder before offering their prayers.

For devotees who are the bedrock of this industry, a ritual shower and application of tumeric paste on their freshly shorn scalps is the final step --unaware of the journey their donations make all the way to international markets and buyers. (Arun Sankar / AFP)

Pilgrims climb 365 steps to reach the shrine, which is open year round. The profits from the sale of their hair goes towards the upkeep of the temple.
Acting tough against the Kashmiri Pandit migrant employees, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday asked them to join their duties within 15 days or face termination.

A group of migrant teachers on Thursday had staged a demonstration and threatened mass resignations, a day after they were asked to rejoin their duties in Kashmir within a week.

I bring to their (KP migrant employees) notice that if they dont join in Kashmir as per the notice period of 15 days, they will be terminated, J&K Education Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari told reporters at a function here on Tuesday.

The Minister said, We have to give more 3,000 jobs to KP migrant boys and girls. They are getting jobs to serve in Kashmir as a special dispensation under the PMs special package, he added.

We urge these migrant employees to join their services at the Directorate of Education in Kashmir. I assure them that they will not be posted at places where there is a security threat, Bukhari said.

The minister said that they cannot sit in Jammu and get salaries as the essence of the order to serve Kashmir will be defeated.

They will be settled in Kashmir. Their security and housing is paramount. I promise them that I will ensure their security, Bukhari said.

On July 27, the employees had staged the protest outside the relief and rehabilitation commissioners office at Canal Road in the heart of the winter capital under the banner of All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC).

The state government on July 26 had asked migrant employees, who left Kashmir in 2016 due to prolonged unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, to report to the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) within a weeks time.

On failure to do so, the authorities have threatened to take disciplinary action against them.
Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) acting chief Abdul Rehman Makki has launched a secret campaign to collect arms to target the law enforcement personnel in Pakistan, according to a report by the Counter Terrorism Department of Punjab Police.

Makki, the brother-in-law of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, is gathering the support of all of its activists, the report said.

The JuD is collecting arms for show of force and use, if needed, against the personnel of law enforcement agencies. Funds are also being used collected for the purpose, it said, adding transport is also being arranged for the activists (to carry out any operation).

Saeed and his four close aides  Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain  have been have been under house arrest since January 31 of this year under anti-terrorism and public order laws.

Saeeds detention period will expire at the end of this September after his house arrest was extended by 60 days by authorities in Punjab province.

Makki has been looking after the affairs of both JuD a since Saeed is put under house arrest.

In a statement issued here today Makki said: Saeed has been detained at his own house like a prisoner of New Delhi. It has been six months of the detention and he his detention is further extended which the JuD strongly protest.

He said the government is not fulfilling its duty on the Kashmir cause.

The Kashmiris are struggling for their freedom and the Pakistani government is not helping them, he added.
The Kannur model politics has reached Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram.

The northern district  home to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan  has for decades been defined by bloody clashes between the Left and the RSS-BJP which is otherwise referred to as eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-tooth politics  revenge at any cost.

A father killed in front his minor daughter and a teacher dragged out of the classroom and butchered before horrified children, gory incidents that shame even the Taliban are nothing new to Kannur where the Red and Saffron outfits are out to settle scores.

List of Killings since 2016 Feb 13: RSS activist Sujith killed before his parents in Pappinassery May 18: CPI(M) worker C Raveendran (55), on a victory rally, killed in a bomb attack in Mambaram July 11: CPI(M) leader Dhanraj (48) stabbed to death in front of his wife and daughter in Payyanur. Within hours CPI(M) took revenge by killing RSS worker C K Ramachandran (52), an auto driver, before his young daughter. Her video Why you made me an orphan? went viral later Sept 4: RSS worker Bineesh (26) was hacked to death in Thillankerry Oct 10: K Mohanan, CPI(M) local committee secretary, was killed in Vengad near Pinarayi Oct 12: RSS activist Remith killed in Pinarayi. His father Uthaman was killed by CPI(M) workers in 2002 Jan 18, 2017: RSS worker E Santhosh was hacked to death in Andaloor in CMs constituency Dharmadom May 12, 2017: RSS activist Biju (28) killed in Payyanur

Now, in the last five days, at least 24 houses and 18 party offices, including BJP state headquarters, have been attacked in Thiruvananthapuram.

The shift in the clashes come a year after CPI(M)-led Left front came to power in Kerala and three years after the BJP-led NDA stormed the Centre.

Red-Saffron Clash History

For Communists, Kannur is what Nagpur is to saffron forces. Thanks to feudalism, complex caste system and backwardness of the area, the Left made deep roots in the area in 1950s. Many tall leaders of the party, including A K Gopalan, E K Nayaynar, KPR Gopalan to the present CM belong to this area.

In the early 60s, the RSS, with the blessings of Mangalore business lobby, started sneaking into the Communist fort. The rich Konkan business lobby needed the RSS to check the influential Muslim traders, Koyas, of north Malabar.

Soon both took sides over the thriving beedi business in the area. While the CPI(M) supported Dinesh beedi, RSS backed Ganesh beedi.

The uneasy ties between the two took a bloody turn in 1968 when Marxists killed an RSS activist, Vadikkal Ramakrishnan. After a lull for some time, the revenge killings resurfaced in the 80s.

Where Survivors Call The Dead Lucky

At least 60% of the political clashes in the state take place in Kannur. In 2016, 800 political clashes were reported from the district and police arrested 1,200 persons of both the camps.

At least 240 survivors, who escaped death, roam around the blood-littered streets. Living vegetables, they often call the dead lucky.

Why the Bloodshed is Unchecked?

In the hysteric crave for revenge, activists of both groups put the chosen party above everything else, sometimes even above blood relations. There have been incidents of siblings belonging to rival camps attacking each other. RSS has claimed that at least 50% of the activists killed were erstwhile Marxists.

People of Kannur are really loving (by nature). But when it comes to ideology, they forget everything, says senior journalist and political commentator N K Raveendran.

Leaders of both often stoke their fear and anguish, he said, adding the it is up to them to convince their cadre to stop the revenge killings, as there will be no end to it.

People like him feel that the warrior background of the area makes things more complex. In ballads of north Malabar (Vadakkan Pattukal), revenge and honour killings are always lauded.

But historians like M G S Narayanan rejected this theory, saying that ballads cant be blamed for sheer politics of intolerance. It is a bloody race for supremacy, nothing else, he said.

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Abu Dujana, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander operating in Kashmir, was killed on Tuesday in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district, police said.

Dujana, 27, and another militant were shot dead during an exchange of fire between a group of militants and security forces in Hakripora village of Pulwama.

LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice killed in Hakripora, Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF (security forces), Jammu and Kashmir police said in a tweet.

Kashmir inspector general of police, Muneer Khan told HT the operation was still in progress. Television visuals showed plumes of smoke rising from a white building where the militant commander is believed to have been trapped during a cordon and search operation launched by joint forces.

There were reports that Dujana was trapped by security forces at was a house in Hakripora village where he had allegedly gone to meet a local woman he had married some time ago.

Kashmir director general of police, SP Vaid, confirmed Dujana was married but did not say whether the militant had gone to meet his wife. Sources quoting local residents said he was not killed in his in-laws house.

Authorities cut the internet across Pulwama district as a precautionary measure.

Dujana carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head and figures among the top militants of the valley, categorised A++ by the army.

Dujana was among the longest surviving foreign militants in Kashmir, hailing from the Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

He was also popular among the youth as he frequently posted photographs and video clips on social media.

According to the army, he was among 12 most wanted militants active in the valley. Police say he was the mastermind in many militant attacks across south Kashmir.

He is the third top militant leader killed in Kashmir since last year. Hizbul Mujahideen leaders Burhan Wani and Sabzar Bhat were killed by security forces earlier.

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Saudi Arabia on Tuesday accused Iran of stalling investigations into the attacks that targeted the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The attacks by Iranian protesters came in January 2016 after Saudi Arabia executed 47 terror convicts, including Saudi Shiite cleric Namer Al Namer. Saudi Arabia later cut diplomatic ties with Iran.

In response, Iran barred its nationals from performing Hajj last year, but allowed it this year, as the first group of Iranian pilgrims arrived here this week.

Iran also resorted to blackmail tactics to gain diplomatic privileges in the kingdom even after the diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed, according to a source at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Despite an initial approval, Iran has denied a Saudi team access into Iran to assist in investigating the attacks, the source said on condition of anonymity.
Government forces killed a top commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Kashmir on Tuesday, triggering street protests that left one person dead and prompted the authorities to shut down mobile internet and schools.

Police said Abu Dujanas killing was a huge achievement for the government that has hardened its stand against militants after a recent spurt in violent street protests and attacks on security forces.

Late Monday night, police were tipped off about an A++ target meeting a woman in a village in south Kashmir. Around 4am, security forces raided a house where Dujana was said to be meeting his wife.

An hours-long gunfight followed, and after Dujana refused to surrender soldiers blew up the house. Dujanas body was charred nearly beyond recognition. A local 15-year-old accomplice, identified as Arif Dar, was also killed. Dars family told Hindustan Times he joined the militants two years ago, leaving home with only Rs70 and a cricket uniform in his backpack.

Police say Dujana crossed over from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 2010, and was a master of disguise who escaped multiple military traps and remained the longest-surviving militant from across the border.

The 27-year-old carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh, but officials said he was lately a nuisance who harassed women.

Kashmir director general of police SP Vaid confirmed that Dujana was married but said it was not clear if the LeT commander had gone to meet her.

He had married a local Kashmiri girl, today also he had gone to meet a girl, (but) cant be sure if it was the same girl, Vaid told Hindustan Times.

The GOC of 15 Corps, Lt Gen. J Sandhu, told reporters that Dujana was less into militancy of late and more into aiyashi, an Urdu word that translates to debauchery.

Dujanas killing came just over a year after the gunning down of top Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani.

As news of Dujanas death spread, thousands of Kashmir residents came out onto the streets and clashed with government forces, throwing stones at them.

Troops retaliated by firing tear gas, pellet guns and bullets, killing a young man in Hakripora village near Bandipora, around 30 km from state capital Srinagar, witnesses and police said.

Wanis killing in July last year sparked months-long street protests by stone-pelting civilians across Kashmir, leaving close to 100 people dead. His successor Sabzar Bhat was gunned down by security forces in May this year.

A top police official said forces will not back off despite growing protests, which have prompted global rights bodies to call for restraint by India to avoid civilian deaths.

Stone pelting or no pelting, disruptions or no disruptions, our operations will continue, said Kashmirs inspector general of police Munir Khan.

In spite of our warnings and requests, people on behest of terrorists tend to come in between encounter(s)...that is how they get injured or killed.

India accuses Pakistan-based groups of funding the street protests and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing money trails from the neighbouring country to separatist Hurriyat leaders.

Following the protests on Tuesday, the authorities shut down schools and colleges for the day and cut mobile internet, frequently targeted by authorities to stop the spread of what they claim to be rumours and fake messages that provoke civilian anger.

Dujana was among 11 top militants of the valley, many of whom were categorised A++ target by the army.

Dujanas marriage, sources said, could have been the reason for a rift with his-Pakistan-based handlers.

He was challenged by one of his aides, Abu Ismail, who set up a rival faction along with some Kashmiri youth. Sources said most of militant incidents involving LeT were carried out by the rival group, including the recent attack on Amarnath pilgrims.

IG Munir Khan said Dujana was involved in harassment of girls.

I want to tell women and girls in the valley that they are safe now, Khan added.

(With agency inputs)
After decimating its political rivals in Bihar and Gujarat, the BJP has now turned its attention towards Tamil Nadu in the south.

Barely a day had passed since the saffron party successfully lured Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar into its fold that the people of southern Tamil Nadu found Prime Minister Narendra Modi waxing eloquent about late chief minister J Jayalalithaas glory in their midst. Even as he publicly reached out to potential voters with promises of central aid, behind-the-curtain attempts were being made to unite the two warring factions of the AIADMK  led by chief minister EK Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam  under an ever-expanding NDA umbrella.

The BJP is trying its best to unite the two factions, and whats wrong with that? We must unite to be strong, said AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi. She, however, rejected reports that her party plans to join the NDA anytime in the immediate future.

However, the BJPs designs to bring the two factions together face a major threat from TTV Dinakaran, nephew of AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala, who has called a meeting on August 5 in a clear-cut hint that he intends to assume full charge of party affairs. It must be noted that 37 MLAs side with Dinakaran. While he does not want to be in the government, Dinakaran wants to handle party affairs  like he had been doing in the past, Saraswathi said.

Sources close to the ruling faction indicated that Dinakaran may be officially prevented from convening the meeting.

By voting in favour of Ram Nath Kovind for the Presidents post, the two AIADMK factions have already declared an informal alliance with the BJP government at the Centre. There is nothing wrong if the AIADMK eventually enters the NDA, if that means increasing Tamil Nadus representation in the union council of ministers, said a senior party leader.

With the exception of Pon Radhakrishnan, no minister from the state figures in the union council of ministers. Though commerce and industry minister Nirmala Seetharaman hails from Tamil Nadu, she represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha.

The untimely demise of Jayalalithaa has left a vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics. Local BJP leaders are confident that the party  aided by widespread approval for the Narendra Modi governments policies and programmes  will find greater acceptance in the state in such circumstances.

AIADMK leaders, meanwhile, admit that coming to power in the next assembly election will be a tough proposition if the two factions fail to unite. And if the BJP can help us get together, that would be a welcome development, one of them said on the condition of anonymity.

The saffron party has its eyes set on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when it will need a strong AIADMK to prop it back into prominence. It would help if the AIADMK comes aboard before that too, because it would bolster the NDAs numbers in the Rajya Sabha, said professor Ramu Manivannan, a political expert affiliated to the University of Madras.

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The proposed legislation to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes is unlikely to see the light of the day anytime soon.

On Monday evening, the Congress forced an amendment in the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill to provide for the inclusion of a woman and a minority members, a step that government sources term legally untenable.

The government is in no mood to have a legislation with the amendment and may opt for a fresh bill, said sources.

We are committed to providing constitutional status to the backward commission, BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said. Ek samay hamara abhi aur achcha ayega rajya sabha mein (There will be better days for us in the Rajya Sabha).

The ruling dispensation is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and is unlikely to get the two-thirds majority required to get parliamentary approval for its own version of the bill during its current tenure.

The ruling BJP has, therefore, decided to take the issue to the people, accusing the opposition parties of being anti-OBC and indulging in minority appeasement.

Congress has cheated OBCs again, Yadav told reporters. The country will have to decide if poor should get their rights or Congress should be allowed to practice its minority vote bank politics.

Yadav was the chairman of the select committee that examined the bill. At a press conference in BJP headquarters, he was accompanied by Hukumdev Narayan Yadav and Ganesh Singh, both OBC leaders from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

The minority vote bank politics reference was in response to the Congress amendment that asks for a minority member in the commission.

The Congress amendment sought to increase the number of members from three to five, including a woman and a minority candidate of OBC category, and ensure the relevance of state commissions. It was carried with 75 MPs supporting and 52 rejecting it.

The present form of the bill, Yadav said, is legally untenable, as posts in a semi-judicial body cannot be reserved. The bill we proposed has similar provisions as is available for ST and SC Commissions, he said.

The BJP leader said Congress will become a part of history the day OBC communities wake up. The 15,000 communities under the OBC umbrella have to take a pledge to annihilate the Congress, which made them suffer for last 70 years, he said.

Hukumdev Narayan Yadav said, Congress has always opposed empowerment of OBCs as community leaders, from Lohia to Karpuri Thakur, challenged its leadership in the past,

OBCs are considered to be more than 50% of the countrys population and the BJP has successfully wooed them in the recent election. Minorities, especially the Muslims, are considered opposed to the BJP.

A combination of Muslims and OBCs (mostly Yadavs) form the core support base for regional parties such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.

Any split in this combination will be to the BJPs advantage.

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Indian-American economist Arvind Panagariya is stepping down as vice chairperson of Niti Aayog, the governments policy think tank, and returning to academics in New Yorks Columbia University.

The 64-year-old professor of economics was picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 to head the National Institution for Transforming India, better known as Niti Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission.

I have requested the Prime Minister to relieve me from my responsibility as my leave in Columbia University is coming to an end on September 5 and I have decided to join back, he told reporters on Tuesday. The PM has agreed after listening to me.

He will serve the think tank till August-end.

According to government sources, Modi wanted him to stay but relented when Panagariya told him that his wife too wants to be with their children in the US.

Panagariya said he informed the Prime Minister, who is the ex-officio chairman of Niti Aayog, about his decision about two months ago after Columbia University refused to make an exemption for him and extend his two-year, public-service leave.

There is nothing unusual in this. Henry Kissinger returned to Harvard after his leave was not extended, he added.

Modi chose him to head the new think tank to decide policies for accelerating Indias growth after his government dismantled the Soviet-style Planning Commission that functioned for 64 years.

Panagariya, who is standing down after two-and-a-half years in the job, said he is satisfied with the stint in which his team built the organisations foundation and forged ties with the Centre and states.

Many states adopted our land leasing law bill. Over 400 schools have Atal Tinkering labs and we promoted digital economy in a big way.

He is the second economist after former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan to quit a top job in India and return to academics in the US. Rajan resigned after a three-year term in 2016 to rejoin Chicago University.

At US universities one can teach as long as health permits.

Panagariya said: I would not have got a similar job. There is no retirement and one can work till his or her body and brain functions.

He holds a PhD from Princeton University and worked with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, IMF and UNCTAD.

The economist wants to write the next edition of India: The Emerging Giant, his 2008 book that describes Indias contemporary economy.

Niti Aayog advised the government to sell sick public sector units, including national carrier Air India, and proposed new regulators for education and health. It also recommended minimal government intervention in agriculture and replacing the minimum support price for farmers with a deficiency payment.

But the think tank had its fare share of criticism. Some of its reform-oriented proposals were not accepted, or appreciated either.

The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmer union affiliated to the ruling BJPs ideological mentor RSS, called several Niti Aayog proposals anti-farmer and anti-labour.

There is poor response (from the government) to labour and services sectors. Following the advice of Niti Aayog, the government is moving towards contractual employment, relaxing labour laws to benefit industry, CK Shaji Narayana, the unions president, said some time ago.

The organisations performance has been sketchy and change incremental. So far, it has only circulated a draft of a proposed three-year Action Agenda.

Panagariya said a seven-year strategy and 15-year vision for India is 80-85% ready.

A recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 2012, Indias third highest civilian honour, he expects a successor to be named soon to complete the work.

(With agency inputs)
Noted scientist Dr Pushpa Mitra Bhargava, who was also the founder-director of Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), passed away at his residence in Uppal on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Tuesday, following a brief illness. He was 89.

Bhargava is survived by his son Mohit and daughter Vaneetha.

Known for his scientific temper and rational thinking, Bhargava returned his Padma Bhushan, awarded to him in 1986, to the NDA government in 2015, expressing concern over the climate of intolerance and the ways in which science and reason was getting eroded in the country.

He had said that he was pained over RSS people attending a meeting of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research labs. He was critical of the governments decision to reduce funding of the CSIR labs.

Born in Ajmer, Bhargava was a doctorate in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Lucknow and moved to Hyderabad to work with the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology and then Osmania University. He played a pivotal role in setting up CCMB in 1977.

In a statement, the staff of CCMB expressed their condolences to his family members. They said Bhargava had interests in fields ranging from science to arts and culture.

According to the CCMB officials, Bhargava remained concerned about social issues, particularly related to the impact of science on India and the world. His extraordinary energy and commitment will continue to always inspire us in or future endeavours and he will be greatly missed, CCMB staff in a statement said.

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A united opposition stalled proceedings in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, protesting the governments decision to hike the prices of domestic cooking gas (LPG) by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by next March.

Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Left MPs stormed into the Well of the House shouting slogans seeking withdrawal of the decision.

The issue was raised by TMCs Derek OBrien who gave a notice under rule 267 that seeks to set aside business of the day to discuss an important issue.

The LPG subsidy issue was raised in the Lok Sabha as well.

Outside the Parliament, Dharmendra Pradhan said, Subsidy will not be cut down, it will only be rationalised. The (Opposition) uproar is baseless.

The Opposition in Rajya Sabha also protested and questioned the NOTA provision for the upcoming election to the house. Deputy leader of the Congress Anand Sharma said the decision to provide the NOTA option had been made without amending the Constitution or the law as per the direction of the Election Commission

Highlights of Day 12 of the Parliaments Monsoon Session:

7.18 pm: Expansion of GST will help benefit states: Jaitley.

6:46 pm: Demonetisation has led to squeezing of terror funds, including in Jammu and Kashmir, says finance minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha.

3:15 pm: Rajya Sabha moves to consider and vote on Right of Children to Free and Complaint Education (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

3:10 pm: TMCs Sudip Bandhopadhyay speaks about impact of demonetisation and GST. He says that a GST-oriented supplementary demand for grant may be necessary.

2:49 pm: The discussion partially goes back to Demands for Supplementary Grants.

2:45 pm: Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha is discussing the violation of conditions of Letter of Permit by foreign trawlers in deep sea fishing through a Calling Attention motion.

2:40pm: It has turned into a discussion on demonetisation.

BJPs Nishikant Dubey responds. He quotes the World Bank chief as saying demonetisation will clean up Indian economy and cites OECD report saying the move will have short-term cost, but will be good for the economy in the long-run.

2:35 pm: Venugopal says demonetisation and hasty implementation of GST has destroyed the economy. He concludes by quoting Lincoln, You can fool all the people some of the time, you can fool some people all the time, but you cant fool all the people all the time.

2:32pm: Venugopal says everyone agrees GST is good but criticises the implementation of the regime saying there are still multiple taxes.

2:30 pm: Venugopal talks about deteriorating situation in Kashmir and job loss in 2017.

We discussed the lynchings yesterday. Everyone in the Opposition agrees it is terrible. Only the BJP ministers are justifying it, he says.

2:20 pm: Lok Sabha reconvenes. House begins discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants.

Congress MP KC Venugopal asks what the real impact of demonetisation has been. We, the members of the Lok Sabha, have the right to know the exact figures how much demonetised currency has come back, how many new notes have been printed and how much black money has been unearthed. We are expecting answers from the finance minister today.

2:05 pm: Government moves to withdraw The Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990. Motion is passed.

2:02pm: Rajya Sabha reconvenes. Jairam Ramesh raises issue of new rules regarding Finance Act notified by the government in June but not tabled in the Upper House yet.

1:15 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned for lunch till 2:15 pm.

1:05 pm: Amid ruckus, MPs continue to present their notices. BJPs Anju Bala says making cow the national animal like Nepal has will reduce violence against the animal.

1:00 pm: Zero Hour continues even as TMC MPs continue to protest in raised voices. Chair asks names of the companies mentioned by Somaiya to be expunged.

12:57 pm: BJPs Kirit Somaiya says one of the shareholder companies allegedly involved in a scam reportedly has the West Bengal chief ministers as reigstered address.

TMC MPs shout and raise objection.

12:52pm: Kirron Kher says stalking should be considered crime against women. Invasive stalking should be criminalised, she says

12:49 pm: TMCs Saugata Roy refers to resignations by Congress MLAs in Gujarat and BJPs alliance with JD(U)s Bihar. There are allegations the government is using its money power, he says.

12:41 pm: Outside the Parliament, Dharmendra Pradhan says, Subsidy will not be cut down, it will only be rationalised. The (Opposition) uproar is baseless.

12:35 pm: In the Lok Sabha, BJPs Varun Gandhi asks whether MPs need higher salaries when the Cabinet and state lawmakers take salary cuts to support farmers. Tamil Nadu farmers have been holding protests in Delhi over farmer suicides.

Gandhi wants MP salary examined in 15th Finance Commission.

12:29 pm: Rajya Sabha reconvenes. Opposition raises of NOTA issue.

Chair asks, How does this relate to the Question Hour?

This is the ultimate question! one MP replies.

As Opposition MPs raise their voices and demand answers, Chair adjourns house till 2 pm.

12:24 pm: Earlier in the day, during the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Amit Shah pulled up MPs over their absence in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, PTI reported.

When the party issues a whip, members must be present in the House. The party president has taken a serious view of the absence of members. He said it should not have happened and must not be repeated, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said

A BJP MP present in the meeting said Shah wondered if the absentee MPs should be named as the party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has repeatedly stressed on the need for their presence in Parliament.

12:20 pm: Opposition MPs shout slogans. Many walk out.

12:16 pm: In the Lok Sabha, KC Venugopal of Congress raises issue of LPG subsidy and rising oil prices.

RSPs NK Premachandaran says, The oil companies were told about this in March. Prices increased in July. Why is the government hiding its policies?

Opposition demands response from minister.

12:13 pm: Derek OBrien intervenes and says , Opposition united on issue of LPG subsidy.

Chair tries to resume Question Hour but is interrupted. Ruckus in the house. Rajya Sabha adjourned for another 10 minutes.

12:10 pm: Sharma asks, How can the EC remove the NOTA option without coming to this House and amending laws? This will be examined but now is not the Time.

Only the courts can direct the EC, Leader of the House, Arun Jaitley says.

Opposition raises concerns about the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections.

12: 05pm: Rajya Sabha resumes business. Vice President Hamid Ansari in the Chair.

Congress Anand Sharma says there was no NOTA option in the Rajya Sabha election. Chair asks him to take it up with Election Commission.

12:02 pm: Rijiju refutes allegation that refugee camp in Jammu and Kashmir. You misunderstand. We are not making concentration camps. They are coming there and getting concentrated there, he says.

Speaker disallows all adjournment notices.

11:58am: In the Lok Sabha, Congress Mallikarjun Kharge questions the governments response that no accurate date is available about number of illegal immigrants in the country.

Impossible to get accurate number, but we are taking steps to have special task forces and prosecute such immigrants, replies MoS Kiren Rijiju.

11:47 am: Rajya Sabha adjourned for a second time till noon.

11:45 am: Speaker exhorts members to listen to Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhans response. Opposition MPs walk to well of the house shouting slogans.

11:40 am: Rajya Sabha resumes.

Ghulam Nabi Azad on governments rollback of LPG subsidy: This government is killing the poor. This is unacceptable.

11:30 am: TMCs Derek OBrien questions government notification on gas subsidies that says rates are going to be hiked month on month by Rs 4 and by March all LPG subsidies will be eliminated. OBrien says the government is not keeping its promises.

Uproar in Rajya Sabha over house not being informed about government notification.

Chair adjourns house for 10 minutes.

11:15 am: Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha.

Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad raises issue of members of the house not being invited to the Parliament Annexe foundation stone laying ceremony on Monday.

No one from the Rajya Sabha including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman were invited. Members of the house were not told about the event.

Chair PJ Kurien takes note and says Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha has already written to the Lok Sabha regarding this impropriety.

11:05 am: Question Hour begins in Lok Sabha. AIADMKs Elumalai Vellaigounder asks the government if more Centres will be set up to expedite creation of Aadhaar cards?.

11:00 am: Legislative business in the two Houses of Parliament today

In the Lok Sabha

Discussion and voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2017-18 & Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2014-15

Bills for consideration and passing:

The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017

The Central Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017

The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Extension to Jammu and Kashmir) Bill, 2017

In the Rajya Sabha

Calling attention on the situation arising out of violation of conditions of Letter of Permit by foreign trawlers in deep sea fishing in Indian seas and the action taken by the Government on it.

Bill for withdrawal:

The Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990

Bills for consideration and passing:

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill,2017

The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016

The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2017
The BJP-led Goa government on Tuesday told the state legislative assembly that strict action would be taken against the people found drinking on the state beaches, and if need be, they could even be arrested.

The beaches should be clean and there should not be any illegality on them. We have also stopped people drinking on the beaches. We will not mind arresting them, if required, state tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar told the House.

The minister said police had in the past booked a few cases against tourists caught drinking on beaches.

We will be amending the Tourist Trade Act, giving more powers... I have asked the tourist guards to be on the vigil against the sale of drugs. No one will be allowed to take law into their hands, he said.

Ajgaonkar was responding to a question tabled by Congress legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco.

In May this year, police in the tourist state had asked its personnel to arrest people found drinking in public places. At a meeting held in Calangute that month, citizens had complained about drinking on beaches as well other public places and no action being taken against them.

Meanwhile, replying to another question, the state on Tuesday refused to withdraw the contract signed with the lifeguard agency to man the beaches, claiming that the government could not run such services.

The state government used to run lifeguard services in the past. But since the government could not run it in a satisfactory manner, it was outsourced to a private firm, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said.

Responding to the demand made by the opposition benches, the Chief Minister ruled out that the government end the services of the private agency.

Ajgaonkar hailed Drishti Lifesaving Private Ltd for doing excellent job of saving the lives on the beaches.

So many lives have been saved by the lifeguards, who are attached to this agency. We need to save lives of people so that tourism thrives, Ajgaonkar said.

He said that total 3,033 lives were saved during the last five years by the agency, which has 677 lifeguards on its roll of which 83 per cent are Goans.

Drishti is a Mumbai-based firm. The opposition legislators, including Jeniffer Monserratte and Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, demanded that since there were majority Goans working as a lifeguard, the services should be given to any state-level company.

If Goans are available to take over this contract, then they can come ahead. Let them participate in the tendering process to win the contract, Ajgaonkar said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reviewed flood situation in north-eastern states at a series of high-level meetings in Guwahati and announced assistance of over Rs. 2000 crore.

The Prime Minister announced the package for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation measures in the flood-affected north-eastern states.

Through the course of the day, the Prime Minister held separate, detailed review meetings on the situation in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.

The Chief Ministers of the respective states, and senior officials were present at the meetings. A memorandum was received from the Chief Minister of Mizoram, who could not make it to the meeting in person.

Over Rs. 1200 crore will be given by the Union Government for the infrastructure sector alone. The funds will be utilized for repair, maintenance, and strengthening of roads, highways, bridges, and other damaged infrastructure.

Around Rs. 400 crore will be provided for improving the water holding capacity of the Brahmaputra River, which will assist in flood control.

In the current financial year, the Union Government has approved Rs. 600 crore as central share of SDRF. Out of this, Rs. 345 crore has already been released, and the remaining will be released immediately, to assist the states in relief and rehabilitation work.

The Union Government will also provide Rs. 100 crore for carrying out a study to synergize efforts towards finding time-bound long term solutions to recurrent floods in the region.

The north-eastern region, with 8% of Indias land area, contains one-third of the countrys water resources. The Union Government will constitute a High Level Committee, with representation from Ministries of the Government of India and the States, for proper management of the regions vast water resources.

An ex-gratia assistance of Rs. 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased, and Rs. 50,000 to each of those seriously injured due to the floods, has been sanctioned under the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
One person was killed and several others injured on Tuesday as security forces opened fire on stone-pelting protestors near the encounter site in Pulwama where two militants was killed, police said.

While there was no official word on the identity of the deceased, locals who had brought him to the hospital said his name was Firdous Ahmad, a police official said.

One person with fire arm injuries was brought dead at Pulwama district hospital, the official said.

At least six other persons were injured in security forces action against violent protestors near the encounter site.

The official said that over 100 miscreants started pelting stones at security forces involved in the anti- militancy operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama.

He said the security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few live rounds to disperse the protestors who were pelting stones.

#WATCH Encounter between security forces & terrorists in J&K's Pulwama (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/WH7kUrem94  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

As the security forces were retreating from the encounter site, some youth started pelting stones at them near district hospital Pulwama.

The security forces responded by opening fire, resulting in injuries to two persons including a nurse working inside the hospital, the official said.

He said two other persons were brought to the hospital in an injured condition but it was not clear where they suffered the injuries.

Reports of protests have been received from several parts of south Kashmir and from some parts of the city as well.

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met farmers from Amethi whose land had been acquired for widening a national highway and assured them of all possible help in resolving their problems, party leaders said.

Besides the delegation of 90 farmers from his parliamentary constituency, Gandhi also met officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Work on widening NH 56 at Kathora Gram Sabha in Amethis Jagdishpur block started a year ago. Three days ago, locals allege, NHAI began demolishing houses and shops in the area without compensating the affected farmers.

According to local Congress leaders, the farmers had already given land for widening the highway. However, NHAI was also constructing a bylane for parking trucks on both sides of the road in an area of around 200 m in Kathora, affecting about 100 families.

Gandhi, it is learnt, asked NHAI officials to adopt proper procedures to compensate those affected or shift the bylane.

Ayub, one of those who had come from Amethi to meet Gandhi, alleged that their land was being acquired and old houses demolished.

The farmers said Gandhi had assured them of all possible help and said he would visit Amethi soon.

Gandhi, who arrived in Lucknow in the morning, did not talk to the media due to heavy rain.
The Rajasthan government has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the next of kin of those who have lost their lives in the floods.

An official release on Monday said the government also announced Rs 25,000 each for those critically injured and Rs 10,000 each for those who sustained minor injuries as compensation in Jalore, Sirohi, Pali and Barmer districts.

The relief amount will be provided from the chief ministers relief fund.

The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Raje, at the high-level meeting attended by Chief Secretary Ashok Jain, ACS (Finance) DB Gupta, ACS (Revenue) Khemraj and other senior officials, discussed the situation in the flood-hit areas and gave necessary directions.

The CM also instructed the officials to conduct a survey of villages where losses to crops are more than 50 per cent.

She asked them to repair bridges and dams which have been damaged due to the floods.

Earlier in the day, Raje visited flood-hit areas in Jalore and Sirohi and reviewed the situation there.
Syrias Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas on Tuesday said his country has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014.

He, however, said Syria is keen to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it, the envoy said.

We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it, he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.

However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.
Villagers near Tripura capital Agartala on Tuesday clashed with police over the abduction of a woman that turned out to be a rumour. The clash, threatening to acquire a political colour, left some 30 policemen injured.

Trouble started brewing at Bodhjungnagar village, about 12km from Agartala, Monday night when a woman allegedly went missing. She had apparently come to the village to collect money from her husband, a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawan.

Another TSR jawan named Rabindra Debbarma had accompanied her to Bodhjungnagar. But the two got separated on the way, prompting Debbarma to lodge a complaint at the local police station saying she had been abducted.

Soon after, a rumour that a tribal woman has been abducted spread across the village with mixed population. All hell broke loose on Tuesday morning with more than 100 villagers attacking the police station with sticks and stones.

The police fired tear gas shells and cane-charged the mob. But they were soon outnumbered and about 30 policemen including the officer in-charge were injured. Some policemen were from the barracks nearby.

The mob also ransacked a TSR-run canteen and some industrial units at the Bodhjungnagar Industrial Growth Centre.

Tripura: Villagers protested against alleged kidnapping of a woman & demanded she be rescued in Bodhjungnagar; vehicles & offices burnt pic.twitter.com/gQBMiQ7EUM  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

Section 144 (restriction on the gathering of four or more people) had to be imposed after the police station and many vehicles were damaged. Things quietened when it was later discovered the woman was not kidnapped at all, West Tripura district superintendent of police Abhijit Saptarshi told HT.

The woman was found at her home in Raishyabari village, about 100 km west of Agartala, more than 17 hours after her abduction.

Saptarshi blamed the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), which is spearheading a statehood movement, for the chaos. The angry mob, he said, was headed by an IPFT activist named Bimal Debbarna.

IPFT chief NC Debbarma denied his partys involvement in the violence. There might be some supporters of IPFT or even the (ruling) CPM, but that does not mean our party was involved. Moreover, we had de-recognised Bimal Debbarma as a party member, he said.

The woman at the centre of the unrest later said she lost her way and one of the families at Bodhjungnagar gave her shelter for the night. Early Tuesday morning, she left for her home at Raishyabari without the knowledge of the TSR jawan who had accompanied her.

The woman later told the police that she had intended to go to South Tripura districts Bishramganj, some 30km from Agartala, but ended up at Bodhjungnagar. Her husband is posted at TSRs 11th Battalion at Bishramganj.
A Republican senator said Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has told him he would go to war to destroy North Korea rather than allow it to develop a long-range nuclear-armed missile.

Influential lawmaker Lindsey Graham, a foreign policy hawk, told NBCs Today Show: There is a military option: To destroy North Koreas programme and North Korea itself.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un boasted that his country could now strike any target in the United States after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.

World powers have been trying to stifle Pyongyangs weapons programme through United Nations-backed sanctions, but have failed to daunt the regime and Washington is growing frustrated.

Graham said if diplomacy, and in particular pressure from the Norths neighbour China, fails to halt the programme then the United States will have no choice but to take devastating military action.

Theyve kicked the can down the road for 20 years. There will be a war with North Korea over the missile program if they continue to try to hit America with an ICBM, he said, describing his discussions with Trump.

Hes told me that. I believe him. If I were China, I would believe him, too, and do something about it. You can stop North Korea, militarily or diplomatically.

I prefer the diplomatic approach. But they will not be allowed to have a missile to hit America with a nuclear weapon on top.
BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Tuesday pitched for setting up an external body  independent of parliamentarians  to decide their salary.

The Sultanpur MP also demanded that parliamentarians should forego their privileges for the remaining period of Parliament, considering the economic conditions of the last man in the society, especially farmers.

Parliament in India decides remuneration of its members, and a proposal to double their salary and significantly hike their allowances is currently pending with the government. An MP currently draws a salary of Rs 50,000 and nearly an equal amount as allowances.

Incidentally, Tamil Nadu assembly members on July 19 gave a 100 % hike to themselves. The state is one of the worst drought affected states, where farmers are protesting for remunerative price of their produce.

Arrogating to ourselves the authority to increase our own fiscal compensation is not in line with the morals of our democracy, Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha.

He disagreed with the argument about MPs getting paid like private sector, arguing that those employed in the private sector are driven primarily by self-interest. Ours is a service to the nation, a mission to make this the India of our dreams. To compare these two motives is to misunderstand the commitment to public life, Gandhi said.

The BJP MP also invoked first Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, whose government had decided that his ministers will not avail their salaries for 6 months in view of the economic sufferings of the citizens at that time.

As compared to a 13% rise (in salaries and allowance) in the UK, we have raised our salaries 400% in the last decade. Have we really earned this massive increment? Gandhi said.

Suggesting that parliamentarian have failed to live up to their job, he noted that barely 50% of the bills have been passed after scrutiny by Parliamentary Committees and 41% of bills have been passed without discussion.

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Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi on Tuesday alleged that he would soon come out with documentary proof of sand mafia funding the RJD and investing in Lalu Prasads family assets.

Sand mafia fund political parties...sand mafia are the main source of RJDs funding...I would soon hold a press conference to make a big expose on Lalu Prasads family links with those big guns involved in sand mining, Modi told reporters in Patna.

The senior BJP leader asserted that the state government was committed to take action against all types of persons involved in corruption.

In reply to a query as whether he had gone through the file of soil purchase, Modi tried to downplay the issue by saying that it was a very small issue.

We (govt) will see as what action has been initiated in the case. What is the progress in the case and what further action is required to be done in it, Modi said.

This (soil purchase scam) is a very small issue.

RJDs Bihar unit spokesman and media in-charge Pragati Mehta dismissed the allegations as baseless and absurd.

We dont take notice of Sushil Modis allegations. He has been in the habit of making baseless and absurd allegations against Lalu Prasadji and his family.....There is no force in his (Modis) allegations, he said.

BJP is the party of Ambani and Adani whereas ours is a party of poor people which is driven by workers cooperation, Mehta added.

Earlier on Tuesday, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad hit back at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of betrayal for breaking the Grand Alliance, and alleged that the match was fixed between him and the BJP to form a coalition government in the state.

Kumar in a blistering attack on Prasad on Monday said he had no option but to walk out of the Grand Alliance as he did not want to compromise with corruption.
This comes as good news as the World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) begins. More than 7,500 women have donated more than 15 lakh millilitre of breast milk to save the lives of many newborns.

I salute the mothers who have donated their milk. It has helped 5,195 newborns admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). These newborns were provided 36,234 units of mothers milk (one unit is 30ml), said Devendra Agarwal, adviser to the state health department for Aanchal Mothers milk bank project, said while talking about the breastfeeding week.

He said that 15,00,680 ml milk has been collected at the 11 milk banks. Of these 11 milk banks, two in Alwar and Bharatpur and are 11 months old, while the remaining nine have been were set up in last five months.

The first week of August is recognised as World Breastfeeding Week, which aims at spreading awareness about the importance of breastfeeding, nutrition tips and breastfeeding dos and donts.

He said that Rajasthan has the largest network of 13 human milk banks Rabindra Nath Tagore Medical College in Udaipur, 10 milk banks at the district hospitals in Bharatpur, Alwar, Chittorgarh, Beawar, Banswara, Bhilwara, Bundi, Tonk, Baran and Churu, one at Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur run by the Norway government and one at a private hospital, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College, in Jaipur.

Rajasthan has many firsts to its credit when it comes to mothers milk. Rajasthan is the only state to give the right to newborns to mothers milk. Rajasthan is also the first to set up mothers milk storage and distribution centre in Ajmer, as excess milk was being received at the centres, Agarwal said.

The state is also the first to set up a green corridor for transferring mothers milk from different milk banks to the storage centre in Ajmer.

The government is serious about controlling the neonatal mortality rate in the state and transportation of mothers milk to storage centre is a step towards it. The government has made arrangements so that the refrigerated van carrying the milk will find a clear route at crossings, toll plazas and will also be diverted through other routes in case of a traffic jam, added Agarwal.

He said that at present these 11 milk banks have 8644 units in their stock. These milk banks also have breastfeeding clinic where 13,148 mothers, who could not feed their babies due to some problem, were able to feed their children. Also, 49,344 mothers were trained and provided assistance to feed their child through counselling services.

Enthused by the success of these milk banks, chief minister Vasundhara Raje announced that seven more mother milk banks will be set up at Sirohi, Jalore, Barmer, Rajsamand, Dholpur, Karauli and Sawai Madhopur by the end of this financial year.

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Rajasthans newly appointed director general of police (DGP) Ajit Singh Shekhawat , who took charge from Manoj Bhatt on Tuesday, dismissed doubts that gangster Anandpal Singhs encounter was fake.

Shekhawat was instrumental in handling the turbulent aftermath of the Anandpal encounter, when Rajput outfits protested against the government, demanding a CBI inquiry into the incident.

He had visited Sanvrad, the village of the slain gangster, mediated in talks with Rajput leaders and it was under his supervision the body of Anandpal was cremated 19 days after he was killed on June 24 in a police encounter in Churu district.

A 1982 batch IPS officer, Shekhawat has earlier held important positions, such as the ADGP (crime) and DG (prisons).

In an interview with HT, the new DGP spoke about his plans to curb crime in the state, the Anandpal encounter and other challenges in front of the police.

One of the major challenges that Rajasthan police face today is the problem of staff shortage. Is the shortage resulting in weakening the beat and information gathering system?

The task of the police is multifarious and I feel that if the cops have a grip over the locality which they have been assigned, then there shouldnt be any problems in executing their responsibilities and being constantly in touch with the situation at the ground level.

In recent times, the problem of illegal weapons in Jaipur has come to the fore. How do the police plan to deal with it?

Illegal weapons being smuggled to Jaipur is not new and there have been instances when strict action has been taken against wrongdoers. There are several areas and border districts, such as Alwar and Bharatpur, where we will keep an eye to check such illegal activities.

Your thoughts on the proposal for a CBI inquiry in the Anandpal Singh encounter.

I have personally inspected the site of the encounter and can say there is not even one per cent doubt on the authenticity of the encounter. The CBI inquiry will establish the truth, which the police have been saying since the first day.

New methods of crime, such as cyber offences, are becoming common and what the police force should do to be adept at handling them?

Regular workshops and training sessions are held to train our staff in techniques to deal with cyber crime cases. We will continue to sensitise the police through such initiatives that will contribute a lot to make us more adept at solving such cases.

What will be your priorities to curb crime?

The police force will continue to provide security to citizens. Our target will be to bring down the number of unnatural deaths. Once this is achieved, then automatically a substantial chunk of crimes and their rates of occurring will come down.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday said in its three-year rule at the Centre, it had failed miserably to deliver the promises made to the people.

People in Varanasi (the PMs constituency) are still waiting to see their city being transformed into Kyoto. There is no sign of bullet train. The common mans hard-earned money has been deposited in banks. Every section of the society, be it youths, farmers, students or teachers is a harassed lot. Women too are not safe, he said.

Reacting to BJP chief Amit Shahs remarks at a press conference in Lucknow on Monday that his party did not believe in inaugurating half-done projects like Lucknow Metro or Agra Expressway, Akhilesh said he built the expressway in 22 months and the BJP had nothing to show in its entire tenure so far.

Fighter planes can land on this expressway and it takes commuters just five hours to reach Lucknow from Noida. This is quicker than the time taken by Shatabdi (a superfast train) to cover the distance, he tweeted soon after Shahs comment.

The BJP says there is corruption in the UP Police Dial 100 service. Whose government is there in UP? the SP chief tweeted.

Later, in a press statement, Akhilesh said the BJP was back to promoting its votebank, communal and castiest agenda.

And now by associating food with caste (referring to the lunch Shah had at the residence of a Yadav member of the party), they have yet again shown their narrow mindset, he said. Accusing the BJP of indulging in horse-trading of MLAs and MLCs, Akhilesh said because of its non-performance and unfulfilled promises, the party was afraid it would lose badly if it sought the peoples mandate.

The BJP has formed governments in Bihar, Goa and Manipur by indulging in political corruption. It would, however, have to face elections in 2019 on its peformance, he said, adding that UP would play a crucial role in government formation at the Centre.

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Experts are preparing a detailed project report to ensure a place for Ayodhya -- one of the holiest cities for the Hindus and the birthplace of Lord Rama -- on the UNESCOs prestigious list of World Heritage Cities.

8 parameters that Ayodhya fulfils Representing a masterpiece of human creative genius. Exhibiting interchange of human values in architecture and monuments. Testimony to cultural tradition in history. Outstanding example of architectural ensemble and landscape (river front scapes). Example of a traditional habitat, culture and interaction. Example of the continuity of living traditions of life (intangible). Beauty of natural phenomena and aesthetic importance. Unique traditional performance: example of environmental theatre.

Vice chancellor, Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University, Faizabad, Prof Manoj Dixit is the man behind the initiative. The Asian Cultural Landscape Association of South Korea, headed by Prof Sung Kyun Kim, is aptly assisting Prof Dixit in his endeavour.

Prof Dixit will soon petition the Uttar Pradesh government to take the initiative forward.

The Asian Cultural Landscape Association met on July 30 to discuss the issue. Prof Rana PB Singh, vice president of the association, presided over the meeting. Ayodhya fulfils eight out of 10 parameters that the UNESCO has set up for declaring a city as World Heritage City, Prof Dixit told HT on phone from Faizabad.

We are in the process of preparing a detailed project report on Ayodhya that will be tabled next year in the conference of the Asian Cultural Landscape Association, he said .

At present, the 606-year-old Ahmedabad, which was founded by emperor Ahmed Shah, is the first Indian city to make it to the prestigious list. It got the World Heritage City tag on July 8 this year.

It takes 10-12 years to get a city listed as World Heritage City . We have to start the process now to achieve the target, said Prof Dixit.

There are seven stages of getting on the UNESCO list. Three are related with the technicalities of the proposal and rest are political.

Read more: Gujarat to celebrate Ahmedabads world heritage city tag on grand scale ahead of polls

However, Lucknow and Mumbai missed out on their chance to be a part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN ) this year. The union government could only submit Chennais dossier to the UNESCO , not Lucknow and Mumbais. Now, the next opportunity for submission of dossiers for the UCCN will be in 2019 as UNESCO guidelines permit a country to nominate three cities every two years .

The historic city of Varanasi is also waiting for the coveted UNESCO tag.

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A group of 10 people, mostly Muslims including two doctors, silently attends to 150-200 kanwarias in pain and provides them medicines every Shravan Monday in Varanasi.

The devotees in saffron robes throng the Kashi Vishwanath Temple from different places during the auspicious month, particularly on Mondays. Some of them develop blisters on their feet due to long walk and some others face fatigue and other problems.

Dr Gufran Javed, who holds a BUMS degree, leads the group comprising Dr Shahid, Naeem Khan and others.

Five years ago, I happened to pass by Godaulia in the month of Shravan. Then I came across a few kanwarias with blisters in their feet. They were sitting along the road. They needed medical assistance, Gufran told HT.

He said that day he decided to set up a medical camp for the kanwarias. He went to his house in Ramapura and discussed his idea with his acquaintances including Dr Shahid, Naeem Khan, Hafiz Fareed Alam, Haji Dawood, and Hafiz Altab Barkati. They lauded the idea and asked him to go ahead with his noble plan. They also assured him their support. Since then, the group sets up the camp on every Shravan Monday without fail.

The group members also pool money to arrange medicines and ointments for the ailing Shiva devotees. The camp functions from morning to late in the afternoon. Dr Sanjay Triguna, Dr RN Srivastava and Dr Nirbhay also treat the kanwarias.

Hafiz Fareed Alam, a member of the group, said everyone should extend support to such a noble act. Locals assist him in the cause. Dr Iftikar Ahmad Javed, member Central Haj Committee, also visited the camp on Monday and examined a few kanwarias. He lauded the team of doctors and the locals for providing medical assistance to the devotees.

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Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan relished the world famous Banarasi paan during his first ever visit to Varanasi on Monday. On his way, as he saw a paan shop, he indicated his driver to stop. He ordered for two paans  for himself and Anushka. The duo treated each other with the paan at the shop itself. In typical Banarasi style, he had it with some extra chuna like he had in film Don during the song Khaike paan Banaras wala.

Khan landed in temple town in the morning with his co-star Anushka Sharma for his upcoming film Jab Harry Met Sejal. He had lunch at a hotel in Nadesar and took rest for some hours before leaving for the venue where a huge crowd waited for the King Khan since afternoon.

At 5:45 pm, his cavalcade moved towards the venue to receive a rousing welcome of cheering crowd.

He along with his Anushka and director Imtiaz Ali together reached the dais where Bhojpuri film star and Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari welcomed them.

The trio waved to the jubilant crowd. Shah Rukh took the mike and said, Aaj Banaras ka paan khaya hai. Lajawab hai iska swad. Maza aa gaya, Anushka was also all praise for the Banarasi Paan.

Shah Rukh gave some dance tips to the youths. Later, the duo danced together to the films songs.

On public demand, he rendered dialogues of his famous movies like Baazigar, Devdas and Raees. The superstar obliged the crowds request and took off his glasses. He also took selfies with the crowd.

He thanked the crowd for their love, This is my first visit to Banaras. I am thankful to you for immense love you gave us. He took leave from the crowd saying, Mahadev fir milenge.

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Concerned about the increasing crime against traders, the state police have set up trader security cells in all 75 districts of the UP. The officer of the rank of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) has been made nodal officer of the cell.

Seventy six crime cases have been reported against traders in various districts since March 20. The police have filed charge sheet in 23 cases while final report has been registered in one case and 52 cases are under investigation.

Inspector general (law and order), Hari Ram Sharma, said for regular monitoring of the incidents of crime against traders and to dispose of their grievances on priority, the state police have decided to set up the trader security cells across the state. The cell will be set up in the office of the superintendents of police. The traders can visit the cell and lodge their complaint with the nodal officer, he said.

With this, the traders have now a platform to raise their security issues and supervision of the crime cases against traders will be prompt. The police stations will send report to the trader security cell after registering the case. The DSP will monitor the case and collect feedback from the investigation officer. The traders will be informed about the progress of the case. The cell will also discuss the security issues with the traders and take required measures to check crime, he said.

After the BJP formed government in the state, there was a spurt in crime against the traders. The criminals targeted jewellers and looted the traders returning home after closing their establishments. In Mathura, Meerut, Agra, Gorakhpur, Sitapur and Bahraich, traders were killed when they challenged the criminals.

The trader organisations held protests over the increasing crime and demanded strict action against the criminals. A delegation of the traders met chief minister Yogi Adityanath to draw his attention toward their plight. Yogi assured security to the traders and directed the police officers to crack down on the criminal gangs.

The police registered FIRs against 176 criminals and arrested 141. Sixteen criminals have surrendered in the court and a drive has been launched to nab 18 criminals who are on the run.
Two Chinese nationals, on Monday, managed to replace a piece of diamond jewellery with a fake one at Mumbais India International Jewellery Show. However, swift action by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) led to their arrest at Mumbai airport.

The diamond, worth Rs34 lakh, was recovered from a bottle of shampoo.

The CISF later also provided security at the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS)-2017, which was being held at Bombay Exhibition Center, Goregaon.

On July 31, at 3:45 pm, Gem Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) informed us that two Chinese nationals, while trying to strike a deal, cleverly switched and replaced a diamond piece weighing 5.4 carats, approximately costing Rs34 lakhs, with a fake piece, said a CISF official.

As soon as the information was received, a combined team of CISF personnel and council members spread out in the hall to locate the Chinese nationals and prevent them from exiting the venue. Meanwhile, their photographs were also taken from the council registration office and provided at all the gates.

Subsequently, their movements were traced through CCTV footage, wherein it was revealed that the two Chinese nationals had already left the show.

Once it was established that they had left, their passport details, registration details and photographs were taken from the council and sent to the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) Mumbai and CISFs airport incharge, the official added.

On the basis of the information, the immigration officials were able to detect the two Chinese nationals who were to board Air India flight AI 314 from Mumbai to Osaka via Delhi-Hongkong scheduled to depart at 7:45 pm.

It was found that there were not carrying any check in luggage and only two small-shaving kit sized bags were in their possession. The individuals had also changed their clothes from what they were wearing at the exhibition, the officer said.

Because the size of the diamond was small, the X-ray machine could not detect it and therefore, they were then interrogated with the help of a Chinese interpreter, after being off-loaded from the plane.

During interrogation, they revealed that the diamond was concealed in a small shampoo bottle, which was subsequently recovered.

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Sturdy, bright-red buses making their way through crowded roads used to be a typical Mumbai sight. But decades of neglect and lack of funds have turned what could have been a world-class public transport mode into a crumbling mess.

One of Indias oldest bus transport systems is struggling to stay afloat and no ones noticing. So, what makes reviving the BEST buses so important in a city where few use them? The answer is simple: better buses could encourage more people to leave their cars at home and clear the roads of traffic to a great extent.

Why Mumbai needs BEST?

Even as traffic congestion grows, hundreds of crores are being spent on building super-ways and flyovers that will only add to this mess.In Mumbai, the fall in BESTs ridership coincided with a massive rise in bike sales. If the buses improved, more people using bikes and app-based cabs would use them, said experts. Travelling on BEST buses would reduce the congestion on roads and reduce traffic. The government should encourage people with private vehicles to take the bus during peak hours, said transport expert Ashok Datar.

Simply put, an efficient, comfortable bus network is the least expensive way to unclog the citys crowded roads. But for this, BEST needs funds.

Debts and more debts

BEST has not paid more than 40,000 of its employees salary on time since April this year. The transport body is facing losses of more than Rs2,100 crore. It has no funds to maintain its buses or expand services.

And, this crisis has not happened overnight. Sources in BEST said the only way out is a financial bailout package by the BMC or the state government. The BEST management has asked the BMC (its parent body) for Rs2,000 crore. But the BMC, after losing a steady source of income in the Octroi, is reluctant to pay. Instead, it has asked BEST to increase fares and find other ways to cut down losses.

BEST data shows the transport wing has been facing losses for several decades. The century-old body started facing financial losses after the Centre enacted the Electricity Act 2003 that restrained BEST from using the profit of its electricity wing to subsidise losses of its transport wing. So, the buses were solely dependent on revenue from fares.

READ: Mumbai commute to get smoother: BEST adds 185 new buses to its fleet

The BEST committee lost authority of deciding the power tariff, which reduced its profit from the electricity business. That was the beginning of BESTs downfall, said Suhas Nalawade, a former BEST official and union leader.

It was the beginning of a slow, silent end. And, the increasing purchasing power of the people in the nineties did not help. More people could afford bikes and cars. In less than 15 years, the roads got crowded, buses moved slower and became less punctual and commuters lost patience. The Metro and monorail projects and the space they took up did not help, said Sunil Ganacharya, a senior BEST committee member.

Wrong turns

According to sources, BESTs decision of buying 288 AC buses proved costly. It bought the purple buses to attract a new breed of passengers, but the buses broke down frequently and were poorly maintained. Passengers so no point in paying the high fare.The AC buses caused an annual loss of more than Rs80 crore and finally discontinued in April.

Once known for being sturdy and reliable, the fund crunch saw the condition of buses deteriorate after 2008. LED indicators werent working, seats were broken, seat covers were torn, and passenger patronage fell. Around 43 lakh commuters used to travel on buses in 2008-09 a day. This fell to 30 lakh in 2015-16. To save money, BEST also shut down popular routes and introduced new routes under political pressure. External factors include the BESTs failure to study roads and adapt to a rapidly changing city. Internal factors such as bad maintenance and poor governance only made it worse, Datar said. Arbitrary, irregular fare revisions also went against BEST.

Instead of introducing innovative ideas, the BEST committee focused on their growth. Only this year did they ask the BMC to help, said AV Shenoy.
The police team, which is probing the suicide of the 14-year-old boy from Andheri (East), said they have sent his mobile phone to the state forensic science laboratory (FSL) to find out if he had deleted anything from the phone. So far, the police have not found anything linking the suicide to the Blue Whale challenge, an online social media game that has led to more than 140 suicides in Europe and Russia.

As part of the challenge, a person self harms by carving a blue whale with a knife on the forearm. But in this case, the police said there are no injury or cut marks found anywhere on his body.

The police recorded the statements of his parents for an hour on Monday night, who said they dont have any information on why he took the extreme step.

They said he wanted to become a pilot and would play with his friends from the building, but never went out on his own. He was always accompanied by his family members. They said his behaviour had not changed and left home on Saturday around 4.30pm saying he would return in sometime. His teachers said he was a normal and bright student.

On Tuesday, a police team recorded the statements of his friends in school with whom he had shared information about committing suicide. They also spoke to his friends from the building.
The elected body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has rejected the proposal to reserve land in Aarey Colony for the construction of Metro 3 project by majority for the time being. In a discussion over the long pending Development Plan 2034 in the BMC, the ruling Shiv-Sena with support from Congress and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) rejected the proposal for construction of Metro car shed in Aarey Colony late on Monday night.

Out of the 266 amendments put forward by the leader of the house, Yashwant Jadhav (Shiv Sena), the construction of the metro car shed was the only bone of contention and was put to vote. Sena rejected the proposal with majority votes of 117. The BJP and Samajwadi Party voted in favour of the reservation for the car shed.

While the car shed may have been voted out of the DP, sources said that the plan should not be written off so easily. The Sena may have had an upper hand in the BMC, but the BJP-led state government will have a final say in the matter.

After the BMCs approval of the citys DP, the plan will be sent to the state government, which has six months to review the plan. The DP had suggested the change in land-use rules to convert 33 hectares of Aarey Colony  a green lung and a no-development zone  to a metro car shed. This vote is against the development work. The city needs better transport facilities like Metro. In the voting, the BMC rejected the proposal and instead, an alternative space should have been suggested, said Rais Shaikh, group leader Samajwadi Party, who voted in favour of the car shed.

BMC on Monday passed the Development Plan (DP) 2014-34 at 12.45 am after a 10-hour discussion that began on Monday afternoon.

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As Ganeshotsav inches closer, Ganesh mandals across Mumbai are finding it difficult to secure permissions to celebrate the festivals in and around silence zones. A few of the mandals complained they were struggling to get permission to play loudspeakers and erect pandals in silence zones.

We have been facing problems to get consent from the authorities because our area now has a school, which was built recently. We have been celebrating the festival for the past 55 years and never encountered any problems until now. Suddenly we are struggling to secure permissions, said Rajesh Samel, secretary, Parksite Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal in Vikhroli.

He said the mandal approached the umbrella body of Ganesh mandals to intervene and speak to local corporator to help them secure permissions.

The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), the umbrella body, had asked mandals to urge MPs and MLAs of the constituencies to push the Centre to abolish silence zones.

Over the past few years, police have been enforcing noise pollution regulations and ensuring that loudspeakers are not played after 10pm.

Members of a Goregaon mandal said they too were facing issues in getting permission owing to the maternity home in the vicinity. They also claimed the area where they want to construct pandal does not fall in the silence zone.

It (maternity home) is way beyond 100 metres. I dont know what the noise is all about. We are ready to obey all the rules yet we find obstacles at every step. You have to celebrate festivals. It [Ganeshotsav] is a festival and not prayer meeting. There cant be rules and regulations for everything, said Sambhaji Khairnar, mandal treasurer.

A few mandals skipped the aagman sohola (arrival ceremony) to pay homage to the late idol maker Vijay Khatu, who passed away last week. Festival should not stop, no matter what. But for the man who made our idols immortal, the least we could do was to bring bappa quietly and spare a minutes silence in his remembrance, said secretary of a famous mandal in south Mumbai.
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday admitted that adopting online assessment system by the University of Mumbai (MU) for evaluating answer papers delayed declaration of results. The state has now promised to implement the system gradually to avoid similar problems in the future.

It is a serious issue. The MU had recently shifted to an online system for assessment of answer papers, which caused a delay in completing the assessment work. Scenario would have been different if it had been implemented in stages, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis was replying to a query raised by Nationalist Congress Party legislator and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The NCP leader said the university had failed to meet the July 31 deadline given by the governor Ch Vidysagar Rao for completing assessment work. Of 477 courses offered by the varsity, it declared results for only 173 courses on Monday.

Asking the chief minister to intervene, Pawar said the issue had tarnished the universitys reputation in the country. Further delay in declaring results may also impact students who want to pursue higher education abroad, he added.

Fadnavis said the online assessment system is the need of the hour and has been adopted worldwide. The system ensures that evaluators assess answer papers online, thus bringing transparency. The government will make sure that the system is implemented smoothly in phases, he said.

He also informed the assembly that of 17.50 lakh answer sheets, 14 lakh have been evaluated so far. The governor has now set a new deadline of August 5 to declare the pending 304 results.

Mark sheets of students, who wish to pursue higher education abroad, will be made available by August 15, Fadnavis said.

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Ahead of the Maratha communitys protest march, which is to he held on August 9 in Mumbai, the state government has invited its leaders for a talk to solve the matter. However, the organisers of the march to demand quota have alleged that the government was attempting to divide the community by calling for such last-minute talks.

The government has stated that it has taken all precautions to ensure that the protest march is held peacefully and without any hassle to citizens. Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil said on Tuesday that most of their demands had been complied with by the government but the main demand for reservation and punishment to the Kopardi rape accused were pending in court.

Patil insisted that the government was not against the protest but wanted a deliberation with them before the march. We were ready to talk at a round-table meeting in Kolhapur in April but they showed no interest. Now, after realising and getting inputs by agencies that the Mumbai protest is going to be massive, they want to talk. Leaders close to the government have told us that the state will ensure the protest is a repetition of the Nagpur march (which had poor response), said Virendra Pawar, one of the organisers. He said that the decision on meeting the government will be taken by a state-level coordination committee.

In a reply to these allegations, Patil said, We believe that discussion is the best way to resolve issues in a democracy. We are ready to talk with representatives of any number of organisations from the community. We have informally started talking to leaders of some of the organisations. We are not against the march. Adequate arrangements have already been made for the march.

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Police may interrogate the two accused in the Ghatkopar building collapse together. Shiv Sena leader and prime accused Sunil Shitap, who allegedly made illegal alteration to the building, and Anil Mandal, who supervised the renovation, are in police custody till August 2.

Siddhi Sai building collapsed on July 25 and killed 17 people. The police said Mandal had undertaken the renovation work with no degree or expertise. Mandal was involved in planning and execution of the civil work, said Sachin Patil, deputy commissioner of police, zone 7 adding that none of those involved in renovation had a proper degree.

Mandal was managing everything  from supervising the work to paying the labourers. We suspect the labourers followed his instructions and tampered with the pillars. Shitap had planned to turn the property into a hospital and we have found out who was supposed to run it, said an officer.

Investigations revealed that few months ago Shitap had leased out his property to a nursing hom, which was shut for the past one month for renovations. The police have accused Mandal of making structural changes to the building despite knowing that it was old.

The police are now looking for Ranjeet Agale, the architect of the building. Agale was the buildings architect and we are looking for him, said the officer.
The Maharashtra forest department has asked Film City in Goregaon to stop shooting at outdoor sites for the next eight days till a leopard suspected of attacking five children in the area is trapped.

Officials from the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari confirmed that eight locations where films or television series are shot have been closed for at least eight days. Film City is located on the boundary of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), which has a leopard population of over 20, and the Aarey Milk Colony, where the cats are known to enter in search of prey.

The forest department has set up two trap cages in a radius of 5km of the site of the attacks, which killed one person, between March and July.

Aniket Dileep Page, 13, who was attacked by a leopard near the Aarey pump house on Friday. (HT Photo)

On Friday, 13-year-old Aarey Milk Colony resident, Aniket Dileep Page, was attacked by a leopard near the Aarey pump house around 3.30pm. On July 22, two-year-old Vihaan Nilesh Garuda, son of Nilesh Garuda, a staff member at SGNP, was attacked and killed, probably by the same leopard, near Maroshipada, a hamlet near Film City. On May 29, a four-year-old boy, resident of Royal Palms, Goregaon, was attacked by a leopard. On March 17, a three-year-old boy was attacked by a leopard near Khadakpada, a tribal hamlet. The boy escaped with injuries on his chest and throat after local residents scared the leopard away. On May 21, a three-year-old boy was saved by his mother after she snatched her child away from the claws of a leopard that had pounced on him in Chafyachapada, Aarey. The boy suffered minor injuries.

Guidelines to follow in an area frequented by leopards Be alert after dark (when leopards are active). Put on music on the mobile phone so that the big cat knows that you are human being, which it goes out its way to avoid Do not move about alone after dark If a leopard is sighted, give it way and allow it to move peacefully. - Mere sightings of leopards do not translate into danger Do not form a crowd around the animal Ensure that the garbage is disposed and no feral dogs are present in the locality



(Source: Sanjay Gandhi National Park)

Following the attacks, forest officers had narrowed down to one leopard that they think is responsible for all attacks. The department sought permission from the chief wildlife warden, state forest, for trapping the animal.

A total of 30 forest officers are patrolling the area. However, as per our camera trap images, the leopard, has been moving close to the cages but due to the movement of some vehicle in the vicinity, the animal runs away, said Santosh Kank, range forest officer, Mumbai forest range.

Kank added that keeping all these issues in consideration, the department approached officials from Film City on Monday and requested them to stop shooting. Our field officers have asked the shooting staff to stay away from the area to avoid any untoward incidents, said Kank.

One of the traps set up by the forest department. (HT Photo)

A Film City official said there are close to 800 people working at eight filming locations on any day. We have followed the directions by the forest department and informed our staff that all shooting activities stand cancelled till next week, said Chandrakant Kolekar, engineer and Film City officer. 

We are currently looking for alternate areas in Mumbai where some of our shooting can take place. But since it is of prime importance that actors and shooting staff be safe, we have followed all directions from the forest department, said Mangesh Raul, assistant manager, Film City studio. The areas will not be opened up until the forest department deems it fit.

Apart from three shifts over 24 hours, the forest department has placed 15 camera traps to monitor the movement of the leopard.

Despite order, television serial shoots continue unabated

Despite the state forest departments orders to not shoot films and TV serials outdoors for the next eight days, cameras are rolling in the open in Film City. Actor Kanwar Dhillon, who stars in the show Ek Aastha Aisi Bhee, said, Recently, there have been few leopard attacks in Film City but shooting hasnt stopped. We have been shooting non-stop but I have to say that since there have been one too many incidents of these attacks in the past two weeks, people are a bit scared to roam around freely in the vicinity after sunset.

Jay Soni, an actor in TV show Bhaag Bakool Bhaag, said, We are absolutely safe here in the Film City and have been shooting without any issue. Of course the news of leopard attacks has spread but not resulted in halting any shoot. It has been a normal day on the sets for all of us.

Gulki Joshi, who has been shooting for Ek Shringaar Swabhimaan, said, My set is the last set in the Film City beyond which there are barricades. I heard that shooting of some shows have been halted but I have been shooting just fine since morning. There has been no problem for us yet.

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Officials from University of Mumbai (MU) confirmed that 173 results , including third-year BSc (semesters 5 and 6), were declared on July 31. Results of nearly 304 exams are still pending. Officials, however, said all the pending results will be declared by August 5.

Pending assessment should be cleared soon and we should be able to declare all results by August 5. Close to 100 results should be out within one day, said MA Khan, registrar, MU.

With the MU racing against time to declare results before the Monday deadline, the officials rescheduled their meetings to finalise its perspective plan for the next academic year. This plan is an annual exercise to chart out future growth of the university. It provides details about prospective colleges for different regions under varsitys jurisdiction.

A few of the BSc students said they were unable to access their results.

The state had asked the public varsities to submit their respective plans by July 31, which was also the deadline set by the governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao for declaring all the results. The varsity officials have prepared a draft of the perspective plan, but need approval from its three governing bodies  senate, management council and academic council. The varsity had scheduled meetings of the governing bodies on Monday, but rescheduled them to concentrate on the evaluation work.

Khan told HT that the university received a call from the governors office on Monday office, advising them to call off the meetings for the time being. He asked us to take an extension from the state government to submit the perspective plan. For now, weve been asked to focus on completing assessment work, said Khan.

The state government on the other hand is ready to wait for a few more days to receive the varistys perspective plan. Once plans from all the state universities are in, we will table them before Maharashtra Authority for Higher Education (MAHED). After receiving its approval, the universities can invite proposals for new colleges and courses, said Siddharth Kharat, joint secretary, state higher and technical education department.

Maharashtra Public Universities Act 2016, requires the varsities to accept the proposals till September 31. According to Anil Patil, director of academic planning at MU, the current perspective plan provides long-term and short-term expansion targets for the university. The plan consists of three parts: a vision document, a five-year plan and an annual plan, he said.

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An alternative to formal schooling will soon be made available to students in Maharashtra, as the state government plans to set up an open school system under the state board. Students unable to attend regular schools will be able to write exams equivalent to Class 5, 8, 10 and 12 through this system.

However, educationists expressed concerns over the system saying it may prompt school to sideline differently abled and academically weak students.

Much like the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), set up by the central government in 1989, the open school system intends to provide education opportunities to local students who are unable to access mainstream schools. This includes those from remote and rural areas, physically challenged and underprivileged children.

But the experts argued that formal schooling is more advantageous for the overall development of the child. Schools help in building social skills, self-esteem as children interact with peers and teachers. It also gives a sense of inclusion, said Dr Harish Shetty, senior psychiatrist, Dr LH Hiranandani Foundation Hospital, Powai.

Hence, the experts suggested screening of students enrolling for open schooling to prevent schools from using it as a dump for weak students.

Although the intentions behind starting a state-level open schools are noble, the department needs to ensure that it is used only for rare cases and as a last resort, said Shetty. Schools should be asked to produce records that a child is not doing well in formal schooling before sending it to an open school.

Commenting on the issue, Father Francis Swamy, principal, St Marys School (ICSE), Mazgaon and joint secretary of the Archdiocesan Board of Education, said, Earlier, schools did not want to take responsibility of students with special needs, as they feared it will bring down their SSC results. But the situation is different now. The boar operates 150-odd schools across Mumbai.

Swamy, who began an NIOS centre at Holy Family School, Andheri, which accommodates more than 350 students annually, said open schooling is beneficial as it provides a wide spectrum of choices to students. I agree that formal schooling is important, but there are students who benefit from the flexibility and subject choices offered in open schooling, he added Swamy.

More than cities, open schooling is needed for students in rural areas, said Vasant Kalpande, former state board chairperson. In many parts of Maharashtra, physically challenged students cannot attend regular school owing to location and lack of transport facility. Also, families are constantly on the move in search of work. Open schooling facility is a must for such students, he added.

He added that although the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, states that every school should study in a mainstream school, article 51(A) of the Constitution of India mentions that it is the duty of the parents to provide opportunities for education children between 6 to 14 years. It is nowhere mentioned that these opportunities should be restricted to formal schooling.

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Raising concerns about the proposed Mumbai-Nagpur expressway project troubling farmers, the Opposition on Tuesday criticised the Shiv Senas flip-flop on the project. They said while Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray is raising the same concerns, a party minister is steering the project forward.

Both Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators targeted the party claiming that Sena minister Eknath Shinde visited villages that will be affected by the Mumbai-Nagpur corridor to convince farmers to give their consent. Shinde is the chairman of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is the implementing agency for the expressway, a pet project of CM Devendra Fadnavis.

NCP legislator Sunil Tatkare said, "Sena chief has clearly said he will not support the project if it is causing any distress to farmers. The ground reality says that farmers are not keen to give their lands for the project and are distressed. On the other hand, the party's own minister is visiting farmers to convince them."

Raising a calling attention motion, Congress' Sanjay Dutt also said the state is circumventing the basic provisions of the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, such as a social and environmental impact assessment and jobs for project-affected families to acquire land for the expressway. Dutt said, We are not against development. Even if the government is giving five times the value of land as compensation, basic provisions of the Land Acquisition Act should be followed and no injustice should be meted out to farmers."

Shinde, minister of the public works department for public undertakings, said, "We are doing more than the 2013 Land Acquisition Act by giving 25% more compensation. The state will not cause any harm to farmers, which is the same stand as Thackerays. We will not go ahead with the project till the last farmer is on board."

Tilak memorial may come up near Crawford

The state is planning to convert Sardar Gruha, a building opposite Crawford Market in south Mumbai where freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak died, into a memorial. CM Devendra Fadnavis announced this in the state assembly on Tuesday on the demand of a BJP legislator and party whip Raj Purohit .

The CM said, I have no information about this but owing to its historical importance, the government will consider converting it in to a memorial."

Purohit had said Sardar Gruha building is of national importance. It is where Tilak breathed his last. Many freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi once lived in the building, said Purohit. I demand the structure be converted into a national memorial.

Sardar Gruha had served as a guest house in the pre-Independence era. The four-storey building is being used for residential and commercial purposes and Tilaks room now houses the office of Kesari, the newspaper he started in 1881.

Vidarbha tigers may be shifted to Sahyadri reserve

The state is planning to relocate tigers from Vidarbha region to Sahyadri tiger reserve spread across Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur in western Maharashtra. These areas have a scarce tiger population.

State forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said in the state assembly that the government has set up a committee to examine translocation of tigers and decision will be taken based on its recommendations. Sahyadri tiger reserve has around seven tigers. The issue of tiger poaching was also raised by former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Mungantiwar said increase in the number tigers have led to rise in territorial fights and their deaths. On an average, a tiger requires at the very least a specific area of land (12sqm x 12sqm) to reside and this area has diminished following a hike in their numbers in Vidarbha region. We are considering relocating them to places where they are less in number. The government has set up a committee to examine their translocation. It will also consult experts from the Centre and submit its report in the next 2-3 months, the forest minister said.

The population of tigers has doubled in the past decade in Maharashtra, however, tiger deaths have remained a cause of concern for the government and animal activists. But the state believes the deaths are due to territorial fights and over-population of tigers. We have 200 tigers while Karnataka has 400. Despite that incidents of tiger poaching have increased in the state, Chavan said asking the government to take concrete steps to protect the big cats. He also demanded shifting of few tigers from Nagpur to the Sahyadri tiger reserve.

MSRDC official asks for 1-cr bribe in viral clip

Legislators demanded action against Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) MD and vice-chairman Radheshyam Mopalwar after an audio clip of him allegedly asking a middlemen for a Rs1-crore bribe to regularise a Borivli plot went viral on social media.

Congress leader and former CM Prithviraj Chavan said action should be taken against the officer. We will soon raise this issue in the house and seek clarification from the CM. The officer is heading CMs dream project Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi corridor, he said.

BJP MLA Anil Gote said several complaints have been registered with the prime ministers office against the officer. Mopalwar has, however, refuted the allegations saying this was a conspiracy to malign him.

Manjula Shetye murder: 2 jail officials to be suspended

The state government on Tuesday said it will suspend two Byculla jail officials in the alleged murder case of prisoner Manjula Shetye. MoS for Home Ranjit Patil said, Jail superintendent Chandramani Indulkar and acting superintendent Tanaji Gharbudve will be suspended for dereliction of duty.

CCTV network may be integrated soon

The state is planning to link polices CCTV surveillance system with the CCTVs installed in private housing societies to improve surveillance in Mumbai. CM Devendra Fadnavis said, The state is ready to integrate the cameras of housing societies with the surveillance system of the police to improve vigil.
A 10-year-old class 4 student of GD Goenka School in Indirapuram died after he fell on the second-floor corridor outside his classroom in the school complex on Tuesday morning. The boys family alleged negligence on part of the school authorities as the boys clothes were wet and there was a possibility that the floor was slippery due to uncleared water.

It is suspected that the boy died due to injuries to his head after he slipped on the glossy floor outside his classroom.

The deceased was identified as Arman Sehgal who lived in Vaishali locality of Ghaziabad. The boys father works as a marketing director with a private university in Sonepat, the police said.

The boys family said that they were informed of the incident only after the boy was rushed to Shanti Gopal Hospital. They also told mediapersons that the school was trying to hide facts and is not giving a clear picture of the incident.

#Ghaziabad: death of 10 year old at GD Goenka School; Family alleges school's negligence; to take legal action @httweets @HTNoidaGzb pic.twitter.com/CEmpu3B0EU  Peeyush Khandelwal (@journopk) August 1, 2017

We were informed of the incident late by school authorities. All his clothes were wet and I not only doubt, but I am certain at this point that there was a presence of water on the floor. The school is trying to hide this point. They are saying that the boys clothes were wet due to urine discharge. Even the class teacher, in whose presence the incident took place, was brought before us later and only after repeated requests, the boys mother said.

According to the school authorities, the incident took place around 7.50am when the boy was going from his classroom to another where he was scheduled to take a weekly unit test. The boy put his bag in his classroom and was carrying his pencil box to the other room, they said.

He just fell on the floor while he was walking to the other classroom. We immediately rushed him to a nearby hospital but he did not survive. The incident is unfortunate and we will fully cooperate with his parents and the police for an investigation. There was no water on the floor and there was no water source in the vicinity of the incident spot, Dr Kavita Sharma, school principal, said.

Priti Jaiswal, additional district magistrate (city), said that the boy was declared brought dead at nearby Shanti Gopal Hospital.

We have ordered (the hospital authorities) to expedite the post-mortem examination and the police to register a complaint from his family. The post-mortem examination will be carried out by a panel of two doctors. We have also started inspection of the school to investigate the alleged laxity on part of the school authorities in the incident. We are trying to find out the circumstances that caused the boy to fall and die, she said.

SC Dubey, station house officer of Indirapuram police station, said that his team also rushed to the school and inquired about the incident. We are awaiting a formal complaint from the family and an FIR will be lodged at the earliest, upon receipt of the complaint. His family has said that they will lodge a complaint after studying the post-mortem report, he said.

Despite repeated attempts by Hindustan Times, the hospital refused to comment on the nature of injuries suffered by the boy.

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The Ghaziabad police arrested three persons and lodged an FIR under sections of the IPC and Criminal Law Amendment Act against them. Also, 14 persons were booked for causing damage to public property.

The police have also named the involvement of 300-400 unidentified persons for inciting violence near Ala Hazrat Haj House on Monday night.

Those arrested include Naseem Khan, district president of Congress minority cell and Puja Chaddha, the district president of Congress womens cell. Other Congress leaders have also been named in the FIR, in which the police alleged that 14 police personnel, including four sub-inspectors and a woman constable, were injured.

The FIR is lodged at Sahibabad police station and we have arrested three persons in this connection. Teams are on the lookout for other persons and trying to identify them through video footage, Akash Tomar, superintendent of police (city), said.

A large number of locals and Congress workers started gathering outside the Haj House near river Hindon from Monday afternoon, despite prohibitory orders in place in the district. The police also charged them under Section 188 of the IPC, which is applied only when prohibitory orders are violated.

Naseem Khan and Puja Chaddha are not traceable. We will protest against the police and the administration and will also hand them a memorandum about the lathi charge carried out by police on innocent people who were staging a peaceful dharna outside the Haj House. There were some miscreants who resorted to violence but they were outsiders, said Harendra Kasana, district president of the Congress.

For the last one week, since the Haj pilgrimage is on, locals have been demanding that the newly constructed Haj House, which was inaugurated by former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav in September 2016, be opened.

However, the Haj House is caught up in litigation after three residents approached the National Green Tribunal and demanded its demolition, contending that the structure was built on land chunks of the Hindon floodplains.

The tribunal on September 2, 2016, had said in its order, We make it clear that any steps or construction taken in the meanwhile shall be subject to the orders of the Tribunal passed in this Application (sic).

Earlier on July 27, Hindustan Times had published a report listing the reasons for closure of the facility. In response, UP minister Mohsin Raza had said that the decision not to make the Haj House operational was taken by the previous government (led by former Akhilesh Yadav) and the present government is continuing the same.

The decision was already taken by the previous government as the matter was with NGT even before the present government assumed office. The decision was taken to protect the environment and the river ecology. The influx of thousands of pilgrims is bound to create garbage issues in the river zone. This decision was taken earlier to avoid being in contempt of court, Raza had said.

In the meantime, the district administration has deployed police and provincial armed constabulary personnel outside the Haj House and are keeping a tight vigil on activities that may lead to an escalation of law and order.

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The divisive issue of Kashmir is cannon fodder for a section of the electronic media thriving on uber-nationalism. Forever on the lookout for sensation, they either miss the wood for the trees or consciously conjure up smoke suggesting a forest fire where none exists.

A case in point is Mehbooba Muftis July 28 speech at a seminar in Delhi where she spoke after I introduced the subject  Understanding Kashmir: a composite dialogue on peace, stability and the way forward. Organised by the Bureau of Research on Industry and Economic Fundamentals (BRIEF), the event had in attendance experts and scholars from think tanks such as the Vivekananda Foundation, India Foundation and the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses.

The ensuing electronic media debates based on a selective reading of the PDP leaders speech were a study in illiteracy. The big message she sought to convey was lost in the cacophony over her comment on the political consequences in Kashmir of any tinkering with Article 35A of the Constitution.

The Article defines Kashmirs permanent residents besides detailing their special rights and privileges. It is currently under the Supreme Courts scrutiny on a petition that challenges as violative of fundamental rights a state subjects loss of privileges if she married a non-state subject.

Mehbooba did not comment on the constitutionality or otherwise of the said Article vis-a-vis fundamental rights. Her focus was on the political fallout from any dilution or change in the provision aimed at securing the States demographic composition. Pointing to PDP, Congress and National Conference (NC) leaders in the audience, she said: Supreme Court mein 35A abhi bhi chal raha hai. In the event of it being tinkered with, therell be nobody left to lend shoulder to the national flag we carry (in Kashmir).

The media driven by its predilections interpreted her remarks as being disrespectful of the national standard. But their political underpinnings were unmistakable for the better informed.

The PDP leaders message rang loud and genuine: thered be no political space left in Kashmir for those who swore by the Indian Constitution if the States special status was mutated in any which way. She rounded it off, in fact, on an emotional note, insisting she wanted to see an India that felt Kashmirs angst; the India that accepted us on our terms (humey hamari sharton par kubul kia).

The state subject provision has its genesis in Article 370 that accords a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Votaries of its abrogation question its sanctity (in constitutional terms). They consider it a hindrance in Kashmirs economic development and integration with the rest of India. Mehbooba flagged the incongruity of such demands in the context of the Centres insistence that talks on Kashmir be held within the four walls of the Constitution. How can we talk in the same breath about scrapping the states special status under the Constitution while insisting that talks with stakeholders in Kashmir have to be within the constitutional framework.

The speech she made as chief minister of the PDP-BJP coalition was part of her efforts to reach Kashmirs voice to mainland India. Her posers highlighting the flip side to the largely mono-dimensional media discourse were valid and needed more popular attention.

In fact, the question to be addressed in any earnest discourse on the issue is the one she raised at the very outset: How much can the idea of Kashmir be accommodated by the idea of India? On that premise she wondered whether weapons and laws (read: pellet guns and AFSPA) that are exclusive to the State have helped offer Kashmiris a better choice than what theyre asking.

Mehbooba made no reference to the NCs autonomy or the PDPs self-rule formulation. She was certain nevertheless that the way forward for the Centre was to present the people an option better than aazadi: We have to keep the diversityThe idea of India isnt complete without the idea of Kashmir.

The chief ministers was a persuasive case for a political initiative in Kashmir without disturbing the constitutionally mandated rules of engagement. It deserved reciprocation, not the kind of belligerent media response or partisan political reaction it got. It is about time India lent an attentive ear to its integral part.

vinodsharma@hindustantimes.com
Congressman Rohit Tilaks interim bail was extended for a day as Nandu Phadke, his legal council, asked for a copy of the application against Tilaks anticipatory bail made by the complainant in the rape case against him. While Tilaks supporters are confident of the cases disposal, the police are hoping to acquire his custody.

Police inspector (PI) Sangeeta Patil of Womens Cell of Pune police was given the investigation charge in the case on Friday, when his bail was extended for three days.

Advocate Phadkes argument during the hearing, which went on for 15 minutes on Monday, was based on the fact that the complainants lawyer had not provided a copy of their application challenging Tilaks anticipatory bail. Justice LL Yenkar granted 24 hours for the camp supporting Tilak, a direct descendant of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

The police are in complete support and asking for his custody in order to investigate the claims made by the complainant, said PI Patil.

In her application, the complainant has attached a list of 201 possible pieces of evidence, that could incriminate Tilak in the case, she said. The application reads, The complainant has been threatened with acid attack in broad daylight to withdraw the complaint. The complainant has been provided police protection at the insistence of the court considering the gravity of the threat to the complainant.

The application also lists 13 reasons, including the destruction of medical evidence and medical reports from Sassoon hospital, based on which the anticipatory bail to Tilak should be cancelled.

The medical examination report by Sassoon hospital conducted by the police has supported the case of the complainant, reads a part of the application. The application also names two other people working for Tilak who were witness to Tilaks alleged treatment of the victim. One of the two, the complainant claims, bought a mangalsutra - a traditional ornament worn by married women - on Tilaks behalf for the complainant.

The complainant held a press conference on Monday morning and played a recorded phone conversation, which she claims was between Tilak and herself, in which Tilak used derogatory language while addressing her in Marathi.

The complainant has also levelled allegations and filed a complaint under Section 228(A) against Tilak and his wife Pranati for circulating pictures of her among social circles through WhatsApp.

The court will hear Advocate Phadkes argument in the anticipatory bail plea on behalf of Tilak on Tuesday evening. The rape case, based on the 41-year-old complainants allegations, was filed by the woman in the late hours of July 17. Tilak was granted anticipatory bail on July 21. He has maintained radio silence in the case.

After claiming that it is an attempt to malign Tilaks image, the Tilak camp has maintained complete silence on the issue and have not yet presented their side of the incidents sited by the complainant.
In a new advisory issued on July 29, Central Board of Secondary Education has allowed the use of textbooks by private publishers in schools but will be held responsible in case of any discrepancy.

An advisory was issued by the board on April 6 making it mandatory for schools to use National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books. But after an interim by the Madras high court on July 26, this advisory now stands cancelled.

Many private schools were unhappy over the decision by CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) and there was much hue and cry over the quality of NCERT books.

Guidelines for schools Follow syllabus as prescribed by NCERT/CBSE Use textbooks published by NCERT/CBSE for middle classes as far as practical Exercise extreme care while selecting books of private publishers Scrutinise content to preclude objectionable material that hurts the feelings of any class, community, gender, religious group School holds responsibility if books are found with such content Upload list of books on website with declaration duly signed by manager and principal

Iona Brendish, principal, Mount Carmel School in Sector 47, said, The paper quality of NCERT books is poor. The questions at the end of chapters are also of a lower standard. This is why we prefer other books.

The board has issued guidelines for the use of books in the new advisory. Many schools are relieved by the rollback of the previous decision.

Kavita Das, principal, St Johns High School in Sector 26, said, The decision has given freedom to schools. Obviously, the responsibility to provide a good education lies with the schools.

The advisory states that the books should match the CBSE syllabus. If there are any mistakes in the books used by schools, the responsibility will be on them. The board will also act strictly against schools in case any objectionable content is found in them.

We will use the best books. We always check the books and then approve them. It is our responsibility and that of parents to provide the best possible education for children, said HS Mamik, president, independent schools association (ISA).

Indra Beniwal, principal, Government Model Senior Secondary School in Sector 33, said, We only use books recommended by the UT education department.

According to the advisory, the schools will need to put out a list of the books they use on their websites with a written declaration duly signed by the manager and the principal, stating that they have thoroughly checked them and hold responsibility in case of any discrepancy.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L) learns about new technology research and development at China Mobile in Beijing, capital of China, July 31, 2017. Li visited the country's three telecom operators and chaired a seminar on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

China should use emerging information technology including cloud computing and Internet of Things to shore up the digital economy, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said.

"The digital economy has enormous potential," Li said at a seminar on Monday, citing rapid growth in information consumption, mobile payments and e-commerce.

"Traditional industries should pick up speed in becoming more digitized, intelligent and green."

The premier expects information technology to create new sectors and new business models for the economy.

China should bolster emerging tertiary sectors including intelligent transportation and remote education to improve public services, Li said, adding that the "Internet Plus" can help make government affairs more transparent.

Li stressed further opening up in the telecom sector, support for research and development of new technology, and cyberspace security.

Having become a major growth driver, the digital economy rose 18.9 percent from a year ago to 22.6 trillion yuan (3.4 trillion U.S. dollars) last year.

Li called for more efforts on integrated development of small firms and industrial giants.

Enterprises should establish open Internet platforms to better allocate resources, match supply and demand, promote coordinated research and development, and build a new industrial ecosystem, according to Li.

As a result, innovation will be more efficient, manufacturing will improve, and economic and industrial upgrades will be pushed forward, Li said.

During the meeting, Li also urged continued efforts to offer faster and more affordable Internet services, which will help improve business competitiveness and reduce social costs.

Charges can be further lowered for individual consumers and small businesses, Li said.

In a visit to the country's three telecom operators ahead of the meeting, Li encouraged companies to develop more core technology and improve global competitiveness.

When listening to a report on how new technology could address difficulties in parking shared bicycles, Li said there are always problems in new things, which should be solved through new technology and in new ways.

The government will adopt cautious, inclusive supervision over new business models to ensure their robust and orderly development, Li said.
After reports emerged on Tuesday that Google denied having offered a much-publicised Rs 4-lakh-a-month training to a 16-year-old boy from a Chandigarh school, the UT administration began an inquiry as it had issued an official press release about his achievement on July 29. The release had even said he would be paid Rs 12 lakh a month as salary after a years training.

On Tuesday, director, school education, Rubinderjit Singh Brar said: I am inquiring into the matter. I can only comment by tomorrow (Wednesday).

The UT administrations public relations department had released the statement that Harshit Sharma, who completed Class 12 this year from Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 33, bagged an offer from Google. The boys two phone numbers were switched off on Tuesday. Information on his Facebook account said, Works at Google, living in California.

UT public relations director Navjot Kaur too said they are looking into the matter. The school principal, Indra Beniwal, who also had issued a press release congratulating the boy, said, He came to me informing that Google has called him about the offer. However, she denied having seen any letter. The boy had claimed that he had the offer letter but could not send it as he was travelling.

The UT administrations press release had led to several media outlets, including HT, reporting it as official information.

Hailing from Mathana in Haryanas Kurukshetra district, Harshit had told HT: I kept searching for jobs online... I applied for this job in May, and was interviewed online. I have been interested in graphic designing for the past 10 years. I was selected on the basis of the posters I designed.

Harshits parents are teachers. His younger brother studies in Class 10. During his time at the school, he stayed with his uncle at Dera Bassi.

Below is the press release as received:

Department of Public Relations, Chandigarh Administration

Press Release, Chandigarh, 29th July 2017

A student of GMSSS-33D, Chandigarh Class-XII (I.T.) stream, Harshit has been selected for graphic designing by Google. He will be trained for Graphic designing for an initial period of one year and will receive a stipend of 04 lacs per month. After completion of his training he will get remuneration of 12 lacs per month. He went for online interview through video conferencing and was selected on the basis of posters designed by him while doing class 12th under the supervision of his teachers. His achievements will act as a morale booster for other students and they will be inspired to make forays into this field. Principal, Mrs. Indra Beniwal congratulated Harshit on his remarkable achievement and lauded the efforts of his teachers also.

The school too had issued a press release:
What made Modi say this?

Implementation of Aadhaar-enabled DBT has led to removal of thousands of bogus entries from the citys list of households availing themselves of the public distribution system (PDS), which are now pegged at 56,000

The UT has achieved 100% direct benefit scheme for 2.7 lakh liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) consumers

The merit scholarship for weaker sections and minorities are now being disbursed directly into the accounts of beneficiaries

Even pension amounts are being transferred directly to the Aadhaar-enabled bank accounts of widows, senior citizens and physically challenged beneficiaries.

The UT has also implemented Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) through Aadhaar-enabled payment system. It covers more than 1,100 beneficiaries
A woman lawyer, separated from her husband, used a secret shared by him during the happier times to land him in jail.

The case is about a passport. Sandeep Singh, 33, a resident of Mattaur, Mohali, had mentioned his grandparents as his parents in his passport. After his fathers death when he was just three months old, Sandeep had been staying with them.

He shared this information with Ravinder Kaur upon their marriage in 2009. Ravinder, a lawyer, hails from Ludhiana, and practices at the Mohali district courts.

Later, as differences appeared between the couple, they started living separately a year and half ago. Ravinder went on to complain to the police that her husband had an illegal passport, following which Sandeep was booked for cheating under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 12(1) of the Passport Act 1967.

The latter makes it illegal for any individual to knowingly furnish any false information or suppress any material information with a view to obtaining a passport or travel document. Sandeep was arrested late on Saturday evening when he went to his maternal aunts house in Phase 7. He was produced before the duty magistrate, who sent him to 15 days judicial custody.
Thanks to the success of Baahubali franchise, everybody wants to go big and Kannada cinema is not behind when it comes to making something very aspirational. The industry is all set to get its first magnum opus in the form of Kurukshetra which will roll from August 6, an epic drama to be made on a budget of over Rs 100 crore. Earlier this month, producer Muniratna had told New Indian Express: I have placed no limit on the budget. It will be decided during its making and this will be made to suit Indian standards.

The makers have so far confirmed that Darshan will play Duryodhana and Ravichandran will play Krishna. To be directed by Naganna, the film will be the retelling of Mahabharata from the point of view of Kaurava. According to a source from the films unit, most of the crew and crew are already finalised. Reliable source from the films unit has confirmed that the project also features Ambareesh as Bheeshma, Sneha as Draupadi, Lakshmi as Kunti and Nikhil Gowda as Arjun. Superstar Shivrajkumar was also offered one of the role but he declined the offers for reasons yet unknown.

Huge sets have been erected in Ramoji Film City where the film will be predominantly shot. The film will start rolling from August 6 in Hyderabad. V Harikrishna has been roped in to compose music. The makers are aiming for a grand release during next years Sankranti festival.

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Shame. That is the only feeling you are left with after abuse of any kind. It is far worse when it is sexual abuse. And imagine when it is done by someone you know, by someone you trust and probably also expected to respect. As a child, shame comes wrapped in confusion  was it something I did, should I tell anyone, will they believe me?

The adults would often not believe a child. Or they imagine all a child wants is attention. Or how would they accuse the uncle/father/grandfather/brother/relative who is part of the family? Akshay Kumar was among the exceptions. On Thursday, the actor revealed how he was inappropriately touched as a child but instead of keeping it all inside, he went to his parents.

Let me share my own experience with you all here. When I was a very young kid, a lift-man once touched me inappropriately. Since I had good communication with my parents, I told them about this incident, he said. The person was apprehended in yet another case. Later the same person was caught in another case and was found to be a habitual offender, the actor added.

According to a 2013 study by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, half of all children in the country have experienced some form of sexual abuse. (Shutterstock)

As I said earlier, Akshay was luckier than most. He could put words to the horrific experience he went through. If you didnt undergo abuse as a child, look around and you will find many. Are people ready to talk about it? Probably not. They hide it in a dark corner of their life where it continues to fester. Some could have repressed it, others are scarred for life.

According to a 2013 study by the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, half of all children in the country have experienced some form of sexual abuse. One in five have experienced a severe form of abuse. And the number of cases reported between 2001 and 2011  only 48,000.

A recent survey by humanitarian organisation World Vision India across 26 states in India revealed that one in every two children is a victim of child sexual abuse. More than 45,000 children in the 12-18 age group participated in the survey. It also said one in four families dont report the abuse.

You know why? Because I didnt say it when it happened. Maybe you didnt either. Or your spouse, or your friend, or your boss. Because yes, it is that pervasive.

Getting older doesnt make talking about it easier. But the discussion needs to be started nonetheless  because the one who did it to you will do it again. He may be a relative or a neighbour or a family member but he is first and foremost a man who uses his position to abuse a vulnerable child.

Somebody broke my circle of trust and I was left wondering what I did wrong for years. A friend still has to go and meet the familys favourite uncle despite his touch reminding him what happened 15 years ago when his parents were not home. A colleague talks about how her mother just got angry when she told her about what a doctor did to her in the name of check-up. She was asked to forget about it. She is two decades older and she still could not.

Make no mistake, we are all scarred but the shame will not let us reveal them to the world. The faith of our parents, open channels of communication and the awareness that it was NOT our fault could have changed us as people. I fervently wish we can do better by our children.

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Thailand is one of the cheapest and most attractive destinations in Asia for a holiday and there are a whole lot of experiences to enjoy there.

The worlds 20th most populated country is Asias No 1 travel destination with 16 million foreigners visiting it every year. However, there are certain things you need to keep in mind when visiting this beautiful country so that you dont run into any unnecessary trouble while enjoying your holiday.

Heres a list of 10 things not to do when in Thailand:

1. Fork off

According to Thai table manners, you should eat off your spoon, not your fork. Eating from the fork is considered unsophisticated in the land of white elephants.

2. Cover up

You should keep your knees and elbows covered while visiting the temples or monasteries. Avoid wearing tank tops, shorts, short skirts or tube tops for these places. In fact, even if you are not visiting holy places, it is a sensible idea to carry something to cover up as you might come across a place you might want to go in and are prepared.

3. Listen, dont act

If your Tuk Tuk driver seems insistent on taking you to a special fashion or jewellery store, you dont have to go there. The reason he might be doing this is because hes probably getting a commission from the shop owners for taking you there.

Massage and other multicolored signs on the street of Beach Road, Pattaya. The average price for one hour of oil massage is 300 baht, around 10 dollars. (Shutterstock)

4. No hugging monks

Monks are given a lot of respect in Thailand and women are not allowed to go near them. In fact, monks are not allowed to touch women. If a monk needs to give something to a woman, he doesnt hand it to her directly and places the object on the ground so that she can pick it up from there. When searching for a seat on a bus, do not sit next to a monk as they are not even allowed to sit next to women.

5. Shoe rules

When visiting someones house it is considered respectful to remove your shoes before entering their home. For temples, of course, you need to remove your footwear. This is why sandals are a popular choice for tourists as they are easy to take off and given that you can walk long distances in them.

6. Be careful of your feet

Since feet are considered the dirtiest part of the body, it is considered disrespectful if you point them at anyone. Be mindful of not opening doors with your feet or pointing them towards monks or images of the Buddha.

7. Dont be disrespectful of the royal family

The king and the royal family are held in high regard in Thailand. So, do not say anything against them or even step purposely on a Thai coin if it falls down as it has photos of the royal family.

8. Dont take Buddhas photos out of the country

You are not allowed to take any photos of the Buddha out of the country unless you have special permission. Also, do not get carried away with the whole selfie craze and stand on Buddha statues when taking photos, which is considered impolite.

Beach at Koh Larn island in Pattaya, Thailand. (Shutterstock)

9. Keep your cool

Yes, we understand that youre not supposed to lose your temper anywhere you are but this applies especially in Thailand. Thais prefer to avoid heated arguments and hence raising your voice is not a good idea when negotiating prices or at other times.

10. No whistling at night

Whistling at night could make Thai people uncomfortable as it is considered to attract evil spirits. They believe it brings bad luck, so dont start whistling the top Billboard songs when going for that night stroll.

Sea Lion shows at Safari World, Bangkok. (Shutterstock)

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Bigg Boss Telugu, which went on air from July 16, has been creating all the right noises it is expected to. The latest celeb to make news is popular actor Sampoornesh Babu.

After contestant Jyotis eviction last week and popular actor Mumaith Khans temporary exit from Lonavala-based Bigg Boss house owing to the drug racket case that has rocked the Telugu film industry since last month, it was Sampoornesh Babus moment under the arclights.

According to a website Gulte.com, the actor couldnt adjust to the confined space of the Bigg Boss Telugu house as he came from a village backdrop.

Appearing on Sundays episode of the show, the actor sought apology of the audience and gave an explanation as to why he had to quit. He said that he felt extremely claustrophobic and suffocated inside the house and that he had to come outside at any cost.

    ,    ,    .      Sampoornesh Babu (@sampoornesh) July 30, 2017

He was grateful to the shows host, Jr NTR. The real hero is someone who helps you when you are struggling and needs a shoulder for support. NTR did that for me, he is the real hero I have seen and he is the real Bigg Boss for me, the actor was quoted by Gulte as saying.

Quoting an unnamed source, another web site HansIndia.com reported that he will have to pay some amount to the channel (Rs 20 lakh). The exact reason for his exit was not clear, it added.

Another channel, Chitramala, said that Sampoorneshs exit was clearly a case of self-eviction but it is unclear if it was pre-scripted or genuine. It went on to say that as per the reports any contestant who violates the rules and exits from the show before the 70 days has to bear the loss of Rs 16 lakh as per the agreement.

However, the actor clarified that organisers imposing a penalty of upto Rs 20 lakh was just a rumour. He tweeted about it and asked for forgiveness from the audience.

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Its that time of the year again when tabloid, magazines and fans begin speculating about who will enter Bigg Bosss house in the new season. While it was reported that the Salman will soon begin to shoot for the promos of the show, we may have heard the first rumours on who will enter the show this time.

According to reports, Priyanka Chopras doppelganger and YouTuber Navpreet Banga may be on that list. She rose to fame last year when she was spotted by several media outlets for her uncanny resemblance to the Bollywood star.

Navpreet is based in Canada and is also an actor. Check out her pics on Instagram:

Hello  Captured by @peetaysanghera Outfit @yoinscollection A post shared by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Jun 5, 2017 at 12:40am PDT

A post shared by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Feb 4, 2017 at 2:58pm PST

A post shared by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Jan 27, 2017 at 10:48am PST

A post shared by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Jan 26, 2017 at 6:13pm PST

A post shared by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Aug 31, 2016 at 3:36pm PDT

A post shared by Navpreet Banga (@browngirllifts) on Jul 28, 2016 at 1:16am PDT

The 11th season of the show will be aired earlier than usual this time. The show normally begins in October but reports suggest that it will start airing from September this year. Salman Khan, who will be hosting the show for the seventh time, shot the promo on July 30 in Morocco.

A DNA quoted a source as saying, Salman will be shooting for the promos this Sunday. He is flying down from Morocco especially for this shoot. It will have a whole new theme, which will be unveiled with the first promo soon. This time, the channel might start with the show earlier than other years. So, it will mostly air in September, instead of October.

The registrations for commoners closed on July 21.

While the contestants for the new season are yet to be finalised, there are a few names that are being speculated as most likely to be a part of the show. Cringe pop sensation Dhinchak Pooja, TV actors Nia Sharma and Sana Saeed are the front runners for celeb slot in the house this year.

Another report in DNA After Hours also claimed that there is a new twist in the commoners selection for Bigg Boss this year. They want to have pairs of mother-daughter, father-son, siblings, to make it (the show) more interesting and create a spark as they will be able to reveal something about each others past, which could be spicy and controversial, it quoted a source as saying.

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A suicide attack on a Shia mosque in the western Afghan city of Herat killed more than 29 people and wounded more than 64 on Tuesday, officials said.

More than 1,700 civilians have been killed in attacks in Afghanistan so far this year, hitting confidence in the Western-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker on Tuesday, with witnesses describing a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and at least one other, a gunman who threw grenades at worshippers.

Two attackers entered the mosque and started shooting and throwing grenades at people, said Mohammad Adi, a worshipper at the mosque who was injured in the attack and taken to hospital.

Mohammad Asif Rahimi, governor of Herat, said at least 29 people were killed and 64 wounded in the incident which came two months after an attack on a 12th century mosque known as the Jama Masjid in Herat, in which seven people died.

There was no claim of responsibility. But the Taliban, fighting to install strict Islamic law and drive foreign troops out of Afghanistan, denied any involvement.

Ghani, whose government has been under mounting pressure because of deteriorating security across the country, condemned the bombing and called on religious scholars to raise their voices against the terrorist attacks.

Afghanistan has traditionally been relatively free of the sectarian violence common in Iraq or Syria but hardline Sunni militants from the local branch of Islamic State have repeatedly attacked the mainly Shiite Hazara minority in the past year.

The latest attack comes as the U.S. administration considers sending more troops to Afghanistan to bolster the NATO-led coalition advising and assisting Afghan security forces.

Hospital authorities in Herat said all the dead and wounded were worshipping in the mosque when a suicide bomber blew himself up.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker, with a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and another who threw grenades at worshippers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack to hit Afghanistan, which has seen more than 1,700 civilian deaths so far this year.

Afghanistan has traditionally been relatively free of the sectarian violence common in Iraq or Syria but hardline Sunni militants from the local branch of Islamic State have repeatedly attacked the mainly Shia Hazara minority in the past year.
Bangladesh police arrested Tuesday a journalist in the countrys south for allegedly defaming a minister in a Facebook post about a dead goat.

Abdul Latif Morol, a reporter at a regional Bengali-language daily, was detained before dawn in the coastal town of Dumuria after a journalist from a rival newspaper filed a case under a draconian internet law.

The complainant said Morol has defamed the state (junior) minister for fisheries and livestock, Narayan Chandra Chanda, after he made a derogatory post about him in Facebook, local police chief Sukumar Biswas told AFP.

Chanda was the chief guest at an event organised by the governments local livestock department, part of his ministry, at Dumuria on Saturday.

At the event livestock, including goats, chickens and ducks, were donated to poor farmers, but one of the donated goats later died, according to local media reports. That prompted Morol to write on Facebook Goat given by state minister in the morning dies in the evening, Biswas said.

The complainant alleged that Morols post was aimed at undermining the minister socially and personally as he should have blamed the local livestock officials and not the minister.

In an interview with a local paper the plaintiff said he filed the complaint because he was a supporter of the nationally ruling Awami League. We did not like the matter (the Facebook post).

Rights groups have accused the Bangladesh government of using Section 57 of the Information and Communications Technology law  the law under which the current complaint was filed  to crack down on dissent and harass journalists.

Last month hundreds of journalists rallied in the capital Dhaka to demand a repeal of the controversial section after several journalists were detained and charged under it.
China has opened an expressway on the permafrost of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the worlds highest, at a total cost of $ 4 billion.

The 634.8-km expressway section, which connects Gonghe County with the city of Yushu in northwest Chinas Qinghai Province, was built at an average altitude of over 4,000 metres.

Up to 36 per cent of the road is built on permafrost that could become unstable due to temperature changes caused by vehicles.

Advanced technology was developed to keep the ground surface stable for the construction and operation of the expressway, said Niu Jiangzhong, from the Electrical Engineering Co, Ltd of China Railway 12th Bureau Group.

Construction of the road took over six years, at a total cost of nearly 27 billion yuan ($ 4 billion).

To protect the local environment, vegetation was removed during construction and later replanted along the roadside.

The expressway has shortened the travel time between the provincial capital Xining and Yushu from 12 to just eight hours, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
China hit back on Monday after US President Donald Trump tweeted he was very disappointed in China following North Koreas latest missile test, saying the problem did not arise in China and that all sides need to work for a solution.

China has become increasingly frustrated with American and Japanese criticism that it should do more to rein in Pyongyang. China is North Koreas closest ally, but Beijing, too, is angry with its continued nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the US mainland, drawing a sharp warning from Trump and a rebuke from China.

Video of the latest missile test appears to show it breaking up before landing, indicating Pyongyang may not yet have mastered re-entry technology needed for an operational nuclear-tipped missile, a think tank reported on Monday.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea just hours after the US ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is done talking about North Korea.

A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far.

It said Trump reaffirmed our ironclad commitment to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, using the full range of United States capabilities.

Trump tweeted on Saturday after the missile test that he was very disappointed in China and that Beijing profits from U.S. trade but had done nothing for the United States with regards to North Korea, something he would not allow to continue.

Asked by a reporter on Monday how he plans to deal with Pyongyang, Trump said at the start of a Cabinet meeting: Well handle North Korea... It will be handled.

Chinas foreign ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters responding to Trumps earlier tweets, said the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to seek a resolution.

Russia said on Monday the United States and other countries were trying to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia and China following the most recent missile test.

We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the US and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea), the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

At the United Nations in New York, Chinas UN ambassador said on Monday it is primarily up to the United States and North Korea, not Beijing, to reduce tensions and work toward resuming talks to end Pyongyangs nuclear weapon and missile programs.

The United States and North Korea hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China, Chinas UN ambassador Liu Jieyi told a news conference to mark the end of Beijings presidency of the UN Security Council in July.

No matter how capable China is, Chinas efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties, Liu said.

Chinese vice commerce minister Qian Keming told a news conference there was no link between the North Korea issue and China-US trade.

We think the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are issues that are in two completely different domains. They arent related. They should not be discussed together, Qian said.

China, with which North Korea does most of its trade, has repeatedly said it strictly follows U.N. resolutions on North Korea and has denounced unilateral US sanctions as unhelpful.

Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger UN sanctions on North Korea over Friday nights long-range missile test, the Norths second this month.

Any new UN Security Council resolution that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value, Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more.

Abe told reporters after his conversation with Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyangs unilateral escalation.

International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure, Abe said. He added Japan and the United States would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details.

Abe and Trump did not discuss military action against North Korea, nor what would constitute the crossing of a red line by Pyongyang, deputy chief cabinet spokesperson Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.

Pyongyang is determined to develop its nuclear and missile programme and does not care about military threats from the US and South Korea, state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times said on Monday.

How could Chinese sanctions change the situation? said the paper, which is published by the ruling Communist Partys official Peoples Daily.

China wants both balanced trade with the United States and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, its official Xinhua news agency added in a commentary.

However, to realise these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one who piles blame on China for the United States failures, it added.

The United States flew two supersonic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force on Sunday in response to the missile test and the July 3 launch of the Hwasong-14 rocket, the Pentagon said. The bombers took off from a US air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise.

North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability, Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J OShaughnessy said in a statement.

If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing.
US President Donald Trump is reported to have personally dictated a misleading statement about his eldest son Donald Trump Jrs meeting with some Russians in June 2016, over-ruling advisers who had argued for full transparency believing the facts will come out.

And they did, over the next few days, as Trump Jr amended the first statement, landing himself in a situation that led to him testifying before a congressional committee conducting one of the many investigations into allegations of Trump campaigns collusion in Russian interference in the presidential election.

Trump Jr met a Russian lawyer with links to Kremlin who had promised him information that could be damaging for Hillary Clinton and which, he had been told, was part of a larger effort to help his father in the election. Trump Jr was joined at the meeting by his brother-in-law Jared Kushner and then Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort.

When asked about this previously undisclosed meeting, Trump Jr said we primarily discussed adoptions  a ban on Americans adopting Russian children ordered by Moscow in retaliation against a US sanction on Russian violating human rights  that was not a campaign issue at that time.

This version of the meeting, which was only partly true and concealed the actual purpose of the meeting to seek dirt on Clinton, was personally dictated by the president, The Washington Post reported on Monday, on his way home from the G-20 meetings in Hamburg, Germany.

That story evolved over the next few days, until Trump Jr finally acknowledged, when it became clear he couldnt dodge any more, that he had taken the meeting after receiving a letter from the lawyer who had promised damaging information on Clinton, and he released that email exchange, just before The New York Times, which had a copy, had planned to.

While issuing a misleading statement in itself is not a crime, The Washington Post reported that Trump advisers fear it may become part of a series of his actions that could cause him and some members of his inner circle legal problems.

This may also expose them to closer scrutiny by special counsel Robert Mueller, who has been given charge of the FBI investigation of Russian interference and alleged collusion by Trump campaign aides.
US President Donald Trump felt comments by Anthony Scaramucci, whom he fired as his communications chief on Monday, in a magazine interview were inappropriate, the White House said.

The president certainly felt that Anthonys comments were inappropriate for a person in that position and he didnt want to burden General Kelly, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said at a briefing, referring to John Kelly, who was sworn in as the new White House chief of staff earlier on Monday.

Scaramucci, appointed to the communications post by Trump 10 days ago, had attacked then-White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and Trumps chief strategist Steve Bannon in profanity-laden terms in an interview with the New Yorker magazine last week.
World temperatures are likely to rise by more than 2 Celsius this century, surpassing a tipping point that a global climate deal aims to avert, scientists said on Monday.

A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change shows a 90% chance that temperatures will increase this century by 2 to 4.9 Celsius.

Researchers at the University of Washington found only a 5% chance that warming could be at or below 2 Celsius  one of the targets set by the 2015 Paris climate deal on limiting emissions of greenhouse gases that warm the planet.

Missing that target would have dramatic consequences on peoples livelihoods  such as prolonged periods of drought and rising sea levels  said Adrian Raftery, the lead author of the study and a professor at the University of Washington.

The study uses statistical projections based on total world population, GDP per capita and the amount of carbon emitted for each dollar of economic activity, known as carbon intensity.

Our analysis shows that the goal of 2 is very much a best-case scenario, said Raftery. It is achievable, but only with major, sustained effort on all fronts over the next 80 years.

According to the UN Environment Programme, world greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are now about 54 billion tonnes a year and should be cut to 42 billion by 2030 to get on track to stay below 2 Celsius.

Ramping up efforts to improve carbon efficiency are key to limit future warming, Raftery told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview.

Countries need to change the economic incentives for producing carbon  for example by introducing a carbon tax  and encourage innovation that would improve energy efficiency, he said.

We should be learning more from countries that are particularly carbon-efficient, like France, which has a very low-carbon transport infrastructure.
Anthony Scaramuccis tenure as White House communications director was as short as a four-letter word and just as shocking.

His stint began with such promise, with an appearance in the briefing room where he repeatedly declared his love for the President and parted with an air-kiss to the White House press corps. But it was over almost before it had begun.

July 21: Scaramucci, loyal and telegenic but lacking a traditional communications background, was named White House communication director, a move that immediately prompted the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer.

In his first appearance before reporters, Scaramucci put on a show. But he was only ever performing for an audience of one, a President with a predilection for plot twists.

At the press briefing, his appearance before reporters outlined a familiar strategy: Let Trump be Trump.

I think its super important for us to let him express his personality, Scaramucci said.

In a statement, Trump praised Scaramucci: Anthony is a person I have great respect for, and he will be an important addition to this administration. He has been a great supporter and will now help implement key aspects of our agenda while leading the communications team.

July 22: The Mooch spent Saturday cleaning up his Twitter feed to remove historic tweets critical of the President and his agenda. Before pledging to Make America Great Again, Scaramucci had a different view of Trump.

Hes gonna be President of, you can tell Donald I said this: the Queens County Bullies Association, Scaramucci said during a segment on Fox Business in August 2015. You are an inherited-money dude from Queens County. Bring it.

July 23: The Mooch shows off his charm on the Sunday shows. He promised a witch-hunt to root out leakers and said anyone found to be sharing unauthorised information with the press would be fired.

We are strong as our weakest link, Scaramucci said on CBS Face the Nation. And Ill say it a little differently in a pun. Were strong as our weakest leak.

On State of the Union, Scaramucci cited an anonymous source on Russian hacking of the election, and then revealed that the source was the President.

Somebody said to me yesterday  I wont tell you who  that if the Russians actually hacked this situation and spilled out those emails, you would have never seen it, he said. You would have never had any evidence of them, meaning that theyre super confident in their deception skills and hacking. Pressed on the provenance of the claim, he replied: How about it was the President?

July 24: Scaramuccis estranged wife, Deidre Ball, gives birth to their second child in New York. Scaramucci travelled on Air Force One with the president to West Virginia, where Trump delivered a politically charged speech before thousands of Boy Scouts. (A Boy Scouts official later apologised for allowing political rhetoricat their annual jamboree.)

July 25: Thumbs up and smiles aboard Air Force One on the way to Youngstown, Ohio, where the Mooch tells reporters on board: If the leaks continue, then Ive got to let everybody go.

July 26: Scaramucci dined at the White House with the president, the first lady, Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Fox News executive Bill Shine. After dinner, he placed a fateful call to New Yorker writer, Ryan Lizza.

He then tweeted: In light of the leak of my financial info which is a felony. I will be contacting @FBI and the @TheJusticeDept #swamp @Reince45.

July 27: The New Yorker published that conversation. Highlights include:

Im not Steve Bannon, Im not trying to suck my own cock, he said of the White House chief strategist.

Reince is a fucking paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac, he said of the White House chief of staff, who Scaramucci insinuated was behind some of the most damaging leaks.

What I want to do is I want to fucking kill all the leakers and I want to get the Presidents agenda on track so we can succeed for the American people.

Scaramucci also referred to himself in the third person, by his nickname. OK, the Mooch showed up a week ago, he told the magazine. This is going to get cleaned up very shortly, OK?

As a world which thought it was, by now, immune to surprises from Trumps White House digested his unique communication style, the director of communications conceded he did not know the call was on the record.

July 28: Another ride on Air Force One. The destination: his native Long Island.

New York Posts Page Six reported that Scaramuccis infatuation with Trump was a catalyst for his wifes decision to file for divorce while nine months pregnant with their second child after three years of marriage.

July 29

July 30: Sunday spent mostly below the radar, though he tweeted about a call with Republican chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. Looking forward to building even stronger relationship, he wrote.

July 31: Scaramucci watched as John Kelly was sworn in as the presidents new chief of staff.

Hours later, the White House announced that Scaramucci was out as White House communications director, reportedly at the urging of Kelly.

Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.

During the daily briefing, Sanders said Scaramucci does not have an administration role at this time.

(Published in arrangement with Guardian.com)
Jagmeet Singh, the Sikh politician seeking to become the next leader of Canadas New Democratic Party, is already gathering momentum in fund-raising, outstripping even Justin Trudeau at the same stage of their respective leadership contests.

As Elections Canada released fund-raising numbers for the second quarter of this year, 38-year-old Singh easily led all other candidates vying for the leadership of the national party. Singh was denied a visa by India in 2013.

That is particularly notable since Singh only entered the leadership race in May 15, and in approximately a month-and-a-half handily outpaced his rivals who had been in the contest through the entire quarter ending June 30.

A statement released by his campaign crowed: Jagmeet Singh, candidate in the federal NDP leadership race, has raised more in the first 47 days than Justin Trudeau or Andrew Scheer at the same point in their leadership campaigns.

The reference was to comparative fund-raising for the current Canadian prime minister when he ran for leadership of the Liberal Party in 2013, and the new leader of the Conservative Party, who was elected earlier this year.

The campaign said Singh had raised CA $353,944 in 47 days, while Trudeau reached that amount in 77 days and Scheer in 124.

The NDP is one of the three major national parties of Canada and emerged as the principal Opposition party in the House of Commons in the 2011 federal elections.

In the statement, Singh said, I am very proud of what our team was able to accomplish in our first six weeks of the campaign. We are building the resources to grow our party. Our fund-raising numbers show how the NDP can take on the Liberals and Conservatives in 2019.

The campaign also stated that 75% of the donations came from people who had never before given to the NDP, while there were 1,517 donors and the median donation was CA $40.

With a significant part of the money received by Singh coming from Ontario and British Columbia provinces, it appears he may be benefiting from the support of enthused Indo-Canadians, particularly Sikhs, many of whom appear to be backing him after having traditionally been with the Liberal Party.

The scale of Singhs fund-raising achievement is also notable in that he collected nearly three times the total reached by the next highest candidate, Charlie Angus.

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Renowned Harry Potter author JK Rowling has apologised for wrongly accusing US President Donald Trump of refusing to shake the hand of a three-year-old disabled child during an event.

The 52-year-old British novelist, best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, said on Monday she deleted her July 28 tweets after she was informed that they were not a full or accurate representation of what had happened at last Mondays health care event at the White House.

Rowling came under fire for a series of now-deleted tweets in which she slammed Trump for seeming to ignore Montgomery Weers outstretched hand.

How stunning, and how horrible, that Trump cannot bring himself to shake the hand of a small boy who only wanted to touch the president, the author had said.

But Marjorie Kelly Weer, mother of Montgomery, said Rowlings interpretation of the clip was wrong.

Re: my tweets about the small boy in a wheelchair whose proffered hand the president appeared to ignore in press footage. Multiple sources have informed me that that was not a full or accurate representation of their interaction, Rowling tweeted.

I very clearly projected my own sensitivities around the issue of disabled people being overlooked or ignored onto the images I saw and if that caused any distress to that boy or his family, I apologise unreservedly, she wrote.

Trump is said to have shaken the boys hand as the president entered the room, the BBC reported.

If someone can please get a message to JK Rowling: Trump didnt snub my son & Monty wasnt even trying to shake his hand, Kelly wrote on Facebook.

She also said her son was not all that keen on shaking hands anyway.

Rowling was slammed for not removing the tweets from her social media account after her comments were proved to be incorrect.

Earlier, Rowling said the incident reminded her of how her mother who used a wheelchair while she was alive was sometimes treated by strangers.
Pakistan has extended by two months the house arrest of Hafiz Saeed, accused by the US of masterminding the 2008 attacks on Indias financial capital Mumbai that killed 166 people, a government document reviewed by Reuters showed.

Saeed was put under house arrest in January after years of living freely in Pakistan, one of the sore points in the countrys fraying relationship with the US. His freedom had also infuriated India.

In a document marked secret, the government of Pakistans eastern province of Punjab said it was ordering the extension on the recommendations of the federal government and the interior ministry in Islamabad.

Yahya Mujahid, spokesman for Saeeds Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), confirmed that Saeed was among five members of the charity given an extended term of house arrest.

The Counter Terrorism Department believes Saeeds supporters plan to spread chaos in the country and stage demonstrations to project Saeed as a hero, Punjabs home department said in the document.

A campaign is being waged by Abdul Rehman Makki, believed to be Saeeds deputy at JuD, to drum up the the support of workers.

Transport is being arranged, arms are also being collected for show of force and for use, and if need be, against the personnel of law enforcement agencies, the document added. Funds are also being collected for the purpose.

Reuters telephone calls to an official spokesman seeking comment on the document were not immediately answered.

The US had offered $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Saeed, who heads JuD, which Washington says is a front for the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Reuters could not contact Saeed for comment, but he has always denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks of 2008 that brought the neighbours Pakistan and India to the brink of war.

In the attacks, 10 gunmen swarmed across targets including two luxury hotels, a Jewish centre and a train station in a rampage that lasted several days.

India accused Pakistan of sponsoring the attacks through LeT, which Saeed founded in the 1990s. Pakistan has denied any state involvement and Saeed, who has distanced himself from LeT, has repeatedly denied responsibility.

Previous Pakistani announcements of action against anti-India militant groups have rarely resulted in serious punishment.

Western countries have for decades accused Pakistan of harbouring Islamist militant groups and using them as proxies against bigger neighbour India, with whom it has fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

Islamabad denies having such a policy.
North Koreas latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has shown that Pyongyang now may be able to reach most of the continental United States, two US officials told Reuters on Monday.

The assessment, which the officials discussed on condition of anonymity, underscored the growing threat posed by Pyongyangs nuclear and missile programs, and could add pressure on President Donald Trumps administration to respond.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike Americas mainland.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and called it a stern warning to the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tried to attack, the Norths official KCNA news agency said.

However, two U.S. intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Monday Kim wants to develop a nuclear-capable ICBM to deter any attack on his country and gain international legitimacy, not to launch an attack on the United States or its allies that he knows would be suicidal.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the US assessment of the missile launch, even as it acknowledged that the latest test represented the longest test flight of any North Korean missile.

The specifics of our assessment are classified for reasons I hope you understand, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told a news briefing, acknowledging only that the missile could fly at least 5,500 km (3,420 miles), the minimum range for what the Pentagon classifies as an ICBM.

Two separate U.S. officials who discussed the latest test, which lasted about 45 minutes, said it showed greater range than the July 4 ICBM launch, which North Korea said lasted 39 minutes.

One of the officials said it had greater height, range and power than the previous test because it used force stabilizing engines, which counter the effects of winds and other forces that can knock an ascending rocket off course.

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea hours after the US Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is done talking about North Korea.

The Pentagon acknowledged military-to-military talks after the test with US allies Japan and South Korea.

Davis added that while the test missile had a lofted trajectory rather than the more direct one required to reach the United States, the military takes the threat seriously.

You could have the debate back and forth of whether the capability is proven or not, the fact of the matter is we take it seriously and we are prepared to defend against (it).

The Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 3,724.9 km (2,314.6 miles) and flew 998 km (620 miles) before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsulas east coast, according to KCNA.

The flight demonstrated successful stage separation, reliability of the vehicles control and guidance to allow the warhead to make an atmospheric re-entry under conditions harsher than under a normal long-range trajectory, KCNA said.

Independent weapons experts also said they believed the launch demonstrated many parts of the United States were within range if the missile had been launched at a flattened trajectory.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country's armed forces to bear in mind the sacred duty of fighting for the people.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks Tuesday while addressing a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The PLA is deeply rooted in the people and the strength comes from the people, said Xi.

Xi called on the PLA to maintain its close relationship with the people and "go through thick and thin" with them.

The PLA should also actively contribute to the economic and social development in stationed areas to benefit the people with actions, said Xi.
Pakistan is indebted to its all-weather ally China for its unflinching support to it on the Kashmir issue, the expansion of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said.

Describing China and Pakistan as important strategic players in the region, Gen. Bajwa, who was the chief guest at a reception in Rawalpindi on Monday hosted by the Chinese Embassy, said, their bilateral ties have jointly benefitted both the countries.

It is a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and cooperation. In fact, this friendship is flourishing with every passing day, which encompasses every aspect of our life, he said at a function to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

Gen. Bajwa said the professional collaboration between PLA and Pakistan Army, will continue to expand to bring peace to the region in general and China - Pakistan in particular.

Calling the 2.3-million-strong PLA, the worlds largest standing army, as one of the finest military outfits in the world, he said the Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan take great pride in our deep rooted brotherly relationship with China.

He noted that both China and Pakistan are faced with similar challenges and opportunities. Both countries have assumed shared responsibility towards stability in the region and prosperity of their people, he said.

This unity of purpose has led to the consolidation and has strengthened our resolve as determined nations, to brave all challenges and storms together, he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

The Pakistan Army chief also pointed out that China and his country has expanded their cooperation to wider areas have launched strategic initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, defence collaboration in numerous joint projects and united diplomatic front, internationally.

Pakistan is indebted to China for its unflinching support to our perspective at all international forums, may it be expansion of Nuclear Suppliers Group, Kashmir Issue, or Pakistans full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Gen. Bajwa said.

While China is blocking Indias membership bid in the NSG as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, Beijing is apparently seeking equal treatment to its ally Pakistan in the elite nuclear trading group. China, however, backed both India and Pakistan to become full members of the Beijing-based SCO.

China has also been blocking Indias move to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

Gen. Bajwa also claimed that China had always provided unconditional support to Pakistans efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

We are also actively cooperating in all fields against war on terror. Moreover, from diplomatic cooperation to security collaboration, we have stood by each other through thick and thin and shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, come rain or shine, he added.
Pakistans Parliament elected former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister on Tuesday, days after three-time premier Nawaz Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court.

Abbasi, from the ruling PML-N party, got 221 votes in the 342-member National Assembly or lower house of Parliament, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced. He will be sworn in later on Tuesday.

After announcing the results amid sloganeering, Sadiq asked Abbasi to take the seat of the prime minister and address the House.

The voting was done with four corners being designated for four candidates, where supporters of each candidate recorded their vote.

Abbasi, a leading businessman and founder of the airblue private airline, will serve as a placeholder prime minister till Sharifs brother, Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, is elected to the National Assembly and can become the premier.

Watch | Pakistans game of thrones: Whats in it for India?

After the voting and counting process, many PML-N members of the National Assembly entered the House with posters of Sharif. The Speaker objected to this and asked them to put away placards and posters.

Abbasi will be sworn-in in later at a special ceremony at the Presidents House, where President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him.

Sharif resigned on Friday, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled he was not honest because he had concealed assets  specifically a monthly salary owed to him by his sons Dubai-based company. Sharif has said he never received any of that money.

The PML-N party has said it will file a petition in the Supreme Court next week, seeking a review of its verdict.
Pakistan will hold polls on September 17 for the Lahore parliamentary seat in Punjab province that was vacated by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the election commission announced on Tuesday.

Sharifs brother and Punjab province chief minister Shehbaz Sharif has been chosen by the PML-N party to contest from the NA-120 constituency in Lahore, which fell vacant after the prime minister was disqualified on July 28.

The Supreme Court last week disqualified 67-year-old Nawaz Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

Watch | What will the new leadership of Pakistan mean for India?

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), candidates may submit their nominations between August 10 and 12. Their applications will be scrutinised between August 15- 17.

The election in NA-120 will take place on September 17, the ECP said.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) initially announced that Yasmeen Rashid will contest the election but there are also reports that PTI may field former governor of Punjab and its active member Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday asked a US judge to dismiss 25 lawsuits claiming that it helped plan the Sept 11, 2001 attacks and should pay damages to victims.

In a filing in US District Court in Manhattan, Saudi Arabia said the plaintiffs cannot show that the kingdom or any affiliated charities were behind the attacks. It also said it deserved sovereign immunity.

The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the attacks, in which airplanes hijacked by al Qaeda crashed into New Yorks World Trade Center, the Pentagon outside Washington, and a Pennsylvania field. Nearly 3,000 people died.

Saudi Arabia is being sued for billions of dollars by the families of roughly 2,500 of those killed, more than 20,000 people who suffered injuries, businesses and various insurers.

It is what we expected, James Kreindler, a lawyer representing the wrongful death claimants, said in an interview, referring to Tuesdays filing. We have tons of allegations of what many Saudis and the countrys alter ego charities did. Saudi Arabia cannot hide from the facts.

In September 2015, US District Judge George Daniels, who oversees the litigation, had dismissed claims by victims families.

But last September, the US Congress overrode a veto by President Barack Obama and adopted the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which permits such claims to proceed.

In Tuesdays filing, Saudi Arabia acknowledged that JASTA eliminated some of its defenses.

But it said the plaintiffs still could not show that any Saudi official, employee or agent planned or carried out the attacks.

It said this included Omar Al Bayoumi, said to be a Saudi intelligence officer who met with two hijackers in San Diego and been tasked to help them, including by finding an apartment and opening a bank account.

Neither proper allegations nor any evidence support plaintiffs conclusory assertions that Saudi Arabia caused the 9/11 attacks by knowingly or even recklessly aiding the terrorists who committed them, the kingdom said.

Saudi Arabia also suggested that JASTA might violate the U.S. Constitution if Congress passed it to dictate the result in this lawsuit, encroaching on courts power to decide cases.

Obama had warned that the law could expose U.S. companies, troops and officials to lawsuits in other countries.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. A US government commission found no evidence that Saudi Arabia directly funded al Qaeda. It left open whether individual officials might have.

The case is In re: Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 03-md-01570.
The US embassy in Moscow accused Russian authorities on Monday of barring diplomatic staff from a property on the outskirts of Moscow, after having earlier agreed to grant access until midday on Tuesday for them to retrieve belongings.

A Russian foreign ministry official, quoted by state news agency RIA, said the US embassy had sent in its trucks without first obtaining permits which, the official said, are required by law because the property is in a conservation area.

The property, in a picturesque spot on a bend in the Moskva river northwest of the capital, is leased by the US embassy for its staff to use for recreation.

Moscow has said it is taking it back as part of retaliatory measures after Washington approved a fresh round of sanctions against Russia.

A Reuters TV cameraman outside the country residence, known in Russian as a dacha, saw five vehicles with diplomatic license plates, including a truck, arrive at the site. He said they were denied entry.

An embassy spokeswoman said: In line with the Russian government notification, the U.S. Mission to Russia was supposed to have access to our dacha until noon on Aug. 1.

We have not had access all day today or yesterday, she said. We refer you to the Russian government to explain why not.

The Russian foreign ministry official, who was not identified, said the Americans were to blame for failing to obtain the necessary permits. To accuse Russia of blocking access amounts to a pre-meditated provocation, RIA news agency cited the official as saying.
The United States has said it was reviewing its options on how to respond to Moscow ordering a drastic scaling down of personnel at its diplomatic mission in Russia in retaliation for new American sanctions and tightening of those already in place.

Right now were reviewing our options, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Monday in response to questions. And when we have something to say on it, well let you know.

Kremlin instructed the US embassy in Moscow last Sunday to cut 755 employees from its staff from the total of 1,200 by September  most of whom will be local Russians. It also announced it was seizing two diplomatic properties owned by the US.

This was in retaliation to the passage last week of a legislation by US congress increasing sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea, codifying existing ones and more significantly, preventing President Donald Trump from rolling back those applying to Russia, which he appears to have been keen on in order to reset ties with Moscow.

The bill was passed by both chambers of congress with overwhelming support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers brought together by their shared concerns about the presidents apparent soft position on Russia, his admiration for its president Vladimir Putin and an eagerness to engage with him and his readiness to roll back the sanctions.

The legislation includes a provision of congressional review  if the president wants to ease the sanctions, he has to first notify congress which will have 30 days to prevent him from proceeding with it.

The White House had earlier sent mixed signals about Trumps intentions, with some aides stating he would veto it. But it stated unequivocally past Sunday that, He has now reviewed the final version and, based on its responsiveness to his negotiations, approves the bill and intends to sign it.

President Barack Obama had ordered 35 Russian diplomats to leave the United States last December in retaliation for alleged interference by Moscow in 2016 president elections, and had also cancelled the lease of two diplomatic compounds used by Russians.

Russia did not retaliate then, as it would have normally, and was in talks, its now known, with the incoming Trump administration about rolling back those sanctions. I believe an easing of tensions, and improved relations with Russia from a position of strength only, is possible, absolutely possible, Trump had said in his first major speech on foreign policy as a candidate. This was before Russian meddling became known.

He had added: Common sense says this cycle, this horrible cycle of hostility must end and ideally will end soon. Good for both countries. Some say the Russians wont be reasonable. I intend to find out.

After taking office, Trump has been seen loathe to acknowledge Russian meddling, despite assertions of the American intelligence community, and was seen as too eager to accept Russian denials, as he got from President Vladimir Putin during their meetings on the sidelines of the recent G-20 in Hamburg Germany.
China loves peace but has the confidence to defeat all invasions, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday, adding Beijing will never seek aggression or expansion amid the military standoff with India in the Sikkim sector, now in its second month and the longest in recent decades.

We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions, Xi said in an address to mark the 90th year of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), the worlds largest armed forces.

We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form, he said at the ceremony at the Great Hall of the People.

On Sunday, Xi made similar comments about Chinas and PLAs capabilities to ward off invasions. I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies, he said at a military parade in the run-up to celebrations marking the PLAs 90th year.

China has blamed India for the impasse, accusing Indian soldiers of trespassing and preventing Chinese soldiers from building a road in Donglang region, which is claimed by Bhutan.

Beijing wants India to withdraw its troops from Donglang or Doklam before the two sides can open talks. New Delhi says the road, if built, will have serious security implications for India.

Though neither of Xis two speeches specifically mentioned the Doklam standoff, the mention of invasion in his address assumes significance as the Chinese government, experts and media have repeatedly alleged that Indian border troops invaded Chinese territory.

Chinas assertive stance on territorial disputes can also be observed in the South China Sea and East China Sea, where Beijing is locked in disputes with several countries, including Japan, over the ownership of islands, reefs, and resources under the waters.

No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests, Xi said on Tuesday.

Though Xis speeches have been assertive, a leading PLA military expert told Hindustan Times there is little chance that China would go to war with India.

Major General (retired) Yao Yunzhu from PLAs top research institution, Academy of Military Science (AMS), said the preparedness of its army was for countering multiple threat perceptions  South and East China Seas, the Korean Peninsula, and with the help of the US, an increasingly militarily assertive Japan.

The Chinese militaryis not to be ready to go to war with India but to (be) ready to be able to defend and safeguard against all kinds of security situations, deal with all kinds of security threats that China has, she said.

She dismissed the theory that China could cut off the Siliguri corridor in West Bengal, which connects Indias mainland with the states in the northeast.

Do we have a need? Why should we do it? Do you imagine a major war between China and India? For what purpose? We have border issues, we try to solve them, stabilise them. But because of this border issue, are we going to cut India into two? That to me is just the preparation for highly unlikely scenarios. Are we two countries this kind of enemies? Yao, director emeritus at AMSs Centre on China-America Defence Relations, said.

Yao added if Indian troops did not withdraw from Donglang  under Chinas control but claimed by Bhutan  Beijing would have to use whatever means to correct the situation.

Xis remarks came against the backdrop of a massive official media campaign by the foreign and defence ministries here accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Doklam.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, during a meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) security officials in Beijing during July 27-28, also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Both countries have been tight-lipped about the outcome of the Doval-Yang talks.
Anthony Scaramucci was axed as White House communications director Monday, just 10 days after being named to the post and hours after Donald Trump installed a new chief of staff.

The 53-year-old New Yorker  whose profanity-laden rant against colleagues gained him global notoriety  was fired as four-star general John Kelly began his quest as chief of staff to impose order on an administration careening out of control.

Following is a list of high-profile sackings and resignations in administration headed by US President Donald Trump, who once made a catchphrase out of Youre fired while hosting a reality television show The Apprentice.

James Comey

Federal Bureau of Information director

Trump abruptly fired Comey in May. He had been leading an investigation into the Trump 2016 presidential campaigns possible collusion with Russia to influence the election outcome.

Sally Yates

Attorney general

Trump fired Sally Yates, the acting attorney general, when refused to ask the justice department to defend Trumps immigration ban. Yates, an Obama appointee who would have been replaced eventually, was also key to drawing the White Houses attention to national security adviser Michael Flynns apparent misrepresentations of conversations with Russias ambassador

Michael Flynn

National Security Adviser

Flynn resigned in February after disclosures that he discussed US sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Trump took office and misled vice president Mike Pence about the conversations.

Reince Priebus

Presidents chief of staff

Priebus was replaced by John Kelly  who took charge this week  as Trumps chief of staff on Friday. A confidant of the president, Reuters reported, said Trump had lost confidence in Priebus after major legislative items failed to pass the U.S. Congress. He resigned on July 29.

Sean Spicer

White House press secretary

Spicer stepped down on July 21 after Scaramucci was named the White House communications director, to whom he would need to report.

Mike Dubke

White House communications director

Dubke resigned in May amid criticism of at the White House over its communication strategy, in particular contradictions between the president and his press team. He was replaced by Scaramucci.
In the current conflict involving Qatar and the other four Arab nations, it was reported that these four countries are ready to tackle the dispute with Doha if the latter shows willingness. Just recently, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain met in Manama to discuss the said conflict and crisis.

According to the latest report, if Qatar will show interest to follow their demands which the four Arab nations set before, then they will be ready to tackle the disputes. Last June 5, the four countries just cut their ties with Qatar after accusing that the country has been supporting militant groups and global terrorism.

Apart from this, it was also reported on Reuters that Qatar allegedly is cozying up to Iran which some countries believe is the origin of militant groups. However, Doha denied all these allegations and said before that they will not follow the demands of the four Arab nations.

In order to resolve the disputes in the Gulf area, Kuwait, as well as the United States, offered ways to the point of sealing an agreement with Qatar. But their powers just failed to put an end to the dispute in which the four Arab states have stopped travel and communications with Qatar.

Previous reports were saying that the four Arab states presented four demands including the closure of the offices of Al-Jazeera networks and closing a Turkish military base. This time, it was acclaimed that these countries are ready for a dialogue with Qatar with the condition that the latter will announce its interest to respond to their 13 demands.

Apart from responding to their 13 demands, the four Arab nations also asked Qatar to stop its funding of terrorism and extremism. Despite this latest development, they have no new economic sanctions for Qatar.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Adel al-Jubeir said that Qatar is not serious in tackling the demands they set before. With this, they expressed their willingness to talk with Qatar on the implementation of the demands and the principles. But this will only take place if Doha is serious.

Qatar also shared that the sanctions which the four Arab nations imposed were violating the international laws. According to the Gulf state, the meeting in Manama only resulted in a stubborn policy from obstructing countries.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
H enri Matisses paintings are magical. Now a Royal Academy exhibition shows how he used treasured homely objects, from pots to fabrics, to evoke moods and inspire patterns.

The artist admitted in letters that he formed a strong emotional bond with everyday domestic items.

Some appear in 20 works, but always differently. He gives people, things and patterns equal weight within a painting, each with the same intensity and visual importance.

About 35 original items will be on show alongside 65 paintings, drawings and cutouts to which they are linked, offering a thrilling window into Matisses mind, as if stepping into one of his sunny studios in the South of France, seeing the transmutation of objects he handled and loved.

Born 1869, Matisse died in 1954, aged 84. The world had changed but he had kept pace: his bright, late cutouts are still timeless and modern.

He started out poor  when young, his wife, Amelie, supported him by making hats. So its no surprise he bought beautiful but cheap things that caught his eye  its more surprising that as he became richer, he kept them.

He loved round-bellied vases. A green Andalusian glass example with two handles, like a woman with her hands on her hips, often features. He bought it in Granada, Spain, at the end of 1910 after visiting the Alhambra and the Great Mosque of Cordoba. What he saw  Moorish pattern, arabesques, screens cut out with intricate repeating designs, and the idea of the harem  featured prominently afterwards.

Of the vase, he wrote to Amelie that it was very pretty. It is centre stage in his Safrano Roses at the Window, painted in 1925 in Nice. Matisse first visited the city in 1917, eventually settling there for the rest of his life.

The "very pretty" vase inspired Safrano Roses at the Window (Photo  Francois ) / Private collection. Photo  Private collection.  Succession H. Matisse/DACS 2017

A fat, silver 18th-century chocolate pot with handle given to Matisse and Amelie as a wedding present, and a similar pewter coffee pot with swirls around its belly, evidently became dear friends. The chocolate pot first appeared in a still life in 1900, then turned up repeatedly, until the couple parted in about 1940. Perhaps Amelie claimed it, for in his Still Life with a Shell of that year, the artist replaced it with a similar one.

His love of textiles is well known  their patterns inspired him. As his collection grew, he hung them on specially made frames to create ever-changing backgrounds.

Pierced and appliqued Haiti cloths that are traditionally used as room dividers turn up in several paintings, sometimes reinterpreted as wooden screens. Thats the case in The Moorish Screen, 1921, where one of Matisses Haiti cloths does duty as a folding screen.

More valuable is a silver Baroque chair which obsessed him. He bought it in 1942 and the shell-backed chair, decorated in silver leaf, turned up in many works.

Matisse in the Studio runs from August 5 to November 12 at the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, W1 (royalacademy.org.uk)
T he Overground line linking previously unconnected east and south London has created an axis between Dalston and New Cross, with hipsters from both areas boarding the Tube to visit bars, clubs and music venues.

The flow of people will increase from December when all-night services are introduced along this section of the route, followed next year by an extension to Highbury & Islington.

New Cross is swinging into fashion as a cool place to live as well as hang out, with a creative vibe rippling out from Goldsmiths College.

Property is relatively cheap and it is one of the best-connected areas of London, with six-minute trains to London Bridge.

New homes were scarce but are now arriving in big numbers as developers tap into demand.

Bond House, right next to New Cross Gate Tube station, will have 89 flats plus affordable studios for artists and a ground-floor double-height gallery.

The launch is later this year. To register, visit Crest Nicholson.
A post on twitter by Third Man Records has confirmed that Jack White is currently working on his third solo album.

Jack White is currently in New York recording songs for a new solo album.

The news comes from a twitter post made by Third Man Records.

Jack White has already produced several albums with his other groups The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and Dead Weather. He has previously worked with artists like Loretta Lynn, Bob Dylan, Beck, and The Rolling Stones. He also collaborated with Alicia Keys on the song Another Way to Die, which was the main theme for the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

This will be his third solo album and the follow up to the acclaimed 2014 release Lazaretto.

No further information has been released about the unnamed new album, but fans can rest assured that the new album will follow in the hard-rocking style that Jack White is known for.
Get a glimpse into the funny, heartfelt and heartbreaking moments of the Gardner family in the new behind-the-scenes featurette for the upcoming Netflix series Atypical, which launches on Netflix Friday, 11 August.

Atypical is about Sam, an 18-year-old on the autism spectrum, who upends his family when he begins his journey of self-discovery for independence, love and acceptance in the new Netflix comedy.



While Sam is on his funny and emotional journey of self-discovery, the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives while exploring the question: what does it really mean to be normal?

Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as Sams mother, Elsa, who is on a life-changing path as her son gains more independence. Michael Rapaport plays Sams father, Doug, who desires to better connect with and understand his son. Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Sams scrappy sister, Casey, and Amy Okuda plays his therapist, Julia.

With eight half-hour episodes filmed in Los Angeles, Atypical was created and written by Robia Rashid and Academy-Award winning producer Seth Gordon.

Together, Rashid and Gordon serve as executive producers alongside Mary Rohlich, with Jennifer Jason Leigh as producer.

Michelle Dean, who received her PhD from UCLA and worked at the UCLA Center for Autism and Research and Treatment before joining the faculty of CSU Channel Island, was also brought into the production to help guide an accurate depiction of autism spectrum disorder. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Netflix.
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It wasnt until the 2000s that Grand Seiko watches became available outside their native country for the first time. The Japanese giant, well known for its analogue quartz and affordable mechanical watches, finally revealed its high-end mechanical watch brand, which was born back in 1960, to the rest of the world. We were introduced to models equipped with the Spring Drive, a high-precision electromechanical movement. However, a close inspection revealed that Grand Seiko was not actually a brand. At 12 oclock, on the dials of all the watches, the first logo you saw was that of Seiko. The legend Grand Seiko appeared underneath, at 6 oclock, along with the extensive list of additional descriptors that each model required. This has always been somewhat ambiguous: the name Grand Seiko incorporates the name of the entire group, suggesting that Seiko itself is actually Small Seiko or Normal Seiko. In any case, not Grand. And that is why there has always been a temptation to place it at the top of the hierarchy.

A 2015 Grand Seiko Hi-Beat; the name Grand Seiko is relegated to a secondary position on the dial  David Chokron/Worldtemps

Until 2017, that is. Since this years Baselworld, Grand Seiko has taken centre stage; its in the driving seat, its its own boss. Grand Seiko has grown up, and is confidently flying solo. The group has adopted a clearer and more intuitive branding strategy that gives pride of place to those products that are exceptional in quality, while still offering exceptional value for money. In Japan, the Seiko group owns some twelve brands, very few of which have been allowed nominal independence. Astron, Prospex, Galante, Premier and others operate under the banner of the parent company. Top-of-the-range Credor has until now been the only one allowed to use its own name, without any mention of the group. Its time for these prestigious watches, which are increasingly destined for export, to differentiate themselves from the parent brand. Seiko, in fact, moves in different and generally inferior circles, in terms of price, precision and finishing. Its not easy for parents to watch their offspring fly the nest. But when they have talent, they deserve the right to forge their own path, even if they retain a version of the family name.
The corduroy-clad brainchild of J. Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth are back to inform, educate and entertain an audience at Dublin's The Academy on January 24.

The eccentric London-based trio weave samples from old public information films, archive footage and propaganda material around live drums, guitar, banjo and electronics.

PSB recently released their third studio album Every Valley, which takes listeners on a journey down the mineshafts of the South Wales valleys.

This album isnt just about mining, and isnt just about Wales," says J. Willgoose Esq. "Its a story reflected in abandoned and neglected communities across the western world, and one which has led to the resurgence of a particularly malignant, cynical and calculating brand of politics."

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The group have quickly earned a reputation as the UK's most exciting live band with major appearances at SXSW, Glastonbury and others. They have also landed support slots with Arcade Fire and The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park followed by longer tours with Manic Street Preachers and an arena tour with the Kaiser Chiefs.

Tickets cost 27.90 and go on sale Friday August 4 at 9am via Ticketmaster.
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VAN HORN  A West Texas land baron and oilman is on the verge of pumping 5.4 million gallons of water a day from far under the desert mountains here and piping it 60 miles to the nation's most bountiful oil field, the Permian Basin, where hydraulic fracturing has fueled a renaissance of U.S. oil and gas production.

With water in short supply and high demand, Dan Allen Hughes Jr., one of the largest landowners in the United States and president of his father's eponymous oil company, plans to tap an aquifer under his 140,000-acre Apache Ranch.

But Hughes has run into a wall of opposition from West Texas farmers, ranchers, residents and environmentalists, who worry he will steal water from their cattle, dry up their crops and deplete the spring that feeds the famous pool at Balmorhea State Park.

"That's a lot of water," said Bill Addington, a rancher and conservationist from neighboring Sierra Blanca. "Believe me, there's many people who have plans to sue if this goes forward. We will sue."

Hughes' project may well just be the start of a much larger fight - over the ownership of West Texas water, the future of oil and gas production and fate of agricultural lands and ecologically sensitive habitats. It's a feud that runs throughout the history of the West, between farmers and ranchers, conservationists and industry, neighboring cities, adjacent states. Whiskey is for drinking, they say. Water for fighting.

RELATED: Oil field water providers agree to merge

Texans have fought over water for decades, if not centuries, said Larry French, groundwater director for the Texas Water Development Board. Oil and gas production is another competitor for a scarce resource.

"The Permian Basin is basically a desert, and that immediately presents challenges in finding adequate water," French said. "You can do without a lot of things. But you can't do without water."

At least three other companies in the region are selling or planning projects to sell water to energy companies that use it by the billions of gallons to crack shale rock and release oil and gas. Water use in the Permian has risen six-fold since the start of the shale oil boom, from more than 5 billion gallons in 2011 to almost 30 billion last year. Energy research firm IHS Markit predicts demand will double by the end of this year, to 60 billion gallons, and more than triple by 2020, to almost 100 billion.

But West Texas' network of aquifers are interconnected; water pumped from one can reduce flow in another. Some worry that all of these proposed water wells could dry up aquifers that supply West Texas ranches, farms and cities.

It's not an unreasonable fear. Few here forget when oilman Clayton Williams Sr. and West Texas farmers pumped the prodigious Comanche Springs, just east of Balmorhea, to barely a trickle.

Hughes, a former chairman of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission, and his team go before the Culberson County Groundwater Conservation District on Wednesday to seek approval of their plans. Officials there expect many others to apply to pump local aquifers.

"Water," said district general manager Summer Webb. "It's the next oil."

'Tens of thousands of wells'

More than a decade ago, U.S. drillers began coupling two long-used oil production techniques, horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, to revolutionize oil production, transforming the U.S. from an energy has-been to a key global producer.

Companies slowly realized that the Permian held great promise: Its multiple underground layers of rock hold unfathomable quantities of oil. With crude prices still low - settling at less than $50 a barrel Tuesday - the Permian has become one of the few places where drillers can make money. The number of drilling rigs there has almost tripled, from less than 140 last spring to almost 380 last week.

Companies habitually bore horizontal shafts that run at least 10,000 feet - double the distance drilled four years ago - and pump 20 million gallons of water, or more, into each to produce longer, wider fractures in the shale. Explorers, meanwhile, have ventured south and west, into a more remote section of the Permian, called the Delaware Basin, with thicker, deeper veins of oil and gas, but less groundwater. That created a market for water like no other U.S. shale field.

"There are going to be literally tens of thousands of wells drilled in the southern Delaware," said Toby Darden, CEO of one of the water start-ups, Wolfcamp Water Partners of Fort Worth. "Water is a critical resource. It's one of the major logistical considerations for development in shale."

Darden's Wolfcamp Water has leased 31,000 acres in the foothills of the Davis Mountains, drilled into the Capitan Reef aquifer, and gathered investors. The seven-employee company plans to break ground on wells, catch basins and a 65-mile pipeline by the end of the year, and pump more than 8 million gallons a day for 20 years, about two or three percent of the estimated 2.3 trillion gallons in the aquifer.

RELATED: Houston's Layne Christensen finishes water pipeline

Layne Christensen, The Woodlands water and well company, has purchased an old cotton farm on 800 acres outside of Pecos, tapped the Pecos Valley aquifer, and, last week, finished a six-well, 4.2-million-gallons-a-day pipeline that runs 20 miles to the heart of the Delaware Basin. And, last month, East Texas consultants Aperion Energy Group asked the city of Balmorhea to lease a small mountain lake and pipeline for $50,000, in total, for 50 years, starting in mid-August. The company declined to comment.

Many out here support the water company efforts. "It's good for communities," said John Davis, the mayor of Balmorhea and an oilfield construction supervisor. "Especially communities that don't have a lot of revenue coming in."

'Still figuring the pieces out'

Hughes's father, Dan Allen Hughes, Sr., started prospecting for oil more than 60 years ago. His firm, Dan A. Hughes Co., worked from New Mexico to Australia. It was an early explorer in the Barnett Shale gas field around the city of Denton, and, later, South Texas' Eagle Ford.

Hughes Sr. saw land as a good investment, and started buying ranches, especially on good hunting grounds. The family now owns 390,000 acres in Texas and Montana, including Apache Ranch, an expanse of white dirt, prickly pear and thorny mesquite surrounded by the rocky Apache Mountains northeast of Van Horn, and filled with game, including elk, pronghorn antelope and exotic aoudad sheep.

Apache Ranch is unusual. The heart of the Delaware Basin is largely a bathtub of clays and salt, perfect for holding oil, but with little groundwater. The ranch is outside of that clay tub, formed by limestone and dolomite, porous rocks that hold about 1.6 trillion gallons of water in the Capitan Reef.

In March, Hughes submitted an application to the Culberson County Groundwater Conservation District in the name of his new company, Agua Grande, asking to drill seven wells on the ranch and build a 60-mile pipeline northeast to the heart of Delaware, where 20 companies, including Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and EOG Resources, of Houston, and Concho Resources of Midland, are interested in buying the water, according to the application.

Agua Grande made its pitch to Culberson County officials on June 7. The company's hydrogeologist, Steve Finch, from the New Mexico environmental firm John Shomaker & Associates, tried to persuade the board that the Capitan aquifer provided relatively little water to Balmorhea's famous San Solomon Springs. Finch has studied groundwater there for 17 years, and spent six months examining it anew for Agua Grande. He created a computer model to analyze the effect of the pumping on the San Solomon. The result: "I see zero impact," he said.

MORE PERMIAN COVERAGE: Houston startup plans $2 billion Permian pipeline

But he also acknowledged that no one knows quite how the aquifers interact in the Delaware Basin. "It's probably one of the most studied basins in the world, for oil and gas," he said. "But the groundwater portion, we're still figuring the pieces out."

Opponents of the project argued that the size of the withdrawals, almost 2 billion gallons a year, and potential impact on the network of aquifers threaten their livelihoods. They rely on the water to feed cattle, grow crops, fill the natural swimming pool at Balmorhea state park, and attract tourists. Several area springs have already dried up, they said, or produce less.

"Mr. Hughes inherited Apache Ranch. He is very well-off," said Addington, whose grandfather came to farm and ranch at Sierra Blanca more than century ago. "When are they satisfied that they have enough money? It's offensive to us. It affects the future health and sustainability of the entire region."

Hughes' team remains hopeful. But they also understand the worries.

"Water," said Will Hughes, Dan Jr.'s son and a land manager for the oil company, "is the key to everything out here."
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RAYWOOD  Ray Stoesser rumbled around his quiet green fields in a mud-caked SUV, noting the minute gradations of the land, which is subtly terraced to allow water to flow downhill, irrigating the fields in slow succession.

"We're going uphill, believe it or not," Stoesser said. After more than a half century of farming, he knows what each field needs and when, harvest after harvest. "Just like taking care of your backyard," he said.

If Stoesser's land hasn't changed, the economic conditions have. Rice prices have declined for several years, averaging about 10 cents a pound last year, because of competition from huge rice producers like Vietnam and Thailand as well as increases in agricultural productivity that have boosted supplies. Over the past few decades, hundreds of rice farmers in Southeast Texas have given up the crop entirely.

But in mid-July, the Texas rice industry  which is worth about $100 million per year to farmers  was granted a reprieve: a deal to allow U.S. rice sales to China. The industry estimates that China soon could buy 250,000 tons of U.S. rice per year, out of the 9 million tons it produces, which could boost prices significantly.

Although trade between the two countries had been liberalized when China entered the world trade organization in 2001, trade in rice remained off the table. An agreement to allow exports has been in the making for nearly a decade, with talks launched by George W. Bush, continued under Barack Obama and ultimately concluded under President Donald Trump. The deal sets complex safety standards to prevent pests from entering China with rice imported from America, which, if met, opens a market of more than 1 billion rice eaters to U.S. farmers.

The agreement comes at a critical time as the Trump administration prepares to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, potentially threatening agricultural exports to the rice industry's biggest customer, Mexico.

For the Stoesser farm, selling to China could mean a slightly bigger financial cushion in a business that can see a year's income decimated by floods or drought or both.

"If we could get to 16 cents instead of 10 cents a pound, it would take a lot of risk out," Stoesser said. "Trade is the answer to our problems."

Family business

The last few decades have left the Stoessers feeling isolated.

The flat, humid counties east of Houston used to be full of rice fields  in 1968, 70 square miles of Liberty County were planted with the crop. Growing up in the area, Ray's son, Neal, always saw the rice business as his future, and he didn't finish college.

"I went to the University of Rice Farming, I guess," he said, while piloting a giant combine around the field, gobbling up stalks with a 40-foot-wide reaper and separating them from the grains.

The Stoessers have owned land since Neal's great-grandfather came to the area from Germany in the late 1800s, and Neal has been driving a combine since he was old enough to climb up into the cab, as his 8- and 4-year-old sons do now. Over that time, the Stoesser farm has grown to cover several thousand acres as the family bought out surrounding farms.

RELATED: The sugar wars are still raging, and this candy maker is just trying to hold on

The rest of Texas' rice industry, however, has shrunk to 187,000 acres from more than 600,000 in the 1950s. In Liberty County, the 70 square miles of rice fields is now eight.

"I hate to say it, but when I was in high school, there were 70 farmers," Neal said. Now there are just three in Liberty County  Neal, his father and his brother, Grant.

Several reasons are behind the decline, including the encroachment of suburban housing developments, which raised land prices to the point where it made more sense to sell than keep farming. Today, Texas accounts for about 6 percent of U.S. rice production, far behind the leader, Arkansas, which accounts for about half.

But Texas rice farmers have a few things working in their favor. New seed varieties allowed them to nearly double the yield per acre, with the assistance of experts from Texas A&M's field offices. And federal crop subsidy programs have kept them afloat through thin years, paying out $1.8 billion to Texas rice farmers between 1995 and 2014, according to a database maintained by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that opposes farm subsidies.

Meanwhile, the rice industry has tried to expand its market by boosting Americans' rice consumption. Stoesser runs the Texas Rice Council, which collects payments from the state's rice farmers for joint marketing efforts, such as one that produced a bumper sticker on his Yukon SUV. "Eat Rice," it reads. "Potatoes make your butt big."

In one regard, they've made progress. Americans now eat 26 pounds of rice per year on average, which is nearly triple their consumption in the 1970s. But that increase is driven largely by immigrant communities that favor jasmine and basmati varieties, mostly imported from Thailand, India and Pakistan, over American medium and long grain rice.

'Selling ice to Eskimos'

Back in 2005, Greg Yielding took a trip to China.

Nothing terribly official for the executive director of the Arkansas Rice Growers Association - just a few visits with people like the U.S. Department of Agriculture's representative in China and the office of COFCO, China's state-owned food importer. At that point, the prospect of selling rice to China seemed like a hopeless quest  "The ultimate example of selling ice to the Eskimos," as one California official put it.

But Yielding heard differently. Chinese supermarket executives, he said, thought they could market American rice as a high-end, safer alternative to their own crops, which had suffered waves of contamination. On successive visits, funded by grants from the USDA, Yielding engaged a market research company to have young women hand out samples of U.S. rice at luxury supermarkets in big cities.

"I couldn't tell you that there was something better about it, but they tried it, they liked the taste of it, they liked the cooking quality," said Yielding, who soon started working for the U.S. Rice Producers Association, a Houston-based trade group. "I just kept making contacts and finding out that the Chinese wanted to buy U.S. rice."

And at the time, China was about to undergo a much larger shift.

For decades, in the name of national security, China had maintained a goal of producing 95 percent of its grain domestically. Around 2012, rocked by food safety scandals, China backed off that target, allowing it to slip to 85 percent. The U.S. went from exporting about $100 million in grain and feed from the U.S. in 2007 to a peak of $4.9 billion in 2015.

"That 10 percent is big for agricultural exporters," said Luis Ribera, an agricultural trade expert at Texas A&M.

RELATED: We're beginning a massive experiment on the farm economy

Rice, however, was still barred entirely, since the two countries hadn't agreed on a common food safety protocol. So, a few years ago, the USDA started facilitating trips by Chinese scientists to visit U.S. farms and rice mills. Ray Stoesser helped shepherd them around in Arkansas.

"The Chinese were optimistic about what they saw," he said, extolling the quality and sanitation of U.S. facilities.

The Rice Producers Association, of which Stoesser is a member, wasn't the only group working for market access  the U.S.A Rice Federation, a coalition of farmers and millers, was sponsoring exchanges as well. Rice mills remove the tough husk from rice grains to make it edible. The millers were particularly keen on the Chinese market, since all the rice going there would be milled in the U.S., in contrast to the largely unmilled "rough" rice that goes to Mexico and South America.

Two years ago, USA Rice's executive director, Betsy Ward, said she thought U.S. negotiators had a deal with China. But they could never get it signed by the Chinese, which Ward thinks may have had to do with the Obama administration having other trade priorities  such as the massive Trans Pacific Partnership, which pointedly didn't include China.

After Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, took office, Ward said her group met with him four times about getting the rice agreement done. Only a few weeks after Perdue visited China to celebrate a deal allowing exports of beef, the rice deal was finally signed.

It was a relief, after more than a decade of work. But the road forward may not be easy.

"It's a very complex agreement and gives them room to find problems when they decide they want to," Ward said.

If China, why not Cuba?

Whatever the Chinese demand, the Stoesser family stands ready to satisfy it. And the local economy in Liberty County has a stake in their success as well: More acres of rice planted mean more seed and fertilizer ordered, more storage used, more people employed (the Stoesser farm employs about 20).

But even China may not be enough, if trade deals with other countries go south. Ray Stoesser is exasperated over the failure of successive White Houses to allow rice exports to Cuba, which was the largest buyer of Texas rice before trade was embargoed in the 1960s. The Trump administration recently rolled back the small steps that Obama had taken to liberalize trade.

RELATED: Texas businesses team up to defend NAFTA

"That's a no-brainer," Stoesser said. "If we can trade with China, why can't we trade with Cuba?"

And now, there's a new worry: The reopening of negotiations with Mexico and Canada over NAFTA. If Trump chose to put tariffs on Mexican manufactured goods, as he's threatened, Mexico could retaliate by limiting its imports of U.S. agricultural products  like rice.

"We've got to have that," Stoesser said, of NAFTA. "I don't see Trump taking that away. If he did " he trails off, and looks out the window of the truck, as the fields roll by, one freshly tilled under.

"Get a whiff of this dirt," he said. "It just smells good."
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Finding a qualified worker is hard, but finding one that can pass a drug test is becoming even harder.

Employers regularly complain about meeting appealing recruits only to have them stop returning phone calls when it comes time to schedule a pre-employment drug test. Workers who know they are going to fail simply move on in hopes of finding a company that doesn't test.

My colleague Colin Eaton recently visited the Permian Basin where he found hard work, long hours and big money are fueling illicit drug use. Rather than derail production schedules, recovering addicts told him some companies look the other way.

'They honestly don't mind drug use as long as you're not doing stupid things," former oil worker Eddie Lozoya told Eaton.

RELATED: Drug addicts deserve employers' compassion, not ridicule

The even worse news is that the problem is not restricted to the booming oil patch. Drug abuse is also causing problems where the economy is collapsing and jobs are few and far between, according to Chip Cutter, managing editor at LinkedIn.

The West Virginia-based maker of Fiestaware, Homer Laughlin China, told Cutter that 50 percent of applicants can't pass a drug test.

"The drugs are so cheap and they're so easily accessible," Liz McIlvain, a fourth-generation owner of the company, said. "We have a horrible problem here."

Drug abuse is hurting the national economy, according to the Federal Reserve.

"I don't know if it's causal or symptomatic of long-running economic maladies that have affected these communities and particularly affected workers who have seen their job opportunities decline," Yellen told Congress this month.

But the United States is "the only advanced nation that I know of where in these communities we're actually, especially among less-educated men, seeing an increase in death rates partly reflecting opioid use," she added.

RELATED: Big Pharma acted like Big Pusher

While methamphetamine keeps workers awake to make more money, opioid addiction spiked after pharmaceutical companies convinced doctors that their new painkillers were not harmful. Nearly half of all Americans complain of back pain, so the drugmakers wanted to expand their market share by downplaying the risk of addiction.

Coinciding with the boost in opioid use was a peak in the percentage of American men ages 25 to 54 who said they didn't work last year because of disability or illness, according to the Axios news outlet.

More than 6 percent of those so-called prime-working-age men said they did not work in 2016 because of health problems. In 2000, less than 4.5 percent in 2000 made that claim, according to U.S. Census data. A good portion of these workers are suffering from drug addition.

Doctors have since realized that drugmakers lied to them about the safety of their pills, and the Drug Enforcement Agency has reduced the number of opioid pills manufactured and prescribed in the U.S. But all that has done is send addicts to the streets to buy heroin and fentanyl, an opioid mostly made overseas and smuggled into the country.

RELATED: TV ad symptom of America's opioid crisis

The 50-year war on drugs has taught us that cutting off the supply never works. The only way to reduce drug addiction is through better schools, more hopeful communities and better health care for those who become addicted. Economic growth does more to fight drug use than any law enforcement strategy.

As more Americans suffer, addiction will become a bigger and bigger issue for businesses. They will need to push for better public policies and supply better resources for their valuable employees who fall victim to addiction.
Popular oil and gas networking website Oilpro.com will shut down Wednesday, about seven months after its founder pleaded guilty to stealing data from rival site Rigzone.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Oilpro.com," the website said Monday. Oilpro was touted as a professional network for oil and gas professionals, like LinkedIn for the energy sector.

"Many years ago, we set out to create a vibrant online community of oil and gas professionals," Oilpro said in the message posted on its website. "To that end, we were successful - you were successful."

Oilpro founder and former CEO David Kent was arrested by the FBI last year and accused of hacking Rigzone, a company he founded and sold. Kent, of Spring, was accused of stealing database information from Rigzone to expand Oilpro's membership. All the while, Kent was trying to sell Oilpro to Rigzone's parent company, New York-based DHI Group, authorities said.

Kent was allegedly seeking at least $20 million for a potential Oilpro sale. He previously sold Rigzone to DHI for $51 million in 2010.

In December, Kent pleaded guilty to a federal charge of computer fraud. A civil lawsuit by DHI against Kent is pending.

More for you Oilpro.com back online after indicted CEO takes leave of absence

Authorities said he stole information from more than 700,000 customer accounts from early 2014 through much of 2015.

Oilpro made its debut in 2013. By January 2016 its membership exceeded 500,000, about 20 percent of whom came from the hacked Rigzone databases, according to the criminal complaint. Oilpro would reach out to Rigzone members via email and offer to register them for free, investigators concluded.

In 2000, Kent and his father started Rigzone, which featured oil and gas information as well as details on jobs. The Rigzone membership database alone was valued at $6 million at the time, according to the federal complaint.

Kent left Rigzone one year after the sale and started Oilpro as soon as his non-compete agreement ended.
The long quest to revive America's nuclear power industry suffered a crippling setback on Monday when two South Carolina utilities halted construction on two reactors that were once expected to showcase a modern design for a new age of nuclear power.

The project has been plagued by billions of dollars of cost overuns, stagnant demand for electricity, competition from cheap natural gas plants, and the bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric, the lead contractor and the designer of the AP1000 reactor that was supposed to be the foundation of a smarter, cheaper generation of nuclear power plants.

Instead, the South Carolina reactors, along with two others under construction in Georgia, have demonstrated that the main obstacle to new nuclear power projects is an economic one. The plants would be more viable if the federal government were to impose a tax on carbon as part of climate change policy, but that seems unlikely.

Santee Cooper, the junior partner in the reactor project, said shelving the project would save nearly $7 billion in additional costs to complete it, which would have pushed the price tag to $11.4 billion on what was only supposed to cost $5.1 billion to begin with.

SCANA, the lead partner with a 55 percent stake, said completing the plants would be "prohibitively expensive." The reactors were being built at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, S.C. The two utilities said they would ask the Public Service Commission of South Carolina to approve a plan to abandon the project.

There are 99 nuclear reactors in the United States, but only one new nuclear power reactor has been completed since the 1980s. And none had begun construction since an accident at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island site in March 1979 gave regulators and utilities pause.

But a wave of optimism about electricity demand and nuclear reactor designs fueled new proposals in the early 2000s. And federal production tax credits and loan guarantees also have been designed to promote new projects. The V.C. Summer reactors were part of a proposal made in 2008.

If they had come online by 2021, the V.C. Summer reactors would have benefited from federal production tax credits. That would have been in plenty of time with the original schedule; the first plant was due to come online in 2016 and the second in 2019. But that appears impossible now.

"We simply cannot ask our customers to pay for a project that has become uneconomical," Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper chief executive said in a statement.

"And even though suspending construction is the best option for them, we are disappointed that our contractor has failed to meet its obligations and put Santee Cooper and our customers in this situation."

Santee Cooper said that Westinghouse's parent, Toshiba Corp., has contractually agreed to pay Santee Cooper $976 million in a settlement.
Houston-area homeowners and buyers can now find a comprehensive assessment of hazard risk, from hurricanes and floods to industrial disasters, for each individual property in the city. The new web portal from a Texas A&M University-Galveston researcher comes online as risk data grow increasingly relevant in real estate markets.

Sam Brody, director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores at A&M-Galveston, said he developed the website after years of fielding "requests for this type of information.

"We've discovered that residents just are not aware of the risk, particularly in the homebuying process," Brody said.

The Buyers-B-Where portal launched in July.

Quantifying risk can have an impact on prices, said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president of real estate data company Attom Data Solutions. Research suggests such assessments influence the way shoppers buy homes.

Attom determined in 2016 that homes prices in "low" risk zones had appreciated 11.1 percent since 2006, while prices in "very high" risk zones grew 1.2 percent over the same period. Houston homes in low-risk zones appreciated 48.4 percent while homes in very high-risk zones appreciated 26.1 percent.

"Houston home shoppers are already shifting behavior somewhat based on natural hazard risk," Blomquist said. "Certainly providing more convenient access to this information could impact the housing market even more."

Brody and his team, which included a professor at the University of Washington, didn't uncover any new data for their web portal. Rather, they aggregated official information that is often obscured in government reports or highly technical rate maps.

Brett Coomer/Staff

"All the info is freely available, but people don't know how to get it," he said. "The trick is to put it together in a way that is accessible and understandable to the everyday citizen."

Hurricane risk is based on hazard maps from the Texas Department of Emergency Management. Flood risk comes from floodplain maps by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Wildfire risk is drawn from maps by the Rocky Mountain Fire Sciences Lab and earthquake risk from the U.S. Geological Survey.

The map rates traffic by the count of passing vehicles per day divided by their distance, using data from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

It provides a count of nearby areas contaminated by toxic waste, of nearby toxic waste disposal or storage sites and of nearby facilities that handle toxic substances, all based on data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It also draws on EPA data to incorporate average ozone concentrations and particulate matter concentrations.

Data from the Texas Geographic Society illuminates subsidence risk.

So far, Brody's project is not funded. But he's working to change that, to build a larger team, expand the project to other U.S. metro areas and improve the data.

"We can get more refined data for the Houston-Galveston region and other regions," he said. "This is a start. It can always be improved."

More Information On the webwww.TexasCoastalAtlas.com/BuyersBeWhere/Harris.php See More Collapse

Experts say the nation is likely in for a dramatic update of flood-risk data. As the federal National Flood Insurance Program faces imminent reform, private insurers have begun testing the market, and have said that modern risk-assessment software could provide dramatically clearer data on a property level than the broad risk zones currently used to determine risk.
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A top Bellaire official is defending the city against complaints from residents who say the municipality should have been more vigilant inspecting their homes, many of which are now leaking, cracking and experiencing drainage problems. Allegations against one custom builder have led to public denunciation, arbitration filings and at least one lawsuit.

City Manager Paul Hofmann said the procedures for inspecting and permitting work done by builders in Bellaire are sound. He said the city, like many other communities, follows international guidelines and uses the inspection process to focus on safety and health but not the workmanship itself.

"They should not be counting on the inspection process to be the assurance of a quality product," Hofmann said in a recent interview. " ... I think they are expecting an intensity of inspection effort that cities are not set up to provide that goes far beyond the regulation of basic building code requirements."

A city inspector will typically visit a home about 20 times at certain construction milestones to inspect for compliance with code requirements, not for "quality control," Hofmann said. It is possible for a home to be built to code and still experience problems like leaks, he added.

The issue has gone public in Bellaire with one homeowner posting signs in his yard complaining about builder RG Homes. Others made similar allegations of construction defects in a series of Chronicle interviews.

Then last week, company founder Roy Gabbay, 36, was charged with tampering with a government document in relation to one of his newest homes in Bellaire. The charge, a second-degree felony, was brought by the Harris County District Attorney's Office after a city building official discovered what he believed to be a forged certificate showing the home had passed a crawlspace inspection.

Gabbay has denied wrongdoing and said the document in question is legitimate. On Monday, his defense attorney, Dan Cogdell, said he does not "believe the charges are either accurate or supported by the law."

Hofmann, interviewed after the arrest, said the city takes its job seriously and homeowners' anger toward the city is misplaced. He said RG Homes did not always comply with each and every rule, but "no homebuilder does."

He said builders often receive "red tags" on work that is not done to code.

Paul Smith, whose home was recently devalued by $400,000 on Harris County tax rolls due to the repairs it now needs, said some of the red tags on his home were for small things when larger problems were missed.

"Some of the so-called red tags that we noticed during our job was for things like not having caulk where the toilet meets the floor, but a gaping hole in the roof is just fine," Smith said.

Hofmann noted that the city temporarily stopped work on one RG Homes project because an unlicensed electrician was being used. Using a non-licensed company is a citable offense, but RG did not receive a citation. Work resumed after a licensed electrician was brought in.

"The threat of the citation is a tool we use, but what we're really seeking is compliance," Hofmann said. "If the issue is resolved by the time it gets to court, that's a defense that works."

Complaints against RG Homes go back to at least last year when the city said it started hearing from customers who contended their high-end properties had roof leaks, cracks in the stucco, mold and other construction defects.

Hofmann, Mayor Andrew Friedberg and Mayor Pro Tem Roman F. Reed met with seven of those owners in November to discuss the matter. After the meeting, the officials pledged to get an outside review of the city's inspection and permitting practices.

The city said the review concluded it was not the city's practices that caused the problems with RG Homes, but it declined to make the report public.

After a public information request was made for the report, the city sought a ruling from the Texas Attorney General's Office.

The state said the city could not withhold a bill for attorney's fees related to the matter, but that it could withhold the rest of the information for reasons including "reasonably anticipated litigation" and the fact that the document was created by an outside consultant at the direction of the city attorney.

Hofmann said one city rule was changed as a result of an RG Homes issue: A temporary certificate of occupancy will be granted only if the builder and the homeowner agree.

The city amended the procedure within the last couple of months, he said, because of an instance where the customer moved in and "the homebuilder lost some ability to negotiate some contractual terms because he lost that leverage."
SAN FRANCISCO - Gone are the days when workplace exchanges were confined to conference rooms, meetings and the proverbial water cooler.

More than ever, businesses are turning to instant messaging apps like Slack, Hipchat and Skype to facilitate communication and collaboration. As this informal communication becomes the norm, so too do the tiny pictographic characters known as emoji.

Emoji have become so ubiquitous they have even been turned into a movie. But lawyers are increasingly encouraging companies to keep them out of their workplaces, cautioning that what a given emoji means can change depending on the context and culture in which they're used.

Devised as a way to clarify the tone or emotion of a message, emoji can also muddle meaning and lead to work misunderstandings that legal experts worry could get someone sued.

That's why Michelle Lee Flores, a partner at Cozen O'Connor's Los Angeles office, is devising an online seminar addressing emoji in the workplace - how to use them, how not to use them and why you should never, ever send someone an eggplant.

"My advice when it comes to using (emoji) is always the same: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," Flores said. "There's so much opportunity for confusion and room to insult or offend other people, and that's where a lot of problems in the workplace start, with someone going, 'Well, I'm not sure how to take that.' Use your words. Try that instead."

The idea of inviting clients to listen to an hour-long session on emoji may seem unusual, though several attorneys said they incorporate slides about emoji into sexual harassment and discrimination presentations. Still, some of Flores' peers said she could be onto something.

'Something offensive'

"In Silicon Valley, we think of ourselves as being very politically correct, but as things get more and more casual there's more of a likelihood that you can say something offensive," said Sheeva J. Ghassemi-Vanni, an employment lawyer who specializes in advising startups. "We're already seeing this become a problem where (lawyers) have to come in and figure out what an emoji means, what they were trying to say and what someone else thought they said. It's a problem."

The Unicode Consortium, the body charged with deciding what characters should be added to the universally accepted emoji lexicon, is also tasked with defining emoji. Online, they offer insights and definitions into each of the more than 2,600 emoji.

Some emoji - like smile and thumbs up symbol - have fairly ubiquitous definitions, "happiness" and "indicating approval," according to Unicode.

Others are not so simple.

The so-called oncoming fist emoji can be seen as an angry punch or a congratulatory fist-bump. The winking face emoji can be seen as humorous or flirtatious.

Alden Parker, a partner at the San Francisco office of Fisher Phillips, said he's seen emoji used as evidence in cases that allege harassment and workplace discrimination.

"People sometimes misgender someone or don't use the correct (skin) pigmentation or they use a symbol that has another meaning that is offensive and inappropriate," he said. "Maybe they didn't mean it, maybe they did. But that's typically where we see problems arise."

This year, 69 new characters will be added to the emoji library. For lawyers, that's 69 new emoji to worry about.

"One of them is a breastfeeding woman. One of them is a woman in a hijab or a headscarf. And it's wonderful that we're being inclusive and we have emoji to represent all kinds of people, but it also creates more opportunity for abuse," Flores said.

Incomprehensible

Earlier this year, a judge in Israel ruled that two potential renters owed a landlord more than $2,000 due to an incomprehensible stream of emoji the renters sent the property owner. The emoji - some dancing women, a peace sign, chipmunk and a champagne bottle - were enough to prove intent to the judge, who ruled they seemed celebratory and gave the landlord cause to think a contract was in the works.

Bay Area employment attorneys said they have yet to hear of a case in the U.S. that has turned on the use of an emoji, but the symbols have become a common piece of evidence presented to judges and juries on the premise that they illuminate tone.

But tone can be subjective, lawyers said, especially in written communication.

Christina Janzer, head of user research for Slack, a company that creates chat tools for businesses and teams, said she and her team use emoji all the time.

The tiny characters can boost productivity by providing workers a common language in which to communicate, Janzer said, as well as quick ways to convey feeling and make messages feel more personal.

When a member of her team needs other people to take a look at a project or a document, team members react to the file or link with an emoji that looks like a pair of eyes. That means they're on it, Janzer said. When they've finished the task, they mark messages with a check.

"It's an easy way to respond and react to things as they are happening while avoiding the whole reply-all trap of email," she said.

Slack's apps let individuals turn off emoji for themselves, displaying plain text instead, and businesses can add custom emoji by uploading images. The company is considering letting its customers restrict emoji that may be inappropriate or culturally insensitive, Janzer said.

According to the Unicode Consortium, the red heart emoji, smiley face with hearts for eyes and "face with tears of joy" emoji are among the most popular and commonly used.

But none of these should be used at work, according to Flores.

"I don't recommend using emoji at work at all, but if you do, I would stick to a traditional happy face. Just a happy face, not a rosy-cheeked one or winky-faced one," she said. "If you want to do a thumbs-up or some gesture that's universally understood, use the generic yellow or the skin color that's closest to your own skin color."

Creating a rule restricting employee's emoji use could miss the nuanced ways the symbols are used, Janzer said. She pointed to the heart emoji.

"We see people using the heart emoji to say, 'I feel for you,' when a colleague is going through a hard time," she said, adding that she often uses the smiley face with heart-eyes with her team at work. "It's acknowledging that I feel grateful and thankful for them and their great work but in a more human way."
In Tuesday's paper, I write about a Texas rice farmer who's been trying for about a decade to open China to U.S. rice  a quest that finally bore fruit last week, with an agreement on safety standards that opens the door to exports.

But the farmers whose endless fields you drive by on the way to Baton Rouge aren't the only ones who'll benefit from increased trade with China, because they can't send rice overseas on their own. They need middlemen  the mills, which turn rough rice into smooth, polished white grains.

Rice milling is a multi-billion dollar industry that, like farming, has become increasingly consolidated as businesses pursue economies of scale. Although it's by no means as concentrated as livestock processing or cane sugar refining, 22 companies mill about 75 percent of America's rice production, with the top two companies  both farmer-owned cooperatives  accounting for 40 percent.

Those companies were very interested in the Chinese market, because China wants its rice imports already milled  unlike Mexico, for example, which mills a lot of the rice it buys itself.

"It's really not a farmer's deal," says Michael Klein, vice president for communications for the USA Rice Federation, a coalition of farmers and millers. "It's all milled rice going into China. And we represent 100 percent of the mills."

(There is no love lost between the USA Rice Federation and the much smaller, Houston-based, farmers-only US Rice Producers Association. The two organizations split after a disagreement over the 1996 Farm Bill, which removed government controls on what farmers could plant. "You can't represent the buyers and the sellers in the same tent," says Greg Yielding, the executive director of the Arkansas Rice Growers Association. "Buyers and sellers want different things.")

Anyway, the largest miller in Texas is Riviana Foods, which became the biggest at the beginning of 2017 when its Spanish parent company merged several assets together  including American Rice, which used to loom over Allen Parkway at Studemont before being demolished in 1996. It now packages brands including Minute, Success, Mahatma, Blue Ribbon, Wonder, Comet, Adolphus, and RiceSelect, legacies of its acquisitions over the years.

RELATED: Why you're paying more for beef than you should

Giant mills like Riviana are the ones that bear the brunt of complying with the terms of the deal with China, which spells out exactly how rice is to be processed in order to avoid contamination. Keith Gray, Riviana's vice president for supply chain, says that some of their demands seemed over the top, even by the standards of other government regulators.

"They wanted extra stuff to monitor pests that do not exist, wanted it monitored separately from our other program," Gray says. "It's just more paperwork."

But Riviana went through with the deal's specifications. Because just as mills have consolidated to give farmers little choice in who buys their product, mills themselves face a limited number of customers as well  and China buys more rice than any other country.

"It's kind of like, why would I want to deal with Walmart? Because they're the biggest," Gray says, naming another buyer that makes onerous demands of the companies whose goods it sells. " It's an untouched market that everybody wants to get into."
Digging for artifacts without official authorization is illegal in Egypt. However, every year artifacts are illegally unearthed and smuggled abroad, often fetching high prices with dealers and collectors

Five people were killed on Monday while illegally digging for ancient Pharaonic antiquities in Upper Egypts Sohag governorate, state-run news agency MENA reported on Tuesday.

The deaths occured in two separate incidents involving excavations beneath houses.

In the first incident, four people were killed while excavating a 10-metre-deep hole beneath a house in Sohag's Tahta district. They were electrocuted by a pump used to remove water from the hole.

Details of the incident were discovered when police interviewed a number of other people involved in the excavation. One of the deceased was an 11-year old boy.

In the second incident, in Sohags Dar El-Salam district, a wall collapsed on a 36-year-old man as he was attempting to dig a hole. Another man who was helping him admitted to the prosecution that they were searching for antiquities.

The prosecution charged the survivors of both incidents with illegally digging for ancient artifacts for the purpose of trade. They are being detained until their trial.

Digging for artifacts without official authorization is prohibited under Egyptian law. However, artifacts continue to be unearthed and smuggled abroad each year, many of them sold to collectors or dealers for large sums of money.

Egypt continues to work with foreign nations to halt the illegal trade and track down Egyptian artifacts on the black market.

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When the Buffalo Bayou Partnership's 10-mile stretch of park including Buffalo Bayou Park was named to the High Line Network as one of several high-profile projects across the country helping to reimagine underloved urban spaces, the announcement carried with it a cautionary tale.

Successful by many measures, the High Line in New York City has also become synonymous with rising real estate prices and gentrification. Indeed, the Network was created as a way for the teams involved on these big projects to reckon with that as they progress. It's something Anne Olson, president of the partnership, said they're taking seriously as they begin the next phase of their development, east of downtown, when she talked about the next steps in an interview that has been edited for length and clarity.

Leah Binkovitz: A lot of cities are looking to sort of rediscover, reinvent their waterways or repurpose old infrastructure and following quickly behind those conversations are concerns. I'm thinking most recently of Atlanta's BeltLine, for example, and the issues there around affordable housing. What are some of the lessons you're taking from those other high-profile projects also in the recently announced network?

Anne Olson: Social equity is really front and center of what we're trying to do, and so I've really learned a lot from working with that group. There's a park in Washington, D.C. called the 11th Street Bridge Park and they really out of the entire network are the group that's the farthest along with equity issues. They developed an equitable development plan and that has served as a guide for them. They've really worked very closely with the community.

We've learned a lot from them. We also learned from the High Line, where they feel there's more they could have done to reach out to more of the low-income residents in the nearby area. But as a result of that they focus a lot on their programming to reach them. I think as we move east and start to develop these parks and trails that programming is really going to be key. We want to have things that really reflect that community.

With the High Line, they never anticipated the amount of development it would spur. We are very conscious of that as we move east. We may not be able to stop that but we feel that we need to bring current residents and businesses along.

LB: You just kicked off the stakeholder meetings this month for the east sector. What are some of the goals as you begin this plan?

AO: We have three themes for this plan. Authenticity: We want to reflect the cultural and industrial legacy of the East End and Fifth Ward and the bayou. Inclusivity: We want to bring current residents and businesses along. And then connectivity: We've done a lot to connect the trails east to west, but we haven't done a lot north to south, using what we call green fingers that will extend into the neighborhoods to bring people to the bayou.

MOLLY GLENTZER: Buffalo Bayou Park's East End master plan underway

The stakeholder committee will be helping us with community engagement and thinking of new and different ways to reach out. We're thinking of having small, backyard neighborhood meetings where residents help us organize those. It may be smaller groups, like 20-25 people, but again, trying to go where people are instead of expecting them to come to us.

I just think park space is a great uniter. We see with Buffalo Bayou Park, even though it's in a more affluent part of town, that people from all walks of life come there. I can't stress enough, programming.

Annie Mulligan/Staff

We own about 50 acres of property [on the east side of town] and one of the things that may come out of our community engagement strategy is, early on, even though the parks haven't been fully developed, having events so the community can take ownership in them right away.

LB: In talking with the communities along the bayou and getting a better sense of some of the strengths and needs, how can the partnership support those existing residents?

AO: We don't plan to get in the job training business. We also don't plan to get in the affordable housing business, but housing definitely will be an issue we hope to address, but by working with groups that are already doing that. We're lucky in that New Hope Housing is very involved in the East End. They're developing their headquarters right now on Harrisburg. There's another group called Covenant Community Capital. We recently convened a group of them just to discuss what we're doing, because there may be opportunities on the property we own to incorporate affordable housing. We tend to own, in some cases, more than than we probably need for park space, and so housing could be incorporated into that.

Michael Paulsen/Staff

The other thing were trying to get across is that we're not trying to plan the East End or Fifth Ward neighborhoods.

LB: To that point, the partnership worked with the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Urban Land Institute on a few studies with the East End and Fifth Ward. What did you learn from those?

AO: The Livable Centers study, it took in a very small stretch from Lyons Avenue to Harrisburg, but we learned about the issues that people really cared about in that area: affordable housing, health-related issues  the Fifth Ward in particular has really high levels of heart disease, obesity and so again, parks can definitely play into all of those problems.

LB: So how does a new park serve existing communities?

AO: I think through programming and what we develop on the site. We may have things over there that would not be incorporated into Buffalo Bayou Park. People might want a farmers market and a flea market, so something like that, I think we'll really be looking to the community to figure out what they want.

Years ago, when we were developing the Buffalo Bend Nature Park area, in Magnolia Park, we found out folks wanted parks that served intergenerational purposes. They wanted it to appeal not just to young people, but also to older people as well.

Gary Coronado/Staff

Second Ward has been designated by the mayor as a Complete Community so we want to partner with them. There's been a lot of planning in the East End and in the Fifth Ward. We did the Livable Centers study, the management district and the Fifth Ward CDC have done a lot of work, so we hope not to reinvent the wheel.

LB: What are some of the challenges or concerns for the partnership looking ahead to this new development? How will it be different than what you've done so far?

AO: [Parks] have tended to stimulate residential and commercial development and tax rates go up and things like that, and that's certainly what they found along the High Line and the Atlanta BeltLine. They had pretty high goals for affordable housing and that hasn't been achieved.

I think in all this it's a lot easier said than done, but we want to make a real effort to reach out to the community but we also want this bayou to be something for everyone. It's not just for the residents who live north and south of the bayou. People come from all over town. I think you can have a regional destination as well as a neighborhood destination, and I think that's the interesting thing about this project, as it moves east it may take on a very different feel and character, especially from just a physical standpoint. East of downtown the banks are much steeper, the river is wider, it's much more like a river and then there's the industrial legacy of the neighborhood.

Rusty Graham/The Examiner

[The partnership] owns several really interesting former industrial sites. We own four massive former gravel silos and artists have [used] that site. We own an abandoned City of Houston wastewater facility. Instead of tearing all this stuff down we want to celebrate the industrial character of the East End, because it's been the manufacturing hub of Houston. It's where port industry has always been, but as port industries move farther east, it's left behind these industrial remnants. And we're just really drawn to them.

LB: Does the funding change too? Is it still TIRZ-supported?

AO: The [Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone] funding, for the maintenance of Buffalo Bayou Park, came in the middle or towards the end. Over east of town, there's two TIRZ funding sources, and both of those entities have given us money for the master plan. They're not as wealthy as the downtown TIRZ.

We're going to take it one step at a time, but funding is always a concern, especially when it comes to maintenance.

The other thing that makes this sector of the bayou a lot different than downtown and the west sector is that a lot of the property along the bayou is in private hands. In downtown and the west side, it was all controlled by public entities. So that makes it really challenging. We worked for years to get easements from 18 individual property owners over along the bayou. As we went along and they could see what we were doing, they became more willing. We'll really be focusing on our properties initially, but we do plan to expand our land acquisition program.

Leah Binkovitz (@leahbink), formerly of the Houston Chronicle, is now a staff writer for Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research. This story originally appeared on the Kinder Institute's blog, The Urban Edge.





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Could the United States declare a National Historic Landmark on the moon? It seems like a far-fetched idea, but the anthropologist Beth O'Leary hasn't given up hope in her nearly twenty-year quest to get Americans to preserve their footprint, metaphorically and literally, in space.

As a National Historic Landmark, O'Leary reasons, Tranquility Base  the site where the Apollo 11 mission landed in 1969, and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk the moon  could then be offered to UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The challenge is how to do it legally and not upset the rest of the world.

"Our laws don't really cover space, per se, so the preservation really falls in a kind of gray area," says the retired New Mexico State University professor, who helped found the field of space archaeology and heritage.

O'Leary recently published The Final Mission: Preserving NASA's Apollo Sites, a book she co-wrote with several authors, including Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Stafford, the former NASA astronaut who commanded Apollo 10. The book, her third title on space preservation, surveys the landing sites, man-made items and footprints left by Americans on the moon through the Apollo project, which landed six successful missions between 1961 and 1972, as well as the design, test and command facilities in Texas, New Mexico, California and Florida that made it possible.

The authors say these items and sites should be recast as artifacts and preserved for their historical and archaeological value. O'Leary recently spent several days last month in Washington, D.C., making her pitch to audiences at the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

"Let's think about what humanity wants to save for future generations," she says. "I think that's really what we're trying to do here, is to make people aware of space heritage."

BUT AT least one space lawyer and a preservation expert say that O'Leary's approach is all wrong: It's senseless to think we can reach so far beyond our borders to name a National Historic Landmark.

"You can't do it," says Harry Butowsky, an adjunct professor at George Mason University and former historian for the National Park Service. At the park service, his job was to research and recommend sites for landmark designations  including the Apollo Mission Control Center at Houston's Johnson Space Center, which was approved in 1985. "I worked for the National Historic Landmark Studies for 16 years. I know all about it. Impossible."

Both Butowsky and Michelle Hanlon, a corporate attorney-turned-space lawyer, say it's the United Nations that needs to claim authority in space, then shepherd any preservation efforts.

"Making it a U.S. site is just illegal, period," says Hanlon. "I think we need a committee of international people that will say, 'Okay, U.S., we see that you think that landing spot is special. But let's make a balance here.'"

Hanlon, who recently obtained a master's degree from McGill University's Institute of Air Space and Law, founded the nonprofit called For All Moonkind, Inc., which aims to work with the U.N. to preserve all six of the Apollo human landing sites  plus whatever the U.N. deems valuable from the other countries that have left marks on the moon.

"These are questions we have to debate and deal with," she says, "and right now, there's no venue to do that whatsoever."

SPACE PRESERVATION raises an interesting tangle of issues.

About 100 objects  including an American flag and Aldrin's boots, which he shed to lighten the return flight  presumably remain at Tranquility Base, as well as the actual footprints of the astronauts as they pattered about for two and a half hours shooting photos, setting up experiments, and collecting rocks and dirt. Once they loaded the Eagle lunar module and left, O'Leary says, the objects turned into artifacts, and the place became an archaeological site that can provide insight into human behavior.

"They're very important aspects, because they're going to tell you about what happened there," she says.

She offers some questions an archaeologist might pose: "How were the approaches of the Soviet Union different than the U.S.? How did the common requirements to survive in space override cultural differences? Was the behavior very similar?"

Although the site isn't immediately threatened  "the remoteness really protects it"  the race for commercial space exploration has made scientists worry that projects like Google's Lunar X contest to send a robotic rover to the moon, or promises by Elon Musk's SpaceX and others to shuttle private citizens into space, could eventually spell trouble for the sacred artifacts.

To ward against this, in 2012, NASA released a 93-page document laying out guidelines for "space-faring entities" on how to preserve lunar artifacts.

But O'Leary sees a National Historic Landmark designation as a way for the United States to officially protect its objects there.

She's quick to acknowledge a few problems. A NASA lawyer her group once consulted warned her that the world would perceive that as a claim of sovereignty over the moon  and a 1967 U.N. treaty prohibits any country from appropriating outer space, even though the country continues to own the objects it leaves behind. The keeper of the National Register of Historic Places also told her he didn't have jurisdiction outside the U.S.

Hanlon, the space attorney, agrees that a national landmark would violate the U.N. treaty and "make a lot of people very uncomfortable."

She is equally dismissive of the World Heritage Site idea: "I've been informed that UNESCO wants nothing to do with the moon. And, frankly, at this stage, I don't blame them. There's so little certainty about what's going on in space right now, from a legal standpoint."

Instead, her group plans to raise funds and organize an international team of lawyers that can research and draft a legal proposal to the United Nations, in the image of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, the international agreement that protects natural and cultural resources.

Hanlon is presenting her ideas to the Starship Congress in Monterrey, Ca., next week.

MEANWHILE, BUTOWSKY, the former National Park Service historian, thinks a more urgent need for advocacy remains.

He says a lack of interest in historic preservation among the U.S. government agencies tasked with space exploration is endangering the last of the remaining sites and facilities associated with the Apollo program.

In the 1980s, following a Congressional law that required the National Park Service to study all the resources related to man's efforts to reach the moon, Butowsky says he spent seven years struggling to gain access and full cooperation from NASA and the U.S. Air Force. NASA resisted the historical designation of facilities that were still in use, fearing the agency would be hamstrung in modifying them to fit its needs.

"NASA and the Air Force  especially the Air Force  simply have no historical consciousness," he says. "They're only interested in the future, and what they're going to do. They have no interest in their history at all."

He pointed to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California's Simi Valley, which NASA is in the process of demolishing. Butowsky says it's "the best remaining example of this large infrastructure that we had in place that took us to the moon."

"It's important that we preserve these resources to tell the story of how the United States was able to mobilize itself over a period of nine years, and go from the Kennedy speech to landing a man on the moon," he says. "It's a great story."

Cecilia Balli can be reached at cecilia.balli@chron.com.

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Harris County will have another chance to defend its embattled cash bail system this fall in a lawsuit brought by indigent defendants who languished in jail for days because they couldn't afford money bail.

The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced Tuesday it has set oral arguments for the week of Oct. 2 in New Orleans. Each side will have a half hour to argue before a panel of three judges, officials said. The panel of judges will likely then take its decision under advisement, according to lawyers familiar with typical proceedings.

The battle over cash bail gained new momentum since U.S. Senators Kamala Harris and Rand Paul introduced a bipartisan bill last month that would allow state and local governments to replace or reform systems that require cash bail.

Harris County had been working on a bail reform plan for two years but it had not yet gone into effect when the judge ruled this spring that its bail system violated the U.S. Constitution's due process and equal protection clauses.

The county appealed the April 28 injunction issued by Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal of the Southern District of Texas, in which she found that Harris County's cash bail system discriminated against poor misdemeanor defendants.

"Cases get overturned," said First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard of the oral argument. "We'll be given another opportunity to point out to the fifth circuit where we disagree with Judge Rosenthal."

Rosenthal ordered the county to release indigent inmates arrested on low-level charges if they do not have federal detainers, other holds or competency hearings pending. Rather than putting cash upfront, these individuals are now permitted to await trial on personal bonds.

The county has estimated that more than 2,600 people have been released on these terms since Rosenthal's order went into effect June 6. In recent weeks, Rosenthal's order has become a central point of debate at Harris County Commissioners Court.

Harris County has spent $4 million on outside counsel to defend the case, according to latest county estimates, with a high-powered D.C. lawyer firm now on retainer.

The case was initially brought by Maranda ODonnell, a young mother who was held in the Harris County Jail because she could not afford to post $2,500 bail after being arrested for driving with a suspended license. Other defendants in similar circumstances subsequently joined the suit which is being argued by two civil rights groups and a Houston law firm. In April, the case was certified as class action.

Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and his protegee, Criminal Court at Law Judge Darrell Jordan, who was among the officials sued over the bail system, have spoken vocally about the county giving up its legal fight over cash bail. Another judge, Mike Fields, opted out of the costly legal representation the county has sought from outside firms.
AUSTIN - The check came as a surprise to Gov. Greg Abbott - a $1 million gift from a West Texas cattle rancher and his wife who just wanted to say thanks.

Mike and Mary Porter, who run the Cross Creek Ranch near the tiny Hill Country town of Doss, said their motivation was simple: They like the governor.

"We don't expect anything out of this  nothing in return," Porter, 69, a retired U.S. Army veteran, told the Houston Chronicle. "We believe Governor Abbott has put forward a vision to keep Texas exceptional, and we wanted to do our part in supporting what he's doing. That's all there was to it."

Though rare in Texas politics, the delivery of a single, seven-figure check - which the Porters presented to Abbott at his Austin campaign office when they met him for the first time in late June - is part of a growing national trend toward seven-figure donation checks, say experts who follow political money-giving.

"People have become much more accustomed to asking for - and receiving - million-dollar contributions," said Michael Malbin, executive director of the Washington-based Campaign Finance Institute and a political science professor at the State University of New York in Albany. "If more candidates are asking for these larger contributions, it becomes part of an atmosphere where there will be more."

In fact, national campaign finance records for the 2016 election cycle analyzed for the Chronicle by the National Institute on Money in State Politics show that there were 47 contributions of $1 million or more made in eight states. There were no contributions that large in Texas during that period.

Illinois topped the list, with a total of $32 million given in various sizes of seven-figure checks, including a $9 million single-check contribution by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to House Minority Leader James Durkin, a fellow Republican and nine-term incumbent.

The million-dollar club has also grown in Texas, campaign finance records confirm.

"Everything is bigger in Texas and that includes campaign donations," said Mark Jones, a political scientist at Houston's Rice University who has studied donation trends for years. "In the future, I would expect that we'll see more and more of these signature donations, seven figures on the checks where we used to see mostly six figures."

For Abbott, the Porter's check helped the governor raise a whopping $10 million for his campaign war chest in the last 12 days of June, a record run-up for a seasoned incumbent who has only token Democratic opposition so far, in perhaps the reddest of the Red States. It easily outdistanced the nine $250,000 checks he received during the same period from seasoned political donors and the 16 well-known donor families that gave him $100,000 or more.

Another factor in the rise in big-dollar donations is a controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed wealthy donors to give tens of millions of dollars to candidates through so-called Super PACs.

Also helped fire station, vets

Before they delivered their big check, the Porters were unknown to most everyone in Texas politics.

State records show they donated $5,000 to Abbott when he ran the first time for governor in 2014. Their only other political contribution was to state Rep. Doug Miller in 2016, in an unsuccessful reelection race that he lost in the GOP primary.

Their previous generosity helped the Doss Volunteer Fire Department build a new station and has allowed wounded military personnel to hunt deer at their ranch as part of the Combat Marine Outdoors program, along with support for local "education, medical, social services, 4H and (Future Farmers of America) programs," according to an online bio.

As seven-figure contributions become more common in Texas and other states that allow unlimited individual gifts, some political observers worry that government decisions could be influenced even more, though most say the Porters seem to be in the category of givers that are generally benign. Their contribution was first reported by the Austin American-Statesman and Texas Monthly.

"People give money to politicians for two reasons: Because they agree with them philosophically or politically, or because they want preferential treatment in some form," said Jones, echoing the sentiments of colleges outside Texas. "Either way, though, a million-dollar check will surely get your phone call returned."

At the same time, Craig McDonald, executive director of the Austin-based ethics watchdog group Texans for Public Justice, said the single million-dollar contributions highlight the continued influence that Big Money has on government, regardless of the donor's intentions.

"People in Texas have never been much to hide their big contributions. It's almost like they want credit for them," he said. "And while a million dollars is a lot of money to contribute, it's not as unusual as it used to be."

Bottom line: The Elite Club for statewide elected officials' campaigns clearly has grown more and more expensive over time, say political scientists and campaign consultants in Austin.

Seen as result of ruling

Some attribute that trend to the so-called Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010, with allowed unlimited donations to the Super PACs and other organizations, including ones that supported only one candidate.

The result was swift and surprising. While the $460 million in contributions to the 2007 presidential campaigns came from donors who could give no more than $2,300 each, by 2015, 78 of the top donors gave $1 million or more to Super PACs supporting a candidate like U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and others. That accounted for nearly a quarter of all the money raised by the presidential candidates and their Super PACs combined, according to a published review authored by Malbin.

Even before that, single, million-dollar checks were not unheard of in Texas, one of at least 12 states with no limits on campaign donations by individuals. After all, millionaire Tony Sanchez spent $62 million of his own money in losing to incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry in 2002.

A previous record was set more than two decades ago by Dallas billionaire H. Ross Perot, who wrote a $953,000 check to pay off the campaign debt of attorney Tom Luce, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1990. Then the million-dollar line was officially crossed for the first time in 2006. Twice.

In the gubernatorial race that year, Houston trial lawyer John O'Quinn gave $1 million to Democrat Chris Bell, who was running against Perry and lost.

The same year, Perry got $1 million in two $500,000 checks from the Republican Governors Association. That was made possible by a $1 million donation to that group from veteran GOP contributor Bob Perry, a Houston home builder who was no relation to the governor.

Rick Perry used the money to pay for a television commercial attacking Bell for accepting the seven-figure check from O'Quinn.

Eight years later, Wendy Davis - who was running against Abbott - got a $1 million check from retired Austin doctor Carolyn Oliver, who said at the time she was inspired by Davis' uphill bid to become Texas' first Democrat elected governor since Ann Richards won in 1990.

Houston trial lawyer Steve Mostyn also wrote a $1 million check to a joint committee that Davis ran with a Democratic turn-out-the-vote group.
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A Houston martial arts instructor hopes a new Texas law allowing people to carry large blades in public won't get abused.

Sword To Sword's lead instructor Dakao Do is optimistic about House Bill 1935, which was just signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. The law goes into effect Sept. 1 and allows people over the age of 18 to carry blades longer than 5 1/2 inches in public.

"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.

CUTTING EDGE: Japanese swords carve out larger fanbase

Sword To Sword began as a training group for European martial arts 16 years ago. It offers martial arts classes on long sword, rapier, and other medieval and Renaissance weapons.

The knife bill was authored and filed by Rep. John Frullo, R-Lubbock, in February to bipartisan support. In May, the bill stalled momentarily after a University of Texas student stabbed multiple classmates on campus. Student Harrison Brown was killed in the stabbing and three others were injured. Student Kendrex White was arrested in connection to the attack.

White was charged with murder and is being held in the Travis County jail. His bail is set at $1 million, according to the jail's inmate search.

READ MORE: House delays debate on knife bill days after stabbing at UT

A week after the stabbing, Rep. Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, introduced an amendment to the bill that restricted knives with a 5 1/2 inch blade from schools, bars, sporting events and churches, among other locations. The blade White used in his attack was a Bowie Knife, a large hunting knife that falls under the "location-restricted knife" category.

The amended bill was signed by Abbott on June 15.
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WASHINGTON - An Army medic who "ran into danger" to save wounded soldiers during a Vietnam War battle despite his own serious wounds on Monday became the first Medal of Honor recipient under President Donald Trump, 48 years after the selfless acts of bravery for which James McCloughan is now nationally recognized.

McCloughan mouthed "thank you" as Trump placed the distinctive blue ribbon holding the medal around the neck of the former Army private first class. As the president and commander in chief shook McCloughan's hand, Trump said "very proud of you."

"I know I speak for every person here when I say we are in awe of your bravery and your actions," Trump said after describing McCloughan's actions for a rapt audience.

Retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, sworn in hours earlier to be the new White House chief of staff, attended.

McCloughan said in a brief statement on the White House driveway after the ceremony that it was "humbling" to receive the medal. Now 71 and retired, he pledged to do his best to represent the men he fought alongside "as the caretaker of this symbol of courage and action beyond the call of duty."

McCloughan was a 23-year-old private first class who had been drafted into the Army when, in 1969, he found himself in the middle of the raging, dayslong Battle of Nui Yon Hill. McCloughan voluntarily entered the "kill zone" to rescue injured comrades, even as he was pelted with shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade, the back of his body slashed from head to foot.

In its announcement last month, the White House said McCloughan "voluntarily risked his life on nine separate occasions to rescue wounded and disoriented comrades. He suffered wounds from shrapnel and small arms fire on three separate occasions, but refused medical evacuation to stay with his unit, and continued to brave enemy fire to rescue, treat, and defend wounded Americans."

McCloughan, who lives in South Haven, Mich., told the Associated Press in an interview last month that the battle was "the worst two days of my life."

McCloughan - describing the shrapnel as "a real bad sting" - said he looked down to see himself covered with blood from wounds so bad that they prompted a captain to suggest that he leave the battlefield to seek treatment.

"He knew me enough to know that I wasn't going," McCloughan said.
WASHINGTON - Leading Senate Republicans said Monday it was time to move from health care to other issues, saying they saw no fresh pathway to the votes needed to reverse last week's collapse of their effort to repeal and rewrite the Obama health care law.

"For now, until we have a path forward that gets us 50 votes in the Senate, we've got other things to do and we're going to start turning to those," No. 3 Senate GOP leader John Thune told reporters.

"It's time to move onto something else, come back to health care when we've had more time to get beyond the moment we're in," said Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, another member of the GOP leadership. "See if we can't put some wins on the board" on bills revamping the tax system and building public works projects, he said.

The lawmakers spoke after last week's stunning crash of the GOP's drive to tear down President Barack Obama's 2010 health care law and replace it with their vision of more limited federal programs.

The leaders stopped short of saying they were surrendering on an issue that's guided the party for seven years, but their remarks underscored that Republicans have hit a wall when it comes to resolving internal battles over their stance.

No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas signaled pique at White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, who pushed senators in weekend TV appearances to keep voting on health care until they succeed.

Mulvaney has "got a big job, he ought to do that job and let us do our jobs," Cornyn said.

He also said of the former House member, "I don't think he's got much experience in the Senate, as I recall."

Despite Mulvaney's prodding and weekend tweets by President Donald Trump insisting senators revisit the issue, even the White House's focus turned Monday to a new horizon: revamping the tax code.

White House legislative director Marc Short set an October goal for House passage of a tax overhaul the Senate could approve the following month.

Plans envision Trump barnstorming the country to rally support for the tax drive, buttressed by conservative activists and business groups heaping pressure on Congress to take action.

On health care last week, Republican defections led to the Senate decisively rejecting one proposal to simply erase much of Obama's statute. A second amendment was defeated that would have scrapped it and substituted relaxed coverage rules for insurers, less generous tax subsidies for consumers and Medicaid cuts.

Finally, a bare-bones plan by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rolling back a few pieces of Obama's law failed in a nail-biting 51-49 roll call. Three GOP senators joined all Democrats in rejecting McConnell's proposal, capped by a final thumbs down by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

GOP prospects seemed to worsen after McCain returned to Arizona for brain cancer treatments. His absence for the next two weeks, before the Senate begins it recess, probably denies leaders their best chance of turning that vote around.

In the House, 43 Democratic and Republican moderates proposed a plan that includes continuing federal payments that help insurers contain expenses for lower-earning customers. It would also limit Obama's requirement that employers offer coverage to workers to companies with at least 500 workers, not just 50.

Obama's statute requires that insurers reduce those costs for low-earning customers. Kristine Grow, spokeswoman for the insurance industry group America's Health Insurance Plans, said Monday that halting the federal payments would boost premiums for people buying individual policies by 20 percent.

"I'm hopeful the administration, president will keep making them," Thune said. "And if he doesn't, then I guess we'll have to figure out from a congressional standpoint what we do."
MOGADISHU, Somalia - The U.S. military said Monday it carried out a drone strike in Somalia that killed a member of the al-Shabab extremist group, while Somalia's government said it believes the strike killed a high-level al-Shabab commander responsible for several deadly bombings in the capital.

A U.S. Africa Command statement said the airstrike occurred Saturday near Tortoroow, an al-Shabab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia.

President Donald Trump earlier this year approved expanded military operations against al-Shabab, including more aggressive airstrikes and considering parts of southern Somalia areas of active hostilities.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa.

The U.S. statement said the airstrike was carried out in coordination with regional partners "as a direct response to al-Shabab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces." The statement said no civilians were killed.

A statement by Somalia's information ministry said the government believes that Ali Mohamed Hussein died in the operation coordinated with "international partners."

Ali had served as the extremist group's shadow governor for the capital, Mogadishu, and had been one of the group's most outspoken officials.

"This individual was part of an al-Shabab network responsible for planning and executing several bombings and assassinations that resulted in the deplorable death of numerous innocent civilians in Mogadishu," the ministry statement said.

A Somali intelligence official said at least one missile struck a car in which the al-Shabab leader was traveling. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

The U.S. military in early July said it carried out an airstrike against al-Shabab in Somalia and was assessing the results. The airstrike followed one in June that the U.S. said killed eight extremists at a rebel command and logistics camp in the south.

The Somalia-based al-Shabab earlier this month mocked Trump for the first time in a video that called him a "brainless billionaire." The extremist group also has vowed to step up attacks in Somalia after the president elected in February declared a new offensive against al-Shabab.

The extremist group also has carried out deadly attacks in neighboring countries, notably Kenya, calling it retribution for sending troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabab.
Egypt will utilize some of its newly acquired weaponry, such as a Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock  named after the late president Anwar El-Sadat

Egyptian and Greek air and naval forces started a joint military exercise, dubbed Medusa 2017, in the Mediterranean on Tuesday, the Egyptian armys spokesman said in a statement.

During the exercise, Egypt will utilize some of its newly acquired weaponry such as a submarine and a Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock  named after the late president Anwar El-Sadat  which the country acquired last year.

Egyptian F16 fighter jets will also take part in the exercises, the statement read.

The joint exercises come in the context of augmenting distinctive relationships, bolstering cooperation and exchanging expertise between the armed forces of Egypt and Greece, the statement added.

The previous Greece-Egypt exercise in the series  Medusa 2015  took place in Greece two years ago.

Earlier this year, the Egyptian and United States navies collaborated in the "Eagle Salute 2017" exercise in the regional waters of the Red Sea.

The Egyptian and French naval forces, meanwhile, conducted an exercise dubbed "Cleopatra," which ran for several days in Egyptian territorial waters of the Mediterranean and Red seas.

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WASHINGTON - Russia is preparing to send as many as 100,000 troops to the eastern edge of NATO territory at the end of the summer, one of the biggest steps yet in the military buildup undertaken by President Vladimir Putin and an exercise in intimidation that recalls the most ominous days of the Cold War.

The troops are conducting military maneuvers known as Zapad, Russian for "west," in Belarus, the Baltic Sea, western Russia and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The drills will feature a reconstituted armored force named for a storied Soviet military unit, the First Guards Tank Army. Its establishment represents the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union that so much offensive power has been concentrated in a single command.

Not a retaliation

The military exercise, planned for many months, is not a reaction to sweeping new economic sanctions on Russia that Congress passed last week. So far, Russia has retaliated against the sanctions by forcing the expulsion of several hundred employees in U.S. diplomatic posts in the country.

But the move is part of a larger effort by Putin to shore up Russia's military prowess, and comes against the backdrop of an increasingly assertive Russia.

Beyond Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election in support of the Trump campaign, which has seized attention in the United States, its military has in recent years deployed forces to Syria, seized Crimea and intervened in eastern Ukraine, rattled the Baltic States with snap exercises and buzzed NATO planes and ships.

Possible pretext?

Punishing sanctions by the United States and European allies that have isolated Russia further have done nothing to stop Putin's saber-rattling, as illustrated by the long-scheduled Zapad exercise.

Even more worrying, top U.S. military officers say, is that the maneuvers could be used as a pretext to increase Russia's military presence in Belarus, a central European nation that borders three critical NATO allies: Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.

"The great concern is they're not going to leave, and that's not paranoia," Gen. Tony Thomas, the head of the U.S. Special Operations Command, told a national security conference in Aspen, Colorado, in July.

'We're watching you'

Peter B. Zwack, a retired one-star Army general who was the U.S. defense attache in Moscow from 2012 to 2014, said: "First and foremost, the messaging is, 'We're watching you; we're strong; we've learned a lot; don't mess with Russia.'"

Western military officials caution that the United States and Russia are not on the brink of war. But they expressed concern that the heightened Russian military activity could lead to unintended confrontations.

The United States is taking precautions, including sending 600 American paratroopers to NATO's three Baltic members for the duration of the Zapad exercise and delaying the rotation of a United States-led battle group in Poland.

"Look, we'll be ready; we'll be prepared," said Lt. Gen. Frederick B. Hodges, the head of U.S. Army forces in Europe. "But we're not going to be up on the parapets waiting for something to happen."
AUSTIN - House lawmakers swiftly granted preliminary approval on a voice vote Monday to a heavily amended bill to repeal the definition of "illegal knives" just one week after a fatal attack at the University of Texas put the spotlight on those types of weapons.

An amendment to the bill introduced by Rep. Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, sought to address concerns over campus security by retaining restrictions on certain types of knives at educational institutions and other places. "They will not be allowed on school property," Dutton said.

The revised House Bill 1935 would change current law by replacing the list of weapons classified under "illegal knife" in the Texas Penal Code with the term "location-restricted knife," defined as a knife with a blade over 5 inches in length.

In addition to schools, the amendment to the bill would also ban the knives from the premises of bars, sporting events, churches, amusement parks, correctional institutions, and hospitals and nursing homes.

The proposed legislation also removes a ban on the sale of such knives to minors, but the amended version imposes additional restrictions on where and how they can carry the knives.

The bill's primary author, Rep. John Frullo, R-Lubbock, had garnered bipartisan support from five other representatives who signed on as joint authors and co-authors. He described existing law as "fundamentally unfair and discriminatory" for criminalizing the possession of knives in places where it would be legal to carry a firearm.

Debate on the bill was originally scheduled for Friday, but was postponed in light of the timing so soon after the UT stabbings.

On May 1, UT-Austin student Kendrix White was arrested in connection with a knife attack on campus that left one dead and three others injured. The weapon used in the stabbings was described by police as a Bowie knife, a type of large hunting knife that would fall under the definition of "location-restricted knife." On Friday, the House approved a memorial resolution to honor the student who was killed in the attack.

Existing state law defines "illegal knives" as including those with blades longer than 5 inches, daggers, Bowie knives, spears, swords, and instruments designed to cut or stab by being thrown.

Supporters of the legislation contend that these definitions caused confusion among citizens, law enforcement, and the courts, and they also argue that the state's treatment of knives is out of sync with the state's expansion of gun rights in recent years.

A bill similar to HB 1935 passed the House in 2015 but failed to make it to the governor's desk.
JIM WATSON/Contributor

Less than a day after President Donald Trump turned to former Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly to restore order, discipline and civility to a "Clockwork Orange" White House, the retired Marine general has cashiered the fledgling communications director. Anthony 'the Mooch" Scaramucci, the foul-mouthed banty in the snappy blue suit who took the job just 10 days ago, wore out his welcome in record time.

A multimillionaire hedge-fund boss in his pre-Trump life, Scaramucci made his White House debut as a peppy, smooth-talking sycophant hired to convey the wonders of all things Donald (when he wasn't being profane). Although Trump seemed to appreciate his "Good Fellas" mien - until his sheen began to rival the Sun's - it was obvious to most that the brash New Yorker wasn't going to wear well, even in this wildly dysfunctional White House. Still, the abruptness of his demise was startling.
Health care

Regarding "Obamacare saved" editorial (Page A29, Sunday), it is clear that the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has the right core for helping millions to get affordable health care, but there are many questions that need to be addressed.

For one, we need to agree that affordable health care is a social necessity and not a commercially purchased commodity. We should all receive it and pay for it through tax dollars and not do it by lowering the taxes of the upper 1 percent.

Second, the ACA has problems, but they are "fixable," and to do so requires that we hear from health care experts and not exclusively from legislators and insurance company representatives.

We are all in this together as a nation.

Helmuth Goepfert, Bellaire

Pay dispute

Regarding "Pay feud" editorial (Page A13, Monday), the editorial omits this fact about the Houston firefighter pay parity ballot initiative, among others: The city of Houston has raised police pay by 26 percent since 2011. During that time, firefighters received only 3 percent in raises and the city drastically raised our health insurance premiums.

Firefighters wonder why there were no editorials fretting about the taxpayers as the city repeatedly raised police pay and budgets.

We respect our brothers and sisters in blue. They deserve fair and competitive pay. So do we. All we are asking for is competitive wages, benefits and workplace conditions. A starting point would be police-fire equal pay as is done in Dallas and other U.S. cities.

Patrick M. "Marty" Lancton, president, Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association

Spectacle

Regarding "Trump brings political attacks to the Boy Scouts' Jamboree" (Pae A10, July 25), as an Eagle Scout and attendee of previous National Jamborees, I am appalled at President Trump's speech at this year's National Jamboree.

Scouts earn respect through their good deeds and words. Until President Trump demonstrates his ability to live by the Scout Law and Oath, the Boy Scouts of America should revoke his title of honorary BSA president.

Robert Hallenbeck, Houston

Smoking habit

Regarding "FDA may lower nicotine levels in cigarettes to fight addiction" (Chron.com, Monday), I don't smoke, but I see no logic in this. If someone wants to smoke, they will. And if one cigarette does not satisfy their nicotine craving, they will smoke a second one. All that will do is increase, or double, their exposure to tar and carcinogens.

David Barr, posted via Facebook

Gatekeepers

Regarding "Republican blame-a-thon erupts over failure to repeal Obamacare" (Page A6, Saturday), with all the noise surrounding the health care legislation issue, it's helpful to boil it down to the basics.

Republicans insist that private insurers remain the gatekeepers for health care and do not want to spend taxpayer money to subsidize insurance coverage for poorer Americans.

Every other industrialized country has proven this to be the wrong approach.

Michael Wright, Houston
Charles Dharapak/STF

Torture. It's illegal, immoral and ineffective. President Donald Trump seems to be a fan of it, given his repeated calls throughout his campaign to use waterboarding "and worse." Now, he has nominated Steven Bradbury, one of the infamous Bush administration "torture memo" authors, to an important administration post in the U.S. Department of Transportation. Bradbury's legal sign-off enabled some of the country's worst abuses after 9/11, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his committee colleagues must oppose his nomination. At a time of intense partisan division in our country, opposing torture and those who enable it should be one thing we can all agree on.

Bradbury spent many years serving in the Department of Justice, including as acting head of the Office of Legal Counsel during the Bush administration. In this role, he prepared official memoranda that provided legal cover for other agencies in the U.S. government to employ a program of detainee abuse and torture. These brutal methods - which included waterboarding - violated relevant domestic and international law that prohibits the use of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
In his speech on Long Island on Friday, President Donald Trump repeatedly used the word "animals" to describe gang members from the notorious MS-13, and framed them as absolutely different from other human beings, as irredeemably evil. He encouraged the front-line law enforcement officers in his audience to set aside their usual protocols for the humane treatment of prisoners and get rough with the suspects they detain while "liberating our American towns" from the scourge of the gang.

This kind of talk is not only disturbing, but dangerous.

It lays the foundation for human rights abuses by defining the targets as inhuman.

Of course, President Trump is not the first politician to employ such rhetoric or to push law enforcement to step over the line.

In El Salvador nearly 15 years ago, similar language from then-President Tony Saca helped to produce public consent for mano dura, or "iron fist," policies that criminalized youth association and expanded the discretion of security forces to trample on suspects' rights starting back in 2003.

These policies have ramped up over successive administrations of both left- and right-wing governments, escalating from "Iron Fist" to "Super Iron Fist" to "Extraordinary Measures" from 2015 to the present, during which time there has been a shocking increase in extrajudicial killings by police and military.

El Salvador is in crisis. Through my work as a cultural anthropologist, I have visited the country regularly for nearly 20 years.

During my last visit in January of this year, I saw the on-the-ground consequences of so many years of failed hard-line approaches to controlling the gang problem. Masked security forces with automatic weapons patrol poor neighborhoods and harass youth indiscriminately, and the population lives in fear of a plethora of armed actors - state forces, gangs and paramilitary death squads.

According to a Harvard Law School study, "Super Iron Fist" created a spiral of violence in the country. Rather than making El Salvador safer, the crackdown had the unintended effect of making the gangs stronger: "Far from being weakened by the campaigns against them, El Salvador's gangs '[e]veryday become more specialized, more organized,' and more adept at 'going unnoticed,'" the authors wrote, quoting an interview with a Salvadoran official.

While the strength of our well-funded law enforcement and judicial institutions makes it unlikely MS-13 will ever garner as much strength here as it has in El Salvador, a punitive approach may still undermine public safety.

In a recent interview, Houston's chief of police, Art Acevedo, focused on MS-13 as a serious contributor to violent crime in the city and expressed a will to go after the group with every resource at his disposal.

However, he acknowledged that MS-13 includes members born in the U.S. as well as immigrants, and he joined many other law enforcement leaders in expressing concerns about what he called the "chilling effect" of Trump's deportation crackdown, pointing out that this undermines trust and cooperation with the very communities police need to work with closely to address such criminal activity. "When you see that chilling effect, when the victims and witnesses of crime are hesitant to come forward because of the ugliness of this political debate, that is an absolute loss for all of us," said Acevedo, "and we should all be concerned."

Scapegoating immigrants for conditions of insecurity that are much more complicated makes for a rousing speech, but it is more than wrong-headed: Such rhetoric is dangerous, and the practices it encourages are ineffective.

The fiery sentiments produced by these political speeches create a groundswell of support for state policies and practices that undermine the rule of law, foster corruption and encourage the development of a "vigilante" attitude among law enforcement that ultimately undermines the public trust.

Along the way, Trump's discourse fosters the widespread misconception that Latino immigrants are likely to be criminals, when in fact they are statistically less likely to commit violent crimes than people born in the U.S.

Last Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions went to El Salvador to discuss public security and the fight against MS-13 with his counterparts in the "Northern Triangle" countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Unfortunately, Sessions is supporting (and the U.S. government is funding) the same failed security policies that have made life worse for Salvadorans. He is unlikely to recognize that further crackdown will create further insecurity, increasing the number of displaced people.

The administration's "get tough" policies are causing nothing but greater violence and suffering both within and beyond U.S. borders.

Hallett is an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at the University of Dayton in Ohio.
We love mothers, or at least we say we do, and we claim that motherhood is as American as apple pie.

We're lying. In fact, we've structured health care so that motherhood is far more deadly in the United States than in other advanced countries. An American woman is about five times as likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth as a British woman - partly because Britain makes a determined effort to save mothers' lives, and we don't.

Here in Texas, women die from pregnancy at a rate almost unrivaled in the industrialized world. A woman in Texas is about 10 times as likely to die from pregnancy as one in Spain or Sweden, and by all accounts, the health care plans proposed so far by Republicans would make maternal mortality even worse in Texas and across America.

Women die unnecessarily in Texas for many reasons, but it doesn't help that some women's health clinics have closed and that access to Medicaid is difficult.

I spent a day in Houston shadowing Dr. Lisa Hollier, the president-elect of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in her Center for Children and Women. Hollier is on a mission to make motherhood safer, because of an experience she had as a young medical resident many years ago.

Amy, 23, had arrived at the hospital with a headache near the end of an uncomplicated pregnancy, her first. Her husband was there, and everything seemed normal - and then Amy collapsed and lost consciousness.

Doctors performed an emergency C-section and saved the baby, a daughter, and Hollier struggled to keep Amy alive. She failed. Amy had suffered a preventable massive stroke, related to severe high blood pressure.

"I remember her husband," Hollier said, and she wiped her eyes at the memory. "Here's this dad, and it's supposed to be the happiest day of his life, and there's this look on his face. He's just so lost."

That happens somewhere in the United States on average twice a day.

My day with Hollier underscored that there's one very simple and inexpensive starting point: Help women and girls avoid pregnancies they don't want. "You can't die from a pregnancy when you're not pregnant," Hollier noted.

Almost half of pregnancies in America are unintended. And almost one-third of American girls will become pregnant as teenagers. (Meanwhile, President Donald Trump slashed $213 million in funding for teenage pregnancy prevention programs.)

One patient, Monica Leija, told Hollier that she had been on the pill but switched jobs, and her new position didn't offer insurance for the first three months. That meant she would have had to pay the $40-a-month cost herself, and she figured the odds were against her becoming pregnant during that window.

"I just didn't think it would happen," she said. Now she's bulging with a pregnancy at almost full term.

I heard a lot of comments like that. Derrion Harris, 21, has a year-old child who was not planned, and now Harris is sexually active again. Hollier asked if she uses birth control.

"I use condoms," she said, then corrected herself: "I use condoms sometimes."

Some of you readers are thinking this is outrageous irresponsibility. But we should also look at society's irresponsibility in failing to help all women and girls get access to long-acting reversible contraceptives, or LARCs.

The U.S. failure on maternal mortality is particularly striking because around the world, maternal mortality has plunged by almost half since 1990; the U.S. is a rare country in which maternal deaths have become more common in recent years.

Granted, saving lives in childbirth is often complicated. Hollier examined one pregnant patient, Sarvia Alonzo, who had had three previous C-sections, increasing the risk of a condition called placenta accreta that can lead women to bleed to death very rapidly. Alonzo is due for a C-section again and will have two surgeons perform it so that if there is a crisis, it will be easier to manage.

Saving lives also requires better prenatal care, yet more than a third of women in Texas don't have a single prenatal visit in the first trimester. One factor is that Texas politicians, on a rampage against Planned Parenthood, have in effect closed a number of women's health clinics.

The result seems to be more pregnancies as well as more Medicaid births. And, after the number of abortions declined for several years, the loss of clinics also apparently led to a slight increase in abortions in 2015, the most recent year with reported figures. Texas also has high rates of deaths from cervical cancer.

Within the U.S., California has done an outstanding job cutting maternal deaths and showing what is possible. A crucial step is careful counting of maternal deaths and investigation of each one to learn what could have been done differently.

Obstetrics & Gynecology, a medical journal, says that the U.S. ranks below every member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development industrialized club in maternal mortality, except for Mexico.

Obamacare helped tackle maternal mortality by expanding insurance coverage and by making contraception free. The Republican health care plans would instead follow the path of Texas, making motherhood more dangerous across America.

And this is pro-life?

Kristof is a New York Times columnist.
One person was injured Monday afternoon in a crash north of Houston, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said.

Tpr. Terry Nelson said a southbound 2013 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Taryn L. Sullins, 21, was stopped on U.S. 63 when a 2003 Chrysler Sebring operated by Caleb B. Rutledge, 20, struck it in the rear.

The mishap occurred near Antioch Drive and U.S. 63 about five miles south of Licking. Both vehicles were totaled, said Nelson. Each driver was wearing a seat belt.

Rutledge said he would seek his own medical treatment.

Assisting at the scene were Tpr. Travis Brown and the Licking Fire Department.
CHIHUAHUA, Mexico  Humane Society International welcomes the introduction of a bill to penalize a host of activities related to dogfighting in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. Congresswoman Nadia Xochitl Siqueiros Loera introduced the bill during a ceremony attended by HSI.

Dogfighting became a federal offence on June 22, thanks in part to HSIs efforts to convince legislators that the activity is not only immensely cruel to the animals involved its also surrounded by other criminal activities and violent behavior. Dogs subjected to the crime are trained to fight to the death and even the winners often succumb to their terrible injuries. While the countrys criminal code now includes dogfighting, it is also important that each state penalize it in their respective criminal codes.

Claudia Edwards, DVM, program director of HSI/Mexico, who was present at a press conference to mark the bills introduction, said: With dogfighting already a federal crime, its time for Chihuahua to establish strong penalties against this cruel activity in the state. If passed, this initiative would send a message to dogfighters  your crime will be punished to the fullest extent of Chihuahuas criminal code.

Dr. Edwards presented a lecture to local government officials and animal activists about dogfighting, including identifying the different types of fights and ways to organize raids against them. HSI/Mexico has conducted various trainings to Chihuahua officials on responding to extreme cases animal cruelty.

Legislators from other state congresses have presented similar initiatives to punish dogfighting. They include Xavier Lopez Adame, a member of the Green Ecologist Party of Mexico, who is president of the Commission for the Preservation of the Environment, Ecological Protection and Climate Change in the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City. Lopez Adame presented an initiative to reform Mexico Citys Animal Protection Act and the Criminal Code to penalize and eradicate dogfights.

Media contacts: Mexico: Magaly Garibay, mgaribay@ideeconsulting.com, (55) 5211 8731 ext. 104/U.S.: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1-301-721-6440
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In a move to provide businesses certainty over labour supply for the coming years Michael Gove has suggested that free movement will temporarily continue post Brexit. The Government is waking up to the fact that both the public and private sectors are yearning for certainty when it comes to planning their current and future recruitment strategy. It was no coincidence that the announcement was made the day following a meeting between the Government and top UK businesses.

Since then voices from the Cabinet have been confused at best. Amber Rudd stating that freedom of movement will end in March 2019. A day later Philip Hammond says that EU nationals will be free to work in UK post-Brexit only for Theresa May, this week, saying that freedom of movement will end in March 2019.

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Confused? Just imagine how the businesses they are trying to reassure feel about this. Providing certainty surely looks different. The question is though whether it should really be this confusing. Not really, because both sides of the argument are correct, they simply talk about different things altogether.

Theresa May and Amber Rudd are talking about freedom of movement under EU law as set out under Directive 2004/38/EC. Not an immigration status as such but a set of rights all EU students, workers and family members have to set up home, work and study in any of the 28 EU countries guaranteed for life after five years residency. A set of rights currently enjoyed by the3million EU nationals in the UK. An EU obligation the UK has to honour until the UK exits the EU. Here both May and Rudd are correct, this can and will probably end on the day of Brexit.

Both Hammond and Gove speak about free movement in looser terms, free movement in name only but in reality a new immigration status where EU nationals can enter the UK for work, maybe even bring their family, without falling under the current third country visa restrictions. In contrast to EU freedom of movement though, this will not be for life but time limited. It might also not include cross-border portability of pension and exclude other social security elements currently protected by EU law.

Whatever the new arrangement is called and whatever it entails though it does not deliver on what the government is hoping to achieve: certainty for employers. A new form of free movement post Brexit might be a reprieve but it does not tackle the main issues causing uncertainty in the first place.

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Firstly, businesses are already unsure over their current recruits, future recruitment and even about EU nationals they have employed since triggering Article 50. The government proposal for future rights of the 3.2 million EU nationals in the UK states that the cut-off date for the new 'settled status', and thus the right to remain and work in the UK indefinitely, will be at any point between March 2017, the date of triggering Article 50, and the day we exit the EU. Thus, any EU nationals employed since might lose the right to work when the newly proposed post Brexit 'free movement' runs out. With this being proposed for 2022 this could be in only four years time making any long term recruitment and training strategy impossible. Planning is only possible for seasonal workers and short term assignments.

Secondly, the lack of documentation to prove that EU nationals currently here have the right to work and remain indefinitely makes it very hard for businesses to distinguish between those who have been here before the yet unknown cut-off date and those who arrived post. Extending any form of free movement will only increase this problem. EU nationals will be unable to prove that they will be eligible to work in the UK indefinitely and with the Home Office using employers to play immigration enforcement both businesses and EU nationals feel no more certain.

Thus, extension of 'free movement' is not the solution. As so often modern German has a fitting word for what the government is doing: 'Verschlimmbessern', making a situation worse by trying to implement measures intended to improve the situation.
Egyptian journalist from state-owned newspaper Al-Akhbar Mohamed El-Battawi has been released from prison after spending over two years in jail over accusations of joining the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood organisation, press syndicate board member Amr Badr told Ahram Online on Tuesday.

El-Battawi was arrested in June 2015, with his detention renewed periodically pending investigation.

He was released after exceeding the maximum two-year period of detention without trial allowed by law.

The journalist has been transferred to El-Khalifa police department in Cairo on Monday night pending official release procedures, Badr said.

El-Battawi has been a member of the Egyptian Press Syndicate since 2007.

The Muslim Brotherhood was designated a terrorist group in Egypt in 2013.

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Theresa May said in her first speech as PM in July 2016 that shortcomings in mental health provision were one of the ''burning injustices'' of our society. She was absolutely correct. For too long a lack of mental health nurses, inadequacy of services, lack of funding as well as geographic, economic, and racial inequalities have meant that lives were being blighted .

The provision of mental health services in Britain are desperately failing the millions of people who are affected by mental health problems. As a society, we have made worthy strides in raising awareness and reducing stigma, but the government has for too long been falling woefully short.

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In an effort to turn rhetoric into action, the government has recently outlined plans to spend an additional 1.3bn on mental health services and for thousands of new roles to be recruited in a new 'mental health workforce plan.' This plan aims to treat an extra one million patients by 2020 to 2021 to address what Jeremy Hunt has called an ''historical imbalance'' in the NHS.

The plans set out to recruit 2,000 additional nurses, consultants and therapist posts created in child and adolescent mental health services, with 2,900 additional therapists and 4,800 additional posts for nurses and therapists working in crisis care settings.

Theresa May has also promised to bring in wide-ranging reforms to the current Mental Health Act to reduce the numbers of those affected by mental health problems being detained in police cells. Those who use mental health services account for 50% of deaths in police custody and May says the plans ''finally confronts the discrimination and unnecessary detention that takes place too often.''

The effect on the black community of this detention has been particularly staggering, with the UK's Afro-Caribbean community most likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act despite there not appearing to be a high prevalence of mental health problems among this section of society.

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The current disparity in service provision across the country also means those who are socioeconomically deprived are less likely to seek help for mental health issues. They are also less likely to be referred to specialist mental health services according to the Samaritans.

This shows a desperate need for the government to get this right, as people across the country are being consistently failed and their health is at risk as a result.

However, the Conservative's track record so far on mental health is staggeringly poor. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said that there are 5,000 fewer mental health nurses since 2010. The RCN also questioned how these targets can be achieved as for nurses to be ready, training would have to begin next month. The announcement was welcomed but the RCN stressed the need for detail and proper funding.

Under the current administration the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated 40% of mental health services in England as unsafe, which Labour said highlighted ''the Tories' true record on mental health: waiting times increasing, falling numbers of mental health nurses, patients being sent many miles from home for treatment and one in four mental health services being given the poorest ratings by the CQC.''

In this commitment by the government, the lack of detail is troubling, and doesn't appear to address some of the failures of the government to solve systemic problems in the NHS. The removal of bursaries for nurses has seen a ''sharp fall in university applications and we are yet to see funding for additional places'' according to Janet Davies, the Chief Executive of the RCN. Additionally, the 1% pay cap remains in place and so Jeremy Hunt's commitment to drive recruitment looks to be built on a very flimsy foundation.

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Barbara Keeley, the Shadow Minister for Mental Health said that ''the workforce plan provides no real answers on how these new posts will be funded or how recruitment issues will be overcome. And it offers little hope to those working in the sector faced with mounting workloads, low pay and poor morale.'' She added that Labour would ring-fence funding, reinstate bursaries for nurses and lift the 1% pay-cap if elected into power.
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Too often, the debate over how we can provide everyone in this country with a suitable income for living is shirked. Last week, journalist Abi Wilkinson injected new vigour in to this topic by suggesting, under the aptly titled "Utopian Thinking" in The Guardian, that we implement a 100% Inheritance Tax to fund the welfare state.

Now if, like me, you feel slightly uncomfortable with an ideological drive calling for government to raid the dead for all they've got, but are still keen on helping all that live in this rich country lead a comfortable life, there is another solution.

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The Negative Income Tax (NIT) is a concept that was first concocted by former Liberal MP Juliet Rhys-Williams in the 1940s before being popularised by classical liberal economist Milton Friedman.

Essentially, NIT is a means of replacing most welfare payments with a single government subsidy that should grant everybody a decent standard of living.

Let's propose that the Personal allowance was raised to 30,000 a year, and both the income tax and the NIT withdrawal rate were at 50%. That would mean, under this model, that those earning nothing would receive 15,000 a year from the government.

People earning 30,000 a year would receive no subsidy from government but would also pay no tax, whereas those earning say 60,000 a year would pay 15,000 in tax a year.

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The premise of setting a withdrawal rate is hinged on the idea that NIT incentives work, so people are always better off with a job, but are still not destitute without one.

It's worth bearing in mind that I am not an economist, these numbers are hypothetical and purely used to illustrate my point - but I digress.

Whilst this concept has only gone as far as trialled implementation in North America, it is crucial that politicians on this side of the pond now seriously consider NIT as a means for sharing the nation's prosperity in as fair a way as possible.

The trials, which take place between the 1960s and 1980s in Seattle, Denver, Gary, Iowa, North Carolina, New Jersey and Manitoba, drew remarkable conclusions.

Whilst, they did find that worker effort decreased modestly, and more so, under the more generous withdrawal rates in Seattle and Denver. However, it also found that the reduction in the need for younger people to work allowed them to refocus their attentions on education.

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As well as this, the widespread concerns that families partaking in the 1976 Gary trials would work less and spend frivolously on luxury material goods failed to materialise. Instead, the study found that families spent their subsidies on housing, a key issue in the city at the time, and the small-scale Manitoba experiment managed to lift over 1,000 families out of poverty altogether.

So whilst there is a heap of evidence to suggest that NIT would ensure a basic standard of living for all people, it would also drastically streamline the gargantuan complexities of the UK's tax system and the costly administration that accompanies it.

The Adam Smith Institute, whilst not only endorsing this system as a means of welfare which incentivises work, also estimates that it would save British taxpayers up to 6bn in administration costs if it became government policy.

It works, it's fair. It gives people freedom, it gives them stability. It saves the government money, it saves people's lives. What is not to like?
For many people, WannaCry was the first they had heard of ransomware. Many others had just a vague awareness of the problem and the potential damages that ransomware can inflict.

The threat from cybercrime generally, and ransomware in particular, is one that we must all take seriously. The criminals behind ransomware direct their attacks mainly at consumers. Nevertheless, the number of attacks on businesses continues to grow: at the start of 2016, around 17 per cent of crypto-ransomware attacks targeted the corporate sector; by the end of the year, this had risen to around 24 per cent.

As WannaCry showed, unpatched operating systems become "easy targets". Therefore, individuals and businesses alike must automate the update process and invest in software that protects against malware - not only on traditional computers, but on tablets and mobile phones as well.

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As the news about WannaCry broke, it quickly became apparent that the attack was spreading fast, as companies and organisations around the globe put their hands up to report that attacks had taken place on their computer networks.

The WannaCry outbreak stood out from all previous ransomware attacks due to the speed with which it spread, exploiting a vulnerability in Windows that Microsoft had already patched: sadly, many organisations had failed to apply the patch. Having infected vulnerable computers, the malware encrypted data and demanded a ransom of between $300 and $600 to decrypt it. WannaCry infected more than 200,000 computers in more than 150 countries.

ExPetr was unleashed on 27 June, just weeks after the WannaCry epidemic. The malware attacked at least 2,000 targets - mostly organisations in Ukraine and Russia, although businesses in Poland, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, China, France and several other countries were also affected.

It seemed like yet another ransomware attack - albeit a more targeted one. However, it soon became apparent that ExPetr was a wiper masquerading as ransomware - that is, its aim was to destroy data rather than to extort money from the victims. The encryption code in ExPetr was implemented in such a way that it was completely impossible to decrypt files, even if the victims paid the ransom. Clearly, for businesses of any kind, but especially industrial facilities and critical infrastructure installations, the consequences of a successful attack malware of this sort can be devastating.

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What did WannaCry and ExPetr have in common? They both exploited a vulnerability (more than one, in the case of ExPetr) in order to spread. The update to fix the vulnerability was already available. But many organisations hadn't applied the patch.

This issue isn't peculiar to WannaCry and ExPetr, or even to ransomware. Many malicious programs take advantage of vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications in order to infect and spread. By applying updates as soon as they become available, organisations can reduce their exposure to attack. What WannaCry and ExPetr have done is to throw this problem into sharp relief and to underline the crippling effects that ransomware can have on IT systems.

Preventing ransomware

Cybersecurity is an ongoing process that involves more than deploying an "out-of-the-box" solution. It must include the development of security policies and processes, and these must be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are appropriate.

In addition, it's important to note that these measures don't just apply to organisations - individual consumers are at much as risk as companies when it comes to cyber-attacks. It's tempting to click 'remind me later' when you get a pop-up update notification, especially when you're in the middle of a task, but by delaying the installation you're putting your cyber-safety at risk. WannaCry and ExPetr capitalised on specific vulnerabilities in Windows that Microsoft had already fixed - the computers that were hit wouldn't have been infected had the victims applied the appropriate patches. Applying updates as soon as they're available is a crucial first step in ensuring your safety - and the following checklist provides additional points for developing best cyber-security practice:

 Backup data regularly. Data should be backed-up to a drive or device that is not normally connected to the computer - otherwise data stored on it could be encrypted too if you fall victim to a ransomware attack.

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 Use a security solution that includes behavior-based detection technologies. Proactive technologies can catch malware, including ransomware, by monitoring how it operates on an attacked system and making it possible to detect fresh, unknown, samples of ransomware.

 Conduct a security assessment of the network (including a security audit, penetration testing and gap analysis) to identify and remove any security loopholes. Review external vendor and third-party security policies, since they might also have access to your network.

 Implement good network management practices. Don't assign administrator rights to staff automatically; restrict write access to data and segment the network to restrict lateral movement of malware that gets through the perimeter defences.

 Make use of external intelligence: intelligence from reputable vendors and partners helps organisations to predict and guard against future attacks.

 Educate your employees. While WannaCry and ExPetr spread automatically, without human involvement, most malware gains a foothold in an organisation by tricking employees into doing something that jeopardises corporate security. Therefore, it's vital to develop a security culture in your organisation. In particular, encourage staff to be cautious about opening email attachments or clicking on links.

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In today's high-tech world, big data is expanding the horizons of many different industries. Some of the most exciting advances can be seen in healthcare, where big data makes it easier to detect outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases, like influenza and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

We call this 'biosurveillance.' It's a growing field in medicine and public health, which looks for patterns in online searches related to the signs and symptoms of a disease. Analysis of doctors' searches allows us to be alerted when doctors in a particular region suddenly begin to see the same symptoms - symptoms that could be the early signs of a potentially deadly outbreak. The reason we can see these patterns is that many doctors around the world are using digital tools to search for clinical information and evidence. As they do, it becomes possible to identify spikes in their searches.

As a doctor and infectious disease specialist, I'm fascinated by the potential of health information technology to be used as a new weapon in public health. Although traditional techniques for detecting and monitoring outbreaks continue to be important for protecting public health, these approaches can be slow and don't always detect all cases.

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I came across the possibility of using digital medical information for biosurveillance through my company, which makes one of the world's most widely used online medical references, called UpToDate. More than a million doctors in over 180 countries use UpToDate to support their decisions while caring for patients. They can look up advice on the best approach to the diagnosis and treatment of different conditions and back up their decisions with the latest evidence. Because UpToDate is so heavily consulted - with over 35 million topic views per month - we wanted to see if our users' searches could enable us to identify infectious disease outbreaks.

Based on the research we have done to date, the answer is yes. Take the spike in doctors' searches we found in 2014 and 2015 in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for information relating to MERS. MERS is a potentially deadly viral infection that emerged in the Middle East in 2012 and continues to cause outbreaks. The increase in UpToDate searches for MERS and its symptoms in cities in Saudi Arabia correlated with three different outbreaks in hospitals there. The individual doctors probably couldn't see the pattern emerge on a case-by-case basis. But stepping back and allowing the data to paint the big picture showed the pattern of the outbreaks.

We have also analysed UpToDate search activity in the setting of several infectious disease outbreaks in Arizona and found similar results. In some cases, we even found that clinicians were searching UpToDate for information about a disease before the earliest cases were reported to public health authorities.

Analysing global search activity on health topics has been done before. Google saw the potential when it developed Google Flu Trends, using patterns in search queries from the public to predict or detect influenza outbreaks. There is also a lot of interest in using content in social media apps to detect outbreaks.

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However, analysing what clinicians themselves are searching for, based on their consultations with patients, is more likely to relate to actual cases (rather than other factors such as the public's fears about a possible outbreak reported in the media). And since these tools only need the clinician to have a smartphone and an internet connection, it could be possible to identify patterns suggestive of an outbreak from most places in the world. All that is needed is a focused effort to analyse the information that the tools generate.

The stakes are high. As we saw with Ebola, public health authorities have been caught off guard by outbreaks around the world. The wide use of digital information tools in medicine opens up the possibility for biosurveillance to help us detect outbreaks earlier. By doing so, public health authorities would be better able to halt such outbreaks, preventing new infections and their complications, and even saving lives.
Last week, as I was retuning to my flat from the Law Centre at Aix-en-Provence in southern France, I decided to drop into the wine shop in my neighbourhood for a nice bottle of - very chilled - dry white wine.

As happens often, the owner of the shop struck up a conversation with me. When he found out that I had travelled to his town from London in order to deliver a few public talks, our conversation quite quickly drifted toward Brexit. Blunt in an endearingly French way, he informed me that we in the UK were stupid to pull out of the EU and that our former PM David Cameron had been reckless (his word in French was much spicier!) to go for a referendum that asked a question but never explained its consequences and therefore allowed the electorate to vote with their hearts and not their brains. If you Brits are as clever as you think you are, he intoned, you should have stayed in the EU bloc and then forged changes from within - rather than spend your time undermining the EU institutions.

Before I had an opportunity to interject with my own viewpoint, he cascaded his conversation further by explaining why France was also sick to the teeth of EU bureaucracy. However, he opined, France (despite Marine Le Pen and her FN Party) in its majority held tightly to the ideals of the EU. Everything else could be sorted out eventually. Emmanuel Macron, ne segued, might come across as smarmy or cocky given his 39 green years, but he will introduce reforms that will strengthen the EU. Unlike your bunch of smirking Brexiteers, he added sneeringly!

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True, we voted to leave the EU. But we had no idea whatsoever what such an exit meant for us and for our way of life. A few charismatic politicians won 52% of us over with illusions - no, make that delusions - of post-colonial priapism and economic affluence that will make the UK an unbeatable global force again. Cameron was advised wrongly by his SpAds and we are now in a mess that is almost inextricable.

So what are our messy options to date? Let me allude to the 6 broad possibilities that have been enumerated and mooted by the likes of FT, The Guardian and The Huff Post. They range from hard to soft:

No deal: The UK would no longer be bound by the EU treaties and there would be nothing to replace the thousands of international agreements stemming from it.

Divorce-only agreement: The UK would strike an Article 50 agreement on its exit from the EU, with interim trade based on WTO rules. There will still be no agreement to replace EU membership.

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Limited tariff-free deal: Britain strikes a limited free-trade agreement for tariff-free trade in goods with the option to agree deals with other countries. However, there would be no guaranteed access to the EU market for the services sector.

Far-ranging trade deal: Britain would dent its sovereignty and sign a comprehensive trade deal covering most aspects of trade. Some UK politicians would be loath to accept this outcome.

Customs Union: Agreeing a new customs union would seek to smooth trade at the UK-EU border. It would allow Britain to negotiate its own deals for services, and agriculture, and set many domestic regulations but external goods tariffs and goods trade deals would be run by the EU.

Single Market: This is the full enchilada! Were Britain to remain in the single market by retaining membership of the EEA, it would ensure continued regulatory harmony with the EU and tariff-free trade. This would mean that many services placed on the market in the country could be sold in any EU state. It could become the equivalent on the trade side to continued EU membership.

Following our General Election last June, it is clear that a 'softer' Brexit is now on the table. But what does this mean for businesses let alone ordinary men and women living in the UK or in the other 27 EU member-states?

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Let me come back to my wine merchant.

The difference between him (and other continental Europeans) and many of us in the UK is that European citizens have by and large wedded themselves with the EU - warts and all. We in the UK have not ever since our accession in 1973: we tried to have our cake and eat it at the General Election but it backfired on us badly. What we are owed by our politicians now is some unspun candour. Mind you, we might need to tweak a few rules or seek exception from a few laws, but it would be absurd in my books at least to turn our backs on the largest single market next door to us.
Seven weeks on from the imposition of the air, sea and land blockade on the tiny kingdom of Qatar by its Gulf neighbours, the fog of charge and counter charge has begun to clear.

Analysts have struggled to interpret the worst diplomatic dispute in the region for decades, which threatens to destabilise wider relationships in the Gulf. There are long standing tensions over Qatar's determination to play a role on the world stage, which has irritated its neighbours. But what caused the four countries - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain - to dramatically up the stakes by accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism, remains unexplained.

Mohammed Salah, a building supplies exporter in Dubai, summed it up. "One minute we are doing business with Qatar, the next we are told we are doing business with terrorists. It is all so confusing," he told the Financial Times.

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Now it has emerged that a key trigger for the dispute - incendiary quotes the Emir of Qatar is alleged to have made praising Iran and Hamas - were, in fact, invented. According to the Washington Post, US Intelligence has concluded that the United Arab Emirates - one of the Gang of Four - was responsible for a hack of Qatari government news and social media sites in May in which the fabricated quotes were planted.

So the state sponsors of the Qatar blockade who have claimed the moral high ground in the dispute, demanding "trust' and "transparency" from their neighbour, have instead been exposed resorting to fake news in order to engineer a crisis.

The UAE has denied the Washington Post story. Amid the claims, counter claims and obfuscation that has characterised this crisis from the start, it has been hard to disentangle the truth.

Last Friday, the Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, said he was ready for talks to end the crisis on condition that the emirate's sovereignty was respected. Ignoring the fabricated allegations against him, he said he was committed to a policy of "economic openness and diversification" and the development of "our educational, research and media institutions" in order to build the country's independence, maintain its security and strengthen relations with other parts of the world. "This is no longer a matter of luxury for us, but a binding and inevitable course of action," he said.

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Foreign diplomats and heads of state have criss-crossed the region in search of a compromise. This week it was the turn of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who began a two day visit to the region on Sunday. Turkey has a military base in Qatar and has been a vocal supporter of the emirate in the dispute, but it does more trade with the four countries ranged against it. Mr Erdogan has referred to Saudi Arabia as the "elder statesman" in the crisis and said it had "a big role to play" in ending it.

The impact of the blockade, designed to isolate the gas-rich state, is hard to determine. After the initial panic, when Qataris cleared the supermarket shelves, food supplies and other goods are now flowing into Qatar's docks and airports, with the assistance of Turkey and Iran. But businesses in Dubai and elsewhere in the Middle East are having to be circumspect about doing deals with a country that may cause them to be blacklisted with other customers.

Qatar is classified by the UN as the most advanced Arab state for human development. The country has made enormous investments in education, science and medicine. It has brought eight international universities - six from the US (Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Texas A&M, Northwestern and Virginia Commonwealth), one from France and one from the UK - to the region, provided them with world-class facilities in its hub, known as Education City , and guaranteed academic freedom, thereby embracing important enlightenment values in a culturally conservative, predominantly Muslim society.

It has established the Sidra Medical and Research Center Centre for Women and Children, , a state of the art hospital opened in 2016 which is the first of its kind in the Middle East and planned as a resource for the whole Gulf region. It hosts two international summits, the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) and the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), which I chair, attended by thousands of global experts, which have created a unique platform that brings together ministers, industry leaders, policy makers and academics.
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Although climate change probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you're planning a trip abroad, the reality is that many parts of the world are under threat from rising sea levels, higher temperatures and extreme weather events.

Popular tourist destinations are no exception, and research shows that the catastrophic effects of climate change are already being felt everywhere from Australia to Northern Europe.

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Some of the world's most gorgeous locations are even at risk of disappearing entirely, so here are some of the places to visit before they're altered forever by climate change.

1. The Great Barrier Reef

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The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. As the largest ecosystem on Earth, it's home to a huge variety of marine plants and animals, including ancient sea turtles, more than 1500 species of fish and over 400 types of hard coral.

Unfortunately, steadily warming oceans have lead to bleaching of the coral, and in 2016 almost a third of the reef's coral died. Researchers speculate that if drastic action isn't taken to reverse global warming, the Great Barrier Reef may not recover from the stress of higher temperatures.

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2. Mount Kilimanjaro

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Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is Africa's highest mountain and is well-known for its snow-capped peaks, which make for a striking contrast against the lush green backdrop of the African wilderness.

However, as global temperatures continue to rise the snow and ice will inevitably be lost. Research shows that 85% of the ice on Mount Kilimanjaro has already melted away during the last century and experts predict that its ice caps may be gone by the year 2022.

3. Joshua Tree National Park

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Joshua Tree National Park in California is home to a distinctive desert plant known as the Joshua tree, which only grows in the Mojave Desert. But even deserts need rain, and increasingly severe droughts have prevented the iconic trees from reproducing.

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On average the Mojave Desert should receive five inches of rain each year, but in recent years this has been reduced to only one inch. If these hot and dry conditions persist, the trees may soon be extinct.

4. The Alps

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Situated in Central Europe, the Alps attract nearly 120 million skiers and vacationers from all over the world each year. Because of their lower altitude compared to many other famous ski regions, however, the Alps are particularly sensitive to the rise in global temperatures.

Already, around 3% of Alpine glacial ice is lost each year, and researchers believe that at this rate the glaciers may be completely gone by 2050.

5. The Maldives

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The Maldives has gained a reputation for being an ideal honeymoon destination thanks to its secluded beaches and crystal clear waters. However, one frequently overlooked reason to visit this idyllic island nation is that it may not be around for much longer.

The Maldives is one of the lowest lying nations on the planet, which means it's particularly susceptible to the dangers of rising sea levels. Some experts believe it could be submerged in as little as 30 years.

6. The Dead Sea

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The Dead Sea, bordered by Jordan and Israel in the Middle East, is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. The lake attracts millions of visitors each year and is known not only for its therapeutic properties, but also for being nine times saltier than an ocean.

Sadly, rising global temperatures as well as the construction of dams and pipelines have caused the lake to shrink by a third over the last 40 years. It's believed that the lake could disappear in less than 50 years if it continues to lose water at its current rate.

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7. Ilulissat Icefjord

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The Ilulissat Icefjord in western Greenland is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the best place in the world to watch a natural phenomenon known as "glacier calving," where large chunks of ice break off the glaciers and crash into the water below.

Unfortunately, global warming has been causing the glaciers to shrink at an alarming rate, and the glacier has already receded by 10 miles since 2001.

Keep in mind that travel can also impact the environment, so i's important to travel responsibly and choose green tour companies and hotels. You can also look for ways to offset your carbon footprint and give back, such as planting trees or making a donation to one of the organizations that work to protect the environment you'll be visiting.

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The Home Secretary is on a mission to set the record straight. After a string of perplexing, passionately ignorant interviews in which she attacked WhatsApp and hashtags as the tools of terrorists earlier this year, Amber Rudd has jetted off to Silicon Valley to explain what she really wants tech companies to do.

That her clarification started with "We don't want to ban encryption, but..." is not a good sign. That she described "trade-offs between security and usability" as "opportunities" is chilling.

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Bear one thing in mind when you hear the Government attacking encryption - they are attacking nothing less than your basic human rights.

End-to-end encryption, core to popular messengers such as WhatsApp and Signal, gives our online conversations the same level of privacy that we usually have in the offline world. It's like having a private conversation in a room - only the people in the conversation can read the messages. WhatsApp, criminals, stalkers, or jealous partners can't listen in - and neither can the State.

But Rudd is demanding that we sacrifice our private lives in the name of tackling terrorism. Her attack is as ignorant as it is authoritarian.

The police and intelligence agencies have a range of intrusive means - including hacking - to spy on the phones of terror suspects, regardless of whether they are using encrypted messengers.

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Think back to the private conversation in a room that WhatsApp offers you. Hacking a phone is like simultaneously bugging and raiding that room, while also taking a copy of every letter, file and book in every room in the house - without the owner ever knowing about it.

So why is Rudd persisting with this unnecessary attack on the world's most popular messenger?

The uncomfortable truth is that the British Government spies on its citizens - and while WhatsApp cannot shield individual targets from surveillance, end-to-end encryption makes it harder and more expensive for the State to spy on the rest of us.

Rudd says "real people" don't mind the Government having a snoop - only terrorists care about privacy. I fear, somewhere between the political elite's WhatsApp group chats and the glittering corridors of Whitehall, Rudd may have lost her grip on what "real people" want - including the one billion people around the world who use WhatsApp every single day.

In a digital world plagued by State surveillance, cyberattacks, hacks and leaks, those billion real people care about privacy more than ever. They know that encryption is our first line of defence.

And as a human rights organisation, we at Liberty work with people who truly rely on encryption for their protection from criminals or from the abuses of state surveillance. For whistleblowers, activists, journalists, sources, lawyers and victims of abuse, encryption is a lifeline. Are they not "real people" in the Home Secretary's eyes?

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In some countries, the simple liberty of a private conversation that WhatsApp offers can even be life-saving, whether for LGBT people or those fighting state oppression. What example does our Government set for the rest of the world with its self-professed 'world-leading' attacks on privacy?

It's worth noting that both China and Russia have banned VPNs this week - software that allows citizens to privately browse the web beyond the gaze of the State.

And citing UK law against encryption, the Australian Prime Minister was recently emboldened to make one of his greatest gaffes - declaring that the laws of Australia trump the laws of maths.

The scary thing is the Home Secretary's words are more than an empty threat. The Investigatory Powers Act which passed into law at the end of 2016 actually gives Rudd the power to go ahead and backdoor the entire WhatsApp service in total secrecy - without us even knowing about it.

So Liberty is taking the Government to court. Sacrificing our rights is a feeble and unnecessary surrender of the values terrorists seek to destroy - and it doesn't even make us safer, online or off.

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Another day, another prison riot. This time it's at The Mount, a perfectly ordinary 30-year-old prison on the outskirts of London--not some Victorian hell hole waiting for the bulldozers to move in. And this the week after another set of statistics showing accelerating violence, self-harm and death in our prison system. The coruscating annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons feels like a distant memory only three weeks after it was headline news.

So does the riot at The Mount tell us anything we don't already know, and might just be bored of being told?

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It will certainly have raised eyebrows in the prison service hierarchy and will be giving some Governors a sleepless night. Because prisons like The Mount aren't supposed to cause this kind of difficulty. Its last inspection in 2015 was pretty good, and for the London prisoners facing a transfer away from the capital to serve a longish sentence, The Mount would normally be seen as one of the better options.

The Mount is a bigger place than it used to be - part of the government's "solution" of increasing prison capacity. It has 250 more beds that it used to, and money to recruit the staff to match. But of course it doesn't have the staff, and though the beds are slept in, the education and work facilities will be underused because prisoners are locked up for too long. A prison that could and should deliver what the government wants is just the latest victim of a system that is under more pressure than it can handle.

Governments of the last two decades have built 15 new prisons, not to mention countless new house blocks on existing sites. There is nothing in the least bit new or innovative about a prison reform programme based on new for old buildings and extra staff. But throughout those decades of expansion, the rate of overcrowding has not changed a whit - 25% of prisoners in the system have been sharing cells they shouldn't for the whole of that period. Above all, we continue to use prison out of exasperation with persistent and low level offending - of the 68,000 people sent to prison last year, around three quarters had committed a non-violent offence, and nearly half were sentenced to less than six months - a maximum of 12 weeks inside.

It simply isn't controversial anymore to state that the prison population will always expand to fill 25% more than the available space. We have over 20 years' experience of building more cells to prove it. But there is an experiment taking place very close to home that tries a different approach. The Scottish Government has consulted on whether to extend an existing statutory presumption against short periods of imprisonment from sentences of three months to sentences of 12 months.

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This is what one commentator had to say about that this week:

"It sounds terrifying, unfair, downright soft. But the figures show that phasing out short sentences works. "Crime is down. Reoffending is down. The endless revolving door, churning offenders in and out of Scotland's jails, is slowing. "Prison works. But it works best when the punishment is reserved for those who threaten public safety, those who most deserve it. "And the expertise of those who are most skilled in reforming prisoners and changing lives should go to those who need it most."

Not the Prison Reform Trust or the Howard League, but the Scottish Sun. And here's what its English equivalent opined in an editorial last week:

"The fact that half our prisons are of "serious concern" or "concern" is not the fault of the new Justice Secretary, David Lidington. But fixing them falls to him...He must question why we hold so many lags who are no danger to anyone on the outside."
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Coal miners used to carry a canary down into the pit, to act as early warning: if methane started seeping in, the canary would stop singing before the level of human hazard was reached.

The current controversy about chlorinated chickens has been dismissed by Liam Fox as a media distraction. In reality, it is the modern equivalent of the canary as we enter into the dark unknown territory of post-Brexit trade negotiations.

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Here's why.

The issue, superficially, is just about whether we should accept US chickens that don't meet EU standards as part of a post-Brexit trade deal. We can debate the desirability of accepting the health hazards of factory farming and trying to fix them with chlorine. But the first fundamental point is this: if we open the British market to food that Europe considers sub-standard, we automatically close the European market to the same British products. Otherwise, Britain would become a convenient channel for US exporters to funnel their otherwise banned products into Europe.

This creates a double whammy for British farmers, simultaneously undercut on their home market by US imports and cut off from their main export market. In theory, Britain could negotiate a new trade deal with Europe creating an inspection and certification system to distinguish chicken produced within or outside the European standard. Good luck with that: it would take years to negotiate and set up and cost a fortune to operate.

This has implications far beyond the chicken industry and the similar issues relating to hormone-fed beef, and meat and milk from clones and GM animals. Indeed, when politicians talk blithely about Britain negotiating new trade deals, any change in any industry which means that products not accepted in Europe can enter Britain will introduce a "hard" Brexit for those products. And if there are multiple products of this kind, then we're going to see strict border controls for goods in general.

The second fundamental issue is what we want to get out of Brexit. We voted collectively to "take back control". But control to do what? It is possible to imagine a bargain-basement Britain, in which we welcome any goods with minimal quality controls so long as they're cheap: health, the environment and animal welfare would be less important than getting 10% off. Would that feel like taking back control? Probably not.

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Or we could, as Michael Gove has argued in his ground-breaking recent speeches, use Brexit to make Britain take a lead in welfare and environmental standards. People would want to buy British because we had high standards. And having higher standards than other countries is no obstacle to exports. Germany did it after the war with their industrial products: nobody ever bought a BMW because they thought it would be cheaper than a Skoda, but because they thought it would be better.

Compassion in World Farming is against drenching chickens in chlorine because it masks rather than addresses the problems of factory farming. But even as individual citizens we should surely all want trade solutions that don't devastate domestic producers and which make Britain lead the world in standards.
Egypt's Education Minister Tarek Shawky announced on Tuesday the cancellation of the Primary Education Certificate, part of his plan to reform the nation's primary education system, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported.



At a press conference in Cairo, Shawky said the ministry had decided to consider the 6th Grade of primary school as a normal school year, cancelling the certificate that is normally gained at this point.



He said that the final exams for the 6th Grade would be marked by teachers from outside the schools to ensure the "seriousness of those exams".



Egypt's primary school stage lasts six-years and is followed by a three-year preparatory stage, after which students begin their secondary education.



The minister also revealed in the press conference that a new secondary education system would replace the traditional Thanaweya Amma system, starting from the school year 2018-19.



"Your children are not lab rats. The secondary stage bogeyman is finished," he said.



Shawky said the new secondary school system would be based upon the Grade Point Average (GPA) system.



The new system would involve two types of evaluation, said Shawky. The first would be based on school coursework, while the second would consist of multi-choice questions that would be electronically marked.



In July, during the Fourth National Youth Conference, Shawky announced that a new secondary stage would be implemented after testing.



He also discussed the ministry's programme to establish special schools for outstanding students, and the government's national school-building programme, including partnerships with the private sector.

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How does Elon Musk run his famously efficient meetings? originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Isabelle Daigle, Marketing at Hello Focus:

Dazzlingly effective CEOs are equipped with an array of talents, and the ability to run meetings effectively is one of their core skills. Unproductive meetings cost U.S. companies an estimated $37 billion each year, representing a large chunk of the 11 billion meetings that American workers sit through every year. Poorly run meetings sidetrack everyone's energy and waste valuable worker time, dissipating initiative and lowering productivity.

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Elon Musk approaches meetings the same way he approaches every aspect of his work. With his fiercely driven personal style, he has elevated the practice of efficient meetings to a science by following these four key practices:

1. Require That Everyone be Prepared

There's no point in scheduling meetings until each participant has their contribution well-researched and fully ready for prime time. Proactive preparation should be the whole basis for gathering face to face, rather than just fulfilling some pre-established routine meeting schedule. The sheer force of Elon Musk's personality makes it very difficult for an employee who isn't prepared to answer a followup question or otherwise demonstrate that they've done their homework.

2. Reduce Everything to Basic Facts

Elon Musk famously articulates a paradigm of "First Principles." This term refers to his reliance on basic truths and facts rather than on comparisons to what's already been done. When Musk holds meetings, he expects his team to break down a topic into its molecular facts and then present those in a coherent way. He relies on his team to not only think outside the box but to deconstruct and analyze the whole way the box is put together.

According to an in-depth profile published in GQ, "Elon Musk's leadership, his ability to inspire and motivate the people who work for him, derives completely, and only, from his knowledge. The knowledge -- the millions upon millions of facts that he has not forgotten -- is itself a form of charisma, that infectious 'thing you just can't put your finger on' that we normally expect to see in the form of 'star power.'"

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3. Keep the Long-Term Vision in Sight

The path to success may be littered with failures along the way, and team members can get discouraged if they don't feel connected to a vision of eventual success. Musk's company SpaceX had three failed launches of its Falcon 1 rocket, and the team was feeling deeply disheartened. Musk's response was as follows: "For my part, I will never give up, and I mean never." His clear determination helped renew the team's focus on finding solutions. One SpaceX employee commented on the power of Musk's statement: "I think most of us would have followed him into the gates of hell carrying suntan oil after that. It was the most impressive display of leadership that I have ever witnessed. Within moments the energy of the building went from despair and defeat to a massive buzz of determination as people began to focus on moving forward instead of looking back."

4. Don't Expect More at Your Meeting Than You're Doing Yourself

"No matter how hard you work, someone else is working harder." This is a SpaceX expression that was shared at meetings to keep everyone moving. And a Tesla employee comments "If you believe that a task should take a year, then Elon wants it done in a week." Musk's intense level of expectations may not be comfortable, but all his employees know that he models the same dedication that he requires from his staff.

A Cautionary Note

Many managers recognize that Musk's driven, intense style of running meetings -- or managing companies -- isn't necessarily one that they want to emulate in its entirety. While you may be able to improve the efficiency of your meetings by adopting one or another of Musk's techniques, you might find that trying to copy his full approach could have a negative outcome. Rick Wartzman, executive director of the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University, explains this caution in a Fortune article entitled "Admire Elon Musk all you want, but please don't manage like him."

Wartzman observes that Musk's micromanagement style and explicit disregard for his staff's personal needs regularly results in employee burnout. Wartzman cites a study showing that workers in high-trust environments are 19 percent more productive than those in low-trust environments (such as Musk's companies), and he emphasizes the importance to workers of "having the freedom to take on projects the way you choose to."

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Making Your Meetings Build Productivity
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To pursue a career or stay at home with the kids - is there a more polarising topic among mums? Well maybe the Gina versus babywearing one, but it's definitely up there. Many women hold very strong opinions on the subject and are definitely not afraid to share them. They appear to know their preferred path before they've even conceived. But in my own experience the reality of making such a weighty decision is far from straightforward. In fact it's something I battle with on pretty much a daily basis.

I've come across colleagues who don't seem to suffer from working mum guilt, which sadly gnaws away at most. They breeze around, proficiently juggling the demands of kids and clients. Who knows if it's all a facade, but if so they are flawless actors. At the other extreme I have friends who wouldn't dream of sending their kids off to childcare and throw themselves wholeheartedly into their mothering roles. Frustratingly, I seem to straddle both camps.

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Since having my eldest son seven years ago I've experimented with working, being a full time mum and a melange of the two. Following my first maternity leave I reluctantly returned to a full on job where I was the only mum in a team of whippersnappers. I could sense the eye-rolls as I left my desk at 4.30pm (they didn't see me finishing a presentation after the kids were finally asleep or checking emails at 3am!). Luckily I swiftly escaped back to the UK where I enjoyed a brief window at home with my little boy. I was then seduced by a four day a week role in London. It was much more parent-friendly, but the commute nearly killed me off. Again I left at 4.30pm but I arrived home exhausted two hours later and was catapulted straight into the bedtime routine. And naturally my Fridays off were spent fielding client calls while silent screaming at the kids.

When Geneva came calling again and I was thrilled with the prospect of being a SAHM. I also had ambitious (ridiculous) ideas about writing a book. But after a few months I started to get twitchy. I felt uncomfortable not earning, and to be brutally honest I was a bit lonely. I am definitely a people person (of the adult variety), and I craved a bit of time away from the kids (gasp). So once again I found myself applying for jobs. Fortunately, I landed one in a school where I was blessed with short working days and long holidays. On paper it was the perfect role. It epitomised the elusive concept of balance. Yet guilt still oozed into my daily life. If the toddler was grumpy, if tea was something and chips, or if I lost my patience with homework - it all got blamed on the fact I was a working mum.

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Reviewing the journey so far I do believe work in some form is important to me. The guilt is something I need to learn to live with. It's not going anywhere. Like the school bully, it's not pleasant to be around but it keeps me on my toes. And of course there are days when I get home and just want to collapse with a vat of wine instead of prepping dinner and supervising homework. Days when I feel I'm falling short on all sides, but I guess that's part of the working mum meal deal. We get a side of freedom and a dip of acknowledgement, but it can leave us with bad indigestion. We have to accept our selection and power on through the pain.

Now that I'm braced for our next UK adventure I've started to think about roles. Some days I am bubbling with excitement, on others I feel panicked. You see I have a rather bipolar CV, leaping from head of innovation to librarian. No matter how I frame it, it all sounds a bit muddled, like it's had a night on the gin. I'm confident I have transferable skills, but will they shine through? I know there must be something out there that ticks most if not all of my boxes, that offers me precious time with the boys and that all important job satisfaction. I just need lots of perseverance and a little dash of luck.

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If you saw someone walking down the street with their open wallet or purse in full view, you'd think they were being reckless. Who would just leave their personal belongs out for anyone to see or take? As individuals, we're conscious of the dangers of theft and conditioned to be careful with our belongings - but when it comes to our connected devices, any semblance of caution seems to disappear.

We see our smartphones, tablets and increasingly our smart watches as our vital means of communication and connection. So we move between work and leisure without changing our behaviour; we walk out of our office door talking on our phones or checking the Internet and complete our commute without a break in usage. By doing so, we are opening ourselves up to huge risk. Risk of theft. Risk of fraud. Risk of cloning. And, ultimately, risk of huge financial pain.

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Studies show that people either don't understand these risks, or tend to revert to the age old adage of 'it won't happen to me'. With statistics demonstrating that cyber crime is increasing at a frightening pace, it's time to change our attitudes. It's time to treat our connected devices with the same duty of care that we afford our wallets and purses.

The first step in making this change is to better understand the risks related to the small devices in our pockets:

1. Your Lost Phone Is A Hacker's Treasure

Lost phones are the number one cause of data breaches. Our photos, emails, text messages and our apps can be an open door for thieves into our personal information, privacy and financial accounts.

2. Spoofed Hotspots

Spoofed hotspots are Wi-Fi access points created by hackers. The hotspot imitates a legitimate Wi-Fi access point provided by a nearby business, such as a coffee shop that offers free Wi-Fi access to customers. By logging into the Wi-Fi, an unwitting user accidentally gives the hacker access to their laptops. The hacker can then steal login credentials and redirect the victim to malicious websites.

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3. The Inside Job

74% of businesses feel vulnerable to the insider threat. That is, a data breach caused by an employee - be it intentionally or unintentionally. Despite the modern hacker's sophistication, insiders have an unwavering upper hand over any external actor. That's because insiders like you and I already have access to internal files from our devices that then travel, in our pockets, outside of the business with us.

There's no denying that access to certain business information from wherever we are is a must, if we are to do our jobs well. The issue is that this access makes us a continuous vulnerability to business. Either through a careless mistake or purposeful action, an employee can create catastrophe for their business if business information on our personal devices gets into the wrong hands.

4. Missed Updates

We've all been guilty of it. You're rushing to hit a deadline, and you ignore that small notification that pops up in the corner your screen or notification pane on your phone, reminding you to install a new software update. You would never think that missing an update could leave your company or personal details vulnerable to cyber attacks. However, as the recent ransomware attack that hit NHS trusts across the UK shows, the failure to keep software up to date can do just that.

5. Fake Apps

Fake applications are on the rise. These impostor apps can trick you into revealing sensitive data or login details. Some can also install malicious software on your device that gives the hackers control over other functionality, or allows them to monitor your activity in the background, potentially watching which websites you visit or what you type.

Top Tips To Halt A Disaster

The best way to avoid these threats is with vigilance and care. Some of the very simplest security measures can make a huge difference. Always having password protection and enabling multi-factor authentication for services that offer it are a simple but very effective first line of defence.

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If you work for a large corporation and/or often work remotely, it might also be worth talking to your IT team about the mobile security solution it has in place. There are solutions out there that can keep sensitive data on a phone, laptop or tablet completely secure, without you having to download anything onto your device. This also means that, if you ever lose your phone or tablet, your IT team could remotely wipe the important sensitive data quickly and easily, so you wouldn't have to worry about a simple mistake causing a catastrophic data breach for your company.

When using public Wi-Fi, simply make sure you don't access a hotspot that looks even the slightest bit dubious. If in doubt, check with someone who works in the location you're trying to access from (hotel, coffee shop, airport, etc.) and never access a strangely named hotspot, no matter how urgently you need to get online.

Security requires small, but necessary, changes to our habits. For example, making sure that you install software updates when prompted, unless told otherwise by your IT department. Always check to make sure your mobile apps are legitimate by looking closely at developer information. Check reviews to ensure they are not short and generic, as these are usually paid-for. If any requested app permission seem suspicious, avoid installing the app. When in doubt, always talk to your IT team about new software.
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Over the weekend, Out, an American LGBT magazine, published an op-ed calling on gay men to "stop telling women they can't be in gay bars." The piece struck many gay men, myself included, as tone-deaf and has caused quite the uproar on gay Twitter. I myself tweeted the article out and posted on Facebook, saying that actually, no straight people (regardless of their gender) should go to a gay club without an LGBT person having invited them.

What followed was a day of angry straight people accusing me of discriminating against them, without even a hint of irony that gay clubs wouldn't exist if straight people didn't discriminate against us in the first place. Amanda Prestigiacomo even wrote about how horrible I am at the Daily Wire.

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Still, I stand by my assertion. Straight people, whether men or women, should not go to a gay club unless they were invited by an LGBT person. The gay club is not for you.

What this comes down to is straight people who are simply not used to being told they may not be welcomed based on their sexual orientation. This is something lesbian, gay, and bisexual people are pretty familiar with. We are ostracised from our churches, from our schools, from our families, and even from our jobs. We can't even walk down the street holding hands without the fear someone will bash us for a bit of mild PDA.

I get that this is uncomfortable to hear. It's uncomfortable for me to say, because I always assumed it went without saying if you were a true ally. True allies understand that they are not entitled to a marginalised group's space or time or companionship.

Gay clubs first began popping up in the twentieth century as sanctuaries from oppressive policing and heteronormative culture. They were one of the only places gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender people could go and express their sexuality and gender identity without (much) fear of persecution. Over the years, from the raid at the Stonewall Inn to the Upstairs Lounge Fire, the Admiral Duncan bombing, and the mass shooting at Pulse, gay clubs have been attacked specifically because they allow us this freedom that many, even in 2017, otherwise feel as though they lack in wider society.

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These are safe spaces, sacred even. They are not zoos. Gay clubs are for LGBT people to retreat away from the straight and/or cis gaze, where tables of women out on "girls' nights" are hooping and hollering every time a gay couple kisses and straight men stare at their drink lest they catch site of the sodomy. I've seen it in London. I've seen it in Chicago. I've seen it in every single city I've ever gone out in.

Maybe you don't think you're like that. Maybe you're not. But for a great many LGBT people who don't know you, your presence can be suffocating and put us on edge worrying about what you and your posse might do or say. Will you grab us? Will you tokenize us? It's quite the killjoy. When you're with another LGBT person we know you're fairly likely to be safe. When you and your straight friends come in by yourselves, we have no idea what we're in for.

I understand that many of the people critical of me feel as though by being excluded from those with an open invite, I am somehow "discriminating" against them. But this misses a fundamental point. I'm not saying you don't have a right to go to gay clubs. Clearly, you do. And I would never suggest you should be turned away at the door. That would be an unenforceable policy and, frankly, illegal. You have every right to go to a gay club.

But just because you have a right to do something doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Straight people, regardless of gender, have straight privilege. Any ally worth their salt would realise this and, hopefully, consider what their presence in an LGBT space means to those members of the community who are looking for somewhere to find solace away from a heteronormative society.

Of course, I have male privilege, as many people have pointed out. Some women have gone as far to accuse me of being misogynistic. They suggest that by asking straight women to not come to the gay club uninvited I am participating in some sexist policing of where women can and can't go.

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The thing is, I've never said LGBT women can't, or shouldn't, come to the bar. They're as much a part of the rainbow community as anyone else. This isn't about them. This is about straight privilege and heteronormativity, nothing more. I would no more want a bunch of straight men to invade a lesbian space.

I completely understand that many straight cis women go to gay clubs to escape the male gaze and because they feel safer in an LGBT space, it still rubs me as wrong that you would co-opt our spaces as your own, though. Rape culture is a real and pernicious problem, and I sympathize and will fight with you to dismantle it. LGBT people giving up our spaces is not the way to do it, though.

These spaces mean something to our community that you, as a straight and/or cis person, are unlikely to ever understand. These are our sanctuaries from a heteronormative, cisnormative world. It is the height of structural privilege for straight and cis people to feel entitled to them.

To understand this requires a hard look at the privilege you have as a straight person and an acknowledgement that despite the incredible progress we've made, LGBT people are still an oppressed group. It shouldn't be too much to ask that, at the very least, our allies respect our right to congregate on our terms. No one is saying you're not welcome, but just like you (hopefully) wouldn't turn up on someone's doorstep uninvited, don't come to the one public place we can feel at home without someone asking you to tag along.

Still, if you came to the gay bar without an invite, I wouldn't make a scene. I'd treat you with the respect you deserve. I'm not saying this is something I police, or think clubs should police. Rather, I'm asking straight people to maybe consider their privilege and police it themselves.

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As part of its Digital Strategy, published back in March, the Government outlined its ambition to tackle the UK's digital skills gap. At its heart is a clear commitment to provide support for everyone to develop the skills they need to participate in our expanding digital economy. Significantly, the plan also declares that there should be "nobody left behind".

In a society that has become 'digital-by-default', it is vital that this pledge is fulfilled. While technology is a powerful driver for positive social change, these advances also bring new challenges. We need to ensure that everyone, regardless of background and circumstance, has access to the digital skills they need to interact, transact, access opportunities and solve problems in our online, connected world.

Digital skills programmes need to serve everyone, regardless of age, social circumstance, gender, or other contributors to diversity - but inclusivity is not always baked in. For example, Ellie Bradley, COO of Nominet, recently highlighted the continuing under-representation of women entering the tech workforce and studying STEM subjects at school. It is vital that such inequalities are addressed in the digital skills agenda. Programmes need to be inclusive by design if we are to realise their maximum social and economic potential and truly leave no one behind.

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A very encouraging initiative working to tackle this tech gender gap is the BAFTA Young Game Designer Awards that focuses on encouraging the next generation of game makers. Although women make up only 19% of the UK games industry workforce (Ukie, 2016), BAFTA's active outreach programme (supported by funding from Nominet Trust) has achieved outstanding results, with 75% of this year's winners being young women. This demonstrates what can be achieved when programmes are designed to create equal opportunities for all.

One of the challenges in delivering digital skills programmes is that issues of inequality are varied and complex. From older people to those struggling in poverty, there are myriad reasons why so many remain digitally excluded. When it comes to young people in the UK (aged 15-24), Nominet Trust's own research shows that those least likely to have digital skills are most likely to be facing multiple forms of chronic and acute disadvantage. So, if we are to support everyone in developing the digital skills they need to thrive in our increasingly digital world, we must look at fresh approaches to delivering skills programmes.

Digital Reach is a new programme which aims to help 4,000 of the UK's hardest to reach young people acquire basic digitals skills. Uniquely, the initiative puts expert youth organisations at the heart of programme delivery - those who hold the trusted relationships with the young people currently on the wrong side of the digital divide. Six pilot schemes, running in partnership with organisations such as The Children's Society and UK Youth, will support disadvantaged young people to gain purposeful digital skills and, importantly, the confidence to pursue the opportunities these skills bring.
Stand Up To Racism

The deaths of Rashan Charles, Edson Da Costa and Darren Cumberbatch highlight yet again the fate of young black men at the hands of the police.

At a vigil called by Stand Up To Racism last Saturday at Stoke Newington Police Station in Hackney, the fathers of Rashan and Edson joined Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott to call for independent investigations into the deaths.

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While we gathered in Hackney, in Nuneaton in the West Midlands hundreds marched against the death of Darren Cumberbatch, who died in hospital nine days after having been tasered by the police.

It seems unimaginable that 24 years after the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, the issue of institutional racism still burns. Despite politicians such as Jack Straw promising a "step change" in attitudes to race relations at the time of the Macpherson report, little has changed in reality.

The young people who confronted the police in Hackney last Friday night were reacting to that reality - black people are dying at the hands of the police and little seems to be being done.

The fact that Abbott faced a torrent of abuse from the press and on social media for protesting the death of Rashan Charles and calling for a peaceful response shows the tenor of the debate.

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Year after year the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigate the deaths, yet year on year nobody faces prosecution. There have been some 1600 deaths in police custody since 1990 but not a single successful prosecution. Officers involved often remain in post and the protests of the families and their friends are forgotten.

The same process of riding the first wave of anger and then allowing the latest death to be forgotten continues.

But times are changing. In June the decision to charge six men, including former Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield, over the 96 deaths at Hillsborough is evidence that the doggedness of justice campaigns can hold those in power to account.

It has been refreshing that the families of Rashan, Edson and Darren have spoken out straight away and to see a senior political figure such as Diane Abbott MP prepared to come out in their support.

Just as people are pledging that the horrors of the Grenfell fire cannot be swept under the carpet like so many previous disasters, so surely it is time to draw a line over deaths at the hands of the police.

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If the slogan Black Lives Matter is to mean anything, campaigners have to make sure that a line really is drawn.

There is another slogan, No Justice No Peace. The authorities are set to reap the whirlwind if they continue to treat young black men's lives with such contempt and if they continue to ignore the anger of our communities.
Think Its Bad For Songwriters Now? Just Wait Until Shiv Bill Passes [David Lowery]

The new "Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act" bill introduced by longtime songwriter antagonist Senator Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin sounds promising, but in reality aims to lesson songwriters' ability to sue, writes David Lowery.

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By musician and artist advocate David Lowery of The Trichordist

Sen Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), longtime antagonist of songwriters, has just introduced a bill he calls he calls The Transparency in Music Licensing and Ownership Act. Complete doublespeak. While yes, there is something in the bill about empowering a panel, to study the potential for building a database of songs and owners, to one day maybe assist in licensing song, let's be absolutely clear thats not what this bill is about. Look at the details. Its plain as day. This bill is an attempt to take away the only thing that guarantees songwriters eventually get paid: The threat of a lawsuit. Most copyright infringement cases are heard in federal court. In my experience you need a minimum of a quarter of million dollars to mount a case against an infringing corporate entity. This section of the bill eliminates the legal fees and statutory damages. Even if songwriters prevail in the case. While major publishers may still be able to afford to litigate theses cases under these onerous circumstances , (and for complex reasons thats a big maybe) individual songwriters and small music publishers will never be able to afford to sue again.

You dont have to be an expert in game theory to see where this ends up. This bill makes it cost effective for services to infringe songwriters copyrights on a mass scale. Something they are already doing! Niche and indie songwriters will be particularly hard hit. This bill will increase the number of unlicensed tracks and increase the size of the black box pools of unpaid royalties. This is less transparency not more. Thus it is truly doublespeak.

(You also have to wonder that since this bill is pushed by an alliance of companies with significant infringement problems that it isnt effectively a conspiracy to cover up past illegal activities.)

There is already ample evidence that digital services like Google, Amazon, Pandora and Spotify have given up trying to license songs and account to millions of songwriters. In the last 15 months these services have filed mass songwriter address unknown NOIs with the copyright office, representing over 45 million recordings. Some of these obscure recordings and unknown songwriters include Sting and The Beach Boys.

Make no mistake, this bill ensures that many many songwriters will never receive their royalties, providing an enormous subsidy to Google, Amazon, Spotify, etc. This has nothing to do with transparency in licensing. This is just more tricky lawyering from Google and their fellow travelers.

(BTW we predicted that something like this bill was coming months ago. Why is it that what is essentially the Scooby Doo gang doing the heavy lifting for the entire music industry?)

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The Board of Selectmen held a forum on the regionalization vote on Monday.

Lanesborough Raises Questions On School Regionalization Vote

LANESBOROUGH, Mass.  The long-discussed vote on regionalization of the Lanesborough-Williamstown schools goes to the voters on Nov. 14.

The Board of Selectmen set that date for a special town meeting to handle the question of whether or not Williamstown and Lanesborough should join together with Mount Greylock Regional as a single K-12 regional school district. School officials have been talking about taking such a step for years and it is eyed to save both towns money and improve efficiency.

"Even though we have regionalization at the high school and the shared superintendency, we still have three separate school districts," Chris Dodig, a Lanesborough representative on the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee said during a forum with townspeople and the Board of Selectmen on Monday.

Mount Greylock Regional School already provides a single district for middle through high school; some years ago, Williamstown and Lanesborough formed a superintendency union between the two elementary schools, and an agreement to share administration between the union and the regional school district.

But, those complex agreements created the current situation in which there are four school committees; Lanesborough Elementary, Williamstown Elementary, and Mount Greylock  each with their own budgets and union contracts  and SU71. All of which is said to bog down the work of the superintendent.

"We lose efficiency. When they are doing those meetings, we'd prefer they use some of that time on the educational product," Dodig said.

November's vote would be to meld the three school districts and budgets into one. There'd be a single school committee for all three schools, one budget, one set of contracts, and one governing body for the superintendent to answer to.

"The concern we hear the most often is we will lose local control of our elementary school. I guess that is a valid concern," Dodig said.

School officials have said the concerns in Lanesborough center on being able to manage costs. The town is apprehensive about giving up such direct oversight on the elementary school budget. Selectman Henry "Hank" Sayers said on Monday that to alleviate that concern, he'd like a provision to be in the contract that doesn't allow a budget to be passed unless both towns agree.

"If it happened at Greylock, Lanesborough could be outvoted if it comes to push, shove," Sayers said.

A district vote hasn't happened in some 30 years, and if a Mount Greylock budget goes to one then the larger population in Williamstown is enough to override the wishes of Lanesborough. The town has voted down Mount Greylock budgets more recently, and some town officials said the only reason those hadn't gone to a district vote was that Lanesborough knew it wouldn't win. Sayers said those instances were only regarding one school, and he sees a greater potential for budget disputes when three schools are involved.

However, on the Williamstown side, Dodig said what he is hearing is that residents there want to be able to fund their elementary school at a higher level than Lanesborough would approve. Williamstown officials are worried that Lanesborough could restrict the educational offerings their town.

"There is no perfect answer for local control but it is something we should continue to talk about," Dodig said.

Another concern regarding control would be what happened in Cheshire and Adams this year. That regional K-12 district voted to close Cheshire Elementary School and Cheshire didn't have the votes to prevent it. Dodig said that concern was addressed in 2015 when a new regional agreement was crafted. He said if either Williamstown or Lanesborough school were to close, the town in which the school is located would need to approve it at a town meeting.

The size of the school committee is also still in flux. Dodig said the most recent consideration would be to have nine members, four from Lanesborough and five from Williamstown. Another option is to stay with the seven-member board similar to the current setup for Mount Greylock.

For Finance Committee member Ronald Tinkham, that raises another concern about control. The Mount Greylock representatives are broken down by town but are voted on by the entire district. Tinkham fears the possibility that Williamstown could vote in a Lanesborough resident who doesn't truly reflect the views of the town. Dodig said theoretically that could happen, but with Mount Greylock, he couldn't think of a time when a representative won the seat without winning the home town.

Any financial savings may be more muted because the majority of the savings have already seen through the shared administration. Nonetheless, a financial look at what regionalization would do for the towns this year show Lanesborough's cost decreasing by close to $400,000, Dodig said, and Williamstown's would go up by about $200,000. Those estimates are in line with estimates from 2015.

While the cost savings may not be massive, the educational benefits could be, Dodig said, by further aligning educational policies, curriculum, and staffing. He said both elementary school principals agree.

"The Mount Greylock School Committee generally has been working on regionalization for a long time," Dodig said. But the committee is seeing it "is the elementary schools that will experience the change. We handed off the reins to the elementary schools."

The chairs of the two elementary school committee, administrators, and the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools are now digging into the details about how the regional agreement would be crafted  and settling on provisions to go into the new agreement.

Tinkham added that he'd like to see the funding formula amended to include nonprofits in the measure of each town's wealth when it comes to divvying up the cost share. Right now there is a measure of wealth, but Tinkham feels Williams College isn't included when it should be. Lanesborough officials had pushed for including nonprofits in assessing each town's ability to pay when the district agreement was amended for the school building project, seeing it as a way to reduce Lanesborough's share, but it ultimately wasn't supported.

Tinkham had a number of questions about regionalization, including asking for a clause requiring the superintendent to live locally, to have any students engaged with police deal with officials from their own town, and allowing a town to put up extra money to fund a specific program in its own elementary school  such as if Williamstown wanted a certain band program at its school but Lanesborough didn't, then Williamstown could put in the extra money to fund it.

Others questioned how regionalization would fit with the Berkshire Educational Task Force's vote to recommend one district for the entire county. That goal is a decade out and the countywide group will next be talking about the details, crafting a roadmap of how to get to that point.

Don Dermyer voiced concern that in the future if Lanesborough wanted to engage in those discussions, it would be hamstrung by what the regional committee wanted to do.

"Maybe we should delay this for several years, say let's see what is coming down the road," he said. "Lanesborough could be in a situation where long term, we might have been better doing something else."

Curtis Asch disagrees. He said there is nothing that would hamper the town from being engaged in the future in larger conversations like those proposed by the task force. But, in the meantime, there are benefits being seen from regionalization. Dodig said it is too early to weigh in on whether or not Lanesborough would want to join such a super district, but regionalizing on a smaller scale with this vote would help the town.

"I think this single step positions us stronger if some of this other shared services and regionalization go on," Dodig said.

Another concern raised was about getting committee members. Often Lanesborough struggles to fill its elementary School Committee and by adding work and drive time, the concern would be that finding volunteers for the job narrows the pool.

Selectman Robert Ericson raised a question about maintaining the building and grounds. Currently, mowing the lawns or plowing is handled by the individual towns. Ericson doesn't want to see the district take on the responsibility and create a new bureaucracy just for that.

"That would be very inefficient and very expensive," Ericson said.

Dodig said typically the towns still own the land and the schools so the current situation would continue.

"Generally, the towns in these situations will lease the building to the district of a nominal sum," Dodig said.

Asch questioned how school choice revenue would be sorted. He also said there are students from Lanesborough who choice into Williamstown Elementary and he wondered what would happen to them.

Superintendent Kimberly Grady said interdistrict choice wouldn't change much, with the School Committee voting to open spots and then student applying. The only difference would be that the money stays in the district and not shifted between towns.

Tinkham added tuition money goes into the town's general fund, and not to the school and he wondered how that would change.

Airing the concerns is what the Board of Selectmen had hoped when scheduling the forum. School officials said they will review the questions, set up a similar forum in Williamstown, and then put the final touches on the specifics. In September and October, school officials plan multiple public meetings on it and have the specifics nailed down a month before the vote.

If approved, the transition will take 18 months starting in January. The budget being crafted then will be for the region, and the merging of contracts and school committees will unfold after that.
Letter: A Nursing Strike at BMC Not in Patients' Interest

To the Editor:



Berkshire Medical Center has been my employer for 23 years. I work in a non-management, staff recruitment role. My mother is a retired registered nurse and my father was a member of two labor unions during his career. I grew up influenced by nursing and labor.



Health care is a difficult and complex business. Whether one works in a clinical function, or in another role that supports the operation of a hospital, the work is hard. Financial viability is a constant struggle and dollars are ever shrinking. Given the goals of the current federal administration even tougher times may lie ahead. BMC is a not-for-profit hospital. "Profits" become additional services, staff or new equipment. The Berkshire community benefits from BMC's financial health. Such initiatives as the Cancer Center at the Hillcrest campus, or the ever increasing array of services now offered at Berkshire Health North in North Adams, following the calamitous demise of North Adams Regional Hospital, are a testament to what is possible when fiscal responsibility and patient access to care are priorities.



But money alone won't achieve the award winning status that BMC has earned. A positive patient experience depends on competent and compassionate staff and the BMC team is comprised of a very broad range of clinical specialists and operational support staff. This team approach fosters quality care that patients expect and deserve when they place their trust in Berkshire Medical Center.

Sue Purdy

Dalton, Mass.
Email IC Arizona at azpoliticalintel-at-yahoo.comIC Arizona is a subsidiary of IntellectualConservative.com
Egypt is set to chair during August the United Nations Security Council for the second time since its non-permanent membership in 2016, where it will work towards the elimination of weapon supplies to terrorists, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said the initiative, which aims to follow up on the 2015 UN resolution 2253, comes in conjunction with Egypt heading the UN counter-terrorism committee in June 2017.

Abu Zeid said that during Egypt's chairmanship, there will be a review of sanctions imposed by the council on a number of countries in order to evaluate their effectiveness.

According to UN resolution 2253, the UN shall "prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer [to terrorists] of weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment or training related to military activities."

Egypt chaired the UN Security Councils meetings during May 2016, where it promoted the interests of African and developing countries as well as the Palestinian cause.

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An Alexandria misdemeanor court sentenced on Tuesday the former director of Alexandria Library Ismail Serag El-Din to three years and six months in prison for squandering public funds by renting library facilities to outside contractors below market prices.

The court also handed the financial department director of the library two separate six-month prison sentences for fixing insurance documents for workers employees and shop rental prices.

The court also sentenced two other library employees to six months in prison on the same charge of fixing shop rental prices.

The defendants can appeal the verdict.

Serag El-Din served as the director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the new Library of Alexandria, from its inauguration in 2002 until May 2017.

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Egypt's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the country objects to the recent 10 million euro-project by the European Union with some Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) countries because it would be supporting a non-inclusive framework, state news agency MENA reported.

Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Egypt is not against construction projects in the Nile Basin as long as they adhere to international law.

In June, the EU said it agreed to finance the second phase of the Wadi El-Koua Basin Project in the North Darfur State at a sum of 10 million euros, and that the implementation would start in October this year and last for five years.

In 2010, Egypt froze its membership in the NBI after some upstream countries signed the Cooperative Framework Agreement (CFA), which reallocated Nile water quotas without Egypts approval. Egypt has said the move violates the principles of the NBI.

The CFA, also known as the Entebbe Agreement, was signed by six out of 10 NBI members, and outlines principles, rights and obligations for cooperative management and development of the Nile Basin's water resources through a permanent institutional mechanism, according to the initiatives website.

The Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman said that since its signing, the NBI has been considered internationally as a "flawed, non-inclusive Nile Basin framework."

Abu Zeid said that as per NBI rules, all 10 countries bound to the agreement must inform other member states before starting projects on the Nile Basin, but that this is no longer adhered to.

Abu Zeid said Egypt expressed this sentiment in a recent meeting with representatives of the EU.

The spokesman described the EUs move as contradictory to its policies in other regions of respecting international law, bolstering harmony [between countries] and supporting stability.

Abu Zeid also said that the EU is currently revising the agreement to address Egypts concerns.

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The Egyptian parliament's legislative and constitutional affairs committee will begin discussing draft amendments to the criminal procedures law (law 150/1950) on Wednesday.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Omar Marawan told reporters the draft amendments aim to promote justice by speeding up litigation, particularly in terror-related cases, in a way that upholds the rights enshrined in Egypt's 2014 constitution.

Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqa, the head of parliament's legislative and parliamentary affairs committee, told reporters the committee will hold a number of hearing sessions on the new criminal procedures law this week and next week.

"Starting [Wednesday], judges will come to the committee to give their viewpoints on the new draft law," said Abu Shoqa, adding that the "head of the Higher Council for Judges, the chairman of the Cassation Court, and the heads of appeal courts in eight governorates have been invited to participate in the debate."

Abu Shoqa also said that criminal law professors from Egyptian universities, as well as lawyers  including head of the Bar Association Sameh Ashour  will join the debate in two hearing sessions next week.

"The hearing sessions could continue until September so that the amendments are ready for discussion and voting in plenary sessions when parliament's third legislative season begins in October," said Abu Shoqa.

Abu Shoqa described the new criminal procedures law as "Egypt's second constitution."

"We hope this law will observe the constitution in terms of guaranteeing fair trials for all citizens," said Abu Shoqa, adding that "these guarantees should be made available during the investigation, appeal and trial procedures."

Abu Shoqa said that if the government-drafted amendments fall short of the required constitutional guarantees, the committee will intervene to address all concerns.

"We will intervene whenever possible to ensure that citizens get fair and transparent trial," said Abu Shoqa.

Though the criminal procedures law has been amended 20 times since it was issued in 1950, the cabinet said in a statement last month that the sluggish pace of trials has continued to undermine the principles of justice.

"The amended law now includes 560 articles, 50 of which were amended and 44 are new," said the cabinet statement.

"The amendments were drafted by a panel of judges, criminal law professors, members of the cabinet's Higher Committee on Legislative Reform, interior ministry legal experts, and representatives of civil society organisations," said the statement.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Soliman Wahdan told reporters "the amendments will mainly help expedite trials of suspected terrorists."

"Instead of a trial that will require 50 procedures, the new law aims to reduce them into just one step," said Wahdan, adding that "the current process allows trials of suspected terrorists to be strung out interminably, without any justification."

Tharwat Bekheit, a member of the legislative and constitutional affairs committee, told reporters that the new law will also regulate custodial sentences so they do not infringe on personal rights.

He said the law was amended in line with Article 54 of the constitution, which states that there must be a limit placed on custodial prison terms.

The draft law will also prohibit the live broadcast of trials.

"Besides, it will not allow the media to make public the names of judges in charge of supervising certain trials  particularly trials related to terrorism," said Bekheit, adding that "this stipulation was made in order to safeguard certain judges against any terrorist attacks."

"We saw how some terrorist groups were able to kill the prosecutor-general and target several judges," said Bekheit.

In some cases, the law requires newspapers to obtain the approval of judges before publishing news about trials so as to ensure that newspapers are objective in their coverage of high-profile cases.

Bekheit revealed that interior ministry officials and MPs began to press for the 1950 criminal procedures law to be overhauled in the wake of last December's suicide bombing of a church attached to Cairo's St Mark's Coptic Cathedral, which left 27 people dead and more than 40 injured.

"There has been a consensus since then that the law needed to be amended to help combat terrorism, reduce the length of trials, and address problems related to custodial sentences," said Bekheit.

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Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry is set to fly to Khartoum on Wednesday for a meeting of an Egyptian-Sudanese political consultation committee that aims to boost bilateral ties between the two countries, the foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

Wednesday's meeting is the third such gathering, with the first held in April in Khartoum and the second in June in Cairo.

The meetings come amid heightened tension between the two states over a number of issues, including Sudan's accusation that Egypt supports rebels in Darfur as well as the dispute over Egypt's southern Halayeb triangle region.

The tension has led to trade restrictions and stringent visa requirements.

Wednesday's talks aim to "discuss bilateral ties in a transparent, frank mannerand work towards addressing all concerns and obstacles to the development of bilateral relations," foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in the statement.

The committee, which includes Sudanese foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour, will discuss the implementation of a number of economic projects agreed upon at a high-level presidential summit between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al-Bashir late last year.

The political consultation committee will discuss mutual political, economic and trade cooperation between Cairo and Khartoum

The committee is a sub-committee of the Egyptian-Sudanese high committee, which also includes sub-committees for military affairs, security, economics and finance, transportation, education, culture, health, water resources and agriculture.

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Since relocating from Brisbane to London, multi-instrumentalist Jordan Rakei has collaborated with the likes of fellow up and coming talent Loyle Carner and Tom Misch.

He recently signed to Ninja Tune (Bonobo, Roots Manuva, Kate Tempest), and just announced his debut album Wallflower, which is due for release on 22 September this year.

We're premiering his new track "Nerve", which brings in pop and R&B influences on the chorus but also features these gorgeous strings, a hefty funk riff and a definite James Blake influence on the vocals - you can attribute that to his talent as a producer.

Check it out below:

Q&A with Jordan Rakei

What are you listening to at the moment?

I'm listening to a lot of Laura Marling. I only discovered her about three months ago. She's incredibly impressive and her output is insane.

Crazy that she's only 27 and she's got five of albums under her belt! I've also just discovered this guy called Kenneth Whalum. He's a rare gem - mixing different genres together. He's got an amazing soulful voice, but the instrumentation lends itself to some psychedelic movements. A mixture of atmospheric guitars with a bit of hip-hop. Really cool

Theres a great funk riff in Nerve but then quite a pop/R&B-infused chorus + the lovely strings - what drew you to that sound?

When I was writing Nerve', I was really focusing on maintaining a traditional song structure but I wanted to layer it up loads to try to create a wall of sound effect. I love strings so much, so I'm glad that they made it onto the track. As for the guitar, that would be the great input from The Invisible's frontman and guitarist Dave Okumu who is an absolute beast Im very humbled to have him be a part of this tune!

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

Well my album is released in September and I have a big tour lined up. I'm playing for the first time in America in September, which is really exciting. Then I'm traveling around the UK and Europe, including my biggest show yet at Shepherd's Bush Empire on 20th October.

What was the first gig you ever played and what's been the best so far?

The first gig I ever played was down at my local pub in Brisbane. It was for the launch of my first EP and the vibe was insane - all my family and friends were there! My favourite gig I've played would have to be the last time I was in Sydney. The crowd were so up for a good time, I think we went on at about 11pm on a Friday night, so you can imagine they were already on a mad one.

Nerve, the new single from Jordan Rakei, is out now. You can pre-order his debut album Wallflower here.

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A baby in India has been born pregnant with his own twin brother.

Once the unnamed boy was born, doctors discovered a second half-formed male baby with legs, one arm and a brain behind the newborns stomach.

Doctors operated to remove the 7cm twin and the newborn boy is now otherwise healthy.

(Newslions / SWNS.com) (Newslions / SWNS.com)

A radiologist noticed the unusual mass inside the babys foetal sac during a routine scan earlier this month.

The parasitic twin had no skull, despite having a small head and brain.

(Newslions / SWNS.com) (Newslions / SWNS.com)

Born to a 19-year-old mother in Mumbra, India, the twin birth was a case of foetus in foetu, a rare congenital anomaly in which a malformed and parasitic foetus grows within the body of a baby.

(Newslions / SWNS.com) (Newslions / SWNS.com)

There are only 200 recorded cases of the condition.

Whilst in this case the twin mass was identified and removed at birth, they can grow inside grown human beings and go unnoticed for decades.

(Newslions / SWNS.com) (Newslions / SWNS.com)

Jenny Kavanagh had a 10cm mass growing inside her life ovary for 40 years.

After seeking medical help for severe period pains, doctors were shocked to discover the parasitic mass, which had a face, an eye, a tooth and long black hair.

I try not to feel sad about it, the Londoner told Mirror Online at the time.

I try to remember that it had no heart and no brain. And that it would have almost certainly killed me if they hadnt found it and removed it.
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The Government has proposed setting up a national investment fund to help fledgling UK businesses thrive and compete with their US counterparts, even after Brexit.

The Treasury said on Tuesday that a consultation had identified a 4bn funding gap between US and British firms and that the new fund would help address this gap and boost British business.

It also highlighted that British businesses currently rely on financial backing from the European Investment Fund (EIF). One of the rationales for setting up a new dedicated fund would be to ensure that firms still have access to the funding they need, should cash flow from the EIF dry up after Brexit.

Britain is an innovation powerhouse and its vital that we make sure our cutting-edge firms have the funding they need to meet their potential and conquer new markets, said Chancellor Philip Hammond.

He added that ensuring the availability of finance would boost the UKs productivity while also creating more well-paid jobs.

Mr Hammond said that the new fund could be set up either as a public-private partnership or be placed fully on the Governments balance sheet and then sold off when it has established a sufficient track record.

Small and medium-sized businesses have been vocal about their concerns relating to Brexit, with many fearful of the impact of taxes and tariffs and restrictions on the free movement of people.

A survey of more than 1,000 investors, conducted by peer-to-peer trading platform Asset Match in July, showed that 54 per cent of respondents dont think the Government can create a strong, global trading network outside of the EU.

On Tuesday, the Treasury said that it hoped the new fund would help cutting-edge British startups become world-leading unicorns  a term that denotes companies that have increased their valuation to above $1bn.

Although the UK currently leads Europe in the creation of so-called unicorns, it lags behind the US which accounts for 54 per cent of all unicorns globally. China accounts for 23 per cent, easily eclipsing the UK which is home to just 4 per cent.
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Apple and Google have removed hundreds of trading apps from their online stores after an intervention by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) to crack down on online fraud.

In a statement on Tuesday, ASIC said it had conducted a sweeping review of mobile app stores focusing on those associated with so-called binary options trading. It said that the review highlighted over 330 apps that were offered by entities and individuals that appeared to be unlicensed.

A total of 63 per cent of those examined were offered by so-called binary option issuers and facilitated trading.

Binary options platforms encourage investors to make apparently simple bets on whether shares or currencies will rise or fall in value over time. Many such platforms are legitimate, but an increasing number have been popping up across Australia, the UK and elsewhere that are fraudulent.

All binary options trading platforms currently fall outside the control of financial regulators in the UK, meaning that people have little recourse to get their money back if they feel they have been scammed.

Last week, an investigation published by The Independent revealed that thousands of people, particularly pensioners, are likely being scammed every year.

On Tuesday, ASIC said that it was particularly concerned because many of the mobile app descriptions contained statements that appeared to be misleading about the profitability of trading and the amount of profit that could be made.

One said that users could earn up to 90 per cent in less than an hour. Another claimed to generate around 85 per cent profitable signals from the top traders to guarantee the safe trading.

The regulator said that the majority of these apps failed to outline the risks of trading binary options, with 80 per cent having no risk warning at all. It added that some binary option reviews or education sites were merely collecting personal information which could be used for high-pressure cold calling.

ASIC said that in light of the review it had contacted Apple and Google and was encouraged with the speed both entities removed the relevant apps identified by ASIC from their respective app stores.

The regulator also issued a reminder to consumers that binary option providers are in control of the pricing for their product.

On reviewing some of the comments that appeared with the apps, it seemed that some investors made money in the demo mode but lost money once they moved to a live trading system, it said.

Commissioner Cathie Armour described the report as a timely reminder for investors to remain vigilant and not fall for flashy advertising or hard selling.

Investors also need to make sure any financial service provider, regardless of the way that financial service is being provided, is adequately licensed and authorised to provide those services, she said.

In an age where technology can hide who is offering and controlling a product, buyer beware has never been so important. If something appears too good to be true, it probably is.

In the year to May 2016 in the UK, the most recent for which figures are available, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which is part of the City of London Police, reported having received 305 reports of binary options scams, or 27 each month.

A lawyer representing victims told The Independent, however, that the true number is likely to be significantly higher  as victims are frequently too embarrassed to come forward and admit to being conned.
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The UK's finance industry could lose up to 40,000 investment banking jobs in the next few years unless it strikes a softer deal on its departure from the European Union, according to a new report by consultancy firm Oliver Wyman.

Banks are currently planning for a worst-case scenario in which they lose access to the European single market once Britain leaves the bloc in 2019, as they say they do not have time to wait to see how Britain's talks with Brussels unfold.

Citigroup, Bank of America and Morgan Stanley as well as Britain's Barclays have all indicated in the last month they are finalising plans to set up subsidiaries within the EU.

Recommended Bank of America chooses Dublin for EU base after Brexit

"The banks are working on no regrets moves, which increase options but dont cost that much either to undertake or to reverse," Matt Austen, UK head of financial services at Oliver Wyman, said.

"Once you get to the point of putting balance sheet and capital into an entity, it becomes more committed. The economics really start to bite when banks start to deploy financial resources."

These initial moves could see around 12,000 to 17,000 banking jobs move out of London but with a number of issues, including around clearing, still to be hammered out, that number could more than double to 40,000, the consultancy estimated.

The wholesale banking sector, which includes sales and trading and investment banking, employs around 80,000 people in Britain, according to Oliver Wyman, so based on that figure about half of these jobs could move.

Oliver Wyman had warned in October in a report commissioned by the industry's main lobby group TheCityUK that 75,000 jobs may disappear from Britain if finance firms, including insurers and asset managers, lost the right to sell their services freely across Europe, costing the government up to 10bn in lost tax revenue.

But for now banks are holding off on implementing plans to move a significant number of people, focusing instead on ensuring they have the right legal and operational framework to do business in the EU if Britain fails to negotiate a favourable exit deal, banking executives say.

"Most are looking to minimise expense and disruption by relocating as little as possible in the first instance," Oliver Wyman said.

The largest global banks in London have so far indicated about 9,600 jobs could go to the continent in the next two years, according to public statements and information from industry sources.

"If you want to move people in advance of March 2019, realistically, the latest you can afford to wait is next summer, maybe even sooner," Austen said.

The consultancy also estimated that between $30-$50bn of extra capital might be needed to support new European entities, equivalent to 15 to 30 per cent of the capital currently committed to the region by wholesale banks, which could knock 2 per cent off their returns on equity.

"There is a risk that banks capital needs could be higher still, for example if they fail to achieve sought-after regulatory treatment (from European Union regulators) on issues such as internal model approvals and the treatment of large inter-company exposures."

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

The bill for duplication of services as they build up new European entities in areas such as risk and compliance could add between 2 and 4 per cent to the annual cost base or around $1bn.

"Given that returns on equity in European wholesale banking are already below hurdle for many players, these new challenges from Brexit will raise difficult questions about the viability of some activities over the medium term," the consultancy said.

"Some banks may even choose to withdraw capacity from the European market as a whole and redeploy to other regions, such as Asia or the US."
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The button that could have started a nuclear holocaust is grey  not red.

I learned this after climbing into a nuclear rocket command silo, 12 floors below ground, and sitting in the same green chair at the same yellow, metal console at which former Soviet officers once presided. Here, they practiced entering secret codes into their grey keyboards, pushing the launch button and turning a key  all within seven seconds  to fire up to 10 ballistic missiles. The officers never knew what day their practice codes might become real, nor did they know their targets.

This base in Pervomaysk, Ukraine  about a four-hour drive from Kiev  once had 86 intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of destroying cities in Europe and the United States. Though the nuclear warheads have been removed, the command silo with much of its equipment, giant trucks that carried the rockets to the base and an empty silo were preserved so that people could see what had been secretly going on at nuclear missile bases in the former Soviet Union. The museums collection includes the R-12/SS-4 Sandal missile similar to those involved in the Cuban missile crisis and the RS-20A/SS-18 Satan, the versions of which had several hundred times the destructive power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

An RS-20A/SS-18 Satan missile at the former Soviet base in Pervomaysk (Cheryl L Reed/Washington Post) (Washington Post)

This is what the tourists come to see, says Igor Bodnarchuk, a tour guide for SoloEast Travel, a Kiev company that specialises in tours of Soviet ruins. What else do we have to offer?

Tourists go to Paris to marvel at the majesty of the Eiffel Tower, to Rome to stroll the cobbled streets of the Vatican, to Moscow to behold the magnificent domes of Red Square. And while Ukraine has its own plethora of domed cathedrals, including monasteries with underground caves, thousands of tourists are trekking to this country for a uniquely Soviet experience. Here, they stand outside an exploded nuclear reactor at Chernobyl and rifle through the remains of a nearby abandoned city  Geiger counter in hand. In Chernobyls shadow, they marvel at the giant Moscow Eye, an anti-ballistic-missile detector that rises 50 stories high and looks like a giant roller coaster.

Every day, a handful of travel companies ferry mostly foreigners to Chernobyls 19-mile exclusion zone. In 2016, SoloEast Travel hauled 7,500 people there, up from only one trip in 2000.

It used to be sort of extreme travel, says Sergei Ivanchuk of SoloEast Travel. You were very brave to go to Chernobyl in 2000. Now, not so much.

Ivanchuk insists that people who go to Chernobyl are not morbid. They are intelligent people who want to learn something new, and are often interested in nuclear power, he says.

Gennadiy Fil, once a Soviet army officer stationed at the base, is now a tour guide (Cheryl L Reed/Washington Post) (Washington Post)

Likewise, people who venture to the missile base at Pervomaysk are interested in the Cold War. Its a place to remember  like the Holocaust  about a dangerous time in history and what it means to have nuclear weapons, he says.

Earlier this year, Russia deployed a new cruise missile, apparently violating its 1987 arms-control treaty with the United States. In light of that event, the Soviet ruins in Ukraine seem all the more relevant.

The day I visit the former 46th Rocket Division in Pervomaysk, silver engines gleam in the sunlight and missiles stick out of the snow. Nearby is a surface-to-air missile similar to the one that brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in July 2014.

The museum tour guides are all former Soviet officers who once worked at the missile base. Ours, Gennadiy Fil, once manned the nuclear controls. When American tourists dally, snapping photos of the rockets above ground, he barks: Ledz go!

Then he darts through a heavy door of a squat building, down a series of winding stairs and through an underground tunnel, navigating by memory through the narrow, 500-foot-long passageway to the control centre in a silo. The narrow cylinder is suspended from the ground  theoretically, to withstand the shock of a counterattack.

From this seat at the former Pervomaysk missile base, an officer could launch up to 10 nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles (Cheryl L Reed/Washington Post) (Washington Post)

In six-hour shifts, Fil and another officer would descend in a tiny elevator (maximum capacity: three people) to the bottom of the silo. Stationed at metal consoles in an 11-by-11 control room, they would read secret codes from Moscow that flashed on a computer screen, then quickly tap them into a dingy yellow monitor. Then, they pressed a small, grey button and turned a key on the opposite side of the terminal to launch up to 10 nuclear rockets at once.

You dont launch just one missile, because the other side is going to shoot back and destroy you, explains Elena Smerichevskaya, our Ukrainian interpreter. An intercontinental ballistic rocket fired at New York, she explains, would take about 25 minutes to hit its target.

Fil, 55, says he never knew when he would be ordered to input real codes. It was his job, he says and shrugs. He says he had no moral objections to pushing the button. Launching nuclear missiles was a political decision, something that people on top of the ground decided, not him.

He admits that he was scared about the possibility of nuclear war. Youd have to be crazy in the head not to be scared, he says.

But just in case Fil or a fellow officer (two officers were required to launch a rocket) refused to push their buttons, reserve officers could be called up from a compartment beneath the control centre.

For officers like Fil, there were both mental and physical challenges. The compartments were hermetically sealed, and Fil says there was immense pressure on their ears. There were also concerns about the psychological impact of being isolated in the chambers. While the Soviets kept enough food and water on hand for 45 days, some men started to become batty after only two or three days inside the silo bunker, Smerichevskaya says.

Because the government took out windows from many of the buildings in Pripyat, the interiors were exposed to the elements (Cheryl L Reed/Washington Post) (Washington Post)

While Fil is glad the world didnt implode under his watch, he says he is sad to have lost his job behind the missile controls.

In 1994, three years after Ukraine became independent, it joined the Non-Proliferation Treaty and agreed to dismantle its 1,900 Soviet missiles. At the time, Ukraine boasted the worlds third-largest stockpile of nuclear warheads after Russia and the United States. Ukraine shipped its nuclear warheads to Russia and dismantled its silos, often blowing them up or filling them with cement. The control silo at Pervomaysk was the only one spared  so it could become a museum. The 46th Rocket Division, part of the Soviet 43rd Rocket Army, was disbanded in 2001.

As a child growing up in the Cold War who was taught to hide under her school desk in case of a nuclear attack, its surreal to meet a man who at the same time had his fingers on the triggers of the Soviet Unions nuclear warheads.

Fil shakes his head at how things have changed. I never thought Id be standing here talking to an American, he says, his eyes wide with amazement. I never thought Id be having my picture taken. That was absolutely forbidden. And now ... its okay.

The museum claims that its silos are very similar to those still in operation in Russia. The Satan is still part of Russias weaponry, although an improved version is set to be operational in 2018. Before Russia invaded Crimea and backed the separatists war on Ukraines eastern front, Russian soldiers frequently took their families to Pervomaysk to show them what they did at work, museum tour guides say. The missile sites in Russia remain secret.

The city of Pripyat was once a secret Soviet city, closed to anyone but workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor and their families. Now the city, an hour-and-a-half drive from Kiev, is a nuclear ghost town. Forty-nine thousand people were forced to evacuate the day after Chernobyls Reactor No 4 exploded on 26 April 1986.

The floor of a school in Pripyat is littered with gas masks meant for schoolchildren, but, according to tour guides, were never used (Cheryl L Reed/Washington Post) (Washington Post)

Nearly all the first responders and soldiers died from radiation poisoning while trying to contain the graphite fire and the radioactive particles spewing from the destroyed reactor, explains Bodnarchuk, our tour guide. Officially, only 31 firemen and soldiers were killed. But some believe that the disaster claimed at least 10,000 lives as wind carried radioactive material into Belarus and northern Europe.

Even though critics have said that the designs of Chernobyl are outmoded and inherently unsafe, Russia reportedly is still using 11 similar nuclear reactors.

Today, visitors can stand across the street from the damaged reactor at Chernobyl, which recently was covered by a huge, $2.3bn (1.7bn) shield. But the highlight of the tour is, by far, the crumbling city of Pripyat. Though tour operators are warned to stay out of Pripyats buildings, tourists routinely stomp through the city, including the hospital where dying first responders were taken.

Tourists stick their Geiger counters against tatters of clothing in the hospital lobby and watch their machines shoot up to shockingly high levels  85 microsieverts per hour. The normal range is 0.09 to 0.30 microsieverts per hour, according to the tour company. Most guides carry their own Geiger counters; many tourists come with their own.

Tour operators claim that a visit to Chernobyl is no more dangerous now than a flight from Ukraine to North America. This calculation includes spending 10 minutes in front of the burned-out reactor and no more than two hours in Pripyat.

SoloEast Travel has a video that shows how it came up with such mathematics. Those calculations, however, dont factor in hovering over a firefighters highly radioactive clothing that has been dug up from deep in the hospital. Nor do they specifically include driving through the red forest near the Chernobyl reactor  where the radiation burned up all the trees, which were then bulldozed and buried. Our Geiger counters went crazy as we drove through the new-growth forest, registering 26 microsieverts per hour.

Our guide tried to calm fears about our exposure to radiation by assuring us that any high levels on our body would be detected by the machines we had to pass through on the way out of Chernobyls exclusion zone. Those machines  old Soviet steel contraptions that look like retro airport metal detectors  hardly inspire confidence.

(Washington Post)

To amplify tourists shock, guides have embellished some of the Pripyat remains. Amid hundreds of crumbling gas masks spread over the floor of a school, a baby doll has been placed on a chair  wearing a gas mask. A hospital nursery has been outfitted with plastic dolls, placed in cribs with blankets, to make the scene appear even more macabre. Outside a village school building, old toys are scattered about. One-eyed teddy bears and dolls with missing limbs sit on bed springs at a village orphanage. Tables are set with plates and pots.

The most eerie scenes include an abandoned amusement park with its empty, lonely looking Ferris wheel and bumper cars filled with leaves; a swimming pool with cracked tiles, its deep end filled with trash and an old shopping cart; school hallways cluttered with books; school desks laid out with science experiments; posters of Lenin and other Soviet leaders adorning classroom walls; and a broken baby carriage abandoned in a decaying community centre.

Visitors are exhausted by the time their tour bus leaves Pripyat and turns down a one-lane road through a thick forest. Hiding there is the Moscow Eye, also known as the Russian Woodpecker, an enormous metal structure silhouetted against the sky like a vertical Stonehenge.

Using over-the-horizon radar, the Moscow Eye was the receiver for a powerful radio broadcast sent from elsewhere in Ukraine. Some say that the signals short, repetitive tapping noise sounded like a bird  thus the woodpecker moniker. Others say it sounded more like a machine gun. From 1976, until it went off the air in 1989, the unexplained radio signal interfered with many broadcasts. Listeners speculated that it was a method of Soviet mind control. Only in the past three years have tourists discovered its sublime metal architecture rising from the forest floor near Chernobyl, an anachronistic remnant from a not-so-distant era.

 Washington Post
The U.S-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are on the verge of seizing full control of the southern neighborhoods of Raqqa held by Islamic State (IS) militants, a Kurdish official said on Tuesday.

The U.S.-led coalition said SDF fighters advancing from the east were within 300 metres (330 yards) of meeting up with those advancing from the west. The SDF was making "consistent gains" every day, the coalition spokesman said.

The SDF launched its U.S.-backed campaign to seize Raqqa in early June. The assault on IS de facto capital in Syria overlapped with the campaign to drive IS from the Iraqi city of Mosul, where IS was defeated last month.

The Kurdish official told Reuters SDF fighters advancing from the east and the west remain separated by a few streets where fighting continued.

Full control of the southern districts would sever IS last remaining path to the Euphrates River which is to the south of the city.

"There is a fierce resistance from Daesh, so we can't determine when exactly we'll take (full control)," said the official, referring to IS. "Around 90 percent of the southern neighborhoods are liberated," the official added.

The spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said SDF fighters had also captured around 10 square km (4 sq miles) of territory from IS north of Raqqa in the last two days.

"We've seen a less coherent ISIS defense in Raqqa compared to Mosul. ISIS is still using car bombs, booby traps, and civilians to hide behind, but their inability to address the multiple advances from the SDF is apparent," coalition spokesman Col. Ryan Dillon said in response to emailed questions from Reuters.

The SDF is dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia, and is the main partner for the U.S.-led coalition against IS in Syria.

Last week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the SDF has captured half of Raqqa.

IS has lost large expanses of territory in Syria over the last year to separate campaigns waged by the SDF, the Russian-backed Syrian military, and Turkey-backed Syrian rebels.

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The Metropolitan Police used force more than 12,600 times in just three months, with a disproportionate amount of incidents involving black people, new statistics have revealed.

Data from Britains largest police force showed force of varying degrees was used 139 times a day in London on average, or once every 10 minutes.

Almost 11,000 of the recorded incidents (around 87 per cent) were against men, 1,600 (13 per cent) against women and 37 against people classified by the police as transgender.

The majority of people affected were white, at 45 per cent of incidents, while 36 per cent were black, and 10 per cent Asian.

The figures show that black people, making up around 13 per cent of London residents, are disproportionately more likely to be targets of police force, while white and Asian people are under-represented.

Diane Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, called the report deeply troubling.

British police started using Tasers in 2003 (Getty)

It cannot be right that black people and young black men in particular are so much more likely to have force used against them, the Labour MP for Hackney and Stoke Newington told The Guardian.

All police forces throughout the country must treat all communities equally, and with respect.

Ms Abbott said she also deplores the injuries to officers revealed by the statistics, which included 643 incidents where officers were hurt during the same period.

Scotland Yard said almost 14 per cent of people involved were believed to have mental health issues, but provided no further breakdown.

It said the incidents counted ranged from taking hold of someones arm or handcuffing a compliant person to deploying a police dog or using a baton, CS spray, Taser or a gun.

Guns were trained on suspects 281 times, equating to roughly three times a day, but shots were only fired in two incidents, with one believed to be the London Bridge terror attack.

In another case, a baton round was used, while police fired Tasers 100 times, used CS gas 68 times and ordered a dog to bite someone 17 times.

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Handcuffing a compliant person was the most reported tactic, accounting for almost 6,000 incidents, while records showed Tasers were used in only 11 per cent of cases where they were deployed.

A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said the figure demonstrated how effective the controversial weapons were at defusing potentially volatile situations and reducing the need for further use of force techniques.

The figures from between 1 April and 30 June were the first of their kind to be published following the Home Office Annual Data Review, with officers required to make a record of every time they use force.

Officers have been trained to fill in an online form after every incident, which will be moved on to a phone app in future to speed up the process, with resulting statistics published quarterly.

Commander Matt Twist said: Our officers face the most dangerous situations every day. It is important we give them the right training and equipment to do the job.

Use of force techniques are there to stop violence and danger, protecting not only the officer making an arrest but also the public at the scene, and the person being arrested.

He hailed the new type of data collection as a positive step that would give senior Metropolitan Police officers an enhanced ability to scrutinise officers decisions and modify training, tactics and equipment.

It will also ensure transparency to the public who will get a better idea of what officers face on a day-to-day basis, Commander Twist added, stressing that the first three months of data could not be compared with any other figures.

It will take time for us to ensure officers comply with filling out this form after every use of force interaction becomes routine or second nature.

We know that there will be instances of force used in this period which have not been recorded, but having scrutinised the data, we have already seen a steady increase in online recording.

 Rashan Charles protest: Riot police called to Dalston as bins are set alight

Constabularies in England and Wales have been compiling the same data but not all have yet released the results.

The Metropolitan Polices figures came amid tension over the deaths of two young black men in the capital.

Violent protests broke out in Hackney last weekend following the death of Rashan Charles, 20, after he was chased by police who were caught on CCTV restraining him on the floor of a shop.

The incident came just weeks after another black man, Edson Da Costa, died in contested circumstances after officers stopped the car he was travelling in in Beckton.

Figures released by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) last week showed that fatal police shootings were at a record high in England and Wales last year, with six people killed in the 12 months to March.

The watchdog is investigating multiple complaints concerning police forces across the country, including an arrest on Sunday in Birmingham.

Three West Midlands Police constables have been removed from frontline duties after footage showed a baton being used to detain a suspect following a vehicle stop in what campaigners called an excessive and disproportionate unjustified use of force.

Footage posted on Sunday by police monitoring campaign group Netpol showed scuffles in a street in Aston, after a confrontation involving a plain-clothed officer and a man who was asked to move away.
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A man who tried to smuggle a pipe bomb onto a Ryanair plane was allowed to fly again days later because police did not realise the device was "crude but potentially viable".

Nadeem Muhammad, 43, was attempting to board a flight from Manchester Airport to Bergamo, Italy, on 30 January.

Security officers found the device, which was made from batteries, the barrel of a marker pen and pins, within the zip lining of the small green suitcase Muhammad was carrying.

Jonathan Sandiford, prosecuting, told the trial at Manchester Crown Court: "The prosecution say that on January 30 this year the defendant attempted to carry an assembled and viable improvised explosive device through security at Manchester Airport and onto the Ryanair flight with which he was booked to fly to Bergamo, or Milan, in Italy.

"The only reason he would have for trying to get that explosive device onto the aeroplane was that he intended to detonate it within the confines of the Boeing 737 aircraft."

 Ryanair passenger runs across tarmac to catch flight he'd missed

When airport security swabbed the bomb they found no trace of explosive on the outside and officers did not believe it was a viable device.

Muhammad said the device may have been placed into his bag by his wife or another person.

He was allowed to return home and on 5 February boarded another flight to Italy.

Mr Sandiford said: "At that stage nobody had realised this was a real device and the defendant was allowed to go on his way."

On 8 February, when the device was examined again, suspicions were raised and the bomb squad was called.

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 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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

The explosive was sent for examination by expert Lorna Philp, who found it was a "crude but potentially viable improvised explosive device" and Muhammad was arrested when he returned to the UK on 12 February.

Mr Sandiford said the explosive, which experts said would have been "unreliable" and "unpredictable", would have detonated if wires protruding from either end of the tube had been connected to each other.

He said the prosecution could not be sure if terrorism was the motive.

"That may be the most likely motive but equally it could be a desire to commit suicide or another purpose altogether," he said.

Muhammad, of Bury, Greater Manchester, denies possession of explosives with intent to endanger life or property and an alternative charge of possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by PA
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Police are investigating after the head of an equality group at Cambridge University claimed all white people are racist in a tweet sent in support of protesters who clashed with police in east London over the death of a young man.

Jason Osamade Okundaye, who runs the universitys Black and Minority Ethnic Society, took to Twitter after the protest over the death of Rashan Charles.

A series of tweets praised the protesters and claimed that white people had colonised Dalston, a once working-class area in the borough of Hackney.

One tweet from the privately educated 20-year-olds account said: Watching these middle-class white people despair over black people protesting in their colonised Dalston is absolutely delicious.

He then said that white people should go back to areas such as Exeter and Solihurst  presumed to mean Solihull in Birmingham.

Another said: ALL white people are racist. White middle class, white working class, white men, white women, white gays, white children they can ALL geddit.

He then urged protesters to "smash everything".

Cambridgeshire Police said they were investigating following numerous complaints that the tweets were inciting violence and hatred.

Mr Okundaye, who studies sociology and politics at the prestigious universitys Pembroke College, made his account private after the tweets caught the attention of the media.

Tory MP Bob Blackman said: This is stirring up racial hatred unnecessarily  and completely without justification.

A spokesman for Cambridge University said: The College is looking into this matter and will respond appropriately.

Mr Okundaye was reportedly born in south London and educated on an academic scholarship at the independent Whitgift School in Croydon, where full fees for borders are 36,400.

Commenting on his social media posts, Mr Okundaye said: My tweet about all white people being racist was pulled out of context and separate to my tweets in support of the Dalston protests.

My tweets on white racism had been said before, in response to people acting as if racism is exclusive to working-class people.

I stated that regardless of sexuality, class, gender or age, all white people are racist, ie, not just one type of white person.

"And the reference to 'geddit' refers to my previous tweets on how all demographics of whiteness can and should be called out for their racism and how it specifically manifests in their groups, eg, white middle-class people refusing to hire black people, or white gay men stating 'no blacks, no Asians' on dating apps such as Grindr.

The tweet was conflated with my separate tweets which supported the Dalston protests and my support of activism which seeks justice against police brutality.

Recommended Cambridge admits more black students then Eton pupils for first time

Protesters clashed with riot police in Dalston after fires were lit and the roads were blockaded near to where Mr Charles was seen on CCTV being restrained by a police officer shortly before he collapsed and died.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said he had died after swallowing an object.

The death led to accusations of excessive force being used, with an investigation being launched by watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, as a matter of course.

Police said bottles and other objects were hurled at them during the protests, believed to have been attended by around 150 people.

Roads were blocked off with wheelie bins, rubbish bags and broken tables, while mattresses were burned in the streets.

A member of the public was assaulted as they cycled through the area, while an officer suffered a minor eye injury.

Police said one person was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
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The National Crime Agency has said 60 people in the UK have died after taking the painkiller fentanyl.

It said post mortem toxicology results showed that 60 drug-related deaths were known to be linked to fentanyl or one of its analogues.

The drug is a highly toxic opioid, which is said to be approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

As little as 0.0002g of the drug is enough to be fatal, compared to 0.1g of heroin, according to the NCA.

Fentanyl has many different analogues  meaning similar drugs with slightly changed chemical structures  including carfentanyl, which is 10,000 times stronger than heroin.

The NCA said: Due to the very small quantities in which fentanyl analogues can be consumed without lethal consequences, blending these with class A drugs is difficult and dangerous. The result is often inconsistent so the mixture or dose contains hotspots  random concentrations of the fentanyl analogue.

If a user consumes a blended substance containing a hotspot, they will experience sudden and severe opioid poisoning, often with fatal consequences.

The agencys deputy director, Ian Cruxton, said: The threat of synthetic opioids is not new. However, since December 2016, we have seen a number of drug-related deaths linked to fentanyl and carfentanyl.

The NCA has been working with partners, both in the UK and overseas, to take action against those drug dealers who are playing Russian roulette with the lives of their customers by mixing synthetic opioids with heroin and other class A drugs.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA 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

I believe the action taken in the UK by the NCA and our police colleagues has significantly reduced the risk to the public, and we will keep targeting the source of the threat. At the same time, drug users, their friends and families need to be vigilant.

Public Health England (PHE) has recently released guidance and I encourage people to take the time to visit their website and find out how they can protect themselves and their loved ones.

Pete Burkinshaw, the alcohol and drug treatment lead at PHE, said the majority of deaths occurred in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.

He said: We have been working with drug testing labs and local drug services to get more information on confirmed and suspected cases.

We do not have a full picture, but the deaths in Yorkshire do appear to have peaked earlier in the year and fallen since our national alert and, encouragingly, our investigations in other parts of the country suggest we are not seeing the feared sharp increase in overdoses.

Investigations are ongoing and plans are in place for a scaled-up response if necessary.

In a statement, the agency said a man had been charged with importing, supplying and exporting class A drugs as part of its crackdown on the supply and distribution of synthetic opioids in the UK.

Kyle Enos, 25, from Gwent in Wales, was first arrested in May 2017 after officers identified him using the dark web to purchase the synthetic opioids. His arrest followed the raid on a drug-mixing facility in Leeds, which led to the arrest of three other men in April.

The drug is little known in the UK but is one of the main drugs contributing to the opioid crisis in the US, as approximately 142 Americans are dying from overdoses every day.
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Calls for urgent action to combat "disarray" in Britain's prisons are mounting after a second day of disorder at The Mount in Hertfordshire.

Riot squads were sent into the jail, in Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, after prisoners armed with weapons reportedly took over and vandalised its 250-inmate Nash Wing.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said order had been restored by around 5pm.

Specially trained prison staff have successfully resolved an incident at HMP The Mount on 1 August. There were no injuries to staff or prisoners," she added.

We do not tolerate violence in our prisons, and are clear that those responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars.

An earlier statement said that the violence had been "contained" and there was no risk to the public.

The disturbance came after authorities quelled violence in two wings the previous day, and separate incident broke out at HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire, where inmates escaped their cells and rioted in two wings in June 2016.

Staff successfully resolved an incident involving a small number of prisoners at HMP Erlestoke on 1 August, a Prison Service spokesperson said.

The offenders responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars.

Both jails house category C male prisoners, who are considered too dangerous for an open prison but are deemed unlikely to attempt escape.

Unrest broke out at The Mount on the same day a report warned of the threat of violence following a series of incidents last summer, saying experienced staff had been lost.

Emergency service vehicles lined up on a former airfield close to The Mount Prison, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on 31 July (PA)

The "Tornado" riot squad was sent in while police vehicles were pictured at the prison and ambulance crews and fire engines massed at a former airfield nearby.

A spokesperson for the Prison Service said the incident was over by around 10pm, adding: Specialist prison staff resolved an incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP The Mount on Monday evening. There were no injuries to staff or prisoners.

"The offenders responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars."

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Constabulary spokeswoman said it was working with the MoJ to review what, if any, criminal offences had been committed.

Amid increasing concern over the state of British prisons and the impact of Government cuts and privatisation, one commentator had described The Mount as on the brink of a meltdown.

Recent weeks have seen some inmates locked in their cells all day, with cold food delivered to their cell doors, prison affairs academic and blogger Alex Cavendish said.

A woman who said her son is an inmate tweeted that he had been on 24 hour lock down for weeks at The Mount, which houses more than 1,000 inmates, while others had complained of not being allowed out to shower or make phone calls.

Prison workers union the POA said Mondays disorder exposed a service in crisis, reported dozens of officer vacancies.

The incident involved more than 200 prisoners at some points and it took more than six hours to resolve the situation, a spokesperson said.

 Liz Truss says 'barking dogs' will stop illegal drone deliveries to prisons

Mark Fairhurst, acting national chairman of the POA, said the recent unrest underlines disarray in British prisons, which he said had lost 8,000 staff since 2010 despite inmate numbers increasing.

Morale is at an all-time low and as fast as the Service recruit new staff, staff leave in their droves, he added, calling for an independent review and the 1 per cent pay restraint being scrapped.

It is time for the Government to act and act quickly.

An assessment from the jail's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said that last summer all the ingredients were in place for The Mount to suffer disorder such as has been experienced in other prisons - staff shortages, readily available drugs, mounting violence.

The report, covering the 12 months to the end of February, said that during the year The Mount has struggled with staff shortages driven by uncompetitive pay scales.

It added: Experienced staff have left and not been fully replaced, so that at the end of February there were 24 vacancies out of a complement of 136 officers, and a high proportion of officers and managers had less than two years' experience.

Despite the shortages the IMB said the establishment ended the year as a safe prison where prisoners have a good chance of rehabilitation, with the governor and staff managing to control violence.

It said the drug problem at the jail was most acute in November when a number of prisoners suffered serious short-term health problems with 70 emergency call-outs in the month, mainly for drug-related problems.

The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons Show all 6 1 /6 The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons GETTY IMAGES The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons GETTY IMAGES The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons PA The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons PA

The synthetic cannabis substitute known as Spice is a big concern, the report said, adding that while drone deliveries have declined, the supply is still getting in.

Statistics released by the MoJ last week showed that attacks and self-harm have reached an all-time high in prisons in England and Wales, where there were 97 suicides in the past year.

There were 26,643 assaults in the 12 months to March, including a record 7,159 attacks on staff - averaging out at nearly 20 every day.

Campaigners and watchdogs have issued a catalogue of warnings about violence, drug use and overcrowding across the prisons estate in England and Wales, which has been hit by a number of disturbances in the last year.

The Howard League for Penal Reform said chronic overcrowding and staff shortages were driving a rising tide of violence, human misery [and] chaos.

How many people have to die before action is taken? asked chief executive Frances Crook.

The first step to recovery is to recognise that there is a problem. The second step is to do something about the problem.

By taking bold but sensible steps to reduce the prison population, we can save lives and prevent more people being swept away into deeper currents of crime and despair.

Last month Peter Clarke, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, warned staffing levels in many establishments are too low to maintain order and described the conditions some inmates are held in as squalid, dirty and disgraceful.

Additional reporting by PA
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A little known network of tunnels that caused a sinkhole in the car park of a Kent Primark, date back to the Second World War, according to a local history group.

Subsidence fears forced the clothing giant to carry out emergency repairs to its store back in May.

It is the second time in three years that the ground has sunk because of the tunnels, according to the Thanet Hidden History Facebook group, which pictured them before they were secured.

Recommended How Britain planned to blow up the Channel Tunnel with a nuclear bomb

The group also said the tunnels were created during the Second World War.

However, when the company that owns the shopping centre submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Defence asking for details of the tunnels and their previous usage, the Government said it held no information on the issue.

The network of passages was discovered when a sinkhole emerged in 2015 and led to emergency repair work being carried out, Kent Live reports. Another sinkhole appeared in May.

The Primark store re-opened at the end of July with many shoppers unaware they were walking above a hidden network of tunnels.

(Thanet Hidden History (Thanet Hidden History)

New photos released by Thanet Hidden History show the stone tunnels complete with stairs, brickwork and piles of rusted metal barrels.

There are a number of other wartime tunnels in the Thanet area.

The region on the Kent coast was one of the most likely sites for a German invasion during the wars and was the first part of Britain that many German bombers passed over on their way to conduct attacks.

(Thanet Hidden History (Thanet Hidden History)

On 24 August 1940, 500 bombs fell on the area in just five minutes.

In response, hundreds of families from nearby Ramsgate began living in a vast network of underground tunnels.

The network housed shops, canteens and even a hospital. Concerts were held to entertain the 300 or so families living underground.

The tunnels were constructed in 1939 on the eve of war. Some were converted from old railway tunnels.
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A prison riot that saw inmates take control of two wings has ended, the Ministry of Justice has said.

Disorder broke out at HMP The Mount in Hertfordshire on Monday and specially trained riot staff were sent in.

The trouble, said to have spanned two wings which house 227 inmates, erupted on the same day that a report warned the prison has struggled with "severe" staff shortages.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman later said the incident had been "resolved".

The Category C facility has been running on a "restricted regime" in recent weeks and is 47 staff short, prison affairs academic and blogger Alex Cavendish said.

He said inmates had been locked up for 24 hours a day in some cases, with food delivered cold to cell doors.

Mr Cavendish added that he had warned just days ago that the prison was "on the brink of a meltdown".

As the riot erupted, he said: "The technical term is that the staff have lost control of two wings. What 'lost control' means is that the prisoners are basically rioting, in layman's terms."

He said so-called Tornado squads, equipped to deal with riots, had been sent in.

An assessment from the jail's Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said that last summer "all the ingredients were in place for The Mount to suffer disorder such as has been experienced in other prisons - staff shortages, readily available drugs, mounting violence".

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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 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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 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The report covering the 12 months to the end of February said that during the year The Mount has struggled with staff shortages "driven by uncompetitive pay scales".

It said: "Experienced staff have left and not been fully replaced, so that at the end of February there were 24 vacancies out of a complement of 136 officers, and a high proportion of officers and managers had less than two years' experience."

Despite the shortages the IMB said the establishment ended the year as a safe prison where prisoners have a good chance of rehabilitation, with the Governor and staff managing to control violence.

It said the drug problem at the jail was most acute in November when a number of prisoners suffered serious short-term health problems with 70 emergency call-outs in the month, mainly for drug related problems.

The substance known as Spice is a "big concern", the report said, adding that while drone deliveries have declined, "the supply is still getting in".

(PA)

A man claiming to be a prisoner in another part of the complex contacted The Independent to say they were rioting because they "have not had a shower since Wednesday".

The unnamed prisoner, who said he was calling from his cell, said treatment of prisoners was "in breach of human rights".

"They been doing all sorts of things like banging up for three days or four days and not letting us out. They will let out like selected individuals," he said.

"We've been going three, four days with no shower, no exercise, no nothing."

He said if conditions were not so poor, there would be no rioting.

"You can't keep someone in their cell for days for no reason and not have them try to get out," he added.

The man said he had been in the prison since the start of year and that conditions had deteriorated during that time.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice told The Independent: Specialist prison staff resolved an incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP The Mount on Monday evening. There were no injuries to staff or prisoners.

The offenders responsible will be referred to the police and could spend longer behind bars.

The matter has now been referred to the police.

Additional reporting by PA
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Tony Blair should be tried as a war criminal over the Iraq War, according to a third of Britons surveyed in a new poll.

Carried out on the same day that the High Court blocked a bid by a former chief of the Iraqi Armys staff to bring a private prosecution against the former prime minister, the YouGov survey asked 3,264 adults representative of the population in Britain to pick one of five statements that best summed up their views about him in respect of the Iraq War.

A third  33 per cent  of those taking part in the survey chose Mr Blair knowingly misled Parliament and the public and should be tried as a war criminal.

The number of respondents who said Mr Blair should be tried as a war criminal was higher among those aged above 65, with 42 per cent choosing that answer compared with only 26 per cent of those aged 18 to 24.

Overall, about 27 per cent answered they did not know which statements best summed up their views on the matter and 15 per cent said they agreed that he knowingly misled Parliament and the public but we should now move on and take no action against him.

Nearly half of the 18 to 24-year-olds, or 47 per cent, said they did not know which statement to pick.

Among the respondents, 13 per cent chose the sentence: Even if some of the details were wrong, Mr Blair was right to warn that Saddam Husseins regime was extremely dangerous.

12 per cent said Mr Blair misled Parliament and the public about the scale of the threat from Iraq but did not intend to do so.

Of those who identified as Conservative voters, 40 per cent said they wanted to see Mr Blair tried as a war criminal compared with 31 per cent of Labour voters and 25 per cent of Liberal Democrats.

Among SNP voters, 39 per cent said they wanted to see him tried, as did 54 per cent of Ukip voters.

The findings come as the debate over criminal proceedings against Mr Blair resumed after Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the Lord Chief Justice, and Mr Justice Ouseley dismissed General Abdul Wahed Shannan Al Rabbats application for private prosecution, saying there was no prospect of the case succeeding.

The general has accused Mr Blair of committing a crime of aggression by invading Iraq in 2003 to overthrow its leader Saddam Hussein. He wanted to prosecute Mr Blair along with former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Lord Goldsmith, the then Attorney General.

In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives and friends of the military personnel who died in Iraq, leave the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Dawn Holmes, the mother of L Cpl Sarah Holmes who died in Iraq, is consoled by solicitor Matthew Jury as she leaves the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report A family member holding a photograph of Stephen Robert Wright (R), outside the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, after the publication of the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Families of soldiers killed in the Iraq conflict stand together outside the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre after the outcome of the Chilcot report Getty Images In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives of military personnel killed during the Iraq War talk at a news conference after listening to Sir John Chilcot present The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster Getty In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives of military personnel killed during the Iraq War react after listening to Sir John Chilcot presenting The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London AP In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives and friends of military personnel killed during the Iraq War attend a news conference after listening to Sir John Chilcot present The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster Getty Images In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Family of those who died in Iraq speak to the media as they leave the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London PA In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Relatives and friends of military personnel killed during the Iraq War attend a news conference after Sir John Chilcot presented The Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster Getty Images In pictures: Families of Iraq War victims react to Chilcot report Victoria Jones (L), a relative of a British soldier killed in Iraq, holds a copy of The Report of the Iraq Inquiry, by John Chilcot, at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in London Reuters

His application to the High Court for a judicial review was an attempt to overturn a ruling by the House of Lords in 2006 that there is no such crime as the crime of aggression under the law of England and Wales.

The general lives in Oman and does not possess a passport to travel to the UK.

The UK was part of a US-led coalition which invaded Iraq after former US President George W Bush and Mr Blair accused Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having links to terrorists.

But the Chilcot report, which summarised the findings of a public inquiry into Britains role in the war, concluded Mr Blair deliberately blurred lines between what he believed and what he knew.

It found that the former Prime Minister had convinced himself with unjustified certainty that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, when intelligence reports had not established beyond doubt that they existed.
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Boris Johnson accused Venezuela's president of behaving like the "dictator of an evil regime" after two of the country's leading opposition leaders were seized from their homes at night by state security agents.

The Foreign Secretary stepped up his attacks on Nicolas Maduro as he appeared to crack down on his enemies after a widely disputed vote to give his ruling socialist party nearly unlimited powers.

As fears over civil unrest and instability in the country grew on Tuesday, the Foreign Office said it had withdrawn the families of its embassy staff and instructed Britons that they should consider leaving too.

The South American country's National Electoral Council has said more than eight million people voted to grant Mr Maduro's government the powers with a constitutional assembly, but the turnout is disputed by political opponents.

Relatives and allies of two of the country's leading opposition figures - Leopoldo Lopez and former Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma - reported on social media that they had been detained by the state.

Both had recently posted videos online criticising Mr Maduro's decision to hold the vote for a constitutional assembly with the power to overhaul the country's political system.

Mr Johnson tweeted: "Maduro acting like a dictator of an evil regime and has destroyed Venezuelan economy, eroded human rights + imprisoned thousands."

In another post, he added: "Hundreds have died during protests against Maduro's actions. Political prisoners must be released + rights, freedoms + democracy respected."

Mr Maduro called the vote for a constitutional assembly in May after a month of protests against his government, which has overseen Venezuela's descent into a devastating crisis during its four years in power.

Plunging oil prices and widespread corruption have left the formerly prosperous nation struggling with widespread shortages of food and medicine.

The winners among the 5,500 ruling-party candidates running for 545 seats in Mr Maduro's new constituent assembly will have the task of rewriting the country's constitution and will have powers above and beyond other state institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress.

The United States has reacted to the election by imposing financial sanctions on Mr Maduro, who Donald Trump's national security adviser H R McMaster also described as "a dictator".

But the Venezuelan president remained defiant, insisting on national television that the sanctions "don't intimidate me for a moment", adding: "I don't listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever".

Press Association
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Boris Johnsons economic guru has called for EU staff working in London to be given certainty over their position after Brexit.

Gerard Lyons, a prominent City economist and close ally of the Foreign Secretary, said the fate of EU staff is the real big thing concerning the financial sector.

His intervention comes after European politicians rejected Theresa May and David Daviss plans for dealing with EU citizens in the UK after 2019 and amid reports of cabinet splits over the Governments approach to post-Brexit immigration.

Recommended Johnson in row with Cable over resignation rumour

The Tory row has seen Mr Johnson forced to deny that he was about to resign and Theresa May reining in Philip Hammond following reports that the Chancellor signalled freedom of movement could continue in all but name after Brexit.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Lyons said the mood in the City of London was good and people expected the financial services sector to remain strong after Brexit despite some banks moving operations.

But he then added: The big concern at the moment is about timing. We need a temporary transition period.

And the real big thing concerning the City is about EU staff. One in eight people who work in the City is from another EU country.

The sooner the Government can clarify the position about EU staff then that will ease many of the worries at the moment.

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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

The European Parliament has threatened to veto the UKs proposals for EU citizens in the UK after 2019 unless they are improved, with reports of little progress being made by Brexit Secretary Mr Davis in Brussels talks.

In London, cabinet divisions over the approach to post-Brexit immigration have also emerged in recent days, after Mr Hammond signalled freedom of movement could continue for a three-year period in all but name after the UK leaves.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd also sought to reassure business there would be no sudden cliff edge drop in access to skilled EU workers.

Tensions then heightened after an interview with Brexit-backing International Trade Secretary Liam Fox was published, in which he insisted moves to retain free movement would not keep faith with the referendum result and highlighted that the Cabinet had agreed no joint-stance.

There were reports that neither Mr Fox nor Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson were pre-briefed on the comments made by Mr Hammond or Ms Rudd  though Downing St said it did not recognise this version of events  with Mr Johnson forced to deny that he was preparing to resign over the issue.

Downing Street moved to calm the row yesterday in moves that was seen as a slap down to the Chancellor, with the Prime Ministers spokesman telling reporters: It would be wrongto suggest that free movement will continue as it is now.

On a trip to Brazil on Tuesday, Mr Hammond denied claims that talks on an EU trade deal would be delayed as a result of slow progress in talks so far.

 Michel Barnier seeks clarification over key issues in Brexit talks

He said: As Michel Barnier, the EU negotiator says ... the clock is ticking, we are already in a timescale that has to end on 29 March 2019, which is when Britain will leave the European Union.

Theres a discussion going on about how we then move from full membership of the European Union to a future relationship with the European Union and thats a debate, a discussion that will go on through this negotiations.
A Turkish military vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in southeast Diyarbakir province, killing two soldiers, security sources said on Tuesday.

The device was detonated by militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as the vehicle was passing the road, the sources said. They said ground and air operations were under way to hunt down the militants.

Separately, security sources said three PKK militants were killed in the southeastern province of Tunceli after being identified by a drone.

Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast has been rocked by violence following the collapse of a 2-1/2-year ceasefire between the state and the PKK in 2015.

The autonomy-seeking PKK took up arms in 1984, and more than 40,000 people have died in the conflict. It is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.



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Remain voters destroyed the Conservatives majority by flocking to Labour as the best bet to stop a hard Brexit, a huge election study has found.

The research, from quizzing more than 30,000 voters, has concluded that EU withdrawal was the crucial issue on polling day  despite barely featuring during the election campaign.

And it has found that Jeremy Corbyns party was able to haul back Theresa Mays only by winning over large numbers of Remain backers from all other parties.

Recommended Most older Leave voters would accept economic damage to secure Brexit

More than half of Brexit opponents in the 2016 referendum backed Labour in June, far more than voted for the Conservatives (25 per cent), or the pro-EU Liberal Democrats (15 per cent).

Significantly, more than one in three of respondents identified Brexit as the most important issue of the election  while fewer than one in 10 mentioned the NHS and only one in 20 the economy.

The findings come despite suggestions that issues other than Brexit explained Labours campaign surge, given the partys confusing and ambiguous stance.

Labour refused to campaign to stay in either the EU single market or the customs union, its manifesto promising only a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits.

Since polling day, Mr Corbyn has insisted single market membership must end on Brexit day, although senior colleagues have suggested Labour backs staying in a reformed trading bloc.

One pro-EU Labour MP urged Mr Corbyn to embrace the studys findings as the go-ahead to properly oppose the Governments withdrawal plans.

Remainers punished the Tories and removed Mays majority. Government should take note  and Labour should be bolder on opposing Brexit, tweeted Neil Coyle, a London MP.

Academics from the British Election Study (BES) team said their data suggested Remain voters had swung to Labour because the debate had moved on from whether to leave, to the exit terms.

Despite an ambiguous position on the single market, Labour was seen as the best bet for those wanting to keep closer ties with our European neighbours, wrote Professor Ed Fieldhouse and Dr Chris Prosser of Manchester University.

One of the reasons Labour could do so well amongst Remainers is that, by May 2017, the Brexit debate was not so much about whether or not to leave or remain, but about how to leave the EU.

Respondents were also asked whether it was more important to protect Britains single market access or gain full control of immigration, during the Brexit talks.

The academics added: The Conservatives lead Labour by more than 40 percentage points amongst those most in support of full control of immigration, with Labour having a similar lead among those wanting complete access to the single market.

So to put it another way, the Tories were the party of hard Brexit whilst Labour was the party of soft Brexit.

Furthermore, as the Ukip vote collapsed, more than half of the partys 2015 voters who voted again switched to the Tories, compared with only 18 per cent to Labour and 18 per cent who stayed loyal.

Undoubtedly, in 2017, the Conservatives were the party of Leave, with over 60 per cent of the Leave vote, the academics concluded.
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A transitional deal is the only way to save Brexit from an approaching disaster, William Hague has said.

The former Foreign Secretary said he backed a managed withdrawal from the EU, as advocated by the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, which he described as having immense attractions.

Mr Hammonds transition strategy of retaining free movement of labour until 2022 appears to have triggered a split in Theresa Mays Cabinet between those defending a soft Brexit and Eurosceptic hardliners.

The plan for an implementation phase would also see the UK seeking to stay in the EU single market and customs union for three years after leaving the bloc.

Writing in The Telegraph, Lord Hague defended the proposal criticised by other cabinet members, including Brexiteer Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary.

This is seen by longstanding advocates of leaving as a soft position or a climbdown. But in reality it is a plan to rescue Brexit from an approaching disaster, Lord Hague said.

The former Tory leader was unequivocal when it came to stressing the risks the UK is taking as it prepares to exit the EU, including an economic downturn, instability for businesses, the difficulty to pass the final terms of the withdrawal deal in Parliament and the prospect of leaving the EU without an agreement altogether.

He wrote: Take all these risks together and there is the clear potential for Brexit to become the occasion of the greatest economic, diplomatic and constitutional muddle in the modern history of the UK, with unknowable consequences for the country, the Government and the Brexit project itself.

He argued that a transitional deal would make the negotiations with the EU easier and quicker, partly solving the row over the UK footing EU bills as it would keep making budget payments until 2021. It would also grant UK negotiators more time to set up a new customs system.

Lord Hague noted that fewer new laws would be needed in the short term, easing the pressure on businesses having to make decisions over jobs and income and making it more likely a united Government would succeed in passing through Parliament the terms of Britains departure.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA 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

Mr Hammond is understood to have the backing in Cabinet from the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, and First Secretary, Damian Green.

But Mr Fox has rubbished the idea that Cabinet had agreed to allow free movement of labour three years after Brexit, saying any such move would not keep faith with the referendum result.

In the column, Lord Hague also revealed business leaders and politicians asked him how the UK would get round the EU referendum result. He claims he was asked the question for months ... everywhere I went abroad.

I explained to them that this really is a democracy. The electorate voted to leave the EU, and therefore we leave, he said.

He said that, like his former colleagues who voted Remain, he had to accept the result. But he warned both Brexiteers and the Government that underestimating the challenges ahead could see people turn against them and change their mind on Brexit.

Now, there is a fresh danger that, with the referendum behind them, the enthusiasts for Brexit will underestimate the dangers that things could go so badly wrong that the country turns against the people trying to deliver what it voted for, or event the idea itself, he wrote.
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A US court has come to the same conclusion as anyone whos been crammed into the middle seat of an American flight: airlines are making seats smaller.

A federal appeals court judge in Washington has ordered the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reevaluate what the judge called the Case of the Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat. Thats potentially good news for the worlds contorted travellers.

US Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Patricia Millett admonished the FAA in her opinion for vacuous and vaporous evidence the agency had used to argue that favouring diminished leg room wasnt much of a problem.

Recommended Aviation bursting at seams in busiest summer for airports and airlines

Airlines have been experimenting with reduced seat sizes in their aircraft for quite some time, to the chagrin of passengers who dont meet the parameters those chairs are designed for. Even though the shrinking seats have resulted in horror stories spreading online, the airline companies have still looked into the measures as a way of packing in more passengers to pad profits.

Douglass Kidd, the executive director of the National Association of Airline Passengers, told The Independent that the lack of seat size regulations for airlines has led airlines to compete to see how many people they can cram into a plane, instead of competition geared toward providing quality services to customers.

At the same time that airlines are trying to fit more people in a plane with smaller seats, Americans are getting larger.

The world's 10 worst airlines Show all 10 1 /10 The world's 10 worst airlines The world's 10 worst airlines 10. Jet AirHelp, has assessed more than 30 airlines using scores for quality of service, on-time performance and responses to claims for compensation. Here follows the lowest ranked airlines, starting with Jet Airways, 35% of whose flights were delayed in 2018 Getty The world's 10 worst airlines 9. Aerolineas Argentinas 15% of Aerolineas Argentinas flights were delayed in 2018 Getty The world's 10 worst airlines 8. Iberia 16% of Iberia flights were delayed in 2018 Getty Images The world's 10 worst airlines 7. Korean Air 36% of Korean Air flights were delayed in 2018 Getty The world's 10 worst airlines 6. Ryanair 14% of Ryanair flights were delayed in 2018 EPA The world's 10 worst airlines 5. Air Mauritius 31% of Air Mauritius flights were delayed in 2018 Getty The world's 10 worst airlines 4. easyJet 21% of easyJet flights were delayed in 2018 AFP/Getty Images The world's 10 worst airlines 3. Pakistan International Airlines 39% of Pakistan International Airlines were delayed in 2018 Getty The world's 10 worst airlines 2. Royal Jordanian Airlines 13% of Royal Jordanian Airlines flights were delayed in 2018 Getty The world's 10 worst airlines 1. WOW Air 25% of WOW Air flights were delayed in 2018 Getty

People are about 20 or 30 pounds heavier than they sued to be, Mr Kidd said. The seats need to be big enough to accommodate everybody. Were not looking for the luxury of first class but we are looking for reasonable accommodation for, basically, a changing world.

Ms Milletts ruling wasnt a complete win for FlyersRights.org, the group that brought the complaint against the FAA. The National Association of Airline Passengers was not a party, but has filed similar complaints in the past.

The judge wrote that the airline agency had reasonably concluded that issues related to passenger comfort arent the responsibility of the federal agency  so, tough luck if youre feeling cramped between two adjustable seats. She also wrote that concerns over blood clots werent necessarily related to seat spacing or sizes. The ruling also stopped short of ordering the agency to develop set seat space rules.

The judge did express concern for emergency evacuations, and how smaller and more cramped seating might affect the safety of a flight. Although the FAA had cited studies conducted that have analysed the potential risk associated with smaller, more cramped seating, the agency had failed to make those studies public for the court and others to take a look at.

Other studies cited by the agency were outdated, Ms Millett wrote. Many came from the days when seats were bigger and airlines were much roomier for a more selective clientele.

That type of vaporous record will not do, she wrote. The Administrations rational also blinks reality. As a matter of basic physics, at some point seat and passenger dimensions would become so squeezed as to impede the ability of passengers to extricate themselves from their seats and get over to an aisle.

So, Ms Millett and two other judges have ordered the FAA to go back and take a look at their regulations. They dont, however, have a deadline on when they must have finished that review.

Mr Kidd said that the ruling is an incremental step in the right direction, but said that the ultimate fix for these types of issues is more likely to come out of laws passed by Congress rather than regulatory agencies. Even so, they face a formidable foe in their paths.

The airlines have a very effective lobbying effort on Capitol Hill, he said. So, even though the people in Congress are aware of the problem, on the one hand theyre being pressured by their constituents to go one way, and on the other hand theyre getting pressured by the airlines.

The airline industry as a whole spends millions of dollars a year lobbying the federal government on a variety of issues. So far in 2017, the industry has spent $14 million lobbying in Washington, and spent nearly $27.4 million lobbying in 2016, according to data from the Centre for Responsive Politics.
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A man has confessed to killing his mother and two of his brothers with a crossbow over fears they would expose his lies about having a job to his fiance weeks before their wedding.

Brett Ryan had admitted his past as a bank robber to Kristen Baxter and she still agreed to walk down the aisle.

But the 36-year-old from Toronto, Canada, had been hiding another secret from her  the fact that he had lied about graduating from university and having a job.

Recommended New security measures for people flying from Canada and Mexico to US

After his mother Susan Ryan threatened to expose his lies to Ms Baxter and cut off financial support, the pair got into a heated argument, an agreed statement of facts submitted to the Ontario Court of Justice.

He then stabbed his mother with a bolt  a type of arrow used for a crossbow  and strangled her in her garage.

Not long after, his brother, Christopher Ryan, arrived to find Brett in the garage, after his mother called him for help when the argument got out of hand.

Ryan shot him in the neck with an arrow, placing his brothers body under a tarp with his mother.

He then stabbed his other brother, Alexander, 29, who arrived later at the house. He collapsed on the driveway, where his body was found by police.

Toronto police cordon off the area outside the house where Brett Ryan killed his mother and two of his brothers (Reuters)

Ryan also attacked his older brother, Leigh, 39, who heard the altercation and went outside to see what had happened.

He was followed and assaulted by Ryan, but managed to escape and run across the street for help.

Ryan admitted that in the days leading up to the murder, he had placed a crossbow in the garage of his mothers home. He had also set up electronic devices at his home to create an internet footprint while he committed his crimes.

He had also fix a wooden spoon onto a fan, which was connected to a timer, so that the spoon would hit the Enter button on his laptop, prompting videos to play on YouTube. His iPad and iPhone had also been set up to send emails from his home address while he was away.

Ryan had previously been found guilty of committing a string of bank heists disguised as an elderly man, earning him the moniker, Fake Beard Bandit.

The Canadian had attributed the spree to a depressive episode he suffered after a break-up with a former girlfriend and had hoped to use the stolen money to pay off more than C$60,000 (36,400) in debts.

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

Because the robberies had been considered out of character for Ryan, a judge rejected the 10-year sentence requested by prosecutors, handing him a sentence of just three years and nine months.

He was seen as a model prisoner who was considered at low risk of re-offending before he was released on day parole in April 2010, according to CBC.

It is unclear when Ryan and Ms Baxter started seeing each other, but it is believed the pair met before his parole would have ended.

The murders took place just three weeks before their wedding day.

Ryan was arrested outside his familys home last August where his mother and two brothers were pronounced dead at the scene,

He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder of his oldest brother, Christopher, and to two counts of second-degree murder of his mother, Susan, and younger brother Alexander.. He also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of his older brother, Leigh.

In addition to the three concurrent sentences of life in prison, he was also handed a 10-year concurrent sentence for the attempted murder of his brother, Leigh.

He has no chance of parole for at least 25 years.
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A couple are fighting a protracted legal battle after they lost custody of their children because they have "limited cognitive abilities".

Amy Fabbrini, 31, and Eric Ziegler, 38, have been trying to prove to the state of Oregon for nearly four years that they are intellectually capable of raising their children.

The state's Department of Human Services removed their eldest son, Christopher, shortly after he was born, because both parents had "limited cognitive abilities that interfere with [their] ability to safely parent the child," The Oregonian reports.

Five months ago, they took their second son, Hunter, directly from hospital after he was born.

Members of the family alerted the authorities when Ms Fabbrini brought Christopher to her father's home, where she was also looking after her 6-year-old twins from a previous marriage.

Child welfare records accused Mr Ziegler of "sleeping with the baby on the floor and [having] almost rolled over on him," as well as being "easily frustrated" and saying he "often forgets to feed his dog."

Ms Fabbrini's father, Raymond Fabbrini, told The Oregonian: "She doesn't have the instincts to be a mother."

He added: "Me and Amy were never close. She got me mad so many times. She wouldn't do nothing."

Psychological tests said Ms Fabbrini had an IQ of about 72, placing her at the "extremely low to borderline range of intelligence". Mr Ziegler was given an IQ of around 66, putting him in the "mild range of intellectual disability".

The average IQ is between 90 and 110.

An advocator for the couple, Sherrene Hagenbach, said: "They are saying they are intellectually incapable without any guidelines to go by."

No domestic abuse or neglect was found in the case.

Ms Hagenbach added: "They're saying that this foster care provider is better for the child because she can provide more financially, provide better education, things like that.

"If we're going to get on that train, Bill Gates should take my children. There's always somebody better than us, so it's a very dangerous position to be in."

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Ms Hagenbach started a petition, which has over 1,600 supporters, to return Christopher and Hunter to Ms Fabbrini and Mr Ziegler's care.

"I quickly discovered that this family had no problem at all taking care of their son. They showed loving attention, were attentive to his needs, and at this point had been fighting faithfully in court for almost three years to prove to CPS that they were capable and loving parents."

Ms Hagenbach, board member of Healthy Families of the High Desert, added: "In my professional opinion, after multiple sessions observing Amy and Eric interact with their son for hours on end, I found no reason they should have had their child taken from them and placed in the States care.

"Any reasonably trained and educated CPS worker should have arrived at the same conclusion, as I documented in the session notes of every visit.

"The couple demonstrated competent parenting skills with Christopher, had no history of abuse or neglect, and expressed a deep desire to have Christopher returned to them to raise him along with the mothers twin boys."
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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump hates leaks. He hired Anthony Scaramucci 10 days ago to very publicly root them out, and he has even attacked his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for not investigating them aggressively enough.

But oftentimes with Trump, a leak isn't just a leak; it's an effort to save him from himself.

Such is the case with The Washington Post's big scoop Monday night that Trump personally dictated the highly misleading initial statement about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. Anonymous White House advisers said they had settled on a plan to be transparent about the meeting, only to have the president come in at the 11th hour and decide to try and withhold the whole truth. The result, at Trump's personal direction, was a statement that claimed the meeting was about adoption, when in fact the stated purpose of it was opposition research -- supposedly from the Russian government -- about Hillary Clinton.

Check out this detailed blow-by-blow from The Post's Ashley Parker, Carol D. Leonnig, Philip Rucker and Tom Hamburger about how the Trump team responded to the New York Times learning about the meeting:

"[White House director of strategic communications Hope] Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, [Jared] Kushner's team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

"The discussions among the president's advisers consumed much of the day, and they continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

"But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

"It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.'s meeting.

"The president directed that Trump Jr.'s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue - the adoption of Russian children."

And now look at these comments from anonymous advisers:

" 'This was . . . unnecessary,' said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. 'Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth.' "

And here:

"Trump, advisers say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

"' He refuses to sit still,' the presidential adviser said. 'He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself.' "

And this:

"Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a cover-up. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal."

President Donald Trump makes remarks during a meeting of his cabinet (Getty Images)

The White House's first six months, of course, have been littered with internal leaks. Many of them are owed to the warring factions within the West Wing and dissension in the broader administration. But every so often you see this kind of leak: the send-a-message-to-the-boss leak -- the spreading of unhelpful information about the president because advisers see no other way to make it stop.

And even in that line of reporting, this is a pretty remarkable cry for help. In this story, they're admitting that he is personally responsible for deliberately misleading the American people about a major topic of the Russia investigation. They're saying that he did something that could very well be construed as a cover-up and could damage his legal defense. The reason? Because they apparently can't prevail upon him in person and they think he simply doesn't get what kind of jeopardy he is putting himself in.

Part of it may simply be exasperation, as well. When you, as a White House staffer, continue to have to put up with the boss's unpredictable whims and furthering of unhelpful story lines (i.e. Russia was on my mind when I fired FBI Director James Comey), it's liable to lead to this kind of leaking.

Trump will surely view this as an effort by the deep state and-or the media to undermine him. He'd be better off understanding it for what it is: a desperate effort to help him help himself. After all, in this case, the advisers were right. The truth all came out in rather short order, and Trump only made it worse.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a cover-up. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

Trump, advisers say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

"He refuses to sit still," the presidential adviser said. "He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."

"This was . . . unnecessary," said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

 Washington Post
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Three California communities are suing 37 of the worlds largest oil, gas and coal companies for knowingly contributing to climate change.

San Mateo and Marin counties, as well as the city of Imperial Beach, have filed suit against companies like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron, which they claim produced roughly 20 percent of all greenhouse emissions between 1965 and 2015.

The communities are now seeking relief from the costs of climate change, which include rising sea levels and carbon dioxide pollution.

Recommended Climate change will heat up so much it can never recover

"As a low-income coastal community, we have no capacity to pay for the adaptation measures needed to protect ourselves from these impacts, Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said. It is unfair to force citizens, business owners and taxpayers to fend for ourselves when the source of the problem is so clear."

Marin County, meanwhile, argues that the effects of flooding caused by climate change will cost the community upwards of $15.5 billion (11.9 billion) in the next 15 years alone.

The communities further claim that the companies knew about the effects of climate change for at least 50 years, but failed to act. The companies, they allege, took steps to secure their own assets, but did nothing to warn the larger community.

Lisa Murray's climate change photography Show all 12 1 /12 Lisa Murray's climate change photography Lisa Murray's climate change photography Dinka cattle herders starting their migration in South Sudan Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography A Dinka woman fetches water in South Sudan Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Veronica in South Sudan preparing tea outside her home, recently ravaged by heavy flooding Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Children playing in Vietnam. When it floods, transport to and from school is a major challenge Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Sugeng, a fish and crab farmer from Indonesia who suffers financially every time the area floods Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Tan, a vegetable farmer, learning new methods through Oxfam in Vietnam Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Maluk, a 19-year-old from Tonj South, South Sudan Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Normally this farmer in South Sudan would be harvesting sorghum, but rains are late so the hunger season continues Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Herders bringing home their cattle in Afar, Ethiopia Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Farmers harvesting chilli in Ethiopia Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography A woman in Tigray, Ethiopia, scares birds away from her crops with a slingshot Lisa Murray Lisa Murray's climate change photography Irula tribe woman in Tamil Nadu Lisa Murray

Previous investigations have claimed that Exxon Mobil sat on findings from one of their senior scientists about the effects of climate change, starting as early as 1977. Exxon claims they never sought to hide these findings.

A spokeswoman for Shell told The Guardian that the company believes climate change is a complex societal challenge that should be addressed through sound government policy and cultural change ... not by the courts. A spokesman for Statoil pointed out that previous, similar cases had been dismissed for being outside the scope of the judiciary.

Similar complaints have seen some success against the tobacco industry, after local governments sued cigarette manufacturers for health-related expenses. The most prominent of these claims was settled outside of court, for a substantial sum.

According to Columbia Law Professor Michael Burger, however, causation may be more difficult to prove in the case of climate change.

"Proving that these particular emissions that came from these fossil fuel companies led to this particular level of sea level rise and contribute X amount to harms that have happened or will happen  that's a long chain of causation, Mr Burger told Insideclimate News.

"There are a number of significant legal hurdles, he added.
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A foul-smelling black cloud of wastewater discharge appeared at the base of the Niagara Falls, initially prompting fears of an oil leak.

Seeping out near the dock where the popular Maid of the Mist boat tour of the renowned waterfalls operates from, it could be clearly seen from the cliff faces above the Niagara River, on both the Canadian and American side of the border.

Dismissing fears of an oil leak, officials said the colour caused by residue from black carbon filters which are used to clean the water.

It followed a maintenance operation at a local wastewater treatment plant, they said.

Pat Proctor, vice president for Rainbow Air Inc, which provides helicopter tours over the falls, was among the first to notice the black stain quickly colouring the water.

"I was just praying it wasn't an oil leak," he told the Buffalo News. "It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie."

In a statement, the Niagara Falls Water Board apologised for causing alarm.

It said: "The 'inky water' was the result of "a routine, necessary, and short term change in the waste water treatment process" at the plant, around four miles from the falls.

The board added that the water discharged contained some accumulated solids and carbon residue which were within permitted limits and did not include any organic type oils or solvents and that the smell would be limited to normal sewer water discharge.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo nonetheless asked state regulators to investigate the wastewater discharges.

He announced that the city of Niagara Falls may have violated state water quality standards and that the Department of Environmental Conservation would be conducting the investigation.
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A man has been accused of hiding his former girlfriends body in a padlocked freezer he bought with his new partner, who then allegedly assumed the dead womans life.

Police in Youngstown, Ohio, said they had detained Arturo Novoa and Katrina Layton and were examining the human remains they discovered in the freezer of their home.

While the remains have not been formally identified, investigators believe they are of 28-year-old Shannon Graves, who was a girlfriend of Mr Novoa and was last seen alive in February.

The couple are being held in custody while tests are completed (Youngstown Police)

Ms Layton and Mr Novoa have been charged with the abuse of a corpse, which was discovered on Saturday in several bags inside the freezer by Mr Novoas landlords wife.

Reuters said Mr Novoa had asked his landlord if he could move the freezer down to the landlord's basement because his electricity had been shut off and he didnt want his freezer full of meat to spoil, according to a police report.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The landlords wife became suspicious after seeing the freezer was padlocked, and decided to break in.

Basically, Miss Layton moved in with Mr Novoa and started living her life, said Dana Lantz, the prosecutor. She didnt hold herself out to be Shannon, she just lived her life, using her phone, caring for her dog.

The couple are being held in custody and are still to be appointed lawyers, Ms Lantz said. They could face additional charges once the identity of the body is confirmed, along with a cause of death.
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A police officer in Maryland has helped out a woman accused of shoplifting by buying nappies for her son.

Bennett Johns, a rookie officer at the Laurel Police Department, said that he was responding to a call at a local grocery store where a 20-year-old mother had been caught trying to shoplift two packs of diapers with her young son in tow.

After she purchased some groceries she did not have enough money left over to buy the diapers, a statement from the police department provided to ABC read. Officer Johns considered the situation and then made the decision to purchase the diapers out of his own pocket so that the young child would not suffer.

The officer still cited the young woman for shoplifting, but did not arrest her. He instead referred her to social services to try and make sure that she and her toddler were taken care of.

The woman, according to the statement, is now receiving support and help from those social services.

The police department thanked Officer Johns for his actions in the statement. Officer Johns, who was sworn in in May, was thanked for not just fairly enforcing the law, but also showing empathy to an innocent child put in a difficult situation.

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

Each year roughly $13 billion worth of goods are stolen from retailers in America, according to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, a figure that amounts to approximately $35 million per day. That organization says that there is no typical shoplifter, in spite of the romanticized of scenarios like the one Officer Johns responded to.

Of all shoplifting, 25 percent is committed by minors. Of adults, roughly 55 percent say that they shoplifted when they were teenagers. Shoplifting generally isnt an indicator that an individual will commit other crimes.
Nearly 500 people appeared in court Tuesday in the biggest trial yet of suspects from Turkey's failed coup, facing charges of conspiring to oust the government from an air base seen as the plotters' hub.

A total of 486 suspects have been indicted in the case and almost all the suspects -- a total of 461 -- are held in custody while seven are still on the run and the remainder charged but not in jail.

Some of those held were marched into the court outside Ankara one-by-one in a long line in front of the television cameras and public, with each suspect held by two members of the Turkish gendarmerie and flanked by an armed soldier.

People chanted "we want the death penalty!" and some threw nooses towards the suspects. The death penalty has been abolished in Turkey since 2004.

There were also chants of "martyrs don't die, the nation won't be divided". Some people threw water bottles, an AFP reporter said.

The suspects are accused of running the coup bid from the Akinci air base northwest of the capital, which the authorities regard as the headquarters of the plotters where orders were sent out for fighter jets to bomb parliament.

They are charged with crimes ranging from murder, violating the constitution and attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

If convicted, they face life imprisonment.

Among the main suspects named in the indictment but still on the run is US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of ordering the attempted July 15 putsch.

Gulen, who is based in a secluded compound in the US state of Pennsylvania, strongly denies the charges.

Those held in custody include former air force chief Akin Ozturk who, like several suspects, is also on trial in another case related to the coup bid.

Another chief suspect is theology lecturer Adil Oksuz, whom Turkish officials accuse of being the so-called "imam" of the plot by coordinating the action on the ground in Turkey with Gulen.

Businessman Kemal Batmaz is meanwhile accused of assisting Oksuz.

Oksuz was detained following the coup's defeat, but was subsequently released and is now on the run. Batmaz is in custody in Sincan prison outside Ankara.

Kemal Batmaz led the line of suspects into court wearing a cream shirt with black trousers followed by Akin Ozturk wearing a grey shirt and black trousers.

Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar and other senior commanders were held hostage at the base during the coup attempt before they were freed on the morning on July 16.

The base was seen as the coup bid headquarters where commands were given for the F-16 fighter jets to attack and fly them above the capital.

The Turkish parliament was bombed three times by F-16s.

The trial is taking place in Turkey's largest courtroom established inside a prison complex in Sincan to hear coup-related trials and has space for 1,558 people.

The courtroom has previously hosted mass trials related to the coup bid including one which opened in February of 330 suspects accused of murder or attempted murder.

And in May, 221 suspects were put on trial accused of being the ringleaders of the failed coup.

The attempted coup left 249 people dead, the Turkish presidency says, not including 24 coup-plotters killed on the night.

There was heavy security including 1,130 security personnel inside and outside the courtroom, according to state-run news agency Anadolu, as well as snipers, armoured security vehicles and a drone.

The trial is one of several held across Turkey judging coup suspects, in the largest legal process in the country's modern history.

Over 50,000 people have been arrested over alleged links to Gulen in a widescale crackdown under the state of emergency imposed following the coup.

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If the Russia scandal is nothing but a witch hunt, as President Donald Trump so often says, it's awfully strange that he's going to so much trouble to cover it up.

Monday night, The Post's Ashley Parker, Carol D. Leonnig, Philip Rucker and Tom Hamburger broke the latest blockbuster story in this scandal, in which the president dictated a misleading statement about the nature of the fateful meeting his son Donald Trump Jr., his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had with a group of Russians during the campaign:

"On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Trump's advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trump's oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign - a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

"The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

"But within hours, at the president's direction, the plan changed.

"Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said that he and the Russian lawyer had 'primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children' when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared an article, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was 'not a campaign issue at the time.'

"The claims were later shown to be misleading."

In case you haven't been following, the meeting occurred because Trump Jr. was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton that was presented to him as coming from the Russian government. He summoned Kushner and Manafort, forwarding them the email in which that offer was made. They joined him at the meeting, which was attended by a lawyer with close ties to the Kremlin, a former Russian intelligence officer and a gentleman who was once the subject of a congressional inquiry into an enormous Russian money-laundering operation.

According to Trump Jr. and Kushner's version of events, the damaging information didn't materialize, and the Russians were more interested in discussing the potential repeal of the Magnitsky Act, which sanctioned certain Russian individuals accused of corruption and human rights abuses. So the line from the Trump team is essentially that they were trying to collude with the Russian government to help their campaign, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

This latest story is clearly one of the most significant developments in this scandal to date, for two reasons. First, it describes an organized effort to mislead the public - not to spin, or minimize the story, or distract from it, or throw out wild accusations about someone else, but to intentionally fool everyone into believing something false. Second, it implicates the president himself. Indeed, the most extraordinary part of the picture this story paints is that while other people involved were recommending some measure of transparency on the assumption that the truth would come out eventually, they were overruled by the president, who personally dictated the misleading statement.

And it gets worse. Once the story broke, Trump's own lawyer went to the media and denied that the president was involved in the drafting of the misleading statement. In two televised interviews, Jay Sekulow said "the president was not involved in the drafting of the statement," "The president didn't sign off on anything," and "The president wasn't involved in that." While it's theoretically possible that Sekulow would make emphatic statements of fact like those about what his client did or didn't do without actually asking Trump, that seems almost impossible to believe. Sekulow is a prominent attorney who knows exactly what kind of trouble that could bring, both to himself and his client. So the only reasonable conclusion is that he was repeating what Trump told him.

So, to put this together: The president of the United States personally wrote a statement about this meeting with the Russians, a statement that everyone involved knew to be false. Going further, he then either lied to his own lawyer about his involvement so that the lawyer would repeat that lie publicly (highly likely) or was candid with his lawyer and persuaded him to lie to the media on his behalf (much less likely).

We all know what the official White House line about this story is going to be: The real problem isn't what Trump did; it's the fact that it was leaked! I'm reminded of something the sadly departed Anthony Scaramucci said during his brief tenure as White House communication director: "There are people inside the administration who think it is their job to save America from this president." He was right - or at the very least, they're trying to save him from himself.

It has been entertaining to watch the ongoing soap opera of this White House - the infighting, the backstabbing, the firings, the general air of chaos - but it's important to remember that the biggest problem it has is the man who sits in the Oval Office. The fact that Trump assumed that he could engineer this mini-coverup and the truth would never get out, both about the meeting itself and about his role in misleading the public about it, shows just how deluded he is about how his own White House works.

Let's return to that scene on Air Force One. A damaging story is breaking, and Trump's advisers are facing the dilemma many administrations have faced before: How do we deal with it? How much information should we voluntarily reveal? Is there a way to make the story go away that won't set us up for even more trouble down the road? While they were debating those questions, the one person to whom no one could say no told them how it was going to be: They were going to lie. And as is so often the case with Trump, the lie was quickly revealed for what it was.

I promise you, the substantial number of people involved in that discussion were profoundly uncomfortable with Trump's instructions. For a political flack, nothing inspires more dread than putting out a story that you know is bogus and that you don't think will hold up.

Their fears were inevitably realized, and now the Russia scandal has reached all the way to the president himself. Something tells me there's more to come.

 Washington Post
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The United States military has detected highly unusual and unprecedented levels of submarine activity by North Korea, including evidence of an ejection test.

Those detections come in the days following North Koreas second intercontinental ballistic missile launch last month, defence officials told CNN.

An ejection test refers to a procedure that examines a submarines so-called cold-launch systems that allow a missile to be shot out of the vessel using pressurised air. Once launched into the air, the missiles engines would then ignite as to avoid damaging the submarine with heat and flames.

The ejection test was the third in July, and the fourth for the year overall. Those launch capabilities are seen as critical to North Korea developing submarine launch capabilities.

The successful intercontinental ballistic missile test over the weekend reinforces the belief that Pyongyang wants to develop their nuclear and missile capabilities in order to establish legitimacy on the international front, and to deter other countries from attacking them.

The tests have exacerbated relations with Pyongyang and the United States, where Donald Trump has expressed concern about North Koreas nuclear capabilities in the past. It is unclear how Mr Trump might respond to the latest developments, if he responds publicly at all.

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

Still, though, US defense officials arent convinced that North Korea has ambitions to actually attack the United States with a nuclear weapon. Thats at least in part because an attack on the US or on its western allies would be seen as a suicide mission for Pyongyang  western nations have a robust nuclear arsenal that would very likely be deployed in response to any such aggression.

North Koreas testing has resulted in anxiety in the region, with both South Korea and Japan signaling that they are on high alert following the tests. Mr Trump has reportedly spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about the need to do more with regard to North Korea.

The US has acknowledged military-to-military conversations with those countries on the subject.
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Chinas state news agency has blasted Donald Trump for his emotional venting on social media after the President complained on Twitter that China is not helping the US rein in North Koreas nuclear weapons programme.

Trump is quite a personality, and he likes to tweet, said Xinhua, Chinas official news agency, in an editorial displayed on Chinese news websites. But emotional venting cannot become a guiding policy for solving the nuclear issue on the peninsula, it said, referring to the divided Korean Peninsula.

I am very disappointed in China, Mr Trump declared on Twitter on Sunday, after North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk, Mr Trump wrote. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!

Xinhua wrote in its 1,000 Chinese-character editorial that Mr Trump is clearly finding the wrong target for his outrage.

What the peninsula needs is immediately stamping out the fire, not adding kindling or, even worse, pouring oil on the flames, Xinhua said, according to The New York Times. The tensions could, it added, evolve into a localized conflict, or even the outbreak of war, with unthinkable repercussions.

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

China wants both balanced trade with the United States and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, Xinhua said. China's large surplus with the US was $347bn in 2016.

However, to realize these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one who piles blame on China for the United States' failures.

Chinese diplomats and the state news media have asserted that the US and its allies should not depend so much on China to ease tensions created by North Koreas growing nuclear weapons programme and missile capabilities. On Friday, North Korea tested a ballistic missile that experts have said could have the range to reach the West Coast.

In a statement after the launch, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that China and Russia bear unique and special responsibility for North Koreas growing threat to regional and global stability.

Russia said on Monday that the US and other countries were trying to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea).

China's Foreign Ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters responding to Trump's tweets on Sunday, said the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to seek a resolution.

China's ambassador to the UN said on Monday it is primarily up to the US and North Korea, not China, to reduce tensions and work toward resuming talks to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapon and missile programmes.

The US and North Korea hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, Ambassador Liu Jieyi said at a news conference to mark the end of Chinas July term in the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council.
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US President Donald Trump dictated a statement, later shown to be misleading, in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 was not related to his father's presidential campaign, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

Mr Trump Jr released emails earlier in July that showed he eagerly agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian Government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, as part of Moscow's official support for his father.

The Washington Post said Trump advisers discussed the new disclosure and agreed that Mr Trump Jr should issue a truthful account of the episode so that it "couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged".

 Bush's former ethics chief on Trump: We have repeated instances of obstruction of justice

The President, who was flying home from Germany on 8 July, changed the plan and "personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr said he and the Russian lawyer had 'primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children'," the Post said, citing unnamed people with knowledge of the deliberations.

It said the statement, issued to The New York Times as it prepared to publish the story, emphasised that the subject of the meeting was "not a campaign issue at the time".

An attorney for Mr Trump, Jay Sekulow, issued a statement in response to the Post report: "Apart from being of no consequence, the characterisations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the story, nor did Mr Trump Jr's attorney, Alan Futerfas.

US investigators are probing whether there was collusion between the Kremlin and Mr Trump's Republican presidential campaign.

 Russian lawyer says Trump Jr 'badly' wanted dirt on Clintons

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow sought to hurt Ms Clinton and help Mr Trump in the 2016 election. Russia denies any interference, and Mr Trump has denied collusion with Russia.

The President applauded his son's "transparency" after he released the email exchanges on 11 July.

"It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr's meeting," The Washington Post said.

David Sklansky, a professor of criminal law at Stanford Law School, said that if Mr Trump, as reported by the Post, helped craft a misleading public statement about the meeting, he may have bolstered a potential obstruction of justice case against himself.

To build a criminal obstruction of justice case, federal law requires prosecutors to show that a person acted with "corrupt" intent. A misleading public statement could be used as evidence of corrupt intent, Mr Sklansky said.

"Lying usually isn't a crime," he said. But "it could be relevant in determining whether something else the president did, like firing [former FBI Director James] Comey, was done corruptly."

Reuters
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Donald Trump could be guilty of obstruction of justice and should resign if reports alleging he dictated his sons misleading statement on a meeting with a Russian lawyer are found to be true, George W Bushs former chief ethics lawyer has said.

We have repeated instances of obstruction of justice, this being yet one more, Richard Painter told Brian Williams on MSNBCs The 11th Hour.

And I have to say, this does look more and more like a cover-up, but it really is one of the most psychologically deranged and incompetent cover-ups in political history.

Mr Painters comments come after the Washington Post reported on Monday that the US President crafted a statement, later shown to be misleading, in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 was not related to his fathers presidential campaign.

Mr Trump Jr released a string of emails in July, showing that he agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian Government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

The emails made clear that the information would be handed to the Trump team as part of Moscows official support for his father.

The newspaper reported that Trump advisers agreed that Mr Trump Jr should issue a truthful account of exchange, so it couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

However, it says the President changed the plan during a flight home from Germany on 8 July and personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr said he and the Russian lawyer had primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children, citing unnamed sources.

The newspaper said the statement, which was issued to The New York Times, emphasised that the subject of the meeting was not a campaign issue at the time.

If this story is true, that the President of the United States intentionally drafted a false statement by his son in connection with a criminal investigation, I think thats it, Mr Painter said.

He should do the dignified thing and resign his office if this story is true and give Mike Pence a chance to run the country and calm things down for a few years.

Mr Painter said the President is not living in the real world in connection with what's going on here with the Russia investigation and quite a few other things as well.

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

It's an investigation that Donald Trump, as President, could have kept his hands off of. He didnt have to tweet about it, didn't have to talk about it, didn't have to engage in obstruction of justice.

He could have allowed this investigation to take its course and he chose not to. And this is a mistake, very similar to the mistake Richard Nixon made in connection with Watergate, but I have to say, it's a lot more psychologically deranged when you look at the tweets and the statements and the obsession with Hillary.

US investigators are currently probing whether there was collusion between the Kremlin and Mr Trumps election campaign.

 Jared Kushner says he had no improper conduct with Russian officials after appearing before Senate

Intelligence agencies have already concluded that Moscow sought to hurt Ms Clintons campaign, while helping Mr Trump in the 2016 election.

Russia has denied any interference in the election and Mr Trump has vehemently denied any collusion with the country.

Mr Painter warned that Mr Trumps presidency has put the United States in a very risky situation.

The signs of authoritarianism are staring us right in the face and if we don't acknowledge that there's a very risky situation and we continue to put up with this what we could find is that if we are in a war, or if the President wants to get us into a war in order to solidify his control, then he could very, very quickly try to make himself into an authoritarian president or dictator and this is not a safe situation for the United States, Mr Painter said.

Congress, Democrats and Republicans together need to get a handle on how to deal with Donald Trump.
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Almost five dozen retired generals and admirals have criticised Donald Trumps vow to ban transgender people serving in the military - saying it would make the armed forces less battle ready.

Last week, the President, who himself obtained five deferments to avoid the military draft, tweeted he would not accept or allow transgender people to serve in the armed forces in any capacity. He claimed it would lead to tremendous medical costs and create widespread disruption.

His comments were widely condemned and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Joseph Dunford, said the move would not be implemented until he received an official directive from the President.

 US sailors will not be judged on whether they are transgender, admiral says

Now, 56 former generals and admirals have added their voices to the criticism, saying the move will have the opposite impact Mr Trump claimed it would.

This proposed ban, if implemented, would cause significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops who would be forced to live a lie, as well as non-transgender peers who would be forced to choose between reporting their comrades or disobeying policy, they said in statement released by the California-based Palm Centre, which researches gender and sexuality issues in the military.

As a result, the proposed ban would degrade readiness even more than the failed dont ask, dont tell policy. Patriotic transgender Americans who are serving - and who want to serve - must not be dismissed, deprived of medically necessary health care, or forced to compromise their integrity or hide their identity.

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

Among those to sign the letter, whose publication was first reported by The Hill, was retired Gen John Allen, who served as deputy commander of US Central Command and special presidential envoy for the anti-Islamic State in Iraq and Syria coalition, retired Gen Robert Sennewald, who led US and UN forces in South Korea in the 1980s and retired Vice Adm Donald Arthur, who served as surgeon general of the Navy.

In their letter, the retired officers point to two statements from former Joint Chiefs chairmen in support of transgender troops. Retired Gen Martin Dempsey said on Twitter their service was a blessing, not a burden, while retired Adm Mike Mullen said in a statement there is no reason to single out transgender troops.

Thousands of transgender Americans are currently serving in uniform and there is no reason to single out these brave men and women and deny them the medical care that they require, said Mr Mullen.

The retired officers also said Trumps claims of high costs have already been disproven by the RAND Corporation, as well as a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Those studies found medical costs for transgender troops would be at most $8.4m annually - about 0.01 per cent of the militarys annual medical budget.

As for ostensible disruptions, transgender troops have been serving honourably and openly for the past year, and have been widely praised by commanders, the ex-officers added.

Eighteen foreign nations, including the UK and Israel, allow transgender troops to serve, and none has reported any detriment to readiness.
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The White House has said Donald Trump "weighed in" on the misleading statement issued by his son, Donald Trump Jr, on his controversial meeting with a Russian lawyer.

"The President weighed in as any father would, based on the limited information he had," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, adding that Mr Trump "certainly didn't dictate" his son's statement, but did offer suggestions.

The comments came after the Washington Post reported that Mr Trump had dictated the statement, citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the deliberations. Mr Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, had previously said the President "wasn't involved in the statement drafting at all".

The statement has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks, as more information regarding the June 2016 meeting has come to light.

Mr Trump Jr described the meeting in his initial statement as a "a short introductory meeting" with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, in which they primarily discussed a programme about the adoption of Russian children.

"It was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up," Mr Trump Jr said.

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

Days later, however, Mr Trump Jr released emails showing that he had been promised incriminating information on Hillary Clinton in exchange for taking the meeting. The meeting organiser claimed the information was part of a Russian government effort to support Mr Trump's campaign.

The meeting was also revealed to have included a Russian-American lobbyist and a former State Department translator.

According to the Post, White House advisers had initially intended to release a full, truthful statement on the meeting. Hours later, however, Mr Trump allegedly weighed in, and dictated the heavily edited statement that was eventually released to the press.

"This was . . . unnecessary," one of the President's advisers told the Post. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

The White House has previously been criticised for their misleading statements on the President, most notably after Mr Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. The White House initially claimed Mr Comey had been fired for his handling of an investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server. Mr Trump later told NBC's Lester Holt he had been thinking of the Russia investigation when he fired the Director.

Several Congressional committees and the Department of Justice are investigating the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia. The Justice Department, lead by special counsel Robert Mueller, is reportedly looking into whether Mr Trump obstructed justice by firing Mr Comey.

Ms Hucakbee Sanders on Tuesday dismissed any allegations of wrongdoing.

"Everybody wants to try to make this some story about misleading. The only things I see misleading is a year's worth of stories that have been fuelling a false narrative about this Russia collusion," she said.
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Donald Trump is reportedly considering Bill Shine, a former Fox News executive, for a role on his press team, a day after the humiliated Anthony Scaramucci was removed as White House communications director.

Mr Shine  who was forced out of Fox News following claims that he covered up allegations of sexual harassment against anchor Bill OReilly and former chief Roger Ailes  is said to have spoken with White House officials about taking a position on the communications team. Mr Shine has denied all wrongdoing regarding the allegations, as did Mr Ailes, who died in May.

Whether or not Mr Shine would have such a high-profile position as Mr Scaramucci is unclear.

Recommended Anthony Scaramucci removed as White House communications director

The New York Times reported the administration was considering a behind-the-scenes role for Mr Shine

While he has no background in politics beyond cable news, Mr Shine counts Fox News host Sean Hannity as one of his allies. An informal advisor to Mr Trump and one of his most loyal on-air supporters, Mr Hannity dined with Mr Shine, the President and the first lady at the White House last week.

If selected to join the communications team, Mr Shine would be walking into a controversy-ridden White House that is seen as chaotic and out-of-control by many observers. Staff has seen several changes over the last month, all of which culminated in the firing of Mr Scaramucci on Monday  a move that has left Washington still reeling.

Mr Scaramucci turned the White House upside down during the 10 days he worked for the US President  who the former New York financier declared he reported directly to, without the interference of intermediaries such as Mr Trumps then-chief of staff, Reince Priebus.

Upon resigning in July, ex-Press Secretary Sean Spicer reportedly told Mr Trump that hiring Mr Scaramucci as communications director would be a big mistake.

Less than a week later, Mr Scaramucci, whose tough-talking persona was viewed to be similar to Mr Trumps, told a New Yorker reporter that Mr Priebus was a paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac and accused him of leaking information to journalists. On Friday, Mr Trump announced that John Kelly, his then-Secretary of Homeland Security, would replace Mr Priebus as White House Chief of Staff.

Mr Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, is believed to have been selected to help bring discipline to the White House, and it appears that his first order of business was to get rid of the Mooch, as Mr Scaramucci likes to be called.

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

Mr Trump is said to have removed Mr Scaramucci at the request of Mr Kelly, who was sworn in as White House Chief of Staff on Monday.

In a statement announcing Mr Scaramucci would be leaving his role, the White House said: Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team.

During a briefing following the firing, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also told reporters that Mr Trump certainly felt that Anthony's comments were inappropriate for a person in that position, referring to his remarks made to the New Yorker journalist.

She also later added: As I think we've made clear a few times over the course of the last couple of days to several of you individually, but General Kelly has the full authority to operate within the White House, and all staff will report to him.

Any new member of the communications team would be on the front lines defending Mr Trumps directives and decisions  a job made more difficult by the Presidents social media use and off-the-cuff communication style. Mr Trumps press secretaries have also constantly battled questions from the media related to ongoing investigations into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and the Russian government.

Names that have been floated to fill the role of White House communications director include Kellyanne Conway, currently a counsellor to the President, and Laura Ingraham, a conservative radio host and commentator.

During his profanity-laced discussion with the New Yorker, Mr Scaramucci suggested he was considering Mr Shine for a position.

Oh, Bill Shine is coming in, Mr Scaramucci told reporter Ryan Lizza, apparently in an impersonation of Mr Priebus, adding, in colourful language, that Mr Priebus would likely try to leak that information.
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Trent Franks, of Arizona, has said Mr Mueller, who is currently overseeing a federal probe into possible links between the Trump campaign and Russias alleged attempt to interfere in the 2016 election, should resign because of what he claimed was a conflict of interest.

Mr Franks, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, claimed Mr Mueller had a friendship with former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by Mr Trump in May. Reports suggest Mr Mueller is investigating a possible obstruction of justice by by Mr Trump as a result of the firing.

 Robert Mueller addressing leaking in 2013

Those who worked under them have attested he and Jim Comey possess a close friendship, and they have delivered on-the-record statements effusing praise of one another, Mr Franks said in a statement.

No one knows Mr Muellers true intentions, but neither can anyone dispute that he now clearly appears to be a partisan arbiter of justice.

Mr Franks as a reputation as one of the most conservative members on Capitol Hill (AP)

Mr Mueller and Mr Comey worked closely together in the Department of Justice under President George Bush, though it is far from clear they are close friends.

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

In recent weeks there has been much talk that Donald Trump has been considering firing Mr Mueller, himself a one-time Director of the FBI. He told the New York Times he was angry with his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from the investigation, a move he believes then led to the appointment of Mr Mueller.

Mr Trump suggested he was concerned Mr Mueller would not look simply into what happened during the election campaign but also probe his personal finances.

In the interview with the Times, Mr Trump was asked if Mr Muellers investigation would cross a red line if it expanded to look at his familys finances.

I would say yes, he said. I think thats a violation. Look, this is about Russia.
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The US State Department is considering dropping "democracy" from its key mission statement as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson orders his department to redefine its purpose to the world.

The draft statements under review right now are similar to the old mission statement, except for one thing - any mention of promoting democracy is being eliminated.

According to an internal email that went out on Friday, the State Department's Executive Steering Committee convened a meeting of leaders to draft new statements on the department's purpose, mission and ambition, as part of the overall reorganisation of the State Department and USAID. (The draft statements were being circulated for comment on Friday and could change before being finalised.)

--The State Department's draft statement on its purpose is: "We promote the security, prosperity and interests of the American people globally."

--The State Department's draft statement on its mission is: "Lead America's foreign policy through global advocacy, action and assistance to shape a safer, more prosperous world."

--The State Department's draft statement on its ambition is: "The American people thrive in a peaceful and interconnected world that is free, resilient and prosperous."

Compare that to the State Department Mission Statement that is currently on the books, as laid out in the department's fiscal year 2016 financial report:

"'The Department's mission is to shape and sustain a peaceful, prosperous, just, and democratic world and foster conditions for stability and progress for the benefit of the American people and people everywhere. This mission is shared with the USAID, ensuring we have a common path forward in partnership as we invest in the shared security and prosperity that will ultimately better prepare us for the challenges of tomorrow.'"

Former senior State Department officials from both parties said eliminating "just" and "democratic" from the State Department's list of desired outcomes is neither accidental nor inconsequential.

"The only significant difference is the deletion of justice and democracy," said Elliott Abrams, who served as deputy national security adviser for global democracy strategy during the George W Bush administration. "We used to want a just and democratic word, and now apparently we don't."

The mission statement is important because it sends a signal about American priorities and intentions to foreign governments and people around the world, said Mr Abrams, who was considered by Mr Tillerson for the job of deputy secretary of state but rejected by President Trump.

"That change is a serious mistake that ought to be corrected," he said. "If not, the message being sent will be a great comfort to every dictator in the world."

Tom Malinowski, who served as assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labour for the Obama administration, said the new proposed mission statement brings US foreign policy into closer alignment with that of some of America's chief adversaries, including Russia.

"It's a worldview similar to that of Putin, who also thinks that great powers should focus exclusively on self protection and enrichment, rather than promoting democracy," he said. "By removing all reference to universal values and the common good it removes any reason for people outside the United States to support our foreign-policy. That said, I appreciate the honesty with which Tillerson projects his cynicism."

Mr Malinowski also predicted that the change, if it becomes permanent, would sow confusion throughout the ranks of the State Department's civil and foreign service because hundreds of State Department officials work on congressionally funded programmes every day that are meant to promote democracy and justice abroad.

Adding to the confusion, Mr Trump occasionally trumpets democracy promotion, for example when it comes to Cuba or Venezuela. But in his inauguration speech, Mr Trump made clear that democracy promotion would not be a feature of his foreign policy.

"We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow," Mr Trump said.

The changes in the State Department mission statement may not seem very significant viewed in isolation. But Mr Tillerson has made several statements and decisions that indicate he plans to lower the priority of democracy and human rights in US foreign policy.

In his first speech to his State Department employees, he said promoting American values "creates obstacles" to pursuing America's national security interests. In March, he broke tradition by declining to appear personally to unveil the State Department's annual human rights report.

In another example, the State Department will soon eliminate the www.humanrights.gov website and move its content to an alternative web address, www.state.gov/j/drl, a State Department official said.

"It's just so gratuitous. What efficiency is achieved or money is saved by taking something that is prominent on the Internet and hiding it?" said Mr Malinowski. "The consequence is that it's the 9,456th signal sent by the administration that they don't care about promoting American values."

The State Department declined to comment.

 The Washington Post
The bodies of eight migrants have been found at sea off the coast of Libya by rescuers coming to the aid of four rubber dinghies, the Italian coastguard said Tuesday.

Some 500 survivors in total were being pulled to safety, the coastguard told AFP. Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, which was taking part in the rescues, said the bodies had been recovered by the Santa Lucia merchant ship.

"We are here to stop more people drowning, today eight dead and four drifting boats" in distress, Proactiva's founder Oscar Champs said on Twitter.

The charity said there were 79 women and 39 minors -- including four young children -- among those rescued.

Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one percent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry.

At least 2,385 migrants have died during the perilous crossing since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

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Two Venezuelan opposition leaders have been taken from their homes, family members have said.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were serving house arrest when they were taken, family members said on Twitter.

The wife of Mr Lopez and the daughter of Mr Ledezma said they were holding President Nicolas Maduro responsible for the fate of the two men.

Venezuelas Supreme Court said it had revoked house arrest measures granted the opposition leaders and put them back in jail because they were planning to flee.

In recent days, both leaders have called on Venezuelans to join protests against Mr Maduro over the creation of an all-powerful legislative body called the constitutional assembly, which was elected on Sunday.

12:27 in the morning: the moment when the dictatorship kidnaps Leopoldo at my house, Mr Lopezs wife Lilian Tintori wrote on Twitter.

She included a link to a video of what appears to be Mr Lopez being led into a vehicle emblazoned with the word Sebin, Venezuelas intelligence agency.

Mr Lopez was granted house arrest in July following three years in prison for his role in anti-government street protests in 2014. His release was considered a major breakthrough in the countrys political standoff.

His lawyer, Juan Gutierrez, wrote on Twitter that there is no legal justification to revoke the house arrest measure.

Mr Ledezma was granted house arrest in 2015 after being imprisoned on charges of leading a coup against Mr Maduro. Vanessa Ledezma posted a similar video of Mr Ledezma.

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who was granted house arrest after more than three years in jail, salutes supporters in Caracas (Reuters/Andres Martinez Casares) (Reuters)

Mr Maduro brushed off new US sanctions on him and condemnation at home and abroad of the newly chosen constitutional assembly, saying the vote has given him a popular mandate to radically overhaul Venezuelas political system.

He said he had no intention of deviating from his plans to rewrite the constitution and go after a string of enemies, from independent Venezuelan news channels to gunmen he claimed were sent by neighbouring Colombia to disrupt the vote as part of an international conspiracy led by the man he calls Emperor Donald Trump.

They dont intimidate me. The threats and sanctions of the empire dont intimidate me for a moment, Mr Maduro said on national television.

I dont listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever ... Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump.

The sanctions came after electoral authorities said more than eight million people voted on Sunday to create a constitutional assembly endowing Mr Maduros ruling party with virtually unlimited powers  a turnout doubted by independent analysts, while the election was labelled illegitimate by leaders across the Americas and Europe.

The constituent assembly will have the task of rewriting the countrys constitution and will have powers above and beyond other state institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress.

Antonio Ledezma talks during a hearing at the Brazilian Senate Foreign Relations Commission at the National Congress in Brasilia, Brazil (Reuters/Roberto Jayme) (REUTERS/Roberto Jayme)

Mr Maduro has said the new assembly will begin to govern within a week.

Among other measures, he said he would use the assemblys powers to bar opposition candidates from running in gubernatorial elections in December unless they sit with his party to negotiate an end to hostilities which have generated four months of protests that have killed at least 120 and wounded nearly 2,000.

Mr Maduro called the constitutional assembly in May after a month of protests against his government, which has overseen Venezuelas descent into a devastating crisis during its four years in power.

Due to plunging oil prices and widespread corruption and mismanagement, Venezuelas inflation and homicide rates are among the worlds highest, and widespread shortages of food and medicine have citizens dying of preventable illnesses and rooting through trash to feed themselves.

The president of the opposition-led National Assembly, Julio Borges, told Venezuelan news channel Globovision that Mr Maduros foes would continue protesting until they won free elections and a change of government.

He said the vote gave Mr Maduro less legitimacy, less credibility, less popular support and less ability to govern.

Additional reporting by Reuters
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An explosion in a Shia mosque in the western Afghan city of Herat killed at least 29 people and wounded many others, police have said.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker, with a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and another who threw grenades at worshippers.

A further 64 people were reportedly wounded during the attack at the Jawadia Mosque and local authorities said the death toll is expected to rise.

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr Mohammed Rafique Shehrzai said as many as 20 bodies were brought to the hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province.

But Mehdi Hadid, a lawmaker from Herat, who went to the site soon after the explosion, said there could be "at least 100 dead" as he estimated hundreds of people had either been killed or wounded.

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.

He said he rushed to the mosque after hearing about the explosion and was told the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering.

When inside, he fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed then he blew himself up, Mr Hadid said.

Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear Show all 16 1 /16 Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2001 Afghans at the Killi Faizo refugee camp desperately reach for bags of rice being handed out to the thousands who escaped the bombardment in southern Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. (Chaman, Pakistan, December 4, 2001) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2002 Mahbooba stands against a bullet-ridden wall, waiting to be seen at a medical clinic. The seven-year-old girl suffers from leishmaniasis, a parasitical infection. (Kabul, March 1, 2002) All photos Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2003 A mother and her two children look out from their cave dwelling. Many families who, fleeing the Taliban, took refuge inside caves adjacent to Bamiyans destroyed ancient Buddha statues now have nowhere else to live. (Bamiyan, November 19, 2003) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2007 Students recite prayers in a makeshift outdoor classroom in the Wakhan Corridor, a mountainous region in northeastern Afghanistan that extends to China and separates Tajikistan from India and Pakistan. (Northeastern Afghanistan, September 2, 2007) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2007 Bodybuilders in the 55-60 kg category square off during a regional bodybuilding competition. Many Afghan men, like others around the world, feel that a macho image of physical strength is important. (Kabul, August 6, 2007) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2008 A woman in a white burqa enjoys an afternoon with her family feeding the white pigeons at the Blue Mosque. (Mazar-e-Sharif, March 8, 2008) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2009 Addicts inject heroin while trying to keep warm inside the abandoned Russian Cultural Center, which the capital citys addicts use as a common gathering point. Heroin is readily available, costing about one dollar a hit. (Kabul, February 9, 2009) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2009 An elderly man holds his granddaughter in their tent at a refugee camp after they were forced to flee their village, which US and NATO forces had bombed because, they claimed, it was a Taliban hideout. (Surobi, Nangarhar Province, February 7, 2009) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2009 Seven-year-old Attiullah, a patient at Mirwais Hospital, stands alongside an X ray showing the bullet that entered his back, nearly killing him. Attiullah was shot by US forces when he was caught in a crossfire as he was herding sheep. (Kandahar, October 13, 2009). Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2010 US Army Sargeant Jay Kenney (right), with Task Force Destiny, helps wounded Afghan National Army soldiers exit a Blackhawk helicopter after they have been rescued in an air mission. (Kandahar, December 12, 2010) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2010 An Afghan National Army battalion marches back to barracks at the Kabul Military Training Center. (Kabul, October 4, 2010) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Eid Muhammad, seventy, lives in a house with a view overlooking the hills of Kabul. He and millions of other Afghans occupy land and housing without possessing formal deeds to them. (Kabul, November 21, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Razima holds her two-year-old son, Malik, while waiting for medical attention at the Boost Hospital emergency room. (Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province, June 23, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Young women cheer as they attend a rally for the Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani. (Kabul, April 1, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2014 Burqa-clad women wait to vote after a polling station runs out of ballots. (Kabul, April 5, 2014) Paula Bronstein Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear 2015 Relatives, friends, and womens rights activists grieve at the home of Farkhunda Malikzada, who was killed by a mob in the center of Kabul. Farkhunda was violently beaten and set on fire after a local cleric accused her of burning a Quran. (Kabul, March 22, 2015) Paula Bronstein

Shia Muslims are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the Isis affiliate, which operates in the country's east.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack to hit Afghanistan, which has seen more than 1,700 civilian deaths so far this year.

Afghanistan has traditionally been relatively free of the sectarian violence common in Iraq or Syria but hardline Sunni militants from the local branch of Isis have repeatedly attacked the mainly Shia Hazara minority in the past year.

Herat, which is close to the border with Shia-majority Iran, is considered to be one of the most peaceful cities in Afghanistan.

Additional reporting by agencies
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A 55-year-old priest and head of a Catholic school has been stripped of his posts after he was caught driving a 13-year-old girl to a motel.

Arnel Fuentes Lagarejos, former parish priest of St John The Baptist Parish and president of Cainta Catholic College, has been accused of child abuse near Marikina City in the Philippines.

The priest allegedly arranged via social media to meet the girl and a pimp outside a shopping mall, where he reportedly paid around 500 Philippine Pesos (7.49) to take the girl.

He faces charges for violating the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and an investigation is underway after he was discovered as part of a police entrapment mission.

The entrapment was allegedly called for by the girls mother, after the girl opened up to social workers about the abuse and who then informed her mother.

The department accessed her social media accounts to find out who was selling her to men. The pimp was a friend of the girl, aged 16, as reported by Rappler.

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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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The 13-year-old victim said the motel would have been her third meeting with the priest, and she accused him of pointing a gun at her and warning her not to meet other men.

The Diocese of Antipolo said in a statement: The Diocese of Antipolo makes it clear that it will not in any way condone or abet the trafficking in persons, particularly of minors, nor protect the offenders from prosecution, and subsequent trial and punishment when evidence so warrants.

It added it would not give up on the priest and would pray for the victim and her family.

Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said the church would not tolerate immorality, and he will collect evidence and testimonies from people with direct knowledge of the case before submitting the document to Rome.

The final decision lies with the Vatican.

But it does not mean he is guilty before proven innocent. He is innocent until proven guilty, Mr Cruz said, as reported by ABS-CBN News, adding that clergymen were not saints and could make mistakes.
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Scorching temperatures, drought, storms and famine triggered by climate change have led to thousands of extra suicides in India, a report has found.

During the south Asian nations growing season, every one degree Celsius of warming above 20C sees an average of 67 more people take their own lives, according to the study.

Experts said the findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), are particularly alarming as Indias average temperatures are expected to rise another 3C by 2050, meaning hundreds of extra deaths.

Indias farmers are already regularly hit by extreme weather events, including strong storms and heat waves, and some still rely on natural rainfall to water their crops.

Scientists have shown that those weather patterns are already increasing as the planet warms.

Tamma Carleton, who conducted the research, said nearly 60,000 suicides over the past 30 years may be linked to climate change.

Looking at suicide data from Indias National Crime Records Bureau between 1967 and 2013, along with data on agricultural crop yields and on temperature change, she estimated that warming temperature trends over the last three decades have already been responsible for over 59,000 suicides throughout India.

We may not be able to stop the world from warming, but that doesnt mean we cant do something to address suicide, said Vikram Patel, an Indian psychiatrist and mental health expert with Harvard Medical School in Boston, who was not involved in the study.

10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke  filled with the carbon that is driving climate change  drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan

There are many factors that can contribute to suicide, including poor crop yields, financial problems, access to easy methods of self-harm, or a lack of community support.

In India, many farmers will drink toxic pesticides as a way out of backbreaking debt.

For the past month, hundreds of farmers  some carrying human skulls they say are from farmers who committed suicide in the drought-stricken southern state of Tamil Nadu  have been staging what they say will be a 100-day protest in New Delhi to prevent the suicide of farmers who feed the nation.

Parts of western and north-eastern India have been hit by floods that have washed away villages and crops.

Heavy rains have caused rivers in states such as Gujarat, Assam and Rajasthan to burst their banks, killing 130 people.

Heavy rains have caused rivers in places such as Jalandhar, Punjab, to burst their banks (AFP)

Indias meteorological centre said this years monsoon rains, which fall between June and September, were 4 per cent above average.

Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh told MPs last week there were 11,458 farmer suicides in 2016  the lowest number in two decades.

It was also a year of mild temperatures and normal monsoon rains.

He acknowledged that the number of farmer suicides had gone up by about 9 per cent in each of the previous two years, both of which were marred by drought.

The crime bureau found that more than half (58 per cent) of the 12,602 farmer suicides in 2015 were driven by bankruptcy, indebtedness and other farming-related issues.

Suicides occur due to extreme economic despair, said Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan, a geneticist who has studied Indias agriculture industry since the 1960s.

Suitable crop insurance and a prompt compensation of losses due to climate-related factors will help to avoid a sense of hopelessness that leads to suicide, he said.

One fifth of the worlds suicides occur in India, roughly proportionate to the countrys share of the global population. Suicide rates there have doubled since 1980.

Additional reporting AP
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North Korea may now be capable of hitting almost the entire continental US after its latest missile test showed it had mastered new technology that allowed its projectiles to travel much further, American intelligence officials said.

The countrys latest test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) showed the increased range of Pyongyangs arsenal, two officials warned.

North Koreas latest ICBM test on 28 July had greater height, range and power than the previous test because it used force stabilising engines, which counter the effects of winds and other forces that can knock an ascending rocket off course, one said.

The assessment underscores the growing threat posed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, and could add pressure on Donald Trump's administration to respond.

North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an ICBM that proved its ability to strike America's mainland.

The secretive North's leader, Kim Jong Un, supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and called it a "stern warning" to the US that it would not be safe from destruction if it tried to attack, the official KCNA news agency said.

However, the two intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr Kim wants to develop a nuclear-capable ICBM to deter any attack on his country and gain international legitimacy, not to launch an attack on the US or its allies that he knows would be suicidal.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the US assessment of the missile launch, even as it acknowledged that the latest test represented the longest test flight of any North Korean missile.

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

"The specifics of our assessment are classified for reasons I hope you understand," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told a news briefing, acknowledging only that the missile could fly at least 3,420 miles, the minimum range for what the Pentagon classifies as an ICBM.

Separately, CNN, quoting a US defence official, reported that North Korea had been showing "highly unusual and unprecedented levels" of submarine activity, in addition to its third "ejection test" this month.

The ejection test was carried out on land at Sinpo Naval Shipyard on Sunday, the US defence official told CNN. They gave no other details about the increased submarine activity.

Ejection tests from submarines usually gauge the ability to "cold launch" missiles, when high pressure steam is used to propel missiles out of launch canisters.

The shipyard is in Sinpo, a port city on the east coast where the North had previously conducted tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

 North Korean missile 'can hit US mainland' says Kim Jong Un

Japans Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, spoke with Mr Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea, hours after the US Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington was "done talking about North Korea".

The Pentagon acknowledged military-to-military talks with U.S. allies Japan and South Korea after the test.

The latest test of the Hwasong-14, named after the Korean word for Mars, reached an altitude of 2,314.6 miles and flew 620 miles before landing in the waters off the Korean peninsula's east coast, according to KCNA. The missile was first tested on 4 July.

The flight demonstrated successful stage separation, and reliability of the vehicle's control and guidance to allow the warhead to make an atmospheric re-entry under conditions harsher than under a normal long-range trajectory, KCNA said.

Independent weapons experts also said they believed the launch demonstrated many parts of the United States were within range if the missile had been launched at a flattened trajectory.

However, analysts say Pyongyang has yet to show the ICBM can inflict serious damage once it reaches its target.

US and South Korean experts said Japanese video footage capturing the Hwasong-14's re-entry vehicle shortly before it crashed into the sea suggests it failed to survive the extreme heat and pressure after re-entering the Earth's atmosphere following its launch from northern North Korea on Friday.

The apparent failure likely means the North will conduct more flight tests of the Hwasong-14 to ensure the warhead could survive the re-entry from space and hit its intended target, the analysts said.
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A loyal supporter of Pakistan's outgoing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted after allegedly concealing assets, has been elected as his successor by the countrys lower house of parliament.

A member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi received 221 votes in the 343-member National Assembly.

His closest rival, Syeed Naveed Qamar, from the opposition party, secured 47 votes.

Mr Sharif, who was disqualified as premier by the Supreme Court for concealing assets, specifically that his son's Dubai-based company listed a monthly salary for him. Mr Sharif claimed he never received any of the money.

Mr Abbasi was sworn in to his office at the presidency palace in the capital Islamabad but his party only wants him to serve as an interim premier for 45 days or until Mr Sharif's younger brother, Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab province, wins a National Assembly seat in a by-election.

The opposition has criticised this plan as dynastic and undemocratic, something Mr Abbasi has rejected.

"I may be here for 45 hours or 45 days. I am the prime minister and I am not here to keep the seat warm, I will do the work of 45 months in 45 days, if I remain here," he said in his speech.

The new Prime Minister dismissed the corruption allegations against the former leader and said he hoped the deposed prime minister would return to parliament soon.

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

He said the people of Pakistan did not accept Mr Sharif's disqualification and vowed to continue his predecessor's work.

Mr Abbasi was jailed by the former military dictator Pervez Musharraf for not testifying against Mr Sharif following a 1999 bloodless coup in which Mr Sharif's elected government was overthrown.

Mr Sharif and his family were subsequently exiled to Saudi Arabia.

Agencies contributed to this report
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South Korean politicians have said their country should develop its own nuclear weapons because the US under Donald Trumps leadership cannot be trusted to come to the support of its allies.

As North Korea continues to test long-range missiles designed to carry nuclear bombs, the South remains heavily reliant on the US and its allies for defence.

Mr Trumps isolationist rhetoric has caused concern among US allies, as have his calls for Asian countries to take on more of the cost of their defence.

During last years presidential campaign, the Republican suggested South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear arsenals in response to the threat from North Korea.

Trumps America-first policy has triggered this kind of public sentiment, said Moon Chung In, a national security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae In.

Mr Moon is against calls for South Korea to develop a nuclear programme but polls suggest the proposal has the support of a majority of the public.

They want to strike a better balance of power between South and North Korea, and I also support that position, said Yoon Young Seok, an MP who belongs to the conservative Liberty Korea Party.

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

South Korea had been trying to develop its own nuclear weapons until the 1970s, when it gave up the programme under pressure from the US. It now relies heavily on the deterrent provided by the USs 4,000 nuclear weapons.

It comes after North Korea conducted its second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test in the space of a month.

The latest test raised fears that scientists working for the North's leader, Kim Jong Un, had mastered new technology that could allow a missile to reach the entire continental US, American intelligence officials said.

Stabilising engines meant the test had greater height, range and power than the previous missile, which counter the effects of winds and other forces that can knock an ascending rocket off course, one said.
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Donald Trump is said to be considering withdrawing troops from Afghanistan  less than three months after senior Trump administration and military officials recommended expanding the US military's strength in the country.

Although the administration was expected to have determined its strategy for Afghanistan by mid-July, officials continue to debate whether or not to deploy more troops to aid Afghan security forces and push back against a resurgent Taliban.

The US military presence in Afghanistan began in 2001, in response to the 11 September terror attacks.

Recommended Taliban claims responsibility for attack in Afghanistan

Unable to agree on a plan to send up to 3,900 more American forces to the country, the administration is taking a new look at what would happen if the US decided to roll back its military presence instead, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Doing so would mean the US would be more likely to rely on drone strikes and special forces to target extremists.

Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Show all 10 1 /10 Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images

Last week, in some of his only public comments on Afghanistan during his first six months in office, Mr Trump told reporters: I want to find out why weve been there for 17 years.

On Thursday, when asked about more troops for Afghanistan, he replied only: Well see.

Defence Secretary James Mattis has acknowledged that the US is not winning the longstanding war and said earlier in July that officials were pretty close to agreeing on a strategy for Afghanistan. Mr Trump has essentially given Mr Mattis the authority to determine the number of troops needed.

During the presidential campaign, Mr Trump repeatedly said that he would put America first, expressing scepticism about allowing the US to get caught up in foreign conflicts, while also vowing to defeat Islamist extremists.

The number of US troops has remained low in Afghanistan compared to operations in Iraq that started in 2003. After a 30,000-troop reinforcement in 2009 under Mr Trumps predecessor Barack Obama, the figure hit a peak of 100,000 in 2010.

The Obama administration set in place timelines for reducing the number of US troops in Afghanistan as the country's own forces took greater control of their own security.

The question is whether US and Afghan forces, even if bolstered by a new strategy involving more troops to target the Taliban, can bring enough pressure to push the war towards a settlement.

Critics of an escalation have argued that even the Obama-era surge did not bring any Taliban concessions.
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An anti-immigration group in Norway has been widely mocked after mistaking a photograph of empty bus seats for six Muslim women wearing burqas.

The image shared to private Facebook group Fedrelandet viktigst, which translates as Fatherland first, sparked a furious debate among its members after it appeared to show the seats occupied by women wearing the full-face veil.

But the man who shared the image, captioned What do people think of this?, said it was just a little practical joke to see how people would react to what was actually a photograph of a bus.

 Amazing speech by Norwegian King on love, religion and acceptance

Speaking to WorldViews, Johan Slattavik said the affair had given him a good laugh.

I laid out the photo to see what happened, he said, adding that he was shocked so many people fell for it.

Users described the apparent scene as scary, frightening and tragic.

One wrote: It looks really scary, should be banned. You can never know who is under there. Could be terrorists with weapons.

It comes after Norways right-wing government proposed a so-called burqa ban earlier in the year.

Islamic veils have become a flashpoint for European debates over integration, extremism and freedom of religion in recent years, with France the first to implement a nationwide burqa ban in April 2011.

Belgium and Bulgaria followed, with partial or regional prohibitions now in place in Italy, Spain, Denmark and Switzerland.

The German, Austrian and Dutch parliaments have voted in support of a partial ban on full-face Islamic veils, but no laws have yet come into force.
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Turmoil could hit the households of French MPs after the Government passed a law that prevents them from employing members of their family as parliamentary assistants.

The law presented by Emmanuel Macron's government is a response to the scandal that mired right-wing presidential candidate Francois Fillon earlier this year, when the center-right candidate and presidential favourite was accused of paying his wife and children for work in his office that they allegedly never carried out. An investigation by a financial affairs judge is still ongoing.

The new rule will apply to both ministers and members of parliament.

Those found guilty of breaking it, could face three years in prison and fines of up to 45,000 ( 40,248).

The law originally included lovers and anyone "who has a romantic relationship" with an MP, including former partners, grand-parents and grand-children.

But that version was rejected after a number of politicians pointed out it would have forced them to define a "romantic relationship".

Criticising the bill, MP Julien Aubert for the conservative Les Republicains party said the new law was excessive.

"It's like pig flu: One pig is ill and the whole herd gets out down," he said.

One MP has already been forced to sack his wife who he employed as a parliamentary assistant.

Yannick Favennec, who represents La Mayenne, a department in northwest France, told the Ouest France newspaper that his wife had been "a collateral victim" of Mr Fillon, who is alleged to have spent nearly 1m (890,000) of public money to employ his Welsh wife Penelope and their children in fictitious parliamentary assistant jobs.

After short-lived stint as the election campaign's frontrunner, the long time favourite was knocked out in the first round of the election in May.

Mr Favennec insisted: "We are going to penalise competent, educated people who are really during the work. We are about 20 MPs who will have to let go of our parliamentary assistants despite their work having been recognised. My wife has been my parliamentary assistant for nine years and she has to pay for others' mistakes. She will be fired without any professional reason."

He added that although no-one was irreplaceable, working with a family member one trusted enabled to carry out work more effectively.

About one in six MPs in France has a family member drawing a salary as an assistant.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The move may have upset some MPs and their families but critics of Mr Macron have also accused the new President of hypocrisy after he demanded a full-time first lady role be created for his wife Brigitte.

The status of first lady is not recognised as an official position in the French Republic but Le Point reported that a first lady charter was being prepared to define her role.

The new law on family employment is part of Mr Macron's campaign pledge to "moralise public life" and end practices blamed for widespread distrust among voters.

Mr Macron is also planning a crackdown on how freely MPs use the substantial budgets allotted to them.

MPs in France currently have a budget of 130,000 (116,159) a year on top on their own pay and secretarial funds which Mr Macron's government says is not properly overseen in the way it is used.
Indian forces killed a top militant commander in Kashmir on Tuesday, triggering clashes in which one protester was killed and dozens injured.

Abu Dujana, a senior fighter from the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was killed during a raid near Srinagar in the disputed Indian-held territory of Kashmir.

Indian troops and police special counterinsurgency forces surrounded the village of Harkipora after a tip off that the militant and an aide were hiding in a house. A fierce gunfight followed, police sources said.

The 26-year-old Dujana, who was renowned for evading capture, was considered an "A++" target by security forces, who hailed his death a "major achievement".

A house which the militants used was set ablaze by soldiers and another was blown up with heavy explosives, witnesses said.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Dujana's aide was a teenaged local rebel and that bodies of the two militants were charred "nearly beyond recognition".

As news of Dujana's killing spread, thousands of Kashmir residents came out onto the streets and clashed with government forces, throwing stones at them.

Troops retaliated by firing tear gas, pellet guns and bullets, killing a young man and injuring at least 70 others, witnesses and a police officer said.

A woman nurse was wounded by a bullet inside a hospital in Pulwama town, south of Srinagar, when government forces fired at protesters who had assembled outside, a hospital source said.

Hundreds of students and residents clashed with police in Lal Chowk, the main commercial centre of Srinagar, where shopkeepers downed shutters and panicked parents rushed to collect their children from schools.

The government ordered all schools, colleges and universities closed for the day.

Security officials say Dujana, who crossed from Pakistan-administered Kashmir in 2010, was the longest surviving fighter in the Indian-controlled territory and used his popularity to escape military traps and mount attacks on security forces.

He had a reputation for being "a master of disguise" who escaped at least five previous military cordons.

"He (Dujana) kept weapons and ammunition stashed away in different areas and moved like a civilian disguised as a student and sometimes as a labourer," a resident of south Kashmir, who declined to be named, told AFP.

The militant also appeared at the funerals of slain colleagues at least twice, but gave police and troops the slip.

"He knew the territory like the back of his hand. He was very, very mobile," a police officer said on condition of anonymity.

His death is one of the biggest blows to Kashmiri separatists since the death of another commander, Burhan Wani, in July last year.

Wani's killing sparked months of widespread protests against Indian rule and left nearly 100 civilians dead and thousands injured.

Since then, stone-throwing civilians, sometimes entire communities, have increasingly gone out onto the streets to support rebels trapped by military cordons in a bid to help them escape.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full.

Militant groups, including LeT, have for decades fought roughly 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Tens of thousands, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting.

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Hamza Bin Laden has accused the historic founder of Saudi Arabia, Abdul-Aziz bin Rahman Al Saud, of being a British agent, according to Arab media outlet Al-Monitor.

Osama Bin Ladens 15th child and heir apparent has been active in al-Qaeda since the death of his father in a 2011 US Navy Seal raid in Pakistan.

Encouraged by setbacks faced by rival organisation Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, he is now thought to be spearheading an al-Qaeda revival.

This is all about contesting who the legitimate leader of the Sunni Muslim world is," Colin Clarke, political scientist and associate fellow of The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism told The Independent.

Its al-Qaeda saying that Saudi Arabia has been a British puppet for decades, and building on the narrative that they are an apostate regime.

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. 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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. 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

Hamza is reasserting himself as an outspoken figure attempting to pick up the mantle of his father at a time when al-Qaeda is very much looking for leadership.

They were shoved aside for years by IS but now as the caliphate crumbles, al-Qaeda is ascendant and looking to reclaim that mantle of leader of the global jihad.

He points out that Hamza spent a lot of time in Iran over the past few years, a country that shares his hatred of Saudi Arabia.

Hamza Bin Laden has released a number of threatening videos and audio recordings over the past two years, in a voice characterised by the Washington Post as vintage Osama bin Laden.

He offered advice for martyrdom seekers in the West, praised lone wolf attacks and called for attacks on Jews, Americans, Westerners and Russians in a video released in May of this year by As-Sahab, al-Qaedas propaganda arm.

In a July 2016 speech entitled We Are All Osama, he threatened the US with revenge for the death of his father, earning him a place on the State Departments terror watchlist.

Hamza worked alongside his father in Afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks and spent time with him in Pakistan after the US-led invasion pushed much of al-Qaeda's senior leadership there, according to the think tank Brookings Institution.

Video footage from 2001 shows a 12-year-old Hamza handling US helicopter wreckage in Afghanistan.

More recently, letters found in the 2011 raid showed Hamza asking to be trained to follow in the footsteps of his Saudi Arabia-born father.

Ali Soufan, a former FBI agent who led the investigation into al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks, told CBS news in May about one of the letters, which has now been declassified.

"He tells him that he remembers 'every look every smile you gave me, every word you told me'.

He was a poster kid for the al-Qaedaand for members of al-Qaeda, who were indoctrinated with these propaganda videos, he means a lot to them.

Mr Soufan said that Hamzan uses similar terminology and sentences to his father.

Hamza was added to the US counter-terrorism blacklist at the start of the year, under a global terrorist designation which prevents US citizens from engaging in transactions with him.
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Huda Ali Ghalia was just 12 years old when her family was enjoying a day out at Sudaniya beach in northern Gaza in June 2006.

Suddenly, explosions - alleged to be the result of Israeli shelling - hit the beach killing several people, including her father, stepmother and five of her siblings.

In the immediate aftermath a video showed a screaming Huda collapsing next to the body of her father, calling his name. The clip instantly became a symbol of the Palestinian struggle.

Gaza's junior mechanics Show all 13 1 /13 Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics The hands of Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, are seen as he works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Yassin, 18, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Tamer Yassin, 17, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Tamer Yassin, 17, works in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, is reflected in a mirror as he works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Jundeya, 17, works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Abed al-Majeed Reheem, 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Abed al-Majeed Reheem (R), 18, works in a car repair garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian boy Mohamoud Yazji, 16, who works as apprentice mechanic, repairs a car at a garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian boy Mohammad Dader, 12, who works as apprentice mechanic, helps his employer at a garage in Gaza City Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Mohammed Yassin, 18, poses for a photograph in a car repair garage Reuters Gaza's junior mechanics Gaza's junior mechanics Palestinian Ali al-Batniji (R), 18, works in a car repair garage Reuters

Now, the young woman has graduated from university, giving a moving speech about the challenges she has faced growing up with such trauma, and her hopes for the future.

Remember the girl from the Gaza beach? She was having a good time with her family, happy and laughing. Israeli occupation naval ships struck them. Her father was killed, four of her sisters, her brother and her aunt.

Her mother was injured, and so were her other four sisters and her brother. She was also injured. She was 12 years old. I am that girl, Huda Ali Ghalia.

The now 23-year-old thanked her mother in particular for encouraging her to study towards a Bachelors degree in sharia and law.

Hudas mother joined her on stage to hand her a bouquet of flowers. As the two embraced, the audience gave them a standing ovation.

Huda is not an average person; she is a piece of every Palestinian. She got into our souls and into our hearts, and it is our duty to take care of her and stand by her, Adel Awadallah, head of the university, said before giving the student an honorary award.

The Israeli military initially said it regretted the loss of life - the explosions killed eight civilians and wounded more than 30 and came during the 2006 summer war between Israel and Hamas. However, a subsequent Israel Defence Force (IDF) investigation concluded that the explosion had been caused by a Palestinian landmine.

Palestinian authorities called the IDF claims a 'lie', arguing that fragments of an Israeli shell of the type fired towards the area on the day in question had been found on the beach.

Human Rights Watch among other rights groups called for an independent investigation into the incident, which the Israeli authorities declined to take part in.
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The Jordanian parliament has voted to revoke an article of the countrys penal code which allows a rapist to escape punishment for his crime so long as he marries the victim.

A royal judiciary committee advocated the abolishment of Article 308  which shields rape, statutory rape and kidnap perpetrators from prosecution if they marry the survivor  back in February.

Parliament had a choice on either repealing or amending the law in a vote on Tuesday, but moved to get rid of it altogether, destroying all legal loopholes which let rapists escape the consequences of their crimes. The decision is expected to be approved by the upper house, and then ratified by King Abdullah II.

 Women in Lebanon protest law allowing rapists to marry their victims to escape punishment

Jordanian law currently says that rape is punishable by up to seven years in prison or capital punishment if the victim is aged 15 or under. The outdated statute, however, created a loophole which suspends any criminal prosecution if the two people involved get married for a minimum of three years.

I feel like were living in a historic moment, Suad Abu Dayyeh, feminist campaign group Equality Nows Middle East and North Africa Consultant, said on the phone from Amman. All these years of campaigning have paid off and will send a positive message to the rest of the region.

According to figures from Jordans Ministry of Justice, 159 rapists avoided punishment by marrying their victims between 2010-2013, and 300 rapes were recorded annually on average during the same period  although activists point out the true figure is likely to be chronically underreported in a country where extramarital sex is taboo.

In extreme cases, women in Jordan who report rape can be murdered in so-called honour killings.

Similar marriage clauses are present in the law regarding sexual consent in many modern Muslim states. They are usually hangovers from interpretations of sharia, or religious law.

In recent years, the archaic legislation contravening womens rights has been the target of campaigners across the Middle East; Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt have repealed similar laws and changes to the penal code are pending in both Lebanon and Bahrain.

We still have a lot of work to do, when it comes to domestic violence and family law, Ms Abu Dayyeh said. But still. Today is a beautiful day.

Marry your rapist laws also still exist in several Latin American countries, the Philippines and Tajikistan. Rape and sexual abuse affect nearly one billion women and girls over their lifetimes, UN data says.
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A video showing a Jordanian political analyst doing a Skype interview for cable television without any trousers on has gone viral on social media.

Majid Asfour was being interviewed by Al-Jazeera news network last month regarding the shooting last month at the Israeli embassy in Amman.

With it being a Skype interview, Mr Asfour, who served as former editor-in-chief of Jordanian newspaper Al Rai Arabic, didn't waste time putting on trousers for the interview, dressing up only in a suit jacket and tie and propping his laptop up on his lap with two pillows to ensure the rest of his body wasn't in the picture.

Recommended Police leave funny note after digging up cannabis plantation

He would have gotten away with it too, had someone else in the home not captured video of the scene, panning from the live interview playing on a television to Mr Asfour sitting on a sofa nearby, smartly dressed up top, but wearing only pants on the bottom.

The Abu Dhabi Network channel posted the footage on Twitter, where it has been shared widely, receiving thousands of views.

Majid Asfour explained that the temperature in Amman was above 30C when he did the interview

Mr Asfour told the Jordan Times: The temperature in Amman was above 30C and I was at home, so I decided to wear a jacket, a shirt and go on air like this.

He joked that he had been working in media and politics for a long time, but this was the first time he had experienced such popularity.

The video was reportedly filmed by his son, Manaf Asfour.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

A Facebook account that appears to belong to Manaf shows him jokingly writing that he slept on the roof the night after sharing the video of his father.

Such a cool dad, one friend commented.

Of course, Mr Asfour is not the first commentator to fall victim to the awkward home Skype interview.

Professor Robert Kelly and his family rose to fame after an interview with BBC World News was interrupted but his two children, live on air.

Video of the professor trying to stay composed as his children burst into the room before being pulled out by their mother quickly went viral, with one YouTube video of the incident attracting more than 980,000 views.
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Russia is still spying on the US despite sanctions and frequent headlines about Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, according to a top US intelligence official.

William Evanina, the National Counterintelligence Executive, told Reuters that his US intelligence agencies have not seen a deterrence, or a drop - or an increase, in Russian spying activity in the last 12 months.

I can tell you, the FBI does not have less work, he said.

His words came the same day that Vladimir Putin said 755 people would have to leave their jobs, including many Russian nationals, in a retaliatory act to a new round of US sanctions against the country.

The vote in US congress for sanctions followed revelations that Moscow had carried out a campaign of influence on the presidential election, which Russian authorities have denied.

The US has carried out its own espionage and surveillance of Russia and the former Soviet Union.

 Sen. Lindsey Graham: Trump is empowering Putin by ignoring the cyber attacks

In terms of sanctions and the expulsion of diplomats, Mr Evanina said the US has more to lose than Russia as it has a smaller footprint in Russia than Russia has in the US.

He said his agency is still battling many issues including the hacking of government and industry secrets, federal employees and contractors talking to the press and groups such as WikiLeaks, as well as overseas companies acquiring strategic US industries.

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

Reuters reported that the US Committee on Foreign Investment has objected to more than nine acquisitions of US companies by foreign buyers in 2017 alone.

Mr Evanina said that he had worked with the private sector to protect their systems from foreign threats.

Former President Barack Obama expelled 35 diplomats last December to punish Russia for allegedly meddling in the election. But Mr Evanina said Russian espionage strategy no longer relies on intelligence officers employed by its spy agencies  it also includes businessmen and other travellers to the US to work as contractors for intelligence services.

He declined to comment on US investigations into alleged Russian interference during the election and whether Donald Trumps campaign colluded with the Russians. It is an investigation that has spread from the President to his aides, the Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and members of his close family.
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We know Donald Trump has a bit of a military fetish. He has twice boarded Americas newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, promising to splurge on new hardware for his fighting forces. The first time, in March, he played fancy dress in a Naval green bomber jacket, enraging veterans who recalled his five deferments as a young man to dodge the Vietnam draft.

Its a chest-beating thing. Power and powerful people get his attention. Power, in his mind, comes in two forms. Either you have money or you have stars on your epaulettes. He promised to put America first and resist the urge to plunge the country into foreign adventures. But he dropped that MOAB bomb on Isis targets in Afghanistan and fired cruise missiles into Syria.

When it comes to battle, we don't want a fair fight, he blasted upon returning to the Ford for its commissioning ceremony last month. We want just the opposite. We demand victory, and we will have total victory, believe me. No restraint there. Sounds more like boys with toys to me.

No recent president has been so enamored with retired generals with the possible exception of Dwight Eisenhower (on account of having been one himself). Michael Flynn batted for him on the campaign trail and was rewarded with the job of National Security Advisor. When his number came up in February following revelations of previously undisclosed meetings with important Russians, he was replaced by H.R. McMaster. I bet even the name sounded good to Trump.

Instead of a civilians, Trump picked James Mattis, ex-commander of the US Central Command, for Defence Secretary, and John Kelly, a former Marine Corps General, to lead Homeland Security. Now Kelly has been drafted in to bring an entirely errant West Wing back to heel.

Kelly as Chief of Staff has struck nearly everyone as a good thing. He forced the resignation of Anthony Scaramucci as communications boss, triggering peals of bells and general hilarity across the land. He is allegedly already working on Democrats on what they dont grasp about Trumps lovability. Most importantly, we are being told, he will finally impose some discipline on Trump himself. The reasoning is simple: Trump admires generals. He is in awe of them, even.

But the evidence for this isnt there. Trumps treatment of both Mattis and McMaster has been exactly the opposite. He has flouted their advice, ignored them when convenient and exposed them to humiliation. Perhaps only Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State, has more reason to run into a dark corner and mope. Or maybe he has already. Has anyone actually seen Rex lately?

President Donald Trump talks with new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly (AP)

McMaster keeps his irritation to himself. But consider: he was blindsided when Trump stood before Nato allies in Brussels and left out the one line he had insisted must remain, about the mutual defense provisions of the Alliance treaty. His own authority is undermined each time he has to lie to the media whenever the latest West Wing flap du jour has foreign policy implications. It was he who had to deny Trump had spilled classified intel to Russian officials in the Oval Office when he plainly had.

A bad day for Mattis is one that starts with a Twitter post from his boss declaring transgender Americans can no longer serve in the military. Say what? Had this come after an exhaustive review by the Pentagon? After it had been asked for input at least? It had not. Indeed, Mattis had been pushing back against the conservative Republicans on Capitol Hill who had been venting about existing policy on transgender soldiers, the ones Trump clearly meant to mollify.

The marginalising of Mattis and McMaster infuriates those Republicans who believed that for all Trumps foibles and flaws he had at least assembled an impressive national security team. Like Senator John McCain, who thought that with the two generals in place foreign policy would be shielded from all the other madness. McCain, now under treatment for brain cancer, did not care for the transgender tweet. There is no reason to force service members who are able to fight, train and deploy to leave the military  regardless of their gender identity, he declared.

But nothing drives them battier than the mess on Afghanistan. Theyve had their disagreements on detail, but for the most part Mattis and McMaster have been on the same page urging Trump to acknowledge that the current military posture there is untenable. If the Afghan forces, helped by roughly 8,400 US troops still there, arent actually losing ground to the Taliban they certainly aren't winning any. But each time they get one Trump ear to urge him to authorise a new troop surge, so Steve Bannon, his senior advisor, gets the other one to say the opposite.

On Afghanistan, McCain has lost all patience, serving notice on Monday that come the autumn he intends taking charge and plotting the way forward. More than six months after President Trump's inauguration, there still is no strategy for success in Afghanistan, he complained. I will offer an amendment based on the advice of some our best military leaders that will provide a strategy for success in achieving America's national interests in Afghanistan.

Its a shocking turn and a searing indictment of Trump and therefore his entire foreign policy team, a foreign policy team that has two retired generals at its top. Maybe Kelly has something Mattis and McMaster do not, but he will need more than few fraying stars on his shoulder to pull this administration - and this president - back from its current state of chaos.
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Foolish optimists expected Ivanka Trump to be a moderating force in the White House. But by now it should be clear that shes not part of any solution, which by definition means shes part of the problem.

Can anyone tell me why, other than nepotism, she has an office in the White House and a back-bench seat at meetings of the Cabinet? Washington is full of people who are smart, successful, well-educated  and actually have experience in developing and implementing government policy, which Ivanka completely lacks.

It is true that the Presidents daughter was once seen as the socially acceptable face of the Trump brand. She and her husband, Jared Kushner, were identified with the progressive social views of the rarified social circles in which they travelled. No less an authority on daughterhood and the White House than Chelsea Clinton, whom Ivanka describes as a very good friend, said before the inauguration that we have so much more in common than we have disagreement about.

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

Ivanka promised to champion issues of concern to women, including paid family leave. And it was hoped that she could hold President Trump to his former live-and-let-live views when it came to issues such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.

Wrong, apparently.

The Presidents sudden decision last week to bar transgender individuals from military service was just the latest example of Ivankas lack of influence. She was reportedly taken by surprise when the President announced the ban in an early-morning tweet. So was almost everyone, including the military officials who are supposed to enforce the new policy of discrimination, which they dont much seem to like. But the mean-spirited decree must have been especially galling for Ivanka, who in June had tweeted that she was proud to support my LGBTQ friends and the LGBTQ Americans who have made immense contributions to our society and economy.

Ivanka and Jared reportedly lobbied Trump not to abandon the Paris climate change accord, seen by most scientists and world leaders as the most significant step to date in limiting the heat-trapping carbon emissions that are rapidly warming the planet. The president pulled out of the pact anyway.

She had no discernible influence in the healthcare battle, which perhaps should be no surprise. Trump pledged health insurance for everybody but became so desperate for a legislative win that he would have settled for health care for nobody, which is roughly what was in the bill the Senate rejected last week.

 Ivanka Trump: 'I leave the politics to other people'

Ivanka has continued to advocate a national program of guaranteed paid family leave, similar to those in many other industrialised countries, which she described in a recent letter in the Wall Street Journal as not an entitlement but an investment in Americas working families. She did have enough juice to get budget director Mick Mulvaney to allocate some money for such a program  $25bn over 10 years  but it is unclear whether the funding will survive the appropriations process.

If it does, Ill congratulate her. If not, she might want to work to help Democrats take control of both the House and the Senate in 2018. Im sure they would be happy to vote for a much better family leave programme, covering not just childbirth but also other family needs such as elder care.

Where Ivanka does apparently have real influence is in matters of personnel. She and Jared are reported to have urged Trump to bring in foul-mouthed Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director. Seriously, thats the guy you wanted shaping the administrations message? Scaramucci was dismissed Monday after just 10 days on the job. He had only two things to offer: North Korean-style hosannas to the strength, wisdom and general magnificence of his dear leader, President Trump; and an undeniable talent for imaginative swearing.

Ivanka is also said to have supported the defenestration of Reince Priebus in favour of John F Kelly as chief of staff. It is true that Priebus didnt do a very good job, but thats mostly because he wasnt allowed to  and Ivanka was one of his headaches, though perhaps not the worst. She is one of many aides who enjoy unfettered access to the President. If Kelly is not allowed to function as a gatekeeper, he, too, will fail.

Meanwhile, Ivankas line of shoes, clothing and accessories  conspicuously not Made in America  has come under new scrutiny. And one disillusioned friend of hers told me she and Jared must have drunk the Kool-Aid. In her White House role, shes not helping the nation, and shes sure not helping herself.

 Washington Post
Laws have changed to give effect to a road safety agreement signed between the UK and Irish governments in 2015

Driving disqualifications have become mutually recognised on both sides of the Irish border.

Laws changed in Northern Ireland and the Republic on Tuesday to give effect to a road safety agreement signed between the UK and Irish governments in 2015.

Those who receive a driving ban on the other side of the border from where they live will have the prohibition extended to their home jurisdiction.

Irish Transport Minister Shane Ross said: "The mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure because it aims to target dangerous drivers on our roads.

"The disqualifications relate to drivers disqualified for reckless or dangerous driving, hit-and-run driving, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"Mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure for both Ireland and the UK, and is one of a series of measures I am introducing which will reduce road injuries and ultimately save lives.

"Maintaining the common travel area and our economic links with the UK are important priorities for Ireland, and this agreement will make a contribution towards that objective, as well as making an important contribution to road safety.

"The new measures are underpinned by an international agreement between Ireland and the UK, which comes into effect today, and primary legislative provisions in Ireland and the UK, which have been commenced today.

"Under the Ireland/UK agreement, the driving disqualification is, in effect, transferred by the state which imposes it to the licence of the offender's 'home' state. So, the legal consequence of the offence committed follows the offender home."
Conor Murphy suggested the DUP's public pro-Brexit stance was very different to its behind-closed-doors view

The DUP privately acknowledges that Brexit will be an economic disaster for the island of Ireland, a senior Sinn Fein member has claimed.

Conor Murphy suggested the DUP's public pro-Brexit stance was very different to its behind-closed-doors view as he commented on recent terse exchanges between the main unionist party and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's Fine Gael party.

Mr Murphy welcomed recent comments made by Mr Varadkar in relation to his opposition to any sort of economic border on the island post-Brexit and he concurred with the assessment of Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond that subsequent DUP criticism of the Irish premier was "whinging".

"The reality is the DUP have been acting against the wishes of the majority of people here in relation to their approach to Brexit," said the Sinn Fein Stormont Assembly member.

"They have now given the British government a blank cheque in terms of signing up to support any Brexit legislation that is brought forward.

"They can hardly then complain when those who will be disastrously impacted on by Brexit then call that out for what it is, who present issues as they are likely to arise.

"Quite clearly the Irish government and the Taoiseach have to defend the interests of the Irish people and we look to them to defend the interests of Irish citizens who live in this part of Ireland as well.

"So the DUP can hardly criticise others when they are acting against the interests and wishes of the vast majority of people on this island."

Asked for his reaction to Mr Varadkar's remark that he hoped Brexit could still be averted, Mr Murphy added: "I would hope that Brexit wouldn't happen either, but that's a matter for the British government and the British state and the people who live there.

"The reality is we recognise, as does everyone, including the DUP privately, that Brexit is going to be an economic disaster for the island of Ireland."

Mr Murphy said he welcomed the fact Mr Varadkar's administration recognised the "disaster which is looming for us in terms of Brexit".

He added: "I wouldn't expect them to be anything else but robust in defence of the Irish people in that regard.

"So the statements have been welcome of course, but that's what you would expect from the political leaders of a country that is going to be so badly impacted by a decision which was taken in London in the interests of the English people and not in the interests of the people of Ireland, who quite clearly in this part of Ireland voted significantly not to leave Europe."

The DUP rubbished Mr Murphy's claim that it harboured private concerns about Brexit's economic impact.

A DUP spokeswoman said: "Mr Murphy and Sinn Fein have now entered fantasy land by inventing DUP positions.

"Mr Murphy should be focused on giving Northern Ireland a voice in Brexit negotiations given the current impasse at Stormont with Sinn Fein's long list of demands.

"By getting a functioning Executive up and running, Northern Ireland can make the case for a good deal as the UK exits the European Union.

"Sinn Fein are using classic scaremongering tactics with little basis of fact or substance.

"The DUP are the best placed with their seats in Westminster to speak out on the needs of Northern Ireland.

"The reality is the UK is leaving the EU. A common sense approach is needed rather than the petty politicking seen here by Conor Murphy who still fails to accept the EU referendum vote."
The Trump administration will allow American journalists, Red Cross employees and other humanitarian workers to apply for exemptions to a ban on travel to North Korea.

The ban will take effect on September 1, 30 days after the regulations are published Wednesday in the Federal Register. A preview of the documents was posted online on Tuesday. The preview says that in addition to journalists and humanitarian workers, Americans whose travel to North Korea "is otherwise in the national interest" will be considered for exemptions.

Last month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson decided to impose a "geographical travel restriction" on the use of U.S. passports to visit North Korea following the death in June of American university student Otto Warmbier, who fell into a coma while in North Korean custody.



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Water was supplied by Drogheda Council workers following a burst pipe last week

Irish Water has apologised after a second major water pipe burst in just over a week, cutting off supply to up 10,000 households and businesses.

The utility provider said it "apologises for the inconvenience caused by this incident and thanks customers for their patience and cooperation".

Among those affected are a grandfather and grandmother who have been forced to move into temporary accommodation after the burst pipe flooded their family home of 50 years for the second time in 18 months.

James Murtagh, 80, and 72-year-old Joan had only moved back into their home in Proudstown outside Navan nine months ago following major repairs to the property after the same pipe burst and flooded their home just days before Christmas in 2015.

The couple, their daughter Sarah, 44, and 16-year-old granddaughter had to escape from the house through a window on Monday night after water gushed into the property.

It comes less than two weeks after a burst water main left around 60,000 customers across Louth and Meath without water for several days.

"My parent's aren't fit for this," said Ms Murtagh. "My mum is so angry.

"The main water pipe for Navan is outside our house and on December 22, 2015, it burst and the whole house was completely flooded.

"Mum and dad were out of house for nine months. All the foundations had to be dug up again."

She added: "Last night my daughter came running in and said there was water coming into bathroom. I went in and saw all this dirty water.

"I went to the kitchen and when I opened the door I saw the water getting faster and faster and rising and rising.

"I got my mum and dad and we had to go out the window because we couldn't open the doors or it all would have come flooding in.

"We don't know how badly damaged the house is at the minute but we have been advised we could be out for three to six months."

Repairs on the burst pipe that feeds water into Navan have now been completed.

Full water supply to the town and surrounding areas is expected to be restored on Tuesday evening.

Irish Water had placed water tankers on standby to replenish Our Lady's Hospital in Navan in case its water storage ran out.

In July around 60,000 households and businesses in the Drogheda area were left without water for almost a week after a main burst at the Staleen Water Treatment Plant.
Brian Owens has surrendered to police after returning from abroad with his daughter (North Wales Police/PA)

A father wanted by police who had disappeared with his five-year-old daughter has surrendered after returning from abroad with the youngster.

Brian Owens, 26, and Molly Owens returned to Holyhead from Ireland, North Wales Police said.

Supt Nigel Harrison said Owens had "surrendered to authorities on his return and will appear in court".

Owens failed to turn up at Caernarfon Magistrates' Court in North Wales on Friday for sentencing.

North Wales Police have not said what offences he had committed.
The automatic right of European Union citizens to live and work in the UK will end in March 2019 once the country pulls out of the bloc, Downing Street has insisted.

Amid squabbling among ministers about the direction of Brexit, and speculation that free movement into the UK could continue in the wake of Brexit as part of a transition deal, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said the government remained committed to its timetable.

It is unlikely, however, that Irish citizens will be affected by this, given the commitment of both the UK and Irish governments to maintain the common travel area.

Europe's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said earlier this month there was political work involved in terms of the common travel area, which he said was "not that clear", as "not an awful lot is written down".

Immigration from the EU is one of the most contentious issues because the economy relies on imported labour, but many British voters are angry over what they consider to be uncontrolled immigration.

"Free movement will end in March 2019," Ms May's spokesman told reporters, adding that the government had already set out some details including proposals on EU citizens' rights after Brexit. "Other elements of the post-Brexit immigration system will be brought forward in due course. It would be wrong to speculate on what these might look like or to suggest that free movement will continue as it is now."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond said last week that there should be no immediate change to immigration rules when Britain leaves the bloc, and Home Secretary Amber Rudd said there would be no 'cliff edge' on leaving the EU.

It came as the Irish Government formally submitted its bids for the European Banking Authority (EBA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA), but did not release the bid documents - saying all formal offers will be published on the website of the European Council today.

A spokesman for the Department of Finance said the bid for the EBA contains "some sort of package" aimed at encouraging the agency to relocate to Dublin instead of another European capital, but couldn't give any further details.

The department said the submitted document outlines how Dublin meets the objective criteria that have been set out by the European Council and Commission, and highlights how a relocation to Dublin would be the least disruptive move for the EBA and its staff.

"The fact that the United Kingdom has decided to leave the European Union has resulted in significant disruption and uncertainty," said Minister of State with special responsibility for Financial Services and Insurance, Michael D'Arcy.

"For the EBA, its staff and their families, a move to Dublin is the least disruptive option. Our transport links to Europe, our culture, language and skilled multilingual education workforce make Dublin an attractive destination ahead of other potential locations. Given the economic and strategic benefits for Ireland, we are making a strong proposal which includes incentives to support the relocation of the EBA and the establishment of a relocation group to aid the relocation of the authority."

Bids to host the EBA and the EMA, which together employ more than 1,000 people, had to be made by the end of today.

Ireland is interested in both agencies.

Twenty-one countries have already expressed an interest in the EMA, while eight have indicated they want the EBA.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia are the only countries not expected to bid. France with Paris and Lille, Germany with Frankfurt and Bonn, Austria, Ireland, Hungary and Poland are bidding for the two, although no one country will be allowed to get both. A final decision is expected from Europe in November.

Meanwhile, a document published by the Department of Finance in the context of the preparations for the Budget stated that duty free allowances in the event of a hard Brexit could have significant negative impact on indirect tax revenues in the State. It said unless the EU-UK agreement provides otherwise, consumers will be permitted to bring goods from the UK to Ireland free of duty, provided their combined value does not exceed 430.
The Government is to offer up to 13.5m in rental cost support to attract the European Banking Authority (EBA) to relocate to Ireland post Brexit.

It released its formal bid for the EU agency this morning, shortly after its bid for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) was published.

Read more: Government pledges 78m to help attract European Medicines Agency to Dublin

The Government believes that the figure will cover 50pc of the rental costs over a 10-year period.

The document states that 1m will be offered to help EBA staff and their families towards providing professional relocation services.

"Again, this is a sign of Irelands commitment to the EBA staff who are facing significant disruptions due to the move from London in a relatively short timeframe," the bid document states.

"In addition, our bid also outlines that a Relocation Group will be formed chaired by the Department of Finance and involving other relevant Government Departments and State agencies to aid the process of relocation via a whole of Government approach. The remit of this group will include ensuring the Headquarters Agreement between Ireland and the EBA is in place prior to its move to Dublin. The Agreement will include all the conditions offered by Ireland to the EBA and its staff."
The Government will make a 78m contribution towards the relocation expenses of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) if it moves to Dublin.

The EMA will have to move out of London post Brexit.

That includes 15m towards the cost of fit-out/rent of the selected premises in the first year, 2019, when Britain exits the European Union.

From 2020 to 2028, an annual contribution of 7m will be made towards rent and maintenance.

Read more: Post-Brexit transitional period expected to take no longer than three years - Philip Hammond

The Government has published its formal bid document this morning.

The Government will provide office space in Dublin from 2018 onward for an advance team from the EMA to be based in Dublin to work on the Agencys move.

"A comprehensive relocation support service will be contracted.

This service will be provided to assist EMA staff and their families with identifying appropriate accommodation, schools, jobs for spouses/partners and other practical issues such as banking assistance, moving personal belongings and sourcing language lessons. "This is estimated to be of a value up to 10m."

The bid document states that a dedicated Transition Taskforce will be established to liaise with the EMA in all aspects of planning, managing and implementing the relocation. The group will draw membership from Government Departments and State agencies.
HSBC could spend up to $300m (255m) moving jobs and parts of its business to Paris following Britain's exit from the EU, CEO Stuart Gulliver has said.

The estimate, one of the most detailed yet by a major bank, includes the costs of relocating up to 1,000 jobs to the French capital as well as associated legal fees, Gulliver said.

"The $200-$300m total is the cost of the transition to France," Gulliver said after HSBC reported an increase in profits for the first half of the year.

HSBC said up to $1bn in revenue could be at risk from Britain's exit from the EU but it should be able to preserve the income by shifting associated jobs to Paris, Gulliver said.

Companies are spending tens of millions with international banks establishing new subsidiaries in the bloc or developing existing ones. That's despite little clarity on how much business their UK outposts will be able to do in the EU once Britain leaves in March 2019.

HSBC Chairman Douglas Flint said a meeting he attended between Brexit minister David Davis and UK company executives this month showed signs of an improved relationship between the government and business over Brexit. "The meeting was evidence of that, it was a well-designed meeting with the right people in the room, and each side interested in understanding each other," he said.

Meanwhile, a third share buyback in a year underlined progress in the turnaround plan for Europe's biggest bank, with profit also growing by 5pc in the first half of 2017.

The news sent HSBC shares up 3pc to a four-year high of 764 pence each in London, as the bank signalled further buybacks and confidence that it can continue to improve revenues from growth in Asia.

Mr Gulliver and Mr Flint are both retiring, leaving a legacy of improving revenue and returning more capital to shareholders, having focused on trimming the bank's empire and shifting its focus eastwards.

The latest share buyback, of up to $2bn, comes as HSBC uses excess capital to offset the dilutive effect of shares paid out as dividends. It completed a previously announced $1bn buyback in April.

The buybacks and sustained dividends show HSBC further ahead in its turnaround than UK-based rivals including Barclays and Standard Chartered which have suspended payouts as they restructure. "The return of capital comes from the fact that the business is very accretive, very profitable ... the dividend is 51 cents for the foreseeable future," said finance director Iain Mackay.

HSBC said its common equity tier 1 ratio - a measure of financial strength - was 14.7pc at the end of June, the highest among major European banks. The ratio is set to increase as the bank repatriates about $8bn stuck at its US subsidiary, following approval from the Federal Reserve, potentially enabling further buybacks.

The buyback will take the total since the second half of 2016 to $5.5bn. HSBC's dividends totalled $10.1bn in 2016, $10bn in 2015 and $9.6bn in 2014.

For the half-year through June, pre-tax profit rose to $10.2bn from $9.7bn in the same period a year earlier, a result that compared with the $9.5bn average estimate drawn from analysts polled by the bank. Gulliver said he could be at HSBC as late as December 2018 if an external candidate is appointed by incoming chairman Mark Tucker.
A special deal to slash nursing home costs for farmers is in jeopardy following a dramatic intervention by the Office of the Attorney General, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Farmers have long argued for changes to the scheme, saying that it does not lend itself to their asset-rich but cash-poor status, with a review ongoing.

One of the country's most powerful lobby groups, the Irish Farmers' Association (IFA), has demanded sweeping changes to the State's Fair Deal scheme in a bid to the ease the burden of high nursing home costs.

Briefing documents seen by this newspaper detail how the IFA is seeking a suite of measures that will result in 90pc of farm assets being exempted from consideration when it comes to nursing home bills.

The documents also show how the IFA has asked the Government to reduce the period in which the State can means test farm assets before landing families with the bill to care for their elderly.

But it has emerged that the Office of the Attorney General (AG) has now stepped in and warned the Government that any changes to the Fair Deal scheme must not reward farmers over other business owners.

Expand Close Older People Minister Jim Daly. Photo: Tom Burke / Facebook

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Older People Minister Jim Daly last night confirmed the intervention, telling this newspaper that he will meet the IFA president Joe Healy in the coming weeks to discuss what changes can be implemented.

"This has been going on for far too long. It needs to be brought to a conclusion," Mr Daly told this newspaper.

Some changes to the State's nursing home support scheme were announced in the Programme for Government, in order to alleviate the burden on families.

But almost a year-and-a-half later, the review into the scheme has still not been published.

According to IFA briefing notes, which have been circulated to the main political parties, the scheme in its current state is threatening the viability of farming for future generations.

The lobby group has called on the Government to introduce the following key changes:

Basing the nursing home fee on the "agricultural value" of the farm, rather than the overall assets themselves;

Reducing the period from five years to three, after which the State can target assets that have been transferred on to the elderly person's children or next of kin;

Making the scheme more accessible to those who have availed of care in the home before moving into a nursing home facility.

But last night, the minister overseeing the implementation of the review, Cork South West TD Jim Daly, confirmed that the AG had raised concerns on constitutionality.

It is understood that this relates to the prospect of farmers getting a better outcome of the review than other small business owners.

Nonetheless, Mr Daly insisted he would consider all options, adding that certainty surrounding the future of 'Fair Deal' is necessary.

In a statement, the Department of Health said that a number of key issues in relation to nursing home care have been identified for more detailed consideration across departments and agencies.

These include examining the treatment of business and farm assets for the purposes of the financial assessment element of the scheme. "This work is currently underway," the statement added.

Other burning issues include a review by the NTPF of its pricing mechanism for funding the Fair Deal scheme, which is underway, and a value-for-money review of public nursing homes, due to begin later this year.

The working group will also consider additional charges in nursing homes, after it was revealed that many residents on the Fair Deal scheme are being forced to pay extra.
A suicide attack on a Shi'ite mosque in the western Afghan city of Herat killed more than 29 people and wounded more than 64 on Tuesday, officials said.

More than 1,700 civilians have been killed in attacks in Afghanistan so far this year, hitting confidence in the Western-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker on Tuesday, with witnesses describing a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and at least one other, a gunman who threw grenades at worshippers.

"Two attackers entered the mosque and started shooting and throwing grenades at people," said Mohammad Adi, a worshipper at the mosque who was injured in the attack and taken to hospital.

Mohammad Asif Rahimi, governor of Herat, said at least 29 people were killed and 64 wounded in the incident which came two months after an attack on a 12th century mosque known as the Jama Masjid in Herat, in which seven people died.

There was no claim of responsibility. But the Taliban, fighting to install strict Islamic law and drive foreign troops out of Afghanistan, denied any involvement.

Ghani, whose government has been under mounting pressure because of deteriorating security across the country, condemned the bombing and called on religious scholars to "raise their voices against the terrorist attacks".

Afghanistan has traditionally been relatively free of the sectarian violence common in Iraq or Syria but hardline Sunni militants from the local branch of Islamic State have repeatedly attacked the mainly Shi'ite Hazara minority in the past year.

The latest attack comes as the U.S. administration considers sending more troops to Afghanistan to bolster the NATO-led coalition advising and assisting Afghan security forces.

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Two men have been jailed for their part in a conspiracy to sell 30 tonnes of horsemeat as beef, most of which entered the food chain.

Some of the meat originated from a horse in rural Galway with much of the product going on to enter the food chain.

Andronicos Sideras, 55, one of the owners of meat manufacturer Dinos & Sons, mixed the products together before the mixture was sold to other firms in a plot that deceived consumers and food processors.

Ulrik Nielsen, 58, the Danish owner of FlexiFoods, bought horsemeat and beef from suppliers across Europe and had it delivered to Dinos in Tottenham, north London.

Expand Close Just some of the meat recovered from the supply chain that proved to be a mix of low-quality beef and horsemeat. Image: City of London Police / Facebook

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Whatsapp Just some of the meat recovered from the supply chain that proved to be a mix of low-quality beef and horsemeat. Image: City of London Police

Nielsen's "right-hand man", Alex Beech, 44, arranged for the shipments to be transferred and handled the accounting.

The majority of the meat, including some from farm horses not sold for slaughter, made it into the food chain and, while the face value of the fraud was 177,869, police said the true cost had probably run into millions of pounds.

Sideras, of Southgate, north London, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud between January 1 and November 30 2012 and was jailed at Inner London Crown Court for four years and six months.

Nielsen and Beech, who had already pleaded guilty to the same charge, were sentenced to three years and six months in jail and 18 months suspended for 12 months respectively.

Judge Owen Davies QC said: "It was not confined to this country, not confined to the firms we have heard about, and it's a big issue for the public to be concerned about, but the fact is it was discovered by accident and only emerged as a problem because of your activity.

"It's not a mitigating factor, in my judgment, that other people were at it as well as you."

Expand Close File photo dated 27/09/16 of Andronicos Sideras who has been found guilty at Inner London Crown Court of being part of a conspiracy to pass off horsemeat as beef. Photo credit should read: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp File photo dated 27/09/16 of Andronicos Sideras who has been found guilty at Inner London Crown Court of being part of a conspiracy to pass off horsemeat as beef. Photo credit should read: Isabel Infantes/PA Wire

In 2013 UK supermarkets were rocked by the horsemeat contamination crisis, with products labelled as beef and other meats found to contain various amounts of horse flesh.

Speaking to the defendants, who had their heads bowed throughout, Judge Davies said: "It's difficult to recall now the conditions that made this horsemeat scandal headline news every day five years ago but it made an impact on the public in general.

"They were suspicious of the food that they had - it extended far beyond meat.

"The confidence in the food chain was affected adversely and the share prices of big supermarkets was affected and it is difficult to recreate the feeling of anxiety that the public had at the time this all emerged.

"It was not an activity that was brought to an end by anything other than the arrest of the perpetrators.

"The victims in question, properly so-called, of conspiracy to defraud were customers, either wholesalers or the customers of the markets and supermarkets who bought an item that was not what it said it was."

Expand Close Just some of the meat recovered from the supply chain that proved to be a mix of low-quality beef and horsemeat. Image: City of London police / Facebook

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Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay said the scandal had led to a "crisis of confidence" in the food supply chain which hit sales and there were a "very, very large number of victims" in this case.

He said: "This offending was but a part of the wider horsemeat scandal.

"In terms of high impact, while there is no suggestion the meat was unfit for human consumption, it carried a potentially high public health risk.

"Had there been, not a criminal problem, but a health problem, it would be impossible to trace it because the records had been falsified."

Beech had not been in on the scheme from the outset and at one stage questioned his boss and plot "ringleader" Nielsen about prices but later, Mr Polnay said, went on to falsify identification labels that were approved by the Dane.

At the time, beef could be sold at a wholesale price of three euros per kilogram, while horsemeat was cheaper at two euros per kilogram.

The trio's plot was discovered in September 2012 when Newry and Mourne District Council health inspectors made an unannounced visit to a Freeza Meat store in Newry, Northern Ireland, and found a third of the pallets contained horsemeat.

Of that consignment, Mr Polnay said: "In fact this was a mess up. Sideras got it wrong."

Police would later sift through 12 tonnes of meat by hand and horse ID chips, roughly the size of a grain of rice, were found. They belonged to two horses named Trak and Wiktor from the Lodz region of Poland, and a third Irish Hunter horse called Carnesella Lady, from rural county Galway.

Dinos had a number of infringements for mislabelling products between 2007 and 2012, but Mr Polnay said these were not criminal and should not be taken into account.

Sideras, who appeared wearing a dark suit, white shirt and grey tie, had claimed that he was not part of the conspiracy and had only stored the product for FlexiFoods. As part of his sentence, he was barred from being a director of a company for 10 years.

Michael Levy, defending Sideras, had denied his client played a leading role, although the judge rejected that suggestion.

"To try to talk it up is wrong and unfair," he said.

He also argued there were no real victims of the fraud.

Mr Levy added: "Did the man who bought the packet of burgers and ate them without incident ... and then discovers three, six or nine months later that the burgers he purchased contained a very small amount of horse, is he really a victim?

"I'm prepared to bet the first thing he did not say was 'oh damn, I paid 50p too much'."

Mr Levy also said Mr Sideras stood to gain between 6,000 to 8,000 and he had "squandered" the work that went into the family business, with 20 people facing losing their jobs.

"One might say it's a Greek tragedy of epic proportions," he added.

Gordon Stables, defending Nielsen, of Gentofte in Denmark, and Beech, from Sutton-on-Hull, said the fraud had been over a short period of time and argued that manufacturers and retailers had not suffered any loss because they had been paid for the products.

He said: "There is in fact no loss to the retailer financially in terms of the transaction - they sell is as beef and at each point, everybody sells it as if it is beef and make the profit as though it's beef.

"They are intending to gain the 20,000-and-a-half extra as a result of insertion of horse into the beef.

"The Crown say there's a loss which is billions of pounds to the industry.

"These defendants ought not to be blamed for the entire effect of the horsemeat scandal.

"They are but a drop in the ocean."

Nielsen, who arrived at court carrying his lunch in a Copenhagen Airport carrier bag, had no previous convictions and was "remorseful".

When asked by the judge why Beech had not refused to be part of the scheme as an employee, Mr Stables said: "He should have done and he accepts that and bitterly regrets that he did not."

Nielsen was also barred from being a company director for 10 years, while Beech was given a directorship ban of five years and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Davies said: "The fraud involved the forgery of papers - the source of the meat was hidden and the motive that you three had was nothing short of greed."

Nina Montalbano, from the CPS Specialist Fraud Division, said: "All three defendants knew full well this meat would enter the food chain through a number of leading supermarkets but continued their fraud with blatant disregard for the public's right to know what is in their food."
A man has been airlifted to hospital after he was seriously injured in a farm accident in Co Clare this evening.

The incident happened at around 7.00pm at a farm in Fanore in the north of the county. Its understood that a hay bale rolled over the man.
Pre-tax profits at the Cork- based unit of sweet manufacture Ferrero last year decreased by 3pc to 2.7m.

Revenues fell by 49pc from 55.5m to 28.6m in the 12 months to the end of August last at Ferrero Ireland Ltd, the maker of Tic Tac sweets.

The figures show that in spite of the firm's income dropping, numbers employed last year increased from 238 to 262.

The directors said that the revenues decreased as a result of a new manufacturing contract between Ferrero Ireland Ltd and Ferrero Trading Lux SA coming into operation.

The directors' report said income is entirely as a result of toll manufacturing. The firm's principal market is Europe and the directors said the results are in line with their expectations.

Ferrero has produced the global brand of Tic Tacs - which are available in over 100 countries - since 1969. The global company produces well-known brands, including Ferrero Rocher, Nutella and Kinder.

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The Cork plant continues to be profitable with pre-tax profits of 2.76m last year, following pre-tax profits of 2.85m in 2015.

On future developments, the directors said the company envisages continued demand for its products and no change in the toll manufacturing agreement. The firm's profits were hit last year by a 242,542 loss on the sale of a tangible fixed asset last year.

At the end of August last, the company had accumulated profits of 51.87m. The firm's shareholder funds totalled 55.99m. The profits take account of non-cash depreciation costs of 3.64m. Staff costs at the company last year increased from 12m to 13.25m.
INM cited a number of factors for its profit warning, including a decline in circulation and readership, a decline in advertising revenues, ongoing uncertainty arising from Brexit, lower than expected growth in digital revenues and increased costs arising from legacy libel awards

Independent News and Media (INM plc) has warned that newspapers will close and journalism jobs will be lost unless there is consolidation in the sector.

INM, publishers of four national titles, including the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent and online news portal independent.ie, has also said that future media merger transactions could be deterred owing to the lack of what it describes as a "fit-for-purpose" regulatory process, saying that the current system is too costly and "takes far too much time".

The country's leading media group, which said that current regulation "plays into the hands of foreign media interests" issued a statement in response to freedom of information (FOI) requests in respect of its planned but aborted acquisition of Celtic Newspapers Limited (CMNL) which publishes several regional titles including the 'Meath Chronicle'.

The proposed merger was approved by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission late last year but later referred by Communications Minister Denis Naughten for a phase 2 examination by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

Last June, nine months after the announcement of the transaction, INM and CMNL said that they had decided to move forward on a separate footing. The transaction was terminated with both parties having incurred "material costs".

INM, which earlier this month issued a profit warning, said that it firmly believes that a "significant opportunity" for both INM and CNML was lost following the collapse of the proposed merger, adding that it had co-operated fully with the CCPC, the Department and the BAI throughout the process.

INM cited a number of factors for its profit warning, including a decline in circulation and readership, a decline in advertising revenues, ongoing uncertainty arising from Brexit, lower than expected growth in digital revenues and increased costs arising from legacy libel awards.

"Facing the combined challenge of declining circulation and advertising, and consumption via social media platforms - it is essential that newspaper consolidation takes place, be that on a regional, national or global basis," said the company in a statement.

"The alternative is that these rates of decline will accelerate resulting in the closure of newspaper titles, the loss of managerial, editorial and production jobs, and ultimately the loss of diversity of voice."

INM said further media merger transactions would be deterred unless there was a fit-for-purpose regulatory process.
Around 2,000 hauliers in Ireland either export directly into the UK, or use the UK as a route to get to the Continent, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said

The haulage industry has warned that with more than 80pc of Ireland's road freight to Europe going through the UK, a post-Brexit hard border could force operators out of business.

Around 2,000 hauliers in Ireland either export directly into the UK, or use the UK as a route to get to the Continent, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said.

Haulage industry fears have heightened amid strident rhetoric from the UK government and the apparent lack of any solutions to avoid a border emerging. They're concerned that trucks going from the Republic to the UK and onwards to mainland Europe could be faced with the prospect of four border stops, thereby delaying getting produce onto shelves, and threatening exports.

"If you were a haulier in Donegal, and we have many of them who take fish to mainland Europe, if there was a border, we would anticipate that there would be a minimum of a one-hour delay at each border," said Verona Murphy, IRHA president. "If you're coming from Donegal to the north of France, that's a four-hour delay.

"That'll have a knock-on effect on Ireland's exports in general and the exchequer."

Ms Murphy has been in the haulage business for around three decades. She has her own business - Drumur Transport in Wexford - with 10 drivers, and ships meat between Ireland and Italy for meat giant Kepak. She also works with other companies.

Many of her trucks, she said, carry a pre-packed product that needs to go straight to the supermarket shelf. "It's a time-sensitive, date-sensitive product," she said.

Travelling across the UK is currently faster than going direct to France on a 17-hour sailing. A truck can cross the UK and be in France within 12 hours.

For companies, time is of the essence. "Fish is carried on ice. It's carried as a fresh product, so there's no vacuum pack," said Ms Murphy. "You've got shellfish that are carried in tanks and water, pernickety stuff that needs to be monitored. They can't be carried on direct ferry.

"If anything was to go wrong, the [driver] can't access the container for the 17-hour crossing so he has to minimise the time he's away from the container. There's a huge quantity of that leaving Ireland. Probably about 100 loads a week from ports around Ireland."

Her trucks avoid the Swiss border en route to Italy, as she said delays there could run to four and a half hours. Revenue officials have sent staff to monitor the Swiss border in its attempts to look at post-Brexit border solutions.

The IRHA has recently submitted its pre-budget submission, warning that the costs associated with border checks will likely be absorbed by operators, but some will struggle and it could potentially force some to close. Ms Murphy estimates the industry supports 50,000 jobs in Ireland, directly and indirectly.

"Last week we had a member truck which cleared customs in Rosslare heading for Turkey. Certain paperwork had to be filled in by the authorities here. The driver got to Turkey and the paperwork was filled incorrectly. That meant that by the time a new set of papers were couriered out, five days had passed. That's a lot of money. That's the type of thing we anticipate when Brexit occurs. It's going to make transport very expensive."

The IRHA is calling for the Government to give the haulage sector a designated special status, to deal with Brexit issues and other economic challenges.
West Cork-based Global Shares to create 80 new jobs, bringing its total global employee base to 228.

The roles are across a number of areas of the business including IT, finance, multi-lingual share plan analysts, and trading and legal.

The company, which provides share plan administration software, share-dealing, global custody and financial reporting tools, said that recruitment will begin immediately, with all roles to be filled over the next two years.

The majority of the roles will be based in Ireland, primarily at the Global Shares headquarters in Clonakilty Co Cork.

Read more: Boost for Waterford with 125 new jobs

Founded in 2005, Global Shares has in the past two years seen its client base grow from 150 to 250 clients based in 25 countries, with participants in over 100 countries globally.

During this time the company has signed contracts with 6 FTSE 100 companies and the company's client listing includes GSK, Skanska, Sage, Irish Life, Legal & General, Generali and others.

The latest recruitment drive will grow the Global Shares team to a total of 228 staff members across the companys 10 offices in Clonakilty, Cork City, Dublin, London, Edinburgh, Portugal, Germany, New Jersey, California and Hong Kong.

"Todays job announcement is significant in that we have exceeded our three-year expansion target set in 2015 to create 80 new jobs with todays announcement bringing the total to 160 new positions," Tim Houstoun, CEO of Global Shares, said.

Some of the new positions are supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland, and Martin Corkery, regional director, South and South East, Enterprise Ireland described Global Shares as "a great example of an Irish Fintech business with global ambition".

"[Enterprise Irelands] aim is to help more Irish companies like Global Shares to compete and win sustained business in overseas markets," Mr Corkery said.
In 2016 Spain was the largest EU producer of fruit in terms of production area, with 942,000 hectares (or 33pc of the EU total) devoted to fruit production. (Nick Ansell/PA)

Italy, Spain and Poland are leading the way in the production of fruit and vegetables grown in the EU, according to the latest report from Eurostat.

In 2016 Spain was the largest EU producer of fruit in terms of production area, with 942,000 hectares (or 33pc of the EU total) devoted to fruit production.

Italy, meanwhile, was the largest producer of vegetables, with 420,000 hectares, or 19.8pc of land in Italy being used for the production of vegetables in 2016.

In total, more than 2.8m hectares were given over to the production of fruit and berries, and a further 2.1m hectares to the production of vegetables in the EU in 2016.

However, Poland is holding its own, harvesting more than one in every four apples produced in the EU last year, with 28.7pc of total EU harvested apple production, ahead of Italy (19.6pc) and France (14.5pc).

Poland was also the main EU producer of cherries, producing 29.3pc of the total, followed by Spain (11.9pc) and Italy (11.2pc).

Apples were also the most commonly produced fruit in the EU in terms of quantity, with 12.5m tonnes harvested in 2016, or almost 25kg per EU inhabitant.

Spain and Poland, with their warm summer climates, also led the way in the production of strawberries in Europe, with almost one in three strawberries produced in the EU coming from Spain.

Poland, meanwhile, produced 17.4pc of strawberries in the EU, while Germany produced 12pc, the third-largest producer. Tomatoes were big business in the 28-nation bloc, with a haul of 18.5 million tons, or 36kg per EU inhabitant, in 2016.

Italy and Spain were the main producers of the fruit, supplying almost two-thirds of tomatoes produced in the EU last year.

They were followed by Portugal which produced almost one in ten tomatoes grown in the EU.

Meanwhile, in the vegetable sector, three Member States accounted for around two-thirds of the cucumbers harvested in the EU in 2016, with Spain, producing 28.1pc of cucumbers last year, and Poland producing 20.4pc.

The Netherlands completed the top three, producing 16.5pc of cucumbers harvested in the EU last year.

The production of carrots in the EU was more dispersed across Member States, with the top producers in 2016 being Poland, the UK, and Germany.

As for courgettes, again Spain and Italy topped the production table, producing 38pc and 36pc respectively. While Ireland did not feature highly in the EU fruit and vegetable production tables, exports of our edible horticulture and cereal were valued at 230m last year.

Mushroom exports accounted for 40pc or over 90m of our edible horticulture exports, according to data from Bord Bia.

The UK is the largest export market for Irish mushrooms, although there are some exports to France and the Netherlands.

In related news yesterday SuperValu remains the most popular grocery store for Irish consumers, with a market share of 22.1pc for the 12 weeks ending July 16, 2017, according to the latest data from the Kantar World Panel.

Second-placed Tesco captured 21.9pc market share, with a 0.4 percentage point lead over Dunnes Stores in third place.

Lidl and Aldi have also enjoyed strong performances over the past 12 weeks - Lidl's growth accelerated to 3.8pc, with Aldi boosting sales by 3.7pc.
The pay of RTE's most high-profile stars will be excluded from the review being conducted by the former Workplace Relations Commission chief Kieran Mulvey, the Irish Independent has learned.

Mr Mulvey has been given until September 30 to determine the scale of the gender pay gap at the national broadcaster.

The respected mediator has been requested to complete a "scoping exercise", which will look at the various pay grades of "pensionable staff".

But sources confirmed last night that the review will not include the pay of the station's most high-profile broadcasters, including Marian Finucane, Miriam O'Callaghan, Joe Duffy and Ryan Tubridy.

This is because the broadcasters do not have staff jobs, and have instead negotiated contracts via their own private companies.

"You could not have a situation where the review looked at individual contracts that have been agreed between the presenters and RTE management," a source told the Irish Independent.

"It will instead look at the pay grades for permanent, pensionable staff, and whether there are in fact disparities," the source added.

Staff at the station have requested that they have an input into the terms of reference for the review, which have yet to be published.

The controversy surrounding the gender pay issue at Montrose was prompted by the decision by the BBC to publish the details of the salaries paid to its best-known stars.

Then last week, RTE newscaster Sharon Ni Bheolain revealed that she earns up to 80,000 less than her co-anchor Bryan Dobson.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar then intervened in the RTE pay row, telling station bosses that he believes "strongly" in the principle of equal pay for equal work.

Mr Varadkar also insisted that the Government will force all companies to address the issue of gender imbalance in the workplace.

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RTE bosses will now attempt to defuse the controversy surrounding gender pay, amid concerns that it has damaged staff morale.

The broadcaster has said it will bring forward the publication date for the latest salaries paid to its stars.

The latest list from 2014 showed that Ryan Tubridy was RTE's top earner on 495,000. He was followed by Joe Duffy (416,893), Marian Finucane (295,000), Sean O'Rourke (290,096) and Miriam O'Callaghan (280,445).
The White House said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had a role in producing a statement in which his son denied that a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer was related to the 2016 presidential campaign, comments later shown to be misleading.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told a briefing that Trump "certainly didn't dictate (the statement), but ... he weighed in, offered suggestion like any father would do."

"The statement that was issued was true and there were no inaccuracies in the statement," Sanders said, even though emails later released by Donald Trump Jr. showed that the subject of the meeting was to be possible damaging information about Republican Trump's rival for the presidency, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that Trump's advisers discussed the statement about the meeting and agreed that Trump Jr. should issue a truthful account of the episode so that it "couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged."

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But the president, who was flying home from Germany on July 8, changed the plan and "personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had 'primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children,'" the Post said, citing unnamed people with knowledge of the deliberations.

Trump Jr. released emails in July that showed he eagerly agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father. The New York Times was first to report the meeting at Trump Tower in New York.
Egypt's foreign reserves registered $36.036 billion at the end of July 2017, hitting pre-2011 levels for the first time since the 25 January uprising, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced on Tuesday.

CBE data shows that foreign net reserves jumped from $31.305 billion at the end of June to hit the $36 billion mark, with international net reserves increasing $4.7 billion in July alone.

The CBE's statement comes nearly one week after Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said the country's foreign reserves were nearing $35 billion.

The reserves have been climbing since Egypt signed an agreement for a three-year $12 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in November 2017.

Reserves have increased from $28.641 billion at the end of April to $31.125 billion at the end of May.

The popular uprising that toppled president Hosni Mubarak in 2011 led to a period of political turmoil that dried up Egypt's vital sources of foreign currency, such as tourism and foreign investment.

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Claudia Winkelman (centre) and Vanessa Feltz (right) were mentioned in a column by Kevin Myers (left)

BBC presenters Vanessa Feltz and Claudia Winkleman could take legal advice over the 'Sunday Times' column by Kevin Myers, the chair of the Press Council of Ireland has said.

The Office of the Press Ombudsman confirmed it is investigating more than 50 complaints over the anti-Semitic article on gender pay by Mr Myers, which has cost him his job.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar branded the Sunday Times column "misogynistic" and "anti-Semitic".

"I read the article. And it is misogynistic and anti-Semitic," the Taoiseach stated.

The article headlined 'Sorry, ladies, equal pay has to be earned' said that men "work harder, get sick less frequently and seldom get pregnant".

Mr Myers also wrote that the two best-paid women in the BBC were Jewish and "Jews are not generally noted for their insistence on selling their talent for the lowest possible price".

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The editor of the 'Sunday Times' Ireland Frank Fitzgibbon has not commented on the controversy since issuing a statement on Sunday. But there are increasing calls on him to explain how the article got published.

Mr Fitzgibbon had been effusive on Twitter throughout Saturday night, stating the virtues of the paper. However he has not responded to calls for a full explanation.

Amid the initial fallout on Sunday, he said the newspaper "abhors anti-Semitism and did not intend to cause offence to Jewish people". Increasingly, there have been calls for him to explain how the column was allowed carry many misogynistic views as well as anti-Semitism.

There was also no further comment from senior figures at the News UK-owned newspaper, as senior executives in Britain launched a full investigation about why the decision was taken to publish.

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"This is dreadful beyond belief. Everyone here is astonished at what happened and how it was allowed to happen in Dublin. You will understand the matter is far from over and we are reviewing everything," said a senior source in London.

Sean Donlon, chair of the Press Council of Ireland, confirmed that the Office of the Press Ombudsman received 54 official complaints about the matter. These include 48 from its UK counterpart IPSO, and six in Ireland.

Due to confidentiality provisions, he could not say whether BBC presenters Ms Winkleman and Ms Feltz were among the complainants.

Mr Donlon said the 'Sunday Times' had "taken appropriate steps so far". "But it's not the end," he said, adding that Ms Feltz and Ms Winkleman could still seek legal advice.

Mr Myers himself has refused to explain why he made the comments.

Associate editor of the 'Sunday Times' and Mr Fitzgibbon's deputy, John Burns, a regular media commentator, said he did not wish to comment when contacted last night.

There was widespread speculation there will be a review of the Irish edition's editorial autonomy, but staff were said to be in the dark. One insider said there had been no communication with staff yet - with Mr Fitzgibbon expected to report to the London headquarters of News UK to explain the embarrassing mess.

Colleagues expected he would appear in the Dublin office at some stage today, if not in Britain to meet executives at Rupert Murdoch's company.

Ms Feltz herself voiced outrage at the content of the article on the BBC's Radio London breakfast show. She said the piece highlighted "every vile stereotype about what Jewish people have ever been deemed to be by racists". She also questioned how something "so blatantly racist" was allowed to appear in the newspaper.

Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald said that "there's an onus on everyone, including the media obviously, to make sure that articles like that do not appear".

Labour TD Joan Burton said the article was "an example of grotesque prejudice against women". "In particular I find the remarks against Jewish women are a disgusting, racist and sexist stereotype" she said. "I think Mr Myers should retract the statements made in his article and apologise to the women he singled out in his article."

Rabbi Julia Neuberger, one of the first women to become a rabbi in the UK, spoke out after appearing alongside Mr Myers at the West Cork History Festival in Clonakilty on Sunday.

She said Mr Myers "fell into the trap,in my view, of using an old anti-Semitic card. It's an old thing to say 'Jews are rich, they're good at money, they've been bankers, whatever, whatever'. He fell right into that and I thought it was disgraceful and he shouldn't have done it."

Lionel Barber, the editor of 'The Financial Times', also denounced the article as "undiluted anti-Semitism and misogyny in one paragraph in a newspaper."

The 'Sunday Times' has already confirmed that Mr Myers will no longer be writing for its Irish or UK editions following a barrage of complaints.

It also removed the piece from its website on Sunday and promised to run an apology in its next edition.

The Reaction

When someone alerted me to it... I couldnt believe such a thing had been printed. It is absolutely gratuitous, not cleverly done, its blatant racism. When you see it like that, its very horrifying.

Vanessa Feltz

I read the article and it is misogynistic and anti-Semitic in my view and I think the Sunday Times has taken the appropriate action.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

Kevin Myers, who in many ways I admire greatly, fell into the trap, in my view, of using an old anti-Semitic card. He fell right into that and I thought it was disgraceful and he shouldnt have done it.

Rabbi Julia Neuberger

(The article was) Anti-Semitic and misogynistic and indeed insulting in an uninformed way to RTE and to the BBC.

Chairman of the Press Council, Sean Donlon

In particular I find the remarks against Jewish women are a disgusting, racist and sexist stereotype.

I think Mr Myers should retract the statements made in his article and apologise to the women singled out.

Labour TD Joan Burton

It is understandable that there is a strong response to, and rejection of, Kevin Myerss article but it is wrong that misconceptions and misinformation be circulated about his previous writings.

Maurice Cohen, chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland

Theres an onus on everyone to make sure that articles like that do not appear.

Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald
A garda detective has been found guilty of harassing a State solicitor by sending her abusive letters and emails.

Eve Doherty (49), a detective sergeant based in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to a charge of harassing Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013. She also denied making false statements on two dates in March 2012 claiming Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice.

At the time Ms Howlin worked with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) where she was involved in deciding whether or not to direct prosecutions in criminal cases.

Over an 18 month period letters and emails were sent to Ms Howlin's home, her place of work and to her GP calling her a corrupt b**ch, an incompetent useless hobbit and a two faced b**ch.

Ms Howlin said that she found the material very upsetting and distressing and an invasion of her privacy.

The material, which included A4 posters left around her housing estate, falsely claimed that Ms Howlin was a political appointee and that she would pull files to prevent the prosecution of anyone connected to her or the Government. Ms Howlin is a distant cousin of the TD Brendan Howlin.

Sgt Doherty had denied being the author of any of the material, which included anonymous emails containing similar allegations.

After a 15 day trial a jury of five men and six women found the accused guilty of the first charge of harassing Ms Howlin. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on the two counts of making false statements claiming Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice.

Judge Melanie Greally thanked the jury for their time and care in assessing the evidence. The jury had been out for just over three hours.

She remanded Sgt Doherty on continuing bail until October 27 for sentence. She noted the conditions of bail included not having any contact with any parties in the proceedings.

She also said that there should be no postings on social media concerning any person or any matters relating to these proceedings.

The court heard Ms Howlin didn't know Sgt Doherty until this trial and that Sgt Doherty was then in a relationship with the victim's ex-partner.

Emails were sent from the same internet cafe in Dublin city centre to over 700 recipients using five anonymous email accounts. The five email accounts, one of which Sgt Doherty accepted she had used, had hundreds of recipients in common.

A literary comparison by gardai between the emails and documents found in Sgt Doherty's home and work locker identified multiple examples of 60 common features such as grammatical errors.

Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, said that Sgt Doherty had previously made protected disclosures about issues in work. He said that it was not an easy thing to speak out like this and experience has shown that those that do don't fare very well.

He said that the content in the emails sent amounted to a crank's charter but that it was sent with the intention of ventilating the issues, not to harass anyone.

People have a right to express unreasonable views, if they are genuinely held, he said. He added that this didn't mean people could say whatever they wanted to say without recourse because there were libel laws if you defamed somebody.

Some of the material contained false allegations naming neighbours of Ms Howlin as a drug dealers and claiming falsely that Ms Howlin had interfered in their prosecution.

Kerida Naidoo SC, prosecuting, said that the author of these claims either knew the truth and choose to misrepresent it or else knew something about a drugs conviction of a member of the family but didn't bother to establish the full truth.

He argued that this was not the conduct of a whistleblower but was the cowardly conduct of someone prepared to defame innocent people.

He said that some of the material sent contained personal details that only a very small pool of people had access to. This included details about the comings and goings of Ms Howlin and her family, at a time when the accused was in a relationship with Ms Howlin's ex-husband.

Whoever wrote these documents had a source of info about Liz Howlin very close to her, counsel said.

He said the relationship with Ms Howlin's ex-husband also provided a motive of jealously for Sgt Doherty.

Shortly before midday the jury foreman told Judge Greally that the jury wanted to see some of the evidence in the case. He asked for two documents found in Sgt Doherty's home; namely a seven page typed document and two pages from a notebook.

He also asked for copies of two letters found in Sgt Doherty's locker, which respectively began well smart bitch, still going through hell. I hope you are and ha ha ha ha, find a job yet. He also asked for the envelopes that accompanied the letters.

In his closing speech for the prosecution Kerida Naidoo SC put it to the jury that it was suggested by the defence that these letters were not written by the defendant because they were addressed to her and abusive of her. One of these letters had a Garda header on it.

He said that a letter was found in the scanner of the accused's home with a separate Garda header attached made it look like the accused was making the letter look as if it came from Gardai by grafting the logo on top of it.

He said it was an unusual thing to do but that writing an abusive letter to yourself is not the conduct of a rational person.

Judge Greally told the jury it could receive copies of the letters. She said that the other documents were used for comparative purposes. The text of these documents formed part of the text analysed for grammatical and style errors common to the abusive material and documents linked to the defendant.

Michael O'Higgins SC told jurors that the question for them was not whether the statements about Ms Howlin interfering in prosecutions and perverting the course of justice were true. He said the question was whether or not the person propagating these statements believed them to be true.

To be guilty of making a false statement a person had to know the statement was false, he said.

During the trial the jury heard that the first letter was sent in September 2011 to Ms Howlin's home and purported to be from her neighbours. The letter called her a c**t of a mother and told her to f**k off to whatever hell hole you crawled out of.

It also stated: We are all watching every move you make.

A second letter sent around November 2011 to Ms Howlin's boss, DPP Claire Loftus. The letter incorrectly stated that Ms Howlin was the niece of Brendan Howlin TD.

It called Ms Howlin a most two faced hard faced b**ch and claimed to Ms Loftus that Ms Howlin was destroying your good name every opportunity she gets
Gayle Killilea's bid to have a 50m freezing order over her assets lifted has been dealt a blow after a judge ruled she cannot quiz the official handling her husband's bankruptcy.

Ms Justice Caroline Costello found that while certain allegations made by Official Assignee Christopher Lehane were "overstated", the bankruptcy official had not misled the High Court.

The judge said Ms Killilea failed to establish exceptional circumstances as to why cross-examination of Mr Lehane should be permitted for the purpose of her challenge.

The former journalist-turned-property developer is unable to reduce her assets below 50m under a worldwide injunction secured by Mr Lehane.

Ms Killilea and her husband, bankrupt developer Sean Dunne, have denied claims by Mr Lehane that they engaged in a scheme to put tens of millions of euro of assets beyond the reach of creditors by transferring them to her.

The latest row centres on allegations made by Mr Lehane that Ms Killilea and Mr Dunne owned and controlled a Cypriot company, Yesreb Holdings, which owned Walford, an Edwardian-era property on Dublin's Shrewsbury Road.

The property was bought by Mr Dunne for 58m in 2005 and put in trust for his wife. Ownership transferred to Yesreb in 2013.

The company sold it to a Dermot Desmond-linked trust last year and Mr Lehane said he believed Mr Dunne and Ms Killilea benefited to the tune of 12m from the sale, an allegation they deny.

The beneficial ownership of Yesreb was a mystery for several years and has been the subject of investigation by Mr Lehane.

Ms Killilea claimed Mr Lehane's statements were "false or overstatements to a culpable degree". However, Ms Justice Costello disagreed and said Mr Lehane's position was "redeemed" and "explicable" by a full account of the facts on which he based his conclusions.

The court heard last May she had legally separated from Mr Dunne.
A 72-year-old man with an intellectual disability was malnourished and severely dehydrated prior to his death, an inquest has heard.

Francis 'Albert' Loughney died at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) on November 18, 2012, 12 hours after being admitted from the Aras Attracta care centre located in Swinford, Co Mayo.

The centre was the subject of an RTE documentary in 2014, which revealed evidence of abuse and prompted a Garda investigation that resulted in a number of staff being convicted of assault.

The inquest heard from Professor Cillian Twomey, a retired geriatrician who carried out a report on Mr Loughney's death for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who commended the care Mr Loughney received at Aras Attracta.

Concerns in relation to the death of Mr Loughney were raised by consultant pathologist Dr Tomas Nemeth after he observed evidence of "severe dehydration and malnutrition" on the body of the deceased.

"It was not usual for a patient in care and it concerned me," Dr Nemeth told Mayo Coroner's Court in Castlebar yesterday.

The pathologist identified the cause of death as sepsis due to acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and early bronchopneumonia with severe contributing factors of extreme dehydration and malnutrition.

Paranoia

However, Coroner Patrick O'Connor returned a verdict of death by natural causes after hearing evidence of a long history of issues with eating, including self-induced vomiting and paranoia about food.

Mr Loughney had been a resident at Aras Attracta since 1999. He had previously experienced physical abuse at an industrial school until the age of 16, and then lived with relatives until entering care in the 1990s.

Ann Burns, programme director at the care centre, described the deceased as a "small, thin man" who had needed encouragement in relation to eating. Mary Gallagher, clinical nurse manager at the care centre, described him as a "pleasant, anxious-looking man".
A US bankruptcy official has asked a court there to hold property developer Sean Dunne in contempt over his alleged failure to produce emails and documents relating to his business dealings.

A hearing has been scheduled for later this month after Mr Dunne allegedly "omitted enormous amounts" of material subpoenaed by bankruptcy trustee Richard Coan.

The records were sought as part of a lawsuit in which Mr Coan is seeking to reverse the transfer by Mr Dunne of tens of millions of euro in assets to his wife Gayle Killilea.

The bankruptcy trustee claims the assets were fraudulently transferred and that the developer still controls and benefits from them.

He claims property development businesses owned by Ms Killilea in Connecticut and New York are actually controlled by Mr Dunne (pictured).

In a sworn affidavit last February, Mr Dunne said he had filed "all responsive documents".

However, in a court filing earlier this month, Mr Coan described Mr Dunne's claim of full disclosure as "dubious".

Mr Coan provided a list of categories of documents Mr Dunne had not supplied.

Mr Dunne has until next Thursday to respond. Both he and Ms Killilea deny the asset transfers were fraudulent.
Ciaran Maxwell, who has been jailed for 18 years. Photo: Metropolitan Police handout via REUTERS

A "committed" terrorist who infiltrated the British military has been jailed for 18 years for supplying bombs to dissident republicans.

Former Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell stashed anti-personnel mines, mortars, ammunition and 14 pipe bombs - four of which were later used - in 43 purpose-built hides at eight locations in Northern Ireland and England.

Bomb-making materials were found in barrels and buckets buried in the ground, as well as an adapted PSNI pass card, a PSNI uniform and a police stab-proof vest.

Some of his stash could have been used to make an explosive larger than the 1987 Enniskillen bomb.

The 31-year-old, who is originally from Larne, Co Antrim, and was with 40 Commando based at Norton Manor Camp in Taunton, Somerset, at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to preparation of terrorist acts between January 2011 and August last year, possessing images of bank cards for fraud and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Gillian Kearney said Maxwell used his military know-how to accumulate and construct his devices. She described the infiltration of the military by a republican terrorist as "very unusual".

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Police fear weapons he built may still be in circulation.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Sweeney said: "I'm sure that you were and will remain motivated by dissident republican sympathies and a hostility to the UK.

"There was clearly the potential for the deployment of many bombs of varying types and sizes against multiple targets, with the ultimate intent of those planting the devices being to kill.

"There was considerable planning, including attack planning, research, and the acquiring of large amounts of materials including police items for use in disguise.

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"You were strongly committed to the cause."

Maxwell was handed an 18-year jail term with another five years on licence.

He was given an 18-month sentence for possessing cannabis with a street value of 8,100, and two years for fraud. Both sentences will run concurrently.

Maxwell, described by the judge as an "inveterate record-keeper", showed little emotion as the sentence was handed down.

The Old Bailey heard that the father-of-one researched targets and discussed plans to attack police stations and officers.

His plot, however, was foiled when members of the public stumbled across his weapons hides by chance.

DNA evidence found on parts of the haul led them to Maxwell, who was on the national database due to his alleged involvement in an unrelated assault case.

Paul Hynes QC, defending, told the court his client was not ideologically driven and would not have used violence for a cause. He said it was Niall Lehd, said to be a member of the Continuity IRA, who was the "instigator" of a joint venture with Maxwell.

The court was told Maxwell had been brought up as a Catholic in a largely loyalist town and suffered a fractured skull as a 16-year-old when he was the victim of a sectarian attack. Maxwell, who had been living in Exminster in Devon before his arrest, was due to be promoted to corporal before he was dismissed from the service.
A UK lotto millionaire accused of defilement of an under-age Irish teenage girl was further remanded in custody today pending directions from the Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The British man, who is in his late twenties, was arrested in Dublin two weeks ago after he travelled to Ireland to speak to the teens mother about his relationship with her daughter whom he allegedly met through an internet chatroom.

The wealthy businessman was charged last month with four counts of engaging in a sexual act with a child under the age of 17 years on dates in 2016 and this year.

Bail with a range of strict conditions was set at 200,000 and he was remanded in custody. He faced his third hearing today when he appeared before Judge Kathryn Hutton at Cloverhill District Court.

The defendant has not yet taken up bail. Garda Stephen Faulkner asked for the case to be put back for another three weeks for the DPPs directions to be obtained.

Defence solicitor Paula Egan told the court today that there was consent to the application. The defendant was further remanded in custody to appear again at the same court on Aug. 22 next.

The alleged offences are under Section Three of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006, which can carry jail terms of up to five years.

At his first hearing last month, Garda Faulkner objected to bail alleging the man frequently travelled over from the UK by ferry to meet the girl for sex and gardai have recovered videos of sexual activity from the defendants phone.

He had said a complaint was made by the teens mother in January that her daughter, who is in her mid-teens, and the man were in a sexual relationship.

The alleged injured party outlined that she met him through a named online chat-room in 2015, the bail hearing was told. Garda Faulkner said the girl was subscribed to the under-17s category of the website.

It was alleged they exchanged details and then communicated through Snapchat and WhatsApp.

Garda Faulkner had said it was alleged the man first came to Ireland to meet her last year.

It was alleged they stayed in a hotel in Dublin and had sexual intercourse. She was aged 15 at the time and had told the accused, the court heard.

Garda Faulkner alleged that the man came back by ferry every four to six weeks.

It was alleged the girls mother alerted gardai and an investigation began. CCTV evidence allegedly shows the girl in his company at a number of locations.

Gardai identified phone messenger WhatsApp as the main point of contact.

The court was also told that gardai allegedly recovered images and videos of sexual activity taking place and some recording during the course of sexual activity.

Last year he bought her a designer ring worth 2,500 telling the shop assistant it was an engagement ring, the district court has heard.

His bank accounts showed he won a substantial amount in the UK lotto, the garda said.

Analysis of his phone was conducted allegedly showing 69 images and five videos of the accused and the girl, the court was told. One image of the girl in her school uniform was taken when she was aged 15, it was alleged.
A woman developed a flesh eating disease after using a needle to inject heroin, an inquest heard.

Mary McDonagh (32), from Dundalk in Co Louth, died as medics prepared to operate to remove the affected skin.

She was rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda on September 9 2015, where she was admitted to the accident and emergency department. She was unconscious.

Doctors found she had a very serious skin infection they believed to be necrotising faciitis and the woman was transferred to Beaumont Hospital for treatment.

The flesh eating disease can spread unless removed, the court heard.

The following morning, September 10, she was on her way to the operating theatre to remove the infected skin when her heart stopped beating, Dublin Coroners Court heard.

She was being prepared for surgery around 10am when she collapsed, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said.

The womans family were contacted and rushed to Beaumont Hospital. The womans father identified her body to Gardai.

The woman had injected heroin, the court heard. The needle caused damage to her vein and it became blocked, causing small clots to travel into her lung.

It is the injection that caused the problem, the coroner told the womans father, Thomas McDonagh.

He said the family knew she had a previous drug problem and was on a methadone programme. She never complained about anything, he said.

Its very sad but its something that can happen from using needles, the coroner said.

The woman had seen her doctor two days before she was hospitalised and a urine sample returned evidence of heroin use.

The cause of death was a clot to the lung due to severe infection associated with intravenous injection, according to a post mortem.

Necrotising faciitis, commonly known as flash eating disease, is a a condition caused by bacteria that can destroy skin, fat and tissue in a short timeframe. It can lead to organ failure and death.

Dr Cullinane returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
Egypt's giant gas field Zohr, recently discovered by Italian oil company Eni, is expected to produce some 500 million square feet (46.5 million cubic meters) of gas by the end of this year, Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi said on Tuesday.

Descalzi's remarks came at a meeting with Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail in Cairo, state news agency MENA reported.

The pair discussed work by Eni to develop the gas field as part of the company's Shorouk concession off Egypt's Mediterranean coast, including setting up infrastructure and deep and shallow water networks in cooperation with US-based oilfield services giant Schlumberger and Egypt's Petrojet.

Total output from the field by the end of Eni's project is estimated to reach 2.7 billion square feet (250.8 million cubic meters), Descalzi added.

The company's chief said that half of Eni's 2018 investment, amounting to $3.5 billion, will be pumped into Egypt.

Once an energy exporter, Egypt's domestic production has failed to keep pace with growing demand in recent years, forcing the country to resort to imports.

Zohr, discovered by Eni last year, holds an estimated 850 billion cubic meters of gas.

The field should help alleviate Egypt's severe energy shortage and save the country billions of dollars spent on imports.

In May, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said he expected that a number of recently discovered gas fields should save Egypt some $3.6 billion yearly.

During the talks on Tuesday, Prime Minister Ismail said that Cairo seeks to bolster cooperation with international oil giants and help Eni boost investment in the Mediterranean and Egypt's Western Desert.

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An Irishman who has been detained in Egypt for four years has had his first opportunity to defend himself in court, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said.

Ibrahim Halawa was imprisoned after being detained during Muslim Brotherhood protests in Cairo in 2013, and hearings have been adjourned and delayed numerous times over the last four years.

Minister Coveney said:

Today in Cairo, just two weeks short of the fourth anniversary of his arrest, Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa has finally had his opportunity to defend himself in court. It has taken a long time to get here, but I welcome the fact that we have finally arrived at the point where Mr Halawa and his lawyers have had an opportunity to give his side of the story and to put forward legal argument in his defence.

"Ibrahim Halawa is represented by a very well-respected and highly-regarded Egyptian legal team and they have been able today to lay out their arguments against the charges that Mr Halawa faces."

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Irelands Ambassador to Egypt, Damien Cole, attended court today alongside a team of observers.

However it may still be some time before a verdict in Mr Halawa's case is delivered.

Our understanding, from contacts with Mr Halawas legal team is that the defence arguments of all of the defendants in the trial will be heard before any verdicts are announced in this mass trial, so it may still be some time before we know the outcome of this protracted trial process for Ibrahim Halawa," the Minister said.

However, there is no doubt that the end of this ordeal now appears closer than it has done at any point during the past four years.

The Government will continue to monitor the developments in the trial.

Further hearings in the mass trial, involving defence arguments related to other defendants, are expected to take place over the coming days," Minister Coveney said.
A leading Jewish organisation has come to the defence of embattled columnist Kevin Myers.

Maurice Cohen, chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, issued a statement last night denying that Mr Myers is anti-Semitic - despite the controversial column in the 'Sunday Times' that cost him his job.

Mr Cohen said that "branding Kevin Myers as either an anti-Semite or a Holocaust denier is an absolute distortion of the facts".

"More than any other Irish journalist, he has written columns about details of the Holocaust over the last three decades that would not otherwise have been known by a substantial Irish audience," he wrote.

"It is understandable that there is a strong response to, and rejection of, Kevin Myers' article but it is wrong that misconceptions and misinformation be circulated about his previous writings."

Mr Cohen, however, did acknowledge that "Kevin ought to have known that his bringing the religion of the two BBC presenters into his writings on Sunday would cause concern and upset and that it was both unnecessary and bound to be misunderstood".

But he added: "The larger picture is that Kevin, who up until now was a respected columnist, has a particular curmudgeonly, cranky, idiosyncratic style.

"We, who have been reading Kevin's work over many years and those who know him personally, know that while this was a real error of judgement on his part, also know that he is not an anti-Semite."
A photo of the rescue effort in Wareham. Photo: Barnstable Sheriffs Office

The family of an Irish boy who died after he became trapped under a capsized boat in Massachusetts have paid tribute to their beloved son.

Harry O'Connor (8) had been travelling with a group of 12 people, including his parents, on a 23-foot Four Winns Bowrider when the vessel capsized near Hog Island channel on Wednesday.

He was trapped underwater for around 24 minutes before he was rescued by a diver.

The family announced his death last night in a heartbreaking post online.

"The death has occurred of Harry O' Connor following a tragic accident, Harry beloved son of Paudie O'Connor and Laura Lenehan and loving brother of Ellen, Charlie and Joe.

"He will be sadly missed by his grandparents Pat and Marie, Margaret and the late Johnny, aunts, uncles, his cousins and a large circle of friends and neighbours. May he entertain heaven as he did us."

The boy who is originally from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, lived with his parents Paudie O' Connor and Laura Lenehan and three siblings Ellen, Charlie and Joe.

The family will return home to lay Harry to rest and the funeral will be held in mum Laura's native Duleek, Co Meath on Thursday.

Anne Wilson, a local school's superintendent, expressed condolences in a district wide e-mail on Sunday afternoon. Harry was in third grade at Nixon Elementary School in Sudbury.

She wrote: Nothing compares to the grief and sadness of losing a child.

While the family is the most impacted, many others share in the profound sadness of this tragic event.
Irish Water workers pictured moving the the new section of water main into place at Navan today.

Irish Water workers pictured preparing the new section of water main at Navan today.

Irish Water workers pictured moving the the new section of water main into place at Navan today.

The scene of the burst water mains at Proudstown Road, Navan, Co. Meath this morning. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

The scene of the burst water mains at Proudstown Road, Navan, Co. Meath this morning. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

The scene of the burst water mains at Proudstown Road, Navan, Co. Meath this morning. Joan Murtagh pictured with her grandaughters, Vicki Woodgate (lt) and Niamh Donnolly, at her flooded out home. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

A massive burst in a water main on the outskirts of Navan left the town without water and a family homeless for the second time in 18 months.

The burst on the Proudstown Road caused the road to collapse and flooded a house in the early hours of the morning.

The incident which comes just a week after 70,000 residents were affected by a separate shortage in nearby Drogheda.

Last night the water rose silently and the damage was only discovered when one of the occupants got up to use the bathroom and found the floor beneath their feet was under water.

By evening the burst main had been repaired and water was being restored to businesses and homes in the town.

"A temporary reinstatement of the road is taking place today currently and a permanent reinstatement in parallel to installing extra drainage and road gullies adjacent to the main to help eliminate further flooding of properties in the area," Irish Water said in a statement.

Jimmy (81) and Joan (71) Murtaghs house was last flooded in December 2015.

The same pipe burst that time and left us under three feet of water. The whole house had to be gutted and we were out of it for nine months, Joan told Independent.ie from her daughters neighbouring home today.

Expand Close The scene of the burst water mains at Proudstown Road, Navan, Co. Meath this morning. Declan Donnolly shows the height the water came up to at his mother's house. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN / Facebook

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Whatsapp The scene of the burst water mains at Proudstown Road, Navan, Co. Meath this morning. Declan Donnolly shows the height the water came up to at his mother's house. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

We only got back in last September and now it has happened again, she said with sadness.

We had to be taken out a window by an ambulance crew in the darkness this morning. We were afraid to open the doors because the water was more than a foot high outside, she added while being comforted by her close family.

Meanwhile Jimmy was outside watching in disbelief as two diggers excavated the road to expose the concrete asbestos main which had fractured spirally from collar to collar.

The last time this happened Irish Water said they could not take responsibility for the damage because it was a case of wear and tear, so we had to use our insurance to pay for the repairs, said Joan.

We cannot get insurance again. Somebody from Irish Water said they would cover the costs this time, she added.

Her son in law Declan Donnelly said they want to see that in print for reassurance.

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The last time it happened my house, which is next to Jimmy and Joans did not flood, but the water got under it and the house started to crack and shift. Were still trying to sort that out and now this has happened again, said Declan.

Joan said that the water main was laid around 30 years ago, but at that time the pipework was not under the road surface.

The council then took a bend out of the road years later and the road was widened, and it is now above the pipe, said Joan.

My husband thinks the trucks and traffic are now putting pressure on the pipe and that is why it is bursting, she added.

We were so upset when the pipe burst and we were flooded the first time. Then we were delighted to get back into the house last September after it was repaired. Now we are horrified that it has happened again so quickly, Joan explained.

Apart from the damage to the houses, the Murtaghs and Donnellys have also had three of their cars flooded since the burst early this morning.

According to the AA Proudstown Road in Navan is closed at the race course and local diversions are in place.

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In a statement Irish Water said:

"Irish Water crews are on site of a major pipe burst in Navan this morning. The trunk main that feeds the town has burst leaving the majority of the town without water. The R162 Navan/Kingscourt Road at the bottom of Proudstown Hill is closed while crews work on the pipe.

"Updates will follow as the repair progresses. Irish Water apologises for the inconvenience and would like to assure customers that we are progressing the repair as quickly as possible."

News of this latest incident comes just a week after people in the North East were left without water for almost a week.

The water shortage was sparked after a 50-year-old main burst in Donore, Co Meath.

Up to 70,000 people were affected by the previous incident.

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Meanwhile Limerick city last night attended a burst water main on Corbally Road, Co Clare

The road remained open as emergency workers dealt with the issue.

Local councillor Cathal Crowe (FF) said he arrived at the scene of the burst water mains at around 11pm.

"Water was gushing onto the road at a rapid pace and the fire brigade were using heavy duty pumps to divert it back into nearby drains.

"An emergency crew from Clare Co. Council and Irish Water shut off supply but a lot of work will be required today to put things right.

"This is one of the most populated parts of Co. Clare and I anticipate that the outage will effect upwards of 8,000 people.

"Whilst I appreciate the efforts of Clare Co. Council and Irish Water employees the overall quality of the water mains pipe in the area has to be questioned. In the last 12 months the mains has ruptured on 10 occasions."
British Prime Minister Theresa May has been urged to cut Sinn Fein MPs' money after it emerged they claimed more than 1m (1.1m) from Westminster in the past decade.

The party received 1,119,796 in representative money between February 2006 and April this year.

It received the money despite Sinn Fein's abstentionist policy, with its MPs refusing to take their seats in parliament.

The House of Commons agreed to grant Sinn Fein representative money in 2006.

High-profile MPs during this time included party president Gerry Adams, who from 1997 to 2011 was an abstentionist MP for the Belfast West constituency.

The late Martin McGuinness was the MP for Mid Ulster until his resignation in 2013.

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However, the revelation that the party still receives around 100,000 a year on average in expenses and allowances prompted anger.

Sinn Fein has said that the money is needed to fund what it termed a "first-class constituency service".

But North Down MP Sylvia Hermon, who obtained the figures in a parliamentary question, said it was "outrageous" and that the UK government must act on the matter.

"Frankly, I believe it is totally outrageous that Sinn Fein continues to receive vast amounts of public money for its absentee MPs," she said.

"I also believe Theresa May's Conservative government should test the will of the current House of Commons on this issue, and do so this autumn.

"As the composition of the House has changed radically since 2006, when Tony Blair's government introduced the notion of Representative Money for absentee Sinn Fein MPs, Theresa May should give the MPs of 2017 a vote on this.

"The public is entitled to see which current MPs support the giving of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money to MPs who refuse to take their seats at Westminster."

But in response, Sinn Fein MP Francie Molloy said it was "a lazy argument from political unionism".

Electorate

"Sinn Fein goes before the electorate on the basis of active abstentionism," he said.

"In the recent election, we increased our vote in all constituencies and secured three additional MP seats.

"We now have seven MPs elected on an active abstentionist mandate.

"Our MPs do not get paid by Westminster but provide excellent representation and first-class constituency service and as part of Sinn Fein's all-Ireland team we act on behalf of constituents at council, Stormont, the Dail and at the EU.

"Sinn Fein MPs have offices in Westminster and hold regular meetings and briefings with other parties.

"It would seem that there are those who would seek to deny those who voted for us their democratically expressed representation."

Responding to questions from Ms Hermon, Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House of Commons, explained: "Under a resolution of the House financial assistance is provided to opposition parties represented by members who have chosen not to take their seats.

"It is the government's view that this issue is primarily a matter for the House itself to resolve."
Driving bans will be recognised on both sides of the border from today. Stock picture

Driving bans will be recognised on both sides of the Border from today.

Laws changed here and in Northern Ireland to give effect to a road safety agreement signed between the UK and Irish governments.

It means drivers who have been banned for offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, leaving the scene of an accident or dangerous/reckless driving - can face prosecution in either jurisdiction if they continue to drive.

The long-awaited change comes into effect today following the signing of the Agreement on the Mutual Recognition of Driving Disqualifications on October 30, 2015.

Transport Minister Shane Ross said the new provision will save lives and it is also timely as Ireland pushes for the maintenance of a common travel area during the Brexit negotiations.

He said: "The mutual recognition of driving disqualifications is an important road safety measure because it aims to target dangerous drivers on our roads.

"The disqualifications relate to drivers disqualified for reckless or dangerous driving, hit-and-run driving, and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"Maintaining the common travel area and our economic links with the UK are important priorities for Ireland, and this agreement will make a contribution towards that objective.

"The new measures are underpinned by an international agreement between Ireland and the UK, which comes into effect today."

The agreement was signed almost two years ago and was touted as the first such agreement between EU member states.
We cant get enough of Spanish sun it seems

Amid all the turbulence, traditional is in and adventurous is out for Irish holiday-goers. Irish travellers love the old reliables - namely Iberia - and we can't get enough of it.

The reign of Spain and prominence of Portugal is being augmented by big increases in numbers travelling from Ireland in the first five months of the year, more than 15pc in both cases.

Even if people want to go somewhere new and undiscovered, they cannot.

Airlines, websites and holidays companies have already decided their holidays for them, determining where they can access affordably by allocating the aircraft slots: 259 out of Dublin to Spain each week, 155 to France, 145 to Germany, 103 to Italy, and, significantly, 68 to Portugal, which, unlike the others, does not have big inbound traffic.

The 300km stretch of coast between Malaga and Alicante is sunbed central.

Malaga gets 41 flights a week from Dublin and is also served from both Belfast airports, Cork, Knock and Shannon.

The 280-passenger wide-bodied A330s that arrive in Dublin from the USA in the early morning are despatched on a sun run to Spain, packed with buckets and spades, before they return for another transatlantic excursion in the evening.

Alicante gets 19 flights a week from Dublin. Murcia, which is just 65km away, gets 13, Valencia three and Almeria two.

By comparison all of Greece gets 14 flights a week from Dublin (plus four from Belfast).

Croatia, marked as a happening place because it now has four destinations and a cluster of new flights, has 15 from Dublin (and two from Belfast). Sun-bed Turkey used to have six. Now it has just two.

Declining access is becoming is a bit of a drama for the 7,000 Irish who own summer properties in Turkey.

Malaga's big competitor for summer flights is burgeoning Barcelona, which has overtaken the Balearics in recent years and now has 39 flights a week, plus eight to Reus and two to Gerona, where Ryanair resolutely sticks to their original "Barcelona" destination, despite the fact it is 90km to the north.

The Canary Islands get 50 flights a week. The island of Lanzarote will attract more tourists than Greece and Turkey put together. Palma in Majorca gets 15, feeding the peculiar phenomenon that is Ireland's village away from Ireland, Santa Ponsa, where 3,500 Irish residents a week make it the equivalent of a thriving town in a rural county.

Move inland in Spain to Andalusia, to Seville (three flights a week), or north to Bilbao, whose season has just been extended, to Santander, Santiago or Ryanair's new north-western route, Vigo if you want change.

On the boutique side of the business, fashion is more noticeable. Thailand is trendy, South Africa's western cape, Seychelles and Maldives are honeymoon central where Mauritius has faded.

Last Friday a record 109,000 people passed through Dublin Airport.
A deeply troubled relationship with his father, may hold the key to the sense of inner rage, which has permeated the persona of Kevin Myers over so many years.

Myers still berates himself, when as an unthinking adolescent he remained steadfastly indifferent to the plight of his father, after the latter suffered a nervous breakdown. In time all communication between the two ended. The most influential person in his life would unfortunately die without any healing of the rupture between them.

And the Myers experience as a child and young teenager, as part of a strongly Catholic Irish family in gloom-filled 1950s Leicestershire, also seems to have left him with a sense of smouldering anger. It's as if this experience has left him deeply conflicted, between a sense of Irishness he can never quite shake off, which can never be reconciled with his formative years in Britain.

Many of the interactions I had with him during my period as Irish Independent editor - following his introduction as a columnist on the paper - were unnecessarily uneasy and strained; his propensity to take umbrage at even the slightest criticism in time simply became tiresome.

It is a character trait which goes back to his early days on the 'Irish Times'. Myers has written with great candour, how the late Douglas Gageby who was editor at the time, regarded him with scarcely concealed distaste.

Meanwhile, his highly readable memoir of his early years 'A Single Headstrong Heart' published last year is a painful re-assessment of his childhood and teenage years; it provides at times a searing insight into some of the fixations which would subsequently dominate his life.

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His father who attended Synge Street CBS, and who trained to be a doctor, was the son of an RIC policemen but seems to have had strong nationalist sympathies.

This undoubtedly created its own inner conflict in a man who would eventually be forced to emigrate with his family to England in search of a suitable job.

Herein may also lie the roots of the strident views his son was to develop, regarding what he maintains are the mythologies of the 1916 Rising, and physical force nationalism. He would argue an equally profound theme in our history was the role played by the RIC in pre-independent Ireland, and more critically by the many thousands of Irishmen who fought and died in the first World War serving with the British forces.

As the decades have passed Kevin Myers has continued to rage against what he perceives to be countless deficiencies in Irish public life. All too often it is a bleak and unforgiving view of the country - despite the fact it has changed beyond all recognition during the course of his lifetime.

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Many of the old shibboleths of a backward, inward looking, intolerant society, which may have been to the fore, when he first started giving full cent to his dogmatism in the early 1970s, are no more. In that sense his writing of late is too grounded in a time warp. It may be that a nascent desire to become ever more extreme in his views - and attract attention to his columns - has propelled him into this latest controversy.

With the passing years he has become more right wing and intolerant, which in the age of Donald Trump, may chime in with the mood of the moment. But however vehemently held his views may be, he knows more than most, words and their usage matter

There is also an especial irony in the current debacle that Kevin Myers - a strident defender of hardline Israeli politics and vehement critic of many strands of Islamic life - should find himself charged with anti-semitism.
It is amusing to read of the public anger and bile arising from the conferring of an honorary degree on former Taoiseach Brian Cowen. Irrespective of his role in the faux Celtic Tiger, it has been a tradition of the NUI to confer this honorary degree on past Taoisigh. Enda Kenny is next in line, having accepted the offer.

Why is Mr Cowen the sole recipient of the anger emanating from the financial collapse? After all, he was not the solitary person behind the fiasco of the financial bubble. Why were the Opposition parties in Dail Eireann mute?

Not to mention Ireland's accountants, bank managers, merchant bankers, and above all the Central Bank? Why did no one in authority, in Ireland, heed the early warnings given to the Cowen government by economists?

No doubt when Mr Kenny receives his honorary doctorate - the NUI might consider adding multi-coloured soft shoes with bells attached to the robe and tam garb - he will be lauded for his financial wizardry. No doubt Mr Kenny will pay tribute to the world's greatest economist, Michael Noonan, who merely nodded and signed off on whatever document was placed in front of him by the Troika/ECB, or Herr Schauble. When the fact is, they merely complied with the agreed plan initiated by Mr Cowen's government and the Troika.

To each, and everyone, who foolishly bought into the inane idea of cheap money, to build a plethora of houses in areas of scarce employment: it is time to accept responsibility for your own actions.

'The Great Day', a 1938 quatrain by Yeats, sums up both the imaginary Celtic Tiger and the fools who believed in it:

Hurrah for revolution and more cannon shot;

A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar upon foot;

Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again,

The beggars have changed places but the lash goes on.

Declan Foley

Berwick, Australia

RTE pay row left me fuming

I wish to refer to the articles regarding the gender pay gap at RTE (Irish Independent, July 29). To say that this so-called "crisis" left me feeling enraged would be an understatement.

When it was revealed that Sharon Ni Bheolain earns 80,000 less then Bryan Dobson, my blood pressure increased substantially. That's the price of 480 TV licences at 167 each, and that's just the difference between them.

My annual income at this point in time is 10,036. There are a lot of people in this country who are in my position. Just ask them how they feel about subsiding any increase to bring Ms Ni Bheolain's pay into parity.

Perhaps they, like me, might suggest that Mr Dobson's wages be reduced - or perhaps in future RTE might like to settle their 'crises' behind closed doors.

Geraldine Corcoran

Address with the editor

We need controls on rent deposits

In a climate of sky-high rental costs in Dublin, a greater recent observance of the imposition of two months' rent in lieu of a security deposit ought to be challenged rigorously by the State.

New legislation to impose a traditional limit of rent equal to one month would be appropriate. In many US states, similar laws apply to govern the setting of security deposit limits to such a level, and they should be replicated ideally here in a form whereby local authorities could set their own security deposit limits by way of a special bye-law.

The realm of 4,000-5,000 for a security deposit with respect to one-bed and two-bed apartments adversely affects young professionals and young families and, on top of other cost burdens, is simply not acceptable.

A new law in this area would prevent the potential of a domino effect emerging whereby the long-established industry practice of one month's rent requirement becomes fashionably and gradually shifted to an unedifying extent in rent pressure zones, and is therefore much needed.

Cllr John Kennedy

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council

Pardon me, Mr President...

Can I please have the US presidential right to pardon myself? I don't think I have ever really done anything that's worth pardoning but it's better to be safe than sorry or to go to jail.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Box Hill, Victoria, Australia

Our hotels still gouging visitors

Recently I went on a holiday trip to the US for an anniversary celebration. I paid the equivalent 220 per night for a well-known Irish hotel in mid-town Manhatten and 180 for another well known Irish hotel group in Washington. In both cases the hotels were superb, centrally located more akin to a five-star experience.

We went to the west of Ireland last weekend for a family reunion and were quoted 230 a night for what I would call a modest four-star hotel in a small provincial town. What a contrast!

Why we continue to subsidise our hotel sector with Vat concessions is beyond me. Their form at price-gouging at every opportunity is consistent and obscene. With all the demands on the public purse, I am sure there are plenty of area that merit the re-allocated funds.

Frank Buckley

Address with editor

Russia is not the warmonger

While I agreed with the general idea put forward by Harry Spillane, (Irish Independent, Letters, July 29), I feel the record must be set straight on his statements on Ukraine and Syria.

Mr Spillane rightly excoriates Western political machinations across the world, but then bizarrely accuses Russia of invading both Ukraine and Syria. Russia did not invade either.

Firstly, in Crimea, the ethnic Russian population, who have lived there for over 1,000 years, voted overwhelmingly to seek Russia's protection after the Western/CIA-engineered coup of 2014 (as admitted by President Poroshenko in 2015). This coup unleashed heavily armed neo-nazi groups on the ethnic Russian people in Eastern Ukraine.

Crimea elected, by over 80pc, to join Russia in plebiscite, largely in fear of the anti-Russian rhetoric from Kiev, and ongoing attacks from neo-nazi forces.

Secondly, Syria is a sovereign state; its 10-party government was elected in 2012 with over 65pc of the vote. Its president, Assad, received over 75pc of votes in 2014.

As a sovereign state facing attack from foreign jihadis, armed, supported and financed by the US and her allies (Turkey, UK, Saudi, Qatar, etc), Syria asked Russia to assist it. Syria has every right to expect support from all countries which claim to uphold international law.

It is extremely dangerous to whitewash over these situations. As can be seen, Russia is the only major power in the region not fomenting war for its own interests.

Kev O Faolain

An Tulach Mhor, Uibh Fhaili
Gerald Kean and Lisa Murphy at home by the fire in the reception room of Drayton Manor, Co. Wicklow.

Lisa Murphy and Gerald Kean on the Red Carpet at The Peter Mark VIP Style Awards 2015 at The Marker Hotel,Dublin. Pictures Brian McEvoy

Gerald Kean has denied reports that he has rekindled his romance with former fiancee Lisa Murphy.

The celebrity lawyer was quick to pour cold water on claims that he and the glamorous blonde socialite were back together again after being spotted having lunch together inn a Dublin restaurant recently.

"I can categorically say that Lisa and I are not together, we're not a couple," he told Independent.ie

"We remain friends, we go for drinks and lunch every now and again as we're on great terms but we're not in a relationship.

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"I have the utmost respect for Lisa, which is why I have spoken out, but reports that we're back together are untrue."

He also disputed that they had broken up six times during the course of their romance.

"We were together nearly ten years and we only broke up twice during that whole time," he said.

The legal eagle added that both he and Lisa were still single and not dating anyone and "who knows what the future holds."

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One of the best-known celebrity couples during the Celtic Tiger era, he and Lisa ended their romance a year and a half ago after deciding to part ways.

They previously lived together in his palatial home in Wicklow, Drayon Manor, which is currently up for sale for 3.75m as he looks for a new abode that's closer to his offices in south Dublin.
Heather Fox, Moylough, Galway and Mary Ellen Connelly, Monaghan were at The Galway Races.

Roisin Duff and Gillian Campion from Laois were at The Galway Races

Sisters Kara and Shauna Ellis from Clarinbridge were at The Galway Races.

The Galway Races got off to a galloping start as throngs of racing fans made the pilgrimage west for their annual blow-out at the Ballybrit racecourse.

An unexpected smattering of sunshine helped elevate spirits around the course as attendees got ready to saddle up for a week of studying the form and forgetting the nine-to-five grind.

This year saw organisers revamping the annual event, erecting a new festival village complete with shopping, a "selfie wall" and a festival bar where the party started from early on.

Stylish ladies braved the elements in colourful ensembles as they made the trek to the champagne tent to catch up with friends and show off their carefully-planned outfits.

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Despite the hefty price of 115 for a bottle of champers, racegoers thronged the area from early on, with a supervisor saying they were "booked solidly" for the week as proof that the feel-good factor is back. Around the course, the air of excitement was palpable as punters waited for the first race of the day to get proceedings under way.

Despite increased security checks and a more visible garda presence around the track, there were no reports of any delays entering the venue.

There were some familiar faces in attendance for day one - including former Rose of Tralee, Maria Walsh, who revealed she was enjoying a far more glamorous day than previous years.

"I used to work in the carvery across the way there and now I'm allowed dress up and pretend that I'm a professional," she said.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Emma Curtis from Monaghan and Caithriona King, Galway were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Tracy McGuinness, Donegal and Corina Hynes, Sligo were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Louise Begley, Knocknacara, Galway was at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Cathy Dillon, Athenry and Susanne Burke, Athlone were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Fomer Rose of Tralee Marie Walsh at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Fomer Rose of Tralee Marie Walsh at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Laura Fox from Moylough was at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Laura Fox from Moylough was at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Joseph and Carmel Coleman from Abbeyknockmoy were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Rita Cosgrove, Ardrahan and Anne Marie Ellis, Clarinbridge were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Bridie Daly, Kiltullagh, Galway and Siobhan Ryan, Craughwell were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Sisters Kara and Shauna Ellis from Clarinbridge were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Sisters Kara and Shauna Ellis from Clarinbridge were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Bridie Daly, Kiltullagh, Galway and Siobhan Ryan, Craughwell were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Aaron Kenny, Dublin and Laura Peters, Longford were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Heather Fox, Moylough, Galway and Mary Ellen Connelly, Monaghan were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Roisin Duff and Gillian Campion from Laois were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Megan Duff, Portlaoise, Susanne Dillon, Cork and Bronagh O'Sullivan, Portlaoise were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 Heather Fox, Moylough, Galway and Mary Ellen Connelly, Monaghan were at The Galway Races. Photo: Tony Gavin 31/7/2017 / Facebook

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"I was a wonderful table cleaner and server and I loved it. I'd be like 'come on lads and give me some tips' and run across the road and bet when one shouldn't be betting. And then lose all the money I made that summer."

Today FM presenter Hector O hEochagain was praying to his lucky stars that a horse that he had an interest in would do the business in the fourth race of the day. He was pacing around the parade ring more nervously than his entrant Delegating, the horse owned by the Michael O'Callaghan Racing Club, of which he is a member. Unfortunately, the horse placed third - but Hector still has a week of festival fun to look forward to.

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"It's the buzz you're waiting for all year," he said when asked what made Galway so special. "We're very lucky. I've been living here for over 20 years, I call it the San Francisco of Europe. This is the week when Las Vegas comes to town."

He also had some tips for surviving the week.

"A 24-pack of Solpadeine," he said. "They ask you a lot of questions, like 'have you taken this before?' Just say 'no, I'm going to Galway'."

The feature race of the day was won by the 16/1 entry Whiskey Sour, the Willie Mullins-trained mount.

Day one was a great day for bookies as punters took a hammering with only one of the favourites winning.

"It was probably one of the best opening days in Ballybrit history," said Leon Blanche of Boylesports.
In a running series on Independent.ie Style, we speak to Irish women who inspire us and find out how they got the job they're in today, what trials and tribulations they faced on their career path and what advice they have to give to working women in today's world.

This week, we speak to co-managing director of 3D Aesthetics Ireland Sabrina Ni Concubhair.

What is your job title?

My title is Co- Managing Director. I run all aspects of 3D Ireland and our clinic Aphrodite Laser & Beauty in Clane, Co. Kildare with my husband Michael. From machine distribution, training and all the way to the service end of the clinic, I have my fingers in a lot of pies.

Did you always want to work in this career?

I always knew I wanted to work in the beauty industry even though my earlier career path didnt take me that way immediately. I have always taken courses and up-skilled where I could to get where I am today. Even now I am still taking courses in both 3D Aesthetics and a variety of salon services to keep myself on top of the new methods and trends.

Growing up, what did you want to be?

As a child I wanted to be an air-hostess but as I got older I became obsessed with the beauty industry and I knew that was the right path for me. Barbie was my first client and she never complained, so I knew I was on to a winner!

How did you find yourself on this career path?

I started off my career in my early 20s in the travel industry. It wasnt my first choice but it paid the bills. The beauty industry continued to intrigue me so I spent my evenings and weekends studying and doing courses to upgrade my skills. Unfortunately, the travel company folded and I took that as my sign to invest in a full-time diploma in beauty and the rest is history.

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Did you face any challenges along your way to this career?

Of course. The biggest challenge I face every day in my career is making sure I have the right balance between family and work. As I am a mother to three young children, it is vital to have quality time with my kids and husband but to also meet all the demands that come with running your own business.

What are some notable obstacles you faced and how did you overcome them?

When it comes to starting your own business, every cent made is re-invested back in. Separating work and home can be extremely hard at the beginning as you find yourself rarely able to leave the office. From the very start Ive included my husband Michael in everything from the family finances to business decisions, we do it all together. By doing this It really helps free up my time when I am busy with the clinic or training for 3D Lipo.

Are you a believer in having a five-year plan?

Yes, very much so. However, it is important to have a flexible plan. In this business things can change very quickly and you must be able to take a different path when an opportunity presents itself. I was in my second year in my original five-year plan when I had the opportunity to invest in clinical machinery, which in turn saw my salon turn into a clinical salon. A year later I invested once again and now I own 3D Aesthetics Ireland and have the distribution on one of the biggest brands in Non-Surgical Aesthetic Machinery.

3D is a favourite of well known faces in the UK including Sir Alan Sugar, Patsy Kensit, Amy Childs, Gemma Collins and Dr. Leah Totton, to name just a few, and that same love for 3D has definitely transferred over to Ireland and both my clinic and the distribution end are busier than ever. I now say Im in year two of my revised five-year plan.

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What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in this career?

Never stop learning! There is always a new product, technique and treatment. Dont be afraid to try something new and different. A quote I always live by in business is definitely: "Dont swim in the crowded, muddy waters, find your own fresh blue open sea."

What women inspire you?

Lisa Vanderpump. She started off from very humble beginnings, and with hard work and dedication she built Vanderpump into a business with many dimensions. From nightclubs, restaurants, clothes and modelling to name but a few. She is also known to have a happy loyal staff that are more like family in her business. She motivates and inspires them to be true to themselves and to treat the Vanderpump family as if it was their own.

Whats a typical day like?

It's very busy, to say the least but having a structure to the day definitely helps. Mornings always start getting the kids to school or the child minder and then on to returning calls on the way to the clinic. Once I'm there, it's straight into treatments and follow up calls on sales and enquires for 3D Machines or trial sessions. Once Im home its back to mom mode. We always aim to have dinner together as a family and enjoy quality time. Once the kids are in bed its back to work to finish off anything that needs to be done for the following day and posting on our social media platforms.

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What has been the highlight of your career so far?

It has to be getting the 3D Distribution for Ireland. It has turned my business onto a different platform, one which I could have never imagined. I wouldnt change it one bit.

What skills/traits do you think are necessary for your job?

Confidence and drive are essential in this business as well as having a good bedside manner for clients during treatments.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years time, I hope to have at least four 3D Clinics in every county in Ireland. I would love more salon owners to take the leap and introduce the units into their salons as the results are simply amazing.
A UK-based email prankster has claimed he tricked senior American officials into thinking he was other prominent members of White House staff.

The self-proclaimed Email Prankster released a series of tweets on July 30 which contained excerpts of email correspondence in which he appeared to have tricked prominent staffers into thinking he was a variety of other senior representatives, including Jared Kushner and the former White House Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus.

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In one particularly frank exchange shared with the American news network CNN, the trickster supposedly persuaded the short-serving former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci that he was his arch-rival, Priebus.

Using a mail.com account, the Prankster wrote: I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how; soon we will learn who in the media who has class, and who hasnt, has pushed me to this.

That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you.

At no stage have you acted in a way thats even remotely classy, yet you believe thats the standard by which everyone should behave towards you?

General Kelly will do a fine job. Ill even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I dont expect a reply.

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At this, Scaramucci is believed to have replied: You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize.

The fake Priebus then wrote: I cant believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called Mooch, who cant even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for.

And Scaramucci responded: Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there. My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.

If accurate, the exchange demonstrates the extent of the tensions between the real Priebus and Scaramucci during a time of extreme turmoil and multiple changes of high-level personnel.

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Scaramucci survived in his role as Communications Director for fewer than 10 days before he was dismissed on July 31  the day after the Email Pranksters exchanges  after being recorded bad-mouthing other members of White House staff to a reporter for the New Yorker Magazine.

In another prank, the email imposter allegedly tricked Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert into believing he was Donald Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to the extent that Bossert revealed his personal email address.

Posing as Kushner, the prankster wrote: Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August.

It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible [sic] quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening.

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Bossert is then thought to have replied: Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I cant refuse. Also, if you ever need it, my personal email is [redacted].

The trickster told CNN that he had been motivated by mischief rather than by anything more malignant, but the exchanges have prompted concerns over the ease with which the individual was able to target senior staff.

The White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told CNN: We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further.
No-one immediately took responsibility for the attack on the Jawadia Mosque in Herat.

Relatives mourn after a suicide attack on a mosque in Heart, Afghanistan. (AP)

A suicide bomber stormed into the largest Shiite Muslim mosque in Afghanistan's Herat province, killing at least 20 and wounding dozens more, said the provincial governor's spokesman Jalani Farhad.

However Mehdi Hadid, a politician from Herat who went to the site soon after the explosion, told The Associated Press that the scene was one of horrific carnage.

He estimated at least 100 dead and wounded were scattered throughout the mosque.

The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.

At Herat Main Hospital, Dr Mohammed Rafique Shehrzai confirmed 20 bodies were brought to the hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province, soon after the blast.

Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the affiliate of the Islamic State group that operates in the country's east.

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jawadia Mosque, the largest Shiite Muslim mosque in Herat.

Mr Hadid said he rushed to the mosque after hearing about the explosion.

He was told the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering.

When inside, he fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed then he blew himself up.
Global warming has a 90pc chance of heating the Earth to a tipping point, after which there may be no escape from destructive climate change, a study suggests.

The new prediction warns of temperatures rising 2C to 4.9C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, despite measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A rise of 2C has frequently been cited as a "tipping point" that must be avoided to prevent runaway effects leading to widespread drought, extreme weather and dangerous increases in sea level.

The same analysis shows a mere 1pc chance of global warming being pegged at or below 1.5C, the target set by countries signing the Paris Agreement last year.

Dr Dargan Frierson, from the University of Washington, said: "Countries argued for the 1.5C target because of the severe impacts on their livelihoods that would result from exceeding that threshold. Indeed, damages from heat extremes, drought, extreme weather and sea level rise will be much more severe if 2C or higher temperature rise is allowed.

"Our results show that an abrupt change of course is needed to achieve these goals."

The scientists looked at 50 years of data on world population and economic activity to come up with their forecast. One factor taken into account was "carbon intensity", the amount of carbon emitted for each dollar of economic activity.

The approach is different from that taken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, whose most recent report included future warming rates based on four carbon emission scenarios.

Professor Adrian Raftery, who led the University of Washington team, said: "The big problem with scenarios is that you don't know how likely they are, and whether they span the full range of possibilities or are just a few examples. Scientifically, this type of storytelling approach was not fully satisfying.

"Our analysis is compatible with previous estimates, but it finds that the most optimistic projections are unlikely to happen. We're closer to the margin than we think.

"Overall, the goals expressed in the Paris Agreement are ambitious but realistic. The bad news is they are unlikely to be enough to achieve the target of keeping warming at or below 1.5 degrees."

The findings are published in the journal 'Nature Climate Change'.
A primary school teacher who watched a live stream of a six-year-old boy being raped has been jailed for 20 months.

Wayne Brookes, 43, joined 45 other paedophiles online to watch the horrific abuse, which took place in America.

He accessed the online chat room in which the rape was streamed after being given a 10-digit code by another paedophile.

Married Brookes, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, also used the site to watch a recording of a six-month-old baby being abused.

Bristol Crown Court heard Brookes, who had worked as a teacher for 10 years, lost his job once the offences came to light.

He is the second of four men to be sentenced following an investigation into the chat room by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Judge Martin Picton jailed Brookes, who admitted four charges of making indecent images of children, for 20 months.

"One of the pieces of footage depicted the live streaming of a rape of a little boy," the judge told a weeping Brookes.

"I do give you the benefit of doubt with the issue of whether you understood that you were watching a live event."

The judge said Brookes had kept his interest in young children a secret from his partner, viewing the indecent material "late at night".

His offences would have caused "alarm and distress" to fellow teachers, parents and children at the school where he worked, the judge added.

"There is no suggestion that you accessed any indecent images at work or that you offended against any of the children that were in your care at that time," he told Brookes.

The court heard Brookes was identified by officers after using a profile named Bear to access the chat room.

He was found to have downloaded more than 200 indecent images of children, included dozens at the highest category.

Brookes admitted his actions to officers following his arrest and his partner is standing by him, his barrister Virginia Cornwall said.

"He has demonstrated remorse and understanding for his criminality," Miss Cornwall added. "He is a broken man."

The rapist who broadcast the attack, William Chandler Augusta from Pennsylvania, was detected by Canadian authorities and arrested in the US in February.

He was jailed for up to 30 years for a range of offences. Police officers in the US identified his victim and protective measures were taken.

Last month, youth worker Darren Williams, 44, was jailed for 11 years for his part in the live stream of the rape.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Williams, of Blackwood, Newport, instructed the rapist to smack the victim and make him "say hi".

He admitted encouraging or assisting the rape of a child and six charges of encouraging or assisting the showing of indecent images of children.

Philip Crabtree, 35, of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, will be sentenced for 12 offences on a date to be set at Stoke Crown Court.

Christian Johnson Lueking, 36, of Raynes Park, London, admitted one offence of encouraging the showing of indecent images of children.

He will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on August 18.

Colin Radcliffe, operations manager at the NCA's child exploitation and online protection (CEOP) command, said: "These men thought they'd found a corner of the internet where they could avoid the consequences of participating in abuse."
The British High Court has blocked a bid by a former chief of staff of the Iraqi army to bring a private prosecution against Tony Blair over the Iraq war.

General Abdul Wahed Shannan Al Rabbat has accused Mr Blair, while UK prime minister, of committing a "crime of aggression" by invading Iraq in 2003 to overthrow President Saddam Hussein.

The general wanted to prosecute Mr Blair and two other key ministers at the time - foreign secretary Jack Straw and attorney general Peter Goldsmith.

His lawyers asked London's High Court for permission to seek judicial review in an attempt to get the Supreme Court, now the highest court in Britiain, to overturn a ruling by the House of Lords in 2006 that there is no such crime as the crime of aggression under the law of England and Wales.

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the Lord Chief Justice, and Mr Justice Ouseley dismissed the general's application, saying there was "no prospect" of the case succeeding.

Delivering a written judgment, he said the court had taken the view that: "Because of a decision by the House of Lords binding in this court, there is no crime of aggression under domestic UK law."

He also said there was no prospect of the Supreme Court reversing the decision.

Westminster Magistrates' Court refused to issue summonses in November last year on the grounds that the ex-ministers had immunity from legal action, and in any event the current Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, would have to give consent.

The general applied to the High Court in London for a judicial review of the magistrates' court decision.

He lives in Muscat, Oman, does not possess a passport and cannot travel to the UK.

The UK was part of the coalition led by the US which invaded Iraq after US president George W Bush and Mr Blair accused Hussein of possessing weapons of mass destruction and having links to terrorists.
Two Venezuelan opposition leaders have been taken from their homes, family members have said.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were serving house arrest when they were taken, family members said on Twitter.

The wife of Mr Lopez and the daughter of Mr Ledezma said they were holding President Nicolas Maduro responsible for the fate of the two men.

Both leaders in recent days have called on Venezuelans to join protests against Mr Maduro over the creation of an all-powerful legislative body called the constitutional assembly, which was elected on Sunday.

#BREAKING: Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez has been taken from his home. No word on where he has gone pic.twitter.com/CQoiXcTIuh  Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) August 1, 2017

"12:27 in the morning: the moment when the dictatorship kidnaps Leopoldo at my house," Mr Lopez's wife Lilian Tintori wrote on Twitter.

She included a link to a video of what appears to be Mr Lopez being led into a vehicle emblazoned with the word Sebin, Venezuela's intelligence agency.

Mr Lopez was granted house arrest in July following three years in prison for his role in anti-government street protests in 2014. His release was considered a major breakthrough in the country's political standoff.

His lawyer, Juan Gutierrez, wrote on Twitter that "there is no legal justification to revoke the house arrest measure."

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Mr Ledezma was granted house arrest in 2015 after being imprisoned on charges of leading a coup against Mr Maduro. Vanessa Ledezma posted a similar video of Mr Ledezma.

Mr Maduro brushed off new US sanctions on him and condemnation at home and abroad of the newly chosen constitutional assembly, saying the vote has given him a popular mandate to radically overhaul Venezuela's political system.

He said he had no intention of deviating from his plans to rewrite the constitution and go after a string of enemies, from independent Venezuelan news channels to gunmen he claimed were sent by neighbouring Colombia to disrupt the vote as part of an international conspiracy led by the man he calls "Emperor Donald Trump."

"They don't intimidate me. The threats and sanctions of the empire don't intimidate me for a moment," Mr Maduro said on national television.

"I don't listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever... Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump."

The sanctions came after electoral authorities said more than eight million people voted on Sunday to create a constitutional assembly endowing Mr Maduro's ruling party with virtually unlimited powers  a turnout doubted by independent analysts, while the election was labelled illegitimate by leaders across the Americas and Europe.

The constituent assembly will have the task of rewriting the country's constitution and will have powers above and beyond other state institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress.

Mr Maduro has said the new assembly will begin to govern within a week.

Among other measures, he said he would use the assembly's powers to bar opposition candidates from running in gubernatorial elections in December unless they sit with his party to negotiate an end to hostilities which have generated four months of protests that have killed at least 120 and wounded nearly 2,000.

Read More

Mr Maduro called the constitutional assembly in May after a month of protests against his government, which has overseen Venezuela's descent into a devastating crisis during its four years in power.

Due to plunging oil prices and widespread corruption and mismanagement, Venezuela's inflation and homicide rates are among the world's highest, and widespread shortages of food and medicine have citizens dying of preventable illnesses and rooting through trash to feed themselves.

The president of the opposition-led National Assembly, Julio Borges, told Venezuelan news channel Globovision that Mr Maduro's foes would continue protesting until they won free elections and a change of government.

He said the vote gave Mr Maduro "less legitimacy, less credibility, less popular support and less ability to govern."
Elections to New Zealand's parliament are just seven weeks away

The New Zealand Labour Party has chosen Jacinda Ardern as its new leader (AP Photo/Nick Perry)

New Zealand opposition leader Andrew Little has quit and been replaced by his 37-year-old deputy seven weeks before the general election, as the Labour Party tried to find a way to overcome recent dismal polling.

Supporters hope Jacinda Ardern will bring more charisma to the role and forge a stronger connection with younger voters.

But she faces a tough battle to unseat Prime Minister Bill English, whose conservative National Party has won the previous three elections and held power for nine years.

"Everyone knows that I have just accepted, with short notice, the worst job in politics," Ms Ardern said.

"There is no doubt that being in opposition is hard. That's why I'm using the next eight weeks to get our team out of it."

As recently as a few days ago, few people predicted Mr Little would quit despite the party's struggle to gain traction with voters.

Indeed, the party's campaign hoardings and leaflets featuring Mr Little had already been printed.

But a recent survey of voters showed the Labour Party was polling just 24%. Mr Little then told TV 1 News he had talked to colleagues about the possibility of quitting, an admission that appeared to erode his leadership further.

He said he had decided to step down because the polling results were building a narrative that was getting in the way of the party's important messages.

"I take responsibility for that and it is my judgment that the party and the people who we are campaigning for will be better served by a new leader who can bring a fresh face and a fresh voice to this vital campaign," he said.

Ms Ardern said the situation was "not what anyone expected or wanted" but that her team was about to "run the campaign of our lives".

She said she would take the next three days to review the campaign and make any new policy announcements. She said her vision for New Zealand was a place where everyone had a roof over their heads, meaningful work and where education was free.

Ms Ardern has a background in policy development and is the former president of the International Union of Socialist Youth. She was first elected to Parliament in 2008.

Labour also chose as its new deputy Kelvin Davis, a former school principal and an indigenous Maori who is the party's spokesman for Maori development.

Although Mr Little quit as Labour leader, he remains a member of the Parliament. Ms Ardern said she would consider him for a senior role if she wins the election.

Under New Zealand's proportional voting system, parties typically must form alliances to govern.

Labour's most likely path to power is by forming alliances with the liberal Green Party and the New Zealand First party, which wants to limit immigration.

The National Party is seeking to retain its alliances with several small parties. But it may also vie for the support of New Zealand First, depending on the final vote tallies.

New Zealand First has not indicated which of the two main parties it will back.

AP
JK Rowling has been criticised by the mother of a wheelchair-bound child after the author claimed Donald Trump, the US president, refused to shake the boy's hand.

The Harry Potter author accused Mr Trump of being a "monster of narcissism" and claimed he had "pretended not to see a child in a wheelchair as though frightened he might catch his condition". She added: "How stunning, and how horrible, that Trump cannot bring himself to shake the hand of a small boy who only wanted to touch the president."

Her comments, posted on Twitter, appeared to have been based on video footage circulating on social media from a White House press conference on July 24.

Mr Trump had gathered a group of what he called "victims of ObamaCare" as he campaigned for an overhaul of former president Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.

The mother of the boy, called Monty, reportedly said her son had not been stretching out his hand to touch Mr Trump, and was instead showing off a badge given to him by the Secret Service. She said: "If someone can please get a message to JK Rowling: Trump didn't snub my son and Monty wasn't even trying to shake his hand.

"He's three and hand shaking is not his thing. He was showing off his newly acquired Secret Service patch."

The White House also released longer video footage that showed the president greeting the boy.

In her lengthy attack on Mr Trump, Rowling said: "My mother used a wheelchair. I witnessed people uncomfortable around her disability, but if they had a shred of decency they got over it. So, yes, that clip of Trump looking deliberately over a disabled child's head, ignoring his outstretched hand, has touched me on the raw."

Piers Morgan, the television presenter who has engaged in feuds with Rowling on social media, called her attack on Mr Trump "disgraceful".

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with US President Donald Trump and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea just hours after the US Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is "done talking about North Korea".

Mr Abe said Mr Trump would take "all necessary measures" to protect US allies against the increasing threat from the hermit state.

Mr Abe told reporters after his conversation with Mr Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyang's unilateral "escalation".

"International society, including Russia and China, needs to take this seriously and increase pressure," Mr Abe said.

He said Japan and the United States would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details.

Mr Abe and Mr Trump did not discuss military action against North Korea, nor what would constitute the crossing of a "red line" by Pyongyang, deputy chief cabinet spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.

A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far".

It said Mr Trump "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment" to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, "using the full range of United States capabilities".

Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said the talk between Mr Abe and Mr Trump lasted for about 50 minutes.

"The role that China can play is extremely important," he told a news conference.

"Japan intends to call on those countries involved - including the UN, the United States and South Korea to start, but also China and Russia - to take on additional duties and actions to increase pressure," Mr Suga said, declining to give details about what those steps might be.

Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger UN sanctions on North Korea over Friday night's long-range missile test, the North's second this month.

Any new UN Security Council resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value", Ms Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more.
US Vice President Mike Pence said the country stands with the Baltic nations against any threats from Russia as tensions continue to flare between the former Cold War foes.

Mr Pence made Estonia his first stop on a visit to eastern Europe that will also take in Georgia and Montenegro, where he'll meet Balkan Nato members and aspirants.

His trip follows last week's Russian-Chinese naval exercises in the Baltic Sea and comes before planned Russian military drills in September that have in the past simulated an attack on the region.

Russia's annexation of Crimea and involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine spooked the Baltics and triggered a rethink of Nato's role in ex-communist Europe.

Western troops were added in response in nations such as Estonia and Latvia, unwilling former Soviet republics with large Russian-speaking minorities. While recently backing Nato's collective-security pledge, President Donald Trump has courted Russian President Vladimir Putin and raised doubts about the US's commitment to far-away allies.

"No threat looms larger in the Baltic states than the spectre of aggression from your unpredictable neighbour to the east," Mr Pence said yesterday in Estonia's capital Tallinn. "At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to redraw international borders by force, undermine democracy of sovereign nations and divide the free nations of Europe one against another."

Mr Pence spoke a day after Mr Putin told the US it must cut staff at its embassy in Moscow and other facilities in Russia by 755 by September 1, a retaliatory move for sanctions legislation passed by Congress last week and earlier diplomatic expulsions by the US. The move "won't deter" US commitments to its allies, Mr Pence told a news conference with the presidents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Mr Putin, at a meeting with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto last week, said "anti-Russia hysteria" is growing and "Russophobic instruments" are being used as part of a domestic US political fight that may result in stricter sanctions against his nation. Mr Pence said his country "hopes for better relations with Russia".

Last month, the US for the first time temporarily brought Patriot air-defence systems to Lithuania as part of military exercises. Estonia, which borders Russia, has said it wants to enhance its defensive capabilities with anti-aircraft weapons and is seeking a more permanent deployment with other countries inside Nato.

"The US rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation or malign influence in the Baltic states or against any of our treaty allies," Mr Pence said.
Anthony Scaramucci briefing the media during his brief spell as White House communications director (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Anthony Scaramucci was ignominiously sacked as White House communications director after less than two weeks just hours after Donald Trump's new chief of staff began work.

John Kelly showed his intention of taking charge after moving from homeland security, ousting the profanity-spouting Wall Street operator.

Despite the turmoil, the president tweeted: "A great day at the White House!"

He had earlier tweeted: "Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos!"

Mr K elly showed Mr Scaramucci the door just days after he had unleashed an expletive-laced tirade against senior staff members that included vulgar broadsides at then-chief of staff Reince Priebus.

In short order, Mr Priebus was pushed aside and replaced by Mr Kelly, whose arrival led in turn to Mr Scaramucci's departure.

Mr Scaramucci's exit underscored the challenges that Mr Kelly faces in bringing order to the West Wing, where b ackstabbing among aides has been rife, and rival camps have jockeyed for position.

On Mr Kelly's first day, the White House put out word that the retired four-star general had free rein to tighten the chain of command.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Mr Kelly "has the full authority to carry out business as he sees fit".

She said all White House staffers will report to him, including powerful figures such as Mr Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, her husband, Jared Kushner, and chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Mr Kelly "will bring new structure, discipline and strength" to the White House, she said.

The chief of staff took his oath of office early on Monday in an Oval Office ceremony thronged by senior staffers, including Mr Scaramucci, but a short time later, Mr Kelly told the communications director he was out.

In the brief, cold words of the White House announcement, Mr Scaramucci was leaving because he "felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team". The three-sentence release concluded: "We wish him all the best."

The statement revived the "clean slate" language that former White House press secretary Sean Spicer had used to describe his own reason for resigning on the day Mr Trump brought Mr Scaramucci aboard.

Mr Scaramucci was escorted from the White House grounds, becoming yet another high-ranking official to leave an administration that is barely beyond the six-month mark. He was the third person to hold the communications director title in that time.

Mr Priebus was never able to prevent Mr Trump from continuing the same disorderly style he had created in his business.

Mr Scaramucci had been blocked from joining the administration during the transition by Mr Priebus, only to eventually be hired by Mr Trump last week.

That decision, over the objections of Mr Priebus and Mr Bannon, led to the resignation of Mr Spicer and fuelled Mr Scaramucci's profane vows of vengeance against White House staffers who had opposed him or leaked to the press.

Days of negative news coverage of Mr Scaramucci's crass rant did not sit well with the president, though Mr Trump himself is no stranger to using coarse language, including boasts of groping women in a 2005 Access Hollywood tape leaked last year.

"The president certainly felt that Anthony's comments were inappropriate for a person in his position," Ms Sanders said when asked about the sacking.

She said he would not have another position in the administration.

Mr Bannon also told allies that the communications director was a negative distraction. And though Mr Bannon had clashed with Mr Kelly over the implementation of Mr Trump's first travel ban, he pledged to work closely with the new chief of staff.

As the Scaramucci news spread, Mr Kelly was in the East Room, smiling and taking pictures with guests who had gathered for a Medal of Honour presentation.

A jovial Ms Spicer also was in attendance, saying he was there to assist with the communications transition, though Ms Sanders said she was not aware of any plans for him to resume his old job.

After swearing in Mr Kelly, Mr Trump convened his full Cabinet, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the target of recent public rebukes from the president.

Mr Trump ignored the turmoil and declared that his administration was humming along smoothly.

"Overall, I think we're doing incredibly well. The economy is doing incredibly well, and many other things."

AP
SALISBURY- Salisbury Police have arrested two gang members in connection with the double homicide over the weekend.

Our news partner WSOC-TV reported that Jalen Cook, 23, and Zakelo Duren, 23, have been apprehended and are members of the Bloods gang.

Police responded to an incident on West Fisher Street around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 29 and found 23-year-old Daquan Robertson dead on South Church Street. There was evidence of multiple shots being fired.

Throughout the course of the morning, three other gunshot victims showed up at Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. Another victim, Anthony Eugene Gill, 22, died at the hospital.

Quandarius Rasheim Davis, 22, and Kayla Bennette McCullers, 20, were the other two wounded.

Channel 9 reported that after the incident, warrants were taken out against Cook for two counts of murder and one count assault with a deadly weapon. The warrant against Duren was for one count of inciting a felonious riot.

To read WSOC-TVs full article click here.

No arrests made in third homicide

Salisbury detectives are investigating after another man was found dead of a gunshot wounds in a yard on Link Avenue.

Our news partner WSOC-TV reported police arrived at the home at about 10:40 a.m. on Monday and found Shawn Alexander Spry, 21, dead in the yard.

Spry didnt live in the home where he was found; officials said and have not released information about a possible suspect.

Anyone with information on the shooting should call the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333 or Crimestoppers at 1-866-639-5245.
First introduced in the lower house of parliament as the Companies Act (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in March of last year, the Bill seeks to make important changes to the Companies Act of 2013 in relation to the structuring, disclosure, and compliance requirements for companies.

After incorporating feedback from the Standing Committee on Finance, the respective government chambers of commerce and industry, as well as professional bodies, the draft bill was finally approved by the lower house as the Companies Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017 on July 27, 2017.

It will now be examined by the upper house of parliament for approval before seeking the Presidents assent.

The 2017 Bill  in its current form  continues to rein in the layering of both investment companies and subsidiaries. Presently, the 2013 Act states that investments in a company cannot be made through more than two layers of investment companies; this stands to remain unchanged.

RELATED: Corporate Establishment Advisory

Some of the major amendments proposed to the 2013 Act are outlined below:

Definition of related party expanded  The Bill expands the prevailing definition to include an investing company or the venture of a company in Section 2(76). Thus, a body corporates investment in a company will allow that company to become an associate company of the body corporate.

The Bill expands the prevailing definition to include an investing company or the venture of a company in Section 2(76). Thus, a body corporates investment in a company will allow that company to become an associate company of the body corporate. Definition of a small company  Under Section 2(85), to qualify as a small company  it is proposed to raise the firms maximum paid-up share capital amount from US$780,000 (Rs 50 million) to US$1.56 million (Rs 100 million), and increase the prescribed turnover amount from US$3.12 million (Rs 200 million) to US$15.61 (Rs 1 billion).

Under Section 2(85), to qualify as a small company  it is proposed to raise the firms maximum paid-up share capital amount from US$780,000 (Rs 50 million) to US$1.56 million (Rs 100 million), and increase the prescribed turnover amount from US$3.12 million (Rs 200 million) to US$15.61 (Rs 1 billion). Definition of a subsidiary company  It is proposed in Section 2(87), that a subsidiary company or subsidiary  in relation to any other company (the holding company)  means a company where the holding company controls the composition of the Board of Directors or exercises or controls more than one-half of the total voting power either on its own or together with one or more of its subsidiary companies. Currently, the 2013 Act provides for the exercise or control of more than half of the total share capital.

It is proposed in Section 2(87), that a subsidiary company or subsidiary  in relation to any other company (the holding company)  means a company where the holding company controls the composition of the Board of Directors or exercises or controls more than one-half of the total voting power either on its own or together with one or more of its subsidiary companies. Currently, the 2013 Act provides for the exercise or control of more than half of the total share capital. Definition of associate company  The Bill changes the explanation of the term significant influence under the definition of an associate company in Section 2(6) to having control of at least 20 percent of the total voting power or control of or participation in business decision-making. Under the current Act, an associate companys significant influence is tied to control of share capital. According to legal experts, this proposed amendment could potentially impact the parent companys financial accounting, and in the case of insolvency management.

RELATED: Establishing a Business in India: Offices, Partnerships, and Companies

Simplification of the private placement process  The 2017 Bill proposes to amend the entire Section 42 of the Companies Act of 2013, which deals with the issue of shares on private placement basis. Among the proposed changes, the Bill takes away the right of investors to renunciate their investment rights in favor of another entity, so that only investors whose names are mentioned in the information memorandum, filed by the issuer, can subscribe to the shares.

The 2017 Bill proposes to amend the entire Section 42 of the Companies Act of 2013, which deals with the issue of shares on private placement basis. Among the proposed changes, the Bill takes away the right of investors to renunciate their investment rights in favor of another entity, so that only investors whose names are mentioned in the information memorandum, filed by the issuer, can subscribe to the shares. Definition of independent directors  The Companies Act of 2013 defined an independent director as a person who has or has had no pecuniary relationship with the company, its holding, subsidiary, or associate company, or their promoters, or directors  during the two immediately preceding financial years or during the current financial year. The Companies Act (Amendment) Bill, 2017 seeks to exclude remuneration and transactions  not exceeding 10 percent of the independent directors total income  from what is defined as a pecuniary or financial relationship.
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
There are hard, important decisions ahead for IPS. In September, the Board of School Commissioners will vote on the administrations recommendation to close Arlington, Broad Ripple and Northwest high schools.

While I agree, there is a need to close schools, my desire is that Arlington High School remain open. When I ran for the District 2 Seat on the IPS Board of Commissioners, I presented my qualifications and commitment to voters. As an Arlington High School Alumni I come from three generations of IPS graduates. I live walking distance from Arlington High School and have lived on the eastside of Indianapolis most of my life. The current recommendation is to close all schools in the periphery, and keep the four remaining high schools centrally located in the core of the city.

As I consider this proposal, I am looking not just at the specific schools in question, but the district as a whole. If all our high schools are near the core of the city, what happens to the communities in the periphery? While centralizing all the high schools may reduce some transportation costs, this also means there would be large portions of the district that would go without a school nearby. But what about the negative effects of this decision?

I grew up on 28th and Sangster, minutes away from the Juvenile Detention Center, and a short walk from what used to be school 110. I grew up the oldest of three, and after a middle school game we walked home from the opposite side of town. To get home we had to cross the tracks to enter into our part of the city. Ill never forget we were badgered by the children from the rival school, called names, and incited to a fight. All I could think was, we just have to cross the tracks. Those tracks were symbolic in that moment. In that moment, we would be safe. Granted this was some 40 years ago, but do we honestly think those same tracks dont exist among our students today?

What happens when we take resources out of our surrounding community and pour it into a central area? What happens when these outlying communities and youth began to see their communities as deserts, with no opportunity, and no resources? Will students transfer to schools at or other locations, or resort to schools with better reputations that are closer by?

What happens when you remove those tracks? These are the real questions, rather we want to admit them, or not. These questions are what the people are thinking. It is true some of our schools are only 1/3 full. That presents several concerns, including the cost of operating a building that is not full, and security concerns over having that much empty space to secure.

The questions are not whether schools should be closed, it is what schools should we close and is centralization of our remaining schools the right decision? I want to make sure we are considering options for the future as well as today. Could some schools become middle schools or share space and costs with other community organizations? Will we regret letting go of schools if we must find new space in the future?

I want every IPS student to have access to an excellent education. In fact, the mission of IPS is to prepare and empower all students for life. But to do that we must have accountability, and if we are voting to close these schools, we need plans before closure to invest in the communities where our schools used to reside. We need to show these communities that we will continue to empower, enlighten, and invest in our students future. Although our buildings may not be there, our presence will be felt.

Before I decide about closing any school I want input from those I represent. I am open to alternative proposals, I am open to your opinions and thoughts, and will do my best to make a sound judgement. Let me be clear I agree there is a need to close schools. The debate however, is which schools should be closed. My desire is that Arlington High School remain open. Please contact me I represented you. Before I was elected I wanted more for IPS and now I will fight to ensure IPS has more!
Be Nimble Ventures, an Indianapolis-based group working to increase diversity and inclusion in the tech sector, will host Disrupt Indy: Redefining the Path to Inclusion in Technology  a Midwest Tech Diversity Summit  from Aug. 24 at the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis. Be Nimble cofounders Kelli N. Jones and Jeff T. D. Williams developed the concept for the Diversity Summit in response to industry statistics concerning tech diversity.

Despite exponential job growth within the tech sector, the number of qualified candidates of diverse backgrounds is flat and shrinking. Employers are struggling to find candidates of diverse backgrounds and, as a result, less than 6 percent of tech companies employ people of color.

Approximately five years ago, Silicon Valley tech giants such as Facebook, Google, Uber and Twitter released data demonstrating that of the hundreds of thousands of jobs generated by the tech sector, less than 25 percent were held by women, 3 percent by African-Americans and 2 percent by Latinos. The ensuing uproar and genuine motivation to reverse course spawned various Silicon Valley initiatives geared toward offering more K-12 education opportunities, tech camps, revised hiring practices and other strategies to boost educational and employment access for underserved populations.

In Indianapolis, Jones said, the sale of ExactTarget to Indianapolis-based Salesforce in June of 2013 created the second largest tech headquarters located outside of San Franciscos Silicon Valley. The acquisition renewed so-called Silicon Prairie efforts to tackle the tech diversity issue. Jones speaks highly of Salesforces ardent diversity initiatives aimed at enhancing inclusion and opportunities by seeking to close the wage gap and to launch employee research groups (ERGs) associated with the various underserved affinity groups.

Industry estimates project that there will be 5 million tech jobs by 2025. Minorities wont be in those jobs if we dont start now, Jones said. Noting the lack of computer science programming in traditional K-12 curricula, Be Nimble has plotted a roadmap for combating the tech diversity issue. Event organizers seek to (c)reate a pipeline of qualified diverse candidates to fill jobs and incubate tech innovators to become tech pioneers. Event organizers believe implementation of key initiatives targeting women and people of color will ameliorate the tech diversity statistics. Their proposals include increasing the availability of computer science and coding apprenticeships, mentoring and startup incubators for women, people of color and LGBTQ tech professionals.

Disrupt Indy programming, geared toward minority and woman tech professionals, engineers, startup founders, tech entrepreneurs, educators and venture capitalists, will include networking and recruiting opportunities, panel discussions and a startup and entrepreneurship showcase. Jones acknowledges that tech diversity conferences are springing up around the country, but she says the Midwest Tech Diversity Summit is distinct in that its aim is a market perfected, rather than a quota system. Diversity is a workforce and economic development issues. The goal is to communicate to communities, industry leaders and civic partners that diverse teams enhance the range of the ideas and perspectives in the workplace and will make the company or the companys product better.

No one is really ignoring (the tech diversity) issue, she added.

Considerable strides have been made locally and around the country to get more girls and women involved in tech, making this the opportune time to address expansion of tech opportunities for African-Americans, Latinos and LGBTQ tech professionals. We are here, too, Jones says.

The City of Indianapolis has been a full-throated partner in the mission, Jones added, proud of municipal efforts. Deputy Mayor of Economic Development Angela Smith-Jones will give the keynote address at the Diversity Summit. Marion Countys local workforce development board, EmployIndy, is another municipal partner.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, event organizers will leverage the best practices of tech organizations across the nation. Among the Diversity Summit presenters will be Miami-based Felecia Hatcher, founder of Black Tech Week and Code Fever, a holistic wraparound company that offers a coding camp and startup entrepreneur support for African-American tech professionals. Another presenter, Chicago-based Fabian Elliott, founder and CEO of Black Tech Mecca, takes a quantitative approach to advising cities tech inclusivity for affinity groups.

Event organizers are ideally suited to the mission of the Diversity Summit. Through their company, Be Nimble Ventures, Jones and Williams counsel clients regarding corporate marketing and diversity strategies.

The Midwest Tech Diversity Summit is not merely another conference pronouncing the obvious  that there is a tech diversity issue. The goal of the Midwest Tech Diversity Summit is to move beyond that fact to asking what we can do locally. We want to leave the conference with a plan, next steps and ideas so that we and other organizations can think about tech diversity differently, Jones said

The Diversity Summit, she added, will prompt a well-rounded conversation among industry professionals, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, city and state policymakers and other stakeholders.

Achieving tech diversity is challenging, but it starts with making sure everyone is at the table working on how to make sure everyone is included and the right people are employed. The goal is to make sure that everyone feels like part of the tech ecosystem. If done right, we will create a model that we can replicate around the country.
The first time I posted a proud picture of me at Khardung La - The Worlds Highest Motorable Road - a friend commented on it saying, FYI- Mana pass at 18, 399 Feet is the highest Motorable Road in the World.

I was pissed off and was on the verge on unfriending him. But I did a quick background check and found out that it was indeed true! Contrary to general public belief, local signs, countless websites and social media posts, the fact was that the World's Highest Motorable Road Pass was NOT Khardung La at (17,582 Feet).

And now I was in a similar situation.

Like many of you, and for the longest time I believed the board hanging outside the Post Office at Hikkim, which read, The Worlds Highest Post Office - 4440m (14, 567 Feet).

Then one day, I came face to face with a Post Office at 17,060 Feet or 5200m.

Like many of you, and for the longest time I believed the board hanging outside the Post Office at Hikkim, which read, The Worlds Highest Post Office - 4440m (14, 567 Feet).

The Hikkim post office which is located in the Lahaul Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh has been functioning from November 5, 1983 and is run by the postmaster Rinchen Chhering. Reaching this post office is a back breaking journey and considering the remoteness of this village, one can only imagine how difficult it is to send out the post from here.

As I understood from the locals, mails are sent on foot from Hikkim to Kaza every morning, which is then taken to Reckong Peo by bus, onward to Shimla, then loaded on a train to Kalka, and loaded again on a bus heading to Delhi. From there the mails make their journey towards its destination.

I was impressed by the whole process and after I got back from Hikkim, life went on as usual until a few months back.

Kept on my office desk was a postcard with a BIG White Mountain. I flipped it around and saw that it was addressed to me and was WRITTEN by me!

It was then that memories of a frightfully cold morning began to dawn on me.

More than two years back, on October 3rd, 2014, I stood writing this postcard with shivering fingers and chattering teeth at 17,060 feet. I was standing outside a flimsy green tent which said, Welcome to the Qomolangma Base Camp Postal Service, 5200m.

Known as Qomolangma by the Tibetian, Sagarmatha by the Nepalis and Everest by the rest of the world, here I was at the Everest Base Camp in Tibet!

More than two years back, on October 3rd, 2014, I stood writing this postcard with shivering fingers and chattering teeth at 17,060 feet. I was standing outside a flimsy green tent which said, Welcome to the Qomolangma Base Camp Postal Service, 5200m.

Definitely not as pretty as the Hikkim Post Office, this one barely even looked like one! At that time, the Everest Base Camp post office had only three officials, the director, the comprehensive official and the courier. But considering the fact that it is located at 17,060 Feet and endures the harshest of the climate, I reluctantly gave it some credit.

The conditions here are extreme which forces this postal base to operate for approximately seven months in a year. Set up in 2008, the branch is used by the visitors for posting cards to friends and family members and also used by the locals of the nearest settlement. Despite it not being a permanent structure, the China Post Office at EBC, located at an elevation of 17,060 Feet is reputed as the Worlds Highest Post Office.

Soon afterwards I got back to India, got busy with life and forgot about the postcard from Everest.

That is, until now.

More than two years later, the postcard had travelled from the Roof of the World to the Indian Subcontinent. From 17,060 Feet to 45 Feet above sea level. Across mountains ranges, across countries, across hands, across various modes of transport probably.

The arduous journey of the postcard was testimony to the fact that the post office at the Everest Base Camp did work. And even though the EBC postal base isnt a permanent structure, it is the highest and does what it is supposed to.

It did take more than two years to reach, but then, Tibet to Mumbai is a long journey.

And even though the EBC postal base isnt a permanent structure, it is the highest and does what it is supposed to.

Therefore, contrary to general public belief, local signs, countless websites and social media posts, the fact still remains that the World's Highest Post Office is NOT Hikkim.
Amal Clooney along with husband George announced on Monday that they will help over 3,000 Syrian refugee children go to school.

Trends

According to the United Nations, more than 200,000 children in Lebanon are not receiving education or training owing to the unrest caused by the diaspora.

Reuters

Their fund, the Clooney Foundation for Justice released a statement where they have teamed up with Google and HP to facilitate help to UNICEF and the Lebanese Ministry of Education. As a result, they have opened up 7-second shift schools for Syrian refugee kids.

Lebanon has more than 1 million Syrian refugees, including nearly 500,000 children. With this, it is convenient for authorities to teach these kids in the second shift, once the regular timings are over.

Reuters

"We don't want to lose an entire generation because they had the bad luck of being born in the wrong place at the wrong time," said George and Amal Clooney, reports Independent.

"Thousands of young Syrian refugees are at risk - the risk of never being a productive part of society," the couple said in a statement. Together, the three organizations have made a whopping $3.25 million donation for school supplies, transportation, computers, content, curriculum and teacher training.
The Sikh community has laid a strong foundation of humility and humanity. Be it the floods, the gory attack in London, the rough conditions in Syria or the celebration of Ramzan in Pakistan - the lining - Sikh community has opened their doors, their hearts, and Gurudwaras when the world has needed them the most.

Reuters

The long battle of Tamil Nadu farmers in Delhi is just not coming to an end, but the team has found a new ally at the national capitals Jantar Mantar.

Bangla Sahib, a shrine known for offering refuge to anyone in need, has opened its doors for these hapless farmers. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has decided to feed these farmers who are fighting for loan waiver and drought relief package.

Reuters

"These protesters at Jantar Mantar come from far places. Neither do they know the language nor where to go to eat. So we deliver langar food twice a day to them. We would have provided them accommodation too but they haven't asked for that service yet," says Manjit Singh, President of DSGMC, reports NDTV.

These farmers have been protesting for over 100 days now and are reeling under financial crisis. They've been beating themselves with flip-flops, enacting suicidal attempts and are doing a lot more to get some attention. They're here to demand Rs. 40,000-crore drought relief package, farm loan waiver and a committee to manage Cauvery.

Reuters

In a bid to help them during this hardship, Bangla Sahib Gurdwara decided to serve. They offer lunch with three chapatis, dal, sabzi and kheer to more than 10,000 visitors every day.

"We initially took the same food for the farmers but soon realised they prefer rice over chapatis. So now we send some rice too. After all, this is Guru ka Langar and we don't discriminate. Some consider it our allegiance to their protest but no, we are just serving those who seek Guru's help," says Manjit Singh.

Reuters

The Sikh community has never failed to manifest their support. Let's hope that other communities are able to build the same harmony as theirs.
Top Lashkar-e-Toiba's (LeT) commander and head of the outfit in Kashmir, Abu Dujana has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.

Dujana was eliminated in an operation which began around 4 am after specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in Pulwama's Hakripora village. The militants opened fired during the operation, prompting retaliation from the forces which triggered a gun battle.

Dujana, alias Hafiz, was the LeT's so-called 'divisional commander is a Pakistani national and has been involved in a number of terror attacks in Kashmir.

His name was on a hit list compiled by security forces of terrorists belonging to the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen. Another high profile terrorist, Arif Lilhaari has also been reportedly killed in the encounter, though there has been no official confirmation yet.

Jammu and Kashmir police have confirmed that the operation to flush out at least two more terrorists trapped inside a house. Dujana who carried a reward of Rs 10 lakhs on his head had many times had come close to being caught by security forces, but managed to slip away.
BCCL

Reliance Industries chairman, Mukesh Ambani, has overtaken Hong Kong business magnate Li Ka-Shing to become Asias second-richest man, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Read more

Here are more top news of the day:





1) PM Modi Is In Assam To Meet Flood Victims, 83 Have Lost Their Lives In The State So Far

PMO/ Twitter

Faced with criticism over him rushing to his home state last week and announcing a special package to the flood victims in Gujarat, while Assam was battling the worst floods in recent years, Prime Minister Modi has visited the north eastern state to asses the situation there. Read more

2) 14-YO Mumbai Boy Falls Prey To 'Blue Whale Challenge', Kills Self By Jumping Off A Building

Indiatoday

A 14-year-old boy in Mumbai committed suicide by jumping off his terrace. The teen's death has sparked fear amongst people about the infamous 'Blue Whale Challange' that goads young children into committing suicide. Read more





3) Dreaded Terrorist And Lashkar Commander Abu Dujana Gunned Down In Pulwama, Encounter Still On

Top Lashkar-e-Toiba's (LeT) commander and head of the outfit in Kashmir, Abu Dujana has been killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. Read more

4) Google Hires 16-YO Chandigarh Boy From Govt School At A Salary Of Rs 1.44 Crore Per Annum

Financial Express

Internet giant Google has reportedly hired a 16-year-old student from a government school in Chandigarh at a whopping annual salary of Rs 1.44 crore. According to a report in Hindustan Times, Harshit Sharma will join the graphics designing team of the company later this month in the United States. Read more

5) Elephants & Tigers Kill One Person Everyday In India As Humans Continue To Encroach Jungles

afp





Endangered elephants and tigers are killing one person each day in the country as man-animal conflict is on the rise. The toll is also rising as humans are increasingly squeezing their habitat. Read more
In a terrifying incident, an Airbus pilot recently made an emergency landing that saved the lives of 121 passengers and six crew members onboard. After giant hailstones shattered the plane's windscreen and caused severe damage to the jet's front, the 'blind' pilot landed the plane safely.

twitter/@olex_scherba

Captain Alexander Akopov was awarded the Ukrainian Order For Courage in his home nation after successfully landing the Airbus A320 at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on Thursday.

In #Istanbul a #Ukrainian pilot landed a #Turkish #plane w/ 121 passengers on board - heavily damaged by hail storm & with zero visibility. pic.twitter.com/AL5RMf5iR1  olexander scherba (@olex_scherba) July 28, 2017

Hailstones the size of eggs cracked the windscreen just 10 minutes after the plane took off, left a huge dent in the tourist jet, and shut down its autopilot.

The pilot, who had just taken off for Erkan, Cyprus, was given special permission to land at Ataturk airport despite it being closed for other flights due to bad weather.

Passengers broke out in applause after their pilot landed them safely on the wet runway. Captain Akopov was honoured by the Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, who conferred the Order For Courage on him.
It's the age-old debate: which platform is better at capturing photos from your smartphone? Apple's iPhone or Android's multitude phones?

Vic from his Google days! (REUTERS)

Beauty's in the eyes of the beholder, after all. And for Vic Gundotra, ex-Senior VP of Social at Google, the iPhone's camera and its ability to capture stellar images is "years ahead" of Android's camera.

Bold claim, right? But that's exactly what Gundotra posted on his Facebook page on Sunday, gushing over the iPhone 7's superior photo-taking skills, denouncing the Android's camera in the process.

Sebastiano Tomada / Children of Qayyarah / Shot on iPhone 6s

If you look at these...

Kuanglong Zhang / Udaipur City Palace / Shot on iPhone 7

... award winning images...

Ruairidh McGlynn / Ice cave in Iceland / Shot on iPhone 7

... shot across the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7, you can sort of understand Gundotra's point. And why he thinks the "end of the DSLR for most people has already arrived."

What makes iPhone 7 images superior to photos captured through Android phones?

The clear differentiator, according to Gundotra, is Apple's superior computational photography implementation. He makes the point in his Facebook post by drawing attention to the professional looking portrait shots he captured during a casual dinner -- the results of which he describes as "stunning."

Gundotra also goes on to say that he would "never use an Android phone for photos", because Android's implementation of software innovations is limited only to any supported phone camera's application layer, not really harnessing the power of the underlying hardware across the board. Apple doesn't suffer from this problem, because it manufactures its own iPhone's hardware (camera) and software (iOS). It's a unique advantage that iPhone enjoys over Android.

Apple claims more photos are taken on iPhone than any other camera in the world. Photo by Arif Jawad on iPhone 7.

Gundotra also argues in the post that any Android innovations that OEMs add on top of the vanilla OS, it can take "YEARS" for Google to allow those innovations to be accessible to other apps through the relevant APIs. This is severely limiting Google's Android camera to take as breathtaking shots as the iPhone would otherwise manage to take. In Gundotra's view, Android was doing a better job of computational photography five years ago, compared to now where it's playing second fiddle to Apple's iPhone.

Bottom line, according to Vic Gundotra? "If you truly care about great photography, you own an iPhone. If you don't mind being a few years behind, buy an Android."

Ouch, Google.
The Indian Railways partnered with Google to launch the RailTel WiFi service at railway stations in January last year, as part of the governments Digital India initiative. Commuters now have access to free WiFi at 140 stations across India.

RailTel plans to rolls out to 400 stations by 2018, bring subsidised high-speed internet to users free of charge.

In a recent interview with India Today, Google Indias head of connectivity Gulzar Azad talked about just how fast the service is. Users are allowed high-speed access when they first log on, for 30 minutes. After that, theyre connection is scaled back in order to accommodate all users on the network. The design of the network is such that in the first 30 minute time limit, we allow the user to get unfettered access, Azad says.

After the time limit is crossed, we make sure that everybody does still have internet and the net is still low latency. We are adjusting the network dynamically so that people can still access the internet but in the first half an hour they can access HD quality video streams.

"If you compare this with Wi-Fi in London and San Francisco, you will find that the Wi-Fi is better in both coverage and capacity. The Indian Railways needs to get it out to the user."

Basically, new users are given priority when they log in, for the first half hour. The can expect download speeds anywhere between 17 to 20Mbps. After that, you can still operate your messaging apps and searches, without a noticeable dip in speed. In addition, the stations have been fitted with dual-band routers in order to cope with a possibly higher demand in the future.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is reportedly dating the stunning daughter of a Dutch TV presenter. According to the Sun, the Belgian netted brunette beauty Sarah Mens, who he met on holiday in the US back in 2016. Sarah is one of five daughters born to Dutch TV host Harry Mens and his child has even watched some games in which Lukaku played for Everton in the Premier League. Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is reportedly dating the stunning daughter of a Dutch TV presenter. According to the Sun, the Belgian netted brunette beauty Sarah Mens, who he met on holiday in the US back in 2016. Sarah is one of five daughters born to Dutch TV host Harry Mens and his child has even watched some games in which Lukaku played for Everton in the Premier League.

Her father Harry said: I have heard a lot of good things said about Romelu, although I have not yet had the chance to meet him. They have been in a relationship pretty much since then, and she sits in the stands to watch him play every week.
The Biafra Zionist Federation, BZF, has announced that an interim government has been formed to run the affairs of Biafra as they revealed that south eastern states have been split from Nigeria.

The announcement was made today, July 31, by the self-acclaimed President of Biafra, Barr. Benjamin Onwuka during a press briefing in Enugu.

The Lawyer, who was arrested in Enugu in 2014 after his group stormed the Enugu State Broadcasting Service for the purpose of declaring Biafra Republic, said the interim government will last for 30 days.

Asides declaring himself the President of Biafra, He also named Prof. Pat Utomi as the foreign minister.

He said:

I am the President of Biafra; we have formed an interim government that will be in place till the next 30 days. The interim government will take off tomorrow, August 1 and last till August 31, 2017, that is 30 days. America is behind the Biafra people because former President Barrack Obama already endorsed Biafra before he left office and President Donald Trump will not go against it considering that it has formed part of Americas foreign policy.

According to Daily Post, he further named other members of the cabinet, which include; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo- Central Bank of Biafra, CBB; Prof. Pat Utomi- foreign affairs; Mrs. Aruma Oteh- finance minister; former Personal Secretary to Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu- petroleum. Others are Amarachi Ubani- information; Ohanaeze President, Chief Nnia Nwodo- Ambassador to US; Prof. Jerry Gana- transport; Labaran Maku- aviation, a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Mrs. Mary Okafor- trade and industry; Benny Lar, Secretary to the Government of the Republic; Gabriel Oluwole Osagie- education, Prof Barth Nnaji- energy; Philip Effiong Jnr.- health.

Onwuka also announced that the Israelis would hold the positions of defence, agriculture, internal affairs, Inspector General of Police and Air Force, adding that they would also take 25 percent of the civil service job in Biafra.

He said:

Israel will be key players in this government because there is so much corruption in Nigeria; so, they are coming to help us clean the system. They are coming to sweep the system. They will challenge agro-revolution and also abolish corruption very easily. Same goes for America; their companies will be in control of our oil industry. This is to reward them for what Obama did for us; Obama saved us even when we were in detention; they already passed death sentence on us even without our knowledge, but Obamas intervention saved us.

Onwuka called for all Biafrans who work in the Nigerian armed forces to withdraw and join the Biafran security forces.

He said:

I am also calling on the avengers, the militants to come out from the creeks and join us to defend and protect Biafra. Im beckoning on Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Ateke Tom to come out and join us. I am calling on all our boys in Biafra land to come out. Im not afraid, the US is with us.

He also accused the Federal Government of Nigeria of Islamizing the Biafra Republic and vowed to resist such.

He added:

The Biafra people will not allow themselves to be Islamized; 1967 will no longer be allowed to repeat itself. Apart from removing the Christian Religious Knowledge from the school curriculum, they have also banned history. This is to prevent our young ones from knowing all the things that happened in the past. This is entirely war on our people and we are not going to take it. Where there is religious conflict, the offended side will always win; the same thing will happen here

Source: YabaleftOnline
Controversial Cool FM On Air Personality, OAP, Daddy Freeze, has compared Hushpuppis viral photo in female wear to that of Jesus Christ.

He also called out the General Overseer of COZA, Pastor Fatoyinbo for always dressing like a pop star.

Posting Pastor Fatoyinbo and that of Hushpuppi on Instagram, Daddy Freeze asked which of the two Nigerian men dressed closest to the depiction we have of Jesus.

The controversial OAP also said he is a man with an open mind, who has taken time out to study the Bible.

He said when its time to collect offering, some pastors will claim to follow bible principles but when it comes to following the foot steps of Jesus, they wont.

Hide quoted text

OAP Freeze wrote, Which of these 2 Nigerian men is dressed closest to the depiction we have of Jesus?

When its time to collect tithe we are Jews, When its time to dress up, we suddenly become hip hop stars and conservative Englishmen.

Its becoming obvious who colonized our minds and its definitely not Jesus; if it were, we wont see anything wrong in hushpuppis attire.

When we ask why they dont dress like Jesus, they reply times have changed. But tithe remains constant right?

Oh yes I can go there, Im not a grass eating sheep that has lost its senses, Im a man with an open mind, who has taken time out to study the Bible, the antiquities of the Jews and many ancient texts, so as to broaden my perspective and make me immune to bullshit.

Many of our spiritual fathers, have become complacent in their teachings, and our minds have failed to evolve above their mediocrity.

The time to free ourselves from this mental bondage is now, failure to do so, is dancing with great peril.

Source: Dailypost
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that the evidence of corruption against his predecessor now Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, is so overwhelming that the Minister of Transportation admitted to them publicly, a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, his Special Assistant on Electronic Media says.

Addressing the 106th Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers in Port Harcourt on Monday, Governor Wike said that Amaechi admitted paying $39million for a non-existent Justice Karibi Whyte Mega Specialist Hospital.

He added that the Former Governor confessed publicly that he sold the States Gas Turbines, which the immediate past administration diverted the funds.

Governor Wike said: All the documents that proved Amaechis corrupt acts are authentic. We never forged documents. The former governor himself admitted that he paid out $39million to Clinotech , without a single block laid anywhere. Is that a document he claims was forged. Where is the Hospital ? He has agreed in different interviews that he sold the state gas turbines for $309million. Convert $309million United States dollars to naira and you will understand the level of fraud. Amaechi left only $204,000 in the state account. The bank statements of the pattern of withdrawals from that account are there for all to see. Can that be forged. The dates and amounts withdrawn are clearly written.

The governor berated the Minister of Transportation for engaging in the blackmail of the Supreme Court because his appeal is pending before the Apex Court over the establishment of the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

There is no time that he loses a case without blackmailing the Judiciary. He feels that the only way he can do it is to blackmail the Supreme Court. You cannot play politics with everything .

On the use of hotels for electoral fraud, the governor warned that any hotel that opens its facility for electoral fraud and malpractice will lose its operational certificate of occupancy.

Any hotel that is used to rig elections, that hotels certificate of occupancy will be withdrawn. I will not all that anymore .

He regretted that the Former Rivers State Governor has continued to work against the interest of the State, refusing to use his position as a Minister to attract benefits to the people.

Speaking further, he warned traditional rulers against working with armed gangs to cause insecurity in their communities.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and Amayanabo of Opobo, King Dandeson Jaja commended the governor for the commencement of the reconstruction of 175 public schools across the state.

He appealed to the governor to set up a process to check the sale of illicit drugs in the state.

Source: Linda Ikeji
A Hisbah Police Officer Nabahani Usman, has confirmed that the prosecution process of an Islamic teacher who was arrested for brutalizing his student has commenced.

According to Mallam Masudu Yakubu, assaulted his student for allegedly roaming around. Rariya reports the incident happened at Unguwar Sheka, Kano State.
Abayomi, who resides in Magodo area of Lagos state reportedly works with Badoo cult, he was arrested alongside two others, whose names had yet to be disclosed.

on Monday

The arrest, according to Punch Metro led to the discovery of the gangs shrine and hideout in Agbowa town, Ikorodu,

The commands spokesperson, Olarinde Famous-Cole, five buildings used by the gang have been uncovered.

He said, The team, which was led by the Commissioner of Police, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, uncovered the shrine of the dreaded cult terrorising residents of Ikorodu.

The team had earlier arrested one Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, a resident of Magodo, and he has been linked to the cult and the recent murder of the Adejare family of five, who were attacked in their one-bedroomed apartment in Oke Ota, Ibeshe Ikorodu.

The suspect confessed to know others, who own shrines in the area and led the police to the cults shrine in Agbowa town. Different ritual objects and charms were recovered in each of the five buildings in the compound which was fenced with charms to scare away intruders. The compound was always under lock and key. The police also made two different arrests as surveillance has been heightened.

The command added that efforts were being intensified to unravel more hideouts of the gang and track down other Badoo members.
On-air-personality, Uche Agbai, popularly known as Sensei Uche has revealed he has cancer.

The City 105.1FM presenter says he has been diagnosed with stage three nasal lymphoma.

Uche recalled that the condition began in December 2016 when he started losing hearing in his left ear.

The OAP said he underwent many scans before it was determined that he had cancer, adding that he had completed two courses of chemotherapy at Lakeshore Center in Lagos.

Uche said the financial burden has taken a toll on him, saying that he requires N7,560,000 ($21,000) to complete his treatment.

An open letter he posted on Instagram reads:

Hello everyone, my name is Uche Agbai, many of you may know me as SenseiUche of City 105.1FM. Those of you who do may have also noticed I have been off air for an unusually long time.

In appreciation of the concerned messages and loving support that I have received I would like to take this opportunity to explain the circumstances of my absence.

The story began sometime in December 2016. I had slowly come to realise that I was losing sense of hearing in my left ear.

With the onset of persistent nasal congestion and a recurring sore throat I sought medical attention. After visiting a number of hospitals all of whom subjected me to several tests, I was told I had simply been suffering from an infection.

I began my treatment in the hopes the symptoms would clear. The symptoms worsened and I started having severe nose bleeds. I was then advised to consult an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. After several scans, an MRI scan of my head revealed an unidentified growth in my upper nasal tract measuring 8.5cm and 3cm wide, my blood ran cold.

The discovery cast my life into limbo, suddenly confronted with several frightening prognoses; potential blindness, partial deafness, anosmia or worse. After undergoing surgery, a biopsy of the mass returned the diagnosis; cancer. Analysis of my scans would show I had a stage 3 nasal lymphoma.

To this day, I cannot quite find the words to describe the emotions of helplessness and despair that beset me. It was as though my life had suddenly and without fair warning, been brought to a screeching halt. I was advised on the high risk of my situation with the danger that the cancer could metastasise and spread to my brain. Compounded by my struggle in finding adequate medical care in Nigeria, I felt as though I was in a lopsided battle against time for my wellbeing.

It has been in no uncertain terms, thanks to the support of my family, friends, and dear colleagues at City FM that I have been managing to cope with all of this. The emotional, the physical and the financial struggles that accompany fighting such a disease are just too overwhelming for one person to hope to transcend. To those who have been there, my sincerest and deepest gratitude.

My treatment plan consists of 6 courses of chemotherapy and intermittent radiotherapy spread over a 7 month period. My fight has begun, and at the time of writing I have completed 2 courses of chemotherapy at Lakeshore Center in Lagos, with plans to receive radiotherapy in one of their affiliates abroad. With a projected cost of 21,000 USD/~16,000 GBP to complete my treatment, I wish to appeal to you all to help in my battle against cancer.

Source: Dailypost
32 suspected kidnappers and armed robbery terrorising commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna highway have been apprehended by Operatives of the Nigeria Police.

They were arrested by the operatives of the Operation Absolute Sanity deployed by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in the area about a week ago.

The Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, who paraded the men on Monday at Rijanah Divisional Police headquarters in Kaduna, explained that the first suspect, Mohammed Musa, was arrested at Gidan Busa in Kaduna while nine others were nabbed at Rijanah area of the state.

He stated that 14 of the suspects were picked up at Abuja-Kaduna highway while six others were arrested at Mararaban Jos, Aklibu village, and Birnin Gwari all in Kaduna State.

Items recovered from them included four AK47 rifles, six locally-made pump action guns and two magazines.

Some of the suspects are Musa Hassan, Mamuda Ado, Shuaibu Musa, Sani Abubakar, Shehu Ado and Abubakar Bello.

Others include Mohammed Garba, Usman Bello, Kabiru Ahmadu, Usman Gambo, Abubakar Abdullahi, Yahaya Usman and Suleiman Lawan.

The police spokesman said, Within the first week of the commencement of Operation Absolute Sanity, the suspects were arrested in their hideouts and the exhibits listed were recovered from them.

They have made confessional statements indicating the various criminal roles they played in the commission of the crime. Most of them have been identified by some of their victims. They will soon be charged to court on completion of investigation.

Moshood said the IG commended the communities and people in the towns and villages along the Abuja-Kaduna highway for their cooperation with the police personnel deployed for the operation.

The IG, however, implored commuters, travellers and other road users to support the personnel in the discharge of their responsibilities and in the implementation of other crime prevention and control strategies of the Force, he stated.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Operatives of the Nigeria Police have arrested a 51-year-old man ,identified as Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, for allegedly been in connection with the attack on a family of five in Oke Ota community, Ibeshe, Ikorodu by a ritual cult, Badoo.

Abayomi, who lives in the Magodo area of the state was said to be working with the group. He was arrested along with two others, whose names had yet to be disclosed.

PUNCH Metro learnt the arrest led to the discovery of the gangs shrine and hideout in Agbowa town, Ikorodu, on Monday.

The assailants had killed four members of a family  Rotimi Adejare, his wife, Rita, and two kids  in the early hours of Sunday. The third kid was admitted to the Ikorodu General Hospital in a critical condition.

The suspects had cut the window net of the familys apartment to gain entry, smashing a stone on the victims heads afterwards.

It was reported that the incident became known around 12pm when their church members checked on them to know why they didnt attend a special church programme held that day.

Our correspondent learnt on Monday that the only survivor had been referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba.

The Lagos State Police Command, which had earlier distanced the attack from the gang, said on Monday that three suspected members had been arrested.

The commands spokesperson, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said a joint team, comprising operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, Rapid Response Squad, Special Anti-Robbery Squad and task force personnel uncovered five buildings used by the gang.

Famous-Cole, in a statement, said a shrine and different kinds of charms were found in the buildings.

He said, The team, which was led by the Commissioner of Police, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, uncovered the shrine of the dreaded cult terrorising residents of Ikorodu.

The team had earlier arrested one Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, a resident of Magodo, and he has been linked to the cult and the recent murder of the Adejare family of five, who were attacked in their one-bedroomed apartment in Oke Ota, Ibeshe Ikorodu.

The suspect confessed to know others, who own shrines in the area and led the police to the cults shrine in Agbowa town. Different ritual objects and charms were recovered in each of the five buildings in the compound which was fenced with charms to scare away intruders. The compound was always under lock and key. The police also made two different arrests as surveillance has been heightened.

The command added that efforts were being intensified to unravel more hideouts of the gang and track down other Badoo members

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Three policemen have been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly stealing household items at the former residence of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in Gwarimpa Estate, Abuja.

It was gathered the policemen would soon face orderly room trial after which they would be dismissed from service for theft.

A source, who is familiar with the investigation into the case, said that the policemen who were guarding the residence had admitted to selling some of the items which they allegedly stole from the house.

The source identified items allegedly stolen by the policemen to include expensive furniture, television sets, refrigerators, split air conditioners, bowler hats, designer suits and some Ijaw attire.

It was learnt that the process of easing the men out of service for gross misconduct would soon be finalised.

The investigation into the theft is almost concluded and it is certain that the policemen involved in the case would be eased out of the service for gross misconduct. How can they steal what they were meant to protect? the source stated.

The Federal Capital Police Command, in a statement, said it had commenced investigation into the case, adding that preliminary investigation indicated that some items were found to be missing in the house.

The policemen who are supposed to be on guard duty at the house have been detained for questioning. Investigation to find out what actually happened is currently in progress, the statement by the police spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, said.

Meanwhile, the command has warned against unlawful protest in the FCT, noting that some disgruntled elements planned to block major roads in Abuja.

The police said while it would continue to respect the fundamental rights of citizens as stipulated in the constitution, it would not fold its arms and allow any group under whatever guise to jeopardise the peaceful atmosphere in Abuja.

Source: (Punch Newspaper )




The Enugu state command of the Nigeria Police Force in its renewed onslaught against the daredevil criminals terrorizing members of the public, intercepted a four-man robbery gang in the early hours of Monday, July 31.

Operatives of the TransEkulu Division of the Police Command encountered the suspected hoodlums after receiving a distress call in which they responded swiftly.

It was gathered that suspects, armed with a pump Action Riffle had invaded a house at Onuakpa street Transekulu where they allegedly robbed occupants of their valuables.

They were about abducting one of the occupants of the house, a 76 year old woman identified as Mercy Chijioke in her own car before the operatives arrived.

In the ensuing gun battle, one of the suspects was gunned down and later confirmed dead while others were fatally injured and arrested.

Source: Linda Ikeji
In a bid to end the suffering been experienced by residents of Borno State, who have suffered great loss.

A new fund has been set up by the United Nations ( UN ), Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, its aim primarily is to tackle the crisis-hit Northeast Nigeria caused by the destructive activities of the Boko Haram terrorists.

The UN said the fund has also allocated more than $10.5m to help thousands of women, children and men in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

The fund plays a vital role in ensuring an effective, coordinated, prioritized and principled humanitarian response, providing funding to international and national NGOs, UN agencies, funds and programmes, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent societies, with a focus on frontline responders.

To date, the NHF has received $25m in contributions and pledges, thanks to the generous support of Sweden, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Ireland, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, the Arab Gulf Program for Development, Azerbaijan, Malta and Sri Lanka.

Another allocation is expected in the coming months, the UN said.

The UN said the 10.5 million dollars allocation by the new fund  NHF  would prioritize life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable, and also expand the humanitarian assistance provided by the UN and partners to the hard-to-reach and newly accessible areas.

The humanitarian crisis in Nigerias northeast and the Lake Chad region is one of the most severe in the world today.

There are 8.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the three worst-affected Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe alone.

Of them, 6.9 million people are targeted for humanitarian assistance, the UN said.

The statement quoted Edward Kallon, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, as saying the fund will address key humanitarian challenges in the northeast.

Kallon said: This crisis has caused an untold loss of life and liberty across the north-east of Nigeria and civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.

These funds will go towards addressing some of the key priority areas in the humanitarian response that have not yet been financially supported, including the provision of safe drinking water, emergency shelter and health services to those in need.

Specifically, the 10.5 million dollars will fund about 15 different projects which were selected by the various sectors of the humanitarian response and approved by the NHF Advisory Board.

The projects target and address the needs of the most vulnerable people in locations where access is sporadic and where flooding, disease outbreaks and new displacements continue to take place.

Such places are Monguno, Mafa, Pulka and Rann in Borno and Michika in Adamawa.

The funds will also support efforts to enhance the protection of civilians in vulnerable communities and those trapped in conflict areas.

The Nigeria Humanitarian Fund contributes to the overall international humanitarian appeal for Nigeria this year for $1.05bn as detailed in the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan.

It is the fourth largest single-country appeal globally. To date, the appeal is 43 per cent funded.

The NHF is one of 18 country-based pooled funds and was launched during the Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region in February 2017, UN said.

The new Nigeria fund is managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on behalf of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria.

Source: ( NAN )
The cloud computing infrastructure marketIaaS, PaaS, and private hostingcontinues to consolidate around the four major providers, as they maintain or even grow market share at the expense of smaller providers.

AWS has continued to grow its revenues more rapidly than the overall market. In other words, AWS is the one to beat, and it will likely remain so for sometime. According to Synergy Research Groups Q2 2017 data, AWS now has 34 percent of the cloud infrastructure market share, followed by Microsoft at 11 percent, IBM at 8 percent, and Google at 5 percent.

This latest data underscores a long-term trend of consolidation, and thats something enterprises need a strategy for.

If you have picked a weak cloud provider, meaning one that has not established a sustainable market share, you could find your cloud services turned off in a few years. We already saw this happen a few years ago as several smaller IaaS providers left the market a few years ago. And it will happen again.

As a result, you could find that that the public cloud services youve depended on for years might be shut down without much notice. AWS, Google, IBM, and Microsoft are all well funded companies, so they are not likely to drop public cloud services right away if the going gets rough. But there are no guarantees. Google, for example, could one day decide that its relatively small market share isnt worth continued investment.

So, how do you protect yourself? Watching the market is one way to do it, but its impossible to predict the technology market with any degree of certainty.

A better way is to have an exit plan, including which provider to go to, how to migrate your data and applications, what the costs will be, and what the impact will be on your business. Business continuity planning was long a staple of IT management; it needs to be one for cloud management as well.
Copper Nears Important Area Taurus Trading LLC - Sat Nov 12, 11:33AM CST Watch price action between 3.9615 and 4.1167.

Elections, inflation and crop reports bring volatility Sidwell Strategies - Sat Nov 12, 11:28AM CST Black Sea Corridor Renewal ahead

Americans Are Saving Less. Heres How to Save More. Young & The Invested - Sat Nov 12, 6:00AM CST Several recent data studies show that Americans, after saving heavily during the pandemic, are starting to pull money from those savings. We discuss how to maintain healthy savings habits.

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%)
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(July 31, 2017)- After a short break, its time for the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series powered by Torque Builders Inc. to head back into battle. On Saturday, August 5, the popular open wheeled tour will tackle the venerable Flamboro Speedway, near Hamilton, Ontario.

After establishing an impressive mark of having five first-time main event winners in its first handful of 2017 shows, the series seen repeat victors in its most recent pair of events. Bill Pickford, who along with Rick Warnes and Randy Hollingsworth make-up the team of OMRS officials, says its already been a great year for the drivers and teams who run with the group.

Weve had a strong season since our first event on the calendar, Pickford said. Even our annual Test-a-Mod day at Peterborough was a success and helped introduce about 10 drivers to our exciting brand of racing. Starting with this weekends show at Flamboro, we have about a handful of events remaining on the schedule, but things have no sign of slowing down.

Pickford says there are 13 drivers registered for this years point chase, with the top seven in the standings separated by just 70 points. Parity has been a trademark of the tour since the inception of the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series and the 2017 schedule has been no exception. The series mission statement of providing a competitive, affordable racing series for racers, by racers has drawn new faces to the group, year after year.

It would be impossible to predict whether there will be another first-time winner, or if someone might pick-up their second; or even third main event victory of the year, said Pickford. The only thing that is know for sure is that the fans will see a great show when the series returns to Flamboro, Saturday, August 5th.

Ontario Modifieds Racing Series point standings

#77 Brad Stevenson 399

#41 Duane Cinnamon 378

#90 Rick Warnes 357

#64b Chris Burrows 350

#4 Connor James 349

#95 Rob Warnes 339

#62 Randy Hollingsworth 329

#90s Craig Stevenson 294

#62w Willow Barberstock 283

#63 John Baker Jr. 277

#52 Mark Gordon 273

#68 Stu Robinson Jr. 227

#99 Linc Brown 144

Fans can find full series details at www.facebook.com/OMRS. Clarke Motorsports Communications is proud to represent Ontario Modifieds Racing Series 2017 season.

Prepared by: Jim Clarke, Clarke Motorsports Communications/First Draft Media

clarkemotorsports@hotmail.com, www.facebook.com/clarkemotorsports

613.968.6410
A new levy for funding fire and emergency services has sent over $25 million in taxpayers' money up in smoke, after it had been deferred indefinitely and could end up getting scrapped.The Fire and Emergency Levy (FESL), a broad-based property tax supposed to replace a tax on insurance policies for funding the Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service, was announced in December 2015 and was set to take effect from July 01.But after it has been revealed that residential property owners would be set to pay double or triple their current amount despite being fully insured, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced in late May that FESL's launch would be deferred and signalled that it could be dumped altogether, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.Berejiklian blamed inaccurate Treasury modelling for the huge costs faced by commercial and industrial landowners under the new system.Documents obtained by the NSW opposition showed that $11.14 million was spent on grants to implement the levy, including costs relating to "classifying all land in NSW, revising and testing software and other systems, providing notices of FESL classification to landowners, and public communications costs," the report said.Meanwhile, treasury functions, including staff and contractors, advertising, and council software revision, made up $7.76 million of the costs; and a further $3.49 million was spent on salaries, advertising and other costs for the Emergency Services Levy insurance monitor.Another $1.91 million went to software and system changes in the Office of State Revenue and $1.13 million on valuation services relating to FESL set-up and implementation costs, SMH said.Shadow treasurer Ryan Park said what the Treasurer called the most significant reform of a generation... could also be the most significant waste of taxpayer funds, as he slammed the government for pulling the plug on the levy at the last minute."How can the community trust a government which stuffed the levy up  then put it on hold 'indefinitely' after squandering more than $25 million?" he told the publication. "It just beggars belief."Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the government could not implement the reform once it found that some businesses would be paying thousands of dollars a year more, which is not what we intended."The costs we have accrued so far aren't wasted  we remain committed to reducing NSW's high rates of under insurance and to making the funding of our fire and emergency services fairer, but we will take the time to get it right," he told SMH.
The new chairperson of the Treasury Select Committee has asked the Bank of Englands Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to make it known whether financial services firms are ready for Britains departure from the European Union.Nicky Morgan wrote to the PRA  which last April asked for the contingency plan summaries of the companies it regulates  to find out whether all concerned banks and insurers responded before the July 14 deadline.A BBC report said Morgan is not after firm-specific information but would appreciate if the regulator shared some details after gathering those summaries of Brexit plans. According to the report, Morgan also wants to know what key risks the industry could face in the event that no deal is agreed upon.More importantly, Morgan is interested in the firms preparedness in a no-deal situation and asked PRA for its assessment.I have also asked Mr [Sam] Woods for his views on the desirability and design of a transitional arrangement with the EU, to provide more time to negotiate and prepare for a new UK-EU economic relationship, said Morgan, as quoted by the report.Woods, PRA chief executive, has been asked to provide the information demanded by Morgan no later than August 02.
When news broke that files relating to close to 20,000 Australian consumers of health insurer Bupa had been leaked online, the insurer was quick to set the record straight.This wasnt a run-of-the-mill data breach or cyberattack. Instead, Bupa had fallen victim to a rogue employee.It was a 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 health insurer said in a statement.Of the rising threat facing the industry, Meena Wahi, a specialist cyber broker and director of Cyber Data-Risk Managers, said that with troves of personal information, the industry remains vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches and human error, and now malicious attacks from the inside.The insurance industry would be high risk for cyber and some vulnerabilities in regards hacking incidents and some malicious attempts by employees, even human error incidents, would rate high, not just as risks, but high impact incidents, Wahi told Insurance Business.Human error is often pointed to as one of the biggest reasons for a data breach but the Bupa incident shows a different type of human action can be just as damaging  and in terms of protecting clients, cyber insurance policies may not be up to the task when it comes to a deliberate, malicious, insider attack. Wahi noted that the Bupa case may fall under a crime policy rather than a cyber policy depending on the wording.Other policies may reject the incident as not being a cyber risk or cyber insurance kind of an incident. The policy wouldnt respond as it is considered a crime, Wahi continued.If an employee is disgruntled or has a history it cant be treated like a data breach or a human error kind of situation. Indeed crime policies are usually related to financial crime so they may not recognise data theft as such criminal activities.Wahi said that the Bupa example shows that policy wordings need to continue to evolve to meet the ever changing risks both clients and the industry face.I think the wordings will have to respond, Wahi said. If you are talking about data in the context of loss and compromise and theft, then we have to make it very clear or include deliberate malicious loss, theft of data under a cyber policy.Mitigation against these types of malicious attacks can come in several forms. Wahi noted that brokers can advise clients to utilise access levels and controls to ensure that data is kept secure. Using trigger controls that notify a manager when sensitive data is being downloaded can also help curb the threat, as can monitoring internal data flow.
A government-commissioned study has proposed a reform in legislation to disrupt claims farming activity that has been putting pressure in Queensland's compulsory-third party (CTP) insurance scheme.



The study into claims farming in Queensland's CTP insurance scheme, worth $1.4 billion in insurance premiums, was conducted by barrister Richard Douglas by request of the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) last year.



In the report, Douglas said it would be futile to pursue international claim farmers who try to collect information from Queensland crash victims, and recommended instead to reform legislation to quell the interaction between lawyers and such claim farmers, The Courier-Mail reported.



Search and compare product listings for CTP insurance from specialty market providers here



Claims farming  is likely to promote the making of unnecessary or fraudulent claims, Douglas wrote. Now, or in the medium term, legislative measures to stamp it out ought to be seriously considered.



In the report obtained by The Courier-Mail via Right to Information laws, Douglas wrote that while some claims farming was illegal, it may not be the case for lawyers who directly contact crash victims in Queensland.



The legislative measures  ought be focused on amplifying the disincentive for legal practitioners to engage in claims farming, he said.

Pursuit of international claim farmers is a futile exercise.



Douglas said that not only is it difficult to pursue anyone legally outside the state under Queensland laws, there is also the inability to readily garner evidence sufficient to found any prosecution.



The law already prohibits people responding to accidents, such as tow truck drivers, from urging accident victims to make a legal claim; while law firms are generally banned from paying fees to get people to make claims, the report said.



Douglas pointed out, however, that so far, no one had been prosecuted under the anti-touting laws due to the complexity of the law.



Any experienced lawyer would struggle in construing the maze of provisions. Prosecution, most probably, would be protracted and unpredictable in outcome, he said.



To stamp out claims farming, Douglas proposed having legal practitioners sign a pledge declaring they had not paid a fee for victims' contact details, and prohibiting lawyers from doing any claims farming themselves, among other measures. He also pushed for the application of the state's costs rule to non-Queensland practitioners to stop the possibility of interstate lawyers from teaming up with claims farmers, the report said.



Douglas did not say in the report where claims farmers are getting their information on crash victims, although he mentioned that social media was one possible source. He also noted that some submissions claimed without evidence that police, hospital, and CTP staff may be a paid source of contacts.



A letter from MAIC last year suggested that insurers themselves were the source of the leaks. A number of recent calls to the MAIC enquiry line suggest that perhaps accident information is being obtained from the records of comprehensive motor insurers. These claims were passed on to insurers which MAIC said it was not aware whether this information has led to any action or outcomes.



The Courier-Mail said it spoke to six insurers, including Suncorp and Budget Direct, none of which had struck problems with leaks of internal information.



Our analysis from customer feedback is that most claims farmers are simply cold calling with no information, hoping to randomly find someone that has had a recent motor accident, a Suncorp spokesman told the publication.

When the claims farmer does know the customer has been in an accident the details are generally wrong, which indicates that the source is unlikely to be insurance records.





Related stories:

QLDS CTP scheme holds the most uncertainty of states - Suncorp

NSW aims to slash insurers super profits
Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc., headquartered in East Providence, R.I., has promoted Sean Cottrell and Elizabeth Lowe to senior vice president of Starkweather & Shepley.

Cottrell is the practice leader for the Human Service practice group, as well as Starkweathers Benefits Solutions sales manager. He joined Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc. in 2006, starting as an account executive after graduating from the University of Rhode Island.

Lowe is based out of the brokerages Westwood, Mass., office. She is also the practice group leader of Starkweathers Real Estate Risk Solutions, an industry specific practice group focused solely on assisting and guiding Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Private Equity Investment firms and other large real estate owners, managers and developers toward successful and efficient risk solutions faced by the complex real estate marketplace. Additionally, Lowe and the Starkweather Real Estate Solutions team are specialists in aiding these same clients in navigating construction, development and environmental exposures.

Prior to joining Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc., Lowe was a senior risk management consultant at Robert M. Currey & Associates of Boston, Mass., where she worked for more than seven years.

Source: Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc.

Topics Agencies
When Anbang Insurance Group Co. agreed to buy New Yorks iconic Waldorf Astoria hotel for $1.95 billion in 2014, the world took notice. It was a defining moment in the global rise of China Inc., a deal that would help kick off one of the greatest acquisition sprees in history.

But now the Waldorf, along with more than $10 billion of Anbangs other deals, could become symbols of corporate Chinas rapidly shrinking global ambitions. Chinese authorities have asked the embattled insurer to sell its offshore assets and bring the proceeds back home, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the details are private.

The unprecedented request marks an escalation of Chinas clampdown on its biggest overseas dealmakers, which until now has focused on slowing the pace of new takeovers and prodding domestic lenders to pay more attention to their exposure. While theres no indication that the four other active acquirers singled out by Chinas banking regulator in June face similar pressure, the Anbang request underscores President Xi Jinpings determination to rein in debt-fueled investments and restrict capital outflows before a key leadership reshuffle later this year.

Anbangs days as one of Chinas most influential firms are clearly over, and asset sales are part of that transformation, said Christopher Beddor, an associate at political risk consulting firm Eurasia Group. Its abundantly clear that the power of the state is increasing vis-a-vis private firms.

Another Setback

For Anbang, its another setback in what has been a remarkable fall from grace. The company rose from obscurity to global prominence in just over a decade until its chairman, Wu Xiaohui, was detained by investigators in June, becoming the most high-profile target of an industrywide crackdown on risky investment practices.

Its not clear yet how Anbang will respond to the governments request on overseas asset sales, said the people, who didnt mention the Waldorf Astoria or any other specific foreign holdings. Anbang hasnt received such a request and at present has no plans to sell its overseas assets, the company said in an emailed statement.

Anbangs Deal Spree Leaves It With These Assets Around Globe

Anbangs October 2014 agreement to buy the Waldorf, which set a price record in the American hotel industry, catapulted the once-obscure insurer onto the global stage. Over the next two years, Anbang bought real estate and financial services companies in Asia, Europe and North America, including Strategic Hotels & Resorts and an office building in midtown Manhattan to house Anbangs U.S. headquarters.

The insurers rise was fueled by sales of lucrative investment products that offered among the highest yields in the industry. But Anbangs buying binge fizzled as Chinese authorities cracked down on such products this year, part of a wider campaign to rein in financial risks before the Communist Partys twice-a-decade leadership reorganization.

Authorities clearly do not want other insurance companies to copy Anbangs growth model, which relies on short-term products, said Steven Lam, a Hong Kong-based analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. The signal from the government is very strong on proper asset-liability management and being responsible to policyholders.

In June, Chinese regulators stepped up scrutiny of other serial dealmakers such as HNA Group Co., Fosun International Ltd. and Dalian Wanda Group Co., asking banks to report their exposures to the companies. At a conference on financial regulation convened by President Xi in July, policy makers pledged to rein in corporate borrowing and said that preventing systemic risk was an eternal theme.

Chinese acquisitions, even by firms under regulatory scrutiny, havent completely come to a standstill. On Friday, Shanghai-based Fosun, whose businesses range from insurance to pharmaceuticals, said it agreed to team up with a state-backed dairy producer to buy French margarine maker St Hubert for 625 million euros ($733 million). HNA, which has taken on least $73 billion of debt as it transformed from a small regional carrier into a global conglomerate, recently announced it will buy the operator of one of Brazils busiest airports.

Still, the pace of deals has fallen dramatically. After a record $246 billion of announced outbound takeovers in 2016, cross-border purchases plunged during the first half of this year. Announced Chinese acquisitions of overseas assets fell 37 percent to $99.9 billion, from $157.9 billion in the same period last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

As the governments tolerance for debt-funded deals wanes, some firms have already begun selling assets. Wanda, led by billionaire Wang Jianlin, agreed in July to sell most of its Chinese theme parks and hotels for $9.4 billion.

Potential Buyers

Anbangs U.S. assets, which in addition to the Waldorf Astoria include trophy properties such as New Yorks JW Marriott Essex House and the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, may be attractive to sovereign wealth funds because of their prestigious profile, said Lukas Hartwich, a lodging analyst at Green Street Advisors LLC. Blackstone Group LP, which sold Anbang the bulk of the insurers U.S. real estate and has previously bought back assets it sold near market tops, would also be an obvious candidate as an acquirer, Hartwich said. A Blackstone representative declined to comment.

These are mostly really nice hotels, Hartwich said. The Waldorf is more of a turnaround play to return the hotel to its former glory.

If China exerts strong pressure to sell, whoever buys is likely to negotiate a discount. All the potential acquirers know theres blood in the water and thats not usually a strong bargaining position to be in as a seller, Hartwich said.

The Waldorf Astoria may potentially be appealing to a residential developer. Anbang shut the hotel down in March to convert most of the property into luxury condominiums. Christopher Nassetta, chief executive of the hotels manager, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., said on the companys earnings call last week that the project is on track. He said Anbang has told Hilton it has the financial capability to complete the conversion, which is scheduled to take about three years. The market for New York luxury condos has softened as the supply of such properties mushroomed.

Hilton is unlikely to buy back the Waldorf, having spun off its real estate into Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. in January. Park Hotels is focused on internal growth and New York isnt one of the spinoffs key expansion markets.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics USA New York China
As Anbang Insurance Group Co. comes under pressure to reverse a $10 billion-plus global deal spree, a quick selldown of assets may not be so easy.

China is said to have asked the acquisitive insurer to sell its overseas assets, which include a formidable array of holdings spanning trophy hotels in the U.S. to financial firms in Europe and Asia. When it comes to holdings in financial firms  like insurers or banks  delays could include national regulators wanting to vet sales processes. Many of the firms assets are illiquid and cant be unloaded quickly without losses, said Christopher Beddor, an associate at Eurasia Group.

A fire-sale might spook the companys policyholders or prove politically embarrassing to Chinese officials, Beddor said.

Chinese authorities have asked Anbang to sell assets and bring the proceeds back home, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. Anbang hasnt received such a request and at present has no plans to sell its overseas assets, the company said in an emailed statement.

The single biggest asset acquired by Anbang: Chicago-based firm Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc., which Anbang acquired in a deal valued at about $6.5 billion. The group boasts hotels such as San Franciscos Westin St. Francis and JW Marriott Essex House in New York, the Manhattan hotel near Central Park known for the red-lettered sign on its roof.

Also eye-catching: New Yorks landmark Waldorf Astoria, bought for $1.95 billion, but now closed for renovations that will convert most of the property into luxury condominiums. High-profile sites in the U.S. also include the Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, site of Anbangs U.S. headquarters, which the firm acquired from Blackstone Group LP.

The stakes in financial firms include Tongyang Life Insurance Co. in South Korea and a bank and an insurer in Belgium.

Some analysts already have ideas about potential contenders, including Blackstone, the worlds largest manager of alternative assets, which previously owned some of the U.S. holdings. Lukas Hartwich, at Green Street Advisors LLC, pointed to sovereign wealth funds and Blackstone as potential purchasers of leading hotels. He called the Waldorf Astoria more of a turnaround play to return the hotel to its former glory.

In the case of at least one business, in South Korea, a legal dispute may be an extra complication. In June, Yuanta Securities (Korea) disclosed that Anbang and the former owners of Tongyang Life Insurance were arguing in an international arbitration court in Hong Kong over money allegedly owed under a sales and purchase agreement. Facing a claim for 59.7 billion won ($53 million), Anbang responded with a counter-claim for 698 billion won, Yuanta, one of the parties to the case, said.

Large assets held by Anbang include:

Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc., based in Chicago 100 percent owned Deal valued at about $6.5 billion at time of agreement Acquired September 2016 Owns about 15 hotels, including marquee assets like San Franciscos Westin St. Francis (valued at $1 billion by Real Capital Analytics Inc.), JW Marriott Essex House in New York ($705 million) and the InterContinental Chicago ($508 million)

Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York 100 percent owned Paid $1.95 billion Acquired February 2015 Condo conversion started in March will take about three years

InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust, one of Canadas largest hotel owners Stated acquirer was Bluesky Hotels & Resorts Inc., which may have ties to Anbang, people with knowledge of the matter said at the time Paid C$2.1 billion ($1.6 billion) Acquired May 2016

Vivat NV, Utrecht, Netherlands Paid 1 euro for initial acquisition, agreed to invest 1.35 billion euros [US$1.6 billion] to recapitalize company Acquired July 2015 Anbang used Vivat to purchase more than 500 million euros of office properties in cities including Amsterdam and Utrecht from Blackstone Group LP, people with knowledge of the matter said in October 2016 The Dutch unit also acquired $1.1 billion of residential mortgages from Rabobank in deal announced in March 2016

Tongyang Life Insurance Co. in South Korea Paid more than 1.1 trillion won ($969 million) for controlling stake Acquired in September 2015

Bentall Centre in Vancouver 100 percent owned, bought in two stages Terms not disclosed Agreed in May 2016 to buy remaining 33 percent in a deal valuing the complex at more than C$1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter

Fidea NV, Antwerp, Belgium Paid 369 million euros [US$434.3 million] Acquired May 2015

717 Fifth Avenue in New York, Anbangs U.S. headquarters Office portion 100 percent owned Paid about $415 million Acquired around May 2015

Delta Lloyd Bank, Brussels, Belgium Paid 206 million euros [US$242.4 million] Acquired July 2015, now known as Nagelmackers

70 York Street in Toronto, 17-story office building 100 percent owned Paid C$110 million [[US$88.1 million] Acquired September 2015

Allianz SEs insurance operations in South Korea Paid 1.6 million euros  Acquired in December 2016.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics USA New York China
Scientists are sucking carbon dioxide from the air with giant fans and preparing to release chemicals from a balloon to dim the suns rays as part of a climate engineering push to cool the planet.

Backers say the risky, often expensive projects are urgently needed to find ways of meeting the goals of the Paris climate deal to curb global warming that researchers blame for causing more heatwaves, downpours and rising sea levels.

The United Nations says the targets are way off track and will not be met simply by reducing emissions for example from factories or cars  particularly after U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of the 2015 pact.

They are pushing for other ways to keep temperatures down.

In the countryside near Zurich, Swiss company Climeworks began to suck greenhouse gases from thin air in May with giant fans and filters in a $23 million project that it calls the worlds first commercial carbon dioxide capture plant.

Worldwide, direct air capture research by a handful of companies such as Climeworks has gained tens of millions of dollars in recent years from sources including governments, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the European Space Agency.

If buried underground, vast amounts of greenhouse gases extracted from the air would help reduce global temperatures, a radical step beyond cuts in emissions that are the main focus of the Paris Agreement.

Climeworks reckons it now costs about $600 to extract a ton of carbon dioxide from the air and the plants full capacity due by the end of 2017 is only 900 tons a year. Thats equivalent to the annual emissions of only 45 Americans.

And Climeworks sells the gas, at a loss, to nearby greenhouses as a fertilizer to grow tomatoes and cucumbers and has a partnership with carmaker Audi, which hopes to use carbon in greener fuels.

Jan Wurzbacher, director and founder of Climeworks, says the company has planet-altering ambitions by cutting costs to about $100 a ton and capturing one percent of global man-made carbon emissions a year by 2025.

Since the Paris Agreement, the business substantially changed, he said, with a shift in investor and shareholder interest away from industrial uses of carbon to curbing climate change.

But penalties for factories, power plants and cars to emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere are low or non-existent. It costs 5 euros ($5.82) a ton in the European Union.

And isolating carbon dioxide is complex because the gas makes up just 0.04 percent of the air. Pure carbon dioxide delivered by trucks, for use in greenhouses or to make drinks fizzy, costs up to about $300 a ton in Switzerland.

Other companies involved in direct air capture include Carbon Engineering in Canada, GlobalThermostat in the United States and Skytree in the Netherlands, a spinoff of the European Space Agency originally set up to find ways to filter out carbon dioxide breathed out by astronauts in spacecrafts.

Not Science Fiction

The Paris Agreement seeks to limit a rise in world temperatures this century to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), ideally 1.5C (2.7F) above pre-industrial times.

But U.N. data show that current plans for cuts in emissions will be insufficient, especially without the United States, and that the world will have to switch to net negative emissions this century by extracting carbon from nature.

Riskier geo-engineering solutions could be a backstop, such as dimming the worlds sunshine, dumping iron into the oceans to soak up carbon, or trying to create clouds.

Among new university research, a Harvard geo-engineering project into dimming sunlight to cool the planet set up in 2016 has raised $7.5 million from private donors. It plans a first outdoor experiment in 2018 above Arizona.

If you want to be confident to get to 1.5 degrees you need to have solar geo-engineering, said David Keith, of Harvard.

Keiths team aims to release about 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of sun dimming material, perhaps calcium carbonate, from a high-altitude balloon above Arizona next year in a tiny experiment to see how it affects the microphysics of the stratosphere.

I dont think its science fiction  to me its normal atmospheric science, he said.

Some research has suggested that geo-engineering with sun-dimming chemicals, for instance, could affect global weather patterns and disrupt vital Monsoons.

And many experts fear that pinning hopes on any technology to fix climate change is a distraction from cuts in emissions blamed for heating the planet.

Relying on big future deployments of carbon removal technologies is like eating lots of dessert today, with great hopes for liposuction tomorrow, Christopher Field, a Stanford University professor of climate change, wrote in May.

Jim Thomas of ETC Group in Canada, which opposes climate engineering, said direct air capture could create the illusion of a fix that can be used cynically or naively to entertain policy ideas such as overshoot' of the Paris goals.

But governments face a dilemma. Average surface temperatures are already about 1C (1.8F) above pre-industrial levels and hit record highs last year.

Were in trouble, said Janos Pasztor, head of the new Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Project. The question is not whether or not there will be an overshoot but by how many degrees and for how many decades.

Faced with hard choices, many experts say that extracting carbon from the atmosphere is among the less risky options. Leaders of major economies, except Trump, said at a summit in Germany [in July] that the Paris accord was irreversible.

Barking Mad

Raymond Pierrehumbert, a professor of physics at Oxford University, said solar geo-engineering projects seemed barking mad.

By contrast, he said carbon dioxide removal is challenging technologically, but deserves investment and trial.

The most natural way to extract carbon from the air is to plant forests that absorb the gas as they grow, but that would divert vast tracts of land from farming. Another option is to build power plants that burn wood and bury the carbon dioxide released.

Carbon Engineering, set up in 2009 with support from Gates and Murray Edwards, chairman of oil and gas group Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, has raised about $40 million and extracts about a ton of carbon dioxide a day with turbines and filters.

Were mainly looking to synthesize fuels for markets such as California with high carbon prices, said Geoffrey Holmes, business development manager at Carbon Engineering.

But he added that the Paris Agreement helps with longer-term options of sucking large amounts from the air.

Among other possible geo-engineering techniques are to create clouds that reflect sunlight back into space, perhaps by using a mist of sea spray.

That might be used locally, for instance, to protect the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, said Kelly Wanser, principal director of the U.S.-based Marine Cloud Brightening Project.

Among new ideas, Wurzbacher at Climeworks is sounding out investors on what he says is the first offer to capture and bury 50 tons of carbon dioxide from the air, for $500 a ton.

That might appeal to a company wanting to be on forefront of a new green technology, he said, even though it makes no apparent economic sense.

($1 = 0.9538 Swiss francs) ($1 = 0.8593 euros)

(Editing by Anna Willard)

Related:

Topics USA Europe Climate Change Canada
A Chinese court has ruled that a transgender man was unjustly dismissed by a former employer, the plaintiff said Thursday [July 27], in the countrys first such discrimination lawsuit.

The 29-year-old man, who identifies himself only as Mr. C to protect his parents privacy, said the verdict by a district court in the southwestern city of Guiyang ruled his employment rights were violated. It ordered his previous employer, Ciming Checkup, pay him the equivalent of $297.

Short of a formal apology from Ciming, I think this lawsuit has achieved its purpose, Mr. C told The Associated Press.

Its never been about money, he said. We hope, through this case, people in similar situations will realize they have a right, and we hope it will eventually result in a workplace anti-discrimination law.

The court said no one was available to speak about the case. Ciming did not respond to APs requests for comment. Mr. C provided a copy of the verdict to the AP.

While still relatively conservative, Chinese society, especially the younger generation, has become more accepting of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in recent years. In 2001, the Chinese Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders, although LGBT legal protections and concepts such as gay marriage remain foreign to most in positions of authority.

Still, the increased social acceptance has encouraged some members of sexual and gender minorities to come forward and demand their legal rights, with mixed results.

In 2014, a Beijing court ruled forced conversion therapy intended to change sexual preferences from gay to straight to be illegal. Earlier this year, a court in the central province of Henan ordered a public mental hospital to issue a public apology and pay $375 in compensation after forcing conversion therapy upon a gay man.

Yet, a court in the southern province of Hunan shot down an attempt by a gay couple to register their marriage in April 2016.

China has no law addressing employment discrimination, and efforts are ongoing to enact laws protecting minorities in the workplace.

Mr. C filed the lawsuit after an arbitration council last year ruled against his claim that he had been unfairly fired by the medical testing center.

In a May 2016 interview with the AP, Mr. C said he decided to sue the company because he felt that someone had to do it when many people were unwilling or dare not to speak up about their employment rights.

The court ruled in December that he was improperly dismissed but found no evidence that he was discriminated against because he was transgender.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Talent China
The North Dakota Insurance Department has released a guide showing which air ambulance companies operating in North Dakota have contractual agreements (in-network) with the states three major health insurance companies  Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, Sanford Health Plan and Medica.

The release of the guide follows the April signing of Senate Bill 2231, regarding the regulation of how insurance companies pay for air ambulance services in North Dakota. The bill also requires that beginning Aug. 1 hospitals notify patients in non-emergency situations of the network status of air ambulance companies with the patients health insurance provider.

Air ambulance has become a more frequently used mode of transport for individuals needing medical care, even in non-emergency situations. Despite a patient having health insurance, often times they are then faced with large, unexpected bills for the full cost of the flight or the balance left after a partial payment is made by the patients insurance company, a practice known as balance billing.

Insurance does not cover the full cost of an air ambulance when the ambulance provider does not have a contract with the patients health plan.

From 2013 through July 2017, the Department has received 32 complaints totaling $1.77 million in charges for air ambulance services. Based upon these complaints, each air ambulance ride has costed the consumer $55,341 on average. Consumers in North Dakota have reported being billed amounts ranging from $18-$83,613. However, these numbers dont include the hundreds of complaints that have been made directly to insurance companies regarding air ambulance services.

The Air Ambulance Participation Guide can be found at www.nd.gov/ndins.
A new lawsuit accuses Wells Fargo & Co. of racketeering violations and fraud after the bank admitted to charging several hundred thousand borrowers for auto insurance they did not ask for or need, causing many delinquencies.

The proposed class action filed on Sunday in San Francisco federal court deepens the fallout from the latest bad practice uncovered at Wells Fargo.

It follows the scandal in which the third-largest U.S. bank has said employees created as many as 2.1 million unauthorized customer accounts to meet sales goals.

Wells Fargo said late last week it would refund about $80 million to an estimated 570,000 customers who were wrongly charged for auto insurance from 2012 to 2017, including roughly 20,000 whose vehicles were repossessed.

The San Francisco-based bank made its announcement less than three hours after The New York Times wrote about an internal report prepared for executives that detailed improper charges.

Wells Fargo said it halted the charges last September after customers expressed concerns.

But according to the lawsuit, refunds to defrauded customers are not enough.

Wells Fargo has long lost the right to decide what is best for its customers, Roland Tellis, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in an interview.

Refunds dont address the fraud or inflated premiums, the delinquency charges, and the late fees, he added. It will be up to a jury or court to decide the appropriate remedy.

Wells Fargo spokeswoman Catherine Pulley declined to comment on the lawsuit, but in an email added: We are very sorry for the inconvenience this caused impacted customers and we are in the process of notifying them and making things right.

The lawsuit is led by Paul Hancock, a 34-year-old marketing consultant from Indianapolis.

He said Wells Fargo charged him $598 for insurance though he repeatedly told the bank he had coverage from Allstate, and imposed a late fee after the unnecessary policy took effect.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, which could be tripled under federal racketeering law, for borrowers nationwide, and in California and Indiana.

If refunding premiums was just the start, this could be a nine-figure case, Tellis said.

Wells Fargos accounts scandal resulted in $185 million of regulatory penalties and a $142 million settlement of private litigation, and cost former Chief Executive John Stumpf his job.

The case is Hancock v Wells Fargo & Co et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 17-04324.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr and Tom Brown)

Topics Lawsuits Auto Fraud
The number of violent attacks and incidents of bullying in American public schools has gone down in recent years, according to a federal report published Thursday.

Violence and bullying were more frequent in middle schools than in high schools or elementary schools, said the study by the Education Departments National Center for Education Statistics.

The report said the rate of violent incidents in middle schools dropped from 40 incidents per 1,000 students in the 2009-2010 school year to 27 incidents in 2015-2016. Bullying in middle schools was observed in 39 percent of schools in 2009-2010, compared to 22 percent last school year.

In 2009-2010, when the previous such survey was conducted, about 46 percent of schools reported that their students were threatened without a weapon and 8 percent with a weapon, compared to 39 percent and 9 percent respectively during the last school year.

Substance abuse stayed unchanged. Last school year, 25 percent of schools reported at least one drug-related incident, same as in the previous study.

The survey was based on a random sample of some 3,500 schools. It did not provide an explanation for the trends.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A U.S. district judge in Texas has sentenced a former postal employee to 21 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to defraud the Department of Labors (DOL) Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP)

U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas reported that on July 27 U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay also ordered Tonya Evans, 52, to pay $98,888.73 in restitution.

Evans and co-defendant, McArthur Baker, 69, both of Dallas, were each convicted following a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay on one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. with respect to claims and one count of false statements or fraud to obtain federal employees compensation.

Baker was sentenced in March 2017 to 21 months in federal prison.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Baker and Evans engaged in a scheme to receive kickbacks in exchange for their completion of falsified medical documentation that was used by co-conspirators to defraud DOLs OWCP. Baker also falsified forms related to travel he purportedly made for medical services, and as a result, received funds from DOL to which he was not entitled.

Evans began working for the U.S. Postal Service in November 1985; she worked as a clerk primarily with the parcel post distribution machine. She filed disability claims in August 2001, August 2003, and August 2008 claiming that she suffered from various injuries. As a result of these claims, Evans was placed on workers compensation in 2001. She received more than $340,000 in workers comp payments. In March 2010, she applied for disability retirement that was approved in October 2011.

Baker began working for the U.S. Postal Service in 1982; he was assigned to work as a mail handler equipment operator. Between 1984 and 2007, Baker filed eight different claims for disability, claiming he suffered from various injuries.

As a result of these claims, Baker stopped working in approximately December 2007. He never returned to work but continued to receive disability compensation from December 2007 until at least October 2009. He received more than $68,000 in workers comp payments. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in October 2009 but he continued to receive disability medical care paid for through DOL, and he continues to be eligible for disability medical care.

Convicted co-conspirator, Larry Washington, was a licensed professional counselor and ran several businesses known as AAA Mental Health LLC, Mind Spa Inc., Solutions Health and Rehabilitation, and Convergence Emergence Diversion.

Through these businesses, Washington purportedly provided patients with counseling, pain management, chiropractic services, physical therapy, and massage services. His patients were former postal and Veterans Administration employees who had suffered on-the-job injuries and were eligible to receive medical services and workers compensation related to those injuries.

Earlier this year, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced in May 2016 to 78 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $7.7 million in restitution.

To maintain and enhance his billings with OWCP, Washington asked claimants, including Baker and Evans, to falsify medical documentation, called mood inventories, that indicated they had received services on days they had not. Baker and Evans completed numerous mood inventory forms that contained false information about the days on which Baker and Evans received treatment from Washington or someone working for Washington. Baker and Evans received approximately $100 for each form they completed.

Over the course of the fraud, Baker received a total of at least $3,000 from Washington; Evans received at least $6,000.

As a result of Bakers falsified documentation, Washington was able to fraudulently bill $105,125 from OWCP. As a result of Evans falsified documentation, Washington was able to bill $202,438 from OWCP.

In addition to Baker and Evans, 20 claimants, four doctors or medical providers, a senior claims examiner at DOL, a claims representative, a Postal employee detailed to the Postal Service Health Resource Management Office, and a medical providers employee were charged and convicted in the scheme.

In total, the defendants were able to collectively fraudulently bill the federal government through the OWCP for more than $9.5 million and receive more than $8.7 million in government payments based on their fraudulent billing. The DOL made approximately $11.4 million in payments to these claimants for their compensation and medical services.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, with assistance from Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Treasury Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General/Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl, Nicole Dana and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Bray prosecuted.

Source: U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Texas

Related:

Topics USA Texas Claims Workers' Compensation Fraud Washington Medical Professional Liability
A trucking company has agreed to pay $11 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of a South Carolina trucker who burned to death last year after colliding with a gasoline tanker that was blocking a rural highway in the dark.

Eagle Transport Corp. recently settled a lawsuit filed by the widow of Kenneth Avis of Georgetown, news outlets reported. The 48-year-old father of two was driving an 18-wheeler in the early hours of Aug. 19, when he came over a hill, spotted the tanker and slammed on the brakes.

The estates attorneys say Avis truck was going about 25 mph when it hit the tanker, which was loaded with 8,800 gallons of gasoline.

The Orangeburg County collision caused both trucks to burst into flames.

The fire was so hot, the tanker melted and they had to repave the road, said attorney Cheryl Perkins.

The lawsuit alleged the tankers driver, David Gullikson of Hephzibah, Georgia, was high on drugs and wasnt properly trained. He had stopped in his lane and was attempting to back up onto an intersecting road, across Avis path.

Gullikson was not injured. He was charged last month with reckless homicide and remains in jail. Orangeburg County court records do not list an attorney.

Gullikson tested positive after the accident for amphetamine and methamphetamine, according to the lawsuit.

An arrest warrant accuses him of operating the vehicle with reckless disregard for the safety of others.

It wasnt until our guy was up on him that he could see the tanker trailer was perpendicular to the tractor and going across the road, Avis attorney John Eric Fulda told The State newspaper of Columbia . It was like trying to back your boat into a boat landing, then turn around and go the other way.

Gullikson could have turned around in a nearby parking lot, Fulda said.

Eagle Transport, based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, did not admit fault in the settlement.

Avis estate will receive $7.2 million, including $2.4 million to be paid to future descendants over several decades. The remaining $3.8 million covers attorney fees and court costs.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Trucking South Carolina
A plant that produces agricultural chemicals caught fire Saturday in southwest Alabama, blanketing the area with potentially hazardous smoke and prompting an order for people to stay inside.

Police said the fire began before dawn at a factory operated by Tiger-Sul Products, and crews were still on the scene hours later. No injuries were reported.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks told WALA-TV that sulfur was burning in a warehouse, and 200 to 300 residents nearest the plant were asked to stay inside their homes as a precaution.

It is extremely hard to breathe near the warehouse, Brooks said.

The Tiger-Sul website said it produces products including agricultural sulfur, which can cause skin irritation and breathing problems if inhaled. Company officials did not return an email message seeking comment.

Sheriffs officials closed part of U.S. 31 because of the smoke and diverted traffic to Interstate 65.

The plant is located about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Mobile in a town of about 10,000 people.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Agribusiness Alabama Chemicals
Tropical Storm Emily churned ashore near Tampa Bay on Monday, starting a trek across the peninsula amid drenching rains and fears of scattered street flooding that prompted the governor to declare nearly half of Floridas counties in a state of emergency.

The National Hurricane Center said the ill-defined storm that sprang suddenly out of the Gulf of Mexico reached Floridas central Gulf Coast late Monday morning and was moving eastward at 9mph (15 kph). The Miami-based center said Emily was expected to weaken to a tropical depression while crossing Florida and then head out into the Atlantic.

The Florida Highway Patrol closed the towering Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay on Monday morning because of high winds from Emily, which had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) as it crawled ashore. Sgt. Steve Gaskins urged motorists in an email to seek other routes after gusts at the bridge were clocked at more than 60 mph (95 kph).

At 11 a.m. EDT Monday, Emily was centered about 35 miles (55 kilometers) southwest of Tampa and moving east at 9 mph (15 kph). Forecasters said Emily was expected to dump between 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 millimeters) of rain through Monday night between the Tampa bay area and Naples, with isolated amounts up to 8 inches (200 millimeters) in spots. Lesser amounts were predicted elsewhere.

A flood watch is in effect for much of the Tampa area, raising the threat of some scattered street flooding in low-lying areas. A few Tampa area communities, such as Pinellas Park and Tarpon Springs, offered residents sandbags to stave off any flooding.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Monday to declare a state of emergency for 31 of the states 67 counties as the rains settled in. He headed to the states Emergency Operations Center for a briefing on the storm and issued a news release urging those in the path of the storm to be vigilant as it crosses Florida. Forecasters were also warning of possible isolated tornadoes and offshore waterspouts from the system, which was already sending swirling rain bands across large areas of south Florida.

A tropical storm warning was in effect from the Anclote River to Bonita Beach on the Gulf Coast as the storm came ashore.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Florida Flood Windstorm
Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has named Jason VanderYacht a vice president within its energy and marine group.

VanderYacht will be based in Los Angeles, Calif.

He has experience covering an array of marine risks and a specialty in cargo insurance and surety solutions. VanderYacht was an account executive with specialty insurance brokerage Roanoke Trade prior to joining Alliant. Before that he was a multiline claims adjuster with Capital Insurance Group.

Newport Beach, Calif.-based Alliant provides property/casualty, workers compensation, employee benefits, surety and financial products and services.

Topics California Alliant
Roughly one-in-three prescription drugs currently dispensed to injured workers in California will be no longer require authorization prior to dispensing under the states proposed workers compensation prescription drug formulary, according to a new study.

The new formulary creates more efficiency and puts California on par with only a few states that are starting to recognize the value they bring to the workers comp system, according to Alex Swedlow, president of the California Workers Compensation Institute, which conducted the study.

Formularies are just now beginning to gain traction in other jurisdictions, said Swedlow, who has been talking about the benefits of establishing a drug formulary in California for several years.

Swedlow called the formulary an important first step to improve the quality of medical treatments and reduce the frictional costs of oversight.

The California Division of Workers Compensation is ready to introduce regulations governing the new formulary, which was created in 2015 though the passage of Assembly Bill 1124. The bill was signed by the governor in October 2015. It passed in the state Senate without opposition and it saw limited opposition in the Assembly.

The new law is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2018. The DWC issued modified proposed regulations in mid-July, which included moving the effective date and changing the preferred/non-preferred drug designations to exempt/non-exempt to align with how the designations affect the prospective utilization review status of the drug.

A 15-day public comment period on the formulary ends on Wednesday. The public can submit written comments on the proposed regulations to the DWC until 5 p.m. that day.

The purpose of the formulary is aimed at improving quality of care by assuring that the drugs provided to injured workers meet evidence-based medicine standards, as well as to reduce delays and frictional costs associated with disputes over requests for pharmaceuticals.

The regulations proposed by the state include a formulary drug list based on the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicines pharmaceutical formulary.

The CWCI analysis, which is available to members and subscribers of the group in the research section of the institutes website or for purchase through the CWCI store, examines the impact of the proposed formulary on current prescribing patterns and the workers comp medical dispute resolution process. CWCI researchers modeled 650,000 prescriptions and other proprietary databases against the terms of the proposed regulations.

One finding that stands out in the study is that 31 percent of the prescription drugs dispensed to California injured workers last year are on the proposed exempt drug list and could be dispensed without pre-authorization.

Drugs on the exempt list include anti-inflammatories and ulcer related drugs, which are considered low risk.

Swedlow said exceptions like this could help reduce pressure on the states independent medical review and utilization review processes.

What we found was about one-in-five utilization reviews are for these exempt drugs, so we would experience some reductions in that category of utilization review, Swedlow said.

Prior CWCI studies have shown that nearly 45 percent of URs and nearly half of IMRs were for pharmaceuticals.

The proposed formulary exempts 15 special-fill drugs, which allow a four-day supply following an injury if prescribed or dispensed at the first medical visit within seven days, and 14 perioperative drugs that can be dispensed four days prior to surgery and up to four days after surgery.

The authors of the study say the proposed formulary will help ensure that drugs provided to injured workers meet evidence-based medicine standards while reducing disputes over prescription drug requests.

An analysis of SB 1124 conducted as the bill worked its way through Legislature drew upon existing formularies in Texas and Washington as examples.

The Texas formulary was phased in beginning in 2011, and it had an immediate impact. In the first year, non-formulary drug payments fell by 82 percent, according to the analysis.

Washington implemented its formulary in 2004, and it also had a significant effect on the utilization and cost of workers comp prescription drugs, according to the analysis, which drew on a 2011 WCRI study that found average prescription payments per claim in Washington were significantly lower than the median cost in 17 other states.

Related:

Topics California Legislation Workers' Compensation Washington Drugs
The reports author, from the Danish Ministry of Finance, tells ITR - in his personal capacity - that more robust policies are needed to tackle what is a serious global problem.
Un ottobre da sogno per Antonio Conte: lex ct della Nazionale italiana, attualmente alla guida del Chelsea, nelle ultime quattro gare di Premier League ha collezionato solo successi, conditi da 11 reti segnate e addirittura nessuna incassata. Numeri da record che non sono certo passati inosservati alla Federazione inglese, la quale ha conferito al tecnico leccese lambito premio di Manager del mese.

Unavventura oltremanica iniziata in sordina, quella di Conte, pur a fronte di tre vittorie nelle prime tre gare di campionato. A far vacillare, anche se solo per un momento, le certezze del patron del club londinese, Roman Abramovich, i risultati conseguiti tra la 4a e la 6a giornata, coincisi con un pareggio sul campo dello Swansea City e, soprattutto, con le due pesanti sconfitte subite dal Liverpool, sul terreno casalingo di Stamford Bridge, e dallArsenal. In particolare, la debacle interna coi Reds, aveva irritato non poco il numero uno russo, poiche occorsa proprio nel giorno della sua 250esima partita da presidente della societa.

Come detto, solo un momento. Dopo lincontro dellEmirates, il tecnico salentino cambia modulo, adottando un piu equilibrato 3-4-3 e inserendo elementi di corsa come lo spagnolo Pedro. Una svolta totale perche, di li in poi, il Chelsea inanellera solo e soltanto vittorie: 2 gol allHull City e al Southampton in trasferta, 3 ai campioni dInghilterra del Leicester e 4 allo United in casa, con un meraviglioso numero zero nella casella delle reti subite. Un fantastico poker, ottenuto tra l1 e il 29 ottobre. Un cambio di marcia sbalorditivo, confermato dal 5 a 0 rifilato ai toffees dellEverton nel primo match di novembre, e una scalata che, man mano, ha portato i blues al secondo posto in classifica, a soli 2 punti dal Liverpool capolista.

E allora, non poteva mancare il riconoscimento di migliore allenatore del mese, ottenuto surclassando tecnici del calibro di Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) e Mark Hughes (Southampton). Tanta, ovviamente, la soddisfazione: E un grande onore e voglio condividerlo con i giocatori e con la societa  ha dichiarato Conte sul sito ufficiale della Premier League -. E la prima volta che lavoro in un altro Paese, con una cultura diversa, e portare la propria filosofia non e facile, ma ora sono contento di questa scelta.

A completare la festa, la premiazione del fantasista belga, Eden Hazard, come miglior giocatore di ottobre. Due risultati importanti per il club, ottimo incentivo per la rincorsa al trono dei campioni, occupato dal Leicester di Ranieri. Il prossimo appuntamento per l11 di Conte sara al Riverside Stadium, tana del Middlesborough neopromosso. Il tempo di festeggiare e gia finito.
Active vs. Passive Investing: An Overview

Whenever theres a discussion about active or passive investing, it can pretty quickly turn into a heated debate because investors and wealth managers tend to strongly favor one strategy over the other. While passive investing is more popular among investors, there are arguments to be made for the benefits of active investing, as well.

Active investing requires a hands-on approach, typically by a portfolio manager or other so-called active participant.

Passive investing involves less buying and selling and often results in investors buying index funds or other mutual funds.

Although both styles of investing are beneficial, passive investments have garnered more investment flows than active investments.

Historically, passive investments have earned more money than active investments.

Active investing has become more popular than it has in several years, particularly during market upheavals.

Active Investing

Active investing, as its name implies, takes a hands-on approach and requires that someone act in the role of a portfolio manager. The goal of active money management is to beat the stock markets average returns and take full advantage of short-term price fluctuations. It involves a much deeper analysis and the expertise to know when to pivot into or out of a particular stock, bond, or any asset. A portfolio manager usually oversees a team of analysts who look at qualitative and quantitative factors, then gaze into their crystal balls to try to determine where and when that price will change.

Active investing requires confidence that whoever is managing the portfolio will know exactly the right time to buy or sell. Successful active investment management requires being right more often than wrong.

Passive Investing

If youre a passive investor, you invest for the long haul. Passive investors limit the amount of buying and selling within their portfolios, making this a very cost-effective way to invest. The strategy requires a buy-and-hold mentality. That means resisting the temptation to react or anticipate the stock markets every next move.

The prime example of a passive approach is to buy an index fund that follows one of the major indices like the S&P 500 or Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). Whenever these indices switch up their constituents, the index funds that follow them automatically switch up their holdings by selling the stock thats leaving and buying the stock thats becoming part of the index. This is why its such a big deal when a company becomes big enough to be included in one of the major indices: It guarantees that the stock will become a core holding in thousands of major funds.

When you own tiny pieces of thousands of stocks, you earn your returns simply by participating in the upward trajectory of corporate profits over time via the overall stock market. Successful passive investors keep their eye on the prize and ignore short-term setbackseven sharp downturns.

Key Differences

In their Investment Strategies and Portfolio Management program, Wharton faculty teaches about the strengths and weaknesses of passive and active investing.

Passive Investing Advantages

Some of the key benefits of passive investing are:

Ultra-low fees: There's nobody picking stocks, so oversight is much less expensive. Passive funds simply follow the index they use as their benchmark.

There's nobody picking stocks, so oversight is much less expensive. Passive funds simply follow the index they use as their benchmark. Transparency: It's always clear which assets are in an index fund.

It's always clear which assets are in an index fund. Tax efficiency: Their buy-and-hold strategy doesn't typically result in a massive capital gains tax for the year.

Passive Investing Disadvantages

Proponents of active investing would say that passive strategies have these weaknesses:

Too limited: Passive funds are limited to a specific index or predetermined set of investments with little to no variance; thus, investors are locked into those holdings, no matter what happens in the market.

Passive funds are limited to a specific index or predetermined set of investments with little to no variance; thus, investors are locked into those holdings, no matter what happens in the market. Small returns: By definition, passive funds will pretty much never beat the market, even during times of turmoil, as their core holdings are locked in to track the market. Sometimes, a passive fund may beat the market by a little, but it will never post the big returns active managers crave unless the market itself booms. Active managers, on the other hand, can bring bigger rewards (see below), although those rewards come with greater risk as well.

Active Investing Advantages

Advantages to active investing, according to Wharton:

Flexibility: Active managers aren't required to follow a specific index. They can buy those "diamond in the rough" stocks they believe they've found.

Active managers aren't required to follow a specific index. They can buy those "diamond in the rough" stocks they believe they've found. Hedging: Active managers can also hedge their bets using various techniques such as short sales or put options, and they're able to exit specific stocks or sectors when the risks become too big. Passive managers are stuck with the stocks the index they track holds, regardless of how they are performing.

Active managers can also hedge their bets using various techniques such as short sales or put options, and they're able to exit specific stocks or sectors when the risks become too big. Passive managers are stuck with the stocks the index they track holds, regardless of how they are performing. Tax management: Even though this strategy could trigger a capital gains tax, advisors can tailor tax management strategies to individual investors, such as by selling investments that are losing money to offset the taxes on the big winners.

Active Investing Disadvantages

But active strategies have these shortcomings:

Very expensive: The Investment Company Institute pegs the average expense ratio at 0.68% for an actively managed equity fund, compared to only 0.06% for the average passive equity fund. Fees are higher because all that active buying and selling triggers transaction costs, not to mention that you're paying the salaries of the analyst team researching equity picks. All those fees over decades of investing can kill returns.

The Investment Company Institute pegs the average expense ratio at 0.68% for an actively managed equity fund, compared to only 0.06% for the average passive equity fund. Fees are higher because all that active buying and selling triggers transaction costs, not to mention that you're paying the salaries of the analyst team researching equity picks. All those fees over decades of investing can kill returns. Active risk: Active managers are free to buy any investment they think would bring high returns, which is great when the analysts are right but terrible when they're wrong.

Special Considerations

So which of these strategies makes investors more money? Youd think a professional money managers capabilities would trump a basic index fund. But they dont. If we look at superficial performance results, passive investing works best for most investors. Study after study (over decades) shows disappointing results for the active managers.

Active mutual fund managers, both in the United States and abroad, consistently underperform their benchmark index, with studies showing that between 86 and 95% of actively managed mutual funds did not fulfill their goal of beating the market on an after-tax basis throughout the 2000s. Similarly, research from S&P Global found that over the 15-year period ended 2021, only about 4.5% of professionally managed portfolios in the U.S. were able to consistently outperform their benchmarks. After accounting for taxes and trading costs, the number of successful funds drops to less than 2%. Several other analyses report similar findings.

Only a small percentage of actively-managed mutual funds ever do better than passive index funds.

All this evidence that passive beats active investing may be oversimplifying something much more complex, however, because active and passive strategies are just two sides of the same coin. Both exist for a reason, and many pros blend these strategies.

However, reports have suggested that during market upheavals, such as the end of 2019, for example, actively managed Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) have performed relatively well. While passive funds still dominate overall, due to lower fees, investors are showing that they're willing to put up with the higher fees in exchange for the expertise of an active manager to help guide them amid all the volatility or wild market price fluctuations.

Active vs. Passive Investing Example

Many investment advisors believe the best strategy is a blend of active and passive styles, which can help minimize the wild swings in stock prices during volatile periods. The passive versus active management doesnt have to be an either/or choice for advisors. Combining the two can further diversify a portfolio and actually help manage overall risk. Clients who have large cash positions may want to actively look for opportunities to invest in ETFs just after the market has pulled back. For retirees who care most about income, these investors may actively choose specific stocks for dividend growth while still maintaining a buy-and-hold mentality. Dividends are cash payments from companies to investors as a reward for owning the stock.

Moreover, it isnt just the returns that matter, but risk-adjusted returns. A risk-adjusted return represents the profit from an investment while considering the level of risk that was taken on to achieve that return. Controlling the amount of money that goes into certain sectors or even specific companies when conditions are changing quickly can actually protect the client.

For most people, theres a time and a place for both active and passive investing over a lifetime of saving for major milestones like retirement. More advisors wind up using a combination of the two strategiesdespite the grief; the two sides give each other over their strategies.

How Much of the Market Is Passively Invested? According to industry research, around 17% of the U.S. stock market is passively invested, and should overtake active trading by 2026. In terms of mutual fund money, around 54% of U.S. mutual funds and ETF assets are in passive index strategies as of 2021. Passive funds overtook active funds in 2018.

Are All ETFs Passive? No. While ETFs have staked out a space for being low-cost index trackers, many ETFs are actively managed and follow a variety of strategies.
The arrival of a new baby can be both exciting and financially overwhelming. A tiny new baby can mean big changes and major expenses for new parents. How much money can you expect to spend on your little one in the first year? What financial tools should you consider creating? Here we'll show you how to financially prepare for your family's newest addition before they arrive.

Key Takeaways One of the largest expenses for new parents can be the deliverythe cost of which depends on the location and health insurance policy.

One-time costs often include travel, home needs, and nursing/feeding.

Other things to consider include the cost of child care and savings plans.

It's important to have an emergency fund if one parent decides to stay home.

One-Time Expenses

In this scenario, we look at the first baby. That means starting from scratch in many areas such as furniture, strollers, and cribs. There is, of course, also the one-time medical expense of delivering a baby in the United States. As we'll see, this expense is by far the hardest to pin down in any meaningful way.

Medical Bills

In the U.S., the average new parent with insurance coverage can expect to pay almost $14,000 for their labor and delivery, according to a 2020 research article published by the Healthcare Cost Institute. Vaginal deliveries can cost from $7,000 in Arkansas to $17,000 in New York. Interestingly, out-of-pocket costs also exhibited a wide range, from $1,000 in D.C. to $2,400 in South Carolina. (2017 was the most recent year for which data was available.)

It is important to keep in mind that the cost of routine birthing care is highly variable based on your location and your insurance coverage. Review your policy to find out what your out-of-pocket costs are for prenatal care, hospital stay, tests, and postpartum care. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to make an accurate prediction about how much you'll pay without reviewing your health coverage.

Your insurance policy and location are important factors when determining how much the delivery of a baby will cost.

Baby Stuff

The one-time purchases for babies are as variable as the medical costs above, but for different reasons. This category can go up exponentially depending on the wants of the parent. For example:

Travel Needs: To get out and about you will most likely want to purchase a stroller, an infant car seat (required by law), a baby carrier, and a diaper bag. If you plan on being out a lot, a portable playpen and/or bassinet may make sense. Like many of the things on this list, there is a wide range of costs. Buying an adapter, snuggle bags, and another option for some brands of strollers can be a $1,000 price tag without taking in the cost of the stroller itself. On the other end of that range, a seat and stroller combo can still be purchased new for under $150, and used equipment or hand-me-downs can fill in for all the others. It is worth noting that, at the very least, it is worth buying a new infant car seat. There is no foolproof way to ensure a used one hasn't been compromised in a previous accident or through hard use.

To get out and about you will most likely want to purchase a stroller, an infant car seat (required by law), a baby carrier, and a diaper bag. If you plan on being out a lot, a portable playpen and/or bassinet may make sense. Like many of the things on this list, there is a wide range of costs. Buying an adapter, snuggle bags, and another option for some brands of strollers can be a $1,000 price tag without taking in the cost of the stroller itself. On the other end of that range, a seat and stroller combo can still be purchased new for under $150, and used equipment or hand-me-downs can fill in for all the others. It is worth noting that, at the very least, it is worth buying a new infant car seat. There is no foolproof way to ensure a used one hasn't been compromised in a previous accident or through hard use. Home Needs: To keep your child occupied, you may want to consider a portable swing, bouncy seat, play mat, and/or jump seat. You may also want to have a crib and/or bassinet, crib mattress, basic bedding with blankets, changing table, small dresser, rocking chair, monitor, and a diaper pail. Again, this is an area where personal preference dictates cost. Unlike car seats, everything is for use at home, meaning that you can buy it used or even acquire it through one of the many share and swap groups you'll find online.

To keep your child occupied, you may want to consider a portable swing, bouncy seat, play mat, and/or jump seat. You may also want to have a crib and/or bassinet, crib mattress, basic bedding with blankets, changing table, small dresser, rocking chair, monitor, and a diaper pail. Again, this is an area where personal preference dictates cost. Unlike car seats, everything is for use at home, meaning that you can buy it used or even acquire it through one of the many share and swap groups you'll find online. Nursing and Feeding: Feeding costs for your new infant do, of course, vary like everything else based on your particular situation. A birthing parent who is able to stay at home and has no issues breastfeeding around the clock will see very minimal costs for months before a high chair and dishes are required. In that situation, some things like a breastfeeding pillow, burp cloths, or even a cape are more than enough. If the parent will be storing breast milk for use, then items like bottles, nipples, cleaning equipment, and a single or dual breast pump come into play and your budget will increase. If breastfeeding isn't possible, formula feeding will add significant costs to your first year of parenting.

On top of these one-time costs, there is the potential loss of income if you and/or your partner take unpaid leave. Under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), your employer may grant you up 12 work-weeks of unpaid leave for your baby's arrival. Here again, nothing is set in stone as small businesses do not fall under the FMLA. So check to see what type of leave you may qualify for with your employer. If you take unpaid leave, calculate your regular expenses during that periodmortgage, utilities, insurance, groceries, etc.and determine how you will meet those costs.

Ongoing Expenses

Once your baby arrives, the regular expenses to care for your little one kick in. Factor the following costs into your budget:

Child care: If both you and your spouse will work after your baby's arrival, your single biggest budget item will be child care. Your child care costs vary by where you live, the age of your child, how much care you require, and what type of care you use. The Care Index pegs in-center child care costs at just under $10,000 per year. The average cost of a nanny or other in-home care is around $28,350 a year, but again that can be higher or lower based on location and so on. Keep in mind, though, some costs might be offset by various tax credits, such as the child and dependent care credit. Be sure to confirm if you are eligible.

If both you and your spouse will work after your baby's arrival, your single biggest budget item will be child care. Your child care costs vary by where you live, the age of your child, how much care you require, and what type of care you use. The Care Index pegs in-center child care costs at just under $10,000 per year. The average cost of a nanny or other in-home care is around $28,350 a year, but again that can be higher or lower based on location and so on. Keep in mind, though, some costs might be offset by various tax credits, such as the child and dependent care credit. Be sure to confirm if you are eligible. Necessities :  Food, such as Gerber formula, clothing, and diapers make up most of the necessities in the ongoing costs.

: Food, such as Gerber formula, clothing, and diapers make up most of the necessities in the ongoing costs. Clothing : According to the USDA's most recent The Cost of Raising a Child report, it's advised that new parents should estimate clothing costs at around $670 up to $1,110 for the first two years. The amount ranges greatly based on personal preference and budget, but the lower end falls around $56 a month.

: According to the USDA's most recent The Cost of Raising a Child report, it's advised that new parents should estimate clothing costs at around $670 up to $1,110 for the first two years. The amount ranges greatly based on personal preference and budget, but the lower end falls around $56 a month. Diapers : Diapers also vary in cost, but experts advise that you should budget at least $1000 for diapers and $450 for wipes for the first year alone. That's approximately $120 a month. Parents who choose to use disposable diapers should also expect to go through as many as 3,500 diapers in their child's first year alone.

: Diapers also vary in cost, but experts advise that you should budget at least $1000 for diapers and $450 for wipes for the first year alone. That's approximately $120 a month. Parents who choose to use disposable diapers should also expect to go through as many as 3,500 diapers in their child's first year alone. Food : Once you begin feeding your child solid food, you can expect to spend roughly $100 a month. The early food costs for children are relatively small compared to what you will see from a teenager.

: Once you begin feeding your child solid food, you can expect to spend roughly $100 a month. The early food costs for children are relatively small compared to what you will see from a teenager. The Doctor Part 2: Plan on six wellness visits the first year for evaluations, immunizations, etc., and a few additional visits for illnesses. Check your health insurance policy for your rates.

If One Parent Stays at Home

If one of you becomes a stay-at-home parent, there are important budget changes to considerthe most obvious is reduced family income. Despite the high cost of child care, the cost of one partner leaving an income behind to commit to full-time parenting can be much higher in terms of lost income, benefits, and investment.

This is compounded by diminished earning potential if that partner decides to resume their career. The decision to stay home can be personal or financialat lower income levels, even government programs cannot balance the high costs in some regions. If it is for personal reasons, however, a couple can at least try the one-income budget prior to the birth to get an idea for it while building an emergency fund with the second income at the same time.

Financial Tools to Consider

With your child's arrival, you'll want to create financial tools to help provide for your child's future. Review the following checklist to determine your priorities and begin budgeting:

College Savings Tools: According to the College Board Report, the average cost per year for college in 2021 to 2022 ranged between $10,740 to attend a public four-year in-state school and $38,070 for a private four-year education. Start saving now through one of several college education investment tools, such as a 529 plan, Coverdell Education Savings Account, or UGMA/UTMA account. There have also been some changes to the way some accounts can be usednamely the 529 plan. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 and the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE) of 2019 have expanded the use of 529 plans to include K to 12 education, apprenticeship programs, and the ability to pay down student debt.

According to the College Board Report, the average cost per year for college in 2021 to 2022 ranged between $10,740 to attend a public four-year in-state school and $38,070 for a private four-year education. Start saving now through one of several college education investment tools, such as a 529 plan, Coverdell Education Savings Account, or UGMA/UTMA account. There have also been some changes to the way some accounts can be usednamely the 529 plan. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 and the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE) of 2019 have expanded the use of 529 plans to include K to 12 education, apprenticeship programs, and the ability to pay down student debt. Life Insurance: If you do not have life insurance, now is the time to buy it if you can afford to do so. For just a few dollars a month you can be assured that your child will have financial resources if you and/or your partner were to die unexpectedly. Talk to your employer or insurance agent for options on both life insurance and disability insurance.

If you do not have life insurance, now is the time to buy it if you can afford to do so. For just a few dollars a month you can be assured that your child will have financial resources if you and/or your partner were to die unexpectedly. Talk to your employer or insurance agent for options on both life insurance and disability insurance. Health Insurance: Without health insurance, just one serious accident or illness could deplete your savings and put you in significant debt. Investigate your insurance options if you don't already have coverage, or budget for the increased monthly premium to add your child to your policy.

Without health insurance, just one serious accident or illness could deplete your savings and put you in significant debt. Investigate your insurance options if you don't already have coverage, or budget for the increased monthly premium to add your child to your policy. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs): FSAs enable you to use pretax dollars to pay for important family budget items, like child care and healthcare expenses. Talk with your employer or financial advisor about setting up a dependent-care FSA and/or healthcare FSA.

Ways to Save Money

No matter your income, however, there are numerous ways to meet your new baby's needs without breaking the bank that we've hinted at throughout. Namely:

Consignment/Thrift Stores: Babies grow quickly. Instead of paying full price for their clothing, check out gently used and even new items at your local consignment or thrift store. Many stores will also buy back items after your child has outgrown them for cash or store credit. Online swap groups and parent networks can also provide quality goods for cheapand sometimes even free.

Babies grow quickly. Instead of paying full price for their clothing, check out gently used and even new items at your local consignment or thrift store. Many stores will also buy back items after your child has outgrown them for cash or store credit. Online swap groups and parent networks can also provide quality goods for cheapand sometimes even free. Family/Friends for Back-Up Daycare: Instead of having to take a day off (possibly without pay) when your child is sick, make arrangements for family or friends to help out with emergency back-up daycare.

Instead of having to take a day off (possibly without pay) when your child is sick, make arrangements for family or friends to help out with emergency back-up daycare. Borrow Items From Friends: Ask friends with young children if you could borrow itemsparticularly big-ticket items they're not using, like a crib, high chair, or rocking chair.

Ask friends with young children if you could borrow itemsparticularly big-ticket items they're not using, like a crib, high chair, or rocking chair. Baby Shower Gifts: Register so that party-goers can buy what you really need and avoid ending up with multiple baby rattles and photo albums.

Register so that party-goers can buy what you really need and avoid ending up with multiple baby rattles and photo albums. Downgrading Lifestyle: Having a child is going to change a lot of things, including your financial priorities. After reviewing your new budget, you may not be able to make the numbers add up. Consider closing the gap by downgrading in a few key areas. For example, think about trading in a large car for a more affordable model, shopping at less expensive stores or buying more generic items.

The Bottom Line

Children are a wonderful giftif sometimes an expensive one. The main thing to keep in mind is that averages don't mean much when the range is as wide as it is with costs around a baby. Good health insurance can protect you from hospital bills for the most part, but only planning and budgeting can help you handle the rest. The Finnish practice of sending birthing parents home with a simple starter box that can double as a baby bed shows that many of the thousands of dollars spent on our children's first years are more for our status than their well-being.
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A Dublin-based Garda has been found guilty of harassing her boyfriends ex-wife on dates between September 2011 and March 2013.

Eve Doherty's trial heard she sent abusive emails and letters to Elizabeth Howlins home, workplace and GP.

She was cleared of two charges of making false statements accusing her of using her influence as a State solicitor to pervert the course of justice.

The 49-year-old was remanded on continuing bail ahead of her sentence hearing and told not to post anything about proceedings on social media.

Gardai gave evidence of Ms Doherty using a computer in an internet cafe while wearing a wig and sunglasses.

The 49-year-old will be sentenced in October.

At the time of the alleged harassment, Liz Howlin was working with the Office of the DPP.

Her job, the court heard, involved deciding whether or not to direct prosecutions in criminal cases.

On dates between September 21, 2011 and March 16, 2013, Eve Doherty was accused of engaging in a campaign against the State solicitor that involved sending insulting and abusive letters and emails to her home, her place of work and her GP calling her "corrupt" and an "incompetent, useless hobbit".

The trial also heard evidence of A4 posters being left around the south county Dublin estate where Ms Howlin lived claiming she used her influence to get her friends son off drug charges.

Shortly after beginning their second day of deliberations this morning, the jurors requested a number of items, including a notebook and letters found in Garda Dohertys home.
Update 10.17am: Welsh police say missing Molly Owens has been returned home safe from Ireland.

The five-year-old was taken here by her father who didn't turn up to court for sentencing last Friday.

Officers have confirmed they arrived into Holyhead yesterday evening and Brian Owens has surrendered himself.

Earlier:

A father wanted by police who had disappeared with his five-year-old daughter has surrendered after returning from abroad with the youngster.

Brian Owens, 26, and Molly Owens returned to Holyhead from Ireland, North Wales Police said.

Supt Nigel Harrison said Owens had "surrendered to authorities on his return and will appear in court".

Owens failed to turn up at Caernarfon Magistrates' Court in North Wales on Friday for sentencing.

North Wales Police have not said what offences he had committed.
George Clooney's foundation is planning to open seven public schools for Syrian refugee children.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice announced a new partnership with Google, HP and Unicef to provide education for more than 3,000 refugee children in Lebanon.

George and Amal Clooney said in a statement that the foundation's commitment of more than $2m towards education for Syrian refugees aims to prevent thousands of young people from becoming "a lost generation".

The couple said Syrian refugee children "have been victims of geography and circumstance" for whom formal education can make all the difference.

They established the Clooney Foundation for Justice last year to support equity in courtrooms, classrooms and communities around the world.
US district judge, Lucy Koh, has ruled that iPhone 4 and 4S users can pursue US class action claims that Apple intentionally broke FaceTime to save money from routing calls through servers owned by Akamai Technologies.

Neither Apple, nor lawyers for the plaintiffs, immediately responded to requests for comment. Apple began using Akamais servers after losing a lawsuit in 2012, in which VirnetX Holding claimed that FaceTime technology infringed its patents. Testimony from a 2016 retrial in that case showed that Apple paid Akamai $50m (42.5m) in one six-month period.
Cork Fianna Fail TD Michael Moynihan said the lack of progress on the NBP was made all the more stark after BT unveiled plans to invest 670m (747m) in rural communities in Britain with the aim of 99% coverage by 2020, in conjunction with the government.

Business lobby group Isme echoed Mr Moynihans calls, saying it was a source of constant frustration to its members in rural areas, especially with Brexit looming.

In contrast to the British plan, Irelands long-mooted broadband plan has been beset by delays and a contract has still not been awarded to one of the three bidders.

The plan is government policy which aims to deliver high-speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. It aims to achieve 100% coverage in three to five years of the start of large-scale rollout.

The Government has said it will achieve its targets through private commercial investment, with the States intervention making up the shortfall. Three bidders  Eir, Siro, and Enet  entered the tendering process to be granted the contract to roll out the programme. A decision is expected this year.

The previous government allocated 275m for the first phase of the project in 2015 .

Mr Moynihan said that rolling out broadband is as crucial as electricity and the telephone in a modern world.

We were told back in 2014 that it was happening by one minister, then in 2015 by another, and by yet another in this Government.

The excuses and lack of information is just tedious now. We absolutely have to move the process on, he said.

Broadband is as vital as electricity in the 1940s and the telephone in the 1970s, especially in a rapidly evolving modern digital world. There is an astounding need, whether you are in Dublin or in Ballydehob in West Cork.

How can you plan new towns if broadband is not addressed? Such plans are hypothetical at best and without foundation at worst currently.

Isme chief executive Neil McDonnell said broadband rollout was part of its pre-Budget submission because it was a source of constant angst for its members, especially with new online requirements coming down the line in the PAYE system.

It is always one reason or another that delays are happening, whether they be legal or public procurement or whatever. Yet the specifics are never addressed and it is highly frustrating. We are not naive, we know there are complexities. But at least if we knew what they were, it would be progress. Businesses need to be ready post-Brexit, particularly those who will be relying on online transactions, he said.

Engineers Ireland president Kieran Feighan reiterated his call for the NBP to be implemented. The installation of Irelands nationwide broadband infrastructure is akin to the electrification of rural Ireland in the last century in terms of scale, ambition, and the socioeconomic benefits it will deliver, he said.

The NBP is a critical part of Irelands digital strategy in this respect. Its delivery as soon as possible is crucial in terms of supporting rural connectivity, all-Ireland enterprise and innovation, and would deliver around 2,600 new direct and indirect jobs.
The Johannesburg firm, which has interests including catering and office supplies, said it struck a deal with Noonans majority owner, Alchemy Partners.

The existing management of the Dublin-based firm, led by chief executive John ODonoghue, will continue to lead the company.

Noonans services include facilities management, technical, security, and cleaning.

It employs over 13,000 people in Ireland and the UK.

Since being acquired by Alchemy, sales at Noonan have more than tripled to over 300m.

Noonan operates in the UK and Irish markets which are estimated to be worth in excess of 13bn.

Those markets are anticipated to grow significantly in the coming years, as companies increasingly outsource their operations.

Noonan said Ireland will remain a key market.

With the long-term financial backing of Bidvest, it said it will tap growth in the UK and Ireland.

Key growth areas for Noonan include life sciences, technology, agri-food, retail, local government, and transport, it said.

Mr ODonoghue said: We are now delighted to have attracted a new owner of the scale and calibre of Bidvest, committed to the long-term growth and development of the company. We look forward to working with them in realising our joint ambition for the business and to capitalise on the significant opportunities in our sector and key markets.

Bidvest chief executive Lindsay Ralphs said the acquisition would allow it to establish a strong presence in Ireland and the UK.

We believe there is a great market opportunity to grow the business further, he added.

The South African company describes itself as a trading, distribution and services group, operating through divisions such as services, freight, automotive, office and print, commercial products, financial services and electrical.

Led by group chief executive Lindsay Ralphs who has been part of Bidvest Group since 1992, the firm continues to hold investments in South African pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram, South African airline Comair, South African tour operator Cullinan Holdings, and Mumbai Airport, as well as other listed and unlisted investments. Bidvest Bank is an 100% owned subsidiary of Bidvest.

The firm was founded in 1988, employs 114,000 people across its various divisions, and has investments in more than 300 companies.
While Heineken didnt go into much detail about its broader performance in Ireland, the Dutch brewing giant noted that it generated double-digit (when the UK is excluded) group-wide volume growth in cider  it owns the Orchard Thieves brand amongst others  driven by particularly strong sales growth in Ireland, South Africa, and Vietnam.

Within two years, Orchard Thieves has shaken up the cider category and is now the fastest growing cider brand in Ireland. Its taste and contemporary positioning is relevant to Irish consumers and sets it apart from other brands, said a Heineken Ireland spokesperson.

[The Heineken results] and the continued strong growth of its cider volumes in Ireland indicates that the challenging competitive landscape for C&C in the region remains, said Patrick Higgins of Goodbody Stockbrokers. We retain our caution on C&C given the competitive market backdrop in Ireland and the difficult outlook for the UK consumer, he added.

In May, C&C reported a net loss of almost 73m for the year to the end of February. While driven by a further 129m write-down in the value of its US business, the Irish drinks group also said revenues in its core markets of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales were down for the year.

Yesterday, C&Cs share price  a poor performer over the past year  closed down marginally, having been down by over 3% earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, on a group-wide basis, Heineken reported higher-than-expected earnings in the first half of 2017, with the strongest profit growth in Europe thanks to a late Easter and an early start of warm summer weather.

The worlds second-largest beer maker said volumes, revenue and profits grew on a like-for-like basis in all four of its regions, with turnarounds from weak first quarters in Africa and the Americas. First half operating profit, before exceptional items, grew by 11.8% to 1.81bn, with net profit up 48.6% at 871m and revenue ahead by 5.7% at 10.47bn.

Vietnam, one of Heinekens top two markets, continued strong. In Europe, where profit growth was strongest, volumes increased in France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, helped by a late Easter and the warm drink-inducing weather. Heineken said that it continued to expect revenue and profit growth this year despite volatile market conditions.

Additional reporting Reuters
INM said final conditions made by the Broadcast Authority of Ireland were unhelpful in terms of the overall viability of the transaction.

Its statement came as the Government made public a range of documents which detailed the regulatory oversight of INMs bid for Celtic Media, publisher of The Anglo-Celt, Meath Chronicle, Connaught Telegraph, and other regional titles. The media firm had dropped its proposed purchase of Celtic Media after Minister Denis Naughtens Department of Communications submitted the INM bid to a so-called phase 1 assessment. Subsequently, Mr Naughten put the bid to a phase 2 examination by the BAI.
The level of malnutrition is getting worse, especially among young children and vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and people living with disabilities, said Concern Worldwide South Sudan country director, Fiona McLysaght.

There are 2m people that have had to leave their homes, and 1.8m people, 1m of whom are children, have fled the country and are living in refugee camps in neighbouring countries, added the Clare woman.

South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011, but since 2013 a civil war, displacing millions of people, has raged there.

Ms McLysaght said her team provides life-saving assistance to pregnant women and children under the age of five, who are most vulnerable to malnutrition.

We are treating malnourished children and women in one of the counties, Leer, where famine was declared in February, and although this status has been withdrawn, 1.7m people are still on the brink of starvation.

She described the look of a child experiencing malnutrition.

A hungry child looks sad and scared. Their skin is dull and sagging, their frame is small and fragile and they have no energy to walk, talk or play. The inquisitive look of a well-fed child is replaced with vacant stares.

Concern Worldwide

said the number of children aged under five facing acute malnutrition in East Africa is nine times Irelands population of under-fives.

Humanitarian aid will help to save lives and alleviate suffering, but without a political solution the situation looks dire, said Ms McLysaght.
Several Fianna Fail TDs said the issue of a potential grand coalition between both parties had yet be discussed and would in any case need the imprimatur of a national conference.

Their reaction comes after an interview with Mr Martin in yesterdays Irish Examiner, in which he said he has not ruled anything in or out after the next general election, a significant shift in the Fianna Fail leaders position since last year. Ahead of the 2016 election, Mr Martin ruled out Fianna Fail entering power with Fine Gael-despite the offer of a rotating Taoiseach position for him.

Fianna Fail Limerick TD Willie ODea told the Irish Examiner he was opposed to such an option and closed to the idea as it would damage Fianna Fails future.

It hasnt been discussed, he said. We will have to obviously though as time moves on. The previous suggestion [for me] remains in place. We need the imprimatur of a special ard fheis anyhow.

Asked for his personal position on such a coalition, the former defence minister said: I wouldnt be well disposed towards it. It would be bad for Fianna Fail as well as for Fine Gael and it would enable Sinn Fein to grow in opposition, which would not be good for the country.

Asked though why his party leader had an open mind about a grand coalition, Mr ODea said: Maybe he was looking at the bigger picture, I dont know. Like if uncertainty wouldnt be good for the country with a minority government.

Clare TD Timmy Dooley said he hadnt thought about the option of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael joining forces.

Well wait until the next general election, he said. Those kind of conversations are for after then. Those decisions would be taken by the party membership, they will decide, at a special delegate conference.

Asked about his personal opinion on the parties entering power together, Mr Dooley said: I dont have a preference one way or the other.

Other Fianna Fail TDs tried to dismiss Mr Martins remarks as a distraction from bigger issues.

Brexit spokesman Stephen Donnelly told RTE: It is really not something that is being considered at all.

The Wicklow TD said Mr Martin wanted to focus on issues such as housing, and to stop focusing on what he called the soap opera of whether Fianna Fail would join power with Fine Gael.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also refused to be drawn into discussion about the issue. Speaking in Waterford, he said: As far as Im concerned, Im head of a government thats made up of Fine Gael and Independents.

The Governments working really well, I want it to continue and to see through our term and do the business and do the work for Irish people, improving their lives, and thats my objective.

I dont think it would be appropriate for me when Im in a coalition with Independents to be looking around for the next partner. I dont think that would be right, Im very committed to the government we are in.

Editorial: 10
A European report, seen by the Irish Examiner, shows that Ireland is lagging behind most of our EU counterparts when it comes to eating the daily recommended amount of fruit and veg.

According to the newly published European Food Safety Authoritys (EFSA) Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database 2016, Irish people consume just 225g of fruit and vegetables on average per person per day, less than half the national recommended amount of 500g.

That equates to just 46% of the recommended daily amount, while Europeans on average eat 55% of the suggested intake of fruit and vegetables.

Similarly, the average daily consumption of 100% fruit juice among Irish adults is 21ml per person, significantly less than the nationally recommended 150ml serving.

Europeans on average drink 31ml of 100% fruit juice each day, in addition to fruit and vegetable intake.

It means that among 19 European countries, Ireland is the sixth least compliant for adhering to national fruit and vegetable guidelines. In contrast, Italians were the most compliant, eating even more than the recommended amount (106%), although we do fare better than some countries, including the least compliant, Austria.

The food pyramid has recently been updated, recommending seven-a-day fruit and vegetables rather than the old five-a-day.

Commenting on the findings, dietitian Mary McCreery said simple changes such as drinking a small 150ml glass of 100% fruit juice with breakfast or having a banana or apple instead of a chocolate bar as an afternoon snack can help boost overall daily intake of fruit and veg. She dismissed concerns that drinking more fruit juice could mean consuming too much sugar.

A concern sometimes voiced about increased fruit juice in particular, is its sugar content, she said. But this is a false perception as there is no added sugar in 100% fruit juice; it is prohibited by law, which explains why many countries surveyed as part of the report class 100% fruit juice as a portion of fruit.

Consumption of 150 ml 100% fruit juice on a daily basis does contribute to a persons free sugar intake, as free sugars are naturally present in the fruit from which it is squeezed. But even then, consuming 150 ml of 100% orange juice for example, falls below even the WHOs most stringent recommendation, which restricts free sugar intake to 25g per day.

Meanwhile, research from Bord Bias Insight Centre, The Thinking House, has found few people follow an eating regime, with just four in 10 saying they believe in eating a balanced diet.

However, the research found that more people believe their eating habits are becoming healthier, with one third saying they are eating healthily. A survey found that 59% of respondents check for sugar content and this rises to 71% in those conscious of their childrens sugar intake. It also showed that 40% believe it is hard to get children to eat vegetables.

The research also found that half of respondents are concerned with the amount of food that is thrown away, and half of Irish consumers say they always buy brands that use environmentally sensitive packaging.
Tensions between Dublin and unionists, as well as with London, are escalating over Brexit, while power-sharing still remains unresolved in the North.

Mr Varadkar will meet different parties, including unionists, when he travels to Belfast for two days this week, his first visit there since becoming Taoiseach.

His remarks last week, that Ireland would not help devise a border for Brexiteers, was deemed an outburst by Democratic Unionist Party deputy leader Nigel Dodds yesterday.

Mr Dodds claimed there were incoherent positions coming from Dublin on Brexit. Tensions between Dublin and the DUP are also likely to be heightened after Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond said that the DUPs whinging doesnt hide their political impotence.

They would be far better off seeking to influence their government partners in Westminster and working to get the executive back up and running to give Northern Ireland a strong voice, said Mr Richmond.

It is therefore highly frustrating to see the embattled DUP giving out about the honesty of the Irish Government when theyve done nothing to progress Northern Irelands position in the Brexit conversation despite having ample opportunities to do so.

Speaking in Waterford yesterday, Mr Varadkar said he still hopes Britain will pull back from the Brexit precipice and stay in the EU. Part of his remit was to keep the door open for our neighbours, he said.

Mr Varadkar said the best outcome for Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Britain is to avoid any north-south border on this island or east-west border between the two islands.

Mr Varadkar said he still hopes Brexit would actually not go ahead.

Brexit is a British policy, not an Irish one, he said. Its the United Kingdom thats decided to leave and, as far as Im concerned, when it comes to my work in Brussels, working with other European prime ministers and presidents, its part of my remit to keep the door open, not just to the European Union but also to the single market and also to the customs union should they decide to go down that route and that, I think, would be the best outcome for Ireland and Northern Ireland and Britain.

Mr Varadkars Brexit negotiations and efforts to help reinstate power-sharing in the North will be complicated by further developments.

British prime minister Theresa May yesterday said that free movement of people from the EU into Britain would end by 2019, a situation which has now provoked fears of no transitional period for talks and a so-called cliff-edge scenario.

Fianna Fails Stephen Donnelly said such a scenario would mean an end to Britain in the single market and result in flight and ship movement restrictions and costly tariffs on Irish goods.

Following the statement from Downing Street, Mr Donnelly claimed this was potentially really bad news for Ireland.

The end to free movement in 2019 and therefore the reciprocal end to Britains customs and single market benefits would see a lot of planes not taking off, ships stopping, and fresh tariffs of up to 50% on food products, warned Mr Donnelly. It is about as serious as it gets, he told RTE.

World: 9
Judge Olann Kelleher jailed Shane OCallaghan, 20, for four months yesterday at Cork District Court.

OCallaghan pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching a protection order by verbally abusing, shouting, and spitting at Lily OCallaghan putting her in fear at the family home at 67 Kilmore Rd, Knocknaheeny, Cork.

Inspector Daniel Coholan said: On July 20 at approximately 11.30pm, Shane OCallaghan returned to the home he shares with his grandmother, Lily OCallaghan. He had been drinking and was abusive to his grandmother.

He had the music blaring and she asked him to turn it down. He spat at her and was shouting and roaring names at her.

Lily OCallaghan was in her bedroom as she was afraid of what he might do.

She contacted gardai as Shane was gone back down the stairs and was drinking vodka.

Gardai arrived and arrested Shane OCallaghan for breach of the protection order.

Shane Collins-Daly, defending, said Shane OCallaghan had been reared from the age of three weeks by his grandmother and she had always been totally supportive of him.

She is a very decent woman, she always forgives him. He is very sorry for the hurt he caused her, said Mr Collins-Daly.

When sober, he is pleasant and good-natured. When he drinks or takes other intoxicants, he makes her life a misery.

He does want to sort himself out and get off drink. He apologises to his grandmother.

Judge Olann Kelleher said he recalled OCallaghans grandmother was petrified in court on a previous occasion, when giving evidence of being in fear of her grandson.

The judge said he totally respected the woman and the fact that she had stood by the young man through everything.

Ms OCallaghan was in Cork District Court again for yesterdays case. Shane OCallaghan kissed his grandmother before being taken away to commence his sentence.
Justin Murray, aged 38, cycled to the Church of Our Lady of Victories in Ballymun to creep in and steal money but fled on foot when he was seen taking collection envelopes by a parishioner.

Gardai later found the bike, which had a sticker with Justin Murray on it, discarded on the church grounds.

Murray, of Moatview Court, Coolock, affirmed signed pleas of guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to stealing cash at the church on November 6, 2016.

He has 77 previous convictions, including 10 thefts and 20 burglaries.

Garda Ross Brierley said he and colleagues also identified Murray as the thief from CCTV in the area.

The garda told Fiona Murphy, prosecuting, that a parishioner who had been helping out after Mass that morning saw a male enter and take money from the church collection.

At first she thought he was there to help, but soon realised he was stealing money.

She said the male fled on foot when he spotted her.

Garda Brierley said he arrested Murray the next day at a shopping centre after he and colleagues were satisfied he was the culprit.

He said Murray was on bail for a robbery at the time.

He agreed with Dean Kelly, defending,

that Murrays early guilty plea was of great assistance.

Mr Kelly submitted to Judge Elma Sheahan that his client was on an enhanced regime in custody and wished to be transferred to Cork Prison as he found it easier to stay off heroin in that institution.

Judge Sheahan ordered a probation report and remanded Murray in continuing custody until February next year.
IT is one of the most stressful times of year for third-level students and their parents, with the annual hunt for accommodation underway.

With housing an issue for all sectors of society, it is unsurprising students are finding it difficult, and expensive, to find somewhere to live. And with Leaving Cert results out in a fortnight, it is only going to get trickier as the month goes on. If you are in this situation, there are options available but pitfalls to avoid.

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is encouraging digs-style accommodation as a solution to the room shortage. Traditionally, many students felt staying in digs offered less freedom but USI president Michael Kerrigan said: According to our study, 66% of students living in digs are satisfied with their arrangements... Digs are becoming a real affordable and viable alternative accommodation because of the rising cost of living.

They are also an excellent source of income for homeowners, who are allowed earn up to 14,000 tax-free through the rent-a-room relief scheme.

Mr Kerrigan suggest parents whose own children are away at college consider it, saying: The average cost of college is 12,500 and leasing out a room to a student will greatly help with this.

To help match students and homes, USI operates homes.usi.ie. At time of writing, there were more than 500 vacancies on the site, the vast majority for rooms in a family home. The majority are for five-day a week rentals, so suitable only for students who will return home each weekend.

If digs arent for you, rental sites such as daft.ie are the obvious places to look for rent. But Facebook is also useful, as many colleges have their own Facebook page dedicated to accommodation. Most students unions also have lists.

With pressure on to find a place, there is a temptation to rush in and accept the first place you find, but that could be a costly mistake. It is vital you view the place properly. In recent days, gardai have issued warnings about fake rooms being advertised online and people paying deposits without a viewing. They strongly advise that students make sure there is personal contact and do not do the whole thing online.

Once you are satisfied it is genuine, you still need to work out if it is suitable. Look the place over thoroughly and check that all appliances are in working order. Landlords must provide a building energy rating (BER) for rental properties. Dont ignore that, it will give you a good idea of how costly it will be to heat.

If you are pressing ahead and are asked to sign a contract or lease, take time to read it carefully. Check the term. Students are now frequently asked to pay from the time they find the property rather than the start of the college term, so check if you are expected to pay for August and when the contract ends. If you are unsure about any terms bring it to your students union or contact Threshold, the housing charity, for advice. Keep a copy of any agreement.

When it comes to the deposit, ideally do a walkthrough with your landlord to identify any existing damage or flaws in the property. Take timestamped pictures on your phone of cracks, burn marks, dents, etc. Try not to pay the deposit in cash; a cheque or bank transfer will leave a clear record. Regardless of method, get a receipt. The same goes for rent during the year. Better to do it via standing order or bank transfer, but ask for a rent book to keep track of payments as well.

If you are getting a house with friends, lay clear ground rules about when the rent has to be provided. The quickest way to fall out with roommates is hassle over money. In addition to rent, do your homework about bills. Find out exactly what you are going to have to pay for. Ask about heating, electricity, internet, TV, and bin charges. Work out roughly how much that is going to be and make sure you can afford it on top of rent. Again, talk to your housemates about how bills are going to be managed and split, make sure everyone is in agreement from the start.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

With the new Premier League season just around the corner, Eir are targeting football lovers with their latest broadband and landline deal. The deal includes calls to all Irish and UK landlines and mobile calls with an eir talk landline and unlimited superfast eir fibre broadband.

The package comes with a free modem and installation, parental controls and eir StudyHub but most temptingly, also comes with free eir Sport. Their Sport bundle includes eir Sport 1 and 2, BT Sport 1,2 and 3 plus BT Sport ESPN.

Football fans have seen increasing numbers of games available on these channels and that trend is set to continue in the coming season. For any fight fans, their package also includes Box Nation.

To qualify customers have to buy online at www.eir.ie. The cost is then 35 per month for the first six months, rising to 70 for the remainder of the 12 month contract. You can enter your address on the website before your purchase to find out what broadband speed will be available to you with this package.
WHEN I flew into Caracas last Thursday afternoon, the airport was unusually quiet.

The Columbian airline, Avianca, had announced, the previous Tuesday, that it was suspending its flights in and out of Venezuela, joining an increasing number of airlines which have suspended flights to Caracas.

Traffic was also light on the main highway that leads to the city centre.

It was the second day of a strike called by the opposition.

A strike in Venezuela is different to an industrial dispute in Ireland.

In Caracas, for example, the roads into the wealthier neighbourhoods will be taped off.

The residents of these areas, some undoubtedly supportive of the action and others intimidated by it, tend not to transgress.

The result is the closure of many businesses, shops, and services.

Meanwhile, on a packed Bolivar Boulevard in central Caracas, the Chavistas were holding their final pre-election rally in an almost carnivalesque atmosphere, prior to the controversial constituent assembly elections, which were held on Sunday.

The following day, the city came back to life as the strike was lifted; traffic increased and the city was choked up with a vast array of cars and trucks, of every shape and vintage.

The BBC, in its Thursday night news broadcast, announced that the government had banned an opposition protest rally, which had been due to take place on Friday.

The opposition is boycotting the constituent assembly elections.

Caracas was tense on Friday, as rumours abounded about some spectacular to be organised by the opposition; police and the national guard had a heavy presence throughout the city, but nothing of note materialised, other than the blocking of some roads around Chacao, a wealthy district in the east of the city.

The American government has told its embassy staff to leave Venezuela, and had threatened further sanctions against the Venezuelan government if the election went ahead on Sunday.

More airlines began to suspend flights.

I received an email, informing me that my return flight to Paris, scheduled for Monday with Air France, had been cancelled.

I began to wonder if it was wise to have come here, as part of an international monitoring delegation, at the request of the Venezuelan CNE (National Electoral Council), the body charged with organising and overseeing Venezuelas many elections.

Over the last number of years, the narrative has taken root throughout the western world that the government of Venezuelas president, Nicolas Madura, is becoming increasing dictatorial, suspending freedom of expression and violently clamping down on opposition forces.

Maduras predecessor, Hugo Chavez, also had a critical press, but if you looked hard enough, you would always find some less critical coverage of his Bolivarian revolution in the western mainstream press.

With Madura, however, the negative commentary is relentless.

In our post-truth world, I try to rationalise what is really going on.

The descriptions in international news reports of a country on the verge of civil war seem at odds with a city that, by Saturday, had returned to its hectic, chaotic, and vibrant self.

So what is actually happening in Venezuela? Is there an objective truth to be found in this country, which is undoubtedly becoming increasingly polarised?

One fact beyond doubt is that inflation is through the roof.

It has soared in the last two years, not quite at Weimar Republic rates, but some commentators estimate it at 800%.

There have been shortages of some foodstuffs and other products, but this has improved in recent months.

However, due to staggering inflation rates and a reorganisation of state subsidies on some staple household products, many families are struggling, particularly the less well-off.

One of the most bizarre criticisms of Maduros government is that there is no freedom of expression.

Most of the media, however, both print and television, are privately owned and almost all are critical of the regime.

Of the seven principal papers in Caracas, four are openly hostile to the regime, one is broadly neutral, and two, on the left of the ideological spectrum, are supportive.

The vast majority of television channels are private and are much more popular than the publicly-owned channels, which gain typically less than 10% of the viewing public.

These state-run channels are unashamedly pro-government.

Between April 6 and the beginning of July, when the current round of protests began, 84 people have been killed.

Western media coverage gives the impression that the police are solely responsible.

On further inspection, however, you find a much more complex picture. The attorney general, who has been an outspoken critic of the regime, has attributed 23 deaths to the police and national guard, and 61 to the protestors.

The so-called peaceful protests typically begin in the evening; burning barricades are strung across roads and, as the evening progresses, increasing numbers of shadowy, masked and armed figures tend to emerge.

In studying extended footage of these protests, they are far from peaceful and would not be tolerated by any EU state, and they most certainly would not be tolerated in the US.

More than 500 public buses have been burned.

The spark that has ignited this sharp increase in violence was Maduros decision to hold a constituent assembly election.

The opposition believes that this is an attempt by the Chavistas to undermine the national assembly (parliament), where 60% of the deputies oppose Maduros government.

Venezuelas president Nicolas Maduro, shows his ballot, after voting for a constitutional assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday.

Maduro was elected president by a slim margin following Hugo Chavezs death in 2013.

Maduros government says that an analogous process took place in 1999, when a similar body, elected by the people, drew up a new constitution, which was subsequently put to a referendum and adopted overwhelmingly by the Venezuelan electorate.

The assembly is probably best described as a cross between our own Citizens Assembly and the senate.

Some fear that regional elections, which are due to be held at the end of this year, and presidential elections, due in 2018, will not now take place, and that this constituent assembly will impose a new constitution without recourse to endorsement by the people, via a referendum.

This is a question I put to Samuel Moncado, the foreign minister and former Venezuelan ambassador to Ireland.

It is something he refutes, assuring the audience of international observers that the register for candidates in the regional election will be opened in August and that the recommendations for a new constitution, which are due to emerge from the constituent assembly, will be put to a referendum of the people.

Significant elements in a far from unified opposition have been seeking a new constitution and talks continued, up until recent days, to encourage them to participate in the constituent assembly election.

The decision to hold this constituent assembly election was, on the face of it, not the most astute move by a government under huge economic and political pressure, but clearly Maduro felt a need to do something.

Speaking with local Chavistas, they are acutely aware of the current crisis and the need to step back from an escalation of further violence.

This constituent assembly was seen as a way of bringing the many diverse interests in Venezuela together in a less heated atmosphere.

On seeing the Tricolour on my credentials, Maria Garcia, a Maduro supporter, says emphatically: We dont want a replication of the violence that happened in your country taking place here.

The other principal reason why the Chavistas want to draw up a new constitution is to give constitutional status to the social missions that they have embarked upon over the last two decades.

These missions have been the most successful part of the Bolivarian revolution; more than 1.5m social-housing units were built, literacy increased hugely, and poorer people gained access to health care for the first time.

The election of Donald Trump as US president has shifted the balance of power in some regional conflicts and, just as his unavowed support for Saudi Arabia has isolated Qatar, so, too, has his election emboldened the opposition in Venezuela.

In concluding his meeting with the international monitors, Samuel Moncado described the relentless distortion of reality in Venezuela as gas-lighting on a grand scale.

This is something that resonated with me and with most of the international delegation, as the Venezuela I have visited, on a number of occasions over the last 15 years, and have experienced first-hand, is a very different place to the one I have read about in the international press.

I regularly doubt what I have seen with my own eyes.

I witnessed long queues outside polling booths on Sunday, as mostly poorer sections of the city turned out to vote in large numbers; other polling stations were quiet.

There were some violent clashes again in the east of Caracas, and Merida state, some 650km south-west of Caracas.

An explosion in Altamira, on Sunday evening, injured a number of police officers, who were part of a motor cycle troop.

The death toll has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

The final turnout was 41%. Just over 8m people voted. Venezuela undoubtedly needs to create a space for resolving deep-seated conflict through peaceful means.

Outside interference of the sort that has taken place of late will hinder, rather than help, this process.

Adrian Kane works in Cork for Siptu and is a national organiser representing workers in the energy sector. He is chair of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The government on Monday asked North Korea for talks between military and Red Cross officials. The Defense Ministry proposed talks on Friday to discuss halting provocations to mark the 64th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War, and the Red Cross wants to discuss the resumption of reunions between family members separated by the war.

Contact between the two Koreas has been suspended since December 2015, and of course some kind of cross-border communication needs to resume. But is this the right time, and is begging the way to go about it? Since North Korea announced it succeeded in launching an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this month, the UN has been discussing tougher sanctions. The U.S plans a secondary boycott that imposes tough sanctions on companies in third countries that do business with the North. Hasty inter-Korean talks could undermine efforts by the international community to bring the renegade regime to heel. President Moon Jae-in promised his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to cooperate closely, but it seems unlikely that the U.S. is suddenly behind South Korea's latest peace overtures.

If military talks do take place, Pyongyang will undoubtedly be demanding a halt to U.S.-South Korean military drills, and it will also ask for an end to propaganda broadcasts across the border that seem to be effective in damaging morale among North Korean soldiers. These are precisely the kinds of demands that foment divisions in South Korea between hawks and doves, and they are bound to work their evil magic again.

The broadcasts resumed in response to North Korea's nuclear test in January last year and box-mine attacks along the DMZ that maimed two South Korean soldiers. Nothing has changed since then, and in fact the North has plowed ahead with its nuclear and missile developments with redoubled speed. Why on earth does the government expect that the North will change if it offers a few concessions?

North Korea has always used the reunions of separated families as a purely political tool, and allowed only a select group of its people to meet their long-lost relatives in South Korea. The aim, surely, must be to ensure that all these families can meet each other freely.

The pattern has always been the same. The North ratchets up tensions, the South seeks dialogue, and a few concessions are made. Then the cycle starts again. Previous government officials were fully aware of this, yet they still begged and, in some cases, paid a lot of money for cross-border talks to score political points. As a result, North Korea's nuclear ambitions continued unabated, and peace is an ever more distant dream.

The new government seems hell-bent on repeating these mistakes. There is no reason for anyone to get excited even if the talks do take place. A fundamental shift in the North's attitude is necessary to achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, and neither North Korea nor any other autocratic regime has ever made any fundamental changes without strong and continued pressure from the international community.


Motorola is reportedly going to launch lots of products apart from smartphones. Motorola Accessories is speculated to be working on a wide-angle dash cam, which is going to be priced at $99 according to a new report.

Apart from making smartphones, Motorola is also popular for manufacturing mobile accessories and a variety of products for public safety and home. In the past also Motorola has released Motorola MDC100 Dash Cam that featured a 2.8-inch display and a 2-megapixel camera, as reported by PhonDroid.

The upcoming Motorola Car Dash Cam could be a successor for MDC100. The upcoming gadget from Motorola is said to perform shootings at Full HD resolution of 1080p alongside the motion detection. There is no information on the exact configuration of the camera, but it has been unveiled that it features a wide-angle lens, Gizmochina.

Motorola Car Dash Cam will be arriving with a bigger display of 4 inches which will support a resolution of 480 x 854. The rumored dash cam is said to go on sale with the price tag of $99.

For the long duration video recording purpose, the upcoming Motorola dash cam will also boast a microSD card slot. The sensors will be there on the car dash cam that will assist the users in safely parking their cars.

Europe will be the first market to get Motorola Car Dash Cam followed by the U.S. However, there is no information on whether other markets will be receiving the upcoming Motorola dash cam or not.

Motorola Mobility is owned by Lenovo. However, the new dash cam won't be released by Motorola Mobility, but it will be a product from Motorola Accessories that belongs to a British firm called Binatone. This British company is in charge of the home products sold with Motorola branding.
Samsung has confirmed that new Galaxy Note 8 phablet is going to release during the Unpacked event on August 23 in New York. However, latest report suggests that Samsung might have leaked the pre-order date for the upcoming Note 8.

The leak is directly coming from Samsung's official Australian website that has revealed the Galaxy Note 8 pre-order date. The said documents which were prematurely posted on their website don't actually reveal the pre-order date but the dates on some of their promotional terms throw light on when the much-anticipated Galaxy Note 8 will be available for pre-order.

The Australian Samsung website noted that their screen replacement program promotional will start from August 25th. It would make sense that people who pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 8 will be able to take advantage of the Galaxy Note 8 screen replacement program. August 25th will be too soon for the Galaxy Note 8 to be launched on the market but it does fall only 2 days after the supposed reveal, as noted by Value Walk.

Talking about the leaked specs of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the device is expected to come with a huge 6.3-inch infinity display. The upcoming phablet will boast the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of onboard storage. On the optic side, the device will have the dual rear cameras and will be powered by a 3300mAh battery. Rumors also claim that the Galaxy Note 8 could be Samsung's first smartphone to break the $1,000 barrier.

If the reports are to be believed and August 25th is the pre-order date in Australia, it's possible that the Galaxy Note 8 will be available for pre-order in various other mobile phone markets soon after the given date. More concrete details about the device will be known on the August 25th.
History of ransomware

Ransomware, a type of malware that holds data for ransom, has been around for years. In 1991, a biologist spread PC Cyborg, the first ransomware, by sending floppy disks via surface mail to other AIDS researchers, for instance. In the mid '00s Archiveus was the first ransomware to use encryption, though it's long ago been defeated and you can find its password on its Wikipedia page. In the early 2010s, a series of "police" ransomware packages appeared, so called because they purported to be warnings from law enforcement about the victims' illicit activities and demanded payment of "fines"; they began to exploit the new generation of anonymous payment services to better harvest payments without getting caught.

In the 2010s, a new ransomware trend emerged: the use of cryptocurrencies as the ransom payment method of choice by cybercriminals. The appeal to the extortionists is obvious, as cryptocurrencies are specifically designed to provide an untraceable, anonymous payment method. Most ransomware gangs demanded payment in bitcoin, the most high-profile cryptocurrency, although some began shifting their demands to other currencies as bitcoin's popularity made its value more volatile.

Attacks shot up in the middle of the 2010s to crisis levels. But by 2018, the ransomware boom seemed to be on its way out, in favor of another illicit way to snag bitcoin that didn't require victims to figure out what a bitcoin wallet was: cryptojacking. Cryptojackers follow the script that spammers and DDoS attackers have been using for years: surreptitiously gaining control of computers without their owners knowing. In the case of cryptojacking, the compromised machines become bitcoin mining rigs, quietly generating cryptocurrency in the background and eating up idle computing cycles while the victim is none the wiser. Ransomware attacks declined over the course of 2018, while cryptojacking attacks shot up by 450 percent.

Ransomware attacks today
Today

Plenty of sunshine. High 72F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 45F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 71F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Vanessa O'Brien has become the first American woman to summit K2, the world's second highest mountain at 8,611 meters. The 52-year-old former banker from New York led a 12-member team of international climbers and planted the U.S. flag on top of K2 on July 28.

The mountain is located at Pakistan's border with China and considered one of the world's most dangerous peaks for climbers. The first male American team conquered "the savage mountain" 39 years ago.

This was O'Brien's third attempt at K2 after having been unsuccessful in 2015 because of unusually harsh weather conditions, and in 2016 when an avalanche swooped in and buried all the expedition equipment stashed at CAMP-3, its high altitude operational base.

Bad weather prevented all other international teams from summiting K2 in those two years. It took O'Brien's team 16 hours from CAMP-4 at 7681 meters to the top, a very long time, but the weather held.

She told VOA on Monday after safely descending to K2 base camp at 5,100 meters she was exhausted but very grateful for her team's success. "This was by far the hardest undertaking I have ever come across. Not just the 50 kilometer winds and snow pushing against you, but the pure blue ice underneath your feet that threatened to pull you off balance at any second," said the climber, who also holds British nationality.

"I was constantly reminded of the 84 people who came before me and lost their lives commemorated at the Gilkey Memorial," she added. O'Brien was referring to the place near the K2 base camp, where the victims are laid to rest.

The Memorial is named after Art Gilkey, the American who died of serious illness during an unsuccessful attempt by his team of mostly U.S. climbers in 1953. "A proud day for #woman everywhere at the top of #K2, the world's second highest mountain," O'Brien announced via Twitter from shortly after scaling the peak on Friday.

"One of the most important flags I carried to the top of #K2 was #Pakistan, a country that has showed me so much love & support #PakistanZindabad (long live Pakistan)," she said in another message on her Twitter post with a picture of the green and white Pakistani flag.
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China's state media on Monday criticized Washington for "agitating" North Korea after the U.S. conducted a interceptor missile test in Alaska following the North's surprise test of an intercontinental ballistic missile Friday.

The Global Times quoted Lu Chao, a researcher at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, as saying, the "[Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense] system's test is the U.S.' way of showing support to its ally in Northeast Asia, as it remains uncertain whether the system could successfully shoot down a medium-range missile from North Korea in the narrow landscape of the Korean Peninsula."


Defense Minister Song Young-moo on Monday that South Korea is "ready to review" the plans to build nuclear-powered submarines in the face of the growing military threat from North Korea.

President Moon Jae-in said during his election campaign that the time has come for South Korea to acquire its own nuclear-powered submarine and vowed to hold talks with the U.S. about the prospect.

Song was speaking in an emergency National Assembly meeting following the North's surprise launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday. But he added South Korea is not considering building its own nuclear bomb although it has the technology and resources to do so.

Calls to build a nuclear submarine are nothing new, but the obstacle is an agreement with the U.S. that prohibits South Korea from obtaining and possessing weapons-grade plutonium. Experts say it would take at least 10 to 15 years for South Korea to deploy such submarines even if research and development starts immediately.

Asked by lawmakers if North Korea has completed development of tactical nuclear weapons, Song said, "Even if North Korea completed development of an ICBM, it is difficult to determine whether it has the technology to make a nuclear warhead small enough to be mounted on the ICBM.

But he said North Korea' missiles have crossed a "red line" laid down by Seoul and Washington that could trigger a military response. "We believe that the range has fully reached the threat level [of reaching the U.S. mainland] and went beyond the threshold."

He said Seoul remains committed to its two-track strategy of balancing pressure and attempts to engage North Korea. "Even in war, we must communicate with the enemy," he said.


British regulators confirmed Tuesday they are investigating allegations of bribery and corruption practices by British American Tobacco Plc.

The Serious Fraud Office said it is looking into "suspicions of corruption in the conduct of business by BAT, its subsidiaries and associated persons."

BAT is the worlds largest publicly traded tobacco manufacturer, having completed July 25 its $54.5 billion purchase of the 57.8 percent of Reynolds it did not already own. Reynolds has become BATs largest global subsidiary, with legacy Reynolds shareholders owning 19 percent of BAT.

A 2015 BBC documentary disclosed claims of bribery committed by former BAT employees and individuals working on BATs behalf in Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.

The bribes allegedly were made to politicians and policymakers to cover up environmental damage and corporate espionage linked to BAT.

BAT has denied the claims, but said in its 2015 annual report that a number of allegations were made regarding historic misconduct in Africa.

BAT said Thursday in its fiscal 2017 half-year report that "the investigation into allegations of misconduct, which is being conducted by external legal advisers, is continuing. As part of this, we continue to liaise with the Serious Fraud Office and other relevant authorities."

On Tuesday, BAT said it "has been informed that the Serious Fraud Office has now opened a formal investigation. BAT intends to cooperate with that investigation."

Stephen Pope, managing principal with industry research firm Spotlight Ideas of London, said "there is an element of truth in that the wheels of government and legislation in Africa turn more easily if 'greased.' "

"However, it is certainly not a practice that should be applauded."

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids called unsuccessfully on U.S. regulators to halt the BAT purchase of Reynolds until the British investigation into the fraud allegations had been completed.

"The allegations that British American Tobacco paid illegal bribes to influence members of parliament and gain advantage over competitors in multiple African countries are truly shocking," Matthew Myers, president of the anti-tobacco advocacy group, said in a statement Tuesday.

"British American Tobacco should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Myers said the group "urges" the U.S. Justice Department "to also investigate the companys alleged misconduct"as part of its full ownership of Reynolds.

Myers used the investigation as another public advocacy moment, saying the allegations are "a reminder to the public that tobacco companies cannot be trusted."
Nigeria is adamant that the sailors should be tried in court. The charges against them will be slapped once they reach the country.
Rockwell Collins appears to be facing a mid- to long-term revenue challenge from one of its top customers, as Boeing is reportedly considering taking its avionics development in-house.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, based on a Boeing employee memo, that the company is establishing an internal avionics unit that would develop navigation and flight controls for commercial aircraft and military jets.

The goal would be internal sourcing of new products and supplies as early as 2020.

However, analysts caution it could be 2024 or 2025 before Boeing could have a direct revenue influence on Rockwell given the length of current Boeing avionics supplier contracts with Rockwell and Honeywell.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the memo from Dennis Mullenburg, Boeings chief executive, said the companys goal is to further drive cost down and value up for our customers. There also are reports that Boeing may consider over time offering its avionics innovations to other companies.

Reuters reported that Boeing spent $550 million on avionics with Rockwell in fiscal 2016  about 46 percent of Rockwells sales last year.

Those products have been key supplier and revenue offerings for Rockwell Collins well before its $8.6 million purchase of B/E Aerospace Inc. on April 13.

Rockwell, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a global leader in flight avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications, simulation and training, and information-management systems for commercial, business and military customers.

B/E, by contrast, made its mark in fundamental interior operations such as seating, lavatories and galleys. B/E has its largest U.S. operational hub in Winston-Salem with more than 1,600 local employees.

Rockwell said in a statement it does not expect any Boeing avionics unit to affect its short-term revenue.

We were well aware that this is a long-term strategy for Boeing and do not anticipate any impact to our business in the foreseeable future, Rockwell spokesman Josh Baynes said.

We continue to enjoy a strong, collaborative relationship with Boeing on its current programs, and remain committed to working together to deliver innovation, quality and value to meet its customers needs.

Much of Boeings new orders with Rockwell are in effect several years in the future, and aftermarket parts and repairs would be sourced from Rockwell for several years as well.

Investors responded to Mondays media reports about the Boeing avionics initiative by sending Rockwells share price down 6.3 percent Monday. The share price hit a 52-week high of $114.21 last week after Rockwell showed a strong revenue and profit bump related to the B/E purchase.

The share price rebounded from much of Mondays loss in the past two days, trading up $4.79 on Tuesday and $1.04 on Wednesday to close at $112.36.

Baird Equity Research analyst Peter Arment viewed Mondays share price pullback as a buying opportunity for short- and long-term investors.

The news that Boeing is planning to build out avionics capabilities and become more vertically integrated for its next plane in 2021 will create some headline risk for the long term, Arment said. Near term, this does not impact Rockwell for the next several years.

Sam Pearlstein, an analyst with Wells Fargo Securities, said the initial stock reaction to Rockwell indicates to us that investors worry Boeing could in-source avionics built by Rockwell Collins and Honeywell. He said there is speculation Boeing could ramp up avionics unit staffing from 120 currently to more than 600 in 2019.

Based on business already awarded, we do not think this can materially even begin to impact Rockwells outlook before 2024-2025 when the middle of the market airplane is expected to enter service.

For example, Pearlstein said Rockwell has been awarded avionics contracts on all Boeing programs, such as 737MAX, 777X, 787 and 767 tankers.

While Boeing could in-source specific equipment like navigation equipment, etc. like it did recently with actuators on 777, the cockpit avionics awarded to Rockwell Collins will remain, Pearlstein said.

It will take another airplane (design) for Boeing to move all of what Rockwell Collins provides in-house and even then, Boeing may not choose an unproven internal supplier over suppliers like Rockwell Collins or Honeywell.

Legacy B/E shareholders own 20 percent of Rockwell.

Total sales for Rockwells third quarter were up 56.9 percent to $2.09 billion, the company reported Friday. About $695 million of the revenue came from B/E.

Rockwell lists four sales categories: interior systems (formerly B/E), commercial systems (mix of B/E), government systems and information-management systems.

Category revenue was $695 million for interior, $656 million for commercial, $558 million for government and $183 million for information management.

Rockwell CEO Kelly Ortberg said Winston-Salem altogether represents about 5 percent to 6 percent of its overall operations, rivaling legacy Rockwell operations in Melbourne, Fla.
GREENSBORO  Lawmakers have until 5 p.m. Sept. 1 to redraw the N.C. House and Senate maps that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled are unconstitutional.

U.S. Middle District Judges Catherine Eagles and Thomas Schroeder and U.S. Court of Appeals Judge James Wynn filed the order Monday after listening to arguments Thursday that the General Assembly has waited more than 50 weeks to redistrict the illegal boundaries as a means to further suppress representation by Democrats.

Eagles ruled last year that 28 N.C. House and Senate districts violated the Constitution because lawmakers packed black voters into specific districts to dilute the Democratic vote and increase the weight given to Republican voters. She ordered lawmakers to redraw the districts.

Eagles ordered on Nov. 29, 2016, that lawmakers create new maps of the House and Senate districts by March 15 and hold a special election using the new districts no later than early November.

Instead of complying with Eagles order, the General Assembly fought her decision in the U.S. Supreme Court. On June 5, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld Eagles ruling.

Earlier this year Gov. Roy Cooper tried to hold a special session to redistrict the legislative seats, but Republican lawmakers felt that was unnecessary.

The states redistricting panel met Wednesday, a day before the hearing in federal court.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, Anita Earls with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and Edwin Speas with Poyner Spruill, argued that the General Assembly has intentionally not created the new maps as a means to put Democratic candidates at a disadvantage.

Attorney Phillip Strach, who represents the General Assembly, said lawmakers were taking their time in drawing the new maps because they wanted to make sure those new districts upheld the Constitution. That includes holding public hearings to obtain feedback from residents.

Strach told the judges that lawmakers wanted until November to redistrict.

Earls and Speas asked the judges to set an Aug. 11 deadline for the new districts and order a special election to be held on March 6.

The judges denied the special election and compromised on the deadline.

The judges also ordered that the new district plans be filed with the court for review within seven days of the deadline and include with it transcripts of all committee hearings and floor debates, a description of the process each committee used in enacting the new plans including the identities of those involved, any alternative district plans considered and the criteria applied to create the new plans including the extent race was a factor.

The judges agreed to extend the Sept. 1 deadline by 14 days if a motion is filed by 5 p.m. Aug. 21 and supported by evidence that the defendants disclosed what criteria they used to draw remedial districts, released proposed district maps applying that criteria and explain what process they plan to use to receive comments from the public and other legislators.
The 2017 National Black Theatre Festival launched Monday afternoon with the first of six noon press conferences at the Marriott Hotel on Cherry Street.

Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin, executive producer; Jackie Alexander, artistic director; and Nigel Alston, executive director, welcomed the standing-room-only gathering of celebrities, media and fans by promising a Marvtastic festival, leading chants of, Put on your purple and black, the festival is back.

Obba Babatunde, star of the festivals opening night show, Five Guys Named Moe, and co-chair of the festival with Anna Maria Horsford, echoed some of that by recalling a quote from Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy said theres one place we never lie, and that is when we are on the boards (of the theater), Babatunde said. That is a sacred space.

Louis Gossett Jr., 81, was to receive the National Black Theatre Festivals highest honor, the Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award, Monday night.

Its great to be honored by people who you have worked with and been around all these years, he said in an interview after the press conference.

Its part of a continuum that will never end. I honor those who came before me  James Edwards, Dorothy Dandridge, Ruby Dee  and it will continue long after I am gone.

Gossett was born in 1936 in Brooklyn, the great-grandson of a woman who had been a slave in North Carolina. In 1977, he received an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Fiddler in the landmark ABC miniseries Roots, and in 1982 he won an Academy Award for his role as Sgt. Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman.

Gossett said that it was his great-grandmothers job to raise his cousins and him. On his way to his first performance on Broadway, his great-grandmother took him aside.

God was here before you got here, she told him. Hes going to be here after youre gone, so you better calm down and let Him be in charge.

Ive been around the world five or six times, Gossett said. Being at the National Black Theater Festival in the state where my great-grandmother was born feels like coming full circle. And its only just begun.

Izzy Real, 19, could be part of that continuum. He describes himself as a clean stand-up comic, is from Winston-Salem and lives in Atlanta. Hes in Winston-Salem to emcee at a one-man show, Black Man, Naked Truth, starring Devin T. Robinson.

Real attended the press conference with his grandmother, Joyce Cousins, who lives in Winston-Salem.

He was born to be a comedian, Cousins said. His father was a preacher, and thats what he based his act on. He always kept us laughing.

Real participated the NBTF Youth Talent Showcase in 2011 and 2013, before moving to Atlanta to pursue a career in comedy. He is also a student at Georgia Tech.

During the press conference, Alexander said when he moved to Winston-Salem in August 2016 from New York, all his friends asked him, Why?

I had an answer, and this is it, Alexander said, gesturing to include the celebrities on the dais and the enthusiastic gathering in the hotel lobby.

Thank you, Mrs. Hamlin, he said, bending over to kiss her on the cheek. And thank you Marjorie Moon, he said, referring to the executive director of the Billie Holiday Theater where he was before he moved to Winston-Salem to direct the North Carolina Black Repertory Co.

N.C. Black Rep produces the theatre festival biennially.

As teen co-chair for the second year, Colby Christina, 16, will host the TeenTastic events, Teen Talks and the Youth Celebrity projects.

Colbys said that her message to teens and tweens is, Think big, dream big and soar.

Crystal R. Fox, a star of Tyler Perrys The Haves and the Have Nots, acknowledged her theatrical roots.

Ted Lange, actor and playwright, urged the crowd to attend his new show, The Prequel to Othello, the Cause, my Soul. It is written in verse, but not the usual verse.

Its in the rhythm of the language coming through a black brain for a black audience, he said.

Gossett offered some advice on how to experience the festival: Open your eyes. Open your heart. And enjoy.
GLORIA WHISENHUNT, Winston-Salem

WiFi responsibility

As an elected official for more than 27 years, I am used to public scrutiny and criticism. In fact, I believe it is an important part of listening to the community and is helpful as I vote my conscience in the important decisions facing Forsyth County.

One of the more common complaints, particularly over the last two years, centers around the Hall of Justice. The facility is outdated and needs to be replaced  almost everyone agrees. Since 2013, the county has collaborated with the local judicial system leaders, the Bar Association and other stakeholders in a monthly Strategic Facilities Workgroup meeting that has led to several options currently before the Board of County Commissioners to make a decision.

Judge Laurie Hutchins has been a vocal critic of commissioners regarding the court facilities, most recently in her July 6 letter A new courthouse. As a judge, I am sure she is aware that the state provides the data access lines into the courthouse and the county generally provides the wiring inside the building to accommodate state servers, routers, etc. Except for the one exception to provide limited service in the jury pool room, the county does not fund internet access in the courthouse.

Judge Hutchins is asking for the citizens to fund something that is not a local responsibility, but her employers, the State of North Carolina. Maybe her next letter should be addressed to the folks in Raleigh.

Gloria Whisenhunt is a member of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.  the editor

******

GUS PRESCHLE, Clemmons

Turning point

It is very troubling that Earths temperatures are in record territory (First half of 2017 ranks 2nd hottest globally, behind 2016, journalnow, July 18). However, there is cause for hope. People around the world are successfully fighting climate change. We can reach a much-needed turning point if everyone pulls together.

Global carbon emissions have been flat over the past three years because of individual and organized action. Despite President Trumps turning against the Paris climate accord, many cities and states have declared their intention to honor it. In Washington, 24 Republicans and 24 Democrats joined a Climate Solutions Caucus and helped kill an amendment to defund climate studies. Next, they plan to evaluate a price on carbon to reduce emissions.

Renewable forms of energy are growing exponentially here and around the world. China is reducing reliance on coal, putting a price on carbon and capturing the world market for renewable energy equipment. At the recent G20 summit, most of the countries reaffirmed their commitment to the Paris accord. People are realizing the indirect benefits of fighting climate change, like a healthier population. Under pressure from students and other constituents, campuses are divesting of fossil fuels. And finally, people are banding together to resist pipelines, coal-power plants and other technology whose time is past.

Social change starts slowly, and then happens all at once. Historical examples include womens suffrage, the end to prohibition, interracial marriages and more. Can adoption of carbon pricing be the next big change? Keep at it, people.

******

LINDA PATRICK, Winston-Salem

Too much

This season of The Apprentice is wearing me out. This stuff between President Trump, Anthony Scaramucci and Reince Preibus is too unbelievable. Nothing like this would ever happen in real life.

Please submit letters online to Letters@wsjournal.com or mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102.


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07/31/2017



Presidents John Beehler (JSU) and David Campbell (NACC) signed a formal agreement on July 26.

Jacksonville State's new Transfer Pathway Program is signing agreements with community college partners to better support students interested in transferring to JSU.

In April, the university signed an agreement with Gadsden State Community College while, in July, it formed a similar partnership with Northeast Alabama Community College in Rainsville. Later this month, an agreement will be signed with Southern Union State Community College at its Wadley campus.

JSU's Transfer Pathway Program is aimed at significantly increasing the transferability of students from community colleges throughout the state of Alabama, regionally and nationally. The pathway model allows students to enroll in specific courses at the community college level that will better prepare them for the major they wish to pursue at JSU.

Dr. Jean M. Pugliese, executive director of the Transfer Pathway Program, stated, JSU wishes to recruit high quality students from community colleges, and more importantly, JSU wants these students to have a positive experience as they progress and eventually graduate from JSU.

In March, the program hosted its first Transfer Preview Day while, in July, it hosted its first Transfer Orientation. Both pilot events were a huge success. JSUs Alumni Office has also joined forces with the Transfer Pathway Program to promote its implementation and create interest among potential students in the communities where alumni live and work.

Increasing the enrollment and retention of transfer students is one of the goals set forth in JSU's strategic enrollment plan. For more information about the Transfer Pathways Program, please contact Dr. Pugliese at pugliese@jsu.edu.
JURIST Guest Columnist Matt Belenky of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law discusses Amazons sales tax policy As of April 1, 2017, Amazon, once a leader in pushing for online purchases to be tax free, announced it would collect sales taxes on purchases in the final four states it hadnt yet collected from: Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, and New Mexico. Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon include states that have no sales tax at all, while Alaska only has a municipal sales tax where individual municipalities have power to set their own taxation rates. Amazons move to offer more expedient delivery services has come with an expansion of its distribution centers throughout the United States. Hence, Amazons interest in collecting sales taxes from states where its distribution centers, that help offer same day or next day delivery, are located. In an attempt to get sellers to pay a sales tax, many states across the United States are now involved with enacting legislation, in whats known as the kill Quill  movement. Referring to the 1992 Quill v. North Dakota case, sellers would be required to pay a sales tax once their sales in the state reach a certain value. In addition, in late May, Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.) reintroduced a bill, the Marketplace Fairness Act [PDF], which would allow states to tax across their borders and businesses would become tax collectors indebted to the states. This bill could cut pricey compliance requirements for businesses while allowing the states to collect taxes from online consumers.

Amazon and Quill

Amazons sales tax has long been a topic of conversation. In 2016, researchers at Ohio State studied household spending data in 19 states in which the sales tax was in effect and found that shoppers spent 8.3% less on products after the tax was put into effect. The biggest decline came from big-ticket items (e.g. $250 or higher) where sales declined by 11.4%. States have had varying relationships with Amazon over the years. In South Carolina, for example, the state legislature gave Amazon a break on their sales tax collection in exchange for creating jobs for the states citizens. This break was going on despite the fact that Amazon had a huge fulfillment center in South Carolina, which would be sufficient enough to grant them nexus to the state. In addition, New Mexico expects to collect tens of millions of dollars in revenues generated by Amazons collections in the state. The money will be distributed among the states general fund and to the cities where the item was bought. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the physical nexus tax loophole cost states $17.2 billion in 2016.

There has also been a long history of retailers opposing tax laws that would allow Amazon and other online companies to avoid charging customers, depending on the state, a sales tax on their purchases. Before Amazon even existed, the ruling that companies are only allowed to collect sales tax if they have a physical location in the states comes from a 1992 case Quill Corp v. North Dakota . Hence, the lack of a physical nexus in a state is sufficient to exempt a corporation from having to pay sales taxes to that state. This may explain Amazons desire to expand its distribution center outreach to every possible state that it can collect sales taxes from. In 2015, Supreme Court Justice Kennedy stated that changes in technology and consumer sophistication warrant a reversal of Quill , since a business may be present in a State in a meaningful way, without that presence being physical in the traditional sense of the term. Justice Kennedy is correct in saying that technology now is far more advanced and complex than it was in 1992 and reversing Quill based on the current e-commerce structure holds merit. The Internet was in its infancy and corporations made little to no revenues off of their online businesses. For present day corporations involved in the retail space, however, the exact opposite is true. Online business is king. In March 2017, a group of online retailers sued South Dakota for a March 2016 law that was passed requiring all online stores with sales in the state of more than $100,000 or 200 separate transactions to collect sales taxes. The issue is now before the South Dakota Supreme Court, and the next step would be the Supreme Court. Alabama, Tennessee and South Dakota are the three states currently involved in litigation battles over similar economic nexus related issues. These three states have responded to changes in the digital marketplace as part of kill Quill  movement, and 20 more states are expected to join them through statute or administrative rule in 2017.

Federal Solutions to Amazon

Contrary to President Trumps July 24th tweet stating that Amazon is a no-tax monopoly, Amazon does in fact collect a sales tax in 45 states. It doesnt collect tax in one specific instance, which deals with third-party sales organized through its marketplace platform. Minnesota and Washington have already enacted laws requiring marketplace distributors like Amazon and Etsy to collect tax on third-party transactions. Amazons decision to increase its sales tax outreach is timely given the companys recent Whole Foods acquisition, which will inevitably increase their physical foothold across the country. Last week, testimony to help codify Quill took place, as the House Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust law held a hearing regarding H.R. 287 [PDF], the No Regulation without Representation Act (NRRA) This bill is intended to solve the issue of states taxing remote sellers name by (1) telling out-of-state businesses how to make or dispose of their products and (2) by imposing income tax or sales tax collection burdens on remote businesses.

In April, the Remote Transactions Parity Act, H.R. 2193 [PDF], and the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA), S. 976 [PDF], were introduced with the common goal of expanding states taxing authority over remote retailers. Both Acts do a good job of limiting the compliance costs for out-of-state sellers, which has been a huge problem for states faced with sales tax issues. The Marketplace Fairness Act passed in the Senate in 2013 before stalling in the House. Not only would passing the MFA levy the sales on the federal level, but according to Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, it would provide an additional source of revenue for a state that ended 2 percent below its projected revenue in 2016. Despite the fact that President Trump himself has trouble comprehending the fundamentals of Amazons sales tax, it did not stop Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin from testifying before a Senate panel last week to say that the White House is looking very closely at this issue. Collecting online sales taxes, per Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), for rural states could prove cumbersome if not impossible because of the lack of resources to track down all these internet sales transactions. Even though there would be fewer transactions with a state like West Virginia than say Pennsylvania, Manchins concern remains valid.

Conclusion

President Trumps tweets will not deter Amazon from collecting a sales tax across 45 states. The NRRA and MFA bills put forth before the Senate, however, hold significance in determining whether Quill will be overturned after 25 years. The physical presence requirement of Quill will continue to stir controversy as companies generate large sums of revenue from their online sales. Behemoths like Amazon hold the advantage over remote retailerswho the two bills in front of the Senate could hurt the most. As Sen. Manchin mentioned, smaller retailers may lack the resources of a bigger corporation. What is certain is that Quill and Amazons sales tax policies will continue to get opposition amongst legislative bodies and stakeholders alike. Trumps tweets notwithstanding.

Matt Belenky is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. During law school he co-managed a legal podcast, wrote Paper Chase articles, and operated the social media accounts for JURIST. He has participated in Moot Court and represented his law school, on a team of three, in the National Baseball Arbitration Competition at Tulane Law School in both 2016 and 2017. He spent his entire 3L year interning at the Office of Chief Counsel at the IRS in Pittsburgh.

Suggested citation:Matt Belenky, Amazon, Kill Quill, and the Two Bills, JURIST  Dateline, August 1, 2017, http://jurist.org/dateline/2017/08/Matt-Belenky-amazon-kill-quill.php.

This article was prepared for publication by Dave Rodkey, Managing Editor for JURIST. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org
JURIST Guest Columnist Bradley Abramson of Alliance Defending Freedom, discusses the new ABA Model Rules and potential first amendment concerns 

The new ABA Model Rule 8.4(g) prohibits attorneys from engaging in harmful, derogatory, or demeaning speech in any activity related to the practice of law, including bar association, business or social activities.

Proponents of the rule have advanced several arguments in its favor and raised several defenses in answer to its critics. But these arguments and defenses are unconvincing because theyre based on factual misrepresentations or on mischaracterizations of the rule.

Proponents of the rule summarily dismiss the many claims that it is unconstitutional

Many legal authorities point out that the new rule is unconstitutional. Proponents of the rule simply ignore this ever-increasing chorus of constitutional criticism.

The Texas and South Carolina attorneys general  the only attorneys general to have thus far opined on the rule  have both issued official opinions that it would likely violate the free speech, free association, and free exercise rights of attorneys. Indeed, the South Carolina Supreme Court recently rejected the rule after the South Carolina attorney general issued his opinion against it.

The ABAs own Standing Committee on Attorney Discipline, as well as the Professional Responsibility Committee of the ABA Business Law Section, warned the ABA that the new Rule may violate attorneys First Amendment speech rights.

And prominent legal scholars  such as UCLA constitutional law professor Eugene Volokh, Chapman University constitutional law and legal ethics professor Ronald Rotunda [By Subscription], and former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese, III  have all opined that the new rule is constitutionally infirm.

In addition, the authors of at least four law review articles have concluded that Model Rule 8.4(g)  and other rules like it  may violate attorneys First Amendment rights. For example, in New Model Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(g): Legislative History, Enforceability Questions, and a Call For Scholarship, Andrew F. Halaby and Brianna L. Long, 41 J. Legal Prof. 201, 2016-2017, the authors contend that the new rule has due process and First Amendment free expression infirmities. In Reply: A Pause for State Courts Considering Model Rule 8.4(g), The First Amendment and Conduct Related to the Practice of Law, Josh Blackman, 30 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 241 (2017), the author argues that the rule constitutes an unjustified incursion into constitutionally protected speech. In Lawyers Lack Liberty: State Codification of Comment 3 of Rule 8.4 Impinge On Lawyers First Amendment Rights, Lindsey Keiser, 28 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 629 (Summer 2015) the author states that these sorts of rules violate attorneys Free Speech rights. And in Attorney Association: Balancing Autonomy and Anti-Discrimination, Dorothy Williams, 40 J. Leg. Prof. 271 (Spring 2016), the author shows that such rules violate attorneys Free Association rights.

Furthermore, the National Lawyers Associations Commission for the Protection of Constitutional Rights has issued a statement that ABA Model Rule 8.4(g) would violate an attorneys free speech, free association, and free exercise rights.

And the Montana Legislature has adopted a Joint Resolution declaring that it would be an unconstitutional act of legislation and violate the First Amendment rights of Montana citizens for the Supreme Court of Montana to enact ABA Model Rule 8.4(g).

Following the lead of the ABA, however, the rules proponents continue to summarily dismiss these serious constitutional criticisms, without substantively addressing them. It is telling that the rules proponents do not even try to mount a convincing constitutional defense  most likely because they cannot.

Proponents of the rule erroneously argue that lawyers abandon their constitutional rights when they enter the legal profession

When proponents of the rule provide any response to claims that it is unconstitutional, they often contend that, even if the rule does encroach upon lawyers free speech and other constitutional rights, such is merely the cost attorneys must pay to participate in a regulated profession.

But that is, of course, nonsense. Citizens do not surrender their First Amendment speech rights when they become lawyers.

Indeed, the ABA itself recently acknowledged this in an amicus brief it filed in the case of Wollschlaeger, et al. v. Governor of the State of Florida, et al. (11th Circuit). In its brief, the ABA denied that a law regulating speech should receive less scrutiny merely because it regulates professional speech. On the contrary, the ABA stated, much speech by . . . a lawyer . . . falls at the core of the First Amendment. The government should not, under the guise of regulating the profession, be permitted to silence a perceived political agenda of which it disapproves. That is the central evil against which the First Amendment is designed to protect.

Simply put, the ABA stated, states should not be permitted to suppress ideas of which they disapprove simply because those ideas are expressed by licensed professionals in the course of practicing their profession . . . Indeed, the Supreme Court has never recognized professional speech as a category of lesser protected expression, and has repeatedly admonished that no new such classifications be created.

In support of its position, the ABA cited NAACP v. Button, 371 U.S. 415 (1963) for the proposition that notwithstanding the States interest in the regulation of the legal profession, a State may not, under the guise of prohibiting professional misconduct, ignore constitutional rights.

In short, lawyers do not surrender their constitutional rights when they enter the legal profession. And the state may not ignore attorneys constitutionally protected freedoms under the guise of professional regulation.

Proponents of the rule deny that the new rule is an historical departure from earlier attorney misconduct rules

Opponents of the rule point out that  in creating what is essentially a free-standing speech code for attorneys  the new rule represents a significant departure from past attorney misconduct rules, which historically have been limited to prohibiting conduct that either prejudices the administration of justice or renders the attorney unfit to practice law.

In response, proponents often argue that the new rule is nothing unusual and merely follows the lead of the many states that have already adopted similar black-letter nondiscrimination provisions in their rules of professional conduct.

But contrary to these contentions, the majority of states have not seen fit to adopt any black-letter anti-discrimination rules. And of those states that do have such provisions (other than Vermont, which is the only state that has adopted the new Model Rule), none of those anti-discrimination rules are comparable to the new Model Rule.

For example, other than Vermont, none of those jurisdictions extends its rule to conduct related to the practice of law. Seven of those jurisdictions limit their coverage to conduct in the representation of a client or in the course of employment after having been retained; eight states limit the applicability of their non-discrimination rules to conduct toward other counsel, litigants, court personnel, witnesses, judges, and others involved in the legal process; California limits its provision to the management and operation of a law practice; Massachusetts limits its rule to conduct before a tribunal; and D.C. limits its rule to employment discrimination.

And very importantly, other than Vermont, no state rule prohibits  as the new model rule does  harmful, derogatory, or demeaning speech or conduct, probably because, as noted above, such a rule would raise serious constitutional concerns.

Further, eight states limit their anti-discrimination rules to unlawful discrimination or discrimination prohibited by law. Indeed, of those eight states, half of them go even further, requiring that, before any disciplinary claim can even be filed, a tribunal of competent jurisdiction other than a disciplinary tribunal must first have found that the attorney has actually violated a federal, state, or local anti-discrimination statute or ordinance.

And unlike the new model rule, eight of the states with black letter anti-discrimination rules require that the alleged discrimination actually either prejudice the administration of justice or render the attorney unfit to practice law.

Finally, the model rule has a know or reasonably should know standard, whereas four of the states with black-letter anti-discrimination rules require the discriminatory conduct to be knowing, intentional or willful.

So the argument that the new ABA Rule is not unusual and simply follows the lead of what many states have already enacted is simply not true. The new rule represents an alarming departure from previous attorney misconduct rules.

Proponents of the rule deny that the rule will require attorneys to accept clients and cases they dont want to accept

The rules opponents have rightly pointed out that it will, in practice, require attorneys to accept clients and cases that attorneys, for a variety of very good reasons, do not want to accept  invading attorneys professional autonomy, forcing attorneys into unwanted fiduciary attorney-client relationships, and exposing attorneys to discrimination claims merely for exercising their professional judgment as to which clients to represent.

In response, proponents of the rule repeatedly state that it will not require lawyers to accept clients and cases they dont want to accept. But that is simply not true.

The entire purpose of the new rule is to prohibit attorneys from discriminating against anyone  including clients  in conduct related to the practice of law. Without more, that would clearly include an attorneys decision to decline a case or client for a reason that could be considered discriminatory. The only provision in the rule that purports to address this issue  and the provision upon which proponents of the rule rest their contention that it will not interfere with an attorneys client selection decisions  reads: This paragraph does not limit the ability of a lawyer to accept, decline or withdraw from a representation in accordance with Rule 1.16.

But Rule 1.16 does not even address the question of what clients or cases an attorney may decline. It only addresses the question of which clients and cases an attorney must decline. Rule 1.16 addresses three circumstances in which an attorney is prohibited from representing a client, namely: (a) if the lawyers physical or mental condition materially impairs the lawyers ability to represent the client, (b) the lawyer is discharged, or (c) the representation will result in violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law. None of these prohibitions has anything whatever to do with an attorneys decision not to represent a client because the attorney does not want to represent the client. It only addresses the opposite situation  namely, in what circumstances an attorney who otherwise wants to represent a client may not do so.

Indeed, it is clear from Vermonts recent adoption of the new rule that it will, in fact, reach a lawyers client selection decisions. In the Reporters Notes appended to Vermonts new rule, the Vermont Supreme Court expressly states that Rule 1.16 must also be understood in light of Rule 8.4(g) and that an attorneys client selection or withdrawal decisions cannot be based on discriminatory or harassing intent without violating the rule.

The lesson from Vermont is that  contrary to the representations of the rules proponents -a regime governed by the new Model Rule will, in fact, require attorneys to represent clients they do not want to represent, and will subject them to possible discrimination claims from anyone whose representation the attorney declines. In this regard as well, the new rule represents a stunning departure from the deference historically given to attorneys to choose which clients and cases to accept and which to decline.

A bad deal for lawyers

In an attempt to convince lawyers to buy into the new ABA Model Rule, its proponents are mischaracterizing the rule and ignoring its obvious flaws. Theyre hoping attorneys are not paying attention. But lawyers need only read the rule for themselves to see that its proponents are peddling a bad product. Lawyers shouldnt buy what the rules proponents are selling, because the rule is an extremely bad deal for lawyers.

Bradley Abramson serves as senior counsel to the Alliance Defending Freedom. He directs the Bar Association Project, which focses on encouraging allied attorneys to participate in and influence bar associations in order to protect and advance religious liberty.

Suggested citation: Bradley Abramson, Gagging Attorneys: A Critical Look at the ABA Anti-Discrimination Rule, JURIST  Academic Commentary, Jul. 31, 2017, http://jurist.org/forum/2017/03/bradley-abramson-aba-rule.php.

This article was prepared for publication by Kelly Cullen, a JURIST Assistant Editor. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org
The French government and the Calais region are to furnish water and sanitation to migrants in the area, Frances highest administrative court, the Conseil DEtat [official website, in French] ruled [judgment, in French] Monday. The county has said that it will also open two new reception centers about an hour from Calais in Bailleul and Troisva. These immigrants are primarily on their way to the UK but face rough conditions that were heavily criticized in the Jungle migrant camp [JURIST report] in October. Frances Interior Minister Gerard Collomb [official profile, in French] also called for an inquiry by the Human Rights Watch into the accusations that police have routinely used pepper spray on migrants in Calais. We dont want to repeat the mistakes of the past but we also want to handle the problems in Calais, Collomb said, as he wishes to avoid the ramifications the country faced after the Jungle in October caused international criticism over lack of human rights.

France and the EU has faced heavy criticism and changes over the past year. As the new president Macron took office, he promised [JURIST op-ed] to raise border security but sees the benefits of immigration and France helping those in need. In January Amnesty criticized Europe [JURIST report] for targeting Muslims and anti-immigration policies. In November the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said [JURIST report] that the governments of France and the UK were failing in their obligation to protect refugee children in the Calais Jungle refugee camp.
The UK High Court [official website]rejected [judgment, PDF] a crime of aggression allegation Monday against former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair [official website] by a former Iraq General Abdul Wahed Shannan Al Rabbat. The two justices dismissed the claim as UK law does not recognize a crime of aggression:

The existence of such difficulties cannot in any way justify the domestic courts of England and Wales departing from the clear principle that it is for Parliament to make such conduct criminal under domestic law. Parliament deliberately chose not to do so. The courts cannot usurp that function. It is for Parliament and Parliament alone to make the decision. Furthermore, there is no answer to the practical and constitutional difficulties identified by Lord Bingham and Lord Hoffman that would arise if a prosecution was brought without clear statutory provision.

The matter was dismissed before it could be brought to the Supreme Court for judicial review, the High Court determining that the highest court in Britain would not break away from its ruling in R v. Jones [judgment].

This ruling comes at the end of a long line of investigations into the Iraq War [JURIST backgrounder]. The Chilcot inquiry in July 2016 determined that the UKs entry into the Iraq War was not justified [JURIST report]. The same month the ICC determined that it would not prosecute [JURIST report] Tony Blair for crimes related to the Iraq War.
A group of UN experts for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] urged [press release] the government of the Philippines on Monday to address reports of human rights violations that include threats against indigenous people, murder and the summary execution of children. The experts stated in a joint call for action, We are shocked by the increasing levels of violence, killings, intimidation and harassment being suffered by human rights defendersincluding those protecting indigenous peoplestrade union organizers, farmers and their family members. Predominantly among those attacked were individuals who were protecting the rights of the Lumad indigenous peoples of Mindanao island. The Lumad have been subjected to severe threats such as President Rodrigo Dutertes [official profile] call for an attack [Guardian report] on tribal schools. The group of experts have contacted the government of the Philippines concerning the reports.

The Philippines have been on the international spotlight ever since Duterte took office as the president. During Dutertes campaign last year, he had stated 100,000 people would die [Guardian report] in his crackdown on crime. Duterte promised last week to continue to escalate [JURIST report] the war on drugs in his country despite international concern over human rights violations. Earlier in July Duterte asked Congress to extend his order of martial law [JURIST reports] for the lower third of the country. Also in July the Philippines Office of the Ombudsman [official website] announced plans to charge [JURIST report] former Philippines president Benigno Aquino III [Britannica profile] for the botched anti-terror raid that led to what is known as the Mamasapano massacre in 2015. In June Philippine opposition lawmakers petitioned [JURIST report] the Supreme Court [official website] to reject President Rodrigo Dutertes imposition of martial law. In April a lawyer filed a complaint [JURIST report] against Duterte accusing him of extrajudicial killings during his nationwide anti-drugs crackdown. In March the Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] released a report accusing the police of falsifying evidence [JURIST report] in relation to the alleged police killings of citizens. This policy of sanctioned killings has been part of Dutertes rhetoric since his time as mayor of Davao City. In December the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein [official profile] called for a murder investigation [JURIST report] after Duterte admitted to killing people while he served as mayor of Davao.
With the second generation Koleos, Groupe Renault is going bigger, and in markets such as the UK, that means a presence in the D segment for the first time in years.

Thanks to Renault Samsung and Dongfeng Motor, this is a global SUV. Without these partners, this SUV probably wouldnt exist, given the potential volume in European countries alone.

Renaults new rival for the Kodiaq

The latest Koleos is a 4.7m long Kadjar-based SUV which was developed mainly for Asia, the Pacific Rim and Europe. It is manufactured by Renault Samsung Motors (RSM) in South Korea, and also by Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company (DRAC), an SUV manufacturing joint venture in central China.

The new HZG series model, which is a size larger than the first generation, entered production at DRAC in the city of Wuhan during the final quarter of 2016. This is the same plant which manufactures the closely related but smaller Kadjar. Production at RSMs sprawling Busan works, meanwhile, commenced in July 2016. The model for the South Korean market, the Samsung QM6, has different badges but is more or less identical to the Renault Koleos.

Renault stated in April 2016 that sales would begin in the third quarter of 2016 in Australia, Turkey, the Gulf states and some Latin American countries, followed by China at the end of 2016, then Russia and Europe at the beginning of 2017. RSM is the production source for all markets with the exception of China. The DRAC plant supplies only the domestic market.

The Chinese government granted Renault a production licence purely for SUVs but the company is keen to add cars in due course. Dongfeng Renault sold 23,857 units of the Koleos in the first half of CY2017. The smaller Kadjar was the first vehicle to be built at DRAC. It entered production in January 2016. The JV delivered 13,604 Kadjars in H1 of this year, so things are off to a good start if not a great one. Still, Renault is doing far better in the PRC than rival Groupe PSA and its embattled JVs.

DRACs Wuhan base includes a vehicle assembly plant, a powertrain plant and an R&D Centre. It has an initial production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year which has the potential to be doubled.

As for RSM, its Busan manufacturing base began making the Koleos for European markets in March. At that time the company said it expected to be shipping around 30,000 units a year to the region. An additional roughly 10,000 vehicles per annum are delivered to markets in South America and the Middle East. The official market launch for European countries was June with cars for RHD markets in the region following as of now.

Renaults return to the UKs D segment

The Laguna and Espace were withdrawn from Britain many years ago and the Talisman was rejected by the importer as being not worth the bother. Why not, when its such a great looking car, in both saloon and estate forms? The answer is simple: the UKs D segment has too many mass-premium and non-premium brands, not all of them making money either. Why buy a Peugeot 508 when you can have an Audi A4? Or a BMW X3 or Volvo XC60? Renault thinks it could well have a chance once more against mass-luxury brand SUVs such as the Mercedes GLC, thus the arrival of the Koleos.

It is telling that no-one on the media preview event would be drawn on sales expectations. When I asked Do you see annual sales in the hundreds? to ascertain if that would be corrected with a curt not at all; definitely in the thousands, there were just smiles and a statement along the lines of whatever volume we do we will be more than happy with. Hmm. Perhaps the idea of under-promising and over-delivering will work. After all, Hyundai does that with the Santa Fe in Germany but there again, in Britain and other EU countries, Fords Edge is a strong rival but nothing like a popular one. This size class and non-luxury badges generally arent terribly compatible.

Renault clearly sees that it wont set the segment alight with the Koleos in any European market but thats OK. Sales of the QM6 are strong and rising in South Korea, so its not far fetched to say that pretty much every Koleos sold elsewhere can be treated as a bonus. RSMs best seller is the SM6 (Renault Talisman sedan), followed by the QM6. Their respective H1 deliveries were 23,917 and 13,920 units. Add in DRACs 23,857 and suddenly, Groupe Renaults global strategy for entering the D-SUV segment makes sense.

Diesels only and no third seating row

Renault UK is offering the Koleos with only diesel engines but a petrol may come later. For now, its a 1.6-litre dCi 130 and a 2.0-litre dCi 175. The more powerful of the two has 380Nm and really, its the one to go for, even though you can only haul five people in this SUV. If you want a seven-seater with a diamond badge in its grille and you live in Britain, then its a Grand Scenic or nothing.

There is a choice of front-wheel drive or what Renault calls All-Mode 4x4i. AWD is standard for the 175hp (127kW) engine. Sampled off road and left to its own devices, the Koleos just scrambled its wheels up a steep and slippery off-road trail before sliding back down. Slip your hand down between the door and the steering wheel, press the 44 LOCK button and suddenly there is grip a-plenty and up you go.

The standard gearbox is a six-speed manual with a seven step CVT which is termed Auto X-Tronic. If this is not the best of its type on the market then I dont know what is. There is no rubber band effect, and the ratios feel genuinely like gears.

The 2.0-litre diesel manual returns an average of 50.4mpg with CO2 of 148g/km, which means BiK of 31 per cent, whereas with the CVT, its an official 47.9mpg and 156g/km, attracting Benefit in Kind of 33 per cent.

Due to the decision to make the Koleos a five-seater, there is lots of room in the back for legs and the vehicle itself is fairly wide too, so its a very roomy place to put not just kids but adults. The boot doesnt suffer either, with 458 litres (VDA) available, rising to 1,690 with the seats flipped. And yes, these are the same one-touch electrically dropping ones which are so terrific in the Espace, Scenic and Grand Scenic, and supplied by Faurecia. The lengthy 2,710mm wheelbase is identical to that of the Nissan X-Trail, which is no co-incidence due to these two sharing the Alliances CMF C/D platform. The Kadjar, Megane, Scenic, Grand Scenic, Talisman and Espace are also CMF C/D-based.

Faults? The ride isnt the best, and thats in spite of that lengthy wheelbase. Also, if youre expecting the same levels of feedback from the steering as you find in an X-Trail or Qashqai (or even a Kadjar), its going to be disappointing. Roadholding is strong and the handling is benign but there just isnt anything much here for the enthusiast. You wont be paying Audi Q5 prices, mind, so maybe thats OK. Renault lists the new Koleos from GBP27,500, rising to GBP34,200 via a six-variant line-up.

Hybrid Assist to come?

As the Koleos is still new, there wont be much in the way of news for a year or more, unless of course Renault chooses to add some fresh engines. Perhaps a more powerful version of the just-released dCi 110 Hybrid Assist diesel will appear at some stage? In the Scenic, this system combines low fuel consumption and a boost of acceleration at certain speeds, particularly at low revs. As well as recovering energy during deceleration and braking, it functions with a 48-volt battery, enabling the motor to support the engine, which remains in continuous operation. Renault collaborated with Continental for this system.
Dallas, TX, USA, 08/01/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

You have probably heard someone on television say that they plan to take their case all the way to the Supreme Court. This has become a cliche that means that the person is determined, rather than a true indication of a legal strategy, says John Helms, top Dallas criminal appeals attorney. Most people who say it probably have very little idea what is involved in taking their case to the Supreme Court. This article will provide a general overview about appeals in criminal cases in state courts in Texas and how appeals can get to the states highest criminal court.

After a state criminal case in Texas is over, it can be appealed directly to a court of appeals. There are strict time limits on filing appeals, though. You cannot, for example, decide a year later that you want to appeal. By then, it will be too late for a direct appeal.

There are 14 courts of appeal in Texas. They are called intermediate courts of appeal because they take appeals from trial courts, but they are below the states two highest courts. The 14 intermediate courts of appeal are spread across the state. Each covers a region. An appeal from a trial court ruling goes to one of them. They all handle both civil and criminal appeals.

Above the intermediate appeals courts are the two highest courts in Texas. They are both in Austin. The highest court for criminal appeals is called the Court of Criminal Appeals. It handles only criminal cases. Texas also has the Texas Supreme Court, but it handles civil appeals and certain other matters. Even though it is called Supreme, it is not at a higher level than the Court of Criminal Appeals. The two courts just handle different types of cases.

So, if you are convicted of a crime in a trial court and you appeal to a court of appeals and lose, can you just appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeals? The answer is no. In normal direct appeals, you do not have a right to appeal your case to the Court of Criminal Appeals. The court itself decides what direct criminal appeals it wants to hear. You have to ask the Court of Criminal Appeals to agree to hear the appeal, and the court has to agree.

You ask the Court of Criminal Appeals to hear your appeal by filing a Petition for Discretionary Review (PDR). The PDR tries to persuade the court that the particular case is worthy of the courts consideration. If the court grants the PDR, then the appeal can begin. If it denies the PDR, the case is most likely over as a practical matter.

So how does the Court of Criminal Appeals decide which cases to hear? This is a difficult issue for many people to understand.

First, lets start with some numbers. According to the State of Texas Annual Report for the Texas Judiciary, in the last ten years, the number of PDRs each year has been between about 1,400 and 1,900. In that time period, the average percentage of PDRs that are granted is between about 6 and 7 percent. So, the Court of Criminal Appeals accepts VERY few requests to hear an appeal. Why is this?

It is important to understand that the Court of Criminal Appeals is not meant to be like a second opinion. They are not there just to give someone another chance if they are not happy with a ruling of an intermediate court of appeals. The assumption is that most appeals can and should be decided by the intermediate appeals court. The Court of Criminal Appeals is there for unique cases.

Some examples of the kinds of direct appeals the Court of Criminal Appeals is more likely to agree to hear:

-Appeals involving an important or unsettled question of law. The opinions of the Court of Appeals are the law of the entire state, so their role includes settling the law. An example of a question of law is: Is there a difference in the standard of review for factual sufficiency of the evidence and legal sufficiency of the evidence? This is a question of law because it does not depend on deciding a factual dispute.

-Cases in which the intermediate court of appeals was not unanimous. Intermediate appeals are decided by three justices, except in rare cases when all of the justices of the court may decide to hear it. If one of the justices disagrees with the other two, the Court of Criminal Appeals is more likely to accept it.

-Appeals in which the intermediate appeals court made a clear error of law or clearly failed to apply the law correctly, in a way that clearly affected the outcome of the appeal.

-Appeals involving matters of substantial public importance.

An experienced appellate lawyer can frame the issues in a PDR in a way that is more likely to persuade the Court of Criminal Appeals to consider the appeal. An experienced appellate lawyer can also tell when a PDR has no realistic chance of success, but this may take a good bit of work and analysis.

Sometimes, clients hire me to do an initial evaluation of the chance of an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeals. I can charge them less to do this than I would to prepare the PDR. After I give them my evaluation, if they want to hire me to prepare the PDR, I can apply what they have paid so far to the fee for the PDR. If they do not want to pursue a PDR, they will have saved money.

As with any appeal, there are deadlines for when a PDR must be presented. If you or a loved one has lost an appeal to an intermediate appeals court, you should act quickly to determine your next step.

If you, a family member or someone you know has been convicted of a crime and need help with an appeal in the Dallas area, contact criminal appeals attorney John Helms at (214) 666-8010 or fill out the online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and freedom.

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Dallas, Texas, 08/01/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

The Bill Cosby sexual assault case has dominated headlines over the past year. The case is complicated, as it involves thorny questions about statutes of limitations and whether Cosby previously admitted or acknowledged that he engaged in some of the behavior the plaintiffs accuse him of.

When the case ended in a mistrial in June 2017, many people had questions about what exactly that meant. Does it mean that Cosby is a free man? Does double jeopardy mean that he can never be tried again? Or can the court order an entirely new case against him?

Mistrials Explained

According to the American Bar Association, the short definition of a mistrial is a trial that is not successfully completed. Because the trial is not brought to a complete conclusion, it does not trigger the double jeopardy clause, which states that a criminal defendant cant be tried twice for the same crime. This means that the court can convene a whole new jury and start the prosecution again.

Mistrials happen for a variety of reasons, including:

A juror or attorney passing away in the middle of a trial.

A mistake or something inappropriate happening in the middle of jury selection.

An error during the trial that harms the defense or causes prejudice to the defendants case.

Juror misconduct.

A deadlocked jury.

Perhaps the most common reason for a mistrial is a deadlocked jury. This occurs when the jury simply cant reach a conclusion. When the jury cant agree no matter how many times they hold a vote, the judge is forced to declare a mistrial. People who followed the OJ Simpson case closely in the 1990s might remember that a mistrial was a significant concern for the prosecution and the defense. In that case, both sides worried that being forced to select a new jury and retry the case would harm their side.

In Cosbys case, the New York Times reported that the jury deliberated for six days  a total of 52 hours  without reaching a verdict. The Times also reports that the prosecutor has stated he will pursue a new trial against Cosby with a new jury.

Another relatively common example of mistrials is when one side makes a mistake that harms the defendants chances of getting a fair trial. Perhaps the prosecution does something improper with evidence, or maybe the prosecutor makes inappropriate statements to the jury that cause irreparable harm to the defense. If the jury hears it, and it was improper, the jury cant simply unhear it. In that situation, the court must declare a mistrial.

Speak to a Texas Sexual Assault Criminal Defense Attorney Today

If you have been charged with a crime in Texas, you need the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer right away. Dont wait to speak to a knowledgeable Texas criminal defense attorney about your case.

Sources:

Texas Sexual Assault Criminal Defense Lawyers

http://www.brodenmickelsen.com/

2600 State St Dallas, Texas 75204

Main Phone: (214) 720-9552

source: http://www.brodenmickelsen.com/blog/what-is-a-mistrial/

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KEARNEY  About the only thing Kearney residents can predict with much certainly will happen at 12:57 p.m. Aug. 21 when the moon slides in front of the sun and creates a solar eclipse.

The weather, the number of visitors to central Nebraska  all speculation.

Were expecting anywhere from 5,000 to 15,000 people (in Kearney), but weather can play a factor in those numbers, said Sarah Focke, convention sales and tourism manager at the Kearney Visitors Bureau. We could see a greater influx of people as people might travel here if the weather is cloudy anywhere around us.

As a tourism professional, Focke hopes the throngs of eclipse watchers will stay around to enjoy events in Kearney.

Regardless of the weather, Focke understands that many visitors will travel to Kearney because of friends and family.

They wont leave because of the weather, she said. I think well still see a large amount of people here for the eclipse.

Alex Duryea, ecotourism consultant at the Nebraska Tourism Commission, expects anywhere from 100,000 to 400,000 people will travel to Nebraska for the Great American Eclipse 2017. He based those figures on the number of people who live closest to the path of totality that cuts through Nebraska.

About 33 million people live in that corridor, Duryea said in an interview from his office in Lincoln. That depends if there is cloud cover in the forecast, but all signs are pointing to having quite a few people coming to the state during the weekend and the day of the eclipse.

The Kearney Visitors Bureau ordered 30,000 special eclipse viewing glasses that will offer protection while viewing the sun. As a way to judge the excitement for the event, Focke noted that about a third of the glasses are gone  with three weeks to go until the eclipse. The glasses sell for $2 each.

Were selling them in groupings of 10s and 20s at a time, she said. So people have friends and families coming in for gatherings and such.

Most hotel and motel rooms in Kearney have been booked for months.

Kelly Krier, the general manager of the Best Western Plus Mid Nebraska Inn & Suites at 224 S. Second Ave., estimated that she booked the last room for Aug. 20 sometime in March.

We are sold out for the 20th, but we still have some rooms for the day before and the day after, she said. But those are selling quickly, too.

The majority of reservations were made from third-party websites and dont contain hometowns of the guests. Looking through the information from guests who listed addresses, Krier noted the number of international guests.

It does look like we have a significant amount of travelers from other countries, she said.

The rates for the rooms increased by about $50 per booking during the eclipse.

We didnt go over the top like I understand some properties have done, Krier said. We tried to keep it fair.

Patty Wallace, assistant manager of the Ramada Inn of Kearney, also reported selling out all rooms for Aug. 20 in March.

The rest of the rooms for Aug. 19 and Aug. 21-23 sold out later.

Heres one from Budapest, she said while looking through the list of reservations.

Wallace said the rates went from a typical weekend rate of $129 to $199 for the eclipse.

There are people in Kearney who are renting out their homes for the eclipse, she said. And theyre getting around $500 for a night. At the campground outside of town, people are parking their campers and renting them out. Its a moneymaker.

Wallace said she receives calls daily checking on cancellations.

The Nebraska Tourism Commissions Duryea hopes the visitors stick around  or at least leave with a good impression of the Cornhusker State.

Thats always the hope, he said. What a lot of these communities are working towards is planning events all weekend leading up to the eclipse, activities for people to do and a chance to check out the towns along the path of totality. If their stay here is good enough, maybe theyll come back in the future. We hope to show them some good, old-fashioned Nebraska hospitality while theyre here.

Focke is confident Kearney will handle the flood of visitors with ease and aplomb.

Kearney is used to hosting a lot of events of different sizes, she said. Cruise Nite is an example of the amount of people we can host in Kearney. I dont think we need to worry about getting our milk and groceries a week in advance. The interesting part is going to be the influx of people we see in a matter of a few hours, or over the course of a week.

The Buffalo County Fairgrounds will allow camping during the eclipse.

Now that the fair is wrapping up, we want people to be able to call to the fairgrounds if they want to make a reservation for camping, Focke said. They will have a viewing party at the fairgrounds so its an all-inclusive spot to be.

The fairgrounds offers dry camping for $35 a night, two-night minimum, with port-a-potties but no bath facilities. Electrical hookup spots will be available for $50 per night with a two-night minimum. For more information, call 236-1201 or email info@buffalocountyfairgounds.com.

Focke plans to spend the day volunteering at the University of Nebraska at Kearney viewing location at Foster Field.

At 12:57, Ill be looking up with my glasses on, like everybody else, she said.
KEARNEY  The city is soliciting proposals for Downtown Commercial Program grant funds.

This new program focuses on helping develop the downtown district with a possibility of funding several projects.

The program is available to property owners/developers in the downtown district. Matching funds of 50 percent are required, and applications must meet the approval of the Downtown Revitalization Committee.

Funds will focus on commercial rehab such as facades, structural, plumbing, wiring, and fire prevention systems; facade renovations, including sidewalk areas; energy efficiency improvements; and removing architectural barriers.

For more information about the guidelines or application process, contact Assistant City Manager Paul Briseno at 233-3222 or visit www.cityofkearney.org. Applications are available at city hall and must be returned by 4 p.m. Sept.1 to Briseno, Re: Facade Project Grant, 18 E. 22nd St., P.O. Box 1180, Kearney, NE 68848.
KEARNEY  Two teens were carrying a gun and ammunition when they were taken into custody following a Saturday morning dispute, according to court records.

A Kearney man is accused of making terroristic threats when he allegedly pointed a handgun at three witnesses in the incident in Kearney. Records say a pistol magazine was found in the pants pocket of a 14-year-old boy, while a loaded pistol was found in the pants pocket of a 13-year-old.

Isaias Jimenez, 24, is charged in Buffalo County Court with felony terroristic threats and using a deadly weapon, a handgun, to commit a felony in the incident. Trista George, 24, is charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, both misdemeanors.

The 14-year-old Kearney boy has been charged in Buffalo County Juvenile Court in connection to the incident with using a firearm to commit a felony, felony terroristic threats and the unlawful possession of a handgun, a misdemeanor.

The 13-year-old Kearney boy is charged in juvenile court with carrying a concealed weapon and the unlawful possession of a handgun, both misdemeanors. The teen was released to his parents after the incident.

County court records outline the case against them:

At 11:19 a.m., three people reported that a sport utility vehicle passed their residence in the 2100 block of Sixth Avenue and its occupants were yelling obscenities, a Kearney Police Department incident report said. The investigation revealed Jimenez allegedly got out of the SUV and pointed a handgun at the witnesses and warned them.

The two teens were in the vehicle, and one of the teens also had a weapon, but didnt point it at the witnesses.

Following the disturbance, George allegedly got into the drivers seat and drove away. The suspects were located by officers near 11th Street and Third Avenue.

The SUV is registered to George, records say.

All four suspects are scheduled to appear in court in August.

George was released Monday without posting monetary bond. Jimenez is being held at the Buffalo County Jail on 10 percent of a $250,000 bond and must post $25,000 to be freed. The 14-year-old teen is being held at the Northeast Nebraska Juvenile Detention Center in Madison, while the 13-year-old was released to his parents.

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Mr. B. was ready to leave. A short, stocky Boston construction worker with an even shorter temper and a tough attitude, he was not going to stay in the hospital one minute longer than needed.

Mr. B.s life had taken a turn for the worse recently: He was going through a divorce, had lost his health insurance, and had become temporarily homeless at the time we met. He had brought himself into the emergency department, severely intoxicated from a usual bout of his daily eight to nine beers. This time, his body wasnt tolerating it so well.

He initially expressed remorse and a newfound hope to begin treatment in an alcoholic recovery program. But within a couple of days, his attitude changed. He stated firmly that he wouldnt drink again, but that he was no longer interested in finishing his treatment course.

When I told Mr. B. that it was dangerous to leave the hospital while still having withdrawal symptoms, he looked at me and shrugged. Doc, I aint staying a day longer, he said. I have to sort things out at work. I have a lot of things I need to do. I warned him against the hazards of leaving against medical advice, but Mr. B. was insistent.

And so I had the task of quickly figuring out how best to ensure he would be safe from a clinical standpoint  which is when it became apparent to me that the treatments I learned about in medical school were far from enough when caring for real people who made decisions independent of their doctors finger-wagging.

As I relayed the unfortunate news to my medical team, we had to decide if Mr. B., who had suffered a recent stroke, should be prescribed a blood thinner that would prevent him from clotting again. Most patients with strokes remain on this type of medication for life.

Furthermore, the question remained whether we would give Mr. B the medication  benzodiazepines  still remaining that would help him complete his alcohol withdrawal treatment.

Textbook clinical medicine would have had us prescribe both of these. We ended up prescribing neither.

Mr. B. illustrates the frequent conundrum posed when customary clinical medicine alone fails to account for the social complexities of treating people whose lives outside the hospital are very different from the controlled, safe spaces inside.

Because of his high likelihood of returning to drinking, we agreed that the benefits for him of taking a blood thinner were outweighed by the risks that this carried, namely a fall that could cause internal bleeding in his brain.

Similarly, because of the dangerous reaction between alcohol and benzodiazepines, we reserved prescribing these as well.

These decisions were made less by calculation or guideline than by instinct and intuition. Improper medication adherence is an immense challenge that accounts for nearly 125,000 deaths annually, and in Mr. B.s case, use of his blood thinner and benzodiazepine while drinking alcohol could be fatal.

For Mr. B., an extra beer or two after his hospital stay may have seemed inconsequential, but as his doctors, we owed it to him to anticipate the challenges he might face with his alcohol addiction, and to adjust his treatment according to our understanding of him as a person rather than solely the disease he was fighting.

We arent sure what happened to Mr. B., a fate not uncommon for patients who leave against medical recommendations, but I hope our decision was the right one for his unique case. (Ive altered his details enough to protect his privacy.)

Throughout my career, I anticipate seeing many patients like him, patients whose complex social situations are not always amenable to the guidelines that direct much of evidence-based medical practice.

Keeping the whole patient in view, including the social challenges they will return to after their short stint in a hospital, is as much a part of medical decision-making as the understanding of disease, or selection of the right medication

While this lesson is far from new  youll hear it taught to every medical student across the country  it is much harder to apply it in practice than to learn in principle. The right prescription requires an understanding of medicines, but also of the people taking them.

Abraar Karan is a medical intern and can be reached on Twitter @AbraarKaran. This article originally appeared in WBURs CommonHealth.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Local history combined wonderfully with some enthralling pageantry on Tuesday evening as another part of Kilkennys decade of commemorations began in City Hall.

Following the success of last years 1916 commemoration events, Kilkenny looks set to continue marking the milestones of the march toward the birth of the Free State  and this countys role in it.

Re-enactors, local politicians, and curious onlookers joined forces with history enthusiasts and the familial descendants of those who played a role 100 years ago, when it was all very much in the balance.

Brian Tyrrell of Kilkenny County Council, who coordinated much of the 2016 comemoration events, welcomed everyone to City Hall for a launch last week.

Last year, in 2016, Kilkenny had a year-long series of commemoration of the 1916 Rising, he said.

It was the start of a period that was seminal in Irish history.

Mr Tyrrell said that the City Municipal District had decided to celebrate the 1917 Kilkenny by- election of WT Cosgrave. The event arises out of a Notice of Motion from Cllr David Fitzgerald to set up a sub-committee to organise commemoration celebrations of the historic event. WT Cosgrave was Irelands first Taoiseach per se, and Kilkennys first Dail deputy.

It was Cllr Fitzgeralds great-grandfather, Thomas Crotty, who seconded Cosgraves nomination. He then went on to serve Kilkenny from 1917 to 1927, and was nominated to lead the Free State government after independence.

The plan now is to hold a full day of re-enactment, speeches, celebration and music on Saturday, August 12 to mark the occasion and spread awareness. On the morning, replica election posters of the two candidates, WT Cosgrave and Jack Magennis, will appear around the city.

Polling stations will open outside City Hall, manned by re-enactors in period costume. They will be handing out leaflets to passersby, encouraging them to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Posters, ballot papers and ballot boxes will be in place.

At noon, Countess Markievicz will arrive at Kilkenny train station. She will be led by a colour party from the James Stephens Barracks and St Patricks Brass and Reed Band in a parade down John Street, High Street to outside the courthouse building on Parliament Street.

There, Markiewicz  along with De Valera, Magennis, and Cosgrave  will make speeches and re-enact the hustings of a century ago.

A plaque will also be unveiled to commemorate the election of WT Cosgrave. Its hoped a Cosgrave family member will be present for the occasion. The Tricolour will be raised and the national anthem will be played. A lunch will take place and polling will close later in the afternoon.

That evening, an event involving history, music and song will follow in the new Medieval Mile Museum, including further re-enactment, candidates speeches, a local history lecture, and a keynote address from Dr Ciara Meehan, Principal Lecturer in History at the University of Heretfordshies School of Humanities.

Actual speeches will be made, and the speakers will address the crowds. A member of the Cosgrave family will hopefully be present to unveil a plaque to the great man.

On Tuesday, Cllr David Fitzgerald acknowledged the presence of all in attendance, including members of the Defence Forces, and thanked, in particular, Brian Tyrrell for his work. Mayor Michael Doyle thanked all the committee for their hard work on the project so far.

If this is anything to go by, it will be a fantastic event, he said.
A group of business and finance students from Kent State University in United States paid a cultural and information seeking visit to Kilkenny last week as part of their twelve day educational and cultural tour of Ireland.

Part of their visit to Ireland included the meeting of different business organisations and those who had influence in drawing business to Ireland as well as creating employment. They spent the first four days of their visit in Dublin where they met representatives from IDA Ireland and also met people from the Guinness Enterprise Centre.

The visit to Kilkenny came about when this columnist had Kent State Professor Ludmila (Luda) Leontieva on a private group tour around Ireland in 2016. Luda expressed an interest in visiting Ireland with business students and the wheels were set in motion.

The students met with Brian Tyrrell of Kilkenny County Council, Naoise Nunn Chairman Kilkenny Tourism and John Hurley CEO Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce at the Ormonde Hotel where they were informed of how Kilkenny City and County is so attractive to business and visitors. Brian Tyrrell told them that there were 16% of the workforce employed directly in the tourism industry and in 2015 it was worth 76 million to the local economy of which 45 million comes from overseas visitors. John Hurley spoke about the connection the Kilkenny Chamber link to education and direct links to IT Carlow and IT Waterford as well as the NUI Maynooth outreach campus in the City.

The students were very much taken by the huge Agricultural business based in the city and county and were familiar with Glanbia in particular and were told about Connollys Mills in Goresbridge who export to over 70 countries. This was to name just two companies who are flying the flag for Kilkenny.

John said that the Chamber interacts closely with Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Tourism and certainly Naoise Nunn concurred with that statement. Naoise said the role of Kilkenny Tourism is the promotion of the city and county and a lot of their involvement is with the large number of festivals and events that are held in the city throughout the year. The Kent State Students had plenty of questions in their armoury for the three gentlemen and they were suitably impressed with the answers they received. It was a hugely positive meeting for all and one that hopefully will be repeated. Later that evening a number of the party were interviewed on KCLR radio which was an enjoyable experience.

On Friday the group visited the Craft Council of Ireland Gallery at the Design workshops where Emer Ferran Development Programme Manager and Mary Whelan Client Liaison Officer who told the party the history and origins of the Craft Council and ho the student programme worked. Being Business students they were interested to know how artists can promote and market their product knowing that artists are not good marketers. This is one of the areas the student course helps them to become more creative in selling and promoting their product.

The Kent Students were shown around by in house student Yasmin Belkhayat who is completing her two years. She hails from London but with close Kilkenny connections. She explained how their talents are tested to the last and she said all the students have learned to become more creative with their talent.

Certainly their work is outstanding and will be on exhibition to the public until Monday next 7th August. Richie Windle of Kilkenny Ghost tours also came on board and the students ere taken around the city on a scary tour on Thursday night. On their journey out of Kilkenny they stopped off for a visit to the Blessed Edmund Rice Heritage Centre at Westcourt Callan and later visit the centre of Callan to view the monuments to James Hoban, Edmund Rice and the World War 1 memorial. They departed Kilkenny with wonderful memories and wishing they had stayed longer in the city.

Perhaps this first visit will lead to many more.
A total of 51 sick days have been taken since 2014 due to assaults at work however none of these were taken this year.

There were 30 days taken in 2015 and 21 just last year.

Staff at St Luke's Emergency Department were subjected to the same number of physical assaults in the first six months of this year than they were over the whole of 2015 and 2016.

The figures, obtained by the Kilkenny People through a Freedom of Information request, reveal that up until June of this year there were four physical assaults on A&E staff at the hospital.

This compares with three incidents for the whole of last year and just one physical attack in 2015 and 2014. The National Steering Group is to publish its report on a Trauma System for Ireland, with recommendations on the future of Emergency Departments in hospitals such as St Luke's in Kilkenny, "in the coming weeks".

Local TD John McGuinness says a lot of the horrendous incidents go unreported by front-line staff members.

Meanwhile the Ireland East Hospital Group  of which St Luke's is part of  could not provide the full information requested as it could not be found.

This means the figures could not be broken down further to determine how many of the staff were nurses and front-line medical professionals.

A spokesperson said: With regard to specifics relating to the incidents and distinguishing between verbal and physical abuse, this information is not recorded separately in [the National Incident Management System] and therefore cannot be separated out to give you specific numbers relating to verbal or physical abuse.

In so far as I could determine by checking with the hospital itself and how information is recorded and provided nationally to NIMS, the specific information you are requesting could not be found."

For more reaction and analysis, read tomorrow's Kilkenny People.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
Your odds of becoming a millionaire arent what they used to betheyre better. A record number of U.S. households have reached that enviable goal: At the end of 2016, 10.8 million households had a net worth of $1 million or more, not including their primary residence, reports the Spectrem Group. In fact, there were 1.6 million more millionaires in the U.S. in 2016 than there were in 2007, just before the stock market crash. What the market took away, the current bull market has restoredand then some.

But stocks arent solely responsible for household wealth. In a survey of households with investment portfolios worth $3 million or more, U.S. Trust asked people how they had accumulated their wealth. More than half of those responding (52%) cited earned income from a job or business, 32% cited investments and 10% credited an inheritance. So it appears that the vast majority of the group are self-made millionaires who follow a straightforward formula of working hard and using their income productively. We outline five routes to success.

Live like a million bucks

Lets start with the basics. One of the biggest barriers to reaching the $1 million milestone isnt a stock market meltdown or even a brief period of unemployment. Its something financial planners call lifestyle creepbuying a bigger house or nicer car every time you get a raise or bonus.

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Loads of studies suggest that buying more stuff wont make you happier. But even if youre convinced that a luxury car will bring you joy, the money you spend to buy and maintain your new vehicle wont be available to compound and grow. Quite the opposite: Cars begin to depreciate the minute you drive them off the lot. And although real estate can be a good investment (see below), buying a bigger house means youll need to spend more on utilities, furniture and landscaping, leaving you with less money to save and invest.

One of the most effective ways to rein in spending is to dedicate a specific percentage of your paycheck to savings every month. Leon LaBrecque, a certified financial planner in Troy, Mich., recommends saving 18% of your gross paycheck. Thats a big ask for someone starting out, so he suggests beginning at 4% and increasing your savings rate by one or two percentage points a year until you hit 18%. Starting early is key: The sooner you start saving, the less youll have to put aside each month.

Automate your saving. You cant spend money that isnt in your take-home pay, so take advantage of your employers 401(k) or similar retirement plan to put your savings on autopilot. Contributions to a 401(k) are pretax, and money inside the account grows tax-deferred until you take withdrawals, which boosts your annual return. Plus, if your employer matches a percentage of contributionsand most large companies doyoull have an even better shot at reaching $1 million.

Most 401(k) plans allow you to borrow, but if you want to reach the $1 million mark, you should reserve this option for genuine emergencies (remodeling your kitchen doesnt count). Money taken out of a 401(k) isnt growing, which means youll miss out on any gains you would have captured if your money had been invested in the stock market or other assets. In addition, some plans wont let you contribute to your account until the loan is paid off, which puts you further behind. And if you leave your job before the loan is repaid, youre usually required to pay off the balance within 30 to 60 days. If you cant come up with the money, the loan will be treated as a distribution. Youll have to pay taxes on the entire amount, plus a 10% early-withdrawal penalty if youre younger than 55a major detour on your road to becoming a millionaire.

Invest in yourself

As the hearing child of deaf parents, Jessica Moseley didnt consider using her skills as a sign language interpreter to make money. I just thought of it as a way of life, says Moseley, 32.

All that changed when Moseleys mother, Myrna Aiello, expressed a desire to sell her business, a computer sales and service company based in Wheaton, Md. Moseley, who has a background in human resources management, had no interest in selling computers, but she saw potential in a small slice of the business that sold technology and interpreting services for deaf and blind people. In 2008, she bought out her mothers majority-ownership stake in the company and jettisoned the computer store so that she could focus on assistive technology and interpreting services.

It was a smart move. When Moseley took over the company, it had three employees and annual revenues of about $800,000; by 2015, it had 62 employees and more than $6 million in annual revenues. That year, Moseley restructured the company into two separate entities: TCS Interpreting, which provides on-site and remote sign language interpreters, and TCS Associates, which provides communication and technology consulting services for the blind. Moseleys husband, Bryan, runs TCS Associates, which has 12 full-time employees.

Keys to success. Starting a business can make you a millionaire, but the risks are high. About half of new businesses fail within the first five years. Having a well-thought-out business plan is important, along with identifying a product or service thats in demand.

Thats been a critical factor in Moseleys success. When she launched her business, only four companies were offering deaf interpreters in the Washington, D.C., area, which provided a lot of opportunities for growth. Her company has contracts to provide legal interpreters in courtroom and law-enforcement proceedings for state and local government agencies. It also provides video remote interpreting services to more than 600 Social Security Administration offices.

Developing a diverse group of customers is another mark of a successful business, especially if your goal is to scale up by licensing your product or service, selling franchises, or being bought out by a bigger company. (You can get free advice from 10,000 small-business volunteers through Score.org (opens in new tab), a nonprofit organization supported by the Small Business Administration.)

One of Moseleys challenges is that in recent years, the number of companies offering deaf interpreters in the Washington, D.C., area has increased to about 30. To remain competitive, she has had to lower prices, which has squeezed the companys profit margins from more than 18% to about 8%. Finding qualified interpreters is another challenge. Demand for certified deaf interpretersindividuals who themselves are deaf or hard of hearing, fluent in American Sign Language, and trained to recognize dialects, gestures and other ways that deaf individuals communicatefar exceeds supply, Moseley says.

Her near-term goal is to slow her companys breakneck growth and focus on finding clients who are willing to pay for high-quality service. We want to be in a place where we can select the clients we want, not where we need to take as much business as we can, she says.

Meanwhile, the business has allowed her family to live comfortably. She and her husband have three childrenBrayden, 6, Cooper, 3, and Riley, 19 months, a deaf child from India whom they adopted in Mayand theyre planning to build a new home close to the Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, Md. The deaf community is very much a part of our lives, says Moseley.

Channel Warren Buffett

Asked about his investing success, Warren Buffett attributed it to living in America, lucky genes and compound interest. That may sound glib, but it highlights two great ways you can build wealth (Buffetts genes aside): Buy shares of leading U.S. companies and keep plowing your money into the stock market, where it will grow substantially over time.

Buying stocks might seem foolhardy now, with the U.S. market near historic highs. Stocks dont look cheap, and were overdue for a correction (a drop of 10% to 20%), triggered by a political crisis or other event.

But trying to time your entry could leave you on the sidelines during the markets best days (which account for big chunks of long-term gains). Even if stocks falter in the near term, they are likely to push higher over the long haul. As Buffett suggests, the U.S. remains one of the most attractive places to invest, with an entrepreneurial culture, solid rule of law, innovative technologies and many of the worlds leading companies. These bedrocks of the economy have helped fuel the stock markets 10% annualized return since 1926. As long as capitalism exists, the stock market will go up long term, says Gene Todd, head of the money-management division at First Bank, a financial-services firm based in St. Louis.

Granted, the path to $1 million gets easier if you have plenty of time and a pile of money to invest. With $50,000 in the kitty, it would take more than 31 years to hit the mark at a 10% annual return. But by investing steadily, through market ups and downs, you can accelerate the timetable. Adding $1,000 a month to the pot would push you past $1 million in 20 years. Saving $1,500 a month would get you there in a little over 17 years.

What to buy. These figures assume you plow every penny of dividend income and capital gains back into the market, and they dont factor in taxes or investment fees, both of which would trim your returns. One way to deal with those issues is to buy an exchange-traded fund that mirrors the broad market. One such fund, iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (symbol ITOT (opens in new tab), $55), charges just 0.03% in annual fees, putting 99.97% of the markets returns in your pocket. (Prices and returns are as of June 30.) And because the fund distributes minimal capital gains, its tax-efficient, too (though you may owe taxes on dividends if you hold the ETF outside of a retirement account).

You can try to beat the market with other ETFs, actively managed mutual funds or individual stocks. Todd, for instance, thinks banks will benefit from lower corporate tax rates and a rollback of regulations. Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF (opens in new tab), $25), a member of the Kiplinger ETF 20, holds a bundle of them. (For the full list and other market-beating ideas, see 5 Super ETFs.)

Among mutual funds, one of our favorites is Fidelity New Millennium (FMILX (opens in new tab)). Emphasizing shares of large, growing companies, it has returned an annualized 10.8% over the past 20 years, beating Standard & Poors 500-stock index. Vanguard Health Care (VGHCX (opens in new tab)), which focuses on medical stocks, has fared even better, gaining 13.1% annualized.

Individual stocks pose more risks, of course, but they can be well worth it. Buffetts holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B (opens in new tab), $169), has been a steady winner, edging the S&P 500 over the past 15 years with an annualized return of 9.2%. Berkshire holds a mix of stocks and businesses that it owns outright, including a railroad, insurance companies and an aircraft-parts firm. Buffett, 87, will eventually depart. But the company he built should continue to thrive, riding the strength of the U.S. economy. --Daren Fonda

(Image credit: Photo by Simon Bruty)

Dig into real estate

When Jonathan Harb landed a major contract for his computer graphics business, Whiskytree, the extra cash motivated him to invest in residential property. His timing was spot-on. We were in the aftermath of what happened in 2008, and market conditions were fantastic, says Harb, 43, who lives in San Rafael, Calif. He settled on two three-bedroom single-family residences in Santa Rosa, a more affordable city in the Bay Area, and put 25% down on each of the $300,000 homes at the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011. More than six years later, they are worth about $525,000 each.

Harb, whose company creates graphics for movies such as Rogue One, Thor and part of the Hunger Games series, has already passed the million-dollar mark in home values (on top of his rental units, his current house in San Rafael is valued at about $1 million). But he continues to rake in cash by renting out both homes, typically to families who stay for two to four years. To set attractive prices when the leases turn over, hell survey at least a dozen similar properties to gauge the cost per square foot as well as the monthly rent. He then prices his units just below market rate. Currently, the rent is $1,925 per month for the unit with two bathrooms and $2,450 per month for the unit with three baths. The rents more than cover his mortgage payments.

How to get started. Though vacation-home sales fell in 2016, sales of investment properties rose 4.5% over the previous year, according to an annual second-home survey by the National Association of Realtors. If youre new to homeownership but want to dip your toe into investing, you could buy your second home first, says Justin Gramm, an exclusive buyers agent in San Diego. That means choosing an attractive neighborhood and a home comfortably within your budget that you dont intend to stay in forever. Hang on to the home as a rental property once you buy a new place; youll be an expert on the neighborhood.

More-experienced buyers with enough equity in their homes can take out a home-equity line of credit and borrow from it to buy a property. The downside: Your own home is on the line as collateral. If you choose this route, do your homework, says Cotty Lowry, a real estate agent in Minneapolis. That means studying the cost of similar rentals in the area youre targeting and the strength of the rental market so you can anticipate your monthly income. Be sure you have the funds to absorb extra expenses, whether that means covering your tenants utilities, repainting the walls or dealing with vacancies. Speak with a loan officer to calculate your mortgage payments and closing costs.

Harb also advises those who are shopping around to develop a network of resources, including a real estate agent and mortgage broker, whom you could call in a flash when you find a property you wantespecially in competitive markets. The effort pays off. Aside from opening my own business, the best investments Ive ever made have been real estate, he says. In Silicon Valley, people associate wealth with careers at companies such as Google or Facebook, or speculative tech stocks. But to me thats all noise, says Harb. Buy some land. --Miriam Cross

Maximize a windfall

The odds that youll win the Powerball jackpot are about one in 292 million, and stories about people receiving huge inheritances from eccentric relatives are usually the stuff of fiction. But theres a good chance youll receive a modest windfall at some point in your life, and with proper planning, you can transform that bequest into a million-dollar nest egg.

Two-thirds of baby boomers will receive an inheritance, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. The median amount is $64,000; the average inheritance (which reflects bequests from wealthier parents) is $292,000. Other sources of windfalls include insurance payouts, stock options, the sale of a business and, occasionally, lottery winnings.

Managing a windfall is a problem wed all love to have, but it can be stressful. Family members and dubious friends will no doubt have plenty of suggestions for how to invest your money. You may be tempted to splurge on a big-ticket item youve never been able to afford. Thats why the most important first step you can take is to hit the pause button, says Mark Beaver, a certified financial planner in Dublin, Ohio. Inherited IRAs have rules of their own, but for other kinds of windfalls it makes sense to stash the money in a safe place, such as a bank account or money market fund. You wont earn much interest, but youll give yourself time to assemble a financial team and come up with a long-term plan. If you need help resisting the urge to splurge, plug celebrities and bankruptcy (or pro athletes and bankruptcy) into a search engine for some cautionary tales of how quickly millions of dollars can disappear.

K9M-MILLION.1.indd (Image credit: Photo by Simon Bruty)

Set your priorities. Your financial team should include a certified financial planner, a certified public accountant or enrolled agent, an attorney and, depending on the circumstances, an insurance professional. Work with your team to create a priority list for your money, says Ashley Bleckner, a CFP in Newport Beach, Calif. If you have credit card balances or other high-cost debts, those should top the list because youll get an immediate

return of up to 15% or more by paying them off. Next, consider maxing out your retirement savings accounts, if you arent doing it already. James Shagawat, a CFP in Clifton, N.J., asks clients to write down immediate, one-year and five-year goals. This may be your only windfall, so weve got to make it last a lifetime, says Shagawat.

With the bull market approaching its ninth year, investing in the stock market may be unnerving. But as we noted above, stocks (and stock mutual funds) have historically recorded the highest rate of long-term growth. And you dont need to shoot out the lights: A $292,000 investment that earns an 8% average annual return would be worth more than $1.4 million in 20 years.

If the idea of investing your entire windfall has you reaching for the nearest antacid, especially with the market at its current lofty levels, consider dollar-cost averaging. With this strategy, you invest a given amount on a regular schedule. Your fixed amount of dollars will buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high. And if the market turns upside down, youll have some money on the sidelines, which you can use to buy stocks at a discount.
What You Can Do About Medical Debt

Budgeting Millions of Americans are awash in debt from medical care. If youre one of them, we have your options, whether the bills are new or a collector is calling.
Aug 1 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

Anti-fracking protesters face the threat of prison if they obstruct Ineos Holdings Ltd's efforts to explore for shale gas after it secured wide-ranging injunctions to protect its operations. Children will soon have the chance to join the likes of Charlie Bucket, Augustus Gloop and Veruca Salt on a tour of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory after one of Britain's most promising independent publishing businesses secured a deal with Roald Dahl's estate. The Guardian

The financial watchdog has announced fresh measures to protect consumers from spiralling debt as official data showed that borrowing through credit cards, overdrafts and car loans has topped 200 billion pounds ($263.84 billion) for the first time since the global financial crisis. Booths, the family-owned upmarket grocer, has been forced to call in accountants to conduct a financial health check of the business after a difficult 18 months. The Telegraph

Stonegate Pub Company Ltd has made a 100 million pounds takeover bid for Revolution Bars Group Plc , just over two months after the cocktail bar's shares plummeted 46 percent in one week. RedX Pharma Plc , a biotech company specialising in developing cancer drugs, looks set to return to the London market after administrators agreed to sell the rights to a promising treatment for leukemia to a U.S. company for $40 million. Sky News

Credit rating agency Moody's has warned about soaring levels of household debt as Bank of England figures show unsecured borrowing is back above 200 billion pounds. A former boss of Marks & Spencer and an ex-Unilever Plc chief operating officer are being lined up to play key roles in the 6 billion pounds auction of Flora and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. The Independent

Maintenance, security and hospitality staff at the Bank of England are to go on a three-day strike after talks between the central bank and the Unite union over a pay offer broke down. ($1 = 0.7574 pounds)

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
(Refiles to remove Embargoed tag)

SEOUL, Aug 1 (Reuters) - South Korea's crude oil imports edged up 0.8 percent in July from a year earlier to 90.8 million barrels, preliminary data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy showed on Tuesday.

Final data will be released later this month by state-run Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC).

Details of preliminary imports and previous actual figures are as follows:

(In millions of barrels)

July 2017 June 2017* July 2016* Crude Oil 90.8 87.3 90.1

* Actual import figures

Note: The ministry did not break down imports by country of origin. South Korea's total crude imports in June climbed 4 percent to 87.3 million barrels year-on-year, according to KNOC data last month. (Reporting by Jane Chung; Editing by Richard Pullin)
SEOUL, Aug 1 (Reuters) - South Korea's exports to major trading partners including China, the European Union and the United States rose in July from a year earlier, government data showed on Tuesday. The trade ministry data showed exports in July to China and the EU rose by 6.6 percent and 10.2 percent on-year, respectively, while shipments to the U.S. increased 7.0 percent. Shipments to India surged 79.2 percent on-year, thanks to robust demand for South Korean mobile phones and steel products.

(Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
MONTEVIDEO, July 31 (Reuters) - Uruguay plans to sell a total of $2.25 billion in sovereign bonds this year, up from $2.05 billion previously, and $2.75 billion in 2018, the economy and finance ministry said on Monday as it reported a widening fiscal deficit.

The South American country expects to use lending from multilateral groups to finance $350 million of this year's deficit instead of $550 million as previously planned, the ministry added in a quarterly report.

Uruguay's fiscal deficit expanded to 3.6 percent of gross domestic product in the 12 months through June, compared to 3.4 percent in May, the ministry said.

The financing plans come as Uruguay, which holds 51 percent of its debt in foreign currencies, has been seeking to reduce its debt in dollars with fixed-rate bonds.

In June Uruguay sold $1.25 billion in 5-year bonds denominated in pesos that pay a fixed rate of 10 percent.

(Reporting by Malena Castaldi; Writing by Mitra Taj; Editing by Sandra Maler)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Brazil's fuel and lubricant imports shot up 57.3 percent in July from the same month in 2016 to $1.522 billion, government data showed on Tuesday. Gasoline imports rose 9.3 percent to $115 million, the trade ministry data showed. The rise came after Petroleo Brasileiro made its diesel and gasoline pricing scheme more flexible in June in an effort to regain market share lost to other companies that were boosting imports to Brazil. (Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
* Qatar's GIS slumps on huge profit miss

* Doha down for fifth straight session

* Saudi's Ma'aden up after doubling of Q2 profit

* Banks strong, Reuters poll finds managers favour sector

* Dubai's Arabtec up on new project award

By Celine Aswad

DUBAI, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian shares snapped a six-session losing streak on Tuesday while Qatar's market fell, hit by a slump in an oil drilling service provider after it barely broke even in the second quarter.

Gulf International Services lost 8.0 percent after posting net profit of 700,000 Qatari riyals, according to Reuters' calculations, well below QNB Financial Services' estimate of 47.51 million Qatari riyals.

In a statement, GIS cited "significant revenue reduction in drilling, catering and insurance segments."

The index fell 1.0 percent, marking its fifth consecutive session of declines.

Saudi Arabia's index added 0.2 percent, snapping six straight sessions of losses as the only listed miner in the region, Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Ma'aden), climbed 1.2 percent.

It reported net profit of 356.47 million riyals ($95.07 million), broadly matching the average forecast of three analysts polled by Reuters. The company cited higher sales volume in gold, ammonia and fertiliser, and cost controls.

Most banking shares rose, with Saudi British Bank adding 2.4 percent. In a monthly poll published by Reuters on Monday, fund managers said they favoured the banking sector in a regional portfolio. Saudi plastics manufacturer Takween Advanced Industries dropped 1.4 percent after it swung to a net loss of 12.7 million riyals in the second quarter from a net profit of 12.5 million a year earlier. The company attributed the bad result to weak sales.

In Dubai, mid-sized and large companies helped take the index 0.5 percent higher in line with global markets.

The MSCI All Country World index extended its run after the index logged its longest streak of monthly gains since 2003-04 in July.

Dubai's Emaar Properties rose 1.8 percent on Tuesday.

Shares of contractor Arabtec rose 0.6 percent after the company said it had been awarded a 628 million dirhams ($171 million) contract from DAMAC Properties . DAMAC lost 2.5 percent.

Abu Dhabi's index edged down 0.1 percent as the largest listed shares, telecommunications operator Etisalat fell 1.3 percent.

Shares of the region's only listed natural gas explorer Dana Gas jumped 3.1 percent. After the bourse closed on Tuesday the company announced that it along with its consortium partners had been awarded $14 million plus interest in a dispute with Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The case was filed with the London Court of International Arbitration in 2013 over payment for gas liquids production.

In Egypt the index lost 0.2 percent, falling further from an all-time high hit on July 18.

Juhayna Food Industries lost 2.3 percent, and is now down 10.4 percent since July 26, when it announced its net profit in the three months to June had fallen 8.7 percent.

SAUDI ARABIA

* The index rose 0.2 percent to 7,109 points.

DUBAI

* The index added 0.5 percent to 3,649 points.

ABU DHABI

* The index declined 0.1 percent to 4,562 points.

QATAR

* The index fell 1.0 percent to 9,309 points.

EGYPT

* The index lost 0.2 percent to 13,396 points.

KUWAIT

* The index edged down 0.1 percent to 6,843 points.

BAHRAIN

* The index flat at 1,328 points.

OMAN

* The index added 0.5 percent 5,048 points. ($1 = 3.7501 riyals)

(editing by John Stonestreet)
Editor's Note: Kitco readers, have your say! Check out our newest feature  KITCO CHAT!  where you can share your comments and ask questions directly to us.

Image Courtesy of Flickr user 'NASA Goddard Space Flight Center'

(Kitco News) - A solid gold replica of the Apollo 11 lunar module, which was gifted to Neil Armstrong in 1969, was stolen from a museum in Ohio. According to reports, the biggest fear is that thieves want to melt the priceless artifact down for its value in gold.

This piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France shortly after the moon landing, the Wapakoneta Police Department said in a statement. This piece is one of only three to exist. A value cannot be determined.

The artifact was displayed at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio.

The first reports of the burglary were received on Friday night, authorities said, adding that the local police department is working with the FBI on recovering the item.

There were a total of three reproductions of the Lunar Excursion Module created by Cartier and gifted to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

In a 2003 auction, Cartier is believed to have bought back the replica gifted to Collins for $56,000. The golden lander was placed in the companys own permanent collection, according to media reports.

NASA agent Joseph Gutheinz Jr., told AP that the fear is that thieves might not know the value of what they stole and simply want to melt the item down for its weight in gold.

Gutheinz added that the burglars left a massive moon rock untouched, which has a much greater value and was displayed near the golden Apollo 11 lunar model replica.

Either they didnt have easy access to the moon rock, or they werent into collectibles, Gutheinz said. They were into turning a quick buck.

The museum has already re-opened since the incident and released a statement on Facebook:

The truth is that you can't steal from a museum. Museum's don't own artifacts. We are simply vessels of the public trust. Museums care for and exhibit items on behalf of you, the public. Theft from a museum is a theft from all of us.

Reports do not indicate how much gold is in the replica; however, the yellow metal is trading close to a two-month high at $1,278.80 an ounce.
Editor's Note: Kitco readers, have your say! Check out our newest feature  KITCO CHAT!  where you can share your comments and ask questions directly to us.

(Kitco News) - A New York City employee working as a computer-systems manager for the Department of Education (DOE) has been penalized for mining bitcoins at work, according to the citys Conflicts of Interest Board.

The employee, Vladimir Ilyayev, was caught using bitcoin-mining software on his work computer. He ran the program every night for nearly an entire month in 2014 from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Ilyayev admitted to mining software on my DOE computer from March 19, 2014, until April 17, 2014, Ilyayev said in a disposition that was published on Monday. During that time, I monitored the progress of my bitcoin mining software from my home computer using remote access software.

As punishment, he is forfeit[ing] four days of annual leave, valued at approximately $611, the Conflicts of Interest Board said.

Ilyayev also admitted to working around the departments online security in order to install the required software to mine bitcoins.

This is not the first time a government staffer has been caught mining bitcoins with the help of government property.

In 2014, another employee of the NYC's Department of Education, Rishard Chapoteau, was caught trying to run the bitcoin mining software around the same time as Ilyayev.

And in 2016, a former Federal Reserve employee was fined $5,000 and given a 12-months probation for installing bitcoin software on his work computer.

Bitcoin mining requires an installation of the right software program that turns a computer into an aggregate that helps to build the blockchain network, which acts as the digital currencys transactional framework. The process is done by solving complex math problems for which users receive rewards in the form of fees.
* STOXX 600 up 0.8 pct

* BP leads oil stocks after Q2 beat

* Results boost Rolls-Royce, Intertek Group, Direct Line

* AA plummets after CEO fired

(ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets)

By Kit Rees and Helen Reid

LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - European shares rose on Tuesday, looking to recover after two straight months of losses, with corporate earnings reports spurring brisk trading ahead of a what is typically a sleepy summer period for markets.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index, nursing two straight months of losses, rose 0.6 percent. Blue chips closed 0.9 percent higher, their best one-day gains in three weeks.

Germany's DAX advanced 1.1 percent while Britain's commodities-heavy FTSE 100 gained 0.7 percent as oil stocks rose.

Earnings updates dominated the action, with oil heavyweight BP rising 2.8 percent and boosting the oil & gas sector after beating forecasts as new projects supported production. "BP has covered the cash component of the dividend with free cash flow for the second straight quarter and the Upstream business is performing well," analysts at Jefferies said in a note. "Valuation is not challenging, but the company's ability to de-lever the balance sheet remains a concern."

The European second-quarter earnings season is nearing the halfway mark and so far 60 percent of MSCI Europe firms have met or beaten analysts' expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Earnings per share growth in Europe was tracking at about 13 percent, including a significant boost from energy firms, according to the latest data from JPMorgan.

"You have seen some signs of (the) green shoots of recovery within the European economy and that, of course, is good for companies," Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said.

Morgan Stanley analysts said the euro's surge this year could weigh on European corporate profits, however, joining the chorus of big brokers warning the currency could dent earnings growth. British companies were the top gainers, with aerospace and defence firm Rolls-Royce shooting up 11.6 percent, its best day in a year, after beating expectations with a rise in first-half profit thanks to a step-up in production. It was joined by testing firm Intertek Group , insurer Direct Line and Dutch chemicals company DSM , which all gained between 5.8 percent to 9 percent on the back of well-received results.

Lender CYBG was the top-gaining bank, rocketing 9.3 percent on strong third-quarter results. Financials were the biggest contributors to gains on the STOXX. Morgan Stanley had pointed to the sector as one of the least vulnerable to the stronger euro, due to its low overseas exposure.

A late faller was motor insurance company AA which plummeted 12.8 percent after the firm fired its executive chairman and lowered its full-year forecasts. While moves among fallers were otherwise fairly muted, precious metals miner Fresnillo was the worst-performing in the basic resources sector, dropping 2.3 percent after its first-half update. (Reporting by Kit Rees; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Tuesday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours):

MANUFACTURING PMI

Markit will release its manufacturing PMI for Poland at 0700 GMT. ALLIANZ TUiR Allianz Polska is ready for takeovers to become the country's No.3 insurer, its Polish unit Chief Executive Officer Veit Stutz told Rzeczpospolita daily.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****

For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau)
WARSAW, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Poland will offer to sell treasury bonds maturing in April 2019, November 2022, January 2023, January 2026, July 2027 and April 2047 at a switch tender on Thursday, the finance ministry said on Tuesday. In exchange for the papers the ministry said it would buy back papers due October 2017, January 2018 and April 2018. Switch tenders are non-cash operations at which the ministry changes papers nearing their maturity for those with a longer one.

(Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko and Lidia Kelly)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
MOSCOW, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Russia is in talks with Asian investors on the privatisation of state shipping company Sovcomflot, the RIA news agency cited Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov as saying on Tuesday. The government does not rule out other forms of the company's privatisation apart from an initial public offering, the agency quoted Shuvalov as saying.

(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Maria Kiselyova)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
HANOI, Aug 1 (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 0417 GMT.

August 1 USD/VND mid-point 22,429 USD/VND interbank 22,696/22,758 USD/VND unofficial 22,710/22,740 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.13/36.35

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.5-0.9

1 week 0.7-1.0

1 month 1.6-2.0

3 months 3.2-3.8

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; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
* Steel mills expand output after summer maintenance

* Steel rebar hits highest since September 2013

* BMI expects robust Chinese metal demand in 2017

(Update prices)

BEIJING, Aug 1 (Reuters) - China's iron ore futures extended gains into a third session on Tuesday after surging nearly 8 percent to hit their trade limit-up the day before, as steel mills stock up on the raw material.

Steel producers have gradually been picking up output after conducting maintenance on some equipment over the summer. The weekly operation rate at mill furnaces had climbed 0.56 percentage point to 77.49 percent by Friday from the week before, data from Mysteel consultants showed.

"The market holds strong expectations for higher raw materials prices due to big margins and resuming operations at mills," analysts at Orient Futures said in a note.

The most-active iron ore futures on the Dalian Commodity Exchange closed 2.2 percent higher at 566.5 yuan ($84.31) a tonne on Tuesday.

Prices have also been bolstered by data on Monday that showed activity in China's steel industry continued to expand in July, with the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising to 54.9 from 54.1 in June. Iron ore for delivery to China's Qingdao port had risen 5 percent to $73.70 a tonne by Monday's close.

Stockpiles of imported iron ore at Chinese ports remain at high levels, standing at 140.45 million tonnes by Monday, around the same as the previous week, just below a record of 141.45 million tonnes, according to data compiled by SteelHome.

BMI research expects demand for industrial metals in China to pick up in 2017, supported by a firm economy.

"But (demands) will slow by 2018 as the long-term infrastructure and construction projects initiated in H2 2016-Q1 2017 will start being completed and the cooling of fiscal support to heavy industries will cap new demand," it said.

The most-traded steel rebar futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 1 percent to 3,698 yuan a tonne on Monday, after hitting an intraday-peak at 3,759 yuan a tonne, the highest since September 2013.

Inventories of rebar have been piling up since mid-July, rising 74,100 tonnes to 3.8 million tonnes last week.

Spot prices rose 1.07 percent to 3,988.92 yuan a tonne on Monday, data from the Mysteel website showed.

($1 = 6.7191 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Muyu Xu and Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Joseph Radford)
(Updates with details of share sale)

By Chijioke Ohuocha

LAGOS, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Nigeria's Dangote Industries Limited has sold a 2.3 percent stake in Dangote Cement to foreign buyers in a stock market deal valued at 86.1 billion naira ($236 million).

The stock exchange confirmed the Tuesday's sale, adding that a total of 416 million shares of Dangote Cement were traded at 210 naira in six off-market deals negotiated between Stanbic IBTC and Meristem stockbrokers, its spokesman said.

Dangote Cement spokesman said the deal was between Dangote Industries Limited and some foreign investors.

Shares of Dangote Cement were exchanged at a 5.5 percent discount to its market price of 222.22 naira on Tuesday.

Dangote Cement, which makes up one third of the Nigerian bourse's total market capitalisation, shed 0.68 percent on Tuesday, to value it at 3.79 trillion naira ($10.4 billion).

A banking source said Dangote Cement, owned by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote and listed on the Lagos bourse in 2010 was yet to meet its minimum float requirement due to its heavy capitalisation which made finding a buyer tough.

Dangote has less than 10 percent free float as against the market's requirement of 20 percent, the source added.

In 2013, Dangote Industries sold a 1.5 percent of its 95 percent stake in Africa's biggest cement producer to South Africa's Public Investment Corporation (PIC) for $289.3 million.

Subsequently it sold a 1.4 percent stake to Sovereign fund Investment Corp of Dubai (ICD) for $300 million in 2014.

The company told Reuters in July it planned to invest about $4 billion over the next two to three years to nearly double its production capacity to 80 million tonnes in Africa. However it faces competition in Africa from French cement maker Lafarge which has combined its Nigerian and South African businesses to accelerate growth on the continent, as well as other local rivals.

Nigeria's biggest listed company last week said its half-year pretax profit rose 24.6 percent to 155.58 billion naira ($426.3 million). ($1 = 365.00 naira)

(Editing by David Evans)
Stuff reports:

Hundreds of Island Bay residents gathered at a public meeting on Monday night to hear discussion of the process for rebuilding the southern Wellington suburbs controversial cycleway. 

The proposals out for consultation include returning The Parade to its original layout with some enhancements, at a cost of $4.1m; keeping the existing layout with some enhancements, for $5.2m; changing to a one-way separated kerbside cycleway above road level, for $6m; or installing the new road-level cycleway and reverting to angle parking, for $6.2m.

However, Island Bay Residents Association president Vicki Greco got the biggest cheer of the night when she urged the meeting to endorse a fifth option, known as Option E.

It calls for a return to the pre-cycleway design, with the cycleway put back to the roadside of parked cars, restoring bus stops and removing speed bumps. The residents association estimates it would cost only about $750,000.

Greco called the four sanctioned options an insult, and warned the removal of 57 car parks could economically ruin the suburb.
By Nam Hyun-woo



Mirae Asset Global Investments said Tuesday it had listed an exchange traded fund (ETF) investing in global firms developing core technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



The KOSPI-listed fund, TIGER Global Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology ETF, will invest in such innovative companies in the United States, Europe, Asia and other regions.



According to the asset management company, the fresh fund will be the first domestic ETF investing in such companies worldwide. There has been a number of ETFs investing in several info-tech companies or those in the healthcare sector, but their investments were limited to domestic stocks or specific sectors.



The fund will be comprised of 200 stocks, allowing investors to disperse risk. It will track Morningstar Exponential Technologies Index, which shows the movement of global stocks in the sectors of big data analysis, nano technologies, robotics and others related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



"The fund will allow investors to enjoy the strengths of ETFs to their full extent as well as investing in firms related to the revolution," Mirae Asset Global Investments CEO Seo Yoo-seok said.




/ Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization



By Jung Min-ho

A "Subway tour guide," which provides information about interesting places near some subway stations in Korea, has been published in four languages  English, Japanese and traditional and simplified Chinese, the Korea Tourism Organization said Tuesday.





/ Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

According to the KTO, the guidebook focuses mainly on popular attractions that tourists can reach in 10 minutes by foot from each station. It includes information such as history of the attractions, which exit to take and other spots they might want to visit in the neighborhood.

The KTO said the guidebook is to help foreign visitors who use the subway as their primary means of transportation during their trip.

The guidebook also has maps as well as information on how to better use the country's metro system.

Those interested in the guidebook should search "Korea Travel Books" on either the Google Play store or Apple store.

A KTO official said the guidebook will help tourists make the best use of the subway, which is known globally for its convenience.
A North Korean Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile is launched in this photo released by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Saturday. The missile was launched from Chagang Province, northern North Korea, at 11:41 p.m., Friday. / Yonhap



President seeks deployment of 4 THAAD launchers

By Jun Ji-hye

President Moon Jae-in is apparently shifting his policy on North Korea from appeasement toward a hawkish approach following Pyongyang's continued launching of ballistic missiles with intercontinental range.

The large-scale provocations are seen as the Kim Jong-un regime's answer to the Moon government's recent offer to hold military talks to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula as well as to the international community's moves to impose harsher sanctions.

Friday night's missile test marked the second time for the North to launch the Hwasong-14, which it claimed was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking targets on the U.S. mainland, following the first one fired July 4.

The North fired the missile into the East Sea from the vicinity of Mupyong-ri, Chagang Province, at around 11:41 p.m. Friday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).





The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) fires an Eighth U.S. Army surface-to-surface ballistic missile during a Seoul-Washington combined live-fire exercise near the East Sea, Saturday. The drill took place six hours after North Korea fired an improved ballistic missile with intercontinental range. / Courtesy of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff

The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the Hwasong-14 reached a maximum altitude of 3,724.9 kilometers and flew about 998 kilometers for 47 minutes.

So far, the Moon government has pursued a two-track policy in dealing with the North, seeking dialogue and imposing sanctions at the same time, despite repeated provocations.

But an official from the presidential office, asking not to be named, said, "If the missile were confirmed as an ICBM, it would mean the North is close to crossing the red line."

He added President Moon is keeping all options available as the latest provocation could bring about a "fundamental change" to the security landscape of Northeast Asia.

Most notably, Moon ordered his aides to immediately begin consultation with the United States to "temporarily" deploy four additional launchers of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The order was issued during an emergency National Security Council (NSC) session, presided over by the President, Saturday.












An undated file photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency shows an underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile conducted at an undisclosed location in North Korea. / EPA-Yonhap



By Jun Ji-hye

North Korea is expected to test-fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) soon to show off its sea-based nuclear attack capabilities after its purported successful test of a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The move could come as the North is highly likely to make the most of the current tension-ridden situation on the peninsula to gain recognition as a nuclear state.

CNN quoted an unidentified U.S. defense official Monday as saying the U.S. military has detected "highly unusual and unprecedented levels" of North Korean submarine activity and evidence of an "ejection test" in the days following the North's second Hwasong-14 ICBM test Friday night.

The Hwasong-14 reached a maximum altitude of 3,724 kilometers and flew about 998 kilometers in 47 minutes, the North's state media said, claiming that such a missile was capable of striking targets on the U.S. mainland.

The ejection test is designed to examine "cold launch" technology necessary to propel a missile out of the water before its engines ignite to put the missile on a trajectory to a designated target. Such technology is considered critical to developing submarine launch capabilities.

The U.S. official told CNN that the latest ejection test took place on land at a naval shipyard in Sinpo, South Hamkyong Province, noting that it was the third such test in July and the fourth this year.

CNN reported earlier in July that the North had been outfitting its Gorae-class (Sinpo-class) experimental ballistic missile submarine with a possible missile launch demonstration tube.

On July 24, Japan's NHK reported that a diesel-powered Romeo-class submarine from the North had conducted activities in the East Sea for about a week, a rare move considering such a sub usually sails only for about four days.












Consulate in Montreal warns travelers



By Jung Min-ho



The consequences of taking child pornography to Canada, or many other developed nations, could be far more serious than many Koreans might think, a Korean consulate said in a warning to travelers.



The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Montreal and the Permanent Mission to International Civil Aviation Organization issued a warning last week against bringing child pornography to Canada, saying a Korean was recently prosecuted and imprisoned for doing so.



The consulate said the Korean was found guilty of possessing child pornography after entering the North American country with such content on his external hard drive. The consulate did not disclose further details.



According to Canada's criminal laws, any content that shows "a person who is or is depicted as being under the age of 18 and is engaged in or is depicted as being engaged in explicit sexual activity" will be subject to arrest and prosecution. People who possess any child pornography could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.



A person involved in creating or distributing such content is likely to receive heavier punishment.



Canada is not the only country that deals with such crimes more seriously than Korea does. Most other developed countries are not much different.



According to U.S. media, a Jamaican man was found guilty of possessing and transporting child pornography recently in the United States. He reportedly had a smartphone containing child pornography when he arrived at the Orlando International Airport five months ago and now faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.



Creating, distributing and possessing child pornography is illegal in Korea too, but violators face lighter punishment here. People who possess it could face a maximum prison sentence of one year or a fine of up to 10 million won ($8,900). The current law also has some loopholes. For example, it cannot punish those who watch it via streaming.




The Busan International Magic Festival will take place at Kyungsung University Concert Hall in Busan from Aug. 3 to 6.

Billed as Asia's largest magic festival and taking place on Haeundae Beach, and at Kyungsung University concert hall and small theaters, this year's festival is expected to introduce magicians from around the world.

"Fans of magic will have a chance to interact with night magic gala shows, Busan International Magic Contest, lectures by noted magicians, a global kids magic show, magic dramas and more, making this a unique type of magic festival," the event organizer says on its website.

Highlights include the Busan International Magic Competition at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday and the Night Gala Show at 8 p.m. Friday to Sunday, the R.G.B Show at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday.

The opening ceremony is at Kyungsung University Concert Hall from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tickets for a three day pass cost 280,000 won. Individual show prices range from 10,000 won to 40,000 won.

To get to Kyungsung University Concert Hall, leave exit 2, 4 or 6 of Kyungsung University-Pukyong University Station on Line 2.

For ticketing and information, visit hibimf.org or call the KTO helpline at 1330.
In this photo Yangbantal, an anonymous contributor appearing in the first issue of Korea Photo Review, kneels atop a crane in 2010 during construction of Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. The magazine showcases Korea through visual storytelling. / Courtesy of Korea Photo Review



By Celeste Kriel

The first issue of Korea Photo Review, a new quarterly magazine sharing diverse stories and experiences about Korea through visual storytelling, comes out this Saturday at an event in G-15 Sonnendeck in Itaewon, Seoul, celebrating its first publication.

The exhibition of Korean and foreign contributing photographers' works weaves diverse narratives of Korea through contrasting lenses, from urban exploration to street photography.

The first issue introduces eight featured photographers and nine contributors from all over the world  including Seoul, New York and Hong Kong. The issue, which will be available at the event, showcases both up-and-coming as well as established photographers whose works reflect life in Korea.

The magazine highlights artists with different styles of storytelling and mediums, from co-publisher Joseph Chung's guerilla-style street photography to nostalgic unedited film camera shots of abandoned buildings to crisp black-and-white images of the raw energy between protesters and riot police.

Readers can look forward to interviews with Ed Jones, AFP chief photographer for North and South Korea, and Kim Min-joo, a Seoul-born multidisciplinary artist based in New York whose recent photojournalism project covering haenyeo (Jeju's female divers) was published in the Huffington Post.

What prompted Chung and his team to start the magazine was a feeling that Korea was underrepresented in international publications.

"I talked with my friend Hon Hoang about starting a magazine where we could share a diverse range of experiences, and we made a checklist of what we would have to do in order to publish a magazine," he said.

Hoang and Chung are co-editors who wear many hats and share many responsibilities regarding design and content. However, each issue is influenced by the stories presented by the contributing artists as well.

Chung, an award-winning photographer originally from Seoul, grew up in New York and with his father, an amateur photographer, he has been taking pictures since his hands could hold a camera.

Coming back to Korea six years ago, he discovered living here as an adult he was attracted to exploring urban spaces and documenting them visually, which was how he met many of the other photographers featured in the first issue.

The editors hope for the magazine to become an outlet where photographers can share their long-term projects.

"I also hope our magazine will be good enough so that even those who are not photographers can pick up an issue," Chung said.

The launch event and exhibition takes place at G-15 Sonnendeck in Itaewon from 1:30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Sunday. Visit facebook.com/koreaphotoreview for more.
By You Soo-sun

Gyeonggi Province announced Thursday that it ranked first in a joint evaluation of provincial and municipal governments for the second consecutive year. The evaluation was based on services provided by each district government in 2016.

The evaluation, conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and central administrative agencies, measured the performance of government-funded and government-delegated projects and policies. Specifically it assessed the performance of 30 government departments in nine areas, based on 173 criteria.

Governor Nam Kyung-pil welcomed the result and said that the Gyeonggi provincial government "proved itself as the best

Nam Kyung-pil

by providing administrative services of first quality in the joint evaluation." He also said the achievement was facilitated through "undisrupted communication and collaboration with the local council and local districts for the happiness of ts residents."

The nine areas assessed in last year's report were general administration, social welfare, health and hygiene, the local economy, culture and family affairs, safety management, core tasks, forest environment, and local development. Gyeonggi Province received the top grade in the first eight of these areas.

For the first time it received the highest grade in the health and hygiene area. It received the second highest grade in local development. For the first time, it did not receive the lowest grade in any of these areas.

The achievement came as the government focused on cities and counties that previously received poor performance ratings. It also paid additional attention to areas that scored low in the previous evaluation, including health and hygiene, the forest environment and safety management.
Inter-Korean red cross talks fall through



By Kim Hyo-jin



A growing number of politicians are calling for the government to shift the direction of its North Korea policies, because the North is not responding to its peace overtures but is only continuing with a series of missile tests.



Pyongyang remained silent on Seoul's offer to hold inter-Korean talks to hold reunions for separated families Tuesday, the proposed day of the talks.



Earlier last month, the Korean Red Cross proposed talks at the Peace House, a South Korean building in the truce village of Panmunjeom, to be held Aug. 1, to discuss humanitarian issues including the reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.



The offer was after the Ministry of the National Defense proposed military talks July 21 to discuss reducing tension along the border.



The two offers were follow-ups to President Moon Jae-in's offer for talks made during a speech in Berlin in early July. But the reclusive state has snubbed both, causing a setback for the liberal President's hope of dialogue with Pyongyang.



Ministry of Unification spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said the offer for talks was still valid, saying "We will continue pursuing denuclearization, peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula with patience and resilience as a responsible player concerning the peninsula issue."



However, the opposition parties upped the offensive against this policy, claiming the government should drop the peace proposal made in the Berlin speech.



Rep. Park Joo-sun, interim leader of the minor opposition People's Party, said the current two-track policy toward the North  seeking dialogue and imposing sanctions at the same time  is "unrealistic and meaningless."



"While the international community increases pressure and sanctions for the denuclearization of the peninsula, the government is approaching North Korea with a dialogue offer for the same goal. It is not only ineffective but also confusing to the North," he said.



Park stressed that the government needs to make a turn from the past Sunshine policy of reconciliation with Pyongyang sought under the previous Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations, noting changed political conditions.



"Presidents Kim and Roh engaged in dialogue with North Korea, seeking to get it to scrap its nuclear program. But we are now dealing with the North which laid down its intention to never give up the nuclear program in the Constitution. And Pyongyang responded with an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test to the proposal of talks of resuming separated families' reunions," he said.



"Now is the time to increase pressure and sanctions based on the Korea-U.S. alliance, and in close cooperation with the international community."



Kim Young-woo, a lawmaker of the minor opposition Bareun Party and chairman of the National Assembly Defense Committee, also called on the government to reconsider the conciliatory policy.



He expressed concerns about Korea's diplomatic isolation, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's phone call with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe when he did not have one with President Moon.



Claiming it was caused by Seoul's stress on dialogue, Kim said, "Trying to resolve nuclear and missile issues through talks is like trying to build a house on sand. The Berlin overture should be reconsidered."




A shark, presumably a great white, was found dead in the net of a fishing vessel on Korea's east coast near Yeongdeok-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 27. / Courtesy of Daegu Shimmun



By Ko Dong-hwan

Summer vacationers on Korea's east coast have been warned about sharks after fishermen caught several of the creatures this year.

The coast guard in Pohang said a 20-kilogram shark was found dead 200 meters off Yeongdeok-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 27. It was caught in the net of a fishing vessel.

It was presumed to be a great white shark and was 1.2 meters long and 40 centimeters around. It was sent to the National Institute of Fisheries Science to verify its species.

The sea around Yeongdeok is notorious for sharks. In April, a great white measuring 2.5 meters was found dead. A salmon shark was found in August 2016 and mako sharks were discovered dead in June 2012.

The coast guard has issued a shark warning to local government authorities in the city and along the coast and to fishermen and vacationers.
The U.S. military base in Yongsan, Seoul/ Yonhap



By Kim Se-jeong

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will take soil and water samples from six spots around U.S. army facilities in the capital to check for any oil contamination.

The city government said the test results will come out early September. It plans to ask the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the Ministry of Environment for a further joint study if any contamination is found.

The city has already called for an extensive survey on possible contamination, but this hasn't happened yet.

A city official said time is running out because many military facilities are moving out of Seoul to Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, this year.

The six installations include U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Yongsan's Main Post, Transportation Motor Pool, Seobinggo Compound, Niblo Barracks, Camp Morse and the 8th Army Religious Retreat Center, all in or near Yongsan-gu.

"With relocation so near, we don't even know the extent of contamination. The USFK should cover the cleanup cost. We hope the environment ministry and the USFK will cooperate with us," the city government said in a statement.

Some of the six are currently empty, but the city wasn't given access due to legal issues.

Soil and water contamination have been troublesome for the city government for almost a decade.

It has spent 6.2 billion won in cleaning up two returned military facilities in the city  Yongsan Garrison's South Post and Camp Kim. However, the levels of toxic chemicals in the soil are still quite high.

The city discovered the contamination near military property in the early 2000s while excavating to build Noksapyeong Station.

In 2015, after other suspected leaks, the Ministry of Environment and the USFK ran a joint study on USAG Yongsan but the results were not made public. The ministry cited the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) for its refusal to disclose them. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing the case, after a civic organization sued the ministry demanding disclosure.

The USFK was aware of the severity of the leaks. According to U.S. military files, obtained earlier this year by Green Korea through the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, 84 oil leaks were reported between 1990 and 2015  the Korean government had only been notified of five cases.

Seven cases involved 3,780 liters of oil each  yet only two of these cases were reported to the Korean government.

The issue was also marked by discord between the environment ministry, the city government and civic groups. The ministry claimed rules must be respected in pursuing justice, while the other parties criticized it for failing to represent the interests of citizens.
By Gwynne Dyer





Anthony Zurcher, the BBC's North America correspondent, nailed it in a report on 27 July. "Where Abraham Lincoln had his famous team of rivals' in his administration, this is something different," Zurcher wrote. "Trump White House seems more akin to the final scene in Reservoir Dogs, where everyone is yelling and pointing a gun at someone else, and there's a good chance no one is going to come out unscathed."

Several walking wounded have limped out of the White House since then, including ex-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, but nobody would call them unscathed. And in has come Anthony Scaramucci, the new communications director, who appears to have escaped from some other Quentin Tarantino movie. Perhaps John Travolta's character in Pulp Fiction, but with a New York accent.

Fun fact: Scaramuccia (literally "little skirmisher"), also known as Scaramouche, is a stock character of the Italian commedia dell'arte. He combines the roles of a clownish servant and a masked assassin carrying out his master's will. He often ends up decapitated.

Things are falling apart in the White House much faster than even the keenest observers of Donald Trump's behaviour would have predicted, and the important part is not the dysfunction. The United States would work just fine  in fact, rather better  if Trump never managed to turn his tweets into reality. What matters is that he is cutting his links with the Republican Party.

Trump was never a real Republican. As a genuine populist, he is ideology-free. If Barack Obama had fallen under a bus and Trump had chosen to run for the presidency in 2008, he could just as easily have sought the Democratic nomination.

Senior Republicans knew this, and they tried quite hard to stop him from winning the Republican nomination last year. After that they were stuck with him, and he did win the White House for them, so they have been in an uncomfortable partnership ever since. That is now coming to an end.

Part of the unwritten deal was that establishment Republicans get senior roles in the Trump White House. Reince Priebus, dismissed last Friday, was the most important of those people. He followed deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh, communications director Mike Dubke, press secretary Sean Spicer and press aide Michael Short, all of whom had already been pushed out.

What's left are alt-right white nationalists like Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller, New Yorkers with Democratic leanings like Anthony Scaramucci, Jared Kushner, Dina Powell and Gary Cohn, Trump family members (Donald Jr and Ivanka), ex-businessmen like foreign secretary Rex Tillerson (who may be about to quit), and a triumvirate of generals in high civilian office.

This is a recipe for paralysis, but who cares? Did you really want a White House team that enabled Donald Trump to impose his will (or rather, his whims) on the United States and, to some extent, on the world? Well, no, and neither do senior Republicans  but they do care very much about controlling the White House.

Republicans who think long-term are well aware that the changing demography of the US population is eating away at their core vote. This may be their last chance, with control of both Houses of Congress and (at least in theory) of the presidency, to reshape their image and their policies in ways that will appeal to at least some of the emerging minorities.

They can't do that if they don't control the White House, and the only way they could regain control there is for Trump to go and Vice-President Mike Pence (a real Republican) to take over. A successful impeachment could accomplish that.

It would be very hard to engineer such a thing without splitting the Republican Party, even if the current FBI investigation comes up with damning evidence of Trump's ties with Russia. Nevertheless, the likelihood of an impeachment is rising from almost zero to something quite a bit higher.

It would be a big gamble. The Republicans in Congress couldn't really get Trump out before November 2018, and the turbulence of an impeachment might cost them their control of Congress in the mid-term elections. In an ideal outcome, however, it would give the Republicans time to go into the the 2020 election with President Pence in charge at the White House and some solid legislative achievements under their belts.

What would Trump do if he faced impeachment? Maybe he would do a kind of plea bargain and resign, but that would be quite out of character. His instinct would be to fight, and he fights mainly by creating diversions. The best diversion is a war, but against whom?

Even Trump would have trouble selling a war against Iran to the American public. Despite all the propaganda, they don't really feel threatened by Iran. Whereas North Korea says and does things provocative enough to let Trump make a (flimsy) case for attacking it.

If he thought his presidency was at stake, he certainly would.





Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries. Contact gwynne763121476@aol.com.
By Andres Hammond



North Korea conducted on Saturday its second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test within a month. With the ICBMs apparently having the range to reach Alaska and potentially other US states on the country's Western seaboard, the reclusive Pyongyang regime has dramatically raised the stakes in the intensifying foreign policy stand-off in the peninsula.



With the US homeland looking increasingly vulnerable, Donald Trump could soon be facing into his first major international crisis. And this may require him to make some big decisions very soon on how to tackle Pyongyang's provocations against what the regime called Saturday the "beast-like US imperialists".



The Trump team already is considering new unilateral sanctions against North Korea, and has been leading a charge in the UN Security Council to secure support for intensified international sanctions too. Coinciding with this, the United States and South Korea conducted their latest test on Sunday of the controversial Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system. Condemned by North Korea, China and Russia, THAAD is being deployed by Washington in South Korea as a means to potentially intercept missiles launched by Pyongyang.



Recent US rhetoric has given Beijing heightened concerns that Trump might now be thinking, much more seriously, about a pre-emptive strike on Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities. Earlier this month, Trump asserted that North Korea "is behaving in a very dangerous manner, and something will have to be done about it...and probably dealt with rapidly".



Trump has acknowledged Beijing can play a potentially very constructive role in seeking a diplomatic solution, but has expressed exasperation that it is not doing more to pressurise the regime in Pyongyang. In a tweet on Saturday, for instance, the US president asserted that "I am very disappointed in China...Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet  they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk".



While Washington's next steps are not crystal clear, it looks increasingly likely that the two decades long US policy of "strategic patience" towards Pyongyang may now be over with all options on the table. Aside from military force, scenarios range from a new round of peace talks at the dovish end of the spectrum, to more hawkish actions like interdicting ships suspected of selling North Korea weapons abroad, one of the regime's key sources of income.



The possibility of new US measures, alongside recent US rhetoric is one reason why Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Li has asserted that "China's priority now is to flash the red light and apply the break to both [the US and North Korean] trains" to avoid a collision. It is not just Beijing, but also Moscow, which is concerned that the tensions on the peninsular could spiral out of control.



Both nations believe that tensions on the Korean peninsula have no easy resolution. And they are grappling with how best to respond to not just the regular missile launches by Pyongyang, but also its nuclear tests, while trying to rein in the United States and South Korea too.



To this end, both Moscow and Beijing have indicated support for a UN Security Council initiative that would build on the UN vote last year to tighten some sanctions in response to Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test. The UN measure favoured by them would require the United States and South Korea to halt military drills and deployment of THAAD. China vehemently opposes that system which it fears could be used for US espionage on its activities, as much as for targeting North Korean missiles.



Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov shares this concern and asserts that THAAD is a "destabilising factor...in line with the vicious logic of creating a global missile shield". He also warned that it also undermine "the existing military balance in the region".



This proposed Chinese-Russia UN initiative would also put further pressure on North Korea to stop its missile and nuclear testing. However, unlike Washington, Beijing has been reluctant to take more comprehensive, sweeping measures against its erstwhile ally.



To be sure, China has taken some actions, including banning all coal imports into North Korea in February. However, it is unlikely to squeeze its neighbour too hard. The key reason Beijing has differed with Washington over scope and severity of actions against Pyongyang largely reflects the fact that it does not want to push the regime so hard that it becomes significantly destabilised.



From the vantage point of Chinese officials, this risks North Korea behaving even more unpredictably, and/ or the outside possibility of the implosion of the regime. This would not be in Beijing's interests for at least two considerations.



Firstly, if the Communist regime in Pyongyang falls it could undermine the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party -- its regional ally -- too. In addition, Beijing fears that the collapse of order in North Korea could lead to instability on the North Korea-China border, a potentially large influx of refugees that it would need to manage, and ultimately the potential emergence of a pro-US successor nation.



Washington and Beijing will be seeking to manage their differences on these issues, and try to agree the best route forward in the UN Security Council. In these conversations, the Trump team has the support of not just South Korea and Japan which want to see new sanctions imposed quickly on North Korea, but also potentially the United Kingdom and France too.



Taken overall, tensions will only rise further in the Korean peninsula following the latest ICBM test. Trump may soon face into his first major foreign policy crisis, and need very quickly to make some big decisions on how to tackle Pyongyang's provocations.







Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. Contact andrew.hammond.james@gmail.com.




By Heo Mane





The Moon Jae-in government seems to be derailing, although not seriously, its four-track diplomacy. Since the Moon administration took control in May, it has been faced with a variety of dilemmas in and around Northeast Asia. For instance it has been confronted with the continued nuclear and missile provocations by North Korea. Amid the dilemmas, President Moon had several summits, including ones with President Donald Trump and at the G20 in Hamburg, Germany. The summits are considered to have been relatively successful. However he has yet to seek a solution to the dilemmas accumulated since then.



The first dilemma in his four-track diplomacy is that he has yet to seek a breakthrough in the ongoing nuclear and missile provocations. Moon hinted at a freer and more self-controlling approach to the issue at a face-to-face summit with Trump. He thought that Trump had allowed him to take away this issue. But this thinking turned out to be not the case, two months after the summit. Moon's way in this matter now is seen as difficult to work with, although it is basically a problem between Seoul and Pyongyang.



The second dilemma in his diplomacy is that Moon's peace overture was rebuffed by Pyongyang and looked down upon by the White House. This is a fundamental difference in military strategy on the one hand between Seoul and Washington, and on the other between Seoul and Pyongyang. It also differs from Beijing's stance. He seems, however, to be focused rather on a soft approach to the issue  dialogue first and pressure second. Trump appears to emphasize the necessity of the hard approach  maximum pressure first and dialogue second. Trump now prefers his own approach amid the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, a Hwasung-14 and a presumed upcoming 6th test of nuclear weapon. Such provocations by Pyongyang threaten, in the eyes of Trump, peace and stability in the Northeast Asian region as a whole. The sudden but expected launch of the second advanced intercontinental ballistic missile further worsened the environment for peace.



The third dilemma in his diplomatic course ahead is gaps in reopening the long stalled six-party nuclear talks. Seoul, Washington, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow have hoped to clamp down on nuclear-missile threats. These threats could lead to a world crisis, if not removed at the proper time. Nevertheless, gaps are still lingering among the four big powers on the matter. Moon's diplomatic team should study how to find zero-sum gaps in security and strategy among the four, which in turn could produce a breakthrough for the denuclearization of North Korea. There cannot be peace and stability without denuclearization.



South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia urgently need to agree to remove the increasing nuclear-missile threats here. For this goal of primary importance, the big four powers must reopen the nuclear six-party talks under the chairmanship of China.



The last dilemma is how to install the THAAD battery as earlier as possible. The Moon government is being pushed to finish an environmental impact assessment at the shortest possible time because Pyongyang is increasingly closer to achieving a more perfect intercontinental ballistic missile. The government needs not to worry much about Beijing's pressure as the deployment is our own sovereign matter. It cannot afford to lose any time in this respect.



The White House is pursuing its own thinking at this point  a hard power operation if diplomatic measures no longer work. The US field leaders are ready to suggest hard power strategies. Commander Harris Jr. of the U.S. Pacific Command, known as a hard-liner recently stated to offer his own hard-line measures to President Trump. He warned in a lecture at the US Embassy to Japan that North Korea: "Was already equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the US mainland. This is a threat not only to the US but to the entire world."



In the dangerous situation of facing imminent nuclear and missile provocations, President Moon is in dire need of launching a super dynamic four-track diplomacy. This diplomacy must aim, among other things, to avoid a horrible war on the peninsula and to ensure a minimum assured deterrent with THAAD installed at a right time. For this diplomatic action, he must hurry to win the support of the big four powers. The nuclear and missile problems are not confined only to Seoul and Pyongyang, but at the same time the world.



Chinese political and military leaders today should acknowledge that THAAD is not an offensive weapon but a defensive one in preparation for incoming North Korean missiles. Considering the threats, Beijing should stop its economic retaliation against Seoul as a strategic partner, and renormalize relations. This is a way to maintain durable peace and stability in Northeast Asia.





Heo Mane, professor emeritus, is president of the Korea-EU Forum.
Belated as it may be, there is a great need to take issue with the recent visit of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei for a meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.



The UAE minister went against protocol and potentially embarrassed the host country by using his visit as a platform for a diplomatic war against Qatar. He came here for the purported agenda of boosting the two countries' energy sector cooperation, but ended up asking for Seoul's support. A week earlier, Qatar and Korea had an energy ministers' meeting but no moves against the UAE or any of its three allies in the ongoing row came out of it.



During his meeting with Kang, Al Mazrouei called Qatar a source of extremism and terrorism. The UAE minister also called a news conference to pour venom on his Middle Eastern neighbor. He blamed Qatar for sabotaging a diplomatic effort to solve their differences by leaking a 13-point demand that called on Qatar to close its global news network, Al Jazeera.



Al Jazeera has been critical of the region's kingdoms for their autocratic kings, especially the House of Saud. The network is lauded as a beacon of free press in the region after the BBC bureau was kicked out.



No state-level pressure or attack against a media outlet with the purpose of influencing its editorial policy should be condoned. The UAE minister's behavior may well reflect his country's anti-press freedom tendency. Minister Kang could have been firmer with her message that the visitor should keep his domestic politics off the agenda.



The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain have been trying to isolate Qatar diplomatically and economically as part of a struggle for power between Saudi Arabia and Iran.




Preconditions are verification, protocol observation



North Korea Friday night test-fired a long-range rocket that experts say could bring most of the United States mainland within striking distance. This has triggered condemnation from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. China, the rogue state's only benefactor, criticized Pyongyang. But Beijing criticized in stronger terms Seoul's decision to deploy temporarily a U.S. anti-missile interceptor, which China has opposed vehemently.



With near certainly, it can be predicted that the matter will be passed to the United Nations but a split will prevent any unified action because of opposition from China and Russia. Meanwhile, tension will likely go up another notch, presenting the U.S. with a stronger case for military action.



The one way to preclude this vicious cycle is to call a spade a spade.



The North has exploded nuclear devices five times. It has tested numerous missiles. On Friday and on July 4, it proved it can deliver a projectile up to 10,000 kilometers. In terms of flight distance, it has reached the level of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Judging that it takes 15 to 20 years to attain related technologies, there is little doubt that the North is close to becoming a nuclear weapon state, if it has not already done so.



So far, the countries involved have been using sanctions to stop the North from being able to launch nuclear-tipped long-range missiles. Sanctions upon sanctions have been imposed on Pyongyang with little effect.



The alternative is to give the North what it wants _ status as a nuclear state. But that recognition should be given in a way that the North is brought back into the international nuclear control regime so Pyongyang will act responsibly with its nuclear arsenal.



For the North to join the "nuclear club," Pyongyang should have its nuclear capabilities verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The North would have to submit multiple warheads for inspection.



Simultaneously, the North would be asked to rejoin the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and abide by the pertinent rules.



Recognizing the North as a nuclear state would require a change in international mindset.



It may be worth the trouble. Above all, it would defuse the rising tension over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests. Then, China and Russia, which have opposed penalizing the North, would be given an incentive to work together with Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.



It could set a precedent for other countries in pursuit of nuclear status. Currently, the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France are declared nuclear states in the post-World War II system. However, Britain and France as well as Russia have lost much of their previous power, with their nuclear arsenals doing little to enhance their international status. South Africa has given up its nuclear weapons development, while Israel maintains its neither-confirm-nor-deny policy. Two foes, India and Pakistan, are undeclared nuclear states.



True, possessing nuclear weapons is a great status symbol, but none of these countries has actually used them in war since World War II. They are weapons of last resort, meaning that using or threatening to use one can invite self-annihilation. So it is time to let the North have what it wants and see whether it can handle the heat that comes with it.








Koreans work the second highest number of hours among OECD countries behind Mexico. On the other hand, our vacations are shorter than workers in other countries can take.



Koreans on average get about 15 days of annual leave, but a recent survey showed that most workers take only about 7.9 days off to go on vacations, which is way shorter than the OECD average of 20.6 days.



Long hours have not necessarily resulted in more output. Korea has consistently ranked among the lowest in global indexes measuring workplace productivity.



Many Koreans are still pressured into the outdated workplace culture that values overwork which is seen as a sign of a worker's commitment. But it's time for Korean CEOs to seriously contemplate the virtue of rest and the positive effect it will bring to their businesses. Especially in the era of the new tech revolution, it is becoming more important than ever to work smarter for higher efficiency.



It is encouraging for many Korean workers that President Moon Jae-in is promoting long breaks from work. The President, who has 21 days of annual leave, took a Monday off for a getaway at his private residence shortly after taking office. He is taking a summer break with first lady Kim Jung-sook this week despite a grave national security situation.



Perhaps the President's eagerness to exercise the right to rest has started to spread to other public officials. Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon has been taking an unusually long 16-day break since July 31.



CEOs should order their employees to take longer vacations and make it mandatory for them to use up all of their annual leave. This will make the employees happier and feel more respected by the company. There is no doubt that happier workers will be more focused and appreciate their jobs more.



Along with longer vacations, CEOs should also implement other measures to promote work and life balance like shorter workweeks. Tourbaksa, a travel company, will experiment with a four-day workweek starting this month.



Japan's "premium Friday" campaign which urges workers to leave the office early on the last Friday of the month is also a good idea so workers can have more leisure time.








By Bernard Rowan





I've traveled to Busan's Dongbaekseom Island and want to write about this special place. It's a monument to Korea's success and a living site for learning and cultivating a spirit of peace. Located in Haeundae, a wonderful, growing section of South Korea's second largest city, this "Island of Camellias" contains beautiful walking paths. It reticently showcases the global vision of President Roh Moo-hyun. It centers on a shrine to the Confucian scholar, Choi Chi-won. Just like the flowers that carry its name, Dongbaeksom continues to carry the everlasting possibility of life for those who believe in it.



Throughout South Korea there are many places combining natural beauty and memorials to human achievement. Like Dongbaekseom, many also have a quality of relative simplicity. There are no large or neon signs to signal the place's significance. I like these kinds of places of discovery.



The visitor should enjoy seeing the five islands of Busan or Oryukdo and many special views of the city. Camellia flowers symbolize long life and faithfulness. Other cultures see the promise of youth or the divine in camellias. Also find a mermaid statue. It represents the legend of love between a mermaid princess, Hwangok, and her King, Eunhye. Hwangok lived on Dongbaekseom and patiently kept vigil for Eunhye by its beautiful shore.



Roh Moo-hyun made this island's Nurimaru complex the site for a 2005 Forum of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). I toured the building and felt disappointed by its present organization. The Busan meeting succeeded a great deal for regional and international trade and climate accords. Progress needs measured faith in the possibilities of trade. Economic science encourages rejecting protectionism, and making measured investments in preserving local production. President Roh symbolized these values.



The local, regional, and national authorities should expand the present treatment of Nurimaru. It should further showcase the vision of Roh and Korea. Many of its goals for trade and climate change remain and have been extended.



These days, Korea encourages trade agreements and setting up related reforms. Other countries fall behind and cling to bygone nostrums. The dialectic of localism and universalism continues to unfold. Dongbaekseom knows this pattern of human organization.



However, it's the shrine of Choi Chi-won that emerges at the island's summit. I love to sit in this place, with its pagoda, stele and statue of the scholar-poet. Choi met his father's challenge to study in Tang China and gain the treasure of Confucian thinking. On his return, he inspired many of the Silla period and beyond.



In fact, Haeundae is named for Choi, who sometimes went by the name "Haeun" meaning "Sea Cloud." I missed the rock at Dongbaeksom that legend says bears his inscription of "Haeundae" on it! Even though perhaps most don't know this fact, its meaning remains. Choi is in some real ways a father of present-day Korea.



Choi founded the Gyeongju Choi clan. When we see the prosperity of Haeundae and Busan today, I think we should remember that Choi's wisdom lives on, despite pedestrian critics. He animated many of the key qualities of Korea's advancement. These include respect for learning, dedication to knowledge as the basis for social organization, and patience to aim for truth and life as a connection of competing forces and thinking.



Choi carried a spirit of persistence and resignation in late Silla. While he wanted reform, and his writings provided guidance for it, Silla leaders ignored his wisdom. Their dynasty ended in part for failure to heed his advice.



Later, Choi visited Dongbaek and found it to his liking. After his death, Choi's philosophy was viable from the time of Goryeo to Joseon.



Even though Dongbaekseom no longer is an island, it's not just another archipelago. For wonderful exercise, monuments to leaders past and present, and for natural beauty all around, remember Dongbaekseom Island. Use it to inspire thought and action for better living!





Bernard Rowan is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University. Reach him at browan10@yahoo.com
By Oh Young-jin





Bruce Bennett

North Korea insists on demonstrating its capabilities to deliver a nuclear-tipped missile over the Pacific to the mainland of the United States. Friday's rocket test is one example.

The international community is concerned about Pyongyang getting close to succeeding at this but is not ready to take its word as true.

"Why don't we verify North Korea's claim?" Bruce Bennett, a Korea expert at the Rand Corp., the U.S. think tank, suggested as a way of finding a compromise between the ongoing tit-for-tat between the rogue state and other countries.

"North Korea would submit nuclear warheads to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for inspection," Bennett said in a telephone interview Saturday.

He has two reasons for this suggestion. First, as far as he is concerned, the North's claim of having developed a working inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) remains porous.

He had trouble believing that the North had developed a shield strong enough to protect its payload. Once, Kim Jong-un, the North's leader, had a crystal ball or the warhead with him in a photo release.

Bennett said that for that payload to hit the designated target, it would survive the stress of reentry into the atmosphere. After the Friday test, the North claimed that the payload not only survived reentry but traveled afterward to the designated target.

Although the North may have followed the trajectory from its control center, Bennett said that it requires checks with the debris _ especially how the shield bore the impact.

For that, the North should hurl a rocket with a payload over Japan into the Pacific east of the Japanese archipelago. "Such an attempt would make the U.S. and Japan very angry and may destroy airplanes or ships in the area," Bennett said. "Without it, the North's claim of having an ICBM is an unverified boast."

India and Pakistan got their status of undeclared nuclear weapons states without independent verification after their nuke abilities were talked about in the media.

Bennett dares the North to turn over nuclear devices if it wants that status. Bennett says that at least five devices should be inspected to tell for sure of Pyongyang's capacities. Pyongyang is estimated to have nuclear materials enough to make dozens of nuclear weapons.

Bennett fell short of saying that the North should be allowed to join the nuclear club, if it passes the IAEA inspection. But certainly his method could defuse tension on the Korean Peninsula due to Pyongyang's latest missile tests, one of the key purposes of which is it to prove its nuclear capability.
Samsung struggling to stop brain drain



By Yoon Sung-won



Korea's semiconductor industry is suffering a lack of human resources, largely due to an outflow of engineers abroad, according to industry sources Tuesday.



The intensifying manpower shortage may seriously undermine the global competitiveness of the country's semiconductor manufacturing and equipment device makers over the long run.



On Friday, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun, who also heads Samsung Display, requested the government to provide more support for the semiconductor industry to tackle its manpower problem.



"Our semiconductor industry is considered to be capable of making its own way. But we face a serious manpower shortage now," Kwon said during a meeting with President Moon Jae-in alongside other business leaders at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday.



"The semiconductor industry is one of the foundations for the Fourth Industry Revolution. I would like to ask for active government support in providing science and technology training, and fostering promising small- and medium-sized enterprises in the semiconductor materials and equipment industry, ultimately facilitating manpower supply in the semiconductor sector."



During a general meeting of Samsung Electronics shareholders March 24, Kwon pledged to prevent a brain drain to China.



"China's drive to boost its semiconductor industry is considered threatening from the long-term perspective," he said. "We will expedite technology development and take extra care not to lose our technologies and human resources."



According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service, Samsung Electronics had about 45,000 employees at its semiconductor business, while Korea's No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix had 22,600 workers as of the first quarter of this year. Their average period of service was 10.2 years at Samsung and 10.9 years at SK hynix.



Korea's semiconductor companies have introduced diverse measures to retain talented and experienced workers. They have offered extra incentives and lessened obligations that employees had to follow when they look for new job opportunities in the domestic market.



However, such measures have proven insufficient to deal with China's aggressive drive in the semiconductor sector as the country plans to pour over 200 trillion won into the industry.



China's Tsinghua Unigroup has pledged to become one of the world's top five memory chipmakers by 2020. To achieve this goal, it pledged to invest about $30 billion in building a memory plant in Nanjing earlier this year. In March last year, it announced a plan to pour in $24 billion won to establish a memory chip factory in Wuhan. The company is concentrating on NAND Flash memory chips to secure global competitiveness.



However, China will need extra time and effort to secure workers to run semiconductor manufacturing facilities. This is why many Chinese enterprises seeking to hire experienced and talented Korean workers, promising high salaries.



"Backed by ample funding, Chinese enterprises have been more than willing to spend a lot in attracting talented Korean semiconductor experts," an industry source said.



"From the Korean workers' perspective, they have no reason to refuse such attractive proposals considering they find it more difficult to find second job opportunities in Korea."




By Jhoo Dong-chan



Korean consumers have called for investigation into the top German carmakers' possible collusion following a series of related probes on technology taking place in the United States and Europe.



Starting with Daimler Group's massive recall of more than 3 million diesel cars to lower their emissions with Audi also carrying out a voluntary recall of 850,000 cars this year, the case could threaten all of the top German carmakers' credibility if the allegations are proven. Volkswagen has also suffered a nosedive in sales in Korea following its emissions cheating scandal that erupted in September 2015.



Lawyer Ha Jong-seon of Barun Law, the firm that has represented owners of Volkswagen and Audi cars in Korea since the diesel gate scandal came to the surface, said he has submitted a petition demanding a probe of the five German carmakers' suspected collusion.



The movement follows German weekly magazine Der Spiegel's report last week claiming the major German carmakers _ Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen as well as Volkswagen's two affiliates Audi and Porsche _ may have colluded for decades on technology, strategy and parts to gain an advantage over rivals.



According to the Der Spiegel report, the five German carmakers met in the 1990s to coordinate activities related to their technology, costs, suppliers and strategy as well as emissions controls in diesel engines. The discussions involved more than 200 employees in 60 working groups in areas including auto development, gasoline and diesel motors, brakes and transmissions. Talks may have also involved the size of tanks for AdBlue fluid for diesel cars, the magazine reported, which is the centerpiece of the emissions case.



It added that the collusion also aimed to obstruct competition, with the carmakers agreeing on costs for components and technical details on parts such as convertible roofs.



The European Commission and Germany's cartel office, or Bundeskartellamt, immediately launched an investigation, Saturday, and the U.S. Justice Department also took a similar measure.



The German carmakers headquarters did not comment on the allegations, except BMW Group claimed that it had not colluded with other carmakers in connection with allegations of cheating the diesel-emissions regulations.



"The five German auto brands colluded to use small AdBlue tanks in their diesel cars as cost reduction. But they did not reflect the measure in their vehicles' end price. They priced these cars 5 million to 10 million won more than their gasoline vehicles," Ha said. "The Fair Trade Commission should launch a thorough investigation into the case."








Lee Joong-keun

Booyoung Group chairman

By Lee Hyo-sik

Booyoung Group may face a business suspension as the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is moving to penalize it for its shoddy construction of an apartment complex, south of the capital city.

Since President Moon Jae-in came to power on May 9, Korea's 15th-largest conglomerate by assets has run into trouble with the central government and municipal administrations for alleged tax evasion, an ambiguous corporate governance structure and other controversial business practices.

The latest allegation of building faulty apartments, amplified by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government and Hwaseong City Government, is expected to further push Booyoung, headed by Chairman Lee Joong-keun, into a corner.

On Monday, Gyeonggi Gov. Nam Kyung-pil said the provincial government will take all possible measures against Booyoung, which builds apartments and leases them to mostly low-income families, for constructing poor apartments in Dongtan, a new town in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

"I visited the Booyoung apartment complex of 1,316 units in Dongtan three times to check on the surging number of complaints filed by residents," Nam told reporters. "I saw mounting evidence firsthand, which clearly showed the apartments are saddled with hundreds of defects. As a governor, I will do everything to make Booyoung take care of all the mess and protect residents' rights."

In March, people began moving into the problematic complex, which took only 24 months to build. Normally, it takes about 32 months to complete construction, according to Nam.

Hwaseong Mayor Chae In-seok also said the city will take all available administrative steps to correct Booyoung's business practices, adding that it will soon ask the SMG to suspend the builder's business license.

Under the law, a municipal administration can suspend builders' licenses if they are found to use defective construction materials and build sub-standard housing. Since Booyoung registered its license in Seoul, only the SMG can order the company to stop its operation.

A SMG official said the city will first review all the documents delivered by Hwaseong City and Gyeonggi Province before deciding whether or not to issue an administrative order against the builder.

"We will also ask Booyoung officials to tell us their side of the story. We will go over all the materials thoroughly before making a decision," the official said.

A Booyoung spokesman said the company has been doing everything it can to fix the problems. "Despite our efforts, there are still more problems to solve," he said. "We will do our best to make the Dongtan complex a sound residential place."

In addition, the company has run into trouble with Jeonju City Government and Jeju City Government as it allegedly raised rents by more than legally-allowed rates. The cities filed a complaint against the company with the police and the Fair Trade Commission (FTC).

Booyoung is also under investigation by the FTC for allegedly excluding seven companies managed by the chairman's relatives from a list of its subsidiaries that had to report to the FTC, and possessing shares in six affiliates under borrowed names.
Kim Young-sang

POSCO Daewoo CEO Song Chi-ho

LG International CEO

By Lee Hyo-sik

POSCO Daewoo, LG International and other domestic trading firms have been struggling to push forward their business projects in the Middle East amid rising geopolitical tensions there.

Korean companies are eager to carry on joint projects with their Middle Eastern counterparts to secure new sources of income overseas, but Saudi Arabia and other nations have shown a lukewarm attitude toward doing business with them.

POSCO Daewoo, headed by CEO Kim Young-sang, said Monday it has decided to end a $1 billion project with the Saudi Arabian government to build an automotive plant in the Arab nation, citing the halfhearted response from the Saudis. The completed plant would have been capable of producing 150,000 cars annually.

In June 2014, the trading arm of steelmaker POSCO signed a memorandum of understanding under which POSCO Daewoo had a 15 percent stake in the plan, while Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF) had 35 percent and a consortium of private Saudi firms, the remaining 50 percent.

In June last year, the Saudi government established Saudi Holding Company, which took over 85 percent from PIF and the consortium, to take the lead in the plant project.

But the plan has largely been put on the backburner as the Arab nation is reluctant to invest, according to POSCO Daewoo.

"It's been more than three years since we signed the MOU but nothing more has been done to make the project happen," a company official said. "We really wanted to make it happen, but in the end we had no other choice but to abandon it, so we disbanded the team overseeing the Saudi plan."

The official said the Saudi government has been paying little attention to the Daewoo plan because it is focusing on other big development projects.

LG International, the trading arm of LG Group, is also having a hard time pushing for a plan to produce electric vehicles (EVs) and build charging infrastructure in Iran.

In May last year when former President Park Geun-hye visited the Middle Eastern nation, the company signed an agreement, which is more legally binding than an MOU, with Iran Khodro, the country's largest carmaker, to jointly manufacture 60,000 EVs annually by 2023.

LG Electronics, LG Chem and other group affiliates plan to supply motors, batteries and other components, and construct charging stations and other infrastructure. Khodro would then assemble the EVs in Iran.

Both sides had initially planned to finalize the deal by the end of 2016, but haven't been able to do so because of mounting tension between Iran and the United States since Donald Trump became U.S. president in January.

Shiite-majority Iran is also facing problems with Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Muslim nations in the region, making it more difficult for LG International, headed by CEO Song Chi-ho, to maneuver.

"It has been taking longer than we initially expected to sign an official contract with Khodro," a company official said. "Despite increasingly uncertain geopolitical conditions in the Middle East, we are positive the project will soon get back on track. We believe Iran wants to do business with us."
Three men have been sentenced to multi-year prison terms after their conviction on charges of illegally distributing anabolic steroids.

U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger on Friday sentenced Jeffrey B. Lackas, Stanley Szeto and Daniel Cruz-Bonilla after their conviction of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids.

U.S. Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel says the men were part of an organization that from 2011 to 2015 used the internet to distribute steroids and human-growth hormones through the country. The drugs were obtained from China.

The 31-year-old Lackas, of Bettendorf, was sentenced to 3 years and 10 months in prison. The 39-year-old Szeto, of Iowa City, was sentenced to two years and a month, plus a $6,000 fine. And 30-year-old Cruz-Bonilla, of Fontana, California, was sentenced to 3 years and 5 months.
5-year-old Malachi Fronczak is putting the rest of his summer before starting Kindergarten to good use.

Fronczak opened up "Malachi's Magnificent Lemonade" over the weekend and has been selling lemonade to raise money for the family of fallen Indiana officer Lt. Aaron Allen, who was shot in the line of duty Thursday in Homecroft, Ind.

All proceeds from lemonade sales will be going to Lt. Allen's family and they come in different flavors, like raspberry and pink.

If you're unable to stop by "Malachi's Magnificent Lemonade", a

for Lt. Allen's family has also been set up.
A full house of 300 or so (mostly women and mostly over age 30), sat in rapt attention straining to understand the panel of enthusiastic medical scientists who spoke at the Women Innovators in Human Health: From Bench to Beside conference July 11 in the Prebys Auditorium of the Salk Institute in La Jolla.

This lecture series started back in 2012 with just 30 people, beamed Lisa Cashman, Salk Institute program developer. We kept at it and now we have over 300 people here today. Id say thats quite a success story!

The host for the event was Rafaele Tordjiman, M.D., Ph.D., founder and chair of WITH (Women Innovating Together in Healthcare). Tordjiman said she was educated in clinical hematology and internal medicine in the hospitals of Paris, France. In 2001, she moved to the United States to take a position with Sofinnova Partners as a special adviser.

WITH is a network of accomplished women who have talent in industry, medicine, research, charity and finance, Tordjiman explained. The organization was established to inspire and support women working in the life sciences so they can reach their full potential and deliver innovative healthcare solutions for the benefit of patients worldwide.

Carol Gallagher, a doctor of Pharmacology with the venture capital firm of New Enterprise Associates, introduced each of the three lectures that comprised the conference. Gallagher described herself as an entrepreneur, investor and operator with more than 25 years of experience in commercial drug development, working with both large and small pharmaceutical companies.

The first talk of the afternoon, titled Discover, Innovation and Translation was given by Michelle Booden, Ph.D., senior director in the Office of Technological Development at Salk. Booden explained the long and winding road of how basic medical research gets transformed into use-able products that are then brought to the market for sale to the public. Booden said the key to successful drug development was, sell the problem not the product.

The next speaker was Razelle Kurzrock, M.D., who discussed Bringing precision medicine to patients. Kurzrock is the director for the Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy at UC San Diegos Moores Cancer Center. Kurzrock said that she and her team design personalized strategies for treating patients with cancer. Rather than focusing on just giving patients a specific cancer drug, they try to create the best strategy of intervention using a customized combination of anti-cancer and immune-stimulating medicines.

We try to develop and test a strategy not a drug, she said. To achieve this end, her team develops a comprehensive understanding of a patient, including a genetic profile. We want to move from being drug-centric to being patient-centric, she explained. There are 300 different cancer drugs, meaning there are 45,000 possible ways to combine any two of these 300 drugs and 4.5 million possible combinations of any three drugs. My job is to find the best combination.

Kurzrock says her patient-centered approach is necessary because every tumor is unique ... every cancer can be thought of as a one-of-a-kind malignant snowflake. Basically, our goal is not so much to kill the cancer with a drug, but rather to get the patients own immune system working again so it can fight off the cancer as it is meant to do.

The final talk of the day was a joint venture involving Sheila Gujrathi, M.D., and Esther Martinborough, Ph.D. They took turns explaining the development of the drug Ozanimod, which is used to treat Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Gujrathi is a physician executive, who worked for the company, Receptos, as its Chief Medical Officer from 2011 to 2015. She is currently an independent board director at Five Prime Therapeutics.

Martinborough, who was educated at the Swiss Institute of Technology in Zurich, is the executive director of research at Receptos.

They explained that MS is an autoimmune disorder, in which the body attacks itself. In this case, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, which covers the nerves. Although there is no cure for MS, the drug Ozanimod reduces the symptoms by up 86 percent and has fewer side effects than its predecessor, a drug called Fingolimod, they said. The doctors also discovered that Ozanimod is helpful in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohns Disease.

After the presentations all adjourned for a reception with refreshments.

Larry Greenfield, M.D., a retired radiologist who used to work at St. Judes Hospital in Los Angeles, and his wife Carol, were in attendance at the conference. They said they started coming to the Women in Science series in 2013 and have been so impressed with the researchers that they decided to help support them.

Also at the reception was JoLynn Clark, a registered nurse who works in the Medical Imaging at UC San Diego Health Care. Clark said she frequently attends Salk events because the talks are always fabulous and have the latest information to help you make the best decisions about your health care. I highly recommend these events.

Next up in the Women in Science series

Design and Discovery Fashion Showcase, 5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4, at the Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road. This promises to be a fun collaboration between Salk researchers and students from the Mesa College Design Program. The students will create and model fashions based on Salk science. Reserve a seat by contacting Betsy Collins at (858) 500-4883 or becollins@salk.edu
Those images of a robust Star Trek Captain James T. Kirk beaming around the solar system at maximum warp, or an irreverent Han Solo with his sidekick Chewbacca bustling through space on a quest to save Princess Leia, are sadly, an illusion.

The truth of the matter is that humans or any other living thing  be it a plant or a fruit fly from planet Earth  are not meant for space travel. Traveling in space is very hard on creatures, producing physiological effects similar to premature aging.

Thats one of the reasons the Stein Institute on Aging at UC San Diego brought NASA affiliate Brinda K. Rana, Ph.D., to speak to a packed audience of mostly older adults at the Garren Auditorium of the UCSD School of Medicine, last week.

Rana, who has been the Principle Investigator (PI) on three NASA studies, spoke at length about the effects of space travel on all aspects of the human body  everything from vision to genetics.

Everything I say has to be approved by NASA. I have to be very careful about the data I reveal, Rana wryly explained. Her chief NASA project was a comprehensive medical study of twin brother astronauts  Scott and Mark Kelly  who spent different lengths of time in space.

Since the brothers are genetically identical, researchers thought they could ferret out the effects of time in space on their bodies. Mark had 54 days in space, while Scott spent 365 days living on the space station.

Rana headed up a team of scientists from UCSD, one of 10 university-based teams from around the world chosen by NASA to study the astronauts. It was a difficult assignment requiring a great deal of cooperation. For instance, all 10 teams had to share just one vial of blood among themselves from each of the two astronauts.

Rana explained that space travel impairs blood and lymph circulation, especially to the lower parts of the body: Your face gets puffy and your legs get weak. Space travel is like hanging upside down for a long time! she said.

Thats why astronauts have to be helped out of their space capsule when they return to Earth. They cant stand up on their own because their legs are so weak due to poor circulation.

NASA knows that space travel, specifically spending time in zero gravity, is hard. But since the plan is to send men and women up to Mars, which is a six-month flight one way, it is trying hard to develop ways to counteract the debilitating aspects of space travel so the astronauts can function when they get to the red planet. Luckily, the gravity on Mars is less than it is on Earth, so they should be able to stand up and carry out their activities.

Space travel also produces bodily changes you cannot see, affecting the chemistry and physiology of the body. It also affects DNA and RNA. Rana found that while in space, astronaut Scott Kelly had 200,000 differences or mutations in RNA actions, which returned to normal when he came back to Earth. This just shows that genes are not static, but very sensitive to the environment around us, Rana said.

Space travel also changes the intestinal flora or probiotics in the gut, which aid digestion. There are also cardiovascular changes, muscular atrophy, arteriosclerosis, glaucoma and bone loss. It looks just like the signs of aging!

Space travelers also experience increased cranial pressure. There are changes to the eyes and vision problems develop. This syndrome is known as VIIP or Visual Impaired Intracranial Pressure syndrome.

Rana is an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UCSD and has a lab at the Stein Institute of Aging. She is an alumna of UCSD with a B.A. in math from Revelle College. She also has an M.S. in math from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas in molecular genetics. At the Stein Institute, her chief duty is to look for the genes that seem to keep some older adults from getting age-related disorders.

Ranas NASA studies are relevant because the results have an application to understanding aging on Earth and in helping people in similar situations to space travel, like those who are bedridden for long periods of time. In one experiment, Ranas lab studied people who were confined to bed with their body inclined downward toward the head at a 15-degree angle, mimicking the effects of space flight.

Karen Ocorr, Ph.D., was at the lecture because she is also working with NASA. Ocorr is a professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at the Sanford Burham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute on North Torrey Pines Road.

Ocorr studies the ion channels responsible for the relaxation of the human heart, which she says is similar in fruit flies. She just got back a batch of fruit flies that were flown to the space station on the SpaceX CRS-11 mission. She is looking at the effects of zero gravity on their heart function, which can provide models to help understand the human heart. The fruit flies arent doing too well after their space flight, she confided.

Einstein once predicted that if we start to travel faster in space and get closer to the speed of light, which is about as fast as we could ever go, time will slow down. Thus we would age slower (happy thought!) in terms of chronology. But if we are in zero gravity at light-speed our bodies will age faster (unhappy thought!). Professor Rana says not to worry. NASA will figure it out!
La Jolla United Methodist Church members on July 1 bid a fond farewell to the Rev. Dr. Walter Dilg after eight years of ministry and welcomed a new pastor, the Rev. Dr. Philip Bartalo Wood.

Pastor Phil comes to La Jolla from Fullerton United Methodist Church. His pastoral service has included United Methodist Churches in Huntington Beach, Oxnard, Chula Vista, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Glendale and Arcadia.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Whittier, California, he graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1970, and was selected as a member of the Annual Conference Study Seminar to Bolivia. It was there, he said, that he felt and answered the call to ministry. Subsequently, he graduated with his Master of Divinity from the Iliff School of Theology and his Doctor of Ministry from the Claremont School of Theology.

Pastor Phil and Elsa Cordero Wood have been married since 1990. Theirs is a yours-mine-and-ours family, sharing four children and three grandchildren. They said they are looking forward to being part of the La Jolla community in many ways. The location of their new residence puts them within walking distance of the church at 6063 La Jolla Blvd., and Pastor Phil has already made the acquaintance of a number of his new neighbors as he commutes via foot between home and work.

In the short time hes been a part of his new congregation, Pastor Phil has won the hearts of staff and parishioners alike. When asked for one sentence to describe his calling, Pastor Phil responded, All Im attempting to do is to fulfil St. Augustines statement that God has not called us to be successful, only to be faithful. 

For more information, call the church office at (858) 454-7108.
Sony is strengthening its position in the anime market by acquiring a majority stake in Funimation, one of the biggest U.S. distributors of Japanese animated movies and TV series.

Funimation, which is based in Texas, releases anime through streaming, DVD and in cinemas. It is behind popular titles such as the Dragon Ball franchise and this years Your Name.

The deal with Sony Pictures Television Networks hasnt closed yet and is subject to regulatory approvals, but Sony said Monday that the acquisition would value Funimation at about $150 million. Sony said it was taking a substantial majority stake.

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The agreement will enhance Sonys existing anime offerings, which include Animax, an anime network based in Japan that operates in 23 countries.

Gen Fukunaga, who founded Funimation in 1994 and serves as chief executive, will retain a minority stake in the business and remain CEO.

The acquisition comes at a time of significant change in the anime industry as distributors are learning how to co-exist with Netflix and Amazon, which have moved aggressively into the market.

At the same time, Netflix and Amazon continue to partner with distributors such as Funimation by licensing some of their content.

Funimation runs its own streaming service, FunimationNow, which specializes in English-dubbed versions of popular anime titles. Last year, the company announced a partnership with rival CrunchyRoll in which certain titles would be available on both companies streaming platforms.

The deal allows us to deliver the best anime to fans across all screens and platforms, Andy Kaplan, president of worldwide networks at Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement.

Sony Pictures Television Networks operates channels that reach subscribers around the world. In addition to Animax, its properties and brands include Crackle and AXN.

david.ng@latimes.com

@DavidNgLAT
The next generation of presidential jetliners will reportedly be two modified Boeing 747 jumbo jets that were originally set for service with a now-defunct Russian airline.

Trade publication Defense One reported Tuesday that the Air Force was finalizing a deal with aerospace giant Boeing Co. to buy the two planes, which were initially ordered in 2013 by Russian airline Transaero.

The airline ceased operations in 2015 and never took ownership of the planes, which are now parked along with other retired or surplus aircraft in a boneyard in the Mojave Desert, according to Defense One.

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Boeing has flight-tested the jets and had reportedly paid to store the planes in new condition while looking for a buyer.

A source close to the matter confirmed details of the Defense One story.

In a statement, Air Force spokesman Ann Stefanek said, Were working through the final stages of coordination to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft and expect to award a contract soon.

The commercial jetliners will go through a number of updates  including installation of top-secret communications equipment and aerial refueling capability so the plane can fly for days without landing  before it becomes Air Force One.

Boeing spokeswoman Caroline Hutcheson said in a statement that the company was still working toward a deal to provide two 747-8s to the Air Force and that the transaction was focused on providing a great value for the Air Force and the best price for the taxpayer.

News of this deal comes months after President Trump criticized the cost of a new version of the iconic presidential jumbo jet, tweeting in December that its $4-billion price tag was out of control.

Trump later met with Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg, who told reporters after the meeting that the Chicago company would build the next generation of Air Force One for less than $4 billion.

The current Air Force One aircraft were ordered by President Reagan and delivered under President George H.W. Bushs administration.

Boeings 747 program has deep roots in Southern California. A Hawthorne supplier still makes the fuselage panels for the wide-bodied jet, though Boeings production rate has slowed over time to just six 747s a year.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga

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Theranos Inc., the once highflying blood-testing firm, said Tuesday it settled a lawsuit filed against the company by the drugstore chain Walgreens and its parent, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Theranos said there was no finding or implication of liability and Walgreens lawsuit will be dismissed.

Theranos, led by founder and Chief Executive Elizabeth Holmes, had developed a novel testing technology that made blood drawing easier for patients and at costs below commercial-lab prices.

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Many of the Palo Alto companys tests required only droplets of blood from finger pricks, as opposed to obtaining a vial of blood, and used Theranos proprietary testing technology that enabled the tests to cover dozens of medical conditions.

Walgreens had entered a partnership to make the tests available at 40 Walgreens stores in Arizona, as well as one in Palo Alto.

But starting in late 2015, questions mounted about the tests accuracy and whether Theranos technology was flawed. Health regulators also found Theranos out of compliance with certain federal lab requirements.

Walgreens then terminated its partnership with Theranos and in November filed its lawsuit that alleged breach of contract.

Federal regulators a year ago banned Holmes from owning or running a medical lab for two years. In October, Theranos shut down its labs, laid off 340 employees  or more than 40% of its workforce  and shifted its focus to developing a portable blood-testing device called the MiniLab.

In April, Theranos reached a settlement with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which regulate blood-testing labs.

That same month, Theranos agreed to return $4.65 million to Arizona consumers who paid to take one of Theranos tests, along with $200,000 in civil penalties paid to the Arizona attorney generals office.

james.peltz@latimes.com

Twitter: @PeltzLATimes
Apple Inc. has removed dozens of virtual private network services from its App Store in China, dealing a blow to Internet users there hoping to evade censorship to reach a host of banned sites, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Providers of such tools, called VPNs, say the technology giant bowed to government pressure when it pulled down a reported 60 services that tunnel through Chinas so-called Great Firewall to access sites and applications deemed a threat to authorities such as Instagram, the New York Times and many Google properties.

Were disappointed in this development, as it represents the most drastic measure the Chinese government has taken to block the use of VPNs to date, and we are troubled to see Apple aiding Chinas censorship efforts, said VPN provider ExpressVPN in a blog post Saturday, the day the apps were taken down. ExpressVPN strongly condemns these measures, which threaten free speech and civil liberties.

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The move comes as China tightens restrictions on both Internet users and technology companies  a broader strategy to consolidate President Xi Jinpings power and counter foreign influence. The recent crackdown could also be timed to coincide with the 19th party congress next month. China typically enhances security and government control during times of political sensitivity. This month, access to Facebooks WhatsApp service was disrupted.

The crackdowns come in waves, said Bill Bullock, chief executive of WiTopia, a U.S.-based VPN provider. It usually happens over national holidays or [political] events. Theyll flex their muscles to show they have control and then it typically subsides after a while.

VPNs provide access to blocked sites by allowing users to mask their web browsing through an unblocked server outside the Great Firewall. Outside China, the software is commonly used as a layer of security.

Its unclear how many of Chinas more than 700 million Internet users have accessed a VPN, many of which are provided by companies overseas. Experts had long considered VPN usage largely restricted to the educated elite, expatriates and foreign businesspeople who need the software to work with the outside world. So long as the tool wasnt adopted en masse, authorities had little to fear.

But in January, China required VPN providers to register and obtain government approval in order to operate. Apple said it had no choice but to remove all VPNs that did not comply with this law.

We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations, the company said in a statement. These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business.

Sunday Yokubaitis, president of Golden Frog, provider of the VyprVPN app, said in a blog post Friday that he received a message from Apple that his app would be removed from the China App Store because it contained illegal content.

Golden Frogs core mission is to fight for a free and open Internet experience for users around the world, so we will file an appeal with Apple  but I am not hopeful, Yokubaitis wrote. When it comes to their App Store Apple is the judge, jury and executor, and now it appears the Chinese government is Apples overlord.

This is not the first time Apple has acquiesced to authorities in China, the companys second-biggest market after the U.S. It has pulled apps from its China app store that mention the Dalai Lama and ethnic Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer. Apple also removed the New York Times app this year and disabled its news app in China in 2015.

Earlier this month, Apple said it would build its first data center in China to speed up cloud services for customers and comply with new cybersecurity laws requiring foreign firms to store digital information on China-based servers. Apple says the government will have no backdoor access to the data center.

Unlike in the U.S. where Apple can counter government policy on immigration or climate change, China provides little room for dissent. Thanks to the success of its iPhone, Apple is one of the only foreign technology companies to have flourished in China, a country thats championing the idea of Internet sovereignty in lieu of a free and open global Web. Its a strategy embraced by other autocratic regimes such as Russia, which revealed Sunday that it had passed a law banning VPNs.

Whether Apple has enough leverage to defy Chinas authoritarian government is open for debate. On one hand, the company indirectly employs hundreds of thousands of factory workers and its mere presence provides China with international cachet. On the other, Chinas ruling Communist Party considers social stability and its control of information paramount to remaining in power.

Advocates of Internet freedom say the effects of Apples VPN removal wont be known until after the congress is complete.

Its possible Apple has made the calculation that if they capitulate now theyll get the VPNs back up later, said Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which was highly critical of Apples removal of the New York Times app. However, we cannot be sure if Apple is taking them down permanently. If they are, I will be the first to person to rake them over the coals.

For some Chinese Internet users, a complete ban on VPNs would be devastating.

Mindy Zhang, an editor at a travel magazine in Beijing said she needed to scale the Great Firewall for work. She usually uses a VPN she downloaded for free, but that no longer works. She now pays for another service that hasnt been shutdown.

I think if the government is planning to completely shutdown the VPN services and block us...that would be catastrophic and hopeless for a certain amount of liberal young Chinese if not all Chinese citizens, said Zhang, 25. I will keep my fingers crossed that day never happens.

Special correspondent Gaochao Zhang in the Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

david.pierson@latimes.com

Follow me @dhpierson on Twitter

UPDATES:

7:38 p.m.: This article was updated to include an interview with a VPN user in Beijing.
After last years election, Donald Trump declared his determination to bring down drug prices. As president, hes now reportedly cooking up an executive order aimed at cutting regulations for drug companies, which probably wont do much to lower prices but should please industry execs.

Its worth asking, though: If Trump really wanted to bring down drug prices, could he?

The answer, surprisingly, is yes.

Or perhaps. It depends in part on how you interpret a 1980 patent law.

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Yes, I would say that the government has cards to play, said Peter Lee, a UC Davis law professor who specializes in patent issues. But you can be sure the biopharmaceutical industry would be opposed to any such intervention in the marketplace.

I wrote last week that its time to expand federal funding to universities for research into promising new drugs, rather than rely primarily on profit-hungry pharmaceutical companies that price their pills at whatever the market will bear.

I cited the example of Frederick Banting, a Canadian scientist who discovered insulin in the early 20th century and subsequently sold the patent to the University of Toronto for just $3. The university, in turn, made the patent available to drug companies royalty-free to facilitate its widespread availability.

I also pointed to the the hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, which Northern Californias Gilead Sciences introduced in 2013 at a price of $1,000 a pill. Gilead didnt even do the bulk of research to develop the drug. That was done by an outfit called Pharmasset, which Gilead purchased in 2012.

And Pharmasset, like most drugmakers, was standing on the shoulders of university scientists who do much of the basic research that goes into pharmaceutical products.

That brings us back to where we started. How much clout does the federal government have to bring down drug prices  particularly in light of the billions of taxpayer dollars spent annually on basic research that serves as the foundation of the pharmaceutical industrys riches?

Legislation known as the Bayh-Dole Act was adopted in 1980 to address just this issue. The idea behind the act was to make it easier for public-sector research to translate into private-sector products by simplifying the licensing of patents. Taxpayers thus would get more bang for their research bucks.

But heres where things get interesting. Lurking within Bayh-Dole is language that empowers the government to march in and award patents to competing firms if reasonable terms are not being met by the company licensing the patent.

The general idea is that if a private-sector patent holder isnt making good use of publicly funded research, perhaps by not bringing a product to market quickly enough, the government can kick-start competition by handing the patent to somebody else.

Some have argued that the reasonable terms provision, because of its vagueness, also could be used by federal officials to demand lower prices for insanely expensive prescription meds  which is basically what Trump promised to do before and after the election.

The authors of the act, former Sens. Birch Bayh and Robert Dole, said when that idea was first floated decades ago that this was never their intent. But the ambiguity of the law remains.

Craig Garthwaite, a health economist at Northwestern University, told me that even if federal authorities didnt seek price caps, they could use Bayh-Dole to pressure drug companies to lower prices. The implicit threat would be sharing exclusive patents with others if the drugmaker didnt play ball.

That seems like a viable enough theory, Garthwaite said, although he added that any such crackdown would send a chill through the industry and could hamper investment in new treatments.

Mohan Rao, managing director of the consulting firm Epsilon Economics and chief financial officer of the Georgia biotech company Expression Therapeutics, said the government probably could influence drug pricing by merely suggesting use of its Bayh-Dole march-in power.

The federal government has never actually marched in before, he said. People would pay attention.

Rao knows this terrain well. His company, which is developing a gene therapy for hemophilia, relied on Bayh-Dole to obtain basic-research patents from Emory University. The basic science, he readily concedes, was government-funded.

As such, Expression Therapeutics could be targeted under Bayh-Dole if its market activities were deemed by officials to not be reasonable.

Rao said hes not worried. His companys goal, he said, is to offer its still-in-the-works hemophilia therapy at a lower price than other treatments.

But theres another federal patent law he might need to keep an eye on. Known as U.S. Code Section 1498 under Title 28, this little-known law gives the government power to infringe a companys patents in the name of promoting public good.

Thus, federal officials could seize the patent of an absurdly high-priced medicine and make their own generic version, or license the patent to a manufacturer of generic meds. The governments only obligation to the original patent holder would be reasonable compensation for the infringement.

This isnt theoretical. There have been prior patent grabs by the feds, but no patent for a prescription drug has been seized since the early 1970s. Thats when the Pentagon used the law to acquire low-cost meds for troops serving in Vietnam.

Since that time, the pharmaceutical industry has lobbied aggressively to keep that from ever happening again.

One other possibility Trump could consider: buyouts.

My preferred solution is that the federal government selectively buy out drug patents at time of FDA drug approval, said Joel Hay, a professor of pharmaceutical economics at USC. The government then would license the patent to manufacturers and have a say over pricing.

Hay said this probably would reduce how much the government spends on prescription meds  a cost that now runs Medicare and Medicaid combined over $100 billion annually.

And unlike drug price controls, this will preserve innovation, not wreck it, Hay said.

As UC Davis Lee put it, the government has cards to play. It just depends on whether the president has the political will to do it.

Experts I spoke with said this would be highly unlikely under the Trump administration.

A Sanders administration, on the other hand.

David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com.

MORE FROM DAVID LAZARUS

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The wave of house buying, start-up investing and increased extravagance expected from employees of Snap Inc. may be delayed.

During most of July, shares of Los Angeles biggest tech company not only fetched less than their initial offering price of $17, but also were cheaper than the $15.36 investors paid for them in the companys final private financing.

The price slide has dampened employees desire to sell shares that they earned as compensation, according to wealth managers and other advisors.

They expect confidence among employees that Snap is worth at least slightly more than current prices to prevail over anxiety in the coming weeks. Thats brought down the chance of an imminent surge of cash into Los Angeles when employee-shareholders become free to sell around $4 billion worth of holdings for the first time Aug. 14.

The amount workers sell might be enough to fund grand family vacations abroad, but not home purchases or risky bets on starting their own tech ventures. Westside real estate agents said that they havent seen a big uptick in demand from Snap employees.

Theres not a line of people looking to utilize this window to sell, said Jordan Kahn, chief investment officer for Los Angeles firm HCR Wealth Advisors. There are a lot of people who think at $13 and change, below the offering price, thats not the best time to sell.

A preview of what to expect later this month came Monday as an estimated 400 million shares held by early Snap investors became newly tradable, according to analysts. The amount of shares exchanging hands increased threefold Monday compared with the average daily trading over the last 30 days, but it was far from a major flood. Lightspeed Venture Partners, one of the potential new sellers, declined to comment.

Snap shares closed Monday at $13.67, down 14 cents, or 1%.

Employees want to start paring their Snap ownership sooner rather than later, driven by fears that the stock market is due for a downturn after more than eight years of riding high, experts say. Wealth managers also are warning even the youngest employees that an IPO like Snaps  the biggest in Southern California history  is probably a once-in-a-lifetime event.

People are looking to protect themselves and are trying to go for doubles rather than triples and home runs, said Jordan Taylor, who works with tech clients for Silverhawk Private Wealth. Lets try to make consistent strong decisions rather than swing for the fences every time.

Further spooking workers is political turmoil unlike any most young tech shareholders have seen.

People who have negative views toward the current president are concerned about whats going to happen economically, so they want to be a little safer, Taylor said. How people are responding to markets is more political than ever.

The unease is trickling down to workers at start-ups that might go public over the next year. For years, employees at such places would shell out to exercise as many stock options as possible before an IPO. Workers had little doubt they were getting a good deal because they felt shares would continue to rise in price. They would save on taxes and lock in big gains.

Thats not the case anymore, said Jack Meccia, who has advised workers at Blue Apron, Cloudera and other tech firms on tax issues. Companies are getting so pricey on the private market that the public stock markets are not immediately embracing them with an instant premium.

Employees are wisely skeptical that an IPO means a higher share price, said Meccia, a tax associate at financial planning firm Vestboard. Writing a check to acquire those shares, youre not going to automatically do that.

Money managers say tech companies have recognized the concerns and are making adjustments. Dropbox and Uber reportedly have converted some of the stock they give employees into non-qualified stock options, which gives workers more time to find the cash to pay for their shares and the increasingly larger tax bills associated with them.

This is definitely an issue at an elite level because of the huge valuations, said Evan Schmidt, whose firm manages about $350 million in assets and has worked with Snap employees.

If anything, employees at companies such as Snap are considering more options about how to sell, where to invest and when to do it than peers at other firms in recent years, experts said.

Will President Trump kill the alternative minimum tax or reduce the capital gains tax, changing the math on cashing out of stock? What if there is indeed a ceiling on how much Wall Street will pay for tech stocks?

Its creating a certain amount of angst in newly public companies that wasnt there a year ago, Meccia said. Im seeing clients more eager to sell on a shorter time frame than even five months ago. Its making them gung-ho about scheduling sell-offs in 2018.

A sell-off at Snap may be more in bits and pieces because many of the employees believed to hold the most shares, including co-founders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy and other top engineers, fall under additional federal trading restrictions.

Snap declined to comment for this article.

Financial analysts who follow Snap have said much of the 22% decline in Snaps share price during the last month represents investors factoring in employees and early investors selling some shares. If the sell-off remains muted and Snap delivers strong second-quarter sales Aug. 10, the stock could bounce back up into the high teens. At that point, selling could become more attractive to employees.

Start-up advisor Richard Titus, who saw a friend go bankrupt after spending lavishly following an IPO, said he hopes the extra concerns weighing on people this year lead to smarter financial moves.

The most sophisticated of people in these situations are doing things like pledging their shares early for cash to protect against depression in price, he said.

During the dot-com boom around 2000, Titus sold the first of his millions of dollars worth of shares in Razorfish for $126 after an IPO. He got just 20 cents for his last shares years later.

Thats a precipitous drop in value, said the former vice president at Razorfishs Los Angeles office. I was very cautious along the way.

Guidance Software agrees to acquisition

Los Angeles County could lose one of its longest-running publicly traded tech companies this year should OpenTexts $222-million acquisition of Pasadena firm Guidance Software close as expected this quarter.

OpenText, which develops document management software, agreed to pay $7.10 in cash per share for the maker of forensics and cybersecurity software. Guidance shares had traded for about $6.90 ahead of the deal announcement last week, and they closed Monday at $7.07.

Guidances best-known program, EnCase, is widely used in law enforcement to search the hard drives and memory of seized phones and computers.

Founded in 1997, the company has never had a profitable year since going public in 2006. And losses have increased, reaching nearly $21 million last year.

Sales growth has been uneven, and the company recently missed expectations for its most recent quarter. Financial analysts who study the company estimate it will post $111 million in sales this year, or about the same as last year.

In recent years, Guidance lost its founder and chief technology officer and its long-time chief executive. Shawn McCreight, the former CTO, continues to be its largest shareholder with about one-quarter ownership. McCreight, who last year settled an activist campaign to replace the companys board of directors, declined to comment.

The company didnt immediately provide more commentary on why it decided to sell beyond a statement that noted the deal represents the best value reasonably attainable for our stockholders and will benefit our customers and employees.

The law firm Levi & Korsinsky announced Monday it had opened an investigation into the fairness of the sale.

Vetted raises funding

Vetted, an app to summon a veterinarian to your home, raised $3.3 million in funding. The investment was led by Foundation Capital, which has invested in the pet space previously through pet-sitting app DogVacay. That service merged with Rover this year.

Amplify.LA also invested in Vetted. The start-up hopes to launch subscription and insurance services as it expands.

Elsewhere on the Web

Whisper laid off 14 of its 71 employees as it relies on automated content curation tools and has begun bringing in just over $1 million a month in revenue, according to TechCrunch.

laid off 14 of its 71 employees as it relies on automated content curation tools and has begun bringing in just over $1 million a month in revenue, according to TechCrunch. Snap has replaced its general counsel and heads of human resources and facilities and security, according to Business Insider.

has replaced its general counsel and heads of human resources and facilities and security, according to Business Insider. Eversport , which streamed live events from college and niche sports around the world, sold its assets to Pluto.tv, according to Cablefax.

, which streamed live events from college and niche sports around the world, sold its assets to Pluto.tv, according to Cablefax. Culver City yoga studio chain YogaWorks postponed a planned initial public offering last week, citing market conditions, according to ClubIndustry.com.

postponed a planned initial public offering last week, citing market conditions, according to ClubIndustry.com. WeWork plans to open a location in West Hollywood, according to L.A. Business Journal.

plans to open a location in West Hollywood, according to L.A. Business Journal. The investment fund run by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs, co-led a $40-million investment into virtual reality video production firm Within, according to Bloomberg.

In case you missed it

Worried about election hacking, L.A. County officials are turning to hackers for help.

Coming up

SIGGRAPH, which bills itself as the worlds biggest conference focused on computer graphics and interactive technology, continues through Thursday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event is put on by the Assn. for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques. Many of this years top discussions are expected to focus on virtual reality.

paresh.dave@latimes.com / PGP

Twitter: @peard33
Getting rid of Travis Kalanick may have been hard for Ubers investors and board of directors. But replacing him could prove harder.

As the companys board inches ahead in its search for a new chief executive to run the embattled ride-hailing company, candidates are dropping out before theyve even met with every board member. Kalanick himself is rumored to be angling for a return, and some investors question whether any candidate could fill its departed leaders shoes.

In other words, this is not a typical job opening.

Theyre trying to hire someone for two very different roles, said Bradley Tusk, an early investor in Uber who is not involved with the boards CEO search.

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The company needs a leader who can implement the recommendations of a report by former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. to change Ubers culture of bullying and harassment, secure deals and eventually lead the firm to an initial public offering. It takes one type of manager, Tusk said, to get that job done.

On top of that, Tusk said, the incoming CEO must fill the void that Kalanick supporters believe he left  that of a tenacious visionary who can help Uber grow into a company that competes with the likes of Apple, Google, and Amazon.

And thats a very different kind of person, Tusk said.

The candidates whose names have been floated  such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman and departing GE chief Jeff Immelt  fall into the first category of manager, thanks to their experience running large legacy businesses. People with knowledge of the matter said that Whitman, who has start-up experience from her time at EBay, was viewed as a promising candidate, but she announced on Twitter last week that she was not considering the role. Recode reported that she had not yet met in person with every board member at the time of her announcement.

Immelt is still believed to be in the running.

Uber declined to comment on the process of hiring a new CEO.

The difficulty of the boards CEO search has been compounded by internal disagreements.

The companys board currently consists of Kalanick, Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, Uber executive Ryan Graves, media entrepreneur Arianna Huffington, Nestle executive Wan Ling Martello, TPG Capitals David Trujillo, Yasir bin Othman Rumayyan of the Saudi Arabia public investment fund, Didi Chuxings Cheng Wei and Benchmarks Matt Cohler. Huffington was supportive of Kalanick when he was CEO and said in interviews that she believed he was capable of change, although she later advised him to consider resigning after investors, led by Benchmark, pressured Kalanick to step aside. It is unclear which candidates the board currently favors.

As the board of directors continues its search, sources close to Kalanick have said the Uber co-founder, who resigned in June after mounting pressure from investors, wants to come back and run the show. Recode reported Sunday that Kalanick had told several people that he was Steve Jobs-ing it, a reference to the Apple co-founder who was fired from his role as CEO, only to return years later to lead the company to global dominance.

Kalanick did not respond to a request for comment.

Whoever comes in, theres a chance theyll be fabulously successful, but theres a better chance theyll be the rebound...  Andrew Gilman, president of Commcore Consulting Group

The appointment of a new CEO is an opportunity for Uber to signal to investors, employees, drivers and consumers that, after spending the last eight months embroiled in political and legal controversy, it is turning over a new leaf.

After developing a well-earned reputation as a combative and competitive company that is hostile toward women, the company has tried to make amends. In addition to firing employees who were found to have contributed to the companys toxic culture, accepting Kalanicks resignation and bringing on high-profile women executives such as Bozoma Saint John from Apple and Frances Frei of Harvard University, the company launched an initiative to curry favor with drivers, who have long felt that the company under Kalanicks leadership didnt listen to them.

Even if Kalanick could somehow tip the vote in his favor, reinstalling him as chief executive any time soon would undermine the companys messaging that it is changing its ways, one investor said.

The fact that Kalanick was such an overpowering force within Uber when he was its CEO could also make him a tough act to follow, according business and branding experts.

Its almost like the first boyfriend or girlfriend you get after a breakup, said Andrew Gilman, president of crisis communications firm Commcore Consulting Group. Whoever comes in, theres a chance theyll be fabulously successful, but theres a better chance theyll be the rebound, where theyll have to go through one CEO before they get a really good one.

A really good one, in the eyes of investors, is someone with Kalanicks vision combined with the temperament and experience of the Whitmans of the world. If Uber could only have one, though, business experts such as Brent Goldfarb, an associate professor of entrepreneurship and strategy at the University of Maryland, believe itd be wise to prioritize responsibility before ingenuity.

They need a grown-up, Goldfarb said. They need someone who can cut operations that arent working, make a rational call on the autonomous strategy, has the strength and emotional wits to reset the company culture, and push this through relentlessly.

tracey.lien@latimes.com

Twitter: @traceylien

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In summer 1999, Edgar Garcia took an internship at the Los Angeles Conservancy that helped change the course of his life.

Born in Hollywood and raised in Lincoln Heights, Garcia is the son of Mexican immigrants who, when he was accepted at Yale University, hoped he might study something practical. Maybe medicine, engineering or law.

I was forcing myself to go down that track and take the courses in areas I thought I had to, he recalls. But every time I took a history or architecture course, that was my passion.

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That passion ultimately led him to apply to the Getty Foundations Multicultural Internship Program, which funds undergraduate internships for students from underrepresented groups at cultural organizations around Los Angeles County.

Through that program, he landed a summer internship at the Los Angeles Conservancy, where he helped map historic sites in Lincoln Heights and put together a historical exhibition in collaboration with students from Lincoln High School.

Id had no idea that organizations dedicated to either architecture or public art or programs like that were so professionalized, recalls Garcia. I didnt know that was even a viable career.

Indeed, it has been quite viable for Garcia in the years since.

Today, he is the deputy for art and culture at City Hall, helping manage art and culture policy for Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Im proud of the fact that the mayors cultural person happens to be a Mexican from Lincoln Heights, says Garcia. I came out of a neighborhood that we work with every day.

We could look at arts organizations across the city and see that they still didnt appropriately reflect the diversity of communities in Los Angeles.  Joan Weinstein, deputy director, Getty Foundation

Joan Weinstein, right, deputy director of the Getty Foundation, who helps oversee the Multicultural Internship Program, with Cynthia Querio, program assistant. (Christina House / For The Times)

The Getty Foundations Multicultural Internship Program was launched as a direct response to the Los Angeles riots in 1992.

It was really a process of thinking, how does the Getty respond to these events  and respond in a way that relates to our mission? says foundation Deputy Director Joan Weinstein.

We could look at arts organizations across the city and see that they still didnt appropriately reflect the diversity of communities in Los Angeles, she adds. So we started to think of the pipeline issue.

By funding paid internships for underrepresented minorities at dozens of cultural organizations around L.A. County, the foundation got to work building that pipeline. The idea: Provide students with real-world professional experience at cultural nonprofits small and large, be it the Center for the Study of Political Graphics or the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The first crop of 89 interns completed sessions at 80 arts organizations around Los Angeles in summer 1993. Twenty-five years later, the Multicultural Internship Program is still going strong.

Over that period, the Getty Foundation has funded more than 3,200 internships at an estimated 160 Los Angeles arts organizations  including 120 internships this summer. That amounts to an investment of more than $12 million over a quarter century.

The program is open to individuals with some connection to L.A.  students who are either attending university in the area or were raised in Los Angeles County  and in the large scheme of things, it may not seem as if an arts internship program could do all that much beyond providing an enriching summer experience to a handful of individuals. But the Gettys program is quietly helping change the face of culture in Los Angeles.

It is no secret that the arts industry has a diversity problem. According to a report released by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in 2015, 84% of high-level jobs at museums nationwide  curators, conservators, educators and leaders  are occupied by whites. The only areas in which minorities dominate are in janitorial and security services.

In a county like Los Angeles, where roughly half the population is Latino, 14% is Asian and nearly 9% is black, stats such as those would translate to cultural leadership that in no way represents the ethnic or racial reality on the ground.

For 25 years, the Gettys Multicultural Internship Program has attempted to adjust those figures.

Alumni include painter Mark Bradford, who recently had a one-man show at the Hammer Museum and will represent the United States at the Venice Biennale this year; Letitia Fernandez Ivins, who manages public art programs at Metro, and John Tain, who is an assistant curator for modern and contemporary collections at the Getty Research Institute, or GRI.

Tain, who was born in Taiwan and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, completed his internship in 1995 at what was then the Getty Research Center, now the GRI. A paid position  I needed to have a paying summer job, he says, and this was enough to pay rent and other expenses  it provided him with work experience.

I was having a real hands-on experience working with archival materials and special collections material, he says. I wasnt pushing paper.

Betty Avila of Self-Help Graphics delivers a keynote speech to the 2017 Getty Foundation multicultural interns. (Elon Schoenholz / Getty Foundation)

For Ivins, who has worked at Metro for 2 years helping to oversee public art projects in train stations and bus facilities, the internship provided a broader knowledge of arts in Los Angeles.

Ivins, who is part Filipina and grew up around Culver City, did two multicultural internships  one at the Skirball Cultural Center and another at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena in the early 2000s.

I saw parts of L.A. that I had never really dug into, she says.

A trip to Highland Park introduced her to the work of artist Tricia Ward and the nonprofit Art. Community. Land. Activism., or ACLA, which employed art as a community-organizing tool.

When I graduated, on the recommendations of a mentor, I volunteered with them, says Ivins. That was the segue into nonprofit art organizations.

Over the years, an informal network of former Getty interns has become more influential.

I can call my friend the filmmaker or my friend the registrar at UCLA or my friend the archivist, Garcia says. Its a total cross-pollination.

Every mentor Ive worked under has been an amazing resource and I keep in contact with most of them today, says Hanna Girma, an assistant curator at the Mistake Room, an arts nonprofit in downtown. (She curated the ongoing exhibition Analog Currency, which explores the reverberations of the Internet on culture.)

Girma grew up in Oakland and is of Ethiopian and African American descent. As a student at UCLA, she interned at the Hammer Museum and the Mistake Room. She was always drawn to the arts but says her Getty mentors really have helped shape me.

Even with the programs successful track record, there have been challenges. Last year, a white student who did not get into the program sued the Getty Foundation for discrimination. The case was settled for an undisclosed sum and now the official language states that applicants must be members of an underrepresented group including but not limited to those of African American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic, Native America, or Pacific Island descent.

Joan Weinstein, deputy director of Getty Foundation, right, chats with Multicultural Internship alumna Hanna Girma, left, now an assistant curator at the Mistake Room. (Christina House / For The Times)

None of this changes the Getty Foundations aim of continuing to diversify the leadership ranks at the citys cultural institutions, an aim that is beginning to blossom as some former interns reach a stage of their careers where they begin to wield greater influence over programming and policy.

As they move on to bigger roles, the foundation has continued to support them  providing, for example, funding for professional development.

Because of the Getty Ive been to the California Assn. of Museums conference more than once and Ive been to the American Alliance of Museums mega-conference more than once, says Betty Avila, associate director at Self-Help Graphics. Every time I attend those types of things, it grows my network even more  it grows opportunities and connections.

Avila, who grew up in Cypress Park and attended Pitzer College in Claremont, completed her internship at the Getty Research Institute in 2007, where she helped bring nontraditional audiences to the museum. As part of that job, she arranged for garment workers, housekeepers and day laborers to get curator-led tours of a classical art exhibition at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades.

As a result, she says, I became very interested in community engagement, which inspired her to take her position at Self-Help, the community arts nonprofit that works with myriad constituencies in Boyle Heights.

Weinstein says it is unbelievably gratifying to see former interns start to transform the citys cultural profile.

It can take 25 years to effect change, she says. Its patience.

Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

carolina.miranda@latimes.com

@cmonstah

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True Detective season three, starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, is officially confirmed at HBO By Sarah Rodman Mahershala Ali accepting his Oscar for Moonlight. The actor will star in the third season of the HBO drama True Detective (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) During the HBO executive session at the summer edition of the Television Critics Assn. press tour, programming president Casey Bloys confirmed reports that Moonlight Oscar winner Mahershala Ali would star in a third season of True Detective. Although he was mum at the time on when it might happen, he did say that he had read five scripts and thought they were terrific. Thursday night, the premium pay cabler released a statement officially confirming that the series will indeed return for a third installment. While no episode count or premiere date was included in the release, an enclosed synopsis stated that the next iteration of the show tells the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods. Ali will star as Wayne Hays, a state police detective from northwest Arkansas. (Ali follows in the footsteps of season one stars, and continuing executive producers, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, and season twos Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn. No word yet on whether hell have a partner.) The show will once again be helmed by creator Nic Pizzolatto, who penned all the episodes of the upcoming series, save the fourth, which he co-wrote with David Milch (Deadwood, NYPD Blue). He will share directing duties with fellow executive producer Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin.) Im tremendously thrilled to be working with artists at the level of Mahershala and Jeremy, said Pizzolatto in a statement. I hope the material can do justice to their talents, and were all very excited to tell this story. Bloys noted that Nic has written truly remarkable scripts. With his ambitious vision and Mahershala Ali and Jeremy Saulnier aboard, we are excited to embark on the next installment of True Detective.  Facebook

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Newly reopened Angels Flight has long been a popular L.A. shooting location By Mark Olsen Its among the more unusual landmarks in Los Angeles, a short, steep railway that gets people up and down a single hill. So it makes sense that Angels Flight has been featured in many movies and television shows over the years. Angels Flight resumed regular service Thursday after being closed since 2013 (it did operate for one day of shooting on La La Land). It remains to be seen if it starts to appear again in movies and television shows. (Not that it ever really stopped.) Speaking to The Times at last years Toronto International Film Festival, La La Land star Ryan Gosling reflected on the use of historic locations in the movie. This was an opportunity to show an L.A. thats still there.... Youve got to squint your eyes a little, but there are still places in L.A. that are still part of the golden years of Los Angeles when Hollywood was in its heyday, Gosling said. I lived around the corner for a long time from Angels Flight and Grand Central Market, although I never got to ride Angels Flight because it had been shut down, Gosling added. Those places are still there... these gems that are there, and we were able to shoot them one by one. Angels Flight reopened on Thursday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The small piece of land next to the top of Angels Flight, known as Angels Knoll, was also prominently featured in (500) Days of Summer. The location has appeared in a wide variety of movies over the years, as early as 1916s Good Night, Nurse, 1918s Up She Goes and 1920s All Jazzed Up. It has also had high-profile cameos in Act of Violence (1949), M (1951), Kiss Me Deadly (1955), The Exiles (1961), The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1963) -- all the way up to to 2011s The Muppets and last years La La Land. And on television, Angels Flight has been seen on Perry Mason, Dragnet and the recent series Bosch. READ MORE: Angels Flight: How it works and what its been through in its 100-year history Facebook

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Jamie Foxx announces telethon for Harvey relief By Libby Hill (Andrew Krech / News & Record via Associated Press) A new stream of celebrity support for victims of Hurricane Harvey opened Wednesday, as Jamie Foxx announced that a telethon fundraiser is in the works. In an Instagram post where the actor revealed his own donation of $25,000 to GlobalGiving, Foxx also shared preliminary plans for the upcoming benefit. From a fellow Texan, my heart goes out. My prayers go out, Foxx, from Terrell east of Dallas, said. September 12 we have a telethon that were doing. Well give you more details, so we can raise as much money as we can for everybody down there. View Instagram post Scooter Braun, talent manager and mastermind of One Love Manchester, is helming the event along with rapper and Houston native Bun B. TMZ reported that Foxx, Reese Witherspoon, Blake Shelton, Hilary Duff and Michael Strahan are all involved with the project, with commitments from the four major broadcast networks to air the special for an hour on Sept. 12. In an interview with TMZ, Bun B said that fellow Houston natives Beyonce and Jim Parsons are high on his wish list for the telethon. The outlet also reported that Bun B would only want President Trumps presence if it was via a show of unity with other former presidents. Solange also announced Wednesday that she will be holding a benefit show at Bostons Orpheum Theatre on Sept. 28. Featuring the Sun Ra Arkestra, the performance is titled Orions Rise and all proceeds will go to Hurricane Harvey relief. View Instagram post Facebook

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Gwyneth Paltrows love life? Yeah, she admits shes screwed up plenty of relationships By Libby Hill Gwyneth Paltrow takes full responsibility for her romantic failings. She admitted as much in a recent interview with the podcast Girlboss Radio, during which Paltrow went deep on some of her lost loves. Oh, my god, Ive [screwed] up so many relationships, so many, Paltrow said. Im actually a pretty good friend and a good sister and a daughter and a mother, but I am at my potentially most vulnerable  in the romantic slice of the pie. So its taken me a lot of work to get to the place where I have a good romantic relationship. Paltrow consciously uncoupled from ex-husband Chris Martin in 2014 after 10 years of marriage and has been romantically linked to American Horror Story creator Brad Falchuk for the past three years. On Girlboss Radio, Paltrow sent a shout-out to former beau Brad Pitt, whom she dated from 1994 through 1997, and was at one point engaged to. I [screwed] that up, Brad, Paltrow said. Paltrow also delved into her experiences as founder and CEO of her lifestyle brand Goop, sharing that once shes in the boardroom with investors, no one cares if shes a celebrity. I go into the room, and for the first 90 seconds, Im Gwyneth Paltrow, she said. And theyre like, Oh, my god, my wife loves you .... And then, about 90 seconds later, Im just getting grilled like anyone else. But she doesnt get offended; she relishes the challenge. It was such a beautiful chapter of my life when I started raising [venture capital financing], because it knocked me down so many pegs. I was like, Oh, Im, like, no one. Im nothing. This [stuff] is real. I have to know the most granular aspects of my business and be able to defend it. The celebrity just completely drains out of the room. Its irrelevant, she said. Paltrows full conversation with Sophia Amoruso can be streamed at Girlboss. Facebook

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Longtime Simpsons composer Alf Clausen fired from the show after 27 years By Randall Roberts When the 29th season of The Simpsons premieres in the fall, it will, for the first time in decades, be doing so without its longtime musical contributor, Alf Clausen. Clausen, who composed the Fox animated shows incidental music, was told that the show was looking for a different kind of music moving forward, according to Variety. Clausen confirmed his firing via Twitter. Thank you for all of the support...unfortunately, the news is true... https://t.co/jBQH0b40cz  Alf Clausen (@TheAlfClausen) August 31, 2017 The composers orchestral scores supported the familys foibles since the shows primitively drawn early days. And although The Simpsons theme song was penned by Danny Elfman, the sonic feel of the series has been defined by Clausens grandiose, often epic productions. Hes responsible for scoring Mr. Burns breakout See My Vest moment and crafted the tunes for the Springfield musical theater companys A Streetcar Named Desire adaptation. Ditto The Planet of the Apes musical. In short, nearly every classic music moment of The Simpsons has featured Clausens fingerprints. On Twitter, fans thanked Clausen for his work while expressing outrage at the circumstances surrounding his departure. Fired over the phone, yet, wrote one user. Clausen quickly corrected him with a one-word reply: Email ... On Thursday, producers for The Simpsons issued a statement to Variety. It stressed that Clausen will continue to contribute to the series: We tremendously value Alf Clausens contributions to The Simpsons and he will continue to have an ongoing role in the show. We remain committed to the finest in music for The Simpsons, absolutely including orchestral. The statement concluded: This is the part where we would make a joke but neither Alfs work nor the music of The Simpsons is treated as anything but seriously by us. Update, 1:16 p.m.: This story was updated with a statement from The Simpsons. Facebook

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Instead of statues, Trevor Noah and Roy Wood Jr. have another idea for honoring Confederate history By Chris Barton With the country still reeling from the harrowing impact of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Wednesday nights Daily Show looked at one of the summers ongoing controversies: Confederate monuments. Occasionally setting aside the shows usual comedic tone, Trevor Noah enlisted correspondent Roy Wood Jr. to consider whether these statues honor Southern heritage, as their supporters claim, or the nations history and lingering problem with racism. After showing a montage of guests on network news shows who reminded viewers that these statues were erected during the Jim Crow era, decades after the Civil War, Wood equated slavery to another tragedy. Its like if a woman got out of an abusive relationship and then she had to keep pictures of her ex up in her house to remember the time, a straight-faced Wood explained. No, I dont need pictures to remember pain. People say, We want to remember the history of the Civil War, Noah added. Theres an easier way to remember what happened in the Civil War: Just walk around in the South. And if you see free black people, then you know what happened. Watch the segment above. Facebook

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Gloria Gaynor sings to Texas Harvey victims: You will survive By Christie DZurilla (Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images) Gloria Gaynor wants people affected by Harvey to know they will survive, and shes communicating that message through a new version of the song that has defined her career. Gaynor, whose I Will Survive became an anthem over the years, rewrote the 1978 disco hit to reach out to victims in Texas and posted her rendition on social media Wednesday. Hi, my neighbors in Texas, she said in a video shot while she sat at a piano she was about to play. This is Gloria Gaynor with a song that hopefully will cheer you up just a little bit. @SylvesterTurner @rashivats @SallyMacFox26 @TheRitaGarcia @kaitlinmonte @ChrisdyannUribe @MsCoCoDominguez @JMartinFOX26 TX WILL SURVIVE  pic.twitter.com/FCNOnDr85o  Gloria Gaynor (@gloriagaynor) August 30, 2017 Here are the tweaked lyrics, for those who dont want to hit play with the sound on. First we were afraid

We were petrified

Thinking Texas couldnt live

With floodwaters this high

We know you spent plenty of time

Preparing for this hurricane

Who couldve known that it would come

With so much devastating rain

But we will strive

And youll survive

With all our love and help and prayers

We will stay strongly by your side

We are your neighbors tried and true

Well do all we can for you

And youll survive

You will survive, you will survive Similarly on Monday night, Coldplay unleashed a new original song written after the band was forced to cancel its Friday show in Houston with Hurricane Harvey bearing down. This is a new song, and well never play it again, frontman Chris Martin told an audience in Miami. Its a once-off. Its called Houston. Were going to sing it in Miami for everybody here, and then were going to send it over there to everyone who missed the show. Facebook

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Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation donates $1 million to Harvey recovery By Christie DZurilla (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) Leonardo DiCaprio has stepped up with a $1-million donation to aid the victims of Hurricane Harvey, now a tropical storm, which has dumped historic levels of rain on the Gulf Coast over the last several days. United Way Worldwide announced Wednesday that it has started the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund with a seven-figure donation from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The money  100% of it, according to the charity  will go to help victims of flooding with mid- and long-term recovery over the coming years. There are 23 United Ways that operate in the path of the storm, which made landfall Aug. 24. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Leonardo DiCaprio and his foundation, United Way Worldwide President and CEO Brian Gallagher said in a statement. Responding to Hurricane Harvey requires the best of all of us  and thats what this gift represents. DiCaprio has been urging support of the United Way and American Red Cross this week on his Twitter account and retweeting stories talking about Harvey and climate change. Di Caprios foundation has been committed to climate-related issues and environmental projects since 1998, Terry Tamminen, president and CEO of the foundation, said in a statement. We support efforts to build climate resilient communities and protect vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems across the planet, and have supported disaster relief and victim funds in the past. We hope others will step up and support the United Way and other organizations. Earlier this week, Sandra Bullock, who has a home in Texas, gave $1 million to the American Red Cross, repeating the lump-sum generosity she showed after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. Ellen DeGeneres was also in the seven-figure donation tier. The comic and talk-show host dropped $1 million in the relief bucket on Wednesday via J.J. Watts foundation. The effort by the Houston Texans star player topped $10 million on Thursday, with Watt chronicling its progress all week via videos on social media. Update, 8:50 a.m.: This post was updated with information about DeGeneres donation to Watts fund. Facebook

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A Star Is Born: Chris Tucker turns 45 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Iris Schneider / Los Angeles Times) I had a dream as a kid: I wanted to be big, big like Richard [Pryor] and Eddie [Murphy]. I imagined it. I studied it. I had a passion.  Chris Tucker, 2001 FROM THE ARCHIVES: In a Big Rush Facebook

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Springsteen on Broadway was born to run, is extended through February By Libby Hill Bruce Springsteens solo shows on Broadway have been extended through February, just hours after the original run sold out. (Greg Allen / Invision/Associated Press) Good news for Bruce Springsteen fans who were locked out of purchasing tickets Wednesday morning for his upcoming run of shows on Broadway. Ticketmaster announced that Springsteen on Broadway, an intimate stage experience that launches in October and features the rock legend performing solo, will be extending for 10 additional weeks. Originally scheduled to close in November, the show was extended through February after the original block of tickets sold out in a matter of minutes Wednesday. "#SpringsteenBroadway has been EXTENDED! the ticket outlet tweeted, with a follow-up tweet explaining that fans who had previously registered to purchase tickets will not have to register again. #SpringsteenBroadway has been EXTENDED!

More information coming today.

There will NOT be any additional codes released for today's onsale. pic.twitter.com/xGY3rj3Yrl  Ticketmaster (@Ticketmaster) August 30, 2017 #SpringsteenBroadway extended run information 

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REGISTER AGAIN!

NEW #VerifiedFan registration: https://t.co/2xNBBhcVES pic.twitter.com/FT3mLaTLPV  Ticketmaster (@Ticketmaster) August 30, 2017 Springsteen will be performing at New York Citys Walter Kerr Theater, which houses fewer than 1,000 seats. To curtail ticket scalping, Ticketmaster relied on its Verified Fan program. The program forces fans to register to even have an opportunity to purchase tickets and are limited to two tickets per purchase. For all of Ticketmasters efforts, resale sites already are flooded with Springsteen on Broadway tickets, with some reaching $10,000 apiece. Fans interested in trying their luck for the second batch of performance dates will need to register with Ticketmaster Verified Fan by Sept. 3 (at 7 p.m. Pacific). Tickets will be available for purchase 10 a.m. Pacific on Sept. 7. Facebook

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Sandra Bullock donates $1 million to Harvey relief efforts By Libby Hill Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the American Red Cross for storm relief. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) With the Gulf Coast still battling the aftereffects of Tropical Storm Harvey, celebrities continue to come forward to help with relief efforts for the humanitarian crisis. Sandra Bullock, who has a home in Texas, donated $1 million to the American Red Cross emergency efforts, the organization confirmed to The Times on Wednesday. We are so thankful for the overwhelming and generous response from those who want to help those affected by this devastating storm, Elizabeth Penniman, vice president of communications for American Red Cross national headquarters, said in an email. Massive disasters like Hurricane Harvey create many critical and immediate needs, so we are heartened by donations like this  which allow us to provide immediate shelter, food and comfort to thousands in need, Penniman continued. The entertainment community has been so supportive to the Red Cross in response to this devastating disaster, and we are so grateful. Bullock is just the latest star who has donated to recovery efforts in Texas. The Kardashian family pledged $500,000 to the Salvation Army and Red Cross on Tuesday. Kevin Hart also spearheaded a celebrity-driven fundraising campaign on Crowdrise that has brought in more than $1 million for the Red Cross. Facebook

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Corinne Olympios wants DeMario Jackson to know she doesnt blame him for anything By Christie DZurilla Corinne Olympios doesnt have any hard feelings toward DeMario Jackson, the fellow Bachelor in Paradise cast member who was with her at the center of a scandal that shut down production on the reality TV series in June. I dont blame DeMario. I never pointed fingers at DeMario. I never said a bad word about DeMario, the 25-year-old told host Chris Harrison in an early-August taped interview that aired Tuesday night on ABC. She and Jackson havent spoken since production was halted after allegations of misconduct were made by a producer, leading to an investigation of what happened during a period when, Olympios now says, she was blacked out. I was almost a little bit nervous to talk to [DeMario], because he did run to the media and I didnt want to add fuel to the fire, she said. Before she had a chance to collect her thoughts, he was out there and so on the defensive, she said. He was doing his thing and I didnt want to get messed up in that. ... I cant help but feel like maybe he felt like I thought he did something to me. Jackson did not do anything bad, she insisted. Seeing him start crying in a clip from his own interview with Harrison, which had aired on the show last week, Olympios welled up a bit too. It was hard for me to go through something like that. I know exactly how he feels. The media wants to paint you a certain way that you know youre just not, she said. Olympios told Harrison the same things she had said in a Tuesday morning interview with Good Morning America about blacking out from drinking too much and mixing alcohol with medication. However, she didnt directly address her I am a victim statement that was released at the height of the scandal. On GMA, she said she meant she was a victim of the media. Regarding Bachelor in Paradise with Harrison, she simply talked about how awful it was to have so many people acting like they had been there or were suddenly experts on her life. To even get up and go get eggs at the grocery store ... my face was all over every magazine and I had to check out and everyones staring, Olympios said. Youre looking at them and its like, Im not what youre thinking right now. Then, near the end of the interview, she shared one big wish. Obviously hindsight is 20/20, she said, and I wish it could have been handled differently. Facebook

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Tomi Lahren finds new home at Fox News By Libby Hill Conservative firebrand Tomi Lahren is again gainfully employed after being fired from Glenn Becks The Blaze in March. On Wednesday, Lahren announced via her Facebook page that she is joining the Fox News team as a contributor. This exciting new step will allow me to give voice to all the America-loving patriots who have had my back since day one, Lahren wrote. I will remain a solid and passionate advocate for you. Though 25-year-old Lahren has made television appearances before -- including a contentious appearance on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah -- much of her career has been in digital media. She hosted On Point With Tomi Lahren for One America News Network, and her Final Thought videos have garnered her over 4.4 million Facebook followers. In addition to her role as a contributor, Lahren will also have a signature role on a Fox News digital product in development, according to a press release issued by the network. Lahren makes her debut on Wednesdays edition of Hannity at 7 p.m. PDT. Facebook

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Trevor Noah is shocked  shocked  by the latest revelations about Trump and Moscow By Robert Lloyd Even as the Earth offers humanity another taste of its weather future  and President Trump keeps Sheriff Joe Arpaio out of jail and North Korean missiles fly over Japan  late-night TV hosts have disappeared from their chairs as if it were August in France. Trevor Noah is on the job, though, hosting The Daily Show. Tuesday night, he had some mirthful words about the ongoing investigation into the Trump campaigns Russian affairs. Specifically, he reflected on the revelation of a letter of intent, signed by POTUS himself, to build a Trump Tower skyscraper in Moscow  and make it the tallest building in the world  despite Trumps repeated claims to have no business, no interests, no nothing in Russia. How can one person lie so big? HOW? Noah asked, amazedly. Its like if your friend said he had never heard of Mumford and Sons and then one day you see the album cover and youre like, wait a minute, youre Mumford. Were those connections strictly business, or were they getting out on the votey-votey action? Thats not clear yet, he said. What was clear is that a typically dubious character was at the center of it  namely Felix Sater, a Russian-born real estate developer once convicted of stabbing a man in the neck and face with the stem of a broken margarita glass. Of all the glasses to stab someone with, a margarita glass is the worst, Noah said. Youre literally putting salt into the wounds. There was also a conviction for Saters involvement in a $40-million stock fraud, Noah added, which came as no surprise to the host. You never trust someone with a cat name. If a human goes by Felix or Whiskers or Mittens, you should probably just stay away. There were emails, of course; there are always emails. Buddy, our boy can become President of the USA and we can engineer it. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, Sater wrote to Trumps personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen. This buddy boy email may not be the smoking gun for Trump, Noah concluded, but what it could end up being is the broken taillight  the thing that gives law enforcement the excuse they need to look into Trumps trunk. And we all know, he said, as a picture of the golfing presidents derriere appeared over his shoulder, hes got a lot of junk in that trunk. Facebook

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Jury president Annette Bening addresses lack of female representation at Venice Film Festival By Nardine Saad (Claudio Onorati / Associated Press) Though there arent as many women represented at this years Venice Film Festival as she would like, jury president Annette Bening believes things are changing. The four-time Oscar nominee, whose film credits include American Beauty, The Kids Are All Right, 20th Century Women and Bugsy, addressed the lack of female directors Wednesday during the 74th annual Venice Film Festivals opening press conference. (Only one of the 21 films in competition is directed by a woman this year.) As women, we have to be sharp, shrewd and creative in what we choose to make. Sexism does exist and there is no question about it. But things are changing, the actress said at the opening press conference, according to Variety. The more we can make films that speak to everybody, the more we will be regarded as filmmakers, she added. Bening, the first woman to chair the jury in more than a decade, said she knew of both veteran and rookie filmmakers struggling to get their movies made whether they are men or women. She said the industry has a long way to go, in terms of parity but was confident that the direction were going is positive. Facebook

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A Star Is Born: Lisa Ling turns 44 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) [People have said to me], When you were in the worlds largest slum [in India], you could almost smell what it was like by your expression.' Its not that Im trying to force myself on the viewer. Im just their eyes and ears. I think our work is quite pure.  Lisa Ling, 1997 FROM THE ARCHIVES: Taking news personally Facebook

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In wake of Charlottesville strife, Virginia Film Festival to host director Spike Lee as special guest By Josh Rottenberg Director Spike Lee photographed in 2015. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) As the city of Charlottesville, Va., and the nation as a whole continues to grapple with the violent racial strife that erupted earlier this month, the Virginia Film Festival announced on Tuesday that it will host filmmaker Spike Lee as a special guest at the upcoming festival as part of a program around the legacy of slavery. Lee, who has tackled thorny issues of race throughout his career, will present his Oscar-nominated documentary 4 Little Girls about the 1963 bombing of a Baptist church in Birmingham, Ala., that claimed the lives of four African American girls, an act of white supremacist terrorism that marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. We have for many years been interested in bringing Spike Lee to the Virginia Film Festival as he remains one of the most talented, innovative, and socially conscious filmmakers in our world today, said Jody Kielbasa, director of the film festival and vice provost for the arts at the University of Virginia. We first reached out to Mr. Lee in the spring to include him in our upcoming collaboration with Montpelier, and of course, the recent events in Charlottesville have made his participation more compelling, relevant and vital. The festival program will also include a short film titled I Cant Breathe that combines footage of the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner during his arrest by a New York City police officer with footage of the death of Radio Raheem under similar circumstances in Lees 1989 film Do the Right Thing. The program is part of a larger collaboration with Montpelier, the Virginia plantation of President James Madison, who owned more than 100 slaves, that will explore both how the legacy of slavery continues to affect the lives of African Americans and how they are depicted in film and other media. The 30th annual Virginia Film Festival will run from Nov. 9 to 12 in Charlottesville. Facebook

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Jerry Seinfeld recaps childhood in Netflixs first Jerry Before Seinfeld trailer By Nardine Saad The first trailer for Netflixs stand-up special Jerry Before Seinfeld has arrived, and its a madcap recap of Jerry Seinfelds humble beginnings, quirky family dynamics and bits of everyday observations. The teaser opens with Johnny Carson introducing the iconic comic in 1981 during his debut on The Tonight Show. Then it showcases the sitcom star back at the mike at the Comic Strip, the famous New York comedy club where he launched his career. Throwback photos, videos and interviews with Seinfeld are woven throughout. Hes back where he began, the title reads, doing what he loves. The original comedy special is the first of two stand-up specials Seinfeld will deliver in his massive deal with the streaming giant. (The deal also includes the entirety of his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee catalog and 24 new episodes of the Emmy-nominated talk show, which will launch later this year.) Seinfeld and Netflix teased to the special last week with several clips posted on Instagram and a close-up look at the numerous legal pads scrawled with handwritten jokes hes kept from the 1970s. Jerry Before Seinfeld begins streaming Sept. 19. Facebook

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Kermit the Frog finds his new voice in Matt Vogel By Nardine Saad The new Kermit the Frog has arrived and hes following his dreams -- literally. New Muppeteer Matt Vogel made his vocal debut as the iconic frog on Monday in a Muppet Thought of the Week video posted on YouTube. Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. Life is how we get there, he says in the brief clip. Im headed this way. The veteran voice actor has worked on Sesame Street and also operates the Muppets Floyd, Constantine and Sweetums. He is only the third puppeteer to take on Kermit the Frog full time since the character was created in 1955. He replaced former puppeteer Steve Whitmire, who began work on The Muppet Show in 1978 and inherited the role of Kermit when creator Jim Henson died in 1990. Whitmire was dismissed over concerns about his repeated unacceptable business conduct over a period of many years and he consistently failed to address the feedback, the Muppets Studio said at the time. Whitmire claimed he was fired in October 2016 and kept quiet about it until Vogel was announced as his replacement in July. It was his opinionated communication style that earned him his walking papers, he said. Facebook

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Trevor Noah says Trumps pardon of Sheriff Arpaio renders courts powerless By Nardine Saad The Daily Show host Trevor Noah broke down former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaios presidential pardon on Monday, explaining how President Trumps decision undermines the judicial branch of government. The controversial Maricopa County lawman, who was convicted of criminal contempt of court for violating Latinos rights, earned himself a thuggish reputation as a sheriff, Noah said, citing his agencys use of tent cities, stun guns, jail overcrowding and numerous cases of inmate deaths and police brutality. But those were just his extracurriculars, Noah said. It turns out his full-time job is racism. The 85-year-old Arpaio was found guilty in July of defying a 2011 court order barring officers from stopping and detaining Latino motorists to check their immigration status. As much as Sheriff Arpaio presented himself as anti-illegal immigrants, it turned out really he was just anti being a decent human being, Noah said. When the president of the United States steps in and pardons someones contempt conviction, hes essentially rendering the courts powerless.  Daily Show host Trevor Noah His abuses hurt inmates and taxpayers, costing the state $142 million in legal fees, settlements and compliance costs, Noah said. Other things they could have spent that money on? Schools, roads or they could have just paid Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather to just punch Arpaio in the face. But Noah made the point that Trumps decision completely undercut the judiciary. Remember how the three branches of government are supposed to be equal? Well, convicting someone of contempt is the one and only way the judicial branch can put muscle behind its decisions. So when the president of the United States steps in and pardons someones contempt conviction, hes essentially rendering the courts powerless, he said. Watch the full segment above. Facebook

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Watch Coldplay dedicate new song to Harvey victims -- and vow never to play it again By Randall Roberts (Jens Meyer / Associated Press) On Monday night in Miami, Coldplays Chris Martin drew attention to the victims of Tropical Storm Harvey by unveiling a new song called Houston -- and then vowed never to play it again. The band, which was forced to cancel its Houston show days earlier due to the storm, wrote the song as the region was enduring historic flooding. After acknowledging that he and the band all grew up loving country music, and, of course, thats kind of what we think of when we go to Texas, Martin asked the crowd to bear with them. This is a new song, and well never play it again, Martin said. Its a once-off. Its called Houston. Were going to sing it in Miami for everybody here and then were going to send it over there to everyone who missed the show. Vowing to return to Houston, Martin and band huddled and tentatively started a twangy little number. Im dreaming of when I get back to Houston, sang Martin, replete with a touch of Johnny Cash-ian twang. Describing it as that city where they send you into space, Martin crooned of Corpus Christi, Harris County, Galveston, of a harmony that hums down there in Houston, and urged the region to keep on keeping on. Merle Haggard it wasnt (and everyones a critic), but the performance drew huge applause from fans and went viral on Tuesday morning. Coldplays quick-turnaround ditty is hardly the first to document such deluges. Johnny Cashs Three Feet High and Rising occurred in real time as a family struggled to keep dry. In Charley Pattons High Water Everywhere, the country blues singer recalled the lives lost in the Great Flood of 1927, which consumed the Mississippi Delta and spawned dozens of songs: Oh, Lordy, women is groaning down / Oh, Lordy, women and children sinking down, Patton sang. I couldnt see nobody home, and was no one to be found. Below is another song about the flood of 27: Bessie Smiths Backwater Blues. Facebook

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Corinne Olympios on Bachelor in Paradise scandal: I was really a victim of the media By Christie DZurilla (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images) Corinne Olympios says medication, the booze and the media were key players in Junes production-stopping Bachelor in Paradise scandal and its aftermath. Calling the situation just really unfortunate, she said Tuesday on Good Morning America that she doesnt remember anything that happened. Seeing video of what transpired on the first day of production on the looking-for-love reality show was like watching not-me, she said. Im watching someone else. On that day, Olympios and fellow cast member DeMario Jackson allegedly wound up in the pool or hot tub together in a situation that a producer thought went too far. Allegations of misconduct were made, and production shut down the next day for an investigation that ultimately determined nothing untoward had happened. The show, sans Corinne and DeMario, premiered its fourth season Aug. 14, a week later than originally planned. I did drink, too much, I definitely understand that, Olympios said. But I was also on a medication that severely blacks you out and impairs your judgment and messes with your balance, that I didnt know you were not supposed to not drink on, and so it really just caused a horrible, horrible blackout. It was like I went under like anesthesia and then just like woke up. Shes now weaning off the medication, she said, and cutting down on her drinking. But in explaining her provocative official statement that she was a victim living out her worst nightmare, Olympios revealed her specific definition of victimhood, which had little or nothing to do with consent, which was a hot topic throughout the scandal. I was really a victim of the media, Olympios said. It was just, all of a sudden people became an expert on the situation and on what happened, and it was like, Im still trying to figure out exactly what happened. It was just horrible to deal with. It got really, really bad. ..., she added. The things people say are just insane. When the remaining Paradise cast met as a whole on the first episode of the season, their sympathies seemed to lie with Jackson as they worried about the long-term effects the scandal would have on him and any future career opportunities, especially given the lingering racial issues of alleged misconduct between a white woman and a black man. However, they were quick to say they were not slut-shaming Olympios either. Jackson spoke last week on Bachelor in Paradise, sitting down with host Chris Harrison to give his take on what happened. Heres a taste of that, courtesy of GMA: Facebook

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Victorias Secret Fashion Show heads to Shanghai this year By Nardine Saad Angels will fly over the Great Wall of China in November as the Victorias Secret Fashion Show heads to Shanghai for the first time. Supermodels Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge and more will strut their stuff for the annual lingerie extravaganza, Victorias Secret and CBS said in a statement on Tuesday. The iconic pre-holiday show  replete with teensy underwear and massive angel wings  is usually filmed in New York, but Miami, Los Angeles and London have also hosted the scantily clad runway walk. The broadcast will air on CBS on Nov. 28 and will be shown in more than 190 countries. Models Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Josephine Skriver, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Romee Strijd, Sara Sampaio, Stella Maxwell and Taylor Hill will also walk in this years show. Musical performers will be announced at a later date, the statement said. Ni hao, China! This year's #VSFashionShow is headed to Shanghai. Watch it Nov 28, 10/9C on @CBS. Learn more: https://t.co/AHWHWjKOCI pic.twitter.com/tgIVJs7Lsr  Victoria's Secret (@VictoriasSecret) August 29, 2017 Facebook

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A Star Is Born: William Friedkin turns 82 today By Los Angeles Times Staff (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) I love the experience of making films. I love the mud. I love the dirt. I love all the inconveniences. Thats why you do it. If you do it because youre looking to be the Great American film maker, youre liable to experience disappointment.  William Friedkin, 1989 FROM THE ARCHIVES: The Exorcisms of William Friedkin Facebook

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Taylor Swifts Look What You Made Me Do video bashes another YouTube record By Randy Lewis Taylor Swifts official video for her first new music in three years, Look What You Made Me Do, has blasted through the existing YouTube record for most views tallied during its first 24 hours of release. The clip logged 43.2 million views since the video was posted Sunday evening. That far surpasses the record set in 2013 by Korean pop star Psys Gentleman, which racked up 36 million views in its first day. It also hasnt slowed interest in Swifts previously released lyric video for the same song, which set a record for lyric video viewership by drawing 19 million views in the first 24 hours. That version has now surpassed 47 million views in less than four days. Both videos have generated flurries of debate and analysis among Swifts fans and her dissenters, the former seemingly outnumbering the latter by a margin of nearly 5 to 1. Likes have surpassed the 1 million mark, while dislikes stood at 232,000 at the 24-hour mark. The song is the first single from her forthcoming album Reputation, due Nov. 10. It will be Swifts sixth studio album. Each of her last three albums sold more than 1 million copies during the first week of release. Swift is the only artist with that achievement to her credit. Update Aug. 29, 10:30 a.m.: This post has been updated with the finalized 24-hour viewer total. Facebook

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Watch the Game of Thrones cast and crew break down some of Season 7s best scenes By Tracy Brown Game of Thrones Season 7 may have concluded Sunday, but there is still plenty left for fans to unpack before Thrones"-withdrawal sets in. Along with all the burning questions left in the wake of the season finale, HBO has left us with some behind-the-scenes videos from this seasons most epic moments. The production magic of Game of Thrones is undeniable and it extends to beyond special effects dragons. From Arya donning Walder Freys face to dole out her brand of vengeance to Daenerys walking into Dragonstone for the first time, there is plenty to explore from just the first episode alone. The video above dives deep into what it took to craft the Season 7 premiere, including how Cerseis fancy new giant map came to be. Of course, plenty of fans are probably still contemplating the latest episode and what Jon and Danys new level of intimacy means going into the final season. Can this be how the actual prince that was promised is conceived? And if you were a bit squicked out by the pairs developing relationship, youre not alone. Unlike Jon and Daenerys, Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington are definitely aware that they are both Targaryens. For us as actors its just weird, said Clarke in a video about the coupling. The reality of what they are to each other. In fact, the actors had more facial expressions and sound effects to convey their feelings about this union than words. Watch in the video below. Facebook

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Ed Skrein leaves Hellboy after whitewashing furor By Christie DZurilla (Jordan Strauss / Associated Press) Ed Skrein will not play Maj. Ben Daimio in a reboot of Hellboy, the English actor said Monday, noting that when he accepted the role he didnt know that in the comics the character was of mixed Asian descent. Just a week ago, Skrein had tweeted his excitement over taking on the role. Backlash  in the form of whitewashing allegations  ensued. It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts, the 34-year-old Deadpool actor said in a statement announcing that he had changed his mind about portraying Daimio. Calling it a moral decision, he said he was sad to leave the movie but hoped his action would make a difference in making equal representation in the arts a reality. David Harbour, the Stranger Things actor slated to play Hellboy, tweeted, Hey internet. Thank you for your voices. An injustice was done and will be corrected. Many thanks to @edskrein for doing what is right. Mike Mignola, who created the Hellboy comics, also thanked Skrein on Monday and said the move was very nicely done. Hey internet. Thank you for your voices.



An injustice was done and will be corrected.



Many thanks to @edskrein for doing what is right. https://t.co/tUvP6YibgG  David Harbour (@DavidKHarbour) August 28, 2017 In addition to Harbour, the 2018 version of the story so far stars Milla Jovovich as Nimue, Ian McShane as Professor Broom and Alice Monaghan as Sasha Lane, according to IMDb. Neil Marshall, who among other things has helmed episodes of Game of Thrones and Westworld, is set to direct. The Daimio character didnt appear in the 2004 or 2008 Guillermo del Toro films based on the Hellboy comics. Heres Skreins full explanation: pic.twitter.com/8WoSsHXDFO  Ed Skrein (@edskrein) August 28, 2017 Updated, 2:39 p.m.: This story was updated with comments from Harbour and Mignola. Facebook

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Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper are super-friends no more By Libby Hill Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin (Rob Kim / Getty Images) What began as a tasteless joke at the expense of President Trump continues to have real-life consequences for comedian Kathy Griffin. In an extensive interview with The Cut, Griffin admitted that her 17-year friendship with Anderson Cooper, with whom she co-hosted CNNs New Years Eve gig for a decade, ended in the wake of the Trump controversy. In May, Griffin publicized a photo shoot that featured her holding a bloodied imitation severed head bearing a strong resemblance to the president. The backlash was immediate and largely bipartisan, as many saw the images as glorifying violence and furthering political division. Griffin quickly apologized for the misstep but the damage had been done, with condemnation from the White House, investigation by the Secret Service and the loss of several jobs, including her CNN gig. On May 30, Cooper tweeted his disapproval of Griffins artistic expression, calling it disgusting and completely inappropriate, and Griffin admitted at a June 2 news conference that Coopers comments hurt her. For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.  Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) May 31, 2017 In July, Cooper appeared on Bravos Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and stated that he and Griffin were still friends. Yeah, were still friends, and look I said what I said about  I didnt think what she said was appropriate, but I wish her the best and I hope she bounces back, he stated. But Griffin claimed that at that point, nearly two months after the fact, she had yet to hear from Cooper privately. In reality, it wasnt until Aug. 10 that Cooper finally reached out to Griffin in a series of text messages, CNN confirmed to The Cut  at which point Griffin informed him that their friendship was over. Facebook

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In One Mississippi Season 2 trailer, Tig Notaro prays for the gay to stay By Christie DZurilla Tig Notaros One Mississippi is coming back for a second season, one in which her character is getting used to life back in her small Mississippi hometown. Season 1 of the Amazon Prime Video series took viewers through a fictionalized series of events that echoed Notaros own life: a potentially deadly intestinal illness, breast cancer, a double mastectomy, the unexpected death of her beloved mother and a romantic breakup. Yup, its a dark comedy. In Season 2, L.A. transplant Tig is navigating her new environs, including strategizing about how to proceed with a crush on Straight Kate and dealing with some well-meaning, pray-the-gay-away critics of her radio show. Plus, theres her stepfathers whole dishwasher drill to contend with, not to mention the story line that has to do with sexual assault. The new season of One Mississippi starts streaming Sept. 8. Facebook

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Watch Frank Oceans lyric video for new song Provider By Randall Roberts As is his wont these days, R&B superstar Frank Ocean unveiled a new song, Provider, his own way: during the newest installment of Blonded Radio, the Apple Music/Beats 1 radio show he hosts and curates. The ballads a meditation that name-checks Aphex Twin, shoegaze, Talking Heads, Jaws, Patagonia sportswear and Stanley Kubrick, and moves through verses without much regard for structure. Immediately following the Sunday premiere, Ocean dropped the lyric video on his website. Featuring a souped-up mini-boombox retrofitted with bigger speaker cones and a Velcro-attached machete, the clip suggests an owner getting ready to hunt prey while using Provider as the lure. Ocean hasnt uploaded the clip to YouTube, but you can listen and watch on his blonded.co website. Facebook

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Gone With the Wind, deemed insensitive, has been pulled from a Memphis theater By Christie DZurilla Gone With the Wind will not be shown in the future by a Tennessee theater that decided it was insensitive to many in the local community. The 1939 movie, which marked the first Oscar win by a black actor, depicts a romanticized view of slavery and life on a Southern plantation before, during and after the Civil War. Gone With the Wind, which won 10 Academy Awards in 1940, including for best picture, had been shown by the Orpheum Theatre Group for years as part of an annual Summer Movie Series, according to Memphis Commercial-Appeal. At times, it was screened more than once a year, the paper said. This year, however, a different climate prevailed. The recent screening of Gone With the Wind at the Orpheum on Friday, Aug. 11, 2017, generated numerous comments, Brett Batterson, president of the theater group, said Friday in a statement (via the New York Times). The Orpheum carefully reviewed all of them. As an organization whose stated mission is to entertain, educate and enlighten the communities it serves, the Orpheum cannot show a film that is insensitive to a large segment of its local population. The majority of Memphis residents are black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The screening happened, coincidentally, on the day before a rally of white nationalists that turned violent in Charlottesville, Va.  a rally that has been followed by a national conversation about whether to purge monuments to Civil War generals and soldiers from public spaces. In an interview with the Commercial-Appeal, Batterson said the appropriateness of screening Gone With the Wind had been discussed every year, but the social media storm this year really brought it home. By Monday, comments on social media, including on the Facebook post announcing the screening, had shifted in large part to defense of Gone With the Wind as a product of its time that, despite its romanticized portrayal of the Old South and of slavery, was still part of movie history and worth showing on a big screen. The Orpheum did not respond Monday to The Times requests for comment. Hattie McDaniels Oscar win for supporting actress was a significant first but was also loaded with a lot of political and racial issues given that the film was the classic archetype of the Mammy, said Adilifu Nama, associate professor of African American Studies at Loyola Marymount University, speaking to The Times in 2014. McDaniels role of Mammy is fundamentally a subservient role and is part of a film that is a Southern racial fantasy, Nama said. Facebook

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Taylor Swift gets petty and Pink talks pretty in the must-see moments from MTVs Video Music Awards By Libby Hill Were you too busy watching [spoiler] revealed as [spoiler] on Sunday nights Game of Thrones finale to watch MTVs Video Music Awards? Fear not! Weve gathered up four must-see moments from the socially conscious affair (and one lackluster video debut from Taylor Swift) to keep you in the loop. Pinks PowerPoint presentation It was a banner night for singer Pink, who received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for her body of work and used the occasion to share an anecdote about her daughter Willow. Recently, Pink stated, her daughter referred to herself as the ugliest person she knew and complained that she looked like a boy with long hair. At first, the Raise Your Glass singer was taken aback by her daughters words but soon swung into action, compiling an elaborate PowerPoint presentation about the history of androgynous rock stars, including Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Annie Lennox. Pink relayed a simple sentiment that most of us could learn a lot from: So, baby, girl, we dont change. We take the gravel and the shell and we make a pearl. Logic talks emotions Plenty of artists used the VMAs stage to speak passionately about issues they care about, but few did so as extensively as rapper Logic. After his performance of 1-800-273-8255" with Khalid and Alessia Cara, the title of which is the phone number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Logic talked about mental health and equality. Beginning at 3:50 in the above video, Logic first thanked the audience for giving him a platform to discuss the important issue of mental health. He then quickly pivoted to other pressing social issues including discrimination, sexism and domestic violence. I dont give a damn if youre black, white or any color in between, Logic said. I dont care if youre Christian, youre Muslim, youre gay, youre straight, I am gonna fight for your equality because I believe that we are all born equal, but we are not treated equally and that is why we must fight. Jared Leto honors Chester Bennington Logics performance and subsequent speech were particularly moving given the past years loss of two rock musicians to suicide  Linkin Parks Chester Bennington and Soundgardens Chris Cornell. Jared Leto, an Academy Award winner and frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars, spoke about both men at Sundays ceremony. MTV asked me to come here to say a few words about Chester and the late, great, Chris Cornell, two artists I had the absolute pleasure of touring with, Leto said of the two singers who were also close friends. Chester said of Chris, Your voice was joy and pain and anger and forgiveness, love and heartache, all wrapped up into one, Leto recalled. Leto also recounted his own memories of Bennington. I think about his heart, Leto said. And I remember his voice. At once ferocious and delicate, that voice will live forever. Fifth Harmony gets shady Despite the pleas for equality and the heartfelt speeches, there was still plenty of time for pettiness at the VMAs, as evidenced by Fifth Harmonys performance. As the group took the stage to perform its latest single, Angel, a mystery fifth member appeared in the lineup before being unceremoniously yanked offstage as the song began. What appeared as an inexplicable stunt to the uninitiated was likely a shady reference to former Fifth Harmony frontwoman Camila Cabello, who exited the group in December to pursue a solo career. It wasnt so much that Cabellos departure stung her former colleagues but that she reportedly failed to inform them of her decision before announcing it to the world. Oops. Also Taylor Swift Unless you were in a coma for the whole of last week, you probably heard that Taylor Swift announced the release date for her upcoming album, Reputation, as well as releasing the first single, Look What You Made Me Do. Its fine. Sunday night, Swift debuted the video for Look What You Made Me Do. It is also fine. This has been your daily Taylor Swift update. Facebook

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Kevin Hart, Beyonce and Drake lead charge for Hurricane Harvey flood relief By Nardine Saad (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) As Harvey lashed southeastern Texas over the weekend, celebrities rallied for the relief effort. Comedian Kevin Hart led the charge Sunday night, donating $25,000 and challenging his celebrity friends to donate to the Red Cross amid catastrophic flooding in the Lone Star State. I think weve participated in a lot of challenges on the Internet, some meaningful, some meaningless, but weve all done them. Ive been a person thats partaken in several of them, Hart said in an Instagram video. At this point, this is a serious matter, he continued. I think the people are in bad shape and they need help. Im going to lead the charge and step up in this way. The Jumanji star called on his co-star Dwayne Johnson, comics Steve Harvey, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld, as well as musicians Jay-Z, Beyonce and Justin Timberlake to make donations and tag someone else to do the same. At that point, Houston native Beyonce and Kelly Rowland of Destinys Child had already posted notes about their hometown on Instagram, sending thoughts and prayers to the state that launched their careers. View Instagram post View Instagram post The deluge of support continued with country star Chris Young. The Man I Want to Be singer posted an emotional YouTube video about his certainty that his Texas home was destroyed and concern for his friends and family in the state. He donated $100,000 to relief efforts to a GoFundMe campaign to benefit the Red Cross. Harvey, one of the worst natural disasters in the states history, slammed onshore Friday as a Category 4 hurricane, then weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday, dropping up to 24 inches of rain on Houston in 24 hours. The National Weather Service reported that at least five people had died as of Sunday evening, but that number was expected to increase as the floodwaters recede. More than 30,000 people across the Gulf Coast are likely to seek temporary shelter as the tropical storm continues to drench southeastern Texas and Louisiana with heavy rains and surging floodwaters, The Times reported. Toronto native Drake, who has lived in Houston for the last eight years, said that he and DJ Future the Prince are working with local relief groups to aid and assist the people of Texas in anyway we can and in the most immediate way possible. I also want to thank all the men and women of service and volunteers for their courageous efforts to help people in need, the rapper said on Instagram. I encourage everyone to do what they can to assist the people of Texas knowing whatever effort you can make to help will go a long way. View Instagram post Also, during the MTV Video Music Awards Awards on Sunday, host Katy Perry touched upon the catastrophic event. She too urged viewers to donate to the Red Cross. All of us here at the VMAs are sending love to the people of southeastern Texas and everyone affected by Hurricane Harvey right now, Perry said onstage. Were praying for your safety in the days to come and we stand with you as you rebuild because were all in this together. According to the Houston Chronicle, more than 15 inches of rain could fall on several more southeastern Texas cities. Corpus Christi, where Harvey first made landfall, saw upward of 20 inches of rain in two days. By Monday morning, up to 40 inches of rain had fallen on northeast Houston. Another 20 inches were expected Monday before Tropical Storm Harvey travels farther east. Facebook

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Susan Bro, mother of slain Charlottesville protester Heather Heyer, announces anti-hate foundation at the MTV VMAs By Randall Roberts (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) During an evening filled with defiant messages against racism, homophobia and body shaming, the mother of Heather Heyer announced some concrete actions to further the cause. Susan Bro, whose daughter was killed two weeks ago during protests in Charlottesville, Va., has worked through her grief by speaking out against racism, and took a further step by creating the Heather Heyer Foundation. Describing it as a nonprofit organization that will provide scholarships to help more people to join Heathers fight against hatred, Bro requested that viewers visit the new site to help me make Heathers death count. Added Bro: Heather never marched alone. She was always joined by people from every race and every background in this country. Bro was introduced by Robert Lee IV -- a descendant of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee -- who said his ancestor has became of idol of white supremacy and hate. Lee went on to describe racism as Americas original sin. He went on to ask all of those with privilege to confront white supremacy and racism head-on. Watch his speech below. I call on all of us with privilege and power to confront racism and white supremacy head-on" - Robert Lee IV #VMAs pic.twitter.com/ko4SM9VnaU  MTV (@MTV) August 28, 2017 Facebook

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Watch Pinks inspiring MTV VMA speech to individuality By Randall Roberts In receiving her Video Vanguard award at the MTV VMAs on Sunday at the Forum -- the shows equivalent of a lifetime achievement trophy -- the pop star Pink told a story about a conversation shed recently had with her young daughter. They were driving to school and her daughter said, Mama, Im the ugliest girl I know. Pink replied, Huh? And she was like, Yeah, I look like a boy with long hair. Pink said that she immediately thought, My god, youre 6. Where is this coming from? The artist and mom didnt lecture her daughter. Instead, said Pink: I went home and made a PowerPoint presentation for her, and in that presentation were androgynous rock stars and artists that live their truth; are probably made fun of every day of their lives and carry on and wave their flag; and inspire the rest of us. These are artists like Michael Jackson and David Bowie and Freddie Mercury and Annie Lennox and Prince and Janis Joplin and George Michael, Elton John, so many artists. Pink said that her daughters eyes glazed over, but Pink pressed her about why she felt that way about herself. What do you think I look like? She said, Youre beautiful. The pop singer explained that she gets critiqued, too. They say I look like a boy or Im too masculine or Im too -- I have too many opinions. My body is too strong. I said to her, Do you see me growing my hair? She said No Mama. I said, Do you see me changing my body? She said, No Mama. Do you see me changing the way I present myself to the world? No Mama. Do you see me selling out arenas all over the world. Yes Mama. OK baby girl. We dont change. We take the gravel and the shell and we make a pearl. And we help other people to change so that they can see more kinds of beauty. Added Pink in closing: To all the artists here, Im so inspired by you. Thank you for being your true selves and for lighting the way for us. Facebook

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Watch Jared Leto offer touching tribute to Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington at the MTV VMAs By Randall Roberts In a moving tribute to two fallen musicians, the actor and musician Jared Leto honored the lives of Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park at the MTV VMAs on Sunday. Cornell and Bennington committed suicide in 2017, and Leto was friends with both. In 1976 in Phoenix, Ariz., a child was born. He was precocious, full of life, and determined, and grew up to become the singer of one of the greatest rock bands in the history of music, Leto said. His name was Chester Bennington, and the band is Linkin Park. Leto added that MTV asked him to say a few words about Bennington and Cornell, who he described as two artists that I had the absolute pleasure of touring with. They were close friends with one another -- Chester even singing the cover of the classic Hallelujah at Chris funeral. Recalling Benningtons words at Cornells funeral service, Leto said: Chester said of Chris, Your voice was joy and pain and anger and forgiveness, love and heartache all wrapped up into one. Just weeks later, Chester himself was gone. Chester was my friend. As he was to so many. Witnessing his life taught me important things -- especially about working relentlessly, pursuing dreams and being kind and caring while doing it. Facebook

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Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert and more steal the MTV VMA spotlight By Gerrick Kennedy Kodak Black arriving at the MTV VMAs. (Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press) The line near a concession stand inside the Forum minutes before the MTV VMAs kicked off on Sunday was lengthy, but no one was waiting on food or drinks. Instead, a dozen or so folks waited patiently to get a selfie with Kodak Black, who high-fived and posed with as fans fumbled with smartphones. The VMAs are typically rife with heavyweights (Kendrick Lamar, Katy Perry, etc.) but this years ceremony looked to tap into the wide scene of rising acts that have been dominating streaming services and social media all summer. Before the telecast even began Lil Uzi Vert clinched a major win, taking the trophy for song of summer for XO Tour Llif3" and he later joined Ed Sheeran for the tune, no doubt the nights most surprising collaboration. Meanwhile, Khalids pre-show medley could have easily anchored the main show while reality star turned breakout rap sensation Cardi B was another highlight of the pre-show festivities. Her viral hit Bodak Yellow rattled throughout the Forum during nearly every commercial break. Fifth Harmony later made its debut at the VMAs with an explosive main stage performance of Down, a song that also won the award for pop video. Facebook

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Jack Antonoff is living his best life at the MTV VMAs By Mikael Wood Jack Antonoff performs onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards pre-show. (Joshua Blanchard / Getty Images) Has anyone at MTVs Video Music Awards had more screen time so far than Jack Antonoff? First the A-list producer and songwriter turned up on the nights pre-show ceremony for a performance with his band Bleachers. Then he introduced Lorde by noting that hed seen her eat gas-station sushi during the two years they spent together working on her album Melodrama. He also accepted the award for best collaboration  for Taylor Swift and Zayns I Dont Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker), which he helped create  because the singers couldnt be there. But Antonoffs best moment? Obviously the candid reaction shot in which he was shown casually eating a banana, as his girlfriend, Lena Dunham, described it on Twitter. My boyfriend just casually eating a banana at the VMAs is a good reminder of why we've been at it half a decade  Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) August 28, 2017 Facebook

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Watch Taylor Swifts bold Look What You Made Me Do video, which premiered during the MTV VMAs By Randall Roberts Taylor Swifts new video for Look What You Made Me Do, which premiered during the 2017 MTV VMAs on Sunday night, features her dressed as a zombie, a diamond-drenched queen, a red-dressed seductress, a car-crash victim, a bird in a cage, a kitty-masked thief with a baseball bat, a biker chick wearing studded leather and a whip-snapping dominatrix. As she poses and pretends, Swift makes a not-so-veiled reference to her ongoing feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, getting all combative behind the microphone as a feather-light melody jumps behind her. The video premiered during a ceremony hosted by pop star and avowed Swift nemesis Katy Perry. Perry didnt introduce the clip, a hint that the two probably still arent besties. Inside the Forum, the video premiered on multiple big screen TVs rose that from the stage, and Perry was nowhere in sight. As the clip seems to be winding down, the music fades. But Swift hasnt fully made her point. In its final moments arrive a dozen-odd versions of Swift standing in front of a black private jet with the name of her new album, Reputation, scrawled on it. The many Swifts start bickering and referencing the various criticisms that have been lobbied at her over the years. Stop making that face, its so annoying, the zombie Swift says, a nod to what some believe is the exaggerated excitement the artist shows when she wins awards. A young version of Swift interrupts with an innocent Yall! but is shot down by an embittered Swift: Oh stop acting like youre so nice. Youre so fake! Standing in the center of the line is Swift seemingly dressed as she was at the 2009 VMAs, when West interrupted her victory speech to decry Beyonce's loss. Holding her VMA trophy, she says, Id like very much to be excluded from this narrative, both a nod to to the musical Hamilton and a repeat of a phrase Swift posted on social media in wake of controversy resulting from Wests song Famous. In that 2016 tune, he he boasted that I made that [profanity] famous and, therefore, that he and Swift might still have sex. The other Swifts reply in unison: Oh shut up! Facebook

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Kendrick Lamar opens 2017 VMAs with fiery performances of DNA and Humble By Randall Roberts Wearing a red scarf on his head and a poofy winter coat onstage, Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar opened the 2017 MTV VMAs needing neither. Within a few minutes of launching with DNA a dancer center stage burst into flames. You could almost feel the heat simmering through the screen. I was born like this, since one like this, Lamar rapped. Immaculate conception/I transform like this, perform like this. Perform he did, moving into a second track, Humble, from his recent album Damn. Shedding the coat, he stood in front of a fiery backdrop grid that burned as dancers scaled it. As they did so, Lamar rapped, My left stroke just went viral/Right stroke put lil baby in a spiral. It was the opening shot of a VMAs in which politics and protest may end up taking center stage. Indeed, moments later presenter Paris Jackson drew a rousing applause when she denounced the racism and hatred propogated by white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Facebook

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Heidi Klum, Jack Antonoff and others stand in support of transgender military service members at VMAs By Randall Roberts View Instagram post As the 2017 Video Music Awards were approaching, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) was out in full force at the Forum. Its president and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis, walked the red carpet along with her invited guests: six transgender members of the military. The action came in the wake of President Donald Trumps direction to the Pentagon on Friday, as reported in The Times, to return to the long-standing policy and practice barring military service by transgender individuals. Praising MTV as a pioneering advocate for the LGBTQ community, Ellis said in a statement, Throughout all the tweets, memos, and speculation, brave transgender Americans are still serving their country and defending the freedoms of this nation while meeting the same rigorous standards of their peers. We are proud to stand with them. Posing in support: musicians and celebrities including Jack Antonoff (Bleachers), supermodel Heidi Klum, actor-comedian Billy Eichner and others, who stood alongside transgender service members including Jennifer Peace, Logan Ireland, Sterling James Crutcher and Akira Wyatt, as well as trans veterans Laila Ireland and Brynn Tannehil. Also joining them was LGBTQ philanthropist August Getty, who in his other life is a fashion designer responsible for Miley Cyruss red carpet dress. Facebook

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MTV VMAs return to Southern California with an overwhelmingly impressive setup By Gerrick Kennedy Cardi B performing at the pre-show for the MTV VMAs. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press) After heading to the East Coast last year, the MTV VMAs have returned to Southern California. And tonight at the Forum in Inglewood, it was clear that the network decided to go big  huge really. Upon arrival to the venue it appeared that the scale of this years show was unlike anything MTV had done in recent history. A structure that looked like a space shuttle swallowed the lot in front of the venue, and stars such as Cardi B and Big Freedia could be seen pumping through the red carpet (its a deep shade of blue this year). Inside the Forum, the stage took up the entirety of the venues ground floor. The imprint of the stage was impressive, even overwhelming in size as a maze of catwalks and secondary stages traced the floor, all of which was outlined by hundreds of glowing triangles and projection screens. It made for a futuristic playground of geometric glowing shapes that show opener Kendrick Lamar put to use immediately as he emerged from the center of the venue for the explosive DNA, strutting through half of the venue before making it to the main stage. Facebook

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Taylor Swift breaks YouTube record with Look What You Made Me Do video By Randy Lewis Taylor Swift set a YouTube record with the lyric video for her new single Look What You Made Me Do, tallying 19 million views in just the first 24 hours. Thats more than double the previous first-day record for a lyric video, which was set in February by the lyric video for the Chainsmokers Something Just Like This featuring Coldplay, which registered 9 million views upon its release. Its also the best 24-hour figure Swift has logged, besting the first-day result for her 2015 official video for Bad Blood, which attracted 17 million views, and has since totaled more than 1.1 billion views. As of Sunday morning, the tally for Look What You Made Me Do had surpassed 35 million. It sets the stage for the premiere tonight of Swifts official video for the new single, which will be introduced during the MTV Video Music Awards Ceremony, taking place at the Forum in Inglewood. The overall record for viewership in the first 24 hours for any music video belongs to Adele, who registered 27.7 million views in 2015 at the premiere of the official video for her song Hello. Facebook

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Why William Friedkin called Tobe Hoopers Texas Chain Saw Massacre an Umami Burger of a movie By Mark Olsen Director Tobe Hooper, who died in Los Angeles on Saturday at age 74, created many movies and TV shows during his long career  including stepping to helm the filming of Poltergeist when Steven Spielberg was contractually banned from directing other films during the production of ET: The Extra Terrestrial. Hoopers most admired film, of course, was 1974s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In 2014, on the occasion of the films 40th anniversary, The Exorcist director William Friedkin interviewed Hooper before an overflow audience at Los Angeles Vista theater. During the engaging conversation, Friedkin called Hooper one of the sweetest, nicest guys Ive ever known. And then added, So I often wonder where this stuff comes from. Hooper talked about purposely pitting his actors against each other to keep the on-screen tension high, how an unlikely pair of albums  Elton Johns Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Lou Reeds Berlin  inspired him during the writing of the screenplay, and about how damn strong women are, referring to the resilent character played by Marilyn Burns. Shes just not going to die. At one point, Friedkin provocatively asked, Do you think this is a work of art? Hooper first asked, Should I be modest? before responding with a salty confirmation, Its a ... work of art. The Times Mark Olsen was there for the interview. At the end of his article, theres this affirmation of the film from Friedkin: No 3-D, no CGI, welcome to this Umami Burger of a movie. Read on to find his reasoning. Read More Facebook

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Cinefamily suspends all activities in wake of sexual misconduct allegations By Sonaiya Kelley The Cinefamily on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times) Following the resignations Tuesday of two leadership figures at Cinefamily, the Los Angeles independent film venue has announced that it is temporarily suspending all activities to allow for the investigation and necessary restructure of management and the board. Recently, claims were made alleging improper behavior by one of more members of the organization, reads a release posted on the organizations website and social media pages. The Board of Directors of The Cinefamily has no tolerance for any form of behavior that does not conform to the high standards demanded by our members and staff and that of common human decency. The letter also says that Cinefamily is bringing on an independent third party, Giles Miller at Lynx Insights & Investigations, to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations. View Twitter post A spokesperson for the theater could not immediately be reached for comment. The announcement comes in the wake of two high profile exits: co-founder and executive creative director, Hadrian Belove, and vice president of its board of directors, Shadie Elnashai, resigned on Tuesday following allegations of sexual misconduct. The exits were announced in postings on Cinefamilys social media accounts. In light of recent events, Shadie Elnashai has resigned from Cinefamilys Board of Directors and Hadrian Belove has resigned as the Executive Creative Director of Cinefamily, read the statement. Addressing the anonymous allegations in a post to his personal Facebook account following his resignation, Belove described the emails contents as demonstrable lies and half-truths, and allegations without known victims. It is not clear whether screenings currently scheduled will still run, and there has been grumbling by monthly billed members as to whether or not automated charges will be suspended or cancelled. Facebook

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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper dies in Los Angeles at 74 By Associated Press Tobe Hooper, the horror-movie pioneer whose low-budget sensation The Texas Chain Saw Massacre took a buzz saw to audiences with its brutally frightful vision, has died. He was 74. The Los Angeles County coroners office says Hooper died Saturday in Sherman Oaks. It was reported as a natural death. Hooper and contemporaries like George Romero crafted some of the scariest nightmares that ever haunted moviegoers. He directed 1982s Poltergeist from a script by Steven Spielberg and was behind the 1979 miniseries Salems Lot, based on the Stephen King novel. Read More Facebook

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Is Taylor Swift trying to turn off her listeners? By Mikael Wood We can skip the rundown of Taylor Swifts feud with Kanye West, right? Less than 24 hours after the worlds biggest pop star unleashed her new single on a waiting commentariat, Im already exhausted by the idea of having to read (let alone write) yet another rehash of this deeply tiresome conflict. But you know whos not over it? Taylor Swift. In Look What You Made Me Do  released online Thursday night as the lead single from a new album, Reputation, due in November  the singer sounds positively fired up as she takes whack after brutal whack at the rapper who once interrupted her at an awards show. (Swift doesnt name West, to be clear, but with her reference to a tilted stage, she doesnt need to.) I dont like your perfect crime / How you laugh when you lie, she seethes over a throbbing electronic groove, You said the gun was mine / Isnt cool  no, I dont like you. Later in the tune, which Swift created with Jack Antonoff, she pretends to answer a phone call from someone evidently looking for the old Taylor  the sucker, you presume, who mightve let bygones be bygones. But she cant come to the phone, Swift tells the caller. Why? she adds. Oh, cause shes dead. Whats surprising about Look What You Made Me Do  beyond the harsh industrial production that makes it feel like Swifts response to her enemys Yeezus  is that it suggests the singer no longer cares (or is no longer able to tell) what pop fans want. Swift rose to superstardom by anticipating listeners desires; she knew just when to pivot from acoustic guitars to sleek synthesizers, from the fairy-tale romance of early hits like Love Story to the more grown-up depiction found on her last album, 2014s smash 1989. On tour behind that record, she spent a good portion of her show every night telling the members of her audience how closely shed been paying attention to them. But dredging up Taylor v. Kanye again? I mean, I cant be the only one whos sick of this topic  something Swift wouldve known a few years ago without even having to think about it. OK, so she hardly lacks for company among A-listers eager to cook expired beef. Earlier this summer Katy Perry revived her ancient tussle with Swift  I believe it had something to do with backup dancers?  for Swish Swish. But Perrys song takes delight in its own pettiness, whereas Look What You Made Me Do just makes me think of President Trump whining endlessly about fake news. (Crediting Right Said Fred for the songs supposed debt to Im Too Sexy is funny in writing, but the inspiration adds little humor to the dour music.) Maybe Swift isnt aiming for me, though. Maybe this polarizing song is meant to galvanize her base  which, sure enough, is rhapsodizing about the track on social media  even at the expense of the wider world shes dominated for much of the last decade. If thats her play, its a wild one, especially coming after her powerful testimony during the recent trial regarding her alleged sexual assault at the hands of a Denver radio DJ. In court, Swift appeared driven to speak with a voice loud enough for others. Now, just days later, she seems uninterested in that job. Have we ever seen a pop star so happily give up a portion of her following? Thats an idea Im not tired of considering. Maybe Reputation will take it up. Facebook

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Concerts by Coldplay, other acts canceled as Hurricane Harvey nears Texas By August Brown Coldplay performs at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in 2016. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times) As the potentially devastating Hurricane Harvey approaches the Texas coast, major acts including Coldplay, Lady Antebellum and Mary J. Blige have canceled or rescheduled their Houston-area concerts. Coldplay on Friday postponed a show scheduled for NRG Stadium in Houston. We really wanted to play tonight, but sitting here all together watching the news about the storm, we feel that we cant ask anyone to put their safety at risk. So, sadly, we will have to postpone, the band wrote. Live Nation Houston said ticket-holders would be updated when there was further information. We urge all fans in the area to stay safe, it said. A makeup date has not yet been scheduled. The country trio Lady Antebellum canceled its Sunday show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in the Woodlands, citing the storm. Blige postponed her Friday show at the Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land. The venue announced that the concert had been rescheduled to Sept. 19. The Category 3 storm, which would be the first major hurricane to hit the United States since 2005, is expected to make landfall in coastal Texas on Saturday morning, bringing 100-mph winds and up to 35 inches of rain in some areas. Facebook

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Bachelor couple Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi break off their engagement By Christie DZurilla (Leon Bennett / Getty Images) Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi, who got engaged on the most recent season of The Bachelor, have  with a great amount of heartbreak  called the whole thing off. We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for, they said Friday in a statement to E! News. The relationship lasted five months after the proposal aired on the Season 21 finale of The Bachelor in March. The two said in their statement that theyre parting with love and admiration for one another. The silver lining to what they called a difficult decision? This means Nick is potentially available for yet another TV stint in the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. That as-yet-imaginary gig would be his fifth ride on the looking-for-love roller coaster. In Bachelor Nation, its always good to dream. Facebook

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Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher settle lawsuit over websites photos of their kids By Nardine Saad (Michael Nelson / EPA) Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis legal battle with British website MailOnline has been settled. The Two and a Half Men actor, the Bad Moms actress and the outlet have reached a satisfactory resolution of their legal action regarding the publication of photos of their children, their legal representatives said in a joint statement to The Times on Friday. The couple, who starred in That 70s Show together years before they began dating, took the websites publisher, Associated Newspapers, to Londons High Court in July 2015 over two articles featuring their daughter, who was 1 at the time. The U.K.'s MailOnline.com published images of Wyatt taken during a private family outing to the beach. A paparazzo used a long-lens camera to obtain the images, and the couple said they were unaware the photos were being taken. They claimed that the photos breached the Data Protection Act and were used for the unauthorized promotion of clothing on the website. [T]hey have reached a satisfactory resolution of their legal action, which includes an agreement to pixelate photographs of their daughter, Wyatt, their son, Dimitri, and any future children they should have together.  Joint statement from Kutcher, Kunis and the MailOnline announcing their lawsuit settlement Per the agreement announced Friday, the outlet will pixelate photographs of Kutchers and Kunis daughter, Wyatt, their son, Dimitri, and any future children they should have together. The settlement is the latest legal blow to MailOnline and its associated newspaper, the Daily Mail. (The U.S. version of the website, DailyMail.com, is run by a separate news team.) In April, the tabloids parent company settled a libel suit with First Lady Melania Trump over an article it ran in the paper and online that suggested she may have once worked as an escort. In July 2014, George Clooney lambasted the Daily Mail in a USA Today op-ed that accused it of making up stories in the wake of an article it published about his mother-in-law. He got an apology and an acknowledgement that the story was inaccurate. That same month, Angelina Jolie reportedly threatened to take legal action after it published a video that claimed to show her under the influence of heroin in the 1990s. Facebook

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Taylor Swifts Look What You Made Me Do lyrics: Let the analysis begin By Randy Lewis As if there were any doubt as to the level of interest in Taylor Swifts first new music in three years, her first single from her forthcoming album, Reputation, has been blowing up since it premiered Thursday night. The lyric video for Look What You Made Me Do had logged more than 7 million views as of 9:30 a.m. Friday. Additionally, Swift tweeted that the official video for the song will premiere Sunday during the MTV Video Music Awards ceremony. For those who want to dig in and attempt to decode what and to whom the I dont like you references might refer, here are the full lyrics to the song: Look What You Made Me Do FIRST VERSE I dont like your little games Dont like your tilted stage The role you made me play Of the fool, no, I dont like you I dont like your perfect crime How you laugh when you lie You said the gun was mine Isnt cool, no, I dont like you PRE-CHORUS But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time Ive got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined I check it once, then I check it twice, oh! CHORUS Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Ooh, look what you made me do Look What you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do SECOND VERSE I dont like your kingdom keys They once belonged to me You ask for a place to sleep Locked me out and threw a feast (what?) The world goes on, another day, another drama, drama But not for me, not for me, all I think about is karma And then the world moves on, but one things for sure Baby, I got mine, but youll all get yours PRE CHORUS REPEATS But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time Ive got a list of names and yours is in red, underlined I check it once, then I check it twice, oh! CHORUS REPEATS Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do THIRD VERSE I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams I dont trust nobody and nobody trusts me Ill be the actress starring in your bad dreams (Look what you made me do) (Look what you made me do) ANSWERING MACHINE INTERLUDE Im sorry, the old Taylor cant come to the phone right now. Why? Oh cause shes dead! CHORUS REPEATS Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Ooh, look what you made me do Look what you made me do Look what you just made me do Look what you just made me do Facebook

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Patty Jenkins isnt surprised James Cameron doesnt get Wonder Woman By Tracy Brown Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins has some words about James Camerons comments on the Amazonian warrior goddess: Of course he doesnt get it. Following the Avatar directors claims that Wonder Woman is a step backwards for women, Jenkins responded in a tweet that Camerons thoughts are unsurprising because he is not a woman. In an interview with the Guardian, Cameron threw some shade on Wonder Womans success by trying to compare Diana Prince to Sarah Connor from his Terminator franchise. "[Sarah Connor] was strong, she was troubled, she was a terrible mother, and she earned the respect of the audience through pure grit, Cameron said. Nothing like the objectified beauty icon he considers Wonder Woman to be. Jenkins points out that Camerons narrow qualifications for what makes a good female hero are restrictive and not at all progressive. If women have to always be hard, tough and troubled to be strong, and we arent free to be multidimensional or celebrate an icon of women everywhere because she is attractive and loving, then we havent come very far have we, Jenkins wrote. Jenkins also insisted that there should be room for all types of female lead characters and that women themselves should be the judge of these icons of progress. There is no right and wrong kind of powerful woman, she wrote. Read Jenkins full statement below. pic.twitter.com/8zkJXHLCJW  Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) August 25, 2017 Facebook

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James Cameron thinks Wonder Womans success is misguided: Shes an objectified icon By Nardine Saad (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) James Cameron isnt here for Wonder Womans blockbuster success. In fact, the moviemaker calls the much-loved superhero flick (Wonder Woman is currently at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes) a step back from the female heroes he created in the 80s and 90s. It appears that the Titanic and Terminator 2" director, whose films often put tough women at the center of the action, doesnt think that Gal Gadots character was complicated or groundbreaking enough to merit so much acclaim -- $800 million at the worldwide box office aside. All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywoods been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided. Shes an objectified icon, and its just male Hollywood doing the same old thing! Cameron said in an interview with the Guardian. All of the self-congratulatory back-patting Hollywoods been doing over Wonder Woman has been so misguided. Shes an objectified icon, and its just male Hollywood doing the same old thing!  Filmmaker James Cameron on Wonder Woman The director, who was cast in the article as softened and evolved from his bone-crushing early movie-making days, believes that Wonder Woman was a step backwards. (Dont get him wrong, he did like Patty Jenkins summer blockbuster -- the first-ever feature-film incarnation of the DC Comics heroine and the highest-grossing live-action film directed by a woman -- just not enough to let it pass without throwing a little shade Diana Princes way.) Backwards in comparison with Camerons complex Sarah Connor character from the Terminator franchise. Sarah Connor was not a beauty icon. She was strong, she was troubled, she was a terrible mother, and she earned the respect of the audience through pure grit. And to me, [the benefit of characters like Sarah] is so obvious. I mean, half the audience is female! Cameron said. The three-time Oscar wi
Opposites not only attracted but they also joined and thrived to thrilling effect in the life and work of director Jean-Pierre Melville.

French through and through, he often wore a Stetson and changed his name from Grumbach to Melville because he greatly admired America, its movies and the author of Moby-Dick in particular.

Once best known as a filmmaker whose independence was an inspiration to the French New Wave, he now commands at least as much respect and interest as they do  witness the splendid series starting Aug. 4 at the American Cinematheques Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

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Jean-Pierre Melville at 100, timed to celebrate the centenary of his birth, showcases features from both sides of his creative personality, playing in either DCP restorations or rare 35mm prints. The filmmakers nephew, Remy Grumbach, will introduce many of the selections.

Melville, who was a hero of the French Resistance during World War II, used psychological acuity and stylistic dazzle to celebrate make-believe bravery in his films. He made movies about moral dilemmas as if they were thrillers and treated his thrillers like exercises in morality. He died of a heart attack in 1973 at age 55, but hes never been more popular than he is today.

While the moral films, which tend to have the Resistance as a setting, are more profound, the crime films, where hard and lonely men live by their own unwavering code as they walk the meanest streets in town, are inevitably more diverting.

The greatest of the moral films is arguably 1969s knockout Army of Shadows, starring Lino Ventura as a key Resistance operative. It emphasizes the unheroic nature of heroism, its undramatic matter of factness.

Shot in bleak, muted color, Shadows gives a sense of how savage and unrelenting the demands of wartime can be, and of how alone and hopeless those who commit to action can feel. History may glorify them now, but at the time, these individuals despaired of their frailties and worried that they were not doing enough.

Also set during the war is Melvilles first picture, 1949s Le Silence de la Mer, based on a novel whose author allowed the filming only if Melville promised to destroy the negative if a jury of former Resistance fighters disapproved of it. Silence is a strange and mesmerizing movie, taking place almost entirely in a rural French house. A German officer is billeted there with a woman and her uncle, but the pair refuse to speak to him.

Gradually, as the film combines images and sounds but avoids conventional dialogue and action, the relations between these people change in a way that is as dramatic as it is almost imperceptible. Because this precise, austere movie predates the celebrated work of Robert Bresson, Melville could justifiably claim, as he did, that its Bresson who has always been Melvillian.

Perhaps the most unusual of Melvilles moral tales is 1961s Leon Morin, Priest, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, the hottest actor in France after 1960s Breathless, as a confident, charismatic, way handsome priest. No wonder Communist and atheist Barney (Emmanuelle Riva of Hiroshima Mon Amour and, much later, Amour) cant get him out of her mind.

An examination of the intertwining of the great passions of romance and religion, Leon Morin is taken up with what can be described only as a religious flirtation, with priest and parishioner engaging in theological discussions that always have an undercurrent of sexual tension about them. Belmondo is cast more to type in Le Doulos. Its not the first of Melvilles gangster films (that would be 1955s lighter, more romantic Bob le Flambeur, the story of a professional gambler who wants to cap his career by robbing the casino at Deauville), but its one of the most involving.

Written by Melville from a French crime novel, Le Doulos has a plot of fearsome complexity, containing betrayals and counter-betrayals as everyone wonders who the informer in their midst might be. Starring Belmondo alongside veterans like Serge Reggiani and Michel Piccoli, Le Doulos begins with an unexpected death and specializes in actions that defy immediate explanation.

Also reappearing from the moral tales is Army of Shadows Ventura, who stars as an escaped gangster who wants to restart his life of crime in Le Deuxieme Souffle, Melvilles most commercially successful thriller. But the directors most frequent star, especially as his style got increasingly pared down, was Alain Delon, an actor with the beautiful, blank face and dead eyes of a killer angel. Delon is in three of Melvilles movies, including 1970s Le Cercle Rouge (costarring with Gian Maria Volonte and Yves Montand in an icy tale of jewel thievery, betrayal and revenge) as well as the last picture Melville made, 1972s Un Flic.

Co-starring the unlikely duo of Richard Crenna and Catherine Deneuve, Un Flic boasts not one but two knockout robbery sequences, the first, at a French seaside town in the deserted dead of winter, unfolding as ritualistically as a Japanese tea ceremony.

Delon is also the star of what is likely Melvilles gangster masterpiece, 1967s Le Samourai, an austere poem of crime so admired that its the only feature the Cinematheque is showing twice.

Le Samourais plot returns to one of Melvilles favorite themes, the links between criminals and those who enforce the law, and the intricate mechanics of their parallel operations. An attempt by the police to trap Delons Jef Costello on the Metro, a system he knows as intimately as the Phantom knows the catacombs under the Paris Opera, is one of the films most bravura sequences.

Never an effusive director, Melville pared his style as far as it could go in Le Samourai, muting the colors to the point where he chose the bird that is Jefs only friend because of its black and white plumage and keeping the dialogue to terse exchanges: Who are you? It doesnt matter. What do you want? To kill you. Elegant, dazzling and totally individual, it will, like all the best of Melville, end up leaving you breathless.

Jean-Pierre Melville at 100

At the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood

www.egyptiantheatre.com

All screenings are at 7:30 p.m. except as noted.

The schedule:

Aug. 4  Le Deuxieme Souffle

Aug. 5  Le Samourai

Aug. 5 at 10 p.m.  Le Silence de la Mer

Aug. 6  Le Cercle Rouge

Aug. 10  Leon Morin, Priest

Aug. 11  Army of Shadows

Aug. 12  Le Doulos

Aug. 12 at 10 p.m.  Un Flic

Aug. 13 at 5 p.m.  Le Samourai

Aug. 13  Bob le Flambeur

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 
It was news I had been dreading for years, and it came today. Jeanne Moreau is dead at 89.

As a critic, writing about actors is part of the job, but you dont ordinarily meet them, much less form any kind of relationship with them. But Jeanne was different, and a copy of the New York Times was the start of it all.

In 1996, Jeanne was chairman of the Montreal World Film Festival jury that I was a member of, and my initial impression, that she was simultaneously spontaneous, conscientious and playful, never changed. As novelist Nadine Gordimer, whod been on a jury with her at Cannes, said, she was an unlikely combination, both imperious and lovable.

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Though she didnt really remember, Id met Jeanne years earlier, as a Washington Post journalist when she came through town promoting 1976s Lumiere, her first film as a director.

Its very important that women make films, shed said with typical intelligence and directness. In this huge concert, with a majority of masculine instruments, maybe some feminine instruments would bring a little harmony.

A jury experience is more time intensive than an interview, as is tracking down the New York Times, a personal obsession, in a foreign country. When Jeanne, a fellow addict, saw me reading a copy and asked where Id found it, I offered to buy one for her as well, and things went on from there.

Juries routinely exchange contact information when the festival is over, and Jeanne and I kept in touch. Because my wife has lived in Paris, we go back frequently, and it became a ritual to call Jeanne up and go to dinner, often in her neighborhood in the 16th arrondissement.

Jeanne liked restaurants that knew her, that would not make a fuss. She couldnt care less about some of the perks of stardom  she would call us herself at our hotel, which made an impression on the desk clerks  but she was far from indifferent to them. Her philosophy, she once told me, was Dont run away from fame, use it.

Though she would do so if called upon, Jeanne did not especially want to talk about the past. Like many artists, it was invariably her next project that interested her the most.

Most people feel acting is pretending, but for me it is not that, shed said to me in the Post interview. It is to feel to the core of your body and mind so you can express yourself, open yourself up and be truer than life.

Once, visiting her in her apartment in a small but beautiful courtyard building, I commented on the enormous tubs of stunning red roses. Oh, she said with a bemused shrug, they came regularly from a director who was importuning her to take a part. Just the way things are when you are who she was.

Jeanne had an impish sense of humor and an enormous sense of fun, sometimes in an almost childlike way. During a Christmas season visit, she offered us slices of galette des roi, a cake with a small crown hidden inside that is a French Epiphany tradition. I can still see her expression of delight when it appeared in my wifes slice.

What invariably struck me about Jeanne was her enormous curiosity, her formidable intelligence and her passion for knowledge. Everything from brain science to Buddhism interested her deeply, she rarely said anything expected, and conversation with her was always intense and involving no matter what the subject. Jeanne was passionate about more than acting, and even casual observations like generosity is a talent had heft when she said them.

For the past few years, the phone calls and emails went unanswered and the regular visits ended, as did Jeannes film appearances. Mutual friends whispered she was not well, but I had no way of knowing for sure. I dreaded the worst. ,

Jeannes sense of herself as on a quest, as a person who had an exceptional path before her, had always been strong. Of all the stories she told me, the one I remember most was a particularly pointed one from her childhood.

At a young age, Jeanne said, shed gone to the Paris police station near her home and told the officer on duty that there must be some mistake, the uninteresting people she was living with could not possibly be her parents. Those parents were understandably incensed when they came to pick her up, but Jeanne couldnt have cared less. She was an artist on a mission, and from then to now thats all that mattered.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 
Have you tried merken? Imagine the taco/fish/chicken/pork/stew seasoning of your dreams,a wonder spice that has a distinct earthiness and tastes of chiles, paprika and smoke.

The rust-colored spice is made from Goat Horn chile (aji cacho de cabra), cumin and coriander. Its featured predominantly in the cooking of the Mapuche people in Chile and Patagonia, and it can take several months to smoke  with three to four different kinds of wood before its ready, depending on the tribe making it. Yes, its pretty special stuff. And thats why chef Carlos Leiva, who is part of the Mapuche in Patagonia, gets his merken from three different tribes near the Andes and uses it as the flavor base for every single dish he serves on his Mapuche Native Argentinian Food truck.

That includes Leivas chimichurri, the Argentinian herb-based condiment thats as ubiquitous to the cuisine as ketchup is to us . Leiva is proud of his version of chimichurri, which he makes using a mixture of parsley, garlic, olive and grapeseed oils, paprika, cumin, oregano, Champagne and red wine vinegars  and, of course, merken.

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It was an important recipe to have when launching the truck almost two years ago in Los Angeles.

Quinoa empanadas from the Mapuche Native food truck. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

I was cooking at beautiful restaurants like Boa and I was trying to find good sandwiches  good Argentinian sandwiches  and I couldnt, said Leiva, who moved to L.A. 11 years ago after cooking in kitchens in Spain, Italy and Mexico. So I said, I need to do something for Angelenos and try to bring this kind of native Argentinian concept to them.

Thus the chimichurri, used as a marinade and sauce on Leivas sandwiches, tacos, French fries and empanadas. Its what he uses to marinate pounded out petite filet mignon for his lomito sandwich. (The merken gives it that distinct smoked chile flavor youll start to pick up in all of Leivas dishes.)

The steak is grilled and added to a sandwich with a fried egg, sliced ham and cheese, lettuce and tomato. For bread, Leiva is using a French baguette that reminds him of the sandwich bread in Argentina, made for him by Grand Casino Bakery, an Argentinian-style bakery near Culver City. Its a crisp, airy baguette that may remind you of the kind used for Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, only Leivas are slathered with a chimichurri aioli made with his signature sauce, mayonnaise and a little extra lemon juice.

Chimichurri fries are on the menu at the Mapuche Native Argentinian Food truck. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Hes using that same chimichurri to marinate free-range chicken breast before it is battered and fried for his milanesa sandwich. Its also the topping for his chimichurri fries, for which he ladles a mixture of chimichurri and grated Parmesan cheese onto crispy French fries. Theyre wonderfully salty and herbaceous, the perfect alternative to all those gastropub Parmesan truffle fries. Are chimichurri fries the new carne asada fries? They could be.

Leiva is also using the chimichurri to season his empanada fillings, including chicken, beef and quinoa. Yes, quinoa. Its on the menu because of its importance to the Mapuche, rather than a nod to L.A.s ongoing obsession with the stuff.

We use a lot of quinoa in our tribe, said Leiva, who makes his filling with bell pepper, carrots, onions, corn, spinach, mushrooms and more chimichurri. Its the base of a lot of things there, and it works really well for almost anything. You could say the same for all that chile.

The Mapuche Native Argentinian Food truck will soon have a new home in front of a Mapuche coffee shop in Culver City later this summer. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

While Mapuche posts its schedule on the website, youll soon to be able to find the truck parked nightly on Washington Boulevard in Culver City. This is where Leiva is getting ready to open a coffee shop, also called Mapuche, that will feature chocolate and ice cream.

Its all part of Leiva coming full circle, bringing the culture of his homeland to his current home in L.A., an idea that mirrors the kultrun circle of life symbol that serves as the logo for the truck.

Everything at the shop will be from L.A., including the coffee, the machines, everything, said Leiva, who is already working with Groundwork Coffee on the new shop. Thats the only way to do it, helping my new community.

Mapuche the coffee shop is scheduled to open in late August.

10846 Washington Blvd., Culver City, (424) 333-1755, www.mapuchenative.com.

Jenn.Harris@latimes.com

@Jenn_Harris_

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USC names retired aerospace executive Wanda Austin as acting president, announces Nikias departure By Harriet Ryan USC appointed a retired aerospace executive as interim president and laid out a detailed plan for selecting a permanent leader Tuesday, ending speculation about whether outgoing President C.L. Max Nikias might remain in the post. Nikias, embattled over his administrations handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, relinquished his duties after a meeting of USCs board. The trustees tapped one of their own, Wanda Austin, an alumna and former president of the Aerospace Corp., to temporarily run the university. The trustees also approved the formation of a search committee and the hiring of firm Isaacson, Miller to coordinate the selection of a successor. A second search company, Heidrick & Struggles, will also advise trustees. Read More Facebook

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L.A. school district says more are graduating, but rate may not show it By Howard Blume The L.A. Unified School District has hopes of continuing its winning streak this year with another record graduation rate, but the official numbers may not show it. A senior district administrator warned the board Tuesday that graduation rates were likely to decline 2% to 3% across the state, even though L.A. Unified is likely doing better than ever in producing graduates, he said. The issue is that the state will now count high school students who transfer to adult school as dropouts, said Oscar Lafarga, who heads the districts office of data and accountability. Previously, schools treated these students as though they had simply enrolled in another high school, he said. Read More Facebook

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Betsy DeVos to California: Not so fast on that federal education plan By Joy Resmovits In April, Californias top education officials breathed a sigh of relief. After months of debate and back-and-forth with Betsy DeVos staff, they had finalized a plan to satisfy a major education law that aims to make sure all students get a decent education. The state focused on aligning its plan to fulfill the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act with Californias Local Control Funding Formula, which gives extra money to districts to help students who come from low-income families, are in the foster system or are English learners. But this week, DeVos team said not so fast. Jason Botel, the U.S. Department of Educations principal deputy assistant secretary, sent California education officials a letter asking for more information in such areas as measuring student progress, graduation rates and English learners. In an unsigned statement, the California Department of Education declared itself surprised and disappointed because officials thought  after a meeting with federal officials in Washington  that they were on the right track to get approval. Now the Every Student Succeeds Act plan will be up for discussion once again at the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has already approved most state plans. Every Student Succeeds is the Obama administrations 2015 replacement for the No Child Left Behind Act. Facebook

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L.A. school board sets a new goal: prepare every grad to be eligible to apply for Cal State or UC By Sonali Kohli Last month, Los Angeles school board president proposed a spate of highly ambitious mandates aimed at ensuring that every district graduate be eligible to apply to one of the states public four-year universities by 2023. By the time the L.A. Unified school board unanimously approved the resolution Tuesday, the original language had been watered down. The goal is no longer that in five years 100% of students meet the long list of benchmarks, which include not just college eligibility for graduates but first-grade reading proficiency and English fluency by sixth grade for all students who enter the district in kindergarten or first grade speaking another language. The original college-readiness goal, for example, called for 100% of all high school students to be eligible to apply to one of the states four-year universities. Now the goal seems to offer more wiggle room: Prepare all high school graduates to be eligible to apply to a California four-year university. Read More Facebook

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We have been hurt. More women say they were mistreated by USC gynecologist By Richard Winton USC student Anika Narayanan says she vividly recalls her first appointment with Dr. George Tyndall at the campus health center, alleging that he made several explicit comments during an examination she felt was inappropriate and invasive. When she came back for a second visit in 2016 after a nonconsensual sexual encounter, he allegedly chastised her, she said in a civil lawsuit and at a press conference Tuesday. He asked me if I had forgotten to use a condom again,  said Narayanan, 21. At one point, she said, Tyndall asked if I did a lot of doggy style,  she said. Read More Facebook

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L.A. Unified gives inspector general brief contract extension By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday extended the contract of Ken Bramlett, its inspector general, by three months, though his job is far from secure and questions remain about the future direction of his watchdog office. Board members also unanimously promoted Vivian Ekchian, who had been the runner-up for the superintendents job, to deputy superintendent  the districts No. 2 position. Both moves had elements of peacemaking between different factions on the board. Read More Facebook

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Top USC medical school official feared dean was doing drugs and alerted administration, he testifies By Paul Pringle A former vice dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine testified Tuesday that he feared the schools then-dean, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, could be doing drugs and expressed concerns about his general well-being to the universitys No. 2 administrator before Puliafito abruptly left his job in 2016. Dr. Henri Fords testimony at a hearing of the state Medical Board marks the first suggestion that any USC administrator had suspicions about Puliafitos possible drug use before he stepped down. A Times investigation in 2017 found Puliafito led a secret second life of using illegal drugs with a circle of young criminals and addicts. Puliafito testified about his behavior at the hearing Tuesday, saying he took drugs with one young woman on a weekly basis. Ford said that he decided to alert USC Provost Michael Quick after receiving reports in early 2016 that Puliafito was partying in hotels with people of questionable reputation, and that he came to worry about his mental stability. Read More Facebook

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Why L.A. Unified may face financial crisis even with a giant surplus this year By Jessica Calefati With more than half a billion dollars socked away for next school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District hardly seems just two years from financial ruin. Its a scenario that is especially tough to swallow if youre a low-wage worker seeking a raise or a teacher who wants smaller classes. But budget documents show that todays $548-million surplus cannot be sustained  and that even basic services face steep, seemingly unavoidable cuts because of massive problems barreling the districts way. Theres a disconnect between the rosy short-term picture and what we know is coming, said board member Kelly Gonez. Read More Facebook

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We have failed: Top USC officials try to reassure students amid gynecologist scandal By Joy Resmovits Top administrators at USC are reaching out to students in the wake of misconduct allegations against the universitys longtime gynecologist, acknowledging failings and vowing reforms as they try to address growing outrage over the revelations. Several USC deans have sent out messages trying to reassure students and faculty that the university is committed to changing. We have failed, wrote Jack H. Knott, dean of USCs Sol Price School of Public Policy, in a May 24 letter. What happened is antithetical to everything we know is right. Read More Facebook

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Rick Caruso is named chair of USCs trustees, vows swift investigation of gynecologist scandal By Thomas Curwen The University of Southern Californias board of trustees has elected mall magnate Rick Caruso to be the new chair of the board, giving fresh leadership as the university navigates a widening scandal involving a longtime campus gynecologist. The move marks the latest effort by USC to address the case, which has sparked a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of civil lawsuits. More than 400 people have contacted a hotline that the university established for patients to make reports about their experience with Dr. George Tyndall. In his first act as chairman, Caruso announced that the white-shoe L.A. law firm OMelveny & Myers would conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the gynecologists conduct and reporting failures at the clinic. He set an ambitious timeline for the review, pledging it would conclude before students return for the fall semester. Read More Facebook

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UC Berkeley students persistence helps win more liberal rules for in-state tuition By Teresa Watanabe Ifechukwu Okeke thought shed be a shoo-in for in-state tuition when she was admitted to UC Berkeley for fall 2016. She had moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2012 to go to Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. By the time she got her acceptance to transfer to UC to study molecular and cell biology, she had lived in California four years. She had a California drivers license, bank account and rental records as proof. UC Berkeley, however, ruled she was a nonresident  which meant she would have to pay nearly $27,000 more. Read More Facebook

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State medical board calls former County-USC doctor a sexual predator, suspends his license By Matt Hamilton A UCLA cardiologist has been temporarily stripped of his medical license after state regulators described him as a sexual predator who assaulted three female colleagues when he was working and training at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. Read More Facebook

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Global California 2030 aims to get more students learning more languages By Joy Resmovits Tom Torlakson (Andrew Seng / Associated Press) Outgoing state Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday announced a new statewide effort to encourage students to learn more languages. Called Global California 2030, its goal is to help more students become fluent in multiple tongues. Torlakson said that by 2030, he wants half of the states 6.2 million K-12 students to participate in classes or programs that lead to proficiency in two or more languages. By 2040, he wants three out of four students to be proficient enough to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy. Torlakson announced the initiative at Cahuenga Elementary School, which offers a dual-language immersion program in English and Korean. Californias public school students speak more than 60 languages at home, and 40% come to school with knowledge of a language other than English. Torlakson called his plan a call to action that invites parents, legislators, educators and community members to pool resources to expand language offerings in schools and get more bilingual teachers trained. He said the state already is working with Mexico and Spain to expand a teacher-exchange program. Fluency, the plan argues, can help students succeed economically  and language acquisition can help their overall critical thinking. The initiative builds on Proposition 58, a ballot initiative passed in 2016 that undid an earlier requirement that English learners be taught in English-immersion classes unless their parents signed waivers. Torlakson recently visited Mexico and met with that countrys education secretary. They later signed a pact to increase collaboration, particularly in language education. This [Global California 2030] is great follow-through on Toms part and very important, Patricia Gandara, a UCLA education professor who hosted the Mexico meeting, said in an email. It hands over a plan to move forward in an area in which California has a unique advantage, but must seize the opportunity. Facebook

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Jury convicts man of murder in 2015 slaying of UCLA student found inside her burning apartment By Marisa Gerber A jury on Tuesday convicted a man in the 2015 slaying of a UCLA student found dead inside her burning apartment  a gruesome stabbing case that led to a fierce rebuke of the police response amid concerns that the killing could have been prevented. The panel deliberated for about six hours before finding Alberto Medina, 24, guilty of murder, arson, burglary and animal cruelty. On Sept. 21, 2015, firefighters found the charred body of Andrea DelVesco inside her apartment after responding to the complex a block from campus. The 21-year-old student  an Austin, Texas, native known to her sorority sisters as a fearless giver who befriended others with ease  was stabbed at least 19 times, authorities said. Read More Facebook

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LAPD begins sweeping criminal probe of former USC gynecologist while urging patients to come forward By Adam Elmahrek The Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating 52 complaints of misconduct filed by former patients of USCs longtime campus gynecologist as detectives launch a sweeping criminal probe into the scandal that has rocked the university. LAPD detectives also made an appeal for other patients who feel mistreated to come forward, noting that thousands of students were examined by Dr. George Tyndall during his nearly 30-year career at USC. More than 410 people have contacted a university hotline about the physician since The Times revealed the allegations this month. Tyndalls behavior and practices appear to go beyond the norms of the medical profession and gynecological examinations, said Asst. Chief Beatrice Girmala. We sincerely realize that victims may have difficulty recounting such details to investigators. We are empathetic and ready to listen. Read More Facebook

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At L.A.'s only school for the deaf, parents want leaders who speak the same language By Anna M. Phillips Ever since her son was 6 months old, Juliet Hidalgo has been bringing him to the Marlton School, a low-slung building in Baldwin Hills that for generations has been a second home for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Los Angeles. Marlton staff taught Hidalgos brother and sister, both of whom are deaf. The school was where her deaf son learned to make the signs for milk and food. Hidalgo had planned to enroll her daughter, taking advantage of a popular program that allows hearing children to learn American Sign Language alongside their deaf siblings. But after more than a decade of involvement, she and other family members are considering withdrawing their children. They are not alone. Read More Facebook

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Fueled by unlimited donations, independent groups play their biggest role yet in a California primary for governor By Ryan Menezes An unprecedented amount of money from wealthy donors, unions and corporations is flowing into the California governors race, giving independent groups  unrestricted by contribution limits  a greater say in picking the states chief executive than ever before. The groups have already spent more than $26 million through Thursday, the most ever spent by noncandidate committees in a gubernatorial primary, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance reports. California elections have always been expensive, and the future is even more expensive, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College and a former state Republican leader. The stakes are very real. Read More Facebook

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2 hurt in Indiana middle school shooting; suspect in custody, authorities say By Associated Press Authorities say two victims in a shooting at a suburban Indianapolis school are being taken to a hospital and the lone suspect is in custody. Bryant Orem, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, said in a news release that the victims in Friday mornings attack at Noblesville West Middle School are being taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and their families have been notified. He says no other information is available about the victims. Orem said the suspect is believed to have acted alone and was taken into custody. No additional information about the suspect was made public. Read More Facebook

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For new L.A. schools chief Austin Beutner, some key unions are giving no honeymoon period By Howard Blume In the less than two weeks since Austin Beutner took charge of Los Angeles schools, unions representing teachers and administrators have staged a job action and a protest. Theyve made it clear that they will not give the new superintendent the traditional honeymoon period, and they are bashing him for his wealth and lack of experience running either a school or a school district. Beutner is a billionaire investment banker with zero qualifications, local teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told members in a phone alert urging them to participate in a Thursday afternoon rally in Grand Park. The board is saying that billionaires who made their money blowing institutions up and making money off it know best  not the education professionals who have dedicated our careers to working with students. Read More Facebook

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Pressure grows on Board of Trustees amid USC gynecologist scandal By Paul Pringle USCs large and powerful Board of Trustees is coming under growing pressure to provide a stronger hand as the university faces a crisis over misconduct allegations against the campus longtime gynecologist that has prompted calls for President C.L. Max Nikias to step down. Allegations that Dr. George Tyndall mistreated students during his nearly 30 years at USC have roiled the campus, with about 300 people coming forward to make reports to the university and the Los Angeles Police Department launching a criminal investigation. USC is already beginning to face what is expected to be costly litigation by women who say they were victimized by the physician. So far, the trustees to whom Nikias reports have expressed sympathy for the women who have come forward and launched an independent investigation while also publicly backing the president. Read More Facebook

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UC regents approve leaner budget for Janet Napolitano By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents on Thursday unanimously approved a leaner, more transparent budget for President Janet Napolitano, moving to address political criticism over the systems central office operations. The $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 reflects spending cuts of 2%, including reductions in staffing, travel and such systemwide programs as public service law fellowships, carbon neutrality and food security. Napolitano shifted $30 million to campuses for housing needs and $10 million to UC Riverside to support its five-year-old medical school. She also permanently redirected $8.5 million annually to help enroll more California students, as required by the state. Read More Facebook

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USCs Academic Senate calls on university president to resign after a series of scandals By Matt Hamilton The body that represents USCs faculty called on President C.L. Max Nikias to resign Wednesday in the wake of relevations that the universitys longtime gynecologist faced years of accusations of misconduct by students and colleagues at the campus health clinic. The Academic Senate took the vote late Wednesday afternoon after a fiery town hall meeting attended by more than 100 faculty members, many of whom voiced outrage over Nikias and the Board of Trustees leadership. The vote came a day after the trustees executive committee stood firmly behind Nikias, saying it has full confidence in his leadership, ethics and values. At the town hall meeting, Senate President Paul Rosenbloom said he did not think Nikias or Provost Michael Quick committed wrongdoing but that the university president deserved criticism for a lack of transparency. Read More Facebook

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Californias public universities on the way to getting a big longed-for boost in funding By Teresa Watanabe The University of California and California State University systems are poised to get major funding boosts that will help them enroll thousands of additional state students and eliminate the need for tuition increases in the coming school year. A key Assembly budget panel on Wednesday approved $117.5 million in new funds for the UC. A Senate panel approved a similar sum last week. The same committees recently approved even more funding for the Cal State system. Read More Facebook

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UC regents to scrutinize Janet Napolitanos office budget in a step toward stronger oversight By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents this week plan to scrutinize the budget of President Janet Napolitano, whose office came under political fire last year for questionable spending and murky accounting. Regents will vote on the proposed $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 during their two-day meeting, which starts Wednesday, at UC San Francisco. They also will discuss state funding, financial aid, online education and transfer student policies. Board Chairman George Kieffer said regents are stepping up to exert stronger oversight of the presidents office after a blistering state audit last year found financial problems including an unreported $175 million budget reserve. Read More Facebook

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State legislative panels approve major funding boost for Cal State By Teresa Watanabe After months of intensive lobbying, Cal State University has convinced two key legislative panels to approve funding to enroll nearly 11,000 more students, hire more faculty and expand housing aid to those without shelter this fall. An Assembly budget panel on Tuesday approved $215.7 million more for Cal State, adding to Gov. Jerry Browns proposed $92.1 million general fund increase. A Senate budget panel approved a similar increase last week. The extra funding  which went beyond Cal States own request to the Legislature of $171 million  is still subject to final budget negotiations with Brown. But the actions by the Senate and Assembly panels amount to a demand from Democrats that the governor hike higher education spending. Cal State University is the workhorse undergraduate university serving hundreds of thousands of Californians, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who heads the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. We need more graduates for the California workforce and higher education is the ticket to the middle class. Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White hailed the actions, but said it was too soon to celebrate. The CSU has a singular focus on helping students earn high-quality degrees sooner, and the entire university community has rallied to reinforce that message to our states lawmakers, he said in a statement. The actions taken thus far by the Assembly and Senate are promising and show that our message is being received, but there is still work to be done. Funding for the University of California was not taken up Tuesday as originally scheduled. McCarty would not comment on sticking points but said he was confident that a resolution would be reached this week. Were looking to provide resources above whats in the governors budget, but negotiations are ongoing, he said in an interview. State per-student funding is not what it once was, leaving both Cal State and the UC in a tough financial squeeze. Both systems raised tuition last year after a six-year freeze on higher costs. For this year, Cal State had asked for funding to enroll an additional 3,621 students, but both the Senate and Assembly panels approved three times that amount. Cal State, the largest public university system in the nation, turned away 32,000 eligible students last year because its campuses werent able to accommodate them. The panels asked that at least $50 million of the extra funding be used to hire more tenure-track faculty to help boost graduation rates. The Assembly panel also approved one-time funding of $5 million to ease hunger on campuses and $14 million for rapid rehousing pilot projects at three campuses, offering needy students rental support and short-term case management. Other items approved include $5 million to support the CSU Long Beach Shark Labs research on sharks and beach safety and $2 million for equal employment opportunity practices. This post has been updated to include comments from Assemblyman Kevin McCarty and Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White. Facebook

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Faculty members call for USC president to step down: He has lost the moral authority to lead By Matt Hamilton Two hundred USC professors on Tuesday demanded the resignation of university President C. L. Max Nikias, saying he had lost the moral authority to lead in the wake of revelations that a campus gynecologist was kept on staff for decades despite repeated complaints of misconduct. Read More Facebook

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Gun battle, negotiations lasted 15 minutes before Texas school shooter was apprehended, sheriff says By Molly Hennessy-Fiske Minutes after a school shooter opened fire in an art class last week, killing 10 people and wounding 13, including a local police officer, fellow officers returned fire in a protracted gun battle before isolating the suspect, the local sheriff said Monday. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset praised first responders as well as Santa Fe Police Officer John Barnes, who was working as a resource officer at the school the day of the shooting. Their actions, he said, prevented the attack from spreading to other classrooms and potentially claiming additional victims. As officials continue to probe last Fridays shooting at Santa Fe High School, students are worried about returning to the scene of the attack when classes resume next week. Read More Facebook

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6 women sue USC, alleging they were victimized by campus gynecologist By Richard Winton Six women filed civil lawsuits Monday alleging that a longtime gynecologist at the University of Southern California sexually victimized them under the pretext of medical care and that USC failed to address complaints from clinic staff about the doctors behavior. One woman alleged Dr. George Tyndall forced his entire ungloved hand into her vagina during an appointment in 2003 while making vulgar remarks about her genitalia, according to one of the lawsuits. Another woman alleged that Tyndall groped her breasts in a 2008 visit and that later he falsely told her she likely had AIDS. A third woman accused the doctor of grazing his ungloved fingers over her nude body and leering at her during a purported skin exam, the lawsuit states. The wave of litigation comes as USC continues to grapple with the scandal, which legal experts said could prove costly to the university as scores of former patients come forward about their experiences with the gynecologist. Read More Facebook

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Fatalities reported in Texas high school shooting; suspect arrested, officials say By Associated Press Houston-area media citing unnamed law enforcement officials are reporting that there are fatalities following a shooting at a local high school Friday morning. Television station KHOU and the Houston Chronicle are citing unnamed federal, county and police officials following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the reports. The school district has confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it wouldnt immediately release further details. Assistant Principal Cris Richardson said a suspect has been arrested and secured. Read More Facebook

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This student followed the new L.A. schools chief on his first-day tour Melissa Barales-Lopez, a senior at Garfield High School followed Supt. Austin Beutner on his first day on the job, as he toured a variety of programs around the Los Angeles Unified School District. Heres what she took from the experience. LAUSD students and staff alike are looking for a personal champion, someone who will address and improve the difficulties afflicting their education.  What LAUSD students need is someone whos willing to listen and learn, someone who can understand the current issues affecting their schools and act to efficiently amend them, someone who can unlock the full potential of LAUSD students and enable them to reach their goals. During the entirety of his first day, superintendent Austin Beutner did indeed demonstrate a willingness to learn. Posing questions to teachers and students, Beutner engaged with the student communities he encountered to gain a better comprehension of the minutiae and nuances that distinguish each school inside an overwhelmingly large district. From inquiries about Grand View Boulevard Elementary Schools dual language program to questions regarding the services of LAUSDs after-school program, Beyond the Bell, Beutner revealed he has a lot to learn about the system. But, Beutner also showcased a willingness to tackle challenges head-on on his first day. Read More Facebook

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USC let a gynecologist continue treating students despite years of misconduct allegations By Matt Hamilton For nearly 30 years, the University of Southern Californias student health clinic had one full-time gynecologist: Dr. George Tyndall. Tall and garrulous with distinctive jet black hair, he treated tens of thousands of female students, many of them teenagers seeing a gynecologist for the first time. Few who lay down on Tyndalls exam table at the Engemann Student Health Center knew that he had been accused repeatedly of misconduct toward young patients. The complaints began in the 1990s, when co-workers alleged he was improperly photographing students genitals. In the years that followed, patients and nursing staff accused him again and again of creepy behavior, including touching women inappropriately during pelvic exams and making sexually suggestive remarks about their bodies. Read More Facebook

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Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook

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On his first day as L.A. schools chief, Beutner plans a day of visits across the district By Howard Blume L.A. Unifieds new superintendent, Austin Beutner, will kick off his first day of work on Tuesday with a choreographed tour of the nations second-largest school district, from the San Fernando Valley to Carson. His day is scheduled to begin at 5:15 a.m. at a school bus depot and end more than 12 hours later at a parent meeting at Garfield High School. Along the way, Beutner is expected to be joined by school district administrators, L.A. Unified board members and the vice president of the union that represents school bus drivers. Though he will be covering a lot of ground, Beutners tour has him skipping Tuesdays school board meeting, when board members are expected to discuss labor negotiations in closed session. Read More Facebook

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Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook

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Why a handful of rich charter school supporters are spending millions to elect Antonio Villaraigosa as governor By Ryan Menezes California voters have seen a barrage of sunny television ads in recent weeks touting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosas record on finances, crime and education, aired by Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018. But the group is, in fact, largely funded by a handful of wealthy charter-school supporters. Together they have spent more than $13 million in less than a month to boost Villaraigosas chances in the June 5 primary  at a time when his fundraising and poll numbers are lagging. Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, jump-started the group with a $7-million check, by far the largest donation to support any candidate in the election. Their efforts are part of a broader proxy war among Democrats between teachers unions  longtime stalwarts of the party  and those who argue that the groups have failed low-income and minority schoolchildren. Read More Facebook

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Talking schools with L.A. Unifieds new superintendent By Anna M. Phillips Austin Beutner, who officially starts Tuesday as the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is taking on a famously difficult job at a particularly difficult time. The school board is divided and did not back him unanimously. The nations second-largest school district has deep-seated problems, including declining enrollment, lagging academic achievement and rising pension and healthcare costs that eat away at its budget. The 58-year-old former investment banker and former L.A. Times publisher has years of experience in the financial world but none as an educator. Earlier this week, he sat down with the Times education team to discuss the challenges facing the district, which has about 60,000 employees and 500,000 students in traditional public schools. He did not talk about his plans  saying repeatedly, stay tuned  but he spoke in broad terms about his mindset in approaching the tough decisions ahead. Read More Facebook

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Suspect detained, authorities search campus after reports of armed man at Palmdale high school By James Queally One person has been detained after a report of an armed man at a Palmdale high school sparked a massive law enforcement response Friday morning. The suspect was spotted at 7:05 a.m. on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, according to Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. The person was detained in a nearby parking lot, according to Nishida, who did not know whether that person was an adult or juvenile. Deputies at the scene are clearing the school methodically, and students will be transported home via school buses once the campus is deemed safe, Nishida said. Read More Facebook

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The education of Bertha Perez: How a UC Merced custodians disenchantment led to a political awakening By Robin Abcarian Its the third day of a three-day strike, and UC Merced custodian Bertha Perez is taking a break from a picket line at the universitys unremarkable entrance, an intersection with stop lights. Photos from other UC campuses this week have shown big crowds of striking service workers  members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees  marching and chanting pro-labor slogans as they try to force the University of California back to the negotiating table. But here, at UC Merced, whose handful of big buildings rise from a flat expanse of farmland, the picket line is tiny, maybe two dozen workers and a few students. Its not a big-city-style show of force. Then again, a union sympathizer is banging relentlessly on a snare drum, so its noisier than youd expect. Read More Facebook

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Ref Rodriguez resigns from teacher credentialing commission By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez appears during a court appearance. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez has resigned from the states Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which oversees the integrity and quality of Californias teachers. Rodriguez faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. Separately, his former employer, a charter school organization, has accused him of improperly authorizing checks to a nonprofit under his control. Rodriguez has denied wrongdoing. Rodriguezs resignation from the state body was effective May 4, days after he cast a crucial vote as part of a narrow majority that voted to authorize contract negotiations with Austin Beutner to become superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District. Beutners first official day on the job is Tuesday. Rodriguez remains in his $125,000-a-year position on the Los Angeles Board of Education. The mission of the state body is to ensure integrity, relevance, and high quality in the preparation, certification, and discipline of Californias teachers. Critics had questioned Rodriguezs continued service on the commission, given that teachers can be suspended from work if they face criminal charges. They also can lose their jobs for lapses in personal behavior, such as excessive drinking, with the potential to affect their performance. Police in Pasadena arrested Rodriguez on a Friday afternoon in March for public drunkenness. He was not charged in the incident and has apologized. The state commission reviews teacher discipline cases and can take action to remove a teachers credential to work in a California classroom. The commission has 15 members. Rodriguezs departure was disclosed in a one-sentence announcement on the agencys website. Facebook

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School board members request for restraining order against blogger is rejected By Priscella Vega An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a school board members petition for a permanent restraining order against a Huntington Beach blogger. Attorney Jeffrey W. Shields filed the petition on behalf of Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, 46, who alleged in court documents that Charles Keeler Johnson, 56, has threatened her on social media and at school board meetings, causing her to fear for my own safety and for that of my immediate family members. Johnson, who goes by Chuck and publishes HBSledgehammer.com, said the trustee tried to stifle his freedom of speech. He also contended that Clayton-Tarvin took his blog posts and Facebook comments too seriously and out of context, saying anyone who is afraid of metaphors has serious issues. Read More Facebook

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Deal with workers averts one-day strike that could have shut down L.A. schools By Howard Blume Los Angeles school district and union officials announced a contract agreement Tuesday night that averted a one-day strike planned for next week. The pact, which runs through June 2020, removes one labor problem from the desk of incoming Supt. Austin Beutner  whose first day on the job would have coincided with the strike. Plenty of other challenges remain. Read More Facebook

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UC labor strike expands with show of support from more unions By Teresa Watanabe Fong Chuu is a registered nurse who has assisted with countless liver transplants, kidney surgeries and gastric bypasses during 34 years at UCLA. Working with her are scrub technicians who sterilize equipment, hand medical instruments to the surgeon and dress patient wounds. They are a team, Chuu says, which is why she walked off her job Tuesday in support of those technicians and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. The 25,000 member AFSCME local, the University of Californias largest employee union, launched a three-day strike Monday. Read More Facebook

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We are humans too: Voices of UCLAs striking custodians, hospital aides and imaging technicians By Joy Resmovits Demonstrators parade in front of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) This week, thousands of UC employees are staging a three-day strike for better pay and working conditions. On Monday, more than 20,000 custodians, cooks, lab technicians, nurse aides and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 walked off their jobs. By Tuesday, two more unions joined in sympathy strikes. The union and UC reached a bargaining impasse last year. The university has said it wont meet the workers demands. The strikers said they wanted better pay, more equity in the allocation of work, stable healthcare premiums and an end to the universitys use of contract workers. These are their stories. Read More Facebook

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Massive UC workers strike disrupts dining, classes and medical services By Joy Resmovits A massive labor strike across the University of California on Monday forced medical centers to reschedule more than 12,000 surgeries, cancer treatments and appointments, and campuses to cancel some classes and limit dining services. More than 20,000 members of UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, walked off their jobs on the first day of a three-day strike. They include custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Two altercations involving protesters and people driving near the rallies were reported at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz. At UCLA, police took a man into custody Monday after he drove his vehicle into a crowd, hitting three staff members. They were treated for minor injuries at the scene and released, said Lt. Kevin Kilgore of the UCLA Police Department. Read More Facebook

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Sen. Kamala Harris to skip UC Berkeley commencement in support of striking workers By Teresa Watanabe California Sen. Kamala Harris has canceled plans to deliver UC Berkeleys commencement address this weekend in support of UC workers who are on strike over wages and health benefits. Due to the ongoing labor dispute, Sen. Harris regretfully cannot attend and speak at this years commencement ceremony at UC Berkeley, said a statement from Harris office issued Monday. She wishes the graduates and their families a joyous commencement weekend and success for the future. They are bright young leaders and our country is counting on them. UCs largest employee union, the 25,000-member American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees Local 3299, launched a three-day strike Monday and had earlier called for a speakers boycott. The union and university reached a bargaining impasse last year and subsequent mediation efforts have failed to produce an agreement. The union is asking for a multiyear contract with a 6% annual pay increase while the university is offering 3% annual increases over four years. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address instead, the university announced. About 5,800 students are expected to participate in the ceremony Saturday. Facebook

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School mural depicting Trumps bloody, severed head sparks controversy By Gary Warth A Chula Vista school mural that depicts the bloody, severed head of President Trump on a spear sparked a controversy that prompted officials to cover it and issue a response distancing themselves from the work. The statement also said the artist will alter the painting. We understand that there was a mural painted at the event this past weekend that does not align with our schools philosophy of non-violence, read the statement from MAAC Community Charter School director Tommy Ramirez. We have been in communication with the artist  who has agreed to modify the artwork  to better align with the schools philosophy. Read More Facebook

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New blackface incident at Cal Poly prompts calls for state investigation By Kim Christensen Cal Poly San Luis Obispo officials have asked the state attorney generals office to investigate after a new photo of a white student in blackface surfaced on a fraternity groups private Snapchat. I am outraged, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said in a video address Friday to the campus. These vile and absolutely unacceptable acts cannot continue. We must not allow these acts to define us as an institution. Armstrong said the latest photo was intended to imitate an incident last month in which a white member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was photographed at a party wearing blackface. Read More Facebook

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More than 50,000 UC workers set to strike this week but campuses will remain open By Teresa Watanabe More than 50,000 workers across the University of California are set to strike this week, causing potential disruptions to surgery schedules, food preparation and campus maintenance. The systems 10 campuses and five medical centers are to remain open, with classes scheduled as planned. UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, plans to begin a three-day strike Monday involving 25,000 workers, including custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Read More Facebook

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New L.A. schools chief Beutner pledges to listen, learn and take action By Howard Blume New Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner proved Wednesday that hes a quick learner even without an education background. Like countless public officials before him, he appeared at an important event  his first speech and news conference  with a photogenic background of students. His message  that he would put those students first  seemed heartfelt if hardly original. Nor was it a huge surprise that he pledged to push cooperatively but unflinchingly to improve the districts academic performance and stabilize its finances. As an introduction, Beutner, a former investment banker who made a fortune on Wall Street, offered little flash, but that was partly the point. Read More Facebook

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In a school lockdown, one student takes stock of the stressful scene At the beginning of lunch one day late last month, Duarte High School, Northview Middle School, and California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley were advised by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to go into lockdown mode due to police activity in the immediate area. Phalaen Chang, a junior at the California School of the Arts, wrote a series of notes on her iPhone while she sat in a room with her classmates. By the time the lockdown ended an hour later, she wrote, she knew which of her friends would hold open the door for others, be the ones calming others down, be the ones barricading the doors. She knew that all of them have the potential to be such strong people. Read More Facebook

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Tale as old as time: L.A. Unified superintendent pick follows a historical pattern of outside-the-box choices By Joy Resmovits L.A. Unified has long gone back and forth between picking insiders and outsiders to run the nations second largest school district. The choice of Austin Beutner, announced Tuesday, places the district squarely back in the outsider camp  months after a consummate insider, Supt. Michelle King, announced that she had cancer and would not return to the job. Check out this timeline of former L.A. superintendents to see how the school board members have changed their minds, sometimes favoring leaders who come from the world of education and sometimes executives from elsewhere, recruited to shock the system into change. At one point, the district hired someone from the military  retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, who served as superintendent from 2006-2008. In hiring Brewer, board members had opted for a non-educator  largely because they sought a fresh thinker, unwedded to the bureaucracy, unafraid to make bold, even unorthodox moves, reads a 2008 Times story. Facebook

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Austin Beutner named superintendent of Los Angeles schools By Howard Blume Austin Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker, on Tuesday was named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second-largest school system. His selection was the biggest move yet by a Los Angeles school board majority elected with major support from charter school advocates. The decision came after lengthy public testimony, most of it in support of the other remaining finalist, interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian, who is well known within the school system. Beutner, 58, has no background leading a school or school district. Less than 2 years ago, a school board with a very different balance of power named Michelle King, a former teacher who rose through the district throughout her career, to L.A. Unifieds top job. Read More Facebook

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Hearing delay gives both sides more time in Ref Rodriguezs potential trial By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez and his attorneys will have more time to prepare their defense against charges of political money laundering, a judge ruled Monday. The preliminary hearing in the case had been scheduled to begin May 9, but that date will now be pushed back to July 23 per the ruling from L.A. Superior Court Judge Deborah S. Brazil. Rodriguez, 46, faces three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. Read More Facebook

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L.A. school board poised to name Beutner as superintendent By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is poised to select philanthropist and former investment banker Austin Beutner to be the next superintendent of the nations second-largest school system. Barring a last-minute development, the only mystery is whether Beutner emerges with four or five votes from the boards seven members. Terms of his contract already have been under discussion, according to sources close to the process who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak. The selection of Beutner, 58, who has no experience managing a school or a school district, would be a signal that the board majority that took control nearly a year ago wants to rely on business management skills instead of insider educational expertise. Read More Facebook

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Teacher walkouts in Arizona and Colorado continue national debate on money for schools By Michael Livingston Following the lead of teachers who walked off the job in other states in recent weeks, thousands of teachers and their supporters took to the streets in Arizona and Colorado for the second day in a row to demand better pay and more funding for education. Read More Facebook

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Three decades before the #MeToo movement, UC San Diego led the way against sexual assault By Teresa Watanabe When Nancy Wahlig first started her fight against sexual assault, one company was marketing a capsule for women to stash in their bras and then smash to release a vile odor. Because of the very nature of society, the only person who can prevent rape is the woman herself, read a 1981 advertisement for the Repulse rape deterrent. Ideas about how to prevent sexual violence have come a long way since then, and Wahlig has helped lead that evolution on college campuses. In 1988, she started UC San Diegos Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), the first stand-alone program at the University of California. Today, she remains the systems most senior specialist. Read More Facebook

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Andres Alonso withdraws from consideration for L.A. schools job By Howard Blume Andres Alonso, believed to be one of three remaining finalists to lead the Los Angeles school system, has withdrawn from consideration. The remaining known candidates in the confidential search are former investment banker Austin Beutner and interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Alonso, 60, announced his decision on Twitter on Thursday night, saying he had notified the L.A. Unified School District on Monday. The exit of Alonso, the former Baltimore schools chief, seems to solidify the front-runner status of Beutner, who also was a former L.A. Times publisher and a Los Angeles deputy mayor. He held each of those positions for about a year. Read More Facebook

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Heres why the apparent increase in autism spectrum disorders may be good for U.S. children By Karen Kaplan The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among American children continues to rise, new government data suggest. And that may be a good thing. Among 11 sites across the U.S. where records of 8-year-olds are scrutinized in detail, 1 in 59 kids was deemed to have ASD in 2014. Thats up from 1 in 68 in 2012. Normally, health officials would prefer to see less of a disease, not more of it. But in this case, the higher number is probably a sign that more children of color who are on the autism spectrum are being recognized as such and getting services to help them, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More Facebook

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UC shelves tuition increase for now, in hopes of getting more state funding By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase next month, shelving the plan for now in hopes that state lawmakers will come through with more funding. Raising tuition is always a last resort and one we take very seriously, UC President Janet Napolitano said Thursday in a statement. We will continue to advocate with our students who are doing a tremendous job of educating legislators about the necessity of adequately funding the university to ensure UC remains a world-class institution and engine of economic growth for our state. Last week, Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White said the 23-campus system no longer would consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year. But unlike Cal State, UC officials have not taken a tuition increase off the table entirely. Read More Facebook

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A chemical spill, unchecked eyewash stations, poor training: Audit details Cal States lax lab safety By Joy Resmovits In May 2016, two bottles tumbled off a poorly supported shelf and broke, leading to a chemical spill in a Sacramento State University lab. The liquid got onto one students legs and soaked anothers feet. Five employees cleaned up the mess, even though no one knew for sure what it was and whether it was dangerous. They called fellow employee Kim Harrington, their union representative, to let her know what happened. Read More Facebook

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After blackface incident, minority students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo say they dont feel welcome By Hailey Branson-Potts Aaliyah Ramos was walking through the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus last year when a prospective student approached her. Ramos was the only black person, the young woman said, that she and her mother had seen that day. They asked about the quality of education and the diversity of the student body. Ramos, a mechanical engineering student, didnt want to sugarcoat the truth: Cal Poly long has been predominantly white. But she told the young woman  who also was black  that she didnt want to discourage her from applying, because that wouldnt help with diversity at a school where only 0.7% of students are African American  the lowest percentage of any university in the California State system. Read More Facebook

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El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills wins the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon By Carlos Lozano El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills has won the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon, officials said. The winner was announced early Saturday at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas. More than 600 students from the U.S., Canada, China and the United Kingdom gathered there over the last three days to compete in the 37th annual U.S. Academic Decathlon. Congratulations to El Camino Real Charter High School for another impressive victory, said Vivian Ekchian, interim superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Your academic stamina and competitive spirit to win is remarkable. The entire L.A. Unified family is so proud of you. Read More Facebook

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Anticipation mounts as L.A. school board meets over superintendent selection By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is reconvening in closed session Friday at noon as anticipation mounts about the choice of the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. The presumed front-runner is former investment banker and philanthropist Austin Beutner, but interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian and former Baltimore Supt. Andres Alonso also are in the running. Most district insiders appear to be rooting for Ekchian, who has spent her entire career in education within the school system. After her 10 years as a teacher, her roles have included head of human resources, chief labor negotiator and regional administrator for campuses in the west San Fernando Valley. Shes managed the district since September, when then-Supt. Michelle King went on medical leave and chose Ekchian to fill in for her. King, who is battling cancer, never returned and announced her retirement in January. Numerous influential civic leaders have urged  and pressured  the board to select Beutner. Also lending their weight have been advocates for charter schools, which are independently operated, growing in number and competing for students with district-operated campuses. Four of the seven board members  enough to control the outcome  were elected with major financial support from charter supporters. Beutner has two ongoing connections with the L.A. Unified School District. The first is his leadership of an outside task force that is making recommendations on how to improve the school system. The second is his charity, Vision to Learn, which supplies glasses to low-income students. The charity and the school system are in a dispute at the moment over who is responsible for delays in providing services to students as part of a $6 million contract, half of which is paid for by L.A. Unified. Unlike Ekchian and Buetner, Alonso, who currently teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has no deep-seated local constituency, but the prospect of his selection has generated some excitement. While in Baltimore, Alonso was recognized for pushing for progress at low-performing schools, and for being willing to take strong action. While in Baltimore, he also weathered a test-score cheating scandal and occasionally rocky relations with the teachers union. But by the time he resigned, after six years, he and union leaders seemed to be working together without rancor. Leaders of some community groups have split from the pro-Beutner camp. They worry that Beutners approach to confronting the districts financial problems could shut out their voices or involve severe economic cutbacks that would undermine programs that are helping students. Some prefer Ekchian; some Alonso. Theyve been reluctant to speak out publicly because theyll have to work with whoever is selected, but they have tried to get the ear of board members. On Friday morning, one leader of a community group decided to come out in favor of Alonso. L.A. Unified has the opportunity to bring in an instructional leader of color with a history of success, said Alberto Retana, president and chief executive of Community Coalition, which works on behalf of low-income students and families in South Los Angeles. If we have a shot at that, we should go for it  because its in the best interests of our kids and of our community. Retana said his statement was not meant to criticize Beutner or Ekchian but to alert board members that there also is community support for Alonso. Facebook

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Cal State leader shelves proposed tuition hike: Its the right thing to do, but its not without risk By Joy Resmovits Cal State, the nations largest public university system, will no longer consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year, Chancellor Timothy P. White announced Friday. The decision is a bet that Sacramento will come through in the end. If Cal State loses that bet, it could mean cuts to campus programs. White said in an interview that Californias economy is strong enough that families should not be shouldering the burden of higher college costs. Read More Facebook

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L.A. students to participate in national walkout activities on Friday By Joy Resmovits Students are taking to the streets again Friday to protest gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. Starting at 10 a.m., students at many schools will spend 13 seconds honoring the 13 people  12 students and one teacher  killed on that day in Littleton, Colo. After that, theyll participate in a host of different activities. Within L.A. Unified, one school is having an open-mic event for students to talk about school violence, and lawmakers are visiting campuses to hear students thoughts. According to a central hub for organizing the protests  written by the students of Ridgefield High School in Connecticut  the walkouts are intended to drive the political change necessary to curb school violence. The day is also a time for students to interact on an elevated platform they have never had before, the site states. It is a day of discourse and thoughtful sharing. Bringing together communities and students to get a national discussion rolling. Organizers have suggested using the event to convey the importance of curbing gun violence to legislators. They are encouraging students to push legislation that would ban assault weapons and tighten up rules around who can buy guns and how. Over 2,500 schools nationwide are expected to participate. In L.A., some students  at campuses including Eagle Rock High School, the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts and Bravo Medical Magnet  plan to walk out. Students from various schools expect to join area marches, including those in Santa Monica and Huntington Park. Other schools are hosting career days and voter registration drives. At 1 p.m., students plan to start a rally in front of L.A. Unified headquarters. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that 12 teachers and one student were killed in the Columbine shooting. The opposite is true: twelve students and one teacher died. Facebook

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Stabbing of popular student devastates South El Monte High School; teen friend suspected in slaying By Sonali Kohli When administrators at South El Monte High School called Jeremy Sanchezs parents to say he never showed up for class Wednesday, his father began to worry. It was unusual for the 17-year-old junior to miss school, so his father filed a missing persons report and assembled two of Jeremys close friends to look for the popular student-athlete. Their search took them to a scenic stretch of the San Gabriel River Trail, where one of the friends  a 16-year-old boy  made a tragic discovery. Among the bushes in the riverbed near Thienes Avenue and Parkway Drive was Jeremys body, punctured with stab wounds, according to Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Read More Facebook

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Racist fliers spark outrage at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo By Alene Tchekmedyian Soon after Neal MacDougall arrived on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus Tuesday, the professor noticed university police standing outside a restroom near his office. A racial slur against African Americans had been scrawled in red marker on a stall wall. Later, he discovered a series of racist fliers pinned up next to his door. Someone had also slashed posters hed hung outside his office supporting students in the country illegally. The discovery was the latest controversy on the prestigious campus  which the president said is less than 55% white  that MacDougall said demonstrates a culture of racism at the university. Last week, photographs emerged of white fraternity members, including one in blackface, flashing gang signs. Read More Facebook

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The superintendent waiting game, paying for L.A.'s College Promise, Princetons slave history: Whats new in education By Joy Resmovits Acting LAUSD superintendent Vivian Ekchian is a finalist for the permanent job. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In and around Los Angeles: The L.A. Unified school board spent 10 hours interviewing and discussing candidates for superintendent. When they adjourned after 10 p.m., they said they would reconvene on Friday. Who is paying for Mayor Eric Garcettis much-touted College Promise, a program that promises two years of community college for LAUSD grads? In California: The Legislature is considering a proposal that would boost K-12 education funding for black students. When the cost of living is taken into account, California has the highest rate of child poverty. Nationwide: The families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School are suing Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never occurred. Princeton will name two spaces  an arch and a garden  after slaves who lived or worked on the campus. Facebook

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L.A. school board meets privately with finalists and debates choice for school district leader By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education adjourned late Tuesday after spending more than 10 hours interviewing candidates and trying to reach a decision on who would be the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. When the meeting finally recessed at 10:11 p.m., a spokesman announced only that the school board would reconvene Friday at noon. Going into the days meetings, there were apparently four finalists, according to sources who could not be named because they were unauthorized to speak. Read More Facebook

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Two Sandy Hook families sue Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never happened By David Altimari Families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School have filed lawsuits in Texas against controversial radio host Alex Jones for continually claiming the massacre never happened. Neil Heslin, the father of Jesse Lewis, and Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah Pozner died in the massacre, filed separate lawsuits late Monday in Travis County, Texas. The lawsuits allege that Jones defamed the parents by constantly calling them crisis actors and insisting the shooting was a false flag operation; they also claim Jones accusations have led to death threats against the Sandy Hook families by Jones followers. Read More Facebook

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Beutner emerges as a top pick for L.A. schools superintendent amid last-minute jockeying By Howard Blume Austin Beutner has emerged as a leading contender to run the Los Angeles school district, with backers saying he is smart enough and tough enough to confront its financial and academic struggles. Though he does not have a background in education, the former investment banker has in the last year examined some of the districts intractable problems, serving as co-chair of an outside task force with the support of then-Supt. Michelle King. Sources inside and outside the school district said Beutner appears to have more support on the seven-member board than other finalists, and his name could come up for a vote as early as Tuesday. Read More Facebook

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Challenge at Chicago school construction site: Watch for 38,000 unmarked graves By Nereida Moreno A 15-year effort to build a school in Chicagos Dunning neighborhood is underway with an unusual complication: Construction workers are taking careful steps to avoid disturbing human remains that may lie beneath the soil. The $70-million school is to be built on the grounds of a former Cook County Poor House, where an estimated 38,000 people were buried in unmarked graves. Among the dead are residents who were too poor to afford funeral costs, unclaimed bodies and patients from the countys insane asylum. There can be and there have been bodies found all over the place, said Barry Fleig, a genealogist and cemetery researcher who began investigating the site in 1989. Its a spooky, scary place. Read More Facebook

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Oklahoma teacher walkout winds down despite lawmakers failure to meet demands By Washington Post Oklahomas largest teachers union has announced an end to a walkout that has drawn thousands of educators out of classrooms and to the state Capitol demanding greater investment in the states schools, which have endured the nations steepest funding cuts. The announcement Thursday from the Oklahoma Education Assn. does not necessarily end the protests at the Capitol, as teachers not affiliated with the union vowed to stay longer. Instead of a walkout, the union and school districts across the state have said they plan to send delegations of teachers to Oklahoma City to keep the pressure on lawmakers. Teachers and their supporters have also promised to push education issues to the forefront of November elections, when the state chooses a new governor. As school districts begin to reopen, the protests may lose steam. The Legislature is not in session Friday, and observers are waiting to see what happens Monday, when lawmakers return. Read More Facebook

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Most Californians are worried about school shooting threats and oppose arming teachers, survey finds By Joy Resmovits Hamilton High School student Aiyana Dabriel holds a sign during a March 14 walkout in support of the Parkland shooting victims. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Most Californians are worried that a school shooting like the one that occurred in Parkland, Fla., in February could shed blood closer to home, a new survey found. Some 73% percent of adults and 82% of public school parents said they were very concerned or somewhat concerned about school shootings. The Public Policy Institute of California surveyed 1,704 adults in the state by phone just after the March for Our Lives protest against gun violence. Latino and black respondents were significantly more likely to be concerned about school violence than white or Asian respondents, the institute found. Two-thirds of adults and public school parents said they opposed letting more educators carry weapons in school. The response differed across party lines, with 86% of Democrats and 69% of independents voicing their opposition, while 60% percent of Republicans said they would support a measure to arm educators. The poll, which had a margin of error of 3.2% in either direction, also asked Californians about school funding, educational issues in the governors race and the impact of immigration enforcement on students. You can find the full results here. Facebook

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Californias largest virtual charter school network agrees to contract with its teachers By Anna M. Phillips Nearly four years after teachers at Californias largest online charter school voted to unionize, they have reached a deal to increase pay and create job protections, according to a spokesman for the California Teachers Assn. The contract, which is still tentative and subject to ratification, is a victory for the teachers union. Although charter schools are publicly funded, most are privately managed and their employees arent protected by labor contracts. Under the terms of the contract  the result of years of negotiation and legal wrangling  approximately 500 teachers working for California Virtual Academies will no longer be at-will employees who can be dismissed for almost any reason. Their average salary will rise to just over $45,000, according to union estimates, a figure that remains far below the norm for traditional public school teachers. Still, it is an improvement over the previous average of $38,000. The accord also places a limit on the number of students each teacher is responsible for monitoring in online homeroom classes. Were very satisfied with the gains we made, said teacher Brianna Carroll, president of California Virtual Educators United. I think were going to see some extraordinary changes in our schools. According to Carroll, teachers at California Virtual Academies  better known as CAVA  had grown frustrated with the organizations foot-dragging and were making preparations to go on strike when CAVAs leadership agreed to the deal. CAVA and K12, the Virginia-based for-profit company linked to its schools, did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday asking for comment. The network currently operates nine virtual charter schools across California. In 2016, the charter network agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle claims of false advertising, misleading parents and inadequate instruction. The state attorney generals office had also accused K12 of controlling the charters for its own financial benefit. Neither CAVA nor K12 admitted to wrongdoing in the settlement. A year later, the state imposed a $2-million fine on CAVA after an audit found that it had misspent public funds. The network disputed the findings. Facebook

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School board approves a new formula for funding high-need schools By Sonali Kohli L.A. schools will soon get more money if they are located in neighborhoods with such problems as high levels of gun violence and asthma. The Los Angeles Unified school board voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a new formula to determine how to dole out some funding to schools, based not only on the characteristics of the student populations but on the traumas that affect the communities around campuses. The new formula will be applied to $25 million in funding next fiscal year and about $263 million annually in future years  a small part of the districts $7.5 billion annual budget. Read More Facebook

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Protesters demand Ref Rodriguez resignation outside school board meeting By Sonali Kohli Students, parents, teachers and UTLA marching outside the board meeting chanting "Ref resign" pic.twitter.com/W0LRWZSIXY  Sonali Kohli  (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 A few dozen parents, students and teachers marched outside the Los Angeles Unified School Board meeting Tuesday, some calling for board member Ref Rodriguez to resign the week after news broke that he was taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena bar and restaurant. Rodriguez was not cited or charged in that incident, but was held for more than five and a half hours before being released. The school board member faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. He is accused of getting more than two dozen people people to donate to his campaign for his school board seat with the understanding that he would reimburse them. He stepped down from his post as school board president after he was charged last fall, but he did not give up his seat on the board. He has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May. He cant give his full focus to our students, said Rebecca LaFond, a Highland Park parent whose three children marched with her as she chanted, Ref resign. One daughter marched in front of her, using a drum stick to hit the bottom of a gallon-size empty water jug. Our kids deserve someone who has the utmost ethical standards representing them, LaFond said. The protests continued into the board meeting, where some addressed Rodriguez directly, calling on him to step down during public comment portions of the meeting. Rodriguez, through his chief of staff, declined to comment. Some parents outside the board meeting did not know about the charges against Rodriguez but came out to protest the possibility of sharing their school campuses with charter schools. Protesters also oppose colocation  not all of the parents are here to ask Ref Rodriguez to step down pic.twitter.com/1Co8zQ9zSi  Sonali Kohli  (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 Cynthia Martinez said her son, who goes to Christopher Dena Elementary School in Boyle Heights, has been bullied in the past by students from a charter school sharing the campus. She said she didnt know who Rodriguez was. Some parents and teachers are worried about losing computer labs, robotics rooms and fitness centers if they are required to share their campus with charter schools, said Ilse Escobar, a parent community organizer for United Teachers Los Angeles. The issues of Rodriguez and colocation are related, Escobar said. Rodriguez is part of a majority on the school board elected with financial backing from charter school supporters, and many parents, she said, feel that the school board is compromised if he is a part of it. Staff reporter Howard Blume contributed to this post. Facebook

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Delaine Eastin tries to gain momentum in the California governors race, one voter at a time By Seema Mehta Delaine Eastin was a sophomore in high school when a drama teacher urged her to try out for a part in The Man Who Came to Dinner. She hesitated until he told her: This is a metaphor for your whole life. If you never try out, you will never get the part. Eastin auditioned and won the role. Decades later, the advice sticks with the former state schools chief, this time in her unlikely run for governor. Despite calls for more women in leadership roles in state politics following sexual misconduct allegations in Sacramento, Eastin has been largely overlooked in the race, lagging far behind her Democratic rivals in fundraising and the polls. Read More Facebook

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Arizona high court rejects in-state tuition for DACA recipients By Associated Press Young immigrants granted deferred deportation status under a program started by President Obama are not eligible for lower in-state college tuition, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Monday. The unanimous ruling will affect at least 2,000 students attending the states largest community college district and hundreds more at other colleges and the states three public universities. The Maricopa County Community Colleges District and state universities said they would begin raising tuition immediately for the coming school year. Read More Facebook

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New York high school students injured when bus strikes overpass By Associated Press A charter bus carrying teenagers returning from a spring break trip Sunday night struck a bridge overpass on Long Island, seriously injuring six passengers and mangling the entire length of the top of the bus. The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday on the Southern State Parkway in Lakeview, according to New York State Police. One of the six injured passengers had very serious injuries, said State Police Maj. David Candelaria. Thirty-seven other passengers suffered minor injuries. Read More Facebook

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Some good news for California in national student test scores By Joy Resmovits Every two years, the nations fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in math and reading  and newly released results from last years tests give California at least a little reason to be pleased. The 2017 results  out Monday night  were mostly flat nationwide compared with 2015, though the average score in eighth-grade reading went up. But while that improvement largely came from the increased scores of the highest-performing students, California eighth-graders showed some reading progress from the lowest levels to the highest. Read More Facebook

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Under state control, Inglewood school districts financial picture worsened By Anna M. Phillips When Eugenio Villa agreed to return to the Inglewood schools for a second tour last summer, he knew the district remained one of Californias most troubled. Inglewood Unified had been nearly insolvent when it was taken over by the state Department of Education in 2012. Six years later, its enrollment was still declining. Its school buildings were tired  some edging into decrepitude. Its test scores and graduation rates were still below the state average. And the public was out of patience. Still, Villa, who had signed back on as the districts chief business official, was shocked at what he found when he arrived in June 2017. Two years earlier, he had left the school system on what he thought was firm ground. Read More Facebook

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Charter school group drops two lawsuits against L.A. Unified By Howard Blume A charter schools advocacy group last week announced that it would end two long-running lawsuits in which it was seeking more classroom space and construction money from the Los Angeles school district. The decision, the California Charter Schools Assn. said, reflects better relations between charter schools and the L.A. Unified School District. But the move also suggests that the litigation, which already contributed to significant gains for area charters, was unlikely to produce much more. It takes time, money and effort to litigate, said Ricardo Soto, general counsel for the charter group. Maybe its better to see if we can find the time and opportunity for collaboration. Read More Facebook

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L.A. school board member Ref Rodriguez is arrested on suspicion of public intoxication By Richard Winton Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez was arrested recently on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena restaurant, the latest trouble for an elected official who faces political money-laundering charges. Pasadena police took Rodriguez into custody on March 16, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. Officers arrested Rodriguez at about 4:30 p.m. at the Yard House restaurant and bar at the Paseo Mall and held him in jail for more than five-and-a-half hours. Rodriguez was ultimately released without being cited or charged, Derderian told The Times. Other details about the arrest were not available, she said. Read More Facebook

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Kentucky teachers rally at Capitol over state budget By Associated Press Thousands of Kentucky teachers filled the streets near the state Capitol in Frankfort on a cold, overcast Monday to rally for education funding. Teachers and other school employees gathered outside the Kentucky Education Assn. a couple of blocks from the Capitol chanting, Stop the war on public education and holding or posting signs that say, Weve Had Enough. Were madder than hornets, and the hornets are swarming today, said Claudette Green, a retired teacher and principal. Read More Facebook

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Southern California Gas Co. announced Monday it had resumed injections at the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility, less than two days after an appeals court lifted a temporary ban on operations.

SoCalGas must begin injections to comply with the [states] directive to maintain sufficient natural gas inventories at Aliso Canyon to support the reliability of the regions natural gas and electricity systems, the company wrote in a statement sent to Porter Ranch residents.

The Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility in the northwestern San Fernando Valley was the site of the largest methane gas leak in U.S. history, spewing more than 100,000 tons of the greenhouse gas starting in October 2015. Roughly 8,000 families living near the area evacuated, with many complaining of headaches, nausea and nosebleeds.

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The leak, which took four months to cap, prompted outrage among residents and local government officials and dozens of lawsuits. It also spawned state legislation requiring regulators to conduct a comprehensive safety review, including an analysis of the root cause of the leak and plans for addressing the risks of failure, and to study the feasibility of phasing out use of the facility in the long term.

Deirdre Bolona, who lives just south of the gas field, called the decision to resume injections until the safety review had been satisfactorily completed irresponsible.

We are ripe for another earthquake, Bolona said, referring to the 1971 earthquake in which a short segment of the Santa Susana fault ruptured slightly. When the wells get sheared off, my house will be one of the ones that doesnt make it.

The news Monday came amid ongoing legal wrangling between L.A. County and state regulators and the gas company over what the county alleges was a failure to conduct legally required safety and environmental analyses before reopening the facility, and to turn over related public records.

On July 19, regulators at the California Department of Conservations Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources and the California Public Utilities Commission announced that Aliso Canyon was safe to reopen, though they said it would operate at a reduced capacity of 28%, out of an abundance of caution.

Two days later, attorneys for L.A. County amended their lawsuit, initially filed in March, to include a request for an immediate stay of that decision. They also submitted testimony from a former Southern California Gas Co. engineer who warned of the risk posed by the Santa Susana fault line running underneath the gas wells.

On Friday, a trial court judge denied the countys request, only to be reversed on appeal a few hours later. The stay was overturned a day later, and another appeal filed on Monday failed.

Southern California Gas Co. posted a note Monday afternoon on a company website about the resumption of operations. Chris Gilbride, a company spokesman, confirmed in an email that gas injections had begun on a limited basis.

Scott Kuhn, deputy county counsel, said the county was very disappointed the appeals court did not issue a stay, but noted that the courts have yet to rule on the countys broader request to order state regulators to complete the safety and environmental analyses before continuing injections.

We hope that some court will get to the merits and when they do get to merits, they will see that further study of the seismic risk and the environmental risk is necessary before [the utility] can proceed with business as usual, Kuhn said.

nina.agrawal@latimes.com

Twitter: @AgrawalNina

UPDATES:

6:10 p.m.: This article was updated with reaction.

This article was originally published at 5:05 p.m.
Two police officers in Los Banos, Calif., were in stable condition after they were shot Monday during a struggle with a suspect that led to the mans death.

The injured officers, whose identities were not released, were being treated at a hospital, according to the Los Banos Police Department.

Their injuries were severe but they are expected to survive, Cmdr. Ray Reyna said Tuesday.

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The suspect was also hospitalized Monday and later died.

Police received a call at 6:18 a.m. from a child who reported their father had broken into a Los Banos apartment through a window, authorities said.

The husband and wife had been separated for a year, and he was not living with his family at the time, police said.

When the first officer arrived to the 2100 block of Gilbert Gonzalez Jr. Drive, he met the mans children, who directed him to the apartment.

The officer saw the 39-year-old man, who has not been identified, in the kitchen near the front door.

The officer attempted to convince the suspect to step outside so the two could speak further but the suspect was argumentative and would not comply with [the] officers requests, a Police Department statement said.

At some point, police said, a struggle ensued between the man and the officer.

The officer used a Taser, but the man removed the electrical probes and the skirmish continued, authorities said.

A second officer arrived to help restrain the man, but another struggle erupted and a shooting occurred, police said.

The Los Banos Enterprise reported that the officers were shot by a suspect who got hold of an officers weapon and fired.

The Police Department is investigating.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA

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UPDATES:

10:15 a.m.: This article was updated with comments for Cmdr. Ray Reyna.

This article was originally published at 7:05 a.m.
A Monterey Park beautician accused in a botched buttocks enhancement that left a client in need of major corrective surgery pleaded guilty Monday to a federal charge, officials said.

Ana Bertha Diaz Hernandez  who pocketed at least $40,000 for recklessly performing injections on more than 10 customers  is facing three years in prison for one count of receipt of an adulterated and misbranded medical device, according to federal court records.

The woman charged thousands of dollars for what she described as lambs fat injections, court records said, which she had smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico and used on her clients despite the risk of death or serious bodily injury. Officials said Hernandez held no licenses in the U.S. that qualified her to perform the injections.

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In one case, court records said, the injections migrated to the clients back, hips and legs. The client, identified in court records only as I.T., was hospitalized and needed major surgery to remove the substance, which officials said was possibly silicone.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never approved the use of injectable silicone for body contouring, officials said, even when administered by a medical doctor.

As part of the plea agreement, Hernandez agreed to pay $30,000 in restitution to the woman, an amount that covers what the woman paid for the injections, as well as the travel and medical costs associated with the reconstructive surgery.

Prosecutors agreed to recommend that Hernandez spend only two years in prison. Under the plea deal, two other charges will be dropped at her sentencing in December.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

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One of Robert Dursts oldest friends admitted on the stand Monday that she got guidance from her husband before backtracking on damaging testimony that put the New York real estate magnate in Los Angeles at the time his best friend was murdered.

Last week, Emily Altman gave testimony that addressed a key challenge police had faced in building a case against Durst: His whereabouts at the time of the slaying of his best friend, Susan Berman.

Durst told her hed been in Los Angeles around the time Berman was killed in December 2000, Altman had said.

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But under questioning from Dursts attorney the next day, Altman distanced herself from the claim, saying she didnt know whether shed heard it from Durst or from her husband. She also said that while she knew Durst had been in California around that time, she was not sure whether hed been in Los Angeles.

Durst, 74, is accused of shooting Berman in the back of the head inside her Benedict Canyon home  a slaying that prosecutors say was motivated by his fear that she knew too much about the 1982 disappearance of his wife, Kathleen.

The eccentric multimillionaire, who has pleaded not guilty, says he didnt kill Berman  and doesnt know who did.

Last week, Altman often got emotional on the stand, sighing and dabbing at her eyes with tissues. She occasionally glanced at Durst, who she said looked physically unrecognizable  the end result, she said, of years of suspicion about his involvement in Bermans death and Kathleens disappearance. Altman also testified that Durst had been crushed by his wifes disappearance years earlier.

He was devastated, she said.

Altman said Monday she was intimidated when Deputy Dist. Atty. John Lewin questioned her last week. She first said she believed Durst was staying at the Beverly Hilton hotel during that fateful time, but after thinking about her testimony in her hotel room, she then said she wasnt sure if hed been in L.A. at all.

When you returned to your hotel room to think, Lewin asked Monday, were you aware that the information youd provided in court was extremely damaging to Durst?

Yes, she responded.

The witness said Monday that before changing her account, she spoke to her husband Stewart about what shed said on the stand. During that conversation, she said, her husband told her he remembered it differently  the information, he told her, had probably come from him, not Durst.

He felt that I was incorrect, Altman said.

Later in Mondays hearing, Dursts lead attorney, Dick DeGuerin, asked if her final statement on the matter was that she couldnt identify the source of the information. Altman nodded, saying, I really dont think I can.

At one point, the prosecutor expressed frustration with her answers, which he characterized as intentionally evasive.

Shes been Pinocchio up there, your honor, Lewin said.

Altman, 68, is one of several older witnesses whom prosecutors have questioned early, preserving their testimony in case theyre not available for the murder trial, which is unlikely to begin before 2018.

Durst will return to court Aug. 28, when several other witnesses, including Altmans husband, Stewart, are expected to testify for the prosecution. Two witnesses who were initially going to testify last week  Paul Kaufman, who dated Berman and Richard Markey, one of the last people to see Berman alive  are also scheduled to testify at that time.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber

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The mother of a man who was shot and killed in March during an encounter with Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies has sued the county and the Sheriffs Department, saying that deputies lacked proper training and used unnecessary force against her son, who suffered from a mental illness.

The civil rights lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court. It follows another federal lawsuit filed by the children of Dennis Todd Rogers, 41, who was shot by deputies the night of March 7 outside a 24 Hour Fitness gym in Ladera Heights.

Peter Morris, an attorney representing Rogers mother, said that Rogers had been asked to leave the gym, where he was a member. Rogers complied, but returned a few hours later and was shot and killed by one or more deputies, Morris said.

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The lawsuit alleges that deputies attempted to shock Rogers with stun guns, and that Rogers was unarmed and made no offensive moves towards the deputies when they killed him.

The sheriffs deputies did not handle this situation in the proper way and as a result Todd is dead, Morris said.

Rogers graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in accounting and finance, and he moved to Los Angeles from Houston around November 2015 to pursue a career in acting.

Janet Williams, Rogers mother, told reporters at a news conference outside the federal courthouse downtown that Rogers had called her every day, telling her about his auditions. Williams recalled that after she saw an audition video in which he played the role of a villain, she told him, Youre not going to make it  youre smiling too much.

Rogers had bipolar disorder, which he managed with medication, his mother had previously told The Times.

She said Monday that at the time of the incident Rogers was off his medication.

He was harmless, she said. There wasnt any other way they could have subdued him?  He had a lot of people who loved him.

Sheriffs officials said that Rogers was shot after he pulled metal electric hair clippers out of his backpack and swung them by a cord while advancing toward a deputy.

Lt. Joe Mendoza told The Times in March that managers at the gym first called deputies because Rogers was acting erratic and being vulgar towards some women who were exercising.

He said that when deputies were called to the scene a second time after Rogers returned to the gym, they confronted him in the parking lot, where he was screaming and behaving wildly. Deputies unsuccessfully tried to subdue him twice with a Taser and a deputy opened fire as Rogers advanced with the clippers, Mendoza said.

He came within inches of striking the deputy, swinging the clippers hard and fast, Mendoza said. The deputy tried to retreat, but when the deputy ran out of space, thats when the shooting occurred.

Morris maintains that Rogers was unarmed.

We know that the deputies have alleged he had some kind of electric scissors, he said. It doesnt change anything he did. Meaningless. He was still shot and killed without justification.

The Sheriffs Department said Monday that it would not comment on pending litigation, but released a statement saying that deputies at the time had requested help from a Mental Evaluation Team, which consists of a deputy and a mental health clinician.

We currently have 10 MET teams countywide and are waiting on additional funding, expected in September, to increase staffing as part of a holistic plan to train deputies in crisis intervention and provide 24/7 triage and support for critical incidents involving individuals suffering from mental illness, the statement said.

L.A. County Inspector General Max Huntsman said the Sheriffs Departments mental evaluation teams dont always arrive at a scene in time.

We have such a small number that they can only use them for resolving issues after the person has been taken into custody, he said in an interview. If we had more of them, they could also assist the Sheriffs Department in that initial contact with people who are potentially mentally ill and help them avoid incidents.

But he said that in recent years, the department has made a great deal of progress in addressing people who have mental illness, with sheriffs deputies undergoing crisis intervention training. He said that the number of fatal civilian shootings has been reduced substantially, with only four so far this year compared with 81 in the previous five years.

In many of these mental illness cases, there isnt a real desire to harm or it can be managed a bit more than with a person who is just a criminal, Huntsman said.

Outside the courthouse, Williams described seeing a video that captured parts of the incident.

He was just scared, she said. You could have talked him out of anything. If they can just get somebody there to talk to him hell calm down.

Rogers cousin, B.R. Lane, who lives in Chicago, said the family simply wants to know what happened that night.

I think the one question that is unanswered is what did he do that was so significant that you had to take his life, she said. We need answers to that.

leila.miller@latimes.com

@leilamillersays

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The chief executive of a check cashing business in Orange County was arrested Tuesday on charges that he violated U.S. sanctions and exported rifle scopes and other tactical equipment to Syrian rebels, federal prosecutors announced.

Rasheed Al Jijakli, 56, a Walnut resident born in Syria, was indicted on three counts of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and smuggling.

According to the indictment, unsealed after Jijaklis arrest, he, two other Americans and a Canadian are suspected of working with people in Syria to smuggle in dozens of night vision scopes, laser boresights, bulletproof vests, tactical flashlights and other equipment between January 2012 and February 2013.

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Jijakli and his accomplices would fly to Turkey and then cross over into Syria on foot with the items, the indictment stated. The group allegedly used money from Jijaklis business, Orange Check Cashing, to purchase the equipment from businesses based in California, Arizona and Arkansas.

If convicted, Jijakli faces up to 50 years in prison.

joseph.serna@latimes.com

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter.

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A Los Angeles man posing as an Uber driver has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Beverly Hills, and police fear he may have been involved in other attacks in Los Angeles County, officials said.

Carlos Omar Pichinte, 40, claimed to be an Uber driver when he picked up his female victim in West Hollywood on May 13, according to Lt. Elisbaeth Albanese, public information officer for the Beverly Hills Police Department.

He then drove a short distance into Beverly Hills and sexually assaulted the woman, Albanese said.

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Pichinte was arrested during a motor vehicle stop the following week, according to Albanese. He was driving a silver Kia Rio at the time of his capture.

The vehicle was outfitted with decals from both Uber and Lyft, according to Albanese, who said Pichinte is not employed by either ride-sharing service.

Pichinte was charged with rape, kidnapping and several other offenses and is being held in Mens Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles in lieu of $1.3-million bail, records show. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is scheduled to appear in court later this week.

Beverly Hills investigators believe Pichinte may have been involved in similar sexual assaults in the Los Angeles area, and they have contacted neighboring agencies, Albanese said.

Police across California have been wary of predators using ride-share services as a cover to carry out attacks in recent months. In June, Los Angeles police arrested a 46-year-old Uber driver who picked up an intoxicated woman downtown and then allegedly assaulted her at a motel in North Hollywood.

Earlier this year, Uber drivers were also accused of sexual assault in the Bay Area and Orange County.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.
Linda Katehi, the former UC Davis chancellor who resigned last year after an ethics probe into questionable moonlighting activities, will return to campus as a professor this fall for roughly the same rate of pay she received as an administrator, university officials said.

Katehi will be paid $318,200 on a nine-month contract, said UC Davis spokeswoman Dana Topousis. As chancellor, she received a 12-month salary of $424,360.

Katehi, who resigned as chancellor last August, received her full annual salary while on an administrative leave for a year. Part of Katehis agreement with the university when she resigned was that she would return to her faculty position.

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Katehis faculty salary was determined after reviewing other engineering faculty of her stature who are members of the National Academy of Engineering, Topousis said in an email.

Katehi will teach one engineering course in the fall semester  a graduate seminar that meets for 50 minutes each Friday, according to the university registrars website.

She will teach an Introductory Electromagnetics course in the winter quarter and a class called Electronic Circuits and Systems in the spring, Topousis said.

Katehi will also be conducting research, Topousis said.

UC President Janet Napolitano ordered an investigation of Katehi last year in response to allegations that Katehi had violated conflict-of-interest rules in the hiring and promotion of her son and daughter-in-law at UC Davis.

Investigators also looked into her statements to her superiors regarding the universitys hiring of image consultants to attempt to hide Internet references to a pepper-spraying incident of student protesters by campus police in 2011. Independent investigators also examined charges that she had misused student fees and used poor judgment regarding outside board memberships.

UC agreed not to pursue charges of misconduct with the UC Davis Academic Senate, which could threaten her tenure. In return, Katehi agreed not to file legal actions against UC.

In February, University of California regents unanimously approved as Katehis replacement Gary May, who previously headed Georgia Techs College of Engineering.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybranson

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Prosecutors will no longer pursue a case against a USC student accused of raping a fellow undergraduate after a judges decision that there was not enough evidence to send the case to trial, the Los Angeles County district attorneys office said Monday.

Charges will not be refiled against 20-year-old Armaan Karim Premjee, who was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old student in her campus dorm on April 1, said Shiara Davila-Morales, a spokeswoman for the district attorneys office. Premjees preliminary hearing was held in Los Angeles Superior Court last week.

Premjee was charged in May with rape by use of drugs and sexual penetration by a foreign object.

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On Monday, Premjees attorney, Harland Braun, said the judge tossed out the case after the defense presented video evidence that showed consent.

Braun said Premjee and the woman were at Banditos Tacos & Tequila, near the USC campus, that night in April and that security footage showed them waiting for an Uber ride.

There was a camera outside that captured the girl signaling to her friend that she was going to have intercourse with my client, Braun said. The woman, he said, made motions with her hands that indicated sexual activity.

There could never be any better evidence of there being consent, Braun said. He added: She was the aggressor.

Premjee told the Times that he met the woman for the first time that night and that they had consensual sex. He said the woman made sexually-suggestive hand gestures to her friend twice behind his back.

Im very relieved, he said of the judges decision. Ive always maintained a lot of faith in the justice system.

Premjee said the publicity of the case has been very stressful and that he plans to return to USC in the fall. He will be entering his junior year and is studying business administration, he said.

Prosecutors had said the womans roommate walked in during the alleged attack.

Premjee went into a bathroom and when he returned, the roommate confronted him and he left, the district attorneys office said in a statement in May, when the charges were announced.

LAPD Capt. Billy Hayes said the alleged assault was reported immediately to USCs Department of Public Safety early on the morning of April 1.

Two weeks later, Premjee was arrested by officers with the LAPDs Robbery-Homicide Division. He was released after posting $100,000 bail, according to jail records.

University officials said they could not confirm whether USC was conducting its own investigation.

Information pertaining to student disciplinary records and proceedings or any matter of student conduct are confidential and protected by federal privacy laws, the university said in a statement.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybranson
Two wildfires that broke out in Southern California on Monday scorched a total of about 300 acres in Lake Elsinore and Waterman Canyon, triggering evacuation orders and road closures.

The Rose fire, reported about 2:20 p.m., quickly burned about 200 acres in the foothills of Lake Elsinore, drawing a response from more than 200 firefighters and three helicopters, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

About 8:10 p.m., Riverside County fire officials lifted all evacuation orders, which were in effect for several hours; an evacuation center was opened at Elsinore High School. Authorities warned motorists to drive through the fire area with caution.

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Investigators determined the fire  which was 10% contained as of 9 p.m.  was caused accidentally by equipment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Further details were not available.

#RoseFire [Update]off Amorose St, in the community of Lake Elsinore (Riverside County) is now 150 acres. pic.twitter.com/XdJEqMMp8a  CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) July 31, 2017

Meanwhile in San Bernardino County, the Mile fire scorched about 100 acres in Waterman Canyon and forced the closure of Highway 18 in both directions between 40th Avenue and Highway 138, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Officials did not indicate when the highway would reopen.

Nine firefighters were hospitalized with heat-related injuries.

MILE FIRE: (update) Fire still holding at 100 acres. Air and ground attacks in progress. pic.twitter.com/EDQ90bBTQo  SB County Fire (@SBCOUNTYFIRE) July 31, 2017

About 160 firefighters, including ground and air units, were tackling the blaze. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

In Diamond Bar, a 2-acre brush fire was burning uphill toward homes Monday afternoon before firefighters stopped its progress.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

UPDATES:

9:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information on the size of the fires and injuries to firefighters.

This article was originally published at 5:30 p.m.
Days after police widely criticized President Trump for telling officers to be rough with people taken into custody, leaders of a prominent black policing group met with Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions on Tuesday to air their concerns that the remarks could deepen divisions between police and racial minorities.

We are not thugs. We are professionals. We fully expect law enforcement around the country to behave as professionals, the groups president, Perry Tarrant, said after meeting with Sessions.

For the record: An earlier version of this story misspelled White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders name as Sara.

The closed-door talk between police and the nations top law enforcement figure came after Sessions spoke publicly at a conference for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives in Atlanta, where he promised to work with black police chiefs to fight crime and protect civil rights.

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Tarrant, an assistant chief in Seattle, said he told Sessions about the the potential harm of off-the-cuff comments like those made by the president have in detracting from the legitimacy [of police], and detracting from the trust that local law enforcement and communities have.

Civil rights activists have accused Trump, who made the remarks on Friday during a speech to police officers in Brentwood, N.Y., of promoting police brutality. In his address, which focused on combating gang violence, Trump said police should be rough with gang suspects, who he described as animals.

Please dont be too nice, he said to applause at another point. Like when you guys put somebody in the car and youre protecting their head, you know the way you put their hand so they dont hit their head and theyve just killed somebody  you can take that hand away.

Police reform advocates said the presidents remarks could increase tensions in neighborhoods that have become sites of protest in recent years after unarmed African Americans have died at the hands of police.

After the speech, police departments across the U.S., including Los Angeles, issued statements clarifying that their use-of-force rules did not reflect Trumps comments.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that the president was making a joke. She repeated the defense on Tuesday after journalists asked about news reports citing an email from Chuck Rosenberg, the acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, to his staff that said Trump condoned police misconduct.

I think you guys are jumping and trying to make something out of nothing, Sanders said on Tuesday. Trump was simply making a comment, making a joke, and it was nothing more than that.

In his Atlanta speech in front of hundreds of black police chiefs, officers and city leaders, Sessions did not directly speak to Trumps comments. His address largely stuck to themes hes hit elsewhere while traveling around the nation talking to law enforcement agencies about Justice Department efforts to tackle violent crime, gang activity, the illegal drug trade, illegal immigration and violence against police.

He also addressed fatal shootings by police.

We all know the cases of the last several years where, in confrontations with police, lives have been cut short, Sessions said. Just as I am committed to defending law enforcement who lawfully have to use deadly force to defend themselves ... I will also use the powers of the office Ive been entrusted with to hold any officer responsible who violates the law. You know that all it takes is one bad officer to destroy the reputations of so many.

Despite those words, police at the Atlanta conference said Trumps remarks were still among their top concerns.

Tarrant said police pressed Sessions on the issue when they met.

His response to us was he was aware of the comment. He believed it was done in jest, Tarrant said.

Cedric Alexander, deputy mayor of Rochester, N.Y., and past national president of the organization, said Trumps words undermined trust.

We feel we have to fall back and start over again. When youre trying to build trust and you hear that type of inference coming from the commander in chief of this country, it creates a certain anxiety and fear, said Alexander, who was a member of President Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

Some chiefs expressed concern Tuesday that the administrations priorities on police reform could harm efforts to overhaul departments that have had troubled relationships with minorities.

Civil rights groups have said they were alarmed after Sessions issued a memo ordering Justice Department officials to review agreements, many that were signed under the Obama administration, with police departments over unconstitutional policing, use of excessive force and other misconduct. Sessions called such court-enforced police reform agreements dangerous.

As Sessions spoke on Tuesday, the black law enforcement groups Washington chapter president, Tony Dixon, said he hoped the Trump administration would be a little more careful and responsible in order to build up relations with African Americans.

The community needs to hear and recognize that they have a voice thats willing to step up and relate to them, Dixon said. It would be nice if [Sessions] would acknowledge there are problems that are being discounted by the current administrations cavalier attitude that doesnt really address whats really going on between law enforcement and the community.

Times staff writer Kaleem reported from Los Angeles and special correspondent Jarvie from Atlanta.

jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com

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3 p.m.: The article was updated to report that Jeff Sessions told police chiefs that he thought President Trumps comment about being rough with criminal suspects was made in jest.

The article was originally published at 2 p.m.
Attorneys general from 15 states, including California, filed a legal challenge on Tuesday over the Trump administrations delay of Obama-era rules reducing emissions of smog-causing air pollutants.

The states petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to overturn Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitts extension of deadlines to comply with the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Pruitt announced in June he was extending the deadlines by at least one year while his agency studies and reconsiders the requirements. Several pro-business groups are opposed to the stricter rules, including the American Petroleum Institute, the American Chemistry Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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New York Atty. Gen. Eric Schneiderman, who was among the state officials who filed the lawsuit, said EPAs delay violates the Clean Air Act.

Yet again the Trump EPA has chosen to put polluters before the health of the American people, Schneiderman said. By illegally blocking these vital clean air protections, Administrator Pruitt is endangering the health and safety of millions.

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra recalled the days before many clean air protections.

Too many children in our state have developed asthma and other preventable respiratory conditions that result from air pollution, Becerra said in a news release. I grew up in Sacramento knowing that I could drink clean water and breathe clean air. But in those days in Los Angeles, how many people my age can say the same thing? How many days began with smog alerts? How many kids grew up with asthma that could have been prevented? Thats why Im taking action against the Trump administration today.

Ground-level ozone can cause serious breathing problems among sensitive groups of people, contributing to thousands of premature deaths each year.

New York was joined in the case by California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, and the District of Columbia.

EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma, has charged ahead with efforts to weaken, block or delay a wide array of stricter pollution and public health standards following his appointment by President Trump earlier this year.

Pruitts delay of the 2015 ozone standards comes as Republicans in Congress are pushing for a broader rewriting of the rules. A House bill approved last month seeks to delay implementation of the 2015 rules at least eight years. The measure has not been brought to a vote in the Senate.

More than a dozen major health organizations oppose the GOP-backed measure, including the National Medical Assn., the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Assn. The head of the American Lung Assn. called the industry-backed bill a direct assault on the right of Americans to breathe healthy air.

Ground-level ozone is created when common pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, oil refineries, chemical plants and other sources react in the atmosphere to sunlight. The National Ambient Air Quality Standards adopted by EPA in 2015 reduced the allowed amount of ground-level ozone from 75 parts per billion to 70 parts per billion.

EPA estimated at the time that the $1.4 billion it would cost to meet the stricter standards would be far outweighed by billions saved from fewer emergency room visits and other public health gains.

The agency cited recent studies showing ozone at 72 parts per billion is harmful to healthy adults exercising outdoors. Children are at increased risk because their lungs are still developing and they are more likely to be active outdoors when ozone levels are high, the agency said.

UPDATES:

1:45 p.m.: This story had been updated with comments from Xavier Becerra.

This article was first published at 1:35 p.m.
As Gov. Jerry Brown and Californias legislative leaders left for their summer break, they said the top priority when they returned would be addressing Californias housing affordability crisis. Theyll consider a bevy of bills, with an emphasis on providing funds for housing development. More funding will help, but it cant solve the crisis. To effectively alleviate the housing shortage, the state must also ensure that local governments responsibly use their power to regulate land use.

Throughout the U.S., municipalities adopt zoning ordinances to govern development and land use. In California, local zoning must  in principle  accommodate housing affordable to lower-income households. Building apartments, rather than single-family homes, is the most efficient way to accomplish this goal. But even when local zoning allows for high-density development, lengthy local review processes and political opposition frequently stymie such projects in California.

Massachusetts, facing a similar situation, passed a law that provides a promising model for California. It shifts some power over land use away from local governments that arent meeting state affordable housing goals. Although the law is controversial, it has proved politically resilient, and Massachusetts voters soundly rejected a 2010 ballot measure to abolish it.

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The comprehensive permit expedites the local review process, and it enables developers to propose projects at higher densities than otherwise permitted.

Two components distinguish the Massachusetts law. First, qualifying projects  in general, those reserving at least 25% of the units for households earning 80% or less than the areas median income  are eligible for a comprehensive permit. The comprehensive permit expedites the local review process, and it enables developers to propose projects at higher densities than otherwise permitted. The resulting projects can thus provide market-rate units as well as those that are affordable to low-income households. (California needs more of both.)

The second component is an appeals process. If a comprehensive permit is denied or is subject to conditions that are unacceptable to the developer, the state can require the municipality to demonstrate a specific health or safety concern of sufficient gravity to outweigh the regional housing need.

In effect, the appeals process provides for an override of local decision-making. Municipalities are exempt from the appeals procedure only if they have accommodated their fair share of affordable housing, as defined by state law, or if they have a state-approved housing production plan and can show measurable, consistent progress toward meeting the states standard.

I analyzed the effect of the Massachusetts law with real estate economist Lynn Fisher. According to our research, developers of rental projects proposed between 1999 and 2005 in the suburbs of Boston generally used the law to build in places where more housing could do a lot of good  municipalities that were relatively accessible to jobs but that had previously placed stringent restrictions on apartment projects.

There are good reasons that California and other states give local governments primary authority over land-use regulation, and equally good reasons to ensure that this authority is exercised responsibly. Local officials are best positioned to understand the effects of development on a given site and are best equipped to recognize the interests of current residents. But local officials attention to those very interests can scuttle appropriate development proposals.

In California, a bill to provide for a comprehensive permit system is pending in the Legislature, but it doesnt currently include a robust appeals process. Legislators should add one and, at the same time, authorize funding and technical assistance to help municipalities plan for new development and provide adequate infrastructure.

As anyone who has recently searched for housing in the Boston area knows, the Massachusetts approach is not a panacea for housing affordability. No single policy will solve housing shortages that have been mounting for decades. But the Massachusetts model shows how California could effectively encourage local governments to help address the states housing affordability crisis.

Nicholas J. Marantz is an assistant professor of urban planning and public policy at UC Irvine.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
A decade ago, Davino Watson pleaded guilty in a New York State court to selling cocaine, and served an eight-month sentence. As he neared release, federal immigration agents filed a detainer letter with the prison in which the Jamaican-born Watson was held, asking officials to hang on to him until they could pick him up as a suspected immigrant living in the country without permission.

It would be 3 1/2 years before Watson gained his release from federal custody  after the government finally admitted that it had made a mistake. Watson, it turned out, was a U.S. citizen, something he had asserted from the time immigration agents said they wanted to deport him. But the government screwed up the investigation.

The errors included failing to follow up on identification information Watson provided, and mistaking Watsons father, whose naturalization in 2002 automatically granted his then-minor son citizenship, for a noncitizen with a similar name but different biographical data.

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And now the federal courts have doubled down on the damage, rejecting a lower-court ruling that held the government responsible primarily because Watson didnt file his lawsuit within two years of the start of his detention  when he was still fighting to avoid being wrongfully deported and before the government admitted it had erred.

The reason Watson stumbled over the legal hurdles is that he didnt have a lawyer. People charged with criminal violations are entitled, under Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution, to legal counsel, and the government must provide one if the defendant cant afford one on his own.

But immigration law is a civil matter, and no one in civil court is entitled to a lawyer. So Watson, who didnt graduate from high school, was forced to defend himself alone against a wrongful deportation proceeding (for a taste of how complicated the law is, read the appellate decision here). And the law also presumes that he would have enough knowledge to realize that he had to start his civil lawsuit for damages over his still-in-progress illegal detention within two years of the beginning of his detention  even though he was still being detained.

If the government is in a position to deprive someone of his or her freedom, that person ought to have a right to legal help.

There may indeed be credible legal arguments behind the appellate decision. But that doesnt make the decision just. The federal government imprisoned an American citizen for 1,273 days because of errors committed by immigration officers. And under this appellate ruling, the government gets a pass on bearing responsibility.

Legal representation in immigration courts is crucial for people seeking permission to remain in the country, particularly those arguing that they deserve asylum under U.S. law and international compacts the government has signed. And unlike most other civil law cases, immigration proceedings often deprive people of their liberty, which places them in a different light than conventional civil proceedings.

Fairness dictates that if the government is in a position to deprive someone of his or her freedom, that person ought to have a right to legal help. In Watsons case, its appalling that a U.S. citizen was held by his own government without cause. Its even more appalling that the arcane rules of the civil courts now protect the government from liability for the time it stole from Watson.

Scott.Martelle@LATimes.com

Follow my posts and re-tweets at @smartelle on Twitter
May you die in pain: California GOP congressman gets an earful at town hall

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) kicks off his Monday morning town hall in Chico. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times)

May you die in pain.

That was the nastiest moment of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfas early morning town hall in the Northern California town of Chico on Monday.

The wish was uttered by an older man who criticized LaMalfa for voting for the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. He was also holding a pink sign that read Lackey for the Rich!

ALSO: LaMalfa says the Russia investigation is a bunch of crap

The open hostility and intransigence inside the Chico Elks Lodge came as the political divide in the country has grown more inflamed, with Trumps election unleashing a wave of both liberal activism and conservative empowerment.

As a result, Washingtons deeply partisan fights over issues such as health care, immigration and environmental protections have followed members of Congress home, turning once sedate town halls into in-your-face venting sessions that in left-leaning California have Republican House members on the defensive.

LaMalfa stood his ground on stage as person after person ripped into him for his votes and positions on healthcare and climate change, as well as for his unyielding support for President Trump.

A few speakers asked LaMalfa to resign, including one dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West Coast.

Heather Calun dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West Coast in protest. She wants LaMalfa to resign over his vote to repeal Obamacare. pic.twitter.com/rBZXAnjd2l  Phil Willon (@philwillon) August 7, 2017

Most comments and questions during the hour-long town hall were fairly cordial, although they were laced with plenty of boos and catcalls.

Norma Wilcox, a retired nurse who lives in Chico, also questioned LaMalfas healthcare vote. Wilcox told LaMalfa the House plan would take away healthcare for millions of Americans while providing tax breaks to the rich.

I am open to new ideas, LaMalfa told her, describing the House GOP bill as a placeholder that everyone expected to be improved during negotiations with the Senate. (The Senates healthcare efforts now appear dead.)

But the Richvale congressman, who represents Californias massive 1st Congressional District in the northeast corner of the state, said he will support only a new healthcare program that provides affordable coverage to middle-class Americans.

LaMalfa said Obamacare is quickly become unaffordable and unsustainable, with premium costs rising and the number of insurance companies offering coverage declining.

People across the board are being hurt by this, LaMalfa said.

When shouts and boos rained down on him, he chastised the crowd saying, I have the mic folks. Yep, boo away.

Ann Sisney of Chico told LaMalfa that her son, William, died of an opioid overdose two years ago. She held up a picture of the 19-year-old, asked the congressman to take it, and told him more people will die if GOP leadership in Congress gets its way on healthcare.

These are life-and-death decisions that you are making, Sisney told him.

LaMalfa assured her that Congress was working to find funds to address the nationwide opioid epidemic.

The Republican congressman also raised the ire of the crowd when he was asked about climate change and the degraded air quality in this stretch of Northern California.

I dont buy the idea that man-made activity is responsible, LaMalfa said bluntly.

The crowd of several hundred did include some LaMalfa supporters, though most stayed silent.

Ron Jones, 67, of Paradise said hes been to a few of LaMalfas town halls and all have been dominated by his critics.

Most of the time people want to ... complain, said Jones, a self-described conservative, after the event ended. The people who support him are quietly in the background.

LaMalfa does indeed have a lot of support in the district that also overwhelmingly voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton in last years presidential election. LaMalfa won his last election by almost 15%, and though he has attracted a few Democratic challengers, the district is not considered a battleground for 2018.

Unlike many California Republican members of Congress, LaMalfa hasnt shied away from holding town halls, though its rarely a pleasant experience for him. He held one in Nevada City in March and another in April in Oroville. No other California Republicans are scheduled to hold town halls during their August recess.

Near the end of Mondays town hall, a woman criticized LaMalfa for inviting only Christian pastors to provide invocations at his town halls and other events, and urged him to include religious leaders of all faiths.

If you want to have your own town hall, you can invite whoever you like, LaMalfa told her.
Sen. Jeff Flake is among the most endangered Republicans running for reelection next year. But hes not exactly acting like it.

The senator from Arizona unleashed a searing criticism Tuesday of President Trump and, more significantly, the GOPs unwillingness to confront the chaos at the White House.

Republicans, he writes in his new book, are in denial.

Too often, we observe the unfolding drama along with the rest of the country, passively, all but saying, Someone should do something! without seeming to realize that that someone is us, Flake writes in Conscience of a Conservative.

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And so, that unnerving silence in the face of an erratic executive branch is an abdication, and those in positions of leadership bear particular responsibility.

Such frank criticism of ones own party is an unusual approach in Washington, and some are heralding Flake as a voice of reason in a Congress where most Republicans have been hesitant to confront Trump, especially in states the president won.

But its actually not surprising coming from the first-term senator, who was never a Trump fan. Flake has always been a bit of an outlier in his more than 16 years in Congress.

Flake is channeling his states rich tradition as Western outsiders, a mash-up of Barry Goldwaters conservative legacy and, more recently, the dramatic return of Sen. John McCain to cast the deciding Republican no vote last week that doomed the GOPs Obamacare overhaul. Flake voted for the plan.

Second only to Nevadas Sen. Dean Heller as the most at-risk Republican in the 2018 midterm election, Flake certainly risks alienating Trump voters he will need next year to win reelection.

But Flake also appears to be calculating that Arizonas independent streak and its shift toward becoming a swing state will reward his McCain-like straight talk  or that at least he will be defeated having had his say.

Certainly its not the easiest path to reelection, Flake told PBS Charlie Rose, acknowledging his low net approval ratings in polls. It makes some people upset, but I felt it was important enough to do.

Flake said, We politicians have to recognize that there are some things that are more important than reelection.

First elected to the House in 2000 and a strict fiscal conservative, Flake was tea-party-minded long before the rise of the tea party, railing against government spending and waste as a leading budget cutter in the House.

But he also comes from a Mormon tradition of missionary service, having worked for years in Africa. He has adopted a more welcoming attitude to immigrants than many in his party, and was part of the so-called Gang of Eight senators who drafted the 2013 immigration overhaul.

During the early days of Trumps fiery campaign trail rhetoric, Flake delivered a speech during Friday prayers at an Arizona mosque. He traveled to Cuba during the Obama administration, favoring more open relations.

Flake was among just a few Republicans in Congress who didnt vote for Trump, and has been more willing to speak out against White House policies.

In his book, excerpted first in Politico, he lambastes colleagues who were quick to attack President Obama in hopes of making him a one-term president  but who today have maintained an unnerving silence as instability has ensued.

To carry on in the spring of 2017 as if what was happening was anything approaching normalcy required a determined suspension of critical faculties. And tremendous powers of denial, he writes.

Those sentences are a not-so-subtle swipe at party leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who orchestrated that strategy, which Flake indirectly argues left Republicans bereft of their own policy ideas.

McConnell dismissed questions Tuesday, saying he had not yet read the book.

Ill get around to it at some point, McConnell said.

Flake acknowledges he shares blame, accepting some responsibility for his own willingness to duck the hard questions over Trump.

Ive been sympathetic to this impulse to denial, as one doesnt ever want to believe that the government of the United States has been made dysfunctional at the highest levels, especially by the actions of ones own party, he writes.

But it was also a monumental dodge. It would be like Noah saying, If I spent all my time obsessing about the coming flood, there would be little time for anything else. At a certain point, if one is being honest, the flood becomes the thing that is most worthy of attention. At a certain point, it might be time to build an ark.

What remains unclear, though, is how many fellow Republicans might follow his lead.

Republicans in recent weeks have shown some willingness to chart their own course or confront the White House, including passing a Russia sanctions bill, though the package also sanctioned Iran and North Korea.

Flakes colleague McCain and two other Republicans resisted Trumps insistence that they pass the healthcare bill, and many have also warned Trump against firing Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions.

Another Trump critic, fellow Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, also declined to back the president, but he prefers to troll Trump on Twitter rather than in public debate.

For now, that leaves Flake among the few GOP lawmakers who openly have spoken so critically about Trump and the situation in the White House.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

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President Trump has been backed into a corner on Russia policy, facing only bad options  pressed by President Vladimir Putin on one side and, from the other, by assertive U.S. lawmakers who dont trust Trump to stand up to the autocrat.

A near-unanimous Congress last week sent to the White House a sanctions bill that clamps down on Russia, along with Iran and North Korea, and ties Trumps hands from offering Putin relief from existing sanctions. Putin has retaliated by demanding the United States slash its diplomatic presence by about two-thirds, or 755 people.

Trump is caught in the middle. At home, hes under pressure to sign the sanctions bill into law and aides say he will, if only because Congress could easily override a veto. Signing the bill, however, could sink his effort to improve relations with Russia and bond with Putin.

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He clearly is uncomfortable, said Alexander Vershbow, a U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2001 through 2005.

Here and on the world stage, Trump runs the risk of looking weak if he doesnt react boldly to Russias Cold War-style expulsion of so many U.S. embassy personnel. Yet over the last few days, Trump has been silent against a hostile act that in any prior administration would have provoked a presidential response.

The president does look a little weak certainly vis-a-vis the Congress, but at the same time theres also the psychological unwillingness to speak out against Putin, said Vershbow, now a fellow at the Atlantic Council. Its always been inexplicable. Its become even more inexplicable.

Instead, Trump has left it to Vice President Mike Pence, who is traveling abroad, to fire back against the Kremlin.

Very soon, President Trump will sign legislation to strengthen and codify the United States sanctions against Russia, Pence said in a speech Tuesday in Tbilisi, Georgia, during a swing through former Soviet republics bordering Russias western border.

Pence condemned Russias 10-year-long occupation of South Ossetia, an area that makes up about one-fifth of Georgian territory, pointing out that Russian tanks sit on the border of the occupied lands about 40 miles from Tbilisi, where he spoke.

We stand here today in the gap, on a front line of freedom, a front line compromised by Russian aggression nearly a decade ago, Pence said.

The United States prefers a constructive relationship with Russia, Pence said. But the president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia  a better relationship, the lifting of sanctions, will require Russia to reverse the actions that caused the sanctions to be imposed in the first place. And not before.

Those actions included Russias annexation of Crimea, formerly part of Ukraine, and its support of pro-Russian separatists fighting in Ukraines east.

Trump tried to develop a friendship with Putin over the first six months of his administration, mostly by phone until the two men met extensively last month at a summit of leading nations in Hamburg, Germany. Their contacts there included a private discussion of more than two hours and a separate long chat during a dinner closing the summit.

But early on, their efforts at building rapport seemed destined to falter. Hanging over their courtship is the investigation by a Justice Department special counsel into whether Trumps campaign colluded with Russia to win the election. Also, despite Trumps overtures to Putin, Russia hasnt let up on efforts to undermine democratic elections in Europe and to foil U.S. actions in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and Libya.

The sanctions bill that cleared Congress last week, over administration objections, is being reviewed by West Wing lawyers, Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Tuesday to explain why Trump hasnt signed it yet.

There is nothing holding him back. There is a review process, a legal process they are going through, and he will sign the bill and we will let you guys know, Sanders said.

Only last month Trump was openly celebrating his new ties to Putin. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One en route to Paris in mid-July, the president said he would be open to inviting the Russian president to the White House at some point.

If you dont have dialogue, you have to be fools  fools, Trump said. It would be the easiest thing for me to say  I will never speak to him, and everybody would love me. But I have to do whats right, he said.

Even as Trump has celebrated his outreach to Putin, he has argued that, as a candidate and now president, his proposed policies  to boost military spending and increase energy production more than Hillary Clinton would  should make him less popular with Moscow than his Democratic rival.

The sanctions bill, if he signs it, would codify the punishments President Obama placed on Russia in December for meddling in the 2016 election, and also impose significant restrictions on his stewardship of foreign policy.

It would prevent Trump, or any other president, from lifting those sanctions without going back to Congress for approval. The measure also would add restrictions affecting Russias energy sector and its intelligence and defense operations, making it harder for Moscow to export weapons.

Lawmakers initially wrote the sanctions legislation to restrict efforts by Iran and North Korea to develop nuclear-armed missiles. They subsequently included Russia out of bipartisan concern that Trump might ease existing sanctions on Russia to curry favor with Putin.

Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a former aide to the former British prime minister, said Trump was taking the path of the previous two presidents  Obama and George W. Bush  who came into office seeking better relations with Russia, only to run into the hard reality that Putins interests are fundamentally at odds with Americas.

The reality is you cant get along with Vladimir Putin, he said.

Gardiner said Trump was delegating Russian relations to staff, which was taking a justifiably hard line, and that the president is moving more and more in sync with administration experts.

He pointed to several policy positions that show a harder line toward Russia. Among them: the presidents apparent intent to sign the sanctions bill; his support for building up military power in Europe and for the existing sanctions against Moscow for its aggression toward Ukraine; the deployment of bombers to Britain; and discussion of sending defensive weapons to Ukraine.

Gardiner agreed Trumps rhetoric had been more conciliatory toward Russia, but pointed to Pences tough words during his visit this week in the Baltics.

I hope that President Trump will follow Pences lead on this, he said. Pence is saying all the things that need to be said.

Twitter: @ByBrianBennett

brian.bennett@latimes.com

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3:45 p.m.: The article was updated to include additional interviews and analysis.

The article was originally published at 11:05 a.m.
The White House acknowledged Tuesday that President Trump weighed in as any father would in helping draft a misleading statement for Donald Trump Jr. last month about his meeting with Russians during the presidential campaign.

By the acknowledgment, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders seemed to confirm the gist of a Washington Post story, published late Monday, that Trump dictated the statement for his son while aboard Air Force One, overruling advisors who wanted a fuller, more candid explanation of the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower.

Sanders comments in effect refuted Trumps lawyer and frequent spokesperson, Jay Sekulow, who said two weeks ago on NBCs Meet the Press that the president was not involved in the drafting of the statement. Sekulow said much the same on ABCs This Week.

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Four days after Trump Jr. issued his initial, inaccurate statement on July 8 about the 2016 meeting, his father suggested to reporters he was largely in the dark about it, and assumed his son and the sons lawyers wrote the statement.

I only heard about it two or three days ago, the president said. He added praise for his sons transparency on the issue.

The initial statement for Trump Jr. written on the presidents plane said that the younger Trump and a Russian lawyer primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children and their meeting was unrelated to the campaign.

Sanders said Tuesday that the statement that Don Jr. issued is true. Theres no inaccuracy in the statement.

Yet the sons own emails showed otherwise last month. The emails, which he released just as the New York Times planned to publish them, revealed that he came to the meeting with attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya not to talk about adoptions but on an acquaintances assurance that she was a Russian government lawyer who had official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary Clinton, and be very useful to your father.

The emails further said the information was part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump.

If its what you say I love it, Trump Jr. responded to his email correspondent, Rob Goldstone, a music promoter with business dealings in Russia.

Also copied on some of the emails to and from the younger Trump were Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and advisor; and Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chairman at the time. Both men accompanied Trump Jr. to the meeting, which included other Russians.

Trump Jr. and the White House have maintained that nothing came of the meeting. In that spirit, Sanders said Tuesday that this is all discussion frankly of no consequence.

There was no follow-up, she added. It was disclosed to the proper parties.

Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, one of the congressional panels that is investigating Russias election interference and potential collusion with the Trump campaign, said on CNN on Tuesday that the revelations would prompt more questions of Trump Jr. and Kushner.

Ill let any rational individual make a judgment, Warner said. But it seems a bit strange, the president of the United States comes in and drafts this statement that is just factually wrong.

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman
How many false statements did Trump make in his interview with the Wall Street Journal? We count at least five

(Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

The Wall Street Journal didnt release the full transcript of the interview its reporters and editors had last week with President Trump, but when Politico obtained a copy and published it, the interview quickly drew attention for several false statements Trump made.

The one that immediately gained notoriety was Trumps claim that after his speech at the Boy Scout Jamboree last week, I got a call from the head of the Boy Scouts saying it was the greatest speech that was ever made to them.

On Wednesday, the Boy Scouts of America released a statement saying we are unaware of any such call. The Scouts specifically said that neither the organizations president, AT&T chairman Randall Stephenson, nor its chief executive, Mike Surbaugh, had made such a call.

In fact, Surbaugh last week issued an unprecedented apology for a presidential speech  Scouts have heard from presidents back to Franklin D. Roosevelt  saying he was sorry that some members of the scouting community had been offended by Trumps partisanship, language and tone.

In the daily White House press briefing, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that other Boy Scout leaders, whom she did not name, had complimented Trump after his speech.

That wasnt the only call to come into question recently. A few days after the Journal interview, Trump said that Mexicos president, Enrique Pena Nieto, had paid him the ultimate compliment by calling and telling him that their southern border, very few people are coming because they know theyre not going to get through our border.

The Mexican government press office issued a statement Wednesday denying that.

Pena Nieto has not had recent telephone communication with President Donald Trump, the statement said.

Sanders said that Pena Nieto did compliment Trump, but in a personal conversation, not a telephone call.

I wouldnt say it was a lie, she said of Trumps statements.

Other false statements involved broader factual matters.

Were the highest-taxed nation in the world, Trump said  a statement that he has repeatedly made and which has repeatedly been debunked. Whether measured by the top tax rate or the overall percentage of national income which is taxed, the U.S. has lower taxes than most of its chief economic competitors.

Trump may have been thinking about the U.S. corporate tax rate, which is higher than most developed countries, although not the highest. Yet few companies actually pay that top rate given various tax deductions, credits and exemptions.

Trump also said I honestly believe for six months, I have done more than just about any other president when you look at all of the bills that were passed, 42, 43.

Thats untrue. Many of Trumps predecessors had signed more legislation, and nearly all recent ones had signed more significant measures by this point in their tenures.

Jimmy Carter had signed 70 bills into law by this point, Bill Clinton 50. Franklin D. Roosevelt had 76 in just his first 100 days.

About one-third of the bills Trump has signed have been ceremonial measures, such as renaming courthouses.

Referring to his top economic advisor, Gary Cohn, Trump said Gary wrote a check for $200 million when he entered the government. He had to pay $200 million in tax.

Trump has said that before, including in a speech in June. Its false.

Cohn owned about $220 million in Goldman Sachs stock when he resigned as the banks president to become the head of Trumps National Economic Council. He sold the stock to minimize conflicts of interest, as most appointees do. But he certainly didnt have to pay $200 million in tax on that sale.

In fact, its likely Cohn hasnt paid any tax so far. He may never have to.

Federal law allows appointees to government positions to defer any tax they owe on assets that they sell to avoid conflicts. The law requires that they put the proceeds of the sale into neutral investments such as Treasury securities. If his securities go up in value, Cohn might have to pay tax on that gain. The top tax rate on capital gains is 20%.

Trump also repeated a false claim about his defeated rival from the election, Hillary Clinton.

Real crimes are what Hillary did with 33,000 emails, where she deleted them and bleached them after getting a subpoena.

Trump made that claim more than once during the campaign, and more recently on Twitter.

He is correct that Clinton deleted 33,000 emails from the private server she used for her messages while she was secretary of State. She says that all of those deleted emails were personal and that she had no obligation to keep them. No one has come up with evidence to the contrary.

The evidence from the FBIs investigation of the emails shows that in December 2014, after she turned over about 30,000 work-related emails to the State Department, Clintons aides told the company that managed the server to delete the rest of the emails. The emails were subpoenaed about three months later, on March 4.

The company didnt actually do the deletion until later in March, but theres been no evidence that Clinton knew about the delay at the time or that the company knew the messages were under subpoena.

In any case, the FBI declined to recommend prosecution, contrary to Trumps assertion that Clinton committed real crimes.

A poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University asked Americans if they believe Trump is honest. By 62% to 34%, a majority said no.

12:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comments by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
The Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic has distributed its scholarships and installed officers for the upcoming year.

This Panhellenic chapter serves Glendale, Burbank, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Sunland and Tujunga. Members are from any of the 26 sororities recognized by the National Panhellenic Conference.

Established in 1947, the groups charter is to support local women in pursuit of higher education.

Awards of varying amounts are given annually to eligible area high school senior women who are planning to attend a four-year college or university in the fall, as well as to eligible area college women who are active members in good standing with a National Panhellenic Conference sorority.

The Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic presents an annual benefit luncheon to raise money for the Merit Scholarship awards.

High School Merit Scholarship recipients for 2017 were Burbank High School graduates Rebecca Galvez, who will attend San Diego State University; Elina Hakobyan, who will attend USC; Emily Mintz-Kreyns, who will attend Columbia College of Chicago; and Sanam Patel, who will attend UC Berkeley.

Also receiving a Merit Scholarship was Julie McHorney, who graduated from John Burroughs High School and will attend CSU Channel Islands.

Glendale Panhellenic officers and volunteers are Kim Westhoff, president, Glendale, Alpha Omicron Pi; Elaine Chapman, vice president, La Canada Flintridge, Kappa Kappa Gamma; Jerri Johnson, secretary, Pasadena, Sigma Sigma Sigma; Julie Weller, treasurer, Glendale, Delta Zeta; and Lynne Graves, benefit co-chair, La Canada Flintridge, Alpha Delta Pi.

Also holding posts are Deb Ann Orfalea, scholarship social chair, Glendale, Zeta Tau Alpha; Janice Paul, scholarship chair, La Canada Flintridge, Delta Delta Delta; and Georgine Archer, files/recommendations chair, Burbank, Delta Gamma.

For more information, visit www.glendalepanhellenic.org.

New senior minister comes to SpiritWorks

Rev. Cliff Rubin has been appointed to serve as senior minister at SpiritWorks - Center for Spiritual Living.

Before this recent appointment, Rubin said he created and grew an online ministry called YANA (You Are Not Alone) Virtual Center for Spiritual Living that reached more than 2,000 people a week in more than 50 countries.

He also served as the executive director of the Listening Heart Crisis Center, which offered a suicide crisis hotline that he said took more than 10,000 calls during his tenure with a 100% survival rate.

I live my life in the knowing that anything is possible and life is a celebration, he said.

He is the author of Cliffs Notes on the Science of Mind Textbook, used in Science of Mind classes and book study groups in more than 50 centers around the world.

SpiritWorks - Center for Spiritual Living was founded in 1949 and is located at 260 N. Pass Ave., Burbank.

For more information, call (818) 848-4158.

Class of 1967 plans to reunite

Summer means its time for high school reunions and one of the big celebrations coming up is Burbank High School Class of 1967s 50th reunion.

The three-day extravaganza will be held from Sept. 15 to 17. The main event will be a dinner on Sept. 16 at the Burbank Elks Lodge, 2232 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank.

Cost to attend the dinner and Sunday picnic is $67. The memory book is $25.

Mail a check to BHS Reunion in care of Dona Bruckner, 4683 Telescope Ave., Carlsbad CA 92008.

JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.
Addison Ritner meticulously inserted Lego bricks into the base of what would become a robot. Sometimes the bricks fit, other times it required her to disassemble a few pieces before she made progress.

Addison, 11, is one of the students enrolled in the weeklong Lego Robo-Camp held at the Buena Vista Branch Library in collaboration with the FRC Team 980 ThunderBots, a community team of high school students from Burbank, Glendale and nearby schools who compete across the Los Angeles region by building robots that perform commands.

Participants were divided into eight groups and learned how to assemble and program robots using Lego Mindstorms.

On Friday, they are slated to test their robots by placing them on a printed game mat with a series of challenges. The groups robot that successfully completes the obstacles and accrues the most points will win prizes.

On Monday, students brainstormed ideas and were introduced to the Lego Mindstorms program that uses visual blocks, which represent a series of coding. A series of visual blocks will prompt a robot to move forward, stop, turn and lift items. One block can do a variety of commands.

One of the attendees picks from a pile of parts as he assembles his teams robot during the Lego Robo-Camp held at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank on Monday. (Dan Watson / Burbank Leader)

The children will become more confident in their skills throughout the week, said Ethan Geodfrey, 16, summer team captain of the FRC Team 980. He added that some kids become glued to the computer with enough confidence to handle everything for the team.

Robin Dorfman, a mentor for the ThunderBots, said the goal is to instill an interest in robotics at a young age, so students and parents can encourage schools to implement technical programs into their curricula.

Its better to set up a foundation in students early on and lead them in studies toward [science, technology, engineering and math] careers, [where] they will be better prepared for the new future, she said.

It was Addisons first time working with Lego Mindstorms. Though she was frustrated at times, Addison said the program pushed her to continue trying. She eventually took the lead in helping assemble the robot for her group.

Another participant, Andrew Molina, 10, quickly learned his way through the programming component. While his group worked on assembling its robot, Andrew began tinkering with the visual blocks. He said it was pretty easy once he got the hang of it.

Im happy to be here, he said. All my life, I just wanted to make robots, and I just think theyre really cool.

priscella.vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
Draw the butter  Lobsterfest is back.

The feast, in its ninth year, will return Sunday to Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, featuring whole Maine lobsters  flown in the morning of the event  plus a buffet of New York strip steak, corn on the cob, red potatoes, salads, sourdough rolls and dessert, plus a full bar, raffles and live music.

The festivities will run from 3 to 8 p.m. at the resort, 101 N. Bayside Drive, Newport Beach. General admission tickets are $60 in advance and $80 at the door. Tickets for children younger than 12 are $20 in advance.

VIP tickets are $150 in advance and include all-you-can-eat lobster, complimentary beer and wine, valet parking and reserved stage-side seating.

Tickets are available at lobsterfestatnewportbeach.com.

Proceeds will benefit Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire, which grants wishes to young people with life-threatening illnesses, and Leadership Tomorrow, a program intended to help businesspeople, residents, community activists and public employees learn more about their community.

Actress Jane Lynch goes musical for Festival of Arts show

Actress Jane Lynch, best known for her role as Sue Sylvester in the TV series Glee, will show her musical side by performing a comedy cabaret show from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday as part of the Festival of Arts Concerts on the Green series in Laguna Beach.

Concerts on the Green are free with festival admission at 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

The series also will feature Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band on Aug. 19.

For more information, call (800) 487-3378 or visit foapom.com/events/concerts-on-the-green.

Newport Elementary gets new principal

Amanda Estrada has been named principal of Newport Elementary School.

Estrada comes to the Newport Beach campus after serving as assistant principal for College Park and Mariners elementary schools. Her appointment is scheduled to be ratified by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board Aug. 22.

She will replace former Newport Elementary principal Rich Rodriguez, who was transferred to College Park Elementary in Costa Mesa.

I look forward to continuing the great work at Newport Elementary while collaborating with students, staff and the school community to further improve learning opportunities for students, Estrada said in a statement.

Corona del Mar High grad honored by Newport council

Mary-Christine M.C. Sungaila, a Corona del Mar High School graduate and a partner at the Haynes and Boone law firm in Costa Mesa, recently received a certificate of recognition from her hometown.

City Councilman Will ONeill gave her the certificate, which recognized her professional achievements and humanitarian work.

Earlier this year, Sungaila received an Ellis Island Medal of Honor awarded by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations to recognize her accomplishments in the legal field.

In a news release, Haynes and Boone noted her legal win last year in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a transgender woman from Mexico who was seeking asylum in the United States.

Decorative Arts Society gives $175,000 to Costa Mesa nonprofits

The Newport Beach-based Decorative Arts Society recently gave more than $175,000 to local nonprofits during a luncheon at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach.

Recipients included the Costa Mesa-based Down Syndrome Assn. of Orange County, Project Hope Alliance and Youth Employment Service.

Mothers Market grocery bag sales to help wildlife sanctuary

Costa Mesa-based natural and organic foods retailer Mothers Market & Kitchen is donating a portion of funds collected from grocery bag sales through Sept. 30.

The money will benefit the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary in Modjeska Canyon. Funds will be collected from all seven Orange County Mothers Market locations.

Newport interim fire chief to be guest at Speak Up Newport event

The Newport Beach Fire Departments interim chief, Chip Duncan, will be the guest speaker at the Aug. 9 Speak Up Newport meeting.

The event at City Hall will start at 5:15 p.m. with a reception. Duncan, a Newport Beach firefighter since 1987, is scheduled to talk from 6 to 7 p.m.

Admission is free.

UCI professor publishes surfing philosophy book

A UC Irvine philosophy professor has written a book about surfing.

Aaron James book from publisher Doubleday is titled Surfing with Sartre: An Aquatic Inquiry into a Life of Meaning.

Written as a conversation with a variety of well-known philosophers, James, a surfer-philosopher himself, finds his main opponent is Jean-Paul Sartre  the French philosopher whose dark existential world views are rebuffed by the surfers intrinsic harmony with the state of things.

Surfing with Sartre will be available Aug. 8.

Julie Colgan wins Costa Mesa city award

Costa Mesa City Manager Tom Hatch has given the City Manager Leadership Award for July to Julie Colgan, development services administrative secretary for the city.

Colgan, who started with the city as a temporary employee in April 2012, has been full time since November 2015.

Colgans duties include serving as the recording secretary for the Planning Commission, making sure public notices occur on time, and ensuring that agendas and staff reports are ready and copied.
Anaheim elected officials and workers will be barred from lobbying the city for two years after they leave their jobs under a new sunshine ordinance, the strictest restriction on government lobbying in Orange County.

The new ordinance, proposed by Councilman Jose Moreno, also prohibits the city from hiring people from lobbying firms and requires paid lobbyists to register with the city and file quarterly reports.

It also would require City Council members and executive level staff to retain all email communications for 90 days, rather than the current 37 days, and calls for signs to be posted at the site of any large-scale development explaining the project.

At their July 25 meeting, council members exchanged barbs over provisions of the law, with some council members accusing the measures author of targeting them and their staff.

Councilman Steve Faessel, who supported the ordinance, said he asked to see drafts of the ordinance but was denied.

This document is about openness and clarity, and yet I asked for some involvement, more than two months ago  and since it was considered a work in progress, I was denied, Faessel said.

I find that it was written in such a way that would cost three of our council members their aides and not the other council members their aides, Faessel added.

One of Faessels part-time aides is an employee with the public relations firm FSB Core Strategies and could be affected by a provision in the ordinance that prohibits the employees of lobbying firms from working with the city. Jeff Flint, the companys CEO, is a registered lobbyist with the county of Orange and has represented the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.

Moreno said he did not intend to target any council member with the ordinance, although he realized some would be affected by it.

While any ordinance will have unequal impacts on people  that doesnt mean that its inequitable, Moreno said.

The council voted 5-2, with council members Lucille Kring and Kris Murray voting no, to approve the ordinance.

Kring said the ordinance would increase the load and expense to developers. She said the city already is transparent, and she doesnt believe there is a problem with lobbyists.

You are looking for a solution to a problem I believe does not exist, Kring said.

Murray, who called the ordinance half-baked and not ready-to-go, also introduced a number of amendments she said would strengthen the ordinance, although the council voted to exclude her amendments. Murray will introduce those changes to the ordinance as a separate item at the Aug. 15 council meeting.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait, meanwhile, praised Moreno for proposing the ordinance.

I applaud you taking on the establishment and the lobbying establishment  this represents change at City Hall, Tait said.

City Council Aides

While definitions of the term lobbyist differ, it generally refers to anyone paid to influence government decisions.

The Anaheim ordinance defines a lobbyist as anyone who receives $500 or more a month to communicate with city officials for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative actions.

Council members each have a budget for hiring part-time policy aides, although the mayor has a full-time aide. Some members use that budget to contract with public affairs firms.

Councilwoman Denise Barnes part-time aide, Matthew Holder, is a registered lobbyist who has previously worked with Barnes campaign consultant, John Lewis, and is a public affairs consultant. Holder said the county database is outdated, and he has not been a registered lobbyist for the past year and a half.

Moreno argued at the meeting that aides who work for lobbying firms have access to sensitive city information that may give an advantage to the firm they work for.

City spokesman Mike Lyster said Faessel does not believe his aide should be barred from working in Anaheim under the ordinance and that he will seek a legal opinion from either the city attorney or an outside body.

I think everybody else will likely have to go through the same process, Lyster said of the other council aides.

Krings aide, former council candidate Steve Chavez Lodge, used to work for Hill International, a city contractor.

Murray, who works for the public consulting firm Willdan, has a contract with the company Communications LAB to provide both her city policy aides and to do work for her campaign.

Shirley Grindle, a citizen watchdog who has independently monitored campaign contributions to politicians countywide for years, said she would like to see the quarterly reports filed by lobbyists include disclosure of what campaign contributions they have made to the council during that period.

I recently found out that some of you hire lobbyists as your staff to help you do your jobs  and I cant tell you how bad I think that is, Grindle said. They do not have a good name anywhere  because theyre paid to get your vote, to get a project approved.

Similar laws statewide

Many sunshine ordinances in California  such as ones adopted by Santa Ana, Oakland and Contra Costa County  largely focus on clarifying policies on public access to records and public meetings.

The state Political Reform Act generally restricts state officials and certain local officials, such as city managers and elected officials, from being paid to attempt to influence their agencies on matters they worked on while employed by the government.

The state revolving door restrictions on lobbying, which aims to limit the influence of officials who move between public service and the private sector, only applies for one year after a person permanently leaves their public sector job.

Anaheims sunshine ordinance is a hybrid that resembles regulations passed by some cities with their own ethics commissions, such as Los Angeles, San Jose and San Francisco.

Anaheim is the second city in Orange County to have a lobbyist registry; both the county of Orange and Irvine require lobbyists to register.

This story was reported by Voice of OC, a nonprofit investigative newsroom, as part of a publishing agreement with TimesOC. Contact THY VO at tvo@voiceofoc.org.
One morning last week, I almost met a murderer  and at a time and place when I was very vulnerable. It was at 6 oclock on the Mt. Lukens fire road, where virtually nothing ever happens, let alone a homicide. As readers of my commentaries know, I hike there regularly at that time, when I have the whole of the Angeles National Forest to myself as far as the eye can see.

And so it was the other day. Or so I thought. As I strolled around the hairpin bends I noticed several hundred feet below two hikers and a dog.

I wondered idly where I would meet them on the trail when I was coming down again after reaching my turnaround spot. A few minutes later I looked down again, and now there was only one hiker, walking slowly. On the entire winding trail I couldnt see another soul, human or canine.

Thats odd, I thought. Where have they gone? I walked on, looked again and he was still alone. Id seen Deliverance the night before so I knew danger could lurk behind every tree. So, just in case the evening news that night had a story about a man who had been bludgeoned to death in broad daylight, I fished out my camera. As I got in position, he was there below me alone, but now walking from side to side  looking for a place with some soft earth, perhaps, for a shallow grave. One, two, three  click  and I got my shot.

But now something happened that I had not allowed for. Do you remember in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Rear Window, when Jimmy Stewart, a bedridden photographic journalist, suspecting that a neighbor had murdered his wife, sent him a threatening note while he watched from his own apartment, hoping to photograph the mans reaction?

The victim was frightened out of his mind until a glint of sunlight on a ring Grace Kelly was holding showed him where his tormentor was, focusing a camera on him. At that point the walls began to close in on our Jimmy and it was pretty terrifying.

No comparable glint gave away my location  a $50 Nikon is a modest little thing unlike the gleaming professional equipment in the movie  but, amateur that I am, I had not turned off the flash. The point of light came on and in an instant the mans head jerked up and I saw him look straight at me. He knew! And he knew that I knew.

He seemed instantly transformed into a bundle of energy and began to come up the road with long, muscular strides. There is no way out on that road, it goes up and up to Mt. Lukens seven miles away, and the brush alongside it is so thick its almost impenetrable.

I thought of ditching the camera so if I was hacked to death, there would be evidence that my distraught family could use to nail my assailant. But in this wild place how would anyone find it?

I looked again, and now he was much closer and moving fast. So instead I stopped and waited at my turnaround point, the bench with its glorious view over the entire Los Angeles basin, hoping to talk my way out of trouble. Either that or Grace Kelly might step out of the thick vegetation and lead me to a secluded spot.

Alas, she didnt, but my stalker didnt come nearer either. He caught up with his dog who had scampered ahead, gave it a good talking to for running away, turned around and, with the second man who had remained far below, they all trotted home where I now feel sure the only skeleton in the cupboard is a well-chewed bacon- and chicken-flavored bone from Petco.

So it was all fantasy. Still, its a nice confirmation that even in the most humdrum circumstances there is an underlying excitement to life waiting to burst through  and you can either take every precaution to keep it there or embrace its myriad magical possibilities.

Ive always chosen to dig a bit to find what is down there. The only trouble this time is that from now on, when I tell this story, the opening sentence will be somewhat less than riveting. How about, One morning this week I almost met an almost murderer. Nearly.

Reg Green lives in La Canada. His website is www.nicholasgreen.org.
Starting Tuesday, visitors will have to call up a new website to book a tour at Hearst Castle, a vintage cottage at Crystal Cove in Laguna Beach, or a campsite at Half Moon Bay. And each day brings an expanded booking window too for those who like to plan ahead.

California State Parks is rolling out a new reservation system called ReserveCalifornia, which promises to be more user-friendly than the current ReserveAmerica system.

The new website only applies to California parks; ReserveAmerica still handles reservations for campgrounds and activities in other states. And Recreation.gov is the primary booking website for many national parks.

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The good news: With ReserveCalifornia, youll be able to reserve six months in advance of the current date. For example, as of Tuesday, you can reserve a campsite or cabin for Feb. 1. This gives travelers an early jump on popular places like the 24 hard-to-book cottages at Crystal Cove State Park.

The less-than-good news: There are still fees that will be tacked on to each transaction: $7.99 for camping reservations, $3.99 for tour reservations. (Prior fees were $8 and $3.48, respectively.)

What do you do if you are already booked?

If you had a previous reservation with ReserveAmerica, the reservation is still valid, parks spokesman Jorge Moreno says.

However, if you want to change, cancel or find your booking information online, you need to create a new user profile using the same email address you used when you made the original reservation.

Moreno says 110 parks will be online as of Tuesday, with 41 and other features to be added by March.

You can make ReserveCalifornia reservations online or by phone by calling (800) 444-7275 daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time, except Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and New Years Day.

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travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
Pakistans lawmakers have elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to replace Nawaz Sharif as prime minister after Sharif was ousted in a corruption probe last week, but few expect Abbasi to stay in power.

Abbasi was sworn in late Tuesday. But Sharifs ruling party, which backed him, has said it wants him to serve only temporarily, until Sharifs younger brother Shahbaz qualifies  a move that could take at least 45 days  and that opponents dismissed as undemocratic.

U.S. Ambassador David Hale tweeted his congratulations to Abbasi.

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We look forward to working with him to advance our shared interests in a secure, democratic, peaceful, and prosperous Pakistan and region, Hale said.

Opposition groups had nominated five candidates for the office, but Abbasi sailed past, winning 221 of 342 votes in the assembly where Sharifs party holds sway. After the vote, lawmakers chanted Sharifs name.

The next general elections are in June.

In his televised address following Tuesdays vote, the new prime minister vowed to get to work  however long he stays.

I may be here for 45 days or 45 hours, but Im not here to keep the seat warm, Abbasi said. I intend to work and get some important things done.

In an emotional speech delivered from a podium bearing a picture of the former prime minister, Abbasi defended Sharif, insisted he was not corrupt and that he was unfairly targeted. He vowed to run the country strictly according to the constitution, and said he hopes Sharif will one day return to parliament.

I am grateful to the people of Pakistan, and I am grateful to the prime minister of the people of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, Abbasi said, adding that he would not discuss last weeks court decision that led Sharif to resign.

There will soon be another court, held by the people of Pakistan, he said, referring to the general elections next year, and insisting Sharif, who has been at odds with military leaders, was punished for the development of this country.

After Abbasi was sworn in, scores of Sharifs supporters danced and chanted, holding posters and photos of the former prime minister.

Nawaz Sharif is my prime minister, said Adnan Ali, 30. He lives in our hearts. Nobody can erase him from there. We will elect him again and again.

Opposition leader Nazar Gondal dismissed Abbasi as little more than window dressing, a puppet in hands of Nawaz Sharif.

Everybody knows he will be in power for only 45 days. Nobody will accept his authority, Gondal said of the newly elected prime minister, insisting that Sharif runs his party like a family business.

He is not ready to trust anybody but family, he said.

Shop owner Awais Kiyani was ready for the countrys leaders  and press  to move on from corruption scandals to the business of governing and boosting the lagging economy.

I am more interested to know whether prices decrease or more employment opportunities are created. If not, it does not make a difference whether Nawaz Sharif is prime minister or Shahid Khaqan Abbasi or someone else, said Kiyani, 32.

Sahi is a special correspondent.
The lower house of Jordans parliament on Tuesday scrapped a provision in the kingdoms penal code that allowed a rapist to escape punishment if he married his victim.

Cheers and applause erupted from a packed spectators gallery as legislators voted for repeal, following an emotional debate in which some of the lawmakers jumped up and shouted at each other.

The vote was hailed as a major step forward for women in the conservative kingdom.

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This is a victory for the womens movement and human rights movement in Jordan, said Salma Nims, the secretary general of the Jordanian National Commission for Women.

Despite the countrys pro-Western political orientation and cosmopolitan urban elites, many areas of Jordan remain socially conservative, with entrenched notions of family honor.

This includes the belief that having a rape victim in the family is shameful, and that such shame can be expunged through marriage.

In Tuesdays debate, some lawmakers had argued that an amended version of Article 308 was needed to protect rape victims against social stigma by giving them the marriage option.

In the end, lawmakers voted in line with the recommendations of the government and a royal committee on legal reforms. Prime Minister Hani Mulki addressed the plenum before the vote, saying the government backed repeal.

The decision must still be approved by parliaments appointed upper house, or Senate, and by King Abdullah II. After the expected final approval, Jordan would join Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt in having canceled their marry the rapist clauses over the years.

The international group Human Rights Watch said Lebanons parliament is also considering repealing such a provision. The clause remains on the books in several other countries in the Middle East and Latin America, as well as in the Philippines and Tajikistan, the group said.

In a statement before Tuesdays vote, the New York-based watchdog said that scrapping Article 308 would be a positive step to strengthen the rule of law and end impunity for violence against women.

Dima Barakat, a leading activist, said that those forcing a girl to marry her rapist are killing this girl a thousand times a day, at least.

The attacker took away her dignity, her honor and took away her life, Barakat said.

Ahead of Tuesdays vote, several dozen activists rallied outside the parliament in Amman, the Jordanian capital, calling for repeal. They held up banners reading Article 308 is a disgrace to the Jordanian justice system and Article 308 does not protect honor, it protects the culprit.

Nims said before the vote that many of the lawmakers had been undecided.

She said some saw the provision as a form of protection for women who can demand marriage rather than suffer further social stigma for having been raped.

The need for such protection indicates a fundamental problem in how Jordanian law and society perceive women, said Eva Abu Halaweh, executive manager of Mizan for Law, a human rights group.

The law still looks at women as bodies, linked with honor, Abu Halaweh said.

Earlier this week, parliament took another step toward legal reform, closing a legal loophole that had given courts the discretion to impose sentences of as little as six months on those who killed female relatives in the name of family honor.

Under the new amendment, killing in a fit of rage can no longer be considered a mitigating circumstance in such cases.

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U.S. relations with Russia were at an all-time low during the last few months of President Obama s administration. The Trump administration signaled that it hoped for better relations with the Kremlin.

But tensions have only gotten worse.

Congress overwhelmingly approved a bill last week to impose new sanctions against Russia, which the White House has said the president will sign. In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Sunday that the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia would have to dramatically cut its staff.

Here is a look at the new sanctions bill and what Russias response means for relations between the two powers.

What will the bill do?

The bill adds new sanctions on Russias defense and intelligence sectors aimed at making it more difficult for the country to export weapons, experts said.

It also targets Russias energy sector by giving the U.S. the ability to sanction companies involved in developing Russias energy export pipelines. The move drew heavy criticism from European investors involved in the construction of a natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany that is known as Nord Stream 2.

The bill also limits the presidents ability to scale back any sanctions by enshrining into law sanctions that Obama placed on Russia in December for what U.S. intelligence agencies say was meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

If President Trump wanted to lift sanctions, he would first have to get approval from Congress. Experts said this congressional review process is born of worries that Trump would try to act unilaterally.

The motivation for this part is to constrain Trump and to make sure he isnt able to strike some grand bargain with Putin, said Daniel Treisman, a political science professor at UCLA. It is highly unusual to give the president no leeway to remove sanctions. But he still has considerable freedom to determine how to enforce sanctions.

The bill also includes sanctions against Iran and North Korea targeting their respective efforts to develop missiles. In fact, the bill was originally created to apply pressure on these two countries. Russia was added only later.

How did Putin respond?

Russia started expressing concern about this bill in June when a group of bipartisan senators agreed to add Russia. Putin announced the retaliatory measures Sunday after it became clear that Trump would have little choice politically but to sign the bill.

Putin announced that the U.S. would have to reduce its embassy and consulate staff by 755 employees, bringing the total down to 455, the same number of diplomatic staff that Russia has in the U.S. The cuts are to take effect Sept. 1.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said it seized two American diplomatic properties: one on the outskirts of Moscow and the other a warehouse facility in the city.

Experts said that Russias tit for tat suggests that the Kremlin understands that Trump will not undo the penalties that Obama imposed on Russia for election interference, including the removal of 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives from the U.S. and sanctions on Russias two leading intelligence services.

Putin is kind of giving up hope, said Robert Kahn, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations. It shows his unhappiness and that hes giving up on progress with the administration.

The U.S. government has not said how many of the 755 employees are critical to maintaining the U.S. mission in Russia. The U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia includes U.S. citizens as well as locally hired Russians who hold a variety of jobs, including drivers, translators, information technology specialists and secretaries.

Analysts said that the majority of the cuts are likely to be Russian employees of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and consulates in the Russian cities of St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg.

Although Russias announcement is an aggressive response to the new sanctions, analysts said it could have gone further and could easily be reversed. The cuts are also likely to hurt Russians.

Russians are going to experience longer delays in getting visas to come to the U.S., Treisman said. And hundreds of Russians are likely to lose jobs at the embassies and consulates.

What does Putins response mean for U.S.-Russia relations?

Putin hoped that the Trump administration would usher in an era of friendlier U.S and Russia relations. The month before Trump took office, then-national security advisor Michael Flynn had discussed the sanctions issue with Sergey Kislyak, Russias then-ambassador to Washington.

After Putins latest announcement, many people have drawn comparisons to the Cold War era, when in the 1980s the U.S. and Russia ordered cuts in diplomatic staff and expulsions.

But analysts said the situations are different because the number of cuts is far lower that those made during the Cold War.

With Russias presidential election scheduled for March 2018, analysts said Putin was hoping to run on a platform of bettering the economy and reintegrating Russia into the world. This new sanctions bill, however, will make that more difficult.

Still, the Russian president may find new opportunities in the growing tensions with the United States. Putin will exploit this confrontation going forward, Treisman said.

Read more from World News 
A journalist celebrating his 29th birthday was shot dead early Monday at a bar in the Mexican resort city of Rosarito.

Luciano Rivera Salgado, who covered crime for a Baja California television channel and published a news website called El Dictamen, is at least the eighth journalist to be killed this year in a country that ranks among the most dangerous for members of the media.

The motive behind the killing  including whether Rivera Salgado was killed because of his journalistic work  was still unclear.

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A police official told Zeta newspaper that Rivera Salgado was shot in the head at 1:40 a.m. at La Antigua Bar, an upscale drinking establishment a few blocks from the ocean. Security camera footage from outside the bar shows several men racing out shortly after the shooting.

The official who spoke to Zeta said authorities would investigate the motive but that it appeared Rivera Salgado may have been killed because of a dispute between the reporter and his aggressors at the bar. A reporter in Baja California said camera footage from inside the bar suggested Rivera Salgado may have angered other patrons when he defended a group of women whom he believed were being harassed.

Determining exactly why a journalist was killed can be difficult in Mexico, where reporters are frequently targeted because of the stories they publish, but where more general violence is also becoming increasingly widespread.

Mario Rivera, the director of CNR TV, where Rivera Salgado worked for nearly 10 years, said it was essential that authorities look closely at whether Rivera Salgados work played a role in his killing.

He often criticized the security situation here, the director said of Rivera Salgado. We as a station have been very tough critics.

We are looking at all of the lines of investigation, he said, adding that the station is checking to see whether Rivera Salgado had recently received any threats.

Of the seven other journalists killed in Mexico this year, at least four were slain in direct retaliation for their work, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, which has named Mexico the most dangerous country in the Western Hemisphere for journalists. Only Iraq has seen more journalists killed.

People hold photos of Mexican journalist Miroslava Breach, gunned down in March 2017 in the northern state of Chihuahua. (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)

The recent killings include the mid-day slaying in May of investigative reporter Javier Valdez as well as the March shooting of journalist Miroslava Breach, who had investigated links between organized crime and political candidates in the state of Chihuahua.

Their deaths have prompted an international campaign aimed at Mexicos top leaders, with news outlets from around the world calling on President Enrique Pena Nieto to do more to investigate the killings. Like most slayings in Mexico, those targeting media workers are rarely solved.

One of the most recent stories published on Rivera Salgados El Dictamen website marked the anniversary of the unsolved killing two years ago of Mexican photographer Ruben Espinosa.

Violence targeting journalists is part of a larger crime wave sweeping the country, which is on track to record more killings this year than at any point in the last two decades. Baja California, which has been the site of a turf battle between warring drug cartels, has been especially hard hit.

Government statistics show that 185 people were killed in the state in May, which equates to an annual rate of 67 deaths per 100,000 people  or roughly 11 times that of Los Angeles in recent years.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum
Aug 1, 2017, 9:37am ET

Ferrari 'utility vehicle' to avoid SUV title

The company apparently wants to create a new niche as it attempts to double annual sales volume.

Ferrari is allegedly developing a new four-seat "utility vehicle" to further increase profits and bolster growth in China.

A recent unconfirmed report outlined a project known internally as F16X, a high-riding four-door with a fastback-like roofline and a choice between turbocharged V8 and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

The F16X rumor suggested the company was planning a direct rival to other sporty SUVs, namely the Lamborghini Urus. An unnamed source has now clarified to Bloomberg that the Prancing Horse marque wants to create its own niche that addresses a desire for a spacious family car, without stepping on CEO Sergio Marchionne's "you'd have to shoot me first" opinion on a Ferrari SUV.

Marchionne emerged victorious in an internal battle over the company's exclusivity-focused production cap. The target has quickly jumped from 7,000 to 10,000 units annually and could rise to nearly 16,000 units in less than five years.

Bloomberg points out that breaching the 10,000-unit threshold will require the company to comply with more stringent emissions regulations imposed upon volume manufacturers. Hybrids are viewed as a natural fit, following the success of the LaFerrari, though the company is probably not too worried about paying penalties.

Whatever form it takes, the Ferrari utility vehicle is expected to land in showrooms by 2021 at the earliest.
A Laois campaign group against windfarms has urged Laois county councillors to continue to "stand up to the Minister" to stop more windfarms being built in the county.

Minister for the Environment Eoghan Murphy has ordered Laois County Council to drop what would be an effective ban on wind farms from the new county development plan.

Councillors had voted to designate all of Laois as unsuitable for wind turbines, and added a 1.5km setback distance. However a Ministerial directive is forcing the local authority to reinstate an older map showing areas in Laois 'open to consideration' for wind, and the setback distance of 500m. More details here.

Areas include a stretch of roadside land between Mountmellick and Killeigh, land near Ballaghmore close to an existing windfarm in Roscrea, and lands near Spink and Killeshin.

Councillors reacted with disappointment at the monthly meeting yesterday July 31 when they were told by Director of Services for Planning Kieran Kehoe that while their comments will be noted, there is no opportunity to change the plan back.

Wind Aware Ireland chairperson Henry Fingleton wants them to fight on.

"Now is the time for Laois Councillors to stand up for the people of Laois, for our environment and for our beautiful landscape," he said.

"The Councillors who supported this would have known and expected the Minister to take this action. Donegal, Westmeath and other Counties have successful stood up to the Minister to protect citizens from turbine noise and visual intrusion," Mr Fingleton said.

Minister Murphy has told the councillors that their plan would not be consistent with 2006 Wind Energy Guidelines, but Mr Fingleton points out that these are out of date.

"In fact, his colleague Minister Denis Naughten has acknowledged that the current guidelines are out of date and unfit for purpose," he said.

The Minister said "sufficient and evidentially based reasoning" was not demonstrated by the councillors, but Wind Aware Ireland says this is bogus.

"There has never been a 'Cost Benefit Analysis' to justify this wind turbine plan as is legally required under the public spending code. There has never been a Strategic Environmental Assessment as required under the European SEA directive. It is the Minister who does not have a leg to stand on," Henry Fingleton said.

The group also point to a recent High Court case where seven Cork families who abandoned their homes 5 years ago were awarded a significant settlement and costs from wind energy company Enercon Wind farm Services Ireland Limited.

"It is also worth noting that Ireland's entire fleet of 1500 massive wind turbines have reduced our national co2 by a tiny 3 -4 % at a cost of billions," Mr Fingleton added.
The number of people on the waiting list for a council home in Laois has jumped to almost 1,500 this year, despite efforts by the council to stem the housing crisis.

There are now 1,469 individuals or families awaiting a home in Laois, compared to 1,343 in February, when the council launched its Housing and Homelessness Action Plan.

The latest figure was announced at Monday's July monthly council meeting, part of the 2017 Housing Needs Assessment.

Director for Housing Gerry Murphy said work is ongoing to buy up extra homes, particularly in Portlaoise.

We are active, we are trying to finalise a number of aquisitions, of individual houses and of Hepburn Court. I hope in September to have more positive news, Mr Murphy said.

Four new houses have been allocated to Laois County Council in the once ghost estate of Fruithill Manor in Graiguecullen, totalling 19 new homes for Laois tenants there this year.

There are 33 council houses under construction in Conniberry Way, Portlaoise, due for completion next spring (see photo).

Meanwhile standards of all rental accommodation in Laois are coming under closer scrutiny.

Inspections by council housing staff will soon begin on all council and private rented accommodation in Laois, to ensure that all comply with new safety regulations, in areas such as kitchens and carbon monoxide alarms.

Inspections have also been carried out on all multi storey council dwellings in Laois, following the Grenfell tower fire in London.

Council CEO is John Mulholland.

The inspections are on foot of a request from Minister Murphy, particularly for buildings over six stories. While Laois has none of those, nonetheless we are heightening awareness of fire safety obligations to owners, he said at the July council meeting.

Over 3,000 premises are vacant in Laois according to the 2016 Census, with the council still awaiting a requested breakdown on type and location.

Last June the council applied to the government to freeze rents in parts of Laois under pressure for housing.
Bord na Mona is set to trial fish farming on cutaway bog in the heart of the midlands as part of its move away from peat harvesting.

In a new tender Bord na Mona says has a significant land holding which extends to approximately 80,000 hectares and some of the land bank is now out of peat production and has become cutaway and is available for other uses.

The semi-state company says would now like to assess the potential for aquaculture development on some of its landholding. To this end it has in conjunction with Bord Iascaigh Mhara embarked on a project to explore the suitability of cutaway peat land for freshwater fish production. The project is called PEATAQUA and will encompass a number of strands of research and development.

Bord na Mona says it is inviting interest for the provision of fish farm management services at a project site in Co. Offaly. This contract runs from September 2017 until December 2019. The project is subject to performance review and may be extended.

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Bord Iascaigh Mhara says a freshwater aquaculture farm trial project is proposed at the Mountlucas Windfarm in north Offaly near Daingean. The fisheries board says the site consists of 28 turbines located in a cutaway bog which was used to harvest milled peat. The windfarm can be seen from Portarlington.

The development will consist of four fish ponds for trout and perch. It will include a duckweed pond for water treatment. Bord Iascaigh Mhara says water for the ponds will be sourced from a combination of local surface water drainage system and from a well. The water will be reused so once filled it will only need topping up to cater for what is lost through what evaporates.

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Bord na Mona was established in 1946 under the Turf Development Act. The company was initially established to develop Irelands peat resources for the economic benefit of the state. The company has developed both peat and non-peat based businesses and now operates a diversified portfolio across five main business areas. These business areas cover power, resource recovery, horticulture, home heating and renewable energy.
Emergency Department trolley numbers spiked at Portlaoise hospital on the first day of August, nurses have reported.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation daily trolley watch figures for Tuesday, July 2 reveal that there were 30 people waiting on trollies in the hospital's Emergency Department/A&E. There were no patients waiting for a hospital beds on a trolley in the wards of the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise.

The number waiting is almost double that of its sister hospital in Tullamore where five patients were in its A&E and a further 10 people were on trollies in wards.

Portlaoise was the busiest hospital in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. The DMHG also includes Naas (trollies 27), St James' (trollies 5), Tallaght (trollies 12) and Tullamore hospitals.

Portlaoise had the third highest number waiting of any acute hospital in the country on Tuesday. Nationally 358 patients were waiting for beds on the first day of August.

In recent weeks there have been days when there were zero patients on trollies
Ireland's youngest priest takes up his new position as a curate in Portlaoise Parish today.

Fr David Vard was ordained in his hometown of Newbridge by Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin last month.

The ordination was a joyous occasion as Fr Vard was surrounded by his family and friends.

Fr David Vard said his first mass at 10am on Tuesday morning in St. Peter and Paul's church in Portlaoise alongside Fr John Byrne.

Speaking to the Leinster Express after his ordination, the 25-year-old said the thing he was most nervous about was learning to say mass.

"Learning to say mass is definitely one of the things I have to get better at. You don't really do it in seminary a lot. It is very different, we go to mass every day during our training and we work hard to go to mass every day during summer but it is very different doing it. It is like driving a car, you think you would be able to drive a car until you are actually in the drivers seat," he said.

Read about Fr Vard and his decision to join the priesthood here.

Fr Paddy Byrne wished Fr David the best of luck on Twitter.

A warm welcome to @DavidVard as he begins his ministry in @PortlaoiseParis today. May he blessed with great peace. @BishopDNulty @KANDLEi  fr paddy (@frpaddybyrne) August 1, 2017

Read more Portlaoise news here.
A public meeting has been told by a Kildare county councillor that he was aware of a case in which a woman felt obliged to provide sexual services to avoid homelessness.

Cllr Sean Power was speaking during questions raised over the Councils long term plans for new family hubs, aimed at keeping people from homelessness.

Cllr Powder, a former junior Minister, said that he became aware of a case in which a woman was providing sexual services to a man, who had initially offered her a room.

Cllr Power told Mondays (July 31) meeting of Kildare County Council that she had felt obliged to do this to keep a roof over her head.

He was speaking after Cllr Reada Cronin had asked the executive to say how it would ensure that future family hubs do not become a permanent response to homelessness.

Director of Services in Housing, Tadhg McDonnell, said the recently opened family hub in Athy was one of five pillars in an action plan to address homelessness, including providing early solutions to address the numbers of families in emergency accommodation and to deliver inter-agency supports for people who are homeless.

But he also said that there was a concern about the quality of life at the Athy hub being so good that people might not want to leave.

Mr McDonnell said:In recent years the instances of homelessness in County Kildare have increased. It is acknowledged that the long-term solution to the current homelessness issue is to increase supply of homes, however, in the interim there is a need for appropriate emergency/transition accommodation, particularly for families.

Family hubs are a new model of accommodation for families experiencing homelessness, designed as a better alternative to commercial hotels and B&Bs.

Mr McDonnell said that, as with the family hub recently opened at The Priory in Athy, operated by Peter McVerry Trust on behalf of Kildare County Council, wrap-around services are provided to help families be in a better position to move into their own homes.

Mr McDonnell said: Further proposals for possible emergency/transition accommodation are being considered by the council with a view to reducing and, ultimately ending, the use of hotels to accommodate people in need of emergency accommodation. This may include family hub accommodation. As with The Priory, it is a consideration when choosing a location that there is a suitable use for the property into the future.

Concerns were raised at the meeting by Cllr Cronin about the timing of the stay in the hubs but Cllr Ivan Keatley said the Government could not turn on a tap just like that and provide houses.

He said the hub had been provided in a very short time to house and protect people at a vulnerable time in their lives.

Cllr Paddy Kennedy, supportive of the hubs, said a commitment was given by everyone to move people on in six months.

Cllr Brendan Young questioned the six month promise, stating that the programme announced by Minister Murphy was an admission that the Rebuilding Ireland programme was a complete failure. What will you be moving people onto? he asked. He knew one family of six living in a hotel bedroom. How many hubs would there be?

Cllr Young said that in the 1950s, during a period of high emigration, the State built houses directly. He said now a lot of builders who have emigrated want to return to Ireland, but there is no building because the State is unwilling to spend money.

Cllr Young also said a lot of house prices being quoted in the Celbridge area were unaffordable for many.

Mr McDonnell said there was no comparison between the hub and direct provision.
Six years after it was commissioned as a percent for art project, a sculpture entitled Homeward has been installed on the side of the M9 near Kilcullen.

The piece of work, by the late Eamonn O'Doherty was commissioned by Kildare County Council and is a representation of a window with a vase of bluebells on the window sill, and has been placed in an area known as Ballymount, Kilcullen.

It was originally intended that the work would go to the location in Ballymount, but there was a concern that it might be vulberable to theft. Kildare County Council offered it to the people of Kilcullen, and there was a suggestion that it be placed in Valley Park  although there was concern from some locals about putting it there in case it was stolen from there.

Notwithstanding that, a decision was made to put it there. In the meantime, Mr ODoherty died suddenly,

Kilcullen writer Brian Byrne explained that that caused a delay, as did a change in management in Kildare County Council and by last year it seemed that the Council had decided not to install it in Valley Park.

As a result, it was finally installed last month in Ballymount along the M9.

Eamonn ODoherty was the sculptor behind a number of very well known public works in Ireland, Britain and the US, including the Tree of Gold in Central Bank Plaza in Dublin, 'Hookers' in Eyre Square Galway and the The Great Hunger Memorial in Westchester, New York.

Read more about Kilcullen: Kilcullen needs a wheelchair friendly parking area
Donegans, the household electrical sales and repair shop which is synonymous with Naas, is to close this week.

Known as Alo Donegan & Sons Ltd., but effectively operated by Ger Donegan with his wife Betty, the shop is situated at New Row (Newbridge Road) and a sale is due to take place this week to clear the remaining stock.

The business has been run by the Donegans along with Bracknagh native Noel Kelly, who has worked there from the outset.

Naas man Anthony Brennan, a technician who has been with the retailer for 24 years, also worked there, enhancing the continuity of service for which Donegans was known.

The business was actually founded by Gers father Alo Donegan, the record-breaking competitive cyclist.

Gers brother Ambrose operates a completely separate business at North Main Street (A and D Donegan).

The name over the business carries a lot of history and our customers have come from all over the area as well as north Kildare, Wicklow and parts of Dublin.

Ger added:  Were one of the few places outside Dublin where you could have your television, for example, repaired. But time waits for nobody.

His wife Betty, who worked alongside him for the most of that time, said: I want to thank all our customer, weve been fortunate to have some loyal customers over the years.

Betty added: Were reluctant and a little sad to see this day and were sad to close the door but our family is grown up with their own lives now.

Donegans is a family business in the old fashioned and genuine sense.

It was launched by Alo Donegan in 1942 in Portarlington and he followed this up with a second shop opening in Portlaoise.
After my surgery I dropped in on the wonderful Kendal People's Cafe. Open Saturday 11-4 at the Foyer, Blackhall Rd. pic.twitter.com/l7ewum6pwR  Tim Farron (@timfarron) July 29, 2017



Tim Farron took over our party after we had fallen off a cliff and landed amongst particularly dangerous rocks underneath with a team of crocodiles having a good chew at our ankles.

He was exactly what we needed at that time. A passionate liberal and Liberal. A fighter. Someone with bags of energy and a great, charismatic speaker. He is also a man of great honesty and integrity.

You have to remember the appalling state we were in on 8th May 2015 and then compare it to 8th June 2017. We went from being absolutely gutted to having our highest membership ever, a revitalised campaigning structure and 50% more MPs.

That last one may receive moans from some. As I often say: When I started supporting the party we had six MPs  we now have 12, so thats a 100% increase over 47 years!

But there is some truth there. When you go back to under ten MPs, it takes generations to build the party back up again.

Tim Farron made a fantastic start to that rebuilding process. I would like to pay tribute to him with a few of his marvellous photo tweets from his current summer constituency tour (above and below)  they really do lift the spirits, particularly given what a tremendous and distinctive area Westmorland and Lonsdale is.

But lastly a word on doing God. As someone who has read the Bible (both testaments) from end to end at least once and probably the best part of three times, one gets an overview of the thing. Leviticus forbids wearing clothes of mixed fabrics, eating shellfish and having tatoos. Exodus (which I am currently re-reading) has the word of God coming to us via Moses telling us precisely how to build a tabernacle with mind-boggling detail such as:

Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by a skilled worker. All the curtains are to be the same sizetwenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.

That is just a small excerpt of the pages and pages and pages of detailed instructions which The Lord said to Moses.

So with all those sorts of words of God in the Old Testament, it really is crazy to focus on one verse in Leviticus about desert sleeping arrangements, particularly as it is balanced later by the story of David and Jonathan.

I apologise for the amateur theology here, but the whole point of God sending his son to live on earth was for him to speak directly to us through him. And he said nothing about homosexuality but a lot about love, forgiveness, not judging others and blessing the down-trodden. I am not rejecting the Old Testament at all, I read it a lot and it has allegorical truth in it, written, as much of it was, for a tribe in danger thousands of years ago. But the key straight-forward stuff is in the New Testament.

So it is just ludicrous that poor old Tim got stuck down a blind alley on the concept of sin. I am very sorry that he did. But, as an antidote, I can only offer my hero in the Christian clerical firmament, the wonderful Archbishop Desmond Tutu as reported by Pink News:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said that he didnt choose to become a defender of gay rights, but that God urges people to live amicably and reject homophobia.

Asked by Ann Curry of NBC News why he chose the issue of gay rights as the basis for his campaigning, he answered: I didnt choose it, it chose me.

Its not a choice; I mean, you dont say, I choose to be white. Its a given. You dont choose your sexual orientation.

The former Archbishop of Cape Town and Nobel Prize winner emphasised his position, which he stated last year, that he would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven.

He said: I am absolutely, utterly and completely certain that god wouldnt be homophobic. I really would much rather go to hell than go to a homophobic heaven.

He dismissed claims that the Bible can be used to attack homosexuality, saying: The Bible says quite a lot of things, many of which I do not accept at all. The Bible is the word of God, but it is the word of God through the words of human beings.

He finished by saying: God sits there and weeps, because God is saying: Do you know what? You are all my children. You are all members of one family. My family. And when are you going to learn to live amicably together?

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
Embed from Getty Images

For me, the little exchange of barbs between Vince and Boris Johnson, over the weekend, is an early sign of what a great leader Vince will be for our party.

It was a bit like tennis.

Vince served brilliantly with:

There is no cabinet consensus for moderation, and the rumours of Boris Johnson being about to resign fuel the uncertainty.

Boris Johnson returned the ball through a spokesman, as reported by the Guardian:

In response, a spokesman for Johnson said Cable was making stuff up and instructed the Lib Dem leader to focus on devising his own policies. Boris and Philip Hammond are working closely to take the the UK out of the EU and are not going to be diverted from that important task, the foreign secretarys spokesman said.

Vince then ended the rally by blasting the ball back into Boris Johnsons court with this priceless zinger. The bit that I have bolded is particularly exquisite:

If the foreign secretary is working so closely with the chancellor, can he confirm that he supports the chancellors call for a three-year transitional deal with continued free movement of labour? So far he has been uncharacteristically silent on the subject. It is a simple question: does he support the position of Philip Hammond or Liam Fox? Because he cant support both. And if Philip Hammond secures a three-year transitional deal, can Boris Johnson confirm he will stay in the government and support the policy? It is certainly bold of Boris Johnson to accuse others of lying. How is he getting along with finding that 350m a week extra he promised the NHS?

It reminds me of something a wise old friend often advises:

Always keep something in your back pocket. You never know when you may need to bring it out.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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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#football Injured star Son Heung-min named to S. Korean World Cup squad The injured South Korean football star Son Heung-min was named to the country's World Cup squad Saturday, as the football-crazed nation waits with bated breath to see if the belove...
FILE

A Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, gang member was arrested Wednesday near Hebbronville, according to U.S. Border Patrol.

The gang member, whom Border Patrol did not identify, was encountered with a group of immigrants who had been rescued early that morning in a ranch near Hebbronville.
A newborn calf is following in the footsteps of a rock 'n' roll legend.

Genie the calf, of Kerrville, has KISS' frontman written all over. At only 4 days old, Genie's not only got the signature Gene Simmons makeup, she's also perfected his famous wagging tongue.

"(She was) born Friday morning and already she's probably the world's most recognizable bovine," Drew Taylor, Hill Country Visitor partner and general sales manager, told mySA.com.

READ ALSO: Drone footage shows the creepiness of an abandoned West Texas water park

With strikingly similar black-and-white markings and her long tongue sticking out, Genie is being hailed as a miracle, and not only for her looks.

Taylor, who also promotes Kerrville restaurant Cowboy Steak House, said Genie was a total surprise for rancher Heather Leonard Tacetta, a 20-year employee of the restaurant. He said Tacetta's 25-year-old cow, barren for three years, unexpectedly gave birth to the calf Friday morning.

Heather sent a photo of her Simmons look-alike to the tourism website Hill Country Visitor. When the site shared the photo on Facebook, the legend himself took notice of his animal doppelganger.

READ ALSO: '80s rockers the BoDeans announce San Antonio concert date

On July 30, Simmons tweeted: "This is real, folks!!! Calf called Genie is born on Texas ranch and looks EXACTLY like Kiss rocker Gene Simmons," and followed with a link to a news story.

In honor of the rocker, Tacetta named the calf Genie and decided to keep her off the meat market. The steakhouse has traded food for figurine and will place a statue of Genie at the front of the restaurant.

Taylor said the calf will be transported to a Dude Ranch and "will probably live on forever."

jthorpe@express-news.net

@jerilynnthorpe
A 23-year-old man was sentenced to seven years in prison Tuesday for attempting to smuggle nearly $250,000 worth of crystal meth into Laredo from Mexico, the Department of Justice announced.

Manual Alfredo Mancillas, of Seattle, Washington, pleaded guilty in April to charges of conspiracy to import, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute and importing methamphetamine, the DOJ said in a news release.
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At a time when Houston didn't even have an official ambulance system, the idea of medical helicopters swooping into urban mayhem and whisking away patients fighting for their lives might have seemed impossible.

But Army veteran and trauma surgeon Dr. James "Red" Duke knew military helicopters saved lives on the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam, and he wanted to bolster survival rates by getting civilians who had been shot, stabbed or in car accidents to a hospital as quickly as possible.

PREVIOUS: Colleagues remember "Red" Duke as humble, dedicated

Now, 41 years after that first flight took to the air on Aug. 1, 1976, Memorial Hermann Life Flight has notched more than 150,000 missions. It has served as a model for programs across the country, been portrayed in three television shows - including a docudrama - and helped train NASA astronauts.

More Information Memorial Hermann's air ambulance program 1 First flight took off Aug. 1, 1976 1 Flown more than 150,000 missions 1 Administered morethan 1,600 units of blood since 2011 1 Uses 275,000 gallonsof jet fuel annually 1 Service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 1 Operates six helicopters 1 74 people make up the flight crew 1 80 percent of flight crew members have military experience 1 Travels within a 150-mile radius Life Flight TimeLine 1973: Philanthropist John Dunn funds construction of a helicopter landing pad atop Emergency Center. 1976: Dr. James "Red" Duke, with Houston Fire Department's Lester "Whitey" Martin, asks the hospital to fund an air medical transport system, and starts the first air ambulance program in Texas and the second in the U.S. 1978: It becomes the largest civilian air rescue system in the U.S. 1983: Three TwinStar helicopters replace the original Alouette IIIs used by the Life Flight fleet. 1986: In its first 10 years, the program flies more than 28,000 patients. 1991: Paramedics join crews. 2001: Crews evacuate patients from flooding during Tropical Storm Allison. 2005: Life Flight helicopters touch down in New Orleans to help after Hurricane Katrina. 2010: Ultrasound is added to helicopters to help diagnose patients. 2011: Program begins stocking liquid plasma on helicopters. 2015: Docudrama "Life Flight Trauma Center Houston" premieres on Lifetime TV. 2015: Duke dies at age 86. Source: Memorial Hermann Hospital Dr. James 'Red' Duke Who: Acclaimed trauma surgeon who helped create Life Flight, now the largest air ambulance system in the U.S. Born: Nov. 16, 1928, in Ennis, south of Dallas, but grew up in nearby Hillsboro Education: Texas A&M University, UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, surgical training at Parkland Hospital in Dallas Television: "Dr. Red Duke Texas Health Reports," which aired in 30 states; hosted PBS series "Bodywatch"; was the basis for the "Buck James" TV series starring actor Dennis Weaver Died: Aug. 25, 2015, of natural causes See More Collapse

"In the '50s and '60s, you got to the hospital either by private car, a taxi or they came by a hearse driven by a funeral home driver who knew nothing about live people," Duke, who died in 2015, said in a documentary prepared by the hospital.

"If you shortened the time between the incident and definitive intervention, you got a better chance, and that concept still applies," he said.

Duke, who was born in Ennis and grew up in nearby Hillsboro, went on to become a Houston medical icon known not only for his bushy moustache and round glasses but also for his passion, demand for excellence and down-to-earth manner.

RELATED: James 'Red' Duke, iconic surgeon who started Life Flight, dies at 86

In 1963, as a surgical resident, Duke was in the emergency room at Dallas' Parkland Hospital when President John F. Kennedy was shot, and he helped tend to wounded Texas Gov. John B. Connally. He later spent two years in Afghanistan as a professor before joining the University of Texas Medical School in Houston as a professor of surgery in 1972.

It was there, in the mid-1970s, that he began studying - along with Deputy Houston Fire Chief Lester "Whitey" Martin - the nation's first air ambulance program in Denver.

Life Flight began with one helicopter, which was built on 1950s technology and carried all the lifesaving equipment that could fit in a single medical bag.

By 1987, Houston would be home to the largest civilian air rescue program in the United States and was making a name nationwide.

Today, a fleet of six Eurocopter EC-145 twin-engine helicopters fly within a 150-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center - a reach that includes not only all of Houston, but pulls in Austin, Corpus Christi and parts of Louisiana. One of the busiest private heliports in the world is perched atop the hospital on the northern edge of the Medical Center.

SAVING LIVES: The Texas Medical Center through the years, looking forward

The Life Flight aircraft, all painted red, have an average cruising speed of 150 mph, and have the instrumentation for pilots to zip into weather so soupy they can't see through it.

They fly around the clock in what is known as the Golden Hour - the crucial 60 minutes following a traumatic injury during which a person's survival rate is about 80 percent if they can reach proper care.

The EC-145s are considered state-of-the-art. They have two engines, two navigation systems and two autopilot systems - each a backup in the name of safety.

They can carry two patients at a time, along with a paramedic, a flight nurse and a pilot. In many ways, they are mini-emergency rooms in the sky. Blood products and oxygen can be administered. An ultrasound check can be used to determine if a person has internal bleeding.

It is up to first responders at the scene to decide if Life Flight is needed.

"Every flight is unique - you don't know what to expect, what the patient will be like," said Eric von Wenckstern, who started with Life Flight nearly 35 years ago as a pilot and is now administrative director. "There are very few flights that are textbook."

In addition to handling weather and navigation challenges, Life Flight helicopters have touched down in fields, parking lots and in the middle of interstates packed with rush-hour motorists.

LOOKING FORWARD: Texas Medical Center hospitals see major shifts in leadership

Von Wenckstern recalled Duke's advice: "We didn't shoot 'em. We didn't stab 'em. We didn't tell them to drink that alcohol and get in their car and crash into a pole, so if you don't think it is safe, don't go."

Countless stories of humanity have rolled across the floors, and the walls preserve the rich history.

"You have in me a friend for life of Life Flight along with my sincere gratitude," states a framed letter from Rodney Meadows, a Conroe police officer whose cruiser was hit by a stolen vehicle on July 24, 1981.

"Thank you, Life Flight," reads a plaque, "from the Family of Chris W. Helton."

Helton's father, John Helton, said it was 1981 when he got a phone call from Duke himself telling him that his son had been in a motorcycle accident on Highway 146 near Baytown. Life Flight saved his son's life, Helton said. "He wouldn't have made it," Helton said.

There's also a salute to Life Flight's darkest day - July 17, 1999, when a helicopter carrying a crew crashed just outside Houston while landing for refueling. The crash was caused by a defective part that caused the main rotor blade to detach.

There was no patient aboard during the crash, but the three crew members were killed. A large bouquet marking the anniversary sits beside photos of pilot John Pittman, flight nurse Lynn Etheridge and paramedic Charles "Mack" Atteberry. It is a sacred place.

MEDICAL WONDERS: Texas Medical Center grew from small hospital that rose up in swampland

Tom Flanagan, chief operating officer at Memorial Hermann-The Texas Medical Center, said Life Flight has been a pioneer in the air medical industry, helping establish nationwide standards for safety in terms of when to fly and when not to fly, and how to keep patients and crew safe.

"We look at (Duke) as the grandfather of trauma," Flanagan said. "He moved trauma care in this country to something no one ever anticipated or expected."

Duke went on to become a television personality, with the syndicated "Dr. Red Duke Texas Health Reports" and as the inspiration for the TV series "Buck James" with actor Dennis Weaver.

Duke's daughter, Sarah Duke, said that her father gave Life Flight his all but never sought to take credit from anyone else. She recalled how even when he was sick and living in her home, he used Skype to sit in on Life Flight meetings, she said.

"I've heard him say over the years it took a lot of people to make it happen," she said. "He was the one at the beginning and he was pushing the idea of how to get people to medical care more quickly and effectively."
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In what both sides call a victory, Webb County commissioners were ordered Monday to set the salaries of two District Attorney's Office newly-hired investigators at the sum designated in the 2016-17 budget.

The order came as part of a lawsuit filed last month by District Attorney Isidro "Chilo" Alaniz, who sued Commissioners Court, Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina and commissioners John Galo and Rosaura "Wawi" Tijerina.

Alaniz filed suit after the county judge and commissioners voted against a motion for the hiring of two investigators, Clemente Camarillo, former United ISD police chief, and Michael Wu, a Laredo police detective who retired in 2016, at requested salaries of $58,147 during a Commissioners Court meeting in April.

Visiting Senior Judge W.C. Kirkendall dismissed the lawsuit's underlying claims, including an alleged violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act, against Commissioners Court during Monday's hearing.

READ MORE: Webb County issues response to district attorney's lawsuit alleging unreasonable salaries

Kirkendall also granted a temporary injunction in favor of Alaniz, ordering the investigators salaries be placed at the $63,061 and $44,535 amounts set out in the current budget.

Judge Tijerina called it a "great victory" for Commissioners Court and the county.

He said the judge's decision is a clear affirmation that Commissioner Court has the budgetary authority.

"The Commissioners Court's legislative authority was vindicated today ... The District Court ruled that the District Attorney has no authority to set whatever salary he wants," a news release from his office states.

In Alaniz's opinion, the bigger victory was for his office.

He said that while Tijerina and commissioners Galo and Tijerina were trying to force him to hire two investigators at an entry-level salary, Monday's ruling prohibits them from "raiding" his budget for "their personal pet projects."

"Judge Kirkendall found that County Judge Tano Tijerina and two members of the Commissioners Court acted illegally in depriving the District Attorney of budgeted funds," the District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

Alaniz said the court's decision shows other county departments that their budgets are protected and that the Condrey plan, the county's wage-scale policy, is unlawful.

Due to the court's ruling, one investigator will receive almost $5,000 more in their salary than expected while another is receiving over $13,000 less than anticipated. Alaniz said he will be looking for other money to supplement the lower salary in the form of incentives.

Camarillo and Wu will begin work Friday as investigators, the District Attorney's Office said.

The hearing

Monday's hearing consisted of a packed courtroom full of county employees and officials alongside a majority of Alaniz's investigators and assistant district attorneys.

Alaniz was the first to take the stand, discussing his office's extensive caseload of 28 pending homicide cases and more than 70 pending aggravated robberies.

He said he needs the assistance of Camarillo and Wu due to a backlogged office and investigators being spread "super thin."

After two investigator positions became vacant, Alaniz said he reviewed a pile of resumes in his office that had been submitted when individuals heard of the vacancies and interviewed three potential investigators before narrowing them down to Camarillo and Wu.

Camarillo and Wu said they were hired in March or the early weeks of April at the $58,147 salary. Neither applied for the position at either of the vacant investigator position's 2016-17 budgeted salaries.

Alaniz's intent was to equalize the two salaries of the investigator positions, adding them up along with supplementary pay incentives included in one of the employee slots and dividing by two to reach the $58,147 salary.

"I wanted to pay them what would be a respectable salary for investigators of their stature," Alaniz said.

He said he wouldn't be able to hire them at a $40,000 salary, adding "it would be an insult."

MORE FROM LMTonline: Police identify 16-year-old victim, provide more information on suspect in Laredo murder case

When requesting the $58,147 salary from Commissioners Court, Alaniz said he was trying to explain to them that his decision was justified in his budget and he was seeking their approval.

Commissioners Court voted down the item due to the Condrey plan reverting employee slots back to entry-level salaries when a position becomes vacant.

After having his request denied, Alaniz gave notice of withdrawal from the Condrey plan on April 27. He then submitted a standard request to employ the investigators at the set salary of $58,147.

"On May 9, 2017, the Commissioners Court replied with a letter and memorandum of counsel denying the request. The Commissioners Court conceded that the District Attorney had authority to withdraw from the Condrey plan; however the Commissioners Court also claimed that the Condrey plan was nevertheless part of the county budget and that the District Attorney could not hire the investigators except at the salary set by Commissioners Court, which was $44,535.15," according to the lawsuit.

After being denied the requested salaries, Alaniz "never, under his own testimony, asked Commissioners Court to set the slotted employees at the 2016-2017 budgeted salaries," Eric McGee, who represents the county, said.

"This case is just very simply the District Attorney did not get his way and has now changed his position on how he operated with every other vacancy," McGee said.
Bill Ingram, a radio personality and host of "Welcome to Houston" for KSBJ, is among an elite group of radio broadcasters who will be inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame Nov. 4 in Kilgore.

For Ingram, who lives in Tarkington with his wife, Leitha, eight times is a charm.

"This is the greatest thing to ever happen to me in my professional life and I am grateful. This was my eighth nomination and I was beginning to feel like Susan Lucci from All My Children. Poor girl, did she ever win her award? I hope she finally got something," Ingram said with a laugh.

Since 2008, Ingram has been the calm, and as he says "somewhat goofy," voice over the airwaves as Houston-area residents tried to navigate their way through traffic jams and accidents. He joined KSBJ -- an Humble-based, Christian-oriented FM station located at 89.3 on the dial -- in 1997, first working in programming, engineering and promotions.

"I drove the original KSBJ broadcast van for 15 years doing daily remote broadcasts and doing the technical set-up for all live broadcasts," Ingram said.

In later years, he was allowed his own feature segment called "Welcome to Houston," during which Ingram shares his insights on local cuisine and life in the Houston area, and relates stories from outings with his family.

"They [KSBJ management] give us freedom to show our personality. We are allowed to have fun. If we are having fun, whoever is listening is going to have fun with us," Ingram said. "I try not to be a stick in the mud. I just try to be myself and I am kind of goofy anyway."

He credits his start in radio to the legendary Phil Parr of KSPL in Diboll.

"I started working with Phil Parr, who is known as the legendary blind disc jockey, is 1975. He gave me my start," Ingram said. "He gave me my first job right off the street after probably listening to the worst demo tape he had ever heard. He hired me anyway."

The wages were low -- $75 per week -- but it got Ingram the start he had so desperately wanted.

"It wasn't a whole lot but I was on the air!" he said.

In 1979, he joined KJCH in Cleveland, working for the late Cleveland Advocate columnist and former KJCH station manager Glen Dodson. After a year there, he became the program director, leaving four years later for KPXE in Liberty.

Radio jobs took him to WTAW in College Station in 1984 and KFRD in 1985. In 1991, he began working for Metro Traffic Control and Road Watch America Radio Network.

"That's where I learned to do traffic," Ingram said of Road Watch America. "I was on the national network of radio stations and my voice was heard in cities across the country."

That experience also helped him land a job with KSBJ.

When asked if he thinks technology will eventually replace radio stations, Ingram has a quick response.

"Tell that to all the people who listen in their cars," he said. "There are a ton of people still listening to the radio.

"Even though there is a lot of competition these days because of iPods, mp3 players and such, radio is still the number one source for people. You can't get what we offer anywhere else," he said.
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Daddy Warbucks and the red-headed title character are dream roles in the musical "Annie," but both stars of Purple Box Theater's current production had to be coaxed into playing them.

"I have never done a musical," said Albert Alonzo, when his son, Liam, pleaded with him to take the part.

Besides, the Clear Lake father explained, he was tired after twice portraying the Tom Cruise role in "A Few Good Men" this year.

Vanessa Marsh, 9, of Friendswood was tired, too, when her mother informed her that she had aced the audition.

More Information WANT TO GO? What: "Annie" Where: Purple Box Theater, 1309 W. Parkwood, Friendswood When: 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4-13 Cost: $15, $12 seniors Information: 818- 642-4665; www.thepurpleboxtheater.com See More Collapse

Dog made the difference

"This is her first actual show," Kerry Marsh said. "So, she didn't want too big of a role. It was 10 o'clock at night, just as Vanessa got home from a violin camp. She was stressed out; so she fell apart. She cried that it was too big of a role.

"But now she's very excited; she's excited about the dog."

"The dog" is a canine that Vanessa looked forward to meeting when it showed up in the last week of rehearsal to play Little Orphan Annie's faithful mutt, Sandy. The mixed-breed pooch, named Felicity, is from Friendswood Animal Control and is available for adoption, director Cathy Holbrook said. For information on her, contract Amy Castro at 281-728-2248.

Others in the cast include: Maryana Nagorski, Victoria Reyes, Chase Harris, Suzy Newsom, Richard Grosclose, Jeff Blackman, T'Mar Bunch, Mylana Valdina, Sarah Staples, Elena Vazquez, Kailey Morand, Keara Smith, Giselle Alcala, Taylor Mitchell, Milla Filippov, Ashley DiCicco, Julie Blackman, McKenna Fritts, Ava Vazquez and Liam Alonzo.

Playing multiple roles, including "President Franklin Roosevelt" is Friendswood Mayor Pro Tem Steve Rockey.

Liam, 9, who plays a child at the orphanage where we first find Annie.

The Alonzo father and son had enjoyed performing together in "The Little Princess" in a previous summer at Purple Box.

"Liam pressed and pressed for me to play Daddy Warbucks, and I said, 'But there isn't even a part for you,' " recalled Albert Alonzo.

However, Holbrook said she would find a part for Liam if his father would take the part, and that's what happened.

Turning into Annie

A highlight of any production of "Annie" is the song "It's the Hard Knock Life," in which Annie leads her fellow orphans in a production number that involves housekeeping chores at their orphanage.

"It's very exciting. I like to be the center of attention," Vanessa said.

A natural blonde, Vanessa said she's had her dyed red and her hair curled to look like the comic-strip character Annie.

The budding actress also competes on a team at Sharks Swim Club in Friendswood, studies ballet and jazz, and continues her private violin, voice and piano lessons.

She and her parents, Kerry and Robert, a chemical engineer, moved to Texas two years ago from Utah.

Alonzo, 38, grew up in Houston, graduating in 1997 from Milby High School, where he performed in many stage productions.

"I also did a couple of one-acts in college," he said, explaining that he earned a 2003 bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston-Downtown.

Alonzo is the case manager for Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge David R. Jones. Their office is located a few blocks from UHD, where Alonzo's wife, Liza, is director of alumni relations.

The Alonzos also have a second son, Luke, who is 6.

"Annie," which debuted on Broadway in 1977, boasts music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan. It won seven Tony Awards, including best musical.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
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Thirteen-year-old Stacy Chen's anti-litter message in artwork depicting a Texas Longhorn and armadillos won her a month in the 2018 Don't Mess with Texas calendar.

One winner was selected from each grade, K-12, according to the Don't Mess with Texas website. She's an eighth-grader at Beckendorff Junior High where her art teacher is Jami Ouellette, but won the contest as a seventh-grader.

"More than 4,300 students participated from 136 communities across Texas," according to the website. The calendar contest received over 6,000 entries, Jamie Wolman, a Keep Katy Beautiful board member, told Katy City Council.

On July 24, Keep Katy Beautiful put Stacy in the spotlight when she was recognized at the Katy City Council meeting for her winning artwork. She was accompanied by her parents Dakai and Shuaiyu Chen and her siblings.

"The students art contest is so important because it makes them realize and think about what causes the litter on our highways," said Wolman.

"The student's artwork was chosen because of their ability to show through their art that litter is causing a major concern in Texas," she told council.

Wolman later explained that students submit artwork directly to the state, which notifies local agencies such as Keep Katy Beautiful when they have winners from their cities.

The calendars are expected to be available in a month or two at City Hall, said Wolman.

Stacy said she entered "because my art teacher told me about the contest and because I care about the environment."

For her artwork, she said she wanted something to do with the highway because "people throw things out of their window." The animals are part of the picture because it's "their environment and they care about it."

A month or two after entering the contest, Stacy said, "My mom told me in the car (that I won) and I was really, really happy."

After congratulating Stacy at the council meeting, Councilman Durran Dowdle said he had a calendar from last year and needed a new one.

"Keep up the good work," said Councilman Steve Pierson.

The eighth-grader has enjoyed art from a young age, according to Wolman. Chen now works with a Enya Huang, a private teacher, in addition to studying art at school.

Stacy said, "I like sketching the best with pencils. I like using colored pencils."

She's not the only artist in the family, either. Stacy said she has an uncle who is a good artist and her sister is one, too. Her sister, Diana, is 8.

Born in West Texas, she and her family moved to Katy in 2008, said Wolman. Because of her family's job opportunities, however, she moved to Qatar in the Middle East for a couple of years and this is her first year back in the United States, said Wolman.

Stacy said her favorite activities are art, reading and traveling. She also runs track and likes science and math as well as the outdoors and music. She plays the piano and the Ocarina, a wind instrument.

Chen volunteers at the Houston Food Bank after her family went to visit the nonprofit one day, and at Music Doing Good, an organization through which music students visit places like nursing homes and play for the people. At school, the Junior Honor Society inducted her as a member and she earns volunteer hours by going to the Houston Food Bank.

With so many interests and activities, Stacy said she usually plans her time and tries to follow a schedule, but sometimes there isn't enough time in a day.

After completing her studies at Seven Lakes High School, she's hoping to attend the University of Texas. Then she might become a chemical engineer or a graphic designer.
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A Brazoria County jury took less than two hours to convict Clear Lake-area resident Amber Willemsen of intoxication manslaughter on Tuesday, in the June 12, 2016, wreck that killed Pearland Police Officer Endy Ekpanya.

Willemsen, 40, a former assistant principal in Clear Creek ISD, was out on bail on a drug charge when her Chrysler 200 sedan was involved in the crash on FM 518 near Liberty Drive.

"Endy Ekpanya took the hit for another citizen who was coming behind him," Brazoria County District Attorney Jeri Yenne said during her closing argument on Tuesday. "In his final act, he was protecting and serving."

DEFENSE: Pearland officer was distracted, not wearing seatbelt during fatal wreck

More Information See More Collapse

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Yenne played an dispatch recording of the last call for service before Ekpanya was killed. "He couldn't answer that final call, but you, the jury, can by finding Amber Willemsen guilty."

Willemsen worked a shift as a stripper at The Ritz in Houston on the night of June 11 and 12, and was on her way from work when she drove her car on the wrong side of FM 518, crashing her car nearly head-on into Ekpanya's patrol car.

Jurors in the trial, held in the courtroom of District Judge Terri Tipton Holder, watched videos of Willemsen taking numerous sips of what appeared to be vodka in a water bottle that she brought into the strip club.

STRIP CLUB TESTIMONY: The Ritz violated stripper drinking policy the night of the wreck

Prosecutors also presented video evidence that Willemsen was stumbling at work, saying she was visibly drunk, and a blood test showed her blood alcohol concentration was 0.162, more than twice the legal limit, when her car struck Ekpanya's.

Ekpanya, 30, had been en route to a non-emergency call when the wreck occurred. He was taken by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Willemsen faces between 5 and 99 years or life in prison.
For hours on end, not one of the dozens of people at a special meeting of Oaklands Public Ethics Commission at City Hall on Monday evening seemed able to discern what Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney may have done wrong, and why.

Everyone agreed that something was not right: The commission that has been investigating her for at least three alleged conflicts of interest, her hired attorney, several members of the public  and the West Oakland councilwoman herself.

The commission, which has the authority to impose fines for violations of city law, voted 6-0 to send the matter to an administrative law judge. The judge will hear both McElhaneys and the commissions arguments and issue a recommendation to the commission on what action to take.

The decision grew audible groans from both sides in the crowd: those who thought McElhaney should go unpunished and those who thought she should be disciplined.

The dysfunction of the meeting  run by a staff of six political novices who at times lacked an understanding of procedural rules  came to a head when McElhaneys hired San Francisco lawyer, Jim Sutton, told the commissioners that his client admitted that she was at fault in a series of allegations revolving around pressuring the city Planning Commission to halt construction on five town house units adjacent to her West Oakland home.

No, McElhaney, an elected Oakland official since 2013, muttered from the crowd of two dozen, drawing gasps from the commissioners.

A commission staff report alleges that McElhaney sought free professional help from an architectural firm, JRDV Urban International, to oppose the project. McElhaney failed to report the assistance as a gift to a public official, and meanwhile took part in council votes to extend and expand JRDVs city contracts, the staff report said.

McElhaney, who declined to comment after the meeting, said when questioned by the commissioners that she had been dragged through the mud of West Oakland, referring to the section of the city where she is from and represents, a place she has long claimed lags behind other city districts in terms of public resources.

The ethics commissions investigation follows a June 2016 Alameda County grand jury finding that McElhaney, then the president of the City Council, had a material financial interest in the development planned next to her home, in part because of its location.

On the table on Monday night were fining McElhaney about $800, a metric the staff report estimated that JDRVs consultation was worth, a sum that would have been repaid to the company; fining her a maximum of $15,000; or issuing her a reprimand letter.

In an interview, Sutton said that his client should be held to a higher standard as a public official. The attorney tried to back-track his earlier, and audible, disagreement with his client in the meeting, saying that the arguement blossomed out of the interest of settlement.

He said the councilwoman would be open to accepting a settlement she would deem fair, including repaying JDRV for the gift, acknowledging receipt of a warning letter or creating a video warning other Oakland government officials about how ethics rules and laws work.

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: MBodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley
CARACAS, Venezuela - The Trump administration on Monday imposed sanctions on President Nicolas Maduro, after an election that critics called a tipping point toward dictatorship. But even with international pressure building and Venezuela's economy collapsing, beleaguered opposition activists here were facing a stark new challenge.

How could they confront a socialist machine that now controls all branches of government?

Citing Maduro's "outrageous seizure of absolute power," the U.S. government froze any American assets he may have and banned Americans from doing business with him. The move came after Maduro heralded the Sunday vote creating a new super-congress made up entirely of government backers. The newly cast legislators included his wife and son. The body will have sweeping powers to rewrite the constitution and redraw Venezuela's governing system.

"Maduro is not just a bad leader," said President Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster. "He is now a dictator."

Despite the tough talk from the White House, the sanctions fell short of the crippling pressure many observers were expecting. Maduro swiftly dismissed the measures, saying on television that they were imposed because he didn't obey the "North American empire." He added: "Impose all the sanctions that you want, but I'm a free president."

Potentially more-sweeping measures - including the targeting of Venezuela's all-important oil industry - are still on the table. But the opposition here is running out of time to turn the tide, and is now facing new and significant threats.

The election was boycotted by the opposition, and many Venezuelans mocked the government's contention that more than 40 percent of voters took part. Under Maduro's mentor, the late leftist leader Hugo Chavez, many Venezuelans thought national election results were generally credible, although candidates complained that he used state resources to gain an edge. But opposition activists called Sunday's vote a turning point, claiming that only about 12 percent of Venezuelans turned out, in what they called a historic rejection of Maduro and his plans.

Luisa Ortega Diaz, Venezuela's attorney general, who broke with the government in March, on Monday declared the vote fraudulent. She suggested that Maduro and his inner circle, including a vice president accused by the U.S. government of narco-trafficking, would now seek to use the new assembly to monopolize money and power.

"How will we control the public budget now? How will we know how much and in what things money is being invested? How amazing for them!" she said.

"This is not the project Hugo Chavez wanted for the country," she continued. "Far from it."

Maduro has said he proposed the assembly to bring peace to the streets after four months of often-violent demonstrations protesting the dire state of the economy and growing authoritarianism. Opponents said he skewed the system for choosing candidates to ensure control of the new body.

On Thursday, those chosen for the new Constituent Assembly are set to replace the democratically elected members of the nation's legislature, which is dominated by the opposition. Some opposition lawmakers defiantly went to the National Assembly building on Monday, vowing to keep carrying out their duties. It foreshadowed a potentially dramatic standoff.

"Nothing and nobody will prevent us from fulfilling the mandate that the people have given us," opposition lawmaker Delsa Solorzano said in a video she shot outside the assembly building Monday morning. "That's why an important number of lawmakers came today, to protect our space and to protect the will of the people."

U.S. officials would not say whether Maduro has any U.S. assets. But under the sanctions, he is cut off from accessing the U.S. financial system, as well as most transactions in dollars, since nearly all dollar-denominated transactions must clear through an American bank at some point. Moreover, non-U.S. banks have become very concerned about doing business with anyone on an American sanctions list.

"I think today's sanction was more of a symbol," said Asdrubal Oliveros, director of the Caracas-based Ecoanalitica consulting firm. "I don't think Maduro has properties in the U.S. What's relevant is that he's now in a list with the head of North Korea and Syria. You're a dictator, that's why you're there. That is the message."

In addition to the U.S. reaction, Latin American nations from Argentina to Panama to Brazil have also declared the vote illegitimate, with regional foreign ministers set to meet in Peru next week to review the crisis.

Yet the larger question is whether the domestic opposition can sustain the pressure it has brought to bear on Maduro's administration. Simply put, with more than 100 dead and thousands detained in the demonstrations, some people are tired, and even more are scared.

Opposition leaders are facing their own test of public confidence after Sunday's vote.

"Today I feel crushed, but not because of the results, because we knew that the government would cheat," said Victoria Daboin, a 25-year-old who has been protesting since April. "I feel depressed because today everything looks normal, as if nothing had happened. The streets are empty and people went to work as if nothing ever happened. I personally expected more forceful actions from opposition leaders."

Many credit the opposition with bravely challenging a repressive regime. But at a time when the socialist government is signaling a more radical stage of rule, some Venezuelans express concern that no single opposition leader has emerged as Maduro's obvious challenger.

A top contender, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, remains under house arrest and sidelined from public activities. In recent days, the opposition has seemed disorganized, caught flat-footed by a government announcement banning protests through Tuesday.

"Where's the leader who has mobilized people in the slums because they believe in him?" said Luis Vicente Leon, director of the Caracas-based pollster Datanalisis. "People in the slums are scared, but when you have a leader you love, that barrier can be overcome. That leader doesn't exist. And there's internal divisions within the coalition on how to confront this situation now."

Analysts say the established opposition here needs to escape the orbit of its past. During the 1980s and 1990s, it was accused of ignoring the poor. Many also criticized it for failing to unite.

Now that polls show Venezuelans desperate for change, the parties have more or less united in the face of the government's growing repression and have made inroads with poorer voters. Still, they amount to factions with varying politics and competing loyalties.

For the opposition, there appears, as of yet, to be no agreement on which tactic is best going forward.

And virtually all options harbor risks.

Some dissident voices here are pressing the opposition to accelerate its move to set up what is essentially a parallel government.

"We won't do anything that is outside the constitution; we don't have the constitutional powers to name a new president," said Solorzano, the opposition lawmaker. "How are we going to combat illegality with more illegality? I understand people's desperation; all of us are doing worse than ever. But we all have to keep going - it's everyone's responsibility, not just leaders."

On July 16, the opposition held an informal referendum in which, it reported, 7.6 million people rejected the creation of the Constituent Assembly. Following that vote, the opposition announced a move to create its own "government of national unity."

But the opposition's most substantial move in that direction - the selection of magistrates to challenge the authority of the current pro-government Supreme Court - has resulted in three judges being arrested and several others going into hiding.

Some argue that a move to install a parallel government could encourage stronger international action that would diplomatically isolate Maduro. But others say that such a move could polarize the nation and trigger a government crackdown that would lead to a larger wave of politically motivated arrests.

There is also a risk that a more violent faction of the opposition will grow, gradually creating a low-grade conflict. Masked young people have already been seeking to take the fight to the government with rocks and molotov cocktails. And on Sunday, the violence escalated, with an explosive device set by a demonstrator blowing up as a motorcade of government troops passed. Another protester was photographed shooting a gun.

Via Twitter, Venezuelan user @bienlechuga echoed the frustrations of many government opponents who are calling for more-radical action.

"War will not bring us the best result, but it could put us in a better position in this game," the user wrote.

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The Washington Post's Long reported from Washington. Rachelle Krygier and Mariana Zuniga in Caracas and Carol Morello in Washington contributed to this report.
An initiative backed by former President Barack Obama to end Republican control of legislative maps by targeting state-level contests has raised more than $10.8 million this year.

On Monday, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) announced its fundraising haul through the end of July as it geared up to spend on gubernatorial and state legislative campaigns ahead of the 2020 redistricting cycle, when states will draw new maps for congressional and state legislative districts.

Democrats see these efforts as crucial to rebuilding the party. The NDRC, which is chaired by former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr., is debuting its campaign efforts by supporting Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) for governor this November against Ed Gillespie, the former Republican National Committee chairman.

NDRC has yet to directly donate to Northam's campaign, but Holder headlined a June fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Virginia.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Holder and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) were among the high-profile Democratic leaders raising money for the redistricting initiative, meeting donors in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and the District of Columbia. Obama headlined a fundraiser in the District for NDRC in July, marking his formal return to the political fray six months out of office.

The NDRC released a portion of its donor list to the Internal Revenue Service on Monday, disclosing the source of more than $2.5 million donated to its 527 political organization. Disclosures of donations to other entities, including political nonprofit groups and a federal political action committee, are due later.

Democratic Party mega-donors Fred Eychaner and Donald Sussman each gave $500,000, while Jon Stryker donated $200,000 and Martha Samuelson gave $175,000.

Movie director J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, each donated $125,000.

"The NDRC's significant fundraising in its first six months will allow us to take on gerrymandering and reform our electoral system," Holder said in a statement.

The redistricting committee is also funding legal challenges to district lines drawn by Republicans and plans to support ballot measures to establish independent commissions to draw legislative maps.
Amid chaos in Washington, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is in Eastern Europe assuring American allies that the United States is committed to protecting them.

"We are with you. We stand with the people and nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - and we always will," Pence said at a joint press availability with the Baltic leaders in Tallinn, even as, back home, President Donald Trump has yet to comment on Russian expulsion of U.S. diplomatic staff.

The vice president participated in a listening session on cyber and innovation with the president of Estonia in Tallinn, and travelled on Tuesday to Tbilisi, where he met with the Georgian prime minister for their third substantive meeting since Pence took office.

"We see Georgia as a key strategic partner and stand by your territorial integrity and your aspirations to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization," Pence said at a dinner with Prime Minister Kvirikashvili in Tbilisi. At a joint press conference with Georgia's prime minister, Pence noted that Russia occupies one-fifth of Georgian Territory.

Back in Washington, in the meantime, President Trump has yet to comment personally on a bill that Congress passed imposing tougher sanctions on Russia. The White House press secretary said Friday in a statement that Trump would sign the bill.

Speaking in Tbilisi, Pence said the bill would be signed soon.

From Tbilisi, Pence traveled to the newest NATO member, Montenegro. In May at a NATO summit, President Trump appeared to push Montenegro's prime minister aside during a photo session.

Pence's staid tour abroad is in stark contrast to the roller coaster in Washington this week. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump lost a communications director who was brought on roughly a week prior; Jared Kushner, his son in law and adviser, told White House interns the Trump team was too disorganized to have colluded with Russia; and the Washington Post reported the president had dictated a misleading message to his son about a meeting with a Russian lawyer.

Trump's is not the first administration to send a vice president abroad in the president's stead, or to develop relations with diplomats and dignitaries from particular countries - former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was known as Ukraine's man in Washington.

"Vice President Pence's visit sent a clear message about the enduring strength of the relationship between Georgia and the United States," Georgian Ambassador to the United States David Bakradze told Foreign Policy by email. "This is an important milestone in the bilateral relationship."

The embassies of Estonia and Montenegro did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Joe Arpaio, a former Arizona sheriff whose extreme stance on illegal immigration made him a household name, was convicted Monday of criminal contempt of court for ignoring a judge's order to stop detaining people because he merely suspected them of being undocumented immigrants.

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton wrote that Arpaio had shown a "flagrant disregard" for the court's command and that his attempt to pin the conduct on those who worked for him rang hollow.

"Not only did Defendant abdicate responsibility, he announced to the world and to his subordinates that he was going to continue business as usual no matter who said otherwise," Bolton wrote.

A Justice Department spokeswoman said Arpaio faces up to six months in prison at his sentencing, which is scheduled for October 5. Arpaio's attorney said he would appeal to get a trial by jury. He had been convicted after a trial in front of Bolton.

"Today, Judge Susan Bolton violated the United States Constitution by issuing her verdict without even reading it to the Defendant in public court," Jack Wilenchik, Arpaio's attorney, said in a statement. "Her verdict is contrary to what every single witness testified in the case. Arpaio believes that a jury would have found in his favor, and that it will. . . . Joe Arpaio is in this for the long haul, and he will continue his fight to vindicate himself, to prove his innocence, and to protect the public."

The legal saga surrounding Arpaio, 85, dates back years. In 2011, the then-sheriff of Arizona's Maricopa County was enjoined by U.S. District Judge Murray Snow from detaining people he thought to be illegal immigrants, when they were not charged with any other crimes, as part of a lawsuit. Prosecutors alleged that he continued to do so, and last year, the Justice Department decided to pursue a criminal contempt-of-court case against him.

By then, Arpaio was known as a vigorous Donald Trump supporter - his strong desire to crack down on illegal immigration much in line with that of the president's. But critics said his policy of detaining people on mere suspicion was racist and illegal, and his refusal to honor a court's order to stop was brazen. He was also well known for forcing his inmates to wear pink underwear and sleep outdoors in his Tent City Jail.

Wilenchik said in the statement that the judge's order enjoining Arpaio was "not clear," and suggested that Arpaio was merely doing what others do routinely: turning over those in the country illegally to the U.S. Border Patrol.

"Numerous law enforcement agencies also continue to do this," Wilenchik said. "In fact, the DOJ now goes after agencies that refuse to do this."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has threatened jurisdictions that do not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but he has not directed local law enforcement to stop and detain people without a lawful reason to do so.

Bolton wrote that another judge's order to Arpaio was clear and that there was evidence he violated it willfully - citing some of Arpaio's own public comments as evidence. She said even if subordinates actually did the detaining, it was only at Arpaio's direction and by Arpaio's failure to tell them otherwise.

"The evidence shows a flagrant disregard for Judge Snow's order," Bolton wrote.

Arpaio, who had long weathered criticisms about his conduct, lost his reelection bid soon after he was charged with criminal contempt. The new sheriff, Paul Penzone, said Bolton's verdict was "a conclusion to the disservice and distractions caused by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio."

"As for this office, we remain steadfast in our efforts to serve the needs of public safety, to improve quality of relations with the community and to ensure that the men and women of this organization have the utmost respect for the law and the authority for which we are empowered," Penzone said.

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The Washington Post's Amy B Wang contributed to this report.

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VIDEO:

Former Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff Joe Arpaio ignored a judge's order to stop detaining people because he merely suspected them of being undocumented immigrants. (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post)

URL: http://wapo.st/2hhRY7s

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WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled against the Interior Department's decision to strip protections from a regional population of endangered gray wolves and allow states to openly hunt them.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguably the nation's most important appellate court after the Supreme Court, upheld a lower court's decision that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of Interior, has the authority to group wolves in the western Great Lakes region into a segment as it did in 2011, but does not have the power to simply remove them from the endangered species list without considering the move's impact on the entire species of gray wolves in their range.

"When a species is already listed, the service cannot review a single segment with blinders on, ignoring the continuing status of the species' remnant," the court ruled. The Endangered Species Act "requires a comprehensive review of the entire listed species and its continuing status. Having started the process, the service cannot call it quits upon finding a single distinct population segment."

In affirming the lower court ruling, the judges added to a succession of losses by Interior in an ongoing attempt to de-list gray wolves mostly in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as a few in other states such as Ohio, North Dakota and Indiana, since 2003.

At that time, Fish and Wildlife divided the nation's population of gray wolves into three segments - western, eastern and southwestern. When district courts in Oregon and Vermont struck down the divisions after legal challenges from conservationists, Fish and Wildlife tried another maneuver. It ruled that a western Great Lakes population of wolves no longer deserved protections and struck them off the endangered list.

"That rule soon met the same fate as its . . . predecessors," the appeals court judges wrote in Tuesday's ruling. Another district court ruled that Fish and Wildlife failed to do due diligence "to acknowledge and address crucial . . . ambiguities" of arbitrarily designating gray wolf segments in an effort to remove their protection.

"The Endangered Species Act . . . requires the service, when reviewing and redetermining the status of a species, to look at the whole picture of the listed species, not just a segment of it."

Interior Department officials declined to comment, but conservation groups voiced their approval. In a statement, the Center for Biological Diversity said the decision "protects more than 3,000 wolves and ensures hundreds . . . will not be killed each year." The group's endangered species director, Noah Greenwald, added: "Wolves are missing from more than 90 percent of their historic range in the Lower 48 states, and both the Endangered Species Act and common sense tells us we can't ignore that."

The president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, Wayne Pacelle, said courts "have now put a stop to the war on wolves in the Great Lakes. It's time for Congress and state and federal wildlife management agencies to recognize that wolves provide an enormous range of ecological and economic services to the regions where they live, and do it for free."

But the victory could be short lived. Congressional Republicans are currently drafting laws to amend the Endangered Species Act in an effort to roll back its protections.

The aim, they say, is to remove animals from the list faster than the current pace so that rules protecting them won't hamper ranching and economic development. Opponents argue that the slow pace is often a result of noncompliance by states and ever-expanding encroachment by human development on animal habitats.
In some ways the epitome of small town USA, Midland has a unique connection to the most powerful man in the country.

President Trump and The Dow Chemical Co. CEO and Chairman Andrew Liveris had buddied up early on. Trump selected Liveris to head a national manufacturing council. The magnates molded a mutual respect, flowering each other with kind words when the cameras rolled.

Thus formed Midland's big business link to the White House.

"I'm excited that Andrew Liveris is head of the manufacturing council for the president. I think that puts Midland on the map," Shawn Pnacek said. "That's pretty exciting."

Pnacek will have a chance to make that blip on the map even bigger, by going smaller - talking small business with the president, that is.

Pnacek, president of Great Lakes Bay Construction and a member of the City of Midland Planning Commission, heads to the Capitol today. He got an invite to a small business summit entitled "The Engine of the American Dream," to take place in the east room of the White House.

He was told President Trump will attend.

But he doesn't know much more about the meeting.

"It came about at the last minute," Pnacek said. "I just got the invite Thursday evening around six. I've only been told where it's at and where to get in."

From email threads, he's gathered that it will be a "celebration of the Small Business Administration, and that President Trump will be there for the discussion."

The White House has invited contractors from the Midwest to be part of the discussion, Pnacek said. One was the national trade association Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. ABC contacted the president of its Greater Michigan chapter, where Pnacek is on the board of directors.

When he'd learned he was invited, "I felt privileged," Pnacek said.

Pnacek said he plans to "absorb and listen" to pick up on "what the mood is, what the president has to say about small businesses in general, what the heartbeat is, and where it's going."

If there's a question and answer segment, he said he'd like to address workforce development specifically in skilled trades.

"It's been harder and harder to find younger people who want to go into the trades and make that a career," Pnacek said.

There has been a shortage in the Great Lakes Bay Region for a decade or longer, he said.

Part of the solution, the Central Michigan University graduate said, is the mindset that parents don't tell their kids that skilled trades is another option other than college.

"Just be aware at the high school level that skilled trades are there," Pnacek said, listing electrical, plumbing, pipe fitting, sheet metal, carpentry and other apprenticeships offered at the Greater Michigan Construction Academy.

Pnacek said he is one of two Michigan company representatives attending, the other being Lansing-based Consolidated Electric.

In terms of rules and regulations governing businesses, Trump and Liveris with the manufacturing council have aimed to cut much of the red tape. Pnacek said he won't be attending in his capacity as a city planning commissioner. But if talking points include municipalities, "I'll definitely put that hat on if the discussion was there," he said.

Personally, "I'm honored to be there. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I plan on taking it all in and listening to the conversation," Pnacek said.
In his aggressive pursuit of rolling back Obama administration regulations, President Donald Trump's top environmental official may be bumping up against his legal limits.

Late Monday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce an Obama administration rule limiting the amount of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, that can be emitted from new or modified oil and gas wells.

The 9-to-2 decision comes after an earlier ruling in July striking down as illegal a 90-day delay in the implementation of the decision compelling oil and gas well operators to plug methane leaks. Industry groups argued that the federal rules were unnecessary as they duplicated state efforts to rein in emissions.

Where much of the rest of the Trump agenda on health care or a tax rewrite flounders, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is plugging away at repealing Obama-era regulations and helping bolster the president's claim that he is keeping his campaign promise to deregulate the fossil-fuel sector. With both chambers of Congress led by the GOP, environmentalists opposed to that agenda have turned to the courts to block Trump's policy.

The methane rulings may just be the start of the legal pendulum swinging back to their side. Most of the headlines the EPA has generated during Trump's six months in office boil down to this: The EPA will begin the lengthy review process of undoing such-and-such rule.

For example, in February, Trump surrounded himself with cameras and lawmakers to sign an executive order targeting a clean-water rule that greatly expanded the number of waterways that fall under federal protection.

Though Pruitt has publicly indicated to Congress that the EPA would "provide clarity" by "withdrawing" the clean-water rule, the agency only took its first step in a dual-prong process by officially rescinding the decision last week. And even so, the EPA must take the time to address the thorny legal question the Obama rule sought to address. Those include what waterways fall under the jurisdiction of the ambiguously worded Clean Water Act. Litigants have tried and failed to sort out that question in the courts for years.

Here's the problem: Pruitt's hustle may be just now coming back to bite him in his quest to cut down on red tape he thinks is hurting the energy sector - thereby making it harder for him to implement the Trump environmental agenda. The Administrative Procedure Act requires the EPA to seek public comment and state its justification before suspending a rule as it is being considered for repeal. And there are court challenges that could get in the way if the administration isn't careful.

Bethany Davis Noll, an attorney at the Institute for Policy Integrity, and Richard Revesz, a New York University law professor, argue that the EPA is cutting corners in striking down Obama administration rules.

The lawyers argue that Pruitt has suspended rules without taking actions required beforehand.

"Pruitt's willingness to play fast and loose has helped his anti-regulatory reputation soar," the two lawyers write in Slate. "But the brazen deficiencies in the agency's work exposing the hollowness of Pruitt's 'rule of law' rhetoric should give Pruitt's supporters pause. Once the judicial challenges run their course, Pruitt may be striking out a lot more."
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Anthony Scaramucci might occupy a few lines in future political history books with his remarkably short tenure, but it is not even the shortest. Forced out 10 days after he started, his brief stint was marked by public battle with former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus only to have John F. Kelly, the new chief of staff, orchestrate his removal, according to two people knowledgeable about the decision.

But John O. Koehler, who was the chief communicator for President Ronald Reagan in March 1987, had an even shorter tenure of less than one week.

Koehler arrived at the White House with a glittering communications resume. He retired from the Associated Press in 1985 as an assistant general manager and took a job with the U.S. Information Agency, the now-defunct State Department arm used to promote U.S. diplomatic efforts among foreign audiences.

The German-born Koehler took over in the waning years of the Cold War with personal and professional animosity for the Soviet Union. He translated for the U.S. Army during World War II as a teenager before Soviets closed in on his hometown of Dresden, the eastern German city that sat on the Red Army's southern approach to Berlin. He then served as a U.S. Army officer in the 1950s.

He told the Associated Press on Feb. 18 that he accepted the job during a 15-minute meeting with Reagan, adding that "I am going to be as low key as I can."

But like Scaramucci, whose appointment triggered the resignation of former press secretary Sean Spicer, the controversy surrounding Koehler's appointment began even before his first day in the West Wing.

Soon after Koehler's hiring announcement, NBC News reported that he had been a member of a Nazi youth group when he was 10.

Koehler said he disclosed his participation in Jungvolk, the Hitler Youth program used to indoctrinate young boys with Nazi ideology through outdoor activities, when he went through the security clearance process, The Post reported Feb. 20, 1987 - eight days before he was scheduled to take over the position.

The voluntary involvement of German youth was later compulsory in 1939, and some were pressed into full military service. Koehler called it "the Boy Scouts run by the Nazi party," and said he spent about six months in the program.

Koehler sought to downplay his involvement after news of the disclosure was circulated in the media, apparently catching the White House off guard.

"If you lived in Germany at that time and were of a certain age, you had something to do with the party. Do you really begin to think at that age?" Koehler told The Post.

"Having been a newspaperman in this country for more than 30 years, I think this is a black day in journalism," Koehler said.

The next day, on Feb. 21, The Post reported that Reagan said he held confidence in Koehler despite public grievances between first lady Nancy Reagan and the president's chief of staff, Donald Regan. Sources said Mrs. Reagan, who was a friend of Koehler, pushed for his appointment.

Regan, in turn, was frustrated by the "rushed appointment" of Koehler, who said that Koehler's involvement in the German youth group may have been scrutinized with a slower process, and blamed Nancy Reagan for the media firestorm.

The episode further angered Republicans, who expected the White House to outflank critics in the Iran-Contra scandal and ended up bogged down in West Wing staff controversies.

Officials cited Regan's comment about the first lady, made at a senior staff meeting, as a remark that angered President Reagan and hastened Regan's departure, The Post reported.

VIDEO: All the people who have resigned or been fired since Trump took office

Koehler had few allies outside the Oval Office. The new chief of staff, Howard Baker Jr., asked Koelher to resign on March 7, 1987. Less than a week had passed since his first day on March 1.

In Reagan's letter accepting Koehler's resignation, the president wished Koehler and his wife, Dorothy, godspeed and good health.

"I admired the enthusiasm with which you plunged into the job, and your loyalty to me. Your selflessness was demonstrated again by your gracious recognition that Howard Baker must have every opportunity," the president said.

Koehler, who died in 2012, wrote in response: "I have believed totally in your goals for the United States and for the world from the first day we met in the early 70s. Thus, I welcomed the privilege to serve you albeit briefly."

"I recognize and endorse the importance that Senator Baker must have his own team with whom he will feel comfortable to carry out your program so vital for the American people," he added.

A little more than 30 years later, Scaramucci pulled a page from his micro-tenured predecessor to offer a strikingly similar remark over his quick exit.

"Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John F. Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team," White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday.
Weekly Bible study classes are being held at the White House, and some Trump administration officials - including Vice President Mike Pence, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos - join when they are in town, according to a story on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

The classes are led by Ralph Drollinger, founder of Washington, D.C.-based Capitol Ministries, which has the following as its mission, according to its website:

"The BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal) of Capitol Ministries is to deliver the Gospel to every public servant, in every capitol every year! Since our founding in 1996 our vision has not changed: to evangelize elected officials and lead them toward maturity in Christ. We stay away from politics and concentrate on the hearts of leaders. Our above purpose statement reflects this."

Drollinger also leads twice-weekly Bible study classes on Capitol Hill for members of the House and Senate, according to the ministries' website:

"Capitol Ministries, which has planted Bible studies in 40 state Capitols and 24 foreign nations, has a mission to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to political leaders around the world."

CBN reported that DeVos, Sessions, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price have been among the participants, and that President Donald Trump has been invited and receives a copy of each week's Bible lesson. It quoted Drollinger as saying: "It's the best Bible study that I've ever taught in my life. They are so teachable. They're so noble. They're so learned."

There was no immediate response to queries about this from the White House, the vice president's office or the departments of education, justice or health and human services. A CIA spokesperson said he could not comment. Drollinger did not immediately return phone calls. The website of his ministries says this on its media contact page:

"Privacy Notice: Please note that it is the strict policy of Capitol Ministries not to comment on any Public Servant who is involved with our organization. We protect the privacy of all who attend our Bible studies."

Drollinger was quoted as saying this about Sessions: "He'll go out the same day I teach him something and I'll see him do it on camera and I just think, 'Wow, these guys are faithful, available and teachable,' and they're at Bible study every week they're in town."

This is not the first time Bible study classes have been held in the White House. In the administration of former president George W. Bush, some White House staff members held weekly prayer and Bible study sessions, and during that administration, John Ashcroft held daily Bible studies at the Justice Department when he was attorney general.

There are no rules against studying the Bible in a federal building, though the U.S. government issued rules in 1997, titled"Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace," that stresses the importance of supervisors being careful not to press employees into participating in any way.

"Because supervisors have the power to hire, fire or promote, employees may reasonably perceive their supervisors' religious expression as coercive, even if it was not intended as such," the guidelines say. "Therefore, supervisors should be careful to ensure that their statements and actions are such that employees do not perceive any coercion . . . and should, where necessary, take appropriate steps to dispel such misperceptions."

Trump has had strong support from the country's evangelical community. A few weeks ago, a photo was made public showing some evangelical leaders laying hands on Trump in the Oval Office as he bowed in prayer.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump fired communications director Anthony Scaramucci on Monday at the urging of new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a clear sign that the retired Marine general is being empowered to manage what has been an unwieldy West Wing operation.

Kelly demanded Scaramucci's departure after he attacked former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus in a profanity-laced interview last week that quickly became a public symbol of the vicious infighting that has helped define the first months of the administration.

Trump's willingness to dismiss Scaramucci - whom he hired just 10 days ago - was viewed by many in the West Wing as an indication that he is eager to impose order and is giving Kelly the tools to do so.

"General Kelly has the full authority to operate within the White House, and all staff will report to him," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Left unclear is whether Kelly will be able to curb the president's inclination to subvert pecking orders, his tendency to encourage rivalries among his staff and his insistence on managing his own message through social media in ways that have often undermined his aides' strategic planning.

"This is a president that loves feedback and information, and he doesn't like getting it through a chain of command," said Trump friend Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax Media. "I don't think that's going to change."

But Kelly's arrival signals that Trump is putting his confidence in someone he perceives to have the stature and experience to be a forceful leader in a White House characterized by competing power centers.

After swearing in Kelly to his role during an Oval Office ceremony, Trump treated him to the formalities typically reserved for visiting heads of state. As the two sat shoulder to shoulder in armchairs for the benefit of cameras, Trump leaned in and effusively praised Kelly, who previously served as Trump's homeland security secretary. He later lavished more praise on him during a Cabinet meeting.

"I predict that General Kelly will go down, in terms of the position of chief of staff, one of the greatest ever," the president said. "We all know him, we respect him, admire what he's done."

Priebus was viewed inside the White House as being ineffective and having little control over other top aides, and the president had mused for months about replacing him. In one of the strongest indications that Kelly will have greater authority than his predecessor, Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner - both of whom advocated for Kelly to be hired - have expressed their willingness to support any structural changes Kelly might make, according to a White House official. Sanders confirmed that they, too, will report to Kelly, as will all other officials.

A Kelly-led senior staff meeting Monday morning was well received, said people close to the White House who described aides as feeling optimistic that he might create stability in the West Wing.

"He's an adult and a disciplinarian," said Barry Bennett, who was a Trump campaign adviser. "He walks in with respect. I don't think people will go to war with him."

But Kelly is planning to bring at least one senior adviser from the Department of Homeland Security with him to the White House. There are signs that these new hires may be met with a chilly reception, two people familiar with the matter said, raising questions about who will hold influence in a White House overloaded with aides competing for influence.

The White House has for months been dominated by warring factions, including a New York-based wing led by Ivanka Trump and Kushner, establishment Republicans, and Trump-allied conservatives inside and outside the administration, among them chief strategist Stephen Bannon.

Ivanka Trump and Kushner were instrumental in bringing Scaramucci into the White House in large part to oust Priebus, who led the establishment wing. After Scaramucci's explosive interview with the New Yorker, in which he angrily accused Priebus in vulgar terms of leaking to the media, they soured on him and were supportive of Kelly's efforts to oust him.

Over the weekend, Kelly told associates that he was dismayed by Scaramucci's interview and found it abhorrent and embarrassing for the president. Removing him from the communications post is part of an effort to change the culture of the White House and to signal to staff members that their comments reflect on the president.

"This was the president showing General Kelly that he's in charge and he has the ball and this has fingerprints of a clear sign that people need to fall in line," said Blain Rethmeier, who helped Kelly with his confirmation process earlier this year after he was nominated to lead the Homeland Security Department. "One thing you'll see is a new level of discipline and respect restored."

The move comes as the White House is trying to jump-start the president's stagnant agenda and focus lawmakers and supporters on passing tax cuts. Earlier Monday, three top administration officials, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and legislative director Marc Short, each said they planned to press aggressively for the tax plan, which Trump considers a centerpiece of his domestic agenda.

Shortly after Kelly was sworn in, Trump presided over a Cabinet meeting in which Cohn said the White House is focused primarily on how to push the tax overhaul through Congress. Meanwhile, Short called on conservatives to pressure Senate Democrats in competitive states such as Indiana and North Dakota to support their plan. Mnuchin said the White House would be willing to jettison numerous unspecified tax breaks to make up for some of the revenue the government would lose by lowering tax rates.

While the administration has not been able to move forward on priorities such as tax reform, overhauling the health-care system and spending on infrastructure projects, Trump's tenure has been dominated by investigations of Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether any members of his campaign colluded with Moscow.

The president and top aides have blamed the White House communications operation for not doing a better job of pushing back against the Russia story and promoting his agenda - a situation Trump has often made more difficult with his statements on Twitter.

No other post in the White House has experienced as much upheaval as the communications director job. It was first given to Jason Miller, a Trump campaign aide who stepped down during the transition. It was then given to Republican operative Michael Dubke, who resigned in May. In the intervening weeks, Sean Spicer had taken on those responsibilities in addition to his role as press secretary until Scaramucci was named to the position.

Scaramucci's tenure led to upheaval in the West Wing from the start, with Spicer resigning rather than working with the New York financier. Within days of entering the White House, Scaramucci threatened to stop White House leaks by firing "everyone" in the press office until the unauthorized disclosures ended.

Quickly, however, his feud with Priebus became his main focus. Scaramucci had at one point described their relationship as being like "brothers." Later, he clarified that they were like Cain and Abel, two biblical brothers whose tumultuous relationship ended in tragedy. Cain murdered Abel, and was punished by God and condemned to a life of wandering.

When the New Yorker published Scaramucci's profane tirade against Priebus and vulgar criticism of Bannon, he found himself on the defensive.

But it was Priebus who was let go Friday, making it look as though Scaramucci had won their power struggle. It was a short-lived victory.

On Monday, Sanders said Trump thinks Scaramucci's comments last week went too far.

"The president certainly felt that Anthony's comments were inappropriate for a person in that position," she said.

Trump was eager on Monday to move beyond the criticism that his six months in office have been marked by tumult and dysfunction.

Early in the day, he tweeted that there is no "chaos" in his White House.

Late in the evening as the dust settled on the latest staff turnover, he tweeted: "A great day at the White House!"

---

The Washington Post's Robert Costa and Philip Rucker contributed to this report.
Anthony Scaramucci's departure as White House communications director after just 11 days on the job may have come as a shock, but Twitter was ready with instant memes and reactions.

The New York Times first reported that Scaramucci, the latest to unceremoniously leave the Trump administration, was removed at the request of new White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly. According to the official White House statement, the president "felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team."
North Korea has nuclear weapons and - if its ever-advancing ballistic missile program is any indication - it wants to keep open the possibility of using them against adversaries. So why shouldn't South Korea have nuclear weapons, too?

The question was reignited this week in Seoul, where North Korea's missile test on Friday raised alarm about the risk of conflict on the peninsula. Over the weekend, South Korean officials suggested that they would seek to further develop their ballistic missile system, perhaps renegotiating an agreement with the United States that places limits on its missile capabilities.

South Korean nuclear weapons would be a step further, though they are far from outside the realm of possibility. South Korea has a nuclear power program and could probably pull together the expertise to begin a nuclear weapons program in a relatively short period.

The idea has significant support within South Korea. Won Yoo-chul, a senior figure in the then-ruling conservative party, said last year that his country should develop "peaceful" nuclear weapons to counteract North Korea's "fearful and self-destructive" ones. A few months later, a poll found that 60 percent of the nation supported such a move - a figure in keeping with most polls conducted in South Korea since 2006.

There may even be considerable international support for such a move: Before he became president, Donald Trump raised the possibility of nations like South Korea and Japan having their own nuclear weapons. "We have a nuclear world now," Trump said in March 2016.

But many analysts are deeply concerned by the prospect of a South Korean nuclear program - and worry that it may add to a problem it claims to resolve.

---

The history of South Korea's nuclear ambitions

It's not quite a nuclear world yet, no matter what the U.S. president says. It's thought that nine countries have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb - and North Korea is the only country to have done so in the past two decades.

South Korea did once hope to be a member of this club. In the early 1970s, as its nuclear power program grew, President Park Chung-hee began to investigate possibilities of nuclear weapons. Declassified documents show that the U.S. government was deeply concerned about South Korea, then a military dictatorship, having access to nuclear weapons and pressured it to abandon those ambitions.

South Korea eventually ratified the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in April 1975, in large part because of pressure from the United States and Canada - a move that, in theory, forced it to drop its program.

However, it is widely believed that Seoul pursued nuclear weapons covertly in later years. In 2004, the country acknowledged secret nuclear experiments to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA ). Partly because of such experiments, some military experts suggest that South Korea might be able to develop a nuclear weapon in as short a time as 18 months, the conservative newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported last year.

Even without nuclear weapons, South Korea technically has a nuclear deterrence.

Since the Korean War, the country has been under the protection of the U.S. nuclear umbrella - an assurance that it would be protected by U.S. nuclear weapons if needed. That safeguard remains even though the United States moved its nuclear weapons out of South Korea in 1991 as part of a bid to persuade North Korea to allow the IAEA to inspect that country's nuclear sites. At the time, Pyongyang and Seoul also jointly committed to making the peninsula free of nuclear weapons.

Some recent reports have also suggested that the Trump administration had considered reinstalling U.S. nuclear weapons in South Korea.

---

Talk of a restart

Talk of a South Korean nuclear weapons program is nothing new. Analysts have often warned against it for several reasons.

Perhaps most immediately, if South Korea were to restart its nuclear weapons program, it would mean withdrawing from the NPT. The list of countries that have done this is short and, as Troy Stangarone of the Korea Economic Institute of America put it in the National Interest last year, it's "an ignominious club": North Korea is the only other nation to have done so.

Such a move could tarnish South Korea's standing on the world stage and perhaps lead to sanctions. It could also cause problems for its domestic nuclear power industry, which is estimated to account for 30 percent of the country's total consumption.

Worse still, some fear that a South Korean nuclear program could spur a broader regional arms race, with Japan or Taiwan perhaps developing nuclear weapons or China expanding its program. This would add an unpredictability to the region and probably undermine stability.

Even on the Korean Peninsula, it's easy to see the drawbacks. Faced with the threat of South Korea developing nuclear weapons, the North may be incentivized to launch a preemptive strike. The risk of miscalculation by either side would grow dangerously.

It's probably because of these arguments that previous pushes for South Korean nuclear weapons have fallen flat. When the issue flared up again last year, then-President Park Geun-hye dismissed the idea. Park's successor, Moon Jae-in, has pushed for peace talks with the North as opposed to military solutions to the conflict.

Even the high poll numbers in support of nuclear weapons are disputed. Robert Einhorn and Duyeon Kim wrote in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists last year that many experts discount them as South Koreans are often surveyed immediately after a North Korean test, a time when tensions remain high.

Instead, many say that talk of South Korean weapons is simply designed to pressure other nations - most obviously, the United States and China. "I don't think that South Korea actually wants nuclear weapons," Park Syung-je, chairman of the Asia Strategy Institute in Seoul, recently told The Washington Post. "It's a way of saying to the Chinese that 'if you don't cooperate on North Korea, then we're going to get nuclear weapons of our own.'"

But the frame of the debate over North Korea's weapons program has evolved dramatically in the recent months. Attempts to force China to pressure its belligerent neighbor have produced, at best, mixed results. And with the increasing likelihood that North Korea - theoretically - may soon be able to hit a major U.S. city with a nuclear weapon, it's no surprise that South Koreans wonder how protected they really are.
Nine women were arrested and charged with prostitution over the weekend in a border town after a large-scale sex trade sting.

According to a Harlingen Police Department press release, the operation ran from Friday, July 28 to Saturday, July 29 in Harlingen, a South Texas town near the border between Brownsville and McAllen.
A 29-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly exposing her daughters, ages 2 and 4, to methamphetamine.

Child Protective services alerted Augustine County Sheriff's Office deputies about an child endangerment investigation involving Chelsea Shae Lout, the girls' mother. According to an affidavit obtained by East Texas News, CPS officials found that Lout, her children and her children's father tested positive for meth.

CHILD ENDANGERMENT: Parents, grandparent arrested after meth found in 9-month-old child's system

The results came via hair follicle samples with the Texas Alcohol and Drug Testing Service in Houston.

The children's father has not yet been arrested. They have been placed with their maternal grandmother.

Lout is booked in the San Augustine County Jail on a felony endangering a child charge.
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Each year, dozens of Texans are victim to terrible and tragic misfortunes.

Oftentimes, victims, families or members of their community use these unfortunate events to raise awareness about whatever took their loved one.

Some create foundations while others push or inspire legislators to change Texas law. Such was the case of 11-year-old Josue Flores who was stabbed while walking home from school in Houston.

RECENT DETAILS: Murder charge dropped against homeless man accused in Josue Flores stabbing

Flores was recently memorialized in a new state law: the Josue Flores Act. The new law will allow school districts to better fund programs that allow children to safely walk home.

These memorial laws, sometimes called "apostrophe laws" can serve as a silver lining to tragedies, allowing some sense of comfort to victims and their families who believe they can prevent the pain and suffering they had to endure.

Click through above to see several tragedies or unfortunate events that eventually went on to shape Texas' laws.
John Davenport, Staff / San Antonio Express-News

Robert Puente, president and CEO of the San Antonio Water System, will get a 5 percent pay raise next year and a bonus that will bring his total compensation to $567,480.11.

The San Antonio Water Systems board of trustees approved the pay increase, effective Jan. 1, 2018, and a bonus of $99,285.71. The raise will bring Puentes salary up to $468,194.40 from $445,894.43 currently.
Schertz Fire Chief David Covington provided his last update on the 42-person department at the July 25 City Council meeting.

Covington, who headed Schertz fire and rescue efforts for the past 10 years, retired Aug. 1. He joined the department as chief after 31 years with the San Antonio Fire Department.

Ive been the incident commander at fires where people died, he said of his four-decade career, and other fires where we made heroic saves. Ive felt incredible satisfaction for those times that all went well and humbling remorse for the times that we failed.

Covington explained that while he was confident in the abilities of the citys firefighters, he was concerned for their safety.

Four decades ago, residents with smoke detectors in their homes had 17 minutes to evacuate if the house caught fire, he said, but today, in with homes built with substantially more plastic, chemicals and other processed materials, that time limit is only three minutes.

While the number of structure fires has declined nationally  down 53 percent since 1970  firefighter deaths in those fires has nearly doubled, Covington said. And new building materials increasingly generate carcinogenic smoke and fumes. Firefighters today are 68 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than someone not in the fire service, he said.

The chief, whose voice broke several times during his presentation, thanked city leaders, including Mayor Michael Carpenter, City Manager John Kessel and Executive Director Dudley Wait, for their strong support of his department.

Im confident the city has good leadership in place for the exciting future that lies ahead, Covington said, and in the fire service, it has been said that progress is made one retirement at a time. I leave you in good hands.

Assistant Fire Chief Kade Long becomes the new fire chief. He joined the department two years ago after serving as fire chief and interim city manager of the Texas Panhandle community of Vernon.

Hes a good one, Covington said. He will take the Fire Department to an even higher level, seeing how much he cares for his firefighters, as I have cared for them.

In council actions, a request for $30,000 to stage a new citywide event called SchertzQ was unanimously approved on a first reading.

Scheduled to take place Sept. 16, the sanctioned barbecue cook-off will feature 85 teams competing for a $10,000 purse, explained Linda Klepper, city public affairs director. In addition, the daylong celebration will feature 46 vendors, a car show, a kids barbecue competition, live music and food trucks offering barbecue-related fare. Revenue from vendor fees, sponsorships and entry charges is expected to bring in around $35,000, Klepper added.

SchertzQ evolved out of SchertFest, a multiday celebration begun in 2008 managed by the all-volunteer Schertz Parks and Recreation Foundation. But foundation officials announced in December 2016 that the group was disbanding. City staff decided to rebrand the event and make it a single day.

Schertz will hold three public meetings on its proposed 2017-18 budget: Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Schertz United Methodist Church, 3460 Roy Richard Drive; Aug. 16 at Corbett Middle School, 12000 Ray Corbett Drive; and Aug. 17 at the North Community Center, 3501 Morning Drive.
After a week on the loose, a 17-year-old Tennessee walking horse is back at home.

"We just got him back this morning," owner Sandra Ward said of her horse, Biscuit, who broke out of his pen on the night of July 24, and was last seen in the area of McGruder and McNally roads.

Ward had been searching for the missing horse for a week. The call came from a neighbor, about a mile south of her Coleman home, who looked out the window and recognized the horse as the one Ward was missing.

Ward said when she arrived, Biscuit was grazing without a care in the world.

"It's a great way to start the week," she said.

The horse was lame when he went missing, and other than that, there's not a scratch on him.

"We had a nice discussion on the mile walk home," she said. "He got a talking to."

In addition to Ward, others helped search for Biscuit throughout the week, including by car, walks in the woods and by flying drones overhead.

Biscuit came to Ward's home a year ago to be spoiled and well cared for, she said in a media release from Stolen Horse International at NetPosse.com

"Our farm was meant to be his retirement home," she said. Biscuit has had a hard road in life, and barely survived the 16-mile trailer ride to their home just shy of a year ago, she said.

Ward also had contacted Midland County Sheriff's Office, and Midland County 911 and asked residents to be on the lookout with a post at its Facebook page.
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Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House communications director just 10 days into his tenure and the internet is showing no mercy.

Scaramucci's ouster comes at the hands of chief of staff, John F. Kelly, who was just sworn in Monday.

Scaramucci catapulted himself into political infamy after he called a New Yorker reporter July 26 to trash talk other White House officials and leakers.

MOOCH ON THE MOVE: Scaramucci out as White House communications director

Story continues below...

"They'll all be fired by me," Scaramucci told the New Yorker. "I fired one guy the other day. I have three to four people I'll fire tomorrow. I'll get to the person who leaked that to you. Reince Priebus if you want to leak something  he'll be asked to resign very shortly."

In the New Yorker piece, Scaramucci also took a direct shot at Trump adviser Steve Bannon with a barrage of obscenities. Scaramucci's wife filed for divorce July 28, roughly 48 hours after he made the call to the New Yorker.

All of this was used as comedic ammunition on Twitter where Scaramucci's full name, nickname "Mooch" and "WH Communication Director" have collected more than 79,000 mentions.

READ MORE: All the Mooch that's fit to print

Scaramucci's fall is getting a similar treatment former press secretary Sean Spicer received when he resigned July 21.

Click through the gallery above to see the Mooch memes.
Gov. Greg Abbott thinks that concerns over the effect of proposed annexation reforms on the operations of our states military installations are overblown. Dismissing the warnings of local elected officials, military brass and business leaders as inexcusable in a curt, two-sentence response, he has chosen to double-down on a commitment to pass an annexation bill  any annexation bill  regardless of its actual contents.

I appreciate the governors desire to give residents a voice in their annexation. But, respectfully, his blindness toward the dangers of any legislation that fails to take into account the preservation of our military bases potentially endangers hundreds of thousands of Texas jobs and hinders the mission readiness of our armed forces as another federal Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, round looms.

Annexation is hardly the only local issue that the governor has aggressively sought to inject the state into during this special session. From wanting to decide where folks can park their car to where they can use the restroom, Abbott seems fixated on turning the Governors Mansion into the City Hall of Texas  opposition from the business community be damned. But if an absentee approach to the regular session proved ineffective for the governor, I can promise him that it will fail even worse in his quest to become Texas mayor.

I started out in City Hall, where disagreements arent determined by calcified ideological or partisan divisions, and solutions are found by going door to door and talking to neighbors personally. You dont get to govern by press releases. That is why, over the past several weeks, the House Committee of Defense and Veterans Affairs has crossed the state talking to real Texans in military communities where they live, work and worship to find a workable answer to this issue.

From San Antonio to Fort Worth, El Paso to Del Rio, the consensus on the ground is clear. At each hearing, local business leaders and military experts laid out the stark reality that development encroachment on bases, ranging from improper lighting to construction projects, is weighed heavily in a base realignment consideration. Importantly, a complete BRAC closure need not occur for the Department of Defense to reduce a bases mission and personnel complement. Local businesses close. An entire regions growth can be set back decades.

There are also real operational concerns. By creating a needlessly hostile environment for our installations, our state risks damaging our militarys immediate ability to project force at a time when it must be as vigilant as ever.

The communities that host our armed forces are keenly aware of this. Fort Worth provides an excellent example of regional cooperation at work, partnering with 14 local entities to keep buffer zones around its joint reserve base clear. Its City Council representation at our hearing reported that protection language such as that offered for Senate Bill 715 in the regular session would aid their efforts. In San Antonio, even supporters of annexation reform in principle also found common ground with concerned parties through adopting the same encroachment protection language on a broader annexation reform measure.

Elsewhere, local officials asserted that the buffer zones needed to prevent encroachment on bases actually help, not hurt, builders. As Republican Val Verde County Commissioner Beau Nettleton testified at our Del Rio hearing, they pose no threat to the constituents of his largely unincorporated Commissioners Court precinct because it does not hamper anybodys ability to do anything with their land; its actually enhancing it, as it helps lead to clean, orderly development.

This is how the legislative process is supposed to work  state policymakers on the ground, setting their personal ideological biases aside and finding a common ground solution. In the fight to support our militarys mission readiness, there are no Democrats or Republicans. If the governor spent less time in Austin and more time listening to our military communities directly, maybe he would understand that the ground has shifted.

State Rep. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, represents House District 119.
Abstinence is the best way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Yet teens keep having sex.

Thats why the best sex education teaches abstinence but also contraception. Perhaps this makes some people uncomfortable, but its just reality. Some teens are going to heed the counsel on abstinence, but others will have sex, hopefully with contraception.

The Trump administration appears to have a different take. Ever so quietly, it has slashed funding for evidenced-based programs working to prevent teen pregnancy.

These are programs based in science.

In a recent letter to grantees, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said funding for five-year grants would be reduced to three years. The last year for funding is to be June 30, 2018, rather than 2020.

The cuts are nationwide, affecting more than 80 institutions. But they hit especially hard in San Antonio and Texas, which is a national leader in teen pregnancies.

Eight Texas programs receiving nearly $9 million in funding have been cut. Among those programs: a study of sex-ed curriculum in three school districts along the Texas border, and delivery of sex education to 17,000 students in Bexar County.

These cuts will ripple across thousands of lives here and beyond, and almost certainly will lead to more teen pregnancies (and abortions).

For researchers, this is tantamount to arson. It undermines and weakens their data. It leaves questions unanswered. It sabotages longitudinal studies.

Its also a waste of money.

Taxpayers have funded these projects. It makes no sense to cut funding midstream. Taxpayers deserve the full results of this research.

Heres how Dr. Janet Realini, associate vice president for Healthy Futures of Texas, put it: It means our work for three years is unlikely to give us the answers the funding was designed to develop.

Healthy Futures is studying the efficacy of its Big Decisions curriculum in three Texas school districts  but the loss of $1.7 million will likely cut the study short. The curriculum teaches abstinence and contraception, as well as parental education.

Well be serving less than half the number of youth we were planning to serve, which reduces the power of the study to tell us the difference between the (students) who receive the (curriculum) and students who dont, Realini told Express-News staff writer Melissa Fletcher Stoeltje.

Likewise, UT Teen Health, a teen pregnancy prevention program with UT Health San Antonio, lost $4 million in funding. The program teaches evidenced-base sex ed to teens across Bexar County.

Dr. Kristen Plastino, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Health San Antonio, has said she plans to find additional funding sources to keep the program running.

That is commendable, and we hope it happens. But it sidesteps the question of why the federal government would cut funding to successful programs.

As has occurred nationally, San Antonios teen pregnancy rate has declined in recent years, but there is still a long way to go, and the fear is these cuts will change that trend. Texas is the fifth highest in teen births in the country and leads the nation in repeat births to teen moms.

Texas congressional delegation  especially Bexar Countys  should push for this funding to be restored. These are programs that work.

No one is for teen pregnancy, right?
Texas officials are shifting their strategy for rehabilitating the dilapidated G.J. Sutton complex near the Alamodome, favoring an idea to lease it to a developer over consolidating state offices there.

The original plan was to partner with a developer to rehab the vacant 6-acre property into office space for state agencies, with a possible mixed-use component. Texas officials now think it doesnt make financial sense to relocate agencies from their current offices in San Antonio, said Mike Novak, vice chair of the Texas Facilities Commission.

Officials are leaning more toward leasing the state-owned property to a developer for a multiple decades, as much as 99 years, Novak said. The city of San Antonio inked a deal like that with local developer Zachry Hospitality in February, leasing 5 acres of Hemisfair for a 50-year time span that could be extended to 97 years.

The consensus right now from a lot of our staff and executives at the facilities commission is that the needle points to a lease, Novak said. Lets take the state agencies out of the equation, and lets figure out what we are going to do with this building right now.

City leaders have for years seen the G.J. Sutton as playing a major role in the revitalization of the near East Side. The complex has been vacant since 2013, when 220 state employees moved out because of foundation problems, cracked walls, warped floors and a bat infestation. A year later, Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed $132 million in funds that had been budgeted to redevelop the site.

The state would consider proposals to rehab the complex or tear down and replace its buildings, Novak said. He pointed out that renovating the deteriorating structures would be expensive  according to previous estimates, it would cost between $23 million and $34 million.

Wed be open to anything, he said. We need to let the open market drive what makes sense.

The state began a new redevelopment effort in April when the Texas Facilities Commission issued a request for information  basically, a document asking developers to offer ideas for the property. About a dozen developers have responded to the request, while others have shown interest but havent yet submitted anything, Novak said.

The state originally expected to occupy 260,000 square feet of office space at the property, according to the solicitation. The estimated construction cost of the project was between $100 million and $120 million.

The state spends several hundred thousand dollars a year to maintain the complex, even as it sits vacant, Novak said.

In the past, there have been proposals to only save the complexs facades, or to demolish it while building a memorial to its namesake Garlington Jerome Sutton, the first black state representative from San Antonio, Novak said. The complex, which dates to 1912, isnt within a historic district and hasnt been designated a historic landmark by the city.

State officials will work closely with the city on the rehabilitation project, Novak said. The city has offered to make incentives available to help the project bring more housing, jobs and retail to the near East Side, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston told the Express-News in April.

rwebner@express-news.net

@rwebner
The kids are back at school and 2018 is well and truly in full swing. All the adored start-of-the-year holidays have been cashed in. Never fear, however, because Easter is around the corner and with that comes sweet treats. Yippee! We have one little one at home who will be looking forward to the traditional backyard Easter hunt. Personally, I like to make a rather big deal out of this annual event. I tend to go a bit balmy  hand-making signs, writing cryptic clues and hiding tiny chocolate eggs. Last year, my partner and son tramped through our muddy grounds for a good half an hour before they had collected all the goodies. This year, I intend to make the scavenger hunt a tad more user-friendly and focus more on some quality sweet treats for our Easter visitors. Treats with blueberries I have decided, because in just half a cup, the humble blueberry has the same amount of antioxidants as 2 cups of broccoli. Antioxidants help protect our bodies against disease and illness. How could I possibly pass up balancing out a sweet treat with a power-house berry?!

Petite Blueberry Cream Pavlovas

6 large eggs at room temperature

1  cups white sugar

2 tsp cornflour

 tsp cream of tartar

 tsp salt

 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

3 Tb berry jam of your choosing or half a cup of passion fruit pulp with seeds

1 cup fresh cream

2 cups fresh blueberries

Handful of fresh mint leaves

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a large flat baking tray with baking paper. Separate your egg yolks and whites into two small bowls. Save your egg whites for this dish and your egg yolks to scramble in the morning. In a large mixing bowl with a hand beater or a whisk (depending on the muscles in your arms) pour in your egg whites and beat until peaks begin to form. Add the sugar and keep beating until your pavlova meringue forms stiff, glossy peaks. Now add your cornflour, cream of tartar, salt, vanilla and vinegar. Mix gently to combine with a whisk. Spoon out twelve even portions of your meringue on to your lined baking tray. Make a small well in the centre of each meringue.

This will help to hold your cream and berries later on. Reduce the heat of your oven to 150 degrees. Pop your meringues inside and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Keep an eye on your meringues but do not open the oven until they are ready to come out. When ready, let them cool for one hour before you begin to load them up with the berries and cream.

I have two options for toppings here, depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have. The first is that you beat your cream so that it is thick, but not stiff, and then mix in your jam. This is the sweeter option. You then spoon equal portions of the jamilicious cream over your meringues, then smother them with berries and mint leaves. The second option, which I prefer because I like slightly bitter flavours, is to beat your cream as mentioned but leave it plain. Spoon equal portions of cream over your meringues, generously drizzle your passion fruit pulp over each, smother each with berries and a good sprinkle of finely chopped mint leaves. Enjoy your sweet treats and your Easter.

Nicola Bolton

rosierambino@outlook.com
When Jacky Zhou came to New Zealand looking for a better education and opportunities, he didnt expect to find a new mother as well.

But when he went to work for Tim and Travena Howard, at Hibiscus Coast Service Centre, Whangaparaoa, two-and-a-half years ago, thats what happened.

Jacky recently bought the business, but Tim and Travena will be staying on in the immediate future to ensure a smooth handover.

Tim, an auto electrician, mechanic and motorcycle specialist, will continue in the workshop and Travena will help with the administration.

Weve been working a long time and just felt it was time to handover the responsibilities that come with running a business, Travena says. Were ready to take life a little easier.

Originally from Beijing, Jacky went to Wentworth College before his love of cars drew him to the automotive industry. He did an automotive engineering course at Unitec (Level 7) and later joined the team at Hibiscus Coast Service Centre.

The workshop is a member of the Motor Trades Association and offers a range of mechanical and electrical repair services for motorcycles, cars, utes, 4WDs and light trucks, whether they are petrol or diesel. It also does warrant of fitness checks and tyres.

Jacky is keen to put his stamp on the business and is stocking top quality oil and parts, with plans to eventually do wheel alignments.

Id like to move towards being a very professional service with a clean and tidy workshop, Jacky says.

I also plan to expand our range of tyres and become a specialist tyre supplier.

Jacky says he loves the NZ lifestyle with fewer people and stress, and especially the opportunity to go off-roading. But he does miss his mothers cooking.

The family atmosphere at work is something I hope to retain, he says.
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Local News, Business & Finance, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 01 2017

Governor Cuomo and Governor Christie thanked Executive Director Foye and Chairman Degnan for their leadership during their service at the Authority.

Albany, NY - August 1, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Governor Chris Christie today announced the appointments of Kevin O'Toole as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners and Rick Cotton as Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and Jersey.

Governor Cuomo and Governor Christie thanked Executive Director Foye and Chairman Degnan for their leadership during their service at the Authority. At the direction of Governor Cuomo and Governor Christie, one of the first priorities for Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Cotton will be to resume the search for a new Port Authority CEO. Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Cotton will assume their new positions following the next meeting of the Board of Commissioners.

"Pat Foye has done an exceptional job serving the Port Authority with bold leadership and a tireless commitment to bettering the transportation infrastructure of New York and New Jersey, and I wish him the very best," Governor Cuomo said. "With major infrastructure projects across the region underway, including the new JFK and LaGuardia Airports, the Port Authority has unprecedented momentum, and Rick Cotton has the experience and tenacity to continue moving these transformative projects ahead and lead the organization into the future. I thank Rick for his exceptional work in my office and look forward to continuing to work closely with him in this new position."

"John Degnan's leadership at the Port Authority will be remembered as a period when transparency and public access were greatly enhanced, and the agency recommitted itself to a core mission of transportation infrastructure. In thanking him for his extraordinary service, I also want to recognize his many years of dedication to public service in New Jersey over the past four decades and to wish him well in his next pursuit," Governor Christie said. "I can think of no one better than Kevin O'Toole to assume the Port Authority chairmanship at this point, with New Jersey and New York moving forward with the most important project in generations to impact commuters and the economy in the Northeast Corridor, the Gateway Program. Kevin is the right person at the right time."

Mr. O'Toole is the Managing Partner of O'Toole Scrivo Fernandez Weiner Van Lieu, LLC and recently concluded a long and distinguished career in the New Jersey Legislature. During his time in the Legislature, Mr. O'Toole sponsored many significant pieces of legislation and was instrumental in the passage of landmark Transportation Trust Fund legislation that provided long-term sustainability for New Jersey's transportation infrastructure. As an accomplished attorney, Mr. O'Toole heads a growing, mid-sized firm of over 40 attorneys and has a varied litigation practice in which he is routinely called upon by Fortune 500 companies to obtain cost-effective, early resolution of complex matters. Mr. O'Toole received a B.A. and J.D. from Seton Hall University.
Patchogue Woman Seriously Injured After Losing Control of Vehicle on LIE

Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 01 2017

Tiffany Aguiar, 23, was airlifted by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

SCPD are investigating a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a woman in Hauppauge on Monday, July 31.

Hauppauge, NY - August 1, 2017 - Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a woman in Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a woman in Hauppauge , New York, on Monday, July 31, 2017 at approximately 1 a.m.

Tiffany Aguiar was driving a vehicle eastbound on the Long Island Expressway, exiting at exit 56, when she lost control of her vehicle and struck a guardrail and a pole at approximately 1 a.m.

Aguiar, 23, of Patchogue , New York was airlifted by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: August 01 2017

A man entered a home in the hamlet of North Sea and stole property on July 5, cops say.

STPD are seeking the publics help to locate a man wanted for burglarizing a home last month.

North Sea, NY - August 1, 2017 - Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and detectives from the Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and detectives from the Southampton Town Police Department are seeking the publics help to identify and locate a man wanted for burglarizing a home last month.

A man entered a home in the hamlet of North Sea and stole property on July 5 at approximately 8:30 p.m. The man fled in a 2000 to 2001 dark-colored Hyundai Santa Fe.
The battle between the Afghan government and the Taliban remains a stalemate and the number of districts under Taliban control or influence is unchanged since the last assessment by the US military was made more than five months ago. The Afghan government continue to cede less vital areas in order to prevent defeat.

That assessment, provided by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in its most recent quarterly report to United States Congress, is likely the best possible scenario provided by the US military. SIGARs evaluation is based on data provided by US Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and Resolute Support, NATOs mission in Afghanistan.

The only problem is both USFOR-A and Resolute Support have significantly underestimated and understated the Talibans control of districts in the past.

According to the report, the Taliban continues to control 11 districts and influences 34 of Afghanistans 407 districts (11 percent), while the Afghan government controls 97 districts and influences 146 (60 percent). Twenty-nine percent of Afghanistans districts remain contested.

According to SIGAR, Kunduz province has the largest percentage of districts under Taliban control or influence (five of seven). Uruzgan (four of six Taliban controlled or influenced) and Helmand (nine of 14) round out the top three.

USFOR-As assessment of Helmand, for example, demonstrates that the US military is painting the rosiest picture possible when it comes to determining the extent of Taliban control. USFOR-A claims that only nine of 14 districts are Taliban controlled or influenced, however the situation is far more dire than that. The Taliban now controls six of the provinces 14 districts (Baghran, Dishu, Khanashin, Now Zad, Musa Qala, and Sangin) and contests another seven, including the provincial capital (Lashkar Gah, Nahr-i-Sarraj, Nawa, Kajaki, Nad Ali, Marjah, and Garmsir), according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal.

In other words, 13 of Helmands 14 districts are at the very least contested  much more than the assessment of nine by USFOR-A.

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 have reportedly 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.]

Another key indicator that USFOR-As data is skewed to present a more positive picture of the security situation is the identification of a problem area in southern Afghanistan. This region was previously described by FDDs Long War Journal as a belt of bases in the south that stretches across the provinces of Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgan, Zabul, and Ghazni which are used to attack nearby provincial capitals and districts. According to SIGAR:

The region with the most districts under insurgent control or influence is centered on northeastern Helmand Province and northwestern Kandahar Province, and includes the Helmand/Kandahar border area, Uruzgan Province, and northwestern Zabul. This region alone accounts for one-third of the 45 districts currently under insurgent control or influence.

While USFOR-A does not provide data on Taliban control or influence on a province by province basis, it did identify the Taliban threat in two provinces: Helmand and Uruzgan. According to USFOR-A, there are 13 districts controlled of influence in Helmand and Uruzgan combined. If one-third of the 45 districts (15) controlled or influenced by the Taliban reside in the region, then this means only two districts in Zabul and Kandahar are Taliban controlled or influenced. The data clearly shows otherwise.

The Taliban clearly controls three districts in northern Kandahar (Miya Nishin, Khakrez, and Ghorak) and two more in Zabul (Khak-e-Afghan and Arghandab). Several others, including Arghastan, Khakrez, Maruf, Maiwand, and Shah Wali Kot in Kandahar, are contested.

Like in Helmand, al Qaeda has taken advantage of the security situation in Kandahar province to established bases. Up until Oct. 2015, al Qaeda ran two large training camps in Shorabak district. US forces killed more than 150 al Qaeda fighters while raiding the camps.

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.
Apple recently removed several virtual private network (VPN) apps from its App Store in China. Three VPN providers confirmed removal, and Apple provided a statement that said that regulations put in place in January were the cause. We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations, Apple said in the statement. Last January, China began to more strictly enforce existing regulations that require internet services to obtain licenses.

During Apples earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook said that not all VPN apps were removed in China. We were required by the government to remove some of the VPN apps from the app store that dont meet these new regulations, but hundreds remain, he said, including apps developed by firms outside China.

VPNs allow encrypted tunnels of internet traffic between a users device and a destination VPN server elsewhere on the internet. While it originated as a corporate tool decades ago to allow employees secure access into a companys internal network, VPNs are used by hundreds of millions of people for privacy in democracies and dictatorships alike. Theyre also widely used to get around media lockouts that prevents people in one area from viewing video or listening to audio that isnt licensed for their country or region.

China opposes the unrestricted access by its citizens and other residents of the global internet, blocking many key services and technologies like Facebook, Google search, and Twitter. The so-called Great Firewall disrupts VPN, TOR, and other connections, and has recently become more sophisticated in blocking. It also censors and disrupts content on services located within China. The restrictions are wholesale: people looking for information about Taylor Swift have just as many restrictions as those trying to find out about the banned Qi Gong religious sect.

Why the China Apple Store withdrew VPN apps

Apples acquiescing to Chinas demand seems at odds with the companys stance as a protector of its customers privacy and the right to encrypt communications. In the United States, Apple clashed with the FBI under Barack Obama, and faces a fierce critic of an internet with no regulations on speech in Donald Trump, though so far the president and his agencies have taken no new actions. Apple has been outspoken in other countries as well.

While the company didnt respond to a request for comment beyond its statement, It did take six months from the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technologys statement in late January for Apple to make a move. That could mean Apple had been resisting and keeping discussions alive for that period of time. Apple attempts to obey local law wherever it does business, even when theres no free and fair legal system in place. Its able to push harder in the U.S. against government intrusion because we have a robust system that allows those with enough money to pay lawyers to resist legally and appeal decisions.

Apple needs Chinese approval to sell its hardware and software in China and allow people to access its App Store and services.

It all seems about leverage. Apple needs Chinese approval to sell its hardware and software in China and allow people to access its App Store and services. China has proven willing to bump major companies out of its market if they dont comply. Google opted to leave mainland China in 2010, and despite reports every several months since 2015 that Google is about to figure out a return to operate in the bulk of China, it hasnt happened.

What if Apple did not withdraw VPN apps from the China App Store?

Chinas leadership seems to have no patience for firms that wont comply. Apple would likely have faced restrictions and even been forced to remove its products from sale and had its services to customers cut off. It might have been booted abruptly, shedding nearly 20 percent of its revenue.

Apple needs to conform to Chinese laws and regulations, just as any Chinese company operating in the U.S. would be expected to abide by American law, says Rogier Creemers, an expert in Chinese law and governance at the University of Leidens Van Vollenhoven Institute. They can attempt to influence Chinese regulators, and can even become members of technical standard setting bodies such as TC260, the committee that defines cybersecurity standards (Microsoft and Cisco are members). If they oppose, exit would be the only option.

Apples Cook said in the earnings call, We believe in engaging with governments even when we disagree. This particular case, were hopeful that over time the restrictions were seeing are lessened, because innovation really requires freedom to collaborate and communicate.

Apple is currently working through starting up a data center in China to meet other regulations about where data is stored. Meanwhile, Apples sales in Chinanot growth, but actual sales revenuedropped 14 percent in the most recent quarters earnings measured year over year.

Apple faces more competition in China because consumers rely more heavily on apps available across multiple mobile platforms instead of OS-provided apps and infrastructure. As Ben Thompson of Stratechery noted earlier this year in his newsletter, The fundamental issue is this: unlike the rest of the world, in China the most important layer of the smartphone stack is not the phones operating system. Rather, it is WeChat. A New York Times story recently detailed one of its reporters adapting to the 2D code based payment systems of WeChat and Alipay in urban areas. The service lock-in to Apple hardware just isnt the same in China.

If Apple chose to stand on a principle of open access and was barred from the country, it loses any influence it has along with revenue.

The flip side of leverage, too, is that if Apple chose to stand on a principle of open access and was barred from the country, it loses any influence it has along with revenue. Google made this decision, because at the time it left, China provided relatively little revenue. But it lost its voice for change in China, too, even if its naive to assume such corporate voices carry far.

Unfortunately, China may be teaching a lesson to countries that purport to support free speech and individual rights of privacy by showing that a firm stance and regulatory power can be wielded to restrict access to tools that have a legitimate purpose.

Encryption is a two-edged sword, as it can be used to hide both legitimate and illegal activities, but the legitimate use is casual and vastly outweighs the tiny proportion used for what people would widely agree is crimeexcluding laws related to political speech and other behavior thats covered by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Apple might better serve its customers and democracy worldwide by taking a principled political stance in opposition to Chinas regulations on the grounds of human rights. Obeying local laws doesnt mean providing cover to the restriction of liberty. It might lose a market, but keep the world safer for free political and creative expression.

Editors Note: This article was originally published on August 1, 2017 and was updated later that day with a comment from expert Rogier Creemers and with quotations from Apples quarterly earnings call. The article was changed to note that only some VPN apps were confirmed removed, while Apple maintains hundreds of others remain.
New Delhi : Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday resigned as the vice chairman of the Niti Aayog. The economist said he will return to academics in the United States. He said August 31 will be last day in office, PTI reported.

The 64-year-old was among the front-runners for the post of the Reserve Bank of Indias governor. He has held a number of positions at the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation. PTI
How are your New Years resolutions coming along? It can be hard to find the motivation to keep fit, with frantic work schedules and commitments to family and friends all vying for our time and attention. Its important to strike a work-life balance, and that includes not neglecting your health, which can affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Yoga continues to be popular in Singapore, with many people enjoying its benefits. Besides lowering blood pressure and improving circulation, yoga can also help to increase body awareness and relieve stress. To get started, sometimes all you need is a small incentive. For some, it could be an important occasion, while for others, donning fashionable gear might make the idea of working up a sweat more pleasant. If your idea of motivation is a well-designed studio with luxurious amenities, this is the article for you.

Even if youve gotten distracted along the way to attaining your fitness goals, its not too late to get back on track. These stylish yoga studios will make you look forward to finding your zen!

Rachel Zheng

Photo: The Yoga School
MARTINSVILLE-Theres a need for blood in Henry County. Donations have dropped off in the last two months, leaving the Red Cross at a critical level as summer comes to an end.

This is unfortunately something we tend to see in the summer, said Bernadette Jay, external communications manager at the American Red Crosss Virginia division.

From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, Jay said, the number of donations typically takes a nosedive.

People are planning time off work, Jay said. A lot of our sponsor sites push it off because their staffs are on vacation or are taking time off.

Another donor group  who makes up a fifth of all Red Cross blood donations each year  are spread across the country from the end of May to the beginning of September.

Twenty percent of our blood drives each year are held on college campuses and high schools and these students are out for the summer, Jay said.

Since several groups of regular donors simply arent in the area when the summer blood drives take place, it creates a critical issue.

Theyre not keeping their regularly scheduled appointments, Jay said.

Even though people arent giving as frequently, there are still individuals who need the lifesaving properties the donations provide.

The need for blood doesnt stop, Jay said. It continues throughout the holidays, throughout the summer months, while youre on vacation and while youre at the beach.

Jay said that in the region where Martinsville and Henry County are located, the Red Cross strives to collect between 500 and 600 units of blood each day.

Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood, Jay said. The Red Cross provides 40-percent of the blood in our nations hospitals.

While the Red Cross tries to keep a cushion of blood donations on hand  which can be used for up for 42 days after collected  the numbers recently dipped to critical levels.

Weve got less than a five day blood supply on hand, Jay said. Just as fast as its being donated, its being utilized. We dont have that cushion that we like to have.

Across the nation each day, the Red Cross generally collects 14,000 units of blood. Some seasons see increased needs due to time spent away from home or poor weather conditions, but people enter the hospital at all times of the year.

The need is substantial, Jay said. It doesnt change for Christmas or the holidays, in the summer time, when we spring forward or fall back. Its a constant need we see all the time.

Unfortunately, blood isnt a substance that can be artificially manufactured.

It cant be reproduced in a Petri dish, Jay said. The only way to get it is to roll up your sleeve and donate.

The Red Cross asks that donors of all blood types attend upcoming events across the region.

We want the blood to be just as diverse as the patients in the hospitals, Jay said. O negative is the universal blood type, but all types are encouraged to donate.

Drives coming up

In Martinsville, two blood drives will take place within the next two weeks. They will both take place at the Martinsville Elks Lodge, located at 300 Fairy St. Ext. from 2 to 6 p.m. The first will take place on Thursday and the second will be held Aug. 10.

There are also two events taking place in Henry County over the next two weeks. The first will take place on Friday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Blackberry Baptist Church, located at 3241 Stones Dairy Rd. in Bassett. The second event will occur from 1 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 11 at Hillcrest Baptist Church, located at 18075 AL Philpott Hwy. in Ridgeway.

A persons hometown isnt the only place an individual can give blood, Jay said.

If you go to www.redcrossblood.org, you can type in the zip code of wherever youll be, Jay said. If youre vacationing or whatever, you can see blood drives going on in your area.
In Thursdays edition of the Martinsville Bulletin, a commentary by 9th District Rep. Morgan Griffith cast aspersions on the Congressional Budget Office.

The Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, was created in 1974. Each year, the CBO releases reports and cost estimates for proposed legislation. It doesnt issue policy recommendations; it simply uses independent analysis and research to offer estimates of how much legislation will cost, or how many people it will affect.

The most important thing to know about the CBO is this: It is nonpartisan. The CBO does not conduct its analysis with the goal of favoring any political party.

Consider the CBO as the policy equivalent of a real estate appraiser. When someone hires an appraiser to determine the value of their property, the appraiser examines the property, conducts research, checks market prices, and arrives at the value. The appraiser is not part of the transaction, nor does the appraiser tell the person whether or not they should sell the house; he or she simply provides an educated guess of the propertys value.

In Griffiths commentary, he said that the CBO has been consistently wrong, and that its predictions are treated as gospel by the media.

Congress often defers to those predictions, Griffith wrote. When it does so, it effectively lets the CBO call the shots on decisions that should be made by the peoples elected representatives.

On Wednesday night, Griffith proposed an amendment to eliminate the CBOs 89-employee budget analysis division. That amendment was defeated in a 116-309 vote.

In his commentary, Griffith cited times that the CBO misjudged revenues generated by the sale of wireless spectrum, misjudged farm bills and misjudged the number of people who would sign up for insurance under the Affordable Care Act.

It is true that the CBO is not perfect. No agency that attempts to predict the future is ever going to be perfect.

What is ultimately at issue here, however, is that the CBO has repeatedly offered disastrous predictions regarding congressional attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. It continually predicts that more that as many as 20 million Americans will lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

With respect to Rep. Griffith, he has not been shy about citing the findings of the CBO when those findings deliver bad news about legislation he opposes. In his March 25, 2011 e-newsletter, he addressed the problems he saw with the Affordable Care Act on its one-year anniversary.

The Congressional Budget Office found that rates would increase by an average of $2,100 per family, Griffith wrote then. These are costs many working families simply cannot afford.

If the CBO was gospel then, what has changed since?

Obviously, the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, but this is not about the Affordable Care Act. It is about how the few remaining parts of our government that are truly nonpartisan should be cherished, not dismantled.

The CBO does honest work. Right now, it is delivering bad news to one party. In the future, it will deliver bad news to the other side. That is its job. Gutting the CBO because it delivers this bad news calls to mind an old saying:

Dont shoot the messenger.

The Bulletin Editorial Board consists of Brian Carlton, Ben Williams and Trisha Long
Tens of thousands of people who took out private loans to pay for college but have not been able to keep up payments may get their debts wiped away because critical paperwork is missing.

The troubled loans, which total at least $5 billion, are at the center of a protracted legal dispute between the student borrowers and a group of creditors who have aggressively pursued them in court after they fell behind on payments.

By STACY COWLEY and JESSICA SILVER-GREENBERG

Full Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/business/dealbook/student-loan-debt-collection.html
The Beijing exhibition Collected Artifacts of Founding Fathers celebrates the 90th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army. Exhibits include letters, posts, weapons, paintings and wax figures. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Items used by New China's founding fathers are now on show in Beijing, Lin Qi reports.

A media group comprising 15 Chinese and foreign journalists arrived in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, in June 1944. They stayed there for a month, visiting the Communist bases nearby and interviewing leaders of the Communist Party of China, such as Mao Zedong.

The visit generated a series of reports, which updated the accounts of Communist-controlled border areas in northwestern China, after American journalist Edgar Snow's 1937 book, Red Star over China.

Maurice Votaw was a member of the visiting group who worked for the US newspaper, The Baltimore Sun. He was gifted a set of nine woodblock prints from Zhu De, one of the Communist leaders who later became New China's commander-in-chief.

The set was made to publicize to villages the discipline of the Communist Eighth Route Army. It was given back to China by a visiting group of US scholars in 1979.

Now the woodblock prints are being shown for the first public viewing at an exhibition at the National Museum of China. More than seven decades after they were created, the colors still look vivid.

The exhibition, Collected Artifacts of Founding Fathers, that runs through Sept 26 shows some 300 artifacts once used by or related to the founding fathers of the People's Republic of China, such as letters, posts, photos, weapons, wax figures and paintings.
The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Monday issued a class-A arrest warrant for 10 major fugitives involved in cultural relics crime.

The MPS encouraged the public to provide information about the suspects: Shi Junjie, Meng Chao, Liu Jiantao, Yan Wangen, Deng Haifeng, Li Yejun, Wang Jianfeng, Zhang Shigang, Fan Binbin and Liu Sanxun.

It published information about the suspects, including their date and place of birth, ID numbers and photos, on its official website.

The MPS also called for the public to expose criminal activities, such as excavating and robbing of ancient cultural sites and ancient tombs, as well as stealing, selling and smuggling cultural relics.
Using new technology, researchers from Texas found that they could reverse many markers of aging in cells from children with progeria, a rare genetic disease that causes rapid aging and early death. Share on Pinterest Researchers looking into progeria have found that they can reverse several markers of aging by focusing on telomere length. The team, from Houston Methodist Research Institute in Texas, describes the breakthrough in a research letter published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Lead investigator Dr. John Cooke, department chair of cardiovascular sciences, and colleagues were studying cells from children with progeria in order to find out more about the aging process. They believe that their findings could lead to a way to reverse other aging-related problems. Progeria is a very rare disease caused by mutations in the LMNA gene. The mutation almost always arises spontaneously rather than being inherited from a parent. It is thought that at any one time, there are fewer than 250 children worldwide living with the disease. Children with progeria may appear normal at birth but within a year they start to show distinctive physical signs, such as a much slower rate of growth, loss of hair, a pinched nose, and a face and jaw that are small in proportion to the rest of the body.

Progeria, telomeres, and rapid aging Children with progeria also experience symptoms normally associated with much older people, including progressive severe heart and circulation problems, stiffness in the joints, and hip dislocations. Most patients die from heart attack or stroke and few live past their mid-teens. These kids are dying of heart attack and stroke at 13, 14, 15 years old, explains Dr. Cooke. We wanted to do something that would improve the childrens quality of life and potentially allow them to live longer, so we set about studying their cells and seeing if we could improve the cell function. The usual starting point for investigating a disease caused by a faulty gene is to try and correct the gene or alter the protein that it codes for. However, Dr. Cooke and colleagues decided to approach the problem from a different angle: they focused on telomeres. Telomeres are DNA and protein structures situated at both ends of chromosomes that protect the genome. They have been likened to the plastic seals on the ends of shoelaces that stop them fraying. Telomeres shorten with age; with each cell division, a small piece of telomere is lost. When telomeres reach a critical length, cells come to the end of their lives and stop dividing, or go through an organized process of cell death called apoptosis. Shorter telomeres have been linked to higher rates of disease and shorter lifespans. For this reason, telomere length is similar to a biological clock that can predict how long a cell or organism will live.

Dramatic effect from telomere lengthening The team noticed that the cells from children with progeria had much shorter telomeres. They decided to see if they could improve the function of these cells, their response to stress, and ability to divide by finding a way to lengthen their telomeres. Dr. Cooke explains that many of the things that happen to children with progeria happen to all of us eventually as our telomeres erode, except that in their case, the pace is vastly accelerated. The team used a new technology called RNA therapeutics, which delivers small molecules into cells to alter their gene expression. In this way, they were able to get the cells from progeria patients to produce telomerase, a protein that lengthens telomeres. Within a few days of treatment, cells were showing substantial changes that affected their lifespan and function. Dr. Cooke says that they were very surprised that just one treatment could have such an effect. We were not expecting to see such a dramatic effect on the ability of the cells to proliferate, he explains. They could function and divide more normally, and we gave them extra lifespan, as well as better function.
Vinegar and heat are found to be the best treatment of stings from lion's mane jellyfish.

New research from NUI Galway and the University of Hawaii at Manoa has identified the best way to treat a sting from the lions mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata). The lions mane jellyfish is the most problematic jellyfish in Ireland and the UK with 1000s of bathers being badly stung each year. With over a 1,000 tentacles that can stretch up to four or five metres in length, a bad sting from a lions mane jellyfish can cause severe local reactions and extreme pain.

The research, published in the international journal Toxins shows that the best first aid for a lions mane sting is to rinse with vinegar (or the commercial product Sting No More Spray) to remove tentacles, and then immerse in 45C (113F) hot water (or apply a heat pack) for 40 minutes. The results mirror a recent NUI Galway and University of Hawaii study on stings from the Portuguese man o war and previous work on box jellyfish stings.

Dr Tom Doyle, lead author of the study and Lecturer in Zoology from the School of Natural Sciences at NUI Galway, said: "What most people don't understand is that these jellyfish - the lions mane, the Portuguese man o war and a box jellyfish, are as different from each other as a dog and a snake.

"Therefore when developing first aid treatment for a jellyfish sting it is very important to test different treatments on these very different types of jellyfish. Now that we have shown that vinegar and hot water work on these three jellyfish species, it will be much easier to standardise and simplify first aid for jellyfish stings where many different types of jellyfish occur."

In Ireland and the UK, current best practices recommend using sea water and cold packs, which is not the correct action for treating these jellyfish stings as it induces significant increases in venom delivery, while rinsing with vinegar or Sting No More Spray did not.

Dr Doyle now hopes to bring together members of the Jellyfish Advisory Group in Ireland to discuss his latest findings. However, it is important to remember that most jellyfish stings in Ireland and the UK are no worse than a nettle sting.

Article: Evaluation of Cyanea capillata Sting Management Protocols Using Ex Vivo and In Vitro Envenomation Models, Tom Doyle et al.,Toxins, doi: 10.3390/toxins9070215, published 7 July 2017.
The protein amyloid beta is believed to be the major cause of Alzheimer's disease. Substances that reduce the production of amyloid beta, such as BACE inhibitors, are therefore promising candidates for new drug treatments. A team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has recently demonstrated that one such BACE inhibitor reduces the amount of amyloid beta in the brain. By doing so, it can restore the normal function of nerve cells and significantly improve memory performance.

Around 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia. To date, no effective drug is available that is able to halt or cure the disease. Moreover, the exact causes of the disease have yet to be definitively explained. However, there is a greater accumulation of the protein amyloid beta in Alzheimer's patients than in healthy people. As a result, the protein clumps together and damages nerve cells.

Affected cells can become hyperactive. They then constantly send false signals to neighboring cells. In addition, certain brain waves such as slow oscillations spin out of control. These waves play a key role in the formation of memories by transferring learned information into long-term memory.

Brain functions restored in mice

"A successful treatment must take effect as early in the course of the disease as possible. In our experiments, we have therefore blocked the enzyme beta secretase BACE, which produces amyloid beta," explains Dr Marc Aurel Busche, young investigator group leader at the Institute for Neuroscience of the TUM and psychiatrist in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the TUM university hospital rechts der Isar.

The researchers tested a substance that inhibits beta secretase in a mouse model of Alzheimer's. The mice produce large amounts of amyloid beta, which, as in humans, leads to the formation of amyloid beta plaques in the brain and causes memory loss. During the study, the mice were given the inhibitor in their food for up to eight weeks, after which they were examined. For this purpose, the researchers used a special imaging technique known as two-photon microscopy, which allowed them to observe individual nerve cells in the brain.

As expected, the mice had less amyloid beta in their brain after this period, since its production was inhibited. However, the effect of the substance was much more far-reaching: the animals' brain functions actually normalized. There were fewer hyperactive nerve cells, and the slow-wave brain patterns once again resembled those in healthy mice. A key finding for the scientists was the observation that the animals' memory also improved. The mice were able to locate a hidden platform in a water-filled maze as quickly as their healthy counterparts.

Clinical trial planned

"What really impressed and amazed us was the reversibility of the symptoms. Before the treatment, the mice had a marked clinical picture with amyloid beta plaques in their brain. Nevertheless, the substance was able to restore important brain functions and abilities," explains Aylin Keskin, lead author of the publication. Moreover, the researchers' study showed yet another benefit: "We were also able to demonstrate which neural deficits really are caused by amyloid beta. That was not fully understood with regard to hyperactive nerve cells, for example," Keskin says.

The scientists' findings will soon find its way into clinical practice: A large-scale clinical trial is planned with around 1000 participants to test a slightly modified form of the BACE inhibitor. "Needless to say, we very much hope that the promising discoveries in the animal model will translate to humans", Busche says.

The study was conceived as part of the SyNergy Cluster. It was sponsored by the Alzheimer Research Initiative, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the European Research Council (ERC) and the European Union FP7 programme. The experiments were carried out in cooperation with Novartis.

Article: BACE inhibition-dependent repair of Alzheimer's pathophysiology, A. D. Keskin, M. Kekus, H. Adelsberger, U. Neumann, D. R. Shimshek, B. Song, B. Zott, T. Peng, H. Forstl, M. Staufenbiel, I. Nelken, B. Sakmann, A. Konnerth, and M. A. Busche, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1708106114, published online 24 July 2017.
Researchers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and the department of neurosurgery at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, announced today that they have published a paper with research findings that could have implications for the treatment of many neurological conditions, including severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The team of researchers found that in an animal model with TBI, trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) resulted in increased cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen to the brain. These latest findings were published in Scientific Reports.

The research paper titled, "Neuroprotective Effects of Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury," was co-authored by Northwell Health's Amrit Chiluwal, MD, Raj K. Narayan, MD, Wayne Chaung, PhD, Neal Mehan, MD, Ping Wang, MD, Chad E. Bouton, and Chunyan Li, PhD. The paper was also co-authored by Eugene V. Golanov, MD, PhD, from the department of neurosurgery at the Houston Methodist Research Institute in Houston, TX.

"Following TBI, ischemia and hypoxia play a major role in further worsening of the damage, a process known as secondary injury," said Dr. Li, assistant professor of the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at the Feinstein Institute. "Preventing secondary injury is vitally important in the overall management of TBI. In the animal model, we investigated the use of electrical TNS for improving CBF and delivering more oxygen to the brain, with the goal of decreasing secondary injury. We found that TBI rat models with TNS treatment demonstrated significantly increased systemic blood pressure, CBF, oxygen, as well as significantly reduced brain edema, blood-brain barrier disruption and lesion volume."

Dr. Narayan, Northwell Health's senior vice president and executive director, neurosurgery services added, "No pharmacological agents have currently been shown to improve clinical outcomes for TBI. Therefore, there is an urgent need for developing novel therapeutic strategies to maximize recovery. The data from this research study provides strong evidence that TNS offers neuroprotection following brain damage. TNS could also offer some benefit in other pathological states such as stroke or vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage where the brain is at risk for ischemic and/or inflammatory damage."
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Chinese panda Huan Huan, which is on loan to France, is expecting twin cubs, according to the zoo which carried out a medical examination and revealed the results exclusively to China Daily on Tuesday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Chinese panda Huan Huan, which is on loan to France, is expecting twin cubs, according to the zoo which carried out a medical examination and revealed the results exclusively to China Daily on Tuesday.

With France's first lady likely to be a godmother to the new arrivals, a team of Chinese and French panda experts is awaiting the birth of Frances first baby panda, which is expected later this week.

The excitement follows the recent discovery that 9-year-old Huan Huan was pregnant following artificial insemination. She has been receiving intensive care from a team of experts at ZooParc de Beauval, which is located more than 200 kilometers from Paris.

It is very difficult to know exactly when the baby (cubs) will be born, said Delphine Delord, the director of the zoo. My colleagues told me it will be on Friday or Saturday but we are waiting. Maybe, it will be a little bit earlier or later. We still do not know exactly when.

Delord said one French expert and two from China are sleeping next to Huan Huan in preparation for the birth.

The zoo has formed a team to help with the birth that comprises at least 10 people, she said.

She said Huan Huan is off her food and has begun to lose weight, something that is normal for a panda in the final days of a pregnancy.

Now, she only eats bamboo, and sometimes apple, said Delord.

She said her team has access to panda milk, which was brought from China.

They do not yet know the gender of the cubs.

The zoo will follow tradition and wait for China to name them.

Delord confirmed that Brigitte Macron, the nations first lady, will be reported shortly after the delivery and she is believed to become god mother of the cubs.

I fell very excited because it is the first baby of Huan Huan and the first panda to be born in France. It is a very important birth. After the baby comes, we will contact the first lady, said Delord.

She said the plan calls for the cubs to remain with Huan Huan.

If not, we can keep the baby in the incubator, she said. And the baby will be returned to mom every two hours and every four hours in addition to us feeding the baby.

Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, which is also 9, arrived in France in 2012 but failed to hit it off as a couple and have not been successful during the panda breeding season, which only lasts for two to three days each year.

Delord said she felt proud that Huan Huan and Yuan Zi have boosted the relationship between China and France.

This year, China and Europe have intensified panda diplomacy, with pandas arriving in the Netherlands in April and in Berlin during June. Beijing has also reached agreements with Finland and Denmark for China to supply pandas to those countries.

And pandas have already settled into enclosures in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Spain.

Xiang Chen in Brussels contributed to this story.
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Esophageal and Gallbladder Cancer Risk

Gum Disease

Jo L. Freudenheim, Robert J. Genco, Michael J. LaMonte, Amy E. Millen, Kathleen M. Hovey, Xiaodan Mai, Ngozi Nwizu, Christopher A. Andrews, Jean Wactawski-Wende. Periodontal Disease and Breast Cancer: Prospective Cohort Study of Postmenopausal Women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. (2017) DOI:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0212

The findings showed that women who reported a history of gum disease had a 14 percent increased risk of overall cancer. A total of 7,149 cancers were reported among the study participants. Of the 7,149 cancers, the majority (2,416) were breast cancer. Periodontal disease was associated with total cancer risk among former and current smokers."There is increasing evidence that periodontal disease may be linked to an increased cancer risk and this association warrants further investigation," said, Ngozi Nwizu, the paper's first author and assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.The esophagus is in proximity to the oral cavity, and periodontal pathogens may easily infect the esophageal mucosa and promote cancer risk at that site, said, Wactawski-Wende, dean of UB's School of Public Health and Health Professions and a professor of epidemiology and environmental health."Chronic inflammation has also been implicated in gallbladder cancer, but there has been no data on the association between periodontal disease and gallbladder risk. Ours is the first study to report on such an association," said Nwizu.The findings of the study are significant because esophageal cancer ranks among the most deadly cancers. The etiology of esophageal cancer is not well known, but the chronic inflammation has been implicated.Certain gum disease pathogens have been shown to promote inflammation even in tiny amounts. These bacteria have been isolated from many organs and some cancers including esophageal cancers. It is important to establish gum disease as a risk factor for esophageal cancer so that appropriate preventive measures can be taken.The findings of the study are important because they offer a window into the disease in a population of Americans that continue to increase as people live longer lives.Cancers of the lung, breast, and gallbladder were higher among postmenopausal women who smoked and had gum disease. However, the risk of melanoma was higher among women who never smoked, but had gum disease.Gum disease pathogens could be carried in saliva and dental plaque into the blood circulation to reach other organs and contribute to the development of cancer.Older adults are more disproportionately affected by gum disease than other age groups. For most types of cancers, the process of cancer development usually occurs over many years. The adverse effects of gum disease are more likely to be seen among postmenopausal women because of their old age.The findings of the study were published in the journal Periodontitis is untreated gingivitis that can lead to tooth loss and other health complications. Heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, low-birth weight complications in pregnancy have been linked to periodontal disease. Scientists have found a link between periodontal disease and cancer.Chronic inflammation has been the reason behind the association between certain types of cancers and periodontitis. Previously conducted studies have shown a link between oral cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, and esophageal cancer.Source: Medindia
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Breastfeeding marks a good beginning for the health of the child and has a life time impact.

Breastfeeding is good for the mother, as well as the baby. It reduces the risk of breast cancer which adds $ 302 billion to the global economy annually.

Breastfeeding can save the lives of 800,000 children from acute and chronic diseases every year.

Breastfeeding reduces the chances of diarrhea, pneumonia and asthma in children which succumbs the lives of 1.4 million children per year.

Breastfeeding increases the chances of survival of the infants by six times. An exclusively breastfed child is 14 times less likely to die in its first six months than a non-breastfed child.

"World breastfeeding week is a global vibrant movement for action to promote, protect and support breastfeeding by anyone, anywhere and anytime. It expands and connects the power of one with the power of many. Only by working together, we can make the change we need", said Dr. Anwal Fazar, Chairperson, Emeritus, WABA & Director, right Livelihood College.In the year 1992, the WABA started the World breastfeeding week with the motive to encourage breastfeeding in mothers and to extend support. WABA was established on 14February, 1992 to promote breastfeeding practices as it was found to be diminishing in the developing world.On the other hand, the rate of diseases which affect infants were on the rise. WABA initiated to support the global promotion of the campaign of breastfeeding.World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also urge breastfeeding to promote the health of the baby and the mother. So WHO and WABA joined hands to decide a day committed to breastfeeding.Every year there is a theme to focus on. The events are planned with specific objectives on the theme. This year marks the 25World Breastfeeding Week and is focused onSustainable Development Goals is a set of 17 "Global Goals" with 169 targets between them, was framed by the United Nations with its 193 member states. World Breastfeeding Week focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).1.- Breastfeeding is a natural way of feeding babies and is economical than artificial feeds. It reduces the risk of poverty.2.- Breastfeeding ensures that the child is exclusively fed for 6 months and along with other foods, up to two years, zeroing the impact of hunger.3.- Breastfeeding improves the health of the infant and the mother. The chances of survival is six times more in a breastfed infant.4.- Breastfeeding contributes to mental and cognitive development and thus promote learning.5.- Every child, be it boy or girl have the equal right to be breastfed.6.- The child receives all the water a baby needs through breastfeeding.7.- Breastfeeding reduces the need for water, firewood and fossil fuels compared to artificial feeds.8.- Breastfeeding women who are supported by their employers should cater to the needs of breastfeeding women, especially those in precarious situations.9.- Most women work these days. Lactation rooms, day care centers near the workplace and breastfeeding breaks can make a big difference.10.- To reduce inequalities, the practice must be protected, promoted and supported by all.11.- Breastfeeding mothers and their babies need to feel safe and welcome in all public spaces. During disaster and humanitarian crises strike, pregnant and lactating women need particular support.12.- Breastfeeding provides a healthy, sustainable and natural source of nutrition for the child.13.- Weather-related disasters due to global warming does not have an impact on the infant when the child is breastfed.14.- Compared to formula feeding production and distribution breastfeeding is an insignificant contributor to water pollution.15.- Breastfeeding does not put pressure on natural resources and unlike artificial feeds which contributes to carbon emissions and climate change.16.- National legislation and policies should protect and support breastfeeding mothers and babies.17.- The Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (GSIYCF) requires multi-sectorial collaboration. It can be done by building upon various partnerships for support of development through breastfeeding programs and initiatives.In order to achieve these goals, multi-level partnerships at each level is essential.Dr. Amal Omer-Salim, WABA's Co-executive Director, said, "Let us work together to identify what works and overcome common challenges. By linking World Breastfeeding week to SDG's we can all work on ambitious goals that have a practical effect at all levels. We can only achieve this through sustainable partnerships. Let us come together to campaign for a generation."By reaching out and extending support, the campaign can bring the gradual and permanent changes in the social living.Mothers need timely support and health care education soon after or even during pregnancy. This includes education on breastfeeding also. Initiating breastfeeding is the prime decision of the mother and requires support from the family, friends, community leaders, trained health workers and doctors.Source: Medindia
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Light says national debate on immigration law spurred him to begin a series of studies on undocumented immigrants and public safety and health."This is an area where public and political debates have far outpaced the research," Light says. "And central to this debate is whether undocumented immigration increases drug and alcohol problems, or crime more generally. There are good theoretical reasons to think it could have increased substance abuse problems in recent decades. But the data just doesn't show it."Light, who was a professor at Purdue University while he conducted the study, along with Purdue sociology Professor Brian Kelly and graduate student Ty Miller, used immigration data from the Center for Migration Studies and the Pew Research Center spanning 1990 to 2014.They compared undocumented immigration rates to four representative measures of drug and alcohol problems: drug crimes and driving under the influence arrests collected from federal, state and municipal sources in the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports; and drug overdose deaths and drunken driving fatalities counted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Underlying Cause of Death database and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.According to the study, rather than increasing substance abuse problems, a 1 percent increase in the proportion of the population that is undocumented is associated with 22 fewer drug arrests, 42 fewer drunken driving arrests and 0.64 fewer drug overdoses -- all per 100,000 people. The frequency of drunken driving fatalities was unaffected by unauthorized immigration rates.According to Light, one explanation for these findings could be what prior research often calls the "healthy immigrant thesis" or "Latino paradox.""When you look at things we think of as predictive of criminal behavior and poor health outcomes -- low levels of education, few economic assets -- immigrants tend to be engaging in less crime and staying healthier than we would expect," Light says.And yet, undocumented immigration is often stirred into debate of social ills like opioid use. It's unquestionable that drugs are smuggled across the border between the United States and Mexico, Light says, but this does not mean drug smuggling and unauthorized immigration are one and the same."That just doesn't appear to be the case," he says. "If you want to fight the opioid epidemic or reduce drunk driving, deporting undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S. is likely not going to be the most effective policy."Source: Eurekalert
If Shah Rukh Khan is the baadshah of Bollywood, then actor Manoj Tiwari is the king of the Bhojpuri films. So when the two kings crossed path with each other, sparks flew and how! Shah Rukh Khan is busy with the promotions of his upcoming film Jab Harry Met Sejal' and recently visited Varanasi with the movie's leading lady Anushka Sharma and Director Imtiyaz Ali. While, we have often seen SRK dance on the tunes of Bollywood songs and hum them as well, watching him sing a Bhojpuri number was definitely a shocking surprise for all of us. As expected, the crowd burst into cheers and hoots as he went on his knees and started singing Lollypop Lagelu' for Anushka Sharma. Check out the video, where Manoj Tiwari teaches SRK the lyrics of the song.

Stop everything and watch Harry singing for Sejal in 'Bhojpuri'. P.S. All thanks to Manoj Tiwari @iamsrk @AnushkaSharma #JHMSInVaranasi A post shared by Red Chillies Entertainment (@redchilliesent) on Jul 31, 2017 at 5:42am PDT

Honestly, we were having a lot of fun watching the king of romance sing one of the sleaziest songs ever made, and sheepishly singing them in our minds as well. But, the actor's excitement was at the pinnacle and he didn't really want to stop at singing (or attempting to sing) just one song. So he went ahead and grooved on some other Bhojpuri hits along with Tiwari who was singing the songs.

If you loved the song Jabra Fan' from SRK's movie Fan', then we are sure you will love this Bhojpuri version too and the fact that he was dancing on this song was like a cherry on the cake.

The movie Jab Harry Met Sejal' is all set to hit the theatres on August 4.
Actor Aamir Khan is a man of his word. If he says something, he makes sure that he does it as well. Just a few days ago, he took Twitter and talked about the Gujarat and Assam flood. He voiced his corned over the issues and requested his fans and followers to donate whatever they can to help their own brothers and sisters.

While everyone is just busy talking about the people who are suffering, Aamir Khan has taken a step forward and donated 25 lakh to the Assam government, proving that he is indeed a responsible citizen.

We got to know about Aamir's good dead when Chief Minister tweeted out thanking the actor and wrote, Thank you @aamir_khan for contributing Rs 25 Lakh towards Assam Chief Minister's Relief Fund through Aamir Khan Productions Pvt. Ltd.

Thank you @aamir_khan for contributing Rs 25 Lakh towards Assam Chief Minister's Relief Fund through Aamir Khan Productions Pvt. Ltd.  Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) July 31, 2017

As per the statistics by the State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), approximately 5,000 people have been affected by this disaster in Jorhat and Lakhimpur district. And around 366 people are living in the relief camps.

Even in past many actors like Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Rajinikanth, Shatrughan Sinha, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and others have volunteered towards the rehabilitation of the flood-affected victims.

For people who are still just thinking about how to help, let us tell you the floods have not just killed over 90 people but there are many who don't even have a roof over their heads. Maybe this is reason to reach out to our people in whatever small way possible!
You can't keep up with Nik Thakkarhe's one hell of a creative nomad. Apparently, he doesn't even live by the clock. He models for luxury brands in the morning, blogs at noon, welcomes dawn with male croquis, but all while listening to 'Echo Chamber' (his new music video). As an Indian-origin multi-platform artist, and having partnered with brands like Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford and Givenchyhe's always on the move with the who's who of the industry. He's a model, blogger, menswear designer and music producer. Basically, a superhuman. But if there's one thing that really drives him in the dayit's his impeccably-personalised grooming regime. He moisturises like a teddy, oils that mug and channels a beard that's a hard-hitting dream. In an exclusive interview with MensXP, he reveals all you need to know about upping your grooming game in the sun.

What's your first step towards grooming yourself, right after you wake up?

My personal Patrick Bateman (American Psycho reference) morning routine starts with a glass of iced waterto rehydrate the skin and energise my body.

How should one prepare for a shave?

To achieve a seamless shaving regimen, you need to have an ongoing exfoliation process. It helps one in avoiding cranky follicles and hair!

 Nik Thakkar

How does exfoliation help oneself?

Exfoliation is necessary to maintain the smoothness of your skin. However, over-exfoliation will wreck you. Stick to doing it twice a week!

What should one keep in mind while shaving their facial hair?

Your face is a painting, attention to detail is everything. Work at angles that are comfortable and suit you best!

Do you listen to music while shaving?

Absolutely! I've been listening to NEO 10Y's Echo Chamber lately. It's my own produce (lol)!

What's your summer grooming caddy looking like right now?

I'm obsessing over products from this new London-based brand, Monroe of London. Consecutively, my Tom Ford body spray, exfoliating face wash and the Oud shower gel. On the olfactory note, I'm smitten with Tom Ford's Oud Minerale.

 Nik Thakkar

Your take on beard contouring?

It's an art to make your contoured beard appear natural. Hack 101: stay away from hard lines.

Any scrubs/masks you prepare at home?

Oh yes! Here's how I prepare my home scrub- I mix coconut oil and sugar in a small bowl and stir until I achieve a smooth mix. I apply this scrub all over my face or on the area around the neck. Use gentle circular motions! This scrub also works for other body parts.

Do you think big, long beards are passe now?

Everything works in phases. I think some grooming aesthetics wore thin after over-exposure, but I think long beards are awesome.

What's the next big hair trend to hit the grooming industry?

There's immense focus on colour at the moment. Which is great, but it can make you look dated very quickly.

 Nik Thakkar

What hair hues/shades would suit the Indian skin tone?

I think grey and indigo would work beautifully with Indian skin.

And lastly, a lesser-known area men should pay heed to and shave/trim more often..

The area under the jaw bone, to accentuate your jaw.
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Apart from hosting and possible maintenance costs, there are not exactly downsides to having your own website. Even if its just a personal blog it can always become more useful down the line, if you utilize it in the right manner. In other words, more
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SEBEWAING  A Sunday afternoon joyride for a 13-year-old Fairgrove boy turned scary in the Village of Sebewaing.

According to a preliminary report from the Huron County Sheriff's Office, deputies were called to the scene around 7 p.m. Sunday, where the teen crashed his dad's 2001 Dodge Intrepid at the Forward Gas Station.

The teen was traveling westbound on Sebewaing Road and attempted to turn left on Unionville Road/M-25. He took the turn going too fast and lost control. The vehicle went over the curb, sideswiped a pole, impacted with a second pole and rolled over.

The teen was taken to Scheurer Hospital by EMS for treatment of his injuries. Several people were at the gas station at the time of the crash, but no one else was injured.

Deputies were also assisted on scene by the Sebewaing Fire Department. A juvenile petition request has been filed with the Huron County Prosecutor's Office for potential charges.
BAD AXE  A fifth suspect accused of having some sort of involvement in the recent Bad Axe meth lab busts confessed his guilt in Huron County Circuit Court this week and now faces up to 20 years in prison.

Last week, Ray L. Lane, of Bad Axe, appeared in Judge Gerald M. Prills courtroom for arraignment on a charge of operating a meth lab. However, after pleading not guilty, the hearing was adjourned so defense attorney Andrew Lockard and his client could discuss a plea agreement offered by the Huron County Prosecutors Office.

During Mondays pretrial, Lane, 33, took the agreement and pleaded guilty as charged. In exchange, the prosecutors office wont add a habitual offender status or seek any further charges.

Lane must also truthfully testify at codefendant Gregory Delmarters trial, which is scheduled for Nov. 28. Delmarter, 33, of Mount Pleasant, faces seven meth-related charges.

The case began when police seized 20 grams of processed meth from a Whitelam Street home in Bad Axe and also discovered an inactive cooking operating at a barn on Sullivan Road in Verona Township on May 26.

Before accepting the plea, Prill questioned Lane for factual basis.

They operated and I cleaned up, Lane admitted, adding his cousin, Jonathan P. Boyce, cooked meth at the barn.

What was your function in this? Prill asked.

I was sending text messages asking if I could clean up some garbage, Lane replied.

Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski then asked Lane if he allowed Boyce to make meth.

I allowed it, he said. I didnt stop him.

After some confusion during questioning, and unhappy with Lanes responses, Rutkowski told the court, This is unacceptable and were going to be adding charges.

Lockard attempted to carry on with questions, but the prosecutor asked Lane if he smoked meth while at the barn.

Not out there, Lane answered. I tried it when I was in town (Bad Axe).

While giving unclear responses, Lane told the court he wasnt on his proper psychiatric medicine Monday morning and Lockard added his client has anxiety issues, but understood what the plea agreement is.

I cant take the plea at this time, Prill said, and adjourned the hearing until Lockard and Lane met in private.

After a 45-minute recess, the pretrial continued. Lockard and Lane appeared from the Huron County Jail via the courts Polycom system due to the anxiety issue and because the defendant felt more comfortable."

When questioned, Lane told the judge he carried a duffle bag for Boyce and took it to the barn.

He said it had stuff in it that could make him get high, Lane said, noting he didnt know what was in the bag at first until he later arrived at the barn and discovered it contained empty bottles and plastic bags with chemicals.

He said he saw Boyce and Delmarter shaking bottles inside the barn.

I just (saw) Greg putting stuff in a bottle and they were shaking it, Lane said.  They both were mixing chemicals and shaking them (bottles).

Once the prosecutor finished questioning Lane, Prill accepted the plea.

Lane is scheduled to appear in court next on Sept. 18 for sentencing.

Codefendants Jonathan P. Boyce, Michael A. Boyce, Denise W. Williams and Billie Jo Angell, each previously pleaded guilty to meth-related charges and await sentencing later this month. They must also testify at Delmarters trial.
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A family in Kingsteignton have scored the triple by having had members join all three of the armed forces. Patrick Hooper joined the Royal Navy as an electronics engineer back in 1960 at the age of 15.

Eldest son James joined the Royal Engineers in 2005 and now the youngest son, David, 19, has graduated from RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire to begin his career as an Aircraft Engineer.

David went to Rydon Primary and Teign School in Kingsteignton before going to Exeter College to gain a BTec in Engineering. He also worked part time at Halfords while in education and then went on to become a parts advisor, full time, for Vospers in Torquay.

He wanted the chance to serve in the armed forces and gain a trade after the experiences of his father and brother who both travelled far and wide during their time in the Navy and Army.

Older brother James was based in Germany and did tours of active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other tours or training in Canada, Switzerland, The Falklands, Cyprus and Kuwait.

While David was still in primary school dad Patrick spent 18 months at a time in the Far East, East Africa and the Caribbean.
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A 24-year-old Royal Navy medic found dead at a home in Devon, initially sparking a murder probe, has been named as Tony Ullah.

Police believed Mr Ullah had been unlawfully killed after his body was found at Ermington Terrace, Plymouth at around 5.15am on Sunday, August 23.

A 25-year-old woman, understood to be known to the Mr Ullah, was initially arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Charles Cross police station for questioning.

However, after receiving results of a forensic post mortem, investigators later claimed there were "no suspicious circumstances" surrounding Mr Ullah's death and the woman was released from bail, reports plymouthherald .

The coroner, who opened and adjourned the inquest on July 27 where Mr Ullah was named, noted the cause of death as unascertained.

However, the documentation of his inquest suggests that when police were able to enter the property, they found the deceased to have been "seriously injured" from lacerations.

Mr Ullah was understood to have been a medic with the Royal Navy. A number of friends posted moving tributes to the 24-year-old on the Herald's Facebook page following his death.

Rhys Pepper, who described Mr Ullah as his "best friend" described the young man as someone who "loved life and had a heart of gold. He would do anything for anyone.

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"He's a true legend and served his country well." Another friend, Jessica Smith wrote: "Absolute legend this man was, going to miss him always, love you."

She described him as a fun loving and sweet guy, adding: "Will miss every little thing about this handsome man. "He's an absolute credit to his family, and to our country.

"My heart is broken for them, you and for everyone who's ever loved him. Taken far too soon. Sleep tight my darling friend."

Detectives will continue to gather evidence regarding the circumstances of Mr Ullah's death and a full inquest will be held at a later date.
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The terrifying moment a man armed with a large knife threatened a shop worker and made off with cash from a convenience store in Plymouth was caught on CCTV.

The robbery happened at LM Stores in North Road West in Plymouth at about 9.45pm on Monday night.

CCTV footage from the store shows the robber, wearing all black, threaten the shop worker with what appears to be a large kitchen knife.

He fled the scene with about 140 in cash.

Elena Anderson's daughter's fiance was working at the store at the time of the incident.

Miss Anderson, who also works at the shop, said a woman entered the store in the afternoon asking what time it closed.

She was later seen outside the shop with the man believed to be the robber.

"We had someone come into the shop asking what time the shop will be open until," she said.

"Then somebody came in all dressed up in black and robbed my son-in-law while he was working here, which he was pretty upset about  so is his girlfriend and so are the staff in here."

She said her daughter's partner was shocked by what had happened but was otherwise unharmed.

"He's very shaken," she said.

"The staff are a lot more aware of what's going on and we're doing everything possible for it not to happen again."

The 48-year-old, who has worked at the store for nine years, said nothing like this has happened there before.

The CCTV footage shows the robber approach the till.

He disappears from shot and returns a few seconds later with a member of staff.

He points a knife at the staff member and takes cash from the till.

Police are investigating and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

A spokesman from Devon and Cornwall Police said: "At around 9:35pm, a man wearing a black balaclava, wearing a black waterproof jacket, black tracksuit bottoms and trainers, entered the store and threatening a member of staff with a knife and demanded that the till was opened.

"Around 140 was taken from the till and the suspect then fled the area.

"Police units with support from the dog team searched the area but the suspect has so far not been located."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101@dc.police.uk quoting crime reference CR/063875/17.
The death of an airman going through the Air Force's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training last summer in Texas has been ruled an accident, according to a recent investigation from Air Education and Training Command.

Airman 1st Class Kenneth Sturgill of Livermore, California, died July 7, 2016, during SERE training at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, as a result of heatstroke, AETC officials said Tuesday.

"Airman Sturgill was found unresponsive at the end of a six-hour solo living exercise," officials said in a release. "Based on his condition at initial discovery and on post-mortem examination, the report determined Airman First Class Kenneth Sturgill's death to be accidental, caused by heatstroke (hyperthermia)," the release said.

Sturgill was on the 14th of 15 training days, according to the Ground Accident Investigation Board Report, headed by Col. Jeffrey Fallesen. The service said instructors conducted "multiple safety checks" throughout the day and had found him "not to be in distress."

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That same day, instructors found that another service member showed signs of "heat exhaustion," the investigation report said. "As a result  instructors provided each Candidate with an additional five-gallon jug of water, dropping the water off at about 1615 [local time]," or 4:15 p.m.

"The Candidate of Concern [Sturgill] verbally acknowledged receipt of the water, but did not have face-to-face contact with the instructors," the report said.

About an hour and twenty minutes later, instructors conducted a final check but were unable to locate Sturgill. The SERE specialist screening course flight chief initiated lost student protocol soon after.

Around 6:40 p.m. local time, a search team found Sturgill in a "brush pile on the extreme edge of his assigned training area," the report said

When he was found, "his body temperature was 112 [degrees] Fahrenheit," it said.

Attempts by both military and civilian medical personnel were made to revive him, but "proved unsuccessful." Sturgill was pronounced dead on the scene at 7:09 p.m.

Fallesen said Sturgill also could have suffered from a medical condition known as hyponatremia, or what he described as "low plasma sodium or depleted body sodium."

Hyponatremia is diagnosed as a low concentration of sodium in the blood, which could lead to disorientation. The condition "may have been a contributing factor to the [Sturgill's] death," he wrote.

However, Fallesen noted there is "insufficient evidence to reach that conclusion by a preponderance of the evidence."

Sturgill had completed Air Force Basic Military Training on June 3. He began the SERE Specialist Training Orientation Course, or SST-OC -- which is a first-step staple for all SERE specialists -- on June 20.

"Prior to this, the course had no fatalities," AETC said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
As military services await guidance following President Donald Trump's announcement last week via Twitter of a ban on transgender service members, the commandant of the Coast Guard is speaking out, saying he has no intention of leaving transgender Coast Guardsmen out in the cold.

Speaking on the topic for the first time at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Tuesday morning, Adm. Paul Zukunft said his first action upon becoming aware of Trump's tweets was to have his office reach out to all 13 members of the Coast Guard who have self-identified as transgender.

"I reached out personally to Lt. Taylor Miller, who was featured on the cover of The Washington Post last week," Zukunft said. "If you read that story, Taylor's family has disowned her. Her family is the United States Coast Guard. And I told Taylor, 'I will not turn my back. We have made an investment in you, and you have made an investment in the Coast Guard, and I will not break faith.' "

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Miller, 27, is reportedly the first openly transitioning member of the Coast Guard, a process she began in 2016 after the Pentagon removed its standing ban on openly transgender service members and then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered all services to draft policies to allow for transgender recruits and transgender medical care within the military.

The Coast Guard is the only military service to fall under the Department of Homeland Security, rather than the Department of Defense. But how Trump's tweeted ban will affect the service is just as unclear as with any of the others.

In a series of three tweets July 26, Trump said that "the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail."

To date, no further guidance has been provided.

The Palm Center, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that promotes the study of gay and transgender people in the armed forces, on Tuesday released a letter signed by 56 retired generals and admirals who oppose Trump's transgender ban.

The document also notes that two other four-stars and former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- retired Army Gen. Martin Dempsey and retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen -- have publicly supported transgender service members.

"Transgender troops have been serving honorably and openly for the past year, and have been widely praised by commanders," the letter states. "Eighteen foreign nations, including the UK and Israel, allow transgender troops to serve, and none has reported any detriment to readiness."

The Family Research Council, a Christian public policy ministry in Washington D.C., has praised Trump's decision to rescind the Obama-era policy.

"As our nation faces serious national security threats, our troops shouldnt be forced to endure hours of transgender 'sensitivity' classes and politically-correct distractions like this one," the group's president, Tony Perkins, a Marine veteran, said in a statement last week after the president's announcement.

After contacting his transgender troops, Zukunft said he reached out to then-DHS Secretary John Kelly, who was sworn in as White House Chief of Staff on Monday as part of a series of administration shake-ups. Kelly reached out to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Zukunft said.

"We stood up a tiger team of our JAG officers," Zukunft said.

The next steps remain to be seen, as does how Coast Guard leadership plans to shield its troops in the face of an administration mandate.

Neither Kelly nor Mattis have publicly offered insights into how Trump's tweets will apply to the military. But Zukunft's remarks send a clear message to transgender Coast Guardsmen in uniform, whether or not they are serving openly.

"That is the commitment to our people right now," Zukunft said. "Very small numbers, but all of them are doing meaningful Coast Guard work today."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go.

Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune...
U.S. Navy and Japanese ships have mounted a search for a missing sailor reported overboard from the guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem during operations in the South China Sea on Tuesday.

Officials from U.S. Pacific Fleet told Military.com that the Stethem made a man-overboard report around 9 a.m. local time Tuesday.

Although the crew conducted multiple searches of the ship, the sailor remained missing. The Stethem, which is homeported in Yokosuka, Japan, had been conducting routine operations in the region at the time, officials said.

The search for the sailor was first reported by Defense News.

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Two Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ships, the helicopter carrier Izumo and the destroyer Sazanami, have joined the Stethem in the search, along with helicopters from Izumo, officials said. The Joint Personnel Recovery Center Hawaii has also provided assistance.

Navy officials have not publicly identified the sailor as the search is ongoing.

This is the third man-overboard hunt for the Navy this year. A 50-hour search was conducted after Petty Officer Third Class Peter Mims was reported missing from the guided-missile cruiser Shiloh off the coast of Okinawa on June 8.

Shockingly, after the search was called off and Mims presumed dead, the sailor was discovered June 15, having spent a week hiding aboard the ship and actively avoiding other crew. He now faces possible discharge from the Navy.

An earlier search off the coast of North Carolina ended more tragically. Fire Controlman 2nd Class Christopher W. Clavin went missing June 6 from the cruiser Normandy. After a 76-hour search that spanned some 6,300 miles, the Navy called off its search for Clavin. Officials announced he was presumed dead.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
LIVONIA, MI - The founder of Livonia's Linear AMS is taking control of the company again, less than two years after the manufacturer was acquired by a New York aerospace and defense company.

According to a company statement, John Tenbusch once again is majority owner of Linear AMS. The Livonia company uses 3D printing technologies to create molding and industrial parts for customers in its industrial facility, located at 35450 Industrial Road.

Tenbusch founded the company, first known as Linear Mold & Engineering, in 2003 before it was acquired in 2015 by Moog Inc., a New York-based company that specializes in aircraft, industrial, space and defense parts and applications.

Tenbusch resumes control of the company months after Linear AMS announced it was laying off 40 employees in Livonia.

Linear AMS sent a notice in April to the Michigan Workforce Development Agency regarding the layoffs of 40 workers, which the company said it expected to be permanent as a result of relocating equipment to New York.

Now, Tenbusch is working closely with the director of tooling and manufacturing, Lou Young, to revamp the business in ways he said would retain jobs and result in possible revenues of up to $11 million in 2018.

Young told The Ann Arbor News the idea to take back control of Linear AMS came to him after being asked by Moog to help divest the company of its tooling and manufacturing equipment, to be relocated to New York.

He spoke with Tenbusch, who was not employed by the company at the time, and said the decision to throw their hats back in the ownership ring was soon made.

The two repurchased Linear AMS for an undisclosed amount, with the deal closing July 19, and plan to continue using the abbreviated name.

Tenbusch has 80 percent control of Linear AMS; Young has 20 percent control as the minority partner, according to the company statement.

Tenbusch was not available for comment at the time of publication.

While equipment is still being relocated to New York, Young said the new focus of the company is the injection mold business along with improving tooling capabilities.

"We are maintaining roughly around 70 employees with plans to grow that side of the business," Young said.

The 40 job cuts announced in April will go ahead as planned, though Young said some employees have already left the company and some may be folded back into the Linear AMS business.

Some other goals include 10 percent job growth and encouraging interest in the skilled-trades industry.

"This will be a serious issue for the whole area going forward," Young said about the lack of young people in the industry's employment pool.



He and Tenbusch plan to continue engaging local community colleges and high schools to "get that skilled trade mindset going," he said.



The future of Linear AMS could bring new investment in equipment and the company's working space, with a goal of bringing all employees under one roof, Young added.

Linear AMS currently operates out of two facilities in Livonia.



Young said Linear AMS employees were anxious when rumors of another ownership change began but the feeling is more of excitement now, with the original ownership taking back over.

"It's not often the old executive management team gets to buy back the company after ten years," Young said. "We're able to focus on what our core was previously, and that's got the employees excited as well."
LIMA TOWNSHIP, MI - Firefighters battled flames at a burning barn for several hours Saturday.

The fire was was fueled by an abundance of hay in the barn on the 1400 block of North Dancer Road in Lima Township, officials said.

Firefighters spent roughly five hours working to contain the fire, which began around 12:35 p.m., according to Chelsea Area Fire Authority Capt. Chris Smyth.

No injuries involving people or animals were reported.

Smyth said hay fires often take time to fight, due to the flammability of the dry grass.

"When you get a large amount of hay or straw like that, it's difficult to put out," he said. "You have to spread the straw out and bring in a machine to spray everything and put it out."

The blaze was extinguished around 5:30 p.m. that day.

It is being considered an accident, Smyth said.

Assisting Chelsea Area Fire Authority were Dexter Area Fire Department, Scio Township Fire Department, Saline Area Fire Department and Ann Arbor Township Fire Department.
UPDATE: Suspect in kidnapping 2-year-old in custody after crash; child recovered

DETROIT - Officials have issued an Amber Alert for a 2-year-old reportedly taken by her mother's armed boyfriend.

Police believe Sondra Renee was taken about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1 after Grady L. Barrett, 42, went to her aunt's home in the 21000 block of Karl Street and produced a weapon, according to the alert. The aunt was babysitting for the mother at the time.

Barrett is believed to have left in a black 2009 GMC Sierra pickup truck, Michigan plate #DAS-8417, with a trailer on the back with a sign for G&G Landscaping, Snow Removal and Grass Cutting.

Barrett is described as a black male, 6 feet tall and 278 pounds with a thick beard and mustache. The child is described as 2 feet 5 inches tall with brown eyes, braids and a dark complexion.

Those with information on the whereabouts of the two are asked to contact police.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Comerica Bank-Michigan is sponsoring a "Hometown Heroes Contest" to honor police officers, firefighters or emergency medical technicians in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw and Livingston counties.

Until Aug. 17, community members can submit a video nominating a local serviceman or woman working in those counties for a chance to win a $5,000 grant for their department and a selection of Detroit Tigers tickets.

The winning first responder gets the $5,000 grant, as well as 10 outfield box tickets and 50 pavilion tickets for the Sept. 23 Tigers game against the Minnesota Twins. Second runner up receives six outfield box tickets and 30 pavilion tickets, and third runner up receives 20 pavilion tickets.

"First responders put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe," said Michael T. Ritchie, president of Comerica Bank-Michigan. "This contest gives Comerica and the community an opportunity to express our gratitude and allows our heroes to enjoy a special night at the ballpark."

The deadline for video submissions is 11:59 p.m. Aug. 17 and in order to be judged, it must be uploaded by a registered Youtube account.

According to a press release from Comerica Bank, a panel of judges from the Detroit Tigers and Comerica will select the finalists. The finalists will then be showcased on Comerica Bank's Facebook, and public voting will take place between Aug. 28 and Sept. 8. The winners will be announced on Monday, Sept. 11.
MILAN, MI - An 18-year-old Milan man is accused of raping and assaulting a woman two days in a row at her home, police say.

Theodore Dapprich is set to appear in 14A-1 District court for a preliminary examination Aug. 8 after two previous hearings were adjourned, records show.

He was charged in early June with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, records show.

The charges stem from two separate alleged assaults at a residence on Greentree Lane in Milan - one on May 31 and a second on June 1, according to Milan police Detective Tory Terrill.

Terrill said Dapprich and the 21-year-old woman knew each other from high school and recently rekindled an acquaintanceship on social media.

Dapprich is accused of sexually and physically assaulting the woman when he first came to her residence on May 31, Terrill said, but afterward the woman felt they had reconciled and he came over the next day.

"She was under the opinion he was going to apologize," Terrill said.

Dapprich is accused of sexually assaulting and strangling the woman a second time, however, according to police.

The woman called 911 and was transported to the University of Michigan Hospital following the second alleged assault, Terrill said.

Dapprich was apprehended a day later. He is free on $20,000 cash or surety bond, according to court records.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected with a clarification from Milan police. The victim was reportedly physically assaulted both times, but only reported being strangled during the second incident.
BAY CITY, MI -- In an effort to foster community relations and curtail crime, area law enforcement are encouraging people to come out and mingle with them tonight, Aug. 1.

The 34th annual National Night Out Against Crime is taking place from 5-8 p.m. on the grounds of Uptown Bay City.

"National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live," the Bay City Department of Public Safety's Facebook page states. "Together, we are making that happen."

The free event features a cook-off, a tug-of-war contest, a ball game, a bounce house and various other games. Police vehicles and boats from the U.S. Coast Guard and Bay County Sheriff's Office will be on display as well.

Restaurants participating in the cooking contest include Real Seafood Company, Coco Loco, Suzie Q's Breakfast Nook, 3rd & Johnson Market and Eatery, That Guy's BBQ, Bare Bones BBQ & Pizza, Uptown Grill, Zef's Coney Island, and Villarreal Authentic Take-Out.

Meijer is providing hot dogs, soda pop, and potato chips. Popcorn, ice cream, and snow cones will also be on hand.

On the national level, more than 16,000 communities in all 50 states, Canada, and U.S. military installations are participating in the event. It is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and co-sponsored locally by Bay City's citizen district councils and the public safety department.

According to organizers, National Night Out has four objectives:

Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness. Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime efforts. Strengthen a neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. Send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

"This is a night for America to stand together and promote awareness, safety, and neighborhood unity," the public safety department's Facebook page states. "National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement. When law enforcement and the community work closely together, some amazing things can happen."

Interested parties can RSVP via this Facebook event page.
BAY CITY, MI -- A 21-year-old man accused of having sex with two underage girls he met via social media has to wait a while longer before facing a jury.

The trial of Nathan R. Moszyk was scheduled to begin the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 1. However, due to a scheduling conflict with defense attorney Matthew L. Reyes, proceedings have been adjourned to Tuesday, Sept. 12.

In the interim, Moszyk will turn 22.

Previous trial dates of Jan. 31, March 7, April 4, and May 2 were also adjourned.

Moszyk has had the matter hanging over his head for more than a year. In May 2016, he was arraigned on three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person between the ages of 13 and 15. The charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

In July 2016, Moszyk was arraigned on two more counts of the same charge contained in a new file.

Regarding the three charges Moszyk was first arraigned on, an affidavit authored by a Bay City Department of Public Safety detective and contained in court records states a girl told staff at the Nathan Weidner Children's Advocacy Center that she had oral sex with Moszyk on multiple occasions at his house in the 1700 block of South Monroe Street. The activity occurred between February and May 2016, the affidavit states.

With the two more recent charges, another affidavit authored by a police detective states a different girl said she had oral sex with Moszyk on two occasions between May and September 2015. At the time, the girl was 13 and Moszyk was approximately 19, the affidavit states.

Reyes previously told The Times Moszyk met both the girls on social media.

In Michigan, a person cannot legally consent to sexual activity until reaching age 16.

Moszyk is free on bond, a condition of which prohibits him from having contact with anyone younger than 16.

If Moszyk is convicted, he will be classified as a Tier III offender under the state's Sex Offender Registration Act. This means he would have to register as a sex offender every three months for the rest of his life "unless the court finds that the victim was between the ages of 13 and 15 inclusive, consented to the conduct, and the defendant was not more than 4 years older than the victim."
RIVER ROUGE, MI - Several workers were injured in an overnight explosion at U.S. Steel Corp.'s Great Lakes Works facility in River Rouge.

The River Rouge Fire Department was called about 11:30 p.m. Monday, July 31 to the U.S. Steel facility near Zug Island for a reported explosion, River Rouge fire Capt. Marvin Dotson said.

The situation was under control with employees already transported to the hospital when firefighters arrived, he said.

Five workers were transported to local hospitals for treatment following the incident at the facility's Hot Strip Mill, according to a statement from U.S. Steel issued Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Of the employees that were injured, two remained hospitalized Tuesday, according to the statement. One employee was treated and released at the plant's on-site medical care facility.

Information on the nature of the explosion was not immediately available.

U.S. Steel will work with United Steelworkers and government agencies while the incident remains under investigation, according to the company statement.
[July 31, 2017] Digility Inc to Move Headquarters to Texas

DALLAS, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Digility Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mastek UK Limited, announces plans to move its corporate office to Addison, Texas. This move is a significant milestone in the history of the company and demonstrates Digility's commitment to future investment and growth in North America. Digility has considered the move from Bridgewater, New Jersey to Texas since the acquisition of the Dallas based ecommerce solution provider TAISTech in December 2016. With the increase of business originating from TAISTech, the company felt the need to support its continued growth and expansion out of Dallas. The company is in the process of accelerating the integration of TAISTech with Digility and the Mastek Group of companies. This move will be effective August 1, 2017.



Mastek Group CEO John Owen says, "This move to centralize our US operations in Dallas gives our business critical mass in the strategically important US market and will allow us to better serve our customers and attract the best local talent. This move comes on the back of strong quarter-on-quarter performance and is the next logical step in our evolution of our US business. As we grow from strength to strength, we will continue to invest in strengthening our US presence and is evidence of our continued commitment to our customers, our employees and our US partners." Digility is proud to join the many other industry leaders in the Lone Star state. Situated 14 miles north of Dallas, Addison offers a strong pipeline of talent as Texas holds the second largest civilian workforce in America. The new headquarters, located at 15601 Dallas Parkway, Suite 250, Addison, Texas 75001, sits among the unique urban center environment of Addison Circle.

About Digility:

As the digital arm of Mastek, Digility enables large-scale business change programs through our service offerings, which include agile consulting, digital commerce, BI and analytics, application development and support, and testing. Whether it is creating new applications, modernizing existing ones or recovering failing projects, Digility help enterprises to navigate the digital landscape and stay competitive. Learn more by visiting www.digility.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digility-inc-to-move-headquarters-to-texas-300496836.html SOURCE Digility Inc.

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The Board of Directors of the Company at their Meeting held on Tuesday, 1st August, 2017 inter-alia has transacted the following items of Agenda:1. Approved the Un-audited Financial Results of the Company for the quarter ended 30th June, 2017.2. To convene the 11th Annual General Meeting of the Company on 26th September, 2017 and fixed the book closure dates from 21st September, 2017 to 26th September, 2017 (both days inclusive) for the purpose of Annual General Meeting.Further please find enclosed herewith the un-audited financial results along with Limited Review Report for the Quarter ended 30th June, 2017 taken on record by the Board of Directors.This is for your information and records.Source : BSE

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Gaurav Bissa of LKP Securities told CNBC-TV18, "My first recommendation would be buy on Bharat Financial Inclusion. We have seen strong accumulation in the futures segment. From Rs 800, a lot of buying is also emerging in the Call Option side. This signal indicates that it can head toward higher levels of Rs 900 or even more. With a small stop loss of Rs 845, one can buy for target of Rs 880."

"Second would be buy on Capital First. Consistent long position has seen getting built. It has been seeing strong resistance at Rs 770 zones. It is now holding Rs 770 quite comfortably. One can have a stop loss of 768 and buy for target of Rs 810," he said.

"Sell recommendation would be on Tata Chemicals . Since higher levels it is seeing consistent short positons getting built, trading below the support levels. With stop loss of Rs 628, target of Rs 605 can be seen in two days."
The offices of the Insurance Ombudsman offices across 10 cities may finally get a chief. Insurance regulator IRDAI has invited applications for appointment of Insurance Ombudsman at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi and Mumbai.

The move comes amid a heavy backlog of cases due to vacancy of the posts for about 2-3 years at each of the Ombudsman offices.

Much like the Banking Ombudsman, the insurance watchdog looks into customer grievances that insurance companies fail to resolve. Unlike consumer courts where policyholders are required to pay a fee, the Insurance Ombudsman office will resolve cases free of cost.

Inviting candidates for selection, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has said that an applicant should have at least 25 years of experience in the insurance industry at senior level with last position held at most one level below Board.

They can also be retired civil servants or retired judges of district, sessions court or equivalent high courts.

An Ombudsman who has completed full three-year term and is not more than 64 years as on August 16 is also eligible to apply. The last date for receiving applications is August 16.

Currently, only seven Insurance Ombudsman offices across the country have a chief. The position is lying vacant at the remaining 10 centres.

How to file a complaint with an Insurance Ombudsman

 The complaint must be by an individual on a 'Personal Lines' insurance

 A representation should first be made to the insurance company and if they have received an unsatisfactory reply or no reply has been received for 30 days, they can go to the Ombudsman

 The complaint must be lodged within one year of the event

 The total relief sought must be within an amount of Rs.20 lakhs.

 The subject matter of the complaint should not currently be or have earlier been before a Court/Consumer Forum.
Ashwin Damera

Vishal Sikka of Infosys, Nisa Godrej of Godrej Industries, Kishore Biyani of Future Group and Harsh Mariwala of Marico have committed to design thinking in their organisations. Infosys, in fact has trained about one lakh employees on design thinking in 2016 as the firm looks to ramp up revenues from new technology areas. Internationally, companies such as Apple, Virgin Atlantic, Toyota, and many others have been vocal about how they are able to innovate continuously due to the culture of design thinking.

Corporate leaders are today using design thinking as a strategic business tool for accelerated growth through a radical change in the way these organizations innovate.

All this leads to the question: what is design thinking?

Design thinking is a creative and systematic approach to problem-solving by placing the user at the centre of the experience. It is enabling organisations of all sizes to ideate better, develop new approaches to innovation, weave insights and concepts together, and ultimately helping them meet their customers needs more effectively. Folks at IDEO, one of the most innovative and award-winning design firms in the world, strategically put users at the core of everything they doa process they refer to as human-centered design.

A design thinking course teaches participants to understand the design thinking process, identify and assess customer opportunities, generate and evaluate new product and service concepts, design services and customer experiences, design for environmental sustainability, and evaluate product development economics.

Unlike many other professionals, designers are trained to think about a number of different constraints at once - technical (what is feasible), human (what is desirable) and financial (what is viable). Design thinking is particularly useful for resolving extremely complex issues where many stakeholders need to be satisfied

The basics of the design thinking methodology can be broken down into five steps, according to a primer by designers at Stanford Universitys d. school:

EmpathiseObserve the customers needs and motivations.

DefineDefine the problem that you want to solve.

IdeateCome up with a variety of solutions, without judging which are good or bad.

PrototypeMake models of the most promising possibilities.

TestTest the models.

While B-schools teach students to base their decisions on market research and data, design thinking uses real-life interactions and problems to work with.

Some examples that really demonstrate the power of design thinking are the transformation of Airbnb from a failing startup to a billion dollar business; Toyota using design thinking to speed up and improve customer service responses in its California centre; Toshiba converted floppy disk manufacturing factories into vegetable farms, growing lettuce, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables etc.

Design thinking is and will continue to become more valuable in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. It will be in our best interest to be trained in this discipline.

The writer is Executive Director, Emeritus Institute of Management
Nitin Gadkari

If union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has his way, then India might soon have vehicles running on methanolan alternative fuel made from coal.

At a high level discussion, Gadkari has asked National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog to study the automobile standards of China, where vehicles run on methanol.

The decision was taken in the presence of various stakeholders including, Sharad Pawar, president- Nationalist Congress Party, VK Saraswat, member- NITI Aayog, Mansukh L Mandaviya, minister of state, chemical and fertilisers and other secretaries to chemical, fertilisers, petroleum and natural gas ministries.

Nitin Gadkari stressed on the need for clean fuel, said an official source. (A fuel that can) substitute fossil fuels, cut imports and is cheap.

He stressed on the use of indigenous material for production of fuel, official said.

Also read: Pradhan pitches for startup funds by PSUs, Methanol Economy

The official said that NITI Aayog made a presentation to push methanol as a fuel for waterways, which is clean, good substitute for heavy fuel and can cut down imports. Presently, India imports methanol from Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The members agreed that methanol is a very promising fuel which is also being used in China, said the source.

The experts, however, cautioned that using methanol from natural gas could be an expensive move for India, thus it must convert methanol from coal, which is abundant in India.

If we start making it from coal, it will be cost effective, said the source.

We have good reserves of high ash coal. Fluid bed design is the best option to gasify our coal, said RR Sondy, chairman, Task force on production of methanol from coal, Thermax, an engineering solutions firm.

The technology is available commercial application is to be established," he said.
India and Egypt today discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in key areas such as trade and reaffirmed that bilateral relations were "very strong" and wide in scope having great potential for expansion.

"Last year, India and Egypt had concluded a G to G (government to government) agreement for supply of rice to Egypt at a friendship price," India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya said.

Bhattacharyya today met with Egyptian Minister for Supply and Internal Trade Supply Ali El Moselhy to discuss opportunities for expansion of bilateral cooperation.

During the meeting, the Egyptian minister recalled "India's great assistance" on that occasion and noted that the "bilateral relations were very strong and wide in scope with great potential for expansion", the Indian envoy said.

This G to G agreement was a path-breaking development achieved after several decades and was recognised in the joint statement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the latter's state visit to India last year, Bhattacharyya said.

"There are many opportunities for expanding this (cooperation) to other items such as tea, sugar, wheat, oils among others," the Indian Ambassador told PTI.

Bhattacharyya said the economic situation in the two countries have similarities with need to address requirements of the poor through government organised distribution systems.

There are also policy issues such as subsidies and subsidy targeting on which both sides can exchange experiences.
7. Anadarko Petroleum | Fine: Rs 33,477 crore | The firm tried to avoid paying fines for environmental contamination.

Indian refiners are outperforming their competitors in South Korea and Thailand as they have ramped up output from new fuel and chemical capacities to meet rising domestic demand that could further lift their earnings over the next two years.

Asia is adding net refining capacity of 360,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year, according to Wood Mackenzie, with units coming online in China and Vietnam that could keep most of Asia well-supplied and weigh on refining margins for export-oriented refiners in South Korea and Thailand.

India, though, where refiners have already ramped up capacity that has come online, will likely be shielded from the pressure on margins by strong local demand, analysts said.

"Indian refiners are a bright spot in Asia because of rising fuel demand," Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd's Chairman M K Surana told Reuters.

Surana expects Indian demand growth of about 5 percent a year up to 2030 as a rising population and increasing affluence drive up oil use in the world's third-largest crude importer.

Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday indicated a slower growth pace, but still said the country would consume 226 million tonnes (4.95 million bpd) of refined products in fiscal year 2021/22, up from 205 million tonnes in 2017-2018.

"We expect India to lead global oil demand growth, contributing to one-third of the growth expected in 2017-2030," Goldman Sachs analysts told clients last week.

Indian refiners Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd, HPCL and Reliance Industries could see their shares rising, with gains between 11 percent for Reliance and 25 percent for BPCL over the next year, the analysts said.

Among the refiners that have recently added capacity are BPCL, which is ramping up output after an expansion at its Kochi refinery, and Indian Oil Corp, which is planning to run its Paradip refinery at full capacity this year.

Indian oil refiners are being undervalued, the Goldman Sachs analysts said.

"Multiple re-rating could continue as investors give more credit for diminishing regulatory headwinds and sustainable earnings growth," the analysts said.

Regulatory changes in India that allow refiners to charge market rates for fuels, they said, have also improved the profitability at domestic refiners.

Analysts at Japanese investment bank Nomura said in July that their top investment recommendations for Asian refineries were IOC, BPCL and HPCL, "owing to refinery volume increase, deregulated petrol and diesel prices, and undemanding valuations."

In contrast, Goldman said added capacities across Asia could dampen gross refining margins. The bank expects Singapore complex refining margins to drop to $7.70 and $7.30 in 2018 and 2019, respectively, from $8 this year.

That means valuations for Asian refiners are stretched, it said, and recommended investors sell SK Innovation, owner of South Korea's largest refiner, S-Oil Corp, and Thailand's Thai Oil PCL and IRPC PCL.

With low oil prices helping to drive India's demand, though, and capacity additions slowing, its market is likely to remain snug, said Tushar Tarun Bansal, director at consultancy Ivy Global Energy.

"Only a few secondary units are expected to come onstream in the next five years," he said, while India's strong economic growth will continue to drive rising oil demand going forward.
Nitin Gadkari

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Union minister Nitin Gadkari today asked industry players to explore possibilities of producing green fuels like methanol from high-ash coal, officials said.

The Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister also asked global players like Volvo and Stena Lines whether they could run automobile and shipping fleet on methanol.

Gadkari today chaired a high-level meeting of various ministries, ports and industry players here. Former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and NITI Aayog member V K Saraswat were also present in the meeting, officials who attended the meeting told PTI.

The minister asked NITI Aayog to study automobile specifications that China has developed for running its fleet on ethanol. The Aayog has constituted three expert groups on production, utilisation and research and development of methanol.

The minister termed methanol as a promising solution to cut on India's huge Rs 7 lakh crore annual crude import bills. "Most of the countries produced it from gas but in India it would be economically viable if we derive it from high-ash coal as India is surplus in coal generation," Gadkari said.

Addressing the meet, Gadkari asked the players like Larsen and Toubro and Thermax whether they could come forward with a technology for it, officials said. The minister said the government not only plans to run automobile fleet on it but also intends to use it as main fuel for running vessels on waterways.

"This government is committed to promote clean fuel. We have lots of coal mines....I had a meeting with the Prime Minister," he said.

The minister said that if methanol proves to be viable barges could be easily run on the same and asked Cochin Shipyard whether the methanol-compliant engines could be manufactured.

Also he stressed the need on use of agri produce, solid waste for methanol production besides coal, saying that methanol production from coal will be cost-effective. A pilot project for coal to methanol is running in Talcher.

The stakeholders agreed that coal would be a better solution as manufacturing methanol from imported gas would be a costly proposition.

Thermax which was present in the meeting said it is in the process of manufacturing methanol from coal, officials said. Thermax said India should be able to have its own 1500- 5000 TPD (tonnes per day) plant by 2023 and all licensing will be Indian.

As per the presentation by NITI Aayog, methanol is a very promising fuel for waterways as it is clean, can be a good substitute for the heavy fuels thus not only cutting down on imports but also checking pollution. The Aayog is working on a road map for conversion of fuel to ethanol.

India at present imports methanol from Saudi Arabia and Iran and indigenous production is at a very low level. Those present in the meet included experts and stakeholders including ministers and officials from Chemicals & Fertilizers, Petroleum & Natural Gas, New & Renewable Energy. The CMD of Cochin Shipyard was also present, officials said.
Honda

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) said it has commenced the deliveries of the 1000-cc CRF1000L Africa Twin motorcycle in the country.

The model is HMSI's first one-litre engine capacity motorcycle to be manufactured in India.

"Africa Twin is possibly the most reliable, versatile and proven adventure touring motorcycle ever launched in India," HMSI Senior Vice President-Sales and Marketing Yadvinder Singh Guleria said in a statement.

The company has bagged first 50 bookings for the model in just over two months after initiating the process on May 15, 2017.

The model comes with dual clutch transmission (DCT) system, selectable torque control and switchable anti-locking braking system (ABS).
Cochin Shipyard (CSL), Indias largest public sector shipyard, will open for subscription on Tuesday and close on August 3rd. The company intends to raise about Rs. 1,400-1,500 crore through an initial public offering (IPO).

Equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and National Stock Exchange. The book running lead managers to the issue are SBI Capital Markets, Edelweiss Financial Services and JM Financial Institutional Securities.

Most domestic brokerage firms have recommended investors to subscribe to the issue on account of attractive valuations, healthy order book, and low debt on books as well as quality management.

The company intends to raise Rs.1,415 crore-1,442 crore (post discount to retail investors and employees). The company plans to use the net proceeds for setting up of dry dock within the existing premise of the company (Rs.443 crore), setting up of an international ship repair facility at Cochin Port Trust area (Rs.229.5 crore) and general corporate purposes.

The company has paid dividends to its shareholders at rates of 15%, 15%, 15% and 76.5% in FY2013, FY2014, FY2015 and FY2016, respectively, and has declared dividend of 89.7% for FY2017.

As of June 30, 2017, its total cash and bank balance stood at Rs.2,003 crore, while it had fund-based indebtedness in the form of tax-free infrastructure bonds amounting to Rs.123 crore.

The listed private sector shipyard companies such as Reliance Defence and Engineering, ABG Shipyard and Bharati Defence and Infrastructure have been under financial stress, showing consolidated net loss during FY2016-FY2017.

Further, ABG Shipyard and Bharati Defence reported negative net worth in FY2016, while financials for FY2017 have not been publicly available.

Consequently, CSL is not comparable with listed private sector shipyard companies. CSL is expected to be available at 18.8x P/E multiple (EPS calculated on post issue number of shares) and 2.9x P/B on FY2017 financials at the upper price band of Rs.432, Sharekhan said in a note.

We believe the valuation factors in CSLs consistent profitability, relatively high return ratios, stronger balance sheet, capacity expansion plans and competitive advantage in catering Indias defence sector, he said.

Also read: 10 things you should know before investing in Cochin Shipyard IPO

We have collated a list of top 10 brokerage houses which have given their views on Cochin Shipyard IPO:

Reliance Securities: Subscribe

The domestic brokerage firm said that it admires Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSLs) ability to stay afloat in the turbulent period without compromising on margins.

Going forward, governments endeavor to improve its defence strength in sea route and several initiatives under flagship Make in India programme will result in healthy orders for CSL, which will drive growth.

At the upper price band, CSL trades at 18.8x FY17 EPS post dilution. Though it is difficult to compare it with peers as most of the listed peers are loss making, we believe the current valuations are not expensive given healthy return ratios and bright prospects, it said.

Further, price to book ratio after dilution stands at 1.9x, which is attractive in our view. Hence, Reliance Securities recommend subscribe to the issue.

Centrum Capital: Listing gains possible

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) is a wholly-owned government company which caters to the Indian defence (85% of FY17 sales) and commercial (15%) worldwide segments in the shipping industry.

As of Mar17, CSLs order book stood at Rs3,306 crore and has bid for three major tenders of the Indian Navy. In addition, the governments Make in India initiative and focus on defence spends is likely to open many opportunities for CSL.

Over FY15-17, CSL reported revenue and PAT CAGR of 14 percent and 112 percent, respectively. EBITDA margins expanded from 5.6 percent in FY15 to 18.5 percent in FY17, benefitting from lower raw material cost.

IIFL Wealth Management: Subscribe

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), the largest public-sector shipyard in India in dock capacity, perfectly poised to capitalize on the governments focus on Make in India campaign in the domestic defence sector.

Having delivered benchmark projects for the Indian Navy in the past, CSL is currently developing Indias first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC). Order book of Rs.30bn and bid pipeline of Rs.120bn provide strong revenue visibility over the next three years.

A sector veteran of over five decades, CSL has a strong foothold (39% market share) in Indias ship repair segment. With average margins of 18 percent over the last five years and RoEs of 15 percent over the same period, CSL has consistently delivered the goods, even during the slowdown phase in the shipbuilding industry.

The IPO provides good retail exposure to the promising domestic defence sector, and available at attractive valuations of 18.1x FY17 P/E (upper band of Rs.432). We recommend Subscribe.

HEM Securities: Subscribe

Cochin Shipyard top customers include the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. These top two customers together accounted for a majority share of company's revenue from operations in Fiscals 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.

As of March 31, 2017, cos shipbuilding order book position in terms of revenue to be recognised in future is Rs 2,936 crores. At price of Rs 424-432/share, co is bringing the issue at P/E multiple of 18.88 on post issue FY17 EPS of Rs 22.89.

With decent fundamentals, companys valuation looks reasonable at cur-rent level. Hence we recommend Subscribe on the issue.

ICICI Direct: Subscribe

Despite turbulent times in the global shipbuilding history, CSL has delivered topline and bottom line growth of 11.1 percent and 18.7 percent CAGR, respectively, in FY07-17.

CSL has a strong balance sheet with debt at Rs123 crore and cash at Rs1,600 crore. With the moderate capital expenditure of Rs2,800 crore over the next three years (FY18-21E) and superior return profile (average RoEs, RoCEs of 15.5%, 16.5%, respectively, in FY12-17), ICICI Direct believes CSL is a quality play and is on a strong footing.

ICICI Direct has a subscribe recommendation on the offering based on robust order book (Rs3,000 crore), strong order inflow visibility, best-in-class execution capabilities and leverage free balance sheet.

Asit C. Mehta: Subscribe

Cochin Shipyard is the largest dock in the country with expertise in ship building and repairing. Moving further, it is planning to foray into heavy engineering vehicles, and on expanding its ship building and repairing capabilities, which will enhance its order book, helping it compete well with international peers.

At the upper price band, asking price is at a P/E of 16X at FY17 EPS of Rs. 27.56. The domestic brokerage firm recommends subscribing the issue for listing gains and for a long-term prospective as well.

Angel Broking: Subscribe

Cochin Shipyard (CSL) is the largest Indian public sector shipyard and it received Miniratna status in 2008. CSL operates a shipyard that provides shipbuilding and ships repair services in both defence and non-defence spaces.

CSL generates 74 percent from shipbuilding and 26 percent from ship repair. Healthy order book indicates strong revenue visibility. In terms of valuation, pre- issue works out to 15.7x of FY2017 EPS (at the upper end of the issue price band), which is reasonably priced.

Arihant Capital Markets: 4-star rating

The issue has been offered in a price band of Rs 424 to 432 per equity share. At present total equity share is 11.33 crore and EPS is Rs 27 per share and with fresh issue of 2.26 crore total number of equity share will be 13.60 crore and adjusted EPS is Rs 23 per share at the upper price band of Rs 432 the stock is available at Adjusted P/E of 19 (x) based on FY17 annualized EPS. Arihant has given a 4-star rating for the issue.

Choice Broking: Subscribe

On the financial front, CSL over the past 3 fiscal years has reported strong numbers with topline witnessing a CAGR of 14 percent. The company has negligible debt on books with a debt to equity ratio of 0.06x as on FY17.

The company has maintained a strong cash position of Rs 1991.20 crores as of FY17. Furthermore, CSL is the only company compared to its listed peers which are profitable with strong track record and dividend paying. Considering the long term growth prospects the domestic brokerage firm feels that investors can subscribe for the issue.

Geojit Financial Services: Subscribe

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), is the largest public sector shipyard in India in terms of dock capacity and fully-owned by Government of India. CSL has emerged as the frontrunner in the Indian ship building & repair industry.

The recent Make in India initiative and GoI's plans to localise defence manufacturing are promising for CSL. Over the last 5yrs, Revenue and EBITDA have grown at a CAGR of 8 percent and 14 percent respectively.

During the same period, EBITDA margin has increased from 14% to 18% while PAT has grown at a CAGR of 15%. At an upper price band of Rs432, CSL is available at a reasonable valuation of 19x on FY17 EPS. We recommend 'Subscribe' to the issue, with a medium-to-long term perspective.

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.
Regulator Sebi has barred MGH Project India Ltd and its directors from capital markets after finding that the company had illegally raised money from people.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) found that the firm had raised Rs 1.35 crore by issuing redeemable preference shares to 2,355 investors during 2011-12 without complying with regulatory provisions applicable for a public issue.

The regulator observed that allotment of preference shares by the firm was a public issue (made to more than 50 people), which under the rules require a compulsory listing on a recognised stock exchange. It was also required to file a prospectus, among others, which it failed to do.

"As the offer and allotment of preference shares is, prima facie, a public issue in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act... I find that MPIL (MGH Project India Ltd) is prima facie in breach of the provisions of ... the Companies Act," Sebi Whole Time Member G Mahalingam said in an interim order.

"It can be reasonably inferred that money mobilisation on the part of MPIL is potentially placing investors at risk by not following the requirements of law applicable to a public issue... I find this to be a fit case to pass interim directions against MPIL and ... directors and promoters," he added.

Accordingly, Sebi has prohibited the company, its directors and promoters - Koushik Mukherjee, Syed Shofique Hossain, Pradyut Kumar Ghosh, Shome Shankar Ray, Syed Safkat Hossain, Tapas Ghosh, Sudip Banerjee and Mithu Ghosh- from accessing the securities market either directly or indirectly, or associating themselves with any listed firm.

Also, they have been restrained from disposing of their assets as well as diverting any funds garnered from public through the allotment of preference shares. These directions would remain in force until further orders, Sebi noted.

Besides, they have been directed to cooperate with Sebi and furnish all information sought in connection with the issuance of preference shares.
SoftBank Group is still in talks to invest in India's Flipkart - despite the collapse of discussions to fold a smaller rival into India's largest e-commerce site - but it would do so through its Vision Fund, according to sources familiar with the matter.

SoftBank, already invested in Indian online grocer Grofers and cab hailing firm Ola, tried for months to engineer a share swap transaction between Snapdeal and Flipkart, India's two main homegrown e-commerce companies.

That deal would have given SoftBank, as Snapdeal's largest shareholder, a significant stake in Flipkart - but it was scuppered on Monday, in the face of opposition from Snapdeal's founders, Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal.

Three sources, who declined to be identified as the discussions were private, said SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son was still eager to invest in Flipkart through his Vision Fund, in which Saudi Arabia is also a major stakeholder.

The Vision Fund's planned investment is not dependent on a deal between Snapdeal and Flipkart, one of the sources said.

Flipkart, the most significant Indian challenger to U.S. retail giant Amazon's ambitions in the country, declined to comment on the matter. A spokeswoman for SoftBank said the Vision Fund "follows an independent process and judges every investment on its own merit". Snapdeal also declined to comment.

Bloomberg reported earlier on Tuesday that the fund could invest up to $2 billion in Flipkart.

The Vision Fund, created by the tech-to-solar conglomerate, has raised more than $93 billion from investors including Saudi Arabia's main sovereign wealth fund and Apple .
Moneycontrol News

Gurgaons ASF Tower wore a gloomy look on Tuesday. Employees were frequently walking in and out of the office of the countrys erstwhile third largest e-commerce office Snapdeal  some to leave for home early, others to have a stress buster smoke at the roadside kiosk.

Inside the office, employees could easily be seen in groups of three or four, having animated conversations. While some were helping others update their resume, others could be found in a panic stricken mode.

Quite a few senior executives were learnt to have asked their direct reportees not to bet any hope on the company management and instead start looking for employment options outside. Some employees are calling this their personal Plan B.

Snapdeal on Monday terminated talks for a sale to rival Flipkart stressing it would be pursuing an independent path in a strategy it calls as Snapdeal 2.0.

The 2.0 version of the company is expected to trigger another round of a mass exodus which could see Snapdeal become leaner by at least 600-800 employees.

Over the last couple of years, the companys headcount has declined from around 9000 employees in 2014-15 to about 1100-odd people currently.

Mass layoffs need a board approval

According to two senior executives, the decision to layoff people en masse needs a board approval as the severance needs to be decided.

Some of the proposals are expected to be presented to the board soon. No decision has been taken as of now, one of them said.

Employees are feeling anxious because of the uncertainty caused due to a pullout of the merger talks by founders and their decision to execute an alternative plan.

It would be rather better if the decision (to layoff) was taken like immediately. At least we wont be living under false hopes. Till now still many people are thinking that they might get to save their jobs, said an employee requesting anonymity.

A group called Gurgaon chapter of IT Professionals Welfare Association has come in to aid the affected employees and is independently counseling them and helping them find jobs.

All the employees we spoke to in Snapdeal are scared and distressed. Some said their seniors or team leads have been told verbally to do a headcount of all the members of their teams, and the general understanding is that 60 to 70 percent of each team will be asked to leave, said Baljeet Poonia, convener of ITPWA.

The other thing the employees are worried about, according to Poonia, was that the job market is not as buoyant as it was a year ago. It would make it difficult for the laid off employees to find new job opportunities.

Labour union steps in to prevent mass layoffs

The association is trying to arrange a lawyer to defend the employees rights in front of the Labour Commission.

The ITPWA demands that the retrenchment process be halted immediately at Snapdeal and the company enter into talks with employees' representatives on the way forward for the company and the employees and arrive at solutions that protect the livelihood and security of employees, the association said in a statement.

During the layoffs that happened in February-March, this year, the employees were paid three months of their full salary as severance pay.

It wasnt immediately clear if the same will happen now, especially when CEO Kunal Bahl in his letter to the employees a day before mentioned that there will be a need for tight control on the costs and that the company currently doesn't need to raise additional capital to reach profitability.

According to Bahl, the company is already profitable at gross profit level and targets Rs 150 crore in gross profit in the next 12 months.

It is also important to note that while Snapdeal sold its mobile payments unit Freecharge to Axis Bank last week, the deal is subject to approval by the Reserve Bank of India.

The amount of Rs 385 crore is expected to come in the bank for Snapdeal only after two months.

Another senior executive said that the matter is worse for people who have been asked to retain select employees.

Not everyone is keen to stick around because of the looming uncertainty. Employees who are indispensable according to managers are asking why should they stay back? The bigger question is, what is the company willing to do to make them stay? the senior executive said.

During the course of the week, a lot of meetings have been planned to proceed with Plan B, which will mostly be headed by the founders. Some of these meetings which were scheduled for today however got cancelled.

The plan is to retain 250-300 employees, which effectively means that the company will have to reduce its manpower by more than 70 percent, sources tell Moneycontrol.

"A list of 80 highest paid employees have been made. It mostly constitutes of non-CXOs at the level of vice president, president and assistant president," another senior executive said adding that it is yet to be decided that how many of them will be let go of.

"The salaries of these employees will range between Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore," he added.

In a conversation with Moneycontrol, a person privy to the entire development however advocated that the layoffs were to happen 'even if the deal with Flipkart had happened.'

"For employees, it would have been worse in the Flipkart deal. It was very likely that almost 90 percent of the employees would have lost their jobs over the next 6 to 12 months," he said requesting anonymity.

It's imperative to point out that the employees had been promised retention bonuses if the deal with Flipkart went through. With Snapdeal 2.0 strategy there isn't an immediate clarity on the severance.

Adding to IT woes- a layoffs 2.0?

The layoffs could be seen in light of the recent news of layoffs in the Indian IT services sector, which has been asking employees to leave amid slowing growth, challenges in core geographies and an attempt to reduce bench strength.

There aren't many reliable numbers about the total number of employees employed by startups, but there are some indicative figures.

For instance, according to the Indian information technology body National Association of Software and services Companies (Nasscom), e-commerce is a USD 33 billion market, with online retail accounting for about 40 percent of the overall pie.

The Nasscom IT-BPM sector Strategic Review 2017 report noted that the sector employed 50,000-60,000 people, based on data recorded till the second quarter of 2016. It also considered startups incorporated 2011 onwards for the analysis. It is reasonable to assume that the actual number is much higher.

In contrast, the over USD 150 billion IT service industry as a whole employed 3.9 million people last year.

priyanka.sahay@nw18.com
E-commerce firm Snapdeal's decision to walk away from Flipkart deal and execute a Snapdeal 2.0 could lead to a potential litigation as it now appears that the founders may not have taken the board into confidence about the beleaguered company's new revival plan, according to two people privy to the development.

Vani Kola, co-founder of Kalaari Capital who till recently was sitting on the board of the company, has publicly criticised this move.

"I am extremely disappointed and shocked with the founders and their disregard for investors and the employees' interest," she said adding that she had no prior information on this and this was something not discussed with her, in an interaction with a television channel.

Snapdeal 2.0 is expected to be a much leaner organisation and will see exodus of a massive chunk of employees (Read here).

When something goes without the agreement of the stakeholders, it can have repercussions. There could be litigation for mismanagement," one of the persons quoted above said adding that there is also a possibility that the deal could come back to the table in some form or shape. Dont immediately know how will it come back or who will be the potential buyer but I don't think, it will die so easy as the shareholders value is eroding if you dont do a deal, the person said.

"The fact of the matter is that the founders have gone ahead and taken a decision that the deal will not go through and the Snapdeal 2.0 is to happen. Has the board approved the Snapdeal 2.0? The answer is no," said the second person quoted above.

Snapdeal on Monday announced that it has terminated all talks for a distress sale to Flipkart and wants to pursue an independent path.

The key stakeholder, Softbank said that it supported the company in this decision and will look forward to the results of the Snapdeal 2.0 strategy.

Without specifying whether or not Softbank will invest money in Snapdeal, it further said it will look forward to remaining invested in the vibrant Indian e-commerce space.

Softbank is reported to be in talks with rival Flipkart to invest USD 1.5-2 billion.

On the other hand, Snapdeal hinted that it might not require an external capital immediately, by saying, With the sale of certain non-core assets, Snapdeal is expected to be financially self-sustainable. We look forward to the support of our community, including employees, sellers, buyers and other stakeholders in helping us create a designed-for-India commerce platform.

Suvir Sujan, co-founder of Nexus Venture Partners, and Akhil Gupta (independent director) who sit on the board of Snapdeal did not immediately respond to emails from Moneycontrol.

To a detailed questionnaire, Snapdeal said, "the path to profitability being pursued by the company till date is as approved by the board in March 2017. The company will continue to seek guidance and direction from the board in further execution and detailing of such plans." However, it did not specify whether or not this move had an in principle approval from all the stakeholders.

A third person who has been involved in the development (requesting anonymity) cited that the decision to not to go ahead with the deal has been endorsed by all the key people like Softbank, Nexus and the promoters. Its a clear and final decision and a single shareholder like a Kalaari Capital cannot decide for everyone.

"In this deal, Kalaari has already taken out a decent exit besides they had a special payment promised by Softbank if the deal went through and there are discussions about them getting an additional investment from Softbank. It is them, if at all anyone who are not working in the interest of the company," the person quoted above said. Advocating the founders decision, the person also said that "any one shareholder like Kalaari cannot decide for everyone. Without the deal happening, theyre not going to get a special payment, ... theyre probably not going to get Softbank to invest in their fund, so that is why they are so unhappy. We think this is the best thing for the company."

He also added that even if the deal with Flipkart had happened at best the investors would have gained something out of it. For employees, it would have been worse. "There is likely going to be some reduction in people, but in the Flipkart deal it was very likely that almost 90 percent of the employees would have lost their jobs over the next 6 to 12 months."

To be sure, the employees, however, had retention bonuses if the deal with Flipkart went through. With Snapdeal 2.0 there isn't an immediate clarity on what sort of severance will be paid to the employees.

While the person quoted above, did not rule out the possibility of a litigation, he said that there was "zero possibility of the deal coming back on the table." Kola resigned from the board of Snapdeal in May even as the deal talks were ongoing. "One investors cannot unilaterally say that the deal should be back on the table. So it is much ado about nothing .. just trying to rile people up," he said.

"There is a reason why there is a Softbank statement and a Snapdeal statement -- it is to make it crystal clear that decision is made," he added.

According to a corporate lawyer, who spoke to Moneycontrol on the basis of anonymity, broadly, under the companies act there is very limited action that anyone can take. "There are provisions like class action which requires a minimum of 10% of stakeholders to come up and raise the issue. The second problem is that it needs to be proven that the directors are not acting in the best interest of the company. It will be very difficult to question the business judgement of the director in this case, because the acquisition may could have resulted in shutting down of the company. So it will be very premature for anybody to file the case at this point in time. They would probably want to see what is the implementation of Snapdeal 2.0," he said.

He further added that the Snapdeal's case is particularly interesting because they are acting as the management and it has been widely reported that the founders have been trying to block the deal. "For instance, in the US, in a take over battle, if the management is trying to protect their own job and not letting a deal to happen amounting to stakeholders losing value, it is a big issue. Management is often held responsible for the interest of the shareholders as a group. So where the management destroys the value of the shareholder because of emotional reasons then they bear a lot of risk. Someone can say that they did not exercise the judgement in good faith or diligence," he added.

According to him, at this point in the case of Snapdeal, it is premature currently but it will be interesting to see if the Snapdeal 2.0 fails and the company ends up being sold for a fraction of this value. "In such a case, one can expect a lot of risk of litigation and bad blood," he said.

Going a little back, the deal had many hiccups.

The Flipkart's revised term sheet which valued Snapdeal around USD 850 million, had several clauses and hold-backs including imposing legal liability on board members post deal which majorly irked the founders. Last month, the family office of billionaire Azim Premji had too reportedly objected to special payouts to select stakeholders including the two Snapdeal founders as well.
Jain Irrigation Systems' share price has gained 97 percent from March 23, 2020. Close Price as on May 27, 2020: Rs 6.99 and on March 23, 2020: Rs 3.55.

Rajat Bose of rajatkbose.com told CNBC-TV18, "In Jain Irrigation Systems the stoploss should be below Rs 100.50 because if it were to fall below that then it can actually slide down much further something like Rs 93 to about Rs 89."

He further added, "It needs to cross on the upside Rs 111 to Rs 112. Unless that is taken out, there is no big movement going forward."
It seems that nationwide lockdown has not much impacted the fertilizer sector. In May 2020, the Indian Fertiliser industry has witness sales growth of 25% to 5 million tonnes as compared to 4 million tonnes in the same month last year. Coromandel International and Chambal Fertilisers have seen major sales growth in the sector. The research firm Prabhudas Lilladher is bullish on 5 stocks in the sector and among that they expect stock Insecticides India may see the upside of 82 percent, report dated June 09, 2020.

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Citi has maintained buy rating on Bharat Electronics with a target of Rs 199. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has raised concern on the missile systems issued by the company to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

According to CAG's audit the missile systems delivered by the company were deficient in quality. A preliminary failure analysis report revealed that the missiles fell short of targets, had lower than required velocity and also there was malfunctioning of critical units like Servo Control Unit and Connector.

Out of 80 missiles received up to November 2014, 20 were test fired during April-November 2014, out of that six (30 percent) had fail the tests. Two missiles failed to take off because the booster nozzle had failed, said CITI.

As per CAG, the missile systems' induction suffered delays due to delay in infrastructure creation and delay in site acceptance test.

The company is currently negotiating with the Indian Air Force for supply of 7 squadrons of Akash. The said concerns could lead to delays in signing of the order. However, the company already has a healthy order book, which should prevent risks to near-term earnings," it added.

The company's standalone Q1 (April-June) net profit increased by 247 percent at Rs 125.3 crore versus Rs 36.1 crore, in a year ago period.

Total revenue of the company rose 94 percent at Rs 1,803.1 crore versus Rs 927.8 crore.

At 10:55 hrs Bharat Electronics was quoting at Rs 181.80, up Rs 2.85, or 1.59 percent on the BSE.

It has touched a 52-week high of Rs 187.40.
A bushel of soybeans are shown on display in the Monsanto research facility in Creve Coeur, Missouri, July 28, 2014. Monsanto engineers designed a chipper to shave a tiny tissue sample off a seed to analyze the seed's genetics. If the sample is positive for desirable genetic traits, the seed is still viable so a breeder can plant it in a field test and use it in the breeding process to create more seeds of its kind. Picture taken July 28, 2014. 20 of 25 Monsanto Stand Alone Picture Package. REUTERS/Tom Gannam (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT FOOD SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AGRICULTURE) - RTR42TJN

Angel Commodities' commodity report on Soybean

NCDEX Soybean August futures were traded lower on Monday to close more than 1% down as market participants liquidate their long positions on anticipation of lower crushing demand as government has cut tariff rates of palm oil for the next fortnight . As per government data, soybean planting fell 10.3% to 95.7 lakh hectares compared with the same period last year. Last year, the acreage was 106.7 lakh hectares. Sowing of soybean fell so far during the period due to a drop in acreage in Madhya Pradesh, the country's largest producer of soybean, as most farmers shifted to more profitable crops such as cotton due to poor returns from oilseeds last year. CBOT November soybean futures closed lower due to improving in crop rating in the US for soybean coupled with down in export inspection. For soybeans, 48% of the nations crop is setting pods vs. a 45% five - year average. The U.S. soybean crop good/excellent rating is at 59%, slightly ahead of last weeks 57% rating. The USDA pegged soybean blooming at 82% vs. a 80% five - year average. The USDA reported soybean export inspections at 476,186 MT, down 15.75% from last week and 19.93% lower than this time a year ago.

Outlook

Soybean futures are expected to trade sideways due to steady demand and lower acreage in kharif. Moreover, expectation of good crushing demand on reports of hike in import may support prices. However, good crop conditions of soybean central India may pressurize prices.

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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Cochin Shipyard, incorporated on March 29, 1972, is a wholly-owned GoI company. It was conferred the 'Miniratna' status in 2008, by the Department of Public Enterprises, GoI. Cochin Shipyard is the largest public sector shipyard in India in terms of dock capacity. As of Jan, 2017, Cochin shipyard has 2 docks used for ship repair and shipbuilding. It caters to clients engaged in the defence sector in India and in the commercial sector worldwide. In FY17, revenue from defence sector was around 84.6% to total revenue. Key clients include the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard, Clipper Group, SCI, NPCC, Vroon, SIGBA AS, DGLL.

Valuation and Recommendation

CSL enjoys status of only shipyard building aircraft carrier which will place CSL in select category of shipyard in world. Apart from existing order of aircraft carrier it has opened up immense opportunity of new business. The govt initiative of Make in India in defence sector also augur well for CSL as its revenue contribution from defence is 84.6% in FY17. The ship repair business with high margin business profile is growing faster than the ship building business leading to improvement in margin. Company has healthy order of 2936cr + Phase III of aircraft carrier order. Apart from this, the company has healthy pipe line of new order. The aggressive expansion plan will support the growth of the company in long run. Over, FY15- FY17 the company sales has grown at a CAGR of 14.1% however Ebitda has grown at a CAGR of 106.4% and PAT at a CAGR of 112.3%. Company enjoys ROE of 15.4%. On the valuation front, at the given upper price band of issue of Rs 432, Cochin shipyard is offered at PE of 18.8x its FY17 EPS of Rs 23 and FY17 EV / Ebitda of 10.5x which is lower to its peer. We recommend subscribing to the issue.

For all IPO stories, click here

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
Answer: Vijay Mallya

The Indian government has submitted the requisite "opening note" and paperwork related to Vijay Mallya's extradition case to the liquor baron's legal team within the UK court deadline, according to official sources.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, presiding at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London at the last hearing in the case on July 6, had set July 31 as the deadline for the Indian side  represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)  to provide Mallya's defence team with a detailed opening note on the case.

The 61-year-old tycoon is sought by Indian authorities for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

"All matters are on track," official sources confirmed to PTI here.

The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.

Mallya, who has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016, was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 and is currently out on bail.

The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government earlier this month, had told the court that they had "excellent cooperation" with the Indian authorities in the case and now had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines.

"We have completed a review of materials and I am happy to state that we have had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case. We are ready and willing to proceed and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest, CPS barrister Mark Summers had said.

The judge agreed with the CPS to "progress with some rigour" and retained December 4 as the date for a final hearing in the case.

If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had recently indicated it was working fine.

"We are on the verge of extraditing an individual from India to the UK in the next week or 10 days. The extradition treaty is working just fine and there is no difficulty in the extradition treaty. We have extraditions already successfully completed," Mehrishi had said during his UK visit last month.

So far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the India-UK extradition treaty  that of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel.

"He was extradited with the due process of law. We do understand that extradition does take time and there are multiple levels of appeal in either country and it is not the easiest of processes to complete. But being a liberal democracy that we are, we have to allow for the law taking its own course," Mehrishi added.

Mallya's extradition is also believed to have featured during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last month.
Representative image

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a total package of Rs 2,350 crore for all north eastern states for mitigating the impact of floods in short and long term basis.

Modi is on a day-long visit to Guwahati where he will meet the chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland and with respective Cabinets to take stock of the latest flood situation.

"The prime minister today announced Rs 2,350 crore total flood package for the north eastern states," Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here.

Giving a breakup, Sarma said, "The prime minister has announced a special package of Rs 2,000 crore for all the north eastern states for relief and rehabilitation of flood damage."

The exact share of different states will be worked out in coming days and will be announced accordingly, he added.

In addition to that, the Prime Minister has announced a Rs 100 crore corpus for setting up a research project to study the Brahmaputra and its role in creating devastating flood, Sarma said.

"This project will have a high power committee comprising scientists, researchers, engineers. They will study the river and suggest remedies to tackle floods. This will be long term project," he added.

Regarding Assam, the state finance minister said the prime minister announced release of Rs 250 crore immediately to carry out relief and rehabilitation.

"The prime minister had released Rs 300 crore in June. The Rs 250 crore announced today was in addition to the amount released in June," Sarma said.
Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi uses a headphones to listen to a speech during the United Nations Vesak Day Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka May 12, 2017. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte - RTS16AZW

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Assam, a day ahead of his visit to the state where he will review the situation of deluge prevailing in the entire north east.

He also announced Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods in the state, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

"Today PM @narendramodi will be in Assam, where he will review the situation arising due to floods and the relief work," the PMO tweeted.

He will chair a series of high level meetings to review the flood situation, and the relief operations in the North Eastern States, particularly in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, the PMO said.

Chief Ministers and senior officials from these states are expected to be present at the meetings, it added.

Earlier, the prime minister announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Rajasthan as well.

He also sanctioned Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods in Rajasthan.
New Delhi: A view of Parliament in New Delhi on Sunday, a day ahead of the monsoon session. PTI Photo by Kamal Singh (PTI7_16_2017_000213B)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah has expressed his discontent over the absence of several party MPs in the Rajya Sabha when the National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017 was passed on Monday with an amendment from the Opposition, causing embarrassment to the ruling party.

In the BJP's weekly meet of lawmakers on Tuesday, Shah reproached the absentee lawmakers including Union ministers and asked them to submit a written explanation. He said that he would meet them separately to discuss the issue, as the ministers had not attended the Rajya Sabha sitting despite a party whip issued to maintain discipline within the party.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar, who attended the meeting, said that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend, he sought a list of all the ministers who bunked on Monday.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is the Leader of the Upper House, met senior ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss the embarrassing situation that arose on Monday.

What exactly happened?

On Monday, the Rajya Sabha took up the long pending bill which aimed at upgrading the Backward Classes Commission from a statutory body to a constitutional body.

After the bill was discussed in the Rajya Sabha, Congress members proposed an amendment saying that all five members of the Backward Classes Commission should be from the OBC community, of which one should be a woman and one should be from a minority community. BJP opposed the amendment, with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley calling it unconstitutional to not include other communities in the commission.

The Congress insisted that the bill should be put to vote in the Rajya Sabha. The amendment was accepted by 75 votes while 52 votes rejected it, leading to it getting passed with a two-third majority of the house.

The BJP has 57 MPs in the Rajya Sabha and its ally members take the number to 75. Owing to the absence of lawmakers and ministers in the Rajya Sabha who either belonged to BJP or its ally parties, the bill was passed.

What is the bill?

The National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill 2017 was passed in the Lok Sabha in April after the government had floated the idea in March 2017.

The bill will give the status of a constitutional body to the Backward Classes Commission and give it powers which are equivalent to a court. The powers include summoning people and inquiring incidents of violence and discrimination against the backwards classes.

It had been referred to a select committee in the Rajya Sabha as the Opposition had proposed some amendments in the bill.
A South Korean plastic surgeon (R) operates on a Chinese woman who wants to have double eyelids in BK Dongyang Plastic Surgery Clinic in Seoul March 23, 2009. South Korea's plunge towards recession is bringing in high-spending tourists by the planeload in search of bargains and beauty. Picture taken March 23, 2009. To match feature FINANCIAL-KOREA/WON REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak (SOUTH KOREA SOCIETY POLITICS) - RTXDK10

Moneycontrol News

A 59-year old woman from the Chinese city of Wuhan transformed her appearance through plastic surgery in order to avoid a 25 million Yuan debt according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, as per Reuters report.

The police officers were reported to be astonished after apprehending the woman, who fled to the southeastern Chinese city of Shenzhen after a court in Wuhan ordered her to pay off her debt.

We were very surprised at the scene, the official news agency Xinhua quoted a policeman as saying. She looked in her thirties and was different from the photos we had.

The woman, according to the report, financed her surgery using borrowed bank cards, and even travelled across the country using trains whose tickets also happened to be booked using borrowed cards.

China has recently decided to establish a credit-driven society, in a bid to find new sources of economic growth and reduces its dependency on heavy industry and state-driven infrastructure investment.

The plan is to make more credit available to individuals however, in the process, the country's household debt numbers are going up quickly, and is currently estimated at 50 percent of the GDP, more than doubling in the last decade.

Authorities are on an effort to crack down and nab those who are not paying their debts as the as regulators try to establish a reliable nationwide credit rating system.

Xinhua also said that the Wuhan also launched a series of crackdowns on debt defauters and detained 186 people in the first six months of 2017.
The Centre is pushing for making Aadhaar mandatory for securing a driving licence and vehicle registration, to check bogus licences, create a national database and make inter-state transfer easier and less time consuming.

Linking of Aadhaar (with licence) will clamp down on all the bogus licences, union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday.

Also read: Four deadlines for Aadhaar linking that you must not miss

He was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting held with stakeholders in Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and Mumbai Public Works Department.

Gadkari said that having a centralised database of all the licence holders will avoid duplication of information and save potential drivers from having numerous licences.

Earlier on Tuesday, union minister for information and technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad was quoted as saying that the government was considering to link Aadhaar with driving licence.

Also read: Govt says no Aadhaar data leak from UIDAI but bank details made public at times

It will bring transparency and will save people from having licences in different states, Gadkari said.

He said that registration of vehicles and owners name will also be linked to Aadhaar to prevent instances of car thefts.

The government had previously ordered to link Aadhaar with the Permanent Account Number (PAN) and bank accounts and use it for filing Income tax return in a bid to push transparent and digital system and clamp down on the parallel economy that function outside regulatory boundaries.
Bullet train

China is constructing a 12-km-long high-speed train tunnel through one of the portions of its iconic Great Wall to connect Zhangjiakou city which is due to co-host 2022 winter Olympics along with Beijing.

It took the Chinese engineers months to choreograph the best intersection point. In the end, the tunnel, deep below the Badaling section of the Great Wall, passed experts' appraisal, state-run People's Daily reported.

The line is designed for trains traveling up to 350 km per hour, which is expected to shorten the single-journey time from more than 3 hours to approximately one hour. The line is estimated to be completed in 2019.

The depth of the tunnel will range from four meters to 432 meters. Now, people are holding their breath on the completion of the tunnel while ensuring that the Great Wall is not damaged in the process, the Global Times reported.

Luo Duhao, chief engineer of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway Line, being built by China Railway Number 5 Engineering Group Co said the frim will employ "precision micro-blasting" technology, which has a velocity of 0.2 cm per second and is able to make the tremor weaker than the traditional firepower blasts that have a velocity of 5 cm per second.

Luo told the Global Times that the new technology will ensure that the Great Wall will not be affected by the blasts, as they will be barely felt.

"The new technology causes little damage to the geological environment, which will help protect the Great Wall," Dai Longzhen, deputy manager of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway Line, told the Global Times.

"I myself once stood on the Great Wall and I could not feel the blast at all," Dai added.

Zhang Xuehua, a blast expert at the construction site, told the People's Daily that the construction of the tunnel has completed 4,500 blasts since early February this year.

In the middle of the tunnel, workers will build a spacious and well-decorated station right under the Great Wall, with a record-breaking construction space of 36,000 square meters, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The station will be 102 meters below the surface of the Badaling Great Wall.

Dai said the construction area and the depth of the station is "record-breaking."

He said that because the station is built underground, it will cause less damage to the plantation, and it also demonstrates China's top-notch railway construction capabilities.

Originating from the Beijing Railway Station North, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou High-Speed Railway Line runs through Haidian, Changping and Yanqing districts of Beijing. The line continues northwest through Huailai and Xunhua counties in Hebei province before terminating in the city of Zhangjiakou, making for a total length of 174 km.

Built from the third century BC to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Great Wall stretches over 21,000 km. Over a four million tourists visit the Great Wall every year as it is the centre of China's tourism campaign.

According to official statistics, about 30 per cent of a 6,200-km section of the wall built in the Ming Dynasty has disappeared, and less than 10 per cent is considered well- preserved.

The Great Wall has faced threats from both nature and humans. Earthquakes, rain, wind and other natural elements have left the wall with many decayed and crumbling bricks.
President Xi Jinping today said China will never compromise on its sovereignty and security and its Army has the confidence to defeat "all invasions".

"We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," Xi said addressing a special ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the 2.3 million strong People's Liberation Army (PLA), the world's largest standing army.

Xi's remarks came amid the Sino-India standoff in the Sikkim section.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions," Xi, 64, said.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," he said at the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People attended by Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders of the ruling Communist Party and army officials.

This is the second time in three days that Xi spoke of the PLA's capability to thwart invasions.

On July 30, Xi during a massive PLA parade had said, "I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies".

Like his earlier address, there was no direct reference in his speech to over a month-long India-China military standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim section.

His remarks came in the midst of massive official media campaign by the foreign and defence ministries here accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory at Doklam.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval last month during the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NSAs meet here on July 27-28 also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Both the countries are tight-lipped about the outcome of Doval-Yang talks.
Riding-sharing company Uber plans to launch its own credit card, partnering with the British bank Barclays.

The card will be coming later this year, Barclays said last week.

Uber would be the first of the riding-sharing companies to have a co-branded credit card, which are a popular way for companies to cement customer loyalty. They typically give points or credits toward awards, with the most popular cards offering airlines and hotels.

Uber rival Lyft has a partnership with Delta that offers miles, though it's not via a card.

No details about terms or rewards on the Uber cards were available yet, though the awards seem likely to go toward ride credit. Earlier this year, Uber partnered with American Express to give Platinum Card customers a USD 200-a-year credit toward free rides.
Send items for Worship News to religion@thereporteronline.com. Address questions to Nancy March, editor, at nmarch@thereporteronline.com. Deadline is noon Thursday to appear in the Saturday Worship News and Notes. Presentation of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church has one more Sidewalk Ukrainian...
Jarrett Coleman goes from school board to statehouse with win in 16th Senate District race
August 01, 2017

Reuters Suggests But Can Not Find "Iran's new route to Yemen"

The Trump administration is filled with people who, for whatever reason, hate Iran. These people are attempting to break the "nuclear deal" with Iran and other powers. Their propaganda accuses Iran of every "evil" in this world. Their position is fully in line with the Israeli-Saudi anti-Iran axis.

Since the U.S., the UK and the Saudis wage war against Yemen they claim that Iran is allied with the Zaydi people of northern Yemen who, together with the Yemeni army, resist the Saudi invasion. Iran is regularly accused of smuggling weapons to them even as no evidence for this has ever been shown.

Reuters jumps into the breach with this fantastic fake-news item: Exclusive: Iran Revolutionary Guards find new route to arm Yemen rebels:

LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards have started using a new route across the Gulf to funnel covert arms shipments to their Houthi allies in Yemen's civil war, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters.

...

For the last six months the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has begun using waters further up the Gulf between Kuwait and Iran as it looks for new ways to beat an embargo on arms shipments to fellow Shi'ites in the Houthi movement, Western and Iranian sources say. Using this new route, Iranian ships transfer equipment to smaller vessels at the top of the Gulf, where they face less scrutiny. The transhipments take place in Kuwaiti waters and in nearby international shipping lanes, the sources said. "Parts of missiles, launchers and drugs are smuggled into Yemen via Kuwaiti waters," said a senior Iranian official. "The route sometimes is used for transferring cash as well."

The writer of that Reuters piece is one Jonathan Saul. Other most recent piece on his Reuters page are: European banks struggle to solve toxic shipping debt problem, Global shipping feels fallout from Maersk cyber attack and Lenders to ramp up pressure on holders of toxic shipping debt - survey. Older stories by Saul have similar headlines. Saul writes from London about the global shipping industry. That surely qualifies him as an expert on Yemen.

But even an expert can err. The Houthi are not Shia in the sense that Iran is predominantly Shia. They are Zaidi and follow the Hanafi school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence. They pray in same mosques as Sunni believers do. Using the term Shia for the Zaidi side of the Yemen conflict is a lazy repeat of unfounded Saudi claims which try to set any local conflict in the Middle East into a "Sunni-Shia" frame even when that is completely inappropriate. As the Carnegie Endowment states:

Claims of Irans influence over the Houthis have been overblown. While the Houthis do receive some support from Iran, it is mostly political, with minimal financial and military assistance. However, since the Houthis took control of Sanaa, the group has increasingly been portrayed as Iran-backed or Shia, often suggesting a sectarian relationship with the Islamic Republic. Yet until after the 2011 upheavals, the term Shia was not used in the Yemeni public to refer to any Yemeni groups or individuals.

The Reuters piece comes with this rather unhelpful map.

While that map (bigger, original link) is headlined "Iran's new route to Yemen" it shows no route at all.

Pushing anonymous rumors of Iranian weapon transfers at high sea the Reuters piece totally fails to explain how these weapons would then be transported INTO Yemen. There is no route shown for that. Saudi Arabia and its al-Qaeda allies on the ground blockade and control all sea and land routes into Yemen. Millions of Yemenis are near starving and a huge Cholera epidemic is ravaging the country with 400,000 infected and hundreds dying each day. Hardly any food and no medicine comes through. How please are Iranian weapons supposed to jump from some Daus into the hands of the Houthi when not even food can be passed along?

The claim of weapon transfers near in the upper Persian Gulf makes no sense at all. It is about 2,000 kilometers from the area to the Yemeni coast. There are many much shorter routes from Iran to Yemen which small ships could use without any higher risk. Deeper down the Reuters piece even admits that and thereby contradicts itself:

"Smaller Iranian ports are being used for the activity as major ports might attract attention," [a second senior Iranian official said.]

Another sign that the Reuters piece is utter bullshit is the claimed sourcing from three(!) anonymous "senior Iranian officials". Are we to believe that multiple "senior Iranian officials" admit to a shipping correspondent in London that Iran is willfully breaching UN resolutions by smuggling weapons into Yemen? Why would they do that? Why would they confirm Saudi anti-Iran propaganda?

The Reuters piece makes a fantastic claim that has no practical logic. The author lacks knowledge of the actual conflict at hand. The sourcing is extremely dubious. Reuters itself can not find "Iran's new route" on the map it provides.

Reuters is the major British news agency. Britain is heavily involved in the conflict in Yemen and the Saudis and their allies are the biggest customers of British weapon manufacturers. The piece on the ominous "new route" will surely make a splash but it disqualifies Reuters as a reliable source of information.

Posted by b on August 1, 2017 at 18:24 UTC | Permalink

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP)  A police officer in North Carolina faces misdemeanor charges related to a domestic violence investigation.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that 40-year-old Matthew Sy Rice with the Asheville Police Department was arrested July 27 by the Madison County Sheriff's Office and charged with assault by pointing a gun, assault on a female and assault with a deadly weapon.

The arrest warrant states Rice struck a woman and placed her in a headlock, and intentionally pointed a gun and approached her with a butcher knife while making "fighting move gestures."

An APD statement says Rice has been placed on leave. He has posted a $15,000 cash bond, and his release order bars him from contacting the woman and possessing a firearm.

He is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 25.
This article is part of the Morningstar's Guide to Emerging Market Investing. Click here to find out just what an emerging market is and which regions hold the potential to boost your investment portfolio.

BGF Asian Dragon remains an attractive investment proposition, though it comes with a few caveats.



Veteran manager Andrew Swan has managed the fund since he joined BlackRock in August 2011. He is an astute investor, as seen from his stellar track records on his Asia Pacific equity mandate at former employer JP Morgan.

Swan adopts a style-agnostic investment process which combines top-down and bottom-up analysis, with the aim to outperform in different market conditions. While he has implemented such process over a full market cycle and used it to good effect, the process heavily relies on him to set style preferences and execute at the right time.

Our conviction in Swan, a market-cycle tested investment process and a solid long-term track record has led us to maintain the funds Morningstar Analyst Rating of Bronze.

First State Asian Growth is a strong all-rounder giving investors plenty of food for thought. Weve come to see the team at FSSA, led by Martin Lau, as one of the best in the region, and this view was reinforced by the smooth de-merger from First State Stewart in July 2015.

A consistent approach is applied across the strategies managed by FSSA--robust bottom-up, patient research that looks for stocks on the basis of perceived quality, the ability to deliver sustainable and predictable growth, and a strong management team. This process has earned its spurs across market cycles, proving particularly adept in times of market distress, due to the absolute return mindset of the firm. The fund earns a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Silver.

JOHCM Asia ex Japan is a truly index-agnostic portfolio whose increasing appeal lies squarely with an impressive portfolio manager.

The strategy here is distinctive. Detailed stock-level research focuses on firms that boast sustainable long-term growth, an ability to consistently generate high returns on capital, and resilience during economic downturns. The end portfolio is truly index-agnostic, with a structural bias towards areas such as telecoms, gaming, healthcare, and consumer-related names.

We believe the fund is a truly strong choice and have awarded it with a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Silver.

Robin Parbrook, head of Asian ex Japan equities at Schroders, lead manager of Schroder ISF Asian Opportunities, which has a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Gold, has announced that he will be leaving Hong Kong and returning to the UK for family reasons before the end of the year. He will be working out of Schroders London office and is expected to visit Asia every quarter.

This move has resulted in a number of notable changes. Parbrook has already begun transitioning the management of the Schroder ISF Asian Opportunities strategy to Toby Hudson, and Hudson will officially become its lead manager on 1 January 2018. Hong Kong-based Hudson comes with strong credentials, having dedicated his 25-year investment career to Schroders. He has demonstrated his investment acumen on the Silver-rated Schroder Asian Growth and the Silver-rated Schroder ISF Hong Kong Equity. He has worked closely with Parbrook on the core Asian strategy for over a decade, and we believe him to be an apt replacement.

T. Rowe Price Asia ex Japan is a proven and solid strategy, one that gets our tick of approval.



There is strength here across multiple pillars by which we judge a fund, not least the people. Portfolio manager Anh Lu boasts a wealth of experience and is someone whom we hold in high regards.

The process is another positive here. Lu prefers firms that are industry leaders with strong earnings prospects and have the potential and scope for multiple expansion. Detailed research is undertaken at both the industry and company level. Lu has wide latitude in terms of active weights at country and industry level and has shown a willingness to do so, although bet sizes have moderated in the past few years. The fund holds a Morningstar Analyst Rating of Bronze.
Global-equity funds often benchmark themselves against the MSCI World Index. This index consists of 1,646 mid- and large-cap stocks across 23 countries and covers approximately 85% of the market capitalisation in each country. Although this seems to be a fair representation of the global opportunity set, one arguably crucial region is missing: emerging markets.

While emerging-markets countries are not part of the MSCI World Index, global-equity fund managers often have the flexibility to dip into these to get direct exposure to their fast-growing, but also tricky, economies, either to boost returns or for diversification purposes.

We analysed 112 actively managed open-end and closed-end funds and passively managed exchange-traded funds that carry a Morningstar Analyst Rating. Most of the funds in this sample invest directly in emerging markets, albeit often at the margin.

The median allocation to the region as at the end of March 2017 was 3.3%. There were 21 funds that had no direct exposure to emerging markets. Of this subset, just nine funds had no direct exposure over the past three years.

For most global equity funds that invest directly in emerging markets, the allocation typically doesnt rise above 5%. Just a handful of funds invest a significant portion of their assets in developing countries, with direct exposures exceeding 20% as per the end of March 2017.

An example is Murray International (MYI), a Gold-rated closed-end fund that leverages Aberdeens global-equity team. The funds benchmark-agnostic approach enables manager Bruce Stout to invest where he sees opportunities and value.

Exposure to emerging markets has been constant at around 30% of the portfolio. Because of the quality focus, China and Russia have been unappealing candidates, given Stout's concerns on corporate governance and government interference. Instead, he has preferred India, Indonesia, and Brazil.

Analysing direct emerging-markets exposures of global-equity funds indicates that the allocation to the region is typically limited. However, traditional methodologies that classify a stock as belonging to a particular country or region do not always give the full picture.

Traditional classification methods often categorise companies based on where the stock is listed, where the company was founded, or where its headquarters are based. However, this approach does not necessarily reveal the economic exposure of a company to a particular country or region, which is more relevant from an investor point of view.

Mining company BHP Billiton (BLT), for example, has a listing on the London Stock Exchange but is highly dependent on economic conditions in emerging countries and China in particular, while on the other hand, it operates its mines and petroleum activities in Australia, the United States, and South America.

A More Sophisticated View

To go beyond the discrete geographic classification of stocks, investors could try to analyse fundamental data such as revenues or earnings splits in order to reveal the underlying regional exposure of a company. To better capture portfolio exposures to multiple geographies, the Morningstar Global Risk Model estimates the partial economic exposure of each portfolio to seven regional Morningstar benchmarks: developed America, Europe, Asia and emerging Americas, Europe, Asia, and Middle East & Africa.

Running the Morningstar Global Risk Model to analyse the economic exposures of global-equity funds to the seven Morningstar regions reveals some interesting results and leads to different conclusions compared with the traditional classification methodology.

As of the end of March 2017, the risk model estimates that all global-equity funds in our sample had some economic exposure to emerging markets. Even more striking, the median exposure to developing countries was 8.9%, almost triple the exposure calculated under the traditional methodology.

For funds that had no exposure to developing countries when using traditional classifications, the risk model estimates a median economic exposure of 4.7%. For 48 funds, more than two fifths of the sample, the exposure to emerging regions measured by the risk model was larger than 10%. Although the median exposure to emerging markets increased when using the risk model, we also found lower emerging-markets exposures compared with the traditional methodology for 13 funds.

Zooming in on individual funds, we observe significant differences in emerging-markets exposure for some funds in our sample. The largest difference was found for the iShares Stoxx Global Select Dividend 100 ETF (ISPA). Traditional regional classification indicates that the ETF had just 0.6% invested directly in emerging markets, but the risk model reveals that its estimated economic exposure amounts to a whopping 21.6%.

Gold-rated Veritas Global Equity Income is also among the funds that show a large difference in emerging-markets exposure through the risk model, as 13.8% of its returns are driven by emerging markets while it had no direct investment in the region according to the traditional classification methodology.

Here, for example the investments in HSBC (HSBA) and British American Tobacco (BATS) are driving economic sensitivity to emerging markets. The table below shows the five funds that have significant differences between the traditional and risk model emerging-markets exposures.
Vacation properties across British Columbia are seeing increased demand and correspondingly accelerated price growtha development spurred on by denizens of Metro Vancouver continuously snapping up cottages situated within reasonable travelling distance from the city.Low inventory levels and the return of consumer confidence are driving prices up in recreational markets across the province, according to Royal LePage Western Canada manager Jim Morris, as quoted by Western Investor.The latest edition of the Royal LePage Canadian Recreational Housing Report noted that B.C. recreational properties now sell for an average of $595,077, with the most expensive ones in Okanagan Lake or the Gulf Islands going for roughly 2 up to 4 times the average cost.We have seen homeowners selling in Vancouver and buying recreational property in areas like Denman Island, causing a significant decrease in available supply this year, Royal LePage Comox Valley sales representative Sylvie Schroeder stated. Younger families in particular are buying up local acreages in order to practise sustainable farming, which is a fast-growing trend in our area.Recreational sales activity has increased significantly on the Gulf Islands, Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty sales agent Janet Moore added. We have finally seen the return of buyers to smaller regions within the Gulf Islands, driven by both interest in recreational activities and retirement.The study came in the wake of similar findings by the annual Re/Max Recreational Property Report earlier this year. The latter also uncovered that demand for vacation properties has become more pronounced among younger buyers, with 73 per cent of agents surveyed stating that young families with children are among the primary buyers of this real estate type.A notable finding is that 21 per cent of Canadian homeowners would downsize their main residence in order to purchase a cottage, cabin or ski chalet, Re/Max Western Canada regional executive vice-president Elton Ash said.
A Houston federal judge has denied Exxon Mobil's request to reduce a nearly $20 million civil penalty for releasing millions of pounds of air pollutants from its Baytown refinery over the course of eight years.

In a nine-page ruling late Monday, U.S. District Judge David Hittner rejected Exxon's contention he should recalculate the amount of money it saved by not making technological improvements  such as enhancing emissions monitoring with infrared imaging technology  that could have prevented thousands of emissions in violation of the Clean Air Act.

In an emailed statement, Exxon said it disagreed with and would appeal Hittner's decision.

"Exxon Mobil's full compliance history and good faith efforts to comply weigh against assessing any penalty," said Suann Guthrie, an Exxon spokeswoman. "The court has recognized that none of the events in question actually or potentially harmed public health or the environment."

In April, Hittner ordered Exxon to pay the penalty for releasing 10 million pounds of pollutants into the air from the Baytown refining and chemical complex from 2005 to 2013, handing a victory to environmental groups who had sued the company in 2010.

HoustonChronicle.com: Exxon ordered to pay $20 million in air pollution suit

The judge had found Exxon collected more than $14 million in so-called economic benefits by delaying technological improvements.

In late May, Exxon asked the court to reconsider that figure, and the number of its violations, among other factors used in assessing the penalty.

Exxon said the court erred in using Oct. 14, 2005 as the starting date from which to assess the penalty because it was six years before the Texas Commission Environmental Quality required it to make plant improvements.

"Even if there could be some economic benefit associated with the 'delay' of these four projects that were not required by agency rules, that benefit could not begin to accrue until (Exxon) became subject to an obligation with which they were required to comply," the company said.

Hittner disagreed, saying a previous ruling by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made it clear the penalty is based on non-compliance with the Clean Air Act, not the date Exxon entered an agreement with the TCEQ to improve its refinery.

"Plaintiffs did not sue because Exxon failed to implement the four TCEQ projects," the judge said. "Plaintiffs sued on the actionable permit violations under the CAA."

Related: Exxon confirms Texas site for $10 billion petrochemical complex
BERLIN, Wisconsin  Badger Mining Corporation an industrial sand supplier, recently purchased property containing sand reserves located north of Kermit.

The property contains over 35 years of estimated sand reserves, predominately featuring finer grades of sand such as 40/70 and 100 mesh. The reserve will add in-basin Texas sand to BMCs portfolio of Wisconsin Northern White, Atlas resin coated sand, TURBOprop, and extensive North American distribution footprint.

Badger Mining realizes how important in-basin sands are becoming to the oil and gas industry, said Cody Wickersheim, president and Advisory Team member at BMC. As the industry continues to make changes, BMC will adapt with it. Our unique location north of Kermit with direct access to Highway 18 places us in an advantageous position to serve some of the best properties in the Permian Basin. We believe Badgers culture, values, history, and commitment to excellence are additional differentiating factors in serving the local industry.

BMC has been mining Northern White industrial sand for more than 60 years in Wisconsin, where it currently has three sand mining facilities and three sand coating plants. Additionally, Badger Mining has nearly 30 distribution sites across North America, eight of which are located in Texas. While the company has supplied the oil and gas industry since 1979, it also serves the foundry, construction, agriculture, recreation, and filter media markets.

We are looking forward to working with  and becoming a part of  the Kermit community, said Wickersheim. As a family-owned company, Badger Mining is committed to supporting the communities where our associates live and work, and we excited at the opportunity to help Kermit and Winkler County continue to grow.

Development of the site for a sand mining facility will begin immediately with an anticipated completion date of April 2018. Once complete, the mine will have a capacity of 3 million tons per year and employ approximately 30 full time associates.






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U.S. Reps. Lamar Smith and Randy Weber wrote a letter June 29 to the U.S. Department of the Treasury alleging a massive Russian disinformation campaign aimed at shaping public opinion.

But not the one you are thinking of.

The target of the Texas Republicans ire was not Russian election interference but what Smith and Weber allege was a complex funding operation in which Russian energy interests funneled money through a Bermuda-based corporation to American anti-fracturing environmental groups with the hope of hurting the American fossil fuel industry.

The Texas Tribune could not verify or refute Smith and Webers claims, which drew wide coverage from national conservative outlets  and hardly caused a stir among larger mainstream publications.

Critics of the letter claim it is a thinly veiled attempt to distract from President Donald Trumps Russia-related political woes. Its defenders say that if environmental groups are getting money from shady sources, they deserve to be investigated. The companies accused of running the scheme have denied the allegations.

The effort to try to take the real Russia story involving the Trump administration and try to turn it into some supposed conspiracy involving environmental groups is just outlandish and astonishing, said Lisa Graves, executive director of the left-leaning Center for Media and Democracy.

David Willett, a spokesman for the League of Conservation Voters, which the letter alleges may have been the recipient of Russian money, also denied the allegations and accused Smith and Weber of attempting to distract from Trumps Russia problems.

Defenders of the letter say there is no reason for lawmakers to investigate one alleged Russian influence campaign and not another.

Since Russia and Russian influence has been in the news for months, the time is ripe to look into all angles, said Will Coggin of the Environmental Policy Alliance.

The Alliance, which commissioned a 2015 report that provides the basis for much of Smith and Webers letter, says on its website it is devoted to uncovering the funding and hidden agendas behind environmental activist groups and exploring the intersection between activists and government agencies.

In their letter, Smith and Weber allege that Russia-connected officials from a Bermuda-based shell company, Klein Ltd., directed $23 million in Russian funds to the Sea Change Foundation between 2010 and 2011. Sea Change, which was co-founded by Laura Baxter-Simons and her husband, Nathaniel Simons, the son of prominent Democratic donor James Simons, then allegedly donated millions to groups bent on push[ing] back on U.S. domestic fracking and gas advancements, according to Smith and Weber.

The strategy of Sea Change is to apply domestic political pressure using its deep pockets  with most of the funding coming from Russia, Smith and Webers letter says.

In 2010 and 2011 Sea Change gave more than $100 million to a number of energy advocacy groups  including some that oppose fracturing and others that dont have a stance on the issue, according to tax documents. A spokesperson for Sea Change said that Klein didnt try to influence how or where its $23 million in donations was distributed.

The Klein Foundation grants were given as general support, and no requirement was made that the funds be used for specific projects, programs or activities of the Sea Change Foundation, the spokesperson said.

Klein also denied the allegations in the Texas congressmens letter.

We can state categorically that at no point did this philanthropic organization receive or expend funds from Russian sources or Russian-connected sources and Klein has no Russian connection whatsoever, Roderick Forrest of Wakefield Quin, the law firm that represents Klein, said in a statement.

Environmental groups decried the letter, saying it amounted to an energy industry-funded smear campaign.

Smith has a long history of trying to discredit environmental groups to protect polluters, said Melinda Pierce, the legislative director of the Sierra Club, another of the groups that the congressmen accused of getting Russian money.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, now the U.S. Secretary of Energy, said in a July 11 interview that aired on Fox Business, that he absolutely expects Steven Mnuchin, his counterpart at the U.S. Treasury Department, to investigate Smith and Webers claims.

We respond as appropriate to congressional inquiries, but wouldnt comment publicly on an investigation, a spokesperson for the Treasury Department told the Tribune.

Coggin of the Environmental Policy Alliance said his firm was pleased to see [the congressmen] are looking into questions we raised.

The alliance, which Coggin said has received some support from the energy industry, is managed by the PR firm Berman and Co. In 2014, Jack Hubbard, then a Berman official, spoke at an energy industry gathering in Colorado, and according to a transcript, talked about the firms game plan for an upcoming campaign against environmental groups.

The firm planned to take the typical Berman and Company model, in terms of undermining these folks credibility, and diminish their moral authority, Hubbard said. Coggin said Hubbard is no longer associated with Berman and Co. or the Environmental Policy Alliance.

The Center for Media and Democracys Graves said she is skeptical of any report associated with Berman and Co.

I have zero confidence in the reliability of anything [Berman and Company President] Rick Berman  or any of his groups  claims, Graves said. Zero.

In addition to the alliances work, Smith and Webers letter cites a 2017 report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that discusses Russian efforts to promote an anti-fracturing message on its state-funded television network RT and evidence that Russia has waged disinformation campaigns in Europe to keep the continent dependent on Russian fossil fuels. (Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, denied the letters allegations.)

The letter also cites an alleged statement from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who claimed in a private 2014 speech she was up against phony environmental groups ... funded by the Russians. The speech was leaked by the transparency group Wikileaks in 2016 but it is unclear whether she was talking about Russian efforts in the United States. (Clinton has refused to authenticate the leaked material.)

Smith and Weber have long been champions of Texas energy sector. Weber chairs the Committee on Science, Space and Technologys Subcommittee on Energy, and Smith, the chairman of the main committee, is a vocal supporter of American energy interests.

The campaign committees of both Smith and Weber received more money from the oil and gas industry than any other interest group in the 2016 cycle, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics OpenSecrets campaign finance database.

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Texastribune.com
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Concealed handgun license holders are allowed to generally carry weapons at Midland College starting Tuesday. Richard McKee, chief of the MC Police Department, said measures have been taken to inform people about the law that is now in effect at community colleges.

The so-called campus carry law was implemented at Texas public universities in 2016, but community colleges were given more time to create weapons policies.

At MC, a web document, employee emails and orientation sessions have already included information about the institutions policies, according to McKee. Later this month, students will receive communication through emails and additional orientation sessions.

Were just educating them on what the law says and what they can and cant do under the law, McKee said.

In 2015, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law that lifted restrictions on concealed weapons at public institutions. The law stated campus policies couldnt generally prohibit license holders from carrying guns.

MCPD has been working with maintenance staff to put up signs marking exclusionary zones -- areas where concealed carry is prohibited.

The zones include campus locations that provide counseling services, childcare, K-12 education and camps and programs for minors. They also include ticketed sporting and performance venues, shared college housing rooms, the aviation maintenance hangar, chapel and lab storage spaces that contain volatile chemicals, according to the policy.

The policy also states the college president may temporarily prohibit concealed carry on a case-by-case basis at any location or specific time period that creates a unique situation that poses a threat to the safety of the campus community.

BreAnna LaFoy graduated from the college in May and thinks the exclusionary zones are a step toward protecting people on campus.

Im glad these are in place, LaFoy said. It gives me peace of mind.

LaFoy, who will soon continue her studies at Texas A&M University, said some aspects of the law make her nervous. She is worried a person could use a weapon for a violent act and thinks license holders should have more training before bringing firearms onto the MC campus.

It could be used for good, LaFoy said. If youre licensed and know how to properly use a gun in a situation, thats great. If you dont, thats dangerous.

The college is in the process of developing an academic course covering moral and legal obligations of carrying firearms, according to McKee. He also said the college requires full-time employees to attend training that addresses active shooter situations and mental health.

The MC board of trustees voted this spring to approve a concealed-carry and weapons policy. It rescinded that policy in June before adopting one with changes in language and formatting.

The campus carry law applies to those who are licensed to carry concealed weapons in Texas and doesnt include visible firearms, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram report. The MC policy states law enforcement officers can have weapons on campus.

If someone sees someone suspicious or carrying a firearm, we do encourage them to contact us, McKee said.

The department also advises people to not confront individuals who have weapons, according to McKee. Depending on circumstances, violations could be handled at the administrative level or by licensed peace officers.

Eligibility requirements for license to carry include that applicants must be older than 21  unless they are active duty military -- according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. In the spring semester, 49 percent of the MC student body was in that age group, according to data as of Feb. 1.

McKee expects some people to carry weapons but said the concealed policy will prevent him from knowing how many make the decision. He doesnt anticipate issues as MC implements its policy.

Tony Garcia, who will be a student at the college this fall, feels OK about the policys license requirements but thinks some people may not follow the law. He said having a concealed weapons policy makes him more comfortable than seeing displayed firearms.

It makes me think theres not a gun there  out of sight, out of mind, Garcia said.
The city of Midlands proposed budget for 2017 includes about $7.5 million for road maintenance and other major street treatments, just as city leaders said would be the case.

The city is proposing a balanced budget with $231.5 million in total expenditures. The general fund budget, which is supported by property taxes, sales taxes, franchise fees and other fees, is $111.8 million, an increase of $5.361 million compared to last year.

While general fund expenditures are on the rise, the amount budgeted for roads is down. The city budgeted more than $9.5 million for road maintenance and other major street treatments (including mill and overlay) for the current fiscal year.

A property tax rate of 41.11 cents is proposed. The rate is a 3 percent increase over the effective rate and means the average Midland property owner will pay more this upcoming fiscal year. Last year, a person living in a home valued at $200,000 paid about $799 in city property taxes. That amount would increase to $822, according to the tax rate in the proposed budget.

The council will meet at 10 a.m. today to determine dates for public hearings on the tax rate and when there will be a recorded vote on the rate.

Property tax is listed as 41 percent of the total general fund revenues. Sales tax, which is expected to increase from $36 million to $38 million, is listed as 35 percent of the total. Franchise fees will make up 12 percent of general fund revenues.

Other budget notables include:

- Police and fire departments combine to make up 49 percent of the overall general fund expenditures, which is more than the revenue brought in by property taxes. The departments have 471 of the 1,076 city employees.

- The Police Departments proposed budget is $27.4 million, an increase of more than $600,000 compared to projected actuals from this fiscal year.

- The Fire Departments proposed budget is $27.1 million, an increase of nearly $1.3 million compared to projected actuals from this year.

- Police Department and Fire Department rank first and second, respectively, in expenditures. Third is the Engineering Department at $18.9 million and fourth is the Community Services Department at $10.6 million.

- The proposed budgets top three priorities are maintaining funding for street improvements, increasing funding for drainage improvements and increasing funding for traffic control operations.

- The fourth priority is investing in personnel. The proposed budget calls for a net increase of five positions, step increases for police and fire and sworn staff and pay progressions for non-sworn staff. Additionally, the budget calls for a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for all staff. Expenditures for personnel is up more than $2.7 million to $72.3 million.

- Year-end reserve balance for the General Fund is scheduled to be about $41 million.








'The big truck is still on ...
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When students in Seminole County return to school on Aug. 10, school administrators across the district will have a new smartphone app aimed at keeping them safe.

Rave Panic Button app to keep students safe

Teachers and school staff can alert

First responders can see where incidents are reported

The Rave Panic Button allows any employee at a school to immediately call for help and report an emergency situation to all other employees with just a push of a button.

Captain Rick Francis with the Seminole County Sheriffs Office has a big responsibility. Its his job to keep all of the students in the county safe.

If kids dont feel safe, theyre not going to learn, said Francis.



As of last year, each school in the district had its very own law enforcement officer on site. But that officer cant be everywhere.

So the school district is making the Rave Panic Button smartphone app available to every employee in the district.

Whether its a teacher or a custodial worker, if they see something suspicious they can push the appropriate button on the app  like active shooter or medical.

That automatically notifies the right agency to respond, and it also immediately notifies every employee at the school as to whats going on.

Unfortunately most of these events end very quickly, and were affording the staff, law enforcement and medical resources to be able to respond faster to these types of incidents, said Francis.

The app allows school administrators to load maps of each school campus into a system that syncs with GPS, so emergency responders will know what building or area of a school the call is coming from.

If several employees have activated an emergency and theyre isolated to a particular wing, we have a pretty good idea thats where either the incident initiated or is currently going on, so it helps us in our response, said Francis.

Larry Vienneaus daughter is in high school. Hes well aware of the dangerous situations that can happen at schools.

I actually teach at Seminole State, and we had an incident with a kid with a gun on campus, he said.

The app also allows law enforcement to instantly look at surveillance cameras in the area of a school where an emergency was called in.

Were maximizing our human resources, were maximizing technology to ensure safe schools, said Francis.

The app is not mandatory for Seminole County school district employees, but school administrators say they encourage each employee to download the app and use it.

They say the more personnel that have it, the safer schools will be.

Francis says the district spent about $1,000 per school to get the app. There are about 60 schools in the district.

The app requires an authorization, so it cant be used by students or other members of the public.
West Orange County is rapidly growing, and residents at the Horizon West community are worried that it might be growing too fast.

West Orange County residents concerned about rapid growth

Officials say a master plan has been in place for years

Several projects have already been completed in the area

Jeffrey Snyder, who is concerned about the addition of a hospital close to his home, writes in this week:

The new hospital off SR-429 near Porter Road does not have an exit. Are they planning on routing traffic off the Schofield Road exit or New Independence Parkway? Both are already busy. What does the future look like here?

Snyder recently moved to west Orange County to move away from congestion.

"We came from Clermont to get into Orlando more proper, but we wanted to stay away from the traffic of Orlando," he said. "So, we looked out here in the west and we saw 429 was a nice place to be."

Now he says conditions are starting to worsen and look like another area he is familiar with in Orange County.

"We are very concerned that this is going to be east Orlando," Snyder said. "East Orlando near 50 and Semoran is just very hard to navigate through. And it seems like all the traffic (improvements) they are doing there now is just to catch up with traffic from before."

For now, the signs of progress can be seen in this stretch of Orange County as new shopping centers and residential communities are going up seemingly everywhere. However, it is a new hospital going up soon that may be the tip of a giant traffic iceberg.

"We have New Independence Parkway at 429 and we have Schofield Road at 429  the two exits," Snyder said. "But between that, we are going to have a hospital. And it looks like it is going to be a full-service hospital. There is no exit for that hospital. I'm not sure which one they are going to use to exit there."

Snyder hopes Orange County will be proactive because the amount of accidents is already rising.

"We haven't seen many major accidents, but we've already seen several minor accidents  especially at the intersections to the off-ramps," he said.

Orange County officials confirmed that while there will be no exit for the new hospital between New Independence Parkway and Schofield Road, they did ensure that a master plan has been in place for the area for about the last 20 years.

Several projects have already been completed with more on the way. They are able to build these roads so quickly because of a unique partnership they have with most of the developers in the area. As part of the agreement to build homes, these developers are required to either provide the proper right of way for road development or, in some cases, complete that roads themselves.

So although development appears to be rapidly increasing in west Orange County, officials said they are ready and have been for some time.

View our Real Time Traffic Map and check cameras on Central Florida's major roads.

If you have a traffic question, Ryan Harper can answer it. Send him your question.
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And in the teams other trade Monday, off-and-off again As utility infielder Adam Rosales went to Arizona in exchange for minor-league right-hander Jeferson Mejia.

The Diamondbacks were in need of an extra infielder because Chris Owings has a fractured finger and Ketel Marte is expected to go on bereavement leave after the death of his mother; the As, meantime, needed a roster spot for versatile Chad Pinder to come off the disabled list.

With their full-blown youth movement, Pinders return had pointed to Rosales being designated for assignment, the fate of other veteran players this season, including Stephen Vogt, John Axford and Trevor Plouffe.

Rosales, 34, was in his third employment with Oakland; the team acquired him from the Reds in 2010, lost him on waivers to Texas in 2013 only to reclaim him again later that season  and then lose him to Texas on another waiver claim that year. He re-signed with the As in January.

Weve had him here multiple times for a reason, manager Bob Melvin said. He even said to me, Who knows? After this year, I might be back again. That would be great. Hes been here so many times, he literally is in a revolving door.

Rosales was batting .234 with four homers and 27 RBIs in 71 games, but he had started just 19 of 56 games since shortstop Marcus Semien came off the disabled list.

Pinder, who missed five weeks with a hamstring strain, will be the teams utility player. But Melvin said he will get more playing time than Rosales had, and Melvin believes at some point Pinder will be an everyday player.

Mejia, 22, is a reliever who has 35 strikeouts in 29 innings this season, but he has walked 25 in that span. In five minor-league seasons, he is 13-14 with a 4.67 ERA in 79 games.

Briefly: Right-hander Kendall Graveman (shoulder) will come off the DL to start Thursday. ... Chris Smith will move at least briefly into the bullpen, but he is likely return to the rotation the following week should Daniel Gossett or Jharel Cotton struggle. ... Reliever Michael Brady, a Cal alum, was recalled from Triple-A Nashville.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

On deck

Tuesday

vs. Giants

7:05 p.m. NBCSCA

Samardzija (5-11)

vs. Manaea (8-5)

Wednesday

at Giants

7:15 p.m. NBCSCA

Gossett (2-6)

vs. Moore (3-10)

Thursday

at Giants

7:15 p.m. NBCSCA

Blach (6-7)

vs. Graveman (2-2)

Leading off

A new look: Before leaving on Monday, Sonny Gray shaved his scraggly, awful beard as per the Yankees long-standing rule. In solidarity, Kendall Graveman, Sean Manaea and Daniel Gossett followed suit. Everybody gets to shave their horrible beards! Gossett said. We all got on the wagon.

 Susan Slusser
Insperity, a Houston-based human resources consulting company, on Tuesday said profit rose by 44 percent during the second-quarter.

The company credited a client-retention rate of almost 100 percent and the rising popularity of its business advisers service.

Net income for the second quarter totaled $14 million, up from $9 million in the same period a year earlier. Revenue grew 12.5 percent to $796 million compared with $707 million in the same period last year.

RELATED: No. 4: HR consulting giant Insperity builds on customer retention

"Our strong second-quarter results combined with continued outstanding execution and growth momentum positions Insperity for another record setting year in 2017," Chairman and CEO Paul J. Sarvadi said in a statement.
San Antonio-based digital marketing firm Giles-Parscale Inc. is spinning off its political work and selling all of its commercial design and online services to e-commerce service provider CloudCommerce Inc. in a deal valued at $9 million, CloudCommerce announced Tuesday.

The combined company will be renamed Parscale Digital. Jill Giles, who co-founded Giles-Parscale with President Donald Trumps digital guru Brad Parscale, will remain with the company as creative director and an advisor to CloudCommerce, which is based in Santa Barbara, according to the news release. Parscale will receive a seat on the CloudCommerces board, the $9 million in CloudCommerce stock and will work as a consultant to the company that bears his name.
Celebrity wardrobe malfunctions are far from rare, and the latest victim was actress Halle Berry.

Berry attended the premier of her new movie "Kidnap" wearing a loose, bohemian-esque blouse with a camo mini-skirt, with simple hair to match.
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An Austin event is at the center of national controversy after a DJ group said a venue's manager told them to stop playing Latin music.

Now people are vowing to boycott the newly opened venue Caroline + Upstairs at Caroline over the July 28 incident and throwing support behind the DJ collective Chulita Vinyl Club.

At the venue's soft opening on July 28, CVC was joined by Superfonicos, the group said in an online statement on July 30 that has since been shared more than 150 times.

RELATED: Car-Vel Skateland responds to claims that customers were refused service because of race

CVC said Caroline + Upstairs at Caroline Assistant General Manager Michael Childress posed as the general manager and "aggressively" approached CVC during the final 10 minutes of their scheduled set, telling them to shut down.

"(Childress) approached one of our members commenting that the hotel did not want us to play Latin music anymore, that the vibe was too low, and to turn it off," CVC said in their statement.

CVC said they were later approached by the actual general manager, David Meisner, and the exchange was recorded on video. The group also mentioned they did not accept payment for their set because of the way they were treated.

Chulita Vinyl Club is an "all-girl, all vinyl-club" with seven national chapters  including one in San Antonio  working under the same mission to provide a "space for empowerment and togetherness" for "women of color," according to their website.

Caroline + Upstairs at Caroline are part of the Aloft Hotel in downtown Austin. Caroline is advertised as an "urban neighborhood restaurant and coffeehouse," while Upstairs at Caroline is described as the "premier" place to "let loose."

CVC was not immediately available to return requests for comment. Caroline + Upstairs at Caroline and Aloft Hotels did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

But Caroline + Upstairs at Caroline also issued a statement via Facebook, calling the controversy a "miscommunication" between the two parties.

"Our hotel welcomes everyone, and we enjoy musicians of all backgrounds and styles," the statement reads. "We truly regret Chulita Vinyl Club left feeling otherwise, and would like to work with them to discuss how we can ensure a similar incident doesn't happen again."

The statement, which had almost 140 comments, did not go over well, garnering an overwhelmingly negative reaction from Facebook users who called the incident "racism."

"So you can profit off of, enjoy, & appropriate Latinx culture but discriminate & disrespect Latinx artists in the process? This is not going to fly with our community," Daisy Salinas wrote in response to the venue.

RELATED: Sound on Sound Fest music lineup announced

Others said they either witnessed the incident unfold and vouched for CVC's allegations or said they've experienced the same treatment.

Caroline + Upstairs at Caroline eventually responded to the hundreds of scathing comments on Monday, denying that CVC was asked to stop because of the genre of music being played.

"In preparing for the last couple of hours of service at the restaurant, we wanted to switch up the tempo of the music, so we asked them to end about 10 minutes early," a comment reads. "The request was not about the genre of music, but we did not communicate or handle the situation appropriately on our end."

The venue continued, saying: "We are sorry for our actions and are actively working with and re-training our team on creating a safe, inclusive, respectful environment where everyone know they are genuinely welcomed and valued."

The follow-up comment was also not well-received.

CVC supporters continued to mobilize a boycott against the business.

"People want their Topos, sugar skulls and Tacos. Beyond that, they can't handle the real Flavor," user Angel Iturbe said in response to CVC.

Superfonicos also voiced their backing of CVC.

"Our Cultura needs to be respected and not just when it's convenient," they said in an online statement.

The news has reached national outlets, like Remezcla, which published an article on Monday and garnered more support for CVC.

CVC has thanked their supporters and vowed to not "play or support spaces that naturalize aggression and acts of discrimination towards our culture or people."

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
Captured alligator getting home at park

WHITNEY POINT  Authorities in upstate New York have captured an alligator that got loose.

According to Animal Adventure Park, New York state Department of Environmental Conservation crews captured the renegade reptile Saturday behind the fairgrounds in rural Whitney Point. Sightings of the alligator were first reported July 22.

Officials say the alligator is 3 feet, 3 inches long. They believe it's someone's pet.

The alligator will be quarantined and then permanently placed at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville. The privately owned zoo, just east of Binghamton, is home to April the giraffe, whose pregnancy and birthing of a male calf were an internet sensation this year.

 Associated Press

Wrongly detained, but unable to sue

NEW YORK  An appeals court in New York says a U.S. citizen detained for more than three years in a bungled immigration case cannot sue for damages.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reached the conclusion in a 2-1 vote. The ruling blocks 32-year-old Davino Watson from receiving $82,000 awarded by a Brooklyn federal court judge for his 2008-to-2011 incarceration.

A majority opinion written by Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs found "no doubt the government botched the investigation" but saw no malice in the case's handling. The judges noted the government misidentified Watson's parents and misinterpreted the law.

In a scathing dissent, Chief Judge Robert Katzmann decried the lack of legal representation for immigration detainees.

Attorney Mark Flessner says his client suffers from health issues related to his detention and is thus unemployed.

 Associated Press

Man gets 35 years in bombing case

SYRACUSE  An Ohio man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for making a bomb that injured a New York state prison guard outside his home.

Keith Seppi, 59, of Conneaut, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court on Monday. Seppi, his wife and his wife's sister were charged after Alan Dobransky was injured by a bomb in a package outside his Utica-area home in May 2016. Officials say the attack was intended to stop Dobransky from reporting an elder care scam against Seppi's mother.

 Associated Press
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Laredo police divulged new information regarding last week's homicide case at a news conference Monday, including the 16-year-old victim's name and that she may have been attacked at random.

The Laredo Police Department said it is not aware of any relationship between the homicide suspect, Mario Angel Gonzalez, and the girl, Lesley Sanchez.

Over the weekend LPD arrested Gonzalez on a murder charge for his alleged involvement in Sanchez's death. He remains held without bond at the Webb County Jail.

Police cannot yet say the way in which Sanchez was killed. There is no indication she was shot or sexually assaulted, although police cannot verify this without a full autopsy report, Laredo police said.

Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman, said she sustained a variation of violent assaults. Law enforcement has not yet recovered a weapon.

"This case is a rare case," Baeza said Monday.

READ MORE: Laredo murder suspect previously arrested for striking woman with 2-by-4, raping her, records say

The majority of the homicides LPD sees are domestic, or the victim and suspect at least know each other, he said. That's not the case in this homicide; LPD does not currently believe that Gonzalez and Sanchez had met before.

Gonzalez has been living in San Antonio, Baeza said, and had an outstanding warrant for assault there. He had been staying with family in Laredo when he was detained Saturday, according to LPD. Police picked him up at a residential construction site he was working on in south Laredo.

In surveillance footage law enforcement collected, Gonzalez is seen driving Sanchez's car after the homicide took place Wednesday night. He stopped at a convenience store and then parked the car in the Cheyenne Subdivision where it was later found by LPD. Surveillance footage taken at the convenience store ended up being a crucial piece of evidence in the case, Baeza said.

Police dispersed images from surveillance footage to the media, Laredo Crime Stoppers and via their own social media on Saturday.

"In less than two hours, we received several tips, one of them eventually leading to the identification of the alleged suspect in this case, Mr. Mario Angel Gonzalez," Baeza said.

Sanchez parked her car at the Haynes Recreation Center when she went to exercise at the trails alone on Wednesday night, according to Laredo police.

There is no surveillance footage of their actual encounter, Baeza said.

Gonzalez has not confessed to the crime or spoken much to officers, according to LPD.

Baeza and LPD Chief Claudio Trevino thanked the many law enforcement agencies that have assisted in this case and the community for their help in identifying the suspect. This case exemplifies teamwork, Baeza said.

"Throughout the weekend, detectives spared no resources or effort in trying to identify this individual. But we are most appreciative of the assistance of the citizenry of the people of Laredo, Texas. And that's what it takes. The Police Department can't do these investigations all by themselves, and sometimes we do need to reach out and ask for assistance," Baeza said.

Gonzalez was arrested in Laredo in September after he allegedly struck a woman with a 2-by-4 and sexually assaulted her near the riverbanks in west Laredo.

On Sept. 13, police said they responded to a gas station in the 800 block of Lafayette Street. A woman reported that a man who was with her in a GMC vehicle had sexually assaulted her.

An investigation revealed Gonzalez had taken her to an area where Lafayette dead ends.

Gonzalez then allegedly hit the woman with a 2-by-4 and sexually assaulted her inside the vehicle, according to LPD reports.

RELATED: Man charged in killing of 16-year-old girl, police say

The two knew each other, police said. The woman convinced Gonzalez to take her to a restroom, according to LPD.

They arrived at the gas station, where she sought help. When police arrived, Gonzalez allegedly resisted arrest.

Officers used a Taser to subdue him, police reports state.

And according to records, Webb County Court at Law I issued a warrant for Gonzalez's arrest on June 5 after he failed to appear in court, where he is facing charges of harassment and criminal trespass. Those charges stem from a November 2015 incident.

"There's a long way to go before we can say this case is out of our hands and we're done with it," Baeza said of the homicide case on Monday. "We want to do whatever is necessary to present the best possible case and to be able to move forward with a successful prosecution and conviction in order to render proper justice to the victim's family."

A GoFundMe has been created to raise money for Sanchez's funeral expenses. It can be found at gofundme.com/zjku8-leslie-sanchez.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com. LMT reporter Taryn Walters contributed to this report.
A 1970 treaty requiring the United States and other nuclear powers to negotiate a ban on nuclear weapons cant be enforced in court, a federal appeals court in San Francisco said Monday in refusing to reinstate a lawsuit by the Marshall Islands.

The suit, filed in 2014, sought court orders declaring the U.S. in violation of the treaty and requiring it to enter nuclear disarmament negotiations within a year. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said federal courts have no power to take those actions, or any others, to implement the treaty.

The Marshall Islands is trying to put the judiciary in the role of nanny to the political branches of the government, the court said.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty committed the nations that signed it to negotiate in good faith toward an end to the nuclear arms race, and then to nuclear disarmament. It has been signed by 190 nations, including five nuclear powers  the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France  but not by nuclear-armed India, Pakistan and Israel. North Korea withdrew its participation in 2003.

The Marshall Islands, a small northern Pacific nation that signed the treaty in 1995, was a U.S. territory in the 1940s and 1950s when the United States conducted 67 nuclear tests in its waters. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission described the Marshalls as the most contaminated place on Earth in 1956, leading to more than $750 million in U.S. compensation for the islanders.

Mondays ruling upholds a federal judges dismissal of the islands suit.

Deciding when, where, and whether to negotiate with foreign nations is within the exclusive authority of the executive, Judge Margaret McKeown said in the 3-0 ruling.

She said the treaty contained no standards for enforcement, but instead was chock-full of vague terms, like negotiations on effective measures for nuclear disarmament, that were addressed to the signing nations and not the courts. McKeown also cited a 1969 statement by Sen. J. William Fulbright, D-Ark., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who assured a colleague that nobody is going to be able to enforce the treaty against us.

A lawyer for the Marshall Islands said the ruling undermines the treaty.

The nations that signed the pact made a legally binding promise, said attorney Laurie Ashton  the non-nuclear countries promised not to acquire nuclear weapons, while the nuclear powers promised good-faith disarmament negotiations.

There has never been a more critical time to enforce the legal obligations to negotiate in good faith nuclear disarmament, Ashton said.

Attorney Scott Yundt of Tri-Valley CAREs, a nuclear disarmament group based in Livermore, said the ruling undermines the entire system of international law.

The island nation filed a similar suit in the United Nations International Court of Justice against Britain, India and Pakistan  the only nuclear powers that accept the courts jurisdiction  but a divided court dismissed the suit in October.

In a separate development, a treaty banning the development, testing or use of nuclear weapons was adopted July 7 by 122 nations, none of which possesses the weapons. The United States and other nuclear nations refused to take part in the vote at U.N. headquarters.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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Daddy Warbucks and the red-headed title character are dream roles in the musical "Annie," but both stars of Purple Box Theater's current production had to be coaxed into playing them.

"I have never done a musical," said Albert Alonzo, when his son, Liam, pleaded with him to take the part.

Besides, the Clear Lake father explained, he was tired after twice portraying the Tom Cruise role in "A Few Good Men" this year.

Vanessa Marsh, 9, of Friendswood was tired, too, when her mother informed her that she had aced the audition.

Dog made the difference

"This is her first actual show," Kerry Marsh said. "So, she didn't want too big of a role. It was 10 o'clock at night, just as Vanessa got home from a violin camp. She was stressed out; so she fell apart. She cried that it was too big of a role.

"But now she's very excited; she's excited about the dog."

"The dog" is a canine that Vanessa looked forward to meeting when it showed up in the last week of rehearsal to play Little Orphan Annie's faithful mutt, Sandy. The mixed-breed pooch, named Felicity, is from Friendswood Animal Control and is available for adoption, director Cathy Holbrook said. For information on her, contract Amy Castro at 281-728-2248.

Others in the cast include: Maryana Nagorski, Victoria Reyes, Chase Harris, Suzy Newsom, Richard Grosclose, Jeff Blackman, T'Mar Bunch, Mylana Valdina, Sarah Staples, Elena Vazquez, Kailey Morand, Keara Smith, Giselle Alcala, Taylor Mitchell, Milla Filippov, Ashley DiCicco, Julie Blackman, McKenna Fritts, Ava Vazquez and Liam Alonzo.

Playing multiple roles, including "President Franklin Roosevelt" is Friendswood Mayor Pro Tem Steve Rockey.

More Information WANT TO GO? What: "Annie" Where: Purple Box Theater, 1309 W. Parkwood, Friendswood When: 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4-13 Cost: $15, $12 seniors Information: 818- 642-4665; www.thepurpleboxtheater.com See More Collapse

Liam, 9, who plays a child at the orphanage where we first find Annie.

The Alonzo father and son had enjoyed performing together in "The Little Princess" in a previous summer at Purple Box.

"Liam pressed and pressed for me to play Daddy Warbucks, and I said, 'But there isn't even a part for you,' " recalled Albert Alonzo.

However, Holbrook said she would find a part for Liam if his father would take the part, and that's what happened.

Turning into Annie

A highlight of any production of "Annie" is the song "It's the Hard Knock Life," in which Annie leads her fellow orphans in a production number that involves housekeeping chores at their orphanage.

"It's very exciting. I like to be the center of attention," Vanessa said.

A natural blonde, Vanessa said she's had her dyed red and her hair curled to look like the comic-strip character Annie.

The budding actress also competes on a team at Sharks Swim Club in Friendswood, studies ballet and jazz, and continues her private violin, voice and piano lessons.

She and her parents, Kerry and Robert, a chemical engineer, moved to Texas two years ago from Utah.

Alonzo, 38, grew up in Houston, graduating in 1997 from Milby High School, where he performed in many stage productions.

"I also did a couple of one-acts in college," he said, explaining that he earned a 2003 bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Houston-Downtown.

Alonzo is the case manager for Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge David R. Jones. Their office is located a few blocks from UHD, where Alonzo's wife, Liza, is director of alumni relations.

The Alonzos also have a second son, Luke, who is 6.

"Annie," which debuted on Broadway in 1977, boasts music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan. It won seven Tony Awards, including best musical.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
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Spring High School Band Director Gabe Musella's first memories of music were watching his grandfather play guitar as a church musician in Corpus Christi. Musella eventually joined the band in seventh grade. He taught himself piano and guitar too.

He had so honed his musical prowess that Spring ISD invited him to join the district's performing and visual arts faculty in 2000, after stops in north Texas. Musella recalls being thrilled to teach in a district with Spring's musical legacy.

"To even get this job meant a lot," he said, rattling off the names of former directors like Richard Crain, Phillip Geiger and Bill Watson. "I work in the shadows of legends."

This year, Musella, 53, became something of a legend in his own right.

Earlier this year, he received an award from the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Recently, he was "blown away" to find that he had received the 2017 Meritorious Achievement Award from the Texas Bandmasters Association during the organization's annual convention and clinic in San Antonio in July.

The award is presented to just three educators in Texas each year, honoring band directors who have impacted their students' lives through their work.

"This is one of the biggest honors a band director can receive in Texas," said Joe Clark, Spring ISD director of performing and visual arts. "Gabe has truly dedicated his career to improving the students of Spring ISD."

Musella earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees at Texas Tech University - in music composition and conducting, respectively.

He's led ensembles to UIL Sweepstakes recognitions, the finals of the Texas Music Educators Association Honor Band Competition, and to invitation performances at the Midwest Clinic and the Music for All Nations Concert Festival. He's published works for band, orchestra, percussion ensemble and chamber groups that have been heard in Texas concert halls, around the country, and even internationally.

"I just want to continue the excellence at Spring. I just love band," Musella said.

He impresses upon his students to put their stamp on the school's legacy through their dedication to the program.

"I'm not here to make you professional musicians, I'm here to teach you how to be successful in life," he said he tells his students.

Musella spoke to them and Spring High faculty after first learning of the award.

"I didn't do all this, you guys did this, and all of our staff here," he said. "We all make this happen, and so I'm happy to accept this award on behalf of the Spring Band program."

Crain, former director of music for Spring ISD and a past president of the Texas Bandmasters Association, delivered the news while addressing Musella's students at the school.

"I want to recognize your director and the significance of what he has done, not only in this program, but throughout the state. He is a gifted arranger and gifted composer," Crain said, describing Musella as "a master teacher and a compassionate leader."

The Texas Bandmasters Association was formed in 1920 by a group of band teachers from the Dallas area. It promotes music education, appreciation and scholarship through its annual convention, awards programs and professional development offerings to Texas music teachers.

Musella said he's proud of his students' work ethic and the support that Spring's administration provides him. He also gushes about the influence of the school's socioeconomic and cultural diversity on the program's success.

"There are 15 languages represented in the homes of our kids," he said, "it's a testament that music has the power to bring us together. I think that's such an important lesson today."
SEOUL - American humanitarian agencies that work in North Korea and Americans with relatives there are expressing grave concerns about the new restrictions on U.S. citizens traveling to the country.

The restrictions, due to be announced in the Federal Register on Wednesday, will require all American citizens who hope to travel to North Korea to apply to the State Department for a passport with a special validation.

This, some say, will mean that previously private and nonpolitical work - sometimes already viewed with suspicion by the regime in Pyongyang - will now have a literal U.S. government seal of approval.

"When the North Koreans look at our delegation, they cannot assume that we got permission from anybody," said Stephen Linton, an American who heads the EugeneBell Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that treats thousands of people with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis inside North Korea.

His is one of about 25 American humanitarian groups that are active in North Korea, trying to relieve ordinary people's suffering. The EugeneBell Foundation administers medicines to TB patients who have proved resistant to previous rounds of treatment, and the treatment must follow a strict schedule to be effective.

"As soon as you have a licensing system, the immediate question is: Why did you get permission?" said Linton, who has been working inside North Korea since 1979. "What was in it for the U.S. government to issue you the permission to come here? And there's nobody in North Korea that I've ever met who would believe that the U.S. government would issue that permission purely for humanitarian reasons."

The new "geographic travel restriction" will come into effect in 30 days' time.

It is a direct response to the treatment of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old Ohio man who went to North Korea as a tourist and was arrested there, spending 17 months in a coma before being returned to the United States in June. He died less than a week later.

Three other U.S. citizens - one a businessman and two affiliated with a private American university - remain in North Korean custody.

Every year, about 1,000 Americans had been going to North Korea on organized tours, but tourism will be banned for U.S. citizens starting next month.

This new rule is much stricter than the policy the Trump administration has implemented toward Cuba, which Americans are still allowed to visit if they travel with a licensed tour company under U.S. jurisdiction. Independent travel is still allowed for Americans to visit their family members in Cuba and for religious activities and humanitarian projects.

Just four categories of Americans will be allowed the special endorsed passports: journalists, Red Cross representatives on official missions, humanitarian workers and anyone else whose trip is "in the national interest."

Those who are approved will be issued "a limited validity U.S. passport permitting one-time travel to North Korea," according to the State Department.

Humanitarian groups have been appealing to the State Department not to make the new rule bureaucratically burdensome. Some are asking for a system where blanket approval can be given to their organization, rather than every person having to get approval for every trip.

"U.S. humanitarian workers have been providing relief to the poorest and most deprived of North Korea's population for over 20 years," said Keith Luse, executive director of the National Committee on North Korea, a Washington-based NGO that promotes cooperation between the United States and North Korea.

"A majority of them have built meaningful relationships with North Koreans at the local level and not been confronted by the authorities," Luse said. "As travel-ban details are finalized, we hope the State Department will consider their experience."

Amid years of failed nuclear talks and an enduring reluctance to engage with North Korea, private-sector activities such as humanitarian work have been "the only positive aspect" in the relationship between the United States and North Korea, said Linton, of the EugeneBell Foundation.

"Make no mistake - if the American private sector is now banned from travel, it will be another major step toward diminishing of U.S. influence in East Asia," Linton said. "Asians are well aware of this downward trend and are already thinking about how to resolve challenges related to North Korea should the U.S. government and its private sector be unwilling or unable to play a major role in the region."

The new rules will particularly affect Korean Americans. Between 200 and 500 Korean Americans travel to North Korea each year, a significant proportion of them for reunions with family members from whom they were separated during the Korean War. Many of them travel to North Korea as tourists, and they would not appear to qualify for travel permission under the new restrictions.

There are also as many as 100 Korean Americans living or working in North Korea at any given time. Most are associated with Kim Il Sung University or the private American-run Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

Two of the Americans detained in North Korea earlier this year, Tony Kim and Kim Hak-song, were affiliated with the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, which was started by Korean American Christians.

The third detainee, Kim Dong-chul, was working in the Rajin-Sonbong Special Economic Zone in the northeast of the country near the Chinese border and has now been held for almost two years. Efforts to free the men are continuing.

But there are also some Americans who live in North Korea permanently in the Rajin-Sonbong zone.

"To the extent that the permanent residents need to travel back and forth to the U.S. from time to time, the travel ban would adversely impact them," said Sam Yoon, executive director of the Council of Korean Americans.

There are about 1.8 million Korean Americans in the United States, according to population estimates from the Census Bureau.

"One could argue that the travel ban - especially for families - would in fact hurt them the most," Yoon said.

The National Coalition for the Divided Families voiced similar concerns.

Rather than just an exemption so that Americans "won't be punished for searching for their long-lost loved ones in North Korea," the coalition called for the U.S. and North Korean governments to organize "state-approved reunions for our divided families before it's too late."

The Korean War ended in 1953, leaving members of the many families stuck on opposite sides of the armistice line. Those separated siblings and parents are now elderly.

"Since the mid-1980s, North and South Korea have had 20 rounds of reunions. The U.S. and North Korea [have had] zero," said Jeane Noh of the divided-families coalition. "Today, President Trump can make it happen."
In Donald Trump's White House, Jared Kushner has many jobs. The president's son-in-law is a senior adviser to Trump. He has been charged with leading the administration's "Office of American Innovation," an entity launched in March with sweeping authority to revamp the federal bureaucracy and bring ideas from the business world to work on issues such as veterans health care and the opioid addiction crisis. He has been described as a shadow diplomat, with a foreign policy portfolio that includes Mexico and the Middle East.

But counting up the titles he stepped down from leading up to Trump's inauguration, and the number looked to some, at first glance, as even more eye-popping. In a recent story following the release of revised filings by Kushner and Ivanka Trump, The Washington Post reported that Kushner had "resigned from 266 corporate positions, and Trump stepped down from 292 positions."

Some on social media were scratching their heads. How does one person hold more than 250 positions?

The confusion by some is understandable. Few if any presidential advisers have come to the job with assets as complex and sprawling as those of Kushner and Trump. Before the inauguration, Kushner was chief executive of his family's real estate company, which includes holdings of residential, office and commercial real estate projects and buildings. He was the publisher of the New York Observer newspaper, on the investment committee of a venture capital fund and a board member for nonprofits.

But in Kushner's case, according to a form that asks the filer to list "positions held outside the United States government," the vast majority - 220 of the 266 - are related to limited liability companies, many of which appear to be associated with individual buildings or real estate projects. (Ivanka Trump also resigned from many positions related to LLCs, her filing shows, a number of which appeared to be related to real estate or to holding Trump licenses or trademarks, some of which are dormant or inactive.)

The Post reported in May that Kushner owns "stakes in limited liability companies that often have no employees, offices or websites. Some are owned through generic registered-agent offices in Dover, Delaware, and function as holding companies for other assets."

In other words, Kushner's 266 "positions" do not necessarily indicate typical "jobs" as people may think of them, said Larry Noble, a former general counsel at the Federal Election Commission and the senior director for ethics at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. "All the LLC is there for is to own the building," he said in an interview. Most likely, "he's not taking calls from tenants." (The Campaign Legal Center has filedcomplaints to the Federal Election Commission about Trump's campaign and has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice regarding the disclosure of requested records.)

The practice is extremely common in real estate, experts say. Investors and real estate companies favor limited liability companies as a way to protect their assets, said Paul Habibi, a real estate investor who teaches at UCLA's law and business schools. "The idea is you don't want to have liabilities that permeate across multiple assets," he said. "One commonly accepted way to do that is to put each [project] into a different limited liability company."

He gives the example of the owner of an apartment building who is sued because someone gets hurt walking off the elevator. "It insulates the owner of the LLC so claims can't go against the member personally" or against other properties they own, said Habibi, who himself said he is a member in "dozens" of LLCs.

Michael Knoll, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School who studies taxation and real estate, said real estate companies also use LLCs because some lenders favor them, and because of their tax structure. Lenders "want to know that a liability from something else won't impinge on the loans they've made to various entities," he said.

They're also known as a "pass-through" entity for taxation, meaning that unlike a corporation, they can avoid double taxation. Instead, each owner's share of income is put on his or her individual tax return. "With LLCs, it's easy for them to proliferate because everything goes on the personal tax return," Knoll said. "You're not so much worried about having income in one and [expenses] in another. You generally can offset them."

Benny Kass, a Washington and Maryland lawyer who writes a real estate column for The Washington Post, said LLCs can become convoluted, with multiple layers of LLCs nested inside one another on a single property, which helps insulate investors and can hide the identities of the beneficial owners who may or may not be named in an LLC.

Noble makes a similar point. While there are some differences depending on state law, he said, the investors behind LLCs are often anonymous. In Kushner's case, he said, there is still plenty unknown about the investments and partners behind the LLCs: "It could be all his money, it could be loans, he could have other partners."

A White House spokesman said in an emailed statement that "Jared Kushner has complied with his financial disclosure obligations, and the Office of Government Ethics certified his personal disclosure form."

Real estate experts were clear about one thing: Having a named position for more than 200 LLCs may be a full-time job, but it does not likely mean having that many operational roles. The "managing member" or "president" of an LLC that holds a single building or project is typically only involved in high-level decisions, such as the sale of a building or the change of a management company, Knoll said.

Kushner's filing, he said, does not "suggest he had 266 jobs." When it comes to the LLCs, he said, he likely "had a responsible, high-level management role over important decisions, but this is not likely to be day-to-day operations."
Outgoing White House communications director Sean Spicer has admitted meeting with a Republican donor who shopped a conspiracy-soaked story about a dead staffer at the Democratic National Committee, despite telling reporters that he was unaware of the story when Fox News ran several segments about it.

In a lawsuit first reported by NPR's David Folkenflik, Fox contributor and private investigator Rod Wheeler described his work with Republican donor Ed Butowsky to attempt to prove an explosive claim that has since been debunked - that Seth Rich, an DNC IT staffer who was killed in Washington, D.C., last year, had been the source of internal emails later published by WikiLeaks. Rich's killing remains unsolved.

On April 20, Wheeler and Butowsky got a meeting with Spicer and handed over Wheeler's notes on the Rich story, according to the lawsuit filed by Wheeler, which alleges that he was not promoted as a contributor in part due to his race.

"Mr. Spicer was provided with a copy of Mr. Wheeler's investigative narrative and asked Butowsky and Mr. Wheeler to keep him abreast of any developments in the case," Wheeler's attorneys write in the lawsuit. "Upon information and belief, Butowsky did just that."

Spicer confirmed the meeting in an interview with Folkenflik, saying that Butowsky and Wheeler had informed him of an investigative story that Fox News was working on. "It had nothing to do with advancing the president's domestic agenda - and there was no agenda," Spicer says now. "They were just informing me of the [Fox] story."

But less than one month later, in a May 16 press gaggle, Spicer claimed to have no knowledge of the Rich story. At the time, D.C. affiliate Fox 5 had run a credulous interview with Wheeler, which kicked off further coverage in conservative media and on Fox News itself. Malia Zimmerman, a California-based investigative reporter, filed a story for the Fox News website which alleged that FBI sources were ready to link Rich to WikiLeaks.

"Sean, can we get a White House reaction or the President's reaction to the report that said Rich was emailing WikiLeaks before his murder?" asked a reporter, according to the White House's transcript.

"I don't - I'm not aware of - generally, I don't get updates on DNC - former DNC staffers," said Spicer. "I'm not aware of that."

"It would certainly have a great influence on where the leaks came from, if they could potentially - I mean, there's a lot of implications in this story, of course," the reporter continued.

"I understand that," said Spicer. "But for me to comment from here about an ongoing investigation - I believe it's still ongoing; I don't even know the status of it in terms of D.C. - but it would be highly inappropriate to do that."

Fox News retracted the story on May 23. In a statement, the network said that "the retraction of this story is still being investigated internally," and challenged Wheeler's claim that Zimmerman had misrepresented him in order to corroborate her own story.

"The accusation that FoxNews.com published Malia Zimmerman's story to help detract from coverage of the Russia collusion issue is completely erroneous," Additionally, FOX News vehemently denies the race discrimination claims in the lawsuit - the dispute between Zimmerman and Rod Wheeler has nothing to do with race."

In an emailed statement to the Washington Post, Spicer described the meeting as brief, but did not explain the discrepancy in his public statements.

"Ed is a longtime supporter of the president's agenda who often appears in the media," said Spicer. "He asked for a 10 minute meeting, with no specified topic, to catch up and said he would be bringing along a contributor to Fox News. As Ed himself has noted, he has never met the President and the White House had nothing to do with his story."

In a statement made through its representative, Brad Bauman, Rich's family suggested that the revelations about how the story was sold might put some conspiracy theories to rest.

"While we can't speak to the evidence that you now have, we are hopeful that this brings an end to what has been the most emotionally difficult time in our lives and an end to conspiracy theories surrounding our beloved Seth," they said.

And in a separate statement, DNC spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa placed blame for the story on the Trump administration.

"If these allegations are true, it is beyond vile that the White House - and possibly even Trump himself - would use the murder of a young man to distract the public's attention from their chaotic administration and Trump's ties to Russia." said Hinojosa. "The Rich family has begged those responsible for these conspiracies to stop. And yet, Trump's allies have ignored their pain and their pleas, degrading the office of the president by spreading repulsive lies. This should outrage any decent human being. There is no excuse for the suffering that Trump's associates and their conspirators at FOX have caused the Rich family and those closest to him. Both parties should denounce these sick and twisted tactics."

But at Tuesday's White House briefing, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders dissembled about the meeting, saying that the president "had no knowledge of the story" despite Butowsky's claim that he kept Trump in the loop. (Butowsky told NPR that he had been joking.)

"It doesn't bother me that the press secretary would take a meeting with someone involved in the media about a story," said Sanders.

Butowsky, who did not answer requests for comment on Tuesday, is not a member of the media. He has semi-frequently appeared in conservative media as a financial pundit; in a 2015 interview with Breitbart News, conducted by now-White House adviser Steve Bannon, he warned that the Obama administration's economic policies could bring about stagflation.

The Dallas money manager has contributed less than $14,000 to federal candidates since 2008, including $1,000 to Barack Obama's first White House campaign, according to FEC filings. In the 2016 presidential race, he gave $2,700 to Carly Fiorina and $2,500 to Chris Christie - but never contributed any money to Trump's campaign or the RNC, filings show.

But this year, over the period discussed in Wheeler's lawsuit, Butowsky presented himself on social media, and to reporters, as an insider with valuable information to share. He posted photos of himself at Trump's inauguration and inside the White House press briefing room on Instagram, while at the same time scheduling meetings to advance the Seth Rich story. In addition to his lawsuit, Wheeler has released audio and text messages of Butowksy's advocacy, which reveal the donor repeatedly saying that he was on the cusp of a breakthrough.

"We have the full attention of the White House on this," Butowsky told Wheeler in one message, shortly before the meeting with Spicer.

---

The Washington Post's Matea Gold contributed to this report.
Pretty much since the day President Donald Trump rode down that escalator and compared Mexican immigrants to "criminals, drug dealers and rapists," liberals have been asking some form of this: When will the Republican Party put country over party and ditch Trump?

Well, liberals, here's one Republican who seems ready to agree with you that, at the very least, Trump is not a normal president deserving of normal treatment from his own party. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., published an op-ed in Politico Magazine on Monday evening arguing the Republican Party both created and is responsible for stopping Trump.

"To carry on in the spring of 2017 as if what was happening was anything approaching normalcy required a determined suspension of critical faculties," he writes, "and tremendous powers of denial."

Okay, tell us how you really feel, senator.

A few things about Flake and his intentions before we delve into his thesis: Yes, he did just write and publish a book he's promoting. In fact, this is an excerpt from it. But Flake is also one of the more conservative members of the Senate, and he's up for reelection in a state that could squeeze him from both the right (he's got a primary challenger) and the left (if Democrats can find a candidate to make Arizona competitive). He's also been a Trump critic since the campaign. In other words, what he's saying could both hurt and help him politically.

Let's break down his four arguments for why the Republican Party keeps pretending Trump is a normal president and should stop immediately.

1) Barack Obama made us do it

Okay, no, Flake doesn't say this is President Barack Obama's fault. But he does say that after Obama's 2008 wave election, conservatives got reeallllyy motivated to defeat him. (Democrats would get decimated in the 2010 midterm elections after passing Obamacare.) Flake argues conservatives lost a bit of their moral and ethical compass in the process.

"It was we conservatives who were largely silent when the most egregious and sustained attacks on Obama's legitimacy were leveled by marginal figures who would later be embraced and legitimized by far too many of us. It was we conservatives who rightly and robustly asserted our constitutional prerogatives as a coequal branch of government when a Democrat was in the White House but who, despite solemn vows to do the same in the event of a Trump presidency, have maintained an unnerving silence as instability has ensued."

2) Congress is the only one that can check Trump

Which is true. So often, when I break down with legal scholars whether something Trump or his team did crosses a legal line, their answer is: Maybe, but it's an open question whether you can prosecute a sitting president.

Flake argues that fact almost makes it harder for Congress to act, especially against a president of their own party.

"Too often, we observe the unfolding drama along with the rest of the country, passively, all but saying, 'Someone should do something!' without seeming to realize that someone is us."

"If by 2017 the conservative bargain was to go along for the very bumpy ride because with congressional hegemony and the White House we had the numbers to achieve some long-held policy goals - even as we put at risk our institutions and our values - then it was a very real question whether any such policy victories wouldn't be Pyrrhic ones."

3) Trump is so surreal, he's hard to digest

Flake: "[T]he strange specter of an American president's seeming affection for strongmen and authoritarians created such a cognitive dissonance among my generation of conservatives - who had come of age under existential threat from the Soviet Union - that it was almost impossible to believe."

4) Also, the tweets were easy to ignore

"I love reading about all of the 'geniuses' who were so instrumental in my election success. Problem is, most don't exist. #Fake News! MAGA

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2017"

Flake: "As I layered in my defense mechanisms, I even found myself saying things like, 'If I took the time to respond to every presidential tweet, there would be little time for anything else.' Given the volume and velocity of tweets from both the Trump campaign and then the White House, this was certainly true. But it was also a monumental dodge."

Hey, Sen. Flake, you're not the only one!

So, what to do about it?

Flake routinely catalogs Trump alongside evil and danger - at one point, he compares the Republican Party trying to make peace with this president to a German astronomer who sold his soul to the devil.

But Flake's solutions probably won't go as far as the liberal base, whose members routinely wield the "i" word, might like.

Flake says Republicans should be ready to speak out against Trump when he does something that's damaging to the party's growth beyond its base. He argues Republicans should oppose Trump on trade by going back to championing free trade policies. And Republicans "need to stand up for institutions and prerogatives, like the filibuster," which Trump routinely tweets he wants to get rid of. In other words, Republicans need to keep on being Republicans, despite who's at the head of their party.

This is one GOP senator who seems ready to oppose Trump, at least. Who knows if there will be more. But if there are, we could look back on Flake's anti-Trump argument, laid out just six months into Trump's presidency, as one of the turning points.
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On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Donald Trump's advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trump's oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign - a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

But within hours, at the president's direction, the plan changed.

Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children" when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared a story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was "not a campaign issue at the time."

The claims were later shown to be misleading.

Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

The extent of the president's personal intervention in his son's response, the details of which have not previously been reported, adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the president's direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.

"This was . . . unnecessary," said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia probe.

He fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the president asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBI's Russian investigation - a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Mueller's work.

Although misleading the public or the press is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told The Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.

Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

"He refuses to sit still," the presidential adviser said. "He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."

Trump has said that the Russia probe is "the greatest witch hunt in political history," calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain Clinton losing an election she should have won.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

The White House directed all questions for this story to the president's legal team.

One of Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of the president's actions and his role in crafting his son's statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from The Post.

"Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent," Sekulow's statement read.

Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told The Post that he and his client "were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement" about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed.

Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, "I have no evidence to support that theory." He described the process of drafting a statement as "a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers."

Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump Jr.'s statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said.

"The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president," Zeidenberg said. "They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem. . . . What they don't seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them."

The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organizations began to ask questions about it.

Kushner's legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the president's son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people.

Kushner's lawyers came across what they immediately recognized would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign - one he had failed to disclose. Trump Jr. had arranged it, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had also attended.

To compound what was, at best, a public relations fiasco, the emails, which had not yet surfaced publicly, showed Trump Jr. responding to the prospect of negative information on Clinton from Russia: "I love it."

Lawyers and advisers for Trump, his son and son-in-law gamed out various strategies for disclosing the information to try to minimize the fallout of these new links between the Trump family and Russia, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the president's most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Kushner and Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushner's lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

In one scenario, these people said, Kushner's team talked about sharing everything, including the contents of the emails, with a mainstream news organization.

Hicks and Raffel declined to comment. Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell also declined to comment.

The president's outside legal team, led by Marc Kasowitz, had suggested that the details be given to Circa, an online news organization the Kasowitz team thought would be friendly to Trump. Circa had inquired in previous days about the meeting, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The president's legal team planned to cast the June 2016 meeting as a potential setup by Democratic operatives hoping to entrap Trump Jr. and, by extension, the presumptive Republican nominee, according to people familiar with discussions.

Kasowitz declined to comment for this article, as did a Circa spokesman.

Circumstances changed when the New York Times began asking about the Trump Tower meeting, though advisers believed the paper knew few of the details. While the president, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were attending the G-20 summit, the Times asked for White House comment on the impetus and reason for the meeting.

During breaks away from the summit, Kushner and Ivanka Trump gathered with Hicks and Raffel to discuss Kushner's response to the inquiry, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Kushner's legal team joined at times by phone.

Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, Kushner's team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

The discussions among President Trump's advisers consumed much of the day, and continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.'s meeting.

The president directed that Trump Jr.'s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue - the adoption of Russian children.

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m., about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his son's statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

In the early afternoon, Eastern time, Trump Jr.'s team put out the statement to the Times. It was four sentences long, describing the encounter as a "short, introductory meeting."

"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," the statement read.

Trump Jr. went on to say, "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."

Over the next hour, word spread through emails and calls to other Trump family advisers and lawyers about the statement that Trump Jr. had sent to The Times.

Some lawyers for the president and for Kushner were surprised and frustrated, advisers later learned. According to people briefed on the dispute, some lawyers tried to reach Futerfas and their clients and began asking why the president had been involved.

Also on the flight, Kushner worked with his team - including one of his lawyers, who called into the plane.

His lawyers have said that Kushner's initial omission of the meeting was an error, but that in an effort to be fully transparent, he had updated his government filing to include "this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr." Kushner's legal team referred all questions about the meeting itself to Trump Jr.

The Times' story revealing the existence of the June 2016 meeting went online around 4 p.m. Eastern time. Roughly four hours later, Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Trump's family members and advisers departed the plane, and they knew the problem they had once hoped to contain would soon grow bigger.

---

The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump said nothing Monday in response to Russia's planned expulsion of hundreds of American diplomats, announced over the weekend by President Vladimir Putin.

"Right now we're reviewing our options, and when we have something to say on it we'll let you know," White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday after Trump's silence continued through several public appearances.

Asked when Trump would sign the bill passed last week by Congress, levying new sanctions on Russia, that precipitated the Kremlin's move, Sanders said that "we'll let you know when that's going to happen."

Whatever Trump decides to do in response, the fast-moving series of events appeared to leave the administration with no substantive Russia policy and without a clear idea of what direction to take.

It was left to Vice President Mike Pence, on a visit to NATO member Estonia, to note obliquely that "we hope for . . . better relations with Russia," but that "recent diplomatic action by Moscow will not deter" U.S. defense of its Baltic allies against Russian "aggression."

Putin said in a Moscow television interview late Sunday that he expected U.S.-Russia relations to worsen and that Russia may come up with other forms of sanctions retaliation.

Just as Trump did not mention Russia on Monday, Putin's spokesman indicated that Trump was irrelevant to the Kremlin's decision to retaliate before the new sanctions bill took effect. Passed with massive majorities in the House and Senate, "it will de facto become a law even if the U.S. president does not sign it," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. "So there was no need to wait," he said. "Things are pretty obvious."

While Russia remained interested in improvements - promised by Trump during his campaign - relations for now were "far from this ideal," Peskov said.

Putin waited a half year to respond to a decision by President Barack Obama, in the waning days of his administration, to sanction Russia with diplomatic expulsions and property seizures in retaliation for cyber-intrusions in the U.S. electoral campaign. Trump has repeatedly expressed doubts about Moscow's culpability, and the Russians were clearly expecting a change in policy.

Russia had demanded the return of two diplomatic compounds in this country, labeled intelligence outposts by Obama, and applied for visas to send replacements for the 35 diplomats the previous administration kicked out.

But not only was no progress made on either issue, Trump's inability to stop the new sanctions legislation apparently led Putin to recalculate.

"The Russian government, I think, has largely written off Trump as a person who can deliver," said Andrew Weiss, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a Russia policy official during the Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush administrations.

"But by the same token, they think there's no benefit in truly antagonizing him, and so they'll jolly him along for the indefinite future," Weiss said.

The chain of events began last summer, when U.S. intelligence told the Obama White House that Russia was behind email hacking and the spread of false news stories designed to promote chaos in the U.S. election and ultimately to benefit Trump. In late December, Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats and the FBI took possession of Russian recreational compounds on Maryland's Eastern Shore and on New York's Long Island.

Surprisingly, Putin said he would not respond. Within weeks, the Justice Department became aware of conversations between Russia's Washington ambassador and top Trump aide Michael Flynn - soon to become Trump's first national security adviser - in which Flynn appeared to indicate that Trump's Russia policy would be more amenable to Moscow.

Over the ensuing months, as investigations into Russian electoral behavior and Trump's campaign expanded, U.S.-Russia relations had ups and downs. At the United Nations, Russia has stood fast against new sanctions on the Syrian government and North Korea, even as it negotiated a partial Syrian cease-fire with the United States.

In early July, Trump held his first face-to-face meeting with Putin, at the G-20 summit in Germany. The White House said Trump confronted the Russian leader over election meddling and that Putin had denied it. Putin said Trump accepted his denials. Both said they had agreed to move on to other subjects during their initial two-hour session.

In his readout of the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described it as "very specific," extending through North Korea, Syria, Ukraine and cybersecurity, and down into the weeds of Russia's long-standing demands that the United States release two long-jailed Russian nationals - arms dealer Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot arrested in Liberia for arms smuggling and extradited to this country.

"We are continuing to work on this issue," Lavrov said. "We expect our American counterparts to make the right choice."

Nowhere has Russia been more adamant about the "right choice" than its demands that the United States return its Maryland and New York properties. Although the administration had indicated to Moscow that it was willing to do so, under certain circumstances, no deal was struck. Putin clearly grew tired of waiting.

"It's always been just a matter of time before the Russians decided to do something to punish the United States for the expulsions and the seizure," Weiss said. "The sanctions legislation is a complicating factor that basically precipitated" a new low in the relationship, he said, "but we've been marking time in many respects."

Unlike Obama, who ordered the expelled Russians to leave this country within 72 hours, the Kremlin said it would wait until Sept. 1 for 755 U.S. diplomatic employees to wind up their affairs, and that Washington could choose which ones would leave. Although there are more than 1,200 people working at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and three consulates, only about 300 are believed to be Americans.

The Russian government also is seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties - a dacha, or country house, outside Moscow, and a warehouse.
Taipei, Aug. 1 (CNA) Formosa Plastics Group (FPG, ), one of the leading conglomerates in Taiwan, said Tuesday that it is still in the process of finding partners to jointly invest in the improvement and expansion of its steel plant in Vietnam, which reopened earlier this year after months of inactivity due to a toxic waste spill in 2016.
With the start of the school year two weeks to a month away, many districts are still looking to fill some jobs.

Districts like San Antonio, Northside and Comal have the highest amount of positions available.
AUSTIN  State Rep. Shawn Thierry told her House colleagues that she feared she would die when she gave birth, feeling as though her heart would beat right out of me, as she asked them to approve legislation Monday to extend and expand the role of a maternal mortality task force.

No woman who chooses to bear life in Texas should ever do so in exchange for her life, said Thierry, D-Houston, who read the names of mothers who had died as she dedicated her bill to their memory.

The House voted unanimously for her bill and other legislation to keep the task force operating and to give it direction for additional research into stemming the number of Texas women whose deaths are related to pregnancy and childbirth. Among its provisions, Thierrys bill would direct a look at the disproportionately high rate of deaths among women who, like her, are African-American.

Thierry, who has spoken before about her reaction to an epidural during childbirth, said she wanted to be a voice for the women who may not have the advantages she did, such as private insurance, the ability to stay in the hospital as long as necessary and follow-up care.

The maternal mortality issue is among 20 topics Gov. Greg Abbott put before lawmakers in the special session that began July 18. Another House vote is required to send the four bills approved Monday by the House to the Texas Senate, which already has approved its own legislation on the topic. Both chambers have to approve the same bill for that legislation to go to Abbott for his OK or veto.

With Texas maternal death rate compared unfavorably to the rest of the developed world, efforts to address the issue are getting the kind of agreement that has proven rare on some other high-profile topics in the special session.

The task force has reported that 189 mothers died in Texas within a year of childbirth in 2011-12. Causes of maternal death include heart disease, drug overdose, hypertension and hemorrhaging. Local officials have started a Bexar County initiative to take its own look at the issue.

Disagreement on other topics was evident in the Capitol and beyond Monday.

Protesters made known their opposition to legislation that would prevent local governments from having financial contracts with entities that also offer abortion services  notably, Planned Parenthood. The demonstrators, who say womens health is at stake, wore bright pink as they trekked through the Capitol  a visit theyve made before during the special session.

On another contentious issue, Gov. Greg Abbott during an appearance in Grapevine shot back at businesses and law enforcement officials who have spoken out against the bathroom bill, which would restrict the public restrooms that transgender people can use.

Businesses have warned that passage of a law widely viewed as discriminatory could lead to economic boycotts of the state, and they say just the possibility of its passage already has caused problems. Law enforcement officials, including San Antonio Police Chief William McManus, came to the Capitol last week to speak against the measure, saying it would complicate their jobs, take them away from more pressing duties and target transgender people.

The Senate has voted to require that multioccupancy restrooms, showers and changing facilities of political subdivisions including schools be designated for use by people based on the sex designated on their birth certificates. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, and other backers of the bill in the Republican-dominated Legislature call it a matter of privacy and safety for women and children.

The measure is opposed by House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, who has expressed concern about the economic fallout and the consequences of the focus on a vulnerable group of people.

Abbott, who was in Grapevine to speak to the Sheriffs Association of Texas Training Conference and Expo, suggested that law enforcement opposition to the measure is misguided.

People need to understand what the bill says before they come out and speak on it, Abbott told reporters. It makes no sense, really, for law enforcement to come out against it because there is not a role for law enforcement to play. Enforcement of this law is done by the attorney general, and its a civil action, not a criminal issue. So what I urge is for everyone just to step back  look at what the bill actually says before they cast some misguided judgment.

Officer Jimmy Rodriguez, legislative director of the San Antonio Police Officers Association, said when asked about that point last week that police nonetheless will be called if the law passes.

Were always the first step  Theyre going to call us whenever somebody is found in a bathroom, Rodriguez said. Were the first one that theyre going to call, no matter what.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac

Staff Writer Forrest Milburn contributed to this report.
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AUSTIN  Religious leaders kept up their passionate fight against the bathroom bill at the Capitol Tuesday, while a big-city mayor who met with Gov. Greg Abbott said he didnt push the issue because he believes the governors mind is made up on it.

We did not talk about the bathroom bill in particular. He knows how I feel about that. I know how he feels about it. Weve met before on this issue. So we tried to say, how do we use our time fruitfully, and our partnership to do whats right by the citizens, said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings after he and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price met with Abbott.

Abbott put the bathroom bill, which would restrict which public restrooms transgender people can use, on the agenda of the special session. Rawlings has long said the issue has been raised by companies when he has tried to lure them to Dallas. Businesses are speaking out ever-more forcefully against the measure.

Abbott has been meeting with a number of mayors after 18 of them sent him a letter asking to talk about measures that take aim at local taxes and regulation. No meeting has been scheduled at this point with San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner or Austin Mayor Steve Adler. Nirenberg was at the Capitol Tuesday, working on legislative issues.

While officials were making strategic decisions, leaders from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths spoke against the proposal, which as passed by the Senate would require that multi-occupancy restrooms, showers and changing facilities of political subdivisions including schools be designated for use by people based on whats on their birth certificates. It wouldnt direct business policies, but it would bar local ordinances and school policies that ensure transgender peoples access to the facilities aligned with their gender identity.

Backers in the Republican-dominated Legislature call it a matter of privacy and safety for women. Opponents  including House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio  say there have been no restroom issues caused by transgender people. They say the measure, widely viewed as discriminatory, would harm transgender people and could mean a big potential economic fallout due to boycotts.

The religious leaders, whose event was organized by the interfaith social justice network Texas Impact, focused on the human factor.

There is one teaching of Jesus which is primary, clear and unequivocal, and that is that followers of Jesus are to do everything in obedience to the great commandment to love God with all that we have and all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, said General Presbyter Sallie Sampsell Watson Mission Presbytery in San Antonio. Jesus put no restriction on the definition of neighbor.

I urge our Christian lawmakers, especially my fellow Presbyterians, to vote and act in obedience to the one who called everyone neighbor, she said.

Retired United Methodist Bishop Joel Martinez of San Antonio said, When the church, including my own United Methodist tradition, has practiced what we preach, we have stood with the pushed down, pushed out and pushed around.

Today, then, we must join together  in standing with the transgender community, Martinez said. Jesus is clear  in pushing down, pushing out or pushing around anyone, you are doing it to the Lord.

Rabbi Mara Nathan of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio said the bathroom bill signifies hatred.

We are witnessing a moment when leaders in our communities feel comfortable being horrible to other people, when our fellow citizens seem to lack compassion for their neighbors and their neighbors children. Bathroom bills at their core are a manifestation of senseless hatred.

Religious leaders who favor the bathroom bill also are taking action. The Texas Pastor Council is planning an event at the Capitol on Thursday to support the measure and demand a House vote on it.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
Juniors, seniors and graduate students at Trinity University can now move into a luxury apartment complex located across the street from campus, officials announced Tuesday.

City Vista apartments, 655 E. Hildebrand Ave., was purchased by the university in January as part of its master plan, "Trinity Tomorrow," which helps give older students more boarding options. University officials posted a photo on the dean of students' Facebook page saying: "Big day today at City Vista (apartments). Finally!!"
Soon, work will begin on widening FM 1103 from Interstate 35 in Schertz south into Cibolo toward Rodeo Way and just past Steele High School.

The entire project, according to Rudy Klein, Cibolos director of planning and engineering, will cost $24 million and involve some right-of-way acquisition.

The existing 80-foot width of ROW is not wide enough to expand FM 1103, Klein said.

The project will cover 3.83 miles from I-35 to 830 feet past Rodeo Way.

Klein said Cibolo approached the Texas Department of Transportation in 2013 about widening FM 1103 because of safety concerns, but TxDOT told us there was no money for that. That led to a street improvement bond issue for FM 1103.

Cibolo voters in November 2014 approved a $7 million bond issue that included traffic signals, accel and decel lanes, and sidewalks. But (the bond) was not to build a four- or five-lane road, Klein said.

Under the bond issue, FM 1103 was going to remain a thoroughfare, with one lane of traffic in each direction and a center turn lane.

However, shortly after the bond issue passed, TxDOT approached Cibolo.

They told us, We have maintenance funds, we can match your $7 million, Klein said.

Schertz was putting $4 million into widening FM 1103 in the 0.8-mile section of FM 1103 off I-35 within its city limits.

That brought the total cost of the project to $18 million, he said, before TxDOT informed the city it could bring the funds available to $24 million.

That amount, the $24 million, is to reconstruct the four lanes with a center turn lane, he added.

Due to the limited width of existing right of way, the project will include the acquisition of right of way along the FM 1103 corridor. The 80-foot right of way is not wide enough to handle the project, with its four-lane roadway plus a turn lane, which will require 120 feet.

More than a year ago, the Texas Department of Transportation began its environmental assessment process, which is required before right-of-way acquisition. TxDOT sent letters to homeowners whose property is along the route expansion.

Klein reiterated that some homeowners along FM 1103 whose property would need to be acquired to widen the road received letters from TxDOT. But no letters of right-of-way acquisition have gone out involving the proposed Cibolo Parkway Project, which would extend FM 1103 south at Wagon Wheel Way and stretch 7 miles  with a bridge crossing FM 78 and a railroad track  to connect to Interstate 10.

Work on the FM 1103 expansion is slated to begin in 2018.

jflinn@express-news.com
A San Antonio mother is behind bars after police said she fled in a moving truck after assaulting her 11-year-old daughter.

Graciela Bautista Munoz, 39, was arrested on an injury to a child warrant Monday shortly after 6 p.m., according to jail records. She is also facing charges of fraud and a theft of a check worth $500-$1,500.
Arson investigators are looking into the cause of a fire at a Northeast Side abandoned home that was scheduled to be demolished by the city.

The fire was first reported around 3:40 a.m. on Tuesday at a home in the 12300 block of Constitution Street. Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, and no one was injured in the fire.
Tejano music fans across Texas may have been shocked to find Selena Quintanilla's brother on the Nueces County Sheriff's Office most wanted list, but it isn't the first time authorities have sought A.B. Quintanilla for failure to pay child support.

Court records from Fort Bend County show an arrest warrant was issued for the former member of Los Kumbia Kings in July 2015 after he was found in contempt of court for not paying child support.
Google Maps

Cyclists found human remains in an "advanced stage of decomposition" along an Austin bike trail early Monday morning, Austin police said.

Police officers responded to the bike trails in the 7300 block of Ritchie Drive after the bike riders called authorities, the news release states. Officers were taken to the location of the remains.
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Donald Trump had his worst day since he was elected president and his worst week since the last one.

Things can only get worser and worser, as the Bard would permit me to say.

Lets start with the vote-a-rama and the skinny repeal, which puts me in mind of a state fair ride and placing an order at Starbucks.

Id like a skinny repeal, please  venti, with mocha.

As all know by now, Sen. John McCain didnt get the skinny on repeal and shocked the chamber by voting no with a thumbs-down. Not even with a Republican majority could Trump dump Obamacare in its slimmest version yet. McCain, who postponed treatment for aggressive brain cancer and flew to Washington to cast his vote, joined fellow Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, as well as all the Democratic members, to put the kibosh on any real hope of repeal this year, much less replace.

Always the maverick, McCain, who has defied death before, is no ones wingman. If he thought this vote might be his last stand in the arena, he would make it worthwhile and memorable.

Back at the Ponderosa, Trump at least had a soul mate in whom to confide, Anthony Scaramucci, the White Houses new communications director. Mooch or Mini-me to Washington insiders, Scaramucci is Trumps knee-capper. Good cop, meet seriously bad cop.

Scaramucci has now been ousted. But we can ponder why he was appointed in the first place. He is the personification of Trumps deep brain. To the extent that the president ever withholds a thought, Scaramucci was there to express it for him. Thanks to The New Yorkers Ryan Lizza, we were privy to enough premium quotes to entertain ourselves for months.

As you may have heard, Scaramucci called Lizza in a rage over his leaked financial records and Lizzas reporting of an intimate Trump dinner to include Fox News Sean Hannity and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who, sources say, told Trump that then-White House chief of staff Reince Priebus was a leaker. When Scaramucci demanded that Lizza divulge his source, Lizza, a polite, erudite fellow, declined and did what reporters sometimes do: He taped the conversation, capturing a hailstorm of profane tirades against leakers and, specifically, Priebus  a (expletive) paranoid schizophrenic. By late Friday afternoon, Priebus was out of a job, with Trump tweeting that he was replacing him with Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. The next week. Scaramucci was out of a job.

Next, we visit El Salvador, where, strangely, we find Attorney General Jeff Sessions. We know Trump wants to get rid of Sessions, but sending him into the maw of the beastly MS-13 gang seems excessively aggressive even for this president.

And, lest we ignore the gold coin Trump magically pulled from his ear, the president randomly ordered transgender people out of the military. What, no women bleeding this week?

Health care, schmealth care, in other words. As buffer to the inevitable, Trump made sure to create a little sidebar drama  expelling thugs and transgender people, rooting out leakers and traitors, and threatening to fire anyone who says Russia in his presence.

So many shiny objects, so few left to fool.

A few Trump loyalists may wait for the last lifeboat, but its only a matter of time before this administration capsizes, titanically. Trumps first-year agenda is DOA along with health care reform. Going after Sessions has hurt him with conservatives. His chaotic White House operation is a constant reminder that no ones in charge.

Light shifts to a small lifeboat off in the distance. Rowing slowly is an old man whose posture betrays a straight spine despite obvious injury to his arms and shoulders. A smile creases his face as moonlight catches a twinkle in his eye. A deep scar above it imitates a wryly arched brow. He chuckles at the memory of Trump saying he was a war hero only because he was captured and turns to make yet another final gesture.

This time, he doesnt use his thumb.

kathleenparker@washpost.com
Re: Move statue, lest we forget what it means, Josh Brodesky, July 23:

It is time to end this mass frenzy of political correctness. Whats next on the agenda, removing Travis and Bowie from the Cenotaph because they were slave owners?

Where does it end before all stand up and say enough is enough?

Those who fought for the Confederacy were not only white. There were also Hispanics, Native Americans and blacks, and you can bet the common soldier, the basic grunt, didnt own slaves.

He was fighting for states rights, the ability to choose and not be dictated to by an all-powerful federal government.

Councilman Robert Trevino has asked, why dedicate precious space to those who fought against America? Well, for Mr. Trevinos information, they were Americans fighting for what they believed in, as their forefathers did.

It is our history and our heritage. Honor it and honor them.

They deserve better than what is now being handed out to them.

James Woolums

Bathroom priorities

It appalls me that our values have dropped so low that elements of our society care more about business income than they do about a wifes privacy showering in a health club or a teen daughters privacy changing clothes in a locker room.

Do you think that 19-year-old men arent going to dare each other to invade these areas? And what I hear from local and state levels is a concern about the impact of the bathroom bill on our business income! What about the impact on our people?

What is wrong with us?

Steven J. Marques

Save the trees

I hope King Abbott will listen to the real people of Texas and not the real estate developers pushing for a ban on city tree ordinances.

The city of Rockport has a very strict tree ordinance, and it is administered very fairly to homeowners and developers.

The reason for our ordinance is obvious to visitors and residents when they see our beautiful windswept oaks that have been here for hundreds of years!

If King Abbott gets his way, visitors may see a 7-Eleven where the Big Tree once stood!

Lloyd R. Mathews, Rockport

Trafficking case

The driver of the tractor-trailer truck in which 10 people died from heatstroke and dehydration has stated that, when he parked in the Walmart parking lot, he could hear people inside.

Why didnt he open the trailer when he heard them?

That action alone tells me he knew all along that he was carrying human cargo.

His barbaric actions demand a charge of capital murder.

Ruth E. Webster

Hes no boy Scout

Donald Trump is deservedly receiving strong condemnation for his vulgar, politicized speech at the recent Boy Scout Jamboree.

Heres the irony: When Scouts gather, they solemnly raise their right hand in the Scout salute and recite the Scout Law: A scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent  yet our current president possesses none of these characteristics.

Bill Celaya

How do they sleep?

Dear Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, and Rep. Lamar Smith:

When can my family receive the same health care coverage you and your family have, which we taxpayers provide? I was just wondering, as I have been asking this question for a long time now. Its remarkable that you can lay down to sleep with the knowledge that your actions cause such pain and uncertainty.

Add to that the obscene tax breaks your bill would have given to the upper 5 percent.

Wait  Im sorry  youre all Christian devotees. Never mind.

David M. Adkisson

Beg my pardon!

According to the latest buzz, the White House Occupant is inquiring about whom he can pardon should the need arise, including himself.

So, we shouldnt worry that hes coming unhinged if he is seen talking to himself. Hes probably saying, Pardon me!

Rachel V. Diaz-Kennon

Broader collusion

If the Republican members of the House and Senate refuse to acknowledge collusion between the Trump administration and Russia, despite all the proof presented, does this mean they, too, could be guilty of collusion?

I think it does, and it shows these Republicans are choosing party over justice.

Voters, Republican and Democrat, should not forget those actions when they vote.

Ron Soele

Wake up, America

Questions that need to be answered: Why is Donald Trump so avidly against the Russian investigation. Why is he trying to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller from checking his financial records? What is he trying to hide?

Is he arrogant enough to think hes above the law because hes president? He already has the country off balance with his unpredictability.

Congressional Republicans should get over being afraid of Trump and grow a backbone!

Do something before he succeeds in turning America into a second Russia. And dont think it cant happen here, because it can.

People need to wake up and realize what hes doing to our country.

Leafy Travis
STRATFORDPolice are investigating a serious accident involving a detective in their own department that sent a woman to the hospital.

The detective was traveling southbound around 12:40 a.m. Tuesday on Main Street and the woman was driving westbound on Stratford Avenue when the cars crashed into each other at the intersection, according police spokesman Capt. Frank Eannotti.

The woman was in stable condition at Bridgeport Hospital Tuesday afternoon. Details of her injuries were not available.

The detective was treated and released, Eannotti said.

The womans small Honda came to a stop in the road.

The detectives Chevy Tahoe flipped over, knocking out a blue USPS drop box a park bench. It stopped a few feet away from the entrance of the Pickle Barrel Deli, which was closed.

Deli security footage shows patrons from the bar across the street rushing over to help. Around ten women and men pull the woman from her small Honda. Around three minutes later, the front of the car caught fire, burning everything inside.

Traffic was closed in the area until around 7 a.m., according to police. The detective was responding to a non-emergency call. Its unclear if the detectives sirens or lights were on at the time.

The department doesnt have plans to bring in another agency to over see the investigation.

If we get a police vehicle involved in an accident, we usually try to do a little more in depth just because of the obvious liability concerns and to make sure that all of our protocols and stuff were followed, Eannotti said.

Police detectives went to the hospital Monday morning to interview the woman

We have trained accident accident investigators, theyre very, very good, he said. Transparency is the key so, if there was something one way or the other wed obviously be up front and honest about it.

Video footage from the deli doesnt clearly show who was at fault in the crash.
Former First Lady Grace Mugabe and some of her relatives and allies are being stripped of 14 stands worth almost US$12,6 million in one of the most upmarket developments in Borrowdale, Harare, on the grounds that they acquired the land for next to nothing by abusing their connections with the then Government.

The 14 stands are in the plush suburb of Harare, Carrick Creagh due east of Borrowdale Brooke and between them cover 167 997 square metres, or almost 17 hectares, and at the quoted commercial selling price of US$75 a square metre they are worth US$12 599 775.

Mrs Mugabe owned four adjacent stands covering 7,36ha through a pair of front companies Montshow Private Limited and Navline Investments Private Limited in which her children are now directors according to company records. This land, at the US$75 a square metre selling price, should have cost US$5 525 550, but in practice it cost her almost nothing.

She and the other 10 land owners, four using companies, were able to get into the housing scheme without putting up the required purchase price because it is a Public Private Partnership joint venture between the Government and a private developer on State land.

They operated through a former minister who himself has corruption-related legal problems arising from the way he became involved in land deals and stand allocations. The ex-minister also included at least his alleged girlfriend in the Carrick Creagh scheme.

It is understood that Mrs Mugabe first used members of the State House staff in the original allocation of stands, and then carried out her intention of acquiring the formal ownership in the name of her companies.

But now Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo wants the corruptly-acquired land back and the title deeds cancelled. He announced his intention, and gave the required notice, in the Government Gazette on Friday last week and is placing the weekly press advertisement for the next three weeks, seeking objections.

Minister Moyo is able to do this under section 18(1)(b) of the Deeds Registries Act, which allows the minister to direct the cancellation of the deed for any land in respect of which the State has the right to claim transfer. The right being invoked is that the land in question was not properly paid for, being given away for what amounted to free.

The Act lays down the procedure that must be followed, and in particular the calling for objections and the need to study these objections before the cancellations can take place.

The minister is also relying on section 308(3) of the Constitution which requires him to take positive action in these circumstances. The section reads: It is the duty of every person who has custody or control of public property to safeguard the property and ensure that it is not lost, destroyed, damaged, misapplied or misused.

Mrs Mugabes four stands include the largest, third largest, fourth largest and sixth largest of the 14 stands. Two stands were registered in the name of Montshow Investments (Private) Limited: stand 306 of 18 034 square metres, and stand 307 of 25 133 square metres. The other two were registered in the name of Navline Investments (Private) Limited: stand 308 of 13 733 square metres and stand 309 of 16 744 square metres.

This block of four stands, covering 73 674 square metres should have cost US$5 525 550. Mrs Mugabe paid a token sum, basically getting the large block for free.

The other 10 stands were transferred as follows: stand 96 of 9 592 square metres to Timothy Mubhawu; stand 172 of 4 000 square metres to Lazarus Dagwa Kambarami Dokora; stand 195 of 3 971 square metres to Comverol Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd; stand 196 of 4 039 square metres to Cavord Trading (Pvt) Ltd; stand 269 of 13 857 square metres to Gloryboost Investments (Pvt) Ltd; stand 300 of 12 384 square metres to Taruvinga Hamura; stand 91 of 8 003 square metres to Olivia Farai Mashonganyika; stand 228 of 12 086 square metres to Junior Shuvayi Gumbochuma; stand 288 of 19 310 square metres to Olivia Tafadzwa Chinouya, and stand 99 of 7 081 square metres to Penking Investments (Pvt) Ltd.

Asked for comment, the developers lawyer Mr Munyaradzi Bwanya referred all questions to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.

 Herald

Breaking News via Email
FORMER Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development secretary Francis Gudyanga was yesterday arrested for corruption.

He was picked up by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and is now in custody at Rhodesville Police Station in Harare.

He is expected to appear in court today. ZACC spokesperson Ms Phyllis Chikundura confirmed Gudyangas arrest.

We have arrested Gudyanga, she said.

He is detained at Rhodesville Police Station and is appearing in court tomorrow.

The Herald is reliably informed that Gudyanga was arrested for suspected cases of corruption he committed when he was Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.

As was reported by The Herald then, Gudyanga chaired the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) since 2013. He never convened a meeting of the board, but claimed $28 000 in board sitting allowances.

Gudyanga was the only board member and allegedly never consulted the acting general-manager Richard Chingodza and the corporations secretary Nomsa Moyo, whom he was supposed to hold meetings with, according to the Company Act.

He is on record telling the Harare magistrates court during the trial of MMCZ bosses that he paid himself board fees when there was no board to talk of at the parastatal.

Prof Gudyanga told the court in March this year while testifying against the MMCZ bosses:

It is not just sitting, but decision making.

No, it was not sitting fees, but board fees because we did not sit as a board.

The board is not all about sitting, but consultation and decision making. It took most of my time.

Prof Gudyanga received $875 monthly as board fees and $460 sitting fees for sitting 21 times, totalling $28 910.

Breaking News via Email
POLICE detective, Joseph Nemaise, who stands accused of assaulting a Central Intelligence Organisation informer at the Harare Magistrates Court last year, claimed yesterday that he acted within the confines of the law in applying maximum force against the complainant who allegedly resisted lawful arrest.

In his defence, Nemaise told an Mbare magistrate that the complainant, Delish Nguwaya, was resisting lawful arrest when he used minimal force to arrest him.

Complainant blatantly resisted arrest and accused person acted within the confines of section 42 of the criminal Procedure and Evidence Act in using minimum force to effect arrest and detention, Nemaises lawyer Musindo Hungwe submitted.

Nemaise allegedly assaulted Nguwaya and broke his arm at the Harare Magistrates Court, where he was appearing on extortion charges and detained him, but the High Court issued an order for his immediate release saying the arrest was unjustified.

He denied claims that Nguwaya sustained injuries during the arrest.

But Nguwaya in his testimony told the court that he had resisted being cuffed because he was never advised of the reason for his arrest as required by the Constitution.

Nguwaya said Nemaise started assaulting him without even informing him of the reason for the arrest.

When the matter was brought to the High Court judge, Justice Charles Hungwe ordered Nguwayas immediate release after watching a video recording of the accuseds arrest.

Nguwaya was video-recorded lying on the floor handcuffed, while being dragged by Nemaise down the stairs from the second floor, before being bundled into a waiting truck and taken away to the police station where he was allegedly threatened with a gun.

 NewsDay

Breaking News via Email
WASHINGTON  On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) decision to reduce 2016 renewable fuel blending requirementsknown as Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs)set under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The judges said that the agency misinterpreted its waiver authority.

EPA had reduced the 2016 RVOs from congressionally-mandated numbers after arguing that there was an inadequate domestic supply of certain biofuels. EPA had interpreted domestic supply to mean the amount of fuel actually available to consumers in the marketplace, as opposed to the amount of biofuel available to be blended into the nations fuel supply.

The courts opinion, written by Judge Brett Kavanaugh, stated that whether consumers have an adequate supply of renewable fuel to fill their cars is not relevant to whether refiners, blenders and importers have an adequate supply of renewable fuel to meet the statutory volume requirements. Further, Judge Kavanaugh wrote that while EPA has the authority to consider supply-side factors in determining inadequate domestic supply, it is not allowed to consider the volume of renewable fuel that is available to ultimate consumers or the demand-side constraints that affect the consumption of renewable fuel by consumers.

The decision is being called a victory by biofuels producers, who have argued that RVOs have been set too low. However, certain oil industry stakeholders dont view the opinion favorable, as they have argued that the lowered RVOs are still too high. The agency has said that it is still reviewing the decision.

The courts ruling has created substantial uncertainty regarding the potential consequences for markets affected by the decision. Stay tuned to NACS Daily for additional information as it arises.
MINNEAPOLIS  Convenience store owners are vigorously protesting the proposed ordinance to ban menthol cigarettes from Minneapolis store shelves, City Pages reports. Earlier this summer, the city council proposed only allowing the sale of menthol tobacco products in adult smoke shops. City Councilmembers Cam Gordon and Lisa Bender said their bill would help keep menthol cigarettes out of reach of minors.

Convenience store owners pointed out that banning menthol cigarettes from their shelves would mean a loss of $226,000 per store, according to the Coalition of Neighborhood Retailers. Leaders should be focused on fixing the increase in violent crime, establishing real community-based policing, and coming up with innovations to improve our declining neighborhoods instead of banning legal products, said Ahmad Al-Hawwari, a member of the United Chamber of Commerce that represents 100 Arab-American owned c-stores in the city. Taking cigarette sales away from licensed, law-abiding retailers is giving our sales away to an underground criminal market.

Clay and Mia Lambert, owners of Metro Petro, said such a ban would mean they would likely not be able to expand their business. Is this the future of Minneapolis? Clay said. No rational business owner would continue to invest.

The clamor from convenience store owners delayed the measure for now, with the citys health committee not voting on it last week. The health committee will take the matter up this week.
Foldable like an accordion: Bending individual nanostructures (Nanowerk News) Since a research group at Kiel University (CAU) and the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) in Hamburg-Harburg has developed aerographite  one of the most light weight materials in the world  in the year 2012 -, they have continued researching about it. Its complex tetrapodal architecture gives the carbon-based 3D material very unique properties, such as extremely high elasticity and electrical conductivity.

Now, for the first time, as part of an international research team, materials scientists from the CAU were able to fold the individual hollow tetrapods, each measuring only a few micrometers in size.

The black aerographite is the lightest material in the world. It is constructed from tiny tetrapod structures. (Image: Siekmann/CAU)

After bending, the tetrapods automatically retain its original shape, without suffering any damage. This makes advanced applications conceivable, both in materials science as well as in the field of regenerative medicine. The research team published their results in Nature Communications ("Nanomechanics of individual aerographite tetrapods").

Regarding new materials, scientists are primarily interested in one thing: What properties do they have, and how do they behave under different conditions? This also determines the new possible uses of the materials.

"In order to predict the overall mechanical behaviour of a network material, we must investigate the individual building block structures with which it is constructed," explained Dr. Yogendra Mishra, materials scientist in the working group Functional Nanomaterials at the CAU.

Aerographite is constructed of tetrapods, carbon-based 3D nanostructure which consist of four hollow arms. When combined together, they form a porous, extremely lightweight network, and bring the weight of aerographite down to just 0.2 milligrams per cubic centimetre.

"Because of this unique structure, the material exhibits a high mechanical strength as well as a very high surface, from which interesting physical and chemical features originate," says Daria Smazna, a doctoral student in the project.

The international research team led from Kiel has now managed to show that aerographite is extremely foldable.

A network of four-armed carbon tetrapods interconnects to form the highly-porous material aerographite. (Image: Adelung Group) (click on image to enlarge)

"In general, bulk materials like carbon or metal are not foldable, but due its special structure our carbon networks are highly flexible and mechanical stable too, explained Professor Rainer Adelung, head of the Functional Nanomaterials Chair. You could imagine it much like a sheet of paper. "A flat sheet of paper offers no resistance, if you hold it on one side, it simply hangs down. However, if we roll it up or crumple, it attains a certain degree of stability," continued the materials scientist.

It therefore depends on the geometrical arrangement within the material. The special shape of the tetrapods made the researchers suspect that they could be folded - despite the lightness of aerographite. This is because the individual arms have very thin walls and they are hollow inside.

"This allows them to be bent at so many different places, even reversibly. They automatically go back to their original shape, without sustaining any damage," explained Mishra. "Just like an accordion, the three-dimensional object can be folded into a two-dimensional form, and then unfolded again."

The Kiel researchers imagined how aerographite behaves when it is folded - at least according to their suspicions. To characterize the material and to prove that their idea is actually true, they also had to bend the micrometer-sized objects in practice. To do so, they needed a special scanning electron microscope, which they found in Riga (Estonia).

Here, the Kiel team was already working with fellow scientists on a different project. With a nanoscale measuring needle, the colleagues there were able to grasp and bend the aerographite tetrapods. The material scientists Dr. Stefano Signetti and Prof. Pugno, co-leading author of the paper, from the Italian University of Trento, provided the final mechanical understanding and generalization, developing both the analytical and numerical models, and thus also the proof that the assumptions of the Kiel colleagues were correct.

A tetrapod arm in normal shape; (b) a needle touches the arm, which slowly starts to bend; (c) the arm bends significantly, before it (d) reverts back to its original shape without being damaged. (Image: Donats Erst, University of Latvia)

"Our theoretical and numerical modelling calculations provide a general understanding for the design of aerographite materials and are in very good agreement with the assumption of the Kiel researchers as well as experimental observations from Riga machine," adds Nicola Pugno, Professor of Solid and Structural Mechanics.

"The calculation method which has been developed and verified because of this international cooperation, can be applied to tetrapods in various sizes. It provides a valuable basis for investigating the properties of whole tetrapod networks and aerographite even further," elaborated Mishra.
Hybrid nanoparticle photoinitiator for 3D-printing in water (Nanowerk News) Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalems Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology have developed a new type of photoinitiator for three-dimensional (3D) printing in water. These novel nanoparticles could allow for the creation of bio-friendly 3D printed structures, further the development of biomedical accessories and drive progress in traditional industries such as plastics.

3D printing has become an important tool for fabricating different organic based materials for a variety of industries. However, printing structures in water has always been challenging due to a lack of water soluble molecules known as photoinitiators -- the molecules that induce chemical reactions necessary to form solid printed material by light.

Now, writing in Nano Letters ("Rapid Three-Dimensional Printing in Water Using Semiconductor-Metal Hybrid Nanoparticles as Photoinitiators"), Prof. Uri Banin and Prof. Shlomo Magdassi at the Hebrew Universitys Institute of Chemistry describe an efficient means of 3D printing in water using semiconductor-metal hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) as the photoinitiators.

Hybrid nanoparticles as photoinitiators. a. Electron microscope image of hybrid nanocrystal. The inset shows a schematic of semiconductor nanorod with a metal tip. b. Bucky ball structure produced by rapid 3D printing in water using HNPs as photoinitiators. c. Spiral printed with HNPs by two photon printer providing high resolution features.

3D printing in water opens exciting opportunities in the biomedical arena for tailored fabrication of medical devices and for printing scaffolds for tissue engineering. For example, the researchers envision personalized fabrication of joint replacements, bone plates, heart valves, artificial tendons and ligaments, and other artificial organ replacements.

3D printing in water also offers an environmentally friendly approach to additive manufacturing, which could replace the current technology of printing in organic based inks.

Unlike regular photoinitiators, the novel hybrid nanoparticles developed by Prof. Banin and Prof. Magdassi present tunable properties, wide excitation window in the UV and visible range, high light sensitivity, and function by a unique photocatalytic mechanism that increases printing efficiency while reducing the amount of materials required to create the final product.
Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
Tipperary farmers are urged to to be vigilant for water pollution after eight separate fish kills across the country last year as a result of farming activity

Inland Fisheries Ireland has issued an appeal to farmers in Tipperary to remain vigilant during the summer months when harvesting silage and spreading slurry to avoid water pollution and the loss of nutrients to water.

There were 31 separate fish kills across the country last year, with eight of those directly attributable to agricultural activities.

The eight fish kills caused by agricultural practises in 2016 occurred in Meath (x 1), Kilkenny (x 1), Cork (x 3), Kerry (x 1), Sligo (x 1) and Galway (x 1).

Fish killed in these incidents included brown trout, atlantic salmon, eel, stone loach and stickleback.

In addition to the agricultural related kills, two fish kills were as a result of municipal works and one by industrial works. In four instances, the exact cause of the fish kill was difficult to ascertain while 16 incidents of fish kills were as a result of disease and natural causes.

As agriculture was the largest identifiable and avoidable attributing factor to fish kills last year, farmers in Tipperary are reminded of the importance of managing their silage operations correctly.

Silage operations are ongoing all summer and silage effluent has the potential to cause devastating pollution in streams and rivers.

Silage effluent is a significant polluting substance, starving fish and invertebrate life of oxygen, resulting in potentially massive fish kills if it enters a watercourse.

With some rivers low during summertime with little dilution capacity, the effect of a small leak can cause huge damage.

Inland Fisheries Ireland is advising farmers in Tipperary to follow its simple six point plan to ensure good farmyard management and reduce their risk of polluting

1.Use round bales as the most environmentally friendly way to store silage.

2.If a silage pit is being used, ensure it is properly sealed to prevent leakage from under the slab.

3.Carry out slurry spreading in dry weather and never when heavy rain is forecast.

4.Never spread slurry close to a watercourse, be aware of the slope of land to the watercourse.

5.Do not clean tanks beside any watercourse, stream or a river.

6.Do not allow any effluent or washings to enter any rainwater gully.

Inland Fisheries Ireland has a confidential hotline number to enable members of the general public to report incidents of water pollution, fish kills and illegal fishing  1890 34 74 24 or 1890 FISH 24. For more information on Inland Fisheries Ireland, visit www.fisheriesireland.ie.

More news...

Agencies battle to prevent Crayfish Plague spreading upstream in River Suir
(Natural News) President Donald J. Trump has learned some hard lessons about the way the Washington swamp works in the six months hes been president.

But at the same time, he also seems to have learned when and how to apply pressure of his own in order to get done the things he was elected to do.

After a few Republican hypocrites including #nevertrumper Sen. John McCain of Arizona thwarted the Senates latest effort to repeal and replace Obamacare  like they repeatedly promised to do for years  the president is set to take some action on his own that may finally force them to make good on their pledge.

One move Trump is considering, according to various reports, is ending the so-called Obamacare subsidies that his predecessor carved out for lawmakers and their staffs shortly after the Affordable Care Act survived court challenges in 2012. At the time, lawmakers complained that if they and their staffs were forced into the expensive Obamacare exchange established for Washington, D.C., they would suffer a brain drain  an exodus of talented people out of their offices  because they couldnt afford the premiums.

As reported by Reuters:

When Congress passed the health reform law known as Obamacare in 2010, an amendment required that lawmakers and their staff members purchase health insurance through the online exchanges that the law created. They would lose generous coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

The amendments author, Republican Senator Charles Grassley, argued that if Obamacare plans were good enough for the American public, they were good enough for Congress. Democrats, eager to pass the reforms, went along with it.

But it soon became apparent the provision contained no language that allowed federal contributions toward their health plans that cover about 75 percent of the premium costs.

So Obamas Office of Personnel Management crafted a rule that allowed lawmakers and their staffs to continue receiving that generous subsidy; now, Trump is threatening to get rid of it and force lawmakers and staffs to live under Grassleys amendment, essentially.

After seven years of talking Repeal & Replace, the people of our great country are still being forced to live with imploding ObamaCare! Trump wrote on Twitter. If a new HealthCare Bill is not approved quickly, BAILOUTS for Insurance Companies and BAILOUTS for Members of Congress will end very soon!

In comments to reporters over the weekend, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway called the subsidies a sweet deal for lawmakers and staffs, adding: This is exactly what so many Americans hate about Washington, D.C. The president will not accept those who said it is, quote, time to move.

As for the insurance bailouts, these are cost-sharing reduction payments which are taxpayer-supplied payments to insurance companies that help keep down deductibles, premiums and other copays (meaning theyd be even higher than they already are if the payments ended). That would support Trumps oft-stated goal of allowing Obamacare to collapse on its own, even though he has also said he would rather Congress address the failing law via legislation, so as not to harm American families. (Related: Federal courts rule Obamacare subsidies both legal and illegal; entire system may be gutted.)

As noted by The Blaze, if the president withholds these funds, it would likely result in many insurers choosing to leave the Obamacare health insurance exchanges or pass on insurance costs to lower-income people, who likely cant afford to pay the added costs.

As Natural News reported in April, the Trump administration has been considering withholding the subsidies for months in order to force recalcitrant lawmakers into passing repeal and replace:

The president is threatening to end controversial subsidies promised to insurers under terms enacted by former President Obama. If he does so, it will effectively kill the laws sustainability and speed up its collapse, angering voters on both sides of the aisle

And all Trump needs to do is order his Justice Department to take federal attorneys off a current court case filed by Republicans in 2014: A federal judge has already ruled those subsidies are illegal because Congress never appropriated money for them, a ruling the Obama Justice Department was appealing.

The president is intent on getting rid of a law that is forcing millions of families to decide between a house payment or health insurance, just like he promised he would. Between making Congress and their staffs subject to the same Obamacare the rest of us have to deal with and ending insurance bailouts, he just may get his way.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

TheBlaze.com

NaturalNews.com

Reuters.com

TheNationalSentinel.com
(Natural News) If you had a choice in the matter, would you allow your employer to chip you  that is, have a tracking device medically implanted in your body so your company could keep tabs on you 24/7/365?

If you say no, youre no doubt in the majority. But some employees of a Wisconsin-based company have actually agreed to let their employer have RFID tracking devices implanted in them.

As reported by ABC affiliate KSTP, the company will become the first in the United States to offer microchip implantation for its workers.

Its the next thing thats inevitably going to happen, and we want to be a part of it, said Todd Westby, the CEO of Three Square Market, a firm that designs software for company break rooms that are common in larger office settings.

As the local affiliate reported:

Just as people are able to purchase items at the market using phones, Westby wants to do the same thing using a microchip implanted inside a persons hand.

Well come up, scan the item, he explained to the local station, as he demonstrated how the technology would work in an actual break room market kiosk.

Well hit pay with a credit card, and its asking to swipe my proximity payment now. Ill hold my hand up, just like my cell phone, and itll pay for my product, he said.

Already more than 50 of the companys employees have agreed to be chipped; the process began in late July. The chips are about the size of a grain of rice, the local network reported.

In addition to purchasing kiosk items, employees will also utilize the chip to enter the business premises and to log on to their computers.

The cost of each chip is around $300, and the company is paying for them. The device is implanted between the thumb and forefinger, and the data contained therein is encrypted and secure (until hackers figure out a way around the firewall).

Theres no GPS tracking at all, said Westby (for now).

He further offered that microchipping is the next evolution in how we electronically pay for things and even said the technology one day may replace passports.

We foresee the use of RFID technology to drive everything from making purchases in our office break room to opening doors, use of copy machines, locking into our office computers, unlocking phones, sharing business cards, [and] storing medical/health information.

Zero Hedge noted that a Swedish company, Epicenter, also began implanting RFID devices inside workers hands  and the workers were all about it. They also loved the fact that the chips made getting into work and workstations much easier  that, and the fact that co-workers even threw parties for everyone who agreed to be chipped.

The biggest benefit I think is convenience, Patrick Mesterson, co-founder and CEO of Epicenter, said. It basically replaces a lot of things you have, other communication devices, whether it be credit cards or keys.

Yeah, and such devices also replace your privacy  which is something that is not as cherished by Europeans as it is by Americans. After all, its part of our Constitution.

What Westby said about this technology becoming an inevitable part of the future is really disturbing, but hes probably right. In a world where automation will be replacing human workers by the millions, just imagine a company requiring new hires to be chipped as part of any employment arrangement. How many people would jump at the chance to land a job when theyre hungry and desperate, even if they had to agree to be chipped? (RELATED: Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Prohibit Forced Microchipping)

And this says nothing of an eventual government requirement for the same thing. Think about it: Congress passed a law in 2005, as an anti-terrorism measure, called the REAL ID Act; it is a mandate on federal agencies that restrict the circumstances under which they may accept state-issued drivers licenses and identification cards for official purposes, the Department of Homeland Security states. If you dont have a federally-compliant, state-issued ID, you now cant board a commercial flight or enter a federal courthouse.

This technology is not coming, its here. And at some point, youll have to decide whether its worth it to you to accept the chip.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

KSTP.com

NaturalNews.com

USAToday.com
It has been well established that the use of toxic pesticides and disease outbreaks are the main driver of the declining bee population. However, a new study from North Carolina State University revealed that the increasing urban temperatures can also contribute to the decreasing bee population.

The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, showed that almost all of the 15 most common wild bee species in the southeastern cities can be negatively affected by the increasing temperatures in urban heat islands.

"This is certainly relevant for urban heat islands, but it may also help us understand potential effects of global climate change on bee species," said Elsa Youngsteadt, a research associate at NC State and co-lead author of the study, in a press release. "If species that have a lower CTmax are most sensitive to urban warming, they may also be most sensitive to warming in other environments."

For the study, the researchers first determined the so-called CTmax, or the critical thermal maximum of the different bee species. The bees were placed in a tube and the temperature was gradually increasing until each bee became incapacitated. The researcher noted that the CTmax is the temperature at which the bees were incapacitated in the laboratory settings. These insects could be negatively affected by lower temperatures, forcing them to leave habitat or reproduce less.

Among the bee species included in the study, carpenter bees Xylocopa virginica and Ceratina strenua appear to be the most heat-tolerant with CTmax value of 122 to 124 degree Fahrenheit. On the other hand, sweat bee (Agapostemon virescens) and a bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus) are among the least heat-tolerant with a CTmax value below 113 degree Fahrenheit.

The researchers then sampled bee populations 11 times over two years at 18 urban sites in Wake County, North Carolina to determine how the bees' CTmax affect their behavior in real-world settings. The CTmax of the bees corresponded well to their abundance in urban yards. This means that the population of the bees decreases as the temperature in the urban yards increases.


The sinking and tilting Millennium Tower would safely survive a major earthquake at the moment but should be re-evaluated in the future, a city-appointed panel concluded in a report issued Monday.

To an extent consistent with the scope of our review, our professional opinion is that the foundation settlement experienced by the tower has not appreciatively affected the safety of the building at this time, the three-member expert panel wrote in the report released by San Francisco officials.

However, because the structure is still settling, continued monitoring and further study of the cause of the settlements is recommended to allow a better understanding of maximum future settlements.

The panel's findings were not received well by some tower residents.

Consequently, its not worth very much at all, said engineer and lawyer Jerry Dodson. Its a snapshot in time and has no assurances about the future performance of the building.

The report notes that as of July, the tower has settled 17 inches at its northwest corner and is leaning 14 inches toward Fremont Street and the Salesforce building and more than 6 inches toward Mission Street.

This settlement has not occurred uniformly, causing a distortion and tilting of the mat foundation, along with a lean (out-of-plumbness) of the building, the panel wrote in its report, noting that the building is now leaning twice as much as engineers consider acceptable for high rises.

The panel, headed by Stanford professor Greg Deierlein, was charged with reviewing the work of Ronald Hamburger, a Millennium-hired engineer who wrote several reports declaring the building safe.

Deierleins panel backed Hamburgers conclusion that the foundation problems have not compromised the buildings ability to resist strong earthquakes and have not had a significant effect on the buildings safety.

Dodson says that he's not assured because the Deierlein report is merely analysis of Hamburgers findings and did not involve independent modeling or analysis. Also, he said, Deierleins panel accepted Hamburgers refusal to analyze the future impact of settlement on the structures safety.

They shouldnt have accepted that. They should have pushed back and said, we want to know what the future of this building is, and they didnt, Dodson said.

Deierleins panel delved into problems found during NBC Bay Areas investigation into the building, including that a Millennium consulting engineers concerns about outriggers, giant steel reinforced concrete structures that tie the towers core to its outer walls.

Hamburger acknowledged that advanced computer modeling confirmed that outriggers would fail in a major quake. But, he said, the building would still handle a quake without collapse, as required by code.

However, two independent experts have told NBC Bay Area, that the failure of the outriggers could mean that the building would be red-tagged as unsafe.

Deierleins panel also mentioned a problem identified by NBC Bay Area stemming from unexplained odors plaguing several condo units. Outside engineers say the odors are getting in via previously unidentified gaps around the holes drilled in concrete for ducts, pipes and electrical lines.

The unsealed holes, fire experts told NBC Bay Area, could allow fires to spread more quickly. At least one resident, Paula Pretlow, has since filed a complaint about the apparent fire safety risk to city building inspectors.

Without elaborating, Deierleins report acknowledged a few issues that either have been or are in the process of being addressed."
DOBBINS, Calif. - A man was found dead inside a rural home Tuesday after he shot and wounded two California sheriff's deputies who confronted him as he pulled up marijuana plants on a farm that supplies pot to a Rastafarian church, authorities said.

It appears the shots that deputies fired back killed the suspect, but an autopsy will determine how he died, Yuba County Sheriff Steven Durfor told reporters. He said he does not know the name of the man who barricaded himself inside a home in the remote community of Oregon House, about 55 miles north of Sacramento.

Durfor said the two wounded deputies were airlifted to a hospital and arrived "conscious, talkative and stable." The pair, whose names were not released, were in serious condition and underwent surgery, according to the hospital.

Sugarleaf Rastafarian Church leader Heidi Lepp said she received a call from church members who live on the marijuana farm saying a newly arrived worker had become erratic, was ripping up plants and holding a gun.

Lepp said she called the sheriff's office and told the men on the farm to leave immediately.

When the deputies arrived, a gunbattle broke out, Yuba County sheriff's spokeswoman Leslie Carbagh said.

Lepp said she knows the suspect only as "Sawyer" and he showed up at the farm about a month ago. The property is owned by a branch of Lepp's church, she said.

The property is between 20 and 40 acres, Lepp said, and the church considers marijuana a sacrament.

The shooting occurred a day after two police officers were shot and wounded nearly 200 miles south in the central California city of Los Banos during a struggle with a man who broke into his estranged wife's apartment. Police fatally shot that shooter.
A shorter-than-usual commercial salmon fishing season is set to begin Tuesday, months later than usual, and Bay Area fishermen struggling to recover from several difficult years are urging residents to demand local, wild caught fish.

The commercial salmon season for this region will begin Tuesday and continue through Sept. 30. That is months shorter than usual due to low salmon population numbers caused by lingering effects of the drought in 2014 and 2015.

The short season comes on the heels of a shutdown of the Dungeness crab and rock crab fisheries during much of the 2015-2016 season caused by a toxic algal bloom, which left many local fishermen struggling to survive.

"A lot of guys like myself have been damaged financially, almost to an irreparable place," said Don Marshall, president of the Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermen's Association, speaking Monday at San Francisco's Pier 45. "There's very few young guys getting into the industry and the volatility is the reason why."

Facing restrictions linked to the drought, fishermen like Chris Fox are preparing for rough waters.

"We have a delayed start for this region, but we were able to fish in the Monterey area for May and June, and it was terrible," Fox said. "We lost a lot of territory this year, lots of restrictions. If that's because of bad science, bad management plans on the part of the government, then I think there needs to be some kick down."

Restaurants and wholesalers have also been affected by the industry's woes.

"We don't serve farmed salmon at my restaurant, and I don't sell farmed salmon at my wholesale company," said Kenny Belov, owner of Fish restaurant in Sausalito and TwoxSea seafood wholesalers. "We depend on this iconic creature to populate my menu and to populate menus throughout the Bay Area. Without it, we're kind of lost"

Belov said it was important for consumers to demand wild caught salmon and seek out local fish in season if they wanted to see the local fishery survive.

In January, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker declared the 2015-2016 California crab season a disaster, theoretically paving the way for Congress to provide relief funds.

U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, have introduced legislation calling for $140 million in relief for the fishing industry. However Huffman on Monday said so far there is only $20 million set aside for all fishing disasters nationwide in the current appropriations bills.

"They don't get that salmon matters, that salmon jobs matter, that our Dungeness crab fishery matters, that California matters, so we've got to press our case," Huffman said.

While conditions for the upcoming fishing season look good, Pietro Parravano, president of the Institute for Fisheries Resources, warned against too much optimism.

"Next year we could have a similar situation, and unfortunately we have an administration that listens to voices other than those that would keep water in the river, so we're not out of the woods yet," Parravano said.
As local municipalities grapple with the legalities of enforcing and regulating a newly legalized industry, business ideas continue to flow from the Bay Areas startup crowd.

Here are some of the latest cannabis-related events and businesses that have local entrepreneurs and investors seeing green:

Cannabis Fitness Experience

San Francisco-based Bloom Farms and Wish are diving into the fitness industry with weed-incensed yoga events and pre-workout edibles. Bloom Farms, which creates oil pods, pens, hand rolls and other products, hosts a cannabis fitness experience in three California cities, and Wish, an edible creator, added pre-workout nuts to their products list.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BT2r2E

3D-Printed Cannabis Pieces

San Francisco-based company Printabowl is customizing marijuana pieces by using 3D printing technology.

Printabowl

Fine Dining with Herbs

Bay Area-based Auntie Dolores infuses everything from peanuts to pecans with cannabis at its gourmet food business and is joined by cannabis fitness creator, Bloom Farms in the fine dining industry. Bloom Farms hosts a cannabis dining experience similar to a wine pairing event.

Cannabinoids Research

A North Bay pharmaceutical company, Kalytera Therapeutics, has been breaking ground in the area of cannabinoid research for the last two years. Theyre working on bone regeneration and other medical solutions using some of the components that are in cannabis.

Jetty Mind Tricks

Cannabis Candy and Edibles Creators

The booming edible industry can be seen across the Bay Area from specialty confection maker, KIVA Confections, to DasBakess twist on the classic Rice Krispie treat.

As for the gluten free-inclined, San Francisco-based DaKine Goods has created a line of baked goods classified as vegan, and Jolly Meds by Jeffrey Kolsky brings products like canni-soothes, lollipops and lozenges to the edibles collection.

Cannabis-Infused Menstrual Relief

Canna-lotions, balms and other similar products have been infused with cannabis oils for whats sold as a pain-reducing medicine for menstrual relief.

San Francisco-based Whoopi and Maya, created by Whoopi Goldberg and Om Edibles founder Maya Elisabeth, sells a line of cannabis-infused health products like the Epsom Salt bath, cacao beans and body lotion.

The Whoopi & Maya synergy, as they call it, concentrates on oils not to be consumed, but absorbed through the skin.

Michael Steinmetz of the Bay Area has a grand vision of converting a giant Northern California former wine estate into a destination for all things marijuana. Joe Rosato Jr. reports.

Worlds First Cannabis Campus

Located on a former family winery immediately north of the Bay Area, the Flow Cannabis Institute is opening what it says is the worlds first cannabis campus.

The vocational facility is based in Northern California and promises to be a place where "legislators, regulators, farmers and patients with an opportunity to learn firsthand what it takes to grow cannabis sustainably."

It estimates there are nearly 53,000 California cannabis farmers are already working with medical marijuana.

Cannabis Inhaler

Invisidab by Berner has created a smokeless cannabis inhaler for California dispensaries, which it says is a discreet way to consume marijuana for medical purposes.

Marijuana Wax

Oakland Extracts has been preparing a marijuana "wax," which started making waves in the cannabis industry within the last five years. Be warned, the wax is more expensive and reportedly much more powerful than traditional consumption methods.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVF7MGtlw

Vape Pens

Immediately north of the Bay Area, Hmbldts Vape Pens have been attracting national attention and customers  since being invented last year. The creators say not to expect a high, though, as the cannabis oil is made to make the user feel calm, sleepy and relieved of pain.
A former Watergate prosecutor told NBC Bay Area on Monday that there is little chance the Trump administration could survive a Saturday Night Massacre.

Washington, D.C., attorney George Frampton was one of a small team of lawyers working on the Watergate prosecution when President Richard Nixon fired special prosector Archibald Cox, a move that led to the resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus on Oct. 20, 1973.

Frampton was in his late 20s, just a couple of years out of Harvard Law School, when he got the call to join the Watergate investigation. He described to NBC Bay Area what it was like to be in the middle of it and the comparisons he sees with the current investigation of President Donald Trump's administration.

Frampton said the pressure on the Watergate investigators was intense. Much like today, there were cries from the White House about a witch hunt.

"We felt as though we couldnt make a single mistake," Frampton said. "If wed made a single mistake wed be dead."

No mistakes and no leaks, and no chance the incriminating evidence would have come to light without the special prosecutor.

"Congress was not going to get those tapes," Frampton said. "We only got those tapes because the criminal justice process went forward. We were entitled to get them for the investigation."

Frampton said without Robert Muellers investigation, the truth may never come out about what happened in the meetings between President Trumps campaign and the Russians.

"I think taking the meeting shows they certainly had an interest in collusion," he said.

But is that criminal? Frampton said it depends on where the investigation leads.

"And thats why we have a special prosecutor, and we have someone who I think is trained and responsible about making those not-so-easy decisions," Frampton added.

Assuming there was no collusion, Frampton said Trump's White House still managed to arguably create criminal conduct by unnecessarily lying and covering thing up.

"But thats of course the lesson of Watergate, that its really the cover-up and the lying that ended up entangling people in potential criminal conduct, certainly in political peril," Frampton said.

Meanwhile, Frampton believes Mueller cant be fired without devastating consequences for Trump.

"Not without another massacre, without another group of people within the Justice Department resigning, and I doubt he could survive that," Frampton said.
An after-school music teacher was arrested last week for sexually abusing a 15-year-old Palo Alto student, police said.

Detectives from the Palo Alto Police Department learned about the alleged crime around 1:30 p.m. on July 13. An investigation revealed that John Patrick Root, 35, was a part-time music teacher at the School of Rock at 2645 Middlefield Road.

The victim was one of his students and the sexual abuse occurred numerous time over the past several months when the pair at various locations across Palo Alto, according to police.

An arrest warrant issued on July 19 charged the San Francisco resident with multiple counts of felony sex crimes.

The next day, Palo Alto police, with help from San Francisco officers, arrested the suspect. He was taken to the Santa Clara County Main Jail and booked on four counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor.

Detectives are working with school officials to determine if Root abused anyone else.

People with more information are asked to call the police departments 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be sent to paloalto@tipnow.org or via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.
A San Jose man was sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail for selling a cockroach and bedbug pesticide he claimed to be safe to use inside homes, Santa Clara County prosecutors said.

According to the district attorney's office, Julio Pino Reyes, 46, sold a dangerous pesticide that he re-bottled and re-sold to people with a claim that it could kill cockroaches and bedbugs. Three people, including two small children, went to a hospital after being exposed to it.

"Pesticides are poisons with a purpose," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Bud Porter said in a statement. "They should not be sold out of the back of a pickup truck."

Exposure to the pesticide can cause nausea, shaking, dizziness, rapid heartbeat and confusion.

The powder was sold at flea markets, through Facebook and OfferUp ads, in addition to print ads in a Spanish-language magazine. Prosecutors said that tests showed a high concentration of acephate, which isn't approved for in-door residential use.

The Santa Clara County Division of Agriculture alerted the district attorney's office to the sale of the powder.

In addition to the jail sentence, Reyes was also placed on three years' probation, ordered to pay $9,000 in lab costs and $4,000 in victim restitution.

Anyone with questions about the safe use of pesticides is asked to call the California Department of Pesticide Regulation at (916) 445-4300 or can email them at cdprweb@cdr.ca.gov.
Immigration agents in Hayward detained two undocumented men with alleged criminal backgrounds just weeks after the city formally declared itself a sanctuary city.

The incident has left families and the community on edge.

Hayward city leaders said regardless of someone's background, it is important that all residents receive due process of the law. But critics said the undocumented immigrants broke the law to begin with and they should have been deported a long time ago.

Lourdes Olvera is left taking care of her two young grandchildren while their mother is away fighting to keep their father, Antonio Valenzuela, in the United States.

Olvera said Valenzuela was on his way to work last Thursday with his friend, Jose Salgado, when they were detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement agents. The agents were in the area looking for a suspect in an unrelated case.

Olvera said Valenzuela called her and said "take care of the children because immigration just got me."

Olvera said she feels bad for her grandson because he is especially close to his dad.

ICE tells NBC Bay Area neither man had ever been lawfully admitted to the United States. They said their database shows Valenzuela has been repatriated to his native Mexico three times and he previously served time for a DUI.

The second man, Salgado, has a previous felony charge for lewd acts with a minor.

Mayor Barbara Halliday, who successfully fought to declare Hayward a sanctuary city last month, is concerned.

"I just want to make sure that whatever the reasons they were taken away from their families their rights are protected," Halliday said.

But Juan Hernandez, a log cabin Republican, said the men lost their rights when they came into the country illegally.

"They're breaking the law. They should already be sent back, especially if they're criminals," Hernandez said.

ICE said both Valenzuela and Salgado will remain in their custody while the cases are reviewed.
A woman suffered serious injuries Sunday evening in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood when a man poured bleach on her face, police said Monday.

The 57-year-old woman was sitting on the sidewalk in the first block of Mason Street around 7:30 p.m. when the attack occurred.

The woman was taken to the hospital with what police described as non-life threatening injuries including a loss of vision. Police originally reported that the woman suffered life-threatening injuries.

Police did not release a description of the suspect, describing him only as a man between 20 and 25 years old, and have not specified any motive for the attack.

No arrest has been reported.
U.S. Senator Cory Booker is introducing a bill to legalize marijuana at a federal level.

The New Jersey Democrat, and former mayor of Newark, announced in a Facebook Live video his intention to introduce the Marijuana Justice Act of 2017. The legislation seeks to remove the classification of pot as a Schedule I drug, the same category as heroin, with no recognized medical use or value.

The bill would also allow people serving time for marijuana-related offenses to be resentenced and automatically expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes, according to NorthJersey.com.

Booker says the current federal drug laws "divert critical resources from fighting violent crimes, tear families apart, unfairly impact low-income communities and communities of color and waste billions in taxpayer dollars each year."

Booker said on Facebook the bill is an effort to "remedy many of the failures of the War on Drugs."

"This is the right thing to do for public safety, and will help reduce our overflowing prison population," he wrote.

The legislation comes in the face of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions' stiff opposition to the drug. Sessions has said he wants to crack down on the drug even as a growing number of states legalize it.



Marijuana is legal for medical or adult use in 28 states, accounting for more than 60 percent of the U.S. population, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), an advocacy group that lobbies for federal marijuana reform.

Under President Barack Obama, federal authorities largely took a hands-off approach to state-level legalization efforts. But Trump's Justice Department has started rolling back some of the previous administration's policies aimed at granting more leeway to drug offenders, NorthJersey.com reports.
A man with a long criminal history, wanted on charges out of Georgia, is now behind bars in New Hampshire, arrested twice in three days in the city of Manchester.

Manchester police say John Watkins threatened a woman with a knife in a Market Basket parking lot Monday night. When they ran his fingerprints, they learned about his extensive criminal past.

"Forty-eight pages in length from New Hampshire, Georgia, Florida, and Massachusetts," Manchester Police Lt. Stephen Reardon explained to the judge Tuesday.

Police say Watkins has felonies dating back to 2009 in states up and down the East Coast, and now most recently in Manchester, New Hampshire.

"All I ask is, can I be at my job, thats all I wanted to do is work," Watkins pleaded with the judge.

He wanted to be released from jail so he could get to his new job, but prosecutors argued that Watkins is a danger to this community.

It turns out, hes wanted in Georgia for making terroristic threats and using an alias.

"Once they get arrested, thats when everything in their history comes up," explained Lt. Brian OKeefe.

Manchester Police say they first arrested Watkins on Friday after he fell asleep at Panera Bread and then fought with officers when they tried to take him into custody.

Watkins was released and arrested again Monday night for allegedly threatening a woman at knifepoint in the Market Basket parking lot.

Watkins says the alleged victim is actually his girlfriend, and that he never threatened her.

"She lunged at me with the knife and I took the knife from her," he explained.

Charged with two felonies after his three-day crime spree, Watkins faces up to 15 years in New Hampshire state prison.

Watkins is being held on $50,000 cash bail, but the state wants his bail revoked so theres no chance of him being released.

A judge will consider that at a hearing Wednesday morning.
Proposed questions being offered for next year's state ballot would gradually raise the minimum wage in Massachusetts to $15 an hour and require that workers have access to paid family and medical leave from their employers.

Raise Up Massachusetts planned to announce on Monday it was launching a signature drive for the two initiative petitions. The same group is behind a third ballot question that would impose a so-called "millionaire tax" on the state's wealthiest earners, with the additional revenue earmarked for education and transportation improvements.

Groups hoping to place questions before voters in November 2018 must submit their proposals to the state attorney general by 5 p.m. Wednesday. It is the first of several deadlines that sponsors of initiative petitions face over the next 15 months.

The Legislature in 2014 approved a three-step increase in the state's hourly minimum wage from $8 to $11, the highest along with Washington among U.S. states. The proposed 2018 ballot question would raise the Massachusetts minimum wage in annual $1 increments starting in 2019 until it reaches $15 an hour in 2022.

"Nobody should be paid so little they can't afford basic necessities, and no one should have to choose between working at the job they need to pay the bills and caring for themselves or the family they love in a time of crisis," Deb Fastino, co-chair of Raise Up Massachusetts, said in a statement.

Under the paid leave proposal, workers could take time off to care for a seriously ill or injured family member, or a new baby, for up to 16 weeks. During that period they would receive 90 percent of their average weekly wages, with a maximum benefit of $1,000. Workers recovering from their own injuries or illnesses could receive up to 26 weeks of paid medical leave.

The benefits would be paid through employer contributions made to a new Family and Employment Security Trust Fund that would be administered by the state. Employers would be allowed to deduct up to 50 percent of their contributions from worker wages.

California, New Jersey and Rhode Island are the only states currently with laws requiring paid family and medical leave, with a New York law set to take effect Jan. 1, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The minimum wage and paid leave questions, should they reach the ballot, are likely to face pushback from major business groups, including the 4,000-member Associated Industries of Massachusetts.

"AIM opposes efforts to mandate a $15 per hour minimum wage and paid family leave," said Chris Geerhan, the organization's executive vice president of marketing and communications. "Both represent simplistic, one-size-fits-all approaches that will irreparably harm the economy without solving the income issues they are meant to address."

Attorney General Maura Healey must first certify that each proposal complies with constitutional guidelines for initiative petitions. If certified, sponsors must then collect a minimum of 64,750 signatures of registered voters by Nov. 22.

The "millionaire tax" proposal, which would impose a 4 percent surtax on the portion of an individual's annual income that exceeds $1 million, has already secured a spot on the 2018 ballot by garnering sufficient votes during two successive legislative sessions.
Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto Tuesday of the school funding bill he had pressed lawmakers to send him as the battle over education spending continues to put money for districts statewide at risk just weeks before classes begin.

"If the changes I have recommended are upheld, Illinois will have achieved a tremendous feat. Our state will enact historic education reform," Rauner said shortly after announcing his veto.

Illinois' Republican governor and the Democrat-controlled Legislature now appear headed for yet another showdown as the bill returns to the General Assembly just one day after it was sent to Rauner.

It doesnt matter where you come from or who your family is. With a great education, you can go anywhere in life and be whomever you want to be. You can grow up, get a good job and provide for your family. Thats why the changes I have made to the education funding bill are so important, Rauner said in a statement. With my changes, our state ensures that enough resources flow to children in the poorest and most disadvantaged school districts across the entire state. And my changes ensure that the education funding system in our state is fair and equitable to all students in Illinois.

Among the changes Rauner has requested are removing a Chicago block grant from the funding formula, removing a minimum funding requirement and removing both Chicago Public Schools pension considerations from the formula, among other things.

Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, warned that Rauner's changes would jeopardize money for schools statewide. That's because if legislators can't muster enough votes to either approve or override the governor  scenarios that appear unlikely  the legislation dies, and there's no backup plan ready to go.

Cullerton urged Rauner to "do the right thing" and sign the legislation, which is aimed at making school funding more equitable and ensuring districts have adequate funds to educate students.

"Students, parents, teachers and taxpayers have waited long enough," he said. "This is a chance to make a huge, meaningful change for Illinois."

Rauner has accused Democrats of sitting on the bill to force a crisis. His spokeswoman, Laurel Patrick, said they were "holding our students hostage and threatening our public schools' ability to open on time."

A new school formula is required as part of a budget deal that legislators approved earlier this month over Rauner's veto. Without new legislation, schools won't get paid. The first payment to schools is due Aug. 10.

While schools are expected to open on time even without state funding, many districts have said they'll have to make cuts or even close their doors if lawmakers can't agree on a plan by fall.

In southern Illinois, Sandoval Superintendent Jennifer Garrison said she is assessing the approximately 500-student district's finances on a week-to-week basis. Without a state infusion, the district might be able to make payroll for as many as two months, considering its cash on hand, reserves and local property tax revenue.

But Garrison said she has frozen spending in the district to essentials only, including power and water.

She said the funding limbo is especially frustrating because the school has recently experienced improvements it hopes to continue, such as its highest graduation rate in years.

"The focus is on politics instead of being on the children where it needs to be," she said. "I hope the leaders can rise above the politics."

A bipartisan group of lawmakers met during the weekend and again Monday to try to reach a compromise.

Democrats involved in the talks described the closed-door meetings Monday afternoon as "friendly" and positive, and said they asked Republicans to continue to try to reach a compromise.

"We would rather not go to a veto showdown," said Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who sponsored the bill.

But minutes after Manar spoke to reporters, Republican state Sen. Jason Barickman ripped the talks as "a charade" and accused his Democratic counterparts of playing political games.

Democrats then lifted a hold on the legislation they passed in May and sent it to the governor.

Lawmakers from both parties agree the 20-year-old calculation currently used to fund public schools in Illinois is unfair and forces school districts to rely heavily on property taxes, creating huge disparities in per-student funding. But lawmakers have clashed over how to fix it.

The proposed formula channels money to the neediest districts first after ensuring that no district receives less money than last school year. It also includes pension help for Chicago.

Democrats insist the pending proposal is fair since Chicago is the only Illinois district that pays the employer portion of teacher pension costs. Republicans say the new formula means Chicago will continue to get money that it previously received as a block grant. Rauner has called it a "bailout."

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel accused Rauner of "ignoring the needs of Illinois' school children, the desires of school superintendents across the state, the voices of newspaper editorials across the state, and the recommendations of his own education funding commission."

"His math is fuzzy, his claims have been proven false and the only thing the governor's action advances is his own personal brand of cynical politics," Emanuel said in a statement. "It is well past time for Governor Rauner to stop playing politics with our childrens futures, start demonstrating leadership, and ensure a child's education isn't determined by their zip code or his political whims.
Two dogs mysteriously died after reportedly swimming in a Wisconsin lake over the weekend.

Lindsey Holmes told NBC affiliate WMTV she took her Cavalier King Charles to Lake Mendota for a swim near the Memorial Union Terrace in Madison Sunday afternoon. Soon after, her dog began vomiting and foaming at the mouth.

She rushed her pup to a veterinary hospital in the area where the dog later died.

Holmes said her dog was 3 years old and healthy.

"For this to happen I can't even understand it right now that she's gone. It's the worst thing in the world right now," she told WMTV.

Holmes also claimed another dog came into the vet while she was there with similar symptoms after swimming in the lake.

The UW-Veterinary Hospital reported two dogs did die at the hospital following a swim in the water but experts believe the dogs' deaths "were unfortunate and coincidence."

Clean Lakes Alliance said it was made aware of the incident Sunday night and immediately took samples of the water near where the dog had been swimming.

The organization said it gave the local public health department the samples early Monday morning, but early test results did not indicate bacteria from blue green algae bloom were in the water.

We will continue to work with Public Health and communicate any new information as additional water testing is done, the group said in a statement. Clean Lakes Alliance will make sure any water safety concerns are shared with the community to help prevent any additional incidents.

"I think it is unlikely there is something else in the water that killed two dogs," Dr. Jon Bach with UW-Veterinary Hospital told NBC 5. "Many other dogs swam in Mendota on Sunday as well."

The cause of the dogs' death was not immediately known.
Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim intends to sue the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) and the states Attorney General over a state law that bars him from accessing funds intended for statewide candidates.

Ganim said all candidates for all statewide seats should be afforded the same advantages.

"What really this is about, it's about constitutional rights," Ganim said, following a public appearance in New Haven. "It's the ability of people to have the free right vote for who they want to in a candidate, not just me, but anybody similarly situated to me, I don't mean being mayor, I mean with a felony conviction, to be able to run and get the money like everyone else, the public money, to have an opportunity."

State law prohibits individuals convicted of felonies from being provided with funds for their election campaigns. Ganim was convicted on 16 corruption charges in 2003 that were all linked to kickbacks and bribes, all while he was the popular mayor of Connecticuts largest city.

The State Elections Enforcement Commission ruled earlier this year that Ganim was ineligible for accessing the Citizens Election Program (CEP).

The CEP provides grants worth millions of dollars to candidates that raise money through small, qualifying amounts of less than $100. Once a candidate reaches a certain threshold, they can see their campaign chests fill with taxpayer money in the millions all for their election effort.

The point of the program is to eliminate money from special interest groups and state contractors and encourage a "clean" election.

The lawsuit has not yet filed, and both the attorney generals and SEECs offices declined to comment on the yet-to-be-filed lawsuit Tuesday.

Ganim said he has a right to that program just like every other candidate. He said the fact that Connecticut allows former felons to both vote and run for office after a certain amount of time, anyone running for office should have the same opportunities as non-former felons.

"It's like saying to me, as a potential candidate, you've got to run or fight with one hand tied behind your back," Ganim said. "It creates an unlevel playing field for the opportunity for the candidate and for people to have a fair view of everyone that's running."
Members of the states congressional delegation asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to rethink the order requiring Joel Colindres of New Fairfield to leave the country by August 17.

Unbelievable people out there doing this for us, Joel Colindres of New Fairfield, said.

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, along with Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, wrote in part:

ICE has confirmed that Mr. Colindres has committed no crime, contributes to his community, is employed, pays taxes, and is raising a family.

It gave us some hope. It gave us a little bit of hope, Samantha Colindres, Joels wife, said.

Last week dozens rallied in support of the father of two who has been in the country for 13 years.

This followed ICEs order Colindres return to Guatemala.

The couple just bought the airline ticket.

It was hard. We werent ready to hit that click button yet for it. But we are hopeful we might not have to even use it is what we want to hold on to, Samantha Colindres said.

The 33-year-old hopes ICE takes a second look at his case.

Recently he was ordered to leave despite previously being granted stays of deportation as he works through a snafu slowing his citizenship application.

Its an amazing country. I want to be here. I want to be part of this country, Joel Colindres said.

We reached out to ICE for comment but have not yet heard back.

Previously they told us they werent taking Colindres into custody and were instead place a GPS monitoring bracelet on him.
Seven customers pumped the wrong gas into their cars after a delivery driver accidentally switched regular unleaded gasoline with diesel in two 1,000-gallon gasoline compartments at the Valero in Plainville.

"I even thought to myself, 'There's no way I put diesel into my car'. I specifically look at the pump and I take good care of my car," Michelle Rusgrove told NBC Connecticut. "I left the gas station and my car was acting funny and I said, 'That's funny, I have a brand new car.'"

The pumping problems at the Valero gas station have motorists revved up over repair bills. The company, Lee Transport Systems LLC, is accepting full responsibility, telling NBC Connecticut they'll pay for repairs, rentals and any other related issues after switching the gasoline and diesel at the gas station on East Main Street.

Rusgrove, a Southington mother, is driving a rental, after falling victim to what's called a "cross drop" at Valero where she accidentally put diesel in her Audi A3.

It turns out that six other drivers are in the same boat, including someone who drives a Maserati. On Tuesday, NBC Connecticut tracked down the gas station owner, who told us it wasn't his fault and he's facing a big hit in business.

Lee Transport Systems, LLC, in New Jersey, fired the delivery driver who was responsible for accidentally switching the diesel and regular gasoline compartments.

On Tuesday, Lee Transport Systems LLC sent a repair person to pump out and vacuum both tanks before fresh fuel was added and the station reopened.

NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters reached out to the general manager of operations at Lee Transport Systems LLC for some answers.

"This was complete human error, the driver did not follow proper procedure in making her fuel delivery and that is unacceptable. She was terminated. We take this very seriously. We spend a lot of money on training, re-training and proper procedures. Every validated driver will be reimbursed by our company in full," Fred Terpolilli, with Lee Transport Systems LLC, said.

Terpolilli said the company has been in touch with many of the affected people and reimbursed many for their claims.

He is advising people affected by the fuel issue to go to repair centers they trust and are in good standing in Connecticut. The state Department of Consumer Protection offers tips on its website to avoid automotive repair problems.

This is not the first time this has happened at the Valero on East Main Street.

Five years ago, Lee Transport Systems LLC called the 2012 incident a terminal issue.

The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) spokeswoman said the drivers did the right thing contacting the gas station owner who contacted the transport company and gas provider company. If the owner, hadn't acted as quickly as he did, a DCP spokesman said drivers could have contacted their office to file a complaint and they would investigate.
Like many people who have grown up near the shoreline in Milford, Annette Petrus remembers venturing out on the sandbar at Silver Sands State Park.

We made it out to the island, Petrus said. Came back and halfway back the sandbar was covered and I had to swim part of the way. I was very frightened, but I made it.

Ten days ago, 28-year-old George Swaby from Bridgeport did not make it back to the beach after Milford Police said a strong current swept him off the sandbar.

It just makes you sick when you hear it and this was just the straw that broke the camels back, really, Milford State Rep. Kim Rose said.

Rose told NBC Connecticut she wants the language strengthened and to see the warning signs potentially translated into other languages.

In the last two years, there have been 29 open water rescues by the sandbar, Rose said after she checked in with Milford Police.

Especially for a non-swimmer, Rose said. They can get sucked right into that tide.

Both Rose and Mayor Ben Blake told NBC Connecticut they would prefer lifeguards on duty seven days a week instead of the Department of Environmental Protections (DEEP) proposed ten million dollar renovation project.

No lifeguard was on duty the day Swaby drowned.

DEEPs statement was even if there were lifeguards they dont enforce anything there because its a no swim zone, Rose said. That doesnt make any sense to me.

Sarah Mastrone and her family from Trumbull visit Silver Sands a couple times in the summer.

I just think everyone has to be careful and be aware of whats happening, she said. And not lose track of the time to make sure they can get back in time, but its scary.

Based on her experience when she was younger, Petrus has advice for beachgoers.

You just need to have common sense, know your tides, she said. Know what youre doing, dont walk out if you dont know what youre walking into.

Rose, the mayor and Milford first responders plan to meet with DEEP officials to address the dangers of the sandbar on August 8.

This sand bar does pose dangers to people who walk out in it, DEEP Communications Director Dennis Schain said in an email. "As a result, we have several signs in that area with strong language warning of these dangers. We believe this to be the most practical approach to addressing this situation - but we are certainly eager to listen to and consider other ideas that Rep. Rose and others may have.
The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers to participate in their home fire safety event, Sound the Alarm, coming up in New Haven in October.

Volunteers will work to educate the public on home fire safety and install free smoke alarms.

Sound the Alarm in New Haven and be part of the nationwide Red Cross effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries from home fires, said Mario Bruno, CEO of the American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region, in a release.

The Red Cross launched the Home Fire Campaign in 2014 to reduce home fire tragedies and ultimately save lives. The majority of the 64,000 disasters the Red Cross responds to a year are home fires. Installing smoke alarms and having an escape plan both work to increase survival odds.

Since the campaign was launched the Red Cross and its partners have saved at least 260 lives, reached 860,000 through youth preparedness programs, and installed 890,000 free smoke alarms.

If youd like to volunteer at the event, visit the Sound the Alarm website or visit the Sound the Alarm information page on the American Red Cross website. Sign ups are available for both individuals and teams.

For more information on the Home Fire Campaign, visit the American Red Cross website.

The event will be held Oct. 7, 2017 in New Haven from 8 a.m.  2 p.m.
Eighteen Texas sheriffs have signed up to participate in a federal immigration enforcement program that checks the immigration status of inmates in the county jail.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced the partnership agreements for the federal 287 (g) program Monday at the Sheriffs Association of Texas' annual meeting in Grapevine.

Most of the agreements began over the last six weeks.

Tarrant County and Carrollton remain the only two North Texas agencies involved in the program.

Under the agreement, sheriff's office personnel are trained so that people jailed locally and found to be in the country illegally can be held until federal agents decide if deportation is appropriate.

Critics say local law enforcement shouldn't do the federal government's job and that the program contributes to mistrust between immigrants and police officers.

ICE's acting director Tom Holman said the criticism is misplaced.

"We're doing our job," he said. "They don't understand. This is about public safety. This is about officer safety. For every criminal alien that my officers can't get out of a county jail, we have to knock on a door. And everyone in law enforcement knows what it's like to knock on a door of someone who's a criminal alien that's a threat to the community."

Earlier this year Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn asked the federal government to train jail detention officers in the program and about a dozen are expected to be trained in South Carolina soon.

The 18 departments bring the number of ICE partnerships to 60 in the largest jump in participation in five years. ICE officials said they plan to continue recruiting partners for the program, which is one of ICE's top partnership initiatives.

The Associated Press and NBC 5's Frank Heinz contributed to this report.


A local pilot says a drone narrowly missed his plane over the weekend while flying at 3,500 feet.

David Stallsmith says he was in a private plane about eight miles west of DFW International Airport, when he says a big white object came out of nowhere and missed his plane by 50-100 feet.

Stallsmith described the incident as a "narrow miss" Sunday afternoon. In fact he can be heard alerting approach controllers of the unusual sight outside the cockpit,

"3051 whiskey, there is a drone on my left wing tip at 3,500 feet," he told controllers.

Stallsmith says the object had a square bottom, four propellers and a mounted camera.

"It was probably about 100 feet off my left wing tip, a white drone, clear as day," he told controllers on air traffic.

Stallsmith says the incident happened in airspace where drones are not allowed.

In fact he was four miles east of Alliance Airport and according to the FAA, if flying a drone within five miles of an airport, operators are supposed to contact the control tower and airport operator ahead of time.

Retired airline captain and aviation expert Denny Kelly says drones have a flight height limitation of 400 feet. and that Sunday's alleged near-miss is not only illegal, but also not that uncommon.

"This is not unusual, and it's extremely dangerous, people look at these drones and they think well how can that big airplane with all that metal how can it possibly hurt it? Very simple," Kelly said.

"You can very easily penetrate the windshield and disable the pilot, it can very easily get into an engine and shut the engine down," he said.

Kelly says it's a troublesome reality and that there needs to be stricter enforcement. "I really believe they're going to have to do something, possibly put some kind of chip in these drones that transmits where the drone is and it transmits some kind of signal that identifies the drone," he said.

The FAA says the chip technology is something that is being considered by an Aviation Rulemaking Committee and that they expect recommendations later this summer.

Stallsmith told NBC 5 over the phone "I don't mind people flying drones, but you have to be safe and at that point you have to be a pilot and follow the rules like everyone else for everyone's safety."

The FAA says a drone operator could face penalties from $1,400 - $32,000. The FAA also asks "responsibly" drone operators to voluntarily observe the safety regulations and guidelines:
Gabrielle Scott grew up in a Missouri City neighborhood with modest-sized homes, lofty oak trees and manicured lawns.

The Houston Chronicle reports her street is filled with people from different backgrounds, old and young, and the neighbors are friendly. Gabrielle, who is 16, has fond memories of her childhood.

There has only ever been one problem.

She lives on a street named after the first leader of the Ku Klux Klan.

"It's kind of amazing you live on a street that was founded by your enemy," said Gabrielle, who is African-American.

She said she, her mother and her grandmother often think about and discuss Bedford Forrest Drive. Each has found a way of dealing with it.

Gabrielle sees it as a blessing. "It kind of shows (people) who are against us that anyone can do anything."

Missouri City's Bedford Forrest isn't the only nod to the past in Texas. Dozens of streets in Houston pay homage to the Confederacy or the Civil War. Hundreds of schools, buildings and statues across the country also honor that history. But many of those monuments and memorials became forever tainted two summers ago, after Dylann Roof opened fire at an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine people. Roof wrapped his white supremacist ideals in the Confederate flag.

That flag was removed from South Carolina's statehouse grounds shortly after the shooting, and an urgent push began to take other symbols down across the country.

New Orleans removed a statue of Robert E. Lee, the final of four Confederate-inspired monuments, in May.

"These statues are not just stone and metal. They are not just innocent remembrances of a benign history," Mayor Mitch Landrieu said in a rousing speech. "These monuments purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy; ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement and the terror that it actually stood for."

In Houston, the fourth-largest and most diverse city in the nation, the public school district decided last year to rename eight schools with Confederate ties, at a cost of $1.2 million.

Earlier this year, Houston City Council members changed the name of Dowling Street, named after Confederate officer Richard "Dick" Dowling, to Emancipation Avenue.

In June, passionate protesters showed up at the statue of Sam Houston in Hermann Park after news reports swirled about a group coming to advocate for its removal. No such proposal had been made, but protesters felt a line had to be drawn.

"Erasing history for the sake of political correctness or to make somebody feel better, it's not just stupid, but it's dangerous," said David Amad, an organizer of the demonstration at Hermann Park.

Yet the momentum has been largely one-sided around the country.

Gerald Horne, John J. and Rebecca Moores chair of history and African-American Studies at the University of Houston, doesn't think men on the wrong side of history deserve a platform.

"Why should traitors be honored?" Horne said. "It really makes no sense, and it really needs to stop."

Gwendolyn Scott, Gabrielle's grandmother, went looking for a new home in 1989.

Her husband, Wilford, was set to work for Dow Chemical in Freeport, but Scott wanted to live closer to Houston, for a better chance at getting a job.

Missouri City was an easy compromise.

Finding a neighborhood to build a house in was the tricky part.

Scott, now 67, remembers briefly considering Sienna Plantation, but she bristled at the name and the history -- it was originally a sugar and cotton plantation.

She and her husband then explored a neighborhood close by, a subdivision called Vicksburg Village of Shiloh.

There was no escaping the echoes of the Civil War, with streets named for battles and leaders, like Confederate Court and Cumberland Drive.

Scott found a place to live on Bedford Forrest.

A former teacher and librarian, she pressed the salesman from Perry Homes about the origin of the street name.

"Do you know who Bedford Forrest was?" she asked the young white man.

"Was he a general?" he asked.

Scott explained that Nathan Bedford Forrest was the original grand wizard of the KKK. She told him about his leadership during the battle of Fort Pillow in Tennessee, where African-American soldiers were slaughtered.

The salesperson did not know anything about the general, Scott said, and he didn't seem to care.

A manager eventually explained to Scott that the name "doesn't mean anything now."

Scott reasoned with herself about the neighborhood. It was a nice cul-de-sac for her middle school-age son and daughter to grow up on.

But the name bothered her.

As they moved into the home in March 1990, Scott thought about complaining to the City Council.

"I wanted to make trouble about the name, but then I didn't want to, because I didn't think it would do any good," she said.

Instead, she decided she would educate her neighbors.

"It started not to bother me, you know?" Scott explained. And in a way, she started to feel empowered, as if her presence on that street was a statement against racism.

One neighbor gave her a biography of Forrest that she said tried to paint a rosier picture of him.

Similarly, John Wyeth in "Lieu of Lieutenant" describes how Forrest, a wealthy Tennessee plantation owner, was kind to his slaves, clothing them and trying his best to not separate families.

Historians also say Forrest distanced himself from the KKK in later years. Others argue that he wasn't the first grand wizard.

But to Scott, no book or atonement was going to make her see him any differently.

"In my mind, there's no such thing as a good slave master."

The Vicksburg community was envisioned in 1984 by developers, with apartments, condominiums and offices, based on records from the Fort Bend County Clerk's office.

Samuel Yager, who was in charge of land development for General Homes, the now-defunct company that developed the neighborhood, said he doesn't remember why they focused on the Civil War.

"I think the first subdivision I developed I cared about the names," Yager said. "After that, I let somebody else do it. It was just a pain in the rear."

But he doesn't believe there was any intent to make a statement.

Yager, who started his own development company after leaving General Homes in 1989, said land planners typically choose a theme -- like flowers or birds -- when developing a neighborhood.

Then the street names are based around the theme.

Eventually, street names have to be approved by the city's engineering department, to avoid duplications.

More than 70,000 people make up growing Missouri City, a suburb southwest of Houston. African-Americans are the majority of the population at 40.6 percent, according to data provided by the Fort Bend Economic Development Council.

The neighborhood around Bedford Forrest Drive mirrors that diversity.

Councilman Don Smith, who is African-American and was unaware of the street name in his district, said the city's diversity makes neighborhoods like Vicksburg and Sienna Plantation stand out all the more.

He said if a citizen brought up changing the name, he would consider it.

"It's hypocritical for us to readily accept streets and subdivisions named after Civil War Confederate heroes whose ideas and doctrines are totally opposed to citizens in Missouri City," Smith said.

Missouri City adopted an ordinance on July 3 for residents who want to change a street name. It was created after controversy developed late last year around changing Orchard Street to Ruben Davis Drive, for a longtime Fort Bend County constable who died last October.

Under the ordinance, a person can submit an application to the public works department to either change or rename a street, but the name can be denied for several reasons. Among them: "If the proposed name demeans, intimidates or maliciously portrays any gender, racial or ethnic group or other protected class."

But the people on Bedford Forrest have become accustomed to the name on address labels and driver's licenses. Many neighbors said they feel indifferent to it.

"Nobody seems to care," said Ken Manuel on a Saturday earlier this year. Manuel, who is white and in his 60s, has lived on the street for 25 years.

He said he has had good neighbors and liked raising his two children next to people who didn't look like him.

"As far as the street name goes," he said, "I think if they mind it that much, then they wouldn't have moved here."

Andie Scott has made peace with the street where she lives. She was an eighth-grader when she watched her mother question that Perry Homes salesperson. The 41-year-old now works as a financial analyst; she purchased the home in 2012 from her parents.

Scott participates in the community's Facebook page, where families invite other families to events like ballet recitals.

She likes the neighborhood garage sales held twice a year and how people participate in National Night Out.

She has made Bedford Forrest her own. Hatred is not the only feeling it inspires.

"You use situations such as this and take it to a different place," she said. "Use it to fuel your own motivation and perseverance - that there are people out there who don't want me to succeed simply because of the color of my skin, but despite them, and because of them, I will. "

Joseph Ralph Gallo, an African-American neighbor, lives on the corner and must glance at the street sign every time he steps outside.

"That sign makes me realize why I have to carry on," he said.

Gwendolyn Scott now lives in East Texas, but still occasionally visits the neighborhood.

She simmers, even now, over the sign and other salutes to that time in history.

They remind her of slave auctions, of people being beaten and killed.

"I see all the inhumanity," she said.

As for Forrest, she is glad there are black people living on the street that bears his name.

And she hopes, "if there is an afterlife, that he's roasting in the flames."
Hundreds of volunteers have been searching for a Westminster duo after the pair went missing in Joshua Tree.

Rachel Nguyen and Joseph Orbeso have been missing since July 27 after the pair went on a hiking trip for Nguyen's birthday.

The family of the California State University, Fullerton students grew concerned when the two friends failed to check out of their Airbnb on Friday. The duo left all of their belongings behind.

"We're definitely worried about Rachel and her friend," Nguyen's uncle, Son Nguyen said. "We've gone through five days of prayers."

Volunteer searchers found Nguyen's car near a Maize Loop and have since been working to find Nguyen and Orbeso.

Officials are working with helicopteers and K-9 assistance to find the missing hikers and urge anyone with information on the pair's whereabouts to contact authorities.

Anyone who has seen the two friends or has had contact with them is encouraged to call San Bernardino Dispatch at 909-383-5652.
Taipei, Aug. 1 (CNA) The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said Tuesday that it will work with the Ministry of Labor to come up with more flexible work rules for the aviation industry in the wake of EVA Airways' cancellation of 50 flights last week when its flight attendants took mass typhoon leave, affecting some 10,000 passengers.
Family members of a 5-year-old South Pasadena boy whose remains were found last month in Santa Barbara County broke down in tears Tuesday as the child's father pleaded guilty to murder at an emotional court hearing.

Aramazd Andressian Sr., 35, was charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Aramazd "Piqui" Andressian Jr., who was reported missing after an April trip to Disneyland with his father. Months after claiming his innocence, Andressian changed his plea to guilty Tuesday in front of a judge.

Andressian and estranged wife Ana Estevez were in the midst of a divorce and custody battle over Andressian Jr., and authorities said the killing was his way of getting back at his wife.

"It was Mr. Andressian when he was brought back from Las Vegas that gave the officers the information to where his son was buried," said his attorney, Ambrosio Rodriguez.

Estevez, carrying an urn with her son's ashes, was in court for the brief hearing. Family members could be heard sobbing as Andressian answered the judge, who repeatedly asked him to confirm that he was changing his plea from not guilty.

Andressian faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 23.

As Andressian left the courtroom, he turned for one last glance at the boys mother and her family.

Speaking outside the courthouse after the plea, Andressian's attorney said his client took responsibility for what he did. Andressian might speak at his sentencing, he added.

The disappearance of young Ara set off a widespread search that involved dozens of volunteers around Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties. The boy's remains were found June 30 near the Lake Cachuma Recreation Area in Santa Barbara County, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Investigators believe the boy was killed April 21 after the trip to Disneyland. Surveillance footage captured Andressian Sr. and Andressian Jr. leaving the park around 1 a.m. The following day, the youngster's father was found unconscious at Arroyo Seco Park in South Pasadena, unable to recall the whereabouts of his son.

As searchers fanned out across Southern California looking for his son, Andressian traveled to Las Vegas, where he was arrested in late June and brought back to Los Angeles.

The investigation into the boy's disappearance included several weeks of surveillance, during which the suspect "significantly" changed his appearance, acted in a manner inconsistent with the behavior of a grieving parent and appeared to be planning to flee to a country from which he could not be extradited, according to sheriff's depatment officials.

Andressian Sr. was originally arrested in Los Angeles County shortly after his son went missing, but was later released for lack of evidence.

Investigators contend that the boy's father killed him to get back at his estranged wife. The couple were in a year-long bitter custody and divorce case.

Authorities haven't disclosed how the boy was killed or what evidence links the boy's father to his death.


Disney is hiring employees to help create magical moments for guests of all ages. The best part: you get to work from home.

The Disney Store is looking to fill Cast Member positions, which serve as work-from-home guest representatives.

The positions are available to residents in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

The positions responsibilities include answering phone calls, responding to guests emails and escalating issues to appropriate managers or supervisors.

The Disney Store opened its first store in Glendale, Calif. in 1987, and has since grown to more than 300 locations worldwide.

For more information and to apply for the job, click here.

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A man who was shot when he tried to run over security outside a Miami strip club was hospitalized in critical condition after he was found in a car on Interstate 95 early Tuesday, police said.

The incident began around 4 a.m. with some sort of altercation at the King of Diamonds strip club at 17800 Ipco Road, Miami-Dade police officials said.

Police said the man got into his car and attempted to run over security guards and other patrons outside the club.

The man crashed into another car and either security or other club patrons opened fire on him, police said.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers later found the car on I-95 near Griffin Road, where two lanes were blocked because of the incident.

The man was taken to Broward General where he was listed in critical condition.

Police haven't released the man's identity or given any other information.

Check back with NBC 6 for updates.
Police have arrested the man they say torched the mitzvah bus, a symbol of Jewish pride in Brooklyn.

After a month-long search, Jackson Joseph of Brooklyn was charged with arson and criminal mischief on Monday, police said.

In June, Joseph, 30, set fire to the repurposed bus in Crown Heights, which was painted elaborately with religious imagery and was a cultural fixture in the community.

Police are still investigating Josephs motive for destroying the bus. They are considering the possibility that it was a hate crime.

A bus thats part of a Jewish art project in Crown Heights was destroyed in a fire. The artist who owns it wants to know why, and he says he hasnt gotten much help from police. Roseanne Colletti reports.

Police located Joseph after releasing surveillance footage shortly after the incident. They say he intentionally burned the bus.

Leviticus Schieber, the bus owner, used the vehicle as both an art studio and to transport his two daughters to school.

It represents the Jewish spirit and sort of old-school Crown Heights, Schieber said.

The rolling art project also appeared in many New York parades. Most recently, it was featured in a music video by Benny Friedman, a popular Jewish entertainer, in his hit song Im Jew and Im Proud.

The fire wasnt the first time the bus was purposefully damaged  according to Schieber, one of its tires was slashed about a year and a half ago.
Authorities have recovered the body of a Slovakian woman who disappeared while swimming at the Jersey shore.

Ocean County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Al Della Fave says two off-duty lifeguards found the body of 24-year-old Zuzana Oravcova in the surf line in Toms River late Sunday.

Oravcova disappeared early Sunday while swimming off Point Pleasant Beach with 23-year-old Thomas Kadlec, also of Slovakia. Authorities said both began struggling in the rough surf. Kadlec was able to return to shore, but Oravcova was swept away.

Oravcova had been working at a boardwalk candy store for the summer.

The National Weather Service had issued a warning about dangerous rip currents along the Jersey shore over the weekend. Many towns had banned swimming at their beaches.

An autopsy is pending.
As the opioid crisis continues to plague communities throughout the country, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, introduced legislation Tuesday to end the failed war on drugs by legalizing cannabis at the federal level.

The Marijuana Justice Act would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes and incentivize states through federal funds to change their cannabis laws if those laws were shown to have a disproportionate effect on low-income individuals or people of color.

It would also allow people currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana use or possession to petition for resentencing.

Booker announced the legislation via Facebook Live.

Tragically, in this country, if youre African-American, youre going to be arrested for using drugs almost four times more than someone who is white, Booker said.

Having grown up in a town that was privileged compared to Newark, you dont see kids coming home from frat parties being stopped and frisked. You hear people bragging about using pot. If you go to poor communities, clearly this is not a laughing matter.

Last year, the Drug Enforcement Administration declined to reschedule marijuana. It is currently considered a Schedule I drug, as is heroin, LSD and ecstasy. Opioids, including the deadly fentanyl, are listed under Schedule II.

Lawmakers in New Jersey have slowly been chipping away at the state's cumbersome medical marijuana legislation since then. In May, State Sen. Nicholas Scutari introduced a bill to make adult-use recreational cannabis legal, citing the program's costly fees and restrictive measures. Earlier this year, residents at a Trenton townhall hearing accused Gov. Chris Christie of wanting the program to fail.

But with Christie leaving office at the end of the year, gubernatorial Democratic front-runner Phil Murphy said he supports legalization. And Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno said she backs decriminalization.

Currently, recreational cannabis is legal in eight states and the District of Columbia. Dozens more have medical marijuana programs in place with Pennsylvania slated to debut its program early next year.

Lawmakers in Delaware signaled their state might be the next to allow adult-use recreational cannabis.

John McCain, the longtime senator and 2008 GOP presidential candidate, has died at 81, his family confirmed in a statement Saturday.

Any bill to federally legalize marijuana will likely be hamstrung by the Republican-controlled Congress and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has called for tougher sentencing and a rollback of pro-pot state legislation.

Sessions is a problem and dangerous, Booker said Tuesday. [He] is going against state laws and public opinion. This, to me, is outrageous and unacceptable.

Booker said he has never tried marijuana and does not drink alcohol. The bigger issue, he said, is the "unequal application of justice" to low income communities.

"This bill is the most ambitious marijuana bill we have seen in Congress, Queen Adesuyi from the Drug Policy Alliance said.

It recognizes the fact that people of color have borne the brunt of the failed war on drugs and seeks to repair the damage done."
Ohio police say a rare gold replica of the lunar space module has been stolen from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum.

Police in Wapakoneta, in northwest Ohio, responded to an alarm at the museum just before midnight Friday and discovered the 5-inch high, solid-gold replica had been stolen.

Replicas of the lunar excursion module produced by Cartier were presented to Neil Armstrong and his two fellow astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, in Paris shortly after their historic space mission. Armstrong, a Wapakoneta native, became the first person to step onto the moon's surface in July 1969.

The FBI and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are assisting Wapakoneta police in an investigation of the theft.

Armstrong died in 2012 at the age of 82.
A young man from Florida who threatened violence at Escondido Charter High School just north of San Diego has been sentenced to a state-sanctioned boot camp as punishment for the crime.

The Escondido Police Department (EPD) said Tuesday that the man, now 20 years old, was sentenced in late June to complete the program for youth offenders. If he doesnt comply, he could be sent to prison.

The man, who lives in Miami, admitted he was responsible for posting messages on social media on Jan. 16, 2014, in which he threatened violence at Escondido Charter High School  all the way on the other side of the country. The EPD said the message contained details on violent crimes that would be committed on the campus, specifically at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2014.

The EPD took the threat seriously. As a precaution, all school activities were canceled that day. Students and parents were shaken by the incident, and police were left trying to figure out who had made the threats.

The investigation eventually led detectives to the suspect in Miami, who was 17 years old at the time. On March 18, 2014, the minor confessed to the crime; his case was then transferred to the Florida State Attorneys Office.

More than three years later, the EPD said this case serves as a reminder that all crimes  even cyber threats from far away  will be prosecuted.

EPD Chief Craig Carter said this case was a collaborative effort made possible with the work of the San Diego Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Response Team (CATCH), the Miami State Attorneys Office and the FBI.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will waive environmental, natural resource and land management laws to expedite border construction projects in San Diego, officials announced Tuesday.

The waiver is intended to cover three projects, DHS officials told NBC 7. They include 14 miles of primary fence replacement, secondary fence replacement and a prototype.

In a statement, DHS officials said, "Congress granted to the Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to waive all legal requirements that the Secretary, in his sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure the expeditious construction of the barriers and roads authorized by section 102 of IIRIRA."

IIRIRA, or the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, has been used five times between 2005 and 2008, according to the DHS.

Andrea Guerrero, Executive Director of Alliance San Diego, wants Congress to reevaluate the authority granted to the DHS.

"More than two decades of wall-building have subjected border communities like San Diego to government overreach by waiving the very laws that protect our environment and the well-being of our families," Guerrero said.

Instead of building a wall, Guerrero would like to see more money spent on upgrading ports of entry and hiring more inspectors to reduce wait times at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Building a wall on the Mexican border was a cornerstone of President Donald Trumps presidential campaign and a flashpoint for his detractors.

The Trump administration had planned to begin construction in San Diego by June.

However, a protest concerning the selection of a design has delayed the start.

DHS officials say prototype construction will likely begin in December with the primary fence replacement construction start set for March 13, 2018.

The Center for Biological Diversity will challenge the San Diego waiver by arguing that the 2005 law does not apply to replacing barriers, said Brian Segee, an attorney for the environmental advocacy group based in Tucson, Arizona.

The group has already sued the administration over replacement of the San Diego wall and plans to build prototypes in San Diego for Trump's effort, which he has called a "big, beautiful wall."

The case is before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, a target of Trump's enduring scorn over lawsuits that alleged fraud at the president's now-defunct Trump University and were settled last year shortly before trial. Curiel presided over that case.

"The waiver has already been called the broadest waiver in U.S. history," Segee said. "Any attempt to enlarge it further beyond the scope is something we're going to challenge."

The wall currently covers 654 miles or roughly one-third of the entire border from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Its unclear when the wall will be extended under a Trump administration.

The House of Representatives has $1.6 billion to start paying for the wall.

Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security Committee have pegged the total cost of a border wall as high as $70 billion. Trump's former Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has estimated its price tag at $21 billion, while congressional Republicans have put the cost at $12 billion to $15 billion.
Metropolitan Police Department officers were out in seven districts Tuesday night, hoping to build bridges with the people they protect and serve as part of National Night Out.

The city just saw nearly a dozen shootings in two days, but the goal of the night was to improve police-community relations and crime prevention.

Since Friday, July 28, the city has had 11 shootings with two deaths. Police have been frustrated trying to close these cases with arrests.

Mayor Muriel Bowser planned to speak to National Night Out participants, telling them it was a tough weekend.

And what I will tell them is that our police department is vigilant from the chief down to the lieutenants and officers walking the beat, Bowser said. We ask that our community to work with them so we can continue to solve crime. We know that's important.

The mayor said in the past year, her safer, stronger DC Plan has resulted in a 26 percent decrease in violent crime and a 10 percent reduction in homicides. The mayor and police chief began their National Night Out visits at King Greenleaf recreation center in southwest Washington, one of seven locations hosting events citywide.

I'm a product of this environment, and actually I'm very concerned about the killings that are going on, said Paul Taylor, with the Department of Parks and Recreation. National Night Out. I'm glad they brought it down here to southwest Washington, D.C., because the kids need to know that police officers are human, too.

Taylor said he turned his life around after being released from prison 12 years ago. He took a job with the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.

Back in my younger days, I was a product of going around and committing crimes and things like that, Taylor said. I took it upon myself once I was released to give back to my community, whole heartedly.

National Night Out started in 1984 to bring police and communities closer. The first one involved about 400 communities in 23 states and has grown to about 23,000 communities in every state.

Events are usually organized by neighborhood watch groups, nonprofit groups or police. They usually include drug and crime prevention programs.
Three people were beaten Saturday night after they got into a political argument with a man wearing a Make America Great Again hat, according to a police report.

D.C. police officers arrested Louis Travieso, of Riverview, Florida, after he was accused of punching two men and a woman outside a restaurant in the 1200 block of New Hampshire Avenue NW, shortly after 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Police said Travieso attacked the trio after one of them made a comment about Traviesos Make America Great Again hat.

Investigators said all four got into a heated political argument, but the argument subsided, and Travieso left the restaurant with his family and then got into an Uber car.

Travieso then got out of the car and attacked the three people, police said.

"We were all bleeding, the woman told NBC4, saying the man had punched her. When the police came to the scene, it was very obvious. They immediately placed him in handcuffs. There was there no question. My nose had blood coming out of it."

[The two men with her] both obviously had big black eyes. My husband's ear was torn and ripped."

The woman said she, her husband and a male friend were in the Grillfish Restaurant when she commented, aloud, on a red hat being worn by a restaurant patron who was seated at a table with a woman and two little girls.

"Saw his hat, and I said, Make America Great Again, the woman explained. He might have heard that. And the only other thing that was said was and he's here with three women.

Outside of the restaurant, the woman said words were exchanged, and things turned violent.

"He goes, You got a problem with me? My friend said, No, but I have a problem with your politics,' the woman said. "He just came out, basically, just with his fists swinging, and he immediately hit my husband and got him down pretty quick, and I tried to intervene and stop him, and he punched me in the face."

Witnesses told police that Travieso initiated the fight. The woman and one man were transported to George Washington Hospital Center for their injuries, while the other man was treated at the scene.

Travieso told NBC4 that he acted in self-defense and that the incident was terrifying. He added that his lawyer was preparing a statement.



Travieso was arrested on three counts of felony assault with significant bodily injury. The police report also listed a suspected hate crime based on anti-political motivation.

During Travieso's initial court appearance on Monday, the charges were simple assault. He was released on personal recognizance until his next court appearance.
A 19-year-old man who volunteered at a summer camp in Northern Virginia is accused of propositioning a boy who went to the camp and sending him lewd photos. Police believe there may be additional victims.

Richard Hearns, of Ashburn, was charged on Friday with proposing a sexual act to a victim under age 15 using a communication system, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.

Hearns met the boy when he volunteered at the Oak Grove Baptist Church summer camp in Sterling during summer 2016. After camp had ended, he allegedly used Snapchat to send the boy photos of his genitals, court documents say.

The boy recently reported Hearns, Sheriff Michael Chapman said.

"The fact that he came back to be part of the camp again this summer is I think what prompted the concern," he said. "

Hearns' family declined to comment on the charge. His attorney has not yet been appointed.

"We -- at Oak Grove Baptist Church -- are saddened by the recent allegations which have been made," the church said in a statement. "We take these matters very seriously, which is why we alerted the proper authorities. The matter is in the hands of the police, and we will continue to cooperate fully."

Hearns no longer is involved at the camp.

The detectives in the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spend most of their time now tracking sex crimes, Chapman said.

Hearns graduated from Briar Woods High School in 2016. His Facebook page says he attended Virginia Tech.

The sheriff's office is working on the case with Loudoun County Child Protective Services.

Chapman advised parents to monitor their children's cellphones and electronic devices to make sure no one is preying on them.

Anyone with information for police is asked to call 703-777-0475.

Hearns is being held without bond.

CORRECTION (Aug. 1, 2017, 4:15 p.m.): An earlier version of this article incorrectly said the alleged victim was a girl. The alleged victim is a boy, court documents say.



Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.
After nearly three days missing, the bodies of a Virginia mother and two little boys were found Monday in a creek.

Relatives had been desperately searching for Courtney Ashe, 27, Ashe's son, Cameron Martin, 5, and Ashe's cousin, Jalen Sills-Russell, 9.

Jalen's stepmom discovered the upside-down car in Loudoun County Monday afternoon, a family member told News4 Monday evening. A woman's body was found ejected from the car, the sheriff's department confirmed.

"Just as tragic as it can possibly be," said Loudoun Sheriff Mike Chapman.

Searchers believe they have found the bodies of a mom and two children missing from Loudoun County since Friday. The mom's car was found in a creek. News4's Julie Carey reports.

It appears that Ashe's car hit a guardrail on a small bridge over a creek on Evergreen Mills Road, "flipped over and ended up in the water," Chapman said.

He said the investigation was continuing, but that police believe the crash occurred Friday night during stormy weather. Torrential rain fell in the area, and streets flooded.

The bodies of the mother and two children were taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner for identification.

Ashe was last seen Friday after she left a relative's home with the boys, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said. The three left about 11:30 p.m. and were expected to return to her uncle's home in Leesburg. But they never arrived.

Ashe lived in Suffolk but grew up in Loudoun County, and was in the area for a visit. She had traveled from another relative's home in the Leesburg area with Jalen to pick up her son at her mother's house.

It was out of character for Ashe to be out of touch for so long, said her mother, Sabrina Jewell. She had three other children, including a 2-month-old.

Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call police at 703-777-1021.
The U.S. Air Force will spend 30 million dollars this year to clean up ground water at Pease International Tradeport  contaminated by military firefighting foam used in exercises on the base dating back to the 1970s.

Those families tell us this most recent announcement is a step in the right direction but theres more work to be done.

I think its great theyre putting so many resources into Pease and working hard to clean up, said Andrea Amico who founded the advocacy group Testing for Pease after finding out her husband and kids had been exposed.

Amicos two children attended daycare at Pease. They were part of the group of more than 350 kids tested by New Hampshire health officials in 2015. They were found to have elevated levels preflourinated compounds in their blood. Exposure has been linked in animal studies to cancer and thyroid problems, but it is unclear the impact in humans.

I do lose a lot of sleep at night thinking about what health effects my children may have as a result of their exposure, Amico said.

The Air Force spent $25 million last year. Peter Forbes, the Environmental Project Manager at Pease tells us much this years $30 million will go toward construction of a groundwater treatment system that could be up and running as soon as January.

Its really important to the community that they continue the efforts to clean up the chemicals and help the community better understand the health impacts, Amico said.

She and other parents are calling for a federally funded long-term health study of the people exposed to the chemicals here at Pease.
The death of a Hartford woman who lost both legs after being hit by an SUV full of teenagers on July 18 has been ruled a homicide, the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).

On Sunday, a teenager, Deykevious Russaw was charged in the crash with first-degree assault, second-degree larceny, evading responsibility, reckless driving and operating without a license. More charges are pending.

Family members said 56-year-old Rosella Shuler died Saturday night. Shuler lost both of her legs when she was hit by Toyota Highlander full of teenagers while she was standing on the sidewalk on Ashley Street in Hartford. A man who was standing on the sidewalk was also hurt.

Police believe six teens were in the Toyota, which was stolen out of West Hartford, but they all fled the scene of the crash. Through surveillance video, police identified the person behind the wheel as 18-year-old Russaw.

Russaw was already behind bars on an unrelated case and because he was juvenile at the time, police will not release the circumstances surrounding that arrest.

But sources close to the investigation said the teenager was one of two teens arrested for the shooting death of 63-year-old Jeffrey Worrel, of Hartford, on July 16 in the Westland Street area. He faces a murder charge in that case, according to the sources.

The OCMe found that Shuler sustained blunt injuries to the trunk and lower extremities.
After just 11 days on the job, Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House communications director. His dismissal on Monday came as President Donald Trump brought in General John Kelly as his new Chief of Staff.

"The White House has been in a state of chaos now for many days and weeks," said Massachusetts Democratic Congresswoman Niki Tsongas. "And I think Mr. Scaramucci contributed to that. General Kelly recognized that and I think its appropriate that hes been moved out."

Members of the Massachusetts delegation who spoke to NBC Boston on Monday said theyre not surprised Scaramucci didnt last long, especially after the controversial interview he gave The New Yorker magazine last week.

"My thoughts were he was going to be ineffectual in that capacity given that article not only was profane but it demonstrated there was a clear agenda he had to punish those with whom he found disagreement," said Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal.

The Congressman said he hopes General Kelly can turns things away from what he calls the tabloid nature of the White House.

"There needs to be individuals who can step back and say, 'were going to right the ship,'" said Neal.

Congresswoman Tsongas said all the turmoil has made it difficult to focus on critical problems facing the country.

"The American people want an important debate around the issues that we have," she said. "The leadership in the White House has not to date allowed for that, and my hope is General Kelly will bring some order to the disarray that seems to be the culture that exists there."
A Providence man was arrested Monday for driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of four times the legal limit, according to the Rhode Island State Police.

State troopers arrested 47-year-old Antonio Briones around 5:30 p.m. after they received a call of an erratic driver in Providence. After conducting a breathalyzer test, authorities found that Briones had an initial blood-alcohol level of .321, four times the legal limit of 0.8.

Briones is being charged with driving under the influence and operating without a license. He was also issued traffic citations for landed roadway violations and operating left of center.

He has been arraigned, released and is awaiting pending court action. It's unclear if he has an attorney.
A small but severe thunderstorm hit parts of Western Maine Monday night, leaving dozens of downed trees, a burning home, and a crashed tractor trailer.

Our crews were out all night, said Fryeburg Fire Chief Andy Dufresne. He estimated the strong winds took down 25 trees, causing five road closures.

On Route 302, a tree completely blocking the road caused a tractor trailer carrying diesel fuel to crash. The branches punctured the trucks tanks, causing a chemical spill that complicated clean-up efforts, and prolonged the road closure.

The 31-year-old truck driver from New Hampshire was not injured, according to Fryeburg Police.

In Raymond, a lightning strike started a house fire on Roosevelt Trail road.

It was a huge clap, Amber Rickett remembered. She was inside her home with her step-dad, and they both started smelling smoke.

Smoke started coming from everywhere. The door was on fire, she said. The family escaped, but watched their basement burn. They expect to be displaced from their home for several months.

Just in a split second, your whole life can change, she said.
Two people were injured in a jet ski crash in Mashpee, Massachusetts, on Monday afternoon.

Around 2 p.m., two jet skis carrying four people in total were involved in a head-on collision, according to Mashpee police.

One female was transported to a Boston hospital via medical helicopter with non-life-threatening injuries. Another injured person was taken to a local hospital.

At 3 p.m., police were sill on the scene collecting debris.

No further information was immediately available.
The inner circle of former President Barack Obama is reportedly urging Deval Patrick to run for president in 2020.

Politico reports the former Massachusetts governor's name keeps coming up in discussions of notable Democrats who could run in the next presidential race.

However, Patrick told Politico he's not thinking that far ahead yet.

"I'm trying to think about how to be helpful, because I care about the country, and I'm a patriot first. It's way, way too soon to be making plans for 2020," he told Politico's Off Message podcast.

Patrick served two terms as Massachusetts governor. He's worked in the private sector since leaving office in 2014.
"This programme will ensure the area retains its competitive edge and make it easier to work, live, learn and socialise in Berkshire"

A MULTI-million pound programme set to deliver high speed broadband to almost every home in West Berkshire has entered its final phase, it has been announced.

Superfast Berkshire was started in 2011, as part of the Governments (Broadband Delivery UK) national programme, and set out to deliver superfast broadband to areas not serviced by the commercial plans of the private sector.

And this week it has been announced that contracts have been awarded to BT and Gigaclear to complete the third and final phase of the project, which will see superfast coverage brought to more than 99.5 per cent of homes across the county over the next two years.

The programme, backed by all six Berkshire unitary councils and the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), has so far improved superfast broadband coverage across the county from 87 per cent to 95 per cent.

The deal will see BT extend coverage to 7,400 urban premises across the county and Gigaclear to extend coverage to 6,100 rural premises.

West Berkshire Council chief executive Nick Carter, who chairs the Superfast Berkshire board, said: Were really pleased with the rollout of superfast broadband so far and excited to begin the final push to connect the remaining premises to the network.

A fast broadband network is important to the countys prosperity, so this programme will ensure the area retains its competitive edge and make it easier to work, live, learn and socialise in Berkshire.

In total, more than 40m will have been invested in the Superfast Berkshire programme by both the private and public sector to deliver superfast broadband including 29.3m from partners BT, Gigaclear and Call Flow Solutions, 5.5m from Berkshire local authorities and Thames Valley Berkshire LEP and 5.2m from central Government.

Minister of state for digital, Matt Hancock, said: The rollout of superfast broadband in Berkshire is a fantastic success story, but theres more to do if everyone is to benefit.

Its great to hear that the next phase will take coverage to more than 99.5 per cent of local homes and businesses, making Berkshire one of the best connected counties in the UK.

For more information, visit www.superfastberkshire.org.uk
By Reuters

NEW DELHI/LAUSANA: Philip Morris International Inc is waging a secret campaign to subvert the World Health Organization's anti-smoking treaty, which was designed to save lives by curbing tobacco use, a Reuters investigation published today reveals.

In one of the largest-ever tobacco industry leaks, internal Philip Morris International documents seen by Reuters, combined with reporting in 14 countries, expose a clandestine lobbying operation that stretches from the Americas to Africa to Asia.

In internal emails, Philip Morris executives take credit for the watering down of anti-smoking measures at the biennial meeting of the tobacco control treaty, known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, or FCTC. The thousands of pages of documents reviewed by Reuters also include Philip Morris plans to set up a "global project team" for "achieving scrutiny" of tobacco control advocates.

Philip Morris International, which sells Marlboro and other cigarettes outside the United States, says there is nothing improper about its executives engaging with government officials.

"As a company in a highly regulated industry, speaking with governments is part of our everyday business," said Tony Snyder, vice president of communications for Philip Morris International. "The fact that Reuters has seen internal emails discussing our engagement with governments does not make those interactions inappropriate."

Philip Morris, which like other tobacco companies, isn't invited to the biennial treaty meetings, runs covert operations centers in the cities hosting the treaty meetings. During these gatherings, the company's executives meet secretly with delegates from member nations that are party to the treaty.

Some 90 percent of the world's nations are members of the FCTC. Since the treaty came into force in 2005, it has persuaded dozens of nations to boost taxes on tobacco products, pass laws banning smoking in public places and increase the size of health warnings on cigarette packs. Because of the treaty, an estimated 22 million smoking-related deaths will be averted, according to a study by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.

For Philip Morris, the treaty is a "regulatory runaway train" driven by "anti-tobacco extremists," according to a description contained in a 2014 internal PowerPoint presentation.

While the company targets the biennial treaty conferences where new tobacco control measures are negotiated, it also intervenes at the country level where treaty delegates are picked and tobacco control laws are enacted.

One of Philip Morris' goals has been to boost the presence of delegates in the national treaty delegations who are not from health agencies. That has happened, according to a Reuters analysis of delegation rosters.

Delegations to the treaty now include more representatives of ministries linked to tax, finance or agriculture interests who may put revenues from tobacco over health concerns. The number of those delegates has risen from a few dozen in 2006 to more than 100 in recent years.

The internal company documents detail efforts to stymie the anti-smoking treaty that span years and include dozens of employees. After the end of the FCTC Conference in Moscow in 2014, Philip Morris executives congratulated themselves on weakening new anti-smoking proposals, including ones related to international trade, tobacco farming and tobacco company liability, internal emails show.

NEW DELHI/LAUSANA: Philip Morris International Inc is waging a secret campaign to subvert the World Health Organization's anti-smoking treaty, which was designed to save lives by curbing tobacco use, a Reuters investigation published today reveals. In one of the largest-ever tobacco industry leaks, internal Philip Morris International documents seen by Reuters, combined with reporting in 14 countries, expose a clandestine lobbying operation that stretches from the Americas to Africa to Asia. In internal emails, Philip Morris executives take credit for the watering down of anti-smoking measures at the biennial meeting of the tobacco control treaty, known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, or FCTC. The thousands of pages of documents reviewed by Reuters also include Philip Morris plans to set up a "global project team" for "achieving scrutiny" of tobacco control advocates. Philip Morris International, which sells Marlboro and other cigarettes outside the United States, says there is nothing improper about its executives engaging with government officials. "As a company in a highly regulated industry, speaking with governments is part of our everyday business," said Tony Snyder, vice president of communications for Philip Morris International. "The fact that Reuters has seen internal emails discussing our engagement with governments does not make those interactions inappropriate." Philip Morris, which like other tobacco companies, isn't invited to the biennial treaty meetings, runs covert operations centers in the cities hosting the treaty meetings. During these gatherings, the company's executives meet secretly with delegates from member nations that are party to the treaty. Some 90 percent of the world's nations are members of the FCTC. Since the treaty came into force in 2005, it has persuaded dozens of nations to boost taxes on tobacco products, pass laws banning smoking in public places and increase the size of health warnings on cigarette packs. Because of the treaty, an estimated 22 million smoking-related deaths will be averted, according to a study by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center. For Philip Morris, the treaty is a "regulatory runaway train" driven by "anti-tobacco extremists," according to a description contained in a 2014 internal PowerPoint presentation. While the company targets the biennial treaty conferences where new tobacco control measures are negotiated, it also intervenes at the country level where treaty delegates are picked and tobacco control laws are enacted. One of Philip Morris' goals has been to boost the presence of delegates in the national treaty delegations who are not from health agencies. That has happened, according to a Reuters analysis of delegation rosters. Delegations to the treaty now include more representatives of ministries linked to tax, finance or agriculture interests who may put revenues from tobacco over health concerns. The number of those delegates has risen from a few dozen in 2006 to more than 100 in recent years. The internal company documents detail efforts to stymie the anti-smoking treaty that span years and include dozens of employees. After the end of the FCTC Conference in Moscow in 2014, Philip Morris executives congratulated themselves on weakening new anti-smoking proposals, including ones related to international trade, tobacco farming and tobacco company liability, internal emails show.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: IN a move that took many by surprise, Praveen Sood, who was appointed as Bengaluru police commissioner just seven months ago, was transferred on Monday evening.

T Suneel Kumar, managing director, Police Housing Corporation, is the new city police chief.

Sood has been posted as ADGP in the Communication, Logistics and Modernization wing of the department  a non-executive post. Suneel Kumar had earlier worked in the city as Additional Commissioner (Law and Order). On Monday evening, he took charge from Sood.

Though it is not clear why Sood, an ADGP rank officer who was due for promotion as DGP in October this year, was transferred, there is speculation that tough action by city police against pro-Kannada activists who had defaced Hindi signages did not go down well with the government.

Soods stint is the shortest-ever as city police commissioner, barring those who were promoted while serving as commissioners.

Earlier in July, police had arrested several pro-Kannada activists, sending out a clear message that such acts will not be tolerated. Sources in the Home Department, however, said action against activists may not have been a reason for shifting Sood, who has been able to provide visible and effective leadership to the force.

Several senior officers were surprised by the move, but refused to speculate on the reasons. There could be some other reasons but as of now it is not clear what prompted government action, said a senior officer in the department. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah currently holds Home portfolio.

Sood, a 1986-batch officer, had taken over as police chief when cases of alleged mass molestation on New Years eve had put the department on the back foot. He has been credited with upgrading police control room, integrating helplines and launching patrol vehicles to attend to distress calls by women.

Creating a peaceful atmosphere with effective policing is at the top of the agenda for the citys new Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar. After taking charge from Praveen Sood on Monday, he told mediapersons that his objective is to make policing less intruding and more public-friendly.

I believe in teamwork and will focus on controlling illegal activities across the city. Safety of women and children is of utmost importance. We will take up new initiatives. Cyber crime incidents are increasing day by day. So, the cyber crime team will be trained by experts, he said.

He added that he will hold discussions with the state government regarding the appointment of women police personnel in order to prevent crimes against women and children.

Reacting to the recent incidents of Pro Kannada activists blackening Hindi signboards in Metro stations, Suneel Kumar said police will not tolerate any breach of law. T Suneel Kumar joined the police service in 1989. He hails from Chitoor in Andhra Pradesh. He was the Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) in Bengaluru city for two-and-a-half years.

Gone in 35 minutes

In an unprecedented step, former DG (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao assumed charge and retired on the same day. He took charge at 7.15pm on Monday as DGP of Fire Force and by 7.50pm, he left the office as it was the last day of his service.

I only follow govt order: Praveen Sood

Bengaluru: I never questioned when I took charge, so now also I wont, said Sood, soon after handing over charge to Kumar. Sood told reporters that though he was in charge for a short period, he had gained great satisfaction. Pointing out that only a few IPS officers become Commissioners, he said, I have done my best during this period. My target was to empower citizens and make the police accessible. I have worked every day to do things best for the department. Sood said during his tenure, Namma 100 became a successful tool for the public Regarding his transfer, Sood said, It is a government decision so I will follow the order. During my tenure, the city police took a special initiative on drug peddling and overstay of foreign nationals. Speaking of his relationship with other police officials, the outgoing Commissioner said he was easily accessible to constables. He would also visit police quarters to listen to the problems, he said. Sood said it was his idea to introduce the Motor Vehicle Theft Act. Recalling the Kammanahalli incident, in which a woman was allegedly molested by two men on January 4 this year, Sood said, We solved it without any FIR being lodged by the victim.

BENGALURU: IN a move that took many by surprise, Praveen Sood, who was appointed as Bengaluru police commissioner just seven months ago, was transferred on Monday evening. T Suneel Kumar, managing director, Police Housing Corporation, is the new city police chief. Sood has been posted as ADGP in the Communication, Logistics and Modernization wing of the department  a non-executive post. Suneel Kumar had earlier worked in the city as Additional Commissioner (Law and Order). On Monday evening, he took charge from Sood. Though it is not clear why Sood, an ADGP rank officer who was due for promotion as DGP in October this year, was transferred, there is speculation that tough action by city police against pro-Kannada activists who had defaced Hindi signages did not go down well with the government. Soods stint is the shortest-ever as city police commissioner, barring those who were promoted while serving as commissioners. Earlier in July, police had arrested several pro-Kannada activists, sending out a clear message that such acts will not be tolerated. Sources in the Home Department, however, said action against activists may not have been a reason for shifting Sood, who has been able to provide visible and effective leadership to the force. Several senior officers were surprised by the move, but refused to speculate on the reasons. There could be some other reasons but as of now it is not clear what prompted government action, said a senior officer in the department. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah currently holds Home portfolio. Sood, a 1986-batch officer, had taken over as police chief when cases of alleged mass molestation on New Years eve had put the department on the back foot. He has been credited with upgrading police control room, integrating helplines and launching patrol vehicles to attend to distress calls by women. Creating a peaceful atmosphere with effective policing is at the top of the agenda for the citys new Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar. After taking charge from Praveen Sood on Monday, he told mediapersons that his objective is to make policing less intruding and more public-friendly. I believe in teamwork and will focus on controlling illegal activities across the city. Safety of women and children is of utmost importance. We will take up new initiatives. Cyber crime incidents are increasing day by day. So, the cyber crime team will be trained by experts, he said. He added that he will hold discussions with the state government regarding the appointment of women police personnel in order to prevent crimes against women and children. Reacting to the recent incidents of Pro Kannada activists blackening Hindi signboards in Metro stations, Suneel Kumar said police will not tolerate any breach of law. T Suneel Kumar joined the police service in 1989. He hails from Chitoor in Andhra Pradesh. He was the Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) in Bengaluru city for two-and-a-half years. Gone in 35 minutes In an unprecedented step, former DG (Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao assumed charge and retired on the same day. He took charge at 7.15pm on Monday as DGP of Fire Force and by 7.50pm, he left the office as it was the last day of his service. I only follow govt order: Praveen Sood Bengaluru: I never questioned when I took charge, so now also I wont, said Sood, soon after handing over charge to Kumar. Sood told reporters that though he was in charge for a short period, he had gained great satisfaction. Pointing out that only a few IPS officers become Commissioners, he said, I have done my best during this period. My target was to empower citizens and make the police accessible. I have worked every day to do things best for the department. Sood said during his tenure, Namma 100 became a successful tool for the public Regarding his transfer, Sood said, It is a government decision so I will follow the order. During my tenure, the city police took a special initiative on drug peddling and overstay of foreign nationals. Speaking of his relationship with other police officials, the outgoing Commissioner said he was easily accessible to constables. He would also visit police quarters to listen to the problems, he said. Sood said it was his idea to introduce the Motor Vehicle Theft Act. Recalling the Kammanahalli incident, in which a woman was allegedly molested by two men on January 4 this year, Sood said, We solved it without any FIR being lodged by the victim.
Hispanics = people with Spanish blood who speak Spanish as their first language. It has nothing to do with being "Indian."Whining? Utter nonsense. Some of these "temporary" foreign workers have been in the country for almost a decade despite being originally contracted for only four years, and are still denied landed immigrant status. It seems to me that if you have proved that you can live and work in Canada you should be granted landed immigrant status; not shipped home when your employer has no more use for you.
Akram Mohammed By

Express News Service

BENGALURU:Software issues and the delay in notification of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act rules have proved to be a major hindrance in registering properties with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) of the State. While RERA officials insist that a majority of properties and agents have been registered under the Act, representatives of real estate sector say that technical glitches have prevented or delayed registrations.

Meanwhile, the demand to extend the last date for registration under RERA too has not been acknowledged yet.

When Express visited RERA office at Karnataka Housing Board premises on Sunday, there were several builders and agents airing their grievances or seeking clarification on the issues faced by them. Representative of one of the private builders in the city said they have not been able to register a property despite uploading all the documents.

RERA officials suspect there might be a problem at their end, he said.

The RERA office too was replete with regular calls of people from real estate sector trying to clarify the issues faced while registering properties online.

Suresh Hari of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India said developers were facing problems uploading documents related to various projects. Even after uploading all the details, developers are unable to ascertain whether the projects are registered or not. Basically there are a lot of grey areas to understand in the Act and the government also needs time, he said.

He added that the delay in notification of RERA rules and the fact that RERA Karnataka website was launched just 10 days ago, also contributed to the confusion faced by the developers. He urged the Centre to extend the last date of July 31 by three months, so as to ensure that there was enough time for all to get registered.

Kapil Mohan, Chairman of RERA, said that the last date for registration could not be extended, as it would be in violation with RERA Act of the Central government.

Karnataka, like other States such as Tamil Nadu, has already sought a deadline extension from the Centre, he said.

On complaints, he said that the technical glitches while registering on the website were not of serious concern, and they could be solved easily.

RERA secretary Vinoth Priya R said that they were planning to organise a workshop for the real estate sector to clarify some of the concerns raised.

The total number of properties and agents registered under RERA is likely to be announced on Tuesday.

Kapil Mohan, Chairman of RERA Karnataka, told Express that the registration was in four figures, and the consolidated list will be available online on Tuesday. He said that the real estate developers have registered online in large numbers before the deadline.

BENGALURU:Software issues and the delay in notification of Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act rules have proved to be a major hindrance in registering properties with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) of the State. While RERA officials insist that a majority of properties and agents have been registered under the Act, representatives of real estate sector say that technical glitches have prevented or delayed registrations. Meanwhile, the demand to extend the last date for registration under RERA too has not been acknowledged yet. When Express visited RERA office at Karnataka Housing Board premises on Sunday, there were several builders and agents airing their grievances or seeking clarification on the issues faced by them. Representative of one of the private builders in the city said they have not been able to register a property despite uploading all the documents. RERA officials suspect there might be a problem at their end, he said. The RERA office too was replete with regular calls of people from real estate sector trying to clarify the issues faced while registering properties online. Suresh Hari of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India said developers were facing problems uploading documents related to various projects. Even after uploading all the details, developers are unable to ascertain whether the projects are registered or not. Basically there are a lot of grey areas to understand in the Act and the government also needs time, he said. He added that the delay in notification of RERA rules and the fact that RERA Karnataka website was launched just 10 days ago, also contributed to the confusion faced by the developers. He urged the Centre to extend the last date of July 31 by three months, so as to ensure that there was enough time for all to get registered. Kapil Mohan, Chairman of RERA, said that the last date for registration could not be extended, as it would be in violation with RERA Act of the Central government. Karnataka, like other States such as Tamil Nadu, has already sought a deadline extension from the Centre, he said. On complaints, he said that the technical glitches while registering on the website were not of serious concern, and they could be solved easily. RERA secretary Vinoth Priya R said that they were planning to organise a workshop for the real estate sector to clarify some of the concerns raised. The total number of properties and agents registered under RERA is likely to be announced on Tuesday. Kapil Mohan, Chairman of RERA Karnataka, told Express that the registration was in four figures, and the consolidated list will be available online on Tuesday. He said that the real estate developers have registered online in large numbers before the deadline.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: A 33-year-old Hyderabad man, Abdul Quadir Mohammed, drowned after falling into Elbow Falls in Canada. His body was recovered by the local police after a massive operation on Sunday (July 30).

Abdul, a resident of Amberpet was working as an IT analyst with WestJet company in Canada. Last Friday, Abdul, who was living with his wife and two-month-old baby boy, received his Canadian citizenship and invited his parents in India to visit him.

On Saturday, the entire family went to visit Elbow Falls in Calgary, 60 km from their place. At the waterfalls, one of his family members slipped while taking a photograph. Abdul, in a bid to save the family member, accidentally fell into the waterfall. Another Canadian who went into the waterfall to save Abdul, was rescued but with severe injuries.

The rescue teams allegedly arrived late to the spot and Abdul was declared dead. An operation to recover his body was launched on Sunday with a helicopter's assistance and the body was retrieved and handed over to his family members.

A crowd funding campaign was started on gofundme.com, to provide financial assistance to Abdul's family to bring the body back home.

HYDERABAD: A 33-year-old Hyderabad man, Abdul Quadir Mohammed, drowned after falling into Elbow Falls in Canada. His body was recovered by the local police after a massive operation on Sunday (July 30). Abdul, a resident of Amberpet was working as an IT analyst with WestJet company in Canada. Last Friday, Abdul, who was living with his wife and two-month-old baby boy, received his Canadian citizenship and invited his parents in India to visit him. On Saturday, the entire family went to visit Elbow Falls in Calgary, 60 km from their place. At the waterfalls, one of his family members slipped while taking a photograph. Abdul, in a bid to save the family member, accidentally fell into the waterfall. Another Canadian who went into the waterfall to save Abdul, was rescued but with severe injuries. The rescue teams allegedly arrived late to the spot and Abdul was declared dead. An operation to recover his body was launched on Sunday with a helicopter's assistance and the body was retrieved and handed over to his family members. A crowd funding campaign was started on gofundme.com, to provide financial assistance to Abdul's family to bring the body back home.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Elephant and tiger attacks have claimed around 1,144 lives in the last three years, according to government data shared in the Lok Sabha today.

The figure, which is the summation of deaths between April 2014 and May 2017, means one person was killed per day.

Till May 18 this year, 13 deaths have occurred due to tiger attacks. The corresponding figures for the year 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18 are 34, 31 and 14 respectively, the government said, replying to a written question.

There has been 245 cases of deaths caused by elephants in 2016-17, as per data available till February 9. The corresponding figures were 392 and 415 in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively.

Asked whether there has been any rise in human-wildlife conflicts during the last few years, the government replied: "The information available with the ministry indicates a fluctuating statistic in the incidences of human-wildlife conflict in the country."

Out of the 13 deaths caused by tigers this year so far, Uttar Pradesh recorded the maximum at 7, followed by Maharashtra with 4 deaths.

At 69, Assam recorded the maximum number of fatalities caused by elephants in 2016-17, followed by Chhattisgarh with 67 and West Bengal with 65.

According to official statistics, India is house to 2,226 tigers and around 30,000 elephants.

NEW DELHI: Elephant and tiger attacks have claimed around 1,144 lives in the last three years, according to government data shared in the Lok Sabha today. The figure, which is the summation of deaths between April 2014 and May 2017, means one person was killed per day. Till May 18 this year, 13 deaths have occurred due to tiger attacks. The corresponding figures for the year 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18 are 34, 31 and 14 respectively, the government said, replying to a written question. There has been 245 cases of deaths caused by elephants in 2016-17, as per data available till February 9. The corresponding figures were 392 and 415 in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively. Asked whether there has been any rise in human-wildlife conflicts during the last few years, the government replied: "The information available with the ministry indicates a fluctuating statistic in the incidences of human-wildlife conflict in the country." Out of the 13 deaths caused by tigers this year so far, Uttar Pradesh recorded the maximum at 7, followed by Maharashtra with 4 deaths. At 69, Assam recorded the maximum number of fatalities caused by elephants in 2016-17, followed by Chhattisgarh with 67 and West Bengal with 65. According to official statistics, India is house to 2,226 tigers and around 30,000 elephants.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya today said he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University.

The Indian-American, who joined as the first Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog in January 2015, is the second high profile academic-economist after former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to quit a top job in India to return to the teaching profession in the US.

The 64-year old Panagariya, professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University, did not have a fixed term at the government think tank.

Going by the convention, followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission which was replaced by Niti Aayog, the term was to be co-terminus with that of the Prime Minister, who is the Chairperson of the body.

Talking to reporters, Panagariya said the university was not giving him further extension and he would be leaving Niti Aayog on August 31.

He said that about two months ago he had expressed his desire to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be relieved by August 31.

Panagariya said he had to make a choice as it would not be possible for him to get the job he had been doing at Columbia University. At US universities one can teach as long as one's health permits.

"If I were at 40, then I would have got job anywhere...

the kind of job I have at Columbia is almost impossible to get at this age," he said.

Under similar circumstances, Rajan had quit the central bank after a 3-year term last year to rejoin the Chicago University.

Panagariya, a close associate of noted trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati, was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honours India bestows in any field, in March 2012.

He holds a PhD Degree from the Princeton University and had also worked with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, IMF and UNCTAD in various capacities.

On his tenure at the Niti Aayog, Panagariya said although it was tough initially, once he got into the groove, it had been a smooth sailing.

Panagariya said he took comfort from the fact that during his tenure a new institution has taken roots and would continue to steer the economy to achieve higher growth trajectory.

Among other achievements, he said, the Niti Aayog has been able to push privatisation, especially of sick units and Air India, prepare the ground for reforms in several sectors including medical and higher education, and develop a good working relationship with states.

"I have always shared good relations with Reserve Bank, Finance Ministry, and Prime Minister's Office," he added.

He further said although he wanted to complete Seven-Year Strategy Paper and 15-year Vision Document, the task would now have to be done by his successor. These documents, he added, were 80-85 per cent ready.

On his successor, Panagariya said he has no one in mind nor was he going to suggest any name to the government.

Panagariya also said that he would be writing a sequel to his 'India: The Emerging Giant' which was published in 2008.

NEW DELHI: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya today said he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University. The Indian-American, who joined as the first Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog in January 2015, is the second high profile academic-economist after former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to quit a top job in India to return to the teaching profession in the US. The 64-year old Panagariya, professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University, did not have a fixed term at the government think tank. Going by the convention, followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission which was replaced by Niti Aayog, the term was to be co-terminus with that of the Prime Minister, who is the Chairperson of the body. Talking to reporters, Panagariya said the university was not giving him further extension and he would be leaving Niti Aayog on August 31. He said that about two months ago he had expressed his desire to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be relieved by August 31. Panagariya said he had to make a choice as it would not be possible for him to get the job he had been doing at Columbia University. At US universities one can teach as long as one's health permits. "If I were at 40, then I would have got job anywhere... the kind of job I have at Columbia is almost impossible to get at this age," he said. Under similar circumstances, Rajan had quit the central bank after a 3-year term last year to rejoin the Chicago University. Panagariya, a close associate of noted trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati, was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honours India bestows in any field, in March 2012. He holds a PhD Degree from the Princeton University and had also worked with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, IMF and UNCTAD in various capacities. On his tenure at the Niti Aayog, Panagariya said although it was tough initially, once he got into the groove, it had been a smooth sailing. Panagariya said he took comfort from the fact that during his tenure a new institution has taken roots and would continue to steer the economy to achieve higher growth trajectory. Among other achievements, he said, the Niti Aayog has been able to push privatisation, especially of sick units and Air India, prepare the ground for reforms in several sectors including medical and higher education, and develop a good working relationship with states. "I have always shared good relations with Reserve Bank, Finance Ministry, and Prime Minister's Office," he added. He further said although he wanted to complete Seven-Year Strategy Paper and 15-year Vision Document, the task would now have to be done by his successor. These documents, he added, were 80-85 per cent ready. On his successor, Panagariya said he has no one in mind nor was he going to suggest any name to the government. Panagariya also said that he would be writing a sequel to his 'India: The Emerging Giant' which was published in 2008.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: A bill to provide for the participation of workers in the management of undertakings or other organisations in any industry was today withdrawn by the government in the Rajya Sabha.

Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya moved for withdrawal of the Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990, which was approved by the Upper House through a voice vote.

The Bill had sought to make provisions for the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organisations engaged in any industry.

NEW DELHI: A bill to provide for the participation of workers in the management of undertakings or other organisations in any industry was today withdrawn by the government in the Rajya Sabha. Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya moved for withdrawal of the Participation of Workers in Management Bill, 1990, which was approved by the Upper House through a voice vote. The Bill had sought to make provisions for the participation of workers in the management of undertakings, establishments or other organisations engaged in any industry.
By Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Floods are par for the course in the Brahmaputra valley, but 2017 has been the worst but one year in the past decade - 2012 being the lousiest - in Assam. This years floods have claimed 82 lives and affecting 25.42 lakh people in 29 of the states 32 districts.

Starting even before the monsoon, the Brahmaputra and 100 of its tributaries have breached their banks in the last 10 weeks, submerging 4045 villages. At one point more than 70 per cent of the states iconic Kaziranga National Park was submerged, forcing the animals to flee to higher land.

The situation was such that a group of Nagaland MLAs, shepherded there by the present chief minister T R Zeliang had to be evacuated from their resort in boats.

Guwahati, the fastest growing city in the Northeast, was not spared. A dozen people died here in flash floods and electrocution.

But it took a visit by the Prime Minister to swing attention to the region long after other states in mainland India caused creases to the nations forehead. Narendra Modis visit to Guwahati served as a wake-up call to New Delhi to address the recurring natural disasters endemic in this strategic remote.

Given that the floods in Assam are an annual feature, political parties here have long been demanding that it be declared as a national problem.

Underlining the gravity of the problem, the states three-party ruling alliance of BJP, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland Peoples Front wrote in a joint memorandum to the PM: Every year, thousands of villages get flooded, lakhs of people are marooned and lakhs of hectares of agricultural land is submerged. Physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and dwelling houses are affected. Around 8000 hectares of land is lost in erosion every year and (since 1954), more than 4.27 lakh hectares of land, which is 7 per cent of the total land area of the state, has been lost to erosion.

According to the National Flood Commission of India, about 40 per cent of Assams area - close to 32 lakh hectares - is flood-prone. Of this, around 10 lakh hectares are directly affected. Erosion has reduced the sweet-water island of Majuli to half of what it was 100 years ago.

The 2,906 km Brahmaputra is formed at the confluence of Dibang, Lohit and Siang rivers at a place in eastern Assam bordering Arunachal. While the Siang originates in the Tibetan plateau where it is called the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Dibang and Lohit originate in Arunachal. The Brahmaputra, 640 km of which flows through Assam, is the reason for recurrent floods. The depth of the river has reduced significantly over the years and the monsoon months easily bring it to spate.

Floods are an annual feature in Assam and the waters are receding at the moment but a resurgence of the Brahmaputra is never more than a torrent away. Even during this respite, hundreds or homes and hearths are still under water, hundreds of people still in relief camps. In one relief camp at Kaziranga, just one toilet caters to more than 250 inmates, almost half of them female.

As the stoic people of lower Assam say, this is only the first wave of the floods. Last year, there were three.

GUWAHATI: Floods are par for the course in the Brahmaputra valley, but 2017 has been the worst but one year in the past decade - 2012 being the lousiest - in Assam. This years floods have claimed 82 lives and affecting 25.42 lakh people in 29 of the states 32 districts. Starting even before the monsoon, the Brahmaputra and 100 of its tributaries have breached their banks in the last 10 weeks, submerging 4045 villages. At one point more than 70 per cent of the states iconic Kaziranga National Park was submerged, forcing the animals to flee to higher land. The situation was such that a group of Nagaland MLAs, shepherded there by the present chief minister T R Zeliang had to be evacuated from their resort in boats. Guwahati, the fastest growing city in the Northeast, was not spared. A dozen people died here in flash floods and electrocution. But it took a visit by the Prime Minister to swing attention to the region long after other states in mainland India caused creases to the nations forehead. Narendra Modis visit to Guwahati served as a wake-up call to New Delhi to address the recurring natural disasters endemic in this strategic remote. Given that the floods in Assam are an annual feature, political parties here have long been demanding that it be declared as a national problem. Underlining the gravity of the problem, the states three-party ruling alliance of BJP, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland Peoples Front wrote in a joint memorandum to the PM: Every year, thousands of villages get flooded, lakhs of people are marooned and lakhs of hectares of agricultural land is submerged. Physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and dwelling houses are affected. Around 8000 hectares of land is lost in erosion every year and (since 1954), more than 4.27 lakh hectares of land, which is 7 per cent of the total land area of the state, has been lost to erosion. According to the National Flood Commission of India, about 40 per cent of Assams area - close to 32 lakh hectares - is flood-prone. Of this, around 10 lakh hectares are directly affected. Erosion has reduced the sweet-water island of Majuli to half of what it was 100 years ago. The 2,906 km Brahmaputra is formed at the confluence of Dibang, Lohit and Siang rivers at a place in eastern Assam bordering Arunachal. While the Siang originates in the Tibetan plateau where it is called the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Dibang and Lohit originate in Arunachal. The Brahmaputra, 640 km of which flows through Assam, is the reason for recurrent floods. The depth of the river has reduced significantly over the years and the monsoon months easily bring it to spate. Floods are an annual feature in Assam and the waters are receding at the moment but a resurgence of the Brahmaputra is never more than a torrent away. Even during this respite, hundreds or homes and hearths are still under water, hundreds of people still in relief camps. In one relief camp at Kaziranga, just one toilet caters to more than 250 inmates, almost half of them female. As the stoic people of lower Assam say, this is only the first wave of the floods. Last year, there were three.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 2,350 crore for the flood and landslide-affected Northeast.

The PM, who was in Guwahati on a day-long tour to review the situation and relief measures, announced the package after holding a series of meetings with the chief ministers of four Northeastern states  Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Assams finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Modi announced a special package of Rs.2,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation of the affected in the Northeast. He said the exact share of the states would be worked out and announced later.

An additional Rs.100 crore was announced to institute a high-powered committee with scientists, technocrats and bureaucrats from Central and state governments to study the course of the Brahmaputra. Another Rs.250 crore was announced for immediate flood relief in Assam, Sarma said.

According to official sources, the financial aid was meant for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation.

In a joint memorandum, the states ruling BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) urged the PM to recognise the flood and erosion in the state as a national problem, constitute a group of ministers to suggest a multi-pronged permanent solution to the problem, take measures to strengthen 5,000 km of the existing embankments etc.

Emerging from the meeting, Nagaland chief minister, T R Zeliang, said he had apprised the PM of the damage caused by flood and landslides in his state.

The Prime Minister has assured that he will send a Central team to Nagaland to assess the damage. The Central assistance would be determined based on the teams report, Zeliang told reporters.

Arunachal, the second most affected state after Assam, also submitted a memorandum to the PM, the states chief minister, Pema Khandu, said.

Lal Thanhawla, Mizoram CM, could not make it to the meeting but his government had sent a memorandum which was submitted to the PM. Of these five states, Assam had recorded the worst flood in a decade.

The PM had on Monday announced ex-gratia payment of Rs.2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs.50,000 to the seriously injured under Prime Ministers National Relief Fund.

The Northeast, which makes up eight per cent of the countrys land areas, contains one-third of the country's water resources

GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 2,350 crore for the flood and landslide-affected Northeast. The PM, who was in Guwahati on a day-long tour to review the situation and relief measures, announced the package after holding a series of meetings with the chief ministers of four Northeastern states  Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. Assams finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Modi announced a special package of Rs.2,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation of the affected in the Northeast. He said the exact share of the states would be worked out and announced later. An additional Rs.100 crore was announced to institute a high-powered committee with scientists, technocrats and bureaucrats from Central and state governments to study the course of the Brahmaputra. Another Rs.250 crore was announced for immediate flood relief in Assam, Sarma said. According to official sources, the financial aid was meant for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation. In a joint memorandum, the states ruling BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) urged the PM to recognise the flood and erosion in the state as a national problem, constitute a group of ministers to suggest a multi-pronged permanent solution to the problem, take measures to strengthen 5,000 km of the existing embankments etc. Emerging from the meeting, Nagaland chief minister, T R Zeliang, said he had apprised the PM of the damage caused by flood and landslides in his state. The Prime Minister has assured that he will send a Central team to Nagaland to assess the damage. The Central assistance would be determined based on the teams report, Zeliang told reporters. Arunachal, the second most affected state after Assam, also submitted a memorandum to the PM, the states chief minister, Pema Khandu, said. Lal Thanhawla, Mizoram CM, could not make it to the meeting but his government had sent a memorandum which was submitted to the PM. Of these five states, Assam had recorded the worst flood in a decade. The PM had on Monday announced ex-gratia payment of Rs.2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs.50,000 to the seriously injured under Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. The Northeast, which makes up eight per cent of the countrys land areas, contains one-third of the country's water resources
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A day after police confirmed 15 incidents of womens braids being mysteriously chopped off, Delhi police filed two cases against a gang of three men for allegedly cutting them. The cases of outraging a modesty of a woman were filed after the three men were captured in a CCTV camera. Surender Kumar, DCP south-west, said, FIRs have been registered and we have found the men suspiciously roaming in the area where incidents have taken place.



The gang allegedly entered houses when women were alone or with kids. The cases of braid chopping were also reported from Gurugram, Mewat and Palwal. Initial investigation revealed that the men entered Delhi through Palwal and Mewat. On July 25, a woman made a PCR call claiming that she fell unconscious after an unknown person cut her braid.

Sunita Devi, a victim



A similar case was also reported at the Gurgram Police when a woman claimed that someone cut her braids when she was at home. A day after that, Delhi police, once again, got a call from a woman claiming that someone chopped off her braids. A senior police official investigating the case said, These incidents happened in rural areas of outer Delhi which was linked to Haryana.



Sunita Devi, a resident of Ashok Vihar phase-III area, on July 29 said, she was attacked by a strange- looking man, in his 60s, when she was alone in her house.While I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, I saw a thin man in a red and yellow outfit on the main entrance of my house. When I went to enquire, I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away. He went away and disappeared ... when I closed the gate, he mysteriously reappeared.



Sunita said before she could comprehend anything she fell unconscious.

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off, she said, adding her house, however, was not ransacked.Residents of villages in south-west Delhi have decided to keep a vigil all the time and have asked women not to remain alone even during day time.

Cops have also deployed extra PCR vans and staff to keep a check on outsiders roaming in villages.

NEW DELHI: A day after police confirmed 15 incidents of womens braids being mysteriously chopped off, Delhi police filed two cases against a gang of three men for allegedly cutting them. The cases of outraging a modesty of a woman were filed after the three men were captured in a CCTV camera. Surender Kumar, DCP south-west, said, FIRs have been registered and we have found the men suspiciously roaming in the area where incidents have taken place. The gang allegedly entered houses when women were alone or with kids. The cases of braid chopping were also reported from Gurugram, Mewat and Palwal. Initial investigation revealed that the men entered Delhi through Palwal and Mewat. On July 25, a woman made a PCR call claiming that she fell unconscious after an unknown person cut her braid. Sunita Devi, a victim A similar case was also reported at the Gurgram Police when a woman claimed that someone cut her braids when she was at home. A day after that, Delhi police, once again, got a call from a woman claiming that someone chopped off her braids. A senior police official investigating the case said, These incidents happened in rural areas of outer Delhi which was linked to Haryana. Sunita Devi, a resident of Ashok Vihar phase-III area, on July 29 said, she was attacked by a strange- looking man, in his 60s, when she was alone in her house.While I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, I saw a thin man in a red and yellow outfit on the main entrance of my house. When I went to enquire, I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away. He went away and disappeared ... when I closed the gate, he mysteriously reappeared. Sunita said before she could comprehend anything she fell unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off, she said, adding her house, however, was not ransacked.Residents of villages in south-west Delhi have decided to keep a vigil all the time and have asked women not to remain alone even during day time. Cops have also deployed extra PCR vans and staff to keep a check on outsiders roaming in villages.
By ANI

AURANGABAD: A peeved Taslima Nasreen made displeasure over her returning to Mumbai even when she had flown down to Aurangabad known on Twitter where she wondered how her itinerary of the trip got leaked and the members of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) took to the streets to protest against her visit, even as the police claimed they were unaware until an hour of her arrival.

Nasreen even rued the fact that this happened in, perhaps, the largest democracy in the world. She tweeted, "I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world. Nobody but security police in Aurangabad was informed about my itinerary & hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything!"

I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 31, 2017

Nobody but security police in Aurangabad was informed about my itinerary & hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything!  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 31, 2017

Following her tweet, the police has launched a probe into the security breach. What makes this even more tragic is this isn't the first time that Nasreen has faced bullying from fundamentalists in India.

Nasreen, through her work, has often taken a stand against bigotry and intolerance in Islam, but India is unable to ensure her basic security and safety, even when she is in the country on a private visit. (She intended to visit the Ajanta and Ellora caves.) This incident also comes in the wake of numerous episodes of mob lynching and violence, which the Lok Sabha debated over on Monday as well.

In protesting against the controversial Bangladeshi writer, the AIMIM is certainly catering to its electoral constituency, but the party's locus standi under the circumstances of India is still under question.

Nasreen was sent back to Mumbai from an Aurangabad Airport after protests broke out outside the airport premises and the hotel she was supposed to stay in, on Saturday. The protests were reportedly orchestrated by AIMIM legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel. The protestors shouted "Taslima Go Back" after Nasreen landed at Aurangabad's Chikalthana Airport on Saturday evening.

The police, fearing a breakdown of law and order in the area, asked her to stay inside the airport. They then asked her to return to Mumbai, to which she agreed. Jaleel, the MLA from Aurangabad central constituency, reportedly carried out the protests as he said that Nasreen's writings have hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims across the world.

Nasreen, now a citizen of Sweden, has been living in exile ever since she left Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups. The Indian Home Ministry had extended her visa for a year, with effect from July 23.

AURANGABAD: A peeved Taslima Nasreen made displeasure over her returning to Mumbai even when she had flown down to Aurangabad known on Twitter where she wondered how her itinerary of the trip got leaked and the members of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) took to the streets to protest against her visit, even as the police claimed they were unaware until an hour of her arrival. Nasreen even rued the fact that this happened in, perhaps, the largest democracy in the world. She tweeted, "I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world. Nobody but security police in Aurangabad was informed about my itinerary & hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything!" I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world.  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 31, 2017 Nobody but security police in Aurangabad was informed about my itinerary & hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything!  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) July 31, 2017 Following her tweet, the police has launched a probe into the security breach. What makes this even more tragic is this isn't the first time that Nasreen has faced bullying from fundamentalists in India. Nasreen, through her work, has often taken a stand against bigotry and intolerance in Islam, but India is unable to ensure her basic security and safety, even when she is in the country on a private visit. (She intended to visit the Ajanta and Ellora caves.) This incident also comes in the wake of numerous episodes of mob lynching and violence, which the Lok Sabha debated over on Monday as well. In protesting against the controversial Bangladeshi writer, the AIMIM is certainly catering to its electoral constituency, but the party's locus standi under the circumstances of India is still under question. Nasreen was sent back to Mumbai from an Aurangabad Airport after protests broke out outside the airport premises and the hotel she was supposed to stay in, on Saturday. The protests were reportedly orchestrated by AIMIM legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel. The protestors shouted "Taslima Go Back" after Nasreen landed at Aurangabad's Chikalthana Airport on Saturday evening. The police, fearing a breakdown of law and order in the area, asked her to stay inside the airport. They then asked her to return to Mumbai, to which she agreed. Jaleel, the MLA from Aurangabad central constituency, reportedly carried out the protests as he said that Nasreen's writings have hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims across the world. Nasreen, now a citizen of Sweden, has been living in exile ever since she left Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups. The Indian Home Ministry had extended her visa for a year, with effect from July 23.
By PTI

JAMMU: The Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) today expelled lawyer Devinder Singh Behal, who is associated with separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani after he was arrested by the NIA in a terror funding case.

"As soon as we came to know about his (Behal) activities, we verified our records and immediately decided to expel him without any notice from the primary membership of the association," BAJ president B S Salathia told reporters here.

"Ours is a nationalist association and we will not tolerate the presence of any 'anti-national' element, whether associated with Hurriyat or any other group," he said.

Widening its probe in the terror funding case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on July 30 searched the office and residence of Behal over his alleged role in routing funds to separatists from their Pakistan-based handlers.

Behal, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF) -- a constituent of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headed by Geelani-- was arrested following which several of his public speeches during last year's unrest in the Valley went viral on social media, wherein he was heard shouting 'pro-freedom' and 'anti-India' slogans.

Salathia said Behal became a member of the Bar Association of Jammu in 2013 on the recommendation of two senior advocates.

He said even members of the association belonging to his community took a strong exception of his activities and recommended his expulsion.

"The decision to expel him was unanimous and aimed at sending a clear message that we will not tolerate any anti-national activity," he said.

The BAJ chief also advised senior lawyers to verify the credentials of those seeking membership of the association before recommending their cases, and asserted that a "conspiracy has been going on to intrude anti-national elements into the body to dilute its stand".

JAMMU: The Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) today expelled lawyer Devinder Singh Behal, who is associated with separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani after he was arrested by the NIA in a terror funding case. "As soon as we came to know about his (Behal) activities, we verified our records and immediately decided to expel him without any notice from the primary membership of the association," BAJ president B S Salathia told reporters here. "Ours is a nationalist association and we will not tolerate the presence of any 'anti-national' element, whether associated with Hurriyat or any other group," he said. Widening its probe in the terror funding case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on July 30 searched the office and residence of Behal over his alleged role in routing funds to separatists from their Pakistan-based handlers. Behal, chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF) -- a constituent of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headed by Geelani-- was arrested following which several of his public speeches during last year's unrest in the Valley went viral on social media, wherein he was heard shouting 'pro-freedom' and 'anti-India' slogans. Salathia said Behal became a member of the Bar Association of Jammu in 2013 on the recommendation of two senior advocates. He said even members of the association belonging to his community took a strong exception of his activities and recommended his expulsion. "The decision to expel him was unanimous and aimed at sending a clear message that we will not tolerate any anti-national activity," he said. The BAJ chief also advised senior lawyers to verify the credentials of those seeking membership of the association before recommending their cases, and asserted that a "conspiracy has been going on to intrude anti-national elements into the body to dilute its stand".
Canadians see climate change as the top threat to our country, but many are also listing U.S. power and influence among the leading national security risks, according to a new global survey. A report published Tuesday by the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Research Center found that 60 per cent of surveyed Canadians believe global climate change is a major threat to Canada.Other top threats, as seen by Canadians:ISIS (55 per cent)Cyberattacks from other countries (47 per cent)U.S. power and influence (38 per cent)Condition of the global economy (33 per cent)Jacob Poushter, a senior researcher at Pew and co-author of the report, said the change in Canadians view of the U.S. is notable. Only 23 per cent of Canadians saw U.S. power and influence as a threat in 2013, he said.More people in Canada actually say that the U.S. is a threat versus Russia and China, Poushter told CTV News Channel on Tuesday.Thirty per cent of Canadians believe Russias power and influence is a major threat to Canada, and 25 per cent said the same about China.The view that America could be dangerous to other countries was noted across the 38 nations polled in the Pew survey.One of the biggest changes weve seen is that more people now name U.S. power and influence as a major threat, Poushter said.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will today hear the plea filed by self-styled accused godman, Asaram Bapu, in connection with a rape case registered against him in Gujarat.

Earlier in April, the Supreme Court had asked Gujarat trial court to consider Asaram Bapu's case urgently and finish the trial in a time bound manner.

In another case registered against him, the apex court had earlier dismissed his bail plea in a Rajasthan harassment case, where a teenager had accused him of sexually assaulting her during celebrations in a village near Jodhpur ashram.

The Jodhpur Police arrested Asaram on August 3, 2013 and since then, he is in prison.

The apex court had in October last year sought the Centre's response and five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) probe into the alleged murder of children through black magic and attacks on ten witnesses in Asaram's rape cases.

Asaram Bapu's son Narayan Sai, has also been named in connection with a rape case registered against him by the Gujarat state.

Sai was arrested for allegedly raping a Surat-based woman who was his father's disciple between 2002 and 2005.

The Gujarat Government had earlier told the top court division bench that the rape case registered against Asaram would very likely precede in an expeditious manner, adding that the trial would be completed within six months so the bail should not be granted to him in the case.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court will today hear the plea filed by self-styled accused godman, Asaram Bapu, in connection with a rape case registered against him in Gujarat. Earlier in April, the Supreme Court had asked Gujarat trial court to consider Asaram Bapu's case urgently and finish the trial in a time bound manner. In another case registered against him, the apex court had earlier dismissed his bail plea in a Rajasthan harassment case, where a teenager had accused him of sexually assaulting her during celebrations in a village near Jodhpur ashram. The Jodhpur Police arrested Asaram on August 3, 2013 and since then, he is in prison. The apex court had in October last year sought the Centre's response and five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) probe into the alleged murder of children through black magic and attacks on ten witnesses in Asaram's rape cases. Asaram Bapu's son Narayan Sai, has also been named in connection with a rape case registered against him by the Gujarat state. Sai was arrested for allegedly raping a Surat-based woman who was his father's disciple between 2002 and 2005. The Gujarat Government had earlier told the top court division bench that the rape case registered against Asaram would very likely precede in an expeditious manner, adding that the trial would be completed within six months so the bail should not be granted to him in the case.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas today said his country has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014.

He, however, said Syria is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory. Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said. "We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians. However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.

NEW DELHI: Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas today said his country has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014. He, however, said Syria is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory. Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard. "The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said. "We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added. Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians. However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.
By PTI

SRINAGAR: Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were today killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir, the Army said.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter- militancy operation, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, an Army official said.

WATCH: Lashkar-E-Taiba's Kashmir Chief Abu Dujana Killed in Pulwama encounter

Giving details of the operation, the official said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information about presence of Abu Dujana and his local aide, Arif Lilhaari, in the area.

LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early today.

During the ensuing firefight, both the militants were killed, the official said.

Bodies of the slain militants have been recovered, the official said adding the operation has now been called off.

Abu Dujana was wanted in many militancy-related attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir.

He was category 'A' militant and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, a police official said.

As the counter-militancy operation was on, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, the official said.

He said security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few live rounds to disperse the stone-pelting protestors.

Two persons were injured in the security forces' action even as the clashes were going on till last reports came in, he said.

Jehangir Ahmad Dar was hit by a bullet in the back while Mudasir Ahmad was hit by pellets in the chest, the official said, adding both have been admitted to different hospitals.

Also Read: Six civilians injured in clashes with security forces in Kashmir's Pulwama

Internet services have been snapped in south Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The speed of Internet services in other parts of the Valley have been significantly reduced following killing of the two militants.

SRINAGAR: Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were today killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir, the Army said. As the security forces were engaged in the counter- militancy operation, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, an Army official said. WATCH: Lashkar-E-Taiba's Kashmir Chief Abu Dujana Killed in Pulwama encounter Giving details of the operation, the official said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information about presence of Abu Dujana and his local aide, Arif Lilhaari, in the area. LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017 An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early today. During the ensuing firefight, both the militants were killed, the official said. Bodies of the slain militants have been recovered, the official said adding the operation has now been called off. Abu Dujana was wanted in many militancy-related attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir. He was category 'A' militant and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, a police official said. As the counter-militancy operation was on, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, the official said. He said security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few live rounds to disperse the stone-pelting protestors. Two persons were injured in the security forces' action even as the clashes were going on till last reports came in, he said. Jehangir Ahmad Dar was hit by a bullet in the back while Mudasir Ahmad was hit by pellets in the chest, the official said, adding both have been admitted to different hospitals. Also Read: Six civilians injured in clashes with security forces in Kashmir's Pulwama Internet services have been snapped in south Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. The speed of Internet services in other parts of the Valley have been significantly reduced following killing of the two militants.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: UPA's Vice-Presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi today met BJD MPs in the residence of Bhartruhari Mahatab, BJD parliamentary leader, at New Delhi and thanked the regional party for its support ahead of the election for the post scheduled for August 5.

All the BJD MPs including Baijayant Panda, Tathagat Satpathy, Prasanna Acharya, Jhina Hikaka, Pratap Deb, Pinaki Mishra, Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, Anubhav Mohanty and others were present during the informal meeting.

Gandhi thanked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for extending BJD's support for his candidature. " I am happy to meet you all and appreciate Naveen Patnaik for his support to my candidature," he said.

"I am fighting for ideology," he said and added, "The ideals for which Mahatma Gandhi fought all his life is now in danger." The UPA vice-presidential candidate said he does not belong to any political party.

"I had many opportunities to visit your State and every time I have been very warmly received by Naveen Babu with whom I have enjoyed many years of warm friendship," he said. Describing his long relationship with Odisha and its leaders, Gandhi said, "When I was in college and university, I had close association with Odisha."

The BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had announced his party's support to the Opposition vice presidential candidate though it had the NDA presidential candidate. Though opposition political parties in Odisha claimed that some of the BJD MPs may vote for NDA presidential candidate M. Venkaiah Naidu, sources in the ruling party ruled out such a possibility.

The BJD has 20 Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha besides eight Rajya Sabha MPs. BJD has support of one independent Rajya Sabha MP AV Swami.

BHUBANESWAR: UPA's Vice-Presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi today met BJD MPs in the residence of Bhartruhari Mahatab, BJD parliamentary leader, at New Delhi and thanked the regional party for its support ahead of the election for the post scheduled for August 5. All the BJD MPs including Baijayant Panda, Tathagat Satpathy, Prasanna Acharya, Jhina Hikaka, Pratap Deb, Pinaki Mishra, Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, Anubhav Mohanty and others were present during the informal meeting. Gandhi thanked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for extending BJD's support for his candidature. " I am happy to meet you all and appreciate Naveen Patnaik for his support to my candidature," he said. "I am fighting for ideology," he said and added, "The ideals for which Mahatma Gandhi fought all his life is now in danger." The UPA vice-presidential candidate said he does not belong to any political party. "I had many opportunities to visit your State and every time I have been very warmly received by Naveen Babu with whom I have enjoyed many years of warm friendship," he said. Describing his long relationship with Odisha and its leaders, Gandhi said, "When I was in college and university, I had close association with Odisha." The BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had announced his party's support to the Opposition vice presidential candidate though it had the NDA presidential candidate. Though opposition political parties in Odisha claimed that some of the BJD MPs may vote for NDA presidential candidate M. Venkaiah Naidu, sources in the ruling party ruled out such a possibility. The BJD has 20 Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha besides eight Rajya Sabha MPs. BJD has support of one independent Rajya Sabha MP AV Swami.
A Surya Prakash By

A SURYA PRAKASH Chairman, Prasar Bharati Email: suryamedia@gmail.com

The current campaign by the Congress against Madhur Bhandarkars film Indu Sarkar and the initial cuts suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (popularly called the Censor Board) are indeed most unfortunate. Bhandarkars film is a human drama in the backdrop of the Emergency. It is not a film on the Emergency. Therefore the protests being engineered against the release of the film and the needless intervention by the Censor Board are indicative of how fragile the constitutional right to freedom of expression is in our country.



Indira Gandhi turned a vibrant democracy into a dictatorship between 1975-77, jailed all her political opponents and perpetrated some of the worst acts of tyranny that India has seen after independence.

Forty years have gone by since we regained our freedom and our Constitution, yet, not a single movie has been produced on the darkest days that our democracy witnessed during the Emergency. Finally, when a popular and talented director like Madhur Bhandarkar decides to do a movie on a story which has the Emergency as the backdrop, all kinds of objections are being raised. The Congress does not want freedom of expression to extend to the dissemination of truth about the most dreadful phase in Indias democratic life, when a fascist regime ruled the country.



One can well understand the discomfort of a political party, but how can the Censor Board have a problem with this? Some of the objections raised initially by the Censor Board are indeed absurd. The Censor Board objected to the following words and expressions: Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko bandhi banaya hua hai (a daughter of Bharat has chained the country); Aur tum log zindagi bhar maa-bete ki gulaami karte rahoge (And all of you will be slaves of the mother and son all your life). Fortunately, these cuts were restored after review.



The Emergency has been extensively written about. There are many books and thousands of newspaper columns describing the atrocities committed on the people at that time. Why cannot a film director have the same freedom of expression as a newspaper columnist or an author? Further, we are told that the Censor Board initially had asked for deletion of this dialogue: Main toh 70 saal ka bhooda hoon, meri nasbandi kyun kawra rahe ho? (I am 70 years old, why are you sterilising me?) This dialogue too eventually escaped the Censor Boards scissors, but why was the board objecting to this in the first place? Forcible sterilisation was one of the worst crimes perpetrated during the Emergency. During the Emergency, lakhs of people in the country, including government servants and teachers, were compulsorily sterilised.



People with two or more children were forcibly dragged to sterilisation camps. Secondly, in order to speed up the programme, targets were fixed for every state. The Shah Commission, which investigated many of the Emergency crimes, reported that school teachers who refused to undergo vasectomy operations were jailed under the MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) law. They were released after they showed doctors certificates that they had been sterilised!



Where do we go from here? We must ask the government to implement the recommendations of the committee headed by Shyam Benegal in regard to film censorship. This committee has made it clear that the role of the Central Board is only that of a film certification board. It is not a censor board.

It should not suggest cuts, but only limit itself to film certification. It can reject certification if a film violates Section 5B (1) of the Cinematograph Act.



The Censor Boards diktats with regard to a documentary on Amartya Sen are equally absurd. Suman Ghosh, the documentary maker has told the media that the Censor Board wanted words and expressions like Gujarat, Cow and Hindutva view of India beeped out! We are all aware of the raging debate in the country of cow vigilantes and the acts of lawlessness perpetrated by hooligans in the name of the cow in recent months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself come out strongly against such hooliganism and asked state governments to firmly deal with those who indulge in such violence. Why is the Censor Board then behaving in this holier than thou fashion?



Therefore, the sooner the Benegal Report is adopted, the better it will be for the film industry. The Congress serial protests against Madhur Bhandarkar in Pune, Nagpur etc only suggest that the party has not undergone much change since the days of the Emergency. During the Emergency, the party banned Kishore Kumar from All India Radio and Doordarshan and even asked gramophone companies not to market Kishore Kumars records.

The Indira Gandhi government also banned films like Kissa Kursi Ka and Aandhi. Now, the Congress wants Bhandarkars film banned. As regards Indu Sarkar, the movie has opened in theatres across the country, but the Congress Partys protests continue, despite an apex court order clearing the film. However, more than the Congress cacophony, it is the deafening silence of the flag-bearers of freedom of expression (of course of recent origin) and of the Lutyens citizenry that is baffling.



Most of them have gone into the woodwork. Shall we take their silence as acquiescence vis-a-vis the demand for ban on the film? Over the last four decades, they had ensured that the horrifying details of the Emergency were kept away from the Indian public. Why do they want the story of Indias tryst with fascism to remain buried forever? Whatever their intentions, it is best to tell them the truthsomething akin to a statutory warningthat those who want a ban on a movie about the Emergency, will permanently lose their right to speak up for freedom of expression.

A SURYA PRAKASH Chairman, Prasar Bharati Email: suryamedia@gmail.com The current campaign by the Congress against Madhur Bhandarkars film Indu Sarkar and the initial cuts suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (popularly called the Censor Board) are indeed most unfortunate. Bhandarkars film is a human drama in the backdrop of the Emergency. It is not a film on the Emergency. Therefore the protests being engineered against the release of the film and the needless intervention by the Censor Board are indicative of how fragile the constitutional right to freedom of expression is in our country. Indira Gandhi turned a vibrant democracy into a dictatorship between 1975-77, jailed all her political opponents and perpetrated some of the worst acts of tyranny that India has seen after independence. Forty years have gone by since we regained our freedom and our Constitution, yet, not a single movie has been produced on the darkest days that our democracy witnessed during the Emergency. Finally, when a popular and talented director like Madhur Bhandarkar decides to do a movie on a story which has the Emergency as the backdrop, all kinds of objections are being raised. The Congress does not want freedom of expression to extend to the dissemination of truth about the most dreadful phase in Indias democratic life, when a fascist regime ruled the country. One can well understand the discomfort of a political party, but how can the Censor Board have a problem with this? Some of the objections raised initially by the Censor Board are indeed absurd. The Censor Board objected to the following words and expressions: Bharat ki ek beti ne desh ko bandhi banaya hua hai (a daughter of Bharat has chained the country); Aur tum log zindagi bhar maa-bete ki gulaami karte rahoge (And all of you will be slaves of the mother and son all your life). Fortunately, these cuts were restored after review. The Emergency has been extensively written about. There are many books and thousands of newspaper columns describing the atrocities committed on the people at that time. Why cannot a film director have the same freedom of expression as a newspaper columnist or an author? Further, we are told that the Censor Board initially had asked for deletion of this dialogue: Main toh 70 saal ka bhooda hoon, meri nasbandi kyun kawra rahe ho? (I am 70 years old, why are you sterilising me?) This dialogue too eventually escaped the Censor Boards scissors, but why was the board objecting to this in the first place? Forcible sterilisation was one of the worst crimes perpetrated during the Emergency. During the Emergency, lakhs of people in the country, including government servants and teachers, were compulsorily sterilised. People with two or more children were forcibly dragged to sterilisation camps. Secondly, in order to speed up the programme, targets were fixed for every state. The Shah Commission, which investigated many of the Emergency crimes, reported that school teachers who refused to undergo vasectomy operations were jailed under the MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) law. They were released after they showed doctors certificates that they had been sterilised! Where do we go from here? We must ask the government to implement the recommendations of the committee headed by Shyam Benegal in regard to film censorship. This committee has made it clear that the role of the Central Board is only that of a film certification board. It is not a censor board. It should not suggest cuts, but only limit itself to film certification. It can reject certification if a film violates Section 5B (1) of the Cinematograph Act. The Censor Boards diktats with regard to a documentary on Amartya Sen are equally absurd. Suman Ghosh, the documentary maker has told the media that the Censor Board wanted words and expressions like Gujarat, Cow and Hindutva view of India beeped out! We are all aware of the raging debate in the country of cow vigilantes and the acts of lawlessness perpetrated by hooligans in the name of the cow in recent months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has himself come out strongly against such hooliganism and asked state governments to firmly deal with those who indulge in such violence. Why is the Censor Board then behaving in this holier than thou fashion? Therefore, the sooner the Benegal Report is adopted, the better it will be for the film industry. The Congress serial protests against Madhur Bhandarkar in Pune, Nagpur etc only suggest that the party has not undergone much change since the days of the Emergency. During the Emergency, the party banned Kishore Kumar from All India Radio and Doordarshan and even asked gramophone companies not to market Kishore Kumars records. The Indira Gandhi government also banned films like Kissa Kursi Ka and Aandhi. Now, the Congress wants Bhandarkars film banned. As regards Indu Sarkar, the movie has opened in theatres across the country, but the Congress Partys protests continue, despite an apex court order clearing the film. However, more than the Congress cacophony, it is the deafening silence of the flag-bearers of freedom of expression (of course of recent origin) and of the Lutyens citizenry that is baffling. Most of them have gone into the woodwork. Shall we take their silence as acquiescence vis-a-vis the demand for ban on the film? Over the last four decades, they had ensured that the horrifying details of the Emergency were kept away from the Indian public. Why do they want the story of Indias tryst with fascism to remain buried forever? Whatever their intentions, it is best to tell them the truthsomething akin to a statutory warningthat those who want a ban on a movie about the Emergency, will permanently lose their right to speak up for freedom of expression.
About 17 years ago, Iraq and Kuwait were quarreling over oil money. The dispute eventually led to Iraqs invasion of Kuwait on this day in 1990

Saddam invades tiny neighbour

More than 1,00,000 Iraqi soldiers and 700 tanks invaded Kuwait. Iraqi forces have established a provisional government and their leader Saddam Hussein has threatened to turn Kuwait city into a graveyard if any other country dares to challenge the take-over by force, reported the BBC then

Emir escapes to Saudi Arabia

Iraqi jets bombed targets in the capital. Forces even landed at the Kuwaiti emirs palace. The Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah had escaped to Saudi Arabia while his brother was killed while trying to defend the palace. About 200 people were killed in the gunfire

Iraq refuses to budge

The Gulf crisis continued as Iraq refused to budge despite widespread criticism. The UNs deadline for withdrawal of troops was January 15, 1991. And for weeks a US-led coalition of two dozen nations had positioned more than 900,000 troops in the region, most stationed on the Saudi-Iraq border, writes Alan Taylor in the Atlantic

Operation Desert Storm

The deadline passed, but Iraq did not withdraw its troops from Kuwait. And on 17 January 1991, US-led coalition forces launched Operation Desert Storm. Fighting continued till February 28 and after heavy losses, Saddam finally agreed to a ceasefire

Kuwait was of course traumatised by the invasion in 1990  It has yet to overcome the fear that Iraq will yet again want to show that Kuwait is the 19th province rather than an independent neighbouring stateand Kuwait will want some kind of guarantees that will not be repeated, Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group told the CNN, 20 years after Iraq invaded Kuwait

About 17 years ago, Iraq and Kuwait were quarreling over oil money. The dispute eventually led to Iraqs invasion of Kuwait on this day in 1990 Saddam invades tiny neighbour More than 1,00,000 Iraqi soldiers and 700 tanks invaded Kuwait. Iraqi forces have established a provisional government and their leader Saddam Hussein has threatened to turn Kuwait city into a graveyard if any other country dares to challenge the take-over by force, reported the BBC then Emir escapes to Saudi Arabia Iraqi jets bombed targets in the capital. Forces even landed at the Kuwaiti emirs palace. The Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah had escaped to Saudi Arabia while his brother was killed while trying to defend the palace. About 200 people were killed in the gunfire Iraq refuses to budge The Gulf crisis continued as Iraq refused to budge despite widespread criticism. The UNs deadline for withdrawal of troops was January 15, 1991. And for weeks a US-led coalition of two dozen nations had positioned more than 900,000 troops in the region, most stationed on the Saudi-Iraq border, writes Alan Taylor in the Atlantic Operation Desert Storm The deadline passed, but Iraq did not withdraw its troops from Kuwait. And on 17 January 1991, US-led coalition forces launched Operation Desert Storm. Fighting continued till February 28 and after heavy losses, Saddam finally agreed to a ceasefire Kuwait was of course traumatised by the invasion in 1990  It has yet to overcome the fear that Iraq will yet again want to show that Kuwait is the 19th province rather than an independent neighbouring stateand Kuwait will want some kind of guarantees that will not be repeated, Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group told the CNN, 20 years after Iraq invaded Kuwait
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The issue of a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayat community threatens to trigger a turmoil within the community and the ruling Congress party with Water Resources Minister MB Patil retracting from his earlier stand on it.

Patil, who was a signatory to the letter submitted to the Union Home Minister in 2013 demanding a separate religion for Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, has termed it as a mistake on his part and apologised for the same.

Giving a new twist to his stand on the issue, Patil has in a letter to the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha stated that the Veerashaivas and Lingayats cannot be treated as one community. The Mahasabha should fight to get a separate religion tag for Lingayat Dharma, Patil wrote.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Patil said, Differences can be noticed between Veerashaivas and Lingayats if one studies the vachanas and other preachings of Basavanna and other Sharanas. Veerashaiva Mahasabha should make amends for its earlier mistakes. It should realise that Veerashaiva-Lingayat Dharma will not be able to get the separate religion tag.

Patil has urged the Mahasabha to convene a meeting of the seers of various mutts of Veerashaiva-Lingayat community on the issue to evolve a consensus.Patils stand contradicts from that of the team of five ministers headed by Higher Education Minister Basavaraja Rayareddi, which is set to tour the state to gather public opinion for a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats. According to Patil, social reformer Basavanna founded the Lingayat religion 800 years ago which is distinctly different from Veerashaivas.Many ritualsof Veerashaivas closely resemble that of Shaivites in Hinduism, while Lingayats are seen as a distinct community which shunned some archaic and superstitious rituals associated with Hinduism.

No change in Mahasabha stand

MB Patils stand has not gone down well with All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex organisation of Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. Senior Congress leader and President of the Mahasabha Shamanur Shivashankarappa has opposed Patils stand. Advocating the need for a united fight for getting a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Shivashankarappa said that a wider debate with seers of various mutts and scholars of the community was needed. The Mahasabha has convened a meeting on August 2 to discuss the issue that has rocked the community after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his readiness to recommend to the Union government for according a separate religion tag.

BENGALURU: The issue of a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayat community threatens to trigger a turmoil within the community and the ruling Congress party with Water Resources Minister MB Patil retracting from his earlier stand on it. Patil, who was a signatory to the letter submitted to the Union Home Minister in 2013 demanding a separate religion for Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, has termed it as a mistake on his part and apologised for the same. Giving a new twist to his stand on the issue, Patil has in a letter to the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha stated that the Veerashaivas and Lingayats cannot be treated as one community. The Mahasabha should fight to get a separate religion tag for Lingayat Dharma, Patil wrote. Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Patil said, Differences can be noticed between Veerashaivas and Lingayats if one studies the vachanas and other preachings of Basavanna and other Sharanas. Veerashaiva Mahasabha should make amends for its earlier mistakes. It should realise that Veerashaiva-Lingayat Dharma will not be able to get the separate religion tag. Patil has urged the Mahasabha to convene a meeting of the seers of various mutts of Veerashaiva-Lingayat community on the issue to evolve a consensus.Patils stand contradicts from that of the team of five ministers headed by Higher Education Minister Basavaraja Rayareddi, which is set to tour the state to gather public opinion for a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats. According to Patil, social reformer Basavanna founded the Lingayat religion 800 years ago which is distinctly different from Veerashaivas.Many ritualsof Veerashaivas closely resemble that of Shaivites in Hinduism, while Lingayats are seen as a distinct community which shunned some archaic and superstitious rituals associated with Hinduism. No change in Mahasabha stand MB Patils stand has not gone down well with All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex organisation of Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. Senior Congress leader and President of the Mahasabha Shamanur Shivashankarappa has opposed Patils stand. Advocating the need for a united fight for getting a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayats, Shivashankarappa said that a wider debate with seers of various mutts and scholars of the community was needed. The Mahasabha has convened a meeting on August 2 to discuss the issue that has rocked the community after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his readiness to recommend to the Union government for according a separate religion tag.
By Express News Service

MALAPPURAM: Posters allegedly put up by Maoists were found pasted on walls of an anganwadi in Vazhikkadavu police station limits in Nilambur. They were spotted by local residents at Punchakkolli tribal colony by around 8.30 pm on Monday.

The posters were purportedly pasted in connection to the ongoing martyrs' week observance by Maoists. Maoists are holding the observance from July 28 to August 3 in memory of party members Kuppu Devraj and Ajitha, who were shot dead by the police last year inside the Nilambur forest near Punchakkolli tribal colony.

The poster read, ""Kuppu Devraj and Ajitha were shot violating all human rights. They were shown to the police by some betrayers. The killers will be punished and we won't pardon the the betrayers."



MALAPPURAM: Posters allegedly put up by Maoists were found pasted on walls of an anganwadi in Vazhikkadavu police station limits in Nilambur. They were spotted by local residents at Punchakkolli tribal colony by around 8.30 pm on Monday. The posters were purportedly pasted in connection to the ongoing martyrs' week observance by Maoists. Maoists are holding the observance from July 28 to August 3 in memory of party members Kuppu Devraj and Ajitha, who were shot dead by the police last year inside the Nilambur forest near Punchakkolli tribal colony. The poster read, ""Kuppu Devraj and Ajitha were shot violating all human rights. They were shown to the police by some betrayers. The killers will be punished and we won't pardon the the betrayers."
K Shiva Shanker By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Sundays attack by attendants on medicos is not the first such attack at OGH. Junior doctors at the hospital said that there were five such attacks in the last two months.

Casualty and Minor Operation Theatre (MoT) are not at all safe places for female junior doctors. Incidents of attendants using abusive language have become a regular thing. When we come here (hospital) we want to save lives and dont want to give our lives. The only thing we ask for is our protection and a good working environment, a female junior doctor said.

Meanwhile, another junior doctor said that they developed thick skin for verbal abuse. We know that our complaints against verbal attacks will bear no solution. So, we have stopped being bothered about it, the junior doctor said.Telangana Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel at the hospital too corroborated that patients and attendants launching attacks on doctors and staff happens on a daily basis.

In fact, when four attendants were beating up the doctors, SPF personal said that they were controlling another such incident in other section of the hospital.

Patients were turned away at out-patient dept

While junior doctors and nurses at Osmania General Hospital said that patients did not suffer because of the strike, social workers who did not wanted to be named said that patients were turned away at out-patient department on Monday.A patient from Kaala Pathar who was suffering from seizures visited OGH but he was turned away. He had to be admitted at Gandhi Hospital. There was shortage of staff at Acute Medical Care and other units, the social worker said.However, a junior doctor said, We did not boycott services in emergency ward and out-patient department. In case, a patient needs immediate medical help, emergency is always open.

Man taken into custody for assaulting OGH docs

Hyderabad: Afzalgunj police on Monday took custody of a person for assaulting a doctor on duty and two junior doctors at the Osmania General Hospital. The detained person, Nadeem(38), a painter is a resident of Warasiguda. Inspector Gnanendar Reddy said that Nadeem was taken into custody and he was questioned in connection with the offence. Police would produce the accused before the court for judicial remand on Tuesday. Police registered cases against the accused.

HYDERABAD: Sundays attack by attendants on medicos is not the first such attack at OGH. Junior doctors at the hospital said that there were five such attacks in the last two months. Casualty and Minor Operation Theatre (MoT) are not at all safe places for female junior doctors. Incidents of attendants using abusive language have become a regular thing. When we come here (hospital) we want to save lives and dont want to give our lives. The only thing we ask for is our protection and a good working environment, a female junior doctor said. Meanwhile, another junior doctor said that they developed thick skin for verbal abuse. We know that our complaints against verbal attacks will bear no solution. So, we have stopped being bothered about it, the junior doctor said.Telangana Special Protection Force (SPF) personnel at the hospital too corroborated that patients and attendants launching attacks on doctors and staff happens on a daily basis. In fact, when four attendants were beating up the doctors, SPF personal said that they were controlling another such incident in other section of the hospital. Patients were turned away at out-patient dept While junior doctors and nurses at Osmania General Hospital said that patients did not suffer because of the strike, social workers who did not wanted to be named said that patients were turned away at out-patient department on Monday.A patient from Kaala Pathar who was suffering from seizures visited OGH but he was turned away. He had to be admitted at Gandhi Hospital. There was shortage of staff at Acute Medical Care and other units, the social worker said.However, a junior doctor said, We did not boycott services in emergency ward and out-patient department. In case, a patient needs immediate medical help, emergency is always open. Man taken into custody for assaulting OGH docs Hyderabad: Afzalgunj police on Monday took custody of a person for assaulting a doctor on duty and two junior doctors at the Osmania General Hospital. The detained person, Nadeem(38), a painter is a resident of Warasiguda. Inspector Gnanendar Reddy said that Nadeem was taken into custody and he was questioned in connection with the offence. Police would produce the accused before the court for judicial remand on Tuesday. Police registered cases against the accused.
By AFP

ROME: France is ready to seek other buyers for its biggest shipyard should Italy turn down an offer to split ownership 50-50, the country's economy minister said Tuesday ahead of a meeting in Rome.

"If the negotiations with Fincantieri don't go well," Bruno Le Maire said in reference to the Italian state-owned shipbuilder, "we will be forced to consider other options, but I hope that won't be necessary".

"We are sister nations, we want to work hand in hand with Italy," Le Maire said in an interview with the Corriere della Sera daily ahead of talks with Italy's economy and economic development ministers.

The French government sparked a row with Italy last week by temporarily nationalising the STX shipyard after backsliding on a deal with Fincantieri agreed by then French president Francois Hollande in April.

The deal gave Fincantieri a controlling stake in the facility in return for which the Italian company gave guarantees on jobs.

But on taking office in May centrist Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to renegotiate and France has since been pushing for a 50-50 split between Fincantieri and STX's French shareholders -- a proposal rebuffed by Italy.

The shipyard, located in the western port of Saint-Nazaire, has turned out some of the world's biggest cruise liners and also builds warships.

"None of our decisions are anti-Italian, they are driven by legitimate concerns over two points," Le Maire said

The first is job protection, the second is keeping shipbuilding skills in France rather than outsourcing to China.

On the eve of Tuesday's meet, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Rome would not be pushed around.

"Let's see if any fresh proposals are forthcoming. Collaboration between friends, between European countries, is certainly important. We will defend Italian interests calmly but firmly," he said in a television interview.

Italy has made much of the fact that South Korea's STX Shipbuilding -- the outgoing owners -- held a 66 percent stake, but Paris has refused to let Rome hold a 51 percent stake.

Italy's frustration "is understandable, but the economic situation was completely different. The shipyard was in serious difficulty, now it is profitable and has 11 years of orders lined up," Le Maire said.

ROME: France is ready to seek other buyers for its biggest shipyard should Italy turn down an offer to split ownership 50-50, the country's economy minister said Tuesday ahead of a meeting in Rome. "If the negotiations with Fincantieri don't go well," Bruno Le Maire said in reference to the Italian state-owned shipbuilder, "we will be forced to consider other options, but I hope that won't be necessary". "We are sister nations, we want to work hand in hand with Italy," Le Maire said in an interview with the Corriere della Sera daily ahead of talks with Italy's economy and economic development ministers. The French government sparked a row with Italy last week by temporarily nationalising the STX shipyard after backsliding on a deal with Fincantieri agreed by then French president Francois Hollande in April. The deal gave Fincantieri a controlling stake in the facility in return for which the Italian company gave guarantees on jobs. But on taking office in May centrist Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to renegotiate and France has since been pushing for a 50-50 split between Fincantieri and STX's French shareholders -- a proposal rebuffed by Italy. The shipyard, located in the western port of Saint-Nazaire, has turned out some of the world's biggest cruise liners and also builds warships. "None of our decisions are anti-Italian, they are driven by legitimate concerns over two points," Le Maire said The first is job protection, the second is keeping shipbuilding skills in France rather than outsourcing to China. On the eve of Tuesday's meet, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Rome would not be pushed around. "Let's see if any fresh proposals are forthcoming. Collaboration between friends, between European countries, is certainly important. We will defend Italian interests calmly but firmly," he said in a television interview. Italy has made much of the fact that South Korea's STX Shipbuilding -- the outgoing owners -- held a 66 percent stake, but Paris has refused to let Rome hold a 51 percent stake. Italy's frustration "is understandable, but the economic situation was completely different. The shipyard was in serious difficulty, now it is profitable and has 11 years of orders lined up," Le Maire said.
Questions are being raised by family members of a Fremont man who died Saturday afternoon inside of the Saunders County Medical Center while in custody of the Saunders County Department of Corrections.

Robert Imus, 45, died at 5:48 p.m. after being transported from Saunders County Jail when he was found unresponsive earlier in the afternoon, Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz said during a Monday interview with the Tribune.

Dawn Imus-Ebert, sister of the deceased, claims that her brother was a fragile diabetic and that he did not receive proper medical treatment after he was detained by the III CORPS Drug Task Force Wednesday evening and ultimately arrested and booked inside of Dodge County Jail, which serves as a 24-hour holding facility.

Imus was arrested on numerous drug charges and was in possession of prescription medications which he was not prescribed, Stukenholtz said. According to Stukenholtz, the deceased was not cooperative in regard to sharing his medical history and needs with Dodge County law enforcement.

He was non-compliant with their staff and he wouldnt provide physical and medical history, and that is the stuff that gives authority some background of what his medical needs may be, he said. He also wouldnt eat or allow them to give him the medication they deemed appropriate.

A medical examination, Stukenholtz said, determined that Imus, who was a left-leg amputee, was diabetic. Ultimately, he was cleared by medical personnel to be transported to Saunders County Jail.

Imus-Ebert claims that when her brother was detained, she made it a point of emphasis to tell at least one member of the III CORPS Drug Task Force how serious her brothers condition was. Imus, she said, not only was a fragile diabetic but also had a lengthy struggle with opioid abuse. Daily, she said, he would snort opioids and inject them intravenously.

Since May, Imus-Ebert said that the deceased was admitted to Fremont Health as many as 20 times for a variety of reasons. According to Imus-Ebert, at the time of his detainment Imus had his diabetes medicine on his person, and he was given five units of insulin Wednesday evening. She learned this from speaking with him Thursday morning prior to his transfer to Saunders County Jail.

Imus-Ebert said that around 4 p.m. Thursday she picked up numerous prescription medications for her brother from Kubat Medical Supply to deliver to Saunders County Jail. At 4:05 p.m., Imus-Ebers said she received a phone call from Imus.

I was pulling out of Kubat Pharmacy when he called me and explained to me that he had had no insulin in that time, she said. He didnt say that he had rejected insulin at that time, but that they had not given him any (since Wednesday).

In addition, she said that he was not given numerous other medications he needed for mental stability and heart conditions. Her brother, she added, ingests between 15-20 prescribed medications.

Imus-Ebert said she dropped off all of her brothers medications at Saunders County Jail at approximately 4:45 p.m. Thursday.

Stukenholtz said that when Imus arrived at Saunders County Jail he was examined by Advanced Correctional Heath Care staff, and that he proceeded to be uncooperative.

He refused to assist in his care, Stukenholtz said. Our medical staff was able to determine some of his needs and were providing them. At some point later on though he did become more compliant and was then assisting our medical staff in providing some medical care.

While Stukenholtz said this, its unclear exactly what medications were provided to Imus. The Tribune attempted to contact Saunders County Jail Director Brian Styskal Monday and he was unavailable for comment.

According to Stukenholtz, Imus started showing adverse symptoms sometime Saturday afternoon and let jail staff know he was not feeling well.

The medical staff provided him with treatment and medication and he seemed to be responding (positively), the sheriff said. Later his condition started to worsen.

Fifteen minutes after last making contact with Imus, Stukenholtz said he was found unresponsive and transported to Saunders County Medical Center.

Imus-Ebert said she was told that her brother arrived at the hospital around 5 p.m., and that he died less than 50 minutes later. She has issues with that timeframe. After arriving at approximately 6:20 p.m., Imus-Ebers touched her brothers body and was shocked at how cold it was.

The body temperature  and Ive done by research on this  drops 1.5 degrees per hour, she said.   Theres no way his body should have felt that cold in that short amount of time.

Stukenholtz said that an autopsy was conducted Sunday and that no information was currently available. Per protocol, the Nebraska State Patrol is conducting the death investigation, and the Saunders County Attorney will likely convene a grand jury to review the investigation.

It depends a lot on the county attorney and their caseload whether they move it forward immediately or not, Stukenholtz said of the grand jury. Its hard to predict the speed at which that would be convened and concluded.

Imus-Ebert said she believes there is much more to her brothers death than is being reported, and that she and her family intend to keep digging for the whole truth.

They are running scared right now, they are covering up a lot, theres a good cover-up going on, she said. We are going to get it worked out, and hopefully the truth will come to light.

Sheriff Stukenholtz said that he encourages people to be wary of statements made from family members. WOWT 6 in Omaha reported on Imus death Sunday, and shared statements from the family. The stations article says it attempted to contact Stukenholtz but that he wasnt available for an interview.

The fact that the news station in Omaha relied on family members for their data doesnt give the actual factual background of what happened, he said.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan's interim Prime Minister, is a long-time loyalist of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif and one of the wealthiest parliamentarians in the country.

Abbasi, 58, hails from the famous hill resort of Murree in Rawapindi district of Punjab province and was minister for petroleum in the ousted government.

A die-hard supporter of Sharif, he was elected Prime Minister by Pakistan's National Assembly and put up a strong defence of the ousted leader, saying that he may have been disqualified by the Supreme Court but remains the "people's premier".

Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Abbasi as the interim Prime Minister until Sharif's brother and Punjab province chief minister Shehbaz Sharif is elected as a National Assembly member.

He was the part of Sharif's team which was tasked to address the energy crisis in the country. He is a true loyalist of Sharif and stood with him when his government was toppled in 1999 by former Pakistani military dictator Pervez Musharraf.

Abbasi, who was imprisoned after the coup, spent two years in jail.

But unlike many other colleagues of Sharif, Abbasi remained steadfast and did not switch sides. It was one of the reasons that Sharif chose him as the interim leader.

Abbasi, an electrical engineer with a master's degree from George Washington University, joined politics rather abruptly after his father Khaqan Abbasi was killed on April 10, 1988 when his car was hit by a missile after Ojhri Camp arms depot disaster in Rawalpindi.

His father was the minister for production in the cabinet of then Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.

Abbasi has been elected at least six times (1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2008 and 2013) as a member of the parliament and was defeated just once in 2002 when he lost to Pakistan People's Party candidate Ghulam Murtaza Satti.

After winning elections in 1990 for the second time, he was made the parliamentary secretary for defence.

After the 1993 general elections, he served as the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence.

Abbasi was elected for the fourth time in 1997 and served as the Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines from 1997 to 1999 during Nawaz Sharif's second term.

He briefly held the positions of Minister for Commerce and Ministry of Defence Production in former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's government in 2008 after the election but later resined as his PMLN party parted ways with the PPP.

Earlier, after completing his education, he worked in the US and Saudi Arabia.

Considered as one of the wealthiest parliamentarians in Pakistan, he set up his Air Blue airlines in Pakistan in 2003 and served as its chairman till 2007. The airlines is still operating successfully.

ISLAMABAD: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistan's interim Prime Minister, is a long-time loyalist of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif and one of the wealthiest parliamentarians in the country. Abbasi, 58, hails from the famous hill resort of Murree in Rawapindi district of Punjab province and was minister for petroleum in the ousted government. A die-hard supporter of Sharif, he was elected Prime Minister by Pakistan's National Assembly and put up a strong defence of the ousted leader, saying that he may have been disqualified by the Supreme Court but remains the "people's premier". Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Abbasi as the interim Prime Minister until Sharif's brother and Punjab province chief minister Shehbaz Sharif is elected as a National Assembly member. He was the part of Sharif's team which was tasked to address the energy crisis in the country. He is a true loyalist of Sharif and stood with him when his government was toppled in 1999 by former Pakistani military dictator Pervez Musharraf. Abbasi, who was imprisoned after the coup, spent two years in jail. But unlike many other colleagues of Sharif, Abbasi remained steadfast and did not switch sides. It was one of the reasons that Sharif chose him as the interim leader. Abbasi, an electrical engineer with a master's degree from George Washington University, joined politics rather abruptly after his father Khaqan Abbasi was killed on April 10, 1988 when his car was hit by a missile after Ojhri Camp arms depot disaster in Rawalpindi. His father was the minister for production in the cabinet of then Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo. Abbasi has been elected at least six times (1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2008 and 2013) as a member of the parliament and was defeated just once in 2002 when he lost to Pakistan People's Party candidate Ghulam Murtaza Satti. After winning elections in 1990 for the second time, he was made the parliamentary secretary for defence. After the 1993 general elections, he served as the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defence. Abbasi was elected for the fourth time in 1997 and served as the Chairman of Pakistan International Airlines from 1997 to 1999 during Nawaz Sharif's second term. He briefly held the positions of Minister for Commerce and Ministry of Defence Production in former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's government in 2008 after the election but later resined as his PMLN party parted ways with the PPP. Earlier, after completing his education, he worked in the US and Saudi Arabia. Considered as one of the wealthiest parliamentarians in Pakistan, he set up his Air Blue airlines in Pakistan in 2003 and served as its chairman till 2007. The airlines is still operating successfully.
By AFP

ISTANBUL: Turkey on Tuesday lashed out at what it called "unacceptable" remarks by a senior US official suggesting Ankara had encouraged the rise of Al Qaeda-linked groups in Syria's Idlib province.

Brett McGurk, the senior US envoy to the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group, said Idlib province had become "the largest Al-Qaeda safe haven".

In comments to the Washington-based think tank the Middle East Institute last week, McGurk criticised some US partners for sending in "tens of thousands of tons of weapons" to Syria. He did not name which partners.

He added that the way those foreign fighters come in to Syria "may not have been the best approach" because Al-Qaeda had taken full advantage of it.

"And Idlib now is a huge problem. It is an Al-Qaeda safe haven right on the border of Turkey. So that's something, obviously, we will be in very close discussions with the Turks on."

But Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said it was not Turkey which controlled Idlib province.

"Attempting to associate Turkey with that terror organisation in Idlib, making such an implication is unacceptable," Kalin told the TvNet broadcaster.

"Why? Because we are not controlling Idlib."

Idlib is the only province in Syria that remains entirely beyond regime control after having been captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels.

Kalin said McGurk's comment could not be considered to have been made with a "good intention."

Foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu added that Ankara had protested against the "provocative" comments, without elaborating.

McGurk has been a frequent target of the ire of the Turkish government for comments supporting Kurdish groups labelled as terror organisations by Ankara.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has called for McGurk to be fired, claiming he was backing Kurdish militants in Syria.

In June, McGurk had talks with Turkish officials in Ankara.

The alliance that captured the Idlib province was dominated by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and the rebel Ahrar al-Sham, a key Islamist faction backed by neighbouring Turkey and Gulf states.

In the years since the capture, Al-Nusra ostensibly split with Al-Qaeda, renaming itself Fateh al-Sham Front and becoming the backbone of the so-called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) coalition that last month captured Idlib city.

Turkey's NATO allies in the early years of the civil war accused Ankara of turning a blind eye -- or even aiding -- the rise of Islamist groups in Syria including Islamic State jihadists. But Turkey always angrily rejected the charges.

ISTANBUL: Turkey on Tuesday lashed out at what it called "unacceptable" remarks by a senior US official suggesting Ankara had encouraged the rise of Al Qaeda-linked groups in Syria's Idlib province. Brett McGurk, the senior US envoy to the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group, said Idlib province had become "the largest Al-Qaeda safe haven". In comments to the Washington-based think tank the Middle East Institute last week, McGurk criticised some US partners for sending in "tens of thousands of tons of weapons" to Syria. He did not name which partners. He added that the way those foreign fighters come in to Syria "may not have been the best approach" because Al-Qaeda had taken full advantage of it. "And Idlib now is a huge problem. It is an Al-Qaeda safe haven right on the border of Turkey. So that's something, obviously, we will be in very close discussions with the Turks on." But Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said it was not Turkey which controlled Idlib province. "Attempting to associate Turkey with that terror organisation in Idlib, making such an implication is unacceptable," Kalin told the TvNet broadcaster. "Why? Because we are not controlling Idlib." Idlib is the only province in Syria that remains entirely beyond regime control after having been captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels. Kalin said McGurk's comment could not be considered to have been made with a "good intention." Foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu added that Ankara had protested against the "provocative" comments, without elaborating. McGurk has been a frequent target of the ire of the Turkish government for comments supporting Kurdish groups labelled as terror organisations by Ankara. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has called for McGurk to be fired, claiming he was backing Kurdish militants in Syria. In June, McGurk had talks with Turkish officials in Ankara. The alliance that captured the Idlib province was dominated by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and the rebel Ahrar al-Sham, a key Islamist faction backed by neighbouring Turkey and Gulf states. In the years since the capture, Al-Nusra ostensibly split with Al-Qaeda, renaming itself Fateh al-Sham Front and becoming the backbone of the so-called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) coalition that last month captured Idlib city. Turkey's NATO allies in the early years of the civil war accused Ankara of turning a blind eye -- or even aiding -- the rise of Islamist groups in Syria including Islamic State jihadists. But Turkey always angrily rejected the charges.
By AFP

ROME: The bodies of eight migrants have been found at sea off the coast of Libya by rescuers coming to the aid of four rubber dinghies, the Italian coastguard said on Tuesday.

Some 500 survivors were pulled to safety, the coastguard told AFP, illustrating the huge challenge that continues to bedevil authorities as people try to reach Europe.

The latest deaths came as the Italian government presented plans for a naval mission in Libyan territorial waters that aims to reduce the flow of migrants from the coast.

Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, which was taking part in the rescues, said the corpses were recovered by the Santa Lucia merchant ship.

"We are here to stop more people drowning, today eight dead and four drifting boats" in distress, Proactiva's founder Oscar Champs said on Twitter.

The charity said there were 79 women and 39 minors -- including four young children -- among those rescued.

Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one percent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry.

The government intends to send a logistics ship that could support Libyan units and will also offer a patrol boat, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti told lawmakers on Tuesday.

However Italy has no intention to create a naval blockade, which would be a "hostile act", she said, insisting that support for the Libyan mission was the aim and cooperation was necessary.

"Italy has always respected Libyan sovereignty," Pinotti added.

At least 2,385 migrants have died during the perilous crossing since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.

The latest deaths come as aid groups -- privately-funded boats performed 26 percent of rescues in 2016, rising to 35 percent so far this year -- are caught in a row over how they operate.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) refused on Monday to sign a code of conduct on migrant-saving operations in the Mediterranean.

Sticking points cited were obligations for rescue boats to operate with an Italian police official on board and a ban on moving rescued migrants from one aid vessel to another while still at sea.

The code, created to address the biggest migrant phenomenon in Europe since World War II, lays down 13 rules Italy insists must be followed to prevent aid groups rescuing migrants from acting as a magnet for human traffickers.

But the rules have been widely criticised by the NGOs as making it more difficult for them to save lives.

ROME: The bodies of eight migrants have been found at sea off the coast of Libya by rescuers coming to the aid of four rubber dinghies, the Italian coastguard said on Tuesday. Some 500 survivors were pulled to safety, the coastguard told AFP, illustrating the huge challenge that continues to bedevil authorities as people try to reach Europe. The latest deaths came as the Italian government presented plans for a naval mission in Libyan territorial waters that aims to reduce the flow of migrants from the coast. Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, which was taking part in the rescues, said the corpses were recovered by the Santa Lucia merchant ship. "We are here to stop more people drowning, today eight dead and four drifting boats" in distress, Proactiva's founder Oscar Champs said on Twitter. The charity said there were 79 women and 39 minors -- including four young children -- among those rescued. Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one percent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry. The government intends to send a logistics ship that could support Libyan units and will also offer a patrol boat, Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti told lawmakers on Tuesday. However Italy has no intention to create a naval blockade, which would be a "hostile act", she said, insisting that support for the Libyan mission was the aim and cooperation was necessary. "Italy has always respected Libyan sovereignty," Pinotti added. At least 2,385 migrants have died during the perilous crossing since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. The latest deaths come as aid groups -- privately-funded boats performed 26 percent of rescues in 2016, rising to 35 percent so far this year -- are caught in a row over how they operate. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) refused on Monday to sign a code of conduct on migrant-saving operations in the Mediterranean. Sticking points cited were obligations for rescue boats to operate with an Italian police official on board and a ban on moving rescued migrants from one aid vessel to another while still at sea. The code, created to address the biggest migrant phenomenon in Europe since World War II, lays down 13 rules Italy insists must be followed to prevent aid groups rescuing migrants from acting as a magnet for human traffickers. But the rules have been widely criticised by the NGOs as making it more difficult for them to save lives.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson promised on Tuesday that the United States is not trying to topple Kim Jong-Un's North Korean regime, but warned it must halt its nuclear missile programme.

Briefing reporters on diplomatic efforts to pressure Pyongyang, Tillerson said Washington would be willing to talk to the North if its leaders accept that they must disarm.

"We don't think having a dialogue where the North Koreans come to the table assuming they're going to maintain their nuclear weapons is productive," he warned.

But he sought to reassure the isolated authoritarian regime that it does not need a nuclear arsenal to defend itself from a US attack.

"We do not see a regime change. We do not seek the collapse of the regime. We do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula," he promised.

"We do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th parallel. And we're trying to convey that to the North Koreans.

We are not your enemy. We're not your threat, but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond," he said.

US President Donald Trump has demanded that China, North Korea's neighbor and biggest trade partner, rein in its nuclear ambitions -- angrily tweeting over the weekend that Beijing is not doing enough.

But here too, Tillerson was more diplomatic.

"We certainly don't blame the Chinese for the situation in North Korea," Washington's top diplomat said.

"Only the North Koreans are to blame for this situation, but we do believe China has a special and unique relationship, because of this significant economic activity, to influence the North Korean regime in ways that no one else can."

Last week, Kim boasted that North Korea could now strike any target in the United States after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.

Republican foreign policy hawk Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump is ready to launch a devastating military strike if diplomacy fails to stop the nuclear missile threat.

WASHINGTON: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson promised on Tuesday that the United States is not trying to topple Kim Jong-Un's North Korean regime, but warned it must halt its nuclear missile programme. Briefing reporters on diplomatic efforts to pressure Pyongyang, Tillerson said Washington would be willing to talk to the North if its leaders accept that they must disarm. "We don't think having a dialogue where the North Koreans come to the table assuming they're going to maintain their nuclear weapons is productive," he warned. But he sought to reassure the isolated authoritarian regime that it does not need a nuclear arsenal to defend itself from a US attack. "We do not see a regime change. We do not seek the collapse of the regime. We do not seek an accelerated reunification of the peninsula," he promised. "We do not seek an excuse to send our military north of the 38th parallel. And we're trying to convey that to the North Koreans. We are not your enemy. We're not your threat, but you are presenting an unacceptable threat to us, and we have to respond," he said. US President Donald Trump has demanded that China, North Korea's neighbor and biggest trade partner, rein in its nuclear ambitions -- angrily tweeting over the weekend that Beijing is not doing enough. But here too, Tillerson was more diplomatic. "We certainly don't blame the Chinese for the situation in North Korea," Washington's top diplomat said. "Only the North Koreans are to blame for this situation, but we do believe China has a special and unique relationship, because of this significant economic activity, to influence the North Korean regime in ways that no one else can." Last week, Kim boasted that North Korea could now strike any target in the United States after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test. Republican foreign policy hawk Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump is ready to launch a devastating military strike if diplomacy fails to stop the nuclear missile threat.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Chinese President Xi Jingping, along with other Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) representatives in Beijing on Friday.



Earlier on Thursday, Doval met his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in the first high-level meeting between the two sides since the military stand-off in the Doklam tri-junction region that broke out last month.



The meeting came on the sidelines of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) NSAs meeting.



The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a brief read-out on the meeting, said Yang "elaborated China's position on bilateral issues and major problems", which is being seen as an apparent reference to the standoff in the Doklam area.



China's Xinhua news agency reported that the talks between Doval and Yang included bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs.



Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has asserted its precondition of "meaningful dialogue," which is that Indian troops should withdraw from Doklam.

NEW DELHI: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Chinese President Xi Jingping, along with other Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) representatives in Beijing on Friday. Earlier on Thursday, Doval met his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in the first high-level meeting between the two sides since the military stand-off in the Doklam tri-junction region that broke out last month. The meeting came on the sidelines of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) NSAs meeting. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a brief read-out on the meeting, said Yang "elaborated China's position on bilateral issues and major problems", which is being seen as an apparent reference to the standoff in the Doklam area. China's Xinhua news agency reported that the talks between Doval and Yang included bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs. Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has asserted its precondition of "meaningful dialogue," which is that Indian troops should withdraw from Doklam.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry discussed healthcare through the majority of Tuesdays town hall meeting at the Fremont City Council chambers.

The congressman said in an interview at the Tribune following the meeting that the town hall was a good, robust discussion. He heard from those who face healthcares escalating cost with no hope in sight, those who like the Affordable Care Act and think the focus ought to be on fixes to it and those who are nervous there may be only one or even no insurer in the state of Nebraska.

Fortenberry is on a tour of the states second district that started Monday with one town hall meeting in Bellevue followed by two in Lincoln. He visited West Point Tuesday evening after his stop in Fremont and will hold town halls in Columbus and Norfolk on Wednesday.

Healthcare dominates discussions within the district, he said. He said he continues to emphasize three goals are met when it comes to healthcare.

He said a new plan must lower costs and improve outcome while protecting vulnerable persons. He said these are not mutually incompatible goals and will work to meet the goals.

Its not over because it cant be over. We have to get this right, he said. The problem is a deeply divided country philosophically and a deep political problem.

Moving forward, Fortenberry says the best idea is to hold everyone harmless who gets a current subsidy through the ACA while moving toward a new system that will restructure the market so it can be affordable for those who face escalating costs.

Currently, 55 percent of Nebraskans receive insurance through their employer or receive a subsidy while 45 percent of Nebraskans are either not insured or are insured through the individual market, he said.

Those people are getting hammered, he said.

Fortenberry said talks will continue.

There is already discussion between democrats and republicans, me included, who are trying to break out of the constraints of the Washington paralysis, he said, to look for areas that overlap so there isnt some big wholesale change one way or the other.
Newport Art Museum wraps up fall with variety of programs

Though it hasnt always felt like fall these past few weeks, the museum is in high gear hosting fall events and planning for winter.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy skies. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Our slim body of knowledge of the universe is vastly overshadowed by what we do not know  whether there is sentient life on other planets, whether there are other planets that can sustain human life, even how long-term space travel physically affects human beings.

Boise State professors Gunes Uzer and Julia Oxford have been awarded a one-year, $37,000 grant from NASA to research that last question. Gunes, an assistant professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering, and biology professor Oxford are studying the impacts of bone loss in space  in other words, how living in a gravity-free environment affects astronaut health in terms of incidents of osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal diseases.

Bone fracture risk due to weightlessness is a significant challenge for future space missions. Here on earth, individuals who cannot bear weight on a limb or limbs due to injury, aging or disease, risk bone deterioration that can impact their quality of life. These risks are paralleled on space missions by a lack of gravity. To prevent microgravity associated bone loss, astronauts exercise rigorously two hours per day, on average. However, it is unlikely that these long exercise regimens will able to keep up with continual bone loss during longer space missions planned in near future, which means researchers need new strategies to slow bone loss and more fully harness exercise's potential.

Uzer and Oxford aim to do just that with their project, "Role Cellular Connectivity in Maintaining Osteogenesis under Simulated Microgravity in Response to Mechanical Challenges." The researchers have shown that being exposed to periods of low-intensity mechanical signals (LMMS) helps promote bone density and growth. Essentially, the researchers created gentle platforms for astronauts to stand on that buzz between 30 to 90Hz frequency and 0.1-1g magnitude (1g is what glues people to earth).

"Think like you are standing on a giant iPhone and someone calls you," Uzer explained. "Ultimately, this signal is an approximation of the forces generated by the muscular contractions during a nice walk along the green belt  your cells know and recognize these signals."

Uzer and Oxford believe that LMMS promotes bone density and growth. Not only that, but these mechanical signals could strengthen intracellular proteins called LINC (Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton), which in some sense wakes the cells up and make them more aware of their surroundings, including exercise.
Pregnant women on Medicaid are more likely to receive timely prenatal care following Oregon's implementation of coordinated care organizations, or CCOs, which are regional networks of health care providers who work together to treat patients, a new study has shown.

"We found that under the CCO model, the timeliness of prenatal care was significantly improved for Oregon women on Medicaid, with more women beginning care in the first trimester of their pregnancies," said the study's co-author, S. Marie Harvey, associate dean and distinguished professor in Oregon State University's College of Public Health and Human Sciences.

"This is an indication that Oregon's use of CCOs is helping close the gap in timeliness of care for women on Medicaid versus those who are not on Medicaid."

The findings were published in the Maternal and Child Health Journal. Co-authors are Lisa Oakley, Jangho Yoon and Jeff Luck of OSU. It is the first study to be published from a five-year federal grant to study the impacts of the expansion of Medicaid in Oregon on the health of women of reproductive age and their children up to age 2.

Medicaid is a federal health insurance program for people with limited resources, including low-income adults, children, the elderly and people with disabilities. In Oregon, Medicaid is provided through the Oregon Health Plan.

OSU researchers are awaiting data to examine the impact of Medicaid expansion, which began in 2014. In the meantime, they examined how the coordinated care organization model, an innovative approach implemented in Oregon in 2012, affected access to and use of prenatal care, Harvey said.

CCOs are Oregon's version of an accountable care organization; nine other states are also using accountable care models for their Medicaid programs and eight other states are considering adopting similar models.

Oregon implemented the CCO model - which includes coordination of physical health care, mental health care and dental care - for providing Medicaid services in 2012. The hope was to focus on prevention and better management of chronic conditions, ultimately improving care and reducing costs.

Each CCO is allocated a fixed sum of funds to provide all necessary patient services and incentives to meet specific benchmarks that are critical to overall health and wellbeing. Benchmarks include decreasing emergency room usage, increasing use of dental sealants for children, using electronic health records, screening for colorectal cancer and providing timely prenatal care.

Early and regular prenatal care throughout a pregnancy plays a critical role in the health and wellbeing of mother and baby, the researchers said. Women on Medicaid generally begin prenatal care later in pregnancy and have fewer medical visits during their pregnancy than their non-Medicaid enrolled peers.

"Prenatal care is important because these visits provide opportunities for practitioners to evaluate and address health concerns for both mom and baby and discuss other important topics such as risks of smoking, the importance of good nutrition and other issues that could impact a pregnancy," said Oakley, the paper's lead author and a post-doctoral researcher at OSU.

After the first year of CCO implementation, mothers on Medicaid were more likely to receive prenatal care starting in the first trimester of pregnancy compared to the year before implementation, the researchers found.

However, the improvement was more prominent among white and Asian women and those in urban areas, suggesting more work is needed to reach women in other racial and ethnic groups and those living in rural areas, Harvey said.

"For women in rural areas, issues such as transportation may be keeping them from accessing coverage," she said. "In addition, cultural or language barriers may prevent some women of color from obtaining care."

Researchers also noted that they saw no improvement in the proportion of women receiving adequate prenatal care; adequate care was measured by the number of prenatal care appointments a woman received after taking into account when she began prenatal care and the age of the baby at birth.

"This study used only the first year of data after CCO implementation; because of the initial positive impact of CCOs on prenatal care timeliness, we hope that additional years of data will demonstrate improvements in prenatal care adequacy, as well," Oakley said.

Source: http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2017/jul/coordinated-care-organizations-lead-more-timely-prenatal-care
A $1.5 million, five-year grant recently awarded to Temple's Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry will support training of students in pediatric dental care and expand access to care for children in need.

Through the Pediatric Patient Care, Population Health and Community Based Training (PPCT) Project for Dental Students, Kornberg will receive roughly $300,000 per year to use for development and implementation of new and enhanced curricula, new community-based clinical rotations for dental students, and other activities to improve proficiency in providing dental services to children younger than 5 and their families, and in advocating for improved oral health. The grant aims to equip students with an understanding of social determinants of health and teach them to apply population health principles while providing care to underserved children.

"When a child is aged from 0 to 5, it is a very crucial time in their growth to receive dental care," said Assistant Professor Vinodh Bhoopathi, who specializes in public health dentistry and will lead the grant. "If they don't get access to care or treatment services at this early age, their quality of life could be affected, and it may have long-term negative health consequences. With this grant, we estimate around 1,000 more children per year will have access to improved oral health care."

The grant will also enhance collaboration between Temple's Pediatric Dental Clinic and various community partners-;including Greater Philadelphia Health Action, Doc Bresler's Cavity Busters, Brightside Academy Pre-K/Head Start programs and the Norris Square Community Alliance Early Head Start/Head Start programs-;to develop new clinical rotations in which dental students will have ample opportunity to treat children. Dental students will also rotate with medical students in primary care training at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

The award will also provide five dental students with scholarships for the Advanced Public Health Certificate Training offered by Temple's College of Public Health. One minority student with financial need will also benefit from a dental school tuition scholarship.

"There is a shortage of pediatric dentists in Pennsylvania," Bhoopathi explained, adding that the project will equip general dentists graduating from Kornberg to treat young children, helping to alleviate that shortage. "This grant has immediate and long-term local and statewide impact in improving access to care for underserved and vulnerable children."
Cancer is essentially a disease of the cell replication cycle. The goal of treating the disease is to permanently kill off the cells that replicate with abandon without any molecular brakes. Chemotherapy and radiation cause breaks in DNA, and eventually, death even in these out-of-control cells. Within minutes after being exposed to treatment, cancer cells call on DNA-repair proteins to counteract the damage wrought by these treatments. Days later, immune cells show up to tumors to assist further in beating back cells that have survived the effects of the toxic therapies.

This delayed arrival of immune cells after cancer therapy is well documented and critical for responses to chemotherapy and radiation, yet the events underlying their induction remain poorly understood. Now, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered how DNA damage is a clarion call for the immune system. The findings are published this week in Nature.

"Having solved what cues immune cells to arrive at cancer cells with DNA damage in the first place, we can apply that information to design better treatments," said senior author Roger Greenberg, MD, PhD, a professor of Cancer Biology and director of Basic Science for the Basser Center for BRCA. "This tactic aims to improve a patient's response to treatment using the immune system at the same time as inhibitors to keep cancer cells on track to replicate until cell death sets in."

If a cell's DNA is damaged, it stalls for about 24 hours at a point in the cell replication cycle just prior to entering a phase that leads to cell division. Cells resume dividing as they eventually overcome their wounds, and this leads to activation of signals that attracts the immune system.

In the Nature study, the Penn team describes how DNA damage from cancer therapies causes small packages of DNA from the nucleus to form in the cytoplasm when cells divide after experiencing DNA damage from radiation or chemotherapies. These out-of-place micronuclei tend to rupture, exposing DNA within the cytoplasm to a special surveillance protein. This watchdog molecule is typically activated when invaders such as viruses are detected as foreign DNA in the cytoplasm. The anti-microbe alarm incites an immune response, hailing immune cells to attack micronuclei-filled cancer cells.

The team demonstrated that inhibiting cells from progressing to later cell-division stages prevented micronuclei from forming and strongly reduced immune responses to cancer cells that had been treated with radiation.

Overall, the Nature study reveals that changes in how fast or slow a cancer cell progresses through cell division is an important consideration for cancer therapies that combine DNA damage and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

"Our work allows for the development of rational strategies to increase immune response to enhance patients' sensitivity to radiation," Greenberg said. "This approach would combine drugs that damage DNA and inhibit immune checkpoints with those that promote cell division by interfering with the factors that delay cell division in response to DNA damage."
A diagnosis of HIV during pregnancy makes domestic violence twice as likely to start for some women after their baby has been born, according to new research led by a Drexel University researcher.

Ali Groves, PhD, research assistant professor in Drexel's Dornsife School of Public Health, found that among women who have not had a history of intimate partner violence, those who were diagnosed with HIV are twice as likely to suffer it afterward compared to women who are not diagnosed with HIV.

"It is valuable to have a picture of who is at risk because intimate partner violence negatively affects HIV positive women's ability to adhere to their medications and to engage in care, both of which can negatively affect their health and well-being, as well as the well-being of their infants," said Groves. "Better knowing who's at risk means we can implement prevention interventions in the antenatal and postnatal clinic setting to positively impact their health."

The study, published in AIDS and Behavior, used data from an urban township in the KwaZuluNatal Province of South Africa, the province that experiences the highest HIV prevalence in the country. Numbers were collected from 1,015 women in steady (six months or more) relationships at the time of collection.

"We believe this research will translate beyond South Africa because relationship factors that contribute to HIV positive women's vulnerability to intimate partner violence are not unique to just that country," Groves explained.

Groves and her team actually began the study with the hypothesis that women who were diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy and had already experienced violence in their relationship would be more likely to have that violence increase.

But the data showed that the women who didn't previously have a history of violence in their relationship were twice as likely to experience violence after the HIV diagnosis during their pregnancy.

The women who had already experienced violence in their relationship saw no significant change following their HIV diagnosis in pregnancy -- so while the levels of violence they experienced didn't increase, it didn't decrease, either.

"This suggests that something about the HIV positive diagnosis is bringing stress into the relationship for those without a history of intimate partner violence," Groves said. "On the other hand, in those with a history of intimate partner violence, there was no difference in risk between HIV positive and HIV negative women. This suggests that the HIV positive diagnosis may not be new source of anger or increased relationship stress, as it may have already been suspected."

Given their findings, Groves and her team feel that more domestic violence intervention efforts should be targeted at women who haven't already experienced it. These efforts could even be built into programs already being given on how to prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child.

And since the study showed that violence levels in women who already had a history of it stayed relatively steady, interventions for them remain just as important.

"As we found, women with a history of intimate partner violence continue to experience it postpartum," Groves said. "Intimate partner violence has significant negative consequences for both women and their children during the period before and after pregnancy, and these consequences are not limited to HIV positive women. As such, effective interventions to reduce women's risk of violence are desperately needed."
These findings emphasize the need for early detection and intervention

Adolescent depression increases the risk of violence, suggests a study published in the August 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).

The study examined the longitudinal association between depression and subsequent violence from three representative samples in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Finland. Researchers for these three cohorts used complementary measures of depression, including self-report and clinical diagnoses, and different measurements of violence including informant reports of violence and official convictions for violent crimes.

The research team, led by Professor Seena Fazel, from the Forensic Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, found modest increases in risk of violence in depression. In absolute terms, for instance, in the Finnish sample, 7.1% of individuals with depression were convicted of one or more violent crimes, compared with 3.6% in the general population without depression.

In relative terms, across samples and measurements, the study shows a consistent pattern of increased relative risk of later violence. In the Dutch and UK samples, an increase in depressive symptoms was associated with a significant elevated risk of later violence. In the Finnish sample, the odds of violence in individuals with a diagnosis of depression were increased two-fold, compared to those without depression. These findings highlight the need for active and early treatment of depression in adolescents and young people. The mechanisms behind this link need further investigation and may involve increased impulsivity, hostility, and poor self-regulation.

"We know that high rates of depression have been reported among adolescents in juvenile detention and correctional facilities (e.g.,11% in boys and 29% in girls)," said Dr. Rongqin Yu, lead researcher at the Forensic Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. "However, the longitudinal link between depression and violence was unclear. Our longitudinal design allowed us to take into account previous violence, enabling us to test whether adolescent depression is associated with changes in violence over time. We found a consistent pattern of increased risk of later violence across samples. Both depression and violence are prevalent in adolescents and young adults; our findings indicate the importance of early detection and treatment of depression."

Professor Fazel said: "This research is important for two main reasons. First, it adds to the evidence of the many potential harms of untreated depression in young people. Second, it suggests that closer liaison between criminal justice and mental health might prevent violence in high-risk individuals."
Chester County is the wealthiest county among all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The median household yearly income is more than $85,000. It has also been ranked the #1 healthiest county in the state, boasts highly rated schools, solid corporations, thriving small businesses, and desirable neighborhoods. And yet, more than 25,000 county residents received over $3 million in SNAP (food stamp) benefits because they do not have enough money to consistently put food  let alone healthy food  on the table each night.

In Chester County, 11,000+ children, 3,500+ seniors and 3,400+ disabled adults (age 18-59) are considered food insecure. Food insecurity, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is "a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food."

Awareness about the high percentage of food insecurity in Chester County has only recently appeared on Chester County Hospital's radar as its Community Health and Wellness Services department completed the 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment.

The hospital learned that while 7.1 percent of individuals live in poverty county-wide, there are a half-dozen municipalities that experience poverty rates in excess of 15 percent.

"It was eye-opening," said Julie Funk, MS, RD, CDE, LDN, director of Community Health and Wellness Services. "Our educators are out in the community working with people and organizations to talk about improving their lifestyle habits all year long. Having consistent access to healthy food is the first building block for a healthy life. But, food insecurity appears to be a silent issue for many people."

Earlier this year, the Chester County Food Bank  a community health partner  reached out to Funk to talk about opportunities to address the hunger issue. The hospital has a long history with the Food Bank having organized many employee food drives over the years. Through community drives, the Food Bank distributed more than 2.5 million pounds of food to residents with limited or uncertain access to adequate food last year. It is aligned with about 40 food cupboards throughout Chester County.

This is also about the time that a Master of Public Health graduate student from West Chester University, Laura DelGuercio, joined Funk's team as an intern. Eager to learn and create a solution, DelGuercio researched ways the hospital could assist with this county-wide concern.

As DelGuercio explored how other communities identified and reduced the percentage of hunger, she came across a food insecurity questionnaire that yielded positive results, and created a similar screening tool for Chester County Hospital.

The screening tool asked patients to rate how much they related to the following simple, yet pointed statements:

1. "We worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more."

2. "The food we bought just didn't last, and we didn't have enough money to get more."

3. "The Food Bank can call me."

Funk and DelGuercio approached the Clinical Manager of the Ob/Gyn Clinic, Deb Mellon, CRNP, to talk about piloting this questionnaire with her patients. They felt the Clinic was a natural partner to test this screening tool, as it provides free or reduced-cost obstetric and gynecological health care services to the medically underserved women and Medicaid population the same population affected most by food insecurity, according to nationwide studies.

"We are the only hospital-based prenatal clinic in Chester County. Last year alone, we provided care to 922 women and delivered 462 babies, which represents about 17 percent of all the babies born at the hospital," Mellon said. "Knowing our moms-to-be as well as we do, we felt that identifying any food concerns could help ease their stress and create a healthier home situation so they could feed their growing families."

To prepare, the Clinic staff attended a workshop so they were educated on the process. After training, they asked the three key questions to patients prior to their appointments, and shared a list of local food cupboards for the patients to take home.

Over the course of 28 business days this spring, the Clinic screened 201 patients. Of these women, 97 (48.3 percent) were identified as food insecure and 122 (60.77 percent) granted permission for the Food Bank to call them. DelGuercio's effort uncovered that an even higher amount of food assistance was needed than the Food Bank and Community Health department initially realized.

"What I found most surprising was that more than half of these individuals were looking for assistance, but didn't know where to go," she reflected. The hospital then shared the data with the Chester County Food Bank, who then contacted the women who requested a call to provide information on how to receive food assistance.

DelGuercio demonstrated that awareness of a patient's food status and concerns can serve as a method for physicians and other allied health professionals to provide appropriate interventions, such as referrals to food sources.

"We care about our patients inside and outside the hospital," Mellon said, adding, "we want to do whatever we can to connect them to the services their families need so they have reliable access to healthy food."

As a result of the Food Insecurity study, the Chester County Food Bank now pre-packages emergency food kits for the Ob/Gyn Clinic to have instantly available for their patients who acknowledge that they worry when their families will eat next. The boxes are nutritious and geared toward prenatal women.

There are discussions currently underway to expand the screening tool hospital-wide. Prior to the end of her internship, DelGuercio and Funk met with Case Management and Nutrition Services to discuss implementing the screening throughout the hospital. With more than 13,000 inpatients, 460,000 outpatients and 45,000 emergency patients receiving care annually, the opportunity to ask questions about food access is plentiful.

Michael McGarrigle, director of Case Management, explained, "Broadening the use of the Food Insecurity screening tool is something that my department and Nutrition Services are exploring for use with all hospital patients as part of their routine care. We want to identify any barriers to food access and increase the referrals to community resources."

Helping patients  our community  gain access to adequate nutritious food will improve their overall health, which is what everyone at the hospital is working toward. Asking our neighbors if they have access to enough food to feed their family and then connecting them to the right resources is the most obvious first step.
Every day, 17 million HIV-infected people around the world swallow pills that keep the virus inside them at bay.

That is, as long as they swallow those pills every day for the rest of their life.

But no matter how many drugs they take, they'll always have the virus in them, lurking in their white blood cells like a fugitive from justice.

And if they ever stop, HIV will come out of hiding and bring down their immune system from the inside out, causing the disease known as AIDS and potentially spreading to others before killing them.

Now, new research into HIV's hiding places reveals new clues about exactly how it persists in the body for years. The discovery could speed the search for drugs that can flush HIV out of its long-term hideouts and cure an infection for good.

In a new paper in PLoS Pathogens, a team led by University of Michigan researcher Kathleen Collins, M.D., Ph.D. reports that HIV hides in more types of bone marrow cells than previously thought - and that when these cells divide, they can pass the virus's genetic material down to their "daughter" cells intact.

This keeps the infection going for years, without tipping off the armed guards of the immune system.

Collins and her colleagues made the discovery in bone marrow samples donated by dozens of long-term HIV patients treated at U-M's academic medical center, Michigan Medicine, and at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

Using funding from the National Institutes of Health, they found that HIV can hide in hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), which also serve as the parents of new blood cells that replace worn-out ones on a regular basis. HIV tricks the cells into incorporating the virus's genetic material into the cells' own DNA.

"Looking for the cells that harbor functional HIV is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Our new results expand our understanding of the type of cells that can do it," says Collins, a professor of Microbiology and Immunology and of Infectious Disease at the U-M Medical School. "It's like a cancer biology problem, only the 'mutation' in the cells is the inserted viral genome."

HPCs are made by hematopoietic stem cells, the "master cells" of blood production found in the marrow. Previous research had shown that HIV can hide for years in the bone marrow.

But it was not known whether the virus persisted only in stem cells or whether the reservoir could include more differentiated progenitor cells. Demonstrating that progenitor cells form a long-lived reservoir of virus expands the number of cell types that need to be targeted.

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By demonstrating that HIV genetic material can lurk in blood progenitor cells, the researchers extend other recent studies indicating that such cells can live for years, says Collins, whose lab team included lead author Nadia Sebastian, a U-M M.D./Ph.D. student.

She notes that from the point of view of the virus, finding a harbor in this kind of cell means it can hedge its bets, giving it a chance at survival and eventual reproduction if its host's defenses weaken. The virus that causes chicken pox - varicella - also does this, hiding out in nerve cells just under the skin for years until it awakens and causes the painful condition called shingles.

Knowing exactly what cells harbor HIV over the long-term is crucial to battling persistent infections. Other research has focused on the T cells that carry out key immune system functions.

"Having established this, now we're poised to ask if we can treat HIV infection by targeting hematopoietic progenitor cells," she explains. The team is evaluating potential drugs that could kill just these cells.

The research team on the new paper also includes former U-M stem cell researcher Sean Morrison, Ph.D., who now leads a research center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Morrison's lab uses mice as a model to study stem and progenitor cells.

They find in the new paper that in order for HIV to infect a progenitor cell, that cell must have a type of receptor on its surface, called CD4, that the virus can attach to. Additionally, the researchers show that two subtypes of HIV can infect these cells: those that use the CXCR4 co-receptor to enter cells as well as those that use CCR5, which expands the types of HIVs that can potentially cause reservoirs.

Finding those progenitor cells in the marrow of the human patients who agreed to undergo a biopsy for the sake of pure research was tricky, Collins says. But thanks to them, researchers are a step closer to a day when HIV infection is no longer a life sentence for millions of people around the world.

"Moving from the state we're in, where patients will always have to be on these drugs, to a better form of therapy where they can stop, would have a huge effect," she says. "Today's medications have side effects, as well as financial costs. To get to the next step, we need to target the types of cells that form a latent infection, including these progenitor cells."
The Humanity in Science Award is an international research prize worth USD 25,000 that recognizes and rewards scientific breakthroughs that can substantially benefit human lives.

The prize was launched in 2014 by the specialist magazine "The Analytical Scientist" and has been awarded annually with the support of an industrial partner. This years partner is the Berlin laboratory instruments manufacturer KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, which is celebrating its 55th company anniversary in 2017.

The prize will be presented on October 2nd in Berlin as part of the KNAUER anniversary celebrations, attended by leading personalities from science, politics and the laboratory industry.

"We are very proud to be able to present the Humanity in Science Award this year together with The Analytical Scientist. We fully support the idea of recognizing technologies, processes or products that have a positive impact on humanity. Honoring the creators of such developments or research is a great pleasure for us," says Alexandra Knauer, Managing Director of KNAUER.

The special feature of this research prize is that the submission is open to projects in all research fields and branches of the analytical world; for example, new solutions to improve the supply of water and food, more effective means of treating widespread diseases, such as malaria, or contributing to solving energy and environmental problems all have a chance of taking the prize. The main criterion is an improvement for mankind.

We have just entered the final phase of the judging process. All nominations have been assessed, and a shortlist has been passed to the international jury of leading scientists and experts, who will rank the shortlisted entries. After meeting the inspirational winners of previous Humanity in Science awards, I am very much looking forward to finding out who will be taking home the prize from Berlin," Rich Whitworth, Content Director of the Analytical Scientist (Texere Publishing).

The winner will receive the award from Roswitha Knauer, who founded the company KNAUER in 1962 together with her husband, the chemist and developer Dr.-Ing. Herbert Knauer.
The Mount Sinai Health System announced today that it has partnered with Contessa Health, an innovative health care company that manages acute-care services at home through prospective bundled payment arrangements, to extend Mount Sinai's existing hospital-level care at home program, known as the Mobile Acute Care Team (MACT), to new markets.

As part of Mount Sinai's commitment to keeping communities healthy and out of the hospital, the Health System initially launched the program in 2014 with the support of a multi-year innovation award from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Through the program, eligible patients receive hospital-level care for selected conditions in the comfort of their homes, in lieu of a hospital stay, from Mount Sinai providers . The Mount Sinai program provides comprehensive treatment of acute illness in the patient's home under the supervision of physicians who have extensive experience in the management of illness both within and outside the hospital setting.

Currently, Mount Sinai's program is available to Medicare patients with specific acute medical conditions who would otherwise be admitted to a hospital within the Mount Sinai Health System. The partnership with Contessa Health will allow Mount Sinai to scale this program to include patients with different types of health insurance and a broader range of clinical conditions.

"We just treated our 600th patient since the program commenced in November of 2014," stated Linda V. DeCherrie, MD, Clinical Director of MACT. "Our data has shown that we can reduce 30-day hospital readmissions, earn high patient satisfaction, and reduce the cost of care, all while providing hospital-level care in a more efficient and safer setting."

Contessa Health is an innovator in creating and managing value-based care models, operating through a prospective bundled payment program where a fixed price for services is established in advance to deliver all services within an episode of care. Contessa's proprietary claims system, coupled with its integrated clinical care model, will help Mount Sinai to broaden its existing program, bringing hospital-level care into homes of patients throughout the area. Contessa has implemented a hospital-level care at home program with Marshfield Clinic Health System in Wisconsin.

In addition, Mount Sinai will work with Contessa to add an option for post-surgical care at home. This will permit eligible patients to recover from surgeries that would normally require an inpatient hospital stay (such as total joint replacements) in the comfort of their own homes.

While delivering physician-led hospital-level care in the home is not new, the collaboration between Mount Sinai and Contessa Health is new and unique to the health care landscape.

"This partnership with Contessa Health is critical to the overall transformation of our health system, underscoring Mount Sinai's commitment to creating an innovative health care system that emphasizes outpatient, ambulatory, and home-based care with remote monitoring capabilities," stated Niyum Gandhi, Executive Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer for Mount Sinai Health System. "We are excited to work with Contessa to expand the reach of this program to benefit more patients who would have otherwise been hospitalized."

"We are thrilled to partner with Mount Sinai to achieve the mutual goal of lowering costs and improving quality of care for patients," said Travis Messina, CEO of Contessa Health. "Mount Sinai's clinical outcomes speak for themselves, and we are excited to help accelerate their program so that more patients have access to a health care model that truly is changing the delivery of care."

"Our team is pleased to have joined forces with Contessa to expand this innovative model of patient care to a broader market," said Erik Lium, PhD, Senior Vice President at Mount Sinai Innovation Partners.
Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Copenhagen today announced a research collaboration with a company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) to develop solutions for preventing early aging. The aim of this partnership is to develop medicines to prevent and cure a broad range of diseases associated with aging such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cardiovascular diseases.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cardiovascular diseases are strongly associated with aging and share many characteristics on the molecular level. Experts in the genetics of aging at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine partnered with the Baltimore-based company, Insilico Medicine, specializing in AI to find molecules that can be developed into drugs to cure and prevent these diseases. The objective of this collaboration is to increase health span for everyone on the planet. "Many of the diseases of aging are associated with the failure of the DNA repair mechanisms. The aging processes accelerate as the DNA repair mechanisms lose function. The collaboration with Insilico Medicine will allow us to find the molecules that repair DNA and prevent accelerated aging", said the head of the biology of aging lab and assistant professor Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, Center for Healthy Aging.

Extended Lifespan for All

Insilico Medicine develops the advanced AI algorithms to study the aging processes and discover new interventions in aging. Many of these molecules aim to induce the expression of certain genes involved in the endogenous repair processes to slow down and even reverse some of the aging-associated diseases. By applying a specific branch of artificial intelligence called Deep Learning (DL) on multi-modal data, the company aims to discover molecules that can stimulate the repair of the DNA.

"Deep learning systems are outperforming human abilities in many tasks including image recognition and autonomous driving. But one area, where AI will have the most impact is drug discovery and we are deeply honored to be able to partner with professor Scheibye-Knudsen's group at the University of Copenhagen, which is one of the most advanced in the world. I hope that together we will be able to find new molecules to extend healthy longevity and make humans more resistant to the various stress factors", said Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine, Inc.

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At the advanced laboratories in Copenhagen, the research teams will be able to test the molecules identified using the artificial intelligence methods to select the most effective ones for joint development into novel medicines.

"We hope that cooperation can lead to the development of some new drugs that can prevent early aging, thus ensuring increased health spans for everyone. If we can find molecules that repair our DNA, it is not inconceivable that we can increase the upper limit to how old we may be, "says Morten Scheibye-Knudsen.

Insilico Medicine was the first company to apply deep generative adversarial networks (GANs) to generation of new molecular structures with specified parameters and published a seminal papers in Oncotarget and Molecular Pharmaceutics. Another paper published in Molecular Pharmaceutics in 2016, demonstrated the proof of concept of the application of deep neural networks for predicting the therapeutic class of the molecule using the transcriptional response data, received the American Chemical Society Editors' Choice Award.

The pharmaceutical industry is expected to benefit from the recent advances in AI. Insilico Medicine was profiled in the recent article in Nature Biotechnology titled "AI-powered drug discovery captures pharma interest" among the other companies utilizing machine learning for drug discovery. The agreement with Juvenescence is expected to set a precedent for the new molecules discovered using the new generation of artificial intelligence by a team of expert drug developers.
Despite being saddled with many factors associated with drug and alcohol problems, undocumented immigrants are not increasing the prevalence of drug and alcohol crimes and deaths in the United States, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Researchers led by University of Wisconsin-Madison sociology Professor Michael Light used newly developed state-level estimates of the unauthorized immigrant population to examine the relationship between undocumented immigration and drug and alcohol arrests and deaths.

Light says national debate on immigration law spurred him to begin a series of studies on undocumented immigrants and public safety and health.

"This is an area where public and political debates have far outpaced the research," Light says. "And central to this debate is whether undocumented immigration increases drug and alcohol problems, or crime more generally. There are good theoretical reasons to think it could have increased substance abuse problems in recent decades. But the data just doesn't show it."

Light, who was a professor at Purdue University while he conducted the study, along with Purdue sociology Professor Brian Kelly and graduate student Ty Miller, used immigration data from the Center for Migration Studies and the Pew Research Center spanning 1990 to 2014.

They compared undocumented immigration rates to four representative measures of drug and alcohol problems: drug crimes and driving under the influence arrests collected from federal, state and municipal sources in the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports; and drug overdose deaths and drunken driving fatalities counted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Underlying Cause of Death database and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

According to the study, rather than increasing substance abuse problems, a 1 percent increase in the proportion of the population that is undocumented is associated with 22 fewer drug arrests, 42 fewer drunken driving arrests and 0.64 fewer drug overdoses -- all per 100,000 people. The frequency of drunken driving fatalities was unaffected by unauthorized immigration rates.

According to Light, one explanation for these findings could be what prior research often calls the "healthy immigrant thesis" or "Latino paradox."

"When you look at things we think of as predictive of criminal behavior and poor health outcomes -- low levels of education, few economic assets -- immigrants tend to be engaging in less crime and staying healthier than we would expect," Light says.

And yet, undocumented immigration is often stirred into debate of social ills like opioid use. It's unquestionable that drugs are smuggled across the border between the United States and Mexico, Light says, but this does not mean drug smuggling and unauthorized immigration are one and the same.

"That just doesn't appear to be the case," he says. "If you want to fight the opioid epidemic or reduce drunk driving, deporting undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S. is likely not going to be the most effective policy."
Lots of auto events around the world that started out as something relatively specialized are increasingly being used by major automakers to showcase their new, upcoming production models. BMW has a history of using the sensational Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance event in California to wow crowds and the assembled media with one-off concepts. But via the medium of Twitter, the German luxury manufacturer has announced this year it will be unveiling a new car that could actually be one destined for production. The car will be revealed on August 17, and BMW grandly claims "the road will never be the same" as a result of it.Last year saw BMW use Pebble Beach to show the world its Turbomeister 2002 Hommage, but the statement about this year's reveal changing the road has obviously led to considerable speculation about this being a production model rather than a one-off. In typically cryptic fashion, all the tweet actually told us was "Find out what is hiding in the dark on August 17 at Pebble Beach," which was accompanied by an intriguing teaser sketch.What's obvious from the image is that the new model is a drop-top of some sort, and it also appears to have cowls behind the front seats, suggesting this is a two-seater roadster. The length of the bonnet also indicates a front-engined format, so, the easy conclusion to jump to is this could be the new successor to the Z4 that we already know is in the pipeline. The problem with that theory though is the Toyota-based model to replace the last Z4 is a relatively compact car, whereas this one looks to be too long for that.So, unless this is something completely out of the blue, the most likely explanation is this must be the convertible version of the upcoming 8 Series flagship coupe that's getting very close to being released. The two-seat look of the teaser sketch does tend to contradict that particular theory, but this could just be a concept and the production model wouldn't look greatly different with its rear seats. Regardless, all will be revealed, as they say, in just over a couple of weeks.
New Delhi: Arvind Panagariya, the first vice-chairman of NITI Aayog who was considered to be Prime Minister Narendra Modis personal pick for economic reforms, announced his resignation from office on Tuesday.



Panagariya said he would return to academia next month. According to sources, Panagariya had expressed a desire to move back to academia a few weeks ago. The corridors of power in New Delhi have been abuzz with reports of him wanting to return to academic life in the US, from where he came for the NITI Aayog assignment.



Panagariyas tenure has been marred with run-ins into various RSS affiliates, which termed him as a free market economist who was struck in the Western mold of economic policy.



The 62-year-old Indian-American economist was professor of economics at Columbia University. He is known for his market-friendly views and is a close associate of well-known trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati



Panagariya was a vocal supporter of Gujarat model of development. He has also spoken highly of Modi as the PM. He [Narendra Modi] restored confidence among the bureaucracy, improved inter-ministerial coordination and greatly speeded up environmental clearances. Red tape was cut for new businesses via the introduction of a single-window facility, he had said.



Panagariya has earlier been the Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and a Professor of Economics and Co-director, Centre for International Economics, the University of Maryland at College Park.



Holding a Ph.D. degree in Economics from Princeton University, Panagariya has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities.



He has also written/edited 10 books, his latest being India: The Emerging Giant, which was published in March 2008 by the Oxford University Press, New York. The book has been described as the a tour de horizon and a tour de force by Jagdish Bhagwati.






In celebration of United's 80 years of service in Denver, the airline announced the launch of daily nonstop seasonal service between Denver International Airport (DEN) and London's Heathrow Airport (LHR).

The new Denver route, which is beginning March 24, 2018 through October 26, 2018, subject to government approval, will conveniently connect customers from nearly 80 domestic destinations to London.

"For the last 80 years, United has played an integral role in serving the Denver region and helping Denver International become an essential hub connecting business and leisure travelers to destinations around the globe," said Steve Jaquith, vice president of its Denver hub. "Our new service to London will provide more customers with convenient one-stop opportunities from markets that are served only through Denver, and we're excited to bring this new service to the Mile High City."

Jaquith was previously the managing director of the company's Denver hub, and was recently promoted to vice president.

These flights are available now for booking.

Flight Depart Time Arrive Time UA 27 DEN 5:35 p.m. LHR 9:40 a.m. +1 day UA 26 LHR 11:40 a.m. DEN 2:30 p.m.

United Airlines has served the Denver community since 1937 and is the only airline to continuously operate in the Mile High City  operating 6.5 million flights serving more than 580 million customers during this time.

"We are so appreciative of our partnership with United Airlines and beyond excited that they continue to grow in Denver with this new service to London Heathrow beginning next March," said DEN CEO Kim Day. "These new flights will complement United's successful nonstop service to Tokyo Narita, making United the only carrier to provide both transatlantic and transpacific flights from Denver."
This has been the most successful year for counter-insurgency in Kashmir in last several years. Around 110 militants have been killed in Kashmir in the last seven months alone. And they include Lashkar commander Bashir Ahmad Wani, Hizb commander Sabzar Bhat and now Lashkar commander Abu Dujana.Late in May, the Army had released a list of 12 most wanted men in Kashmir. Big names such as Pulwama district commander Showkat Tak alias Huzaifa, Shopian commander Wasim Ahmed alias Osama and Zeenat-ul-Islam alias Alkama (LET), and Dujanas associate Abu Hamas, were on that list.News18 visits the same list, of which three have now been killed, to show the progress security forces have made since the last three months.The top commander of Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba Junaid Mattoo was killed in a gunbattle that took place in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag on June 16Killed in an encounter by 182 and 183 battalions of CRPF, 55 RR of the Army and a unit of police's SOG, in Pulwamas Hakripora village on Tuesday. Had been named as Lashkar Chief after Abu Qasims death in 2015.Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Bashir Lashkari was killed after security forces blasted the house they were holed up in south Kashmirs Dialgam area in Anantnag district on July 1.
The most wanted man in Kashmir, Abu Dujana, from Pakistans Balochistan area, lived a remarkably long life in Kashmir. He was active in Kashmir since 2010. On an average, after picking up a gun, a militant survives for not more than two years in Kashmir.The fact that 26-year-old Dujana not just survived for seven years, but created Lashkars cadre in Kashmir, orchestrated ambitious offensives like the 2015 Udhampur attacks, and slipped out of cordons and encounters at least a dozen times, makes his death the biggest achievement of security forces in Kashmir in last several years.This is the greatest blow to Lashkar-e-Toiba and to terror outfits in Kashmir, there is no doubt about that, said a police officer who was involved in the operation that led to Dujanas death.The officer said Dujana was tracked down through a cellphone call he made at midnight in Hakripora village. Sources say Dujanas movements were already impaired because of an injury he had suffered from a previous brush off with forces. He had also been spotted at funeral prayers of Sabzar Bhat and Burhan Wani.Dujana had recently sent alarm bells off in security establishment after reports of his meeting with now Al Qaeda chief of operations in Kashmir Zakir Musa, a little after Sabzar Bhats death.His association with LeT had also come under cloud after the outfit had reprimanded him for his indiscipline and elevated the chief accused in the recent Amarnath Yatra attack  Abu Ismail  as its chief of operations in the Valley.The handlers of LeTs Kashmir division were reportedly not happy with the manner in which Dujana had masterminded several bank robberies, without seeking their consent, and killed a person suspecting him of being a double agent. This person had reportedly helped LeT on several occasions and therefore was a valuable asset to the terror outfit.In his press conference with the IG, police, J&K, the GOC 15 core, General JS Sandhu, said Dujana was not involved in any recent operation and was more of a nuisance. Wo yahan aata tha aaiyashi karne ke liye, aur koi kaam nahi tha uska, he said.However, the fact is that while Ismail has become active only three months ago in Kashmir, Abu Dujana and Abu Hamas had practically built and created Lashkars base in the Valley, and were being supported by Pakistans network of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in Kashmir.The police file on the dreaded Balochi militant mentions that he was very expert in grenade attacks.Dujana had succeeded the position of Lashkars Kashmir chief from Abu Qasim, a Bhawalpur resident, who had among other things, killed the most successful counter-insurgency police officer Altaf Dar alias Altaf Laptop. Qasim himself was shot dead three weeks after Dars death.After killing Dujana, forces attention will now turn towards Abu Ismail, the prime accused in the recent Amarnath yatra attacks, who is believed to be heading Lashkars operations in Kashmir. The Pakistan-based outfit is believed to be commanding over 30 militants in the valley.
New Delhi: Narendra Modi government was left red-faced in Rajya Sabha on Monday when the Opposition managed to drop a crucial clause from the Constitutional Amendment Bill on the National Commission for Backward Classes just because most MPs from treasury benches were absent during the proceedings.



The dropping of Clause 3 under Opposition pressure has implications beyond the Bill. It not only reflects the will of the Opposition to fight back, despite the exit of JDU from their fold, but also shows how NDA MPs might be taking things for granted.



Ironically, Mondays humiliation in Rajya Sabha came days after PM Modis personal intervention and instructions to MPs that they must attend parliamentary proceedings, barring medical urgency and important appointments.



According to sources, some sort of disciplinary action might be taken against the BJP MPs who were not present in Parliament on Monday. The sources said party chief Amit Shah had told absentee MPs that they should never forget that hundreds of politicians were denied tickets during elections and they should honour the public mandate.



Sources say both the PM and BJP president Amit Shah have not taken this too kindly and have asked for the names of the MPs who were absent, against whom a strict action is expected to be taken. This comes in the backdrop of Amit Shah having been elected to enter the RS.



From Day One, Modi government has faced the biggest challenge in Rajya Sabha and PM Modi and Amit Shah have worked tirelessly to improve their strength in the Upper House by winning a series of Assembly polls and entering new partnerships.



The latest boost to the government came when Nitish Kumar-led JDU joined the NDA.



On Monday, the Opposition moved amendments, which were passed by its 74 votes against the NDAs 52. It was an unprecedented situation because the clause for which the amendment was passed by a simple majority cannot become part of a Constitution Amendment Bill. It requires a two-third majority of those present in the House. And the Chairman made it clear that these amendments cannot be undone.



Hence, for the Bill come into being, the House had to vote. This left the government with no choice but to say yes. The government did try to call its absentee MPs back, but couldnt salvage the situation as the Opposition didnt allow the lobbies to be opened.



The Opposition managed to make way for inclusion of a woman and a minority member in the commission. This development means the Bill will now have to go back to Lok Sabha to begin the process afresh.



This comes as a huge embarrassment for the government, which showed buoyant spirit with additional members likely to be added to its kitty with the inclusion of JDU(U).



The bill was crucial for BJP ahead of elections in Rajasthan , Gujarat and Madhya Paradesh and in the South as well. The BJP through this Bill hoped to project itself as the champion of backward castes and classes.



Putting forth itself as the champion of backward castes and classes might be the line that the BJP uses as damage control. Finance minister Arun Jaitley and parliamentary affairs minister Abbas Naqvi pointed out that the opposition didnt care about the backward class.

You will be punished for this mistake for years to come, Naqvi said. Jaitley added that if the opposition wanted the OBC reservation to fall, then so be it

Will this damage control really work? Only time will tell. The opposition has already started smiling.



For all this hype this BJP govt does, they didnt issue a whip (forgot?) In RS to pass an OBC Constitutional Amendment Bill. And lost! Burnol?, said TMC leader Derek O Brien.



P Chidambaram too joined in. The government was totally unprepared and nonchalant. It did not even have full strength. A constitutional amendment is serious business. The government (was) not at all serious, he said.


Former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah talks to CNN-News18s Marya Shakil about Hurriyat leaders, his statements on the need to ask the US for help on the Kashmir crisis and why he feels the incumbent J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti is a separatist sympathizer.



Question: Shabir Shah was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, and there have been other arrests against Hurriyat leaders. Do you think its time to ban the Hurriyat?



Answer: Banning any organisation gives them an opportunity to go underground. It would then become difficult to track their whereabouts. The world over, whenever such banning has taken place, it has not proven fruitful. We have to uncover the truth. Where the money came from? How was it spent? And what part has been played by the various countries, who provided the money.



Question: Sir, you had said that the Hurriyat was funded by the Centre and that Kashmir paid the price.



Answer: Yes, all were funded. If you read former RAW chief AS Dulats book, he was attached to the Prime Ministers office. That clearly shows that the money was being paid to these people.



Question: Can you substantiate what you have said about Mehbooba Mufti being hand-in-glove with the Hurriyat?



Answer: Obviously. I will go back to her father, when he went to meet them in 2002 he told all these people, who were talking guns that I have come for you. He told them I am going to defend you, so just leave.



Secondly, after investigations that my government did to unearth money that was coming from London to Delhi and from Delhi, it was being sent to Srinagar by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The investigations were held and you would not believe how we got the government of India and the finance ministry to agree for that charge and to come seize all documents. Geelani Sahib was arrested and put in jail for two years. As soon as Mufti Mohammad Sayeed won the election, he released Geelani Sahib immediately and took him to Mumbai for treatment, where an operation was conducted at the state expenses.



All that investigations we did. General Mukherjee, he was heading the 15 core GoC at that time, he will substantiate what I am saying. The gentleman who was my DG at that time can tell you all about these investigations that were conducted at the time.



Question: Sir, on one hand, you are saying that the Mehbooba Mufti government is hand in glove with the Hurriyat and on the other hand you are saying it is the Centre that is funding the separatists?



Answer: They did fund Hurriyat, I didnt say that. I have said that they fund the separatists but Mehbooba if you remember called Geelani as her father and the PDP, won in south Kashmir, which has quite a lot of support for Geelani. Even today, the statements by Geelani, are written by a minister of her government.



Question: That's a huge charge, who's that minister writing Geelanis statement?



Answer: No, I am not going to name anyone. This is quite enough for people to investigate.



Question: So you are saying that a minister from the Mehbooba Muftis Council is writing Geelanis statements?



Answer: Not only that, when these 6 arrested Hurriyat leaders were being brought to Delhi, a lot of pressure was put on the government to not take them.



Question: Who put this pressure? Was it Mehbooba Mufti putting pressure on the Centre?



Answer: I don't know. That is to be investigated.



Question: Dr. Abdullah you have leveled a series of charges. Do you think the current establishment in New Delhi is going very hard on Hurriyat and that is the reason why the CRPF has said that the number of stone pelting incidents have come down by 50%?



Answer: I dont know. I have no idea about it. The government must be the best source that can tell you about it. Secondly, I would like to make it very clear that only arresting them will not make any difference. It is the investigation which has to be taken up seriously and the truth has to be brought out. If you dont bring out the truth, it wont stand in the court of law and it will be a major setback to the Centre.



Question: What is your assessment on Prime Minister Narendra Modis current handling of the Kashmir crisis? Are you satisfied with the Hurriyat arrests that have been made recently? Do you think its a thumbs up because the CRPF has come out with this new data?



Answer: I dont know if the stone pelting incidents have come down or not. I have no idea. This is what you are telling me and that is what the government is trying to tell you. I would like to see peace in the valley. I would like to see people moving freely without any caution, thats the type of valley I would like to see.



Question: You have made a series of controversial statements in recent times. At a time of the Doklam standoff intensifying, why were you advocating China and US to intervene in Kashmir? Given the fact that the government has maintained that Kashmir is an internal issue of India, why should we internationalise it?



Answer: Let me be frank about it, the talks will be held between India and Pakistan. I have never said that a third party has to sit at the table. I said that when Salahuddin was categorised by the American government, whole of India cheered it. This was done at the behest of India to US. At that time you did not say anything about it because the Americans helped you. Today, the situation is that India and Pakistan are not talking and the situation on the border is very tense. People are scared. People are dying on both sides.



Question: But this is coming at a time when your external affairs minister has been called a liar by China.



Answer: I dont know about the liar part. That is not the question. I have only said that we need to use the influence of those we consider friends. American is supposed to be our friend, why dont you use their good offices to convince Pakistan. Talks have to be held towards settlement. There is nothing wrong with it.

As far as Sushma ji being called a liar, those who did are completely out of their mind. Sushma ji will always speak the truth. Even today when she spoke about the Indians in Mosul, she was very clear that she cannot declare them dead until she gets full information about them.



Question: Talking about Kashmir, do you see a Chinese hand in the crisis?



Answer: China is a friend of Pakistan. China has made a route through the PoK. China will do anything that Pakistan will ask them to do.



Question: The security establishment believes that there is a real threat that ISIS is making in-roads into Kashmir. What is your assessment?



Answer: I dont think that in the present day, there is any definitive proof about it. Whether with the Indian intelligence or the Kashmir intelligence, there is no definitive proof. Therefore, all this talk of them having come to Kashmir is wrong.



Question: Going back to where I started. Is it time to ban Hurriyat?



Answer: As I told you before, banning them will force them underground and you will never know what their activities are. If they are not banned then you know what they are doing and you can be prepared for those things. It is up to the government of India on which way they want to go.



Question: As the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister are you satisfied with this type of crackdown that is happening with the Hurriyat?



Answer: Anybody would be happy. What I would try to know is that they have to prove things that they are saying, otherwise they are going to create a bigger tragedy for the nation.






Srinagar: Abu Dujana, the slain Lashkar terrorist, had managed to give security forces the slip at least 5 times in the recent months. But on Tuesday, the lady luck ran out.



Sources in Jammu and Kashmir Police say that specific input was received, as per which, Dujana was visiting the house of one Khurshid, frequently.



Close vigil and investigation revealed that Khurshid's daughter Rukaiya was married to Dujana. Around the same time, local inputs said that Dujana was visiting the house of his rumoured girlfriend Shazia.



"He was very active on the Pulwama-Pompore highway stretch. But in the last 3 months, violence had come down in this area. In these three months, Dujana's visits to Khurshid and Shazia's houses had increased. Looks like he wanted to focus on family," a police officer told CNN-News18.



J&K police claim a tip-off was given on Tuesday that Abu Dujana and his aide Arif were visiting Hakripora House of Khurshid in the Pulwama district. A joint operation, with Army, CRPF and police, was launched and by 4 am the premises was gheraoed.



"We asked the civilians to come out after laying a cordon. Abu Dujana and Arif were believed to be on the first floor of this house. The first fire came at around 7:50 am, and then the encounter began," DG CRPF R R Bhatnagar told CNN-News18.



CRPF said that the gun battle went on till 9:30 a.m when the house was blasted. Two hours later, the partially charred bodies from the half burnt house were recovered and identified as those of Dujana and Arif.



"Women have been a weakness for the Lashkar terrorists," a police officer said.



"Burhan Wani's location was shared by his ex-girlfriend. Abdullah Uni, another terrorist, got killed in Sopore in 2012-13 after a tip-off from a woman. Abu Talla, an LeT terrorist, was gunned down in Shivpora on a similar tip-off," the officer added.



Core commander of 15 core Sandhu in a press conference said, "ye apni ayyashi ki wajah se maara Gaya (He died because of his extravagance)."



Dujana's aide Arif Dar, who was killed in the same encounter, was wanted in connection with bank robbery, looting of arms and murder of a PDP district president Abdul Ghani Dar alias Wakil.



Abu Dujana, a Pakistani terrorist, allegedly infiltrated into India territory from Pakistan in 2014 and is believed to be the mastermind of the attack on EDI in Pampore in 2016, and the Udhampur army camp attack the same year.



He had given security forces the slip multiple times, including in May this year when stone pelting by civilians helped him escape. Stone pelting began during his encounter on Tuesday, too, forcing forces to blast the house off so that no escape route was available to trapped terrorists.


At midnight, security agencies got a tip off about Lashkar commander Abu Dujana's presence through TechInt (technical intelligence). Among the various phone numbers under surveillance, Dujana's suddenly became active at midnight. This set off alarm bells and prompted forces - 182 and 183 battalions of CRPF, 55 RR of the Army and a unit of police's SOG - to come right down to Hakripora village at 4 in the morning.Dujana has a knack of slipping past our cordon. He's done that more than half-a-dozen times now. So we came to Hakripora village and laid a cordon. By 4 in the morning, the place was pretty much sealed," said a senior police officer.The official added that for a moment there was a doubt that the man they had zeroed in was actually Dujana or not."There was no stone pelting till 8 am and this raised doubts amongst us. A man like Dujana was likely to be protected by the entire village. He has huge sympathy among locals. So we double-checked our TechInt and confirmed it through our human intelligence sources also. That's when we launched the offensive. The militants refused to surrender, so we've set fire to the house, in order to flush them out. All our information points that it is Dujana but let's wait till we recover the bodies," the officer added.Sources have said the Lashkar commander and his aide were killed after being trapped in the debris. Bodies of both the terrorists have been recovered and are said to be partially charred.Dujana, a Pakistan national, was the chief of Lashkar's operations in Kashmir. His death is being viewed as the one of the biggest success stories for security forces this year. Dujana had a Rs 30 lakh prize on his head.Abu Ismail, a LeT commander who planned and executed the recent attack on Amarnath Yatris, is believed to be a close associate of Dujana. Ismail is touted to be the successor of Dujana.
The Chartered Accountants Intermediate CA  IPCC May 2017 Result is expected to be declared by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on August 1st 2017 at around 6PM on its official website icaiexam.icai.org /.The total number of students who took the exam was estimated at 2,07,577 at 430 Centres across India. Along with the CA  IPCC May 2017 Results, the ICAI will also publish the All-India- Level Merit List for Top 50 ranks of students who will score 55% or above in Chartered Accountants Intermediate May 2017 examination results.The students who are waiting for the CA  IPCC May 2017 Results can check their results in three modes via SMS or Email or Online by following the instructions given below:Step 1: Visit the official Website of ICAI - icaiexam.icai.orgStep 2: Click on CA  IPCC Examination ResultsStep 3: Enter Roll Number and Pin or your Registration NumberStep 4: Enter Captcha and click on Check ResultStep 5: Download and Print for future referenceTo check the results via SMS you need to type  CAINTER (space)your 6 digit roll no. eg. CAINTER 889900 and send it to 58888.The students who had pre-registered their email id on ICAIs website before July 27th will receive the notifications to their registered email ids as soon as the CA  IPCC May 2017 Results are declared.Earlier in July, ICAI had declared the Results of CPT June 2017 and CA Final Merit List May 2017 on July 18th, 2017.Check here: http://www.news18.com/news/india/two-mumbai-boys-top-the-ca-final-merit-list-check-your-status-at-icaiexam-icai-org-1465305.html
New Delhi: Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday said he has suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a full-time Sherpa for G20 talks as India's role is expanding in the global arena.



Panagariya on Tuesday announced that he will leave the government think tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University. He was appointed India's Sherpa for G20 talks in September 2015, replacing Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.



"Globally India's role is expanding. I have suggested to the Prime Minister that perhaps we need to find a full-time Sherpa ... Globally so many things are happening," Panagariya said.



Sherpas, who are representatives of leaders of G20 member countries, coordinate the agenda of a summit.



As per the practice, the deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission used to be the Sherpa for G20 talks.



During the UPA regime, former deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia was Sherpa for G20 talks.



Panagariya was India's Sherpa for the 12th G20 summit held on July 7-8 in Hamburg, a major port city in Northern Germany.



The G20 is the central forum for international cooperation on financial and economic issues. The G20 countries account for more than four-fifths of gross world product and three-quarters of global trade, and are home to almost two-thirds of the worlds population.
New Delhi: Separatist leaders in Kashmir are using benami properties to route terror funds received from Pakistan, top government sources told CNN-News18



The sources said that six separatist leaders are using proxies and benami properties to route these funds. These leaders have made fortunes for themselves and their families while leading the separatism movement in the Valley.



A dossier prepared by the National Investigation Agency on terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir has established a direct link between Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hurriyat leaders, and details how financial assistance from across the border is used for terror financing and to fuel unrest in the Valley.



The NIA has questioned several separatist leaders for raising and transferring funds via Hawala to fund terror activities in Kashmir. A week ago, the probe agency had arrested seven Kashmiri separatist leaders, including hardline Hurriyat chief Syed Ali Shah Geelanis son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah. The others arrested are Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate.



CNN-News18 had earlier exposed how separatists were using cross-LOC trading in almonds to fund terror activities in the Valley.



In the over two-decade-long unrest in the Valley, the separatist leaders have been receiving steady funds from across the border.



Take, for example, chairman of All Party Hurriyat Conference, SAS Geelani. Government sources said he owns a two-storey ancestral bungalow in Dooru, Sopore, worth around Rs 1 crore. He has an office-cum-residence in Rehmatabad Colony registered in the name of Milli Trust and a two-storey house in Barazullahas been transferred to JEL, J&K.



Then there is the Unique Public School in Srinagar. Land for which has been partially donated by villagers while the rest of the land is owned by Geelani, sources added. He also owns a two-bedroom house in Delhis Khirki Extension which he bought for Rs 8 lakh and is registered in the name of GM Bhat, a Hawala conduit.



The two-storey house in Srinagars Bagh-e-Mehtab registered in the name of Geelanis eldest daughter. The bunglow in Bemina area of Srinagar is in the name of another daughter.



The sources said Geelanis son Nayeem owns agricultural land near Srinagars Rawalpore bypass, along with his brother Naseem. An orchard in Sopore and an eight-room house in Sant Nagar, Srinagar, are also registered in his name. Nayeems other properties include a flat in Delhis Vasant Kunj and a house in Auxiliary Police Lane, Srinagar.



Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Chairman of Awami Action Committee, has invested heavily in Dubai. Sources told CNN-News18 that Farooq has acquired massive amount of benami properties in the name of his family. A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) is said to be a facilitator in these deals.



Another separatist leader, Nayeem Khan of the Jammu and Kashmir National Front, has a house in Barzulla, Srinagar, worth around Rs 75 lakh. He also has an apple orchard, two houses in Pathanpora, and a limestone quarry  Asian Minerals  under his brother Muneers name. The quarry is believed to be worth around Rs 2 crore.



The government sources said J&K Democratic Freedom Party founder Shabir Shah owns land and a house in Afandi Bagh Sanat Nagar. Hotel Bahal Shah is Pahalgam is also registered in his name. Among other properties, he has a house and two plots in Srinagars Narbal, two houses in Rawalpora. He has dealership of many agencies with a saily turnover of Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh.



On May 26, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah in connection with a money laundering case against him for alleged terror financing.



JKLF chairman Yasin Malik lives in a house in Maisuma area of Srinagar valued at Rs 1.5 crore. Sources said the JKLF office in Maisuma, worth around Rs 2 crore, is registered in the name of a relative. However, Malik is supposed to be the real owner of the property.



The sources added that the JKLF leader owns at least eight properties in Srinagar and Nowgan. He is also reported to have invested in wholesale business in Koker Bazaar.




Thiruvananthapuram: A 23-year-old man from Kerala, who went missing last year and was suspected to have joined the Islamic State, may have died in an airstrike in Afghanistan.



According to police, the deceaseds relatives received a message from one Ashfaq in Afghanistan, informing the family of his death. Police are still trying to verify the claims.



Police on Tuesday said his father received the message on an app two days ago informing him about the death of Marwan Ismail, who hailed from Thrikkaripur, in an undisclosed location in Afghanistan. The message didnt bear any information on the place of death or what happened to the body.



According to a PTI report, Marwan was working as a physiotherapist in the Middle East before joining ISIS last year.



Ismail and Ashfaq were among the 21 Kerala youths who went missing and was reported to have joined the IS in Syria in 2016.



In April, Yahya, a native of Palakkad, was allegedly killed in a similar airstrike in Afghanistan.
Oman Air and Malaysia Airlines have signed a codeshare agreement opening up more international destinations to their customers, effective immediately. Oman Airs passengers who currently enjoy direct flights to Kuala Lumpur will now be connected to more destinations in Malaysia, China, and Australia.

The new destinations now open for Oman Air guests are Singapore, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Darwin, Melbourne, Auckland, Phuket, Langkawi, Penang, Kota Bharu, Johor Bharu, Kuantan, and Miri. Additionally, the existing destinations of Oman Air, namely, Jakarta and Guangzhou will also be connected through this code share.

Malaysia Airlines passengers will enjoy non-stop, direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Muscat.

This partnership will also pave the way for closer co-operation between the two airlines on a range of other joint initiatives, including collaboration on frequent flyer programmes, ground handling, customer support, cargo and airport lounge access.

Oman Air offers 14 weekly flights between Muscat and Kuala Lumpur, operating on the airlines state-of-the-art Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
Patna: In growing animosity post the break-up of Grand Alliance in Bihar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on Tuesday accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of "betrayal" for personal gains and alleged that the "match was fixed" between him and BJP to form a government together.



A combative Prasad hit back, and even made personnel comments against Kumar, who in a blistering attack against the RJD chief yesterday said he had no option but to walk out of the alliance as he did not want to "compromise with corruption".



He charged Kumar with "betrayal" and held him responsible for the disintegration of the Grand Alliance of RJD, JD(U) and Congress for personal gains.



"Tejaswi Yadav was just an excuse ... Match was fixed between him and BJP to form a government together," Prasad told reporters at the 10, Circular Road official residence of his wife Rabri Devi, an MLC.



Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu's son and former deputy chief minister, who is now the leader of opposition, was present.



"Even if Tejaswi had tendered his resignation he (Kumar) would have the JD(U) leader would have gone ahead with his plan to split the alliance.



Accusing Kumar of being an "opportunist" politician, the RJD chief called him "Paltu Ram" (turncoat). "Everybody knows that in your (Nitish's) political career you took help of so many people and deserted many."



"Say truthfully isn't it a fact that you (Kumar) had come to my house with folded hands to join forces for the 2015 Bihar poll and pleaded that now we have grown old so give me (Kumar) one term ... But after he saw Tejashwi Yadav doing good work, he tried to make him a sacrificial goat to have several terms as CM," he said.



Barring Tejashwi, the rest failed to deliver in the coaltion government, Prasad claimed.



Nitish Kumar had resigned on July 26 after Tejashwi Yadav did not come clean on accusations of graft and refused to quit. After dumping the Grand Alliance he formed a coalition government with BJP a few hours later, saying it was "in the interest of Bihar."



On Kumar's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would face little challenge in the 2019 general elections, Prasad ridiculed him, saying "Keep chanting the name of Narendra Modi ... PM material (Nitish Kumar) has surrendered before him butwe will give another face against him in 2019."



Continuing his tirade against Kumar, the RJD supremo called him a "lost case" for joining hands with BJP again.



"Despite carrying their (BJP) baggage or a saffron robe on your shoulder you (Kumar) can be given a farewell by them (BJP) anytime."



He accused Kumar of "conspiring" with the BJP to get a case instituted against him in connection with the 'land for hotels' deal relating to the period when the RJD chief was railway minister under UPA 1.



"Is a raid on the house of the deputy chief minister (Tejashwi) possible without the consent of the CM?"



Prasad accused Kumar of being "dishonest" to the Grand Alliance since its inception. "Giving 40 seats to Congress in the Bihar assembly polls leaving 101 seats each for JD(U) and RJD was his strategy to join hands with the Congress at some= point of time after dumping us from the government."



Prasad also accused the chief minister of "undermining" senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav who, he said, contributed a lot to making Kumar a "big leader".



The RJD leader said he has offered Yadav to "come out from there (the JD-U) and join hands with secular parties to

protect the country from communal forces".



He, however, clairified that Yadav has not been requested to join the RJD but be part of a country-wide movement against communal forces.



On Kumar's statement that he was confusing "caste base" with "mass base" to claim he (Prasad) was merely a caste leader, the RJD chief shot back, saying "Tell me who participated in the Kurmi (a caste) sammelan? Have I ever participated in any function of the Yadav caste?"



Prasad alleged that an MLC and a Rajya Sabha MP close to the chief minister had collected "huge" sums of money in his name.



The RJD chief was particularly critical of Kumar for his claim that he had helped him (Prasad) win the election for the post of president of Patna University students union.



"When I became general secretary of Patna University students union in 1970-71, Nitish Kumar was not even visible in student politics. Besides students hailing from OBC, minorities and dalits, a large number of girls of Patna Women's college and Magadh Mahila college had voted for me," he said.



Prasad, a product of the 1974 Jayaprakash Narayan-led movement, said, "After JP authorised me to form a committee to continue the movement, leaders like Ravi Shankar Prasad (now Union minister) and others had objected and JP kicked them out of his house."



The RJD chief said he became member of Parliament for the first time in 1977 after he got ticket to contest under instructions from JP. "But Kumar, who claims he is a machine that manufactures leaders, lost Assembly elections twice in 1977 and 1980 from his home constituency of Harnaut."



He claimed that it was only after he asked Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav to shift to Ara Lok Sabha seat and made his son an MLC that Kumar could enter Parliament from Barh.



Prasad said he had agreed to Kumar becoming the Grand Alliance's chief ministerial candidate following a request from the then Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.



"I knew he (Kumar) was a trecherous man but Mulayam Singh had asked me to agree. I had then said to keep communal and fascist forces away I am even prepared to consume poison," he said.
LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

#PulwamaEncounter: The house in which the terrorists are holding up has been set on fire by the security forces to flush out the terrorists pic.twitter.com/30aMZ5wUaq  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

#BREAKING -- Top LeT commander Abu Dujana reportedly gunned down in Pulwama, J&K | @islahmufti with the details pic.twitter.com/0NjkoLV9ez  News18 (@CNNnews18) August 1, 2017

Lashkar-e-Taibas Kashmir commander Abu Dujana, one of the most wanted men in India, was killed by security forces during an encounter in South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Tuesday morning. Dujana's aide Arif was also killed in the operation.Dujana, a Pakistan national, was the chief of Lashkar's operations in Kashmir. His death is being viewed as the one of the biggest success stories for security forces this year. Dujana had a Rs 15 lakh prize on his head.Abu Ismail, a LeT commander who planned and executed the recent attack on Amarnath Yatris, is believed to be a close associate of Dujana. Ismail is touted to be the successor of Dujana.Sources have told CNN-News18 that the operation against the terrorists began after a tip-off. Security forces surrounded the house and began operations around 4:30 am on Tuesday morning.Dujana was believed to be on the first floor of the house, along with an aide.After prolonged firing between the two groups, which according to sources lasted till 9:30 am, security forces set fire to the house in order to flush Dujana and his aide, Arif, out. Sources have said the Lashkar commander and his aide were killed after being trapped in the debris.Bodies of both the terrorists have been recovered and are said to be partially charred.As soon as news of the operation broke, civilians and stone-pelters gathered in the area. The protestors clashed with security forces, leaving 1 youth dead as forces opened fired.Sources have told CNN-News18 that Lashkar had downgraded Dujana about 5-6 months ago. Abu Ismail had taken over LeT divisional commander.Dujana had recently married a girl from Pulwama and was therefore in the area, making him vulnerable. It was his attempt to meet his wife that alerted intelligence agencies about his presence in the area, said sources.Hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), the terrorist infiltrated Jammu and Kashmir in 2010.The LeT Commander made his first dramatic appearance at a funeral of a local Lashkar militant in 2014 in Kakpora area of Pulwama. He also attended the funeral of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani in South Kashmir's Tral area last year in July.Dujana, who was an A++ category terrorist, had a modus operandi wherein he ambushed security convoys on Kashmirs national highway.Investigators say he was was involved in the attack at a CRPF party in Pampore in June where eight security personnel were killed.Dujana is also linked to the killing of two police men in Anantnag in June this year, ambush of a BSF convoy in Udhampur last year and several other acts of terror.
New Delhi: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has suggested legalising marijuana, a psychoactive drug, in India for medical purposes on the lines

of the practice adopted by some developed countries like the US to curb drug abuse.



The suggestion was made by Gandhi at a meeting of a group of ministers (GOM), which examined the draft cabinet note National Drug Demand Reduction Policy, according to the minutes of the second meeting, a copy of which is with PTI.



The GoM approved the draft national policy with minor modifications suggested in the meeting. Gandhi informed that in "some of the developed countries like the US, marijuana has been legalised which ultimately results in less drug abuse".



She said that "the possibility of the same maybe explored in India", as per the document. When asked to elaborate, Gandhi told PTI that "marijuana should be legalised for medical purposes, especially as it serves a purpose in cancer".



During the meeting of the GoM, which was chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Gandhi also stressed on the need for regulating the sale and availability of pharmaceutical drugs such as codeine cough syrups and inhalants among others which are being abused.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the GoM to examine the draft policy for drug demand reduction which seeks to address the problem of drug and substance abuse in the country.



Referring to the national survey on drug abuse, conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice in collaboration with AIIMS, which covers students, transgenders and sex workers among others, Gandhi said children especially those living in and around major railway stations should also be covered. She also suggested exploring the possibility of setting up de-addiction centres near these railway stations.



On the issue of legalising drugs in the country, the Social Justice and Empowerment Secretary G Latha Krishna Rao said "it may not be appropriate to legalise such drugs" in view of the large population and low level of literacy in the country and added that the possibility could be explored in future.



As per the document, Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar observed that drugs were easily available outside schools and colleges and said that an action plan needs to be drawn to create awareness and sensitise students against drug abuse in schools, colleges and universities.



Singh, who is also the minister of parliamentary affairs, said that the role of home ministry should also be well defined in the proposed policy. The GoM also recommended the projected budget estimate of Rs 125 crore annually for implementation of the policy.



In an earlier meeting, the GoM had proposed preparing an action plan for controlling over the counter sale of sedatives, pain killers, muscle relaxants among others and preparing treatment modules for different age groups, including the subject of treatment of drug addicts as part of MBBS curriculum. It also sought setting up of de-addiction centres in all prisons, juvenile homes, factories and industries.
New Delhi: Indias richest man Mukesh Ambani has elbowed past Hong Kong realty magnet Li Ka-shing to emerge as Asias second-richest man, thanks to spectacular launch of Jio, 4G telecom venture of Reliance Industries.



According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, RIL chairman has added $12.5 billion to his wealth this year as petroleum-to-telecom majors stock touched a record high.



The latest boost to RIL share came with the launch of JioPhone, an effectively free homegrown 4G device which has high-end features like voice assistant and supports 22 languages, last month. Once JioPhone hits the market on August 15, a large section of about 50 crore 2G phone users is likely to move to Jio network.



RIL has invested more than $31 billion in telecom business, considered to be passion of Mukesh Ambani.



While about 90 per cent of RILs revenues continue to come from its refining and petrochemicals business, a Bloomberg report pointed about that the companys debt has climbed to a 15-year high, mainly due to telecom investments.



Ambani described Jio as a jewel among Reliance assets during the companys annual general meeting on July 21. Its business and societal value will grow immensely over the next decade, he said. Jio will become Indias largest provider of data service, products and application platforms.



For Ambani, the gains have swelled his net worth to $35.2 billion, taking him to number 19 in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index from 29 at the end of 2016.



Jio took just nine months after launching with a free introductory offer to rope in 117.3 million users and become Indias fourth-largest operator, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Optimism about the telecom upstarts prospects grew after Ambani announced initial pricing for the service in February, sparking an almost 50 per cent surge in Reliance shares.



Ambanis ambitions arent limited to a phone service. The company has started offering fixed-line internet connections to households and tied up with AirWire Technologies to offer a device that connects to a car for diagnostics, Wi-Fi and other services.



Our energy and materials businesses constitute a strong platform to generate stable, annuity-like cash flows with a potential to reach EBITDA of 1 trillion rupees within the next few years, Ambani said on July 21.
New Delhi: The Pakistan-China friendship was on full display on Monday evening when Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa was the chief guest at the 90th-anniversary celebrations of the People's Liberation Army, where he declared there was no parallel to the enviable Pak-China relationship in the world.



These celebrations, at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, come at a time when two Asian giants - India and China - are involved in a standoff over the Doklam issue.



Speaking on the occasion, General Bajwa said that "the military relationship between Pakistan and China is the foundation of Sino-Pak ties," adding that Pakistan takes pride in relations with its "brother China". The Pakistan Chief of Army Staff also said that there is no parallel to "the enviable Pak-China relationship" in the world.



The Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, according to Major General Asif Ghafoor's Twitter account, said that Pakistan-China "military-to-military cooperation was a pillar of the bilateral relationship" between the two countries.



Chinese President Xi Jinping lauded the People's Liberation Army and asserted that will not let anyone "split its territory", thereby appreciating Army's efforts to fight "all invasions" amid territorial disputes with its neighbours.



However, Xi made it clear that China doesn't fancy "aggression or expansion."



"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," Xi said as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is engaged in a standoff with Indian troops at Doklam in the Sikkim section since mid-June.



His remarks came in the middle of a massive official media campaign and the assertion by China's foreign and defence ministries accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory at Doklam.



India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NSAs meet on July 27-28 also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.




Lucknow: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was in Lucknow on Tuesday to meet officers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and demand a re-evaluation of the compensation given to farmers.



NHAI Regional Officer Rajiv Agrawal assured Rahul that the re-evaluation of the project would be done soon. The project director will also review the compensation, that too within three days.



Rahul handed over the memorandum to NHAI officials with UPCC chief Raj Babbar in tow. About 800 farmers are affected by land acquisition.



The leader has alleged that farmers' land in the Kathaura village of Sultanpur, Jagdishpur is being acquired without adequate compensation. Also, that houses of farmers were being bulldozed without any notice in Ambedkar Nagar.



Work on widening NH-56 at Kathora Gram Sabha in Amethi's Jagdishpur block started a year ago. Three days ago, locals allege, NHAI began demolishing houses and shops in the area without compensating the affected farmers.



According to local Congress leaders, the farmers had already given land for widening the highway. However, NHAI was also constructing a bylane for parking trucks on both sides of the road in an area of around 200 m in Kathora, affecting about 100 families.



Rahul asked NHAI officials to adopt proper procedures to compensate those affected or shift the bylane.



Earlier, Congress President Raj Babbar, who reached Ambedkar Nagar, held a protest in favour of farmers. On Monday, after the assurances of the administration, Babbar had called off his protest. Babbar also said that if a farmer wants to file a case in the High Court, Supreme Court or District Court for their right, then in that case Congress will arrange a lawyer for them.
New Delhi: About 7 percent of coal-fired power plants may never be able to comply with new environmental norms because they lack the space to install emission-cutting equipment, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) said, potentially leading to their shutdown.



Coal-fired plants make up 60 percent of India's 330 gigawatt (GW) of installed power capacity and account for the bulk of industrial emissions of lung-damaging particulate matters and gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that cause acid rain.



The state power adviser has recommended operating the coal plants - representing about 13 GW of power and most of which were built more than 25 years ago - only when power demand peaks, its chairman R.K. Verma said.



The environment ministry will eventually decide if the plants would have to be shut down because of noncompliance, Verma told Reuters.



Earlier the government had said a separate 5.5 GW of inefficient coal-fired power plants would be shut down.



"Closure of the (13 GW of coal) plants due to non-compliance with new norms would be a big hit on the employees working in these power plants, and the economies related to it," Verma said.



The CEA has sided with power companies that have asked for an extension of the environment ministry's December deadline to meet the new emission norms.



The inability of the coal plants to comply with the new standards demonstrate the difficulties faced in cleaning up its air, which is among the most polluted in the world.
New Delhi: Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas on Monday said his country has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014.



He, however, said Syria is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory.



Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.



"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said.



"We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.



Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.



However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.
Hyderabad: Two employees of the Kadthal toll plaza in Telangana's Rangareddy district were stabbed by the son of a TRS leader and his friends over the payment of a Rs 30 toll fee.



Police said Manish, son of TRS leader Laxmi Prasanna, and his friends were drunk and attacked the toll plaza employees with knives.



"The toll supervisor has given a complaint. He is being treated at a hospital for injuries. We have arrested them under the section of the attempt to murder," said the Kadhal sub-inspector.



All the six accused have been arrested and will be produced in court later.














Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines 804-guest ship Black Watch is due to commence her cruise season from Rosyth, for Edinburgh, Scotland on 14th August 2017, with a seven-night Lochs of Scotland sailing. In total, Fred. Olsen will be offering eight cruises from Edinburgh (Rosyth) aboard Black Watch this year, until 14th October 2017 an increase of one turnaround call since 2016.

Fred. Olsen will be offering guests a variety of itineraries from Edinburgh (Rosyth) in 2017, including a seven-night Scenic Fjords of Norway cruise, a 10-night Cultural Cities of Northern Europe sailing, and a 16-night Landscapes of Portugal & the Canaries sunshine getaway.

In 2017, Fred. Olsen has also included two river cruises  German Waterways and French Rivers  both of which are itineraries that have not been offered from this Scottish port before.

Robert Mason, Capital Cruisings Head of Cruise at Rosyth, said, Across all our Scottish ports, we are enjoying a very busy cruise season this year and  with the arrival of the Black Watch on 14 August  we will have welcomed over 100,000 passengers in 2017, with more due over the next few months.

In 2018/19, Fred. Olsen will be reinforcing its commitment to Edinburgh (Rosyth) by introducing its 1,350-guest flagship, Balmoral, which will be sailing from the Port for the first time ever, on a total of nine itineraries. Cruise holidays on offer, from May to July, include a five-night Norwegian Fjords departure, a 14-night Scandinavia & St. Petersburg Baltic discovery, and a nine-night German Waterways experience.

For further information on Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, visit the website at www.fredolsencruises.com.
New Delhi: A united opposition today stalled the pre-noon proceedings in the Rajya Sabha protesting against the government's decision to hike the prices of domestic cooking gas (LPG) by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by next March.



Congress, SP, TMC, BSP and Left MPs stormed into the Well of the House shouting slogans seeking withdrawal of the decision, forcing Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to first adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes and then till noon.



The issue was raised by Derek O'Brien (TMC) who gave a notice under rule 267 that seeks to set aside business of the day to discuss an important issue.



He said the government was not fulfilling its social commitment to provide cooking gas at subsidised rates. Oil prices have come down from USD 111 per barrel to USD 48 but the government is raising rates of cooking fuel, he said.



Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had yesterday told Lok Sabha that the government has doubled the monthly increase in LPG price to Rs 4 per cylinder from July 1 with a view to eliminate all subsidies by March 2018."Whey they make promises, why not implement it," O'Brien asked.



Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) said at the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people had voluntarily given up subsidies so that subsidised LPG can be provided to the poor and needy.



But the government has now decided to charge all the poor Rs 4 per cylinder more every month, he said. "This is strongly condemnable. Government should withdraw (the decision)." Tapan Sen (CPI-M) said people are being "cheated". Naresh Agarwal (SP) said this is a "government for profits."



Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the notice under rule 267 was being disallowed but a short duration debate can be permitted if a notice is given.



The opposition members rushed into the Well shouting slogans against the decision, forcing Kurien to adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes.



When the House met again, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the people had voluntarily given up their subsidies in the hope that subsidised cooking gas will be given to the poor.



But the government is "killing the poor", as within a year, the price of LPG would go up by Rs 48 per cylinder at a time when oil rates globally have slumped to a multi-year low. "This is not acceptable," he said. Clarifying the decision, Pradhan said the move flowed from a June 2010 decision under the previous UPA government to raise prices every month in small quantum to completely eliminate subsidies.



He read out from a document that listed the decision and those who endorsed it.



Pradhan said the BJP-led government has in the last three years raised the LPG connections from 14 crore to 21 crore and given as many as 2.6 crore free connections to poor women household members.



Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said when Parliament was in session, the decision should not have been announced outside. Slogan-shouting members trooped into the Well raising slogans. The minister made his submission amid slogan shouting. As members refused to relent and return to their seats, Kurien adjourned the proceedings till 1200 hours.
France's Cite de Vin museum will toast Georgia's 9,000-year history as the global birthplace of wine-making in a new exhibition from Monday. The wine history museum in the southwestern city of Bordeaux -- dubbed adult Disneyland when it opened last year -- will showcase 125 objects from the Black Sea nation dating back as far as the Neolithic era.



"We're trying to show how much the phenomenon of wine has been an inseparable part of daily Georgian life and culture since the very beginning," exhibit commissioner Nino Lordkipanidze told AFP. More than 39,000 people flocked to the museum in the French wine capital this year to see its first major exhibition, Bistrot!, gathering works of art portraying cafes and bars over the ages.



The Georgia show will see pottery fragments dating back to the 6th century BC -- containing traces of tartaric acid, proof of the presence of wine -- go on display for the first time. It will also feature a partially-reconstructed marani, or Georgian wine cellar, and the large egg-shaped clay pots known as kvevri that are still used by Georgian wine-makers today. The museum is also putting on a series of talks, concerts, film screenings and, of course, wine tastings.



Archaeological finds have shown that viticulture in Georgia dates as far back as 7,000 BC, well before western Europeans were even thinking about having a tipple. Grapevine tendrils have even been found buried next to human remains. "The vine accompanied the buried person in their journey to the hereafter," Lordkipanidze said.



Early Georgians mulched grapes in their entirety -- juice, skins, pips, stems and all -- and left the mix to ferment in kvevri, stored in underground pits to keep the liquid cool. The pots and the process are still used nowadays for reds and whites, and as the taste for naturally-made wines spreads globally, winemakers as far afield as Australia and Italy are mimicking the old technology.



The kvevri clay-pot method of fermenting wine won a place in 2013 on UNESCO's list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.


Wtf is Outback Steakhouse planning pic.twitter.com/l1CSafkdOK  balenci-who? aga  (@eatmyaesthetics) July 27, 2017

Yup, same in Bay Area California. Illuminati Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/0mUJp1UtCz  Errol Apparel (@ErrolApparel) July 29, 2017

Deptford NJ Freemason lodge is closed to a Mantua Illuminati Outback Steakhouse. pic.twitter.com/M3EQ7r5j2y  Fashy Maid Fanatic (@UndercoverFunk) August 1, 2017

Another Illuminati Outback Steakhouse outside Philly close to a Freemason lodge. Springfield and Prospect Park. pic.twitter.com/qJdnjMO4Ds  Fashy Maid Fanatic (@UndercoverFunk) August 1, 2017

Illuminati, we all know of it and or them because we read the execrable literature that guises itself in Dan Brown (novels). And the subsequent inspired Wikipedia and fringe sites that took inspiration from it. And other darker, stupider parts of the World Wide Web. The 18th Century Bavarian secret society died off far before the state that it dwelt in, which itself would go on to be remembered in the pre-internet days for the dessert it inspired: Bavarian Cream.But theres no accounting for tastes, and apparently stupidity. Fodder for a thrill-seeking (read hysterical) public, the Illuminati, a diabolical cult that steers world affairs, has since dominated internet searches and tabloid headlines. And as a future axiom will presumably go, where nonsense goes, Twitter will boldly participate.The ridiculousness started when a twit, er, Tweeter, posted a post asking what Outback was planning, while joining the dots between outlets of popular faux-Australian restaurant chain, Outback, located in Arizona, Georgia, and Illinois (also known as Americas think tank. No? We wonder why), which formed a Pentagram-ish.Like Alex Jones with the theory of a NASA child-slave colony on Mars, internet users dove wholeheartedly into the suspicion, tweeting and posting on social media, leaving aside their heads behind, for convenience (we guess?).Testament to the world we live in, the chain was forced to respond to the (idiotic) publics outrage, assuring them that they werent, in fact, part of an 18th century, extinct, secret society that secretly rules the world and instead only, is delicious and "#noconspiracytheoryneeded"! Scary.
Heads up wannabe surfers: If you want to learn how to ride the waves without wiping out your bank account, a new ranking suggests heading to Ecuador, which offers the most affordable surf lessons in the world.



According to The Surf Lesson Price Index, Ecuador is the cheapest destination for amateur surfers wanting to amp up their game on the cheap, with the average surf lesson clocking in at $22 USD.



At the other end of the spectrum, with a price difference of more than $100, is Norway, where the average surf lesson will cost students an eye-watering $128 USD.



Elsewhere on the ranking, Australia, an undisputed capital of surfing, landed in 19th spot for averaging $49 a lesson, while another surfing capital, the US, came in second to last at $85 a lesson.



For the index, tech travel company Surfholidays.com analyzed surf lesson booking data from 1,250 surf schools around the world. The list ranks 30 destinations.



Predictably, the cheapest destinations are found in less developed seaside countries such as India, the Philippines, Peru, Jamaica, and Sri Lanka, which all cracked the top 10 list.



Here are the top 10 more affordable countries for surf lessons:



1. Ecuador $22



2. South Africa $23



3. India $24



4. Argentina $25



5. Philippines $26



6. Peru $29



7. Jamaica $31



8. Chile $34



9. Ireland $37



10. Sri Lanka $38



The most expensive destinations:



1. Norway $128



2. US $85



3. Puerto Rico $80



4. Barbados $77



5. China $72


Adorable baby Taimur is currently enjoying his vacation in Switzerland with parents Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan. It is his first foreign trip and the first pictures from his vacation have already gone viral. The photos that are being circulated on social media has a dapper Saif Ali Khan in white tuxedo holding his son Taimur while planting a sweet kiss on his forehead. The little one looks absolutely adorable in a blue onesie as the father-son share this sweet moment. Since Bebo is missing from the picture, we guess she wanted to capture this lovely moment of the father-son duo. The picture, Instagrammed by several fan clubs, shows seven-month-old Taimur adorably staring into the camera while Saif is looking away.

Cutest pic of Taimur. #KareenaKapoorKhan #KareenaKapoor #kareena #SaifAliKhan #saif #Taimur A post shared by @lesliepintoo on Jul 31, 2017 at 8:02pm PDT

Another picture of Taimur, Kareena and Saif presumably from Switzerland was being shared on social media and the internet was finding it difficult to handle. In the picture, Taimur, who is still getting accustomed to the ways of being a star kid, directly looks into the camera and smiles.

#taimuralikhanpataudi #taimur #saifalikhan #kareena #bebo #taimuralikhan A post shared by I AJAY DEVGN  (@ratee_ghazi) on Jul 31, 2017 at 4:35pm PDT

With the lush green mountains of Switzerland in the backdrop, it definitely make a picture perfect vacay moment.

#Switzerland #kareenakapoor #kareenakapoorkhan #saifalikhan #saifkareena #saifeena #taimur #cutest #taimuralikhan #kareena A post shared by Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi (@taimursaifalikhan) on Jul 31, 2017 at 3:02pm PDT

The Nawab family is reportedly holidaying in Gstaad, a resort town tucked in the Swiss Alps. They were seen leaving for their trip some time back at the airport with Taimur looking super comfortable in his fathers arms already.

A year before they got married, Kareena and Saif went on their first international holiday and guess where? Switzerland. The couple have been going to the Swiss Alps every year since then. It seems that the place tops the list of their favourites.

Back home, Kareena Kapoor has been following a strict work-out regime to shed post pregnancy weight. Kareena is expected to resume filming for Veere Di Wedding, her next film with Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar. Last seen in Rangoon, Saif Ali Khan has films like Kaalakaandi, Chef and Baazaar in the line-up.
Thank U 4 making me realise dat I cannot b paired along wid d fair & handsome bcz I m dark & not good looking, but I never focus on that.  Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) July 17, 2017

Model-turned-actress Bidita Bag, who will be seen opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Babumoshai Bandookbaaz, has supported the actor's latest remarks on racism in movies and beyond.Bidita said the only colour or skin an artiste needs is "camouflage"."I feel, the only skin we need, as artistes, is camouflage. Those who are colour-blind will never see what abilities he (Nawaz) has as an actor and a person."Nawazuddin has never been the one to play it (a character) black or white. He has even taught me to be a chameleon and get into the skin of the character, as per director's vision," she said.Earlier this month, Nawazuddin had criticised the bias against dark-skinned people after the film's casting director Sanjay Chouhan, reportedly said it would be "weird" to cast fair-looking people opposite the actor."Thank you for making me realise that I cannot be paired along with the fair and handsome because I'm dark and not good looking, but I never focus on that," the actor had tweeted.Bidita added, "It is good that I'm not paired opposite fair and handsome people. I'm paired opposite someone who has fair and lovely thinking and I value that. It's my honour and privilege that I got to watch him perform."He is one of the best actors that I have ever worked with. I will always cherish his ability to get into the skin of the character and become that person for the entire duration of the shoot."
London: James Bond will battle a blind super-villain in Croatia in the upcoming 25th instalment, tentatively titled Shatterhand, reports say.



The next film in the long-running franchise, which will see actor Daniel Craig fighting a blind antagonist, is based on the 1999 thriller Never Dream Of Dying by author Raymond Benson, who also wrote Bond books Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day and The World is Not Enough, reports mirror.co.uk.



The novel opens with a police raid on a French movie studio that goes badly wrong, while an actress with a sordid past leads Bond to his final target.



"Bond scriptwriters feel it could be the perfect follow-up to Spectre. They are hoping to film in Croatia next year," said a source.



The source added that the producers were furious when a local mayor revealed that they had been scouting for locations in the coastal tourist hotspot of Dubrovnik.



Craig, who has been playing the famous spy since the 2006 film Casino Royale, has not yet been announced as being back as the British Secret Service agent.



But there are reports that the 49-year-old star is set to return for his fifth stint in the series despite declaring he would rather "slash his wrists than play the secret agent again".



The 25th James Bond film will hit cinemas in November 2019.
Ahmedabad: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Tuesday questioned the Election Commission's decision to introduce NOTA in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections in which he is one of the candidates, alleging that it was done "post notification".



He also referred to the delay in scheduling the elections which were due in June.



"First Rajya Sabha election was postponed. Second NOTA was permitted post notification. Reasons best known to the Election Commission," Patel posted on Twitter.



Officials in the Election Commission, who refused to be identified, however, said that the directions to use NOTA in Rajya Sabha elections were enforced in January 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2013 made it mandatory to have the 'None Of The Above' option in EVMs.



Patel, the high-profile political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, is seeking another Rajya Sabha term in the polls to be held on August 8.



His party MLAs from Gujarat are huddled together at a resort in Bengaluru following desertion by six legislators.



It is for the first time in two decades that a contest will take place in a Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat as earlier candidates used to get elected unopposed.



The poll authorities on Monday announced here that none of the above (NOTA) option can be used for the RS elections.



Gujarat Assembly secretary D M Patel had said that the NOTA option will be printed on ballot papers to be used in the Rajya Sabha polls.



The EC had earlier declared that the RS polls for 10 seats in the states of Gujarat, Goa and West Bengal will be held on June 8.



However, on May 22, it announced postponement of the polls which were later rescheduled for August 8.



In a jolt to the Congress, six of its MLAs in Gujarat quit the party on July 27 and July 28. Three of them joined the BJP and one of them, Balwantsinh Rajput, was made the BJP's third candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls.



In the 182-member Assembly, the strength of the Congress has gone down to 51 from 57.



Subsequently, the rattled Congress tucked away 44 of its MLAs to a Bengaluru resort to insulate them from alleged "poaching" attempts by the BJP.



The BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and former Congress MLA Balwantsinh Rajput in the Rajya Sabha elections.



Of the total 11 RS members from the state, the term of three--Irani and Dilipbhai Pandya (both BJP) and Patelis ending on August 18.



The Congress has also issued a whip to its MLAs to remain present on the day of the polling, failing which they will be debarred from the party for six years.
Darjeeling: All eyes are on a meeting of all the parties of the Darjeeling hills, to be held in New Delhi on Wednesday over Gorkhaland, while GJM supremo Bimal Gurung on Monday said only his party could withdraw the indefinite shutdown in the hills, which is going on for 47 days.



The 30-member Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC), a body of all the hill parties including the GJM, formed earlier this month, is in Delhi for the meeting. It had held all of its earlier meetings in the hills.



However, Gurung made it clear that the GMCC would not have any say as regards withdrawing the strike in the hills, apparently hinting at a crack in it.



"The GMCC has no role to play as far as withdrawing the bandh is concerned. The GJM had called it and only the GJM can withdraw it," he told a press conference in Darjeeling.



Condemning the police action on the GJM workers, Gurung hit out at the West Bengal government.



"All our programmes are being carried out peacefully and in a democratic way but unfortunately, the state government is trying to portray the movement as an undemocratic one and using brutal force to curb it," he said.



He also denied the allegations that the GJM had a "tacit understanding" with the Maoists.



Gurung welcomed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Majeed Memon's concern about the situation in the Darjeeling hills.



Memon raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha and urged the government to invite the agitators for talks to restore normalcy in the affected region.



Meanwhile, the GMCC has decided to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh with a copy of the resolution, which is slated to be adopted at its meeting on Tuesday.



"We have decided to meet the home minister with a copy of the resolution. The Centre needs to take concrete action," Munish Tamang, national working president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, told PTI.



The GJM has given a 10-day "deadline" to the Centre to intervene in the logjam arising out of its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland or else, it has threatened to intensify the movement in the Darjeeling hills.



"We have given a 10-day deadline to the Union government.



An indefinite shutdown is going on for 47 days, the Centre can't just sit idle when the hills are burning," GJM assistant general secretary Binay Tamang told reporters last night.
If Parliament of India, like the Union Public Service Commission, were to allocate a batch number to its members, Sharad Yadav would be among the senior most leaders from Bihar. 1974, to be precise. When the young engineering graduate was handpicked by Jayaprakash Narayan to test Opposition unity against Indira Congress, Yadav won his maiden election from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.



From the crucible of Emergency, imposed soon after the historic Jabalpur poll, emerged many a sharp political mind which would for decades weave their own charm around the complex caste matrix in the Hindi heartland. Lalu Yadav won his first Lok Sabha election in 1977. So did Ram Vilas Paswan by setting a record victory margin from Hajipur. Nitish Kumar, though in active politics, was yet to earn his spurs.



Sharad Yadav, by virtue of a grand head start, was way ahead of the rest. Sample this: In late eighties, when the concept of Janata Dal was beginning to take shape, a minor rebellion in Lok Dal forced Karpoori Thakur to relinquish leadership of the Opposition in Bihar assembly.



The choice of the new leader narrowed down to an old school socialist Anup Lal Yadav and one another MLA attempting to leapfrog an entire generation and cast the die in the fast crystallising backward politics after Charan Singhs death. Lalu Yadav had staked his claim, with support from non-Yadav OBC MLAs mobilised by Nitish Kumar.



The two, Lalu and Nitish Kumar - in what would later prove to be a far reaching transition in national politics - argued their case before three central observers  Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, Devi Lal and Sharad Yadav.



Over the years, like all good socialists, Sharad Yadav found his calling in Bihar. He, however, undertook this journey via Uttar Pradesh, winning one LS election from Badayun. When Mandal, the great disruptor of contemporary Indian politics redefined fault lines, regional satraps moved in quickly to declare independence. Mulayam appropriated UP to himself, Lalu Bihar.



Sharad Yadav, 1974 batch and senior most, however, got the cadre wrong. He contested and won from Bihar many times. Even defeating Lalu Yadav from Madhepura once. But so did George Fernandes, who seamlessly shifted base from Mumbai to Muzaffarpur. When it came to settling leadership issues, what mattered was the domicile.



So when George Fernandes was to be removed as party chief and a Yadav face was needed to take on Lalu, there was always one Sharad Yadav to be fielded at the helm. But the position was notional, always notional. As it happens in regional parties, the chief minister is the leader. As Chandrababu Naidu is in Telugu Desam Party. Or Mulayam Singh was in Samajwadi Party. Other posts and positions are auxiliary.



After winning Bihar polls with RJD, Nitish Kumar was prompt in reclaiming JD(U) presidentship from Sharad Yadav. In retrospect, one sees in his actions instincts of a thoroughbred politician wary of his own alliance partner that he decided to tighten his grip on the party. Imagine if Sharad Yadav today would have been the national president of JD(U).



Bihar CM made that point amply clear in his interaction with the media. Indirectly referring to Sharad Yadav, Kumar said he is not concerned about what other state units are saying or doing. He is concerned about Bihar.



In doing so, Nitish Kumar has made his choice. And made peace with it. In the meantime, Lalu Yadav has called our leader Sharad Yadav to lead the fight against BJP.
Turkeys low-cost carrier Pegasus is launching four new destinations to give its guests even more choice.

As of August, the new routes will bring Pegasus' total network to 108 destinations, including 36 within Turkey and 72 other international destinations with the addition of Batman from Izmir, Sinop from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen and Tekirdag and Adiyaman from Ankara.

Pegasus guests can avail of three times weekly flights with prices starting from 16 from Ankara to Adiyaman; from 18 from Ankara to Tekirdag; from 23 from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen to Sinop and from just 53 from Izmir to Batman.

Commenting on the launching of the new routes Pegasus Airlines CEO Mehmet T. Nane said As Pegasus Airlines we are continuing to offer our guests ever more choice of destinations. With our new routes we are proud now to be flying a scheduled service to 108 destinations including 36 within Turkey and 72 other international routes in 40 different countries. Our guest are at the heart of our business with our focus firmly on providing a continually improving guest experience and increasing choice with our ever increasing new destinations.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea seeking cancellation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's membership of the state Legislative Council for allegedly concealing a pending criminal case against him.



A bench of Justices Justice Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar said it will look into the matter after petitioner advocate M L Sharma sought an urgent hearing of his plea.



The bench said it would see when the matter could be listed for hearing.



The plea, which was filed on Monday, alleged that there was a criminal case against the JD(U) leader wherein he was accused of killing a local Congress leader Sitaram Singh, and injuring four others ahead of Lok Sabha by-election to the Barh constituency in 1991.



The petitioner has also sought a direction to the CBI to register an FIR against Kumar in the case.



"Respondent number 2 (Election Commission), despite knowing facts about his (Kumar's) criminal case, did not cancel his membership of the house and respondent (Kumar) still enjoys constitutional office till date," he said.



The lawyer has sought cancellation of Kumar's membership as per the Election Commission's 2002 order stating it is mandatory for candidates to disclose criminal cases against them in their affidavits annexed to nomination papers.



He claimed the Bihar chief minister did not disclose the criminal case that was pending against him in affidavits since 2004, except for 2012.
I've talked to Mark about this. His understanding of the subject is limited.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2017

Mark Zuckerberg may have to go back on his words after an Artificial Intelligence system in his own company Facebook had to be shut down due to an eerily sci-fi-movie like malfunction. Recently the Facebook CEO had an exchange of words with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Both the tech geniuses argued over the future of AI and it seems Musks prediction was closer to the reality. A report has revealed that Facebook had to shut down one of its Artificial intelligence system after it created its own language and started using it instead of using English.Two of the AI agents developed by Facebook started communicating with each other using a language that was not fed into their programming earlier. The report indicates the following exchange of terminology between the AI agents:Bob: "I can I I everything else."Alice: "Balls have zero to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to."Bob: you i everything elseAlice: balls have a ball to me to me to me to me to me to me to me to meThough the language in itself makes no sense, the fact that the AI was able to develop its own language and communicate using it is very significant. The AI was fed the English language for its communication purposes, yet it wasnt programmed to be confined to it, letting the AI create its own way around the language. Facebook then decided to shut down the AI systems and later programmed them to communicate using only English.The recent spat between Zuckerberg and Musk highlighted a much-aggravated scenario of this incident. Elon Musk has publicly spoken about an AI driven future to be very scary for humanity. He claims that AI can figure out unintended ways to perform a particular task fed into it. In my opinion, the biggest risk that we face as a civilisation is Artificial Intelligence, said Musk at the National Governors Association Summer Meeting in Rhode Island. He backed it up with a hypothetical example one of the ways for AI to maximise the value of portfolio stocks will be to go long on defence, short on consumer, start a war.Zuckerberg dismissed Musks AI doomsday prediction in a Facebook Live and went on to say "I think people who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios  I just, I don't understand it. It's really negative and in some ways I actually think it is pretty irresponsible," Elon Musk was quick to get back at Zuckerberg with a tweet saying Ive talked to Mark about this (AI). His understanding of the subject is limited.If past happenings in the technology world are taken into consideration, Elon Musk has been notoriously famous for predicting unrealistic technological advancements and then delivering upon them. The recent mishap at Facebook comes as confirmation that Musk knows what he is saying and that AI could be a potential disaster for humankind. Though the big question still looms  how to monitor the growth of Artificial Intelligence, with companies across the globe working towards its progress?
The look and feel of railway stations across the country hasnt transformed much. But the next time you step inside any major railway station, dont forget to sign up for the free Wi-Fi internet provided by Google and Railwire. You will be left amazed by the speed and reliability of the connection. While free Wi-Fi internet is a must have for international airports, travellers can now enjoy the same experience at over 100 railway stations pan India.Google and Railwire aim to bring this free Wi-Fi facility to 400 stations across the country. RailTel shall be providing high speed end-to-end network connectivity on Fiber, while Google shall be providing the Radio Access Network along with technology support. Once implemented this shall be one of the largest public Wi-Fi project in the world, according to the Railtel website.The Indian Railways had earlier piloted a project to bring Wi-Fi connectivity to Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto categories of trains for free in select routes. While it is still in the process of identifying a suitable cost effective solution to introduce reliable Wi-Fi connectivity inside trains, the Google Railwire Free Wi-Fi project lays a solid foundation to make train travel more productive and attractive.For a recent trip to Kolkata, I had opted to travel in the Sealdah-Rajdhani Express from New Delhi. While traveling, I had connected to the Google Railwire Free Wi-Fi in eight stations- New Delhi, Kanpur, Mughal Sarai, Gaya, Dhanbad, Asansol, Sealdah and of course, at Howrah station. The duration of Wi-Fi connection was obviously very short during train stoppages but here is an overall review of the project.Its very simple. Open Wi-Fi on your smartphone and select Railwire. A pop-up Chrome window will open asking you to enter your mobile number to receive an OTP code. Enter a working mobile number to get the OTP. Once you get the OTP via SMS, enter the same on the website to access free internet. Note that you can enter any working mobile number to request for an OTP. And each time you sign-in, you will need a new OTP. Here is the complete list of stations offering the service As per records, the internet speed is 24 Mbps for the first half an hour and later drop to 1 Mbps. You can stay connected throughout the day. There is no restrictions to what content or website you can visit. You are totally free to do whatever you feel like. Sadly, recent news reports highlighted that users mostly surfed for porn videos using this free service. Several non-commuters are found inside stations (in Mumbai) using the free WiFi to watch porn. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) drives them out, but they somehow manage to sneak in again, said a railway official to HT recently. At Patna, porn websites were reportedly blocked to prevent misuse of the high-speed free Wi-Fi internet service.The Wi-Fi service is built for viewing uninterrupted high definition video, download of movies, songs, games by the passengers at Railway station, according to a statement.After trying the free Google Railwire Wi-Fi service in eight stations, I can easily say that it is one of the most successful public Wi-Fi deployment in India. With footfall in millions each day, providing stable Internet connectivity to everyone and promising unlimited and unrestricted access to the Internet is a huge ask. This is a must needed relief for Digital India and paves the way ahead for other government organisations to provide Internet connectivity in future.As far as the internet speeds are concerned, the Google Railwire project doesnt disappoint. However, there are fluctuations in the connection speed. You can easily continue with your regular activities like browsing, WhatsApp, Facebook, light gaming etc but you cannot ignore the buffer time while playing HD videos on YouTube.
Mumbai: Digital payments firm Paytm plans to launch a messaging service to rival Facebook Inc's WhatsApp by the end of this month, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.



SoftBank and Alibaba-backed Paytm is seeking to attract people in India to use the new messaging service embedded in its app, which many already use to buy everything from food to plane tickets.



Paytm's messaging service will allow users to send audio, video and pictures and texts, the source, who declined to be named, said.



Paytm currently has more than 225 million users.



Earlier this year, another home grown messaging platform Hike rolled out an in-app electronic payments service to cash in on rising digital transactions in India.



E-payments in India surged after the country banned old high-value currency notes late last year. Firms like Paytm have since rapidly increased their market share. Digital payments in India would jump nearly 10 times to $500 billion by 2020, according to a 2016 report by Boston Consulting Group.



WhatsApp itself has been looking at moving into digital payment services in India.



The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday was first to report Paytm's plan to launch a messaging service.



Paytm did not respond to an email seeking comment while WhatsApp was not immediately reachable for comment.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has kept all 'options on the table' for North Korea, which is flaunting international norms by provocative intercontinental ballistic missile tests (ICBM) and its nuclear weaponization program, the White House has said.



It, however, said that the president will not make his options public.



"The President is not going to broadcast any decision, but all options are on the table," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Monday at her daily news conference.



North Korea carried out an intercontinental ballistic missile test on Friday which the weapons experts said could even bring New York into range, posing a major challenge to US' security.



The US strategic bombers retaliated on Saturday by flying over the Korean peninsula, and on Sunday American forces successfully tested a missile interception system the US hopes will be installed on the Korean peninsula.



Over the weekend Trump had expressed his frustration over Chinese inability to do anything against North Area.



Earlier in the day, Trump exuded confidence that he would be able to handle the North Korean situation well, which he did not elaborate.



According to the Pentagon, the Department of Defence is well prepared to protect the US and its allies from any provocative behaviour from North Korea.



Within hours of the North Korean ICBM launch, American and South Korean army personnel conducted a combined live fire exercise, the Pentagon said.



"This exercise utilised the Army tactical missile system, also called ATACMS, and the [South Korean] Hyunmoo Missile-2, which fired two missiles each into territorial waters of South Korea along the east coast," the Pentagon Director of Press Operations Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters during an off-camera news conference.



Also, the US Air Force B-1 bombers along with the South Korean and Japanese air forces carried out flight over the Korean Peninsula.



"The B-1s then flew over the Korean Peninsula where they were joined by four [South Korean] Air Force F-15 [Eagle] fighter jets. The B-1s then performed a low pass over Osan Air Base, South Korea, before leaving South Korean airspace and returning to Guam," Davis said.



The entire operation lasted for about 10 hours.



"The US maintains flexible bomber and fighter capabilities in the Asia-Pacific theatre, retaining the ability to quickly respond to any regional threat in order to defend the US homeland and in support of our allies," Davis said in response to a question.



"North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," said Air Force General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, the Pacific Air Forces commander.



"Diplomacy remains the lead; however, we have a responsibility to our allies and our nation to showcase our unwavering commitment while planning for the worst-case scenario. If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing," O'Shaughnessy said.



All this was in addition to a successful missile defence test using the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system.



"A medium-range target ballistic missile was air-launched by a US Air Force C-17 [Globemaster III] over the Pacific Ocean. The THAAD weapon system located at Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska in Kodiak, Alaska, detected, tracked and intercepted the target," said the Pentagon press secretary.



This was the 15th successful intercept in 15 tests for THAAD.


Kabul: At least 29 people were killed and 64 injured after a terrorist open fired on worshippers in the largest Shiite mosque in Afghanistan's Herat province on Tuesday night, before blowing himself up.



Mehdi Hadid, a lawmaker from Herat, who went to the site soon after the explosion told The Associated Press that the scene was one of horrific carnage. He estimated at least 100 dead and wounded were scattered throughout the mosque. The attack took place in the middle of evening prayers when the mosque was packed with about 300 worshippers.



At Herat Main Hospital, Dr. Shehrzai, confirmed 29 bodies were brought to the hospital in Herat city, the capital of western Herat province Tuesday night, soon after the blast shattered the late evening.



Hadid said he saw several pieces of a body that was being identified as the assailant. Although it's not clear if there was a second attacker, witnesses in the area reported hearing a second explosion about 10 minutes after the initial bomber detonated his explosives.



The mosque was badly damaged with windows blown out, walls and even the large dome peppered with shrapnel and everywhere was blood from the victims, said Hadid.



Located just 50 meters (150 feet) away was an Afghan National Police station, but Hadid said the police were too frightened to take action and stood outside the mosque while the attack happened.



Residents were furious the police did not prevent the second explosion, although it is still not clear what caused it.



Dozens of local residents, who are mostly Shiites, attacked the police station pelting it with stones and setting it on fire, said Herat provincial governor Jalani Farhad.



Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the affiliate of the Islamic State group that operates in the country's east. Herat borders Iran whose capital Tehran was attacked by the so-called Islamic State in June. Herat has previously been the scene of several smaller attacks on Shiites.



No one immediately claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack on Herat's Jawadia Mosque. However, after its attack on Monday on the Iraq Embassy in the Afghan capital Kabul IS warned Shiites in Afghanistan that they are targets.



Hadid said he rushed to the mosque after hearing about the explosion. He was told the attacker first fired on the private guards outside the mosque before entering. When inside, he fired on the praying worshippers until his rifle jammed then he blew himself up.



(With inputs from AP)
Zhukovsky: Russia will always be India's strategic partner despite New Delhi's growing ties with countries like the US, France, and Israel as there are certain defence products and technology that "no one else will give" except Moscow, a top Russian official has said.



Sergei Chemezov, the CEO of the Rostec State Corporation, said cooperation with India will certainly continue, regardless of whether India cooperates only with Russia or also with Israel, France, the US or other countries.



"We have our own niche, these countries have their own directions for cooperation. Therefore, this does not mean that if India will work with some other countries, cooperation with Russia will cease. No," Chemezov told a select group of reporters on the sidelines of Russia's premier air show MAKS 2017.



"There are defence products and technology that no one else will give except Russia. Therefore, Russia has always been and will be a strategic partner of India," he asserted when asked about the prospects of Indo-Russia cooperation given India's growing defence collaboration with other countries.



Rostec Corporation, one of the main organisers of MAKS- 2017, presented the latest Russian developments in the space industry as well as in aircraft and helicopter engineering and weapons at the event hosted here from July 18-23.



"I would like to note that Russia is the only partner to fully transfer manufacturing technologies to India, allowing Indian defence enterprises to set up full-scale production of their own defence products," said the head of Rostec, Russia's umbrella organisation of 700 hi-tech civilian and military firms.



Currently, the Military and Technical Cooperation between Russia and India is planned for the long-term. The parties are currently implementing the MTC Programme for 2011-2020, he said.



Russia has been one of India's major suppliers of arms and ammunition.



However, it has been a long-standing grievance of Indian armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time affecting maintenance of military systems procured from that country.



Also, in recent years India's defence ties with the US and Israel have deepened. Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian premier to visit Israel last month.



The US designated India a major defence partner last year. India also inked a multi-million dollar deal with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets last year.



However, Chemezov reiterated that India has been and remains Russia's strategic partner.



The bulk of Russia's exports go to Southeast Asia, India and China, he noted.



"They are our two major partners. Every year we supply products to India for more than USD 2 billion. Sometimes it is more. Therefore, we have the same volumes last year as before. That is, there are changes, but insignificant, somewhere in the range of 10-15 per cent is the fluctuation," said Chemezov.



"Therefore, with regard to cooperation with India, it is aimed not only at selling products, but we are also transferring technology. It began with the late 90's with the sale of licenses for SU-30MKIs," he said.



Military and technical cooperation is certainly the main area for of collaboration with India, Chemezov noted.



According to some estimates, 40 percent of weapons and military equipment of the Indian land forces, 80 per cent of the Indian air forces and 75 per cent of the Indian Navy was manufactured by the USSR and Russia or produced in India under the Soviet and Russian licenses, he said.



"I would like to stress that India is a privileged strategic partner of Russia. Despite the tough international competition, we demonstrate that the military and technical cooperation between Russia and India does not only develop stably but also deepens," Chemezov said.



He said Rostec's strategy was to further expand the cooperation with Indian manufacturers in compliance with the Indian government's "Make in India" policy.



Highlighting the growing Indo-Russia cooperation, Chemezov pointed out that the SU-30MKIs are manufactured in India and stated that the country has mastered the production of the T-90 tank.



Asked about opportunities for joint exercises, Deputy Minister of Defence Yuri Borisov, at the same briefing, said, "We are always in contact with our Indian colleagues, we have an intergovernmental commission, on our side it is headed by our Defence Minister -- Sergey Shoigu. We constantly meet and discuss the issues."



On the contentious issue of Western nations' sanctions against Russia, Chemezov said, "I think that in 1-2 years we will close our needs for components that we bought abroad. As a result, who will suffer? Our partners with whom we once worked, from European countries, from Ukraine, will suffer."



"As for Europe and the West, we had excellent relations with Safran, Thales, Boeing, Airbus, General Electric, with them we had joint ventures.



"Some of them continue to work independently of sanctions. Nevertheless, many partners wanted to continue work with us. Unfortunately, because of the sanctions, they cannot do this. Life forced us to develop our industry even more, the result you can observe today," he said.



Chemezov asserted that it was the Western countries that lost the market, "and not a small one".


Doha: The Qatari authorities have accused Saudi Arabia of jeopardising the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca by refusing to guarantee the safety of those taking part.



Saudi Arabia and its allies have been boycotting Qatar since June 5, accusing it of backing extremist groups and of ties to Shiite Iran, in the region's worst diplomatic crisis in years.



On July 20, Riyadh said that Qataris wanting to perform this year's hajj would be allowed to enter the kingdom for the pilgrimage, but imposed certain restrictions.



The Saudi hajj ministry said Qatari pilgrims arriving by plane must use airlines in agreement with Riyadh.



They would also need to get visas on arrival in Jeddah or Medina, their sole points of entry in the kingdom.



The Qatari Islamic affairs ministry, in a statement published by the official QNA news agency on Sunday, said the Saudi side had "refused to communicate regarding securing the pilgrims safety and facilitating their Hajj".



The ministry accused Riyadh of "intertwining politics with one of the pillars of Islam, which may result in depriving many Muslims from performing this holy obligation".



According to the statement, 20,000 Qatari citizens have registered to take part in this year's hajj. The ministry said it denied Saudi claims that Doha had suspended those registrations.



"The distortion of facts is meant to set obstacles for the pilgrims from Qatar to Mecca, following the crisis created by the siege countries," the Qatari ministry added, referring to Saudi Arabia and its allies.



The hajj, a pillar of Islam that capable Muslims must perform at least once in a lifetime, is to take place this year at the beginning of September.



Saudi Arabia and its allies Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties and imposed sanctions on Doha in June, including the closure of their airspace to Qatari airlines.



The four Arab states accuse Qatar of supporting extremists and of growing too close to Shiite-dominated Iran, the regional arch-rival of Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia.



Qatar denies the allegations and accuses the Saudi-led bloc of imposing a "siege" on the tiny emirate.
Islamabad: Pakistani lawmakers on Tuesday elected former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, an ally of ousted leader Nawaz Sharif, to replace him and the new premier immediately sought to project an image of stability.



Lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party banged on benches and chanted "Lion, lion Nawaz Sharif" after the vote, standing defiant in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to cut short his third stint in power.



A quick transition may ease fears that the nuclear-armed nation will be plunged into another bout of political turmoil, which could erode economic and security gains since the last poll in 2013.



Sharif resigned on Friday after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a source of income - which the three-time premier disputes receiving. He nominated staunch ally Abbasi as interim leader until his brother, Shahbaz, becomes eligible to take over, probably within two months.



Abbasi was confirmed with 221 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly as the PML-N used its hefty majority to push through his appointment. PML-N officials hugged each other and congratulated Abbasi even before the result was announced.



"Within four days the process of democracy is back on track," Abbasi told lawmakers after being voted in. "Above all, I'm thankful to Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, the people's prime minister."



PML-N officials have privately spoken of plans for Sharif to wield huge influence in the party from behind the scenes.



"The prime objective is to give Pakistan stability," said Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, a PML-N lawmaker in the national assembly. "As a responsible party we have to take Pakistan ahead."



But the plan to eventually install Shahbaz has also sparked anger among supporters of opposition leader Imran Khan, who has criticised another bout of dynastic politics, a trend with a long history in Pakistan and elsewhere in South Asia.



Khan, who agitated with street protests until the Supreme Court took up a corruption case against Sharif, has called the family a "monarchy" and accused it of trying to turn the country into a personal fiefdom.



Shahbaz, now chief minister of eastern Punjab province that is home to more than half of Pakistan's 190 million people, will have to resign and fight a parliamentary by-election before he can take over as prime minister.



Aides say he is likely to favour a new personal style of government, while probably continuing his brother's focus on huge infrastructure projects and policies favouring business.



INTERIM LEADER



Western-educated Abbasi, who started his career as a businessman, has spent most of his political life by Sharif's side. He was jailed after Pakistan's powerful military staged a coup in 1999 to topple a previous Sharif government.



As minister of petroleum and natural resources in Sharif's last cabinet, he championed a push to build liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and alleviate energy shortages.



The effort has attracted foreign companies, who now see Pakistan as one of the world's fastest-growing markets. Growth will increase fivefold, Abbasi told Reuters last month.



The opposition has also accused Abbasi of corruption over the bidding for an LNG deal in southern Karachi, citing a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry case filed in 2015 that alleges procurement irregularities.



The NAB case has made little progress and Abbasi has denied wrongdoing, with PML-N allies saying the opposition wants to detract from the success of the LNG effort.



In Pakistan's rough-and-tumble politics, charges of corruption against leading politicians are common and several figures, including opposition leader Khan, face court cases.



Besides ordering Sharif's removal, the Supreme Court also ordered a criminal investigation into him and his family, as well as Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.
The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), representing thirty of the main donor countries, has included the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in the List of ODA- eligible International Organizations.

UNWTOs inclusion in this list implies that countries financial contributions to the Organization such as membership fees can now be considered Official Development Assistance (ODA), which is funding that aims to advance economic development and welfare in developing countries. As such, contributions to the UNWTO can be part of the commitment of OECD DAC Members to dedicate 0,7% of Gross National Income to ODA. Furthermore, voluntary contributions for UNWTO activities and technical cooperation projects in any of the 146 ODA- beneficiary countries continue to be considered as well as ODA.

This landmark decision coincides with the celebration of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

The inclusion of UNWTO in the List, as well as the International Year 2017, are a clear recognition of the important contribution of sustainable tourism to development, peace and prosperity and thus to the universal 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

UNWTO very much welcomes this decision as it opens new opportunities to increase ODA flows for tourism, which currently only represents 0,14% of total ODA, despite representing 10% of worlds GDP and 1 in 10 jobs.

This is a strong encouragement to UNWTOs work in and commitment to advance sustainable, responsible and universally accessible tourism as a major contributor to economic development, environmental and cultural preservation and peace said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

Spain congratulates UNWTO and its Secretary-General, Mr. Taleb Rifai, for this outstanding achievement, which is an example of the fruitful collaboration of our country with the Organization, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, Mr. Alfonso Dastis.

The proposal was presented to OECD by Spain, UNWTOs host country, and co-sponsored by Germany and the United Arab Emirates.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has included a new site to its list: the caves of the Ice Age in the Swabian Jura in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. More than 50 artifacts mostly made of bone and ivory, were discovered in six caves in the Ach- and Lonetal. These archaeological sites and prehistoric works of art from the Ice Age allow researchers to draw conclusions about the earliest traces of human settlement.

Visitors to Germany will experience the works of the Ice Age in various historical museums in Baden-Wurttemberg. The Prehistoric Museum Blaubeuren is a central museum for the Paleolithic period of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg. It displays, among other original finds, the "Venus vom Hohlenfels" and three flutes of the Ice Age. At various locations, visitors can not only marvel at the objects, but also try working with stone tools.

The museum of the University Tubingen displays a 40,000-year-old figure of a horse made of mammoth ivory, called Vogelherdpferd, and a cave named Vogelherdhohle is part of the archaeological park Niederstotzingen. Other artifacts from the era of hunters and gatherers are on display in the permanent Stone Age exhibition of the Landesmuseum Wurttemberg in Stuttgart.

The committee also decided to allow visitors to tour further Bauhaus buildings listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to the architectural sites already included in 1996, the Bundesschule of the General German Trade Union Confederation in Bernau, as well as five arcades in Dessau-Rosslau are now added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The exterior of the Bauhaus Memorial Bundesschule Bernau, north of Berlin, is open to the public all year round. Visits of the interiors are possible through guided tours, organized by the Association baudenkmal bundesschule bernau e.V., and visitors can tour the Dessau-Torten settlement.

Petra Hedorfer, chairman of the board of the GNTB, said, "Germany is already the number one cultural destination of Europeans today. With our theme campaign "UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany - Sustainable Culture and Nature Tourism," in 2014 we have communicated responsible tourism to these particular cultural heritage sites worldwide. The inclusion of further unique testimonies of the cultural history of humanity on the UNESCO World Heritage list will give Destination Germany new impulses. As part of the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus in 2019, we are preparing a further theme campaign."
Counselling stigma gradually lifting

The pattern is largely similar, globally and in TT , local psychologist Marisa Morgan told Newsday. Although, she said, perceptions, generally, toward counselling and mental health are changing in TT , men were still less inclined to seek help for mental health problems.

Website, the goodtherapy.org says, Mens issues can refer to a number of concerns that may affect mental or physical health and well-being and lead men to seek therapy. Statistically, men do not typically seek therapy in high numbers, but when they do, they generally report the same types of concerns that might lead anyone to seek therapy, such as depression, stress, anxiety, and relationship concerns. The UK counselling website said , it was difficult to assess whether mental figures, especially with men, represented what was true as many cases went unreported and undiagnosed.

Morgan told Newsday she recognised, from her own practice, a difference in males and females seeking counselling, in terms of women being more likely to seek help.

She said this pattern was not only seen in TT but also in the rest of the world. Men, she added, were less likely to admit distress because of how they were socialised.

For men, she added, not admitting stress, problems and negative emotions to others was perceived as strong.

Morgan said women were more likely to seek out counselling since women were more likely to talk to and communicate with others. Men might use other methods like turning to alcohol, she said.

She said people responded to stress in two ways, by internalising or externalising their issues. When people internalised issues they were more likely to have negative thoughts, experience depressive symptoms and anxiety.

We have some clients who would come to the clinic and it is because they have been internalising.

That pain that they have been experiencing, they turn it toward themselves.

Some people may even have suicidal thoughts; thoughts of harming themselves in different ways. You have other individuals now who, under stress and pressure, tend to externalise.

They act out. They become disruptive and maybe more aggressive. Things like that. What you will find more often, with men, is that they will externalise, she said.

When asked if there was still a societal stigma attached to counselling, Morgan said there was still a stigma attached to mental health. For example, the clinic where I work many clients would tell you they feel ashamed even dropping out of a maxi to come into the clinic because there is a big sign which says mental health. Unfortunately many persons associate mental health issues with being mad or crazy.

What they dont recognise is that we all deal with problems in different ways.
16 Venezuelans caught in Tobago

According to reports, at about 4.45 pm, the Coast Guard vessel TTS Speyside was on routine patrol when crew sighted two vessels, the Don Miguel and Don Meke, approximately seven nautical miles off the coast of Castara Bay.

Newsday understands that when the Speyside intercepted the vessels, their crew began hauling in lines and securing fishing equipment. Both vessels were subsequently boarded and searched. Members of the Coast Guard recovered a quantity of fish and it was later revealed that the vessels were operating in Tobago waters for the past two days.

The vessels have since been lodged at the Coast Guards Operations Base in Scarborough pending further investigations.

A release issued by the Tobago House of Assembly yesterday said that the division intends to work closely with the Coast Guard and related agencies in establishing marine dominance and securing TTs maritime boundaries.
August 23 deadline for procurement regulator

This information was outlined in a paid advertisement published in yesterdays Newsday. The person who will fill this post must have a minimum of ten years experience in matters relating to procurement.

This person must also have a degree from an accredited university, in a field relating to finance, economics, law or accounting or an equivalent professional qualification in accounting. The Office of the President said the Office of the Procurement Regulator must act at all times, in an objective and non-discriminatory manner. The powers of the regulators office include conducting audits and periodic inspections of public bodies to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment) Bill 2016. The regulators office is also mandated to establish a database called the Procurement Depository. The purpose of this database is to allow suppliers or contractors to submit information, such as their qualifications and experience to the regulators office. The Board of the Procurement Regulators office must meet at least once a month or as often as required to effect its business.

The Regulator will be appointed for a five year term and is eligible for re-appointment.

However the Regulator cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.

Members of the Board are appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.

This exercise is in keeping with the provisions of the bill which was passed in the Senate and in the House of Representatives on February 7 and on March 3, respectively.

The bill was assented to on March 13.
Almost dead teen stuns doctors

According to reports, Adolphus Birche of Abepoujade Street, Carenage was bathing with friends at Alcoa Carenage at about 2.30 pm on Sunday when he got into difficulties.

Officers of the Carenage Police Station were alerted that a man was seen in distress in waters at Alcoa and police constables Benjamin and Williams were able to pull Birch from the water to the shore where they attempted CPR.

However, during the process Birch was unresponsive and did not appear to have a pulse.

He was rushed to the St James infirmary and then transferred to the PoS General Hospital (PoSGH). While at PoSGH doctors were unable to find a pulse and while one doctor was about to declare Birch dead, he decided to do a final check for a pulse and discovered a weak pulse.

The shocked doctor, who had already alerted attendants to remove the body to the mortuary, instead told attendants to take Birch to the Intensive Care Unit where he was placed on a respirator and attempts made to save the teens life.

Relatives of Birche yesterday described his will to live as amazing and also believed that it was divine intervention which caused Birche to still be alive today. Yesterday, they continued prayers for his complete recovery.

Relatives thanked the officers who assisted Birche and the doctor who saw it fit to carry out the final check before removing Birche to the mortuary.

Another relative, who identified herself as an aunt, said she had been taking care of Birche for a very long time and described him as an excellent swimmer. She said she had no idea why he would have found himself in difficulty while bathing on Sunday but told Newsday, we are keeping our fingers crossed, I am unable to tell his grandmother about the incident because I am sure that it will affect her badly and we are trying to keep this information from her, but we are hoping that my nephew pulls through so that he could realise his dream of becoming a welder.

She said Birche, who is a student, is a good person with a bright future and she is hoping that with all the prayers being recited for his recovery, he will be able to beat the odds.
CLOSE to 100 residents in Maronderas Lendy View Park risk losing their stands after council claimed the land was illegally sold to them by a suspended councillor.

Lendy View Park is a low-density suburb and the stands were allegedly sold by Cllr Kennedy Muraicho.



In a statement recently, Marondera Town Clerk Mr Josiah Musuwo urged those who purchased the stands from Swandev (Private) Limited to get refunds.

Swandev (Private) Limited is owned by Clr Muraicho.



It has come to the attention of the Municipality of Marondera that Swandev (Private) Limited and its partners, namely Mashonaland East Mahanadi Social Club, have partitioned and sold portions of municipal land being Marandellas Township lands behind Lendy View low-density residential area without being allocated the area by the Municipality of Marondera, said the Mr Musuwo.



This notice serves to inform members of the public and those who bought stands from the above companies that the developments are illegal and council is taking legal action against the perpetrators of this illegal exercise.



On June 26, council issued letters to the settlers ordering them to stop any developments.

Take note that in terms of Section 34 of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act (Chapter 29:12), you are hereby ordered with effect from 26th June 2017, which shall be the date from which this order takes effect, to discontinue the construction of the said temporary structure on the said portion of municipal land being Marandellas Township lands behind and abutting to Lendy View low-density residential area, said the council.





This order shall continue in force until withdrawn by the said local planning authority or until the enforcement order annexed hereto is withdrawn, set aside or becomes operative.





The Herald Eastern Edition established that Cllr Muraicho was given 8,5 hectares in Lendy View Park by council as part payment of $1,6 million owed to him after Government took over the companys land for the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle housing programme.





The land dispute came about after Cllr Muraicho reportedly sold over 150 stands exceeding the 8,5 hectares given to him by council.

Clr Muraicho was not available for a comment yesterday. Herald
The wife insults the Press secretary of the President, a person they could call in private and speak over the issues. But not even that Charamba is a civil servant, if he has violated his call of work there is a forum on which he is supposed to be dealt with, which is not a political rally hosted by the youth for that matter and gets undressed on live television with the entire world watching the Presidents Press secretary being reduced to nothing. Who is being humiliated here is Mugabe, he said.
At least 63 percent of pupils were turned away from school during the first term of 2017 due to non-payment of fees, statistics from the latest Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) report show.



This is despite Government having a policy in place that discourages such practice.

According to the 2017 ZimVAC Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report, 7 percent of children failed to attend school due to illness.



Nationally, at least 63 percent of children experienced being turned away for non-payment of school fees, reads the report. Generally, the proportion of children who were turned away from school during the first term of 2017 was high in all provinces. This is so despite there being in place a policy that discourages this practice.



Observers said Government policy on universal primary education and its complementary policy that no child should be denied access to schooling for failure to pay fees needed strict monitoring.



Government, observers added, should increase Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) funds to support vulnerable children. ZimVAC is a consortium of Government, United Nations agencies, NGOs and other international organisations.



The groups findings assist Government and development partners in coming up with intervention programmes. The report stated that during the survey period, about 88 percent of children of school-going age were in school.



Of those children who were not in school during the survey period, 42 percent were not in school due to financial constraints followed by 23 percent who were considered too young, reads the report.





The reason that children were being considered too young to go to school and that of schools being far may be suggestive of limited physical access to school, particularly those that cater for Early Child Development levels. About 7 percent were not in school due to illness.





Meanwhile, the report shows that incomes for rural households were on a downward trend since 2014.





This, the report noted, calls for the implementation of income-generating projects.

Nationally, the average household income for the month of April was $74, about 20 percent higher than the same time last year, reads the report.





The most important sources of income were casual labour and food crop production.

Vegetable production and sales and remittances were amongst the most important sources of income of about 8 percent of the households.





On expenditure, the report stated that the average household outflow increased from $49 to $52.





Average household expenditure for six months was highest for agriculture followed by education, reads the report. Other expenditure included expenditure on clothes, social occasions, funerals and loan repayment.





Generally, most decision-making on household expenditure was mostly done by mothers.

The 2017 ZimVAC report was compiled using data collected from 11 858 households, 4 422 children and 1 170 community group discussions from districts in the countrys eight rural provinces. herald
Peanut butter was the key ingredient in Sunday evening's mass escape from an Alabama jail, Sheriff James Underwood says. The sheriff says the 12 men escaped after using peanut butter to cover up a door number, AL.com reports. They then convinced a new guard in the control room to open the door, which led outside. "It may sound crazy, but these kinds of people are crazy like a fox," Underwood says. Because the door number was obscured by peanut butter, "he thought he was opening the cell door for this man to go in his cell, but in fact he opened up the outside door." The inmates, including two men accused of attempted murder, scaled a 12-foot fence topped with razor wire after making their way outside and escaped without serious injury.

Underwood says the inmates took advantage of a "young guy" who hadn't been working at the Walker County Jail for long. "Escapes happen," Underwood says. "This is one time we slipped up. I'm not going to make any excuses." The sheriff says 11 of the 12 inmates have now been recaptured, CNN reports. Six were recaptured within 90 minutes and five more were caught by a manhunt over the next eight hours, including one inmate who'd apparently stolen a car and two who were at a convenience store on Interstate 65. The only inmate still on the loose is Brady Andrew Kilpatrick, 24. He was jailed for drug offenses including possession of marijuana; Underwood says he's not considered dangerous. (Read more prison break stories.)
They might've been game to join Dom Toretto's crew. Instead, five men accused of daring thefts from moving vehicles across Europe are behind bars in the Netherlands. Dutch police say five Romanian suspects, aged 33 to 43, were arrested over the weekend after a July 24 theft that the Guardian reports would've looked at home in a Fast and Furious movie. Police say a modified van got close enough to the truck carrying iPhones in Horst to allow a passenger to climb aboard. Once he'd broken into the moving truck's back doors, the suspect passed looted iPhones into his own van through a hole in its roof, police say. "The truck was taking its freight from A to B and did not stop," a Dutch police rep says. "Even so, [the phones] were gone. So it must have happened that way. And now we finally have the evidence, with the van and the loot."

The five Romanians were arrested over the weekend in Otterlo, roughly 60 miles from the scene near the German border, reports the BBC. Police say $590,000 in iPhones and the van used in the robbery were recovered. The men are to appear before a judge in the Netherlands on Tuesday. However, they might also face extradition. Authoritieswho were previously skeptical that such high-speed thefts were possiblebelieve the men are responsible for similar thefts from 17 trucks since 2015, most of which occurred elsewhere in Europe, per the NL Times. (Thieves are stealing nuts in California.)
Tourists at Niagara Falls on Saturday were shocked when water at the base of the falls turned blackaccompanied by a very bad smell. "The first thing that came to my mind was, 'Dear God, please don't be an oil leak,'" Pat Proctor, an exec at a company that flies tourists over the falls, tells the AP. He spotted the black water, which surrounded a dock for the Maid of the Mist tour boats, from a helicopter. He tells the BBC it spread out over a half-mile, "looked menacing and smelt terrible." The Niagara Falls Water Board had an explanation: The Niagara Falls Waste Water Treatment Plant had gotten approval to "discharge sewer gunk," as the Buffalo News puts it, in order to drain a plant basin that was to be upgraded on Monday. That explains the liquid and the smell, but not the color.

The inky hue was the result of the black carbon filters used to clean the water; in flushing the entire basin, the dark sediment at the bottom was released. "The blackish water contained some accumulated solids and carbon residue within permitted limits and did not include any organic type oils or solvents," the board's statement said. "The unfortunate odor would be limited to the normal sewer water discharge smell." The board apologized for scaring residents and touriststhe News reports that Niagara Falls State Park was full of them. State officials say the water board had all the necessary permits, though many businesses noted the timing was far from ideal. "Why the smelly black discharge into Niagara River on very busy tourist weekend?" tweeted Maid of the Mist. (A very peculiar death at Niagara Falls has left cops perplexed.)
Father knows best? President Trump rejected the advice of aides and personally dictated a statement for Donald Trump Jr. when news of the younger Trump's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign first surfaced, sources say. According to the Washington Post's sources, advisers with Trump at the G20 summit told him the best strategy would be for Trump Jr. to try to defuse the situation by quickly issuing a truthful statement about the meeting with Natalia Veselnitskaya. But Trump decided on a different approach while taking Air Force One home, the sources say, and came up with what turned out to be a misleading statement claiming that the June 2016 meeting had been about adoption.

The statement Trump Jr. provided to the press July 8 failed to mention what dominated coverage of the meeting in the days afterward: the fact that Trump Jr. believed that the meeting had been set up for the Russian to share damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow says the Post's version of events is inaccurate. "Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent," he said in a statement to ABC News. In an earlier interview, Sekulow denied that Trump had approved the initial statement from Trump Jr., saying "the president didn't sign off on anything." (Jared Kushner says the meeting was so pointless that he engineered a way to get himself out of there after 10 minutes.)
Vladimir Putin is paying back the US for what he says is its "insolence" in approving new sanctions against Russia, kicking American diplomats out of the country by September and shuttering the US Embassy's recreational compound (aka "dacha") just outside Moscow. That payback apparently includes not letting the diplomats get their stuff out first, per Reuters, which reports that a news agency cameraman spotted five vehicles sporting diplomatic license plates drive up to the retreat Monday, only to be turned away. "The US mission to Russia was supposed to have access to our dacha until noon on August 1," an Embassy spokeswoman says, citing an agreement with the Russian government. "We have not had access all day today or yesterday. We refer you to the Russian government to explain why not."

The Russian government doesn't deny the deadline, but it's taking issue with the US' side of things. Per the RIA state news agency, a Russian foreign ministry rep says the propertywhich the Moscow Times describes as a "2,000-square-meter warehouse in an industrial area"is in a conservation area, and so the trucks used by the Americans can't enter without proper permits (the official says three of those vehicles were industrial-sized cargo trucks, per RT.com). The official also scoffs at the suggestion Russia was flat-out barring the US from the dacha, noting that assertion was a "premeditated provocation." Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft gathered all Moscow Embassy staff to inform them of Russia's decision, which includes slashing 755 roles at US diplomatic missions. "The atmosphere was like a funeral," one unnamed source said, per the Independent. (Read more US Embassy stories.)
For 2,300 years, the painted vase has shown a scene involving the god Dionysus. For just under 30 of those years, it's been in the possession of the Metropolitan Museum of Artand for the last week or so, it's been stored in the evidence room of the Manhattan DA's office. At issue is the provenance of the item, known as a bell krater and attributed to the Greek artist Python: The museum acquired it in a Sotheby's auction for $90,000 in 1989, but investigators believe it was looted from an Italian grave in the 1970s, reports the New York Times. The suspicions most loudly surfaced in 2014, when forensic archaeologist Christos Tsirogiannis made a case in the Journal of Art Crime based on evidence that involves a man who's a known headache to the Met: Giacomo Medici.

The 79-year-old Italian art dealer served four years after being convicted of conspiracy to traffic in antiquities and was tied to the Euphronios Krater, a stunning piece of pottery signed by Euphronios himself that the museum paid a record-breaking $1 million for in 1972. The museum was ultimately forced to send it back to Italy after it was confirmed to have been raided from a tomb. In this case, Tsirogiannis alleges photos found in Medici's warehouses show the Python vase with "soil/salt encrustations," per the Association for Research Into Crimes Against Art, making it "abundantly clear" to him "that this rare object had been stolen," per the Times. In his own comments to the Times, Medici denies that the vase ever crossed his hands. The Met says it did try to follow up on Tsirogiannis' claims with Italy and was awaiting a reply when it was served a search warrant from the Manhattan DA last week. (Read more Metropolitan Museum of Art stories.)
Saving a life may be a common bucket-list entry, but it's one that's rarely checked off. James McCloughan could've done so 10 times over two days in 1969. Ignoring his lieutenant's orders to evacuate Nui Yon Hill in Vietnam after shrapnel cut into his head and back and a bullet pierced his arm, the 23-year-old Army medic ran through "hell" and "gave it his all and then ... just kept giving," President Trump said Monday, bestowing McCloughan with the Medal of Honor almost 50 years after that intense battle. Five of the 10 men McCloughan pulled to safety while surrounded by 2,000 enemies looked on as the 71-year-old took his "place among legends," Trump said in his first time awarding the medal, per the New York Times.

"Jim made it out of that hell on Earth," said the president. "He made it; here he is." Trump told how McCloughan had run into an open field to retrieve a wounded soldier as bullets rained. Over the next 48 hours, he went without food, water, or sleep as he saved nine more men and helped load medevac helicopters. He finally collapsed from dehydration as one of 32 men left on the ground. After returning from Vietnam in 1970, the Michigan native received two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars, per Heavy.com. A meeting with Rep. Fred Upton years later, however, led to the recommendation that he also receive the nation's highest military honor, bestowed with special permission by Congress. "Jim's dad taught him a simple but powerful lesson: Never do anything halfway," Trump said. "Jim took that lesson very much to heart. (Read more Medal of Honor stories.)
A Texas wedding photographer says her business dropped from 75 to 100 bookings a year to just two after a newlywed couple trashed her online and on TV, the Dallas Morning News reports. On Friday, a jury ordered the couple to pay Andrea Polito $1.08 million. Andrew and Neely Moldovan accused Polito of "holding their photos hostage" following their 2014 wedding. They claimed Polito was demanding an extra $125 for a wedding album cover before she would give them digital copies of their photos. According to WFAA, the Moldovans claimed Polito was demanding "unreasonable fees"despite it being included in the contract they signed. Polito says she was prepared to absorb the $125 charge to keep the couple happy; instead they went public.

On local news and online, the Moldovans claimed Polito "cheated" and "scammed" them. Neely Moldovan used her position as a blogger to amplify the story, Polito says. "Statements like, 'I'm pretty sure her business is ruined,' 'I hope this goes viral,' 'feeling excited,' and 'justice has been served' are not the actions of a concerned and hurt bride," PetaPixel quotes Polito as saying. "They are actions of an individual trying to take someone down." Polito filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit in 2015, and a jury ruled in her favor Friday, awarding her $1.08 million. The jury determined that not only was Polito attempting to follow the contract but also tried to work with the Moldovans further to "satisfy their demands." "There are real world consequences for maliciously attacking a business online with venom and lies," Polito's lawyer says. (This epic photo featured mystery newlyweds.)
Seemingly contradicting the president's own lawyer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday that President Trump "weighed in" on his son's misleading statement regarding a 2016 meeting with a Russian attorney, Politico reports. Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, has said Trump "was not involved in the drafting of the statement." But a report this week claimed Trump was not only involved in the statement but dictated it fully against the wishes of his advisers. While Huckabee Sanders said Trump "certainly didn't dictate" the statement, he "weighed in, offered suggestions, like any father would." However, Trump himself had claimed to not know much about the meeting and implied he assumed his son wrote the statement with his lawyers, according to the Los Angeles Times.

In the statement in question, Donald Trump Jr. said he took a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign to discuss adoption; it was later revealed he met with her because she claimed to have damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Huckabee Sanders maintained Tuesday that Trump Jr.'s statement was "true" with "no inaccuracy," the Washington Post reports. She also claimed it "was disclosed to the proper authorities," despite Jared Kushnerwho also attended the meetingfailing to disclose it on government forms as required. Huckabee Sanders said the whole story is of "no consequence" and went on to give a list of stories about Clinton and Russia she feels the media should focus on instead. (Read more Donald Trump Jr. stories.)
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New Delhi:

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is all set to publish the result of Integrated Professional Competence (IPC) Examination on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 by 6 PM. ICAI is expected to make the results available at the official sites which is www.icaiexam.icai.org. To avoid website crash candidates may also log into other website such as www.cresults.icai.org.

Earlier, ICAI has conducted the IPC examination in May, 2017. This is the second level of Chartered Accountancy examination. Candidates may appear in the examination after passing CPT exam and nine months of study only. The IPC exam is concucted in two groups.

While there are four subjects in the first group, the rest of the subjects are in second group. In order to pass in the exam, a candidate need to secure minimum 40% marks in each subject and an aggregate of their marks should be 50% in each group, failing which will lead to disqualification.

After qualifying the IPC exam successfully students will be eligible for the final level of Chartered Accountancy.

Candidates who are waiting eagerly for their result may go through the following steps.

Also Read: The Central Selection Board for Constables declares 9900 Vacancies

Important steps to check Integrated Professional Competence (IPC) Examination:

1. Visit the official website which is www.icaiexam.icai.org or log in to other website such as www.cresults.icai.org.

2. Provide details such as roll number, date of birth and others.

3. Click on submit

4. Result will be appeared on your screen

5.Download your result

6.Take a print out of the same for future convenience

Also Read: HSLC class 10 compartment exam result 2017 declared, check here

About The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI):

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is the national professional accounting body of India. It was established on 1 July 1949 as a statutory body under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 enacted by the Parliament (acting as the provisional Parliament of India) to regulate the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India.
New Delhi:

The 'final effort' in order to seek an exemption for the state's students from the common nationwide medical entrance test, NEET, has been taken by the Tamil Nadu government on Monday. The representatives have taken the issue further and discussed the matter with Union ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh.

State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, accompanied by Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, met Union Health Minister Nadda and Union Minister of State for the Prime Minister's Office Singh in Delhi.

An official release in Chennai recalled a series of meetings by Tamil Nadu ministers, including Chief Minister K Palaniswami, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues on the issue over the last few days.

"Following these, as a final effort, Vijayabaskar met Nadda and Singh to pressure them for an exemption for Tamil Nadu from the National Entrance Cum Eligibility Test (NEET)," the official release reads.

The minister was accompanied by Mr Radhakrishnan, it added. Tamil Nadu has been seeking an exemption from NEET on the ground that otherwise, it would affect the students of the state.

Also Read: ICAI CA IPC May 2017 results to be declared today by 6 PM, check here

Meanwhile, DMK working president M K Stalin demanded the resignation of Vijayabaskar for "bungling up" over the NEET issue and "playing with the lives of students".

Alleging that the Mr Palaniswami regime had "failed to protect the interests of the state board students", he asked the chief minister to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "exert pressure" to get the Presidential assent for two Tamil Nadu bills, seeking an exemption for the state from NEET.

He also said if that could not be done, "all the AIADMK (the ruling party in Tamil Nadu) MPs should resign".

In February, the state Assembly had passed two bills, seeking to pave the way for the continuation of the undergraduate medical admissions on the basis of the class 12 marks and exempt Tamil Nadu from the ambit of NEET.

The rival AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) faction, led by former chief minister O Panneerselvam, had also met the prime minister over the issue.

The opposition parties have been upping the ante against the AIADMK regime on the matter, with the DMK staging a human chain protest here last week to press for Presidential assent to the two Bills.

Also Read: The Central Selection Board for Constables declares 9900 Vacancies

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi:

Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist Abu Dujana was gunned down by security forces in an encounter in south Kashmir's Pulwama on Tuesday. A category A+++ terrorist, Dujana had managed to escape capture 20 times and his encounter is being considered as a major achievement for Indian Army.



Here is all you need to know about one of the most notorious terrorists Abu Dujana:



#The twenty-six-year-old Lashkar commander was one of militant outfits most famous commanders in south Kashmir.

Dujana joined Let at the age of 17, he was appointed as the assistant of Abu Qasim.



#After the killing of Abu Qasim in 2015, Dujana, who was a close associate, was nominated as the top commander of Lashkar.



#A resident of Gilgit Baltistan, Dujana had sneaked into the Valley around six years ago. Initially, police officials said that he remained active in north Kashmir before permanently shifting his base to south Kashmir.



#Dujana was also one of the top recruiter for the militants especially in south Kashmir.



#More than a dozen security raids and operations were conducted across south Kashmir to nab Dujana, but he managed to give them the slip everytime. Some officials describe him as brainy militant who was a master in breaking the security cordon.

Suggested read: Pulwama encounter live | LeT terrorist Abu Dujana, accomplice and a civilian killed in south Kashmir



#Dujana was an A+++ category militant and carried a bounty of more than Rs 15 lakh on his head.



#Dujana was in touch with Al Qaeda terrorist Zakir Musa as he too operates in the same belt where Dujana had his hideouts.



#Dujana was considered by security agencies to be the mastermind behind several attacks in south Kashmir, such as the one on a CRPF convoy at Pampore and another at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute in the Sempora area last year.



#After the killing of Dujana, the focus will be now shift to the new Lashkar commander, Abu Ismail who was named by police in the Amarnath yatra attack and Abu Qasims brother Abdul Rehman.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Chinas state-backed media, Global Times has accused the Western Media of being biased in favour of new Delhi in the Doklam standoff just because India is a democratic country.

Global Times on Tuesday in an opinion piece said, Whats more India arouses sympathy because it is in a weaker position compared with China.

The Global Times further writes that India in the Western media is a victim which has been bullied by China, even though India illegally entered Chinese territory and violated international law to unilaterally intervene in the territorial dispute between China and Bhutan.

The opinion peace further reads that the Western media reports mainly cited Indias rhetoric and what happened from the Indian medias point of view, depicting a mild India which called for a troop withdrawal and bilateral negotiations.

In the opinion piece it have been mentioned that India has several advantages in the sphere of international opinion chiefly because the chief among them being the fact that its a Western-style democracy.

The piece further reads, India has a Western-style political system and can gloss it's illegal acts under the banner of democracy.

The piece added that India has been a busybody in the region since World War II and the "Western media has ignored all this".

"Since WWII, India has been one of the few countries that has annexed a sovereign country. It has inherited colonial legacies and directly interfered with or even diplomatically and militarily controlled its tiny neighbours. But Western media has ignored all this," read the article.

The Global Times further right that, @India gained independence through nonviolent resistance to the British Empire. The West believes India has been well-behaved and will not invade or bully other countries.
New Delhi:

Another missing youth from Kerala, suspected to have joined the Islamic State group, has died recently. According to sources, the youth's parents received a message about his death on Monday night. The victim belonged to Kerala's Kasargod.



The source of the message or reason of death is not clear yet. This is the third such case where an Indian youth was killed fighting for ISIS.



Earlier in April, one such other man was reported killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan.

Suggested read | Missing Indian youth who 'joined' IS killed in Afghanistan



Murshid Muhammed, a native of Padna in this district, was killed in a drone attack in Nangarhar province in Afghanistan, said a social activist claimed.



The youth who was killed recently and Murshid was among the 21 persons from the state, who reportedly went missing after travelling to the Middle East last year and were suspected to have joined the terrorist organisation in Syria.



In February, another youth T K Hafeesudeen(24), also from Padna, was killed in a drone attack in Afghanistan.

Suggested read | NIA files charge sheet against two ISIS suspects from Kerala

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Lashkar-i-Toibas top commander Abu Dujana was killed along with his associate in an encounter with government forces in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.



Dujana, who escaped on numerous occasions despite being trapped during nine years of his stay in Kashmir Valley, was finally killed in the encounter with army, SOG and CRPF at Hakdipora area in Newa village of Pulwama district.



The cordon-and-search operation was launched during pre-dawn hours in the area following a specific information about the presence of Dujana and his associates.

The house in which the militants were trapped has been razed to rubble. Dujana and his associate Asif Lilhari have been killed in this encounter, both the bodies have been recovered.

According to latest reports, a civilian who was injured in protest has lost his life.

LIVE UPDATES:

#12:50 PM: All schools and colleges have been closed due to law and order situation

#12:15 PM



-In spite of our warnings&requests ppl on behest of terrorists tend to come in b/w encounter,that is how they get injured/killed: IG Kashmir



-He was not really involved in many attacks, vo yahan aiyyashi kar raha tha bas, was a nuisance: J Sandhu,GOC 15 Corps



-Stone pelting or no pelting, disruptions or no disruptions, our operations will continue: Munir Khan, IG Police



-Quantum of fire from terrorists' side was very heavy. Terrorists Abu Dujana & Arif killed. One civilian casualty: Munir Khan, IG Kashmir



-Abu Dujana was a category A++ LeT terrorist: J Sandhu, GOC 15 Corps

#WATCH Encounter between security forces & terrorists in J&K's Pulwama (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/WH7kUrem94  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

#SpotVisuals LeT chief commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan along with his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/T6A2bfSrGN  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

Internet services have been suspended in the district to avoid stone pelting and protests on the encounter site.

According to news agency ANI, the firing has stopped in the region but a search operation is underway. Locals have begun heavy stone pelting

The cordon and search operation was launched by security forces in wee hours of the morning. Soon gunshots were heard and quickly an encounter broke out.

Read | Exclusive: LeT commander Abu Dujana appears in latest video

At least two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped inside a house. More details are awaited.

J&K: Encounter between Security forces and terrorists begins in Pulwama. 2-3 terrorists trapped ( Visuals deferred by unspecified time ) pic.twitter.com/ILZIMOMbhH  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

Also read:

J&K: Terrorist gunned down by security forces in encounter in Baramulla's Uri sector

J&K: 2 terrorists, locals and possibly linked to Hizbul, killed in encounter with CRPF troops in Pulwama



For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed happiness as the beneficiaries of the Ujjwala LPG scheme crossed 2.5 crore mark.

In May last year, the government had embarked on a drive to provide free cooking gas connections to 5 crore women from poor households in three years with a view to reduce the use of polluting fuels such as wood and dried cow dung.

President Pranab Mukherjee today handed over cooking gas connection to a woman in Jangipur in West Bengal to mark the milestone.

Ujjwala Yojana continues to expand its reach! Extremely delighted that today the number of beneficiaries crossed 2.5 crore, tweeted Modi, who had piloted the ambitious programme.

I thank Rashtrapati Ji for the special gesture of handing over LPG connections to beneficiaries in Jangipur, West Bengal, he added.

The prime minister also congratulated Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and and his entire team for working round-the-clock for the success of Ujjwala Yojana.

Also read: PM Ujjwala Yojana completes 1 year, sets record with 2.20 crore new LPG connections

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took stock of worsening floods, which have killed 84 people so far. The Prime Minister will take an aerial survey and is likely to meet flood victims.



He also chaired a series of high-level meetings to review the flood situation, and the relief operations in the North Eastern States, particularly in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, the PMO said.



Chief Ministers and senior officials from these states were present at the meetings.



LIVE UPDATES:

#2:00 PM: Guwahati: PM Modi held meeting with Manipur CM N Biren Singh over flood situation in the state

#11:50 AM: PM Modi chairing a high level meeting in Guwahati to review the flood situation & the relief operations in the North Eastern States



Guwahati: PM Modi arrives at Assam administrative staff college, he will hold a flood review meeting with officials and ministers pic.twitter.com/8cLgm2CEHX  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Guwahati; will take stock of flood affected areas in Assam pic.twitter.com/qMLVYms61a  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

PM Modi leaves for Assam, will take stock of flood affected areas in the state pic.twitter.com/rVihbnve0h  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

On Monday, PM Modi announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Assam. He also announced Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods in the state, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said.



Tomorrow, PM @narendramodi will be in Assam, where he will review the situation arising due to floods and the relief work, the PMO tweeted on Monday.



Earlier, the prime minister announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Rajasthan as well.



He also sanctioned Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods in Rajasthan.

Suggested read | Gujarat floods: Death toll rises to 218, relief operation intensifies

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New Delhi:

Breastfeeding baby for the first six months is very essential, as recommended by WHO. But when it comes to working mothers lack of extended leave makes it very difficult for them to breastfeed their babies. Pumping facilities are available at workplaces.



Lactating mothers stop breastfeeding their babies after a period of three months and later on they switch to infant formula milk because they are not aware on how to continue with breastfeeding after they get back to work. While many find the way of storing breastmilk after pumping really cumbersome.



Well the very first breastfeed is very essential for babies' health. It should be kept in mind that babies don't miss out on their first breastfeed after birth. The first milk or colostrum, a thick, sticky, yellow transparent liquid, also known as the first vaccine for the baby is crucial. this milk carries antibodies and fighter cells from the mothers and gets tranferred to the infant. It is helpful in giving protection against all types of infections and allergies.



Although there are many benefits of first milk, yet the initiation of breastfeeding in the first hour is very low. Recently there was Medela Breastfeeding Survey 2017 which found that 36% of new lactating mothers from Maharashtra fed their babies with formula feed immediately after birth in the first hour. While there were 27% of new mothers who told that they fed they were recommended by their doctors to feed their babies with formula.



Caregivers play the most important role in encouraging mothers to prefer breasfeed for their babies rather than formula as the first initiate immediately after birth.



Dr Ravneet Joshi, MD (Pediatrics)IBCLC at Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru tells about the importance of breastfeeding, he says WHO recommends, babies should be exclusively breastfed for first six months of life and continue up to two years or beyond. Breast milk contains antibodies that help your baby fight viruses and bacteria, lower risk of asthma or allergies. Breastfeeding is a chance for the mother and the baby to connect, but its also a way of calming a baby in a stressful situation. Its convenient. Extended breastfeeding does take some planning, which can be done without substituting breast milk with formula.



In the current situations, it is very necessary that that the culture of breastfeeding is revived and it is made clear to mothers the importance of colostrum and building the emotional connect with the baby through breastfeeding.
New Delhi:

Gadget freaks may go crazy next week as Samsung, one of the biggest smartphone companies of the country, is all set to offer a significant discount during the Independence Day sale of their yesteryear flagship smartphones Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. While people are already carzy to buy both the devices for their performance and other falgship features, it seems like the exciting offer is going to increase the craze thousands time more.

Latest media report suggests that during the sale people may avail these smartphones at up to Rs. 20,000 off.

Not only this, Samsung will also offer a flat cash back of Rs. 4,000 on the debit card and credit card transactions and an exchange offer is also available which will give up to 12,000 additional discounts on trading in your old smartphone to buy either the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge.

While the Galaxy S7, actually priced Rs. 39,400 will be available starting from Rs. 23,400, the Galaxy S7 edge (32GB) buyers will get a flat cash back of Rs. 8,000 and an exchange offer up to Rs. 12,000. This will bring down the price of the smartphone to Rs. 22,900. The 128GB variant of the Galaxy S7 edge costing Rs. 48,900 can be purchased at as low as Rs. 28,900.

Also Read: BlackBerry KEYone launched in India at Rs 39,990

Apart from the exchange offer and cash back giving up to Rs. 20,000 discount, Samsung is also offering its users up to 24 months EMI option for both the gadgets. Moreover, these offers will be available via both the offline and online retail channels.
New Delhi:

The National Assembly of Pakistan on Tuesday elected Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as new Prime Minister of the country. Abbasi got 221 votes in the house of 321. He will take the charge as short-term successor after Nawaz Sharif disqualified by the Supreme Court in connection with Panama Papers case leak.

The other contenders who failed to compete for the top job were Naveed Qamar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) got 47 votes, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf got 33 while Jamaat-e-Islamis Sahibzada Tariqullah managed just four votes.

After announcing the results amid sloganeering, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq request Abbasi to take the seat of the prime minister and put his views before the House.

The voting was done with four corners being designated for four candidates where supporters of each candidate recorded their vote.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi wins PM elections with 221 votes: Pak media  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

After the voting and counting process, many of the PML-N National Assembly members entered the House with posters of Sharif. The National Assembly Speaker objected to this and asked them to put away the placards and posters.

Abbasi will be sworn-in in later at a special ceremony at the Presidents House, where President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him.

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified 67-year-old Prime Minister Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

Also Read: After Nawaz Sharif's ouster, his brother Mian Shehbaz set to become next Pakistan Prime Minister

The National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, was summoned by President Hussain to elect the new leader.

Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Abbasi as interim Prime Minister until Sharifs brother Shehbaz is elected as a National Assembly member.

Pakistan has seen such arrangements in the past too.

Also Read | Panama Papers case: Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif steps down after Supreme Court's verdict

During former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharrafs time, politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was appointed as an interim prime minister until Shaukat Aziz, who was nominated by Musharraf, got elected by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q). (With PTI Inputs)

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WODEN | A Woden woman has been charged with felony first-degree arson after intentionally lighting a vehicle on fire, law enforcement says.

Marvella Ann Harms, 51, on or about July 30 admitted to a Hancock County sheriffs deputy she poured about one-half to one-fourth of a beer can amount of gasoline inside a green 2002 Dodge Durango and lit it on fire with a Bic lighter, court documents state.

Documents say the vehicle belongs to a man who lives with her.

Harms told the deputy the man who owned the Durango gets on her nerves and is drunker than hell, is not nice and has been accusing her of bad things, court documents say.

Harms stated that this will teach him a lesson for being an a-- and thinking that he knows it all, the deputy wrote in the criminal complaint.

The vehicle was located about 3 to 4 feet from a neighbors house and about 12 feet of Harms and the mans residence, documents say.

Harms has been appointed a public defender.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Aug. 10 in Hancock County District Court.

She is being held without bond in the Cerro Gordo County Jail.

 Ashley Miller
MASON CITY | A Mason City man has been charged with a controlled substance violation for manufacturing methamphetamine, according to law enforcement.

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office says Levi Mahaney, 22, was a passenger in a vehicle stopped at 1:03 a.m. July 12 near 12th Street Northwest and North Pierce Avenue.

A deputy said a suspected one-pot meth lab was located in Mahaneys backpack, along with his ID and drug paraphernalia, according to court documents.

Mahaney had purchase pseudoephedrine prior to the traffic stop, a criminal complaint states.

He also faces a charge for misdemeanor fourth-degree theft.

Mahaney is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

He is scheduled to appear in Cerro Gordo County District Court 8:30 a.m. Aug. 11.

 Ashley Miller
Police on Monday said they have arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of killing a 70-year-old man in a park in Tokyo's Sumida Ward on Friday.

olice said Ryo Yamamoto has admitted to beating Eiji Yanagihara, ,of no fixed address, about the head with a park security light as he slept on a bench at around 11 p.m. last Thursday, Fuji TV reported.

Yanagihara's body was found in Yokoamicho Park at 5 a.m. Friday by a woman on her way to work. She called 119. Police rushed to the scene and found Yanagihara lying on the ground, bleeding from the head. He was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Yanagihara's bicycle was found near the body. His shoes and some other personal belongings were under the bench.

Police said Yamamoto's fingerprint was found on the blood-stained security light. He was arrested Sunday night at JR Kinshicho Station.
The Justice Ministry plans to introduce a new residency status for fourth-generation Japanese descendants living abroad that will enable them to work in Japan under certain conditions, such as acquiring a set level of Japanese language skills.

About 1,000 people will be accepted each year in the early stages, sources said. The ministry will solicit comments from the public soon, and then decide when to roll out the program.

The aim of the new system is to help fourth-generation Japanese descendants deepen their interest in and knowledge about Japan, and nurture people who would be a bridge between Japan and the communities of Japanese descendants abroad in the future.

Those who are accepted will be aged 18 to 30 and given "designated activities" status, which will allow them to work during their stay in Japan, according to the ministry's plan.

Participants will be required to have Japanese skills equivalent to the N4 level of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test - able to conduct basic everyday conversations - at the time of their arrival. When they renew their residency status, they will be required to have skills equivalent to the N3 level - understanding complex sentences. They will not be allowed to bring family members.

The residency status will need to be renewed each year, with the maximum stay set at three years. It will be possible to stay longer if they are allowed to change their residency status due to marriage, employment or other reasons.
Video captured Friday of North Korea's latest test of a powerful long-range missile appears to show that the nuclear-armed country has yet to master technology critical to any warhead's survival when re-entering Earth's atmosphere, a new report has found.

The report, released Tuesday by the North Korean-watching website 38 North, run by the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University, analyzed video taken by public broadcaster NHK's Muroran, Hokkaido, affiliate after the country conducted the second test-firing of its Hwasong-14 ICBM in less than a month late Friday.

Experts have said missile flew higher and longer than the first and now puts a large chunk of the United States - including Chicago and Los Angeles - within range of Pyongyang's ever-improving weapons systems.

In the NHK recording, the camera looks across a bay in the direction where the missile's re-entry vehicle (RV), which shields a nuclear warhead from the rigors of returning to Earth at ICBM velocities, crashed into the sea, about 200 km off the coast of Japan. Seconds into the video, the apparent re-entry vehicle slows and becomes so hot due to the dense air that it begins to glow as its descent is recorded by the camera.

Then, at about an altitude of 6 to 8 km, the re-entry vehicle hits what the report terms "peak radiance - when the clouds reflect the RVs radiance resulting in a bright flash."

"Soon after the flash, the RV descends to roughly 4 or 5 km altitude, where the frictional forces that slow and heat the RV reach a maximum," missile expert Michael Elleman wrote in the report.

"At this point, the RV appears to be shedding small radiant objects and is trailed by an incandescent vapor," he added. "At an altitude of 3 to 4 km, the RV then dims and quickly disappears" before passing behind a mountain range that obscured the camera's view."

Elleman said it "probably broke into small pieces."

This indicated "that it disintegrated about the time it experienced maximum stressing loads," Elleman wrote. "Had the RV survived the rigors of re-entry, it would have continued to glow until disappearing behind the mountains."
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Tourism has an idea on how to take some of the guesswork out of traveling by taxi in Japan's capital. The ministry has announced that from August 7 four taxi operators will allow riders to book cabs and lock in a fare by using the companies' smartphone apps.

The participating operators are Japan Taxi (part of Nihon Kotsu Group), Motaku (part of Daiichi Kotsu Sangyo Group), Daiwa Motor, and km Taxi, whose apps can be found on the Apple App Store and Google Play (Japan Taxi and Motaku's apps have English-language support). After selecting your starting point (anyplace within Tokyo's 23 central wards or the neighboring cities of Musashino and Mitaka is OK) and destination, the app computes the expected fare. Accepting the fare finalizes the price, meaning you won't pay a yen more than what you were quoted regardless of any traffic jams or other delays you might encounter along the way (although the pre-computed price does account for a certain amount of traffic).

The test period for the program is scheduled to run until October 6, and if the response is positive enough there's a chance of it becoming a regular part of the participating companies' services or being adopted by other operators. There is a bit of a catch, in that the pre-fixed prices are only available for rides costing 3,000 yen (US$27) or more, but if you're travelling as part of a group and want to know whether splitting a cab is going to be cheaper than buying a bunch of train tickets, or simply don't like the idea of being at the mercy of the meter when taking a cab in Tokyo, the program is a great way to keep track of your transportation budget.
MASON CITY | A single-vehicle crash that caused more than $20,000 in damage at a Mason City car dealership Saturday night remains under investigation.

The Mason City Police Department was dispatched to a crash on the 200th block of 15th St. SW at 7:48 p.m. Saturday.

Diane Rick, 54, of Mason City was traveling eastbound when she lost control of her 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, left the roadway and struck a parked 2015 Mini Cooper owned by Mason City Ford, said Mason City Police Sgt. Dave Houser.

The impact pushed the Mini Cooper into a light pole, and debris from the light pole fell and damaged a third vehicle, a 2015 Subaru Impreza owned by Mason City Ford, he said.

Houser said the crash resulted in a fire but referred questions about the cause of the fire to the Mason City Fire Department.

According to the police report, damages incurred by Mason City Ford, consisting of two cars and the light pole, totaled $23,000.

A phone call to Mercy Medical Center  North Iowa to receive an update on Ricks condition went unanswered after several minutes on hold before hanging up.

Houser said a 15-year-old juvenile was referred to juvenile court but the police department declined to say how he or she was involved in the crash. He said the crash is still under investigation and charges are pending.

Under a July 2016 law, juvenile court records are confidential unless they involve a forcible felony, such as murder, kidnapping or robbery; however, police are allowed to provide non-identifying, basic information, which includes criminal charges and the age of the juvenile.
Contributed photo

The Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut, in New Milford, received a $3,500 grant from the Peoples United Community Foundation.

The Community Culinary School offers a 12-week culinary training and job placement program to unemployed and underemployed adults who want to start a career in the food-service industry. The school also donates the food made in the classes to the New Milford Food Bank.
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Connecticut often gets high marks for education; the state's public schools are touted as some of the best.

For example, in November 2016, education site Niche ranked Westport the best school district in Connecticut and the 12th best in the country in its annual report. Seven Connecticut school districts made the top 100 nation-wide.

According to a new report by financial site Wallethub, Connecticut has the eighth best school system in the country based on quality and safety.

WalletHub also looked into how education spending affects a school system's success rate. The conclusion is results are mixed.

Click through to see how Connecticut ranks in certain criteria and keep clicking for the top 10 bests school districts. Visit WalletHub for the full report.

Many of the schools that fall in the top 10 also rank high in spending. For example, Vermont, the number five best school system, ranks first for spending; Massachusetts the number one best school system ranks seventh for spending.

Connecticut ranks fifth for spending and eighth for quality and safety.

In February, Gov. Dannel Malloy released a new education budget that was met with mixed reviews. Some of the budget's proposed changes are:

Increase special education aid by $10 million

More seats for charter schools and magnet schools and increases the per-pupil for charter schools to $11,482

Cut higher education block grants 4.5 percent

Redistribute ECS grant, giving 38 municipalities more and the rest, less.

Consolidates the state Office of Higher Education into the state Department of Education

There are instances where high-spending states don't rank high for quality and safety. States like New York, Rhode Island and Wyoming fall into the top 10 highest-spenders but fall into the bottom half of quality and safety rankings.

Maine, on the other hand, ranks number 10 best school system and is close to the bottom for spending, ranking 43.
GARNER | A 17- and 19-year-old have been charged with felony first-degree robbery for attempting to rob two individuals at gunpoint during a party in rural Hancock County in July, law enforcement says.

Isaiah Zion Lewis, 17, and Kyren-Ray Daniel Valentine, 19, are accused of being armed with an AR15-type rifle and a handgun, a Hancock County Sheriffs deputy wrote in criminal complaints.

The Globe Gazette is identifying Lewis as he is charged with a felony in adult court.

On or about July 31, Lewis is accused of tapping one victim on the shoulder with the rifle, court documents say, and Valentine is accused of putting the pistol in another victims chest.

Both victims were told to empty their pockets, the complaints state. Neither victim had any property on them.

Both were arrested in Britt on July 31 and have been appointed public defenders.

Lewis and Valentine have a preliminary hearing scheduled at 9:45 a.m. Aug. 11 in Hancock County District Court.

Valentine is being held without bond in the Cerro Gordo County Jail. Lewis is being held in Central Iowa Juvenile Detention in Eldora.

 Ashley Miller
TSX : AXY

VANCOUVER, July 28, 2017 /CNW/ - Alterra Power Corp. ("Alterra" or the "Company") announces that its subsidiary, Magma Energy Sweden ("MES"), has entered into an agreement to settle its US$71.3 million non-recourse bond (valued as at June 30). The collateral under the bond, comprising a 12.7% ownership stake of Alterra's Icelandic subsidiary HS Orka hf ("HS Orka"), will be delivered to the bondholder Fagfjarfestasjourinn ORK in full and final settlement of MES's obligations under the bond. Completion of the agreement is subject to certain conditions to be satisfied within 60 days and upon completion Alterra's ownership stake in HS Orka will be reduced from 66.6% to 53.9%. Alterra, through MES, will continue managing HS Orka and consolidating its financial results.

Update to Outlook for Years Ended December 31, 2017 and 2018

In conjunction with its release of financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2016, Alterra provided an outlook on expected financial and operating results for 2017 and 2018. Following the change in ownership of HS Orka, management expects the following changes to the Company's outlook (all provided on a net interest1 basis, tabular amounts expressed in thousands of US dollars, except generation).

















Original

forecast

2017 Revised

forecast

2017 Difference Original

forecast

2018 Revised

forecast

2018 Difference Generation (GWh) 1,595 1,526 (69) 2,046 1,886 (160) Revenue 90,659 86,517 (4,142) 100,719 92,239 (8,480) Adjusted EBITDA2 49,154 47,193 (1,961) 56,610 51,920 (4,690)





(1) Forecasted outlook reflects Alterra's "net interest", by which the Company means the effective portion of operating results that the Company expects to report for each of HS Orka (66.6% until July, 2017 and 53.9% thereafter), Toba Montrose (40%), Jimmie Creek (51%), Dokie 1 (25.5%), Shannon (50% sponsor equity interest), and Kokomo (90.0% sponsor equity interest) reflecting Alterra's expected share of ownership through 2017 and 2018, and inclusion of Spartan minimum 85% sponsor equity interest) and Flat Top (51% sponsor equity interest) from January and April 2018, respectively. Management believes that net interest reporting, although a non-IFRS measure, provides the clearest view of Alterra's performance. Refer to our MD&A for further information on non-IFRS measures. (2) Here and elsewhere, Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as earnings before interest, taxes, foreign exchange, depreciation and amortization, as well as adjustments for changes in the fair value of holding company bonds (Sweden) and derivatives, write-offs of development costs, other income (expense) except business interruption insurance proceeds, amortization of below market contracts, value assigned to options granted, share of results of equity investments, the Company's proportionate interest in Adjusted EBITDA of its equity investments, research and development costs for deep drilling program and non-recurring items (insurance deductibles, litigation and arbitration costs). Adjusted EBITDA has been calculated on a consistent basis with the comparative year. The Company discloses Adjusted EBITDA as it is a measure used by analysts and by management to evaluate the Company's performance. As Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure, it may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA calculated by others. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is not a substitute for net earnings. Readers should consider net earnings in evaluating the Company's performance. For a reconciliation of consolidated Adjusted EBITDA to Alterra's consolidated financial statements refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2016 available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The revised forecasts reflect the ownership change in HS Orka as of July 2017, including 66.6% HS Orka ownership in the first half of 2017 and 53.9% HS Orka ownership in the second half of 2017 and all of 2018. Results of HS Orka include Adjusted EBITDA from the Blue Lagoon (30% owned by HS Orka) which was also revised following the ownership change in HS Orka. All other assumptions remain unchanged.

About Alterra Power Corp.

Alterra Power Corp. is a global renewable energy company that manages eight power plants totaling 825 MW of hydro, wind, geothermal and solar generation capacity in Canada, the USA and Iceland. Following the transaction, Alterra owns a 363 MW share of this capacity, generating over 1,500 GWh of clean power annually.

Alterra is also constructing the 200 MW Flat Top wind project in central Texas, which is expected to be in operation by 1H 2018 (51% owned by Alterra). Upon the completion of Flat Top, Alterra will operate nine power plants totaling 1,025 MW of capacity and will own a 465 MW share of this capacity, generating almost 2,000 GWh of clean power annually. Alterra also has an extensive portfolio of development projects and a skilled team of developers, builders and operators to support its growth plans.

Alterra trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AXY.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements and information included in this news release are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information relates to future events or future performance and reflects management's expectations and beliefs regarding future events as of the date hereof. Examples of forward-looking information in this news release include the successful completion of the agreement, including satisfaction of the conditions thereunder, annual generation estimates, Alterra's continued management and consolidation of HS Orka's results, the successful construction of, and achievement of commercial operations for, the Flat Top and Spartan projects, satisfaction of conditions precedent to the tax equity investments thereto and all information provided under the Outlook heading. Forward-looking information is based on factors or assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection. Since forward-looking information relates to future events and conditions, by its very nature it requires making assumptions and involves inherent risks and uncertainties. Alterra cautions that although it is believed that the assumptions are reasonable in the circumstances, these risks and uncertainties give rise to the possibility that actual results may differ materially from the expectations set out in the forward-looking information. Material risk factors and assumptions include the risk that a final settlement of the bond cannot be reached and those set out in the management's discussion and analysis section of Alterra's most recent annual and quarterly reports and in Alterra's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Although Alterra has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, Alterra undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequently or otherwise.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Financial Information

The information provided in the "Outlook" section of this news release constitutes forward-looking financial information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Management has provided this information as of the date of this news release in order to assist readers to better understand the expected results and impact of the Company's operating and construction projects expected to be commissioned in the near term. Readers are cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for any other purpose, including investment purposes, and consequently, should not place undue reliance on this information. Forward-looking financial information also constitutes forward-looking statements within the context of applicable securities laws and as such, is subject to the same risks, uncertainties and assumptions as are set out above.

SOURCE Alterra Power Corp.

For further information: Peter Lekich, Corporate Communications, Alterra Power Corp., 604-235-6719, [email protected]

Related Links

www.alterrapower.ca/


CURVE LAKE, ON, July 31, 2017 /CNW/ - A crowd of more than 180 attendees came together at the Curve Lake Community Centre to learn about details of a new partnership that will bring affordable homeownership to Curve Lake First Nation. Attendees included the Honourable Maryam Monsef (Minister of Status of Women and MP for Peterborough-Kawartha) and Adam Vaughan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development) as well as Habitat for Humanity representatives and Curve Lake Council and band members.

Also in attendance was Peter Phillips, Royal Patron and Youth Build Ambassador to Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region. Peter Phillips is the eldest grandson of the Queen of England, son of Princess Anne. Peter's wife Autumn is Canadian and has strong family ties to the local area.

Maawandoonan  Coming Together in Partnership celebrates the unified efforts of Curve Lake First Nation and Habitat for Humanity to provide low-income Indigenous families with the help needed to own a safe, decent and affordable home. In partnership, two single-detached Habitat homes will be built on two lots provided by Curve Lake First Nation. Construction is slated to begin this fall and Habitat Peterborough & Kawartha Region is now accepting applications from low-income families in the community who are interested in owning their own home.

From September to April, hundreds of volunteers will come to Curve Lake to work alongside band members to not only build two homes, but to learn new skills, make new friendships, learn more about the history and culture of Curve Lake, and bring action to reconciliation! Many of the teams are expected to be youth. Habitat Peterborough & Kawartha Region's local youth program is one of the strongest in the country and the expectation is that more than 100 local youth will take part in the building of these two homes.

Although this is the first Indigenous housing partnership for Habitat Peterborough & Kawartha Region, through Habitat Canada's Indigenous Housing Program, local Habitats across the country have partnered with more than 160 Indigenous families to provide them with affordable homeownership opportunities. The Indigenous Housing Program is based on research that shows that adequate housing plays an essential role in the well-being of a community. The success of this program is rooted in Habitat's approach  working in partnership with Indigenous communities to help find culturally appropriate solutions to improve housing conditions for all.

"We are so looking forward to not only building these two new homes and making the dream of homeownership a reality for two more families, but also to learn about the rich culture and history of Curve Lake First Nation, building friendships and alliances that will hopefully be an inspiration to all Canadians and Indigenous communities of the power of Maawandoonan. The power of bringing people together," says Sarah Burke, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region.

Curve Lake, an Anishinaabe community located approximately 25 kms northeast of Peterborough, is tackling the First Nation housing crisis head on by initiating innovative approaches to home ownership. First Nations people in Canada are four times more likely than non-Indigenous people to live in dwellings that require major repairs, such as defective plumbing or wiring and structural issues.

On top of these challenges, drinking water continues to be a concern. In a community where boil water advisories are issued every week, the lack of a water treatment facility to serve the entire community continues to be a challenge.

Such challenges have not prevented the community from moving forward with their approach. Through housing programs such as a revolving loan fund and a housing as a business approach, Curve Lake First Nation is addressing community needs while ensuring sustainability for future generations. Both Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region and Curve Lake First Nation are hopeful that this partnership will see the building of many more homes together over the next few years, allowing more low-income Indigenous families to access affordable homeownership.

"We very much appreciate this new relationship with Habitat for Humanity. These builds will assist our pressures to address the housing needs we have in our community, and will give two families an opportunity of hope and dream of a lifetime," says Chief Phyllis Williams.

About Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that brings communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership. Habitat gives a "hand up not a hand out" to low-income families by offering 0% interest mortgages, with no down payment and geared to income monthly payments. Find out more at www.habitatpkr.ca.

Habitat Canada's Indigenous Housing Program

Recognizing that there are unique housing challenges faced by Indigenous peoples both on and off reserve, the goal of Habitat Canada's Indigenous Housing Program is to partner with Indigenous communities to provide housing solutions for low-income families. Through this program, we have helped 166 Indigenous families build strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership, including 38 on First Nations and Metis settlements and reserves. We have also provided over 150 Indigenous youth with training and skills opportunities that they can use to help build or renovate more homes in their communities, or secure employment opportunities. Find out more about this program online at www.habitat.ca/IHP.

SOURCE Habitat for Humanity Canada

For further information: Sarah Burke, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, 705.750.1456 ext 222, [email protected], www.habitatpkr.ca; Robin Steed, Executive Assistant to Chief and Council, Curve Lake First Nation, 705.657.8045 ext 207, [email protected], www.curvelakefirstnation.ca
MONTREAL, Aug. 1, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - The Horatio Alger Association of Canada today announced the opening of its online scholarship application process for students across Canada beginning their post-secondary studies in the fall of 2018.

A total of 85 need-based scholarships will be awarded:

80 Horatio Alger Canadian Scholarships, valued at $5,000 each, to high school students in every province and territory, as well as CEGEP students in Quebec with plans to attend university, and;

each, to high school students in every province and territory, as well as CEGEP students in with plans to attend university, and; 5 Horatio Alger National Entrepreneurial Scholarships, worth $10,000 each, targeted to outstanding applicants nationwide who intend to pursue a business-related degree or have expressed a commitment to following an entrepreneurial career.

Students are encouraged to file their applications before the October 25, 2017 deadline. The application form can be found on the Horatio Alger Association of Canada's website at https://www.horatioalger.ca/en/scholarships/.

Horatio Alger scholarships are awarded to deserving students in financial need who have overcome significant adversity while demonstrating strength of character, strong academics, a commitment to pursuing higher education as well as a desire to contribute to society. Funds can be used for both university or career and technical studies. Since 2012, over $2.5 million in scholarships have been awarded to 518 deserving young Canadians.

"As we mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Members of the Horatio Alger Association of Canada see no greater way to celebrate our country than to help deserving students earn a post-secondary education," said Prem Watsa, President of the Horatio Alger Association of Canada and a Member since 2012. "While this year provides an opportunity to salute the men and women who built this great nation, we should also look optimistically toward Canada's future. The 85 hard-working students who will receive these scholarships represent the next generation of Canadian pioneers."

"This scholarship will change your life," said Phillip Kelly, an environmental studies student entering his first semester at Seneca College, who was awarded a Horatio Alger National Entrepreneurial Scholarship in 2017 and attended the Horatio Alger National Scholars Conference in Washington, D.C. "Between the scholarship and the conference, I am still in awe with regards to what the Association is able to do for me. The experience is something I will always take with me wherever I go. I hope to one day become a Member so that I myself can give back."

About the Horatio Alger Association of Canada

The Horatio Alger Association of Canada, the Canadian affiliate of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., is a charitable organization dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honours the achievements of outstanding individuals who have succeeded in spite of adversity by bestowing the Horatio Alger Award and granting them lifetime membership into the Association. Through the generosity of Horatio Alger Members, the Horatio Alger Association of Canada awards scholarships annually to deserving young people in every province and territory. Members of the Association include Alain Bouchard, Dominic D'Alessandro, Murray Edwards, Serge Godin, Wayne Gretzky, Rebecca MacDonald, the late G. Wallace F. McCain, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Jim Pattison, Gerald W. Schwartz, Isadore Sharp, Prem Watsa and Rick Waugh. For more information, visit www.horatioalger.ca. The Association can also be found on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Canada

For further information: Tom Kott, HATLEY Strategy Advisors, 514.316.7082, [email protected]
MASON CITY | Travis Hickey said Tuesday he will not seek a third term on the City Council.

Hickey, who represents the Second Ward, said family considerations and a demanding work schedule led to his decision not to run. He is a manager at FedEx Freight.

"I would like to thank the citizens of Ward Two for bestowing their faith in me and allowing me to represent them and the city of Mason City the last eight years," said Hickey. "It truly has been a journey. As a result, I have learned so much more about Mason City and what makes this a terrific place to live.

"I have always wanted what's best for our community. With a demanding schedule and family life, I don't feel I can continue giving the effort needed to effectively represent the citizens of Ward Two in the future.

"It has been a rewarding, humbling and eye-opening experience. I would like to thank my wife, family, new friends, old friends, colleagues and the people of Mason City for their support."

Two candidates, Will Symonds and Troy Levenhagen, have announced their intentions to run for Hickey's seat. The election is Nov. 7.

The At-Large and Fourth Ward council positions are also on the November ballot as well as that of the mayor.

Mayor Eric Bookmeyer has announced he will not seek re-election. At-Large Councilman Bill Schickel said he will run for mayor. Alex Klein, a newcomer to politics, has also announced his candidacy for mayor.

Tom Thoma said last week he is a candidate for the at-large position being vacated by Schickel.

Next month, yet another council election will be held, to fill the unexpired term of Third Ward Councilman Brett Schoneman who moved to Clear Lake.

Joshua Masson has announced he will seek that position. Filing deadline for the September election is Aug. 25.
Best July ever for Sportage and Sedona

Best year-to-date ever for Forte and Sportage

Year-to-date sales up 3.3 per cent versus 2016

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - Kia Canada Inc. reported today 7,506 total vehicles sold for the month of July, representing a 15 per cent increase versus 2016. July sales were led by Kia Sorento (up 27.5 per cent with 1,746 units sold), Kia Forte (up 50.2 per cent with 1,448 units sold), Kia Sportage (up 55.7 per cent with 1,297 units sold) and Kia Soul (up 9.3 per cent with 1,177 units sold).

"What a great July for Kia with sales up 15% and a great start to the 2nd half of the year with best July sales ever for Sportage and Sedona." said Ted Lancaster, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), KIA Canada Inc. "We expect this momentum to continue throughout our lineup in August with the continuation of the "Our Canada Celebration Event", designed to offer Canadians competitive programs along with innovative and world-class designs, impressive levels of safety, technology and fuel efficiency."

August 2017 Incentives:

Kia is excited to continue the "Our Canada Celebration Event" for the month of August with a strong offer of 0% Lease or Finance + $4,000 Celebration Bonus on select model . In addition, we have terrific lease and finance offers on new 2018 models and great clear-out offers on remaining 2017 models. The brand new 2018 Rio is now featured at 0.9% finance for up to 60 months. Some conditions apply, please see dealer for complete details.

August 2017 Incentives in Quebec:

Kia is excited to continue "Just for Driving" campaign in the province of Quebec leveraging our partnership with Just for laughs for the month of August with a strong offer of 0% Lease + up to $4,000 bonus on select models. In addition, we have terrific lease and finance offers on new 2018 models and great clear-out offers on remaining 2017 models. The brand new 2018 Rio is now featured at 0.9% finance for up to 60 months. Some conditions apply, please see dealer for complete details.

About Kia Canada Inc.

Kia Canada Inc. (www.kia.ca  www.facebook.com/kiacanada), a maker of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart is a subsidiary of Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) which was founded in 1999 and sells and services high quality, class leading vehicles like the Soul, Forte, Optima and Sorento through a network of 190 dealers nationwide. Kia Canada Inc. employs 154 people in its Mississauga, Ontario headquarters and four regional offices across Canada, including a state-of-the-art facility in Montreal. Kia's brand slogan "The Power to Surprise" represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting & inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.

SOURCE KIA Canada Inc.

For further information: about Kia Canada and our products, please visit our Media Centre at KiaMedia.ca or contact: Mark James, Corporate Communications Manager, Kia Canada Inc., T: 905-755-6251, C: 416-660-3568, E: [email protected]; Maxime Surette, Product Communications Manager, Kia Canada Inc., T: 905-755-6272, C: 416-316-3313, E: [email protected]; John Adzija, National Manager, Corporate Communications & Corporate Partnerships, Kia Canada Inc., T: 905-755-6266, C: 905-301-6207, E: [email protected]

Related Links

www.kia.ca


MONTREAL, Aug. 1st 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - McKesson Canada announced today that it will make a $27,500 donation to the Canadian Red Cross to aid victims of the wildfires in British Columbia. In addition, the McKesson Foundation announced it will match employee donations through their Matching Gifts Program, up to a maximum of $2,500 per employee, to wildfire relief efforts.

"Our thoughts are with all the people of British Columbia as wildfires have forced the evacuation of thousands of residents", said Paula Keays, President of McKesson Canada. "We are working closely with our members and franchisees from British Columbia and surrounding areas to support evacuees and their health care needs. A large number of our independent pharmacists from The Medicine Shoppe, Guardian, I.D.A. and Remedy'sRx banners have stepped up to give out supplies and offer discounts to the relief of impacted communities across the region. We hope this brings a little comfort to the victims and their families."

"During these unsettling times, neighbourhood pharmacists across British Columbia are providing care to those that need it most," said Richard Brennan, Senior Vice President, Retail Banner Group. "I am proud of our pharmacist owners who continue to demonstrate their commitment to the communities that they serve."

Canadians can make a donation to the British Columbia Fire Appeal to support the Canadian Red Cross response efforts.

About McKesson Canada

Founded more than 100 years ago, McKesson Canada is dedicated to delivering vital medicines, supplies and information technologies that enable the health care industry to provide patients better, safer care. Our solutions empower pharmacies, manufacturers, hospitals and other health care institutions by enabling them to get closer to the millions of patients they serve every single day, while contributing to the quality and safety of care in Canada.

Visit www.mckesson.ca for more information.

About the McKesson Foundation

Founded in 1943, the McKesson Foundation is an initiative of McKesson Corporation, based in San Francisco. It envisions a world where affordable, quality health care is available to all.

Website

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SOURCE MCKESSON CANADA

For further information: McKesson Canada: Darius Kuras, Public Affairs, [email protected], 905-671-1399

Related Links

http://www.mckesson.ca/


The Government of Canada invests over $58,000 in this Bas-Saint-Laurent municipality's community project

LAC-DES-AIGLES, QC, July 31, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

Key local stakeholders have long been asking for concrete, sustainable measures to improve community and recreational infrastructure. The Government of Canada is proud to invest in projects which, like the project of the Municipality of Lac-des-Aigles, contribute to the strength and vitality of all regions in the country.

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CED, announced that the Municipality of Lac-des-Aigles (website in French only) would receive $58,253 in financial assistance, in the form of a non-repayable contribution, to renovate the Pavillon du lac community centre.

Located in the Temiscouata regional county municipality (RCM), the Municipality of Lac-des-Aigles is home to the Pavillon du lac, a 4,000-square-foot community centre built in 1987. Committees, organizations and residents hold a number of activities at the centre, including brunches, dinners, tournaments, weddings, meetings and family gatherings.

Funding awarded under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program (CIP150) will be used to renovate the building to ensure it remains in good condition, as it has become necessary to replace the roofing and windows. The renovations will also include flooring and electrical work and building a veranda at the entrance, which will make the Pavillon du lac safer, more energy efficient and better adapted to users' needs.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada supports projects by organizations which, like the project of the Municipality of Lac-des-Aigles, mobilize and unite our communities, but also, in general, stimulate economic activity in the country. Community and recreational infrastructure like the Pavillon du lac are perfect examples of gathering and meeting places. Today, as it was 150 years ago, openness helps build strong communities. It is in places like these that we can better explore our differences and more fully appreciate the many cultures that give life to our country."

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for CED

"The Government of Canada's contribution, through its Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, has definitely been a great help in carrying out the Pavillon du lac project. The municipal council is very grateful for the financial assistance we received, which meets a need expressed by our municipality's residents."

Claude Breault, Mayor of Lac-des-Aigles

Quick facts

Since its creation in 2015, CIP150 has provided almost $13M in funding for over 450 projects that support the vitality of Quebec communities.

in funding for over 450 projects that support the vitality of communities. CED is one of six regional development agencies under the responsibility of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Stay connected

Follow CED on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

SOURCE Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

For further information: Media Relations, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Tel.: 514-283-7443, Email: [email protected]
From August 2 to 7, 2017, two dollars from the sale of any Eggs Benny at a Ricky's in BC will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross

VANCOUVER, July 31, 2017 /CNW/ - From August 2 to 7, all Ricky's BC locations, including Ricky's All Day Grill, Ricky's Cafe and Ricky's Country, will be donating $2 from the sale of any Eggs Benny to the Canadian Red Cross, to support the BC Wildfire relief efforts.

"We believe in supporting the communities our guests, employees, family and friends work and live in, along with the brave members of the firefighters and first responders teams," says Stacey Hansson, senior vice-president of Ricky's Group of Family-style Restaurants. "When we reached out to our BC franchisees they were all adamant in the decision to provide support."

The Canadian Red Cross is supporting the province of British Columbia and local authorities in providing assistance to those affected by the wildfires. Donations will help provide immediate relief such as cots, blankets, family reunification and financial assistance for food, clothing and personal needs. Beyond meeting immediate needs, donations may also help re-entry and go towards more long-term recovery, resiliency and preparedness*.

A listing of Ricky's BC locations is available at http://gotorickys.com/restaurant-locations/

* Reference: Canadian Red Cross http://www.redcross.ca/

About Ricky's All Day Grill

Ricky's began as a pancake restaurant in British Columbia in 1960. Since the late 1970s, it has evolved into a successful restaurant franchise known for its big breakfasts, large portions and extensive menu. Ricky's All Day Grill is part of the Ricky's Group of Family-style Restaurants, now with 90 locations in Canada and more under development. The Ricky's Group includes Ricky's All Day Grill, Ricky's Country Restaurant and Ricky's Cafe. Ricky's is headquartered in Burnaby, BC. Frank Di Benedetto is the CEO/Owner of FDF Brandz, which includes Ricky's Group of Family-style Restaurants and Fatburger Canada. The company is actively seeking new franchisees across Canada. For more information, or to find a Ricky's All Day Grill near you, go to www.gotorickys.com.

SOURCE Ricky's All Day Grill Restaurants

For further information: Dan Pittman at 714-282-9994 or [email protected]
Conference Call at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Time)

MONTREAL, Aug. 1, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Yellow Pages Limited (TSX: Y) announced that it will issue its 2017 second quarter results, for the period covering April 1 to June 30, 2017, on August 10, 2017. A conference call will be held on the same day at 8:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the results.

The call will also be broadcast live at: https://corporate.yp.ca/en/yellow-pages-news/events/release-q2-2017-financial-and-operational-results/

To participate in the conference call:

Toronto and overseas, dial 416-340-2219

and overseas, dial 416-340-2219 North America , dial 1-800-478-9326

To access the replay facility (between August 10 and September 10, 2017):

Toronto and overseas, dial 905-694-9451

and overseas, dial 905-694-9451 North America , dial 1 800-408-3053

Enter access code 9131919.

The replay of the conference call will also be available in the Investors section of the Company's website at https://corporate.yp.ca/en/investors/financial-events-presentations/

About Yellow Pages Limited

Yellow Pages Limited (TSX: Y) is a Canadian digital media and marketing company that creates local opportunities for buyers and sellers to interact and transact in the local economy. Yellow Pages holds some of Canada's leading local online properties including YP.ca, RedFlagDeals.com, Canada411.ca, 411.ca, Bookenda.com, DuProprio.com, ComFree.com and YP NextHome. The Company also holds the YP, YP Shopwise, YP Dine, RedFlagDeals, Canada411, 411, Bookenda, DuProprio, ComFree and YP NextHome mobile applications and Yellow Pages print directories. In addition, Yellow Pages is a leader in national advertising through its divisions devoted to servicing the marketing needs of large North American brands, including Mediative and JUICE. For more information visit www.corporate.yp.ca.

SOURCE Yellow Pages Limited

For further information: Investor Relations: Kevin Chan, Senior Manager, Corporate Planning and Investor Relations, Tel.: (514) 938-6727, [email protected]; Media: Joelle Langevin, Senior Manager, Communications, Tel.: (514) 934-6979, [email protected]

Related Links

corporate.yp.ca


When times are a changin, you either need to change with them or get left behind.

Most Republicans bill theirs as the pro-business party. Their principle economic development strategy is to attract and retain employers with a favorable regulatory climate, low taxes and targeted incentives.

Recently this has spawned property tax reform, nuisance lawsuit protection for farmers, caps on medical malpractice awards and adjustments to workers compensation rules, among other initiatives.

On the wish list is income tax reform to simplify the tax code while offering some $500 million in relief by 2022.

The tax and regulatory burden will continue to be a significant factor in determining where businesses locate, how they grow and in some cases whether they survive.

Yet as discussed in a June 28 Globe Gazette article (courtesy of the Waterloo Courier), demographics suggest it soon may not be the primary factor.

Reynolds, Gregg discuss boosting Iowas workforce WAVERLY | A simple question at the beginning of a tour of Waverlys United Equipment Accesso

United Equipment Accessories in Waverly hosted Gov. Kim Reynolds and acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg the previous day. President Mark Hanawalt noted the firm was challenged to fill open positions.

We need more people in this state, Hanawalt said.

Employers statewide face similar struggles. Iowas unemployment rate recently stood at 3.1 percent, and most available workers lack the post-secondary training required for todays manufacturing jobs.

Meanwhile, statistics from the Iowa Business Council indicate the state will need to replace 610,000 workers by 2025, while the population has grown by about 200,000 over the past two decades.

The picture is similar nationally. Unemployment in June was estimated at 4.3 percent, the lowest level since 2001, while an Associated Press article in July said (without citing a source) roughly 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day.

Those looking to start or expand a business cannot assume workers will move anywhere or commute any distance to have a job. Building it no longer guarantees they will come.

Regardless the tax or regulatory advantages, companies are unlikely to locate or remain in Iowa if theyre apt to be chronically understaffed or will be forced to outbid existing employers for a stretched-thin workforce.

As such an economic development policy consisting solely of incentives for employers while offering nothing to train, retain and regain workers will be incomplete at best, counter-productive at worst.

Steps that might help enlarge and enhance the states workforce include:

 Investing in education at all levels.

 Protecting and improving our natural resources and recreational/cultural amenities.

 Balancing safeguards for employers and workers in our labor and collective-bargaining laws.

 Creating a tax structure thats simple, competitive and comprehensive yet provides adequate revenue to accomplish all of the above.

Income tax reform that eliminates federal deductibility, while reducing tax rates and the number of brackets would help. Yet the state budget is tight, the Iowa government already fairly lean, and last years revenue inadequate to balance the books.

Thus $500 million in tax relief seems a stretch without finding new revenue elsewhere. (Banking on economic growth secondary to tax cuts is risky and irresponsible.)

Ive long advocated for a sales tax increase to fund the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust.

The sales taxs appeal apart from this admitted bias is that its simple, broad-based and assesses consumption rather than production, savings and investment.

A 1-cent increase would currently provide adequate revenue to permit the proposed income tax reform while adequately funding key priorities.

Yet in another sign of the times, online purchases currently not subject to sales tax are reducing transactions at brick-and-mortar stores, eroding state tax revenue while placing traditional retailers (also important job creators, by the way) at a competitive disadvantage.

While overhauling taxes, legislators need to explore ways to work with online retailers, Internet providers and package delivery services to collect sales tax from web purchases.

The times are a changin. Let's not get left behind.




Renowned Niger Delta activist, Annkio Briggs on Monday called on the Nigerian Government to conduct a referendum.He said it is the only thing remaining for the country since the National Assembly recently refused to restructure.Briggs made the assertion during a lecture she delivered at the just concluded Niger Delta Youth Peace Dialogue, which held at the PTI Conference in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.Brigs noted that the National Assembly had drawn the line for allegedly taking the position of not restructuring the country.The only thing remaining right now for Nigeria and all other ethnic groups is to call for a referendum.We need to have a referendum in Nigeria. Let the people decide. Let the ethnic nationalities decide. Let United Nations have a referendum, he said.Briggs who reacted to a letter issued by members of the Niger Delta Avengers stated that Federal Government was not ready to discuss with the people of the Niger Delta.I believe strongly, there is really nothing to discuss, he said, pointing out that what the people of the Niger Delta wanted was a 100% resource ownership and payment of tax to the Federal Government.Briggs said all the federal government was interested in was to continue to forceful take over of the oil and gas to develop other regions to the detriment of the people of the Niger Delta.According to Briggs, in the meantime, if youre blowing up pipelines, they dont care you are blowing pipelines because they are able to assess the oil and gas.The only language they understand is when everybody leaves in darkness. We dont have assess to it. I dont see why they should have assess to it.Speaking on the theme: Peace Dialogue; A tool for Niger Delta Sustainable Development, Prof. Benjamin Okaba stated that dialogue was a necessity but not a precondition for sustainable development, stressing that, We have had enough dialogue but less implementation.Okaba noted that there had been 15 documented reports for the Niger Delta region since 1958 till date.He pointed out that all the reports were presented to the government.
All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogu Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State has reaffirmed that the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as leader of the party in the state.In a statement, yesterday, by Mina Tender, William Tamuno and five others, the party said it was firmly on ground in the council, stressing that Amaechis record of achievement when he was governor of the state in the area had continued to make APC the party to beat.The party expressed hope that it will reclaim its mandate at all levels in the state, adding that the recent retraction of the Integrity Groups Livingstone Nwechie of documents allegedly manufactured against Amaechi that he tendered before anti-graft agencies was fresh confirmation that the former governor was being witch-hunted.It said: We wish to state for the records that APC is and remains the biggest party in Ogu/Bolo due to Amaechis historic developmental projects spread through all the communities in the council, while he served as governor of the state.We are confident that APC will deliver Ogu/Bolo in 2019 despite the activi-ties of disgruntled party leaders, who he helped but are now undermining him.We are reassuring Amaechi that the people of Ogu/Bolo council will never forget his developmental strides in the area.
All is now set for President Muhammadu Buharis return from the United Kingdom as State House staff has been put on standby.

All is now set for President Muhammadu Buharis return from the United Kingdom as State House staff has been put on standby.

An aide to the wife of the president hinted that Mrs Aisha Buhari might also return to Nigeria Wednesday.

President Buhari has been in the United Kingdom since May 7 undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment.

Mrs Buharis aide said: The information just reached me now from the wife of the president that everything is set for the return of Mr. President to Nigeria. Already, some of the presidents family members and security aides of madam (Aisha Buhari) have just returned from London.

The wife of the president may either leave London on Wednesday or decide to come home with the president anytime soon. We have been told to be on standby because Mr President is returning anytime soon this week.

Some staff of the State House, including security operatives, also said they got a directive yesterday, asking them to be on standby for the presidents return.

The staff, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, however added that the directive did not contain any specific date for the presidents return.

We were only instructed to be ready for the return of the president at any moment. No specific date has been mentioned to us, one of the staff said.

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, had last Tuesday quoted Buhari to have told the president of Guinea, Alpha Conde that he was making good progress and that he would return to his duties as soon as doctors advise.

Yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Buhari received a goodwill message from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).





Shehu, in a statement, quoted the CAN President, Rev Samson Ayokunle, as describing the news of Buharis recovery as a rejuvenation of hope and congratulating Nigerians on the joy of having their president back soon.

Shehu said: Such messages of goodwill from respected religious bodies like CAN meant so much at a time, when people with ill intentions were struggling to divide the country along religious lines. He also thanked the CAN for its continued prayers for the Presidents health.

The Presidency looks forward to further collaborations with CAN to ensure that Nigerians of all ethnic and religious groups benefit from the policies of the President Buhari administration which are aimed at improving the welfare of every single citizen of our great country.

Daily Trust
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai on Tuesday arrived Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in line with the directive...

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai on Tuesday arrived Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in line with the directive of the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Buratai was the first to arrive in Maiduguri among the service chiefs.





When the Army spokesperson, Brig Gen Sani Usman was called to comment on Buratais trip. He did not pick and is yet to respond to a text message sent to his mobile number





Recall that the Acting President last week ordered the service Chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri, following the fresh attacks by Boko Haram insurgents.

Details later
The Kogi State House of Assembly was on Tuesday invaded by hoodlums, who disrupted its plenary sitting and beat up members.

The Kogi State House of Assembly was on Tuesday invaded by hoodlums, who disrupted its plenary sitting and beat up members.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Speaker of the House, Alhaji Umar Imam, narrowly escaped when the hoodlums attacked.The member representing Igalamela-Odolu state constituency, Friday Sani, was however unlucky as the hoodlums beat him and inflicted serious injuries on him.Oluwatoyin Lawal (APC-Yagba West) narrowly escaped being hit by one of the big chairs hauled from the gallery into the chamber while some journalists covering the sitting were also attacked and beaten as they scampered for safety.Vehicles belonging to the lawmakers were also vandalised within the assembly complex.The gate of the complex was also locked against the speaker and this enabled the hoodlums to pelt his vehicles with stones and other objects.Responding to the development, Imam expressed shock, saying the house did not see the attack coming though a bit concerned when security agents inundated the premises in the morning.He, however said that when the police assured him that they were there to maintain peace and ensure that nothing abnormal happen, he relaxed.Imam, who told journalists that the house had adjourned indefinitely, however expressed reservation over the conduct of the policemen during the attack on the assembly.He said, We have been witnessing crises in assemblies but it had always been in-house, but this one coming from outsiders makes it news, the hoodlums came in and took over in the presence of the policemen.The business of the day was carried out with the assurances from the commissioner of police but the hoodlums had a free day in the presence of the policemen.Also reacting to the onslaught on the Assembly, Gov. Yahaya Bello said his administration would not condone any act of rascality adding, anybody that breaks the law will face the law.The governor, who spoke through the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, said security agencies had been directed to fish out the perpetrators of the house.We want to denounce insinuations that the governor is scheming for the impeachment of the speaker. The governor is not interested in instigating the impeachment of speaker.The members already passed a vote of confidence on the speaker and it is not the responsibility of the governor to install or remove speaker, he said.
To which I say: Bring it on, Buddy. If you want to do anything to either of them, you'll have to do it through me first. And I assure you that I'm not the only person you'll have to contend with. There are more than a few women as well who'll definitely teach you not to mess with them either.
An Igbo group known as Igbo Renaissance Agenda, IRA, on Monday warned that if anything happens to the leader of the Indigenous People of Bi...

An Igbo group known as Igbo Renaissance Agenda, IRA, on Monday warned that if anything happens to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nigeria would not survive it, even a minute longer.

The group issued the warning while reacting to a recent call by Arewa youths asking the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to arrest the IPOB leader for what it termed threat to national security.

Reacting to the call, IRA, in a statement by its Coordinator, Jude Ndukwe and Secretary, Amaka Ekwo, described the call as hypocritical and callous.

The group warned that the era of the North lording it over Nigerians and cowing the rest of the country into silence was long over.

IRA noted that rather than been obsessed with Kanu, Arewa group should face the cankerworm and work assiduously to tackle the menace of terrorism, abject poverty, illiteracy, disease, laziness (a vice that makes them threaten to acquire properties of Igbo by seizure) etc that ravage their region.

Clainig that the ultimate target of the Arewa youths was to see to the failure of the Acting President, IRA said, They are looking for ways of pushing Osinbajo into making monumental errors that are capable of imploding the nation so that they would turn around to say he lacks the capacity to lead thereby using that alibi to create chaos that could see him ousted and have any of their kinsmen replace him.

The statement reads, Following the call last week by the Arewa Youth Assembly to the Acting President to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for what they termed threats to national security arising from his movements in parts of his country, we, the Igbo Renaissance Agenda, IRA, wish to state that such calls are not only hypocritical and callous but also prove that the real enemies of Nigeria are the several Arewa groups being used to achieve some sinister agenda by their elders.

We are alarmed that while the dreaded Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen terrorists designated as the most dangerous and fourth most dangerous terrorist groups in the world respectively are having a field day killing innocent Nigerians almost on a daily basis especially the latest one in Maiduguri where oil explorers, university lecturers, staff of NNPC and our security agents were mowed down in cold blood, some still missing while some others were kidnapped, the concern of Arewa groups is an Nnamdi Kanu who is non-violent, never kidnapped anyone, nor requested for ransom from anybody unlike terrorist groups from Arewas enclave.

While the Arewa controlled military and other security forces keep releasing dangerous terrorists into the society in the name of de-radicalisation, they also empower them by giving them huge sums of money in exchange for kidnap victims thereby compromising the general safety and well being of law abiding Nigerians.

The non-prosecution of a good number of these criminals and their funding by Arewa-led government agencies in the name of ransom payment have the unimaginable propensity to embolden the them to carry out the kind of brazen attacks they did in Maiduguri and other places in recent days. This should be the concern of any reasonable Arewa group.

Rather than face the cankerworm and work assiduously to tackle the menace of terrorism, abject poverty, illiteracy, disease, laziness (a vice that makes them threaten to acquire properties of Igbo by seizure) etc that ravage their region, they are so obsessed with the legendary Nnamdi Kanu who has always conducted himself peacefully everywhere he goes.

We know the main objectives of the Arewa youths and their elders. We know that their other target is Osinbajo. They are looking for ways of pushing Osinbajo into making monumental errors that are capable of imploding the nation so that they would turn around to say he lacks the capacity to lead thereby using that alibi to create chaos that could see him ousted and have any of their kinsmen replace him.

This is why they stated in their vexatious release that This level of lawlessness has left us with no option than to doubt the ability of our Acting President to successfully preside over the affairs of our country. We know where they are going but we shall stop them in their tracks.

They are trying to push Osinbajo into the kind of stark indiscretion deployed by Buhari in mishandling the agitations all over the country today. The Acting President surely would not fall for such cheap trap.

Our message to the Arewa youths and their elderly sponsors is simple: we dare anyone to touch Nnamdi Kanu and see if the nation would survive it even a minute longer.

The days of lording it over Nigerians and cowing the rest of the country into silence are long over. It is a new dawn and the earlier the misguided Arewa youths and their elders know this, the better for all of us!


Kidnappers of six students of Model Secondary School, Igbonla, Epe in Lagos State have threatened to strike again if the federal government...

Kidnappers of six students of Model Secondary School, Igbonla, Epe in Lagos State have threatened to strike again if the federal government does not include them among the beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

The kidnappers, who claimed to be militants, under the auspices of Niger Delta Forest Army, said the kidnap case of the six students was their last campaign of peace as their imminent strike will be deadlier if their demands were not met.





Speaking through its Public Relations Officer, Bossman Konowei, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ondo, they said they decided to release the students because they wanted to enjoy the amnesty from the federal government.





The students kidnapped from Lagos State were released to the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, in a creek between Ajapa in Ese-Odo local government and Ugbonla in Ilaje local government of the state after 65 days.

According to Konowei, only members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are benefiting from the present amnesty programme as other militants are excluded.

We wish to bring to the notice of all Nigerians that the recent release of the six Igbonla College students who were in our custody was done for specific reasons. It is out of respect for our state, especially the Deputy Governor, Ajayi, and his Delta State counterpart, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro.

For years, the then PDP governments Amnesty programme has been handled as a baby for PDP boys to the exclusion of others, especially in Ondo State.

None of our pleas was heeded by the authorities. That is the reason we embarked on our Lagos/Ogun violent campaigns to attract attention.

We had done this for years and we are satisfied that we have made our points known.

The Igbonla College raid was an operation we carried out as a sign of our last violent campaigns if government takes the issue of amnesty for us with all seriousness.

Is it not laughable that after dropping our guns for the government, only few PDP youths benefitted to our exclusion?

We hope the federal government will not allow our period of grace to get to another level of Ondo crisis.

This is the last chance for permanent peace. We shall return deadlier if nothing is done, Konowei said.

The militants also denied reports that some of them were killed in the effort to release the students, saying the police were only trying to take the glory for nothing.

We want to use this medium to state that none of our men was killed in the build up to the release of the six students as claimed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the government of Lagos State.

We only laugh at them listening to their claims and attempt to take glory for something they knew nothing about.

We released the students to Ondo State deputy governor because we knew he will pursue amnesty for us.
by Fani-Kayode Permit me to begin this weeks contribution with a brief aside. My dear friend Major Hamza Al Mustapha was reported t...





by Fani-Kayode





Permit me to begin this weeks contribution with a brief aside. My dear friend Major Hamza Al Mustapha was reported to have said the following a few days ago:

Those who strive to keep Nigeria one find themselves as enemies of a certain category of Nigerians. I dont see those who hate to see Nigeria as one as a group but a clique that exploits the country, a clique that mismanages the future, a clique that invests in disintegration, a clique that invests in misinformation and creating division among Nigerians, a clique that promotes hatred, a clique that distorts our



history, so that when Nigerians are divided and can no longer think together, they can make gains and continue to steal from Nigerias commonwealth. But the moment you realize what they are doing and resolve to fight them, they will stop at nothing to destroy you. Any call to divide Nigeria is unacceptable.





One wonders whether these were the thoughts of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha when he was the Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha and when Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, the courageous and outspoken wife of Chief MKO Abiola the winner of the June 12th 1993 presidential election, was brutally murdered in cold blood by agents of the government that he served so diligently and with such ruthless precision.





One wonders whether she was murdered alongside many other gallant sons and daughters of the south west by the Abacha regime in the name of maintaining the national cohesion and unity that he claims to love so much. I will grant my brother Hamza the opportunity to answer this question before going any further but for now I will just say the following.

I rather think that it is the clique of those that kill with impunity, that suppress dissent, that demonise their perceived enemies, that believe that the rest of us are slaves and that believe that they were born to rule that present the greatest threat to peace and national unity in this country.





If they want peace and unity they must humble themselves and beg God and the Nigerian people for forgiveness for 103 years of cruelty, ruthless domination, arrogance, genocide and impunity.

They must get off their high horse, purge themselves of their notorious insolence and insufferable contempt and they must stop the historical distortions, the insults, the killings and the threats.

Whether Mustapha likes it or not the days when anyone will invoke the spirit of national unity and one NIgeria just to perpetuate injustice, bondage, slavery, subjugation, mass murder, genocide, ethnic and religious cleansing and core northern domination are long over.

All the insults and threats in the world cannot change that. I await his response.





Permit me to continue this contribution by stating loudly and clearly that those that have told Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB to steer clear of Lagos and Yorubaland and that have said that he must not go there for any rallies are talking bunkum.

Apart from the fact that millions of Igbos that reside in Lagos and many other parts of the south-west would welcome him with open arms and thunderous jubilation, millions of Yoruba youth would also rejoice at his coming simply because they have been inspired and stirred by his sheer courage and dedication.





To the Yoruba nationalists and believers in the right of self-determination Kanu is a hero and they not only admire him but they also revere him.

This is especially so given the fact that he has long since withdrawn and renounced many of the misconceptions and views that he once espoused and expressed about the Yoruba and their leaders before his incarceration.

Had this not been the case this writer would not and could not possibly have had as much respect and affection for him as I do.





As a matter of fact since his release he has not only stood by the Yoruba nation publicly but has also spoken up for a number of Yoruba leaders who are suffering persecution from the Federal Government and who have been issued with life-threatening and physical threats from the Arewa Youth.

Yours truly is one of those that both IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu has stood by and spoken up for consistently and I consider it to not only be an honor but also a gesture that I shall never forget and that I shall always endeavour to reciprocate.





Without any fear of contradiction, I can boldly say that this courageous young man has nothing but respect and affection for the Yoruba nation today.

He has renounced all his past comments about our people both privately and publicly and he will do so again in a big way when he comes to Lagos.

We spent a lot of time together in Kuje prison and we learnt a lot from each other whilst there. We are fighting the same cause against the same enemy.





Those that believe that he and IPOB have no friends amongst the Yoruba are misguided and misinformed. They have lost touch with reality and they are living in the past.

The truth is that IPOB has friends amongst both the elders and the youths in the south-west and, most importantly, millions of Yoruba sons and daughters share their vision of and belief in the right to exercise their God-given right of self-determination.





They crave for and believe in the establishment of Oduduwa Republic in much the same way and for the same reasons that Nnamdi and members of his IPOB crave for and believe in Biafra.

The bridge of commonality of purpose between the south west and the south east has been rebuilt and re-established and none shall ever break or burn it again. Whether anyone likes it or not, in this struggle, we are one.

I would also add this. Those in igboland and indeed throughout the south that have openly opposed, insulted and sought to chastise those gallant men and women that support the idea of restructuring our country or that consistently resist and denigrate the concept of establishing the sovereign state of Biafra are mischevous and disingenuous.





They are nothing but gutless traitors, blacklegs and turncoats that have no sense or knowledge of history and that have been contracted by the powers that be to shatter the dreams and aspirations of millions of young Igbos from within.

Worst still they are simply voicing the views and sentiments of the internal colonialists and our collective slavemasters.

These turncoats and traitors have fed fat on Nigeria and have consistently cornered the market of all that is due to the Igbo from the Federal Government for themselves over the last thirty years.





Such beneficiaries of a skewered, inequitable and unwholesome system who have no empathy for the suffering and humiliation of their own people and who cannot feel their pain forget that, with God, all things are possible.

If one million Igbo youths were slaughtered in the north or in the streets of the east by northern mobs or our security forces respectively these people would not voice a single word of protest but would instead try to defend and rationalise it.





This brings me to the meat of this essay. The Arewa Youths that demanded that the Igbo must leave the north by October 1st and that have now given the Federal Government an ultimatum to arrest Nnamdi Kanu in the next 10 days are stoking a fire that may end up consuming Nigeria.

They must be gagged, put in chains and spanked hard!





Nnamdi Kanu is a hero and his call for independence for the Igbo is legitimate and lawful. Any attempt to arrest him will have consequences.

For those that still do not believe that the Biafra phenomenon and message is here to stay and that are still guided by the erroneous notion that all is well in Nigeria I share the following.

Dr. John Dan Fulani, a cerebal and well-respected activist, human rights crusader, intellectual and academic from Southern Kaduna with a large following, has said that if Biafra is established the people of Southern Kaduna will leave Nigeria and go with them.

This unprecedented assertion and declaration has caused panic, consternation and alarm in many core northern conservative circles.





Again Professor Jerry Gana, a respected former Minister from Niger state and a reasonable, well-known and well-liked leader that has been deeply involved in politics and entrenched in the corridors of power for the last 32 years has said that if Nigeria were ever to break up the people of the Middle Belt would leave the north and go with the people of the south.

Again the Solomon Asemota SAN and T.Y. Danjuma-led Christian Elders Forum has warned the Federal Government and the Nigerian people about what they have described as a subtle and dangerous application of stealth jihad by the Federal Government in our country and what they see as an attempt to islamise Nigeria.





Again a well-organised and credible Yoruba group called the Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM) has said that it was too late for restructuring and that they want Oduduwa Republic to be established. They also threw their weight behind the establishment of Biafra.





This is the sad and sorry impasse that the ailing President Muhammadu Buhari and his cult of ecstatic cheerleaders and super worshippers have taken Nigeria in just two years.

Whilst the dangerous ethnic, religious and regional divisions in our country are getting wider by the day His Royal Highness is busy holding court in London and desperately trying to prove to the world that he is not dead, that he is much better and that he can rule our nation from a distant foreign land indefinately. What a country! What a people!





The truth is that the President and the Presidency is not meant to be a tourist attraction, a museum of old fossils or a mausoleum of decaying bodies to be viewed by curious dignitaries in a distant foreign land.

Despite the pretty group pictures with a handful of selected governors I believe that it is an act of cruelty to expect this poor and obviously very sick man to lead a nation of 180 million.

In spite of my views about his glaring incompetence and his many atrocities, weaknesses, eccentricities and shortcomings I believe that even he deserves far better than that.





My counsel, which is borne out of compassion and nothing else, still remains that he resigns and that he goes home and rests before he suffers yet another replapse and returns to nether nether land!

The truth is that the only thing that competes with our never-ending film show of do you have a President or do you not have a President in Nigeria today is the much-awaited and newly released season 7 of HBOs Game of Thrones which I watch religiously and which I enjoy enormously.

That is what the serious business of governance has been reduced to in Nigeria. Is it any wonder that CNNs Fareed Zakaria mocked us about our absentee President before hundreds of millions of viewers from all over the world just the other day?





The truth is that we deserve even worse. May God judge those that have brought us this unquantifiable and unbearable calamity and national shame.

Meanwhile I urge the wise and the discerning to pause and consider the following.

Those that dismiss the widening divisions and agitations in our country with disdain and contempt and that underestimate the resolve of those that are behind them are not only naive but they also do so at their own peril.

It is only a matter of time before something gives. I say this because national cohesion and unity can only be established, entrenched and sustained by the accommodation and toleration of dissenting views, the constant expression of love and the regular and consistent application of leadership by consensus.





It cannot be sustained by brutality, murder, injustice, lies, suppression, persecution, tyranny, manipulation, deceit, propaganda and coercion.

You cannot hold a people down by the usage of threats, the shedding of blood and the force of arms forever.

Even slaves rise up in bloody rebellion and resist tyranny when the time is right, when the wind of liberation blows and when the freedom bell tolls.

The south west, the south south and the south east yearn for that liberty and freedom and the Middle Belt craves for it.





The only thing that they are waiting for is the emergence of a set of bold, clear-thinking, inspirational and focused leaders that have the courage, the tenacity of purpose, the unrelenting fortitude and the purity of spirit to lead the struggle and to take them out of the bondage of Egypt and into the Promise land.

The bottom line is as follows: I would rather live and die as a free man in an independent Oduduwa Republic than continue to live and die as a slave in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.




Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said the Federal Government will do everything possible to ensure the release of the remaining 113 Chibo...

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said the Federal Government will do everything possible to ensure the release of the remaining 113 Chibok school girls.

Osinbajo said this on Tuesday when he received members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.





Represented by the Special Assistant to President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, Osinbajo said the government was working to bring the girls back home.





Ive been asked by the acting president to assure you of the support of the government concerning your agitation for the return of all the girls that were kidnapped by members of Boko Haram, Ojudu said.

He said he is fully with you, that he is recognising what you are doing and he is hearing you loud and clear.

On the issue of the policewomen that are being held and even concerning the girls, on a daily basis, the acting president has been meeting with security chiefs and making contacts with negotiators across the world who have helped in the past to secure those that have been released.

So we have not at any point forgotten these children who could be any of our children. The acting president has asked me to reassure you this afternoon, to tell you that he is with you and that your cries are his cries.

And the fact that we are not coming out to say what is being done is strategic and also for security reasons.

He also said I should tell you that very soon, more of the girls, if not all of them, all of them, will be brought back home.
Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has described the Chairm...

Special Assistant to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has described the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itsey Sagay as a false academician without decency who always speak like a rogue that is leading other rogues, using laws to cover their tracks.

The governors spokesman said, most students of Prof Sagay will be ashamed of the ease at which their teacher turned his back on the very principles which established his reputation, adding that; One of the major reasons for the flops in President Muhammadu Buharis anti-corruption war is the involvement of a senile round peg in a square hole character like Prof Sagay.





Reacting to Prof Sagays comment against Governor Fayoses demand for updates on President Buharis health status, Olayinka said in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, that it is painful that such a supposed experienced law teacher, could lose his respect and dignity on the altar of Aso Villas plates of jollof rice, such thathe no longer respect the rights of Nigerians to freedom of speech and of expression.





He said Governor Fayose made it clear in his conference of June 28, 2017, that President Muhammadu Buhari was on life-support and he challenged those with contrary information to prove me wrong by producing the President to Nigerians within 48 hours.





It took 29 clear days (July 26) after I threw up the challenge for credible pictures of President Buhari to be made available to Nigerians.





Reality is that it was the reason of the President being on life-support that no picture of anyone meeting him was made public until after 29 days! Even when the Acting President visited him on July 11, there was no single photograph.





One of the governors who visited President Buhari on July 26 even said his recovery was miraculous. Nothing can be more miraculous than a man being on life-support and recovering. We thank God for His miracle on our President.

People like Prof Sagay should be reminded of the fact that even though God raised Lazarus from dead, that does not take away the fact that he (Lazarus) went to the land of the dead and came back.

Speaking further, the governors aide said; Even though no one takes Prof Sagay seriously any longer, it is important that he is told to desist from dancing naked in the market place at all times and presenting himself as all-knowing.

As is characteristic of court jesters and lackeys; each time Prof Sagay opens his mouth, he mis-jives, making more enemies than friends for the government of which he is a part.

He has debased himself by abusing even justices of the Supreme Court and deriding the legal profession that gave rise to him. What he lacks in robust productiveness of the law and the carriage of a learned fellow, Sagay has sufficiently made up for in notoriety and loquaciousness unbecoming of a senior citizen of his age.

Obviously, the man has become senile and of what use is a man whose brains appeared to have entered menopause?





He said it was regrettable that tax-payers money was being wasted to sustain Prof Sagay in office, affording him a life of opulence with no commensurate contributions to the society, apart from his blinded and shameless defence of the source of his plates of jollof rice.

According to Olayinka; right under the nose of Prof Sagay, the massive corruption going on in the so-called anti-corruption government will marvel the notorious Oyenusi if he were to be alive.





Only recently, a highly respected international anti-corruption watch-dog, Transparency International, exposed the mind-boggling corruption in the top echelon of the military as well as the Presidency which has compromised the effective prosecution of the war against Boko Haram.





Sagay cannot pretend not to know this. Rather than be forthright enough to counsel probity or fashion out a winning formula that will do service and justice to the nation, he has busied himself with the bones and crumbs thrown at him by his masters. This is shameful!





While maintaining that Governor Fayose will continue to speak his mind on issues affecting the well-being of Nigeria and its people, the governors aide said; If the likes of Prof Sagay, at over 70 years have chosen to mortgage their conscience because of what to eat, Governor Fayose will not.
President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has pledged the commitment of the 8th Senate to reposition the Almajiri Islamic Education System in the northern part of the country.Saraki spoke Tuesday in Abuja when a delegation from the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) and conveners of a proposed National Conference on Almajiri Phenomenon in Northern Nigeria, led by the Executive Secretary of the CCC and chairman, organizing committee of the confab, Air Commodore Anas Yusuf (retd), visited him at the National Assembly.According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, the President of the Senate, who lamented the abuse of the concept of Almajiri Islamic Education, said that the system was aimed at imparting sound Islamic education to the youth.The President of the Senate, while reiterating the noble ideals behind the Almajiri Educational system said: We all know that in the past, it used to be a system that produced a lot of scholars and jurists in the past. But what we have now is not the initial idea in setting it up. It has been abused and has now become a breeding ground for activities that are inimical to our developmental goals, particularly in the North and the Nigeria in general.So, the Conference you are organizing with the aim of looking at the socio-political implications of the Almajiri phenomena that we have now, requires a collective approach that will help remove the abuse and make it very commendable.Let me assure you that the 8th Senate will like to partner with you in ensuring that the Conference is successful and to come up with the roadmap that will further strengthen the efforts being made to reposition the system by different States in the country, the President of the Senate said.He however tasked members of the organizing committee of the proposed National Conference on Almajiri Phenomenon in Northern Nigeria to look into ways to domesticate the Childs Right Act in some of the northern states, stating that already he has met with some Speakers of some Northern States Houses of Assembly on the matter.Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the CCC and Chairman, organizing Committee of the Proposed National Conference on the Almajiri Phenomenon in Northern Nigeria, Air Commodore Anas Yusuf (retd), lamented the plight of Almajiri in the north and the attendant socio-political consequences.He said that this has continued to pose a serious security challenge and danger which need to be tackled headlong.It is common knowledge that the Boko Haram terror group found willing recruits from some of these poor Almajiris. Nevertheless, since we know that the Almajiris of today as members of the society will be part of the leaders of tomorrow, it therefore behooves on the leadership in the Northern Nigeria to tackle this neglected and challenging phenomenon. It is often said A stitch in time saves nine, he explained.He lamented that the current demographic estimates have put the number of the Almajiris in the Northern Nigeria at about 10 million youth, noting that a couple of states in the north had individually held separate seminars towards addressing the issue.However, he said that the Almajiri Phenomenon requires a more holistic approach in tackling the situation beyond individual state level, therefore the need for the conference to address the issues.The post Senate partners CCC to reposition Almajiri education system appeared first on Vanguard News.
Detectives from the Lagos State Police Command have arrested the Baale of Ipakodo, Alhaji Tijani Awoyemi as well as three others for thei...

Detectives from the Lagos State Police Command have arrested the Baale of Ipakodo, Alhaji Tijani Awoyemi as well as three others for their alleged involvement in the murder of four family members on Sunday at Ibeshe area of Ikorodu.

Those arrested along with the traditional ruler are Junior Christian, Owoyemi Bamidele and Alhaji Alaka Abayomi

The deceased were found dead in the house located in an isolated area of a bush at Ibeshe by some neighbours on Sunday morning.

It was gathered that the assailants allegedly enter the apartment by cutting their way through the window.

Meanwhile, the command uncovered the deadly shrine in the area believed to be the domain of the dreaded Badoo cult group after it had a high powered security meeting with the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Imota Division.

The operation which was carried out in the early hours of yesterday, was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Imohinmi Edgal.

Baale of Ipakodo, Alhaji Tijani Awoyemi was arrested for allowing his domain to be used as a den for ritual shrines while Alhaji Alaka was said to be the owner of the shrine.

A policeman who took part in the arrest said, We have arrested the owner of the shrines located in the thick forest of Agboowa, Ikorodu. We have also arrested three others, including the operator of the shrines. They are the major suspects in yesterdays incident.

The Lagos State Police boss, Fatai Owoseni who confirmed the arrest reiterated his earlier warning to Lagos residents against living in isolated and unsafe areas where they might be vulnerable to attacks by hoodlums and cultists.




DALLAS, July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Park Place Energy Inc. (OTCQB:PKPL) (Park Place or the Company) announces that on July 17, 2017, Scott C. Larsen resigned as President and CEO of the Company and as a Director from the Board of Directors. In addition, on that same date, the following officers resigned their positions: Chas Michel resigned as Chief Financial Officer, David Campbell resigned as Vice President-Exploration and Francis M. Munchinski resigned as Corporate Secretary and Treasurer. Each of these officers also resigned from all capacities including their respective positions as officers and directors of the Park Place subsidiaries. The Company would like to thank Mr. Larsen, Mr. Michel, Mr. Campbell and Mr. Munchinski for their work and dedication.



The Dallas, Texas office will close August 31, 2017. The Companys activities are focused in Eastern Europe and Turkey. It currently has offices in Ankara, Turkey and Sofia, Bulgaria.

Dr. Arthur Halleran (Ph.D. Geology) has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, David Thompson as Chief Financial Officer and Ijaz Khan as Corporate Secretary and Treasurer.

Dr. Halleran has 37 years of petroleum exploration and development experience predominantly international. In 2007, Dr. Halleran founded Canacol Energy Ltd., a company with petroleum and natural gas exploration and development activities in Colombia, Brazil and Guyana. Dr. Halleran was one of the original United Hydrocarbon International personnel that raised the initial investment capital to acquire the lucrative oil parcels in Chad, Africa. Dr. Halleran has been a director and technical advisor to Park Place since 2011 and is very familiar with Park Places business; this will ensure a smooth transition of management.

David M. Thompson, the Companys new Chief Financial Officer, has over 30 years financial experience in the oil and gas industry. He founded a Bermuda oil trading company in with offices in the U.S. and Europe. He was responsible for the companys production operations in Turkmenistan and successfully raised over $100 million in equity and negotiated the farm-out of a number of company assets. Mr. Thompson is Managing Director of AMS Limited; a Bermuda based Management Company. In the past he served as Founder, President and CEO of Sea Dragon Energy Inc., Chief Financial Officer of Aurado Energy, Chief Financial Officer of Forum Energy Corporation, Financial Director of Forum Energy Plc and Senior Vice President at Larmag Group of Companies. Mr. Thompson is a CPA (1998).

Ijaz Khan, the Companys new Secretary/Treasurer, was formerly general counsel for Kuwait Gulf Oil Company and Vice President, Special Projects, for United Hydrocarbon International Corp. Mr. Khan holds a law degree from Seattle University School of Law and formerly practiced law with the law firm of Mussehl and Khan. Mr. Khan has extensive international experience in the oil and gas industry.

Dr. Halleran, the Companys new President and CEO, stated: Park Place Energy has excellent gas and oil production from its Turkey assets. The Dallas, Texas office closing is the first step in re-aligning company expenditures with production revenue. The new management will be looking at ways to reduce G&A and OPEX costs and increase production revenue.

About Park Place Energy Inc.

Park Place energy Inc. is an energy company engaged in the exploration of oil and natural gas. For further information, please see our website: www.parkplaceenergy.com or email us: contact@parkplaceenergy.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.

This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Companys business and prospects, as well as managements beliefs, and certain assumptions made by management. Words such as anticipates, expects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, may, should, will and variations of these words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements speak only as of the date hereof and are subject to change. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Companys expansion and business strategies and anticipated growth opportunities and the amount of fundraising necessary to achieve it. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors include operational and geological risks, the ability of the Company to raise necessary funds for exploration; the fact that the Company does not operate all its properties; changes in law or governmental regulations, including tax and environmental requirements; the outcome of commercial negotiations; changes in technical or operating conditions; and other factors discussed from time to time in the Companys Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K.
NEWARK -- Two more members of a crew that placed skimming devices and pinhole cameras on bank ATMs in New Jersey to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars have admitted their roles in the scheme, authorities said.

Stefan Dumitru, 29, of Queens, N.Y, and Florian Calin Crainic, 47, of Des Plaines, Illl., pleaded guilty in federal court last week to one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

Seven of their 11 associates have previously been convicted. The group stole $428,581 between March 2015 and July 2016.

Dumitru and Crainic illegally obtained customer information, including account numbers and personal identification numbers and then made unauthorized withdrawals after creating counterfeit ATM cards.

Crainic was responsible for Bank of America customers suffering $50,519 in losses, according to charging documents. He also targeted PNC Banks.

Dumitru cost Bank of America customers $108,821. Other banks hit were PNC Bank, Wells Fargo and Valley National, court papers said.

Both face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine when they are sentenced Nov. 6.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
LITTLE EGG HARBOR -- A township couple was indicted Monday on charges of conspiracy and money laundering for allegedly bilking Hurricane Sandy victims out of nearly $1 million in relief funds.

Jeffrey Colmyer, 41, and Tiffany Cimino, 33, are accused of using their home improvement companies, Rayne Construction Management Services and Colmyer & Sons, to take more than $1 million in construction jobs that they failed to complete or even start, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced in a statement.

In turn, the statement said, the couple used $700,000 to gamble at casinos in Atlantic City and purchase personal items. In one case, Cimino used the funds to buy a $17,000 diamond ring, authorities said.

Most of the relief funds came from the state's Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation program, better known as the RREM program. Through the RREM program, homeowners are able to receive grants up to $150,000 to help rebuild their Sandy-ravaged houses.

In New Jersey, authorities have charged nearly 100 individuals with fraud related to Sandy relief funds. Porrino called this case "the most egregious" his office has seen.

Colmyer and Cimino, who were arrested in October 2016, were charged with conspiracy, money laundering, tampering with public records or information, failure to make required disposition of property received, misconduct by a corporate official and other offenses related to filing fraudulent tax returns.

Both defendants are out of jail after each posted $150,000 bail.

The state Division of Community Affairs has given out an additional $776,000 in federal relief funds to the victims to hire new contractors.

If convicted of the most serious charges, Colmyer and Comino face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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BEACHWOOD -- A leader for a youth church group was charged Tuesday with possessing and distributing child pornography, officials said.

Anthony Mauro, 45, of Beachwood. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office)

Anthony Mauro, 45, of Beachwood, was arrested Tuesday morning at a residence on Compass Avenue, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato said in a statement.

A search of the residence turned up more than 100 movies and images of child pornography, Coronato said.

Mauro is believed to be a volunteer Youth Team leader for the Saint Barnabas Catholic Church in Bayville, according to the statement. But, Coronato said, "the investigation has not developed any connection" between the charges and his volunteer position.

Maura is charged with possession of child pornography, a third-degree crime, and one count of distribution of child pornography, a second-degree offense.

Authorities asked anyone with information to call Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Detective Kaitlin Mantle at 732-929-2027 ext. 2740.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Guernsey, 1 August 2017 - Eurocastle Investment Limited ("Eurocastle" or the "Company") today announces the closing of the FINO NPL portfolio. Eurocastle, together with Fortress affiliates, acquired a 50.1% interest on the substantial majority of a 17.7 billion NPL portfolio sold by UniCredit; UniCredit holds the remaining 49.9% stake. Through a structured transaction, Eurocastle made an equity investment of 44 million including closing costs, and net of cash collections which were higher than our initial underwriting. doBank previously serviced substantially all of the FINO portfolio on behalf of UniCredit and will continue to service the portfolio.

In addition, the Company announces that it is rescheduling the release of its second quarter financial results for the quarter ended 30 June 2017 to Friday, August 4, 2017 before the market opens. In addition, management will host an earnings conference call at 1:00 P.M. London time (8:00 A.M. New York time) later that day. All interested parties are welcome to participate on the live call. You can access the conference call by dialing first +1-800-215-5243 (from within the U.S.) or +1-330-863-8154 (from outside of the U.S.) ten minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call; please reference "Eurocastle Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Call or conference ID number 54172236".

A webcast of the conference call will be available to the public on a listen-only basis at www.eurocastleinv.com. Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the necessary software required to listen to the internet broadcast. A replay of the webcast will be available for three months following the call.

For those who are not available to listen to the live call, a replay will be available until 11:59 P.M. New York time on Monday, 4 September 2017 by dialing +1-855-859-2056 (from within the U.S.) or +1-404- 537-3406 (from outside of the U.S.); please reference access code "54172236".

ABOUT EUROCASTLE

Eurocastle Investment Limited is a publicly traded closed-ended investment company that focuses on investing in performing and non-performing loans and other real estate related assets primarily in Italy. The Company is Euro denominated and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam under the symbol "ECT". Eurocastle is managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading global investment manager. For more information regarding Eurocastle Investment Limited and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.eurocastleinv.com.
By Jeff Tittel

While President Trump has declared war on the environment, NJ can stand up to him. There are many things our state can do to protect our public health and environment. While Trump tries to roll back critical protections, NJ can do the opposite.

Our governor can fight back by moving forward against climate change and putting in stronger protections for our environment, air and water. He can appoint an Attorney General that will join other states to sue against Trump's rollbacks. He can appoint a new DEP Commissioner to rewrite important rules and restore morale and confidence in the agency. We can build a green wall around NJ to protect us from Trump's environmental rollbacks.

Trump is a climate-denier who has pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement and rolled back the Obama-era Clean Power Plan and climate protections. NJ can move forward by rejoining RGGI and making sure we have stricter environmental standards than the federal level.

While Trump is rolling back the CAFE standards, we can promote Electric Vehicles. We can pass legislation to have NJ meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, like Hawaii has done, and set goals of 100% renewable energy by 2050. We can implement the Global Warming Response Act. Currently, S3317 (Smith) requires NJ to join U.S. Climate Alliance to uphold Paris Climate Accord.

While the Trump Administration is weakening and eliminating many environmental regulations and standards, NJ can block many of these efforts. We're currently working with Legislators to introduce the Defend NJ Act: a package of bills to defend against Trump's rollbacks in NJ. These include A5104 (Eustace), which prohibits the DEP from making regulations less stringent that federal levels and A5105 (Eustace), that gives NJ the right of first refusal if Trump tries to sell, lease, or privatize NJ federal lands. These will allow us to protect the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and more from federal rollbacks. The next governor can also roll back Christie's Executive Order 2 saying we can't have rules stricter than the federal government.

With the proposed severe cuts to the EPA budget, we could lose significant funding. NJ may have to come up with new sources of revenue to make up for those shortfalls. We must stop Christie's robbing of settlements such as Passaic River or Exxon by dedicating those funds on the ballot. We need to do the same thing with clean energy with SCR151 (Smith) so Clean Energy Fund money actually goes for energy efficiency and not to plug holes in the budget.

The next governor will have to not only reverse Christie's rollbacks, but restore rules such as Flood Hazard, Water Quality Planning, and Wetland Rules. We also need to update the Water Supply Master Plan so that is based on the most available science and data. We need to appoint appropriate members to councils and commissions who will work to protect our environment and our drinking water.

Gov. Christie has been pushing for dirty fossil fuel infrastructure including pipelines and power plants. We need to stop these projects from crisscrossing our state. The next Governor can ban fracking in the Delaware Valley and put a moratorium on pipelines and block LNG terminals. They can implement offshore wind programs, putting in place 3500 megawatts so we can have wind mills instead of oil wells. We can also expand our Renewable Energy Portfolio to increase solar power. Trump wants to open our waters for offshore drilling. We can block this by suing such as other states are doing. We can increase liability in case of a spill and we can block pipelines from offshore drilling from going through state waters into coastal land.

NJ has been decimated by climate change including sea level rise and storm events and we need to address that. Another Sandy event is seventeen times more likely to happen again. Places like the Meadowlands, Hoboken, back bays and the Barrier Islands are already going under water. The next governor will need to reopen the Office of Climate Change and DEP's Coastal Program for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation. We need to close the CAFRA loophole and have better coastal planning in place. We need to be sure we're ready for the next storm.

We used to be a national leader on the environment before Chris Christie came along. We can become a leader once again, standing up to Trump and moving our state forward. There are many things we can do to make sure that our public health and environment are protected under the next governor. The day he announced us withdrawing from Paris, NJ closed two coal plants. No matter what the fossil fool in the White House says, we can stop those rollbacks from affecting us here in NJ and move us forward environmentally. We need a governor who will make our environment Green Again.

Jeff Tittel is director of the N.J. Sierra Club.

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TRENTON -- Just weeks after a state government shutdown ruined many family vacations over the July 4 holiday weekend and Gov. Chris Christie sparked controversy for lounging on a state beach that was closed to the public, New Jersey lawmakers took steps Monday to prevent a repeat of both scenarios.

During a rare summer voting session, the state Assembly voted 67-0 to pass a bill that would keep state parks and other sites open to the public for a week if the government ever shuts down again.

The Assembly also voted 63-2, with two abstentions, to pass a separate measure that would ban any New Jersey governor from using the governor's state-owned beach house at Island Beach State Park during future shutdowns.

Both bills still need to be debated and approved by the state Senate, the Legislature's upper house, before they reach Christie's desk. It's unclear if the Republican governor would approve either of the measures.

Christie ordered the shutdown as the clock struck midnight July 1 after a dispute caused lawmakers to miss the constitutionally mandated deadline to pass a balanced state budget. State parks and beaches and "nonessential" offices were closed for three days before lawmakers reached an agreement just before midnight July 4.

That weekend, Christie drew sharp criticism -- and national headlines -- after NJ Advance Media published photos of him sitting on the sand with family and friends outside the governor's house during a birthday celebration for his son at Island Beach State Park, one of the beaches that was off-limits to the public.

Christie refused to apologize for the incident, arguing that he was keeping a promise to his family and that he announced beforehand he would be at the beach house. He said the media simply "caught a politician keeping his word."

But Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), a frequent Christie critic, introduced the beach house bill (A5132) to make sure this doesn't happen again.

"If a beach is closed because of a state shutdown, it ought to be closed to everybody," Wisniewski said. "Having it open to the governor and his guests while it's closed to all the other New Jersey residents who are paying for them to be there isn't right and it isn't fair."

Under the legislation, the governor would still be allowed to use Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, during a shutdown.

The other measure (A5128/S3430) would keep state parks, beaches, forests, recreation areas, and historic sites open for the first seven days of a shutdown.

"While families were being asked to vacate their camping trips at state parks on a national holiday weekend, the governor took the opportunity to enjoy a state-owned beach front property," said Assemblyman John McKeon (D- Essex), a sponsor. "Families were grossly inconvenienced by the unexpected government shutdown, and that should never happen again."

Most of the sponsors of the bills are Democrats. But one Republican, Assemblyman Parker Space of Sussex County, co-sponsored the parks measure.

Both bills were expected to pass the Assembly, which, like the Senate, is controlled by Democrats.

But surprisingly, only four Republicans opposed the beach house legislation. BettyLou DeCroce (R-Morris) and Kevin Rooney (R-Bergen) voted no and Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) and Joe Howarth (R-Burlington) abstained.

"I hate to use this word, but I think they would even agree the optics of the governor going down there in the midst of a shutdown looks bad," Wisniewski said.

Bramnick, a Christie ally, said the bill was "pure politics."

"You're in the middle of the summer, you're down here, and those are the things you're voting on?" he asked. "That doesn't affect people's lives day to day."

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump should declare a national emergency and put the federal government fully behind efforts to curb opioid addiction, according to a preliminary report by the commission chaired by Gov. Chris Christie.

"By declaring this state of emergency, the president will be putting the full weight of his office behind this issue," said Christie, chairman of the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.

Christie said 142 Americans die every day from a drug overdose.

"To say we have a crisis here is an understatement," he said. "We are having our citizens die every day."

Christie, who has made addressing the opioid crisis the centerpiece of his final year as New Jersey governor, said a final report would be issued this fall, but the panel wanted to make some recommendations now that can be put into place quickly.

The report recommended that the Trump administration allow all 50 states to use Medicaid funds for treatment in facilities with more than 16 beds, now prohibited under the program.

"This is leaving thousands of beds empty across the country," Christie said. "These beds don't need to be built. They're already there."

The commission also sought better training for physicians who prescribe opiates, including a requirement that they discuss the risks with their patients.

Four of every five heroin addicts began by using prescribed opiates, not by buying drug off the streets, the report said.

"While we acknowledge that some of this inappropriate overprescribing is done illegally and for profit, we believe the overwhelming percentage is due to a lack of education on these issues in our nation's medical and dental schools and a dearth of continuing medical education for practicing clinicians," the report said.

"This can and must be solved by using presidential moral and legal authority to change this lack of education leading to addiction and death."

Other recommendations include:

-- Working with the pharmaceutical industry to develop non-opiate pain medicines and new drugs to help treat addiction;

-- Data sharing between federal and state agencies to track patients' use of opiates; expanding the use of current medication assisted treatments, including requiring licensed facilities to use all approved treatments;

-- Having all law enforcement officers carry naloxone, which can treat overdoses.

Senate Democrats, including U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), recently complained about delays in the commission issuing its first report.

They also said Trump was hindering efforts to curb opioid addiction by supporting Republican health care legislation that would leave more than 20 million additional Americans without insurance and proposing to cut $400 million from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration programs.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Cory Booker says marijuana should be legal in America.

The New Jersey Democrat on Tuesday introduced legislation that would legalize pot at the federal level, reversing decades of national policy.

Booker (D-N.J.) said current drug laws disproportionately hurt minority communities. His action comes as states have begun to legalize the drug.

"Our country's drug laws are badly broken and need to be fixed," Booker said.

"They don't make our communities any safer - instead they divert critical resources from fighting violent crimes, tear families apart, unfairly impact low-income communities and communities of color, and waste billions in taxpayer dollars each year."

His Marijuana Justice Act also would provide federal incentives to states to change their marijuana laws if they were shown to disproportionately hurt low-income individuals or people of color.

In addition, people already convicted of marijuana-related crimes could have their sentences reviewed by a judge.

"Descheduling marijuana and applying that change retroactively to people currently serving time for marijuana offenses is a necessary step in correcting this unjust system," Booker said.

"States have so far led the way in reforming our criminal justice system and it's about time the federal government catches up and begins to assert leadership."

Booker said more than half of all drug arrests involve marijuana, and blacks are almost four times more likely to be arrested than whites. even though marijuana use is the same.

More people have been arrested for possession of marijuana possession than for than for armed robbery, murder and sexual assault combined, he said.

Unlike his earlier efforts to overhaul federal criminal justice laws, Booker's measure was introduced without a Republican sponsor in a chamber controlled by the opposite party -- and thus has little chance of passing.

Nearly two a dozen states, including New Jersey, have legalized medical marijuana. In addition, voters have approved recreational marijuana in Alaska, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Washington, Washington D.C., Colorado, Nevada and Oregon.

In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie has opposed legalizing recreational marijuana, but state Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) has introduced legislation to do so.

Currently, marijuana is only legal for medical treatment of a tightly regulated group of ailments and sold at just a handful of dispensaries around the state.

Christie, a former federal prosecutor who has resisted any effort to decriminalize the drug in New Jersey, has called Scutari's plan "stupid."

President Donald Trump and his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, have talked about stepping up enforcement of drug laws rather than considering alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders.

In March 2015, Booker introduced legislation to prevent the federal government from enforcing marijuana laws in the states that have approved the use of the drug for medicinal purposes.

The legislation would have reclassified marijuana, which is now considered under federal law to be a dangerous drug with no medicinal value. The bill would make it easier for researchers to study its medicinal value.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
TRENTON -- State workers will receive back pay for the time they missed during New Jersey's July government shutdown.

Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday signed the retroactive pay legislation, offering faint praise to the legislative leaders he had blamed for shuttering state parks and government offices.

"This bill justly reinstates the pay lost by our hardworking rank-and-file state workers who were not at fault for the three-day government closure that disrupted services and inconvenienced our citizens when the adoption of a fiscal 2018 budget stalled in the Legislature," Christie said in a statement.

Both the state Senate and Assembly returned from the campaign trail In July for rare summer sessions to pass the bill (S3422) restoring pay to furloughed workers.

Between 30,000 and 35,000 state employees deemed nonessential to government operations lost one to three days of work, depending on their work site, as a budget impasse threw the state into a government shutdown.

State recreation sites, motor vehicle offices, state courthouses and other state offices were closed. "Essential" operations, such as New Jersey State Police, prisons and the state lottery, were kept open.

As a shutdown loomed on June 30, Christie warned state employees shouldn't bank on receiving retroactive pay as they did after the first-ever state government shutdown in 2006.

"Don't count on it," Christie said at a news conference, fewer than 12 hours before he would order government services shut down, even though former Gov. Jon Corzine had done that in the 2006 shutdown. "That was Jon 'I'll fight for a good contract for you' Corzine. I ain't him," he said.

Once services resumed, Christie and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) quarreled over retroactive pay.

Prieto requested Christie use his executive authority to make the payments out of money already appropriated in the budget. Christie said that would be unlawful, but agreed to promptly sign a back pay bill that comes out of the Legislature.

The Assembly passed the bill Monday. The Senate had passed it earlier earlier in July.

"It's unfortunate that Gov. Christie made state workers wait needlessly for so long for their pay, but at least he took time to sign this bill," Prieto said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

"The governor should have used his clear authority to pay workers immediately from the money included in the state budget, as I suggested, but he instead chose to play politics with people's lives."

Bill sponsors argued many state employees live paycheck-to-paycheck and would struggle with the lost income.

In a statement, Christie said Tuesday the law will take effect "immediately," and the Treasury Department will get to work on the reimbursements "as quickly as possible."

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
TRENTON -- Prosecutors do not have to present live witnesses when trying to convince a judge to throw someone in jail under New Jersey's new criminal justice system, the state's highest court ruled on Tuesday.

The New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously rejected arguments from public defenders and civil liberties advocates that the constitution guaranteed criminal defendants the right to confront witnesses at hearings that determine whether they should be held until trial.

The case was the latest to tackle a technical but high-stakes issue raised by New Jersey's massive criminal justice system overhaul, which eliminated cash bail for most defendants.

It involved an arrest in Camden just over an hour after the new system took effect.

According to court records, police saw Amed Ingram wielding a .45 caliber handgun at 1:08 a.m. that day and arrested him on weapons charges including possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.

In court documents, police provided few details about the circumstances of the arrest other than to say they saw Ingram holding the gun.

In a section meant to describe how police became aware of the underlying facts of the arrest, a police officer wrote simply "officer observations." In another document, the officer wrote that he had recovered shell casings from the scene and a second officer also saw the incident.

Ingram also had a lengthy criminal record and received the highest possible score on a public safety assessment, a tool used by the courts to gauge a defendant's potential risk of flight and danger to the community.

Under the new system, if prosecutors want a judge to lock someone up until trial, they have to hold a detention hearing within 48 hours. At that hearing, public defenders argued Ingram had a right to confront the witnesses testifying against him, which in this case were the police officers themselves.

A trial judge said it was not necessary for the police officers themselves to show up in court, and public defenders appealed, but an appellate panel also sided with prosecutors.

While the right to confront witnesses at trial is well-established in constitutional law, the question is less clear at a detention hearing, where the burden of proof is lower because the judge is deciding only whether to lock someone up until trial.

"We think the decision to lock someone up is a critical one, especially before they've been convicted of anything," said Alexander Shalom, senior staff attorney at the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which joined public defenders in their appeal.

In court papers, state prosecutors argued the tight timeline of the pretrial hearings would mean live witnesses -- including, in some cases, victims of crimes -- would have to make court appearances in short order in nearly every case, creating "an extraordinary burden on the criminal justice system."

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, writing for the court, held that the underlying documents supporting the state's case was enough for a pretrial hearing, citing case law in the federal courts to support the justices' decision.

Rabner wrote that law enforcement should provide more details in their filings to support having a defendant jailed, but that police don't have to follow "a mathematical formula" in writing their reports.

The justices also held that individual judges can order witnesses be called if they aren't convinced by the state's case.

State Attorney General Christopher Porrino praised the ruling, saying it prevented the "harassment and intimidation of victims and witnesses who would otherwise have to come to court to testify and be cross-examined within days of the crime."

Joseph Krakora, the state public defender, said he was "disappointed" with the decision but "heartened" that the justices provided new guidelines for police so their court filings "comport with basic principles of due process."

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
PITTSGROVE TWP. -- All of the tools used by a South Jersey organization to build homes for the needy have been stolen from a construction site, officials say.

"Just the fact that someone would steal from a non-profit is pretty low," said Sue Ann Leighty, executive director of the Salem County Chapter of Habitat For Humanity.

The theft was discovered Monday when volunteers returned to a construction site on Gerhsal Avenue in Pittsgrove Township where two new Habitat homes are under construction.

A heavy-duty lock was broken on the construction box trailer and more than $4,000 worth of tools taken, Leighty said. The items ranged from various saws and drills to impact drivers, chargers and wrenches.

"Every single power tool we had they took," said Shainna Waddington, manager of Habitat For Humanity's ReStore in Carneys Point Township. "Any kind of tool you would need for construction."

Many of the tools, the Ryobi brand, are clearly marked with Habitat's initials -- "HFHSC," Waddington said.

"It took an effort to break into this trailer," Waddington said. "They were really determined."

Some of the tools stolen belonged to Habitat's "key volunteers," Leighty said.

Many of the tools had just been purchased in the spring, thanks to a grant, according to Leighty. Now, she said, the organization must rebuild its supply.

Leighty said New Jersey State Police who patrol the Pittsgrove Township area have been alerted to the theft and are investigating.

Habitat's mission is to provide affordable housing to those who would otherwise not afford to buy a home of their own. The faith-based organization provides a hand up, not a handout, organizers say. The mortgages are typically less than the homeowners paid for rent.

The Habitat organization enlists its own volunteers and those from the community to help in the home-building effort - including the future homeowners. Many companies also donate construction materials to the cause.

The oldest chapter of Habitat For Humanity in New Jersey, the Salem County affiliate has constructed more than 41 homes in the county since its founding in 1982. Along with building new homes, Habitat also makes home improvements and builds ramps to improve accessibility for the needy.

"This is a big setback to us, but obviously it is not going to stop us from what we do," Leighty said.

The two homes in Pittsgrove from where the tools were stolen are nearing completion and being ready for new families to move in there.

Leighty said anyone interested in helping Habitat replenish its tool supply can contact her at 856-299-7995 or via email at schabitat@mail.com.

Leighty said she has a list of what is needed. "A used tool is as good as a new one," she noted.

Those wanting to help can also send donations in care of the Salem Health & Wellness Foundation, 91-A South Virginia Ave., Penns Grove, NJ 08069 and note the money is for Habitat. The Health and Wellness Foundation will match dollar-for-dollar every donation, Leighty said.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
In this feature, which appears each week, a photo from Salem County (along with a large number of other historic local photos in an earlier gallery) and local history tidbits taken from newspapers of a century ago are highlighted.

SALEM COUNTY PICTURE FROM THE PAST

This vintage photo of Salem County shows the Cunard ocean liner, the Queen Elizabeth 2, heading up the Delaware River toward the Delaware Memorial Bridge on Nov. 13, 1987. The liner, seen in this photograph taken from the Pennsville shoreline, was en route north to a docking in Philadelphia. The luxury liner, known simply as the QE 2, sailed from 1969 through 2008. After its time of service, the ship was sold and at last report was docked in the United Arab Emirates. (Times File Photo)

SALEM COUNTY HISTORY

Looking back 100 years ago in Salem County for this week in 1917, these news items were included in the Salem Sunbeam.

*

Commodore Wm. M. Waddington has sold his cruiser, "Opeechee," to the U.S. government and delivery is to be made at League Island by Aug. 6.

The Methodists of Harrisonville are preparing for the annual harvest home festival on Aug. 15.

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Members of the police force of Penns Grove look very nice in their new summer uniforms.

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Many more carpenters are now employed by the DuPont Co. to erect buildings at Deep Water Point for the dye factory and store houses near the Carneys Point Powder Works.

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The hot sun this week has destroyed a large part of the tomato crop in the Pennsville area. The tomatoes were blistered which caused them to rot.

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Winnie S. Banks is now operating a laundry route in Salem City. The headquarters are in the Stiles' Candy Store on West Broadway.

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The Salem County Farmers' Picnic will be held at Riverview Beach in Pennsville on Aug. 16.

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Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
John Degnan, the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey resigned Tuesday morning, and former state Senator Kevin O'Toole has been named as his replacement.

Also, as part of the sweeping move that shakes up the leadership of the transportation behemoth, Rick Cotton, special counsel to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was named executive director.

In a letter to Gov. Chris Christie and Cuomo, Degnan said his resignation is effective on Aug. 3.

"John Degnan's leadership at the Port Authority will be remembered as a period when transparency and public access were greatly enhanced, and the agency recommitted itself to a core mission of transportation infrastructure, " Christie said in a statement.

Christie said O'Toole, who was named to the authority's board in March, is "the right person at the right time" as the Port Authority oversees construction and planning of the Gateway Project to build two new commuter rail tunnels under the Hudson, a new Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River in Kearny, an annex to Penn Station and other improvements.

In his letter, Degnan said he did not intend to serve on the board longer than Christie's tenure as governor, a plan he said he outlined to Christie when the governor nominated him in April 2014.

"I believe this is the appropriate time for me to depart and for new leadership to guide the Port Authority through the many challenges it faces in the next several years," Degnan wrote.

Degnan's resignation could end a border war between New Jersey and Cuomo over plans to build a new Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

The remainder of Degnan's two-page letter lists his accomplishments. One of his first acts as chairman was to allocate $90 million to fix leaking ceilings, ventilation problems and improve wifi service.

Degnan also played a major role in reforming the agency and how it is run, which included eliminating a director appointed by New Jersey's governor and a deputy director's named by New York's, and having the board chairman position rotate between the two states.

While Degnan expressed frustration in his letter that some reforms are stalled, he said other steps have been taken to improve transparency and ethics at the agency, which was rocked by the Bridgegate lane closure scandal before Degnan arrived.

Cotton replaces Executive Director Patrick Foye, who was appointed Executive Director by Cuomo in 2011 and announced he would resign in August 2016 after he wasn't named as the agency's first CEO.

He has stayed on in an interim position while the CEO search continues. Both Christie and Cuomo said naming a permanent CEO will be Cotton and O'Toole's top priority.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


PLAINFIELD -- Authorities have arrested 36 members of three rival drug trafficking rings, including five alleged MS-13 gang members, as part of an eight-month investigation, police said.

Police seized more than 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, more than 2 ounces of heroin, marijuana and more than $35,000 cash as part of the investigation dubbed "Operation Snow Bank," State Police said.

More than a dozen law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation, which began in December 2016 and targeted cocaine trafficking organizations in Plainfield.

Detectives executed the search warrants over three days in late July at numerous locations in Plainfield, seizing drugs and cash.

The 36 people arrested in Operation Snow Bank. (Photo provided by State Police)

Those arrested were part of three rival drug trafficking rings headed by Plainfield residents Andres Hernandez-Diaz, 46; Julian Mirambeaux-Olivarez, 46; and Manuel Castillo-Concepcion, 37, police said.

Hernandez-Diaz is accused of coordinating cocaine distribution from the Bronx, N.Y., into Plainfield, in which members of his trafficking network used an apartment in New York City to prepare and package the drug for distribution into Plainfield, police said. During one month, the group distributed more than 2,000 grams into the city, authorities said.

Mirambeaux-Olivarez is accused of operating his network in Plainfield by using "runners" for distribution, authorities said. During the investigation, detectives said they seized more than 900 grams of cocaine from the network as well as more than 50 grams of raw heroin and fake documents, such as driver's licenses and social security cards.

A network run by Castillo-Concepcion, authorities said, worked day and night out of a residence on Arlington Avenue in Plainfield. That network distributed more 2,200 grams of cocaine in a one-month stretch, police said.

The sweep was led by the New Jersey State Police Trafficking Central Unit, Plainfield police and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies, including the FBI Newark Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In a statement, Attorney General Christopher Porrino called Operation Snow Bank a "multi-pronged attack."

"By collaborating across all levels of law enforcement, we tripled our impact in stemming the supply of these corrosive drugs and the violence that accompanies these rivalries," Porrino said.

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Lithuanian English

Alytus, Lithuania, 2017-08-01 14:38 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On 22 August 2017 the extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Snaige AB, the address of head office Pramones str. 6, Alytus, the company code 249664610 (hereinafter, the Company) is convened the ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders (hereinafter, the Meeting).

The place of the meeting at AB Snaige office, at the address Kareiviu str. 6, Vilnius, Lithuania.

The Meeting commences  at 10 a.m. (registration starts at 9.45 a.m.).

The Meetings accounting day  14 August 2017 (the persons who are shareholders of the Company at the end of accounting day of the General Meeting of Shareholders or authorized persons by them, or the persons with whom shareholders concluded the agreements on the disposal of voting right, shall have the right to attend and vote at the General Meeting of Shareholders).

The Board of directors of the Company initiates and convenes the meeting.

Agenda of the Meeting:

Regarding purchase of the Companys shares Regarding approval procedure for payment of renumeration by AB Snaige to the Board Members and Board member agreement Election of the audit firm for auditing purposes of financial statements and establishment of terms regarding the payment for audit services;

The Company shall not provide the possibility to participate and vote in the Meeting through electronic communication channels.

Draft resolutions on agenda issues, documents be submitted to the General Meeting of Shareholders and other information related with the exercising of the shareholders rights are available on the website of the Company www.snaige.lt on menu item For investors. This information will be also available for the shareholders at the head office of the Company (Pramones street 6, Alytus) on business days from 9:00 am. till 16:00 pm. (on Fridays till 14:00), tel. +370 315 56206, +370 5 2361970.

Shareholders holding shares that grant at least 1/20 of all votes shall have the right of proposing to supplement the agenda of the Meeting by providing the Meeting draft resolution on each additionally proposed issue or in case no resolution is required - the explanation. The proposals to supplement the agenda shall be submitted in writing or by e-mail. The proposals shall be presented in writing to the Company on business days or by sending it by registered mail at the address Snaige AB, Pramones street 6, LT-62175 Alytus, Lithuania. The proposals submitted via the e-mail shall be sent on vilniaus.biuras@snaige.lt. The proposals to supplement the agenda with the additional issues shall be submitted till the 7 August 2017, 4:00 p.m. In case the agenda of the Meeting is supplemented the Company will report on it no later than 10 days before the Meeting in the same ways as on convening of the Meeting.

Shareholders holding shares that grant at least 1/20 of all votes shall have the right of proposing new draft resolutions on the issues already included or to be included in the agenda of the Meeting, audit firms for auditing purposes of financial statements. The proposals shall be submitted in writing or by e-mail. The proposals shall be presented in writing to the Company on business days till 21 August 2017, 2 p.m. or by sending it by registered mail at the address Snaige AB, Pramones street 6, LT-62175 Alytus, Lithuania. During the Meeting the proposals shall be submitted to the Chairman of the Meeting after he announces the Meeting agenda and no later than the Meeting starts working on the issues of agenda. The proposals submitted via the electronic mail shall be sent on vilniaus.biuras@snaige.lt. The proposals submitted on this e-mail till 21 August 2017, 2:00 p.m. will be discussed during the Meeting.

The shareholders shall have the right to present questions related to the General Meeting of Shareholders' agenda issues to the Company in advance in writing. The shareholders shall present the questions not later than 3 business days before the Meeting via the electronic mail on vilniaus.biuras@snaige.lt. The Company undertakes to respond to the submitted questions via the electronic mail till the Meeting day, except the questions related to the Companys commercial secret and confidential information.

During the registration to attend the Meeting the shareholders or the persons authorized by them shall submit a document which is a proof of his identity. The shareholders' authorized persons shall submit the power of attorney confirmed by the established order. The power of attorney issued by the natural person shall be notarized. A power of attorney issued in a foreign state must be translated into Lithuanian and legalized in the manner prescribed by law. Representative can be authorized by more than one shareholder and shall have a right to vote differently under the orders of each shareholder. The shareholder holding shares of the Bank, where the shares have been acquired on his own behalf, but for the benefit of other persons, must disclose before voting at the General Meeting of Shareholders to the Company the identity of the final customer, the number of shares that are put to the vote and the content of the voting instructions submitted to him or any other explanation regarding the participation agreed upon with the customer and voting at the General Meeting of Shareholders.

Shareholder shall also have the right to authorize through electronic communication channels another person (natural or legal) to participate and vote in the Meeting on shareholder's behalf. Such authorization shall not be confirmed by the notary officer. The power of attorney issued through electronic communication channels must be confirmed by the shareholder with a safe electronic signature developed by safe signature equipment and approved by a qualified certificate effective in the Republic of Lithuania. The shareholder shall inform the Company on the power of attorney issued through electronic communication channels by e-mail vilniaus.biuras@snaige.lt no later than the last business day before the meeting at 2:00 p.m. The power of attorney and notification shall be issued in writing. The power of attorney and notification to the Company shall be signed with the Electronic Signature but not the letters sent via the e-mail. By submitting the notification to the Company the shareholder shall include the Internet address from which it would be possible to download free of charge software to verify an Electronic Signature of the shareholder.

Each shareholder or representative thereof shall have the right to cast his/her vote in advance in writing by filling in a general ballot paper. The general ballot paper form is on the Company's website www.snaige.lt on menu item For Investors. Upon the written shareholders request, the Company no later than 10 days before the Meeting shall send a general ballot paper by registered mail or hand it in person against signature. The general ballot paper filled shall be signed by the shareholder or his/her representative. In case the ballot paper is signed by the shareholder's authorized representative, such person along with the filled ballot paper shall submit the document to confirm the voting right. The ballot paper filled and the document confirming the voting right (if required) shall be submitted in a written form to the Company by registered mail at the address Snaige AB, Pramones street 6, LT-62175, Alytus, Lithuania, or by submitting it to the Company. Validated will be dully filled-in ballot papers, received until the meeting.

The following information and documents are available on the website of the Company www.snaige.lt on menu item For Investors:

- report on the convening of the Meeting;

- the total number of the Companys shares and the number of shares with voting rights on the convening day of the Meeting;

- draft resolutions on each agenda issue and other documents to be submitted to the Meeting;

- general ballot paper form.

Additional information on the stock event is provided by telephone: +370 5 2361970.

Draft resolutions of the General Meeting of Shareholders are attached.
English French

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lectra appoints Rodrigo Siza, Regional Director of Spain and Portugal

Rodrigo Siza will develop new regional synergies to support local fashion, automotive and furniture businesses

Paris, August 1, 2017 - Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rodrigo Siza to the role of Regional Director of Spain and Portugal.

Based in Porto, Portugal, Rodrigo Siza will focus on nurturing new regional collaborations to benefit the needs of Lectra's customers, and faciliate their success in the Industry 4.0 era. Rodrigo will rely on Lectra's highly experienced teams located in the region.

"Rodrigo has very effectively established long-term partnerships with our fashion and apparel, automotive and furniture customers in Portugal. He has helped

our customers to emerge stronger from the world crisis which heavily impacted them. After 10 successful years as head of Lectra Portgual, Rodrigo is now also in charge of meeting the expectations of our Spanish customers," stated Daniel Harari, Lectra Chairman and CEO.

Players in the region are witnessing a strong dynamic, notably fashion brands in Spain and fashion and automotive industrialists with heightened added-value in Portugal. With the recent announcement of a new strategy to focus on Industry 4.0, Lectra is in a strong position to support these businesses in the digitalization of their processes.

For industries faced with more demanding consumers and ever-shorter product development and manufacturing cycles, integrating all steps along the extended supply chain, from design to cutting, is now a top priority. This is particularly apparent in Spain and Portugal, two countries positioned, in their own way, at the heart of Europe's fashion and automotive industries.

Rodrigo started his career at Tradetex, a trading company of textiles for clothing, as a textile designer. From 1991 to 1999, he was an associate of V-Sistemas Informatica, specialized in the development and distribution of technical solutions for the textile industry. In 2000, he joined Lectra Portugal as a design and merchandising manager, and then evolved into the position of international consultant in 2004. He left Lectra in 2005 to take the position of Sales Director of RPB Texteis e Vestuario, a company that makes clothes, before returning to Lectra in 2007 to take over the management of the Portuguese subsidiary. Rodrigo has a masters in marketing from Minho University and a degree in design and communication from Porto University, both located in Portugal.

About Lectra

Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions (software, automated cutting equipment, and associated services) specifically designed for industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles, and composite materials to manufacture their products. It serves major world markets: fashion and apparel, automotive, and furniture as well as a broad array of other industries. Lectra's solutions, specific to each market, enable customers to automate and optimize product design, development, and manufacturing. With more than 1,600 employees, Lectra has developed privileged relationships with prestigious customers in more than 100 countries, contributing to their operational excellence. Lectra registered revenues of $288 million in 2016 and is listed on Euronext.

For more information, please visit www.lectra.com
The study looks at two smaller-scale projects that are in some ways predecessors to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the $2 billion plan to slow land loss erasing Louisiana's coast. Construction on that project could begin as early as next year, while a similar one on the opposite side of the river known as the Mid-Breton Diversion could follow.
Welcome to non league daily news now - your number one spot for all things relating to the National League System. Our dedicated reporters have come straight from the sidelines to bring you news fresh from the dugout - but not before theyve stopped off at the burger van first!

We know that non league football fans are full of heart, passion, and belief. You trust the manager, you believe in the team, and, for some strange reason, you trust those rickety stands, too! Here at Non League Daily, we hope we can become your trusted non league news resource - a platform thats just as passionate about non league daily news now as you.

Come rain or shine, well be out reporting on the latest non league fixtures. Well also be scouring the news, refreshing social media, and sourcing information from team websites in the hopes of finding the latest breaking non league daily news for our readers.

As youll soon see, weve got exclusive match reports on the Vanarama National League, weve got transfer speculation thatll affect the National League South, weve found great stories thatll spice up the National League North, and weve even got news on the latest giant killers of the FA Cup.

We may not be able to agree on who is going up this year, but we can all agree that any news on the NLS worth knowing will be published here, at Non League Daily.
DES MOINES (AP)  A decade after a deadly freeway bridge collapse in Minneapolis, a study has found that thousands of Iowas bridges are deemed structurally deficient.

The 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse that killed 13 people and injured 135 sparked concerns about deteriorating infrastructure around the U.S.

A study by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association released in February found that nearly 5,000 of Iowas more than 24,000 bridges are rated as structurally deficient, The Des Moines Register reported. That means one of the bridges key elements  such as the deck, superstructure or substructure  is in poor or worse condition.

One of the most heavily used bridges on the list is in Council Bluffs: a hard-to-spot bridge over Indian Creek at the intersection of Sixth Street and Kanesville Boulevard, which is the seventh-most traveled deficient bridge in the state, with 16,600 daily crossings.

You dont know theres a bridge there, Greg Reeder, Council Bluffs Public Works director, told The Nonpareil in February. One of the reasons Iowa ranks so high is because we have so many bridges. We have so many bridges because we have so many streams and ditches.

He added: We also really as a state havent committed to making the investment to fix the bridges.

Reeder explained that, in the Sixth Street and Kanesville Boulevard area the creek is channeled through a box, with bridges built over the top of the box. The box, built in 1935, and the bridge are independent structures.

The bridge at Sixth and Kanesville can still handle heavy loads. The state transferred control of the roadway to the city, which will be responsible for improvements going forward.

Most of those bridges highlighted in the report are in rural areas and farming communities that see relatively low traffic.

Iowa County Engineers Association spokesman Lyle Brehm, who is also an engineer in Tama and Powershiek counties, said motorists dont need to be concerned.

We are required by federal statute to inspect every 24 months and we monitor the deterioration of them, Brehm told The Register.

Bridges are closed for repairs if theres a serious problem, he said.

State Department of Transportation officials said the agency has reduced the number of structurally deficient bridges on state and interstate highways from more than 250 in 2006 to just over 60 in 2016. The department oversees less than 10 percent of the states overall road system, but its roads handle more than 60 percent of the states traffic.

State officials said a 10-cent-per-gallon state fuel tax increase enacted in 2015 will help fund further improvements. The tax generates about $200 million annually for road and bridge projects in the state.

A lot of interstate bridges were constructed in the 1960s, and a lot of those will be coming up for replacement in the next 10 years or so, said Norm McDonald, director of the departments bridges and structures office. So there will be a huge investment there.

 Nonpareil News Editor Mike Brownlee contributed to this report.
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Aug. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oceanus Resources Corporation (TSXV:OCN) ("Oceanus" or the Company) has closed a non-brokered private placement raising $3,000,000 through the issuance of 10,000,000 units at a price of $0.30 per unit (Unit). Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half warrant of the Company at $0.30 per Unit. Every two one-half common share purchase warrants of the Company entitles the subscriber to acquire one common share of the Company for $0.40 for a period of eighteen months from the closing date. The Units issued pursuant to this private placement are subject to a 4 month hold period that expires on December 2, 2017.



Oceanus intends to immediately begin drilling the unmined Protectora Vein that is to the north of the old El Tigre Mine, where as press released in June 2017, in drill hole number 144 Oceanus intercepted 0.85 meters of 37.2 g/t gold and 7,338.9 g/t silver, as well as 0.85 metres of 2.84% copper, 4.06% zinc and 1.38% lead. The mineralized zone consists of several vuggy quartz veins and veinlets carrying galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, stromeyerite and pyrite within a strongly silicified and kaolinized alteration zone. The true width of the vein is estimated to be 0.80 meters and the gold equivalent ratio is based on a gold-to-silver ratio of 75:1.

Oceanus geologists are currently exploring, sampling and assaying the underground exploration tunnels at the Protectora Vein such tunnels that are located 800 meters to the south and 950 meters to the north of the above referred to drill hole number 144.

Certain officers and directors of Oceanus subscribed for an aggregate of 1,002,668 Units.

The proceeds from the private placement will be used for exploration at Oceanus El Tigre Property in Sonora, Mexico and for general working capital purposes. The private placement remains subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

El Tigre Property

The El Tigre Property lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre gold belt which hosts epithermal gold and silver deposits including Ocampo, Pinos Altos, Dolores and Palmarejo. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining high-grade silver veins in the area with the majority of the production coming from the El Tigre vein. Underground mining on the El Tigre vein extended 1,450 meters along strike and mined on 14 levels to a depth of 450 meters. By the time the mine closed in 1938, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012).

Qualified Person

David R. Duncan, P. Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Company, is the Qualified Person for Oceanus as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Duncan has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release and has reviewed the Technical Report.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

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.

(Not for distribution to US wire services or for dissemination in the United States of America)
Editors Note: The Nonpareil is highlighting the four honorees for this weekends Spirit of Courage event.

As George Smith lay in his bed at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital  a moment after being told the lump that had been surgically removed from his groin was non-Hodgkins lymphoma  one thought came to mind: OK, so Im going to die.

I looked at my wife just kind of dumbfounded, Smith recalled.

That was 21 years ago.

Smith has survived two bouts of non-Hodgkins lymphoma, one in 1996 and another in 2004. He is proud to say he is cancer-free.

The 70-year-old Council Bluffs resident and retired postal worker credits his survival to a number of factors, including his strong faith.

I have been a member of Broadway United Methodist Church since I was a year old, he said. I was baptized there, and Shirley and I were married there in 1968. Our three sons were baptized there, and Im a lay leader there.

In 1996, when Smith and his eldest son, Gregg, each discovered a lump in their groins, both went to see someone they knew from church, Dr. Michael Zlomke. Zlomke has been on the staff at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital since 1987. He was involved in the process that led to national certification of the Methodist Jennie Edmundson Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons.

Gregg Smith underwent surgery first, and the lump was determined to be a hernia.

I had my operation two weeks later, and it was cancer, George Smith recalled. It was a bolt right out of the blue. I never thought it might be cancer.

Zlomke referred Smith to Dr. John A. Okerbloom, medical oncologist and founder of Heartland Oncology & Hematology, a partner of the Methodist Jennie Edmundson Cancer Center.

After recuperating at home for several weeks, Smith returned to the hospital, where Zlomke placed into Smiths chest a medical port that allows for the administration of drugs and nutrients thought a catheter placed under the skin.

I still have that same port today, he said.

Smith underwent several months of chemotherapy, administered at Heartland Oncology & Hematologys facility at the Methodist Jennie Edmundson Cancer Center.

I can remember that I was tired and didnt have much of an appetite, but I missed very few days of work at the postal service, he said. I was not a candidate for radiation therapy, because I had cancerous lymph nodes above and below my abdomen.

The chemotherapy was successful and Smith remained in good health until June 2004, when he discovered a second painless lump in his groin. A biopsy confirmed the non-Hodgkins lymphoma had recurred.

Smith returned to the Methodist Jennie Edmundson Cancer Center for treatment, which this time included radiation therapy. Those treatments were followed by a series of infusions of Rituxan, a drug that had been developed and patented two years after Smiths 1996 cancer diagnosis.

I credit that treatment for keeping me cancer-free since 2004, he says.

He has since experienced several other medical issues. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and had his first of two pacemakers installed in 2006. Both hips have been surgically replaced. And he has problems with his immune system.

To help bolster his immune system, Okerbloom placed Smith on gamma globulin administered intravenously every five to six weeks.

I started the treatments at the outpatient department at Jennie, and now I get the treatment at Heartland Oncology. The nurses at both places are marvelous. I dont know how they do their jobs every day and keep smiling.

In addition to Gregg, the Smiths have sons Andy and his wife, Deandra; and Allan and his wife, Jaime. They also have five grandchildren.

A deep desire to see those grandchildren grow has helped fuel Smiths positive attitude.

I decided to live a day at a time and take it as it comes. Like most people, I often wondered, Why me? I finally changed my thinking that if it wasnt me, it might be somebody else that I loved and cared about. I felt that would be worse.

Retired since June 1, 2014, Smith spends many hours each week volunteering, but his family remains his top priority.

I worked the night shift at the post office so I could wake up in the afternoons and go to our sons sporting events, he says.

It wasnt always easy, but I knew it was the right thing to do when one of our sons told Shirley and me, There were so many times I watched other kids look around for their parents, but I never had to look in the stands for you guys. I knew you were there.

Now, he said, smiling as he points to the embroidered Grandpa on his sweatshirt, my grandkids are realizing that.
WASHINGTON  The early morning defeat of Senate Republicans skinny repeal legislation brought sighs of relief from health insurers, including those in Iowa and Nebraska.

Medica plans to offer insurance on both the Iowa and Nebraska Affordable Care Act exchanges in 2018 and had warned about the bills potential consequences.

Repealing the individual mandate and doing nothing else would have been a universally agreed to bad idea for individual markets, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said after the vote. The fact it wasnt repealed is good.

But while the ACA, or Obamacare, remains the law of the land, it needs help  and soon.

Soaring prices and fewer choices may greet customers when they return to the ACA insurance marketplaces this fall, in part because insurers are facing uncertainty about whether the Trump administration will continue to make key subsidy payments and enforce other parts of the existing law that help control prices.

Assurances dont look to be coming anytime soon.

As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch! President Donald Trump tweeted early Friday, soon after the Senate narrowly rejected the latest push to dismantle the Obama-era health care law.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said in a statement after the Senate vote that the Trump administration would pursue its health care goals through regulation.

Bury said the plans and prices that Medica filed for 2018 were based on the law in place at the time. The average rate increase for Iowa is 43.5 percent, while Nebraska rate information will be released today.

Rates are subject to change depending on a number of variables, including the actions by Congress, Bury said. Indeed, insurers broadly say Washington can help stabilize the situation.

We hope the vote in the Senate did not close the door to Congress taking some positive actions to provide short-term stability for markets by funding cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) and re-establishing a federal reinsurance program, Bury said.

Iowa officials, in hopes of enticing another insurer to its market, have proposed a stopgap measure that includes a shift in federal subsidies to give more relief to younger, healthier people and a reinsurance mechanism that would shield participating insurers from a concentration of individuals with persistent and expensive health conditions.

The proposal requires federal approval before the open enrollment period that begins Nov. 1.

In a statement, Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said he still hopes Congress finds a solution, but the state will continue working with federal officials on the stopgap plan.

Its too easy, he said, for people to game the system now by joining the market and paying premiums only when they need to see a doctor.

Its the equivalent of letting individuals buy homeowners insurance once their house starts on fire, he said. We are asking the federal government to allow us to limit that gaming under our waiver request.

Ommen also said that individuals not receiving subsidies are bearing the brunt of the increases.

We should not be asking farmers and small businesses to sell their farm or property to cover unexpected health emergencies, he said. Not having an individual market is unacceptable.

Insurers main concern now is that the Trump administration will stop paying those CSRs  crucial subsidies called for in the law that help reduce costs like deductibles for people with low incomes. The subsidies, estimated at $7 billion a year, have been challenged by Republicans in court, and Trump has guaranteed them only through this month.

If they stop, insurers will have to raise prices for coverage, known as premiums, because by law they must still offer the same reduced deductibles for their low-income customers.

Leerink analyst Ana Gupte surveyed several states and has said that insurers are asking for price hikes of around 36 percent when they assume the subsidies go away, compared with about 18 percent if they stay.

People with low incomes might be shielded from these hikes in part because the law provides tax credits that cover much of the premium. But those who make too much to qualify for that help  and tend to vote Republican  could get hit hard, said health care consultant Robert Laszewski, a former insurance executive.

(Trumps) hurting his own people, Laszewski said.

Of course, all shoppers will be hurt if insurers leave markets, said Urban Institute health economist Linda Blumberg. Then theres nowhere to use your subsidy.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield insurer Anthem has already withdrawn from markets in Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana. CEO Joseph Swedish said Wednesday that the company may cut more if it doesnt get certainty on the subsidies quickly.

Insurers have until the middle of next month to finalize their 2018 prices, industry officials say.

Just where Congress goes from here remains an open question. The Senate has delayed the start of its August recess, but its not clear whether it will stick around until health care is resolved.

And as they left Friday, House members were telling each other See you in September.

Its time to go back to Nebraska and talk to people, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., told The Omaha World-Herald when asked about the future of health care efforts. Thats my plan.

He has a slate of town hall meetings scheduled.

Fortenberry wasnt ready to use words like improve or fix that are favored by Democrats. But he also said the repeal-and-replace approach doesnt have enough support.

Lawmakers could look for ways to change aspects of the law that have proved harmful while protecting those that have helped.

At this point its time for both Republicans and Democrats to own the issue fully and work for constructive solutions that are not going to be perfect for either side, Fortenberry said.

 This report includes material from the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON  Elizabeth Betsy Southerland loved her work at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Then Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt came along.

Now Southerland, who was director of science and technology in the agencys Office of Water, said she is heartbroken about the impact of the new administration on environmental protection in this country.

After 30 years at EPA, her last day was Monday.

Southerland becomes the latest in a series of protesting federal scientists. She denounced the destructive environmental policies of President Trump and EPA Administrator Pruitt. Family concerns played an important role in her decision to leave, but she said she also cant stomach the current direction of an agency that answers to a White House wallowing in disarray and disgrace.

In a statement planned for release Tuesday by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and during email and phone interviews with The Washington Post, she talked about how EPA has been the guiding light to make the right thing happen for the greater good, including public health and safety.

But with Trump and Pruitt in charge, that will not be possible under the current administration.

Their attack on environmental protections marks the abandonment of the polluter pays principle that underlies all environmental statutes and regulations, she said. The best case for our children and grandchildren is that they will pay the polluters bills through increased state taxes, new user fees, and higher water and sewer bills. The worst case is that they will have to live with increased public health and safety risks and a degraded environment.

Furthermore, she warned that Trumps planned 31 percent EPA budget cut would lead to the loss of thousands of public- and private-sector jobs.

There is no question, she said, the administration is seriously weakening EPAs mission by vigorously pursuing an industry deregulation approach and defunding implementation of environmental programs.

Southerland went public with her opposition to Trumps environmental program, because she said I felt it was my civic duty to explain the impact of this administrations policies on public health and safety.

Southerlands resignation comes during the same month a Union of Concerned Scientists report said Trump is creating a hostile environment for scientific staff.

That report was released the day after Interior Department scientist Joel Clement wrote a Washington Post opinion article saying Trumps crowd retaliated against him for speaking out publicly about the dangers that climate change poses to Alaska Native communities.

In March, Mike Cox also cited the dangers Alaska Natives face from climate change when he quit EPA. In a letter to Pruitt, Cox said administration policies are contrary to those Americans want to ensure the air their children breath is safe; the land they live, play, and hunt on to be free of toxic chemicals; and the water they drink, the lakes they swim in, and the rivers they fish in to be clean.

Reacting to Southerlands remarks, EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said that its hard to believe that Elizabeth Southerland is retiring because of a budget proposal and not because shes eligible for her government pension. We wish Elizabeth Southerland the best in her retirement and the EPA will continue to re-focus on our core mission of protecting our air, land and water.
Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will be in the Omaha area to headline a Sept. 23 event aimed at helping women and mothers realize how much cultural power they have.

Other speakers scheduled for the Moms March for America at the Ralston Arena, 7300 Q St., include Candy Carson, the wife of Ben Carson, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and a 2016 presidential candidate; Duck Dynasty star Missy Robertson; actress and radio talk show host Sam Sorbo; and country band Redhead Express.

Organizer Kimberly Fletcher, the president and founder of Homemakers for America, said she wants the cultural march to counteract what she says is radical feminist messaging.

Fletchers group is partnering with conservative, faith-based and constitutional advocacy groups for the event. Organizers have cast it as opposite in many ways from the January Womens Marches around the country.

I want to reach the mothers of America, especially the young mothers who still have children at home, Fletcher said, and help them realize their powerful influence in their homes, their communities, and our nation. The idea that motherhood is secondary or belittling is absurd.

Palin was governor of Alaska from 2006 to 2009, and her 2008 bid for vice president helped spark the Tea Party conservative movement. She has been a controversial figure in politics and the media since.

Cynthia Hernandez, an Omaha doctor and mother who attended the January Womens March in Washington, D.C., said she thinks its absurd to suggest Palin represents most women, or that feminists have been harmful to women. The January march, she said, was a true representation of women and all the other people that feel marginalized.

Fletcher, a mother of eight and soon-to-be grandmother who lives in Papillion, said she wanted to hold the Moms March event in the heartland to push back against the notion that the nations problems should be fixed in Washington, D.C.

Shes also encouraging women from other states to participate via live feeds.

This is a movement. Its not just a one-day event, Fletcher said. Were going to continue to build this community and support one another as we lift and shape the nation.

World-Herald staff writer Kevin Cole contributed to this report.
Attorneys for a former Iowa Senate Republican caucus aide awarded $2.2 million in a sexual harassment lawsuit earlier this month have filed a motion seeking an independent investigation into the caucus offices workplace culture.

Attorneys for Kirsten Anderson filed the motion Thursday, The Des Moines Register reported. It accuses GOP party leaders of doing nothing to curb an ongoing toxic environment at the statehouse.

If a judge approves the motion, the caucus would be ordered to hire an independent consultant to complete an investigation and write a report.

Republican Senate leaders would also be required to hire a consultant to develop new policies and training designed to stop sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

The motion also asks for the appointment of a five-member panel of human resources and employment law experts to oversee the Senate Republicans and their staff to ensure compliance with any of the judges orders. Under the request, a judge would continue this supervision of the caucus for five years.

A spokesman for the caucus did not return a call from The Register seeking comment.

We hope nothing like this happens ever again, said Sen. Tom Shipley, R-Nodaway, who represents District 11, which includes much of Pottawattamie County.

Shipley told The Nonpareil that hes in the early stages of learning about the case and incidents, which occurred before his election in 2014. He hadnt heard about the request for an independent investigation when reached Monday.

In her trial earlier this month, jurors sided with Anderson, 39, who was fired in 2012 as the caucus communications director hours after handing in a memo detailing rampant sexual harassment in the caucus office.

Anderson testified that sex, race and sexual orientation were regular topics of conversations and jokes in the office and that one man in the office regularly referred to women using an obscenity. Jurors also heard testimony from others accusing a former Republican state senator of making comments about female lobbyists and staffers bodies.

Following the verdict, Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, issued a statement saying any issues that arose during the trial will be investigated and addressed immediately.

But Andersons attorneys point to Dixs comments in the same statement expressing disappointment with the verdict and again asserting that Anderson was terminated only for her poor work product and absolutely no other reason.

State Sen. Rick Bertrand, R-Sioux City, called for Dix to resign his leadership position in an interview with the Register.

No, Shipley told The Nonpareil when asked whether he believes Dix should resign. I think were fine. I think hes handling it. I think everything is moving forward.

Shipley said he has seen no such behavior during his time in the state Senate since joining the Legislature in January 2015.

The senator that conducted himself in a deplorable manner was gone before I got there, he said.

Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa, R-Council Bluffs, told The Nonpareil she hasnt seen uncouth behavior during her time in office. Hanusa is serving her fourth term in the Iowa House.

I think an independent investigation would cast a better light on the actual investigation, she said. Usually, if there is an outside or independent investigation, it gives people more confidence in the findings of the investigation, regardless of what the situation is.

She said sexual harassment has no place in the Legislature or anywhere else.

That kind of behavior  there should be no tolerance, at all, for that kind of behavior. In the House or the Senate or any workplace, she said.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.
HOUSTON, Aug. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sanchez Midstream Partners LP (NYSE American:SNMP) (SNMP or the Partnership) announced today that it will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern Time) on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 to discuss second quarter 2017 results. The Partnership expects to release its second quarter 2017 earnings before the market opens that day.



What: SNMP Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call When: Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern Time) Dial In: 1-844-824-3837 (U.S.) 1-412-317-5161 (International) Request Sanchez Midstream Partners Conference Call Webcast: Live and rebroadcast over the Internet at: http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/xjg5z28b Replay: A replay will be available approximately one hour after the call through August 22, 2017, at 10:59 p.m. Central Time (11:59 p.m. Eastern Time). The replay may be accessed by dialing (844) 512-2921 (U.S.) or (412) 317-6671 (International), and referencing the replay passcode: 10111167.

About the Partnership

Sanchez Midstream Partners LP (NYSE American:SNMP) is a publicly-traded limited partnership focused on the acquisition, development, ownership and operation of midstream and other energy related assets. The Partnership has ownership stakes in oil and natural gas gathering systems, natural gas pipelines, and a natural gas processing facility, all located in the Western Eagle Ford in South Texas. For more information on the Partnership, please visit our website: www.sanchezmidstream.com.
Following an extra-large outcry over her co-sponsorship of a bill that would criminalize participating in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions effort against Israel, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand told constituents that she would seek changes to the bill before voting for it.

At a town hall last night, Gillibrand was pressed by constituents on her support for the Anti-Israel Boycott Act, a bill that would subject people who support the UN and the EU's BDS campaigns to a fine of at least $250,000 and potentially prison time.

Gillibrand responded to a question from her constituents at a Flushing town hall yesterday afternoon by telling them that she would "not support the bill in its current form" and that she would not support it unless the bill's authors add language specifying the punishments only extend to corporations and not individuals, according to Crain's.

The bill's defenders, including Senator Chuck Schumer, have claimed that the proposed law just updates the Export Administration Act of 1979. That law, which prohibits US companies from participating in boycotts led by other countries against US allies, currently doesn't include intergovernmental organizations, like the EU and the UN Commission on Human Rights, who have supported the BDS movement.

Despite that argument, the ACLU came out hard against the bill. While taking no position on BDS itself, the organization sent a letter to senators urging them not to co-sponsor the bill "because it would punish individuals for no reason other than their political beliefs." Despite that letter, the bill picked up three co-sponsors since July 17th, Republicans Tom Cotton, Thom Tillis and Joe Kennedy.

Gillibrand is still listed as a co-sponsor of the bill as of this time. A spokesperson for Senator Schumer reiterated that the senator is supportive of the bill.
Stevie Wonder and Green Day are heading to Central Park's Great Lawn next month for the annual Global Citizen Festival, where they'll be headlining along with THE CHAINSMOKERS, the greatest Las Vegas house band ever to get airtime at Dave & Buster's. Now is a great time to get that $400 studded jacket pressed.

This year we're also getting the Killers and Pharrell, who have made a few notable songs but nothing quite up to par with the Chainsmokers' hit single "Paris," which includes the heart-wrenching lyric, "We breathe in the air of this small town/On our own cuttin' class for the thrill of it/Getting drunk on the past we were livin' in." I do not know what that means, but that's because I am not wise like the older Chainsmoker (the so-called cute one is just for show).

The Lumineers, much of whose music I often confuse for the Chainsmokers, will also perform, as will Big Sean, Andra Day, and Alessia Cara.

Global Citizen Festival, which takes place on September 23rd, is free, but prospective attendees have to complete "action journeys" to get ticketsyou can find more details on that on their website. This year's efforts include a campaign to stop the cuts to US foreign aid, to expand education access worldwide, and to bolster opportunities for women and girls to succeed, as well as to give the band that probably DJed your cousin's bar mitzvah in 2011 a bigger public platform.
The Lincoln County Assessors Office will review property valuations on the south side of North Platte in coming months.

County Assessor Julie Stenger gave an update Monday on the countys three-year plan of assessment.

The Lincoln County commissioners applauded Stenger and lead appraiser Charity Farley for their work on county assessments.

We are required by state statute to physically review and inspect every property in the county at least once every six years, Stenger said. This year for 2018, were back on the review side and we will look at the south side of North Platte again.

She said her staff will be looking at residential properties, taking photos and changing valuations if there are new decks, garages or anything they can see has been removed.

Stengers report indicates there are about 7,130 parcels on the south side of North Platte.

Its a hard job to try to keep everything on track, to try to look at everything every six years, Stenger said. We were not in compliance last year on the south side. We have to be 92 to 100 percent of what (properties) are selling for and we came in under that last year.

She said that forced her office to do some work on the south side before it was scheduled for review. The commercial properties were physically inspected in 2016, and the next planned review will be for the 2022 assessment year, Stengers report said.

In other business at the commissioners meeting, Lisa Burke, executive director of the North Platte/Lincoln County Visitors Bureau, recommended a company to build the bureaus new website.

Three companies offered bids and Burke said Hollman Media of Kearney appeared to be the best option.

When we initially opened the bids here, we had a first glance at them, and our first glance did not detect the true cost, Burke said. Because this process was very intense and important to the visitors bureau, we created a scoresheet based on the questions that were in our RFP (request for proposal).

Burke said she asked two visitors bureau board members to join her on a committee to review the bids.

We had a very lengthy and aggressive discussion on the applicants and we came out with a clear winner, Burke said. The decision was made on cost, technology used and the skill level of the company.

She said Hollman Media came in at $15,800, Maly Marketing of Lincoln at $21,890 and Simpleview Inc. of Arizona at $41,000.

Burke will work with Deputy County Attorney Joe Wright to draw up a contract that will be approved by the commissioners later.

James States, spokesman for the Lake Maloney Property Owners Association, brought an update to the board concerning the Lake Maloney hike and bike trail. Although no action was taken, States said his group is looking at Phase IV of the project and will be making requests to the commissioners as it has for previous phases.

The commissioners also authorized Chairman Bill Henry to sign the amendment to the County Attorney Sub Award for Child Support Enforcement Services with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
The witness stand can be the hardest place to get the victim of a sexual assault to talk  worse, even, than an interrogation room.

Russell Strand, co-founder of Strand & Heitman Innovative Forensic Techniques, spoke to prosecutors, law enforcement, activists and others who work with victims on Monday about taking a trauma-informed approach to investigating, presenting and prosecuting sexual assault and similar crimes.

Monday, Strand spoke about working with victims, from the initial interview to the testimony. Often in sexual assault cases, people wonder why a victims story is inconsistent. They also ask why a victim didnt run or fight back harder, he said.

The short answer is trauma: When a person undergoes something traumatic, the prefrontal cortex in the brain closes down, hindering the person from reacting by fighting back or running, Strand said. As the victim remembers a sexual assault later on, this also explains why different senses  smells, sounds  trigger different flashbacks at different times.

Strand advocates for a different type of interview: Instead of asking a victim just the facts, such as where they were and when, law enforcement officers and attorneys need to also ask about what the victim felt and how their life has changed since, and submit such factors as evidence in a court case.

Theres all kinds of things that happen when trauma occurs, he said.

Strand began working in military police, later becoming an investigator and then a special agent. He now works as an educator and consultant out of Rolla, Missouri.

I actually cut my teeth on child abuse, mainly, he said.

With large-scale sex scandals in the military, Strand said, he was comfortable with his 2016 retirement as the number of sexual assault reports has increased  more reported assaults mean that victims feel safe enough to report to their leadership, and that leadership takes reports seriously, he said.

Since 2005, Strand said, the number of military women who were assaulted and reported it increased from 18 to 39 percent, while the number of female victims who report in the United States altogether is about 18 percent.

Meanwhile, 13 percent of military men who were assaulted reported it, a number Strand said the military is working to improve.

Even after years of police work, Strand told attendees he was shocked by a phone call from his daughter, who told him that she had been sexually assaulted years before at a party by someone she trusted. When she told her best friend who the perpetrator was, his daughters friend told her to stop lying, he said.

While he supported his daughters decision not to report her sexual assault to law enforcement, fearing she wouldnt be believed and a conviction wouldnt happen, he still feels unease that the man still walks free.

Meanwhile, hes learned another of his children was sexually assaulted as a child, and he suspects a third may have been.

What that taught me, he said after his talk, is no one is immune.

The training conference  Building a Foundation for Resilience  An Investigative Multidisciplinary Team Response to Trauma  continues Tuesday at Best Western Plus North Platte Inn and Suites.

Attendees came from 25 Nebraska counties, and the forum was funded by grants from Verizon Wireless, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Community Domestic Violence Intervention Program.

Tuesday, attendees plan to learn about dealing with their own vicarious trauma that occurs through working with victims.

If were truthful, said Becky Hoaglund, director of CDVIP, weve all got it.
Editors note: The writers are the members of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents: Bob Whitehouse, Rob Schafer, Tim Clare, Howard Hawks, Jim Pillen, Paul Kenney, Bob Phares and Hal Daub.

We, the members of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, have 75 years of combined experience in publicly elected leadership.

Weve governed the university, weve led cities and schools, weve created and run businesses, weve served in Congress, and weve been on countless community boards.

Our years of service have taught us this: When your elected representatives dont focus on the big picture, Nebraska loses.

Its been suggested recently that the university is not sufficiently transparent with regard to how it spends taxpayer money.

The leaders of this state could certainly debate whether taxpayers should be able to see exactly how many of their dollars paid for paper clips at the university, or whether students should be able to know exactly how much of their professors salary was supported by their tuition dollars.

We could argue about whether the university should report the granular details of its spending, even if that knowledge would do little to inform public policy. This would require major new investments in infrastructure and people, but it could be done, if it were the will of the Legislature.

Or we could join together and ask the questions that we think the people of Nebraska elected us to ask.

What activities should be funded by the state and what shouldnt the state support?

What are the best opportunities to use valuable taxpayer dollars to grow Nebraskas economy and quality of life?

What do we want the future of our state to look like?

The University of Nebraska must be a key part of that conversation. Your university, which provides affordable and outstanding education to 52,500 students each year, is one of the states most important engines for growth. NUs annual economic impact exceeds $3.9 billion. We produce the next generation of teachers, farmers, doctors and entrepreneurs. We are a premier destination for cancer care and research, agricultural innovation and advancements in national security. We are a model for expanding access for young people and leveraging partnerships with the private sector that allow us to do more together than would be possible alone.

We hope the Legislature agrees. The state and its university have been close partners for almost 150 years, and Nebraskans have benefited enormously from the affordable excellence our partnership allows. Were grateful that state leaders have long recognized the indisputable value of a vibrant university system.

In return for the states investment, its up to the elected Board of Regents to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to hold the university to rigorous standards for accountability and transparency. We owe the very best due diligence in accounting for every dollar we receive to the students, parents, legislators and taxpayers who entrust us with their precious resources.

Nebraskans have every right to decide whether our bar is high enough. That thousands of pages of budget and salary documents are widely available for public inspection may not be enough for some. That we go well beyond minimum state and federal reporting requirements may not matter to those who want to hold the university to a different standard of accounting. That the boards Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee carefully monitors the universitys financial statements and internal audit function may not be compelling.

Our hope is that we can have the conversations Nebraskans expect us to have.

The challenges were up against  hunger, poverty, disease, security  are as pressing as they have ever been. The global marketplace has never been more competitive. The workforce demands more college graduates than were supplying today. The citizens of the state deserve our most innovative, collaborative, forward thinking.

In our view, theres no question Nebraska needs the creativity and talents of its university to grow for the future. The fiscal challenges facing our state only add to the urgency of moving forward together.

Its time to get focused on where we want to go. Were ready to get to work. We hope all Nebraskans will join us.
Great Lakes Basin Transportation entered its response Monday to opposition groups' arguments that its application to build a 271-mile freight railroad from Northwest Indiana to southeast Wisconsin should be rejected.

In filings earlier this month to the federal Surface Transportation Board, opponents asked for rejection on the grounds that GLBT's application doesn't detail financing for the $2.8 billion project, nor does it show commitments from prospective users of the line.

GLBT responded Monday that potential investors need STB approval before they'll commit. And the railroad argued that the need for the freight line, which would serve as a bypass around Chicago, is so clear that customer demand is certain.

'Developer puffery'

The Chicago-based attorney representing six groups hoping to block the railroad, including the RAILED group in Northwest Indiana, argued in a July 10 filing that the GLBT application should be rejected due to a lack of financing details.

"A general reference to a private source of funding does not constitute adequate evidence of financial ability to undertake a track construction project," attorney Thomas McFarland wrote, citing several cases he argued back this claim.

Further, "there is no evidence whatsoever in the application of a public need or demand for the rail line proposed by GLBT," McFarland argued.

The group Save Our Farmland, of Rock County, Wisconsin, filed its petition for rejection of GLBT's application July 14, making similar claims and arguing that farm owners already are being hurt.

"Save Our Farmland submits that the mere pendency of GLBT's application  the threat of cutting through their farms  creates a cloud on the titles to their lands and diminishes the going concern values of their farms," its team of attorneys argued.

"Absent a substantive demonstration of financial capability and the support of prospective users of the proposed railroad line ... the GLBT application amounts to little more than developer puffery that has the unfortunate consequence of inflicting real harm on farmland and farms in and near the proposed route of GLBT's speculation."

A 'no brainer'

Railroad officials responded Monday that the governing statute "states that the (Surface Transportation) Board 'shall issue' a certificate permitting construction and operation of the rail line ... 'unless the Board finds that such activities are inconsistent with the public convenience and necessity.'

"The regulations do not require information that is as granular and assured as ... opponents suggest," GLBT attorney Michael Blaszak argued.

And in an accompanying statement, GLBT Vice President James Wilson said officials have received a positive response from investors. "Some of these potential investors, in view of the projected growth of rail traffic over the decades to come, have gone so far as to tell me that the GLBT opportunity is a 'no brainer,' " he said.

Further, "GLBT has shown that there is now, and will be in the future, sufficient freight traffic to support the construction and operation of a new rail line around Chicago," Blaszak argued.

GLBT also claims the proposed railroad's impact on Rock County farms is "only one factor to be considered" and "has no bearing at all on the adequacy of the application itself.

"The application should be accepted for filing by the board and consideration of the transportation merits of the proposed new rail line should commence," GLBT's filing concluded.
Sport

Shoaib's photos with Pakistani actress go viral, spark divorce rumours

As per multiple media reports, all is not well between Sania and Shoaib for quite some time now and they are heading toward divorce. The reports also claim Ayesha Omar is the reason for the breakdown of Shoaib and Sania's marriage.
Two new retailers have opened in the Griffland Plaza strip mall on 45th Street in Griffith, right on the Highland border.

MetroPCS and Grifflands Optical opened in the strip mall at 1815 W. Glen Park Ave. that was built in 1997.

MetroPCS, a subsidy of T-Mobile, opened a call phone and prepaid wireless store in the mall, which includes tenants like Bootleg Liquors, Shades of Time and The Getaway and had recently had several vacancies.

The locally owned Grifflands Optical also started selling eyeglasses and eyeglass accessories like lens wipes in a new 1,500-square-foot store at 1951 W. Glen Park Ave.

"We both have over 40 years of experience," said Brant Bargfeld, who started the business with Michael Lee. "People can come to us for repairs."

Grifflands Optical sells eyeglasses, including some name brands, that range between $50 to $450 a pair. The business is looking to bring in an optometrist who will offer eye exams, at which point it can start accepting vision insurance.

Bargfeld said he and his partner have to expertise in the business to take on big corporate chains.

"Lenscrafters took out their labs, so they're not doing glasses in an hour anymore," he said. "There's enough business to go around for everybody."

Grifflands Optical is looking to offer bulk deals to local schools and fire departments that need special mask inserts for firefighters with glasses.

For more information about Grifflands Optical, call 219-513-9178.
The long-vacant U.S. Steel South Works property on Lake Michigan in Chicago is being sold to a new developer who wants to build up to 20,000 houses on the site.

Emerald Living plans to build futuristic modular homes designed by Barcelona Housing Systems in a project dubbed New SouthWorks on the far South Side. The development also would include stores and offices with views of the Chicago skyline and lake.

We are excited by the tremendous opportunity available at the South Works site and look forward to working throughout this due diligence period to determine the best path forward, said Barry ONeill, chief executive officer of Emerald Living. Over the coming months, we will be working with the city, Aldermen Sadlowski, Garza and Mitchell, local community members, and other stakeholders to develop a new, exciting vision for this site and the surrounding South Chicago neighborhoods.

Emerald Living put in the highest bid, and entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with U.S. Steel to buy the 440-acre site where the country's largest steel mill once operated.

This agreement is a major milestone towards converting an unused stretch of land that represents Chicagos industrial past into a vibrant community that will contribute to Chicagos economic, cultural and recreational future, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. I look forward to seeing the communitys dynamic vision for this site become a reality.

Emerald Living has five months to close on the deal after an environmental review. The huge swathe of lakefront land, which some have claimed is the largest undeveloped lakefront property in a major city in the United States, has sat vacant since the South Works mill closed in 1992.

The development McCaffrey Interests worked for more than a decade on a sweeping redevelopment plan that resulted in nothing more than a "coming soon" sign for a Mariano's grocery store, but abandoned it last year.

The property at the mouth of the Calumet River is still home to the ruins of the massive break wall where steelworkers used to unload iron ore from boats. Steelworkers Park was recently added along the lakefront as a tribute to the industrial legacy.

The hard working men and women who were once employed on this property helped produce the steel you see everyday in the City of Chicago, 10th Ward Alderman Susan Sadlowski Garza said. This is an opportunity to restore that sense of pride and show off the beautiful lakefront on the southeast side to the rest of the city and the world.
Great Lakes steel production dipped to 672,000 tons last week, a slight decrease of 0.7 percent.

Steel mills in the Great Lakes region cranked out 677,000 tons of metal the previous week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Most of the steel made in the Great Lakes region is produced in Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana.

So far this year, U.S. steelmakers have produced 52.1 million tons of steel, about 2.6 percent more than they did during the same period in 2016. Steel mills have been running at a capacity of 74.5 percent so far this year, up from 72.4 percent through the same time last year.

Domestic steelmakers used about 75.9 percent of their steelmaking capacity in the week that ended July 29, down from 76.1 percent the previous week but up from 71.3 percent at the same time a year earlier, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Some analysts say 90 percent would be considered healthy for the industry.

Overall, U.S. national steel output dipped by 4,000 tons last week to 1.769 million tons, a 0.22 percent decrease, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Production in the Southern District, nearly always the country's second-largest steel-producing region, which spans mini-mills across the South, ticked up to 640,000 tons last week, up from 637,000 tons the previous week.
Starbucks is shutting down its struggling Teavana chain, and relying on customers who spend more on pricier drinks and food to drive up sales at its namesake coffee stores.

The company recenly reported disappointing global sales growth, and said it will close all 379 Teavana locations over the coming year. It had acquired the U.S. mall-based chain in 2012, with then-CEO Howard Schultz citing the huge potential for the tea market. But in April, the company said it was reviewing options for the chain.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson noted declining foot traffic at malls.

"We felt it was an appropriate time to take the decision and begin shutting down those stores," he said.

The announcement came as Starbucks said global sales at its flagship chain rose 4 percent at established locations for the quarter ended July 2, fueled by higher average spending per visit. In the U.S., sales rose 5 percent at established locations, also driven mostly by higher spending versus an increase in customer visits.

Competition has intensified in the U.S. restaurant industry, making it challenging for chains to get customers to visit their stores more often. Dunkin' Donuts said earlier in the day that customer traffic fell again at its established U.S. locations. McDonald's, meanwhile, has been promoting $1 sodas and $2 McCafe smoothies, frappes and shakes, a strategy the burger chain says helped bring in customers during the second quarter.

Johnson dismissed the idea that such promotions affect Starbucks, saying that the "value players" are competing in a different segment.

Still, the Seattle-based company cited pressure in the retail and restaurant sectors that have made it more cautious going into the next quarter. It cut its profit forecast for the year for the second time.

In its Asia unit, Starbucks' sales rose just 1 percent at established locations during the three-month period. Starbucks has announced plans to acquire the remaining 50 percent stake of its East China joint venture that it does not already own. That makes it the operator of all Starbucks stores in mainland China, which it says is a fast-growing market.

For the quarter, Starbucks Corp. earned $691.6 million, or 47 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, it earned 55 cents per share, in line with Wall Street expectations. New store openings helped lift revenue 8 percent to $5.66 billion. But that was still less than analysts expected.

The company trimmed its adjusted earnings per share forecast to between $2.05 and $2.06 per share.

Starbucks shares fell 5.6 percent to $56.15 in extended trading.
CHESTERTON  Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a suspect who may have been involved in a theft at a local vape shop last month.



The theft occurred July 18 at the Duneland Eliquid vape shop at 1050 Broadway, which sells electronic cigarette devices and other accessories, according to a Chesterton Police Department news release.

Video surveillance from the business led to the photo of a person, or persons, of interest, police said.
INDIANAPOLIS  The Planned Parenthood health center in Merrillville has secured a new back-up doctor, as required by Indiana law, and once again can perform abortions.

According to the State Department of Health, a doctor with local hospital admitting privileges agreed Thursday to care for any Merrillville abortion patient in the event of complications, an emergency or other need requiring hospitalization and a Planned Parenthood doctor is not available.

The privileges were confirmed Monday by the state health agency, which is prohibited by law from releasing the doctor's name.

Abortion services are set to resume this week at the Lake County Planned Parenthood facility.

Christie Gillespie, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, said her organization is committed to providing a wide range of health services, including abortion services, regardless of regulatory impediments.

"We ensure that women have medically accurate information about the options that are accessible to them," Gillespie said.

"Deciding if and when to become a parent is a very personal decision, and the staff at PPINK provides information to patients regarding all options, including abortion."

The clinic was forced to halt abortion services July 13 after its previous back-up doctor ended the doctor's relationship with Planned Parenthood.

Indiana is among just eight states with an enforceable admitting-privileges requirement, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a nonpartisan sexual and reproductive health research organization.
There's nothing weird about the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce warning a Pennsylvania group to stop using the term Pierogi Festival, Whiting Pierogi Fest chairman Tom Dabertin said.

A group of attorneys in Pennsylvania on Monday filed a pre-emptive lawsuit in Scranton federal court asking a judge to rule the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival isn't a competitor to Whiting's Pierogi Fest and isn't infringing on the Whiting-Robertsdale chamber's trademark rights.

The Edwardsville Hometown Committee also is seeking attorney's fees and any damages for the Whiting-Robertsdale chamber's alleged interference with the committee's existing and prospective sponsors.

In addition to warning the committee to stop using the term Pierogi Festival, the chamber sent copies of its letter to the committee to the Pennsylvania group's sponsors, threatening them with liability for trademark infringement, according to the lawsuit.

Dabertin said the Whiting-Robertsdale chamber has put on the annual Whiting Pierogi Fest since 1994 and has held trademark rights since 2006.

Obtaining trademarks rights is an expensive process that requires an attorney, he said.

"When you have trademark rights, you have to protect them," Dabertin said.

The chamber's lawyer sent the Edwardsville Hometown Committee a letter asking the committee to stop using the term Pierogi Festival or get permission to use it. Permission usually involves paying royalties, Dabertin said.

"The point is, companies and people with trademarks do this all the time," Dabertin said. "And we have to do it, too, because if you fail to protect your trademark, you lose the trademark."

When chamber board members see other groups using the trademark term, they notify the chamber's attorney, he said.

"We have given permission to others to use the trademark," he said.

Dabertin declined to discuss if other groups paid royalties, saying any arrangements are a private matter.

The Whiting-Robertsdale chamber originally sought the trademark to protect the integrity of its festival and the festival's reputation, he said.

In its lawsuit, the Edwardsville Hometown Committee denied using the trademark Pierogi Fest. It has always called its event the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival, the lawsuit says.

Dabertin referred questions about the difference between the words festival and fest to the chamber's trademark attorney, Daniel Zamudio, who did not immediately return a call and email seeking comment. Dabertin also said he had no information about whether the Whiting-Robertsdale chamber attorney sent correspondence to the Pennsylvania festival's sponsors.

"Instead of them getting our permission, they went this route," Dabertin said, referring to the lawsuit. "If they want to pick up the phone and talk to us, we're willing to talk to them."

Whiting Pierogi Fest wrapped up Sunday and attracts 300,000 people annually. Whitings wacky festival salutes the Regions Eastern European heritage with a comedic twist.

The Pennsylvania committee started the Edwardsville Pierogi Festival in 2014, according to the lawsuit. Edwardsville is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, which the U.S. Census Bureau has deemed the only county in the U.S. where Polish is the most prevalent ethnic group, the suit said.
MERRILLVILLE  The return of financial challenges at the American Legion Post 430 has the organization seeking support from the community to help it overcome the struggles.

John Minchuk, a past commander of Post 430, said declining membership has once again created funding issues for the group.

A lot of our older members are dying, and younger veterans have been slow to join Post 430, Minchuk said.

He said the Merrillville American Legion once had more than 400 members. Numbers have fallen to around 200 veterans in the group.

We're having some tough times again, Minchuk said.

He's referencing a situation in 2011, when the American Legion faced closure because of operating costs and membership fell to around 125 people. Post 430 survived that financial struggle through successful fundraising events.

Its cash flow issues don't appear to be as severe as they were a few years ago, but members are turning to a similar approach to help generate money needed to run the organization and to support projects assisting veterans.

Were trying to stay above water, Minchuk said.

He said the Merrillville American Legion will have its corn boil from noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at the post, 7430 Broadway.

Admission is free to the event, which is open to the public. Minchuk said corn will be offered at no cost, and Post 430 will be selling hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst and other items.

The fundraiser will feature other activities, including a rubber duck race in the creek behind the facility.

The Merrillville American Legion also is planning a motorcycle run for September, and it is seeking sponsors for that event.

As important as the fundraising programs are to keep Post 430 operating, the organization has other goals.

Minchuk said he would like to see membership increase, and he encourages veterans to visit the post and consider joining the group.

He said it can be difficult for some veterans to share their military experiences with those who haven't served, and members find camaraderie at the Merrillville American Legion.

The group also helps connect its members with available services when they need assistance to overcome issues.

Call 219 769-3071 for information about the American Legion Post 430 and its upcoming events.
Carrie Crouch, a registered nurse who has been with Franciscan Health Michigan City for 16 years, is the hospitals July DAISY Award winner.

The Michigan City resident was nominated by a patients daughter, who said, My mother was admitted to the hospital from the ER for stroke-like symptoms, irregular heartbeat, severe dizziness and a case of shingles. She was filled with anxiety and pain. Over the past few years, mom has been hospitalized a number of times. This was her first stay at Franciscan Health Michigan City. Now that she is home recuperating from receiving a pacemaker, mom cannot stop telling family and friends about the wonderful care she received. Carries name is always the first she speaks about.

As part of her award, Crouch received a DAISY award pin, The Healers Touch sculpture, a DAISY Award certificate, a gift bag from the DAISY Foundation (that included a special rate on certification or re-certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and discounted tuition from Chamberlain College of Nursing) and a box of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls to share with her coworkers. She will also have her photo posted on the DAISY Wall near the main floor lobby, along with the other winners as they are named each month.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is an internationally recognized honor that was established in 1999 via the DAISY Foundation by members of the family of Patrick Barnes. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
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A Brooklyn man who left for World War II and never returned finally will be coming home. After nearly 75 years, his remains have been identified, and his family finally has the truth about what happened to him. NY1 Brooklyn Reporter Jeanine Ramirez has the story.

In 1943, Private Joseph Carbone was among 18,000 U.S. Marines that fought in the bloody Battle of Tarawa in World War II.

1,200 of them did not survive the fierce fighting against the Japanese.

His family, who lived on Gold Street near the Brooklyn Navy Yard, got a telegram saying the 18-year-old was missing in action.

For weeks, months, and then years, his parents and siblings hoped for a miracle that never came.

"Every Marine that came down that block, we ran to, hoping it was him," said Nancy Lewis, Carbone's niece. Her mother and Carbone were siblings.

Lewis, now 73, said she always wondered what happened to him.

In 2015, she read news reports about human remains unearthed on the same beach where Carbone last fought.

She contacted the Marine Corps, and was asked to provide a sample of her DNA.

"I sent it in about two-and-a-half years ago, and I finally got the call about a week ago, and it was very, very exciting." Lewis reflected.

She saved the message on her answering machine: "His remains have been identified along with hundreds of other Marines that were killed in WWII in Tarawa in November 1943."

"I was like, 'Oh my, God. They found him. What a relief,'" Lewis said.

Plans are being made to fly those remains to New York for a funeral with full military honors.

Once a date is set, arrangements will be made at the Scarpaci Funeral Home in Dyker Heights.

Lewis said Carbone will be laid to rest at Calvary Cemetery with his father and mother, her grandparents.

She still has a letter her grandmother wrote to Carbone after he was deployed.

"Grandma always talked about him, always. Our whole life was Uncle Joey with Grandma," Lewis said. "I felt a sense of relief knowing that she went to her grave thinking he was coming home."

Coming home, 74 years later.
Although Mulago Specialised Maternal and Neonatal Health Care Unit (MSMNHCU) looks like a lot still has to be done, its workers from Joadah Consult Ltd say 78 per cent of the work has been done and it is expected to be complete by June 8.

Once complete, it will be one of Africas biggest specialized womens hospital.

The construction work will be complete by June 8. And by end of July, the hospital will be fully complete with all medical equipment  beds, CT scan, furniture and other office partitioning  fixed, Mulago hospital spokesperson Enock Kusasira told The Observer during a recent visit to the ultra-modern facility.

According to Simon Kasito, the architect at Joadah Consult Ltd, what is mainly remaining in the construction is completing electricity wiring, plumbing, painting, polishing the floor and fixing lifts and doors.

We are working hard, to complete the work in time which also includes finishing the parking areas and landscaping where patients and visitors will relax from, he said.

Front view of the Mulago Specialised Maternal and Neonatal Health Care Unit

Kusasira said, the construction of the hospital which started on June 9, 2015 by Arab Contractors has been supported by the Islamic Development Bank and the government at the cost of $33.3m (about Shs 100bn) including fixing medical equipment.

He says the 320-bed hospital will have about 300 midwives and at least 50 specialised doctors working on women health issues.



How different is this hospital?

Kusasira says the hospital will be mainly working on maternal health referrals, but not normal deliveries to avoid congestion as well as reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

People with normal deliveries will go to other hospitals. It will be working on special cases of uro-gynaecology and gynaecology such as complicated fistula which requires surgery, cervical, vulva and breast cancer, and other complications [in reproductive health], he said.

Kusasira says the hospital will be working on assisted reproductive health technologies such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), specialised deliveries of women with multiple births and laparoscopy or computerized surgeries with minimal incisions.

With IVF services, people will have chance to [freeze their eggs] or sperms, which they can use after years or after their death to get babies, he said.

He says the hospital work has been done under good supervision and so far, they have not got any report about shoddy work. According to Kasito, the hospital aims at achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through reduction of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, which will ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all ages.

It will improve maternal and neonatal health care service delivery at Mulago hospital through improvement of infrastructure, supply of equipment and training of personnel and decongest the hospital by focusing on provision of tertiary and specialized services, Kasito said.



Services to be offered

The hospital will have 10 levels with a helipad at the rooftop, although it is not yet approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), according to Kasito. He says once approved, air ambulances will be able to directly deliver patients to the facility, faster.

Ongoing works at the specialised hospital

Level 1 will have the main entrance, emergency gynaecology services, banking and telecom centres and an outpatient assessment centre.

Level 2 will also have outpatient services such as postnatal clinics, genaecology services, family planning, pharmacies, a blood bank, laboratories, Central Sterilizing Storage Department (CSSD) and amortuary.

Level 3 hosts the administration offices and lecturerooms, a library, video conference room, IVF center and wards.

Level 4 will have six operating theatres, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for premature babies, High Dependency Unit (HDU) for mothers with specialized cases, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and a kangaroo mother care club.

Level 5 is for high-risk mothers with specialised cases. It will have a general maternity ward, four labour suites and two theatres for mothers in need of a C-section birth.

Level 6 will cater for complicated cases of gynaecology, a high-risk maternal and postnatal ward, and a staff canteen.

Level 7 is for private patients with 45 rooms, where each room has two beds. It has a terrace where patients and visitors sit for luxury.

Level 8 has a presidential suite and VIP suites. It also has four delivery suites, two operating theatres, TV room, waiting room, kitchen and an open terrace.

Level 9 is a service area for storing water tanks, among other amenities.

Level 10 is for communication equipment including telecom masts and a helipad at the rooftop.
South Africas crime rates and xenophobia tend to ring loud to an outsiders ears, but the two times I have visited this beautiful country, I have left unscathed and with only beautiful memories.

I was in South Africa last month for the famous Indaba, Africas largest travel trade show. From visiting revered nationalist Nelson Mandelas house in Soweto to taking a tour around Johannesburg and the lifetime experience of an abseiling and canopy tour in Limpopo province bordering Botswana, South Africa once again left me in awe.

The Indaba show attracts people from across the globe. I went with two other journalists from Uganda and after landing at Oliver Tambo international airport, we were welcomed by Fathimah Adam, the manager Marketing and Communications, South Africa Tourism. We spent our night at Southern Sun hotel near the airport.

Some Ugandan exhibitors during Indaba expo in Durban

The following morning, we started our tour with Limpopo province, visiting the interesting Balobedu of Modjadji kingdom. We had an abseiling and canopy tour, which almost all the journalists in attendance could not stop raving about afterwards.

Abseiling involves using ropes to descend mountain surfaces or rocks, backwards. It is an exciting adventure sport popular with thrill seekers. I decided to try it out and the best trick is to avoid looking down as you make your descent.

Since it was my first time to abseil, I was very nervous standing at the top of the rock at about 30m, although with all the ropes and harnesses, I managed to control my movements and descend steadily onto the floating platform at Magaliesberg Adventure. It is an unforgettable experience, but definitely only for the brave, considering that one is abseiling from a rock top with a waterfall beneath.

No wonder when my nine-year-old daughter Princess Nimrah saw my WhatsApp video of my abseiling achievement, she wept and told my sister Madinah how unfair I was being, abseiling over waterfalls; What if shed died?!

Elvis Ntale of Radio One, who was also on this trip refused to abseil after googling it and finding it rather challenging.

I cant risk my life with abseiling; its so scary at least I have done canopy, he said. Well, he will never know now.

After landing, we sailed a few meters on Letaba River and later climbed to the other side of the mountain using a very tall ladder to return to the top, where we had left our belongings before abseiling.



Then came Canopy

It was a day of many firsts for me, for as I was catching my breath from the abseiling, I was introduced to Canopy tour or zip lining. On arrival at Magaliesberg canopy tour, we were given a thorough safety briefing by the guides, before being fitted with safety helmets and into harnesses. We toured 10 zip lines running over trees, stopping on wooden platforms to change to the next one.

I flew over the beautiful, green forest, but it was mind-blowing in a scary way too, seeing as we were hanging and zooming above roaring waterfalls. If you are scared of heights, this is a fun way to conquer your phobia. The guides are incredibly helpful and safety conscious.

The tour lasted two hours for the group of 10, moving between platforms built high within the upper level of natural forests and between ancient mountain cliffs.

Now I know why people travel thousands of miles and pay their distances equivalent in dollars, just to experience some of these things. Fellow journalist Edgar Battes heart could not stomach the canopy tour after being intimidated by the waterfalls below the zip lines we were swinging from.

I had to travel to South Africa first and learn from a Ugandan based there, Rashidah Kagimu, that canopy tours and abseiling actually exist in Uganda; abseiling happens at Sipi falls in Kapchorwa , while canopy tours are available in Mabira forest.



Mandelas House

If you go to South Africa and dont visit former president and freedom fighter Nelson Mandelas house in Soweto, you will have missed a great opportunity to get insight into the man himself. It is a big center of attraction, preservation, research and heritage for the Mandela family and people of South Africa.

The tiny house is very popular to tourists and hundreds flock to the place daily to recall Madibas life during the oppressive years of apartheid. The former South African president, who was incarcerated for 27 years on Robben Island, referred to his house as the centre point of my world.

Tourists pose for pictures at Mandela's house

Mandelas house 8115, Orlando West, Vilakazi street in Soweto is located in the Johannesburg township that once was the hub of the anti-apartheid struggle. The South African government is trying to rebuild the matchbox houses that characterise the township, to improve standards of living.

Sphelo, the guide at Mandelas house says in 1946 Mandela, his first wife Evelyn Ntoko Mase and their four children moved into this house from Eastern Cape where Mandela was born.

The house is mainly a museum today and features quotes from Mandela and his children. From the mid-1990s ownership of the house was transferred to Soweto Heritage Trust, who were entrusted with preserving the house and its history, as a national asset and it was renamed the Mandela Family Museum.

Sphelo says Mandela was the first in his family to go to school and his teacher gave him the name Nelson because those days they were given English names; his original name was Rolihlahla.



Rich Culture

South Africa is the continents most developed country, but their cultural side is just as fascinating. As we entered the palace at Balobedu of Modjadji kingdom, we were all ordered to remove our shoes according to cultural norms as the royal dancers welcomed us with songs.

We were taken on a tour of the Thokola ya Masopha shrine in Polokwane, Limpopo province. The cultural tour guide took us through the palace for about two hours, sharing with us the origin of this kingdom and some of the rituals they do annually such as praying for rain since their province is always dry.

In Durban we visited uShaka Marine World, a 16-hectare theme park. It comprises five sections that include uShaka Sea World, uShaka Wet and Wild, uShaka Beach, uShaka Village Walk and, uShaka Kids World.

This tour includes an unforgettable dolphin show, audio-visual presentation at Natal Sharks Board and a visit to uShaka Marine World - the largest marine aquarium on the African continent and the fifth largest in the world.

The unique design of marine aquarium offers the visitor an underwater exploration as one traverses through lower tunnels. For a Ugandan whose country is landlocked and thus does not boast the salt-water creatures countries such as South Africa have in abundance, it was a memorable experience.

Minister of Tourism Prof Ephraim Kamuntu, who was also in South Africa for Indaba, must have been taking notes the entire time. He said government ought to invest more in tourism as other countries including South Africa do.

Stephen Asiimwe, the Uganda Tourism Board chief executive officer said their marketing and publicity are going to improve and that since South African president Jacob Zuma recently praised Ugandas beauty, tourists booking to see that beauty have increased.



zurah@observer.ug
Just like everyone else has a dream, AMELIA MARTHA NAKITIMBO envisages of a day when the media will be respected as an important integral part of society.

The fervent journalist revealed to Prisca Baike her burning desire for the Ugandan media to set a firm agenda as the case is in the more developed countries.



Many people have no regard for journalists and the entire media, but imagine waking up one day and there is no media house at all? asks Nakitimbo. There wouldnt be any form of information or news.

She observes that despite the negative attitude by many people towards the media, it plays a vital role in informing society and pushing various agendas.

A daughter of Stephen Mulumba (RIP) and Beatrice Nkwenge, a nursing officer, Nakitimbo knew what she wanted to become at an early age. Despite her mother advising her to study law, and other people advising her to pursue a career in medicine like her mother, Nakitimbo remained defiant. Instead, she focused on what she wanted to become  a journalist.

Amelia Martha Kitimbo

Born on April 21, 1993, she attended Kashozi boarding primary school in Bushenyi. Having passed among the top 10, she joined MaryHill school for her O-level and Immaculate Heart girls school for A-level. Thereafter, she pursued a bachelors degree in Mass Communication at Uganda Christian University in Mukono.

Her maiden interface with a media house was in 2014 during her internship at Urban television as a general news reporter. Heeding her internship supervisors advice, Nakitimbo gave it her best shot. By the time she completed her industrial training, she had made her mark.

At that particular internship, no intern was meant to be retained but I was an exception, Nakitimbo says.

Her most memorable moment as a journalist was when she exclusively reported about the 2015 Crest Foam factory fire incident and Pope Francis visit to Uganda when she did her first-ever live broadcast.

All my colleagues called to tell me I was awesome, reminisces Nakitimbo, who currently anchors the 1pm and 8pm news bulletin on Urban television and X FM respectively.



VERSATILE

Following her passion for humanitarian work and children, Nakitimbo is also a volunteer at Reach the Child, Uganda, a budding organization that is set on helping marginalized children.

I am also currently trying to join urban farming, says Kitimbo, who advises youths not tuck themselves up in one box. We are all multi-talented. Being one thing does not stop you from achieving something else.

With urban farming, Nakitimbo is optimistic she will harness the opportunities that lie therein. Since our country is still developing, she hopes to become part of the required urban planners.

At the moment, she is also establishing her niche in the film industry, which she finds fascinating and marketable. She currently has one short film, Kakwezi, under her belt. She produced it with the Ntinda-based Wizarts Media.

I produced and premiered my film, says Nakitimbo, who is also a Sunday school teacher at St Lukes church, Ntinda.

She confesses her social life has been somewhat isolated, but plans to revamp it.



pbaike@yahoo.com
Violet Kukundakwe is an enthusiastic young female entrepreneur. The 29-year-old radiographer has laid a foundation and sketched her future around farming, a venture she attaches great passion to.

With an audacious smile, Kukundakwe talks of her first business idea. While at university, she and friends would buy movies and rent them to fellow students. It was through that experience that her business acumen was birthed.

Doreen Kukundakwe

Towards the completion of her Bachelor of Science in Medical Radiography from Makerere University in 2010, Kukundakwe had already got two jobs  one with Kampala Imaging Centre (KIC) and another at Mulago Paramedical School.

Alongside the two placements, she hawked jewelry to different offices, Rotary gatherings and at every opportunity she got.

I lost 10 kilograms because of the movements, but I got some money out of it. That is what mattered, she says.

In 2013, the brainy youth enrolled for a masters degree at the University of Johannesburg. However, she had to first attain a prerequisite Bachelor of Technology, Diagnostic Radiography  which she did for nine months. Out of her genius and expertise, she saved Shs 3 million through peer tutoring at the university while she studied.

While my friends spent all they had in luxury and creating happiness, I saved every penny I could, Kukundakwe says.



TAKING A GAMBLE

She adds that although she occasionally had fun with friends, she knew she was not entitled to luxury until she had made tangible success in her life. Back home, Telex free networking had made a mark. Her friends had benefitted from it; so, she couldnt wait to eat of the apple. Being the businesswoman she is, she invested her savings in the project.

Since it makes money real quickly, I cannot miss the opportunity, she thought to herself.

Unfortunately, she lost out 90 per cent of her money, and vowed never to fall for any networking venture however appealing it may appear.



LUCRATIVE POULTRY

Getting back on her feet was at a job offer as a radiographer at Nakasero hospital on return from South Africa in February 2014. (She had resigned from KIC to pursue further studies). Once more, she saved every penny she got. Under the influence of her cousin, she accepted the idea of poultry farming.

The required initial capital was Shs 50 million, which she did not have.

People want to help you after seeing you somewhere, she says. No one can give you money to start anything without something to show.

Since she couldnt afford the minimum number of birds to start with, she kept procrastinating. After a series of debates and sets of advice, Kukundakwe paid for 250 chicks in May 2014. With her mothers help, she established her first poultry houses in Namugongo.

After four months, she started harvesting two to three trays of eggs daily. For a year, she singlehandedly looked after the farm. Every morning she woke up to feed, vaccinate and wash the feeders and drinkers before she engaged in other activities.

At the moment, she picks 38 trays of eggs daily, and cant wait for more thanks to her cousin for the lucrative idea. So far, Kukundakwe has reared a total of about 5,000 birds at her now expanded farm in Maganjo. When the birds kept increasing in number, she had to employ a helper.

It was very difficult for me to get a reliable person because of poor work ethics. They usually stole from me, and I had to push them to work, she says.

As luck would have it, Kukundakwe finally got one vibrant worker who is so passionate about his work. Kukundakwe has also planted some trees, and is planning to plant more. Her biggest challenge has been the ever-increasing prices for feeds and diseases like Newcastle. Before she knew about the disease, she had lost 50 birds.

FUTURE

Kukundakwe works towards having a fully automated farm with a better cage system. She affirms that this will help reduce on the egg damage. Her target is 10,000 birds by 2019, and 100,000 in the next 10 years.



PRIVATE LIFE

Born to Anne Begumisa and Richard Akankwasa of Kabale in 1988, Kukundakwe is the firstborn of three children. While away from the farm, she spends time with her family, attends fellowships and other spiritual growth classes at Watoto church. She also loves volunteering, travelling and eating new foods.

Kukundakwe is also a member of Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited which, she says, has created opportunities for work, travel, trade and knowledge.

I am a serious woman whom most times people misinterpret for being tough and unapproachable, she says, adding that she is quite friendly and hardworking.

She also looks out for business seminars, exhibitions and trainings which she says are vital for networking and learning more about business.



EDUCATION

Kukundakwe attended Buganda Road primary school for her primary education before joining Gayaza high school for O-level and Mount St Marys College Namagunga for her A-level.

At the moment, she is at the University of Johannesburg for a Master of Technology, Diagnostic Radiography. Kukundakwe calls upon farmers to unite and form cooperatives.

This increases our bargaining power and ability to purchase farm inputs, she says.



kajdora@gmail.com
Uganda has 35 diplomatic missions around the world, yet this is an area of the country's governance structure that has not often featured in local news and debates.

Lately, however, the appointment of politicians who lost elections to diplomatic roles, as well as some gaffes by politicians-turned-diplomats have drawn attention to our diplomats. In this ground-breaking series, The Observer interviews former diplomats to tell their own stories of serving Uganda abroad.

In the maiden part of this series, Jerome Kule Bitswande talks to Ambassador EDITH GRACE SSEMPALA.



My name is Edith Grace Ssempala. I am a civil engineer by training, but I have never practiced it. I studied at Namutamba Demonstration School in Mityana district. I went to Gayaza high school for ordinary level and did advanced level at Nabumali high school in Mbale.

I finalised my studies at Peoples Friendship University, as one of the seven lucky Ugandans that secured a government scholarship in Russia. You see, that is diversity.

Ambassador Edith Grace Sempala

In Uganda, I studied in Mityana, Kampala and Mbale. At that time, we had many great schools scattered around the country and one would just pursue an education, unbothered by which region of the country they are in. Meanwhile, students would also be assured of good grades, unlike today where you see good-performing schools only concentrated in one region.

I had a passion for sciences, particularly mathematics. I wanted to be an engineer, doctor or a pilot. Although very few girls did sciences then, I was determined.

I take this opportunity to encourage young girls not to be afraid of sciences, especially if they really want to pursue a career therein. Of course those who want to do arts should also be encouraged; whatever you do, make sure you do it well.

I went to Russia in 1973 to the Peoples Friendship University, then commonly known as Lumumba University. I stayed there for six years until 1979, having completed my masters degree in civil engineering. During my days at university, I was involved in gender activism.

I really loved Russia because of the diversity; we had people from all walks of life; Asians, Americans, Africans, etc. So, apart from the education, we met new people and that helped us in building networks that are important in a persons life. After completing my studies in Russia, I went to visit friends in Sweden as I prepared to return to Uganda.

After Sweden, I called my brother and told him I would be returning home. But he advised me not to, arguing that the situation in Uganda was not safe. That was very disturbing. I really got confused and restless because that is the time Idi Amin had been overthrown.

I had only known that Ugandas problem was Idi Amin. So, since he had been toppled, I wondered why the country was not safe. However, my brother insisted that I could not come back and he advised me to seek asylum and that is what I did.

JOINING POLITICS

During my stay in Sweden, I worked with a company called RIFA Electronics as a quality controller. In that time, I didnt want to get involved in politics, although I wanted to come to Uganda so that I could practice my engineering at home.

However, later on I organized a fundraising drive to raise some money to help Ugandans; we gave it to the Swedish Red Cross which eventually wired it to the Ugandan Red Cross to help Ugandans that were being abused since abuse of human rights had reached its peak in Uganda.

So, eventually, I was elected to the executive committee of Uganda Human Rights Activists, an association we formed in Sweden to advocate for ending abuse of fundamental freedoms and to highlight the blatant abuse of peoples rights that was happening in Uganda.

Later on, I was approached by the NRA [National Resistance Army] political wing members, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda and Amama Mbabazi. They presented their agenda to us in Sweden and I loved what they were saying.

We then formed an NRM branch in Scandinavian countries which included Denmark, Norway and Sweden. So, I headed the Stockholm branch in Sweden. I was really working a lot because I was running around; I was a mother, wife, an activist and an employee at RIFA. So, I was extensively involved in doing diplomacy for the NRM when it was in the jungle.

BECOMING AMBASSADOR

Eventually, the NRM ascended to power. Two months later, I sought leave at work and I came to Uganda. Mbabazi, who had become my friend because of the struggle, came to pick me from the airport.

I vividly remember we moved in his small ramshackle car. Anyway, when I reached the airport, he passed me via the VIP lounge and introduced me as ambassador-designate to Sweden. I did not expect it but neither was I surprised. I had become popular among the NRM top circles, considering the work I had done for them in Sweden.

And that was it; we were involved in back-to-back seminars, trainings, meetings and so forth. Actually, the two months that I had thought were going to be vacation, I ended up working hard and engaging in serious deliberations on how we can make Uganda better. So, there I was, appointed ambassador to Sweden.

So, in June 1986, I went back to Europe, but this time as an ambassador. I couldnt move to Sweden immediately because Uganda had its embassy in Denmark. That is where I stayed, although I often visited Norway, Iceland, Finland and Sweden.

DIPLOMATIC DUTIES

My job as a diplomat was basically to do public relations for Uganda because then we were only better known for Amin the dictator.

You see, when you are ambassador for a country like Uganda, you are [also] charged with dealing with the general image of Africa as a continent.

To the eyes of Europeans then, we were a people that abuse power; a people that, once [we] ascend to power, blatantly abuse human rights; a people incapable of governing ourselves; a people who are greedy and do not care about fellow citizens.

I was equipped with the NRMs 10-point programme that I endeavoured to explain to these countries. Our 10-point programme was undisputedly a good concept but to some, this was only good in writing and we were never going to implement it.

I remember a time I went to Norway and met the chairperson of their parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and explained to her our objectives as a new government using our 10-point programme.

She looked at me, and Scandinavians are very honest people, and said: I hear you, but I do not believe you. [Former president Dr Milton] Obote was a few years back in this very office, and he was also speaking the same language but look what he eventually turned out to be.



But as an individual, I genuinely believed that the people who had assumed power in 1986 would put Uganda on the right course. Needless to say, there were those who believed in my message, and also those who did not believe initially but eventually realized that the NRM was making strides in making the country much better than they had found it.

Gross violations of human rights had been stopped and outlawed; the army had been disciplined. We were only then being faced with challenges related to institutions and systems because, surely, those take time to build yet we had taken over a country that was in limbo.

I remember meeting Amnesty International officials and they raised concerns about delays in court judgments, investigations, etc, and I agreed with them but I asked them to help us build our systems.

While Amnesty International told me it was not a funding agency, I insisted that they were better-placed to seek support for us from the Danish government. The first donations we got from DANIDA [Danish International Development Agency] in the field of human rights development resulted from the advocacy of Amnesty International.

Well, I continued spreading the gospel of our NRM 10-point programme. I really pushed for the Nordic countries to support our private sector because in that way, Uganda would be in position to stand on its own without international support, and also the other countries could end up gaining from the investment climate, thus strengthening the relationship.

By the time I left, Denmark had even established an embassy here; Sweden and Norway were on the way and have eventually established embassies here. Iceland later followed suit, and I was very surprised because it was a small country. Finland was also about to come on board by the time I left.

TRANSFER TO USA

In 1996, my minister at that time was Dr Rugunda. I remember he just called me and told me that I had been transferred to the US. I had only been to America once for a relatives wedding and I really didnt know what serving in the US would be like.

I then telephoned my would-be deputy to seek advice from him even when I was still in Copenhagen because I believed that since he had been in the US already, he was more knowledgeable. He bought me a Dale Carnegie book titled: How to win friends and influence people.

It was a fantastic book that I read keenly very fast and, surely, it also gave me another insight into how to make friends. The United States was a very fantastic place; the Americans were good people and they were always open to helping us and seeing us grow.

Two presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, came to Uganda, which was really approval of our developed relations as partners in development. What you should know is that while I did meet the presidents of the US, I had never discussed any issues concerning Uganda with them because I only met them on invitation for a dinner, especially on Christmas days.

So, that means the Americans themselves approved of us, and organized for their presidents to visit Uganda. Of course that was not by mistake; it was a sign that we were making deliberate public relations moves especially with the staffers.

Edith Sempala (R) presenting her credentials to President Bill Clinton in 1996

In America, surely if you want to succeed, you do not bother yourself a lot with the politicians; you interest yourself with the staff who in most cases include front desk officers, secretaries, heads of department in charge of your country, assistant secretary of state for Africa, etc, because these are the people who really do the work.

TRANSFER TO ETHIOPIA

In 2006, I was transferred to Ethiopia and of course, by virtue of being in Addis Ababa, you are also ambassador to the African Union. And for me, that was the best appointment. I had not worked in Africa; so, my appointment in Africa was like a deployment home. As an African, I am a pan-Africanist. So, anything that develops Uganda and Africa, I will do it with all my heart.

I was happy that I was going to influence Africa from Africa. In Ethiopia, I was the first Ugandan ambassador to sit on the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, and I brought the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of Sudan on the table. Sudan and Egypt were not interested, but I still managed to table it for discussion and I am happy it came to pass.

In Ethiopia, I worked for only two years before I joined the World Bank.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

For the Nordic countries, I put Uganda on the map and brought support from them to Uganda, starting of course with relief aid, and support to the private sector. Not that we have benefited like we should, but the reasons why we have not benefitted enough are self-created. It is expensive to run an embassy and I can tell you these countries are selective when setting up an embassy.

So, that we have embassies for almost every country speaks volumes of how much I contributed in making Uganda friends with Scandinavian countries. [In the USA], Uganda became a household name in America; everyone was talking about us and, for me, that was like a dream come true. At a personal level, I really did not have any challenges.

Yes, we had issues with infrastructure, facilitation and so forth; but, for every challenge, I saw an opportunity therein. After two years in Ethiopia, I was happy that I had left working for government. Most people thought the government played a role in helping me get a job at the World Bank as

director external relations, but that was not true.

I surely attribute it to God, just like my other appointments in which I think God played a central role. I was blessed to leave the diplomatic service at the right time, before the human rights situation [in Uganda] became ugly, etc because I could not have continued to serve the government as is now.

Truth be told, I would decline the offer if I am appointed in the diplomatic service again. I dont know how to lie. So, how would I tell, for example, a country like the US that we observe human rights yet I am well aware that things are to the contrary back home?

In 2015, I was lucky to be named by the UN Secretary General on the advisory group of experts on review of peace-building architecture. This was a review of the peace-building processes of the United Nations to help its organs understand and improve ways in which they promote peace. Our report is on their website.

APPOINTMENT OF DIPLOMATS

Ambassadors are the face of the nation out there; their appointment criterion is important and its integrity should lead to the appointment of people who can deliver, people who are self-motivated with the skills and passion to do the job, people with diplomatic and public relations skills, people who are credible, with integrity.

They should also know how to make friends and influence them; they should not just be sycophants to the regime but should have a vision for Uganda and understand that good relations must be mutually beneficial (win-win). It does not matter whether they are career diplomats or not.

I never studied diplomacy but I was successful as a diplomat. One other aspect is that ambassadors are marketers and a marketer only succeeds if he has a good product. If Uganda is still a product worth marketing, is a question for you to find out.

Diplomatic service deals with bi- lateral issues. First, Uganda needs to put her house in order, sort out the political issue  governance in general (democracy, rule of law, human rights, corruption, etc.)

Credible investors consider such issues when making decisions as to where they should put their money. Countries have to account to their taxpayers for the money they invest in other countries.

Otherwise, Uganda is a great country with many comparative advantages; our geographic location, climate, untapped natural resources, a young trained/trainable population and friendly people.

Once governance is sorted, we should focus on attracting investments to add value in agriculture, tourism and boosting the manufacturing sector. That will be good enough to give Uganda a new and better face in the eyes of the world.

jeromekulbits@gmail.com

Look out for another engaging interview in this series next Friday
In Part V of the series, Jerome Kule Bitswande talks to Jack Wamai Wamanga, a career diplomat-turned politician, whose career took him to Scandinavia and China before returning home to become a member of parliament.

His diplomatic career elevated him to meet the Pope and also exposed him to Ugandans in Chinese jails.My name is Jack Wamanga Wamai, the Member of Parliament representing Mbale Municipality in the 10th Parliament. I am also a retired diplomat, having worked in Ugandas Foreign Service for 25 years.

I went to Bumilisa and Makuyu primary schools in Sironko district. I studied secondary school at Masaba SS and Kololo SS before I went to Moscow State University for my university preparatory course.

Thereafter, I went to Kiev State University in Ukraine where I pursued a bachelors and masters degree in International Relations. After graduating in 1977, I went to the University of Stockholm where I did a one-year course in Scandinavian studies.

Wamai Wamanga

WORK EXPERIENCE

After finishing my Scandinavian studies, I got a job with the government of Sweden where I worked for close to four years. I came back to Uganda in 1981 and joined the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

So, I worked in the protocol department. Well, I worked in several departments, but the training ground was protocol department, where I worked for five years. And that was the lowest rank because it is Foreign Service officer Grade Six which, in other words, is equivalent to assistant secretary.

Ideally, that should be the norm; whoever joins Foreign Service should start from Grade Six so that they grow through the ranks to Grade One, which is the level of the ambassador. Unfortunately, that is not happening these days.

I had just been posted to the Nordic countries at the time the NRM came to power. I was a civil servant; so, I was not affected much by the political changes in the country. I was in Denmark and I continued doing my job until Ambassador Edith Grace Ssempala, who was politically appointed, came and I deputized her.



ACHIEVEMENTS

I ushered her in and trained her because I had been in the chair. We worked together for a number of years and I am happy to say we were successful. You can see most of the Scandinavian countries have built embassies here; that speaks volumes about the relationship that Edith and I built between these countries and Uganda.

By 1986, Uganda did not have friends because Idi Amin had been the face of the country and Milton Obote did not do much in rescuing the situation. So, we worked hard to build the image of this country. Of course the most important job of a foreign mission is to improve the image of their country.

And if you check, the number of missions from the Nordic countries that are built here; that is testimony enough of how much we achieved for Uganda.

Actually, even the rest of the other European countries saw Scandinavians coming here a lot and they also followed suit. So, it is not far-fetched to say that we built the relationship between Uganda and European countries.

I signed the first agreement with the Danish government which donated medicines to us in what was called the essential drugs programme in 1987. They also came and built for us the first medical stores in Entebbe.

In 1986, High court did not have stationery until the Scandinavians came in to help us and, surely, they did a good job. When Joyce Mpanga [then a cabinet minister] visited us in Denmark, we introduced her to Danida which helped her in setting up Fida-Uganda, and you know what this organization has done in fighting for human rights.



SERVING IN ITALY

I served in Italy from 1994 to 1998. I had some good experience with the Italians and despite the fact that the ambassador to Italy is not an official ambassador to the Vatican, most of the work for people who were going to Vatican used to be done by us.

The Vatican, being the seat of the Catholic Church, used to receive many Ugandans going there and yet the ambassador to Vatican was also the ambassador to Germany. So, he lived in Bourne, Germany. For us, in Italy, we were closer  we did most of the donkey work because many Ugandans passed through our mission.

What I also remember in Italy is that I escorted Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala to Vatican when he was being proclaimed Cardinal by Pope John Paul II. After four years, I was called back to Uganda. I am one person who was in and out of the country serving this nation. I would spend four years here, and another four years somewhere else.



TRANSFER TO CHINA

I was in China from 2002 to 2006. I brought so many investors here because I was in charge of trade and investment. I marketed Uganda in China for I preached about investment opportunities here and you can see how many Chinese investments that we have now.

My only disappointment here is that the influx of the Chinese has tremendously increased, and we are having very many of them doing a lot of petty trade. Some traders have even complained that there are some Chinese who are even hawking, but that is our weakness. That is the problem with this government; it relaxed the visa regime for people who want to settle in Uganda. So, people fly in here and pay $100 or $50 and they access visas.

When I was in China, we did a lot of scrutiny for anybody who wanted to come to this country. In Beijing, the mission would really sort out who did and did not qualify to come and settle; we would ask questions like: Why do you want to go to Uganda?

What business do you want to go and do there? And we would even go an extra mile to find out how much money whoever wanted to come and do business here has. If, after our due diligence, we considered that your capital is insufficient, we would not allow you to access our visa. There are very many people that we denied visas.

But when the ministry of Internal Affairs said visas can be accessed here at Entebbe, we started having every one come and that is why you see them doing even petty trade but, surely, that is our weakness. And you know the Chinese are very hardworking people; so, where there is every single opportunity for them to work, they will definitely grab it.

However, I really want to credit them for their good character. The Chinese are really very humble and simple people; unlike many other nations, the Chinese are not arrogant.



DRUGS IN CHINA?

During my stay in China, I also met many Ugandans who were involved in drug trade. But, surely, what I learnt is that many of our boys and girls were just victims. They were being used by Pakistanis, Liberians, etc.

They would just be used as transit or delivery boys and girls. We want you to help us drop this bag there, and they would fall into the trap. By the way, China is one of those countries with tough and stringent laws on drugs and once you are convicted, it is death.

But as a mission, we always tried to engage the Chinese government to see if these people could be repatriated to Uganda so that they can serve their sentences here; but like I have mentioned, laws are very tough in China and systems work with little influence peddling.



CHALLENGES IN MISSIONS

We were really faced with inadequate funds. For example, China has over 16 provinces and you would be expected to go to all of them preaching the good news about Uganda. So, it would be very little money sent to the missions to do government work.

You would go to tourism exhibitions and you would like to portray Uganda as a very good tourism destination; yet you would not have money to pay for a stall. At some point, I used personal funds to do government work.

A meeting for ambassadors would be scheduled and, of course, you would be expected to attend; but sometimes the mission would not have any monies.

So, I would end up using my own resources for tickets, transport, etc. Or maybe you host a guest at the embassy and the mission does not have any money but, still, as a mission, you make sure your guest feels at home and that definitely meant that you would dig into your pockets.

The next thing is low pay and low allowances; our officers earn very little money to the extent that they would not afford to cater for their families in the countries in which they would have been appointed. It was literally impossible for a Foreign Service officer to pay fees for their children in international schools.

So, somehow, most of the Foreign Service officers, especially males, would leave their families in Uganda and that posed a lot of threats  there is no way an officer can be comfortable if he does not stay with his/her family.

So, eventually, due to long distance relationships, there would be some family break-ups; others would contract HIV/Aids, among very many other issues. I was particularly disappointed that government could not pay fees for my children. What I did was to source for money from my small businesses here in

Uganda to pay fees for my children. I paid fees for my children in Italy and China and it was really very expensive. And by the way, the rest of the countries such as Kenya and Rwanda pay fees up to university for children of their Foreign Service officers; incidentally, Uganda talks big and yet we do little.

The other challenge we were faced with is lack of infrastructure. You see, we continue to rent offices and residences in the different countries. Rent keeps going high in most of the countries. Sometimes the money for rent is not enough; so, you might end up in not-so-good houses.

I have consistently told this government that they must own properties abroad so that we do not rent because it is very expensive to rent premises in many countries. I dont know what is wrong with this country. Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania have permanent premises and yet for us we dont have.

Even the few we had, for example we had a building constructed, I think by Idi Amin, called Uganda House opposite UN offices in New York, and we could not maintain it. At some point, the lifts of that six-storey building were not working and the tenants who were renting it started deserting.



APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADORS

I believe that the president should be left with his prerogative to appoint ambassadors. But I still believe he should not only appoint politicians; he needs to appoint some career diplomats as well. Unfortunately, right now, we only have two career diplomats and the rest are political appointees.

That is my quarrel with this government; that people who have studied diplomacy, grown up in rank and gained experience in Foreign Service are never appointed ambassadors. That is wrong; to make matters worse, when even consulars, first secretaries, and second secretaries are also politically-appointed.

So, the ministry has lost its essence because it has become a dumping place where political failures are posted. If you follow me well, this is an argument that I have constantly advanced even on the floor of parliament.

I also think that it is wrong for anybody to suggest that ambassadors should be advertised jobs by public service; I dont think anybody should be picked from the streets and appointed ambassador.

The very reason we have a lot of mess in the Foreign Service today is that we pick people who have no experience in diplomacy to head our missions. In some other missions, you find ambassadors who dont know what to do; so, the work is done by the career diplomats who are of junior rank and that is wrong.

You have somebody who does not even know how to eat, dress, talk, present papers and issues; somebody who does not understand anything related to international immunity, etc; all these are issues that can embarrass your country.

I have also heard some people argue that some career diplomats dont have the competencies to work as ambassadors. I think that is not correct. Like I said earlier, joining the ministry of Foreign Service is not something easy, these days you need a masters degree or at least a first class degree in international relations.

For example, at a time when I joined, we were 30 candidates and only one was selected; I had gotten a first class masters degree in international relations. So, surely, the argument that a career diplomat can be incompetent is misplaced.



COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE

Uganda is a beautiful country with a lot of tourism destinations. What we should do is to promote tourism here  build more hotels and improve roads to national parks, and then we would bring a lot of people here.

The other thing is to bring in more investors in the country. But that is only possible if you improve the investment climate. We also need to improve on the internal policies. You see, the Foreign Policy is a reflection of the internal policies. For you to carry out the foreign policy well, things must be okay at home.

You cant be talking good of your country when there is a lot of violation of human rights; people are being tortured and killed. And you see, with the improvement in technology, you can get information from any country at any time. So, you cannot lie to anybody that things are rosy when actually the opposite is true.

They will tell you: Come on, these are the alternative facts we have. That affects your credibility as the countrys diplomat. When you make an appointment to meet anybody in the ministry of foreign affairs, that official asks his desk officer for facts about the latest happenings in your country. So, his desk officer contacts his colleague in Uganda who furnishes him with all the information; that is something that can even takes less than ten minutes because the desk officers here in charge of different departments are here to do that work.

You find someone in charge of politics, economics, military, etc, and they do thorough research about the countries in which they are posted and constantly keep their countries in the know. So, the officials read all the reports about Uganda so that by the time they meet you, they are fully equipped with what is happening.



JOINING POLITICS

When Alfred Kajekye threw in the towel in 2010 as Mbale Municipality MP, the people of Mbale thought I could represent them. They requested me and I accepted. In 2011, I sought re-election; owing to my good performance in the House during that one year, I was voted again.

I managed to perform very well in parliament within just one year because I didnt need any orientation. I was sworn in like today and the following day I made a submission on the floor of parliament.

By the way, that had not happened before; most people who join parliament want to first learn how to make submissions, and how to dress. But since these are things that I had been doing already as ambassador, it was business as usual for me. Equally in 2016, I was voted again.



LAST WORD

I appeal to all serving officers to work hard and always remain faithful to Uganda because this is our mother country. I encourage them to preach the good news about Uganda and encourage more tourists and investors to come to our country.



jeromekulbits@gmail.com



Look out for another engaging interview in this series next Friday
The Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) has rescinded the proposed pay rise for soldiers this financial year citing lack of money.

In a radio message sent out to all army units on Monday evening, Gen. David Muhoozi, the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), says there shall not be any salary increment for the soldiers this financial year as previously proposed.

"This is to inform you that due to budgetary constraints, the planned salary enhancement will not be possible this financial year. The required amounts totalling to Shs 43.7 billion inclusive of payment of recruits currently undergoing trainings is unavailable," reads the message in part.

Gen David Muhoozi (C) with UPDF soldiers

The army had previously proposed to effect salary increments, which would see the lowest paid soldier earning Shs 469,355 from Shs 385,279 each month. A 2nd Lieutenant would earn Shs 798,667 compared to the Shs 543,690 they currently earn each month.

The planned pay rise was meant to cater for private soldiers up to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant because enhancement across all the ranks was unaffordable, according to the message.

Brigadier Richard Karemire, the UPDF spokesperson had previously said the planned increment was meant to ensure that the lowest paid soldier gets an equivalent of what a primary school teacher earns.



Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki, the deputy UPDF spokesperson has confirmed the suspension of the proposed pay rise.



Our salaries are always increased in phases but this financial year were not going to get that increment unfortunately. Maybe in the next financial year. We all know the economy has not been doing well this financial year and the past financial year. We have to work within the means of the economy - what the economy can support but definitely at some point the salary will be increased but it has not been possible this financial year, said Akiiki.



According to Akiiki, in the meantime the army has decided to focus on issues of strategic importance.



There are other more pressing issues that the leadership considers to be more strategic than increasing salaries. We cannot increase the salary and our soldiers cannot eat, he added.



Government allocated ministry of Defense Shs 463.54 billion for the 2017/2018 financial year as compared to Shs 459.84 billion in the 2016/2017 financial year to cater for the pay rise for the soldiers.
" " In the 1995 film 'Clueless,' Stacey Dash and Alicia Silverstone played popular high school girls  hubs of their social networks. Paramount Pictures/Getty Images

If you were to inoculate a historical creative person against a dangerous disease in order to save other historical creative people, would it make more sense to immunize famous recluse J.D. Salinger, or that cad Frank O'Hara?

Well, obviously the answer is the sociable O'Hara  he interacted with dozens of people every day: dancers, musicians, painters, literary critics. J.D. Salinger mostly only saw his guard dogs. Point being, given the choice, there is power in both vaccinating and educating the popular, social people in a community, as compared to doing so with the ones who hang out by themselves on the outskirts.

Advertisement

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences investigates how this phenomenon works in the real world. Researchers examined developing countries where the spread of infection can cost thousands of contemporary, nonhypothetical lives every year unless these people get access to education and inoculating drugs in a timely manner. The researchers collected data from 16,000 people in 17 rural villages in Uganda, focusing on how information and vaccines have historically been distributed to people in communities, and figuring out how to do it more effectively.

" " Researchers have devised a strategy for effective education and preventative treatment when fighting disease that involves identifying the most-connected and -trusted 'hubs' of a social network, like teachers, religious leaders or village elders. Education Images/UIG/Getty Images

Generally speaking, medicines and health information have traditionally been distributed to people with formal roles in the community: teachers, public health workers, government officials, etc. But remember: Writers Frank O'Hara and J.D. Salinger both occupied the same role, but the difference in their social reach was vast. The research team realized there is power in the way real social networks work, and public health programs can really benefit from being able to sort out the O'Haras from the Salingers.

"Everyone is a node in a social network," said lead author Dr. Goylette Chami of the Department of Pathology at Cambridge University, in a press release. "Most nodes have just a few connections. However, a small number of nodes have the majority of connections. These are the hubs we want to uncover and target in order to intentionally cause failure in social networks spreading pathogens or damaging behaviour."

For example, when infections from parasitic worms take hold in a community, conventional wisdom dictates that at least three quarters of the residents need to receive treatment in order for preventative strategies to work. But this is often easier said than done.

"The refusal of treatment by a few people can result in the destabilisation of mass drug administration programs that aim to treat 1.9 billion people worldwide," says Chami.

That's why her team worked to create an algorithm to determine which households serve as social "hubs"  the community members most people come to for advice and trust in matters of health. Once identified and treated, these social hubs could make it a lot easier to educate entire communities, and that education would then lead to treatment. According to the study, 32 percent of households would need to be given health education rather than the 54 percent traditionally thought necessary to reach a community's disease control threshold.

And their algorithm is actually pretty simple: go to a village, select a few households at random, and ask them who in the village is the most trusted source of medical advice. This simple approach often just involves randomly interviewing a few people in a small village and asking them to point to the houses of the best-connected people  no databases or special equipment required.

"In an ideal world, everyone would be treated," says Chami. "However, with limited resources, time and information, finding the best connected neighbours, the 'hubs', and removing them through treatment, looks to be the quickest way to fragment a network that spreads infections, and to render the most people safe."

Now That's Upsetting Even though malaria is a preventable illness, it is the leading cause of death in Uganda.
Jacqui Kenny has always wanted to travel the world, meet new people and discover different cultures, but she suffers from agoraphobia  an anxiety disorder characterized by fear of public spaces, public transportation, open spaces and/or large crowds  so she rarely gets to leave her house. Luckily, modern technology allows her to live out her dream, sort of.

Jacqui was diagnosed with agoraphobia 8 years ago, but she has been dealing with extreme anxiety and panic attacks for over 20 years now. Last year was a particularly trying time, as a company that she had co-founded for many years had just closed, and dealing with the stress of it, on top of her mental issues, was tough. She didnt know what she was going to do with her life, and leaving the house to face the world was not an option. She needed something to keep her busy, and somehow, she discovered Google Street View.

Ulaanbaater, Mongolia

I cant quite remember why I started looking through Google Street View but I happened to stumble across a few things I liked and decided to delve a little deeper, the 43-year-old artist told Metro.co.uk. I really loved the possibilities that comes with selecting and curating from billions of images that have been captured and frozen in time. he Google camera gives the images a really interesting point of view.

Iqualit, Nunavut (Canada)

After toying with the online service a little bit, Jacqui started exploring obscure locations  never touring attractions  going through them street by street, until she found images that caught her attention (usually arid places where the light is either extremely low or high). She would then capture the image and save it on her computer. Experiencing the world from the comfort of her own home became quite a big part of her life, and before she knew it, she amassed a collection of around twenty-six thousand photos. She started editing them and sharing them on her Instagram account, called Agoraphobic Traveller.

Andocollo, Chile

At first I was worried that staying home for long periods of time and searching through Google Street View would be unhealthy, but in fact it has had been the opposite, Jacqui says. Its really opened my world and made me feel more connected. Also, its been a great way for me express myself and show my unique view of the world, even though Im doing it from home.

Peru

As you can imagine, seeing the world through Google Street View isnt ideal. For one, everything is frozen, but you also cant see everything, which is one of Jacquis greatest disappointments. So many times Ill see something in the distance that looks amazing, but then the car stops or something gets in the way. It happens ninety per cent of the time. I always have to be prepared for that disappointment, the artist told The New Yorker.

Baganuur, Mongolia

Still its definitely a great alternative for someone who has great trouble dealing with the mere thought of getting on a plane and visiting a handful of the places shes seen online. Jacqui, who lives in London, had to undergo therapy for months, before being able to travel to New Zealand for her sisters wedding. Sometimes, she has trouble walking to the back aisles of her local supermarket, for fear of having a panic attack and not being able to escape. Most times, she dreads leaving her safe spaces so much that she cant even leave the house.

Arizona

Before my anxiety set in I dreamed of being a photographer, Kenny told the BBC. Id resigned myself to this never happening. Now I feel that the condition doesnt define me but is within a part of me.

Photos: Agoraphobic Traveller/Google Street View
Bill Nowling, who ran Finn Partners' Detroit office, has exited to run the Motor City outpost of Lambert Edwards & Associates, which is based in Grand Rapids.

He joined Finn in 2014 after handling communications for then-Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr during the bankruptcy process.

Bill Nowling

Jeffrey Lambert called Nowling "a highly respected peer, formidable competitor and even partner on projects in the past."

Former newspaper reporter Nowling has been active in Republican politics, serving as spokesperson for Michigan Governor Rick Snyder successful 2010 campaign. He also advised Snyder during the Flint water crisis.

LE&A chalked up $7.5M in 2016 fee income, according to O'Dwyer's ranking of top PR firms with major U.S. operations.
01/08/2017 - Costa Rica has made significant economic and social progress over the last decades. Real GDP per capita continues to increase at rates which outperform many other Latin American and OECD countries. But while living standards and well-being have increased, tax reforms are essential now to ensure the sustainable development of Costa Ricas economy, according to a new OECD report.



OECD Tax Policy Reviews: Costa Rica 2017 provides an in-depth assessment of Costa Ricas tax system and underlines the key tax policy challenges facing the country. The report  the first edition of a new country analysis series  identifies the need for a tax reform to help the country to balance its budget as the current budget deficit, which is over 5% of GDP, is not sustainable.



The three main recommendations to Costa Rica are: to broaden its tax bases, strengthen its efforts to tackle tax avoidance and evasion, and bring more informal taxpayers into the formal economy.



The report suggests that Costa Rica should take immediate steps towards modernising, simplifying and improving the fairness of its tax system to ensure that the burden of taxes is shared more equitably across the population. The report also calls for reform of the excessive earmarking of tax revenues, which strongly constrains the governments public finance decisions if Costa Rica is to place itself on a path of fiscal sustainability in the long run.



A corner stone of the tax policy reviews recommendations is the introduction of a broad-based and modern VAT/GST system, covering both goods and services. The existing sales tax exempts most services from tax, meaning that a significant amount of revenue is currently not being collected by Costa Ricas tax system and that the tax distorts the functioning of the economy.



As a result of a high statutory corporate income tax rate, many businesses face relatively high effective tax rates, which discourage domestic and foreign direct investment in Costa Rica. The corporate income tax base is relatively narrow and Costa Rica should evaluate how it can broaden its CIT base and lower the rate.



Additional efforts are needed to make Costa Rica a more inclusive society. Indeed, while the social security system has been successful in reducing inequalities, the high level of contributions makes it costly to hire workers and reduces the incentives for employees to work in the formal economy. A key challenge to address is the lack of information sharing between the tax administration and the social security systems, which opens up possibilities to evade taxes. Improved information sharing between the tax and social security administrations is a key priority.



The report also calls for a reform of the personal income tax. It recommends lowering the income threshold above which personal income tax has to be paid, to align with international practices. Harmonising the tax treatment of different types of labour income should also be a priority.



Costa Rica has put forward an ambitious climate policy agenda and is an environmental and climate policy frontrunner. There remains scope to improve the environmental effectiveness of its tax policies, including by extending the excise tax on fuels to cover all fossil fuels.



In April 2015, OECD Member countries agreed to open membership discussions with Costa Rica and the country's accession process is currently underway. However, the OECD Tax Policy Reviews: Costa Rica 2017 does not form part of the assessments undertaken to support the review of Costa Rica for accession purposes and does not prejudge in any way the results of the ongoing reviews of Costa Rica by OECD committees as part of this process. Rather, the report aims to contribute to the design and implementation of tax reform efforts to be discussed in Congress in August, and will help Costa Rica continue modernising its tax system while improving living standards for all.



Further information on OECD Tax Policy Reviews: Costa Rica 2017 is available at www.oecd.org/tax/oecd-tax-policy-review-costa-rica-2017-9789264277724-en.htm



Media enquiries should be directed to Pascal Saint-Amans (+33 6 26 30 49 23), Director of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, or Carolina Ziehl (+52 55 9138 6235), Media Manager for Latin America or the OECD Media Office (+33 1 45 24 97 00).

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NYC Police Officer Fatally Shoots Mentally Ill Brooklyn Man Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When

Dwayne Jeune was fatally shot in his Brooklyn apartment by New York police officers.

In a report from the New York Times, the incident occurred Monday when Jeunes mother called 911 and said he was acting erratically. Several officers then arrived and were let into Jeunes apartment in East Flatbush where the 32-year-old Carribean immigrant allegedly advanced on them with a large carving knife. One officer tried to subdue Juene with a stun gun, shooting him twice. However, another cop opened fired on Juene when the stun gun failed to work, striking the mentally ill man in the chest and ultimately killing him.

Officers had been to Jeunes apartment before to help him but this time they encountered him wielding a knife, with Terence A. Monahan, NYPD chief of patrol, saying the incident unraveled in seconds. The incident speaks to an ongoing problem with the NYPD in regards to its handling of people in severe mental crisis. The department plans to train 5,500 officers out of a total 36,000 uniformed personnel in what is called critical incident training for situations such as this, but some critics say that is hardly enough.

READ: NYC Police Officer Arrested For Fatally Shooting Mentally Ill Black Woman

Prior to Jeunes death, there was the murder of Deborah Danner, a 66-year-old mentally ill woman who was fatally shot by New York City police supervisor, Sgt. Hugh Barry, in October last year. Since the shooting, Barry has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, first and second-degree manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide, and could face life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge. He has also been suspended without pay.

Source: nytimes.com
The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts will highlight Nebraskas agricultural heritage with an event this weekend.

Nebraska Farm and Family Day will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Bemis, 724 S. 12th St. Admission is free.

The event will explore how agriculture has shaped the states culture as Nebraska celebrates its 150th year of statehood.

Visitors can view an art installation, David Brooks: Continuous Service Altered Daily, which features every piece of a dismantled 1976 John Deere 3300 combine harvester. There will also be an 11 a.m. panel discussion with the Bemis exhibitions manager and Sarpy County farmers about the impact agriculture has on contemporary state history.

The event will include a free grilled hot dog lunch, family activities and agriculture displays.
By the time scans showed that his B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma was coming back last fall, James Olson had run through many of his treatment options.

In early January, his doctor recommended that the Kansas City, Missouri, man travel to the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha to see whether he was a candidate for a new type of therapy still in clinical trials.

In May, Olson, 69, received an infusion of his own immune cells, which had been removed from his body and modified to recognize and attack the cancer. Known as CAR-T or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, it represents a new way of targeting some cancers beyond that of traditional treatments.

About 10 weeks later, his scans are good and hes got the stamina to mow his lawn and do some house painting. Hes enjoying the little pleasures of life, even seasonal chores like installing a window air conditioning unit at his home.

His doctors at the medical center, meanwhile, hope theyll soon be able to offer CAR-T to more patients.

The trial that Olson participated in still is underway, and the medical center continues to accept new patients. Another version of the treatment has shown so much promise that its been fast-tracked by the Food and Drug Administration and could receive conditional approval late this fall. The medical center is set to participate in an expanded trial for that treatment, possibly as soon as this month.

Recently, an expert panel unanimously endorsed a version of CAR-T for children and young adults with recurring acute lymphoblastic leukemia. If the FDA clears the drug, medical center doctors hope to offer the treatment to young adults up to age 25. Theyd also like to see new trials with that drug or others for older adults with recurring ALL, as the leukemia is known.

These people need something else, and this may be it, said Dr. Matthew Lunning, a hematologist and oncologist with Nebraska Medicine.

The federal panels endorsement came at a time when a number of companies are racing to develop therapies based on the approach, which scientists first began to explore decades ago. If approved by the FDA, the Novartis product endorsed by the panel would become the first gene therapy approved in the United States. In addition to targeting relapsed lymphoma and leukemia, researchers also are beginning to study the therapy for solid tumors, the kind that start in organs or tissue. Leukemia and lymphoma are considered blood cancers.

Dr. Julie Vose, chief of hematology and oncology at Nebraska Medicine, said the therapy offers many bright spots in oncology.

We just have to learn how to use it in each specific disease and in each specific patient, she said, noting that the therapy is not a one-size-fits-all treatment as existing methods have been. We have to personalize that treatment.

But even with FDA approval, she said, the treatments potential side effects, which include fever and flu-like symptoms ranging from mild to extremely severe, mean it can only be done at specialized centers like the medical center. Indeed, one earlier trial was closed because some patients suffered serious complications.

Vose said trials in non-Hodgkin lymphoma all have produced good results, including the trial currently underway at the medical center and eight other sites nationwide.

Nationally, patients involved in the trial have had a complete remission rate of 60 percent after 30 days and 40 percent after 60 days. Officially, the condition is known as refractory diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, an aggressive disease that is among about 80 subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

These were patients who had failed every other possible treatment, Vose said. And more than half had good response to the treatment.

Treatment for newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia usually begins with chemotherapy. About 30 percent of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients and roughly 40 percent of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients relapse after chemo. The majority of those go on to have a blood or bone marrow transplant, from which about half will relapse.

Patients who relapse after the transplant, or those who arent candidates for a transplant, could be potential candidates for CAR-T therapy.

Unlike traditional gene therapy, however, CAR-T doesnt involve replacing disease-causing genes with healthy ones. Instead, technology is used to reprogram T cells, immune cells that normally help the body fight infection and cancer. In lymphoma patients, however, Vose said, T cells go haywire and dont properly fight cancer.

During treatment, the patients T cells are collected during an outpatient procedure and sent to a lab in California for processing. The patient then receives several days of intense chemotherapy. The modified T cells are returned to Omaha and put back into the patient, who is monitored at the hospital for seven to 10 days. The entire process takes about three weeks.

Olson, who drove to Omaha last week for a checkup, said he didnt really have any side effects from the procedure. I wondered if theyd given me a placebo, said Olson, who spent his working life in real estate and was diagnosed in 2010. He was well aware of the possible risks after reading and signing a 33-page consent form.

The next question, for patients and researchers alike, is how long the treatment will hold.

We dont know how long because this is such a new treatment, Vose said, but many of the patients (who) have been treated over the past year are doing well.

That question, like many in cancer treatment, comes with its own risks and benefits to balance. If half of the lymphoma is gone and it lasts years, Lunning said, thats better than a remission that lasts a month.

This report includes material from the Washington Post and Associated Press.
As wildfire smoke continues pouring into the Helena Valley, health officials are recommending that sensitive individuals limit prolonged outdoor exertion in the area.

Due to wildfires in the region, smoke is beginning to impact air quality in Lewis and Clark County, as we are seeing extended periods of moderate air quality in the Helena Valley, Lewis and Clark Public Health said in a statement. These episodes are lasting for a duration dependent on weather conditions.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality listed Helenas air quality as moderate for much of the day Monday, though it occasionally reached levels considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including people with respiratory disease such as asthma.

For the latest air quality reports, call the local Air Quality Hotline at 406-447-1644 or visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/.
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., displayed two constituent letters Monday at a town hall in Bellevue. One said the federal Affordable Care Act was a godsend, and another said the writers insurance rates had risen dramatically.

Now whos right? Fortenberry asked. Theyre both right.

The congressman called on both parties to come together and work on changes to the Affordable Care Act as he heard differing views Monday from a sometimes emotional and mostly civil crowd. At his first town hall meeting during the August recess, many questions focused on the countrys health care system, but Fortenberry also fielded questions about abortion, military funding, transgender military members and medical cannabis.

I dont expect us to have a happy conversation, but lets have a productive conversation, he told the crowd at the beginning of the hourlong event.

Fortenberry, who represents much of eastern Nebraska, including Lincoln, Bellevue and Seward, took questions from people with raised hands. Attendees who disagreed with him stayed polite, though crowd members got into a brief argument among themselves on government funding of Planned Parenthood.

Fortenberry said that although the health care discussion has focused on paying for it, he wants to see more discussion on ways to make its delivery more effective.

The deeper issue here that I think should unite everyone is if we can deliver a better innovative health system ... we all win, he said. That needs to be the next discussion point of health care.

Republicans have generally opposed the health care law known as Obamacare since it was signed in 2010. And for the first time since, Republicans control the presidency as well as the majority in both houses of Congress. But so far theyve failed to come to an agreement on repealing or replacing the law.

Fortenberry voted for the House version of this years health care bill, but he said Monday that there were issues with it.

On Planned Parenthood, Fortenberry said, I am pro-life, I believe that women deserve better than abortion, and I do not want taxpayer money to go to an organization that is entangled with abortion.

Several crowd members called out their opinions on the topic, but Fortenberry quickly moved on.

Many attendees were veterans, and several people asked about military funding. Fortenberry said the House has been aggressive on military spending but that Congress also needs to allow the military to be more nimble and save costs.

Its not just more money, its also innovation, he said.

A woman who said she was a military spouse asked whether Fortenberry believes that openly transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military. President Donald Trump last week announced on Twitter a ban on openly transgender people serving, citing medical costs.

Fortenberry said that question is best left to military leaders but that he opposes the government paying the extraordinary costs for transgender-related health care such as surgeries.

It is a fifth of what they spend on Viagra, the woman called out, but Fortenberry moved on to the next question.

Shelley Gillen, a Bellevue woman who has been advocating for the legalization of medical cannabis to help treat her son Wills seizures, tearfully asked Fortenberry to explain his objection to its use.

Fortenberry asked her to talk to his staff afterward but said, Ive got to rely on the experts at the federal level on the legalization of drugs.

Fortenberry has more town halls planned. Here is the rest of his schedule:

 5 p.m. Monday, Schoo Middle School, 700 Penrose Drive in Lincoln

 7 p.m. Monday, Lux Middle School, 7800 High Street in Lincoln

 Noon Tuesday, Fremont City Council chambers, 400 East Military Avenue

 4 p.m. Tuesday, citizens state room of Nielsen Community Center, 200 Anna Stalp Ave. in West Point
I like to dabble in photography from time to time. Ive taken photos of my daughter playing in the yard, my stepsons senior pictures and candid photos of my family that turn into posed smiles when they notice me in the corner with my macro lens.

I edit some images in Photoshop for lighting and levels, but never have I fixed a crooked smile or an enduring birthmark. Those little so-called imperfections are what make our kids who they are.

Apparently, one photographer didnt see it that way.

When Australian mom Angela Pickett got her sons school pictures back, she noticed something off. Instead of a toothless gap, he had a mouth full of teeth.

In her blog, Pickett wrote about how she didn't realize, when seeing the photos, he still had teeth at the time the photo was taken. However, she quickly realized, after looking at his recent class photo, that last year's baby teeth had been photoshopped in.

Of course, her post went viral and the media went wild.

The company apologized, said it was a training issue and that it should never have happened. But Picketts story brings up an interesting point. Our kids see edited images online, in magazines and on TV of models and celebrities. If you ran into some of these idolized people in person, you may not even recognize them.

I distinctly remember a photo of me from second grade: a slight overbite, crooked smile and straggly bangs in my eyes. Would it have looked more appealing in a magazine if my teeth were straightened and my fly-aways were erased? Probably. But its who I was  an awkward girl who would eventually outgrow her gangly, clumsy arms and legs, crooked teeth and thin hair.

Now, when I look in the mirror and see both my flaws and strengths meddled together, I hope my daughter will see that its not about being perfect. The scar on her chin from stitches, the rosiness to her cheeks and her scattered curls on her head are what make her...well...her.

Like Angela Pickett, I want those little quirks captured in photos so I can remember them for a lifetime  even when the empty spaces are eventually replaced with permanent straight teeth.

***

Jen Schneider is a local middle school teacher and mom to two children.
Westside Community Schools voters will be asked once again to approve a tax levy override of up to 15 cents to generate more revenue for the school district.

The district plans a mail-in election, with ballots due Sept. 12.

The Westside board voted 5-0 Monday night to place the issue on the ballot. Voting to do so were board members Kris Karnes, Doug Krenzer, Beth Morrissette, David Williams and Adam Yale. Board member Dana Blakely was absent.

The Millard school board also has been discussing a levy override that would go into effect in the 2018-19 school year, but it has not yet acted on the issue. The school board is set to discuss a potential override at meetings in August and September.

Westside board members said the decision wasnt made lightly. The district has grappled with budget troubles over the last several years, resulting in roughly $10.5 million worth of cuts that have eliminated staff positions, elementary foreign language classes and summer camps.

We want to have a balanced budget moving forward, but we dont want to have to reduce any of our outstanding programs, Superintendent Blane McCann said.

The ability to raise additional tax dollars will help offset property tax collections and state aid that have not kept pace with district expenses, officials said.

We certainly would wish it would be otherwise in terms of our revenue picture, but the fact is revenues have not been strong, Krenzer said. Our community has consistently and historically supported these asks, and they do that I think because they recognize we do exceptional things for our students.

Since 1998, Westside voters have approved a series of levy overrides that allowed the district to exceed the states $1.05 general fund property tax levy limit. Under state law, districts can ask voters for permission to raise that lid.

The last time Westside held a levy override election was 2012, when voters approved a 10-cent override that runs through the 2017-18 school year.

With that override set to expire, the district is recommending raising the override up to 15 cents for a five-year period that would begin in the 2018-19 school year.

The districts current general fund budget is $71.1 million, with a levy of about $1.32 per $100 valuation. For the owner of a home assessed at $150,000, that translates to a school tax bill of $1,980. If the district were to add 5 cents, that bill would increase by $75.

Districtwide, that extra 5 cents could bring in an additional $1.75 million each year, officials said.

Just because were asking for 15 cents doesnt mean were going to levy it in full, Williams said. Were going to keep being good stewards of taxpayer money.

But the ability to spend some or all of that 15-cent levy would provide the district with much-needed flexibility, Williams said, especially as state aid figures have fluctuated.

The additional money would contribute to district operations, including competitive pay for teachers, expanded mental health support for students, career education opportunities and protecting academic programs from further budget cuts.

Morrissette, the board president, said Westside voters have traditionally valued district offerings such as small class sizes and a one-to-one technology initiative.

Doug Kagan, with the group Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom, said he wasnt up-to-speed with all the details on the Westside request, but said his organization typically opposes levy overrides.

The school board is expected to approve its 2017-18 budget in September.

Karnes said the board understands that some taxpayers are still reeling from higher-than-expected property valuations.

We are not tone deaf about whats been going on in Douglas County with regard to property taxes, she said. Unfortunately, that really didnt move the ball for us in terms of revenue.

Levy overrides are relatively rare in Nebraska.

This year, four of Nebraskas 245 school districts have levy overrides in place: Westside, Exeter-Milligan, Spalding and Arcadia, according to the Nebraska Department of Education.

World-Herald staff writer Joe Dejka contributed to this report.
A 33-year-old Billings man is in stable condition after he was reportedly shot in the torso during a dispute at the 900 block of Maywood Drive Monday night, according to the Billings Police Department.

In a Tuesday morning press release, Sgt. Bret Becker stated that police suspect a 27-year-old Billings man of using a stolen gun to shoot the victim after the two men, reportedly acquaintances, got into a verbal argument at the alleged shooter's residence.

The victim was taken to St. Vincent Healthcare.

The suspect was temporarily detained, along with three other individuals, at the residence after police responded to a gunshot reported at 11:07 p.m., Becker told The Billings Gazette.

Police are still investigating the incident, but as of Tuesday morning no suspects were in custody and no charges had been filed.
Omaha commercial real estate broker Roger Haney assembled land for big and small industrial parks, and was an avid sportsman, hunter and preservationist.

He was a lovely man, said his wife of 49 years, Bea Haney, adding that he loved traveling to see nesting eagles, the dancing grouse, buffalo herds, mountain elk or his beloved sandhill cranes.

Haney, who was 85, died Friday at home from pneumonia.

The third of six children in a family that lived near Hanscom Park, he graduated from Omaha South High and Omaha University (UNO), and served in the Navy during the Korean War.

His Roger Haney Land Corp. sold and leased land for millions of square feet of industrial and commercial buildings. He continually searched for development sites that helped the area grow.

Said his son, product designer Bart Haney, 40: I was knowledgeable about the city at an early age because we kept driving around looking for something, though at the time I never knew what we were looking for.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Bel Air Chapel, 12100 West Center Road, with a funeral at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church.

Bea Haney, a former airline stewardess who holds a doctorate in education and taught in the Westside district, met Roger on a blind date.

He was an enthusiastic reader and often sent favorite books to multiple friends and relatives.

Barnes & Noble loved him, Bea said. Staffers recognized his voice when he called, and he had his own salesperson.

She and her husband were especially grateful in recent years, she said, for the absolutely fabulous help from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
NEW YORK (AP)  An investigator who worked on the Seth Rich case claims Fox News fabricated quotes implicating the slain Democratic National Committee staffer in the WikiLeaks scandal and coordinated with the Trump administration as it worked on the story.

The investigator, Rod Wheeler, sued Fox for defamation. His lawsuit, filed Tuesday in New York, lays out an explosive tale of Trump allies conspiring to push a false story to divert attention from the investigation into Trumps campaign ties with Russia.

The suit says the false story claimed Rich was killed in retaliation for leaking Democratic candidate Hillary Clintons emails to WikiLeaks.

Fox called the claims completely erroneous.

Rich, 27, a graduate of Omaha Central High School and Creighton University, was fatally shot July 10, 2016, outside his home in Washington, D.C. His parents, Joel and Mary Rich, live in Omaha.

Wheeler was brought into the case by Ed Butowsky, a Trump supporter, the lawsuit said. The suit says Butowsky was intent on establishing a link between Rich and the WikiLeaks scandal.

Wheeler was quoted in a May 16 story on Foxs website saying there had been contact between Rich and WikiLeaks, whose dump of DNC emails damaged Clintons campaign. Fox News later retracted the story.

Two days before the Fox article was published, Butowsky told Wheeler that Trump had read the article and wanted it published immediately, the lawsuit said. Wheeler also claimed that he was told that his false comments were put in the story because Trump wanted it that way.

Wheeler also said that he and Butowsky had met with then-White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer about Wheelers investigation. Spicer asked to be kept informed of the probe, the lawsuit said.

Richs slaying remains unsolved.

While we cant speak to the evidence that you now have, we are hopeful that this brings an end to what has been the most emotionally difficult time in our lives and an end to conspiracy theories surrounding our beloved Seth, his family said in a statement Tuesday.
The Montana Neighbor Award embodies the essence of Montana  clean air and water, land stewardship and a commitment to public access, Gov. Steve Bullock said Tuesday.

For the ranchers traveling to the Capitol to receive their awards, it was a recognition of doing what comes naturally to better their lands and offering a helping hand to a neighbor in need.

The Montana Neighbor Award is among the most inspiring he gets to give out, Bullock said, signifying the spirit of collaboration, where Montanans may have differences but still care about their neighbors.

(You) represent all that we as a state not are, but aspire to be, Bullock told the recipients, adding that he hoped their efforts will inspire more Montanans.

Boulder-area rancher Leah Lewis was recognized for her commitment to the Block Management hunter access program, hosting tours for children, and working with agencies and nonprofits to improve wildlife habitat. She has also served on the Elkhorn Working Group and the Jefferson County Fair Board.

Dad was always an advocate for public access and that kind of rubbed off on me, the fifth generation Montana rancher said. I really enjoy opening the ranch to nonranching kids because they may live only 15 miles away and its all around them, but for a lot of them its their first time on a ranch.

Ranching can be draining at times but Lewis says she cannot think of any other way she would like to live.

Joseph and Betsy Purcell of Lolo were awarded for the many projects on their ranch to improve habitat and agriculture, as well as allowing access for hunting and other recreation.

You only go around once and we want to give back to Montana because its given us everything, Joe said.

Mary Louise Peters of Trego was honored along with her late husband Jack for placing a conservation easement on their property, along with allowing access to the ranch and adjoining Forest Service land.

Winnett ranchers Chris and Gari King allow public access for hunting, bird watching and other recreation. Along with stewardship of their property, the Kings were recognized for working collaboratively on often difficult issues such as water rights and land exchanges with neighbors, BLM and FWP.

Tom and Barbara Sanders of Philipsburg ranch on Upper Rock Creek where the placed a conservation easement on the property. The fourth generation ranchers allow public access through Block Management where their family has been in agriculture for more than a century.

The late Otto Teller, with the help of his wife Anne, began acquiring land in the Bitterroot Valley for what is the present day 1,200-acre Teller Wildlife Refuge. The land continues to be managed for fish and wildlife habitat and conservation education, in addition to allowing archery deer hunting and some youth hunting.

The 12th annual Montana Neighbor Awards were given in partnership among the Montana Association of Land Trusts, Artemis Common Ground, Montana Farm Bureau Federation, The Nature Conservancy of Montana, the Montana Council of Trout Unlimited, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Governors Office.
Nebraskas economic output in the first quarter this year was 4 percent less than the fourth quarter of 2016. This was the worst first-quarter figure of any U.S. state.

The downturn, tied to the agricultural sectors challenges and painfully evident in many of the states rural communities well before now, warrants practical, careful responses by Nebraska residents and leaders.

Its no secret to farmers and ranchers that they need to manage their way through it  theyve already been doing that. Its particularly regrettable that drought has begun creeping into parts of the state, adding to the ag sectors burdens.

Households, businesses and governments all need to be prepared for possible belt-tightening beyond whats already been done.

With a statewide ballot measure on property tax relief possible for November 2018, Nebraskans need to consider carefully how to balance practical tax relief with adequate funding for schools and other needs.

Discussions on the issue need to be deliberative, sober and pragmatic. Taxpayers are right to demand that state and local governments be fiscally responsible. At the same time, Nebraska should be wary of imposing a clampdown on local government revenues so rigid that schools or community colleges cant be funded properly.

The economic numbers certainly are sobering. Although Nebraskas biggest economic slowdown for this first quarter was in agriculture at negative 3.85 percent, a number of other sectors of the states economy also saw declines, although they were far smaller than the level suffered by agriculture. Examples include retail trade, transportation, real estate and finance.

The University of Nebraska-Lincolns Bureau of Business Research projects that net farm income in Nebraska will fall to $3.7 billion this year, down almost 16 percent from 2016. This would be the fourth straight year of declines in net farm income for the state, far below the record high of almost $7.5 billion in 2011.

Heres hoping the UNL economists are correct in forecasting that the ag-income decline should hit bottom this year, with a projected increase in 2018.

Nebraska isnt alone in facing this downturn. Many ag-reliant Plains states, including Iowa, also saw first-quarter economic declines.

Although Nebraskas current economic challenges are considerable, the states positives need to be recognized. Some examples:

 The fundamental strength of Nebraskas ag sector.

 Capable management by many private-sector businesses.

 Civic vision shown by communities.

 Responsible fiscal management by the state (ranked No. 6 nationally on that score in a new report).

 Impressive performance by many school districts.

 Forward-looking strategies at institutions of higher learning.

Nebraska is doing a lot of things right. The challenge at present is to move smartly and prudently as a state to weather the current downturn.
Only those from political families can eye a CMs post in Congress: Amit Shah

Amit Shah warns BJP MPs against skipping Parliament sessions

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Expressing disappointment over MPs missing Parliament session, BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday pulled up the party's lawmakers at the BJP parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi.

"Till Parliament is on all members should be present, matter of members not present will be taken up seriously," Union Minister Ananth Kumar told the media after the meeting.

"When the party issues a whip, members must be present in the House. The party president has taken a serious view of the absence of members. He said it should not have happened and must not be repeated," he added.

Shah also took up the matter of invalid votes being cast during the presidential poll and asked the lawmakers to ensure that they cast votes properly during the vice presidential election, reported PTI.

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Reports also said that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was not at the meeting, was "extremely upset" over the attendence of BJP MPs. Pm Modi is currently in Assam to take stock of the flood situation.

On Monday, the opposition forced an amendment in a bill pertaining to the National Commission for Backward Classes. The amendment sought to increase the number of members from three to five, including a woman and a minority candidate of OBC category.

The BJP could have influenced the passing of the ammendment but a number of its MP s were missing from the Rajya Sabha.

BJP may seek explanation from the absentee Rajya Sabha MPs, said reports.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 12:58 [IST]
Need policies to ensure farmers get better prices, says Arvind Panagariya

Arvind Panagariya quits as Niti Aayog vice chairman

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Arvind Panagariya has resigned as the vice chairman of the Niti Aayog. He says that he wants to return to academia. He will serve the Niti Aayog till the end of August.

He said that he wanted to return to the Columbia University in the United States as a professor of economics. He will rejoin the university on September 5.

Arvind Panagariya is an Indian-American economist and a professor of economics at Columbia University. He was previously the Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank.

In the past, he has been a professor of economics at the University of Maryland at College Park. He has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He holds a Ph.D in economics from Princeton University.

OneIndia News
People of Himachal have decided to go with Modi; all other factors irrelevant: CM Thakur

BJP's 'Sankalp Yatra' from August 15

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The BJP has asked its party MPs to take up "sankalp yatra" or pledge march between August 15-30 with the deadline for completion of tasks relating to the welfare of the poor, social harmony and good governance by 2022, in time for the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

"On the lines of the 'Tiranga Yatra' taken out by party MPs last year, PM has asked our MPs to hold a 15-day long 'sankalp yatra' (journey for pledge) from Independence Day with three causes, so that there is an improved quality of life for people in all parts of the country by 2022 when the country would celebrate 75 years of freedom," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.

He was speaking after the BJP parliamentary meet was over in New Delhi on Tuesday.

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This planned campaign echoes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'New India'.

In the last parliamentary board meet PM had stated that from 1947, till now India reached new heights but in 2022, India will become a power to reckon with in the world.

It may be recalled that after winning the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, PM Modi said that the election results are a foundation for a "New India", he had also urged people to take a pledge to build it by 2022 - three years beyond the NDA government's current tenure.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 12:28 [IST]
Khota sarkar left with egg on their faces: Team Uddhav on Andheri win

BMC all set to celebrate 125 years today

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) building in Mumbai has been lit up with nine different colours to mark its 124th anniversary on Tuesday.

The Grade IIA heritage building is constructed in the Gothic style and its designs were prepared by F.W Stevens. It's construction commenced on December 9, 1884 and was completed on July 31 1893.

The civic body has planned a number of events on August 1 to mark the completion of 124 years and begin the 125th year from August 1 onwards.

At a cost of Rs 11 crore, the civic body has installed lighting system in the old and new building, opposite the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. The anniversary celebrations will begin at 6.30 pm with the demonstrations of newly procured equipment for the Mumbai Fire Brigade at the main gate of the BMC building, reports DNA.

As of 2017, the BMC legislature consists of 227 members. Shiv Sena has 84 seats, BJP-82 seats, INC-31, NCP-9, MNS-7 SP-6, AIMIM- 2 seats and Independent has six members.

(With agency input)

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 11:09 [IST]
GREAT FALLS  Great Falls police are searching for a man who has been posing as an electrician or plumber in order to enter people's homes.

The Great Falls Tribune reported Monday that the man is accused of stealing items worth thousands of dollars while inside the homes.

Great Falls police media relations Officer Jim Wells says the man successfully stole from two different elderly residents last week.

He says the department has received two separate reports describing the same middle-aged man.

Police say the man has been driving a black sports-utility vehicle with a front-end plate that says "Saddle Up" and a back-end plant that is covered.
Chinese in Uttarakhand: They came on July 24, 25, 26

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Fresh incursions by the Chinese were reported from the Chamoli area of Uttarakhand in the last week of July. In fact there were three incursions in three days reported in July.

A batch of 15 Chinese soldiers crossed over into the Indian side on July 24, 25 and 26. Incidentally this was the time that India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was in Beijing to attend the BRICS summit.

Chinese incursions at Uttarakhand have taken place 37 times between 2007-2012

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During these latest incursions, the Chinese troops entered 800 metres into the Chamoli area. They also had a verbal showdown with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. This lasted for around two hours before they left.

The government has played it down and called it a transgression. These happen to due to different perceptions of the Line of Actual Control. These issues have been reported from the same area in 1958. That year a Chinese delegation had visited India. It was decided that both countries will not send troops into this area. It was also agreed upon that only shepherds would be allowed into this area. However, a final settlement on this dispute is still awaited.

On such incursions, the ITBP has sent reports to the home ministry. At a Chief Minister's conference it was stated that the Chinese had entered this territory at least 37 times between 2007 and 2012.

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Chinese incursions at Uttarakhand have taken place 37 times between 2007-2012

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

New Delhi has sought to play down the latest Chinese incursion at Barahoti in Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. The incident occurred in the last week of July. A top official in Delhi when contacted about the incident said that such issues have taken past several times in the past and sorted out locally. The incident lasted for around two hours before the Chinese army personnel went back, sources said.

The state administration admitted that there was an incident that took place. However since it was a matter of strategic affairs, it was left to the centre to sort it out.

Amidst Doklam standoff, Chinese incursion reported in Uttarakhand

The incident comes a year after the Peoples' Liberation Army were spotted on the Indian side at the same area. The Chinese army personnel had appeared out of the mist and signalled to the Indian side to go back. While the issue was sorted out, the centre had said that the mutually agreed norm was not violated.

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These issues have been reported from the same area in 1958. That year a Chinese

delegation had visited India. It was decided that both countries will not send troops into this area. It was also agreed upon that only shepherds would be allowed into this area.

However, a final settlement on this dispute is still awaited.

On such incursions, the ITBP has sent reports to the home ministry. At a Chief Minister's conference it was stated that the Chinese had entered this territory at least 37 times between 2007 and 2012.

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Scientists identify more than 54,000 viruses living in people's poop, 92 per cent of which unknown to scientis

Eminent scientist PM Bhargava passes away

India

oi-Madhuri

A versatile scientist and empathetic educationist Pushpa Mittra Bhargava passed away on Tuesday. He was 89. He headed the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad, when the government first set it up. CCMB is a research organization in areas of modern biology.

Bhargava was born in Ajaymeru in Rajasthan on 22 February 1928 in a middle-class family, to Dr Ram Chandra Bhargava, a public health professional and his wife, Gayatri Bhargava. When he was 10 years old, his family shifted to Varanasi. He was formally admitted to Besant Theosophical School in Varanasi for the first time at the age of ten, directly into class nine.

After school, he completed intermediate from Queen's College, one of the best institutions in UP at that time. He received his B.Sc. in 1944 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and then obtained a M.Sc. degree in 1946 in Organic Chemistry and Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Lucknow University.

Bhargava had also received Padma Bhushan from the President in 1986, but returned it in 2015 as an act of protest against the Governments active erosion of spaces for dissent within the country.

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Lashkar's Abu Dujana 'finally' gunned down in J&K after 20 escape bids

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Abu Dujana, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander in Jammu and Kashmir who has escaped on more than 20 occasions was finally killed in an encounter at Pulwama. In an encounter that broke out on Tuesday morning, the security forces also killed Arif Lilhaari another top Lashkar terrorist. The killing of Dujana is one of the biggest high points for the Indian Armed forces in the Valley.

Dujana is notorious for the numerous escapes he has made. In the past year alone he has given security forces the slip on over 5 occasions. An encounter had broken out between the security forces and security forces in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Based on intelligence the security forces carried out a search operation at the Hakripora village in Pulwama. The forces realised about the presence of terrorists when they opened fire. The area has been cordoned off and operations have ended. Meanwhile, heavy stone pelting has begun. Internet services have been suspended.

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On Monday one terrorist was killed in an encounter at the Turna village of Baramulla. The terrorists according to the forces was attempting to infiltrate when he was killed.

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Hurriyat terror funding: Geelani's close aide Behl visited Pakistan 6 times

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The National Investigation Agency is examining scores of videos in which Devinder Singh Behl is raising pro 'azadi' slogans. Behl who is a close aide of Kashmir separatist, Syed Ali Shah Geelani also heads the Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum. He is also a member of the Hurriyat's legal cell.

In several videos he is heard raising the freedom slogan and urges people not to let the martyrdom of terrorists go in vain. The NIA says that these videos apart from a plethora of documents are under scrutiny. His 6 visits to Pakistan are also under the scanner.

NIA officials say that his visits to Pakistan are under scrutiny. He has been in touch with members of the Pakistan High Commission and may have passed on classified information, the NIA also suspects.

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The NIA conducted two raids on Behl on Sunday and Monday. The ancestral home of Devinder Singh Behl at Nowshera was raided by the NIA on Monday. On Sunday the NIA had raided his residence in Jammu and even questioned him in connection with the terror funding case.

An NIA statement said that Behl was a courier for the money sent from Pakistan to the Hurriyat to organise stone pelting in the Valley. The NIA is investigating into his role as courier as he is suspected to be involved in routing funds to the separatist leaders from Pakistan-based handlers," an NIA statement said.

Learnt to be close to Geelani, Behl has reportedly also hosted separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Shabir Shah at his Jammu residence in the past.

While being whisked away by NIA officials from his residence, Behl told mediapersons, "We do not want violence, but peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue''.

Behl hails from Nowshera in the Rajouri district. He settled in Jammu some two decades ago. He is married and is a father to two daughters. In 2013, he visited Pakistan, where he was arrested for trying to go to Mirpur without permission.

Besides sharing dais with separatist leaders on several occasions, he often makes posts on the social media, accusing security forces of committing human rights violation in the Valley. After the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter, Behl had put up posts supporting the separatists' demand for "Azadi''.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 6:10 [IST]
India's unsung heroes: Rukhsana Kausar, the braveheart who axed the terrorists

Feature

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

We keep hearing, almost on a daily basis, that operations by the security forces against the terrorists were hampered by stone pelters in Kashmir. A notion of sorts has formed in our minds that many in the valley do not oppose the terrorists as they should. Some will go to the extent of saying that people in the valley harbour a soft corner for terrorists and be judgemental about Kashmiris.

Such generalised misconceptions ought to be shunned and the incident involving Rukhsana Kausar, who hails from Upper Kalsi in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, will force such judgemental zealots to rethink about their views on Kashmiris.

Rukhsana Kausar lived with her parents - Noor Hussain and Rashida Begum- and her brother Aijaz in Shahdra Sharief which was around 30 miles away from LoC. On September 27, 2009, three gunmen, believed to be Pakistani militants, came to their house and demanded food and beds for the night. Kausar's father Noor Mohammad refused to their demands and was attacked.

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The attacks worsened and the terrorists, said to be affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, began hitting Mohammed with rifle butts. On seeing this, Kausar who was hiding under her bed at that time, emerged with an axe and hit the LeT commander on his head. Rukhsana then picked up the commander's AK-47 rifle and shot him dead. She and her brother then fired at the other militants, forcing them to flee.

Rukshana and her brother then led their family to the Shahdra Shareif police post and handed over the weapons. The killed terrorist was later identified as Abu Osama, a commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

For this brave act of hers, Rukshana has been awarded National Bravery Award, Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Sardar Patel Award, Rani Jhansi Bravery Award and Astha Award among others.

List of awards given to Rukhsana:

The J&K government has given her a cash award of Rs 5000.

On October 7, 2009, the center announced National Bravery Award for Rukhsana.

On November 7, 2009, she was given the Rani Jhanshi bravery award during a felicitation function held at Durgapura in Jaipur.

Sardar Patel Award and Cash award of Rs 1 lakh by AIATF, Gujarat chapter.

Cash award of Rs 1 lakh by Aastha Welfare Society, Nahan.

On January 8, 2010, the President of India announced the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak for Rukhsana.

On the eve of Republic Day, 25 January 25, 2010, Rukhsana and her brother, Aijaz, were awarded the Kirti Chakra, the second highest gallantry award in peacetime, for their bravery act.

OneIndia News
ISI roping in scores of non-Muslims to add legitimacy to Kashmir issue

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A month back the Jammu and Kashmir police arrested Sandeep Sharma a resident of Uttar Pradesh after it was found that he was part of a Lashkar-e-Tayiba module. On Sunday the National Investigation Agency raided the premises of Devinder Singh Behl, a close aide of Hurriyat hawk, Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

While the police learnt that Sharma was part of the module for the money, the NIA is probing Behl's link to terror funding. Hence it would not be right to say that these two persons were ideologically inclined towards the Kashmir cause.

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The ISI has issued directives to all its handlers and recruiters to look for more non-Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir. An Intelligence Bureau official explains that this is a well thought out of strategy. By roping in non-Muslims and non-Kashmiris, the ISI plans to give the Kashmir cause legitimacy.

In one of his speeches, Behl had said that Sikhs were standing solidly behind their Kashmiri brothers. This only is an indication that the ISI wants the world to believe that the issue of Kashmir is being raised by non-Kashmiris as well. This gives weight to the legitimacy of the so-called Kashmir struggle, the officer also explained.

Over the years one has got to witness only Kashmiris and terrorists from Paksitan raising the Kashmir bogey. To have people from different parts of the country raising the Kashmir bogey would make it look that people other than Kashmir too care about the cause.

The IB suspects that there are several non-Kashmiris who have been roped in by the ISI.

Almost all of them are lured in with the cash. They are paid huge chunks of money and told to raise the Kashmir issue. In addition to this the ISI is also looking at people from outside the country to raise the issue. Pakistan wants the world to believe that the issue is not isolated to Kashmir alone.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 10:00 [IST]
Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again

Stop sulking, Nitishs reply to Sharads unfortunate remark

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Patna, August 1: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar might have saved his "clean" image by ending his party's ties with the "tainted" Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), but with each passing day voices of dissent within the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) is growing more and more.

After several days of silence, senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav finally broke his silence on Monday regarding Nitish's latest step.

When asked to comment on the party's decision to break away from the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar by reporters outside Parliament, Sharad said, "Whatever happened is very unfortunate, the mandate by the people was not for this."

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Last week, JD(U) chief Nitish while announcing his resignation as the CM of the state decided to leave the Grand Alliance. The Grand Alliance was formed by the JD(U), the RJD and the Congress before the Bihar Assembly elections in 2015 to fight against the might of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The alliance proved to be successful as it won the elections with a huge margin. However, Nitish decided to end the party's ties with the alliance after deputy CM of the state and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over corruption charges.

Immediately, after his resignation as the CM, Nitish joined hands with his former adversary, the BJP, and formed a fresh government in the state.

As Nitish is in no mood to take any criticism, the CM minced no words to reply to Sharad's jibe against his decision to leave the Grand Alliance. "Stop sulking and debate in the party forum," is what Nitish reportedly said in reply to Sharad's comments.

On August 19, JD(U) leaders are all set to meet at their party forum in Patna. It is at this forum where Nitish wants Sharad to speak about his feelings about the recent political upheaval in the state.

In the party forum, the JD(U) is likely to take a call about whether or not to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.

While Sharad and some of his senior JD(U) colleagues maintain that they were not aware about Nitish's plans to change sides, the CM stated that he told Sharad about forging alliance with the BJP.

In fact, Sharad was silent for several days without issuing any statement in this regard. All the 70-year-old leader was doing was tweeting against the Modi government before his open "dissent" against the party head on Monday.

OneIndia News
Kiren Rijiju, Farooq Abdullah hail security forces after Abu Dujana's killing

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 1: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah hailed the security forces after top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana was killed in an encounter in Kashmir.

"The security forces are taking proper action, be it in Jammu and Kashmir or in some other part of the country, and they are taking firm steps in respective cases," Rijiju, who is the minister of state for home affairs, told reporters outside Parliament. Abdullah hoped the forces will continue to do "such good work".

"I hope they will continue to do this good work so that there is peace in our state," the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said while replying to queries outside Parliament. Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were today killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir, the army said.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter- militancy operation, over 100 protesters pelted stones on them, an Army official said. The official said that security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama late last night following information about presence of Abu Dujana and his local aide, Arif Lilhaari, in the area.

An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early today. During the ensuing fire fight, both the militants were killed, the official said.

PTI
LPG price to rise by Rs 4 every month, subsidy to stop by March 2018

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The government wants to end subsidy on LPG by March. The government has said that it has asked oil marketing companies to raise the prices of subsidised cooking gas by Rs 4 per cylinder every month.

This was stated by Petroleum Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan in the Lok Sabha.

However, he did not make it clear as to what the government plans to do when there is a sharp spike in global crude prices. At present, the government gives a subsidy of a little above Rs 58 on a domestic subsidised LPG cylinder and around Rs 28 is borne by the oil marketing companies.

"The government vide its order dated May 30, 2017, has again authorised PSU oil marketing companies to continue to increase the effective price of subsidised domestic LPG by Rs 4 per cylinder effective June 1, 2017, per month (excluding VAT) till the reduction of government subsidy to 'nil', or till March 2018, or till further orders, whichever is earliest," the minister said.

Earlier, public sector OMCs - Indian Oil (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) - were authorised to increase price of subsidised domestic LPG cylinder by Rs 2 per cylinder (14.2-kg) per month (excluding VAT) with effect from July 1, 2016," he said.

The price for other subsidised cylinders such as those sealed in 5-kg bottles would be increased proportionately by OMCs, Pradhan said.

Post the government order, the OMCs raised LPG prices twice. The last one was on July 1. The hike was a six-year high of Rs 32 per cylinder. The hike also included increased taxes under the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

In the pre-GST regime, separate excise and sales tax were levied on goods coming out of factory gate. That time, LPG attracted a zero or nil excise duty all over the country. However, post GST, a 5% tax was levied on subsidised LPG.

In the current system, every household gets LPG cylinders at market price. The government subsequently transfers the subsidy amount, which is currently around Rs 86 per cylinder, through direct benefit transfer to beneficiaries' bank accounts.

OneIndia News
Mumbai University results 2017 delayed, 10 pc evaluation still remains

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Mumbai University results 2017 has been delayed again. So far 90 per cent of the answer sheets have been evaluated. Unless the remaining 10 per cent is completed, the results will not be declared. The Governor had set the deadline of Monday to declare the results, but it was not done.

90 per cent of the assessment has been completed, except for commerce and law. This delay has caused a great deal of distress to students who fear losing out on opportunities.

The students had seen some ray of hope when State Education Minister Vinod Tawde assured that the answer keys assessment via On-screen Marking (OSM)system is progressing and Mumbai University Results will be declared by July 31st, 2017. The Mumbai University Results 2017 delay has been primarily caused due to the transition in the mode of checking from manual to the online assessment process.

How to check Mumbai University UG results 2017:

Log in to mu.ac.in

Keep hall ticket/admit card handy

Enter registration details

Results once declared would be available

Download

Take a printout

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 6:56 [IST]
NEET 2017: SC wants list of qualifying students in vernacular languages

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The SC while hearing a petition relating to NEET 2017 has asked for a list of qualifying medical students in vernacular languages. The directive was issued to the CBSE.

A petition had been filed by a group of students alleging that the question paper in the 8 vernacular languages was more difficult when compared to English and Hindi. The CBSE however rejected the allegations made by the petitioners. The matter has been listed next on August 8.

NEET 2017 was held on May 7. Several students especially from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal had complained that the question paper in their language was tougher when compared to English and Hindi.

Meanwhile the SC is hearing another plea in which the petitioner sought for the cancellation of NEET 2017. The petitioner alleged that the question paper had been leaked and hence a CBI inquiry be ordered.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 7:03 [IST]
No aerial recce, please! Meet flood-affected people, Assams plea to Modi

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Guwahati, August 1: As usual, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a hectic day as he is going to fly down to flood-hit Assam on Tuesday. The PM's day-long visit will be a packed one with at least three meetings in the capital city, Guwahati, where he is going to meet chief ministers, senior ministers and officials of several northeastern states to take stock of the flood and landslide situation in the region.

It is not yet clear whether the PM will take part in an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas as water has started receding in most parts of Assam. However, local leaders and residents of the state want Modi to visit flood-hit places and meet affected people in relief camps to understand the gravity of the situation.

On Monday, the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad, Assam, a local students' organisation, requested the PM to visit the flood-affected areas and meet those living in refugee camps, instead of taking an aerial route during his visit to the state.

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The leaders of the Parishad said that floodwaters have receded and the PM won't be able to see how much land have been submerged in water by an aerial survey.

"An aerial view will not reveal the magnitude of suffering that the people have undergone," said a leader of the Parishad. The residents of the state stated that the visit of the PM is too late, none the less they welcome it.

Addressing reporters in Guwahati, Dharmakanta Gogoi, a leader of the Parishad, said, "The PM would not have come to Assam if the Gujarat floods had not happened and had he not gone there in the first place. After visiting Gujarat, he has been forced to come to Assam but after 22 days of the last wave of floods to hit Lakhimpur district, he will not be able to realise the suffering of the people. He should go to the flood-affected places by road and meet the people. He should visit places like Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon and Kaziranga."

"A package of Rs 1,000 crore for the state and special relief package of Rs 200 crore to the worst-affected Lakhimpur district should be announced by the PM. It is a shame that the state government has distributed relief materials consisting of a total of only 4 kg rice, two litres of water, one litre of mustard oil and a tarpaulin for 22 days. Can a family live on 4 kg rice for 22 days? Moreover, neither Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal nor local MLA Utpal Dutta or MP Pradan Barua has visited Lakhimpur till date," added Gogoi.

As per reports, Modi will arrive in Guwahati at 10 am and hold three meetings with the CMs of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh before flying back to Delhi in the evening. Manipur and Arunachal have been hit by flash floods and landslides.

This year, floods in Assam have killed 85 people and affected over 20 lakh people in 29 of the state's 32 districts.

"The PM's visit is mainly to find a permanent solution to the flood problem that Assam is facing," state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference.

Congress leader and former CM Tarun Gogoi said Modi is paying a "token visit to the state only after facing severe criticism from all quarters as he visited Gujarat, but neglected Assam."

The Centre has already announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the relatives of people killed and Rs 50,000 to seriously injured persons in the recent flood in Assam.

Assam CM will apprise PM of the state's requirement for Rs 2,393 crore to repair infrastructure, including major breaches in embankments caused by the Brahmaputra and other rivers, reported The Telegraph.

However, when asked about the state's demand, Sarma said Assam has enough funds. "We still have Rs 324 crore of unspent money. Last year the Centre had announced Rs 400 crore (for Assam), but did not send it because we had money," he added.

Sarma, however, said the state government will submit a memorandum with some demands.

These kinds of conflicting statements made by senior ministers, including the CM, of Assam have attracted a lot of criticism by opposition parties regarding the availability of funds to tackle the flood situation.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), about 5,000 people are still affected in Lakhimpur and Jorhat districts and 366 people are taking shelter in four relief camps in the two districts.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 7:23 [IST]
International news brief: Floods trap many in Florida; Royal Mint unveils first coins and more

No special reception for Modi in Assam, PMOs instruction to BJP leaders

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Guwahati, August 1: In India, where our leaders often get grand welcome during their visit to any place even when it is a tragedy-stricken area, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has some strong message against such vulgar display of pomp and power.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit flood-hit Assam on Tuesday, the PMO has asked the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state to stay away from giving any special reception to the visiting dignitary.

Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass said no special reception will be arranged for Modi during his visit to Assam on Tuesday.

"Only six or seven members of the state BJP unit will receive the PM at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. We have received instructions from the PMO not to arrange any reception programme for him. The PMO said Modi is coming to Assam only to review the flood situation. This way, he will pay homage to those who lost their lives in the flood," said Dass.

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"By this decision Modi has shown his love for the people of Assam. In the previous government, no PM had taken such a stern decision," he added.

Dass said the state government had prepared an audio-visual presentation on the flood situation.

The PM's day-long visit will be a packed one with at least three meetings in the capital city, Guwahati, where he is going to meet chief ministers, senior ministers and officials of several northeastern states to take stock of the flood and landslide situation in the region.

As per reports, Modi will arrive in Guwahati at 10 am and hold three meetings with the CMs of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh before flying back to Delhi in the evening. Manipur and Arunachal have been hit by flash floods and landslides.

This year, floods in Assam have killed 85 people and affected over 20 lakh people in 29 of the state's 32 districts.

"The PM's visit is mainly to find a permanent solution to the flood problem that Assam is facing," state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference.

The Centre has already announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund for the relatives of people killed and Rs 50,000 to seriously injured persons in the recent flood in Assam.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), about 5,000 people are still affected in Lakhimpur and Jorhat districts and 366 people are taking shelter in four relief camps in the two districts.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 8:11 [IST]
No sub-conventional flying activities in Delhi as part of Independence Day security drill

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, August 1: With just 14 days more to go before India celebrates its 71th Independence Day on August 15, the Delhi police decided to put a ban on all sub-conventional flying activities in the city on Monday.

The ban has been invoked to thwart any untoward incident during the Independence Day celebration. However, the ban will remain in place till second week of October.

In its latest order, the Delhi Police prohibited flying of sub-conventional aerial platforms like para-gliders, para-motors, hang-gliders, UAVs, UASs, microlight aircrafts, remotely piloted aircrafts, hot air balloons and many more, reported ANI.

The statement issued by the Delhi Police reads, "It has been reported that certain criminal, anti-social elements or terrorists, inimical to India may pose a threat to the safety of the general public, dignitaries and vital installations by the use of sub-conventional aerial platforms like para-gliders, para-motors, hang-gliders, UAVs, UASs, microlight aircrafts, remotely piloted aircrafts, hot air balloons, small size powered aircrafts, quadcopters or even by para-jumping from aircraft and others."

The statement adds, "The prohibition of flying of such objects on the occasion of the Independence Day Celebration in the national capital and doing so shall be punishable under law. This order shall remain in force till October 15 unless withdrawn earlier."

As a part of security measures, the national capital will be manned by special teams of police to neutralise the possibility of any airborne-activity such as drones on August 15.

This time, security arrangement will be pretty strong at the historic Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver his Independence Day address to the nation.

All these security measures have been taken keeping in view terrorists striking crowded places across the world, said a senior police official.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 13:02 [IST]
Post Godhra: Fabrication of evidence a serious offence says SC

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Supreme Court posed some serious questions to activist Teesta Setalvad while hearing a plea in which a probe against her former aide Rais Khan Pathan was opposed.

The court was hearing a appeal filed by Setalvad and her NGO, Citizen for Justice and Peace (CJP), against a decision of the Gujarat High Court upholding a magisterial court order for a probe against Pathan.

"It is a serious offence whosoever has done it. Either they (Setalvad and her NGO, Citizen for Justice and Peace) are wrong or Pathan is wrong. We will look into it," a Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Setalvad, questioned the procedure adopted for continuing with the probe against Pathan when his petition to become a court witness was dismissed.

However, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the Gujarat government and Pathan respectively, said Setalvad and her NGO have no locus standi in the criminal case as they were not parties to the matter either in the high court or the trial court.

After hearing the matter partly, the bench posted it for hearing to August 21, saying it would examine the matter on the question of law. It refused to grant four weeks to Setalvad to keep ready the compilations, brief notes and synopsis of the matter.

When Sibal sought more time, the bench said it will "vacate the stay on the high court order and allow the investigation to continue and list the matter after six months".

At the outset, the bench wanted to know from Sibal about Pathan who had fallen out of favour with Setalvad. She had fired him from her NGO where he had worked for six years from 2002.

The senior advocate, who replied to a volley of questions from the bench, said he was a field worker in the NGO, but after his ouster he has been filing applications in various riots cases with a political motive in mind.

The SC had on September 2, 2011 stayed the high court's order giving a green signal for an investigation against Pathan for allegedly fabricating evidence in the Naroda Gam riots case.

During the trial in the case, the additional sessions judge had on December 3, 2010 rejected the application of Pathan seeking to be examined as a court or prosecution witness to "prove that some of the witnesses and victims had falsely implicated him in fabricating the evidence".

He had said he would be an important link to throw light on how the victims and witnesses were tutored, cheated and made to sign false affidavits by Setalvad in the name of "interest of community".

However, the sessions court had directed and authorised the registrar, City Civil and Sessions Court, Ahmedabad to make a complaint in writing for the offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Pathan and others.

These relate to false evidence, giving or fabricating false evidence with the intent to procure conviction of capital offence or imprisonment for life or imprisonment for seven years or upwards and using as true such declaration knowing it to be false among others.

Thereafter, the registrar filed a criminal case/complaint against Pathan and others in metropolitan magistrate court in Ahmedabad which on January 10, 2011 directed the assistant commissioner of police, Ahmedabad to inquire and investigate the matter and submit a report.

The order was challenged before the high court which on July 11, 2011 declined to interfere with the police investigation, but observed and clarified that "basically the aforesaid police investigation would be with respect to unnamed accused persons who are yet to be traced and whose names are yet to be disclosed during the course of investigation".

Pathan had not challenged any of the findings and observations made against him that a prima facie case was made out for the various offences under the IPC.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 6:04 [IST]
No problem with raids on companies linked to me, but why drag my sisters: Ajit Pawar

Rape, corruption allegations against Maharashtra ministers, separate probes ordered

India

oi-Anusha

A minister in the Maharashtra cabinet has been accused of rape while another faces charges of corruption. The opposition highlighted allegations of corruption against one BJP minister and charges of rape against another minister from allied parties in the state assembly.

While being careful not to name the minister from one of the allies of the BJP in Maharashtra, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar produced a CD in the assembly. He said that the CD contained details of allegations against the minister by a woman from Sangli. Pawar said that the minister belonged to one of the allied parties and he was not revealing his name since he had not issued a notice via the house to the concerned minister.

"I am willing to hand over his CD to the speaker where the woman has made allegations. The woman, the sole breadwinner in her family has accused the minister of rape and also adds that she was being blackmailed by him," Pawar told the house. Speaker Haribhau Bagade has ordered a probe into the allegations against the minister. Minister of State for Home Dr Ranjit Patil will conduct the probe as per the speaker's directions. Eknath Khadse, a former minister, however, later added that woman had withdrawn her allegations against the minister.

Housing Minister accused of scam

Maharashtra housing minister Prakash Mehta has been accused of corruption in slum rehabilitation authority scam. Chief Minister Devendra FAdnavis was forced to order an inquiry after the opposition accused the BJP minister of violating rules to provide additional Floor Space Index to a private developer.

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The opposition created a ruckus in the house accusing the minister allowing the developer to avail a profit of up to Rs 500 crore. "The file of the project had a remark that the Chief Minister has been consulted while allotting extra FSI but that was false. Was the Chief Minister kept in dark to benefit a private developer?" asked Prithviraj Chavhan. The NCP also joined the chorus in demanding a probe into the matter alleging lack of transparency.

Prakash Mehta told the house that he would welcome any probe and the decision to allot extra land was in keeping with the policy of the previous government. An inquiry has now been ordered into the matter.

OneIndia News
SC asks Bombay HC to hear plea against age, height cap in Dahi Handi festival

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, August 1: Ahead of Janmashtami, the Supreme Court on Tuesday remanded back to the Bombay High Court a plea of Maharashtra government challenging its order barring participation of minors in the famous 'Dahi-handi' festival. and capping the height of the human pyramid.

A bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and R Banumathi sent the matter back to the high court asking it to consider the plea afresh in the wake of material furnished by the state government, several NGOs and individuals.

The bench said the matter would be taken up by the Bombay High Court on August 7. The state government has told the apex court that it has put several security measures in place and therefore, the age cap should be relaxed. Dahi Handi is a ritual which will be observed during 'Janmashtami' on August 14 this year across Maharashtra and nearby states.

The apex court had on August 17, 2016 refused to relax conditions put by the High Court like barring youths below 18 years of age from participating in 'Dahi-Handi' festival in Maharashtra and capping the height of the human pyramid at 20 feet. Few days later, a Mumbai-based organisation had sought modification of the order saying capping the height of human pyramid would take the "adventure" out of the festival which has become a "popular and competitive" sport in the western megapolis.

It had told the court that the highest human pyramid at 43.79 feet has found mention in the Guinness Book of World Records and capping it would be "unfair". The court, however, had refused to modify its order saying this ritual sometimes caused serious injuries to participants, particularly spinal cord injuries.

In August 17, 2016 order, the apex court had suspended the operation of two directions passed by the Bombay High Court to regulate the 'Dahi-Handi' festival. One of the directions related to amending the existing law to bar children below 18 years of age from participating in dangerous performances like being part of the human pyramid of 'Dahi-Handi' festival.

The second direction of the High Court, which was also suspended, related to the part of the order which makes it mandatory for organisers to apprise authorities 15 days in advance about various aspects such as place of celebration, its timing and personal information, including birth certificates of participating 'Govindas' on the ground of paucity of sufficient time.

The Supreme Court had on August 10 revived a plea challenging a Bombay HC order restricting the height of human pyramids to 20 feet for 'Dahi-Handi' ritual, saying it needed to hear the PIL petitioner before passing any order. The Maharashtra government had earlier approached the apex court seeking clarification on its 2014 order by which it had stayed the high court decision banning participation of those below 18-years in the popular 'Dahi-Handi' ritual.

The High Court on August 11, 2014 had ordered that children below the age of 18 should not be allowed to participate and the height of human pyramids should not exceed 20 feet.

PTI

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 15:16 [IST]
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This Ganesha festival, bring eco-friendly idols

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The cry for purchase of eco-freindly Ganesha idols fell on deaf ears all these years. However, environmentalists vouching for eco-freindly Ganesha have a reason to cheer this festive season.

With the rolling out of Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Plaster of Paris Ganesh idols are going to be costlier compared to clay idols. The cost of POP idols has gone up by around 30 per cent. Owing to the fact that the POP idols (raw materials) now also attract GST, vendors have hiked the price of POP idols.PM Modi in his latest edition of Man Ki Baat urged people to use clay idols this Ganesh Chaturthi.

In fact, Telangana government has decided to distribute one lakh plus eco-friendly clay Ganeshas to make the festival eco-friendly. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation requested people to support the initiative.

Here, we present glimpses of artists all over the country busy giving final touches to the idols.

Ganesha idols in Allahabad An artist giving final touches to the idols of Lord Ganesha ahead of Ganesh Utsav celebrations in Allahabad on Monday. PTI Photo Artist in Bikaner Artist throw water in Lord Ganesha shain and strong works an idol of Lord Ganesha ahead of Ganesh festival in Bikaner on Monday. PTI PHOTO Final touches An artist gives final touches to the statues of Lord Ganesha ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi in Amritsar on Friday. PTI Photo Clay in Hubballi, Karnataka An artist makes idols of Lord Ganesha using mud at Hosur Cross area in Hubballi on Thursday following a ban imposed by the district administration on the use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) for making idols. PTI Photo Ready for sale Idols of Lord Ganesha on sale ahead of Ganesh utsav in Bikaner on Monday. PTI Photo

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 18:21 [IST]
Varun pitches for independent panel to determine MPs salaries

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, August 1: BJP member Varun Gandhi today questioned the lawmakers' power to hike their own salaries and objected to major bills like Aadhaar being passed without serious discussion or referring them to a parliamentary panel. He also demanded that an external independent body should be formed to determine the remuneration of lawmakers and questioned their authority to hike own salaries.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, he pitched for an external body to determine their renumeration and said it was "shameful" that the number of sittings in the Lok Sabha had dropped from 123 days a year in 1952 to 75 in 2016.

The lawmakers had raised their salaries 400 per cent in the last decade, he said wondering whether they had "earned" this massive increment. "The Winter Session, 2016, hit a low-point of 16 per cent. It is shameful. Taxation bills, as significant as Aadhaar, were passed within two weeks without being referred to a committee," he said.

Varun's strong statement on the non-reference of the Aadhaar bill to a parliamentary committee is unlikely to go down well with the government, as the opposition parties too had accused it of ramming the bill through the House.

Hitting out at the practice of lawmakers to often raise the demand for a salary hike, he said the Jawaharlal Nehru cabinet at its first meeting had taken a collective decision not to avail salaries for six months in view of the people's sufferings at the time. He also cited several other examples from the past.

"When matters regarding salary are raised recurrently, it makes me worry about the moral compass of the House. Nearly 18,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last one year. Where is our focus," he asked. Arrogating to themselves the authority to increase their own fiscal compensation was not in line with the morals of democracy, the BJP member said.

He referred to the recent protests of Tamil Nadu farmers in the national capital and noted that they had drunk their urine and demonstrated with skulls of fellow farmers who had committed suicide, in order to strongly make their point. Gandhi then noted that the Tamil Nadu assembly on July 19 doubled the salaries of its legislators, a move which sent a "broad message of insensitivity".

As compared to a 13 per cent rise in the UK, Indian lawmakers had raised their salaries by 400 per cent in the last decade. "Have we really earned this massive increment," he asked. Citing the MPs' "performance" over the last two decades, he said barely 50 per cent of the bills were passed after scrutiny from parliamentary committees. "When bills are pass without serious deliberation, it defeats the purpose of having a Parliament.

The House itself has been created to dissect, analyse and debate laws, and ensure that every law has a strong policy mechanism behind it. The rush to pass bills shows a priority for politics and not policy. 41 per cent of bills introduced have been passed without discussion," Varun said.

He said the United Kingdom has an independent authority Review Body on Senior Salaries consisting of distinguished non-members, to advise the government on the pay and pensions of MPs. Such a mechanism "sadly" does not exist in India, he said, adding that Indian parliamentary democracy is loosely derived from that of the UK.

"For the greater good of this nation, we must create an external body, independent of us members, to determine salaries. Or, if we self-regulate, considering the economic conditions of the last man in the society, we must empathetically forego our privileges, at least for the duration of this Parliament," he said. Saugata Roy (TMC) supported him.

PTI
A recent letter pondered President Trump's Christianity. Relevant, only for a "Pastor-in-Chief."

Congregations thrive when their pastors unite congregants behind agreed upon goals. After 6 months, it's clear there is no "unity" tool in his Presidential toolbox. He only throws wrenches into the works. The "flock" is in disarray!

We are split between those who view government as part of the solution and those who see it as part of the problem. There is truth in both perspectives depending upon the issue.

President Trump, with all due respect, please cease with the "tweets," communicating "policy" announcements. In my day that would be like posting "Burma Shave" road signs to get your message across. Save the "tweets" for announcing the naming of ships.

Also, the country is not well served by constant references to the media as "fake news." It is disrespectful to those who do their best to report the news accurately. It does not serve the American people well. The election is over. GOVERN!

As for Congress, your leaders seem fixated on election cycles. If necessary, bypass them, reach across the aisle and address pressing health care and infrastructure needs. The election is over. GOVERN!

Finally, I encourage fellow Montanans to be respectful, while holding our Senators and Congressman accountable. It will be difficult, I know, but we must model good behavior.

I've been told I live in a fantasy world, but it's worth a try!

God knows the politics of "Gotcha" has not been working.

John Ilgenfritz

Helena
Who are chopping off womens braids in Delhi, Haryana? Police clueless

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, August 1: A gang of three men is allegedly on a prowl across Delhi and neighbouring places of Haryana where they are chopping off braids of women. The police are on a hunt to nab the culprits after a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage revealed three men cutting the braid of one woman in Delhi.

According to reports, several such cases have come to light in Delhi and Haryana in the last few days.

The police personnel are also clueless with little evidence to probe these "mysterious" cases. Till date, three cases have been filed with Delhi police and two with Haryana police.

At least 15 incidents of women's braids being mysteriously chopped off have been reported from the villages of the Mewat region in Haryana in the last two weeks, police informed.

These bizarre happenings have left the villagers in panic mode. Most women claimed to have fallen unconscious when their braids were chopped off leading to the villagers blaming godmen, ghosts, witches and "cat-like" creatures.

Police, however, dismissed these claims and said it was the handiwork of anti-social elements.

On Saturday, one such incident was reported from Gurgaon. Sunita Devi, a resident of Ashok Vihar phase-III area, approached the police, claiming that on the night of July 28 she was attacked by a strange-looking man, in his 60s, when she was alone in her house.

"While I was preparing dinner in the kitchen, I saw a thin man in a red and yellow outfit on the main entrance of my house. When I went to enquire, I saw he was carrying a trident. I told him to go away. He went away and disappeared only to reappear," she claimed.

Sunita said before she could comprehend anything she fell unconscious. "When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the floor and my braid was chopped off," she claimed, adding her house, however, was not ransacked.

Police said they have made a Daily Diary entry of the incident and launched a probe into the matter.

Gurgaon Police PRO Ravinder Kumar said the perpetrator was yet to be identified and the woman has not complained of any external wounds. The woman was in extreme trauma and still terrified. She was admitted to a private hospital and discharged last evening, he said.

Another incident was reported in Malhaka village in Haryana. Aseena had fallen unconscious and when she woke up she found her hair had been chopped off. "I'm feeling scared," Aseena said. A police complaint has been made in the matter.

To deal with the rising apprehension caused by these incidents, women have been asked to tie their hair in buns instead of braids.

Living under a shadow of fear, women are venturing outside to get water and fodder only in large groups and patrol parties have also been formed to nab those responsible.

"We have assigned our male members or family heads to patrol on a daily basis in two shifts. They are to stay alert 24X7 in order to combat the gang, animal or ghost, whatever it may be, responsible," Ram Mehar Yadav, a resident of Punahana told.

DSP Ferozpur Jhirka Yadram said police has received complaints of two-three incidents in Ferozpur Jhirka's Santhwari and Satras villages. They have also been reported from Malhaka village, Punahana, Dallawas, Jharpuri, Hamka, Padhen, Shikarpur, Mohammad Pur Aheer. All these places are in Haryana.

"Local villagers are saying that women's braids are being chopped off mysteriously. They say a cat-like animal appears and makes them unconscious. It then chops off their braids and disappears. The villagers claim that ghosts are behind it," Yadram said.

It is suspected that a gang of anti-social elements was behind such incidents. They want to terrify villagers and violate law and order situation and harmony of the district, he said. No FIR has been registered in the cases as of now, Yadram said.

While Mewat Superintendent of Police Nazneen Bhasin said, "An unknown gang is behind this chopping off women's braids in Mewat. We have earlier detained two persons from a group in Nagana at Barmer district but they were not involved."

She, however, cautioned that some cases may have been rumours.

Manisha of Haryana's Punahana also claims to have been targetted. She said her braid was cut off two days ago when she went to the jungle to get grass for cattle. "My mother and I had gone to the jungle to get fodder. She says she saw a person for a few moments and lost consciousness," she claimed.

Mewat Deputy Commissioner Mani Ram Sharma said the cases would be solved soon.

"There is nothing like ghosts...some anti-social gang or group is trying to create panic in the region. Police and administration have beefed up security and have urged residents and villagers not to spread rumours," he said.

These incidents bring back memories of the 'Monkey Man' scare in 2001 in Delhi when there were reports of a strange monkey-like creature attacking people at night.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 9:52 [IST]
'What a joke': Nitish Kumar on Sushil Modi's 'he wanted to be Vice President' claim

Sushil Modi to expose Lalu, his family's link in sand mafia

India

oi-PTI

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi on Tuesday said said he would soon come out with documentary proof of sand mafia funding the RJD and investing in Lalu Prasad's family assets.

"Sand mafia fund political parties. Sand mafia is the main source of RJD's funding. I would soon hold a press conference to make a big expose on Lalu Prasad's family links with the big guns involved in sand mining," Modi told reporters in Patna.

The senior BJP leader asserted that the state government was committed to take action against all types of persons involved in corruption.

In reply to a query as whether he had gone through the file of 'soil purchase', Modi tried to downplay the issue by saying that it was a very small issue.

"We (govt) will see as what action has been initiated in the case. What is the progress in the case and what further action is required to be done in it," Modi said.

"This (soil purchase scam) is a very small issue.

RJD's Bihar unit spokesman and media in-charge Pragati Mehta dismissed the allegations as "baseless and absurd".

"We don't take notice of Sushil Modi's allegations. He has been in the habit of making baseless and absurd allegations against Lalu Prasadji and his family.....There is no force in his (Modi's) allegations," he said.

"BJP is the party of Ambani and Adani whereas ours is a party of poor people which is driven by workers' cooperation," Mehta added.

Earlier on Tuesday, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad hit back at Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, accusing him of "betrayal" for breaking the Grand Alliance, and alleged that the "match was fixed" between him and the BJP to form a coalition government in the state.

Nitish Kumar in a blistering attack on Prasad on Monday said he had no option but to walk out of the Grand Alliance as he did not want to compromise with corruption.

PTI
Afghanistan blast: 20 killed in explosion outside mosque in Herat

International

oi-Madhuri

At least 20 killed, 30 wounded in an explosion in front of Jawadia Mosque in Afghanistan's Herat city, reports TOLO news.

Herat officials have confirmed that the attack was carried out by two attackers.

According to officials, the first attacker detonated his explosives outside the mosque and then the second attacker opened fire in the worshippers inside the mosque.

However eyewitnesses said a number of wounded were also taken to private health facilities in Herat city.

Shiites are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the Islamic State affiliate that operates in the country's east. No one immediately took responsibility for the attack on the Jawadia Mosque in Herat.

OneIndia News
India was not isolated before colliding with Eurasia: study

Meet the biggest bird to have walked on earth

At least 34 killed in Madagascar bus crash

International

oi-Madhuri

At least 34 people have been killed in a horrific bus crash in Madagascar on Tuesday, according to AFP news agency.

The shocking tragedy in Ankazobe, 44 miles north-west of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, Minister of Transport Benjamina Ramarcel is quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The bus was carrying young Christian worshippers when it plunged down a steep ravine in Madagascar, police and hospital officials said. Police said 12 badly-burned bodies were counted at the site after the late-night crash, while hospitals said that 22 other fatalities had been confirmed.

Passengers on the packed bus were travelling from the central town of Soavinandriana to a church meeting in the north-western coastal port city of Mahajanga when the accident occurred.

OneIndia News (with inputs)
Colombia conflict: UN begins removing rebel weapons

International

pti-PTI

Bogota, Aug 1: The United Nations has begun removing containers holding more than 7,000 weapons that belonged to former fighters for Colombia's largest rebel group who are beginning life as civilians under a peace agreement.

The weapons were removed from demobilisation zones where the arms were handed over.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos says the removal operation that began yesterday marks the end of a cease-fire started in June 2016.

Photos provided by the UN show stacks of worn black rifles wrapped in plastic inside containers.

About 7,000 members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia finished turning over their weapons in late June.

The guns will eventually be melted down to construct three peace monuments. Colombia's armed conflict lasted more than five decades and left at least 250,000 people dead and another 60,000 disappeared.

The Colombian Conflict began in the mid-1960s and was a low-intensity asymmetric war between Colombian governments, paramilitary groups, crime syndicates, and left-wing guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and the National Liberation Army (ELN), fighting each other to increase their influence in Colombian territory.

PTI
Doklam staged by Pak-China to further expansionist geo-strategic agenda

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Doklam issue was staged by China at the behest of Pakistan, Indian officials have pointed out. China tends to cause a distraction by forcing incursions into Indian soil.

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However officials say that the standoff at Doklam was staged by China at the request of Pakistan.

It was a win-win situation for both China and Pakistan. China which has invested heavily in projects at Pakistan occupied Kashmir seeks the help of jihadi groups to protect its interests. There are several thousand Chinese belonging to the construction corps of the Peoples' Liberation Army.

This is a relatively new territory for them and hence the support of the over ground personnel of the terror groups come in handy when it comes to intelligence and protection.

The Doklam standoff was aimed at keeping India busy elsewhere. India had put all its resources on the Pakistan issue and had even launched "Operation Clean Up," to flush out the jihadis.

Analysts say that China is aiming at an expansionist geo-strategic agenda for which it has sought the help of Pakistan. China would always seen India as competition and would go that extra mile to try stunt India's economic growth.

India has been receiving complaints about the growing Chinese presence at Gilgit-Baltistan. They have complained that their resources are being sold off to the Chinese by Pakistan.

Between Pakistan and China it is no longer just bi-lateral. China has repeatedly blocked sanctions on Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammad. This is not just about want of evidence, officials say. Officials explain that it is not just bi-lateral. China has called Pakistan an all weather friend, while Azhar the man himself has called China the almighty. Apart from these aspects and the fact that Azhar guards China's assets in Pakistan it is also to ensure that India does not become supreme in the region.

China would not like India having its say in the UN. China has also been instrumental in blocking India's NSG bid several times. It is a case of being supreme and throwing its clout around says an informed officer in New Delhi. The officer says that although all nations say it openly that the war against terror is important, the fact of the matter is that all are divided in their approach. There are different equations at play.

The stakes in Afghanistan are very high. Russian President Vladimir Putin in fact changed the country's long standing policy against the US in Afghanistan. US was able to take over Afghanistan after Putin allowed the US set up base in Central Asia. China too has a major stake in Afghanistan and the recent statement by the Taliban in which it said it would not target infrastructure projects in Afghanistan is also significant. China has high stakes in Afghanistan and would not want that to be disturbed.

Any move in the UN on Azhar is likely to change China's equation with the Taliban which is considered to be close to the Jaish-e-Mohammad boss. More control in the UN for India would also tilt the balance against China. Officials explain that the reason for the block goes beyond the all weather friend or Azhar playing bouncer for Chinese investments in Pakistan theories. It is all about supremacy in the region, the officer also explains.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 11:00 [IST]
ICBM missile launch: All options on table for N Korea, says White House

International

oi-PTI

The White House on Monday said that all options are on the table with respect North Korea following the latest provocation from Pyongyang. It, however, said that the president will not make his options public.

"The President is not going to broadcast any decision, but all options are on the table," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

North Korea carried out an intercontinental ballistic missile test on Friday which the weapons experts said could even bring New York into range, posing a major challenge to US' security. The US strategic bombers retaliated on Saturday by flying over the Korean peninsula, and on Sunday American forces successfully tested a missile interception system the US hopes will be installed on the Korean peninsula.

Earlier in the day, Trump exuded confidence that he would be able to handle the North Korean situation well, which he did not elaborate.

According to the Pentagon, the Department of Defence is well prepared to protect the US and its allies from any provocative behaviour from North Korea.

Within hours of the North Korean ICBM launch, American and South Korean army personnel conducted a combined live fire exercise, the Pentagon said. "This exercise utilised the Army tactical missile system, also called ATACMS, and the [South Korean] Hyunmoo Missile-2, which fired two missiles each into territorial waters of South Korea along the east coast," the Pentagon Director of Press Operations Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters during an off-camera news conference. Also the US Air Force B-1 bombers along with the South Korean and Japanese air forces carried out flight over the Korean Peninsula.

"The B-1s then flew over the Korean Peninsula where they were joined by four [South Korean] Air Force F-15 [Eagle] fighter jets. The B-1s then performed a low pass over Osan Air Base, South Korea, before leaving South Korean airspace and returning to Guam," Davis said.

The entire operation lasted for about 10 hours. "The US maintains flexible bomber and fighter capabilities in the Asia-Pacific theatre, retaining the ability to quickly respond to any regional threat in order to defend the US homeland and in support of our allies," Davis said in response to a question. "

North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," said Air Force General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, the Pacific Air Forces commander. "

Diplomacy remains the lead; however, we have a responsibility to our allies and our nation to showcase our unwavering commitment while planning for the worst-case scenario. If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing," O'Shaughnessy said.

All this was in addition to the a successful missile defence test using the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system. "A medium-range target ballistic missile was air-launched by a US Air Force C-17 [Globemaster III] over the Pacific Ocean.

The THAAD weapon system located at Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska in Kodiak, Alaska, detected, tracked and intercepted the target," said the Pentagon press secretary. This was the 15th successful intercept in 15 tests for THAAD.

Over the weekend Trump had expressed his frustration over Chinese inability to do anything against North Area.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 8:37 [IST]
Pentagon criticises Turkey's plan to buy Russian missiles

International

oi-PTI

Washington, August 1: Turkey was criticized by the Pentagon for its plans to purchase a Russian air-defense system instead of investing in NATO technology.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in talks to get Russia to supply Ankara with its latest S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the Pentagon had concerns over its NATO ally's purchase of the Russian technology because it might not work with other equipment used by the 29-nation alliance.

"Generally speaking it's a good idea for allies to buy inter-operable equipment," Davis said. "With any ally, with any partner with whom we inter- operate ... we want them to buy things and invest in things that will further invest in our alliance." Turkish media have in recent days reported that the deal is being finalized with Russia.

If it is completed, it would be a significant step after the two countries repaired relations damaged by Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane on the Syrian border in 2015.

The S-400 system is designed to shoot down enemy aircraft and has a range of about 400 kilometers.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 9:47 [IST]
Pentagon says no decision on Afghan policy review yet

International

pti-PTI

Washington, Aug 1: The Pentagon has said there has been no decision by the Trump administration to review its Afghan policy yet and refused to give any time frame for such a development.

The response comes amid a media report suggesting that the Trump administration is exploring the option of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

"We're contributing to a process that's being led by the White House that is looking across our instruments of national power, not just military, but diplomatic, financial, intelligence and information as well to lay out what our desired end state is," the Pentagon Press Secretary, Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters during an off-camera news conference at the Pentagon yesterday.

"From that will be derived any follow-on decision about troops or anything else," Davis said when asked about the increase in troop numbers in Afghanistan.

Top leaders in the past have said that they are adopting a regional approach in finding a permanent solution to the decades old Afghan crisis. This includes India, Pakistan, China, Central Asian Republics and Russia. The White House has already authorised Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan by a few thousand, he said, adding that Mattis would not take such a call unless the strategy is in place.

Mattis, he said, "wants to get the strategy right first," before committing to increase in troops or drawdown. In a statement, top Republican Senator John McCain rued that the country is still without an Afghan policy.

"More than six months after President Trump's inauguration, there still is no strategy for success in Afghanistan. Eight years of a 'don't lose' strategy has cost us lives and treasure in Afghanistan. Our troops deserve better," said McCain, who is chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee.

"When the Senate takes up the National Defence Authorisation Act in September, I will offer an amendment based on the advice of some our best military leaders that will provide a strategy for success in achieving America's national interests in Afghanistan," McCain said.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the Trump administration is also exploring the option of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

"Unable to agree on a plan to send up to 3,900 more American forces to help turn back Taliban advances in Afghanistan, the White House is taking a new look at what would happen if the US decided to scale back its military presence instead," the daily quoted some current and former officials of the Trump administration as saying.

According to the daily, a senior administration official said: "It's a macro question as to whether the US, this administration, and the president are committed to staying."

"It doesn't work unless we are there for a long time, and if we don't have the appetite to be there for a long time, we should just leave. It's an unanswered question," the daily quoted the official as saying.

The US state department had said last week that a military strategy may not "necessarily" yield results in Afghanistan and a permanent solution to the conflict can be found through peace talks with the Taliban and other parties involved. Afghanistan has been battling insurgency for more than a decade. The Taliban offensive against the West-backed government in the country increased this summer. Much recently, a Taliban suicide bombing killed at least 26 people in Kabul.

PTI
VK Singh to visit Iraq on April 1 to bring back the mortal remains of 39 Indians killed in Mosul

Syria has no information about 39 missing Indians in Mosul: Envoy

International

oi-PTI

Syria has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014 said Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas on Monday.

He, however, said Syria is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said.

"We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.

However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.

The statement by Syrian Ambassador comes days after Minister for External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj explained in both houses of Parliament that India has no evidence of the missing Indians in Iraq being dead or alive. And in absence of "solid proof", it is a "sin" at personal level and irresponsible act on the part of the government to declare them dead, Ms Swaraj had said.

The government has sought help from other countries too, but there has been no development yet. "We are not sitting idle. All countries which can help have been asked for help," she said and added, "Why will I mislead? What will I gain? What will I gain, what will my government gain by misleading?"

The Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh had travelled to Iraq a day after ISIS was overthrown from Mosul on July 9 this year.

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Story first published: Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 10:13 [IST]
Gov. Bruce Rauner followed through with his promise to use an amendatory veto to strip an education reform bill of money for Chicago Public Schools pensions.

Four other stories to see are ADM earnings, four shot in Decatur, a third sheriff candidate and a Decatur native among Nashville stars.

Governor makes his move with veto

Gov. Bruce Rauner used his veto power Tuesday to strip millions of dollars for Chicago Public Schools from a school funding overhaul, a move that could mean no districts get state money before classes begin. Local education leaders weigh in with their thoughts regarding the ongoing tussle over how state dollars should be dispersed to the neediest districts.

ADM announces 2Q results

Archer Daniels Midland Co. on Tuesday reported second-quarter profit of $276 million. The company, which is based in Chicago but has its North American headquarters in Decatur, beat Wall Street estimates.

Brown announces sheriff bid

Sheriff's Lt. Tony Brown on Tuesday became the third person to announce their bid to replace retiring Macon County Sheriff Tom Schneider. Brown is a 27-year veteran of the department.

Police investigating Monday shootings

Four people were shot Monday night near Jasper and Main Streets, according to the Decatur Police Department. All four went to HSHS St. Marys Hospital for treatment. A neighbor says the regular sounds of gunfire make her wish she could move.

Decatur native walks among Nashville stars

Decatur native Derrek Kupish began his video career with a class at Heartland Technical Academy. He is now building a following among Nashville stars such as Dolly Parton with his company D Kupish Productions.
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Negotiations for a new Illinois school funding plan have broken down, jeopardizing money for classrooms statewide and setting up a showdown with the governor. A local panel discussion with lawmakers was postponed.

Four other stories to see are a DMH doctor saving a man's life after a traffic crash, Pana planting hope, rural weed killer discord and Charleston police in a standoff.

Education funding panel talk postponed

A community panel discussion organized by the Herald & Review with Decatur-area lawmakers planned for Tuesday will be rescheduled because of ongoing discussions regarding state education funding.

On Monday, lawmaker negotiations had broken down on Senate Bill 1, which seeks to reform how money is spent on schools. Ongoing fighting about the Chicago Public Schools pension fund has been the sticking point.

Miracle on Water Street

Duane Yeakel, 66, of Decatur, had been driving toward DMH, heading north on Water Street, when he suffered cardiac arrest and his car crashed into the side of the brick building that houses Ticket-N-Trips at 1135 N. Water St.

Terence Woods, 62, an otolaryngologist at ENTA Allergy, Head & Neck Institute on the DMH campus, was driving to work and saw Yeakels vehicle veer off the road. His quick, decisive actions saved Yeakel's life.

Pana plants hope amid adversity

If towns, like people, can hit a run of bad luck, Pana has certainly had to suffer more than its fair share. Pana has endured an economic downtown in concert with most of rural America, two recent fatal fires and an accident that claimed the lives of five people.

Pana residents say they have learned to lean on each other and their faith in times of tribulation, and that's how they are getting through it. They say there is much to love about their town as they work toward a future brighter.

Week killer spreading farm discord

A time-worn and dependable weed killer used by millions of farmers for over 40 years has become the bane of rural America that threatens to tear apart family friendships and the social order of a struggling, but peaceful, Corn Belt at light speed.

Dicamba has not only become the story of the year in just a few months, but has the potential to rearrange long-term trends in farm management and even ownership.

Charleston police in standoff

Law enforcement officers weer in an apparent standoff with at least one person in a tan home at 1312 Fourth St. in Charleston on Monday. Police blocked off traffic and a Facebook Live video part of the ongoing situation.
by  Graham Pierrepoint



Another day, another dramatic turn of events at the White House  as another of US President Donald Trumps appointed staff makes his way out of a particularly lucrative role. After just ten days in the job, White House Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, has been released from his role  sensationally fired allegedly on the request of new Chief of Staff  General John Kelly  who replaced the outgoing Reince Priebus. Scaramuccis time in the White House  if he is not to find a role elsewhere  was fairly dramatic, with the aforementioned Priebus and media favorite Sean Spicer having resigned shortly after his appointment.

It is thought that Scaramuccis firing comes following profane comments made to a New Yorker reporter regarding members of Trumps team - making claims about Priebus and Chief Strategist Steve Bannon  comments made to the press which the White House has condemned as inappropriate. Scaramucci had also declared that he was reporting directly to President Trump and not the Chief of Staff  at that time, Priebus  however, with Gen Kelly having been brought in to take Priebus place, it seems it has been decided that there is no longer a place on the top team for Scaramucci and any comments he has previously made. Does the drafting in of Kelly spell a change for the top team for the better?

Trump, meanwhile, took to Twitter  to claim that there was no WH chaos  despite what many media outlets have referred to as a revolving door of staff, and with ongoing investigations regarding Russia, Donald Trump Jrs supposed discussions with a Russian lawyer ahead of the election, and the saga that unfolded with former FBI Director James Comey earlier this year. Despite Trumps claims to the opposite, it can hardly be denied that this is a Presidency which has seen considerable drama so far  and Trump and his team have not yet been part of the establishment for six months.

Where will the chaos end? Will Gen Kelly bring calm to the chaos? Will there be a role for the controversial Scaramucci elsewhere in the White House? As always, the media is keeping a keen eye  and, generally, as good an insight as any is to follow Trump on Twitter  at least, to get the lowdown on what the Commander in Chief thinks of it all.
A community panel discussion organized by the Herald & Review with Decatur-area lawmakers planned for Tuesday will be rescheduled because of ongoing discussions regarding state education funding.

Im disappointed that the timing of this didnt work out," said Chris Coates, executive editor of the Herald & Review. "We're looking forward to picking a better date and hearing from our local General Assembly members."

The conversation was planned at 6 p.m. at the Decatur Public Library. Invitations were sent to Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville; Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill; Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth; Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet; and Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur.

The idea was originally for the panel talk to be after the General Assembly session ended in May, but it was moved because of the special budget session called this summer.

The special session on changing the state funding formula for education was convened in mid-July. The legislation has been held up as the Democrat-controlled Legislature and GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner have been at odds over a provision to have the state cover certain pension costs for Chicago Public Schools. Rauner has said he will use an amendatory veto to change the bill.

Lawmakers would need a three-fifths majority to overrule Rauner. It's likely discussions will continue into the week. The first payment to schools is due Aug. 10.

Coates said the Herald & Review is looking at several dates later in the month and in the fall for a panel discussion.
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CLINTON  In an effort to expand its services beyond the confines of Macon County, Heritage Behavioral Health opened a new clinic in Clinton Monday afternoon.

Located in a shopping center at 40 Clinton Plaza, the 4,000-square-foot facility will provide some of the same mental health and substance abuse programs offered at the organization's Decatur clinic  including psychiatric counseling and a 24-hour crisis hotline.

Heritage Chief Executive Officer Candace Clevenge said the clinic has been seeing patients since early July, but officially opened its doors during Monday's ribbon cutting ceremony.

With less employees and a lack of advanced addiction services, Clevenger said the Clinton clinic will be operated on a much smaller scale than the Decatur facility, located at 151 N. Main St. However, she said that outlook could change over time.

"We'll grow here as needed, and we will try to meet the demands of DeWitt County," Clevenger said.

According to Heritage Chief Operating Officer Tim Macken, the decision to expand to Clinton stemmed from the closure of the DeWitt County Human Resources Center's mental health and substance abuse programs in 2016.

Macken said the DeWitt County center was unable to receive the funding it needed to operate those services due to then-ongoing state budget crisis. State officials reached out to Heritage about the center's status, Macken said, and, as a result, the organizations began working together to find a solution.

"We started talking with their board, trying to establish some sort of service provision," Macken said. "Our staff started seeing some clients (in Clinton), and we got psychologists to go up there, too."

Ultimately, the lack of a state budget forced the Human Resources Center to end its mental health and substance abuse programs on July 1, 2016.

With help from grants and other funding sources, like the United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois, Heritage moved to install its own programs in the community, instead of taking over the previous operations.

"It was easier that way," Macken said. "And it made a lot more sense from a liability standpoint."

Macken said Heritage has no current plans to develop any new facilities anywhere else in Central Illinois.

In addition to operating the Decatur clinic and the Oasis Day Center at 243 W. Cerro Gordo in Decatur, he said the organization's current priority is "filling the void" that was created in Clinton.

"We feel that we can maintain that operation (in Clinton) without too much difficulty, and make sure that DeWitt County got its treatment services again," he said.
CHARLESTON  An apparent exchange of gunfire between people in a vehicle and one on foot reported by witnesses led to a Monday standoff with police at a home at 1312 Fourth St.

According to a news release, Charleston Police Department officers were dispatched to the area at 1:45 p.m. in reference to a report of people shooting at each other.

One of the individuals fled into the residence of 1312 Fourth St., while the vehicle, reportedly a silver passenger car, sped off in a reckless manner, police said. Neither the vehicle nor the people in it have been found, police said.

Charleston Police Chief Brian Baker said no one at the home was found injured, and no one has reported an injury as result of the incident.

When officers arrived on the scene, they confirmed the initial report with eyewitnesses.

Officers then conducted a contain and call out of the occupants of the residence. Through a megaphone, officers asked those in the home to leave through the front door with their hands up.

Detective Tony West said Sergio Norvell, 22, of Charleston left the home first. Later, Markell Jefferson, 19, of Charleston and Tia Garner, 20, of Fairview Heights, came out. They were detained briefly and questioned, police said.

A search warrant was obtained and served by the Crisis Response Team, a police tactical unit, which found nobody else in the residence.

Upon searching the residence, officers recovered three CO2 pellet pistols and about $12,000, as well as evidence of narcotics activity, police said. Police said there was no evidence of real firearms being used.

No arrests had been made as of Tuesday morning, police said.

The Charleston Police Department was assisted by the Eastern Illinois University Police Department, East Central Illinois Drug Task Force and the Coles County Sheriffs Department.

The incident remained under investigation.
Global Bentonite Market Anticipated To Rise at a CAGR Of 3.0% during the Forecast Period of 2016  2024

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With the rise of foundry and metal casting industries, automotive and machinery & heavy equipment manufacturing industries, the global market for bentonite is witnessing a significant growth since the past few years. The global bentonite marketis expected to provide lucrative business opportunities and is the focus of a new research report recently added to the massive online collection of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). The label of this report is Bentonite Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016  2024. The report provides a thorough enquiry about the current market situation as well as the future potential of the global bentonite market.Request For Sample Report:The report investigates and forecasts the global market for bentonite at the global and regional level. The market has been forecast in terms of volume and revenue from 2016 to 2024, considering 2015 as the base year. As per the report, the global market for bentonite will witness growth at a CAGR of 3.0% from 2016 to 2024 and reach a value of US$1.85 billion by the end of 2024 from US$1.42 billion in 2015.The report further includes drivers and restraints, along with their impact during the forecast period. It also highlights opportunities for existing as well as new market participants in the bentonite market at the global and regional level. It further comprises detailed value chain analysis and porters five forces model, which provides a comprehensive overview of the global bentonite market. The study incorporates market attractiveness analysis, in which end-users are benchmarked in terms of their growth rate, market size and overall attractiveness. Moreover, the report also provides a decisive assessment of the global bentonite market by segmenting it in terms of product type into calcium bentonite, sodium bentonite and others and in terms of application into iron ore pelletizing, drilling mud, foundry sands, construction, pet products and others. These market segments have been examined based on their present and future trends. Geographically, the prominent regions studied in the report are North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and Middle East & Africa.Browse Full Report with TOC :Some of the major companies operating in the global market are Minerals Technologies Inc., Clariant International Ltd., IMERYS SA, Ashapura Group, American Colloid Company, Bentonite Performance Minerals LLC, Dantonit A/S., and Canbensan. These market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as financial overview, company overview, business strategies, SWOT analysis and major recent developments.Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:
single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market

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This report on single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market studies the current as well as future prospects of the market globally. The stakeholders of this report include companies and intermediaries engaged in the manufacture, commercialization, providing services of single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes products such as pH sensor, valve, bench top control system, spectroscopy, optochemical DO, temperature, pressure as well as new entrants planning to enter this market.Request For Sample Report :This report comprises an elaborate executive summary along with a market snapshot providing overall information of various segments and sub-segments considered in the scope of the study. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the global single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market with respect to the leading market segments based on major applications segment, products segment, and geographies.The market overview section of the report explores the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have a strong impact on the single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market and could influence the market in the near future. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in the market overview section in order to explain the intensity of competition in the market across different geographies. The competitive scenario among different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competitive landscape section of the report. All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the global single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market.Global Single-use Bioprocessing Sensors and Probes Market: SegmentationBased on the product type, the single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market has been segmented into: pH Sensor, valve, bench top control system, spectroscopy, optochemical DO, temperature, pressure, and others. Each of the market segments have been extensively analyzed based on the market related factors such as increasing demand of single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes worldwide, and technological advancement. Moreover, historical year-on-year growth have been taken into consideration while estimating the market size. The market size and forecast in terms of US$ million for each segment has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each market segment for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year.Single-use Bioprocessing Sensors and Probes Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa.Send An Enquiry :The market size and forecast for each of these regions has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025, along with their respective CAGRs for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year. The report also provides with market size and forecast for major countries in the respective regions. A detailed qualitative analysis of factors responsible for driving and restraining the market growth and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. This section of the report also provides with market attractiveness analysis, Porters five forces analysis, and market share analysis by key players, thus presenting a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the global single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market.Single-use Bioprocessing Sensors and Probes Market: Competitive AnalysisThe key findings section included in the report would assist existing market players in expanding their market shares, and new companies in establishing their presence in the global single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market. The report also profiles key players operating in the single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market which are Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A., Eppendorf AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Hamilton Company, Honeywell International, Inc., Broadley-James Corporation, GE Healthcare, PendoTECH, LLC, Polestar Technologies, Inc., PreSens Precision Sensing GmbH, and Parker Hannifin Corporation.The global single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes market is segmented as follows:Global Single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes Market, Product TypepH SensorElectrochemicalOpticalSolid-stateValvePneumatic Pinch ValveElectrically Actuated Pinch ValvesOthersBench Top Control SystemDCS - Decentralized Control SystemPLC - Programmable Logic ControllersOthersSpectroscopyRaman SpectroscopyNIRScattering SpectroscopyOptochemical DOTemperaturePressureOthersBrowse Full Report With TOC :Global Single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes Market, by Application TypeBiotechnology IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryAcademic ResearchOthersGlobal Single-use bioprocessing sensors and probes Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaS.CanadaEuropeGermanyK.FranceItalySpainRussiaRest of the EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaAustralia & New ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin America (LATAM)BrazilMexicoRest of LATAMMiddle East & AfricaSouth AfricaRest of MEAGCC CountriesMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
Global Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Security Market

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Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) security is principally responsible for effective combat against CBRN weapons for mass destruction from various external or internal anti national organizations. CBRN incidents can occur accidentally, intentionally, or naturally.Request For Sample Report :Accidental CBRN incidents are the events caused by human error or technological errors, such as factory spillage, accidental release or leakage of poisonous gas or liquids. Intentional CBRN incidents are those that occur when CBRN materials are released into the environment with the intention of terrorism or war. The deliberate accumulation or discharge of hazardous materials to avoid fulfilling regulatory requirements also counts as intentional CBRN incidents. A natural CBRN incident would be the outbreak of an infectious disease such as Ebola, swine flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (S.A.R.S.), pandemic influenza, etc.Owing to the global increase in terrorist activity and the procurement of mass destruction weapons by anti-state organizations, it has become highly essential for governments, armed troops and civilians to be involved in a strategic recognition, preparation, and prevention of fatal threats. Governments across the world are adopting enhanced technology for the prevention of CBRN attacks by anti-national or terrorist organizations. For example, the recent evidence of the procurement of chemical weapons for mass destruction by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Boko Haram, and Al-Qaeda, signifies a major threat to the international community. Military organizations across the world are demanding special devices, systems and training for CBRN attack response operations.Global Chemical, Biological, Radiological. And Nuclear Security Market: Market DynamicsIncrease in the terrorist activities across the world is one of the key factor driving the demand of CBRN security market during the forecast period of 2017  2025. In December 2016, 145 terrorist incidents were reported. Several countries across the globe the invested in defense for adopt enhanced technology for the prevention of CBRN attacks by anti-national or terrorist organizations. For Instance, the recent evidence of the procurement of chemical weapons for mass destruction by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Boko Haram, and Al-Qaeda, signifies a major threat to the international community. According to Central Intelligence Agency, Al-Qa'ida and other terrorist groups have a lots of agents to choose from for chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) attack. Due to this factor, government of different countries are modernizing their defense and buying new equipment for CBRN security.Additionally, growing unfavorable geopolitical issues between countries also indicate potential threat of CBRN attacks.Send An Enquiry :Repetitive clashes between Russia and Ukraine, India and Pakistan, China and Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia and Iran are a few of the geopolitical issues at present. On the other hand, the economic crisis in Europe has also given rise to various political conflicts among the European nations lately. These unfavorable geopolitical issues also pose threat of CBRN attacks and can affect national economy and security. Growing need for early detection of CBRN incidents and immediate response for protection are the primary concerns for governments worldwide. Owing to these factors, the demand for CBRN security is increasing at a substantial pace globally. The impact of the threat from terrorists and unfavorable geopolitical issues is currently high and is expected to reduce to medium over the forecast period.Global Chemical, Biological, Radiological. And Nuclear Security Market: Market SegmentationBased on the type, the global CBRN security market has been segmented into chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear security. In 2016, among various types, nuclear segment is expected to dominate the market followed by chemical. Based on the function, the global CBRN security market has been segmented into protection, detection, decontamination and simulation. In 2016, among various functions, protection segment is expected to dominate the market followed by detection.By geography, the market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa and Latin America. 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 2017 to 2025 have been provided in the report.Global Chemical, Biological, Radiological. And Nuclear Security Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players profiled in this report include Survitec Group (United Kingdom), Tingley Rubber Corporation (United States), W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc (United States), MKU GmbH (United States), Blucher GmbH (Germany) and Supergum International (Israel) for CBRN boots. AVON Protection Systems, Inc (United States), Scott Safety (United States), 3M Company (United States), AVEC CHEM s.r.o (CZECH REPUBLIC) and Respirex International Ltd (United Kingdom) for CBRN filters. HDT Global (United States), Alaska Structures (United States) and Air Shelter USA, LLC (United States) for CBRN shelters. W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc (United States), Blucher GmbH (Germany), Paul Boye Technology SAS (France), Supergum International (Israel) and Dharma Magna (Indonesia) for CBRN fabric gloves.Browse Full Report With TOC :Honeywell International Inc. (United States), Survitec Group (United Kingdom), Respirex International Ltd (United Kingdom), ISOVAC Product LLC (United States) and GOETZLOFF GmbH (Austria) for CBRN ISOPOD. AVON Protection Systems, Inc (United States), Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA (Germany), 3M Company (United States), Honeywell International Inc (United States), ILC Dover (United States) and Micronel Safety USA, LLC (United States) for CBRN PAPR. AVON Protection Systems, Inc (United States), Scott Safety (United States), Shalon-Chemical Industries (Israel), MSA (United States), Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA (Germany) and Supergum International (Israel) for CBRN mask. Honeywell International Inc (United States), REX-Gummitechniken GmbH Co.KG (Germany), Ansell Ltd (Australia) and Guardian Manufacturing (United States) for CBRN rubber gloves.The segments covered in the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Security market are as follows:Global Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Security Market, 2016 - 2025: By TypeChemicalBiologicalRadiologicalNuclearGlobal Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Security Market, 2016 - 2025: By FunctionProtectionDetectionDecontaminationSimulation SystemsGlobal Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Security Market, 2016 - 2025: By GeographyNorth AmericaS.Rest of North AmericaEuropeUKFranceGermanyRest of EuropeAsia PacificAustraliaNew ZealandJapanRest of APACMiddle East and Africa (MEA)Saudi ArabiaUAERest of MEALatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
On-The-Go Breakfast Packaging Market For The Forecast Period 2017-2025.

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Transparency Market Research examines the on-the-go breakfast packaging market for the forecast period 2017-2025. The primary objective of the report is to identify opportunities in the market and present updates as well as insights pertaining to various segments of the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market.Request For Sample Report :The report begins with an overview of the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market, evaluating market performance in terms of revenue, followed by TMRs analysis of key trends, drivers and restraints witnessed in the global on-the-go breakfast packaging as well as breakfast products market. Impact analysis of key growth drivers and restraints based on the weighted average model is also included in the report.To compute the market size, in-depth secondary research is done. Data points such as regional splits and market split by packaging type, material type, and breakfast products, have been assimilated to arrive at the market estimates. The report comprises the forecast of the global revenue generated by sales of on-the-go breakfast packaging market.TMR triangulates the data via different analysis based on supply side, demand side, as well as dynamics of on-the-go breakfast packaging market.TMR not only conducts forecasts in terms of value, but also evaluates the market on the basis of essential parameters, such as Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth. This helps providers to recognize the future opportunities as well predictability of the market.Global On-the-go Breakfast Packaging Market: Scope of StudyIn order to understand and assess opportunities in this market, the report is categorically divided into four key sections on the basis of material type, packaging type, breakfast products, and region. The report analyses the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market in terms of value (US$ Mn) and volume (Mn Units).Send An Enquiry :Vital feature of this report is the analysis of the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market by region, material type, packaging type, and breakfast products; and the corresponding revenue forecast in terms of absolute dollar opportunity. This is traditionally overlooked while forecasting the market. However, absolute dollar opportunity is critical in assessing the level of opportunity that a provider can look to achieve as well as to provide potential resources from sales perspective of the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market.To understand key segments in terms of their growth and performance in the on-the-go breakfast packaging market, Transparency Market Research has developed a market attractive index. The resulting index should help providers identify existing market opportunities in the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market.In the final section of the report, on-the-go breakfast packaging market competitive landscape has been included to provide a dashboard view of companies that manufacture and provide on-the-go breakfast packaging services. The report contains company profiles of some of the players in the on-the-go breakfast packaging market.Browse Full Report With TOC :Global On-the-go Breakfast Packaging Market: Competitive LandscapeFew of the players operating in the global on-the-go breakfast packaging market are - Amcor Limited, Bemis Co Inc, Berry Global, Inc., Huhtamaki OYJ, Sealed Air Corporation, Winpak Ltd., Mondi Group, DS Smith Plc, International Paper Company, Sonoco Products Company, Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, Tetra Pak International S.A., Coveris Holdings S.A., Georgia-Pacific LLC, Linpac Packaging Ltd, Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH, Reynolds Group Holdings Ltd, WestRock Company, Ampac Holdings, LLC., and Clondalkin Group Holdings B.V.The market has been segmented as follows -By Material TypePlasticPEPPPVCEVOHPETOthersPaperOthersBy Packaging TypeRigid PackagingRigid BoxesBottles & JarsCansTraysOthersFlexible PackagingFilms & WrapsPouches & SachetsBy Breakfast ProductsCereal MealsBreakfast BarsSandwiches & BurgersCakes & MuffinsSausages & SalamisEgg MealsMilkshakes & JuiceOthersBy RegionNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeMiddle East and Africa (MEA)Asia Pacific (APAC)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
The Gastrointestinal Stents Market , Industry Analysis, Trends, & Forecast

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This report on gastrointestinal stents market studies the current as well as future prospects of the market globally. The stakeholders of this report include companies and intermediaries engaged in the manufacture, commercialization, providing services of gastrointestinal stent products such as esophageal stents, duodenal stents, colonic stents, and biliary/pancreatic stents as well as new entrants planning to enter this market. This report comprises an elaborate executive summary along with a market snapshot providing overall information of various segments and sub-segments considered in the scope of the study. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the global gastrointestinal stents market with respect to the leading market segments based on major product type, stent type, end users, application, and geographies.Request For Sample Report :The market overview section of the report explores the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities that currently have a strong impact on the gastrointestinal stents market and could influence the market in the near future. Market attractiveness analysis has been provided in the market overview section in order to explain the intensity of competition in the market across different geographies. The competitive scenario among different market players is evaluated through market share analysis in the competitive landscape section of the report. All these factors would help market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the global gastrointestinal stents market.Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market: Market SegmentationBased on the product type, the gastrointestinal stents market has been segmented into: esophageal stents, duodenal stents, colonic stents, and biliary/pancreatic stents. In terms of stent type products divided into metal stents, plastic stents, and biodegradable/drug eluting stents. Each of the market segments have been extensively analyzed based on the market related factors such as increasing rate of gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, and colorectal cancer worldwide, technological advancement, and growing use of gastrointestinal stents in various geographies. Moreover, historical year-on-year growth have been taken into consideration while estimating the market size. The market size and forecast in terms of US$ million and volume (units in thousands) for each segment has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each market segment for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year.Geographically, gastrointestinal stents market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The market size and volume forecast for each of these regions has been provided for the period from 2015 to 2025, along with their respective CAGRs for the forecast period from 2017 to 2025, considering 2016 as the base year. The report also provides with market size and forecast for major countries in the respective regions. A detailed qualitative analysis of factors responsible for driving and restraining the market growth and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. This section of the report also provides with market attractiveness analysis, porters five forces analysis, value chain analysis, incidence of gastrointestinal cancers by region and market share analysis by key players, thus presenting a thorough analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the global gastrointestinal stents market.Browse Full Report With TOC :Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market: Competitive LandscapeThe key findings section included in the report would assist existing market players in expanding their market shares, and new companies in establishing their presence in the global gastrointestinal stents market. The report also profiles key players operating in the gastrointestinal stents market which are Boston Scientific Corporation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, C. R. Bard, Inc., W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., Cook Medical, Taewoong Medical Co., Ltd., Merit Medical Systems, Inc., ELLA-CS, s.r.o., CONMED Corporation, Olympus Corporation, and S&G Biotech Inc.The global gastrointestinal stents market is dominated by two global vendors that accounts for more than 78% share of the global market.The global gastrointestinal stents market is segmented as follows:Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by Product TypeEsophageal StentsDuodenal StentsColonic StentsBiliary/Pancreatic StentsGlobal Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by Stent TypeMetal StentsPlastic StentsBiodegradable/Drug Eluting StentsGlobal Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by ApplicationGastrointestinal ObstructionsColorectal CancerInflammatory Bowel DiseaseOthers (GI Bleeding, Gastric Cardia Cancer,etc.)Global Gastrointestinal Stents Market, by GeographyNorth AmericaS.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceK.ItalySpainRussiaRest of the EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaAustralia & New ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin America (LATAM)BrazilMexicoRest of LATAMMiddle East & Africa (MEA)GCC CountriesSouth AfricaRest of MEAMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
Global Horticultural LED Lighting Market Research Report 2017

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Global Horticultural LED Lighting market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingCreeFluence BioengineeringHeliospectraHubbell LightingIllumitexKessil LightingLemnis OreonLumiGrowOSRAM SYLVANIASmart Grow TechnologiesOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoVisible LightUltraviolet LightFar-red LightFor more info, get a Sample PDF with TOC:On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Horticultural LED Lighting for each application, includingCommercial GreenhouseIndoor and Vertical FarmingTable of ContentsGlobal Horticultural LED Lighting Market Research Report 20171 Horticultural LED Lighting Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Horticultural LED Lighting1.2 Horticultural LED Lighting Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Visible Light1.2.4 Ultraviolet Light1.2.5 Far-red Light1.3 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Segment by Application2 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Horticultural LED Lighting Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product TypeTo Browse a Full Report with TOC:3 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Horticultural LED Lighting Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Horticultural LED Lighting Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Horticultural LED Lighting Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Horticultural LED Lighting Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Horticultural LED LightingFigure Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Horticultural LED Lighting Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Product Picture of Visible LightQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global TFA Market 2017-2022 Central?Glass, Solvay, Time Chemical, Russia Aecc

TFA Market

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TFA Market Research ReportA market study  Global TFA Market  examines the performance of the TFA market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the TFA market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of TFA market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global TFA Market 2017 report includes TFA market Size, Revenue, market Share, TFA industry volume, market Trends, TFA Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, TFA Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global TFA Market 2017:Central?GlassSolvayTime Chemical718th Research Institute of CSICRussia AeccTFA Market : Type Analysis0.9950.999TFA Market : Application AnalysisChemical?IndustryPharmaceutical?IndustryFirstly, the report covers the top TFA manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the TFA report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of TFA industry, TFA industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. TFA Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The TFA 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 TFA market revenue worldwide.Finally, TFA 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
SHELBYVILLE  A 26-year-old Shelbyville man has been sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for kicking and stomping a Chihuahua puppy to death.

According to Shelby County Court records, Robert J. Scribner pleaded guilty Friday in a negotiated plea deal to aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 4 felony.

Court records show Scribner told Shelbyville police the puppy was biting, and on July 2 he had given it the choice of being left on a rural road or being good. Scribner said the dog decided to be good and got back in the car but later bit Scribner on the hand. Police said Scribner then kicked and stomped on the dogs head.

Another person at Scribners home said he heard noises and was told by Scribner, I just killed Rolo. That person found the dog fatally injured but still breathing and suffocated and buried the dog.

An investigation also found a chewed and feces-covered shoe box where the dog was placed for bad behavior, court documents show.

Police exhumed the dog, and a veterinary examination found a crushed skull, broken jaw and broken teeth consistent with Scribners account of kicking the dog and then stomping on him with both feet.
Global Broaching Machine Market 2017-2022 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nachi, American Broach & Machine Company

Broaching Machine Market

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Broaching Machine Market Research ReportA market study  Global Broaching Machine Market  examines the performance of the Broaching Machine market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Broaching Machine market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Broaching Machine market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Broaching Machine Market 2017 report includes Broaching Machine market Size, Revenue, market Share, Broaching Machine industry volume, market Trends, Broaching Machine Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Broaching Machine Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Broaching Machine Market 2017:Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesNachiAmerican Broach & Machine CompanyOhio Broach & Machine CoVW Broaching ServiceARTHUR KLINK GmbHInCTICapital Tool Industries,Colonial tool group incEKINSTAR SU LLCTy MilesIncAccu-Cut Diamond Tool CoBroaching Machine SpecialtiesForst Technologie GmbH & Co. KGMiller BroachPhoenix IncPioneer Broach CoBroaching Machine Market : Type AnalysisWorkpiece Transfer MachineSurface Broaching MachineSmall Size Broaching MachineBroaching Machine Market : Application AnalysisSoft Material ApplicationHard Materials ApplicationPolymers & Wood ApplicationFirstly, the report covers the top Broaching Machine manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Broaching Machine report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Broaching Machine industry, Broaching Machine industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Broaching Machine Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Broaching Machine research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Broaching Machine market revenue worldwide.Finally, Broaching Machine market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Building Automation Market 2017-2022 Honeywell International, Siemens AG, Johnson Controls International PLC

Building Automation Market

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Building Automation Market Research ReportA market study  Global Building Automation Market  examines the performance of the Building Automation market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Building Automation market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Building Automation market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Building Automation Market 2017 report includes Building Automation market Size, Revenue, market Share, Building Automation industry volume, market Trends, Building Automation Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Building Automation Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Building Automation Market 2017:Honeywell International IncSiemens AGJohnson Controls International PLCSchneider Electric SEUnited Technologies CorpRobert Bosch GmbHLegrand SaHubbell IncABB Ltd.Ingersoll-Rand PLCLutron Electronics Co., Inc.Crestron Electronics, Inc.BuildingiqBuilding Automation Market : Type AnalysisSecurity & Access Control SystemsFacilities Management SystemsFire Protection SystemsBuilding Automation Market : Application AnalysisResidential BuildingCommercial BuildingIndustrial BuildingFirstly, the report covers the top Building Automation manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Building Automation report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Building Automation industry, Building Automation industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Building Automation Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Building Automation 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 Building Automation market revenue worldwide.Finally, Building Automation market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Aquaponics Market 2017-2022 Nelson and Pade Inc, Backyard Aquaponics, Aquaponics USA, PentairAES

Aquaponics Market

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Aquaponics Market Research ReportA market study  Global Aquaponics Market  examines the performance of the Aquaponics market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Aquaponics market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Aquaponics market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Aquaponics Market 2017 report includes Aquaponics market Size, Revenue, market Share, Aquaponics industry volume, market Trends, Aquaponics Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Aquaponics Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Aquaponics Market 2017:Nelson and Pade IncBackyard AquaponicsAquaponics USAPentairAESGothic Arch GreenhousesStuppyAquaponic SourceUrban Farmers AGPFASEcoGroAquaponic LynxAquaponics PlaceEndless Food SystemsAonefarmECF Farm SystemsAsia AquaponicsEvo FarmWater FarmersAquaponics Market : Type AnalysisMFGNFTDWCAquaponics Market : Application AnalysisHousehold UseCommercial UseAcademic UseFirstly, the report covers the top Aquaponics manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Aquaponics report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Aquaponics industry, Aquaponics industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Aquaponics Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Aquaponics 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 Aquaponics market revenue worldwide.Finally, Aquaponics market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Candelilla Wax Market 2017-2022 Strahl & Pitsch, KahlWax, Koster Keunen, Frank B. Ross, Norevo

Candelilla Wax Market

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Candelilla Wax Market Research ReportA market study  Global Candelilla Wax Market  examines the performance of the Candelilla Wax market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Candelilla Wax market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Candelilla Wax market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Candelilla Wax Market 2017 report includes Candelilla Wax market Size, Revenue, market Share, Candelilla Wax industry volume, market Trends, Candelilla Wax Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Candelilla Wax Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Candelilla Wax Market 2017:Strahl & PitschKahlWaxKoster KeunenFrank B. RossNorevoIGILikangweiyeMulticeras SA de CVAkomaNaturally Balmy LtdPothHilleThe Soap KitchenA.F SuterCandelilla Wax Market : Type AnalysisFood GradeIndustrial GradeCandelilla Wax Market : Application AnalysisFood AdditiveCosmetic IndustryConsumer ProductsIndustrial ProductsFirstly, the report covers the top Candelilla Wax manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Candelilla Wax report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Candelilla Wax industry, Candelilla Wax industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Candelilla Wax Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Candelilla Wax 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 Candelilla Wax market revenue worldwide.Finally, Candelilla Wax market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Carotid Artery Stent Market 2017-2022 Abbott Vascular, Boston Scientific, Cordis (Johnson & Johnson), Medtronic

Carotid Artery Stent Market

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Carotid Artery Stent Market Research ReportA market study  Global Carotid Artery Stent Market  examines the performance of the Carotid Artery Stent market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Carotid Artery Stent market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Carotid Artery Stent market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Carotid Artery Stent Market 2017 report includes Carotid Artery Stent market Size, Revenue, market Share, Carotid Artery Stent industry volume, market Trends, Carotid Artery Stent Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Carotid Artery Stent Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Carotid Artery Stent Market 2017:Abbott VascularBoston ScientificCordis (Johnson & Johnson)Medtronicev3Gore MedicalInspireMDOptimedTerumoCarotid Artery Stent Market : Type AnalysisBare Metal StentsDrug-eluting StentsBio-resorbable StentsCarotid Artery Stent Market : Application AnalysisIschemic StrokeCerebral AneurysmsArteriovenous Malformations and FistulasFirstly, the report covers the top Carotid Artery Stent manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Carotid Artery Stent report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Carotid Artery Stent industry, Carotid Artery Stent industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Carotid Artery Stent Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Carotid Artery Stent 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 Carotid Artery Stent market revenue worldwide.Finally, Carotid Artery Stent market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Digital Textile Printing Ink Market 2017-2022 Dupont, Huntsman, JK Group, Kornit, DyStar, SPGprints

Digital Textile Printing Ink Market

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Digital Textile Printing Ink Market Research ReportA market study  Global Digital Textile Printing Ink Market  examines the performance of the Digital Textile Printing Ink market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Digital Textile Printing Ink market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Digital Textile Printing Ink market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Digital Textile Printing Ink Market 2017 report includes Digital Textile Printing Ink market Size, Revenue, market Share, Digital Textile Printing Ink industry volume, market Trends, Digital Textile Printing Ink Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Digital Textile Printing Ink Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Digital Textile Printing Ink Market 2017:DupontHuntsmanJK GroupKornitDyStarSPGprintsBASFJay ChemicalMarabuDow CorningEFISensientMagna ColoursAnajetPrint-RiteLanyuHongsamINKBANKTrendVisionINKWINDigital Textile Printing Ink Market : Type AnalysisReactive Dye InksAcidic InkPaint InkDispersion & Sublimation InkDigital Textile Printing Ink Market : Application AnalysisClothing IndustryTextile IndustryFirstly, the report covers the top Digital Textile Printing Ink manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Digital Textile Printing Ink report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Digital Textile Printing Ink industry, Digital Textile Printing Ink industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Digital Textile Printing Ink Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Digital Textile Printing Ink 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 Digital Textile Printing Ink market revenue worldwide.Finally, Digital Textile Printing Ink market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Dust Suppression Systems Market 2017-2022 Donaldson, Nederman, GRT, Quaker, Camfil, United Air Specialists

Dust Suppression Systems Market

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Dust Suppression Systems Market Research ReportA market study  Global Dust Suppression Systems Market  examines the performance of the Dust Suppression Systems market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Dust Suppression Systems market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Dust Suppression Systems market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Dust Suppression Systems Market 2017 report includes Dust Suppression Systems market Size, Revenue, market Share, Dust Suppression Systems industry volume, market Trends, Dust Suppression Systems Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Dust Suppression Systems Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Dust Suppression Systems Market 2017:DonaldsonNedermanGRTQuakerCamfilUnited Air SpecialistsBeltran TechnologiesColliery Dust ControlNew Waste ConceptsSly FiltersEnvirosystemsDust Suppression Systems Market : Type AnalysisDry Dust Suppression SystemsWet Dust Suppression SystemsDust Suppression Systems Market : Application AnalysisMiningConstructionOil and GasChemical IndustryFirstly, the report covers the top Dust Suppression Systems manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Dust Suppression Systems report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Dust Suppression Systems industry, Dust Suppression Systems industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Dust Suppression Systems Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Dust Suppression Systems 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 Dust Suppression Systems market revenue worldwide.Finally, Dust Suppression Systems 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
United States CMP Pad Conditioners Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the United States CMP Pad Conditioners Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.This report studies the CMP Pad Conditioners market, it is a diamond tool for wafer planarization with chemical response and mechanical force, which are used together both pad and slurry on the CMP process.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the CMP Pad Conditioners in United States market, to split the market based on manufacturers, states, type and application.Complete report is available atMarket Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers3MEntegrisNippon Steel & Sumitomo MetalMorgan Technical CeramicsShinhan DiamondSaesolCP TOOLSKinik CompanyMarket Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisGet a SAMPLE Request atMarket Segment by Type, coversPlatedBrazedSinteredCVDMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into300mm200mm150mm125mmOtherTable of ContentChapter 1, to describe CMP Pad Conditioners Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by States, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the manufacturers of CMP Pad Conditioners, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the United States market by States, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, price, revenue and market share of CMP Pad Conditioners, for each state, from 2012 to 2017;Get Discount atChapter 5 and 6, to show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, to analyze the key States by Type and Application, covering California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Florida, with sales, revenue and market share by types and applications;Chapter 12, CMP Pad Conditioners market forecast, by States, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, to analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc.Chapter 14, to analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers) ;Chapter 15, to describe sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc.Chapter 16 and 17, to describe CMP Pad Conditioners Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source.Purchase 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.Pune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Automotive Turn Signal Light Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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ReportsWeb.com has added a new report titled Global Automotive Turn Signal Light 2017 Market Report, to the database, the report focuses on Product Price, Profit, Capacity, Production, Capacity Utilization, Supply, Demand and Industry Growth.Automotive Turn Signal Light 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 Automotive Turn Signal Light 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 Automotive Turn Signal Light Market;3) the North American Automotive Turn Signal Light Market;4) the European Automotive Turn Signal Light Market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) the report conclusion.Get free Sample Copy of ReportFew Points from Table of ContentPart I Automotive Turn Signal Light OverviewChapter One Automotive Turn Signal Light OverviewChapter Two Automotive Turn Signal Light Up and Down Stream Industry AnalysisPart II Asia Automotive Turn Signal Light (The Report Company Including the below Listed but Not All)Chapter Three Asia Automotive Turn Signal Light Market AnalysisChapter Four 2012-2017 Asia Automotive Turn Signal Light Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Five Asia Automotive Turn Signal Light Key Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Six Asia Automotive Turn Signal Light Development TrendPart III North American Chapter Seven North American Automotive Turn Signal Light Market AnalysisChapter Eight 2012-2017 North American Automotive Turn Signal Light Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Nine North American Automotive Turn Signal Light Key Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Ten North American Automotive Turn Signal Light Development TrendPart IV Europe Automotive Turn Signal Light Analysis (The Report Company Including the below Listed but Not All)Chapter Eleven Europe Automotive Turn Signal Light I Market AnalysisChapter Twelve 2012-2017 Europe Automotive Turn Signal Light Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Thirteen Europe Automotive Turn Signal Light Manufacturers AnalysisChapter Fourteen Europe Automotive Turn Signal Light Development TrendPart V Automotive Turn Signal Light Marketing Channels and Investment FeasibilityChapter Fifteen Automotive Turn Signal Light Marketing Channels Development Proposals AnalysisChapter Sixteen Development Environmental AnalysisChapter Seventeen Automotive Turn Signal Light y New Project Investment Feasibility AnalysisPart VI Global Automotive Turn Signal Light ConclusionsChapter Eighteen 2012-2017 Global Automotive Turn Signal Light Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and ForecastChapter Nineteen Global Automotive Turn Signal Light Development TrendChapter Twenty Global Automotive Turn Signal Light 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
Global Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017

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SummaryThe Global Industrial Scanners Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Industrial Scanners industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Industrial Scanners market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Industrial Scanners industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):OlympusHoneywell InternationalZIHDatalogicZIH Corp (Zebra)DENSOEUROTECHGE Measurement & ControlJIREH IndustriesMicroscan SystemsTouchStar TechnologiesKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Industrial ScannersChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Industrial Scanners by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Industrial Scanners by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Industrial Scanners by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Industrial ScannersChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Industrial Scanners Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017India Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017China Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Industrial Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager  Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) |(JP)
DECATUR  Macon County educators are worried about the future after Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto of education funding legislation Tuesday, a move that could mean public schools get no state money before classes begin.

"I am very disappointed and discouraged with the action Gov. Rauner took today, said Paula Busboom, president of the Decatur Federation of Teaching Assistants. This is another monumental loss for downstate students and citizens. This is very unfair."

Without the new school funding legislation, districts won't get paid. The first payment to schools is due Aug. 10. Decatur administrators have said the district will run out of money by mid-November if no state funds arrive, and other Macon County education leaders have expressed increasing anxiety about the uncertainty.

Rauner said the states education funding would be more "fair and equitable" with his changes, which removed help for Chicago Public Schools' pensions along with money the district formerly received in the form of a block grant, and other changes.

Before the governors news conference, Democrats warned any veto would undo years of work aimed at overhauling a school-funding formula that's considered the most inequitable in the nation.

"If he vetoes the bill, the bill is dead," said state Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who sponsored the legislation. "That action will set us back decades."

A new school formula is required as part of a state budget deal that lawmakers approved in July over Rauner's veto, ending an impasse that reached a third year.

The bill now returns to the Legislature, where three-fifths of lawmakers in both chambers must either approve or override Rauner's changes. Both options will be difficult. If neither chamber can muster the votes, the legislation dies. If there's a new plan, it would also face a three-fifths threshold in each chamber.

In Decatur, the public school district receives $53 million of its $128 million budget from the state, which includes general state aid and funding for special education, bilingual programs, breakfast/lunch programs, drivers education, truancy grants and early childhood programs. A majority of any school district's expenses are salaries, and Chief Operational Officer Todd Covault said that will be the most pressing issue if the coffers run dry.

Districts can issue tax anticipation warrants, he said, but that's borrowing from next year's taxes to pay this year's bills. Another option is working cash bonds, but that depends on finding investors willing to buy them, and with all of Illinois' districts in the same boat, that could be difficult. To pay its teachers, the district could issue teacher warrants, essentially IOUs, provided teachers would be willing and able to work without pay until the district could pay them.

Covault began the districts monthly financial meeting Tuesday by explaining that his tentative budget proposal contained only spending and no revenue, because no one knows what, if any, money the states public schools will receive.

Meridian Superintendent Dan Brue said his district has frozen spending for everything but essentials, not even buying toilet paper and cleaning supplies in customary amounts.

The legislature not giving the bill to the governor in a timely fashion already put us in a bind, he said. The amendatory veto puts schools in a bind as well. The timeline is short for action, for them to get something done. The state board can't release payments to schools in a timely fashion, and it will affect different schools differently, depending on their financial condition.

Brue has created two budgets, one that includes state funding and one that does not, so he and the board can plan accordingly. They also had a spending freeze from December through the end of the school year because the state had not passed a budget at all then.

For Meridian, the state accounts for 40 percent of its total budget and without those state funds, they'll have a $3.1 million shortfall. Grants are helping cover some curriculum materials, and Brue said the board members will discuss their options at the August board meeting.

I'm disappointed the bill is not signed, said Kathy Horath, director of Macon-Piatt Special Education District. At this point, I would encourage legislators to quickly meet in their respective houses to act on the bill, either to support the changes or to override the veto. They know better than I do which action will be best in the short time frame they have available.

I understand what he's doing, said Suzanne Kreps, president of the Decatur Education Association, referring to Rauner. I believe the majority of children in Chicago Public Schools are most at risk, percentage-wise, compared to other districts. I get that we have to come to a consensus on how to least impact the poorest kids, but something's got to change.

No Illinois school has reported that it'll be unable to open on time, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. However, many say they'll only be able to last a few months.

Democrats approved the school funding legislation in May but held onto it in what they said was an attempt to persuade Rauner not to use his threatened veto. The governor accused them of sitting on the bill to force a crisis, and set a Monday deadline for them to send him the measure.

Lawmakers from both parties agree the 20-year-old calculation currently used to fund public schools is unfair and forces school districts to rely heavily on property taxes, creating huge disparities in per-student funding. But they've clashed over how to fix it.

The proposed formula Democrats approved channels money to the neediest districts first after ensuring that no district receives less money than last school year. It also includes pension help for Chicago.

Democrats insist the proposal is fair since Chicago is the only Illinois district that pays the employer portion of teacher pension costs. Rauner has repeatedly called it a "bailout."

He used his veto authority Tuesday to strip that money from the bill, saying it should be part of separate legislation governing pensions. But that cannot be done via an amendatory veto, even if Democrats were to agree. Instead, separate legislation would have to be approved.

Rauner also removed $250 million that the nation's third-largest district received as a block grant. Republicans say the grant provides more money than Chicago would receive if the amount were calculated based on enrollment  the way other districts get certain funds.

Rauner said Tuesday the money he removed would be redistributed to other struggling districts under his plan, though that only happens if the Legislature approves the changes.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel accused Rauner of playing politics with children's futures, saying it's time he "ensure a child's education isn't determined by their zip code or his political whims."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Global E-commerce Packaging Market 2017-2022 DS Smith, Dynaflex, Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, Mondi

E-commerce Packaging Market

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E-commerce Packaging Market Research ReportA market study  Global E-commerce Packaging Market  examines the performance of the E-commerce Packaging market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the E-commerce Packaging market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of E-commerce Packaging market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global E-commerce Packaging Market 2017 report includes E-commerce Packaging market Size, Revenue, market Share, E-commerce Packaging industry volume, market Trends, E-commerce Packaging Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, E-commerce Packaging Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global E-commerce Packaging Market 2017:DS SmithDynaflexGeorgia-PacificInternational PaperMondiArihant packagingCharapakCommonwealth PackagingFencor packagingLil PackagingLinpac PackagingPioneer PackagingSealed AirShorr packagingSmart KartonTotal PackZepoE-commerce Packaging Market : Type AnalysisAir PillowsBubble PackagingPaper FillLoose FillCorrugated BoxesSet-Up BoxesPoly MailersPadded MailersLabelsE-commerce Packaging Market : Application AnalysisOnline StoreLogisticFirstly, the report covers the top E-commerce Packaging manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the E-commerce Packaging report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of E-commerce Packaging industry, E-commerce Packaging industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. E-commerce Packaging Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The E-commerce Packaging 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 E-commerce Packaging market revenue worldwide.Finally, E-commerce Packaging market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017

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SummaryThe Global Intelligent Lockers Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Intelligent Lockers industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Intelligent Lockers market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Intelligent Lockers industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):Ricoh USAMondern Office SystemsBradford SystemsTrakaAmerican Locker...Key Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Intelligent LockersChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Intelligent Lockers by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Intelligent Lockers by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Intelligent Lockers by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Intelligent LockersChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Intelligent Lockers Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017India Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017China Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Intelligent Lockers Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager  Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) |(JP)
Global Virtual Training Market 2017-2022 Lockheed Martin Corporation, Boeing, CAE, Saab, AAI Corporation

Virtual Training Market

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Virtual Training Market Research ReportA market study  Global Virtual Training Market  examines the performance of the Virtual Training market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Virtual Training market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Virtual Training market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Virtual Training Market 2017 report includes Virtual Training market Size, Revenue, market Share, Virtual Training industry volume, market Trends, Virtual Training Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Virtual Training Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Virtual Training Market 2017:Lockheed Martin CorporationBoeingCAESaabAAI CorporationDCNSCassidianSikorsky Aircraft CorporationRockwell CollinsKratos Defense and Security SolutionsTeledyne Brown EngineeringCycleopsVirtual Training Market : Type AnalysisFlight SimulatorsShooting SimulatorDriving SimulatorMedical SimulatorVirtual Training Market : Application AnalysisMilitaryPilot TrainingMedical SchoolFirstly, the report covers the top Virtual Training manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Virtual Training report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Virtual Training industry, Virtual Training industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Virtual Training Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Virtual Training 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 Virtual Training market revenue worldwide.Finally, Virtual Training market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Tyre Market 2017-2022 Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, Sumitomo

Tyre Market

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Tyre Market Research ReportA market study  Global Tyre Market  examines the performance of the Tyre market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Tyre market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Tyre market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Tyre Market 2017 report includes Tyre market Size, Revenue, market Share, Tyre industry volume, market Trends, Tyre Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Tyre Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Tyre Market 2017:MichelinBridgestoneGoodyearContinentalSumitomoPirelliYokohamaCooperHankookToyoTyre Market : Type AnalysisBias TireRadial TireBelted BiasTyre Market : Application AnalysisCarsBicyclesMotorcyclesBusesTrucksHeavy EquipmentAircraftFirstly, the report covers the top Tyre manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Tyre report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Tyre industry, Tyre industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Tyre Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Tyre 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 Tyre market revenue worldwide.Finally, Tyre market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Explosives Trace Detection Market 2017-2022 Autoclear, Bruker, Recent Events, DetectaChem, FLIR Systems

Explosives Trace Detection Market

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Explosives Trace Detection Market Research ReportA market study  Global Explosives Trace Detection Market  examines the performance of the Explosives Trace Detection market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Explosives Trace Detection market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Explosives Trace Detection market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Explosives Trace Detection Market 2017 report includes Explosives Trace Detection market Size, Revenue, market Share, Explosives Trace Detection industry volume, market Trends, Explosives Trace Detection Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Explosives Trace Detection Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Explosives Trace Detection Market 2017:American InnovationsAutoclearBiosensor ApplicationsBrukerRecent EventsDetectaChemElectronic Sensor TechnologyFLIR SystemsImplant SciencesIon ApplicationsKetech DefenceExplosives Trace Detection Market : Type AnalysisBody Detection TechnologyTrace Detection TechnologyExplosives Trace Detection Market : Application AnalysisCustomsAirportStationFirstly, the report covers the top Explosives Trace Detection manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Explosives Trace Detection report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Explosives Trace Detection industry, Explosives Trace Detection industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Explosives Trace Detection Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Explosives Trace Detection 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 Explosives Trace Detection market revenue worldwide.Finally, Explosives Trace Detection market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Used Passenger Car Market 2017-2022 AutoNation.com, Americas CAR-MART, Lithia Motors, Auto Trader, CarWale

Used Passenger Car Market

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Used Passenger Car Market Research ReportA market study  Global Used Passenger Car Market  examines the performance of the Used Passenger Car market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Used Passenger Car market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Used Passenger Car market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Used Passenger Car Market 2017 report includes Used Passenger Car market Size, Revenue, market Share, Used Passenger Car industry volume, market Trends, Used Passenger Car Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Used Passenger Car Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Used Passenger Car Market 2017:CarMax Business Services, LLCAutoNation.comPenske Automotive Group, Inc.Americas CAR-MART Inc.Lithia Motors Inc.Sonic Automotive Inc.Auto Trader Ltd.CarWale IndiaMXC Solutions India Pvt Ltd.Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.Tata Motors Ltd.Mahindra First Choice Wheels Ltd.Used Passenger Car Market : Type AnalysisPetrol VehiclesDiesel VehiclesHybrid VehiclesElectric VehiclesUsed Passenger Car Market : Application AnalysisOrganizedUnorganizedConsumer to ConsumeFirstly, the report covers the top Used Passenger Car manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Used Passenger Car report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Used Passenger Car industry, Used Passenger Car industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Used Passenger Car Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Used Passenger Car 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 Used Passenger Car market revenue worldwide.Finally, Used Passenger Car market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017

Global Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017

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The Sodium Phenoxide Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Sodium Phenoxide industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Sodium Phenoxide market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Sodium Phenoxide industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Global Sodium Phenoxide market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Sodium Phenoxide sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingCompany 1Company 2Company 3Company 4Company 5......Ask a complete & professional report sample, please send message to tinaning@qyresearch.com or visit atTable of contents:1 Sodium Phenoxide Market Overview2 Global Sodium Phenoxide Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application3 United States Sodium Phenoxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 China Sodium Phenoxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 Europe Sodium Phenoxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Japan Sodium Phenoxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 Southeast Asia Sodium Phenoxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 India Sodium Phenoxide (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Global Sodium Phenoxide Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data10 Sodium Phenoxide Maufacturing Cost Analysis11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Global Sodium Phenoxide Market Forecast (2017-2022)15 Research Findings and Conclusion16 AppendixRelated Reports:Global Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017Europe Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017China Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017India Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017Japan Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017USA Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017Korea Sodium Phenoxide Sales Market Report 2017Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersEmail: tinaning@qyresearch.com Tel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District
Global Archwire Market 2017-2022 Dentsply, Forestadent, Dentaurum, Ormco, ACME Monaco

Archwire Market

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Archwire Market Research ReportA market study  Global Archwire Market  examines the performance of the Archwire market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Archwire market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Archwire market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Archwire Market 2017 report includes Archwire market Size, Revenue, market Share, Archwire industry volume, market Trends, Archwire Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Archwire Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Archwire Market 2017:Henry ScheinGC CorporationPatterson3M UnitekUltimate WireformsAmerican orthodonticDentsplyForestadentDentaurumOrmcoACME MonacoTomyDental MorelliJ J OrthodonticsBeijing SmartGrikinShenzhen Super LineAIC Mondi Material3B orthoArchwire Market : Type AnalysisNickel Titanium ArchwireStainless Steel ArchwireBeta Titanium ArchwireArchwire Market : Application AnalysisHospitalClinicFirstly, the report covers the top Archwire manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Archwire report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Archwire industry, Archwire industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Archwire Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Archwire 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 Archwire market revenue worldwide.Finally, Archwire market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Automotive Cylinder Head Market 2017-2022 Nemak, Toyota, Montupet, Great Wall, Nemak, Toyota

Automotive Cylinder Head Market

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Automotive Cylinder Head Market Research ReportA market study  Global Automotive Cylinder Head Market  examines the performance of the Automotive Cylinder Head market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Automotive Cylinder Head market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Automotive Cylinder Head market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Automotive Cylinder Head Market 2017 report includes Automotive Cylinder Head market Size, Revenue, market Share, Automotive Cylinder Head industry volume, market Trends, Automotive Cylinder Head Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Automotive Cylinder Head Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Automotive Cylinder Head Market 2017:NemakToyotaMontupetGreat WallNemakToyotaMONTUPETVolkswagenHYUNDAIHondaCumminsMITSUBISHIMahleIsuzuScaniaPerkinsAutomotive Cylinder Head Market : Type AnalysisGray Cast IronAlloy Cast IronAluminumAutomotive Cylinder Head Market : Application AnalysisThree CylinderFour CylinderSix CylinderEight CylinderTwelve CylinderFirstly, the report covers the top Automotive Cylinder Head manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Automotive Cylinder Head report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Automotive Cylinder Head industry, Automotive Cylinder Head industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Automotive Cylinder Head Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Automotive Cylinder Head 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 Automotive Cylinder Head market revenue worldwide.Finally, Automotive Cylinder Head market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Civil Explosives Market 2017-2022 ENAEX, Maxam Corp, Sasol Limited, Chemring Group, Incitec Pivot

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Civil Explosives Market Research ReportA market study  Global Civil Explosives Market  examines the performance of the Civil Explosives market Size 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Civil Explosives market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Civil Explosives market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.Request For Sample Report:The Global Civil Explosives Market 2017 report includes Civil Explosives market Size, Revenue, market Share, Civil Explosives industry volume, market Trends, Civil Explosives Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Civil Explosives Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Civil Explosives Market 2017:Orica Mining ServicesENAEXMaxam CorpSasol LimitedAustin Powder CompanyAEL Mining ServicesChemring GroupIncitec PivotAECI GroupPyro Company FireworksePC GroupAlliant TechsystemsTitanobel SASHanwha CorpSolar Industries IndiaLSB IndustriesCivil Explosives Market : Type AnalysisAmmonium Nitrate ExplosivesANFOWater-based ExplosivesSpecial ExplosivesNitroglycerine ExplosivesCivil Explosives Market : Application AnalysisMiningQuarryingConstructionPetroleum GeologyFirstly, the report covers the top Civil Explosives manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Enquiry for More Info@Further, the Civil Explosives report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Civil Explosives industry, Civil Explosives industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Civil Explosives Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.The Civil Explosives 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 Civil Explosives market revenue worldwide.Finally, Civil Explosives 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
SPRINGFIELD  The states Republican governor and Democrat-controlled legislature appeared headed for another showdown as negotiations broke down Monday on a school funding overhaul, putting money for districts statewide at risk weeks before classes begin.

Democrats sent Gov. Bruce Rauner a new plan for doling out money to schools that they approved in May but had not yet sent to the governor because of concerns he would veto it.

Rauner, who had set a Monday deadline for Democrats to send him the bill, has said he will use his veto authority to strip additional funding for Chicago Public Schools. His spokeswoman said "swift" action is expected, though he hadn't made any changes as of Monday night.

Republicans such as Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, blasted Democrats for failing to enter into good faith negotiations. The comments came shortly after Democratic Sen. Andy Manar of Bunker Hill said he believed legislators were making progress toward a deal to ensure schools get state funds.

While schools are expected to open on time even without state funding, many districts have said they'll have to make cuts or even close their doors if lawmakers can't agree on a plan by fall. In Decatur, the public school district would run out of money by mid-November if no state money is received, Superintendent Paul Fregeau said last week.

Our schools need certainty and stability if theyre going to run, Fregeau said during a news conference with Macon County education leaders during which they pleaded with lawmakers to reach an agreement. Officials at Cerro Gordo and Meridian have said their reserves could last until January.

Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, warned that Rauner's changes would jeopardize money for schools statewide. That's because if legislators can't muster enough votes to either approve or override the governor  scenarios that appear unlikely  the legislation dies, and there's no back-up plan ready to go.

Cullerton urged Rauner to "do the right thing" and sign the legislation, which is aimed at making school funding more equitable and ensuring districts have adequate funds to educate students.

"Students, parents, teachers and taxpayers have waited long enough," he said. "This is a chance to make a huge, meaningful change for Illinois."

Rauner has accused Democrats of sitting on the bill to force a crisis. His spokeswoman, Laurel Patrick, said they were "holding our students hostage and threatening our public schools' ability to open on time."

A new school formula is required as part of a budget deal that legislators approved earlier this month over Rauner's veto. Without new legislation, schools won't get paid. The first payment to schools is due Aug. 10.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers met over the weekend and again on Monday to try to reach a compromise.

Democrats involved in the talks described the closed-door meetings Monday afternoon as "friendly" and positive, and said they asked Republicans to continue to try to reach a compromise.

"We would rather not go to a veto showdown," said Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who sponsored the bill.

But minutes after Manar spoke to reporters, Republican state Sen. Jason Barickman ripped the talks as "a charade" and accused his Democrat counterparts of playing political games.

Democrats then lifted a hold on the legislation they passed in May and sent it to the governor.

Manar said that he and the Democrats were willing to work with Rauner, but noted that Rauner was unwilling to negotiate until late last week.

We will work toward a compromise with him, Manar said.

But Republicans such as Rose stuck to the message pushed by Rauner in recent weeks: that the veto was necessary to give downstate schools more money over those in Chicago.

I look forward to the governors amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1, as we should not be bailing out the Chicago teacher pension system on the backs of downstate school children. Rose said in a statement.

Democratic state Rep. Sue Scherer, a former teacher from Decatur, said she was hopeful that lawmakers could find some sort of agreement in the coming days.

This standoff does nothing to help the regular people of Illinois, she said.

Lawmakers from both parties agree the 20-year-old calculation currently used to fund public schools in Illinois is unfair and forces school districts to rely heavily on property taxes, creating huge disparities in per-student funding. But lawmakers have clashed over how to fix it.

The proposed formula channels money to the neediest districts first after ensuring that no district receives less money than last school year. It also includes pension help for Chicago.

Democrats insist the pending proposal is fair since Chicago is the only Illinois district that pays the employer portion of teacher pension costs. Republicans say the new formula means Chicago will continue to get money that it previously received as a block grant. Rauner has called it a "bailout."
Global Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017

Global Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017

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The Sotalol HCl Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Sotalol HCl industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Sotalol HCl market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Sotalol HCl industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Global Sotalol HCl market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Sotalol HCl sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingCompany 1Company 2Company 3Company 4Company 5......Ask a complete & professional report sample, please send message to tinaning@qyresearch.com or visit atTable of contents:1 Sotalol HCl Market Overview2 Global Sotalol HCl Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application3 United States Sotalol HCl (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 China Sotalol HCl (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 Europe Sotalol HCl (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Japan Sotalol HCl (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 Southeast Asia Sotalol HCl (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 India Sotalol HCl (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Global Sotalol HCl Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data10 Sotalol HCl Maufacturing Cost Analysis11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Global Sotalol HCl Market Forecast (2017-2022)15 Research Findings and Conclusion16 AppendixRelated Reports:Global Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017Europe Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017China Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017India Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017Japan Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017USA Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017Korea Sotalol HCl Sales Market Report 2017Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersEmail: tinaning@qyresearch.com Tel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District
Global ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017

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SummaryThe Global ToFD Scanners Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the ToFD Scanners industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The ToFD Scanners market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the ToFD Scanners industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comThe players list(Partly, Players you are interested can also be added):PhoenixMISTRASTecScanOlympus...Key Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of ToFD ScannersChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of ToFD Scanners by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of ToFD Scanners by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of ToFD Scanners by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of ToFD ScannersChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global ToFD Scanners Industry 2017 Market Research ReportRelated Reports:US ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017India ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017China ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan ToFD Scanners Industry Market Research Report 2017If you need a report or have any question, please feel free to contact meHebe | Sr. Manager  Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, database and seminar services. the company owned a large basic database (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business. Through the companys years of effort and a lot of customer support, QYResearch consulting group creative design method of many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch brand has become the consulting industry with quality assurance consulting brand. The company has 2500 global well-known customers, covering energy automobile pharmaceutical chemical agriculture more than 30 industries, services from the data analysis and recommendations-Consulting landing one-stop solution, and research regions cover China,US,EU,Asia,Middle East and Africa,South America,Australia,etc Global all regions,and also built research or marketing center in China USA UK France Hongkong etc regions. currently, QYResearch has become the first choice and worth trusted consulting brand in Global and China business consulting services.Media ContactCompany Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDContact Person: HebeEmail: hebe@qyresearchglobal.comPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Address: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe DistrictCity: GuangzhouCountry: ChinaWebsite:(US) |(EU) |(JP)
Global Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017

Global Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017

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The Sultopride Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Sultopride industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Sultopride market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Sultopride industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Global Sultopride market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Sultopride sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingCompany 1Company 2Company 3Company 4Company 5......Ask a complete & professional report sample, please send message to tinaning@qyresearch.com or visit atTable of contents:1 Sultopride Market Overview2 Global Sultopride Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application3 United States Sultopride (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 China Sultopride (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 Europe Sultopride (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Japan Sultopride (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 Southeast Asia Sultopride (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 India Sultopride (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Global Sultopride Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data10 Sultopride Maufacturing Cost Analysis11 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers12 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Global Sultopride Market Forecast (2017-2022)15 Research Findings and Conclusion16 AppendixRelated Reports:Global Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017Europe Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017China Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017India Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017Japan Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017USA Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017Korea Sultopride Sales Market Report 2017Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersEmail: tinaning@qyresearch.com Tel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District
2017-2022 Global Microcrystalline Wax Market Analysis : BASF (Germany), Blended Waxes (US), Clariant (Switzerland)

Global Microcrystalline Wax Market

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The Microcrystalline Wax Market 2017 Research Report investigates a thorough and complete study on Microcrystalline Wax industry volume, market Share, market Trends, Microcrystalline Wax Growth aspects, wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis, manufacturing capacity and Microcrystalline Wax industry Price during Forecast period from 2017 to 2022The research report labeled Global Microcrystalline Wax Market 2017 presents the penetrating study of Microcrystalline Wax market globally, concentrating on complete analysis of the present and past historical details of Microcrystalline Wax market. The competitive landscape view of the Microcrystalline Wax industry is also covered in this research document.Request Report Sample Here:Competitive Study of Global Microcrystalline Wax Market 2017 Based on Key Vendors:1 BASF (Germany)2 Blended Waxes (US)3 Clariant (Switzerland)4 Dow Corning (US)5 Evonik Industries (Germany)6 Exxon Mobil Fuels & Lubricants (US)7 Honeywell International (US)8 Koster Keunen (Holland) (Netherlands)9 Lubrizol (US)10 Micro Powders (US)11 Momentive (US)12 Paramelt (Netherlands)13 Petroferm (US)14 Romonta (Germany)15 Strahl & Pitsch (US)16 The International Group (Canada)17 Wachs-u. Ceresin-Fabriken TH. C. TROMM (Germany)The report organizes the Microcrystalline Wax market across the globe into distinct portion based on industry standards. It also distinguishes the market based on geographical regions. The Microcrystalline Wax report mainly throws light on dominant players in the regions of (United States, EU, China, and Japan). Other regions can be added accordingly.Discrete aspects of the Microcrystalline Wax industry like value chain analysis, Microcrystalline Wax industry rules and policies, the factors driving the growth of the market and the constraints hampering the growth are explained.In next section, the Microcrystalline Wax report mentions the products that are currently available in the market along with their cost structures, manufacturing volume, requirement and supply analysis, import/export scenario and their overall contribution to the Microcrystalline Wax market revenue globally.Buy Complete Report Here (To Get Instant access):Further, the report global Microcrystalline Wax market 2017 analyzes the feasibility of investment, investment return analysis and shows a complete picture of market development scope and business strategies followed by leading Microcrystalline Wax industry players along with their company profile, market share and contact information.Lastly, the Microcrystalline Wax report enlists the vital conclusions that will assist all individuals who have a keen interest in Microcrystalline Wax Market.About Us: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.Contact Us:James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor,Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade,Near Navale Lawns, PuneMaharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Latest News-
2017-2022 Global Military Electric Cars Market Analysis : Alke, Star EV, Tomcar

Global Military Electric Cars Market

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The Military Electric Cars Market 2017 Research Report investigates a thorough and complete study on Military Electric Cars industry volume, market Share, market Trends, Military Electric Cars Growth aspects, wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis, manufacturing capacity and Military Electric Cars industry Price during Forecast period from 2017 to 2022The research report labeled Global Military Electric Cars Market 2017 presents the penetrating study of Military Electric Cars market globally, concentrating on complete analysis of the present and past historical details of Military Electric Cars market. The competitive landscape view of the Military Electric Cars industry is also covered in this research document.Request Report Sample Here:Competitive Study of Global Military Electric Cars Market 2017 Based on Key Vendors:1 Alke2 Star EV3 TomcarThe report organizes the Military Electric Cars market across the globe into distinct portion based on industry standards. It also distinguishes the market based on geographical regions. The Military Electric Cars report mainly throws light on dominant players in the regions of (United States, EU, China, and Japan). Other regions can be added accordingly.Discrete aspects of the Military Electric Cars industry like value chain analysis, Military Electric Cars industry rules and policies, the factors driving the growth of the market and the constraints hampering the growth are explained.In next section, the Military Electric Cars report mentions the products that are currently available in the market along with their cost structures, manufacturing volume, requirement and supply analysis, import/export scenario and their overall contribution to the Military Electric Cars market revenue globally.Buy Complete Report Here (To Get Instant access):Further, the report global Military Electric Cars market 2017 analyzes the feasibility of investment, investment return analysis and shows a complete picture of market development scope and business strategies followed by leading Military Electric Cars industry players along with their company profile, market share and contact information.Lastly, the Military Electric Cars report enlists the vital conclusions that will assist all individuals who have a keen interest in Military Electric Cars Market.About Us: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.Contact Us:James JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor,Office Number 4, Vishwa Arcade,Near Navale Lawns, PuneMaharashtra, India 411041Tel: +1(857)2390696Web:Email: inquiry@market.bizBrowse Latest News-
North America Reverse Transcriptase Market Analysis- Regional Outlook, Segments And Forecast To 2022

Reverse Transcriptase

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Global Info Reports has published its new and latest market report based on thorough research on the Reverse Transcriptase Market. This detailed, all-inclusive report renders an integrated approach to growth of the market along with an elaborate and accurate analysis of the complete competitive situation of this market on a global level with the key market trends and newest technologies, being a major part in the markets growth during the estimated period. Besides the current analytical and statistical account, the report cloaks the trends, market drivers, challenges, potential opportunities, which have an effect on the market. This market report discusses the present situation to predicted trends and aspects of the Reverse TranscriptaseMarket. Furthermore, it gives a dynamic overview and insights related to the market at both global as well as regional scale.Request to Sample of This Report @Globally, the healthcare industry is garnering more attention in the last few years with new and latest technologies emerging. The prevalence of increasing diseases and rising awareness and concerns pertaining to the health are elements being contributive factors to revenue generation and overall growth of the healthcare sector and its associated industries. Escalated use of new inventions, and enhanced technologies along with ascending rate of investments in R&D, is encouraging the scope of the market and revenue growth of the global market.Distinguishing the increasing predominance of Reverse TranscriptaseMarket, this market research report demonstrates to be a key source of management and thorough data on the market across the globe. In order to strategize the outlook and prospects, this report assesses the current market status along with the altering trends in the market. It is a methodical research depending on the market and examines the competitive framework of the global Reverse TranscriptaseMarket industry. Comprehensive information attained from trusted sources from the industry and via proven research methodological analysis, this report gives the 360 degree data on this market. The report features market figures, graphs, and data and renders a superior level strategic plan of the global market.Browse full report with Table of Content @Several acknowledgeable tools based on analysis have been put to use to render an in-depth evaluation of the market. The report cloaks every aspect of the global market for Anthrax Vaccines. Starting from basic ground-level information to advanced market segmentation and classification depending on separate criteria. It studies the prime segments and the regional segregation of the market and assists in establishing the future of the market in the global arena.Prime countries, regions, and sub-sectors have been studied for giving improved knowledge of the market scope across the globe. The market report classifies the market by assessing the manufacturing chain, market manufacturers and their contribution in the industry, dominant policies and revenue structure, and regulatory aspects. The geographical markets of the Reverse Transcriptase Market are thoroughly examined by assessing the profits garnered, product pricing, demand, logistics, production capacity, and supply, along with past performance of the market in the said region.The report renders penetrates into the competitive landscape of the global market industry along with major manufacturers profiled in the report. The Reverse Transcriptase Market is extremely competitive and regulated. Lastly, trends, plans, company profiles, business strategies, M&As, financial metrics and strategical business planning of the leading market players in the global market of this industry have been analyzed in this study.Request For Discount @Some Point From TOC:Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Reverse Transcriptase Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 MMLV Reverse Transcriptase1.2.2 AMV Reverse Transcriptase1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 PCR1.3.2 Sequencing1.3.3 Cloning1.4 Market Analysis by Countries1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Mexico Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Canada Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Thermo Fisher2.1.1 Profile2.1.2 Reverse Transcriptase Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Thermo Fisher Reverse Transcriptase Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.1.4 Business Overview2.1.5 Thermo Fisher News2.2 Promega2.2.1 Profile2.2.2 Reverse Transcriptase Type and ApplicationsEnquiry Before Buying@About Us:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comWeb-Connect with us: Twitter | Facebook
Lignin Market 2017 Key Manufacturers Analysis

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Lignin Market Professional Survey Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringBorregaard LignoTechTembecDomtar CorporationAsian Lignin Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd.Northway Lignin ChemicalGreen Value SAAditya Birla GroupChangzhou Shanfeng Chemical Industry CompanyThe Dallas Group of America, Inc.Liquid Lignin Company LLCMetsa GroupFibriaLenzing A.G.Request a Sample atBy types, the market can be split intoVanillinCarbon FiberPhenolBTXBrowse Complete Report atBy Application, the market can be split intoStrengthening AgentBonding AgentAnti-Scaling AgentOtherBy Regions, this report covers-we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaGet discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Lignin2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Lignin3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Lignin4 Global Lignin Overall Market Overview5 Lignin Regional Market Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Lignin Segment Market Analysis-by Type)7 Global 2012-2017E Lignin Segment Market Analysis-by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Lignin8.1 Borregaard LignoTech8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 Borregaard LignoTech 2016 Lignin Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.1.4 Borregaard LignoTech 2016 Lignin Business Region Distribution Analysis8.2 Tembec8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Product A8.2.2.2 Product B8.2.3 Tembec 2016 Lignin Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.2.4 Tembec 2016 Lignin Business Region Distribution Analysis8.3 Domtar Corporation8.3.1 Company Profile8.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.3.2.1 Product A8.3.2.2 Product B8.3.3 Domtar Corporation 2016 Lignin Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.3.4 Domtar Corporation 2016 Lignin Business Region Distribution Analysis9 Development Trend of Analysis of Lignin Market10 Lignin Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of Lignin12 Conclusion of the Global Lignin Market Professional Survey Report 2017Purchase Complete Report atReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. The market research industry has changed in last decade. As corporate focus has shifted to niche markets and emerging countries, a number of publishers have stepped in to fulfil these information needs. We have experienced and trained staff that helps you navigate different options and lets you choose best research solution at most effective cost.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Furniture Fabric Market 2017 Key Players Overview - Gaza Ark, Globaltex, Ashley Wilde, Dunelm, Eclipse

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The report titled Furniture Fabric is an in-depth and a professional document that provides a comprehensive overview of the global Furniture Fabric market.The report provides an executive-level blueprint of the Furniture Fabric market beginning with the definition of the market dynamics. The analysis classifies the Furniture Fabric 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 Furniture Fabric 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 Furniture Fabric 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 Furniture Fabric new project SWOT analysis, Investment feasibility analysis, Investment return analysis, and Development trend analysis. In conclusion, it is a deep research report on Global Furniture Fabric industry. Here, we express our thanks for the support and assistance from Furniture Fabric 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 Furniture Fabric 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:
Automotive Piston System Market Analysis and Forecast Study for (2015-2025)

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The increasing demand for automobile, especially in emerging economies, is expected to drive the global Automotive Piston Systems Market in the coming decade. As a piston is an essential part of an internal combustion engine, the demand for pistons is directly coupled with the automobile production. Owing to the continuous developments, the automobile sector is witnessing increased demand for lightweight pistons, which is expected to result in push for the global automotive piston system market.A piston is a key component of automobile internal combustion engine, which reciprocates within the cylinder, delivering energy to the crankshaft after each power stroke during an engine cycle.Automotive Piston System Market: Drivers & ConstraintsThe global automotive piston system market is expected to grow on account of increasing sales of automobiles across various segments such as two wheelers, four wheeler, and other automobile segments. With increasing demand for automobiles, especially two wheeler segment in emerging economies such as India, demand for pistons is expected to increase further thereby positively impacting the global automotive piston system market.Request For Report Sample@Furthermore, the two wheelers is increasingly moving towards double cylinder engines as opposed to conventional single cylinder engines, particularly in the high end bikes segment. A double engine cylinder requires two pistons as compared to a single cylinder, wherein only one piston is used, hence with increasing production of high end bikes, the global automotive piston system market is expected to grow as well. Demand for passenger car, light & heavy commercial vehicle is also expected to contribute towards the growth in global automotive piston system market in coming years.Additionally, due to burgeoning fuel costs across the globe, the automobile industry is in continuous phase of research & development in order to increase fuel efficiency. The global automotive piston system market is hence witnessing an increased demand for light weight pistons across the globe.Visit For TOC@One of the key constraints for the global automotive piston market can be attributed to the increasing penetration of electric vehicles, which do not use pistons. Yet another constraint in the global automotive piston system market is the downsizing of engines in order to reduce weight and fuel increase efficiency. Using technologies such as turbocharger, automobile manufacturers have been able to downsize engines by reducing number of cylinders, without compromising on power of the engine.Automotive Piston System Market: SegmentationThe automotive piston system market has been segmented on the basis of types of vehicle such as two wheelers, passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. On the basis of piston material, the market has been segment as aluminium & steel piston. Increasing demand for lightweight aluminium piston is expected to have a positive impact on the global automotive piston system market in coming years.In terms of geography, the global automotive piston system has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. Within these regions, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) and Japan can be attributed as the largest contributing regions towards the global automotive piston system market, in terms of volume. The North American region is follows the aforementioned regions in the global automotive piston system market.Automotive Piston System Market: Key PlayersThe global automotive piston system witnesses key players such as Rheinmetall AG, Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Mahle GmbH, Federal-Mogul Corporation, and Hitachi 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:
Hand Hygiene Market: Details Analysis of Industry Trends & Strategies of major Competitors

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Global Hand Hygiene Market: OverviewWith greater acknowledgement of hand hygiene in infection control, the global market for hand hygiene is likely to display substantial advancement. Practicing hand hygiene is one of the simplest, most inexpensive yet most effective ways of preventing infections and diseases. Research in healthcare proves that cleaning ones hands thoroughly can significantly reduce the spread of germs. As a result, hand hygiene is correctly termed as a do-it-yourself vaccine.Details Industry Analysis Of Competitors, Download Brochure@Eating food with contaminated hands can result in contracting diseases such as staph, salmonella, e-coli, respiratory illnesses, and gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea. Cleaning hands properly can significantly reduce the risk of these contagious diseases.Global Hand Hygiene Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing use of soaps, hand wash, sanitizers, rubs, and disinfectants is guiding the growth of the market. The shift from conventional soap bars to liquid hand wash, growing bacterial and pathogen infections, rising number of healthcare practitioners, and healthcare associated infections are contributing towards market growth.The initiatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), such as SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign (2009), Clean Care is Safer Care program (2005-2015), and Infection Prevention and Control (2015-2017), that focus on the prevention of on-site infection among healthcare workers and patients will be successful in creating awareness about the importance of hand hygiene, thereby boosting the expansion of the market. In alignment with the aims of these programs, the WHO declared May 5 as the World Hand Hygiene Day.The U.S.-based healthcare organization, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has introduced a campaign called Clean Hands Count, which empowers patients to participate in their care by reminding or asking healthcare professionals to wash their hands. The campaign addresses the various misconceptions and myths surrounding hand hygiene.On the other hand, absence of hygiene-related training and education in several regions might slacken the growth of the market. Moreover, studies reveal that a low percentage of world population practice hand hygiene. Experts believe that the low grasp of facts about the importance of hand hygiene among people is the reason for this low percentage. However, the persistent efforts to spread awareness about the significance of hand hygiene by several international and government bodies through campaigns and programs is expected to aid the expansion of the market.Global Hand Hygiene Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, the global hand hygiene market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World (RoW). North America is likely to dominate the regional scenario as high awareness related to hand hygiene, training to healthcare professionals, and adherence of standard guidelines are guiding the growth of the hand hygiene market in this region. A number of health systems and hospitals in the U.S., such as Cedars-Sinai, Froedtert Hospital, Baptist Health, and Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, have been participating in the promotion of hand hygiene by ensuring the compliance on the part of healthcare providers through education programs, hand hygiene protocols, and stringent monitoring.Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Africa furnish considerable opportunities for growth. Implementation of hand hygiene campaigns in these developing regions is a major factor promising growth, resulting from rising awareness. WASH-in-School, a program initiated by UNICEF in China, for instance, promotes the construction of drinking water fountains and toilets in schools, in addition to promotion of hand hygiene. In India, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), in collaboration with Swach Bharat Abhiyaan campaign, has been encouraging every citizen to wash hands regularly, before eating and cooking and after using the toilet.Browse Report@Companies Mentioned in the ReportSome of the major companies operating in the global market for hand hygiene are Whiteley Corporation, EcoHydra, Deb Group, Kimberly-Clark, Kutol, Medline Industries, Inc., and GOJO Industries. These companies provide a wide range of hand hygiene products such as sanitizers, soaps, and hand wash.About Us:-Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact Us:-State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
How old must someone be to be an entrepreneur?

It seems an fitting question in this issue of the Business Journal, which celebrates 20 people under the age of 40 making a difference in our community.

What is too young to think creatively, demonstrate value and capitalize on that value?

There are many enterprising youths who have lawn mowing businesses, make jewelry, 3D print Minecraft characters, sell pasture raised eggs, etc.

A local example is talented artist, Ella Smith, who will be entering Eisenhower High School this fall as a freshman. She has be selling her artwork from the time she was 2-years old. Last summer she generated over $650 in revenue selling her artwork. She has a social media presence, has exhibited in an international art show, and has received scholarships to a collegiate art camp (not Millikin Universitybut there is still time, Ella).

But she is not alone in her enterprising endeavors.

Just ask Paul Ritter, co-founder and director of Celebrating High School Innovators (CHSI). Paul championed a program for young innovators to gain strength and encouragement toward their lofty pursuits.

According to Paul, young innovators can sometimes feel different or isolated, but CHSI is an opportunity for youth from across the state to get together, talk about what they are doing, compare strategies and technologies they are using to solve problems, and compete to validate their innovative ideas and efforts.

The program was picked up this year by Millikin and Illinois State University and, similar to the Business Journal, this statewide innovation program is looking for the 30 under 20 in Illinois. And, we are proud that Arcehr Daniels Midland Co. is a key sponsor of the program through an ADM Cares grant. Other corporate sponsors and supporters include Nicor Gas and Enbridge, both in the energy sector.

CHSI does not require its high school participants to become entrepreneurs, but it does exactly what the title says: it celebrates high school innovators.

Innovation can lead to entrepreneurship, and it certainly can lead to solving problems. Its up to the entrepreneurs to commercialize it.

There are five categories in which student teams can apply: arts, media and literature, business entrepreneurship, health and nutrition, social entrepreneurship, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

Last year, CHSI showcased 15 young innovators like Jessica Trinh from Auburn High School in Rockford. Jessica grew microgreens in response to the complaints of local community members about not having enough quality food options. She used her schools aquaponics system and harvested microgreens one to two weeks after germination, yielding 4 to 40 times the amount of nutrients as their mature counterparts. Jessica planted, harvested and packaged the microgreens and then donated them to a local food pantry.

A student is eligible to compete if enrolled (public, private or home-school) and in good academic standing in the 9th through 12th grade in Illinois during the time which the current competition is taking place.

Each team must consist of between one and six members, and one member must be the team leader. Each team must have an advisor over the age of 21 (teacher, FFA or 4-H leader, guidance counselor, parent, etc.). Teams may have mentors who provide guidance in the industry of interest, in entrepreneurship, or any other relevant area.

Official rules, dates, and application information can be found on http://chsinnovators.org. Winners receive a cash prize and scholarships from both Millikin and Illinois State University.

For more inspiring information about the young Illinois innovators who were showcased last year, visit http://chsinnovators.org/2016-winners.
Forecast on 2-Methylfuran Market for the Period (2016-2026)

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The global pharmaceuticals market is expected to increase at a CAGR of over 4-5% during forecast period. 2-Methylfuran is expected to gain traction in the near future as it is primarily used in pharmaceuticals industry. It is a light yellowish green volatile organic compound with an ethereal odor and is also known as sylvan. 2-Methylfuran changes its shading to black or yellow when exposed to sunlight. It is highly flammable and hence is stored in a ventilated, cool dry place far from heat & fire. 2-Methylfuran is widely used in manufacturing of drugs like atropine, sodium acetate, furadantine, anisodamine and thiamine furan. In pharmaceuticals industry, synthesis of vitamin B1 is done using 2-Methylfuran. It is less dense than water but its vapors are heavier when contrastedwith air. 2-Methylfuran also finds application as a tool for screening of lung cancer and production of anti-malarial drug like chloroquine. It is also used to produce methyl furfural, aliphatic compounds and sulfur and nitrogen heterocycles. Moreover, 2-Methylfuran is also used for making pesticides, flavors or fragrances and has narcotic effect. Hence, the global 2-Methylfuran market is expected to grow at a moderate CAGR during the forecast period.Global 2-Methylfuran Market Dynamics:2-Methyl furan is soluble in alcohol and ether and has the potential to be used as an alternative fuel. This factor is expected to drive the demand for 2-Methylfuran in chemical industry. The growing pharmaceutical industry is also anticipated to be the major driving factor for the growth of global 2-Methylfuran market. Moreover, increasing demand for pesticides coupled with growing agricultural sector is expected to set an opportunity for the growth of 2-Methyl furan market. One of the major factor restricting the growth of the global 2-Methylfuran market is its high flammability and lower flash point. This makes the transportation of 2-Methylfuran difficult, which in turn is expected to restrain the growth of 2-methylfuran market in the near future. Moreover, environmental regulation are imposed for limited usage of 2-Methylfuran because of its toxic effects and thus expected to challenge the overall growth of the market. Additionally, the key players are responding to the challenges and are expanding their global presence in order to sustain their share in the global 2-Methylfuran market.Request For Report Sample@Global 2-Methylfuran Market: SegmentationThe global 2-Methylfuran market can be segmented on the basis of applications and regions. On the basis of applications, the global 2-Methylfuran market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, agricultural and chemical industry. Pharmaceutical industry is estimated to account the largest share in global 2-Methylfuran market. On the basis of regions, the global 2-Methylfuran market can be segmented into North America, Western Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Japan and Eastern Europe.Global 2-Methylfuran Market: Region wise OutlookNorth America is expected to be the most dominant region in global 2-Methylfuran market. Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the most promising revenue generating region for 2-Methylfuran and is expected to grow at significant rate. Due to availability of labor and low cost of raw material, China is projected to be one of the highest revenue generating country in Asia Pacific region in 2-Methylfuran market. Middle East & Africa and Latin America are also expected to show positive growth in the near future.Visit For TOC@Global 2-Methylfuran Market: Key PlayersSome of the major key players identified in the global 2-Methylfuran market are as follows:Capot Chemical Co. Ltd.Angene ChemicalA&J Pharmtech Co. Ltd.Sigma-AldrichFinetech Industry Ltd.ChemExper Inc.MP Biomedicals, LLC.Amadis Chemical Co. Ltd.AN PharmaTech Co. Ltd.Tractus Company Ltd.Haihang Industry Co. Ltd.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Giftalove.com Offers Unique Personalized Gifts Online for the Loved One

Personalized Gifts

https://www.giftalove.com/personalised-gifts/

https://www.giftalove.com/

New Delhi, India: Giftalove.com is an online gifting portal that offers different types of Personalized Gifts to consumers. People can Send Gifts Online to any parts of the world on each and every occasion through reliable delivery services of the portal.People always look for the best gift option that can make their loved one feel special. In this context, Personalized Gifts are coming in fashion on any occasion such as Birthday, Wedding, Anniversary and many other such occasions. Giftalove.com is one such online gifting portal that offers personalized gifts to customers that give it a personal touch. It is easy to buy and send gifts online to anywhere across the world.Giftalove.com is widely recognized e-commerce platform that let people send gifts online to any parts of the world without any hassles. When looking for unique gifts for dear and near one to present on their special day, this online store is a perfect place to shop. People now prefer to send Personalized Gifts to bring charm to the celebration and make their loved one feel valued.While having a conversation with the online gift store, the senior and authentic representative stated, There are many gifts that can be customized with the help of this online store. Be it cake, chocolate, cushion or any other product. When you present any Personalized Gifts to the person whom you care and convey your warm wishes to him/her, it automatically makes the receiver feel valued and brings a smile on their face. The portal offers different types of Personalized Gifts such as Personalized Photos Love Cushion, Personalized Cube Lamp, Pocket Compaq mirror, Love Engraved Photo Frame, Personalized Photo Frames, Small Floral Arrangement with Frame and Heart Teddy, You and Me Personalized Photo Frame, Best Moments Personalized Photo Frames, Small Floral Arrangement with Wooden Photo Frame, Name and Photo in a Heart Shape Printed on Bottle Lamp, Personalized Mugs, Personalize Frosted Mugs, Personalized Him and Her Mug, Personalized Mug, Personalized Clocks, Personalized Wooden Plaque, Photo Collage Frame, much more.On further conversation with the authentic representative of the online store further added, When it comes to buying Personalized Gifts (), online stores are the best place to shop as it offers different gifts at under one roof. All one need to do is just select the product, get it customized and send gifts online to the specific address within the promised time. As compared to local stores, you will get products at a reasonable price and can also remain assured for its timely delivery. The portal offers different types of delivery services such as Standard, Midnight and Express Delivery services with free shipping.The online gifting stores offer an amazing collection of gifts on various occasions such as Raksha Bandhan, Wedding, Thanksgiving, Anniversary, Housewarming, Birthday and others. Whether it is cake, flower, chocolate, Jewellery, apparel, keychain, photo frame, handbags, wallet, perfumes or home decor items, cosmetics, divine and spiritual gifts or any others, shop freely and send Gifts online in a matter of a few clicks.Based in India, Giftalove.com is a leading online store that offers an amazing collection of gifts that can be customized for every relation of yours. Explore the portal to select the best Personalized Gifts for Mother, Father, Sister, Boyfriend, Brother, Grandparent and Friend and chose the best one. Once the order is confirmed, send Gifts online anywhere to the people you care for on their Birthday, Wedding and other special occasion of their life. For more detail, log on to the website of the Company.For more gift ideas visit:Primo Gifts Pvt. Ltd.Mayur Vihar phase-1, New Delhi 110091Mr. Mrityunjay Kumarmritunjay@giftalove.comCall: +91-888-200-1155
Global Power Rental Services Market to grow at a CAGR of 3.32% during 2017-2021 - Aggreko, APR Energy, Atlas Copco, United Rentals

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Power rental services are the additional services which a vendor provides to the client, apart from making a generator and other accessories available for rent. These services enhance the customer satisfaction and reduce the downtime and operational costs incurred due to poor maintenance/planning. The market encompasses services, such as pre-inspection, remote monitoring, fuel management, equipment testing, and contingency planning. Power rental equipment provides essential support to businesses and consumers during power outages. Diesel and gas generators are common forms of this equipment. In addition, power rental generators are being used as base load or as a standby application, depending on the industry needs.The global power rental services market to grow at a CAGR of 3.32% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global power rental services market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Americas- APAC- EMEAClick to get sample PDF with TOC:Technavio's report, Global Power Rental Services Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Browse more details at:Key vendors- Aggreko- APR Energy- Atlas Copco- United RentalsOther prominent vendors- BPC Power Rentals- Cummins- Doosan Portable Power- Energyst- Generac Power Systems- Herc Rentals- HIMOINSA- J C Bamford Excavators- Kohler- Multiquip- PR POWER- Sunbelt Rentals- Wacker NeusonMarket driver- Increasing power purchase agreements (PPAs).- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Rise in distributed energy and microgrids to improve grid flexibility.- For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?About UsResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Veterinary Examination Tables Market: due to Increasing Awareness about Animal Diseases and Threat to Human Health

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Veterinary care or animal care has experienced increased demand in the past few years. Animal health, especially farm animals has gained key focus after human invasion of animal viruses. Increased food safety and related government policies have fueled veterinary healthcare market globally. In addition, there is also a surge in regular check up of pets in the developed countries. According to American Veterinary Medical Association, in 2012, over 36% households owned dogs while 30% owned cats in the U.S. To meet these demands, it is expected that there would be an increase in veterinary practitioners.Download Brochure For More Information@Global veterinary examination tables market is anticipated to grow at a faster rate owing to worldwide increasing number of veterinary clinics. Various types of veterinary examination tables are available in the market which includes wall-mount, pedestal base exam table, fold-up exam table, hydraulic lift table and electric lift table. Wall-mount and fold-up examination tables are beneficial to manage clinic space. They provide flexibility and also avoid any accidents caused by animals. The market for veterinary examination tables has a wide product portfolio, thus providing most suitable options to veterinary doctors. Fragmented market with low product differentiation and easy availability of raw materials has reduced the barriers to entry. Currently the market is dominated by large number of local layers. In spite of such lucrative opportunities in the future, the market would suffer from low profit margins due to constant increasing competition. Low volume sales and numerous options to choose from, makes the market even competitive.North America leads the veterinary examination tables market. According to statistics published by American Pet Products Association (APPA), total United States pet industry expenditure increased from USD 32 billion in 2003 to over USD 55 billion in 2013. Of the total expenditure in 2013, approximately USD 27 billion was spent on supplies, OTC medicines and vet care. Another contributing factor is regular annual check-ups due to increasing awareness about animal diseases and their threat to human health. International Federation for Animal Health Europe published data suggesting that Europes animal health industry in 2012 was over 3% of the European human pharmaceutical industry. The data also mentions that in the EU there are more than 200 million pets of which 66 million are cats while 60 million are dogs. Thus a huge market opportunity exists for veterinary examination tables in these regions. Asia Pacific is expected to witness faster growth rate owing to changing life style and growing per capita income. Rising disposable income and increasing fear of acquiring animal diseases has also added to the market surge. A survey conducted in 2012, by the Pet Food Institute of Japan, reveals that over 25% of domestic households have a pet cat or dog. Various publications suggest that the pet industry in Japan is on the rise and has created lucrative opportunities for global veterinary medical care providers. Being the second largest healthcare market globally, Japan has been on the main focus for veterinary care market.Browse Report@Some of the key players in the global veterinary examination table market include Paragon Medical Supply, Inc., DRE Medical, Inc., VSSI, Inc., Olympic Veterinary, Midmark Corp., Alvo Medical, Shor-Line, Technik Technology, McDonald Veterinary Equipment and Diagnostic Imaging Systems.About Us:-Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact Us:-State Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com
Livestock Monitoring System Market Growth, Trends, Absolute Opportunity and Value Chain 2017-2027

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Nowadays, animals are produced intensively and maintained under optimal conditions for growth and production within current technological limits. The majority of animals are constrained within a building or stockyard for most of the times. As they are prevented from foraging for their own food, the farmer/ owner of livestock has to take care for all aspects of their husbandry.Therefore, monitoring and management related to feeding, environment, reproduction, health, growth, marketing, transport and quality becomes the responsibility of the farmer.Livestock monitoring systems monitor the entire livestock environment 24/7, and alert the user by phone, text or email if any condition falls outside of a preset parameter, so that the user can respond quickly. Additionally, these systems are used to monitor sick animals, tack rooms, and observe animals kept in the trailer in case of travelling.Request Report Sample@Market Overview:Progressive developments in sensor technology are making available increasing amounts of information relevant to monitoring animals and their environment, and hence their production, growth and health.Continuously rising demand for the large cattle and poultry, new and advanced techniques are being utilized to aid the tracking and monitoring of animals. Poultry, cattle and other animals require best possible living conditions to stay healthy and maximize their yield. Equipment failures such as ventilation systems, circulation fans, heaters and air conditioners can threaten their health and can cause problems if not handled diligently.Market Dynamics:Major factors responsible for fuelling the demand for livestock monitoring systems are  growth in size and number of dairy farms, development of sensors which can gather an increasingly wide range of information, new product launches for livestock management, and need for substantial cost savings associated with livestock monitoring & management.The usage of systems for identifying and weighing animals is already pronounced globally, and it is expected that systems for tracking animals, monitoring basic health related factors such as body temperature and heart rate, and for assessing body conformation, will witness high adoption rate in coming years.Presently livestock monitoring systems market is witnessing gradual adoption of integrated monitoring systems, in which information from sensors, databases, and other knowledge bases are combined and interpreted. Several systems containing some of the elements of an integrated monitoring system are already available commercially for swine, cattle, broiler and milk production.Market Segmentation:Livestock monitoring system market is mainly classified on the basis of component, application, and regions.On the basis of component, livestock monitoring system market is segmented into hardware, software and services.On the basis of application, livestock monitoring system market is segmented into milk harvesting management, reproduction management, feeding management, heat stress management, animal comfort management, behavior monitoring and control, and other applications.On the basis of regions, the market is segmented into 7 key regions:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaVisit For TOC@Key Market PlayersThe major players operating in the livestock monitoring system market include DeLaval, Sensaphone. Rugged Networks Limited., GEA Group AG, Afimilk Ltd., Communications Group Lethbridge Ltd., BouMatic LLC., SCR Dairy, Inc., DairyMaster, Lely Holding S.A.R.L, SUM-IT Computer Systems, Ltd., and Valley Agriculture SoftwareAbout Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Adoptive cell therapy for cancer treatment Market Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2017-2027

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Adoptive T Cell Therapy referred as lymphocyte transfusion, which is being tested for the cancer treatment and chronic infections. Adoptive T Cell Therapy can increase the Anti-tumor immunity, enhance vaccine efficacy, etc. There is three basic treatment for curing cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The new technique or therapy, i.e., adoptive T cell therapy emerged as a fourth therapy for the cancer treatment. Because adoptive T cell therapy targeting cancer by natural mechanism, the immune system uses to distinguish between healthy and pathologic tissue rather than by its anatomic location or tendency to divide. Adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) is a potentially powerful approach to cancer treatment that relies on the infusion of tumor-specific T cells. Anti-tumor immunity stimulates by two primarily different strategies which have been tested in humans: these are therapeutic vaccination and passive immunization. Adoptive T cell therapy also called as passive immunization. Furthermore, recent studies indicate that tumor infiltration by human T cells is a powerful predictive biomarker of survival for the various different type of cancers.The global adoptive T cell therapy market is categorized based on various modes of treatment, pipelines product and end users. The treatment segment is further sub-segmented into autologous adoptive T cell therapy and allogeneic Adoptive T cell therapy. The pipeline product segment includes various clinical trial phases such as phase I, phase II and phase III.Request Report Sample@Regarding geographic, adoptive T cell market is segmented into five major regions such are North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. North America dominates the global adoptive T cell therapy market due to a high number of ongoing clinical trials. The U.S. represents the largest market for adoptive T cell therapy followed by Europe.Adoptive T cell therapy for cancer market faced a critical situation wherein, several ongoing clinical trials still in pipelines such as adoptive T cell therapy in breast cancer after HER2 vaccination is under phase I and phase II clinical trials phase. Companies continue to evaluate the role of adoptive T cell therapy for the treatment of advanced stage cancers.Cambridge Healthtech Establishment's Fourth Yearly adoptive t cell Treatment occasion will concentrate on the means expected to convey receptive cell treatments to the patient. Clinical advance with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR), T cell Receptor (TCR), and Tumor infiltering Lymphocytes (TIL) will be tended to top to bottom, and new procedures for target revelation will be looked into. Accentuation will likewise be put on clinical case investigations to promote the comprehension of T cell receptor receptors and their biology. Extra concentration will be given to assembling difficulties and answers for scale-up. Generally speaking, this occasion will address clinical advance, case analyses, and basic parts to make Adoptive T cell treatments feasible. Adoptive t cell market expands rapidly in forecasted period due to ongoing clinical trials and increasing rate of incidence and prevalence for various type of cancer, the adoption rate for adoptive T cell therapy will also increase due to its natural mode of mechanism against cancerous cells.Visit For TOC@Some of the major companies operating in the global adoptive cell therapy market areAmgen, Merck, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Genentech, Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb and others.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Dispensing Spouts Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2017-2027

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Dispensing spouts are commonly used for resealing of packaging after removing the desired quantity of product from the packaging. Dispensing spout is extensively used in packaging of products in liquid or viscous form. Dispensing spout makes the product easy to carry and easy to use without letting the package get torn out even after frequent use of the product. The dispensing spout has created space for manufacturers to innovate different designs and form of packaging to attract more customers by increasing the appeal of the product through packaging. The dispensing spout is in the shape of a cap, pump, dropper or valve for handling small to large quantity of packed products. The dispensing spout is commonly mounted on the top or bottom of the package to utilize the product completely and efficiently.Dispensing Spout Market: Market DynamicsThe need for frequent use of the product in smaller quantity has led to the innovation of dispensing spouts, enabling the consumer to use the products conveniently according to their desired need. The wide range of application along with the convenience offered by the dispensing spout has influenced the consumer preference positively while propelling the demand for dispensing spout market. The use of dispensing spout in packaging creates an opportunity for the manufacturers to reduce the use of the raw material while creating a win-win situation for both manufacturer and the environment, by reducing cost and carbon footprint of packaging respectively. However, the use of water dispensing spout for common places such as offices, malls, schools, etc. is prone to have bacterial growth which may limit the market growth opportunities of the dispensing spout market. The increasing trend for buying products in economic quantity is expected to create a positive impact on the dispensing spout market. Dispensing spout has vast range of application in markets such as beverages, food, home care, toiletries, household chemicals, etc. The functionality of dispensing spout to allow repeated usage makes it a sustainable form of packaging.Request Report Sample@Dispensing Spout Market: Market SegmentationDispensing spout market is segmented by material type, sealing type, spout type, packaging type and end use industries.Based on the material used, dispensing spout market is segmented into:MetalPlasticPETHDPEBased on the Sealing type, dispensing spout market is segmented into:LinerWithout LinerBased on the type of spout, dispensing spout market is segmented into:CapDropperPumpsValveBased on the packaging type, dispensing spout market is segmented into:PouchBottleLiquid cartonsJarsTubesBulk Grocery bagsBased on the end use industry, dispensing spout market is segmented into:Food and beveragePharmaceuticalHomecare and personnel careChemical and petrochemical industryOthersDispensing Spout Market - Regional Outlook:Regionally global dispensing spout market is segmented intoNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ)Middle East & Africa (MEA)JapanNorth America is expected to lead the dispensing spout market as the consumer goods market in the region is being aligned with the dispensing spout market. Factors such as consumer preference and manufacturing practices in the North American region are contributing to the growth of dispensing spout market. Dispensing spout market in APEJ region is expected to grow over the forecast period attributing the changing lifestyle and retail pattern in the South East Asia and China regions. The overall demand for dispensing spout market is expected to increase as the use of dispensing spout helps in reducing the carbon footprint of the packaging material and cost of the product for the end users.Visit For TOC@Dispensing Spout Market - Key Players:Some major players of the dispensing spout market are AptarGroup, Inc., Nilkanth Polyplast., O.Berk Company, LLC, Rieke Corporation, Weener Plastik GmbH, Elkay Manufacturing Company, Inc., Guangdong Danqing Plastic Packaging & Printing Co., Ltd., Uflex Ltd., Tacom SA, Liqui-Box Corporation, Stern Engineering Ltd., Poppelmann GmbH & Co. KG, Glenroy, Inc., and Precision Valve Corporation, Tomlinson Industries.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Membrane Boxes Market Volume Forecast and Value Chain Analysis 2017-2027

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In the course of recent years, the packaging industry is encountering a hearty development, and the packaging manufacturers propel new packaging arrangements. Producers are additionally looking to upgrade the consumer base by customization so as to satisfy the client's necessity. To have a competitive advantage in the market, manufacturers are introducing membrane boxes which can store large object or devices with an irregular shape to increase the new consumer base. Attributed to their properties which include thin and highly elastics films inside the membrane boxes which can keep any delicate object stable, are the key factors which are accelerating the market and is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. Customers take buying decision for getting the quality of their product, but packaging also plays a major role in the wear and tear of the product.Global Membrane Boxes- Market Dynamics:Globally the consumer packaging market has changed in the course of recent years, making the requirement for supreme customization as far as packaging formulation and design. Significant change in the lifestyle and convenience of emerging economies across the globe has triggered the growth potential for membrane boxes. In addition, it was observed that the increase in disposable income of developing countries is some of the key drivers for the dynamic growth for the markets of membrane boxes. Moreover, on the backdrop of rapid industrialization and recent innovations in the field of consumer packaging are the other factors fueling demand for membrane boxes globally. Some of the challenges faced by the membrane boxes are due to the usage of direct to substrate printing which is not possible on membrane boxes and thus it can have a negative impact on the sales of premium brands. In addition, the market for membrane boxes faces problems related to stringent policy and regulatory landscape from governments owing to environmental issues for disposing of plastic waste.Request Report Sample@Global Membrane Boxes- Market Segmentation:The global membrane boxes is segmented on the basis of product type, application, and shape.On the basis of product type, the global Membrane Boxes is segmented into:Single hingedDouble hingedClaspOn the basis of application, the global Membrane Boxes is segmented into:Optics and lensesJewelryElectrical partsOthersOn the basis of shape, the global Membrane Boxes is segmented into:RoundRectangularGlobal Membrane Boxes Regional Overview:The global Membrane boxes is segmented on the basis of region such as:North AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAPEJMiddle East & AfricaJapanMembrane boxes market is having an upward growth potential over the forecast period of 2017-2025. North America region is the leading market for membrane boxes and is fueling in demand. Western Europe and Eastern Europe region is also expected to witness above average growth of membrane boxes market for further years. Countries such as Germany, Italy, the UK, and France are the top market for membrane boxes. There is an expectation that Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region would be having the highest growth over the forecast period for membrane boxes. Membrane boxes market in India and China is expected to be dominating the globe due to increasing the growth for the retail industry and technological advancement of these emerging economies. Furthermore, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan also witnessed a rise in disposable income make a positive impact on membrane boxes market. The Middle East and Africa region are expected to have a substantial increase in the membrane boxes market for countries such as GCC and South Africa. Japan is also expected to have anticipation in the growth of membrane boxes market.Visit For TOC@Global Membrane Boxes  Key Players:Few of the key players for membrane boxes are Gel-Pak, LLC, Ted Pella Inc., Fuzhou CrysPack Opto-Electronic Technology Co., Ltd, Structure Probe, Inc., Tiger's Plastics, Inc.,Hager & Werken GmbH & Co. KG, UrCooker Industrial Co., Ltd., Ningbo Hinix Hardware Industry & Trade Co., Ltd., Maxbourne Industrial Co., Ltd., WEISHENG Commodity & Package Co., Ltd., etc.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Endovenous Laser Therapy Market Will Hit at a CAGR 7.3% From 2026

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Obese people are seldom prone to health implications arising from increasing caseload for varicose veins in their body. The rising number of obesity cases recorded across the globe are prompting the adoption of endovenous laser therapy for treatment of varicose veins. A latest study on global endovenous laser therapy market, published by Future Market Insights, indicates that growing attention towards aftereffects of lifestyle choices and consequences of obesity have collectively factored the growth in demand for endovenous laser therapies. With the help of this minimally-invasive therapy, which is guided by ultrasound laser techniques, vascular surgeons and radiologists can effectively treat impaired varicose vessels and curb the occurrence of side effects such as temporary paraesthesia.The report, titled Endovenous Laser Therapy Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, reveals that an estimated US$ 273.6 million revenues were procured, globally, from adoption of endovenous laser therapy in 2016. Key findings compiled in the report predict that by the end of 2026, the global market for endovenous laser therapy will be valued at a little over US$ 550 million, registering increment at an impressive CAGR of 7.3%.Request For Sample@In 2016, nearly 8,500 units of endovenous laser therapy equipment were consumed in the world. The demand for such equipment and devices is projected to soar at close to 8% CAGR and record the sales of more than eighteen thousand units by the end of 2026. An in-depth analysis of the global sales of endovenous laser therapy equipment indicated that the demand for endovenous laser systems will remain prodigiously higher than that of endovenous laser fibres. Throughout the forecast period, more than 90% of global revenues will be emanating from global sales of endovenous laser systems. Among them, preference to diode lasers will continue to outpace the adoption of YAG laser systems. And, with respect to the fibres used in endovenous laser therapy, gold-tip laser fibres will gain traction and register a revenue growth at 7.2% CAGR.The advanced operational infrastructure in hospitals and availability of trained medical professionals make them suitable for conducting endovenous laser therapies effectively. However, ambulatory surgical centres (ASCs) located around the world are witnessing advancements in terms of their working mechanism. In 2017 and beyond, hospitals will witness a gradual decline of their global revenue share whereas ASCs emerge to be the largest end-user of endovenous laser therapy in the world. By 2026-end, more than US$ 200 million worth of revenues will be accounted by adoption of endovenous laser therapy through ASCs.Send An Enquiry@AngioDynamics, Inc., is a US-based medical device manufacturer which has gained prominence as a key player in the global endovenous laser therapy market. Correspondingly, North Americas share in the global market for endovenous laser therapy is also expected to remain dominant through 2026; procuring over 50% share of global revenues. Nevertheless, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region will see rampant growth in demand for endovenous laser therapy. Revenues from this region are anticipated to surge at the highest CAGR of 7.9%. Meanwhile, Western Europe will be observed as the second-largest market for endovenous laser therapy, placing itself between North America and APEJ region. European companies such as Dornier MedTech GmbH, Alna-Medicalsystem GmbH, LSO Medical, intros Medical Laser GmbH, and Energist Ltd. will continue to actively participate in the growth of global endovenous laser therapy market. Besides, Wontech Co. Ltd., Alma Lasers Ltd., and Syneron Medical Ltd. are also recognised as leading manufacturers of endovenous laser systems in the world.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 :
Electrical Steel Coatings Market to Reach US$ 353.6 Mn by 2026-end

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Growing adoption of large power transformers in heavy industries as well as residential sectors is driving the sales of electrical steel coatings. Particularly in developed countries, a majority of electrical steel coatings are used for manufacturing the core of such transformers. Higher surface insulation resistance and thermal stability are some of the key advantages that promote the use of electrical steel coatings in such applications. Future Market Insights recently published its report on the global market for electrical steel coatings, excerpts from which also indicate how increasing sales of hybrid cars and EVs are factoring the growth in demand for electrical steel coatings. According to the report, the global electrical steel coatings market is presently valued at US$ 211.9 Mn, and is expected to expand at 5.3% CAGR to reach US$ 353.6 Mn by the end of 2024.Apart from their use in manufacturing large power transformers, and motors of hybrid cars and EVs, electrical steel coatings are also gaining applicability in energy conservation measures. Eco-friendly production of various electrical equipment has necessitated the use of electrical steel coatings, especially for spiking energy efficiency of such equipment. While the global electrical steel coating revenues are projected to grow at a steady pace, the market is estimated to witness downtrend in terms of global consumption. Decreasing end-use sales of electrical steel coatings among potential buyers is said to impact the global consumption count, which recorded sales of 34,563 tonnes of electrical steel coatings in 2016.Request For Sample@In the report, titled Electrical Steel Coatings Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, the demand for electrical steel coatings has been projected to be considerably high in the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region. By the end of 2026, the APEJ electrical steel coatings market is expected to dominate by accounting for US$ 150 Mn revenues. While the region will register fastest revenue growth, Western Europes electrical steel coatings market is also predicted to grow robustly. Moreover, Japans electrical steel coating revenues will also soar at an impressive CAGR of 4.6%.US-based Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. is being profiled as one of the largest manufacturer & supplier of electrical steel coatings in the world. Companies such as AK Steel Holding Corporation, Proto Laminations Inc. and Polaris Laser Laminations, LLC are also contributing towards consolidation of electrical steel coatings market in North America. The global electrical steel coatings market will witness significant participation from APEJ companies such as Wuhan Iron & Steel (GROUP) Corp., and Filtra Catalyst and Chemicals Ltd., as well as Japans JFE Steel Corporation. Worlds leading steel manufacturer, ArcelorMittal SA, is also partaking in the growth of global electrical steel coatings market. Other companies profiled in this report include, thyssenkrupp AG, Rembrandtin Lack GmbH Ngf. KG, Cogent Power Limited, and Chemetall GmbH.Send An Enquiry@Key highlights of the report on global electrical steel coating market include:Development of water-based semi-inorganic coatings is slated to revolutionise the global electrical steel coating market.More than three-fourth of global electrical steel coating revenues arise from sales of C5 coatings.By 2026-end, nearly 80% of global electrical steel coating market value will be accounted by chrome-free coating materialsIn 2016, more than US$ 140 Mn worth of electrical steel coatings were globally consumed for non-grain-oriented applications.Over the forecast period, automotive motors will be remain as the most prominent end-use of electrical steel coatings in the world.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 :
President Donald Trump still doesnt get it. He seems to think that if he ousts his chief of staff, Reince Priebus, and chief spokesman Sean Spicer, that all of his White House management and image problems will magically be solved. Trump publicly berates his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, in the mistaken belief that such humiliation will yield better results in the deepening probe of Russian election meddling.

What Trump seems incapable of understanding is that these are all symptoms of the same problem: him. The White House is in utter disarray not because of leaks or because two or three senior officials are underperforming but because their leader still hasnt figured out how to lead.

No amount of firings and public humiliations can put the White House in order as long as the president refuses to observe greater self-discipline and address his own deep personal flaws. Since thats clearly not going to happen anytime soon, the chaos seems destined to continue, even after Mondays ouster of new communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

The new White House chief of staff, former Homeland Security Secretary and retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, will fare no better in the job than Priebus if Trump refuses to change his ways.

Far too many Americans still mistake Trumps brash style as an admirable quality, as if his gaffes and ill-considered early morning tweets are overturning Washingtons business-as-usual atmosphere. Theyre not. All theyre doing is causing dozens of stalwart Republicans to join Democrats in opposition to their president.

Both houses stood against Trump in overwhelmingly passing a tough sanctions bill against Russia. During last weeks debate over the Affordable Care Act, the administration miscalculated that it could threaten and bully Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, into voting to advance a GOP repeal-and-replace measure. Murkowski voted no anyway, correctly refusing to be cowed by Trumps tactics.

Trump tweets embarrassing and irresponsible pronouncements on a daily basis, distracting staffers from promoting his agenda, forcing them instead to constantly put out brush fires. No organization can succeed if the person at the top behaves so erratically.

Likewise, Trump mistakenly believes senior staffers do their best work when pitted against one another. The result is that each works to promote himself and undermine competitors rather than work as a team.

Kelly now inherits this unqualified mess. Its up to him to instill order and put a stop to the madness. Trump seems to think that the discipline and leadership qualities of a Marine general are whats required to right the White Houses sinking ship. Rearranging the deck chairs might tidy things up, but it wont help if the captain keeps to his same, disastrous course.

 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Advance Wound Dressing Market 2015-2025 Industry Analysis, size, share and Forecast

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Advancement in Wound Dressing Market begins years before when the film and hydrocolloids introduced. Advanced Wound Dressing accelerates the healing process by keeping moist environment around the wound along with medicines like antibiotic and painkillers.Advanced Wound Dressing used to heal acute and chronic wounds especially in chronic wounds. Advanced wound dressing has shown very significant results in diabetic patients as well in chronic wounds that takes a long time or cannot be healed by traditional wound dressings.Advance Wound Dressing Market: Drivers and RestraintsAdvanced Wound Dressing market is growing as the number of diabetic and chronic patients increasing rapidly worldwide. Major drivers for the Advanced Wound Dressing Market is ageing population, increase in incident of accidents, increase in adoption rate of Advanced Wound Dressings like hydrocolloids and wound contact layers, continuously advance improvement in dressing like combination of antibiotics and painkillers with dressings. However, high price and lack of adequate reimbursement policies in developing countries are the main hindrance of the market growth.Request Report Sample@Advance Wound Dressing Market: SegmentationAdvance Wound Dressings global market is segmented into following types:HydrocolloidsNon-Antimicrobial Hydrocolloid DressingsAntimicrobial Hydrocolloid DressingsHydrofibersNon-Antimicrobial Hydrofiber DressingsAntimicrobial Hydrofiber DressingsAlginatesNon-Antimicrobial Alginate DressingsAntimicrobial Alginate DressingsHydrogelsNon-Antimicrobial Hydrogel DressingsAntimicrobial Hydrogel DressingsCollagensNon-Antimicrobial Collagen DressingsAntimicrobial Collagen DressingsFoamsNon-Antimicrobial Foam DressingsAntimicrobial Foam DressingsFilmsNon-Antimicrobial Film DressingsAntimicrobial Film DressingsWound Contact LayersNon-Antimicrobial Wound Contact LayersAntimicrobial Wound Contact LayersAdvance Wound Dressing Market: OverviewAdvance Wound Dressing Market is growing with a significant CAGR because of its high adoption rate in treatment of chronic wounds. Developing countries is growing with a higher CAGR compared to other parts of the world.Request For TOC@Advance Wound Dressing Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic region, global Advanced Wound Dressing market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.North America contributes maximum in global Wound dressing Market Share. European countries showing a good growth as the adoption rate for Advance Wound Dressing is increasing for diabetic patients, burns, and chronic wounds. Asia Pacific is growing with a significant CAGR for Advance Wound Dressing market due to increase in healthcare awareness. Amongst the Asian countries, India and china are more promising due to large population pool and increased number of hospitals.Advance Wound Dressing Market: Key PlayersKey players of Advance Wound Dressing market includes Smith & Nephew, Molnlycke Health Care, Paul Hartmann, Covidien, ConvaTec, B. Braun Melsungen, BSN medical, 3M Health Care, Systagenix Wound Management, Derma Sciences, Coloplast, Laboratoires Urgo, Johnson & Johnson, Kinetic Concepts, Inc and Others. Local Players also have a significant presence in Advance Wound Dressing Market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email:press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Size - Industry Report 2017

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"The Latest Research Report United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Implantable Insulin Pumps MarketIn this report, the United States Implantable Insulin Pumps market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report splits the United States market into seven regions:The WestSouthwestThe Middle AtlanticNew EnglandThe SouthThe Midwestwith sales (volume), revenue (value), market share and growth rate of Implantable Insulin Pumps in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).United States Implantable Insulin Pumps market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Implantable Insulin Pumps sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingMedtronicInsulet CorporationRocheAnimas corporationSOOIL Development?Get Sample copy of this Report @On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoClosed-Loop Insulin PumpOpen-Loop Insulin PumpOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Implantable Insulin Pumps for each application, includingHospitalsIndividualsTable of ContentsUnited States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Report 20171 Implantable Insulin Pumps Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Implantable Insulin Pumps1.2 Classification of Implantable Insulin Pumps by Product Category1.2.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Closed-Loop Insulin Pump1.2.4 Open-Loop Insulin Pump1.3 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 IndividualsView Report @1.4 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market by Region1.4.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Implantable Insulin Pumps Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Implantable Insulin Pumps Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Implantable Insulin Pumps Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Implantable Insulin Pumps Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Implantable Insulin Pumps Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Implantable Insulin Pumps Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Implantable Insulin Pumps (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Implantable Insulin Pumps Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type3 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Price by Region (2012-2017)Send An Enquiry Request @4 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.1 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales and Market Share by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.2 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Implantable Insulin Pumps Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Multicore Processors Market 2017 : Intel, Dell, Broadcom, Cavium, Qualcomm and MediaTek

Multicore Processors

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This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering- Intel- Dell- Advanced Micro Devices- Applied Micro Circuits- ARM- Broadcom- Cavium- NXP Semiconductors- Qualcomm- Samsung Electronics- Texas Instruments- Mellanox Technologies- MediaTekThe Multicore Processors report provides an elite tool for evaluating the market and supporting the preemptive and tactical decision-making. The report divulges the realistic data and an all-inclusive exploration of the Multicore Processors market. The report offers a basic framework of the Multicore Processors industry, including classifications, applications, definitions, and industry chain structure. It also represents an in-depth evaluation of the Multicore Processors market and includes significant insights, facts, and statistical & industry-validated statistics of the global market.The report further provides the worldwide segmentation of the market based on the applications, end-users, technology, types, and geography. It also embraces comprehensive information on every single segment of the Multicore Processors market. Further, it encompasses the data about a number of factors that influence the growth of the overall market as well as its segments. The report has been made based on a wide-ranging survey of the market with feedbacks from industry analysts and experts. The detailed exploration of the market is done by two ways, explicitly, qualitative and quantitative. In addition, the report includes the landscape and growth predictions of the market over the coming years.Click Here To Sample Report @Moreover, the report highlights the key market players leading globally with information such as company profiles, market share, contact details, product images & specifications, and sales. The exploration also comprises forecasts and historic data that make the report an invaluable reference for consultants, product & sales managers, marketing, industry executives, analysts, and other persons looking for vital industry data in readily manageable documents with prominently demonstrated graphs, figures, and tables.Furthermore, the report also evaluated leading points of the market, which includes revenue, demand, price, cost, import, capacity utilization rate, gross margin, consumption, export, production, supply, growth rate, gross, market share, capacity, and so on. Numerous analytical tools were used in the research methodology for the market study so as to obtain thorough data and valuation of the global players in the industry and their scope in the market.Inquiry For Buying @The Multicore Processors report pinpoints that in this competitive and speedily developing circumstances, the up-to-the-minute marketing statistics is fundamental to perceive performance and make crucial verdicts for growth and profitability. Thus, this report will be providing all the necessary data on trends & developments and emphasis on markets & materials, capacities & technologies, and on the fluctuating framework of the Multicore Processors market.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Global Motorcycle Connected Helmets Market 2017 : ONeal, Schuberth, LifeBEAM, LiveMap and Nuviz

Motorcycle Connected Helmets

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This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering- BMW Motorrad- ONeal- Schuberth- Sena Technologies- Intelligent Cranium Helmets- LifeBEAM- LiveMap- Nolan Communication System- NuvizThe Motorcycle Connected Helmets report provides an elite tool for evaluating the market and supporting the preemptive and tactical decision-making. The report divulges the realistic data and an all-inclusive exploration of the Motorcycle Connected Helmets market. The report offers a basic framework of the Motorcycle Connected Helmets industry, including classifications, applications, definitions, and industry chain structure. It also represents an in-depth evaluation of the Motorcycle Connected Helmets market and includes significant insights, facts, and statistical & industry-validated statistics of the global market.The report further provides the worldwide segmentation of the market based on the applications, end-users, technology, types, and geography. It also embraces comprehensive information on every single segment of the Motorcycle Connected Helmets market. Further, it encompasses the data about a number of factors that influence the growth of the overall market as well as its segments. The report has been made based on a wide-ranging survey of the market with feedbacks from industry analysts and experts. The detailed exploration of the market is done by two ways, explicitly, qualitative and quantitative. In addition, the report includes the landscape and growth predictions of the market over the coming years.Click Here To Sample Report @Moreover, the report highlights the key market players leading globally with information such as company profiles, market share, contact details, product images & specifications, and sales. The exploration also comprises forecasts and historic data that make the report an invaluable reference for consultants, product & sales managers, marketing, industry executives, analysts, and other persons looking for vital industry data in readily manageable documents with prominently demonstrated graphs, figures, and tables.Furthermore, the report also evaluated leading points of the market, which includes revenue, demand, price, cost, import, capacity utilization rate, gross margin, consumption, export, production, supply, growth rate, gross, market share, capacity, and so on. Numerous analytical tools were used in the research methodology for the market study so as to obtain thorough data and valuation of the global players in the industry and their scope in the market.Inquiry For Buying @The Motorcycle Connected Helmets report pinpoints that in this competitive and speedily developing circumstances, the up-to-the-minute marketing statistics is fundamental to perceive performance and make crucial verdicts for growth and profitability. Thus, this report will be providing all the necessary data on trends & developments and emphasis on markets & materials, capacities & technologies, and on the fluctuating framework of the Motorcycle Connected Helmets market.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Report 2017

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"The Report United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Report 2017 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) MarketIn this report, the United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report splits the United States market into seven regions:The WestSouthwestThe Middle AtlanticNew EnglandThe SouthThe Midwestwith sales (volume), revenue (value), market share and growth rate of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast).Get Sample Copy of this report @United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingGE HealthcareSiemens AGKoninklijke Philips N.V.Hitachi Medical Systems America, Inc.Toshiba CorporationAurora Imaging Technologies, IncEsaote SpASanrad Medical Systems Pvt. Ltd.On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLowMediumHighView Full Report @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) for each application, includingBrain & NeurologicalSpine & MusculoskeletalVascularAbdominal & PelvicCardiacBreastTable of ContentsUnited States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Report 20171 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)1.2 Classification of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) by Product Category1.2.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Size (Sales Volume) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Size (Sales Volume) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Low1.2.4 Medium1.2.5 High1.3 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Size (Consumption) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Brain & Neurological1.3.3 Spine & Musculoskeletal1.3.4 Vascular1.3.5 Abdominal & Pelvic1.3.6 Cardiac1.3.7 Breast1.4 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market by Region1.4.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 The West Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Southwest Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 The Middle Atlantic Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 New England Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 The South Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 The Midwest Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 United States Market Size (Value and Volume) of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) (2012-2022)1.5.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Send An Enquiry Request @2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.3 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Average Price by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.4 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Suppliers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion in United States Market2.5 United States Players/Suppliers Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type3 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Price by Region (2012-2017)4 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales and Market Share by Type (Product Category) (2012-2017)4.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)5 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017)5.1 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.2 United States Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) Sales Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)5.3 Market Drivers and OpportunitiesAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA: Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market Share 2017: Esaote, Zoncare, Ecare, Samsung Medison, Abbott Medical

Portable Ultrasound Equipment

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http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-portable-ultrasound-equipment-market-2017-demand-insights-key-palyers-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022

Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market Research 2017A market study  Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market  examines the performance of the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Portable Ultrasound Equipment market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Portable Ultrasound Equipment market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market 2017 report includes Portable Ultrasound Equipment market Revenue, market Share, Portable Ultrasound Equipment industry volume, market Trends, Portable Ultrasound Equipment Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Portable Ultrasound Equipment Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market 2017 -GE HealthcarePhilips HealthcareSiemens HealthcareFujifilm SonositeAbbott MedicalBMV TechnologyBoston ScientificHitachi Aloka MedicalToshiba Medical SystemsSamsung MedisonMindray MedicalShenzhen Bestman InstrumentCHISONEcareEsaoteGuangzhou Yueshen Medical EquipmentJiangsu TONGREN Medical Electronic TechnologyWuhan Tianyi ElectronicZhuhai Carelife Medical TechnologyZoncarePortable Ultrasound Equipment Market : By ApplicationHospitalClinicHome CarePortable Ultrasound Equipment Market : By TypeCart-/Trolley-Based Ultrasound EquipmentHandheld Ultrasound EquipmentFirstly, the report covers the top Portable Ultrasound Equipment manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Portable Ultrasound Equipment report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Portable Ultrasound Equipment industry, Portable Ultrasound Equipment industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Portable Ultrasound Equipment Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Portable Ultrasound Equipment 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 Portable Ultrasound Equipment market revenue worldwide.Finally, Portable Ultrasound Equipment market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA
Global Automotive End-Point Authentication Market, Industry Analysis, Trends & Forecast

MRRSE

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The natural fragrance ingredients market across the globe is anticipated to witness a stable growth during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. Natural fragrance ingredients are aroma compounds which are derived from natural sources such as flowers, fruits, spices and grasses among others. Since they are derived from natural resources mainly through the process of distillation, it does not contain any toxic content thus making it more desirable to use and also costly to purchase.Request For SampleGlobal Natural Fragrance Ingredients Market: SegmentationNatural Fragrance market has been segmented into flower based fragrance ingredients, fruit based, spice based, wood based and musk based fragrance ingredients in terms of product types in the scope of research. Some of the popular flowers used in making essential oils which are in turn used in making fine fragrances are rose, jasmine, violets, lavender, lily, orange flower, moonflower, magnolia, plumeria, chamomile, rosemary, and sweet pea among others. Fruit based fragrance ingredients are used for their fresh and invigorating smell. Mango, Guava, Peaches, Blueberries are some of the fruits which are used to derive fragrance ingredients which are used in perfumes and in various applications. Wood based fragrance ingredients are derived mainly from cedars, pine and fir, balsam, mahogany and sandalwood among others. Amber wood is also used widely especially in making perfumes. Wood based fragrance ingredients form the base of fragrances and therefore are highly demanded. Musk based fragrance ingredients are derived mainly from the Musk Deer which is inhabitant of the Himalayan region. The Musk deer are endangered species and therefore the source of deriving musk based fragrance ingredients have shifted and nowadays its been derived from some plants like the Angelica archangelica, among others. Spice based fragrance ingredients includes the involvement of asafetida, cumin, clove, bay leaves, and cardamom among others.In terms of application of natural fragrance ingredients, we have included the household care segment and the cosmetics segment in our scope of research. The household care segment includes products like room fresheners, incense sticks, floor cleaners, detergents Natural based fragrance ingredients are being used increasingly in inducing smell in these products due to their non- toxicity quality. Room fresheners containing flowery smell of natural based fragrance ingredients wont cause any respiratory problems. Similarly, using detergents made with natural fragrance ingredients wont cause itchiness to the skin. The cosmetics segment includes beauty benefit products like body soaps, creams, perfumes, essential oil and others.Send An Enquiry :Global Natural Fragrance Ingredients Market: Drivers and TrendsThe global natural fragrance ingredients market is majorly driven by increasing importance of using natural fragrance ingredients further supported by rise in disposable income. In addition, the usage of natural fragrance ingredients further increased in cosmetics products due to rise in health concerns among the consumers. . Use of natural fragrance ingredients also protects the environment from harmful chemicals, pesticides and toxins. Advertising and promoting the natural fragrance ingredients products through online retailing has increased their use. Increase in disposable income also allows the purchase of products containing natural fragrance ingredients.The products which use natural fragrance ingredients for inducing odor are usually very costly. This can prevent the growth of this market as the synthetic alternatives are relatively less costly. Also, the use of flowers, fruits and woods can result in the depletion of natural resources which can affect the environment negatively.This report provides the future anticipated market growth of natural fragrance ingredients during the period from 2016 to 2024 along with a current market synopsis. The report also provides in-depth analysis of the natural fragrance ingredients market across various product type and applications. Various economic factors predicted to affect the demand and supply of natural fragrance ingredients across the globe is also highlighted in this report. In addition, the report also sheds light on the detailed industry structures, market share of the leading manufacturers and future predictive demand and supply in terms of revenue in order to provide a detailed analysis of the market.Global Natural Fragrance Ingredients Market: Geographical OutlookBy geography, the global natural fragrance ingredients market has been further classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Latin America. The present market size in terms of revenue (USD Million) along with forecast from 2016 to 2024is also provided in this report.Key Players Mentioned in this Report are:Some of the key players operating in the natural fragrance ingredients market across the globe are, Givaudan SA (Switzerland), Firmenich SA (Switzerland), Symrise AG (Germany), International Flavors and Fragrance (IFF) (U.S.), Sensient Flavors and Fragrances (U.S.) and Takasago International (Japan), among others.Browse Full Report With TOC :The global natural fragrance ingredients market has been segmented as follows.Global Natural Fragrance Ingredients Market, By Product TypeFlower BasedWood BasedMusk BasedFruit BasedSpice BasedOthers ( Grass)Global Natural Fragrance Ingredients Market, By ApplicationHousehold CareCosmeticsGlobal Natural Fragrance Ingredients Market, By GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeK.GermanyItalyFranceRoE (Rest of Europe)Asia PacificIndiaJapanChinaRAPAC (Rest of Asia Pacific)Middle East and Africa (MEA)A.ESouth AfricaRMEA (Rest of Middle East and Africa)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
Headlight Tester Market Share 2017: Tecnolux, Capelec, Sichuan Huatai, Foshan Analytical Instrument

Headlight Tester

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http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-headlight-tester-market-2017-demand-insights-key-palyers-segmentation-and-forecast-to-2022

Headlight Tester Market Research 2017A market study  Global Headlight Tester Market  examines the performance of the Headlight Tester market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Headlight Tester market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Headlight Tester market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Headlight Tester Market 2017 report includes Headlight Tester market Revenue, market Share, Headlight Tester industry volume, market Trends, Headlight Tester Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Headlight Tester Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Headlight Tester Market 2017 -BOSCHSnap-on EquipmentAnzen Motor CarNUSSBAUMMAHASanei IndustryCapelecChuo Electronic MeasurementTecnoluxL.E.T. AutomotiveBM AutoteknikMingquan Scien-TechNanhua InstrumentsFoshan Analytical InstrumentSichuan HuataiTianjin ShengweiHeadlight Tester Market : By ApplicationVehicle Repair GaragesVehicle Standards Agency & Vehicle Inspection Stations4S StoresHeadlight Tester Market : By TypeManual Headlight TesterFull-automatic Headlight TesterSemi-Automatic Headlight TesterFirstly, the report covers the top Headlight Tester manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Headlight Tester report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Headlight Tester industry, Headlight Tester industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Headlight Tester Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Headlight Tester 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 Headlight Tester market revenue worldwide.Finally, Headlight Tester 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
Dismissal with immediate effect after constantly working up working hours deficit

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Flexible working hours are commonplace in many companies today. Notwithstanding this, employees must perform the work they owe to their employer pursuant to their employment contract, otherwise they may be faced with exceptional notice of dismissal.A lot of companies have since moved away from a system of rigid working hours and now offer flexible working hours. That being said, the working hours owed by an employee, among other things, are agreed and laid out in his employment contract. Employees have to fulfil this contractual obligation and are not allowed to constantly build up their working hours deficit. We at the commercial law firm GRP Rainer Rechtsanwalte note that if an employee fails to perform the work as stipulated in the employment contract, this may constitute good cause justifying exceptional notice of dismissal.Such were the circumstances that led to the Landesarbeitsgericht (LAG) Hamburg [Regional Labour Court of Hamburg] upholding the effectiveness of a notice of exceptional dismissal in its ruling of November 2, 2016. The notice was issued because the employee in question had continuously worked up his working hours deficit again and again (Az.: 5 Sa 19/16).In the instant case, the employment relationship had already existed for a period of more than 20 years. Based on a collective wage agreement, the employer could only terminate the employment relationship if it had good cause for doing so. Over the years, disputes repeatedly arose between employer and employee for a variety of reasons. In addition, the employer had already issued various formal warnings. The employer had also rebuked the employee on a number of occasions because the latters working time account was regularly in deficit. However, the employee failed to work off his deficit and instead continued to further contribute towards this. In the end, he had worked up a deficit of just under 56 hours, despite the fact that he had agreed to a mere 20 hours with his employer. In consultation with the staff council, the employer finally issued notice of dismissal with immediate effect.The employees legal action opposing his dismissal was unsuccessful before the LAG Hamburg. The Court held that notice of dismissal with immediate effect had been effective. It stated that performing the work owed pursuant to the employment contract is one of an employees main obligations, a breach of which constitutes good cause justifying exceptional notice of dismissal. In the case in question, the employee was said to have failed to work off his working hours deficit despite repeatedly being called on to do so and instead continued to contribute towards this. The Court went on to say that a less severe reaction in the form of a formal warning would no longer have been sufficient in response to the employees misconduct. The LAG concluded that it was no longer reasonable to expect the employer to continue the employment relationship.Whether exceptional notice of dismissal is effective or not always comes down to the circumstances of each individual case. Accordingly, notices ought to be thoroughly prepared. Lawyers who are experienced in the field of employment law can advise employers.GRP Rainer LLPis an international firm of lawyers and tax advisors who are specialists in commercial law. The firm counsels commercial and industrial companies and corporations, as well as associations, small- and mid-sized businesses, self-employed freelancers and private individuals worldwide from offices Cologne, Berlin, Bonn, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart and London UK.Contact Michael RainerLawyer, Managing PartnerGRP Rainer LLPGurzenich-QuartierAugustinerstrae 1050667 CologneGermanyPhone: +49 221-27 22 75-0info@grprainer.com
ENT Devices Market by Product - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2025

ENT Devices

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ENT Devices Market Overview:Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders are the most common reasons for visits to a primary care physician. Most patients with ENT disorders visit the doctor early in the disease process as associated symptoms and signs are readily visible. The physical appearance of the tongue, teeth, gums, and palate indicates different physiological states. These indications can be used to detect and diagnose the particular disorder. Some of the common ENT disorders are chronic, acute and recurrent tonsillitis, recurrent and acute otitis media (OM), and recurrent and allergic rhinitis along with chronic rhino sinusitis (CRS). Common cold is the most frequent upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Nearly half of the cases of cold affecting children can be attributed to a variety of up to 200 distinct viruses which are seasonally active (Source: Journal of Biomedical Therapy 2010 Vol. 4, No. 2). For instance, rhinoviruses are active in the early fall, summer, and spring. Disorders related to the ear such as hearing loss constitute a considerable share of ENT disorders. According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), 2 to 3 among every 1,000 children in the U.S. are born with detectable level of hearing impairment in one or both ears. Hearing aids and hearing implants are used to treat the hearing impaired patients. While hearing aids amplify the incoming sound, implants transform sound into electrical signals that stimulate the patients auditory nerve.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @Some of the key factors driving the ENT devices market are rising incidence of ENT related infections and traumas, increased prevalence of geriatric population around the world, and growing awareness about ENT disorders and their prevention and cure among the target population. According to the data revealed by the (NIDCD) in 2016, the highest amounts of hearing loss disorders exist in the age group between 60 and 69. As per a study conducted by Action on Hearing Loss, in 2015, over 11 million people in UK were living with some form of hearing loss, which amounts to one in every 6 persons in the UK. According to the data revealed in 2016 by health direct, an information service supported by Government of Australia, adults usually encounter 2 to 4 colds every year whereas, children usually get affected by cold 5 to 10 times in a year as they are less immune to cold causing viruses. Such high prevalence of common cold in children and adults will favorably contribute to the growth of ENT devices market over the forecast period.However, factors such as high cost and unfavorable reimbursement policies for hearing aids are likely to hinder the growth of ENT devices market.Technological advancements in ENT diagnostic and surgical devices will offer lucrative growth opportunities for the manufacturers. Latest developments in minimally invasive Trans-Oral Robotic Surgeries (TORS) are highly effective as recovery time for patients undergoing such surgeries is considerably reduced. In these surgeries, surgeons use computer enhanced, sophisticated systems to remove oral cancers assisted by an enhanced view of the existing cancer and the surrounding tissue.Make an inquiry @Some of the key players in the ENT devices market are Medtronic plc. Stryker Corporation, Olympus Corporation, KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG, Smith & Nephew plc., Sonova Holdings AG, Acclarent, Inc., William Demant Holdings A/S, and Cochlear Limited. Development of technologically advanced ENT devices is the key strategy adopted by these players. For instance, in September 2016, Med-El obtained FDA approval for its SYNCHRONY EAS (Electrical Acoustic Stimulation) hearing implant system. This system is a combination of two technologies viz. the Synchrony cochlear implant technology, which is used to stimulate the auditory nerve in high frequency hearing loss, and the SONNET EAS audio processor, which has built-in acoustic amplification used for low frequency hearing loss.About Crystal Market ResearchCrystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contact:Judy304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.comBlog:Website:
Cyber-risk and Carbon Credit Risk to Fuel the Global Specialty Insurance Market

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"The Report Insight Report: Specialty Insurance - Key Trends and Opportunities in the Market provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Specialty insurance policies as the name says, are special type of insurances that cover the insurance of products that are not included in traditional insurance policies. Specialty insurance includes excess and surplus lines insurance, bespoke underwriting, niche market segments, non-standard general insurance, and high-hazard insurance. MarketResearchReports.biz has added a report Insight Report: Specialty Insurance  Key Trends and Opportunities in the Market, which covers detailed reports of the market and growth potential for the period 2014-2018.Shortage of underwriting experts, declining investment income, exposure to natural disasters, low competition, and superior underwriting profits are the key market features of specialty insurance policy market. This report provides comprehensive reports of prevailing trends, in-depth reports of long-term growth strategies adopted by key market players, details about leading specialty carriers, and the product lines offered by specialty insurances.Drivers like rising incidences of casualties worldwide, challenging property, and weakening profitability of insurances are ensuring the growth of specialty insurance market all around the globe. For the year of 2013, the gross written premium for global specialty insurance was in the range of US$140-180 billion. In the same year, the US dominated the global market contributing to more than 50% of the total gross written premium.In recent years, growing occurrences of data breaches and cybercrimes have escalated the demand for insurance protection against cyber-attacks. In June 2014, Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimated that the cybercrime resulted into losses worth US$445 bn in 2013. Accelerating losses due to cyber-attacks are driving the cyber liability insurances.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Following the US, European countries showcase high demand for cyber liability insurances. Specialty insurances form a high-return and high-risk market pertinent to underwriting profitability. Insurers are experiencing higher underwriting profits owing to present difficult market phase of underwriting cycles for specialty insurance products. Mostly, specialty carriers generate more underwriting profitability than casualty and property insurers. However, the Thai floods and the earthquakes in Japan caused record losses in 2011 due to catastrophic risks exposure of specialty carriers.View Press Release @The report briefs the quarterly changes in premium prices for key specialty lines during the period of 2013 and the first half of 2014. This report also sheds light on available growth opportunities and emerging risks. While evaluating prominent inorganic and organic growth strategies, this report also gives details about the major success factors.RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd, HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., Hiscox Ltd, Catlin Group Ltd, and Lloyds are among the prominent players in this market. This report includes the company profiles of these players. Furthermore, growth strategies like geographic diversification, product line extension, innovation, managing expense ratios, managing underwriting performances are included, which are intended to help readers understand the markets growth potential.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Contactless Payments Market Expected to Reach $25,565 Million,Globally, by 2023

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/contactless-payments-market

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According to a recent report published by Allied Market Research, titled, Contactless Payments Market by Device Type and Industry Vertical: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2023, the global contactless payments market was valued at $6,734 million in 2016, and is projected to reach at $25,565 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 21.2% from 2017 to 2023. In 2016, the mobile devices segment accounted for the highest revenue share in the contactless payments market.Early buyers will receive 20% customization on this report.Consumers as well as enterprises have increasingly adopted number of ways for convenient and secure payments. One of such medium is a contactless system that has revolutionized the retail and transportation industries in the past few years.The global contactless payments market is driven by convenience in processing low-value payments, increased revenue opportunities, and reduced transaction time. However, high costs involved for the deployment of EPOS terminals and lack of trust and security concerns hamper the market growth.Access Full Summary at:Europe dominated the global market in 2016, and is expected to continue this trend during the forecast period, owing to the growing adoption of contactless smart cards. Furthermore, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.The global contactless payments market was led by the mobile devices segment in 2016, and is expected to continue this trend during the forecast period. However, the smart cards segment is expected to witness the highest growth, owing to rise in adoption of these cards due to advantages such as convenience and speed.Get PDF of this Report @In 2016, the global market was dominated by the BFSI industry, and is expected to continue this trend during the forecast period. However, the others segment is expected to witness the highest growth, owing to increase in installation of contactless readers in the premises of hospitals for convenience of both patients and doctors.Key Findings of the Contactless Payments Market: The mobile devices segment is expected to exhibit significant increase in the global contactless payments market during the forecast period. In 2016, the BFSI segment accounted for the highest revenue among the other industry verticals. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to exhibit substantial growth during the forecast period.The key players profiled in the report include Ingenico Group, Verifone Systems, Inc., Inside Secure, on Track Innovations, Oberthur Technologies SA, Proxama, PLC., Wirecard AG, Giesecke & Devrient GmbH, Gemalto N.V., and Heartland Payment Systems, Inc.About UsAllied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact Us5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect: +1-503-894-6022Toll Free: +1 (800) 792-5285 (U.S. & Canada)Fax: +1 (855) 550-5975E-mail: sales@alliedmarketresearch.com
Demand for Push to Talk Telemedicine and M-health Solutions Driven by Growing Geriatric Demographic

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"The Report Global Push To Talk Telemedicine and M-Health Convergence Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"MarketResearchReports.biz announces the addition of a new report to its growing online market intelligence repository. The report delves into the global healthcare sector market and profiles a key industry involved in the transition of the healthcare sector from conventional patient engagement tools to ever-improving modern digital communication technology. The push to talk telemedicine and m-health convergence market is the subject studied in the report, titled Global Push To Talk Telemedicine and M-Health Convergence Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022.M-health has been a steady part of the healthcare sector in the last few years, with developments in communication technology allowing a corresponding increase in the sophistication in the modes by which patients and doctors could interact. The rising prevalence of hectic lifestyles in recent years, primarily in urban centers, has been vital for the global push to talk telemedicine and m-health market, as it has driven the need for further refinement in the communication channels for the healthcare sector. M-health is likely to remain a key part of the global healthcare sector, aided by steady developments in smartphone technology, enabling steady growth of the push to talk telemedicine and m-health market.Push to talk telemedicine devices are the latest iteration in the conveyor belt of medical devices technology specializing in patient-doctor interaction. They are a set of devices and technologies targeted only at improving medical interaction, in order to make communication easier in case of emergencies, rather than making conventional communication devices capable of additional capabilities targeted at the healthcare sector. The push to talk telemedicine and m-health market is likely to receive a steady push from the growth of the geriatric demographic across the world. The high tendency of geriatrics to suffer from conditions that may require emergency interventions is likely to drive the push to talk telemedicine and m-health market at a steady growth rate in the coming years.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @The report examines the performance of the push to talk telemedicine and m-health market in leading regional markets such as the U.S., the EU, China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. The U.S. and the EU are the leading contributors to the global push to talk telemedicine and m-health market due to widespread adoption of technological upgrades in the healthcare sector.View Press Release @On the other hand, the healthcare and medical devices sector in emerging markets is likely to expand smooth growth in the coming years, driven by a growing demand from the medical tourism industry, leading to a gradual rise in the demand from the push to talk telemedicine and m-heath market. The increasing government support for widespread installation of modern telecommunication systems in India, China, and Japan could thus be vital for the global push to talk telemedicine and m-health market in the coming years.The report also examines the competitive workings of the global push to talk telemedicine and m-health market by profiling leading players such as Biotronik, Cardiocom, Royal Philips, Samsung, LG, IBM, Fuzebox, and A&D Medical.About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Smart Meters Market Worldwide Revenue, Analysis, Application and 2021 Forecast

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Publisher's Smart Meters market research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability.The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.The report includes the forecasts, Analysis and discussion of important industry trends, market size, market share estimates and profiles of the leading industry Players.The Players mentioned in our reportLandis+GyrItronSiemensKamstrupSensusElster GroupSilver Spring NetworksAclaraNuri TelecomGE Digital EnergyGlobal Smart Meters Market: Product Segment AnalysisSingle-phase smart meterThree-phase smart meterRequest Sample Copy At:Global Smart Meters Market: Application Segment AnalysisResidential applicationCommercial applicationIndustrial applicationGlobal Smart Meters Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaFor More Information About This Report:Table of ContentChapter 1 About the Smart Meters IndustryChapter 2 World Market Competition LandscapeChapter 3 World Smart Meters Market shareChapter 4 Supply Chain AnalysisChapter 5 Company ProfilesChapter 6 Globalization & TradeChapter 7 Distributors and CustomersChapter 8 Import, Export, Consumption and Consumption Value by Major CountriesChapter 9 World Smart Meters Market Forecast through 2021Chapter 10 Key success factors and Market OverviewInquire For This Report At:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Vascular Injury Market to 2024: Trends, Business Strategies and Opportunities with Key Players Analysis

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Global Vascular Injury Market: SynopsisPeripheral vascular injuries are majorly due to blunt or penetrating trauma to the extremities. These injuries can result in disastrous consequences if they are not recognized and treated rapidly as they affect the major arteries, nerves and veins and can lead to long term disability and deformity. An injured artery results in more blood loss as compared to veins and is due to high pressure of blood in arteries than veins. Vascular injury associated with high energy gunshot wounds and blunt traumas resulting in fracture of extremity cases are associated with high risk of serious vascular injury however, the risk of serious injuries is low in the patients who suffer from low energy wounds (handguns, knives, etc.).Obtain Report Details:In the U.S. peripheral vascular injuries accounts for more than 80% vascular injury cases are most commonly caused by penetrating trauma, reason being the increased use of endovascular procedures for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Approximately around 30% of the vascular injuries are low energy wounds (stab wounds etc) while high energy wounds account for more than 50% of the vascular injuries. Vascular injuries owing to blunt trauma to the extremities such as crush injuries, dislocations and traction account for only mere 26% of individuals being treated. Mortality due to peripheral vascular injuries is less common but however, injuries leading to occurrence of necrotizing myofascial infection can lead to increased mortality rates. Vascular injuries are mainly categorized into non-occlusive and complete occlusive injuries. Reversible spam, embolism, transection and thrombosis injuries are complete occlusive vascular injuries while intimal flaps, compartment syndrome, lacerations and pseudoaneurysm are the some of the non-occlusive injuries.Symptoms of vascular injuries highly depend on the location of the injury, swelling, pain and bleeding are some of the common symptoms, but also, numbness and weakness around the injury represent additional symptoms. Elevation of the injury followed by a pressure dressing is the initial treatment adopted by the doctors and further treatments include wound repair, wound care and also surgery is carried out to restore the injured arteries. Several tests are recommended to determine the location and severity of arterial injury. Doppler ultrasound, angiography (neck, lungs, kidneys and arm or leg) MRI angiography and CT scanning of the abdomen are some of the tests employed to evaluate vascular injuries.Global Vascular Injury Market: Regional AnalysisThe market for vascular injuries can be analyzed by assessing therapeutics for vascular injuries by mechanism of action, drug targets, molecule type and route of administration. POL-5551, SHP-613 and CCX-872 are some of the vascular injuries therapeutics in developmental phases. In addition, a geographical landscape of these medications for four major geographies namely North America, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World can be provided. The major events such as product approvals, patent grants, marketing approvals and drugs in investigational phases are some of the events that impact the market growth. Also, regulatory policies and norms required for approvals will further influence the market dynamics.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Global Vascular Injury Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe major factors supporting the market growth are increasing vascular injuries and consistent technological advances across the globe. Also, introduction of novel treatment options for vascular injuries would further boost the market growth. On the other hand delayed identification and negligence towards treatment are some of the factors that might impede the market growth.Global Vascular Injury Market: Key PlayersPolyphor Ltd., Shire plc, Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., and ChemoCentryx, Inc. are some of the companies involved in the development of vascular injury therapeutics.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 U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.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:
Global Document Imaging Market, Industry Analysis,Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Document imaging solutions use tools such as scanners, printers, software, and camerato digitize a document. It is a key feature for any business entity as the document imaging process is used for better speed and agility in work stations. Improved and advanced efficiencies lead to a competitive improvement and better customer satisfaction.The document imaging market is gaining popularity due to several benefits to organizations such as cost effectiveness, increasing efficiency, risk reduction of losing documents in transit.Request For Sample Report :The document imaging market is segmented on the bases of three categories: by service, component, and end use. In terms of service, the market for document imaging is segmented into cloud and on-premises. By component, the market is segmented into software and hardware. Hardware component segment can be further bifurcated into scanners, printers, microfilm, readers and others. In terms of end use, the document imaging market is segmented into government organizations, law firms, physician practice, and educational institutions among others.The installation of document imaging has dramatically changed due to the rising installation of cloud based document imaging solutions. Cloud deployment is becoming a critical and flexible part of an organization, for storing data and to expedite workflows. Information technology departments are expanding their cloud budgets for its numerous benefits. Quality document-management systems are available on the cloud since the last few years. Almost every business entity has started installing cloud as the most modern deployment solution to store important data. Organizations are always very careful about storing critical documents in a cloud environment, and recently increasing importance of cloud deployment is fueling growth of the document imaging market which is expected to see significant growth during the forecast period.The impact of this driver is medium in recent times and is expected to be high during the forecast period. However, Core printing companies are looking for diversification for higher profit generation. Many dealers are trying to expand their business by offering new products and services. In addition, rising competition in the MPS (managed printing service) industry is encouraging dealers to diversify or invest in other business entities. Although, cost cutting and decreasing price trends are attracting existing dealers and new entities to invest in this industry. Therefore, demand for documents imaging is expected to be high during the forecast period.The impact of this restraint is medium in the current phase and is expected to be high during the forecast period.Additionally, considering the growth in population and rapid urbanization in several emerging economies, there is an increased demand for digitalized documents.Send An Enquiry :The growth of document imaging is strongly correlated to urbanization, which is compelling government organization, law firms, educational institutions and industries to emphasize on this technology.Such demand for document imaging can be expected to offer good growth opportunities for this market. In addition, there are various research initiatives undertaken by different companies worldwide to develop document imaging into more versatile products. More advanced products and awareness among target customers are expected to drive future opportunities in the document imaging market both in developed and developing nations. Hence, the customer base is expected to grow, creating a larger market for future businesses.Currently, people are more focused on print and less on digitalized paper. Paper work or printing work is more time consuming; therefore, most SMBs (small medium business) pay interest on digitalized paper scanning technology. Growing trend of document scanning or photocopying in recent times is predicted to be an opportunity for the document imaging market.The global market of document imaging report provides company market share analysis of the various key participants. Key players have also been profiled on the basis of company overview. Global key participants of the document imaging market include Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), Hewlett-Packard Company (California, U.S.), Canon Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), Kodak Alaris (Hemel Hempstead, U.K.), Xerox Corporation (Connecticut, U.S.), Qorus Software (Pty) Ltd (Cape Town, South Africa), CBSL Group (Delhi, India), Epson America (California, U.S.), Aramex (Dubai, U.A.E) and Newgen Software Technologies Ltd (Delhi, India) among others.Global Smart Grid Security market can be segmented as follows;-Global Document Imaging Market, by ServiceCloudOn-PremisesGlobal Document Imaging Market, by ComponentSoftwareHardwareScanningPrintingMicrofilm ReadersOthersBrowse Full Report With TOC :Global Document Imaging Market, by End UseGovernment OrganizationLaw FirmsPhysician PracticesEducational InstitutionOthersGlobal Document Imaging Market, by Geography: The market is broadly segmented on the basis of geography into:North AmericaS.Rest of North AmericaEuropeGermanyFranceItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanRest of APACMiddle East and AfricaSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaLatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
Smart Inhalers Market Research Report- Global Forecast To 2022

Smart Inhalers Market

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IntroductionSmart Inhalers are a part of new age digital technology which is designed to improve the disease management in the respiratory diseases. Smart Inhalers are basically the respiratory inhalers equipped with a digital sensor. The sensor tracks the data such as the dosage timing, monitors the use of the inhaler, and schedules the next dosage. Smart Inhalers can generate alerts for the daily dosage for the user using the smart devices connected to the sensors via Bluetooth. Wide variety of benefits ranging from improving medication adherence to reducing hospital admissions, which makes smart inhalers the next big thing of respiratory care segment.Request Report Sample:Smart Inhalers market has been segmented on the basis of type which comprises of dry powder inhaler, and metered dose inhaler. On the basis of application, market is segmented into Asthma, COPD, and others. On the basis of end user, market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, respiratory care center, and others.Globally the market for smart inhalers is increasing rapidly. Globally the market for Smart Inhalers is expected to grow at the rate of about 42.84% from 2016 to 2022.Browse Detail Report:Key PlayersThe key players profiled in the research report are Adherium, AstraZeneca, Cohero Health, GlaxoSmithKline, Gecko Health Innovations Inc., Inspiro Medical, and Propeller Health.Study Objectives:? To provide insights about factors, influencing and affecting the market growth.? To provide historically and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to regional markets and their countries.? To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments based on type, application, and end users.? To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their market share, core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.Inquiry for Buying Report:Target Audience Smart Inhalers service providers Smart Inhalers equipment manufacturers and suppliers Contract Research Organizations (CROs) Research and Development (R&D) Companies Government and Independent Regulatory Authorities Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Academic Institutes and UniversitiesKey Findings The Smart Inhalers global market and is expected to reach $1.63 billion by 2022. Dry Powder Inhalers hold the largest share of the market. North America holds the largest market share of 65% of smart inhalers market and is anticipated to reach $888.4 million by the end of forecast period. Globally, Asia-Pacific the fastest growing region and expected to grow at the rate of 55.34% during the forecast period.Request for Customization:The reports also cover country level analysis:America North AmericaEuropeWestern Europe Germany France Italy Spain UK Rest of Western Europe Eastern EuropeAsia China India Japan South Korea Rest of AsiaMiddle East & AfricaAbout us:Provue Market Research is a U.S. based Market Research & Advisory Company registered in the State of California and headquartered in Lawndale. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports services. To help clients make informed business decisions, the company offers market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries including technology, chemicals, materials, and healthcare and energy with a deep-seated understanding of many business environments. Provue Market Research provides strategic objective insights. We periodically update our marketResearch studies to ensure our clients get the most recent, relevant and valuable information. Provue Market Research has a strong database of analysts and consultants from assorted areas of expertise. We offer intelligence studies for clients covering:Market Intelligence & Market Opportunity Assessment Market Size & Segmentation Market Entry Strategy Competitor Benchmarking Pricing Intelligence Customer Intelligence Sourcing Intelligence New-Generation Products & Technologies Distribution & Sales Channel AssessmentContact Us:14715 Prairie Ave,Lawndale, CA, 90260,California USAToll Free:+18889204862webiste:Email:info@provueresearch.comAbout 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:
Global Home Textiles and Furnishings Market Size, Share, Trend and Opportunities (2014-2019)

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The report titled Global Home Textiles and Furnishings Market: Trends and Opportunities (2014-2019) analyzes the consumption pattern of the global home textiles and furnishings market, with a focus on its segments including: curtains, textile floorings and towels. The global market along with markets of the US, Europe, India, China and Turkey are assessed in the report. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are presented in this report. The three major players in the industry, Welspun India Ltd, Dorel Industries Inc. and Springs Global are profiled, along with their key financials and strategies for growth.Countries CoverageThe USEuropeIndiaChinaTurkeyCompany CoverageWelspun India LtdSprings GlobalDorel Industries LtdGet The Sample Copy Of This Report :Executive SummaryHome textiles and furnishing sector forms a significant portion of overall textile industry. The sector offers a wide range of bedspreads, furnishing fabrics, curtains, rugs, carpets, placemats, cushion covers, table covers, linen, kitchen accessories, made-ups, bed spreads, bath linen, and other home furnishings accessories. Over the past 5 years, consumption of home textile and furnishings witnessed consistent growth driven by factors like rising consumer spending on home renovation, accelerating investments on infrastructure, demand from Asian markets like India, China, Korea and Indonesia. Product innovation and development has allowed retailers and manufactures to widen the market, using new technologies and advanced marketing approaches.The USA and Europe dominate the home furnishing market as largest consumers, while countries like India, China and Pakistan feature amongst key suppliers. Curtains constitute the largest sub segment of home textiles followed by textile floorings, bed linen, towels and table, toilet & kitchen linen. Major fabrics being used include cotton, organic- cotton, polyester, silk, poly- cotton, poly silk, natural fibers like bamboos, viscose-silk.Send An Enquiry :Retail sales of home furnishings are expected to maintain relatively consistent growth in coming years. Economic recovery is expected to reduce the unemployment rate, generate GDP growth and strengthen the housing market, all of which will boost sales of home furnishings products. Moreover, emergence of E-commerce in home furnishings market is scaling new heights, and with increasing number shopping websites the market is also experiencing growth. Key issues in the market include rising raw material prices, strict legislative requirements and high competition.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. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Encrypted Flash Drives Market by Sizes, Shares, Trends and Including Key Vendors Kingston, SanDisk, LaCie

Encrypted Flash Drives Market

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A new research document with title 'Global Encrypted Flash Drives 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 North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players/vendors such as Kingston, SanDisk, LaCie etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2022.Request a sample report @SummaryEncrypted flash drives (also known as pen drives, USB memory sticks, thumb drives, or flash keys) can be used in finance, government/military, enterprises and individual in meeting tough data security. There are two type of encrypted flash drives which cover hardware encryption and software encryption.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Encrypted Flash Drives 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 coversKingstonSanDiskLaCieKanguru SolutionsTranscend InformationDatalockerApricornIntegral MemoryiStorageVerbatimAxiom Memory SolutionsGet customization & check discount for report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversSoftware-Based Encrypted Flash DrivesHardware-Based Encrypted Flash DrivesMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoGovernment/MilitaryFinanceEnterprisesIndividualBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Encrypted Flash Drives market.Chapter 1, to describe Encrypted Flash Drives Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Encrypted Flash Drives, with sales, revenue, and price of Encrypted Flash Drives, 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 Encrypted Flash Drives, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Encrypted Flash Drives market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Encrypted Flash Drives sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceView 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, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Immunohistochemistry Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends, And Opportunity Analysis 2025

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Global Immunohistochemistry Market: SnapshotThe global immunohistochemistry market is projected to expand at a healthy pace. Factors responsible for the growth of this market include growing geriatric population, high prevalence of chronic diseases, and rise in the number of diagnostic centers. The growing awareness among physicians and an escalated demand for histopathology are some of the other growth drivers for the global immunohistochemistry market. In addition to this, a rise in the healthcare spending and improvements in the healthcare, diagnostic centers, and hospital infrastructure across many nations are boosting the growth of the immunohistochemistry market. Some of the trends observed in the market include, implementation of nanotechnology in immunohistochemistry, high use of automation, and the use of multiplex arrays.Request Sample Copy of the Report @As per expert analysts, developing nations in Asia Pacific and Latin America are slated to witness high growth. A rise in the demand for personalized medicines is anticipated to create potential of growth for the global immunohistochemistry market in the years to come. Consolidation is another emerging trait of this market. Small vendors in the market are operating at local and regional levels and are challenging the shares of top players in the immunohistochemistry industry. Thus, top players are continuously re-inventing and upgrading themselves to up their markets and expand their product portfolios. This increasing competition is driving innovation, which in turn is boosting the growth of the immunohistochemistry market. Also, innovation is helping players to overcome the existing challenges and address compliance issues.Global Immunohistochemistry Market: Brief AccountThe global immunohistochemistry market is poised to make a bold statement with an impressive growth rate on the back of its irreplaceable application in the detection of the expression of different cancer biomarkers, such as PD-L1, NGS, RBM4, and SASH1. Immunohistochemistry also finds a vital position in Philips and Illuminas collaborated pipeline solutions based on integrated genomics for oncology cases. It is also used to validate the proteins that hold a profound association with prostate cancer, in order to develop biomarker protein panels with a substantial prognostic and diagnostic potential. Besides this, it is essentially employed in the recently discovered experimental treatment for Parkinsons disease which gives an early promise.Request TOC of the Report @With such handsome demand in the biotechnology sector, the global market for immunohistochemistry is foretold to showcase a stallion growth. Considering the segmentation portion of the report, the international immunohistochemistry market can be categorized by product type, application, and end user. The geographical segmentation presented in the report will help the global players in the market to gauge their growth potential internationally and make the necessary amendments in their business strategies.The customized report on the global immunohistochemistry market explores the breakthrough strategies and growth factors of the top industry players. The overall scenario of the existing and latent competitive landscape of the international market is extensively elucidated by the analysts. The market intelligence solution offered here presents a valuable blend of trends analysis and quantitative forecasting.Request TOC of the Report @Global Immunohistochemistry Market: Trend and OpportunitiesWith a close to healthy CAGR, the global immunohistochemistry market is envisioned to project a tall rise while riding on the fattening rifeness of chronic diseases and forging advancement of geriatric population. The international market is also anticipated to take advantage of the rising physical awareness, aggressive building of diagnostic facilities, and demand for histopathology. Glaring opportunities for growth in the market are expected to be built upon the inflating want for personalized medicine and whistle-stop development in the emerging economies of Latin America and Asia Pacific.Global Immunohistochemistry Market: Key GeographiesIt is significant to study the important regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific alongside Latin America and the Middle East and Africa in the Rest of the World classification. The further classification of these regions at a country level will also help to gain a keen insight into the competitive landscape of the global immunohistochemistry market. India, China, and Brazil are predicted to be under high focus in terms of growth for their regional markets. The rising per capita income, elevating number of cancer patients, and swiftly developing healthcare infrastructure are reckoned to boost the growth in the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa regions.Get a discount @Global Immunohistochemistry Market: Market GiantsMerck Millipore (U.S.), Bio SB Inc. (U.S.), PerkinElmer, Inc. (U.S.), Agilent Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Abcam plc (U.K.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Cell Signaling Technology, Inc. (U.S.), Danaher Corporation (U.S.), F. Hoffman-La Roche AG (Switzerland), and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.) are some of the dominant players in the global immunohistochemistry market. The report customizes the company profiling section as per the business wants of the buyers.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth researh of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
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E.L.S.E. - Exclusive Luxury Shopping Experience ELSE Corp brings the 3D Retail Revolution to theMICAM

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theMICAM MILAN 17-20 SEPTEMBER 2017ELSE Corp - A Virtual Retail companySTAND ACC 13 - HALL 3Ahttp://www.else-corp.com/themicam2017Milano, 27 July 2017. E.L.S.E., an acronym for Exclusive Luxury Shopping Experience, is a technological cloud based platform for Virtual Retail (no stock retail), conceived and developed by ELSE Corp, which represents a turning point for the future of innovative methods and strategies in retail, design, production, distribution and marketing rules for Fashion and Luxury products.With E.L.S.E., VIRTUAL RETAIL, the innovative industrial process for Mass Customization, based on Cloud, 3D and CAD technologies, proposes a revolutionary reorganization in the design and operating of traditional stores towards a new era of 3D Immersive Shopping Experience. A transformation of distribution channels into new, conceptual, technologically enhanced, visual merchandising spaces, with the Virtual Fashion Corners, where it is possible to realize a new customer experience for Virtual Shopping, focussed on the Personalisation of products in 3D, giving customers the freedom to enjoy the personal style and individual size services.At theMICAM, ELSE Corp, the Milan based startup founded in 2014, will launch this new digital transformation defined as 3D RETAIL REVOLUTION, in the footwear industry. The specialized platform else.shoes, based on the E.L.S.E. framework, brings the opportunity to create an "ideal" experience of Virtual Fashion Retail, using six important elements:- 3D Virtual Boutique, a digital representation of the brands retail space;- 3D Virtual Catalogue, containing the products that may be virtually purchased;- 3D Product Configurator, allowing to access a front-end app for 3D personalization in real- time, integrable into brand or retailers offer, providing a unique customization experience;- Mobile App for the Store Assistant, a remote-control device for navigation and selection of options from the 3D configurator.- Biometric 3D Foot Scanner, to extract the customer's measurements;- Physical Product Samples, which represent the customizable materials and accessories of parts of the product, giving the customer a sense of the texture and quality of the final product.The open cloud SaaS platform for Virtual Sales E.L.S.E., provides the fundamentals of "mass customization" and "industrial made to measure" services, allowing brands to produce products on an industrial scale but made on demand, and where applicable, made-to-measure.With the help of ELSE-ware, the manufacturing 4.0 middleware, combined with else.shoes, the first 3D integrated industrial solution for the footwear industry, enables mass customization, industrial made to measure and on-demand production, inheriting the 3D CAD workflows.ELSE Corp's footwear solutions for mass customization are complemented and further realised through the strategic industrial partnership with ATOM Group, the world's leading provider of product development and process technology for the footwear industry.A real case of Open Innovation involving the start-up ELSE Corp, ATOM Shoemaster International's CAD / CAM software division and ATOM Lab, its Research and Innovation Unit; they together realized a 360-degree integration of all the processes involved in customizing footwear. This collaboration is the result of ATOM Lab's expertise in Industry 4.0 and of the powerful design and manufacturing tools provided by the Shoemaster integrated suite of applications.With a demo showcase at the Lounge "3D Retail Revolution", visitors to theMICAM will be introduced to a concrete vision of the future driving the integration of CAD and 3D processes.It is a scenario where design, virtual product customization and manufacturing phases are combined to produce a hybrid product with fully virtual product lifecycle traceability. Visitors will have the opportunity to customize step-by-step, a pair of shoes through the 3D configurator, based on E.L.S.E technology with its CAD models made in Shoemaster.One way that the 3D Retail Revolution plans to overcome overproduction and stock issues, is to create a smart supply chain, leveraging the relevant technologies. It also has the advantage of implementing multi-directional interactions with products and variants at a competitive price, experimenting with new forms of capsule collections with creative elements.ELSE CorpELSE Corp, a Virtual Retail Company, is an Italian B2B startup based in Milan and founded in 2014, that is developing E.L.S.E. (Exclusive Luxury Shopping Experience), providing a new customer experience through the innovative SaaS cloud platform for Virtual Retail, Virtual Commerce, and Hybrid & Distributed Manufacturing. Incubated by the Polihub Startup District & Incubator by the Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, it is part of various startup programs such as Microsoft BizSpark Plus, SAP Focus and IBM Global Entrepreneur. ELSE Corp was the first Italian startup to be certified by Early Metrics UK, a rating agency for startups and innovative SMEs.ATOM GroupAtom was founded in 1946 in the Vigevano mechano-footwear district. The Company is the international leader in cutting systems and the development of advanced technologies applied to various manufacturing sectors, adapting to all industrial processes including cutting flexible and semi-rigid materials. In 70 years of activity, Atom has accumulated 5 manufacturing units in Italy and abroad, with branches in 10 countries, and has produced and sold more than 250,000 cutting systems around the world. Thanks to the subsidiaries of Main Group Technologies, ATOM MB and Shoemaster International, the Group is in a position to cover almost all of the manufacturing processes of footwear with its technologies. Atom Lab is the research laboratory of Atom, a true "factory on demand", which develops technologies and experimental projects, to create a new mode of production.ELSE Corp SrlVia Domenichino, 19, 5th Floor, 20149 Milan, Italycontact: info @ else-corp.it
Acousto Optic Devices Market - Key Players Focus on Product Innovation to Consolidate Position

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Optics is a particular branch of science that studies and takes into account both the behavior and properties of light. It also includes science that deals with interactions between matter and instruments that are used for detection of light. Optic involves the behavior of ultraviolet, infrared and visible lights. Acousto optics is that particular branch of science that analyzes the interactions between sound and light waves. Acousto optic waves are formed on the basis of changes in the refractive index of a particular medium because of the sound waves present in the medium. Acousto optic devices can deflect as well as modulate laser. The performance of these devices is achieved by making high-quality single crystal. The global market for acousto optic devices has been segmented on the basis of type, application, end use industry and geography. The various types of acousto optic devices that are considered includes modulators, optical filters, mode lockers and deflectors among others. Material processing, micro processing and laser processing form the different application areas on the basis of which the global acousto optic devices market has been segmented by application. Various end use industries that are considered in the global acousto optic devices market includes aerospace and defense, medical, telecom, industrial, oil & gas and semiconductor and electronics among others.Obtain Report Details @Global acousto optic devices market on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.The rise in demand for laser applications especially to be used in the field of life science and research vertical is a major driver contributing to the growing demand for acousto optic devices globally. Moreover, the high demand for modulators is expected to help increase the demand for acousto optic devices and in turn helping the overall market to grow globally. Use of modulators across different industry verticals has enhanced because of the capability for controlling frequency, direction and power of laser beam with electric signal. Acousto optic devices are used across different industry verticals especially in semiconductors industry where it is needed in laser equipment for electronic control of laser beam. These all factors together makes for some important drivers for the growth of global acousto optic devices market. With all these drivers that is increasing the demand for acousto optic devices, still there are certain restraints that negatively impacts the growth of this market. High cost initially associated with implementation of acousto optic devices has been a major restraint that negatively impacts the demand for acousto optic devices. Other than this, the high research and development expenses involved with usage of acousto optic devices has been another major restraint for the acousto optic devices globally. The huge growth opportunities for laser market is expected to help in the growth of this market in coming years.Geographically, it is Asia Pacific region that forms one of the major regions that contributes to the growth of this market with China, Japan and India being some of the major players in this market. Huge growth in semiconductor industry along with rising applications of acousto optic devices has been some of the major reasons contributing to the growth of overall market. In addition to this, it is the rapid industrialization in this region that has contributed to the growth of this market globally. After Asia Pacific it is, North America and Europe forms some other major markets for the acousto optic devices market globally. High industrial presence along with growing research and development facilities has been some major factors contributing to the growth of this market in this region.Some of the major players operating in the acousto optic devices market include Isomet Corporation (U.S.), Harris Corporation (U.S.), Coherent, Inc. (U.S.), IntraAction Corp. (U.S.), Gooch & Housego PLC (U.K.), Brimrose Corporation of America (U.S.), AMS Technologies AG (Germany), Lightcomm Technology Co., Ltd. (China) and AA Opto Electronic (France) among others.Fill The Form For An Exclusive Sample Of This Report @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 global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Transparency Market Research90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
South East Asia Insurance Market Share, Growth, Size, Status and Forecast 2022

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The South East Asia insurance market is primarily driven by economic development in Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asia insurance market had generated total gross written premiums of $104.6bn in 2016, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.06% between 2012 and 2016, and the insurance market in Southeast Asia is expected to reach the total gross written premiums of $203.6bn in 2022, at the CAGR of 10.89% from 2017 to 2022.The major players in global market includeAIAPrudentialGreat EasternAXAAllianzMuang ThaiThai LifeSiam ComnManulifeBangkok LifeAvivaSun LifeHong LeongSinar MasBao Viet Nhan ThoInsular LifeDai-ichiGeographically, this report split South East Asia into several key Regions, with, Premium (million USD), and gross margin, the regions include:SingaporeThailandMalaysiaIndonesiaPhilippinesVietnamOtherGet The Sample Copy Of This Report :Table of Contents1 Industry Overview11.1 Insurance Market Overview11.1.1 Insurance Product Scope11.1.2 Market Status and Outlook21.2 South East Asia Insurance Market Size and Analysis by Countries (2012-2017)21.2.1 Indonesia Insurance Market Status and Outlook31.2.2 Thailand Insurance Market Status and Outlook41.2.3 Singapore Insurance Market Status and Outlook41.2.4 Philippines Insurance Market Status and Outlook51.2.5 Malaysia Insurance Market Status and Outlook51.2.6 Vietnam Insurance Market Status and Outlook61.3 Insurance Market by Segment62 South East Asia Insurance Competition Analysis by Players92.1 South East Asia Insurance Market Size by Players (2016 and 2017)92.2 Competitive Status and Trend112.2.1 Market Concentration Rate112.2.2 Product/Service Differences112.2.3 The Technology Trends in Future12Send An Enquiry :3 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Insurance153.1 AIA153.1.1 Company Profile153.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview163.1.3 Premium and Gross Margin163.2 Prudential163.2.1 Company Profile163.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview173.2.3 Premium and Gross Margin173.3 Great Eastern183.3.1 Company Profile183.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview193.3.3 Premium and Gross Margin203.4 AXA203.4.1 Company Profile203.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview213.4.3 Premium and Gross Margin213.5 Allianz223.5.1 Company Profile223.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview233.5.3 Premium and Gross Margin233.6 Muang Thai243.6.1 Company Profile243.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview253.6.3 Premium and Gross Margin253.7 Thai Life253.7.1 Company Profile253.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview263.7.3 Premium and Gross Margin263.8 Siam Comn273.8.1 Company Profile273.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview283.8.3 Premium and Gross Margin283.9 Manulife283.9.1 Company Profile283.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview293.9.3 Premium and Gross Margin293.10 Bangkok Life303.10.1 Company Profile303.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview303.10.3 Premium and Gross Margin313.11 Aviva323.11.1 Company Profile323.11.2 Main Business/Business Overview333.11.3 Premium and Gross Margin333.12 Sun Life333.12.1 Company Profile333.12.2 Main Business/Business Overview343.12.3 Premium and Gross Margin353.13 Hong Leong353.13.1 Company Profile353.13.2 Main Business/Business Overview363.13.3 Premium and Gross Margin363.14 Sinar Mas373.14.1 Company Profile373.14.2 Main Business/Business Overview373.14.3 Premium and Gross Margin383.15 Bao Viet Nhan Tho383.15.1 Company Profile383.15.2 Main Business/Business Overview393.15.3 Premium and Gross Margin393.16 Insular Life403.16.1 Company Profile403.16.2 Main Business/Business Overview403.16.3 Premium and Gross Margin413.17 Dai-ichi413.17.1 Company Profile413.17.2 Main Business/Business Overview423.17.3 Premium and Gross Margin424 South East Asia Insurance Market Size by Segment (2012-2017)434.1 South East Asia Insurance Market Size by Segment (2012-2017)434.2 Top Consumer / End Users of Insurance445 Singapore Insurance Development Status and Outlook465.1 Singapore Insurance Market Size (2012-2017)465.2 Singapore Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)465.3 Singapore Insurance Market Size by Segment (2012-2017)486 Thailand Insurance Development Status and Outlook506.1 Thailand Insurance Market Size (2012-2017)506.2 Thailand Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)506.3 Thailand Insurance Market Size by Segment (2012-2017)52MRRbiz supports your business intelligence needs with over 700,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
2017-2022 Pet Insurance Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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This report studies the Pet Insurance market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the Pet Insurance market by product type and applications/end industries.The global Pet Insurance market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Pet Insurance. United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Get The Sample Copy Of This Report :Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Pet Insurance in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States Pet Insurance market, including Petplan UK (Allianz), Nationwide, Trupanion, Petplan NorthAmerica(Allianz), Hartville Group, Pethealth, Petfirst, Embrace, Royal & Sun Alliance (RSA), Direct Line Group, Agria, Petsecure, PetSure, Anicom Holding, ipet Insurance, Japan Animal Club.The On the basis of product, the Pet Insurance market is primarily split intoLifetime CoverNon-lifetime CoverAccident-onlyOthersSend An Enquiry :On the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversDogCatOtherTable of Contents2017-2022 Pet Insurance Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 Pet Insurance Market Overview2.1 Pet Insurance Product Overview2.2 Pet Insurance Market Segment by Type2.2.1 Lifetime Cover2.2.2 Non-lifetime Cover2.2.3 Accident-only2.2.4 Other2.3 Global Pet Insurance Product Segment by Type2.3.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Growth (%) by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.3.2 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.3 Global Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.4 Global Pet Insurance Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)2.4 United States Pet Insurance Product Segment by Type2.4.1 United States Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Growth by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.4.2 United States Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.3 United States Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.4 United States Pet Insurance Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)Browse More Details :3 Pet Insurance Application/End Users3.1 Pet Insurance Segment by Application/End Users3.1.1 Dog3.1.2 Cat3.1.3 Other3.2 Global Pet Insurance Product Segment by Application3.2.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.2.2 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)3.3 United States Pet Insurance Product Segment by Application3.3.1 United States Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.3.2 United States Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)4 Pet Insurance Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1 Global Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1.1 Global Pet Insurance Market Size and CAGR by Regions (2012, 2016 and 2022)4.1.2 North America4.1.3 Asia-Pacific4.1.4 Europe4.1.5 South America4.1.6 Middle East and Africa4.1.7 United States4.2 Global Pet Insurance Sales and Revenue by Regions4.2.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.2 Global Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.3 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.4 North America Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.5 Europe Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.6 Asia-Pacific Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.7 South America Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4.2.8 Middle East and Africa Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.9 United States Pet Insurance Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)5 Global Pet Insurance Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers5.1 Global Pet Insurance Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)5.2 Global Pet Insurance Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2012-2017)5.3 Global Pet Insurance Average Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2012-2017)5.4 Players Pet Insurance Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Types5.5 Pet Insurance Market Competitive Situation and Trends5.5.1 Pet Insurance Market Concentration Rate5.5.2 Global Pet Insurance Market Share (%) of Top 3 and Top 5 Players5.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionMRRbiz supports your business intelligence needs with over 700,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Worldwide Healthcare Logistics Market Size (Value), Share, Trends, Growth, Reviews, Company Profiles & Forecast Report 2022

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Global Healthcare Logistics Market Research Report 2017 to 2022 presents an in-depth assessment of the Healthcare Logistics including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, standardization, regulatory landscape, deployment models, operator case studies, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for Healthcare Logistics investments from 2017 till 2022.This report studies the global Healthcare Logistics market, analyzes and researches the Healthcare Logistics development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, include as DB Schenker, Deutsche Post DHL, Kuehne + Nagel, CEVA Holdings, FedEx, Continental Cargo, Agility, Air Canada Cargo, Biocair, Igloo Thermo Logistics, Nordic Logistics and Warehousing, VersaCold Logistics Services, World Courier, Panalpina, LifeConEx, Helapet, Marken and CSafe.Request a Sample Copy of Global Healthcare Logistics Market Research Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, Healthcare Logistics Market report covers are United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.Market segment by Type, Healthcare Logistics can be split into: Branded Drugs and Generic DrugsMarket segment by Application, Healthcare Logistics can be split into: Marine, Inland and AviationEnquire about this report @Major Points in Table of Contents:Global Healthcare Logistics Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022Industry Overview of Healthcare Logistics MarketGlobal Healthcare Logistics Market Competition Analysis by PlayersGlobal Healthcare Logistics Market Company (Top Players) ProfilesGlobal Healthcare Logistics Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)United States Healthcare Logistics Market Development Status and OutlookEU Healthcare Logistics Market Development Status and OutlookJapan Healthcare Logistics Market Development Status and OutlookChina Healthcare Logistics Market Development Status and OutlookIndia Healthcare Logistics Market Development Status and OutlookSoutheast Asia Healthcare Logistics Market Development Status and OutlookMarket Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2017-2022)Healthcare Logistics Market DynamicsMarket Effect Factors AnalysisResearch Findings and ConclusionRelated Reports: -Global Capsule Hotels Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022The global Capsule Hotels market is valued at 159 million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach 226 million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of 6.03% between 2016 and 2022.Centralize market research purchases across your entire organization in one place.Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Global Market Study on Pallets Plastic Material Type Segment Projected to Register the Highest CAGR During 2017 - 2025

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Asia Pacific is expected to be an opportunistic market in terms of consumption in the global pallets market. Key players in the region are expanding their footprint to leverage the burgeoning food & beverage and transportation sectors in the Asia Pacific region. Europe and North America are the early adopters of pallets in the food industry. The pallets market is characterized by the presence of a large number of Europe, North America, and Asia Pacific based players. There are a limited number of manufacturers in MEA and Latin America regions. The global pallets market has witnessed increasing adoption of plastic pallets owing to its various advantages over wood pallets. This market is expected to be characterized by new product development over the forecast period. According to the analysts of Persistence Market Research, the market for wooden pallets is highly organized owing to a large number of trivial players in wood pallet manufacturing. These interesting findings are the key highlights of a newly published report titled Pallets Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012  2016 and Forecast 2017 - 2025.Request For Sample Report :Another observation elucidated in the report pertains to the key player strategy of strengthening product portfolio by launching new products with improved characteristics. Also, strategic collaborations with small players to gain regional advantage is expected to be the key trend over the projected period. Another important feature of the global pallets market is the status of the wooden pallets market. The wooden pallets market is at a saturation stage. However, these pallets are expected to dominate the global pallets market throughout the forecast period. On the other hand, the demand for plastic pallets is increasing across various industries due to its inherent advantages. Moreover, these pallets minimize the rate of injuries as plastic pallets do not have nails and splinters.Market participants indicate a preference for block pallets over stringer designsAccording to the CEO of a North America based wood pallet manufacturing company, any global standardization of pallets is likely to support block pallets as the platform of preference. The customers involved in shipping largely prefer block pallets. North American pallet users are also increasingly moving towards block pallets.The President of a plastic pallet manufacturing company from Europe region said that customers have been asking for plastic pallets because many new foreign import restrictions have been imposed that make the use of wooden pallets less attractive. Plastic pallets are insect-free, can be easily cleaned and are totally recyclable. The palletization boom is set to occur in Asia and according to the Operations Director of an APAC pallet pooling service provider, the China market is expected to grow at unprecedented rates over the next 10 years as the country works to improve its logistics to cater to the global industrial metamorphosis.Send An Enquiry :Market SegmentationMaterial TypeWoodComposite WoodPlasticPaperMetalSteelOther metalsStructural DesignBlockStringerCustomizedEnd UseEngineering ProductsPharmaceuticalsChemicalsTextile & HandicraftAgriculture & Allied ProductsElectronics & Consumer AppliancesTransportation & WarehousingFood & BeverageRetailOthersRegionsNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East & AfricaBrowse Full Repoet With TOC :Research MethodologyMarket sentiments analysis has been exclusively covered in this report. The analysts have discussed the way wooden pallets have gradually shifted to alternative pallets. The expert team has observed that nails remain the most major cause of injury thereby causing a shift to the alternative (preferably plastic) material as a replacement to wooden pallets. The analysts have conducted more than 50 successful primary interviews while examining this market. Apart from extensive primary research, in-depth secondary research is used to arrive at the overall market size, top industry players, top products and industry associations.Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
3D Machine Vision Market 2017 Development Trends and Growth

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global 3D Machine Vision Market Research Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of 3D Machine Vision in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.Get free sample copy of report atGlobal 3D Machine Vision market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including Keyence Corporation, Cognex Corporation, ISRA Vision, Sick AG and Basler AG.Get more information about this report atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into PC Based and Smart Camera Based. On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of 3D Machine Vision for each application, including Quality Assurance and Inspection, Positioning and Guidance, Measurement and Identification.Get discount on report purchase atTable of Content1 3D Machine Vision Market Overview2 Global 3D Machine Vision Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global 3D Machine Vision Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global 3D Machine Vision Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global 3D Machine Vision Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type6 Global 3D Machine Vision Market Analysis by Application7 Global 3D Machine Vision Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Keyence Corporation7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 3D Machine Vision Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Keyence Corporation 3D Machine Vision Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Cognex Corporation7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 3D Machine Vision Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Cognex Corporation 3D Machine Vision Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 ISRA Vision7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 3D Machine Vision Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 ISRA Vision 3D Machine Vision Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 3D Machine Vision Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global 3D Machine Vision Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase complete report atContact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Plastic Closure Market Report on Global Market Growth, Development to 2022 Including Key Players GCS, Silgan, ALPLA

Plastic Closure Market

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A new research document with title 'Global Plastic Closure 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 North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players/vendors such as GCS, Silgan, ALPLA etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-2022.Request a sample report @SummaryThe bottle is sealed with a Closure; Closures are mainly manufactured by plastic, metal and wood. This study is about the plastic ClosureScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Plastic Closure 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 coversBericapClosure Systems InternationalAptar GroupGCSSilganALPLATHCBerry PlasticsMold Rite PlasticsOriental ContainersZijiangJinfuZhongFuBlackhawk MoldingMocapMarket 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)Get customization & check discount for report @Market Segment by Type, coversPP ClosurePE ClosureOtherMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoBeverage IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryPersonal Care ProductsOthersBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Plastic Closure market.Chapter 1, to describe Plastic Closure Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Plastic Closure, with sales, revenue, and price of Plastic Closure, 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 Plastic Closure, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Plastic Closure market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Plastic Closure sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceView 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, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Mirrorless Cameras Market - Future Scope Detailed Analysis and Forecast to 2025

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Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: OverviewMirrorless cameras, commonly used term for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILC), are digital cameras with interchangeable lens that are fitted with image sensors to provide image to the EVF (electronic viewfinder). Termed as mirrorless as these cameras do not have a mirror in the optical path and is characterized as lightweight to handle, smaller for easy portability, and simple to use. Though smartphones have eaten out a significant chunk out of the digital cameras market in the recent past, the market for mirrorless cameras is expected to expand at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025, gaining traction from a number of factors such as increasing disposable income among the urban population and social media trend that is quickly engulfing the younger and older generation alike.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Key TrendsImage sharing social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Twitter may have helped camera-fitted smartphones to be the cause of most of photos captured across the world, mirrorless cameras have been slow but steadily luring the financially-equipped population for its sheer quality of pictures. Consistently new product launches that attract the enthusiasts, research and development to device that new technologically advanced camera that can stand out of the competition, and declining overall cost are some of the other factors augmenting the demand in the global mirrorless cameras market. Another boon for the mirrorless cameras market has been the increasing penetration of ecommerce, wherein the prospect customers can not only purchase the products of their choice, they can also made decisions via reviews as well as educate potential customers. On the other hand, though significant cost continues to prove as a barrier, the mirrorless cameras market is also hindered by the lack of proper after sales customer care.Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Market PotentialNevertheless, rapidly increasing buying ability of urban population in the emerging economies is expected to open new opportunities for the vendors operating in the global mirrorless cameras market. Developing nations such as India, China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia house nearly the half of the worlds population and disposable income is incrementing. The vendors operating in the global mirrorless cameras market are expected to enter these new markets, if they already havent, and gain new consumer base.Request TOC of the Report @Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Regional OutlookSome of the most important regions for the vendors operating in the global mirrorless cameras are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. North America gains maximum demand from the developed countries of the U.S., worlds fourth most populous country, and Canada, whereas Europe closely follows with profitable countries such as the U.K., Germany, France, and Italy serving most of the demand. In the near future, Asia Pacific is projected to increment the demand in the mirrorless cameras market at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025 with increasing disposable income and deep social media penetration.Get a discount @Global Mirrorless Cameras Market: Competitive LandscapeCanon, Sony, and Nikon are some of the key companies currently operating in the global mirrorless cameras market. Each of these companies consistently enhance their products as well as depend on aggressive market strategies to spread the word in order to gain new consumers. In the near future, favorable customer service is also expected to gain importance as a strategy to maintain consumer base. Panasonic and Samsung Electronics are couple of other prominent players operational in the global mirrorless cameras market with significant shares.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Spying on Moscow - A Winged Guide to Architecture

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A pedestrian in the city sees buildings in the context of the city landscape, with the facades as main attraction. Architects and engineers are focused on construction and design, and urbanists consider individual buildings solely as elements of the city complex. Thus the angle of observation influences the reception of the objects: viewing from above, onto the "fifth facade" that barely anyone sees, opens completely different dimensions.The Moscow photographer, Denis Esakov, has captured the fifth facades of Europe's largest metropolis with a remote-controlled drone: roofs, domes, towering building cubes. In this small bibliographic picture book Spying on Moscow: A Winged Guide To Architecture, the photographer portrays over seventy architecturally important objects from the past hundred years. This is the first book ever to use photos taken from a drone, flying over Moskow. Denis Esakov tells a short story about each building with three pictures; two are taken from above and the third is taken from the perspective of an observer at ground-level. Thus composing a three-dimensional overall impression, enabling to see the sights of the city with a new point of view  just like looking at an architect's model. Such a view helps to develop perception and captures the essence of the building from three angles. The hyperbolic construction of the Shukhov Radiotower (1922) reminds us of a bird's nest; the former residential Government Building (1928-1931) by Boris Iofan reveals a complex composition with different volumes and courtyards; the Red Army Theatre (1934-1940)  that should be recognisable from above  develops into the emblematic five-pointed star.This type of photography offers a new city reception or shows the glitches in urban space. It reveals how a building integrates into the cityscape or organises it. Although the photographs have a documentary character, they convey the impression of flying over the city. By gazing through the drones eye, the artist fosters a novel visual aesthetic that opens up new vistas, even for Moscow connoisseurs. With his view through the eye of the drone, the artist creates a new image aesthetic that opens up new perspectives for even Moscow connoisseurs.Denis Esakov (photos) / Karina Diemer (text)Spying on MoscowA Winged Guide to Architecture150 x 210 mm, 336 pages230 pictures, hardcoverISBN 978-3-86922-501-2 (German / English / Russian)EUR 28.00May 2017. DOM publishers, Berlingisela graf communications supports publishers, museums and institutions specialising in architecture, design or art, with professional press and PR work, also on an international level.Communications  Individual concepts and texts for media relationsConnections  Media contacts, interview arrangements, events  anything that brings people and subjects togetherCorrections  Editing and copy editing of texts and specialised publications, catalogues and brochuresgisela graf communicationsGisela GrafSchillerstr. 20D 79102 FreiburgT +49 761 791 99 09F +49 761 791 99 08contact@gisela-graf.com
Lithium-ion Battery Market - Growing Use of Low Power Capacity Lithium-ion Batteries in Consumer Electronics

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The global lithium-ion batteries market is consolidated in nature, with the top three players accounting for a share of over 57% in 2025. Panasonic Corporation, Samsung SDI Co. Ltd., and LG Chem Power Inc. offer stiff competition to new entrants owing to the competitive advantage they possess in terms of the easy access to raw materials. Transparency Market Research predicts that the degree of rivalry in the lithium-ion battery market will remain high throughout the forecast period.Browse The Press Release:Competitive pricing, offering dedicated services, and developing innovative application-specific performance materials are some of the key strategies adopted by leading companies. Recognizing the potential lithium-ion batteries present in the automotive sector, Panasonic Corporation collaborated with Tesla Motors in 2014 to set up a new lithium-ion battery manufacturing company in North America.The opportunity in the global lithium-ion battery market is poised to rise from US$29.68 bn in 2015 to US$77.42 bn in 2024, registering a strong CAGR of 11.6% therein.Application of Lithium-ion Batteries in Automotive Segment to Gain Momentum by 2024By power capacity, the low power lithium-ion battery (5-25 Wh) segment held the lead in the global market, accounting for a 35% share in 2015. On the other hand, the 18-28 KWh segment is projected to witness significant growth in the coming years, registering a 16.7% CAGR by value from 2016 to 2024. Based on application, the consumer electronics segment accounted for the leading share in the lithium-ion battery market in terms of revenue. However, TMR predicts that market saturation in several countries will enable the automotive segment to gain much momentum, exhibiting the fastest growth during the forecast period.Geographically, Asia Pacific presently leads the global market for lithium-ion batteries, enjoying a share of over 48% in 2015. This region is also projected to expand at a significant pace in terms of demand and sales during the course of the forecast period. By value, the APAC lithium-ion battery market will register a 12.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.Need for Alternative Fuels Drives Demand for Lithium-ion BatteriesA growing shift toward sustainable clean fuels in the automotive sector is a key factor driving the lithium-ion battery market. TMR finds that the demand for high power capacity batteries for automobiles has gained precedence in recent years with the rising usage of these batteries in EVs, HEVs, and BEVs.The increasing level of awareness among consumers and automobile manufacturers alike regarding the benefits of clean fuel, the declining availability of natural resources, and the soaring prices of fossil fuels have warranted the need for alternate solutions and this has significantly driven the global lithium-ion battery market, the author of the report states.Make an Enquiry @The market is also fueled by the rising demand for smartphones and other consumer electronics, TMR finds. A rise in the global population and a surge in consumer disposable income can be attributed to the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries.In contrast, the high prices of these batteries, safety concerns associated with the use of lithium-ion batteries, and the lack of appropriate charging infrastructure threaten the growth of the global market.This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled Lithium-ion Battery Market for Consumer Electronics, Automotive, and Grid Energy & Industrial Applications - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendationsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Airway Management Products In Global Market Will Grow At A CAGR Of During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Airway Management Products In Global Market Will Grow At A CAGR Of During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Airway management is a medical procedure performed to prevent airway obstruction in a critically ill patient. Airway management products also ensure gaseous exchange during surgeries and other critical situations. Anesthesia face masks, LMA, and ETT are some of the devices commonly used for airway management.Technavios analysts forecast the global airway management products market to grow at a CAGR of 5.23% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global airway management products market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of anesthesia face masks, LMA, and ETT to various end-users.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Airway Management Products Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAmbuBDTeleflexIntersurgicalSmiths MedicalMedtronicTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsArmstrong MedicalASID BONZBard MedicalBesmed Health BusinessBLS SystemsCardinal HealthFlexicareGaleMedHangzhou Tappa Medical TechnologyHSINERKindWell Medical DisposableLegend Medical DevicesMedlineMercury MedicalNingbo Boya Medical EquipmentNuovaOscar BoscarolO-Two Medical TechnologiesSainty International Group JiangsuSharn AnesthesiaSHINMEDSourceMarkSUMISure Care CorporationTri-anim Health ServicesVogt MedicalWeihai Strongmedical Sci-TechWestmedWintersweet MedicalMarket driverRise in volume of surgeriesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeRisks and complications associated with airway management productsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendGrowing emphasis on pediatric airway managementFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse 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 @
Growing demand for 3D Printed Drug Market in Global Industry

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Global 3D Printed Drug Market: OverviewCurrently, the global market for 3D printed drug is in its budding stage; however, it is poised to undergo a phase of positive growth over the next few years. The advancements 3D printing technology and the increasing investments to increase the research activities for the development of highly efficient 3D printed drugs are likely to boost this market substantially in the near future.Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Key TrendsWith the decline in the price of 3D printers, the market for 3D printed drugs is witnessing a significant rise across the world. The increasing usage of 3D printing as an additive in the medical and healthcare industry will act as a catalyst to this market in the coming years. The rising trend of using 3D printing technology in the printing of artificial bones is also projected to aid this market over the next few years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Market PotentialThe global 3D printed drugs market is gaining significantly from the rising awareness pertaining to the advantages of these drugs, such as their instantaneous solubility. Apart from this, the augmented arrival of individual drugs and production of combination medicines, stimulated by 3D printing, is also expected to propel this market in the near future. Since 3D drugs can be customized as per the requirement of every patient, assisting way better than batch-produced drugs, their demand is predicted to increase substantially in the years to come.Overall, the future of the worldwide market for 3D printed drugs looks bright. However, the reports of adverse effect of these drugs may create hindrances for this market over the forthcoming years.Request TOC of the Report @Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Regional OutlookThe global market for 3D printed drugs reports its presence across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Rest of the World (RoW). Europe and North America have surfaced as the key contributors to this market, thanks to the presence of an advanced domestic healthcare infrastructure. With the high investment on research and development and the advent of the U.S. as the leading domestic market for 3D printed drugs, North America is anticipated to acquire the topmost position in the global market over the forthcoming years. Among other regional markets, Asia Pacific is likely to report a significant rise in the near future, thanks to the increasing investments in research and development activities in India and China.Get a discount @Global 3D Printed Drug Market: Competitive AnalysisAs of now, only one company is involved in the production of 3D printed drugs: Aprecia Pharmaceuticals. The pharma company has successfully developed the first 3D printed drug in the world and has named it Spritam. The U.S. FDA has approved the drug and it is currently being sold in the U.S market. Other drug makers are expected to follow the suit in the near future on account of the swift advancements in technology and the declining price of 3D printers.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Various Technologies Used To Enhanced Oil Recovery In Global Market Between The Period 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Various Technologies Used To Enhanced Oil Recovery In Global Market Between The Period 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Enhanced oil recovery also known as tertiary recovery in oil production involves the use of various technologies to enhance oil production and restore formation pressure after the failure of primary and secondary recovery techniques. Enhanced oil recovery plays a significant role in improving oil production, especially in mature oil fields. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) also known as tertiary recovery is a stage in oil production that involves the use of various technologies to enhance the production of oil after failure of recovery from primary and secondary recovery methods.Technavios analysts forecast the global enhanced oil recovery market to grow at a CAGR of 10.85% during the period 2017-2021.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global enhanced oil recovery market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Enhanced Oil Recovery Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsBPChevronHalliburtonRoyal Dutch ShellSchlumbergerTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsBlackPearlCanadian NaturalCenovus EnergyCNOOCConocoPhillipsDevon EnergyExxon MobilHusky EnergyKinder MorganLUKOILMEG EnergyNALCOMurphy OilOccidental PetroleumPetroChinaPETROBRASPETRONASPraxair TechnologyREX ENERGYStatoilWintershallMarket driverGrowth of unconventional sources of hydrocarbons.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeUncertainties associated with low crude oil prices.For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendDevelopment of polymer enhanced oil recovery technology.For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Browse 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 @
Phase Change Materials Market Report 2017, Trends, Analysis, Share, Estimates and Forecasts to 2022.

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According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Phase Change Material Market is accounted for $686.73 million in 2015 and is expected to reach $2,365 million by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 19.3% during the forecast period. Decrease in operating cost, improved comfort and temperature control nature of phase change materials are the key factors driving the market growth. Lack of government subsidies and high cost of these materials is restraining the market growth.New and superior products by suppliers, and enhanced macro and micro-encapsulation techniques which eventually reduce the advanced PCM costs will create new opportunities in PCM market. Major Challenge in Phase Change Materials is to increase the awareness for advanced PCM products.Some of the key players in the market include Pluss Polymers, DuPont, Phase Change Energy Solutions, BASF, Honeywell Electronic Materials Inc., Entropy Solutions Inc., AI Technology Inc., Rubitherm Technologies, Microtek Laboratories Inc., Cryopak Inc., Advansa B.V, Ciat Group, Emco Klimatechnik Gmbh & Co. KG, Phase Change Energy Solutions Inc and Outlast Technologies LLC.For More, Please Visit:Applications Covered: Thermal Energy Storage Cold Chain Electronics Building & Construction Textiles Construction Transportation Othero Automotiveo Healthcareo TelecommunicationProducts Type Covered: Bio-Based PCM Organic PCM Inorganic PCM Salt HydratesRegions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao EgyptWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsFor More, Please Visit:We offer wide spectrum of research and consulting services with in-depth knowledge of different industries. We are known for customized research services, consulting services and Full Time Equivalent (FTE) services in the research world. We explore the market trends and draw our insights with valid assessments and analytical views. We use advanced techniques and tools among the quantitative and qualitative methodologies to identify the market trends. Our research reports and publications are routed to help our clients to design their business models and enhance their business growth in the competitive market scenario. We have a strong team with hand-picked consultants including project managers, implementers, industry experts, researchers, research evaluators and analysts with years of experience in delivering the complex projects.STRATISTICS MRC17049 King James Way, Gaithersburg,MD, 20877, USA
Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Implants : Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide 2017 to 2022

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Albany, New York, August 1, 2017 : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of " Shares of Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Implants Industry : Technology, Applications, Growth and Status 2017 " globally.Worldwide hip and knee orthopedic surgical Implant markets are poised to achieve significant growth with the aging of the population.Old people have trouble making their joints last as long as they do. The patient stability and the relief from pain provided by the implant is compelling. The major suppliers are providing implants that are state of the art. Orthopedic reconstructive implants are used to replace joints that have deteriorated. Deterioration may come as a result of aging, disease, osteoarthritis, or injury.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Total hip replacement surgery has evolved dramatically over the years as advances in technology have made it possible to improve surgical techniques. 325,000 people had total hip replacement surgery in 2015 in the United States. Computer-assisted total hip replacement surgery is one of the latest revolutions in total hip replacement.Zimmer is the market leader by far in the hip and knee orthopedic implant market. Zimmer M/L taper hip prosthesis has Kinectiv modular neck technology. This is better than traditional hip replacements that have had limited size and shape choices. Doctors typically adjusted the hip bone to fit the implant. Hip replacements with Zimmer Kinectiv Technology give surgeons a wide range of options to achieve a more accurate fit of the joint replacement to the hip.Reconstructive joint surgery involves the modification of the affected area of the joint and the implantation of one or more manufactured components. It may involve the use of bone cement. The primary orthopedic reconstructive targets are joints. Hips and knees are the joints most commonly repaired with orthopedic implants.Orthopedic implant vendors produce associated instruments. Instruments are required by orthopedic surgeons to implant reconstructive products.Interdisciplinary dialog in medicine through its extensive continuing education offerings is a vital part of the hip and knee implant joint replacement market. System partnership means even more intensive exchange to continuously improve patient care. The company seeks to actively contribute extensive knowledge of procurement, logistics and application processes to the medical community.The aim is to increase efficiency of joint implant surgery in hospitals. Depending on the type of disorder, the activity level of the patient and the bone quality, the most suitable implant model is selected and fixated in the bone. A great number of implants for artificial hip replacement are available. The difference between individual models and manufacturers is small, all products are technologically sophisticated and good. Surgeon adoption of an implant product line provides competitive advantage.The surgeon selects an implant based on the devices for which he or she is trained. Surgeons tend to be proficient in a particular device and have the most success implanting that one. The surgeon decision for choice of implant depends on the diagnosis, his or her own experience with the implant products, and the suitability of the selected implant for the patient.Implant assisted medial knee arthroplasty: orthopedic surgical implants are poised to take knee and hip surgery quality far beyond what has previously been available. The quality of knee arthroplasty is improved with implant capability. All the advantages of surgical implants carry into the orthopedic reconstruction surgical products.. When the knee and hip surgical implants are used, patients have reduction of post-operative pain, fewer re-admissions to hospital and faster recovery. Implants support high-precision surgery.Knee and hip surgical implants need robots to provide consistent reproducible precision. Knee or hip replacement will demand attention to quality of life. Maintenance of lifestyle provided by an implant as a joint replacement is compelling. As next generation systems, hip and knee implants provide a way to improve traditional orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgery. Total hip replacement surgery has evolved dramatically as advances in technology have brought improved surgical techniques. Surgical implants are a significant part of that advance.Once, the penetration achieves this 35% level, all orthopedic surgeons will demand that hospitals offer implant orthopedic surgical capability because the outcomes are more predictable and better.Knee and hip surgical implant markets have been impacted by the reduction in insurance payments. Payment reductions have forced hospitals to act as businesses. The cost of delivering care has become as much a factor as providing quality care when making decisions about patient improvement in condition. Cost-cutting has been made in the supply chain. Suppliers were examined closely for quality and cost.The number of suppliers is reduced to put pressure on the ones that remain. Those remaining are pressured to improve prices and efficiencies. Hospitals, physicians, and care providers have been financially incentivized to create accountable care organizations (ACOs). Coordinated patient care plans and value-based purchasing were rewarded. The med device buyer shifted from physicians to the ACOs and smart buying groups.Use of the orthopedic implant represents a key milestone in reconstructive surgery. Implants have provided an opportunity to transform orthopedics. New materials and new designs are bringing that transformation forward. By furthering the growth of implant innovation, patients can get better treatment. By enhancing the surgeon and patient experience is is likely that the entire orthopedics implant market will grow more rapidly than it would otherwise.The aging US population has supported demand, since the occurrence of health issues that require medical devices is higher in the elderly population. Buoyed by strong demand and sales, industry profit margins have increased considerably during the past five years.The worldwide market for Hip and knee orthopedic surgical joint replacement products is $16.7 billion anticipated to reach $33 billon by 2022. The complete report provides a comprehensive analysis including procedure numbers, units sold, market value, forecasts, as well as a detailed competitive market shares and analysis of major players success, challenges, and strategies in each segment and sub-segment. The reports cover markets for knee and hip Implant orthopedic surgery medical specialties and sub-specialties.Make an Enquiry about TOC @Companies ProfiledMarket LeadersJohnson & Johnson / DePuy SynthesStrykerSmith & NephewZimmer BiometMarket ParticipantsB Braun / AesculapConforMISDJOExactechCorinMathysMedactaMicroPort ScientificShenzhen Advanced Institute Spinal Surgical RobotTHINK SurgicalWaldemar LINK GmbH & Co.Wright Medical TechnologyResearchMoz 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
Smart Audio Device Market 2017 Emerging Trends, Analysis and Growth

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Smart Audio Device Market Research Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Smart Audio Device in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.Get free sample copy of report atGlobal Smart Audio Device market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including Sony Corporation (Japan), Bose Corporation (U.S.), Sennheiser Electronic Gmbh & Company Kg (Germany), LG Electronics (South Korea), Sonos, Inc. (U.S.), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), Vizio Holdings, Inc. (U.S.), Apple Inc. (U.S.), Voxx International Corporation (U.S.) and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd (South Korea).Get more information about this report atOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Wireless Microphone, Wireless Headphone, Wireless Speaker and In-Ear Monitoring Systems. On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Smart Audio Device for each application, including Commercial, Consumer, Automotive and Defense.Get discount on report purchase atTable of Content1 Smart Audio Device Market Overview2 Global Smart Audio Device Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Smart Audio Device Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Smart Audio Device Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Smart Audio Device Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type6 Global Smart Audio Device Market Analysis by Application7 Global Smart Audio Device Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Sony Corporation (Japan)7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Smart Audio Device Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Sony Corporation (Japan) Smart Audio Device Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Bose Corporation (U.S.)7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Smart Audio Device Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Bose Corporation (U.S.) Smart Audio Device Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Sennheiser Electronic Gmbh & Company Kg (Germany)7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Smart Audio Device Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Sennheiser Electronic Gmbh & Company Kg (Germany) Smart Audio Device Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Smart Audio Device Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Smart Audio Device Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase complete report atContact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Growing demand for Blood Preparation Market in Global Industry

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Global Blood Preparation Market: SnapshotThe process for preparing blood components is the centrifugation of one unit of the whole blood. The whole blood comprises of colloids, cells and crystalloids which can be differentiated into different blood components such as red blood cell, white blood cell, platelet, plasma, and precipitate. For therapeutic efficacy, these different blood components need different temperature requirements and storage conditions. The blood preparation market is developing due to the increasing use of leucocyte reduced RBCs, platelet concentrate, packed red cells, cryoprecipitate and the whole blood components. Major applications involves in blood preparation are renal impairment, pulmonary embolism, thrombocytosis, angina blood vessel complications which helps the market to grow rapidly. Increasing clinical research studies in hematology and emergence of various therapeutic agents help to treat the patients and improves the quality of life.The growing demand for blood transfusion, highly needed blood during surgical procedures and increasing number of blood disorders to make up for extreme blood loss are stimulating the growth in blood preparation market. One of the primary factors which can obstruct the market growth is the high risk of blood transmission disease such as viral hemorrhagic fever, Hepatitis B and HIV. Nevertheless, the opportunities present in the market will be highly extended by the development of advanced technologies for separating the blood components. Many companies are involved in the development of newer high-speed technologies and instruments for easily preparing blood components. North America, Europe and Asia pacific are the influential region for the growth of the blood preparation market. Favorable reimbursement policies for blood components has been noticed in those regions. In Asia Pacific, India and China provides support for the development of advanced technology for the blood preparation process.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Blood Preparation Market: OverviewBlood components preparation involves the centrifugation of one unit of whole blood. Developed in 1960, the process is carried out by a specialized equipment known as a refrigerated centrifuge. Whole blood, which is a mixture of cellular elements, crystalloids, and colloids of varying relative density, size, and sediment rate can be separated by the application of centrifugal force.According to the World Health Organization, every year almost 108 million units of donated blood is collected across the world. The whole blood needs to be separated into components that can be used for a different indication.Global Blood Preparation Market: Key TrendsThe rising demand for blood transfusion in the casualty department of hospitals is steering the growth of the global market for blood preparation. The increasing number of blood disorders and the increasing need for blood during surgical procedures and casualties to make up for blood loss are bolstering the growth of this market. According to the statistics of Center for Disease Prevention and Control, in the U.S., almost 1-2 per 1,000 individuals suffer from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) each year. To address this, the National Institutes of Health and other accredited bodies are running programs in order to raise awareness about the complications that these conditions can lead to.Request TOC of the Report @However, the growth of the blood preparation market is impeded due to a single major restraint. Blood transfusion involves a high risk of transmission of diseases such as HIV, viral hemorrhagic fever, and Hepatitis B, thereby limiting its use for serious cases. Nevertheless, the development of newer high-speed technology for separating blood components will extend opportunities to this market.Global Blood Preparation Market: Market PotentialWith the development of high-speed technology for separating blood components, the blood preparation market is expected to reach new heights. Companies are engaged in the development of advanced instruments for the easy preparation of blood components. For example, Compomat G4 introduced by Fresenius Kabi can separate large volumes of blood at enhanced speed. Moreover, the rising demand for source plasma and the demand for specific blood constituents such as packed red blood cells will further present growth opportunities to this market.The use of digital technology is another trend coming to the fore in blood preparation practices. In a recent industry development, BloodCenter of Wisconsin has introduced the utilization of radio frequency identification technology (RFID) for maintaining blood utilization and inventory records.Get a discount @Global Blood Preparation Market: Regional OverviewThe global market for blood preparation can be broadly segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America is a significant regional market due to an ultra-modern healthcare infrastructure and use of hi-technology for treatment purposes. In the U.S., the entire process of blood transfusion right from collection to preparation to storage is controlled by the FDA. Various other federal agencies are striving for health insurance portability standards to come into effect for favorable reimbursements for blood components.However, Asia Pacific is expected to display robust growth in the blood preparation market in the near future. Several governments, especially in China and India are extending support for technological advancements for blood preparation processes. The continual growth of the healthcare sector in Australia and Japan will also support the growth of the Asia Pacific market for blood preparation.Global Blood Preparation Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the leading players in the global market for blood preparation include Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Celgene, Bristol-Myers, Shandong East Chemical, GlaxoSmithKline, Leo Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis, and Baxter Healthcare.Major players in this marker are investing heavily in research and development for the development of newer, effective, and cost-efficient drugs for several blood-related disorders. These companies are engaged in introducing new technologies and hiring expert personnel for the development of newer pipeline drugs to cater to the needs of the ever-increasing patient population.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Natural & Synthetic Graphite Market including top Key players South Sea Graphite, Haida Graphite, Yixiang Group forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title 'Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Natural & Synthetic Graphite Market 2017 Forecast to 2022 covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa and important players/vendors such as South Sea Graphite, Haida Graphite, Yixiang Group, BTR, and National de Grafite .The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2017-22SummaryNatural & Synthetic Graphite is a very common mineral, soft native carbon, occurring in black to dark-gray foliated masses, with metallic luster and greasy feel: used for pencil leads, as a lubricant, and for making crucibles and other refractories; plumbago; black lead.Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Natural & Synthetic Graphite 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 coversSouth Sea GraphiteHaida GraphiteYixiang GroupBTRNational de GrafiteNortheast Asia Mineral ResourcesAoyu Graphite GroupXincheng New MaterialSGLTiansheng Nonmetal IndXinghe GraphiteHeijin GraphiteImerys Graphite & CarbonAgrawal Graphite IndustriesJinhuafeng GraphiteFangda CarbonGraphit Kropfmuhl AGGrafitbergbau KaisersbergFuda GraphiteFenlu GraphiteBlack Dragon GraphiteHuangyu GraphitePuchen GraphiteKoh-i-Noor Grafit SroTirupati GraphiteXincheng GraphiteJinhui GraphiteYanxin GraphiteShida CarbonBuy this report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversNatural GraphiteSynthetic GraphiteMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoRefractoriesMetallurgyParts and componentsBatteriesOtherThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Natural & Synthetic Graphite market.Chapter 1, to describe Natural & Synthetic Graphite Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Natural & Synthetic Graphite, with sales, revenue, and price of Natural & Synthetic Graphite, in 2016 and 2017;Get customization & check discount for report @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 Natural & Synthetic Graphite, 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, Natural & Synthetic Graphite market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Natural & Synthetic Graphite sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceView 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.Contact Us:CRAIG FRANCIS (PR & Marketing Manager)sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218HTF 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
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Pet Food Market - Competition, Share, Sales Volume, Revenue, Forecast 2022

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" EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Pet Food Industry 2017 Market Research Report" is the new report added to the database of market research reports by Radiant Insights.In this report, the EMEA Pet Food market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K MT), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Pet Food for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast) Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux; Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran; Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.Request Sample Copy of EMEA Pet Food Market Report @EMEA Pet Food market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Pet Food sales volume (K MT), price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including Affinity Petcare SA Aller Petfood LLC BHJ A/S Blue Buffalo Pet Products C&D Foods Del Monte Foods Doane Pet Care Company Hartz Mountain Corporation Hill's Pet Nutrition Mars Nestle Purina PetCare Company Nutro Products The Iams CompanyOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K MT), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/MT), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Canned/Wet Food Dry Food Semi-Moist FoodOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K MT), market share and growth rate of Pet Food for each application, including Dogs Cats Pigs OtherBrowse Complete Report Summary with TOC Here:Table of ContentsEMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Pet Food Market Report 20171 Pet Food Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pet Food1.2 Classification of Pet Food1.2.1 EMEA Pet Food Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 EMEA Pet Food Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Canned/Wet Food1.2.4 Dry Food1.2.5 Semi-Moist Food1.3 EMEA Pet Food Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 EMEA Pet Food Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-20221.3.2 Dogs1.3.3 Cats1.3.4 Pigs1.3.5 Other1.4 EMEA Pet Food Market by Region1.4.1 EMEA Pet Food Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Middle East Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Africa Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 EMEA Market Size (Value and Volume) of Pet Food (2012-2022)1.5.1 EMEA Pet Food Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 EMEA Pet Food Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 EMEA Pet Food Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 EMEA Pet Food Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1.1 EMEA Pet Food Sales Volume and Market Share of Major Players (2012-2017)2.1.2 EMEA Pet Food Revenue and Share by Players (2012-2017)2.1.3 EMEA Pet Food Sale Price by Players (2012-2017)2.2 EMEA Pet Food (Volume and Value) by Type/Product Category2.2.1 EMEA Pet Food Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 EMEA Pet Food Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.3 EMEA Pet Food Sale Price by Type (2012-2017)2.3 EMEA Pet Food (Volume) by Application2.4 EMEA Pet Food (Volume and Value) by Region2.4.1 EMEA Pet Food Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.2 EMEA Pet Food Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4.3 EMEA Pet Food Sales Price by Region (2012-2017)Buy Complete Report @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Us:Radiant Insights is a market research and consulting company offering syndicated research studies, customized reports, and consulting services. Our market research studies are designed to facilitate strategic decision making, on the basis of extensive and in-depth quantitative information, supported by extensive analysis and industry insights. Using a patented and robust research methodology, we publish exhaustive research reports covering a host of industries such as Technology, Chemicals, Materials, and Energy.Media Contact:Michelle Thoras201 Spear Street 1100,Suite 3036, San Francisco,CA 94105, United StatesTel: 1-415-349-0054Toll Free: 1-888-928-9744Mail: sales@radiantinsights.com
Smart Energy Asia-Pacific Market 2017 Key Manufacturers Analysis

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Asia-Pacific Smart Energy market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Smart Energy sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingGE-AlstomItronSiemensABBS&TSamsung SDIA123BoschBYDLandis + GyrSensusAES Energy StorageLG ChemSaftAxion Power InternationalSolar Grid Storage LLCRequest a sample copy atGeographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (MW) , revenue (Million USD) , market share and growth rate of Smart Energy for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast) , includingChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustraliaFor more information about this report atOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (MW) , revenue (Million USD) , product price (USD/KW) , market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoIndependent Type Smart EnergyDistributed Smart EnergyOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (MW) , market share and growth rate of Smart Energy for each application, includinSmart GridDigital OilfieldHome Energy Management Systems (HEMS)Smart SolarOtherDiscount on report purchase atTable of Content1 Smart Energy Overview2 Asia-Pacific Smart Energy Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 China Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 Japan Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 South Korea Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Taiwan Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 India Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 Southeast Asia Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Australia Smart Energy (Volume, Value and Sales Price)10 Asia-Pacific Smart Energy Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data10.1 GE-Alstom10.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.1.2 Smart Energy Product Category, Application and Specification10.1.2.1 Product A10.1.2.2 Product B10.1.3 GE-Alstom Smart Energy Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.2 Itron10.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.2.2 Smart Energy Product Category, Application and Specification10.2.2.1 Product A10.2.2.2 Product B10.2.3 Itron Smart Energy Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview10.3 Siemens10.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.3.2 Smart Energy Product Category, Application and Specification10.3.2.1 Product A10.3.2.2 Product B10.3.3 Siemens Smart Energy Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)10.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview11 Smart Energy Manufacturing Cost Analysis12 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers13 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders14 Market Effect Factors Analysis15 Asia-Pacific Smart Energy Market Forecast (2017-2022)16 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase Complete Report atContact Info:Name: Sameer JoshiEmail: sales@reportsweb.comOrganization: ReportsWebPhone: +1-646-491-9876ReportsWeb 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.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Wearable Technology Ecosystem - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals and Forecasts 2015 - 2030

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Wearable Technology Ecosystem - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals and Forecasts 2015 - 2030" to its huge collection of research reports.While wearable technology has been utilized in vertical sectors such as the military and healthcare for many years, ongoing advances have triggered a major resurgence of the concept, particularly among the consumer community. Key enabling technologies including low cost sensors, wireless connectivity, active materials and energy have converged to make wearable technology mainstream. With the continued miniaturization of enabling technologies, wearable devices have hit the mass market in a diverse variety of form factors, ranging from glasses to even jewelry.Driven by the ability to interconnect with key modern trends of healthcare, fitness, messaging and socialization, the wearable technology ecosystem is attracting significant levels of interest. Companies as varied as smartphone OEMs, wireless carriers, health insurers and retailers are circling the ecosystem alongside tiny startups, all vying for a stake.SNS Research estimates that by 2016, wearable device shipments will surpass 140 Million and will account for nearly $30 Billion in revenue. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 30% over the next five years.The Wearable Technology Ecosystem: 2015  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals & Forecasts report presents an in-depth assessment of the wearable technology ecosystem including key market drivers, challenges, investment potential, consumer & vertical market opportunities, use cases, future roadmap, value chain, case studies, vendor market share and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for wearable device shipments and revenue from 2015 through to 2030. The forecasts are further segmented for 7 device form factor submarkets, 7 vertical markets, 6 regions and 73 countries.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Table Of Content1: Introduction1.1 Executive Summary1.2 Topics Covered1.3 Forecast Segmentation1.4 Key Questions Answered1.5 Key Findings1.6 Methodology1.7 Target Audience1.8 Companies & Organizations Mentioned2: An Overview of Wearable Technology2.1 What is Wearable Technology?2.2 Device Classification2.2.1 Head-Worn Devices2.2.2 Wrist-Worn Devices2.2.3 Leg and Ankle-Worn Devices2.2.4 Arm, Chest and Neck-Worn Devices2.2.5 Smart Clothing & Jewelry2.2.6 In-Body Wearables2.3 Enabling Technologies2.3.1 MEMS & Sensors2.3.2 BT-LE (Bluetooth Low Energy) & Wi-Fi2.3.3 Voice Recognition2.3.4 Lowed Powered Wireless SoCs2.3.5 RFID & NFC2.3.6 GPS & Navigation Technology2.3.7 Energy Harvesting2.3.8 Ergonomics & Materials Science2.3.9 Augmented Reality2.4 Market Growth Drivers2.4.1 Proliferation of SmartphonesBrowse 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 @
Blood Transfusion Market is Expected to Witness Dynamic Growth due to Improving Health Care Facilities

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Blood transfusion is the commonly used procedure for intravenous administration of blood to a person to replace lost blood. A needle is inserted in a blood vessel to transfer blood obtained from a healthy donor. Blood transfusion is generally used to replace blood lost due to surgery or serious injury, and also in cases of diseases wherein blood formation is inadequate or inefficient. The blood transfusion market is expected to witness dynamic growth due to improving health care facilities and technological advancement in blood collection and safety in transfusion process.Blood transfusion is used as a lifesaving intervention for several chronic diseases. Increase in geriatric population, rising cancer therapies, emergence of infectious diseases (HIV and hepatitis), and significant rise in surgical procedures also drive the global blood transfusion market. In addition, strict government regulations across the world are boosting market growth. According to the International Diabetes Federation (2014), the percentage of population suffering from diabetes across the globe would increase by 53% from 2014 to 2035.Browse Market Research Report @Threat of spurt in new infections and infectious diseases that originate through the blood donation route are the major restraints of the blood transfusion market. Infectious diseases such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and hepatitis are the two major concerns that pose a threat to blood supply. Moreover, blood cannot be manufactured and can only be obtained from donors for transfusion. Hence, shortage of donors is likely to hamper the growth of the blood transfusion market. For instance, about 38% of population is eligible for blood donation, but only 10% of it actually go for blood donation. Lack of skilled professionals to handle the blood collection and transfusion procedure is another factor that may restraints the blood transfusion market, especially in underdeveloped or low income countries.The blood transfusion market can be segmented based on transfusion type, product type, application, end-user, and region. In terms of transfusion type, the market can be categorized into red blood cell transfusion, platelet transfusion, and plasma transfusion. Based on product type, the blood transfusion market can be divided into blood bags, transfusion sets, and other accessories. In terms of application, the market can be segmented into trauma & surgery, blood disorders, kidney disease, and others. Based on blood disorders, the market can be categorized into leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and others. In terms of end-user, the blood transfusion market can be segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, specialized clinics, and others.Geographically, the blood transfusion market can be segmented broadly into five main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the market, attributed to increasing prevalence of diseases and rising population requiring blood transfusion. According to the American National Red Cross (blood services), the U.S requires about 36,000 units of red blood cells per day, while about 21 million blood transfusions are carried out per year.For more information on this report, fill the form @Moreover, the blood transfusion market in North America is driven by increasing demand from aging population for blood products and rise in complex surgical procedures such as open heart and orthopedic surgeries. The market in Europe and Asia Pacific is expected to expand rapidly due to rise in demand for blood transfusions, increased level of awareness, government support, and advancements in blood collection technologies.Key players in the blood transfusion market are B. Braun Medical Inc., Macopharma, Inc., Coagulation Sciences LLC, NIPRO, and Terumo Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smart Machine Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Technology, Product and End-user Industry

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According to The Insight Partners, Global Smart Machines Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Smart Machines industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Smart Machines market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Smart Machines market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Smart Machines players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request a Sample Report atSmart Machines Market Players:IBM Corp.Google Inc.Apple Inc.Digital Reasoning Inc.Alchemy API Inc.Narrative Science Inc.LG ElectronicsBAE SystemsKey DevelopmentsMicrosoft CorporationThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Smart Machines market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Smart Machines market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire before Buying atAlso, key Smart Machines 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.Reason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Smart Machines market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.View Complete Report 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
Printer Ink Cartridge Market Size, Industry Analysis & Forecast Report 2017

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ReportsMonitor.com has added a new report to its database Global Printer Ink Cartridge Market Report 2017.This report identifies the Printer Ink Cartridge market size for the years 2012-2017, and forecast of the same till the year 2022. It also highlights the market drivers, restraints, growth indicators, challenges, and other key aspects with respect to the Printer Ink Cartridge market.Printer Ink Cartridge Market tracks the major market events including product launches, technological developments, mergers and acquisitions, and the innovative business strategies opted by key market players. Along with strategically analyzing the key micro markets, the report also focuses on industry-specific drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges in the Copper Strips market. This research report offers in-depth analysis of the market size (revenue), market share, major market segments, and different geographic regions, forecast for the next five years, key market players, and premium industry trends. It also focuses on the key drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges.For Requesting a Sample Copy of This Report, Please Visit @This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringHPBrotherSAMSUNGEPSONFujiXeroxGerman Imaging TechnologiesCanonPanasonicRICOHCIGLexmarkDELIPrintRiteXeroxDellThe competitive landscape of the global market for Printer Ink Cartridge is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Printer Ink Cartridge markets production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Printer Ink Cartridge market worldwide.This report segments the Printer Ink Cartridge marketOne-piece Ink CartridgeSplit Type Ink CartridgeOn the basis of application:Commercial UseGovernment AgencyOthersFor comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, the Printer Ink Cartridge market is analyzed across key geographies namely:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaEach of these regions is analyzed on basis of market findings across major countries in these regions for a macro-level understanding of the market.Browse Full Table of Contents and Report Description @Some points from TOC:8 Printer Ink Cartridge Manufacturing Cost Analysis8.1 Printer Ink Cartridge Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.2.1 Raw Materials8.2.2 Labor Cost8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Printer Ink Cartridge9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9.1 Printer Ink Cartridge Industrial Chain Analysis9.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing9.3 Raw Materials Sources of Printer Ink Cartridge Major Manufacturers in 20159.4 Downstream BuyersReports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform to meet the market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.008, Mihir Co-operative,Above Bharat Suzuki showroom,Fatima Nagar,Pune,Maharashtra,IndiaIndia: +91 2069535353Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Business Intelligence and Analytics Software Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Type, Deployment Type and Industry Vertical

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According to The Insight Partners, Global Business Intelligence and Analytics Software Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Business Intelligence and Analytics Software industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Business Intelligence and Analytics Software market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Business Intelligence and Analytics Software market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Business Intelligence and Analytics Software players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request a Sample Report atBusiness Intelligence and Analytics Software Market Players:- Tibco Software- Tableau Software, Inc.- Adobe Systems- Salesforce.com- Teradata- SAS Institute, Inc.- Microsoft Corporation- IBM Corporation- SAP AG- Oracle CorporationThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Business Intelligence and Analytics Software market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Business Intelligence and Analytics Software market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire before Buying atAlso, key Business Intelligence and Analytics Software 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.Reason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Business Intelligence and Analytics Software market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.View Complete Report 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
Explore Buruli Ulcer Treatment Market: Latest Trends and Future Outlook by 2027

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Buruli ulcer, brought about by Mycobacterium ulcerans is a perpetual crippling sickness that influences primarily the skin and bone sometimes. The organism has a place with the group of microscopic organisms that causes tuberculosis and infection. The correct method of transmission is hazy. The fundamental weight of malady falls on kids living in sub-Saharan Africa, however sound individuals of any age, races, and financial classes are vulnerable. Despite the fact that it has been accounted for in more than 33 nations around the globe, the best weight of infection is in the tropical areas of West and Central Africa, Australia, and Japan.Obtain Report Details @It basically influences kids matured 5-15 years. Notwithstanding, in some exceptionally endemic regions in Ghana, the commonness of Buruli ulcer has been assessed to be as high as 150.8/100,000 people, and in southern Benin, a current review has revealed location rates of 21.5/100,000 every year, higher than for either tuberculosis or leprosy. Disease regularly prompts ulcers on the arms or legs, which can likewise devastate skin or soft tissue. At the point when not appropriately treated, the ailment can bring about irreversible disfigurement or long haul practical inability. The disease is likewise endemic in a few different nations outside Africa, including country territories of Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, French Guiana, and Mexico. In Australia, Buruli ulcer treatment stays uncommon, however there have been increments in both occurrence and the quantity of endemic territories over the most recent 15 years.Growing incidence of Buruli ulcers is expected to increase demand for antibiotics and surgeries.. As per WHO (World Health Organization) major have likewise been accounted for from South East Asia , Australia, South America and Central regions in Africa. In the course of the most recent 2 decades the rate of Buruli ulcer has expanded, in spite of critical underreporting of cases. In 1999 there were 6000 new cases in Ghana; in 2004 (Australia), there were 25 new cases, 47 more in 2005 and 72 in 2006. Ordinarily, 05 cases for every year happen in the Daintree area (Australia) in any case, in 20112012, there was a noteworthy flare-up, with no less than 75 cases recognized. In Victoria (Australia), 157 cases happened in 20112012. The development is basically determined by expanded prevalence.New companies in the antibiotics industry have indicated expanded competence and safety profiles along with lessening the chances of ulcers. The ulcer showcase likewise has majorly two different procedures of treatment, which are via antibiotics and surgery. Late information recommend that combinations of anti-mycobacterial antibiotics that incorporate rifampicin and either streptomycin or amikacin can execute M. ulcerans in human injuries. Temporary rules now suggest the utilization of chose hostile to mycobacterial drugs, generally consolidated with surgery, for the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Effective treatment will abbreviate the course of the sickness and limit distortion. Skilled surgery, expert nursing care, and therapeutic physiotherapy are regularly required to accomplish great results.Yet, the remedial action of such events still rests an undiscovered area of research and development for pharmaceutical & healthcare organizations to carry innovative medications and advanced treatment into the Buruli ulcer treatment market. However nonappearance of conclusive treatment, reactions, restricted adequacy of the medications and high cost of surgery accessible in the market and reliance in manifestation based treatment in a few cases is required to hamper treatment growth & development of the overall Buruli ulcer treatment market over the forecast period.Around 70% of those suffered with Buruli ulcer are kids under 15 years of age. In Ghana the normal cost to treat Buruli ulcer is over US$ 780 for each individual. The acknowledged current treatment for Buruli ulcer is typically surgery. Inconveniences incorporate contracture distortions, removal of appendages, and inclusion of the eye, breast and genitalia. In a few areas 2025% of those with recuperated injuries are left with inabilities that have a long-term social and financial effect. The current financial and social weight forced by Buruli ulcer is colossal. The global market for Buruli ulcer treatment is expected to witness firm growth owing to increasing incidence rate of the ulcers coupled with new treatment (branded and generic) approach.Make an Enquiry @Globally the Buruli ulcer treatment market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America and Western Europe are expected to be the leading markets in the global Buruli ulcer treatment market. Rising treatment options among the young age population, prescription rates and the maturing worldwide population are additionally considered vital drivers for this market.Public awareness via hospitals, drug manufacturers, medical campaigns and simply available diagnostic tests are relied upon to lift interest for Buruli ulcer treatment items in these areas. Japan and APEJ are relied upon to take after next as far as interest for the treatment of Buruli ulcer treatment advertise. Eastern Europe, Latin America and MEA markets are likewise anticipated that would witness normal development over the forecast period. Nonattendance of populace based reviews in creating nations is a noteworthy test in appraisal of ulcer related contaminations in these nations.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Living Room Textiles Sales Information and Analysis with forecast growth Report 2017

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"Global Living Room Textiles Sales Market Report 2017" The Report covers current Industries Trends, Worldwide Analysis, Global Forecast, Review, Share, Size, Growth, Effect.Description-In this report, the global Living Room Textiles market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K sqm), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Living Room Textiles for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaGet Sample Report With TOC @EuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Living Room Textiles market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Living Room Textiles sales volume, Price (USD/sqm), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingDunelmIKEANextB&MArgosThe RangeJohn LewisMarks & SpencerShop DirectMatalanOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBedding TextilesWallpaper TextilesFlooring TextilesToilet TextilesOtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Living Room Textiles for each application, includingSupermarkets and HypermarketsSpecialist RetailersIndependent RetailersOnline RetailersTable of ContentsGlobal Living Room Textiles Sales Market Report 20171 Living Room Textiles Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Living Room Textiles1.2 Classification of Living Room Textiles by Product Category1.2.1 Global Living Room Textiles Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Living Room Textiles Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Bedding Textiles1.2.4 Wallpaper Textiles1.2.5 Flooring Textiles1.2.6 Toilet Textiles1.2.7 Other1.3 Global Living Room Textiles Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Living Room Textiles Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets1.3.3 Specialist Retailers1.3.4 Independent Retailers1.3.5 Online Retailers1.4 Global Living Room Textiles Market by Region1.4.1 Global Living Room Textiles Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Living Room Textiles Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Living Room Textiles Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Living Room Textiles Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Living Room Textiles Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Living Room Textiles Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Living Room Textiles (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Living Room Textiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Living Room Textiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Living Room Textiles Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Living Room Textiles Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Living Room Textiles Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Living Room Textiles Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Living Room Textiles (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Living Room Textiles Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Living Room Textiles Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Living Room Textiles (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Living Room Textiles Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Living Room Textiles Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Living Room Textiles (Volume) by Application3 United States Living Room Textiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Living Room Textiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Living Room Textiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Living Room Textiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Living Room Textiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Living Room Textiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Living Room Textiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Living Room Textiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Living Room Textiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Living Room Textiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Living Room Textiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Living Room Textiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Living Room Textiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Living Room Textiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Living Room Textiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Players5.3 Europe Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application6 Japan Living Room Textiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Japan Living Room Textiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)6.1.1 Japan Living Room Textiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.2 Japan Living Room Textiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.3 Japan Living Room Textiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)6.2 Japan Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Players6.3 Japan Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type6.4 Japan Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application7 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7.1 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)7.1.1 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)7.1.2 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)7.1.3 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)7.2 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Players7.3 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Type7.4 Southeast Asia Living Room Textiles Sales Volume and Market Share by Application8 India Living Room Textiles (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8.1 India Living Room Textiles Sales and Value (2012-2017)Full Report @ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074
Location Analytics Market to 2025 - Global Analysis and Forecasts by Type, Application, Deployment type and Industry Vertical

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According to The Insight Partners, Global Location Analytics Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Location Analytics industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Location Analytics market with detailed market segmentation by product/application and geography. The global Location Analytics market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Location Analytics players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.Request a Sample Report atLocation Analytics Market Players:- SAS Institute, Inc.- SAP SE- Oracle Corporation- Microsoft Corporation- Cisco Systems- Tibco Software Inc.- ESRI- NEWGROVE- Galigeo- Software AGThe report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Location Analytics market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Location Analytics market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Inquire before Buying atAlso, key Location Analytics market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.Reason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Location Analytics market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.View Complete Report 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 Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Market Research Report 2017

Helical-coil Heat Exchanger

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In this report, the global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger market is expected to reach high between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Helical-coil Heat Exchanger in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering North America Europe China Japan Southeast Asia IndiaGlobal Helical-coil Heat Exchanger market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players including Alstom SA Areva SA Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited Dongfang Electric Corporation Larsen&Toubro Ltd Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd SPX Corporation BHI Company Limited Shanghai Electric Group Company Zio-PodolskOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Aluminium Alloy Stainless Steel OthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate of Helical-coil Heat Exchanger for each application, including Automotive Aerospace Industrial EquipmentGet a free sample copy of Helical-coil Heat Exchanger @Table of ContentGlobal Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Market Research Report 20171 Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Market Overview2 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type6 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Market Analysis by Application7 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis8 Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis 12 Global Helical-coil Heat Exchanger Market Forecast (2017-2022)Get access to full report @24MarketReports is the marque of market research industry which identifies massive database of market research reports. We are having a numerous sectors market research gathering which covers diverse verticals around the Earth. Our central focus to make it trouble-free for decision makers to find applicable information and locate right Research reports which can save their time and assist in what they do best.New York City Zone 01, United Stateshelp@24marketreports.comInt'l: (+1) 646 781 7170UK(Toll free): +44 800 088 5734
Canopus announcing another Drone Monitoring solution for Warehouses

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Canopus Infosystems has released it another Drone solution for the purpose of Warehouse monitoring. Mobilizing the monitoring of the warehouse assets in pursuance to valuable management, tracking, monitoring, alerts and report generation. Canopus assures that the Warehouse management solution will let the manager take quicker, analytical and worthier prime decision.Canopus Infosystems, an Indian company is one of the leading names in the mobile application and web development industry. They aim to create well-designed, interactive and dominant applications for businesses of any size globally. They are masters in providing data analytic consultation and give the best marketing technique to grow businesses from last more than six years.Read More:The Drone solutions for warehouse will provide the warehouse managers a perfect and efficient vision of the warehouse assets to track, control and monitor them. The capabilities of a drone solution we proposed are the frequent and efficient checking, automated flights, avoidance of the obstacle and the navigation. This is all possible with the RFID and the BLE sensors to track the asset through the barcode scanning. This will help them to gather the information analytics of the assets in the warehouse.The general tracking and monitoring that usually require days and a lot of man power to collect the data but can be done in hours by a drone solutions. The drone solution will elaborate the productivity, improve the management and parallel one can integrate it with the latest technology in pursuance to achieve stock reliability and service quality of the warehouse.This user-friendly Drone platform will let you monitor the areas remotely, provide you alerts and notifications, generate the history and reports of the warehouse asset and instant alerts in pursuance to manage the warehouse.Canopus Infosystems is a specialist in providing services in the emerging technologies and focused on (Social, Mobility, Analytics, Cloud) stack. To know more about their services and extensive work they did globally visit their websiteor call +91 731-2551963, for any queries you can drop an e-mail at sales@canopusinfosystems.comAbout the Company: Canopus Infosystems Pvt. Ltd. is an ISO 9001:2008 Certified Company that specializes in providing outsourced web & mobile development and testing services to clients worldwide. Canopus Infosystems Pvt. Ltd. provides the cross-platform for mobile development, web development and also provides end to end cloud solution.303-304, Airen Heights, PU 3Scheme 54, A. B. Road, Opp. OrbitMall, Indore M.P.INDIA  452010Phone: +91 731-2551963Email: sales@canopusinfosystems.com
SMART SHIPS NEED SMART REGISTRIES

The shipping world needs to wake up and embrace the philosophy of smart shipping because it is already here and the downturn in the world economy is not going to last forever, according to Panos Kirnidis, CEO of the Palau International Ship Registry.The maritime industry knows that smart ships and smart technology is the way forward and yet there seems to be reluctance on the part of some owners to fully embrace the technology. When the world economy turns and the shipping world recovers, progress in technology will be one of the real driving forces. The time to embrace this technology is now. Smart ships are here and so are smart registries.Smart shipping is still likely to be on the back-burner until the world economy picks up but this has not stopped the ongoing rush to develop the technologies behind it, according to Panos Kirnidis.Information holds the key to smooth operations and that will be unaffected by the state of the world economy and how the shipping market is reacting. It is now we have to invest and develop smart technologies, not in the future when the shipping world recovers. Then you will be behind the curve and racing to catch up with other registries. Ship owners need to be prepared for this recovery and so do registries. Smart technologies will impact the way we offer ship owners and managers solutions to keep them at sea. As a ship registry we need to be able to offer technology that covers operations, maintenance and data collection. Its now about accountability and data managementPalau International Ship Registry introduced a new Deficiency Prevention System (DPS) at the end of 2016 through a dedicated department monitoring all Palau ships to reduce deficiency and casualty rates, part of the registrys drive towards cementing its position as a smart flag.There still seems to be some reluctance on the part of a number of registries to embrace the digital age. Along with our DPS we also have our own web-based solution (Smart Electronic Flag) offering ship-owners the information they need to retrieve the key performance indicators for their fleets. It is another step into the smart technology environment we see as vital to any registry in the 21st century. Weve moved on from paper and waiting times to digital information on demand. Performance needs to work towards efficiency and cost-effective operations need smart technology to drive them.Recent investment in building smart ships and the advent of autonomous vessels has woken the shipping world up to a new way of working. Panos Kirnidis sees this as the next step in the transition period.Ship owners need confidence and that comes from working with registries that have the knowledge and foresight to move with the times. It is now a world where monitoring and data transfer is demanded at a moments notice. You cant do that if youre still working purely with paper and systems designed and built in the last century.About Palau International Ship RegistryThe Palau International Ship Registry (PISR), an open registry headquartered in Houston, USA and has its European head office in Athens, Greece. PISR was created by an amendment to the Title 7 of the Republic of Palau National Code in 2010 and was appointed by the Government of the Republic to carry out the day-to-day management of vessels registered to the flag as the Ship Registry Administrator.PISR provides full administrative and technical support to the registration of vessels.PISR is an active member of both the IMO and ILO and is a member of BIMCO, WCPFC.Compact agreement of Free Association (COFA) with USAIts goal is to become world-class, white list status registry through innovation and modern technologies.19 SHEERNESS MEWA ROYAL VICTORIA DOCK, LONDON, UK, E16 2SRPIC: Elina Dyachuk (Mr)Tel: 447840346381Email: Elina.Dyachuk@palaureg.com
Superalloys Global Market by Application, Data Validation, Growth, Trends, Analysis and Forecasts to 2023

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According to Publisher, the Global Superalloys Market is valued at $4,170.5 million in 2016 and is expected to reach $7,957.4 million by 2023 growing at a CAGR of 9.7% from 2016 to 2023. Increasing demand for high performance, lightweight materials in aerospace, automotive, industrial gas turbines (IGT) and industrial applications is expected to have a positive impact on superalloys market growth over the forecast period. Growing demand for highly durable materials, rising demand from power industries, increasing government expenditure in emerging economies are the factors enhancing the market growth. However, high cost of base alloys is expected to hamper the superalloys market.The Nickel base segment is estimated to account for the largest share in the global superalloys market throughout the forecast period as this material possess high temperature resistant properties and oxidation resistance. Among applications, aerospace segment is expected to dominate the global market due to increasing need for lightweight and high strength materials that can withstand high temperatures.For more information @North America and Europe are the key regions for superalloys market. US, Germany, UK, and France are the market leaders in this regions contributing to the demand for superalloys. Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as the fastest growing region due to increasing demand for superalloys in emerging economies such as China and India.Some of the key participants in global superalloys market are Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), AMG Superalloys, Aperam S.A., Baosteel Group, Beijing Cisri-Gaona Materials & Technology, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Danyang City Kaixin Alloy Material Co. Ltd., Doncasters, Fushun Special Steel Shares, Haynes International Inc., Nippon Yakin Kogyo, Shenyang Hejin Holding, Special Metals Corporation, Super Alloy Industrial, ThyssenKrupp AG and Universal Stainless.Material Types Covered:-Iron-Base-Cobalt base-Nickel baseApplications Covered:-Aerospace- General aviation- Commercial aircraft- Military- Helicopter-Automotive-Electronics-Industrial-Industrial Gas Turbine-Marine turbine-Oil & Gas-Other ApplicationsRequest Sample CopyRegions Covered:-North America- US- Canada- Mexico-Europe- Germany- France- Italy- UK- Spain- Rest of Europe-Asia Pacific- Japan- China- India- Australia- New Zealand- Rest of Asia Pacific- Rest of the World- Middle East- Brazil- Argentina- South Africa- EgyptMake an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Heart Attack Diagnostics Market: Demand for Heart Attack Diagnostic Devices has Increased Owing to Rise in need for Continuous Monitoring of Individuals

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Heart attack diagnosis is associated with intensive care of patients battling with life threatening conditions, which requires sophisticated invasive monitoring devices and life support systems. Heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs due to reduced or total cut off of oxygenated blood supply to the heart muscle. It is one of the major causes of death observed worldwide and needs to be diagnosed rapidly and accurately.Obtain Report Details @According to Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, about 735,000 Americans suffer from heart attack every year. Occurrence of heart attacks is increasing in adults as well as in geriatric population across the globe due to unhealthy lifestyle habits, high cholesterol levels, high BMI, and growth in tobacco and alcohol consumption. The demand for heart attack diagnostic devices has increased owing to rise in need for continuous monitoring of individuals, accessibility for patient, changing lifestyle, higher investments in R&D, and technological advancement.Further, various international organizations and government across the globe are creating awareness about monitoring devices among the population. Several factors are responsible to propel the heart attack diagnostics market, but few factors are likely to continue to restrain the growth of the market in the near future such as the low Medicare reimbursements provided for the peripatetic cardiac outpatient telemetry electrocardiogram (ECG).The heart attack diagnostics market can be segmented on the basis of test, end-user, and geography. In terms of test, the market can be divided into electrocardiogram (ECG), blood test, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, coronary catheterization (angiogram), exercise stress test, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Among these, ECG has a wider application and contributes to tremendous growth of the market. End-user of this market includes hospitals, specialty clinics, and pathology among others.For more information on this report, fill the form @In terms of geography, the heart attack diagnostics market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of market revenue, North America is estimated to dominate the global heart attack diagnostics market owing to increased adoption of technologically advanced diagnostic equipment. The Asia Pacific market is projected to grow at a higher rate owing to high incidence of heart attacks and soaring death rates due to heart diseases.The heart attack diagnostics market is highly fragmented due to involvement of many recognized as well as emerging players in this market. Key players involved in the heart attack diagnostics market include Abbott Laboratories, Beckman Coulter, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, GE Healthcare, Life Sign LLC, Hitachi Medical Systems, and Schiller AG.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare Industry,Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2024

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This report provides forecast and analysis of the technology spending on core administration in healthcare on the global and regional levels. It provides historical data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The report also includes macroeconomic indicators along with an outlook on core administration systems in healthcare. It includes drivers and restraints of core administration in healthcare and impact on each region during the forecast period. The report also comprises the study of applications and opportunities for core administration solutions and services vendors. It also includes detailed analysis by deployment, solution, end users and the workflow process.Request For Sample Report :In order to provide users of this report with a comprehensive view of the core administration landscape, we have included a detailed competitiveness analysis and company players with unique propositions. The dashboard provides a detailed comparison of core administration solution and services vendors on parameters such as revenue sales, ranking of global players, strategic consolidations, i.e. mergers & acquisitions, licensing activities, and R&D activities. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by solution, deployment, end-user and region.Global Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare: SegmentationThe report includes the revenue generated from sales of core administration solutions in all regions and important countries in these regions. By solution, the technology spending on core administration in healthcare has been segmented into in-house and outsource. The in-house segment is further divided into hardware, software, and services. By deployment, the technology spending on core administration in healthcare is segmented into cloud-based and on-premise. On the basis of end users, the technology spending on core administration in healthcare is segmented into payers and providers. The payer segment is further divided into insurance companies, government, and others and the provider segment is further divided into hospitals and others. On the basis of region, the technology spending on core administration in healthcare is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa.Global Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare: Research MethodologyMarket numbers have been estimated based on technology spending on core administrative solutions in healthcare by solution, and the revenue is derived from regional pricing trends. Technology spending and forecasts for each segment have been provided in the context of global and regional markets. The technology spending on core administration in healthcare has been analyzed based on expected demand. Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are regional average prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous regional core administration solutions vendors, suppliers, and system integrators. All key end users have been considered, and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents. Regional demand patterns have been considered while estimating the spending on various solutions marketed in different regions. Top-down approach has been used to estimate the technology spending on core administration in healthcare by regions. Market numbers for solution, deployment, end-user and regional segments have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of each regions demand. The company-level market share has been derived on the basis of revenues reported by key vendors. The market has been forecast based on constant currency rates.Browse Full Report With TOC :A number of primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study. Secondary sources include Factiva, press releases, company news, Google Books, company annual reports, white papers, other websites, and publications.Global Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare: Competitive DynamicsThe report provides detailed competitive and company profiles of some of the key participants operating in the global market. Some of the players in core administration systems in healthcare include Plexis Healthcare Systems, DST Systems, Inc., HealthEdge Software, Inc., ikaSystems Corporation, TriZetto Corporation, Health Solutions Plus, Inc., Aldera Holdings, Inc., Wonderbox Technologies, UPP Technology, Inc., and HealthAxis Group, LLC.The market has been segmented as below:Global Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare  By SolutionIn-HouseHardwareSoftwareServicesOutsourceGlobal Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare  By DeploymentCloud-BasedOn-PremiseGlobal Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare  By End UsersPayersInsurance CompaniesGovernmentOthersProvidersHospitalsOthersGlobal Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare By RegionNorth AmericaS.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceItalySpainRest of EuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)ChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaNew ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)Saudi ArabiaUAERSARest of Middle East & AfricaMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.State Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTelephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comGoogle+:Linked in:Twitter:
Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 - GSK, Merck, AstraZeneca

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This report studies the global Asthma Therapeutics market, analyzes and researches the Asthma Therapeutics development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeGSKMerckAstraZenecaBoehringer IngelheimF. Hoffmann-La RocheTeva PharmaceuticalTheravanceRegeneronSanofiNovartisAB ScienceAstellas PharmaMitsubishi Tanabe PharmaHorizon PharmaKissei PharmaceuticalMundipharmaMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Market segment by Type, Asthma Therapeutics can be split intoInhalationParenteralOralMarket segment by Application, Asthma Therapeutics can be split intoHospitalsClinicsHome CarePublic Service (School, Government)OtherTable of Content1 Industry Overview of Asthma Therapeutics1.1 Asthma Therapeutics Market Overview1.1.1 Asthma Therapeutics Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook2 Global Asthma Therapeutics Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 GSK3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions4 Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Asthma Therapeutics in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Asthma TherapeuticsList of Tables and FiguresFigure Asthma Therapeutics Product ScopeFigure Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) (2012-2017)Table Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Share by Regions in 2016Figure United States Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure EU Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Japan Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure China Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure India Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Southeast Asia Asthma Therapeutics Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate by Regions (2012-2017)Figure Global Asthma Therapeutics Market Share by Type in 2016About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Market Report 2017

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Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Noodle Maker for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), includingChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanIndiaSoutheast AsiaAustraliaFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Noodle Maker sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingJoyoungPHILIPSSUPORMideaShuleRoyalstarSKGZPYGlinlNONTAUSGermanPoolRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Table of ContentsAsia-Pacific Noodle Maker Market Report 20171 Noodle Maker Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Noodle Maker1.2 Classification of Noodle Maker by Product Category1.2.1 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Types (2012-2022)1.2.2 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 220V1.2.4 380V1.3 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2012-2022)1.3.2 Household1.3.3 Commercial2 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Sales Volume and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Asia-Pacific Noodle Maker Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)3 China Noodle Maker (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 China Noodle Maker Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 China Noodle Maker Sales Volume and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 China Noodle Maker Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 China Noodle Maker Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 China Noodle Maker Sales Volume and Market Share by TypeList of Tables and FiguresFigure Product Picture of Noodle MakerFigure Japan Noodle Maker Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure South Korea Noodle Maker Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Taiwan Noodle Maker Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure India Noodle Maker Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Southeast Asia Noodle Maker Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:
Global Credit Insurance Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022

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This report studies the Credit Insurance market status and outlook of global and major regions, from angles of players, regions, product and end Application/industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and major regions, and splits the Credit Insurance market by product and Application/end industries.Global Credit Insurance market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2% from 7.6 billion USD in 2016 to reach 8.56 billion USD by 2022. Demand for credit insurance continues to grow as new markets open up and trade continues to become more global. However, the market is clearly cyclical, with a strong correlation with GDP.Three major European groups Euler Hermes, Atradius and Coface dominate the market internationally, with a combined market share in 2016 of over 72%.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Geographically, the global Credit Insurance has been segmented into Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific. The Europe held the largest share in the global Credit Insurance market, its revenue of global market exceeds 70% in 2016.The major players in global market includeEuler HermesAtradiusCofaceZurichCredendo GroupQBE InsuranceCesceGeographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with, Premiums (M USD), market share and growth rate of Credit Insurance for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Western EuropeEastern EuropeNorth AmericaLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaAsia-PacificCredit Insurance Market by End Users/Application IncludingDomestic TradeExport TradeRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview11.1 Credit Insurance Market Overview11.1.1 Credit Insurance Product Scope11.1.2 Market Status and Outlook11.2 Global Credit Insurance Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2012-2022)21.2.1 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook31.2.2 Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook41.2.3 North America Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook51.2.4 Latin America Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook61.2.5 Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook71.2.6 Asia-Pacific Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook81.3 Credit Insurance Market by End Users/Application82 Global Credit Insurance Competition Analysis by Players102.1 Global Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) by Players (2012-2017)102.2 Competitive Status and Trend132.2.1 Market Concentration Rate132.2.2 Mergers & Acquisitions133 Company (Top Players) Profiles and Key Data153.1 Euler Hermes153.5.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview263.3.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin314 Global Credit Insurance Market Size Application (2012-2017)324.1 Global Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)324.2 Top Consumers/End Users of Credit Insurance345 Western Europe Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook365.1 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Size (2012-2017)365.2 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Share by Players in 2016375.3 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)38List of Tables and FiguresFigure Global Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1Figure Global Credit Insurance Market Share by Regions (2012-2022)2Figure Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)3Figure Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)4Figure North America Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)5Figure Latin America Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)6Figure Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)7About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:
Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022

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Mobile insurance refers to a type of insurance cover which is available to protect your mobile, iPhone or PDA in the event it is lost, stolen or accidentally damaged, either in the domestic area or overseas. Mobile insurance cover can be taken out on a monthly or annual basis paid by direct debit or in some cases by credit card, some insurers offer an automatic renewal service when the policy expires.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem 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.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAllianz InsuranceAmTrust International UnderwritersAssurantAsurionAvivaBrightstar CorporationCarphone WarehouseGeek SquadGoCare Warranty GroupHollard GroupMTSSoftBankMarket 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 AfricaTable of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Introduction1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Physical Damage1.3.2 Theft & Loss1.3.3 Other1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)3 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Market Competition, by Manufacturer3.1 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer3.2 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer3.3 Market Concentration Rate3.3.1 Top 3 Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Manufacturer Market Share3.3.2 Top 6 Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Manufacturer Market Share3.4 Market Competition Trend4 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Market Analysis by Regions4.1 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Sales by Regions (2012-2017)4.1.2 Global Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)4.2 North America Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Sales and Growth (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Sales and Growth (2012-2017)Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Figure Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem PictureTable Product Specifications of Mobile Phone Insurance EcosystemFigure Global Sales Market Share of Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem by Types in 2016Table Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Types for Major ManufacturersFigure USA Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Canada Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Mexico Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Germany Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure France Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure UK Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Russia Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Italy Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem Revenue (Value) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:
2017-2022 HR Service Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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This report studies the HR Service market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the HR Service market by product type and applications/end industries.The global HR Service market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of HR Service. United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of HR Service in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States HR Service market, including CJC, ServiceNow, NGA Human Resources, Rochelle de Greeff, PORR, Recruit Group, Deloitte, Eteach, Adecco, ADP TotalSource, Oasis Outsourcing, Paychex, Insperity, CPEhr, CBR, Trinet, G&A Partners.The On the basis of product, the HR Service market is primarily split intoTemporary staffingPermanent placementOutsourcingOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversSmall BusinessMedium BusinessLarge BusinessRead Comprehensive Overview of Report @Table of Contents2017-2022 HR Service Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 HR Service Market Overview2.1 HR Service Product Overview2.2 HR Service Market Segment by Type2.2.1 Temporary staffing2.2.2 Permanent placement2.2.3 Outsourcing2.2.4 Other2.3 Global HR Service Product Segment by Type2.3.1 Global HR Service Sales (K Units) and Growth (%) by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.3.2 Global HR Service Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.3 Global HR Service Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.4 Global HR Service Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)2.4 United States HR Service Product Segment by Type2.4.1 United States HR Service Sales (K Units) and Growth by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.4.2 United States HR Service Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.3 United States HR Service Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.4 United States HR Service Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)3 HR Service Application/End Users3.1 HR Service Segment by Application/End Users3.1.1 Small Business3.1.2 Medium Business3.1.3 Large Business3.2 Global HR Service Product Segment by Application3.2.1 Global HR Service Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)List of Tables and FiguresTable Research Programs/Design for This ReportFigure Bottom-up and Top-down Approaches for This ReportFigure Data TriangulationTable Key Data Information from Secondary SourcesTable Key Data Information from Primary SourcesFigure HR Service Product PictureFigure Global HR Service Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure United States HR Service Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure Product Picture of Temporary staffingTable Major Players of Temporary staffingFigure Global Temporary staffing Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact UsBrooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:
Carrier Fluids Market is expected to rise at a remarkable CAGR By 2025.

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Carrier fluids are high performance fluids that improve the transportation of certain materials such as automotive detergent, sand pack, and lubricants. Carrier fluids possess low VOC content and are biodegradable. Additionally, they possess excellent flow ability, low toxicity, and compatibility with other fluid components in comparison to conventional solvents. Other characteristic features of these fluids are low temperature properties, good solvency, and high burn characteristics. These fluids are used in various industries such as automotive, oil & gas, petrochemicals, metal working, and semiconductor. These fluids are widely employed in the semiconductor industry during synthesis of a wide variety of ferrofluids typically required during the manufacture of computers, tablets, and wafers. Carrier fluids are used in oil drilling operations, particularly during the installation of gravel pack and shale gas production. They are further used in automotive during engine oil filling operation.Browse Market Research Report @:Based on type, the global carrier fluids market can be divided into oil type, synthetic, and water. Water based carrier fluids are widely employed in the transportation of highly viscous fluids, while oil based are employed for water sensitive formulations. Demand for water based carrier fluids is expected to rise significantly during the forecast period, as they are cost effective and biodegradable. Based on formulation, the market can be segmented into various types such as mineral oil, polyglycol, fatty acids, diesters, and phthalate esters. Polyglycol type of carrier fluids have high water absorption capacity; however, these have poor viscosity, lubricity, wettability, and corrosion protection. Mineral oil based carrier fluids are available in low or high range of viscosities and have better properties than polyglycol. Diester and phthalate are popular types of carrier fluids available in the market. Demand for diester and phthalate is anticipated to rise significantly in the near future due to their characteristic features such as eco-friendliness, good solvency, and low ecotoxicity.Rise in stringent regulations on certain solvents due to the risk of high VOC emission and environmentally sustainable benefits of carrier fluids are the primary factors driving the market. Apart from benefits associated with carrier fluids, growth in automotive and electronic industries and constant research activities in the oil & gas industry are the other factors responsible for the market growth. Fluctuation in raw material prices and maintenance of rheological characteristics of carrier fluids are few of the challenges for manufacturers. However, continuous efforts toward development of varied formulations of carrier fluids with improved features and performance may create opportunities for manufacturers.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @:Geographically, the global market for carrier fluids can be segregated into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of consumption, North America is the leading region due to the rise in oil & gas exploration activities such as deep water exploration for oil drilling. In Asia Pacific, countries such as India, China, and Japan are experiencing swift growth due to the expansion in automotive and electronic industries. For instance, China has become the hub of semiconductor production since the last few years. Strong government initiatives led to high tech research & development in the field of high quality wafers. This further resulted in an increase in investment in integrated circuits from 40% to 70%. Furthermore, strong FDI investment in India, typically in the electronic industry, and rising consumer awareness are also encouraging manufacturers to opt for quality products. Companies are following the strategy of merger & acquisition for producing innovative products. These factors are driving the market for carrier fluids in Asia Pacific. Growth of the market in Europe is expected remain stable due to revival in economy of the region. The market in Middle East & Africa and Latin America is expected to expand moderately due to the rise in investment by various automotive and electronic manufacturers in these regions.Key players operating in the global carrier fluids market include E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, MKU Chemie Group, The Chemours Company, and Emery Oleochemicals.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a 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.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207
Market Research Report On Laser Industry 2011-2023

Laser Industry,Laser,REPORTSANDMARKETS,SIZE,TRENDS,DROWTH,STRUCTURE

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Access Full Report:SummaryThe global Laser market will reach xxx Million USD in 2017 with CAGR xx% from 2018-2023. The objective of report is to define, segment, and project the market on the basis of product type, application, and region, and to describe the content about the factors influencing market dynamics, policy, economic, technology and market entry etc.Based on products type, the report describes major products type share of regional market. Products mentioned as follows:Leading vendors in the market are included based on profile, business performance etc. Vendors mentioned as follows:TRUMPFCoherentIPGRofin-SinarPrimaGSINufernNKT PhotonicsIMRA, FianiumBystronicHanas LaserHuagong TechDaheng New Epoch TechnologyTianhong LaserWuhan Golden LaserSiasun, MaxphotonicsWuhan RaycusWuhan Co-Walking LaserDownload Sample Copy@Based on Application, the report describes major application share of regional market. Application mentioned as follows:CommunicationMaterials ProcessingLithographyMedical & AestheticInstrumentation & SensorsOptical StorageMilitary & ResearchDisplaysPrintingBased on region, the report describes major regions market by products and application. Regions mentioned as follows:Asia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaCheck Discount Offer :Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 Upstream1.2.2 Downstream1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.2 by Application1.2.2. Communication1.2.2. Materials Processing1.2.2. Lithography1.2.2. Medical & Aesthetic1.2.2. Instrumentation & Sensors1.2.2. Optical Storage1.2.2. Military & Research1.2.2. Displays1.2.2. Printing1.2.3 by Regions2 Industry Chain2.1 Industry Chain Structure2.2 Upstream2.3 Market2.3.1 SWOT2.3.2 Dynamics3 Environmental Analysis3.1 Policy3.2 Economic3.3 Technology3.4 Market Entry4 Market Segmentation by Type4.1 Market Size4.2 Market Forecast5 Market Segmentation by Application5.1 Market Size5.1. Communication Market, 2011-20165.1. Materials Processing Market, 2011-20165.1. Lithography Market, 2011-20165.1. Medical & Aesthetic Market, 2011-20165.1. Instrumentation & Sensors Market, 2011-20165.1. Optical Storage Market, 2011-20165.1. Military & Research Market, 2011-20165.1. Displays Market, 2011-20165.1. Printing Market, 2011-20165.2 Market Forecast5.2. Communication Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Materials Processing Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Lithography Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Medical & Aesthetic Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Instrumentation & Sensors Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Optical Storage Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Military & Research Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Displays Market Forecast, 2017-20225.2. Printing Market Forecast, 2017-20226 Market Segmentation by Region6.1 Market Size6.1.1 Asia-Pacific6.1.1.1 Asia-Pacific Market, 2011-20166.1.1.2 Asia-Pacific Market by Type6.1.1.3 Asia-Pacific Market by Application6.1.2 North America6.1.2.1 North America Market, 2011-20166.1.2.2 North America Market by Type6.1.2.3 North America Market by Application6.1.3 Europe6.1.3.1 Europe Market, 2011-20166.1.3.2 Europe Market by Type6.1.3.3 Europe Market by Application6.1.4 South America6.1.4.1 South America Market, 2011-20166.1.4.2 South America Market by Type6.1.4.3 South America Market by Application6.1.5 Middle East & Africa6.1.5.1 Middle East & Africa Market, 2011-20166.1.5.2 Middle East & Africa Market by Type6.1.5.3 Middle East & Africa Market by Application6.2 Market Forecast6.2.1 Asia-Pacific Market Forecast, 2017-20226.2.2 North America Market Forecast, 2017-20226.2.3 Europe Market Forecast, 2017-20226.2.4 South America Market Forecast, 2017-20226.2.5 Middle East & Africa Market Forecast, 2017-20227 Market Competitive7.1 Global Market by Vendors7.2 Market Concentration7.3 Price & Factors7.4 Marketing Channel8 Major Vendors8. TRUMPF8.1.2 Profile8.1.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. Coherent8.2.1 Profile8.2.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. IPG8.3.1 Profile8.3.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. Rofin-Sinar8.4.1 Profile8.4.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. Prima8.5.1 Profile8.5.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. GSI8.6.1 Profile8.6.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. Nufern8.7.1 Profile8.7.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. NKT Photonics8.8.1 Profile8.8.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. IMRA, Fianium8.9.1 Profile8.9.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. Bystronic8.10.1 Profile8.10.2 Business Performance (Sales Revenue, Cost, Gross Margin)8. Hanas Laser8. Huagong Tech8. Daheng New Epoch Technology8. Tianhong Laser8. Wuhan Golden Laser8. Siasun, Maxphotonics8. Wuhan Raycus8. Wuhan Co-Walking Laser9 ConclusionAbout usReports And Markets is part of the Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.Are you mastering your market? Do you know what the market potential is for your product, who the market players are and what the growth forecast is? We offer standard global, regional or country specific market research studies for almost every market you can imagine.The marketing research reports consist of market analysis with statistical and analytical information on the markets, applications, industry analysis, market shares, technology and technology shifts, important players, and the developments in the market.Do you want to know more on a specific company? Our Company Reports collection contains thousands of profiles of major industrial companies. These reports typically contain information like a company overview, business description, company history, major products and services, key facts, SWOT analysis, key employees, subsidiaries, and company locations.On ReportsAndMarkets.com you will find all the globally available market research and company reports from well-respected market research companies, all leaders in their field. Reports And Markets is totally independent and serves its customers by providing the most reliable market research available, as we understand how important this is for you.Sanjay JainManager - Partner Relations & International Marketing info@reportsandmarkets.comOffice No: 206 Empress Mill Society Shree Nagar,Nagpur - 440015 Maharashtra India
Mobile Phones Report on Global and United States Market Status 2017-2022 and Forecast by Players, Types & Applications

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "2017-2022 mobile phones Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications" to its huge collection of research reports.The investigation study here talks around several of viewpoints having an abode with the overall mobile phones publicize which expresses the present-day gen and future detections with orientation to the dynamic forces at play. The prime motivation behind the examination report is to offer the supporter with a wide system and make accessible the worthwhile substances and records. The verifiable investigating examination besides executes data on issues, for example, drivers, shackles, and projections to gage the aftereffect of the Global and United States mobile phones advance through the cross of the said gage period in the examination report. The report comparatively passes on a brief and world class record of the predefined exhibit, which incorporates a few occasions of the certified focuses at work which are surveyed to trigger advancement in the market or may cause any negative effect.This report additionally stations into the Global and United States mobile phones advance by demandingly assessing the deliver and industrialized chain of the relentless market. This is expected to in addition help in bestowing honest to goodness information and digits on compound fragments of the pertinent market, for example, material relating to strategies for the get together in the typical and Global and United States strata, convey and transmission structure, creation compel, mass sold, and advantages gotten for the contributed total.Get sample report @The major players in global and United States mobile phones market, including Iphone, Samsung, Huawei, HTC, Acer, Alcatel, Asus, Pixel, HP, LG, Microsoft Lumia, Motorola, Sony, ZTE, OPPO, VIVO, OnePlusThe On the basis of product, the mobile phones market is primarily split intoNFC Mobile PhoneNon NFC Mobile PhoneOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversConsumer PhonesBusiness PhoneThe report utilizes a few displayed grandstand examination and whole gadgets. They permit the examination store up pass on an uncovered basic assessment of the Global and United States mobile phones market and help endorser and market troupes to be instructed with respect to hypothesis and business conclusions. The far reaching strategy of the examination gives a market position on an unmistakable and minute scale. It aggregates essential and optional research frameworks thus. The specialists have thought the recorded encounters and emerged it from the back and forth movement exhibit condition to outline a strategy for the Global and United States mobile phones expose in the years ahead.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 mobile phones Market Overview2.1 mobile phones Product Overview2.2 mobile phones Market Segment by Type2.2.1 NFC Mobile Phone2.2.2 Non NFC Mobile Phone2.3 Global mobile phones Product Segment by Type2.4 United States mobile phones Product Segment by Type7 mobile phones Players/Manufacturers Profiles and Sales Data7.1 Iphone7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.1.2 mobile phones Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Iphone mobile phones Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Samsung7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.2.2 mobile phones Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Samsung mobile phones Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Huawei7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors7.3.2 mobile phones Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Huawei mobile phones Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business OverviewList of Tables and FiguresTable Research Programs/Design for This ReportFigure Bottom-up and Top-down Approaches for This ReportFigure Data TriangulationTable Key Data Information from Secondary SourcesTable Key Data Information from Primary SourcesFigure mobile phones Product PictureFigure Global mobile phones Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure United States mobile phones Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Table Global mobile phones Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) Comparison by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)Table Global mobile phones Sales (K Units) by Types (2012-2017)QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Report Assesses The US Anesthesiology Service Market: Size, Trends, key opportunities, Outlines the Factors & Forecasts 2017-2021

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " The US Anesthesiology Service Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021) " to it's Large Report database.Scope of the ReportThe report entitled The US Anesthesiology Service Market: Size, Trends & Forecasts (2017-2021), provides analysis of the US anesthesia service market, with detailed analysis of market size and value, market share and economic impact of the industry. The analysis includes the market by value, by share of players, by segments, etc.Furthermore, the report also 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 overall US anesthesia service market has also been forecasted for the years 2017-2021, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.Envision Healthcare, Teamhealth and Mednax are some of the key players operating in the US anesthesiology service market, whose company profiling has been done in the report. In this segment of the report, business overview, financial overview and business strategies of the companies are provided.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:Company CoverageEnvision HealthcareMednaxTeamhealthExecutive SummaryAnesthesiology market is composed of two main elements which are anesthesia (drugs for medicinal purpose) and anesthesiologist (professional who are trained to use anesthesia). There are many equipments specifically designed for different surgical procedures like Anesthetic Vaporizer is used for vaporizing anesthetic; nasal oxygen set for delivering oxygen etc.The US anesthesiology market is expected to increase at high growth rates during the forecasted period (2017-2021). The US anesthesiology market is supported by various growth drivers, such as growing geriatric population, increase in monitored anesthesia use, increasing chronic diseases and volume of surgeries etc.Browse more details @Table of Content1. Executive Summary2. Introduction2.1 Anesthesiology Market: An Overview2.1.1 Elements of Anesthesiology2.1.2 Types of Anesthesia2.1.3 Anesthetic Equipment & Instruments2.1.4 Anesthesia Side Effects2.1.5 Segments in Anesthesiology Market3. Market Analysis3.1 The US Anesthesiology Service Market: An Analysis3.1.1 The US Anesthesiology Service Market by Value3.1.2 The US Anesthesiology Service Market by Segments3.1.3 The US GIASC Market by Value3.1.4 The US GIASC Market by Penetration In the US ASC Market3.1.5 The US Anesthesiology Service Market by Number of Anesthesiologist4. Market Dynamics4.1 Growth Drivers4.1.1 Increased Ambulatory Surgeries4.1.2 Growing Geriatric Population4.1.3 Increase in Monitored Anesthesia Use4.1.4 New Drugs Approvals at Reduced Cost4.1.5 Increasing Chronic Diseases and Volume of SurgeriesAbout 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:
Cost Structure, Supply of 1,6-Hexanediol Global market with Key Companies Profile, Trends & SWOT Analysis, Forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title '2017-2022 Global and Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Analysis Report' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya and important players/vendors such as BASF, Lanxess, Perstorp, Shandong Yuanli, etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast to 2022.SummaryThe global 1,6-Hexanediol market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Request a sample report @Japan plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of xx%.This report studies the 1,6-Hexanediol market's development status and future trend in Japan, focuses on top players in Japan, also splits 1,6-Hexanediol market by type and by applications, to fully and deeply research and reveal the market general situation and future forecast.The major players includeBASF(DE)Ube Industries(JP)Lanxess(DE)Perstorp(SE)Zhejiang BOADGE(CN)Shandong Yuanli(CN)Liaoning Tianhua(CN)Fushun Tianfu(CN)Sigma-Aldrich(US)Geographically, this report splits the Japan market into 5 regions:TokyoYokohamaOsakaNagoyaOthersOn the basis of product, the 1,6-Hexanediol market is primarily split into1,6-Hexanediol Market, by Purity99.9%1,6-Hexanediol Market, by Production Material1,6-Adipic AcidOthersKey ApplicationsPolyurethanePolyesterPlastic additivesUV PaintOthersGet customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents2017-2022 Global and Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Analysis Report1 1,6-Hexanediol Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of 1,6-Hexanediol1.2 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market by Applications/End Users1.2.1 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Sales (K Pcs) and Market Share Comparison by Applications (2012-2022)1.2.2 Polyurethane1.2.3 Polyester1.3 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market by Regions1.3.1 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Size (Million USD) Comparison by Regions (2012-2022)1.3.2 Tokyo 1,6-Hexanediol Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.3.3 Yokohama 1,6-Hexanediol Status and Prospect (2012-2022)Buy this report @2 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Competition by Players/Manufacturers2.1 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Revenue and Share by Players/Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Average Price (USD/Pcs) by Players/Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Players/Manufacturers3 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Sales and Revenue by Regions (2012-2017)3.1 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Sales (K Pcs) and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)3.2 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)3.3 Japan 1,6-Hexanediol Price (USD/Pcs) by Regions (2012-2017)....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. 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 Internal Neuromodulation Devices Market Key Trends & Industry Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Internal neuromodulation devices directly act upon nerves. It is the technology known for alteration of nerve activity directly to a target area by sending electrical or pharmaceutical agents directly to a target area. The neuromodulation devices can treat nearly every disease considering every area of body. The diseases or symptoms from headache to spinal cord damage to tremor and many others. Neuromodulation technology is significantly improving in biotechnology with its broad therapeutic scope. More specifically, it is employed to treat unmanageable chronic pain or movement conditions. According to the study on neuromodulation devices and therapies has shown that neuromodulation is a safe, effective, and long-term treatment for chronic pain and movement disorders. Patients with the diseases such as Parkinsons disease, essential tremor, primary dystonia, chronic back and leg pain associated with peripheral vascular disease (PVD), complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) can benefit from neuromodulation therapy. As the hardware becomes smaller and easy to use the implantable devices used for neuromodulation have taken a dive headlong with the introduction of smaller devices, and rechargeable systems. These systems are considered with larger but useable complexity which denotes towards the growth of neuromodulation devices segment.Obtain Report Details @The internal neuromodulation devices market can be segmented into product type, application, end-user, and geography. In terms of product type, the market can be segmented into deep brain stimulators, sacral nerve stimulators, vagus nerve stimulators, spinal cord stimulators, and other internal neuromodulation devices. The spinal cord segment of the internal neuromodulation devices market is anticipated to expand rapidly during the forecast period. The product type segment is estimated to expand significantly in the near future due to its high usage in the treatment of chronic pain. Rising gastric and chronic and nerve disability conditions are driving the expansion of the market globally. The market is anticipated to expand due to growing safety awareness and efficacy of the neuromodulation devices, increasing neurological disorders prevalence and increasing number of clinical trials, globally, for the progress of innovative technologies. Stringent approval policies and low number of trained healthcare professionals are restraining the expansion of the market.In terms of application, the market can be segmented into failed back syndrome, tremors, epilepsy, chronic pain management, Parkinsons disease, depression, urinary and fecal incontinence, gastroparesis, migraine, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and others. The chronic pain management segment accounts for a significant share in the application category of the internal neuromodulation devices market. Increasing prevalence of chronic conditions is a major factor driving the expansion of the segment. In terms of end-user, the internal neuromodulation devices market can be segmented into hospitals, clinics, and home healthcare. The hospitals segment is projected to hold prominent share in the end-user category of the internal neuromodulation devices market.In terms of geography, the global internal neuromodulation devices market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the world, North America held significant share of the internal neuromodulation devices market due to high healthcare awareness, prevalence of chronic disorders, and technological advancement in the region. Europe accounted for the second largest share of the internal neuromodulation devices market due to rising ageing population. However, Asia Pacific represent are estimated to expand rapidly in during the forecast period due to increasing awareness, gradual adoption of improved technologies, emerging health care infrastructures, increased purchasing power of hospitals, and rise in population. Followed by Latin America and Middle- East & Africa.Key global players in the internal neuromodulation devices market are Medtronic plc, LivaNova PLC, Cyberonics, Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, EnteroMedics Inc, BioControl Medical, Bioness Inc., Nevro Corporation, and NeuroPace Inc. Moreover, regional players along with global players are contributing for a significant share in the internal neuromodulation devices market.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.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Browse market research blog:
Worldwide Radiology Oncology Surgical Robots Market Shares, Strategies, Forecasts and Opportunities 2016 to 2022

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ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Radiology Oncology Surgical Robots Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022 " to it's Large Report database.The 2016 study has 557 pages, 82 tables and figures. Worldwide Radiology Oncology surgical robot markets are poised to achieve significant growth as next generation systems provide a way to improve traditional open surgery and use radiology for cancer surgery. New systems pinpoint the delivery of radiation precisely, eliminating the radiological overdosing that has been such a problem previously, limiting the quantity of radiation that can be delivered.Radiosurgery robots take cancer surgery far beyond what has been available, promising a cure for cancer. Radiology oncology surgical robots use mechanical mobility and continuous image guidance to remove tumors. The Accuray CyberKnife robotic system follows the oncology target throughout treatment, intelligently delivering sub-millimeter precision, sparing healthy tissue. A robotic manipulator and a compact, lightweight linear accelerator, can deliver beams from thousands of non-coplanar, isocentric or non-isocentric angles. Treatments have excellent tumor coverage, steep dose gradients, and tight dose conformality.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:The radiation oncology market is growing globally due to a number of factors centered around the aging of the population and the benefits accrued from new technology. The number of new cancer cases diagnosed annually is projected to increase from 14.9 million in 2015 to 20 million by 2025. The increase in new cases is due to a steadily aging population. Both developed and developing countries have aging populations.Technology advances improve the precision and applicability of radiotherapy and radiosurgery. Expanding uses of radiotherapy and radiosurgery equipment occur because the units are able to treat a broader range of cases. Advances in hardware and software are creating a market for replacing an aging installed base. New designs are able to deliver higher standards of care.The rise in cancer cases, together with the increase in sophistication of new treatment protocols, have created demand for more automated products. Automation depends on integration of several devices into clinically practical systems. Integrated systems make treatments rapid and cost effective.Browse more details @Table of ContentsRadiology Oncology Surgical Robot Executive Summary 20Radiology Oncology Surgical Robot Market Driving Forces 20Surgical Radiology Robotics Market Driving Forces 23Radiology Surgical Robot Key Procedures As Elements Of Strategy 27Radiosurgery As Stereotactic Radiotherapy 28Radiology Oncology Surgical Robots Market Share Analysis 29Radiology Surgical Robots Market Forecasts 311. Radiology Surgical Robot Market Description and Market Dynamics 351.1 Radiotherapy, Radiation Therapy, Radiosurgery, And Brachytherapy Market Description 351.1.1 IMRT 361.1.2 VMAT 371.1.3 IGRT 371.1.4 SRS and SBRT 381.1.5 Brachytherapy 381.1.6 Proton Therapy 391.2 Current Radiation Therapy Limitations 401.3 Radiology Robotic Surgical Clinical Facilities and Clinical Diagnosis 421.3.1 Cancer Robotic Surgery Learning Curves 441.3.2 Robotic Radiological Surgery Equipment 441.3.3 Medicare and Medicaid Impact 461.3.4 Medical Robotic Surgery by Segment 461.3.5 Robotic Cancer Surgery 461.3.6 Cancer 47About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at:
Global CMOS 3D Image Sensor Market Growth and Forecast 2022

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global CMOS 3D Image Sensor Market Professional Survey Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.This report studies CMOS 3D Image Sensor in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringSonyAgilentSTOmniVisionAbovPhotobitSamsungCanonOn Semi (Aptina)ToshibaNikonPixelPlusPixartSiliconFileGalaxyCorePanavisionFor more information about this report atBy types, the market can be split intoBackside-illuminated (BSI)BSI StackedFront-illuminated (FI)By Application, the market can be split intoIndustrialSecurityMedicalAutomotiveComputingOthersBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaRequest a sample copy atTable of Content1 Industry Overview of CMOS 3D Image Sensor2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of CMOS 3D Image Sensor3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of CMOS 3D Image Sensor4 Global CMOS 3D Image Sensor Overall Market Overview5 CMOS 3D Image Sensor Regional Market Analysis6 Global 2011-2017E CMOS 3D Image Sensor Segment Market Analysis (by Type)7 Global 2011-2017E CMOS 3D Image Sensor Segment Market Analysis (by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of CMOS 3D Image Sensor8.1 Sony8.1.1 Company Profile8.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 Sony 2016 CMOS 3D Image Sensor Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.1.4 Sony 2016 CMOS 3D Image Sensor Business Region Distribution Analysis8.2 Agilent8.2.1 Company Profile8.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications8.2.2.1 Product A8.2.2.2 Product B8.2.3 Agilent 2016 CMOS 3D Image Sensor Sales, Ex-factory Price, Revenue, Gross Margin Analysis8.2.4 Agilent 2016 CMOS 3D Image Sensor Business Region Distribution AnalysisDiscount on report purchase at9 Development Trend of Analysis of CMOS 3D Image Sensor Market10 CMOS 3D Image Sensor Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of CMOS 3D Image Sensor12 Conclusion of the Global CMOS 3D Image Sensor Market Professional Survey Report 2017Purchase Complete 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.Pune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2027

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The neuromuscular blocking agent is also known as a paralyzing agent as they block the connection between nerves and muscles and paralyzed muscle function of the body. Neuromuscular blocking agents are potent muscle relaxant which is particularly used during surgery to prevent muscle movement and for mechanical ventilation. Neuromuscular blocking agents normally work as a pre-junctional receptor and post junctional receptor. Neuromuscular blocking agents are indicated for a wide variety of uses in hospital settings, from surgeries to trauma. Neuromuscular blocking agent is used as an adjuvant in general anesthesia, electroshock therapy, endotracheal intubation, during incubation and endoscopic procedures, brief surgeries and as adjuncts in the treatment of encephalitis, tetanus, and poliomyelitis which propels the demand of the neuromuscular blocking agents over the forecast period.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Market:The global neuromuscular blocking agent market is segmented on the basis of drug class, drug group, and distribution channel.On the basis of drug class, the global neuromuscular blocking agent market is segmented into:PachycuraresLeptocuraresOn the basis of drug group, the global neuromuscular blocking agent market is segmented into:Non-polarizing agents (Competitive)Depolarizing agents (Non-competitive)On the basis of distribution channel, the global neuromuscular blocking agent market is segmented into:Hospital PharmacyRetail PharmacyDrug storesE- CommerceThe global neuromuscular blocking agent market is anticipated to register a significant CAGR over a forecast period. The increasing use of the neuromuscular blocking agent in the surgeries is anticipated to boost the demand of the neuromuscular blocking agent and drives the global neuromuscular blocking agent market. The rising geriatric population is also expected to propel the demand of the neuromuscular blocking agent and drives the global neuromuscular blocking agent market. The increasing research and development activities for the new drugs and new combinations of drugs to minimize the side effects of the blocking agents and increase safety and efficacy of the drug, also anticipated to drives the global neuromuscular blocking agent market.However, the possible side effects of the neuromuscular blocking agent such as hyperkalemia, dysrhythmia, cardiac arrest, muscle pain and prolonged paralysis, which may hamper the demand for the neuromuscular blocking agent and restrain the growth of the global neuromuscular blocking agent market. The possibilities of injuries and death due to the substitution errors involved in these drugs may also hamper the demand of the neuromuscular blocking agent and restraint the growth of the global neuromuscular blocking agent market.On the basis of regional presence, the global neuromuscular blocking agent market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Currently, North America is contributing the leading shares to the global neuromuscular blocking agent market in terms of value and anticipated to register a significant CAGR over a forecast period. The Europe is also contributing the moderate shares to the market due to the increasing use of the neuromuscular blocking agent during surgeries. APAC is the most lucrative market for the neuromuscular blocking agent due to the increasing use of drugs during the surgical procedures in the region and expected to show a robust growth to the global neuromuscular blocking agent market. MEA is at a nascent stage to the global neuromuscular blocking agent market and anticipated to register a decent growth to the market over a forecast period. Overall, the global neuromuscular blocking agent market is expected to show significant growth over a forecast period.Request for the Sample Report:Some of the major market players in neuromuscular blocking agent market globally include Aqua Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co., Inc., Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC., GlaxoSmithKline Plc., Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie Inc., Pfizer, Novartis AG, Bayer AG, Roche Inc. and Zydus Cadila.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Endoscopic Clips Market Size and Demand Forecast to 2027

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Endoscopic clips is used to approximation of tissues during gastrointestinal endoscopy and others, the first introduce in Japan by Olympus Corporation, the mechanics of endoscopic clips also recognized the useful of nonhemostatics applications, the endoscopic clips are made of metal and also known as hemoclip or endoclip, this clips has a wide and expanding in its application. The clips has controllable adherence, transmural penetration, larger diameters and others. Clips can be used in bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, the small growths of tissue in intestine is known as polyps, after removing the polyps from intestine the clips is paced in tissue to stop the bleeding.Read the Comprehensive Overview of Endoscopic Clips Market:Endoscopic Clips Market: Drivers and RestraintsEndoscopic clips is growing market over the forecast period, as players are coming with more innovative technology to develop more flexible and portable size of the clips, so that a single clips cover more area of the tissue to provide better treatment. For instance, Boston Scientific Corporation has design the clip name as Resolution clip which can work under Magnetic Resonance (MR) environments also and can be used in emergency bleeding situations, the jaw span is also more powerful to hold the tissue. The awareness and the higher cost is the present hindrances for this segment.Endoscopic Clips Market: SegmentationEndoscopic clips is segmented on the basicBy TypeEndoscopic markingHemostasisMucosal/submucosal defectsBleeding ulcersBleeding arteriesPolypectomy sitesOthersBy End UserHospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersClinicsOthersEndoscopic Clips Market: OverviewEndoscopic clips are developing by players to hold the market with their products, as the products are coming with innovative technology and concepts to hold the maximum area for the treatment, for instance a TriClip was introduced by Cook Medical Inc. in 2003, which have the three-pronged clip and open diameter of 12 mm. The innovation are still going on to refine the product to get more better grip and hold over the tissue or the area for treatment, transmural penetration and many more. Players are also focusing on those clips which can steers without wire and the clips can be deploy in capsule formats.Endoscopic Clips Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, Endoscopic Clips Market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America hold major share in this segment as the players and the application is high. Europe and Asia-Pacific are creating the awareness about the product and its applications.Request for the Sample Report:Endoscopic Clips Market: Key PlayersSome of the players in Endoscopic Clips Market include: Boston Scientific Corporation, Olympus Corporation, Cook Endoscopy, AGA Medical, Plymouth, Mass, Natick, Cincinati, Ohio and LSI SolutionsAbout TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
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Global Gears Market 2017 to 2022 Top Manufacturers  Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler, David Brown, Eaton, Robert Bosch, Honda, Magna, Caterpillar, CHSTE

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Global Gears Market Research Report 2017 to 2022 presents an in-depth assessment of the Gears including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, standardization, regulatory landscape, deployment models, operator case studies, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for Gears investments from 2017 till 2022.A gear or cogwheel is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part to transmit torque.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Gears in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request a Sample Copy of Global Gears Market Research Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, Global Gears Market report covers such as Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler, David Brown, Eaton, Robert Bosch, Honda, Magna, Caterpillar, CHSTE, ZF Friedrichshafen, Aisin Seiki, Dana Holding, FLSmidth MAAG Gear, GKN plc, Emerson Electric, Bonfiglioli, Allison Transmission, Shaanxi Fast Gear, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Winergy, AAM, BorgWarner, Carraro SpA, SEW-EURODRIVE, Meritor and Rotork plc.Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Global Gears Market Segment by Type, covers: Spur Gears, Helical Gears, Gear Rack, Worm Gear, Bevel Gear and OthersGlobal Gears Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into: Vehicles, Industry and Special EquipmentEnquire about this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Gears market.Chapter 1, to describe Gears Market Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Gears, with sales, revenue, and price of Gears, 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 Gears Market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Gears, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the Global Gears Market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Gears market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Gears sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Related Reports: -2017-2022 Global Top Countries Gears Market ReportThe Global Gears market size will be XX million (USD) in 2022, from the XX million (USD) in 2016, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) XX% from 2016 to 2022.Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Know the Current Scenario and Insights of Biochar Market 2017

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ReportsMonitor.com has added a new report to its database United States Biochar Market Report 2017.This report identifies the Biochar market size for the years 2012-2017, and forecast of the same till the year 2022. It also highlights the market drivers, restraints, growth indicators, challenges, and other key aspects with respect to the Biochar market.Biochar Market tracks the major market events including product launches, technological developments, mergers and acquisitions, and the innovative business strategies opted by key market players. Along with strategically analyzing the key micro markets, the report also focuses on industry-specific drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges in the Copper Strips market. This research report offers in-depth analysis of the market size (revenue), market share, major market segments, and different geographic regions, forecast for the next five years, key market players, and premium industry trends. It also focuses on the key drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges.For Requesting a Sample Copy of This Report, Please Visit @This report focuses on top manufacturers in United States market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringCool PlanetBiochar SupremeNextCharTerra CharGenesis IndustriesInterra EnergyCharGrowPacific BiocharBiochar NowThe Biochar Company (TBC)ElementC6Vega BiofuelsThe competitive landscape of the United States market for Biochar is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Biochar markets production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Biochar market worldwide.This report segments the Biochar marketWood Source BiocharCorn Stove Source BiocharRice Stove Source BiocharWheat Stove Source BiocharOther Stove Source BiocharOn the basis of application:Soil ConditionerFertilizerOthersFor comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, the Biochar market is analyzed across key geographies namely:WestMidwestSouthNortheastEach of these regions is analyzed on basis of market findings across major countries in these regions for a macro-level understanding of the market.Browse Full Table of Contents and Report Description @Some points from TOC:10 Market Effect Factors Analysis10.1 Technology Progress/Risk10.1.1 Substitutes Threat10.2 Consumer Needs/Industry Challenge10.3 Economic/Political Environmental Change11 United States Biochar Market Size (Sales and Revenue) Forecast (2018-2023)11.1 United States Biochar Sales (MT), Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2018-2023)11.2 United States Biochar Sales (MT) Forecast by Type (2018-2023)11.3 United States Biochar Sales (MT) Forecast by Application (2018-2023)11.4 United States Biochar Sales (MT) Forecast by Regions (2018-2023)Reports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform to meet the market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.008, Mihir Co-operative,Above Bharat Suzuki showroom,Fatima Nagar,Pune,Maharashtra,IndiaIndia: +91 2069535353Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite:
Latest Research on Fuel Cell market  Bosch, SFC Energy, AFC Energy with Cost Structure, Other Key vendors, Type, Application, Supply, Forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title 'Global and Europe Fuel Cell Market - Analysis and Outlook to 2022' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like United States, Europe, China, Japan, India and important players/vendors such as Bosch, SFC Energy, AFC Energy, ITM Power, etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast to 2022.SummaryThis report presents a comprehensive overview of the Fuel Cell market in Europe, which shares the history data information from 2012 to 2016, and forecast from 2017 to 2022.Request a sample report @This report provides a detailed analysis of the market, including its dynamics, structure, characteristics, main players, growth and demand drivers, etc. As a Detailed Analysis report, it covers all details inside analysis and opinion in Fuel Cell industry.This report focuses on Global and Europe market, including details as following:Key RegionsEuropeGermanyUnited KingdomFranceItalySpainRussiaNetherlandPolandOthersUnited StatesChinaJapanIndiaOthersKey Product TypeFuel Cell Market, by Electrolyte TypeAlkaline Fuel Cell(AFC)Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell(PEMFC)Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell(PAFC)Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell(MCFC)Solid Oxide Fuel Cell(SOFC)Fuel Cell Market, by Handling Method of FuelDirectIndirectRegenerateFuel Cell Market, by Price10000 USDKey ApplicationsTransportationPower StationPortable DevicesOthersKey PlayersBosch(Germany)SFC Energy(Germany)Proton Motor(Germany)AFC Energy(UK)Ceres Power(UK)ITM Power(UK)Nedstack(Netherland)Bloom Energy(US)Doosan Fuel Cell(US)Fuelcell Energy(US)Plug Power(US)UTC Power(US)UNITED TECHNOLOGIES(US)Ballard Power Systems(Canada)Hydrogenics(Canada)Ceramic Fuel Cells(Australia)Aisin Seiki(Japan)Kyocera(Japan)Panasonic(Japan)Toshiba(Japan)Fuji Electric(Japan)Tianqilong(China)EXTENDER(China)Get customization & check discount for report @Table of Contents1 Market Outline1.1 Research Methodology1.1.1 Methodology/Research ApproachResearch Programs/DesignMarket Size EstimationMarket Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Regulatory Factors1.3 End-User Analysis1.4 Strategic BenchmarkingBuy this report @2 Fuel Cell Product Overview2.1 Global and Europe Fuel Cell Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20222.2 Fuel Cell, by Electrolyte Type 2012-20222.2.1 Global and Europe Fuel Cell Sales Market Share by Electrolyte Type 2012-20222.2.2 Global and Europe Fuel Cell Revenue Market Share by Electrolyte Type 2012-20222.2.3 Global and Europe Fuel Cell Price by Electrolyte Type 2012-20222.2.4 Alkaline Fuel Cell(AFC)3 Fuel Cell Top 30 Brands Profile3.1 Bosch(Germany)3.1.1 Bosch(Germany) Company Details and Competitors3.1.2 Bosch(Germany) Key Fuel Cell Models and Performance3.2 SFC Energy(Germany)3.2.1 SFC Energy(Germany) Company Details and Competitors3.2.2 SFC Energy(Germany) Key Fuel Cell Models and Performance....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
Lyocell Fiber Market for Apparels, Home Textiles, and Other Applications, Market Share & Forecast, 2017  2024

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Fashion trends have changed rapidly over the past few years and will continue to do so in the coming years, which will drive the industry growth. Modern technology and fibers have been developed which have escalated the use of better quality materials and has driven the lyocell fiber marker demand. Brands have started focusing on fibers that can be recycled and can be reused after the end of a products lifecycle.Government initiatives have been taken to adopt sustainable fibers for textile and apparels industry. The apparels segment in North America accounted for a major chunk of the product share (over 40%) in 2016. The environment friendly production process of the material also acts as a major driver to boost the lyocell fiber market. There has been a significant impact through social media on the apparel segment, which in turn has positively influenced the industry.Request for a sample of this research report @The petrochemical fibers have been substituted by cellulosic man-made fibers, which has spurred the product adoption in the manufacturing processes. The pressure on synthetic fiber manufacturers has increased due to the increasing demand for naturally derived fibers. The product finds its application in various segments such as baby diapers, home textiles, apparels, automotive filters, surgical products and many more. The healthcare and wound care textiles segment is likely to grow at a robust pace, owing to the evolving technologies for recovery of surgical wounds, thus propelling lyocell fiber market.Despite numerous opportunities, lyocell fiber market will face challenges due to its expensive pricing compared to the eco-friendly alternatives. Extra caring of delicate fabrics such as cold rinse, hand wash, and dry-clean can increase the maintenance costs as well. Also, the product shrinks up to 3% after the first wash. These factors will act as lyocell fiber market restraints in the coming years.Cellulose fibers are used for the manufacturing of superior quality textiles which have boosted the lyocell fiber market. The fiber is biodegradable, natural in nature and economical in use which is obtained from natural cellulose found in wood pulp. Also, the fabric has natural breathability and with a superior moisture absorption capacity than cotton. Moreover, due to its moisture management properties, lyocell is also anti-bacterial in nature.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Clothing and textiles is a diverse sector in Europe and has been subjected to technological transformations. Non-woven fabrics for automotive industry and medical sector have been produced in massive quantities in Europe, which will positively influence the lyocell fiber market. Europe will account for over 12% of the market share in 2024 due to presence of viable cost-effective substitute materials and their growing popularity over lyocell fibers, majorly in the apparels segment.Browse key industry insights spread across 110 pages with 143 market data tables & 11 figures & charts from the report Lyocell Fiber Market in detail along with the table of contents at:Some of the major industry players in lyocell fiber market include Lenzing AG, Baoding Swan Fiber Co, Acegreen Eco-Material Technology, China Populus Textile, Chonbang, Qingdao Textiles Group Fiber Technology, Acelon Chemicals & Fiber Corporation and smartfiber AG.The Asia Pacific market has been penetrated by several baby diaper brands, which will give a thrust to the lyocell fiber market. Rising disposable income of people in Asia Pacific has led to a high demand for baby diapers, which has augmented the product market growth. The region will grow with a substantial CAGR of approximately 8% by 2024. India and China will witness a soaring demand for baby diapers, owing to the high birth rates and rising awareness about pediatric hygiene.About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Market size was more than USD 450 million in 2015 and is likely to exhibit a CAGR of over 5% over the forecast 2016-2024

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Rising awareness pertaining to personal hygiene, grooming, and cleanliness along with growing research and development works to manufacture customer demand specific products will influence the industry positively. Mens grooming products such as shampoos, body washes, shaving creams, etc. are gaining popularity in the market with the upcoming of several product brands. Overall personal care products market will likely exhibit growth at over a CAGR of 5% in coming years, giving a significant boost to the SLS market.Prevalence of traditional locally manufactured products and lack of awareness about sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) based detergents, cleaners, or personal care products in the emerging countries may restrain the overall SLS market development in coming years. In 2011, more than 70% of the global population belonged to the low-income group with daily income less than USD 10, most of which are concentrated in the developing and underdeveloped countries.Request for a sample of this research report @These people are oblivious to the benefits of SLS based products and personal hygiene, negatively influencing the SLS market in next few years.Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) market has been categorized on the basis of products into liquid and dry types, of which dry types are available in the form of needles, powder, and granules. SLS powder are convenient to store and transport and will gain the market at a faster rate. The segment will likely generate more than USD 380 million in 2024 and growing at over a CAGR of 5% in the forecast spell.Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) needles market size will likely record over USD 150 million by 2024 owing to its extensive usage in detergents, nutraceuticals, and rubber industries. It will also likely be the fastest growing product segment among the dry product types.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Liquid form finds a wide range of use in personal care products and cleaners owing to its high solubility and are marginally cheaper than the dry product types. This segment will create a revenue beyond USD 350 million for the overall sodium lauryl sulfate market in 2024, promising a decent growth rate in coming years.The different product applications studied in the report include personal care products, dish washing liquids, household detergents & cleaners, industrial cleaners, and others. Household detergents & cleaners will likely hold sway the sodium lauryl sulfate market throughout the forecast spell with more than 40% of the overall share throughout the forecast span.Personal care products including shampoos, soaps, bath bombs, body and face cleansers and scrubs, etc. will likely register more than USD 100 million for the global sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) market in 2024.Browse key industry insights spread across 110 pages with 151 market data tables & 11 figures & charts from the report, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)Market in detail along with the table of contents at:In 2024, Asia Pacific sodium lauryl sulfate market, led by India and China, will record a revenue over USD 300 million. Developing living standards of the middle-income group population along with recognition of the benefits of the product will augment the regional industry growth in coming years.Key sodium lauryl sulfate market participants include BASF SE, Solvay S.A., The Dow Chemical Company, Sasol, Huntsman Corporation, Stepan Company, Croda International, Clariant Corporation, Oxiteno, Godrej Industries, Galaxy Surfactants, Kao Corporation, Taiwan NJC Corporation, Miwon Commercial Co. Ltd., Xiamen Ditai Chemicals Co. Ltd., and Melan Chemical Co. Ltd.About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Specialty Glass Industry Trends, Analysis and Research Report, 2017 - 2024: Global Market Insights Inc.

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The Specialty Glass Market trends are analyzed from recent past with an eye on coming years in this report that also offers projections for Specialty Glass industry targeted at helping in business decisions. The product is widely used in interiors for customized doors, windows and mirrors. They are decorative panes typically intended to obstruct and hinder the material that would have been transparent otherwise.Robust infrastructure development, economic growth, fueling disposable income and improved living standard of people are major factors that drives the infrastructure business. The industry will witness steady growth momentum at over 7% in next five years. Panes are extensively used in commercial, residential buildings, railways stations and airports to provide a special and attractive appearance.Make an inquiry for buying this report @The product is widely used for chemical strengthening, it is an optimal material for protecting displays and touch screens in mobile phones and automobile display. It provides scratch resistance, shiny texture and protection from friction that cannot be attained through resin cover glass. Specialty glass market growth is anticipated to be driven by rising chemical industry.Specialty glass market is facing some hindrance that effects its growth. Manufacturing process of panes are highly complicated, it requires more chemical than any other pane and is even more energy intensive. Prior purchasing consumer needs proper information else it can become more bristle and less effective.Singapore and Hong Kong is anticipating to witness noticeable growth in near future. These countries have one of the best infrastructure globally. Investment in construction in these countries is rising rapidly, countries commercial and residential buildings design are recognized worldwide. Positive outlook in infrastructure will make Asia Pacific a considerable contributor in specialty glass market.Automobile industry is contributing majorly in Europe economy. Germany is the major country for luxury car accounting for over 20% of total European car sector. It hosts automobile giants that includes Renault and Bugatti. Panes are used in automobile in its entire instrument touch panel system that controls display and operation of car audio, air conditioner and navigation.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @Key contributors in specialty glass market are AGC, Schott, Guardian Industries, China Group, Hoya Corporation, Corning, Thermo Scientific, Rayotek Scientific, NSG and Abrisa Technologies. Schott acquired Elecpac in 2009, the move was to expand their footprint worldwide. Acquisition is providing complete portfolio, research, development, technical support, production, sales and marketing to companies. Both the companies will even emphasize on defense and security industries in the U.S. Corning announces expansion in 2017, focus of spreading out the new facility in Newton is to create its global footprint and to serve all the customers worldwide.Browse Related Reports:Automotive Glass Market Size By Product (Laminated, Tempered), By Application (Sidelite, Backlite, Windscreen), By End-Use (Aftermarket, OEM), By Vehicle (Light Commercial Vehicle, Heavy Commercial Vehicle, Passenger Cars), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, China, India, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2024Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.29L Atlantic Avenue, Suite L 105,
Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales Market 2017 - Rockwell Collins, Thales, BAE Systems, Raytheon, ASELSAN, Saab, Cobham

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Extensive primary and secondary research capabilities have been used to prepare the report Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales Industry. The report on the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market presents accurate market estimates and forecasts backed by in-depth primary and secondary research. The research report delivers key insights verified by key industry participants. These include market-leading participants, key clients and consumers, and product vendors and distributors.Download Sample Report @Significant industry insights, industry expectations, and key developments have been covered in this research study. Further, a detailed evaluation of the most influential drivers that will fuel the growth of the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market is also present in the report. The key market restraints and opportunities is also analyzed by the report.The report includes a detailed analysis of the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market based on different segments, which gives readers a clear perspective of the types of products, services, and technologies available in the market. The Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market is expected to demonstrate positive growth in several segments. The key sectors and their sub-sectors have been listed in this report. The drivers fueling the growth of the leading market segments, along with the details about the revenue these segments will generate is available in the report. Additionally, historical data about these sectors has also been included in this report. Besides the historical data, the emerging sectors in the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market are mentioned in this report.Request For Full Report With TOC @Geographic segments of the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market along with a detailed study on the prospects exhibited by the emerging regional markets of the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales industry are included in the report. The regulatory scenario favouring the leading regions in the Global Man-portable Communication Systems Sales market has been evaluated in the research study. Evaluation of the top market players along with their revenue shares and top strategies elaborated in the report, will help new entrants or established players to form more informed decisions.ABOUT USFior 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 Aspirations,Near Post 91, Baner Road,Pune, MH, India - 411045Phone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Vinyl Tile Detailed Analysis Report by Regions, Type, Application and Manufacturers Polyflor, Forbo, Armstrong, Mohawk Forecast to 2022

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A new research document with title 'Global Vinyl Tile 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 United States, Europe, China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and important players/vendors such as Polyflor, Forbo, Armstrong, Mohawk................The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2022Summary""Theres a lot of ground to cover in the world of flooring. Vinyl has been a popular choice for its durability and wide range of styles for many years. Vinyl tile is a flooring material that is generally inexpensive, easy to install, and easy to maintain. Made primarily from polyvinyl chloride resins and plasticizers, these flooring tiles are waterproof and very durable.There are many types of vinyl tile: vinyl composition tile or reinforced vinyl tile (VCT), luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and solid vinyl tile (SVT).""Request a sample report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Vinyl Tile 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 coversTarkettGerflorPolyflorForboArmstrongMohawkMannington MillsBeaulieuMarket 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, coversLuxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)OthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommercial UseResidential UseBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Vinyl Tile market.Chapter 1, to describe Vinyl Tile Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Vinyl Tile, with sales, revenue, and price of Vinyl Tile, 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 Vinyl Tile, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Vinyl Tile market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Vinyl Tile sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source....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.Get customization & check discount for report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :Nidhi Bhavsar (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Window Blinds Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application- Global Forecast to 2022

Window Blinds

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A new research document with title 'Global Window Blinds 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 United States, Europe, China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia and important players/vendors such as Aluvert blinds, Aspect Blinds, Liyang Xinyuan Curtain, ALL BLINDS CO., LTD, Nien Made ................The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2022Request a sample report @SummaryThis report studies the Window Blinds market. A window blind is a type of window covering. There are many different kinds of window blinds which use a variety of control systems. A typical window blind is made up of several long horizontal or vertical slats of various types of hard material, including wood, plastic or metal which are held together by cords that run through the blind slats. Window blinds can be maneuvered with either a manual or remote control by rotating them from an open position, with slats spaced out, to a closed position where slats overlap and block out most of the light.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Window Blinds 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 coversHillarysSprings Window FashionsHunter DouglasBudget BlindsAdvanced Window BlindsStevens (Scotland) LtdAluvert blindsAspect BlindsLiyang Xinyuan CurtainALL BLINDS CO., LTDNien MadeTOSOTachikawa CorporationChing Feng Home FashionsNichibeiMarket 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, coversManual Window BlindsElectric Window BlindsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoResidentialCommercial BuildingOthersBuy this report @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Window Blinds market.Chapter 1, to describe Window Blinds Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Window Blinds, with sales, revenue, and price of Window Blinds, 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 Window Blinds, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Window Blinds market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Window Blinds sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source....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.Get customization & check discount for report @HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :Nidhi Bhavsar (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218
Magneto Resistive RAM (MRAM) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Trend, Size, Share, and Forecast 2017 - 2024

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MRAM or Magneto-resistive Random-access Memory Technology has been under development since the 1990s. MRAM is a non-volatile random access memory technology that utilizes magnetic charges for storing data instead of electric charges as in the case of DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and SRAM (static random access memory) technologies. Unlike DRAM and SRAM technologies, that requires constant flow of electricity to maintain data integrity, MRAM retains data even if power is turned off and requires very less amount of electricity in order to store data bits in it.Request for Sample Report:MRAM, by combining the inherent advantages of both DRAM in terms of density and SRAM in term of read and write speed has the potential of becoming a universal memory in the coming years. The global MRAM market is predicted to have tremendous growth opportunity in the coming years as a nonvolatile solid state memory in order to replace other electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and flash memory where high write endurance is required.Surge in the demand of flexible and wearable electronics market is the primary factor predicted to boost the demand of MRAM during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024. Currently rapid technological advancements is taking place in the field to flexible and wearable consumer electronics. Flexible magnetic memories forms an integral part of the flexile and wearable consumer electronic devices for storing and processing data.Moreover, the major challenge of fabricating high performing memory chips on soft flexible substrates without reducing the performance is also eliminated by technologically advanced MRAM technology. MRAM outperforms the traditional NAND memory used in wearable and flexible electronics in terms of data retention capacity after power cut off, low power consumption along with increased processing speed. In addition, MRAM has the capability of operating in extreme temperature condition and can resist very high radiation. Thus, MRAM is also predicted to witness huge demand from various aerospace and military applications in the coming years.Global Magneto Resistive RAM (MRAM) Market: SegmentationFor the purpose of providing detailed study of the market, the global MRAM market has been segmented on the basis of product type, application and geography. MRAM is available in two different product types including toggle MRAM and second generation MRAM (STT-MRAM). In order to track the market accurately, the third generation MRAM that is predicted to get commercialized by the beginning of 2019, has also been considered within the scope of research. MRAM also finds its application across different product segments such as consumer electronics, robotics, automotive, enterprise storage, aerospace and defense and others. The others segment includes application of MRAM in sensing devices, medical devices and smart meters.Geographically, the market has been segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Middle-East and Africa (MEA). In terms of revenue and growth, the Asia Pacific region is anticipated to drive the market of MRAM in the coming years due to rapid growth in computationally intensive applications and rising demand for highly scalable memory solutions. Global MRAM market report provides an in-depth study of the current market trend and future forecast during the period from 2016 to 2024 in terms of revenue (USD Million).Global Magneto Resistive RAM (MRAM) Market: Competitive LandscapeThis report also provides an exhaustive study of the global MRAM market including the key strategies adopted by leading players, market attractiveness analysis by product type, value chain analysis, industry evolution and comparative advantage of MRAM over other memory solutions.Browse Full Report with TOC:Moreover, the penetration rate of MRAM across various industry verticals during the period from 2014 to 2018 is also highlighted in this report. In addition, detailed analysis of the drivers, restraints and opportunities that are predicted to affect the market in the coming years is provided in this report. Some of the major players operating in the global MRAM market includes Everspin Technologies Inc. (U.S), Avalanche Technologies (U.S) and Spin Transfer Technologies (U.S) among others.About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY  12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comFollow Us on LinkedIn-Follow Us On Twitter-
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Global Distribution Boards Market will enroll the CAGR of 6% from 2017 to 2023

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Market Research Future adds new report of Global Distribution Boards Market Report - Forecast to 2023 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentMarket Segmentation By Voltage Rating; Low Voltage, Medium Voltage By End-User; Transmission & Distribution Utilities, Manufacturing & Processing Industry, Commercial & Residential Sector By Region; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of WorldMarket Highlight:The far reaching modern development worldwide and the developing interest for development and foundation are required to drive the interest for power supply framework items. A dissemination board is a section of a power supply framework that isolates an electrical power encourage into auxiliary circuits, while providing food a defensive wire or electrical switch for each circuit in a typical walled in area. The development in worldwide dissemination board is chiefly because of the tremendous development in the development business in order to address the issues of the rising populace. These components have prompted developing interest for control supply, offering ascend to the power transmission and appropriation advertise, which all the while has driven the market for power supply framework items, for example, circulation's board, breaker board, or electric board. The circulation sheets advertise is relied upon to develop with the CAGR of around 6% from 2017 to 2023.Request a Sample Report @Key PlayersThe key players of drill pipe market are Eaton Corporation PLC (Ireland) General Electric Corp (USA) Siemens (Germany) ABB Group (Switzerland) Schneider Electric (France) Larsen & Toubro (India) Legrand (France) Hager (Germany) NHP Electrical Engineering Products Pty. Ltd. (Australia) Industrial Electric Mfg. (USA)Intended Audience Distributer & Supplier companies End Users Consultants and Investment bankers Government as well as Independent Regulatory Authorities.Browse Report Details @Study Objectives of Distribution boards Market To give point by point examination of the market structure alongside estimate for the following five years of the different sections and sub-portions of the worldwide circulation sheets advertise To give bits of knowledge about elements influencing the market development To break down the worldwide dissemination sheets showcase in light of different instruments, for example, Supply Chain Analysis, and Porter's Five Forces Analysis To give recorded and figure income of the market sections and sub-fragments concerning districts and their separate key nations To give nation level examination of the market concerning the present market size and future planned To give nation level investigation of the market for sections by material sort, item, application and locale To give vital profiling of key players in the market, extensively investigating their center abilities, and drawing an aggressive scene for the market To track and break down focused advancements, for example, joint endeavors, vital collusions, mergers and acquisitions, new item improvements, and research and advancements in the dissemination sheets advertiseRequest Table of Contents for this Report @Global AnalysisThe present transmission and conveyance preparation in created economies, for example, Europe and North American districts have turned out to be out of date and should be changed to current ones. These economies are currently redesigning their lattices and supplanting old establishments. Gigantic interests in sustainable assets, for example, wind homesteads will likewise be a central point to drive the circulation sheets showcase. The Asia-Pacific area is relied upon to lead the conveyance sheets advertise because of the exhaustive advancement in this locale. The urbanization and industrialization development in these locales is convincing, which will greatly affect the interest for dispersion sheets advertise. China overwhelmed the worldwide dispersion sheets advertise till 2016, by virtue of expansive scale headway of electrical foundation and establishment of new transmission and appropriation lines. China and India are evaluated to be the quickest developing markets for dispersion board sheets in the area from 2017 to 2023.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
Global Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market 2027 - Market to Grow at a CAGR of 3% with Merck Inc., Bayer Schering Pharma AG

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Market Research Future adds new report of Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2027 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentLatest Trends in Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market: Novartis receives three FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designations in 2016 for Ilaris to treat rare types of Periodic Fever Syndromes. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an established method for pain relief in Dysmenorrhea, which does not involve the use of medication.Major Vendors:Some of the major players of Global Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market are as follows: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Merck Inc. Bayer Schering Pharma AG Vanita Therapeutics Alvogen Pfizer, Inc. Roche Laboratories Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Sanofi Terramedic Inc.Request a Sample Report @Market Segmentation:The Global Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market can be segmented on the basis of types, treatment, and applications.Global Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market by Types: Primary and SecondaryGlobal Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market by Treatment methods: General Diagnosis Non-hormonal medical treatmento Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)o Over-the-counter (OTC) medications Hormonal medical treatmento Combined oral contraceptiveo Progestin regimenso Levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LN-IUS) Surgical TreatmentGlobal Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market by Applications: Pharmaceuticals Hospitals ClinicsBrowse Report Details @Market Highlights:All around, over half of post pubescent discharging ladies are influenced by dysmenorrhea, with 1012% of them having serious dysmenorrhea with crippling for 13 days every month. Since young ladies constitute a huge level of the grown-up work constrain in the US, close-by 600 million working hours or 2 billion dollars are lost every year due to weakening dysmenorrhea if sufficient alleviation is not given. Ladies who keep on working or to go to classes have been appeared to have bring down work yield or scores amid their dysmenorrhea.Dysmenorrhea is portrayed as intermittent pelvic torment related with feminine cycle. Dysmenorrhea is the most surely understood gynecologic dispute in teenagers, occurring in 60-93% of women in this statistic gathering. It is more dominating in the midst generally energy, with the begin of ovulatory cycles a couple of years after the start of feminine cycle. Peak event occurs in the midst of the late youthful years and mid-20s.It is for the most part ordered into two general classes: Primary Dysmenorrhea alludes: to menstrual pain without any fundamental pelvic pathology. Secondary Dysmenorrhea alludes: to menstrual pain connected with a predefined organic etiology.Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea include cramping pain in the midline in the suprapubic area, and may have associated backache, leg pains, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness and headache.Request Table of Contents for this Report @Global Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market Regional Analysis:The regional analysis includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and rest of the world. The Global Dysmenorrhea Treatment Market is expected to grow with a CAGR of more than 3% during the forecasted period due to high usage of low price OTC (over-the-counter) and off-label treatment.North America:The North America is dominating the Dysmenorrhea market followed by Europe due the existence of a large number of Dysmenorrhea patients in these regions. North America and European Dysmenorrhea market is driven by high healthcare spending, improved healthcare infrastructure and high awareness about the disease and high availability of its treatments.Asia-Pacific:Asia-Pacific is expected to have rapid growth in Dysmenorrhea market due to increase in purchasing power, changing healthcare infrastructure and increased awareness for clinical facilities in the regions such as India, China, Japan and others.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Hearing Screening and Diagnostic Devices Market 2027 Major Manufacturer  Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Accent Hearing Pvt Ltd and More

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Market Research Future adds new report of Global Hearing Screening and Diagnostic Devices Market Research Report- Forecast to 2027 it contains Company information, geographical data and Table of ContentKey Players:Some of the key players in this market are: Siemens Healthcare GmbH Phillips Plastics Corporation OTODYNAMICS LTD Neurosoft, Natus Medical Incorporated NASHUA HEARING GROUP MAICO Diagnostics GmbH IntriCon Corporation Interacoustics A/S GN Otometrics Accent Hearing Pty LtdIntended Audience: Hearing screening and diagnostic devices manufacturers Government research Laboratories Research and Development (R&D) Companies Independent Research Laboratories Market Research and Consulting Service Providers Medical Research LaboratoriesRequest a Sample Report @Market Segments:Global hearing screening and diagnostic devices market has been segmented; On the basis of Type of Test; which comprise of tympanometry tests, pure-tone test, speech reception threshold test (SRT), most comfortable listening level test (MCL), uncomfortable loudness level test (UCL), speech discrimination test, bone conduction test On the basis of Type of Device; market is segmented into screening devices, audiometric examination devices On the basis of Indication; market is segmented into conductive hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, combination hearing lossMarket Highlights:A hearing decisive test gives an evaluation of the affectability of a man's sentiment hearing. This appraisal chooses whether a hearing setback is accessible with its earnestness and kind of the hearing mishap. Comprehensive the market for hearing symptomatic contraptions is extending rapidly. The primary thought that decides the improvement of hearing symptomatic devices is the growing issues of hearing issues as a result of prologue to uproar sullying. Publicize for hearing screening and demonstrative contraptions is building up an aftereffect of growing medicine or toxic substances, damage of ear.Browse Report Details @Examine Objectives of Hearing Screening and Diagnostic Devices Market: To give itemized investigation of the market structure alongside estimate for the following 10 years of the different sections and sub-portions of the Hearing screening and indicative gadgets showcase To give bits of knowledge about variables influencing the market development To break down the hearing screening and analytic gadgets advertise in view of different elements value examination, production network investigation, watchmen five constrain investigation and so on. To give chronicled and conjecture income of the market fragments and sub-portions as for four principle topographies and their nations Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. To give nation level examination of the market as for the present market size and future imminent To give nation level examination of the market for sections by kind of test, by sort of gadget, by sign and its sub-portions.Request Table of Contents for this Report @Regional Analysis of Hearing Screening and Diagnostic Devices Market:Globally North America is the largest market for hearing screening and diagnostic devices. The North American market for Hearing screening and diagnostic devices is expected to grow at a CAGR and is expected to reach at US$ Millions by the end of the forecasted period. The birth complications are increasing the market for hearing diagnostic devices in these countries.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
Photovoltaic Market Key Findings, Synopsis and Highlights, Application, Major Companies Analysis and Forecast to 2027

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Market Research Future published a research report on Photovoltaic Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2027 Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2027.Global Photovoltaic Market Information, by Technology (Thin-film, Polycrystalline, Single crystal, Mono-Si), by Application (Residential, Non-residential, and Utility) - Forecast 2027Market Synopsis of Photovoltaic Market:Market ScenarioThe major growth driver of Photovoltaic Market includes growing population which drives the demand for effective and reliable electricity supply, increasing solar installations with energy storage and stringent government rules and regulations among others.However, varying weather conditions and high technological cost are the major factors which are hindering the growth of Photovoltaic Market.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players Panasonic Corporation Mitsubishi electric corporation (Japan) Trina Solar (China) Canadian Solar (Canada) Jinko Solar (China) JA Solar (China) Hanwha Q CELLS (South Korea) First Solar (U.S.) Yingli Green (China) ReneSola (China) Kiira Motors Corporation (Uganda) Tesla (U.S.) Solar city (U.S.) Sun Power Corp (U.S.)Objective of Photovoltaic Market Study: 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 Photovoltaic market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To Analyze the Photovoltaic 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 technologies, by applications and sub-segments. 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 Photovoltaic market.SegmentsGlobal Photovoltaic Market can be segmented as follows:Segmentation by Technology: Single Crystal & Polycrystalline, Thin-Film, Multi-Si And Mono-Si Among Others.Segmentation by Application: Residential, Non-Residential, and Government among Others.Browse Full Report Details @Industry News: Kiira Motors Corporation has announced in May 2016 about its new development, Africas first solar powered bus which is going to unveiled in United Nations Environmental Assembly this year. Tesla motors and solar city has announced their merger plans in August 2016. Solar city has accepted Tesla motors $2.6 billion offer to buy solar panel installer.The report for Photovoltaic 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 Photovoltaic Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2027 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
Mobile Security Market Trends, Business Opportunities, Challenges & Global Industry Analysis by 2022

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Market Research Future published a research report on Mobile Security Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2022 Market Analysis, Scope, Stake, Progress, Trends and Forecast to 2027.Global Mobile Security Market, by Method (Multi-factor authentication, Data encryption, Software), by Application (Education, Government, Telecommunication), by Threat Type (Unauthorized access, Eavesdropping, Mobile malware) - Forecast 2022Market Synopsis of Mobile Security MarketMarket Scenario:The major growth driver of Mobile Security Market includes growing usage of smartphones and various apps, growing technology addiction for improving lifestyle, and rise in data security threats such as cyber-attacks among others.However, technology limitation and lack of awareness about technical threats via internet are some of the factors which are hindering the growth of Mobile Security Market.Get a Copy of Sample Report @Key Players: Symantec Corporation (U.S.) Microsoft corporation (U.S.) Google Inc. (U.S.) IBM Corporation (U.S.) AVG Technologies (Netherlands) Intel security group (U.S.) Kaspersky Lab (Russia) Apple Inc. (U.S.) AT&T Inc. (U.S.) Verizon Communication Inc. (U.S.)Objective Study of Mobile Security 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 Mobile Security Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To Analyze the Mobile Security Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by threat type, by method, by applications and sub-segments. 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 Mobile Security Market.SegmentsGlobal Mobile Security Market can be segmented as follows:Segmentation by Threat Type: mobile malware, Eavesdropping, unauthorized access, theft & loss, and unlicensed application among others.Segmentation by Methods: multi-factor authentication, containerized deployment, data encryption and software.Segmentation by Applications: consumer electronics, healthcare, telecommunication, education and government, aerospace & defense, and banking & finance among others.Browse Full Report Details @Industry News: Verizon has acquired Fleetmatics in January 2016. Through this acquisition Verizon wishes to increase fleet management solution market and also to increase its distribution channel in the industry. Intel security group announced about its expansion of partner ecosystem by adding 24 partners to the Intel Security Innovation alliance. The expansion is done to increase the integrated security solutions.The report for Mobile Security 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 Mobile Security Market Research Report- Global Forecast to 2022 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
Dimer Acid Market Report 2016: By Product, Application, Manufacturer, Sales and Segmentation

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Dimer acids also known as dimerized fatty acids are known to be dicarboxylic acids that are produced by a process of dimerizing unsaturated fatty acids. These unsaturated fatty acids are obtained from fatty acid feedstock such as tallow oil, rapeseed oil and tall oil among others. Crude dimer is produced from tall oil fatty acid by heat treatment with or without use of a suitable catalyst. They act as building blocks for several end-products due to its di-carboxylic acid reactivity. Dimeric acids usually consist of stearic acids, therefore called as C36 dimer acid. This chemistry of Dimer acid can further produce trimer acid comprising of three fatty acid molecules. Dimer acids are transparent light yellow colored viscous liquids which are non-toxic in nature.Browse Market Research Report:The major application of dimer acids is in manufacturing polyamide resins which are used in inks and coatings and adhesives among others. The other areas of application of dimer acids include reactive and non-reactive polyamides for epoxy resins, fuel additives, synthetic lubricants, polyol esters, alkyd resins, corrosion inhibitors, personal care and oil field drilling muds among others.Growing demand for dimer acids for manufacturing polyamides is the major factor driving the global dimer acid market. Increasing demand from the automobile industry is another factor generating scope for growth of global dimer acid market. Moreover, increasing demand from the end-user industries such as inks and coatings, adhesives and oil and petroleum industries is also expected to boost demand for dimer acids in the near future.However, the limitation to the growth of global dimer acid market is due to low availability of feedstock such as C18 tall oil fatty acid. This tall oil is a result of kraft wood pulping operations. Major production of dimer acids is carried out from tall oil fatty acids. This factor is expected to hamper the growth of global dimer acid marker in the near future.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Dimer Acid market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @The environmental friendly nature of dimer acids has led to its application in wide range of applications in various end-user industries. Growing opportunities from the automobile industry for corrosion inhibitors, personal care and cosmetics and flexographic ink industry are expected to boost market demand for dimer acids in the developing as well as developing economies in the near future.North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW) are the major segments for global dimer acids market. Asia Pacific is expected to consume large volume of dimer acids owing to the growing demand from the adhesives industry in the region. Other industries such as personal care and cosmetics and lubricant industry is also expected to fuel demand for dimer acids in the region. North America and Europe are also expected to boost demand for dimer acids due to the rising demand from the other end-user industries in the regions.The key players profiled for global dimer acid market include: Anqing Juyuan Polymer Technology Co., Ltd., Anqing Hongyu Chemical Co., Ltd, Aturex Group, Arizona Chemical Company, LLC, BASF SE, Harima Chemicals Group, Inc, Jiangsu Jinma Oil Technology Development Co., Ltd., Croda International, Jiangsu Yonglin Chemical Oil Co., Ltd, Kodia Company Limited Company, ,Jiangxi Longwell Industrial Co.,Ltd, Shandong Huijin Chemical Co., Ltd , Jiangxi Yichun Yuanda Chemical Co.,Ltd, Tianmen Chengxin Chemical Co., Ltd. Company, Jiujiang Lishan Environmental Protection Technology Co.,Ltd, Cognis Corporation, Florachem, CHEMICAL ASSOCIATES, Hexion Specialty Chemicals and Liancheng baixin science and technology Co., Ltd., 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.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fluoroapatite Market Report 2016: By Product, Application, Manufacturer, Sales and Segmentation

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Fluoroapatite, a hard crystalline phosphate mineral, is the fluorine end-member of the apatite group, which also encompasses chlorapatite and hydroxylapatite. The extended apatite supergroup includes additional minerals such as pyromorphite, mimetite, and vanadinite. Pure fluoroapetite is a hard crystalline solid which generally appears colorless or white when pure and is also available in green, brown, blue, yellow, violet, and pink colors. Fluorapatite is a highly common type of phosphate minerals which occurs as an accessory in igneous as well as calcium-rich metamorphic rocks. Generally, it is found in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary deposits. In sedimentary marine ores, the phosphate is usually a carbonate and in lateritic soils, it is a residual mineral. It also occurs as a detrital or diagenic mineral in sedimentary rocks and is an essential component of phosphorite ore deposits.Browse Market Research Report:Fluoroapetite is found in the teeth of sharks and other fish in varying concentrations. It is also present in human teeth that have been exposed to fluoride ions, for example, through water fluoridation or the usage of fluoride-containing toothpaste. Fluroapatite helps prevent tooth decay or dental caries. During the production of phosphoric acid, fluoroapatite generates hydrogen fluoride as a byproduct which in turn is used as a source for the manufacture of hydrofluoric acid. The latter is employed as a starting agent for the synthesis of a range of pharmaceutical and industrial fluorine compounds. The market for fluoroapatite is driven by the increasing demand for phosphate minerals in the production of fertilizers.On account of its extensive stiffness, resistance to acid damage, and biocompatibility, fluoroapaptite is the ideal choice for biomedical as well as dentistry applications such as crowns, inlays, dentin simulators, coatings, and cements. Additionally, it is used as a biomaterial in orthopedic applications for bone regeneration. Fluorapatite is mined as the primary source of phosphate fertilizers and therefore used to make fertilizers, acids, and chemicals. It is a common phosphate mineral and the main source of phosphorous for plants. Fluoroapatite is also a popular collectors mineral, especially some of its transparent specimens. Its reddish and gemmy violet forms command very high prices and are much valued by collectors.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Fluoroapatite market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Fluoroapaptite is available in Europe in Russia, Germany, and Portugal. Panasqueira in Portugal is well-known for its thick and gemmy tabular fluoroapatite crystals. In Canada, large glassy fluoroapaptite crystals in orange calcite originate from the Yates mine in Quebec. Extremely large crystals are also found in Ontario and at Cardiff. In the U.S., Maine is home to several fluoroapaptite localities. Globally, North America is the dominant fluoroapatite mineral producer driven by the extensive number of fluoroapatite zones in the U.S and Canada. Other significant producers of phosphate minerals include Australia, Brazil, and Algeria. In Asia Pacific, fluoroapaptite is produced in significant volumes by Australia, China, and India. This high demand stems from the need for fertilizers in this region. China and India are two densely populated countries and hence consume a substantial amount of fertilizers. In Latin America, Brazil and Peru are major fluoroapaptite producers. It is also manufactured in Egypt, Jordon, Syria, and Tunisia.Key players operating in this market include GB Minerals Ltd., Dakota Matrix, and Crystal Classics Ltd.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a 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:
Ionone Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2016-2024

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Ionones are cyclocitrylildene acetones with the molecular formula C13H20O. They are an important and versatile class of aroma chemicals. They exist in two forms: alpha and B forms. Ionones are generally found in the form of a colorless to pale-yellow colored liquid and have a molecular weight of 192.3. Ionones and methyl ionones were discovered in 1893 by Tiemann, a German scientist, while investigating the compounds responsible for the fragrance of violets. This discovery changed the nature of the perfume industry, as it demonstrated that synthetic aroma chemicals could be used in fragrance formulations that until then relied exclusively on natural products. In the contemporary perfume industry, ionones and methyl ionones along with their derivatives such as iso E super, irones, koavone, timberol, and damascones are used in virtually all commercial fragrances. The ionones scent ranges from violets to a scent of soft wood mixed with violet tones.Browse Market Research Report:Ionones also occur naturally in a wide variety of flowers, fruits, and leaves. About 57% of the volatile components of violet flowers are -and -ionones and both isomers occur widely in nature. Ionones are manufactured through the aldol condensation of citral. This reaction is followed by cyclization of the intermediate y-ionones. The sources of the above key substances fall into three main categories: natural extracts, turpentine, and petrochemicals. Most commercial production is undertaken using petrochemicals as the source material. Ionones are partially soluble in alcohol, which is used as a base for many of its fragrance applications. Apart from their application as synthetic perfumery chemicals, ionones are also used as starting raw materials in the production of Vitamin A. Ionones are also used as modifiers in many floral compositions. Other products containing ionones include detergents, bathing soaps, cosmetics, and shampoos.Expansion in the perfume industry across the world is expected to drive the demand for ionones during the next decade. Increasing demand for vitamin supplements due to the growing health awareness is also likely to drive the demand for ionones used in pharmaceuticals. Europe is the leading market for ionones due to the presence of a large number of perfume manufacturing companies in the region. Germany, Italy, and France are the dominant consumers of ionones in Europe, as many of the worlds leading perfume houses have manufacturing centers in these countries. Rise in usage of fragrance products by the growing middle class in emerging countries such as China and India is estimated to be a key driver of the global ionone market. Consumption of ionones in vitamin formulations is also expected to increase in the next few years due to the rising demand for vitamin supplements and technical foods. Demand for ionone is also high in developed countries in Northeast Asia such as Japan and South Korea. GCC is a major consumer of ionones due to the presence of large perfume manufacturing industry in the region. Growth of the ionone market in the U.S. is projected to be moderate due to the growing health concerns regarding the use of synthetic aroma chemicals. In Latin America, Brazil and Mexico are anticipated to be important players in the ionone market owing to to expansion of key end-use industries.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Ionone market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @Key players operating in the ionone market are The Good Scents Company, Givaudan, L'Oreal S.A., Mubychem Group, International Flavors and Fragrances, SDV Suisse SA, and Takasago International Chemicals.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a 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:
Hardware Encryption Market Trends Forecast By 2025

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Encryption is the process of scrambling sensitive information that is only readable by the intended recipient. Encryption is mainly performed by hardware or software devices using a series of algorithm or mathematical operations for generating the cypher text or the encrypted data.The recipient for whom the message is encrypted must have an electronic key for decrypting the data using a similar device further converting the data to its original readable form known as the clear text.This process of hardware encryption involves file being written in the drive that is further encrypted automatically using specialized software. After this as the file is read from the drive, there is a special software that automatically decrypts it further making it understandable by the recipient and functioning as any other normal computer.Obtain Report Details:Hardware encryption as a technology prevents data from being accessed by unauthorized persons thereby providing an extra layer of security against hackers or from online threats. The global market for hardware encryption has been segmented into circuit design, product, application and geography.The global market on the basis of circuit design has been segmented into FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). On the basis of product the global market for hardware encryption has been segmented into USB flash drives, external hard disks, solid state drives and internal hard disks among others. Consumer electronics, healthcare, IT & telecom and aerospace & defense forms the major application areas for this market globally.Global hardware encryption market on the basis of geography has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa.It is the optimization of the encryption feature with the rest of the drive that forms one of the major drivers aiding in the growth of this market. Use of software encryption involves lot of steps that is avoided in case hardware encryption further making the whole process faster leading to its rising applications globally.Another major factor pushing the growth of this market includes the all-time activation of these hardware encryption making it easier for the driver to meet the various government standards especially in applications across service sectors such as banking and financial institutions among others.This system further requires minimum configuration and interaction with users without effecting the overall performance of the system. This is especially helpful in case of protecting sensitive data without being worried about the data getting stolen or compromised by the hackers.After considering all these drivers, there are also certain restraints that has a negative impact on the overall market. One such factor is the high costs associated with its implementation while another factor being this hardware encryption tied to only one device rather than a complete system.Moreover, the updates in case of hardware encryption is also possible through device substitution further making it difficult for implementation. It is the growth of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and cloud services that is expected to provide numerous growth opportunities for this market in the coming years.Geographically, it is North America followed by Europe that forms some of the major regions contributing to the overall growth of this market. Advent of cloud based services along with growth in IoT technology has also contributed to being some important factors contributing to the growth.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Hardware Encryption Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.Asia Pacific is another major region along with being one of the fastest one to grow globally with China, Korea, India and Japan being some of the key countries contributing to the growth. Growing internet penetration along with rise in demand for smartphones and tablets has also been some important factors contributing to the growth.Some of the key players that are operating in the global hardware encryption market include Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Toshiba Corporation (Japan), Maxim Integrated Products Inc. (The U.S.), Micron Technology Inc. (The U.S.), IBM (The U.S.), Kingston Technology Corporation (The U.S.), Seagate Technology PLC (Ireland) and Western Digital Corporation (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:
Magnetometer Market Trends Forecast By 2025

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Magnetometer is an instrument which measures magnetism of magnetic properties or material such as ferromagnet, or the strength, direction, or the associated change of a magnetic field at a specific area. Magnetometers are used to measure the strength of the magnetic field and in some cases direction of the field.Magnetometer has wide range of applications in archeological surveys, geographical surveys, space explorations, metal detector among others. The magnetometer market has been segmented into by product type which includes single axis, 3 - axis and 3 dimensional among others.The market has been segmented into by technology which includes scalar magnetometers, vector magnetometers. Scalar magnetometers are segmented into proton precession magnetometer, overhauser effect magnetometer, and ionized gas magnetometers.Obtain Report Details:Vector magnetometers are segmented into fluxgate magnetometer, squid magnetometers, search-coil magnetometer, rotating coil magnetometer, magneto resistive magnetometer among others.The market has been segmented into by end use industry which includes automotive, oil and gas, building automation, industrial, consumer electronics, aerospace and defense, healthcare and industrial among others. The market for magnetometer by region has been segmented into, Asia Pacific, MEA (Middle East and Africa), North America, Europe and South America.The market for magnetometer is segmented into by technology which includes scalar magnetometer and vector magnetometers. Scalar magnetometer primarily measures accurately the scalar value of the magnetic flux intensity. Vector magnetometer measures the magnitude and the direction of magnetic field.Moreover, scalar magnetometer is segmented into proton precession magnetometer, overhauser effect magnetometer, and ionized gas magnetometers. Proton precession magneto meter uses the NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) to measure the resonance frequency of the protons in a magnetic field.Overhauser effect magnetometer applied a low power radio frequency signal instead of solenoid in order to align the protons in a magnetic field. Ionized gas magnetometers provide more accurate results than proton precession magnetometer. This frequency variation primarily measures the intensity of the magnetic field.Furthermore, vector magnetometer is segmented into SQUID magnetometers, fluxgate magnetometer, search-coil magnetometer, rotating coil magnetometer and magneto resistive magnetometer among others.Magnetometer has application in the archaeological sites in order to detect the submerged and buried objects. Moreover, it also has applications in coal mines to detect the sills and other particles which results in explosion. Increasing research and development activities in the field of magnetometer is fueling the demand in different regions.The major end use industry of magnetometer includes automotive, healthcare, oil and gas, industrial and building automation among others. Defense and aerospace is one of the prime end use industries of magnetometer globally.Moreover, magnetometers are also used for geophysics, pipeline monitoring, to detect plasma flows among others. Furthermore, magnetometers are also used to detect the direction of the drilling processes. Healthcare monitoring is one of the key applications of the magnetometer globally.The growing proliferation of smartphone and technological revolution in the consumer electronics industry has triggered growth of the magnetometers market owing to its importance in the smartphone application for navigation purpose.The increasing demand and application of magnetometers across the oil and gas exploration, coal and mineral exploration is boosting the market. The rising application of magnetometers in the operations related to near earth and space exploration is one of the major opportunities for the market.In 2016, North America accounted for the largest market share for magneto meter in terms of revenue, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. The U.S. is dominating the market for magnetometers across North America.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Magnetometer Market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market.In Asia Pacific, China is leading the market across Asia Pacific, followed by India. In Europe, Germany accounted for the largest share of the market in terms of revenue. Brazil. U.A.E and South Africa is anticipated to contribute positive development in the magnetometers market across South America and Middle East and Africa.NXP Semiconductors N.V. (The Netherlands), Infineon Technologies AG (Germany), Geometrics (The U.S.), GEM Technologies (India), Honeywell International Inc. (The U.S.) is some of the major companies operating in the magnetometer market globally.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:
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Global Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Industry Market Research 2017

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ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Industry Market Research 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.In this report, we analyze the Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices industry from two aspects. One part is about its production and the other part is about its consumption. In terms of its production, we analyze the production, revenue, gross margin of its main manufacturers and the unit price that they offer in different regions from 2012 to 2017. In terms of its consumption, we analyze the consumption volume, consumption value, sale price, import and export in different regions from 2012 to 2017. We also make a prediction of its production and consumption in coming 2017-2022.Request a Sample atAt the same time, we classify different Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices based on their definitions. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What is more, the Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.Browse Complete ReportMajor Points of this report:1. To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices market.2. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To analyze the Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porte five force analysis etc.3. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World.4. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective.5. To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by application, product type and sub-segments.6. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market.7. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices market.Get discount on report purchase atKey Point from Table of Contents:1 Industry Overview of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices1.1 Brief Introduction of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices2 Industry Chain Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices3 Manufacturing Technology of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices3.1 Development of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Manufacturing Technology4Major Manufacturers Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices5 Global Production, Revenue and Price Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices by Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Applications5.1 Global Production, Revenue of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices by Regions 2012-20176 Global and Major Regions Capacity, Production, Revenue and Growth Rate of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices 2012-20177 Consumption Volume, Consumption Value, Import, Export and Sale Price Analysis of DIAGNOSTIC OPHTHALMIC DEVICES by Regions 20178 Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices9 Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices10 Global and Chinese Economic Impact on Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Industry10.1 Global and Chinese Macroeconomic Environment Analysis11 Development Trend Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices 12 Contact information of DIAGNOSTIC OPHTHALMIC DEVICES13 New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices14 Conclusion of the Global Diagnostic Ophthalmic Devices Industry 2017 Market Research ReportPurchase Complete Report atContact Information:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. The market research industry has changed in last decade. As corporate focus has shifted to niche markets and emerging countries, a number of publishers have stepped in to fulfil these information needs. We have experienced and trained staff that helps you navigate different options and lets you choose best research solution at most effective cost.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Financial Services : Global Credit Insurance Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022

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This report studies the Credit Insurance market status and outlook of global and major regions, from angles of players, regions, product and end Application/industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and major regions, and splits the Credit Insurance market by product and Application/end industries.Global Credit Insurance market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 2% from 7.6 billion USD in 2016 to reach 8.56 billion USD by 2022. Demand for credit insurance continues to grow as new markets open up and trade continues to become more global. However, the market is clearly cyclical, with a strong correlation with GDP.Three major European groups Euler Hermes, Atradius and Coface dominate the market internationally, with a combined market share in 2016 of over 72%.Geographically, the global Credit Insurance has been segmented into Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific. The Europe held the largest share in the global Credit Insurance market, its revenue of global market exceeds 70% in 2016.Get The Sample Copy of This Report :The major players in global market includeEuler HermesAtradiusCofaceZurichCredendo GroupQBE InsuranceCesceGeographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with, Premiums (M USD), market share and growth rate of Credit Insurance for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Western EuropeEastern EuropeNorth AmericaLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaAsia-PacificCredit Insurance Market by End Users/Application IncludingDomestic TradeExport TradeTable of Contents1 Industry Overview11.1 Credit Insurance Market Overview11.1.1 Credit Insurance Product Scope11.1.2 Market Status and Outlook11.2 Global Credit Insurance Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2012-2022)21.2.1 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook31.2.2 Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook41.2.3 North America Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook51.2.4 Latin America Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook61.2.5 Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook71.2.6 Asia-Pacific Credit Insurance Market Status and Outlook81.3 Credit Insurance Market by End Users/Application82 Global Credit Insurance Competition Analysis by Players102.1 Global Credit Insurance Market Size (M USD) by Players (2012-2017)102.2 Competitive Status and Trend132.2.1 Market Concentration Rate132.2.2 Mergers & Acquisitions13Send An Enquiry :3 Company (Top Players) Profiles and Key Data153.1 Euler Hermes153.1.1 Company Profile153.1.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview163.1.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin163.2 Atradius173.2.1 Company Profile173.2.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview183.2.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin193.3 Coface203.3.1 Company Profile203.3.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview213.3.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin213.4 Zurich223.4.1 Company Profile223.4.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview233.4.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin243.5 Credendo Group253.5.1 Company Profile253.5.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview263.5.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin263.6 QBE Insurance273.6.1 Company Profile273.6.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview283.6.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin283.7 Cesce293.3.1 Company Profile293.3.2 Credit Insurance Services Overview303.3.3 Credit Insurance Premiums and Gross Margin314 Global Credit Insurance Market Size Application (2012-2017)324.1 Global Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)324.2 Top Consumers/End Users of Credit Insurance345 Western Europe Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook365.1 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Size (2012-2017)365.2 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Share by Players in 2016375.3 Western Europe Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)386 Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook406.1 Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Market Size (2012-2017)406.2 Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)416.3 Eastern Europe Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)427 North America Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook447.1 North America Credit Insurance Market Size (2012-2017)447.2 North America Credit Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)457.3 North America Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)468 Latin America Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook488.1 Latin America Credit Insurance Market Size and Forecast (2012-2017)488.2 Latin America Credit Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)498.3 Latin America Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)509 Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook529.1 Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Market Size and Forecast (2012-2017)529.2 Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)539.3 Middle East & Africa Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)54Browse More Details :10 Asia-Pacific Credit Insurance Development Status and Outlook5610.1 Asia-Pacific Credit Insurance Market Size and Forecast (2012-2017)5610.2 Asia-Pacific Credit Insurance Market Size and Market Share by Players (2012-2017)5710.3 Asia-Pacific Credit Insurance Market Size by Application (2012-2017)58MRRbiz supports your business intelligence needs with over 700,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Metamaterial Technologies Market Detailed methodology, scope, assumptions and data sources between 2017 - 2024

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The rapid expansion of Metamaterial Technologies Market can be credited to a flood of parameters, the principal one being the generous funding granted by private investors and regulatory authorities. The latest news about Pivotal Commware raising USD 17 million from prominent investors is an instance of the aforementioned fact.Elaborating further, Pivotal Commware, a very recent entrant in global metamaterial technologies industry, is reportedly the brainchild of Intellectual Ventures, the renowned private company that caters to the patent licensing of intellectual property. While the number of investors who backed this metamaterial technologies market novice is unknown, what is important is that the investor list includes the Microsoft pioneer, Bill Gates.Request for sample pages of this report@One of the key regions that has been forecast to be a lucrative ground for the development of metamaterial technologies industry is North America. The region encompasses numerous venture capital firms that readily provide adequate funding to the start-ups that focus on exploiting the projected opportunities in metamaterial technologies market.Augmented by heavy product demand across the industrial & defense applications, the region accounted for more than 50% of the overall metamaterial technologies industry share in 2016, with a valuation of USD 300 million. The regional governments of U.S. and Canada also provide adequate funding to startups and other entrants in this business space, pertaining to which North America metamaterial technologies market will grow at a profitable rate over 2017-2024.Browse Metamaterial Technologies Market report summary@Kymeta Corporation, one of major biggies accumulating a key share of metamaterial technologies industry, recently signed an agreement with Intelsat with a view to offer a superior, path-breaking satellite service. In addition, the company signed a deal with SKY Perfect JSAT to develop novel satellite connectivity options across APAC.These strategic ventures clearly depict the massive reach of global metamaterial technologies market currently. Since metamaterials are extensively used for radio frequency identification (RFID) system and antenna applications, business players have been striving to develop enhanced technologies to exploit the product usage in such applications. For the record, Kymeta is renowned for manufacturing software-based, metamaterials-deployed electronic antennas for satellite communications for connected transportation.Other key rivals of Kymeta include Echodyne, Luminus Devices Inc., Metamagnetics Inc., Evolv Technologies, Nanosteel Company, Alight Technologies, Fractal Antenna Systems, Metamaterial Technologies, and Medical Wireless Sensing Ltd.Inquire About to purchase this research report@North America is a major metamaterial technologies market accounting for more than half of the global share in 2016 and earning a revenue over USD 300 million. This region is expected to witness high growth due to generous grants by the U.S and Canadian governments to companies involved in research on radio & microwave, optical, and acoustic products. Demand for the product from consumer, industrial, and defense applications will likely augment the regional market.Asia Pacific metamaterial technologies market was valued above USD 85 million in 2016 and is expected to grow healthily in the forecast spell. China, India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea will be the chief contributors to the industry growth in this region.Global metamaterial technologies market is highly fragmented with U.S based companies accounting for a major chunk of the market. Kymeta Corporation, Echodyne, Evolv Technologies, Metamagnetics Inc., and Metamaterial Technologies are the major product manufacturers. Other important industry players include Applied EM Inc., Alight Technologies, Colossal Storage Corporation, Fianium, Fractal Antenna Systems, Inframat Corporation, Luminus Devices Inc, Medical Wireless Sensing Ltd., Nanosteel Company, Opalux, and Sandvik Materials Technology AB.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 Canola Oil Market - Business Planning Research and Resources, Revenue, and Forecasts 2023

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Global Canola Oil Market Information- by canola species (Brassica Rapa (Polish canola), Brassica napus (Argentine canola) and Brassica juncea (Brown mustard canola)),by processing (Refined, Modified, Hand Made, Crude and Others), by application (Cooking purpose, Processed foods, Lubricants, Personal care, Bio-diesel and Others), by packaging (Drum, Can, Plastic Bottle, Glass bottle and Others) by Region Forecast to 2023Global canola production has seen significant growth from last 20 years. In present scenario canola is the second largest oil crop produced across the globe. Canola oil which is obtained from crushing canola seeds is the third most produced vegetable oil globally. After soybean, canola meal is the second largest feed meal available in the world. Increased application of canola oil in processed foods especially in mayonnaise and salad dressing has boosted the market growth. Improving processing technology and harvesting practices are playing the key role in increasing demand of canola oil. Trends in the Canadian canola industry have a significant impact on production and processing of canola in the North America which has enhanced the market growth in North America region.Get a sample report atStudy Objectives of Canola Oil 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 canola oil market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the 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-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by canola species, processing, application and packaging To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments globally.Intended Audience Canola Oil manufacturers Food Industry Personal care product manufacturers Agriculture Industry E-commerce Retailers and wholesalers Traders, importers and exportersKey Findings: The top five importers of canola oil are U.S., Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium and France Europe and China are the major producer of canola oilBrowse Complete Report atCanola Oil market has been segmented on the basis of canola species which includes Brassica Rapa (Polish canola), Brassica napus (Argentine canola) and Brassica juncea (Brown mustard canola), Canola Oil market has been segmented on the basis of processing which includes refined, modified, handmade, crude and others , Canola Oil market has been segmented on the basis of application which includes cooking purpose, processed foods, lubricants, personal care, bio-diesel and others, Canola Oil market has been segmented on the basis of packaging which includes drum, can, plastic bottle, glass bottle and others, Brassica Rapa i.e. polish canola are in high demand due to its increased application personal care products and processed foods. Many key players are use refined and modified processing technique compare to other type of processing. Canola oil application in bio-diesel is growing at faster rate due to increasing demand of bio-diesel.Regional Analysis- The Global Canola Oil market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (ROW). Europe has the major market share followed by Asia Pacific. Europe is one of the major producer of canola and support from government has made Europe a leading market for canola oil. China and India contributes maximum market share in Asia Pacific region and increased canola production in China and India has boosted the export in Asia Pacific region.Key Players Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.) Associated British Foods plc. (U.K.) Sunora Foods (Canada) Wilsons Foods (South Africa) JIVO WELLNESS PVT. LTD. (India) DALMIA CONTINENTAL PVT. LTD (India) ARLA FOODS AMBA (Denmark)Get a discount atThe Canola Oil market is segmented under the following regions mentioned below:North America US Canada MexicoEurope Germany France Netherlands Spain UK Rest of EuropeAsia-Pacific China India Australia Malaysia Rest of Asia PacificRest of the world Brazil Argentina Saudi Arabia South Africa OthersThe report for Global Canola Oil Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different markets segments and 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:
Decoquinate-based Products Market Research Report | Trends, outlook and Opportunity Analysis 2023

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Decoquinate-based Products Market: OverviewDecoquinate (ethyl 6-decoxy-7-ethoxy-4-oxo-1H-quinoline-3-carboxylate) is an antiprotozoal agent. It acts against coccidia parasites and is thus known as a coccidiostat. Decoquinate-based products are majorly used in veterinary medicine. Decoquinate acts on the sporozoite stage of a coccidian parasites lifecycle. The sporozoite can penetrate the hosts intestinal call and prevents their further development, which necessitates the use of antiprotozoal substances. Decoquinate has low toxicity and is administered orally to a wide range of mammalian and avian species.Various studies conducted on decoquinate-based products suggest that the drug is readily tolerated by several target species, including cattle and lambs. On the other hand, studies conducted on rats and dogs showed minor changes in food consumption, feed conversion, subdued behavior, and changes in body weight and organ weight. In conclusion, though there may be a minor risk posed by decoquinate-based products, the protection it provides against coccidian parasites comfortably outweighs it.Decoquinate-based Products Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the decoquinate-based products market has been classified into four segments: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. North America and Europe currently dominate the global decoquinate-based products market due to the strong economic conditions and the large population of cattle in these regions. The Europe market for decoquinate-based products is driven by the rising demand from Switzerland, which is known for its large dairy industry. In 2010, there were 1,591,233 cattle in Switzerland.Additionally, several governments in North America and Europe have also set up regulatory agencies, which have also been instrumental in the growth of the global decoquinate-based products market. These government bodies provide funds for developing novel veterinary biologics and animal health products such as antibodies, vaccines, diagnostic kits, which are used for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases in animals.The Asia Pacific market for decoquinate-based products is also growing rapidly due to the increasing awareness about the benefits of decoquinate among cattle and poultry breeders.View Report-Decoquinate-based Products Market: SegmentationThe market for decoquinate-based products can be segmented according to the type of formulation into powder, tablet, and nanoparticles. Powdered decoquinate dominates the global decoquinate-based products market owing to its ease of usage. Powdered decoquinate-based products can easily be added to animal feed, which also helps the drug get absorbed into the animals body at a rapid rate.However, nanoscale decoquinate-based products comprise the fastest growing segment of the global decoquinate-based products market due to the added advantages nanoparticles provide over powders. The smaller size of nanoparticles means they can be absorbed into the animals body even quicker than powders. The increased overall surface area of nanoscale decoquinate-based products also means they are more reactive and more likely to encounter a coccidian parasite.According to a study conducted on mice at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Springs, MD, U.S., oral administration of nanoscale decoquinate-based products to mice effectively repressed liver-stage parasite growth, providing causal prophylaxis. Nanoscale decoquinate-based products were observed to be 15 times more efficacious than microscale decoquinate, which is used in powder and tablet formulations.Moreover, the dosage provided to mice  1.25 mg/kg  was also much lower than the dosage provided through powder and tablets  around 20 mg/kg. Thus, nanoscale decoquinate-based products have been shown to be safer as well as more effective than microscale products, although the preliminary research in this field needs to be expanded to draw a definitive conclusion.Decoquinate-based Products Market: Key PlayersMany major pharmaceutical companies are involved in the manufacture of decoquinate-based products. Alpharma, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc., is a major player in the global market. The company offers deccox, 3 nitro, Albac, ChlorMax, lincomycin, and many other decoquinate formulations. Other major brands in the global decoquinate-based products market include Laboratories Bioves acti decocci and lacto decocci, Pharmacia & Upjohn Companys Lincomix, Sogeval Laboratories Rumicox, and Qualians Ucamix V decoquinate.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Decoquinate-based Products 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:
Sperm Bank Market Research Report | Key Trends and Opportunity Analysis 2024

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Global Sperm Bank Market: Overview and DynamicsThe global market for sperm banks has been witnessing increasing growth since the last few recent years, primarily owing to the surge in social acceptance and awareness among the general population. Rise in the number of young sperm donors, legalization of and increase in same-sex marriages, various technological advancements in the field of assistive reproduction, and strong support on the part of governments toward donor offspring and sperm donors are also projected to boost the sperm bank market. However, this market continues to be challenged by the negative mindset toward sperm donation, high cost of artificial insemination and assistive reproduction, and several government regulations in developing and underdeveloped countries.Sperm donors can be of several types: Directed donor, client donor, anonymous donor, and known donor. Sperm banks offer a range of services such as sperm storage, genetic consultation, sperm donations, and semen analysis for a variety of end users such as pre-vasectomy patients, police officers, high-impact athletes, cancer patients, military personnel, firefighters, and transgender people.The report on the global sperm bank market offers clients an in-depth assessment of the emergence, popularity, need, and forecast of sperm banks across the globe. Various factors driving the demand for sperm banks, those that act as impediments to the market growth, and several policies and laws impacting sperm donation as a service have been carefully studied in the report. The research also highlights the present status of the vendor landscape, identifying the major players competing at a global level and evaluating their performance over the years.View Report-Global Sperm Bank Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global sperm bank market has been segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Considering that North America has the highest number of sperm banks with the highest number of licensed labs, this regional market for sperm banks is one of the largest in the world. Other factors such as the availability of advanced assisted reproductive technologies, higher disposable income and spending on health care, growing awareness among the general population, and high rate of miscarriages have also significantly contributed to the growth of the sperm bank market in North America.Europe is a growing market for sperm banks given the surging demand for the same. However, the high unmet need is presently the only lucrative attraction for market players in the region, since there is a severe shortage of sperm donors as compared to the increasing demand. Countries such as the U.K. have been investing in new and innovative advertising plans to increase awareness among the male population in the country and encourage them to actively participate in sperm donation.The sperm bank market in Asia Pacific holds immense opportunities owing to a high rate of infertility and miscarriages in the region. In China, For instance, the alarming levels of air pollution in China have caused a decrease in sperm quality, count, and motility, thereby driving the demand for sperm donors and sperm banks.Global Sperm Bank Market: Vendor Landscape AssessmentThe vendor landscape of the global sperm bank is consolidated to an extent, considering very few large players control a majority of the overall sperm bank market. New England Cryogenic Center Inc., Cryos International Sperm Bank, FairFax Cryobank, and Androcryos are currently the most prominent and dominant companies operating in the global sperm bank market. Orlando, a Florida-based Cyros International Sperm Bank, is presently one of the largest sperm banks in the world. With an additional base set up in Mumbai, India in 2008, Cryos has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as the Indian Council of Medical Research. Recognizing the immense potential that the sperm bank market possesses, an increasing number of players have been undergoing continuous upgrade to withstand the competition presented by industry giants.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Sperm Bank 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:
Population Health Management Market Research Report | Industry Insights, Outlook and Forecast up to 2025

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Population health management is characterized as collecting and analyzing the data on segments of patient population and management of that data for specific diseases within that population. It is a model which helps the health care providers and payers to assess the populations they serve across the continuum of care. Population health management is thus a comprehensive approach which requires both analysis and action, and utilized to uncover the gaps in health care for the benefits of patients and physicians. It improves health management outcomes by aligning physicians, coordinating the medical care, and optimizing efficiency as well as revenue. Major factors driving the population health management market are continued pressures to minimize health care costs, rising demand to improve the healthcare services quality, and implementation of value-based payment system. However, lack of trained and efficient professionals, safety of data and its management concerns, and lack of proper systems requiring investment to run the population health management program smoothly are the major restraints of the population health management market.The global population health management market can be segmented based on component, delivery mode, and end-user. In terms of component, the global population health management has been segmented into software, hardware, and services. The services segment has been further divided into consulting, business intelligence, analytics, and others. The consulting and business intelligence segments dominated the population health management market in 2016, owing to the rising demand for business intelligence tools to analyze the data in the process of decision making from a patient perspective. The software segment is expected to lead the population health management market during the forecast period, with highest CAGR, attributed to the introduction of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) and encouragement to hospitals by public and private players to take up population health management programs.Based on delivery mode, the global population health management market has been classified as web-based, mobile-based, cloud-based, and others. The web-based segment held the largest share of the population health management market in 2016 due to the continuous efforts being made by governments to reduce health care costs and rapid adoption of private payers to value-based purchasing model. However, the mobile-based segment is anticipated to witness highest CAGR and is expected to account for the largest share of the global population health management market in terms of revenue by 2025. Emergence of big data analytics is a major factor likely to drive the mobile-based market during the forecast period.View Report-In terms of end-user, the global population health management market has been segmented into health care providers, health care payers, government organizations, and employer groups. The health care providers segment captured the largest market share in terms of revenue in 2016, attributed to rising incidence of chronic diseases among the population and increasing demand for better and healthy patient quality of life. The health care payers and providers segments are projected to dominate the global population health management market from 2017 to 2025, owing to increasing demand for effective and systematic disease management.Geographically, the global population health management market has been segmented into five major regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the population health management market in terms of revenue in 2016, attributed to the reforms and investments being made to modernize the health care infrastructure in the U.S. However, the market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the growing medical tourism in developing countries in Asia and the rapidly expanding health care industry in China and India. North America is anticipated to continue to dominate the market during the forecast period due to the efforts being taken to digitalize the health care system in the region.Key players in the global population health management market are Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Cerner Corporation, Accenture, Conifer Health Solutions, LLC, McKesson Corporation, IBM Corporation, Wellcentive, Inc., and Epic Corporation, Inc., among others.Request a brochure of this report to know what opportunities will emerge in the rapidly evolving Population Health Management Market during 2017- 2025About 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:
Forklift Market : Product Type, Market Segmentation with Major Key Players By 2025

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A forklift, also known as forklift truck, or a fork truck or lift truck is an industrial vehicle used to lift and move materials from one place to another for short and medium distances in manufacturing and warehouse operations.Class 1 forklifts are electric motor rider trucks. They are equipped with cushion or pneumatic tires and are used mainly in indoor or smooth floors. They are powered by batteries and use transistor motor controllers. Class 2 forklifts are known as electric motor narrow isle trucks. These forklifts are used in narrow isle and help organizations using them to maximize their storage space. Class 3 forklifts are known as electric hand-rider or motor hand trucks. These forklifts are operated manually. Class 4 & 5 are internal combustion engine trucks with cushion & pneumatic tires.Obtain Report Details @By geography the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. North America is a major forklift market. The U.S is the largest market in this region which a market share of approx. seventy percent in whole of America in 2013. Canada and Mexico are other major markets in this region. Europe is the second largest forklift market in the world. Germany is the largest market in this region. The U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Netherlands are other major markets in this region. Europe had the highest y-o-y growth in shipment and order of forklifts compared to North America and Latin America in 2015. Asia Pacific is the largest forklift market in the world. China is the largest market in the region. Japan, India, South Korea, Australia are other major markets in this region.Make an Enquiry@As per Industrial Truck Association the top forklift manufacturing firms are Toyota Industries Corporation (Japan), KION Group AG (Germany), Jungheinrich AG (Germany), Crown Equipment Corporation (the U.S), Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (the U.S.), Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift Co., Ltd. (Japan), UniCarriers Americas (the U.S), Anhui HELI Co. Ltd Limited (China), Komatsu Ltd. (Japan), Clark Material Handling Company (the U.S), Doosan Industrial Vehicle America Corp. (the U.S), Hangcha Group Co., Ltd. (China), Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea), Combilift (Ireland) and Lonking Holdings Limited (China) among others.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:
Automotive Lubricants Market Projected at CAGR of 4.10% to reach US$78.9 bn between 2016 and 2024

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The world automotive lubricants market is expected to witness a telling increase in demand in the coming years on account of the rising trend of possessing an automobile among consumers. This positive situation of the world automotive lubricants market is anticipated to prevail over the course of the forecast period.In 2015, the world automotive lubricants market was valued at US$55.4 bn. However, it is predicted to progress at a decent CAGR of 4.10% between 2016 and 2024 to reach US$78.9 bn by the end of the forecast period.Obtain Report Details @Across the globe, vendors are projected to receive business from three premier types of automotive lubricant, viz. transmission fluid, engine oil, and gear oil. Nevertheless, engine oil a.k.a. motor oil could rake in a significant demand by emerging as one of the most valuable products in the international automotive lubricants market. This trend is foreseen to continue all through the forecast years.Make an Enquiry@Asia Pacific is prognosticated to sustain its lead in the worldwide automotive lubricants market while riding on key economies such as Japan and China that account for a larger consumption.In the near future, Europe could see a ballooning rise in demand propelled by the boosted growth of synthetic lubricants and enforcement of stricter regulations regarding fuel emission. Howbeit, the pace of growth in demand testified by Europe is anticipated to slightly dwindle during the forecast period. The North America automotive lubricants market could be subjected to a similar condition.Nonetheless, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America are predicted to showcase a considerable growth in the next few years. Developing vehicle parc and infrastructural improvements could be vital for the growth of the Middle East and Africa region. Latin America is envisaged to advance imposingly due to the swelling sales of automobiles in Mexico and Brazil, intensifying implementation of engine oils having lower viscosity, and escalating trend of replacing old automobiles with newer models.Some of the popular company names in the worldwide automotive lubricants market are Chevron Corp., ExxonMobil Corp., BP Plc., Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Petrobras.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:
Market Report on Automotive Radiator : Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share by 2025

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A radiator is a component meant for cooling the internal combustion engine in automobiles, locomotives, aircrafts and motorcycles. Internal combustion engine is cooled by introducing a liquid know as engine coolant through the engine block where it gets heated and then through a radiator where it loses heat to the outside atmosphere. After losing heat, the engine coolant is returned to the engine. Engine coolant are generally water based but can also be in the oil form.There are two types of radiators such as cross flow and down flow. Both these types of radiators have lower and upper tubes, which are used to antifreeze the coolant and circulate the radiator fluid in the cooling system of automobiles. The vital difference between a cross flow and down flow radiator is the location of the tank of the radiators where the antifreeze coolant is stored.Obtain Report Details @The automotive radiator market can be classified by type, by material, by application and by geography. The type segment can be classified into cross flow and down flow. By material, the market can be bifurcated into aluminum, copper and brass. By application, the market can be segregated as passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles. By geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.Make an Enquiry@Rising trend of engine downsizing for better fuel efficiency and performance is a major driving factor for the global automotive radiator market. In addition, stringent emission norms and automobile standards across the world are encouraging the use of environment friendly radiators in automobiles. Moreover, increasing production of vehicles and rising private equity investments in automotive radiator manufacturing companies is also set to bolster the growth of this market globally. In terms of market revenue share, Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share by the end of forecast period followed by Europe, North America, Latin America and, Middle East and Africa.Major market participants profiled in this report include: Denso Corporation, Behr GmbH &Co.KG., Dongfeng Radiator Co., Ltd., Delphi Automotive plc, Visteon Corp., Modine Manufacturing Co., Calsonic Kansei Corp., Valeo SA, Faret International Holdings Limited, Guangdong Faret Auto Radiator Co., Ltd., Anhui Fengyang Radiator Co., Ltd, Keihin Corp., Shandong Houfeng Group, Sanden Corp., Yonghong Radiator Company and Tianjin Auto radiator Co., Ltd., among others.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:
Blockchain Technology Market Poised for a High Growth in the Years to Come

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Global Blockchain Technology Market: SnapshotBlockchain technology refers to a distributed database for all the digital transactions, which eliminates the need for the third party to authenticate the transactions. In recent years several consumers, institutions, and organizations are adopting blockchain technology as it not only reduces the transaction cost as it removes a point of verification but also speeds up the actual transaction process. Owing to this very reason the global market is expected to witness a remarkable progress rate in the coming few years. According to the research report, the global blockchain technology market was valued at US$315.9 mn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$20 bn by the end of 2024. During the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to rise at a CAGR of 58.7%.Penetration of IoT Opens Up Lucrative Business OpportunitiesAnalysts anticipate that the global blockchain technology market will witness a spike in demand as it is known to reduce the risks related to frauds and identity thefts. Citing this reason, financial institutions are exploring options of collaborating with blockchain startups as well as investing in their research and development projects. The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) across various industries is also expected to play a crucial part in the uptake of these technologies. For instance, the banking sector is continuously working on the digitization of its services and facilities, which is likely to encourage swift uptake of blockchain technology in the coming years. Some of the potential areas for growth for the blockchain technology market are the smart contract, smart property, non-financial sector, healthcare, and music industries.Obtain Report Details @Early Adoption of Technology Keeps North America Blockchain Technology Market Ahead of Other RegionsIn terms of geography, the global blockchain technology market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South America. Of these North America held the largest share in the global market in 2015. The dominance of this region was attributable to the presence of several leading players and increasing investments in the development of their technology. The report suggests that the U.S. is expected to be the key contributor to the rising revenue of North America blockchain technology market in the coming years. The overall acceptance of technology in the region is also likely to boost the regional market in the coming years.Additionally, Asia Pacific is also expected to show a significant growth rate in the global blockchain technology market. This regional market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 61.3% in the coming years. The booming economies of China, Japan, and India and their strengthening resolve to digitize their economies is expected to play an important role in shaping the trajectory of the Asia Pacific blockchain technology market in the coming years. In the meanwhile, rising investments in blockchain technology in developing regions of the Middle East and South America are also expected to help the market gain momentum, especially in the financial sector in the coming years.This 135-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Blockchain Technology Market. Browse to unlock the hidden opportunities in this marketGlobal Blockchain Technology Market: Research MethodologyThis research report provides an in-depth analysis of the global blockchain technology market based on type, application, and geography. The global blockchain technology market is categorized based on types into public blockchain, private blockchain, and consortium blockchain. The application segment for the global blockchain technology market are financial services and non-financial sector. The report analyzes each of these segments for the various geographies considered under the scope of the study.The report also provides technology evolution and Porters Five Forces Analysis for the global blockchain technology market. The report includes analysis of the factors that drive and restrain the growth of the blockchain technology market. It discusses the prevailing market trends and prospective growth opportunities in the global blockchain technology market. It provides market estimates and forecasts for all the segments in terms of revenue. Also provided in the report is a competitive landscape and market share analysis of the major players in the blockchain technology market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Smart Agriculture Market Growing Steadily with Improving Technology

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Global Smart Agriculture Market: SnapshotThe demand for smart technologies such as Big Data, cloud-based services, GPS, and the IoT is gaining pace in the agriculture industry. Driven by the rising need for high precision crop analysis, automated farming techniques, and collection of data from the field, the world is likely to witness the agriculture industry get smarter with the implementation of aforementioned technologies in the coming years. Data thus derived from implementing smart technologies can help farmers yield high quality and larger quantity of crops. Spurred by these factors, the global smart agriculture market is projected to report a CAGR of 13.5% between 2017 and 2025. At this pace, the markets valuation will rise from US$6.55 bn in 2015 to US$23.44 bn by the end of 2025.Besides rising population, which triggers demand for food, the global smart agriculture market is expected to gain from favorable government initiatives. However, the journey is likely to be more difficult in underdeveloped economy where the agriculture sector is reeling under lack of knowledge among farmers. The high cost of smart devices is making the matter worse. Nevertheless, in the coming years the market is likely to gain from the rising penetration of high-speed internet even in remote areas.Obtain Report Details @North America Emerges as Leading Market for Smart AgricultureThe smart agriculture market is segmented on the basis of solutions, application and geography. Regionally, the global smart agriculture market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Of these, the dominance was with the smart agriculture market in North America, which held over 44.14% of the overall market in 2016. Extensive researches funded by governments across the region to minimize human involvement and boost crop yield has fuelled the demand for smart agriculture technologies in North America.Europe emerged as the second-leading and is expected to continue exhibiting lucrative market opportunities. In the U.K. especially the market is forecast to witness accelerated pace of gains as the government make huge investments in the research and development of robust technologies. Besides this, rate of growth in Italy is predicted to remain high through the forecast period.During the same time, the Asia Pacific smart agriculture market is forecast to rise at an influential rate. Countries such as Japan, China, and Australia will strong agriculture sector are expected to emerge at the fore of the regional market. China held the leading share in the Asia Pacific smart agriculture market. However, in the forthcoming years Japan is expected to showcase more attractive opportunities for the market.This 142-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Smart Agriculture Market. Browse to unlock the hidden opportunities in this marketNetwork Management and Precision Agriculture Emerge Dominant Based on Solution and Application, RespectivelyThe global market for smarty agriculture is segmented on the basis of solutions, application and geography. Based on solution, the market for smart agriculture is further segmented as network management, agriculture asset management, supervisory control and data acquisition, logistic and supply chain management, smart water management, and other. Of these, the network management segment held the dominant share of 21.20% in the overall market in 2016. However, over the course of the forecast period, the demand for smart water management solutions is expected to rise at a higher pace. A major section of the agriculture sector still depends on vagaries of monsoon for farming. Smart water management and irrigation solutions have therefore become popular among farmers to boost their crop yield and ensure minimum water wastage.On the basis of application, the smart agriculture market has been segmented as precision agriculture, livestock monitoring, fish farming, smart greenhouse and others. Of these, the precision agriculture segment held the leading share of 49.09% in the overall market in 2016. The practice helps farmers grow high quality crop with less human effort, which are key factors fuelling the demand for precision agriculture around the world.The major players in the smart agriculture market are Deere & Co., Trimble Navigation Ltd., Raven Industries Ltd., AgJunction Inc., AGCO Corporation, SST Development Group Inc., Ag Leader Technology, Hexagon AB, Iteris Inc., TeeJet Technologies.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Recent Report Covers Upcoming Opportunities in Waterjet Cutting Machinery Market

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Waterjet Cutting Machinery Market: SnapshotThe global waterjet cutting machinery market is primarily driven by the overall increase in activities in the manufacturing sector of several key regions. The market also benefits from the growing need for manufacturing process automation and waterjet cutting requires a lesser need for manual intervention and human guidance, even in terms of secondary finishing. Global waterjet cutting machinery is also found to be in high preference due to their ability to carry out processes while eliminating the formation of heat, smoke, and dust. However, high maintenance costs and the overall problems regarding worker safety are currently restricting the global waterjet cutting machinery market.The global waterjet cutting machinery market is expected to reach US$1.66 bn by the end of 2016. The markets revenue is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 8.1% during the forecast period from 2016 to 2024, and is likely to reach US$3.11 bn by the end of 2024.Obtain Report Details @Demand for Waterjet Cutting Machinery Lies in Job and Machine ShopsIn terms of applications, the global waterjet cutting machinery market is segmented into job & machine shop, machine manufacturing, exotic metal and non-traditional material cutting, glass/metal artwork, ceramic/stone cutting, fiberglass cutting, gasket cutting, foam product cutting, surgical instrument manufacturing, electronics, slitting operations, and a small percentage of minor applications. Amid this large scope of applications for waterjet cutting, the market finds its leading percentage of demand to come from the segment of jobs and machine shops. This segment has always held a conventionally high demand for cutting tools and machinery and waterjet cutting is no exception, especially due to the several advantages that this method provides over other methods.Currently, the global waterjet cutting machinery market is being propelled by the growing demand for these tools from the automotive and fabrication industries. There is a very high demand for process automation in several industry verticals and especially in the automotive industry. This provides a great niche for the global waterjet cutting machinery market to fit into owing to the high rate of customization that its products can offer.This 346-page report gives readers a comprehensive overview of the Waterjet Cutting Machinery Market. Browse to unlock the hidden opportunities in this marketNorth America Expected to Lead Demand for Waterjet Cutting MachineryFrom a geographical perspective, the global waterjet cutting machinery market has been segmented into the key regions of North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Among these, the global waterjet cutting machinery market was led by North America in 2015, owing to a high demand from several core end users. It is also highly likely that North America will remain the leading region in terms of demand as well as revenue generation in the global waterjet cutting machinery market for the foreseeable future. The manufacturing industry within North America  especially in the U.S.  is providing the global waterjet cutting machinery market with ample growth opportunities and it is possible for this demand to increase even further as the manufacturing industry expands. Players based in North America are also known to provide a high level of customer support and customer satisfaction, thereby gaining a greater line of clientele. At the same time, Asia Pacific is expected to rush forward with a phenomenal rate of demand growth over the coming years, owing to a speedy rate of evolution of its industrial sector and ramped up manufacturing processes.To date, the global waterjet cutting machinery market has been dominated in several aspects and periods by names such as DARDI International Corporation, ESAB Group, MD Corporation, KMT Waterjet Systems, Inc., A Innovative International Ltd, Manufacturers Supplies Company, Flow International Corporation, Water Jet Sweden AB, Bystronic Laser India (Pvt.) Ltd., WARDjet, Inc., Waterjet Corporation s.r.l., BFT GmbH, TECHNI Waterjet, Jet Edge, Inc., Hypertherm, Inc., Uhde High Pressure Technologies GmbH, OH Precision Corporation, PressureJet Systems Pvt. Ltd., Water Jet Germany s.r.o., OMAX Corporation, WSI Waterjet Systems International, Resato International BV, Hughes Pumps Ltd, and NLB Corp.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:
In about a month Rebecca Lingafelter and fellow Third Rail Repertory company member Mark Valadez will welcome their first child, a girl, into the universe.

In a masterstroke of precisely charted career planning that should be the envy of every arts professional, Lingafelter is directing "Lungs," a play about a couple debating having their first child.

Darius Pierce and Cristi Miles portray an on-stage twosome working through their parental concerns in the show that opens Aug. 4 at the CoHo Theater.

And, actually, credit for the arrival of "Lungs" probably goes to kismet, not calculation.

"Darius has had this piece in his dream chest for six years," says Lingafelter. "He looked at doing it various places, and then this year we did a reading of it and it just seemed to resonate in a particular way with the company."

Duncan Macmillan's 2011 two-hander couches the question of having a baby within questions around environmental impact and climate change.

"We read the play right after Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord, so I think there's a special kind of political resonance in some of the environmental conversations that happen in the play that shout, 'OK, this really is the right time to do this show,'" Lingafelter says.

If your Netflix queue is backed up with "Gasland," "No Impact Man," and other apocalyptic eco-content, the thought of actors wagging their fingers at each other about fossil fuel consumption might not appeal as an evening out.

"Lungs" takes a different approach.

"It is absolutely a love story," says Lingafelter. "One of the things that I think is really delightful about the play is that there is this quality in the writing of a romantic comedy. It's a little bit boy-meets-girl, boy-looses-girl, boy-gets-girl-back scenario."

But Macmillan isn't afraid to dig into the serious, essential questions, Lingafelter says: "Is it my biological imperative to have children? Or am I responsible to these greater questions around the survival of the species and the planet?"

The play and the pregnancy cap a stellar year for Lingafelter, who co-produced and starred in "db" for CoHo Productions and co-directed "The Angry Brigade" for Third Rail. When Third Rail Managing Artistic Director Maureen Porter asked her to direct "Lungs," Lingafelter wasn't sure she wanted to go there.

"I was like, 'You know, there are already so many wonderful emotional ups and downs of this process, is that something I want to bring into a professional room?'" she says. "I think I make art because I'm drawn to things that tend to speak to my experience and that I hope will translate to other people's experience - so I said 'Yes.'"

Lingafelter's husband is crafting the sound design for the production. Conversations from home are mirrored in the play, she says, resulting in looks to each other during rehearsals.

"There's one moment in the play that I think many new parents of the 21st century recognize: When 'W' (Miles) says to 'M' (Pierce), 'Why do we refer to the size of the baby with food? 'This week your baby is the size of lentil. This week your baby is the size of an olive,'" says Lingafelter, laughing.

She and Valadez check a phone app that charts their baby's growth. "And we have a bunch of books, and all of them refer to the size of the baby in terms of food," she says. "Sometimes it's not even things that are person-shaped. We had one a few weeks ago that was the size of a kale. I don't even know what that means! What size is kale?"

You might expect the heightened environmental concerns of the on-stage characters -- we're talking to the ozone layer and back -- to intensify anxieties for the expectant parents behind the scenes. Luckily, no.

"I feel like the play has made me more conscious rather than worried," Lingafelter says. "I am bringing a person into the world who's going to have an impact and what are the ways in which I'm just thinking consciously about that."

"I think that's one of the challenges about talking about climate change -- there are all of these statistics and hundred-year scenarios and it feels a little intangible," she adds. "There's been a lot of talk, actually, in the arts about how can we bring these messages to people in a way that they feel connected to them? I feel that this play does that. These are complicated, normal people going through this and thinking about this. I hope that in the way that it swayed my consciousness it would do that with an audience, too."

-- Lee Williams for The Oregonian/OregonLive

"Lungs"

Where: CoHo Theater, 2257 N.W. Raleigh St.

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4-26,

Tickets: $25-$45, www.thirdrailrep.org, 503-235-1101
Nathan Hostler, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

By Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

There's no getting around the forecast: This week looks brutal.

With high temperatures expected to go well past 100, Oregon is facing a heatwave that will make us look back longingly on that miserable, cold spring we had this year.

But you still gotta eat, right?

When the temperature rises, it's time to take advantage of outdoor grills to keep from heating up the house. It's also the time to dig into cold dishes and salads that can help keep you from overheating. Note: Some of these salads require cooked grains or pasta. Make them in the morning before the day heats up, then let the flavors meld as the dishes chill in the refrigerator.

Here are some of our favorite salads, chilled soups, grilled dishes, and frozen desserts to help you ride out this heatwave and any others that Oregon's summer throws at us this year. They're a delicious way to keep your cool.

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Summer Pasta Salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Pasta salad takes a sojourn to Greece, thanks to the recipe for Summer Pasta Salad from British food writer and broadcaster Amanda Grant. The quick dressing combines fresh lemon juice and chopped mint with extra-virgin olive oil, creating a tangy coating for rotini pasta. To the mix, she adds cucumber, tomatoes and kalamata olives, underscoring the Aegean influence.

Recipe: Summer Pasta Salad.

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Cool gazpacho

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

This early August heatwave arrives just as Oregon's tomato season is hitting its peak. That means it's prime time for this favorite gazpacho recipe from California chef Ann Gentry: It's our favorite variation of the traditional Spanish chilled soup, and is perfect for hot days. Start with ripe and juicy tomatoes. The additions of sweet corn kernels and garnishes of toasted pine nuts and sliced avocado make it filling and refreshing at the same time. The result is a perfect gazpacho that is brisk on the palate the day it's made, and a little mellower on the second.

Recipe: California Gazpacho.

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Protein-packed tabbouleh

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Eva Kosmas Flores, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The Middle Eastern salad tabbouleh is a great dish for riding out a heatwave. This version comes from Portland food blogger and cookbook author Eva Kosmas Flores and her terrific cookbook from last year, "Adventures in Chicken." She uses roasted chicken to give the salad additional protein and flavor. Because you don't want to heat up the house, this is a perfect way to use rotisserie chickens from the grocery store.

Recipe: Roast Chicken Tabbouleh.

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Glorious sliced tomatoes

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Kraig Scattarella, The Oregonian/OregonLive

One of the best ways to enjoy summer tomatoes is in a simple salad, like this one from tomato queen Barbara Damrosch. Just arrange them on a platter with peppery arugula, then drizzle with a dressing that combines balsamic vinegar with maple syrup, which balances out the acidity of the tomato.

Recipe: Tomato Salad With Balsamic Vinegar.

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Chickpea Sliders

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Here's a genius idea for getting a protein-rich meal during a heatwave. These chickpea sliders feature a delicious chickpea salad and peppery arugula, all packed into a bun. They're easy to make, and fun to eat.

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Grilled chicken skewers

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Christine Dias, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

Serve these grilled kebabs with pita, leafy greens and tomatoes. The kebabs can be made with white meat, but they won't store quite as well or be as moist as when made with thighs. For a Lebanese twist, substitute 2 tablespoons of za'atar (a thyme, sesame and sumac spice mixture you can find at international grocery stores) for the oregano.

Recipe: Grilled Greek-Style Lemon-and-Oregano Chicken Skewers.

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Tomato salad with a kick

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Grace Parisi, Oxmoor House

August tomatoes don't need a whole lot of help to taste great, but this recipe from the folks at Food & Wine dresses them up with a from-scratch ranch dressing that features horseradish, which packs a flavor wallop.

Recipe: Tomato Salad With Horseradish-Ranch Dressing.

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Pasta salad with a bit of tang

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Matthew Mead, The Associated Press

The combination of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise makes the dressing for this pasta salad from Alison Ladman light yet rich-tasting. This is another salad where you can substitute summer ingredients from the farmers market for things like the bell pepper.

Recipe: Sun-dried Tomato Macaroni Salad.

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Chicken salad with a Middle Eastern touch

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Nathan Hostler, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

Throwing together this delicious chicken salad from contributor Laura B. Russell couldnt be easier, thanks to store-bought rotisserie chicken. Instead of the usual mayonnaise-heavy version, try this healthier Middle Eastern-inspired take based on tahini, lemon and yogurt.

Recipe: Tahini Chicken Salad.

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Pesto-powered potato salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Instead of making potato salad with heaps of mayonnaise and mustard, opt for this Italian-themed version, made with summertime pesto. Make the salad early in the day while your kitchen is still cool, then let it chill until it's mealtime. Chopped sun-dried tomatoes give the salad a nice pop of color. If you're put off by the high cost of pine nuts, the dressing can be made with blanched slivered almonds with similar results.

Recipe: Sundried Tomato and Pesto Potato Salad.

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A new take on gazpacho

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Kraig Scattarella, The Oregonian/OregonLive

A few years back, we invited L.A. chef Brian L. Patton into our Test Kitchen to show us his delicious version of gazpacho, which gets plenty of kick from jalapeno and garlic. The combination of sweet and heat makes it perfect warm-weather fare.

Recipe: Mango Gazpacho.

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Hands down, the BEST black bean salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

There are dishes we love, and then there are dishes we're delirious over. This vibrant salad from chef Jennifer Segal is the perfect way to beat summer heat, is hearty enough to be served as a vegan entree. Best of all: It uses raw corn, so there's no cooking required. It can be pulled together in about 20 minutes, but it needs at least a couple of hours in the refrigerator for flavors to meld.

Recipe: Black Bean and Sweet Corn Salad With Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette.

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Elegant strawberry salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Chef Kenny Giambalvo shared this dynamite pairing with us when he was still cooking at McMenamins' Black Rabbit Restaurant. The recipe leaves you with extra strawberry balsamic vinaigrette, which is terrific on any mixed greens and also makes a great marinade for grilled fish. You can still find ever-bearing strawberries at most farmers markets. If you can't find asparagus, you can substitute green beans.

Recipe: Black Rabbit Restaurant Asparagus-Strawberry Salad.

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Bold Mediterranean flavors

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

The ridges of curly fusilli are perfect for this vibrant pasta salad because they catch and really hold the dressing, which is a combination of vegan mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice.

Recipe: Mediterranean Pasta Salad.

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Green with envy

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Ross William Hamilton, The Oregonian/OregonLive

This gazpacho recipe originally came from Seattle's Andaluca restaurant, where each bowl is topped with lumps of Dungeness crab meat. Any grilled seafood, such as shrimp or calamari, could be substituted.

Recipe: Green Gazpacho With Crab.

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Colorful grilled carrots

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Steve Legato, Running Press

A perfect grilled vegetable side dish. The tiny carrots used in this recipe can be found at farmers markets and specialty grocers this time of year. The recipe makes extra sauce -- perfect for drizzling over other grilled or roasted vegetables.

Recipe: Rainbow Carrots With Cilantro Chile Drizzle.

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Updated ramen salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

The beauty of this salad is the textural contrast between the vegetables and the crunchy ramen noodles. You can make the salad using whatever ingredients look good at the farmers' market. Think about subbing spring peas for the edamame, or blanched and chopped asparagus for the broccoli slaw mix.

Recipe: Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad.

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Hearty wheat berry salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

This healthy salad makes a great light lunch, but also could be a side dish with other Greek or Moroccan fare. You'll find wheat berries in the bulk food section of most grocery stores, but if you can't find them, you can substitute other whole grains, like farro, spelt or pearl barley.

Recipe: Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad.

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Thai-style grilled corn

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The Oregonian/OregonLive file photo

This incredible recipes comes from the Portland Thai hotspot Pok Pok. In addition to being delicious, it happens to be vegan. It serves 12, so it's perfect for a late-summer backyard cookout.

Recipe: Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob With Salty Coconut Cream.

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Grilled eggplant salad

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Stephanie Yao Long, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Matthew Card came up with this perfect summertime salad, which features grilled eggplant. He suggests adding roasted peppers, chickpeas, or basil and oregano along with the mint.

Recipe: Grilled Eggplant, Tomato and Mint Salad.

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Grilled veggie skewers

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Matthew Mead, The Associated Press

When you've got the grill fired up, it's a great time to toss on these colorful veggie skewers, which can be made using great seasonal produce, like the first summer squash of the season. Eat the veggies hot, or take them off the skewers and add them to pasta salad.

Recipe: Grilled Rainbow Vegetable Skewers.

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Melon Caprese

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Nathan Hostler, Special to The Oregonian/OregonLive

A classic Caprese salad captures the essential flavors of summer -- tomatoes and basil, paired with fresh mozzarella. This variation from Jackie Varriano takes the idea even further, adding prosciutto, cantaloupe and fresh mint. It's a refreshing combination of flavors that's perfect for a hot August night.

Recipe: Melon Caprese.

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Mexican Corn Salad

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

This lightning-fast corn salad from cookbook author Julie Montague celebrates her childhood, when she grew up in the middle of Illinois cornfields, along with her love for Mexican food. It's a perfect addition to Mexican-inspired meals when corn is in season.

Recipe: Mexican Corn Salad With the Best Herb Dressing.

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This salad has it all

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Mims Copeland, The Oregonian/OregonLive

Here's a perfect entree salad that's perfect for a hot day. It's got smoked salmon, which you can find already cooked in the seafood department of most grocery stores, so there's no cooking involved. It's also loaded with brain-boosting ingredients like avocado, walnut, and chia, plus immunity-boosting spinach, blueberries, and onion, youll feel nourished and energized.

Recipe: Alpha Omega Salad.

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Inspired by Istanbut

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Columbus Leth, Ten Speed Press

Cookbook author Tess Ward says that the flavor and colors of Istanbul inspired this perfect summer salad, which uses tomatoes at their peak, along with capers and almonds.

Recipe: Tomatoes With Capers, Almonds and Herbs.

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Homemade chocolate ice cream

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The Oregonian/OregonLive file photo

Chocolate ice cream is a summertime standard, and this simplified recipe features a short list of ingredients, and doesn't require an ice cream maker.

Recipe: Easy Chocolate Ice Cream.

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Coconut ice cream with chocolate sauce

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Grant Butler, The Oregonian/OregonLive

You'll never miss the dairy or eggs with this incredible vegan coconut-chocolate chip ice cream. Want to take it even further? Serve it with the intensely good chocolate sauce.

Recipes: Coconut Macaroon Chocolate Chip Ice Cream; Chocolate Sauce.

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-- Grant Butler

gbutler@oregonian.com

503-221-8566; @grantbutler
With the 2017 total solar eclipse quickly approaching, all eyes in Oregon are on the path of totality - the 60- to 70-mile band where the moon will completely cover the sun, stretching from Lincoln City to Ontario, passing over Salem, Madras, John Day and Baker City on its way across the U.S.

For Portlanders - who won't be in that path - experiencing totality means fighting unprecedented traffic and crowds. State officials are urging travelers to leave days in advance, to expect some chaos and to bring emergency supplies. It's enough for people to wonder: Is it worth leaving town for this? Can't you just see the eclipse from Portland?

In short: You can, and while it won't be as good as totality, it should still be a pretty amazing experience.

In Portland, we'll see a 99 percent eclipse, where the moon will cover most - but not all - of the sun. By the time the eclipse reaches that point, all but a small sliver of sunlight will remain, casting the city into a state of near-darkness, similar to what you might usually see at dusk. The color of the sky will change, animals will behave strangely and activity in the city may grind to a halt.

Jim Todd, director of space science education at OMSI, said it will be an amazing experience, one that the museum plans on celebrating locally with a free watch party.

"It's still a spectacular show," he said. "It's just going to be one of those days that everybody will remember where they were."

The partial eclipse will begin in Portland at 9:06 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 21, reaching its maximum 99 percent totality at 10:19 a.m. The sun will be to the southeast, and should be high enough in the sky to see from most vantage points.

The farther north you go from the city, the more that percentage of totality ticks down. Astoria will see 97 percent totality, while Seattle will only see 92 percent at best. Each percentage point you lose changes the experience dramatically, Todd said, because of the sheer brightness of the sun.

If it's cloudy - and this being western Oregon, there's always a chance - you won't be able to see the eclipse at all, but you will experience more darkness than you would with clear skies, thanks to the diffusing effect of the clouds, Todd said.

In Portland it will be an incredible experience, but still a far cry from the experience in the path of totality. That's according to Todd and other astronomers who have experienced full totality before.

Because the sun is so bright, even that small sliver that will come through in Portland will be too bright to see things like the sun's atmosphere, called the corona, which is one of the highlights of a total solar eclipse.

"The difference between a 99 percent and totality is like the difference between prom and getting married," longtime eclipse chaser Bill Kramer said. "At 99 percent it's still day, 100 percent it's night."

Kramer and Todd both said their first experiences with totality were transformative, and hard to put into words. Some people weep, others shake or shout out instinctively. It's truly going to be a once-in-a-lifetime event, in Oregon at least, and both men said locals should try to see totality if they can.

Of course, that's easier said than done. Between threats of massive traffic jams, huge crowds, forest fires and a shortage of basic amenities - not to mention work schedules - it's understandable that many Portlanders are fine settling for 99 percent. It might not be the total experience, but that doesn't mean it won't be amazing.

"Make an event of it," Todd suggested to Portlanders staying in town. "It's just an experience unlike anything else you've ever seen before."

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB
BY MEGAN McARDLE

In Youngstown, Ohio, the employment problem is not a shortage of jobs. Nor is it a shortage of workers. The problem is not stingy employers who don't want to pay enough to attract good workers. Nor is the problem that potential workers are too busy playing video games to show up for their job interviews.

So what's the trouble? The only thing standing between willing employers and willing workers is a drug test.

Unfortunately, these aren't jobs where you can say uptight, moralizing employers are prying too deeply into the private lives of their employees. They're industrial jobs where the risk of accidents -- potentially fatal accidents -- is high. Employers cannot run the risk of people showing up intoxicated and killing themselves or their co-workers. Even if they were willing to run their workplace that way, safety inspectors and insurers wouldn't let them.

But is an employee really a danger to others because he smokes a little pot on weekends? Well, while it's easy to assume that these tests are mostly picking up casual pot smokers, one employer told the New York Times that half of the failures aren't for pot, but for other substances. Substances like heroin and cocaine tend to clear the system pretty quickly, so someone who can't pass a scheduled drug test is raising some serious red flags. This person couldn't stay sober for even a few days?

But what about pot? Should employers really be testing for it? It can linger in the system for considerably longer than opiates or cocaine, so people who would never take drugs at work or pose any danger to their co-workers may well flunk the test. The tests are still screening out some people who might be dangerous -- but you're going to get a lot of false positives. This is why employers rarely test urine for alcohol, even though it's possible to do so; while this would eliminate most alcoholics -- who can be just as dangerous as drug addicts in an industrial workplace -- it would also eliminate nearly everyone else except Mormons.

So why do employers test for a drug that many people use socially? Because until very recently, pot was illegal everywhere in the U.S. That makes a drug test a reasonably good proxy for a trait that psychologists call "conscientiousness," one of the Big Five personality traits.

People with high levels of conscientiousness are more likely to follow the law, even if the laws against marijuana use are not as thoroughly justified as those limiting opiates or stimulants. So under our current laws, while many perfectly normal and otherwise law-abiding people smoke marijuana, the group "marijuana smokers" probably contains a higher-than-normal concentration of folks who don't have such high regard for rules -- rules like, say, never coming to work high.

It's often argued that drug tests aren't very good at screening out drug addicts, given how quickly most substances leave your system, and how easy it is to cheat the tests. But even if that's true, employers may believe that they are worth the cost, in money and lost workers, because they filter out the kind of people who are willing to break the law to use drugs. But as the laws change, that will present employers, insurers and regulators with a problem.

Legal marijuana may never become as ubiquitous as alcohol in our society, but it will certainly become more common if legal sanctions continue to erode. The number of people who are addicted to marijuana (yes, that is possible) will rise. So will the number of people who smoke a joint or eat an edible a few times a year. Screening out the first group will become increasingly costly to employers as the number of good, responsible workers in the second group increases.

If marijuana usage becomes sufficiently common, then that cost will be too high for employers to keep testing for cannabis. Employers, insurers and courts will have to capitulate to the new reality, and look for other ways to keep workplaces drug-free. That may slightly raise the risk of workplace accidents. But thankfully, it will probably lower the risk that good workers get locked out of the job market.

-- Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist who founded the blog Asymmetrical Information.
BY MIKE SAX

Oregon is booming with a vibrant and innovative software industry. In addition to the flagship tech companies that have become household names, our state is home to thousands of small businesses and firms that build software systems, provide tech services, and develop mobile apps. My Eugene-based company builds mobile apps that spread happiness. On any given day, I can't walk through downtown Eugene without running into local software entrepreneurs, and share the joy of building innovative technologies in the state we love. Yet, we're all dealing with a problem that is jeopardizing our ability to grow - we desperately need qualified, technically trained software engineers to keep our businesses afloat.

Our country is struggling with a serious supply and demand issue with more than 5,000 open computing jobs in Oregon, and more than 500,000 available across the country. Neighboring tech companies often battle each other for available talent, offering hyper-competitive salaries, generous benefits, flex time and more. Yet, none of these efforts are enough to meet our need for skilled coders.

The root cause is a failure of our education system. During the 2015-16 school year, only 15 schools across Oregon offered Advanced Placement (AP) computer science courses, and only 537 Oregonians graduated with a computer science degree. Tech innovators are working to remedy this situation, spending millions on computer science after-school programs and summer camps. However, their efforts are a mere drop in the bucket without adequate support from government. Our state still doesn't have a plan for computer science education in K-12 schools. If our schools are falling behind in providing this valuable resource, what does that mean for our students?

Thankfully, Oregon Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio and Minnesota Republican Rep. Tom Emmer are helping to lift this dark cloud with the introduction of the "Advancing and Promoting Programming" (APP) Act. This new legislation would introduce a wide range of measures to help innovators at every stage of their computer science journey. The APP Act would not only provide resources to improve coding skills and highlight educational programs to support computer science education, it would also provide a platform for established developers to access funding and other resources for their innovations.

I am hopeful this legislation will inspire Oregonian businesses, schools and local governments to work together to bridge our country's talent gap and support Oregon's vibrant tech community. The greatest gift of the APP Act is the encouragement it will provide to students and youth interested in computer science. By unveiling educational programs and resources to drive an interest in computer science and coding, this legislation would open previously hidden doors for curious, idea-driven entrepreneurs. By providing grant databases and resources, it will remove unnecessary barriers to access, and create fertile ground for successful, locally based innovators. Oregon's tech industry has lots to offer, but our ability to use available resources and invest in computer science will determine whether we thrive or fall behind.

Mike Sax is the founder of Wellbeyond: Spreading Health and Happiness and ACT|The App Association. He lives in Eugene.
Accompanying the article "Buildings with Controversial Namesakes Up for Debate" (July 23) was a photo of Benton Hall. The caption writer got it wrong in saying that the building was named for Thomas Hart Benton. Yes, the county was named for Thomas Hart Benton, but not the building.

Your own archives contain an article dated May 14, 1947 headlined "Benton Hall to be name of Old College Administration Building." It says that the state Board of Education took various actions including approving "the name of Benton Hall for the old administration building at Oregon State College, honoring the Benton County citizens who raised the money for its construction in 1887."

The recent article does not cover the history of this building. In 1885, the Oregon state Legislature confirmed Corvallis as the location for the state agricultural college after Corvallis College relinquished its management of the college. It stipulated that the citizens of Benton County "shall erect a building on the college farm costing $25,000 by January 1, 1887, free from all debt." Nine citizens formed the State Agricultural College Association to raise funds and erect the building. The cornerstone was laid on August 17, 1887 and the building was accepted by the governor on July 1, 1888.

As the debate on building names ensues this fall, it is essential that any renaming decision be based on the facts. Let's get the facts right on Benton Hall and not erase the accomplishment of the citizens of Benton County.

-- Susan C. Hayes, Corvallis
A federal judge Tuesday sentenced a 49-year-old man to 11 years and eight months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and entering the country illegally.

Florentio Ambriz-Banderas, who had been deported after serving a sentence for a prior federal drug conviction in Oregon, was arrested again in Springfield on April 7, 2016, 15 months after being forced out of the country, according to prosecutors.

That day, California Highway Patrol pulled over an unidentified man on a traffic stop in California, hauling 15 pounds of methamphetamine, according to prosecutors. The driver told police he had made about 20 similar trips over the preceding five months, transporting 12 to 17 pounds of methamphetamine each time, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sweet.

Federal drug enforcement agents and California officers took the driver to Springfield and watched as he met with Ambriz-Banderas for the drug pickup. Ambriz-Banderas was arrested with $5,303 in cash on him, according to prosecutors.

Ambriz-Banderas had a 2011 federal conviction in Oregon for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was deported in 2015 after completing a four year and three month sentence.

"Mr. Ambriz-Banderas has been involved with drug trafficking for many years, and in spite of his prior incarceration and deportation, he resumed  and escalated  his drug trafficking,'' Sweet wrote in a sentencing memo.

Ambriz-Banderas' defense lawyer noted that the defendant's son was also convicted of a drug charge in 2011. When the son was released from prison and deported, the son disappeared, and his father assumes his son was kidnapped or killed.

"This has been extremely difficult for Mr. Ambriz-Banderas and his family,'' wrote his lawyer Lynn Shepard. She noted that Ambriz-Banderas was raised in Michoacan, Mexican, an area known for drug-related and gang-related violence. "The government offered Mr. Ambriz-Banderas the opportunity to cooperate. However, this occurred after his son had disappeared and Mr. Ambriz-Banderas was reluctant to provide information.''

Shepard argued for a 10-year sentence, the minimum mandatory sentence for the drug conviction. She said Ambriz-Banderas' co-conspirator in the case cooperated with the government, and as a result, has not been charged.

U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane sentenced Ambriz-Banderas in U.S. District Corut in Eugene.

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Siskiyou Unified Major Investigations Team and the Lane County Interagency Narcotics Team investigated the case.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Morning briefing: How Randy Bryce, the Iron Stache, plans to take down Paul Ryan
Angela Roman, a legislative aide to Rep. Mike Nearman, R-Independence, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge last week and served four days in jail for the offense, according to her lawyer.

She also paid a $100 fine, was required to let authorities keep the gun involved in the incident and is serving 18 months probation, records show.

Roman, 37, made an illegal gun transfer when she lent her Ruger pistol to an acquaintance, Matthew Heagy, according to court records. As a convicted felon, Heagy, 31, cannot possess guns.

Roman's attorney, Mark Brownlee, said Heagy and Roman are both members of Oregon Three Percenters, a wing of the anti-government militia movement that advocates for limited government powers. The two attended a protest at the Oregon State Capitol where pro- and anti-Trump demonstrators clashed.

Heagy was acting as security for the Three Percenters protesters, Brownlee said. He was arrested at the demonstration after pepper spraying a state trooper and was found to have Roman's gun, police said. Heagy has since pleaded guilty to a weapons possession charge and has begun a two-year prison sentence.

Brownlee said Heagy misrepresented himself to Roman. She "acted in good faith," Brownlee said, and never would have lent Heagy her gun if she knew he wasn't allowed to have one.

Nearman did not immediately return a voicemail seeking comment and information about whether Roman was still a member of his legislative staff. He said at the time charges were filed against her that Roman was still on his staff.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman
Former state representative Shemia Fagan announced Monday she will run against Sen. Rod Monroe, D-Portland, in the 2018 primary election. In response, Monroe vowed to mount a "well-run well-funded campaign" against Fagan.

Fagan, whose candidacy was first reported by Willamette Week, said she will challenge fellow Democrat Monroe from the left over his refusal to back a renter rights bill this year. She said Monroe has been "incredibly tone-deaf" on housing issues and said the district needs a "more responsive" senator.

The renter protections measure, House Bill 2004, passed the House by one vote but never came up for a vote in the Senate due to no support from Republicans and little backing from Democrats. It would have restricted the conditions under which landlords can evict tenants and would have allowed municipalities to enact rent control ordinances.

Monroe, a retired teacher, lay minister and owner of a 51-unit apartment complex in Portland, said he opposed the bill, as did nearly all other Democratic senators. It passed the House, Monroe said, only because Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, flexed her political muscle.

"She twisted arms like mad. Threatened members that none of their bills would pass if they didn't vote for it," Monroe said.

Fagan, a 35-year-old lawyer who was elected to the House in 2013 and 2015 but did not seek a third term last year, said Monroe should have done more to listen to renters in his district. "He didn't show up for his own town hall on the issue," Fagan said, referring to a June 10 town hall organized by Monroe and other area lawmakers. "That's the kind of stuff we're seeing Republicans in Congress do. That's not the Oregon way."

For his part, Monroe, 74, said he supports addressing Portland's housing availability crisis by building more rental units. He said he believes allowing rent control will make matters worse.

Monroe has served in the Legislature for more than two decades during two stints, and was first elected to the state House in 1977. He has also served on the David Douglas school board, Metro Council and other governmental bodies.

Along with her candidacy, Fagan also announced endorsements from prominent Portland-area elected officials: Multnomah County Commissioners Deborah Kafoury and Jessica Vega Pederson; and Reps. Alissa Kenny-Guyer, D-Portland; Rob Nosse, D-Portland; and Karin Power, D-Milwaukie.

Monroe has more than $13,000 in his campaign account, but Fagan will be starting from scratch -- her account is empty.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman
U.S. senators overwhelmingly confirmed Christopher Wray as the new director of the FBI Tuesday evening, installing Wray atop the prestigious law enforcement agency as it continues investigations into whether any of President Trump's associates coordinated with the Russian government during last year's election. The vote was 92-5.

Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Oregon's two Democratic U.S. senators, voted against Wray's confirmation. The only other senators voting "no" were Democratic Sens. Kristen Gillibrand of New York, and Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

In a statement, Wyden said he voted against Wray because of his stance on government surveillance and Americans' privacy.

"In his public and private statements, Chris Wray failed to oppose government backdoors into Americans' personal devices, or to acknowledge the facts about encryption," Wyden said. "That it isn't about liberty versus security, it's about more security versus less security."

Wray, a corporate lawyer in private practice since 2005, is designated to serve a 10-year term atop the FBI. Trump nominated him after he fired then-director James Comey in May.

-- Gordon R. Friedman

503-221-8209; @GordonRFriedman
President Donald Trump tried to be a team player, in his own way. He hired Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus and fellow RNC stalwart Sean Spicer, and he let Republican congressional leaders know that his bill-signing pen was uncapped and ready for action.

It didn't work out.

Now Priebus and Spicer are gone, and the president is insisting on Twitter that GOP senators "look like fools" for failing to pass health-care reform legislation.

Republican members of Congress increasingly agree that they look like fools, but not just because they haven't been able to follow through on their seven-year promise to repeal and replace Obamacare.

They're beginning to recognize that Trump doesn't care about them or their agenda, that it's only about winning for him, about his own self-aggrandizement.

And they're beginning to realize that Trump -- with his often nonsensical Twitter pronouncements; his thin-skinned attacks on the media and anyone who doesn't bow down to him; and the ever-widening Russia-collusion probe that gets ever-closer to Trump himself -- is an embarrassment to the country. And probably a danger to it as well.

Former Clinton Administration Labor secretary Robert Reich reported on Facebook this week that a friend of his, a former GOP congressman he didn't name, told him that Republicans in Congress are "convinced Trump is out of his gourd." Reich's pal said that the 25th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which allows the president's cabinet to remove the commander-in-chief if he's incapacitated, is actually being discussed in GOP salons.

Maybe the 25th amendment is being seriously considered by GOP top dogs and maybe it isn't. But this much is certain: The days of Republicans criticizing Trump only under the cover of anonymity have come to an end.

Sen. Jeff Flake, facing voters next year in Arizona, is the first high-profile elected Republican to make a definitive break from the president. Trump stormed the White House last year as a Republican in name but an ideology-free demagogue in practice, and his success scared real conservatives into acquiescence. In a new book, Flake castigates Republican politicians' reactions -- his own included -- to Trump:

"Too often, we observe the unfolding drama along with the rest of the country, passively, all but saying, 'Someone should do something!' without seeming to realize that that someone is us," he wrote.

Flake added:

"To carry on in the spring of 2017 as if what was happening was anything approaching normalcy required a determined suspension of critical faculties. And tremendous powers of denial."

Ken Buck, a Republican congressman from Colorado, appears to agree.

"The Republican Party is dead," Buck wrote this week in the Denver Post. "At one time, the blood of the people coursed through its veins, enlivening the party with their values and virtues, their goals and dreams. The party became its own energizing force, compelling people to sacrifice for a higher moral purpose."

He continued, without mentioning Trump by name:

"What can we do? More than anything else, we need a vision, someone who has a message and a plan to unify this country. Instead, we've assembled a 'B-team' of messengers who distract the nation with frivolities."

Is Buck calling for someone to challenge Trump in the 2020 Republican primaries? He's not clear about that, but the scuttlebutt is that GOP poobahs are looking hard at that option. Back to Reich's unnamed Republican insider. When Reich asked how the party's leaders planned to get rid of Trump, the former congressman answered:

"Put someone else up in '20. Lots of maneuvering already. Pence, obviously. Cruz thinks he has a shot."

Mike Pence is Trump's vice president, and he's been unfailingly loyal to the president. Senator Ted Cruz, however, hates Trump -- and for good reason. During the 2016 presidential primaries, when they were both vying for the GOP nomination, Trump offered the ridiculous suggestion that Cruz's father played a role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. He also threatened to "spill the beans" (whatever that meant) on Cruz's wife. And he gave Cruz a memorable nickname: "Lyin' Ted."

Whatever might happen in 2020, working with Trump no longer seems to be a high priority for congressional Republicans now. Flake wonders if any "policy victories wouldn't be Pyrrhic ones. If this was our Faustian bargain, then it was not worth it."

Sane Republicans have been waiting a year for one of their party's leaders to make that all-too-obvious statement.

-- Douglas Perry
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was out of a job as of last Friday following months of speculation that he was going to be replaced. When President Trump elbowed out the Wisconsinite, he abandoned the man who did more than anyone else to make him president. PHOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Spencer Black: GOP must stand against Trump, stand up for rule of law
UNION GROVE  Its hard to imagine someone saying a demolition derby had a big impact on their life  unless theyre talking about a bruising encounter with a late-model Chevrolet  but for Jack Eisel and Phyllis Koykarri, it was a chance meeting 22 years ago at the Racine County Fair Demolition Derby that changed their lives forever.

On Sunday afternoon, the longtime couple marked the significance of that day by getting married before the start of this years Demolition Derby in front of a crowd of more than 200 at the fairgrounds grandstand.

Wearing bride and groom T-shirts, they exchanged vows surrounded by longtime friends and family.

It was so hot, said Eisel, recalling the day the two first met. I had an old Oldsmobile  a 76  but I couldnt get it started. I spent the whole day working on it. Finally, I gave up and turned it over to the junk guy, and went over to the beer tent. Thats when I met (Phyllis).

I never got to run that demo, but I met her instead, he said. It turned out to be a good day, anyway.

When Eisel first suggested that the pair get married at the demolition derby, Koykarri admits that she thought he was crazy.

Then I thought it would be the coolest thing, she said, recalling the day she met Eisel with equal fondness.

He ended up in the beer tent. I always go to the beer tent, or I did back in the day. I saw him from behind and I went up to him and asked him if he wanted a beer, Koykarri said.

We had all these beer tickets, and we just kept going until we ran out of beer tickets, added Eisel, now age 50 and a pesticide applicator. And we have been together ever since.

Asked what has kept the couple together for so long, Koykarri said simply loving each other.

We might have had some tough roads, and we have, but weve made it and thats what counts, said Koykarri, 60, who works as a business application specialist at Johnson Bank.

Fair President Scott Gunderson, who served as master of ceremonies for the unconventional event, said as far as he knows it was the first time anyone has gotten married at the Demolition Derby.

I think they are a great couple, Gunderson said. And I am just glad we could help.

After the wedding, the newlyweds celebrated by doing what else: Watching the demolition derby.

As for their honeymoon, they plan to spend it taking their 8-year-old grandson Andrew to Wisconsin Dells.

Yeah, said Eisel. We do things a bit different.
Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner used his veto power Tuesday to strip millions of dollars for Chicago Public Schools from a school funding overhaul, a move that could mean no districts get state money before classes begin.

The Republican removed help for Chicago Public Schools' pensions along with money the district formerly received in the form of a block grant, along with other rewrites.

"With my changes, Illinois can achieve historic education funding reform that is fair and equitable to all of Illinois' children," Rauner said at a Capitol news conference.

The bill now returns to the Democrat-controlled Legislature, where three-fifths of lawmakers in both chambers must either approve or override Rauner's changes. Both options will be difficult. If neither chamber can muster the votes, the legislation dies.

Democratic Senate President John Cullerton had urged Rauner a day earlier to "do the right thing" and sign the legislation.

"Students, parents, teachers and taxpayers have waited long enough," he said. "This is a chance to make a huge, meaningful change for Illinois."

Rauner accused Democrats of sitting on the bill to force a crisis.

A new school formula is required as part of a budget deal that legislators approved earlier this month over Rauner's veto. Without new legislation, schools won't get paid. The first payment to schools is due Aug. 10.

While schools are expected to open on time even without state funding, many districts have said they'll have to make cuts or even close their doors if lawmakers can't agree on a plan by fall.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers met during the weekend and again Monday to try to reach a compromise, including the bill's sponsor state Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat. Ahead of Rauner's news conference, he said any veto would undo decades of work and urged Rauner not to engage in a "veto showdown."

Democrats involved in the talks described the closed-door meetings Monday afternoon as "friendly" and positive, and said they asked Republicans to continue to try to reach a compromise.

But Republican state Sen. Jason Barickman ripped the talks as "a charade" and accused his Democratic counterparts of playing political games.

Democrats then lifted a hold on the legislation they passed in May and sent it to Rauner.

Lawmakers from both parties agree the 20-year-old calculation currently used to fund public schools in Illinois is unfair and forces school districts to rely heavily on property taxes, creating huge disparities in per-student funding. But lawmakers have clashed over how to fix it.

The proposed formula channels money to the neediest districts first after ensuring that no district receives less money than last school year. It also includes pension help for Chicago.

Democrats insist the pending proposal is fair since Chicago is the only Illinois district that pays the employer portion of teacher pension costs. Republicans say the new formula means Chicago will continue to get money that it previously received as a block grant. Rauner has called it a "bailout."

___

Tareen contributed from Chicago.
Valmet Announces Changes to Its Executive Team Jukka Tiitinen July 31, 2017 - Valmet on July 28 announced changes to the responsibility areas of some of its Executive Team members to support continuous individual and business development. The following appointments are made as of October 1, 2017: Jukka Tiitinen is appointed Area President, Asia Pacific. Jukka is currently holding the position of Business Line President, Services at Valmet.

is appointed Area President, Asia Pacific. Jukka is currently holding the position of Business Line President, Services at Valmet. Aki Niemi is appointed Business Line President, Services Business Line. He is currently working as the Area President, China at Valmet. Aki Niemi Both men have a long background in different management positions at Valmet, and they will continue reporting to President and CEO Pasi Laine as Executive Team members. Hannu T. Pietila, currently working in the position of Area President, Asia Pacific returns from his six year assignment period back to Finland and is appointed Vice President Sales, Asia Pacific reporting to Jukka Tiitinen. "I am happy that we were able to create this rotation within our Executive Team utilizing the strong experience and competences of the members for the benefit of their new organizations while giving them opportunities for renewal and growth, said Pasi Laine, President and CEO, Valmet. Jukka Tiitinen is known for his results orientation and has made an excellent contribution to growing our services business steadily. Aki Niemi has been instrumental to building our China business reaching good results and created a committed and capable organization close to our customers. With these characteristics, and track records they both are excellent fits for their new positions. At this point I also want to thank Hannu T. Pietila, who has created strong customer relationships and developed our business in the AP area since 2012. In his new role, Hannu will continue supporting our Asia Pacific business to serve our customers in the best possible way," Laine added. Valmet noted that the recruitment of Aki Niemi's successor as Area President, China has started. Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. To learn more, please visit: www.valmet.com SOURCE: Valmet
After making us feel pretty much every possible emotion with the first three videos off of her comeback album, Rainbow, Kesha has just announced her first solo North American tour since her 2013 Warrior tour. She'll be kicking off the Rainbow tour this fall, with a wide range of North American dates, starting September 26 in Birmingham and closing out on November 1 in Los Angeles. Full tour dates are below, and Kesha, you're doing amazing sweetie.

September 26  Birmingham, AL  Iron City

September 27  Nashville, TN  Ryman Auditorium

September 29  Atlanta, GA  Coca-Cola Roxy

September 30  Charlotte, NC  The Fillmore Charlotte

October 2  Raleigh, NC  The Ritz

October 4  Boston, MA  House of Blues

October 6  Silver Spring, MD  The Fillmore Silver Spring

October 7  Philadelphia, PA  The Fillmore Philadelphia

October 9  New York, NY  Hammerstein Ballroom

October 13  Lakewood, OH  Lakewood Civic Auditorium

October 15  Detroit, MI  The Fillmore Detroit

October 16  Toronto, ON  Rebel

October 18  Chicago, IL  Aragon Ballroom

October 19  Milwaukee, WI  Eagles Ballroom

October 23  Kansas City, MO  Uptown Theatre

October 24  Denver, CO  Fillmore Auditorium

October 25  Salt Lake City, UT  The Complex

October 27  Seattle, WA  Showbox SoDo

October 28  Portland, OR  Roseland Theatre (Daze of the Dead)

October 31  San Francisco, CA  Masonic Auditorium

November 1  Los Angeles, CA  Hollywood Palladium

Splash image via Getty

[h/t NME]
Apple and Samsung were once the top smartphone vendors in China and have both fallen to local vendors Huawei, OPPO, Vivo and Xaoimi in recent quarters as we reported on last week. Today the Korea Herald reports that Samsung is reshuffling their Chinese operations amid sluggish smartphone sales. Seven offices have been closed and replaced by 22 new offices closely supervised by their Beijing headquarters. In 2013 Samsung held 19.7% market share in China and today it's between 3 and 5 percent. According to the Korea Herald, Samsung is expected to keep a low profile over the next year, with Chinese consumers' low expectations toward its upcoming Note 8 and the launch of the iPhone 8. As for Apple, they're still hanging onto the fifth position in the market while completely dominating the premium sector of the market.

Reuters reports today that "Apple's China revenues have stalled, falling for a fifth straight quarter in January-March, when sales grew in every other region. China recently slipped to Apple's third-largest market, as consumers have switched to newer domestic offerings. The buzz around new launches has also cooled since the iPhone 6 in 2014. When it unveils quarterly earnings later on Tuesday, Apple is likely to report another dip in China smartphone sales.

The iPhone's share of China's smartphone shipments fell to 9 percent in January-June, from a peak of 14 percent in 2015, according to consultancy Counterpoint.

Services were Apple's rare bright spot in its struggling China business and logged double-digit revenue growth in Greater China in January-March.

And maintaining momentum is crucial, as device sales may come under pressure again until Apple unveils its new iPhone, widely expected later this year in a milestone launch that will be key to winning back Chinese buyers."

The rest of the Reuters report is about Apple's latest move in China banning VPN apps from its App Store as we reported on Saturday and Monday. Read the Reuters report for more on today's story.

Does the VPN issue matter to locals? Wang Siyue, 27, a marketing professional in Shanghai, who is a long-term iPhone user. "I will buy the next generation (iPhone) when it comes out. I'm just used to it," Wang said, adding she doesn't use VPN much, and Apple's move to take down the app wouldn't impact her decision to buy a new iPhone.

While Samsung has low expectations for their upcoming Note 8 in China, Apple's iPhone 8 is likely to provide a huge lift in sales in China with an all-new look and the introduction of augmented reality.

Apple continues to invest in premium flagship stores in China to widen their base and they may be working on other local projects and initiatives behind the scenes. Apple focuses on the bigger picture and ensuring that they remain profitable in China. So the fact that local vendors are now taking control of the cheaper mass market segment in China is irrelevant to Apple. Apple has never been about the low profit mass market and smart Apple shareholders know that.

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.
Is the EU Pushing Back Against Trump on Iran?

08/01/17

by Eldar Mamedov (source: LobeLog)



EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini:

"We will stay with JCPOA"

(source: Iranian daily Jahan Sanat)



The European External Action Service (EEAS) has officially announced that the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will attend the inauguration ceremony of the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on August 5.

According to the brief statement released by the EEAS on July 29, Mogherini will visit Iran in her role as chair of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) tasked with overseeing the implementation of the agreement. It also says that she will meet with Iranian dignitaries to discuss issues of bilateral and regional relevance.

The timing of this announcement could not be more politically relevant for several reasons.

First, the visit will take place in the context of growing signs that US President Donald Trump, against the advice of his national security team, is seeking to subvert the JCPOA, while trying to find a way of allocating the blame for the eventual collapse of the agreement to the Iranians. The latter is essential, since, so the thinking goes, it would rally US allies around Washington's leadership in order to punish Iran.

Since the EU is the most influential supporter of the JCPOA among the US allies, Washington will try to enlist its support as a matter of priority. In the past, as in the example of the Iraq War, such tactics often worked, with Washington dividing the EU and getting some of its members to support its agenda.

This time, however, the EU might be preparing to push back.

For one thing, the JCPOA is clearly working, and even the Trump administration, despite its very hostile attitude towards Iran, certified Iran's compliance with the agreement.

Another reason is that the JCPOA is one of the few true diplomatic successes of the EU. It was unanimously endorsed by its member states. Mogherini repeatedly emphasized that the accord belongs to the whole international community. The EU needs engagement with Iran to be able to play a relevant role in the Middle East, since the conflicts in that region are a major source of terrorism and irregular migration that threaten the security and wellbeing of the European societies. Brussels sees the continued validity of the JCPOA and the trust its implementation is engendering as a gateway for deeper cooperation with Iran.

Just as importantly, influential EU member states see the promise of Iranian trade as a boon to their economies. France under the President Emmanuel Macron has taken the lead in denouncing the extraterritorial effects of the new anti-Iran sanctions bill approved by the US. Significantly, the statement of the French foreign ministry on the matter outlined the need for a coordinated European response to this American overreach. Thus it seems that Macron is emerging as Mogherini's key ally in safeguarding the deal. Other major states with significant economic interests in Iran, like Germany and Italy, will likely follow the French lead.

Finally, since safeguarding the JCPOA is framed as a core European foreign policy interest, it makes it more difficult for some weaker EU states to undermine it. If, for example, the governments of Poland or Hungary, known for their sympathies for Trump and closeness to Israel's Netanyahu, decide to sabotage the EU common position, it will give more ammunition to increasingly prominent voices advocating for a multi-layered EU, with a closely integrated center of core states and a loosely associated periphery. Weaker states from Central Europe stand the most to lose from such a development, so they must decide whether antagonizing their stronger Western counterparts is really worth it.

The second reason why Mogherini's announcement is highly relevant is its emphasis on discussion of regional issues with Iran. Those issues will include the prospects of political settlement in Syria and Iraq after the anticipated defeat of the so-called Islamic State, tensions in the Persian Gulf, counterterrorism, relations with Saudi Arabia, and possibly others.

This is in a stark contrast with the attitude of the Trump administration and its regional allies Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Israel, which are working hard to isolate Iran. The fact that the EU, instead of joining these efforts, chooses to talk to Iran on regional issues sends a strong message of its preference for multilateral, inclusive security solutions rather than the tried-and-failed zero-sum-game approach, in which one of the actors is assigned the blame for all the region's troubles.

It remains to be seen to what extent the EU can muster the strength and determination to push back against Trump's plot to destroy the JCPOA. Meanwhile, Mogherini's visit to Iran to attend President Rouhani's inauguration is a right step at the right time, with, perhaps, more EU dignitaries soon following suit.

This article reflects the personal views of the author and not necessarily the opinions of the European Parliament.



About the Author



Eldar Mamedov has degrees from the University of Latvia and the Diplomatic School in Madrid, Spain. He has worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and as a diplomat in Latvian embassies in Washington D.C. and Madrid. Since 2007, Mamedov has served as a political adviser for the social-democrats in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (EP) and is in charge of the delegation for inter-parliamentary relations between the EP and Iran.
U.S. sanctions violate its obligations to JCPOA: Iranian Committee

08/01/17

Source: Press TV

A committee chaired by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that the US' sanctions directly violate its obligations to the JCPOA. On Monday, Iran's committee for monitoring the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) also stressed the importance of an intelligent, appropriate, and powerful response to the recent US sanctions imposed on Tehran.



"Trump's Foot on JCPOA's throat"

source: Iranian magazine Mosalas



The members of the committee noted that the sanctions are in specific violation of articles 26, 28 and 29 of the historic deal.



During the meeting, several decisions were also made over reactions towards Washington's provocative measures, which will duly handed over to the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the International Atomic Energy Agency.



On Thursday, the US Senate voted nearly unanimously to impose new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea



The Senate backed the measure by a margin of 98-2 with strong support from President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. The bill will now be sent to the White House for the US president to sign into law or veto.



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.
Iranian MPs Say Efforts "Continuing" to Free Opposition Leaders Amid Karroubi's Hospitalization

07/31/17

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Hospital Visit Could be "Step Towards" Ending House Arrests

A member of Parliament who has been blocked from visiting detained opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi in the hospital has revealed that negotiations are ongoing to resolve the extrajudicial house arrests of Karroubi and two other opposition leaders.

"We are still continuing these efforts," said reformist MP Ahmad Mazani in an interview with the state-funded Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA) on July 26. "The reason we asked for the visit is that we have to take the initiative away from extremist elements."

"If judicial officials, the president and the Supreme National Security Council cooperate with us, this meet and greet could be a step towards resolving this problem," he said.

"We asked that arrangements be made for MPs to visit Mr. Karroubi because we were worried about his illness," said Mazani, adding that four MPs had been denied entry into the hospital. "I think the meeting could benefit the country."





Mehdi Karroubi with his son Hossein at the hospital in Tehran





Former presidential candidates Karroubi (79) and Mir Hosseini Mousavi (75) and Mousavi's wife Zahra Rahnavard (71) have been under house arrest without trial since 2011 for challenging the outcome of the 2009 presidential election and leading the mass peaceful protests that came to be known as the Green Movement.

The protests were violently suppressed by the state and the media have been instructed not to report on the house arrests. The 2009 protests continue to be referred to as the "sedition" by authorities in Iran.

Despite Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's order for the extrajudicial detentions to continue until the opposition leaders apologize for leading the Green Movement, moderate political factions in Iran have continued to press for a mutually acceptable solution.

The gradual ending of the house arrests will begin when MPs can visit the detainees," tweeted Nahid Molavi, a journalist for Etemad newspaper, on July 26. "We demand MPs visit the detainees. Ending the house arrests will be in the country's interest."

Blocked Hospital Visits

Since Karroubi's transfer to the hospital on July 24, security forces at Omid Hospital in Tehran have turned away all visitors except immediate family members. Two days after Karroubi was admitted, the opposition leader underwent a TIPS procedure that corrected a vein blockage, according to his son, Hossein Karroubi.

After being blocked from visiting Karroubi, reformist MP Elyas Hazrati tweeted on July 26: "People's representatives have the right to pursue the wishes of the people. Unfortunately despite much effort and negotiation at the hospital during last night and this morning, it was not possible to visit [Karroubi]."

Hazrati included the Persian hashtag for "detainees," which has been used by Iranian social media activists to raise attention to the house arrests and demand a resolution to the political standoff.

First Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Motahhari, a conservative MP and strong proponent of freeing the opposition leaders, said the deterioration of their health should be seen as an opportunity to end the "tragic" saga.

"Mr. Karroubi's heart disease and his transfer to the hospital is a good opportunity to use some wisdom to end this tragic house arrest saga," he tweeted on July 24.

The opposition news site Kalame reported on July 26 that Mousavi is suffering from various ailments compounded by years of isolation under house arrest.

"Last night Mir Hossein's daughters and Mrs. Rahnavard noticed major fluctuations in his blood pressure along with severe dizziness, which has not been treated for a long time and is now getting worse," according to the report. "Also, Mr. Mousavi's kidney problem has become worryingly chronic and in need of a thorough examination."

Asieh Bakeri, the prominent daughter of an Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) veteran who supports reformist policies, suggested that senior officials including President Hassan Rouhani break the stalemate by trying to visit Mousavi and Rahnavard at their house and prison in Tehran.

"They won't be allowed in, but a few legislators, cabinet ministers and Rouhani should get up and go to the gate of the prison on Akhtar St," tweeted Bakeri on July 26. "At least it would feel good that they did something."

Ending the house arrests was one of Rouhani's top pledges during his 2013 election campaign.

At a campaign rally at Sharif University on May 13, 2013, Rouhani said he hoped he could free the three detainees within the first year of his presidency: "We can provide conditions such that over the next year, individuals who were imprisoned or put under house arrest for the 2009 events are released."

However, after his re-election on May 19, 2017, Rouhani adopted a more cautious line and suggested that a solution depends on cooperation from other branches of state.

"The country is ruled by laws and we should all submit to them," he said on May 22. "The executive, legislative and judicial branches have their own responsibilities. We are moving forward on the basis of the Constitution."
Ghana's economy has been said to be far worst than it was estimated in the 2017 fiscal budget.



Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta was at Parliament on Monday to present the mid-year fiscal policy review of the 2017 budget.



In his presentation, he quoted some macro-economic statistics which showed that the nation performed poorly than earlier reported in the budget.



He noted that though the budget presented in March this year showed a 3.6% growth of the economy, updated figures from the Ghana Statistical Service in April 2017 captured a 3.5% growth rate.



He further stated that the fiscal deficit which was reported to be 8.7 percent by the end of December 2016 was rather 9.3% of GDP.



"Mr. Speaker, on the fiscal front, updated information shows that the end-2016 fiscal deficit was worse than previously estimated, at 9.3 percent of GDP compared to the provisional figure of 8.7 percent of GDP on cash basis at the time of presenting the 2017 Budget. The deficit on commitment basis is now at 10.9 percent of GDP up from the 10.3 percent previously reported".



The accumulated debt under the erstwhile Mahama administration, he pointed out, had hiked up by about 1,054% rising from Ghc 9.5 billion in 2008 to Ghc 122 billion in 2016.



"The debt servicing payments arising from this legacy of debt accumulation amounts to some 45 percent of total domestic revenue. Unfortunately, our economy would have to live with this burden for some time as we make efforts to repair the damage," he stated.



According to the Finance Minister, the revised 2016 nominal GDP ratio of Ghc 167.3 billion, puts the public debt-to-GDP ratio at 73.1 percent of GDP against the 72.5 percent reported in the 2017 budget presented to Parliament earlier in March this year.













Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The 2016 electioneering period was a memorable one. The entire NDC rank and file was full of optimism. Optimism on the wings of 'JM Toaso.' We shouted 'edey bee keke,' danced to the 'Onapo' lyrics, actively championed and campaigned aggressively for John Mahama. And we collectively stood by him until his 'comfortable lead' suddenly evaporated into the ether.



Yes, it was a fun-filled campaign backed by powerful slogans and massive resources. We all believed and worked for it. Then the sad reality dawned on us that sloganeering and money alone don't win elections.



John Mahama lost the election needlessly and we must think honestly as we move forward. I know many who feel indebted or so close to him that it's hard to see otherwise. I can't fault their loyalty. Many of these political neophytes had their major life changing experiences under John Mahama and so it is perfectly alright for them to hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil just so they can continue to keep their 'trailer park king.'

But then again, the test of loyalty is never to just blindly agree with someone, rather to speak up when they screw up.



I've had my own issues with Prof Mills as a leader of the NDC but he left behind a vibrant and solid electoral machinery. Indeed, the horse that was handed over to John Mahama was an agile one. It wasn't lame as we are being told. Perhaps, we had an overfed jockey who lost track of himself.



This is man who went into the 2012 elections as vice president/President after the demise of the sitting president. He campaigned for little over 3 months and won a pyrrhic victory.



Four years on in 2016, he run on his own records as President with all the advantages of incumbency, and lost in a humiliating fashion with over one million vote margin.



I am completely taken aback by folks who still believes we actually run a winning campaign and lost. Maybe they just don't know any better. We did not run a winning campaign. Opulence and money was not enough and in many instances very harmful to our cause. We were grossly outclassed by the then opposition on all fronts. Our messaging was off in many areas and for the first time in the history of NDC politics, the candidate isolated himself from the party machinery, forgetting that he could never have succeeded as an independent candidate and that whatever he represent was possible because of the party.



The refrain at the time was; "Mahama's popularity has won the elections," "the president has won already." And our over reliance on this made us bankrupt of thinking. The candidate himself was unwilling to listen to voices other than those in his inner circle. Tried and tested 'Generals' and senior cadres who have seen it all were told to take a back seat because Mahama's popularity alone was enough.



One would have thought that the Kwesi Botchway 'corpse dressing' committee report will propped Mahama up in a different direction, but not at all.



John Mahama is doing the same things that caused him the election. I see the same silly sycophantic behaviour by those scheming to stage his comeback. The know-it-all arrogant Mahama hangers-on are doing the same Mahama image politics which failed abysmally in the last election. Even Mahama's own public utterances shows he has no remorse for the loss. Listen to his unexciting justifications - we lost the elections as a result of 'multifaceted reasons. Then came his refuge in 'global trend,' 'act of God and 'incumbency disadvantage'- whatever that means, only Mahama knows. But really, if indeed the loss was due to all these factors, why are we out there on reorganization mission? Why is Mahama telling us that the horse is lame and needs resuscitation? This sort of scapegoating and wilful ignorance is so malicious, and folks must get it.



There is no point applying clean bandaid for a rather infected wound. We need serious antibiotics to get rid of the infection.



The damage caused to the John Mahama product is beyond repairs. The issues that led to the rejection of Mahama at the polls in 2016 are still hot on the lips of the average Ghanaian. Indeed, the current government has started some processes aimed at nailing a few of Mahama appointees so as to justify the corruption rhetoric they put out during the campaign.



People should wake up and smell the coffee, and stop fabricating false narratives existing in an alternative reality to push for Mahama comeback. It won't help anyone but rather sink the party further.



For me, Mahama brings virtually nothing to the table as a candidate in 2020, looking at how he reduced our electoral fortunes from 50.7 in 2012 to 44.4 in 2016 as a sitting president. If you lose miserably by that margin as President, how can you possibly overturn that in opposition?



It will be a huge gamble for NDC to bring back Mahama as the party's presidential candidate for 2020, because if he loses (which is very probable), it means more years in opposition for the NDC.

Then again, if he losses 2020, will he return in 2024? And will this not further tear the party apart? Shouldn't we be looking at two-term candidate instead of just one-term candidate?

It will be better for the NDC to lose 2020 with a 'fresh candidate' and come back stronger in 2024 than to lose 2020 with Mahama as candidate.



Our party is in need of a strong center and a leader that would be acceptable by all.



Let's not engage in a needless battle with reality. Mashed potatoes will never look good and so John Mahama should just admit the wrongs, get behind and let a new candidate do a mob up. Then the NDC can have a clear way.



more anon//

Source: Dela Coffie









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Member of Parliament for Juaboso Constituency, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos frequent travelling is rather causing the country financially than the benefit it should have generated.



According to him, Much goes into the presidents numerous travelling and he is not bring anything home as well.



Speaking on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie, the NDC MP argued that Ghanaians benefited from former President John Dramani Mahamas travels, that is not the case recently.



If the president wants the economy to be stable, then he must stop travelling, he added.



The Presidents travel around the world since taking office has been a major concern especially within the opposition National Democratic Congress.



The Minority in June accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of breaching Article 59 and 60 of the constitution with his departure from the country without due notification to Parliament as that showed "disrespect".



Mr. Speaker, the people of Ghana deserve to know the whereabouts of the No. 1 person of the country . . . We do not know his whereabouts, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said on the floor of Parliament.



The constitution says prior notification and not an after-thought . . . Majority Leader where is your President and where is the official communication? Mr. Speaker the President has sworn an oath and an oath is to uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and he is showing disrespect to the provisions and Article 59 and 60 of the Constitution. We must know who will act in his stead, the MP for Tamale South added.



President Akufo-Addo was then in Belgium attending the United Nations Advocacy Group of Eminent Personalities on the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, in his capacity as co-Chairperson of the Group.



In June also a former Member of Parliament for the Akwatia Constituency, Baba Jamal said it was becoming too much the way President Akufo-Addo is constantly travelling outside without staying back to steer the affairs of the country.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Baba Jamal bemoaned the persistent security threats in the country, making it unsafe for Ghanaians to go about their normal duties.



He wondered why amidst of the security threats, President Akufo-Addo is nowhere in the country to put to rest the unsavoury killings which is scaring investors away but rather travelling around the world for nothing.



Member of Parliament for Effiduase/Asokore constituency in the Ashanti Region, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie said at the time that the brouhaha surrounding President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos recent travels should be ceased.



According to him, if the presidents move around does not benefit the country  I dont think the President will just wake up in the morning and call his pilot that I want to travel around with state officials. Who does that?



President Nana Addo has come under heavy criticisms from the opposition National Democratic Congress [NDC] that he travels too much after barely six months in office.



President Nana Addo is currently in Nigeria. He has been invited by the Acting President (Vice President) of Nigeria H.E. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as a special guest of honour at the graduation ceremony of Nigeria's National Defence college.



Benefit from Germanys Compact with Africa Programme



Due to President Akufo-Addos visit to Europe, Ghana has been named as one of the three countries in Africa to benefit from the Germanys Compact with Africa Programme - a programme that will assist Ghana improve conditions for sustainable private sector investment, investment in infrastructure, economic participation, and employment in the country.



This was made known by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, at a meeting with the Ghanaian community resident in Germany, on Sunday, June 11, 2017, held in honour of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in Berlin.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









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Woodin, Africas number 1 fabric retail brand has introduced it new collection - CONNEXION de Woodin.



CONNEXION de Woodin is a ready- to- wear collection and the designs embedded in the African heritage are combined with trendy stripes in a harmonious blend of African colors. This collection has several styles for men and women, suitable for all occasions.



The new classy collection comes in different colours, different designs and different textures for every occasion.



Woodin is a truly African brand that is inspired by African culture and art. Woodin is the first African brand that offers a contemporary and wholly African fashion range for style savvy individuals. Their limited edition fabrics, ready-to-wear outfits, and fashionable accessories are constantly evolving to define a new African fashion identity.



The new CONNEXION de Woodin is available in all Woodin shops across the country.



Watch short video of the CONNEXION de Woodin:













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TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.  A federal appeals court Tuesday retained federal protection for gray wolves in the western Great Lakes region, ruling that the government made crucial errors when it dropped them from the endangered species list five years ago.

The court upheld a district judge who overruled the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which had determined that wolves in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin had recovered after being shot, trapped and poisoned nearly out of existence in the previous century. Theyve bounced back and now total about 3,800.

Even so, courts have sided with environmental groups led by the Humane Society of the United States, which have sued to block the services repeated efforts to strip wolves in the region of their protected status and put states in charge of them. The service made its latest attempt in 2011. U.S. Judge Beryl A. Howell struck down the plan three years later.

In a 3-0 ruling Tuesday, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the service had not sufficiently considered important factors. They included how loss of historical territory would affect the predators recovery and how removing the Great Lakes population segment from the endangered list would affect wolves in other parts of the nation.

As long as wolves are on the protected list, they cannot be killed unless human life is at risk. That means the three states cannot resume the hunting and trapping seasons they had when wolves were under their control.

Wisconsins annual wolf hunt, begun in 2012, has been on hold since the 2014 order. In the last season, hunters killed 154 wolves. The state Department of Natural Resources earlier this summer estimated the state is home to 925 to 952 wolves, up roughly 6 percent from last years estimate, which was 16 percent higher than the previous year.

A spokeswoman for the Fish & Wildlife Service had no immediate comment.

The same court took wolves in Wyoming off the endangered list in May.

Environmental advocates cheered the ruling on Great Lakes wolves, saying they remain vulnerable despite their comeback in recent decades.

The second-highest court in the nation reaffirmed that we must do much more to recover gray wolves before declaring the mission accomplished, said Noah Greenwald, endangered species program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Wolves are still missing from more than 90 percent of their historic range in the lower 48 states, and both the Endangered Species Act and common sense tell us we cant ignore that loss.

Organizations representing farmers and ranchers, who want authority to shoot wolves preying on livestock, have long pushed to drop them from the federal list, which hunting groups also favor.

Theres no question the wolf packs have recovered, said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. We only wish we could say the same of farms and ranches within their reach.

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wausau, urged the Trump administration to appeal the court ruling.

Our farmers deserve to be able to protect their livestock, and they should not suffer because of the decisions made by an overreaching federal government a thousand miles away, Duffy said.

The appeals court rejected the societys arguments that wolves are still threatened by humans and disease and that state management plans wouldnt safeguard them. But the judges said the process used by the Fish & Wildlife Service to remove protections from the wolves was fatally flawed.

By designating wolves in the three Great Lakes states and six others as a distinct population segment and dropping them from the endangered list without evaluating the effect on wolves elsewhere, the service created a backdoor route for lifting protections elsewhere, said the opinion written by Judge Patricia Millett.
Andrew Scheer, right, is congratulated by Maxime Bernier after being elected the new leader of the federal Conservative party at the federal Conservative leadership convention in Toronto on Saturday, May 27, 2017. Bernier lost the Conservative leadership race, but he remained the top fundraiser right to the end. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
FILE - This Feb. 2, 2017 file photo commercial fishing boats are docked at Pier 38 in Honolulu. A Native Hawaiian fisherman is asking an environmental court to stop Hawaii officials from issuing commercial fishing licenses to those who aren't legally admitted into the United States. Malama Chun filed a petition in response to an Associated Press investigation that found hundreds of foreign fishermen confined to boats and some living in subpar conditions. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources denied his petition. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File)
FILE--In this July 14, 2010, file photo, gavels and law books are shown in the office of California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George at his office in San Francisco, Calif. The State Bar of California on Monday, July 31, 2017, proposed lowering the minimum score on the most recent licensing exam for attorneys amid an alarming decline in people passing the test considered one of the toughest in the U.S. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)
State prosecutors on Tuesday asked a Dane County judge to reject a proposal for 11 trials for former UW-Madison student Alec Cook  one for each woman he is accused of sexually assaulting or harassing.

The request, made in June by Cooks lawyers, would be a waste of judicial resources and diminish a jurys understanding of the intent and motive behind Cooks alleged crimes, state Assistant Attorney General Christopher Liegel and Dane County Assistant District Attorney Bryce Pierson wrote.

As separate cases the jury would be deprived of a complete and coherent story of Mr. Cooks actions while the victims would be subjected to baseless and misleading attacks on their credibility, Liegel and Pierson wrote.

Alec Cook did not commit a single crime in a generic location and then repeat another unrelated crime in another generic location, they wrote. He perpetrated a campaign of crimes in a very particular location against a very specific population of people at that location.

Cook, 21, of Edina, Minnesota, who was expelled from UW-Madison, is charged with 23 criminal counts involving 11 women on and around the UW-Madison campus. The charges include 12 counts of varying degrees of sexual assault involving six women, along with charges involving other women that include disorderly conduct and stalking.

Most of those charges were filed against Cook in October, but in June prosecutors added false imprisonment and disorderly conduct charges involving a woman who said that Cook trapped her in a dormitory laundry room in 2014 and would not let her leave.

After the state filed those last two charges, Cooks lawyers said at a hearing that they intended to file a motion to break the case into separate, smaller cases.

In a motion filed June 30, they asked for 11 separate jury trials against Cook, instead of a single trial for all 23 criminal counts, arguing that trying Cook for incidents that allege sexual assault alongside charges for less serious crimes would be unfairly prejudicial to Cook.

The matter will be discussed at a motion hearing scheduled on Sept. 8.

The joinder of these individual alleged victim offense clusters given the totality of the facts and circumstances alleged would irreparably erode the presumption of innocence afforded to the defendant at trial, lawyers Chris Van Wagner and Jessa Nicholson Goetz wrote in their motion.

A jury would start with the presumption that the defendant is a dangerous, predatory, terrifying person, and they would conclude that every action the defendant was alleged to have engaged in was an act undertaken by a dangerous predator, regardless of whether the evidence supports such a conclusion, or whether any individual allegation can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Each specific act, the defense wrote, must be evaluated based on Cooks specific conduct in each event for which he is charged. With media coverage of Cooks case, a snowball effect occurred, Van Wagner and Nicholson Goetz wrote, when people who never had believed themselves to be victims of a crime re-evaluated their interactions with Cook and suddenly felt it necessary to report something to law enforcement, even though months or even years had passed.

Prosecutors responded that Cooks actions have to be viewed as a whole in order for jurors to understand them.

This was not a series of isolated incidents, Liegel and Pierson wrote. Rather, they were part of his scheme to place women in fear and to have non-consensual interactions with them including physical violence and sex. The crimes charged against Mr. Cook represent the most serious fraction of the abuse he directed at the women he encountered during his time as a student.

Trying the charges separately, prosecutors said, would waste judicial resources, and it would prevent the jury from understanding the intent and motive behind Mr. Cooks crimes.The scheme, prosecutors said, included Cook attempting to become a great pick-up artist. They cite entries in Cooks journals, including one in which he wrote, Getting with the women I want has become a MUST. Or else Ill end up killing myself.

This plan was to make women uncomfortable and fearful, prosecutors wrote. It was to terrify them such that they could not feel safe on campus. It was to inflict pain and abuse his victims. It was to sexually assault women. He relentlessly pursued this plan until he was arrested.
People stand on the city's main intersection holding burning flares to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. Thousands of residents opened an uneven struggle on Aug. 1, 1944 in an effort to liberate the city from the Nazis and take control ahead of the advancing Soviet Red Army. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
The pandemic brought a technological revolution to schools. Is that a good thing?

Regardless of the path, by necessity, most educators agree the pandemic electrified the use of technology in the classroom.
A 29-year-old Madison man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a 22-year-old man on the city's South Side early Sunday morning.

Joshua Diaz was taken to the Dane County Jail on tentative charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, Madison police said.

Diaz allegedly stabbed the victim in the head and side, with the side wound measuring 13 inches long.

The victim showed up at a local hospital early Sunday morning. His injuries were not considered life threatening.

The incident happened at about 2:15 a.m. Sunday in the 4700 block of Crescent Road.

The victim told police his sister was in a fight with the suspect's girlfriend, and when the victim tried to break it up, the suspect came into the fray and asked the victim if he wanted to fight.

The victim put up his hands to decline, but the suspect allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed the victim, police said.
Marcous Marchese, left, says he was told to watch an anti-gay video at the Milton Hershey School. He is with his fiance Nick Mallozzi. Read more

Another student at the Milton Hershey School says he felt forced to watch a religious anti-gay video.

Marcous Marchese, a 2011 graduate, said that he was told initially that he could view the hour-long video privately in one of the school's boarding homes using headphones and accompanied by classmate James Stankunas. But when it came time, Marchese said, the video was shown at the dining room table with the sound on as other students looked on.

"I was a wreck. I closed [the laptop] and got the heck out of there," recalled Marchese, now 24 and living in Vermont. "You should not have people make you feel like you are the scum of the earth."

Stankunas, in a statement through the school's communications office on Friday, challenged Marchese's account and said his classmate's former house parents were loving and supportive. "I was there and I personally did not feel like I was forced to watch it," said Stankunas, also a 2011 graduate. He could not be reached for more comment.

Marchese recalled his experience after reading about a federal suit filed last year by former Hershey student Adam Dobson, who claims that he was expelled because of his suicidal thoughts. Dobson said he was forced to watch the anti-gay video around the same time in 2010.

The school's lawyers admitted in filings for Dobson's suit that a set of house parents possessed the Sy Rogers video One of the Boys and had shown it to at least one classmate of Dobson's, though not to him. Based on this disclosure, court records, and the school's statements, four boys could have watched the video: Dobson, who made the original claim in his suit; the unidentified classmate who the school said in discovery documents was shown the video; and Marchese and Stankunas.

Health experts have discredited such "conversion therapies" as demeaning and useless.

School spokeswoman Lisa Scullin said in a statement that the school's psychologists "would never condone any form of 'gay conversion therapy.' " She said "it has always been, and remains, the policy of MHS that no houseparent administers therapy of any kind to any student." She called the video-watching a "sideshow."

The Hershey school enrolls 2,000 poor children from kindergarten through high school. Students live on the school's leafy campus of several thousand acres in about 175 individual homes, staffed by surrogate parents. Experts have long criticized the layout, saying the separate homes can be hard to manage.

The Hershey school is free because it is funded by Hershey chocolate profits. Its $13.8 billion endowment dwarfs that of other private K-12 schools.

Around 2010, Dobson said, he was forced to watch the Sy Rogers video by house parents Deanna and Andrew Slamans as punishment for downloading gay pornography.

After the video was shown, Dobson says, he was subjected to a campaign of prayer sessions with his house parents to help him renounce homosexuality.

Nine states have made it illegal for licensed health professionals to attempt conversion therapy on minors, and other legislatures are considering doing the same.

Dobson later attempted suicide by wrapping a belt around his neck. He said he was expelled when he told school officials of his suicidal thoughts.

In the school's statement, Deanna Slamans said she was "offended and heartbroken" by Dobson's allegations.

"During my years at MHS as both a student and house parent, as well as raising my own children in an interracial marriage, I am extremely sensitive to students' backgrounds and the acceptance and support all children need to thrive. Adam Dobson experienced that in our student home."

The school also cited a statement from Nick Miller, Class of 2014, who lived with the couple for three years. "They have done so much for so many people," he said.

Marchese said he lived in the same student home as Dobson and had the Slamans couple as house parents. As an 11th grader, he said, he was asked by the Slamans to watch the anti-gay video with Stankunas, who the couple said was struggling with his faith and sexuality. Marchese had been friends with Stankunas, who lived in the adjacent student home, in earlier years.

Sy Rogers lived a flamboyantly gay lifestyle and had begun a gender change to become a woman when he found a new path through Christianity, he says. In the video, Rogers compares homosexuals to male prostitutes and adulterers.

Marchese, then a junior, called the tape "horrifying" and "embarrassing." He says the Slamans were good house parents and is thankful for the school, but called the video traumatic. "It's not like I look back every day and I am scarred," Marchese said. But "it's not the kind of ultimatum you give to a kid at that school."

Marchese went on to obtain an undergraduate degree in research psychology from Arcadia University in Glenside. He works as a freight broker and accountant and lives in Burlington, Vt.

Marchese noted that the intercessions did not work. He plans a same-sex marriage this month.
Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf (at lectern) and Attorney General Josh Shapiro (left) announce the state was joining with 14 other states in a lawsuit. Read more

Pennsylvania joined 14 other states Tuesday in a federal suit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to delay for a year new ozone pollution rules, with Gov. Wolf saying the wait could hurt children who suffer from asthma.

Wolf and state Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the suit during a news conference along the banks of the Schuylkill at 24th and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia. The suit was filed in federal appeals court in Washington.

Wolf said the lower ozone levels would reduce health-care costs. He said past EPA findings showed 230,000 asthma attacks a year could be prevented in American children if pollution were reduced.

"What is gravely concerning is that children who suffer from asthma and respiratory illnesses are particularly vulnerable to elevated ozone levels," Wolf said. "The ozone standard that the EPA is delaying would have serious positive health benefits for our children."

At issue for the states involved in the suit is a 2015 Obama-era EPA rule that lowered allowable ground-level ozone levels from 75 parts per billion to 70 parts per billion under National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Governors had to submit a list of areas that were not in compliance, and then the EPA had up to two years to declare which areas did not meet standards, and could seek an extension if it needed more information.

Scott Pruitt, the EPA administrator, invoked that extension in June, saying the EPA needed "time to better understand some lingering, complicated issues so that air attainment decisions can be based on the latest and greatest information." He also established an Ozone Cooperative Compliance Task Force "to develop additional flexibilities for states to comply with the ozone standard."

An EPA spokesman said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

Wolf and Shapiro say they believe that the EPA has all the information it needs and that the delay is being driven by the ideology of the Trump administration, which has said it intends to address "job-killing" environmental regulation.

"Pennsylvanians suffer and I believe their constitutional rights are being threatened," said Shapiro, who disagrees that the regulations will harm businesses. He continued that the suit, if successful will, "force the EPA to do its job and protect Pennsylvanians, and protect Americans without any further delay."

Ground-level ozone, or smog, is a result of pollution. Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds combine under sunlight and heat to help produce ozone. Philadelphia has long had difficulty with smog because it is surrounded by emissions given off by motor vehicles, industry, power plants, and refineries. Pennsylvania named the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas in its report to the EPA in 2016 as exceeding ozone limits.

In May, environmental groups sued the EPA over failing to make a final determination on whether Philadelphia meets acceptable levels of ozone. And, in April, an advocacy group, using EPA data, issued a study saying Philadelphia was among the smoggiest Northeastern cities.
Another child has suffered major leg injury in the Philadelphia area while playing near trains. I grew up less than 100 yards from the railroad and we were taught never to go near the tracks or throw rocks at the trains. These rule were strictly enforced by all neighbor parents. Perhaps an educational program in our schools and step up police patrols would be in order. Let's stop these senseless accidents.

 Martin Deeney, Glenolden, medeeney@verizon.net
Here it is, the divine Roast Pork Italian sandwich from Tony Lukes with peppers and pickles that you can pick up on the side. Read more

In case you missed it, Miami.com  which has publicly proclaimed itself Philly.com's "new Internet frenemy"  has unilaterally declared the Cuban sandwich better than the Philly cheesesteak after we took mild umbrage with their lukewarm review of two new Wawas that opened in South Florida last week. Some writer types from Miami.com tried to claim that subs from the grocery chain, Publix, were better than those from Wawa. We proclaimed Publix sounded like a type of restroom, which really got their bowels in a knot.

The minds behind Miami.com's Twitter account spent all weekend trying to get a social media war going over Wawa vs. Publix. They brought their A-game  GIFs of Chevy Chase and Judge Judy, and smack talk about cheesesteaks. On second thought, "A-game" might be overselling it a bit. Let's call it a gentleman's C.

In a response post extolling the virtues of their food scene, Miami.com proclaimed that Florida practically invented gas station grub, adding that their convenience stores have everything from Spanish paella to burritos. You know where I don't want my Spanish paella to come from? A Floridian gas station. We've heard what happens there.

While that Publix chicken tender sub does look on point, Wawa subs are so good they have their own (unofficial) music video.

In a follow-up harassment post, Miami.com proclaimed the Cuban sandwich was better than the Philly cheesesteak, which they called a "painfully simple sandwich" that is covered in "melted yellow crayon 'cheese product.' " Awfully high and mighty for a website hawking a sandwich that's not even named for their own city  or country. Sad!

However, to collect a truly representative response, we polled our newsroom colleagues to get their thoughts on the matter, which were mixed.

We also queried our respected food critic, Craig LaBan, who confirmed that "obviously an awesome cheesesteak would beat just about anything," but he added that "there are so many mediocre ones."

LaBan and others pointed not to the eponymous cheesesteak, but to the juicy, robust Roast Pork as the sandwich of choice for real Philadelphians.

So instead of pitting cheesesteak against Cubano, we're changing the rules  cause that's what we do in Philly  and declaring this a Bay of Pigs sandwich battle. Put your Cubano sandwiches up against our South Philly roast pork sandwiches with sharp provolone, broccoli rabe and long hots on a crusty, seeded roll and you'll run squealing all the way home to your Publix, Miami.

"It's got pig, cheese and zing. It has zest, power, passion, soul and juiciness and the heat to go step for step against any good Cuban," LaBan said.

So, Miami.com, let's see whose pork has the chops to best the competition. Let's end this food fight, so you can go back to devoting less real estate on your site to our city's tourist food traps, and more to your own city's infamous nightlife.

We're referring, of course, to the Bolaris incident. You remember it, don't you? That time, in 2010, when erstwhile Philly meteorologist John Bolaris was drugged  twice!  by a pair of Eastern European scam artists who were lurking in the posh Fontainebleau hotel. The ladies ran up $43,000 worth of charges on Bolaris' credit card and helped derail his broadcasting career. (The saga also gave birth to the phrase "Do shot," so it wasn't a total loss.) The women, it turned out, were part of larger operation that preyed on dozens of wealthy male tourists who visited South Beach bars.

Where are we going we this? Hard to say. You start a food fight, Miami.com, and things are bound to get ugly. Bolaris had plenty of mishaps in Philly bars, but he had to travel to Miami to experience something crazy enough to fill an entire episode of "American Greed."

And while we're add it, can we make a special request to ban Florida Man and Florida Woman from our beloved Wawas? Philly has a reputation to uphold.
Brandy Bones and Eugene Desyatnik, treasurer and president of the Bella Vista Neighbors Association, secured a last-minute carrier willing to insure the group. Read more

The Bella Vista Neighbors Association was scheduled to die Monday night.

A complicated lawsuit three years ago had made the civic association's liability insurance unaffordable, so the meeting at Palumbo Recreation Center was to be the group's last. But a Utah-based carrier specializing in tough-to-insure entities  think fireworks, helicopter bungee jumps, and trampoline companies  stepped in, finalizing a plan hours before the meeting, which coincided with the last day of the association's coverage.

"It was down to the wire, but they saved us," Eugene Desyatnik, president of the association, said at the meeting. The audience applauded and cheered at the news the 25-year-old organization would survive.

Yet the issue that almost sunk Bella Vista's civic group remains, as it does for the dozens of community organizations across Philadelphia.

Registered community organizations, or RCOs, have to provide their own liability insurance to protect their volunteer staffers, and all it takes is one or two lawsuits for premiums to reach untenable heights.

And getting sued can be fairly routine, since the city's Zoning Board of Adjustments asks civic groups to submit recommendations on land-use proposals. The groups can attract the ire of developers.

"All developers who are unscrupulous have to do now is whisper 'Bella Vista' to get the desired effect," Ken Weinstein, a developer in Germantown, said. "No lawyer or lawsuit is even necessary."

In Bella Vista's case, the trouble stemmed from a 2015 lawsuit against Joel Palmer, who directed a group that predated the Bella Vista Neighbors Association. None of the current board members was involved in the complaint. The association was ultimately dismissed from the suit.

Still, the civic group racked up thousands of dollars in legal fees and in May learned it was being dropped by its insurance carrier. The group previously had a $2,500 deductible and a $1,000 premium. Alternative insurers offered deductibles between $50,000 and $70,000 and premiums between $7,500 and $13,000.

"I don't think anyone really had the insurance industry knowledge to anticipate the magnitude of the effect," Desyatnik said. If you get into a car accident, he said, your rates go up a bit and you drive more carefully. "Here, we weren't even at fault and we saw a 20-fold increase."

Civic groups can be difficult to insure because of their vulnerability to lawsuits. Prime Insurance Co., a boutique carrier, which ultimately insured Bella Vista, specializes in risky clients and will cover Bella Vista for a $5,000 annual deductible and a $1,900 premium.

"When an insurance company is taking in $1,500 and paying out $50,000 in legal fees for a lawsuit, that's not a very attractive ratio," said Keith Daniels, the underwriter who worked on the agreement between Prime and Bella Vista. "Many carriers looked at these associations in general and in this case Bella Vista and were not willing to step into it."

It can cost as little as $300 to file a complaint, whether legitimate or from a disgruntled developer hoping to silence a group by burying them in legal fees, a move known as strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP, suits.

When Joe Schiavo represented the Old City Civic Association, a series of SLAPP suits caused insurance to spike so dramatically that the group folded in 2013.

"I don't see any reason why it wouldn't repeat," Schiavo said. "In land-use decisions, you might say there's a winner and a loser and it will always be the case that the loser may decide to take action. They may lash out."

Complaints are almost always sealed, said Schiavo, who is under a gag order for the two lawsuits he was named in while heading the Old City group. This leads to a lack of transparency about the frequency and absurdity of some of the claims.

"You never get the option of publicly sharing the ridiculous terms of the complaint," Schiavo said. "How you 'maliciously interfered with their business opportunity' just because you went to a [zoning] hearing and you presented your community group's letter."

Since the city requires RCOs to weigh in on land use issues, several of the organizations' leaders have asked why the city doesn't insure the RCO groups. The Bella Vista Association asked that question Monday night.

City spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said that's not an option.

"The city can't provide insurance on our own; we're not an insurance company, obviously," Hitt said.

Sen. Larry Farnese introduced a bill in Harrisburg that would allow defendants to submit anti-SLAPP motions to challenge the legitimacy of a plaintiff's claim.

The bill, which passed the Senate is unlikely to pass the House, where it faces opposition from the chairman of the judiciary committee, Rep. Ron Marsico. The state chamber of commerce has also said it is against the measure.

The survival of the Bella Vista Neighbors Association means the annual October pumpkin painting is now back on, a fund-raising effort for weekly street cleanings continues, and a newsletter keeps printing. The group's zoning committee will also continue to issue letters on behalf of members to the city.

They'll do so with a better appreciation of the stakes, said treasurer Brandy Bones.

We have a job and we wont shirk from that, but we will be more aware of the controversial decisions we make, she said. Also, understanding we could potentially be sued at any time, we need to step up our fund-raising.
Sen. Cory Bookers legislation would withhold federal funds from states that do not comply. Read more

WASHINGTON  In a direct challenge to the Trump administration, Sen. Cory A. Booker (D., N.J.) introduced a bill Tuesday to legalize marijuana under federal law, laying down a notable political and policy marker as many eye him as a potential future presidential candidate.

Booker's plan, rolled out in a Facebook live post, sets him up for a direct clash with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has urged a crackdown on drug offenses.

Booker's proposal dovetails with his long-standing advocacy for sweeping reforms to lessen sentences for nonviolent crimes. He argued Tuesday that minorities were disproportionately arrested and jailed for marijuana offenses.

"We are not seeing the equal application of the criminal justice system," Booker said on Facebook, arguing that people in poor minority communities are often left with criminal records for using a drug that is common on college campuses and has been used by members of Congress.

Booker is not the first to push for federal legalization: Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind., Vt.) proposed the idea in 2015. But Booker went further by threatening to strip states of some federal aid if they arrested or jailed an unusually high percentage of minorities or low-income individuals for marijuana offenses.

Those states could lose funding for building or staffing prisons and some of their law enforcement grants  which Booker characterized as a way to incentivize more states to legalize marijuana.

While his bill has no cosponsors and next to no chance of becoming law in the current Congress, Booker's announcement stakes out a platform on the left side of a major national issue with growing tension: More than half the states now allow medical marijuana, but Sessions has pushed to combat the drug's increased acceptance and boost prosecutions.

He has asked Congress to unravel rules that protect states that have legalized medical marijuana. That would allow him to prosecute medical-marijuana outfits in the 29 states and District of Columbia that have legalized them, and go after recreational pot in the eight states where it's allowed. Later this week the Department of Justice is scheduled to release a report that supporters of legalization fear would link marijuana to violent crime and open the door to tougher punishments for pot-related offenses. Sessions has linked the drug to psychiatric problems, cognitive disorders, and addiction.

Earlier this year Sessions wrote that Congress should undo medical-marijuana protections "in the midst of an historic drug epidemic and potentially long-term uptick in violent crime."

Booker  who has long battled Sessions and vocally opposed his nomination  said the attorney general was moving in the wrong direction.

Marijuana advocates hailed Booker's plan as the boldest proposal ever on the subject.

"This bill is the most ambitious marijuana bill we have seen in Congress," Queen Adesuyi, policy associate at the Drug Policy Alliance, said in Booker's news release. "Uniquely, it recognizes the fact that people of color have borne the brunt of the failed war on drugs and seeks to repair the damage done."

The Pennsylvania legislature has legalized medical marijuana for people with certain conditions. In New Jersey, where medical marijuana is legal, a bill was introduced in May to OK recreational pot  though Gov. Christie has vowed to veto it if it ever were to reach his desk.

"Ending federal marijuana prohibition would bring the law in line with the opinion of the growing majority of Americans who want states to be able to enact their own marijuana laws without harassment by the DEA," attorney Shaleen Title, a founding board member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association and founder of THC Staffing Group, said in a statement from the Drug Policy Alliance.

Booker's bill would legalize marijuana under federal law and retroactively expunge the records of people convicted for marijuana use or possession. Federal funds withheld from states under the law would go toward a fund that would invest in communities that Booker says have been hit hard by drug laws.
Steady gains for elementary school students in reading and math, coupled with less progress in middle school and some continuing large gaps in academic achievement by race, were among the key trends in an annual report for the Madison School District released Monday.

Elementary schools continue to make strong progress, Superintendent Jen Cheatham said at a news conference at Glendale Elementary School. Over the past four years, weve improved third-grade reading proficiency (districtwide) by 7 points, and fifth-grade reading proficiency by 11 points.

Math proficiency for district fifth-graders also was up  by 8 percentage points, to 46 percent  over the past four years, the report showed.

Long-term improvement is also gap-narrowing improvement, Cheatham said, citing a 36 percentage-point rise for black students in reading proficiency in four years at Lindbergh Elementary School, and a 19 percentage-point gain for black students in reading proficiency over the same period at Glendale.

Our story here at Glendale is not one of flashy initiatives, quick fixes or one-year spikes in results, Glendale principal Ben Ketterer said, adding the improvement instead could be traced to collaborative work with a goal to improve each and every day.

Next school year, Cheatham said, in addition to building on student achievement gains, the district plans to put special focus on middle schools through steps including increased teacher training and more student mentoring and career development opportunities.

Our biggest (challenge) is in middle school, Cheatham said. We have some bright spots, but we have not yet gotten the traction that we need, despite significant effort from our district and school staff.  Specifically, we have not yet made sufficient academic progress for African-American students and for students with disabilities, and we know they are capable of so much more.

Middle schools face unique challenges  teaching to adolescents during a transitional time in their (lives) requires great attention to rigor, relevance and relationship, the annual report said.

This is the fourth annual report since Cheatham became superintendent in 2013 and introduced a school improvement strategy that was designed, she reiterated Monday, to improve the overall coherency of instruction.

The annual report is not an exhaustive view of the district, with only some measures highlighted in detail.

Among all district students in grades 3-5, reading proficiency as measured by the standard Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) exam was up 9 percentage points over four years to 45 percent, including a 3 percentage-point increase over the past two years.

Gains in reading proficiency also were seen across all student groups, though big achievement gaps remained.

Black students and Hispanic students saw increases of 9 percentage points in reading proficiency for grades 3-5 over four years, white students and English language learners saw a 13 percentage-point rise, and multiracial students saw an 11 percentage-point increase.

But only white students and advanced learners of all races were more than 50 percent reading-proficient in grades 3-5, at 70 percent and 93 percent, respectively. Eighteen percent of black students in those grades were reading-proficient, as were 17 percent of special education students, 28 percent of English language learners and 23 percent of Hispanic students.

Math, graduation rates

Less progress was made in middle school math scores. For eighth-graders across the district, the report showed a four-year gain of 4 percentage points to 38 percent in reading proficiency, and a 5 percentage-point gain to 44 percent in math proficiency.

For grades 6-8, overall math proficiency was up 4 percentage points to 45 percent.

By student group, though, progress was far less strong and some groups saw drops. The four-year trend included 1 percentage-point gains in math proficiency for multiracial and white students and for English language learners, to 44 percent, 69 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

Asian and Hispanic students in those grades saw drops of 1 percentage point to 58 percent and 23 percent, respectively, in math proficiency, while advanced learners of all races saw a 3 percentage-point drop to 94 percent, and black students saw no change at 12 percent.

The districts high school graduation rate averaged 79 percent, down 1 percentage point from the previous year.

Beyond graduation rates, 80 percent of freshmen posted fewer than two Fs, a 5-point gain in 2016-17.

Memorial High School also saw a 17 percentage-point decrease in this measure for black students, while East High School saw a 15 percentage-point drop for black students.

Community leaders at the conference Monday included Jack Daniels, president of Madison Area Technical College, and Floyd Rose, president of 100 Black Men of Madison, Inc., plus a few dozen parents, children and school staff.

During a question-and-answer period, Kaleem Caire, president of One City Early Learning Centers, told Cheatham that the district was not a sexy district and needed to develop new options such as a trade school or a performing arts school to better compete with suburban school districts.

Cheatham said she has been more focused in her first few years on building a strong foundation of 50 schools that serve 27,000 students.

Over the next year, she said, the districts strategic framework will be rewritten with an eye toward more transformative changes.

I invite everyone to help us envision where were going to go next, she said.
Attorney Brian McMonagle and client Bill Cosby on the second day of trial at Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, PA. Read more

The Philadelphia defense lawyer who represented Bill Cosby in his sex assault trial wants to withdraw from the case, barely three months before the scheduled retrial.

Brian J. McMonagle, a well-known criminal lawyer in the Philadelphia area, asked permission to quit the case in a motion filed Tuesday with Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O'Neill. Cosby hasn't yet hired a new lawyer and wants until Aug. 21 to do so, McMonagle said in his petition.

In an email Tuesday, Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said the search for a replacement is underway. "I'm vetting lawyers on my short list," he wrote, but declined to elaborate.

O'Neill has set an Aug. 22 court hearing to discuss McMonagle's withdrawal petition and other "outstanding issues," including where the jury would be selected for the retrial, scheduled to begin in November.

McMonagle led the defense team and delivered passionate opening and closing arguments at the entertainer's trial, which ended with a hung jury after 52 hours of deliberation in June.

But tension between McMonagle and the rest of Cosby's team appeared to grow throughout the lengthy jury deliberation. Wyatt, the publicist, talked to reporters on the Norristown courthouse steps almost every day, claiming the judge hadn't given Cosby a fair trial and declaring victory even as deliberations continued.

Minutes after O'Neill declared the mistrial, McMonagle and Wyatt argued heatedly over who would make a public statement and what they would say. McMonagle left the courthouse steps as Ebonee Benson, a colleague of Wyatt's, read a statement attacking O'Neill and District Attorney Kevin R. Steele.

Angela Agrusa, a Los Angeles-based lawyer, worked alongside McMonagle during the trial and cross-examined the prosecution's key witness, Andrea Constand, who alleges that Cosby drugged and molested her in 2004.

Agrusa hasn't asked to withdraw from the case. Wyatt said she "remains in place."

Cosby, 80, is charged with aggravated indecent assault. A retrial is scheduled to begin Nov. 6 in Norristown.
A man on probation for a 2014 guilty plea in a drug case was identified by police Tuesday as the man they are seeking in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old John Le in Havertown on Saturday, a random killing in a quiet suburban neighborhood that police said followed a shooting spree by the same man in Philadelphia's Overbrook Park section.

Derrick Hershal Rollins, 24, remained at large Wednesday morning. Havertown Township Police Chief John Viola said Wednesday that police were "still out there looking for him" but had no new leads.

Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that Rollins probably was in the city, and that investigators had searched houses in West Philadelphia and Kensington looking for him.

Detectives also still were searching for the gun used in the killing, Walker said. Shell casings from the Haverford Township slaying matched those recovered from the shooting in Overbrook Park, he said, bolstering the theory that Rollins had pulled the trigger in both incidents.

Still, one thing remained a mystery as police in at least two counties tried to find Rollins: a motive for his alleged crimes. Rollins did not know Le, apparently didn't steal anything from him, and didn't know the people at whom he allegedly fired 17 shots in Philadelphia about 45 minutes before attacking Le, according to police.

"This guy is a dangerous individual," Walker said. "We need him off the streets."

Court records show that Philadelphia police arrested Rollins in February 2014 and charged him with possession of drugs with intent to deliver. That May, he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to five years' probation, the records show.

Court records also show that Rollins was arrested July 24, 2014, on firearms charges. Common Pleas Court Judge Giovanni O. Campbell dismissed those charges with prejudice in November 2016 because one arresting officer was sick and another was on vacation, the records show.

Philadelphia police described Rollins as black, 6 feet tall, thin build, about 160 pounds, with a dark complexion, a full close-cropped beard and mustache; last seen wearing a thin, red pullover sweatshirt and gray jeans.

Delaware County District Attorney John J. Whelan said search warrants had been issued for a residence connected to Rollins, and for his gray Volvo sedan. Police recovered the car early Tuesday in a parking spot on the 5100 block of Locust Street in West Philadelphia, the block where police believe he has been living. Police were "working aggressively" to find and arrest him, Whelan said.

Haverford Township Police Chief John Viola also said that "there are some significant leads" in the investigation, and that detectives were running down tips.

Police homed in on the 2004 Volvo S60, which Rollins owns, in part because of a tip from someone who reported seeing it being driven at high speeds Saturday and gave police the first three numbers of the license plate, authorities said Tuesday. Police believe Rollins drove the vehicle from the scene of the first shooting  on 77th Street in Philadelphia  into Haverford Township, then used it as a getaway car after the murder.

The vehicle was taken to a Philadelphia police impoundment lot in North Philadelphia for processing, Walker said.

On Tuesday morning, police with a warrant also raided a white and blue house at 5128 Locust St. Evidence of a raid could be seen in dents in the front door, splintered wood around the lock, and a rattled woman who gave her name as Nannette.

"Hell to the no!" she said when asked if the shooting suspect had been living at her home. The man  whom she said she knew only as Derrick  has known her granddaughter for seven years, had been dating her for about six months, and had visited the house from time to time, she said. The visits were always in the basement, Nannette said.

"I don't know him, didn't see him. He was going with my granddaughter, as far as I know," Nannette said, standing behind her partially opened front door. "I never even heard his last name. She would just say, 'Derrick.'  They found each other for the last six months. She'd say, 'I seen Derrick today.' I'd say, 'That's nice.' "

Nannette said she and her husband, a retired police officer, have lived in the house for 30 years. "I hope they catch him," she said. "There's no shame in my game. I'm just shocked."

William McDonald, 61, who said he has lived his entire life on the 5000 block of Locust  a block from Nannette's house  said police Tuesday morning also raided an apartment building at 51st and Locust. Shown newspaper photos of the shooting suspect released by police, McDonald said he last saw the man on the block about four days ago wearing the same red hoodie.

On Facebook, Rollins is known as Derrick Twit Rollins. His page says that he hails from Belfield, N.D., and graduated from Audenried High School in 2009 and Slippery Rock University in 2013. Officials at the university in Butler County said Tuesday they had no record that Rollins was ever enrolled there.

Le was a graduate of Lower Merion High School and Temple University. Friends described him as gentle and optimistic, with an affinity for disc golf and tennis. Police said he lived with his parents in Narberth, and tributes poured in to a fundraising website set up by friends this week.

Less than an hour before Le was shot, police said, Rollins fired 17 shots at two people who drove up to confront him. Walker said the two believed Rollins was acting suspiciously. They managed to drive away without getting hit, though he chased them in his Volvo before they lost him, Walker said.

Then, just after 6 p.m. on the 2300 block of Haverford Road, Le was shot in the torso as he tried to enter a friend's apartment after stopping at a pizzeria, police said. Police said he had been scheduled to play a tennis match that was canceled due to weather.

Authorities on Saturday released photos of a man in a red hoodie, and police said the images generated tips that helped them narrow their search.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Tipsters can call 610-565-6500.

Staff writer Adia H. Robinson contributed to this article.
Rod Wheeler, an occasional Fox News contributor, filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York City on Tuesday that accuses the network of working with the Trump administration to falsely attribute quotes to him in a now-retracted story about the unsolved slaying of a Democratic National Committee staffer named Seth Rich  all in a bid to change the national dialogue about Russia's alleged meddling in the presidential election.

Let's not kid each other: That's a lot to digest in one paragraph. Let's rewind and unpack this.

Who was Seth Rich?

He was a 27-year-old who grew up in Omaha, Neb., and had "straw-colored hair, American flag shirts and [a] goofy grin," according to the Washington Post. Rich was shot to death after he left a bar in Washington early on July 10, 2016. He was working for the DNC, but he was considering accepting a position on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign at the time of his death. No arrests have been made in the case, but police and the Rich family have said they believe it was part of a botched robbery.

So what does Seth Rich have to do with Russia?

On May 16, Fox News published a story by reporter Malia Zimmerman that claimed Rich had leaked thousands of DNC e-mails to WikiLeaks. This was an unexpected twist on the conclusion that had been reached months earlier by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies: that Russian officials had obtained the emails by hacking the DNC's computer servers, and subsequently leaked them to WikiLeaks through a third party.

A federal investigation into Russia's efforts to meddle in the 2016 election  including possibly colluding with members of the Trump campaign  was very much a topic of national discussion when the Fox News story ran. A week earlier, on May 9, Trump had fired FBI Director James Comey. In the days that followed, the president reportedly told Russian diplomats that firing Comey had removed "great pressure," and then explained to NBC that he'd thought about how "this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story" before making the decision.

The Russian Embassy in London took notice of the Fox News report.

Was the Fox News report accurate?

In a word: No.

The network retracted the story on May 23, and posted the following:

How does Rod Wheeler figure into all of this?

Rod Wheeler is a former Washington homicide detective and a self-described private investigative consultant and crime analyst. He was an occasional contributor to Fox News and was quoted in connection with the Seth Rich story.

According to Wheeler's defamation lawsuit, the Fox News report on Rich included entirely made-up quotes that were attributed to Wheeler, such as: "My investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks," and "My investigation shows someone within the DC government, Democratic National Committee or Clinton team is blocking the murder investigation from going forward."

The quotes were catnip for conspiracy theorists, who suggested that Rich had been murdered  by Democratic operatives, maybe?  over the email leaks. But Wheeler alleges that they were crafted out of thin air to advance the story.

Yikes. Why would the network allegedly do something like that?

This is where Wheeler's lawsuit really gets interesting.

Two days before the story ran, Wheeler alleges that he received an alarming message from Ed Butowsky, a Fox News contributor whom he'd met in February, and who had previously offered to bankroll an investigation into Rich's murder:

The text message read: "Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you. But don't feel the pressure." According to the lawsuit, Butowsky wasn't referring to the network's president; he was talking about Trump, alleging that the president of the United States reviewed the story before it was published.

In case you're still a little confused, the lawsuit spells it out more clearly: "The motivation behind the article: Establish that Seth Rich provided WikiLeaks with the DNC emails to shift the blame from Russia and help put to bed speculation that President Trump colluded with Russia in an attempt to influence the outcome of the Presidential election."

Wheeler alleges that the network was in regular contact with Trump administration officials, including former White House spokesman Sean Spicer and Steve Bannon, Trump's chief strategist, in the weeks and months before the story was published.

On the morning Fox published its report, Wheeler claims Butowsky sent him a handful of text messages, including this reminder: "If you can, try to highlight this puts the Russian hacking story to rest."

Wow.

Yeah.

What does Fox say about these allegations?

In a statement to the website The Hill, Fox News roundly denies Wheeler's claims.

"The accusation that FoxNews.com published Malia Zimmerman's story to help detract from coverage of the Russia collusion issue is completely erroneous. The retraction of this story is still being investigated internally and we have no evidence that Rod Wheeler was misquoted by Zimmerman."

What does the White House say about these allegations?

The White House had no immediate comment, according to the Associated Press.
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta with Donald Trump at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre during the presidential campaign. Read more

WASHINGTON  One of President Trump's most prominent Pennsylvania supporters, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, is edging toward running for the U.S. Senate next year, potentially setting up a direct referendum on the president's political brand.

Barletta, a Northeast Pennsylvania Republican who built his name as a fierce critic of illegal immigration, has been encouraged to run by Trump and is planning an announcement before Labor Day, according to John Brabender, a GOP consultant who works for the congressman.

The Associated Press reported that Barletta is telling top Republicans that he will run for the nomination to take on Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, citing an unnamed source, though GOP officials in Washington and Pennsylvania said nothing was yet firm.

"He's very, very seriously considering it. He has not committed to doing it yet," said Val DiGiorgio, the Republican state chairman. "He hasn't told me that he's in. They're at the planning stage where they are thinking about an announcement."

Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win Pennsylvania since 1988, scoring an upset that proved critical to his Electoral College victory. The next test for the GOP is whether that win was unique to Trump, or can be replicated by more traditional Republicans.

Trump began urging Barletta to run earlier this year after the congressman became one of the president's most visible backers in the 2016 presidential campaign.

"People all across Pennsylvania and the White House have been encouraging Congressman Barletta," said a spokesman for the congressman, Jon Anzur, who criticized Casey as "an extreme liberal."

Barletta "is still giving it serious thought and will make an announcement about his plans in the near future," Anzur wrote in an email. "Stay tuned."

The congressman "would have the support of the president, ability to raise substantial funds, which you need to win a race like these," DiGiorgio said.

Barletta is the former mayor of Hazleton, Luzerne County, part of a region where Trump racked up massive margins last year against Democrat Hillary Clinton with his appeal to white working-class voters.

Casey, too, hails from the same region, and has cast himself as a fierce Trump critic in the months since the election, potentially setting up a 2018 test of the president's standing two years into his term.

Democrats immediately pounced on Barletta's support for the Trump-backed health-care bill that passed the House earlier this year, citing the consumer protections that would have been weakened and potential cost increases under the plan.

"At every turn Congressman Barletta is looking out for himself and the wealthy special interests he serves, while Pennsylvania's seniors and working families pay the price," said a statement from David Bergstein, a spokesman for Democrats' national Senate campaign arm.

Eight other Republicans have already filed to run for the Senate, though Barletta would be the biggest name in the mix should he run.

Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican from the northwestern part of the state, was also considering a run, though GOP insiders said he would not run if Barletta did.
In the state with the highest number of police departments in the nation, Pennsylvania state police are also the local cops for more than half the towns in the commonwealth.

Gov. Wolf's plan to charge a $25-per-person fee to towns that rely on state police coverage full time  just the latest in a sequence of such proposals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey  is dead. The revenue plan the state Senate passed last month to balance the state's nearly $32 billion budget made no mention of it.

But the fee would have covered only about 10 percent of the $600 million annual cost to the state, and the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association warns that the day might come when troopers won't be able to meet the day-to-day needs of the 1,290 towns they cover full-time, and the 410 they cover part-time.

Various public officials and experts say the real solution would be for police departments to consolidate. The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department, for example, was formed in 1981 to serve Westtown, East Goshen, and Thornbury Townships in Chester County  about 22 square miles and 32,000 people.

"Regional forces make sense in many cases," said Rick Schuettler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Municipal League. "We need to look at things that make those kind of transitions easier."

Consolidation hasn't gained much traction. Statewide, only about 40 such mergers have occurred, and the state still has 961 municipal police departments.

Should the low-income residents of Trainer Borough, Delaware County, have to pay for their own police and subsidize police protection in other towns through their state taxes?

"There is a real policy issue here around fairness," said Josh Sevin, acting executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. Sevin said he saw "logic" in asking municipalities to pay a fee if they use full-time state police service, but noted, "We know there's significant resistance to any type of taxes or fees in Harrisburg."

State police officials say the issue for them is not just about fairness, but survival.

Twenty-five years ago, Pennsylvania state troopers say they watched colleagues leave or retire and worried about the future of the agency. Now, many men and women who helped fill those vacant spots have reached retirement age and history is repeating itself.

The Pennsylvania State Police has roughly 500 vacancies, according to the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association. About 1,000 of the agency's 4,166 troopers reached retirement age as of July 1, which is 50 or 55 depending on years of service and when the troopers joined the force. The mandatory retirement age is 60.

A state police spokesman said the agency is happy legislators approved money for three new classes of cadets, but the troopers association said funding needs to be sustainable with the ability to grow. The troopers' budget has not kept up with expanded state police duties and increases in the number of municipalities that rely on the state police, said Joseph Kovel, president of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association.

"This can't be swept under the rug or ignored," Kovel said. "I would assume in about 25 years, the same kind of manpower issue will be facing the state police again."

While regionalization might be an alternative, it is not easily executed.

Since the Camden County Police Department began patrols in May 2013, it has been trying to entice municipalities to join. So far, the department only polices the city of Camden.

According to Schuettler, two impediments to mergers or creating departments are collective bargaining practices and pensions. He called binding arbitration "the biggest cost driver in municipalities that have police and career fire departments." Schuettler also said pension systems need to be sustainable and affordable for municipalities, which could mean rethinking retirement ages and making market-driven payments instead of fixed payouts.

John Auerbach, chairman of the board of supervisors in Franklin Township, Chester County, said paying for a local police department "would be total overkill" because "not much happens" in the rural township of about 4,500.

"We believe we're already paying for this and they're just trying to shift costs onto the townships because they can't manage their budget," Auerbach said of state officials.

Contracting police services from a neighboring town is another way officials can keep policing local while avoiding paying for their own departments. About 130 local police departments statewide do this.

The Parkesburg Police Department in Chester County, for example, has been selling its services to neighbors since 1999, when Atglen Borough asked for coverage. Towns negotiate how many hours they need at a rate of $77.25 per hour per officer. Municipalities have come and gone  Atglen left the agreement for cheaper rates from Christiana Borough, Lancaster County, and Honey Brook Borough formed its own department. Parkesburg police now serve Avondale Borough and Highland Township.

Kevin Pierce, chief of the part-time South Coatesville Police Department and a former state trooper, said he supports some kind of state police fee for towns without full-time agencies.

"Part of me says yes because they're getting a service other municipalities are paying a fortune for," he said. But, "now that I'm in a borough, I know they have a lot of budgetary constraints and it's difficult for them to do that."
U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta with Donald Trump at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre during the presidential campaign. Read more

U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta vs. Sen. Bob Casey could well make Pennsylvania ground zero next year in a national referendum on President Trump.

Barletta and Trump are that closely aligned.

Barletta was among the earliest members of Congress to endorse Trump, was a top Pennsylvania campaign surrogate, served on Trump's transition team, and nearly nabbed a cabinet post.

(He wanted Transportation, was asked about Labor, but withdrew from consideration.)

That's because when Barletta was mayor of Hazleton (Luzerne County) in 2006, he pushed tough anti-immigration ordinances (later struck down by federal courts) seen by some as the metaphorical first bricks of Trump's "great wall."

Hey, every movement starts somewhere.

Also, according to a source close to Barletta, Trump recently met with Barletta in the White House to encourage him to run for the Senate.

(I'd note one more pro-Trump Republican could come in handy for Trump's agenda. I'm thinking of that Senate health care vote that failed by one vote.)

So, a 2018 race featuring a staunch Trump critic and the state's legacy Democrat  son of a two-term governor, slayer of Rick Santorum, twice-elected U.S. senator  vs, "Trump's political godfather" just might draw attention.

The Associated Press on Monday reported Barletta told GOP officials and others he's in the race. Barletta hasn't confirmed that.

But let's say it's on.

First blush suggests, wait, so what if Barletta's aligned with Trump? Trump's self-immolating. By next year, he won't be stumping for Senate candidates. He'll be suffering the fires of impeachment proceedings.

And, even if he isn't, what about that midterm elections pattern where the party in the White House loses, not gains, seats in Congress?

Plus, Casey's far less inert today than when he entered elective politics. He's a pro-life, pro-gun, pro-labor Democrat in a state where that's a pretty good mix.

And if Barletta's counting on undying loyalty based on early backing of Trump, just think of another member of Congress early on Trump's wagon. Thinking of Jeff Sessions? Work well for him?

Then again, what if newly arrived White House Chief of Staff John Kelly gets Trump off Twitter and on track, and the umpteen probes into Russia, finances, and whatnot never pan out?

What if by next year the mood of the country's mostly settled down but still interested in moving from the politics of the past to whatever you call what we have now?

Barletta's already been lucky once. After being elected to the House in 2010, his congressional district was gerrymandered into what, for almost any Republican, can be a lifelong seat.

The 11th District runs diagonally from northeast Pennsylvania (one county from the New York border) to south-central Pennsylvania (one county from the Maryland border), conveniently skirting Democratic cities of Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre.

Barletta won in 2010 with 54 percent of the vote. He won his last two re-elections, with 64 percent and 66 percent, respectively.

So, one might wonder, why give up a sure thing for uncertainty?

The argument is that Trump still has lots of support among Pennsylvania Republicans and others who voted for him in 2016, according to insider polls.

"There's no buyer remorse yet," one GOP consultant says.

Barletta can cut into Casey's northeastern home base. And Casey's more left-of-center than when first elected in 2006.

Others looking to take Casey on include a couple of Western Pennsylvania State House members and a few biz types. Barletta's the biggest name so far mentioned.

But Barletta's taken a swing at the big leagues before. Had a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds as an outfielder; didn't make it. By his own admission, he couldn't hit the curve.

Big League politics throws lots of curves.
President Trump speaks with new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly (left) after he was sworn in Monday. Read more

Las Vegas bookmakers say President Trump has a 9-5 chance of completing his term. Of course, that's subject to change at the speed of a tweet. But a riskier bet is that new White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly will be around half that long.

Kelly got off to an auspicious start by demanding the resignation of Anthony Scaramucci, whose 10 days as White House communications director were an obscenity-laced carnival ride.

President Trump apparently brought in Scaramucci to hasten the resignation of Reince Priebus, Kelly's predecessor, who was suspected of leaking administration secrets to the press.

Relishing the assignment, Scaramucci, whose nickname is "the Mooch," told reporters on a July 25 trip with Trump to Youngstown, Ohio: "If the leaks continue, then I've got to let everybody go."

Later, in an interview with the New Yorker, Scaramucci used off-color language to describe White House chief strategist Steve Bannon as a self-loving egotist and Priebus as a "[expletive] paranoid schizophrenic."

Priebus resigned, but it had become clear even to Trump that Scaramucci had to go, too. Kelly, who was already doing Trump's bidding in chasing illegal immigrants as secretary of Homeland Security, accomplished that task within hours.

The retired Marine officer is accustomed to taking orders. He first entered the Marines in 1972, but only reached the rank of sergeant before being discharged. He went to college, got a degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1976, rejoined the Marines as an officer, and worked his way up through the ranks, deployed twice in Iraq as a general.

No doubt Kelly has had difficult commanders during his military career, but serving the mercurial Trump may be a bigger challenge. The president's insistence on going his own way despite any advice he receives has angered members of his own party.

In a Politico magazine article, Sen. Jeff Flake (R., Ariz,) said the Republican Party was in denial about Trump. "To carry on in the spring of 2017 as if what was happening was anything approaching normalcy," said Flake, "required a determined suspension of critical faculties."

He ominously suggested the Republican-controlled Congress had a responsibility to "assert itself at just such moments." But there were no amens from his GOP brethren in the Senate. Meanwhile, Trump supporters in Arizona said Flake's comments had dug his political grave.

Kelly's job is to seek the "normalcy" in the White House that not just Flake but every sensible American wants.

With North Korea testing ICBMs that could reach the continent, the Russians tampering with our elections, and Congress fiddling with taxes and health care, disarray in the White House is the last thing this country needs.

President Barack Obama went through four chiefs of staff during his first term, but never was there a comparable sense of turmoil to what the White House is enduring now. Kelly may be able to correct that, but only if Trump can be as disciplined as the general.
Republican lawmakers are split over how to move forward with a plan to send $3 billion to an electronics manufacturing giant promising to create 13,000 jobs in Wisconsin as questions surfaced about how the plan would affect the next state budget that is a month overdue.

Taiwanese technology company Foxconn wants to spend $10 billion to build LCD panels on a 20-million-square-foot, 1,000-acre campus of more than a dozen buildings in southeastern Wisconsin by 2020. Gov. Scott Walker signed an agreement to have a contract in place by the end of September.

But doing so requires approval from a Republican-controlled Legislature that still hasnt passed a 2017-19 state budget. And despite a suggestion from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, on Tuesday that the Foxconn deal would have almost zero impact on the next state spending plan, questions surfaced from Democrats and Senate Republicans about whether more vetting was needed.

Meanwhile, the head of Walkers state jobs agency told the Wisconsin State Journal on Tuesday state taxpayers could start sending payments to Foxconn over the next two years. Thats because the states deal with Foxconn promises to cover 17 percent of payroll through refundable tax credits  so as the company hires staff, the state will make payouts.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said he wants to pass a new state budget before voting on Foxconn legislation, which Walker unveiled last week.

But Assembly Republican leaders said they will hold a Thursday hearing on the bill and push for a mid-August vote.

The biggest priority is making sure that we have Foxconn moving along, Vos told reporters. The sooner we are able to do our due diligence on the legislation, the sooner they are able to choose a site and hopefully begin construction.

Vos said his goal with the bill is to be as transparent as possible to make the public understand what we are looking to do and the huge potential thats coming to Wisconsin.

For a project like this, we dont want to delay unnecessarily, but we want to make sure the public has adequate time to digest it, Vos said.

Fitzgerald said his members may need more time to sufficiently analyze the deals impact on state finances.

Until you have any analysis from Bob Lang, who leads the Legislatures nonpartisan Fiscal Bureau, its pretty hard to even judge the bill, he said.

Democratic lawmakers urged majority Republicans to slow the process and objected to waiving much of the states environmental oversight of the project, as the draft bill proposes.

Also Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that Foxconn executive Terry Gou told him that the company could spent up to $30 billion in the United States  three times the pledged investment in Wisconsin.

Covering local incentives

Walker and state officials are offering the Taiwanese tech giant $3 billion in incentives to build a liquid-crystal display manufacturing campus in southeast Wisconsin. It initially would employ 3,000 but that number could grow to 13,000 over time, Foxconn and state officials have said.

Under the states manufacturing and agriculture tax credit, Foxconn  even before the job incentives  would pay almost no income tax, meaning the state tax credits largely would be paid in cash to the company.

Two Walker administration officials who helped craft the Foxconn deal, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Mark Hogan and Department of Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel, met with the State Journals editorial board Tuesday to discuss the project.

Neitzel said the planned project would bring thousands of jobs to Wisconsin to create a high-tech manufacturing ecosystem.

While payments to Foxconn are set to begin in 2020, they could potentially begin sooner if the company hires 1,000 people next month, Hogan gave as an example.

Department of Administration spokesman Steve Michels said later that example likely isnt feasible for Foxconn, but if employees were hired on Jan. 1, 2018, for example, Foxconn would get tax credits for those employees the following year.

The proposal also calls for the state to cover up to 40 percent of local governments costs associated with preparing for the Foxconn plant, like building sewers and roads, if the deal falls through, according to an analysis released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Three months of talks

Negotiations with Foxconn began about 90 days ago, Hogan said, and during those talks Walker was on the phone with Foxconn officials four to five times a week. Hogan declined to elaborate on details of the negotiation, but said the resulting incentive package is not everything Foxconn wanted but what state officials considered to be appropriate for taxpayers to support.

Its hard to ultimately quantify all the benefits that flow from this deal, Neitzel said.

Hogan also said Tuesday that companies that become part of Foxconns supply chain could also be eligible for tax credits that are overseen by his agency, but not the same ones Foxconn is receiving. He said those companies could be eligible for other state incentive programs.

We will look at it, Hogan said.

A Foxconn-commissioned analysis of the economic impact the project would have on Wisconsin shows 35,000 jobs statewide would be created by building the campus in southeastern Wisconsin, with 13,000 at the Foxconn plant. Hogan said Tuesday he is confident in the Foxconn analysis and emphasized the state is providing incentives when the company creates jobs, not before.

Hogan said Wisconsin would not have been in a position to negotiate with Foxconn without lawmakers implementation of the manufacturing and agriculture tax credit, which reduces state income tax for manufacturers like Foxconn, and passing right-to-work legislation, which allows workers to opt out of financially supporting private-sector unions.

Neitzel said he believes the project will be a talent attracter to Wisconsin, similar to how Veronas Epic Systems has drawn thousands to the Madison area to work for the health care software giant.

He said the 13,000 jobs would not all be taken by Wisconsin residents and that the campus will likely draw people to Wisconsin to work there, like Epic.

Budget deal a factor

The Foxconn legislation includes $252 million in borrowing for rebuilding and expanding the Interstate 94 corridor through Racine and Kenosha counties.

Neitzel said the Foxconn bill could be helpful in bringing about a 2017-19 state budget, which has stalled over transportation funding.

I think the two pieces interact quite nicely, Neitzel said, declining to provide further details.

The incentive package could pose a significant new expense to the state over its 15-year duration, according to the Foxconn study. It said the state could pay out as much as $74 million a year more in tax credits than it would collect in new tax revenue from the project.

Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Osh- kosh, who sits on the states budget-writing committee, said Foxconn presents an exciting opportunity. But he said its problematic to hold a public hearing on the bill before knowing its fiscal impact to the state budget.

I dont know that weve ever had a bigger piece of legislation have less transparency, have less scrutiny, and potentially have a bigger impact on Wisconsins long-term future, Hintz said.

The company hasnt yet announced where it would locate the roughly 1,000-acre campus, but reports indicate the company is eyeing sites in Racine and Kenosha counties.

Vos on Tuesday disputed concerns from environmental and conservation groups about waiving such requirements at the state level, saying federal requirements will remain.

In most cases, if not all, the federal process will be as rigorous as it is in any other project in the state of Wisconsin, Vos said.

Hintz said the LCD manufacturing process, depending on how its done, has the potential to contaminate both air and water.

Why we are exempting this company from those standards  and will that survive a legal challenge  is something we want to get answers to, Hintz said.
The 10-day tenure of White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is among the many dramas in the relentless Trump news cycle. Read more

Judy Veloski has stopped watching television news. Albert Eisenberg tries to spend the first 30 minutes of each day away from his phone. Melissa Byrne refuses to follow the president on Twitter.

Call it self-care in the age of Trump, when the news cycles run at light speed. Take the last two weeks, during which President Trump denounced his attorney general over his recusal from the Russia investigation, pushed out his press secretary, hired a communications director who publicly wished unprintable ills on his coworkers, fired his chief of staff, and fired the aforementioned communications director. He gave a campaign-style speech at a Boy Scout jamboree, tweeted about banning transgender people from serving in the military, and told a room of police officers not to be "too nice" to arrestees. Oh, and the Senate Republicans' health-care bill failed.

For observers on both sides of the aisle, following along can be exhausting.

Byrne, a Philly activist and political consultant, spent the last several weeks traveling back and forth from Washington, advocating against the health-care bill. And though she's been losing her voice at protests, she said, they're a welcome break from the crush of breaking news notifications and Twitter sniping.

"It's like Whac-A-Mole," she said. "Every day something horrible is happening."

Eisenberg, 26, a communications consultant who formerly worked as spokesman for Philadelphia's Republican Party, has been trying to take his morning coffee without scrolling through Twitter: too much adrenaline, too much outrage, too early, he says.

"It takes a lot of care and energy to not allow yourself to be pulled directly into that immediate notification, gratification, boom-and-bust media cycle," he said. "I wish everyone in journalism would take a Klonopin and download a meditation app."

The role of social media

The rise of social media and the subsequent acceleration of news cycles, of course, predates Trump. And it's hard to gauge whether people are glued to the news more than usual these days, said David Uberti, a media reporter at the news site Splinter.

Trump's approval rating, though historically low, is fairly steady, "despite all these incredible news cycles," Uberti said. "So a significant portion of the country is either tuned out or distrust mainstream media." Still, cable news ratings are having a banner year. And the national media have invested heavily in political coverage. "You can't watch CNN anymore without them covering Trump," Uberti said.

Drew Jennings, 44, of West Bradford, watches the endless political debates on cable news with a mixture of fascination and amusement. He's a libertarian. His wife is "to the left of Bernie Sanders," he said with a laugh. "And she's exhausted to the point where she doesn't even want to talk about it."

But Jennings watches CNN mostly to scoff at the "manufactured outrage," he said. It's somehow less depressing than the shootings and overdoses on the local news.

Then again, nothing the administration has done so far has affected him personally. "I try to be honest about that," he said. "I'm not obtuse to the fact that people are impacted."

For those who are closely following news about the administration, it can be difficult to look away from the daily ups and downs.

"It's this amazing real-life drama with these larger-than-life characters," said David Boardman, dean of Temple's Klein College of Media and Communications (and chair of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which owns the company that operates the Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com). "It's riveting, but it's also, for a lot of people, exhausting and even frightening, because there's so much uncertainty, so much change."

And Trump's own use of social media is at once a mirror of and a catalyst for the kind of unrelenting news cycles that have marked his presidency, said Sherri Hope Culver, a Temple University professor who studies media literacy.

"Trump is as much a victim of it as a supplier of it," she said. "He watches something in the news and is like, 'Oh, I have to tweet about this.' He doesn't show that he's consuming thoughtfully, balancing where he's getting his content from, and then making a measured and thoughtful response. All the media literacy skills we hope to imbue in our young people are not being modeled by our president."

Too much attention to drama

Veloski, 66, a retired nurse from Lansdowne, has stopped watching television news entirely. A longtime independent, she volunteered for Hillary Clinton's campaign last year  her first presidential campaign  and has grown increasingly politically active, attending meetings of the local Democratic Party. But she's careful about when and how she reads the news  no politics on Facebook or Twitter, she says, no matter how much her friends post.

Like Jennings, she's more concerned that "the things that don't really make the headlines"  debates about, say, education and the environment  are getting lost in the interpersonal intrigue playing out in the White House.

"We become focused on the political drama and there's very little time and space for consideration of issues," Boardman said. "I don't think it's healthy for the country and I don't think it's healthy for individuals."

Those who are riveted do their best to look away sometimes. Byrne takes spin classes and goes to the beach. Eisenberg has his phone-free mornings. Adrianne Standley, 29, of Manayunk, who jumped into health-care activism after the election, just watches "really stupid TV."

"It's about knowing that if I can't follow something, I will be able to find a breakdown of it later or touch base with a friend," she said. "It's about knowing when to take a mental break."
WASHINGTON  President Trump hates leaks. He hired Anthony Scaramucci 10 days ago to very publicly root them out, and he has even attacked his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for not investigating them aggressively enough.

But oftentimes with Trump, a leak isn't just a leak; it's an effort to save him from himself.

Such is the case with the Washington Post's big scoop Monday night that Trump personally dictated the highly misleading initial statement about Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. Anonymous White House advisers said they had settled on a plan to be transparent about the meeting, only to have the president come in at the 11th hour and decide to try and withhold the whole truth. The result, at Trump's personal direction, was a statement that claimed the meeting was about adoption, when in fact the stated purpose of it was opposition research  supposedly from the Russian government  about Hillary Clinton.

Check out this detailed blow-by-blow from the Post's Ashley Parker, Carol D. Leonnig, Philip Rucker and Tom Hamburger about how the Trump team responded to the New York Times learning about the meeting:

"[White House director of strategic communications Hope] Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, [Jared] Kushner's team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

"The discussions among the president's advisers consumed much of the day, and they continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

"But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

"It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.'s meeting.

"The president directed that Trump Jr.'s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue  the adoption of Russian children."

And now look at these comments from anonymous advisers:

" 'This was . . . unnecessary,' said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. 'Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth.' "

And here:

"Trump, advisers say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

" 'He refuses to sit still,' the presidential adviser said. 'He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself.' "

And this:

"Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a cover-up. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal."

The White House's first six months, of course, have been littered with internal leaks. Many of them are owed to the warring factions within the West Wing and dissension in the broader administration. But every so often you see this kind of leak: the send-a-message-to-the-boss leak  the spreading of unhelpful information about the president because advisers see no other way to make it stop.

And even in that line of reporting, this is a pretty remarkable cry for help. In this story, they're admitting that he is personally responsible for deliberately misleading the American people about a major topic of the Russia investigation. They're saying that he did something that could very well be construed as a cover-up and could damage his legal defense. The reason? Because they apparently can't prevail upon him in person and they think he simply doesn't get what kind of jeopardy he is putting himself in.

Part of it may simply be exasperation, as well. When you, as a White House staffer, continue to have to put up with the boss's unpredictable whims and furthering of unhelpful story lines (i.e. Russia was on my mind when I fired FBI Director James Comey), it's liable to lead to this kind of leaking.

Trump will surely view this as an effort by the deep state and-or the media to undermine him. He'd be better off understanding it for what it is: a desperate effort to help him help himself. After all, in this case, the advisers were right. The truth all came out in rather short order, and Trump only made it worse.

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.
On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Trump's advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trump's oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign  a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

But within hours, at the president's direction, the plan changed.

Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children" when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared a story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was "not a campaign issue at the time."

The claims were later shown to be misleading.

Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

The extent of the president's personal intervention in his son's response, the details of which have not previously been reported, adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the president's direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.

"This was . . . unnecessary," said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia probe.

He fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the president asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBI's Russian investigation  a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Mueller's work.

Although misleading the public or the press is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told the Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.

Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

"He refuses to sit still," the presidential adviser said. "He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."

Trump has said that the Russia probe is "the greatest witch hunt in political history," calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain Clinton losing an election she should have won.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

The White House directed all questions for this story to the president's legal team.

One of Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of the president's actions and his role in crafting his son's statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from the Post.

"Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent," Sekulow's statement read.

Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told The Post that he and his client "were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement" about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed.

Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, "I have no evidence to support that theory." He described the process of drafting a statement as "a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers."

Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump Jr.'s statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said.

"The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president," Zeidenberg said. "They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem. . . . What they don't seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them."

Advocating for transparency

The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organizations began to ask questions about it.

Kushner's legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the president's son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people.

Kushner's lawyers came across what they immediately recognized would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign  one he had failed to disclose. Trump Jr. had arranged it, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had also attended.

To compound what was, at best, a public relations fiasco, the emails, which had not yet surfaced publicly, showed Trump Jr. responding to the prospect of negative information on Clinton from Russia: "I love it."

Lawyers and advisers for Trump, his son and son-in-law gamed out various strategies for disclosing the information to try to minimize the fallout of these new links between the Trump family and Russia, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the president's most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Kushner and Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushner's lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

In one scenario, these people said, Kushner's team talked about sharing everything, including the contents of the emails, with a mainstream news organization.

Hicks and Raffel declined to comment. Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell also declined to comment.

The president's outside legal team, led by Marc Kasowitz, had suggested that the details be given to Circa, an online news organization the Kasowitz team thought would be friendly to Trump. Circa had inquired in previous days about the meeting, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The president's legal team planned to cast the June 2016 meeting as a potential setup by Democratic operatives hoping to entrap Trump Jr. and, by extension, the presumptive Republican nominee, according to people familiar with discussions.

Kasowitz declined to comment for this article, as did a Circa spokesman.

Consensus overruled

Circumstances changed when the New York Times began asking about the Trump Tower meeting, though advisers believed the paper knew few of the details. While the president, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were attending the G-20 summit, the Times asked for White House comment on the impetus and reason for the meeting.

During breaks away from the summit, Kushner and Ivanka Trump gathered with Hicks and Raffel to discuss Kushner's response to the inquiry, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Kushner's legal team joined at times by phone.

Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, Kushner's team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

The discussions among President Trump's advisers consumed much of the day, and continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.'s meeting.

The president directed that Trump Jr.'s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue  the adoption of Russian children.

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m., about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his son's statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

In the early afternoon, Eastern time, Trump Jr.'s team put out the statement to the Times. It was four sentences long, describing the encounter as a "short, introductory meeting."

"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," the statement read.

Trump Jr. went on to say, "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."

Over the next hour, word spread through emails and calls to other Trump family advisers and lawyers about the statement that Trump Jr. had sent to The Times.

Some lawyers for the president and for Kushner were surprised and frustrated, advisers later learned. According to people briefed on the dispute, some lawyers tried to reach Futerfas and their clients and began asking why the president had been involved.

Also on the flight, Kushner worked with his team  including one of his lawyers, who called into the plane.

His lawyers have said that Kushner's initial omission of the meeting was an error, but that in an effort to be fully transparent, he had updated his government filing to include "this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr." Kushner's legal team referred all questions about the meeting itself to Trump Jr.

The Times' story revealing the existence of the June 2016 meeting went online around 4 p.m. Eastern time. Roughly four hours later, Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Trump's family members and advisers departed the plane, and they knew the problem they had once hoped to contain would soon grow bigger.

The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report.
Incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, right, blowing a kiss after answering questions during the press briefing Friday, July 21, 2017. Now hes gone. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Read more

Good morning, friends. I got many lovely emails from you all last week and had some really interesting conversations about the way we read the news today, some of which made it into today's piece. So thank you! Let's do this again soon.

You're getting this email because you signed up for a newsletter about President Trump and how his politics affect the Philadelphia region. You can email me here with questions and suggestions and concerns (and links, if you've read anything good this week!); and if you're reading this online you can sign up here to get this in your inbox every week. If you're the tweeting sort you can follow me here.

-Aubrey Whelan

Today, lets talk about the news cycle.

Whats at stake

We're getting a little meta this week. We've been talking for a while now about how quickly news moves these days and how overwhelming it can be for people following politics. And the last two weeks have been particularly news-heavy  from White House palace intrigue (Godspeed, Mooch) to surprise policy changes that have serious implications for thousands of jobs (the ban on transgender military personnel).

The local angle

So, I asked you last week, how are you coping with this onslaught of news? Responses ranged from people who have culled all political posts from their social media; stopped watching TV news; found themselves in a fugue state scrolling through Twitter all night (okay, that one was just me). A Philly-based Democratic activist told me she finds a kind of peace in protesting; a former GOP spokesman said he tries to spend the first half-hour of his morning away from his phone.

Still: "It's getting increasingly harder to be the person who says, 'Oh, I didn't see that,'" Sherri Hope Culver, a media literacy professor at Temple, told me. "There's an increasing value between being put on being instantly informed."

Whats ahead

President Trump, tweets aside, isn't the only factor behind these seemingly unrelenting news cycles: the national media has invested heavily in politics, the media reporter David Uberti told me, and if you get your news from social media, you're getting your news mostly in fragments  which makes everything that much more disorienting. And things probably aren't going to change much. Our president approaches the news in a very different way than his predecessors, and that means he's driving the news in a very different way, too  one that keeps readers, viewers and reporters alike almost constantly on our toes.

"The swamp will not defeat him."  since-fired White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, referring to himself in the New Yorker last week. (This is one of the few sentences from his interview that I can include in a family newsletter.)

"A great day in the White House!"  President Trump on Twitter, hours after Scaramucci was fired Monday.

"He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."  a White House adviser, speaking anonymously to the Washington Post about President Trump's approach to the Russia investigation.

In other news

The Senate's attempt to repeal Obamacare is dead (for now), killed in dramatic fashion by Sens. John McCain, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins. (The Washington Post has an equally dramatic rundown of of the scene on the Senate floor Thursday night.) What's next for Republicans? Tax reform, my colleague Jon Tamari reports, and they can't afford to lose on this one.

The Washington Post reports that President Trump personally dictated his son's misleading first statement about his meeting with various Russians during the campaign  which has advisers worried it could invite legal trouble.

President Trump's commission on the opioid crisis, chaired by N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, has recommended he declare a national emergency: 142 Americans a day are dying of overdoses.

What Im reading

A non-political palate cleanser

Some guy SCALED CITY HALL and no one noticed until he put a video of it on the Internet.
Amazon's plans to add 50,000 jobs at a dozen warehouses across the United States and Foxconn's decision to build a $10 billion plant and hire up to 13,000 workers in Wisconsin aren't just feel-good stories of job creation. They reflect the pressures companies now feel to be as close to their customers as possible  a trend that's helping restore some American factories and jobs.
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A pool player has been fined 150 for racially abusing a bar manager during a tournament.

Simon Gibson, aged 31, was also ordered to pay 2,500 towards prosecution costs after he elected to contest his case at Plymouth Crown Court.

Judge Paul Darlow described Gibson's behaviour on the night of the pool match as "boorish, petulant and self-important".

But he said he could not be sure on the jury's verdict that he was guilty of a tirade of racist abuse.

Vasille Georgiou, then bar manager of the Devon Tors Inn in Yelverton, had earlier told the court that Gibson had called him a "n*******" and a "P***".

Judge Paul Darlow said that he could only be certain that Gibson used the phrase "black b******"

He hit him with the butt of a pool cue, the court heard.

Gibson, of Myrtle Terrace, Drakewalls near Gunnislake, pleaded guilty before the jury to threatening behaviour causing fear of violence on June 22, 2015.

He admitted making threats to attack Mr Georgiou.

But he went on trial over a day and a half after he denied the alternative of racially-aggravated threatening behaviour  that he had used racist language during the incident.

A jury found him guilty after an hour and a quarter by a unanimous verdict. Five members of the panel returned to see the sentencing.

The court heard that the Devon Tors was that night hosting a pool tournament including a team from the Duke of York in Tavistock.

Manager Mr Georgiou was behind the bar and Gibson was on the visiting team.

The court heard that the two men clashed after Gibson, who said he played for Devon, complained about losing a match.

Mr Georgiou escorted Gibson from the premises  only for the defendant to come back in.

Ed Bailey, for Gibson, said the offence was more than two years ago and the defendant had otherwise stayed out of trouble for seven years.

He added that Gibson had become a father in March.

Mr Bailey said he had returned from working as a barman in Bulgaria and had a similar job lined up in Plymouth.

Judge Darlow fined Gibson 150, which was the same fine imposed on Mr Georgiou.

Mr Georgiou, of a Greek-Cypriot background, had earlier admitted assaulting Gibson by beating after he was racially abused.

He hit him with the butt of a pool cue, the court heard.
Envisage Technologies announced that the Indiana State Police (ISP) has awarded them a contract for the Acadis Readiness Suite. Acadis will support legally defensible training and certification records for ISPs 1,350 sworn law enforcement officers.

ISP will utilize Acadis to streamline the management and tracking of training, certifications, and employment for the states sworn law enforcement officers including course registration, document management, and testing. Acadis will support the entire hire-to-retire lifecycle to ensure that each officer remains in compliance with Indiana certification requirements. The use of Acadis is expected to result in significant cost savings for the State of Indiana as it will allow for the transition to a digital record-keeping system and further streamline the technical relationship between ISP and the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, which is also an Acadis customer.

"We look forward to assisting the Indiana State Police as they modernize their training management practices," said Envisage CEO, Ari Vidali. "Acadis will help streamline the operations and sharing of information between the states law enforcement training entities, as well as reduce the costs of printing, mailing, and storage of documents."

Envisage company and Acadis product information can be found at www.envisagenow.com and www.acadis.com.
The National Association of Police Equipment Distributors (NAPED) has welcomed Goldbelt Wolf LLC to its general membership. Goldbelt Wolf, formed in 2007, is part of Goldbelt Inc., a family of companies incorporated in the early 1970s and founded as an urban Alaska Native Corporation (ANC). Goldbelt Inc. was named after the richly mineralized zone in Southeast Alaska. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, Goldbelt Wolf offers customers in federal agencies, military, and law enforcement a variety of professional services and solutions from tactical and operational equipment to weapon systems and munitions, vehicles and training.

"Goldbelt Wolf proudly serves the men and women of many of our Federal agencies and elite forces. Becoming a NAPED member allows Goldbelt Wolf access to many of the top providers of high-quality, mission ready equipment," said Phil Scheible, president of Goldbelt Wolf.

"NAPED is very pleased to have Goldbelt Wolf join our general membership. Their customer base includes the military branches, homeland security and some of the largest private security companies. This is an excellent opportunity for our associate members to grow their businesses," said Eldon Griggs, president of NAPED and VP of Business Development for Galls Inc.

For more information about NAPED, visit www.naped.com.

For more information about Goldbelt Wolf LLC, visit www.goldbeltwolf.com.
The Austin (TX) Police Department first installed carbon monoxide detectors in March. (Photo courtesy of Austin PD)

The City of Austin has begun pulling all 446 of its Ford Explorers and Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicles from service after finding traces of carbon monoxide in a significant amount of vehicles. Of the total, 397 of the vehicles are assigned to the Austin Police Department and 237 are marked patrol cars, representing 61% of the police department's frontline fleet.

In response to concerns about carbon monoxide, Ford announced that it would cover the costs of specific repairs in every Police Interceptor Utility that may have carbon monoxide concern, regardless of age, mileage, or aftermarket modifications made after purchase.

At a press conference Friday morning, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said the vehicles will be kept in storage as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Ford continue to investigate the cause.

For now, officers will use Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors already in use by other divisions of the agency, including the highway enforcement and tactics teams. Manley said the agency has the necessary vehicles to accommodate officers; however, the agency will switch from one officer per vehicle to two officers per vehicle.

Additional vehicles within the agency will be moved to patrol, but will need upfitting. The city's IT department and Make Ready shop are expected to upfit and deploy five patrol vehicles per week, with the aim of returning to single-officer patrol. The divisions that previously used these vehicles will have a motor pool that they can use as needed.

"All frontline police vehicles will be pursuit-rated and equipped with the necessary equipment to do their job," Manley said.

Austin PD first learned of the problem in February, and installed carbon monoxide detectors in March. Over the past five months, Manley said 73 vehicles have been pulled out of service based on alarms going off or confirmed reports of carbon monoxide present.

Earlier this week, CBS News reported that NHTSA is expanding its probe of 2011-2015 Ford Explorers and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles to include 2016 and 2017 models. Similar problems with carbon monoxide were found in police vehicles in Henderson, La.; Newport Beach, Calif.; and the Kansas Highway Patrol. Forty-one people have reported injuries, and although NHTSA emphasized that it does not have proof the injuries reported were caused by carbon monoxide, it did say levels of that gas may be elevated during certain driving scenarios.

Park City, Kan., also dealt with traces of carbon monoxide, but KSN reported that city officials worked with Ford and traced the source to its upfitted lights, where exhaust entered the vehicle through unsealed holes.

Despite these cases, many agencies have reported that their vehicles are fine.

The City of San Diego, Calif., tested 295 of its PIUs and found no traces of carbon monoxide. 10News contacted six other agencies near San Diego, including Border Patrol, and none found problems with carbon monoxide.

According to WNYT, several New York agencies have reported no issues with their vehicles, including the Albany County Sheriff's Office, Troy Police, Albany Police, and the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office.

The Denver Police Department, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, and several other agencies in Colorado told CBS4 they were not experiencing any problems, though the City of Denver has ordered carbon monoxide detectors as a precaution.

UPDATE: As of Monday afternoon, APD is continuing to remove its Explorer and PIUs out of service, said David Green, spokesperson for the city. All frontline vehicles have been removed from service, and the vast majority of support staff vehicles have also been removed.

This article originally appeared on www.government-fleet.com.
Photo courtesy of Ford

Ford Motor Company has announced it will offer to cover the cost of specific repairs in its Police Interceptor Utility vehicles with carbon monoxide concerns. This follows the Austin (Texas) Police Department's announcement that it would pull more than 400 PIUs out of service on Friday due to carbon monoxide concerns.

Addressing concerns from Ford police customers, Hau Thai-Tang, executive vice president, Product Development and Purchasing, said, There is nothing we take more seriously than providing you with the safest and most reliable vehicles.

Fords investigation into this issue is ongoing. However, the company has discovered holes and unsealed spaces in the back of some Police Interceptor Utilities that had police equipment installed after leaving Fords factory.

When a police or fire department routinely install customized emergency lighting, radios, and other equipment, technicians have to drill wiring access holes into the rear of the vehicle. If the holes are not properly sealed, it creates an opening where exhaust could enter the cabin, according to Ford.

To address these concerns, Ford stated the company will cover the costs of specific repairs in every Police Interceptor Utility that may have this concern, regardless of age, mileage, or aftermarket modifications made after purchase.

Ford will check and seal off the rear of the vehicle where exhaust can enter, provide a new air conditioning calibration that brings in more fresh air during heavy acceleration typical of police driving, and check for engine codes that could indicate a damaged exhaust manifold.

The company will continue investigating all reports from its police customers, including the exhaust manifold issue referenced by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Ford emphasized that drivers of regular, non-police Ford Explorers have no reason to be concerned. While there have been reports of exhaust odors in some regular Explorers, those instances are unrelated to reports of carbon monoxide described by some police departments. If a vehicle has such an odor, customers should bring it to a Ford dealer to address that issue.

Any customer experiencing issues can bring their vehicles to a Ford dealer or call a dedicated hotline at (888) 260-5575.

Related: Austin to Pull 400 Ford Explorers and PIUs Out of Service

This article originally appeared on www.government-fleet.com.
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A new story in The Washington Post on Monday spells more trouble for Donald Trump and the White House as the newspaper reports that the president personally crafted a false statement defending his sons private meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign.

According to the paper, Trump ignored his staffs wishes to get the full truth out and instead dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer simply met to discuss issues related to adoption.

More from the report:

On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Trumps advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trumps oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign  a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril. The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged. But within hours, at the presidents direction, the plan changed. Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared a story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was not a campaign issue at the time. The claims were later shown to be misleading.

As the Post adds later in the report, the new development that Trump was this involved in concocting a lie about his sons meeting with the Russians adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

With the president already under investigation for possible obstruction of justice with respect to Russian involvement in last years election, Trumps intentional move to cover up the details of his sons meeting could put him in more legal hot water than hes already in.

Its clear that Trump, while deeply incompetent, was not oblivious to what was happening during the campaign when it came to his teams  and familys  ties to Russia.

Now, as president, he appears to be at the center of a cover-up that is gradually bringing down his entire presidency, one bombshell piece of reporting at a time.
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One Republican senator up for reelection next year is wasting no time distancing himself from the deeply unpopular and incompetent president, writing in an op-ed that his party is in denial about Donald Trump.

In an excerpt from his upcoming book published on Monday by Politico, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake wrote, We created [Trump], and now were rationalizing him. When will it stop?

More from the Republican senators devastating editorial:

Who could blame the people who felt abandoned and ignored by the major parties for reaching in despair for a candidate who offered oversimplified answers to infinitely complex questions and managed to entertain them in the process? With hindsight, it is clear that we all but ensured the rise of Donald Trump.  It was we conservatives who were largely silent when the most egregious and sustained attacks on Obamas legitimacy were leveled by marginal figures who would later be embraced and legitimized by far too many of us. It was we conservatives who rightly and robustly asserted our constitutional prerogatives as a co-equal branch of government when a Democrat was in the White House but who, despite solemn vows to do the same in the event of a Trump presidency, have maintained an unnerving silence as instability has ensued. To carry on in the spring of 2017 as if what was happening was anything approaching normalcy required a determined suspension of critical faculties. And tremendous powers of denial. Ive been sympathetic to this impulse to denial, as one doesnt ever want to believe that the government of the United States has been made dysfunctional at the highest levels, especially by the actions of ones own party. Michael Gerson, a conservative columnist and former senior adviser to President George W. Bush, wrote, four months into the new presidency, The conservative mind, in some very visible cases, has become diseased, and conservative institutions with the blessings of a president  have abandoned the normal constraints of reason and compassion.  Under our Constitution, there simply are not that many people who are in a position to do something about an executive branch in chaos. As the first branch of government (Article I), the Congress was designed expressly to assert itself at just such moments. It is what we talk about when we talk about checks and balances. Too often, we observe the unfolding drama along with the rest of the country, passively, all but saying, Someone should do something! without seeming to realize that that someone is us. And so, that unnerving silence in the face of an erratic executive branch is an abdication, and those in positions of leadership bear particular responsibility.

Its now official: Republicans  at least those, like Flake, who care about keeping their seats in Congress  are sprinting away from Trump as his presidency continues to erupt in a flames.

As I wrote on Saturday, the GOP is finally starting to panic about the chaos and incompetence that plague the White House. Even they appear to have a limit to how unhinged theyll allow this president to become.

For months, Republicans have remained silent or even defended the president as he embarrassed and endangered the country through his childish Twitter tantrums, pathological lying, and inability to manage his own White House. Now, the party no longer has a choice but to walk away before the fire engulfs them, too.

As the Arizona senator wrote, those in Congress  especially Republicans  bear particular responsibility for allowing it to get to this point and it is there job to stand up and do something.

Sen. Flake is one of the biggest names yet to voice such strong and harsh concerns about the dangerous president, but he certainly wont be the last to do so.
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Reacting to the news that Donald Trump crafted his sons misleading statement following the explosive revelation earlier this month that Donald Jr. met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign to get damaging info on Hillary Clinton, GOP strategist Rick Wilson unloaded on the president in a way only he could do.

On MSNBCs All In with Chris Hayes, Wilson said, The stilted nature of the text alone was sort of a tell that President Unindicted Co-conspirator was involved.

Video:

GOP strategist @TheRickWilson with another devastating takedown of POTUS: Everything Trump touches dies pic.twitter.com/Ota5R7pAhC  Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) August 1, 2017

The fact that he put himself into this jeopardy means, once again, he does not listen to his attorneys, he does not listen to political advisors. Everything is shoot from the lip, everything is impulse, everything is whatevers in Donald Trumps brain that moment is the smartest thing in the world. And so he saddled his own son with this terrible piece of convoluted and frankly deceptive rhetoric that he forced him to put out, so then they had to walk it back day after day after day after day, and once again, my rule is simple: Everything Trump touches dies. This is a guy whos got a curse on him, and he hit his own son with it.  It means hes not listening to counsel at all.

Its clear that Trump isnt just unwilling to listen to those who know better than he does  but he is unable to. He has the self-control of a third grader and continues to be consumed by fear as the special counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller gets closer to the truth.

As Rick Wilson noted in his epic takedown, Trumps move to go against the wishes of his staff and concoct a lie about his sons meeting shows that there is nobody he isnt willing to throw under the bus  not even his son  to cover up the Russia scandal swirling around his presidency.

The Russia controversy is bad enough for this president, but he is still clearly his own worse enemy.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was among a select group of Republican governors summoned to Washington over the weekend to confer with Trump administration officials on the next steps in a possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act, spokespeople for the governors confirmed Monday.

Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said that Walker was in the nations capital for a day of meetings and planned to return later Monday. The meeting required Walker on Sunday to cancel previously announced visits to White Lake and Chippewa Falls to tout broadband expansion.

He joined Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson for talks on Monday with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy.

The unscheduled trips come just days after a measure repealing parts of former President Barack Obamas health care law failed in the U.S. Senate.

Evenson said Walker went to Washington to advocate for Wisconsin citizens in the health care debate. The trip came after Walker issued a rare Saturday statement outlining what he wants to see in a health care bill.

Hutchinson said in a statement that he was called to the working session at the White House with a small group of governors to discuss options with the Administration to improve our health care system and to reduce long-term costs for our state and nationally.

Governors have a hands-on perspective, and I appreciate the White Houses acknowledgment of the importance of our viewpoint and their willingness to listen, Hutchinson said. It was a productive working session, and I am encouraged that there is a new commitment to finding a solution that is inclusive of the governors.

A full list of attending governors wasnt immediately available. None of the governors confirmed by The Associated Press to have been in the meetings announced their trips.

The measure that failed would have eliminated the mandate for individuals to buy insurance, suspended a requirement for businesses to provide employee insurance, delayed a tax on medical devices and denied funding to Planned Parenthood for a year. After Fridays vote, Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain called for the Senate to work with both parties on a new proposal.

The White House, however, is insisting that the Senate resume efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Ducey spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said Friday that the governor was disappointed that Congress will be taking a recess without repealing Obamacare.

However, the latest votes cant be the end of the effort, Scarpinato said. The problems with Obamacare and the health care insurance markets are real and continue, especially in Arizona.

The White House meetings come as multiple efforts are underway in Congress to try to find new ways to reshape parts of Obamas health law, none of which yet seem to have good prospects of passing.
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Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) has introduced landmark legislation that would remove Marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances.

Video of Booker unveiling the bill:

According to Sen. Bookers office, the Marijuana Justice Act will:

 Remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, making it legal at the federal level;

 Incentivize states through federal funds to change their marijuana laws if marijuana in the state is illegal and the state disproportionately arrests or incarcerates low-income individuals and people of color for marijuana-related offenses;

 Automatically expunge federal marijuana use and possession crimes;

 Allow an individual currently serving time in federal prison for marijuana use or possession crimes to petition a court for a resentencing;

 Create a community reinvestment fund to reinvest in communities most impacted by the failed War on Drugs and allow those funds to be invested in the following programs:

o Job training;

o Reentry services;

o Expenses related to the expungement of convictions;

o Public libraries;

o Community centers;

o Programs and opportunities dedicated to youth; and

o Health education programs.

Booker said, Our countrys drug laws are badly broken and need to be fixed. They dont make our communities any safer  instead they divert critical resources from fighting violent crimes, tear families apart, unfairly impact low-income communities and communities of color, and waste billions in taxpayer dollars each year. Descheduling marijuana and applying that change retroactively to people currently serving time for marijuana offenses is a necessary step in correcting this unjust system. States have so far led the way in reforming our criminal justice system and its about time the federal government catches up and begins to assert leadership.

Sen. Booker framed the issue as a matter of criminal justice reform and unequal application of the law to harm poor and minority communities. Booker said that an African-American person is arrested four times more often for using drugs than white people.

The New Jersey Senator outlined the devastating impact that marijuana convictions have on individuals, families, and communities.

Booker has the right message. The war on drugs is a criminal justice and economic issue. This about discrimination, and the application of a law that discriminates on the basis of race and economic class.

Cory Booker sounds a lot like a 2020 presidential candidate in the video above, but the difference between he and Trump is that he is looking to end injustice, not encourage it. Booker is trying to lead America into the future, instead of reviving a long gone past.

The Democratic Party is continuing to move left, and on this issue, Sen. Booker is leading the charge.
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Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein (CA), the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee warned Trump that if he fires Jeff Sessions, it will be the beginning of the end of a short presidency.

Video:

Dianne Feinstein to @mitchellreports: If Trump fires Sessions, "it could well be the beginning of the end of this short presidency." pic.twitter.com/9KiZ0Z5Tmp  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 1, 2017

Feinstein told MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell, Jeff Sessions has done nothing to deserve termination, and I dont always agree with him, thats true, but I really disagree with using him as a political pawn if the President can transfer him to Homeland Security, but if the purpose is what many of us think it is, and thats to stop the investigation of Bob Mueller and his team, that will not work, because I believe that will be something that none of us can condone and could very well be the end of this short presidency.

Feinstein went on to say that, even though she didnt want it to happen, this is the red zone and no president should enter it fully without knowing what the repercussions are.

The line in the sand has been drawn. If Trump fires Sessions, or reassigns him, or does anything to get him out of the way, he will be staring down the slippery slope that leads to impeachment.

Sen. Feinstein didnt use the i-word, but under our constitutional system, there is only one way for Congress to remove a president from office.

The message was clear. If Trump fires Sessions, he will kick off a constitutional crisis that could end in impeachment.
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Fox News is denying colluding with Trump on a fake news story to distract from the Russia scandal.

After a new federal lawsuit had accused Fox News and Trump of working together on a fake story about murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich, Fox responded with the following statement:

In a statement provided to PoliticusUSA by Fox News, Fox News President of News, Jay Wallace said, The accusation that FoxNews.com published Malia Zimmermans story to help detract from coverage of the Russia collusion issue is completely erroneous. The retraction of this story is still being investigated internally and we have no evidence that Rod Wheeler was misquoted by Zimmerman. Additionally, FOX News vehemently denies the race discrimination claims in the lawsuit  the dispute between Zimmerman and Rod Wheeler has nothing to do with race.

Fox News will always have their loyal conservative audience who believe that Fox is the only source of real truth in the media, but that audience is shrinking by the day, and the unpopularity of Trump is driving viewers away from Fox.

The network cant survive on Trump and Trump alone.

If there is evidence that they did collude with Trump to distract from the Russia investigation, it will damage the network beyond repair with non-Trump fan former casual viewer that made Fox number one in the cable news ratings for more than a decade.

It is telling that the network is more concerned with the allegation that they colluded with Trump than being called racists. Racism gets rewarded in some circles of the far-right, but collusion with a White House would be the kill shot to Fox Newss journalism cover story.

Trump isnt just destroying himself, his family business, and the Republican Party. The President is also taking down Fox News.
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Donald Trump was personally supervising the White House effort to bury the Russia scandal by creating fake news that blamed murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich for the 2016 election hacks.

According to NPR, it turns out that Donald Trump was personally involved in the creation and spreading of fake news:



The first page of the lawsuit quotes a voicemail and text from Butowsky boasting that President Trump himself had reviewed drafts of the Fox News story just before it went to air and was published.

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Butowsky also texted Wheeler: Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article. He wants the article out immediately. Its now all up to you.

It makes total sense that Trump who is obsessed with his media coverage would try to run a fake news operation out of the White House. The much deeper motive behind Trumps personal involvement is his obsession with killing the Russia scandal. If Trump can blame the DNC emails hacks on a murdered DNC staffer, then he is off the hook. Without a Russian hack, there can be no Russia collusion.

In less than 24 hours, there have been two reports of the President Of The United States personally taking actions to try to kill the Russia scandal. The evidence is growing that Trump not only knew about the collusion with Russia, he may have also been a direct participant. The investigation has moved from the question of did the President know to when did the President know?

Trump is trying to save himself from facing justice for whatever happened during the 2016 election, but little by little his secrets are being revealed, and one gets the sense that it is only a matter of time until the American people learn all of the facts about Trump, Russia, and the 2016 election.
Fitch warns Poland it could get burned if it keeps playing with fire

A deteriorating relationship with the European Union could negatively affect Poland's growth and government finances in the medium term, but any short-term fallout appears limited, Fitch Ratings has warned on Tuesday.

Tensions mounted last week when the European Commission escalated the "rule of law" procedure against Poland, started in January 2016, to its third and last stage. The Commission said recently announced bills would "structurally undermine the independence of the judiciary" and asked the Polish authorities to address its concerns within a month.It added that if Poland takes measures to dismiss or force the retirement of Supreme Court judges, the Commission could trigger an "Article VII" procedure. This is a formal warning that can be issued by four-fifths of the Member States if "there is a clear risk of a serious breach by a member state of the common EU values". Article VII has never been used before.

In the short term, the potential direct impact of the Commission's move on Poland's economy and government finances is limited. Even if Poland were to remain non-compliant and the Commission launched an Article VII procedure, it would lack the ability to implement sanctions, as this would require a unanimous vote and Hungary has already announced it would stand behind Poland," Fitch Ratings said.

lower economic growth and,

if the government compensated for some lost funds from its own resources, weaken public finances.

for Poland posed by the rising tensions is that EU funds are cut in the next budget cycle (2021-2027) or that additional conditionality is placed on their disbursement.This would aggravate the funding impact of the departure of the UK, one of the biggest net contributors to the EU budget," the rating agency warned.It reminded that Poland is the largest recipient of EU funds in nominal terms and will receive EUR 86 billion over the 2014-2020 cycle (20% of its 2015 GDP). A meaningful reduction in EU funds wouldThe deterioration in the relationship with the EU, alongside increased political polarisation since the 2015 political transition, couldBut it has remained resilient so far: a sharp decline in 2016 was common to all central and eastern European countries and was due to the EU fund cycle. Investment started to recover on a quarterly basis in 1Q17 (up 0.3% qoq), and Fitch expects this trend to continue in 2017 as EU fund disbursements ramp up.

More broadly, growth was strong at 4% yoy in 1Q17, and we expect it to be 3.3% in 2017, up from 2.7% in 2016.

"But any sign that the relevance of the deficit criterion has weakened as a fiscal anchor, or failure to tighten fiscal policy to stabilise the debt-GDP ratio in the medium term, would be negative for the ratings," Fitch concluded.

Fitch noted that the Polish government has remained compliant with the EU's 3% of GDP deficit criterion despite its Eurosceptic rhetoric and a marked increase in social transfers. The budget deficit target for 2017 is 2.9% of GDP.But the first six months of the year show a cash surplus thanks to a strong increase in tax revenue, suggesting the government's strategy to tackle the high VAT collection gap has yielded some results." Fitch therefore expects the deficit to be 2.6% of GDP in 2017.Whereas Fitch expects fiscal policy to remain compliant with the 3% of GDP deficit criterion and fiscal policy to tighten after 2018 to ensure government debt reduction, it also warned Poland.
Hungary submits no application to host the European Banking Authority

23 cities of 21 countries applied to host the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that are moving out of London due to exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Despite earlier reports, no Hungarian city is among the applicants.

These are the cities proposed to host the EMA , as on 1 August 2017: Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Athens (Greece), Barcelona (Spain), Bonn (Germany), Bratislava (Slovakia), Brussels (Belgium), Bucharest (Romania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dublin (Ireland), Helsinki (Finland), Lille (France), Milan (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Sofia (Bulgaria), Stockholm (Sweden), Malta (Malta), Vienna (Austria), Warsaw (Poland), Zagreb (Croatia)

, as on 1 August 2017: Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Athens (Greece), Barcelona (Spain), Bonn (Germany), Bratislava (Slovakia), Brussels (Belgium), Bucharest (Romania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dublin (Ireland), Helsinki (Finland), Lille (France), Milan (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Sofia (Bulgaria), Stockholm (Sweden), Malta (Malta), Vienna (Austria), Warsaw (Poland), Zagreb (Croatia) These are the cities proposed to host the EBA, as on 1 August 2017: Brussels (Belgium), Dublin (Ireland), Frankfurt (Germany), Paris (France), Prague (Czech Republic), Luxembourg-City (Luxembourg), Vienna (Austria), Warsaw (Poland).

Source: European Council

About the EMA

Providing a single route for the evaluation of innovative medicines in the EU, hereby avoiding the duplication of the evaluation in Member States (centralised procedure).

Monitoring the safety of all medicines authorised in the EU throughout their life cycle.

Stimulating research and innovation by giving scientific advice and guidance to developers of medicines. Coordinating inspections to verify the compliance with good manufacturing, clinical and laboratory practices.

Hosting IT services to implement the EU pharmaceutical policy and legislation.

About the EBA

The application procedure to host the two UK-based EU agencies, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA), came to a close at midnight last night, 31 July 2017.is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines in the EU. The EMA is essential to the functioning of the single market for medicines in the EU.works to ensure effective and consistent prudential regulation and supervision across the European banking sector. Among other tasks, the EBA assesses risks and vulnerabilities in the EU banking sector through regular risk assessment reports and EU-wide stress tests.The European Council has received 27 proposals by the member states, related to 23 cities, to host the EU agencies currently based in the UK. There have been 19 offers to host the EMA and 8 for the EBA.Observers believe Frankfurt is the top applicant to host the EBA and Amsterdam, Barcelona and Lille are the top three favourites to host the EMA.Contrary to previous statements by Hungarian government officials and press reports, Hungary has not submitted a bid to host any of these institutions.The total bidding for the EMA is one less than the 20 countries forecast from a Politico survey of EU member countries to benchmark which are the most and least committed to hosting the prized 890-staff agency. From that survey, nine were very committed, four were fairly committed, eight were less committed and two dropped out. Politico said the surprises include not only Hungary but also Cyprus, the latter of which announced Monday evening, hours before the final deadline, that it had also opted to drop out.Hungarys Economy Minister Mihaly Varga had repeatedly said that the cabinet was aiming to host EBA. He made the last such remark on 22 July in an interview with radio Karc FM.EBA's Executive Director is Hungary's Adam Farkas, former President of financial markets watchdog PSZAF, who had been CEO at several commercial banks in Hungary earlier.The European Medicines Agency (EMA), a decentralised Agency of the EU, took up its function in 1995. EMA's mission is to evaluate and supervise human and veterinary medicinal products, on grounds of safety, efficacy and quality, in order to protect human and animal health in the EU. EMA does not conduct itself research (no laboratory work, animal tests, or clinical trials), nor does it produce medicines.EMA's key activities consist in:The European Banking Authority (EBA) was established on 1 January 2011 as part of the European System of Financial Supervision and took over all existing responsibilities and tasks of the Committee of European Banking Supervisors.EBA is a decentralised EU Agency which works to ensure effective and consistent prudential regulation and supervision across the European banking sector. Its overall objectives are to maintain financial stability in the EU and to safeguard the integrity, efficiency and orderly functioning of the banking sector.The main task of the EBA is to contribute to the creation of the European Single Rulebook in banking whose objective is to provide a single set of harmonised prudential rules for financial institutions throughout the EU. The Authority also plays an important role in promoting convergence of supervisory practices and is mandated to assess risks and vulnerabilities in the EU banking sector.The Authority also plays an important role in promoting convergence of supervisory practices to ensure a harmonised application of prudential rules.Finally, the EBA is mandated to assess risks and vulnerabilities in the EU banking sector through, in particular, regular risk assessment reports and pan-European stress tests.
Thousands of spectators and participants will head to the Alliant Energy Center grounds starting early Thursday to take part in the Reebok CrossFit Games, which could cause traffic problems on the Beltline, the Dane County Sheriffs Office said.

The competition runs from Thursday to Sunday, with traffic expected to start heading into the complex at 7 a.m. each day and leaving around 6 p.m. Thursday and Sunday and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

They will be arriving during the height of the morning commute, so authorities expect both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the Beltline to be congested, said Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Elise Schaffer.

There will also be a mass exit at the end of each day that could impact the surrounding areas, she said.

Four gates will be open at the Alliant Energy Center, on Olin Avenue, Rusk Avenue, John Nolen Drive and Rimrock Road.

Law enforcement will direct traffic at the main gate on Rimrock Road as well as at the Rimrock Road and Rusk Avenue intersection and the John Nolen Drive and Rimrock Road intersection. Electronic message boards will be put up on the Beltline to help direct motorists.

The Sheriffs Office asks motorists who can avoid the Beltline near Rimrock Road and John Nolen Drive to do so, Schaffer said.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 56F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 56F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
CALEDONIA  A Spring Grove man faces four felony charges after allegedly having sexual contact with a 9-year-old girl.

Gregory Robert Brown, 48, made his initial appearance in Houston County District Court on July 11. He faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct-penetration of a child under age 13 and a significant relationship, and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct-a child under age 13 and a significant relationship with a victim under age 13.

He remains in custody, in lieu of $25,000 conditional bond, or $150,000 unconditional bond  an amount reduced from the $75,000 conditional bond that was originally set by Judge Jeffrey Thompson.

The investigation began on July 9, after two people brought photos and videos to the Spring Grove Police Department. The photos and videos allegedly depicted a man, identified as Brown, and a 9-year-old girl engaging in sexual activity.

The witnesses told officers they observed the two, which they thought were a couple engaging in consensual sex, in Trollskogen Park. They recorded the incident as they drove by, and then returned to the park and saw the two engaging in sexual activity a second time, which they also recorded.

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They later realized the female was actually a child.

When officers got to the park, they found Brown leaving with the alleged victim. Brown told officers nothing had happened; they allowed Brown to go home, while the girl was transported to the Spring Grove Police Department.

Officers returned to the police department to review the videos and talk with the witnesses. Spring Grove police then went to Brown's home, where they took him into custody. He denied having any sexual contact with the girl at that time, according to court documents.

Spring Grove police obtained a warrant for a DNA sample from Brown and transported him to Saint Marys Hospital. The officer questioned Brown, who initially denied any sexual contact, but later admitted to touching her anal area.

On July 10, during an interview with Houston County Human Services, the girl said Brown had pulled down her pants a number of times, which had included anal penetration at the park the day before. The girl said he had touched her vagina and anal areas on previous occasions, according to the criminal complaint.

Each first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge has a maximum sentence of 30 years and/or $40,000, and each second-degree criminal sexual carries a maximum sentence of not more than 25 years, and/or $35,000.
ALBERT LEA  The debate about impending changes at Mayo Clinic Health System's hospital in Albert Lea could soon enter the legal realm.

Freeborn County Attorney David Walker told First District Congressman Tim Walz, D-Mankato, Monday that he's been in contact with Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson's office about potential anti-trust concerns related to Mayo's plans to consolidate hospital services at its combined Albert Lea and Austin campuses.

Walker sent his initial letter to Swanson's office July 25 and said he's since shared various documents with Swanson's staff. The Post Bulletin received a copy of Walker's letter, which asks Swanson's office to consider "the possibility that this situation may involve anti-competitive practices" in order to stop the "hospital from down-sizing and ultimately closing."

At issue is whether Mayo made any contractual promises to maintain services since acquiring Albert Lea's hospital in 1995. Mayo has acquired numerous rural hospitals across the state since the 1990s and has reduced services at several in recent years, including Saint Peter, Fairmont, Lake City, Wabasha and Madelia.

"I sent a letter and have spoken with the assistant attorney general," Walker said prior to Monday's meeting with Walz. "They are considering and researching it. I wouldn't call it an investigation, but looking into it is the right way to put it.

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"I'm certainly not in the position to say Mayo is doing anything improper, but I think it's very important for us to find out."

Mayo declined comment on Walker's inquiry to the AG, though spokeswoman Joan Gordon noted Mayo had provided all of the requested data to Walker as of Monday morning; Walker confirmed receipt of the documents.

In a crowded event at Albert Lea City Hall on Monday, where many speakers and spectators were sporting the "Save Our Hospital" slogan, Walz pledged federal support of Walker's inquiry by way of the U.S. General Accountability Office . His announcement prompted cheers.

'A punch to the gut'

Walz, who is also running for Minnesota governor, repeated his criticism of Mayo's lack of communication, noting infrastructure budgets are often set decades in advance and often revolve around the needs of local hospitals. He and state Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, said they were not made aware of Mayo's plans before the June 12 press release, a statement previously made by members of the Albert Lea School Board, Albert Lea City Council and Freeborn County Board, and citizens.

All three local governments have approved unanimous resolutions opposing Mayo's plans. On Monday morning, the county boards in Worth and Winnebago counties, just across the Iowa border, approved similar resolutions.

Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams told Walz that Mayo's decision "blindsided" local residents due to lack of public dialogue and disclosure. Mayo has since explained that financial losses, staffing concerns and a desire to create efficiencies played a role in its decision.

Mayo was not invited to attend or participate in Monday's discussion, though Walz met with MCHS-Albert Lea and Austin CEO Mark Ciota shortly after telling the crowd that "trust is strained." The Albert Lea Tribune reports that Walz suggested that Ciota and Mayo "really rethink" moving forward on the current timetable.

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Following the two meetings, Walz published a letter that he says will be sent directly to Mayo Clinic President and CEO John Noseworthy.

"Mayo's failure to fully and proactively engage the Albert Lea community on this decision is disappointing," Walz wrote. "Hospitals  like our schools and small businesses on Main Street  are the lifeblood of rural America and small towns. A partial closure of a hospital, regardless of the logic used to justify it, feels like a punch to the gut."

Mayo provided this statement responding to Walz late in the day Tuesday:

"We value open communication with Congressman Walz on a wide range of issues. We appreciate his visit to our Albert Lea campus on Monday to see firsthand the challenges Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin  like all rural hospitals across Minnesota and the nation  are facing regarding recruitment and retention of physicians and the dramatic impact of the change in health care from inpatient care to outpatient care delivery.

"Mayo Clinic received a letter from Congressman Walz regarding upcoming transitions of inpatient services between Albert Lea and Austin following his visit. The congressman reaffirmed his appreciation of the work of Mayo Clinic and our dedicated employees, and reinforced his 'long and frank working relationship' with Mayo. We respect and value Congressman Walzs service to all his constituents, and his engagement in the work ahead to strengthen rural health care.

"These are not easy issues. We are confident that, as we work together with the people of Albert Lea, these changes will strengthen the Albert Lea campus and protect jobs. We are committed to work more closely with the community in facing the challenges of rural health care now and in the future. We are confident that patients will continue to have access to high quality patient care that in both Albert Lea and Austin and that Mayo Clinic Health System will remain an integral contributor to the health and economic vitality in both communities."

Plans proceeding unchanged

While it remains to be seen if Walker's inquiry will warrant a full investigation or Walz's criticism will gain traction, criticism abounds. Minnesota Nurses Association President Mary Turner, who represents 125 nurses in Albert Lea, and SEIU Executive Vice President Lisa Weed, who represents 85 more, both criticized Mayo's lack of transparency.

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However, it appears unlikely that the public pushback will impact Mayo's plans  barring legal action.

MCHS Vice President Dr. Bobbie Gostout declined multiple requests to alter plans last month and three employees in Albert Lea were informed last week of their impending layoff due to transition plans. According to the Tribune, Ciota also told Walz there are "clear indications" that Mayo's plans remain unchanged.

Mayo's Gordon said Monday that rumors of an altered timeline  pushing transition plans forward in response to criticism  are untrue. Mayo officials have previously refuted estimates of 500 lost jobs from MNA, but multiple speakers said concerns persist.

"Of course we're worried about job loss," said Angie Obermeyer, Albert Lea's MNA rep. "Everyone on campus is (scared). With the hospital slated to become a skeleton of what it currently is  Albert Lea will be the only community of our size (in Minnesota) without a full-service, acute care hospital."
The city of Austin is asking state lawmakers for money to improve and expand a local natural area.

Austin officials are seeking $4 million to establish trails and a recreational area near Ramsey Dam and Mill Pond in hopes of increasing resident accessibility. After receiving no funding for the project in the last two legislative sessions, officials are hopeful for 2018.

A paved trail would connect the area near Ramsey Dam and Mill Pond to other regional resources, like the historic railroad bridge, Todd Park, the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center and more.

A recreational area would also be established near Ramsey Dam, likely including a fishing pier and amphitheater, said Craig Clark, city administrator.

Additionally, the funding would help the city make structural improvements to Austin's historic railroad bridge.

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"Just really being able to connect these jewels in our crown to be able to better utilize them and connect them into more of a regional system is really what our objective is here," Clark said.

According to the proposal, the project would bring various economic benefits, such as attracting more visitors, improving resident quality of life and raising nearby property values.

Tim Ruzek, Cedar River Watershed District outreach coordinator and Vision 2020 waterways committee co-chairman, said acquiring nearby land and establishing a trail near Ramsey Mill Pond will make the area more accessible to residents.

"(Mill Pond) is our biggest water body," Ruzek said. "It's surrounded by state resources, but it  is an unpathed natural jewel in our community that not a lot of people know how to access."

The area has high potential for recreation and conservation efforts if funding for the project is granted, he said.

City officials have lobbied the state for funding for the improvement project for the last two years. But lawmakers failed to agree on a bonding bill in 2016, and in 2017 included no funding for the project in their final infrastructure bill.

Still, Ruzek said he hopes lawmakers see the value the project could add to Austin when they return to the Capitol in 2018.

"We just need the state's help to help us get the public more aware of (the areas) and make it more easy for them to access it," he said.
Police manhunt the Shaikh Pet Nala in Hyderabad.Former minister Mukesh Goud's son Vikram Goud was shot dead by the police. Is the suspect involved in the case when police say that they have already taken possession of their guns, claiming that Vikram Goud was shooting for a gun that was shot. Or not? There are suspicions.

In the trial, the accused were shifted to the Shaikh Pet Nallah with the help of the GHMC staff. It is said that the case will be further collected evidence in the trial.

They said that Technical Evidence suggests that Vikram Goud has been accused of committing suicide.
Jerod Boynton has no doubt that Medicaid saved his life.

Nine years ago, Boynton was a few days away from starting a new job when he was in a serious car accident. He suffered a broken neck and back, a spinal cord injury, broken ribs and a traumatic brain injury. He lost sight in his left eye and had to learn how to speak in sentences again. Struggling with chronic back pain, he fell into addiction.

Boynton had no health insurance but qualified for Medicaid  known as Medical Assistance in Minnesota. Thanks to the program for low-income Minnesotans, he was able to get treatment for his chemical dependency. He underwent physical and occupational therapy and lives at Wing House in Rochester, which offers transitional housing to people with traumatic brain injuries. Today, he has a part-time job and has been sober for nine and a half months.

"Without MA, I would likely be homeless and still addicted. And given the direction my life was headed, I can honestly say that my family would be planning my funeral," he said.

Boynton joined other Medical Assistance recipients, local health care leaders and 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz on Monday in speaking out against potential cuts to Medicaid. During a news conference at Zumbro Valley Health Center in Rochester, Walz said it is critical that proposals to overhaul the Affordable Care Act leave Medicaid funding intact.

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"This is not a political issue. This is a moral issue. It is a financial issue in terms of what's right," Walz said.

Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Emily Piper said 1.2 million people in Minnesota are on Medical Assistance. Roughly 60 percent of the program's costs are attributable seniors and people with disabilities. She said the Republican House and Senate bills to repeal and replace Obamacare would have meant a loss of $2 billion in Medical Assistance funding for Minnesota within the first 18 months.

Minnesota is one of 32 states that opted to expand Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act. Paul Fleissner, director of Olmsted County Community Services, said that expansion meant an additional 7,000 people in the county have coverage. In total, 25,000 people in Olmsted County are on Medical Assistance.

"I've been a social worker for over 30 years, and I have yet to see the time when someone without health care does better," Fleissner said.

He other other health care leaders argued that Medicaid funding cuts would result in more low-income people showing up in local emergency rooms for care. That will lead to higher health insurance costs in the long run, they say.

Jeffrey Nachbar, policy director for the Minnesota Brain Injury Association, said he is concerned about President Trump's proposed budget, which calls for $800 billion in Medicaid cuts. His organization is part of a new Minnesota coalition called "This is Medicaid," which is advocating against cuts to the program.

"It's really time to change the debate about Medicaid from cuts to solutions. Medicaid is not a welfare program for people that are too lazy to work. It's a health-care program that provides freedom and independence for low-income seniors and people with disabilities so they can move on with their lives," Nachbar said.

Walz said he is hopeful that in the wake of the failed Senate vote on repealing and replacing Obamacare, Republicans and Democrats will be able to work together to improve the ACA. While he said some parts of the ACA are not working as well as they should be, the Medicaid expansion is a bright spot.

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"As we go forward and as we talk about health care in this nation, a foundational principle must be the strength, the resiliency and being able to depend long-term on Medicaid," Walz said.

But state Deputy Majority Leader Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, said Walz and Gov. Mark Dayton's administration are being "shortsighted" by not addressing problems with the long-term sustainability of entitlement programs like Medicaid. Instead, she said Democrats should be working with Republicans to make changes that give states more flexibility in how these programs are run.

"They've offered no solutions and the solutions that came out of the Affordable Care Act were unaffordable," Benson said. "And so we have to make changes. I would encourage Democrats to start thinking about what we can do, how can we let Minnesota become leaders in health reform."
MINNEAPOLIS  Minnesota inmates who were sentenced to mandatory life without parole for murders they committed when they were teenagers are being resentenced to life with the possibility of release after 30 years.

The change comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that a ban on mandatory life without parole for juveniles should apply to those already serving such sentences. The ruling affected eight Minnesota inmates; seven were resentenced, and the eighth has his resentencing pending. It will be about nine years before the first offender is eligible to seek release.

It won't affect the sentence of David Brom, a Rochester teenager who was 16 when he murdered his parents and two younger siblings in February 1988.

His case doesn't qualify, said Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem, because a sentence of life without parole wasn't an option in Minnesota when Brom was sent to prison.

In fact, Brom will be eligible for parole in 2041, when he's 70  after serving 52 1/2 years.

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The state is still wrestling with how to handle offenders who killed multiple victims as teenagers and are now serving more than one life sentence. The amount of years that must be served before parole varies greatly depending on whether multiple sentences are served consecutively or concurrently.

The state Supreme Court recently upheld three consecutive life sentences for Mahdi Hassan Ali, who killed three people in a Minneapolis market in 2010. He won't be eligible to seek parole until he serves 90 years, which his attorneys say amounts to a life sentence. They argued that the three sentences should run together, so he'd be eligible for release after 30 years. His attorneys are seeking a U.S. Supreme Court review.

In its decision, the state's highest court said the U.S. Supreme Court rulings don't squarely address how multiple sentences should be handled, so absent further guidance it would not apply the federal rulings.

The final decision in the Ali case could affect two other offenders: Brian Lee Flowers, 25, and Stafon Thompson, 26, were 16 and 17 when they killed a mother and son in Minneapolis in 2008. Both were initially sentenced to mandatory life without parole.

Flowers was resentenced earlier this year to two concurrent sentences of life with the possibility of parole, meaning he can seek parole after 30 years. Prosecutors are appealing, arguing that Flowers' sentences should be consecutive. His resentencing was carried out before the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled on the Ali case.

Flowers' co-defendant, Thompson, has not been resentenced yet. The district court was awaiting a final ruling in the Ali case.
Stanley Kurtz reports that the state of North Carolina has enacted the Restore Campus Free Speech Act. This is the first comprehensive campus free-speech legislation to be based on the Goldwater Institute proposal that Stanley helped develop.

The final version of the Act passed the North Carolina House by a margin of 80 to 31. Ten Democrats, about a quarter of those present, voted for the bill. The final version passed the Senate by a margin of 34 to 11 along strict party lines.

Roy Cooper, the states Democratic governor, took no action on the bill. Thus, it has become law.

The legislation does the following:

It ensures that University of North Carolina policy will strongly affirm the importance of free expression. It prevents administrators from disinviting speakers whom members of the campus community wish to hear from. It establishes a system of disciplinary sanctions for students and anyone else who interferes with the free-speech rights of others, and ensures that students will be informed of those sanctions at freshman orientation. It reaffirms the principle that universities, at the official institutional level, ought to remain neutral on issues of public controversy to encourage the widest possible range of opinion and dialogue within the university itself. And it authorizes a special committee created by the Board of Regents to issue a yearly report to the public, the regents, the governor, and the legislature on the administrative handling of free-speech issues.

The University of North Carolina was able, through its lobbying, to water down the bill in a few respects. According to Stanley, the only noteworthy weakening pertains to punishing students who interfere with free speech on campus. A provision that would have mandated suspension for students twice found responsible for silencing others was struck.

Thus, students, at least in theory, will able to shout down speakers for four years and never face punishment beyond a slap on the wrist. This seems like a serious defect in the law.

As Stanley explains, however, if the university refuses to discipline shout-downs in the wake of passage of this law, the annual report of the Board of Governors will either condemn the refusal to discipline, or the committee will itself be subject to public criticism. A negative report on the administrative handling of discipline would give the Board of Regents a reason to replace administrators, and legislators a reason to cut university funds.

In addition, a university that refuses to discipline students who silence others invites a renewed campaign to pass the mandatory suspension for a second offense.

By the same token, passage of the North Carolina bill tells college administrators in other states that they need to take protecting campus free speech seriously. Otherwise, in many jurisdictions, they face the real prospect of intervention by the legislature.

As Stanley concludes:
Yoga is pairing up with everything these days from wine to goats. The Barnyard Experience at Pampered Pup Luxury Pet Resort will have Yoga with Kittens 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4. The first of a series to benefit local animal rescues, this inaugural class will benefit Kizzys Place. During the hour-long class, as well as after, there will be opportunities for pictures and to spend time with the kittens. Several kittens will be up for adoption. The class has a $30 suggested donation and donated items are welcome. Light food and beverages will be provided, as well. The Pampered Pup is at 2709 Mays Landing Road in Millville. Call 856-327-3880 to reserve a spot. Go to PamperedPupLuxuryPetResort.com or email kizzysplacenj@gmail.com for more info.
A newborn calf in Texas has strikingly similar black-and-white facial markings to KISS frontman Gene Simmons, and the rock star likes their shared look.

Simmons' onstage persona includes face paint, black leather clothing and wild hair. He tweeted his admiration for the calf named Genie, saying, "This is real, folks!!!"

The female calf was born Friday at a ranch near Kerrville, 60 miles northwest of San Antonio, and is named for Simmons.

Casey Affleck's wife files for divorce: Actor Casey Affleck's wife has filed for divorce more than a year after the couple announced their separation.

Summer Phoenix filed the petition Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing "irreconcilable differences."

The 41-year-old Oscar-winning actor and Phoenix were married in June 2006, and the filing states they separated in November 2015. They announced their breakup in March 2016.

The couple has two sons, ages 13 and 9. Phoenix has requested joint legal and physical custody of their two sons.

Updike's Pa. home to become museum: The Pennsylvania childhood home of author John Updike is nearing its transformation into a museum and literary center.

The future of the Shillington home had been uncertain until the John Updike Society purchased it in 2012. Since then, the society has worked to re-create the 1930s vibe of the late Pulitzer Prize winner's home, based on old photographs and Updike's writings.

Updike spent the first 13 years of his life in the Shillington house, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

The Updike Society says restoration should be finished by the end of summer.

Jim Parsons hails 'Young Sheldon' star as 'in control' kid

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP)  Jim Parsons, who plays quirky genius Sheldon Cooper on the CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory," can draw many distinctions between himself and young Iain Armitage, who plays his character as a child on CBS' new spin-off, "Young Sheldon."

Parsons finds Iain much more "in control as a human being" and more mature than he was at age 9.

Hearing Parsons during a TV critics conference on Tuesday, Iain thanked him but graciously replied, "I don't think so."

Laughing, Parsons noted that Iain hadn't known him back then. They have much more in common these days, insisted Parsons, than they ever would have had when he was a youngster.

Parsons as adult Sheldon narrates "Young Sheldon," which premieres Sept. 25. He continues on "The Big Bang Theory," beginning Season 11.

Tom Hiddleston to play 'Hamlet' at tiny London theater

LONDON (AP)  "Thor" star Tom Hiddleston is to play Hamlet on the London stage  but fans will need a bit of luck to get a ticket.

Hiddleston is set to play the moody Danish prince for three weeks in September at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art's 180-seat theater.

The production, directed by Kenneth Branagh, is a fundraiser for the theater school, one of Britain's best. Branagh and Hiddleston are both graduates of RADA.

Hiddleston said Tuesday that he hoped money raised would help the school train theater artists from every background, and "keep the doors open for everyone."

The production runs Sept. 1-23. Tickets will be sold to people chosen at random after entering a ballot , open from Tuesday until 6 p.m. (1700GMT) Sunday.

Stevie Wonder, Green Day to play Global Citizen Festival

NEW YORK (AP)  Stevie Wonder, Green Day, The Killers, The Lumineers and The Chainsmokers will perform at this year's Global Citizen Festival, an annual free event held in New York's Central Park.

Special guests Pharrell Williams, Big Sean, Andra Day and Alessia Cara will also perform at the Sept. 23 event. MSNBC and Comcast NBCUniversal will air a live simulcast of the full concert on MSNBC and MSNBC.com.

There also will be some crossover with the iHeartRadio Music Festival taking place the same weekend, including Big Sean, who will perform on both stages in one night.

Fans can earn their free tickets for admission by joining the movement at globalcitizenfestival.com.

Rowling apologizes for claiming Trump ignored disabled boy

LONDON (AP)  J.K. Rowling has apologized for tweets alleging that U.S. President Donald Trump refused to shake the hand of a disabled boy.

The "Harry Potter" author called Trump "horrible" after seeing footage of the president appearing to ignore the child's outstretched hand during a White House event last week.

But the boy's mother, Marjorie Kelly Weer, posted on Facebook: "Trump didn't snub my son & Monty wasn't even trying to shake his hand."

Rowling, who has often criticized Trump, said she "apologized unreservedly." She tweeted Monday that "I very clearly projected my own sensitivities around the issue of disabled people being overlooked or ignored onto the images I saw."

The author has deleted her original tweets on the subject.
The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office has subpoenaed three Absecon Island towns, which are also under federal investigation, as a criminal probe into city employees health insurance widens.

The county grand jury subpoenas were issued to Atlantic City, Margate and Ventnor on July 28, requesting health insurance information for all police, fire and city employees, a statement from the county Prosecutors Office said Monday. Investigators requested the names, dates of birth and home addresses of those who have Express Scripts, Medco and/or NJ Direct in their health insurance plan, the same information requested in the federal subpoenas.

Atlantic City, Margate and Ventnor received separate federal subpoenas in June requesting the same information.

The county subpoenas are related to a separate Prosecutors Office investigation that is related to potential state offenses, according to Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner.

Ventnor Mayor Beth Holtzman said the city has already supplied the requested information to the Prosecutors Office. According to the subpoena that Ventnor received, it requests that the custodian of records appear before an Atlantic County grand jury Aug. 22.

I would assume they are looking into things from different levels, Holtzman said of the federal and county subpoenas.

Margate Mayor Mike Becker said the rumors associated with the ongoing investigation are getting old, adding the city is in the process of answering the subpoena. Margate has 116 employees.

I dont know how much longer people have to listen to the same rumors, Becker said Monday. I want the process to play itself out, but I wish it would happen sooner.

The subpoenas are part of an effort to conduct an investigation into criminal activity, according to the Facebook statement from the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office.

Over the past few weeks, Margate officials have tried to quell the rumors, laying out health-benefits costs to taxpayers after concerns arose about the possible financial impact to the city.

According to numbers presented by Margate, the total cost of health insurance premiums to the city between 2014 and 2016 has risen from $2.4 million to $2.8 million.

But it wasnt the cost to taxpayers that drew attention. It was the rise in the gross cost of brand-name prescriptions being filled, a burden paid by the insurance plans to the pharmacies.

In 2010, Margate employees filled prescriptions for 2,207 brand-name drugs, with a cost of $539,114. In 2014, 1,265 prescriptions were filled, costing $713,935. But in 2015, 1,394 prescriptions were filled, totaling $3.4 million.

These investigations surfaced as the state attorney general announced charges in a separate case against 18 people in connection with an alleged Atlantic County drug ring.

 Staff Writers Claire Lowe and Nanette LoBiondo Galloway contributed to this report
$103.5M. S.J. Gas project designed to prevent disaster in shore towns during storm

{child_byline}JOHN DeROSIER

Staff Writer

{/child_byline}

OCEAN CITY  Crews from South Jersey Gas huddled around an open gas main Monday for a group photo to cap off a $103.5 million construction project intended to better protect shore-town gas customers during major weather events.

The project, called the Storm Hardening and Reliability Program, or SHARP, converted natural gas distribution mains from a low-pressure to a high-pressure system in several shore towns to prevent utility failures that many customers experienced during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

We had the low-pressure during Hurricane Sandy, and what happened was water and sand got into the system and discontinued service, South Jersey Gas President Dave Robbins said. We wont have that anymore.

The gas company replaced 92 miles of gas-distribution mains in Atlantic and Cape May counties since construction began in 2014. About 11,000 service lines that led to individual homes and businesses were also replaced.

The construction included the replacement of old cast-iron gas lines with new plastic polyethylene lines. Excess flow valves were installed on the new lines, which are designed to automatically shut off gas flow in the event of a line break.

The towns affected were Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, Longport, Ocean City, Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Cape May and West Cape May, according to South Jersey Gas.

The total cost of the project was $103.5 million and it was done in tandem with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Over 400 construction jobs were created to complete the work, officials said.

The project was part of a larger movement in New Jersey to improve resiliency during major storms.

Richard Mroz, the president of the BPU, said there has been about $2.4 billion spent across the state since Sandy to improve gas infrastructure.

Locally, many customers only lost service for a few days.

Joe Donnelly, a 20-year resident of Pacific Avenue in Wildwood Crest, said that while he did not experience any gas problems during Sandy, hes glad the gas company replaced the aging steel pipes with new, more efficient ones.

He said, however, the construction projects were a nuisance in front of his home all spring.

There were steamrollers parked in front of the house for weeks, he said. Im all for repairing infrastructure, but there is a certain way of doing it.

Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said any construction work for the project was justified.

The long-term benefits for our residents and property owners far outweigh the short-term inconveniences of the construction work, he said.

{child_tagline}

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NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Winston & Strawn LLP is pleased to announce the addition of the highly regarded New York-based Latin America Practice from Chadbourne & Parke (now Norton Rose Fulbright). Nine veteran partners and one newly named partner will join Winston's New York office. The group brings significant experience in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financings, private equity and fund formation, joint ventures, corporate reorganizations, and international arbitration and litigation.

Representing U.S. Fortune 500 companies and private equity funds, foreign private issuers, international funds, sovereign and quasi-sovereign entities, and a wide array of other clients, the new Winston group is particularly well known for its work with Latin America-based corporate and private equity clients, U.S.-based clients involved in Latin America, and clients in the Iberian Peninsula. Corporate lawyers Talbert Navia and Allen Miller, who were co-heads of the Latin America Practice at their former firm, lead the team. Talbert and Allen have worked together for over twenty-five years and have led some of the largest and most innovative transactions in the region.

"The addition of this top-notch group of partners with significant leadership experience, combined with the cross-border nature of their work across sectors and practice areas, will enable us to grow our international footprint and provide opportunities to expand our existing relationships with clients in Latin America," said Winston Chairman Tom Fitzgerald. "Collectively, the group has developed a significant client base of leading companies and institutions on the ground in Latin America over the years, as well as a strong network of outstanding local law firms practicing in the region. We are very excited about introducing our Winston clients to this network."

"This group substantially enhances our corporate and litigation practices in New York across multiple disciplines," added Winston Vice-Chairman Michael Elkin. "At the same time, the addition of such a distinguished set of practitioners enables us to pursue a powerful multidisciplinary strategy to expand our Latin America practice across the firm. We are particularly excited about the opportunities arising from the group's deep experience in the energy, infrastructure, and natural resources sectors."

Members of the group are consistently ranked among the leading lawyers practicing in Latin America by Chambers Latin America, Chambers Global, Chambers USA, The Legal 500 Latin America, The Legal 500 Global, and other major directories for work across multiple practice areas, including corporate, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, banking and finance, projects, energy and natural resources, private equity, and fund formation. Within the past five years, members of the group have led numerous transactions that received "Deal of the Year" recognitions in Latin America, including awards and nominations such as "Best Bond of the Year," "Quasi-Sovereign Bond of the Year," "Corporate Finance Deal of the Year," "Equity Deal of the Year" and "M&A Deal of the Year" from publications such as LatinFinance, IFLR, Project Finance International, and IJGlobal.

Talbert, a Harvard Law graduate who is of Colombian descent, has a broad range of experience advising U.S. and Latin America-based corporate and private equity clients. His industry experience includes oil and gas, energy (including renewable energy), infrastructure, mining, telecommunications, real estate, and consumer products. Talbert has been ranked by Chambers Global for the past nine consecutive years for his work in Latin America. He is also regularly ranked by Chambers for his Corporate/M&A work in Latin America, and is recognized as a "Foreign Expert in Latin America" by Chambers USA. Talbert has also been listed in The Legal 500 Latin America since the inaugural issue for his work in Capital Markets and Corporate/M&A. In 2017, Talbert was recognized by Latinvex as one of Latin America's "Top 100 Lawyers." In addition to his legal experience, Talbert was a founder and general partner for seven years at two private equity funds focusing on investments in the U.S. and Latin America.

Allen, a Cornell Law graduate, has extensive experience in Latin America in the energy and natural resources, financial services, media, and consumer products sectors. He has been regularly cited for many years in Chambers Global, Chambers USA, and Chambers Latin America for his M&A and capital markets experience involving Latin America. Allen has also been recognized by The Legal 500 Latin America, U.S. News - Best Lawyers in Corporate Law, and The Legal 500 U.S. for his M&A work. He has also been named numerous times by Latinvex as one of Latin America's "Top 100 Lawyers."

"Winston & Strawn has a wealth of experience on the transactional side advising companies and financial institutions, and a widely recognized international arbitration group in Latin America. Together with our established brand in the region, we will be able to provide more depth of experience and execution capabilities for our clients," said Talbert.

Allen stated: "Winston & Strawn's tier one practices in mergers and acquisitions and capital markets, and its powerhouse litigation and arbitration practices, including in Latin America, provide us an extraordinary platform for our clients."

Julissa Reynoso, a Columbia University Law graduate, joins Talbert and Allen from the disputes side of the practice. Julissa is a litigation and international arbitration partner who served as U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State under President Barrack Obama. Julissa has extensive experience representing sovereigns and corporations in complex, cross-border disputes, including under the ICC, NAFTA and DR-CAFTA. She also represents clients in complex commercial litigations and regulatory investigations. Julissa has broad policy and legal experience throughout Latin America, and also serves on the faculty of Columbia Law School and that university's School of International and Public Affairs. She has been recognized by The Legal 500 Latin America for International Arbitration and by Latinvex as one of the "Top 100 Female Lawyers." In addition, Julissa is the recipient of various public interest awards, including recognition from Columbia University, New York University, North Star Fund, The Legal Aid Society, and Hispanic National Bar Foundation.

Mort Grosz, a Boston University Law graduate with a Masters of Law from New York University, has broad transactional experience, having advised domestic and foreign corporate clients and investment funds in various cross-border matters. Mort regularly represents one of the largest private equity funds exclusively focused on Latin America. He is listed in The Legal 500 U.S. as a "recommended lawyer" for Investment Fund Formation and Management, Private Equity Funds, and M&A/Corporate and Commercial. Mort has also been recognized in The Legal 500 Latin America for his work in Corporate and M&A since the inaugural issue.

Beth Kramer, an American University Law graduate, focuses her practice on the representation of U.S. and non-U.S. asset managers. She advises investment managers on the formation and ongoing management of funds and the regulatory and compliance aspects of their businesses. She also counsels investment companies, private funds, and separately managed accounts. Beth has been regularly recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for her work in Investment Fund Formation and Management.

Scott Naidech, a Temple University Law graduate with a Masters of Law from Georgetown University, has deep experience advising domestic and cross-border clients on fund formation and investment management. He has been consistently recognized by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 U.S. among the top practitioners in fund formation nationwide.

Sey-Hyo Lee, a Columbia University Law graduate, represents U.S. issuers and foreign private issuers on capital markets, securities law, and corporate governance transactions, including complex matters requiring reconciliation of the laws of multiple jurisdictions involving Latin America. He is recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for his work in M&A and Corporate and Commercial.

Claude Serfilippi, a Fordham University Law graduate, represents issuers and underwriters in the sale of equity and debt securities, in both public and private offerings, with an emphasis on high-yield securities offerings, project bonds, and Rule 144A/Regulation S offerings. Claude's mergers and acquisitions practice focuses on advising sellers and purchasers of businesses and assets with particular experience in the energy industry and in emerging markets, including in Latin America and Eastern and Central Europe. Chambers Global ranks Claude as a Foreign Expert for Corporate/M&A.

Kevin Smith, a University of Pennsylvania Law graduate, represents U.S. public and private companies, private equity funds, and other institutions on M&A, securities and corporate governance matters. He also has extensive cross-border experience involving Latin America. Kevin is recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for his work in M&A and Corporate and Commercial.

Marcelo Blackburn, a Yale University Law graduate, represents clients in complex commercial litigation and class actions, international arbitration, and regulatory investigations, including advising Latin American clients on transnational litigation issues. He was recognized by Latinvex as one of "Latin America's Rising Legal Stars." Marcelo was named partner upon joining Winston.

Winston has experienced substantial growth within the past six months through the acquisition of sizeable high-profile lateral groups. Most recently, the firm added 10 partners from McDermott Will & Emery to the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The firm also opened a Dallas office with 26 partners from nine different firms. Other group acquisitions have included a prominent team of capital markets partners in New York in 2016, 21 partners from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in 2015, 22 litigation partners from now defunct Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP in 2012, and 40 intellectual property and commercial litigators in Houston from now defunct Howrey LLP in 2011.

Winston & Strawn LLP is an international law firm with 17 offices located throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. More information about the firm is available at www.winston.com.

Related Links

http://www.winston.com



SOURCE Winston & Strawn LLP
Amir Rubin, Managing Director of AREPA-North America remarked, "I have always been extremely passionate about the value equipment restoration provides to insurers, risk managers and policyholders, and am moreover proud of our TekPro division's technical capabilities, quality and customer service. As we move forward as AREPA, I am incredibly excited, because there is truly not another company in our industry that has the global reach, breadth of technical skill, and sophisticated processes and reporting that we provide to our clients."

Pieter Benschop, Global Executive Director of AREPA, "TekPro Global's reputation in North America for delivering exemplary service and providing industry-leading work product comes as a result of the decades of experience TekPro staff have devoted to the industry of Equipment Restoration." He went on to add, "As we move forward as one brand, AREPA, I am extremely optimistic that this reputation will only be strengthened, and the service we provide to our clients will be enhanced to encompass the full breadth and depth that AREPA offers."

About Envista Forensics

Envista is a global leader in forensic engineering & recovery solutions, providing failure analysis, fire and explosion investigations, digital forensics, accident reconstruction, building consulting, geotechnical engineering, damage evaluations and equipment restoration services following disasters of all kinds. Envista has served the insurance, legal and risk management industries for over 30 years. Their experts travel globally from over 30 offices located across the North America, Latin America, the U.K., Europe, Singapore and Australia.

About AREPA

AREPA is a global provider of comprehensive industrial and high technology equipment restoration services to insurers, loss adjusters, as well as the marine, offshore and wind energy, and manufacturing industries. Based in Silkeborg, Denmark, AREPA has over 130 employees in fifteen locations across Europe and North America.

Media Contact

Jennifer Gaster, Vice President of Marketing

Jennifer.gaster@envistaforensics.com

+1 224 406 9809

Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/507174/Envista_Forensics_Logo.jpg

Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/507173/AREPA_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://envistaforensics.com



SOURCE Envista Forensics
BINGEN, Washington, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Insitu reached a milestone worth celebrating when the company's unmanned platforms  ScanEagle, Integrator and RQ-21A Blackjack  hit a collective one million operational flight hours last week. This event represents the latest achievement in the company's 23 years of professional aviation history.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/540964/Insitu_ScanEagle.jpg

"Insitu's path to one million operational flight hours has been navigated by our why statement, which is 'to pioneer and innovate in all that we do so we positively impact peoples' lives and change the course of history,'" said Ryan M. Hartman, Insitu president and CEO. "Providing our customers with new tools to creatively solve old problems has inspired our culture since the beginning, and it continues to motivate the work we do every day. We're proud to say that we are just as rewarded by our new successes and opportunities as we are inspired by the events that got us to this point  and I believe we are just getting started."

"ScanEagle and RQ-21A Blackjack systems have helped our warfighters save lives and successfully execute missions since 2004. We congratulate Insitu on this incredible milestone," said Col. John Neville, program manager for Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (PMA-263).

Other milestones in the company's history include:

1994  Insitu's founding engineers establish the company to develop their concept of a miniature robotic aircraft.

1998  Insitu's Aerosonde becomes the first-ever unmanned aircraft to perform a successful transatlantic flight

2004  Insitu first deploys ScanEagle in theater in support of the U.S. Marine Corps; the platform has since been in continuous operation with customers across the globe

2009  ScanEagle supports the rescue of Captain Phillips; the mission is later made into a movie starring Tom Hanks

2010  ScanEagle is used in Australia's first trial to determine the utility of UAVs for fauna surveys

first trial to determine the utility of UAVs for fauna surveys 2013  ScanEagle becomes the first unmanned aircraft to conduct an FAA-approved commercial beyond visual line of sight flight in the National Airspace System

2015  ScanEagle conducts the first beyond visual line of sight flight under civilian authority in Denmark

2016  RQ-21A Blackjack achieves full rate production and deploys in support of the 22 nd Marine Expeditionary Unit

Marine Expeditionary Unit 2017 USCGC STRATTON  equipped with ScanEagle  becomes the first cutter to deploy with a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) for an entire patrol

Insitu will celebrate this and other news at a media briefing on August 2. Members of the press who would like to attend, please contact Jenny Beloy.

About Insitu

Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. With offices in the U.S., U.K., and Australia, the company creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and understanding sensor data. We proudly serve the diverse needs of our global customers in the defense, government and commercial industries. To date, our systems have accumulated one million flight hours and 123,000 sorties. Insitu is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. For more information, visit insitu.com. Follow us on Vimeo, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Contact: Jenny Beloy

Insitu Media Relations

+1 509.637.6196

jennifer.beloy@insitu.com

Related Links

http://www.insitu.com



SOURCE Insitu
The Clarity Electric sedan is powered by a 161-horsepower (120-kilowatt) electric motor producing 221 lb.-ft. of torque and drawing power from a 25.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle can be fully charged in just over three hours at 240 volts and when using DC fast charging with the SAE Combined Charging System, it can achieve an 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes. The Clarity Electric has an EPA fuel economy rating of 126/103/114 MPGe (city/highway/combined) 3 and an EPA range rating of 89 miles on a full charge. 3

The Clarity Electric is part of Honda's Clarity series, which includes the Clarity Fuel Cell, launched in December 2016, and the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, launching nationally later this year. Clarity is the first ever vehicle series offering customers an array of electrified powertrain choices in one sophisticated, spacious and comprehensively equipped five-passenger sedan. The Clarity series is part of the Honda Electrification Initiative that sees Honda expand the number and types of electrified vehicles in its product lineup. This initiative also includes a new dedicated hybrid car launching next year and the expanded application of Honda's two-motor hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains to multiple car and light truck models in the future. This initiative contributes to Honda's intention to have two-thirds of its global automobile sales come from electrified vehicles by 2030.

Comfortable, Versatile and Smartly Equipped

The 2017 Honda Clarity Electric sedan is geared toward consumers who desire a spacious, comfortable and affordable sedan that suits their daily driving needs. It is offered in a premium Touring trim and is the only affordable 5-passenger EV sedan with all the technology features, safety features and premium features that consumers expect today.

Unique exterior design elements set the aerodynamic Clarity Electric apart from other Clarity models, including a model-exclusive Cobalt Blue Pearl exterior color, along with differentiated front styling, headlights, tail lamps, and unique 18-inch alloy wheel finish. Like other Clarity models, the Clarity Electric has a spacious interior with comfortable seating for five adults and outfitted with premium, environmentally responsible materials, 8-inch Display Audio with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, and the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies.

For More Information

Additional media information, including high-resolution images of the 2017 Honda Clarity Electric, is available at http://hondanews.com/honda-automobiles/channels/Electric.

About Honda

Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport/utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 34 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2016, more than 95 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

1 Includes down payment with no security deposit. Excludes taxes, registration, license and dealer fees. For well-qualified lessees. Subject to availability to California and Oregon residents on approved credit through Honda Financial Services. Closed end lease for 2017 Honda Clarity Electric for well-qualified lessees. Not all applicants will qualify. No purchase option at lease end. Total monthly payments $9,684. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excessive wear/tear, and 20 cents per mile over 20,000 miles per year. Lease includes Roadside Assistance. Total due at lease signing is $1,999 plus tax and registration and includes first month's payment and capitalized cost reduction of $1,730. Offer subject to change without notice.

2 The Oregon rebate program is anticipated to be operational in 2018, with a waitlist potentially established beforehand; please visit http://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/ZEV-Rebate.aspx for more information. The California rebate program is anticipated to be funded for the 2017-2018 budget year; please visit https://cleanvehiclerebate.org/eng for more information.

3 Based on 2017 model-year EPA ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your MPGe and range will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, lithium-ion battery pack age/condition and other factors.

SOURCE Honda

Related Links

http://www.honda.com


Additionally, through the end of the year 4moms will donate 4% of sales from mamaRoo4 purchases (up to $100,000) in the form of mamaRoo infant seats to Project Sweet Peas , a non-profit organization that supports NICUs and NICU families, as part of its new Project 4 initiative. These mamaRoos will be placed in hospitals and given to families in need throughout the country.

"We've always been a big supporter of NICU families and staff. In fact, the mamaRoo is used in more than 350 hospitals nationwide," says 4moms President Gary Waters. "Doctors and nurses have found it transformational in caring for preemies and babies with severe conditions. When parents can't be there or the NICU staff is too busy, the mamaRoo offers a safe and soothing option for the tiniest, fussiest patients."

"We couldn't be more excited to partner with 4moms on Project 4," says Sarah King, President & CEO of Project Sweet Peas. "The hospitals and families we serve will benefit so much from this generous donation. The mamaRoo is an important part of a family's NICU journey, giving babies that natural motion a parent or nurse would make when they can't be held, and we are so happy that we'll be able to expand the number of patients and families able to use these amazing infant seats."

The mamaRoo4 will retail at $219.99 for the classic version and $249.99 for the plush version, and will be available at buybuy BABY, Babies R Us, Amazon, Target, specialty stores, and on 4moms.com. For more information about Project Sweet Peas and how you can help support Project 4, visit www.4moms.com/Project4.

About 4moms

4moms is a consumer technology company that leverages robotics, technology and innovative design to disrupt and redefine existing industries. The company has transformed the baby gear industry with products like the 4moms mamaRoo infant seat that replicates the bouncing and swaying motions parents make when soothing their babies, the 4moms breeze playard that opens or closes in one simple step, and the 4moms high chair, which uses magnetic technology to make mealtime easier. The company, founded in 2005 and based in Pittsburgh, Penn. currently sells its products at buybuy BABY, Amazon, Target, and Babies R Us. For more information, visit 4moms.com.

SOURCE 4moms

Related Links

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PHILADELPHIA, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE MKT: FAX) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, today announced that it paid on July 31, 2017, a distribution of US $0.035 per share to all shareholders of record as of July 24, 2017.

Your Fund's distribution policy is to provide investors with a stable monthly distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital.

Under U.S. tax rules applicable to the Fund, the amount and character of distributable income for each fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related Rules, the Fund may be required to indicate to shareholders the source of certain distributions to shareholders.

The following table sets forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the Rules adopted thereunder. The table has been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The table includes estimated amounts and percentages for this distribution and for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date (11/01/2016 - 06/30/2017), from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated composition of the distributions may vary from month to month because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.



Estimated

Amounts of

Current

Monthly

Distribution

per share ($) Estimated

Amounts of

Current Monthly

Distribution per

share (%) Estimated

Amounts of Fiscal

Year to Date

Cumulative

Distributions per

share ($) Estimated

Amounts of Fiscal

Year to Date

Cumulative

Distributions per

share (%) Net Investment Income $0.0168 48% $0.1512 48% Net Realized Short-

Term Capital Gains* - - - - Net Realized Long-

Term Capital Gains - - - - Return of Capital $0.0182 52% $0.1638 52% Total (per common

share) $0.0350 100% $0.3150 100%

*includes currency gains

The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income."

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy").

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions in 2017 will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The following table provides information regarding the Fund's total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Fund's annualized and cumulative distribution rates.

Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 06/30/20171 1.22% Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV2 7.64% Fiscal Year to Date (11/01/2016 to 06/30/2017) Cumulative Total Return on NAV1 2.32% Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV2 5.09%

1Return data is net of all fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all

distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of June 30, 2017.

While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market.

Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2010, the Fund may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Fund during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Fund, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the terms of the distribution policy. The final determination of the source of all distributions will be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. The Fund's Board of Directors has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.

Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the NAV of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected]

aberdeenfax.com

SOURCE Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc.

Related Links

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WHEELING, Ill., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AccuQuote, a leader in providing quality, competitive online life insurance quotes, congratulates Jessica Copley, the winner of the 2017 AccuQuote Life Lessons Scholarship.

Since 2005, the Life Lessons Scholarship Program has provided financial assistance to deserving college-ready kids, to help make their dreams of higher education come true. The program is the brainchild of Life Happens, a nonprofit organization dedicated to informing the public on the importance of owning life insurance.

According to a Life Happens press release, the scholarship program "provides financial assistance to students pursuing their dreams of a college education despite having experienced the tremendous loss of a parent or legal guardian who passed away without life insurance."

In 2016, AccuQuote began working with Life Happens to create the AccuQuote Life Lessons Scholarship. Last year's winner was Zachary Kern, who is now attending Purdue University.

The five semifinalists for this year's prize each overcame amazing personal adversity. Each candidate was required to submit either a 500-word essay or a 3-minute video to explain why their life story and future aspirations made them deserving of the scholarship.

This past spring, AccuQuote promoted this event via social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and on our own website (www.accuquote.com). In addition, we also sent out an email to a representative section of our customer base, inviting each email recipient to view the candidates' submitted entries. A link was provided to allow each participant to vote for their favorite candidate.

In her winning essay, Jessica movingly described the tragedy of losing her father while she was so young. Her father took his own life when she was only thirteen years old. To compound the tragedy, her family had no life insurance.

Jessica had to grow up to be a responsible adult practically overnight. This is what she said (in part) in her essay: "My teenage years were ripped away, forcing me to become a parent to my siblings. This could have been avoided if my father would have been insured."

Jessica is currently in her sophomore year, studying Biology at Marshall University in West Virginia. She plans to go to medical school after getting her bachelor's degree.

You can view Jessica's story and video here.

"I'm grateful to AccuQuote and their generous support in the Life Lessons Scholarship Program and I'll continue to share my story with others about the importance of having proper life insurance and financial protection for the future," says Jessica.

AccuQuote would also like to thank everyone involved and everyone who voted, for helping to make this year's AccuQuote Life Lessons Scholarship event such a smashing success.

About AccuQuote

AccuQuote (www.AccuQuote.com) is one of the nation's largest and leading independent life insurance quoting and brokerage firms. Headquartered in Wheeling, IL, the company was founded by one of the America's foremost life insurance experts, Byron Udell, in 1994. His vision was to simplify the life insurance buying experience, and focus on personalized customer service and increased convenience. AccuQuote's newly designed website uses powerful e-commerce innovations to compare hundreds of insurance products. Consumers can easily shop for the best rates from dozens of top-rated insurance companies. With over 90 employees and 200,000 satisfied clients in 50 states over the past 30 years, AccuQuote has placed nearly $100 billion of life insurance in force. Byron Udell has been recognized in USA Today, Consumer Reports, Forbes, BusinessWeek, Money, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and many others.

SOURCE AccuQuote

Related Links

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Sergio Jose Martinez , age 31, having been deported twenty times previously, was arrested in Portland, Oregon on July 24, having broken into the home of a 65-year-old woman, where he raped and beat her, then stole her car, a 2011 Toyota Prius.

The news of the day concerns a repeat offender, so we will begin with the news, then move on to the analysis:

Now held on two million dollars bond, the police and prosecutors are gathering evidence for trial. Mr. Martinez long criminal record includes both felony and misdemeanor convictions over the years, such as repeated border-jumping, burglary, and battery. He is, incidentally, a daily user of methamphetamine.

One might ask why and how he was on the street at all, having been convicted of such crimes in recent years... and been deported, so many, many times.

When Portland had him in jail for a prior crime, last November, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) informed the city of Portland that they were ordered to notify ICE before letting him go, so that ICE could deport him a 21st time. Portland neglected to do so; they just set him free, releasing him back into the community to assault and terrorize this one more innocent victim (and probably others). Being a Sanctuary City, Portland makes it an official practice to refuse to comply with ICE orders.

Constitutional Rights

Among our primary errors in dealing with the rampant crime we see across the country today is that we treat non-citizens as if they have all the same Constitutional rights as citizens do. In fact, they most certainly do not.

We have seen the defense bar grow in power over the past half century or more, as they have mastered such tools as the technicality acquittal and the jury selection process to set guilty criminals free. These are largely due to Constitutional interpretations that cannot be alleviated unless and until a wiser Supreme Court corrects past errors and swings the pendulum back from the criminal toward the victim.

But we dont have to apply such defendant-coddling approaches to non-citizens. By definition, Constitutional rights are protections granted to American citizens. We only extend these rights to others at our discretion. People here with permission, such as green-card holders and foreigners with tourist and work visas should receive largely similar treatment as US citizens, with the withdrawal of such visas being among the potential penalties available if guilt is determined.

And for people who arent here with our permission there is no need to extend our Constitutional rights to them at all. If they arent here with our permission, we have every right to deport them immediately upon apprehension. We may not choose to, because border-jumping is so easy in the modern world, but we have every right to do so. Without our permission to be here, they can be ejected.

But our problem isnt just when a foreigner is here without permission. Many illegals are decent, law-abiding people whose parents brought them here illegally, as children, through no fault of their own, for example. Our problem is the risk and cost to our society of the hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, whom we call criminal illegals. These are the drunk or high drivers who kill people in car crashes, the muggers and rapists who assault victims in alleys or their own apartments, the terrorists who come to infect our towns with sharia-held enclaves, the drug dealers and gang members who terrorize our big cities.

As illegal aliens, there is no reason to give them the soft hand of a republican court system; we can and should give them the firm hand of an authoritarian government instead.

If we normally give a convicted citizen mugger a year in jail, give the illegal alien mugger ten. If we normally give a convicted citizen rapist five years in jail, give the illegal alien rapist thirty. If we normally give a drug dealer and gangland killer twenty years, give the illegal alien killer the death penalty.

And there is no reason for them to have the gentle, criminal-coddling court procedures either. We have, for example, a Code of Military Justice in the Armed Services; there is plenty of precedent for different types of courtroom rules for different classes already. We may not be able to do anything about the technicality acquittal when the thug is a citizen, but its time to stop allowing border-jumping rapists to use the same tools.

It is high time we set a separate code for all criminal prosecutions of illegal aliens. Be certain of guilt, of course that goes without saying but we can and must put an end to the technicality acquittals, endless appeals, ridiculously short sentences, and revolving door jurisprudence in general at least as far as illegal aliens are concerned.

The Sanctuary City

In ancient and medieval times, there was an honorable concept in place: the idea that a person who feared the powers that be  a person certain of being killed in pursuit so that he would never have a fair trial  could rush to the altar of the nearest church and claim Sanctuary. If he could make it to that altar, and grip the corners with both hands, he would be protected by the church and be guaranteed fair procedures.

Does this need apply today?

We already have a solid criminal justice system. We arrest people and let them go, we prosecute them and let them go, we even convict them and let them go. The porous nature of our criminal justice system is a well-known fact around the world. With the very rare exception of a dirty cop  and yes, in a population as large as the police officers, sheriffs and deputies of American law enforcement, there probably are some  criminals have no reason to fear our criminal justice system.

The time-honored concept of Sanctuary would indeed be useful in many countries, but this isnt one of them.

By contrast, the modern American Left has twisted the concept of Sanctuary into a new and different meaning, utterly foreign to the original intent of the word. They now use it as a tool to oppose our national immigration and invasion laws.

So we have cities like Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas and so many more that have formally declared themselves Sanctuary Cities, under the modern definition: a city in which the police force has been directed by the mayor and city council to obstruct federal immigration enforcement efforts to release known illegal aliens to go so far as to publicly invite illegals into their city limits, where they will be protected.

How on earth does such a position help the constituents of such mayors and aldermen?

A Sanctuary City designation draws unskilled laborers to compete with the local working class population for scant employment opportunities

It draws costly welfare recipients to deplete their already stretched coffers

it draws gang members and other criminals to terrorize their local communities

it fills their courts with robbers and rapists and dealers and killers

and it fills their public hospitals with the victims of their muggings, their knifings, their rapes, their overdoses, and their shootings.

Why then would any sane politician support it? Why on earth do these Democratic Party strongholds insist on such a dangerous and costly process, so clearly destructive to their constituents?

Because they vote.

Its illegal, of course, but these are cities of vote fraud, cities in which everyone gets to vote, once, twice, five times, ten, as long as they vote the way thats expected. And so they do.

Those of us who live in Cook County, Illinois, are watching all our taxes go up this summer: a one-third increase in the state income tax, continued annual skyrocketing of our property taxes, even a new beverage tax each one another few hundred dollars a year or more. Many lower middle class Illinoisans and up will see their tax bite rise by over a thousand dollars this year for many of them, it will be many thousands.

The multitude of illegal aliens in Chicagoland  and the massive costs that their presence brings  is among the primary drivers of these crippling problems.

The Immigrant Population and the Porous Borders of the Modern World

We are told that all immigrants are the same, that people are people, and we should welcome them all into our communities, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Immigrants who come legally, waiting their turn to obtain visas, then living in the light of day, are often wonderful people, hard workers, decent people who seek the opportunities promised by Americas Founding Fathers. Legal immigrants tend to be honest folks dedicated to the rule of law, people who fled nations of poverty and corruption to be a part of a nation in which hard work can bring prosperity and honor.

But immigrants who come illegally are a much more diverse bunch. They include the less literate, the sicker or weaker, those often with drug history, tuberculosis, or other illnesses or chronic weaknesses of the worst of the third world. Not that we shouldnt feel sorry for them  of course we should  but immigration law should not be based on charity at the expense of American citizens.

The illegal immigrant population often includes people who have already been deported, once, twice, five times, ten times. It includes gang members, gang recruiters, gang leaders, ready to further the infestation of our cities so they become ever more like the home countries they left. MS-13 is the group in the news today, but there are so many mafias like it, from countries on almost every continent. Our visa process may not catch them all, but it catches many. A porous border, of course, renders such efforts useless.

This is not to say that all legal immigrants are great, or that all illegal immigrants are criminals. Like any large group, they are a mix

But we can safely assume that the vast majority of legal immigrants, having entered the right way, will match the existing population of the Americans with whom they hope to assimilate.

And we can make no such assumption about the illegals.

All we can do is look at the cities, and study the statistics, and recognize the unbelievable cost of our porous border. Cities in flames, ravaged by foreign drugs and gangland control. Cities in poverty, as businesses flee the crime to safer suburbs or even safer states. Cities in bankruptcy, as the cost of a safety net becomes unbearable as endless patients are imported to fill the public hospitals, as endless occupants are imported to fill public housing, as endless indigents are imported to fill the soup kitchens, as endless killers are imported to keep on filling the city morgues.

And what of our great idea, this marvelous concept that America is a wonderful melting pot, in which the diversity of our people will help to conquer natural bigotry and help bring groups together?

Every time another Sergio Jose Martinez makes the news, our nation is driven farther apart.

It is time to stand up for the honest immigrants, the honest citizens, the honest tourists, the honest workers.

It is time to stand up for Americans  both those born here and those who arrived legally  and make the streets safe for them all, once again.

It is time to enforce the law, and prosecute the outlaws  the border-jumpers, the drug dealers, the robbers and rapists and killers.

And what about the mayors and city councils, the aldermen and trustees, who invite such criminals in, to terrorize, endanger, and impoverish their own communities, just for the political benefit of a certain voting block?

They are the most guilty of them all.

Copyright 2017 John F. Di Leo

John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based trade compliance lecturer, writer, and actor. As a Chicago Italian, he knows something about the prejudices sometimes held against a known criminal immigrant element and its broader ethnic group and he knows that fighting crime is more important than worrying about feelings. You dont give the Camorra and the Ndrangheta a break just because you dont want to hurt the feelings of southern Italians; hopefully, society understands the difference between honest immigrants and criminal ones, and treats each as they deserve.

Permission is hereby granted to forward freely, provided it is uncut and the IR URL and byline are included.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 25 percent of people in the U.S. volunteered in 2015. However, studies on health and volunteering show that people who volunteer report feeling emotionally, mentally and physically better. Multiple studies show that volunteering has been linked to lower stress levels, lower levels of depression and longevity.

If that's not incentive enough, lending support to organizations in your community can often bring immediate and tangible results that give you a connection and sense of community. There are some programs that even enable people to make a difference by matching them with volunteer or funding opportunities. One example is the America's Farmers Grow Communities program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund.

"It's exciting to see communities strengthened by their residents," said Angela Allen, program manager for the America's Farmers Grow Communities program, which focuses on supporting local nonprofits in rural communities with the help of local farmers. "The good news is there are several simple and easy ways people can get involved in their communities and make a difference."

Here are five ways that you can lend a hand:

Volunteering. Nonprofit organizations rely on the support of loyal donors and volunteers to deliver on their missions to improve the communities they serve. Time and talent are among the most valuable gifts you can give a deserving cause. One of the greatest benefits of volunteering is the chance to put your energy and abilities to use for a cause you care about, whether it's feeding the hungry, rescuing animals or some other cause that is close to your heart. Volunteering provides a feel-good way to pursue your personal interests.

Giving blood. According to the American Red Cross, every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. There is an ongoing need to replenish a communities' blood supplies, whether for medical uses or in the aftermath of a tragedy. Giving blood is fast, relatively painless and can save lives.

Donating. Money doesn't make the world go 'round, or so the saying goes. However, it can make a difference when it comes to bettering the community. Nonprofit and community organizations rely on monetary contributions not only to fulfill their existing program needs, but also to expand those services to impact more people. Rather than a single, one-time gift, consider setting up an ongoing donation so your impact continues over time. For small or rural nonprofits in particular, a little bit goes a long way. Another touching way to donate funds: give in honor of a loved one, either as a gift for a special occasion or in memoriam. Rather than giving your parents a gift for Mother's Day or Father's Day, think about a small donation to their favorite charity.

Applying for funding opportunities. Another way to help your community thrive is by exploring avenues to create new funding opportunities for nonprofits. For example, the America's Farmers Grow Communities program provides farmers an opportunity to help a nonprofit of their choice. Eligible farmers can enroll in the program until Nov. 1 at GrowCommunities.com for a chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a local eligible nonprofit organization. Since 2010, the program has given more than $26 million to nonprofits, including food banks, emergency response organizations, youth agriculture programs and more.

Paying it forward. Not every step you take in support of your community has to be a large one. In fact, the ripple effect of a series of smaller deeds can have a truly momentous impact. You can set the feel-good wheels in motion in your own community by simply thinking about a time when someone generously gave their own resources to benefit you and paying forward that kindness with a matching endeavor. You might let a frenzied mom go ahead of you in line at the grocery store or pay for a meal for the elderly couple behind you at the drive-thru. Small gestures spread a feel-good spirit that can encourage others to do their part to make the community a better place, as well.

These are just a few ways that you can give back. Get out and meet with your friends and neighbors in your community to discover how you can best use your time and talents to help the greater good.

How Much Should I Give?

Many community organizations find that donors struggle with the question of how much they should contribute. Donors want to give enough to make an impact, but may fear what they can afford is too small an amount to be meaningful. Small nonprofits will tell you that no donation is too small. If you're uncertain, though, don't hesitate to ask. Most organizations can offer guidance at every giving level so you can feel confident your gift will truly make a difference.

Be a Star Volunteer

Volunteers are the driving force for many community causes. Get your start as a volunteer with these tips:

1. Identify a cause or organization that strikes a personal chord. Investing personally helps ensure you genuinely enjoy the time and means you're more likely to give your best effort.

2. Explore what you can give. It may be basic labor like sorting donated items, making calls or stuffing envelopes, but there could also be room to lend your own special skills or talents, such as bookkeeping or artistry.

3. Approach your volunteer role as you would a paying job. Meet with leaders beforehand to gain a clear understanding of mutual objectives, organize a work schedule and deliver on your commitments.

4. Invite friends or family to join you to make giving back to your community an experience you can share together.

Michael French

[email protected]

1-888-824-3337

editors.familyfeatures.com

About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free  with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information.

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LONDON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Active Protection Systems Market: Overview



Active Protection System (APS) can shoot down and interrupt different number of threats such as anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades with accuracy with minimum collateral damage. Active Protection System (APS) can also provide protection from these threats in various mission applications, such as fixed sites, ships and combat vehicles among others.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5038762/



Increase in the demand of land based defense system such as air and missile defense is boosting the market for active protection systems market. There are numerous major factors fueling the land based missile and air defense system such as use of strategic system and long range in conventional targets and ballistic missile. In addition, growing demand for ballistic missile defense system is the other factor driving the market in the coming years.



The collective efforts from the United States and South Korean government to grow the land based air and missile defense in South Korea is boosting the demand of active protection systems market. Likewise, India and China's increasing demand towards the growth of missile defense system are anticipated to drive the active protection system market. However, clashes between several countries in Asia Pacific and Middle East are estimated to drive the market for short rang segment which in turn helping to boost the market for the active protection systems during the forecast period of 2017  2025.



Global Active Protection Systems Market: Segmentation



Naval, land and airborne are the various product types of the active protection system market. In 2016, land segment is the major market for active protection system followed by airborne and expected to be the same for the forecast period. The land segment is also growing at the high CAGR for the forecast period. Increasing threats from terrorist and cyber-attacks is one of the major factor driving the demand of land segment in active protection systems market for the forecast period of 2017  2025.



The active protection system market has been segmented on the basis of system types into radar decoy, electro-optics jammers, infrared decoy, directed energy, light weapon defense, rocket/missile based and others. In 2016, radar decoy segment dominated the market followed by infrared decoy segment and expected to be the same for the forecast period of 2017  2025. Increase in the terrorist activities and increase in the investment in military segment by developing countries are some of the major factor boosting the market for the radar decoy segment in active protection system market.



The active protection system market has been segmented on the basis of end users into homeland security and defense. In 2016, defense segment dominated the market followed by homeland security segment and is expected to continue in the coming years. Increasing demand of land based defense, increasing demand for advanced weapon and increase in the terrorist activities are some of the major factor driving the market for the defense segment in active protection systems market for the forecast period of 2017  2025.



Global Active Protection Systems Market: Geographical Analysis



The geographical split of the market includes North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. In 2016, North America dominated the market followed by Europe and is expected to continue in the coming years. The U.S. is the key market for the active protection systems market for North America region as well as globally. Replacement of old technology with new advanced technology is major factor boosting the market for the U.S. active protection systems for the forecast period of 2017  2025.



Europe is expected to grow at a sluggish rate for the forecast period of 2017  2025. The U.K. is expected to be the key market for the active protection system market in Europe region. Modernization of the defense equipment is one of the major factor boosting the market for the active protection systems in the U.K.



Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR for the forecast period. Increase in the demand of land based defense and increase in the investment in defense are some of the major factor boosting the demand of active protection systems market for the forecast period of 2017  2025. China is expected to be the major market for Asia Pacific active protection system market. In addition, China held the largest share for the active protection systems market in Asia Pacific in 2016. It is also expected to experience healthy growth in the coming years. Geopolitical instabilities is the major factor boosting the market for the active protection systems in China during the forecast period of 2017  2025.



Global Active Protection Systems Market: Competitive Analysis



Key players profiled in this report include The Raytheon Company (United States), SAAB AB (Sweden), KONSTRUKTORSKOYE BYURO MASHYNOSTROYENIYA (Russia), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. (Israel), Airbus Group (Netherlands), Rheinmetall AG (Germany), Safran Electronics & Defence (France), Aselsan A.S. (Turkey), Artis, LLC (United States) and Israel Military Industries (Israel).



The segments covered in the active protection system market are as follows:



Global Active Protection System Market: By Platform



Naval

Land

Airborne



Global Active Protection System Market: By System Type



Radar Decoy

Electro-Optics Jammers

Infrared Decoy

Directed Energy

Light Weapon Defense

Rocket/Missile Based

Others



Global Active Protection System Market: By End User



Defense

Homeland Security



Global Active Protection System Market: By Geography



North America

U.S.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

U.K.

Germany

France

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

India

China

Japan

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

Brazil

Rest of Latin America

Middle East and Africa

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia

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About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

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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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Founded in 2010 by Terri Meyer and Sandy Greenberg, and now 43 employees strong with top clients including Gerber, The Walt Disney Company, Wyndham Hotels and Avon, Terri & Sandy was called out for its growth, innovative spirit and impactful creative work over the past year.

Terri & Sandy has been honored twice before by Ad Age's Small Agency Awards. In 2015, the shop was named Small Agency of the Year Northeast Gold, and last year, nabbed Silver in the Pro Bono Campaign of the Year category for their "Educating the Exceptional" campaign for Bridges Academy.

"Seven years ago we were just two entrepreneurs working day and night on my living room couch," remarks Terri Meyer, CEO of Terri & Sandy. "I didn't dream of a trophy; I dreamed of not becoming an agoraphobic. So we're pretty thrilled to be named Ad Age's Best Small Agency in America. We will keep looking for opportunities to slay the giants."

About Terri & Sandy

Founded in 2010 by former Madison Avenue creative directing duo, Terri Meyer and Sandy Greenberg, Terri & Sandy is an independent advertising agency that brings clients big agency expertise faster, smarter and more efficiently. Clients include: Avon, The Walt Disney Company, Freshpet, Gerber, Hain Celestial, Phonak, Wyndham Hotels, and Just Born Quality Confections. Terri & Sandy has been celebrated across the industry award circuit, was ranked fourth Most Effective Independent Agency in North America on the Global Effie Index, and was named the 2017 Small Agency of the Year by Ad Age. For more information visit http://www.terrisandy.com.

SOURCE Terri & Sandy
DALLAS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alerian reported index linked product positions of $16.8 billion as of June 30, 2017. Linked products include exchange-traded funds, exchange-traded notes, return of capital notes, variable insurance portfolios, and mutual funds.

Below is a full list of energy master limited partnership (MLP) positions, as of June 30, 2017, in products linked to the Alerian Index Series.

Ticker Exposure in

Alerian Linked-

Products ($) Exposure in

Alerian Linked-

Products (Units)

Ticker Exposure in

Alerian Linked-

Products ($) Exposure in

Alerian Linked-

Products (Units) AM 282,802,916 8,523,295

MPLX 1,014,844,119 30,384,554 ANDX 421,723,282 8,158,702

NBLX 12,972,135 285,730 APU 62,381,723 1,381,043

NGL 173,101,549 12,364,396 ARLP 16,132,180 853,554

NS 408,329,122 8,756,790 BPL 992,806,324 15,529,584

NSH 322,417 13,187 BWP 248,555,815 13,800,989

OKS 968,203,967 18,958,370 CEQP 22,909,056 974,853

PAA 1,219,888,733 46,436,572 CQP 30,428,661 939,156

PAGP 5,714,679 218,451 DCP 339,167,628 10,025,647

PSXP 239,501,098 4,846,238 DM 28,591,340 991,034

RMP 162,256,694 8,137,246 EEP 381,522,672 23,845,167

SEP 373,557,844 8,707,642 ENBL 28,417,463 1,782,777

SHLX 296,804,983 9,795,544 ENLC 3,910,177 222,169

SMLP 18,195,403 803,329 ENLK 305,243,326 17,997,838

SPH 28,859,633 1,213,099 EPD 2,058,294,321 76,007,914

SUN 32,852,977 1,073,276 EQGP 309,314 10,259

TCP 315,760,382 5,741,098 EQM 484,482,865 6,491,798

TEGP 5,222,928 205,385 ETE 5,992,533 333,660

TEP 256,135,816 5,113,512 ETP 1,640,096,313 80,436,308

TGP 16,657,775 1,085,197 GEL 376,989,147 11,881,158

VLP 20,368,389 446,284 GLOP 12,531,556 553,270

WES 621,041,325 11,101,919 GMLP 19,408,326 967,032

WGP 670,376 15,583 HEP 26,605,584 819,137

WNRL 14,020,371 546,603 MMLP 11,191,048 637,667

WPZ 1,123,464,551 28,009,587 MMP 1,590,283,679 22,313,507









About Alerian

Alerian equips investors to make informed decisions about Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and energy infrastructure. Its benchmarks, including the flagship Alerian MLP Index (AMZ), are widely used by industry executives, investment professionals, research analysts, and national media to analyze relative performance. As of July 31, 2017, nearly $17 billion was directly tied to the Alerian Index Series through exchange-traded funds and notes, separately managed accounts, and structured products. For more information, including index values and constituents, research content, and announcements regarding rebalancings, please visit alerian.com.

SOURCE Alerian

Related Links

http://www.alerian.com


FCA US LLC's 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan has won the full-vehicle category in the fifth annual Altair Enlighten Awards for innovation in automotive lightweighting.

Engineers blended high-strength steels, aluminum and magnesium to craft a body structure that is 168 pounds lighter than that of the minivan model it replaced in FCA US showrooms. The total vehicle weight differential is nearly 250 pounds.

"The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is a testament to our team's engineering capability," said Phil Jansen, Head of Product Development  FCA North America. "It's not only lighter than the vehicle it replaced; it's longer, wider and more efficient. The Pacifica has also earned superior safety ratings and widespread media acclaim. We are proud to add the Altair Enlighten Award to its list of team achievements."

Weight reduction is a key contributor to improved fuel economy. In highway driving, the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica earns a best-in-class rating of 28 miles per gallon (mpg) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Its combined city/highway rating of 22-mpg is unsurpassed in the minivan segment, while the all-new vehicle's unique construction also benefits the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.

With an EPA rating of 84 miles-per-gallon-equivalent (MPGe), the Pacifica's electrified twin rewrote the record books as the industry's most efficient minivan of all time.

Against this backdrop, the Pacifica  which is longer and wider and seats one additional occupant, compared with its predecessor  earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, along with a five-star crash rating from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Among the innovative aspects of the new Pacifica's design is its tailor-welded-blank door structure, which utilizes ultra high-strength hot-stamped steel, and its hydroformed loadbeams, also made from ultra high-strength steel. These and other advances enhance crashworthiness and contribute to torsional stiffness that is 88 percent greater than that of the vehicle it replaces.

In addition, the all-new Pacifica minivan also makes strategic use of aluminum. Its hood and sliding doors are made of the lightweight material.

Further, the Pacifica's liftgate comprises an aluminum outer panel bonded to a cast-magnesium inner panel  one of the largest cast-magnesium automotive components in high-volume production. The combination of the two materials contribute to weight savings of 18.5 pounds per vehicle.

With today's presentation of the Altair Enlighten Award at CAR's Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid have received a combined total of more than 50 honors, including North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

About Altair

Founded in 1985, Altair is focused on the development and application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance. Privately held with more than 2,600 employees, Altair is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA with more than 67 offices throughout 23 countries, and serves more than 5,000 corporate clients across broad industry segments. To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.

About CAR

The Center for Automotive Research is a non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its mission is to conduct research on significant issues related to the future direction of the global automotive industry, organize and conduct forums of value to the automotive community and foster industry relationships. For more information, visit the CAR website: www.cargroup.org.

About Chrysler Brand

The Chrysler brand has delighted customers with distinctive designs, craftsmanship, intuitive innovation and technology all at an extraordinary value since the company was founded in 1925.

Whether it is the family-room-on-wheels functionality of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica minivan, the groundbreaking, bold design of the Chrysler 300, or the simple elegance and extraordinary driving experience of the Chrysler 200, Chrysler brand vehicles reward the passion, creativity and sense of accomplishment of its owners. Beyond just exceptionally designed vehicles, the Chrysler brand has incorporated thoughtful features into all of its products, such as the innovative center console with pass through storage and sliding cup holders in the Chrysler 200, the industry-exclusive Stow 'n Go seating and storage system on the Chrysler Pacifica and the fuel-saving Fuel Saver Technology in the Chrysler 300.

The Chrysler brand's succession of innovative product introductions continues to solidify the brand's standing as the leader in design, engineering and value. The premium for the Chrysler brand is in the product, not the price.

Follow Chrysler brand and FCA US news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com

Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com

Chrysler brand: www.chrysler.com

Chrysler blog: blog.chrysler.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrysler or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrysler or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter: www.twitter.com/chrysler or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/chrysler or www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo

SOURCE FCA US LLC

Related Links

http://www.fcanorthamerica.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- alliantgroup Managing Director Michael Siegel will be hosting a free webinar entitled "Technology Takeover: Tax Credits for your SDLC Activities" on Wednesday, August 9th at 12:00 pm CT. During this presentation, Siegel will discuss why software and technology companies that are following software design life cycle (SDLC) processes are excellent candidates for the Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit.

Over the years, the R&D Tax Credit has evolved for the benefit of software and technology companies, with new legislation and regulations having greatly expanded access to the credit. This valuable government incentive now rewards companies that are hiring technical workers and performing technical activities here in the U.S., and due to the nature of their everyday projects, software and technology companies are well-positioned to claim the R&D Tax Credit.

During this webinar, Siegel will discuss the types of activities that qualify and the best practices for software and technology companies seeking to claim the full value they are entitled to from the credit.

"I would highly encourage CEOs, presidents, partners and other executives in the software and tech space to attend this presentation," said alliantgroup CEO, Dhaval Jadav. "Software and technology companies are some of the absolute best candidates for the R&D Tax Credit, yet time and again we see these businesses overlook this opportunity and leave immense value on the table. This presentation will cover why so many software and technology companies stand to benefit from the credit."

alliantgroup is a leading tax consultancy with a core mission of education and awareness. Our firm helps U.S. businesses and their CPAs identify and properly claim all available federal and state tax credits, deductions and incentives. To date, alliantgroup has assisted over 20,000 American businesses in claiming over $5 billion in government-sponsored tax incentives. Headquartered in Houston, alliantgroup has offices in cities across the country including in New York, Chicago, Irvine, Boston, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Orlando and Washington, D.C. For more information, please follow alliantgroup on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

David Rosen

alliantgroup

713-350-3167

[email protected]

SOURCE alliantgroup

Related Links

https://www.alliantgroup.com


INDIANAPOLIS, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ALSN), the largest global provider of commercial duty fully-automatic transmissions, today reported net sales for the second quarter of $580 million, a 22 percent increase from the same period in 2016. The increase in net sales was principally driven by higher demand in the Service Parts, Support Equipment & Other and Global On-Highway end markets.

Net Income for the quarter was $95 million compared to $61 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the quarter was $225 million, or 38.8 percent of net sales, compared to $173 million, or 36.5 percent of net sales, for the same period in 2016. Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities for the quarter was $166 million compared to $170 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the quarter was $154 million compared to $157 million for the same period in 2016.

Lawrence E. Dewey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Allison Transmission commented, "Allison's second quarter 2017 results exceeded the full year guidance ranges we provided to the market on April 26 principally driven by stronger than anticipated demand for North America service parts and North America On-Highway products. Allison demonstrated solid operating margins and free cash flow while executing its well-defined approach to capital structure and allocation. During the second quarter, we settled $124 million of share repurchases and paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. Given second quarter 2017 results and current end markets conditions, we are updating our full year 2017 net sales guidance to an increase in the range of 15 to 17 percent."

Second Quarter Net Sales by End Market

End Market Q2 2017 Net Sales ($M) Q2 2016 Net Sales ($M) % Variance North America On-Highway $299 $264 13% North America Hybrid-Propulsion Systems for

Transit Bus $15 $16 (6%) North America Off-Highway $5 $1 400% Defense $30 $28 7% Outside North America On-Highway $85 $74 15% Outside North America Off-Highway $10 $3 233% Service Parts, Support Equipment & Other $136 $89 53% Total Net Sales $580 $475 22%

Second Quarter Highlights

North America On-Highway end market net sales were up 13 percent from the same period in 2016 principally driven by higher demand for Rugged Duty Series, Highway Series and Transit/Other Bus models partially offset by lower demand in Pupil Transport/Shuttle models and up 17 percent on a sequential basis principally driven by higher demand for Rugged Duty Series, Highway Series and Pupil Transport/Shuttle models.

North America Hybrid-Propulsion Systems for Transit Bus end market net sales were down $1 million from the same period in 2016 and down $5 million sequentially, in both cases principally driven by the timing of certain transit property orders.

North America Off-Highway end market net sales were up $4 million from the same period in 2016 and up $4 million on a sequential basis, in both cases principally driven by higher demand from hydraulic fracturing applications.

Defense end market net sales were up $2 million from the same period in 2016 and up $3 million sequentially, in both cases principally driven by higher demand for Tracked Defense.

Outside North America On-Highway end market net sales were up 15 percent from the same period in 2016 and up 18 percent on a sequential basis in both cases principally driven by higher demand in Asia and Europe.

Outside North America Off-Highway end market net sales were up $7 million from the same period in 2016 and up $4 million sequentially, in both cases principally driven by improved demand in the China energy sector.

Service Parts, Support Equipment & Other end market net sales were up 53 percent from the same period in 2016 principally driven by higher demand for North America Off-Highway service parts, North America On-Highway service parts and Global Support Equipment, and up 15 percent on a sequential basis principally driven by higher demand for North America Off-Highway service parts and Global Support Equipment.

Gross profit for the quarter was $290 million, an increase of 28 percent from $227 million for the same period in 2016. Gross margin for the quarter was 50.0 percent, an increase of 220 basis points from a gross margin of 47.8 percent for the same period in 2016. The increase in gross profit from the same period in 2016 was principally driven by increased net sales and price increases on certain products partially offset by higher incentive compensation expense and higher manufacturing expense commensurate with increased net sales.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter were $88 million, an increase of $10 million from $78 million for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by higher incentive compensation expense, increased commercial activities spending and higher stock-based compensation expense.

Engineering  research and development expenses for the quarter were $25 million, an increase of $3 million from $22 million for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by higher incentive compensation expense and increased product initiatives spending.

Net income for the quarter was $95 million compared to $61 million for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by increased gross profit partially offset by increased income tax expense, increased selling, general and administrative expense, increased technology-related investment expense and increased engineering  research and development expense.

Second Quarter Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $225 million, or 38.8 percent of net sales, compared to $173 million, or 36.5 percent of net sales, for the same period in 2016. The increase was principally driven by increased net sales and price increases on certain products partially offset by higher incentive compensation expense, higher manufacturing expense commensurate with increased net sales, increased commercial activities spending and increased product initiatives spending.

Adjusted Free Cash Flow for the quarter was $154 million compared to $157 million for the same period in 2016, a decrease of $3 million. The decrease was principally driven by increased accounts receivable commensurate with increased net sales, increased cash income taxes and increased cash interest expense partially offset by increased gross profit, higher accounts payable and decreased capital expenditures.

Full Year 2017 Guidance Update

Our updated full year 2017 guidance includes a year-over-year net sales increase in the range of 15 to 17 percent, Adjusted EBITDA margin in the range of 35.5 to 36.5 percent, Adjusted Free Cash Flow in the range of $485 to $505 million, capital expenditures in the range of $85 to $95 million, which includes maintenance spending of approximately $80 million, and cash income taxes in the range of $80 to $90 million.

Allison's full year 2017 net sales guidance reflects stronger demand for North America Off-Highway service parts, North America On-Highway products and Global Off-Highway products. Our full year 2017 net sales outlook also assumes price increases on certain products.

Although we are not providing specific third quarter 2017 guidance, Allison does expect third quarter net sales to be up from the same period in 2016 principally driven by increased demand for North America On-Highway products, North America Off-Highway service parts and Global Off-Highway products.

Conference Call and Webcast

The company will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 1 to discuss its second quarter 2017 results. The dial-in number is 1-201-689-8470 and the U.S. toll-free dial-in number is 1-877-407-9039. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available online at http://ir.allisontransmission.com.

For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available from 11:00 a.m. ET on August 1 until 11:59 p.m. ET on August 8. The replay dial-in number is 1-844-512-2921 and the international replay dial-in number is 1-412-317-6671. The replay passcode is 13664901.

About Allison Transmission

Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is the world's largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and is a leader in hybrid-propulsion systems for city buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including refuse, construction, fire, distribution, bus, motorhomes, defense and energy. Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and employs approximately 2,600 people worldwide. With a market presence in more than 80 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Hungary and India. Allison also has approximately 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including all statements regarding future financial results. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plans," "project," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "forecast," "could," "potential," "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar terms or phrases. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks. Factors which may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made include, but are not limited to: risks related to our substantial indebtedness; uncertainty in the global regulatory and business environments in which we operate; our participation in markets that are competitive; the highly cyclical industries in which certain of our end users operate; the failure of markets outside North America to increase adoption of fully-automatic transmissions; the concentration of our net sales in our top five customers and the loss of any one of these; future reductions or changes in government subsidies for hybrid vehicles and other external factors impacting demand; U.S. defense spending; general economic and industry conditions; the discovery of defects in our products, resulting in delays in new model launches, recall campaigns and/or increased warranty costs and reduction in future sales or damage to our brand and reputation; our ability to prepare for, respond to and successfully achieve our objectives relating to technological and market developments, competitive threats and changing customer needs; risks associated with our international operations; labor strikes, work stoppages or similar labor disputes, which could significantly disrupt our operations or those of our principal customers; our intention to pay dividends and repurchase shares of our common stock and other risks and uncertainties associated with our business described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. All information is as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in expectations.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains information about Allison's financial results which are not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). Such non-GAAP financial measures are reconciled to their closest GAAP financial measures at the end of this press release. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for our reported results prepared in accordance with GAAP and, as calculated, may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies.

This press release also contains forward-looking estimates of non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Adjusted Free Cash Flow for fiscal year 2017. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of our forward-looking estimate of non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA Margin to a forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Income because certain information needed to make a reasonable forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Income is difficult to predict and estimate and is often dependent on future events which may be uncertain or outside of our control. These may include unanticipated charges related to asset impairments (fixed assets, investments, intangibles or goodwill) and unanticipated non-recurring items not reflective of ongoing operations. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of our forward-looking estimate of non-GAAP Adjusted Free Cash Flow to a forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities because certain information needed to make a reasonable forward-looking estimate of GAAP Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities is difficult to predict and estimate and is often dependent on future events which may be uncertain or outside of our control. These may include unanticipated non-recurring items.

Attachment

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited, dollars in millions, except per share data)





















Three months ended June 30,

Six months ended June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016

















Net sales

$ 580

$ 475

$ 1,079

$ 937 Cost of sales

290

248

538

495 Gross profit

290

227

541

442 Selling, general and administrative

88

78

167

161 Engineering - research and development

25

22

48

43 Operating income

177

127

326

238 Interest expense, net

(27)

(28)

(52)

(62) Other expense, net

(4)

-

(1)

- Income before income taxes

146

99

273

176 Income tax expense

(51)

(38)

(95)

(67) Net income

$ 95

$ 61

$ 178

$ 109 Basic earnings per share attributable to common

stockholders

$ 0.63

$ 0.36

$ 1.16

$ 0.64 Diluted earnings per share attributable to common

stockholders

$ 0.63

$ 0.36

$ 1.15

$ 0.64

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited, dollars in millions)

























June 30,

December 31,









2017

2016 ASSETS













Current Assets











Cash and cash equivalents



$ 85

$ 205 Accounts receivable



274

197 Inventories





147

126 Other current assets



21

20 Total Current Assets



527

548 Property, plant and equipment, net

453

464 Intangible assets, net



3,138

3,183 Other non-current assets



24

24 TOTAL ASSETS





$ 4,142

$ 4,219













LIABILITIES











Current Liabilities











Accounts payable





$ 172

$ 128 Current portion of long-term debt

12

12 Other current liabilities



213

202 Total Current Liabilities



397

342 Long-term debt





2,348

2,147 Other non-current liabilities



701

649 TOTAL LIABILITIES





3,446

3,138 TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

696

1,081 TOTAL LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 4,142

$ 4,219



















Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited, dollars in millions)









































Three months ended June 30,

Six months ended June 30,













2017

2016

2017

2016





























Net cash provided by operating activities



$ 166

$ 170

$ 277

$ 288

Net cash used for investing activities (a)



(15)

(16)

(23)

(22)

Net cash used for financing activities



(187)

(88)

(376)

(153)

Effect of exchange rate changes in cash



1

-

2

-

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents



(35)

66

(120)

113

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period



120

299

205

252

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period



$ 85

$ 365

$ 85

$ 365

Supplemental disclosures:





















Interest paid







$ 41

$ 21

$ 55

$ 43

Income taxes paid





$ 31

$ 5

$ 34

$ 8





























(a) Additions of long-lived assets









$ (12)

$ (16)

$ (20)

$ (22)

Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited, dollars in millions)





































Three months ended

Six months ended











June 30,

June 30,











2017

2016

2017

2016 Net income (GAAP)





$ 95

$ 61

$ 178

$ 109 plus:





















Income tax expense





51

38

95

67 Interest expense, net



27

28

52

62 Amortization of intangible assets

23

23

45

46 Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

20

21

39

42 Stock-based compensation expense (a)

4

2

6

4 Technology-related investment expense (b)

3

-

3

- Unrealized loss (gain) on foreign exchange (c)



1

1

(1)

2 Unrealized loss (gain) on commodity hedge contracts (d)

1

(1)

-

(2) Stockholder activism expenses (e)

-

-

-

4 Dual power inverter module units extended coverage (f)

-

-

-

1 Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)



$ 225

$ 173

$ 417

$ 335 Net sales (GAAP)





$ 580

$ 475

$ 1,079

$ 937 Adjusted EBITDA margin (Non-GAAP)

38.8%

36.5%

38.6%

35.8% Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (GAAP)

$ 166

$ 170

$ 277

$ 288 (Deductions) or Additions to Reconcile to Adjusted Free Cash Flow:















Additions of long-lived assets



(12)

(16)

(20)

(22) Stockholder activism expenses (e)

-

3

-

4 Adjusted Free Cash Flow (Non-GAAP)

$ 154

$ 157

$ 257

$ 270



























(a) Represents employee stock compensation expense (recorded in Cost of sales, Selling, general and administrative, and Engineering  research and development). (b) Represents a charge (recorded in Other expense, net) for investments in co-development agreements to expand our position in transmission technologies. (c) Represents losses (gains) (recorded in Other expense, net) on intercompany financing transactions related to investments in plant assets for our India facility. (d) Represents unrealized losses (gains) (recorded in Other expense, net) on the mark-to-market of our commodity hedge contracts. (e) Represents expenses of $4 million (recorded in Selling, general and administrative) for the six months ended June 30, 2016 and payments of $3 million and $4 million for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively, directly associated with stockholder activism activity including the notice, and subsequent withdrawal, of director nomination and governance proposals by Ashe Capital Management, LP. (f) Represents an adjustment (recorded in Selling, general and administrative) associated with the Dual Power Inverter Module ("DPIM") extended coverage program liability. The DPIM liability will continue to be reviewed for any changes in estimates as additional claims data and field information become available.

SOURCE Allison Transmission Holdings Inc.

Related Links

http://www.allisontransmission.com


PHOENIX, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpine 4 Technologies (ALPP) today announced that it has entered into a letter of intent to acquire all of the outstanding securities of Lattice Incorporated and letters of intent with certain of Lattice's creditors to convert their debt in Lattice into equity. The transaction will be subject to the parties to the transaction (including the holders of debt) entering into definitive agreements and the approval of Lattice's stockholders.

The companies expect the transaction to close by the end of 2017.

About Lattice

Lattice Incorporated, is a trusted global partner to correctional facilities. It provides a complete range of innovative inmate management and communications solutions that deliver greater efficiencies to facilities, reduce the administrative burden on their staff, provide them with revenue-generating opportunities, and connect their inmates with family and friends; serving approximately 350 correctional facilities and over 78,000 inmates in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe.

Lattice's headquarters are in Southern New Jersey (just outside of Philadelphia, PA). They maintain Sales Offices and a Customer Service Call Center in the United States, and they have strong relationships with correctional facility partners both domestically and outside the United States.

Lattice's Corrections Operating Platform (COP) is a complete range of innovative, secure solutions that continues to evolve based on the latest technology advancements. It includes:

Inmate Telephone Solutions

Mobile Devices

Video Visitation

Video Arraignment

Deposit Solutions

Kent B. Wilson, CEO of Alpine 4, had this to say: "We're excited about adding Lattice to Alpine 4. Our vision for Lattice is not only driven by the tremendous potential for revenue that is currently generated in the correctional services tech sector, but also to be a responsible and compassionate supplier of services to the inmate population and their families. The US-based prison system is moving beyond traditional ways for inmates to communicate with loved ones. Lattice and its suite of communication tools are geared towards a reward based inmate system, that goes beyond the traditional forms of communication, like phone calls and onsite visits, and instead are communicating programmatically through systems like Lattice's CellMate system and NextVisit."

Paul Burgess, Lattice CEO said: "Lattice has always maintained an innovative approach towards its products and services. This transaction will bring additional expertise and assets that we can leverage to aggressively grow throughout our market. The synergies between Lattice and Alpine 4 will enable us to provide new innovative products and solutions while accelerating time to market in a much more cost-effective manner. With our new CellMate product, we are able to provide inmates with a means to keep in close contact with their friends and family while operating in a secure environment, helping correctional facilities reduce costs. We believe that the growth potential of this technology goes beyond just the corrections market. Alpine 4 and Lattice are developing a wireless service that will provide calling plans for Friends, family, and law enforcement officials that incorporate Lattice's secure communications platform. In addition, the wireless service will provide service to the ALTIA telematics platform, reducing costs and increasing revenue throughout the Alpine group of companies."

Benefits of the Transaction:

Sharing of resources: The Alpine 4 acquisition of Lattice Inc. will leverage complementary strengths between the two companies, and Alpine 4 anticipates the benefits of that leverage to drop the fixed cost G&A expenses of Lattice in the first 12-18 months after closing.

Synergies: Alpine 4's subsidiary, Quality Circuit Assembly, will assist in the engineering of new products and services for Lattice and will also take over a large amount of the contract manufacturing of the Lattice product offering that is currently outsourced. Alpine 4's subsidiary, ALTIA, which has pioneered several GPS tracking hardware and software products, will be assisting Lattice in the development for pre and post prison tracking systems.

Increased Shareholder Value: This transaction will result in a positive adjustment to Alpine 4's Shareholder Equity and is anticipated to reduce Lattice's overall debt from $6m to $3m.

Profitable Earnings: Upon closing this transaction will eliminate approximately 50% of Lattice's debt, which should allow Lattice to obtain net profit earnings on its current revenue base. It is also anticipated that the decreased debt burden will allow Lattice to direct more of its cash towards the growth of the company. Mr. Wilson has this to say: "Once a company can obtain break-even, a company then can either drive gross profit to the bottom line and create more net profit or use that added profit to either attack the market with more aggressive pricing or put more dollars behind additional sales support. Either way, it is a great milestone to pass and should be a deciding factor in the future success of Lattice."

About Alpine 4 Technologies, Ltd.

Alpine 4 is a publicly traded enterprise with business-related endeavors in Automotive Technologies, Electronics Manufacturing, Engineering and Software development, and Energy Services.

Four principles at the core of our business are: Synergy. Innovation. Drive. Excellence. At Alpine 4, we believe synergistic innovation drives excellence. By anchoring these words to our combined experience and capabilities, we are able to aggressively pursue opportunities within and across vertical markets. We deliver solutions that not only drive industry standards, but also increase value for our shareholders.

Contact: Kent B. Wilson, CEO or Ian Kantrowitz, Director of Investor Relations

[email protected]



[email protected]



www.alpine4.com



www.latticeinc.com

Forward-Looking Statements:

The information disclosed in this press release is made as of the date hereof and reflects Alpine 4 most current assessment of its historical financial performance. Actual financial results filed with the SEC may differ from those contained herein due to timing delays between the date of this release and confirmation of final audit results. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the risks, uncertainties, including the uncertainties surrounding the current market volatility, and other factors the Company identifies from time to time in its filings with the SEC. Although Alpine 4 believes that the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and, as a result, the forward-looking statements based on those assumptions also could be incorrect. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are made as of the date hereof, and Alpine 4 disclaims any intention or obligation to update the forward-looking statements for subsequent events.

SOURCE Alpine 4 Technologies Ltd.

Related Links

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Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane, will host the podcast, which focuses on a variety of animal topics, from the healing power of the human-animal bond, to animal rescue and care, to conservation issues and new trends in animal welfare. "Loving Animals with Robin Ganzert" will highlight well-known animal lovers, conservationists, and celebrities, with early episodes in the series to feature Naomi Judd, Beth Stern, Jillian Michaels and Denise Richards. The podcast will be produced by renowned publishing, consumer goods and media company, Chicken Soup for the Soul, in partnership with United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. ("USRN"), an independent leader in the creation and marketing of network radio programming. The debut episode, featuring celebrity guest Alison Sweeney, is available today via major podcast portals including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn.

In addition to leading America's foremost humane organization protecting 1 billion animals a year, Dr. Ganzert is a bestselling author, television producer and animal lover who is regularly featured in forums such as The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, The TODAY Show, Fox and Friends, NPR, the BBC, and the Associated Press. Under her leadership, American Humane has been named a "Top-Rated Charity" by American Institute of Philanthropy's CharityWatch and achieved GuideStar's USA "Gold" status with an "A" rating.

New episodes of "Loving Animals with Robin Ganzert" will be released each Tuesday. To subscribe to the podcast and listen to new episodes, visit Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or TuneIn.

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, American Humane is the country's first national humane organization. For more information about American Humane, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org.

About Chicken Soup for the Soul

Chicken Soup for the Soul is the world's favorite and most recognized storyteller and the publisher of the iconic Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. With well over 100 million books sold to date in the U.S. and Canada alone, more than 250 titles, and translations into more than 40 languages, "chicken soup for the soul" is one of the world's best-known phrases and is regularly referenced in pop culture. Today, 23 years after it first began sharing happiness, inspiration and hope through its books, this socially conscious company continues to publish a new title a month, but has also evolved beyond the bookstore with super premium pet food, television shows, podcasts, positive journalism from aplus.com, and licensed products, all revolving around true stories, as it continues "changing the world one story at a time."

About United Stations Radio Networks, Inc.

United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. ("USRN") is America's leading independently owned and operated radio network. USRN currently produces and distributes dozens of format-specific programs and services accounting for nearly 6000 affiliations with commercial radio stations across the country. The New York-based company maintains programming, sales and affiliate marketing offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Washington and Nashville. USRN was founded in 1994 by radio pioneers Dick Clark and Nick Verbitsky.

SOURCE American Humane

Related Links

http://www.americanhumane.org


SINGAPORE, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Launching today, Neon Apostle is the first footwear company in the world to combine functionality, faith and footwear. Their initial offering of 11 designer Christian-themed casual shoe designs features a combination of cutting edge graphics and traditional Christian motifs. Neon Apostle is poised to pave the way for self-expression through their religious-themed shoes in the exponentially-growing footwear industry.

The ALL THINGS flagship shoe design. The World's First Christian Shoe Brand

"NBA superstar and former 2-time season MVP Stephen Curry is a hero of mine," says Kenneth Yu, founder of Neon Apostle. "So when he started to draw Bible verses on his shoe, I came to realize that Christian-themed shoes are a valid expression of my faith. That was the spark that nudged me towards starting this faith-based streetwear brand for the millennial segment of Christianity."

There's been a tremendous response to the shoe lines so far, with thousands of social media shares and interest across the globe from countries including the USA, UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa and Zimbabwe even during this initial in pre-launch phase. Neon Apostle has definitely tapped into a zeitgeist for this current generation who are increasingly integrating their everyday faith into every aspect of their lives.

A 2016 survey by Ypulse, a youth marketing and millenial research firm, found that expressing individuality was more important to people ages 13 to 34 than flashing high-end brand names. In addition, 21% of millenials identify as evangelical Christians in USA, according to a 2016 study done by the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan fact tank. Neon Apostle is carving out its niche by enabling this demographic to express their closest-held beliefs through their footwear.

Neon Apostle is a Singapore-based e-commerce company that aims to give the church a leg up in terms of expressing their faith in trendy and innovative ways.

What inspired the breakthrough mash-up designs found in Neon Apostle's high-tops and sneakers?

"I've always been both a Christian and a sneaker-head. As a fashion writer in my young adult years, I still have several sneaker magazines on my bookshelf. I wanted to take these 2 seemingly opposite worlds and combine them into something beautiful." Yu says, "The Christian faith has rich artistic history and stunning symbols. Neon Apostle aims to create new ways of visualizing the faith."

Further, Neon Apostle is launching a brand new children's line of shoes expected to be available by early August 2017.

Neon Apostle currently has a limited run of only 199 pairs per design. To celebrate this historical event, the website is running a 57% launch discount for all new buyers.

For more information, please go to http://www.neonapostle.com

Media contact:

Kenneth Yu

[email protected]

+6596430202

SOURCE Neon Apostle

Related Links

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Will the governor sign into law a bill making every school, hospital, DMV center and nursing home a location where persons illegally residing in America can harbor from law enforcement officials?

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is facing backlash on the controversial school funding bill he amendatory vetoed Tuesday. But while the media is focused on that particular hot potato, another one is cooking on the governor's desk, as well.

SB 31's description says simply stepping onto the grounds or into these Illinois facilities would keep anyone in these facilities from asking whether the persons are in the country legally:

... State-funded schools, including licensed day care centers, pre-schools, and other early learning programs; elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education; State-funded medical treatment and health care facilities, including hospitals, health clinics, emergency or urgent care facilities, nursing homes, group homes for persons with developmental disabilities, community-integrated living arrangements, and State mental health facilities; facilities operated by the Office of the Secretary of State; and circuit courts, State appellate courts, or the Supreme Court ...

Signing SB 31 into law would make Illinois the state most open to illegal aliens besides California, the communications director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform told Illinois Review Tuesday.

"Not only would it make Illinois open to those in the country illegally, it could create dangerous situations for the public and add more financial burdens to the state," Dave Ray said. "And isn't the state of Illinois already having financial difficulties?"

Governor Rauner has until the end of August to decide whether to sign SB 31 into law, veto it or not move on it at all. If he does not move on it, it will become law. He has not indicated yet what he intends to do.

The issue was not black and white as it proceeded through the Illinois legislature. Republicans crossed the aisle to join Democrats in both the Illinois House and Senate when considering whether to send the measure to Governor Rauner.

Three downstate House Democrats: Jerry Costello, Michael Halpin and Katie Stuart opposed SB 31 and Democrat Frances Hurley chose not to vote. While the Republican House caucus held together in opposition for the most part, four Republicans chose not to vote at all: Mark Batinick, David Harris, Sheri Jesiel and Grant Wehrli. GOP State Rep. Bob Pritchard voted in support of the measure.

In the Senate's final vote, Republicans helped SB31 obtain a vote indicating the Senate could override a gubernatorial veto. Then-Minority Leader Christine Radogno supported the sanctuary measure, joined by GOP state senators Althoff, McConnaughay, McConchie and Nybo.

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Browse 81 Market Data Tables and 54 Figures spread through 185 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Anomaly Detection Market"

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The need for security intelligence around intrusion and fraud detection, cyber espionage, and internal threats has triggered the adoption of anomaly detection solutions among enterprises. In addition, network diagnosis and data cleanup required for High-Performance Data Analytics (HPDA) and software testing, are other factors contributing to the uptake of anomaly detection solutions globally.

The network behavior anomaly detection segment is expected to be the fastest growing solution in the Anomaly Detection Market during the forecast period

Network behavior anomaly is a sudden and short-lived deviation from the normal operation of the network. Some anomalies on the network are deliberately caused by intruders with malicious intents, such as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, while others may be purely accidental, such as intrusion in a busy network traffic. Most methods of Network Anomaly Detection (NAD) are based on network traffic models, as quick detection is required to initiate a timely response. The Network Behavior Anomaly Detection (NBAD) solution is used in conventional firewalls and applications for the detection of malware.

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The Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) vertical is expected to hold the largest market share in the Anomaly Detection Market during the forecast period

The BFSI vertical has always a had huge customer base, which leads to diverse flow of information. It also leads to security threats, fraudulent activities, and network failures. The BFSI sector faces 2 types of attacks, i.e., attacks against its customers and attacks against its own IT infrastructure devices to automatically control and manage basic home functions over the internet from any location. The BFSI vertical is adopting IT solutions and services at rapid a pace, so that it can reduce its manual dependency to increase its processing efficiency. Moreover, in this sector, large volumes of transactions happen every minute, and identification of suspicious and abnormal transaction can provide the necessary competitive edge to organizations.

North America is expected to have the largest market share in the Anomaly Detection Market during the forecast period

North America is expected to hold the largest market share and dominate the Anomaly Detection Market during the forecast period. The region has a presence of the major sustainable and well-established economies, who invest substantially in Research and Development (R&D) activities, thereby contributing to the development of new technologies. The region comprises countries, such as the US and Canada, which are witnessing a phenomenal adoption of anomaly detection solutions. The growing trends, such as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), Internet of Things (IoT), and Industrial Internet of Everything (IIoE), have resulted in a tremendous growth of technology adoption in this region; they have also triggered a rise in next-generation threats, and added more complexities and concerns in the IT infrastructure. North America has always topped the list of the most affected regions in the world by threats, intrusions, and security breaches, and as a result, it has the largest number of security vendors.

The major vendors in the Anomaly Detection Market include Wipro Limited (India), Cisco Systems, Inc. (US), International Business Machines Corporation (US), Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (US), Dell Technologies, Inc. (US), SAS Institue, Inc. (US), Symantec Corporation (US), Anodot (Israel), Happiest Minds (India), and Guardian Analytics (US).

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Cybersecurity Market by Solution (IAM, Encryption, DLP, UTM, Antivirus/Anti-Malware, Firewall, IDS/IPS, Disaster Recovery, DDOS Mitigation, SIEM), Service, Security Type, Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

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NEW YORK, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced today the recipients of its 2017 Leadership and Service Awards. Recipients have been recognized for their significant contributions to national and international standardization activities, as well as an ongoing commitment to their industry, their nation, and the enhancement of the global voluntary consensus standards system. ANSI will honor these 22 distinguished award recipients during an October 18 ceremony held in conjunction with World Standards Week 2017 in Washington, DC.

James M. Shannon, president, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), has been awarded the Astin-Polk International Standards Medal, which honors distinguished service in promoting trade and understanding among nations through the advancement, development, or administration of international standardization, measurements, or certification.

Sharon Stanford, director, department of standards administration, American Dental Association (ADA), will receive the Howard Coonley Medal, which recognizes an executive who has benefitted the national economy through voluntary standardization and conformity assessment and has given outstanding support to standardization as a management tool.

William Berger, managing director, standards, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), will receive the Finegan Standards Metal, which honors an individual who has shown extraordinary leadership in the actual development and application of voluntary standards.

Masood Shariff, senior principal engineer, CommScope Network Solutions, will receive the Edward Lohse Information Technology Medal, which recognizes outstanding efforts to foster cooperation among bodies involved in global IT standardization.

William S. Hurst, chief, technical research branch, laboratory division, office of engineering & technology, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and Jay Pendergrass, vice president, Environmental Law Institute, will receive the Gerald H. Ritterbusch Conformity Assessment Medal, which honors distinguished service in promoting the understanding and application of conformity assessment methods as a means of providing confidence in standards compliance for the marketplace. This is the first time that two Ritterbusch Medals have been awarded in the same year, reflecting the critical contributions of conformity assessment professionals in the U.S. standardization system.

Don Heirman, president, Don Heirman Consultants, will receive the Elihu Thomson Electrotechnology Medal, which honors an individual who has contributed in an exceptional, dedicated way to the field of electrotechnology standardization, conformity assessment, and related activities at the national and international levels.

Mary Logan, president and CEO emeritus, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), will receive the George S. Wham Leadership Medal, which honors an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the voluntary standardization community and provided long-term direction and visionary qualities in support of the ANSI Federation.

Ed Morris, director (retired), America Makes, and vice president (retired), National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, will receive the Chairman's Award, which honors outstanding accomplishments performed by any group or individual on behalf of ANSI or the ANSI Federation.

Next Generation Awards

Four individuals will receive the Next Generation Award, honoring those who have been engaged in standardization or conformity assessment activities for less than eight years, and who have, during this time, demonstrated vision, leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to their chosen field of activity. The awardees are:

Christopher Dorr , senior hardware engineer, Rockwell Automation

, senior hardware engineer, Rockwell Automation Sun Gil Kim , program officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

, program officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Andrew Northup , director, global affairs, Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)

, director, global affairs, Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Amy Phelps , program manager, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Meritorious Service Awards

Nine individuals will receive the Meritorious Service Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the U.S. voluntary standardization system. Each has demonstrated outstanding service in enabling ANSI to attain the objectives for which it was founded. The awardees are:

William Boswell , counselor at law, William P. Boswell , LLC; general counsel, North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB)

, counselor at law, , LLC; general counsel, North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) Shaun Clancy , director, product regulatory services, Evonik Corporation

, director, product regulatory services, Evonik Corporation Mary Donaldson , program manager, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

, program manager, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Steve Ferguson , manager, codes, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

, manager, codes, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) William G. Lawrence, Jr. , principal engineer, hazardous locations, operations vice president, FM Approvals

, principal engineer, hazardous locations, operations vice president, FM Approvals Kevin Lippert , manager, codes and standards, Eaton Corporation

, manager, codes and standards, Eaton Corporation Deborah Prince , standards process manager, UL

, standards process manager, UL Clark Silcox , general counsel, NEMA

, general counsel, NEMA Dr. Sue Ellen Wright , professor, German translation, Kent State University Institute for Applied Linguistics

The 22 winners will be honored at the 2017 ANSI Leadership and Service Awards, a banquet and ceremony to be held on Wednesday evening, October 18, at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.ansi.org/awards and www.ansi.org/wsweek.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is made up of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

SOURCE American National Standards Institute

Related Links

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APPLETON, Wis., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Appvion, Inc. will report its second quarter 2017 financial results after market close on August 7. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Gilligan and Chief Financial Officer Luke Kelly will host a teleconference to discuss those results with the investment community on August 8 at 11:00 a.m. ET.

The call will be broadcast live over the Internet. A webcast link and presentation slides will be available in the investor section/events & presentations of the Appvion website at www.appvion.com. The broadcast will also be archived on that same page of the company website.

About Appvion

Appvion creates product solutions through its development and use of coating formulations and applications. The company produces thermal, carbonless, security, inkjet, digital specialty, and colored papers. Appvion, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, has manufacturing operations in Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania, employs approximately 1,400 people and is 100 percent employee-owned. For more information, visit www.appvion.com.

SOURCE Appvion, Inc.

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Mobile Power Plants to be Deployed in Just Weeks

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A newly signed contract with SA Power Networks installs APR Energy as the last line of defense against power outages in South Australia, adding as much as 276MW to the grid through the use of emissions-friendly mobile gas turbines at two sites. The plants should provide critical grid stability before December 1, 2017.

"APR Energy is pleased to provide emergency back-up generation for South Australian households and businesses," said John Campion, chairman of APR Energy, a global leader in fast-track power solutions. "Ensuring that the people of South Australia have this critically needed power quickly will play an important role in mitigating the risk of blackouts and the need for load shedding during the peak summer months."

APR Energy's project will comprise the newest generation of GE TM2500 turbines, featuring the latest advancements in mobile turbine technology in the industry. The turbines will be connected to the South Australia grid at substations in Edinburgh and Lonsdale. The full turnkey project includes all installation, operations and maintenance, as well as transformation from 11kV to 66kV.

"This is another important step in South Australia taking charge of its own energy future," said Premier Jay Weatherill. "This solution will deliver long-term back-up generation for South Australia before this summer. Importantly, this solution will deliver more generation capacity than originally planned, while emitting less carbon pollution than Torrens Island Power Station"  a natural gas-power generating facility near the state capital Adelaide.

This is APR Energy's third project in Australia  the others being for Horizon Power and Hydro Tasmania  both relying on mobile gas turbines. APR Energy's turbine technology enables it to rapidly inject large blocks of power at the first sign of grid instability. Its turbines produce 94% lower NOx emissions, significantly less particulate matter and 20% less noise than the emissions-intensive diesel reciprocating engines typically found in the temporary power market, providing an environmentally friendly solution for South Australia.

About APR Energy

APR Energy is the world's leading provider of fast-track mobile turbine power, and has installed over 3,000MW of power capacity across more than 30 countries. Our fast, flexible and full-service solutions provide customers with rapid access to reliable electricity when and where they need it, for as long as they need it. Combining state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient technology with industry-leading expertise, our scalable turnkey plants help run cities, countries and industries around the world, in both developed and developing markets. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.aprenergy.com.

SOURCE APR Energy

Related Links

http://www.APRenergy.com


RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ARCHITECTUREFIRM welcomes Adam Ruffin as Partner and is excited to announce his leadership of our Brooklyn office.

Partner, ARCHITECTUREFIRM

Adam joins us fresh off a nearly 15-year career at Thomas Phifer and Partners, one of the longest tenured members of that office's history. As a critical leader at TPP, he oversaw design and management work on some of the firm's most important cultural and residential projects, including the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York; the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina; the Fishers Island Residence on Fishers Island, New York; and the Cine Colombia Headquarters in Bogota, Colombia. Many of the projects Adam was involved in garnered National AIA Honor and Merit Awards and he played a key role in the development of the office's international recognition.

Adam, Katie, and Danny have been collaborators since they were classmates at the University of Virginia where they worked on the design and construction of the UVa Solar Decathlon entry for 2002 along with many other academic and competition projects. They have since maintained a shared dedication to simplicity in modern architecture and an adherence to fundamental ideas about light, place, and landscape.

ARCHITECTUREFIRM makes this announcement at a time of great energy and enthusiasm in the office as we continue work on the Quirk Hotel in Charlottesville, Virginia in addition to commercial and residential work in New York City; Montauk, New York; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia and other locations on the east coast.

Media Contact:

Stephen Drake

Phone: 804.308.8007 ext 109

Email: [email protected]

architecturefirm.co

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SOURCE ARCHITECTUREFIRM

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Founded in 1918 by French wine salesman, Arnaud Cazenave, the restaurant has seen only two families of owners, the Cazenaves and current owners, the Casbarians. Today, Arnaud's success continues under the leadership of the second generation of the family ownership, Katy and Archie Casbarian, children of Jane and the late Archie Casbarian.

"Arnaud's is a special place. I grew up here and, like many New Orleanians, can remember celebrating holidays and special events at the restaurant since I was a child," said Archie Casbarian. "To have transitioned into an operating role and to be part of Arnaud's storied history is truly an honor for Katy and me. We are excited to see what the next 100 years have in store."

Located on Bienville Street, the restaurant bears its founder's name with a commitment to providing quality cuisine and unmatched hospitality. Referred to as 'The Count,' Arnaud was among the first restaurateurs to reintroduce the art of wine and spirits paired with gourmet food at the end of the Prohibition era. He channeled much of the restaurant's fortune into expansion, purchasing one adjoining property after another until Arnaud's 11 buildings covered most of the block. After 30 years of running the restaurant, Arnaud passed the restaurant down to his lively and gregarious daughter, Germaine. Eager to maintain the reputation of Arnaud's that her father worked so hard to build, she led the restaurant to international acclaim.

In 1978, after Germaine determined she needed to relinquish control of the restaurant, Arnaud's was acquired by Archie and Jane Casbarian. While many approached Germaine with offers to buy the restaurant, it was the many similarities between Archie and her father that attracted her to pass the reins to the Casbarians. Upon acquisition, the Casbarians sought to return Arnaud's to its original grandeur from which it had strayed by restoring the property and reinvigorating the cuisine. This brought widespread praise to Arnaud's Restaurant. Years later, Casbarian identified a need for a casual, family-friendly restaurant on Bourbon Street. It was then that he opened Remoulade  the casual side of Arnaud's, that continues to serve Cajun-inspired cuisine, along with select Arnaud's classics.

Katy and Archie Casbarian continue their commitment to running the restaurant by staying true to the vision of their parents, which has brought recent national recognition to the historical institution.

Arnaud's French 75 Bar  led by head bartender Chris Hannah  was recognized with a 2017 James Beard Foundation Award for "Outstanding Bar Program," for its commitment to premium spirits and classic cocktails. Tommy DiGiovanni, executive chef since 1997, continues to deliver Arnaud's classic dishes with unwavering consistency and contributes new innovations that are destined to become Creole classics themselves. The restaurant offers dinner nightly in the main dining room and Arnaud's Jazz Bistro, featuring live Dixieland jazz. On Sundays, guests flock to the restaurant to enjoy Arnaud's jazz brunch, again featuring a live jazz trio.

"Since its inception, Arnaud's has served as a gathering spot for family, friends and acquaintances to catch up over good food and cocktails," said Katy Casbarian. "The restaurant is steeped in history  one that we celebrate daily through our consistent culinary offerings and hospitality. As we near 100 years, we'll continue to honor our legacy by keeping one foot in the past, with another firmly planted in the future."

Arnaud's centennial celebration will be made even grander by coinciding with New Orleans' tricentennial in 2018. The restaurant's celebrations will include a mix of private and public quarterly events honoring past and current owners: Arnaud Cazenave, Germaine C. Wells, Jane and the late Archie Casbarian, and Katy and Archie Casbarian. Further information will be available closer to the event dates.

Arnaud's is located at 813 Bienville Street and open nightly starting at 6 p.m. Sunday jazz brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To make reservations or view the entire menu, call (504) 523-5433 or visit www.arnaudsrestaurant.com. Reservations are recommended.

For news and updates about Arnaud's and its 100th anniversary, sign up to receive the newsletter and follow Arnaud's on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Arnaud's

Located steps off of Bourbon Street in the heart of the French Quarter, Arnaud's offers classic Creole Cuisine and exemplary service in beautifully restored turn of the century dining rooms. Since its inception in 1918, Arnaud's has remained true to its traditions and courtesies.

Offering live Dixieland jazz in the Jazz Bistro, romantic dinners in the Main Dining Room, cocktails in the award-winning French 75 Bar and an assortment of private French Quarter fine dining rooms, Arnaud's offers the quintessential New Orleans dining experience.

SOURCE Arnauds Restaurant

Related Links

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DUBLIN, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

AvaTrade, the leading forex and CFD broker, has reduced the fixed, floating and options spreads by an average of 35% across the majors and as much as 50% on some FX pairs. This change sets AvaTrade as an industry-leading broker with some of the best trading conditions, including extra-low spreads, excellent bonuses and up to 400:1 leverage.

On top of these reduced spreads, during 2017 AvaTrade has significantly increased its activity and portfolio. Entering the cryptocurrencies market, AvaTrade offers 24/7 trading on 5 top cryptocurrencies, both as pairs and individual assets. Regulated across the world, including under the Central Bank of Ireland, AvaTrade is one of the only fully regulated brokers who offer bonuses on deposits and up to 400:1 leverage.

"We are always looking to improve our offering to our clients, and constantly thrive to stay one step ahead of the industry," says Mr. Daire Ferguson, CEO of AvaTrade. "Customers who want great conditions without compromising on regulation and security, can find the perfect combination of all with AvaTrade. We are working relentlessly to provide new and exciting features, tools and offers to our clients," concluded Ferguson.

Find out more about AvaTrade at http://www.avatrade.com

About AvaTrade

AvaTrade, the leading forex and CFD broker, was founded in 2006 and offers more than 250 financial instruments, top trading platforms, and a new cutting-edge mobile app, AvaTradeGO. Clients enjoy personal account managers and a 24-hour live customer service in 15 languages. AvaTrade accommodates to traders of all levels, and further ensures secured trading with advanced encryption and fully segregated accounts. AvaTrade is fully regulated in the EU, Japan, Australia, South Africa & BVI.

Press Contact

Orly Garini-Dil

Marcom Director

+1-646-335-0738 (Ext. 2125)

[email protected]



SOURCE AvaTrade
BUCHANAN, Va., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of Botetourt (OTCPK: BORT) announced today its consolidated financial results and performance for fiscal period ended June 30, 2017.

For the three months-ended June 30, 2017, Bank of Botetourt reported net income of $455,396. The Bank's year-to-date net income is $908,530. Both basic and diluted earnings per share amounted to $0.64 at June 30, 2017. Book value is $24.04 at June 30, 2017 as compared to $23.29 one year prior. As a result of the sustained positive financial performance, the Board of Directors continued the $0.14 per share quarterly dividend payable on August 18, 2017.

At June 30, 2017, total assets amounted to $373,105,000, an increase of 7.5% since year-end 2016 total assets of $347,191,000. Total deposits at June 30, 2017 amounted to $335,998,000, compared to $310,719,000 at December 31, 2016, an increase of 8.1%. Net loans grew 6.7%, to $308,932,000 at June 30, 2017 from $289,417,000 at December 31, 2016.

Bank of Botetourt continues to exceed the BASEL III capital requirements. As of June 30, 2017, Bank of Botetourt reported total capital of 12.48% and tier 1 leverage capital of 9.44%. Both common equity tier 1 and tier 1 capital ratios were 11.49%. "Our Bank remains well-capitalized which allows us the ability to pursue additional strategic initiatives in 2017," stated CEO G. Lyn Hayth, III.

Additional strategic initiatives were accomplished in the second quarter of 2017. On June 8, Bank of Botetourt announced changes in the operation of its financial services division. Previously known as Virginia Mountain Financial Services, the investment services division will now operate as Botetourt Wealth Management. Bank of Botetourt wants the community to know that Botetourt Wealth Management is aligned with our community bank as we strive to serve the needs of our customers. "The transition to Botetourt Wealth Management will give our customers more choices and flexibility in this segment. The arrangement will be mutually beneficial and will bring value to our customers and shareholders in future," stated Hayth.

In June, Bank of Botetourt was named the winner of the "Best Bank" category of the Reader's Choice of the SWVA Living Magazine. "We are both humbled and gratified that our customers value what we do every day," said Hayth.

Bank of Botetourt was chartered in 1899 and operates twelve retail offices in Botetourt, Rockbridge, Roanoke, and Franklin counties and the City of Salem, all in Virginia. Bank of Botetourt also operates a mortgage division, Virginia Mountain Mortgage and a financial services division, Botetourt Wealth Management.

SOURCE Bank of Botetourt

Related Links

http://www.bankofbotetourt.com


LAKEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bar Louie today announced the opening of its newest bar and kitchen in Lakewood, CO, furthering the company's regional expansion with its seventh Mountain state location.

With 'Grand Toasting' festivities beginning on Tuesday, August 1 at 4:00 p.m. and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony slated for 5:00 p.m., Bar Louie Belmar will follow the ceremony with socializing and celebrations during its first happy hour.

Bar Louie will also feature its weekly 'Five-Dollar Burger Night' special that evening from 5:00 p.m. to close, while celebrating 'National Night Out'an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

"We're thrilled to be opening our newest Colorado locationand offering a fun new place for local friends and neighbors to enjoy handcrafted cocktails, local beers and wines, food from scratch, awesome music and great service," said Bar Louie Belmar General Manager, Shane Marks. "While each Bar Louie offers a diverse and unique atmosphere, we always strive to provide all of our guests with a welcoming, out-of-the-ordinary experienceand we're excited to start greeting new Lakewood patrons."

At Bar Louie Belmar, local beer and wine connoisseurs will be impressed by the broad selection of wines by the glass and 20 beers on tap, including numerous regional favorites such as craft brews from Breckenridge Brewery, Avery Brewing Co., Odell Brewing Co. and Funkwerks. Cocktail drinkers can also revel in the 32 signature cocktails offeredincluding delicious guest favorites like the Strawberry Lemonade Sangria and Spicy Pineapple Margarita, or more traditional cocktails like the smooth Clover Martini or Dos Sauza Margarita.

Each Bar Louieincluding Bar Louie Belmarhas a local flavor and feel tailored to its specific community. As a go-to local favorite, patrons can socialize, linger and enjoy handcrafted custom drinks made with delicious high-quality ingredients, wines and local craft beersas well as shareable snacks and specialty burgers that keep patrons coming back for morewith a full menu served nightly until 2:00 a.m.

Bar Louie Belmar offers an extensive food menu that is sure to boast something for everyoneincluding a selection of flatbreads, salads, sandwiches and signature entrees. Whether it's the tasty Spiked Bulleit Bourbon Boneless Wings, Drunken Fish Sandwich or Bacon Chophouse Sliders, innovative recipes carry Bar Louie's vibes from the atmosphere into the food, meaning there is something for everyone.

In addition to Bar Louie's 'Five-Dollar Burger Night' ritual, which takes place every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to close, Bar Louie Belmar will also offer 'Weekly Rituals' in addition to an expansive menu. Every Monday through Friday, happy hour will run from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and late night happy hour will run Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 p.m. to close. Bar Louie will also host live music from popular local artists on Friday evenings beginning at 10:00 p.m.

Bar Louie is also bringing 74 jobs to the Lakewood area with its opening. While numerous roles have been filled, Bar Louie Lakewood still has select job opportunities available and it is currently hiring high-energy, service-minded bartenders, cooks and servers for the Bar Louie Belmar location through its website, www.LouieWantsYou.com.

The new restaurant is located at 7111 West Alaska Drive, Lakewood, CO, 80226. For more information about Bar Louie Belmar, visit www.barlouie.com.

About Bar Louie

Founded in downtown Chicago in 1990 and headquartered in Addison, Texas, Bar Louie is an award-winning collection of neighborhood bars with a lively, social atmosphere. With more than 125 locations across the United States, Bar Louie is growing through both franchise and corporate openings. Known for its signature handcrafted martinis and cocktails, Bar Louie also features a scratch menu of shareable plates, burgers, and sandwiches served every day until close. For more information on Bar Louie, visit www.barlouie.com. To learn about franchising opportunities with Bar Louie, go to www.barlouie.com/franchise.

Media Contacts

Aaron Blank or Traci Paulk

The Fearey Group for Bar Louie

[email protected]

(206) 343-1543

SOURCE Bar Louie

Related Links

http://www.barlouie.com


RIO DE JANEIRO, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- THINK RIO is a complete, fun and insightful look into the modern culture of Rio de Janeiro. Created by Riccardo Giovanni and developed by a multi-cultural team of writers and researchers from Rio de Janeiro, the US and Europe, this 600-page book develops a simple solution in presenting many facets of Carioca thinking in a light and compelling style.

Organized to be easily understood by people of all nations and backgrounds, socializing, carnival, reveillon, beach life, dining manners, business etiquette, favela tours and many more topics are interpreted and explained through the eyes of local residents, with an international and multi-cultural view.

Day-to-day customs, folklore, and hundreds of proverbs and Carioca expressions come together into an inspiring guide to the soul of one of the most beautiful, complex and fascinating cities in the world.

Furthermore, dozens of QR-codes throughout the book allow readers to instantly access always updated on-line content, where links to other publications and original academic papers can be found, for further reading and for research.

THINK RIO is based on the work of the ILOVERIO.COM portal. Defined by the media as the first city ever rebuilt on-line, the portal provides 25,000 pages of original content celebrating the history, culture and beauty of the city and state of Rio de Janeiro.

According to Riccardo Giovanni, founder of the portal and chief editor of the book, "Eu Amo Rio," meaning "I love Rio," is an important local expression and a key part of the Carioca culture, therefore the phrase 'I LOVE RIO' was chosen as the name and symbol of the project and translated in more than 50 languages.

Combining European, American, and Brazilian vision into one innovative communication platform, Mr. Giovanni garnered for the I LOVE RIO portal the institutional endorsement of over 40 Brazilian entities at the Municipal, State and Federal levels, making of the portal an institutionally-backed, but independent platform with an extraordinary global reach.

On July 26th 2016, the portal was launched via an unprecedented ceremony, when the I LOVE RIO symbol was placed on the iconic monument of Christ the Redeemer, and was featured by the media of five continents.

"This was never permitted before: it was an historical honor that captured global media attention, and officially added the work of I LOVE RIO to the cultural landscape of Rio de Janeiro," concludes Mr. Giovanni.

Contact: Liz Rocha, [email protected]

SOURCE ILOVERIO.COM

Related Links

https://iloverio.com


Quay 55 (formally known as the Nicholson Terminal & Dock Company of Michigan) is one of the first and only waterfront luxury apartment developments in downtown Cleveland. Built in 1929, this iconic building was once a facility of many trades and is rich with decades of history. Its original use was for off-loading and a trans-shipment point for a variety of raw materials, industrial goods and manufactured products. The property was repurposed in 2003 to 138 luxury apartment units. The Landmark Companies intends to convert an entire floor of unused interior parking garage space to accommodate another 29 apartment units bringing the total to 167 units.

Bob Rains, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Landmark Companies, commented, "BGL's access to national capital markets and expertise in the needs of debt and equity investors was crucial in our acquisition of the property. They bring professionalism and competence to the table along with the ability to see a transaction through to the close. Working with the entire BGL team was a business like and learning experience."

Led by Co-Founders Robert Rains and John J. Carney, The Landmark Companies develops, owns and manages residential and commercial real estate. Their portfolio includes apartment buildings, new construction in existing warehouse buildings and renovation of historic buildings in downtown Cleveland, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana. The Landmark Companies has developed over $210 million in projects that have created first-class residences and revitalized street-level retail in urban areas. This has been essential to the repopulation of downtown Cleveland's neighborhoods.

Prime Finance is a private commercial real estate finance company with discretionary capital which directly originates mortgage, mezzanine and preferred equity financing and also acquires performing, sub-performing and distressed debt. Prime Finance is a balance sheet lender with offices located in New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Tryperion Partners, LLC is a Los Angeles-based real estate investment manager focused on value-add office, retail, hospitality, and multifamily investments in Midwestern and Western U.S. markets, with two fully discretionary value-add real estate funds totaling more than $100 million in committed capital.

About Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company is a leading independent investment bank serving the middle market. BGL specializes in mergers and acquisitions advisory services, debt and equity placements, financial restructuring advice, and valuations and fairness opinions, with global industry teams in Business Services, Consumer & Retail, Environmental & Industrial Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Industrials, and Real Estate. BGL has offices in Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia and real estate offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Irvine, and San Antonio, in addition to Global M&A partner offices in more than 50 countries across 5 continents. BGL is able to deliver to our clients unparalleled access to strategic relationships, investors, and opportunities globally. For more information, please visit www.bglco.com.



SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company

Related Links

http://Www.bglco.com


PHOENIX, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bishop Fox, a leading global cybersecurity consulting firm, has created an AI-based hacking tool, "DeepHack." With the introduction of DeepHack, Bishop Fox researchers showcase the potentiality of AI-based cybersecurity tools that can think for themselves. Senior Security Associate Dan "AltF4" Petro and Security Analyst Ben Morris presented DeepHack to the world at their DEF CON 25 talk, "Weaponizing Machine Learning: Humanity Was Overrated Anyway," on July 30, 2017 in Las Vegas.

"AI-based cybersecurity tools are a technology that pentesters have yet to fully explore, and these tools will eventually take penetration testing to a new level. DeepHack is an early proof of concept, but serves as evidence of what machine learning can do for our industry," said Petro.

DeepHack works the following way: Neural networks used in reinforcement learning excel at finding solutions to games. By describing a problem as a "game" with winners, losers, points, objectives, and actions, a neural network can be trained to be proficient at "playing" it. The AI is rewarded every time it sends a request to gain new information about the target system, thereby discovering what types of requests lead to that information. Click here to view a brief video on DeepHack.

Petro uses a robot as an analogy. If you give a robot an incentive to move forward on a track, the robot will learn to walk on its own. Likewise, DeepHack can learn on its own.

Added Morris, "While it will take time for the AI-based tools to become more practical, we expect to see more in the future that build off what DeepHack has accomplished."

About Bishop Fox

Bishop Fox is an independent cybersecurity firm that protects businesses from today's increasing security threats. Since 2005, the firm has provided security consulting services to the world's leading organizations. The company is headquartered in Phoenix and has offices in Atlanta, San Francisco, and New York City.

Contact:

Amy Blumenthal

617-879-1511

[email protected]

SOURCE Bishop Fox
According to Good Housekeeping, the Berkley Jensen Ultra Soft Bath Tissue had the best overall score and price from their top choices. The bath tissue earned high marks in softness, dissolvability and absorbency to earn the highest overall score.

Berkley Jensen Ultra Soft Bath Tissue is only $14.99 for 36 big rolls and available in-Club and online. BJ's offers Members extreme value on products in its exclusive brands, Berkley Jensen and Wellsley Farms, with quality that meets or exceeds national brand standards.

Good Housekeeping textiles experts collected over 1,700 data points, with further softness testing performed at the Tissue Pack Innovation Lab at North Carolina State University. After narrowing down the field to 21 premium and "green" styles of toilet paper, the Good Housekeeping Textiles Lab tested on factors including softness, dissolvability, strength and construction.

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 15 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.

SOURCE BJ's Wholesale Club

Related Links

http://www.bjs.com


MINNETONKA, Minn., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Ridge Oil & Gas, Inc. ("the Company" or "Black Ridge") (OTCQB: ANFC) today announced the record date in connection with its proposed offering of subscription rights to shareholders (the "Rights Offering"). Upon commencement of the Rights Offering, the Company intends to distribute, on a pro rata basis, one Right for each share of common stock owned by shareholders at 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on August 2, 2017 (the "Record Date"). Each Right will permit a shareholder to purchase up to nine shares of common stock at a subscription price of $0.012 per share.

If all of the shares are sold in the Rights Offering, the Company expects to realize total gross proceeds of approximately $5.182 million.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Rights Offering for the sponsorship of a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) focused on effecting a merger or similar business combination with a target business in the energy industry. Any proceeds from the Rights Offering that remain following the SPAC sponsorship will be used for general corporate purposes which may include other investments and acquisitions.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of any securities referred to in this press release in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The Rights Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

About the Company

Black Ridge Oil & Gas is an oil and gas exploration and production company based in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Black Ridge's focus is exclusive to the Williston Basin Bakken and Three Forks trend in North Dakota and Montana. For additional information, visit the Company's website at www.blackridgeoil.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained herein, which are not historical, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties not known or disclosed herein that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed herein. These statements may include projections and other "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Any such projections or statements reflect management's current views about future events and financial performance. No assurances can be given that such events or performance will occur as projected and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Important factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those projected include, without limitation, general economic or industry conditions nationally and/or in the communities in which our Company conducts business, volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, environmental risks, legislation or regulatory requirements, conditions of the securities markets, our ability to raise capital or have access to debt financing, changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines, financial or political instability, acts of war or terrorism, increases in operator costs, other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory and technical factors affecting our Company's operations, products, services and prices and other risks inherent in the Company's businesses that are detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. Readers are encouraged to review these risks in the Company's SEC filings.

SOURCE Black Ridge Oil & Gas, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.blackridgeoil.com


"I am thoroughly looking forward to my family and I joining the BISC Lincoln Park community and to being part of a school that continually aims to provide an inclusive, enabling environment that empowers children to achieve," said Pearce.

Pearce will continue to promote BISC Lincoln Park's vision of an ever-evolving experience for ever-evolving learners, which also includes celebrating the school's successes with the Global Campus as well as key collaborations with the Juilliard School and MIT.

"It is important to recognize the uniqueness of each child and develop a program of learning that promotes challenge and personalized learning at all levels," said Pearce. "The excellent standards in both learning and teaching create a learning environment that is relevant, rich, and rewarding for all. Through this, a school can encourage creative and critical thinking alongside stimulating and meaningful experiences, leading to fun, excitement, awe, and wonder."

Principal Pearce's first day with British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park is August 1.

About The British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park

BISC Lincoln Park is an internationally-minded private institution preparing students two-years old and up to succeed through a values-based education at a state-of-the-art, five-story campus with a true-to-the-heart Chicago neighborhood feel. Founded in 2001, the school's mission is to provide an ever-evolving experience for ever-evolving learners. BISC Lincoln Park recognizes the uniqueness of each child through learning that promotes challenge and personalized education at all levels. To learn more about BISC Lincoln Park's unique, international private school experience, please visit: www.bischicagolp.org.

For more information, please contact:

British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park

Director of Communications

Tel: (773) 506-2097

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE British International School of Chicago, Lincoln Park

Related Links

http://www.bischicagolp.org


Based on the 2017 International Valuation Standards (IVS 2017) issued though the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), this online course is designed for self-study and customized learning. Developed by Karin Lusnic ASA, ARM, and reviewed by the Education Committee of the iiBV under the leadership of Andrew Strickland, the instructor, John Barton CPA, ASA, leads the participants through the course materials and case study in a series of short videos. John's easygoing and informative style results in a quality course.

"The valuation industry has needed a way to establish standards in practice and ethics across the globe," said Nick Talbot, CEO of International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC). "The iiBV Standards Course will teach what every valuation professional will need to offer best-practice approaches in meeting the needs of the global marketplace."

Participants who complete the course, including the exam, will receive a certificate of completion and will be able to:

Describe the role of international valuation standards and a code of ethical principles in the context of global harmonization;

Apply IVS 2017 and ethical principles in their professional work and reports;

Articulate the bridge issues between established requirements and the new international valuation standards;

Lead their practice and clients in the evolution of international valuation standards.

To learn more and view an introduction to the eLearning course, please visit bvresources.com/eLearning or contact Jared Waters at (971) 200-4848 or [email protected].

About BVR

Top business valuation firms depend on BVR for authoritative market data, continuing professional education, and expert opinion. Our customers include business appraisers, certified public accountants, M&A professionals, business brokers, lawyers and judges, private equity funds and venture capitalists, owners, and CFOs, among others. For more information, please visit bvresources.com.

About iiBV

The iiBV, together with its member associations, leads the business valuation profession globally by providing educational opportunities, promoting consistent professional ethics and standards, facilitating the exchange of information and ideas, and encouraging international co-operation and communication.

Contact:

Jared Waters, Training Director

Business Valuation Resources, LLC

1000 SW Broadway, Suite 1200

Portland, Oregon 97205

Phone: 971-200-4848

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Business Valuation Resources

Related Links

http://www.bvresources.com


PROVO, Utah, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BYU Law and the Federal Bar Association (FBA) today launches an innovative Civics, Law and Leadership Youth Camp, taking place from July 31-August 4. The camp, being held at Brigham Young University, brings together an impressive roster of guest speakers, an interactive day at the Utah Federal Courthouse, and numerous hands-on learning experiencesall focused on youth who are preparing themselves for civic leadership and service.

"Working with the Federal Bar Association on this pilot program nicely aligns with BYU Law's goals and objectives to increase knowledge of civics, law and leadership among young people," said Gordon Smith, Dean of BYU Law School. "Today's youth are tomorrow's attorneys, judges, jurists and elected officials. We hope the camp inspires and facilitates informed and civil discourse among young people from all backgrounds and circumstances."

BYU Law's inaugural camp brings together a broad cross-section of America with 72 students from 22 states. Two Jordanian graduates of BYU Law's International Law Master's program are sending their daughter, adding an international perspective for participants. The Los Angeles Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, the Federal Bar Association, the Utah Federal Court, and generous individual donors provided numerous scholarships, demonstrating the civic-minded attitude the camp is designed to foster in the rising generation. The theme for this year's camp is based on Robert Kennedy's inspiring "Ripple of Hope" speech and the concept that each individual who stands up for what is right can have an immeasurable impact as individual efforts converge.

"We are pleased to work with BYU Law on this groundbreaking effort to enhance the civics education of these outstanding youth," said Judge Michael J. Newman, President of the Federal Bar Association. "This camp encourages young people to become engaged citizens who take active leadership roles in their communities. We are optimistic that a successful inaugural camp will serve as a model for law schools across the country to follow suit, and we believe that BYU is the ideal testing ground thanks to its impressive faculty support and camp program infrastructure."

Students will spend a day at the Federal District Court in Salt Lake City where they will visit with Utah's federal judges and observe the legal system in action. During the camp, students will engage in varied methods of interactive learning under the direction of judges, lawyers, law professors and BYU Law student mentors. Scheduled speakers include Judge David Nuffer, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah; Utah Supreme Court Justice Tom Lee; numerous BYU Law professors; and practicing attorneys. Hands-on work will include a moot court experience to analyze a case, develop arguments and receive feedback from local members of the legal community. The original content being developed for the curriculum will be supplemented by educational resources from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

"We look forward to welcoming these youth leaders into the United States District Court for the District of Utah this summer to witness a mock trial and get a behind-the-scenes look at how our nation's courts operate," said the Honorable David Nuffer. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young adults and we are pleased to support their developing interest in civics, leadership and the law."

About The Federal Bar Association



The mission of the Federal Bar Association is to strengthen the federal legal system and the Administration of justice by serving the interests and the needs of the federal practitioner, both public and private, the federal judiciary and the public they serve. For more information visit http://www.fedbar.org/.

About BYU Law School

Founded in 1971, the J. Reuben Clark Law School has grown into one of the nation's leading law schools  recognized for innovative research and teaching in Corpus Linguistics, Entrepreneurship, Social Change, and Religious Freedom. The Law School has more than 6,000 alumni who now are serving in communities around the world. In its most recent rankings, SoFi ranked BYU Law as the #1 best-value US law school in their 2017 Return on Education Law School Ranking. For more information visit http://www.law.byu.edu/.

For further information, contact:



Thatcher+Co.

Kristin Brocoff, 949-400-4899

[email protected]

SOURCE BYU Law School

Related Links

http://www.law.byu.edu


CLEVELAND, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Center for Excellence in Fighting Blindness, a Gund-Harrington Initiative, has opened its fourth annual Gund-Harrington Scholar Award competition to support innovative research efforts that seek to prevent, treat or cure blindness.

The Gund-Harrington Initiative is a collaboration between Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) and the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio  part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development.

In addition to funding, award recipients receive drug development and project management support through the Harrington Discovery Institute's Innovation Support Center for the duration of the term of the award. This includes hands-on industry guidance from experienced pharmaceutical development professionals, as well as regulatory, intellectual property and business development assistance not found in traditional academic research settings.

This award is open to PhD and MD researchers at accredited academic medical centers, research institutions and universities in the United States and Canada. Multidisciplinary discovery with potential application to the eye is being sought, as are investigators studying fundamental processes with multidisciplinary applications and rare inherited retinal diseases.

Gund-Harrington Scholars will receive:

Funding totaling up to $900,000 over three years based on progress made toward milestones

over three years based on progress made toward milestones Committed drug development and project management support through Harrington Discovery Institute's Innovation Support Center for the duration of the three-year term

Gund-Harrington Scholars also have facilitated access to BioMotiv  part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development  a for-profit commercialization company that is aligned with the Harrington Discovery Institute in mission and structure. BioMotiv was created to further advance discoveries by academic researchers in areas of unmet need.

Letters of Intent are accepted through October 25, 2017.

For more information or to apply, please visit HarringtonDiscovery.org/Gund.

SOURCE Harrington Discovery Institute
SANTA ANA, Calif., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cal/OSHA has cited an aircraft parts manufacturer $87,500 for numerous workplace safety and health violations including failure to provide workers with effective training on hazardous chemicals in their work area and willful failure to notify workers of their exposure to hexavalent chromium, a hazardous chemical known to cause cancer commonly referred to as chromium-6.

Cal/OSHA's Santa Ana Office on January 20 inspected the Triumph Processing - Embee Division, Inc. plant in Santa Ana after receiving a complaint of workplace hazards. Inspectors found that the employer had previously determined through air monitoring that workers who sanded and spray-painted aircraft parts were exposed to high levels of chromium-6, in the form of dust and mist.

Cal/OSHA issued a willful regulatory violation to the employer for not posting or notifying affected workers of the air monitoring results, and for failing to advise the workers of how they would be protected from exposure.

"Triumph Processing knew its workers had been exposed to high levels of chromium-6 at their facility but failed to notify or effectively train them," said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum.

Chromium-6 is a toxic form of the element chromium used in many different industries. It is a known carcinogen and can cause irritation and damage to both the respiratory system when inhaled, and to the eyes and skin upon contact.

Cal/OSHA issued a total of 23 violations, including one willful-regulatory, six serious, six general and 10 regulatory in nature. A willful violation is issued where evidence shows that the employer committed an intentional and knowing violation, and the employer was conscious of the fact that what it was doing constituted a violation, or was aware that a hazardous condition existed and made no reasonable effort to eliminate the hazard. A serious violation is cited when there was a realistic possibility that death or serious physical harm could result from the actual hazardous condition.

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Employers and workers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA's Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.

Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices. Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR's Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734).

Members of the press may contact Erika Monterroza or Peter Melton at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases or other departmental updates.

https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR

https://twitter.com/CA_DIR

http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR

http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1

The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR's Communications Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department.

SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations, Cal/OSHA
"Our mission at Camp Native is to be the best place in the world to find and reserve a campsite. I felt that without being next to our property owners and campers it would be challenging to accomplish this, so this campaign is about getting to know the challenges that our users face and identify additional ways to deliver a world-class solution," said Woodbury. "The outdoors can change your life in a good way. I look at this campaign as an opportunity to raise funds to send kids camping for the first time, who may not have the means or opportunity to do so otherwise."

Woodbury grew up camping in national forests and national parks, started several successful businesses and participated in four different technology accelerators before he worked closely with Spearfish governmental officials to move his Seattle headquarters to the small town, population 11,531.

The decision was one of the best Woodbury's ever made as it bridged his love for the outdoors with his love for technology. Since then, he's passionately advocated for driving technology startup businesses in smaller markets across the country where lifestyle is valued as a key performance indicator.

Woodbury will also advocate to dozens of city and state economic officials in smaller Rocky Mountain towns to discuss ways they can lure similar high-paying tech companies away from the West Coast's tech centers.

He departs Tuesday, August 1 at 7 a.m. from Spearfish to Wyoming where'll he be chronicling his journey at RideWithWoody.com.

Camp Native

Camp Native is the best place for finding and reserving accommodations for your next outdoor adventure. Whether you're looking for a remote tent site, an RV Park resort, a cabin in the woods, or an upscale lodge, we've got you covered. With over 12,000 properties listed, we cover the entire United States and offer accommodation types for any outdoor enthusiast. The result: Camp Native takes the hassle and headaches out of planning and booking your next camping trip, so you can focus on the adventure ahead of you.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Christina Erb LoVullo

Verde Brand Communications

[email protected]

319.310.1415

SOURCE Camp Native

Related Links

http://www.campnative.com


WOODBURY, N.Y., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CardWorks is proud to announce that its parent company has welcomed three non-controlling minority shareholders. Affiliates of Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO), Parthenon Capital Partners, and Reverence Capital Partners each acquired less than 10% of the company in separate transactions. Don Berman, Founder and CEO of CardWorks, will maintain his majority control of the company.

CardWorks, with over $3.5 billion in assets, is a leading consumer lender, merchant acquiring bank, and loan servicer to regulated financial institutions and non-bank lenders.

"CardWorks has always been a people-based business," said Don Berman. "Founded 30 years ago and built on the principle of doing the right thing by our employees, customers and clients, CardWorks has leveraged a combination of human capital, culture, technology, and analytics to build a tremendous franchise. We look forward to an exciting future with our new shareholders, who will each be a value-added strategic partner as we continue to grow our business."

With operations in New York, Utah, Pennsylvania and Florida, CardWorks now employs over 1,300 associates, with all operations housed internally. CardWorks has substantial capital, operational scale, and decades of experience operating as a team, which will allow for continued growth of its lending businesses and expansion of its servicing client base.

"Both Merrick Bank and CardWorks Servicing have been industry leaders for decades. We have been seeking to back a consumer lending platform with an exceptional management team, and are excited to have achieved that goal," said Zach Sadek, Partner at Parthenon Capital Partners. "We are excited to partner with the CardWorks team who I have known and worked with for 20 years. They are a best in class operation across their business lines," said Peter Aberg, Co-Founder and Partner at Reverence Capital Partners.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to CardWorks and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as legal counsel to CardWorks.

About CardWorks Servicing Operations

Founded in 1987, CardWorks provides servicing operations and portfolio management to bank and non-bank consumer and small business lenders through CardWorks Servicing, LLC and Carson Smithfield, LLC. Servicing more than 6 million accounts, CardWorks Servicing, LLC is the premier independent servicer of nationally-branded Visa/Mastercard cards, secured cards, and unsecured installment loans. Carson Smithfield, LLC provides post-charge-off debt recovery services. For more information, visit www.cardworks.com.

About Merrick Bank

Founded in 1997, as a wholly owned subsidiary of CardWorks, Merrick Bank is an FDIC insured top-20 issuer of Visa branded credit cards. Merrick Bank also provides finance options to consumers through marine and recreational vehicle dealers throughout the country. While Merrick Bank specializes in non-prime consumer lending it is also a top-15 credit card merchant acquirer, clearing approximately $38 billion in transaction volume per year for more than 180,000 merchants and 50 independent sales organizations. For more information, visit www.merrickbank.com.

About PIMCO

Founded in 1971, PIMCO is a leading global investment management firm with offices in 12 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. With $1.61 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2017, PIMCO offers a wide range of innovative solutions to help millions of investors worldwide meet their needs. Our goal is to provide attractive returns while maintaining a strong culture of risk management and long-term discipline. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider. For more information, visit www.pimco.com.

About Parthenon Capital Partners

Parthenon Capital Partners is a leading mid-market private equity firm based in Boston and San Francisco. Parthenon utilizes niche industry expertise and a deep execution team to invest in growth companies in technology-enabled services industries. Parthenon seeks to be an active and aligned partner to management, either through recapitalization transactions or by backing new executives. Parthenon specializes in consolidation driven investments and has supported its portfolio companies in completing over 100 follow-on acquisitions in the last five years. For more information, visit www.parthenoncapitalpartners.com.

About Reverence Capital Partners

Reverence Capital Partners is a private investment firm focused on thematic investing in leading global, middle-market financial services businesses through control and influence oriented investments. The firm was founded in 2013, by Milton Berlinski, Peter Aberg and Alex Chulack, after distinguished careers advising and investing in a broad array of financial services businesses. The Partners collectively bring over 90 years of advisory and investing experience across a wide range of financial services sectors including asset management, banks and specialty finance, capital markets, financial technology and insurance. Reverence Capital invests on behalf of a diverse group of investors, including: public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, university endowments, foundations, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. For more information, visit www.reverencecapital.com.

Media Contact:

Erica Berman

CardWorks

(407) 637-5524

[email protected]

SOURCE CardWorks

Related Links

http://www.cardworks.com


ST. LOUIS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) announced today Centurion of Tennessee, LLC ("Centurion") has been recommended for contract award by the Tennessee Department of Correction for inmate health services. Centurion is a joint venture between Centene and MHM Services Inc.

Centurion began providing correctional healthcare services in Tennessee in 2013, and will continue to oversee care for over 20,000 inmates throughout the state. This latest award is expected to become effective in the third quarter of 2017.

"We view our collaboration with the Tennessee Department of Correction as a true partnership in providing responsible and cost-effective care for this complex population. We look forward to continuing our work and mission in this market," said Steven H. Wheeler, CEO of Centurion.

Centurion operates in eight states, providing statewide correctional healthcare services in Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Vermont; and provides administrative services in California through an affiliate.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, is a diversified, multi-national healthcare enterprise that provides a portfolio of services to government sponsored healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care and Long Term Care (LTC), in addition to other state-sponsored programs, Medicare (including the Medicare prescription drug benefit commonly known as "Part D"), as well as programs with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Centene operates local health plans and offers a range of health insurance solutions. It also contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide specialty services including behavioral health management, care management software, correctional healthcare services, dental benefits management, in-home health services, life and health management, managed vision, pharmacy benefits management, specialty pharmacy and telehealth services.

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about Centene, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, http://www.centene.com/investors.

SOURCE Centene Corporation

Related Links

http://www.centene.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Centre Partners, a leading middle market private equity firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles, today announced that it has made an investment in Golding Farms Foods, Inc. ("Golding Farms"), a leading manufacturer of private label, branded and co-manufactured sauces and condiments. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1972 by Tony Golding and based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Golding Farms maintains a best-in-class, SQF level 3-certified facility with highly efficient processing and packaging capabilities. The Company serves a wide range of end markets with product categories including Asian sauces, honeys, aiolis, steak sauces, syrups, Worcestershire sauces and relishes.

John Frostad, an entrepreneur and executive with over 30 years of experience in the private label and branded packaged food industry, will join the Golding Farms team as CEO. Mr. Frostad previously founded and served as President and CEO of Snack Alliance, a leading private label snack food manufacturer.

"Golding Farms has a 45-year history of providing excellent products and service to its retail grocery partners through its dedicated employees, impressive product development and innovation capabilities, and highly efficient manufacturing operation with leading food safety industry certifications," stated David Jaffe, a Managing Partner of Centre Partners. "Golding Farms represents an opportunity for us to invest in a high growth food business and accelerate growth further with additional management resources and investment capital."

"I am pleased to welcome Centre Partners and John Frostad to the Golding Farms family," stated Mr. Golding. "I am excited for this new partnership and look forward to a bright future."

"Golding Farms is a special company with long-standing relationships and commitments to its customers, suppliers and employees, as well as the Winston-Salem community," added Mr. Frostad. "I look forward to working with each of these constituents to grow Golding Farms in the coming years."

About Golding Farms Foods

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Golding Farms Foods is leading manufacturer of private label, branded, and co-manufactured sauces and condiments. Founded by Tony Golding in 1972, Golding Farms maintains a best-in-class, SQF level 3-certified facility with highly-efficient processing and packaging capabilities to serve a wide range of end markets and product categories. For more information, please visit www.goldingfarms.com.

About Centre Partners

Founded in 1986, Centre Partners is a leading middle-market private equity firm focusing on the consumer and healthcare sectors, with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Centre has invested over $2 billion of equity capital in more than 75 transactions since its inception. Centre seeks to partner with founders and management teams to build exceptional businesses. Centre Partners provides management teams access to its unique resources, which includes an extended network of experienced and proven operating executives. Additional information is available at www.centrepartners.com.

Contact:

Mark Semer or Ross Lovern

Kekst

(212) 521-4800

SOURCE Centre Partners

Related Links

http://www.centrepartners.com


DALLAS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CerSci Therapeutics, a non-opioid drug development firm based in Dallas, Texas, has received notice from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that it has been awarded a Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant totaling over $650,000 in 2017 with an additional $1,000,000 to follow in 2018. These funds will support CerSci's Investigational New Drug application of their lead non-opioid drug candidate CT-044 to the Food and Drug Administration targeting submission in 3rd quarter 2018.

This notice comes in the wake of the recent Special Report in The New England Journal of Medicine authored by NIDA director Nora D. Volkow, and NIH director Francis S. Collins entitled "The Role of Science in Addressing the Opioid Crisis" which calls for "safer, more effective treatments" for pain. CerSci's CT-044 alleviates acute and prevents chronic pain by neutralizing excessive peroxynitrite following injury; its initial use will be to treat post-surgical pain thus providing patients, clinicians, and caregivers an alternative to opioid usage. CerSci's patented lead molecular asset, CT-044, is an orally-bioavailable, peripherally-acting, non-metal based catalytic peroxynitrite neutralizer. CT-044 has demonstrated robust efficacy across a battery of pre-clinical post-surgical pain models while exhibiting a favorable safety and toxicology profile across multiple species.

Dr. Scott L. Dax, CerSci Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, is the principal investigator on the awarded SBIR, and inventor of CT-044. He has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for over 25 years, and has supervised research teams conducting pain research, advancing numerous NCEs (New Chemical Entities) into clinical development. Dr. Dax defines the CerSci mission as a calling to end human suffering by discovering and developing new therapies to conquer pain. "Speaking from my experiences spanning decades and many programs, CT-044 and the CerSci scientific platform, coupled with the synergistic expertise of our team is truly special; the opportunity and potential are something different from anything I have seen. I am grateful for this grant award because after all our hard work, CT-044 can finally enter clinical trials and soon thereafter help patients. CerSci can be the company to help patients truly in need and end this awful opioid crisis."

This content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

About CerSci Therapeutics

CerSci is dedicated to pharmaceutical research and development in the area of non-opioid therapeutics for the alleviation of acute and chronic pain. CerSci is currently preparing its lead drug candidate, CT-044, for Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will enable human clinical trials (expected to commence in late 2018).

Media Contact:

Lucas Rodriguez

+1 (956) 279-6888

www.CerSci.com

SOURCE CerSci Therapeutics

Related Links

http://www.CerSci.com


BEIJING, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheetah Mobile Inc. (NYSE: CMCM) ("Cheetah Mobile" or the "Company"), a leading mobile Internet company that aims to provide leading apps for mobile users worldwide and connect users with personalized content on the mobile platform, today announced that it plans to release its second quarter 2017 financial results on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 before market open. The Company will hold a conference call on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 7:00 am Eastern Time or 7:00 pm Beijing Time to discuss the financial results. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers:

International: +1-412-902-4272

United States Toll Free: +1-888-346-8982

China Toll Free: 4001-201203

Hong Kong Toll Free: 800-905945

Conference ID: Cheetah Mobile

The replay will be accessible through August 29, 2017 by dialing the following numbers:

United States Toll Free: +1-877-344-7529

International: +1-412-317-0088

Access Code: 10110897

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.cmcm.com.

About Cheetah Mobile Inc.

Cheetah Mobile is a leading mobile internet company. It aims to provide leading apps for mobile users worldwide and connect users with personalized content on the mobile platform.

Cheetah Mobile's products, including its popular utility applications Clean Master, CM Security and Battery Doctor, help make users' mobile internet experience smarter, speedier, and safer. The Company has attracted approximately 600 million global Mobile MAUs, of which approximately 80% are located outside of China. Leveraging the success of its utility applications, Cheetah Mobile has launched its line of mobile content-driven applications, including News Republic and Live.me.

Cheetah Mobile provides its advertising customers, which include direct advertisers and mobile advertising networks through which advertisers place their advertisements, with direct access to highly targeted mobile users and global promotional channels, which are capable of delivering targeted content to hundreds of millions of users.

Investor Relations Contact

Cheetah Mobile Inc.

Helen Jing Zhu

Tel: +8610 6292 7779 ext. 1600

Email: [email protected]

ICR, Inc.

Xueli Song

Tel: +1 (646) 417-5395

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Cheetah Mobile

Related Links

http://ir.cmcm.com


OWINGS MILLS, Md., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Chesapeake Urology, one of the nation's leading urology practices, announced that it has formed a partnership with Central Maryland Urology Associates (CMUA), effective July 1, 2017. This partnership includes the practice's medical office and the Columbia Urological Surgery Center located in Columbia, MD. CMUA has assumed the Chesapeake Urology brand name.

"Through this union, Chesapeake Urology continues its expansion throughout Maryland, and enables Chesapeake Urology to further expand its existing integrated model of care in Howard County," stated Sanford J. Siegel, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Chesapeake Urology. "The physicians of CMUA have been providing high quality urology services to patients in this area for more than 40 years and we are proud to have them continue to do so as part of the Chesapeake Urology team."

The six physicians of CMUA have joined Chesapeake Urology and will continue to care for patients in their existing Columbia office. The physicians are: Marc B. Applestein, M.D.; Jennifer L. Bepple, M.D.; Kevin B. Blumenthal, M.D.; John J. Kishel, M.D.; Frank M. Nezu, M.D.; and Alejandro Rodriguez, M.D.

Marc B. Applestein M.D., who has led the CMUA practice for many years, commented, "The physicians and staff are very enthusiastic about joining forces with Chesapeake Urology, which shares a common vision and core values with Central Maryland Urology. We look forward to working with all of our new colleagues as we together maintain a focus on our patients, employees and the communities within which we serve. Additionally, this new endeavor will allow us to offer other expanded services and new treatments, and position us and our patients for any future changes in healthcare as they occur."

Contact Information for Drs. Applestein, Bepple, Blumenthal, Kishel, Nezu and Rodriguez:

Columbia Office:

10710 Charter Drive, Suite 130

Columbia, MD 21044

Ph: 410-772-7000

Columbia Urological Surgery Center:

10710 Charter Drive, Suite 140

Columbia, MD 21044

Ph: 410-772-7000

About Chesapeake Urology

Chesapeake Urology is a fully-integrated urology practice providing a comprehensive array of urologic services to its patients. The Company operates 22 medical offices and 16 AAAHC-certified ambulatory surgery centers in Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Carroll, Montgomery, Prince George's, Charles and Anne Arundel counties and in Baltimore City, and has a staff of more than 625 including 67 physicians. Chesapeake has been named one of the top places to work in healthcare nationally by Modern Healthcare magazine and Becker's ASC Review, and locally by the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore magazine and the Baltimore Business Journal. For information about Chesapeake Urology, please visit ChesapeakeUrology.com.

CONTACT:

Patricia Schnably, Chesapeake Urology Associates

443-738-8107; [email protected]; ChesapeakeUrology.com

SOURCE Chesapeake Urology Associates

Related Links

http://www.chesapeakeurology.com


SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronicled, Inc. today announced the completion of a technical pilot demonstrating a cryptographic method of anonymously transferring a Serialized Global Trade Item Number (SGTIN). SGTINs identify individual items as they move through multi-stage supply chains, which can often involve multiple custodians and geographic locations. Using an applied cryptographic verification model known as Zero Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge (zk-SNARK) developed by University researchers at UC Berkeley and MIT, the pilot allows multiple independent parties to verify an object's identity and provenance without directly interacting with one another or a centralized database. This enables secure and anonymous transfer of possession and/or ownership of SGTINs within multi-party supply chains.

In addition to removing trust barriers and multi-party friction and bottlenecks, Chronicled's technical pilot represents the first step towards full prevention and elimination of the entry of counterfeit products and components into the supply chain. Within the cryptographic framework of the pilot, an SGTIN can be in the possession of only a single trading partner at any given time. Any duplication will alert the network to the existence and location of a counterfeit asset.

The first market vertical that Chronicled is tackling with the methodology -- in partnership with The LinkLab -- is the pharmaceutical supply chain. An FDA regulatory regime called the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) calls for full end-to-end track and trace of pharma products by 2023 on an interoperable platform. However, under conventional approaches, the pharmaceutical industry fears the leakage of sensitive business intelligence that could tip-off their trading and financing partners about purchasing patterns and business volumes.

"Our team has been working hard on this key privacy issue, and as a result Chronicled is now the first to successfully demonstrate this cryptographically secure method of anonymous physical asset identity transfer," said Chronicled CEO, Ryan Orr. "As an immediate next step, we plan to continue to work with industry partners to implement current supply chain workflows using this technology while optimizing for volume, aggregation, returns, recalls, and performance considerations."

"This is the first step in a longer-term plan to fundamentally improve the way assets move through supply chains by using blockchain technology to immutably track the provenance of any object with an SGTIN," said Chronicled CTO, Maurizio Greco.

Data written to a blockchain are transparent and immutable and do not rely on central databases or human intermediaries. Because of this, the zk-SNARK methodology is not susceptible to human error or conventional hacking. The framework piloted by Chronicled prevents any leakage of company identity, shipment information, and transaction volumes and makes the usage of a blockchain ledger resistant to unwanted usage or analysis of data by an industry analyst or malicious third party. Associated smart contracts allow a regulator to fully and reliably audit the provenance of an asset after the fact, without the need for prior knowledge, continuous monitoring, or the need for trust in the various organizations operating within the supply chain.

"In early August, Chronicled will host a clean-room session with three experts in the field of applied cryptography to verify the robustness of the technical method and publish independent assessments in a public forum," said Chronicled Engineer Maksym Petkus.

While the initial pilot is being implemented using a Parity client on Ethereum, it is compatible with other blockchain systems, including Quorum and Hyperledger, which Chronicled also supports. When fully implemented, the system is expected to represent a major step towards eliminating much of the friction that exists under present regulatory and trade regimes, as data privacy is afforded while at the same time the record of custody and provenance is immutably and cryptographically secured. This unique solution to solving the competing requirements of full privacy, and also item level provenance when requested by a regulator, will represent a major move toward digitalization, trust, and interoperability in global trade flows.

More broadly, the pilot lays the foundation for the implementation of secure, automated business practices on blockchain systems. Follow-on use cases might include IoT-based verification of physical custody of a physical shipment as a precursor to being able to transfer custody of an SGTIN to the next trading partner in the chain; or, immediate, secure fulfillment of contractual obligations, including, for example, automated payment upon delivery of a shipment.

About Chronicled

Based in San Francisco, Chronicled is a technology company leveraging blockchain and IoT to power smart, secure supply chain solutions. Chronicled secures IoT device identities, data, and event logs and automates IoT-dependent business logic through smart contracts. Chronicled is also a founding member of the Trusted IoT Alliance, with the mission of creating open source tools and standards to connect IoT and blockchain ecosystems to deliver business value.

About The LinkLab

The LinkLab is a unique supply chain consulting group founded to provide life science companies guidance and support to meet world-wide serialization regulations. With deadlines fast approaching, we work to provide companies with innovative approaches to ensure gaps are identified, timelines are met, and business value is realized. The LinkLab formed from observing the Pharma industry's progression in establishing electronic management of prescription medicines and seeing a need for improvements. With experience going back to 2008 in planning for California's ePedigree law, The LinkLab principals have, for the last four years, focused on projects which support the packaging, distribution, and commercial requirements of serializing prescription medicines. To learn more, visit http://www.thelinklab.com/.

SOURCE Chronicled

Related Links

http://www.chronicled.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a national bank serving middle market and small businesses, today announced that its employees contributed a total of 7,625 volunteer hours to local communities across the U.S. during its inaugural CIT Cares Month this summer.

CIT Cares Month launched this past June to enable employees across the country to give back to communities where they live and work. Nearly 1,700 employees, approximately 40 percent of the total U.S. employee population, took part in 160 volunteer projects nationwide.

"Building stronger communities is a core principle at CIT," said CIT Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer Ellen R. Alemany. "Our colleagues across the company gave of their time and talents this summer to help others and make a positive impact on our towns and cities. From battling food insecurity to supporting financial education and affordable housing, I'm proud of the drive and spirit within our team."

While a number of volunteer projects and events took place across the country, a few notable contributions include: 32,400 meals served for the hungry in Portsmouth, NH; 3,000 backpacks stuffed with 15,000 food items donated to students in suburban New York City; 4,000 pounds of food restocked at a food pantry in Pasadena, CA; and 21 tons of food collected in Jacksonville, FL.

Chip Paillex, President and Founder of America's Grow-a-Row, commented, "Three groups of CIT employees visited our local farm in New Jersey to help us plant several new crops of vegetables. Our volunteers play a critical role in our work and these efforts will provide approximately half a million servings of healthy produce to those in need."

Watch a video of CIT Group's employees in action during CIT Cares Month here.

About CIT

Founded in 1908, CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with more than $50 billion in assets as of June 30, 2017. Its principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A., (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender) has more than $30 billion of deposits and more than $40 billion of assets. CIT provides financing, leasing, and advisory services principally to middle-market companies and small businesses across a wide variety of industries. It also offers products and services to consumers through its Internet bank franchise and a network of retail branches in Southern California, operating as OneWest Bank, a division of CIT Bank, N.A.

For more information visit cit.com. View our corporate video and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook. Register to receive press releases at cit.mediaroom.com/email-alerts.

CIT MEDIA RELATIONS:

Olivia Weiss

212-771-9657

[email protected]

SOURCE CIT Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cit.com


SAN FRANCISCO, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC) will study Blue Shield of California's home-based palliative care program in the San Francisco Bay Area to develop guidelines, tools and best practices for payers who are interested in adopting this model of care. The two-year study is supported by a $500,000 grant from the Stupski Foundation.

Blue Shield's home-based palliative program is a unique collaboration that includes the health plan's Accountable Care Organization providers. This month, Blue Shield launched the program in San Francisco with Hospice by the Bay, UCSF Health and Hill Physicians Medical Group. Blue Shield plans to roll out the program with additional Bay Area providers later this year.

C-TAC's two-year study will evaluate the effectiveness of Blue Shield's program and assess potential regulatory and public policy barriers in implementing this care model for seriously ill patients.

"We are excited to support C-TAC to broaden the understanding of the options available to people with serious illness and ensure local health systems are dedicated to delivering care the patient wants," said Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation. "Through this important work, we are exploring ways to make it easier for health care providers to offer these services to people with advanced illness and support their families."

The San Francisco Bay Area's home-based palliative care program focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness, improving quality of life for both the patient and the family, and delivering comprehensive care in the setting most patients prefer  their home.

The program, available to all patients enrolled in a Blue Shield of California health plan, brings together an interdisciplinary care team that includes a physician, nurse, social worker and chaplain. This team provides pain and symptom management, psychosocial support, advance care planning, grief counseling, disease management education, spiritual counseling, and other services as needed for patients and caregivers.

Earlier this year, Blue Shield announced a similar program in the greater Sacramento area in collaboration with Hill Physicians Medical Group and Snowline Hospice. The health plan is planning to make the program available in additional regions in California.

"Blue Shield of California is a mission-driven nonprofit health plan that is focused on providing people access to quality and effective care," said Jeff Bailet, MD, executive vice president at Blue Shield. "By working in close collaboration with our providers, we believe we can deliver meaningful, comprehensive care especially for those who are seriously ill."

Separately, the home-based palliative care model is also being studied by researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) through a $5 million funding award provided by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). USC researchers will analyze the clinical results of the model and evaluate the effectiveness of home-based palliative care versus primary care clinic-based palliative care.

About C-TAC

C-TAC is a non-profit, non-partisan coalition comprised of over 140 national organizations that share a common vision of improving advanced illness care for all Americans. The Coalition works to ensure that all those with advanced illness, especially the sickest and most vulnerable, receive comprehensive, high-quality, person- and family-centered care that is consistent with their goals and values and honors their dignity.

Background on Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $17 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company's mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality care at an affordable price. Blue Shield has contributed more than $450 million to the Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.

Media Contact: Nick Martin

202-909-2865 | [email protected]

SOURCE Blue Shield of California

Related Links

https://www.blueshieldca.com


RESTON, Va., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced an agreement with Media Management, Inc. (MMi), which provides media audit support to the industry, to add comScore's local television measurement to MMi's Circle Audit auditing system.

The addition of comScore's local television ratings into MMi's system will help advertisers and agencies evaluate and verify deliverables and provide an additional choice for validation of their media purchases.

"Our partnership with comScore is an extension to the accountability services we provide the industry," said Thomas Bridge, CEO of Media Management, Inc. (MMi). "Working with comScore gives our clients the flexibility to conduct third party validation when the agency selects comScore as the audience currency in their media buys."

"We are happy to work with our first auditing system for our local television measurement," said comScore's Chief Executive Officer Gian Fulgoni. "Partnering with MMi gives us expanded accountability of our data and gives our clients the assurance they need when scheduling advertising campaigns."

About comScore

comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, comScore's data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and a global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market (OTC:SCOR). For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, comScore's expectations as to the financial and operational effects of Stationview Essentials and comScore's entire suite of advertising products. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, comScore's ability to project the financial impact of the partnership or comScore's ability to achieve its expected financial and operational results. For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to comScore's respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings that comScore makes from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not intend or undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE comScore

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ELLICOTT CITY, Md., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Cornerstone Defense, Inc. today announced it has named H. Christopher Goodrich, President and Chief Executive Officer effective August 15, 2017. Mr. Goodrich has also been appointed to the board of directors of Cornerstone Defense. He has previously held executive roles in the Department of Defense and as the Chief Operating Officer of ManTech's Mission, Cyber, and Intelligence Solutions group.

Cornerstone Defense

William Bradley, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cornerstone Defense, expressed, "Chris' proven leadership, customer service, and history of delivering growth will serve Cornerstone's customers, partners, and employees extremely well. Chris was the obvious choice for the company based on his experience and knowledge of the Intel Community. He understands Cornerstone's core values and our potential. Everyone at Cornerstone welcomes Chris to his new position and looks forward to working with him."

Regarding this new opportunity, Mr. Goodrich commented, "It is a great privilege to be selected as Cornerstone's next President and CEO. I view Cornerstone as a leader in providing innovation to our clients and delivering measurable mission results. The company is currently composed of approximately 75 highly technical employees that support Virginia, Maryland, and Colorado customers. My intent is to continuously expand our company, providing growth opportunities for our employees, while delivering mission critical services and solutions that exceed our government customer's requirements and expectations."

With over 30 years of experience building and leading organizations, Mr. Goodrich has effectively provided the Intelligence Community with mission solutions. His work has been in both the private and public sectors, and has been marked by growth and maturity of multiple organizations. Chris previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of ManTech's Mission, Cyber, and Intelligence Solutions (MCIS) group. Prior to that, he was the Senior Vice President of the SIGINT Solutions and Cyber Operation Business Unit for ManTech's MCIS Group where he established a strong Maryland base of operations. Under his leadership, ManTech expanded its Maryland and Colorado presence and successfully executed a premier Department of Defense contract to provide full spectrum systems integration services to support key analytic modernization efforts. Chris spent approximately 20 years working for the National Security Agency. His positions were varied, consisting of individual technical support, program management, and organizational leadership. He spent seven years providing direct mission support overseas. In 2002, Chris transitioned from the Government to private sector joining Northrop Grumman TASC.

Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Chaminade University and is a graduate of executive programs at both the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In addition, he is also a graduate of the United States Air Force War College.

Cornerstone Defense, Inc. is a Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) servicing the Intelligence, Defense and Healthcare communities of the U.S. Government. Cornerstone is headquartered in Ellicott City, MD and specializes in Cloud Architecture, Systems and Network Engineering, Systems and Networks Security, and Application Development. Cornerstone's advanced capabilities in service delivery begin with its employees. By hiring and maintaining skilled employees, Cornerstone is able to assist our Government and integrator community clientele with the ability to deliver new and cutting-edge capabilities, supporting Mission Critical objectives.

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SOURCE Cornerstone Defense
TORONTO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Screaming Power and the CHEC (Cornerstone Hydro Electric Concepts) Group would like to announce their partnership in creating a mobile solution for Utility customer engagement that moves towards embracing technological change. The solution has been built with Screaming Power's existing mobile technology "Scream Utility", which represents 3+ years of Research and Development.

Additional work and advisement in 2017 along with Government funding has allowed the parties to rapidly develop a solution for its electric Utility Cooperative and other Utility Providers that want to work together. This Mobile Utility Application will empower Energy Utilities by utilizing innovation and technology that allows for management of energy use and incentivizes energy conservation to help the Utility Providers and customers save time and money.

"Working with this Utility Group and specifically Lakefront Utilities as the lead utility, has been a great experience. In a matter of a few months, we have been able to create a solution that automates data processes, innovates customer engagement and delivers information electronically right to the customer, so it can be reused for the Internet of Things. It could not have been done without the expertise of the parties involved." - Gary Michor, CEO of Screaming Power

Gord Eamer COO of CHEC, a Utility cooperative group of 17 Utilities, understands how Mobile Applications are changing the way people do things. "I now realize we can use this technology and watch it evolve as new opportunities and technologies advance. As the mobile landscape progresses, the parties will continue to grow and use their strengths to be a part of the changing energy industry." - Gord Eamer COO of CHEC

Utilities can provide their customer base with a user-friendly mobile experience that supports digitized information delivery, presentment, conservation, management and education while removing manual or paper-based processes. This mobile technology solution is a useful tool needed to support 'Smart' communities.

Screaming Power and the CHEC Group are excited about the Mobile Utility Management System's progress. Screaming Power has offered the CHEC User Group of Utilities special pricing to reduce the burden on the community Utilities who care about their customers.

About Screaming Power.

Screaming Power is revolutionizing customer engagement by providing a mobile platform that connects the energy user, allowing for effective and secure two-way communications to educate, change behaviour and encourage sustainability. Our extensible Intellectual Property provides a low-cost, digital infrastructure with a self-sustaining Eco-System. Our Scream Utility & Scream Enterprise mobile solution focuses on reducing 'cost-to-service' for while driving user satisfaction and innovation. See www.screamingpower.ca for more information.

About Cornerstone Hydro Electric Concepts Inc.

CHEC is a not for profit association that is committed to its members, assisting them to service their customers and communities. They are premier LDC Cooperative in the Province of Ontario and look to exceed their members' expectations through the sharing of services, opportunities, knowledge and resources. See http://checenergy.ca/ for more information.

SOURCE Screaming Power

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ALLENTOWN, Pa., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Creditsafe, the global business intelligence leader, today announced the addition of 16 new countries to its global research platform This new international reach will see Creditsafe's online database instantly available to over 240 million businesses in over 100 countries. As a result of today's announcement, Creditsafe now offers the most comprehensive, insightful platform of intelligence on public and private companies in the world.

"This mark's the single largest and most significant database expansion we have done to date. And, it completes our global offering. No one in the marketplace offers such a comprehensive solution supported by an incredible portfolio of analytics," said Matthew Debbage, CEO of Creditsafe USA and Asia. "Not only have we added critical financial data on thousands of public and private companies to our platform, but we are providing insight on many located in Middle East and Africa which have proven to be complex economies in the past. We can now provide International Database Reports on millions of companies instantly online. No one else in the market offers the level of data that we do."

As a result of this expansion, Creditsafe customers will now be able to access metrics and analytics on companies located in: Bahrain, Benin, Burkina Faso, Republic of Congo, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine (West Bank and Gaza), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Western Sahara.

Creditsafe's global database is one of the most rapidly expanding in the industry and also one of the most comprehensive. It is updated over a million times a day with information gathered from over 200 sources. In 99.9% of the cases, reports requested by customers are delivered instantly online. And, over 40% of Credisafe's customers, leverage the company's internationally reporting capabilities.

Creditsafe offers customers unlimited and open access to information and ratings on companies in virtually every industry in almost every country on earth. Each day over 200,000 users around the world leverage the company's database to make more than 450,000 business decisions. Currently, Creditsafe has 14 offices around the world and maintains the only truly global international database of online credit information. Globally, the company reports a 28 percent growth in revenue over the past twelve months.

About The Creditsafe Group

The Creditsafe Group is the world's most used supplier of company business intelligence, with ten Creditsafe Group reports downloaded every second. Privately owned and independently minded, Creditsafe is looking to change the way business information is used by providing high-quality data in an easy to use format that every-one in an organization can benefit from.

Founded in Norway in 1997, Creditsafe has offices in countries all over the world including: the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and the United States. Globally, Creditsafe employs over 1,200 people and has more than 90,000 subscription customers. Three years ago, the Creditsafe Group opened offices in the U.S. under the name Creditsafe, Inc. Its U.S. operations are headquartered in Allentown, Pa. with another facility in Phoenix, AZ. For more information, please visit www.creditsafe.com.

SOURCE Creditsafe

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TOKYO and BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited and Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. announced that they have agreed to enter into a program to settle, on behalf of all defendants, pending product liability litigation against various Daiichi Sankyo and Forest entities. These cases are related to olmesartan products (Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor and Tribenzor) and allegations that such products caused sprue-like enteropathy and other severe gastro-intestinal symptoms. The lawsuits were filed beginning in January 2014.

The settlement requires, among other thresholds, that at least 95 percent of all eligible litigants and claimants decide to opt-in to the settlement under certain conditions. Claimants eligible to opt-in to the settlement program, under certain conditions, include those with claims already filed in court (currently almost 2300 cases) and those with certain unfiled claims. Once the agreed-upon thresholds are met, and following a review of claims by a Claims Administrator, claimants who meet specified criteria will receive payouts from the settlement fund, which is capped at $300 million. A portion of the capped amount will also be used for plaintiffs' counsel fees and expenses and the cost of the Claims Administrator as per the settlement agreement.

The impact to the financial position of the company is not considered material because, upon presentation of proper claim documentation, the settlement fund is expected to be comprised primarily of proceeds from several of Daiichi Sankyo Group's insurance companies supplemented with company funds.

Daiichi Sankyo believes that the claims made in this litigation are without merit, and does not admit liability.

"Daiichi Sankyo is committed to the health and safety of all patients taking our medications," said Glenn Gormley, MD, PhD, Executive Chairman and President, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. "We believe a settlement is in the best interest of all, and will allow us to continue our focus on bringing to market innovative medicines that help people live healthy and meaningful lives."

Daiichi Sankyo takes all matters of patient safety seriously and continuously monitors data from clinical trials and post-marketing case reports to identify potential safety signals. Daiichi Sankyo remains committed to our medications that contain olmesartan medoxomil, which remain widely used and available to patients with hypertension in the U.S. Olmesartan medoxomil is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) approved for the treatment of high blood pressure, alone or with other antihypertensive agents, and is one of eight marketed ARB drugs. The olmesartan medoxomil family of products used for the treatment of hypertension has a well-established safety profile with more than 53 million patient-years of use worldwide since 2002.

Important Safety Information for BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, and TRIBENZOR

WARNING: FETAL TOXICITY

When pregnancy is detected, discontinue BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR as soon as possible

Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus. See WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS: Fetal Toxicity

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Do not co-administer aliskiren with BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR in patients with diabetes.

BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR are contraindicated in patients with anuria. BENICAR HCT is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to any component of BENICAR HCT. TRIBENZOR is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to other sulfonamide-derived drugs.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Morbidity in Infants: Children <1 year of age must not receive BENICAR for hypertension. Safety and effectiveness of AZOR, BENICAR HCT or TRIBENZOR have not been established in pediatric patients.

Fetal Toxicity: BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, and TRIBENZOR are Pregnancy Category D.

Hypotension in Volume- or Salt-Depleted Patients: In patients with an activated renin-angiotensin system, such as volume- and/or salt-depleted patients (eg, those being treated with high doses of diuretics), symptomatic hypotension may occur after initiation of treatment with BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR.

Impaired Renal Function:

Patients whose renal function may depend in part upon the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (eg. patients with renal artery stenosis, chronic kidney disease, severe congestive heart failure, or volume depletion), may be at particular risk of developing acute renal failure on BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR and TRIBENZOR. Monitor renal function periodically in these patients. Consider withholding or discontinuing therapy in patients who develop a clinically significant decrease in renal function on BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR and TRIBENZOR.

Safety and effectiveness of BENICAR HCT in patients with severe renal impairment (CrCl  30 mL/min) have not been established. Avoid use of TRIBENZOR in patients with severely impaired renal function (creatinine clearance 30 mL/min). If progressive renal impairment becomes evident, consider withholding or discontinuing TRIBENZOR.

Sprue-like Enteropathy: Severe, chronic diarrhea with substantial weight loss has been reported in patients taking olmesartan months to years after drug initiation. Intestinal biopsies of patients often demonstrated villous atrophy. If a patient develops these symptoms during treatment with olmesartan, exclude other etiologies. Consider discontinuation of BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR in cases where no other etiology is identified.

Hepatic Impairment: Initial therapy with AZOR or TRIBENZOR is not recommended in hepatically impaired patients. In patients with severe hepatic impairment, exercise caution with AZOR and avoid use of TRIBENZOR. Thiazides (a component in BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR) may cause minor alterations of fluid and electrolyte balance that may precipitate hepatic coma in patients with impaired hepatic function or progressive liver disease.

Electrolyte and Metabolic Imbalances: BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR contain hydrochlorothiazide which can cause hypokalemia and hyponatremia. Hypomagnesemia can result in hypokalemia which may be difficult to treat despite potassium repletion. BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR and TRIBENZOR also contain olmesartan, a drug that inhibits the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Drugs that inhibit the RAS can cause hyperkalemia. Monitor serum electrolytes periodically.

Hydrochlorothiazide may alter glucose tolerance and raise serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

Hypersensitivity Reaction: Hypersensitivity reactions to HCTZ (a component in BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR) may occur in patients with or without a history of allergy or bronchial asthma, but are more likely in patients with such a history.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Thiazides (a component in BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR) have been reported to cause exacerbation or activation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Acute Myopia and Secondary Angle-Closure Glaucoma: Thiazides can cause an idiosyncratic reaction, resulting in acute transient myopia and acute angle-closure glaucoma. Discontinue HCTZ (a component in BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR) as rapidly as possible in these patients.

Vasodilation: Although vasodilation attributable to amlodipine (a component in AZOR and TRIBENZOR) is gradual in onset, acute hypotension has rarely been reported after oral administration. Patients with severe aortic stenosis may be at particular risk.

Increased Angina and/or Myocardial Infarction: Patients taking AZOR or TRIBENZOR, particularly those with severe obstructive coronary artery disease, may develop increased frequency, duration, or severity of angina or acute myocardial infarction on starting calcium channel blocker therapy or at the time of dose increase.

Laboratory Tests: There was a greater decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit with AZOR compared to either component alone. Other lab abnormalities may include increased blood creatinine levels and hyperkalemia (olmesartan medoxomil), hepatic enzyme elevations (amlodipine), and increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels (HCTZ).

DRUG INTERACTIONS

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents: Concurrent administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may lead to increased risk of renal impairment (including possible acute renal failure) and loss of antihypertensive effect of BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, and TRIBENZOR.

Dual Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS): Dual blockade of the RAS with angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aliskiren is associated with increased risks of hypotension, hyperkalemia, and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to monotherapy. Most patients receiving the combination of two RAS inhibitors do not obtain any additional benefit compared to monotherapy. In general, avoid combined use of RAS inhibitors. Closely monitor blood pressure, renal function, and electrolytes in patients on BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR and other agents that affect the RAS.

Do not co-administer aliskiren with BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR in patients with diabetes. Avoid use of aliskiren with BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR in patients with renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min).

Concurrent Use with Colesevelam Hydrochloride: Concurrent administration of colesevelam hydrochloride with BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR reduces the systemic exposure and peak plasma concentration of olmesartan. Consider administering olmesartan at least 4 hours before the colesevelam hydrochloride dose.

Effect of Amlodipine on Simvastatin: Due to increased exposure to simvastatin, when co-administered with amlodipine (a component in AZOR and TRIBENZOR), do not exceed doses of greater than 20 mg daily of simvastatin.

Lithium: Increases in serum lithium concentrations and lithium toxicity have been reported with concomitant use of olmesartan or thiazide diuretics. Monitor lithium levels in patients receiving BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, or TRIBENZOR and lithium.

Antidiabetic drugs: Dosage adjustment of the antidiabetic drug may be required due to hydrochlorothiazide (a component of BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR).

Cholestyramine and colestipol: Reduced absorption of thiazides. Consider administering BENICAR HCT 4 hours before or 4-6 hours after the administration of the resin.

Corticosteroids, ACTH: Intensified electrolyte depletion, particularly hypokalemia due to hydrochlorothiazide (a component of BENICAR HCT and TRIBENZOR).

ADVERSE REACTIONS

BENICAR: The only adverse reaction that occurred in >1% of patients treated with BENICAR and more frequently than placebo was dizziness (3% vs 1%).

BENICAR HCT: Adverse reactions reported in >2% of patients taking BENICAR HCT and more frequently than placebo included nausea (3% vs 0%), hyperuricemia (4% vs 2%), dizziness (9% vs 2%), and upper respiratory tract infection (7% vs 0%).

AZOR: The most common adverse reaction (incidence 3%) in patients treated with AZOR was edema.

TRIBENZOR: The most frequently reported adverse reaction was dizziness (5.8% to 8.9%). The other most frequent adverse reactions occurring in 2% of patients treated with TRIBENZOR were peripheral edema (7.7%), headache (6.4%), fatigue (4.2%), nasopharyngitis (3.5%), muscle spasms (3.1%), nausea (3.0%), upper respiratory tract infection (2.8%), diarrhea (2.6%), urinary tract infection (2.4%), and joint swelling (2.1%).

USE IN SPECIFIC PATIENT POPULATIONS

Nursing Mothers: Avoid use while nursing; discontinue either nursing or the drug.

Please see Full Prescribing Information for BENICAR, BENICAR HCT, AZOR, and TRIBENZOR.

About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. With over 100 years of scientific expertise and a presence in more than 20 countries, Daiichi Sankyo and its 15,000 employees around the world draw upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help people. In addition to a strong portfolio of medicines for hypertension and thrombotic disorders, under the Group's 2025 Vision to become a "Global Pharma Innovator with Competitive Advantage in Oncology," Daiichi Sankyo research and development is primarily focused on bringing forth novel therapies in oncology, including immuno-oncology, with additional focus on new horizon areas, such as pain management, neurodegenerative diseases, heart and kidney diseases, and other rare diseases. For more information, please visit: www.daiichisankyo.com.

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. For more information on Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., please visit: www.dsi.com.

Contact:



Kimberly Wix

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. (United States)

908 992 6633

[email protected]

Koji Ogiwara

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd. (Japan)

[email protected]

+81 3622 51126

SOURCE Daiichi Sankyo

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NORWALK, Conn., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Datto, Inc., the leading provider of total data protection solutions for businesses around the world, today announced that Timothy Weller has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer. Weller will report to Datto Founder and Chief Executive Officer Austin McChord.

"Tim brings a strong track record of financial and business leadership supporting both emerging growth and public technology companies," stated McChord. "We've built a stellar management team, and we look forward to collaborating with Tim to continue to grow our business by providing value to our managed service provider (MSP) partners, employees and investors."

Prior to Datto, Weller served as the Interim CEO and CFO of London-based financial technology company Wonga. He was also CFO of two Boston-based public companies, EnerNoc, a clean energy technology company, and Akamai, where he led a team that completed one of the top-performing initial public offerings (IPOs) of all time.

Early in his career, Tim was an equity research analyst at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. He has also been a software developer, video game designer, angel investor, and advisor to many technology company CEOs. Weller earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Michigan State University and a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois.

"Since my early career in software development and on Wall Street, I've watched small-to-medium businesses struggle to keep up with technology, and the complexity continues to accelerate. Datto has optimized the delivery of IT solutions for SMBs -- data protection, business continuity, networking and security -- by using the Managed Service Provider channel," stated Weller. "I'm excited to work with the talented team that has led Datto to this stage of success as the company continues its global expansion and rollout of new services."

About Datto

Datto protects business data and provides secure connectivity for tens of thousands of the world's fastest growing companies. Datto's Total Data Protection solutions deliver uninterrupted access to business data on site, in transit and in the cloud. Thousands of IT service providers globally rely on Datto's combination of pioneering technology and dedicated services to ensure businesses are always on, no matter what. Datto is headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut and has offices in Monroe, Rochester, Boston, Portland, Toronto, London, Singapore and Sydney.

Media contact :

Justin Goldstein

Finn Partners

Phone: 212.715.1601

Email: [email protected]

Michaela Scampoli

Datto, Inc.

Phone: 401-419-3938

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Datto, Inc.

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ROUND ROCK, Texas, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dell Boomi (Boomi), the number one integration cloud provider, announced that the Philadelphia Business Journal has named Boomi as a 2017 Best Place to Work. This marks the third time that the company has been honored with this award.

The Philadelphia Business Journal partnered with Quantum Workplace to create this scientific employee engagement survey, which is based on anonymous employee responses to questions related to work environment, personal growth, professional development, people, and embracing change and new ideas. Dell Boomi employees consistently rated the company highly across all areas of the survey.

"As a third time recipient of this award, Dell Boomi is extremely proud to be recognized for our outstanding employees, agile product innovation, and high customer satisfaction. Our culture, market leading products, and more than 6,000 customers have propelled Dell Boomi to be the number one integration cloud provider," said Chris McNabb, CEO of Dell Boomi. "We strive for a passionate and committed team where Philadelphia's most inquisitive and ambitious are empowered to thrive. This award recognizes our promise to create an environment in which team members seek to grow their careers while being an integral part of our customer's success."

Quantum Workplace tabulated the results of online surveys completed by employees to establish the winners, which will be celebrated on Aug. 10, 2017 at The Fillmore Philadelphia.

Boomi helps companies achieve the vision of The Connected Business, where enterprises leverage key information and insights to be better, faster and smarter. Dell Boomi is growing rapidly and actively hiring across all functions, including software engineering, marketing, professional services and business development. To learn more about opportunities at Dell Boomi, please visit boomi.com/careers.

About Dell Boomi

Dell Boomi (Boomi), an independent business unit of Dell, accelerates business agility by integrating the information organizations need whenever and however they need it. The Boomi integration platform dramatically transforms the way organizations connect, create, manage and govern all their applications and data. As a result, more than 6,000 organizations of all sizes use the Boomi platform to run smarter, faster, and better. Boomi also helps customers drastically reduce implementation times over traditional integration, MDM, API management and workflow automation solutions. Visit http://www.boomi.com for more information.

 2017 Boomi Inc. Dell and Dell Boomi are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

Contact:

Janine Kromhout

Dell Boomi

650-269-1417

[email protected]

Kelsey Quickstad

Hotwire PR for Dell Boomi

415-820-4494

[email protected]

Analyst Contact:

Beth Johnson Dell Boomi

415-412-6891

[email protected]

SOURCE Dell Boomi

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OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Deloitte today announced that Pivotal, a company accelerating digital transformation for startups and enterprises, was selected as the Ultimate Award Recipient of Deloitte's 2017 WhatWorks Award Program. Results of the WhatWorks Award Program, which recognizes innovation and excellence across the critical areas of high-impact human resources, learning and talent, were announced May 24 at Bersin by Deloitte's annual research conference, IMPACT 2017, at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida.

Pivotal presented its achievements alongside other finalists during a special plenary session with IMPACT 2017 conference attendees. Pivotal and the other finalists, which included Amdocs, IBM, MetLife Inc. and Chevron, demonstrated programs that empower their people to innovate, collaborate, and use new tools to reimagine critical HR, talent and learning practice areas, including talent acquisition, leadership development, learning, talent management, and people analytics. Bersin by Deloitte analysts and other industry leaders chose the finalists based on anonymized submissions. HR professionals attending the WhatWorks Award Program presentations voted to select the ultimate award recipient. Pivotal and the additional finalists are featured in the print and digital editions of Human Resource Executive magazine's combined July/August issue.

"Pivotal was chosen from more than 230 contenders and recognized for its agile, efficient, and effective approach to talent acquisition," said David Mallon, head of research, Bersin by Deloitte, and vice president, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "IMPACT attendees recognized Pivotal for developing a program that uses video tailored to candidates to help improve response rates significantly, and for developing a practical interviewing technique that is so efficient and effective that other internal departments and even some of Pivotal's clients now apply the same method to their interviews. Similarly, WhatWorks Award Program entries in all categories demonstrated that many HR leaders already are experimenting with the future by embracing new technologies and approaches, and are succeeding because of it."

Pivotal's modern and progressive approach to interviewing screens for key behaviors and skills such as empathy, communication and willingness to learn, rather than just technical expertise. The interview process includes working alongside a Pivot  a Pivotal employee  on a real customer problem, giving candidates an authentic feel for the job, while giving Pivotal hiring managers real-world insight into how the candidate solves problems.

"Pivotal's progressive approach to recruiting and interviewing is designed to prioritize 10X'ing your team over finding a 10X engineer. Moreover, we believe coding is a social activity. In fact, we're testing you to see how social you can be around coding," said Joe Militello, chief people officer, Pivotal. "It's an approach that has drastically boosted candidate response rates, and ensured a mutual fit between candidates and Pivotal, as well as leading to attrition rates that are now 2.7 percent lower than the U.S. industry average."

Among the finalists was MetLife Inc., a finalist in the Enabling High-Impact Learning category.

Additional WhatWorks categories and finalists are:

Developing Tomorrow's Leaders: Amdocs, a leading software services provider serving communications and media companies around the world, came out on top in this category for Shapers, a nine-month program designed to help individual participants achieve specific objectives. These include unleashing employee potential; providing disruptive leadership tools and skills; and creating a powerful network of individuals across the organization. The program included several distinct phases, including a boot camp that offered exposure to new market trends, global perspectives and ground-breaking practices; and a "Hot House" in which the group assembled for five days for proof-of-concept tests and creation of marketing collateral. An internal analysis put the potential revenue value of the ideas generated by the program at almost $1 billion. In addition, Shapers proved to be a valuable talent retention program.

Optimizing Talent Management: IBM ranked first in this category with a new talent management approach that integrated previously siloed HR functions. This automated experience nudges managers to take key actions to help make employees happier and more successful. At the touch of a screen, managers can access information on internal mobility, feedback, compensation, skills and attrition-risk mitigation. The platform provides employee job-matching recommendations to help facilitate career conversations, goal-setting and feedback discussions. It also reflects manager and employee actions, such as when an employee takes a class, receives a promotion, or goes on vacation. IBM has rolled out the program to a quarter of its manager population, impacting more than 120,000 employees in 170 countries. HR executives attributed $60 million in sales to the program through a two percent reduction in attrition. At the same time, the solution has led to a three percent increase in promotion rates and 450 employee placements.

Transforming HR With People Analytics: Chevron, a global and integrated energy company, finished first in this category by building analytics capabilities across the enterprise to support business strategies with better, faster workforce decisions informed by data. The team created a community of practice (CoP), a virtual network of people who do people analytics work, to promote cross-team learning and to help business units around the world solve common problems through data. As part of the CoP, Chevron developed an in-house workforce analytics (WFA) curriculum to expand the skills of employees working with data and analytics. The people analytics team also created a hub of expertise and governance called the center of expertise (CoE) which is staffed based on analytics capabilities, opening the door to non-traditional hires like data scientists, engineers and physicists who brought technical skill and diversity of thought. The CoE eliminated nearly 100 hours of redundant reporting from a business unit, and there are now standardized metrics with greater than 99 percent accuracy.

Those interested in learning more about Bersin by Deloitte, Deloitte Consulting LLP, or its WhatWorks membership may email [email protected] or call +1 510 251 4400.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte

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The newest issue of Deloitte Review features 10 articles on the "Future of Work" including an interview with Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbert , New York Times op-ed columnist Tom Friedman, and John Hagel , co-chairman for Deloitte's Center for the Edge. In the piece, " Radically open: Tom Friedman on jobs, learning, and the future of work ," they discuss how business can adapt to pressing challenges such as the gig economy, richer knowledge flows and the future of schools. Friedman shares insights on how employers and employees should constantly be thinking and planning ahead in order to avoid problems in the future.

The publication's content speaks to the fact that the future of work is about constantly evolving and adapting to disruptions, uncertainties and expectations. And, it not only impacts the business world but has far reaches into how we approach our everyday lives.

"We are currently in a unique position to alter and shape our future by understanding the powers driving these changes in our lives and business," said Heather Stockton, Deloitte global future of work and Americas human capital practice leader, Deloitte Global. "Deloitte Review explores what lies ahead and how talent models, cognitive skills, talent demographics and even the very definition of a career is changing."

"Navigating the future of work: Can we point business, workers, and social institutions in the same direction?" provides a framework for business to understand three key forces shaping the future of work and helps equip them with tools to help make the future of work productive and rewarding for everyone.

In an age where skill sets can become obsolete in just a few years, many workers are scrambling to stay current. "Catch the wave: The 21st-century career" shows how organizations can encourage continuous learning, improve individual mobility and foster a growth mindset in every employee, year after year.

"Work and jobs are dramatically changing as automation and cognitive technologies, along with the gig economy and crowds, transform and augment the workforce. We hope our new issue of Deloitte Review will enable business leaders to better understand the timely opportunities and challenges that lie ahead while giving them insights to start experimenting and making changes today," said Erica Volini, principal and U.S. human capital leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP.

This issue of Deloitte Review also covers:

The full publication can be accessed at dupress.deloitte.com/deloitte-review. Deloitte University Press publishes original articles, reports, and periodicals to advance the conversation on a broad spectrum of topics of interest to executives and government leaders. Explore more at www.dupress.com.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

SOURCE Deloitte

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LONDON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The diabetes care devices industry manufactures blood glucose monitoring devices and insulin delivery devices. Diabetes care devices are designed to diagnose, monitor or manage type I and type II diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.



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The Americas was the largest geographic market in the diabetes care devices market in 2016, accounting for over 50% of the global market. Europe was the second largest geographic market, accounting for around 23% of the global market. Asia was the third largest geographic market, accounting for over 12% of the global market.



The artificial pancreas is a system that measures blood glucose levels on a minute-to-minute basis using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and transmits this information to an insulin pump that calculates and releases the required amount of insulin into the body. It consists of three essential components  a glucose sensor system, a control algorithm, and an insulin infusion device. This system is more effective than conventional insulin delivery devices as it automates insulin dosing based on blood sugar levels. Key companies in this industry are focusing on developing such systems. Medtronic recently gained US FDA approval for its artificial pancreas system, MiniMed 670G.



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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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MINNEAPOLIS, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the Distribution Agent for the J.P. Morgan RMBS Bulk Settlement Practice Fair Fund regarding Securities and Exchange Commission v. J. P. Morgan Securities LLC, EMC Mortgage, LLC, Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities I, LLC, Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II, Inc., SACO I, Inc., and J. P. Morgan Acceptance Corporation I, Case No. 12-CV-1862 (RLW).

In November 2012, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filed a complaint against J.P. Morgan Securities LLC ("JP Morgan"), EMC Mortgage, LLC ("EMC"), Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities I, LLC ("BSABS"), Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II, Inc. ("SAMI"), SACO I, Inc. ("SACO"), and J. P. Morgan Acceptance Corporation I ("JPMAC") (collectively, "Defendants") alleging that the Defendants each violated Sections 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C.  77q(a)(2) and (3)].

A Final Judgment was entered in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on January 7, 2013. The Final Judgment held JP Morgan, EMC, BSABS, SAMI, and SACO jointly and severally liable for a total of $222,415,536 in disgorgement ($137,800,000), prejudgment interest ($24,265,536), and civil penalties ($60,350,000) relating to the bulk settlement practice alleged in the Complaint.

Background

From approximately 2005 to 2007, certain of the Defendants entered into financial settlements with loan originators related to early defaulting loans that Defendants had previously sold to residential mortgage backed securities trusts ("RMBS Trusts"). Defendant EMC, as sponsor, purchased mortgage loans from loan originators and other loan sellers, sold the loans to affiliated depositor entities, Defendants BSABS, SAMI, and SACO, for resale to the RMBS Trusts. Defendants then kept the proceeds of those settlements without notifying or compensating the RMBS Trusts that owned the defaulting loans or passing the proceeds on to the RMBS Trusts ("Bulk Settlement Practice"). Defendants failed to disclose this practice to its RMBS investors. As a result of this conduct, Defendants improperly obtained $137,800,000. The Court ordered Defendants to pay, jointly and severally, a total of $222,415,536.00 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil money penalties.

If you purchased or otherwise acquired residential mortgage-backed securities ("RMBS") related to RMBS Trusts effected by the Defendants' misrepresentations and omissions in its offering materials regarding the Bulk Settlement Practice from approximately 2005 through 2007 and within 30 days of the issuance of the relevant prospectus supplement for the 156 Trusts, then per the Plan of Distribution for the Bulk Settlement Practice, you may be eligible to share in the distribution of the J.P. Morgan RMBS Bulk Settlement Practice Fair Fund. A complete list of Harmed Trusts including Eligible Certificates (securities) for each Trust and Eligible Purchase Dates can be found as Exhibit A to the Plan of Distribution, which is posted at www.JPMorganRMBSFairFunds.com.

The Plan of Allocation

The J.P. Morgan RMBS Bulk Settlement Practice Fair Fund, together with any interest and income earned thereon, less deductions for taxes ("Net Available Fair Fund"), will be allocated based on the proportion of the value of the loans subject to the Bulk Settlement Practice in each Harmed Trust relative to the total disgorgement paid by Defendants. Exhibit B to the Plan of Distribution, which is available at www.JPMorganRMBSFairFunds.com, shows the percentage of the Net Available Fair Fund allocated to each of the Harmed Trusts.

Preliminary calculations will be made for all Eligible Claimants in each Harmed Trust on a pro rata basis determined by the Eligible Claimant's investment in the Harmed Trust divided by the sum of all Eligible Claimants' investments in the Harmed Trust. After the preliminary calculations have been made, any Eligible Claimant whose preliminary calculation amount is less than $250.00, will be removed from the pool of Eligible Claimants, as set forth in the Distribution Plan.

How to Participate

This notice is a summary only. It is strongly recommended that you read the Plan of Distribution for the J.P. Morgan RMBS Bulk Settlement Practice Fair Fund which includes the Plan of Allocation at paragraphs 56-60, and other relevant case documents in their entirety for more complete details.

If you believe you are a Potentially Eligible Claimant and would like to participate, you must submit a Proof of Claim Form postmarked no later than November 28, 2017. If you require additional information or forms, you may obtain them from the Bulk Settlement Practice Fair Fund website at www.JPMorganRMBSFairFunds.com, by calling 1-888-568-7650, or you write to the JP Morgan RMBS Fair Funds, c/o Rust Consulting, Inc., Distribution Agent - 4257, P.O. Box 2599, Faribault, MN 55021-9599, or send an email to [email protected].

Special Notice to Brokers and Nominees

Brokerage firms, banks and/or other persons or entities who held Certificates for the benefit of others are asked to view the full Notice at www.JPMorganRMBSFairFunds.com to review additional instructions from the SEC.

Contact: Distribution Agent

1-888-568-7650

SOURCE J.P. Morgan RMBS Bulk Settlement Practice Fair Fund Distribution Agent

Related Links

http://www.JPMorganRMBSFairFunds.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Douglas Elliman, the nation's fourth largest residential real estate brokerage company, announced today that it has entered into a contract of sale to acquire Los Angeles-based Teles Properties. Upon closing, the operations of Teles will be under the umbrella of Douglas Elliman, making Elliman the second largest non-franchise brokerage firm in the State of California. Teles partners Peter Loewy, Sharran Srivatsaa, Peter Hernandez and Evan Ageloff will continue to have integral roles within Douglas Elliman, Western Region. Completion of the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to take place during the second week of August 2017.

Once closed, Douglas Elliman will span 21 offices with 630 sales associates in California, from Coronado to Carmel; and 58 sales associates and five offices in Colorado. The acquisition will also add a Boulder location to Douglas Elliman's Colorado brokerage which already operates in four locations in Aspen and Snowmass Village. In 2016, the combined organization accounted for more than $27.4 billion in total closed sales volume nationwide. Across the United States, Douglas Elliman will boast 110 offices and more than 7,000 agents.

"Our search for an exceptional company that offered unrivaled technology and marketing platforms, whose agents mirrored the entrepreneurial spirit of Douglas Elliman, led us straight to Teles Properties," said Howard M. Lorber, chairman of Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC. "For almost a decade, buyers and sellers in California and Colorado have trusted Teles with one of their most valuable assets and important life decisions. Teles' well-known reputation as a major driving force for the past 10 years, combined with Peter Loewy, Peter Hernandez, Sharran Srivatsaa and Evan Ageloff's leadership experience, make this an ideal union."



Long time Elliman executive Stephen H. Kotler, who in 2016 was named president of Brokerage Douglas Elliman, Western Region, will expand his role as chief executive officer of Brokerage Douglas Elliman, Western Region, overseeing operations throughout California and Colorado.

"We are proud to welcome Teles Properties and its fine team of real estate professionals to Douglas Elliman," said Mr. Kotler. "Both brokerages share the same high level commitment to advancements in technology and marketing aimed at delivering exceptional real estate experiences for clients. We are extremely impressed with Teles' innovative marketing and technology platforms and approach to agent training and development. This move greatly strengthens our presence in California and Colorado where Teles' impressive track record in the luxury home market speaks for itself."

Since 2007, Teles Properties has been a prominent force in serving sellers and buyers of California and Colorado homes, ranging from oceanfront houses in Orange County to Malibu mansions to cliff side estates in Pebble Beach. With over $15 billion in cumulative sales since 2012 alone, Teles was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in America as well one of the best entrepreneurial U.S. companies by Entrepreneur Magazine.

"After a decade of growing this company to nearly 600 licensed professionals and staff, I consider this union with Douglas Elliman to be our best growth initiative yet," said Peter Loewy, who will serve as chief executive officer of brokerage for California. "We are gaining exposure in markets around the world via Elliman's global alliance with Knight Frank and elevating our strategic planning in order to optimize growth as well as agent and customer satisfaction."

"There is no other company that could match the national and international reach that our agents and clients will gain from this union," said Sharran Srivatsaa, who will be named president of brokerage, Western Region. "From its new television, print and digital brand campaign, "It's Time for Elliman," to its quarterly magazine, ELLIMAN, to its social media and public relations prowess, operating under the Douglas Elliman banner will help propel our agents to new, untold levels of success."

"We are joining forces to bring the strongest global real estate experience together under one organization," said Scott Durkin, Chief Operating Officer of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. "This is an excellent acquisition for all, because, as part of Douglas Elliman, Teles agents will have more opportunities for exposure while expanding service areas and professional expertise for home buyers and sellers throughout California and Colorado. In addition, the referral opportunity for our agents grows even stronger for their clients in the multiple home market."

Teles executive Peter Hernandez will stay on as President of Brokerage for California; as will Evan Ageloff who will serve as Chief Operating Officer of Brokerage, Western Region.

About Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Established in 1911, Douglas Elliman Real Estate is the largest brokerage in the New York Metropolitan area and the fourth largest residential real estate company nationwide. With more than 7,000 agents, the company operates approximately 110 offices in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, New Jersey, Long Island, the Hamptons & North Fork, Westchester, Greenwich, South Florida, Colorado and California. Moreover, Douglas Elliman has a strategic global alliance with London-based Knight Frank Residential for business in the worldwide luxury markets spanning 60 countries and six continents. The company also controls a portfolio of real estate services including Douglas Elliman Development Marketing; Manhattan's largest residential property manager, Douglas Elliman Property Management with over 250 buildings; and DE Commercial. For more information on Douglas Elliman as well as expert commentary on emerging trends in the real estate industry, please visit elliman.com.

SOURCE Douglas Elliman

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SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE: DEI), a real estate investment trust (REIT), has released its Second Quarter 2017 financial results by posting its Second Quarter 2017 Earnings Results and Operating Information package to the investor relations section of its website at www.douglasemmett.com/investors.

As previously announced, Jordan Kaplan, CEO, Mona Gisler, CFO, Kevin Crummy, CIO, and Stuart McElhinney, Vice President Investor Relations will host a live conference call to discuss Douglas Emmett's financial results at 2:00 pm Eastern Time (11:00 am Pacific Time) on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. Interested parties can access the live call via the internet by going to the investor relations section of www.douglasemmett.com at least fifteen minutes prior to the start time of the call in order to register, download and install any necessary audio software. Those without internet access can listen to the call by phone at (888) 349-0488 (U.S.) or (412) 542-4156 (International)  ask to join the Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI) call. For those unable to participate on the live call, a rebroadcast will be available for 90 days on Douglas Emmett's website at www.douglasemmett.com/investors.

About Douglas Emmett, Inc.

Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in the premier coastal submarkets of Los Angeles and Honolulu. Douglas Emmett focuses on owning and acquiring a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities. For more information about Douglas Emmett, please visit our website at www.douglasemmett.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Except for the historical facts, the statements in this press release regarding Douglas Emmett's business activities are forward-looking statements based on the beliefs of, assumptions made by, and information currently available to us about known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control or ability to predict. Although we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, they are not guarantees of future performance and some will inevitably prove to be incorrect. As a result, our actual future results can be expected to differ from our expectations, and those differences may be material. Accordingly, investors should use caution in relying on forward-looking statements to anticipate future results or trends. For a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Stuart McElhinney, Vice President  Investor Relations

310.255.7751 [email protected]

SOURCE Douglas Emmett, Inc.

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The almost $1 billion project will be built at a cost of approximately $860 per kilowatt and is scheduled to break ground in 2019, creating hundreds of Michigan jobs during construction. It is one of many steps DTE is taking to achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 30 percent by the early 2020s and more than 80 percent by 2050. DTE will achieve these reductions by adding 4,000 MW of renewable energy from wind and solar farms, transitioning its 24/7 power sources from coal to natural gas, continuing to operate its zero-emission Fermi 2 power plant, and providing additional opportunities for customers to save energy and reduce bills.

"A fundamental transformation in the way we produce power in Michigan has already begun. Last year, we announced three DTE coal-fired power plants will be retired by 2023 and replaced with cleaner, more efficient, reliable and affordable energy, including natural gas and renewables," said Trevor F. Lauer, DTE Electric president and COO. "This filing with the MPSC includes nearly a year of research and a competitive bidding process that determined building a natural gas-fired plant is the best solution for our customers due to many factors, including the environment, reliability and affordability."

A Certificate of Necessity is an application filed with the MPSC by an energy company seeking to purchase, contract for or build a power plant. This process is established by Michigan's 2008 energy law and further refined through the 2016 energy legislation.

Upon receiving the filing, the MPSC has 270 days to review DTE's request and respond. If approved, the new gas-fired plant would be the most efficient power plant in Michigan.

"Natural gas-fired plants will be a critical part of our power generation capacity in the decades ahead," Lauer said. "Natural gas significantly reduces carbon, sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions, offers an affordable and abundant domestic supply, is easy to transport and provides a reliable 24/7 power source for our 2.2 million customers."

Long term, DTE plans to produce over three-quarters of its power from renewable energy and highly efficient natural gas-fired power plants. DTE also will continue to reduce its energy waste annually by 1.5 percent.

DTE selected the East China Township site for its new natural gas plant because it already has in place electric, natural gas and other infrastructure, experienced employees and a supportive community  DTE has operated the St. Clair and Belle River coal-fired power plants there for many decades.

"DTE has been an important partner to St. Clair County for more than 60 years, both as a job creator, a responsible corporate citizen and a strong community partner," said Daniel Casey, CEO, St. Clair Economic Development Council. "We are excited about the move to cleaner energy and are thrilled that DTE has made the commitment to continue to be an integral part of our community for generations to come."

If approved, DTE expects plant construction to create about 500 jobs.

"Representing the construction trades, I'm excited to see DTE investing in and bringing jobs into our state," said Shorty Gleason, Legislative Director, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. "This gas plant build represents real, sustainable economic growth and it will be exciting to be a part of the industry's transformation."

The new plant is scheduled to begin operation in 2022, offsetting some of the capacity retired when three of the company's Michigan coal-fired power plants  River Rouge, St. Clair and Trenton Channel  are removed from service in the 2020-2023 timeframe.

About DTE Energy

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio includes non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. As one of Michigan's leading corporate citizens, DTE Energy is a force for growth and prosperity in the 450 Michigan communities it serves in a variety of ways, including philanthropy, volunteerism and economic progress. Information about DTE Energy is available at dteenergy.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.

SOURCE DTE Energy

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MODESTO, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- E. & J. Gallo Winery (Gallo) announced today that it has been awarded the exclusive rights to distribute New Zealand's Saint Clair Family Estate wines in the United States, effective immediately.

Known for producing some of the best Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough region, Saint Clair Family Estate is the latest addition to Gallo's premium import portfolio. "Saint Clair Family Estate is well-known around the world and we are excited to introduce this award-winning Sauvignon Blanc to American consumers," said Roger Nabedian, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Gallo's Premium Wine Division.

Owners Neal and Judy Ibbotson first planted vines in 1978, and were one of the early family pioneers to the Marlborough wine industry. Today, Saint Clair Family Estate owns fifteen vineyards located throughout the Wairau, Awatere, and Omaka Valleys of Marlborough, as well as Hawkes Bay. This allows the winery to specialize its plantings by grape variety in the sub-regions that provide the most suitable terroir for each.

"Saint Clair Family Estate is thrilled to have entered into a partnership with E. & J. Gallo Winery as the exclusive national distributor for the Saint Clair brand in the USA," said founder Neal Ibbotson. He added, "We share many of the same values  family, passion and quality  and the move is an exciting opportunity for us to further develop our brand in the USA market."

The Saint Clair name originated from the vineyard property, first settled by the Sinclair family. Pioneer James Sinclair built one of the first homes in Blenheim and was closely associated with the early development of the town. Over time the name of the property reverted to the original Saint Clair.

The Saint Clair Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc will retail for $28. While the wine is already available in select states, the national roll-out is scheduled for Q1 2018.

About E. & J. Gallo Winery

Founded by brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo in 1933 in Modesto, California, E. & J. Gallo Winery is the world's largest family-owned winery and the acclaimed producer of award-winning wines and spirits featured in more than 90 countries around the globe. A pioneer in the art of grape growing, winemaking, sustainable practices, marketing and worldwide distribution, Gallo crafts and imports wines and spirits to suit a diverse range of tastes and occasions, from everyday offerings to boutique, luxury bottlings.

The Gallo portfolio is comprised of more than 80 unique brands, including Barefoot Cellars, Dark Horse, and Gallo Family Vineyards, as well as premium box wines The Naked Grape and Vin Vault. Premium offerings include Apothic, Carnivor, Chateau Souverain, Columbia Winery, Ecco Domani, Edna Valley Vineyard, J Vineyards & Winery, Louis M. Martini, MacMurray Estate Vineyards, Mirassou, Orin Swift, Talbott Vineyards, and William Hill Estate, along with highly acclaimed imports, such as Alamos, Brancaia, La Marca, Las Rocas, Martin Codax, Whitehaven, and LUX Wines, importers of Allegrini, Argiano, Jermann, Pieropan and Renato Ratti. Gallo Spirits offers New Amsterdam Vodka and Gin and E&J Brandy, in addition to imported Scotch whiskies from Whyte & Mackay, including The Dalmore, Jura Single Malt and John Barr Blended.

SOURCE E. & J. Gallo Winery
PRESCOTT, Ariz., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecosa Institute has selected 15 lucky applicants to participate in their three month emersion program into the theory and practice of Ecological Design. Out of 32 applications received by June 16th, 15 were rigorously selected based on their background and desire to create positive environmental change. Ecosa's Ecological Design Certificate (EDC) program is being offered free for a limited time only, however the waiting list is growing daily. Ecosa believes that such critical knowledge should be free to committed students. "We want to reach students whose commitment to the environment is un-wavering, have the ability to think critically, and perform in-depth research. The goal was to find students, regardless of income, who are most likely to create positive change in the world," said Tony Brown, founder of Ecosa Institute.

In 2017, in response to the Trump administrations abandonment of the COP21 Paris Agreement, the organization launched a revolutionary program to provide tuition-free education to students at their campus in Prescott, AZ. "The information gained from our program is imperative and the issues we are facing are time sensitive" writes Tony Brown. Registration for the Spring 2018 program has recently opened and the organization anticipates another flood of applications.

About Ecosa Institute:

The mission of the Ecosa Institute is to restore health to the natural environment, and thus the human environment, through education in design and ecology. Our vision is of a world that blends the ethical values and ecological patterns, which are essential to the health of the world, with the vitality and dynamism of the design arts. "The cross-sectoral challenges posed by a changing climate are the ultimate design challenge, particularly as it relates to the impacts of our build environment," quotes the non-profit's Executive Director Jessica Hernreich. Founded in 1996, by Tony Brown, Ecosa Institute has a goal of bringing innovative ecological design thinking and an interdisciplinary approach to design education.

CONTACT:

Laura Kasper

[email protected]

928-541-1002



SOURCE Ecosa Institute

Related Links

http://www.ecosa.org


SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Cloud (http://electric-cloud.com), the leader in DevOps Release Automation, today announced its CTO Anders Wallgren and Product Manger Avan Mathur will present on Containers and DevOps at the Agile2017 conference, and that Wallgren will also participate in a panel on DevSecOps at Jenkins World, San Francisco. In addition, the company hosts three online events in August featuring EMA Analyst Torsten Volk and other DevOps experts for in-depth discussions on monitoring, hybrid clouds and container orchestration.

About Electric Cloud

Electric Cloud is the leader in DevOps Release Automation and Continuous Delivery. We help organizations like E*TRADE, Gap, HPE, Intel and Lockheed Martin deliver better software faster by orchestrating, automating, and accelerating application releases.

Media Contact:

Jeremy Douglas

Catapult PR-IR

303.581.7760 x16

[email protected]

SOURCE Electric Cloud

Related Links

http://electric-cloud.com


TORONTO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Unata, the leading provider of 1-to-1 digital solutions for grocers, announces today it has reached double digits in grocery retail clients, now powering digital customer experiences for 11 grocery retailers across North America, together representing over 1,200 locations.

Unata is an end-to-end grocery e-commerce platform enabling 1-to-1 digital shopping experiences for more than ten of North America's most well respected regional grocers. Now in its sixth year as a company, the platform's user base has quintupled in the last year alone, with an annual run rate of over 1 million orders across all live grocery partners.

Over the last two years, Unata has grown significantly:

Increase from four grocery retail partners to eleven

Network of retailers represented has increased from 150 to 1,200 locations

Eighteen employees to over 75

To support ongoing innovation for its growing roster of grocery retail partners, Unata has a number of major product updates planned for the remainder of 2017, including:

Unified Shopping Experience: Customers are asked how they would like to shop at the start of their website visit -- build a list, build a shopping cart or just browse -- after which the entire web/mobile experience adjusts to reflect accurate content, features, product assortment, pricing, button functionality, store selection and more. It also switches between shopping modes seamlessly if the shopper changes their mind.

Customers are asked how they would like to shop at the start of their website visit -- build a list, build a shopping cart or just browse -- after which the entire web/mobile experience adjusts to reflect accurate content, features, product assortment, pricing, button functionality, store selection and more. It also switches between shopping modes seamlessly if the shopper changes their mind. Integrated Configurable Products: Shoppers can order fresh and prepared foods, and configurable products like deli meats and steak cuts, at the same time and in the same website as their regular online grocery shop.

"Last month we hosted 25 retail executives across 10 retail brands at our bi-annual partner summit in Toronto, where they provide input into the innovation roadmap and influence the overall direction of the platform. It's exciting to see the number of partners almost double in the last year alone, with four retailers launching brand new Unata-powered digital experiences in the next six months," said Chris Bryson, Unata Founder & CEO.

"All of our grocery retail partners have one major thing in common: the desire to offer the best possible digital experience for their customers," Bryson continues. "We're proud that they've chosen to work with Unata to build that, and with our commitment to ongoing innovation we're confident we can enable each and every one of them to lead the grocery retail industry forward."

About Unata

Unata powers industry-leading digital experiences for North America's most well-respected grocers, with the mission to innovate the future of the grocery shopping experience. Unata enables 1-to-1 eCommerce, eCircular and eLoyalty experiences, powering the entire digital grocery experience through a single platform. Unata's award-winning work is featured by retailers including Lowes Foods, Raley's, Longo's and more. To learn more, visit www.unata.com or follow Unata on Twitter or LinkedIn.

SOURCE Unata

Related Links

http://www.unata.com


MILWAUKEE, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EnSync Energy Inc. (NYSE American: ESNC), dba EnSync Energy Systems, a leading developer of innovative distributed energy resources (DERs), today announced a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU) to build a 310-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system on the rooftop of the Aloha Tower Marketplace in downtown Honolulu.

Under the agreement, EnSync Energy will build a solar installation at HPU's Aloha Tower Marketplace, a mixed-use space featuring university student residences, community spaces, restaurants and shops. The development represents HPU's continuing investment into the marketplace's revitalization since it acquired the property in 2014.

"We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Hawai'i Pacific University on bringing reliable renewable energy solutions to the marketplace's many residents and visitors," said Dan Nordloh, executive vice president at EnSync Energy. "EnSync Energy's proprietary modeling for system design and financial optimization ensured the ideal system design to deliver the best financial value based on HPU's current and future power needs. Installing solar panels on the green rooftops of the iconic Aloha Tower Marketplace is a highly visible symbol of the state's clean energy leadership."

To develop a high-value PPA, EnSync Energy conducted a comprehensive evaluation of Aloha Tower Marketplace's current patterns of energy consumption, as well as anticipated future needs. After comparing several distributed energy options, EnSync Energy found that a PV-only, grid-ready installation would yield the most savings for the university. As part of ensuring the highest value, the company also held a competitive procurement process for the solar installation provider.

"Our decision to adopt clean energy is a part of our commitment to our students and the future of Honolulu and Hawai'i," said Bruce Edwards, chief financial officer for Hawai'i Pacific University. "Partnering with EnSync Energy was simple, as they eliminated the complexity of the process and brought the expertise of delivering reliable, cost-effective clean energy. This project at the Aloha Tower Marketplace is the first phase of our renewable energy deployment, and we are looking forward to additional possible projects in the future."

HPU leases the Aloha Tower Marketplace from the State of Hawai'i Aloha Tower Development Corporation, and corporation chair Darrell Young applauds the investment into the property and HPU's commitment to renewable energy: "This partnership and the resulting project are significant steps toward modernizing the marketplace and reaching the state's goal of a 100 percent renewable energy future."





EnSync Energy will begin construction before yearend.

About EnSync Energy Systems

EnSync, Inc. (NYSE American: ESNC), dba EnSync Energy Systems, is creating the future of electricity with innovative distributed energy resource (DER) systems and internet of energy (IOE) control platforms. EnSync Energy ensures the most cost-effective and resilient electricity, delivered from an electrical infrastructure that prioritizes the use of all available resources, such as renewables, energy storage and the utility grid. As project developer, EnSync Energy's distinctive engagement methodology encompasses load analysis, system design consulting, and technical and financial modeling to ensure energy systems are sized and optimized to meet our customers' objectives for value and performance. Proprietary direct current (DC) power control hardware, energy management software, and extensive experience with numerous energy storage technologies uniquely positions EnSync Energy to deliver fully integrated systems that provide for efficient design, procurement, commissioning, and ongoing operation. EnSync Energy's IOE control platform adapts easily to ever-changing generation and load variables, as well as changes in utility prices and programs, ensuring the means to make or save money behind-the-meter, while concurrently providing utilities the opportunity to use DERs for an array of grid enhancing services. In addition to direct system sales, EnSync Energy includes power purchase agreements (PPAs) in its portfolio of offerings, which enables electricity savings for customers and provides a stable financial yield for investors. EnSync Energy is a global corporation, with joint venture Meineng Energy in AnHui, China, and energy project development subsidiary Holu Energy LLC in Hawai'i, and DCfusion LLC, a power system engineering and design, consultancy and policy firm. For more information, visit www.ensync.com

About Hawai'i Pacific University

Founded in 1965, Hawai'i Pacific University has grown to become the state's leading private, non-profit university, with a student population of nearly 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and nearly 65 countries around the world. It has campuses in downtown Honolulu, Kane'ohe, and Makapu'u, and on military bases around O'ahu. The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today have named it among the most diverse private universities in the nation. www.HPU.edu

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements in this press release may address the following subjects among others: project completion timelines, our ability to monetize our PPA assets, statements regarding the sufficiency of our capital resources, expected operating losses, expected revenues, expected expenses and our expectations concerning our business strategy. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We urge you to consider those risks and uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

EnSync Energy Media Relations Contact:

Antenna

Shreema Mehta

[email protected]

(646) 416-9853

EnSync Energy Company Contact:

Michelle Montague

[email protected]

(262) 735-5676

EnSync Energy Investor Relations Contact:

Lytham Partners, LLC

Robert Blum, Joseph Diaz, or Joe Dorame

(602) 889-9700

HPU Media Relations Contact:

Bennet Group Strategic Communications

Megan Tsuchida

[email protected]

(808) 286-3183

HPU Representative Contact:

Lianne Yamamura

[email protected]

(808) 544-0299

SOURCE EnSync Energy Systems

Related Links

http://www.ensync.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Exceeds Crude Oil, NGL and Natural Gas Production Targets

Delivers Per-Unit Lease and Well, Transportation and DD&A Rates Below Targets

Increases 2017 U.S. Crude Oil Growth Forecast to 20 Percent from 18 Percent

Maintains 2017 Capital Expenditure Guidance

Reduces First-Half 2017 Completed Well Costs by an Average of 7 Percent

EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE: EOG) (EOG) today reported second quarter 2017 net income of $23.1 million, or $0.04 per share. This compares to a second quarter 2016 net loss of $292.6 million, or $0.53 per share.

Adjusted non-GAAP net income for the second quarter 2017 was $46.7 million, or $0.08 per share, compared to an adjusted non-GAAP net loss of $209.7 million, or $0.38 per share, for the same prior year period. Adjusted non-GAAP net income (loss) is calculated by matching commodity derivative contract realizations to settlement months and making certain other adjustments in order to exclude non-recurring items. (Please refer to the attached tables for the reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures.)

Increased crude oil volumes and higher commodity prices resulted in increases to adjusted non-GAAP net income, discretionary cash flow and EBITDAX during the second quarter 2017 compared to the second quarter 2016. (Please refer to the attached tables for the reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures.)

Operational Highlights

EOG grew second quarter total crude oil volumes 25 percent to 334,700 barrels of oil per day (Bopd), setting a company oil production record. Natural gas liquids (NGLs) and natural gas production also exceeded targets, contributing to 10 percent total company production growth compared to the second quarter 2016. The company also delivered per-unit costs for lease and well, transportation and depreciation, depletion and amortization below targets.

"EOG's premium drilling strategy continues to drive outperformance every quarter, delivering strong production growth with industry-leading capital efficiency," said William R. "Bill" Thomas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our permanent shift to premium drilling, driven by an organic exploration focus and best-in-class technology, is a sustainable competitive advantage."

Updated 2017 Growth Targets

As a result of strong well productivity improvements, EOG increased 2017 production growth targets while maintaining its current plan of completing 480 net wells with capital expenditures of $3.7 to $4.1 billion. The company increased its full-year 2017 U.S. crude oil growth target to 20 percent from 18 percent and total company production growth target to seven percent from five percent. In addition to delivering strong growth, EOG is actively engaged in a robust exploration program to lease and test multiple new prospects.

"EOG can generate high returns at relatively low oil prices, and our disciplined investment strategy has positioned the company on a strong financial footing," Thomas said. "By applying industry-leading technology and geoscience to our acreage concentrated in the sweet spots of the largest oil plays in the U.S., EOG can continue to grow at strong rates within cash flow."

Delaware Basin

In the second quarter 2017, EOG continued its exploration and development program across the Delaware Basin.

EOG completed 25 wells in the Delaware Basin Wolfcamp in the second quarter with an average treated lateral length of 6,500 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 3,010 barrels of oil equivalent per day (Boed), or 1,945 Bopd, 480 barrels per day (Bpd) of NGLs and 3.5 million cubic feet per day (MMcfd) of natural gas. In Lea County, NM, EOG completed a four-well pattern, the Rattlesnake 28 Fed Com 706H-709H, with an average treated lateral length of 6,700 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 3,870 Boed, or 2,545 Bopd, 600 Bpd of NGLs and 4.4 MMcfd of natural gas.

In the Delaware Basin Bone Spring, EOG completed 19 wells in the second quarter with an average treated lateral length of 5,600 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 2,130 Boed, or 1,515 Bopd, 275 Bpd of NGLs and 2.0 MMcfd of natural gas. In Lea County, NM, EOG completed a three-well pattern, the Neptune 10 State Com 503H-505H, with an average treated lateral length of 9,700 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 3,620 Boed, or 2,790 Bopd, 375 Bpd of NGLs and 2.7 MMcfd of natural gas.

In the Delaware Basin Leonard, EOG completed three wells in the second quarter with an average treated lateral length of 5,400 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 1,615 Boed, or 1,075 Bopd, 245 Bpd of NGLs and 1.8 MMcfd of natural gas.

South Texas Eagle Ford

EOG's South Texas Eagle Ford generated strong initial production performance during the second quarter as EOG continued to apply its precision targeting concepts across its expansive acreage position in the black oil window of the play.

In the second quarter, EOG completed 51 wells in the Eagle Ford with an average treated lateral length of 6,500 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 1,960 Boed, or 1,520 Bopd, 225 Bpd of NGLs and 1.3 MMcfd of natural gas. In Karnes County, EOG completed a three-well pattern, the Lynch Unit 2H-4H, with an average treated lateral length of 5,800 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 3,245 Boed, or 2,555 Bopd, 350 Bpd of NGLs and 2.0 MMcfd of natural gas. In Gonzales County, EOG completed a four-well pattern, the Olympic A 1HD 4H, with an average treated lateral length of 6,600 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 2,910 Boed, or 2,160 Bopd, 380 Bpd of NGLs and 2.2 MMcfd of natural gas. In DeWitt County, EOG completed a five-well pattern, the Dio Unit 11H-15H, with an average treated lateral length of 5,100 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 2,840 Boed, or 2,135 Bopd, 355 Bpd of NGLs and 2.1 MMcfd of natural gas.

South Texas Austin Chalk

In the second quarter 2017, testing continued in the South Texas Austin Chalk. EOG completed nine wells in Karnes County with an average treated lateral length of 4,000 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 2,645 Boed, or 2,150 Bopd, 255 Bpd of NGLs and 1.5 MMcfd of natural gas.

Bakken and Powder River Basin

During the second quarter, EOG continued development of its premium oil plays across the Rocky Mountain region.

In the North Dakota Bakken, EOG completed 22 wells in the second quarter with an average treated lateral length of 8,400 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 1,450 Boed, or 1,175 Bopd, 150 Bpd of NGLs and 0.7 MMcfd of natural gas. Of particular note is a four-well pattern in the Antelope field in McKenzie County, the Clarks Creek 73, 74, 75 and 110-0719H, completed with an average treated lateral length of 9,800 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 2,965 Boed, or 2,075 Bopd, 500 Bpd of NGLs and 2.3 MMcfd of natural gas.

In the Powder River Basin Turner, EOG completed eight wells in the second quarter with an average treated lateral length of 8,700 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 1,745 Boed, or 910 Bopd, 285 Bpd of NGLs and 3.3 MMcfd of natural gas.

In the DJ Basin, EOG completed 10 wells in the second quarter with an average treated lateral length of 9,000 feet per well and average 30-day initial production rates per well of 885 Boed, or 770 Bopd, 70 Bpd of NGLs and 0.3 MMcfd of natural gas.

Trinidad

In June 2017, EOG signed a new multi-year contract under which EOG will supply future natural gas volumes to the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited beginning in 2019. The new contract opens opportunities for additional investments that can deliver rates of return competitive with EOG's premier on-shore oil plays.

Hedging Activity

During the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, EOG entered into crude oil derivative contracts in order to fix the differential between pricing in Midland, TX and Cushing, OK. For the period January 1 through December 31, 2018, EOG entered into crude oil basis swap contracts for 15,000 Bopd at a weighted average price differential between Midland, TX and Cushing, OK of $1.063 per barrel. In addition, for the period January 1 through December 31, 2019, EOG entered into crude oil basis swap contracts for 20,000 Bopd at a weighted average price differential between Midland, TX and Cushing, OK of $1.075 per barrel.

During the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, EOG did not enter into additional natural gas derivative contracts.

A comprehensive summary of crude oil and natural gas derivative contracts is provided in the attached tables.

Capital Structure and Asset Sales

At June 30, 2017, EOG's total debt outstanding was $7.0 billion for a debt-to-total capitalization ratio of 33 percent. Considering cash on the balance sheet at the end of the second quarter, EOG's net debt was $5.3 billion for a net debt-to-total capitalization ratio of 28 percent. For a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures, please refer to the attached tables.

Proceeds from asset sales in the first six months of 2017 totaled $175 million.

Conference Call August 2, 2017

EOG's second quarter 2017 results conference call will be available via live audio webcast at 8 a.m. Central time (9 a.m. Eastern time) on Wednesday, August 2, 2017. To listen, log on to the Investors Overview page on the EOG website at http://investors.eogresources.com/overview. The webcast will be archived on EOG's website through August 2, 2018.

EOG Resources, Inc. is one of the largest independent (non-integrated) crude oil and natural gas companies in the United States with proved reserves in the United States, Trinidad, the United Kingdom and China. EOG Resources, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol "EOG."

This press release 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, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, including, among others, statements and projections regarding EOG's future financial position, operations, performance, business strategy, returns, budgets, reserves, levels of production and costs, statements regarding future commodity prices and statements regarding the plans and objectives of EOG's management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. EOG typically uses words such as "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "strategy," "intend," "plan," "target," "goal," "may," "will," "should" and "believe" or the negative of those terms or other variations or comparable terminology to identify its forward-looking statements. In particular, statements, express or implied, concerning EOG's future operating results and returns or EOG's ability to replace or increase reserves, increase production, reduce or otherwise control operating and capital costs, generate income or cash flows or pay dividends are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. Although EOG believes the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable and are based on reasonable assumptions, no assurance can be given that these assumptions are accurate or that any of these expectations will be achieved (in full or at all) or will prove to have been correct. Moreover, EOG's forward-looking statements may be affected by known, unknown or currently unforeseen risks, events or circumstances that may be outside EOG's control. Important factors that could cause EOG's actual results to differ materially from the expectations reflected in EOG's forward-looking statements include, among others:

the timing, extent and duration of changes in prices for, supplies of, and demand for, crude oil and condensate, natural gas liquids, natural gas and related commodities;

the extent to which EOG is successful in its efforts to acquire or discover additional reserves;

the extent to which EOG is successful in its efforts to economically develop its acreage in, produce reserves and achieve anticipated production levels from, and maximize reserve recovery from, its existing and future crude oil and natural gas exploration and development projects;

the extent to which EOG is successful in its efforts to market its crude oil and condensate, natural gas liquids, natural gas and related commodity production;

the availability, proximity and capacity of, and costs associated with, appropriate gathering, processing, compression, transportation and refining facilities;

the availability, cost, terms and timing of issuance or execution of, and competition for, mineral licenses and leases and governmental and other permits and rights-of-way, and EOG's ability to retain mineral licenses and leases;

the impact of, and changes in, government policies, laws and regulations, including tax laws and regulations; environmental, health and safety laws and regulations relating to air emissions, disposal of produced water, drilling fluids and other wastes, hydraulic fracturing and access to and use of water; laws and regulations imposing conditions or restrictions on drilling and completion operations and on the transportation of crude oil and natural gas; laws and regulations with respect to derivatives and hedging activities; and laws and regulations with respect to the import and export of crude oil, natural gas and related commodities;

EOG's ability to effectively integrate acquired crude oil and natural gas properties into its operations, fully identify existing and potential problems with respect to such properties and accurately estimate reserves, production and costs with respect to such properties;

the extent to which EOG's third-party-operated crude oil and natural gas properties are operated successfully and economically;

competition in the oil and gas exploration and production industry for the acquisition of licenses, leases and properties, employees and other personnel, facilities, equipment, materials and services;

the availability and cost of employees and other personnel, facilities, equipment, materials (such as water) and services;

the accuracy of reserve estimates, which by their nature involve the exercise of professional judgment and may therefore be imprecise;

weather, including its impact on crude oil and natural gas demand, and weather-related delays in drilling and in the installation and operation (by EOG or third parties) of production, gathering, processing, refining, compression and transportation facilities;

the ability of EOG's customers and other contractual counterparties to satisfy their obligations to EOG and, related thereto, to access the credit and capital markets to obtain financing needed to satisfy their obligations to EOG;

EOG's ability to access the commercial paper market and other credit and capital markets to obtain financing on terms it deems acceptable, if at all, and to otherwise satisfy its capital expenditure requirements;

the extent to which EOG is successful in its completion of planned asset dispositions;

the extent and effect of any hedging activities engaged in by EOG;

the timing and extent of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, inflation rates, global and domestic financial market conditions and global and domestic general economic conditions;

political conditions and developments around the world (such as political instability and armed conflict), including in the areas in which EOG operates;

the use of competing energy sources and the development of alternative energy sources;

the extent to which EOG incurs uninsured losses and liabilities or losses and liabilities in excess of its insurance coverage;

acts of war and terrorism and responses to these acts;

physical, electronic and cyber security breaches; and

the other factors described under ITEM 1A, Risk Factors, on pages 13 through 22 of EOG's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 , and any updates to those factors set forth in EOG's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K.

In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the events anticipated by EOG's forward-looking statements may not occur, and, if any of such events do, we may not have anticipated the timing of their occurrence or the duration and extent of their impact on our actual results. Accordingly, you should not place any undue reliance on any of EOG's forward-looking statements. EOG's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and EOG undertakes no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) permits oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose not only "proved" reserves (i.e., quantities of oil and gas that are estimated to be recoverable with a high degree of confidence), but also "probable" reserves (i.e., quantities of oil and gas that are as likely as not to be recovered) as well as "possible" reserves (i.e., additional quantities of oil and gas that might be recovered, but with a lower probability than probable reserves). Statements of reserves are only estimates and may not correspond to the ultimate quantities of oil and gas recovered. Any reserve estimates provided in this press release that are not specifically designated as being estimates of proved reserves may include "potential" reserves and/or other estimated reserves not necessarily calculated in accordance with, or contemplated by, the SEC's latest reserve reporting guidelines. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in EOG's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, available from EOG at P.O. Box 4362, Houston, Texas 77210-4362 (Attn: Investor Relations). You can also obtain this report from the SEC by calling 1-800-SEC-0330 or from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, reconciliation and calculation schedules for non-GAAP financial measures can be found on the EOG website at www.eogresources.com.

For Further Information Contact: Investors

David J. Streit

(713) 571-4902

W. John Wagner

(713) 571-4404





Media and Investors

Kimberly M. Ehmer

(713) 571-4676

EOG RESOURCES, INC. Financial Report (Unaudited; in millions, except per share data)

























Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30,

June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016























Net Operating Revenues and Other $ 2,612.5

$ 1,775.7

$ 5,223.0

$ 3,130.1 Net Income (Loss) $ 23.1

$ (292.6)

$ 51.6

$ (764.3) Net Income (Loss) Per Share





















Basic $ 0.04

$ (0.53)

$ 0.09

$ (1.40) Diluted $ 0.04

$ (0.53)

$ 0.09

$ (1.40) Average Number of Common Shares





















Basic

574.4



547.3



574.2



547.0 Diluted

578.5



547.3



578.6



547.0















































Summary Income Statements (Unaudited; in thousands, except per share data)

























Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30,

June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016 Net Operating Revenues and Other













Crude Oil and Condensate $ 1,445,454

$ 1,059,690

$ 2,875,515

$ 1,813,401 Natural Gas Liquids

146,907



111,643



300,351



186,962 Natural Gas

224,008



155,983



454,610



321,486 Gains (Losses) on Mark-to-Market Commodity

Derivative Contracts

9,446



(44,373)



71,466



(38,938) Gathering, Processing and Marketing

778,797



485,256



1,505,334



819,209 Losses on Asset Dispositions, Net

(8,916)



(15,550)



(25,674)



(6,403) Other, Net

16,776



23,091



41,435



34,372 Total

2,612,472



1,775,740



5,223,037



3,130,089 Operating Expenses





















Lease and Well

255,186



218,393



510,963



459,258 Transportation Costs

186,356



179,471



365,070



369,925 Gathering and Processing Costs

34,746



29,226



72,890



57,750 Exploration Costs

34,711



30,559



91,605



60,388 Dry Hole Costs

27



(172)



27



74 Impairments

78,934



72,714



272,121



144,331 Marketing Costs

790,599



480,046



1,527,135



820,900 Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization

865,384



862,491



1,681,420



1,791,382 General and Administrative

108,507



97,705



205,745



198,236 Taxes Other Than Income

130,114



93,480



260,407



154,159 Total

2,484,564



2,063,913



4,987,383



4,056,403























Operating Income (Loss)

127,908



(288,173)



235,654



(926,314)























Other Income (Expense), Net

4,972



(20,996)



8,123



(25,433)























Income (Loss) Before Interest Expense and Income Taxes 132,880



(309,169)



243,777



(951,747)























Interest Expense, Net

70,413



71,108



141,928



139,498























Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes

62,467



(380,277)



101,849



(1,091,245)























Income Tax Provision (Benefit)

39,414



(87,719)



50,279



(326,911)























Net Income (Loss) $ 23,053

$ (292,558)

$ 51,570

$ (764,334)























Dividends Declared per Common Share $ 0.1675

$ 0.1675

$ 0.3350

$ 0.3350



EOG RESOURCES, INC. Operating Highlights (Unaudited)

























Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30,

June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016 Wellhead Volumes and Prices





Crude Oil and Condensate Volumes (MBbld) (A)





United States

333.1



265.4



322.8



265.6 Trinidad

0.8



0.8



0.8



0.8 Other International (B)

0.8



1.5



1.6



1.4 Total

334.7



267.7



325.2



267.8























Average Crude Oil and Condensate Prices ($/Bbl) (C)





















United States $ 47.51

$ 43.87

$ 48.89

$ 37.36 Trinidad

39.64



35.91



40.63



29.83 Other International (B)

35.13



-



44.66



- Composite

47.46



43.65



48.85



37.23























Natural Gas Liquids Volumes (MBbld) (A)





















United States

86.6



84.3



82.7



81.8 Other International (B)

-



-



-



- Total

86.6



84.3



82.7



81.8























Average Natural Gas Liquids Prices ($/Bbl) (C)





















United States $ 18.65

$ 14.56

$ 20.06

$ 12.54 Other International (B)

-



-



-



- Composite

18.65



14.56



20.06



12.54























Natural Gas Volumes (MMcfd) (A)





















United States

755



820



742



825 Trinidad

320



349



314



355 Other International (B)

21



25



21



25 Total

1,096



1,194



1,077



1,205























Average Natural Gas Prices ($/Mcf) (C)





















United States $ 2.14

$ 1.18

$ 2.23

$ 1.22 Trinidad

2.40



1.89



2.48



1.88 Other International (B)

3.66



3.35



3.71



3.49 Composite

2.25



1.44



2.33



1.47























Crude Oil Equivalent Volumes (MBoed) (D)





















United States

545.6



486.3



529.2



484.9 Trinidad

54.1



59.0



53.1



59.9 Other International (B)

4.2



5.8



5.1



5.6 Total

603.9



551.1



587.4



550.4























Total MMBoe (D)

55.0



50.1



106.3



100.2



(A) Thousand barrels per day or million cubic feet per day, as applicable. (B) Other International includes EOG's United Kingdom, China, Canada and Argentina operations. The Argentina operations were sold in the third quarter of 2016. (C) Dollars per barrel or per thousand cubic feet, as applicable. Excludes the impact of financial commodity derivative instruments. (D) Thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day or million barrels of oil equivalent, as applicable; includes crude oil and condensate, natural gas liquids and natural gas. Crude oil equivalent volumes are determined using a ratio of 1.0 barrel of crude oil and condensate or natural gas liquids to 6.0 thousand cubic feet of natural gas. MMBoe is calculated by multiplying the MBoed amount by the number of days in the period and then dividing that amount by one thousand.

EOG RESOURCES, INC. Summary Balance Sheets (Unaudited; in thousands, except share data)













June 30,

December 31,

2017

2016 ASSETS Current Assets









Cash and Cash Equivalents $ 1,649,443

$ 1,599,895 Accounts Receivable, Net

1,114,454



1,216,320 Inventories

336,198



350,017 Assets from Price Risk Management Activities

4,746



- Income Taxes Receivable

91,256



12,305 Other

187,276



206,679 Total

3,383,373



3,385,216











Property, Plant and Equipment









Oil and Gas Properties (Successful Efforts Method)

50,973,760



49,592,091 Other Property, Plant and Equipment

3,883,759



4,008,564 Total Property, Plant and Equipment

54,857,519



53,600,655 Less: Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization

(29,277,359)



(27,893,577) Total Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

25,580,160



25,707,078 Deferred Income Taxes

16,888



16,140 Other Assets

283,196



190,767 Total Assets $ 29,263,617

$ 29,299,201











LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities









Accounts Payable $ 1,615,170

$ 1,511,826 Accrued Taxes Payable

155,458



118,411 Dividends Payable

96,145



96,120 Liabilities from Price Risk Management Activities

-



61,817 Current Portion of Long-Term Debt

606,454



6,579 Other

249,027



232,538 Total

2,722,254



2,027,291























Long-Term Debt

6,380,350



6,979,779 Other Liabilities

1,199,778



1,282,142 Deferred Income Taxes

5,059,520



5,028,408 Commitments and Contingencies





















Stockholders' Equity









Common Stock, $0.01 Par, 1,280,000,000 Shares Authorized at June 30, 2017,









640,000,000 Shares Authorized at December 31, 2016, 577,711,399 Shares









Issued at June 30, 2017 and 576,950,272 Shares Issued at December 31, 2016

205,777



205,770 Additional Paid in Capital

5,485,832



5,420,385 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss

(17,490)



(19,010) Retained Earnings

8,256,359



8,398,118 Common Stock Held in Treasury, 316,339 Shares at June 30, 2017









and 250,155 Shares at December 31, 2016

(28,763)



(23,682) Total Stockholders' Equity

13,901,715



13,981,581 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 29,263,617

$ 29,299,201



EOG RESOURCES, INC. Summary Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited; in thousands)













Six Months Ended

June 30,

2017

2016 Cash Flows from Operating Activities









Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities:









Net Income (Loss) $ 51,570

$ (764,334) Items Not Requiring (Providing) Cash









Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization

1,681,420



1,791,382 Impairments

272,121



144,331 Stock-Based Compensation Expenses

58,061



59,471 Deferred Income Taxes

35,162



(384,294) Losses on Asset Dispositions, Net

25,674



6,403 Other, Net

(6,691)



29,991 Dry Hole Costs

27



74 Mark-to-Market Commodity Derivative Contracts









Total (Gains) Losses

(71,466)



38,938 Net Cash Received from Settlements of Commodity Derivative Contracts

2,591



2,852 Excess Tax Benefits from Stock-Based Compensation

-



(11,811) Other, Net

(185)



5,008 Changes in Components of Working Capital and Other Assets and Liabilities









Accounts Receivable

103,786



(22,572) Inventories

(6,129)



95,813 Accounts Payable

76,704



(203,358) Accrued Taxes Payable

(39,124)



93,320 Other Assets

(61,089)



(33,589) Other Liabilities

(66,869)



1,565 Changes in Components of Working Capital Associated with Investing and Financing

Activities

(79,138)



(54,453) Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

1,976,425



794,737











Investing Cash Flows









Additions to Oil and Gas Properties

(1,885,417)



(1,143,549) Additions to Other Property, Plant and Equipment

(88,076)



(44,584) Proceeds from Sales of Assets

175,260



252,529 Changes in Components of Working Capital Associated with Investing Activities

79,138



54,477 Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

(1,719,095)



(881,127)











Financing Cash Flows









Net Commercial Paper Repayments

-



(259,718) Long-Term Debt Borrowings

-



991,097 Long-Term Debt Repayments

-



(400,000) Dividends Paid

(192,984)



(184,036) Excess Tax Benefits from Stock-Based Compensation

-



11,811 Treasury Stock Purchased

(21,678)



(28,755) Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised and Employee Stock Purchase Plan

9,608



10,624 Debt Issuance Costs

-



(1,602) Repayment of Capital Lease Obligation

(3,251)



(3,150) Other, Net

-



(24) Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Financing Activities

(208,305)



136,247











Effect of Exchange Rate Changes on Cash

523



11,359











Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents

49,548



61,216 Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period

1,599,895



718,506 Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period $ 1,649,443

$ 779,722

EOG RESOURCES, INC. Quantitative Reconciliation of Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP) To Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) (Unaudited; in thousands, except per share data)































































The following chart adjusts the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 reported Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) to reflect actual net cash received from (payments for) settlements of commodity derivative contracts by eliminating the unrealized mark-to-market (gains) losses from these transactions, to eliminate the net losses on asset dispositions in 2017 and 2016, to add back impairment charges related to certain of EOG's assets in 2017, to eliminate the impact of the Trinidad tax settlement in 2016, to add back certain voluntary retirement expense in 2016, to add back an early lease termination payment as the result of a legal settlement in 2017 and to add back the transaction costs for the formation of a joint venture in 2017. EOG believes this presentation may be useful to investors who follow the practice of some industry analysts who adjust reported company earnings to match hedge realizations to production settlement months and make certain other adjustments to exclude non-recurring items. EOG management uses this information for purposes of comparing its financial performance with the financial performance of other companies in the industry.

































Three Months Ended

Three Months Ended

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016





































Income





Diluted





Income





Diluted

Before

Tax

After

Earnings

Before

Tax

After

Earnings

Tax

Impact

Tax

per Share

Tax

Impact

Tax

per Share Reported Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) $ 62,467

$(39,414)

$ 23,053

$ 0.04

$ (380,277)

$ 87,719

$(292,558)

$ (0.53) Adjustments:





























(Gains) Losses on Mark-to-Market Commodity





























Derivative Contracts (9,446)

3,426

(6,020)

(0.01)

44,373

(15,819)

28,554

0.05 Net Cash Received from (Payments for)





























Settlements of Commodity Derivative





























Contracts 679

(245)

434

-

(14,835)

5,289

(9,546)

(0.01) Add: Net Losses on Asset Dispositions 8,916

(3,151)

5,765

0.01

15,550

(7,378)

8,172

0.01 Add: Impairments 23,397

(8,477)

14,920

0.03

-

-

-

- Add: Trinidad Tax Settlement -

-

-

-

-

43,000

43,000

0.08 Add: Voluntary Retirement Expense -

-

-

-

19,663

(7,010)

12,653

0.02 Add: Legal Settlement - Early Lease Termination 10,202

(3,657)

6,545

0.01

-

-

-

- Add: Joint Venture Transaction Costs 3,056

(1,095)

1,961

-

-

-

-

- Adjustments to Net Income 36,804

(13,199)

23,605

0.04

64,751

18,082

82,833

0.15































Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP) $ 99,271

$(52,613)

$ 46,658

$ 0.08

$ (315,526)

$105,801

$(209,725)

$ (0.38)































Average Number of Common Shares (GAAP)





























Basic











574,439













547,335 Diluted











578,483













547,335































Average Number of Common Shares (Non-GAAP)





























Basic











574,439













547,335 Diluted











578,483













547,335

































































































Six Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30, 2017

June 30, 2016





































Income





Diluted





Income





Diluted

Before

Tax

After

Earnings

Before

Tax

After

Earnings

Tax

Impact

Tax

per Share

Tax

Impact

Tax

per Share Reported Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) $101,849

$(50,279)

$ 51,570

$ 0.09

$(1,091,245)

$326,911

$(764,334)

$ (1.40) Adjustments:





























(Gains) Losses on Mark-to-Market Commodity





























Derivative Contracts (71,466)

25,617

(45,849)

(0.08)

38,938

(13,881)

25,057

0.05 Net Cash Received from Settlements of





























Commodity Derivative Contracts 2,591

(929)

1,662

-

2,852

(1,017)

1,835

- Add: Net Losses on Asset Dispositions 25,674

(8,887)

16,787

0.03

6,403

(4,168)

2,235

- Add: Impairments 161,148

(57,764)

103,384

0.18

-

-

-

- Add: Trinidad Tax Settlement -

-

-

-

-

43,000

43,000

0.08 Add: Voluntary Retirement Expense -

-

-

-

42,054

(14,992)

27,062

0.05 Add: Legal Settlement - Early Lease Termination 10,202

(3,657)

6,545

0.01

-

-

-

- Add: Joint Venture Transaction Costs 3,056

(1,095)

1,961

-

-

-

-

- Adjustments to Net Income (Loss) 131,205

(46,715)

84,490

0.14

90,247

8,942

99,189

0.18































Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP) $233,054

$(96,994)

$136,060

$ 0.23

$(1,000,998)

$335,853

$(665,145)

$ (1.22)































Average Number of Common Shares (GAAP)





























Basic











574,162













547,029 Diluted











578,573













547,029































Average Number of Common Shares (Non-GAAP)





























Basic











574,162













547,029 Diluted











578,573













547,029

EOG RESOURCES, INC. Quantitative Reconciliation of Discretionary Cash Flow (Non-GAAP) to Net Cash Provided By Operating Activities (GAAP) (Unaudited; in thousands)

The following chart reconciles the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (GAAP) to Discretionary Cash Flow (Non-GAAP). EOG believes this presentation may be useful to investors who follow the practice of some industry analysts who adjust Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities for Exploration Costs (excluding Stock-Based Compensation Expenses), Excess Tax Benefits from Stock-Based Compensation, Changes in Components of Working Capital and Other Assets and Liabilities, and Changes in Components of Working Capital Associated with Investing and Financing Activities. EOG management uses this information for comparative purposes within the industry.





























Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended



June 30,

June 30,



2017

2016

2017

2016

























Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities (GAAP) $ 1,078,376

$ 503,146

$ 1,976,425

$ 794,737

























Adjustments:























Exploration Costs (excluding Stock-Based Compensation Expenses)



29,402



25,527



80,136



48,884 Excess Tax Benefits from Stock-Based Compensation



-



11,811



-



11,811 Changes in Components of Working Capital and Other Assets























and Liabilities























Accounts Receivable



(75,098)



154,970



(103,786)



22,572 Inventories



30,865



(38,235)



6,129



(95,813) Accounts Payable



(56,278)



(86,269)



(76,704)



203,358 Accrued Taxes Payable



511



(90,860)



39,124



(93,320) Other Assets



16,412



37,535



61,089



33,589 Other Liabilities



15,618



6,427



66,869



(1,565) Changes in Components of Working Capital Associated with























Investing and Financing Activities



15,814



56,681



79,138



54,453

Discretionary Cash Flow (Non-GAAP)

$ 1,055,622

$ 580,733

$ 2,128,420

$ 978,706

























Discretionary Cash Flow (Non-GAAP) - Percentage Increase



82%









117%









EOG RESOURCES, INC. Quantitative Reconciliation of Adjusted Earnings Before Interest Expense, Net, Income Taxes, Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Exploration Costs, Dry Hole Costs, Impairments and Additional Items (Adjusted EBITDAX) (Non-GAAP) to Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) (Unaudited; in thousands)























The following chart adjusts the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 reported Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) to Earnings Before Interest Expense (Net), Income Taxes (Income Tax Provision (Benefit)), Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Exploration Costs, Dry Hole Costs and Impairments (EBITDAX) (Non-GAAP) and further adjusts such amount to reflect actual net cash received from (payments for) settlements of commodity derivative contracts by eliminating the unrealized mark-to-market (MTM) (gains) losses from these transactions and to eliminate the net losses on asset dispositions. EOG believes this presentation may be useful to investors who follow the practice of some industry analysts who adjust reported Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) to add back Interest Expense (Net), Income Taxes (Income Tax Provision (Benefit)), Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Exploration Costs, Dry Hole Costs and Impairments and further adjust such amount to match realizations to production settlement months and make certain other adjustments to exclude non-recurring and certain other items. EOG management uses this information for purposes of comparing its financial performance with the financial performance of other companies in the industry.

























Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30,

June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016























Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) $ 23,053

$ (292,558)

$ 51,570

$ (764,334)























Adjustments:





















Interest Expense, Net

70,413



71,108



141,928



139,498 Income Tax Provision (Benefit)

39,414



(87,719)



50,279



(326,911) Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization

865,384



862,491



1,681,420



1,791,382 Exploration Costs

34,711



30,559



91,605



60,388 Dry Hole Costs

27



(172)



27



74 Impairments

78,934



72,714



272,121



144,331 EBITDAX (Non-GAAP)

1,111,936



656,423



2,288,950



1,044,428 Total (Gains) Losses on MTM Commodity Derivative Contracts

(9,446)



44,373



(71,466)



38,938 Net Cash Received from (Payments for) Settlements of Commodity





















Derivative Contracts

679



(14,835)



2,591



2,852 Losses on Asset Dispositions, Net

8,916



15,550



25,674



6,403























Adjusted EBITDAX (Non-GAAP) $ 1,112,085

$ 701,511

$ 2,245,749

$ 1,092,621























Adjusted EBITDAX (Non-GAAP) - Percentage Increase

59%









106%







EOG RESOURCES, INC. Quantitative Reconciliation of Net Debt (Non-GAAP) and Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) as Used in the Calculation of The Net Debt-to-Total Capitalization Ratio (Non-GAAP) to Current and Long-Term Debt (GAAP) and Total Capitalization (GAAP) (Unaudited; in millions, except ratio data)











The following chart reconciles Current and Long-Term Debt (GAAP) to Net Debt (Non-GAAP) and Total Capitalization (GAAP) to Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP), as used in the Net Debt-to-Total Capitalization ratio calculation. A portion of the cash is associated with international subsidiaries; tax considerations may impact debt paydown. EOG believes this presentation may be useful to investors who follow the practice of some industry analysts who utilize Net Debt and Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) in their Net Debt-to-Total Capitalization ratio calculation. EOG management uses this information for comparative purposes within the industry.













At

At

June 30,

December 31,

2017

2016











Total Stockholders' Equity - (a) $ 13,902

$ 13,982











Current and Long-Term Debt (GAAP) - (b)

6,987



6,986 Less: Cash

(1,649)



(1,600) Net Debt (Non-GAAP) - (c)

5,338



5,386











Total Capitalization (GAAP) - (a) + (b) $ 20,889

$ 20,968











Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) - (a) + (c) $ 19,240

$ 19,368











Debt-to-Total Capitalization (GAAP) - (b) / [(a) + (b)]

33%



33%











Net Debt-to-Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) - (c) / [(a) + (c)]

28%



28%

EOG RESOURCES, INC. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Financial Commodity Derivative Contracts























EOG accounts for financial commodity derivative contracts using the mark-to-market accounting method. Prices received by EOG for its crude oil production generally vary from NYMEX West Texas Intermediate prices due to adjustments for delivery location (basis) and other factors. EOG entered into crude oil basis swap contracts in order to fix the differential between pricing in Midland, Texas, and Cushing, Oklahoma. Presented below is a comprehensive summary of EOG's crude oil basis swap contracts through August 1, 2017. The weighted average price differential expressed in $/Bbl represents the amount of reduction to Cushing, Oklahoma, prices for the notional volumes expressed in Bbld covered by the basis swap contracts.















































Crude Oil Basis Swap Contracts

















Weighted





















Average Price

















Volume

Differential

















(Bbld)

($/Bbl) 2018



















January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018



15,000

$ 1.063























2019



















January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019





20,000

$ 1.075























On March 14, 2017, EOG executed the optional early termination provision granting EOG the right to terminate certain crude oil price swaps with notional volumes of 30,000 Bbld at a weighted average price of $50.05 per Bbl for the period March 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017. EOG received cash of $4.6 million for the early termination of these contracts, which are included in the below table. Presented below is a comprehensive summary of EOG's crude oil price swap contracts through August 1, 2017, with notional volumes expressed in Bbld and prices expressed in $/Bbl.















































Crude Oil Price Swap Contracts

















Weighted

















Volume

Average Price

















(Bbld)

($/Bbl) 2017



















January 1, 2017 through February 28, 2017 (closed)



35,000

$ 50.04 March 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017 (closed)



30,000

50.05























On March 14, 2017, EOG entered into a crude oil price swap contract for the period March 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017, with notional volumes of 5,000 Bbld at a price of $48.81 per Bbl. This contract offsets the remaining crude oil price swap contract for the same time period with notional volumes of 5,000 Bbld at a price of $50.00 per Bbl. The net cash EOG received for settling these contracts was $0.7 million. The offsetting contracts are excluded from the above table.























Presented below is a comprehensive summary of EOG's natural gas price swap contracts through August 1, 2017, with notional volumes expressed in MMBtud and prices expressed in $/MMBtu.















































Natural Gas Price Swap Contracts





















Weighted

















Volume

Average Price

















(MMBtud)

($/MMBtu) 2017



















March 1, 2017 through August 31, 2017 (closed)



30,000

$ 3.10 September 1, 2017 through November 30, 2017



30,000

3.10























2018



















March 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018



35,000

$ 3.00























EOG has sold call options which establish a ceiling price for the sale of notional volumes of natural gas as specified in the call option contracts. The call options require that EOG pay the difference between the call option strike price and either the average or last business day NYMEX Henry Hub natural gas price for the contract month (Henry Hub Index Price) in the event the Henry Hub Index Price is above the call option strike price. In addition, EOG has purchased put options which establish a floor price for the sale of notional volumes of natural gas as specified in the put option contracts. The put options grant EOG the right to receive the difference between the put option strike price and the Henry Hub Index Price in the event the Henry Hub Index Price is below the put option strike price. Presented below is a comprehensive summary of EOG's natural gas call and put option contracts through August 1, 2017, with notional volumes expressed in MMBtud and prices expressed in $/MMBtu.















































Natural Gas Option Contracts









Call Options Sold

Put Options Purchased













Weighted





Weighted









Volume

Average Price

Volume

Average Price









(MMBtud)

($/MMBtu)

(MMBtud)

($/MMBtu) 2017



















March 1, 2017 through August 31, 2017 (closed) 213,750

$ 3.44

171,000

$ 2.92 September 1, 2017 through November 30, 2017 213,750

3.44

171,000

2.92























2018



















March 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018 120,000

$ 3.38

96,000

$ 2.94























EOG has also entered into natural gas collar contracts, which establish ceiling and floor prices for the sale of notional volumes of natural gas as specified in the collar contracts. The collars require that EOG pay the difference between the ceiling price and the Henry Hub Index Price in the event the Henry Hub Index Price is above the ceiling price. The collars grant EOG the right to receive the difference between the floor price and the Henry Hub Index Price in the event the Henry Hub Index Price is below the floor price. Presented below is a comprehensive summary of EOG's natural gas collar contracts through August 1, 2017, with notional volumes expressed in MMBtud and prices expressed in $/MMBtu.















































Natural Gas Collar Contracts

















Weighted Average Price ($/MMBtu)













Volume





















(MMBtud)

Ceiling Price

Floor Price 2017



















March 1, 2017 through August 31, 2017 (closed)

80,000

$ 3.69

$ 3.20 September 1, 2017 through November 30, 2017

80,000

3.69

3.20















































Definitions



















Bbld Barrels per day









$/Bbl Dollars per barrel









MMBtud Million British thermal units per day









$/MMBtu Dollars per million British thermal units









NYMEX U.S. New York Mercantile Exchange











EOG RESOURCES, INC. Direct After-Tax Rate of Return (ATROR)

The calculation of our direct after-tax rate of return (ATROR) with respect to our capital expenditure program for a particular play or well is based on the estimated recoverable reserves ("net" to EOG's interest) for all wells in such play or such well (as the case may be), the estimated net present value (NPV) of the future net cash flows from such reserves (for which we utilize certain assumptions regarding future commodity prices and operating costs) and our direct net costs incurred in drilling or acquiring (as the case may be) such wells or well (as the case may be). As such, our direct ATROR with respect to our capital expenditures for a particular play or well cannot be calculated from our consolidated financial statements.



Direct ATROR Based on Cash Flow and Time Value of Money - Estimated future commodity prices and operating costs - Costs incurred to drill, complete and equip a well, including facilities Excludes Indirect Capital - Gathering and Processing and other Midstream - Land, Seismic, Geological and Geophysical

Payback ~12 Months on 100% Direct ATROR Wells First Five Years ~1/2 Estimated Ultimate Recovery Produced but ~3/4 of NPV Captured



Return on Equity / Return on Capital Employed Based on GAAP Accrual Accounting Includes All Indirect Capital and Growth Capital for Infrastructure - Eagle Ford, Bakken, Permian Facilities - Gathering and Processing Includes Legacy Gas Capital and Capital from Mature Wells

EOG RESOURCES, INC. Quantitative Reconciliation of After-Tax Net Interest Expense (Non-GAAP), Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP), Net Debt (Non-GAAP) and Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) as used in the Calculations of Return on Capital Employed (Non-GAAP) and Return on Equity (Non-GAAP) to Net Interest Expense (GAAP), Net Income (Loss) (GAAP), Current and Long-Term Debt (GAAP) and Total Capitalization (GAAP), Respectively (Unaudited; in millions, except ratio data)























The following chart reconciles Net Interest Expense (GAAP), Net Income (Loss) (GAAP), Current and Long-Term Debt (GAAP) and Total Capitalization (GAAP) to After-Tax Net Interest Expense (Non-GAAP), Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP), Net Debt (Non-GAAP) and Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP), respectively, as used in the Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) and Return on Equity (ROE) calculations. EOG believes this presentation may be useful to investors who follow the practice of some industry analysts who utilize After-Tax Net Interest Expense, Adjusted Net Income (Loss), Net Debt and Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) in their ROCE and ROE calculations. EOG management uses this information for purposes of comparing its financial performance with the financial performance of other companies in the industry.



























2016



2015



2014



2013 Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) (Non-GAAP)













































Net Interest Expense (GAAP) $ 282

$ 237

$ 201





Tax Benefit Imputed (based on 35%)

(99)



(83)



(70)





After-Tax Net Interest Expense (Non-GAAP) - (a) $ 183

$ 154

$ 131





























Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) - (b) $ (1,097)

$ (4,525)

$ 2,915





Adjustments to Net Income (Loss), Net of Tax (See Accompanying Schedules) 204 (a)

4,559 (b)

(199) (c)



Adjusted Net Income (Loss) (Non-GAAP) - (c) $ (893)

$ 34

$ 2,716





























Total Stockholders' Equity - (d) $ 13,982

$ 12,943

$ 17,713

$ 15,418























Average Total Stockholders' Equity * - (e) $ 13,463

$ 15,328

$ 16,566





























Current and Long-Term Debt (GAAP) - (f) $ 6,986

$ 6,655

$ 5,906

$ 5,909 Less: Cash

(1,600)



(719)



(2,087)



(1,318) Net Debt (Non-GAAP) - (g) $ 5,386

$ 5,936

$ 3,819

$ 4,591























Total Capitalization (GAAP) - (d) + (f) $ 20,968

$ 19,598

$ 23,619

$ 21,327























Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) - (d) + (g) $ 19,368

$ 18,879

$ 21,532

$ 20,009























Average Total Capitalization (Non-GAAP) * - (h) $ 19,124

$ 20,206

$ 20,771





























ROCE (GAAP Net Income) - [(a) + (b)] / (h)

-4.8%



-21.6%



14.7%





























ROCE (Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income) - [(a) + (c)] / (h)

-3.7%



0.9%



13.7%





























Return on Equity (ROE)













































ROE (GAAP) (GAAP Net Income) - (b) / (e)

-8.1%



-29.5%



17.6%





























ROE (Non-GAAP) (Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income) - (c) / (e)

-6.6%



0.2%



16.4%





























* Average for the current and immediately preceding year













































































































































Adjustments to Net Income (Loss) (GAAP)





































































(a) See below schedule for detail of adjustments to Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) in 2016:











Year Ended December 31, 2016









Before



Income Tax



After









Tax



Impact



Tax





Adjustments:





















Add: Mark-to-Market Commodity Derivative Contracts Impact $ 77

$ (28)

$ 49





Add: Impairments of Certain Assets

321



(113)



208





Less: Net Gains on Asset Dispositions

(206)



62



(144)





Add: Trinidad Tax Settlement

-



43



43





Add: Voluntary Retirement Expense

42



(15)



27





Add: Acquisition - State Apportionment Change

-



16



16





Add: Acquisition Costs

5



-



5





Total $ 239

$ (35)

$ 204





























(b) See below schedule for detail of adjustments to Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) in 2015:





















Year Ended December 31, 2015









Before



Income Tax



After









Tax



Impact



Tax





Adjustments:





















Add: Mark-to-Market Commodity Derivative Contracts Impact $ 668

$ (238)

$ 430





Add: Impairments of Certain Assets

6,308



(2,183)



4,125





Less: Texas Margin Tax Rate Reduction

-



(20)



(20)





Add: Legal Settlement - Early Leasehold Termination

19



(6)



13





Add: Severance Costs

9



(3)



6





Add: Net Losses on Asset Dispositions

9



(4)



5





Total $ 7,013

$ (2,454)

$ 4,559





























(c) See below schedule for detail of adjustments to Net Income (Loss) (GAAP) in 2014:





















Year Ended December 31, 2014









Before



Income Tax



After









Tax



Impact



Tax





Adjustments:





















Less: Mark-to-Market Commodity Derivative Contracts Impact $ (800)

$ 285

$ (515)





Add: Impairments of Certain Assets

824



(271)



553





Less: Net Gains on Asset Dispositions

(508)



21



(487)





Add: Tax Expense Related to the Repatriation of Accumulated

Foreign Earnings in Future Years

-



250



250





Total $ (484)

$ 285

$ (199)







EOG RESOURCES, INC. Third Quarter and Full Year 2017 Forecast and Benchmark Commodity Pricing























(a) Third Quarter and Full Year 2017 Forecast























The forecast items for the third quarter and full year 2017 set forth below for EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) are based on current available information and expectations as of the date of the accompanying press release. EOG undertakes no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise this forecast, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise. This forecast, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying press release and EOG's related Current Report on Form 8-K filing, replaces and supersedes any previously issued guidance or forecast.























(b) Benchmark Commodity Pricing























EOG bases United States and Trinidad crude oil and condensate price differentials upon the West Texas Intermediate crude oil price at Cushing, Oklahoma, using the simple average of the NYMEX settlement prices for each trading day within the applicable calendar month.























EOG bases United States natural gas price differentials upon the natural gas price at Henry Hub, Louisiana, using the simple average of the NYMEX settlement prices for the last three trading days of the applicable month.



























Estimated Ranges



(Unaudited)



3Q 2017



Full Year 2017 Daily Sales Volumes





















Crude Oil and Condensate Volumes (MBbld)





















United States

335.0 -

345.0



332.0 -

338.0 Trinidad

0.5 -

0.7



0.6 -

0.8 Other International

0.0 -

0.0



0.8 -

0.8 Total

335.5 -

345.7



333.4 -

339.6























Natural Gas Liquids Volumes (MBbld)





















Total

77.0 -

83.0



80.0 -

83.0























Natural Gas Volumes (MMcfd)





















United States

720 -

760



730 -

760 Trinidad

280 -

320



295 -

310 Other International

15 -

30



21 -

27 Total

1,015 -

1,110



1,046 -

1,097























Crude Oil Equivalent Volumes (MBoed)





















United States

532.0 -

554.7



533.7 -

547.7 Trinidad

47.2 -

54.0



49.8 -

52.5 Other International

2.5 -

5.0



4.3 -

5.3 Total

581.7 -

613.7



587.8 -

605.5

























Estimated Ranges

(Unaudited)

3Q 2017



Full Year 2017 Operating Costs





















Unit Costs ($/Boe)





















Lease and Well $ 4.40 - $ 4.80

$ 4.40 - $ 4.80 Transportation Costs $ 3.30 - $ 3.80

$ 3.30 - $ 3.60 Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization $ 15.55 - $ 15.95

$ 15.65 - $ 15.85























Expenses ($MM)





















Exploration, Dry Hole and Impairment $ 90 - $ 120

$ 390 - $ 420 General and Administrative $ 100 - $ 110

$ 380 - $ 400 Gathering and Processing $ 28 - $ 32

$ 130 - $ 140 Capitalized Interest $ 6 - $ 8

$ 25 - $ 30 Net Interest $ 69 - $ 72

$ 273 - $ 279























Taxes Other Than Income (% of Wellhead Revenue)

6.8% -

7.2%



6.9% -

7.1%























Income Taxes





















Effective Rate

30% -

35%



35% -

40% Current Taxes ($MM) $ 0 - $ 35

$ 10 - $ 50























Capital Expenditures (Excluding Acquisitions, $MM)





















Exploration and Development, Excluding Facilities











$ 3,000 - $ 3,350 Exploration and Development Facilities











$ 475 - $ 510 Gathering, Processing and Other











$ 225 - $ 240























Pricing - (Refer toBenchmark Commodity Pricing in text)





















Crude Oil and Condensate ($/Bbl)





















Differentials





















United States - above (below) WTI $ (1.25) - $ (0.25)

$ (1.50) - $ (0.50) Trinidad - above (below) WTI $ (11.00) - $ (9.00)

$ (10.00) - $ (9.00) Other International - above (below) WTI $ (4.00) - $ 2.00

$ (7.00) - $ 1.00























Natural Gas Liquids





















Realizations as % of WTI

35% -

41%



37% -

41%























Natural Gas ($/Mcf)





















Differentials





















United States - above (below) NYMEX Henry Hub $ (1.20) - $ (0.70)

$ (1.10) - $ (0.80)























Realizations





















Trinidad $ 1.85 - $ 2.25

$ 2.20 - $ 2.40 Other International $ 3.80 - $ 4.30

$ 3.85 - $ 4.15























Definitions





















$/Bbl U.S. Dollars per barrel











$/Boe U.S. Dollars per barrel of oil equivalent











$/Mcf U.S. Dollars per thousand cubic feet











$MM U.S. Dollars in millions











MBbld Thousand barrels per day











MBoed Thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day











MMcfd Million cubic feet per day











NYMEX U.S. New York Mercantile Exchange











WTI West Texas Intermediate













SOURCE EOG Resources, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.eogresources.com


ATLANTA, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced the appointment of Laura Wilbanks as Chief Marketing Officer, succeeding Trey Loughran, who recently assumed the role of President of United States Information Solutions (USIS).

"Laura's rich leadership experience with our company, her ability to respond to the changing marketplace, and her tremendous capacity for thoughtful, strategic engagement with our customers, make her the ideal candidate to continue to grow our world-class marketing team," said Richard F. Smith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Equifax.

Wilbanks, a well-established and successful Equifax executive, joined the company in 1998 as business development lead for the Telecommunications vertical. In 2000, she was named a vice president of the company and has since served in positions of increasing responsibility including leadership roles in market development, market insights and planning, and product management. For three years, Wilbanks led the company's strategy, pricing, and insights teams, and in 2013 was named Senior Vice President and Senior Marketing Officer of USIS.

In this role, Wilbanks delivered on both short and long-term revenue objectives by creating and executing against a three-year strategic plan, identifying acquisition opportunities, launching strategic pricing initiatives, developing new products and technology platforms, optimizing sales channels and enabling strong demand generation programs. Most notably, Wilbanks transformed the general marketing approach by creating tailored industry vertical marketing teams to drive targeted go-to- market approaches, which helped drive innovation to its highest level in USIS and resulted in one of the strongest USIS Vitality Indexes since its inception.

Prior to joining Equifax, Wilbanks worked in the Telecommunications Industry, first with GTE (now Verizon) and then AT&T where she held a number of leadership roles in channel marketing and sales management.

Wilbanks earned her business degree from the University of Washington, Michael G. Foster School of Business.

About Equifax

Equifax is a global information solutions company that uses trusted unique data, innovative analytics, technology and industry expertise to power organizations and individuals around the world by transforming knowledge into insights that help make more informed business and personal decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyses data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its database includes employee data contributed from more than 7,100 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,900 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Named to the Top 100 American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015-2016); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2016); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2017); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015-2016). For more information, visit www.equifax.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

1550 Peachtree Street, NE

Atlanta, Georgia 30309

Marisa Salcines

Media Relations

678-795-7286

[email protected]

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Related Links

https://www.equifax.com


HUDSONVILLE, Mich., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ESPEC North America Inc. (ENA) and Qualmark Corporation (Qualmark) today announce the combining of their respective sales groups to form one team. As the only two North American sister companies in the ESPEC Group, this strengthens support for both customer bases for their respective test chamber products.

In 2015, Qualmark became part of the ESPEC Group of companies as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ESPEC Corporation, headquartered in Osaka, Japan. ESPEC North America has been a part of this group since 1989. Since the addition of Qualmark to the group, the two companies have taken a collaborative approach to delivering the best environmental and accelerated test systems to the marketplace. The combination of the sales groups is a natural extension of this close working relationship. Both the ESPEC and Qualmark brands will continue to be offered.

The combined sales group will be comprised of six sales regions in North America, primarily with the same independent sales representatives attending to customers. Alignment of world-wide sales channels is also taking place. A full list of sales representation can be found on our websites at espec.com and qualmark.com.

"This one team format will offer the Environmental Testing and Design/Reliability Engineering communities unprecedented value by integrating the portfolio and capabilities of ENA, a highly respected industry leader, with Qualmark's proven technology and line of Combined Environment Accelerated Testing systems," said Ms. Cami Page, Qualmark's Global Marketing Manager. "The respective strength and legacy of the brands leverages a powerful and broad offering for our customers, which we plan to continue building on for years to come."

Mr. Ken Walter, President of ENA and Qualmark, followed up with, "We are pleased to increase our capabilities for customers, employees, channel partners and suppliers. As one team, we provide access, service, and support to ENA's highly advanced portfolio of environmental test chambers in addition to Qualmark's industry leading HALT/HASS solutions, without the challenge of shopping vendors. This unique model boasts the most diverse catalog in the industry. Together we will carry on ESPEC's promise of Quality and Innovation."

About ESPEC North America Inc.

ENA has been building test chambers in the United States since 1983. They are a wholly-owned subsidiary of ESPEC Corporation and part of the ESPEC Group of companies, which include manufacturing facilities in Japan and China, as well as sales and service support around the world. From the smallest temperature/humidity chamber in the industry to one that can test a satellite, ESPEC has the equipment and expertise to meet and exceed your testing requirements. ENA builds standard chamber models with a good number stocked for quick delivery along with a variety of chambers available for rental. Custom designed chambers including special or unique features to meet specific application requirements are also available.

About Qualmark Corporation

Qualmark has been one of the leading manufacturers of accelerated reliability test equipment worldwide since pioneering the technology in the early 1990s. Its patented HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Test) and HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screen) chamber systems are recognized as critically important tools for design reliability testing and production screening of electronics and electro-mechanical equipment. Qualmark is the knowledge leader in accelerated stress testing methods with over 4,500 HALT/HASS tests conducted in Qualmark's lab facilities. With worldwide installations of over 1200 systems in 33 countries in such diverse industries such as Aerospace, Consumer Electronics, Enterprise Systems, Medical, Sustainable Energy and Telecommunications, Qualmark equipment is known for providing quick and effective results.

Media Contact:

Cami Marsh Page, Global Marketing Manager

Qualmark Corporation

[email protected]

303.876.0618

SOURCE ESPEC North America Inc.; Qualmark Corporation

Related Links

http://www.espec.com


BOSTON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Eventide Gilead Fund (NASDAQ: ETGLX, NASDAQ: ETAGX, NASDAQ: ETCGX, NASDAQ: ETILX) received a Wall Street Journal "Category King" on June 30, 2017. The award recognizes the top 10 funds in each equity category for one-year total return performance. With a 28.17% one-year total return, the Gilead Fund (ETAGX) ranked #5 in the Mid Cap Growth category (of 397 Funds).

This table shows the Gilead Fund's performance since inception:

Fund Returns



30-Jun-17 Eventide Gilead Fund 1 Year 5 Year Inception Class N 28.27% 17.57% 14.28% Class A without load 28.17% 17.51% 17.27% Class A with 5.75% load 20.82% 16.44% 16.37% Benchmarks





S&P 500 Total Return Index 17.90% 14.63% 9.79% Russell Mid-Cap Growth Index 17.05% 14.19% 10.00%

These returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Because of market volatility, Fund performance may be subject to substantial short-term changes.

Performance is historical and does not guarantee future results. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate with changing market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than data quoted. To obtain the most recent month-end performance information and a current prospectus call the Fund, toll free at 1-877-771-EVEN (3836). It is not possible to invest in an index and the data shown does not reflect or compare features of an actual investment, such as objectives, cost and expenses, liquidity, safety, guarantees or insurance, fluctuations of principal or return, or tax features.

Gilead Fund expenses: Class A, Total Expenses 1.48%; Class C, Total Expenses 2.23%; Class I, Total Expenses 1.23%; Class N, Total Expenses 1.43%. Performance figures for periods greater than 1 year are annualized. The Fund's share classes have different inception dates. Class N has an inception date of 8 July 2008. Class A and Class C have an inception date of 28 October 2009. Class I has an inception date of 2 February 2010. The indices assume an inception date of 8 July 2008.

The S&P 500 is an index created by Standard & Poor's of American stocks with the largest market capitalization. The Russell Midcap Growth Index measures the performance of the U.S. equity mid-cap growth segment. It includes mid-cap companies with higher price-to-book ratios and forecasted growth. Neither are investment products. The indices' volatility may be materially different than that of the Fund, and investors should not expect the Fund to achieve the same results as the indices listed.

The Eventide Gilead Fund, which turned nine years old on July 8, is a diversified equity mutual fund representing Eventide's "best ideas" for long-term investment growth. The Fund follows an investment approach Eventide calls Business 360 -- seeking market outperformance by investing in companies that can create compelling value for society, customers, employees, and other key stakeholders. Lead portfolio manager and Eventide CIO Finny Kuruvilla, MD PhD, explained:

"Over the last four decades, there's been a striking shift in the way businesses are valued in the market, away from physical and financial assets and towards intangibles such as companies' intellectual property and brand. Our Business 360 approach seeks to avail upon this intangible asset information through close examination of the value that companies create for society broadly, as well as for customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and the environment. We believe value creation is an underappreciated source of outperformance  a source of information on companies that in our opinion most asset managers underutilize today in investment decision-making. Because of this shift in market structure, assessing value creation has become indispensable to fundamental research in our view, and thus to our goal of delivering superior long-term, risk-adjusted returns to our investors."

Eventide manages more than $1.8 billion and also offers the Eventide Healthcare & Life Sciences Fund and Eventide Multi-Asset Income Fund.

Wall Street Journal rankings are not intended to constitute investment advice. Rather, the rankings are for informational purposes only. There is no guarantee that Eventide will meet its objectives or that Business 360 principles will produce the desired results.

Mutual Funds involve risk including the possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The Fund can invest in smaller-sized companies which may experience higher failure rates than larger companies and normally have lower trading volume than larger companies. The Fund's ethical values screening criteria could cause it to underperform similar funds that do not apply such screening. The Fund can have risk associated with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in which these companies may be heavily dependent on clinical trials with uncertain outcomes and decisions made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Companies in technology industries have different risks including, but not limited to, products becoming obsolete, and entrance of competing products. Companies in the Industrial Sector carry various risks including, but not limited to, risk related to debt loads and intense competition. The Fund can have risk related to option investing. There are special risks associated with investments in foreign companies including exposure to currency fluctuations, less efficient trading markets, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards. The Fund can invest in private companies. Private investments include various risks including but not limited to lack of liquidity, capital commitment risk, and valuation risk. Private companies may not be financially profitable and have uncertain futures, subjecting them to additional risks. Because of market volatility, Fund performance may be subject to substantial short-term changes.

Investors should consider the Fund's objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing or sending money. This and other important information about the Eventide Gilead Fund are found in the Fund's prospectus, available at www.eventidefunds.com or by calling 877-771-EVEN (3836). Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. The Fund is distributed by Northern Lights Distributors, Member FINRA/SIPC, which is not affiliated with Eventide Asset Management, LLC.

4676-NLD-7/27/2017

CONTACT: Jason Myhre, 877-771-3836 - ext. 56, [email protected]

SOURCE Eventide Asset Management

Related Links

http://eventidefunds.com


As Editor-in-Chief, Flynn will manage CNA's reporting for its news syndication service, and its extensive social media news audience. Flynn will also seek to foster greater collaboration between CNA's news coverage, and the reporting of the National Catholic Register and EWTN News Nightly, both major news outlets within EWTN.

"J.D.'s extensive background in diocesan administration and communications, and his work and training as a canon lawyer, bring a unique perspective to Catholic News Agency," said Warsaw, adding, "I'm very glad to have him on board."

Alejandro Bermudez, Executive Director of CNA and ACI Prensa, said that Flynn has been a long-time friend and collaborator. "J.D. is a very talented writer and editor, and has very broad experience with the Church in the United States. This will be great for CNA and for the Church."

Flynn said: "Both Michael Warsaw and Alejandro Bermudez are remarkable leaders  and CNA's writers and editors are a talented and dynamic team. This is a group of people writing and thinking from the heart of the Church, telling important stories through the eyes of faith. I'm humbled to be offered this opportunity.

"I also want to express gratitude to Bishop James Conley, my friend and mentor, with whom I have had the pleasure of working for most of the last 10 years," Flynn continued. "It has been a privilege to serve his ministry in the Diocese of Lincoln, and I look forward to continued collaboration with him."

Flynn presently serves as Special Assistant to Bishop James Conley and as Communications Director of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska. Prior to that, he served as Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Denver.

Flynn's writing has appeared in First Things, National Review, the National Catholic Register, Catholic Vote, and elsewhere. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and a licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America.

Flynn will begin the position with CNA on August 28.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 36th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN's 11 TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 268 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN services also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including The National Catholic Register newspaper, and two global wire services; as well as a publishing arm.

SOURCE EWTN Global Catholic Network
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Surviving family members of victims from the Emanuel AME South Carolina Church shooting have spoken out in support of a short independent film entitled "Broken" by La Trycee Fowler.

"Broken" follows the lives of two children in a small Southern Mississippi town who witness a massacre at their church, leaving one of them orphaned. The film tells a visually captivating story of how they are coping with the tragedy 10 years later and what happens following an unexpected run in with the murderer.

La Trycee Fowler Actress/Producer

"I wrote this film because I wondered what affects something like this would have on society. How does such a hate filled, senseless act, affect the lives of those left behind? My goal is to use the film to start a dialogue about hate as a cancer in our society, in the hopes of people realizing that our actions cause a ripple effect not only in others' lives, but in our own lives as well." - La Trycee Fowler, writer/producer of "Broken."

Rev. Sharon Risher, the daughter of the late Ethel Lance, victim of the AME shooting, said that "to donate to this film you would do yourself a service." Her daughter Aja Risher, Ethel's granddaughter, said "This film should be introduced at the high school level as a teaching tool to think before you act."

Mr. Stephen Hurd, husband of the late Cynthia Hurd, victim of the AME shooting, said "It's important to donate and get this film made because we need an up close and personal look at how we are destroying ourselves; our society."

Bethane Middleton-Brown, whose sister Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor was killed in the shooting said, "I don't want the world to ever forget the Emanuel 9... I want people donate to the film 'Broken' because it's for a good cause. There are a lot of broken hearts that need to be healed, a lot of stories that need to be told... I want mine to encourage people to love, and love monetarily by giving, because that's what it's going to take to help others."

You can view clips from the victims' interviews at http://www.brokenthemovie.com/. You can follow the film on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @BrokenAShort.

To raise funding for the production, slated to begin filming August 31, 2017 in Virginia, La Trycee has started a HatchFund campaign at: https://www.hatchfund.org/project/broken_a_short_film. The victims' families are in full support. Donate today!

About La Trycee Fowler

La Trycee Fowler is a rising actress who has also produced several award winning series and commercials. La Trycee's website is: http://www.latryceefowler.yolasite.com/. Additional information about La Trycee is at http://www.imdb.me/latryceefowler. She is co-producing "Broken" with Adielenah Perez.

Contact:

Farrell J. Chiles

Chiles Management Group

[email protected]

951-318-6830

SOURCE La Trycee Fowler

Related Links

http://latryceefowler.yolasite.com


AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Jeep Compass, Chrysler Pacifica and Ram ProMaster City each post their best July sales ever

Jeep Grand Cherokee records best July sales since 2005

Chrysler 300 logs double-digit percentage increase in July

FCA US LLC today reported sales of 161,477 units, a 10 percent decrease compared with sales in July 2016 (180,389 units).

In July, retail sales of 145,391 units were down 6 percent compared with the same month in 2016 and represented 90 percent of total sales. In line with FCA's strategy to reduce sales to the daily rental segment, fleet sales of 16,086 units were down, as expected, 35 percent year over year. The largest planned volume reduction in July fleet sales came from the Jeep brand, which reduced its fleet sales number by 82 percent year over year. Fleet sales represented 10 percent of total July sales.

Three FCA US vehicles  the Jeep Compass, Chrysler Pacifica minivan and Ram ProMaster City  each posted their best July sales ever. The Jeep Grand Cherokee turned in its best July sales since 2005. Chrysler 300 sedan sales were up 31 percent in July, the largest year-over-year percentage increase of any FCA US vehicle in the month. Dodge Charger sales were up 9 percent in July as well, compared with the same month a year ago.

Jeep  Brand

Three Jeep models posted year-over-year increases in July. The Jeep Compass turned in its best July sales ever, while the Jeep Wrangler  the most capable and recognizable vehicle in the world  recorded a slight year-over-year increase in the month. Sales of the Jeep Grand Cherokee  the most-awarded SUV ever  were up 14 percent for its best July sales since 2005. The Wrangler was named best-in-class Entry SUV in Strategic Vision's annual Total Quality Impact (TQI) report in July.

Ram Truck Brand

Ram Truck brand sales were up slightly year over year for its best July sales since 2005. In addition, the brand's retail sales were up 7 percent in July, compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram ProMaster City van posted its best July sales ever. Ram Truck was the industry's most improved truck brand in the recent J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). Ram Truck improved by nearly 25 percent its initial quality score from last year's study.

Dodge Brand

Four Dodge brand vehicles  the Dodge Charger, Dodge Journey, Dodge Durango and Dodge Viper  each posted year-over-year sales increases in July, compared with the same month a year ago. Charger sales were up 9 percent year over year, while the Durango turned in its best July sales since 2011. For the fifth time in seven years, the Dodge Challenger ranked highest among all vehicles in the Midsize Sporty Car segment in J.D. Power's 2017 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.

Chrysler Brand

Sales of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica minivan and Chrysler 300 full-size sedan were up year-over-year in July. Sales of the Pacifica  the most-awarded minivan of 2016 and 2017  increased 5 percent for its best July sales ever. Sales of the 300 increased 31 percent, the largest percentage increase of any FCA US model in July. The Pacifica continues to accumulate awards and accolades in 2017, ranking highest among minivans in its inaugural year in J.D. Power's 2017 APEAL study. The study measures how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive, based on customer evaluations of 77 vehicle attributes of new 2017 model year vehicles. The Chrysler brand was the industry's most-improved brand in the APEAL study.

FIAT Brand

Sales of the Fiat 500 and Fiat 500X were up in July, compared with the previous month of June. The all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth took the top award in the Small Convertible category at the seventh annual Topless in Miami Presented by Haartz competitive car event hosted by the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA).

Alfa Romeo Brand

Alfa Romeo brand sales of 1,225 units were up significantly compared with the same month a year ago.



FCA US LLC Sales Summary July 2017























Month Sales Vol % CYTD Sales Vol %



Model Curr Yr Pr Yr Change Curr Yr Pr Yr Change



Compass 7,528 6,987 8% 33,274 57,563 -42%



Patriot 3,425 11,244 -70% 34,274 71,915 -52%



Wrangler 18,698 18,662 0% 117,620 119,074 -1%



Cherokee 11,818 15,411 -23% 93,186 116,413 -20%



Grand Cherokee 19,024 16,661 14% 135,403 117,016 16%



Renegade 8,858 10,071 -12% 61,885 62,298 -1%



JEEP BRAND 69,351 79,036 -12% 475,642 544,279 -13%



200 1,899 5,446 -65% 15,621 41,561 -62%



300 3,090 2,364 31% 31,363 33,298 -6%



Town & Country 26 3,324 -99% 528 55,134 -99%



Pacifica 8,288 7,898 5% 67,886 18,941 New



CHRYSLER BRAND 13,303 19,032 -30% 115,398 148,934 -23%



Dart 822 3,314 -75% 8,955 31,764 -72%



Avenger 10 0 100% 10 41 -76%



Charger 5,426 4,984 9% 48,579 53,603 -9%



Challenger 5,333 5,588 -5% 41,243 40,181 3%



Viper 56 49 14% 458 351 30%



Journey 6,800 6,348 7% 63,677 54,116 18%



Caravan 7,503 10,071 -25% 87,370 83,981 4%



Durango 5,314 5,129 4% 41,952 43,617 -4%



DODGE BRAND 31,264 35,483 -12% 292,244 307,654 -5%



Ram P/U 39,708 39,809 0% 290,151 273,029 6%



Cargo Van 0 0 0% 0 21 -100%



ProMaster Van 3,035 3,061 -1% 23,743 20,157 18%



ProMaster City 1,347 1,187 13% 9,791 10,808 -9%



RAM BRAND 44,090 44,057 0% 323,685 304,015 6%



500 1,026 1,089 -6% 8,482 8,876 -4%



500L 171 225 -24% 917 2,567 -64%



500X 597 944 -37% 4,577 7,526 -39%



Spider 450 480 New 2,950 481 New



FIAT BRAND 2,244 2,738 -18% 16,926 19,450 -13%



Giulia 1,104 0 New 4,578 0 New



Alfa 4C 22 43 -49% 265 340 -22%



Stelvio 99 0 New 101 0 New



ALFA ROMEO 1,225 43 2749% 4,944 340 1354%



FCA US LLC 161,477 180,389 -10% 1,228,839 1,324,672 -7%





















Method of Determining FCA US LLC's Monthly Sales. FCA US's reported vehicle sales represent unit sales of vehicles to retail customers, deliveries of vehicles to fleet customers and to others such as FCA US's employees and retirees as well as vehicles used for marketing. Most of these reported sales reflect retail sales made by dealers out of their own inventory of vehicles previously purchased by them from FCA US. Reported vehicle units sales do not correspond to FCA US's reported revenues, which are based on FCA US's sale and delivery of vehicles, and typically recognized upon shipment to the dealer or end customer. As announced on July 26, 2016, FCA US has modified its methodology for monthly sales reporting as follows:

Sales to retail customers by dealers in the U.S. are derived from the New Vehicle Delivery Report ("NVDR") system and are determined as the sum of (A) all sales recorded by dealers during the month net of all unwound transactions recorded to the end of that month (whether the original sale was recorded in the current month or any prior month); plus (B) all sales of vehicles during that month attributable to past unwinds that had previously been reversed in determining monthly sales (in the current or prior months).

Fleet sales are recorded upon the shipment of the vehicle by FCA US to the customer or end user.

to the customer or end user. Other retail sales are recorded either (A) when the sale is recorded in the NVDR system (for sales by dealers in Puerto Rico and limited sales made through distributors that submit NVDRs in the same manner as for sales by U.S. dealers) or (B) upon receipt of a similar delivery notification (for vehicles for which NVDRs are not entered such as vehicles for FCA employees).

About FCA US LLC

FCA US LLC is a North American automaker based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It designs, manufactures, and sells or distributes vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as the SRT performance designation. The Company also distributes Mopar and Alfa Romeo parts and accessories. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler Corp., established in 1925 by industry visionary Walter P. Chrysler and Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli. FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA).

FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."

Follow FCA US news and video on:

Company blog: blog.fcanorthamerica.com

Company website: www.fcanorthamerica.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter (Spanish): www.twitter.com/fcausespanol

YouTube: www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo

Media website: media.fcanorthamerica.com

SOURCE FCA US LLC

Related Links

http://www.fcanorthamerica.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBC) today announced that $250,000 was granted through its new Community First Capacity-Building Grant Program to six nonprofit lending institutions in Illinois and Wisconsin. Below is a list of award recipients receiving grants and the member financial institution with whom they partnered in the application process.

Recipient Member Bank CAP Services Inc. BMO Harris Bank, N.A. First American Capital Corporation Town Bank Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Inc. The PrivateBank and Trust Co. SomerCor 504 Inc. Glenview State Bank Southern Illinois Coal Belt Champion Community, Inc. First National Bank in Pinckneyville Wisconsin Native Loan Fund Bay Bank

"With these inaugural Community First Capacity-Building Grants, we are investing in the strength of community development lending organizations," said Suzi Thackston, FHLBC Community Investment Officer. "We look forward to the social return on these investments through the expansion of loan programs and increased organizational capacity."

The FHLBC launched the program earlier this year to support the growth of nonprofit lending institutions promoting affordable housing and economic development in Illinois and Wisconsin. Through its member financial institutions, the FHLBC provides grants to help qualifying nonprofit community development loan funds, community development financial institutions, and community development corporations build their financial, operational, and human capital.

Eligible uses of Community First Capacity-Building Grants include:

Market research to expand existing programs

Professional development of staff

Creation or expansion of a strategic plan for the organization

Improvement of lending policies and procedures

Enhancements to management and information systems

Improvements to lending portfolio and financial reporting

Development of mission-related outcomes reporting

Only nonprofit lenders in the FHLBC's district of Illinois and Wisconsin were eligible for consideration. Evaluations were based on each organization's mission, strength, strategy to increase community development lending within Illinois and Wisconsin, and proposed uses for the grant funds.

For More Information

To learn more about the FHLBC and its full range of Community Investment programs, please visit www.fhlbc.com or @FHLBC. "Community First" is a registered trademark of the FHLBC.

SOURCE Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago

Related Links

http://www.fhlbc.com


NEW YORK, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fir Tree Partners (Fir Tree) announced today that it has completed the sale of FTP Power LLC (sPower), the largest independent owner, operator and developer of utility-scale solar assets in the United States, to a joint venture co-controlled by The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) and Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), on behalf of certain of its clients, for approximately $1.6 billion in cash and assumed non-recourse debt.

Since its formation by Fir Tree in early 2014, sPower has grown from virtually no operating projects to the nation's largest independent utility-scale solar business, with an operating portfolio of approximately 1.3 GW and a development portfolio of more than 10 GW. The sPower portfolio is composed of more than 75 utility scale solar and wind distributed electrical generation systems operating across 11 states  five red and six blue  demonstrating that clean energy works irrespective of politics.

"It is extremely rewarding to realize Fir Tree's vision for sPower with the closing of the transaction between our company and AES and AIMCo," said Jeffrey Tannenbaum, Chairman of the Board of sPower and founder of Fir Tree Partners. "We built a highly profitable business that will drive skilled worker job creation, local economic activity, and reduced environmental damage. We achieved this in spite of many obstacles that appear when a new industry challenges the status quo. It is our clear hope that sPower, led by its highly-talented team, serves as a major catalyst for the acceleration of AES' portfolio to renewable energy, and that its positive impact continues far into the future."

Scott Troeller, an sPower board member, said, "sPower's innovation and significant commercial success in just three years is testament to its outstanding management team and demonstrates the increasingly attractive attributes of solar and wind generation. Renewable energy is no longer about relying on government subsidies. Rather, it has become about falling costs, increasing efficiency and an evolution towards becoming the best source for electricity to drive both economic and social returns. sPower proves this with its strong job creation, economic and environmental impact."

sPower has been a source of high paying jobs for skilled workers across the country, often union labor. In the past year alone, sPower's construction projects have employed more than 2,500 people resulting in over 1.5 million union hours. In 2016, the Company generated millions in economic activity attributable to salaries, taxes and local business spending in the 74 cities in which sPower operates. To put sPower's environmental impact in perspective, upon completion of its near-term pipeline in 2017, approximately 250,000 homes will be powered by sPower's clean energy, reducing three million metric tons of carbon pollution each year. This is roughly equivalent to either taking 450,000 cars off our nation's roads or planting 2.3 million acres of forest, about the size of the entire state of Connecticut.

"With the help of Fir Tree, we have experienced incredible growth while positively impacting our communities. We are proud of the lasting platform we have built and role it will play in driving the proliferation of clean energy across the US. On behalf of the entire sPower team, I want to thank Fir Tree for its support and vision that have been so critical to our success," said Ryan Creamer, Chief Executive Officer of sPower.

About Fir Tree Partners: Fir Tree, founded in 1994, is a private investment firm that invests worldwide in public and private companies, real estate, and debt. Fir Tree manages assets on behalf of leading endowments, foundations, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds. The firm maintains offices in New York and Miami. https://www.firtree.com/

About sPower: Headquartered in Salt Lake City, with offices in San Francisco, Long Beach and New York City, sPower is the largest private owner of operating solar assets in the United States. sPower owns and operates more than 150 utility and commercial distributed electrical generation systems across the U.S, producing in excess of 1.1 GW of power. Additionally, sPower has an in-construction and development pipeline in excess of 10.0 GW. To learn more, please visit www.spower.com.

About AES: The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 200 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 17 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce of 19,000 people is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world's changing power needs. Our 2016 revenues were $14 billion and we own and manage $36 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp.

About AIMCo: AIMCo is one of Canada's largest and most diversified institutional investment managers with more than $100 billion of assets under management. AIMCo was established on January 1, 2008 with a mandate to provide superior long-term investment results for its clients. AIMCo operates at arms-length from the Government of Alberta and invests globally on behalf of 32 pension, endowment and government funds in the Province of Alberta. For more information on AIMCo please visit www.aimco.alberta.ca.

Fir Tree Partners Media Contact

Taylor Ingraham

203-992-1230

SOURCE Fir Tree Partners

Related Links

http://www.firtree.com


CINCINNATI, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstLight Home Care, a provider of quality, affordable, non-medical home care for adults, has set all new records for its national business growth. For the first and second quarters, the company has reported $41 million in gross revenues for franchisees, up 20 percent versus the prior year.

"Caring is our calling," said Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care. "The growing elderly population is driving the demand for the types of services that we offer. Our depth of knowledge at franchisor level to support our franchisees in new markets have been a good lever for us. We are certainly a for-profit business, but our service-orientated culture of care and franchisees who are leaders in their local communities have been instrumental in the success that we've seen."

FirstLight offers complete non-medical companion and personal care services for seniors, new mothers, those recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance. Services include bathing and hygiene, walking and mobility assistance, continence and toileting assistance, as well as household services such as cooking, cleaning, and running errands.

Highlights for FirstLight Home Care during the first half of this year include:

Revenue

FirstLight reported a 20 percent growth in gross revenues for franchisees for the first and second quarters of this year. The company has been showing steady growth for the last few years with an average of 40-50 percent revenue growth year over year. FirstLight's franchisees are on track to exceed $88 million in gross revenues for 2017.

New Locations

The franchise opened 16 new locations in nine states since January. These include locations in Connecticut, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New York, North Dakota, and Texas. At least 10 more offices are set to open before the end of this year with locations awarded to entrepreneurs in California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nevada.

Since opening its first franchise location in 2010, FirstLight Home Care has more than 240 locations in 33 states that are fully operational or under development.

Awards

This year, FirstLight Home Care was honored with numerous awards. They are:

Top low-cost franchise on Franchise Business Review's Top Low-Cost Franchise list for 2017

Five Star Designation by the International Franchise Association's VetFran committee

One of the best franchises to own as ranked by Franchise Grade

Top franchise to own for women as ranked by Franchise Business Review's 2017 Top Franchises for Women Report

Leading non-medical home care franchise on Franchise Gator's Fastest Growing Franchise List for 2017

No. 25 Fastest Growing franchise, and No. 35 Top 100 franchise of 2017, as ranked by Franchise Gator

Ranking on Entrepreneur's 2017 Franchise 500 list

Other awards include Top Franchise for Veterans by Franchise Business Review, fourth-time ranking on Franchise Times' Top 200+ list, and a second consecutive Inc. 5000 ranking.

FirstLight Home Care continues to seek new franchise owners.

For more information about FirstLight Home Care's franchise opportunities, visit www.firstlightfranchise.com.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care is a top rated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides 85,000 hours per week in care for more than 2,700 clients in over 33 states. The company has created a new standard in home care by combining best practices with innovative approaches to make them an emerging market leader in a rapidly-growing industry. Companion and personal care services can be provided at private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, adult-family homes or group homes. Clients include seniors, new mothers, individuals recovering from surgery, adults with disabilities and anyone who might just need a little extra care or assistance. Visit www.firstlighthomecare.com to learn more.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Heather Ripley

Ripley PR

865-977-1973

[email protected]

SOURCE FirstLight Home Care

Related Links

http://www.firstlighthomecare.com


The main driver of this fall in risk is France, following Emmanuel Macron's victory in the French presidential elections. Macron's victory brings greater clarity, following fears that Macron's main opponent, Marine Le Pen, would withdraw France from international trade agreements and the EU, and immediately suspend France's membership of Europe's Schengen border-free zone.

The new EU trade deal with Japan is also good news for supply chain risk, with trade tariffs due to be removed for key sectors including automotive and agriculture. This new deal comes after the US withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, leaving room for the EU to fill the gap.

However, the outcome of elections in Italy and Austria are unclear, and if parties that are unsupportive of the EU and keen to leave the single market rise to power, this could lead to supply chain disruption if more countries leave the single market. Italy's elections are due to be held in 2018, and the Eurosceptic Five Star party, which has previously promised to pull Italy out of the Euro, has been gaining support.

Positive developments in Western and Central Europe put downward pressure on global supply chain risk, but were also counteracted slightly by an increase in risk in the Middle East and North Africa. The increase is largely due to the severing of diplomatic and trade ties between Qatar and each of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and UAE. These events are having a significant impact on Qatar, limiting the flow of goods to and from the country and forcing it to re-route supply chains through Oman. As a result, the Middle East and North Africa contributed 6.91% to global supply chain risk in Q2 2017, up from 6.87% in Q1.

Additionally, large-scale protests took place in Romania following the government's decision to amend the Penal Code of Romania to weaken anti-corruption laws. This led to a rise in Eastern Europe and Central Asia's contribution to global supply chain risk to 7.58% in Q2 2017 from 7.55% the previous quarter.

Overall, global supply chain risk fell to 81.27 in Q2 2017 from 81.90 in Q1, though the underlying risk trend is on the rise.

John Glen, CIPS Economist and Director of the Centre for Customised Executive Development at The Cranfield School of Management said:

"European economies are performing well, and the EU is capitalising on new opportunities for trade deals, as shown by the recent agreement with Japan. This is good news for supply chains in the Eurozone, but the threat of populism to the European project remains in the background.

"Overall, the global economy is undergoing a period of change. Although there appears to have been little movement in supply chain risk since last quarter, we could be experiencing the calm before the storm. The re-shaping of global trade, with Brexit and various, long-standing trade agreements such as NAFTA being negotiated, could disrupt supply chain integrity in the future."

Bodhi Ganguli, Lead Economist, Dun & Bradstreet:

"Global supply chain risk continued to improve in Q2, driven by two main factors: A strengthening global economy with improved near-term forecasts and a decline in political risk over recent months, particularly in Europe.

"Nevertheless, potential changes to global trade agreements remain a major risk to cross-border supply chains, as NAFTA renegotiations could start as early as late August, and Brexit negotiations start in earnest. Q2 also saw a number of major cyber security incidents, with this becoming a serious and evolving threat and a more significant operational risk."

Notes to Editors:

About the CIPS Risk Index, powered by Dun & Bradstreet:

First launched in April 2014, the CIPS Risk Index, powered by Dun & Bradstreet, is a composite indicator of pressures acting upon supply chains globally. The Index analyses the socio-economic, physical trade and business continuity factors contributing to supply chain risk across the world, weighting each score according to that country's contribution to global exports.

The Index helps sourcing professionals understand the risks to which their supply chains are exposed, articulate questions and scenarios for key suppliers, inform assurance activities, check the readiness of contingency plans, support the negotiation of risk transfer in contracts, and establish factors which may impact the financial stability of tier one and sub-tier suppliers upstream. Regular production of this Index will help procurement and supply professionals communicate and justify risk-informed sourcing decisions and support effective Supplier Relationship Management.

About the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply:

The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) is the leading international body representing purchasing and supply management professionals. It is the worldwide centre of excellence on purchasing and supply management issues. CIPS has a global community of 115,000 in 150 different countries, including senior business people, high-ranking civil servants and leading academics. The activities of purchasing and supply chain professionals have a major impact on the profitability and efficiency of all types of organisation and CIPS offers corporate solutions packages to improve business profitability. www.cips.org, @CIPSnews.

About Dun & Bradstreet

Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE: DNB) grows the most valuable relationships in business. By uncovering truth and meaning from data, we connect our customers with the prospects, suppliers, clients and partners that matter most, and have since 1841. Nearly ninety percent of the Fortune 500, and companies of every size around the world, rely on our data, insights and analytics. For more about Dun & Bradstreet, visit DNB.com. Twitter: @DnBUS

Contact:

Deborah McBride

Dun & Bradstreet

[email protected]

+1 973 921 5714

SOURCE Dun & Bradstreet

Related Links

http://www.dnb.com


In the three-day field survey, the team joined by media representatives documented the distribution and number of plateau wildlife species such as goa, bharal and yellow-billed teal and observed the plantation, hydrography, atmosphere and sunlight. The data will be used to evaluate habitat conditions and threat levels to help make future conservation plans.

"Through learning about ecological environment and wildlife protection in SNNR, the importance and urgency of protecting the wetland became very clear to us, I was also deeply impressed by the biodiversity in SNNR and understood that we still have a long way to go in eco-conservation," said a media representative.

Shi Quanhua from WWF emphasized the importance of biodiversity research and cited the example of the first synchronized bird survey organized by GAC Motor, WWF and SNNR from June 16 to 22 as the foundation work for wetland protection, that working with GAC Motor volunteers not only helped to achieve the goals in research, but also created a new partnership model for Chinese national parks.

As a partner of China's First National Park Conservation Project ("the Project") with WWF, the leading Chinese automaker has launched the Program in May with the goal of making practical contributions to support eco-conservation and sustainable development in one of the world's most important freshwater sources; the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Mekong rivers which are home to "a gene bank of rare plateau species."

Volunteers of the Program also completed tasks such as land cultivation, seed-sowing, irrigation and fertilization in Madoi County to help prevent grassland desertification in the far upstream of the Yellow River as well as providing herdsmen, protectors of the eco-environment recruited by SNNR, with professional equipment and trainings.

"Wildlife diversity is the treasure of mankind, the volunteers took the lead in eco-conservation and they will raise public awareness of ecological importance," said Yu Jun, president of GAC Motor. "We will continue giving back to the society and participate in the Project to advance the sustainable development between people and nature, which allows us to share our vision with more people and make SNNR a positive example of China's ecological progress.

GAC Motor has pledged to deepen its innovations on alternative energy cars to protect the environment and save energy, searching for sustainable solutions to future mobility in the new energy sector to make the world greener. The company applies green and sustainable technologies in vehicle production, using environmental-friendly materials to eliminate harmful substances and dusts in the factory emissions to reduce atmospheric pollutions.

GAC Motor has set a practical goal of selling 1 million vehicles by 2020, among which 20 percent will be new energy vehicles.

About GAC Motor

A subsidiary of GAC Group, GAC Motor develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories, achieving a year-to-year growth rate of 96 percent in 2016, the highest among all Chinese brands in the corresponding period. GAC Motor now ranks the highest among all Chinese brands for four consecutive years and fifth among all global brands in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's 2016 China Initial Quality Study.

Media contact:

Sukie Wong

+86-186-8058-2829

[email protected]

Taki Jiang

+86-134-5028-4242

[email protected]

SOURCE GAC Motor
LAKEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- General Moly, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE MKT and TSX: GMO), the only western exchange listed, pure-play molybdenum mineral development company, announced that it has entered into an Option Agreement and Land Lease Agreement (if the option is exercised) with SRPV, a subsidiary of SolarReserve, LLC of Santa Monica, California for photovoltaic solar energy development at General Moly's Liberty Project.

The Agreement provides for a three-year option to lease a minimum of 500 acres and easements associated with vacant land owned by the Liberty Project near Tonopah, Nevada. If the option is exercised, the parties will enter into a 30-year lease for up to 700 acres of land, with an option to extend for an additional five years at the end of the initial lease term. The vacant land parcel is wholly owned by the Company, and its use by the photovoltaic solar project will not impact the Liberty Project's future proposed mining plans.

Bruce D. Hansen, Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are pleased to collaborate with SolarReserve to promote renewable energy in Nevada. If the option is exercised, we look forward to offsetting a portion of the Liberty Project's ongoing care and maintenance expenses with lease revenue for land that would not be utilized in our proposed mine plans. Additionally, we may consider the solar project as a future power source for the proposed Liberty mine, after prospective power purchase agreements are fulfilled."

"We applaud General Moly for their leadership in sustainability, and look forward to working with them and local stakeholders to help meet renewable energy supply targets, stimulate long-term economic development, and create new jobs," said Tom Georgis, SolarReserve's Senior Vice President of Development. "The region is well suited to solar projects, and we see a bright future ahead for renewables in Nevada."

About General Moly

General Moly is a U.S.-based molybdenum mineral development, exploration and mining company listed on the NYSE MKT and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GMO. The Company's primary asset, an 80% interest in the Mt. Hope Project located in central Nevada, is considered one of the world's largest and highest grade molybdenum deposits. Combined with the Company's wholly-owned Liberty Project, a molybdenum and copper property also located in central Nevada, General Moly's goal is to become the largest pure play primary molybdenum producer in the world.

Molybdenum is a metallic element used primarily as an alloy agent in steel manufacturing. When added to steel, molybdenum enhances steel strength, resistance to corrosion and extreme temperature performance. In the chemical and petrochemical industries, molybdenum is used in catalysts, especially for cleaner burning fuels by removing sulfur from liquid fuels, and in corrosion inhibitors, high performance lubricants and polymers.

About SolarReserve

SolarReserve is a U.S.-based developer of utility-scale solar power projects, which include electricity generation by solar thermal energy and photovoltaic panels. In addition, SolarReserve has commercialized its proprietary ThermaVault advanced solar thermal technology with integrated molten salt energy storage that delivers renewable power 24-hours per day. The company currently has more than $1.8 billion of projects in operation globally, with a pipeline of over 13 gigawatts across the world's most attractive, high growth renewable energy markets.

Contact:

Scott Roswell

(303) 928-8591

[email protected]

Website: www.generalmoly.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements herein that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated, expected, or implied by the Company. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to metals price and production volatility, global economic conditions, currency fluctuations, increased production costs and variances in ore grade or recovery rates from those assumed in mining plans, exploration risks and results, political, operational and project development risks, including the Company's ability to obtain a re-grant of its water permits and Record of Decision, ability to maintain required federal and state permits to continue construction, and commence production, ability to raise required project financing, ability to respond to adverse governmental regulation and judicial outcomes, and ability to maintain and/or adjust estimates related to cost of production, capital, operating and exploration expenditures. For a detailed discussion of risks and other factors that may impact these forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors and other discussion contained in the Company's quarterly and annual periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K, on file with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

SOURCE General Moly, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.generalmoly.com


SILVER SPRING, Md. and BRUSSELS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- George A. Papandreou, former Prime Minister of Greece (2009-2011), will be honored with the International Leadership Association (ILA) Distinguished Leadership Award on Friday 13 October in Brussels, Belgium at ILA's global conference Leadership in Turbulent Times.

"It is a profound honor for me to receive ILA's 2017 Distinguished Leadership Award," Papandreou shared. "I look forward to engaging with the business leaders, political leaders, and thought-leaders attending the ILA global conference this October."

George A. Papandreou, former Prime Minister of Greece (2009-2011). Join more than 1,200 leadership coaches and consultants, educators and students, scholars and researchers, and public leaders and executives as we learn, share, and experience more integrated leadership thinking, practices, and solutions that can positively impact our complex global and local environments. Complete conference details are available at: http://www.ila-net.org/Conferences/2017/index.html

As the Prime Minister of Greece from 2009 to 2011, Papandreou understands leading in turbulent times. A public servant for many years, his election as prime minister after the devastation of the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 came with a mandate to increase transparency and reduce corruption in Greece's government while humanizing globalization and its economic effects on Greek citizens. Challenged by time and global financial markets, he made the difficult decision to implement austerity programs and cuts to appease the Eurozone. For his work in 2010 of "making the best of Greece's worst year," Foreign Policy Magazine named him a Top 100 Global Thinker. His experiences on the front lines of the Eurozone crisis provide an important lens for understanding Europe today and the continuing struggle, globally, to build inclusive, humane economies. Currently, as President of the Socialist International, a worldwide organization of progressive political parties, Papandreou continues to work on globalizing democratic institutions to meet the global economic challenges and challenges of the imagination that impede a fairer, more just world.

"Meeting tough challenges that require new human capacity is what makes leadership, leadership, as opposed to other crafts or occupations," expressed Ronald Heifetz (noted leadership author and founder of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard's Kennedy School) with whom Papandreou consulted during his tenures as Foreign and Prime Minister. "With courage, reasoned discipline, and passion for a just world, as Foreign Minister in 1999 Papandreou achieved an historic rapprochement with Turkey, allowing Greece to reset a slew of priorities and opening the door to Turkey's candidacy to the EU. As Prime Minister, Papandreou led, not only his own country in courageously facing up to the challenges uncovered by the global financial crisis, but he also led Europe to develop new institutional capacity and resilience."

As Cynthia Cherrey, ILA President & CEO sums up, "George Papandreou lives the ILA values and is an inspiring example for all of us who strive to make positive change for the greater good of individuals and communities worldwide."

Additionally, Robert Lord, Professor of Leadership at Durham University in the UK and Stella Nkomo, a noted scholar and consultant based at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and President of the Africa Academy of Management, will each be presented with the ILA's Lifetime Achievement Award.

They will be joined by keynote speakers Herman Van Rompuy, former Prime Minister of Belgium (2008-2009) and the first fulltime President of the European Council (2009-2014), General (Retired) David Petraeus, former Director of the CIA (2011-2012), Jeroen van der Veer, a noted business leader and former Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell plc (2004-2009), and renowned thinker, speaker, and author Margaret Heffernan, whose acclaimed book, Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril, contains valuable insights for leadership in turbulent times.

The conference opens Thursday 12 October with a selection of deep-dive pre-conference workshops and concludes Sunday afternoon 15 October with a closing plenary session. In between a diverse array of networking opportunities, international speakers at 200+ panels, presentations, and workshops, and special events promises to inform, inspire, and invigorate attendees.

Register and learn more about the ILA's 19th global conference, Leadership in Turbulent Times: http://www.ila-net.org/conferences.

Media contact:

Debra DeRuyver

[email protected]

1.202.470.4818 X102

SOURCE International Leadership Association

Related Links

http://www.ila-net.org


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Glamour partnered with L'Oreal Paris to commission a Harris Poll of 2,000 women in all 50 states to reveal how women really feel about themselves, their career, and their future in 2017. The results? Women are more optimistic about their life and future than in previous years, with 75 percent believing they're making progress toward their life goals, and 67 percent believing they'll be better off in the next five years. However, while progress is being made and priorities are shifting, many women continue to struggle with body image and self-esteem.

"On one level, these results are encouraging: As women, we feel optimistic about our lives now and think we're going to get where we want to go," says Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive. "But the results are, like women, complicatedthey show that we still too often judge ourselves harshly, among other things. It's also interesting to see the ways in which women of various zip codes, races, and sexualities are different, and what we all seem to share: Social media plays a big role in our daily lives, we care deeply about our financial future, are still struggling with our looks."

For more than 30 years, Glamour's surveys have shown that American women have consistently reported low self-confidence and negative body image. Done with L'Oreal Paris, the 2017 survey had as its goal to take an in-depth look at the factors that buoy and undermine women's confidenceand explore the issues that connect and divide us. As part of the survey, Glamour also asked women what they believe in and how they have learned to embrace who they are.

2017 findings included:

Women in 2017 are more optimistic about their life and future: 75 percent believe they're making progress toward their life goals

African American women report higher self-esteem than white or Latina women

Social media is motivating women: 74 percent of women believe social media can be a positive force in their life

In a shift with past years, 70 percent of women say their top priority in life is to become financially secure, but 56 percent believe they are underpaid

Women in rural areas are far less likely to describe themselves as beautiful: only 28 percent did, compared with 43 percent of women in urban areas

"The launch of '50 States of Women' exemplifies our belief that every woman is worth it and has a story to tell," said Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle, senior vice president for marketing with L'Oreal Paris USA. "This study gives us a deeper understanding of what makes women in America feel beautiful, confident, and optimistic about the futureand shows us what areas we need to focus on as we empower women everywhere to embrace their intrinsic worth and inner beauty."

The survey will also be annualized, as Glamour and L'Oreal Paris continue to examine women's self-worth and how it shifts over the years.

The "50 States of Women" survey appears in Glamour's September issue, on national newsstands August 8. Click here to read the full story on Glamour.com: http://www.glamour.com/story/blake-lively-september-2017-cover-interview

Glamour is also challenging women to embrace self-worth and see ourselves the way others see us. As a first step towards this goal, Glamour is asking women to accept a compliment, instead of brushing it off or giving a self-deprecating response. Join the conversation on social on August 1st with #takeacompliment.

Key findings from the Glamour and L'Oreal Paris "50 States of Women" survey are below. For the full story, visit Glamour.com or pick up the September issue.

Self-Confidence Is Finally Soaring:

75 percent of women believe they're making progress toward their life goals.



67 percent of women believe they'll be better off in the next five years (a huge jump from Glamour 's results two years ago, when only 42 percent had that outlook).

's results two years ago, when only 42 percent had that outlook). Fueling Self-Worth and Confidence:

While 73 percent of women feel that pride in their appearance contributes a moderate amount to their self-worth (71 percent among millennials), there are deeper factors that play a higher role in this feeling.



93 percent say that being a mom contributes a moderate amount to their self-worth, 87 percent of women say that their intelligence gives them worth, and 86 percent credit their personalities.

Super-Positive Millennials:

Confidence may be up among women in general, but it is even higher among millennials, with 73 percent saying their life will be better off in five years. The optimism is especially pronounced for those under 25.



46 percent of the younger millennials also say, "I'm proud of the person I am becoming," higher than other generations in the survey.

The Confidence Gap:

African American women consistently reported higher self-esteem than white or Hispanic womenthey were far more likely to describe themselves as successful (44 percent said so, compared with 30 percent of white women and 21 percent of Hispanic).



59 percent of African American women describe themselves as beautiful, versus just 25 percent of white women and 32 percent of Latinas.

Looks Are Still Important to Women:

Although our priorities have shifted over the decades, looks are still important to women in 2017.



44 percent of women consider their appearance a key part of their identityranking higher than being a mom, or their job, religion, or heritage.





73 percent of women say being beautiful helps women get ahead at work, and 84 percent of women say being beautiful gives them an edge in life in general.

Using Social Media to Empower and Inform:

Women love social media (35 percent of women reported checking their social media at least once an hour) and say that it makes them feel more informed, inspired, and empowered:



74 percent of women believe social media is a positive force in their life, that it inspires and informs them, and makes them feel connected to others.





Three out of five women say that just the act of sharing their experiences on social media makes them feel good about themselves.





66 percent have received practical tips and advice from tutorials on social media, and 54 percent have used this inspiration to create their own unique style or look.

Sexual Orientation and Self-Esteem:

Nonheterosexual women in the survey were twice as likely to describe themselves as "unhappy," and 63 percent reported they have struggled with depression.



Nonheterosexual are more than twice as likely as straight women to have received unwanted sexually suggestive remarks or negative comments online.

The Country Girl Blues:

Women in rural areas are far less likely to describe themselves as beautiful: Only 28 percent did, compared with 43 percent of women in urban areas.



Rural women are more likely than those in urban areas to describe themselves as insecure (30 percent versus 20 percent).



55 percent of women in rural areas say they've experienced depression versus 48 percent in urban areas.

Career advancement and financial security are top priorities, but obstacles at work remain.

56 percent of women believe they're underpaid.



66 percent say men get more support and opportunities to advance than they do.



But 70 percent say their top priority in life is to become financially secure.

About Glamour:

Glamour is one of the biggest fashion and beauty media brands in the world, currently reaching an all-time high of one out of eight American women, with 9.7 million print readers, more than 11 million unique monthly users online, and over 14 million followers across social media platforms. Glamour believes in the power of women being themselves and stands with women as they do their own thing: honestly, authentically, and awesomely. Across every platform, Glamour is the ultimate authority for the next generation of changemakers.

About L'Oreal Paris

The L'Oreal Paris division of L'Oreal USA, Inc. is a total beauty care brand dedicated to empowering women by offering the most luxurious and innovative products and services available in the mass market. The brand's signature tagline, "Because I'm Worth It," was born in the United States in 1971 to celebrate the beauty and intrinsic self-worth of women, and for more than 100 years, L'Oreal Paris has been providing women around the world with products in four major beauty categories: hair color, hair care, skin care, and cosmetics. With L'Oreal's invention of hair color in 1909, the brand continues to serve as the leading innovator of hair products across color, care, and styling with brands such as Superior Preference, Feria, Excellence Creme, Advanced Haircare, the Ever Collection, Advanced Hairstyle, and Elnett Satin Hairspray. L'Oreal Paris provides scientifically advanced skin care products that are clinically proven to address individual skin concerns through its renowned brands Revitalift, Hydra Genius, Age Perfect, and Sublime Bronze. L'Oreal Paris' iconic cosmetics collections include Infallible, True Match, Colour Riche, Voluminous, and Visible Lift. For more information about L'Oreal Paris and to receive personalized advice, expert tips, and exclusive content, please visit www.lorealparisusa.com or follow on Instagram (@LOrealMakeup, @LOrealHair, @LOrealSkin, @LOrealMens), Snapchat (@LOrealMakeup), Twitter (@LOrealParisUSA), Facebook (@LOrealParisUSA), and Pinterest (@LOrealParisUSA).

SOURCE Glamour
LONDON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Description

The biologics or a biopharmaceutical product means a pharmaceutical semi synthesized from different biological sources. In contrast to completely synthesized drugs, biologics are generally made up of living cells, gene components, sugars, proteins, nucleic acids, tissues, allergenic, and also vaccines. The useful components listed above are isolated from living sources and combined, to cure the disease with minimal side effects. Biologics products often represent the pioneer developments in biotechnology research and often aid medical practitioners in treating a variety of illnesses and conditions which presently have no other treatments available. Other factor such as the ability of biologics to facilitate complete cure of a disease with minimal side effects is boosting the growth of the market.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5026402/



Geographically, biologics have registered near double digit annual growth rate, whereas, the pharmaceutical drugs registered only single digit annual growth rate, in the past five years. This double digit growth was largely fuelled by the substantial investments of the major pharmaceutical companies, who realized the potential of the market quite early.



The research study comprises of extensive analysis of various factors effecting the global biologics market. The entire market has been estimated and validated through three different approaches namely, by product, by therapeutic areas and by geographical destination. In terms of product, the market has been categorized into monoclonal antibody (mAbs), hormones, growth factors, fusion proteins, cytokines, therapeutic enzymes, vaccines, blood factors, and anticoagulants. The mAbs are the dominating other types in terms of sales and therapeutic enzymes is the highest growing type.



In terms of therapeutic areas the market is segmented into oncology, cardiovascular, immunological diseases, infectious diseases, and metabolic diseases. The market is dominated by oncology related products and infectious diseases related products are expected to grow at the highest rate. In terms of geography, the market was segmented into North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Rest of the World. In terms of sales, North America currently dominates the other geographical regions whereas, Middle East and Africa together are expected to grow at the highest rate.



The key players which have significant contributions to the biologics market are F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, Sanofi, Merck & Co., Inc., Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline plc, AstraZeneca plc, Gilead Sciences, Inc., AbbVie Inc., Amgen Inc., Lilly,Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novo Nordisk, Merck KGaA, Allergan, Plc, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Astellas Pharma Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Bayer AG, and Biocon Ltd.



The report presents the reader with an opportunity to unlock comprehensive insights with respect to the market and helps in forming well informed strategic decisions. The research uncovers some of the substantial parameters that must be taken into consideration before entering into the global biologics market.



The answers to the following key questions can be derived from this report:

 What are the major market drivers, challenges and opportunities in the global biologics market and their case studies?

 How did the biologics market evolve and what is its scope in the future?

 What is the market share of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global biologics market in 2016 and 2025?

 How will each segment of the global biologics market grow during the forecast period and what will be the revenue generated by each of the segments by the end of 2025?

 What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players?

 How will the industry evolve during the forecast period between 2016 and 2025?

 What are the key developmental strategies implemented by the key players to stand out in this market?

 Which geographical location will contribute to the highest sales of biologics?



This research report aims at answering various aspects of the global biologics market with the help of key factors driving the market, threats that can possibly inhibit the overall market growth, and the current growth opportunities that is going to shape the future trajectory of the market expansion. The study considers the growth-share matrix model for a comprehensive study of the global biologics market and assesses the factors governing the same.



Executive Summary

A biologic drug or biopharmaceutical mean a pharmaceutical product semi synthesized from different biological sources. In contrast to completely synthesized drugs, biologics are generally made up of living cells, gene components, sugars, proteins, nucleic acids, tissues, allergenics, and also vaccines. The useful components listed above are isolated from living sources and combined using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology, to cure the disease with minimal side effects. Biologics involve complex manufacturing procedures and are required to be maintained at pre-determined conditions as they are highly sensitive to changes in ambience. Consequently, companies need to invest huge amounts in terms of capital, to meet the standards, which will eventually increase the cost of biologics.



The introduction of biologic therapies gave a new ray of hope for people suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases. Biologics effected their life not only by reducing dependency on health and welfare systems but also by improving their physical function to live independently. The entry of biosimilars makes these effective therapies more affordable, though the concern of after effects still exists. Some industry experts also express their caution regarding the entry of biosimilars, which might add to the concerns of safety and after effects of the therapies.



The research report analyses various factors effecting the global biologics market and forecasts the growth of the biologics market. In the report, the entire market has been estimated and validated through three different approaches namely, by product, by therapeutic areas and by geographical destination. In addition, the report also provides insights about present pipeline of the key players having significant contributions to the market, expiry period of patents of top products dominating the market and their impact on the market after patent expiration.



The global biologics market generated a revenue of $238.8 million in 2016. Introduction of targeted therapies coupled with rising adoption of patient centric personalized medicine is expected to fuel the demand for biologics drugs in the future. Moreover, ever-increasing understanding of the cell physiology and stress, as well as the factors involved in protein production and heterologous gene expression have empowered the use of different living factories in the development of novel therapeutic biologic drugs.

This gain will largely be driven by robust growth in the emerging markets and increasing adoption of monoclonal antibodies (MABs) and human insulin for the treatment of patients. In addition, governments in some markets (including the U.S. and Europe) have introduced biosimilar pathways as a measure to further the competition in this area.



In 2016, mAbs maintained their ranking as the highest selling class of biologics, with their U.S. sales reaching ~$37.6 billion, an 18.3% growth over their 2015 sales, vaulting Roche, with 11 monoclonal in the market, into the top spot among companies with biologic products. The growth of the mAbs sector was driven by a high growth in the sales of both mAbs for oncology and anti-inflammatory disorders.



The biologics or biopharmaceutical products find their application across wide range of therapeutic areas namely, oncology, cardiovascular, immunological diseases, infectious diseases, and metabolic diseases, among others. The growing awareness of biologics and its efficiency in treating deadly diseases has nudged small molecule drugs out of the top positions in terms of sales.



The biologics find their application especially in the field of oncology. The biologics pipeline include many of its products devoted to oncology and its related diseases. With its high incidence rate of 70% over next two decades, and present burden over the society makes cancer a critical issue needed to be dealt with strict measures to reduce the number of prevalent cases.



Biologics help in curing cancer types of disseminated disease or internally located tumors which are difficult to be treated through conventional methods such as radiotherapy and surgery. In 2016, the biologics market for cancer treatment was valued at $238 billion, predominantly represented by monoclonal antibodies. The biologics market for cancer is anticipated to reach $155 billion by 2025. Apart from cancer, immunological diseases, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases represent the majority of the shares of the global biologics market. In 2016, immunological diseases was the second largest application segment after oncology, with $66 billion in sales.



Both the North American and European markets are dominating the other markets in terms of biologics sales, followed by Asia Pacific. However, due to the technological advancements in healthcare and toxicology in other markets such as Asia Pacific, it is expected to take over the top position in terms of biologics sales. The current biosimilars market is dominated by Europe which was driven by technically advanced healthcare infrastructure and high patient awareness & regulatory harmonization. Due to high incidence rates of diseases in the emerging markets, many companies are investing huge sums in these markets to address the unmet needs of the patients. All the developed markets except the U.S., are contributors to the total biosimilars sales. Most of the players in biosimilars market remain focused on the developed markets only.



In past decade, China's pharmaceutical market has witnessed a double digit growth. This has attracted several major pharmaceutical companies to commercialize their products in China. But the major barriers for foreign companies are regulations binding the Chinese markets and cultural differences as well. Therefore, partnership with the local companies was the only option left to the foreign companies to commercialize their products in the region.



The report provides in-depth SWOT analysis of different key players of the market, supported by extensive financial summary of each. Some of the key players are F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Pfizer Inc., Novartis AG, Sanofi, Merck & Co., Inc., Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline plc, AstraZeneca plc, Gilead Sciences, Inc., AbbVie Inc., Amgen Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH, Novo Nordisk, Merck KGaA and Allergan, Plc.



Countries Covered

North America

U.S.

Canada

Europe

Germany

France

U.K.

Italy

Spain

APAC

Japan

China

Australia

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Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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LONDON, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis, Hormonal Contraceptives, Menopause, Infertility, Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The revenue of the women's healthcare market in 2016 is estimated at $31.1bn and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% in the first half of the forecast period. Among various segments in the Women's Healthcare market, the Postmenopausal Osteoporosis segment dominated the Global Women's Healthcare market with a share of 36.99% in 2016.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523989/Visiongain_Logo.jpg )



How this report will benefit you:

Read on to discover how you can exploit the future business opportunities emerging in this sector.

In this brand new 154-page report you will receive 96 charts - all unavailable elsewhere.

The 154-page report provides clear detailed insight into the women's healthcare market. Discover the key drivers and challenges affecting the market.

By ordering and reading our brand new report today you stay better informed and ready to act.

Report Scope:

 Global Women's Healthcare market forecasts from 2017-2027

 This report also breaks down the revenue forecast and SWOT Analysis for the main submarkets:

 Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

 Hormonal Contraceptives

 Infertility

 Endometriosis

 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

 This report provides individual revenue forecasts to 2027 for these regional and national markets:

 The US and Latin America

 Japan

 The UK

 Germany

 France

 Spain

 Italy

 Rest of Europe

 Rest of the World

 This report provides discussion on pipeline products in various stages of clinical trials and regulatory approval.

 This report also discusses the drivers, challenges and trends that affect the global women's healthcare market.

 Our study discusses the selected leading companies that are the major players in the global women's healthcare market.

 Bayer

 Eli Lilly

 Merck & Co.

 Pfizer

 Sanofi

 Amgen

 Novo Nordisk

 AbbVie

 Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)

Visiongain's study is intended for anyone requiring commercial analyses for the women's healthcare market. You find data, trends and predictions.

Buy our report today Global Women's Healthcare Market Forecast 2017-2027: Postmenopausal Osteoporosis, Hormonal Contraceptives, Menopause, Infertility, Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

To request a report overview of this report please email Sara Peerun at [email protected] or call Tel: +44-(0)-20-7336-6100.

Or click on https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1940/Global-Women%E2%80%99s-Healthcare-Market-Forecast-2017-2027

List of Companies Mentioned in the Report:

AbbVie

Actavis

Adamis Pharmaceuticals

Agile Therapeutics

Allergan

Amgen

ANI Pharmaceuticals

Apothecus Pharmaceutical

AstraZeneca

Bayer

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)

Catalysis

Ciba-Geigy

Conceptus

Crinetics Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Dexa Medica Group

EffRX

Eli Lilly

EndoCeutics

Ferring International Center

Ferring Pharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

HLL Lifecare

Janssen

Ligand Pharmaceuticals

Lipocine

Lupin Pharmaceuticals

Mayer Laboratories

Medicines 360

Merck & Co.

Merck KGaA

Merus Labs

Mylan Laboratories

Neurocrine Biosciences

Novartis

Novo Nordisk

OPKO Health

Pantarhei Bioscience B.V.

Pfizer

Radius Health

Samsung Bioepsis

Sandoz

Sanofi

Sanofi Pasteur

Sanofi Synthelabo

Sanofi-Aventis

Tarsa Therapeutics

Teva Pharmaceuticals

Warner Chilcott

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected]

SOURCE Visiongain Ltd
BOSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Goldman Sachs has satisfied 40 percent of its $1.8-billion consumer-relief obligation under its two April 11, 2016, mortgage-related settlement agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice and three states, Eric D. Green announced today in his fourth report as independent Monitor of the consumer-relief portions of the agreements.

During the period since the Monitor's previous report on May 1, 2017, Goldman Sachs provided borrowers with a total of nearly $90 million of principal forgiveness involving two categories of loans. The bank received conditional credit of $80.2 million for these activities. Together with amounts claimed and validated in the Monitor's earlier reports, the total amount of cumulative credit conditionally validated by the Monitor comes to $724.5 million, or 40 percent of the required $1.8 billion.

The two agreements settled potential and filed legal claims against Goldman Sachs regarding the marketing, structuring, arrangement, underwriting, issuance and sale of mortgage-based securities. Besides the Department of Justice, California, Illinois and New York, Goldman Sachs reached settlements with the National Credit Union Administration Board and the Federal Home Loan Banks of Chicago and Des Moines. Under the settlements, Goldman Sachs agreed to provide a total of $5.06 billion, including consumer relief valued at $1.8 billion to be distributed by the end of January 2021.

"I am pleased to be able to report that Goldman Sachs has taken another major step toward meeting its obligation," Professor Green said.

The specific relief that Goldman Sachs provided in the most recent period included forgiveness of the balances due on 343 first lien mortgages, for total principal forgiveness of $38,255,616, average principal forgiveness of $111,532 per loan, and total reportable credit of $57,454,373 after the application of appropriate crediting calculations and multipliers. A detailed explanation of how crediting calculations and multipliers work can be found in Appendix 3 to today's report. The modified mortgages are spread across 38 states and the District of Columbia, with 32 percent of the credit located in the settling states of New York, Illinois, and California. Notably, 57 percent of the credit is for forgiveness of loans located in Hardest Hit Areas, census tracts identified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as containing large concentrations of distressed properties and foreclosure activities.

Goldman Sachs also received credit in the most recent period for the extinguishment of 625 second lien loans. The total principal forgiven on these loans was $51,050,951, with an average principal forgiveness of $81,682 and total reportable credit of $22,762,823 after the application of appropriate crediting calculations and multipliers. The loans are located in 47 states and the District of Columbia, with 46 percent of the associated credit in the three settling states and 47 percent in Hardest Hit Areas.

Professor Green, a professional mediator and retired Boston University law professor, was named by the settling parties as independent Monitor with responsibility for determining whether Goldman Sachs fulfills its consumer-relief obligations. He has assembled a team of finance, accounting and legal professionals to assist in the task.

The report is available at the Monitor's website at: http://goldmansachs.mortgagesettlementmonitor.com. The website provides further details about the settlement, plus contact information for Goldman Sachs, the Department of Justice, the Attorneys General of California, Illinois and New York, and agencies that provide legal or tax advice to consumers.

The Monitor's mailing address is: Monitor of the Goldman Sachs Mortgage Settlement, P.O. Box 10310, Dublin, OH 43017-5910, and the e-mail address is [email protected].

SOURCE Monitor: Eric D. Green
BALTIMORE, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Inc.'s Lower Shore Career Center announced today it was awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

The grant will assist the Lower Shore Career Center with a new program, the Life Purpose Navigation Series. The series will include six session workshops that will guide individuals through various exercises and training topics to help them prepare to interview for jobs and enter the workforce. The Series is scheduled to start in September 2017 and will complete with a graduation ceremony in December 2017.

"The overall goal of the program is to increases an applicant's confidence and present their skills to prospective employers," said Phyllis Hardy, Lower Shore Career Center Program Manager. "Finding a job is hard, and the individuals that come through this program will have a better understanding of what to expect in the workforce and be better prepared."

The program is free to the public, but individuals must pre-register. To register, call 410-219-9118 or stop by the Center at 700 S. Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury, MD 21801

WHAT: Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake Lower Shore Career Center's Life Purpose Navigation Series

WHERE: 700 S. Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury, MD 21801

WHEN: Starting September 2017

TIMES: 5:30 pm to 7 pm

CONTACT: 410-219-9118

Goodwill's Lower Shore Career Center provides job readiness, skills training and job placement assistance and career counseling to residents of the Eastern Shore. The Center also offers basic skills training programs, including: Clerical and Computer Training, QuickBooks, Customer Service & Cashier Training, Community College 101 and Job Readiness Training. In addition, the Center's Project ReConnect assists ex-offenders as they re-integrate into society and the workforce.

About Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake: Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc. provides job training, job placement and other human services for people who are unemployed or face other challenges to employment, including people with significant disabilities. Last year, Goodwill placed 3,200 individuals into jobs. Revenue generated from the sale of donated goods helps fund these programs. For more information on Goodwill, please visit www.goodwillches.org

Media Contact:

Jonathan Balog

VP, Marketing

410-837-1800 ext 175

[email protected]

SOURCE Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.goodwillches.org


ST. LOUIS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services, today reported record second quarter results.

For the second quarter, Graybar achieved a net sales record of $1.7 billion, a 5.1 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Net income for the quarter was $33.3 million, up 30.0 percent from the same period in 2016. This marked the second best net income quarter in company history.

For the first six months of the year, the company reported net sales of $3.2 billion, a 4.8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Net income for the first six months of the year increased 25.4 percent to $51.0 million.

"I am very pleased with our strong second quarter results," said Kathleen M. Mazzarella, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Graybar. "Our employees continue to raise the bar by providing exceptional service and value to our customers. Because of our shared commitment to achieving profitable growth, we will continue investing in strategic priorities to diversify our business and drive innovation for the long-term success of our company."

Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, communications and data networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of 290 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, helping its customers power, network and secure their facilities with speed, intelligence and efficiency. For more information, visit www.graybar.com or call 1-800-GRAYBAR.

Media Contact:

Tim Sommer

(314) 578-7672

[email protected]

SOURCE Graybar

Related Links

http://www.Graybar.com


TORREON, Mexico, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Lala, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV "Lala") informs that it has concluded the negotiation process aimed to complete the acquisition of the Brazilian dairy company Vigor Alimentos S.A., including its shareholding in Itambe Alimentos, S.A. The acquisition project will be submitted for approval to the Board of Directors of LALA at a meeting called for that purpose on Thursday, August 3rd, 2017.

Founded in 1917, Vigor is a leading company in the Brazilian dairy market focused on value added products and innovation. It has more than 7,600 employees, 11 milk collection centers, 14 production plants, 31 distribution centers and 67,000 points of sale in Brazil. In addition, it has a wide portfolio of dairy products, including yogurt, cheese and other dairy products, marketed under the Vigor, Danubio, Faixa Azul, Serrabella Leco and Amelia brands, among others.

Itambe Alimentos S.A. is a Brazilian dairy company with more than 66 years of experience in the market. It has a complete portfolio of dairy products, mainly: powdered milk, condensed milk, milk caramel, yogurt, dairy products and UHT milk, under the Itambe brand.

This transaction is subject to certain common conditions, including the approval of Grupo Lala's Board of Directors and Shareholders Meeting (for which a corporate restructuring statement will be disclosed), governmental authorizations, shareholder agreements and other inherent contractual conditions. LALA will obtain financing and possible additional capitalizations as part of the financial package for these acquisitions. LALA will timely inform whether the transaction is completed.

In case this acquisition is approved by the Board of Directors of LALA, a conference call with investors has been convened for August 4th, 2017. Both the recording and any other material used during the call will be available on LALA's website: http://www.grupolala.com/Investor

About LALA

Grupo LALA is a Mexican company focused on healthy and nutritious foods, has a history of more than 65 years of experience in the production, innovation and marketing of milk and dairy products under the highest quality standards. The Company operates 22 production plants and 160 distribution centers in Mexico, United States and Central America, supported by more than 34,000 employees. Grupo LALA's fleet of approximately 7,000 vehicles distributes its more than 600 products to nearly 500,000 points of sale. LALA's portfolio is led by its two main brands: LALA and Nutri Leche.

For more information visit: www.grupolala.com

Disclaimer: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current vision or expectations of Lala and its management with respect to its performance, business and future events. Lala uses words like "believe", "anticipate", "plan", "expect", "intend", "target", "estimate", "predict", "forecast", "guidelines" and other similar expressions to identify forecasts or projections, but it is not the only way it refers to them. These statements are subject to certain risks, unforeseen and assumptions. Lala warns that a significant number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in this press release. Lala is not subject to any obligation and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or modify any forecast or projection that could result from new information, future events or any other cause.

Contact:

Mariana Rojo

[email protected]

+52 55 9177 5900

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/327167/logo_resized_lala_2015_Logo.jpg

SOURCE GRUPO LALA, S.A.B. de C.V.

Related Links

http://www.grupolala.com


BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthSouth Corporation (NYSE: HLS), one of the nation's largest providers of post-acute healthcare services, offering both facility-based and home-based patient care, today reported its results of operations for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

"The second quarter was marked by strong revenue growth in both segments and continued progress on our strategic initiatives," said Mark Tarr, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthSouth. "Through initiatives such as the recently announced rebranding and name change to Encompass Health and TeamWorks clinical collaboration, we're further aligning our operating segments to enhance the patient experience, provide seamless care and unparalleled outcomes, and strengthen our position as a leading provider of integrated post-acute services."

Consolidated Results











Growth

Q2 2017

Q2 2016

Dollars

Percent

(In Millions, Except per Share Data) Net operating revenues $ 981.3



$ 920.7



$ 60.6



6.6 % Income from continuing operations attributable to

HealthSouth per share 0.70



0.65



0.05



7.7 % Adjusted earnings per share 0.71



0.69



0.02



2.9 % Cash flows provided by operating activities 151.2



152.2



(1.0)



(0.7) % Adjusted EBITDA 209.5



204.3



5.2



2.5 % Adjusted free cash flow 106.5



115.3



(8.8)



(7.6) %

Six Months Ended June 30,









2017

2016







Cash flows provided by operating activities 332.0



321.8



10.2



3.2 % Adjusted free cash flow 254.0



254.7



(0.7)



(0.3) %

Revenue growth was driven by volume and pricing growth in the inpatient rehabilitation segment and volume growth in the home health and hospice segment.

The increase in income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth per share and adjusted earnings per share resulted primarily from increased revenue. Growth in both earnings per share amounts was negatively impacted by higher stock-based compensation expense and higher depreciation and amortization related to capital investments.

Cash flows provided by operating activities increased in the first half of 2017 compared to the second half of 2016 primarily due to revenue growth.

Adjusted free cash flow for the first six months of 2017 was essentially flat in spite of increased cash payments for taxes (due to exhaustion of the Company's federal net operating loss in the first quarter of 2017) and increased maintenance capital expenditures in 2017.

See attached supplemental information for calculations of non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to their most comparable GAAP measure.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Segment Results











Growth

Q2 2017

Q2 2016

Dollars

Percent Net operating revenues: (In Millions) Inpatient $ 762.9



$ 721.2



$ 41.7



5.8 % Outpatient and other 27.1



31.4



(4.3)



(13.7) % Total segment revenue $ 790.0



$ 752.6



$ 37.4



5.0 %

















(Actual Amounts) Discharges 42,805



41,365



1,440



3.5 % Same-store discharge growth











1.6 % Net patient revenue per discharge $ 17,823



$ 17,435



$ 388



2.2 %

















(In Millions) Adjusted EBITDA $ 208.4



$ 204.1



$ 4.3



2.1 %

Revenue - Revenue growth resulted from volume growth and an increase in net patient revenue per discharge. Discharge growth from new stores resulted from the Company's joint ventures in Bryan, Texas ( August 2016 ), Broken Arrow, Oklahoma ( August 2016 ), Gulfport, Mississippi ( April 2017 ), and Westerville, Ohio ( April 2017 ), as well as a wholly owned hospital in Modesto, California ( October 2016 ). Growth in net patient revenue per discharge primarily resulted from patient mix (higher percentage of stroke and neurological patients) offset by the negative impact of an approximate $3 million reduction in prior period cost report adjustments and a negative retroactive Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") adjustment of approximately $2 million in the second quarter of 2017.



The decrease in outpatient and other revenues primarily was due to the closure of six outpatient programs in the latter half of 2016 and a $1.4 million provider tax recovery in the second quarter of 2016.

Adjusted EBITDA - The increase in Adjusted EBITDA for the inpatient rehabilitation segment primarily resulted from revenue growth. Expense ratios in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the second quarter of 2016 were negatively impacted by the aforementioned prior period cost report adjustments, SSI adjustment, and provider tax recovery. Salaries and benefits as a percent of net operating revenues was further impacted by the ramping up of new stores and staffing increases at the former Reliant hospitals. Bad debt expense as a percent of net operating revenues decreased from 1.9% in the second quarter of 2016 to 1.6% in the second quarter of 2017 primarily due to the resolution of the administrative payment delays that adversely impacted 2016 collections and a reduction in new pre-payment claims denials.

Home Health and Hospice Segment Results











Growth

Q2 2017

Q2 2016

Dollars

Percent Net operating revenues: (In Millions) Home health $ 172.9



$ 157.1



$ 15.8



10.1 % Hospice and other 18.4



11.0



7.4



67.3 % Total segment revenue $ 191.3



$ 168.1



$ 23.2



13.8 %

















(Actual Amounts) Admissions 30,823



25,753



5,070



19.7 % Same-store admissions growth











13.3 % Episodes 52,101



45,774



6,327



13.8 % Same-store episode growth











9.2 % Revenue per episode $ 2,989



$ 3,033



$ (44)



(1.5) %

















(In Millions) Adjusted EBITDA $ 32.8



$ 26.0



$ 6.8



26.2 %

Revenue - Revenue growth resulted from strong same-store and new-store volume growth.



The decrease in revenue per episode resulted from Medicare reimbursement rate cuts partially offset by changes in patient mix (including a higher percentage of therapy patients).



The increase in hospice and other revenue primarily resulted from acquisitions completed in 2016.

- Revenue growth resulted from strong same-store and new-store volume growth. The decrease in revenue per episode resulted from Medicare reimbursement rate cuts partially offset by changes in patient mix (including a higher percentage of therapy patients). The increase in hospice and other revenue primarily resulted from acquisitions completed in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA - Growth in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from revenue growth and staffing productivity gains.

Corporate General and Administrative Expenses



Q2 2017 % of

Consolidated

Revenue Q2 2016 % of

Consolidated

Revenue

(In Millions) General and administrative expenses, excluding stock-based compensation $ 31.7

3.2 % $ 25.8

2.8 %























General and administrative expenses increased as a percent of consolidated revenue primarily due to expenses associated with the Company's rebranding and name change and TeamWorks clinical collaboration initiatives. During the second quarter of 2017, the Company invested $1.7 million in its rebranding and name change and $1.7 million in its TeamWorks clinical collaboration initiative, all of which was included in general and administrative expenses.

Exercise of Early Redemption Option on Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes

In the second quarter of 2017, the Company exercised its early redemption option on all $320 million of its 2.0% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2043. Holders of $319.4 million in principal of these notes chose to convert their notes to shares of the Company's common stock resulting in the issuance of 8.9 million shares. Approximately 8.6 million of these shares were included in the Company's diluted share count as of March 31, 2017. The remaining 0.3 million shares include shares issued under the make-whole provision within the notes. The Company redeemed the remaining $0.6 million in principal at par in cash. As a result of this exercise, the Company recorded a $10.4 million loss on early extinguishment of debt in the second quarter of 2017.

"The conversion of essentially all of our 2.0% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes into common stock helped to reduce our leverage ratio to 3.3x at quarter end, further strengthening our balance sheet and enhancing our financial flexibility," said Doug Coltharp, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of HealthSouth.

Dividend Increase

On July 20, 2017, the Company's board of directors approved an increase in the Company's quarterly dividend of $0.01 per share, or 4.2%, and declared a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of $0.25 per share. The dividend will be payable on October 16, 2017 to holders of record on October 2, 2017.

2017 Guidance

Based on its results for the first half of 2017 and its current expectations for the remainder of 2017, the Company is updating its full-year guidance ranges.



Full-Year 2017 Guidance Ranges

Previous Guidance

Updated Guidance

(In Millions, Except Per Share Data) Net operating revenues $3,850 to $3,950

$3,875 to $3,950 Adjusted EBITDA $800 to $820

$805 to $820 Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth $2.61 to $2.73

$2.64 to $2.73

The above updated guidance ranges include $6 million to $8 million of operating expenses associated with the Company's rebranding and name change initiative ($2.2 million of which was expensed in the first half of 2017).

For additional considerations regarding the Company's 2017 guidance ranges, see the supplemental information posted on the Company's website at http://investor.healthsouth.com. See also the "Other Information" section below for an explanation of why the Company does not provide guidance for comparable GAAP measures for Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per share.

Earnings Conference Call and Webcast

The Company will host an investor conference call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 to discuss its results for the second quarter of 2017. For reference during the call, the Company will post certain supplemental information at http://investor.healthsouth.com.

The conference call may be accessed by dialing 877 587-6761 and giving the pass code 41457333. International callers should dial 706 679-1635 and give the same pass code. Please call approximately ten minutes before the start of the call to ensure you are connected. The conference call will also be webcast live and will be available at http://investor.healthsouth.com by clicking on an available link.

An on-line replay of the conference call will be available after the live broadcast at http://investor.healthsouth.com

About HealthSouth

HealthSouth is one of the nation's largest providers of post-acute healthcare services, offering both facility-based and home-based patient care in 36 states and Puerto Rico through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies, and hospice agencies. HealthSouth can be found on the Web at www.healthsouth.com.

Other Information

The information in this press release is summarized and should be read in conjunction with the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 (the "June 2017 Form 10-Q"), when filed, as well as the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 31, 2017 (the "Q2 Earnings Form 8-K"), to which this press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1. In addition, the Company will post supplemental information today on its website at http://investor.healthsouth.com for reference during its August 1, 2017 earnings call.

The financial data contained in the press release and supplemental information include non-GAAP financial measures, including the Company's adjusted earnings per share, leverage ratio, Adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted free cash flow. Reconciliations to their most comparable GAAP measure, except with regard to non-GAAP guidance, are included below or in the Q2 Earnings Form 8-K. Readers are encouraged to review the "Note Regarding Presentation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included in the Q2 Earnings Form 8-K which provides further explanation and disclosure regarding the Company's use of these non-GAAP financial measures.

Excluding net operating revenues, the Company does not provide guidance on a GAAP basis because it is unable to predict, with reasonable certainty, the future impact of items that are deemed to be outside the control of the Company or otherwise non-indicative of its ongoing operating performance. Such items include government, class action, and related settlements; professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal; mark-to-market adjustments for stock appreciation rights; gains or losses related to hedging instruments; loss on early extinguishment of debt; adjustments to its income tax provision (such as valuation allowance adjustments and settlements of income tax claims); items related to corporate and facility restructurings; and certain other items the Company believes to be non-indicative of its ongoing operations. These items cannot be reasonably predicted and will depend on several factors, including industry and market conditions, and could be material to the Company's results computed in accordance with GAAP.

However, the following reasonably estimable GAAP measures for 2017 would be included in a reconciliation for Adjusted EBITDA if the other reconciling GAAP measures could be reasonably predicted:

Provision for doubtful accounts - estimate of 1.8% to 2.0% of net operating revenues

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees - estimate of $155 million to $165 million

Amortization of debt-related items - approximately $10 million

The Q2 Earnings Form 8-K and, when filed, the June 2017 Form 10-Q can be found on the Company's website at

http://investor.healthsouth.com and the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)



Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In Millions) Net operating revenues $ 981.3



$ 920.7



$ 1,956.1



$ 1,830.5

Less: Provision for doubtful accounts (13.7)



(15.4)



(30.1)



(31.9)

Net operating revenues less provision for doubtful accounts 967.6



905.3



1,926.0



1,798.6

Operating expenses:













Salaries and benefits 527.8



486.1



1,057.9



972.2

Other operating expenses 130.5



121.5



259.6



240.7

Occupancy costs 18.3



17.9



36.2



35.9

Supplies 37.1



34.4



74.1



69.4

General and administrative expenses 52.4



34.4



88.9



66.3

Depreciation and amortization 45.8



42.9



91.0



85.3

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



1.7







1.9

Total operating expenses 811.9



738.9



1,607.7



1,471.7

Loss on early extinguishment of debt 10.4



2.4



10.4



4.8

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees 40.4



43.4



81.7



88.0

Other income (0.9)



(0.7)



(1.9)



(1.3)

Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates (2.0)



(2.4)



(4.1)



(4.8)

Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 107.8



123.7



232.2



240.2

Provision for income tax expense 28.6



42.4



68.3



82.1

Income from continuing operations 79.2



81.3



163.9



158.1

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax 0.2



(0.1)



(0.1)



(0.2)

Net income 79.4



81.2



163.8



157.9

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (16.4)



(18.6)



(34.0)



(37.3)

Net income attributable to HealthSouth $ 63.0



$ 62.6



$ 129.8



$ 120.6



HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Continued) (Unaudited)





Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In Millions, Except Per Share Data) Weighted average common shares outstanding:













Basic 90.3



89.3



89.5



89.4

Diluted 98.9



99.4



99.0



99.4

















Earnings per common share:













Basic earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common

shareholders:













Continuing operations $ 0.70



$ 0.70



$ 1.45



$ 1.34

Discontinued operations 













Net income $ 0.70



$ 0.70



$ 1.45



$ 1.34

Diluted earnings per share attributable to HealthSouth common

shareholders:













Continuing operations $ 0.70



$ 0.65



$ 1.42



$ 1.26

Discontinued operations 













Net income $ 0.70



$ 0.65



$ 1.42



$ 1.26

















Cash dividends per common share $ 0.24



$ 0.23



$ 0.48



$ 0.46

















Amounts attributable to HealthSouth common shareholders:













Income from continuing operations $ 62.8



$ 62.7



$ 129.9



$ 120.8

Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax 0.2



(0.1)



(0.1)



(0.2)

Net income attributable to HealthSouth $ 63.0



$ 62.6



$ 129.8



$ 120.6



HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)





June 30,

2017

December 31,

2016

(In Millions) Assets





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 71.1



$ 40.5

Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $58.1 in 2017; $53.9

in 2016 426.5



443.8

Other current assets 195.9



170.2

Total current assets 693.5



654.5

Property and equipment, net 1,452.1



1,391.8

Goodwill 1,949.6



1,927.2

Intangible assets, net 404.8



411.3

Deferred income tax assets 102.1



75.8

Other long-term assets 237.9



221.3

Total assets $ 4,840.0



$ 4,681.9

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity





Current liabilities:





Current portion of long-term debt $ 38.3



$ 37.1

Accounts payable 77.5



68.3

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 377.5



370.2

Total current liabilities 493.3



475.6

Long-term debt, net of current portion 2,625.1



2,979.3

Other long-term liabilities 182.6



160.0



3,301.0



3,614.9

Commitments and contingencies





Redeemable noncontrolling interests 216.0



138.3

Shareholders' equity:





HealthSouth shareholders' equity 1,103.7



735.9

Noncontrolling interests 219.3



192.8

Total shareholders' equity 1,323.0



928.7

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 4,840.0



$ 4,681.9







HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)





Six Months Ended June 30,

2017

2016

(In Millions) Cash flows from operating activities:





Net income $ 163.8



$ 157.9

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax 0.1



0.2

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities





Provision for doubtful accounts 30.1



31.9

Depreciation and amortization 91.0



85.3

Loss on early extinguishment of debt 10.4



4.8

Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates (4.1)



(4.8)

Distributions from nonconsolidated affiliates 4.4



3.0

Stock-based compensation 28.7



13.1

Deferred tax expense 44.2



73.2

Other, net 6.4



6.9

Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions





Accounts receivable (26.5)



(59.5)

Other assets (22.0)



(4.3)

Accounts payable (0.4)



1.2

Accrued payroll (0.5)



19.2

Other liabilities 7.0



(1.9)

Premium paid on redemption of bonds 



(3.9)

Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations (0.6)



(0.5)

Total adjustments 168.1



163.7

Net cash provided by operating activities 332.0



321.8











HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Continued) (Unaudited)





Six Months Ended June 30,

2017

2016

(In Millions) Cash flows from investing activities:





Purchases of property and equipment (99.9)



(71.4)

Additions to capitalized software costs (9.7)



(15.2)

Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired (20.9)



(9.4)

Net change in restricted cash (12.1)



(11.5)

Other, net 11.0



2.0

Net cash used in investing activities (131.6)



(105.5)

Cash flows from financing activities:





Principal payments on debt, including pre-payments (13.4)



(112.8)

Borrowings on revolving credit facility 105.0



165.0

Payments on revolving credit facility (187.0)



(145.0)

Repurchases of common stock, including fees and expenses (18.1)



(24.1)

Dividends paid on common stock (43.5)



(41.9)

Proceeds from exercising stock warrants 26.6





Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates (24.1)



(33.6)

Taxes paid on behalf of employees for shares withheld (19.8)



(9.9)

Other, net 4.5



(5.3)

Net cash used in financing activities (169.8)



(207.6)

Increase in cash and cash equivalents 30.6



8.7

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 40.5



61.6

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 71.1



$ 70.3

Supplemental schedule of noncash financing activity:





Conversion of convertible debt $ 319.4



$ 



HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Earnings Per Share





QTD

YTD

Q2 2017

Q2 2016

Q2 2017

Q2 2016

(In Millions, Except Per Share Data) Adjusted EBITDA $ 209.5



$ 204.3



$ 410.3



$ 396.4

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (40.4)



(43.4)



(81.7)



(88.0)

Depreciation and amortization (45.8)



(42.9)



(91.0)



(85.3)

Stock-based compensation expense (20.7)



(8.6)



(28.7)



(13.1)

Noncash loss on disposal or impairment of assets (0.8)



(0.2)



(0.3)



(0.4)



101.8



109.2



208.6



209.6

Certain items non-indicative of ongoing operations:













Loss on early extinguishment of debt (10.4)



(2.4)



(10.4)



(4.8)

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



(1.7)







(1.9)

Pre-tax income 91.4



105.1



198.2



202.9

Income tax expense (1) (28.6)



(42.4)



(68.3)



(82.1)

Income from continuing operations (2) $ 62.8



$ 62.7



$ 129.9



$ 120.8

















Basic shares 90.3



89.3



89.5



89.4

Diluted shares 98.9



99.4



99.0



99.4

















Basic earnings per share (2) $ 0.70



$ 0.70



$ 1.45



$ 1.34

Diluted earnings per share (2)(3) $ 0.70



$ 0.65



$ 1.42



$ 1.26







(1) Current income tax expense for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 was $33.4 million and $4.0 million,

respectively. Current income tax expense for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 was $24.1 million and

$9.0 million, respectively. (2) Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth. (3) The interest and amortization and the loss on early extinguishment of debt related to the convertible senior subordinated notes must be added to income from continuing operations when calculating diluted earnings per share because the debt was assumed to have been converted at the beginning of the period, and the applicable shares were included in the diluted share count. Diluted earnings per share in Q2 2017 are the same as basic earnings per share due to antidilution primarily created by the add back of the loss on extinguishment of debt in the quarter.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Adjusted Earnings Per Share





Q2

6 Months

2017

2016

2017

2016















Earnings per share, as reported $ 0.70



$ 0.65



$ 1.42



$ 1.26

Adjustments, net of tax:













Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



0.01







0.01

Mark-to-market adjustments for stock appreciation rights 0.07



0.02



0.09





Sale of hospital 



(0.01)







(0.01)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt(1) 



0.01







0.03

Income tax adjustments(2) (0.07)







(0.10)





Adjusted earnings per share(3) $ 0.71



$ 0.69



$ 1.41



$ 1.30







(1) The interest and amortization and the loss on early extinguishment of debt related to the convertible senior

subordinated notes must be added to income from continuing operations when calculating diluted earnings per share

because the debt was assumed to have been converted at the beginning of the period, and the applicable shares

were included in the diluted share count. (2) New guidance in ASU 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting," requires entities to record all of the tax effects related to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement. Historically, HealthSouth recorded such tax effects to equity. (3) Adjusted EPS may not sum due to rounding.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Adjusted Earnings Per Share





For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2017





Adjustments



As Reported

Mark-to-Market

Adjustment for

Stock

Appreciation

Rights

Income Tax

Adjustments(1)

As Adjusted

(In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts) Adjusted EBITDA(2) $ 209.5



$ 



$ 



$ 209.5

Depreciation and amortization (45.8)











(45.8)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt (10.4)











(10.4)

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (40.4)











(40.4)

Stock-based compensation (20.7)



11.6







(9.1)

Loss on disposal or impairment of assets (0.8)











(0.8)

Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 91.4



11.6







103.0

Provision for income tax expense (28.6)



(4.6)



(7.4)



(40.6)

Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth $ 62.8



$ 7.0



$ (7.4)



$ 62.4

Add: Interest, amortization, and loss on extinguishment of convertible

debt, net of tax 8.3











8.3

Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 71.1











$ 70.7

Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations $ 0.72













Impact of antidilution $ (0.02)













Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, as reported(3) $ 0.70



$ 0.07



$ (0.07)



$ 0.71

Diluted shares used in calculation 98.9



















(1) New guidance in ASU 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting," requires entities to record all of the tax effects related

to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement. Historically, HealthSouth recorded such tax effects to equity. (2) See reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (3) Adjusted EPS may not sum across due to rounding.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Adjusted Earnings Per Share





For the Three Months Ended June 30, 2016





Adjustments





As

Reported

Professional

Fees

Accounting,

Tax, & Legal

Mark-to-

Market

Adjustment

for Stock

Appreciation

Rights

Sale of

Hospital

Loss on Early

Extinguishment

of Debt

As

Adjusted

(In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts) Adjusted EBITDA(1) $ 204.3



$ 



$ 



$ 



$ 



$ 204.3

Depreciation and amortization (42.9)



















(42.9)

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal (1.7)



1.7

















Loss on early extinguishment of debt (2.4)















2.4





Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (43.4)



















(43.4)

Stock-based compensation (8.6)







2.8











(5.8)

Loss on disposal or impairment of assets (0.2)











(0.9)







(1.1)

Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 105.1



1.7



2.8



(0.9)



2.4



111.1

Provision for income tax expense (42.4)



(0.7)



(1.1)



0.4



(1.0)



(44.8)

Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth $ 62.7



$ 1.0



$ 1.7



$ (0.5)



$ 1.4



$ 66.3

Add: Interest on convertible debt, net of tax 2.4



















2.4

Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 65.1



















$ 68.7

























Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations(2) $ 0.65



$ 0.01



$ 0.02



$ (0.01)



$ 0.01



$ 0.69

Diluted shares used in calculation 99.4



























(1) See reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (2) Adjusted EPS may not sum across due to rounding.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Adjusted Earnings Per Share





For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2017





Adjustments





As

Reported

Mark-to-Market

Adjustment for

Stock

Appreciation

Rights

Income Tax

Adjustments(1)

As

Adjusted

(In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts) Adjusted EBITDA(2) $ 410.3



$ 



$ 



$ 410.3

Depreciation and amortization (91.0)











(91.0)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt (10.4)











(10.4)

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (81.7)











(81.7)

Stock-based compensation (28.7)



14.9







(13.8)

Loss on disposal or impairment of assets (0.3)











(0.3)

Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 198.2



14.9







213.1

Provision for income tax expense (68.3)



(6.0)



(10.0)



(84.3)

Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth $ 129.9



$ 8.9



$ (10.0)



$ 128.8

Add: Interest, amortization, and loss on extinguishment of convertible debt, net of tax 10.8











10.8

Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 140.7











$ 139.6

















Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations, as reported(3) $ 1.42



$ 0.09



$ (0.10)



$ 1.41

Diluted shares used in calculation 99.0



















(1) New guidance in ASU 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting," requires entities to record all of the tax effects related

to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) through the income statement. Historically, HealthSouth recorded such tax effects to equity. (2) See reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (3) Adjusted EPS may not sum across due to rounding.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Adjusted Earnings Per Share





For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2016





Adjustments





As Reported

Professional FeesAccounting, Tax, and Legal

Mark-to-Market Adjustment for Stock Appreciation Rights

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt

Sale of Hospital

As Adjusted

(In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts) Adjusted EBITDA(1) $ 396.4



$ 



$ 



$ 



$ 



$ 396.4

Depreciation and amortization (85.3)



















(85.3)

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal (1.9)



1.9

















Loss on early extinguishment of debt (4.8)











4.8









Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (88.0)



















(88.0)

Stock-based compensation (13.1)







0.5











(12.6)

Loss on disposal or impairment of assets (0.4)















(0.9)



(1.3)

Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 202.9



1.9



0.5



4.8



(0.9)



209.2

Provision for income tax expense (82.1)



(0.8)



(0.2)



(1.9)



0.4



(84.6)

Income from continuing operations attributable to HealthSouth $ 120.8



$ 1.1



$ 0.3



$ 2.9



$ (0.5)



$ 124.6

Add: Interest on convertible debt, net of tax 4.8



















4.8

Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 125.6



















$ 129.4

























Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations(2) $ 1.26



$ 0.01



$ 



$ 0.03



$ (0.01)



$ 1.30

Diluted shares used in calculation 99.4



























(1) See reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (2) Adjusted EPS may not sum across due to rounding.

HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA





Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In Millions) Net income $ 79.4



$ 81.2



$ 163.8



$ 157.9

(Income) loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable

to HealthSouth (0.2)



0.1



0.1



0.2

Provision for income tax expense 28.6



42.4



68.3



82.1

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees 40.4



43.4



81.7



88.0

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



1.7







1.9

Loss on early extinguishment of debt 10.4



2.4



10.4



4.8

Net noncash loss on disposal or impairment of assets 0.8



0.2



0.3



0.4

Depreciation and amortization 45.8



42.9



91.0



85.3

Stock-based compensation expense 20.7



8.6



28.7



13.1

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (16.4)



(18.6)



(34.0)



(37.3)

Adjusted EBITDA $ 209.5



$ 204.3



$ 410.3



$ 396.4



Reconciliation of Segment Adjusted EBITDA to Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense



Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

Year Ended December 31, 2016

2017

2016

2017

2016



(In Millions) Total segment Adjusted EBITDA $ 241.2



$ 230.1



$ 470.5



$ 449.6



$ 899.6

General and administrative expenses (52.4)



(34.4)



(88.9)



(66.3)



(133.4)

Depreciation and amortization (45.8)



(42.9)



(91.0)



(85.3)



(172.6)

Loss on disposal or impairment of assets (0.8)



(0.2)



(0.3)



(0.4)



(0.7)

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



(1.7)







(1.9)



(1.9)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt (10.4)



(2.4)



(10.4)



(4.8)



(7.4)

Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts

and fees (40.4)



(43.4)



(81.7)



(88.0)



(172.1)

Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 16.4



18.6



34.0



37.3



70.5

Income from continuing operations before

income tax expense $ 107.8



$ 123.7



$ 232.2



$ 240.2



$ 482.0



HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Adjusted EBITDA





Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,

Year Ended

December 31,







2017

2016

2017

2016

2016

2015

(In Millions) Net cash provided by operating activities $ 151.2



$ 152.2



$ 332.0



$ 321.8



$ 634.4



$ 502.0

Provision for doubtful accounts (13.7)



(15.4)



(30.1)



(31.9)



(61.2)



(47.2)

Professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



1.7







1.9



1.9



3.0

Interest expense and amortization of debt

discounts and fees 40.4



43.4



81.7



88.0



172.1



142.9

Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates 2.0



2.4



4.1



4.8



9.8



8.7

Net income attributable to noncontrolling

interests in continuing operations (16.4)



(18.6)



(34.0)



(37.3)



(70.5)



(69.7)

Amortization of debt-related items (3.2)



(3.4)



(6.7)



(6.8)



(13.8)



(14.3)

Distributions from nonconsolidated affiliates (2.3)



(1.3)



(4.4)



(3.0)



(8.5)



(7.7)

Current portion of income tax expense 33.4



4.0



24.1



9.0



31.0



14.8

Change in assets and liabilities 17.8



36.9



42.4



45.3



91.3



129.9

Net premium paid on bond transactions 



2.0







3.9



5.8



3.9

Net cash used in operating activities of

discontinued operations 0.2



0.3



0.6



0.5



0.7



0.7

Transaction costs 



















12.3

Other 0.1



0.1



0.6



0.2



0.6



3.2

Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 209.5



$ 204.3



$ 410.3



$ 396.4



$ 793.6



$ 682.5



HealthSouth Corporation and Subsidiaries

Supplemental Information

Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Adjusted Free Cash Flow





Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30,





2017

2016

2017

2016

(In Millions) Net cash provided by operating activities $ 151.2



$ 152.2



$ 332.0



$ 321.8

Impact of discontinued operations 0.2



0.3



0.6



0.5

Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations 151.4



152.5



332.6



322.3

Capital expenditures for maintenance (32.3)



(22.9)



(54.5)



(40.6)

Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates (12.6)



(18.0)



(24.1)



(33.6)

Items non-indicative of ongoing operations:













Cash paid for professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal 



1.7







1.9

Transaction costs and related assumed liabilities 











0.8

Net premium on bond issuance/repayment 



2.0







3.9

Adjusted free cash flow $ 106.5



$ 115.3



$ 254.0



$ 254.7



For the three months ended June 30, 2017, net cash used in investing activities was $77.8 million and primarily resulted from capital expenditures. Net cash used in financing activities during the three months ended June 30, 2017 was $63.5 million and primarily resulted from net debt payments, cash dividends paid on common stock, and distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates.

For the three months ended June 30, 2016, net cash used in investing activities was $66.1 million and primarily resulted from capital expenditures. Net cash used in financing activities during the three months ended June 30, 2016 was $89.1 million and primarily resulted from the redemption of $50 million of 7.75% Senior Notes due 2022 in May 2016, cash dividends paid on common stock, distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates, and repurchases of common stock.

For the six months ended June 30, 2017, net cash used in investing activities was $131.6 million and primarily resulted from capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses. Net cash used in financing activities during the six months ended June 30, 2017 was $169.8 million and primarily resulted from net debt payments, cash dividends paid on common stock, distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates, and repurchases of common stock offset by proceeds from exercising stock warrants.

For the six months ended June 30, 2016, net cash used in investing activities was $105.5 million and primarily resulted from capital expenditures. Net cash used in financing activities during the six months ended June 30, 2016 was $207.6 million and primarily resulted from cash dividends on common stock, distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates, common stock repurchases, and net debt payments.

Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts, such as those relating to financial guidance and assumptions, balance sheet and cash flow plans, and anticipated acquisitions, are forward-looking statements. In addition, HealthSouth, through its senior management, may from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning the matters described herein. All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking information speak only as of the date hereof, and HealthSouth undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information, involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and relate to, among other things, future events, HealthSouth's plan to repurchase its debt or equity securities, dividend strategies, effective income tax rates, HealthSouth's business strategy, its financial plans, its future financial performance, its projected business results or model, its ability to return value to shareholders, its projected capital expenditures, its leverage ratio, its acquisition opportunities, and the impact of future legislation or regulation. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those estimated by HealthSouth include, but are not limited to, the Company's ongoing rebranding and name change initiative and the impact on HealthSouth's common stock price and existing operations, including the Company's ability to attract patient referrals to its hospitals as well as the associated costs with the rebranding; the price of HealthSouth's common stock as it affects the Company's willingness and ability to repurchase shares and the financial and accounting effects of any repurchases; any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings involving HealthSouth, including its pending DOJ and HHS-OIG investigations and any matters related to yet undiscovered issues, if any, in acquired operations; HealthSouth's ability to attract and retain key management personnel, including as a part of executive management succession planning; any adverse effects on HealthSouth's stock price resulting from the integration of acquired operations; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of HealthSouth's information systems, including unauthorized access to or theft of patient, business associate, or other sensitive information or inability to provide patient care because of system unavailability as well as unforeseen issues, if any, related to integration of acquired systems; the ability to successfully integrate acquired operations, including realization of anticipated tax benefits, revenues, and cost savings, minimizing the negative impact on margins arising from the changes in staffing and other operating practices, and avoidance of unforeseen exposure to liabilities; HealthSouth's ability to successfully complete and integrate de novo developments, acquisitions, investments, and joint ventures consistent with its growth strategy; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for HealthSouth's services by governmental or private payors; changes in the regulation of the healthcare industry at either or both of the federal and state levels, including as part of national healthcare reform and deficit reduction; competitive pressures in the healthcare industry and HealthSouth's response thereto; HealthSouth's ability to obtain and retain favorable arrangements with third-party payors; HealthSouth's ability to control costs, particularly labor and employee benefit costs, including group medical expenses; adverse effects resulting from coverage determinations made by Medicare Administrative Contractors regarding its Medicare reimbursement claims and lengthening delays in HealthSouth's ability to recover improperly denied claims through the administrative appeals process on a timely basis; HealthSouth's ability to adapt to changes in the healthcare delivery system, including involvement in coordinated care initiatives or programs that may arise with its referral sources; HealthSouth's ability to attract and retain nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals in a highly competitive environment with often severe staffing shortages and the impact on HealthSouth's labor expenses from potential union activity and staffing shortages; general conditions in the economy and capital markets, including any crisis resulting from uncertainty in the sovereign debt market; the increase in the costs of defending and insuring against alleged professional liability claims and HealthSouth's ability to predict the estimated costs related to such claims; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in HealthSouth's SEC filings and other public announcements, including HealthSouth's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017, when filed.

Media Contact

Casey Lassiter, 205 641-1118

[email protected]



Investor Relations Contact

Crissy Carlisle, 205 970-5860

[email protected]

SOURCE HealthSouth Corporation

Related Links

http://www.healthsouth.com


LONDON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "The high performance composites market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.0% from 2017 to 2022."

The high performance composites market was valued at USD 23.50 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 33.33 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 6.0% from 2017 to 2022. Increased demand for high performance composites for the automotive, aerospace & defense, pressure vessels, wind turbines, medical, and construction applications is expected to drive the growth of the high performance composites market across the globe. Improved properties offered by high performance composites, which include lightweight, high strength, increased corrosion resistance, high impact strength, excellent design flexibility, enhanced dimensional stability, low thermal conductivity, and high durability contribute to the increased demand for these high performance composites from various industries. Moreover, these composites are also non-conductive, non-magnetic, and radar transparent. However, concerns regarding recyclability of high performance composites are the major factor expected to restrain the growth of the high performance composites market during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022.





Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5028023/







"The wind turbine application segment of the high performance composites market is projected at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022."

The wind turbine application segment of the high performance composites market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, in terms of value. The growth of this segment of the market can be attributed to the increased use of high performance composites for manufacturing various structural parts of wind turbines, such as blades and nacelles. The structural parts of wind turbines that are made of high performance composites require low maintenance and provide a high strength-to-weight ratio. These composites are largely replacing traditional materials, such as metals and alloys in wind turbines due to their superior mechanical properties and high performance.



"The S-glass fiber type segment of the high performance composites market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2017 and 2022."

The S-glass fiber type segment of the high performance composites market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2017 and 2022. The growth of this segment of the market can be attributed to increased use of S-glass high performance composites in military aircraft for fuselage skins, floor panels, and fire walls as these composites can withstand the impact of force, have low flammability, and offer high resistance to corrosion. As S-glass composites are lightweight and have high strength and increased fatigue resistance, they are also used for manufacturing blades of helicopters. These composites also provide high strength, increased flexibility, and enhanced dimensional stability to robotic arms on space shuttles.



"The Asia Pacific high performance composites market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period from 2017 to 2022."

The Asia Pacific high performance composites market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2017 and 2022. The growth of the Asia Pacific high performance composites market can be attributed to the growth of the automotive industry in the region that has led various leading automotive manufacturers to make significant investments in the region. Increasing urbanization and continuously growing population are expected to lead towards increased demand for high performance composites from the building & construction sector of the region. This, in turn, is expected to contribute towards the growth of the Asia Pacific high performance composites market during the forecast period.



Extensive primary interviews have been conducted to determine and verify the market size for several segments and subsegments.



The break-up of primary interviews has been given below.



 By Company Type: Tier 1  37%, Tier 2  50%, and Tier 3  13%

 By Designation: C Level  30%, Director Level  47%, and Others  23%

 By Region: North America  28%, Europe  33%, Asia Pacific  22%, South America 11%, and Middle East & Africa  6%



The companies profiled in this market research report are Toray Industries Inc. (Japan), Hexcel Corporation (US), Solvay S.A. (Belgium), SGL Group-The Carbon Company (Germany), Koninklijke TenCate NV (Netherlands), TPI Composites (US), Owens Corning Corporation (US), Teijin Limited (Japan), and BASF SE (Germany).





Research Coverage:

This research report has categorized the high performance composites market on the basis of resin type, fiber type, application, and region. It includes detailed information regarding the major factors, such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities influencing the growth of the high performance composites market. A detailed analysis of the key players has been done to provide insights on their business overviews, products & services offered, and key strategies, such as investments & expansions, and mergers & acquisitions adopted by them to strengthen their position in the high performance composites market.



Reasons to buy the report:

The report is expected to help market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways:

1. This report comprehensively segments the high performance composites market and provides the closest approximations of the market sizes for the overall market and its subsegments across different regions.



2. The report is expected to help the stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provide them information on the key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.



3. This report is also expected to help the stakeholders understand major competitors in the market and gain insights to enhance their competitive positions in the market. The competitive landscape section includes major industry players from different regions, contributing to the market. The landscape consists of the top 25 companies ranked and grouped, on the basis of their competency parameters, such as geographical presence, recent strategic developments, patents filed, and number of employees.

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About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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ATLANTA, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hospitality Staffing Solutions, LLC (HSS), a leading national provider of supplemental and outsourced staffing solutions for the hospitality industry, announced today it has acquired DEZ Staffing, LLC (DEZ Staffing), a successful provider of hospitality and industrial staffing services in the Denver market.

"DEZ Staffing is a perfect fit for our growing organization, from the quality internal management and staff to their operational practices. The DEZ Staffing organization supports a complementary portfolio of clientele to our company, which will greatly expand our presence and service capabilities in the Denver area and beyond," stated Tim McPherson, CEO of HSS. "The DEZ Staffing brand, branch office and staff members will remain intact as we expand our reach in this wide market area."

"Joining forces with HSS provides DEZ Staffing employees and clients with a great support structure, which helps to accentuate our growth strategy," says Xochitl Montes, founder and President of DEZ Staffing. "We look forward to combining our resources with the HSS organization to become the employer of choice within the hospitality sector in Colorado."

The addition of DEZ Staffing is an important step in HSS' growth strategy as the company seeks additional acquisitions to supplement its organic growth initiatives into new geographies and market areas.

About Hospitality Staffing Solutions LLC

Hospitality Staffing Solutions LLC is the leading provider of contingent staffing support to the Hotel and Resort industry in the USA, serving more than 800 clients and employing over 8,000 employees daily to these properties. HSS also provides a robust suite of outsourced services within the Housekeeping and Janitorial operations industry sector.

HSS was recently recognized as one of the Top 100 Staffing firms in the USA by Staffing Industry Analysts, and is the only company so recognized that has a primary focus on the Hospitality industry. With operations already in 32 states, HSS is poised to continue leading this sector through an aggressive growth strategy, as well as driving into new vertical markets such as Medical facilities, Health and Wellness Retreats, Colleges/Universities and Convention Centers.

Contact: Chris Tofalli

Chris Tofalli Public Relations LLC

914-834-4334

SOURCE Hospitality Staffing Solutions, LLC
AURORA, Colo., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels will present Children's Hospital Colorado with a $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award. Children's Colorado is one of 25 recipients of this year's award, which is given to pediatric oncology departments at select children's hospitals nationwide. The grant funds will support the Clinical Research Program within Children's Colorado's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD). The research program promotes the development, scientific support and clinical translation of promising therapies for the treatment of pediatric cancers.

In 2017, Hope On Wheels will award $15 million toward pediatric cancer research and programs. This brings the organization's donation total to $130 million since Hyundai joined fight against pediatric cancer in 1998. With this latest grant, Children's Colorado has received more than $2 million from Hope On Wheels.

"Throughout the country, talented doctors are working tirelessly to help kids fight cancer by conducting research or providing bedside care," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Our goal at Hope On Wheels is to provide these doctors with the grant funds they need to perform their lifesaving work. Superheroes come in all forms, but for children and families battling cancer  superheroes wear lab coats."

The $50,000 Hyundai Impact Award will be officially presented to Children's Colorado today, August 1, 2017 at 10 a.m. During the event, children across the Rocky Mountain region who are battling cancer will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, in which they'll dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a white 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. Their colorful handprints on the official Hope Vehicle represent their individual and collective journeys, hopes and dreams.

Doctors and researchers that receive a grant from Hope On Wheels are named Hyundai Scholars and are presented with a special lab coat. This year, Hope On Wheels will further recognize its Hyundai Scholars for their incredible efforts on behalf of children battling cancer through a campaign called "Superheroes Wear Lab Coats." The video series will showcase their lifesaving work. To learn more about the campaign, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a complete list of this year's grant winners, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/research. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. HHOW is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

About Children's Hospital Colorado

Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) has defined and delivered pediatric health care excellence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1908, Children's Colorado is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and well-being of children. Continually acknowledged as one of the nation's outstanding pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report and ranked on its Best Children's Hospitals 2016-17 Honor Roll, Children's Colorado is known for both its nationally and internationally recognized medical, research, education and advocacy programs, as well as comprehensive everyday care for kids throughout Colorado and surrounding states. Children's Colorado is the winner of the 2015 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize, and is a 2015 Most Wired hospital according to Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Children's Colorado also is recognized for excellence in nursing from the American Nurses Credentialing Centers and has been designated a Magnet hospital since 2005. The hospital's family-centered, collaborative approach combines the nation's top pediatric doctors, nurses and researchers to pioneer new approaches to pediatric medicine. With urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Metro Denver and Southern Colorado, including its campus on the Anschutz Medical Campus, Children's Colorado provides a full spectrum of pediatric specialties. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org and connect with Children's Colorado on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Related Links

http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org


Premium Water Brand to Increase Availability Across All Channels

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Naturally-alkaline, premium spring water brand, Icelandic Glacial, today announced a huge expansion in distribution across all channels in Canada. The expansion not only adds new retailers, hotels, and restaurants, but also expands upon preexisting accounts to make Icelandic Glacial more readily available to Canadian consumers.

To date, retailers that carry Icelandic Glacial across the country include Walmart, Whole Foods, Loblaws, Bulk Barn, Giant Tiger, Sobeys, and Costco Business Centre. Additionally, consumers can now enjoy the pristine spring water at Gibby's Steakhouse, Moishe's Steakhouse, and La Queue de Cheval Steakhouse, all located in Montreal.

"Together with Unique Foods Canada, who has been an incredible partner, we are thrilled to have increased our footprint in the Canadian market, making Icelandic Glacial widely available throughout the country," said Jon Olafsson, Chairman & Co-Founder of Icelandic Glacial.

"We are extremely excited to widen availability for our loyal Canadian consumers," said CEO Reza Mirza. "The increased distribution is part of a long-term trend marking Icelandic Glacial's growth throughout North America and beyond."

In addition to the signature spring water in PET bottles, Icelandic Glacial introduced both still and sparkling water in glass bottles just last year, with Canada being one of the first countries to distribute.

"It was easy making the decision to take such a high quality, pristine brand," commented Jon Silver, President of Unique Foods. "Customers love the taste and quality of the water, the packaging is second to none, and being certified Carbon Neutral for both product and operation puts them miles ahead."

About Icelandic Glacial

Icelandic Glacial is the super-premium natural spring water, bottled at the source from Iceland's legendary Olfus Spring, which was formed more than 5,000 years ago and is shielded from pollution by an impenetrable barrier of lava rock. The spring produces water so pure that nothing is added or taken away. As a result, Icelandic Glacial possesses exceptional balance featuring a naturally low mineral content and a naturally alkaline pH of 8.4. Icelandic Glacial is further distinguished as the world's first certified carbon neutral natural spring bottled water for product and operation. Icelandic Glacial uses 100% natural green energy to fuel its production delivering a premium bottled water to discerning consumers around the world while maintaining a "net zero" carbon footprint.

About Unique Foods (Canada), Inc.

Unique Foods is one of very few companies in North America with a business model that facilitates comprehensive market coverage, while maintaining control of all the key components required to manage brands effectively. Using a hybrid structure including a network of sub-distributors and wholesalers, combined with strategically positioned warehouse locations, enables us to get product to any retailer in Canada within 48 hours accurately and cost efficiently.

With our warehousing arrangements strategically located, and our portfolio, and hybrid distribution network, we are able to:

Move product across Canada , only shipping full loads to each of our warehouses.

, only shipping full loads to each of our warehouses. Ship to all major retailer wholesaler warehouses in a timely and cost effective manner.

Utilize sub-distributors to cover independents.

Use a credit-rebill system to service any major accounts not close to our warehouses.(i.e. Mainland Maritimes, Vancouver Island).

Optimize our pick up arrangements with all divisions of Sobey's in Atlantic Canada .

SOURCE Icelandic Glacial
CARROLLTON, Texas, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- It can only take seven seconds for people to make a first impression; therefore it's important for companies exhibiting at trade shows and events to use visual marketing solutions that engage, educate and motivate attendees. By incorporating digital technology with trade show signs and graphics, businesses and organizations can build more engagement and elevate their presence at trade shows.

"Trade shows and events give businesses valuable opportunities to create face-to-face connections with prospective customers, deepen relationships with current customers, and educate and promote products and services in memorable ways," said Drue Townsend, Senior VP of Marketing for FASTSIGNS International, Inc. "To help maximize trade show programs and see more success, brands should set measurable goals, then use a mix of sign and graphic solutions designed to accomplish those goals and make a lasting impression."

Before an event, printed postcards or brochures can be used to invite people, a SMS text messaging program can send periodic brand updates to those opted-in and a branded event website or smartphone app can communicate anticipated show specials. During an exhibit, floor graphics, hanging ceiling signs, video projection and wearable LED name badges can attract visitors. Engaging graphic solutions that can help inform and sell include wall or panel graphics, retractable banner stands, logoed table coverings and a digital kiosk or interactive touchscreen display. Giving away unique promotional items, informational flyers and product samples can keep brand messages top of mind after the show.

KentuckyOne Health, the largest healthcare provided in Kentucky and long-time FASTSIGNS customer in Louisville, hosts expo events to promote health and wellness in the community. The organization uses comprehensive visual communications solutions to create a unified, branded look and to engage visitors including large wall panels, standalone displays, bus wraps, flags, ceiling signs and digital displays.

"With the right planning and proper execution, blending trade show graphics and digital technology can help businesses create an impactful customer experience, increase awareness and sell more," Townsend said.

About FASTSIGNS

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 660 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in nine countries including the US, Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE).

FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including decor, events, wearables and marketing materials. Learn more about sign and visual graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com . Follow the brand on Twitter @FASTSIGNS, Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS or on LinkedIn. For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or call 214.346.5679).

SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.fastsigns.com


PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Craig Butler has joined tru Independence as Managing Partner, bringing rich industry experience and innovative ideas to the company. He will be involved in every aspect of the business and play a strategic role with business development and expanding services and capabilities as well as helping transition and serve newly independent entrepreneurs.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have Craig join the team at tru. His integrity, experience and passion for working with advisors, custodians and industry professionals strengthens our leadership on multiple levels," said Craig Stuvland, president and CEO, tru Independence. "We share the same vision of providing premier tools and services for our advisors, enabling them to create the best experiences and outcomes for their clients."

With more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Mr. Butler understands the needs of advisors, is passionate about supporting them as they begin to transform their RIA into a business, as well as help them navigate the ever changing RIA space. He will be based out of Atlanta, Georgia, expanding tru's national footprint.

Most recently, he served as co-founder of TruClarity, a platform that guides advisors to independence. Prior to that, he held an18 year tenure at Fidelity and was both Vice President and Regional Vice President of Business Development.

"It is energizing for me personally to join the team at tru. I have admired from a distance both the quality and growth of tru Independence's open architecture platform and the depth and breadth of services they deliver to breakaway advisors and existing RIA's. tru has spent the time, money and resources to produce comprehensive, sophisticated and customized solutions to a wide spectrum of financial advisors," said Mr. Butler.

Founded in 2014, tru Independence supports advisors in the areas of business formation, legal/compliance, technology, institutional investment platform, custodians, broker dealers, and more. Over the last three years, the firm has helped a variety of accomplished financial advisors launch and grow their businesses.

About tru Independence

Through uncompromising investment in people and technology, tru Independence delivers a premier consulting and services platform for wealth management firms seeking independence. The firm diligently focuses on and invests in three core disciplinesinvestment consulting, business consulting and new business development.

To deliver unrivalled excellence, tru Independence leverages key relationships by outsourcing to the best providers and platforms. The company's consultative process is defined by simplicity, clarity and transparency, grounded on the belief that its partners can best control their future by owning the equity of their firms. Drawing upon decades of industry experience, tru Independence is committed to ensuring that its partners maximize their enterprise value. For more information, please call (971) 371-3444 or visit us at www.tru-ind.com.

CONTACT:

Tony Kono

JConnelly

(646) 922-7767

[email protected]

SOURCE tru Independence

Related Links

http://www.tru-ind.com


CINCINNATI, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- itelligence, Inc. is pleased to announce the speaker line-up for its upcoming SAP co-sponsored finance workshop in Atlanta on August 16, 2017. The event will take place at SAP's office at 3500 Lenox Rd NE, Suite G2 in Atlanta.

Stephen Collins, Senior Consultant, Business Reporting Systems at Tech Data Corporation, will present Tech Data's digital finance transformation story. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, Tech Data is one of the world's largest distributors of IT products and services. Tech Data began its journey with SAP several years ago when they switched from Hyperion to SAP's Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC). Their finance transformation has taken them through merger and acquisition activity, as well as tremendous company growth as a Fortune 500 Company.

In addition, Mark Burke, Senior Director, EPM & Finance Center of Excellence at SAP, will deliver the keynote address how data is transforming and modernizing finance. He will discuss how SAP is helping customers adapt to today's dynamic business environment and how this change is being led by the finance department. Also included in this workshop will be a road-mapping presentation on SAP Cloud for Analytics and SAP BPC, including the most recent announcement of BPC 11.0, version for SAP BW/4HANA.

Attendees will network with Collins and Burke throughout the day, as well as industry peers from other organizations. They will participate in hands-on labs using SAP BPC and SAP Analytics Cloud to visualize an end-to-end finance story line, using a single finance system to transact, analyze and plan. There is still time to register to attend. The Atlanta workshop kicks off itelligence's four-event series, which will also travel to Palo Alto, CA on August 23; Chicago, IL on September 12; and Burlington, MA on September 14.

About itelligence

itelligence, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of itelligence AG, an international full-service solution and consulting company with a global presence in 23 countries. itelligence helps businesses streamline, automate and gain better control over their financial business processes, while providing executives with access to consolidated reports within one environment. As the winner of multiple Pinnacle Awards and the largest global services partner exclusive to SAP technology, our EPM experts work with customers to realize true value from their SAP investments, including Business Planning and Consolidation (BPC), Analytics Cloud, Digital Boardroom, GRC, HANA Security, and many other EPM products. Our unique knowledge transfer methodology paired with our deep understanding of SAP make us a preferred partner for companies across the globe.

Learn more about itelligence at itelligencegroup.com/us/

Follow itelligence on Facebook: facebook.com/itelligenceUS

Follow itelligence on Twitter: twitter.com/itelligence_US

Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/15252574/

Read our blog: https://itelligencegroup.com/us/category/local-blog/office-of-cfo-local-blog/

For more information, Press Only:

Becky Wright

itelligence North America

[email protected]

SOURCE itelligence

Related Links

https://itelligencegroup.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- [email protected], the Bay Area's premier life science incubator, welcomes Japan's chemical giant Toray as its newest partner. The arrangement offers Toray the opportunity to nurture its budding pharmaceutical enterprise while bringing new expertise and trans-Pacific relationships to [email protected]'s research community.

Toray, which currently has a drug on the market in Japan for chronic itch, is something of a newcomer to drug development. "Toray is a big company, but our pharmaceutical division feels like a start-up," says Ko Hasebe, Director of Pharmaceutical Research and Marketing, who is heading up the company's research in the incubator. "This is a new kind of endeavor to Toray, and people at [email protected] have a lot of start-up enthusiasm. It's a really uplifting atmosphere."

Toray is using this lab space to collaborate with US academia, and to develop small-molecule drugs to treat chronic itch, pain and neurodegenerative disease. In addition, he'll be offering seminars and office hours, bringing insight from across the Pacific to the labs of Bay Area entrepreneurs.

"This new relationship with Toray brings more than a great new sponsor to the incubator," says [email protected] general manager Doug Crawford. "It is an exciting experiment: it seeks to narrow the divide between big and small companies  providing an exciting new model of innovation. It provides the opportunity for our resident small companies an intimate chance to identify market opportunities for their technology and a better insight into the data necessary to win a partnership; and it gives Toray a chance to embrace startup energy."

Toray will focus on identifying new drug targets for the treatment of chronic itch, pain and neurodegenerative diseases, when successful, could attenuate abnormal signal transduction, ceasing the itchy and painful sensation and accumulation of harmful substances in central nervous system.

Not limited to the pharmaceuticals, Toray, an integrated chemical company, also has been engaging in the R&D of medical and wearable devices (e.g. dialyzer, cardiac catheters, conductive textile/fiber) with our original advanced materials.

About [email protected]

[email protected] is San Francisco's leading biotech incubator. Its fully equipped laboratories are available to entrepreneurs one bench at a time, allowing enterprising researchers to greatly accelerate their R&D and substantially lower their capital requirements. The incubator's 24,000 square foot lab and office building is home to 40 of the Bay Area's most promising biotech startups. [email protected] provides state-of-the-art facilities, including a core facility with millions of dollars worth of equipment, administrative support, skilled laboratory technicians, seminars, and a terrific community of entrepreneurial scientists. In addition, startups have access to Mission Bay Capital, a venture firm focused on making pivotal, early-stage investments in bioscience companies. Together, these resources enable fledgling companies to reach critical milestones faster while lowering the capital barriers many startups face.

More information is available at: http://qb3at953.com

About Toray

Toray Group is an integrated chemical industry group developing its business in 26 countries and regions worldwide. Toray Group combines nanotechnology with its core technologies of organic synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry and biotechnology, based on which it globally develops the Foundation Businesses of fibers & textiles and plastics & chemicals as well as businesses such as IT-related products, carbon fiber composite materials, pharmaceuticals & medical products, environment & engineering including water treatment.

This press release is also available at:

http://qb3at953.com/media/release/japanese-chemical-firm-toray-partners-with-qb3953-to-pursue-breakthroughs-in-treatment-of-neurological-diseases

SOURCE [email protected]

Related Links

http://qb3at953.com


SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Joey New York, Inc. (OTC: JOEY) today announced that it recently entered into agreements with two investors. The first agreement included a nine-month $600,000 convertible note and an equity purchase agreement for up to $2 million of the Company's registered common stock. The second agreement included a seven-month $412,500 convertible promissory and an equity purchase agreement for up to $5 million of the Company's registered common stock. These financing facilities are intended to provide the Company with growth capital for the expansion of its LABB beauty suites. The agreements are subject to numerous terms and conditions which can be found in the Company's SEC filings.

"The LABB is an aesthetic beauty suite which provides individuals with injectable-only services in a luxury retail setting," stated Joey Chancis, CEO of Joey New York and Managing Director of The LABB. "The LABB aims to provide its clients with the best aesthetic results at more affordable prices than plastic surgeons and dermatologists. We see a major opportunity in this market based upon the results in our first Florida locations. We look forward to the near-term expansion of our footprint in South Florida and Southern California."

CEO Chancis continued, "These financing agreements will help us grow and scale our brand. We plan to secure the best supervising physicians by building a corporate structure that encompasses both the medical and business considerations. We also have plans to develop a national training and advisory board consisting of top plastic surgeons and physicians. It is important to ensure safety at all times and be compliant at every LABB Suite. New products are constantly being introduced to the market and more off label injectable procedures are being FDA approved for on label use. We already work closely with market leaders such as Allergan and Galderma to provide innovative products and procedures, and our growing team of experts will help keep us ahead of the competition," she concluded.

Forward looking Statements:

Joey New York, Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary botoxLABB offers injectable aesthetic beauty treatments. Botox LABB uses the Allergan portfolio of products which includes Botox, Voluma, Juvederm and Kybella. The LABB also uses the Galderma portfolio of products which includes Restylane, Restylane Silk, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Refyne and Restylane Defyne. The LABB opened its location during 2016 in South Beach and has expanded in South Florida. Additional locations are being secured in South Florida and California and the company hopes to open 30 corporate-owned locations in the next four years.

Contact Info:

Richard Chancis

Senior VP of Business Development

Managing Director, Joey New York/The Labb

305-773-7260

[email protected]

Bruce Haase

RedChip Companies

(407) 644-4256

[email protected]

SOURCE Joey New York, Inc.
BOSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The five John Hancock closed-end funds listed below declared their monthly distributions today as follows:

Declaration Date: August 1, 2017

Ex Date: August 9, 2017

Record Date: August 11, 2017

Payment Date: August 31, 2017

Ticker Fund Name Distribution Per Share Change From Previous Distribution Market Price as of 7/31/2017 Annualized Current Distribution Rate at Market HPI Preferred Income Fund $0.1400 - $22.29 7.54% HPF Preferred Income Fund II $0.1400 - $22.39 7.50% HPS Preferred Income Fund III $0.1222 - $19.22 7.63% PDT Premium Dividend Fund $0.0975 - $17.03 6.87% HTD Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund $0.1380 - $25.87 6.40%

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund

Premium Dividend Fund (the "Fund") declared its monthly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "PDT Plan"). Under the PDT Plan, the Fund makes monthly distributions of an amount equal to $0.0975 per share. This amount will be paid monthly until further notice.

Distributions under the PDT Plan may consist of net investment income, net realized long-term capital gains, net realized short-term capital gains and, to the extent necessary, return of capital.

The Fund may also make additional distributions (i) for purposes of not incurring federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gain of the Fund, if any, not included in such regular distributions and (ii) for purposes of not incurring federal excise tax on ordinary income and capital gain net income, if any, not included in such regular monthly distributions.

The Board may amend the terms of the PDT Plan or terminate the PDT Plan at any time.

John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund

Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (the "Fund") declared its monthly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "HTD Plan"). Under the HTD Plan, the Fund makes monthly distributions of an amount equal to $0.1380 per share. This amount will be paid monthly until further notice.

Distributions under the HTD Plan may consist of net investment income, net realized long-term capital gains, net realized short-term capital gains and, to the extent necessary, return of capital.

The Fund may also make additional distributions (i) for purposes of not incurring federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gain of the Fund, if any, not included in such regular distributions and (ii) for purposes of not incurring federal excise tax on ordinary income and capital gain net income, if any, not included in such regular monthly distributions.

The Board may amend the terms of the HTD Plan or terminate the HTD Plan at any time.

A portion of a Fund's current distribution may include sources other than net investment income, including a return of capital. Investors should understand that a return of capital is not a distribution from income or gains of a Fund. As required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a notice with the estimated components of the distribution will be sent to shareholders at the time of payment if it does not consist solely of net investment income. Such notice will also be posted to the Funds' website at www.jhinvestments.com . The notice should not be used to prepare tax returns as the estimates indicated in the notice may differ from the ultimate federal income tax characterization of distributions. After the end of each calendar year, investors will be sent a Form 1099-DIV informing them how to report distributions received during that year for federal income tax purposes.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

About John Hancock Investments

John Hancock Investments provides asset management services to individuals and institutions through a unique manager-of-managers approach. A wealth management business of John Hancock Financial, we managed more than $140 billion in assets as of March 31, 2017 across mutual funds, college savings plans, and retirement plans.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$1 trillion (US$754 billion) as of March 31, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Investments

Related Links

http://www.jhinvestments.com


BOSTON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC and subadvised by both John Hancock Asset Management a division of Manulife Asset Management (US) LLC, and Analytic Investors, LLC, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.1380 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of July 13, 2017, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Notification of Sources of Distribution

This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) with important information concerning the distribution declared on July 03, 2017, and payable on July 31, 2017. No action is required on your part.

Distribution Period: July 2017 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.1380

The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable July 31, 2017, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount.

Source

Current

Distribution ($)

% Breakdown

of the Current

Distribution

Total Cumulative

Distributions for

the Fiscal Year to

Date ($)1

% Breakdown

of the Total

Cumulative

Distributions

for the Fiscal

Year to Date1 Net Investment

Income

0.0687

50%

1.2420

100% Net Realized Short-

Term Capital

Gains

0.0035

3%

0.0000

0% Net Realized Long-

Term Capital

Gains

0.0487

35%

0.0000

0% Return of Capital or

Other Capital

Source

0.0171

12%

0.0000

0% Total per common

share

0.1380

100%

1.2420

100%

















Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on June 30, 2017

13.04%





Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of June 30, 2017

6.31%





Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through June 30, 2017

7.62%





Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of June 30, 2017

4.74%

You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan.

The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income."

The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has declared the July 2017 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed monthly distributions in the amount of $0.1380 per share, which will continue to be paid monthly until further notice.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investments Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing.

About John Hancock Investments

John Hancock Investments provides asset management services to individuals and institutions through a unique manager-of-managers approach. A wealth management business of John Hancock Financial, we managed more than $140 billion in assets as of March 31, 2017 across mutual funds, college savings plans, and retirement plans.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial

John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife Financial, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$1 trillion (US$754 billion) as of March 31, 2017. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com.

1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on November 1, 2016, and will end on October 31, 2017.

SOURCE John Hancock Investments
COLLEGE POINT, N.Y., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Judlau Contracting, Inc. announces the start of a community engagement initiative for the Canarsie Tunnel rehabilitation project intended to repair the extensive damage caused by Superstorm Sandy.

Judlau is the lead member (70 percent) in the JV with TC Electric, LLC for the $477 million project awarded by MTA New York City Transit.

The Canarsie Tunnel is a major under-river transit connection linking the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan in the City of New York via the busy L subway line. This project includes post-superstorm Sandy rehabilitation of the Canarsie Tunnel, core capacity improvements to the First Avenue Station and Bedford Avenue Station, and construction of a new Avenue B substation. Straphangers will be detoured beginning in April 2019 when repairs to the Tunnel will cut service between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Preparations will include early outreach to community leaders and their constituents who will be affected by the project.

In 2012, superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on New York's infrastructure. During the storm, the Canarsie Tunnel sustained extensive damage when millions of gallons of salt water flooded the tunnel, damaging much of the electrical and communications equipment and subsystems. As a part of the project, the Judlau-TC Electric JV will perform civil and structural work to strengthen the tunnel's infrastructure, repairing defects and replacing the track bed, rails, ties and other components.

The project includes upgrading structural, power, lighting, signals and communication components in the tunnel. In addition, the team will perform street excavation activities, relocation of utilities, and complete station improvements and enhancements at the First Avenue Station in Manhattan and Bedford Avenue station in Brooklyn. As a preventative measure, Judlau will install flood mitigation and protection systems to reduce the risk of future flooding and protect critical components. The project will allow for increased train frequency on the L line.

The Canarsie Tunnel project has an aggressive three-and-a-half year timeline and includes a 24/7 work schedule. Judlau and TC Electric have committed to subcontracting approximately $81 million of work to Disadvantage Business Enterprises (DBE) construction firms. The joint venture team will work closely with MTA's team of designers, engineers, and experts to ensure successful delivery of the project.

Judlau has successfully delivered dozens of projects for the MTA valued at nearly $4 billion. Between Judlau and JV partner TC Electric, the two companies have completed or are executing eight Sandy related projects for various Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) agencies, with the work valued at over $1.2B. Of these projects, five are for the repair and resiliency of Vehicular or Subway under-river tunnels. The previous projects awarded to Judlau and TC Electric are progressing on schedule or were completed on-time or ahead of schedule. The most noteworthy of these are the fast-tracked 24/7 Montague Tube project and the South Ferry Station rehabilitation project which were completed early and under budget.

In December 2016, Judlau successfully completed the 72nd and 63rd street stations for the new Second Avenue Subway. The historic Second Avenue Subway project was delivered on-time and is celebrated as a major milestone in New York's transportation history.

Judlau is a division of OHL North America (OHL NA). The Canarsie Tunnel win followed the recent contract award of the $1.2B I-405 project in California by Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and multiple other contract awards in Illinois and Florida to OHL NA Companies. OHL NA continues to expand and grow in key markets across the United States.

Media Contact:

OHL North America

Fallon McLoughlin

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (347) 580-3540

SOURCE OHL North America

Related Links

http://www.ohlna.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Juvo, the pioneer in mobile Identity Scoring, today announced a $40 million USD Series B funding round led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Wing Venture Capital. Also included in the round are investments from SignalFire as well as add-on investments from existing investors. Juvo will leverage these new funds to drive global growth and scale, with a particular emphasis on Asia, Latin America and Europe, and broaden its suite of financial service offerings targeting the financially excluded. The company also announced the appointment of Peter Wagner, founding partner of Wing, to Juvo's board of directors.

Juvo, who came out of stealth mode 10 months ago, was founded with an overarching mission: to establish financial identities for the billions of people worldwide who are creditworthy, yet financially excluded. By partnering with mobile operators and financial institutions around the world, Juvo uses sophisticated, data science-based credit algorithms to identify previously anonymous prepaid subscribers, enabling them to build financial identities and gain access to basic financial services.

"Today, there are over two billion underbanked people in the world  most of whom have a mobile phone. Juvo reaches these individuals, identifies them as creditworthy and provides access to financial services," said Steve Polsky, CEO of Juvo. "It has been an exciting ride to date, surrounded by passionate people who believe deeply in Juvo's mission. This new funding will allow Juvo to expand and deepen our product offerings as well as continue to build the best in class teams in data science, financial services and consumer mobile services. The addition of NEA to our investors and Peter Wagner of Wing to our board will further drive our commitment to providing financial inclusion for all."

Juvo currently partners with seven mobile operators around the world, with a reach of over 500 million subscribers across 25 countries and four continents. Juvo's operator partners have reduced churn by 50 percent or greater, while lifting average revenue per user (ARPU) numbers by as much as 15 percent. Most importantly, operators across the board are seeing an average increase in subscriber lifetime value of 65 percent.

"At NEA, we love to partner with companies who are helping to shape the innovation economy," said Scott Sandell, managing general partner at NEA. "Juvo is doing just that by changing the face of financial services around the globe. Juvo's solution is not only inventive, but addresses a vital global need while providing distinct value to its partners."

"Juvo uses the potent combination of data, the mobile platform and the cloud to bring the power of identity to massive untapped markets," said Peter Wagner, founding partner of Wing. "We have worked with the Juvo team since their earliest days, and are tremendously excited to see their vision becoming reality around the world."

Since emerging from stealth in September 2016, Juvo has increased its global reach five times over, from 100 million to 500 million, and has steadily grown its operations and employee base worldwide. Early investors in the company, including the former CEOs of AT&T Wireless, NYSE, Sprint, Telefonica International and Vodafone Group, have each taken part in the latest B round.

About Juvo

Juvo was founded with an overarching mission: to establish financial identities for the billions of people worldwide who are creditworthy, yet financially excluded. In partnership with mobile network operators, Juvo's proprietary Identity Scoring technology uses data science, machine learning, and game mechanics to create an identity-based relationship with anonymous prepaid users. Identity Scoring creates financial identities for users, providing ongoing access to otherwise unattainable mobile financial services to boost engagement and dramatically improve subscriber loyalty and revenue for mobile operators.

Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Miami, London, Buenos Aires, Manila, and Jakarta. Juvo has a reach of over 500 million subscribers across four continents and is deployed in 25 countries. For more information, follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn, or find us at www.juvo.com.

About NEA

New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA) is a global venture capital firm focused on helping entrepreneurs build transformational businesses across multiple stages, sectors and geographies. With over $19 billion in cumulative committed capital since the firm's founding in 1977, NEA invests in technology and healthcare companies at all stages in a company's lifecycle, from seed stage through IPO. The firm's long track record of successful investing includes more than 210 portfolio company IPOs and more than 360 acquisitions. For additional information, visit www.nea.com.

About Wing Venture Capital

Wing Venture Capital is the best-of-breed venture capital firm devoted to early-stage, long-term company building in business technology. Wing emphasizes craftsmanship over volume, and engages deeply with founders to help them create companies that matter. The body of work of Wing's award-winning team spans more than two decades and dozens of successful early-stage companies, 16 of which went on to achieve billion-dollar plus outcomes following IPOs or acquisitions. For additional information, visit www.wing.vc.

All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:

Natalee Gibson

Mercury Global Partners for Juvo U.S.

+1 720 648 5784

Tamsin O'Neill

CCgroup for Juvo International

+44 203 824 9200

SOURCE Juvo

Related Links

http://juvo.com


The heightened need for strong benefits and compensation packages is a resonating theme throughout the 2017 Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Gallagher) Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey , which collected data from 4,226 organizations across the U.S. In its fifth year, the survey examined how employers were using benefits and compensation to differentiate their organization in the war for talent. Notable findings from this year's research show a growing emphasis on addressing the needs of the whole employee, integrating emotional, financial, social and career wellbeing with physical health.

Shift in Employer Thinking from Wellness to Wellbeing

Historically, wellness programs have focused on improving physical health as an extension of medical benefits. While reducing healthcare costs remains the main driver for offering a wellness program (60 percent), employers also cite investing in the organization's culture (43 percent) and improving employees' work experience and satisfaction (37 percent) as other top motivators. This broader, more holistic approach is also demonstrated by the increase in programs now covering financial wellbeing (34 percent), volunteer opportunities (28 percent) and community engagement (27 percent).

"This shift in thinking is one of the reasons we expect 70 percent of organizations will offer wellness programs by 2019," said William F. Ziebell, President, Gallagher Employee Benefits Consulting and Brokerage. "When employers rebalance their priorities to include benefits like professional development and a workplace culture that promotes employee engagement and total wellbeing, they differentiate themselves in the talent marketplace."

Leave Policies Play a Role in Employee Attraction and Retention

The need to appeal to younger workers with parental leave policies has prompted a discussion about supporting the total wellbeing of employees as they try to solve the work-life equation. Despite headlines showcasing generous maternity and paternity leave policies, a vast majority (64 percent) of organizations do not offer paid parental leave apart from short-term disability. In fact, only 22 percent offer this benefit to both mothers and fathers.

Retirement Readiness is Key to Higher Productivity and Engagement

Retirement benefits better equip employees for their financial future and give them peace of mind in the present. While it is encouraging that nearly half (48 percent) of employers use auto-enrollment in retirement plans to help employees improve savings, only 37 percent are measuring retirement readiness.

"During every life stage, employees encounter financial obstacles like paying student loans, buying a home, or paying for daycare," Ziebell said. "These impact retirement savings and can result in employees needing to stay on the job longer than they'd like. An aging population often has higher healthcare costs and limits opportunities for younger employees to advance. So when organizations help their employees identify and manage these financial stressors, it often results in higher productivity and engagement."

Survey Shows Importance of Taking a 360-Degree View

The 2017 Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey underscores the importance of taking a 360-degree view of an organization's benefits and compensation strategy, specifically through the lens of employee attraction and retention. Micro and macro-economic factors, such as the tightening labor market and shrinking candidate pool, make it even more imperative. As employers gain a deeper understanding of how these different elements work together, they can see more clearly how to align human resource and organizational strategies to drive better business results.

ABOUT THE BENEFITS STRATEGY & BENCHMARKING SURVEY

Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., the employee benefits consulting and brokerage operation of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., developed the Benefits Strategy & Benchmarking Survey to provide employers with insights into how their peers are addressing benefit and human capital challenges. The 2017 survey, conducted from January to March of this year, aggregates responses from 4,226 organizations across the U.S. Additional survey results can be found at www.ajg.com/NBS2017.

ABOUT ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER & CO.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG), an international insurance brokerage and risk management services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has operations in 33 countries and offers client-service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Contact:

Anna Rozenich

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

630-285-5954

[email protected]

SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Related Links

http://www.ajg.com


Created in 1940, the Colonel's secret Original Recipe blend of 11 herbs and spices is the very foundation upon which Kentucky Fried Chicken was built; as such, the only person that could do justice to this beloved recipe is KFC's original Colonel and No.1 chicken salesman, Colonel Harland Sanders. To bring the original Colonel Sanders back into its advertising, KFC has turned to the magic of technology, utilizing authentic, nostalgic KFC advertisements from the '60s and '70s featuring the Colonel, interspersed with contemporary footage.

"We've had some amazing celebrity Colonels over the past two years, and each of them has put their own twist on our original Colonel Harland Sanders," said George Felix, KFC U.S. director of advertising. "But no one can play the Colonel like the Colonel can play the Colonel. Unfortunately, our original Colonel stopped making ads in the 1970s, so we utilized technology to bring him into the 21st century to sell modern-day offers like our $5 Fill Up and $10 Chicken Share himself."

To celebrate Original Recipe and the 60th anniversary of the KFC bucket, the brand is also introducing a contemporary take on the iconic bucket. Giving a nod to the brand's heritage, the new bucket is emblazoned with pop culture relevant, fried-chicken colloquialisms that reclaim pride in fried chicken and give a nod to the Colonel's famous over-the-top salesman personality.

Today, expertly trained cooks in every KFC kitchen carefully hand bread each piece of chicken with KFC's still-secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices, and then pressure cook it at a low temperature  a method the Colonel created and once patented to preserve the great taste KFC is known for around the world.

One of the biggest trade secrets in the world and a cornerstone of KFC, only one copy of the recipe is in existence, and it is housed and closely guarded at KFC headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, in a top-secret, 770-pound vault encased in two feet of concrete with a 24-hour video and motion-detection surveillance system. Not even the company that produces the blend knows the exact formulation  portions of spices are developed at different locations in the United States, and then shipped to a single location where the spices are blended together before being sent to the restaurants.

Original Recipe chicken is the No.1 selling menu item in KFC's nearly 4,200 restaurants across the U.S. In fact, each year KFC sells approximately 60 million buckets of chicken, and approximately 680 million pieces of Original Recipe fried chicken in the U.S. Today you can enjoy Original Recipe chicken in a $5 Fill Up or $10 Chicken Share.

About KFC

KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain. KFC specializes in Original Recipe, Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled Chicken and Extra Crispy Tenders, Hot Wings, Go Cups, KFC Famous Bowls, Pot Pies, freshly hand prepared chicken sandwiches, biscuits and homestyle side items. There are over 20,500 KFC outlets in more than 125 countries and territories around the world. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM). For more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook (www.facebook.com/kfc), Twitter (www.twitter.com/kfc) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/KFC).

SOURCE KFC

Related Links

http://www.kfc.com


AUSTIN, Texas, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Epicor Software Corporation, a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software to promote business growth, announced today Kimal Lumber Company has successfully implemented the Epicor BisTrack solution to enhance and streamline its best-in-class lumber, truss, and manufacturing operations.

With the technology that Epicor BisTrack software affords us, we can already do tasks faster, more efficiently, and provide our customers with that extra level of service, said Allen Bavry, Jr., Information Technologies-Corporate, Kimal Lumber Company.

Headquartered in Nokomis, Fla., Kimal Lumber opened its doors in 1981 and has since expanded into six locations which include an exterior window and door division, a design center and showroom, an engineered wood and truss division, and a third lumberyard and hardware store. Not to mention their specialtypocket frame manufacturing.

"When we decided to replace our aging software system, we wanted to give our company a technological boost that we didn't have previously," said Allen Bavry, Jr., Information Technologies-Corporate, Kimal Lumber. "Additionally, we wanted to change our company systematically and procedurallywe used this new software installation as a way of convincing our entire team to embrace industry best practices. With the technology that Epicor BisTrack software affords us, we can already do tasks faster, more efficiently, and provide our customers with that extra level of service."

Simplified and optimized deliveries with a customer satisfaction boost

With an average of 75 orders delivered daily on 25 different trucks, Kimal Lumber understands the importance of getting deliveries right. The easy-to-use, fully integrated dispatch and delivery capabilities within the BisTrack Journey Planner and BisTrack Delivery applications will simplify the critical tasks involved in delivery. "We currently have the stereotypical dispatch officethe clipboards up on the wall representing each truck," said Bob Hinman, general manager, Kimal Lumber. "One of the great advantages we see with BisTrack software is it will enable us to optimize our truck and driver usage, boost efficiency, and minimize delivery errors. When we complete installation of the BisTrack Journey Planner and BisTrack Delivery applications we'll be able to generate real-time information for our team and especially for our customers as to when a delivery should pass, provide pictures, and documentation for each drop. We recognize that as a big advantage and we're viewing it as not only improving our efficiency but also offering better service for our customers."

"The hardest part of our business is maintaining profitability while keeping processes efficient. There are many technology advances that the BisTrack system offers usmany tied to the ability to provide information to our customers throughout the delivery process. BisTrack software gives us a competitive advantage over other lumber and building materials (LBM) dealers," said Hinman.

"Kimal Lumber is a company driven by their customer needs and is always striving to implement new processes and technologies that will move them into the future," said Kevin Hodge, director, product development and product management, Epicor Software. "We're proud to partner with Kimal Lumber to expand and enhance its LBM operationsthey are now well-positioned to positively flip workflows and deliver on seamless customer deliveries for continued business growth."

About Epicor BisTrack

Epicor BisTrack is designed to help dealers and distributors of lumber, building materials, and construction supplies better manage all aspects of their businesses, optimize operations, propel opportunities, and enable employee mobility. The software creates efficiencies in workflow by improving the flow of information from the supplier to the customer, and offers powerful and flexible business intelligence tools for better forecasting and decision-making. Visit the Epicor BisTrack solution hub to learn more.

About Epicor Software Corporation

Epicor Software Corporation drives business growth. We provide flexible, industry-specific software designed around the needs of our manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service industry customers. More than 40 years of experience with our customers' unique business processes and operational requirements are built into every solutionin the cloud or on premises. With this deep understanding of your industry, Epicor solutions manage complexity, increase efficiency, and free up resources so you can focus on growth. For more information, connect with Epicor or visit www.epicor.com.

Epicor, BisTrack, and the Epicor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Epicor Software Corporation.

Contact: Lindsay Ortega

Senior Specialist, Public Relations

Epicor Software Corporation

+1 952 417 5022

[email protected]

SOURCE Epicor Software Corporation

Related Links

http://www.epicor.com


DALLAS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.97 per share. The dividend is payable on October 3, 2017, to stockholders of record on September 8, 2017.

2017 marks the 45th consecutive year that Kimberly-Clark has increased its dividend and the 83rd straight year it has paid a dividend to shareholders.

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the Company's 145-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

[KMB-F]

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Related Links

http://www.kimberly-clark.com


The Knights' action matches a similar donation by the government of Hungary, which recently donated $2 million to save another predominately Christian town, Teleskov. About 1,000 families have now moved back to that town, providing a proof of concept that shows that such actions can actually work in restoring pre-ISIS populations to their home and towns.

Like the government of Hungary, the Knights will partner in this resettlement and rebuilding effort with the Archdiocese of Erbil, which is currently housing the largest population of Christian refugees in Iraq, including many of the residents of Karamdes.

"The terrorists desecrated churches and graves and looted and destroyed homes," said Knights CEO Carl Anderson during his annual report at the Knights of Columbus 135th annual convention. "Now we will ensure that hundreds of Christian families driven from their homes can return to these two locations and help to ensure a pluralistic future for Iraq."

The Knights are urging K of C councils, parishes or other Church groups, and individuals who want to help to donate $2,000  the approximate cost of resettling one family. Just a thousand such donations would be necessary to reach the $2 million goal. The rebuilding work will begin this week and money will begin flowing to the project immediately.

Urging the Knights to get behind this historic new initiative, Anderson paraphrased the words invoked by Winton Churchill in 1940: "Put your confidence in us We shall not fail or falter, we shall not weaken or tire. We will give you the tools and together we will finish the job."

In the same speech, Anderson also announced that the K of C would partner with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on a "Week of Awareness" for persecuted Christians beginning Nov. 26.

Since 2014, the Knights' Christian Refugee Relief Fund has donated more than $13 million for humanitarian assistance primarily in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region. The Knights' documentation of ISIS' atrocities and advocacy on behalf of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East were decisive in U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's 2016 genocide declaration for Christians and other religious minorities in the region. This designation was reaffirmed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week.

One hundred percent of the money raised will be used for this project. Knights of Columbus Charities, Inc. is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations can be made at www.christiansatrisk.org or by calling 1-800-694-5713. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus
WEYMOUTH, Mass., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vertex Companies, Inc. (VERTEX) is pleased to announce that Thomas D. Koch, CIH MSEPM, a leader in industrial hygiene and environmental safety in the Denver marketplace, has joined the VERTEX team. Mr. Koch, founded Koch Environmental, Inc. in 1995 to provide comprehensive industrial hygiene, asbestos-management, and EHS services to clients in business, industry, and government. Mr. Koch also serves as an expert witness on disputes that involve industrial hygiene issues. He will take on the role of VP of Industrial Hygiene & EHS Services for VERTEX to expand western operations. Also joining the VERTEX team are several key employees from Koch Environmental, Inc.

For full details, visit http://vertexeng.com/koch-environmental-joins-vertex/

Jeff Picard, President of VERTEX, stated, "We are thrilled to have Tom Koch and his team join VERTEX. Our clients will benefit from the addition of seasoned experts in Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Safety." Mr. Koch also noted, "I am excited to join forces with VERTEX's local and International portfolio of environmental services. My team and I look forward to adding value to VERTEX clients and their projects with our Industrial Hygiene and Air Quality expertise."

The addition of the Koch team aligns with VERTEX's goal of providing comprehensive environmental and forensic services for its clients, and meets the growing global demand for Industrial Hygiene & Building Sciences. VERTEX's Industrial Hygiene & Building Sciences group provides: Asbestos & Lead-in-paint Management, Noise and Chemical Exposure Monitoring (e.g. VOCs, Crystalline Silica, Hexavalent Chromium, Formaldehyde, Ammonia); Indoor Air Quality Evaluations; Moisture Intrusion/Mold Assessments; and Construction Safety and Health Management.

With outbreaks of Legionella, increased awareness of building water quality, and new standards of care being established, expertise in water management for building systems is also in high demand. VERTEX, already a leading service provider of building water management and consulting, is stronger with the Koch addition.

VERTEX also provides environmental due diligence, environmental remediation, and facility closure services. Learn more about VERTEX's Environmental Solutions in addition to the three other areas of VERTEX: forensic consulting, design engineering, and construction at http://www.vertexeng.com/services.

VERTEX is a fast-growth, international firm offering forensic consulting, design engineering, construction, and environmental solutions to businesses globally. VERTEX, an employee-owned company, is known in the industry to be one of the most responsive, value-driven, technical services firms. Learn more about VERTEX at www.vertexeng.com.

Contact: Lisa Dehner, 781-952-6032

SOURCE The Vertex Companies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.vertexeng.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- KOGER Inc., leading financial services technology company and provider of the NTAS platform for fund administration and compliance, announced that it has received the ISO 9001: 2015 quality management certification. KOGER's certification means the company meets a comprehensive quality standard that covers all of its processes and operations.

A quality management system that can be integrated into any business, ISO 9001 ensures the business delivers a consistent level of quality to its customers by having well-defined and regularly-reviewed processes and procedures. KOGER's certification states that the company has "implemented and maintains a quality management system for the design and managed development of fund administration software."

"We felt it was important that KOGER receive the ISO quality certification. The fact that we meet this high standard reinforces and confirms our strict controls and procedures, and demonstrates an enhanced level of transparency for our clients," said Ras Sipko, KOGER Chief Operating Officer.

KOGER's NTAS software platform is a share registry system that manages fund tracking, reporting and fee calculation. More than 8,000 funds with $2 trillion in assets are administered through NTAS, which is used by many of the largest asset managers, fund administrators and financial institutions. NTAS handles daily transfer agency recordkeeping, investor registration, cash management, trade processing, compliance, reporting and fee processing.

Founded in 1994, KOGER pioneered fund administration solutions for alternative investments. Through the years, the company built on its signature NTAS software to create a comprehensive fund administration platform that now serves the entirety of the investment industry. The NTAS platform and its complementary product suite support all types of investment funds, including hedge funds, private equity, mutual funds, money market funds and pension funds.

"The ISO certification is part of our ongoing dedication and service to our clients. Our software makes complex processes easy to manage and increases efficiency for fund administrators, asset managers and financial institutions. We offer one platform that doesn't require any effort by clients to use its complete functionality for fund administration and compliance. All we do is turn on a different module depending on what clients need. We strive to make the user experience as simple and seamless as possible," Sipko said.

About KOGER

Founded in 1994, KOGER is the provider of NTAS, the market's leading platform for investment fund administration and compliance. More than 8,000 funds with $2 trillion in assets are administered through NTAS, which is used by the world's largest funds, fund administrators and blue-chip financial institutions. The NTAS platform encompasses a comprehensive suite of products for the investment industry, including hedge funds, private equity funds, mutual funds and pension funds. KOGER's NTAS platform provides fund administrators and financial institutions with an integrated, scalable solution that increases efficiencies and reduces costs, and can be customized to financial organizations of all sizes. KOGER is a global financial services technology company with offices in the US, UK, Europe, Asia and Australia.

SOURCE KOGER Inc.

Related Links

http://www.kogerusa.com


"I learned the art of goldsmithing early in my career and this is the culmination of years of refining technique and developing creative solutions," said Founder and Creative Director Steven Lagos. "I am happy to bring this strong, new collection to the LAGOS woman."

The Caviar Gold collection includes a variety of silhouettes from bold bracelets, to statement necklaces and elegant earrings, all crafted with the highest quality and precision. In addition, select styles pair black ceramic with gold to offer a fashion-forward and luxe option for women to express "My LAGOS My Way".

It takes hundreds of steps and a keen eye to complete a single Caviar creation. The luminous Caviar beading brings texture and transforms 18k gold into boldly feminine, sculptural jewelry. The unique texture of Caviar is a feat of expert craftsmanship and engineering. The innovative design is comfortable, wearable and moves seamlessly with the body.

Steven was one of the first to create the "Designer Fine Jewelry" category when he launched LAGOS' first collection at Neiman Marcus in 1985. Since its inception, the brand has produced smart jewelry rooted in strength, integrity and innovation  these are the defining values that are still present in every collection.

About LAGOS

Since 1977, LAGOS has been a pioneer in designer fine jewelry, combining precious materials and strong design to offer modern, iconic styles. LAGOS was founded in Philadelphia by designer and master jeweler Steven Lagos, who went on to develop the brand's signature Caviar design in 1984. Each Caviar collection has a bold, feminine design that inspires personal expression. In 2014, LAGOS launched its national campaign, MY LAGOS MY WAY, to reinforce these core values and inspire the LAGOS woman. LAGOS is available at www.LAGOS.com, its flagship boutique in Philadelphia, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom and independent jewelers around the country.

About Neiman Marcus Group:

Neiman Marcus Group LTD LLC is a luxury, multi-branded, omni-channel fashion retailer conducting integrated store and online operations under the Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, Horchow, CUSP, and mytheresa brand names. For more information, visit www.neimanmarcusgroup.com. Keep up with the latest news and events happening at Neiman Marcus by becoming a fan on Facebook, following us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat.

CONTACT:

Jamie Hector

LAGOS Senior PR Manager

646-556-6385

[email protected]

Wendy Segal

Neiman Marcus Corporate PR

214-573-6835

[email protected]

SOURCE LAGOS

Related Links

http://www.lagos.com


DETROIT, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lambert, Edwards & Associates (LE&A), Michigan's largest public relations and public affairs firm and a top-15 investor relations firm nationally, today announced the expansion of its Detroit team with the addition of William Nowling as a partner and managing director. Nowling will lead LE&A's Detroit office, serve as a member of the agency's leadership team, and provide strategic counsel to the firm's clients.

Nowling leverages more than 20 years of integrated public relations and marketing experience for clients navigating change and employing strategies that influence decision-makers and thought leaders. Most recently, he was the senior executive for global PR firm Finn Partners leading business development and strategic planning for some of the firm's top brands. Prior to that, he served as spokesman and lead communication adviser for the City of Detroit's Chapter 9 bankruptcy, working daily with the city's restructuring professionals to tell and explain the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

"Bill has been a highly respected peer, formidable competitor and even partner on projects in the past, and we're thrilled to have someone with his talent and communications breadth leading our growing Detroit office and continue our momentum nationally," said Jeffrey Lambert, CEO of LE&A. "His commitment to developing people and client relationships, coupled with his varied background spanning PR, financial communications, public affairs and crisis management at the highest global levels will be a key asset to our clients and our culture. Likewise, his investment as a partner reflects our mutual long-term path to dominate the communications landscape in Detroit and key niche markets coast to coast."

As a crisis communicator, Nowling has worked on a variety of emergent issues for clients and is a trusted C-suite advisor. He frequently speaks locally and nationally about risk and crisis communication and maintains a robust speaking and conference presentation schedule for clients, industry professionals, and noted media. Additionally, Nowling helped lead the successful issue management campaign allowing Michigan's largest health insurer to become a non-profit mutual insurance company. He also served as communication director and spokesman for Michigan Governor Rick Snyder's successful "One Tough Nerd" campaign for governor.

Nowling holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in risk and crisis communication at Wayne State University in Detroit.

About Lambert, Edwards & Associates

LE&A (www.lambert-edwards.com) is a top-10 Midwest-based PR firm and a top-15 investor relations firm nationally with clients based in 20 states and six countries. As Michigan's largest PR firm  with offices in Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids  LE&A serves middle-market companies and national brands across a wide array of industries and is the state's largest bipartisan public affairs firm. LE&A has posted 18 years of growth, been named PR Week and PRNews Small Firm of the Year, honored as an Edward Lowe "Michigan 50 Companies to Watch," and earned Crain's "Michigan's Healthiest Employers" and "Coolest Places to Work" awards. LE&A is also a global partner in PROI Worldwide, the largest partnership of independent PR firms in the world spanning 120 cities on five continents. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter @LambertEdwards.

SOURCE Lambert, Edwards & Associates

Related Links

http://www.lambert-edwards.com


GLENWOOD, Ill., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Landauer, Inc. (NYSE: LDR), a recognized leader in personal and environmental radiation measurement and monitoring and outsourced medical physics services, today announced it will release financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2017 after the market close on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

The Company will also host a conference call for investors on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Investors may access the live call by dialing 866-866-1542 (within the United States and Canada), or 707-294-1539 (international callers), passcode 63881527, or by visiting the "Investors" page on the Company's website at http://www.landauer.com. Please log on to the website at least 15 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

Investors may access a replay of the call by dialing 855-859-2056 (within the United States and Canada), or 404-537-3406 (international callers), passcode 63881527, which will be available through Thursday, September 7, 2017. The replay will also be available on Landauer's website for 30 days following the call.

About Landauer

Landauer is a leading global provider of technical and analytical services to determine occupational and environmental radiation exposure, as well as the leading domestic provider of outsourced medical physics services. For more than 50 years, the Company has provided complete radiation dosimetry services to hospitals, medical and dental offices, universities, national laboratories, nuclear facilities and other industries in which radiation poses a potential threat to employees. Landauer's services include the manufacture of various types of radiation detection monitors, the distribution and collection of the monitors to and from customers, and the analysis and reporting of exposure findings. The Company provides its dosimetry services to approximately 1.8 million individuals globally. In addition, through its Medical Physics segment, the Company provides therapeutic and imaging physics services to the medical physics community. For information about Landauer, please visit their website at http://www.landauer.com.

For Further Information Contact:

Michael DeGraff

Sard Verbinnen & Co

Phone: 312.895.4734

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Landauer, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.landauer.com


CHICAGO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Landmarks Illinois, a nonprofit advocating for the protection of historic and architecturally significant properties throughout the state, will honor nine exceptional historic preservation projects at the Landmarks Illinois 2017 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards Celebration. Taking place on Saturday, September 16, 2017, at Venue 610 in Chicago, the award ceremony will pay tribute to inspiring individuals and organizations that put forth extraordinary effort to elevate historic preservation practice and advocacy in Illinois.

"Our 2017 award recipients demonstrate dedication, creativity and passion for preserving places that are special to the local community and to our state's cultural heritage," said Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois. "The people who made these projects a reality deserved to be recognized and modeled for their efforts in ensuring future generations can enjoy and experience Illinois' historic places."

The full list of our Landmarks Illinois 2017 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award winners is below. Visit our website to view details on each award-winning project.

All Saints Episcopal Church , Chicago : Award for Restoration

, : Award for Restoration Aurora St. Charles Senior Living , Aurora: Award for Rehabilitation

, Aurora: Award for Rehabilitation Charles Staples , Chicago : Joe Antunovich Award for Leadership

, : Award for Leadership Cooperage 214 , Peoria : Award for Adaptive Use

, : Award for Adaptive Use District 2 Police Station , Rockford : President's Award for Adaptive Use

, : President's Award for Adaptive Use Friends of the Edwards House , Downers Grove : Project of the Year Award for Advocacy

, : Project of the Year Award for Advocacy Joliet Central High School Student Center Addition , Joliet : Award for Rehabilitation

, : Award for Rehabilitation Rosenwald Courts , Chicago : Award for Rehabilitation

, : Award for Rehabilitation Unity Temple, Chicago : Award for Restoration

About the Awards

Landmarks Illinois' annual awards program began in 1994 and is generously funded by the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. The 2017 awards ceremony at Venue 610, 610 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, is open to the public. The full event schedule follows:

5  6 p.m. : Award Winner Panel Discussion

: Award Winner Panel Discussion 6:30  9:30 p.m. : Awards Ceremony and Cocktails & Hors D'oeuvres Reception

Tickets for the Landmarks Illinois 2017 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards Celebration are $45-$50 for Landmarks Illinois members and $60 for non-members. Register by visiting our Events page on our website, www.Landmarks.org. You can also register by calling Landmarks Illinois at 312-922-1742.

About Landmarks Illinois

Landmarks Illinois is a membership-based nonprofit organization serving the people of Illinois. For more information, visit www.Landmarks.org.

Contact: Kaitlyn McAvoy, 1-312-922-1742, [email protected]

SOURCE Landmarks Illinois

Related Links

http://www.Landmarks.org


Limelight Health has set the standard for quoting, underwriting and enrollment for the employee benefits market by providing a real-time, automated platform that reduces the time required for health plan quoting, enrollment, and renewals from several weeks to a few minutes. Limelight Health's first product, QuotePad, helps its users access on-demand health plan rate data and price quotes, auto-generate custom sales proposals, and provides a single platform for decision support and electronic enrollments.

The award-winning, industry-recognized QuotePad solution connects each distributor in the employee benefits industry, meets the distinct workflow requirements of each of the insurance professionals involved in a sale (brokers, agents, sales executives, underwriters, support), and provides a better end-user experience.

QuotePad's API integration seamlessly connects into the most popular online CRM and employee benefits platforms, including Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamic, Bernie Portal, California Choice and EaseCentral, with several additional integrations to be announced in 2017. Limelight Health licenses its software platform to multiple industry players, including insurance carriers, PEOs, payroll companies, brokers, general agents and enrollment exchanges.

QuotePad is currently available in California, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. Starting September 1, 2017, Limelight will be available for real-time quoting and enrollment in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia. Limelight Health counts some of the nation's largest insurance companies as customers, and has substantially grown its revenues in the first six months of 2017.

"This investment gives us the ability to scale faster and serve the needs of this rapidly growing employee benefits market," said Jason T. Andrew, co-founder and CEO of Limelight Health. "We are creating a new experience for employee benefits administration and working to make it a simple, efficient, and enjoyable process for insurance professionals. We will continue to innovate and expand to serve brokers and carriers across the country."

Founded in 2014, Limelight Health was launched with seed-stage funding from LaunchPad Digital Health's next-generation accelerator program, which is focused on mobile, web and healthcare technologies.

"Many of the large carriers and broker organizations are already standardizing on QuotePad, and we saw an opportunity with this funding to accelerate Limelight Health's ability to reach all participants in the U.S. insurance marketplace," said Eric Emmons, Managing Director of MassMutual Ventures. "Over the last three years, Limelight Health has emerged as a leader in the employee benefits space. The QuotePad platform meets the needs of a transforming market for primary, ancillary, supplemental, and voluntary insurance coverage. The improved workflow and real-time 'quote-to-enroll' capability of the QuotePad platform has the potential to save billions in lost revenue, high overhead, and manual rework."

About Limelight Health

Limelight Health is reimagining employee benefits through innovative and integrated quoting technology. We help health insurance carriers, general agents and brokers achieve higher levels of sales and channel performance. Customers using our 'quote-to-enroll' platform reinforce their brand, promote their value-add, and simplify the user experience. Integrated API enables seamless connectivity with other carrier, agency and employer systems. Since its inception in 2014, Limelight Health has quickly captured the attention of the nation, winning HealthTech Capital's Most Promising HealthTech Company of 2015 and first place winner at Silicon Valley Innovation Center's Insurance Disrupted Conference. Limelight Health has offices in San Francisco and Redding, California. For more information, visit http://www.limelighthealth.com.

About MassMutual Ventures LLC

MassMutual Ventures LLC backs entrepreneurial companies that are transforming the insurance and investment services markets through technology and business model innovation. Our key areas of investment focus include FinTech, data analytics, cybersecurity, digital health, and enterprise software. We lead or join investments into companies that are poised to create significant enterprise value through differentiated innovation and focused execution. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) is the parent company of MassMutual Ventures LLC. For more info: www.massmutual.com.

About AXA Strategic Ventures

AXA Strategic Ventures (ASV) is the venture capital fund backed by AXA, the leading global insurer and asset manager. ASV manages $275M and invests in enterprise software, fintech, consumer and digital health, as well as other technologies relevant to insurance and asset management. With offices in San Francisco, New York, London and Paris, ASV invests globally. For more information, please visit www.axastrategicventures.com.

About Wanxiang Healthcare Investments (WHI)

Wanxiang Healthcare Investments (WHI) is a corporate-backed venture group focused on investments in healthcare technologies, with an emphasis on digital health. We believe that early-stage healthcare businesses represent an attractive opportunity, and will generally invest in seed rounds and look to participate in subsequent rounds as the company continues to grow and scale. WHI is looking to partner with highly motivated management teams who are committed to making a positive impact on the healthcare industry. For more info: www.wanxianghealthcare.com.

About Portag3 Ventures

Portag3 Ventures is an early-stage investor dedicated to backing innovating financial services companies working to benefit all consumers. Exclusively sponsored by Power Financial Corporation, IGM Financial Inc. and Great West-Lifeco Inc., Portag3 gives new ideas a unique environment to grow. Portag3 makes longer-term commitments, and combined with its industry intelligence is an ideal partner for the ambitious and creative entrepreneur. For more information, visit www.p3vc.com.

CONTACT: Amber Moore, PR Manager, Limelight Health, [email protected]

SOURCE Limelight Health
BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LinkedAero.com, a wholly owned subsidiary of PartsBase, Inc. was contacted directly by corporate counsel representing LinkedIn, a Microsoft Corporation, demanding the discontinuation of the LinkedAero company name, URL and logo structure due to concerns over customer confusion.

LinkedAero is maintained and operated by PartsBase, Inc. Founded in 1996, PartsBase is a United States-based online marketplace, functioning as a business-to-business parts locator service for the aviation, aerospace and defense industries. At present time, PartsBase has 7,500 member companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Aviall, Bombardier, Lufthansa Group, AAR, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Delta TechOps, conducting transactions in over 194 countries.

LinkedAero was developed to provide information to PartsBase members, as well as the rest of the aviation industry, creating a focused networking opportunity for the community. The platform aims to grow the aerospace community as well as offer advanced profiles for PartsBase members and companies transacting with aerospace businesses across a growing worldwide market. LinkedAero includes enriched content such as videos, images, articles and provides a voice for the aerospace community to educate and reach more customers.

"LinkedAero was not designed to compete with LinkedIn," says Greg Schmidt, President of PartsBase. "Our members have a thirst for more information and LinkedAero aims to offer the exact information our customers are seeking on a daily basis. We feel this is yet another example of large internet players trying to control the future with attempts to keep it in the hands of only a few big names. Our belief in this platform and our commitment to our customers is more important than the distraction of legal battles and wasting resources."

PartsBase has begun a rebranding process for the platform's name, URL and logo. Members of the aviation community can still become members of LinkedAero by signing up for free on the website. The official launch of the rebranded site is slated for the end of summer 2017.

For more information about LinkedAero or PartsBase, visit www.linkedaero.com or www.partsbase.com.

For more information, please contact:

Greg Schmidt, President

[email protected]

About PartsBase, Inc.

Founded in 1996, PartsBase is the world's largest and most comprehensive aviation marketplace and community. PartsBase has grown to a worldwide community of over 7,500 aerospace companies with 30,000 end users utilizing the platform in 194 countries. PartsBase is an industry leader with its commitment to continued product development and customer care.

For more information, please visit www.partsbase.com

Socialize with PartsBase

Twitter.

Follow @Partsbase

Facebook.

Like PartsBase

LinkedIn

Follow PartsBase

SOURCE PartsBase
With loanDepot's goal to transform the lending industry, its mello ecosystem is shaping lending's future as it expands its online and offline consumer relationship model. mello's technology includes an intuitive web-based consumer portal, a state-of-the-art, mobile point-of-sale system, and a fully-digital mortgage loan application experience. The company has invested $80 million to date on its digital-first technology strategy.

"Our lending professionals and LD tech team have combined strengths to create an unstoppable force in next-gen lending," said loanDepot CEO and Chairman Anthony Hsieh. "Our never-ending, iterative innovation process is the basis of our business strategy and our true competitive advantage."

loanDepot's mello exists within a larger next-gen lending ecosystem that is boosted with the integration of digital-marketing tools and by third-party data enrichment that ensure greater accuracy, speed and certainty throughout the origination experience. On a massive scale, mello is changing the loan origination process into a digital consumer experience, making it faster, easier, and more accurate.

"As a profitable and growing lender with a deep understanding of the compliance challenges in lending and the expectations of today's consumers, we know how to drive consumer engagement through our diverse business model," Hsieh continued. "More importantly, we're building a digital-first, industry-changing brand that will forever reshape lending services. At loanDepot, we are rewriting the rules and making mortgages cool again."

These digital solutions are seamlessly integrated with the company's scalable web-based loan origination system (LOS) and are accessible to consumers, referral partners, and lending professionals via collaborative dashboards from mobile or desktop devices.

"Our new Innovation Lab is the physical incarnation of mello," said Dominick Marchetti, CTO at loanDepot. "The combination of collaborative spaces and dedicated quiet rooms will let employees work in the environment they are most comfortable and allows for a quick ignition of ideas and engaging work flow."

In designing the new space, Hsieh and Marchetti focused on defying convention to create an open-air, collaborative work environment to connect 400+ technologists with not only each other but with the beautiful Southern California weather as well. The space incorporates the spirit of fun, including a slide for when stairs are just too slow; open stadium seating for skunkworks-inspired sessions; and areas to relax with a quick game of ping pong or rest in quiet areas. As an added bonus, the Innovation Lab is just minutes away from gorgeous, world-class beaches and iconic Surf City USA.

The mello Innovation Lab is currently under construction and has a goal of opening at the end of 2017 or the beginning of 2018.

The mello Innovation Lab is the second major expansion of 2017. In June, the company opened 65,000 square foot online direct-lending production center, also located in Irvine. Additionally, in June, loanDepot unveiled its newest next-gen retail lending store in Palm Springs, Calif. The store represents the company's commitment to giving consumers the ability to connect with a loanDepot licensed lending officer in the way that works for the individual - through various digital channels and/or in person. The store's design and visual identity represent the future of modern lending with its sleek and elegant design.

About loanDepot

loanDepot is the nation's fifth largest retail mortgage lender and second largest nonbank consumer lender. The company was the first nonbank lender to offer home, personal and home equity loans. The company has surpassed $110 billion in funding in just seven years since its founding in 2010.

Contact:

Lara Wyss

[email protected]

SOURCE loanDepot

Related Links

https://www.loandepot.com


"The Scott Living furniture collection blends our liveable-chic style with thoughtful details and good value," said Jonathan Scott. "Lowe's was the perfect fit for a digital showroom as we look to offer inspirational solutions to furnishing and accenting the home."

"With an assortment of furnishings and accents, homeowners can pick and choose the perfect layout to match their individual style," added Drew Scott. "We're excited about the digital showroom on Lowes.com and hope our tips and insight will inspire our fans to be bold and try new things with their spaces."

Hundreds of featured furnishings and decor items are now available on Lowes.com, showcased both independently and in various coordinated collections for the living room, bedroom, dining, kitchen and office.

"The home is an intimate and personal place. Our collaboration with Scott Living makes stylish, cozy and affordable furnishings and decor accessible, and reimagined spaces achievable," said Angie Shore, vice president of merchandising for home decor at Lowe's. "Our digital showroom features coordinated looks, design tips and products in one location, helping consumers imagine and bring their vision to life."

The Scott Living indoor furniture collection at Lowe's is available online at Lowes.com/ScottLiving and features affordable furnishings ranging from $113 for an office chair to $1,726 for a sectional. Consumers can also view select furnishings later this month at the Lowe's stores in the Chelsea and Upper West Side neighborhoods of New York City. Free shipping is available on all purchases of $50 and above. Customers can save 5% off their purchase every day with a Lowe's Advantage credit card*.

*Subject to credit approval. Exclusions apply. See in-store disclosure slip or Lowes.com for details.

About Lowe's

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE 50 home improvement company serving more than 17 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2016 sales of $65.0 billion, Lowe's and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,370 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 290,000 people. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

About Scott Living

Multi-faceted entrepreneurs and twin television personalities, Jonathan and Drew Scott are co-founders of Scott Living, a designer collection of indoor and outdoor furniture, decor and bedding available at a variety of North American retailers including QVC, Costco.com and Lowe's. The Scott Brothers are hosts of multiple top-rated HGTV series including the Emmy-nominated Property Brothers, Brother vs. Brother and Property Brothers at Home. Their shows are enjoyed by millions of viewers in over 150 countries and their first book, Dream Home was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best seller. Their second book, It Takes Two: Our Story, will be released September 5. For more information about Scott Living, please visit scottlivinghome.com.

SOURCE Lowe's

Related Links

http://www.lowes.com


RENO, Nevada, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Magellan Gold Corporation (OTCQB: MAGE) ("Magellan" or "the Company") is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Rose Petroleum plc (AIM: ROSE) ("Rose") to extend the Company's option to purchase a flotation plant and associated assets, licenses and agreements (together, the "SDA Mill" ) located in the State of Nayarit, Mexico. Total consideration for the purchase is US$1.5 million, consisting of $1.0 million in cash and $500,000 in Magellan stock, of which $100,000 in cash was paid on May 31, 2017. The mill has a history of producing precious metals dating back for ten years and its normal operation is based on sales of flotation concentrates to smelters. The Company paid an initial $50,000 option payment and announced a MOU on March 6, 2017.

Under terms of the option extension, Magellan has the obligation by August 15, 2017, to deliver executed irrevocable bridge loan commitments representing not less than $900,000 in cash required to fund the transaction. Also under terms of the extension, for the months of August and September 2017, Magellan must reimburse Rose for mill employee and maintenance costs of approximately $25,000 per month. The August reimbursement payment is due by August 4, 2017.

Upon Magellan delivering the irrovocable bridge loan commitments by August 15, 2017, closing of the transaction still will be subject to satisfaction of a number of conditions, the most important of which include legal restructuring of Mexican ownership of the SDA Mill, Rose's shareholder approval if required, and completion of the final definitive agreement. The parties are targeting closing to occur by the end of September 2017, however there can be no assurance that the purchase of the mill will be completed.

Milling activity at the SDA mill currently is on hold pending the completion of this transaction.

The Company's strategy following the acquisition will be to resume processing operations, build production and increase cash flow. A key objective will be to secure high-grade feed sources. The mill lies within the rich Sierra Madre Occidental mineralized belt, which historically has yielded millions of ounces of precious metals and offers multiple high-grade gold and silver epithermal vein opportunities.

About Magellan Gold Corporation

Magellan Gold Corporation (OTCQB: MAGE) is a US public enterprise focused on the exploration and development of precious metals. The Company has obtained an option to acquire the SDA flotation plant in the State of Nayarit, Mexico, and controls two precious metals exploration properties located in Arizona and in Peru.

The 100% owned Silver District Property in southwest Arizona comprises over 2,000 acres covering the heart of the historic Silver District. The property contains a near-surface historical drilled resource of 16 million ounces of silver and exhibits exploration promise for significant expansion. The Ninobamba Silver-Gold Property in central Peru, on which the Company has the right to earn a 50% interest, covers 9,027 acres and demonstrates potential for a large, bulk tonnage, silver-gold deposit.

To learn more about Magellan Gold Corporation, visit http://www.magellangoldcorp.com.

Cautionary Statement

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can legally extract or produce. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a "final" or "bankable" feasibility study is required to report reserves. Currently we have not delineated "reserves" on any of our properties. We cannot be certain that any deposits at our properties will ever be confirmed or converted into SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant "reserves." Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of any "resource" estimates will ever be confirmed or converted into reserves or that they can be economically or legally extracted.

Forward Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements are based on good faith assumptions that Magellan Gold Corporation believes are reasonable but which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those anticipated are discussed in Magellan Gold Corporation's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:

Magellan Gold Corporation

Pierce Carson +1-(505)-463-9223

John Power +1-(707)-884-3766



SOURCE Magellan Gold Corporation
STAINES-UPON-THAMES, United Kingdom, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today confirmed inclusion of the first patient in the company's Phase 4 registry assessing the use of INOMAX (nitric oxide) gas for inhalation for premature (less than 34 weeks gestational age) neonates versus term and near-term neonates (greater than 34 weeks gestational age).

"We are pleased to enroll the first patient in this multicenter, observational registry, which will generate data and insights concerning inhaled nitric oxide use in preterm neonates with pulmonary hypertension compared with term and near-term neonates with pulmonary hypertension," said Steven Romano, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer at Mallinckrodt.

INOMAX is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use to improve oxygenation and reduce the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in term and near-term neonates (at 34 weeks and greater gestational age) with hypoxic respiratory failure (HRF) associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in conjunction with ventilatory support.

About the Registry

The Phase 4 registry is titled "Multicenter, Prospectively Defined Observational Registry With Retrospective Data Collection, Evaluating Premature and Term-Near-Term Neonates With Pulmonary Hypertension Receiving Inhaled Nitric Oxide via Invasive or Noninvasive Ventilator Support at U.S. Centers" or the "Registry Evaluating Premature and Term-Near-Term Neonates With Pulmonary Hypertension Receiving Inhaled Nitric Oxide (PaTTerN)" trial. Data collected from this registry will increase understanding of the potential utility of inhaled nitric oxide for controlling PH and improving oxygenation in pre-term neonates with HRF associated with PH compared to term and near-term neonates with HRF associated with PH.

The primary outcome measure will compare the incidence of subjects with at least a 25 percent improvement in Oxygenation Index or Surrogate Oxygenation Index (for subjects who are not ventilated), compared to baseline and summarized by gestation age group. Estimated enrollment for this study is 168 patients, with completion expected by 2022.

Find more information about the PaTTerN registry on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.

About Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)

PPHN is a serious and sometimes fatal cardiorespiratory complication of the transition to extra-uterine life.1 PPHN is a clinical syndrome associated with various neonatal cardiorespiratory diseases, including meconium aspiration, respiratory distress syndrome (hyaline membrane disease), congenital heart disease and congenital hernia. Despite the diversity of causes, marked pulmonary vasoconstriction is the central pathophysiologic feature of PPHN. The most significant hemodynamic feature in neonates with severe hypoxia is a pulmonary-to-systemic pressure imbalance. Treatment in these neonates is directed toward lowering the pulmonary vascular pressure and supporting the systemic circulation.

About INOMAX

In the U.S., INOMAX is indicated to improve oxygenation and reduce the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in term and near-term (>34 weeks gestation) neonates with HRF associated with clinical or echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension in conjunction with ventilatory support and other appropriate agents.

Important Safety Information

INOMAX is contraindicated in the treatment of neonates dependent on right-to-left shunting of blood.

Abrupt discontinuation of INOMAX may lead to increasing pulmonary artery pressure and worsening oxygenation.

Methemoglobinemia and NO 2 levels are dose dependent. Nitric oxide donor compounds may have an additive effect with INOMAX on the risk of developing methemoglobinemia. Nitrogen dioxide may cause airway inflammation and damage to lung tissues.

levels are dose dependent. Nitric oxide donor compounds may have an additive effect with INOMAX on the risk of developing methemoglobinemia. Nitrogen dioxide may cause airway inflammation and damage to lung tissues. In patients with pre-existing left ventricular dysfunction, INOMAX may increase pulmonary capillary wedge pressure leading to pulmonary edema.

Monitor for PaO 2 , methemoglobin, and inspired NO 2 during INOMAX administration.

, methemoglobin, and inspired NO during INOMAX administration. INOMAX must be administered using a calibrated INOmax DS IR  Nitric Oxide Delivery System operated by trained personnel. Only validated ventilator systems should be used in conjunction with INOMAX.

Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information.

ABOUT MALLINCKRODT

Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; and analgesics and hemostasis products. The company's core strengths include the acquisition and management of highly regulated raw materials and specialized chemistry, formulation and manufacturing capabilities. The company's Specialty Brands segment includes branded medicines and its Specialty Generics segment includes specialty generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and external manufacturing. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit http://www.mallinckrodt.com/.

Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website.

CONTACTS

Media

Rhonda Sciarra

Senior Communications Manager

908-238-6765

[email protected]

Meredith Fischer

Chief Public Affairs Officer

314-654-3318

[email protected]

Investor Relations

Coleman N. Lannum, CFA

Senior Vice President, Investor Strategy and IRO

314-654-6649

[email protected]

Daniel J. Speciale, CPA

Director, Investor Relations

314-654-3638

[email protected]

1 Data on file. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.

SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

Related Links

http://www.mallinckrodt.com


DUBLIN, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Market Entry-Feed Additives Industry in Phillipennes" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

Amino acids and phosphates dominate the global feed additives market with 40% and 26% market share respectively. All the other segments (vitamins, non-protein nitrogen, carotenoids, and enzymes) combined contribute to the remaining 34% of the market. Growing preference for white meat, especially in India and China, is expected to drive poultry feed additive demand over the next six years.

However, the difference in regulations in various countries affects the global meat market adversely, especially in the developing and developed nations. The poultry industry in the Asia-Pacific region benefits from lenient feed related regulations. Swine and poultry feed sector is dominated by Asia-Pacific, as China claims the largest animal feed additives market, worth over USD 5.1 billion. Another leading player in this region is India, with its rich agro-technological advantage. Addiseo, BASF, Lonza and Novus International, are few international players holding a significant share in the market.

The Philippines is one of the largest markets in Southeast Asia with an estimated 103 million people and ruled by a presidential democratic republic. With the 12th largest population and the 30th largest economy, there is certainly scope for development, as it has grown from being an agriculture-based to services-based economy in the early 21st-century.

In comparison to its neighbors like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, Philippines have failed to meet expectations in terms of the volume of FDI. However, recent economic resurgence brought about by strong and consistent economic growth since 2010, new anti-corruption measures and credit rating upgrades have improved their international reputation and created a new impetus for attracting FDI's into the country. The Aquino government helped with this by the passage of laws to liberalize the entry of foreign banks into the country, relaxing the Cabotage law allowing foreign vessels to ply import and export within the archipelago. The Customs Tariff and Modernization Act of 2016 to meet international standards, reflects efforts of the nation towards increasing FDI.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction

2. Market Dynamics

3. Market Demand Analysis

4. Market Size of Feed Additives Industry by Type (USD millions)

5. Market Entry

6. Sources

7. Disclaimer



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/k9bmnb/market_entryfeed

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


CAMBRIDGE, Mass., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the most powerful and effective voice on health care in the Commonwealth, has officially endorsed millennial candidate Samuel Gebru for Cambridge City Council. The endorsement comes just days after the MNA supported the efforts of 1,200 nurses at Tufts Medical Center to conduct the first nurses' strike in Boston in more than 30 years.

"With the cloud of uncertainty currently surrounding the topic of health care in this country, we are lucky to have people like Samuel who are committed to standing up for nurses and patients. He will make an excellent city councilor and will be a strong advocate for his constituents in Cambridge," said Donna Kelly-Williams, RN, President of the MNA and a nurse at Cambridge Hospital.

Founded in 1903, the MNA represents over 23,000 members. It is the largest union and professional association of registered nurses and health professionals in the state and the third largest in the nation. The MNA created the RN license designation, wrote the first code of ethics for nurses, and passed, or helped to pass, nearly every state law governing nursing practice.

Gebru attended demonstration events at Tufts Medical Center and spoke in support of the nurses' contractual request for increased pay and staffing levels.

"I am humbled by the support of the MNA," said Gebru. "The organization's mission to 'work for the improvement of health care services for all people' resonates significantly with my commitment to advancing inclusive, affordable, and accessible health care for every Cambridge resident. Our nurses take care of us and I will fight for them and their patients daily

MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association

Related Links

http://www.massnurses.org


IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported July U.S. sales of 27,089 vehicles, representing a decrease of 3 percent versus July of last year. Year-to-date (YTD) sales through July are down 2.6 percent versus last year, with 168,713 vehicles sold. With 25 selling days in July 2017, versus 26 the year prior, the company posted an increase of 0.9 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis.

In July, Mazda became the only full-line automaker to have every 2017 model year vehicle tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) be rated a "Top Safety Pick+," when equipped with optional front crash-prevention and specific headlights.

Key July sales notes:

Achieving its fourth record-breaking sales month in a row, the Mazda CX-5 posted sales of 11,402 vehicles in the month of July. This number represents a YOY increase of 5.3 percent and is the best-ever July since the compact crossover SUV first went on sale in 2012.

Sales of the Mazda MX-5 Miata remained strong in the month of July, with the roadster posting a year-over-year (YOY) increase of 13.2 percent. Total sales, which includes both the MX-5 soft top and MX-5 RF, reached 997 vehicles sold in the month of July.

The three-row Mazda CX-9 finished the month up 3.3 percent YOY, with 2,318 vehicles sold.

As crossover SUVs continue to dominate the market, sales of Mazda's CX-line remain strong, with the CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9 collectively reaching 15,201 vehicles sold in the month of July. This number represents an increase of 4.3 percent YOY, and a YTD increase of 15.9 percent.

The i-ACTIV All-Wheel Drive option continues to be a favorite among Mazda CX-line buyers, with 62.9 percent of customers choosing the AWD option in the month of July.

Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported July sales of 4,476 vehicles, up 8.8 percent versus July of last year.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 600 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.



Month-To-Date

Year-To-Date























July July % % MTD

July July % % YTD

2017 2016 Change DSR

2017 2016 Change DSR























Mazda2 - - N/A N/A

- 3 (100.0)% (100.0)%

Mazda3 7,407 8,103 (8.6)% (4.9)%

47,241 59,484 (20.6)% (21.0)%

Mazda5 2 17 (88.2)% (87.8)%

9 346 (97.4)% (97.4)%

Mazda6 3,482 4,341 (19.8)% (16.6)%

21,491 27,804 (22.7)% (23.1)%

MX-5 Miata 997 881 13.2% 17.7%

7,970 6,265 27.2% 26.5%

CX-3 1,481 1,499 (1.2)% 2.8%

9,092 11,002 (17.4)% (17.8)%

CX-5 11,402 10,831 5.3% 9.5%

68,479 62,442 9.7% 9.0%

CX-9 2,318 2,243 3.3% 7.5%

14,431 5,924 143.6% 142.2%























Total Vehicles









































CARS 11,888 13,342 (10.9)% (7.3)%

76,711 93,902 (18.3)% (18.8)%

TRUCKS 15,201 14,573 4.3% 8.5%

92,002 79,368 15.9% 15.3%























TOTAL 27,089 27,915 (3.0)% 0.9%

168,713 173,269 (2.6)% (3.2)%













































Selling Days 25 26





177 176



















































SOURCE Mazda North American Operations

Related Links

http://www.mazdausa.com


SEATTLE, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MDCorp $MDCX has executed a distribution agreement with Smart Endoscope Systems allowing MDCorp to sell the G-Eye product portfolio throughout their six core European markets.

Neuraxon, currently under M&A with MDCorp is charged with distributing the G-Eye system throughout Europe and their network of 92 hospitals.

Mr. Pantelis Stanitsas stated: "This kind of product distribution win is what we have expected from our M&A partner MDCorp. This win with Smart Endoscope Systems serves to further bind our two companies and our intended M&A which is currently in the process of enhanced due diligence. The G-Eye system should be sold through to our base of 92 hospitals covering an addressable market of 100 million people in six countries. Endoscope related sales in our markets total some $450 million USD annually, and we are particularly enthusiastic about deployment of the new, world class, patented, life-saving technology."

Onsite product training is set to begin in September/October in Israel.

MDCorp seeks to expand into current and new markets, open new branch offices and expand sales, layering more products and services through existing and then new sales channels.

Inquiries: [email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding the MDCorp's position as a market leader, acceleration of innovation and expansion of total addressable market opportunity. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date they were first issued and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "should," "believe," "hope," "target," "project," "goals," "estimate," "potential," "predict," "may," "will," "might," "could," "intend," variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the MDCorp's control. MDCorp's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to (1) failure to realize the estimated synergies or growth anticipated as a result of the transactions or that such benefits may take longer to realize than expected, (2) risks related to unanticipated costs of integration of European Distribution Medical Systems by MDCorp, (3) the effect of the consummation of the transactions on the ability of MDCorp to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with key business partners and customers, and on MDCorp's operating results and businesses generally, (4) adverse trends in economic conditions generally or in the industries in which the MDCorp operates, (5) adverse changes to, or interruptions in, relationships with third parties unrelated to the merger, (6) MDCorp's ability to compete effectively and successfully and to add new products and services, (7) MDCorp's ability to successfully manage and integrate acquisitions, (8) the ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers in the manner anticipated, (9) unanticipated changes relating to competitive factors in the MDCorp's industries, and (10) any business interruptions in connection with MDCorp's acquired technology, sales or systems. MDCorp is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter, or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Persons reading this announcement are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date hereof.

SOURCE MDCorp

Related Links

http://mdcorp.com


BISMARCK, N.D., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE: MDU) today announced that a strong second quarter at its utility and construction services businesses partially offset a slow quarter at its construction materials business caused by weather-related delays and increased competition. Second quarter earnings from continuing operations were $43.8 million, or 22 cents per share, compared to second quarter 2016 earnings from continuing operations of $46.1 million, or 24 cents per share.

Including discontinued operations, MDU Resources reported second quarter earnings of $40.6 million, or 21 cents per share, compared to a loss of $109.3 million, or 56 cents per share, in second quarter 2016.

Highlights from the second quarter include:

Electric and natural gas utility earns $5.0 million , up from $200,000 in second quarter 2016 based on stronger natural gas utility results. Pipeline and midstream results consistent with second quarter 2016, absent results from Pronghorn assets sold in early 2017.

, up from in second quarter 2016 based on stronger natural gas utility results. Pipeline and midstream results consistent with second quarter 2016, absent results from Pronghorn assets sold in early 2017. Construction services earnings up $5.4 million , a 77 percent increase on 18 percent revenue growth. Construction materials earns $21.2 million . Combined construction backlog approximately $1.4 billion , up 4 percent from second quarter 2016.

, a 77 percent increase on 18 percent revenue growth. Construction materials earns . Combined construction backlog approximately , up 4 percent from second quarter 2016. Company reaffirms earnings guidance range of $1.10 to $1.25 .

"Our second quarter results emphasize the benefits of our two-platform business model. Colder temperatures across our natural gas utility service territories and higher workloads and margins at the construction services business helped offset some of the impacts that above-average precipitation had on several markets where our construction materials business operates," said David L. Goodin, president and CEO of MDU Resources. "Our operations continue to perform well and we are optimistic about growth opportunities as we continue Building a Strong America.

"Construction services is off to a strong start with record year-to-date revenue of more than $635 million and significant earnings growth, so we are increasing our revenue guidance for this business to a range of $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion. Workload remains strong for our construction businesses, as evidenced by a combined backlog that's approximately 4 percent higher than this time last year. Both construction services and construction materials increased backlog since the first quarter, reflecting an active bidding environment. Our utility companies continue to experience customer growth and pursue regulatory recovery, including two recently filed natural gas rate cases. Our pipeline and midstream business is moving forward with the Valley Expansion project and recently announced its Line Section 27 growth project, which has firm customer commitments backing the expansion."

Business Unit Results

Regulated Energy Delivery

The electric and natural gas utility earned $5.0 million in second quarter 2017, compared to $200,000 in second quarter 2016. The utility's service territory experienced colder weather during the quarter, resulting in 19 percent higher natural gas retail sales volumes and higher retail sales margins, particularly in jurisdictions that do not have decoupling and weather normalization in place. Cost recovery through regulatory relief also contributed to the earnings growth. The electric utility saw an approximate 2 percent decline in retail sales volumes and recorded a true-up of interim rates to reflect the approved settlement of the North Dakota electric case. The utility continues to seek regulatory recovery for costs associated with upgrading and expanding facilities to meet customer demand. Customer growth is expected to average 1 to 2 percent per year.

Earnings at the pipeline and midstream business were $5.3 million for the second quarter, compared to $6.3 million in 2016. The decrease reflects the absence of earnings from the previously announced Jan. 1 sale of the company's interest in the Pronghorn assets, for which the company received proceeds of approximately $100 million in the first quarter. Transportation volumes were up 7 percent for the quarter compared to last year, primarily in off-system deliveries.

Construction Materials and Services

The construction services business earned $12.4 million in the second quarter, up 77 percent from $7.0 million in 2016. The increase reflects higher earnings in all service lines, particularly in inside work where the company saw higher workloads and margins. With record year-to-date revenues of more than $635 million through June 30, revenue guidance has been increased to a range of $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion. Construction services backlog at the end of second quarter was $596 million, 17 percent higher than $508 million in the second quarter of 2016 and up from $529 million in the first quarter of 2017.

Second quarter 2017 earnings at the construction materials business were $21.2 million, compared to record second quarter earnings of $33.7 million in 2016. Although operations were impacted by above-average precipitation in a majority of markets and increased competition in some markets, the business was able to generate its second-best quarterly results for the second quarter since 2007. Due to the slow start to the construction season, revenue guidance has been lowered to a range of $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion. Construction materials backlog at the end of second quarter was $766 million, compared to $805 million for the same period in 2016 and up from $725 million in first quarter 2017.

Combined construction backlog of $1.4 billion at June 30 was up approximately 4 percent compared to the end of second quarter 2016.

Discontinued Operations and Other

The results of MDU Resources' former exploration and production and refining businesses have been reported as discontinued operations. The company has included in the "other" category any continuing results from these businesses, such as general and administrative costs and interest expense.

Earnings Per Share Guidance

The company reaffirmed its 2017 earnings per share guidance in the range of $1.10 to $1.25.

Conference Call

MDU Resources will host a webcast at 2 p.m. EDT Aug. 2 to discuss second quarter 2017 earnings results. The event can be accessed at www.mdu.com. Webcast and audio replays will be available. The dial-in number for audio replay, available through Aug. 16, is 855-859-2056, or 404-537-3406 for international callers, conference ID 40930145.

About MDU Resources

MDU Resources Group, Inc., a member of the S&P MidCap 400 index and the S&P High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats index, is Building a Strong America by providing essential products and services through its regulated energy delivery and construction materials and services businesses. For more information about MDU Resources, see the company's website at www.mdu.com or contact the Investor Relations Department at [email protected] .

Contacts

Financial: Doran Schwartz, vice president and chief financial officer, 701-530-1750

Media: Laura Lueder, manager of communications and public relations, 701-530-1095

Performance Summary and Future Outlook

The following information highlights the key growth strategies, projections and certain assumptions for the company and its subsidiaries and other matters for each of the company's businesses. Many of these highlighted points are "forward-looking statements." There is no assurance that the company's projections, including estimates for growth and changes in earnings, will in fact be achieved. Please refer to assumptions contained in this section, as well as the various important factors listed at the end of this document under the heading "Risk Factors and Cautionary Statements that May Affect Future Results." Changes in such assumptions and factors could cause actual future results to differ materially from growth and earnings projections. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by such cautionary statements and by reference to the underlying assumptions. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

GAAP Earnings



Business Line Second

Quarter

2017

Earnings Second

Quarter

2016

Earnings YTD

June 30,

2017

Earnings YTD

June 30,

2016

Earnings

(In millions, except per share amounts) Regulated energy delivery $ 10.3

$ 6.5

$ 56.5

$ 48.3

Construction materials and services 33.6

40.7

21.0

32.2

Other and eliminations (.1)

(1.1)

1.8

(2.6)

Earnings from continuing operations 43.8

46.1

79.3

77.9

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (3.2)

(276.1)

(1.5)

(294.2)

Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interest 

(120.7)



(131.7)

Earnings (loss) on common stock $ 40.6

$ (109.3)

$ 77.8

$ (84.6)

Earnings (loss) per share:







Earnings from continuing operations $ .22

$ .24

$ .40

$ .40

Discontinued operations attributable to the company, net of tax (.01)

(.80)



(.83)

Earnings (loss) per share $ .21

$ (.56)

$ .40

$ (.43)



On a consolidated basis, the following information highlights the key strategies, projections and certain assumptions for the company:

Earnings per share for 2017 are projected to be in the range of $1.10 to $1.25 .

. The company's long-term compound annual growth goal on earnings per share is 5 to 8 percent.

The company continually seeks opportunities to expand through organic growth opportunities and strategic acquisitions.

The company focuses on creating value through vertical integration among its business units.

Estimated capital expenditures for 2017 through 2021 are noted in the following table:

Capital Expenditures Business Line 2017

Estimated 2018

Estimated 2019

Estimated 2017 - 2021

Total

Estimated

(In millions)

Regulated energy delivery







Electric $ 121

$ 140

$ 110

$ 568 Natural gas distribution 143

134

147

667 Pipeline and midstream 43

57

120

389

307

331

377

1,624 Construction materials and services







Construction materials and contracting 43

55

46

236 Construction services 12

9

10

52

55

64

56

288 Other 3

2

2

11 Additional growth capital 150

150



300 Total capital expenditures $ 515

$ 547

$ 435

$ 2,223 Note: Total capital expenditures is presented on a gross basis and excludes estimated net proceeds of $109 million in 2017, $6 million in 2018, $6 million in 2019, and $135 million overall for the years 2017-2021.

Capital expenditures for 2017 through 2021 include line-of-sight opportunities at the company's business units as well as additional growth capital. This additional growth capital is not allocated to a specific business unit and will be invested based on the risk-adjusted return potential of opportunities that are identified by the company's business development team.

Based on the current level of capital expenditures and other key assumptions in the 2017 financial forecast, the company is not planning to issue equity this year. Estimated operating cash flows from operations are $425 million to $475 million in 2017.

Regulated Energy Delivery









Electric





Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(Dollars in millions, where applicable) Operating revenues $ 74.6

$ 73.8

$ 162.8

$ 156.8

Operating expenses:







Electric fuel and purchased power 16.8

15.9

38.6

37.9

Operation and maintenance 28.9

28.8

57.0

55.8

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 11.4

12.4

23.4

25.3

Taxes, other than income 3.9

3.3

7.4

6.6



61.0

60.4

126.4

125.6

Operating income 13.6

13.4

36.4

31.2

Earnings $ 7.8

$ 8.0

$ 22.2

$ 19.2

Retail sales (million kWh):







Residential 225.7

235.5

581.5

559.1

Commercial 348.0

342.6

744.9

716.3

Industrial 120.4

132.2

262.3

275.9

Other 24.8

21.8

47.2

43.2



718.9

732.1

1,635.9

1,594.5

Average cost of electric fuel and purchased power per kWh $ .021

$ .020

$ .022

$ .022













Natural Gas Distribution





Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(Dollars in millions) Operating revenues $ 131.6

$ 112.8

$ 474.1

$ 412.2

Operating expenses:







Purchased natural gas sold 64.1

54.0

278.5

236.1

Operation and maintenance 38.8

38.3

79.7

77.1

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 17.2

16.6

34.2

32.9

Taxes, other than income 10.4

9.6

29.1

26.4



130.5

118.5

421.5

372.5

Operating income (loss) 1.1

(5.7)

52.6

39.7

Earnings (loss) $ (2.8)

$ (7.8)

$ 25.1

$ 17.5











Volumes (MMdk)







Sales:







Residential 8.3

6.9

36.5

30.3

Commercial 6.0

5.1

25.1

20.7

Industrial 1.0

.9

2.5

2.2



15.3

12.9

64.1

53.2

Transportation:







Commercial .4

.4

1.1

.9

Industrial 28.2

30.1

66.2

70.9



28.6

30.5

67.3

71.8

Total throughput 43.9

43.4

131.4

125.0

Degree days (% of normal)*







Montana-Dakota/Great Plains 96 % 96 % 97 % 83 % Cascade 91 % 56 % 111 % 80 % Intermountain 116 % 81 % 111 % 92 % * Degree days are a measure of the daily temperature-related demand for energy for heating.

The combined utility businesses reported earnings of $5.0 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to $200,000 for the same period in 2016. This increase reflects higher natural gas distribution retail sales margins largely resulting from 19 percent higher retail sales volumes to all customer classes, primarily colder weather in all regions and customer growth, as well as approved rate recovery; offset in part by decoupling and weather normalization in certain jurisdictions. The increase also reflects higher natural gas transportation margins. Also included in the utility earnings were lower electric retail sales margins due to 2 percent lower retail sales volumes, largely offset by approved rate increases. The second quarter also reflects the effects of a true-up of interim rates related to the approved settlement of the North Dakota electric case.

The following information highlights the key growth strategies, projections and certain assumptions for the utility segments:

The company expects to grow its rate base by approximately 4 percent annually over the next five years on a compound basis. This growth projection is on a much larger base, having grown rate base at a record pace of 12 percent compounded annually over the past five-year period. The utility operations are spread across eight states where customer growth is expected to be higher than the national average. This customer growth, along with system upgrades and replacements needed to supply safe and reliable service, will require investments in new electric generation and transmission, and electric and natural gas distribution. Rate base at Dec. 31, 2016 , was $1.9 billion .

, was . The company expects its customer base to grow by 1 to 2 percent per year.

In June 2016 , the company, along with a partner, began a 345-kilovolt transmission line from Ellendale, North Dakota , to Big Stone City, South Dakota , about 160 miles. The project has been approved as a Midcontinent Independent System Operator multivalue project. All of the necessary easements have been secured. The company's total capital investment in this project is expected to be in the range of $150 million to $170 million . The company expects this project to be completed in 2019.

, the company, along with a partner, began a 345-kilovolt transmission line from , to , about 160 miles. The project has been approved as a Midcontinent Independent System Operator multivalue project. All of the necessary easements have been secured. The company's total capital investment in this project is expected to be in the range of . The company expects this project to be completed in 2019. In December 2016 , the company signed a 25-year agreement to purchase power from the expansion of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm in southwest North Dakota . The agreement includes an option to buy the project at the close of construction. The expansion of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm will boost the combined production at the wind farm to approximately 150 megawatts of renewable energy and, if purchased, will increase the company's generation portfolio from approximately 22 percent renewables to 27 percent. The original 107.5-MW Thunder Spirit Wind farm includes 43 turbines; it was purchased by the company in December 2015 . The expansion will include 13 to 16 turbines, depending on the turbine size selected. It is expected to be on line in December 2018 . Construction costs for the project are estimated to be $85 million . In June 2017 , the company filed with the North Dakota Public Service Commission an advance determination of prudence for the purchase of this expansion.

, the company signed a 25-year agreement to purchase power from the expansion of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm in southwest . The agreement includes an option to buy the project at the close of construction. The expansion of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm will boost the combined production at the wind farm to approximately 150 megawatts of renewable energy and, if purchased, will increase the company's generation portfolio from approximately 22 percent renewables to 27 percent. The original 107.5-MW Thunder Spirit Wind farm includes 43 turbines; it was purchased by the company in . The expansion will include 13 to 16 turbines, depending on the turbine size selected. It is expected to be on line in . Construction costs for the project are estimated to be . In , the company filed with the North Dakota Public Service Commission an advance determination of prudence for the purchase of this expansion. In June 2017 , the company filed its 2017 North Dakota Electric Integrated Resource Plan. The plan includes the proposed purchase of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm expansion project and the development and design of a large combined-cycle natural gas-fired facility.

, the company filed its 2017 North Dakota Electric Integrated Resource Plan. The plan includes the proposed purchase of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm expansion project and the development and design of a large combined-cycle natural gas-fired facility. The company is involved in a number of pipeline projects to enhance the reliability and deliverability of its system.

The company is focused on organic growth, while monitoring potential merger and acquisition opportunities.

Regulatory actions

Completed Cases:

Since Jan. 1, 2017 , the company has received approval on final rate increases totaling $33.0 million in annual revenue. This includes electric rate proceedings in Montana , North Dakota , South Dakota , Wyoming and before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and natural gas proceedings in Idaho , Minnesota , Montana and Oregon . Recently approved final rates include:

Since , the company has received approval on final rate increases totaling in annual revenue. This includes electric rate proceedings in , , , and before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and natural gas proceedings in , , and . Recently approved final rates include: On June 16, 2017 , the NDPSC approved the settlement agreement filed by the company on April 7, 2017 , as it relates to the electric general rate case application filed on Oct. 14, 2016. The approved settlement agreement includes a net increase of approximately $7 .5 million or 3.7 percent above previously approved final rates; a true-up of the return on equity used in the interim renewable resource cost adjustment, the electric generation resource recovery and transmission cost adjustment riders of 9.45 percent; a return on equity of 9.65 percent for base rates and the renewable resource cost adjustment rider on a go-forward basis; and a return on equity of 9.45 percent through Dec. 31, 2019, for the natural gas-fired internal combustion engines and associated facilities included in the electric generation resource recovery rider. Final rates are less than the interim rates currently in effect; therefore, the company will refund the difference to customers.

Pending Cases:

The company is requesting rate increases totaling $13.9 million in annual revenue. Cases recently filed include:

On May 31, 2017 , the company filed an application with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for an annual pipeline replacement cost recovery mechanism of approximately $1.6 million or approximately 0.75 percent of additional revenue. The requested increase includes incremental pipeline replacement investments associated with qualifying pipeline integrity projects. If approved, rates will be effective Nov. 1, 2017 . This matter is pending before the WUTC.

, the company filed an application with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for an annual pipeline replacement cost recovery mechanism of approximately or approximately 0.75 percent of additional revenue. The requested increase includes incremental pipeline replacement investments associated with qualifying pipeline integrity projects. If approved, rates will be effective . This matter is pending before the WUTC.

On June 30, 2017 , the company filed an application for advance determination of prudence and a certificate of public convenience and necessity with the NDPSC to purchase an expansion of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm. The advance determination of prudence would provide the company with assurance that the project is prudent and in the best interest of the public and assists in the recovery of the company's investment upon completion of the project. The expansion is expected to serve customers by the end of 2018 and is estimated to cost approximately $85 million .

, the company filed an application for advance determination of prudence and a certificate of public convenience and necessity with the NDPSC to purchase an expansion of the Thunder Spirit Wind farm. The advance determination of prudence would provide the company with assurance that the project is prudent and in the best interest of the public and assists in the recovery of the company's investment upon completion of the project. The expansion is expected to serve customers by the end of 2018 and is estimated to cost approximately .

On July 21, 2017 , the company filed an application with the NDPSC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately $5.9 million or approximately 5.4 percent above current annual revenues. The requested increase is primarily to recover the increased investment in distribution facilities to enhance system safety and reliability and the depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment. The company is introducing a System Safety Integrity Program and the proposed adjustment mechanism required to fund the SSIP. The company has requested an interim increase of approximately $4.6 million or approximately 4.2 percent, subject to refund. This matter is pending before the NDPSC.

, the company filed an application with the NDPSC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately or approximately 5.4 percent above current annual revenues. The requested increase is primarily to recover the increased investment in distribution facilities to enhance system safety and reliability and the depreciation and taxes associated with the increase in investment. The company is introducing a System Safety Integrity Program and the proposed adjustment mechanism required to fund the SSIP. The company has requested an interim increase of approximately or approximately 4.2 percent, subject to refund. This matter is pending before the NDPSC.

On July 31, 2017 , the company filed an application with the WUTC for a natural gas rate increase of approximately $5.9 million annually or approximately 2.7 percent above current rates. The requested increase includes costs associated with increased infrastructure investment and the associated operating expenses. Also included in the request is recovery of operation and maintenance costs associated with a maximum allowable operating pressure validation plan. This matter is pending before the WUTC.

For a further discussion on the company's regulatory matters, refer to Item 1 - Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the company's most recent Form 10-Q.

Pipeline and Midstream









Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(Dollars in millions) Operating revenues $ 30.2

$ 36.3

$ 58.3

$ 69.7

Operating expenses:







Operation and maintenance 13.7

15.1

27.2

29.0

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 4.1

6.1

8.2

12.4

Taxes, other than income 3.1

3.1

6.1

5.8



20.9

24.3

41.5

47.2

Operating income 9.3

12.0

16.8

22.5

Earnings $ 5.3

$ 6.3

$ 9.2

$ 11.6

Transportation volumes (MMdk) 79.4

74.1

146.5

149.4

Natural gas gathering volumes (MMdk) 4.1

5.0

8.0

9.9

Customer natural gas storage balance (MMdk):





Beginning of period 15.0

14.5

26.4

16.6

Net injection (withdrawal) 10.1

13.6

(1.3)

11.5

End of period 25.1

28.1

25.1

28.1



The pipeline and midstream segment reported earnings of $5.3 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to $6.3 million for the same period in 2016. The earnings decrease reflects lower gathering and processing earnings due to the sale of Pronghorn in January 2017, partially offset by lower interest expense due to lower debt balances.

The following information highlights the key growth strategies, projections and certain assumptions for this segment:

In September 2016 , the company secured sufficient capacity commitments and started survey work on a 38-mile pipeline that will deliver natural gas supply to eastern North Dakota and far western Minnesota . The Valley Expansion project will connect the Viking Gas Transmission Company pipeline near Felton, Minnesota , to the company's existing pipeline near Mapleton, North Dakota . Cost of the expansion is estimated at $55 million to $60 million . The project, which is designed to transport 40 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, is under the jurisdiction of the FERC. In October 2016 , the company received FERC approval on its pre-filing for the Valley Expansion project. With minor enhancements, the pipeline will be able to transport significantly more volume if required, based on capacity requested or as needed in the future as the region's demand grows. Following receipt of necessary permits and regulatory approvals, construction is expected to begin in 2018 with completion expected late that same year.

, the company secured sufficient capacity commitments and started survey work on a 38-mile pipeline that will deliver natural gas supply to eastern and far western . The Valley Expansion project will connect the Viking Gas Transmission Company pipeline near , to the company's existing pipeline near . Cost of the expansion is estimated at . The project, which is designed to transport 40 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, is under the jurisdiction of the FERC. In , the company received FERC approval on its pre-filing for the Valley Expansion project. With minor enhancements, the pipeline will be able to transport significantly more volume if required, based on capacity requested or as needed in the future as the region's demand grows. Following receipt of necessary permits and regulatory approvals, construction is expected to begin in 2018 with completion expected late that same year. The Charbonneau and Line Section 25 expansion projects, which include a new compression station as well as other compression additions and enhancements at existing stations, were placed into service in the second quarter of 2017. The company has signed long-term agreements supporting the expansion projects.

In June 2017 , the company announced plans to complete a Line Section 27 expansion project. The project will include approximately 13 miles of new pipeline and associated facilities. The project, as designed, will increase capacity by over 200,000 dekatherms per day and bring total capacity to over 600,000 dk per day. The project is expected to be placed in-service in the fall of 2018. The company has signed long-term contracts supporting this expansion and expects construction costs to range from $27 million to $30 million .

, the company announced plans to complete a 27 expansion project. The project will include approximately 13 miles of new pipeline and associated facilities. The project, as designed, will increase capacity by over 200,000 dekatherms per day and bring total capacity to over 600,000 dk per day. The project is expected to be placed in-service in the fall of 2018. The company has signed long-term contracts supporting this expansion and expects construction costs to range from . The company continues to focus on growing and improving existing operations through organic projects to become the leading pipeline company and midstream provider in all areas in which it operates.

Construction Materials and Services





Construction Materials and Contracting





Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(Dollars in millions) Operating revenues $ 501.6

$ 541.4

$ 702.5

$ 751.3

Operating expenses:







Operation and maintenance 437.2

456.6

643.1

661.2

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 14.4

14.8

28.1

29.9

Taxes, other than income 12.0

11.9

20.9

21.4



463.6

483.3

692.1

712.5

Operating income 38.0

58.1

10.4

38.8

Earnings $ 21.2

$ 33.7

$ 1.3

$ 19.2

Sales (000's):







Aggregates (tons) 7,374

7,659

10,879

11,285

Asphalt (tons) 1,830

2,213

2,045

2,452

Ready-mixed concrete (cubic yards) 1,037

1,050

1,599

1,694

















Construction Services







Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(In millions) Operating revenues $ 336.3

$ 286.0

$ 635.9

$ 542.0

Operating expenses:







Operation and maintenance 300.1

260.7

569.7

494.3

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 4.0

3.8

8.0

7.6

Taxes, other than income 11.5

9.7

24.8

20.4



315.6

274.2

602.5

522.3

Operating income 20.7

11.8

33.4

19.7

Earnings $ 12.4

$ 7.0

$ 19.7

$ 13.0



The combined construction materials and services businesses reported earnings of $33.6 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to $40.7 million in 2016.

The construction services business reported an increase in earnings of $5.4 million as compared to second quarter 2016 due to higher inside workloads and margins, largely due to an increase in the number and size of projects that moved into full construction during the quarter, as well as higher outside margins. Partially offsetting these increases was higher selling, general and administrative expense, primarily payroll-related costs.

The construction materials business reported a decrease in earnings of $12.5 million as compared to second quarter 2016, which reflects lower asphalt product volumes and margins, primarily due to weather-related delays, increased competition and increasing material costs. Also contributing to the decrease was lower construction margins primarily due to lower revenues resulting from poor weather conditions that caused a delay in the start of projects.

The following information highlights the key growth strategies, projections and certain assumptions for the construction segments:

The construction services work backlog at June 30 was $596 million , compared to $508 million a year ago.

was , compared to a year ago. The construction materials backlog at June 30 was $766 million , compared to $805 million a year ago.

was , compared to a year ago. Projected revenues included in the company's 2017 earnings guidance are in the range of $1.8 billion to $1.9 billion for construction materials and $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion for construction services.

for construction materials and for construction services. The company anticipates margins in 2017 to be slightly lower at construction materials as compared to 2016 and construction services' 2017 margins are expected to be comparable to 2016.

Construction materials expects public sector workload growth as anticipated new state and local infrastructure spending initiatives are introduced. California's $52.4 billion Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and the $5.3 billion transportation package in Oregon , are expected to drive demand in both the near and far term.

Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and the transportation package in , are expected to drive demand in both the near and far term. The construction services business continues to pursue opportunities for expansion in energy projects such as petrochemical, transmission, substations, utility services and renewables. Initiatives are aimed at capturing additional market share and expanding into new markets.

As one of the country's largest sand and gravel producers, construction materials will continue to strategically manage its 1.0 billion tons of aggregate reserves in all its markets, as well as take further advantage of being vertically integrated.

As the 13th-largest specialty contractor, as ranked on Engineering News-Record's 2016 Top 600 Specialty Contractors list, construction services continues to pursue opportunities for expansion and execute initiatives in current and new markets that align with the company's expertise, resources and strategic growth plan.

Other







Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(In millions) Operating revenues $ 1.9

$ 2.1

$ 4.0

$ 4.1

Operating expenses:







Operation and maintenance 4.4

2.2

5.6

3.9

Depreciation, depletion and amortization .5

.5

1.1

1.0

Taxes, other than income 



.1

.1



4.9

2.7

6.8

5.0

Operating loss (3.0)

(.6)

(2.8)

(.9)

Loss $ (2.2)

$ (1.1)

$ (2.5)

$ (2.6)



Included in Other are general and administrative costs and interest expense previously allocated to the exploration and production and refining businesses that do not meet the criteria for income (loss) from discontinued operations. Other loss increased $1.1 million primarily due to a loss on the disposition of certain assets offset in part by lower interest expense due to the repayment of long-term debt with the sale of the remaining exploration and production assets.

Discontinued Operations







Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017



2016

2017



2016



(In millions) Income (loss) from discontinued operations before intercompany eliminations, net of tax $ (1.1)



$ (285.1)

$ 2.8



$ (303.3)

Intercompany eliminations (2.1) *

9.0

(4.3) *

9.1

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (3.2)



(276.1)

(1.5)



(294.2)

Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interest 



(120.7)





(131.7)

Loss from discontinued operations attributable to the company, net of tax $ (3.2)



$ (155.4)

$ (1.5)



$ (162.5)

* Includes eliminations for the presentation of income tax adjustments between continuing and discontinued operations.

The results of operations for the exploration and production and refining businesses, except certain general and administrative costs and interest expense that do not meet the criteria for income (loss) from discontinued operations, are included in income (loss) from discontinued operations.

The company's discontinued operations reported a loss of $3.2 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared to a loss of $155.4 million in 2016. The decreased loss was largely due to the absence in 2017 of a loss associated with the sale of the refining business, which was sold in June 2016.

Risk Factors and Cautionary Statements That May Affect Future Results

The information in this release includes certain forward-looking statements, including earnings per share guidance, other financial and business projections, and statements by the president and CEO of MDU Resources, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although the company believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, actual results may differ materially. Following are important factors that could cause actual results or outcomes for the company to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements.

The company's pipeline and midstream business is dependent on factors, including commodity prices and commodity price basis differentials, that are subject to various external influences that cannot be controlled.

The regulatory approval, permitting, construction, startup and/or operation of pipelines and power generation and transmission facilities may involve unanticipated events or delays that could negatively impact the company's business and its results of operations and cash flows.

Economic volatility, including volatility in North Dakota's Bakken region, affects the company's operations, as well as the demand for its products and services and the value of its investments and investment returns including its pension and other postretirement benefit plans, and may have a negative impact on the company's future revenues and cash flows.

Bakken region, affects the company's operations, as well as the demand for its products and services and the value of its investments and investment returns including its pension and other postretirement benefit plans, and may have a negative impact on the company's future revenues and cash flows. The company relies on financing sources and capital markets. Access to these markets may be adversely affected by factors beyond the company's control. If the company is unable to obtain cost effective financing in the future, the company's ability to execute its business plans, make capital expenditures or pursue acquisitions that the company may otherwise rely on for future growth could be impaired. As a result, the market value of the company's common stock may be adversely affected. If the company issues a substantial amount of common stock it could have a dilutive effect on its existing shareholders.

The company is exposed to credit risk and the risk of loss resulting from the nonpayment and/or nonperformance by the company's customers and counterparties.

The backlogs at the company's construction materials and contracting and construction services businesses are subject to delay or cancellation and may not be realized.

The company's operations are subject to environmental laws and regulations that may increase costs of operations, impact or limit business plans, or expose the company to environmental liabilities.

Initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could adversely impact the company's operations.

The company is subject to government regulations that may delay and/or have a negative impact on its business and its results of operations and cash flows. Statutory and regulatory requirements also may limit another party's ability to acquire the company or impose conditions on an acquisition of or by the company.

The company's electric and natural gas transmission and distribution operations involve risks that may result in accidents. These events and pipeline safety regulation costs could adversely affect the company's business and its results of operations and cash flows.

Weather conditions can adversely affect the company's operations, revenues and cash flows.

Competition exists in all of the company's businesses.

The company could be subject to limitations on its ability to pay dividends.

Costs related to obligations under multiemployer pension plans could have a material negative effect on the company's results of operations and cash flows.

The company's operations may be negatively impacted by cyber attacks or acts of terrorism.

The company may be subject to potential material liabilities relating to the past sale of assets or businesses, primarily arising from events prior to sale.

Other factors that could cause actual results or outcomes for the company to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements include:

Acquisition, disposal and impairments of assets or facilities.

Changes in operation, performance and construction of plant facilities or other assets.

Changes in present or prospective generation.

The ability to obtain adequate and timely cost recovery for the company's regulated operations through regulatory proceedings.

The availability of economic expansion or development opportunities.

Population growth rates and demographic patterns.

Market demand for, available supplies of, and/or costs of, energy- and construction-related products and services.

The cyclical nature of large construction projects at certain operations.

Changes in tax rates, policies or tax reform.

Unanticipated project delays or changes in project costs, including related energy costs.

Unanticipated changes in operating expenses or capital expenditures.

Labor negotiations or disputes.

Inability of the contract counterparties to meet their contractual obligations.

Changes in accounting principles and/or the application of such principles to the company.

Changes in technology.

Changes in legal or regulatory proceedings.

The ability to effectively integrate the operations and the internal controls of acquired companies.

The ability to attract and retain skilled labor and key personnel.

Increases in employee and retiree benefit costs and funding requirements.

For a further discussion of these risk factors and cautionary statements, refer to Item 1A  Risk Factors in the company's most recent Form 10-K.

MDU Resources Group, Inc.





Three Months Ended Six Months Ended

June 30, June 30,

2017

2016

2017

2016



(In millions, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited) Operating revenues $ 1,067.6

$ 1,043.9

$ 2,005.6

$ 1,904.2

Operating expenses:







Electric fuel and purchased power 16.8

15.9

38.6

37.9

Purchased natural gas sold 57.7

47.4

250.6

208.5

Operation and maintenance 820.9

799.8

1,378.2

1,317.0

Depreciation, depletion and amortization 51.6

54.2

103.0

109.1

Taxes, other than income 40.9

37.6

88.4

80.7



987.9

954.9

1,858.8

1,753.2

Operating income 79.7

89.0

146.8

151.0

Other income .8

.9

1.8

1.9

Interest expense 20.8

22.3

41.1

45.1

Income before income taxes 59.7

67.6

107.5

107.8

Income taxes 15.3

21.3

27.5

29.6

Income from continuing operations 44.4

46.3

80.0

78.2

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (3.2)

(276.1)

(1.5)

(294.2)

Net income (loss) 41.2

(229.8)

78.5

(216.0)

Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interest 

(120.7)



(131.7)

Loss on redemption of preferred stocks .6



.6



Dividends declared on preferred stocks 

.2

.1

.3

Earnings (loss) on common stock $ 40.6

$ (109.3)

$ 77.8

$ (84.6)











Earnings (loss) per common share  basic:







Earnings before discontinued operations $ .22

$ .24

$ .41

$ .40

Discontinued operations attributable to the company, net of tax (.01)

(.80)

(.01)

(.83)

Earnings (loss) per common share  basic $ .21

$ (.56)

$ .40

$ (.43)

Earnings (loss) per common share  diluted:







Earnings before discontinued operations $ .22

$ .24

$ .40

$ .40

Discontinued operations attributable to the company, net of tax (.01)

(.80)



(.83)

Earnings (loss) per common share  diluted $ .21

$ (.56)

$ .40

$ (.43)

Dividends declared per common share $ .1925

$ .1875

$ .3850

$ .3750

Weighted average common shares outstanding  basic 195.3

195.3

195.3

195.3

Weighted average common shares outstanding  diluted 196.0

195.7

196.0

195.7





June 30,

2017



2016



(Unaudited) Other Financial Data





Book value per common share $ 11.79



$ 11.38

Market price per common share $ 26.20



$ 24.00

Dividend yield (indicated annual rate) 2.9%



3.1%

Price/earnings from continuing operations ratio (12 months ended) 22.0x



23.5x

Market value as a percent of book value 222.2%



210.9%

Net operating cash flow (year to date)* $ 139



$ 103

Total assets* $ 6,230



$ 6,352

Total equity* $ 2,303



$ 2,238

Total debt* $ 1,761



$ 1,987

Capitalization ratios:





Total equity 56.7%



53.0%

Total debt 43.3



47.0



100.0%



100.0%

* In millions

SOURCE MDU Resources Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.mdu.com


SAN DIEGO, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (MJNA), the first publicly traded cannabis company in the United States, today announced that it supports the decision of the Senate Appropriations Committee to approve renewal of the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, which prohibits the Justice Department from spending funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws. The amendment was enacted in 2014 and has been renewed each year since then.

As America took its latest step in protecting its state-sanctioned medical cannabis programs, just south of the border a group of renowned doctors met to discuss the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. During the LX Annual Meeting and National Congress of the Mexican Chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy in Tijuana, Mexico, Medical Marijuana Inc. subsidiary HempMeds Mexico provided information about cannabinoid products for the treatment of neurodegenerative conditions, such as epilepsy. The event shared results obtained by Mexican doctors using the first cannabis based treatment approved in Mexico that is the Company's Real Scientific Hemp Oil-X (RSHO-X).

"We are encouraged by the United States Senate Appropriations Committee's decision to protect the wellbeing of millions of patients in states that have taken the necessary steps to create a legal cannabis program by renewing this amendment," said Medical Marijuana Inc. CEO Dr. Stuart Titus. "With 60% of US States now with medical cannabis laws in place, it would be absurd not to ensure the success of these fully state-sanctioned cannabis programs."

In the United States, a total of 30 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico now allow for comprehensive public medical cannabis programs. Sixteen states allow the use of low THC, high cannabidiol (CBD).

About Medical Marijuana, Inc.

We are a company of firsts. Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com.

To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER AND DISCLOSURES

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties.

The statements in this press release have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. The Company does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act. The Company does sell and distribute hemp-based products.

Public Relations Contact:

Andrew Hard

Chief Executive Officer

CMW Media

P. 888-829- 0070

[email protected]

www.cmwmedia.com

SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.medicalmarijuanainc.com


Common Shares to Commence Trading on August 2, 2017 under the Symbol "MDNA"

TORONTO and HOUSTON, TX, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. ("Medicenna" or the "Company") (TSXV: MDNA), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company enrolling patients in a Phase 2b recurrent glioblastoma trial, announced today that its common shares will commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") as of the opening of trading on August 2, 2017 under the Company's current trading symbol, "MDNA".

"It is gratifying to announce another milestone for the Company and our shareholders. We believe that graduating to the TSX, the premier stock exchange in Canada, will enhance our visibility within the capital markets and will open the door to a whole new spectrum of the investment community in Canada and the United States," said Ms. Elizabeth Williams, CFO at Medicenna.

"We continue to make progress enrolling patients in the MDNA55 Phase 2b clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma, the most aggressive and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer, and we look forward to providing clinical updates this year," said Dr. Fahar Merchant, Chairman, President and CEO. "A senior listing in Canada marks an important step in our growth strategy and will raise the profile of our company as we build a pipeline of groundbreaking immunotherapies for cancer," added Dr. Merchant.

Medicenna's common shares will continue to trade under CUSIP #58490H107 and ISIN #CA58490H1073 but will cease trading on the TSX Venture Exchange concurrent with the commencement of trading on the TSX.

About Medicenna Therapeutics Corp.

Medicenna is a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing novel highly selective versions of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 Superkines and first in class Empowered Cytokines (ECs). Its wholly owned subsidiary, Houston-based Medicenna BioPharma, is specifically targeting the Interleukin-4 Receptor (IL4R), which is over-expressed by at least 20 different types of cancer affecting more than one million new cancer patients every year. Medicenna's lead IL4-EC, MDNA55 is enrolling patients in a Phase 2b clinical trial for rGB at leading brain cancer centres in the US. MDNA55 has completed 3 clinical trials in 72 patients, including 66 adults with rGB, demonstrated compelling efficacy and obtained Fast-Track and Orphan Drug status from USFDA. Unlike most other cancer therapies, Medicenna's IL4-ECs have the potential to purge both the tumor and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, offering a unique treatment paradigm for a large majority of cancer patients.

For more information, please visit www.medicenna.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding our clinical progress in the MDNA55 Phase 2b clinical trial and others are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the risks detailed in the Annual Information Form of the Company dated June 15, 2017 and in other filings made by the Company with the applicable securities regulators from time to time.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by Canadian securities law.

SOURCE Medicenna Therapeutics Corp.
TORONTO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Metro Supply Chain Group Inc. ("Metro") announced today that it has acquired National Fulfillment Services Inc. ("NFS"). Headquartered in Aston Pennsylvania, NFS is a privately-owned company with a more than fifty year tenure in direct-to-consumer fulfillment.

Metro's Group President, Martin Graham, sees this as an important step in the build-out of the company's e-commerce (B2C) services which operate under the E24 brand. "NFS has recently expanded its operations onto the west coast of the U.S. and now, as part of the Metro family, we expect to see their service offering expanded to two Canadian centres within the year."

"NFS was there at the genesis of systems-based fulfillment and grew up in step with that industry," says NFS President, Tom Krueger. "We started developing fulfillment software in 1965 and have built an array of solutions that encompass order management (including payment), customer call centres and comprehensive warehousing and distribution. Simply put, we provide full service, turnkey e-commerce fulfillment that can respond and adapt to each customer's unique requirements."

Metro's Chiko Nanji, Group Chairman, describes this latest acquisition as a natural step in the evolution of the Montreal-based logistics company: "Our business has always been about staying at the edge of innovation and providing a seamless and exceptional customer experience. NFS strategically aligns with that mandate."

About Metro Supply Chain Group

The Metro Supply Chain Group of Companies is a Canadian-owned leading provider of third-party logistics (3PL) services across North America and Europe with more than 5,000 associates in the team. It supplies customized services to all industries with a significant presence in the consumer packaged goods, retail, automotive, fashion and e-commerce sectors. The Group manages over 11 million sq. ft. of strategically located warehousing and co-pack centres and has transportation solutions that include managed transport services, dedicated fleet management and global time critical logistics response. For more information, visit metroscg.com.

About National Fulfillment Services

National Fulfillment Services was conceived as a software consulting firm in the early 1970s (considerably before "software" was a commonly understood term) by former Sperry Univac programmer Gene Krueger. The company, whose initial clients included McGraw Hill and TV Guide, has continually adapted its systems and capabilities to provide relevant end-to-end fulfillment solutions. Today, NFS is recognized as an innovator in its field, noted for its ability to combine data analysis with warehousing/distribution proficiency and advanced end-user care to provide worry-free, third-party fulfillment to a global customer base. For more information, visit nfsrv.com.

SOURCE Metro Supply Chain Group
Michael Garson has more than 20 years of experience as an attorney in private practice, an in-house general counsel, and a C-suite operations and compliance executive. In those roles, he has advised enterprises of all sizes on US federal, state, and municipal procurements and grants and has specific expertise in the defense, intelligence and technology markets. He specializes in assisting clients as they build and execute market strategies, in the preparation of winning bids and proposals, and in the design of compliant and efficient business processes and systems.

In addition, Mr. Garson develops and monitors ethics and compliance programs, conducts internal investigations, and oversees data management, intellectual property and cybersecurity practices for clients. He also prepares and analyzes high-stake claims for litigation and is an experienced specialist in both pre-acquisition due diligence and post-acquisition integrations for business issues involving government contractors, including involvement in several matters with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and FOCI-mitigated entities with facility clearances.

Before joining Ankura, Mr. Garson provided government contracting and business advisory services to a variety of companies through his own independent consulting firm, Strategys Consulting. Before that, he served in various capacities over a 12-year period for US defense contractor LGS Innovations and its main predecessor, Lucent Technologies Government Solutions. While at LGS, Mr. Garson's roles notably included executive vice president and chief administrative officer, general counsel and secretary, and chief compliance and ethics officer. Mr. Garson began his professional career as an attorney in private legal practice in the DC metropolitan area, representing clients in government contracting and grant matters.

Ankura Co-President Philip Daddona stated, "When faced with the complexities for businesses and enterprises embarking and performing on government contracts and grant work, Ankura clients know that Mike is here when they need a trusted, experienced, and knowledgeable advisor to help them navigate the process. His commitment to issues related to ethics and compliance match Ankura's collaborative values and we are very pleased that he has joined us at this juncture of the firm's ongoing growth and development."

Mr. Garson said, "It's an incredibly exciting time to be joining Ankura. With its strong  and still growing  reputation in the business advisory industry and amazing roster of professionals across all lines of its business, Ankura is the right place for me to develop a government contracts and grants advisory practice and team. With the firm's focus on collaboration, I know that my Ankura clients will have available to them the highest level and broadest range of solutions for their needs, while hopefully my expertise can return the same ability to others at Ankura to enhance their client service abilities."

About Ankura Consulting

Ankura Consulting, an independent business advisory and expert services firm, is defined by a culture of collaboration and focused on delivering unrivaled depths of knowledge to clients, addressing important opportunities and critical choices every day. Our Investigations & Accounting Advisory, Litigation & Disputes, Regulatory & Contractual Compliance, Risk, Resilience & Geopolitical, and Turnaround & Restructuring professionals are proven cross-disciplinary and cross-industry experts who create the diverse and dynamic solutions required to navigate today's complicated world. At Ankura, we know that collaboration drives results.

SOURCE Ankura Consulting

Related Links

http://www.ankuraconsulting.com


LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Micro Kickboard, the premium Swiss-designed scooter brand announced it is giving away 100 scooters to celebrate its 10th anniversary and the opening of a downtown LA office. Ten scooters will be given away each day for 10 days, starting Aug. 1 on their Facebook page.

Micro Kickboard

Known for lightweight and portable scooters for adults as well as kids, Micro Kickboard opened its doors in the U.S. in 2007 with the introduction of the Mini Kickboard scooter for children, an instant success in urban areas on the East and West coasts, thanks to its smooth glide and exceptional durability. Popular with celebrities, the Mini has featured regularly in the celebrity press.

Micro's innovative products for adults are now being adopted by traffic-weary urbanites who are using them to optimize mass transit by speeding up the first and last mile of their commute. The scooters work in conjunction with buses and trains as they can be folded up and carried on. Riders say that portability is key, enabling them to easily carry their personal transport with them, into their office or apartment.

Micro Kickboard owners Julie and Geoff Hawksworth reference recent pop-ups at Facebook's campus where hundreds of employees purchased Micro scooters to help speed up the first and last mile of their daily commute. Commuters say the appeal is improved control over their schedule but also like the idea of active transport, preferring the exercise they get riding a scooter over sitting in traffic or waiting for Uber or the bus.

As both cities and corporations with large campuses struggle with transport solutions (it was reported recently that what keeps Elon Musk awake at night is worrying about his parking lot, more so than his mission to Mars), Micro says its scooters offer a quick and easy solution that work within existing infrastructures, as they don't require bike lanes or special dedicated bike space on buses and trains. Scooters are an inexpensive part of the solution to a large and complicated problem, one tool in the toolbox, but a useful, low-cost and convenient one.

The evolution of the scooter from a toy for kids to transport for adults was largely the result of efforts by Micro, who began using the strongest, lightest-weight materials, which made the scooters more durable, portable, and comfortable to ride a distance. Micro's recent innovations include the Micro Luggage, a line of electric scooters scheduled to launch December 2017 and in 2018, they will introduce an electric car, the Microlino, based on the Italian Izetta.

Commuters in LA may see the Micro team test-riding the new e-micros as Julie and Geoff don't plan to own a car when they officially move to LA this month  having lived in traffic-challenged New York and London, they say they are looking forward to using Micro together with mass transit to get around.

Having also spent time in LA, the Micro owners have been following Eric Garcetti's and the City Council's Mobility Plan efforts and think LA is poised to become the leader in urban mobility.

Related Links

Micro Kickboard Website

SOURCE Micro Kickboard
MONTREAL, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Milestone Pharmaceuticals Montreal, Canada, Inc., a clinical stage cardiovascular company, today announced the completion of a US$55 million Series C financing. The round was led by Novo Holdings A/S, and included new investors Forbion Capital Partners and funds managed by Tekla Capital Management, with significant participation from Milestone's existing investors Domain Associates, Fonds de solidarite FTQ, BDC Capital, Pappas Capital, and GO Capital.

The funding will be used to advance etripamil, the company's lead product, into Phase 3 development including the execution of pivotal and supportive clinical trials, the production of clinical and commercial supplies and pre-launch commercialization activities. Additionally, the funding will be used to expand the company's resources including select additional headcount and advisory support in strategic areas including Marketing and Medical Affairs. Etripamil is a novel, potent, short-acting calcium channel blocker developed as a fast-acting nasal spray that can be administered by the patient to terminate paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episodes wherever and whenever they occur. In May 2017, at the Heart Rhythm Society's 38th Annual Scientific Late Breaker Session, Milestone presented results from its Phase 2 trial (NODE-1) which showed that etripamil demonstrated statistically significant efficacy compared to placebo for the acute termination of PSVT induced in an electrophysiology laboratory.

"Following our successful Phase 2 study results, we have been actively planning for the progression of etripamil into the next phase of development to further evaluate its potential as the only patient-administered treatment for the acute termination of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia," said Joseph Oliveto, Milestone's President and Chief Executive Officer. "With financing in place by such seasoned and well-respected healthcare investors, Milestone is well positioned to advance and optimize this cutting-edge, novel approach for treating PSVT and potentially reduce the associated frequency of expensive emergency room visits and patient burden it causes each year."

In conjunction with this financing, joining Milestone's Board of Directors will be Nilesh Kumar, PhD, of Novo Ventures US Inc., which provides consulting services to Novo Holdings A/S, and Marco Boorsma, PhD, of Forbion Capital Partners. Daniel Omstead of Tekla Capital Management will be an observer to the Board of Directors.

"We are excited to join Milestone in the development of a novel approach for the treatment of PSVT," said Nilesh Kumar, Partner, Novo Ventures. "There is a significant unmet need in the treatment of this condition and, with strong Phase 2 data, we look forward to seeing etripamil progress in pivotal trials."

"We welcome colleagues from Novo, Forbion and Tekla to our existing investor group which supported Milestone through achievement of proof of concept in its Phase 2 program," said Didier Leconte, Senior Director Investments, Life Science, Fonds de solidarite FTQ. "We look forward to working together as Milestone builds future value and executes the Phase 3 plan."

About Etripamil

Etripamil is a novel, potent, short-acting calcium channel blocker developed as a fast-acting nasal spray that can be administered by the patient to terminate paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episodes wherever and whenever they occur. A Phase 2 clinical trial (NODE-1) was successfully completed in the United States and Canada. Information regarding the NODE-1 clinical trial may be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (study identifier NCT02296190). Milestone is actively recruiting clinical sites for a Phase 3 trial of etripamil in the at-home setting enrolling patients with confirmed diagnosis of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular re-entry tachycardia (AVRT). Etripamil is not currently approved for the treatment of PSVT or for any other indication anywhere in the world.

About Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia is a condition that afflicts approximately 1.7 million people and results in over 600,000 healthcare claims in the US alone per year. During a PSVT episode, patients may feel palpitations while heart rate increases dramatically and can exceed 200 beats per minute. Although the condition is not life threatening, it causes great distress to the patient and often results in a visit to a hospital emergency room where the patient is usually administered intravenous drugs and monitored until the symptoms resolve.

About Novo Holdings A/S

Novo Holdings is a private Danish limited liability company wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The company is the holding company in the Novo Group, comprising Novo Nordisk A/S, Novozymes A/S and NNIT A/S, and is responsible for managing the Foundation's assets. In addition to being the major shareholder in the Novo Group companies, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies, takes significant ownership positions in well-established companies within life science and manages a broad portfolio of financial assets. Read more at www.novoholdings.dk.

About Forbion Capital Partners

Forbion Capital Partners is a dedicated life sciences venture capital firm with offices in The Netherlands and Germany. Forbion invests in life sciences companies across the pharmaceutical as well as the medical device space. Its investment team has built an impressive performance track record since the late nineties with successful investments in over 60 companies. Forbion manages well over EUR 750M (USD 850M) across nine funds. Its investors include the EIF, through its European Recovery Programme (ERP), LfA and Dutch Venture Initiative (DVI) facilities and the KFW through the ERP - Venture Capital Fondsfinanzierung facility. Forbion also has a partnership with BioGeneration Ventures, who manage three separate seed and early stage funds focused on the BeNeLux.

About Tekla Capital Management LLC

Tekla Capital Management LLC is a registered investment adviser based in Boston, Massachusetts and is the investment adviser for four closed-end funds, Tekla Healthcare Investors, Tekla Life Sciences Investors, Tekla Healthcare Opportunities Fund and Tekla World Healthcare Fund. The Funds predominately invest in the securities of public and private healthcare companies.

About Domain Associates

Founded in 1985, Domain was one of the first venture capital firms to exclusively invest in the life sciences sector. Today, with more than $2.7 billion in capital raised, Domain has been a trusted partner in life sciences investing, helping more than 260 companies develop novel medical products to advance human health. Read more at www.domainvc.com.

About the Fonds de solidarite FTQ

The Fonds de solidarite FTQ is a development capital investment fund that channels the savings of Quebecers into investments. As of May 31, 2017, the organization had $13.1 billion in net assets, and through its current portfolio of investments has helped create and protect 186,440 jobs. The Fonds is a partner in more than 2,700 companies and has 645,664 shareholder-savers. Please visit www.fondsftq.com for more information.

About BDC Capital

A subsidiary of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), BDC Capital offers a full spectrum of specialized financing and investment solutions to help Canadian entrepreneurs achieve their full growth potential. With more than $1.6 billion under management, BDC Capital takes a strategic, patient approach to nurture companies' development over the long term. BDC Capital's Healthcare Venture Fund invests in transformative Canadian companies that dramatically increase healthcare productivity by reducing healthcare costs while improving patient health and the experienced team invests in drugs, devices, diagnostics and digital health sectors.

About Pappas Capital

Founded in 1994, Pappas Capital invests exclusively in the life sciences sector - biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, drug delivery, medical devices and related ventures - across the United States and Canada. Since 2014, three portfolio companies founded or co-founded by Pappas have been sold to large pharmaceutical companies: CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, bought in March 2017 by Eli Lilly for nearly $1 billion; Afferent Pharmaceuticals, for which Merck paid $500 million upfront and $750 million in milestones; and Lumena Pharmaceuticals, purchased by Shire for more than $300 million. For additional information, visit www.pappas-capital.com.

About Milestone Pharmaceuticals

Milestone, with headquarters in Montreal, Canada and a US subsidiary in Charlotte, NC, is a clinical stage drug development company focused on developing etripamil, a calcium channel blocker intended to provide fast-acting and short-acting treatment of PSVT episodes. For more information, please visit www.milestonepharma.com.

Contact:

David Pitts

Argot Partners

212-600-1902

[email protected]

SOURCE Milestone Pharmaceuticals

Related Links

http://www.milestonepharma.com


COSTA MESA, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mint SIM, an innovative mobile service provider, today unveils the nation's absolute lowest monthly price of any 4G LTE provider, unmatched by any wireless service in the market. The new pricing includes a risk free introductory offer of 3-months of unlimited talk and text along with 2GB of 4G LTE data per month for $15 per month. New customers can try the service 7-days risk free with a Mint SIM's new unconditional money back guarantee.

By combining Mint SIM's generous data plans with the flexibility to purchase at massive discounts, the brand is creating a web only marketplace to disrupt the conversation around how wireless is typically bought and sold. Customers can enjoy a variety of new wireless plans that continue to offer the unmatched prices and flexibility of services for today's internet shopper.

The centerpiece of Mint SIM's offering is a 3-month plan that allows new customers to try the service at the absolute lowest price while also being risk free for 7-days with a newly introduced money back guarantee. A snapshot of Mint SIM's three month plans are as follows:

2GB per month for three months at $15 /a month

/a month 5GB: per month for three months at $20 /a month

/a month 10GB: per month for three months at $25 / a month

"We live in a world where digitally savvy and agile brands like Dollar Shave Club and Casper have completely disrupted traditional business models. We built Mint SIM on similar principles and hope to become the agent of change in the category. We plan to change how people shop and ultimately buy wireless services," said Aron North, SVP of Marketing & Creative at Mint SIM. "We are thrilled to bring such an incredible offer to the market. We know we are providing our customers with the absolute lowest prices in the market. Coupling that with a 7-day money back guarantee illustrates a new paradigm in the market where the customer is presented with an opportunity to cut their wireless bill in half and can do so with zero risk."

"We are growing and scaling rapidly at Ultra Mobile and our sister brand Mint SIM is a perfect representation of how we are evolving our offering to match the future of the digital marketplace, and ultimately, democratize communication for all communities," said Rizwan Kassim Chief Strategy Officer and Partner at Ultra Mobile. "When you take a look at the overall mobile ecosystem, there has been a desire from customers for a more flexible approach to wireless amidst all of the big carrier options. We believe Mint SIM fills that need, freeing our customers up to take ownership of their wireless needs."

In conjunction with the announcement, Mint SIM will also be announcing an exclusive distribution partnership and soft bundle deal with BestBuy.com. Starting on 8/1, all nine Mint SIM plans will be available for purchase at BestBuy.com. Additionally, customers purchasing any unlocked device will have a one-time offer to bundle their device with any Mint SIM plan and receive $20 off the plan.

"Partnering with BestBuy.com is incredibly exciting," continued North. "Best Buy has continuously been a force to be reckoned with in the electronics and retail space for decades. We know the BestBuy.com customer is looking for new and exciting products and services while demanding amazing value. We believe this is the perfect partnership for us to find the same synergies that align with the Mint SIM brand."

For more information about Mint SIM and its new pricing, please visit https://www.mintsim.com/plans/.

About Mint SIM

Mint SIM is a mobile wireless provider that offers the absolute lowest price unlimited talk, text and data plans in the U.S. on T-Mobile's high speed network. The service was developed by Ultra Mobile in 2016 for the savvy internet shopper who are looking for flexible options at incredible value. Mint SIM is a web only, digitally native brand built to disrupt category conventions and committed to getting people the premium mobile service they deserve at the lowest possible price.

About Ultra Mobile

Founded in 2011, Ultra Mobile is a prepaid nationwide carrier that focuses on delivering innovative, cost effective mobile voice, text and data services for people living in the United States who regularly call or text internationally. Its international services reach over 200 international destinations. In 2015, Ultra Mobile was ranked #1 on the Inc. 500 as the fastest-growing private company in the United States. Ultra Mobile is co-headquartered in New York City and Southern California, with more than 150 employees based in USA, Europe and Asia. The company supports its customers in English, Chinese and Spanish For more information, visit: www.ultramobile.com.

SOURCE Mint SIM

Related Links

https://www.mintsim.com


SARASOTA, Fla., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rick Harrison, the star of the HISTORY's hit show "Pawn Stars," will be meeting fans at this year's American Numismatic Association (ANA) World's Fair of Money on August 3. The event will be held at Hall F of the Colorado Convention Center 700 14th St., Denver, Colorado. Harrison, a special guest of ModernCoinMart and GovMint.com, will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans at booth #1000 from 10:00 to 11:00am MT.

ModernCoinMart and GovMint.com

Harrison is the genius of "Pawn Stars" and worked hard to get the concept of the show to television. The series, which launched in 2009, gives a behind-the-scenes view into the Harrison family-run Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada. There, three generations of the Harrison family use their sharp-eyed skills to assess what's real and what's fake.

"We are excited to have Rick Harrison of 'Pawn Stars' as a special guest," says Andrew Salzberg, General Manager of ModernCoinMart. "It's a privilege for us to work with the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. Both of our organizations are passionate about coins that have a rich history and that tell a story. It is this shared passion that has forged this new, but great, partnership."

In the event someone can't make it out, ModernCoinMart and GovMint.com will be live streaming in addition to posting other content in real-time on Facebook so make sure to give those pages a like and follow.

"Pawn Stars" is airing its 14th season in the United States and is currently watched in more than 150 countries and in over 30 different languages. The show is one of TV's biggest cable hits and draws millions of viewers. Since the show's premiere, the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop has gone from seeing just 70 customers a day, to up to 4,000 daily visitors.

The American Numismatic Association, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect coins, paper money and related items. Their World's Fair of Money is one of the biggest coin shows in the United States.

If you're interested in receiving alerts, you're encourage to sign up for email notifications.

To purchase tickets to the American Numismatic Association (ANA) World's Fair of Money, visit Money.org/worldsfairofmoney.

About ModernCoinMart

ModernCoinMart, established in 2004, has pioneered the modern coin market online. The company has a professional customer service team, offers free domestic shipping on all orders with no minimum, and strives to bring their customers the lowest possible prices. To learn more, visit ModernCoinMart.com.

About GovMint.com

For more than 30 years, Bill Gale has been a nationally recognized numismatist, and is the founder and president of GovMint.com. With headquarters located in Minneapolis, MN, GovMint.com is one of the largest retailers of rare and collectible coins in the country. To learn more, visit GovMint.com.

Related Images

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SOURCE ModernCoinMart and GovMint.com
CLEVELAND, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NACCO Industries, Inc. (NYSE: NC) today announced consolidated net income of $6.8 million, or $0.99 per diluted share, and revenues of $181.1 million for the second quarter of 2017 compared with consolidated net income of $3.1 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, and revenues of $178.0 million for the second quarter of 2016.

The Company reported net income for the six months ended June 30, 2017 of $11.8 million, or $1.72 per diluted share, and revenues of $349.7 million compared with net income of $5.9 million, or $0.86 per diluted share, and revenues of $351.4 million for the first six months of 2016.

While North American Coal's Centennial mining operations in Alabama have ceased, certain wind-down and reclamation activities are continuing. Because Centennial no longer has active mines, management believes presenting the 2017 and 2016 reported U.S. GAAP financial results on an adjusted basis to exclude Centennial's results will assist investors' understanding of the performance of the active operations of both NACCO Industries, Inc. and North American Coal. "Adjusted Income Before Tax" and "Adjusted income" in this press release refer to income before income tax and net income adjusted to exclude Centennial's results. For reconciliations from U.S. GAAP results to these adjusted non-GAAP financial results, see pages 12 and 13.

Excluding Centennial, NACCO's 2017 second quarter consolidated Adjusted income was $5.9 million, or $0.86 per diluted share, compared with consolidated Adjusted income of $4.3 million, or $0.63 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2016. NACCO's consolidated Adjusted income for the six months ended June 30, 2017 was $11.7 million, or $1.70 per diluted share compared with consolidated Adjusted income of $9.0 million, or $1.32 per diluted share, for the six months ended June 30, 2016.

Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2017 and the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2017 was $15.2 million and $87.2 million, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA in this press release is provided solely as a supplemental non-GAAP disclosure of operating results as defined on page 10. For a reconciliation of GAAP results to Adjusted EBITDA, also see page 10.

The Company had cash on hand of $60.2 million as of June 30, 2017 compared with $80.6 million as of December 31, 2016 and $34.3 million as of June 30, 2016. Debt as of June 30, 2017 was $123.4 million compared with $134.8 million as of December 31, 2016 and $151.2 million as of June 30, 2016.

Since the inception of a stock repurchase program announced in May 2016, which permits the repurchase of up to $50 million of the Company's outstanding Class A common stock, NACCO has repurchased approximately 109,300 shares for an aggregate purchase price of $6.0 million. The Company did not repurchase any shares during the second quarter of 2017.

Detailed Discussion of Results

North American Coal - Second Quarter Results

North American Coal's deliveries for the second quarter of 2017 and 2016 were as follows:



2017

2016 Coal tons sold (in millions) Unconsolidated mines 7.5

6.7 Consolidated mines 0.7

0.6 Total coal tons sold 8.2

7.3 Limerock deliveries (cubic yards) 7.9

7.1

North American Coal reported net income of $8.4 million and revenues of $28.1 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared with net income of $3.3 million and revenues of $23.1 million in the second quarter of 2016. North American Coal reported income before income tax of $10.3 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared with income before income tax of $1.7 million in the second quarter of 2016.

Revenues increased primarily as a result of an increase in tons sold at Mississippi Lignite Mining Company due to higher customer requirements and an increase in royalty and other income.

Centennial reported operating profit of $1.4 million in the second quarter of 2017, compared with an operating loss of $1.9 million in the second quarter of 2016. Centennial's operating results improved from the prior year primarily due to a $2.3 million gain on sale of a dragline and the absence of a $0.7 million net loss on the sale of assets in the second quarter of 2016.

Excluding Centennial, North American Coal reported Adjusted income of $7.6 million and Adjusted income before income tax of $8.8 million for the second quarter of 2017 compared with Adjusted income of $4.5 million and Adjusted income before income tax of $3.6 million for the second quarter of 2016. The increase in Adjusted income is primarily due to higher royalty and other income. The 2016 second quarter Adjusted income before income tax includes $2.2 million of other expense related to the reversal of a receivable associated with an uncertain tax position. There was minimal impact on Adjusted income as the other expense was offset by a corresponding income tax benefit of $2.3 million, also recorded in the second quarter of 2016, due to the reversal of the uncertain tax position.

For the six months ended June 30, 2017, North American Coal reported net income of $17.7 million and revenues of $56.4 million compared with net income of $11.6 million and revenues of $53.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016. Excluding Centennial, North American Coal reported Adjusted income of $17.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared with Adjusted income of $14.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.



North American Coal - Outlook

North American Coal expects an increase in tons sold in the second half of 2017 compared with the second half of 2016 and expects a moderate increase in tons sold over the first half of 2017. Income before income tax is also expected to increase in the remainder of 2017 compared with the second half of 2016, resulting in a substantial increase in full-year 2017 income before income tax, including and excluding the effect of Centennial's 2016 asset impairment and legal resolution charges.

Income before income tax in the second half of 2017 is expected to benefit from lower lease-related expenses and lower employee-related costs. These improvements are expected to be partially offset by a substantial decrease in Mississippi Lignite Mining Company's second-half 2017 results compared with both the prior year and first half of 2017, primarily as a result of reduced customer requirements, and lower results from North American Mining's consolidated limerock mining operations. For the second half of 2017, Centennial's operating loss is expected to be comparable to the second half of 2016, excluding Centennial's 2016 impairment charge, legal resolution charges and mine reclamation adjustment. Centennial will continue to evaluate strategies to optimize cash flow, including the continued assessment of a range of strategies for its remaining Alabama mineral reserves, including holding reserves with substantial unmined coal tons for sale or contract mining when conditions permit. Cash expenditures related to mine reclamation will continue until reclamation is complete, or ownership of, or responsibility for, the remaining mines is transferred.

Income before income tax for the second half of 2017 is also expected to benefit from an increase in earnings from the unconsolidated mining operations due to the start of production at Bisti Fuels on January 1, 2017. In addition, at North American Mining Company's unconsolidated operations, mining commenced in 2016 at additional limerock quarries for an existing customer and for a new customer, and in June 2017, North American Mining signed a new contract with a new limerock customer for operations that commenced in July 2017. All of these new North American Mining operations are also expected to contribute to the increase in income from the unconsolidated mining operations.

In 2016, one of North American Coal's unconsolidated mines, Liberty Fuels Mine, began delivering coal to its customer, Mississippi Power Company, for facility testing and commissioning at Mississippi Power's Kemper County energy facility. On June 28, 2017, Southern Company and its subsidiary, Mississippi Power, issued a press release announcing they were immediately suspending start-up and operations activities involving the coal gasifier portion of the Kemper County energy facility. Liberty Fuels is the sole supplier of coal to fuel the gasifier. At this time, the future of the Kemper County coal gasification facility is uncertain, and therefore the future of the Liberty Mine is uncertain. North American Coal will continue to operate under its contract with Mississippi Power and will support its customer pending a final decision on the continued operation of the gasifier and the Liberty Mine. The terms of the contract specify that Mississippi Power is responsible for all mine closure costs, should that be required, with the Liberty Mine specified as the contractor to complete final mine closure. Should the decision to suspend operations of the gasifier and mine become permanent, it will unfavorably affect North American Coal's long-term earnings under its contract with Mississippi Power. This reduction in earnings would unfavorably affect North American Coal's longer-term goal to increase the earnings of its unconsolidated operations by approximately 50% from the 2012 level of $42.5 million. Production levels at Liberty Fuels were expected to increase gradually and build to full production of approximately 4.5 million tons of coal annually beginning in 2023.

While the current regulatory environment for development of new coal projects has improved, continued low natural gas prices and growth in renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, could unfavorably affect the amount of electricity generation attributable to coal-fired power plants over the longer term. North American Coal will be re-evaluating its outlook for its coal deliveries to its customers' coal-fired power plants, and commensurate with this, its long-term financial goal. North American Coal expects to continue efforts to develop opportunities for new or expanded coal mining projects, although future opportunities are likely to be very limited. In addition, North American Coal continues to pursue additional non-coal mining opportunities, principally related to its North American Mining business and where it might provide other value-added services.

Cash flow before financing activities is expected to be strong in 2017 but decrease significantly in both the second half and for the full year compared with the same periods in 2016. Capital expenditures are estimated to be approximately $15 million in 2017, of which $5.7 million was expended in the first half of 2017.

Hamilton Beach - Second Quarter Results

Hamilton Beach reported net income of $3.2 million and revenues of $127.6 million for the second quarter of 2017 compared with net income of $2.9 million and revenues of $127.1 million for the second quarter of 2016. Operating profit increased to $5.2 million in the second quarter of 2017 from $4.7 million in the second quarter of 2016.

Both operating profit and net income increased in the second quarter of 2017 compared with the prior year on comparable revenues. The increases were primarily due to an improvement in gross profit, which increased as a result of lower costs and an increase in sales of higher-margin and higher-priced products. Higher selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily as a result of an increase in employee-related costs, partially offset these improvements.

For the six months ended June 30, 2017, Hamilton Beach reported net income of $3.9 million and revenues of $241.7 million compared with net income of $2.7 million and revenues of $242.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.

Hamilton Beach - Outlook

Overall consumer confidence and changing consumer buying patterns continue to create uncertainty about the overall growth prospects for the U.S. retail market for small appliances. In this context, U.S. and Canadian consumer retail markets for small kitchen appliances in the second half of 2017 are expected to be comparable to the second half of 2016, while international and commercial markets in which Hamilton Beach participates are expected to continue to grow moderately. Sales are expected to continue to shift from in-store channels to internet sales channels.

Hamilton Beach continues to focus on strengthening the consumer market position of its various product lines through product innovation, promotions, increased placements and branding programs. Hamilton Beach will continue to leverage its strong brand portfolio by introducing new innovative products, as well as upgrades to certain existing products across a wide range of brands, price points and categories in both retail and commercial marketplaces. The company continues to pursue opportunities to create or add product lines and brands that can be distributed in high-end or specialty stores and on the Internet, including the addition of a new CHI-branded garment care line under a multi-year licensing deal, which began initial shipments during the first half of 2017 and is gaining distribution traction. Hamilton Beach also expects its growing global commercial business to benefit from broader distribution of several newer products. Hamilton Beach's robust commercial and retail product pipeline is expected to affect both revenues and operating profit positively.

As a result of this market environment and new product introductions, Hamilton Beach's sales volumes and revenues are expected to increase in the second half of 2017 compared with the second half of 2016, resulting in overall modest full-year increases provided consumer spending is at expected levels. These increases are expected to be slightly more than the anticipated market growth due to enhanced distribution and increased higher-margin product placements resulting from the execution of the company's strategic initiatives, both domestically and internationally.

Net income in the second half of 2017 and for full-year 2017 is expected to increase modestly compared with the prior year periods as benefits from increased revenues are expected to be partially offset by the costs to implement Hamilton Beach's strategic initiatives, as well as increased distribution, advertising and employee-related costs. Hamilton Beach continues to monitor currency effects, as well as commodity and other input costs, closely, and intends to continue to adjust product prices and product placements as market conditions permit.

For both the second half and full-year 2017, cash flow before financing activities is expected to be substantial but lower than full-year 2016. Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $7 million in 2017, of which approximately $2 million was expended in the first half of 2017.

Longer term, Hamilton Beach will work to improve return on sales through economies of scale derived from market growth and its strategic revenue growth initiatives. These initiatives are focused on enhancing Hamilton Beach's placements in the North American consumer business, enhancing sales in the e-commerce market, expanding its participation in the "only-the-best" market by investing in new products to be sold under the Wolf Gourmet, Weston, Hamilton Beach Professional and CHI brand names, expanding internationally in emerging growth markets, increasing its global commercial presence through enhanced global product lines for chains and distributors serving the global food service and hospitality markets and leveraging its other strategic initiatives to drive category and channel expansion.

Kitchen Collection - Second Quarter Results

Kitchen Collection reported revenues of $25.9 million for the second quarter of 2017 compared with revenues of $28.6 million for the second quarter of 2016 and a net loss of $2.0 million for both of the 2017 and 2016 second quarters. At June 30, 2017, Kitchen Collection operated 209 stores compared with 220 stores at June 30, 2016 and 223 stores at December 31, 2016.

The decrease in revenues was primarily due to the effect of closing 20 underperforming stores since June 30, 2016 and a decline in comparable store sales. The decrease in comparable store sales was mainly attributable to fewer customer visits, which also resulted in a decline in the number of store transactions. Sales at newly opened Kitchen Collection stores partially offset the revenue decrease.

Despite a decrease in revenues, the second quarter 2017 net loss was comparable to the prior year quarter.

For the six months ended June 30, 2017, Kitchen Collection reported a net loss of $4.1 million and revenues of $52.5 million compared with a net loss of $3.8 million and revenues of $57.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016.

Kitchen Collection - Outlook

A shift in consumer shopping patterns has led to declining consumer traffic to physical retail locations and reduced in-store transactions as consumers buy more over the Internet or utilize the Internet for comparison shopping. These factors are expected to increasingly minimize Kitchen Collection's target consumers' spending on housewares and small appliances in mall locations. Given this market environment, Kitchen Collection closed 18 stores in the first half of 2017, and it expects to continue to aggressively manage its store portfolio with a continued focus on a smaller core group of profitable Kitchen Collection outlet stores in more favorable mall locations. As a result of these actions, Kitchen Collection anticipates revenues and results to continue to decline in the second half of 2017 compared with the second half of 2016, with full-year 2017 operating results also expected to decrease compared with 2016. Kitchen Collection expects 2017 cash flow before financing activities to be close to break even. Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $1.5 million in 2017, of which $0.5 million was expended in the first half of 2017.

Kitchen Collection aims to provide consumers with products they want at affordable prices. Kitchen Collection's continued focus on increasing the average sale per transaction, the average closure rate and the number of items per transaction through the continued refinement of its format and improved customer interactions to enhance customers' store experience is expected to generate sales growth over time. Additionally, improved product offerings, a focus on sales of higher-margin products, merchandise mix and displays, new store profitability, closure of underperforming stores and optimizing expense structure are expected to generate improved operating profit over time. As a result, Kitchen Collection believes its smaller core store portfolio is well positioned to take advantage of any future market rebound.

*****

Conference Call

In conjunction with this news release, the management of NACCO Industries, Inc. will host a conference call on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. eastern time. The call may be accessed by dialing (877) 201-0168 (Toll Free) or (647) 788-4901 (International), Conference ID: 32265523, or over the Internet through NACCO Industries' website at www.nacco.com. Please allow 15 minutes to register, download and install any necessary audio software required to listen to the broadcast. A replay of the call will be available shortly after the end of the conference call through August 9, 2017. The online archive of the broadcast will be available on the NACCO website.

Non-GAAP and Other Measures

This release contains non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Included in this release are reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Adjusted income before income tax, Adjusted income and Adjusted income per diluted share are measures of income before tax, net income and earnings per diluted share that differ from financial results measured in accordance with GAAP. The adjusted financial measures are GAAP financial measures adjusted to exclude Centennial. Adjusted EBITDA and the adjusted financial measures in this press release are provided solely as supplemental non-GAAP disclosures of operating results. Management believes that Adjusted income before income tax, Adjusted income, Adjusted income per diluted share and Adjusted EBITDA assist investors in understanding the results of operations of NACCO Industries, Inc. and its subsidiaries. In addition, management evaluates results using these non-GAAP measures.

Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer

The statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "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. These forward-looking statements are made subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Such risks and uncertainties with respect to each subsidiary's operations include, without limitation:

North American Coal: (1) the potential closure of the Liberty Mine in Mississippi, (2) changes in tax laws or regulatory requirements, including changes in mining or power plant emission regulations and health, safety or environmental legislation, (3) changes in costs related to geological conditions, repairs and maintenance, new equipment and replacement parts, fuel or other similar items, (4) regulatory actions, changes in mining permit requirements or delays in obtaining mining permits that could affect deliveries to customers, (5) weather conditions, extended power plant outages or other events that would change the level of customers' coal or limerock requirements, (6) weather or equipment problems that could affect deliveries to customers, (7) changes in the power industry that would affect demand for North American Coal's reserves, (8) changes in the costs to reclaim North American Coal mining areas, (9) costs to pursue and develop new mining opportunities, (10) changes to or termination of a long-term mining contract, or a customer default under a contract, (11) the timing and pricing of transactions to dispose of assets at the Centennial operations, (12) delays or reductions in coal deliveries at North American Coal's newer mines, and (13) increased competition, including consolidation within the industry.

Hamilton Beach: (1) changes in the sales prices, product mix or levels of consumer purchases of small electric and specialty housewares appliances, (2) changes in consumer retail and credit markets, including the increasing volume of transactions made through third-party internet sellers, (3) bankruptcy of or loss of major retail customers or suppliers, (4) changes in costs, including transportation costs, of sourced products, (5) delays in delivery of sourced products, (6) changes in or unavailability of quality or cost effective suppliers, (7) exchange rate fluctuations, changes in the import tariffs and monetary policies and other changes in the regulatory climate in the countries in which Hamilton Beach buys, operates and/or sells products, (8) product liability, regulatory actions or other litigation, warranty claims or returns of products, (9) customer acceptance of, changes in costs of, or delays in the development of new products, (10) increased competition, including consolidation within the industry and (11) changes mandated by federal, state and other regulation, including tax, health, safety or environmental legislation.

Kitchen Collection: (1) increased competition, including through online channels, (2) shifts in consumer shopping patterns, gasoline prices, weather conditions, the level of consumer confidence and disposable income as a result of economic conditions, unemployment rates or other events or conditions that may adversely affect the number of customers visiting Kitchen Collection stores, (3) changes in the sales prices, product mix or levels of consumer purchases of kitchenware and small electric appliances, (4) changes in costs, including transportation costs, of inventory, (5) delays in delivery or the unavailability of inventory, (6) customer acceptance of new products, (7) the anticipated impact of the opening of new stores, the ability to renegotiate existing leases and effectively and efficiently close under-performing stores and (8) changes in the import tariffs and monetary policies and other changes in the regulatory climate in the countries in which Kitchen Collection buys, operates and/or sells products.

About NACCO Industries, Inc.

NACCO Industries, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is an operating holding company with subsidiaries in the following principal industries: mining, consumer, commercial and specialty small appliances and specialty retail. The North American Coal Corporation mines coal primarily for use in power generation and provides value-added services for natural resource companies. Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. is a leading designer, marketer and distributor of branded small electric household and specialty housewares appliances, as well as commercial products for restaurants, bars and hotels. The Kitchen Collection, LLC is a national specialty retailer of kitchenware in outlet and traditional malls throughout the United States. For more information about NACCO, visit the Company's website at www.nacco.com.

*****

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)



Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30

June 30

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In thousands, except per share data)















Revenues $ 181,076

$ 178,007

$ 349,658

$ 351,428 Cost of sales 137,648

137,478

267,095

270,894 Gross profit 43,428

40,529

82,563

80,534 Earnings of unconsolidated mines 13,475

13,035

28,430

25,683 Operating expenses













Selling, general and administrative expenses 47,999

46,870

94,192

92,885 Amortization of intangible assets 964

826

1,896

1,808 (Gain) loss on sale of assets (2,641)

658

(3,044)

902

46,322

48,354

93,044

95,595 Operating profit 10,581

5,210

17,949

10,622 Other (income) expense













Interest expense 1,390

1,470

2,737

2,975 Income from other unconsolidated affiliates (311)

(303)

(619)

(606) Closed mine obligations 352

349

735

725 Other, net, including interest income (326)

2,017

(1,028)

2,070

1,105

3,533

1,825

5,164 Income before income tax provision (benefit) 9,476

1,677

16,124

5,458 Income tax provision (benefit) 2,688

(1,439)

4,358

(460) Net income $ 6,788

$ 3,116

$ 11,766

$ 5,918















Basic earnings per share $ 0.99

$ 0.45

$ 1.73

$ 0.86 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.99

$ 0.45

$ 1.72

$ 0.86















Dividends per share $ 0.2725

$ 0.2675

$ 0.5400

$ 0.5300















Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 6,835

6,856

6,818

6,853 Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 6,850

6,874

6,847

6,878

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED)



Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30

June 30

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In thousands) Revenues













North American Coal $ 28,100

$ 23,089

$ 56,400

$ 53,376 Hamilton Beach 127,574

127,054

241,728

242,794 Kitchen Collection 25,868

28,634

52,533

57,017 Eliminations (466)

(770)

(1,003)

(1,759) Total $ 181,076

$ 178,007

$ 349,658

$ 351,428















Operating profit (loss)













North American Coal $ 10,876

$ 4,823

$ 22,202

$ 14,565 Hamilton Beach 5,164

4,696

5,946

4,763 Kitchen Collection (3,008)

(3,011)

(6,287)

(5,901) NACCO and Other (2,459)

(1,297)

(3,979)

(2,738) Eliminations 8

(1)

67

(67) Total $ 10,581

$ 5,210

$ 17,949

$ 10,622















Income (loss) before income tax provision (benefit)













North American Coal $ 10,255

$ 1,729

$ 20,892

$ 10,645 Hamilton Beach 5,092

4,620

6,194

4,218 Kitchen Collection (3,101)

(3,079)

(6,433)

(6,016) NACCO and Other (2,778)

(1,592)

(4,596)

(3,322) Eliminations 8

(1)

67

(67) Total $ 9,476

$ 1,677

$ 16,124

$ 5,458















Net income (loss)













North American Coal $ 8,438

$ 3,324

$ 17,727

$ 11,577 Hamilton Beach 3,195

2,934

3,884

2,673 Kitchen Collection (1,970)

(1,954)

(4,113)

(3,822) NACCO and Other (2,132)

(1,118)

(3,470)

(2,185) Eliminations (743)

(70)

(2,262)

(2,325) Total $ 6,788

$ 3,116

$ 11,766

$ 5,918

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES ADJUSTED EBITDA RECONCILIATION (UNAUDITED)



Quarter Ended





9/30/2016

12/31/2016

3/31/2017

6/30/2017

6/30/2017

Trailing

12 Months

(In thousands) Net income (loss) $ (442)

$ 24,131

$ 4,978

$ 6,788

$ 35,455 Centennial asset impairment charge 17,443







17,443 Income tax provision (benefit) (544)

5,867

1,670

2,688

9,681 Interest expense 1,322

1,395

1,347

1,390

5,454 Interest income (56)

(66)

(69)

(130)

(321) Depreciation, depletion and amortization expense 5,215

5,353

4,488

4,417

19,473 Adjusted EBITDA* $ 22,938

$ 36,680

$ 12,414

$ 15,153

$ 87,185





* Adjusted EBITDA in this press release is provided solely as a supplemental disclosure with respect to operating results. Adjusted EBITDA does not represent net income, as defined by U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for net income, or as an indicator of operating performance. NACCO defines Adjusted EBITDA as income (loss) before asset impairment charges and income tax provision (benefit), plus net interest expense and depreciation, depletion and amortization expense. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement under U.S. GAAP and is not necessarily comparable with similarly titled measures of other companies.

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SUPPLEMENTAL NORTH AMERICAN COAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)

ADJUSTED NORTH AMERICAN COAL INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX PROVISION (BENEFIT)

Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30

June 30

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In thousands) Gross loss - Centennial $ (1,169)

$ (1,056)

$ (2,530)

$ (3,885) Gross profit - other consolidated mines 3,153

2,697

6,531

9,066 Gross profit - royalty and other 2,660

648

5,235

3,136 Total gross profit 4,644

2,289

9,236

8,317 Earnings of unconsolidated mines 13,475

13,035

28,430

25,683 Operating expenses













Selling, general and administrative expenses 9,249

9,346

17,283

17,395 Amortization of intangibles 619

481

1,206

1,118 (Gain) loss on sale of assets (2,625)

674

(3,025)

922 Operating profit 10,876

4,823

22,202

14,565 Other expense 621

3,094

1,310

3,920 Income before income tax provision (benefit) $ 10,255

$ 1,729

$ 20,892

$ 10,645 Elimination of Centennial:













Gross loss - Centennial 1,169

1,056

2,530

3,885 Other Centennial adjustments (2,583)

849

(2,706)

1,158 Total Centennial adjustments (1,414)

1,905

(176)

5,043















Adjusted North American Coal income before income tax

provision (benefit) (1) $ 8,841

$ 3,634

$ 20,716

$ 15,688

(1) Adjusted North American Coal Income Before Income Tax is a measure of income that differs from Income Before Income Tax measured in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Adjusted North American Coal Income Before Income Tax is adjusted to exclude Centennial. Management believes that Adjusted North American Coal Income Before Income Tax will assist the investor in understanding the results of operations of North American Coal. In addition, management evaluates results using this non-GAAP financial measure. See page 12 for a complete reconciliation from US. GAAP financial results to non-GAAP financial results.

ROLLFORWARD OF CENTENNIAL ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATION (2)

Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30

June 30

2017

2016

2017

2016

(In thousands) Balance at beginning of period $ 18,368

$ 19,437

$ 18,171

$ 19,084 Liabilities settled during the period (33)

(303)

(94)

(1,056) Accretion expense 258

283

516

565 Revision of estimated cash flows 





824 Balance at end of period $ 18,593

$ 19,417

$ 18,593

$ 19,417

(2) The rollforward of Centennial's asset retirement obligation in this press release is provided solely as a supplemental disclosure with respect to the changes to the obligation including cash expenditures for mine reclamation. Liabilities settled during the period represent cash payments.

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SUPPLEMENTAL NORTH AMERICAN COAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) Reconciliation of North American Coal Financial and Operating Highlights "As Reported" to North American Coal Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights Excluding "Centennial Natural Resources"



Three Months Ended June 30, 2017

Six Months Ended June, 2017

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP

Financial

Measures

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP

Financial

Measures

(In thousands) North American Coal Revenues $ 28,100

$ 

$ 28,100

$ 56,400

$ 

$ 56,400























North American Coal Gross profit $ 4,644

$ 1,169

$ 5,813

$ 9,236

$ 2,530

$ 11,766























North American Coal (Gain) loss on sale of assets $ (2,625)

$ 2,618

$ (7)

$ (3,025)

$ 2,777

$ (248)





















North American Coal Operating profit $ 10,876

$ (1,449)

$ 9,427

$ 22,202

$ (247)

$ 21,955 North American Coal Other (income) expense 621

(35)

586

1,310

(71)

1,239 North American Coal Income before income tax

provision 10,255

(1,414)

8,841

20,892

(176)

20,716 North American Coal Income tax provision (1) 1,817

(537)

1,280

3,165

(67)

3,098 North American Coal Net income $ 8,438

$ (877)

$ 7,561

$ 17,727

$ (109)

$ 17,618

(1) To calculate the non-GAAP consolidated net income, the Company applied its target effective income tax rate of 38% to Centennial's pre-tax loss from operations to determine the corresponding tax provision.



Three Months Ended June 30, 2016

Six Months Ended June 30, 2016

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP

Financial

Measures

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP

Financial

Measures

(In thousands)























North American Coal Revenues $ 23,089

$ (322)

$ 22,767

$ 53,376

$ (655)

$ 52,721























North American Coal Gross profit $ 2,289

$ 1,056

$ 3,345

$ 8,317

$ 3,885

$ 12,202























North American Coal (Gain) loss on sale of assets $ 674

$ (679)

$ (5)

$ 922

$ (932)

$ (10)























North American Coal Operating profit $ 4,823

$ 1,866

$ 6,689

$ 14,565

$ 4,964

$ 19,529 North American Coal Other (income) expense 3,094

(39)

3,055

3,920

(79)

3,841 North American Coal Income before income tax

provision (benefit) 1,729

1,905

3,634

10,645

5,043

15,688 North American Coal Income tax provision

(benefit) (1) (1,595)

724

(871)

(932)

1,916

984 North American Coal Net income $ 3,324

$ 1,181

$ 4,505

$ 11,577

$ 3,127

$ 14,704

(1) To calculate the non-GAAP consolidated net income, the Company applied its target effective income tax rate of 38% to Centennial's pre-tax loss from operations to determine the corresponding tax provision.

Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights are measures of income that differ from Financial and Operating Highlights measured in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights are adjusted to exclude Centennial. Management believes that Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights all assist the investor in understanding the results of operations of North American Coal. In addition, management evaluates results using these non-GAAP financial measures.

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (UNAUDITED) Reconciliation of NACCO Consolidated Financial and Operating Highlights "As Reported" to NACCO Consolidated Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights Excluding "Centennial Natural Resources"









Three Months Ended June 30, 2017

Six Months Ended June, 2017

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP

Financial

Measures

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP

Financial

Measures

(In thousands, except per share data) Revenues $ 181,076

$ 

$ 181,076

$ 349,658

$ 

$ 349,658





















(Gain) loss on sale of assets $ (2,641)

$ 2,618

$ (23)

$ (3,044)

$ 2,777

$ (267)





















Operating profit $ 10,581

$ (1,449)

$ 9,132

$ 17,949

$ (247)

$ 17,702 Other expense 1,105

(35)

1,070

1,825

(71)

1,754 Income before income tax provision 9,476

(1,414)

8,062

16,124

(176)

15,948 Income tax provision(1) 2,688

(537)

2,151

4,358

(67)

4,291 Net income $ 6,788

$ (877)

$ 5,911

$ 11,766

$ (109)

$ 11,657





















Basic earnings per share $ 0.99





$ 0.86

$ 1.73





$ 1.71 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.99





$ 0.86

$ 1.72





$ 1.70





















Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 6,835



6,835

6,818





6,818 Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 6,850



6,850

6,847





6,847

(1) To calculate the non-GAAP consolidated net income, the Company applied its target effective income tax rate of 38% to Centennial's pre-tax loss from operations to determine the corresponding tax provision.



Three Months Ended June 30, 2016

Six Months Ended June 30, 2016

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP Financial

Measures

As Reported

Under GAAP

Adjustments

to eliminate

Centennial

Adjusted Non-

GAAP Financial

Measures

(In thousands, except per share data) Revenues $ 178,007

$ (322)

$ 177,685

$ 351,428

$ (655)

$ 350,773























(Gain) loss on sale of assets $ 658

$ (679)

$ (21)

$ 902

$ (932)

$ (30)























Operating profit $ 5,210

$ 1,866

$ 7,076

$ 10,622

$ 4,964

$ 15,586 Other expense 3,533

(39)

3,494

5,164

(79)

5,085 Income before income tax provision (benefit) 1,677

1,905

3,582

5,458

5,043

10,501 Income tax provision (benefit)(1) (1,439)

724

(715)

(460)

1,916

1,456 Net income $ 3,116

$ 1,181

$ 4,297

$ 5,918

$ 3,127

$ 9,045























Basic earnings per share $ 0.45





$ 0.63

$ 0.86





$ 1.32 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.45





$ 0.63

$ 0.86





$ 1.32























Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 6,856





6,856

6,853





6,853 Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 6,874





6,874

6,878





6,878

(1) To calculate the non-GAAP consolidated net income, the Company applied its target effective income tax rate of 38% to Centennial's pre-tax loss from operations to determine the corresponding tax provision.

Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights are measures of income that differ from Financial and Operating Highlights measured in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights are adjusted to exclude Centennial. Management believes that Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights all assist the investor in understanding the results of operations of NACCO Industries, Inc. In addition, management evaluates results using these non-GAAP financial measures.

NACCO INDUSTRIES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (UNAUDITED) Adjusted Consolidated Financial and Operating Highlights Excluding "Centennial Natural Resources"



Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

June 30

June 30

2017 Adjusted

2016 Adjusted

2017 Adjusted

2016 Adjusted

(In thousands) Revenues













North American Coal $ 28,100

$ 22,767

$ 56,400

$ 52,721 Hamilton Beach 127,574

127,054

241,728

242,794 Kitchen Collection 25,868

28,634

52,533

57,017 Eliminations (466)

(770)

(1,003)

(1,759) Total $ 181,076

$ 177,685

$ 349,658

$ 350,773















Operating profit (loss)













North American Coal $ 9,427

$ 6,689

$ 21,955

$ 19,529 Hamilton Beach 5,164

4,696

5,946

4,763 Kitchen Collection (3,008)

(3,011)

(6,287)

(5,901) NACCO and Other (2,459)

(1,297)

(3,979)

(2,738) Eliminations 8

(1)

67

(67) Total $ 9,132

$ 7,076

$ 17,702

$ 15,586















Income (loss) before income tax provision (benefit)













North American Coal $ 8,841

$ 3,634

$ 20,716

$ 15,688 Hamilton Beach 5,092

4,620

6,194

4,218 Kitchen Collection (3,101)

(3,079)

(6,433)

(6,016) NACCO and Other (2,778)

(1,592)

(4,596)

(3,322) Eliminations 8

(1)

67

(67) Total $ 8,062

$ 3,582

$ 15,948

$ 10,501















Net income (loss)













North American Coal $ 7,561

$ 4,505

$ 17,618

$ 14,704 Hamilton Beach 3,195

2,934

3,884

2,673 Kitchen Collection (1,970)

(1,954)

(4,113)

(3,822) NACCO and Other (2,132)

(1,118)

(3,470)

(2,185) Eliminations (743)

(70)

(2,262)

(2,325) Total $ 5,911

$ 4,297

$ 11,657

$ 9,045

Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights are measures of income that differ from Financial and Operating Highlights measured in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights are adjusted to exclude Centennial. Management believes that Adjusted Financial and Operating Highlights all assist the investor in understanding the results of operations of NACCO Industries, Inc. and North American Coal. In addition, management evaluates results using these non-GAAP financial measures.

SOURCE NACCO Industries, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nacco.com


As more sophisticated threats emerge, some life sciences organizations say they are well prepared, but regulations can compound some of the difficulties facing companies. For example, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) , which goes into effect May 2018, will be able impose fines up to 4 percent of global revenue upon organizations that compromise personal data. This regulation has deservedly raised the attention of executives, and it has influenced and reshaped cyber security and privacy priorities.

Nation states topped the list of threats from 53 percent of respondents, followed by individual hackers and "hacktavists"  computer hackers aimed at promoting a political or social cause. The data that hackers are seeking are mostly tied to financial information (69 percent) followed by patents and clinical research (63 percent), the survey of 100 U.S. tech, data, security executives from life sciences companies found.

"Some nations desperately want intellectual property to support local life sciences organizations without incurring R&D costs and challenges," said David Remick, a KPMG partner who works with life sciences companies.

"Drug and medical device makers have significant volumes of valuable financial and clinical information," said Life Sciences Advisory Leader Alison Little. "Recent cyber events targeting the life sciences industry demonstrate that market capitalization can be immediately eroded depending on the nature of the cyber-attack and extent of damage."

"The life science industry is increasingly engaging patients directly through web portals and apps to help them better manage their conditions, but this opens the door to new risks," said Michael Ebert, a KPMG partner who leads cyber for the Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice.

Life sciences organizations listed multiple priorities required to be more effective in cyber security. Better technology (36%) was cited as the highest priority for medical device makers, followed by an overarching strategy on data collection/protection (28%). Pharma organizations cited stronger processes (24%) as the biggest need, followed by more funding and better technology tied for second at 22 percent. Greater staffing was seen as a priority among only 9 percent of respondents.

"Many organizations prioritize technology solutions over improving processes and training staff. This is a grave mistake," Remick said.

Execs say they're secure

Despite 62 percent of executives saying they are feeling "more secure" even after the reports of high profile breaches, about 40 percent of life sciences companies said their overseas security protocols are not as strong as those in the United States, making EU data privacy rules much more significant. The survey found more than a third (34 percent) described their organizations as under-resourced internationally.

About the 2017 KPMG Cyber Healthcare & Life Sciences Survey

KPMG issued its findings in The Risk Not Taken, where 100 U.S-based chief information, technology and information security executives from medical device and pharmaceutical/biotech companies with revenue more than $500 million were asked in February about their concerns and priorities about cyber security.

Of the executives surveyed, approximately half were solely responsible for cyber security, of whom only 36 percent were in their position for more than 24 months.

About KPMG LLP

KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm (www.kpmg.com/us), is the independent U.S. member firm of KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"). KPMG International's independent member firms have 189,000 professionals, including more than 9,000 partners, in 152 countries.

Contact:

Bill Borden/

Ann Marie Gorden

KPMG LLP

201-505-6351/ 201-505-6288

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE KPMG LLP

Related Links

http://www.kpmg.com/us


GLENDALE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NESTLE LA LECHERA announced today the kick-off of its "Summer of No-Bake" recipe contest. From now through August 15th, consumers across the U.S. can create their favorite no-bake dessert recipe and share on Instagram using the hashtag #LaLecheraNoBake. Participants can enter as many recipes as they want. Winners will be selected based on number of consumer votes and be notified on or around September 5th.

"During the heat of summer, no one wants to spend their time in a sweltering kitchen preparing for a BBQ or cookout, however desserts play a key role in these family occasions," said Ainoa Cuberos, Associate Brand Manager for Nestle La Lechera. "We launched the No-Bake Contest to inspire consumers to get creative and think of unique ways to delight their family and friends this summer, while creating long-lasting memories."

No-bake recipes are a simple way of making summer sweeter and saving time as the family comes together to share these creations. To learn more about Nestle La Lechera's "Summer of No-Bake," enter the contest, or browse through the latest recipes, visit La Lechera's Summer of No-Bake page on HispanicKitchen.com. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM PST on August 15th. The top 10 recipes selected by La Lechera will be featured on the site and consumers will have a chance to vote on their favorite starting August 18th. First place includes $500 gift card, top of the line blender and a La Lechera product basket, second place includes a $300 gift card and a La Lechera product basket and third place includes a $200 gift card and a La Lechera product basket.

To inspire participants, Nestle La Lechera has developed three simple recipes that can be made and enjoyed by the entire family. Recipes available on the links below.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Pina Colada Gelatin

No-Bake Banana Split Cake

For more NESTLE LA LECHERA recipe ideas consumers are invited to visit Nestle's El Mejor Nido and follow La Lechera's Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram pages.

About NESTLE LA LECHERA

NESTLE LA LECHERA is the #1 Sweetened Condensed Milk brand in the world and has been a key ingredient for delicious desserts since 1910. In the U.S.A., NESTLE LA LECHERA offers a wide portfolio of products, including NESTLE LA LECHERA Sweetened Condensed Milk can and squeeze bottle, NESTLE LA LECHERA Dulce de Leche can and squeeze bottle and other better-for-you products such as NESTLE LA LECHERA Fat Free can and NESTLE LA LECHERITA. NESTLE LA LECHERA is the key ingredient and topping for a wide range of dessert favorites such as Flan, Fruit Salad, Tres Leches, Cheesecake and Gelatin. NESTLE LA LECHERA brings families together by creating everyday experiences and memorable moments. For product information, news and recipes, visit ElMejorNido.com, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram pages.

About Nestle USA

Named one of "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for eighteen consecutive years, Nestle provides quality brands that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine to baking traditions with Nestle Toll House, Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverages that make good living possible. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2014 sales of $9.7 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland  the world's largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness  with 2014 sales of $100 billion.

SOURCE Nestle USA
SINGAPORE, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New Asia Holdings Inc (OTCQB: NAHD), today provided an update to the market on the current status of its business operations and guidance for the year.

On August 25th, 2015, NAHD completed the acquisition of Magdallen Quant Pte Ltd ("MQL") and MQL became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. MQL is a company incorporated and based in Singapore involved in the research, development and deployment of advanced, proprietary, state-of-the-art, trainable trading algorithms. Dr. Lin Kok Peng, NAHD's Chairman and CEO, stated." the Company's focus is to capitalize the dynamism of the 24 hours Forex markets to achieve capital appreciation over a medium to long term combined with the usage of a good wealth vehicle in order to control risk and to profit from both bull or bear markets, maximize liquidity and economic resilience; essentially to provide clients with recession-proof wealth management solutions."

The Algorithms were placed into commercial operation in November 2015 upon the execution of a Software Licensing Agreement for the deployment of MQL's proprietary trainable, trading algorithms with New Asia Momentum Limited (NAML) as identified in the company's prior filings.

Throughout 2016 NAML grew its Assets Under Management (AUM) from zero to approximately $2.5 million and exhibited average monthly returns of approximately 10.5% for its clients. During this period, MQL has continued to make improvements to its original algorithm product-lines:

Series X Pound/Dollar

Series Y Pound/Dollar

Series Z Multi-Asset Currency and Gold

Specifically, and to support NAML's decision to expand into the Regulated Fund and Bank model, the Series Z (Multi-Asset Currency) have been improved and redeveloped into the following products:

7.42.31

7.43.315

7.43.325

In January, 2017, the Company's licensee, NAML, entered into an agreement with Ferrell Asset Management Pte Ltd, (FAMPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ferrell Financial Group, which started as an exempt fund manager in 2004, holds a Capital Markets Services License issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for the provision of fund management services to individuals who are accredited investors ("Accredited Investors") as defined in Section 4A(1)(a)(i) of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289) of Singapore. The Ferrell Financial Group is an Asia-focused financial services group dedicated to serving the investment and wealth management needs of family offices and private individuals globally. As an independent, privately held group, Ferrell forms strategic partnerships with financial institutions and other relevant organizations to provide customized portfolio solutions for its clients. In January, 2017, FAMPL launched "Fueris Fund" to exclusively utilize the Company's algorithm products. The Company expects that the AUM for Fueris Fund will be in the range of approximately USD 6 to 10 million. The Company expects to receive license fees based on the performance of the algorithms on the basis of a 20% Performance Fee. Fueris Fund is projecting annual returns of approximately 16% for its clients.

Dr Lin Kok Peng stated, "Our acquisition of Magdallen Quant Pte Ltd has already demonstrated proven results in the performance of its proprietary trainable trading algorithms, achieving for its clients average monthly returns of approximately 10.5% of its Assets Under Management throughout 2016. Since the middle of 2016, we began to focus on improving our product-line of algorithms and working closely with our licensee, NAML, to expand our business in terms of new strategic partnerships and AUM." Dr. Lin further stated, "with the expansion into the regulated fund market through the Fueris Fund, we will effectively quadruple our AUM and we are extremely confident that our proprietary algorithm products will continue to achieve impressive results that will translate to continuing growth of AUM, service and licensing fees."

Dr. Lin further stated that the Company is finalizing partnerships with a Hong Kong-based regulated Fund Management Firm and a Singapore-based fund management firm, "these partnerships have recently commenced a six-month testing phase, each with approximately $1,000,000 in AUM. The funds will exclusively utilize the Company's algorithm products to enact trades on the above-mentioned AUM." The Company expects that, after the successful testing phase, the AUM for each of these partnerships will be increased to the range of approximately $ 5 to $10 million. The Company expects to receive performance fees based on the performance of the algorithms on the basis of a negotiated percentage of profits. Dr. Lin stated that the Company is projecting annual returns of approximately 16% for these clients.

For more information, please contact:

New Asia Holdings Inc

60 Paya Lebar Road

12-08 Paya Lebar Square, Lobby 1

Singapore, 40951

[email protected]

+65-6820-8885

Safe Harbor Statement: Certain statements and information included in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in such statements. Additional discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, estimates and expectations is contained in the Company's SEC filings. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by federal securities laws.

SOURCE New Asia Holdings Inc
ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EASE Applications, has developed a one-of-a-kind mobile messaging application shown to reduce anxiety in 98% of families during a hospital experience. Available in both the Google Play and iTunes App Store, the app allows hospital clinicians to send real-time updates to family members throughout their medical care at a hospital. The HIPAA compliant medical messaging app sends secure text, photo and video updates using 256-bit encryption. Messages disappear after 60 seconds of viewing. The application is provided free of charge by the medical provider to both family and friends.

The application is currently being used by twenty two hospitals across the United States. The app enables healthcare providers to send customized updates from the operating room, NICU, ICU and medical floor. In app surveying also allows the hospital to measure satisfaction in real-time. "By removing the vail and providing transparency, you are removing doubt from families," said Cary D'ortona, Chief Operating Officer at Arnold Palmer Medical Center. Based on a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst usage of the application proved to increase patient satisfaction in HCHAPS scores. Over 3,000 responses were analyzed in a recent Press Ganey Survey study performed at Orlando Health. The scores for those families surveyed using EASE increased from 2.3% to 13%, with an average increase of 6% for the nine questions. Additional insight provided from over 4,000 in app surveys, showed the availability of EASE would influence the the choice of hospital for 81% of users.

"In my 25 years of practice I have never seen the likes of this. This app takes patient satisfaction to a new level. If you are in healthcare management and are interested in quality, transparency and good patient experience, EASE is truly transformative," said William DeCampli, MD, PhD, Chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at Arnold Palmer Medical Center.

For more information about EASE and real-time surgery updates visit EASEApplications.com.

Media Contact

Patrick de la Roza, Chief Executive Officer

EASE Applications

407-308-4399

http://www.easeapplications.com/contact/

SOURCE EASE Applications

Related Links

http://www.easeapplications.com


ROCKVILLE, Md., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NIKA, a global provider of architecture, engineering, and facilities operations management solutions announced that, effective August 1, 2017, they have moved into a 23,000 square foot office space on the sixth floor of an award-winning building located at 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard in Rockville, MD.

"We are incredibly honored to take our place in this world class building," said NIKA CEO and President Kabir Chaudhary. "Our goal is to build a space that is not only a showpiece, but an innovative and welcoming destination for our employees, clients, and prospects. Our offices at 2000 Tower Oaks were designed to facilitate collaboration and inspire creativity, while promoting sustainability. The new space was carefully and intentionally designed to achieve LEED Platinum."

Developed by Lerner Enterprises and The Tower Companies, 2000 Tower Oaks is a nine-story, commercial office building, located just 12 miles northwest of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Recognized as one of the world's greenest buildings, it was designed under the highest principles of green architecture in order to promote harmony and corporate success and was the first LEED Platinum office building in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Far exceeding industry standards in the built environment, the building uses cutting-edge design and operational best practices to optimize health and productivity in the workplace, while minimizing impact on the environment.

"We are very pleased to have NIKA join the office community at Tower Oaks. NIKA is a full-service architecture and engineering firm with extensive capabilities. Considering the company's areas of expertise, the choice to move to Tower Oaks is a huge compliment to the building and our commitment to sustainability," stated Mark D. Lerner, a principal of Lerner.

Ownership was represented by Brian F. Tucker and John B. Dragelin of JLL. NIKA was represented by Dale Powell of Cushman & Wakefield.

NIKA's new mailing address is 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard, 6th Floor, Rockville, MD 20852.

About NIKA

NIKA is revolutionizing how businesses and governments design, build and manage real property. By combining architecture, engineering, enterprise technology, and facilities operations management services all under one roof, we are able to provide unparalleled value to our clients. With nearly two decades of experience serving organizations across the world, NIKA provides exceptional client service that is designed to enhance operational excellence and readiness while meeting mission objectives.

For more information about NIKA, please visit http://www.nikasolutions.com.

For further information, contact:

Stephen W. White

[email protected]

(301) 770-3520

www.nikasolutions.com

SOURCE NIKA

Related Links

http://www.nikasolutions.com


BALTIMORE, Md., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters' (NRCC) Mid-Atlantic Carpenters' Training Center was recently awarded a grant from the Baltimore Office of Workforce Development for $47,389 for its Sisters in the Brotherhood (SIB) Pre-Apprentice Program in Baltimore.

The grant will help the NRCC and the Mid-Atlantic Carpenters' Training Center to recruit and train women interested in carpentry in the Baltimore area. The grant funds a number of aspects of the program, including hiring skilled instructors and purchasing materials for carpentry and welding classes, including boots, carpentry tools and workbooks.

"Our Pre-Apprentice Program has been very successful in New Jersey, and we want to continue that momentum and expand it to an area where we can provide more women with the opportunity to learn about the carpentry industry," said Susan Schultz, NRCC Council Representative and Chair of the Sisters in the Brotherhood committee. "Our Sisters in Brotherhood program is helping to break through barriers and overcome previously held perceptions that construction jobs could only be filled by men. That's something we are trying to change, because our organization believes that jobs don't have a gender."

Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters' SIB program is an eight-week training course that prepares women to become carpenter apprentices. The 40-hour per week course trains women carpenters in a variety of in-class curriculum and hands-on training in mathematics, occupational safety and hazards, hand/power tool training and job-site culture. After successful completion of the program, women carpenters graduate to the NRCC Apprenticeship program. The Pre-Apprentice program, which has been in existence since 2016, recently graduated its fifth class of women to the Apprentice Program within the NRCC.

Timothy Miller, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Training Center, feels that having a SIB Pre-Apprenticeship Program in Baltimore will give women a chance to enter a field that many fail to consider.

"We are so grateful to the Baltimore Office of Workforce Development for this grant, as it will give us the ability to introduce women in the Baltimore area to the benefits of a career in carpentry," said Miller. "It is time to dismiss misconceptions about women joining the carpentry workforce and we're hopeful that a program in Baltimore will help us to continue to do just that."



To learn more about the Sisters in the Brotherhood Pre-Apprentice Program, please visit www.northeastcarpenters.org/sisters

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


MILWAUKEE, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Every eight minutes, the American Red Cross responds to an emergency, from small house fires to multi-state natural disasters. Northwestern Mutual, through its Foundation, today announced a $250,000 grant in support of the nonprofit's efforts to respond to those facing emergencies across the country.

The grant will provide funding to the Red Cross Disaster Responder program, which provides aid in nearly 64,000 disasters each year. These funds directly support disaster relief activities, including volunteer training, equipment transportation and storage, and providing food, shelter, supplies and medical and emotional support.

"Tragedy doesn't discriminate, often arising when we least expect it," said Jo Eisenhart, senior vice president, human resources at Northwestern Mutual, who also oversees strategic philanthropy and campus and event experiences. "We're proud to play a role in spreading much-needed support and hope to those in crisis through the incredible work of the Red Cross."

Through a strong network of volunteers, donors and partners, the Red Cross works to ensure all people affected by disaster receive care, shelter and hope. Since Hurricane Matthew struck the United States in October 2016, the Red Cross has provided 103,000 overnight stays in shelters and evacuation centers, distributed 387,000 relief items and served more than 1.4 million meals and snacks.

"Northwestern Mutual continues to be a vital partner through its tireless commitment to our organization," said Patty Flowers, CEO, American Red Cross of Wisconsin. "This company goes above and beyond, recognizing that, while funding is critical, the donations of time and volunteer efforts play an essential role in helping us help others."

Northwestern Mutual has partnered with the American Red Cross since 1987, providing more than $4.5 million in grants to the organization.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

About Northwestern Mutual Foundation

The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in need. The Foundation has given more than $300 million since its inception in 1992 and is designed to create lasting impact in the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. We accomplish this by combining financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership and convening community partners to deliver the best outcomes. Our efforts are focused nationally on curing childhood cancer, and locally on education, neighborhoods and making our hometown of Milwaukee a great destination.

About Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for 160 years. Through a distinctive, whole-picture planning approach including both insurance and investments, we empower people to be financially confident so they can live life differently. We combine the expertise of our financial professionals with a personalized digital experience to help our clients navigate their financial lives every day. With $250.4 billion in assets, $28.2 billion in revenues, and more than $1.6 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.4 million people who rely on us for life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, brokerage and advisory services, trust services, and discretionary portfolio management solutions. The company holds more than $100 billion of client assets as a part of its wealth management company and investment services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 97 on the 2017 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2017.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC) (fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance).

SOURCE Northwestern Mutual

Related Links

http://www.northwesternmutual.com


HOUSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Noventis, Inc., (Noventis) today announced that its payment platform and network, which includes over 100,000 endpoints (billers, suppliers, vendors), is helping traditionally underserved small businesses take advantage of more secure forms of payments, like virtual cards, to avoid the rising threat of check fraud and identity theft. Through network expansion and bill payment innovation, Noventis is providing a convenient and cost effective way for more small businesses to replace fraud-prone paper checks with more secure virtual cards, also known as v-cards.

One-time use virtual cards provide the perfect answer to many pains experienced by small businesses today, including payment related security threats, costly paper checks and inefficient accounting processes. Virtual cards make it almost impossible for fraudsters to steal and re-use the card number since v-cards can be issued in the exact amount of the bill and payment can be restricted to a specific industry. V-cards provide protection against identity theft because they do not expose any personal information about the payer. Additionally, v-cards improve accounting efficiency by supporting automatic reconciliation of payments and transparency into payment activity.

Until now, most small businesses have not been able to take advantage of the virtual card solutions that have been widely available to medium and large businesses. This is due to the high cost and resource requirements of v-card solutions that were designed to satisfy the needs of larger businesses. Noventis has removed these barriers for small businesses by developing innovative digital payment options and expanding the number of suppliers that accept electronic payments in the Noventis network.

"At a time when check fraud and identity theft are increasingly problematic to all constituents in the ecosystem, there are over 5 million small businesses in the US that haven't had access to the same digital payment innovations as larger businesses," said Steve Taylor, CEO of Noventis. "Noventis is on a mission to help our partners deliver new, innovative digital payment and delivery options to this traditionally underserved market. This includes the use of virtual cards, which support a smaller risk footprint, so that small businesses can protect themselves against fraud and become more efficient just like larger businesses."

The Noventis solution helps smaller businesses take advantage of a payment rail that is becoming more prevalent among larger businesses. Today, these solutions are utilized by more than 5,000 banks nationwide.

Earlier this year, Noventis expanded its network to include over 100,000 endpoints serving B2B payments. Payments are delivered through the payee's preferred delivery methods, including email, secure fax, web, automated phone, or live agent, using a unique, one-time use MasterCard, Visa or Discover virtual card whenever possible.

More information about Noventis virtual card solutions and the benefits to small businesses is available at https://noventispayments.com/virtualcards.

About Noventis

Noventis is trusted by over 5,000 financial institutions, processors and aggregators to deliver electronic payments between the broadest base of businesses and consumers. Since 1998, Noventis has been providing its partners with innovative solutions to longstanding bill payment challenges. Noventis' proprietary processing platform dynamically routes payments to a vast and ever growing network of endpoints. The patented platform replaces cumbersome transactions, such as paper checks, with a wide array of electronic payment methods, greatly accelerating delivery speed and dramatically lowering costs for payments to billers and suppliers. For more information, visit www.NoventisPayments.com, http://www.linkedin.com/company/noventis-inc. and @Noventis_Inc.

SOURCE Noventis, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.noventispayments.com


Now, Meadows can add "woman of influence" to her extensive list of achievements. In recognition of her dedication in leading the housing and mortgage industry forward, HousingWire has named Meadows to its 2017 Women of Influence List .

This marks the seventh year for the Women of Influence list, and HousingWire officials noted that the nominations grow more competitive every year. The 50 women chosen represent a variety of occupations within the housing economy, each demonstrating leadership that inspires those in their own companies, in their communities and in the industry at large.

"It's a great honor to be standing alongside such accomplished, successful women who are making a difference in their communities and working for a better future in the housing and mortgage industries," said Meadows, a broker associate with Keller Williams Cornerstone Realty in Gainesville, Ocala, and Summerfield, Florida. "I love what I do  being a Realtor isn't a job, it's who I am. Every day, I am privileged to help people realize their dreams of a place to call home, and I believe that everyone should be able to enjoy the security of having shelter and a home. Advocating for housing at all income levels in Florida and across the country continues to be a cause near and dear to my heart."

Many of the 2017 winners mentor other women in the industry, manage internship programs for college students or work with business groups in disadvantaged areas. Others coordinate volunteer programs for their employees or serve on advisory boards that inform the industry. Investing time and effort to see others succeed is a hallmark of this group.

HousingWire Magazine Editor Sarah Wheeler said, "It's exciting to see the talent represented in this year's Women of Influence winners. These dynamic women represent every part of the mortgage ecosystem and their achievements are vital to the mission of expanding homeownership. HousingWire is thrilled to recognize and celebrate their accomplishments as they build better operations, solutions and companies."

Winners were selected based on tangible accomplishments in the past 12 months. Not only did they have to excel within their companies, but they also had to show influence in the wider industry through contributions on panels, publications, mentoring and volunteering.

"As the mortgage industry continues to do the right thing  increase diversity in the workforce  the housing finance business will likewise keep moving from strength to strength," said HousingWire Editor-in-Chief Jacob Gaffney. "The progress is undeniable; as the number of influential women in housing grows so does our recognition for the Influential Women of Housing. Our list is bigger and better than ever."

Meadows supports numerous community organizations and charitable causes. However, as a dedicated advocate for private property rights and housing at all income levels, she has inspired action in states, territories and in Washington, D.C., speaking on behalf of Realtors, homeowners and for those experiencing homelessness throughout the nation. For example, when serving as 2016 NAR vice president, she testified before the House of Representatives Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity in Washington, D.C., and advocated for continued efforts to remove barriers to housing.

In July 2016, Meadows hosted a Housing for All symposium in Washington, D.C., that focused on housing opportunities, ideas and innovative thinking to combat homelessness.

And as president of Florida Realtors in 2014, she and the state association's leaders traveled across Florida as part of an awareness campaign to make homelessness more visible and work with local community leaders to spotlight successful programs and possible solutions. Florida Realtors campaign was nationally recognized by Ragan Communications for Best Advocacy/Awareness Campaign and Best Community-Nonprofit Partnership.

Meadows continues to work on behalf of Realtors and her profession: She is the Florida Realtors-endorsed candidate for NAR 2019 first vice president.

Florida Realtors serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 165,000 members in 54 boards/associations. Florida Realtors Media Center website is available at http://media.floridarealtors.org.

SOURCE Florida Realtors

Related Links

http://www.media.floridarealtors.org


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ogury, the mobile data platform that provides the most comprehensive view of mobile user behavior globally, and the only platform offering a true picture of what people are doing on their mobile devices, in-app and out, announced today that it achieved revenue growth in the US for the first half of 2017 of over 500%. This growth follows $15 million in a Series B funding round from Idinvest, Ventech, CoVent Partners and ACG, last July for a total of $20 million raised since 2014.

Founded in 2014 with its first office in the UK, Ogury is one of the fastest growing mobile data companies in Europe, with over 400 million user profiles, in over 120 countries. Ogury entered the US market in September 2016 with the launch of its sixth global office in New York City. Over 700 different brands globally have worked with Ogury to date, running more than 5000 campaigns across 80 countries.

The funding secured in 2016 has facilitated tremendous growth for Ogury in the US and in the most recent half year, the Company has:

Increased US revenue by over 500% for the first half of 2017

Hired sales and marketing teams specifically for the US business

Increased its US footprint by opening offices in Boston , Chicago , Detroit and Los Angeles

"Expanding our presence in the US is a cornerstone of our global growth strategy," said co-founder and CEO USA, Thomas Pasquet. "Ogury avails our customers a wealth of data that was previously inaccessible, allowing them to monetize their audience as never before. We provide a differentiated and unmatched offering in the US because of the unique data we generate from our 400 million user profiles."

Mr. Pasquet added, "From 2014 to 2016, Ogury has seen global revenue increase by 2600 percent and we are profitable. US expansion is key to our goal of reaching 1 billion mobile users within three years, and reinforcing our presence as the largest mobile data platform, with the most granular data, in the world."

Evan Rutchik, US Head of Sales for Ogury commented, "We are pleased by the success of the US business, as we engage the advertising community on why we have the most powerful mobile targeting in the industry. As the world's largest advertising market, US growth is crucial and it is our goal to demonstrate to both existing and potential US customers that this powerful new mobile intelligence offering provides an unprecedented understanding of the complete mobile consumer journey."

Mr. Rutchik added, "We don't focus solely on what apps a user has installed on their phone. For Ogury, what is relevant is observing and appreciating how a consumer uses their phone (in terms of actual usage of all apps and all web activity,) enabling us to truly understand what ad content is most relevant to that user in that moment or in the future."

How Ogury Works

Ogury is helping to solve the problem of irrelevant advertising by taking the guesswork out of mobile targeting.

Most mobile ad platforms have a limited view of user traffic; they identify sample audience behaviors and then target and re-target vast groups of 'lookalike' audiences based on assumed actions. The imprecise nature of this approach and the low quality of the datasets leads to poor consumer engagement and campaign performance.

Ogury addresses this issue with true and fully qualified device-level 1st party user data, identifying actual users rather than 'lookalikes'. Its proprietary technology forms a complete picture of what users are doing on their mobile devices, and this insight enables advertisers to target consumers with highly relevant content at unprecedented levels of precision. Users are given control, they choose to opt-in to data generation, and can opt-out at any time.

Integrated within thousands of apps, Ogury's proprietary data generation technology allows it to build over 400 million mobile behavior profiles across more than 120 countries. No other platform has access to device-level mobile data at this scale or accuracy.

About Ogury

Ogury is the mobile data platform that provides the most comprehensive view of mobile user behavior globally. It is the only data specialist offering omniscient mobile intelligence, a true and complete picture of the user journey on mobile devices  in-app and mobile web. Ogury collects raw data signals from mobile devices, after explicit user consent, and translates them into meaningful data with proprietary machine learning technology. Ogury has device level 1st party behavioral data, apps installed, apps usage and browsing, which is unique in depth, recency and accuracy, and not available anywhere else. Its proprietary technology, integrated within thousands of apps, enables Ogury to build over 400 million mobile user profiles across more than 120 countries. By harnessing the power of this unique insight, it delivers unrivaled monetization, ad targeting, analytics, and CRM solutions for advertisers and publishers that greatly enhance the mobile consumer experience. Founded in 2014, Ogury has international offices in London, New York, Paris, Milan, Rome, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Detroit and Madrid, and works with all major media agencies, along with the world's leading premium brands and publishers. For more information visit www.ogury.co.

Media Contact for Ogury:

Melissa Sheer

Kent Place Communications LLC

917-690-2199

[email protected]

SOURCE Ogury

Related Links

http://www.ogury.co


CHICAGO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Olive Tree Escapes (https://otescapes.com/), a leading bespoke luxury travel company specialized in Italy and Croatia travel, is proud to announce the launch of its new monthly webinar series dedicated to travel agents.

The first webinar, "Italy in Fall & Winter: How to Design the Perfect FIT," will be held on August 8, at 11:00 AM CST. The webinar will be hosted by Beth Rubin and will focus on destinations, logistics, upcoming events, and key selling points of traveling to Italy during Fall & Winter. Travel agents can register for the webinar here .

Italy in Fall & Winter: How to Design the Perfect FIT

"This webinar series is part of our ongoing efforts to keep our travel agent partners up-to-date with the latest Italian and Croatian travel trends, accommodations, and experiences. But also an informal way to get to know our knowledgeable team of experts," says Beth Rubin, President of Olive Tree Escapes. "Each webinar is 30 minutes: approximately 20 minutes of presentation followed by 10 minutes of Q&A. The webinars are free, exclusive for travel agents, and recordings will be available for all the registrants."

Each month, webinars will focus on a different subject of Italy and Croatia travel and will be hosted by the company's travel experts. Future webinar topics will include:

Croatia 101: Trendy Hot-Spots and Lesser-Known Destinations

101: Trendy Hot-Spots and Lesser-Known Destinations Rome as a Local

as a Local Summer Vacations 2018: Plan Now to Get the Best Experience for Your Clients

For more information regarding Olive Tree Escapes' webinar series, send an email to [email protected] . Travel agents interested in receiving our monthly webinar invitations can subscribe by sending an email to [email protected].

Press Contact:

Beatrice Sartori

Olive Tree Escapes

877-272-2310

[email protected]

About Olive Tree Escapes

Olive Tree Escapes has brought together a team of award-winning consultants with 30 years of combined experience, specialized in designing customized upscale itineraries to Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Montenegro.

SOURCE Olive Tree Escapes

Related Links

https://otescapes.com


CALGARY, AB and SAN DIEGO, CA, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Oncolytics or the Company) (TSX:ONC) (OTCQX:ONCYF) will present at the Canaccord Genuity 37th Annual Growth Conference. The presentation, by Dr. Matt Coffey, President & CEO of Oncolytics, will take place at 9:00 am ET, on Thursday, August 10, 2017 in the Hong Kong Room at the Intercontinental Hotel. The conference takes place on August 9th & 10th in Boston, MA.

A live audio link to the webcast session will be available on the Company's website at http://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com/investor-centre/presentations. It is recommended that listeners log on 10 minutes in advance of a live session to register and download any necessary software. An audio replay will be accessible approximately two hours following the presentation on the Oncolytics website.

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Oncolytics is a biotechnology company developing REOLYSIN, an immuno-oncology viral-agent, as a potential treatment for a variety of tumor types. The compound induces selective tumor lysis and promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype through innate and adaptive immune responses to treat a variety of cancers. Oncolytics' clinical development program emphasizes three pillars: chemotherapy combinations to trigger selective tumor lysis; immuno-therapy combinations to produce adaptive immune responses; and immune modulator (IMiD) combinations to facilitate innate immune responses. Oncolytics is currently planning its first registration study in breast cancer, as well as studies in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and IMiD/targeted therapies in solid and hematological malignancies. For further information about Oncolytics, please visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including the Company's belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN (pelareorep) as a cancer therapeutic; the Company's expectations as to the success of its research and development programs in 2017 and beyond, the Company's planned operations, the value of the additional patents and intellectual property; the Company's expectations related to the applications of the patented technology; the Company's expectations as to adequacy of its existing capital resources; the design, timing, success of planned clinical trial programs; and other statements related to anticipated developments in the Company's business and technologies involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer treatment, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully commercialize REOLYSIN, uncertainties related to the research and development of pharmaceuticals, uncertainties related to the regulatory process and general changes to the economic environment. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OneAccord Capital today announced the acquisition of Yakima's FarWest Fabricators Inc., its latest investment in high-potential, successful, privately-held companies throughout the Pacific Northwest.

FarWest Fabricators makes metal parts to exacting standards for a wide range of industries. It has earned a stellar reputation for customer service, quality and integrity since its founding in 1983 by Gary Carter, whose son Jeff has led the company since 1993.

"FarWest Fabricators is a great company today and a model for business success based on values," said Scott Smith, co-founder and chief executive officer of OneAccord Capital, who himself brings many years of senior leadership in the metal fabrication industry. "They are an excellent fit for Solomons Fund, our investment vehicle. We believe we have the right operational experience and resources to help FarWest Fabricators grow, and we are excited to get going."

"Scott and the rest of the OneAccord Capital team demonstrated to me they understand who we are. They care about legacy, and they have the conviction and know-how to take FarWest to the next level," said Jeff Carter, who remains at FarWest Fabricators as a shareholder, advisor and board member. "I'm convinced they share our principles, vision, and commitment to our customers, employees and community."

OneAccord Capital has installed a new chief executive officer, Norm Thomas, a former executive at Microsoft and other software companies who also brings deep experience in manufacturing at local industry leaders Intalco Aluminum, Fatigue Technology and GM Nameplate. Thomas will tap the collective insights and talents of Solomons Fund investors, who bring more than a century of successful entrepreneurial, corporate and operational leadership experience and an aligned set of values centering on stewardship and long-term vision.

FarWest Fabricators has more than 80 employees, primarily at its headquarters in Moxee, Wash., near Yakima, who are engineers, software technicians, machinists, welders, sales specialists and administrators maintaining a corporate culture built on character, diligence, and commitment to customers and to one another.

Acquiring FarWest Fabricators fits OneAccord Capital's ongoing focus on a market segment it believes the institutional capital industry overlooks: small, profitable companies owned by retirement-age entrepreneurs who want to extend their legacies while protecting their employees and local communities. OneAccord Capital's strategy is to build long-term value over a ten-year-minimum time horizon - another departure from the traditional norms of the private equity industry, which generally drives for quick-turnaround results.

"For years, researchers have pointed to a growing trend of baby boomer owners who are reaching retirement age and need to find the right transition path. The numbers are large: tens of thousands of businesses in the Pacific Northwest will change hands over the next several years," said Jeff Rogers, a OneAccord Capital co-founder. "Yet the capital markets are not prepared and generally are not focused on this type of organization, which puts the companies, the employees and the local communities in jeopardy. OneAccord Capital's mission is to help close the gap."

About OneAccord Capital and Solomons Fund

OneAccord Capital is a full-service, sell-side merger and acquisition firm serving profitable, privately-held companies in the Pacific Northwest. It has a private equity fund, called Solomons Fund, which acquires companies to extend their legacies by applying principles of stewardship, operational excellence and long-term vision to produce exponential growth for the acquired companies and strong returns for Solomons Fund investors. Solomons Fund's first acquisition, Yakima-based Graphic Label, was announced in August 2016; its second, BestWorth Rommel of Arlington, Washington, was announced in May 2017. For more information, visit oneaccordcapital.com and solomonsfund.com.

CONTACT: Kevin Kutz 425 984 4777 or [email protected]

SOURCE OneAccord Capital

Related Links

http://www.oneaccordcapital.com


TULSA, Okla., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE: OKE) today announced plans to expand its Canadian Valley natural gas processing facility in the STACK play of western Oklahoma to 400 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) from 200 MMcf/d to support increasing production growth.

The Canadian Valley II project in Canadian County, Oklahoma, is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2018. The expansion and related infrastructure is expected to cost approximately $155 million to $165 million and is supported by more than 200,000 acres of dedication, primarily fee-based contracts and minimum volume commitments.

"The doubling of processing capacity at Canadian Valley is needed to capture rapidly increasing customer production in the STACK play," said Terry K. Spencer, ONEOK president and chief executive officer. "The expansion will provide producers in the area with essential natural gas processing capacity."

The expansion of Canadian Valley, in conjunction with the recently announced 200 MMcf/d firm offload agreement to a third-party processor, will bring ONEOK's total natural gas processing capacity in Oklahoma to approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by 2019.

Additionally, NGLs produced from the expansion are expected to add approximately 20,000 barrels per day of additional volumes to ONEOK's existing Oklahoma NGL gathering system.

ONEOK, Inc. (pronounced ONE-OAK) (NYSE: OKE) is one of the largest energy midstream service providers in the U.S., connecting prolific supply basins with key market centers. It owns and operates one of the nation's premier natural gas liquids (NGL) systems and is a leader in the gathering, processing, storage and transportation of natural gas. ONEOK's operations include a 38,000-mile integrated network of NGL and natural gas pipelines, processing plants, fractionators and storage facilities in the Mid-Continent, Williston, Permian and Rocky Mountain regions.

ONEOK is a FORTUNE 500 company and is included in Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 index.

For information about ONEOK, Inc., visit the website: www.oneok.com.

For the latest news about ONEOK, find us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter @ONEOKNews.

Some of the statements contained and incorporated in this news release are forward-looking statements as defined under federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements relate to our anticipated financial performance, liquidity, management's plans and objectives for our growth projects and other future operations (including plans to construct additional natural gas and natural gas liquids pipelines), our business prospects, the outcome of regulatory and legal proceedings, market conditions and other matters. We make these forward-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under federal securities laws and other applicable laws.

Forward-looking statements include the items identified in the preceding paragraph, the information concerning possible or assumed future results of our operations and other statements contained or incorporated in this news release identified by words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "should," "goal," "forecast," "guidance," "could," "may," "continue," "might," "potential," "scheduled" and other words and terms of similar meaning.

One should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Those factors may affect our operations, markets, products, services and prices. These and other risks are described in greater detail in Item 1A, Risk Factors, in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the other filings that we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Any such forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and, other than as required under securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or change in circumstances, expectations or otherwise.

Analyst Contact: Megan Patterson

918-561-5325 Media Contact: Stephanie Higgins

918-591-5026

SOURCE ONEOK, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.oneok.com


IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Netwrix Corporation, provider of a visibility platform for data security and risk mitigation in hybrid environments, today announced the release of its 2017 IT Risks in Finance infographics. Part of the recently published Netwrix 2017 IT Risks Report, these infographics are based on feedback provided by IT specialists working for financial organizations around the globe.

The 2017 IT Risks in Finance infographics provide insight into the IT challenges, security practices and plans common for financial organizations today. The IT risks are divided into three areas: security, compliance and operations.

The survey's key findings for financial organizations are:

67% of financial organizations do not use any software for information security governance or risk management.

36% of financial organizations do not have a separate cybersecurity function.

91% of financial organizations focus their security initiatives on protection of databases.

The biggest threat to system availability and security is employees, according to 55% of financial organizations, followed by third parties with legitimate access to internal systems (27%).

27% of financial organizations had security incidents caused by human error in 2016, and 18% of financial organizations dealt with malware in 2016.

Only 36% of financial organizations claim to be well prepared to beat IT risks.

Lack of time is the main obstacle to more efficient handling of IT risks (55%), followed by lack of budget (45%) and complexity of IT infrastructures (45%).

82% of financial organizations are going to focus their investments on protection against data breaches, and 73% will focus on protection against cyber-sabotage.

"Financial organizations may have flaws in their IT risks mitigation strategy, but they still have achieved impressive results compared to other industries we've surveyed. However, only one third of financial organizations have consistent and mature practices, which enable them to act proactively towards any new and existing threats," said Michael Fimin, CEO and co-founder of Netwrix. "Financial organizations still need, and this need is well acknowledged, to fortify the security by better protecting data against breaches and fraud and by mitigating human factor. These two areas are going to be a major investment focus in the near future."

To download the 2017 IT Risks in Finance infographics, please visit: netwrix.com/go/itrisksinfinance2017.

About Netwrix Corporation

Netwrix Corporation was the first vendor to introduce a visibility and governance platform for hybrid cloud security. More than 160,000 IT departments worldwide rely on Netwrix to detect insider threats on premises and in the cloud, pass compliance audits with less effort and expense, and increase productivity of IT security and operations teams. Founded in 2006, Netwrix has earned more than 100 industry awards and been named to both the Inc. 5000 and Deloitte Technology Fast 500 lists of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. For more information, visit www.netwrix.com

CONTACT:

Erin Jones

Avista PR for Netwrix

P: 704.664.2170

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Netwrix Corporation

Related Links

http://www.netwrix.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Almadex Minerals Limited (TSX-V: AMZ; OTCQX: AXDDF), an exploration company specializing in the discovery of new mineral prospects, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Almadex Minerals upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB Venture Market.

Almadex Minerals begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "AXDDF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

"Almadex Minerals joins an impressive roster of Canadian companies, including more than 20 added this year, that cross-trade their shares on the OTCQX market to maximize their reach to U.S. investors. Trading on OTCQX will enable Almadex Minerals to efficiently expand access to their news and financial disclosure and build visibility with U.S. investors," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "We look forward to supporting Almadex Minerals and its shareholders in the U.S. public market."

Almadex Minerals was sponsored for OTCQX by Clark Wilson LLP, a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership.

Almadex Minerals Limited is an exploration company specializing in the discovery of new mineral prospects. The company currently has an asset portfolio consisting of numerous exploration properties it manages itself, several NSR royalties on projects managed by other companies, plus gold bullion, equities and cash. This strong portfolio of assets is the direct result of over 35 years of prospecting, discovery and deal-making by Almadex's predecessor company, Almaden Minerals Ltd. Almadex's current focus is following up the 2016 gold/copper porphyry discovery at its El Cobre project in Mexico. Almadex prides itself in conducting highly cost-effective exploration programs, courtesy of its company-owned drill rigs and its team of accomplished drillers and field hands.



About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market, and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.



To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com



OTC Link ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, a new national survey finds that nine in 10 K-8 parents say their child is performing at or above grade level in reading and math, when only a third of students are achieving at that level, according to 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data.

"Parents 2017: Unleashing Their Power & Potential," a national survey of K-8 parents released today by Learning Heroes in collaboration with Univision, and in partnership with National PTA, National Urban League, UNCF, and UnidosUS, also shows that while parents are confident about their children's academics, they are increasingly anxious about other issues, from their child's happiness and emotional well-being, to peer pressure, bullying, and more. Still, they have very high expectations for their children, with a full 75% expecting their child to get a two- or four-year college degree.

"As a mother of two teen boys, this disconnect is a heartbreaking wake-up call," says Bibb Hubbard, founder of Learning Heroes. "Parents are all in when it comes to their children's happiness and success, owning the responsibility for how well their children perform in school. The data clearly show that most parents lack an accurate picture of their children's progress. We believe it's because so much of what parents receive about their child's progress is indecipherablefilled with edu-jargon, confusing terms, and often lacking actionable information they need to fulfill their commitment to support their children's learning and growth."

The survey also finds that a majority of parents (66%) say their child is doing above average academically, 77% rate their schools highly, and more than 80% rate the job their teachers are doing highly, from communicating about academic achievement, to outlining expectations for learning, to informing key concepts they are learning, and more.

But the survey reveals a wobbly foundation beneath today's academic perceptions. This year, more parents worry about their child being on track academically and gaining skills and knowledge to prepare for college than last year. Two in five parents are not highly confident their child will be prepared to enter and succeed in college, and once informed about NAEP scores, more than one quarter of parents concede it is likely their child is performing below grade level now.

A majority of parents say they would find resources and information helpful in supporting their child's academic success, including a detailed explanation of what their child is expected to learn over the course of the year, activities to improve English and math skills, tips on how to advocate for their child, and homework support. Hispanic parentsespecially Spanish-dominant parentsand African-American parents express the greatest interest in resources.

"Clearly, there is a real and urgent need to bridge the gulf between the information parents are provided about their child's progress and their child's actual level of achievement," said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. "This research shows that parents want to be equipped with proper information and tools so they can be the stewards they aspire to be and raise their children to be happy, productive, and successful adults."

In response to Parents 2017 findings, and to provide parents with the back-to-school tools they need to guide their children's learning, Learning Heroes joined forces with National PTA and Scholastic to create the Super 5 Back-to-School Power Moves. This tool focuses on five core actions parents can take as part of their everyday routine. It links to resources such as the Readiness Roadmap, which includes information on academic expectations, financing college, life skills for kids, parent-teacher communications, learning tools, and more. The Super 5 and Readiness Roadmap are available in both English and Spanish and can be found at bealearninghero.org.

Parents 2017 is a poll of more than 1,400 parents of public school students in K-8 to better understand parents' mindsets about their children's education. The survey was conducted in English and Spanish and included oversamples of African-American and Hispanic parents. This is the second year of the survey, which was funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York and Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.

Additional findings:

By a ratio of 3:2, parents say it is more important that their child be happy and not overly stressed by school than do well academically. Hispanic parents are more likely to emphasize academics, with 55% saying happiness is more important and 44% saying academics are more important.

Education is not a major factor when parents think about their child's happiness today, but it comes into play when they think about their child's happiness and well-being as an adult.

Parents place primary responsibility for their child's success on themselves and their child. Only 12% of all parents said schools (teachers, principal, district leaders) have the greatest responsibility. Parents tend to shift the burden from themselves to their child when their child reaches middle school.

Among the 39% of parents who think their child struggled academically at some point, more than half did not feel highly confident they could support their child's learning.

Parents rely on report card grades more than state tests to gauge their child's academics. 66% of parents say report cards grades provide a more accurate picture of their child's achievement than annual state tests.

About Learning Heroes

Learning Heroes informs and equips parents to help their children succeed in school. We start by listening to parents and meeting them where they are with easy-to-understand information, tools, and resources. Our partners include Common Sense Media, GreatSchools, National PTA, National Urban League, UNCF, UnidosUS, Univision Communications Inc., and others.

About the Study

Hart Research Associated conducted this national survey among 1,423 parents of public school children in grades K-8. It includes a nationally representative survey of 813 elementary and middle school parents. It includes oversamples among Hispanics (to yield 293 Spanish-dominant Hispanic parents and 266 English-dominant Hispanic parents) and African Americans (to yield 280 African-American parents). The online survey was conducted March 22 to April 6, 2017, and was offered in both English and Spanish. The survey was administered by GfK, using their KnowledgePanel, a probability-based Web panel designed to be representative of the United States. The survey has a margin of error of +3.2 percentage points for all parents. Sample tolerances for subgroups are larger.

SOURCE Learning Heroes
LONDON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "Increased adoption of digital payment modes is expected to drive the growth of the payment security market."

The payment security market size is expected to grow from USD 11.39 billion in 2017 to USD 24.63 billion by 2022, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.7%. The growth of the payment security market is driven by various factors, such as increased adoption of digital payment modes, need to adhere to PCI guidelines, and rise in fraudulent activities on eCommerce. However, lack of trust in online banking may restrict the growth of the payment security market.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5028015/



"Encryption solution segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period."

Encryption transforms consumer's financial information into non-readable form called cipher text using mathematical algorithms. The encrypted data is not readable by anyone, which secures cardholder's details. Thus, encryption solution helps to reduce the vulnerability of the data, which ultimately reduces a merchant's business risks. The solution also fulfills the regulatory requirements of PCI DSS compliance. Therefore, it is expected to witness high growth rates in the near future.



"The retail vertical is expected to dominate the payment security market."

The popularity of online shopping is increasing in the retail industry. Retail merchants regularly face a challenge in managing consumer's sensitive data related to payment cards and complying with the regulations. This vertical is one of the most targeted verticals by cyber-attackers because of the potential payouts and huge number of monetary transactions made via VISA, MasterCard, and other payment processing networks. This necessitates substantial investments in payment security solutions by this vertical, making it the highest contributor in the payment security market.



"Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period."

APAC includes emerging economies such as China, Australia, Singapore, and India, which are rapidly deploying payment security solutions. It is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the rise in fraudulent activities on eCommerce in many industry verticals, such as retail, Information Technology (IT) and telecom, travel and hospitality, healthcare, and education. Furthermore, North America is estimated to have the largest market size in 2017.



In-depth interviews were conducted with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), marketing directors, innovation and technology directors, and executives from various key organizations operating in the payment security market.



- By Company Type: Tier 1: 55%, Tier 2: 20%, and Tier 3: 25%

- By Designation: C-Level: 60%, Director Level: 25%, and Others: 15%

- By Region: North America: 40%, Europe: 20%, APAC: 10%, and RoW: 30%



The report includes the study of the key players offering payment security services, such as Braintree (Illinois, US), CyberSource Corporation (California, US), Elavon (Georgia, US), Index (Nevada, US), Ingenico ePayments (Hoofddorp, Netherlands), Intelligent Payments (Gibraltar), GEOBRIDGE Corporation (Virginia, US), Shift4 Corporation (Nevada, US), Transaction Network Services (TNS) Inc. (Virginia, US), and TokenEx, LLC (Oklahoma, US).



Research Coverage

The report covers the payment security services offered across different regions. It aims at estimating the market size and growth potential of this market across different segments, such as solutions and services, organization size, verticals, and regions. Furthermore, the report also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the key market players along with their company profiles, key observations related to product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.



Key Benefits of Buying the Report

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in the payment security market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall payment security market and subsegments. This report will help stakeholders to understand the competitor landscape, gain more insights to position their businesses better, and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps the stakeholders to understand the pulse of the market, and it provides them with information on the key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5028015/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


LONDON, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsis

Timetric's 'Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Bahrain, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Bahraini life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Bahraini insurance industry with its regional counterparts.





Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3746745/







It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (20112015) and forecast period (20152020).



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Bahraini economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together Timetric's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



Summary

Timetric's 'Personal Accident and Health Insurance in Bahrain, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment, including:



- An overview of the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment



- The Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment's growth prospects by category



- A comprehensive overview of the Bahraini economy and demographics



- A comparison of the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment with its regional counterparts



- The various distribution channels in the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment



- Details of the competitive landscape in the personal accident and health insurance segment in Bahrain



- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Bahraini insurance industry



Scope

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the personal accident and health insurance segment in Bahrain:



- It provides historical values for the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment for the report's 20112015 review period, and projected figures for the 20152020 forecast period.



- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.



- It provides a comparison of the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment with its regional counterparts



- It provides an overview of the various distribution channels for personal accident and health insurance products in Bahrain.



- It profiles the top personal accident and health insurance companies in Bahrain, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Reasons To Buy

- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment, and each category within it.



- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Bahraini personal accident and health insurance segment.



- Assess the competitive dynamics in the personal accident and health insurance segment.



- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.



- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Bahraini insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Key Highlights

- In April 2017, the president of the Supreme Council for Health announced a new law under the National Health Insurance Scheme, which will be implemented by early 2019. This new law will make health insurance mandatory for citizens, expats and visitors in Bahrain.



- In August 2016, Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company opened a new branch in Saar Mall in the Northern Governorate.



- In January 2015, Bahrain's Ministry of Health introduced a new scheme which provides healthcare to expatriate workers in the private sector.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3746745/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

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READING, Pa., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to gain a comprehensive understanding of the biosimilars marketplace, PFI interviewed personnel across multiple business functions including sales, marketing, strategy, medical affairs, market access, and reimbursement.

Lorrie Berg-Henne, Director of Marketing and Sales at PFI, says that awareness among physicians has risen over the past 2-3 years.

"Early adopter physicians who stay current with the medical literature, who take online CME courses, and who attend conferences are usually well aware of biosimilars," Berg-Henne said.

"However, there are a large number of 'wait and see' physicians who still remain relatively unaware of biosimilars, thus lowering the chance of these medicines being prescribed to patients."

Additional industry insight captured in this report will allow commercial pharmaceutical professionals to:

Fine-tune their own biosimilar commercial operations initiatives by reviewing perceptions among physicians and payers Gain an understanding of hurdles to biosimilar market entry Understand the role of an effective managed care effort on biosimilar commercialization Discover the effect of discounting on biosimilar sales models See observed variations in biosimilar uptake across therapeutic areas

For more information on the report mentioned above, please contact Colton Dunkle at [email protected] or by phone at 610-370-0603.

PharmaForce International (PFI) is a competitive intelligence firm with over two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. PFI has become the market leader in commercial operations benchmarking and competitive intelligence. The globally focused company employs marketplace experts uniquely qualified to perform primary research required by clients in most major pharmaceutical markets around the world, including Europe, India, Japan, Latin America, and the United States.

SOURCE PharmaForce International
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pharmozyme, Inc. (Pharmozyme), a manufacturer of contamination free enzymes, including Crystal Taq, the world's first Taq Polymerase free from bacterial and animal DNA contamination, announced that it will present Pharmozyme's new platform for the pure production of such enzymes at the 2017 American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo.

The conference will be held July 30 - August 3 in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. Dr. Nader Nourizad, Pharmoyzme's Chief Executive Officer, will be giving his presentation on August 1st, Tuesday, at 10 a.m. in Theater 3. Pharmozyme will be operating booth number 514, Hall A, in the Exhibitors section. At its booth, visitors will be able to learn about Pharmozyme's new EG PCR Master Mix (2X), containing EvaGreen, a next-generation DNA binding dye with properties ideal for use in qPCR, RT-PCR and other PCR based applications. Pharmozyme's master mixes are made with Crystal Taq polymerase.

"Pharmozyme is set to become the de-facto standard and a 'must have' for every DNA amplification & sequencing research facility," said Dr. Nader Nourizad, Chief Executive Officer for Pharmozyme. "As we look to the future, our highly pure enzymes will disrupt the in vitro diagnostics markets by reducing the number of inaccurate testing results from contamination impacting clinical, industrial, and research pathogen testing."

About Pharmozyme

Pharmozyme has developed a proprietary technology to produce the world's purest reagents, including the world's first Taq Polymerase free from bacterial and animal DNA contamination. With its storefront PCRShop.com, Pharmozyme manufactures and sells its enzymes that are used for supporting new technologies in DNA Amplification, Sequencing research, and production of highly accurate and sensitive pathogen detection kits. In the near future, Pharmozyme plans to produce its own versions of highly accurate and sensitive kits for medical diagnostics. For more information, visit www.pharmozyme.com.

 Pharmozyme, Inc. 2017

Legal Disclaimer

This press release includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "believes", "is set to become", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "plans", or "should", and include statements Pharmozyme makes concerning the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Pharmozyme's actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. Pharmozyme undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

Media Contact

Pharmozyme, Inc.

Michael Swartzburg, Chief Financial Officer

1190 Mountain View Alviso Rd, Suite H

Sunnyvale, CA 94089

+1 669-600-3194

[email protected]

www.pharmozyme.com

Related Links

Company Website

Shopping site

SOURCE Pharmozyme, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.pharmozyme.com


VANCOUVER, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Polaris Materials Corporation ("Polaris" or the "Company") (TSX:PLS) plans to release Q2 2017 results on Thursday, August 10, 2017 after the close of trading on the TSX. The results will be available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and also on the company's web site at www.polarismaterials.com. In conjunction with the release, Polaris has scheduled an investor conference call which will be held on Friday, August 11, 2017 at 11:00am Eastern time (8:00am Pacific time).

Conference Call and Webcast Details

Details to access the call live are as follows:

Via telephone, toll free, by calling 1-888-390-0605 in North America , +1-416-764-8609 in Toronto or +1-778-383-7417 in Vancouver .

, +1-416-764-8609 in or +1-778-383-7417 in . Via webcast at: https://goo.gl/Br9RQ4

The webcast will be archived for 14 days following the call at the above-noted link. The conference call will also be recorded and available for replay until Friday, August 25, 2017. To access the replay, dial 1-888-390-0541 or +1-416-764-8677 and use Playback Passcode 177464# to hear the recording.

About Polaris Materials Corporation:

Polaris Materials Corporation is engaged in the development and operation of construction aggregate quarries in Canada to supply distribution facilities in the United States through coastal shipping. The Company's active construction aggregate interests consist of its Orca Sand and Gravel Quarry in British Columbia and two associated receiving terminals in Richmond and Long Beach, California. The Company also owns the Black Bear Project located in close proximity to the Orca Quarry, and a controlling interest in the Eagle Rock Quarry Project, located on the south coast of Vancouver Island.

For further information, please contact:

Nicholas Van Dyk

Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development

Polaris Materials Corporation

Tel: (604) 915-5000 Ext. 111

[email protected]

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements and information appear in this document and include estimates, forecasts, information and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, among other things, the future financial or operating performance of the Company, including increases in gross margins, increases in sales volumes, shipments and selling prices, costs of production, capital and operating expenditures, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of quarrying operations, environmental risks, reclamation expenses, and title disputes, the Canadian dollar compared to the US dollar, increases in Californian construction activity and US infrastructure funding, statements regarding potential new customers and the development of Black Bear. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "should", "plans", "expects", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "budget", and "scheduled" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's continuous disclosure documents which are filed with Canadian regulators on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's Annual Report and under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form. Such factors include, amongst others, the effects of general economic conditions, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations, industry supply levels, competitive pricing pressures, mineral resource and reserve estimates and the timing and development of the Black Bear project. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. All written and oral forward-looking statements and information attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements.

SOURCE Polaris Materials Corporation

Related Links

http://www.polarismaterials.com


ALBANY, New York, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Transparency Market Research has published a new report titled "Polyphenylene Ether Alloy (PPE) Market (Product: PPE/PS, PPE/PA, PPE/PP and Others; End-user: Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Industrial and Others - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2017-2025" According to the report, the global polyphenylene ether alloy market was valued at US$ 1,264.7 Mn in 2016 and is anticipated to reach US$ 1,951.2 Mn by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 4.9% between 2016 and 2025.

Polyphenylene ether alloys are class of engineering thermoplastic that contains phenoxy or thiophenoxy group in ether linkage. They are blended with other polymers such as polystyrene or polyamide to improve toughness and performance; thus also known as blended or modified polyphenylene ether alloy. These alloys possess various characteristic features such as high toughness, superior dielectric properties, high dimensional stability, low mold shrinkage, and high temperature performance.

Polyphenylene ether alloy are widely employed in various industries such as automotive, industrial, medical, and electronics. Rising investment in automotive industry, typically in developing economies such as Mexico, South Africa, and India expected to fuel the demand for polyphenylene ether alloy during the forecast period. In addition rising demand for fuel efficient vehicles coupled with light weight automotive components further propelling the polyphenylene ether alloy market. Polyphenylene ether alloy still faces tough competition from other thermoplastic such as polycarbonate and polybutylene terephthalate as they possess similar functionality and are available in low cost comparative to polyphenylene ether alloy. Therefore, high production cost and fluctuating raw material cost are some of the factors that may hinder the growth of the market. However, product improvement to cut the product cost and diversification in processing of thermoplastic are projected to open new opportunities for the polyphenylene ether alloy manufacturers.

Get Sample PDF Report Brochure: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28160

The polyphenylene ether alloy market in terms of product type is segregated into PPE/PS, PPE/PA, PPE/PP, and others. In terms of revenue, PPE/PA was the leading segment with share more than 40% in polyphenylene ether alloy market. PPE/PA and PPE/PP expected to record favorable growth in nearby future due to rising demand for recycled plastic in electrical & electronic and light weight components in automobiles. In terms of end-use, the polyphenylene ether alloy market is segmented into automotive, electrical & electronics, industrial, and other application. Globally automotive held a major share in the market followed by electrical & electronic industry in 2016. The demand for polyphenylene ether alloy in automobiles, electrical & electronic industry and industrial application expected to increase significantly over the forecast period. This is primarily due to rising stringent regulation on CO 2 emission, corrosion control in industrial application, and need of high performance cables in electrical & electronics industry. Polyphenylene ether alloy possess high hydrolytic stability and low water absorption, thus widely employed in fluid transport equipment such as pump and impellers. Furthermore it also possess excellent dimensional stability, and shows low creep behavior at elevated temperatures thus widely employed in circuits, wires, cables, and plugs. These characteristic properties are fuelling its demand in various end-users.

In terms of volume, North America accounted for a significant share in polyphenylene ether alloy market in 2015 followed by Europe. This trend is expected to continue during the forecast period due to the increasing demand for sustainable product. Rapid growth in automotive sector coupled with rising demand for recycled plastic with halogen free formulation in consumer electronics and other industrial application driving polyphenylene ether alloy market in North America during the forecast period. Furthermore, rising population coupled with disposable income in Asia Pacific region encouraging consumers to spend on quality electronic gadgets, boosting the demand for polyphenylene ether alloy in the region. In addition rising joint ventures and capacity expansion of PPE has also contributed to its growth. Recently, in January 2017, Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation formed a joint venture with China National Bluestar (Group) Co., Ltd. As per the joint venture agreement, Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation would start the production and sale of its mPPE brand Xyron in China, including the intermediate material i.e. 2,6-xylenol and polyphenylene ether (PPE). Latin America and Middle East & Africa are the lucrative market for polyphenylene ether alloy due to rising interest for electric vehicles and attractive government schemes. All these factors are anticipated to drive the market during the forecast period.

Major players in the polyphenylene ether alloy market includes Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, Mitsubishi Engineering-plastics Corporation, and Sumitomo Chemical Company.

The polyphenylene ether alloy market has been divided into the following segments.

Polyphenylene Ether Alloy Market - Product Type Analysis

PPE/PS

PPE/PA

PPE/PP

Others

Polyphenylene Ether Alloy Market - End-user Type Analysis

Automotive

Electrical & electronics

Industrial

Others

Polyphenylene Ether Alloy Market - Regional Analysis

North America U.S. Canada

Europe Germany France U.K. Italy Spain Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific China India Japan ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa GCC South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa

& Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America



Browse Research Press Release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/polyphenylene-ether-alloy-market.htm

About TMR

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.



Contact

Transparency Market Research

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Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

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USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Blog: http://www.editiontruth.com/

https://cmfenews.com/

SOURCE Transparency Market Research
ST. LOUIS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pope Francis has praised the Knights of Columbus for its charity, especially on behalf of persecuted Christian and for defending and promoting the sanctity of marriage and the dignity and beauty of family life.

The pope's sentiments are expressed in a letter of greeting to the Knights' 135th international convention, whose theme, "Convinced of God's Love and Power," is described as "a missionary one," revealing "enthusiasm for evangelization."

Pope Francis expressed his "gratitude for the commitment of the Knights to supporting our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and commended the Knights of Columbus Refugee Relief Fund as "an eloquent sign of your order's firm commitment to solidarity and communion with our fellow Christians."

The fund has raised $13 million in aid primarily for those suffering persecution in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region.

The letter asks the Knights to combat injustice and the growth of a global culture of indifference "in fidelity to the vision of the Servant of God Father Michael McGivney," and to do so in "their families, their parishes and their local councils."

The letter notes that Father McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus "as a fraternal and charitable union of Catholic laymen, workers, husbands and fathers."

The letter also points out that Pope Francis "is especially appreciative of the unremitting efforts of the Knights of Columbus to defend and promote the sanctity of marriage and the dignity and beauty of family life."

It is in the family, says the letter, "that we come to see that the larger world is also our home, in which we are called to live together, to learn closeness, care and respect for others, and to value the God-given gifts that each of us has to offer for the good of all."

The pope's message was conveyed in a letter from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Nearly 100 bishops including almost a dozen cardinals were present along with more than 2000 attendees at the convention as the letter was read at the opening business session on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Founded in 1882 by Father McGivney in New Haven, Conn., the Knights of Columbus has grown to nearly 2 million members with charity as its primary mission. Last year, Knights donated $177.5 million and more than 75 million hours of service to charitable causes.

SOURCE Knights of Columbus

Related Links

http://www.kofc.org


Natasha will be working closely with the current national sales manager, Jerry Goldman. Jerry is transitioning into the newly developed role of PortionPac  brand relationship manager. An integral part of the team that chose Natasha for this position, Jerry will be mentoring her until his full retirement, "When I decided to transition into retirement, I could not leave PortionPac  without knowing that our customers were in good hands. Natasha was my first choice to take on this role. Her extensive PortionPac  experience and customer focused commitment make her the ideal person to build existing and new customer relationships."

Jerry Goldman has been in the sanitary supply industry for over 37 years, 21 of which were spent with PortionPac. Burt Klein, president of PortionPac Chemical Corporation said, "Jerry has built strong, long term relationships with our customers and they rely on him to help them be successful. We are fortunate to have this opportunity for Jerry to continue to transfer his wealth of knowledge to the next generation of PortionPac leadership. Jerry is one of the most knowledgeable general cleaning product and floor care experts in this field. In addition to his many accomplishments with our customers, he has helped drive our product development, was integral to the team that built the PortionPac brand Set Cost Cleaning System in the '90s and many of the educational materials he helped create are still in use today."

About PortionPac Chemical Corporation

PortionPac Chemical Corporation, founded in 1964, is the leading provider of pre-measured, maximum concentrate, portion control detergents. PortionPac believes that cleaning education and support are essential to minimize environmental impact and eliminate the unsafe and ineffective habits of traditional cleaning procedures. It is through the cleaning systems offered by PortionPac that customers experience safe, effective, profitable, sustainable cleaning programs that work to improve the human condition. Visit http://www.portionpaccorp.com.

Media contact:

John Paulun

[email protected]

Phone: 312-447-5738

SOURCE PortionPac Chemical Corporation

Related Links

http://www.portionpaccorp.com


CHICAGO and ST. LOUIS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerPost announced today that it acquired Social Media Beast, one of Chicago, Illinois' premier content marketing agencies. The transaction will add nearly 100 clients to the PowerPost software platform and bolster its talent pool of brand journalists and content writers. Twenty employees from Social Media Beast will relocate to the PowerPost Chicago headquarters at One North State Street.

The acquisition marks PowerPost's third such transaction in 18 months. The combined companies manage millions of customer relationships for leading brands such as Marriott, Ty, United Auto and Germ-X. PowerPost also features a unique studio newsroom of skilled journalists and social media experts. The marriage of brand journalists and innovative software provides a complete solution to modern brands.

The industry is taking notice of this powerful software which was recently featured at Techcrunch Disrupt and was identified as a leading marketing software solution in Inc. As the Content Marketing Institute reports that 70% of marketers are planning to create more content in 2017, PowerPost believes modern brands are resonating with its end-to-end publishing solution.

"We were especially attracted to Social Media Beast's personnel," said Dan Curran, President of PowerPost. "Their talent and commitment to content marketing excellence mirrored that of PowerPost perfectly."

Leadership transitioning from Social Media Beast to PowerPost include Trent Turpin, Vice President of Chicago Operations and Scott Fenstermaker who is being promoted to Vice President of Marketing. PowerPost has plans to hire 5 to 10 more content producers this year to meet their client demand.

"We are accelerating our mission to be the leading voice in brand journalism. This acquisition takes us one step closer to this goal," says Curran.

For more information and a to schedule a demo, check out powerpost.digital and connect with PowerPost on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About PowerPost and PowerPost Studio: PowerPost software turns brands into instant publishers by automating content marketing. For the first time, brands can organize, schedule and distribute content with newsroom efficiency. Headquartered in Chicago and St. Louis, PowerPost features a unique agency newsroom of skilled writers, visual artists and social media experts to assist their clients. It is truly the only end-to-end brand journalism platform out there.

SOURCE PowerPost

Related Links

http://www.powerpost.digital


ATLANTA, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. (NYSE: APTS) ("PAC" or the "Company") today announced that on July 31, 2017 it closed on an aggregate loan investment of up to approximately $17.9 million. This investment is in connection with Newport Development Partners plans to develop a 258-unit Class A multifamily community located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Additionally, with this investment, PAC received an option to purchase the multifamily community following stabilization at a discounted price to market. "This is a wonderful location in Lindbergh, a great sub-market of Atlanta, and will be a phenomenal asset when completed," said John A. Williams, the Company's Chief Executive Officer.

About Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc.

Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. is a Maryland corporation formed primarily to acquire and operate multifamily properties in select targeted markets throughout the United States. As part of our business strategy, we may enter into forward purchase contracts or purchase options for to-be-built multifamily communities and we may make real estate related loans, provide deposit arrangements, or provide performance assurances, as may be necessary or appropriate, in connection with the development of multifamily communities and other properties. As a secondary strategy, we may acquire or originate senior mortgage loans, subordinate loans or real estate loans secured by interests in multifamily properties, membership or partnership interests in multifamily properties and other multifamily related assets and invest a lesser portion of our assets in other real estate related investments, including other income-producing property types, senior mortgage loans, subordinate loans or real estate loans secured by interests in other income-producing property types, membership or partnership interests in other income-producing property types as determined by our manager as appropriate for us. At June 30, 2017, the Company was the approximate 97.3% owner of Preferred Apartment Communities Operating Partnership, L.P., the Company's operating partnership. Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc. has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, commencing with its tax year ended December 31, 2011. Learn more at www.pacapts.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain 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. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "trend", "will", "expects", "plans", "estimates", "anticipates", "projects", "intends", "believes", "goals", "objectives", "outlook" and similar expressions. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from the expectations, intentions, beliefs, plans or predictions of the future expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to, those disclosed in PAC's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. PAC undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required by law.

Additional Information

The SEC has declared effective the registration statement (including prospectus) filed by the Company for each of the offerings to which this communication may relate. Before you invest, you should read the final prospectus, and any prospectus supplements, forming a part of the registration statement and other documents the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the offering to which this communication may relate. In particular, you should carefully read the risk factors described in the final prospectus and in any related prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference in the final prospectus and any related prospectus supplement to which this communication may relate. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Company or its dealer manager, Preferred Capital Securities, LLC, with respect to PAC's mShares Redeemable Preferred Stock Offering and Series A Redeemable Preferred Stock and Warrant Unit Offering, and JonesTrading Institutional Services LLC, with respect to PAC's ATM Common Stock Offering, will arrange to send you a prospectus if you request it by calling Leonard A. Silverstein at (770) 818-4100, 3284 Northside Parkway NW, Suite 150, Atlanta, Georgia 30327.

The ATM Common Stock Offering prospectus supplement, dated July 10, 2017, including a base prospectus, dated May 17, 2016, can be accessed through the following link:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1481832/000148183217000110/atmprospectusspring2017.htm

The mShares Redeemable Preferred Stock Offering prospectus, dated January 19, 2017, can be accessed through the following link:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1481832/000148183217000008/a424prospectus-mshares1.htm

The Series A Redeemable Preferred Stock and Warrant Unit Offering prospectus, dated March 16, 2017, can be accessed through the following link:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1481832/000148183217000061/a424prospectus-15bseriesar.htm

SOURCE Preferred Apartment Communities, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.pacapts.com


E S Foods CEO Gary Davis announced the appointments today, offering high praise for both respected industry executives. "The school foodservice landscape has been changing rapidly and we wanted forward-thinking leaders to adapt to new challenges and continue our innovative product development," says Davis.

An executive with E S Foods since its start in 1998, Jeff Rowe has been promoted from Executive Vice President to President and COO. "Jeff is receiving this well-deserved promotion at a time when we envision great growth and a dynamic future," says Davis. While he has always overseen Operations, Rowe's new role as President will include company administration, executive management and strategic planning.

"Starting in Operations as the second E S Foods employee in 1998 and contributing to its growth has been and will continue to be the most fulfilling challenge possible," Rowe states.

As Senior Vice President of Sales, Ferris will oversee sales for the entire organization. "He has solid relationships with key customers and he will be working with our sales team to create new opportunities and bring our sales to another level," says Davis. "He has a very strong reputation in our industry."

Ferris comes to E S Foods with a 20+ year record of success in the wholesale and retail manufacturing, distribution and broker markets with proven abilities to direct sales regions and territories. For the past four years Ferris has served as Vice President of School Foodservice for AdvancePierre Foods in Blue Ash, Ohio. From 2001-2013 he held various sales management positions at The Schwan Food Company in Marshall, Minnesota, including Director of National Accounts.

"Over the years E S Foods has been an innovative trendsetter and pioneer in school foodservice," says Ferris. "I look forward to leading their sales organization to even higher plateaus and above all further supporting our school food partners."

E S Foods offers a full complement of menus to cover all day parts  from before the bell to afterschool  including protein innovations, frozen foods, and grab 'n' go shelf-stable meals. Headquartered in Woodbury, New York, E S Foods is dedicated to providing nutritious, "kid-friendly" foods for America's school children. For more information, visit www.esfoods.com.

SOURCE E S Foods

Related Links

http://www.esfoods.com


SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- San Antonio-based Presidian Hotels & Resorts ("Presidian") is pleased to announce the addition of the 122-room Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Antonio Medical Center North to its management portfolio.

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Antonio Medical Center North is one of the newest Holiday Inn Express Hotels in San Antonio, with a newly renovated, modern interior, and a resort-style pool just outside. The hotel is easily accessible off the I-10 West freeway at Huebner Exit and a short drive from Six Flags Fiesta Texas Amusement Park, or the San Antonio River Walk. Cracker Barrel and a wide selection of restaurants are within walking distance.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to assume management of this outstanding hotel in our hometown of San Antonio. We look forward to enhancing the experiences of both the associates and guest while delivering value consistent with the expectations of the investors and owners of the beautiful property," said Chip Young, COO of Presidian Hotels & Resorts.

With the addition of this hotel to the Presidian Management portfolio, the company continues its ongoing business expansion in Texas and in the south central region of the United States.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Antonio Medical Center North

11010 Interstate 10 Frontage Rd, San Antonio, TX 78230

Telephone: 1-210-561-9058 | Website: http://sanantoniohie.com

About Presidian Hotels & Resorts

Presidian owns, operates and develops upscale hotel properties and residential projects, and represents flags under the Marriott, Starwood, Hilton and IHG family of brands. The quality of the portfolio has been nationally recognized by the companies they represent, and by the portfolio performance in the markets they cover. For more information, visit www.presidian.com.

About the Holiday Inn Express brand

Holiday Inn Express hotels are modern hotels for value-oriented travelers. Fresh, clean and uncomplicated, Holiday Inn Express hotels offer competitive rates for both business and leisure travelers. Guests Stay Smart at Holiday Inn Express hotels where they enjoy a free hot Express Start breakfast bar with new healthier offerings, free high-speed Internet access and free local phone calls (US and Canada only). For more information about Holiday Inn Express hotels or to book reservations, visit www.ihg.com/hiexpress.

Contact: Sergio M Cardenas, CHSP

Tel: 210.363.0328

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Presidian Hotels & Resorts

Related Links

http://www.presidian.com


WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bentley University's nationally recognized Career Services Department has been ranked No. 2 in the United States by The Princeton Review in its just-released college guide, "The Best 382 Colleges." The ranking highlights Bentley's strength in preparing students for successful careers. Bentley is also the top college in the country for internship opportunities, according to The Princeton Review.

"Bentley University boasts one of the country's top business programs that looks to send technically-skilled, globally-minded graduates into the real world," the report said.

The Princeton Review also named Bentley to its list of "Best Northeastern Schools" and "Top 50 Green Colleges." The annual guide is a selective list that includes only 15 percent of America's 2,500 four-year colleges.

A Strong Return on Investment

Bentley provides a strong return on investment for students and their families through its strong academics, comprehensive student life and nationally recognized career services. Six months after graduation, 99 percent of the Bentley Class of 2016 was employed, attending or planning to attend graduate school. The average starting salary for Bentley graduates was $55,000.

"For many families, a child's college education is one of the largest investments they'll ever make," said Bentley University President Gloria Cordes Larson. "Bentley's hybrid approach integrates business education with arts and science courses to prepare students for a successful career and a truly rewarding life, giving families a great return on their educational investment."

At Bentley, planning for a career begins the first semester students arrive on campus through the university's HIRE Education career action plan, a 4-year approach to lead students toward a fulfilling career path.

"Bentley's approach to career planning takes students through four stages: explore, experiment, experience and excel," said Susan Brennan, Bentley's associate vice president of university career services. "Students develop lifelong professional development skills while sharpening the core aspects of their job search such as creating a resume, developing an elevator pitch and practicing interviews."

Ninety-nine percent of Bentley first-year students enroll in Career Services' Career Development 101 course, which lays the foundation for a lifetime of successful career management. During the class, students begin to discover their professional path with a personal assessment that includes Gallup's StrengthsFinder and interactive sessions with corporate recruiters.

As part of the career discovery process, 92 percent of Bentley students take at least one internship and 69 percent complete more than one before graduation.

(Listen to Susan Brennan talk about Bentley's approach to career services)

How the Ranking was Conducted

Princeton Review's selections are based on a survey of administrators at several hundred four-year colleges as well as the opinions of their staff and 24-member National College Counselor Advisory Board. The annual guide uses students' ratings of their schools to compile 63 lists in various categories. Survey responses from 137,000 students are included in the ratings. Learn more about the methodology.

One of the Nation's Top Business Schools

The Princeton Review accolades are the latest for Bentley and follow a Money magazine honor ranking Bentley a "Best College for Business Majors." Bloomberg BusinessWeek ranked Bentley a top 10 undergraduate business school in the country, and U.S. News & World Report ranked Bentley No. 3 in the "Best Regional Universities-North" category. In that ranking, Bentley was also ranked No. 1 for "Highest Freshmen Retention Rate" and No. 3 for "Best Value." Money also named Bentley to its list of "43 Colleges that Add the Most Value."

Dedicated to Preparing a New Kind of Business Leader

Bentley University is one of the nation's leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader with the technical skills, global perspective and ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. Bentley's diverse arts and sciences program combined with an advanced business curriculum prepares graduates to make an impact in their chosen fields. The university enrolls approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students. Master's degree recipients from Bentley's McCallum Graduate School of Business are among the highest paid in the country, ranking #4 in PayScale's College Salary Report.

(Read about one Bentley student's internship at JetBlue)

SOURCE Bentley University

Related Links

http://www.bentley.edu


RIGA, Latvia, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move to better serve its European customers and to break into a new market, Printful opens its first fulfillment center outside of the US in Riga, Latvia. This makes Printful one of the only print-on-demand drop shipping companies with in-house fulfillment centers both in North America and Europe.

Ecommerce growth in Europe is catching up with the United States. While the growth rate is different for each country, ecommerce revenue in Europe is expected to reach 250 billion euros in 2017 (compared to 131.6 billion in 2013). With its new location, Printful is ready to become an industry leader in Europe just as it is in the US  in drop shipping, software, and ecommerce services.

"Europe is readying for an ecommerce boom, and Printful is on the ground floor," says the company's CEO Davis Siksnans. "The ultimate goal is to make it easier for our customers to grow their businesses in the European market."

The new 15,000 sq ft facility is located in a historic manufacturing neighborhood in Riga. Latvia is a natural choice for the drop shipping company  it is the native country of Printful's founders and part of the team is already located there. Additionally, Latvia's geographic location allows for quick shipping to European destinations and its affordable labor market makes it financially easier to establish a business. Another benefit for customers is that orders fulfilled in Europe are exempt from customs duties in EU member states.

Printful has invested over $1 million to open this fulfillment center, and they expect to hire 150 local employees over the course of two years. Printful projects that the Europe location will fulfill 30% of the company's order volume as it continues to grow.

Contact:

Nora Inveiss

[email protected]

SOURCE Printful

Related Links

https://www.printful.com


NEW YORK, July 31, 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

Benefits of Self-Funding Employee Healthcare Plans

The Adoption of AI Technologies in the Legal Industry

MEDIA JOBS

Senior Staff Writer  Columbia Journalism Review (NY)

News Reporter  Global Competition Review (DC)

Managing Editor  Risk and Insurance (PA)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Capturing Results Through Successful Social Media Headlines

5 Tips to Take Your Portrait Photography to the Next Level

Blog Profiles: Running Blogs, Part 2

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERT ALERTS:

Benefits of Self-Funding Employee Healthcare Plans

Brady Bizarro

Consulting Attorney

The Phia Group, LLC, Boston

"Self-funding an employee health plan remains one of the most effective cost-containment strategies for employers with a relatively healthy workforce and a willingness to customize a plan."

Bizarro is available to discuss the House and Senate healthcare bills, the ongoing efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, healthcare policy, ethics and fiduciary duties, and the benefits of self-funding. He is the author of numerous articles that have been featured in trade publications, including "As Employer-Sponsored Plans Multiply, Self-Funding Remains an Attractive Option" (America's Benefit Specialist, February 2017) and "How to Avoid Common Pitfalls When Managing a Self-Funded Health Plan" (Benefits Pro, October 2016).

ProfNet Connect: http://www.profnetconnect.com/bradybizarro

Website: https://www.phiagroup.com

Contact: Matthew Painten, [email protected]



The Adoption of AI Technologies in the Legal Industry

Dean Sonderegger

Vice President of Legal Markets, Innovation

Wolters Kluwer

The availability of big data and the processing power that we currently have at our disposal enables artificial intelligence (AI) to identify patterns and insights from large sets of data. As a result, attorneys will be empowered to make more informed decisions than ever before. As AI algorithms achieve higher adoption, the tasks lawyers perform will take less time, enabling them to better advise their clients and provide a higher quality of service. On the consumer end, we will see a significantly higher portion of the population have access to the law. Consumer tools like Legal Zoom will dramatically increase access to legal services from individuals (just as consumer tax prep software has done). This, in turn, will put price pressure on smaller law firms to adopt AI technologies in order to remain competitive.

Says Sonderegger: "Widespread access to technology for consumers has the potential to disrupt the legal industry; the impact of technology on the accounting industry over the past decade offers a view of what that impact could look like. There are a lot of lessons that legal practitioners can learn from the accounting industry's evolution. Where there is a challenge, there is also an opportunity."

Sonderegger has more than 25 years of experience in the tax and legal software and services industries. He received his M.B.A. from George Washington University and holds both a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University.

Website: https://lrus.wolterskluwer.com/

Contact: Aaron Kupferberg, [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/

Senior Staff Writer  Columbia Journalism Review (NY)

News Reporter  Global Competition Review (DC)

Managing Editor  Risk and Insurance (PA)

*****************

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.

CAPTURING RESULTS FROM SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL MEDIA HEADLINES. You've written your story and now it's time to promote it, but drawing in eyeballs to your content will require strategy. Much like a traditional news story, it all starts with a headline. Politico's social media editor, Trevor Eischen , recently shared insightful advice on how to craft social posts to drive site traffic and increase engagement: http://bit.ly/2vmxBZR

, recently shared insightful advice on how to craft social posts to drive site traffic and increase engagement: http://bit.ly/2vmxBZR 5 TIPS TO TAKE YOUR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL. A headshot is essential for anyone with a professional online presence. However, the person behind the camera should be just as prepared to ensure a great experience from beginning to end, whether you're taking headshots for someone's personal brand or shooting portraits for your stories. If you're looking for ways to enhance your photography in this space, here are our top five tips for your next one-on-one photo session: http://bit.ly/2vFdBBd

BLOG PROFILES: RUNNING BLOGS, PART 2. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at more running blogs: http://bit.ly/2uXBzuO

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PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

SOURCE ProfNet

Related Links

http://www.profnet.com


ST. LOUIS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nonprofit organizations help rural communities thrive, and farmers across the U.S. have the opportunity to help these organizations. Through the America's Farmers Grow Communities program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, farmers can enroll for a chance to direct a $2,500 donation to a local eligible nonprofit organization.

New this year, all farmers are now eligible to enroll in the program, as long as they meet the requirement of being 21 years old and actively engaged in farming at least 250 acres or more. The Grow Communities program will award more than $3 million to nonprofits in rural America in 2018.

These funds are used to provide support to a variety of rural nonprofit organizations that reflect the makeup and character of their local communities, including food banks, emergency response organizations, youth agriculture programs and many others. Since the program began in 2010, the Grow Communities program has awarded more than $26 million in donations.

Ron Rockhold, a repeat winner farmer from Sabina, Ohio, was able to direct three years of donations to his local volunteer fire department. With the funds, Concord Green Volunteer Fire Department has been able to purchase tornado sirens. Previously the community only had one siren from the 1950s, which they replaced and added two additional sirens. The new sirens will now be heard across the county and will provide a much needed alert system to notify community members to violent weather conditions.

"Prior to receiving the donations, the fire department did not have the resources to install enough new sirens to cover our county's most highly-populated areas," said Rockhold. "As a 49-year veteran of the fire department, I am so grateful to the America's Farmers Grow Communities program for the opportunity to give back."

"Through the years, we have seen this program impact countless local communities, and we are proud to partner with farmers on this initiative to continue supporting nonprofit organizations important to them," said Al Mitchell, Monsanto Fund president. "Because of farmers' commitment to the Grow Communities program, their donations have provided vital support to organizations that make a lasting impact in local communities throughout the U.S."

Farmers can easily enroll in the Grow Communities program from now to Nov. 1, 2017. Online enrollment, as well as a complete list of program rules and eligibility information, can be found at www.GrowCommunities.com or by calling 1-877-267-3332 toll-free.

About America's Farmers

The America's Farmers campaign highlights the importance of modern US Agriculture through communications and community outreach programs that partner with farmers to impact rural America. To learn more, visit America's Farmers at www.AmericasFarmers.com .

About the Monsanto Fund

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.

CONTACT Eric White, Weber Shandwick, (312) 988-2237

SOURCE Monsanto Fund

Related Links

http://www.monsantofund.org


NEW YORK, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the nation's largest community of communications professionals, continues to unveil more new programming, updating and expanding its suite of offerings to communications practitioners with a new "Evening Series." The new "Evening Series" kicks off Sept. 14 and will focus on brand stories. The inaugural series will feature celebrity guests like the Aflac Duck, and be held in a variety of different venues. One venue will be a mock trial room used to place a brand on trial during a crisis.

The inaugural series will start with four programs focused on brand storytelling and will take place in New York City, and roll out nationally in 2018. Sessions will cost $95 for members and $145 for nonmembers, with special pricing for purchasing the series. Following each session, participants will have an opportunity to network with other attendees.

"PRSA's Evening Workshop Series is an engaging way to learn from storytelling experts, meet industry leaders, network and have fun in the learning process. Communication experts predict that PR professionals will have stronger roles in integrated communications strategy over the next five years, making it imperative that we continue to develop our skills in brand management and storytelling," said PRSA 2017 National Chair Jane Dvorak, APR, Fellow PRSA.

"The 'Evening Series' is one of several new products recently introduced by PRSA, including new International Conference tracks, specialty certificates of completion around reputation management and new member discounts," said Joseph P. Truncale, CEO of PRSA. "As the largest organization of communications professionals, PRSA continues to evolve to find offerings that strengthen our members' credentials, inject fun into learning and help them succeed in the current communications landscape."

As the role of the public relations professional continues to advance and expand, PRSA is committed to developing programs that reflect the collapsing lines among the disciplines of traditional public relations, marketing, IT and customer service. The organization plays a vital role in shaping the framework for the future of the communications industry, providing a forum for practitioners seeking to drive strategy, position leaders and work effectively with media, influencers and key stakeholders.



HASHTAG: #PRSAevenings

About the Public Relations Society of America



PRSA is the nation's largest professional organization serving the communications community. The organization's mission is to make communications professionals smarter, better prepared and more connected through all stages of their career. PRSA achieves this by offering its members thought leadership and innovative lifelong learning opportunities to help them develop new skills, enhance their credibility and connect with a strong network of professionals. The organization sets the standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct for the public relations industry. PRSA collectively represents more than 30,000 members consisting of communications professionals spanning every industry sector nationwide and college and university students who encompass the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Learn more about PRSA at https://www.prsa.org.

Media Contact Information:

Troy P. Thompson, Digital Communications Associate

(212) 460-1464

[email protected]

SOURCE Public Relations Society of America

Related Links

http://www.prsa.org


SINGAPORE, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- QT Vascular Ltd., together with its subsidiaries (the "Company"), announced it has started enrollment in its United States ("US") pivotal clinical study. The study will evaluate the Company's drug coated balloon ("DCB"), the Chocolate Touch, for use in superficial femoral and popliteal arteries with the intention of obtaining a US regulatory approval. The co-principal investigators of the study are Dr. Mehdi Shishehbor of the University Hospitals of Cleveland and Professor Thomas Zeller of the Heart Center in Bad Krozingen, Germany.

The clinical trial is a first of its kind, randomized study comparing two DCBs. The main objective of the study is to demonstrate non-inferior safety and effectiveness of the Chocolate Touch compared to Lutonix DCB catheter from Bard. The study is designed to further evaluate superiority of Chocolate Touch over Lutonix DCB. Enrollment will include 510 randomized patients, with an interim analysis after 75% of the patients completed 12-month follow-up. This analysis can potentially support earlier submission of the results. The primary effectiveness endpoint is "true DCB success," a composite result requiring patients to achieve primary patency in the absence of bailout stenting.

"I'm delighted to start enrollment in this important study," said Professor Zeller. "We believe that the unique properties of Chocolate, namely larger lumen with less dissections and bailout stenting, make this a differentiated DCB option. This head-to-head study against Lutonix DCB is set up to demonstrate this point."

"We are excited about the first patient enrollment in this worldwide study evaluating Chocolate, a second-generation DCB," said Dr. Shishehbor. "This first of a kind trial will help guide physicians as they choose the best DCB for their patients."

The Company's 12-month outcomes in Chocolate Touch ENDURE study showed an incidence of bailout stenting of just 1.4%. The primary patency rate was 83.6% and the Kaplan Meier patency 89.9%.

"DCBs are demonstrating significant US sales despite limitations and lack of differentiation," said Eitan Konstantino, PhD, CEO of QT Vascular. "The Chocolate platform is different and we are encouraged by the clinical results to date."

The product is not approved for use in the US and the receipt of the CE mark approval in July 2015 does not constitute such approval.

SOURCE QT Vascular Ltd.
BRUNSWICK, Ga., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Radial announced today its plan to bring on an additional 1,150 workers in Brunswick, Georgia, to support the busiest time of year in the retail industry. As more people shop online, job opportunities in customer care centers have expanded dramatically to ensure customers receive the personal care and service they expect.

With the increased pressure to provide the highest level of customer care for Radial's clients and their consumers during the holidays, Radial understands the importance of providing a positive work experience for its seasonal hires. Seasonal workers will have access to competitive hourly wages, overtime and holiday pay, flexible schedules with the option to work from home, employee discounts, and a referral bonus program. The customer care center in Brunswick also features games in the lunch room, giving workers a chance to unwind while at work.

For workers who may be looking for something more long term, Radial converted over a thousand seasonal employees last year into full-time roles after the holidays.

At the customer care center in Brunswick, seasonal hires will have the chance to work with some of the world's favorite brands and retailers. Workers will represent brands and retailers of all sizes, and handle customer issues that drive sales, as well as satisfaction.

"We're thrilled to be creating so many additional jobs in Brunswick, many of which may lead to full-time opportunities. If you value quality, excellence and the best customer service possible, and you thrive in an energized, fast-paced and rewarding workplace culture, we'd love to have you work with us," said Kelly Scally, Director, Strategic Staffing, at Radial. "Whether you're looking to earn extra cash for the holidays or wanting to get your foot in the door at Radial, seasonal work is a great place to start."

To learn more about seasonal job openings in Brunswick, visit www.radial.com/jobs.

About Radial

Radial is the leader in omnichannel commerce technology and operations, enabling brands and retailers to profitably exceed retail customer expectations. Radial's technical, powerful omnichannel solutions connect supply and demand through efficient fulfillment and transportation options, intelligent fraud detection, payments, and tax systems, and personalized customer care services.

Hundreds of retailers and brands confidently partner with Radial to simplify their post-click commerce and improve their customer experiences. Radial brings flexibility and scalability to their supply chains and optimizes how, when and where orders go from desire to delivery. Learn how we work with you at www.radial.com.

Media Contact:

Laura Beauregard

PAN Communications for Radial

407-734-7320

[email protected]

SOURCE Radial

Related Links

https://www.radial.com


The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 is the compact mechanical gaming keyboard built for competitive gamers looking for rapid reaction speeds. The new keyboard boasts Razer's new Instant Trigger Technology (ITT), enabling industry-leading response times within a gaming keyboard. Upon actuation of a single key, Razer's ITT cancels any delay between key actuations to provide rapid response from your keyboard to your system.

The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 offers users the choice between Razer's multi-award winning mechanical Green, Orange or Yellow switches. Designed without a tactile bump or click, the Razer Yellow switches are silent and rapid to meet the demands of fast-paced first person shooter (FPS) and online multiplayer battle arena (MOBA) type games. With an unmatched response rate, Razer Yellow switches offer a 1.2mm actuation point, is 40 percent faster than standard mechanical key switches, and has been tested under the most intense gaming sessions to ensure a lifespan of up to 80 million keystrokes.

"Gamers rely on their gear to react and respond as fast as they do no matter the situation, from landing a headshot to combining ultimate abilities as a team," says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, and CEO. "Timing is critical. The BlackWidow TE Chroma V2's Instant Trigger Technology works hand-in-hand with our Yellow switches, setting the bar for the industry's fastest response rating on a keyboard with the ultimate combination of hardware and software."

Designed for portability, the Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 keyboard includes a compact, tenkeyless layout, and detachable USB braided cable. A new magnetic ergonomic wrist rest is also offered for extreme comfort while gaming and is detachable for maximum portability.

The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 features individually backlit keys that are powered by Razer Chroma technology, which unlocks customizable lighting features that can be synced across devices. Gamers can choose from 16.8 million colors and a variety of effects. Custom settings can be created using the Razer Synapse software platform and shared with millions of other Razer software users via the Razer Chroma Workshop. In-game Razer Chroma lighting profiles are also integrated into popular game titles, including "Overwatch" and "Call of Duty."

The Razer BlackWidow Chroma TE V2 is available for order now from RazerStore.com.

For more information, please visit razerzone.com/gaming-keyboards-keypads/razer-blackwidow-tournament-edition-chroma-v2

Price:

U.S. $139.99 / EU 149.99

Availability:

Razerzone.com  Available Now

Worldwide  August 2017

Product features:

Razer Mechanical Switches with 50 g actuation force (Green)

Razer Mechanical Switches with 45 g actuation force (Orange / Yellow)

80 million keystroke life span

Detachable braided USB cable

Razer Chroma customizable backlighting with 16.8 million color options

Ergonomic magnetic and detachable wrist rest

New Instant Trigger Technology

Inter-device synchronization

Images:

Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma V2 Images

Video:

Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma V2 Launch Video

ABOUT RAZER:

Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers.

The triple-headed snake logo trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized icons in the global gaming community, and the company has a fan base that spans every continent. Razer has designed and built the world's largest independent gamer ecosystem of hardware, software and services with over 35 million users.

Razer's award-winning products include hardware such as high-performance gaming peripherals (for the PC and console platforms), the Razer Blade line of gaming laptops; software such as Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher); and services such as Razer zGold (a virtual credit service and payment engine for gamers). The company additionally provides audio-visual certification through its subsidiary THX Ltd.

The company has a global footprint with 9 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading gaming brand in the US, Europe and China.

Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer is backed by institutional investors such as IDG-Accel, Intel Capital, Digital Grid and Horizons Ventures.

Press Contacts:

Americas

Kevin Scarpati

[email protected]

Stephen Huynh

[email protected]

Europe/Africa

Jan Horak

[email protected]

Asia Pacific

Nicholas Ferguson

[email protected]

China

Evita Zhang

[email protected]

Razer - For Gamers. By Gamers.

SOURCE Razer

Related Links

http://www.razerzone.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- New York Residence, Inc., a world-renowned real estate brokerage firm, is pleased to announce that Mr. Richard Pino, Chief Financial Officer and Associate Broker, will be traveling to Italy and Croatia from August 24th through September 10, 2017 to meet with customers.

Mr. Richard Pino said this is his third trip to Italy and Croatia, and his second trip within the past year, to meet with existing and new customers. Over the last decade, Mr. Pino has traveled to Columbia, Panama, China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Ireland to meet with customers and represent New York Residence at international trade shows.

Richard added, "Real estate brokerage is still a relationship business. Real estate professionals need to be willing to travel to meet with customers at their request. Customers can easily find information by surfing many third party real estate websites, but in-person and phone communication is still the most important interaction to educate customers about potential real estate acquisitions."

Further, Richard believes the strong Euro has produced an uptick in inquiries about investing in New York. The Euro has increased against the US dollar from a 1.05 in January to 1.18 as of today, August 1st. The strong Euro provides an opportunity for Europeans to purchase a property at a discount using the strong conversion rate.

Private appointments for new customers may be arranged in advance by sending an email to Richard Pino at [email protected].

New York Residence has ranked within the top five of Manhattan boutique real estate firms for the past three years, 2014-2016. In addition, New York Residence was ranked number 20 in closed transactions amongst all firm sizes. The 2016 independent ranking charts and articles can be seen in the May 2016, issue of The Real Deal, an industry real estate publication.

New York Residence is a real estate brokerage firm specializing in residential, commercial, and investment property sales and rentals to domestic and international buyers. It maintains five offices in New York, with international offices located in Korea, Seoul, and Singapore. New York Residence' corporate headquarters is located at 1501 Broadway, 26th floor, in the iconic Paramount Building in the heart of Times Square.

Media Contact:

Richard Pino

Chief Financial Officer / Associate Broker

New York Residence

1+212-360-7000 x125

[email protected]

SOURCE New York Residence, Inc.

Related Links

http://nyr.com


ELGIN, Ill., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sales of luxury homes increased in the metropolitan Chicago area during the second quarter of 2017 as the suburban luxury market showed signs of improvement, while the city market appeared to soften somewhat, according to the RE/MAX Luxury Report on Metro Chicago Real Estate. After rising 31 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2016, second quarter sales rose 8 percent to 899 units, and the median sales price was essentially unchanged at $1,300,000.

The inventory of homes priced at $1 million or more was 2.2 percent higher at the end of June than it had been a year earlier, and during the second quarter, luxury homes sold averaged 167 days on the market, up from 164 days a year earlier.

"The good news is that luxury sales for the quarter were the highest we've seen since we began tracking that data in 2011, and the suburban luxury market showed continued signs of improvement after a slow year in 2016," said Jack Kreider, executive vice president and regional director of RE/MAX Northern Illinois. "What concerns us is that the growth in the inventory of unsold luxury properties in Chicago has risen significantly this year. However, it is encouraging to see that luxury sales in the city did register a modest quarterly gain."

The RE/MAX Luxury Report is a quarterly analysis of $1 million-plus home sales in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties from data compiled by Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED).

City of Chicago Luxury Sales

Sales of luxury homes in Chicago rose 7 percent in the quarter to 496 units. The median sales price was $1,342,500, a decline of 2.2 percent. The luxury inventory in the city expanded by 26.3 percent to 1,132 units. Average market time was 142 days for homes sold during the quarter, up from 126 days a year earlier.

The inventory of unsold luxury properties in Chicago at the end of June was nearly twice what it was three years earlier.

The growth in inventory occurred primarily among attached units, which include condominiums, cooperatives and townhouses. The attached luxury inventory rose 44.7 percent from its year-earlier level to 605 units. At the same time, attached sales for the quarter gained 9 percent to 181 units, and the median sales price inched up 0.1 percent to $1,326,400. The quarter's average market time rose from 92 days last year to 120 days in 2017.

Luxury attached sales were especially strong in the Loop, where they rose 33.3 percent to 20 units, and in Lincoln Park, where the increase was 17.9 percent to 33 units.

For luxury detached homes in Chicago, inventory increased a more restrained 10.3 percent, while sales were up 5.6 percent to 245 units. The median sales price dipped by 2.3 percent to $1,350,000, and average market time increased by 9 days to 159 days.

For the second consecutive quarter, North Center topped all city neighborhoods in luxury sales with 68, a gain of 41.7 percent, while traditional luxury leader Lincoln Park recorded 64 sales, unchanged from last year. The two other leading neighborhoods for luxury sales were Lake View with 40 and West Town with 30.

Suburban Luxury Sales

Across the Chicago suburbs, luxury sales increased 9 percent for the quarter to 473 units, and the median sales price gained 1.2 percent to $1,275,000, while average market time fell to 189 days from 198 days a year earlier. The inventory of 2,041 luxury units was 7.6 percent lower than a year ago.

Among the suburban communities where luxury homes are most common, the sales picture was mixed. Winnetka and Hinsdale continued their battle for leadership in the luxury market, with Hinsdale coming out on top for the quarter with 51 sales compared to 50 in Winnetka.

Elmhurst recorded the strongest sales increase, with 18 luxury sales compared to eight a year earlier. Other luxury markets showing improved sales were Lake Forest, Glenview, the Barrington area, Evanston and Highland Park. Lake Forest also enjoyed the sharpest increase in its median sales price, which rose 15.2 percent to $1,620.000.

Communities seeing fewer luxury sales in the quarter were Wilmette, Glencoe, Northbrook and Naperville.

The RE/MAX Northern Illinois network, with headquarters in Elgin, Ill., consists of more than 2,250 sales associates and 105 independently owned and operated RE/MAX offices that provide a full range of residential and commercial brokerage services. The northern Illinois network is part of RE/MAX, a global real estate organization with 110,000+ sales associates in 100+ nations.

Contact:

Chris Calomino

RE/MAX Northern Illinois

847-428-4200

SOURCE RE/MAX Northern Illinois

Related Links

http://www.illinoisproperty.com


According to the recent KeyBank Middle Market Business Sentiment survey , retaining coverage for pre-existing conditions is the most vital feature for successful long-term healthcare plan reform. More than 90 percent of those surveyed identified pre-existing coverage as being a somewhat or extremely important factor in long-term healthcare plan reform.

Second on that list of "must haves" is eliminating annual or lifetime limits on most health plan coverages, followed by requiring insurance plans to provide at least essential health benefits for 10 specific health categories and expanding preventive benefits offered via Medicare.

Eighty-four percent of those surveyed consider eliminating annual or lifetime limits on most health plans coverages to be somewhat or extremely important, while 82 percent consider essential health benefit provisions and expanded Medicare preventive coverage to be somewhat or extremely important.

"Employers know what matters most for their people, so it's not surprising to see pre-existing conditions and the other factors characterized as essential elements for long term success," said Jim Fasone, national healthcare practice leader for Key Insurance & Benefits, Inc.

"Regardless what happens to the law, we're looking for businesses to shift even more focus on maintaining strong employee benefit programs. While healthcare reform remains on the horizon, business leaders are putting themselves in a better position to manage change and the risks change to their employee benefits," Fasone said.

KeyBank surveyed 300 middle market business leaders in early June. At that time, healthcare reform focused on differences between ACA and the American Health Care Act. At that time, 42 percent of the middle market leaders surveyed indicated they strongly approve/approve of the proposed plan, and 41 percent indicated they strongly disapprove/disapprove the proposed plan.

But middle market leaders surveyed are united on one front  retaining and attracting top talent. According to survey results, those middle market business leaders looking to expand operations will do so by adding employees rather than acquiring other businesses, adding facilities or buying equipment.

"Middle market business leaders are caught in a squeeze play between employee priorities, healthcare costs and regulatory uncertainty," said Fasone said. "But you can't manage your business through market swings. You have to manage your business through constant risk mitigation strategies, regardless of the final outcome of this legislation."

For example, Fasone said, research shows workplace financial wellness programs are gaining currency with employers who see the connection between employee job performance and personal finance issues. Money worries can affect worker productivity, attendance and physical health.

This material is presented for informational purposes only and should not be construed as individual tax or financial advice. Please consult with legal, tax and/or financial advisors. KeyBank does not provide legal advice.

About KeyCorp:

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $134.5 billion at March 31, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

About KIB

Key Insurance & Benefits Services, Inc. offers commercial insurance, captive insurance, employee benefits, personal insurance and third-party administration services. KIB professionals partner with clients to create customized risk solutions that reduce loss and financial risk and improve clients' bottom line. KIB operates in seven offices in Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.

Insurance services, benefits consulting services and insurance products are offered through Key Insurance & Benefits Services, Inc. ("KIB"), which is a licensed insurance broker and agent. Insurance policies are obligations of the insurers that issue the policies. Insurance products may not be available in all states. KIB and KeyBank are separate entities, and when you purchase risk management services, business consulting services or insurance products you are doing business with KIB, and not KeyBank.

Insurance Products offered are: Not FDIC-insured; not a deposit in, obligation of, nor insured by any federal government agency; not guaranteed or underwritten by the bank; not a condition to the provisions or terms of any banking service or activity.

SOURCE KeyCorp

Related Links

http://www.key.com


BOSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhythm, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of peptide therapeutics for treatment of rare genetic deficiencies that result in life-threatening metabolic disorders, today announced the appointment of Hunter Smith as Chief Financial Officer and Nithya Desikan as Chief Commercial Officer, effective immediately. In addition, Bart Henderson, President and Founder of Rhythm, recently left the company to join an early-stage biotechnology company that he co-founded.

"We are pleased to welcome Hunter and Nithya to Rhythm," said Keith Gottesdiener, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Rhythm. "Their combined expertise driving financial and commercial strategy will be critical as we advance our comprehensive development program for setmelanotide, including our Phase 3 clinical study in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) deficiency obesity, and seek to transition Rhythm from a late-stage research and development company to a commercial-stage organization. We look forward to their contributions as members of our executive team."

Dr. Gottesdiener continued, "Bart founded Rhythm to develop peptide therapeutics with a major impact on intractable metabolic disorders. Over the past seven years, he played a significant role in bringing this vision to reality, orchestrating the sale of relamorelin to Allergan and contributing to the advancement of setmelanotide. On behalf of the Rhythm team and Board of Directors, I want to thank Bart for his commitment and leadership, which were critical for maturing Rhythm into an established, late-stage company with robust blue-chip investor support. We wish him success in his new role."

Hunter Smith, Chief Financial Officer

"It is a tremendous honor to join the Rhythm team," said Mr. Smith. "Rhythm has established itself on a foundation of scientific excellence and a commitment to rapidly progressing setmelanotide through clinical development. I am eager to lend my expertise to advance these efforts."

Hunter Smith brings over 20 years of global finance and management experience across multiple industries and financial disciplines, including expertise in business analysis and planning, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and investor relations. He joins Rhythm from Celgene Corporation, where he served as Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of the Company's Inflammation and Immunology Business Unit. In this role, Mr. Smith provided finance leadership for the global launch of Otezla, co-led the integration of Receptos, Inc. following its acquisition by Celgene, and led global business planning and analysis for commercial affiliates and clinical study activities in over 16 countries. Before joining Celgene, Mr. Smith worked in roles of increasing responsibility at Bunge Limited, including Director of Investor Relations, Chief Financial OfficerAsia, Corporate Treasurer, and Chief Financial Officer of Bunge's Sugar and Bioenergy Segment. He holds an M.B.A. in Finance from NYU's Stern School of Business and a B.A. in History, with honors, from Northwestern University. Mr. Smith also serves as an Independent Director of Genessee & Wyoming Inc. and is a member of the Compensation Committee.

Nithya Desikan, Chief Commercial Officer

"I am delighted to join Rhythm as the Company begins planning for the goal of commercialization of setmelanotide," said Ms. Desikan. "Rhythm has played an important role in expanding the medical and scientific understanding of severe, life-threatening, genetic obesity, and in identifying affected patients. I look forward to working with the team to continue ongoing community and market development efforts, to seek to advance a robust commercialization strategy, and if approved, to successfully launch setmelanotide."

Nithya Desikan is a seasoned biotechnology executive, with over 15 years of experience commercializing new therapies in domestic and global markets. Ms. Desikan joins Rhythm from Biogen Inc., where she served most recently as Vice President and Asset Executive, TECFIDERA, overseeing the product's global P&L and supporting the product's position as the #1 prescribed oral therapy in multiple sclerosis. Earlier, Ms. Desikan held roles in Biogen's Hematology business, leading cross-functional teams to drive the growth of ALPROLIX and ELOCTATE and the development of multiple preclinical assets. Before that, Ms. Desikan built the strategy to support the U.S. launch of ALPROLIX, Biogen's first entrant into the orphan hemophilia market. Before joining Biogen Inc., Ms. Desikan spent 12 years at Johnson & Johnson in the United States and China, supporting brands including: XARELTO, LEVAQUIN, TOPAMAX, ULTRACET, NUCYNTA, NUCYNTAER and VELCADE. Ms. Desikan holds a B.S. in Material Science Engineering, with honors, from the University of Florida.

About Rhythm (www.rhythmtx.com)

Rhythm is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of peptide therapeutics for the treatment of rare genetic deficiencies that result in life-threatening metabolic disorders. Rhythm's lead peptide product candidate is setmelanotide, a first-in-class melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist for the treatment of rare genetic disorders of obesity. Rhythm supports The Genetic Obesity Project (www.GeneticObesity.com), which is dedicated to improving the understanding of severe obesity that is caused by specific genetic defects. The company is based in Boston, MA.

Contact:

Stern Investor Relations, Inc.

Hannah Deresiewicz

212-362-1200

[email protected]

SOURCE Rhythm

Related Links

http://www.rhythmtx.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Increased costs as an "unintended consequence" of regulatory reform are leading many small U.S. broker-dealers and financial advisors to abandon the municipal finance business, according to Kevin Dunphy, Managing Director and Head of Public Finance at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG).



Dramatically declining fees paid to underwriters and lower municipal bond issuance are other key reasons that small broker-dealers and financial advisors will continue to exit public finance, Mr. Dunphy added.

Mr. Dunphy made his remarks on July 18 in New York during the inaugural session of MUFG Explores, an issues-oriented series in which MUFG subject matter experts meet with journalists to discuss current newsworthy topics and trends.

"One of the biggest impacts of regulatory reform that I see  really as an unintended consequence  is the demise of the small municipal finance firm," Mr. Dunphy said.

"These firms suffer disproportionally because the increasing regulatory costs consume a greater share of their revenue, significantly reducing profitability.

"Further, when you combine the increasing regulatory costs with declining underwriting spreads and lower issuance, firms' margins are under severe pressure. The expectation for lower issuance will increase competition for the remaining deals and make matters even worse for these small firms."

As the smaller firms struggle to effectively compete with their larger, deeper-pocketed rivals, a number of U.S. municipalities are in danger of losing their most knowledgeable and reliable financial experts, Mr. Dunphy noted. Many of these firms have particular expertise in local markets, leaving some municipalities without access to the bankers that best understand their history and the intricacies of their needs.

"New compliance requirements decrease the amount of time bankers and advisors can spend with their clients," he said. "Ultimately, it will be the municipalities that bear the cost of regulations in the form of increased costs or rates, and the lack of supply."

Mr. Dunphy has more than three decades of experience as a municipal banker, including 18 years at Bank of New York as the founder and Head of its Public Finance and the Government Banking Divisions. He joined MUFG in 2010.

How will we pay for infrastructure needs?

At the roundtable, Mr. Dunphy also discussed the need for infrastructure spending. "While it is refreshing to hear the new administration talk about infrastructure investment plans," he said, "I am still waiting to understand how we will pay for it."

Mr. Dunphy noted that legislators' promises to upgrade the nation's bridges, roads and tunnels have been largely more talk than action. "Over the years, Washington has kicked the can down the road and, as a result, America's infrastructure is in dire need of repair, replacement, and new projects," Mr. Dunphy said.

MUFG, one of the world's largest financial institutions, is one of the biggest lenders in the public finance sector. Providing credit and complete banking services to governments, public authorities, and not-for-profits, MUFG has extended more than $11 billion of credit to public clients.

Future MUFG Explores roundtables are scheduled to delve into compelling subject areas including healthcare, retail, and Latin American finance.

About MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation

Headquartered in New York, MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation is a financial holding company and bank holding company with total assets of $150.6 billion at June 30, 2017. Its main subsidiaries are MUFG Union Bank, N.A. and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. MUFG Union Bank, N.A. provides an array of financial services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, and major corporations. As of June 30, 2017, MUFG Union Bank, N.A. operated 361 branches, comprised primarily of retail banking branches in the West Coast states, along with commercial branches in Texas, Illinois, New York and Georgia, as well as 16 PurePoint Financial Centers and two international offices. MUFG Securities Americas Inc. is a registered securities broker-dealer which engages in capital markets origination transactions, private placements, collateralized financings, securities borrowing and lending transactions, and domestic and foreign debt and equities securities transactions. MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation is owned by The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., which is one of the world's leading financial groups. Visit www.unionbank.com or www.mufgamericas.com for more information.

About MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.)

MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.) is one of the world's leading financial groups, with total assets of approximately $2.7 trillion (USD) as of March 31, 2017. Headquartered in Tokyo and with approximately 350 years of history, MUFG is a global network with more than 2,200 offices in nearly 50 countries. The Group has more than 140,000 employees and about 300 entities, offering services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group's operating companies include Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (Japan's leading trust bank), and Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings Co., Ltd., one of Japan's largest securities firms. Through close partnerships among our operating companies, the Group aims to "be the world's most trusted financial group," flexibly responding to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (MTU) stock exchanges. Visit www.mufg.jp/english/index.html.

SOURCE MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation

Related Links

http://www.mufgamericas.com


SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RizePoint, the global leader in quality experience management software, today announced that it is a finalist in the 2017 Software-as-a-Service Awards Program for the best enterprise-level SaaS product.

RizePoint was selected as a finalist for providing an integrated SaaS platform to the world's top food service, hospitality, and retail brands. The RizePoint Quality Experience Management platform allows users to get better data from within their company, have full visibility into data and operations, and automate corrective action if any problems or opportunities for improvement are found.

"Protecting a brand's reputation in today's Experience Economy is an enterprise-wide task," said Frank Maylett, president and CEO, RizePoint. "RizePoint software amplifies visibility, accelerates corrective action, and enhances every touchpoint consumers have with a brand."

SaaS Awards and Cloud Awards organizer Larry Johnson said: "Software as a service is the new software standard. The global competition is incredibly fierce, with incredibly disruptive technologies shaking up the marketplace  and the dust is far from settled. With such a high standard of submissions, a gargantuan task awaits our judges to arrive at our final award winners. As ever, all entrants were incredibly strong this year and to make the shortlist is itself a huge honor."

With awards for excellence and innovation in SaaS, the SaaS Awards program received over 300 entries worldwide. Final SaaS Awards winners will be announced on Tuesday 29 August 2017.

RizePoint At-a-Glance

RizePoint mobile and cloud-based software helps organizations improve the quality, safety, and sustainability of their products, services, and facilities.

RizePoint's software is used by 5 of the top 8 hospitality brands and 5 of the top 8 food service brands.

RizePoint serves more than 387,000 users in 120 countries and territories, speaking 40 languages:

105,000 food service restaurants



27,000 hotels and resort properties



13,000 grocery and retail stores

About RizePoint

RizePoint is the global leader in Quality Experience Management SaaS solutions. RizePoint software creates a hub of valuable compliance information to align organizational focus on brand protection. Dedicated to helping our customers deliver a positive brand experience, RizePoint serves more than 2 million audits with 300 million questions answered annually. Considered the industry standard for food service, hospitality, and retail, RizePoint is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit www.rizepoint.com.

About the SaaS Awards

The SaaS Awards is a sister program to the Cloud Awards, which was founded in 2011. The SaaS Awards focuses on recognizing excellence and innovation in software solutions. The SaaS Awards are closed for entries and will return in Spring 2018. To view the full shortlist, please visit: https://www.cloud-awards.com/2017-saas-shortlist/

Press Inquiries:

Whitney McCarthy

801.285.9827

[email protected]

SOURCE RizePoint

Related Links

http://www.rizepoint.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the global leader in CRM, today announced that its second quarter fiscal 2018 results will be released on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, after the close of the market. The company will host a conference call at 2:00 p.m. (PT) / 5:00 p.m. (ET) to discuss its financial results with the investment community. A live web broadcast of the event will be available on the Salesforce Investor Relations website at www.salesforce.com/investor. A live dial-in is available domestically at 866-901-SFDC or 866-901-7332 and internationally at 706-902-1764, passcode 61976849. A replay will be available at (800) 585-8367 or (855) 859-2056 until midnight (ET) Sept. 22, 2017.

About Salesforce

Salesforce, the global leader in CRM, empowers companies to connect with their customers in a whole new way. Salesforce has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information about Salesforce, visit: www.salesforce.com.

SOURCE Salesforce

Related Links

http://www.salesforce.com


"At Sanderson Farms, we have made it our responsibility to shine a light on misleading marketing tactics and labeling," said Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., CEO and chairman of the board for Sanderson Farms. "Rather than acquiescing to trending scare tactics and socially driven paranoia, Sanderson Farms has chosen to address the issues using hard science. While there may have been an easier route to take, we have chosen to continue this course of action for the benefit of our customers."

One main goal of the campaign has been to inform consumers about the benefits of judicious antibiotic use in poultry, such as improved animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and food safety.

Although the original campaign has faced some pressure from competitors, activist groups, and the media, the general public has shown great support and appreciation for Sanderson Farms' transparent and honest approach. Since the effort began last year, Sanderson Farms has seen:

125.7% increase in Facebook followers

39.5M Facebook video views

96K Facebook post shares

"Most Americans have simply lost touch with the farm and how agriculture operates, allowing misinformation to run rampant about where our food really comes from," said Hilary Burroughs, Director of Marketing for Sanderson Farms. "We decided to use a myth-busting approach to the campaign as a means of dispelling some of the most common misconceptions around antibiotics, hormones, steroids and animal welfare issues."

In conjunction with the new ads, Sanderson Farms has launched a completely updated consumer website full of educational resources. SandersonFarms.com is home to information about the company's animal welfare standards, sustainable business practices, and 100% natural chicken products. Consumers can find answers to frequently asked questions, delicious recipes, and a behind-the-scenes look at how Sanderson Farms chickens are raised.

The new website also celebrates Sanderson Farms' 70th anniversary, with features detailing the company's growth from a small family business in Laurel, Mississippi, to the nation's third largest poultry producer.

About Sanderson Farms

Sanderson Farms, Inc., founded in 1947, is engaged in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. Employing more than 14,000 employees in operations spanning five states and 13 different cities, Sanderson Farms is the third largest poultry producer in the United States. As a company, Sanderson Farms is committed to adopting a fresh approach in everything that we do. Not only where products are concerned, but companywide as well. Though the company has grown in size, it still adheres to the same hometown values of honesty, integrity and innovation that were established when the Sanderson family founded the company back in 1947.

SOURCE Sanderson Farms
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a thorough RFP review process for new marketing expertise, Santa Barbara Airport has landed on the selection of Hiltachk Marketing Group and locally-based BLAZE PR to support their goal of increasing outbound resident passenger traffic from SBA, California's largest airport between Los Angeles and San Jose.

According to the Airport, the Hiltachk/BLAZE team was selected due to their understanding of the specific challenges the Airport faces. "We appreciate their thoughtful approach to really getting to the core of what we need to do as an airport in order to convert residents into resident travelers," stated Deanna Zachrisson, SBA's Business Development Manager.

With founder Kimberlie Hiltachk at the helm, Hiltachk Marketing Group has been successfully driving awareness and outbound passenger traffic at Sacramento International Airport since 2010. Their success stems from their intimate knowledge of the aviation industry and a keen understanding of how to most effectively land targeted information with specific traveler groups when they are most likely to book a trip.

"From a marketing perspective there is nothing to spin with Santa Barbara Airport," stated Hiltachk. "The Airport offers unparalleled conveniences in a new airline terminal specifically designed to scale with increased passenger demand. And the new, larger Boeing 737 and Airbus 319-320 class aircraft serving SBA are contributing to double-digit passenger growth. SBA has built it, now it's our job to ensure they come."

According to Hiltachk, much effort will be focused on appealing to local travelers with real-world comparisons of the benefits of departing from your local airport vs. the costs in time, money and aggravation inherent with choosing a more distant, larger airport such as Los Angeles or Burbank. "It's psychological consumerism. Travelers too often make a ticket purchase based on number of stops and price. We tend to forget that driving or taking a bus nearly 100 miles south on congested freeways comes at a significant personal and pocketbook cost," added Hiltachk.

For BLAZE PR, representing SBA sits close to home. With an office in Santa Barbara, the agency has a longstanding relationship with the airport. "We are thrilled to be able to support the airport's goals," stated Erinn Lynch, VP of BLAZE PR. "As local residents, it behooves us to use SBA and root for its continued success. Increased outbound traffic begets bigger planes, new carriers and destinations and price reductions. It's a win-win for all of us."

ABOUT SANTA BARBARA AIRPORT

Santa Barbara Airport served nearly 700,000 passengers in 2016 and is the 13th largest airport in California. SBA's architecturally-praised and LEED certified new airline terminal opened in 2011 and features state-of-the-art amenities and efficient passenger security screening. The Airport is served by American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines with 22 daily departures to seven non-stop destinations  Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle. The Airport resides on the site of a former World War II Marine Air Station, next to the Pacific Ocean and the University of California at Santa Barbara, and is conveniently located just 7 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara. SBA is a self-sustaining enterprise operated by the City of Santa Barbara.

ABOUT HILTACHK MARKETING GROUP

Hiltachk Marketing Group is based in Sacramento, California and offers a strategic and nimble approach to brand advertising. Since 2008, HMG has worked with local, national and international brands, including airports and destinations, bringing their stories to life and, most importantly, moving consumers to action.

ABOUT BLAZE PR

BLAZE PR is the go-to partner for lifestyle brands hungry for a real piece of the marketshare. Fresh and seasoned, the boutique agency is comprised of veteran practitioners who stay one step ahead of trends and will not rest on the laurels of past successes. BLAZE puts the strategy back in PR. Their media strategies are meaty, creative and on-point, backed by a thoughtful process that considers the particular world of each brand.

Media Contact:

Erinn Lynch

[email protected]

805-570-0990

SOURCE Blaze Company

Related Links

http://www.blazepr.com


PLYMOUTH, Wis., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sartori continued to impress both an international and national audience at the International Cheese Awards and the American Cheese Society (ACS) Competition, winning a dozen accolades. Of those, Sartori was honored to receive the "Reserve Supreme Champion Overseas" award as well as the distinction "Best Cheese with Health Benefits" for its Reserve SarVecchio Parmesan.

"I don't know if my Grandfather Paolo ever dreamed that the small, Wisconsin company he started back in 1939 would be winning awards across the globe almost eight decades later," said Jim Sartori, CEO and owner of Sartori Company. "I do know that he would be incredibly proud of our consistent hard work and dedication to artisan cheesemaking."

The 120th Annual International Cheese Awards was held in Nantwich, England, and surpassed 5,500 entries representing 50 countries, with more than 250 experts judging the competition. Sartori Reserve Espresso BellaVitano, Reserve SarVecchio Parmesan and Reserve BellaVitano Gold were all awarded gold medals.

At ACS, Sartori's Limited Edition Pastorale Blend, Limited Edition Extra-Aged Goat, Reserve Balsmic BellaVitano and Reserve Merlot BellaVitano received accolades. This year's competition was held in Denver, Col., and had a record-breaking number of entries  more than 2,000.

About Sartori

Sartori, a fourth-generation family owned company, has proudly produced award-winning, artisan cheese for customers worldwide since 1939. Rooted in Plymouth, Wisconsin, Sartori's emphasis on a high-quality and handcrafted approach to cheesemaking is a timeless family tradition. For more information, please visit www.sartoricheese.com or call at 800-558-5888.

SOURCE Sartori

Related Links

http://www.sartoricheese.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sendence's Wallaroo platform helps companies build, run and scale real-time data applications quickly. Wallaroo takes away complexity by delivering a data and processing layer for real-time applications, spanning any number of servers whether on-premises or in the cloud. The Wallaroo framework provides a highly elastic environment that allows developers to focus on making business algorithms smarter while delivering applications that can run hundreds of times faster at a fraction of the cost as well as grow and shrink capacity with zero downtime.

Sendence completed the $1.5 million funding round with investments from Boldstart Ventures, Contour Venture Partners, Greycroft, Notation Capital and Resolute Ventures.

"Mobile, cloud and connected devices are causing application data volumes to grow exponentially. By 2020 data volumes are projected to be over 200 billion messages per second. The need for real-time data processing has reached a critical point. We have built Wallaroo to make it radically easier for companies to build and operate these real-time applications, letting them focus on making their business better and faster while we take care of the rest. We are excited to welcome this incredible list of investors to Sendence to accelerate our growth," said Vid Jain, Founder, and CEO.

"Anyone building real-time applications needs to take a close look at Wallaroo," said Dan Petrozzo, ex-CIO of Morgan Stanley and ex-CTO of Asset Management at Goldman Sachs. "It will accelerate development and take away complexity."

"The explosion of real-time data coupled with fast machine algorithms will transform almost every industry," said Ed Sim, Founding Partner at Boldstart. "Wallaroo delivers an enormous competitive edge to any business undergoing this transformation, especially those that need to operate at scale."

"There are a lot of real-time data processing frameworks, but Wallaroo is the only one with the necessary combination of integrated state management, autoscaling and very high-performance," said Alexis Le-Quoc, CTO of Datadog. "It's a game-changer for deploying real-time applications."

About Sendence

Sendence (www.sendence.com), founded in 2015 by Vid Jain, allows companies to build, deploy and scale real-time data applications quickly. The Sendence platform takes away the complexity of building data- intensive applications by providing a real-time data and processing layer for any data center or cloud environment. In addition, Sendence has an intelligent scaling function which automatically increases or decreases servers needed for intensive processing. Sendence is based in New York City.

Logo Link here

Learn more, get a demo, or sign up for the open-source preview by contacting:

Chuck Blake

(646) 801-3168

[email protected]

Related Links

http://www.sendence.com

SOURCE Sendence

Related Links

http://www.sendence.com


NEW YORK, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a boutique securities firm headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating CDI Corp. ("CDI" or the "Company") (NYSE: CDI) relating to the sale of the Company to affiliates of AE Industrial Partners, LLC. As a result of the merger CDI shareholders are only anticipated to receive $8.25 in cash in exchange for each share of CDI.

Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/investigations/m-a/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

The investigation focuses on whether CDI and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's by 1) failing to conduct a fair process and 2) whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company.

Monteverde & Associates PC is a boutique class action securities and consumer litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders and consumers from corporate wrongdoing. Monteverde & Associates lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions, whereby they protect investors by recovering money and remedying corporate misconduct.

If you own common stock in CDI and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2017 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com


MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sherburne County Sheriff's Office (Elk River, Minn.) has joined forces with GUARDIAN RFID to modernize the way it manages its inmates. This fall, Sherburne Co. Jail is embedding GUARDIAN RFID technology to mitigate risk and improve operational efficiency by:

Tracking Inmates with GUARDIAN RFID Corrections officer logging security checks using SPARTAN, an ultra-rugged Android device from GUARDIAN RFID.

Managing, monitoring, and tracking nearly 700 inmates in custody, the second largest detention facility in the Twin Cities metro area by inmate population, by deploying hundreds of GUARDIAN RFID Tags and Clincher X-Wide RFID Wristbands for visual and electronic inmate identification, tracking movements and transports, and automating headcounts and inmate activity logging.

metro area by inmate population, by deploying hundreds of GUARDIAN RFID Tags and Clincher X-Wide RFID Wristbands for visual and electronic inmate identification, tracking movements and transports, and automating headcounts and inmate activity logging. Deploying SPARTAN by GUARDIAN RFID, the ultra-rugged Android device to streamline communication, data collection and information sharing to automate a wide range of inmate management tasks in real-time.

The result for Sherburne Co. will be thousands of dollars in cost and labor savings, per year, while achieving up-to-the-minute operational awareness and collaboration throughout the jail.

"We're always working to better protect our staff and streamline the many responsibilities our officers perform 24 hours a day," said Jail Administrator, Brian Frank. "GUARDIAN RFID gives us a powerful, real-time toolset that our entire staff can fully leverage to more effectively manage our inmate population."

"With GUARDIAN RFID, we're looking forward to improving staff performance at all levels, while making informed decisions that impact safety and security," said Assistant Jail Administrator, Dave Isais.

"Sherburne Co. Sheriff's Office is a forward-thinking law enforcement agency that recognizes the power GUARDIAN RFID + Cloud + Mobile has to deliver real-time operational dominance and comprehensively mitigate risk," said Ken Dalley, President and CEO, GUARDIAN RFID.

Transforming Corrections with RFID + Cloud + Mobile

Hundreds of law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. rely on GUARDIAN RFID to manage inmates faster, more accurately, and more collaboratively than ever.

Powerful Mobility : From tracking inmate movements to positive identification headcounts, cell checks, and activity logging, GUARDIAN RFID delivers powerful, easy to use, enterprise mobility with its next-generation Android platform, SPARTAN.

: From tracking inmate movements to positive identification headcounts, cell checks, and activity logging, GUARDIAN RFID delivers powerful, easy to use, enterprise mobility with its next-generation Android platform, SPARTAN. Operational Awareness from Anywhere : GUARDIAN RFID delivers secure, Cloud-based access to your data that meets and exceeds CJIS requirements.

: GUARDIAN RFID delivers secure, Cloud-based access to your data that meets and exceeds CJIS requirements. Innovation and Integration : GUARDIAN RFID integrates with existing jail management systems to create seamless integration, as well as electronic medical records systems, Microsoft Active Directory, and other third party platforms.

: GUARDIAN RFID integrates with existing jail management systems to create seamless integration, as well as electronic medical records systems, Microsoft Active Directory, and other third party platforms. Fast, Accurate Auto-Identification: GUARDIAN RFID helps safeguard, streamline, and accelerate mission-critical data collection and reporting faster, more durably, and more defensibly. You cannot backlog, modify, photocopy, or deface GUARDIAN RFID Tags like you can QR codes and barcodes.

Integration with Jail Management System

GUARDIAN RFID will integrate with Sherburne County's jail management system from ProPhoenix, a New Jersey-based public safety software company. The integration will enable corrections staff to view inmate profile data, keep separates, and inmate restrictions within GUARDIAN RFID, as well as inmate mugshots, classification levels, and more.

About Sherburne Co. Sheriff's Office

Sherburne County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) is headquartered in Elk River, Minnesota, and provides a wide range of public safety services to the county's 89,0000 residents across 431 square miles. Sherburne Co. Jail operates a 700-bed jail that holds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees, U.S. Marshalls, and local and regional inmates.

About GUARDIAN RFID

GUARDIAN RFID manages, monitors, and tracks inmates in-custody to mitigate risk, maximize defensibility, and strengthen compliance. Endorsed by National Sheriffs' Association.

SOURCE GUARDIAN RFID

Related Links

http://www.guardianrfid.com


AUBURN, Ala., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SiO 2 Medical Products, Inc. ("SMP"), a U.S.-based designer, developer, manufacturer, and supplier of pharmaceutical packaging, labware, and consumables products, and Sanaria Inc. ("Sanaria"), a U.S.-based developer, manufacturer, and supplier of vaccines, today announced the signing of an agreement for the development, manufacture, and supply of cryogenic vials for Sanaria's malaria vaccine, Sanaria PfSPZ Vaccine.

Malaria is a devastating disease of almost unfathomable impact, which according to the World Health Organization caused an estimated 429,000 deaths and 214 million clinical cases in 2015. "Our goal is the development, licensure and fielding of a vaccine to prevent malaria. We are excited to partner with SMP, because we share the same passion and determination. We are confident that SMP's agility, speed, and expertise will help us achieve our goal," said Stephen L. Hoffman, CEO of Sanaria.

SMP believes this partnership is an essential step in helping to combat this deadly disease. "SMP is humbled to have been selected by Sanaria as a partner in its fight against malaria. The development of Sanaria's highly effective vaccine promises hope for millions affected by this disease. With such a vital vaccine in its final clinical development stages, SMP has dedicated its world-class team to develop the ideal container to meet Sanaria's needs and timelines. We are confident that Sanaria's vaccine preserved in SMP's cryogenic vials will provide the optimal solution for delivering the vaccine to those in need," commented Brian Maurer, Sr. Vice President of SMP.

About SiO 2 Medical Products, Inc.:

SiO 2 Medical Products, Inc. (SMP) is a U.S. based, privately-held company founded in 2011. SMP develops and manufactures precision-molded containers and products composed of engineered polymers, such as cyclic olefin polymers (COP). SMP has in-house material science expertise of a broad range of proprietary coatings or treatments to enhance the properties of the underlying polymeric surfaces. SMP is headquartered in Auburn, Alabama, with sales, marketing, legal, and project management capabilities based out of offices near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company has a state-of-the-art, 160,000 sq. ft. manufacturing and R&D facility, in addition to its corporate headquarters, in Auburn, Alabama. SMP's website is sio2med.com.

About Sanaria Inc.:

Sanaria Inc. is a socially focused, for-profit company founded in 2003. Sanaria's mission is to develop and commercialize whole-parasite malaria vaccines that confer high-level, long-lasting protection against malaria. Sanaria's corporate headquarters, administrative, research, development, and manufacturing operations are located in Rockville, Maryland. Sanaria's website is sanaria.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made. However, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because such statements speak only as of the date when made. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, events and developments to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. These factors include, without limitation, the Company's ability to raise sufficient funds, the regulatory approval process, dependence on third parties, clinical trials results, the Company's patent portfolio, ability to commercialize the product(s), dependence on key personnel, and other risks associated with product development.

For more information contact Jaimin B. Shah ([email protected]) and/or Alexander Hoffman ([email protected]).

SOURCE SiO2 Medical Products, Inc.
SEOUL, South Korea and HONG KONG, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SK Holdings Co., Ltd. ("SK"), one of the largest South Korean conglomerates, and e-Shang Redwood Limited ("ESR"), a leading pan-Asia logistics real estate developer, owner and operator, announced today that the two companies have signed definitive agreements for SK to invest KRW 374 billion (US$333 million) for a 10% fully diluted stake in ESR. The transaction marks SK's first investment in the logistics real estate sector and its largest ever minority investment. Upon closing, the transaction is expected to generate significant synergies between ESR and SK and will help ESR to further enhance its market leading position in the logistics real estate sector in South Korea and across the Asia-Pacific region.

Based in Seoul with 65 years of history, SK Group is one of the largest South Korean conglomerates with a specialty in oil & gas, telecommunications, semiconductor, petrochemicals and e-commerce businesses. As a responsible corporate citizen, SK is a national and global leader by taking active initiative in energy and chemicals, driving technological innovations in information, telecommunication, and semiconductor businesses, and enriching lives in the marketing and service sector including logistics and retail. Through its operations in over 30 countries, SK Group owns a sizable portfolio of warehouses, manufacturing plants, research centers and prime office properties.

Co-founded by Warburg Pincus and the senior management Stuart Gibson, Jeffrey Shen and Charles de Portes and backed by some of the world's preeminent investors including APG, CPPIB, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PGGM and Ping An, ESR is one of the largest warehousing developers, owners and managers in Asia. As of June 2017, ESR manages 8.4 million sqm of projects with US$9.0 billion of assets under management across China, South Korea, Japan and Singapore. ESR's customers consist of international market leaders across a broad range of industry sectors including e-commerce, retail, manufacturing and third-party logistics companies. Some of its representative tenants include JD.com, 1haodian.com, Askul, Carrefour, DB Schenker, Daimler, and H&M. ESR also owns the trust manager of ESR-REIT, Singapore's first independent industrial real estate investment trust with a diversified portfolio of 49 properties and a gross asset value of over S$1.3 billion (US$0.96 billion).

HoJeong Lee, VP of SK commented, "We firmly believe that ESR is well positioned as the largest pure-play Asia-focused logistics real estate platform with a best-in-class management team to become the "Prologis" of Asia. ESR's platform is highly complementary to our broader portfolio of businesses and this investment is also consistent with SK's growth strategy and vision to become a 'Global Investment Holding Company' through active investment in market leading companies across SK's supply chain. We believe the investment in ESR will not only bring long-term sustainable return for SK but it will also provide strong support for our warehousing needs in Asia."

The modern warehousing industry in Asia has witnessed robust development driven by the rapid growth of e-commerce and an increasing reliance on third-party logistics providers. According to JLL Research, e-commerce sales in China will represent over 50% of global e-commerce sales by 2018 and China's online retail transaction value is expected to double from 2016 to 2029, exceeding US$1.5 trillion. E-commerce sales in Japan (the fourth-biggest market) are set on a similar growth trajectory and estimated to double in size to JPY 25.1 trillion (US$226.1 billion) in 2020, at an annual CAGR of 12%. In South Korea, the modern warehousing industry has been one of the fastest growing sectors between 2000 to 2015 growing threefold to reach KRW 2.3 trillion (US$2 billion) in 2015.

Jeffrey Shen and Stuart Gibson, Co-CEOs of ESR, commented, "We are very excited to welcome SK as a shareholder and a business partner. Through its investment, we will seek to leverage SK's strong presence in South Korea to further enhance our market leading position in the country. Additionally, we look forward to working closely with SK to help fulfill their growing warehousing needs across the region with the goal of creating long-term value for SK and its shareholders."

About SK Holdings

As the integrated holding company of SK Group, the mission of SK Holdings is to generate synergies among its various affiliates by enhancing management efficiencies and speedy decision making. Since its formation, SK holdings has continued to improve the strength of SK Group through active investment in new growth areas, which constitute value-centered portfolios including bio/pharmaceuticals, semiconductor materials and modules, LNG, IT services, and ICT convergence.

About ESR

ESR is a leading "pure-play" pan-Asia logistics real estate platform focusing on developing and managing institutional-quality logistics facilities that cater to third-party logistics providers, e-commerce companies, bricks-and-mortar retailers, cold-chain logistics providers and industrial companies. Co-founded by Warburg Pincus and the senior management Stuart Gibson, Jeffrey Shen and Charles de Portes and backed by some of the world's preeminent investors including APG, CPPIB, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, PGGM and Ping An, the ESR platform represents one of the largest industrial asset manager in the Asia-Pacific region managing over 8.4 million sqm of projects in operation and under development across China, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, with funds management offices in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Media Contacts:

SK Holdings

Hyung Jun, Kim

[email protected]

ESR

Emma Larsson

[email protected]

SOURCE Warburg Pincus
NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Snow Phipps Group ("Snow Phipps") announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Ideal Tridon Holdings, Inc. ("Ideal-Tridon" or the "Company") from Industrial Growth Partners ("IGP"). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Smyrna, Tennessee, Ideal-Tridon is a leading global engineering solutions designer and manufacturer of stainless steel worm gear and specialty clamps and couplings for industrial, heavy duty, plumbing, irrigation, marine and automotive applications.

"Ideal-Tridon is a market leading platform with a long-tenured management team that has a demonstrated ability to provide premium products to both OEM and distribution customers," said John Pless, partner at Snow Phipps. "We look forward to leveraging the Company's stellar reputation and dominant market position to continue building the business through an attractive pipeline of new business opportunities and highly strategic acquisitions."

Snow Phipps will partner with the existing Ideal-Tridon management team led by CEO Michael Reese. Snow Phipps Operating Partner Jay Twombly will join Ideal-Tridon as the non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Twombly formerly served as Chairman of Boyd Corporation and currently serves as Chairman of Winchester Electronics.

"Snow Phipps is bringing highly relevant experience to our business, which we believe can support us in driving outsized growth going forward. We have a fantastic group of employees who are eager to begin this new partnership to take our business to the next level," said Mr. Reese.

"Michael and his team have built a world-class business," Mr. Twombly said. "The Company is already reaping the benefits of a well-defined growth plan, and we are excited to work with them to accelerate that trajectory."

Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel to Snow Phipps in the transaction. Lincoln International LLC and Fidus Securities, LLC served as financial advisors to Ideal-Tridon and IGP. Kirkland & Ellis LLP were legal counsel to Ideal-Tridon and IGP.

About Ideal-Tridon

Ideal Clamp Products, Inc., is a leading global engineering solutions designer and manufacturer of stainless steel and specialty clamps for a broad range of fastening and sealing applications across diverse end markets. Headquartered in Smyrna TN, Ideal sells IDEAL-TRIDON brand products to Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) operations and to Replacement Market warehouses, distributors and retail businesses. IDEAL, TRIDON and IDEAL-TRIDON brands are manufactured and distributed globally from facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information about Ideal-Tridon, visit www.idealtridon.com.

About Snow Phipps Group

Snow Phipps is a private equity firm focused on middle-market control investments. With $2.4 billion of assets currently under management, Snow Phipps targets platform companies with enterprise values ranging from $100 million to $500 million. The firm utilizes an operating partner model to invest across select industries and seek value creation through an operationally focused strategy. To learn more about Snow Phipps, visit www.snowphipps.com.

About Industrial Growth Partners

Industrial Growth Partners, founded in 1997, is a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm with $2.2 billion of equity capital raised since inception. The firm invests exclusively in middle-market companies in the industrial sector in partnership with management teams. For more information, visit the IGP website at www.igpequity.com.

SOURCE Snow Phipps Group

Related Links

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SAN DIEGO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The English-speaking world is excited to see Stan Levenson's first children's book about fundraising called JUAN AND GWEN'S BIG FUNDRAISING SURPRISE. It is available today as an e-book and a paperback on Amazon.com and other places. Levenson has been involved in K-12 fundraising for more than 40 years. As one of the foremost K-12 fundraising writers in America, he is known throughout the world as an author of books and articles on fundraising, as a fundraising guru, as a teacher, and as a storyteller extraordinaire. Levenson has been interviewed on radio and television, online, and in the press, and has been quoted in newspapers and magazines across the nation. His most recent fundraising book, The Essential Fundraising Guide for K-12 Schools (Create Space) has received acclaim from some of the biggest names in fundraising in America including Jerold Panas, Tom Ahern, and Charles Best. Levenson has taught reading methods classes to teachers at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. This is his first children's book. It shares the gift of giving with children of all ages and emphasizes how important children, parents, teachers, principals, and alumni are in working together to raise monies for the schools. He holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego; an M.A. degree from U.C.L.A.; and a Ph.D. degree from United States International University (now Alliant International University) in San Diego. Ifat Naim, the illustrator lives in Bangladesh and is excited to add his touch to this exciting and profound multicultural children's book.

Juan and Gwen's Big Fundraising Surprise

BOOK COVER AND PHOTO  Available Upon Request

CONTACT:

Stan Levenson

[email protected]

www.stanlevenson.com

Twitter: @StanLevenson

Tel. (858) 485 8691

SOURCE Stan Levenson

Related Links

http://www.stanlevenson.com


To enter, contestants must upload a video or photo of themselves with their favorite Standard part to the "Why I Trust Standard" promotional tab on the brand's Facebook page. In the video or photo caption, contestants should share why they trust Standard for their repairs. The entries with the most number of 'Likes' will win a corresponding prize.

Prizes

The Grand Prize winner will receive a 2017 Honda ATV. Additionally, two 2nd Prize winners will win a Snap-On tool box, and five 3rd Prize winners will receive a Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker. The first 500 entries will be awarded a commemorative Standard hat.

Phil Hutchens, Vice President Engine Management Marketing, SMP, commented on the promotion, stating, "Standard has been a trusted brand since 1919, and this promotion is an exciting new way to engage with our loyal customers and hear why they trust our parts for their repairs."

The contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Complete rules and contest information can be found at www.WhyITrustStandard.com

About SMP:

SMP supplies independent professional auto technicians and automotive do-it-yourselfers with high quality replacement parts for engine management ignition, emission and fuel systems as well as temperature control products for domestic and import cars and light trucks. SMP products are sold through both traditional and non-traditional distribution channels. For more information, download the SMP Parts App 2.0 or visit www.smpcorp.com.

SOURCE Standard Motor Products, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.smpcorp.com


NOVI, Mich., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) today announced that Jonathan B. DeGaynor, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Robert R. Krakowiak, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the 2017 Annual Auto Conference hosted by J.P. Morgan with a Company presentation at 9:20 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 9, 2017, at J.P. Morgan's Office in New York. The presentation materials will be posted to the "Investors\Webcasts & Presentations" section of the Company's website (www.stoneridge.com) on Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

About Stoneridge, Inc.

Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic components, modules and systems for the automotive, commercial, motorcycle, off-highway and agricultural vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge, Inc. can be found at www.stoneridge.com.

SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.stoneridge.com


PEMBROKE PINES, Fla., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Craig and Martine Zinn, and the Craig Zinn Automotive Group (CZAG) who owns and operates Subaru of Pembroke Pines have once again partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Southern Florida Chapter (LLS), and together they have joined the Subaru of America Loves to Care initiative.

Subaru of Pembroke Pines Loves to Care; we feel extremely fortunate to have partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Southern Florida. Together we delivered messages of hope, donated craft kits for children and blankets for adult patients at Memorial Hospital in Pembroke Pines.

Throughout the month of July 2017, employees and visitors at Subaru of Pembroke Pines had the opportunity to handwrite personalized messages of hope to patients. They were also encouraged to visit lls.org/subaru and share online messages. Those who wrote a message of hope at the Subaru retailer dealership received a bracelet to help spread awareness of LLS and the automaker's goal to provide hope and care, one gesture at a time.

Representatives from both Subaru of Pembroke and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Southern Florida Chapter joined to personally spread love, hope, and warmth to cancer patients and their families. They visited Memorial Hospital in Pembroke Pines, delivered blankets, craft kits and numerous hand-written messages of hope for patients on behalf of their customers and employees. The craft kits were donated for children battling cancer, and blankets were hand-delivered to adult patients by the Subaru of Pembroke Pines team, led by Duane Massa, General Manager, and Bryan Medina, Sales Associate, in the hopes of providing comfort as they continue their fight against the disease.

"The Subaru 'Loves to Care' event allows us as a Dealer to show that we do care very much for our surrounding community. It makes it possible to get out there and be face to face with people in need," said Duane Massa, General Manager at Subaru of Pembroke Pines.

"Words cannot express the feeling of gratitude and pleasure we've received from the patients that we have provided blankets and craft kits too," said DeAnn Hazey, Executive Director for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "Going through treatment is hard when you are always cold, and those big, soft blankets are bringing a lot of warmth and relief. The craft kits are bringing hours of distraction for the children too."

"At Subaru of Pembroke Pines, we aim to support our local community. By donating blankets and craft boxes, we provide support for patients who often spend several hours in treatment. Through these hometown partnerships, we can reach more people with small gestures of comfort and care in their time of need," said Craig Zinn, President, and CEO at Craig Zinn Automotive Group.

To learn more about the "Loves to Care" initiative, visit subaruofpembrokepines.com.

About Subaru of Pembroke Pines

Your Pembroke Pines, Florida Subaru Dealership: At Subaru of Pembroke Pines, we offer new Subaru cars in Pembroke Pines, along with used cars, trucks, and SUVs by top manufacturers. Our sales staff will help you find that new or used car you have been searching for in Pembroke Pines. We proudly serve new and used car shoppers from all over the South Florida communities of Kendall, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Dade County. For years, our financial staff at Subaru of Pembroke Pines has offered expert advice for those seeking a great Subaru car loan or lease. Our service doesn't stop there. Pembroke Pines customers can come in and take advantage of our knowledgeable Subaru car repair technicians and a fully-stocked inventory of Subaru auto parts. You can reach Subaru of Pembroke Pines any time by filling out our contact form on our website subaruofpembrokepines.com, by calling us 888-251-8384 or simply visit our Pembroke Pines Subaru dealership at 16100 Pines Boulevard Pembroke Pines, Florida.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society  (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Rixys Alfonso

305.558.8877

[email protected]

Related Images

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Related Links

Website

Facebook

SOURCE Subaru of Pembroke Pines
BOSTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SysAid, a leading provider of help desk and IT service management (ITSM) solutions, today introduced a remote device support tool powered by TeamViewer. Users can now access and control desktops and mobile devices from within SysAid. The embedded TeamViewer tool eliminates deployment headaches, saves time, and increases security.

TeamViewer is a remote access tool that enables IT to provide internal and customer support. It gives IT direct control over computers and mobile devices for efficient service, monitoring, and maintenance. No matter where in the world employees and customers are located, IT can provide hands-on help with TeamViewer. Today, TeamViewer runs on more than 400 million devices.

In SysAid, IT admins can now launch a TeamViewer remote session directly from an incident record. The admin simply clicks the TeamViewer icon to begin a session. SysAid automatically records activities from each session. Customers do not need a preexisting TeamViewer account to use the tool.

Embedding TeamViewer in SysAid increases security for organizations by ensuring that remote support is conducted and recorded in one platform. It also removes the hassle of managing separate software because TeamViewer runs within SysAid rather than as a standalone application.

"We selected TeamViewer for remote support because so many of our customers already used the tool and reported great things about it," said Oded Moshe, VP Products at SysAid. "SysAid aims to provide everything IT needs in one solution, and this partnership is another step towards that goal."

"Embedding TeamViewer in SysAid offers our customers a big advantage," said Sarah Lahav, CEO of SysAid. "There's no deployment or integration headaches. You activate TeamViewer in SysAid, and it's only a click away when IT needs remote access. You pay as you go directly to SysAid, so there's no fixed fees or billing messes. It's dead simple and immensely useful."

About TeamViewer

TeamViewer is a leading global software provider for digital networking and collaboration. Founded in 2005 in Goppingen, Germany, the company employs around 700 people from more than 50 countries. Its flagship product, TeamViewer, is an all-in-one solution for remote support, remote access, and online meetings. The software actively runs on more than 400 million devices, of which at least 25 million are connected to TeamViewer at any point in time. The company's product portfolio is complemented by solutions for IT monitoring, data backup, anti-malware and web-conferencing. TeamViewer was acquired by Permira in 2014. Further information is available at: www.teamviewer.com

About SysAid Technologies

Founded in 2002, SysAid Technologies Ltd. partners with IT professionals to make their work easier. The company provides IT service management (ITSM) solutions to more than 10,000 customers in 140 countries. From small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises, IT departments use SysAid to deliver better service.

Available in 42 languages as a cloud-based or on-premises solution, SysAid combines all the essential IT tools in one simple and clever platform. For more information, please visit www.sysaid.com.

-Join more than 180,000 IT professionals in the SysAid Community

-Follow SysAid on Twitter @Joe_the_IT_Guy and @SysAid

SOURCE SysAid Technologies

Related Links

http://www.sysaid.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA\WorldHealth CEO Sharon Callahan has been included on the prestigious 2017 PharmaVOICE 100 List in recognition of her inspiring and visionary leadership style, her influence as a corporate leader and the dynamic impact she has made on the industry through her positive actions. This acclaimed list annually honors the 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life Sciences Industry for their positive contributions.

"All of us at TBWA\WorldHealth applaud Sharon's inclusion on this exclusive list," said Robin Shapiro, Global President, TBWA\WorldHealth. "She embodies collaborative leadership and is one of the most forward-thinking innovators and client-centered leaders that I have ever worked withthere is no one more deserving of this honor than her."

With over 30 years in strategic leadership positions in healthcare advertising, Callahan's proficiency at both recruiting and mentoring top talent is unparalleled. She seamlessly assembles teams with cutting-edge knowledge of new technologies and creative thinking that strategically guides them toward success.

Her foresight and innovation have resulted in combining 2 iconic Omnicom healthcare agencies, LLNS and Corbett. Callahan's far-reaching vision has changed the agency paradigm and created an agency of the futureTBWA\WorldHealth.

Callahan's dynamic and collaborative leadership style catapulted the agency into the spotlight, transforming the way clients are served and racking up success after success. Under her direction, the newly organized TBWA\WorldHealth ended their first year with significant growth, new business wins and increases in top talent acquisition and expansion with the agency opening a 4th U.S. office in Irvine, CA.

"I am honored to be included on this list with some of the healthcare industry's most inspiring and influential leaders who are dedicated to improving the lives of people around the globe," said Ms. Callahan. "It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work in an industry with passionate people who champion innovation and inspire change."

In addition to her role as CEO of TBWA\WorldHealth and TBWA\Health Collective, Callahan also serves as the chief client officer for the Omnicom Health Group. She has excelled in a variety of leadership capacities including executive vice president and director of DAS Healthcare; chief digital strategist at GHG; and president of interactive agency Summit Grey, born out of The Summit Group, the company she cofounded. Previously, she honed her talents at Medsite.com and SCP Communications.

The PharmaVoice 100 Most Inspiring People in the Life Sciences Industry will be honored at a special celebration on Thursday, September 14th at Apella Event Space, Riverpark at The Alexandria Center for Life Science in New York City.

About TBWA\WorldHealth

TBWA\WorldHealth is a global healthcare communications agency that leverages the power of disruption and media arts to create behavior-changing ideas. For more information, visit www.tbwaworldhealth.com.

About Omnicom Health Group

Omnicom Health Group (www.omnicomhealthgroup.com) is a global collective of communications companies with more than 3,200 dedicated healthcare communications specialists. It provides marketing services to the health and life-science industries through a combination of specialized agencies, customized client solutions and collaborations with other Omnicom network agencies. Organized around four customer groupshealthcare professionals; patients; payers; and medical, evidence and regulatory stakeholdersOmnicom Health Group serves more than 100 clients in over 55 offices worldwide.

SOURCE TBWA\WorldHealth

Related Links

http://www.tbwaworldhealth.com


NASHVILLE, Tennessee, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The global education firm, Study Group, has been selected by Lipscomb University to establish an international study center on its campus in Nashville, Tennessee. One of the top 200 universities in the U.S. according to U.S. News & World Report, Lipscomb provides a dynamic learning environment that blends the academic, social, spiritual, and professional pursuits of its students. Lipscomb currently attracts students from 47 nations, and looks to grow that number as part of its partnership with Study Group.

Located minutes away from downtown Nashville, Lipscomb students can choose from 10 colleges and nearly 200 academic programs leading to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees designed to help them achieve their educational goals. Nationally ranked programs in engineering, education, information technology and pharmacology prepare students for some of the world's fastest-growing careers. The campus is in one of America's fastest-growing cities, providing access to an energizing cultural hub of music, food, and art, in addition to top Fortune 500 companies. Students have access to dynamic and challenging internships in Nashville that complement the in-classroom learning, preparing them to thrive in the global workplace. More than 90 percent of Lipscomb graduates are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.

"Lipscomb provides tremendous opportunity to international students with innovative academics in a supportive collegic setting," explains Emily Williams Knight, Ed.D. Managing Director for Study Group Higher Education North America. "We are honoured to have been selected by Lipscomb University and to add this outstanding highly ranked university to our growing portfolio of North American partners. I am confident the international students who enroll into Lipscomb will thrive and only increase the cultural richness found across the campus today."

"Study Group's 24 years plus of expertise in international student preparation and English language training will help strengthen our existing intensive English program," states L. Randolph Lowry, Lipscomb's President. "This partnership will help us to expand our reach globally and create a more dynamic experience for students inside the classroom and throughout the community."

Study Group will provide global marketing and recruitment along with admissions and student services to grow and support the international student population at Lipscomb.

About Study Group

Study Group is a global leader in international education, providing the highest quality academic opportunities to over 73,000 students from 145 countries every year. From schooling to university degrees, English language training to specialised career streams, Study Group has been providing high-quality international education opportunities to students for more than 20 years.

Through Study Group's own colleges and more than 40 university partnerships in the UK, Europe, North America and Australasia, it provides on and off-campus learning for international students that ensures academic success and entry into some of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world. Study Group's international programmes help students bridge the academic, cultural and language gap between where they are, and where they wish to be.

For the latest up to date information on Study Group please visit: http://www.studygroup.com

SOURCE Study Group
The SunScreen CinePro has up to 1500 NITS of brightness, AR Glass, High Contrast, HDMI in, and SDI in & out. It has -20 mounts on every side so that it can be mounted on virtually any rig. The rugged display also features a 2-pin Lemo connector, which accepts a wide range of power from 5 volts to 17 volts.

Robert Rose, Managing Director of SunScreen Display Technologies, says, "There is nothing even close to this unit out there in features and performance at this price point. The pro camera world has a few high bright displays available that range from $1200 to over $4000. CinePro carries a list price of $495, which makes true outdoor bright sunshine viewing of the shot affordable for everyone in the industry at every level, not just A-list camera deployments. We designed this display for use with RED, Arri, Cannon, Sony, Black Magic and virtually any other camera in use today."

The SunScreen CinePro is being offered through their world-wide distributer, CineSauce, at https://cinesauce.com/collections/displays.

More about SunScreen Display Technologies, LLC:

The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cypher Scientific, LLC, a successful engineering design and manufacturing company founded in Southern California in 2013. More information is available at www.cypherscientific.com, www.sunscreendisplays.com or by e-mail at [email protected].

SOURCE SunScreen Display Technologies LLC

Related Links

http://www.sunscreendisplays.com


LOS ANGELES, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Returning with an all-new program for 2017 and increased grant money for five worthy recipients, The Ovation Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Ovation TV, is announcing a call for entries in its 2017 Creative Economy innOVATION Grant Awards Program. This year's cycle will focus on exemplary programs that foster the growth and sustainability of America's creative industries. Five grants of $25,000 each will be awarded to the most innovative programs.

"Our mission to recognize and reward those organizations and programs that support the creative economy has never been as timely as it is now. With federal support under threat and the value of the arts under constant scrutiny, the innOVATION Grant Awards Program is our way of showcasing how our nation's creative industries drive innovation, job creation, and economic growth," said Liz Janneman, President of The Ovation Foundation and EVP of Network Strategy, Ovation TV.

Applicants for the 2017 Creative Economy innOVATION Grants cycle should highlight how they support America's creative industries through capacity-building and/or technical assistance programs, mentorship and partnership resources, program acceleration, and fiscal sponsorship. For guidelines and to submit an online application, visit TheOvationFoundation.org.

Once again, The Ovation Foundation has assembled a prestigious panel of judges to review submissions and determine the five awardees. Judges include (listed in alphabetical order):

Senator Ben Allen  California State Senate. Senator Allen serves as chair of the Senate Education Committee as well as the legislature's Joint Committee on the Arts.

Mike Allmendinger  President, Kilbourne Group. In 2016, Mr. Allmendinger led an effort to create APT, a creative incubator in downtown Fargo, to demonstrate that a healthy arts presence is a vital part of a community's infrastructure.

Jessica Yas Barker  Director of Corporate Relations, Ovation TV and Chief Administrative Office, The Ovation Foundation. Ms. Yas Barker also oversees government relations and philanthropic giving for Ovation TV.

Dennis Cheek  Executive Director, National Creativity Network. Mr. Cheek co-founded NCN to advance the skillful use of imagination, creativity, and innovation to transform commerce, culture, education, and government.

Jennifer H. Goulet  President and CEO, Creative Many. Ms. Goulet leads Creative Many's advocacy/public policy, research, professional practice and communications efforts to advance the power of Michigan's creative economy. She also serves on the Creative Economy Coalition of the National Creativity Network

Denise Grande  Director of Arts Education, Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Ms. Grande leads the LA County Arts Education Collective, dedicated to making the arts core in K-12 public education.

Robert L. Lynch  President and CEO, Americans for the Arts. With more than 40 years of experience in the arts industry, Mr. Lynch is motivated by his personal mission to empower communities and leaders to advance the arts in society and in the lives of citizens.

Keith McNutt  Director, Western Region, The Actors Fund. In addition to his work at The Fund, Mr. McNutt has served on the National Grants Committee of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and was awarded a 2012-13 Stanton Fellowship from the Durfee Foundation to study the creative economy in Los Angeles.

Kimberly Ritter-Martinez  Economist, The LAEDC Kyser Center for Economic Research. Ms. Ritter-Martinez is a principal contributor to the annual Otis Report on the Creative Economy, among other industry reports.

Dee Schneidman  Program Director for Research and Creative Economy, New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). Ms. Schneidman oversees data collection, documentation, and creative economy activities at NEFA.

Charles Segars  CEO, Ovation TV and Chairman of The Ovation Foundation. Mr. Segars is also Founder and President of Segars Media, a multi-platform content production company and new media consultancy firm, and co-creator, writer, and executive producer of Disney's National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and the upcoming National Treasure 3.

Susan Soroko  Director of Creative Economy, Arlington Economic Development; Co-Director, Creative Economy Coalition. Ms. Soroko works to support both for profit creative industries as well as non-profit arts organizations and artists.

Laura Zucker - Arts Management Consultant. Ms. Zucker has been a driving force in the development and support of the arts and culture ecosystem of Los Angeles County for over 25 years.

"The arts and creative industries are integral to America's economic prosperity, contributing $704 billion annually to the economy," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "Supporting the cultivation of emerging artists and ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive is an essential part of the work we do in the nonprofit arts sector. This year's innOVATION Grant Awards aim to do just that, and Americans for the Arts is proud to stand with The Ovation Foundation in this effort."

The application process officially opens nationwide today, August 1. The deadline for applications is September 29, 2017. The grant review process begins October 9 and the grants will be awarded on December 1, 2017.

About Ovation and The Ovation Foundation

Ovation is an independent television and digital media company dedicated to celebrating and supporting all forms of arts and culture. Ovation TV, selectively curates and airs arts-related series, specials, documentaries and films. We also offer viewers an exciting line up of Ovation original productions. Ovation TV is available to nearly 50M subscribers via cable, satellite and telco systems including Comcast Cable/Xfinity, DIRECTV/AT&T U-verse, SPECTRUM, Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications, and many other smaller providers and is offered in both standard and high definition, as well as on VOD. Through The Ovation Foundation, the company is committed to advocating for the arts, nationally and locally, and has provided more than $15M in contributions and in kind support to arts institutions and arts education. You can follow Ovation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and OvationTV.com.

SOURCE The Ovation Foundation

Related Links

http://TheOvationFoundation.org


RIVER FALLS, Wis., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, Aug. 1, Three Square Market (32M) is offering implanted chip technology to all employees at a "Chip Party" at their company headquarters in River Falls, Wisconsin. Company employees will have the option to voluntarily implant an RFID microchip between the thumb and forefinger underneath the skin. The RFID chip, which does not have tracking capabilities, will allow employees to make purchases in the company's break room market, open doors, log in to computers and use copy machines among other things.

EPK video footage of the event, interviews and press conference will be available for downlink from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Central Time on Aug. 1.

Downlink Specs:

Time: 1:00 p.m.  2:00 p.m. Central Time

Satellite: G17/12K - Slot B

Downlink: 11935.5, Vertical

8 PSK

FEC: 

Symbol Rate 4.0

Modulation Type: DVB-S2

Pilots: Off

Interface Rate: 8.912494

MPEG-4

Three Square Market prides themselves on being the best option in micro market technology and being a one-stop shop for their operators. From in-house designed software to in-house built kiosks and fixtures, Three Square Market controls every aspect of their business to ensure customers are getting the best of everything.

Media Contact:

Katie Langer

Marketing Executive, Event Coordinator

M: 651-895-3269

Email: [email protected]

For additional event information visit the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/three-square-market-chip-party-rsvp-before-500-pm-cst-this-friday-tickets-36588482135?aff=affiliate1

Three Square Market prides themselves on being leaders in technology and responsible innovation. Please visit https://www.32market.com for more.

SOURCE Three Square Market

Related Links

https://www.32market.com


NASSAU, Bahamas and WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday in Nassau, Bahamas three aspiring women entrepreneurs from the United States and the Bahamas were recognized as the 2017 international recipients of "The Woman Behind The Business Retreat" scholarship. This distinguished award affords women entrepreneurs an opportunity to learn from and build international relations with business owners, c-suite level executives and their peers in the entrepreneurial sector.

Register for The Woman Behind The Business Retreat and SAVE...promo code: LIFTED

"Establishing a strong support base is one of the many keys to building a successful business," says Angel Livas, founder of the non-profit, The Woman Behind The Business. "That's where The Woman Behind Business creates an ecosphere for women business owners to expand collaborative partnerships with women internationally."

It's because of partnerships with the Visionary Network Group, Target Optimized Marketing Solutions (TOMS), and Creative Introduction that this international scholarship endeavor was a success. Each of the aforementioned businesses covered travel, accommodations and registrations costs for the following scholarship winners: Tameka Ferrika-Grant, owner of Reliable Babysitting Services (Bahamas); Danielle Woodhouse-Johnson, owner of DaniJay Designs (U.S.); and Alejandra Santaolalla, owner of Color with Luna (U.S.).

Nicole Dias, CEO of The Visionary Network Group said "many people have great ideas that could make for a great and profitable business, but without support & mentoring an entrepreneur's growth can be hindered or stunted. That's why I'm honored to provide such an exciting opportunity to my scholarship recipient ... to help her translate her vision into a reality."

"The Woman Behind The Business is a great organization," says Richard Tomkins, CEO of TOMS. "They empower women entrepreneurs and share the same principles that we are committed to at TOMS: helping women grow their businesses and meet their professional goals. We look forward to our partnership with WBB and working with the dynamic entrepreneurs attending the inaugural retreat in the Bahamas this fall."

The Melia Nassau Beach Resort will host The Woman Behind The Business Retreat from September 8-12th, in Nassau, Bahamas. To register or learn more visit: www.wbbtalk.com.

About The Woman Behind The Business (WBB)

The Woman Behind The Business was founded in the United States as a non-profit dedicated to help increase Strength (in numbers), Strategies (for success) and overall Sustainability. The Woman Behind The Business is the philanthropic arm of DC Media Connection.

About The Visionary Network Group

The Visionary Network Group works alongside its clients to translate their visions into realities. It's through helping them craft a solid brand strategy, which is an essential component of every great business plan.

About Target Optimized Marketing Solutions

Target Optimized Marketing Solutions (TOMS) was born out of a desire to help new companies and emerging brands accelerate their business development, sales management and strategic marketing efforts.

About Creative Introduction

Creative Introduction offers its clients a unique opportunity to share their interest, passion, qualifications and experience in a well-packaged 90 second video. To learn more visit: www.creativeintroduction.com

Contact: Ashley Queen-Monterio

[email protected]

202-930-3262

SOURCE The Woman Behind The Business

Related Links

http://www.wbbtalk.com


VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard today announced the addition of TimesSquare Capital Management, LLC, to the advisory team of Vanguard International Explorer Fund. The firm will join Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. and Wellington Management Company LLP, in overseeing the $3.4 billion small- and mid-cap international equity fund.

"Vanguard continuously scours the globe for world-class investment talent, forging relationships with firms that bring particular expertise and experience to specific mandates," said Vanguard CEO Bill McNabb. "Our long-term approach and in-depth engagement with firms ensures strong and stable advisory teams that offer differentiated, but complementary investment approaches to the benefit of our clients. We welcome TimesSquare as a valuable addition to our talented roster of investment management partners."

TimesSquare Capital, headquartered in New York City, was founded in 2000 and specializes in small- and mid-cap growth equity. The firm manages approximately $17.2 billion in assets across both domestic and international equity mandates.

Magnus Larsson, Senior Vice President, will serve as portfolio manager of the TimesSquare sleeve of the International Explorer Fund. With more than 22 years of investment experience, Mr. Larsson leads the firm's international small-cap team, comprised of four additional investment analysts and two traders. The team's fundamental equity growth research process emphasizes the assessment of management quality, an in-depth understanding of superior business models, and valuation discrepancies. This approach enables the team to build a diversified portfolio of stocks that aims to generate superior risk-adjusted returns.

The International Explorer Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation, investing in smaller companies that are expected to grow at a faster rate than the overall market, primarily in the developed European and Pacific markets. The investment objective and principal investment strategies of the fund will remain the same, and the expense ratio of 0.41% is not expected to change.

Following the transition, TimesSquare Capital will initially manage a modest portion of the fund (less than 5%), with its allocation expected to grow over time. Schroders, which has managed the fund since its inception in 1996, will oversee approximately 66% of the fund. Wellington, which was added as an advisor in 2010, will manage approximately 29% of the fund with the remainder in equitized cash investments.

Vanguard: an active leader

Vanguard is among the largest managers of active funds in the world, managing more than $1 trillion in active assets across a range of fundamental fixed income strategies, quantitative equity strategies, and external and multi-managed equity mandates. With the addition of TimesSquare Capital, Vanguard now partners with 28 external advisory firms overseeing more than $570 billion across a range of market segments and disciplines.

The multi-manager approach was first adopted by Vanguard in 1987, and 18 of Vanguard's actively managed U.S.-domiciled equity funds currently employ this structure. Vanguard combines complementary managers with different approaches and provides rigorous oversight to ensure effective, long-term results. Across all active strategies, Vanguard's criteria for successful investing has endured: low-cost, exceptional managers, and rigorous oversight.

About Vanguard

Vanguard is one of the world's largest investment management companies. As June 30, 2017, Vanguard managed $4.4 trillion in global assets. The firm, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, offers 369 funds to its more than 20 million investors worldwide. For more information, visit vanguard.com.

Asset figures as of June 30, 2017, unless otherwise noted.

For more information about Vanguard funds and ETFs, visit vanguard.com or call 800-662-7447 to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information about a fund are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.

International investing involves additional risks, including currency fluctuations and the potential for adverse developments in specific countries or regions.

Prices of small- and mid-cap stocks often fluctuate more than those of large-company stocks.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

SOURCE Vanguard

Related Links

http://www.vanguard.com


FT. WORTH, Texas, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TMI Trust Company (TMI), a Texas trust company, announces it has accepted the trustee and custody services portfolio for the Family Office business from BMO Trust and Custody Services, part of BMO Global Asset Management. TMI will provide fiduciary, accounting and trust tax services for those family offices and investment partnerships.

As a part of the transition, TMI Trust Company will take on trust and custody services for the portfolio of family clients, the staff who serve in relationship and operational roles, the supporting systems, and the office locations in Milwaukee and Appleton, WI and Naples, FL.

Anthony A. Guthrie, Executive Chairman of TMI Trust Company commented, "These services are a very good fit for TMI. They complement our existing niche oriented fiduciary and custodial services and we can support the needs of our clients with our high level of service delivery and the capabilities of our new team members."

Steven B. Eason, CEO and President of TMI Trust Company said, "We are delighted to welcome the clients and the new team to the TMI family." Eason added, "We have had a smooth transition of the acquisition and are excited about what this adds to the continued growth trajectory of TMI."

Ken Krei, a seasoned financial services executive, has joined TMI as Vice Chairman to lead the effort to build out the continued strategy for growing the unique product capabilities obtained through this transfer of business. Before joining TMI, Krei most recently served as Executive Vice President at FIS, Executive Vice President and Head of BMO Global Private Bank, Chairman, President and CEO of Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company and Chairman and CEO of M&I Investment Management Corp.

Gordon Jakus has joined TMI from BMO as Senior Vice President and will manage the service and accounting teams on a day-to-day basis.

Kristy Perez, Vice President, Managing Director of Trust and Custody and Taft Hartley Services at BMO Global Asset Management, also commented, "We wanted to ensure the ongoing quality of care for the clients and with TMI Trust Company we are confident that their expertise, dedication and commitment will exceed client expectations."

About TMI Trust Company

TMI Trust Company was founded in 1954 as a Texas chartered trust company and is headquartered in Ft. Worth, TX. Since its inception, TMI has grown into a full-service trust and agency services provider.

Through its offices located in Ft. Worth (TX), Atlanta (GA), Appleton and Milwaukee(WI), and Naples (FL) TMI delivers exceptional client care across four primary service categories: Trustee, escrow and loan agency; IRA and custody; family office and investment partnerships; and specialized trust services.

About BMO Financial Group

BMO Trust and Custody Services is a part of BMO Global Asset Management and a division of the BMO Harris Bank N.A., offering products and services through various affiliates of BMO Financial Group.

BMO Global Asset Management is the brand name for various affiliated entities of BMO Financial Group that provide investment management and trust and custody services. Certain of the products and services offered under the brand name BMO Global Asset Management are designed specifically for various categories of investors in a number of different countries and regions and may not be available to all investors. Those products and services are only offered to such investors in those countries and regions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. BMO Financial Group is a service mark of Bank of Montreal (BMO).

Established in 1817, and currently marking its 200th year of operations, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of $719 billion as of April 30, 2017, and more than 45,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

Media Contact:

Michael Weber

EVP, Head of Marketing

TMI Trust Company

[email protected]

980-689-5143

http://www.tmico.com

SOURCE TMI Trust Company
SAN LEANDRO, Calif., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TriNet Group, Inc. (NYSE: TNET), a leading provider of comprehensive human resources solutions for small to midsize businesses, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Second quarter highlights include:

GAAP Total revenues increased 7% to $800.5 million , while Net Service Revenues increased 35% to $201.0 million , each as compared to the same period last year.

, while Net Service Revenues increased 35% to , each as compared to the same period last year. Total WSEs at June 30, 2017 increased 1% from June 30, 2016 , to approximately 329,000.

increased 1% from , to approximately 329,000. Average WSEs was flat at approximately 324,000 as compared to the same period last year.

GAAP Net income was $40.0 million , or $0.56 per diluted share, compared to net income of $12.3 million , or $0.17 per diluted share, in the same period last year.

, or per diluted share, compared to net income of , or per diluted share, in the same period last year. Adjusted Net Income was $36.7 million , or $0.52 per diluted share, compared to Adjusted Net Income of $19.5 million , or $0.27 per diluted share, in the same period last year.

, or per diluted share, compared to Adjusted Net Income of , or per diluted share, in the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA was $72.4 million , a 70% increase from the same period last year.

"We made notable progress in executing our strategic plan and delivered strong financial performance during the second quarter," said Burton M. Goldfield, TriNet's President and CEO. "Building on our differentiated solutions, our 2017 strategic plan is aimed at strengthening our vertical product offering, elevating our long-term growth profile and further improving on our profitable business model. Looking ahead, we are confident this focus will continue to strengthen our unique value proposition and increase the intrinsic value of our organization to the benefit of our shareholders."

GAAP Total revenues for the second quarter of 2017 increased 7% from the second quarter of 2016 to $800.5 million, while Net Service Revenues increased 35% from the second quarter of 2016 to $201.0 million. Net Service Revenues consisted of professional service revenues of $108.6 million and Net Insurance Service Revenues of $92.4 million. Net Insurance Service Revenues consisted of insurance service revenues of $691.9 million, less insurance costs of $599.5 million. Professional service revenues for the second quarter of 2017 decreased 1%, and Net Insurance Service Revenues increased 133%, compared to the second quarter of 2016.

At June 30, 2017, TriNet had cash and cash equivalents of $233.9 million and total debt of $440.7 million.

Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q

We anticipate filing our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q ("Form 10-Q") for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 today, July 31, 2017, and it will be available at www.trinet.com. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Form 10-Q and the related Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations contained in the Form 10-Q.

Earnings Conference Call and Audio Webcast

TriNet will host a conference call at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) today to discuss its quarterly results and its outlook for the third quarter and full year 2017. TriNet encourages participants to pre-register for the conference call. Callers who pre-register will be given a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator. To pre-register, go to: http://dpregister.com/10109554. For those who would like to join the call but have not pre-registered, they can do so by dialing +1 (412) 317-5426 and requesting the "TriNet Conference Call." The live webcast of the conference call can be accessed on the Investor Relations section of TriNet's website at http://investor.trinet.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on this site for approximately one year. A telephonic replay will be available for one week following the conference call at +1 (412) 317-0088 conference ID: 10109554.

About TriNet

TriNet is a leading provider of a comprehensive human resources solutions for small to midsize businesses, or SMBs. We enhance business productivity by enabling our clients to outsource their human resources, or HR, function to a single strategic partner, which allows them to focus on operating and growing their core businesses. Our HR solutions include services such as payroll processing, human capital consulting, employment regulation compliance and employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans and workers' compensation insurance. Our services are delivered by our expert team of HR professionals and enabled by our technology platform, with online and mobile tools, which allows our clients and their employees to efficiently conduct their HR transactions anytime and anywhere. For more information, please visit http://www.trinet.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to TriNet's financial results as determined in accordance with GAAP are included at the end of this press release following the accompanying financial data. For a description of these non-GAAP financial measures, including the reasons management uses each measure, please see the section of the tables titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and statements made during the above referenced conference call will contain, statements that are not historical in nature, are predictive in nature, or that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions or otherwise contain forward-looking statements including, among other things, TriNet's expectations regarding: its ability to execute its strategic plan, its ability to complete its technology platform consolidation, its ability to strengthen its vertical product offerings, its ability to elevate its long-term growth profile, and its ability to improve on its business model and the success of its 2017 strategic plan, which is aimed at improving its value proposition for customers and intrinsic value to the benefit of shareholders. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, but are based on management's expectations as of the date hereof and assumptions that are inherently subject to uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from our current expectations and any past or future results, performance or achievements.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include: risks associated with changes in, uncertainty regarding, or adverse application of complex laws and regulations that govern our business; our ability to be recognized as an employer of worksite employees under federal and state regulations; our ability to maintain the security of our information technology (IT) infrastructure against cyber-attacks and security breaches; our ability to manage unexpected changes in workers' compensation and health insurance claims by worksite employees; unexpected changes in the state and federal unemployment tax rates applicable to our clients; fluctuation in our results of operation as a result of numerous factors, many of which are outside of our control, such as the volume and severity of our workers' compensation and health insurance claims; failures or limitations in our business systems; our ability to remediate the material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting; our ability to effectively acquire and integrate new businesses; the effects of volatility in the financial and economic environment on small and mid-sized businesses; our ability to effectively manage our growth; the effects of increased competition and our ability to compete effectively; market acceptance of our vertical strategy; the outcome of existing and future legal proceedings; changes in our income tax positions or adverse outcomes from on-going and future audits; adverse changes in our relationships with key vendors, in particular our benefit and workers' compensation carriers; our ability to manage client attrition; and our ability to comply with the restrictions of our credit facility and meet our debt obligations.

Further information on risks that could affect TriNet's results is included in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, which are available on our investor relations website at http://investor.trinet.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Copies of these filings are also available by contacting TriNet Corporation's Investor Relations Department at (510) 875-7201. Except as required by law, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements in this press release, and any forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. In addition, we do not assume any obligation, and do not intend, to update any of our forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

TriNet, Ambitions Realized and the TriNet logo are registered trademarks of TriNet.

Key Financial and Operating Metrics

We regularly review certain key financial and operating metrics to evaluate growth trends, measure our performance and make strategic decisions. These key financial and operating metrics may change over time. Our key financial and operating metrics for the periods presented were as follows:



Three Months Ended June 30,

Six Months Ended June 30,

Percent Change (in thousands,

except per share and operating metrics data) 2017

2016

2017

2016

Q2 2017

vs. 2016 YTD 2017

vs. 2016 Income Statement Data:























Total revenues $ 800,541



$ 745,846



$ 1,608,151



$ 1,478,785



7

% 9

% Operating income 56,835



26,367



106,322



52,269



116



103



Net income 39,951



12,282



68,688



23,859



225



188



Diluted net income per share of common stock 0.56



0.17



0.97



0.33



229



194



Non-GAAP measures (1):























Net Service Revenues (1) 201,006



149,173



399,974



312,423



35



28



Net Insurance Service Revenues (1) 92,364



39,580



171,211



90,427



133



89



Adjusted EBITDA (1) 72,372



42,602



135,715



84,755



70



60



Adjusted Net income (1) 36,691



19,466



68,268



38,999



88



75





























Operating Metrics:























Total WSEs payroll and payroll taxes processed (in millions) 7,958



7,811



17,774



17,213



2

% 3

% Total WSEs at period end 329,095



325,466



329,095



325,466



1



1



Average WSEs 324,194



322,881



325,999



321,152







2





(1) Refer to Non-GAAP Financial Measures section below for definitions and reconciliations from GAAP measures.



Six Months Ended June 30,

Percent (in thousands, except operating metrics data) 2017

2016

Change Cash Flow Data:









Net cash provided by operating activities 104,113



43,667



138% Net cash used in investing activities (9,256)



(6,975)



33 Net cash used in financing activities (45,141)



(36,230)



25

(in thousands) June 30, 2017

December 31, 2016

Percent

Change Balance Sheet Data:









Cash and cash equivalents $ 233,883



$ 184,004



27% Working capital 168,681



156,771



8 Total assets 1,758,695



2,095,143



(16) Notes and capital leases payable 440,805



459,054



(4) Total liabilities 1,667,182



2,060,553



(19) Total stockholders' equity 91,513



34,590



165

TRINET GROUP, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

June 30, Six Months Ended

June 30, (in thousands, except share and per share data) 2017 2016

2017 2016 Professional service revenues $ 108,642

$ 109,593



$ 228,763

$ 221,996

Insurance service revenues 691,899

636,253



1,379,388

1,256,789

Total revenues 800,541

745,846



1,608,151

1,478,785

Insurance costs 599,535

596,673



1,208,177

1,166,362

Cost of providing services (exclusive of depreciation

and amortization of intangible assets) 50,825

44,034



107,275

89,739

Sales and marketing 45,940

43,800



95,131

92,508

General and administrative 28,224

18,951



53,526

46,601

Systems development and programming 11,415

6,457



22,455

12,846

Amortization of intangible assets 1,316

5,005



2,666

9,985

Depreciation 6,451

4,559



12,599

8,475

Total costs and operating expenses 743,706

719,479



1,501,829

1,426,516

Operating income 56,835

26,367



106,322

52,269

Other income (expense):









Interest expense and bank fees (4,857)

(5,038)



(9,605)

(10,080)

Other, net 271

163



422

121

Income before provision for income taxes 52,249

21,492



97,139

42,310

Income tax expense 12,298

9,210



28,451

18,451

Net income $ 39,951

$ 12,282



$ 68,688

$ 23,859

Other comprehensive income, net of tax 68

74



80

425

Comprehensive income $ 40,019

$ 12,356



$ 68,768

$ 24,284





















Net income per share:









Basic $ 0.58

$ 0.17



$ 1.00

$ 0.34

Diluted $ 0.56

$ 0.17



$ 0.97

$ 0.33

Weighted average shares:









Basic 69,029,749

70,728,934



68,770,976

70,625,000

Diluted 71,167,177

72,319,992



71,101,716

72,022,065



TRINET GROUP, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (in thousands) June 30, 2017 December 31, 2016 Assets



Current assets:



Cash and cash equivalents $ 233,883

$ 184,004

Restricted cash and cash equivalents 14,589

14,569

Prepaid income taxes 14,716

42,381

Prepaid expenses 13,013

10,784

Other current assets 2,172

2,145

Worksite employee related assets 898,596

1,281,471

Total current assets 1,176,969

1,535,354

Workers' compensation collateral receivable 27,063

31,883

Restricted cash, cash equivalents and investments 150,939

130,501

Property and equipment, net 66,827

58,622

Goodwill 289,207

289,207

Other intangible assets, net 28,408

31,074

Other assets 19,282

18,502

Total assets $ 1,758,695

$ 2,095,143

Liabilities and stockholders' equity



Current liabilities:



Accounts payable $ 26,599

$ 22,541

Accrued corporate wages 38,196

30,937

Notes and capital leases payable, net 36,648

36,559

Other current liabilities 13,735

12,551

Worksite employee related liabilities 893,110

1,275,995

Total current liabilities 1,008,288

1,378,583

Notes and capital leases payable, net, noncurrent 404,157

422,495

Workers' compensation loss reserves 151,837

159,301

Deferred income taxes 91,828

92,373

Other liabilities 11,072

7,801

Total liabilities 1,667,182

2,060,553

Commitments and contingencies



Stockholders' equity:



Preferred stock 



Common stock and additional paid-in capital 557,183

535,132

Accumulated deficit (465,146)

(499,938)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (524)

(604)

Total stockholders' equity 91,513

34,590

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,758,695

$ 2,095,143



TRINET GROUP, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited)

Six Months Ended June 30, (in thousands) 2017 2016 Operating activities



Net income $ 68,688

$ 23,859

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:



Depreciation and amortization 16,496

17,919

Stock-based compensation 13,706

13,905

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:



Restricted cash and cash equivalents (31,982)

(21,041)

Prepaid income taxes 27,665

(2,863)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets (2,601)

(5,033)

Workers' compensation collateral receivable 4,820

(10,599)

Other assets 91

238

Accounts payable 4,002

2,488

Accrued corporate wages and other current liabilities 8,299

(719)

Workers' compensation loss reserves and other non-current liabilities (5,061)

25,792

Worksite employee related assets 382,875

425,815

Worksite employee related liabilities (382,885)

(426,094)

Net cash provided by operating activities 104,113

43,667

Investing activities



Acquisitions of businesses 

(300)

Purchases of marketable securities 

(14,959)

Proceeds from maturity of marketable securities 11,469

24,998

Acquisitions of property and equipment (20,725)

(16,714)

Net cash used in investing activities (9,256)

(6,975)

Financing activities



Repurchase of common stock (29,510)

(16,459)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock on exercised options 5,586

2,220

Proceeds from issuance of common stock on employee stock purchase plan 2,441

2,304

Awards effectively repurchased for required employee withholding taxes (4,507)

(1,485)

Repayment of notes and capital leases payable (19,151)

(22,810)

Net cash used in financing activities (45,141)

(36,230)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 163

24

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 49,879

486

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 184,004

166,178

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 233,883

$ 166,664







Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information



Interest paid $ 8,006

$ 8,091

Income taxes paid (refunded), net (169)

21,374

Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities



Payable for purchase of property and equipment $ 1,580

$ 1,581



Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP, we monitor other non-GAAP financial measures that we use to manage our business, make planning decisions, allocate resources and as performance measures in our executive compensation plan. These key financial measures provide an additional view of our operational performance over the long term and provide useful information that we use in order to maintain and grow our business.

The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is used to enhance the understanding of certain aspects of our financial performance. It is not meant to be considered in isolation, superior to, or as a substitute for the directly comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Non-GAAP Measure Definition How We Use The Measure Net Service Revenues  Sum of professional service revenues and Net Insurance Service Revenues, or total revenues less insurance costs.  Provides a comparable basis of revenues on a net basis. Professional service revenues are represented net of client payroll costs whereas insurance service revenues are presented gross of insurance costs for financial reporting purposes.  Acts as the basis to allocate resources to different functions and evaluates the effectiveness of our business strategies by each business function.  Provides a measure, among others, used in the determination of incentive compensation for management. Net Insurance Service Revenues  Insurance revenues less insurance costs.  Is a component of Net Service Revenues.  Provides a comparable basis of revenues on a net basis. Professional service revenues are represented net of client payroll costs whereas insurance service revenues are presented gross of insurance costs for financial reporting purposes. Promotes an understanding of our insurance services business by evaluating insurance service revenues net of our WSE related costs which are substantially pass-through for the benefit of our WSEs. Under GAAP, insurance service revenues and costs are recorded gross as we have latitude in establishing the price, service and supplier specifications. Adjusted EBITDA  Net income, excluding the effects of: - income tax provision, - interest expense, - depreciation, - amortization of intangible assets, and - stock-based compensation expense.  Provides period-to-period comparisons on a consistent basis and an understanding as to how our management evaluates the effectiveness of our business strategies by excluding certain non-cash charges such as depreciation and amortization, and stock-based compensation recognized based on the estimated fair values. We believe these charges are not directly resulting from our core operations or indicative of our ongoing operations.  Enhances comparisons to prior periods and, accordingly, facilitates the development of future projections and earnings growth prospects.  Provides a measure, among others, used in the determination of incentive compensation for management. Adjusted Net Income  Net income, excluding the effects of: - effective income tax rate(1), - stock-based compensation, - amortization of intangible assets, - non-cash interest expense(2), and - the income tax effect (at our effective tax rate(1)) of these pre-tax adjustments.  Provides information to our stockholders and board of directors to understand how our management evaluates our business, to monitor and evaluate our operating results, and analyze profitability of our ongoing operations and trends on a consistent basis by excluding certain non-cash charges.

(1) We have adjusted the non-GAAP effective tax rate to 40.5% for 2017 from 42.5% for 2016, due to a decrease in state income taxes from an increase in excludable income for state income tax purposes. These non-GAAP effective tax rates exclude the income tax impact from stock-based compensation and changes in uncertain tax positions.



(2) Non-cash interest expense represents amortization and write-off of our debt issuance costs.

Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures

The table below presents a reconciliation of Total revenues to Net Service Revenues:



Three Months Ended

June 30,

Change

2017 vs. 2016



Six Months Ended

June 30,

Change

2017 vs. 2016

(in thousands) 2017

2016

$ %

2017

2016

$ % Total revenues $ 800,541

$ 745,846

$ 54,695

7 %

$ 1,608,151

$ 1,478,785

129,366

9 % Less: Insurance costs 599,535

596,673

2,862





1,208,177

$ 1,166,362

41,815

4

Net Service Revenues $ 201,006

$ 149,173

$ 51,833

35 %

$ 399,974

$ 312,423

$ 87,551

28 %





























































The table below presents a reconciliation of Insurance service revenues to Net Insurance Service Revenues:











































Three Months Ended

June 30,

Change

2017 vs. 2016



Six Months Ended

June 30,

Change

2017 vs. 2016

(in thousands) 2017

2016

$ %

2017

2016

$ % Insurance service revenues $ 691,899

$ 636,253

$ 55,646

9 %

$ 1,379,388

$ 1,256,789

$ 122,599

10 % Less: Insurance costs 599,535

596,673

2,862





1,208,177

1,166,362

41,815

4

Net Insurance Service Revenues $ 92,364

$ 39,580

$ 52,784

133 %

$ 171,211

$ 90,427

$ 80,784

89 %

The table below presents a reconciliation of Net income to Adjusted EBITDA:



Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30, (in thousands) 2017

2016

2017

2016 Net income $ 39,951



$ 12,282



$ 68,688



$ 23,859

Provision for income taxes 12,298



9,210



28,451



18,451

Stock-based compensation 7,499



6,508



13,706



13,905

Interest expense and bank fees 4,857



5,038



9,605



10,080

Depreciation 6,451



4,559



12,599



8,475

Amortization of intangible assets 1,316



5,005



2,666



9,985

Adjusted EBITDA $ 72,372



$ 42,602



$ 135,715



$ 84,755



The table below presents a reconciliation of Net income to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per share - diluted:



Three Months Ended

June 30,

Six Months Ended

June 30, (in thousands) 2017

2016

2017

2016 Net income $ 39,951



$ 12,282



$ 68,688



$ 23,859

Effective income tax rate adjustment (8,863)



76



(10,890)



469

Stock-based compensation 7,499



6,508



13,706



13,905

Amortization of intangible assets 1,316



5,005



2,666



9,985

Non-cash interest expense 602



849



1,224



1,624

Income tax impact of pre-tax adjustments (3,814)



(5,254)



(7,126)



(10,843)

Adjusted Net Income $ 36,691



$ 19,466



$ 68,268



$ 38,999

GAAP Weighted average shares of common stock - diluted 71,167



72,320



71,102



72,022

Adjusted Net Income per share - diluted $ 0.52



$ 0.27



$ 0.96



$ 0.54



SOURCE TriNet Group, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.trinet.com


CHERRY HILL, N.J., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to big life goals, most Americans point to two things: financial stability and a long-term relationship. While it seems like we're always chasing after love or money, of the 1,400 Americans who participated in the third annual Love & Money Survey by TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, 58 percent stated it's harder to find true love than financial success, despite being currently in a relationship.

Big cities may seem like they are teeming with fish in the sea, however according to survey respondents, it's even harder to discover romance. Seventy-nine percent of New Yorkers, 64 percent of Bostonians and 56 percent of Philadelphians said true love is more difficult to achieve than financial security.

"Generally, people can envision what steps they should take to achieve financial success and what milestones to target. But true love can be a bit more elusive," said Jason Thacker, Head of U.S. Consumer Deposits and Payments at TD Bank. "Financial success also feels more within one's personal control than finding true love which can be heavily dependent on a variety of unique factors."

Making It in Love and Life

Despite their gloomy outlook on love, Americans seem to be more chipper about their finances. In fact, 72 percent of couples believe they have the personal finance skills needed to achieve financial success in life.

Still, many acknowledge challenges to achieving such success. Top barriers to meeting financial goals are: living paycheck-to-paycheck (37 percent), stress of repaying debt (26 percent), and fear of not being able to make payments (16 percent).

Looking back, the best advice Boomers would give their younger selves is not to wait to start saving or investing (61 percent). One-in-four (26 percent) would also caution there's no rush to get married.

Among today's Millennial couples, holding off on major milestones is very common until they feel financially ready. Millennials report waiting to buy a house (45 percent), have a baby (24 percent) or start a business (20 percent).

Wedding Bells and Wedding Bills

On average, Americans believe you should spend about $2,000 on an engagement ring, while 10 percent believe a ring is not necessary.

on an engagement ring, while 10 percent believe a ring is not necessary. While tradition dictates the bride's parents pay for the wedding, only 11 percent still believe this. In fact, 59 percent believe the cost should be shared by the couple and their families.

"Since marriage and wedding traditions are changing, it's important for couples to make sure they're on the same page regarding the meaning of an engagement ring, who will pay for the wedding and whether to take a financial risk when wedding planning," said Terri Orbuch, Ph.D., also known as The Love Doctor, who analyzed the results of the TD Bank survey. "If each partner's expectations aren't met or communicated to each other, frustration and disappointment can result that will eat away at the happiness in the relationship."

Money Talks

Millennial couples that talk about money most frequently are the happiest. Eighty-six percent report they are comfortable discussing money with their partner, compared with 74 percent of Gen-Xers and 79 percent of Baby Boomers.

Happy couples talk also about money more often than unhappy couples, with 90 percent of happy couples discussing finances at least once a month compared with 68 percent of unhappy couples.

Forty-three percent of couples discuss money in the first three months of the relationship. Of those who have used a digital dating service, 28 percent have asked how much money a potential partner makes before meeting in person  46 percent among Millennials.

More Money, More Problems?

One in three (33 percent) unhappy couples argues about money at least once a week, compared with just 15 percent of happy couples.

Thirteen percent report keeping a financial secret from their significant other, with more Millennials (30 percent) and men (16 percent) keeping secrets overall. While 35 percent never plan to tell their secret, women are less likely to ever to come clean (62 percent).

The most common financial secrets across all generations are: a secret bank account (35 percent), significant credit card debt (23 percent) and a bad credit score (8 percent).

Additional highlights are available on the TD Bank Media Room.

Survey Methodology

Research company Maru/Matchbox conducted the survey among a nationally representative sample of Americans who are currently in a relationship. The online fieldwork occurred between June 20th and June 27th, 2017. In total, 1482 completes were gathered in the U.S. Data has been weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the population. Margin of Error on the total sample is +/-2.5 percent.

About Maru/Matchbox

Maru/Matchbox is a professional services firm dedicated to improving its clients' business outcomes. It delivers its services through teams of sector-specific research consultants specializing in the use of Insight Community and Voice of Market technology.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com.

SOURCE TD Bank

Related Links

http://www.TDBank.com


MIAMI, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Luggage wrapping and protection services company TrueStar Group is suing Safe Wrap of Florida, subsidiary of publicly quoted and Milan- listed company Safe Bag, in a bid to secure a new tender for Miami International Airport's baggage wrapping contract.

TrueStar lost its service contract at Miami International in 2013 to competitor Safe Bag due to a last-minute controversial action of the Miami-Dade commissioners and alleges in its lawsuit "a clear error of judgement and an action not based upon consideration of relevant factors."

TrueStar's CEO, Fabio Talin, claims it was an incredibly unfair decision. "After years of service to passengers at Miami airport, we won the tender as specified by the bidding rules," he says.

"However, the commissioners changed the usual rules by cancelling the award and directly assigned the tender to the losers. It does not make any sense, as we offered the higher bid and won. It was an arbitrary decision, full of shadows, to take this contract away from us."

Since awarding the contract to Safe Wrap in 2013, Miami-Dade commissioners have reduced the minimum guarantee, or rent to operate at Miami International, by 65%, from $9.6 million to $3.5 million in an expedited legislative process that bypassed the normal committee hearing. The revenue-sharing requirement was further reduced from 52% to 35%. In addition, Miami International has also eliminated the $1.8 million in back rent that Safe Wrap owed the airport.

Talin says that during his company's 3-year concession from 2010 to 2013, TrueStar paid more than $25 million in rent, while SafeWrap only paid $4 million since 2013.

Safe Bag, which is traded on the Milan stock exchange, is controlled by Rudolph Gentile and the Gentile family of Italy.

"Why was the tender awarded to a company that pays millions of dollars less to airport?" Talin asks. "This is not in the interest of the county nor in the interest of the citizens. Miami-Dade is missing out on tens of millions of dollars over a multi-year period by having SafeWrap handle the baggage-wrapping at Miami instead of TrueStar. How can that be?"

TrueStar Group: http://www.truestargroup.com

SOURCE TrueStar Group
CLIFTON, N.J., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In one of the largest industrial transactions in the North Jersey market in 2017, Tulfra Real Estate and The Hampshire Companies announced that 65 Industrial Street South, a 204,000 square foot industrial/warehouse building in Clifton, New Jersey has been fully leased to Damascus Bakery, Inc. of Brooklyn, New York.

Damascus Bakery, a family-owned and operated bakery since 1930, is a large-scale baker of paninis, pitas, roll-ups and wraps which can be found in such popular retail locations as Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Whole Foods, Kings, and Costco, among others. The bakery currently has operation facilities in Brooklyn, New York, and in Newark, New Jersey.

The former GlaxoSmithKline building had recently undergone a major $10 million upgrade and renovation after Tulfra Real Estate, the Rochelle Park, NJ-based industrial real estate management and development company teamed up with Morristown, NJ-based Hampshire Companies to acquire the building in 2015. The partners, which have a decades-long relationship and have combined to develop more than three million square feet, launched a major repositioning of the former manufacturing plant for single-tenant use.

"This is an outstanding success story," says Sonny Jumani, president and partner of Tulfra Real Estate. "It is a testament to our team's vision and talent. We knew that there was a huge demand for industrial space in the Meadowlands area. The fundamentals are very strong and very few large blocks of space were available. When we acquired the building, the building was old, empty and nonperforming. We designed and executed a plan to make significant improvements to meet the demands of a large food tenant."

Those changes included a major project to 'raise the roof' to 27' to exceed manufacturing and storage requirements, changing the exterior skin, installing new power, electrical and mechanical system, T5 lighting, sprinklers and more.

In recognition of the improvements, The City of Clifton recently awarded 65 Industrial Street South with a "Commercial Beautification Award," the highest honor for architecture and development.

"Tulfra has become synonymous with redevelopment," adds Jumani. "This successful property transformation brings lots of jobs and revenue back to the city. We are proud of our accomplishment."

Damascus Bakery was represented by Mark Tannen of United Realty and the ownership was represented by Chris Hile, Jenna Imperatore and Harold Imperatore of Jones Lang LaSalle.

Mitchell Berkey of CSG Law represented the ownership on the lease agreement. Damascus Bakery was represented by Steven D. Fleissig of Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

Ted Zangari and Cecilia I. Lassiter of Sills Cummis & Gross, PC represented Damascus Bakery on the $18 million Grow NJ grant.

About Tulfra Real Estate

Tulfra Real Estate, a Rochelle Park, N.J.- based real estate and development company has evolved into a major redeveloper for municipalities and corporations throughout New Jersey. Independently and with its institutional partners, Tulfra has owned or developed more than $1 billion in commercial and industrial properties in northern and central New Jersey over four decades. Tulfra has become a leader in helping communities and businesses maximize the development and income potential of their properties. Tulfra works with municipalities to transform underutilized or non-performing assets into successful projects in all asset classes including commercial, hotels, healthcare and residential that bring jobs and tax revenue to the community. It also helps corporations by using its experience and attention to detail in redeveloping properties into sites that meet the demands of 21st-century businesses. Additional information on Tulfra Real estate is available online at www.Tulfra.com

About The Hampshire Companies

The Hampshire Companies is a full service, private real estate investment firm with assets valued at more than $2.3 billion based in Morristown. N.J. The Hampshire Companies is a vibrant, dynamic organization that combines creative vision and superior execution, thereby enabling it to create and enhance value in real estate investments. Additional information on The Hampshire Companies is available online at www.hampshirere.com

SOURCE Tulfra Real Estate

Related Links

http://tulfra.com


It's no surprise TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has continued to experience success. With the brand completing one move every minute, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK's system of 2,900 trucks, 7,743 employees and 356 U.S. locations is consistently hard at work for its customers throughout the entire moving process. The brand's franchisees and employees also operate 32 international franchises, with plans to expand into additional markets in the months ahead.

To continue breaking into new markets, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is thinking outside of the box. The brand officially rolled out a new franchise territory offering during the second quarter, the new Mini Market model. The program is designed to serve smaller territories with a population between 75,000 and 200,000, so that TWO MEN AND A TRUCK can fully capitalize on its proven franchise system in all types of communities while also bridging the gap between larger territories to create more comprehensive state coverage. The company's first two Mini Markets opened their doors for business in Montana this past April, ultimately helping TWO MEN AND A TRUCK break into the state for the first time. The brand has successfully launched traditional and mini-market locations in four new states the last 12 months and is now represented in 42 U.S. states.

"Our new Mini Market option allows us to make our proven business model more accessible to entrepreneurial individuals and veterans in smaller territories. These markets are still completely viable and allow local communities everywhere to benefit from our premium moving services," said CEO Jeff Wesley. "The Mini Market model also offers franchise candidates who want to enter the system at a lower investment rate an entirely new option for joining our growing family and allows them to venture down a new path as TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchisees."

In addition to its Mini Market model, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK also expanded its highly anticipated solution to long-distance moving called Value Flex. In May, the brand expanded the service to 16 hub cities to provide customers with an affordable long-distance moving option. The cost-saving solution offers a reduced price on long-distance moves by utilizing the service of a dedicated long-haul carrier to transport TWO MEN AND A TRUCK containers between locations. From there, the brand's local team makes the final delivery.

"We've always offered  and still do offer  an expedited moving service for customers relocating across state lines. However, this new model offers competitive pricing we did not have before as certain customers were not in need of time-sensitive, expedited service," said COO Jon Nobis. "The national launch of our Value Flex service now provides our loyal customers who love using our services locally the ability to experience our top-notch customer service and quality-assurance at a more affordable price for a long-distance move."

The launch of Value Flex came at an ideal time  TWO MEN AND A TRUCK experienced its busiest moving weekend of the year between Friday, June 23 and Sunday, June 25. While TWO MEN AND A TRUCK locations typically average about 13 moves per weekend, the company experienced more than 5,500 moves across the U.S. over those three days, helping families get settled into their new homes. To further enhance that ability to help families throughout the moving process, the brand also surprised four lucky families with free moves as a way to show customer appreciation during the company's busiest moving week.

But TWO MEN AND A TRUCK's customers aren't the only ones being surprised by the brand. After TWO MEN AND A TRUCK's successful fifth annual Career Move Month in March  which resulted in 1,433 new hires  the company launched a Drive with Us Campaign in May to reward the best drivers in the brand's system who consistently receive top remarks on referral cards. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is rewarding two top performers with gift cards for gas for an entire year, ultimately supporting its employees as they aim to provide the best possible moving services to customers across the country.

"We're incredibly proud of our TWO MEN AND A TRUCK family. Our success as a brand is ultimately due to the fact that we've established a frontline team who make it their top priority to exceed customers' expectations," said Wesley. "It's rare for a franchise brand of our size to consistently experience growth, but that's a trend that we're not planning to abandon anytime soon. By continuing to welcome top tier franchisees into our system and expanding our moving services to reach both smaller markets and long-distance customers, we're confident we'll see increased success in the future with more territory coverage and additional service offerings."

About TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is the largest franchised moving company both in the United States and internationally. Currently there are more than 380 locations and 2,900 trucks operating in 42 U.S., states in addition to Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has performed more than 6.5 million moves since its inception in 1985. The company has seen consistent monthly growth dating back to December 2009 and more than 90 consecutive months of growth. Each location is independently owned and operated. For franchising opportunities, visit franchise.twomenandatruck.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lauren Kaminski

No Limit Agency

312.526.3996

[email protected]

SOURCE TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

Related Links

http://www.twomenandatruck.com


MONROE, La., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The states of Mississippi and Washington approved CenturyLink, Inc.'s (NYSE: CTL) pending acquisition of Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT).

These two states join Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia in approving the acquisition. The transaction has also received regulatory clearance from Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Texas and Puerto Rico. The transaction is subject to the company receiving various regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

"We have made significant progress with our approvals and are pleased to announce a total of 23 states and territories have now approved or cleared the CenturyLink - Level 3 acquisition," said CenturyLink Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations John F. Jones. "The companies are working diligently to finalize the remaining state, federal and international approvals and anticipate receiving them in time to complete the acquisition by September 30, 2017."

The combined company is expected to offer enterprise and wholesale customers a broader and more complementary range of services and solutions, and position the company to enable the advanced technology and growing bandwidth needs of its customers, including consumers, small businesses, large businesses, large multinational enterprises and government entities.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is a global communications and IT services company focused on connecting its customers to the power of the digital world. CenturyLink offers network and data systems management, big data analytics, managed security services, hosting, cloud, and IT consulting services. The company provides broadband, voice, video, advanced data and managed network services over a robust 265,000-route-mile U.S. fiber network and a 360,000-route-mile international transport network. Visit CenturyLink for more information.

Forward Looking Statements

Except for the historical and factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this communication, including statements regarding the expected timing and benefits of the proposed transaction, such as efficiencies, cost savings, enhanced revenues, growth potential, market profile and financial strength, and the competitive ability and position of the combined company, and other statements identified by words such as "will," "estimates," "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "projects," "plans," "intends," "may," "should," "could," "seeks" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements, and the assumptions upon which they are based, (i) are not guarantees of future results, (ii) are inherently speculative and (iii) are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the ability of the parties to timely and successfully receive the required approvals for the combination from regulatory agencies free of conditions materially adverse to the parties; the possibility that the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction cannot be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the possibility that costs, difficulties or disruptions related to the integration of Level 3's operations with those of CenturyLink will be greater than expected; the ability of the combined company to retain and hire key personnel; the effects of competition from a wide variety of competitive providers, including lower demand for CenturyLink's legacy offerings; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies, including those that could make the combined company's products less desirable or obsolete; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to intercarrier compensation, interconnection obligations, access charges, universal service, broadband deployment, data protection and net neutrality; adverse changes in CenturyLink's or the combined company's access to credit markets on favorable terms, whether caused by changes in its financial position, lower debt credit ratings, unstable markets or otherwise; the combined company's ability to effectively adjust to changes in the communications industry, and changes in the composition of its markets and product mix; possible changes in the demand for, or pricing of, the combined company's products and services, including the combined company's ability to effectively respond to increased demand for high-speed broadband service; changes in the operating plans, capital allocation plans or corporate strategies of the combined company, whether based on changes in market conditions, changes in the cash flows or financial position of the combined company, or otherwise; the combined company's ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of its existing product and service offerings and to introduce new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis; the adverse impact on the combined company's business and network from possible equipment failures, service outages, security breaches or similar events impacting its network; the combined company's ability to maintain favorable relations with key business partners, customers, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; the ability of the combined company to utilize net operating losses in amounts projected; changes in the future cash requirements of the combined company; and other risk factors and cautionary statements as detailed from time to time in each of CenturyLink's and Level 3's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Due to these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the proposed combination or any other transaction described above will in fact be completed in the manner described or at all. You should be aware that new factors may emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to identify all such factors nor can we predict the impact of each such factor on the proposed combination or the combined company. You should not place undue reliance on these forwardlooking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication. Unless legally required, CenturyLink and Level 3 undertake no obligation and each expressly disclaim any such obligation, to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed events or otherwise.

Additional Information

In connection with the proposed combination, CenturyLink filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC (Registration Statement No. 333-215121) which was declared effective by the SEC on February 13, 2017. CenturyLink and Level 3 have filed a joint proxy statement/prospectus and will file other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction with the SEC. CenturyLink and Level 3 began mailing the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective security holders on or about February 13, 2017. The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, dated as of February 13, 2017, contains important information about CenturyLink, Level 3, the proposed combination and related matters. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED COMBINATION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders may obtain the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and the filings that are incorporated by reference in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about CenturyLink and Level 3, free of charge, at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders may also obtain these documents free of charge by directing a request to CenturyLink, 100 CenturyLink Drive, Monroe, Louisiana 71203, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or to Level 3, 1025 Eldorado Boulevard, Broomfield, Colorado 80021, Attention: Investor Relations.

SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.centurylink.com


NEW YORK, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Paul B. Maslo, a Partner at the national litigation firm Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, is representing drivers in a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Uber in federal court in the Northern District of California. Plaintiffs allege that Uber has breached their agreement ever since it instituted upfront pricing in August 2016. Maslo won a significant preliminary victory for Plaintiffs when the court issued a decision late yesterday afternoon denying Uber's motion to dismiss.

Partner at Napoli Shkolnik

Plaintiffs contend that their agreement requires Uber to use the same fare calculation to pay drivers as it uses to charge passengers. But ever since Uber implemented upfront pricing, it has been using one fare calculation with aggressive estimated inputs for time/distance to determine what passengers pay and a completely separate fare calculation performed after the ride using actual inputs to determine drivers' compensation.

According to Maslo, "Because the upfront fare calculation always yields a higher amount, drivers have been getting the short end of the stick. The court's ruling recognizes that the agreement supports drivers' position and allows them to move forward with their case."

While there are several other cases against Uber based on its upfront pricing, Napoli Shkolnik is leading the charge and this is the first significant decision reached by any court.

Maslo joined Napoli Shkolnik in 2016 and is a Partner in the firm's class actions and commercial litigation department. He is also Department Chair. Prior to his work at Napoli Shkolnik, he was a litigation associate at Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP. Maslo has extensive experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in litigation involving securities fraud, employment law, antitrust violations, complex financial products, contractual disputes, healthcare, deceptive trade practices, consumer claims, trade secrets, and the sale of art. He currently has cases pending in state and federal courts across the country.

In addition to litigating high-profile cases, Maslo has published in many of the country's most well-regarded law reviews and legal journals. He attended law school at the University of Pennsylvania and studied finance at the Wharton School of Business. He earned an undergraduate degree in biology from the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University and a graduate degree in biology at Johns Hopkins University.

About Napoli Shkolnik

Headquartered in New York City, Napoli Shkolnik has additional office locations in New Jersey, Long Island, Pennsylvania, California, Delaware, Florida, Texas, and Illinois. The law firm represents plaintiffs across the country in complex commercial litigation, class actions, arbitration, and mediation related to a number of practice areas. To learn more about Maslo and his extensive experience and background, as well as more about Napoli Shkolnik, visit Napolilaw.com.

Media Contact:

Paul Maslo, Partner

Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC

Phone: 212-397-1000

Email: [email protected]

Related Files

Motion to dismiss denied- uber.pdf

SOURCE Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC

Related Links

https://www.napolilaw.com


PITTSBURGH, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) issued the following statement regarding an incident at U. S. Steel's Great Lakes Works facility in Ecorse and River Rouge, Michigan.

The company's statement follows:

"Earlier today, there was an incident at U. S. Steel's Great Lakes Works in the facility's Hot Strip Mill.

"Five employees were transported to local hospitals for treatment. Two remain hospitalized at this time. One employee was treated and released at the plant's on-site medical care facility. Due to privacy laws, we cannot provide any additional information about the employees who were injured or their conditions.

"At this time, the scene is secure and all other employees have been accounted for. Operations at the Hot Strip Mill remain down, but additional operations at Great Lakes Works have not been affected. We do not anticipate any impact on customer shipments as we have additional Hot Strip Mill capacity at other domestic U. S. Steel facilities, if needed.

"An investigation into the incident is underway, and we will work closely with the United Steelworkers and relevant government agencies throughout the process. We have also activated our Employee Assistance Program to offer its services to the injured employees and their families, as well as the coworkers of those injured.

"No further details regarding the incident are available at this time. Our thoughts are with our injured employees, their families and their coworkers at Great Lakes Works."

United States Steel Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., is a leading integrated steel producer and Fortune 300 company with major operations in the United States and Central Europe. For more information about U. S. Steel, please visit www.ussteel.com.

SOURCE United States Steel Corporation

Related Links

http://www.ussteel.com


DETROIT, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the next decade, automakers will continue to increase the adoption of high-strength, low weight aluminum in new car and truck construction at a faster pace than any time in history. Total aluminum content is expected to grow from 397 pounds per vehicle (PPV) in 2015 to 565 PPV by 2028, representing 16 percent of total vehicle weight, according to a survey of automakers conducted by Ducker Worldwide reaffirming continued market share growth for aluminum into high-volume vehicles. This is consistent with the emerging trend of automakers transitioning to a multi-material vehicle (MMV) design approach, choosing aluminum for doors, hoods and trunk lids, body-in-white, bumpers and crash boxes.

"Aluminum remains the fastest growing automotive material over competing materials and is entering its most unprecedented growth phase since we've been tracking the shifting mix of automotive materials," said Abey Abraham of Ducker Worldwide. "To further improve fuel economy, battery range, safety and overall driving performance, automakers no longer default to a single material and instead are pursuing a multi-material design approach where the best material is chosen for the best application. This design evolution is what's driving aluminum's increased market penetration in the auto sector."

"As our automotive customers embrace a multi-material approach to new car and truck design, that directly translates to increased amounts of aluminum. On top of 40 years of uninterrupted growth, the aluminum industry is experiencing a level of sustained growth not seen before in any market or product sector. However, the true winners of this change are American consumers who can choose next-generation cars and trucks that are high performing, efficient, safe, sustainable and more fun to drive," said Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association. "A thriving aluminum sector is vital to automakers, the nation's manufacturing base and a healthy U.S. economy. The aluminum industry invested or committed more than $2 billion to ensure increased capacity in the U.S. since 2013, and the industry is prepared to continue such investments in domestic manufacturing jobs as demand continues to grow."

2020 Projections

The study finds that total aluminum content for North American lightweight vehicles will increase to nearly 9 billion pounds, averaging 466 PPV by 2020, an increase of 69 pounds from 2015. Aluminum parts will more than double with aluminum hoods expected to reach 71 percent penetration (up from 50% today). Fifty percent of total aluminum content growth from 2015 to 2020 will be driven by closures, crash management systems, steering knuckles and structural vacuum die cast parts. Aluminum vacuum die castings are expected to grow from less than three PPV today to 14 PPV by 2020. The average passenger car will contain 362 pounds of aluminum and the average light truck will contain 523 pounds of aluminum by 2020.

2020 to 2028

Ducker projects total aluminum content growing to 565 PPV (16% of curb mass) by 2028 with nearly 25 percent of vehicles having partial aluminum body-in-white. More than two million of those vehicles will be pickup trucks and 400,000 will have plug-in hybrid or zero-emissions powertrains. Forecasts for the 2020 to 2028 time period are based on EPA and NHTSA technology implementation pathways suggesting mass reduction from zero percent for some passenger cars and small SUVs to 20 percent for large trucks and SUVs to achieve an overall industry average mass reduction of 7 percent (270 pounds) by 2025. Empirical evidence from Ducker's research suggests achieving 7 percent curb mass reductions is likely to be delayed to 2028 due, in part, to new model launch timing constraints with several vehicles expected to launch post-2024 with significant aluminum body content. Under either scenario, a multi-material approach is the expected pathway with aluminum contributing to more than 50 percent of total mass reduction.

Brock added, "It is proven that vehicles made lighter with aluminum offer consumers better fuel economy, improved safety and enhanced performance. Furthermore, aluminum is the best choice for the environment when compared to both traditional and advanced steels, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Oakridge National Laboratory."

Methodology

Since 1996, the Aluminum Association's Aluminum Transportation Group (ATG) has commissioned global consulting and research firm Ducker Worldwide to conduct its triannual survey of automakers. This year's "Aluminum Content in North American Light Vehicles 2016 To 2028" study is based on a top down analysis relying primarily on detailed in-person interviews with automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers, as well as data obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Center for Automotive Research. With its top down analysis, Ducker Worldwide determined mass reduction and material mix forecasts and examined the effect of fuel prices, vehicle mix, secondary weight savings, electrification, vehicle design and vehicle launch cadence on the amount of weight that is expected to be shed by vehicle type.

To view the study, visit www.drivealuminum.org where other facts and research can also be found. Please also follow the ATG Twitter: @DriveAluminum.

About Ducker Worldwide

Ducker Worldwide, a premier consulting and research firm, is driven to help its clients achieve their most ambitious growth goals. Custom market intelligence, strategic consulting and financial advisory services are delivered by fully-engaged Ducker principals and a diverse team of global talent. With exclusive access to industry leaders and opportunities, Ducker applies robust analytics and critical thinking to every engagement, delivering unique, fact-based solutions for our clients  solutions which produce confident decisions to advance growth. Ducker is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, with offices around the world, including Paris, Berlin, London, Bangalore and Shanghai. Founded by William H. Ducker in 1961, Ducker celebrates more than 55 years in business.

About the Aluminum Association

Through its Aluminum Transportation Group, the Aluminum Association communicates the benefits of aluminum in ground transportation applications to help accelerate its penetration through research programs and related outreach activities. The ATG's mission is to serve member companies and act as a central resource for the automotive and commercial vehicle industries on aluminum issues. Members of the ATG include: Alcoa Inc., Aleris, Aluminum Precision Products Inc., Arconic, Constellium, Hydro, Kaiser Aluminum, Novelis Inc., Rio Tinto Alcan, Sapa Group and Tri-Arrows Aluminum. Visit us online at DriveAluminum.org, and follow us on Twitter @DriveAluminum.

SOURCE Aluminum Association

Related Links

http://www.drivealuminum.org


FREDERICK, Md., July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SLCA) today announced net income of $29.5 million or $0.36 per basic and diluted share for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017 compared with a net loss of $11.8 million or $(0.19) per basic and diluted share for the second quarter of 2016. The second quarter results were negatively impacted by $1.5 million in business development related expenses. Excluding this expense, net of the $0.6 million tax effect, EPS was $0.38 per basic share for the quarter.

"U.S. Silica's strong second quarter performance reflects robust demand and pricing growth for frac sand and Sandbox last mile delivery services in our Oil and Gas business and another record quarter for our Industrials unit,'' said Bryan Shinn, president and chief executive officer. "We expect to see further strength in well completions and sand usage per well, leading to record 2017 business results and we also continue to work diligently on building out new capacity and potentially closing additional accretive acquisitions in both segments of our company," he added.

Second Quarter 2017 Highlights

Total Company

Revenue totaled $290.5 million compared with $117.0 million for the same period last year, an increase of 148% on a year-over-year basis and an increase of 19% sequentially over the first quarter of 2017.

compared with for the same period last year, an increase of 148% on a year-over-year basis and an increase of 19% sequentially over the first quarter of 2017. Overall tons sold totaled 3.638 million, up 63% compared with 2.237 million tons sold in the second quarter of 2016 and an increase of 7% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017.

Contribution margin for the quarter was $94.5 million , up 510% compared with $15.5 million in the same period of the prior year and up 60% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017.

, up 510% compared with in the same period of the prior year and up 60% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017. Adjusted EBITDA was $75.1 million compared with Adjusted EBITDA of $5.4 million for the same period last year and $42.7 million for the first quarter of 2017.

Oil and Gas

Revenue for the quarter totaled $235.0 million compared with $64.9 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of 262% on a year-over-year basis and an increase of 22% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017.

compared with for the same period in 2016, an increase of 262% on a year-over-year basis and an increase of 22% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017. Tons sold totaled 2.745 million, an increase of 106% compared with the 1.333 million tons sold in the second quarter of 2016 and an increase of 8% sequentially compared with the tons sold in the first quarter of 2017.

62% of tons were sold in basin compared with 67% sold in basin in the first quarter of 2017.

Segment contribution margin was $71.2 million versus a loss of $6.0 million in the second quarter of 2016, an increase of 1288% and up 83% compared with the first quarter of 2017.

Industrial and Specialty Products

Revenue for the quarter totaled $55.4 million compared with $52.1 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of 6% on a year-over-year basis and up 7% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017.

compared with for the same period in 2016, an increase of 6% on a year-over-year basis and up 7% sequentially from the first quarter of 2017. Tons sold totaled 0.893 million, relatively flat on a year-over-year basis and an increase of 4% on a sequential basis compared with the first quarter of 2017.

Segment contribution margin was $23.3 million compared with $21.5 million in the second quarter of 2016, an increase of 8% on a year-over-year basis and up 15% sequentially compared with the first quarter of 2017.

Capital Update

As of June 30, 2017, the Company had $598.5 million in cash and cash equivalents and $46.0 million available under its credit facilities. Total debt at June 30, 2017 was $511.1 million. Capital expenditures in the second quarter totaled $135.2 million and were associated largely with engineering, procurement and construction of the Company's growth projects and maintenance and cost improvement capital projects.

Outlook and Guidance

The Company is updating its full year guidance for capital expenditures. The Company now anticipates that its capital expenditures for the full year 2017 will be in the range of $325 million to $375 million.

Conference Call

U.S. Silica will host a conference call for investors tomorrow, Aug. 1, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results. Hosting the call will be Bryan Shinn, president and chief executive officer and Don Merril, executive vice president and chief financial officer. Investors are invited to listen to a live webcast of the conference call by visiting the "Investor Resources" section of the Company's website at www.ussilica.com. The webcast will be archived for one year. The call can also be accessed live over the telephone by dialing (877) 869-3847 or for international callers, (201) 689-8261. A replay will be available shortly after the call and can be accessed by dialing (877) 660-6853 or for international callers (201) 612-7415. The conference ID number for the replay is 13665654. The replay of the call will be available through Sept. 1, 2017.

About U.S. Silica

U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc., a member of the Russell 2000, is a leading producer of commercial silica used in the oil and gas industry, and in a wide range of industrial applications. Over its 117-year history, U.S. Silica has developed core competencies in mining, processing, logistics and materials science that enable it to produce and cost-effectively deliver over 240 products to customers across our end markets. The Company currently operates nine industrial sand production plants and eight oil and gas sand production plants. The Company is headquartered in Frederick, Maryland and also has offices located in Chicago, Illinois, and Houston, Texas.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and speak only as of this date. Forward-looking statements made include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact and may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding U.S. Silica's growth opportunities, strategy, future financial results, forecasts, projections, plans and capital expenditures, and the commercial silica industry. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions, which may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from these forward-looking statements. Among these factors are: (1) fluctuations in demand for commercial silica; (2) the cyclical nature of our customers' businesses; (3) operating risks that are beyond our control; (4) federal, state and local legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to hydraulic fracturing; (5) our ability to implement our capacity expansion plans within our current timetable and budget; (6) loss of, or reduction in, business from our largest customers or failure of our customers to pay amounts due to us; (7) increasing costs or a lack of dependability or availability of transportation services or infrastructure; (8) our substantial indebtedness and pension obligations; (9) our ability to attract and retain key personnel and truckload drivers; (10) silica-related health issues and corresponding litigation; (11) seasonal and severe weather conditions; and (12) extensive and evolving environmental, mining, health and safety, licensing, reclamation, trucking and other regulation (and changes in their enforcement or interpretation). Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in U.S. Silica's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

U.S. SILICA HOLDINGS, INC. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA FROM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited; dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)













Three Months Ended

June 30, 2017

March 31, 2017

June 30, 2016











Total sales $ 290,465

$ 244,797

$ 116,994 Total cost of sales (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization) 197,411

187,475

102,707 Operating expenses:









Selling, general and administrative 26,012

22,341

14,585 Depreciation, depletion and amortization 23,626

21,599

15,209 Total operating expenses 49,638

43,940

29,794 Operating income (loss) 43,416

13,382

(15,507) Other income (expense):









Interest expense (8,105)

(7,646)

(6,647) Other income (expense), net, including interest income 1,258

(4,928)

608 Total other expense (6,847)

(12,574)

(6,039) Income (loss) before income taxes 36,569

808

(21,546) Income tax benefit (expense) (7,110)

1,714

9,774 Net income (loss) $ 29,459

$ 2,522

$ (11,772) Earnings (loss) per share:









Basic $0.36

$0.03

($0.19) Diluted $0.36

$0.03

($0.19) Weighted average shares outstanding:









Basic 81,087

80,983

63,417 Diluted 81,945

82,244

63,417 Dividends declared per share $0.06

$0.06

$0.06

U.S. SILICA HOLDINGS, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (dollars in thousands)













June 30, 2017

December 31, 2016

(unaudited)

(audited) ASSETS Current Assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 598,535

$ 711,225 Accounts receivable, net 159,110

89,006 Inventories, net 74,278

78,709 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 10,254

12,323 Income tax deposits -

1,682 Total current assets 842,177

892,945 Property, plant and mine development, net 919,840

783,313 Goodwill 246,181

240,975 Trade names 33,068

32,318 Intellectual property, net 65,384

57,270 Customer relationships, net 52,508

50,890 Other assets 15,013

15,509 Total assets $ 2,174,171

$ 2,073,220







LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities:





Accounts payable $ 102,376

$ 70,778 Dividends payable 5,229

5,221 Accrued liabilities 14,698

13,034 Accrued interest 61

169 Current portion of long-term debt 4,832

4,821 Current portion of capital leases 1,961

2,237 Current portion of deferred revenue 25,402

13,700 Income tax payable 2,791

- Total current liabilities 157,350

109,960 Long-term debt 506,295

508,417 Deferred revenue 79,808

58,090 Obligations under capital lease 138

717 Liability for pension and other post-retirement benefits 59,411

56,746 Deferred income taxes, net 52,328

50,075 Other long-term obligations 16,633

15,925 Total liabilities 871,963

799,930















Stockholders' Equity:





Preferred stock 

 Common stock 812

811 Additional paid-in capital 1,134,245

1,129,051 Retained earnings 184,959

163,173 Treasury stock, at cost (491)

(3,869) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (17,317)

(15,876) Total stockholders' equity 1,302,208

1,273,290 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 2,174,171

$ 2,073,220

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Segment Contribution Margin

Segment contribution margin is a key metric that management uses to evaluate our operating performance and to determine resource allocation between segments. Segment contribution margin excludes certain corporate costs not associated with the operations of the segment. These unallocated costs include costs related to corporate functional areas such as sales, production and engineering, corporate purchasing, accounting, treasury, information technology, legal and human resources.

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of net income (loss) the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, to segment contribution margin.



For the Three Months Ended

June 30, 2017

March 31, 2017

June 30, 2016

(dollars in thousands) Sales:









Oil & Gas Proppants $ 235,018

$ 192,959

$ 64,926 Industrial & Specialty Products 55,447

51,838

52,068 Total sales 290,465

244,797

116,994 Segment contribution margin:









Oil & Gas Proppants 71,222

38,841

(5,995) Industrial & Specialty Products 23,267

20,216

21,486 Total segment contribution margin 94,489

59,057

15,491 Operating activities excluded from segment cost of sales (1,435)

(1,735)

(1,204) Selling, general and administrative (26,012)

(22,341)

(14,585) Depreciation, depletion and amortization (23,626)

(21,599)

(15,209) Interest expense (8,105)

(7,646)

(6,647) Other income (loss), net, including interest income 1,258

(4,928)

608 Income tax benefit (expense) (7,110)

1,714

9,774 Net income (loss) $ 29,459

$ 2,522

$ (11,772)

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of our financial performance or liquidity under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net income as a measure of operating performance, cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. Additionally, Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for management's discretionary use, as it does not consider certain cash requirements such as interest payments, tax payments and debt service requirements. Adjusted EBITDA contains certain other limitations, including the failure to reflect our cash expenditures, cash requirements for working capital needs and cash costs to replace assets being depreciated and amortized, and excludes certain non-recurring charges that may recur in the future. Management compensates for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and by using Adjusted EBITDA only supplementally. Our measure of Adjusted EBITDA is not necessarily comparable to other similarly titled captions of other companies due to potential inconsistencies in the methods of calculation.

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of net income (loss) the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, to Adjusted EBITDA:





For the Three Months Ended



June 30, 2017

March 31, 2017

June 30, 2016



(dollars in thousands)

Net income (loss) $ 29,459

$ 2,522

$ (11,772)

Total interest expense, net of interest income 6,641

6,311

6,150

Provision for taxes 7,110

(1,714)

(9,774)

Total depreciation, depletion and amortization expenses 23,626

21,599

15,209

EBITDA 66,836

28,718

(187)

Non-cash incentive compensation(1) 6,442

5,510

3,449

Post-employment expenses (excluding service costs)(2) 240

489

199

Business development related expenses(3) 1,543

1,486

861

Other adjustments allowable under our existing credit agreements(4) 11

6,509

1,051

Adjusted EBITDA $ 75,072

$ 42,712

$ 5,373













(1) Reflects equity-based compensation expense. (2) Includes net pension cost and net post-retirement cost relating to pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations during the applicable period, but in each case excluding the service cost relating to benefits earned during such period. See Note L - Pension and Post-retirement Benefits to our Financial Statements in Part 1, Item 1 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. (3) Reflects expenses related to business development activities in connection with our growth and expansion initiatives. (4) Reflects miscellaneous adjustments permitted under our existing credit agreement. The three months ended March 31, 2017 amount includes a contract restructuring cost of $6.3 million.

Investor Contact:

Michael Lawson

Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications

(301) 682-0304

[email protected]

SOURCE U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ussilica.com


LAS VEGAS, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanguard Integrity Professionals, Inc., cybersecurity experts with cybersecurity solutions securing any enterprise, is proud to be a sponsor at SHARE 2017 in Providence, Rhode Island taking place August 6-11, 2017. Additionally, Vanguard will be presenting on topics addressing the latest security, compliance and security trends in two sessions during the event. Vanguard will showcase its cybersecurity solutions demonstrating their vital role protecting any large enterprise or cloud environment.

SHARE began as the first-ever enterprise IT user group back in 1955, and continues to deliver important avenues of professional growth for the industry today. While the means of learning, networking and influencing this space have evolved  the desired result of providing a valuable user-driven perspective is the same.

Please make plans to attend one of our sessions and be sure to visit Vanguard executives at Booth 126 at the SHARE Technology Exchange Expo hosted at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Vanguard Speaking Sessions:

Monday, August 07, 2017 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Security Opening: A Security Potpourri

Speaker: Brian Marshall  Vice President Research and Development

Wednesday, August 09, 2017 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Best Practices for Securing Privileged Accounts

Speaker: Brian Marshall  Vice President Research and Development

About Vanguard Integrity Professionals

Vanguard Integrity Professionals provides enterprise security software and services that solve complex security and regulatory compliance challenges for financial, insurance, healthcare, education, transportation and government agencies around the world. Vanguard provides Cybersecurity Solutions Securing any Enterprise. The world's largest Financial, Insurance, Government Agencies and Retailers entrust their security to Vanguard Integrity Professionals. Vanguard is committed to protecting and securing the Cloud and any Enterprise environment. Vanguard provides 24/7/365 live customer support from the United States of America.

SOURCE Vanguard Integrity Professionals

Related Links

http://www.go2vanguard.com


AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- VETTED is pleased to announce the partnership with American Corporate Partners and Veterati to provide transitioning Veterans in their Veteran Accelerated Management Program, a complete approach to mentorship.

The Veteran Accelerated Management Program is designed to provide Veterans the business acumen to effectively transition into the civilian sector. Each Veteran will work with a hand-selected Mentor from one of America's top companies. The addition of these two mentorship platforms will enhance the program's overall success.

About VETTED:

VETTED, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is the optimal Veteran transition platform to transform proven military leaders into tomorrow's industry leaders and entrepreneurs. VETTED identifies military talent for transition preparation and planning, business executive education, career services, and industry placement in the private sector. VETTED is creating the first State Model, the Texas Model, to serve as the launch pad for successful veteran transitions before moving nationally. Learn more at www.vetted.org.

About ACP:

American Corporate Partners (ACP) offers veterans the opportunity to be mentored by successful professionals from Fortune 500 Companies, such as Bloomberg, Deloitte, The Home Depot, Intel, Raytheon, UPS and many others at their own pace and at no financial cost. These mentors are hand-selected for each veteran's yearlong experience. Visit www.acp-usa.org/mentoring to connect to a Mentor.

About Veterati:

Veterati is thrilled to partner with VETTED to support the 360 Mentorship Program with mentorship on demand. Veterati is a digital platform where millions of service members and spouses can set up free one-hour mentorship phone calls with successful professionals. No application required; book your first call with 24 hours. Create a free profile at Veterati to get on phone calls with CEOs, recruiters, entrepreneurs, and rockstar peer mentors in 50 states and 5 countries. Take a decisive step in the direction of your career dreams. Visit https://www.veterati.com/VETTED.

For media inquiries, please contact Aaron Whatley of VETTED at [email protected].

SOURCE VETTED Foundation

Related Links

http://www.vetted.org


SAN DIEGO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ViaCyte, Inc., a privately-held, leading regenerative medicine company, announced today that the first patients have been implanted with the PEC-Direct product candidate, a novel islet cell replacement therapy in development as a functional cure for patients with type 1 diabetes who are at high risk for acute life-threatening complications. The first implant procedures of the clinical trial took place at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, and the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Altman Clinical Trials Research Institute. The goal of the open-label clinical trial is to evaluate the PEC-Direct product candidate for safety and definitive evidence of efficacy. In the coming months, the company expects to expand the trial to additional centers including the University of Minnesota and other sites in the US and Canada.

The first cohort of type 1 diabetes patients is receiving multiple small-format cell-filled devices called sentinels in order to evaluate safety and implant viability. These sentinel units will be removed at specific time points and examined histologically to provide early insight into the progression of engraftment and maturation into pancreatic islet cells including insulin-producing beta cells. A second cohort of up to 40 patients is expected to begin enrolling later this year to evaluate both safety and efficacy. The primary efficacy measurement in the trial will be the clinically relevant production of insulin, as measured by the insulin biomarker C-peptide, in a patient population that has little to no ability to produce endogenous insulin at the time of enrollment. Other important endpoints will be evaluated including injectable insulin usage and the incidence of hypoglycemic events. ViaCyte's goal is to demonstrate early evidence of efficacy in the first half of 2018 and definitive efficacy 6 to 12 months later.

"Islet transplants have been used to successfully treat patients with unstable, high-risk type 1 diabetes, but the procedure has limitations, including a very limited supply of donor organs and challenges in obtaining reliable and consistent islet preparations," said trial investigator James Shapiro, MD, PhD, FRCSC, Director of the Clinical Islet Transplant Program, University of Alberta. "An effective stem cell-derived islet replacement therapy would solve these issues and has the potential to help a greater number of people."

"Patients with high-risk type 1 diabetes complications, such as hypoglycemia unawareness, are at constant risk of life-threatening low blood glucose," said Jeremy Pettus, MD, investigator in the clinical trial and Assistant Professor of Medicine at UC San Diego. "The PEC-Direct islet cell replacement therapy is designed to help patients with the most urgent medical need."

The PEC-Direct product candidate is being developed for type 1 diabetes patients who have hypoglycemia unawareness, extreme glycemic lability, and/or severe hypoglycemic episodes. It is estimated that about 140,000 people in Canada and the US have such high-risk type 1 diabetes. In addition to providing an unlimited supply of cells for implantation, the PEC-Direct approach has other potential advantages relative to cadaver islet transplants such as delivering a more consistent product preparation under quality-controlled cGMP conditions, and a more straightforward and safe mode of delivery.

The clinical trial is being supported in part by JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes research. "JDRF remains dedicated to accelerating the delivery of beta cell replacement therapies to the T1D community, and we commend ViaCyte in its announcement of the first patients to be implanted with the PEC-Direct islet cell replacement therapy," said Derek Rapp, JDRF President and Chief Executive Officer. "JDRF is excited to support this clinical development given its potential to help those people with type 1 diabetes that need it the most  those at high risk of life-threatening acute complications. JDRF and ViaCyte share a continuing commitment to realizing the potential of beta cell replacement strategies to deliver insulin independence without immune suppression for people living with type 1 diabetes, and ultimately, at JDRF we hope this will move us forward in fulfilling our vision of a world without type 1 diabetes."

"There are limited treatment options for patients with high-risk type 1 diabetes to manage life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes," said Paul Laikind, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of ViaCyte. "We believe that the PEC-Direct product candidate has the potential to transform the lives of these patients and we are excited to move closer to that goal with the initiation of clinical evaluation announced today. This also represents a step towards a broader application of the technology. We remain fully committed to developing a functional cure for all patients with insulin-requiring diabetes. To that end, we are hard at work on next-generation approaches as well, and expect the work with PEC-Direct to further advance our knowledge and drive progress."

In addition to JDRF, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)'s Alpha Clinic, the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center, the JDRF Canadian Clinical Trials Network (CCTN), the Stem Cell Network, and Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS) are all providing support for the trial.

About the PEC-Direct Product Candidate

The PEC-Direct product candidate delivers stem cell-derived pancreatic progenitor cells, called PEC-01 cells, in a device designed to allow direct vascularization of the cells in the device. After implantation, these cells are expected to become mature human islet tissue including well-regulated beta cells producing insulin on demand. The direct vascularization of the implanted cells is expected to allow for robust and consistent engraftment but will necessitate the use of maintenance immune suppression therapy.

About ViaCyte

ViaCyte is a privately-held regenerative medicine company developing novel cell replacement therapies as potential long-term diabetes treatments to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and diabetes-related complications. ViaCyte's product candidates are based on the derivation of pancreatic progenitor cells from stem cells, which are then implanted in a durable and retrievable cell delivery device. Once implanted and matured, these cells are designed to secrete insulin and other pancreatic hormones in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte has two products in clinical development. The PEC-Direct product candidate delivers the pancreatic progenitor cells in a non-immunoprotective device and is being developed for type 1 diabetes patients who have hypoglycemia unawareness, extreme glycemic lability, and/or recurrent severe hypoglycemic episodes. The PEC-Encap (also known as VC-01) product candidate delivers the same pancreatic progenitor cells in an immunoprotective device and is being developed for all patients with diabetes, type 1 and type 2, who use insulin. ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF. For more information on ViaCyte, please visit www.viacyte.com and connect with ViaCyte on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE ViaCyte, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.viacyte.com


HOLMDEL, N.J., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage (NYSE: VG), a leading provider of cloud communications for business, announced that the Company is expanding its international footprint with new investments in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) to support growing demand for cloud communications services.

The Company has named Sunny Rao as its new Vice President and General Manager for APAC to lead Vonage's APAC expansion. With more than 20 years of experience as a global information technology leader, Mr. Rao brings vast experience and deep expertise in the global expansion of emerging technologies to Vonage and will oversee the Company's strategic efforts in all of APAC. This includes expansion in existing markets and opening new offices in China -- Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Strategic Direction for Global Growth

"Through Nexmo, the Vonage API platform, Vonage already has strong leadership in EMEA and APAC with offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul, and we are thrilled to welcome Sunny to this growing team," said Vonage CEO Alan Masarek. "As we continue to see strong growth in adoption of programmable communications throughout these regions, Sunny's leadership will allow us to leverage the ease of use of our platform with our strong carrier connections to expand our current footprint in Asia and to take advantage of the market opportunity with the full suite of Vonage cloud communications offerings."

Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Rao served as Vice President for India & the Middle East at Vidyo, Inc. He has also held senior executive positions at software companies Nuance Communications and Genesys Telecommunications, as well as Avaya, a global business technology provider.

"I am excited to join the Vonage team at such a pivotal moment in its global expansion," said Mr. Rao. "Vonage is uniquely positioned to expand the penetration of its existing presence in the Asian marketplace by leveraging its leadership position across the business communications space."

Expanding Reach into Mainland China

The first of the three new China offices will be located in SSC Tower, Nanshan District in Shenzhen, followed by offices in Shanghai and Beijing. Business Development Director, Chong (David) Deng () will lead the Shenzhen office. Prior to joining Vonage, Mr. Deng led the South and West China sales team for Akamai Technologies. He has deep knowledge of the Chinese market and 10 years of experience in emerging technologies, including online gaming and e-commerce, as well as finance and phone/tablet manufacturing. Mr. Deng also held various sales leadership roles at IBM, including oversight of IBM's solution in cloud and data analytics for both government and public service.

With more than 25 percent of revenues for Nexmo, the Vonage API platform, from APAC, the addition of these new locations in China underscores the Company's plans for growth in this region, where it already has many large enterprise customers. These include global telecommunications leader, Huawei); China's leading selfie app, Meitu); Asia's largest live broadcasting app, Bigo; and two of China's largest e-commerce and online marketplaces, JD.com () and Alibaba.

Huawei recently awarded Vonage its annual "Huawei Best Service Award ." This award recognizes the Company's best-quality service delivery, localized customer support, and leadership of product and technology among thousands of Huawei's suppliers.

Additional existing Vonage API platform customers in the APAC region include popular Korean mobile messaging app, KakaoTalk, and leading Korean selfie app, SNOW.

Vonage's end-to-end business communications offering includes both Unified Communications as-a-Service (UCaaS) and Communications Platform as-a-Service (CPaaS) technology for a full range of cloud communications capabilities. The fusion of UCaaS and CPaaS is the future of business communications, enabling greater mobility and productivity among an enterprise's employees while allowing companies to stay more closely connected to their customers, and helping businesses to be more productive and more competitive than ever before.

About Vonage

Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of cloud communications services for business. Vonage transforms the way people work and businesses operate through a portfolio of cloud-based communications solutions that enable internal collaboration among employees, while also keeping companies closely connected with their customers, across any mode of communication, on any device.

Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform, provides tools for voice, messaging and phone verification services, allowing developers to embed contextual, programmable communications into mobile apps, websites and business systems. Nexmo enables enterprises to easily communicate relevant information to their customers in real time, anywhere in the world, through text messaging, chat, social media and voice.

The Company also provides a robust suite of feature-rich residential communication solutions. Vonage has earned Frost & Sullivan's 2015 Growth Excellence Leadership Award for Hosted IP and Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Services and the 2016 North American Cloud Communications Product Line Strategy Leadership Award. For more information, visit Vonage Business.

Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC, owned by Vonage America Inc. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage.

(vg-a)

SOURCE Vonage

Related Links

http://www.vonage.com


HOD HASHARON, Israel, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Voyager Labs has joined the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF), a Washington DC non-profit think tank that is working to bridge the gap between privacy regulation and the fast-changing technology landscape.

Voyager is a game-changing company that brings artificial intelligence (AI) and deep machine learning analytics to its public and private sector clients. These solutions are delivered while recognizing that the respect of privacy is a core principle of the company. From its very beginning, Voyager has restricted its searches to data that is either in the public domain or available consensually.

Voyager's founder and chairman, Avi Korenblum, said, "Technology is always going to outpace regulation, so the industry, and specifically our company, must follow the highest ethical standards privacy. That is why we have signed on as a sponsor of FPF. Our commitment to privacy is as important to us as our commitment to superlative, leading-edge science."

About Voyager Labs

Voyager Labs is a leading AI and cognitive deep learning company that enables businesses and the public sector to obtain the real-time insights needed to understand individuals' behaviors, interests and intent. The company's unparalleled ability to interpret the complex layers of unstructured data in the social sphere and understand billions of data points, ultimately empowers customers to make wiser decisions and take actions for a more prosperous and safer world. Founded in 2012, the company has offices in New York, Washington and Israel. For more information, please visit www.voyagerlabs.co.

Future of Privacy Forum

The Future of Privacy Forum is a non-profit organization that serves as a catalyst for privacy leadership and scholarship, advancing principled data practices in support of emerging technologies. To learn more, visit www.fpf.org. http://www.voyagerlabs.co/

SOURCE Voyager Labs

Related Links

http://www.voyagerlabs.co


The menu of Asian food inspired by the flavors of Japan includes bold donburi and teppanyaki, soul-satisfying ramen, colorful curries, gyoza and steamed buns. All dishes are prepared in an open kitchen and served as soon as they are readya long-established practice of wagamama. wagamama Seaport will also offer takeout as well as delivery in the coming months.

Signatures include chili squid, tossed with seven spice shichimi, chicken katsu in a fragrant curry sauce with sticky rice, and wagamama ramen, a house specialty since wagamama's beginning. The noodles, a proprietary wagamama recipe perfected over 25 years, are imported from the UK. A list of fresh juices, are also pressed, pulped and poured to order and include choices such as super green with apple, mint, celery and lime and blueberry spice juice with blueberry, apple, carrot and a hint of ginger.

Seaport will be the only wagamama in Boston to serve cocktails, a new addition created for the U.S. Drinks are Asian-inspired takes on classic cocktails such as the whisky sawa with Iwai Japanese whisky and lapsang souchong liqueur and the yuzu mojito with Tanduay rum and yuzu liqueur, in addition to an extensive Asian craft beer range.

The expansive restaurant was designed by Bergmeyer Associates, Inc. with Focus Design Interiors, and is sleek and modern with exposed brick, pendant lamps and rich wood accents. Minimalist stools and wooden booths offer seating at individual tables throughout, while communal tablesanother founding principle of wagamamaseat up to 18 on long benches and establish a sense of equality among diners. The open kitchen serves as a centerpiece of the room, and freestanding marble bars offer separate areas for enjoying cocktails and fresh juices. For views of Boston Harbor, the restaurant has full-length windows along both exterior walls and a sizeable patio for outdoor dining in the warmer months. Interior windows separate a private dining area inside for large parties and special events.

"We're delighted to bring wagamama to the beautiful Seaport neighborhood and the growing Harbor area," said wagamama CEO Jane Holbrook. "Boston holds a special place in our hearts. The city welcomed us with open arms when we brought the first U.S. wagamama here a decade ago, and we look forward to introducing our noodles, teppanyaki, curries and cocktails to even more Bostonians."

wagamama was founded in London's Bloomsbury district in 1992 with a clear purpose: to create a place for positive eating where the food satisfies the senses and the soul. The company is seen as a pioneer of the communal table, open kitchen and customizable, made-to-order menu, which is overseen by executive chef Steve Mangleshot.

This ethos has remained for more than two decades, focusing on positivity, freshness and continuous improvement. Kaizen, a Japanese word meaning "good change," is a guiding philosophy of wagamama. It's about never resting in the pursuit to be better, and wagamama has practiced kaizen since the beginning. The wagamama of today is the result of constant evolution in the food and brand, keeping the experience exciting and anything but traditional.

With its strong founding values intact, wagamama has become an iconic part of British dining culture and expanded to more than 175 locations worldwide. wagamama is glad to be a part of Boston's colorful culture and looks forward to serving the Seaport neighborhood in addition to its loyal customers at Faneuil Hall and Prudential Center.

For more, visit www.wagamama.us or follow along on social media @wagamama_usa.

SOURCE wagamama

Related Links

https://www.wagamama.us


Key Global Findings:

IT decision makers (ITDMs) at small- to medium-sized businesses are most worried about new forms of malware infections (56 percent), mobile attacks (48 percent), and phishing attacks (47 percent).

Nearly two-thirds of ITDMs believe it would be more difficult to restore their company's public image than to restore employee trust and morale.

difficult to restore their company's public image than to restore employee trust and morale. ITDMs estimate a cyberattack in which their customer records or critical business data were lost would cost an average of $579,099 in the U.S., 737,677 in the U.K., and AU$1,893,363 in Australia .

in the U.S., 737,677 in the U.K., and AU$1,893,363 in . Addressing the growing threat, 94 percent of ITDMs plan to increase their annual IT security budget in 2017, compared to 2016.

Businesses currently manage IT security in various ways. One-fifth of businesses have in-house employees whose responsibilities include IT security. Thirty-seven percent use a mix of in-house and outsourced IT security support, while only 23 percent have a dedicated in-house IT security professional or team.

Ninety percent of ITDMs believe outsourcing IT solutions would protect their organizations against threats and increase their bandwidth to address other areas of their business.

The current cybersecurity landscape and lack of preparedness of small- to medium-sized businesses represent a big opportunity for managed security providers (MSPs). Among businesses who do not currently outsource IT security support, 80 percent will likely use a third-party cybersecurity provider in 2017.

Key Quote:

Charlie Tomeo, Vice President of Worldwide Business Sales, Webroot

"This study illustrates the general lack of preparedness for security around the globe. Small- to medium-sized businesses face just as many threats as larger ones, but are often at a disadvantage because of their lack of resources. Given the recent spate of ransomware attacks, it is crucial for these companies to shore up their security and lean on the expertise of an MSP for a solution to combat threats from multiple vectors."

Advice for Small- to Medium-Sized Businesses:

CROSS THOSE Ts: Being prepared is crucial. Create a plan of action to respond to any type of breach that includes outside resources, like an MSP, who you can call for assistance.

EMPLOYEE EDUCATION: Workers may not know how to avoid phishing and other types of attacks. Investing in regular security training is a great way to prevent attacks.

DON'T FORGET MOBILE: Employees' mobile devices are doorways into business networks, and can leave them vulnerable to unseen risks. Reliable mobile security is essential to protect from malicious applications.

SPEND WISELY: Look to allocate any additional budget you may have where risks are highest. If you're unsure, ask a security expert or your MSP where your vulnerabilities lie.

UPDATE SOFTWARE: Keep business devices up-to-date with the latest software and security patches.

BEWARE OF RANSOMWARE: The U.S. is consistently one of the most phished nations, and phishing can lead to ransomware. Create a layered defense by implementing strong backup and business continuity plans.

Additional Resources:

Report Methodology:

Commissioned by Webroot and issued in conjunction with Wakefield Research, the survey was conducted among 600 IT decision makers at small- to medium-sized businesses with 100 to 499 employees in three countries: U.S., U.K., and Australia, between May 10 and May 24, 2017.

About Webroot

Webroot delivers endpoint security and network security and threat intelligence services to protect businesses and individuals around the globe. Our smarter approach harnesses the power of cloud-based collective threat intelligence derived from millions of real-world devices to stop threats in real time and help secure the connected world. Our award-winning SecureAnywhere endpoint solutions, BrightCloud Threat Intelligence Services, and FlowScape solution protect millions of devices across businesses, home users, and the Internet of Things. Webroot is trusted and integrated by market-leading companies, including Cisco, F5 Networks, Aruba, Palo Alto Networks, A10 Networks, and more. Headquartered in Colorado, Webroot operates globally across North America, Europe, and Asia. Discover Smarter Cybersecurity solutions at www.webroot.com.

Social Media: Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook

2017 Webroot Inc. All rights reserved. Webroot, SecureAnywhere, Webroot SecureAnywhere, Webroot BrightCloud, BrightCloud, and Smarter Cybersecurity are trademarks or registered trademarks of Webroot Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

SOURCE Webroot

Related Links

http://www.webroot.com


Majorities across generations say childhood vaccinations should be required, with strongest support from seven in 10 Baby Boomers (ages 53-71) and adults age 72 and older. More than half of Millennials (ages 18-36) and Generation X (ages 37-52) also support vaccinations but about four in 10 of these younger adults say the decision should be left to parents. Those with children under 18 years old are more likely to think that vaccination is the parents' decision (40%), compared with those who do not have children (30%).

More than half of Americans (53%) believe that unvaccinated children should not be allowed to attend public schools. College graduates are among the biggest supporters of prohibiting unvaccinated children from attending public school (62%).

Debates about vaccinations usually center around childhood, so perhaps unsurprisingly, Americans are largely unaware of whether most health care professionals say vaccines are safe for pregnant women. Three-quarters of adults are unsure if health care professionals regard flu vaccines as safe for pregnant women, and 84% were also unsure about pertussis or whooping cough vaccines.

Despite gaps in safety knowledge, Americans are largely confident that "new medicines and treatments are carefully and thoroughly tested before they are made available to the public." Seventy-two percent agreed, while 24% disagreed. These views correlate with opinions about childhood immunizations. Nearly seven in 10 respondents who agree that medicines and treatments are thoroughly tested say that childhood vaccinations should be required.

Methodology

The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI). Interviewing by landline and cellular telephones occurred July 6-9, 2017 among a random sample of 1,002 U.S. adults. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. Data have been weighted to parameters from the U.S. Census Bureau. The margin of error for results based on the complete set of weighted data is +/- 3.9 percentage points.

About PSRAI

PSRAI is an independent survey research firm dedicated to providing high-quality information to clients in the United States and around the world (www.psrai.com).

SOURCE Princeton Survey Research Associates International
OTTAWA, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Wi-LAN Inc. ("WiLAN") today announced that the company's subsidiary, Smart Wearable Technologies Inc., and Motorola Mobility, LLC ("the parties") have entered into a settlement agreement. The dispute between the parties has been resolved.

The consideration paid to WiLAN and all other terms of the agreement are confidential.

About WiLAN

WiLAN, a Quarterhill company, is one of the most successful patent licensing companies in the world and helps companies unlock the value of intellectual property by managing and licensing their patent portfolios. The company operates in a variety of markets including automotive, digital television, Internet, medical, semiconductor and wireless communication technologies. For more information: www.wilan.com.

Forward-looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other United States and Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are based on estimates and assumptions made by Quarterhill Inc. in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and the expected effects of new business strategies, as well as other factors that Quarterhill believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause Quarterhill's actual performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation, the risks described in its February 10, 2017 annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2016 (the "AIF"). Copies of the AIF may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov. Quarterhill recommends that readers review and consider all of these risk factors and notes that readers should not place undue reliance on any of Quarterhill's forward-looking statements. Quarterhill has no intention, and undertakes no obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

All trademarks and brands mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Wi-LAN Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PatientBank, an emerging technology platform for gathering and sharing medical records, today released a scorecard of hospitals throughout the United States based on the performance and compliance of hospitals' medical records departments. Over the last year, the company has processed medical records requests to over 6,900 hospitals across the United States. The company developed the rankings in an effort to bring transparency to an aspect of hospital quality that is often overlooked and highlight the hospitals that are adding ease and efficiency to a process that can be extremely complicated for patients. The PatientBank rankings come on the heels of the announcement by U.S. News & World Report that their annual hospital ratings, which traditionally come out August 1st, would be delayed at least a week due to data errors.

Based on PatientBank's scoring formula, South Lake Hospital, located in Clermont, Florida; Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center in Downey, California; and Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, Florida shared the top spot. All three hospitals scored a total of 8.5 out of a possible 10.

"Medical records performance is a critical yet often overlooked factor of hospital quality," said Paul Fletcher-Hill, CEO of PatientBank. "With the release of this national scorecard, we're hoping to celebrate hospitals around the country that excel in this area, while also bringing more transparency and focus to the medical records process in general."

Top 10: National Hospital Rankings and Scores

Facility Speed Fees Fulfillment Delivery FINAL SCORE South Lake Hospital (FL) 9.9 9.1 8.1 7.1 8.5 Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center (CA) 6.9 9.2 9.3 8.8 8.5 Lee Memorial Hospital (FL) 9.6 9 6.7 7.9 8.5 Park Ridge Health (NC) 9.1 8.6 7.4 8.3 8.4 Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center (CA) 7.1 9.2 8.1 8.8 8.3 Edward Hospital (IL) 9.4 9 6.1 7.9 8.3 Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (AK) 9.5 8.9 6.4 7.5 8.2 The Medical Center of Southeast Texas (TX) 8.9 8.1 7 8.3 8.1 Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix (AZ) 6.8 9.1 7.4 8.8 8.1 North Memorial Medical Center (MN) 9 8.8 6.7 7.1 7.9

A full list of PatientBank's national hospital scores is available on the company's website.

PatientBank developed the following guidelines for measuring the effectiveness of hospitals in responding to patient requests for records:

Speed: How long does the hospital normally take to respond to requests for records, ranging from 1 (slow) to 10 (fast)? Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), hospitals are given 30 days to respond to patients' medical records requests.

How long does the hospital normally take to respond to requests for records, ranging from 1 (slow) to 10 (fast)? Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), hospitals are given 30 days to respond to patients' medical records requests. Fees: How much does the hospital charge patients for medical records, ranging from 1 (no fee) to 10 (very expensive)? Hospitals are allowed to charge patients a reasonable, cost-based fee under HIPAA. The PatientBank score considers per page cost and whether the hospital also charges prepayment.

How much does the hospital charge patients for medical records, ranging from 1 (no fee) to 10 (very expensive)? Hospitals are allowed to charge patients a reasonable, cost-based fee under HIPAA. The PatientBank score considers per page cost and whether the hospital also charges prepayment. Fulfillment: How capable is the hospital in returning medical records in the form and format patients ask for? Is the hospital able to return records in an electronic format? The range is from 1 (very limited) to 10 (very flexible). According to HIPAA, a hospital is required to return patient records in the form and format requested, if readily producible.

How capable is the hospital in returning medical records in the form and format patients ask for? Is the hospital able to return records in an electronic format? The range is from 1 (very limited) to 10 (very flexible). According to HIPAA, a hospital is required to return patient records in the form and format requested, if readily producible. Delivery: How does the hospital allow patients to submit requests for records (for example, by fax or email)? Are there additional requirements for the request (for example, to fill out the hospital's own form or to submit prepayment)? These policies are ranked from 1 (strict) to 10 (flexible). HIPAA does not permit hospitals to require patients to use only certain delivery methods, such as mail or in-person delivery.

Looking at the U.S. News & World Report's 2016-17 Best Hospitals Honor Roll, it is evident that medical records performance is routinely overlooked, even by the country's best hospitals. While some hospitals on the US News Top 20 list also excel in medical records performance (for example, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago and Duke University Hospital, Durham, N.C. score in the top 90% percentile nationwide), in aggregate the U.S. News Top 20 scores an average of 5.9 out of 10 on medical record performance, which is only as high or higher than 60.5% of the hospitals in the U.S., according to PatientBank's ranking. A list of U.S. News & World Report's 2016-17 Best Hospitals Honor Roll with corresponding PatientBank scores and percentile ranks is also available on the company's website at: www.patientbank.us/us_news

About PatientBank

Founded in 2015, PatientBank helps people gather and share medical records online. The company's platform allows users to order medical records from any healthcare facility in the country. While requests for medical records are normally submitted via fax or mail, PatientBank brings the process online, making it easy to request and share medical records in a secure and convenient way. PatientBank is based in San Francisco and is backed by world-class investors, including Y Combinator, General Catalyst, and Khosla Ventures. The company has processed over 60,000 medical records requests, 14,000 of which have occurred in just the last month (July 2017).

Media Contact: Patrick Muncie (Tusk Strategies); [email protected]

SOURCE PatientBank
"Yeo & Yeo's new headquarters reflects our desire to bring all our affiliates together under one roof in a modern environment that fosters greater cross-discipline collaboration and innovation, while further strengthening our ability to attract the best and brightest professionals. The result will be a stronger, more responsive, more efficient and forward-thinking firm," said Thomas Hollerback, president & chief executive officer of Yeo & Yeo.

Yeo & Yeo purchased the former Davenport University building in April 2016, having reached capacity at its location on Davenport Avenue. The Bay Road building offered 30,000 square feet of space; another 14,000 square feet was added to accommodate all affiliates and allow for future growth of up to 160 professionals.

Jeff McCulloch, president of Yeo & Yeo Computer Consulting, said, "We were simply out of space, so this move will allow us to keep pace with our clients' growing needs. The technology advances and open-concept office spaces in the new building create greater efficiency to be recognized by our employees and clients."

The newly renovated, energy-efficient and technology-driven space, currently housing more than 120 employees, reinforces the firm's mission of delivering outstanding business solutions:

State-of-the-art conferencing capabilities allow effective communication with their clients and colleagues, who span locations throughout Michigan and beyond

and beyond Flexible collaborative spaces foster a team-driven atmosphere and promote interaction

Large, open spaces with ample natural light provide a bright, energizing environment

Ergonomic and efficient work spaces create better workflow and support well-being

"A commitment to the communities we live and work in has been a long-standing part of Yeo & Yeo's culture  we are committed to keeping our headquarters rooted in the Saginaw community," said David W. Schaeffer, managing principal of Yeo & Yeo's Saginaw office. "We have served our clients from the Davenport location for more than 40 years. Moving to the new headquarters is a milestone for the firm, and demonstrates our commitment to serving our community, maintaining a motivating environment for staff and providing top-notch support for our clients  both locally and globally."

Yeo & Yeo's new headquarters is located at the corner of Bay Road and Trautner Drive, next to Garber Buick, and offers convenient access for our clients and professionals in and around the Great Lakes Bay Region.

Yeo & Yeo employs nearly 220 professionals and has nine offices throughout Michigan. During the last three years, Yeo & Yeo's Ann Arbor and Lansing offices also relocated within their communities to accommodate growth and offer a contemporary work environment for employees. Read more about Yeo & Yeo's relocation.

About Yeo & Yeo

Yeo & Yeo (www.yeoandyeo.com) is a leading accounting, audit, tax and business consulting firm throughout Michigan with a proven reputation for personal service, commitment to clients and community support. Growing since 1923, Yeo & Yeo ranks among the Top 200 accounting firms in the U.S. with more than 200 employees and offices in Saginaw (headquarters), Alma, Ann Arbor, Flint, Greater Detroit, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Midland and Southgate. Other Yeo & Yeo affiliates include Yeo & Yeo Computer Consulting, Yeo & Yeo Financial Services, and Yeo & Yeo Medical Billing & Consulting. Yeo & Yeo is a founding member of LEA Global, the second largest international professional association.

SOURCE Yeo & Yeo

Related Links

http://www.yeoandyeo.com


SOMERSET, N.J., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Now through August 3, Dr. Avdhoot Shivanand is leading a unique seminar for doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals in New Jersey interested in how the mind can be employed to help the body rid itself of illness. Known as "Baba ji," or "father," in his native India, Dr. Shivanand is the founder and leading practitioner of the science of cosmic healing  ShivYog. More information about this event is available at http://shivyogglobal.com/; a short video explaining the seminar format can be viewed here.

Yogi Scientist Dr. Avdhoot Shivanand

"ShivYog is not an alternative but an integrative therapy," says Dr. Shivanand. "In past seminars, doctors have come forward to describe how adding ShivYog to their conventional practice has resulted in recoveries they didn't think were possible. The effect of all this healing is cumulative, too. Doctors and nurses feel better when their patients feel better. The entire community benefits when we empower health and wellness from the inside out."

Empirical medical science has come around to the notion that human health encompasses aspects above and beyond what can be routinely measured. This is partly because the field now has instruments for detecting what was previously out of reach. Neuroimaging is leading the way in this regard; increasingly sophisticated technologies for seeing the brain and its activity at the molecular level have revealed the physical connections between thoughts, feelings and the organism's health status. A prime example of this phenomenon is that painful emotions trigger the same parts of the brain as physical pain.

Since discovering the transformative power of the Science of Cosmic Healing, Dr. Shivanand has sought to share this wisdom with people the world over. In audiences and seminars with the healthcare community, he has demonstrated how the science can be practically applied to deliver real, measurable benefits. And in turn, healthcare professionals have shared remarkable stories of how ShivYog has enhanced their personal and professional lives.

"'Cure is possible' is the reality we're expressing to the world," adds Dr. Shivanand. "With ShivYog, we can penetrate to the psychosomatic cause of disease. Modern and ancient science come together for the patient, who then becomes an active participant in his or her own healing."

Dr. Shivanand is now in the middle of a four-month U.S. tour, and he has been warmly received by civic leaders across the country. In Washington, D.C., Senators Brian Fitzpatrick and Pat Toomey have each bestowed honors upon Baba ji in recognition of his dedication to teaching ShivYog Cosmic Healing to the masses. Senator Toomey presented Dr. Shivanand with a Certificate of Special Recognition, while Senator Fitzpatrick offered the gift of a U.S. flag that had flown over the capitol building.

The seminar on ShivYog and integrative therapy is taking place in Somerset, New Jersey at the Holiday Inn Somerset-Bridgewater. Each day's session runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

About Dr. Avdhoot Shivanand

Dr. Shivanand is The Father of Sacred Ancient Cosmic Science and an internationally recognized authority in the field of cosmic science. He is a sought-after speaker around the globe for his captivating articulation and healing wisdom. "Babaji," as he is fondly called, has been welcomed on every continent by many national governments, including the United States, Mauritius, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa, the UK, Malaysia, Austria, Singapore, Canada, India and Australia.

Contact:

Ashok

650-430-6053

[email protected]

SOURCE ShivYog Global

Related Links

http://shivyogglobal.com


ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Zell Lurie Founders Fund at the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies announced an investment in Neurable, a breakthrough brain-computer interface (BCI) technology startup. When Neurable, based on cutting edge neuroscience by Ramses Alcaide (PhD Neuroscience '16) and co-founded with Michael Thompson (MBA '17), sought additional funding, the Founders Fund team of student investors saw tremendous opportunity.

The investment builds on a $2 million seed round Neurable announced in December 2016 and will support the company's continued success and growth. On Sunday, the company unveiled its brain-computer interface product for virtual reality and is currently offering demos at SIGGRAPH, the world's largest, most influential annual conference and exhibition in computer graphics and interactive techniques.

"Neurable represents an amazing example of cross-university collaboration, where business and science came together perfectly to form a very promising venture," said Stewart Thornhill, executive director of the Zell Lurie Institute and manager of the Founders Fund. "It is a great addition to the portfolio, which continues to highlight the depth and breadth of entrepreneurial activity across the university that we work to inspire and enable every day at the Institute."

Neurable, whose revolutionary brain-computer interface allows people to control software and devices using only their brain activity, has taken advantage of a number of Zell Lurie Institute programs to get to where it is today. It was part of the fall 2015 class of TechArb, the University's student venture accelerator and joint initiative of The Center for Entrepreneurship and the Zell Lurie Institute. The company then participated in the 2016 Michigan Business Challenge business plan competition, where it was a finalist and went on to win more than $300,000 at the prestigious Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC). Given the close collaboration between the Institute and Neurable's co-founders, the partnership made a lot of sense to both parties.

"Ramses and I have benefited tremendously from a University of Michigan education and all of the supporting resources that come with that, especially at the Zell Lurie Institute," said Thompson. "As we transition the company from student research project into a growth-oriented business venture, it's wonderful to have the continued support of the Institute through the Founders Fund investment and the guidance of both Stewart and the student team."

Though Neurable was deeply involved with the Institute, that did not stop the student teamcomprised of Ryan Finn (MBA '17), Ashka Dave (MPH/MBA '17), Christine Priori, (MBA/MMP '17) and Florence Noel (MBA '17)  from conducting proper due diligence on the company before committing to the investment. After an initial pitch from Neurable, the students managed a series of follow-up questions to vet the market, technology and team; financial analysis to understand the potential value; and in-depth negotiation to ensure the deal terms were suitable to both parties.

"Going through the process of investing in Neurable was an excellent way to apply many of the business skills I learned while at Ross and working on some of the other student-led venture funds, such as reading between the lines of communication and effectively negotiating complex terms," said Finn, who led the team of student investors on this deal. "The Neurable team was impressive through it all and was committed to ensuring the Founders Fund was the right fit for supporting the company through this pivotal phase of its growth."

The Zell Founders Fund is a $10 million seed fund led by the students who represent the top talent from the Zell Lurie Institute's other established student-led funds. The Fund has a mission to help advance the extraordinary University of Michigan students and recent alumni whose ventures need funding to move from idea to profitability. This latest investment underscores the Fund's commitment to not only supporting U-M student and alumni ventures, but also the very best ventures across the entire University. The Fund's portfolio now represents companies with ties to schools of design, medicine and, of course, business, with investments in Sneakers by Jordana and several soon-to-be-unveiled companies, in addition to Neurable. The Fund was made possible by a 2015 gift from business magnate Sam Zell.

About Neurable

Neurable is developing software based on breakthrough brain-computer interface (BCI) research and novel insights in neuroscience. Its patent-pending technology interprets intention based on brain activity, providing users with reliable real-time control of software and software-controlled devices using only their minds. As a platform for human-computer interaction, Neurable is targeting virtual and augmented reality, licensing its software development kit (SDK) to content developers and headset manufacturers to enable completely new and immersive experiences. For more information, visit www.neurable.com.

About the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

The Institute and its Center for Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance bring together an impactful combination of deep-seated knowledge, enriching experiences and strategic opportunities from the front lines of entrepreneurship and alternative investment. Students' learning experiences are further enhanced through internships, entrepreneurial clubs, business competitions and campus-wide events that foster valuable networking and engage the business community. The School's five student-led investment funds, with $8.5M under management, immerse students in the entrepreneurial business sourcing, assessment and investment process. Founding Zell Lurie advisory board members included Samuel Zell, chairman of Equity Group Investments, and Eugene Applebaum, founder of Arbor Drugs Inc. For more information, visit the Institute's website at www.zli.umich.edu

About Michigan Ross

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is a vibrant and distinctive learning community grounded in the principle that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today's dynamic global economy. The Ross School of Business' mission is to develop leaders who make a positive difference in the world. Through thought and action, members of the Ross community drive change and innovation that improves business and society.

Ross is consistently ranked among the world's leading business schools. Academic degree programs include the BBA, MBA, Part-time MBA (Evening and Weekend formats), Executive MBA, Global MBA, Master of Accounting, Master of Supply Chain Management, Master of Management, and PhD. In addition, the school delivers open-enrollment and custom executive education programs targeting general management, leadership development, and strategic human resource management.

SOURCE The Zell Lurie Institute

Related Links

http://www.zli.umich.edu


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Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Agartala, July 27 : The state-owned ONGC has stepped up exploration activities in Tripura to unearth more gas to set up a fertilizer plant and to augment power generation, an official said.

"Currently total drilling rig strength has been increased to seven and one more rig will be deployed soon to step up the exploration of gas in Tripura," Oil and Natural Gas Corp's Executive Director S.C. Soni told the media here on Wednesday evening.

He said: "Until September last year, only three drilling rigs were operational in Tripura. Of the seven rigs, four are owned by ONGC and three are chartered."

Soni said the company has targeted to explore five MMSCMD (Million Metric Standard Cubic metre per day) by mid-2018 while the "Maharatna" company has the potential to produce around 4.3-4.5 MMSCMD from 76 wells.

"The exploration of additional gas is required to set up a fertilizer plant in north Tripura and to supplement generation of electricity."

The ONGC has planned to set up a Rs 5,000 crore fertilizer plant in northern Tripura in association with the state government and Chambal Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd, a Rajasthan based company.

Soni, who is retiring on July 31 after 35 years of service, said a total of 223 wells have been drilled by ONGC in Tripura till April and 116 were found to be gas bearing.

He said the ONGC management has approved additional investment of Rs 3,104 crore for drilling of wells and creation of surface facilities to produce more gas from Tripura gas fields.

The company had earlier commissioned its first commercial power project in India, located in southern Tripura and run by ONGC Tripura Power Co (OTPC), formed by ONGC, the Tripura government and Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS).

The 726 MW capacity gas-based combined cycle power project (using both water and natural gas), situated at Palatana, 60 km from Agartala, has been supplying electricity to the seven northeastern states and 100 MW to Bangladesh.

"One more unit with a capacity of 363 MW can be set up at the Palatana power plant and for that 1.5 MMSCMD additional gas would be required. In the near future ONGC will be able to supply the additional gas to OTPC," Soni said.
Rome, July 28 : A ship docked in the Sicilian port of Trapani in Italy with 245 migrants on board who were saved earlier this week in the Mediterranean, as well as the bodies of 13 people who perished on the crossing, officials said on Friday.

Rescuers on Tuesday recovered the corpses of 13 migrants including pregnant women from a flimsy inflatable dinghy drifting 15 nautical miles off the Libyan coast.

Shocking pictures of the tragedy emerged showing survivors from sub-Saharan Africa sitting on the sides of the raft around a pile of bodies, many of which were naked.

A Spanish charity rescue vessel that reached the scene found 167 migrants alive.

Nearly 3,000 migrants have died trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean so far this year, according to the UN migration agency the International Organization for Migration.

A total 113,433 people entered Europe by sea this year through 26 July as the Mediterranean migrant crisis continues, with 94,445 of these people landing in Italy, according to IOM.
Islamabad, July 29 : An informal meeting, chaired by ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Saturday deliberated the PML-N's political strategy after Sharif's disqualification and decided to rally behind his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif after discussions that stretched over four hours.

The meeting came ahead of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentary party meeting, to be convened at the Punjab House later in the day.

If the parliamentary party validates the decision, Shahbaz will have to resign from the Punjab Assembly and a new provincial Chief Minister will have to be chosen. Shahbaz will then have to get elected from the seat left vacant by the elder Shairf and an interim Prime Minister will have to be elected until Shahbaz enters the National Assembly.

Sources claim that PML-N leaders and former federal ministers Rana Tanveer, Khurram Dastgir and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi were front-runners for interim post. Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman was likely to replace Shahbaz as the Punjab Chief Minister.

The meeting, expected to be the last under Sharif in the Prime Minister house, was attended by close aides of the outgoing Prime Minister, including Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, Saad Rafique, Rana Tanveer, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.
Cairo, July 29 : An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced eight persons to death over charges of breaking into a police station in 2013, the media reported.

The defendants were convicted of assaulting a government institution, setting it ablaze, wounding 19 policemen and civilians, and burning 20 police and three private cars, Xinhua news agency reported.

The court referred the sentence to Grand Mufti, the country's highest Islamic official who will give the religious judgment of all preliminary death sentences.

The Mufti's opinion is non-binding as it is usually considered a formality.

The court will give its final sentence against other 60 accused with the same charges in October.

The case dated back to August 2013, when the Brotherhood members broke into some police stations, killing security men in retaliation for the police's crackdown on the supporters of the Islamist President Mohamed Morsi who was ousted by the army in response to mass protest against him.

Morsi along with prominent figures of his Brotherhood group were sentenced to death over killing protesters, spying for foreign countries amid other charges.
Wellington, July 29 : Four persons were arrested in Sydney on Saturday in an anti-terror operation, the police said.

The arrests were made after "multiple searches" were conducted by the Australian Federal Police and the New South Wales Police in the suburbs of Lakemba, Surry Hills, Wiley Park and Punchbowl in Sydney, Efe news reported.

"Four men have been taken into custody and were assisting police with their enquiries," the joint statement by the Australian Federal Police and the New South Wales Police said.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that he had been kept "closely briefed on the progress of the operations", which were ongoing. He said that the operations were "designed to disrupt and prevent plans to undertake terrorist attacks in Australia".

The raids in Sydney were conducted on the same day when Australian Attorney General George Brandis was co-hosting a sub-regional meeting on fighting cross-border terrorism in Indonesia, which also brought together representatives from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and New Zealand.

Standing alongside the Indonesian Security Minister, Brandis announced at the end of the meeting that the six nations in attendance had "resolved to take specific, tangible steps in cooperation with one another to address the threat of foreign terrorist fighters and cross-border terrorism", which he said was becoming "more severe, not less".
New Delhi, July 29 : Rattled by the resignation of half a dozen of its legislators in Gujarat ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha elections, the Congress on Saturday approached the Election Commission here on Saturday and demanded a high level probe into alleged horse trading by the BJP.

A delegation of senior Congress leaders - Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Manish Tiwari, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Vivek Tankha met the EC and submitted a memorandum.

The delegation asked the EC to "forthwith constitute a high power committee of independent persons/officers to enquire into charges of money power, muscle power and blatant abuse of government machinery for purpose of engineering defections and resignations of Congress MLAs".

Jolted by the exit of six of its lawmakers since Thursday, the Congress on Saturday herded 44 of its remaining 51 MLAs in the 182-seat Gujarat Assembly to Bengaluru.

The Congress alleged that at least three of its MLAs - Punabhai Gamit (Vyara), Mangalbhai Gamit (Dang) and Ishwarbhai Patel (Dharampur) - have been approached by the "BJP and its agents to defect in consideration of monetary allurements".

"The state government, administration and police are being used (for influencing MLAs). It is sad that it is all being done in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Azad, who led the delegation, told mediapersons after meeting the EC.

"We also asked the EC to transfer or suspend all such officials involved in this shameful activity...who abducted, kidnapped our MLAs," he added.

Sharma said that the stories of Congress MLAs not being happy with the party and therefore defecting are "not true".

"How come a party that does not have enough MLAs to field a third candidate for Rajya Sabha, steals an opposition MLA and puts that person up as a candidate...Such a thing has never happened...It's an assault on democracy," Sharma said.

The Congress party had raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Friday and asked the Chairman to direct the Election Commission to take notice of the matter. Its members forced repeated adjournments in the House on the issue.

The Chair asked the Congress MPs to approach the EC with their grievances.

Congress veteran leader and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel is contesting the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat.
Chennai, July 30 : The IRDAI's latest order against private life insurer Sahara India Life Insurance Company Ltd., which in effect shuts down the company's business, has raised many questions for which there are not many answers, say senior industry officials and experts.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in its July 28 order has said: "The promoters of the company (Sahara India Life) are no more fit and proper; a sum of Rs.78 crore has already been siphoned off in name of the security deposits; the shareholders and Board of Directors are not keen in recovery plan; the company is mainly surviving on the release of reserves. However the situation may not continue for long as the new premium of the company has come down significantly."

On the insurance regulator's serious charge that Rs 78 crore has been siphoned off, industry officials ask what action have the IRDAI or the administrator appointed by it in June 2017 taken in that regard.

"It is not clear who has siphoned off the money. If it is fraudulent diversion of funds, it is a criminal act that will have to be taken cognizance of by the police and criminal court. It is not clear if IRDAI has lodged a criminal complaint," K.K. Srinivasan, former member of the IRDAI, told IANS.

"If it (IRDAI) has not done so far, it is perhaps duty bound to lodge a criminal complaint without further delay," Srinivasan added.

The IRDAI's July 28 order is silent on how and by whom Rs 78 crore were siphoned off.

However, information gleaned from the IRDAI order dated June 12 shows that Sahara India Life had paid a little less than Rs 80 crore as rental deposits towards opening of 646 pan-India branches to a group company.

Curiously, the IRDAI has not permitted Sahara India Life to expand its branch network.

According to the IRDAI, its July 28 order is based on the June 22 report by the administrator appointed by it. The insurance regulator has not made the administrator's report public.

"The siphoning charge also brings into picture the role of professionals like auditors -- external and internal -- appointed actuary. Did not the statutory auditors detect siphoning of funds?" a senior industry official asked.

He also said the appointed actuary is a representative of the insurance regulator and he/she submits two major reports about the company detailing the financial position and the actuarial reserves. The company also submits several returns to the regulator.

Srinivasan said as per the IRDA Act, the regulator is vested with the responsibility to protect policy holder's interests and ensure orderly growth of the industry.

"Hence the decision of IRDAI to transfer the assets and policy holder's liabilities of Sahara Life to ICICI Prudential Insurance under Section 52 B (2) of the Insurance Act seems appropriate," Srinivasan added.

Another industry expert not wanting to be named told IANS that the IRDAI has not explained in detail the reasons for appointing an administrator to run the affairs of Sahara India Life and then ordering the transfer of all its polices to ICICI Prudential Life Insurance.

"If IRDAI's decision is to protect the interests of policyholders, there were no major complaints against Sahara India Life of not settling valid claims. Further, there were no questions of the insurer falling back in its solvency margin. The company's solvency margin is much higher than others," the industry expert said.

Officials said there are insurers who have earned several crore of rupees of undue income from policyholders but the regulator has not taken such a punitive action against them as he has done in the case of Sahara India Life.

Industry officials also question the IRDAI's move to appoint its General Manager R.K. Sharma as the administrator of Sahara India Life.

"Earlier, the power to appoint an administrator was with the central government and the regulator had only a recommendatory power. After the amendment of insurance laws a couple years ago, the power to appoint the administrator was given to the insurance regulator," an official said.

"Normally, the government will not appoint its own official as an administrator or liquidator of a company. It would appoint a retired official or a professional. But in the case of Sahara India Life, an employee of IRDAI has been appointed as an administrator," the official said.

Industry officials told IANS that the IRDAI should look at the larger picture while regulating the industry than getting bogged down with minor aspects like filing of returns by the insurers.

"The regulator should give the comfort of confidentiality to the whistle-blowers. But that comfort is not there now," a senior industry official told IANS.

Several attempts to contact IRDAI officials by IANS for clarifications did not succeed.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in)
Mogadishu, July 30 : At least five persons were killed and scores injured in a bomb explosion outside a police station in Mogadishu on Sunday, police said.

A vehicle loaded with explosives blew up in the middle of Maka Al Mukarama road, a police officer told Xinhua news agency.

The victims were largely civilians who were using the road.

Pictures from the scene showed the blown up vehicle engulfed in fire.

"The explosion was so huge... You can see the smoke covering the whole place. Several people have died and others injured," Muhidin Farah, a witness, told Xinhua.

The explosion came as security forces have in the last few months intensified traffic checks and operations in Mogadishu.

It is the first explosion in the city in more than a month since the deadly Ramadan month attack at two restaurants which claimed 30 lives.

No group had yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Sydney, July 30 : A terrorist plot to "bring down" a plane was foiled late on Saturday, as authorities raided four properties across Sydney, with four men in custody.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the media on Sunday, and said that the arrests were centred around a plan to detonate a bomb -- involving an aeroplane, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turnbull said the investigation was underway and that security has been ramped up at all major airports across the nation as a result of the heightened terror threat.

"Every day, every hour, we are focused on ensuring that our defences against terrorism are stronger than ever," Turnbull said.

"That our co-operation is tighter than ever. That our co-ordination is swifter than ever before. Now, we have strong transport, security systems in place in Australia, to prevent acts of terrorism."

The Prime Minister said that travellers should be aware that the measures imposed at airports may cause delays, but that safety of passengers was the number one priority.

"Some of the measures will be obvious to the public, some will not be. Travellers should be prepared for additional scrutiny at screening points, and while it is important that Australians are aware of the increased threat - be assured we have the finest security and intelligence services in the world and they are working, as is my government, and all our governments around Australia, night and day, to keep Australians safe," Turnbull was quoted as saying.

Travellers have been urged to arrive at airports at least two hours before their flights, and to limit how much baggage they bring.

The four men in custody after the raids have not yet been charged.
Moscow, July 31 : Moscow will reduce diplomatic staff of the US in Russia by 755 people in order to equal the number of Russian diplomatic personnel in the US, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

"The personnel of the US diplomatic missions in Russia will be cut by 755 people and will now equal the number of the Russian diplomatic personnel in the US, 455 people on each side," Xinhua quoted Putin as saying in an interview broadcast with Russia's Rossiya TV channel.

Denouncing the latest "unlawful" move by Washington to tighten sanctions against Russia, Putin said it is time for Moscow to show that "we will not leave anything unanswered."

"We have been waiting for quite a long time that maybe something would change for the better, we had hopes that the situation would change. But it looks like it's not going to change in the near future," Putin said.

On Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill slapping tougher sanctions on Russia, two days after the bill was approved by the US House of Representatives.

The bill will be sent to the White House for President Donald Trump to sign into law or veto.

Putin said Russia has prepared a large set of measures to respond to the US when it is necessary, including restrictions in "sensitive" areas of cooperation with the latter, which hopefully would not be affected for the moment.

"We could imagine, theoretically, that one day a moment would come when the damage of attempts to put pressure on Russia will be comparable to the negative consequences of certain limitations of our cooperation. If that moment ever comes, we could discuss other response options. But I hope it will not come to that. As of today, I am against it," Putin said.

According to the president, the above-mentioned areas mostly include the joint fight against terrorism, obligations in nuclear arms control and space projects rather than economic relations, Putin said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that it would scale down US diplomatic staff in Russia to 455 people and seize a US warehouse and a recreational compound in Moscow.

It added that Russia reserves the right to give an adequate response if Washington takes further hostile measures.
Canberra, July 31 : Australian authorities on Monday launched a nation-wide hotline service for sexually assaulted university students.

The service will be available to students around the clock, with specialist trauma counsellors from Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia at the helm to provide support, reports Xinhua news agency.

Director and founder of End Rape on Campus Sharna Bremner told Xinhua on Monday that she hoped the hotline will help victims of assault and harassment - particularly in light of the report on sexual assault on Australian university campuses, which is due to be released on Tuesday.

"The hotline came about because we (End Rape on Campus) requested a specialist hotline for students, with 24/7 counselling," Bremner said.

The report into sexual assault and harassment at universities will detail the results of a student survey - undertaken by all the 39 universities which are part of the Universities Australia (UA) group - and Bremner anticipated there will be "mass panic from the universities" in light of what she expects will be damning figures.

The release of the survey is likely to see a number of students reach out for help, according to UA chief Belinda Robinson, and she hoped the support line will complement existing services that are already in place for survivors.

The support line will operate until November 30, when it will be re-evaluated to assess how many students accessed the service and whether it should be continued.
Agartala, July 31 : Two regional parties on Monday warned of agitations in support of their demand for a separate state for tribals in Tripura.

"To highlight our demand for a separate state, we had sought permission from the Tripura government to hold rallies on August 23 in Agartala but police refused permission," IPFT President Narendra Chandra Debbarma told the media here.

"We have now decided to request the Director General of Police to review the decision or we will resume our agitation," he said.

The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal party, blocked the National Highway-8, the lifeline of Tripura, and the lone railway line in the state for more than 10 days from July 10 over this demand, causing acute shortage of essential items.

After the intervention of the state and central governments, besides Governor Tathagata Roy, the IPFT withdrew the blockade on July 20.

Debbarma said after a meeting of IPFT leaders with central government officials in Delhi and the Governor in Agartala, they were hopeful of positive action on their statehood demand.

The IPFT rallies were disallowed due to fear of breach of peace, West District police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS.

On August 23 last year, the IPFT held rallies, which led to violence. As many as 17 vehicles as well as shops were vandalised in Agartala.

Another tribal party, Twipraland State Party (TSP), also threatened to launch an agitation over the statehood demand.

"We will organise rallies in all 23 sub-divisions of Tripura on August 23 to demand upgradation of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council to a separate tribal state," TSP President Chitta Ranjan Debbarma said.

Both IPFT and TSP are recognised by the Election Commission.

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for a separate state. The council has jurisdiction over two third of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area which is home to over 12,16,000 persons, mostly tribals.
Kolkata, July 31 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the BJP for the hike in the price of subsidised cooking gas by Rs 4 per cylinder every month, accusing the party ruling at the Centre of not caring for the people.

"I am really concerned about the commoners. Earlier, subsidy was withdrawn on LPG and now again. The BJP does not care about the people," she tweeted.

The Trinamool Congress supremo accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of making public commitments and then going back on them.

"They only care about money. How can the BJP not carry out their social obligations? Where is their commitment to society at large? The BJP makes public commitments and then deviates from all," she said.

The Centre on Monday ordered state-run oil companies to raise subsidised cooking gas price by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by March next year.
Kolkata, July 31 : A man who allegedly physically and sexually abused his housemaid's three-year-old girl and pierced her with multiple needles in West Bengal's Purulia district was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, police said on Monday.

Sanatan Thakur, a resident of Purulia, was arrested from Renukoot on Sunday night. He was hiding in a temple disguised as a monk, Superintendent of Police from Purulia Joy Biswas told IANS.

The officer said the accused would be brought back to West Bengal. Thakur was missing since the incident came to light on July 15.

After the child died, the police arrested her mother for allegedly aiding him in the crime.

"Thakur is slapped with charges of rape (IPC 376), murder (IPC 302), criminal conspiracy (IPC 120 b) and various sections of Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act," the officer added.

The girl child was admitted to state-run Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital on July 15. While the mother of the child only complained about fever, the doctors found that as many as seven needles were pierced into the child's body and one of her arm was also broken.

The doctors performed a surgery to take out all the needles from her body but failed to save her as she succumbed to sepsis and pneumonia on July 21.
Moscow, July 31 : The US has to abandon attempts at "sanctions diktat" and show the political will to improve relations with Russia to stop the aggravation of "political schizophrenia" that grips the Moscow-Washington ties, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"The way out of this situation lies in the channel of manifestation of the political will to improve relations, in the process of rehabilitation from the aggravation of political schizophrenia, fixing the desire to normalise these relations and abandoning attempts of sanctions diktat," Peskov was quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency.

Last week, the US Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill slapping tougher sanctions on Russia, with the White House saying that President Donald Trump intended to sign it.

In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Sunday that Moscow will reduce the US diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 persons.

At the same time, Moscow left to Washington the right to decide on which members of staff of its diplomatic missions in Russia will be dismissed, Sputnik reported.

"This is up to the US... This is both diplomats and people without the diplomatic status and those who were employed on site -- Russian nationals who work there," Peskov told reporters.

The Kremlin spokesman added that Russia reserves the right to take additional countermeasures against the US, although it still hopes to continue cooperation with it in certain areas.

"On the whole, Russia is interested in continuing cooperation (with the US) where this is in our interests... The President outlined areas that are really a good opportunity for interaction," Peskov said, adding, it is "expedient to continue cooperation in these areas".

According to Putin, crucial areas of cooperation for the two countries include the joint actions against terrorism, and obligations in nuclear arms control and space projects.
Chennai, Aug 1 : Actor Vishal, president of Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council (TFPC), said they won't give in to the demand of revised wages for the members of Film Employees Federation of India (FEFSI), who are to go on strike from Tuesday.

"We are willing to work with anyone from FEFSI or even those who are not associated with the federation. We will not give in to their demands and we stand by what we said earlier. The Madras High Court had restrained FEFSI from disrupting the shoot of any film," Vishal told IANS.

FEFSI and TFPC are at loggerheads after the former had an altercation with producer-actor RK Suresh on the sets of his Tamil film "Billa Pandi".

Members of FEFSI who are employed as technicians in "Billa Pandi" demanded increase in their daily wages.

When Suresh escalated the matter to Vishal, the latter called off shooting and suggested that technicians outside FEFSI can be used for shooting.

FEFSI head RK Selvamani is spearheading the strike.

"TFPC should work with the members of FEFSI who are more than 25,000 in number and can't use non-FEFSI members. The wage agreement for FEFSI members expired on July 31 and that's why we requested revision in daily wages. The members should be paid new wages and until then we will be on strike," Selvamani told IANS.

The shoot of several Tamil films has come to a standstill.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat will embark on a visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan starting from Tuesday with a high-level military delegation, an official statement said.

Gen Rawat will be the first head of the Indian Army to visit Turkmenistan.

Reaching Kazakhstan on Tuesday, he is slated to meet the Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry along with the Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces.

The delegation will also visit the elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University in capital Astana where he will inaugurate an Indian Military Art Room.

Gen Rawat will leave on Friday for Turkmenistan, where he will hold talks with the Minister of Defence and Secretary, the National Security Council, the First Deputy Minister, the Chief of General Staff and the commanders of Land, Naval and Air Defence forces.

The delegation will also visit the Military Institute and Military Academy of Turkmenistan.

"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the statement added.

Gen Rawat will conclude his two-nation visit on Sunday.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : A report that claims that tobacco-related diseases cost the government Rs 1,04,500 crore (over $15 billion) in 2011 alone is yet to be made public despite it being continually cited by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the minister across several fora, a RTI reply has revealed.

"....It is to inform you that a complete report on Economic Burden of Tobacco Related Diseases in India has not been published yet," said the RTI reply from the ministry, filed after more than a year's time.

It is not clear whether there has been any increment in expenditure in the years since, as there are no details of this. The reply also does not provide any details on the methodology of conducting the study.

The absence of the complete report means that there is no segregated data on how much the government spent on treating which tobacco-related disease. Tobacco causes several disease such as of the lungs, mouth, tongue, liver and also nerves.

In 2014, then Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that the total economic cost attributable to diseases caused by tobacco use in 2011 amounted to Rs 1,04,500 crore.

He had also said that direct medical costs of treating tobacco-attributable diseases was Rs 16,800 crore, while the indirect morbidity cost was Rs 14,700 crore. The cost of premature mortality was Rs. 73,000 crore -- all this a substantial productive loss to the nation.

The report estimates direct and indirect costs from all diseases caused by tobacco-use and four specific diseases, namely, respiratory diseases, tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

As per the information provided by the ministry, the report was supported by the MoHWF and the WHO Country Office for India and was developed by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), a public-private initiative.

Amal Pusp, Director (Tobacco Control) at the ministry, refused to comment on the issue despite several attempts.

Rijo John, a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, and the lead author of the report, said that he and his team had compiled it almost two years ago. He was clueless as to why it has not been published.

"I, being the lead author, completed the report almost two years back. However, I do not know why it has not been published till now," John told IANS.

Stating that the delay may not be deliberate, John added that one of the reasons could be the many campaigns against tobacco. He also said the report should be out in the next two-three months.

The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than seven million people a year. More than six million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 890,000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. India alone sees nearly one million deaths every year.

India has 120 million tobacco users, according to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey.

Nearly 80 per cent of the more than one billion smokers worldwide live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is the heaviest.

Despite the unavailability of the final report on the economic burden by tobacco-related diseases, India has taken a slew of initiatives against tobacco and also has moved to the third place globally among 205 countries with 85 per cent implementation of pictorial warnings on packets of tobacco products.

This is a dramatic leap from India's 136th position in 2014 and the 123rd position in 2012, revealed an International Status Report at the Seventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP7) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at Greater Noida, adjacent to the national capital last November.

(Rupesh Dutta can be contacted at rupesh.d@ians.in)
London, Aug 1 : Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has apologized for a series of tweets that falsely accused US President Donald Trump of refusing to shake the hand of a boy in a wheelchair during an event last week.

On Monday, Rowling said she deleted her July 28 tweets after she was informed that they "not a full or accurate representation" of what happened at the July 24 event at the White House, reports CNN.

She also apologized on Twitter to the three-year-old Montgomery Weer and his family though she did not extend the same courtesy to Trump.

A spokesperson for Rowling did not say whether she would issue an apology to the President.

Rowling had tweeted a video which was edited in a way that suggested Trump ignored Weer's outstretched hand, CNN reported.

The bestselling author wrote it was "stunning" and "horrible" that Trump "cannot bring himself to shake the hand of a small boy who only wanted to touch the President".

The first in her series of seven tweets racked up more than 75,000 re-tweets by Monday.

The boy's mother, Marjorie, wrote on Facebook that Trump didn't snub her son.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to not approve the bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

"It's a conspiracy of the Congress not to approve the amended Bill in the Rajya Sabha. All parties have recommended about the Bill in the select committee," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said after the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in Parliament here.

The minister's remarks came after the government on Monday suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the Backward Classes Commission, with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting was chaired by party President Amit Shah.

"In the meeting, (Amit) Shah said that when the party issues a whip it must be followed by all the MPs. Party has taken a serious note of it and it has warned its members not to repeat their act," Kumar said.

"The party will speak to those members who were absent in the meeting," he added.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : Opposition parties on Tuesday demanded a roll-back of the central government's decision to increase the price of subsidised cooking gas by Rs 4 per cylinder every month.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress member K.C. Venugopal said the government is working on speedy elimination of subsidy on cooking gas which will affect the common people of the country.

"International prices of crude oil are coming down. What justification do you have to end the gas subsidy? The government should immediately withdraw its decision," Venugopal said.

Echoing the sentiment, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sudip Bandopadhyay said: "We protest against it. This is anti-welfare and it should be immediately withdrawn."

Communist Party of India-Marxist MP P.K. Sreemathy Teacher pointed out that poor families will not be able to afford LPG due to the price hike.

Revolutionary Socialist Party member N.K.Premachandran accused the government of imposing a burden by ending the subsidy.

The Centre on Monday ordered state-run oil companies to raise the subsidised cooking gas price to eliminate all subsidies by March next year.

After raising the issue, the opposition members also sought an answer from the government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, who was in the House, did not respond to the queries raised by the opposition.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the opposition members that she can not compel the government to answer.

In protest, the opposition members staged a walkout from the House.
Mumbai, Aug 1 : A special CBI court here on Tuesday discharged former senior Gujarat Police officers D.G. Vanzara and M.N. Dinesh from the Sohrabuddin A. Sheikh shooting case of 2005 in Ahmedabad.

Of the two Indian Police Service officers, Vanzara was then head of Crime Branch in Ahmedabad and Dinesh, from the Rajasthan cadre, then headed the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad.

"Justice has been finally done to me by the judiciary," Vanzara commented shortly after the court verdict by Special Judge S.J. Sharma.

The development comes as a setback to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which had described Vanzara as "the main conspirator" in the case while Dinesh had led the police team which killed the Sheikh couple 12 years ago.

The discharge comes hearly three years after current Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah was granted similar relief in the same case.

The case with major political overtones pertains to the killing of suspected gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh and his wife in November 2005 in Gujarat.

According to the CBI, Sheikh and his wife Kauser Bi were allegedly picked up by the Gujarat ATS when they were proceeding from Hyderabad to Maharashtra's Sangli in a bus.

While Sheikh - described by the Gujarat ATS as a terrorist linked with global terror groups - was gunned down near Gandhinagar, his wife was killed after a couple of days.

A co-passenger travelling with the couple, Tulsiram Prajapati, who was the sole prime witness in the alleged staged shooting case, was later killed by police in a gunfight at Chhapri village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district in December 2006.

At the time, the CBI contended that an impressions was sought to be created that Sheikh was shot dead by police when he tried to escape from their clutches.

Arrested in April 2007, Vanzara remained in judicial custody till September 2014 when he secured bail from the Bombay High Court but resigned from service in 2013. Dinesh was released in 2014.

Following a plea by the CBI for a fair trial, the case was transferred from Gujarat to Mumbai in September 2012. A year later, it was merged with the Prajapati case by the Supreme Court.

A total of 32 persons, including several top police officers, were arrested and charged in the case of which 15 people have been acquitted so far.
Yangon, Aug 1 : The death toll from swine flu in Myanmar has risen to 12 with over 200 persons still hospitalised due to respiratory problems, state-media reported on Tuesday.

The Health Ministry confirmed on Monday the death of two other patients admitted to a children's hospital in Yangon city, Efe news quoted the Global New Light of Myanmar daily as saying.

Health authorities said that 210 other people had to be hospitalised due to respiratory problems, 62 of whom were confirmed to have contracted the disease.

The ministry also sent a report on the situation of the outbreak to the World Health Organisation (WHO) last week, and asked for assistance in containing the virus and supplying vaccines, medicines and equipment.

Authorities called on citizens to follow precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the virus, which include avoiding large crowds, regularly washing hands and consulting doctors after noticing influenza-like symptoms that do not subside in two days.

Myanmar has not experienced any swine flu outbreaks since the 2009 global pandemic, during which dozens of people were infected in the country.

Last week, authorities also reported an outbreak of the H7N9 virus, also known as bird flu, detected in June in the city of Dawei.
Abu Dhabi, Aug 1 : UAE'S flag carrier Etihad Airways on Tuesday said it was assisting Australian police with their investigation into a suspected terrorism plot to bring down a plane, the media reported.

"The Etihad Airways aviation security team is assisting the Australian Federal Police with its investigation and the matter is ongoing," the airline said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Etihad is complying fully with the enhanced security measures at airports in Australia and monitoring the situation closely," the BBC quoted the statement as saying Police have been searching five properties across Sydney after four men were arrested in raids on July 29.

Local media reported the men planned to use poisonous gas or a crude bomb disguised as a meat mincer, but police have not confirmed details of the alleged plot.

Police did not name the airline involved, but officials have described the operation as "sophisticated".

On July 30, a magistrate gave permission for an additional period of detention, meaning the four can be held for up to seven days without charge, the BBC reported.

No charges have been laid against the men.

Australian airports have increased their security measures and passengers were left waiting in lengthy queues after being advised to arrive earlier than usual.

The national terror threat level remains at "probable".
Kolkata, Aug 1 : The estimated tea production in India for June has decreased by 2.81 per cent to 143.02 million kg as compared to 147.15 million kg in the corresponding month last year, according to data provided by Tea Board India.

Darjeeling tea production was the worst hit in June due to ongoing indefinite strike as crop production fell by 89.47 per cent to 0.14 million kg as compared to 1.33 million kg in the year-ago month, the Board's data said.

Out of the total production in June, North India, which comprises Assam Valley, Cachar in Assam, Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling in West Bengal, contributed 116.40 million kgs while South India produced 26.62 million kgs.

North India's production for the month (June) was down by 4.70 per cent from 122.14 million kgs in the year-ago month.

South India's production from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka was, however, up by 6.44 per cent from 25.01 million kg in June last year.

In June 2017, small growers contributed 68.17 million kg to the estimated production while big growers' contribution stood at 74.85 million kg.

Small growers had produced 66.70 million kg in June 2016 while 80.45 million kg were produced by big growers in the same month this year.

In the April-June quarter of the current financial year, all India estimated tea production stood at 354.24 million kg, of which North India's contribution was at 276.06 kg and South India's at 78.18 million kg.

In the first three months of the current fiscal 2017-18, the estimated Darjeeling tea production was 1.93 million kg.
Tokyo, Aug 1 : The Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 on Tuesday began accepting mascot design proposals during a ceremony at an elementary school in Tokyo's Asakusabashi neighbourhood.

Professional illustrators, designers and residents of the Asian country, including non-Japanese, are eligible to participate in the contest. They can submit their proposals within the next two weeks through the Tokyo 2020 website, reports Efe.

In December, a panel appointed by the organisation will pick a shortlist from the design sets and then let elementary school children across Japan select their favourite set.

The panel, which is set to announce the winner in March 2018, will meet again between July and August 2018 to give the chosen mascots names.

Mascots are very popular in Japan, where it is common for private companies and state agencies of all kinds to use them to promote their products and services.
Mumbai, Aug 1 : Director Meghna Gulzar's upcoming film "Raazi", which is being widely shot in the Kashmir Valley, has been locked for release on May 11 next year.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who is co-producing the film, tweeted on Tuesday: "Exciting date announcement! 'Raazi' releasing May 11, 2018... Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal."

Meghna, who has earlier made films like "Filhaal..." and "Talvar", is the daughter of celebrated writer Gulzar and veteran actress Raakhee.

For "Raazi", which narrates the story of a Kashmiri girl married to a Pakistani Army officer, she has cast actors Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal.

The espionage thriller is based on Harinder Sikka's novel "Calling Sehmat", and is being shot in Punjab, Kashmir and Mumbai.
Mumbai, Aug 1 : A career diplomat and graduate of the world-renowned Yale University, Edgard Kagan, has taken over as the new US Consul-General here, an official said on Tuesday.

Kagan's immediate previous assignment was as the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Joining the US Foreign Service in 1991, Kagan, who succeeded Tom Vajda, brings with him a rich experience in different postings, including deputy director of the US Mission to the UN in Washington, besides diplomatic posts in China, Australia, Israel, Hungary and Cote d'Ivore.

"My family and I are honoured to be representing our country here in western India. I look forward to meeting people across our western Indian consular district and to working together to advance the US-Indian partnership on all levels," Kagan said.

The US Consul-General is accompanied in Mumbai by his wife and three children.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : As many as 33 lakh new taxpayers have been added to the tax net post demonetisation, parliament was informed on Tuesday.

However the number of taxpayers added is less than the number of taxpayers added between the financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16, when 40 lakh extra returns were filed, the government data showed.

"The number of income taxpayers has increased after demonetisation. During the period of November 9, 2016 to March 31, 2017, 1.96 crore returns were filed as compared to 1.63 crore returns filed during corresponding period of FY 2015-16 and 1.23 crore returns filed during corresponding period of FY 2014-15," Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

As for the objectives of demonetisation, the Minister said that it "seeks to create a new 'normal' wherein the GDP would be bigger, cleaner and real".

"This exercise (demonetisation) is a part of government's resolve to eliminate corruption, black money, counterfeit currency and terror funding," he added.

In a separate reply, the Minister said that there was "no official estimation of the quantum of black money in India".

"There was no official estimation of quantum of black money in India. However, post demonetisation, the Income Tax Department (ITD) conducted searches in 900 groups of persons during November 2016 to March 2017 leading to seizure of Rs 900 crore and admission of undisclosed income of Rs 7,961 crore," he said.

He added that during the same period, 8239 surveys were conducted leading to detection of undisclosed income of Rs 6,745 crore.

The Minister disclosed that during the current Financial Year up to June 30, the ITD has conducted searches in 102 groups, seizing assets worth Rs 103 crore. The persons searched have admitted undisclosed income of Rs 2,670 crore.

He also said that the ITD has also launched 'Operation Clean Money' with the mission to "create a tax compliant society through a fair, transparent and non-intrusive tax administration where every Indian takes pride in paying taxes".

Gangwar said under the operation, about 18 lakh persons whose cash transactions did not appear in line with their tax profile were identified and approached through email/sms.

"More than 9.27 lakh responses were received giving information on 13.33 lakh accounts involving cash deposits of around Rs 2.89 lakh crore. Out of this, a record number of 5.27 lakh responses were received in the first 12 days of the operation," he said.

"Advance data analytics tools were deployed which further identified 5.56 lakh new cases and about one lakh cases in which either partial or no response was received in the earlier phase. Besides, about 200 high risk clusters of persons were identified for appropriate action," he said.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is to question Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's younger son Naseem Geelani on Wednesday as part of its probe into terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir.

The anti-terror agency issued summons to Naseem, a state government employee, on Monday for appearance at its Delhi headquarters on Wednesday for questioning. The summons was delivered to his house by the agency.

"As Geelani's sons are part of the top Hurriyat leadership, their questioning is necessary to unearth the illegal means adopted by separatist leaders in receiving terror fundings (from Pakistan) through hawala channels for organising terrorist and other activities in Jammu and Kashmir," an NIA official said on the condition of anonymity.

NIA reissued summons to Naseem's elder brother Naeem, a doctor once based in Pakistan, after he failed to appear in response to a July 27 notice since he is in hospital.

Both Naseem and Naeem are on the NIA radar in connection with the agency's May 30 case registered against Kashmir separatist leaders, including Hurriyat members, for allegedly conniving with outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, and others to raise and receive funds to create unrest in the valley.

NIA investigators said they have questioned several Hurriyat leaders, their relatives and some identified stone-pelters in Srinagar who were among the 30 summoned by the agency last week following the arrest of seven key Kashmiri separatists in the case.

Those arrested are Nayeem Khan, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Aftab Hilali Shah alias Shahid-ul-Islam, Ayaz Akbar Khandey, Peer Saifullah, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, and Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate. All of them are in 10-day NIA custody.

Altaf is the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan.

On Monday, the NIA raided the ancestral home of Jammu and Kashmir advocate Devender Singh Behal, who was arrested a day earlier over his links with Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Behal's ancestral house is located in Nowshera town in Rajouri district.

The NIA had on Sunday raided Behal's home in Bakshi Nagar in Jammu and taken him into custody.

NIA sources said Behal, who is considered close to Geelani and is regularly seen at funerals of slain militants, was being questioned for his role in the terror funding.

Behal is Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF), a constituent of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani.

Four mobile phones, a tablet, electronic devices and financial documents were recovered during the search operation on Sunday.
Patna, Aug 1 : RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday called Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a "Paltu Ram of politics" for breaking the Grand Alliance and forming a new government with the BJP.

"Nitish Kumar is the Paltu Ram of politics. He has again proved that he can do anything for power. He has neither principles nor ideology but only greed for power," Lalu Prasad told the media here.

Lalu Prasad said Nitish Kumar had in his political life joined hands with many and then dumped them.

"Nitish Kumar has broken the Grand Alliance by citing the case of Tejashwi Yadav. It is far from the truth. Nitish Kumar has no shame.

"I know Nitish Kumar for long. He has no mass base and is only greedy for power."

Lalu Prasad said Nitish Kumar along with some union ministers had conspired to have the CBI lodge cases against him and his son Tejashwi Yadav and raided his residence in Patna. "It was to defame us... Nitish Kumar has murdered democracy."

The RJD leader said Nitish Kumar's image was now of a "paltibaaj". He has exposed his political character before the people, he said.

Asked to comment on Nitish Kumar's remarks that he did not need any certificate on his secular credentials, Lalu Prasad said: "Nitish Kumar is communal, he has nothing to do with secularism. Nitish Kumar should cover his body with saffron and chant 'Jai Shri Ram'."

The former Bihar Chief Minister warned that while "Nitish Kumar may have again sat on the lap of the RSS and BJP, sooner or later they will bid him farewell".
Ranchi, Aug 1 : The Jharkhand Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to the Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill 2017, which aims to ban religious conversion in the state.

"The Cabinet has approved Jharkhand Religious Independence Bill 2017, banning forcible conversion. Anyone found violating the provisions of the bill will be liable for three years' imprisonment or Rs 50,000 fine or both," said a statement by the government.

"If the conversion act is done with a minor, a member of the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, or women, then the person will face four years of imprisonment or Rs 1 lakh fine or both," it added.

The bill is likely to be introduced during the monsoon session of the state assembly, scheduled to begin from August 9.

The Cabinet also gave its approval to give an amount of Rs 1 crore to the Deputy Commissioner of each district for disaster management.
New Delhi/Chennai, Aug 1 : The price reduction in automobiles following the successful roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the good monsoon spurred vehicle sales last month, said industry officials on Tuesday.

"The benefit of a good monsoon, the successful rollout of GST and a good run up to the festive season, starting from August, give us confidence of continuing a robust growth in Q2," said Rajan Wadhera, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M).

Passenger car major Maruti Suzuki India reported a rise of 20.6 per cent in its monthly sales for July 2017, selling 165,346 units in July from 137,116 units sold during the corresponding month of 2016.

Maruti's domestic sales edged higher by 22.4 per cent to 154,001 units from 125,778 units.

However, exports inched-up by 0.1 per cent with only 11,345 units shipped out during July 2017, down from 11,338 units sold abroad in the like period of 2016.

The second largest car maker in the country Hyundai Motor India said its domestic sales in the month increased to 43,007 units from 41,201 units in July 2016.

Further, the company reported a month-on-month sales growth of 14.5 per cent due to healthy demand for its automobile models like Grand i10, Elite i20 and Creta.

Rakesh Srivastava, Director - Sales and Marketing, Hyundai Motor India, said: "Hyundai with a growth of 14.5 per cent month on month and 4.4 per cent year on year continued its growth momentum..."

Similarly Tata Motors Ltd reported seven per cent rise in its total sales.

According to the company, the total sales of its passenger and commercial vehicle increased to 46,216 units from 43,160 vehicles sold in July 2016.

Tata Motors' domestic sales of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for July 2017 were higher by 13 per cent at 42,775 units from 37,789 units sold during the corresponding month of last year.

"The overall commercial vehicles sales in July 2017, in the domestic market were at 27,842 numbers, higher by 15 per cent over July 2016, due to ramp-up of BS4 production, across segments," the company said in a statement.

"The company also passed on the benefits of GST to consumers by reducing the prices of its vehicles across all commercial vehicle segments."

The company exported 3,441 units in July 2017, "a decline of 6 per cent, compared to 5,371 vehicles sold in July 2016, due to drop in volumes in Sri Lanka and Nepal," the statement added.

The other commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland Ltd sold 11,981 units last month -- up from 10,492 units sold in July 2016.

On its part, SUV major M&M logged six per cent sales growth last month at 41,747 units up from 39,458 units sold during July 2016.

The company's domestic sales were higher by 13 per cent to 39,762 vehicles during last month from 35,305 units sold during July 2016.

"We have registered a growth of 21 per cent in the passenger vehicle segment and a growth of 13 per cent in overall domestic vehicle sales," Wadhera said.

Similarly Ford India sold 26,075 vehicles up from 17,742 units sold in the corresponding month last year.

"Despite the administrative challenges associated with the introduction of GST, Ford has continued to grow faster than the industry," Anurag Mehrotra, President and Managing Director, Ford India, was quoted as saying in a statement.

Two and three wheeler makers too logged good growth last month with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India growing its sales by 20 per cent to 544,508 units.

On its part, Hero MotoCorp reported a sales of 623,269 units last month up from 532,113 units sold in July 2016.

Two- and three-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company said it sold 271,171 units (two-wheelers 263,336 units, three-wheelers 7,835 units) last month -- up from 248,002 units (two-wheelers 240,042, three-wheelers 7,960 units) sold in July 2016.
Lucknow, Aug 1 : The agitating 'Shiksha Mitras', who had taken to the streets against the state government in the last one week, withdrew their protests on Tuesday after a meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

After remaining closeted behind doors with Adityanath and Minister of State for Basic Education Anupama Jaiswal for over three hours, the protest leaders said they were putting off the protests for one week following an assurance by Adityanath to do something for them.

The 1.72 lakh Shiksa Mitras had gone on the war path after the Supreme Court on July 25 upheld a 2015 verdict of the Allahabad High Court cancelling their assimilation as Assistant Teachers.

Resorting to violence, two persons even lost their lives during the demonstrations. The protests turned violent at some places after which the state government had to intervene. Studies in many schools across the state were hit by the agitation.

The Chief Minister reportedly assured the agitating Shiksha Mitras that they will try and find a way out of the imbroglio, specially in light of the apex court's ruling. The protestors then assured the state government that they would be returning to teaching from Wednesday and will wait for a week for the government to act in their favour.

In case no favourable decision was taken, they will resort to a bigger demonstration this time, said Jitendra Shahi, President of Aadarsh Samayojit Shikshak Welfare Association, after the talks.

Basic Education Minister Jaiswal said a proposal will be made and presented before the state cabinet soon.
By PTI: Chandigarh, Aug 1 (PTI) Opposition parties AAP and BJP today lashed out at Amarinder Singh-led government, alleging that its claim of breaking the back of "drug cartels" in the state was "bogus".

Both parties criticised the state government on the drug menace issue, referring to MLA Surjit Singh Dhimans reported statement that chitta (drugs) is "still available" as the drive against it "remained effective for only in the first 15 days of the government".

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The statement of Dhiman at a function in Sunam has proved the accusations of AAP leaders that drug was still available in the state, AAP leader and Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira said in a statement here.

The claim of state government that it had broken the back of drug cartels has turned out to be "bogus" with their own MLAs statement, he said.

Khaira claimed that Dhiman had stated it on record that the supply of drugs was interrupted for not more than 15 days after the formation of the Congress government.

It is an open secret that there is "rampant" availability of drug in Punjab that is "killing the youth of the state every day", he alleged.

The Leader of Opposition claimed that even Chief Minister Amarinder Singh himself had few days back said that the price of heroin which earlier was available at Rs 1,500 per gram has now gone up to Rs 5,000 per gram.

"But the chief minister refused to say anything about stopping the supply of drugs," Khaira said.

He demanded that the chief minister must disclose the names of drug traders whom he had claimed to have fled the state after formation of government.

Registering cases against petty drug consumers is not the solution, but there is a need to "tame the big players in the trade", Khaira said.

The Punjab BJP said the statement of the Congress MLA had "exposed" the claims of the state government on drug menace issue.

State BJP secretary Vineet Joshi said Amarinders claims of ending the drug menace in Punjab had "fallen flat" with Dhimans statement.

Joshi demanded that Amarinder ask Dhiman to name those who were involved in the sale of drugs. PTI CHS VJ ANB

--- ENDS ---
Agartala, Aug 1 : Over 30 policemen were injured in Tripura on Tuesday when activists of a tribal party attacked them, alleging a woman has been abducted, the police said.

The woman was later found at her father's house, a police officer said.

Hundreds of activists of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) attacked the security personnel with stones and sticks at Bodhjungnagar, 20 km from here, West Tripura District Police chief Abhijit Saptarshi told IANS.

"The IPFT people damaged government properties and attacked Bodhjungnagar police station and TSR (Tripura State Rifles) camp."

"They were claiming that a young tribal woman was kidnapped," Saptarshi said, adding that the woman was found in Raishabari in northern Tripura's Dhalai district.

Saptarshi, who was also injured in the stone pelting, said the agitating mobs also damaged transformers and other assets.

He said that among the injured were police, TSR, Central Reserve Police Force personnel and senior security officials.

The police resorted to mild lathicharge and brust tear-gas cells to disperse the mob. Orders prohibiting any gathering of five or more people under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed in the area.

Huge contingents of paramilitary and state security forces have been deployed in the tension ridden Bodhjungnagar industrial area and surrounding places.

The IPFT, a tribal based party, earlier blocked the National Highway-8, the lifeline of Tripura, and the lone railway line in the state for more than 10 days from July 10, demanding statehood for the tribals, causing acute shortage of essential items.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said Bihar's former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav should be scared of going to jail in connection with the corruption charges against him.

Reacting to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's claim that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was scared of Tejashwi, Paswan told reporters here "son (Tejashwi) is going to the jail. Then who should be frightened?"

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief also defended Nitish Kumar's decision to form the government with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying "Nitishji had two options. First, fight against corruption or save the corrupt government in the name of saving secularism. It had become suffocating for Nitish (to continue with RJD)."

Calling the decision to join hands with the BJP "a masterstroke", he said that "earlier, he was urged by media to part ways with the corrupt. Now that he has done it, you are calling him names".

Paswan expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance would sweep all Lok Sabha seats in 2019 general election given the combined power of the BJP, JD-U and the LJP.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : The government's decision to raise the subsidised domestic LPG cylinder by Rs 4 each month to finally eliminate subsidies by March next year led to protests in Parliament on Tuesday with the opposition demanding a rollback of the decision.

The Lok Sabha witnessed a walkout by some opposition parties after the government refused to back off.

In the Rajya Sabha, opposition members forced an adjournment even as Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the proposal to revise prices of subsidised LPG cylinders had been made during UPA rule and the Modi government wanted subsidies to go only to the poor.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, Congress member K.C. Venugopal said the government was working on speedy elimination of subsidy on cooking gas and this will affect the common man.

"International prices of crude oil are coming down. What justification do you have to end the gas subsidy? The government should immediately withdraw its decision," he said.

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay agreed. "This is anti-people and it should be immediately withdrawn."

Communist Party of India-Marxist's P.K. Sreemathy Teacher pointed out that poor families will not be able to afford LPG.

The government told the Lok Sabha on Monday that it had authorised the oil marketing companies to raise the subsidised cooking gas price to eliminate all subsidies by March 2018.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar did not respond to the queries raised by the opposition.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the opposition that she cannot force the government to answer. The opposition members then walked out.

In the Rajya Sabha, the issue was raised by Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien who said LPG subsidy was being ended when prices of crude had seen a steep fall.

He was joined by other members who trooped near the Chairman's podium raising slogans against the government.

The Chair adjourned the House for 10 minutes amid the din. As the House reconvened, Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad again raised the issue.

Sharad Yadav, whose Janata Dal-United is now part of the ruling NDA, also slammed the government. "Will the government will run on oil?"

Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav said the government was "taking money from the poor to fill its coffers".

Minister Pradhan said amid the din that an empowered Group of Ministers (GoM) was formed in 2010 under then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Its members included Mamata Banerjee, Sharad Pawar and Murli Deora and it had suggested that the price of domestic LPG would be increased by Rs 35 per cylinder.

He said the GoM had also said that price should be periodically revised based on the increase in paying capacity as reflected in rising per capita income.

Pradhan said the number of LPG subscribers had grown from 14 crore to 21 crore in three years.

"Our government is committed to the welfare of the poor. We distributed 2.60 crore new LPG connections... Subsidy will be given to the poor, not for the well-off." As the din continued, the house was adjourned till 12 noon.
Moscow, Aug 1 : Three trucks, a minibus, a jeep and a taxicab left the summerhouse of the US Embassy here in evacuation on Tuesday, as a result of escalating diplomatic tensions between the US and Russia.

"The last two employees to leave the property in Moscow's prestigious compound of Serebryany Bor hung a lock on the gates," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted its correspondent who witnessed the departure as saying, Xinhua reported.

On Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow would suspend the use of a warehouse and the summerhouse by the US Embassy staff from August 1, as part of retaliation to a new sanction bill passed by Washington and the expulsion of Russian diplomats and seizure of two Russian diplomatic properties in the US in December.

On Monday, the US Embassy complained that it was denied access to the summerhouse from Sunday.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained earlier on Tuesday that the problems US diplomats encountered were due to a ban on the entry by large transport vehicles to the territory of the compound.

"The Americans simply did not bother to inform the Moscow department of environmental protection in advance... that they were going to send three large trucks there," a source said, adding that cargo vehicles are not allowed in Serebryanny Bor, which is considered a nature reserve.

Tensions between Moscow and Washington have flared up since both chambers of the US Congress approved a bill slapping tougher sanctions on Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday announced Moscow's decision to reduce the US diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people, including US and Russian nationals, by September 1.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : The man who fatally stabbed his wife near Thyagaraj Stadium in south Delhi on Monday evening over her suspected extra-marital affair, has been arrested, the police said on Tuesday.

Santoshi was stabbed at least five times outside the Thyagaraj Stadium around 6 p.m. on Monday and was declared brought dead at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Trauma Centre, according to the police.

Police seized a blood-stained knife from the crime spot and arrested her husband, Vinod, from Mundka area of west Delhi on Tuesday morning.

Santoshi, 40, a mother of six, married Vinod, 34, a year ago since her first husband had died a couple of years back, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ishwar Singh said. Initially, the police said she had five children.

"During interrogation, Vinod claimed he saw his wife in a compromising situation with an unidentified person and killed her," the DCP said.

On Monday evening, Vinod took Santoshi to the INA Market in south Delhi and bought a knife.

"After the couple consumed liquor together, he took her near Gate number 1 of Thyagaraj Stadium and stabbed her multiple times. After confirming that she was dead, he threw the knife at the spot and fled to his cousin's house in Mundka," the DCP said.

The police said Vinod, a school dropout and unemployed, is a resident of Kotla Mubarakpur in south Delhi.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi mentioned in the Lok Sabha a case about an official who got cured of a "serious" illness after consuming cow urine as medicine, and asked if the government was encouraging any research on the medicinal properties that can be derived from cattle.

New Delhi MP Lekhi had a starred question to Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday related to the quality of milk products of Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS). However, she went on a different track altogether, and discussed the goodness of bovine by-products including cow urine and lamented how the "ancient science" had disappeared.

Lekhi mentioned a case where a person who was a "former ASD" was taken seriously ill, and was cured after he consumed cow urine as medicine.

She said the "ancient science" of the country has disappeared and asked if the government is planning to commission research on the medicinal science related to cattle.

Minister Radha Mohan Singh in reply said under the "Rashtriya gomang Utpadak Mission", a centre was being established in Karnal, Haryana.

Lekhi then said that the humus content in soil is coming down due to which it converts into dust which is a threat to health. The MP said cow dung can be used as fertiliser and also suggested using cow waste for methane production.

She also asked if the government has any plans of using cow dung for increasing humus content of soil.

Singh said the government is concerned about the environment, but added that the main question was focused on quality of milk products of DMS.

This prompted Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to say on a lighter note that it was the minister's skill that he could answer unrelated questions.

Mahajan however added that MPs are not reading the question.

"I am sad that MPs are not reading the questions, even those who ask the question do not read it," she said.
Tbilisi, Aug 1 : US President Donald Trump will sign the sanctions bill on Russia this week, visiting Vice President Mike Pence said here on Tuesday at a press conference with Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

Commenting on the current US-Russian relations, Pence said that the new sanctions bill on Russia that Trump will sign this week will be a clear message to all allies that US will do exactly what it has said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The sactions bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the US Senate by a vote of 98-2 on Thursday, targets Russia for its alleged intervention in Ukraine and meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied in public.

Putin on Sunday hit back at the sanctions by demanding the US cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, regarded as Moscow's most aggressive move against Washington since the final years of the Cold War.

Pence arrived here late Monday for a two-day visit, which will be followed by a trip to Balkan country of Montenegro, the newest member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Seoul, Aug 1 : South Korea on Tuesday urged North Korea to give a positive response to its earlier dialogue overtures, about which Pyongyang has been mum.

"We believe it is necessary to resume inter-Korean cooperation to solve humanitarian issues and ease military tensions," Seoul's Unification Ministry said.

The ministry urged North Korea to respond to Seoul's dialogue offers, vowing multilateral efforts to ease military tensions and solve urgent humanitarian issues including the reunion of separated families, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Moon Jae-in government proposed to hold talks on military affairs with North Korea on July 21 at the truce village of Panmumjom. It was aimed at stopping all hostile acts near the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

The Moon administration also suggested Red Cross talks with North Korea be held on August 1, but Pyongyang has been mum about both dialogue proposals.

The Red Cross dialogue offer was designed to discuss humanitarian issues, including the reunion of families of the two sides who have been separated since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in armistice, not a peace treaty.

Dismissing the peace gesture from the South, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile of intercontinental range late on Friday night, escalating military tensions on the peninsula.

The unification ministry said South Korea respects four past agreements with North Korea about inter-Korean relations, including the two reached after late South Korean Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun held historic summit meetings with late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000 and 2007.
Thiruvananthapuram, August 01 : The CPI(M) central leadership has reportedly expressed disapproval of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayans outburst against the media the other day.

Mr. Vijayan had lashed out at mediapersons and asked them to get out when he arrived for the peace meeting with leaders of the BJP at Mascot hotel in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, saying that the media was not invited to the meeting.

With Pinarayis actions snowballing into a controversy, the party central leadership has reportedly taken the view that the chief ministers outburst was unwarranted.

According to reports in the visual media, the central leadership is also miffed at the CPI(M)-led state government for not having taken the initiative to hold peace talks with BJP leaders.

The peace talks were held on Monday after governor P Sathasivam summoned chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday to seek an explanation on the measures taken by the state government to restore law and order in the state.

This, the central leadership believes, created the impression that the peace talks materialised owing to the intervention of the governor, thus inflicting considerable political damage to the ruling front.

The central leadership is also reportedly of the opinion that Pinarayi Vijayan need not have called on the governor at the latters instance.

This is in line with the view taken by the LDF that the governor exceeded his authority by summoning the chief minister.

The state capital has been on the boil for the past few days owing to a spate of tit-for-tat attacks between BJP and CPI(M) workers.

Matters came to a head when a local RSS functionary was hacked to death at Sreekaryam in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday night allegedly by CPI(M) workers.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : Five persons, including a former Ola taxi driver, have been arrested for carjacking an Ola cab here, the city police said on Tuesday.

A senior police officer told IANS that the five were arrested from different parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) on Monday.

The five men have been identified as Rajesh Kumar Mehta, 34, Puneet, 32, Deepak, 28, Rajesh Sharma, 40, and Neeraj Sharma, 30 -- all residents of Delhi.

On Friday, three persons hired an Ola cab from GTB Nagar Metro Station of north Delhi and hijacked it after tying up the driver, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Milind Mahadeo Dumbere.

Dumbere said the carjackers wanted to make quick money by selling the cabs as a private vehicle.

The police said apparently this was the first time that the accused had hijacked a vehicle. They are investigating whether any more persons were involved in the crime.

The police have recovered the stolen Maruti Swift Dzire car, two fake number plates used by the accused and a bag of the driver from whom the car was taken away.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday tweeted that his party will support the Oppsition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the upcoming vice-presidential election.

By Press Trust of India: The Aam Aadmi Party will support opposition candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi in the vice presidential poll, national convener Arvind Kejriwal said today.

AAPs support to Gandhi came hours after he met Kejriwal for support at his residence here.

"AAP will support Sh Gopal Krishna Gandhi (sic) for VP," the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted.

Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, is also the elder brother of AAP member Rajmohan Gandhi, who had contested on the party ticket in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

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The AAP has four MPs in the Lok Sabha, of which two have rebelled against the party.

The poll to elect India's next vice president is scheduled for August 5.

Gandhi, a former bureaucrat and ambassador, was selected as the joint candidate by 18 opposition parties.

However, the JD-U broke opposition ranks when it extended support to NDAs Ram Nath Kovind for president, but has said it will support Gandhi in the vice presidential election.

Gandhi will take on NDA candidate and former senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu in the vice presidential poll. Naidus victory appears to be certain with numbers favouring him.

The AAP had also supported Meira Kumar, the opposition candidate for the presidential poll against Kovind.

ALSO READ | Even after alliance with BJP, Nitish Kumar bats for Gopal Krishna Gandhi as vice president

ALSO READ | Bapu's grandson Gopal Krishna Gandhi is Opposition's vice-presidential candidate

--- ENDS ---
Amman, Aug 1 : Jordan Parliament's lower house on Tuesday repealed a law which allowed rapists to avoid punishment by marrying their victims, the media reported.

The Jordanian Cabinet had previously suggested removing the article as part of an ongoing effort to reform the country's penal code, which dates back to 1960, Efe news reported.

According to the monitoring group Human Rights Watch, countries in the same region such as Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Syria still retain a similar provision.

In July, Tunisia removed the provision, while Lebanon is currently in the process of scrapping Article 522 from its penal code, which also allowed sex offenders to marry their victims and avoid prison.
Istanbul, Aug 1 : The Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting here on Tuesday to discuss the escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians following the recent crisis over Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

The meeting was attended by foreign ministers, with Mohammad Javad Zarif present for Iran, Adel al-Jubeir representing Saudi Arabia and Jordan's Ayman Al-Safadi, among others, Efe news reported.

According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, it is expected that the foreign ministers of the 45-country OIC will make a joint statement later.

The meeting took place on the initiative of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in response to the recent escalation of violence after Israel imposed restrictions on access to Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem after an attack, according to Turkish news agency Anadolu.

However, the situation has been defused since Friday and the Palestinians returned to pray unrestrictedly in that sacred place on Sunday.

A week ago, Erdogan called on all Muslims all over the world to visit the mosque in Jerusalem and "protect" it.

There were protests in several Turkish cities against the measures imposed by Israel in Jerusalem.
Rome, Aug 1 : A two-month-old baby was taken to hospital in a critical condition after he fell out of a moving bus northeast of Rome, when the vehicle's doors suddenly opened, reports said on Tuesday.

The accident happened in the town of Guidonia when the baby's pram slammed against the doors of the bus as the driver turned a corner, the reports said.

The infant was take to Rome's Policlinico Hospital but is not in a critical condition.

Police are probing the incident, which happened on Monday and which consumer group Codacons decribed as "extremely serious".

Codacons' president Carlo Rienzi urged "an urgent and thorough investigation, especially of maintenance to its fleet carried out by bus company Cotral".

"Optimal safety on public transport must be guaranteed - in the interests of passengers," he said.

Police immediately seized the bus and its documentation, but said it was correctly insured and its paperwork was in order.

Their probe will focus on the technical causes of the accident, police said.

The bus was travelling to the nearby town of Tivoli.
Baghdad, Aug 1 : Violence, terrorist acts and armed conflicts across Iraq killed a total of 239 civilians and left wounded 273 others in July, a UN mission said on Tuesday.

"Figures of casualties do not include security members, as the Iraqi military declined to give information about casualties among the troops," a statement by United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said.

Previous figures of security members' casualties released by UNAMI were questioned by the Iraqi military as "inaccurate", while UNAMI responded "the military figures were largely unverified", Xinhua news agency reported.

Most of the civilian casualties occurred in the province of Nineveh, where 121 were killed and 112 others injured in battles between Iraqi forces and Islamic State (IS) militants in western Mosul.

Condemning the terrorist actions by IS, UN envoy to Iraq and UNAMI chief Jan Kubis said: "The terrorist actions caused enormous suffering to civilians by using them as human shields before the group was crushed in Mosul and victory declared by the government of Iraq on July 10."

Kubis reiterated his call to protect civilians in the conflict area as the Iraqi forces prepare for further offensive to "liberate the remaining parts of the country from the scourge of Daesh (IS group)".

The UNAMI statement came as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on July 10 officially declared Mosul's liberation from IS after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.
Lucknow, Aug 1 : The Uttar Pradesh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday approved a proposal for mandatory registration of all marriages, including those in the Muslim community.

Health Minister and government spokesman Siddharth Nath Singh, while briefing the media about the cabinet decisions, informed that Muslims will have also have to get their second, third and fourth marriages registered under the new provisions. The motive behind the move, he said, was to protect the interests of women, cutting across caste and community lines.

So far the central government rule in this regard had been implemented across the country except in Uttar Pradesh and Nagaland but with Tuesday's decision by the cabinet, it will be implemented in UP now, he said, adding that the Women and Child Welfare Department has been assigned the task while the Stamp and Registration Department will get this executed.

There will be a facility of an online portal for marriage registration and pictures of both husband and wife will posted on the registration, he said, adding a government order will be issued in this regard soon, providing further details.

Singh noted that the decision had been taken after due discussions with every community and the objection of Muslims to putting pictures of the newly-wed women on the registration form were dismissed on the grounds that that this practice is followed elsewhere in government procedures like passport, voter ID card and Aadhaar.

The earlier Samajwadi Party government had initiated a move to implement this but backtracked due to stiff opposition.
Kolkata, Aug 1 : The death of an elderly woman, who was brutally gang raped about a month ago, has triggered a hue and cry in West Bengal with women leaders and activists of the BJP, demanding to meet the bereaved family, on Tuesday engaging with the police in a scuffle.

The woman from North 24-Parganas district's Sandeshkhali was allegedly gang raped and pierced with sharp weapons on July 6 for protesting against a group of locals drinking outside her house.

The woman was admitted to Kolkata Medical College where she died on Monday.

Locket Chatterjee, the new President of state Bharatiya Janata Party's women's wing, and party activists were seen pushing and shoving the police personnel posted outside the morgue of NRS Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday evening, where the autopsy was slated to be done.

"We are being forcibly stopped by the police from meeting the bereaved family members or go near the body of the woman. Police have no right to stop us from entering a public hospital," Chatterjee said.

Many BJP women activists present there engaged in a war of words with the police after they were stopped, and accused the police of working like "henchmen" of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

"Police are acting like henchmen of the state ruling party. How can they stop us like this? Is CrPC 144 (prohibitory orders) imposed in the hospital premises?" an activist fumed.

According to the son of the deceased woman, the attackers put metal rods and broken glass bottles into the woman's body after raping her and left her to die in a nearby field.

"The doctors said she was pierced with iron rods. Broken shreds of glass were also found inside her body during the operations. She fought for 25 days before succumbing to the injuries," the victim's son said, demanding strict actions against her attackers.

The police said they are looking into the case with "acute seriousness".

"Police are investigating the case of rape in Sandeshkhali with acute seriousness. The prime accused in the case has already been arrested," Inspector General of Police Anuj Sharma said.
Islamabad, Aug 1 : PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday took oath as the 18th Prime Minister of Pakistan, after he swept the National Assembly election with a majority vote, five days after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered oath to Abbasi, who secured 221 of 339 votes in the National Assembly. After winning the election, Abbasi said though he was the interim Prime Minister, he was not there just to "keep the seat warm".

Abbasi took oath of his office at a solemn ceremony, which had the armed forces chiefs, governors, members of the parliament, and prominent political and social figures in presence.

The ruling PML-N head Nawaz Sharif, his brother and Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar did not attend the ceremony.

Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa attended the oath-taking ceremony, where he also interacted with guests.

Asked by a journalist as to how does he see the democratic process, the army chief replied: "Democracy is progressing; it is a good thing," Geo News reported.

In the National Assembly election, PPP's Syed Naveed Qamar secured 47 votes, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid received 33 votes, and four MNAs voted for Jamaat-i-Islami's Sahibzada Tariqullah.

An NA session to elect a new Prime Minister had been called by President Hussain following a landmark Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Papers case on Friday, in which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as PM after being deemed unfit to hold office.

Following the SC verdict, the PML-N had agreed upon Abbasi, former Petroleum Minister, as its candidate for Prime Minister for the interim period till a 'permanent' replacement is elected.

Abbasi has to eventually give way to Shahbaz Sharif, who is likely to compete for the National Assembly seat lying vacant following the ouster of his elder brother and then stand for the chief executive's office.

Following the announcement of Abbasi's victory by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the PML-N benches in the Lower House erupted with loud sloganeering in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing the lower house after his victory was announced, Abbasi expressed his gratitude to everyone for the victory.

"I am also grateful to the opposition and Imran Khan for remembering us in their daily slandering," he jibed.

Moving on, Abbasi termed the Supreme Court's verdict on the Panamagate case "unprecedented", saying that although the party was blind-sided by the judgement, "we accepted it as it was".

"We did not challenge the courts, there was no division in our ranks. The party stands as it was. No one wanted to joust for power - whoever the Prime Minister (Nawaz Sharif) named was supported unanimously," he said, rebuffing rumours of cracks in the party's ranks following the verdict, Dawn reported.

"Everybody wants the (prime minister's) chair. Tell me, who in this house doesn't? It is to the PML-N's credit that all party members rallied unanimously behind whoever was nominated by our leader.

"Within four days, the democratic process is back on track. There were no defections. There was no dissension in our ranks.

"Justice mandates that though a 1,000 guilty people may go free, not even one innocent person should be wrongfully convicted. I will not go into details of Friday's decision - I only want to say that there will soon be another court - one held by the people. There will be no JIT there," he said, referring to the upcoming general elections in 2018.

"I am sure that the real prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, will return to this seat."

However, he said that: "I am the country's prime minister - bet it for 45 days or 45 hours - and am not here just to keep the seat warm."

"If I am here for 45 days, I will try to complete the amount of the work that requires 45 months," he vowed.

Continuing, the prime minister-elect urged that the Constitution be respected. "Politics, which has come to be seen as a disreputable profession, will be made respectable again."

"Be it the government, bureaucracy, opposition or the army - we are in the same boat, and a hole in this boat will sink everyone," he cautioned.

"We will continue taking difficult decisions," Abbasi said as he promised to take action against "private militias" providing security to citizens.

The premier, carrying forward Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N's promises, vowed to eliminate loadshedding by November this year as he highlighted various infrastructure and development projects initiated by his party's government as examples of its commitment to the country's growth.

"In Pakistan's history, power projects with the capacity to generate 17,000 mega watts were set up before our government. We have added 10,000MW," he said.
Hyderabad, Aug 1 : It was believed to be a murder attempt but turned out to be a self-inflicted injury. Police here on Tuesday solved the mystery behind the firing on former Andhra Pradesh minister Mukesh Goud's son Vikram Goud with the arrest of two accused including a sharp shooter hired by him.

The Youth Congress leader, who was injured in the firing in the early hours of Friday at his house in upscale Banjara Hills and was so far being treated as a victim, has now become an accused. Police on Tuesday booked him and others under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

Nandu, the shooter who opened fire on Vikram, and another accused have been arrested, police sources said. The hunt was on for two other accused.

Police are likely to announce the arrests and other details of the case on Wednesday.

Initially, police treated the incident as a murder attempt but later suspected it to be case of attempted suicide.

Vikram, who had sustained two bullet injuries on his upper arms, had told police that two bike-borne assailants barged into his house and fired at him. However, the police investigations and the reports by ballistic experts and forensic scientists raised a suspicion on his version.

Police investigations finally revealed that Vikram staged the "attack" as he allegedly wanted wriggle out of financial troubles as some financiers were reportedly pressurising him to repay their loans.

Vikram hatched the plan with the help of a gang from Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. It included a shooter who allegedly opened fire on Vikram to inflict injuries but as per the plan ensured that there is no harm to Vikram's life.

Mukesh Goud served as a minister in the cabinets of Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Kiran Kumar Reddy.
New Delhi, Aug 1 : Alien and invasive species of weed have taken over grasslands in several tiger reserves, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Weed species such as Lantana, Eupatorium and Parthenium have come up in several reserves, including Mudumalai National Park, Bandipur area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the Gir and Kaziranga National Park, among others.

The invasive species of weed overtake grasslands, thus forcing the herbivorous to migrate, leading to significant drop in the tiger prey, according to experts.

The invasive species were found by an evaluation committee constituted by the ministry.

"Insofar as tiger reserves are concerned, there is provision for weed removal under habitat development which, inter alia, is an important part of Tiger Conservation Plan of the concerned tiger reserve," Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan informed Parliament in a written reply.

He further stated that removal of these unwanted weeds was one of the components which was supported under the centrally-sponsored scheme of Project Tiger.

However, according to the experts, very less is being done for the removal of such invasive species.

"Our grasslands have gone and these species has replaced them, they are everywhere. Be it Kanha or Corbett, it's not limited to just handful of the tiger reserves," conservationist Professor C.R. Babu told IANS.
Hyderabad, Aug 1 : UP Yoddha inflicted a third consecutive defeat on hosts Telugu Titans with a 31-18 huge win on debut in the fifth edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium here on Tuesday.

Putting up an all-round team effort, captain Nitin Tomar (six points), Rishank Devadiga (five) and Mahesh Goud (four) scored raiding points for UP Yoddha, while Nitesh Kumar (five) starred for their defence line-up in the Zone B match.

Telugu relied heavily on captain Rahul Chaudhari, who contributed seven raiding points. His fellow raiders Nilesh Salunke and Rakesh Kumar were ineffective, accumulating two points each.

It was Telugu's third loss in four matches so far. After defeating U Mumba in the tournament opener on Friday, Telugu fell to double defending champions Patna Pirates and Bengaluru Bulls before facing UP Yoddha.

Both the teams were locked in a tight battle. Respective captains Rahul and Nitin were quick to nab early raid points. Devadiga too got into the act.

With the score at 12-11 in favour of Telugu at half-time, it was turning out to be a match that will go down the wire.

The crucial moment of the match came when Surender Singh earned three points off a raid which made it 17-13 for UP Yoddha at the 27th-minute mark.

Nitin then earned one point to make it 18-13 before Salunke was caught by UP Yoddha as the match steered towards the Lucknow-based outfit.

Last man standing Rakesh Kumar was eliminated as UP Yoddha forced an all out on the hosts to take a 23-14 strong advantage in the 30th minute.

Later, Rahul was kept out for the better part of the latter phase as UP defender Nitesh continued to make big impact. Eventually, UP Yoddha raced to a big win on debut.

(Abhishek Purohit can be contacted at abhishek.p@ians.in).
Security forces earlier killed top Lashkar commander Abu Dujana and his aide in an encounter in Hakripora area of Pulwama district.

Several people were injured in stone pelting in Pulwama after Lashkar commander Abu Dujana's encounter. (TV grab)

By India Today Web Desk: A civilian was killed and several others were injured in stone pelting and clashes between locals and security forces after top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana was gunned down in an encounter.

As soon as the news about killing of Abu Dujana and his accomplice Arif spread, locals in Hakripora area of Pulwama resorted to stone pelting. As the security forces were engaged in the counter- militancy operation, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them.

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Security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired few rounds to disperse the stone-pelting protestors.

LASHKAR TOP COMMANDER ABU DUJANA KILLED

Earlier, Lashkar commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hakripora area of Pulwama. An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces.

During the ensuing firefight, both the militants were killed. Bodies of the killed militants have been recovered,

Abu Dujana was wanted in many militancy-related attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir. He was category 'A' militant and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head.

ALSO READ:

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Dujana killed in Pulwama encounter

Kashmir: Lashkar's Abu Dujana gives slip to security forces again

Jammu and Kashmir: After beheading of jawans, Indian Army prevents future attacks on troops

WATCH: Most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Dujana killed in encounter in Kashmir

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Washington, Aug 2 : US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia from August 5-9, the US State Department has said.

Tillerson will take part in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum in Manila, the Philippines, the US State Department said on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

During the meetings, he will discuss with his counterparts of other countries the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security and counterterrorism, according to a statement by the State Department.

In Thailand, Tillerson will pay respects to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and engage Thai officials on the enduring US-Thailand partnership and regional issues.

In Malaysia, Tillerson will meet with officials to discuss strengthening cooperation on a range of issues in the 60th year of US-Malaysia bilateral relations, the statement added.
Newest Baobab Facial Correction Cream from Skin Resource.MD launched today The genesis of this baobab cream was to find the most powerful antioxidants in nature that could address aging, hyperpigmentation and discoloration.

Skin Resource.MD, a dermatologist created skincare line based out of San Diego, California, launched Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream, the first correction cream utilizing the oil from the baobab seed as the key ingredient. The baobab (pronounced BEY-oh-Bab) oil used in the skin cream contains high concentrations of Vitamins A, D, E, and F and fatty acids which are key elements known for their ability to rejuvenate the skin, lessen the signs of aging, brighten skin, and help reverse sun damage. Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream also addresses multiple specialty skin issues, including melasma, uneven skin tone, acne scars, and eczema.

The Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream was envisioned by Christopher V. Crosby, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.D. and co-created with Paul B. Dean, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.D., to provide products with high antioxidants to the skin care regimen for their patients at the Grossmont Dermatology Medical Clinic in San Diego. The correction cream has been in use for clinic patients and ready for wider distribution. Like all Skin Resource.MD products, the correction facial cream is fragrance free and has had no animal testing.

We are proud to launch such a unique and effective skin care product in the marketplace, said Dr. Crosby, dermatologist and co-creator of the Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream. The genesis of this baobab cream was to find the most powerful antioxidants in nature that could address aging, hyperpigmentation and discoloration.

The baobab tree has long been touted as the Tree of Life. Known as the provider and protector of the African plains, this enormous, powerful tree provides legendary healing and rejuvenating properties. It is also a source of life-sustaining fruit. The extract from the baobab seed has an extraordinarily high concentration of antioxidants.

The Baobab Skin Correction Facial Cream is to be used twice per day, and is for sale on line at https://skinresourcemd.com/products/baobab-skin-correction-facial-cream for $49.00 for 1.7 oz. A portion of these sales support women and childrens health in Africa via International Medical Corps.

For more information about Skin Resource.MD, go to https://skinresourcemd.com/

About Skin Resource.MD

Skin Resource.MD (SRMD) Cosmeceuticals was founded by board-certified dermatologists and practicing in San Diego for more than 35 years. SRMD products are doctor-formulated, fragrance free, involve no animal testing, and are manufactured earth friendly. As an online marketplace, SRMD passes savings onto customers, broadening access to excellent skin care products for all skin care needs. SRMD seeks to help all patients navigate the overwhelming amount of information on skin care products and ingredients, and encourages a simple regime with specialized products for patient distinct needs and skin conditions. https://skinresourcemd.com/

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Better advocacy through intelligent technology We are pleased to provide assistance to N&C and help take this company to the next level, said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. We look forward to seeing them invest, expand, and create new jobs in Baltimore City.

N&C Inc., a provider of tools that help advocates analyze complex content, discover insights, and better represent the interest of their clients and stakeholders, announced that the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority (MSBDFA) has led a $275,000 equity financing round. MSBDFA is a financing program of the Maryland Department of Commerce, the states primary economic development agency.

With initial customers subscribed to N&Cs regulatory analytics solution Regendus and a growing portfolio of enterprise sales opportunities in the pipeline, the company expects the new funding will ensure N&C capitalizes on key revenue opportunities in the near term, while continuing to advance exciting new market initiatives.

This new funding round represents a strong vote of confidence from an important investor and comes at a time when N&C is poised for significant growth, said John Davis II, the companys founder and CEO. We are pushing into the market with prestigious partners including IBM to apply world-class analytics technology that saves customers significant time and money, while providing new levels of business intelligence.

I want to express my appreciation to Meridian Management Group (MMG) for leading the investment on behalf of MSBDFA, Davis added. This latest syndicate of Baltimore-based investors for N&C, including The Harbor Bank of Maryland, demonstrates a commitment to creating great new job opportunities in advanced technology fields for residents in and around the city.

We are pleased to provide assistance to N&C and help take this company to the next level, said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. We look forward to seeing them invest, expand, and create new jobs in Baltimore City.

About Meridian Management Group

Meridian Management Group is a professional asset manager for economic development and private equity funds, financing and fostering small and medium sized businesses. MMG provide clients essential resources needed to grow, succeed and leverage opportunities. The firm also provides strategic management consulting services through its affiliate company, Morgan Advisory Group. For more information visit http://mmgcapitalgroup.com.

About N&C Inc.

N&Cs solutions automate time-consuming manual processes for analysts and subject matter experts, freeing up professionals to focus on what they do best -- creatively conquering important business and policy challenges. Whether its influencing a proposed regulation, building a coalition of interest groups, or anticipating governance risks, N&Cs products provide users with world-class intelligence. For more info visit http://www.regendus.com.
St. John Properties today hosts Governor Herbert, Company founder Edward St. John and 200+ VIPs to break ground on the master planned development known as Valley Grove. At the ground breaking the group celebrates the $250 Million investment of St. John Properties in Pleasant Grove City. Over the life of the project, Valley Grove is anticipated to generate over $800 Million in tax revenue to the state, county and Pleasant Grove, while hosting more than 7,000 employees. Several of the presenters at the ceremony were current or future businesses at Valley Grove, including CBC Advisors, R&R BBQ and Instructure.

Utah continues to attract strong businesses to support what is now the fastest growing state in the nation, said Governor Gary R. Herbert. This project will contribute greatly to the already growing strong economic base in Utah Valley. I appreciate that St. John Properties has prioritized the hiring of local contractors, and wish them well as they break ground on Pleasant Groves Valley Grove project.

The #1 commercial estate firm in Utah County, Coldwell Banker Commercial Advisors (CBC Advisors), today announces today its expansion and planned relocation to Valley Groves Grove Tower, taking nearly 16,000 square feet.

"We are excited to expand our commitment in Utah County and establish our new Class A office in Pleasant Grove, located at the prestigious 6 story Grove Tower," said Brandon Fugal, Chairman of CBC Advisors. "As the only full service commercial real estate office in Utah County, our 50 professionals and growing offer the most cutting edge market intelligence, and will continue to lead the market from this new location."

Valley Grove includes easy access to more than one million square feet of Class A Office, Restaurant, Retail and Hospitality destinations. Valley Grove, upon completion will include more than 2,000 trees. The greenery will accompany a selection of LEED designed buildings for maximum energy and water savings and minimize negative environmental impact.

We are thrilled with the pro-business climate and warm reception weve received in Utah, states Edward St. John, chairman and founder of St. John Properties. We strive every day to provide places for great companies to grow their businesses, increase employment, generate profits and pay taxes.

Utah Valley Rising

The state added 42,100 jobs between November 2015 and November 2016, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Utah Valleys tech heavy Silicon Slopes are pulling the epicenter of population growth south of the state's capitol city as new jobs and new homes dot the Utah County landscape, according to the University of Utah's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. This is driving increased demand for office space in Utah Valley.

About St. John Properties

Established in 1971 by Edward St. John, St. John Properties has evolved from a developer of commercial buildings into a long-term real estate investment company. Now expanding in Utah, St. John Properties is attracted by the States economic strength, pro-business climate, quality of life, and projected growth. St. Johns new Valley Grove development in Pleasant Grove marks the companys commitment to Utahs quality of life with its 40th LEED certified commercial office building.

Media Contact:

John Pilmer, PilmerPR

801-369-7535

jpilmer(at)pilmerpr(dot)com
Security forces have gunned down top Lashkar commander Abu Dujana has been killed in a fierce encounter in Pulwama district in South Kashmir.

By Ashraf Wani: Abu Dujana, Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) top commander in Jammu and Kashmir, and another terrorist have been killed following a fierce early morning encounter in Hakripora village of Pulwama district in South Kashmir.

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According to reports, at about 4:30 am, a joint search operations was launched by 182 Battalion, 183 Battalion, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 55 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operations Group (SOG) in Hakripora village on a specific intelligence input about the presence of LeT terrorists in one of the houses. Abu Dujana and his accomplice Arif were trapped inside a house. Soon, an encounter broke out between the terrorists and security personnel.

LET chief Commander Abu Dujana of Pakistan alongwith his accomplice killed in Hakripora Pulwama. Huge achievement for police & SF.- J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) August 1, 2017

Both the Lashkar terrorists were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces. According to reports, locals resorted to stone pelting as soon as the news about Dujana's killing spread in the area.

J&K: Encounter between Security forces and terrorists begins in Pulwama. 2-3 terrorists trapped ( Visuals deferred by unspecified time ) pic.twitter.com/ILZIMOMbhH- ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

Abu Dujana carried Rs 10 lakh reward on his head. Abu Dujana had managed to escape from the security cordon in Pulwama in May. Three Lashkar terrorists including Dujana had managed to flee as stone pelters prevented security forces from action. This was the fifth time that Lashkar commander Dujana managed to give a slip to the security forces in Kashmir.

WHO IS ABU DUJANA?

Hailing from Pakistan, Dujana infiltrated in Jammu and Kashmir from PoK in 2010 and since then he is not only operating in different parts of Kashmir but has also managed to establish strong local modules in South Kashmir.

Dujana made his first dramatic appearance at a funeral of local Lashkar militant in 2014 in Kakpora area of Pulwama, and also attended the funeral of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani in Tral area of South Kashmir last year in July. Since then security forces had been looking for the Lashkar commander.

DUJANA WAS INVOLVED IN MANY TERROR ATTACKS

Abu Dujana, who was also known by the name of Hafiz, was involved in several terror attacks which including the ones at Pampore in February, 2016 and Udhampur August, 2015.

It is believed that Abu Dujana planned the Udhampur attack in which two BSF personnel were martyred. Most of the terror attacks that Dujana planned were against security forces.

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Also read: Kashmir: Lashkar's Abu Dujana gives slip to security forces again

Also read: Jammu and Kashmir: After beheading of jawans, Indian Army prevents future attacks on troops

WATCH J-K: Top Lashkar terrorist Abu Dujana killed in encounter with security forces in Pulwama

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Spot On Insurance will feature weekly podcasts pertaining to the insurance and financial services industry. Guests will include regulators, agency owners, attorneys, compliance coordinators, and other industry insiders who will offer relevant discussions on matters that directly impact insurance professionals, across the nation. Spanish podcasts will premier in early 2018.

Spot On Insurance will debut with three episodes, starting August 1, 2017, beginning with ILSA, Inc. and Spot On Insurance Founders, Ted & Arleen Taveras, who will share their journey in the insurance industry and explain what motivated them to create this exciting new venture. This will be followed by Bill Wilson of InsuranceCommentary.com (and former IIABA Associate VP of Education and Research) discussing The Insurance as Commodity Myth. And the third episode will introduce Steve Cosentino, of Stinson Leonard Street, who will discuss Exploring Key Legal Issues in a Disruptive Technology Environment.

Podcast episodes will be released every Tuesday and Wednesday. Spot On Insurance will also broadcast LIVE on Facebook every Friday, at 11 AM EDT, to answer followers' questions and dive deeper into the topics covered in the weeks podcasts.

Spot On Insurance will also offer comprehensive online guides that bring essential regulatory information from all fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico together in one place.

About Spot On Insurance:

Spot on Insurance (SOI), developed and presented by Arleen & Ted Taveras, co-founders of Insurance Licensing Services of America, Inc. (ILSA, Inc.), is the one and only podcast series for the insurance industry to be produced in English and Spanish. Guests in the lineup include: regulators, attorneys, captive managers, licensing specialists and agency principals. This latest platform will be the center for web based insurance knowledge, through webinars and online courses. Individuals interested in being featured in a podcast should contact Spot On Insurance directly. For more information, visit spotoninsurance.com.
Say NO to Climate CO2 Coercion! The No Pipeline mentality of anti-oil activists and Canadas drastic GHG reduction targets will shutter virtually all economical drivers of the Canadian economy Past News Releases RSS

As reported in the National Observer of July 21, 2017, a coalition of aboriginal and environmental activists claiming climate catastrophe, are harassing the banks financing the approved Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in an attempt to block construction. Friends of Science says that this totalitarian approach of "No Pipelines" is unrealistic and destructive to the Canadian economy and democracy.

In past public statements, BCs Premier Horgan has vowed to stop Kinder Morgans Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, though this would violate Canadian Rule of Law. In the National Post of July 25, 2017, BCs Green Party leader, former climate science modeller, Andrew Weaver is quoted as saying: B.C.s future does not lie in chasing yesterdays fossil fuel economy.

Friends of Science says this is misleading as the International Energy Agency reports that todays economies run almost entirely on fossil fuels and that is not expected to change any time soon: In 2014, the shares of primary energy supply by energy source were: oil, 31.3%; coal, 28.8%; natural gas, 21.0 %; biofuels and waste, 10.3%; nuclear, 4.8%; hydro, 2.4%; and other, including all renewables energy sources, 1.4%.

Commentator Marian L. Tupy calls out the Totalitarianism of Environmentalists in his July 19th, 2017 blog post.

Canada appears to be moving toward being less competitive all the time with demands for additional environmental and regulatory reviews, as discussed in this July 20, 2017 post by Ottawa energy policy consultant Robert Lyman.

Additional demands for aboriginal consultation in resource development based on traditional knowledge is a concept disputed by Lyman in this post of July 26, 2017.

The recently released 2-part study of The Changing World of Energy and the Geopolitical Challenges by EU energy expert Samuele Furfari, Ph.D., professor at the Free University of Brussels, shows that fossil fuel use and exports proliferate world-wide.

As expressed in his May 9th, 2017 presentation to Friends of Science Society, Robert Lyman, explained that Canada cannot survive the present climate change policies. The No Pipeline mentality of anti-oil activists and Canadas drastic GHG reduction targets will shutter virtually all economical drivers of the Canadian economy. Furthermore, Lyman points out that such one-sided demands are not democratic. Presentation posted on YouTube: youtu.be/acjGXJvgTBs

Friends of Science Society dispute the anti-oil activist climate catastrophe claims, saying that human influence on climate change is nominal compared to natural influences, such as the interactions of solar cycles driving ocean oscillations, among other factors.

About

Friends of Science is celebrating 15 years of reviewing a broad spectrum of literature on climate change and have concluded the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2).

Friends of Science Society

P.O. Box 23167, Mission P.O.

Calgary, Alberta

Canada T2S 3B1

Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597

Web: friendsofscience.org

E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)org

Web: climatechange101.ca
Christian A. of Bill Howe Plumbing in San Diego begins his school supply shopping! Words cannot express how grateful we are for Bill Howes commitment to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

Bill Howe Plumbing is no stranger to giving back to the San Diego community. The company has teamed up with the American Heart Association, the San Diego Burn Institute, San Diego Food Bank, community little leagues, and a host of other organizations in need of support over the years. They donate their time, resources, expertise, and financial contributions to help the communities they serve.

For 2017-2018, Bill Howe will partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego as a Corporate Partner. Words cannot express how grateful we are for Bill Howes commitment to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, Tesha Young, Director of Corporate Partnerships for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego.

On Friday, July 28, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego collected school supplies from their Stuff Our Bus campaign gearing up for the 2017-2018 school year. The drive was designed to help underserved school-aged children have the school supplies they need and set them up for success when they embark on the 2017-2018 school year. Both the Clairemont Branch and the Payne Branch hosted an event, accepting donations throughout the day. The object is to ensure that every child has the supplies they need to start their school year right and be successful all year long.

Bill Howe employees brought in over 1000 different supplies including backpacks, lunch bags, binders, notebooks, pens & pencils, entire class specific kits, and those that did not have time to shop donated over $500 that was then spent on more supplies filling one of their famous plumbing vans for Fridays delivery. These supplies will be a tremendous help to our members who truly need it the most and will allow them to be ready for the upcoming school year, said Tesha Young.

Tina Howe was on site early Friday morning with employees to drop off the supplies they had collected over a two week period, totaling over $2000 in supplies from employees and each division in the company. We are so proud of all of our employees for their involvement in our back to school supply drive for the Boys & Girls Clubs, said Tina Howe. For the past two weeks, cash and supplies have been flooding in from our entire team and their families.

For more information about the Bill Howe Family of Companies, or their services in San Diego, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, restoration & flood remediation, visit http://www.billhowe.com, or to speak with Bill or Tina Howe regarding this announcement, contact Bill Howe Marketing Director, Julie Riddle at Julie(at)billhowe(dot)com.

About Bill Howe Family of Companies

Bill Howe Family of Companies is comprised of Bill Howe Plumbing, Inc.; Bill Howe Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.; Bill Howe Restoration & Flood Services, Inc. The family-owned and operated company began in 1980 with the plumbing division and has grown into San Diego Countys largest low-cost one-stop-shop for service, repairs and installation, offering both residential and commercial services. 9085 Aero Drive, Suite B, San Diego CA 92123. Call 1-800-BILL-HOWE because We Know Howe!
Delta II rocket re-entry debris now in display at Flight Path Museum Its wonderful the museum can give visitors the opportunity to examine our space debris for free, and in such an intimate environment.

It literally fell from outer space - debris from a Delta II Rocket that returned from orbit in 2011, blazing through Earths atmosphere and ultimately crashing into a farmers field in Uruguay.

The only part of the rocket to survive the scorching heat of re-entry was the titanium motor case, which is now on permanent display exclusively at Flight Path Museum at LAX.

It really is an exciting artifact to see, and is the most recent addition to the Museums Space Gallery Exhibit, said retired Air Force Col. Steve Soukup, the Board Member who arranged to have the reentry artifact placed on display at the museum.

Standing at five-feet and weighing about 120-pounds, the reentry debris artifact was once the case of the third stage, solid-propellant motor of a Delta II rocket. This Delta II rocket launched the GPS IIR-10 satellite into space on December 21, 2003 from Cape Canaveral.

The third stage motor case remained in orbit for more than seven years before atmospheric drag caused its orbit to decay. On March 3, 2011, the stage came flaming through the atmosphere and crashed in a farm field near Artigas, Uruguay. The farmer witnessed the fireball streak across the sky and felt the earth shake when it crashed in his field.

Its easy to identify the areas of the motor case burned and melted by the searing heat of re-entry. The bluing is a result of the intense heating, which also melted wire harnesses, hardware and electronics mounted on the case. The difference between the motor case before launch and after reentry are quite remarkable, said Col. Soukup. Its wonderful the Museum can give visitors the opportunity to examine our space debris for free, and in such an intimate environment.

About Flight Path Museum

Flight Path Museum and Learning Center is a nonprofit, community-based museum honoring aviation pioneers, showcasing the history of LAX, commercial aviation and the aerospace industry. The mission is to encourage youth to pursue education and careers in aviation-related fields. The Flight Path Museum exhibits are filled with memories of aviations golden age of flight and houses one of largest collections of vintage flight attendant uniforms. Flight Path Museum operates in cooperation with Los Angeles World Airports and is located at 6661 West Imperial Highway. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 3 PM, admission and parking are always free. Visit http://www.flightpathmuseum.com
Keypath Education & Walsh University Keypath has demonstrated their commitment to student experience and ability to deliver sustainable enrollment growth. - Provost Douglas Palmer

CHICAGO (August 1, 2017)  Walsh University has announced a partnership with Keypath Education, a leading provider of online program management (OPM) services, to launch new and grow existing online business and nursing programs. Walsh University is a private non-profit Roman Catholic university in Canton, Ohio, ranked #49 for Regional Universities Midwest and #29 for Best Colleges for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report.

The demand for nursing and business programs continues to grow year over year, especially at the postgraduate level. Enrollment in masters Nursing programs grew by 39% between 2011 and 2016, while enrollment in RN-BSN programs grew by 62% during the same time period. We believe there is an opportunity for Walsh University to capitalize on these in-demand programs, extend their reach and lay a groundwork for future distance learning opportunities, said Keypath Education CEO Steve Fireng.

Walsh University is dedicated to educating its students to become leaders in service to others through a values-based education with an international perspective. Walsh University has the complementary goals of reinventing the university experience for adult learners while delivering the highest quality of instruction and retaining the one-to-one student and faculty interaction for which the university is known.

Walsh University chose Keypath Education for their end-to-end online program expertise and reputation of working with similar institutions to expand access to working professionals while preserving instructional quality. The partnership entails collaboration with university leadership and faculty on all facets of the student lifecycle, including capital to fund the programs, marketing and recruitment, retention services, as well as course development and faculty support.

The ten-year partnership supports the following programs:

 Bachelor of Business Administration

 Master of Business Administration

 Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

 Master of Science in Nursing  Family Nurse Practitioner

 Master of Science in Nursing  Nurse Educator

We realized we had to both prepare the university for future generations and extend the instruction and mission to those who might not have had access to Walsh University before, said Provost Douglas Palmer. We sought a partner that would be responsive to our unique culture and mission. Keypath has demonstrated their commitment to student experience and ability to deliver sustainable enrollment growth.

For more information about the partnership, contact Andrea McCaffrey, director of university relations, at amccaffrey(at)walsh.edu or 330.490.7296. For more information about Keypath or online program management services, please contact Chris Williams, director of marketing, at chris.williams(at)keypathedu.com or 847.616.8167.

About Walsh University

Walsh University is an independent, coeducational Catholic, liberal arts and sciences institution. Founded by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Walsh University is dedicated to educating its students to become leaders in service to others through a values-based education with an international perspective in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Walsh University believes in the desirability of a small university that promotes academic excellence, a diverse community and close student-teacher interactions. The University provides its students a higher education that fosters critical thinking, effective communication, spiritual growth, and personal, professional and cultural development. Walsh University encourages individuals to act in accordance with reason guided by the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. Visit walsh.edu to learn more.

About Keypath Education

Keypath Education partners with higher education institutions worldwide to launch programs, grow enrollment, improve learning and connect education to careers, using a proprietary technology suite. The company has helped more than 4,000 higher education institutions better serve students and graduates, resulting in a strong reputation for its education mission and quality in the United States, Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Since its beginning more than 25 years ago, Keypath Education has been dedicated to changing lives through education. Visit keypathedu.com to learn more.
The Stags Leap District's House of Cab comes to Dallas We are thrilled to bring our House of Cab experience to our Texas-based Cabernet fans, said Remi Cohen, Vice President and General Manager at Cliff Lede Vineyards and President of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association.

The Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association (SLDWA) announced today that tickets are now available for their first House of Cab Dallas (#SLDhouseofcab) taking place September 26, 2017, at two venues within Trinity Groves in Dallas, Texas. At Saint Roccos restaurant, a handful of guests will be seated for a vintner-moderated blind library tasting of 13 Stags Leap District designated Cabernet Sauvignons from 1992-2010. At 3015, also at Trinity Groves, guests will have the only Sneak Preview tasting outside of Napa for the upcoming 2014 Stags Leap District Appellation Collection release and can meet vintners. Hors d'oeuvres will be provided by 3015 and Cafe Momentum with proceeds benefiting Cafe Momentum, whose mission supports at-risk youth with culinary, job and life-skill training as well as continued mentoring and support to foster successful re-entry into the community.

The Stags Leap District is an iconic American Viticultural Area (AVA) located on the eastern edge of Napa Valley. Barely one mile wide and three miles long, this tiny region is critically acclaimed for producing silky and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon that is known for its soft tannins. The distinctive climate and the regions volcanic soils with bale loam overlay, qualified the area for AVA status in 1989. Today, approximately 90% of the 1,200 acres currently planted to grapevines in the Stags Leap District are Cabernet Sauvignon or other Bordeaux varietals.

We are thrilled to bring our House of Cab experience to our Texas-based Cabernet fans, said Remi Cohen, Vice President and General Manager at Cliff Lede Vineyards and President of the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association. Last year we hosted an invite-only House of Cab event in San Francisco and it was a huge success. We are excited to open this event to the public for the first time so that they too can enjoy world-class Cabernets in a setting thats usually only open to industry insiders.

We are also honored to donate the proceeds from this event to Cafe Momentum, a restaurant training platform for juvenile offenders, added Cohen. They are mentoring and supporting at-risk youth and we are inspired by their work.

The Stags Leap District House of Cab Dallas events include:

Library Cabernet Tasting

When: Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Time: 5:00 - 6:30pm

Place: Saint Roccos at Trinity Groves (3011 Gulden Lane, Dallas)

What: Moderated blind library tasting of 13 SLD Cabernet Sauvignons from 1992-2010. Limited to 25 guests, $300 per person and includes the Appellation Collection Preview Tasting as well as the Library Cabernet Tasting.

Appellation Collection Preview Tasting

When: Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm

Place: 3015 at Trinity Groves (3015 Gulden Lane, Dallas)

What: Mingle with SLD vintners and owners and be one of the first to preview the 2014 Appellation Collection, $125 per person.

Tickets Available:

Tickets are first come, first serve, and reservations close September 15, 2017. The Library Cabernet Tasting is limited to 25 guests. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.stagsleapdistrict.com/houseofcab. For further information, please contact Nancy Bialek at 707.255.1720 or at nancy(at)stagsleapdistrict(dot)com.

Participating hosts and wines from:



Baldacci Family Vineyards

Cavus Vineyards

Chimney Rock Winery

Cliff Lede Vineyards

Clos Du Val

Ilsley Vineyards

Lindstrom Wines

Malk Family Vineyard

Pine Ridge Vineyards

Quixote Winery

Regusci Winery

Shafer Vineyards

Silverado Vineyards

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Stags' Leap Winery

Steltzner Vineyards

Taylor Family Vineyards

The Stags Leap District Appellation Collection

The limited 2014 Appellation Collection includes 17 handcrafted 2014 Stags Leap District designated Cabernet Sauvignons. The limited collection of only 150 sets will be released October 15, 2017 and is available only through December 15th The Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association is the exclusive retailer of the Appellation Collection and the only American Viticultural Area (AVA) or appellation to offer a vintage-specific assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2014 Appellation Collection will be available for $1,999 including shipping.

About Cafe Momentum

Cafe Momentum is a restaurant training platform that provides post-release paid internships for juvenile offenders through which they will receive intensive culinary, job, and life-skill training as well as continued mentoring and support to foster successful re-entry into the community. In addition to significantly reducing recidivism, Cafe Momentum creates opportunities for long-term, sustainable (legal) employment for a demographic that would otherwise continue to burden the justice system and taxpayers. The restaurant is located at 1510 Pacific Ave. at Akard on Thanks-Giving Square in downtown Dallas and serves dinner Thursday through Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m. For more information call (214) 303-1234 or go to http://www.cafemomentum.org. You can also find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cafemomentum or Twitter and Instagram using the handle @cafemomentum.

About Stags Leap District Winegrowers:

The Stags Leap District Winegrowers is a non-profit association of vintners and growers united by the mission of enhancing the reputation of the appellation and its wines, and sharing its quality with the wine-loving world. The SLDWA is comprised of 17 wineries and 10 grower members. Wineries include: Baldacci Family Vineyards, Chimney Rock Winery, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Ilsley Vineyards, Lindstrom Wines, Malk Family Vineyards, Odette Estate Winery, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Quixote Winery, Regusci Winery, Shafer Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards, Stags Leap Wine Cellars, Stags Leap Winery, Steltzner Vineyards, and Taylor Family Vineyards. To learn more about the Stags Leap District, please visit stagsleapdistrict.com or find the Association on Facebook.com/StagsLeapDistrict, Instagram.com/SLDistrict Twitter @SLDistrict. #SLDhouseofcab.

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Its an honor to be in Fayetteville today to celebrate our new station, highlight the achievements of the regions energy pioneers, and honor Frito-Lay for its distinguished leadership and commitment to moving the alternative fuel industry forward.

American Natural Gas (ANG), a premier distributor of alternative motor fuels, and a portfolio company within HC2 Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCHC), held a ribbon cutting ceremony today, in collaboration with Tennessee Clean Fuels, to unveil its new public compressed natural gas station in Fayetteville, Tennessee. The facility, located at 1560 Winchester Hwy., will be open to the public and PepsiCos Frito-Lay division will be a major customer with its fleet of CNG tractor-trailers.

At ANG, were committed to building better stations, serving our customers, and introducing the power of CNG to new communities across the country, said Drew West, chief executive officer of ANG. Its an honor to be in Fayetteville today to celebrate our new station, highlight the achievements of the regions energy pioneers, and honor Frito-Lay for its distinguished leadership and commitment to moving the alternative fuel industry forward.

We are thrilled that Frito-Lay selected Fayetteville and Tennessee as a site to continue expanding their CNG fleet and are excited to get to know ANG as they help make it happen, said Jonathan Overly, director of Tennessee Clean Fuels. CNG has so many benefits: it reduces greenhouse gas and criteria pollutant emissions, supports growing more green American jobs, and reduces oil imports  dont forget that we are still roughly 20% dependent on countries like OPEC member-states for overseas oil. Frito-Lay and ANG are helping us build a stronger and more independent and resilient USA.

West and Overly were joined in the opening statements and ribbon cutting ceremony by:



Ken Marko, Senior National Fleet Sustainability Manager, PepsiCos Frito-Lay Division

Rep. Pat Marsh, Tennessee General Assembly

Britt Dye, Chief Executive Officer, Fayetteville Public Utilities

Carolyn Denton, Director, Fayetteville-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce

We could not be more excited about the completion of this ANG CNG fueling station, which is located just a few miles from Frito-Lays Fayetteville manufacturing facility, said Ken Marko, senior national fleet sustainability manager, PepsiCos Frito-Lay division. Having a national infrastructure for alternative fuel is critical to the expansion of Frito-Lays CNG fleet and for other companies currently using or considering this technology.

Fayetteville and Lincoln County are very lucky to have been chosen by American Natural Gas for the location of their new compressed natural gas station, said Representative Pat Marsh. This station should be great for businesses in our community, and hopefully, it will continue to bring more businesses to our area, which in turn, will lead to more quality jobs for Lincoln Countys citizens.

When we were approached by ANG, we were glad that we had the infrastructure available to supply natural gas to a compressed natural gas station that will help lower carbon emissions and provide clean energy, said Britt Dye, chief executive officer of Fayetteville Public Utilities.

Fayetteville-Lincoln County welcomes ANG to the business community. We appreciate the efforts of Frito-Lay in locating the fueling station in Fayetteville and making this alternative fuel choice available to the public, said Carolyn Denton, executive director of the Fayetteville-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce.

Cody Butterworth, LD&T associate from Frito-Lays Fayetteville traffic center, and Brent Tesla, vice president of operations at ANG, demonstrated how straightforward CNG fueling is with one of Frito-Lays tractor-trailers. The truck was connected to a 3600 PSI nozzle and fueling continued like it would at a typical gas station. A fast-fill operation, ANGs station allows operators to fuel in minutes.

ANG currently owns and operates approximately 40 fueling stations in 13 states across the United States, inclusive of stations in process and under development. The company is expanding to meet fleets demands for CNG, the cleanest burning alternative fuel available that has the power to run heavy-duty vehicles. CNG is also quieter, safer, less expensive and abundant in America. Vehicles that run on natural gas generally emit 13 to 21 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than vehicles that run on gasoline.

Open 24-hours, the fast-fill Fayetteville station has three consumer-friendly dispensers equipped with NGV2 nozzles to optimize the experience for heavy-duty, high-capacity users, as well as NGV1 nozzles for light and medium-duty use. The station accepts all major credit cards, including Voyager, Wright Express/Wex, and other leading fleet cards. ANG will oversee operations with state-of-the-art monitoring platforms and an expert on-call maintenance team. Business owners or fleet managers interested in learning more about the Fayetteville station, or converting to CNG, are encouraged to contact ANG, 866-264-6220 or info(at)americannaturalgas.com.

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About American Natural Gas, LLC

At American Natural Gas (ANG) the future is within reach and we can bring you closer. Through our growing network of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations for the transportation industry, were delivering opportunity to fleets across the country. Our team of highly-trained strategists, designers and operations professionals is changing perspectives and increasing potential as we improve the CNG experience and move the alternative fuel industry forward. ANG is a portfolio company within HC2 Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCHC). To learn more, visit http://www.americannaturalgas.com.

About Tennessee Clean Fuels: The Middle-West and East Tennessee Clean Fuels Coalitions are both 501(c)3 nonprofits working with fleets across Tennessee to reduce dependence on petroleum and improve air quality and sustainability. The two coalitions are part of the DOE Clean Cities Program and respectively serve the western and eastern halves of Tennessee. They work to develop partnerships that assist fleets in meeting their goals toward reducing fleet costs while implementing petroleum-saving technologies and the use of cleaner fuels. To learn more, visit http://www.TNCleanFuels.org.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release contains, and certain oral statements made by our representatives from time to time may contain, forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements include information describing actions, events, results, strategies and expectations and are generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "plans," "seeks," "estimates," "projects," "may," "will," "could," "might," or "continues" or similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this press release include without limitation statements regarding the beliefs and assumptions of ANG's management. The Company believes these judgments are reasonable, but you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of important factors, both positive and negative. Such important factors include, without limitation, issues related to our ability to realize efficiencies, cost savings, income and margin improvements, growth, economies of scale and other anticipated benefits of strategic transactions; and difficulties related to the integration of financial reporting of acquired or target businesses; effects of litigation, indemnification claims, and other contingent liabilities.
Neat, a recognized leader in business document and bookkeeping automation solutions for small businesses, announced today the expansion of its hardware certification program and partnerships with leading personal and workgroup scanner manufacturers. Combining the versatility of Neats software with the high-quality imaging capabilities of the industrys top scanners gives users the power to increase efficiency, save time and optimize their business operations.

As the ways in which small businesses receive and manage documents continues to evolve, so too has Neats suite of offerings. With the recent untethering of its traditional desktop software from its document scanners, Neat focused on developing its cloud-based software and providing a painless migration path for onboarding existing users. Ensuring that that all small businesses can benefit from their expense, bookkeeping and document management solution, Neat engaged with the leading scanner manufacturers to create seamless integrations as part of the new hardware certification and partner program.

As Neat transitioned away from the development of its own scanners, the company recognized an opportunity to expand the efforts of their previous hardware collaborations and better serve the needs of their current and future users. To support the widest possible audience of users, Neat is dedicated to ensuring its solution is plug-and-play with the most popular scanner brands on the market today, including Fujitsu, Canon, Brother, HP and Panasonic. When connecting Neats software with one of these leading scanners, small businesses can:



Eliminate data entry and easily categorize all documents

Manage invoices and receipts to efficiently track expenses

Create expense reports and spending summaries within Neat

Send data to popular business software like QuickBooks and Excel

Small businesses are busy. They need to know that the tools and technology they invest in will deliver reliable results, explains Andrew Schaps, Vice President, Development for Neat. Our hardware certification process is meticulous and extensive. We bring the third-party scanners into our lab and run rigorous tests on both setup and configuration using industry standards, namely TWAIN compliance. We work to facilitate a seamless integration between the hardware and our software so that our users can connect easily and benefit immediately.

For more information on Neats hardware certification program and to see our current list of hardware partners, please visit our website.

About Neat:

The Neat Company provides small businesses and sole proprietors a cloud-based expense and document management system, which streamlines the collection and retention of important financial documents, automatically extracts key information, and provides real-time insights to automate time-consuming bookkeeping tasks. Neats patented ID2 technology intuitively classifies documents and populates key data fields, helping small businesses organize and categorize financial information that is critical to their businesss needs. In order to manage the high, daily volume of expense transactions and financial documents, Neat gives small business owners the power to capture and access files from any device, taking productivity to the next level. By consolidating reporting and eliminating time-consuming tasks like data entry, Neat streamlines accounting and tax-related workflows, giving time back to small businesses so they can get to what matters most.

Media Contact:

Kevin Feeley

215-644-6505

kfeeley(at)broadpathpr.com
newterra is pleased to take part in the 2017 WEFTEC Conference, offering insights on the future of water treatment infrastructure for communities that are experiencing growth. In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a survey showing that $271 billion is needed to maintain and improve the nations wastewater infrastructure, including $44.5 billion to install new sewer collection systems and related facilities. As existing systems continue to age, additions connected to them will be impacted as well, greatly increasing the cost of maintenance. newterras team will highlight an alternate solution that decentralizes water treatment rather than adding stress to an already overburdened system.

What WEFTEC Attendees Will Discover

In the educational session Decentralized: Scaling It Down for Small Communities, participants will learn about the design and technology that makes it possible to localize water treatment. Speakers Kevin Dufresne, P.Eng. and Jeffrey Snider-Nevin, E.I.T. will demonstrate how emerging communities can address their water management needs without being coupled to an existing system. The proposed solution has proven both cost-effective and practical for new residential construction that is remote from existing infrastructure, geographically difficult to access, or located close to a facility already operating near peak capacity. The newterra team will also reveal how adaptability and scalability allow a modular system to grow with the surrounding community, eliminating the need for guesswork in sizing the water treatment infrastructure.

According to Dufresne, newterras product manager, This is a perfect opportunity to talk about ways to create a more sustainable and efficient system with the industry leaders who will be responsible for shaping our water treatment infrastructure over the coming decades. The cost of developing and maintaining these facilities is a huge and complex problem. Were really honored to have the opportunity to address this issue head-on and provide a realistic, sustainable and environmentally sound solution thats already being implemented around the world.

About newterra

newterra engineers, builds, deploys and supports robust modular water treatment solutions. The company serves a broad range of clients across industrial, remediation, development, government and municipal sectors by designing and implementing adaptable and scalable potable and wastewater management systems that efficiently address common infrastructure problems. Learn more at https://newterra.com.

About WEFTEC

The Water Environment Federation and Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) is the worlds preeminent event for exploring and disseminating information about water management, treatment, quality and resources. WEFTEC has organized its 90th Annual Conference from Sep. 30 to Oct. 4 in Chicago, USA, with 33,000 attendees expected at the event. Find more information and register at http://weftec2017.org/.

For further information, contact:

newterra, ltd.

800-420-4056

info(at)newterra.com

For media inquiries, contact:

Blender

Dacia Coffey

817-851-5145

dacia(at)themarketingblender.com
While we understand the idea of sharing your life on social media is more the norm, it was encouraging to see that sharing memories with prints still has significance -- Katrin Schwarzenberg, WhiteWall

Photography has certainly changed over its 175-plus year existence. From darkroom to digital, many believe the art of photography has given way to casual snapshots where the final stage of the process  a photographic print  has been replaced by posting images to a variety of social media sites. WhiteWall, a German-based online photo lab and recent recipient of the annual TIPA Award for Best Photo Lab in the World, surveyed more than 800* of its US monthly newsletter subscribers to determine how photography, and the overall value of a photograph, have changed.

Survey respondents included a group of self-proclaimed professional photographers (55%) and photo enthusiasts (45%). The survey results, illustrated in an infographic, is an encouraging reality check for those who fear the art of photography is on the verge of extinction.

Among the key survey highlights:



79% of respondents said they took at least 1,000 photos in the past year; 52% took more than 3,000; and 26% took more than 10,000 photographs

54% took photos with a digital camera or mobile device and 33% used a digital camera exclusively. Only 10% said they used a mobile device exclusively to take pictures in the past 12 months.

77% of respondents viewed their collection of photos as one of the most valuable assets they own; 10% said it was the most valuable asset

92% said they made at least one photo print in the last year and 90% said they currently display their photos on a desk or wall.

The survey definitely shows that respondents still place a high value on their photographs, especially those that have personal meaning such as family photos and special destinations, explains Katrin Schwarzenberg, public relations manager at WhiteWall. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of respondents who felt very strongly about decorating their home and office with photos theyve taken (76%) and a larger percentage who actually have at least one of their photos on display (89%). While we understand the idea of sharing your life on social media is more the norm, it was encouraging to see that sharing memories with prints still has significance.

Don Franz, group publisher of Photofinishing News International Media Group and an expert in the photofinishing industry for more than 40 years, says the photo industry needs to focus on educating consumers about all the ways they can share and display their photos.

"With a vast majority of survey respondents taking more than 1,000 photos a year, the industry concern is no longer that people are not taking photos but that people are not using them, Franz explains. Based on their answers to open-ended questions, many respondents indicated they are not aware of the huge range of photo products they can order and would like guidance/advice about these possibilities.

It is widely estimated that more than 1 trillion photos will be taken this year and consumers growing propensity for travel, along with advancements in digital technology, can take at least some of the credit. WhiteWalls survey revealed that respondents favorite photographic subjects included animals and wildlife (75%), friends and family (47%), and photographing all subjects of interest while traveling or on vacation (63%).**

To see the complete results of the Power of Print photography survey and access the survey infographic, please visit https://us.whitewall.com.

*A total of 808 consumers participated in the survey

**Respondents were permitted to select more than one answer

About WhiteWall

WhiteWall is a professional online photo lab based in Berlin, Germany. Their unique blend of custom photo processes and finishing services have provided photographers and consumers alike with gallery quality products since 2007. Best known for its photos under acrylic glass, brilliant HD Metal and aluminum prints, and hand-crafted frames, the award-winning online photo lab offers over 1,000 different product variations. As the exclusive lab for more than 40 LUMAS galleries around the world, all WhiteWall customers can be assured that their photos are given the same white-glove, professional care as those displayed in exhibitions. All products are produced in Germany, available in custom sizes and shipped worldwide in custom cut packaging for maximum protection. The showroom and retail store in New York City gives customers an opportunity to see all the WhiteWall options on display and receive professional assistance onsite before placing their online orders directly to WhiteWall.com from kiosks located in the store.
Being an eye witness to the case, Kadam thinks it is important that he raises such issues before the Assembly session.

By Vidya : Ramesh Kadam, NCP leader and Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, has filed a petition before the Bombay High Court, asking to be allowed to attend the ongoing Monsoon Session for a week, as he wants to raise the important issue of custodial death inside the Byculla Prison.

Kadam was arrested in August 2015, for alleged fraud and embezzlement of funds from a state-run corporation. Kadam is cooling his heels in the Byculla Prison for the last 22 months. Besides, there are allegations of him abusing policemen as well, after which an FIR was lodged. A video had gone viral two months ago in which Kadam was seen abusing Manoj Pawar, Assistant Police Inspector, outside Byculla jail. A fresh FIR was filed against him in this case too.

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A Byculla Jail inmate Manjula Shetye was found dead inside the prison on June 23. Since then, Kadam has been filing various applications. He is claiming that the jail officials have tried their best at removing every evidence, and had also intervened in the case against the officials. A jailor along with five other constables are already suspended and arrested in the Shetye murder case. Being an eye witness to the case, Kadam thinks it is important that he raises such issues before the Assembly session.

Kadam's lawyer Rajiv Chavan while arguing before the Division Bench headed by Justice Ranjit More, asked the court "When a detained person can contest elections, can cast vote, and even take path in the legislature, then why can he not attend the proceedings of the Assembly session"? He added that, right to vote and right to contest are statutory, whereas right to participate in the assembly is a Constitutional Right under Article 194. "Why can't Kadam exercise his right?" asked Chavan.

The Maharashtra Assembly Session has already discussed the issue of Shetye murder. The State government has assured a fair investigation, and will be making their submissions to Kadam's petition in the High Court on Wednesday.

ALSO READ:

Exclusive: Mumbai teen kills self, could be first Indian case of Blue Whale suicide challenge

Man, blinded by heartbreak, commits suicide by jumping off Bandra-Worli Sea Link

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California employment lawyers Blumenthal, Nordrehaug & Bhowmik If you would like to know more about the Mattress Firm, Inc. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020

The San Francisco employment law lawyers at Blumenthal, Nordrehaug & Bhowmik filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Mattress Firm, Inc. failed to provide their California Store Manager employees with meal and rest periods in accordance with the California Labor Code. The Mattress Firm, Inc. class action lawsuit, Case No. 17CV313148 is currently pending in the Santa Clara County Superior Court for the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here.

According to the lawsuit, Mattress Firm, Inc. allegedly failed to provide all Store Manager employees the legally required off-duty meal breaks as required by the applicable Wage Order and Labor Code. The Complaint further claims that Mattress Firm, Inc. allegedly failed to provide their Golden State Store Manager employees with a second off-duty meal period each workday in which these employees are required to work ten (10) hours of work. The lawsuit seeks payment relating to the alleged missed meal breaks because allegedly the company did not have a policy to provide their employees thirty (30) minute uninterrupted meal breaks prior to their fifth (5th) hour of work. In addition, to the meal break allegations, the lawsuit also claims that Mattress Firm failed to provide the Store managers paid rest periods in accordance with the applicable California wage order.

Additionally, the Complaint alleges that the Store Managers were not reimbursed for business expenses including money spent on personal cell phone use. The complaint alleges that this cell phone use was necessary to complete their job tasks.

If you would like to know more about the Mattress Firm, Inc. lawsuit, please contact attorney Nicholas De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020 or by clicking here.

Blumenthal, Nordrehaug & Bhowmik is an employment law firm with offices located in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today.

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One River School of Art + Design, whose mission is to transform art education and build the first national network of contemporary art schools, will bring its franchise initiative to Chicago through a new strategic partnership with top-tier art gallerists James and Jane Cohan, and business development leaders Steve Cohan and Jim Karr.

The partnership will enable the innovative One River School, founded in 2012, to open its first Chicagoland location in early 2018. More Chicago area One River School openings are intended to follow, leveraging the successful model the company has established with its schools in New Jersey and Texas.

We are expanding into Chicago with partners who possess a rich history in supporting the arts and a great track record in business, as well, said founder and CEO Matt Ross.

One River School of Art + Design uses proprietary teaching methods, world-class instructors and interactive processes to deliver an experience that changes peoples lives. The company plans to open 100 new units across America over the next five years to fill a nationwide void in art education. Ross brings extensive involvement in creative education and experience with the franchise business model to One River School of Art + Design. The arts advocate and former CEO of School of Rock believes One River School can also greatly enhance communities, as each school provides meaningful careers in the arts, and presents exhibitions from emerging artists as part of its commitment to be the voice of contemporary art in its community.

One River School Chicago will be led by a partnership of compelling arts and business professionals. James and Jane Cohan, owners of the renowned James Cohan Gallery, possess deep knowledge and experience in contemporary visual arts. Their two galleries in New York City feature contemporary painting, sculpture, video, photography and editions by established and emerging American and international artists. Partners Steve Cohan and Jim Karr bring their collective 50 years in senior business management and marketing with such companies as CVS, WebMD and Kimberly Clark.

This partnership is committed to bringing quality arts education to greater Chicago, an area celebrated for the creativity of its population, said James Cohan. The partners share a belief that arts enrichment has both broad consequences for students' future success and enhances the lives of adult learners.

For information about One River School of Art + Design, visit http://www.OneRiverSchool.com, or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OneRiverSchool
Jose has been a transformative leader for dunnhumby in Latin America and Africa and has worked closely with the some of the worlds top retailers to unlock the power of their data to enable them to gain a 360 degree view of their customers.

dunnhumby, a leading customer data science company, announced today the appointment of Jose Gomes to Managing Director of North America. In his new role, Gomes will focus on growing partnerships and relationships with the top retailers and brands in North America. He will report directly to Marc Fischli, Chief Client Officer of dunnhumby.

We are all extremely pleased to announce that Jose Gomes is now leading our North American operations, said Fischli. Jose has been a transformative leader for dunnhumby in Latin America and Africa and has worked closely with the some of the worlds top retailers to unlock the power of their data to enable them to gain a 360 degree view of their customers, meet our clients unique business needs and deliver a strong ROI. We are excited that he is taking the helm of our North American operations.

Prior to his most recent role as dunnhumbys Managing Director of Latin America and Africa, Gomes was Managing Director of Latin America where he led a team responsible for personalizing the experience of major Latin American retailer and fast-moving consumer goods shoppers to deliver measurable growth. He also served as dunnhumbys Head of Media Services for Latin America, where he worked with dunnhumby partners to create a world-leading global media business centered on the data and media assets of retailers and brands.

I am really honored to begin my new role as Managing Director of North America, said Gomes. I am excited to be joining a strong team and business that has already delivered a number of key client wins in 2017 including Whole Foods Markets, Associated Wholesale Grocers and Weis Markets, with several others soon to be announced.

About dunnhumby

dunnhumby is a leading customer data science company. We analyze data and apply insights from nearly one billion shoppers across the globe to create personalized customer experiences in digital, mobile, and retail environments. Our strategic process, proprietary insights, and multichannel media capabilities build loyalty with customers to drive competitive advantage and sustained growth for clients. dunnhumby employs nearly 2,000 experts in offices throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas and works with a prestigious group of companies including Whole Foods Market, Tesco, Monoprix, Raleys, Meijer, Michael Kors, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and PepsiCo. Learn more at http://www.dunnhumby.com.
NEW YORK, July 31, 2017 - FirstService Residential, New Yorks leading property management company, hosted a panel of leading legal experts on July 19, 2017. More than 130 of the companys clients, prospective clients and property managers attended the interactive symposium, which examined ways that condominium and cooperative board members can minimize their liability exposure.

When conducting business on behalf of the association, board members can create potential liability for their building as well as expose themselves to personal risk, said Dan Wurtzel, president, FirstService Residential New York. Any perceived breach of fiduciary responsibilities  including allegations of wrongful acts, financial mismanagement, negligence and errors in judgement  can lead to legal action. We organized this event to help our volunteer board members minimize and/or avoid claims that could have significant personal, professional and financial consequences.

High interest in a similar event held by the company in March prompted a continuation in this style of discussion and education, this time with a different panel of attorneys. Panelists included Benjamin C. Kirschenbaum, vice president and general counsel, FirstService Residential; Adam D. Finkelstein, partner, Kagan Lubic Lepper Finkelstein & Gold; Dean M. Roberts, partner, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus and Phyllis H. Weisberg, partner, Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads.

To optimize this experience, attendees were able to submit questions in advance, which were directly responded to by panelists. The panel also took live questions from the audience. Topics included popular issues across the industry, including quality of life issues; service, emotional support and therapy animals; smoke, noise and odor complaints; requests to review corporate records and real estate tax assessments, protests and the impact of abatements.

CAPTION:

FirstService Residential hosted an interactive panel discussion for its clients on "Protecting Your Cooperative and Condominium Assets: Liability Exposures Facing Board Members." Pictured are: (L-R) Dan Wurtzel, president, FirstService Residential; Chris De Weaver, managing director, FirstService Residential (moderator); Phyllis H. Weisberg, partner, Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads; Adam D. Finkelstein, partner, Kagan Lubic Lepper Finkelstein & Gold; Dean M. Roberts, partner, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus; and Benjamin C. Kirschenbaum, vice president and general counsel, FirstService Residential.

About FirstService Residential

FirstService Residential is North America's largest manager of residential communities and the preferred partner of HOAs, community associations and strata corporations in the U.S. and Canada. FirstService Residential's managed communities include low-, mid- and high-rise condominiums and cooperatives, single-family homes, master-planned, lifestyle and active adult communities, and rental and commercial properties.

With an unmatched combination of deep industry experience, local market expertise and personalized attention, FirstService Residential delivers proven solutions and exceptional service that add value, enhance lifestyles and make a difference, every day, for every resident and community it manages. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation, a North American leader in the property services sector. For more information, visit http://www.fsresidential.com.
Chavie Presents Digital B2B2C Value at ASD Online Vegas it's critical to compete on content that is persuasive, differentiated, and up-to-date to seize sales opportunities

July 31, 2017  Visionary and EnterWorks Chief Executive Officer, Rick Chavie will speak today at the ASD Market Week event in Las Vegas, Nevada during a session titled: Man in the Middle  How to create value for the end customer in a digital B2B2C world. ASD Market week is a twice-yearly B2B trade show that brings together a wide variety of retail merchandise, 2,700 vendors, and 45,000 buyers from over 90 countries.

As part of weeklong event, ASD has partnered with Independent Retailer Conference and the Internet Merchants Association to provide attendees a series of educational seminars on a range of critical and timely topics. Chavies seminar will describe the pressures on each constituent in the commerce and content value chain. EnterWorks is a leading provider of Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solutions.

Whether an exporter, importer, distributor, or retailer, each member of the chain has challenges and opportunities to improve the customers experience, Chavie said. Putting up a web site, including going direct to the end-customer, will falter if you are not able to compete on content that is persuasive, differentiated, and up-to-date.

Chavie will also showcase examples of how leading, global brands, distributors, and retailers compete in the digital age, including companies using EnterWorks solutions for data and content management.

Educational Seminar Details



Topic: Man in the Middle  How to create value for the end customer in a digital B2B2C world

Speaker: Rick Chavie, CEO of EnterWorks

When: Monday, July 31, 2017  3:30 pm to 4:30 pm

Where: Source Direct Seminar Stage, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

About Rick Chavie

Rick Chavie, CEO of EnterWorks, Inc., a market leader in solutions for acquiring, managing and transforming a companys product information to enable them to compete with content in Omni channel commerce. Rick Chavie came to EnterWorks from his role as Senior Vice President at SAP Hybris, having led hybris ecommerce solutions, while previously serving as SAPs global leader for Retail and Wholesale. Rick speaks from his industry experience as a former retail executive at The Home Depot and C&A, as a technology leader in NCRs retail and hospitality business, and his partner roles at Deloitte and Accenture focused on retail and brands. Rick is a Harvard MBA and a Fulbright Scholar in International Trade. He is a noted speaker and author on content and commerce topics, and is frequently quoted by industry publications.

About EnterWorks Holding Company

EnterWorks Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solution enables companies to acquire, manage and transform product information into persuasive content that drives higher sales and new competitive strengths through e-commerce Web, mobile, print and various electronic channels. Services offered include: Master Data Management, Product Information Management, Dynamic Data Modeling, Workflow & Collaboration, Syndication & Publishing, Digital Asset Management, Geographic Localization, Portal Content Exchange, and Digital Channel Accelerators.

EnterWorks is highly ranked by various research analysts and used by industry leaders such as: Ariens, Big Rock Sports, CPO Commerce, Creative Converting, Darigold, Fender Musical Instruments, Guthy-Renker, Hearth & Home Technologies, HON Furniture, HP Hood, Interline Brands, Johnstone Supply, Mary Kay, Mercer, Orgill, Publishers Clearing House, Restoration Hardware, Strategic Market Alliance, US Foods, and W.B. Mason. Learn more at http://www.enterworks.com.
We get all these partners together in the same room, and theres an incredible energy of healing and learning.

Two comprehensive cancer centers are uniting to bring researchers and the diverse community of indigenous North American populations together for an unprecedented exchange of ideas, information and cultural enrichment. Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center are jointly hosting the 10th annual Spirit of EAGLES: Changing Patterns of Cancer in Native Communities conference, to be held Sept. 2124 in Niagara Falls, New York.

This special 10th national gathering, dedicated to the theme Strength Through Tradition and Science, will bring Native American and First Nations community members from across the continent together with advocates, researchers, clinical care providers and a variety of health service providers for a series of seminars, panel discussions and social/cultural gatherings all focused on opportunities to improve health, wellness and access to care for indigenous populations in North America. The name Spirit of EAGLES reflects the organizations six areas of focus: survivors, education, advocacy, grants, leadership and scholarship.

Spirit of EAGLES is a blend of traditional perspectives, culture and science, built from the idea that we can do the most good by listening to one another, says event co-director Rodney Haring, PhD, MSW, Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Office of Cancer Health Disparities Research at Roswell Park and an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation. We get all these partners together in the same room, and theres an incredible energy of healing and learning that Ive never experienced in any other event or environment.

All who work with American Indian and Alaska Native community-based health promotion and disease prevention are welcome and encouraged to join us, adds conference co-director Judith Salmon Kaur, MD, Medical Director for Native American Programs at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. Its important to create a forum for discussing how to address chronic health issues, where we have opportunities to promote health, wellness and prevention and how to best apply what we learn by translating our science to the communities its designed to benefit. Dr. Kaur is Choctaw/Cherokee and one of only two American Indian medical oncologists in the country.

Drs. Haring and Kaur are both among the presenters who will speak at the conference, and Todd Gates, President of the Seneca Nation of Indians, will open the conference with a message of welcome. Other noteworthy participants:



Joanne Shenandoah, Grammy Award-winning singer, composer and guitarist

Tadodaho Sidney Hill of the Onondaga Nation, spiritual Leader of the Haudenosaunee community within the Six Nations/Iroquois Confederacy

Thomas R. Porter (Sakokwenionkwas), spiritual leader of the Mohawk Community of Kanatsiohareke

Evan Adams, MD, Canadian actor, playwright and physician, and a member of the Sliammon First Nation

Michael Caligiuri, director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center and President of the American Association for Cancer Research

Candace S. Johnson, PhD, President and CEO of Roswell Park Cancer Institute

The four-day event will also include an Iroquois social featuring traditional food, song and dance and a lacrosse game open to the public. The conference will take place primarily at the Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls, with pre-conference activities to be held at additional locations, including the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino.

Registration information and additional details are available at nativeamericanprograms.org.

This release is also available on the Roswell Park website, at: https://www.roswellpark.org/media/news/spirit-eagles-event-focused-cancer-native-communities-coming-niagara-falls-ny-september

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About Roswell Park:

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1898, RPCI is one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nations leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci(at)roswellpark.org. Follow Roswell Park on Facebook and Twitter.

About Mayo Clinic Cancer Center:

As a leading institution funded by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center conducts basic, clinical and population science research, translating discoveries into improved methods for prevention, diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. For information on cancer clinical trials, call the Clinical Trial Referral Office at 1-855-776-0015 (toll-free).
As DevOps goes mobile, tools like Cabin for managing your clusters while on the go are critically important. I'm looking forward to seeing where the community will take the Cabin project!

Bitnami, the leading provider of packaged applications for any platform, announced today that Cabin, the first mobile app for Kubernetes, will become an open source project.

Continuing the Bitnami mission to simplify the packaging and deployment of cloud and containerized applications, Bitnami has decided to make the source code for Cabin, which became part of Bitnamis portfolio through the recent Skippbox acquisition, available to simplify collaboration and encourage further development. This contribution follows recent Bitnami efforts in the cloud-native and open container space, including core contributions to Kubernetes-related open source projects such as Helm, Monocular and Ksonnet, as well as Bitnami-led projects such as the Kubeless native serverless framework, the Kubernetes application deployment management tool Kubecfg and the Kubeapps.com Kubernetes-ready application catalog.

Cabin is a mobile dashboard for Kubernetes for managing kubernetes clusters remotely. With Cabin, users can quickly manage Kubernetes applications with easy scaling of deployments, execute commands in containers, access logs, and even add or delete labels. Cabin allows users to quickly add multiple clusters and manage the Kubernetes resources that make up a microservices application.

Key features include:



Create basic deployments Scale deployments and replication controllers

Expose deployments via services

Remove and add labels

Access logs in multiple containers

Execute commands in containers

Switch service types

Open NodePort services in browser

Integration with GKE for single click cluster provisioning

"We are pleased to make Cabin open source and we look forward to working with the community of contributors around the project and the growth that an open development environment will bring," said Sebastien Goasguen, Senior Director Cloud Technologies, Bitnami. With Bitnami leading the development of monocular and other Kubernetes projects it became clear that we needed to open source Cabin to let the community add more functionality and provide a unifying experience to launching applications on Kubernetes.

The Cabin project has been popular among Kubernetes users and developers and has received strong support from Microsoft and IBM who are eager to contribute and add support for ACS and BlueMix container services. With these two k8s services in Cabin, it will become a one stop shop for provisioning Kubernetes clusters with a single click.

I'm excited to see Bitnami open source project Cabin. The strength of the Kubernetes ecosystem is the open, collaborative community. It's great to see Bitnami contribute to that community, shared Brendan Burns, Director of Engineering, Microsoft Azure Container Service. As DevOps goes mobile, tools like Cabin for managing your clusters while on the go are critically important. I'm looking forward to seeing where the community will take the Cabin project!

"As someone who is truly obsessed with containers and always on the go, I've really enjoyed using Cabin and managing my clusters from anywhere. Tools like Cabin will accelerate the pace of kubernetes adoption. We are looking forward to contributing to this project and enabling more seamless integration with IBM Cloud," Jason McGee IBM Fellow, VP & CTO Cloud Platform.

Try Cabin:

Available on iOS and Android, Cabin is free for download:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cabin-manage-kubernetes-applications/id1137054392?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skippbox.cabin&hl=en

Contribute to Cabin:

https://github.com/bitnami/cabin

About Bitnami

Bitnami is the leading provider of packaged applications for any platform. The Bitnami application automation platform delivers and maintains a catalog of ready-to-run server applications and development environments in partnership with the worlds leading cloud providers such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle and more. That same application automation platform that drives over 1 million deployments per month is also available to Enterprise developers looking to streamline their software development processes. Based in San Francisco CA, and with offices around the world, Bitnami is proud to be a rapidly growing self-funded company. For more information, visit https://www.bitnami.com, or follow us on Twitter (@bitnami.
Milgard windows donation to World Vision This amazing donation will allow us to provide thousands of teachers and students with much needed school supplies right here in Pierce and King Counties, said Reed Slattery, National GIK Program Director for World Vision.

Milgard Windows & Doors provided a $25,000 donation to World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children and families tackling poverty and injustice, to support their Teacher Resource Center (TRC) program.

Over 32 school districts in the Pacific Northwest are served by the World Vision TRC program. Essential school supplies, such as backpacks, notebooks, binders, pencils, scissors and glue, are provided to the local area teachers to support poverty stricken students whose families are unable to purchase these necessities on their own.

World Vision is near and dear to me because of their far reaching support of the neediest in our community and the world, said Kim Mauro, Executive Assistant at Milgard. World Vision is a great partnership for Milgard since they share our value of taking care of the less fortunate in Pierce County.

World Vision is so thankful for partners like Milgard who are invested in their local communities, said Reed Slattery, National GIK Program Director for World Vision. This amazing donation will allow us to provide thousands of teachers and students with much needed school supplies right here in Pierce and King Counties.

This donation helps to lay the groundwork for success in the classroom at a local level. The children now have the opportunity to focus more on learning and less on securing the tools they need at school on a daily basis.

(Pictured: Jonathan Smith, Reed Slattery, Kim Mauro, Brandy Schoeler, Jim Peterson (in back), Kim Flanary, Quincy Walker)

About Milgard Windows & Doors

Milgard Windows & Doors, a Masco company based in Tacoma, Washington, offers a full line of vinyl, wood, fiberglass and aluminum windows and patio doors for builders, dealers and homeowners, backed by a Full Lifetime Warranty, including parts and labor. The company has been recognized as Builders Choice for vinyl and fiberglass windows in the Western United States, in a yearly survey sponsored by Hanley-Wood Inc., publishers of BUILDER Magazine. Milgard is the highest online rated window and patio door brand, as measured by the 2016 NRS consumer sentiment study conducted by MetrixLab and commissioned by Masco. Milgard has approximately 3,800 dealer locations nationwide. For more information, visit milgard.com or call 1.800.MILGARD.

About Masco Corporation

Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS), parent company of Milgard Windows & Doors, is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of branded home improvement and building products. Our portfolio of industry-leading brands includes Behr paint; Delta and Hansgrohe faucets, bath and shower fixtures; KraftMaid and Merillat cabinets; Milgard windows and doors; and HotSpring spas. We leverage our powerful brands across product categories, sales channels and geographies to create value for our customers and shareholders. For more information about Masco Corporation, visit Masco.com.

About World Vision

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org.
Jason Moss, CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance Our Awards program is unique in that we celebrate the individual and team accomplishments of leaders in Georgias manufacturing community, said Jason Moss, CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance.

Nominations are being accepted through August 31st, for the People of Manufacturing Awards, held in conjunction with the Georgia Manufacturing Summit at the Cobb Galleria on October 25, 2017. These prestigious awards bring exposure and recognition to the top employees in Georgias manufacturing community, and will honor the people that have gone above and beyond to better their organizations manufacturing operations. The 2017 Award Categories include: Front Line Leadership, Plant Manager, Team Safety, and Team Operational Excellence.

The People of Manufacturing Award presentations will follow Breakfast Keynote Speaker, Debra Shankle, who is the Vice President of Supply Chain for Coca-Cola North America. Ms. Shankles responsibilities include the management and leadership of Cokes supply chain which is comprised of approximately 4,000 associates with an annual spend of $4.3 Billion. She will address the important topic of How to Keep Your Team Motivated, Committed, and Engaged in Todays Environment.

Our Awards program is unique in that we celebrate the individual and team accomplishments of leaders in Georgias manufacturing community, said Jason Moss, CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. Other awards programs in the state do a fantastic job of highlighting the company and products, but it is the effort of these great people that make it all happen.

Charlie Post, the president of TSI Solutions, has again been designated as the Awards Chairman and is responsible for appointing a panel of judges to select the winners. The judging panel for the People of Manufacturing Awards is composed of Bill Stankiewicz with Port Fresh, Donnie Winslet with Fiber Visions, Brandon Beach with the Fulton County Chamber, Amy Henderson with the Georgia Municipal Association, and Melvin Everson with Gwinnett Tech.

All nominees will be recognized for their contribution to the organization and the finalists from each category will be invited to attend the Georgia Manufacturing Summit, where the winning individuals and teams will be named. Nominations are being accepted through August 31st, and can be made online at http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingAwards.com .

About the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance:

The Georgia Manufacturing Alliance (GMA) is a membership-based industry organization founded in 2008 to support Georgias manufacturing community. GMA provides monthly plant tours, educational sessions, tradeshows, and unique networking opportunities designed to help make profitable business connections for its members. The Georgia Manufacturing Directory, Georgia Manufacturing Summit, Georgia Manufacturing Calendar, and Georgia Manufacturing Job Board are additional resources produced by GMA. To learn more about the organization, membership, and upcoming events, please call 770-338-0051 or visit their website http://www.GeorgiaManufacturingAlliance.com.
Childhood Cancer Data Lab The CCDL is a unique effort to build the capacity for data-intensive research, not across an institution but across a field."

On the anniversary of the passing of Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) creator Alexandra Alex Scott (1996-2004), ALSF is proud to announce the opening of the first-of-its-kind Childhood Cancer Data Lab (CCDL) with the mission of accelerating cures. ALSF, a leading national childhood cancer charity, first announced the CCDL at the National Cancer Moonshot Summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by former Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden in June 2016. The CCDL will integrate data to promote childhood cancer research and continue toward Alexs vision of finding cures for all kids with cancer.

ALSF has a legacy of filling critical research and family services gaps in the childhood cancer community. The CCDL was created because of the need for a central location to collect, analyze and share childhood cancer data from research conducted around the world. The CCDL is a digital initiative for both collecting and disseminating data to researchers and the public to accelerate research toward cures.

Directing the CCDL Lab is Casey Greene, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania. Greene will lead a team of software developers and data scientists who will focus on developing software that is not only useful, but usable by childhood cancer researchers. The CCDL will harmonize more than one million public genome-wide assays (about $1 billion of data in the hands of every researcher) and share the set. Greene and his team will apply machine learning methods to the data to identify biological commonalities among the samples. Users will be able to access CCDL-built software to explore results and compare their data against other users data.

The CCDL is a unique effort to build the capacity for data-intensive research, not across an institution but across a field. I am excited that we have the opportunity to harness data that were generated, shared and then often forgotten for the fight against childhood cancer, says Greene. If we succeed, childhood cancer researchers will be able to rapidly connect their own findings to everyone else's, not only via the results that they write about in their papers but by the patterns that exist in their data. We hope that this will improve the pace and efficiency of discovery in the field leading to treatments being identified much earlier than they otherwise would be.

We are excited to cultivate the power of big data with the opening of the Childhood Cancer Data Lab, says Jay Scott, Co-Executive Director and Alexs dad. Before the opening of the CCDL, the childhood cancer research community did not have a non-affiliated center to objectively analyze existing science and look for patterns to share with scientists. It is a true privilege to be able to offer this resource to the community and ultimately advance the pace of finding cures.

The timing of the Childhood Cancer Data Lab is impeccable, as we are now at a crossroads where the generation of massive datasets is common, but their impact on children with cancer not fully realized due to the fragmentation of our research efforts, says John Maris, MD of The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, an ALSF-funded researcher and member of the Scientific Advisory Board. The ALSF CCDL will form a central hub for collaboration on big data, with a laser-like focus on delivering novel therapies to childhood cancer patients.

For more information visit CCDataLab.org or follow on Twitter @CancerDataLab.

About Childhood Cancer

Childhood cancer is a general term used to describe cancer in children occurring regularly, randomly and sparing no ethnic group, socioeconomic class or geographic region. Childhood cancer extends to over a dozen types of cancers and a countless amount of subtypes. Just a few of these cancer types include: Ewings sarcoma, glioma, leukemia, lymphoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and Wilms tumor. In the United States, childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children under the age of 15. Every day, approximately 250 kids around the world die from cancer, accounting for 91,250 losing their lives to the disease every year.

About Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra Alex Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $140 million toward fulfilling Alexs dream of finding a cure, funding over 690 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.
By PTI: By Aditi Khanna

London, Aug 1 (PTI) The head of millions of Ahmadiyya Muslims concluded the largest Islamic convention in the UK with a call to reject all forms of extremism and terrorism.

More than 30,000 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) from over 100 countries gathered at the"Jalsa Salana" annualevent recently, which took place on a 200-acre farm in Hampshire on the southern coast of England.

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"It is up to Muslims to stand up and reject all forms of extremism and terrorism. It is the task of Ahmadi Muslims to show the true teachings of Islam which are of peace love, mercy and compassion," said Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the conclusion of the event on Sunday.

Theevent began on Friday with the traditional Friday Sermon and the raising of the black and white flag of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community alongside the flag of the United Kingdom.

On Saturday, the Caliph conducted proceedings from the ladies marquee where 15,000 Muslim women gathered for a speech on womens rights and empowerment under Islam and an award ceremony for academic achievements.

The group said that the purpose of the three-day international gathering was to promote the "true, peaceful teachings of Islam" and challenge misinterpretations around the worlds second-largest religion.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in 1889 in India and is led by a spiritual caliphate. PTI AK AJR AKJ AJR

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Rebecca Masisak CEO of TechSoup At TechSoup, we believe that strengthening the civil society community is the best option for addressing the anxiety and sense of displacement that is spreading across the globe." Rebecca Masisak, CEO of TechSoup

In the August 2017 edition of The NonProfit Times, TechSoup CEO Rebecca Masisak was honored as one of the nonprofit sectors top 50 most influential leaders. The NonProfit Times annually highlights 50 of the sectors leaders for innovation, influence on the broader sector, and development of organizational models that can be modeled and replicated.

Masisak has guided more than 200 TechSoup employees in enabling more transparent, accountable governments; connecting a global network to spur local technology innovation; designing and building apps for social good, serving as a trusted steward of civil society data and streamlining international grantmaking, in addition to administering TechSoups well-known and respected product donation program.

At TechSoup, we believe that strengthening the civil society community is the best option for addressing the anxiety and sense of displacement that is spreading across the globe, said Masisak. This award is shared with our staff, our global partner network, our donation partners, and, of course, with all the NGOs around the world.

Masisak will receive the award at the 13th annual NPT Power & Influence Top 50 Gala on Thursday, September 14, 2017 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

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About TechSoup

TechSoup provides the transformative technology solutions, the digital platforms, and the in-person experiences that enable people to work together toward a more equitable world.

With 70 partner NGOs around the world, TechSoup manages the only global philanthropy program that brings together over 100 tech companies to provide technology donations to NGOs everywhere. TechSoups data and validation services enable companies, foundations, and governments to connect their philanthropic resources with vetted NGOs around the world. In the past 30 years, TechSoup has reached 937,000 NGOs and distributed technology products and grants valued at more than $9 billion. http://www.techsoup.org

PR Contact:

James Nickerson

TechSoup Director of PR

415-633-9367
The Henry Ford hosts an evening with Paul Frank on Aug. 10

On Thursday, August 10, 2017, Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation will host world-famous artist and designer, Paul Frank as he shares an in-depth look at the 22-year history of his brand in honor of the limited-engagement exhibit House Industries: A Type of Learning. During the evening, Paul Frank himself will reveal how he created a global phenomenon starting with the hand crafted accessories he made in his garage and his iconic cast of characters, including Julius the Monkey.

General admission for the evening lecture is $25. Guest can upgrade their evening with a copy of the book House Industries: The Process is the Inspiration for $60. Beer, wine and other refreshments will be available for purchase. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with programming at 7 p.m. Guests can purchase tickets online at http://www.thehenryford.org or call The Henry Ford Call Center at 313-982-6001. Admission to House Industries: A Type of Learning exhibition is included with ticket purchase.

The special evening is part of the programming around The Henry Fords latest temporary exhibit, House Industries: A Type of Learning. The exhibit shows how a love for drawing letters combined with childhood interests became a gateway for House Industries to explore everything from fonts and fashion to ceramics and space travel. Their own diverse body of work is paired with many of the things that inspired them, demonstrating how different objects and experiences can result in new ideas and creations. The exhibit runs now through September 4, 2017

As an extension of the Paul Frank lecture, Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is proud to host two limited-seating craft workshops at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm, taught by Paul Frank himself. Using his iconic character designs, fans of all ages will have the opportunity to be led by the artist to create a personalized, one-of-a-kind vinyl sketchbook cover. The workshop is intended for people at least 12 years-old, as attendees will be using scissors, screw punches and hammers. The workshop is $150 and includes materials. Guests can reserve their spot by contacting The Henry Ford Call Center at 313-982-6001.

About The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized history destination that explores the American experience of innovation, resourcefulness and ingenuity that helped shaped America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled Archive of American Innovation, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrows innovators. Nearly 1.8 million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, public charter high school which educates over 500 students a year on the institutions campus. In 2014, The Henry Ford premiered its first-ever national television series, The Henry Fords Innovation Nation showcasing present-day change-makers and The Henry Fords artifacts and unique visitor experiences. Hosted by news correspondent and humorist, Mo Rocca, this Emmy-winning weekly half-hour show airs Saturday mornings on CBS. For more information, please visit our website thehenryford.org.

About Paul Frank

Paul Frank is a globally recognized, iconic fashion and lifestyle brand, which features artistic and entertaining designs for the young and young at heart. Acquired in 2010 by Saban Brands, the Paul Frank brand was born in 1995 out of a garage in a Southern California beach town. By creating relationships through exciting collaborations and strategic licensing partnerships, Paul Frank merchandise includes apparel and accessories for all ages, across categories such as books, stationery, eyewear, home decor, bicycles and more. To see whats new at Paul Frank, visit http://www.paulfrank.com.

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Kin Insurance Kin can provide a seamless and instant customer experience because it plugs into every available data source about each house. Historically, insurance companies have relied on the homeowner and the insurance agent to provide information.

Kin Insurance, the company that has built home insurance from scratch so that customers can get the best insurance entire online, in minutes, launched today in its first state, Florida. Since Kin is built on modern technology without paper and legacy IT systems, and does not rely on local brokers for distribution, Kin also provides a better value  more insurance for less money.

Kin was founded in 2016 by financial technology veterans Sean Harper, Lucas Ward and Sebastian Villarreal, who have previously built and sold financial technology businesses to Groupon, Insight Venture Partners and Avant.

Along with the launch, Kin raised $4.0M from top venture capitalists including Commerce Ventures, Omidyar Network, 500 Startups, Chicago Ventures and Portag3 Ventures, as well as top angels including founders and alumni from other top tech companies such as Avant, Square, Capital One, Linkedin and Facebook. Insurance is a huge part of the economy that hasnt seen much tech innovation. We are excited to back such an experienced team solving big problems in a giant industry, said Dan Rosen, founder and Managing Director of Commerce Ventures.

Kin can provide a seamless and instant customer experience because it plugs into every available data source about each house. Historically, insurance companies have relied on the homeowner and the insurance agent to provide information about the house, which is inconvenient for the customer but also that data isnt very reliable.

Even if users liked filling out long questionnaires about their houses, most people dont really know what condition their roof is in, or the replacement cost of their house. As techies with big data experience, we can quickly plug into new data sources and build models that really understand the home a lot better than the owner or an insurance agent said Lucas Ward, CTO of Kin.

By starting from scratch and cutting out unnecessary costs, Kin can provide a better value to the consumer while still building a profitable business. 94% of homeowners insurance is still sold through local brokers and agents but only 24% of people under the age of 40 actually want to buy that way, and these are the people who are now buying the most houses. There are more insurance offices than fast food restaurants, which is unnecessary and adds a lot of expense and results in higher prices for the consumer, said Sean Harper, CEO of Kin.
Be The Match

Matthew Medina was 40-years-old when his world changed forever. Medina went to see his doctor for what he thought was a routine rash, but the results were anything but ordinary. The husband, father of two and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) police officer, was diagnosed with aplastic anemiaa potentially life-threatening disease in which the marrow in the body stops working.

Every year, 600 to 900 people are diagnosed with aplastic anemia in the United States. Medina is currently being kept alive through blood transfusions and needs a marrow transplant to save his life, but first he must find a matching donor. His search has already inspired hundreds of people to join the national Be The Match Registry, the worlds largest listing of potential marrow donors.

The tremendous amount of support Matt has received from family, friends, our first responder community and even strangers has been unbelievable, said Officer Dante Pagulayan, Medinas LAPD partner. Each person who joined the registry on Matts behalf gives him and thousands of patients searching for a matching donor the strength and hope they need to keep fighting.

Inspired by the life-saving commitment of the first responder community and Matts urgent search for a matching marrow donor, Be The Match, the worlds leading nonprofit organization focused on saving lives through marrow and cord blood transplantation, is launching a new campaign: Register & Respond. The goal? To urge more first responders to join the registry and inspire their communities to do the samefor Matt and the thousands of other patients in need of matching donors.

First responders understand better than anyone the importance of stepping up when lives are on the line, said Kim Allen, director, community engagement and national accounts. When they get the call to donate, theyll be there to respond. Thats why Be The Match is partnering with first responders across the country to host donor registry drives and raise awareness about the need for more young, committed marrow donors to join the Be The Match Registry.

The campaign launches on August 1, which is also National Night Outa day that serves to highlight the relationships between first responders and their communities.

Joining the registry is a quick and easy process. People who are interested in joining the thousands that have already signed up to be committed donors can sign up from anywhere with internet accesshome, work or even smartphones. To learn more, visit BeTheMatch.org/register2respond.

About Be The Match

For people with life-threatening blood cancerslike leukemia and lymphomaor other diseases, a cure exists. Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can contribute to the cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant.

Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1 (800) MARROW-2.

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Contact:

Melissa Neill

612-616-2814

mneill(at)nmdp(dot)org

Ali Skahan

804-675-8139/ 703-342-8694

ali.skahan(at)padillaco(dot)com
DH Announces The Yoriko McClure Surgical Suite We are extremely grateful to Mrs. McClure for her exceptional generosity which will have a tremendous impact on our ability to provide the most advanced cardiovascular care for generations to come. John M. Murphy, MD, WCHN President and CEO

Danbury Hospital has received a generous leadership gift from Bridgewater resident Yoriko McClure to transform its cardiac operating room into a multi-functional cardiovascular surgical suite. Located in the Hospitals Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Pavilion, the new clinical space is scheduled for completion in 2018 and will be named The Yoriko McClure Surgical Suite at Danbury Hospital.

The Yoriko McClure Surgical Suite will combine the functionality of a traditional operating room with the advanced imaging capabilities of a catheterization laboratory, creating a clinically optimal hybrid operating room. This state-of-the-art surgical environment will enable surgeons to perform minimally invasive cardiac and endovascular procedures with extreme precision in a single surgical encounter. The facility will also accommodate leading-edge equipment, technology and surgical staff needed to perform the most advanced cardiovascular procedures.

McClure, who underwent coronary bypass surgery at Danbury Hospital under the care of cardiothoracic surgeon Cary Passik, MD, said she was both impressed and grateful for the exceptional care she received during her stay.

Dr. Passik and his team treated me so well. They saved my life, said McClure. When I woke up, it seemed like Dr. Passik was always there. Saturday, Sunday, he always came. That to me was very impressive.

McClure said that she also envisions a healthy future for other area residents. Many people from our community count on Danbury Hospital, she said. Along with honoring Dr. Passik, Im helping others, too.

We are extremely grateful to Mrs. McClure for her exceptional generosity, said Western Connecticut Health Network President and CEO John M. Murphy, MD. Her gift will have a tremendous impact on our ability to provide western Connecticut and neighboring New York with the most advanced cardiovascular care for generations to come.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading global cause of death, accounting for more than 17.3 million deaths each year, a number that is expected to grow over 23.6 million by 2030. In Connecticut, CVD accounts for more than 9,300 deaths each year, about one-third  with coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke) and heart failure accounting for 48 percent, 15 percent, and 8 percent of all CVD deaths respectively. CVD remains the number one cause of death in Connecticut despite the overall decline in the prevalence of smoking and improved control of high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

About Western Connecticut Health Network

Western Connecticut Health Network is the regions premier, patient-centered health care organization serving residents of Western Connecticut and adjacent New York. The organization is anchored by three nationally recognized hospitals, Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital and Norwalk Hospital, and their affiliated organizations. The continuum of care offered includes numerous Western Connecticut Medical Group medical and sub-specialty practices, home health care services, a nationally renowned biomedical research institute, the Danbury Hospital & New Milford Hospital Foundation, the Norwalk Hospital Foundation and other affiliates. For more information, visit WCHN.org. Share your comments with us at Facebook.com/DanburyHospital; Facebook.com/NewMilfordHospital and/or Facebook.com/NorwalkHospital.

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Suricata 4.0 is a major new release from a well-run team of open source developers. As well as new features, we are delighted to see improved detection performance and multi-pattern matching approaches." Geoff Langdale, Principal Engineer, Intel Corp.

The Open Information Security Foundation (OISF) is thrilled to announce Suricata 4.0 is now available to the community. This is a major release, improving detection capabilities, more protocols, adding new output options, Rust support, and much more. Thanks to valuable feedback from the rule writing teams at Emerging Threats, Positive Technologies, and many others Suricata 4.0 includes many rule keywords for inspecting HTTP, SSH and other protocols. New features allow for greater context with alerts. Also, Suricata 4.0 is the first release in which implemented parts in the Rust language using the Nom parser framework have been incorporated. This work was inspired by presentations from SuriCon 2016. To see the full list of Suricata 4.0 features and improvements visit.

Success for open source technologies, such as Suricata, relies on the talent and generosity of the community. Suricata 4.0 is possible due to the many people in our community who have contributed time, code, and documentation to this release. Also, this work would not be possible without the support of OISF consortium members.

Suricata 4.0.1 is expected to release in at the end of Summer 2017. The next major release of Suricata is planned for late 2017.

Suricata is a high-performance Network IDS, IPS, and Network Security Monitoring engine; open source and owned by the community-run non-profit organization, The Open Information Security Foundation (OISF). Since 2009, OISF has relied on a dedicated community of volunteers and industry supporters that contribute time, feedback, and code to Suricata. The success of Suricata and OISF is a direct result of their commitment. To get Suricata 4.0 visit https://suricata-ids.org/download/.

About OISF:

The Open Information Security Foundation (OISF), led by world-class security experts, programmers and others dedicated to open source security technologies, is committed to open source security technologies and the communities that keep them thriving is unwavering. OISF welcomes participation from the community large and small through working groups, mailing lists, training events, and the annual Suricata user conference - SuriCon. OISF is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Funding for OISF comes from the donations received from consortium members - world-class security organizations committed to our mission. A list of these organizations is available at http://oisf.net/consortium-members/.
Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Attorney Mark D. Lansing has joined the firms Washington, D.C. office as a Member.

Mr. Lansing focuses his practice on property tax & condemnation matters with respect to energy, industrial and commercial properties. He achieves significant property tax savings and assessment reductions for his clients through litigation, negotiations (settlements), due diligence reviews and PILOTs. He assists clients with their valuation of complex property, and through real property tax management. Mr. Lansing also works with energy, industrial and commercial companies in buying, building and operating facilities to effectively manage their property taxes, including due diligence review in the purchase or development phase, and representation before administrative agencies.

As an experienced trial lawyer, Mr. Lansing has successfully represented clients in settlement negotiations, motions, trials and appeals in both state and Federal trial and appellate courts. He is also well published in property tax and condemnation valuation matters.

Mr. Lansing received his B.S. and his M.B.A. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University.

About Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC is a general practice business law firm with more than 450 attorneys among more than 40 practice areas and 16 industry groups. Headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1878, the firm has eighteen offices, including six in Michigan (Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Saginaw) and 11 other domestic offices in Austin and El Paso, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville and Music Row, Tenn.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Washington, D.C. The firms Canadian office is located in Toronto.

Dickinson Wright offers our clients a distinctive combination of superb client service, exceptional quality, value for fees, industry expertise and business acumen. As one of the few law firms with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, Dickinson Wright has built state-of-the-art, independently-verified risk management controls and security processes for our commercial transactions. Dickinson Wright lawyers are known for delivering commercially-oriented advice on sophisticated transactions and have a remarkable record of wins in high-stakes litigation. Dickinson Wright lawyers are regularly cited for their expertise and experience by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and other leading independent law firm evaluating organizations.
Trade Credit Insurance - Credit Eureka "With the recent US Presidential election behind us, Congress has moved pro-actively to support the EXIM Bank," explained Dawson Beattie, President and Founder.

Credit Eureka, a leading provider of trade credit insurance at https://www.crediteureka.com/, is proud to announce an information update to its page on EXIM Bank export credit insurance services. Credit Eureka is an EXIM approved agency, assisting exporters with export credit insurance also known more generally as "trade credit insurance."

"With the recent US Presidential election behind us, Congress has moved pro-actively to support the EXIM Bank," explained Dawson Beattie, President and Founder. "It is an ideal time for US businesses to reach out and learn more about EXIM insurance, and our newly updated page helps them learn about how this works and our services as a partner agency with EXIM Bank."

To learn more about EXIM Bank export credit insurance services, visit the newly updated page at https://www.crediteureka.com/what-we-do/eximbank/. To learn more about trade credit insurance, in general, interested parties are directed to https://www.crediteureka.com/what-we-do/trade-credit-insurance/, and to request a detailed consultation, visitors can use the website contact form. No two situations are alike, and the best step for business customers is to reach out for a consultation on possible trade credit insurance.

EXIM Bank Export Credit Insurance

For small, medium, and even large businesses, doing business overseas can be daunting. Not only does one have to find an overseas buyer for one's product or service, but also one has to worry about being paid. Trade credit insurance fills this need, and EXIM Bank offers companies a unique credit insurance product that catalyzes their ability to offer terms and secure financing for their international trade. The newly updated page builds on the re-enactment of EXIM Bank's full product suite of capabilities to support companies large and small as they compete internationally. With the change in administrations, Congressional leaders have withdrawn their two year long block of appointments to EXIMBANKs board of directors, sparking new interest in the business community in the EXIM Bank and its programs. With a newly full complement of insurance and banking tools, EXIMBANK is again capable to fully execute on its charter to insure and finance US exporters competing abroad with non US companies whose sales to US are insured and financed by their home governments. The new page explains these facts, as well as how a partner agency such as Credit Eureka can assist with the process from start to finish. EXIM insurance is an opportunity that smart businesses should avail themselves of, immediately.

About Credit Eureka

Credit Eureka (https://www.crediteureka.com/) is a leading provider of trade credit insurance, which helps businesses increase their revenue, expand availability of financing, and minimize the risk of default on their commercial sales globally. Regularly purchased by commercial finance companies and banks, Credit Eureka helps manufacturers and services companies directly participate in this market to build programs for themselves. Nonpayment of trade-related debts and customer insolvency are other industry terms for this exposure. Additional common terms for its products are business credit insurance, accounts receivable credit insurance or commercial credit insurance. In addition to insurance markets, the company also facilitates the Accounts Receivable Puts (AR Puts) -- a debt indexed alternative to traditional credit insurance -- as well as helps with export credit insurance and political risk insurance. Businesses interested in these types of insurance, bank, and private equity products should reach out to Credit Eureka for more information or obtain a quote for the cost available for a portfolio or individual customer.

Tel. (888) 747-9541
"[T]hrough the Focus conferences and the FC/DC Legal Frontiers partnership, we are using our collective strengths to bring something extraordinarily valuable to law firms, lawyers, and legal leaders. ~ Robert J. Spagnoletti, CEO of the D.C. Bar.

The D.C. Bar and Fastcase today announced the theme of the inaugural Focus Conference, Focus: InsideOut. A one-day invitation-only event for leaders in law firms and corporate counsel offices, Focus: InsideOut will be held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on November 15, 2017.

The inaugural conference will include forums, panels, and discussion opportunities for in-house and outside counsel of Fortune 500 companies and the nations largest law firms.

Presented by FC/DC Legal Frontiers, the purpose of Focus Conferences is to examine cutting-edge issues and developments impacting top law firms and counsel offices, to help shape the industrys response to these developments. Each year Focus will cover a range of topics related to the evolving legal profession, as well as highlighting an issue of particular currency for discussion that year.

The highlighted topic of the 2017 conference is the shifting relationship between in-house and outside counsel. This includes examining legal-adjacent service providers such as accounting and consulting firms, and discussing options for how outside counsel can retain more matters or explore new partnership opportunities.

Registrations are by invitation only.

Admission for attendees and speakers at the 2017 Focus Conference is limited.

To request an invitation, http://www.focus.law.

Were witnessing the legal market evolve at a faster pace than ever before, said Ed Walters, CEO of Fastcase. New technologies and evolving business practices are constantly creating new challenges and opportunities for the modern law firm. As business leaders, many of us know the power (or benefits) that can come from communicating, collaborating, and connecting with industry peers who may also be our customers or competitors. We designed the Focus conferences series to provide an environment for insightful legal leaders to discuss the immediate future of legal services.

The D.C. Bar and Fastcase have been working together for the past several years to provide legal research services to our member lawyers and law firms, and now through the Focus conferences and the FC/DC Legal Frontiers partnership, we are using our collective strengths to bring something extraordinarily valuable to law firms, lawyers, and legal leaders, said Robert J. Spagnoletti, CEO of the D.C. Bar.

To learn more about the Focus conferences and to request your invitation to Focus: InsideOut, visit http://www.focus.law.

About FC/DC Legal Frontiers

In early 2017, FC/DC Legal Frontiers was founded by Fastcase and the D.C. Bar as a joint venture for the sole purpose of producing and managing the annual Focus conference. Our goal is not only to produce an excellent conference each year, but also to raise the bar for content and programming at legal events and conferences.

About The D.C. Bar

Established in 1972, the District of Columbia Bars mission is to be a leader in the legal profession, empower individuals, enhance member value, provide public service, and foster connections with its community. With more than 100,000 members in 50 states and 80+ countries, the D.C. Bar is one of the largest unified bars in the United States and provides access to justice, professional services, and award-winning continuing legal education. http://www.dcbar.org

About Fastcase

Fastcase is a leading legal publisher focused on smarter legal software that democratizes the law, making it more accessible to more people. Using patented software that combines the best of legal research with the best of Web search, Fastcase helps busy users sift through the clutter, ranking the best cases first and enabling the re-sorting of results to find answers fast. Founded in 1999, Fastcase is one of the fastest-growing legal tech companies, with more than 800,000 subscribers from around the world. Fastcase is an American company based in Washington, D.C. For more information, follow Fastcase on Twitter at @Fastcase or visit http://www.fastcase.com.
The Miami office of international law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A. was recognized as the top office of a Large Law Firm by the Dade County Bar Association at the 2017 Legal Luminaries Awards. In addition, three attorneys from the Miami office were honored as winners for practice area categories.

The awards were presented July 26 at The Rusty Pelican in Key Biscayne. Each year, the Miami Dade County Bar Association selects three finalists in each category based on nominations received and invites Florida Bar members to vote for the winners. The winners are determined based upon the number of valid votes received for that category. The Greenberg Traurig 2017 Legal Luminaries winners are:



Jaret L. Davis, recognized in the Mergers and Acquisitions category, is a co-managing shareholder of the Miami office and a shareholder in the firms Corporate & Securities Practice. He represents public and private companies, as well as startups and private equity, venture capital and angel investors, with a particular industry focus on the IT and life sciences/biotech sectors.

Lucia A. Dougherty, recognized in the Top Lobbying and Government Relations category, is of counsel and co-chair of the Land Development and Zoning Practice of the Miami office. She represents major developers in securing governmental approvals for large-scale residential, commercial, mixed use, and/or retail projects before various municipal and county governments.

Sabrina R. Gallo, recognized in the Health Care category, a shareholder in the firms Health & FDA and Litigation practices. She advises and represents clients under federal regulatory compliance laws relating to fraud and abuse, HIPAA and HITECH, Medicare, Medicaid, third-party reimbursement programs, false claims laws and regulations, STARK law and anti-kickback laws.

We are thrilled that our Miami office is once again recognized as the top office of a Large Law Firm by The Dade County Bar Association, said Miami Co-Managing Shareholder Yosbel A. Ibarra. We applaud Jaret, Lucia and Sabrina for all of their accomplishments and congratulate them as recipients of the 2017 Legal Luminaries Award.

Greenberg Traurigs Miami office also had another nine attorneys who were finalists this year:

Jacqueline Becerra, White Collar Criminal Defense

Patricia Menendez-Cambo, International

Lorne S. Cantor, Mergers & Acquisitions

David A. Coulson, Securities

Robert S. Fine, Zoning & Land Use

Richard J. Giusto, Real Estate Development Transactions

Patrick F. Martin, Labor & Employment

Ian M. Ross, Pro Bono and Public Interest

Mark P. Schnapp, White Collar Criminal Defense

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GTLaw) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East and is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One firm worldwide, GTLaw has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and among the Top 20 on the 2016 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.
By India Today Web Desk: Last year, Allu Arjun and Sneha Reddy welcomed their second child, Allu Arha. The actor shared a snap of his li'l angel on Twitter on Monday, and fans went gaga over the adorable toddler.

In the picture, Allu Arjun, dressed in a crisp white shirt, is playing with his daughter, who looks too cute for words in her blue frock and matching hairband.

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"Me And My Little Angel Allu Arha ! #studio pic a boo," Bunny captioned the photo. In just a day, the picture garnered over 18,000 likes and 3,000 retweets.

Me And My Little Angel Allu Arha ! #studio pic a boo pic.twitter.com/GrQvNwXOzP- Allu Arjun (@alluarjun) July 31, 2017

Allu Arha's name is an amalgamation of the couple's names. She was born to the Sarrainodu actor and Sneha in November last year. The couple also has a three-year-old son named Ayaan.

On the work front, Allu Arjun will soon begin shooting for his upcoming film, Naa Peru Surya. The film, which will be helmed by Vakkantham Vamsi, will see the actor playing a military officer.

PHOTO: Suriya, Allu Arjun, Jr NTR snapped at 64th Filmfare Awards South 2017

ALSO SEE: A look at Allu Arjun's best performances

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As pediatric speech therapists, we have the opportunity to set children up for a lifetime of success in the areas of speech and communication, which makes this line of work very rewarding. Past News Releases RSS Orange County Audiovisual Company...

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Lil Chit-Chat, a private speech therapy clinic in Southern California, announced recently that they are looking to expand their staff and hire additional Speech Language Pathologists and Speech Language Pathology Assistants (SLPA) to work in the areas of Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, and Canyon Lake, California. Both part-time and full-time opportunities are available, and the clinic is looking to fill available positions by the end of the summer due to their expanding number of clients in the southwest Riverside County area.

The boutique speech therapy clinic, which also has an office in the South Bay area of Southern California, focuses on one-on-one speech therapy services for children. Whenever possible, therapists include family members and caregivers in the therapy sessions, and most therapy sessions are conducted in the homes of their clients. Great care is taken to match the skills and training of their speech therapists with the needs of their clients to achieve the best outcomes.

Lil Chit-Chat is looking for certified and licensed speech language pathologists and SLPAs to join their team who are experienced working with children as young as 18 months of age in a play-based therapy model.

Sabrina Conway, founder of Lil Chit-Chat and a licensed Speech Language Pathologist herself, had this to say about hiring additional therapists, Its always a challenge to find the right people when you decide to expand your staff. We want speech therapists who are not only skilled at providing speech therapy services, but who are also passionate about what they do and have a love for children.

Conway continued, As pediatric speech therapists, we have the opportunity to set children up for a lifetime of success in the areas of speech and communication, which makes this line of work very rewarding. We take our work seriously, but we also make sure to incorporate fun into our therapy sessions to help keep our young clients motivated and encouraged to reach their goals.

The speech therapists and SLPAs at Lil Chit-Chat have come from a variety of backgrounds, having worked in schools, hospitals, and other private speech therapy clinics. SLPAs will work under the direct supervision of Lil Chit-Chat founder, Sabrina Conway. For more information, or to submit a resume to Lil Chit-Chat, visit http://lilchitchat.com/careers/.

About Lil Chit-Chat Speech & Language Therapy Inc.

Lil Chit-Chat Speech & Language Therapy Inc. is a boutique private practice clinic that provides high-quality speech and language services to children. They are a trusted industry leader offering office-based, home-based, and online speech-language therapy services throughout the South Bay community and the Menifee, Canyon Lake, and Temecula areas of Riverside County. Learn more about Lil Chit-Chat by visiting their website at http://lilchitchat.com/.
Medforce and DME Data Solutions Partner The ability for us to have data flow seamlessly between our Medforce and DME Data Solutions' applications has saved us a ton of time.

Medforce Technologies and DME Data Solutions, leading providers of productivity software to the Durable Medical Equipment industry, announced a strategic partnership to deliver providers an end-to-end solution for business management that improves efficiency, increases productivity, and boosts profitability.

The alliance between the two companies enables providers to assemble a best-of-breed approach to technology at an affordable price. Between the two companies there are over a dozen software modules focused on minimizing manual efforts, improving automation, and freeing up resources to focus on strategic activities.

The ability for us to have data flow seamlessly between our Medforce and DME Data Solutions applications has saved us a ton of time, states Liz Dean, Manager of a regional DME provider. Our employees can stay focused on providing the best customer service possible, because all the information they need is available at their fingertips and is updated automatically.

DME Data Solutions brings to the table inventory, billing, and patient contact management solutions. Medforce offers document management, workflow automation, denial management, and electronic signature among others. Automated data exchange and integration eliminates duplication data entry and keeps operations running at a real-time pace.

The partnership with Medforce was a no-brainer for us, says DME Data Solutions founder Ken Ravazzolo. Were both focused on helping providers take advantage of operational efficiencies that lead to greater profitability, while not charging and arm and a leg to do so. We each fill gaps in each others portfolio and together can deliver a full suite of software and services for the benefit of DME providers.

At Medforce, we strongly believe in giving providers the flexibility to build the exact operational backbone they need to service their unique markets efficiently and effectively, says Ellen Sluder, VP of Marketing at Medforce Technologies. This partnership with DME Data Solutions builds on our ability to deliver on that mission. Both companies want providers to have access to the best tools that will deliver the highest return on their technology investment as evidenced by lower costs and increased revenue.

About Medforce Technologies

Medforce Technologies provides process and document management software to improve the efficiency and productivity of healthcare back-office operations. We work across all departments (from intake and claims to mailroom, AP, AR, and HR) ensuring the highest priority work is always completed first and resource allocation is optimized to maximize your bottom line. Each of our modular products is built to be flexible and customizable, allowing healthcare organizations adapt quickly to change and do more with less. To learn more about the power of productivity, visit http://www.medforcetech.com .

About DME Data Solutions

DME Data Solutions is a leading developer of software applications for DME providers. The companys flagship product, IMS, is an affordable and easy-to-use inventory, patient management, and billing system that utilizes barcode technology and emphasizes par-level reordering and resupply. IMS is currently installed in hundreds of locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, please visit http://www.dmedatasolutions.com or call 855.723.7700.
A furious Shah is also likely to seek explanation from the absentee MPs and and has asked them to ensure it is not repeated.

By Poulomi Saha: Taking a serious note of their absence from Rajya Sabha leading to a major embarrassment for the government over a crucial bill and upsetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, BJP chief Amit Shah today said he will seek explanations from each one of them.

A furious Shah is also likely to meet the absentee MPs individually and ask them to ensure it is not repeated. "When the party issues a three-line whip, it should be adhered to. All the MPs are expected to remain in the House until it is adjourned," he is reported to have said.

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After a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party in New Delhi today, senior party leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said Shah has taken a "serious view of the absence of party MPs", including senior ministers, from the House when a Constitution amendment bill on backward classes was being debated.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs SS Ahluwalia also gave a presentation in which he explained the significance of Parliamentary protocol at the meeting.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh said, "Violation of a three-line whip results in expulsion. Five of Amit Shah's ministers and 30 of his MPs were not present. He should sack them."

WHAT HAPPENED ON MONDAY

On Monday, the Rajya Sabha witnessed high drama and embarrassment for the government as the Constitution amendment bill for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes was changed after some amendments moved by the Opposition were passed.

The bill was passed after the Opposition managed to drop Clause 3, which pertains to the insertion of a new article 338B about the constitution and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes. The amended bill will now have to be returned to the Lok Sabha for its fresh approval.

A war of words ensued between the ruling and the Opposition benches over this as the government was not ready to accept the amendments moved by the Congress members. However, since the amendment had already been passed, there was no going back, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien ruled.

ALSO READ

Backward Classes Bill: Govt embarrassed after Opposition makes amendments

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Government embarrassed in Rajya Sabha over Backward Classes Bill

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It was the first time a US pilot made an air-to-air kill since the Kosovo conflict in 1999.

And now, for the first time since the incident, pilot

"The whole incident lasted about eight minutes," Tremel told the site. "I did not directly communicate with the Syrian Jet but he was given several warnings by our supporting AWACS aircraft."

Central Command said that after pro-Syrian fighter jets bombed the SDF

Here's the rest of Tremel's story:

"So yes, we released ordnance and yes it hit a target that was in the air, but it really just came back to defending those guys that were doing the hard job on the ground and taking that ground back from ISIS ... I didnt see the pilot eject but my wingman observed his parachute ... When you think about the shoot-down, in the grand scheme of things  we [our squadron] flew over 400 missions in support of friendly forces on the ground ... [Russia] behaved with great professionalism at all times.

Tremel also said that he first shot at the Su-22 with an
This was disclosed by the Managing Director of the Bank, Robert Le Hunte.

He explained that the Board of Directors for the bank has given approval for them to approach the shareholders of the bank on two significant matters.

These issues are; to change the name of the bank to Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited with the new ownership structure and to increase the level of capital of the bank by 50 million cedis.

READ ALSO: Dr John Kofi Mensah is new adb Bank MD

This follows the banks ability to cover 65 percent of its Non-Performing Loans(NPL) in the first half of 2017.

Addressing the media on Thursday (July 27, 2017) Le Hunte said the bank has returned to profitability after making a loss of 80 million dollars for two years.

After 2 years of losses and GH150 million in provision, HFC Bank returned to profitability producing the best first half year results in the history of their 27 years of existence. Additionally, the Bank now boasts of having one of the highest cover ratio i.e. provision of non-performing loans of over 65% which provides the Bank with protection against future shocks going forward.

READ ALSO: Milison Narh retires from BoG

In his opinion, the commitment of staff and the training given them helped to improve the financial status of the bank tremendously.

He was quick to admit that even though they are making profit, the work was far from over.

During the two year period, over US$30 million was spent on upgrading the Information Technology infrastructure and refurbishment of the branch network. In addition, investment was made in training and developing the Staff with the assistance of RFHL, he said.

Le Hunte also indicated that the two matters they will be seeking the approval of shareholders on are in line with keeping up with the new ownership structure.

This new capital together with the BBB+ S&P rating of Republic Bank Limited makes the Bank one of the strongest in the industry and puts them in a better position to build on the strong foundation in the housing industry and the future prospects in the oil and gas industry.

During the two year period, over US$30 million was spent on upgrading the Information Technology infrastructure and refurbishment of the branch network. In addition, investment was made in training and developing the Staff with the assistance of RFHL, he said.

He further added that the bank will raise 50 million cedis from the bourse after a board is constituted for the Securities and Exchange Commission
Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka said, this is the first time in my whole life in Parliament that I am seeing that a motion, when it is just moved and seconded, is referred to a committee.

You see, we keep talking about the gagging but people dont understand because it is not for nothing that the Minority Leader stands. It is because the Minority have reasons to speak and if you do everything to prevent them from speaking, you make the House very difficult to govern.

READ ALSO: Police raid home of John Jinapor

This is the first time in my whole life in Parliament that I am seeing that a motion, when it just moved and seconded, is referred to a committee.

The erstwhile Mahama-led administration signed a contract with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Groups (AMERI Energy) in 2015.

The deal was for AMERI to rent 300MW of emergency power to the country during the power crisis in Ghana.

The deal cost $510 million.

READ ALSO: Airline appoints Ghanaian as Chief Pilot

It was later revealed that the government of the time was shortchanged by AMERI. The contract was overpriced by $150 million, which the government paid.

The motion to reverse this deal was filed by K.T Hammond, who was the ranking member of the Energy Committee of Parliament in 2015 when the deal was approved.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Eric Antwi.

The statement said that Captain Charles William Minyila will be responsible for the supervision of flight crew training and line operations to ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with the regulatory requirements, policies and procedures of Starbow among other duties.

READ ALSO: Controversial towing levy approved

We are excited to have Charles, an international pilot to lead the team in his capacity as Chief Pilot and we are convinced he will bring his enormous experience to bear on the overall operations of the company.

Charles will also be responsible for supervising and giving leadership to all pilots both on and off flight duty, maintaining good morale and high standard of discipline and conduct among many other duties, Antwi added.

Captain Minyila has trained with the Flight Safety Paris & Amsterdam, the Global Aviation Training, Spain, the ATR Training Center, France, Sky-blue Aviation, UK, Oxford Aviation Academy, among many others.

READ ALSO: Dr John Kofi Mensah is new adb Bank MD

Until his appointment as Chief Pilot of Starbow Minyila was Line Captain ATR 72-500, an international airline.

Between September 2015 and June 2016 he was also the Line Captain ATR 42-300 with Lease-Fly, in Portugal.

Between November 2014-April 2015, Minyila was appointed as Acting Chief Pilot with Solenta Aviation, Ghana.

READ ALSO:

He was also had brief working experience with Fly 540 in Ghana as the Chief Pilot and also worked with Antrak Airline.

Antwi said the newly appointed Chief Pilot will work closely with the Director Flight Operations and Flight Operations Manager.
The accused, a resident of Akute in Ogun, is standing trial on charges of stealing and obtaining money under false pretences at an Ikeja Magistrates Court.

The accused pleaded not guilty and the Magistrate, Mrs I.O. Raji, asked the accused to produce two sureties as part of the bail condition.

Raji said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and should also show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

According to the Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, the accused committed the offences sometime in February at 7up Bottling Company, Oregun, Lagos.

He said the accused collected N480,000 from the complainant, Mrs Casmir Ezeri, with a promise to supply her scrap crates.

The accused, a safety officer at 7up Bottling Company, presented himself to be in charge of auction and told the complainant that his company was auctioning scrap crates.

He told the complainant to give him money so that he can supply her crates of soft drinks.

After he collected the money, he did not supply the crates and the complainant was forced to go to the company to verify if actually the company had scrap crates to sell.

The complainant was told by the manager that the company did not have scrap crates to sell and that the accused was not in charge of auction even if the company had crates to sell.

Efforts made by the complainant to recover her money were unsuccessful, he told the court.

The offences contravened Sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 314 stipulates 15 years imprisonment for obtaining money under false pretences.
The defendant, a resident of Area 10, Garki, was docked for criminal breach of trust and misappropriation.

The prosecutor, Joshua Ayanna, told the court that one Inyang of the said address reported the matter at the Garki Police Station on June 30.

He said the complainant entrusted some printing papers worth N250,000 to the defendant sometime in March and June.

Ayanna added that the complainant gave the printing papers to the defendant based on trust, but he converted same to his use.

The prosecutor said all efforts to retrieve the papers from the defendant proved abortive and that he could not give satisfactory account for the papers.

He said the offence contravened Sections 312 and 309 of the Penal Code.

The defendant however pleaded not guilty.

The Judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N260, 000 with one surety in like sum.
Even though Shah has scotched reports of him joining Team Modi, he may end up doing exactly the opposite in the fluid political situation.

BJP president Amit Shah is being tipped as one of the probable ministers in the Modi Cabinet.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to reshuffle his Cabinet this month, dropping some non-performers, including new faces and filling the vacant ministries. In the much-needed exercise, BJP president Amit Shah is being tipped as one of the probable ministers in the Modi Cabinet. With Shah himself refuting such reports, BJP has reasons to cheer.

Shah being included as one of the new faces in the Modi government had its genesis in his contesting the Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat. Shah is a five-term MLA from his home state. However, he is contesting a parliamentary election for the very first time. This triggered the speculation of the BJP president moving to policy making from strengthening and expanding the party.

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But Shah rejected the speculation on Monday of him resigning as BJP president. "There is no question of doing so. I have the responsibility of being the party president. I am happy, and I am working wholeheartedly. You people (media) please do not push," Shah told mediapersons.

Even though Shah has scotched reports of him joining Team Modi, he may end up doing exactly the opposite in the fluid political situation. Or, in a unique arrangement, he may even hold both the posts - of a minister as well as the BJP chief. However, the BJP cadres must have heaved a sigh of relief after his rejoinder to the conjectures.

These are the reasons why:

2014 LOK SABHA ELECTIONS

Recognising his electoral talent, he was appointed as the BJP national general secretary in charge of the crucial Uttar Pradesh state ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. This was the highest point in his political journey then. Known as a master of electoral mathematics with a nose for smallest of data points, Shah hit the ground running, knowing full well that performing exceptionally well in UP was key to BJP and Modi's success in the general elections.

Shah spent a whole year visiting every nook and corner of the state, infusing enthusiasm among the party workers, pushing BJP's development agenda along with BJP's prime ministerial Narendra Modi's vision. The strategy worked as BJP along with its allies won 73 of the 80 seats in the state. This helped the party crossed the magic figure of 272 in the Lok Sabha. The party won 282 seats.

WORLD'S LARGEST PARTY

Recognising his acumen, Shah was anointed as BJP's president in 2014. This made him busier. In less than a year as BJP chief, he travelled to each and every state to push the party's ideology and expand its base.

The results were exceptional. BJP became the world's largest political party with over 10 crore members.

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

Under Shah's stewardship, BJP has so far faced Assembly elections in 16 states since August 2014. It has formed government in nine - UP, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Assam. It has been able to strengthen its position in four states and Union Territories - Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry - where its position had always been weak. The party lost three states - Delhi, Bihar and Punjab.

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However, Bihar has fallen back in BJP's kitty after Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar broke alliance with Lalu Prasad-led RJD and tied up with it last week.

Riding on Modi wave and crafting smart strategies, Shah succeeded in winning Assembly elections in four states - Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir - during the first year itself. While the party was successful in installing its chief ministers for the very first time in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana, it formed coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir.

In UP Assembly elections, BJP garnered 41 per cent votes and won 325 of the 403 seats. In contrast, it had garnered just 15 pc votes and bagged 47 seats in the 2012 Assembly polls. It was the biggest victory of any party in UP in the last 40 years.

Under Shah, special attention has been made on seven weak states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal.

BJP won the 2016 Assembly elections in Assam with absolute majority while in Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, it became a force to reckon with.

The party has put its focus on the Northeastern states. Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) has been formed for forming alliance and development of the region. BJP has been successful in installing its CM in Manipur and Arunachal. An NDA government has been formed in Nagaland. Never in history had BJP made such inroads in the Northeast.

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LOCAL ELECTIONS

Not just Lok Sabha and Assembly elections but BJP under Amit Shah has also produced unprecedented results in the local elections.

In Maharashtra local elections, BJP has mayor in eight out of the 10 municipal corporations. It won maximum 401 seats. Out of 25 zila panchayats, BJP also has maximum 10 district chairpersons and five vice-chairpersons.

In Odisha, BJP bagged 306 out of 849 seats. In 2012, it had won just 36 seats.

Besides, BJP won the local elections held in Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Leh-Laddakh, Andaman Nicobar, Assam and Lakshadweep.

2019 LOK SABHA POLLS

Shah is preparing a strategy for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. A special tactic is being formulated for the 120 seats which BJP had lost in 2014 Lok Sabha seats. Special focus has been made on seven weak states besides the Northeastern states.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Besides the strategy, Amit Shah's mantra for success has been extensive travelling and establishing mass contact with party workers. In 32 months (till March 2017) as BJP president, on an average he has travelled 524 km every day. He has made a total journey of 5,07,177 km during this period.

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During his tenure, training camps were held for workers the first time on a grand scale at national, state, district and block levels. Earlier, only 3,500 workers on an average participated in such training camps annually. But under Shah, more than 7.25 lakh workers joined these camps in 2015.

With such perseverance, toil and tangible results, BJP may ill-afford to spare Amit Shah. In him, PM Modi will surely get a minister with a proven track record as a successful leader, but BJP would surely suffer. In view of the forthcoming Assembly elections including Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP would ill-afford to lose a master strategist.

Also Read:

Why Modi government may not have enough numbers in Rajya Sabha despite the big Bihar, Gujarat boost

PM Narendra Modi to rejig Cabinet, may drop non-performers

Also Watch:

Modi cabinet heading for rejig again, JD(U) might get crucial portfolios

--- ENDS ---
A statement presented to Parliament on Tuesday, August 1 by the Foreign Affairs Committee said the two: Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, should be allowed to stay in the country because they pose no threats.

Considering the fact that no findings have linked the detainee to any terror group, and the importance of the Agreement to the strengthening of the bond between the government of Ghana and the government of the United States of America, the Committee wishes to recommend to the House to adopt its report and ratify the agreement between the Government of Ghana and the Government of the United States of America on the Resettlement in Ghana of two (2) former Guantanamo Bay detainees, the statement said.

The agreement regarding the two was recently laid before parliament following an order by the Supreme Court.

READ ALSO: Supreme Court declares Gitmo 2 in Ghana unconstitutional

The court in June this year declared as unconstitutional, the agreement which has Ghana hosting the two ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees.

It, therefore, ordered that the agreement covering the resettlement be subjected to parliamentary approval.

It will be recalled that Margaret Banful and Henry Nana Boakye filed a suit against the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, and Minister of Interior on the relocation of Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammed Salih Al-Dhuby in Ghana without seeking parliamentary approval.

The two ex-detainees: Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, arrived in Ghana on Thursday January 7, 2016 for a two-year stay as part of a deal reached between the United States of America and the Government of Ghana.
But according to Accra-based Citi, the said officer has since been reinstated. His reinstatement took effect two weeks ago.

Background

A licensed US gold buying firm, Green Global Resources, at a press conference in June this year said that some high-ranking officials of the Police Service have connived with some individuals to dupe them in a Ghc1.3 million gold scam.

They accused the suspects involved in the case, including DSP Basintale of seizing 13 gold bars from the firm under the pretext that the firm was allegedly buying stolen gold.

The then East Legon Police Commander, DSP Emmanuel Basintale and 6 others, were interdicted.

But the lawyer for DSP Basintale and his three other colleagues, Kissi Agyebeng in a statement said his clients have borne in silence the brunt of the odium the publications reduced them in their name, reputation, and standing society, until now.

According to him, the Police Service was initially given the benefit of its stature that it would institute a service enquiry timeously to establish the veracity or otherwise of the allegations, should it find the need to do so upon their interdiction but recent events have given indication that the Ghana Police Service is unwilling to act within the confines of law and regulation in this matter.

The lawyer also made the following clarifications on behalf of his clients
The campaign is aimed at applauding persons and companies who maintain a clean environment in Accra and to punish those who do the contrary.

Three companies have so far been served with warning notices by the AMA and have been given five days to tidy up.

Mayor of Accra, Nii Adjei Sowah on Tuesday led some sanitary inspectors across the Metropolis and inspected some facilities to find out if they were abiding by strict environmental practices.

READ ALSO: 21 fined for dumping refuse on N1 Highway

At the Ridge residence of the ex-president, the team was excited with how the former president had kept his surroundings.

We realized that you are not only keeping the inner compound very green but the outer compound is also very green and the AMA wants to show its appreciation to you by giving you this plaque which shows that the City of Accra recognizes your continuous effort at ensuring a clean beautiful and manicured surroundings, the Mayor of Accra said.

He further asked the ex-president to kindly accept to be the ambassador of sanitation for the AMA, and Mr Rawlings gladly accepted.

I certainly will [be the ambassador] and keep up the pressure. Dont ease up at all. There is a lot of fight ahead of us. When you cant change peoples habit, change the environment and make them respond to it. It brings about a social sense of responsibility. That is what we need to restore the discipline that we used to be associated with, the former president said.

READ ALSO: Minister mulls setting up a National Sanitation Authority
According to Dr Tetteh, who is also the President of the UK based Worldwide Miracle Outreach, he would rally churches around the community for the massive Healing and Restoration Crusade.

He told the Ghana News Agency that even though what occurred in the town is a national tragedy, he believes that as a nation, we are all guilty in one way or the other for the shedding of an innocent blood.

The people of Ghana has taken so many things for granted, he said and urged Ghanaians to always seek God in everything they do.

A total of 58 suspects arrested in connection with the murder has since made an appearance at the Accra Central District Court.

READ ALSO: Chiefs of Denkyira purify town
Aside from the budget report, there were news stories of the Member of Parliament for the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Adwoa Safo captured to be fixing her wig on live television during the budget review.

The immediate social media response has been an outlash concerning the irrelevance of a story that is just picking on the controversies that constantly surround the MP.

During the lengthy speech outlining the economic state of the country for the first half of the year, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta had to suffer through a lot of hooting and antagonism from the opposition NDC at every statement he made. Counter-wise, the majority in parliament cheered in affirmation to what the Minister tagged a review of the The Asempa Budget.

A heated argument was sparked after the Ken Ofori-Atta ended his speech over time allotment to selected speakers in the house to comment on the issues raised in the budget review.

In the midst of the banters, Lawyer Adwoa Safo was reported to be nonchalant and fixated on her looks than is expected of her to listen and contribute to issues deliberated in the house.

The honorable member was caught on camera tugging at her wig, trying to pull it to a supposedly better position on her head.

However, most Ghanaians believe that it was extremely unnecessary for such a story to be reported. People expressed that in the midst of the numerous crisis of premium importance battling the nation, it is ridiculous that attention is drawn to such irrelevance.
He said the decision of the chairperson to engage other officials for his job role is against the administrative procedure of the Commission.

He accused the EC Chair of dealing with the Director of Human Resource Mr Samuel Boadu instead of him [Amadu Sulley].

In a letter written to Charlotte Osei dated July 27, Amadu Sulley said "I have observed with concern of your non-recognition of my presence in the office since you resumed from leave. This is because you have been dealing with the Director, Human Resource (Mr Samuel Boadu) in the absence of the Deputy Chairperson, Corporate Services.

"It will be recalled that on 5th July 2017, you wrote to the Deputy Chairperson, Corporate Services to proceed on leave following EOCOs directive. I wrote to reschedule my leave on 15th June 2017.

"On 20th June 2017, the first Deputy Chairperson, Corporate Services wrote to recall me from leave. I have been in the office since then.

"Per the organisational structure of the Commission, in the absence of any of the Deputies, the other Deputy acts on behalf of him/her. It is, therefore, unfortunate that you have resorted to use the Director of Human Resource (Mr Samuel Boadu) as your Deputy contrary to administrative procedure.

"I am per this memo craving your indulgence to this administrative lapse and call on you to act henceforth in accordance to the structures of the commission.

"I hope this will be treated with the importance it deserves.

"Attached are two letters for the rescheduling of my leave and the recall from leave."

Thank youAmadu SulleyDeputy Chair (OPS)

Some staff of the EC on July 19 filed a petition against the Chairperson calling for a full-scale investigation into alleged misconduct and abuse of office on her part.

The concerned staff in a petition claim her decision to cancel a contract awarded to Superlock Technologies Limited (STL), a company contracted to supply and manage Biometric Voter Registration machines (BVRs) and the Biometric Voter Devices (BVDs), as well as her directive for the payment of $76,000 to IT firm, Dream Oval, were fraudulent and hence she should be removed from office.

READ ALSO: Charlotte Osei faces Parliament

Charlotte Osei following the petition, ordered her legal team to consider suing the petitioners for defamation and also demanded their names are made known to her.
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By India Today Web Desk: NITI Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya resigned today. Pangariya said that he will be returning to the United States. Sources have said that Panagariya will turn to academia after completing his tenure.

Panagariya said that August 31 will be his last working day and that he informed Prime Minster Narendra Modi, who is also the chairman of the NITI Aayog, of his desire to move back to academics around two months ago.

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Panagariya is known for his market-friendly views and is a close associate of well-known trade economist Jagdish Bhagwati. He has earlier been the Chief Economist of the Asian Development Bank and a Professor of Economics and Co-director, Centre for International Economics, University of Maryland at College Park.

Holding a Ph.D degree in Economics from Princeton University, Panagariya has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities.

Panagariya is a renowned authored, having written, 'India: The Emerging Giant', which was among the top picks of The Economist magazine and was called the "definitive book on the Indian economy" by CNN's Fareed Zakaria. In March 2012, he was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.

NITI Aayog had replaced the 65-year old Planning Commission, a vestige of the socialist era.

Also Read:

6 things you should know about Arvind Panagariya

'We plan a tectonic shift to federalism'

Was major driver behind separate G20 statement on terror, India says

WATCH: Niti Aayog's Arvind Panagariya to India Today: Demonetisation will improve efficiency and growth by stamping out corruption

--- ENDS ---
Africa's business aviation market is expected to grow significantly. In 2012, there were between 400 and 600 business jets in Africa, say experts.

Despite their exorbitant price tags (a Gulfstream 450 costs about $41 million), luxury jet registrations have been soaring to new heights across the globe, according to Knight Frank's 2017 Wealth Report.

In 2012, an official of Bombardier, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer, said Nigeria ranked behind the United States, United Kingdom, and China among countries that top their orders for the supply of the aircraft type.

However, in 2016 Nigeria has fallen out of that elite company but is still a dominant player on the continent.
The statement, published in July after The New York Times first reported that the meeting took place, said that Trump Jr. and the lawyer "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children" and that the subject of conversation was "not a campaign issue at the time."

But that characterization evolved over the next few days, with Trump Jr. ultimately publishing his email correspondences with the British music publicist who organized the meeting. The email chain indicated that the pretext of the meeting was that the lawyer would provide the Trump campaign with damaging information about Hillary Clinton "as part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump," to which Trump Jr. replied, "I love it."

Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, also attended the meeting.

According to The Post, when news of the meeting broke, a group of Trump's advisers agreed that the White House should release a truthful statement that could not be repudiated if more details surfaced later.

But Trump overruled the advisers and "personally dictated" the misleading statement that was eventually published, according to The Post's report. The statement was crafted aboard Air Force One as Trump returned from the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, The Post said.

Trump has maintained that he learned of the meeting just days before The Times first reported on it, and previous reporting suggested he had merely signed off on the statement. But Monday's report describing direct involvement by Trump in the response could attract more scrutiny to Trump amid investigations by Congress and the FBI into Russian election interference.

"This was  unnecessary," one of Trump's advisers told The Post. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

The meeting has caught the attention of Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mueller sent a request to White House officials to preserve any documents relating to the 2016 meeting.

Trump has defended his son and has repeatedly dismissed the Russia investigation, tweeting on July 15: "You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history  led by some very bad and conflicted people!"
Lege Miami shared a video via Instagram begging Lanre Gentry to please leave him alone.

Pulse reached out to the actor who told us, "I don't have anything with Mercy she is a good friend of mine."

Opening up on when the death threats started, the producer said, "He accused me in person sometime last year that I call and text his wife too much. I have witnesses that were there when he confronted me.

Help me just beg him to leave me alone because I have nothing to do with his wife aside work."

Pulse has reached out to Aigbe and Gentry for reactions and they have not responded.

The movie star took to Instagram on Thursday, June 29, 2017, with a video talking about domestic violence. Recall that Aigbe arrived the UK last month to see a maxillofacial surgeon due to the injuries allegedly inflicted upon her by her now estranged husband, Lanre Gentry.
The accused is facing a count charge of stealing.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, told court that the accused committed the offence on July 24 at Oke-Odo market, Abule-Egba, Lagos.

Egunjobi said the N144,000 belonged to Oladokus employer, Mrs Ronke Olorunda.

The accused was a driver to the complainant but ran away with his employers money, he said.

Egunjobi also said the complainant gave the accused some cartoons of noodles to deliver to one of her customers but failed to deliver the money from the delivery of goods to his employer.

The complainant gave the accused some cartoons of noodle to deliver to a customer who needs them urgently.

He delivered the goods, collected the money and absconded with it.

Thereafter, the accused refused to pick the calls from the complainant, but he was later arrested by the police, he said.

The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised).

The accused pleaded not guilty.

The accused risks three-year jail, if found guilty of stealing according to the provisions of Section 287.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.I Raji, granted the accused N 50,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

She said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Finding the market is one task, getting into it is another. As you squeeze your way between traders and their haggling patrons, someone will most likely throw something in the air, a rumpled shirt or a pair of denim pants will drop on your shoulder, followed by shouts of E dey here, come check am. High grade. I get your size.

This is not the first thing that strikes you though; it is the mountainous heaps of clothes spread out everywhere as far as sight can carry you.

This will most likely be a result of Open Bale, the term used to describe the abundance of wares when a trader opens a new sack of clothes.

Welcome to Kotangora, the second-hand clothes capital of Lagos where anything is half-price and every shirt, trouser, and jacket smells the same.

Hit by a 2-year long economic depression, months of job cuts across sectors and fewer entrepreneurial options, Nigerias already-thin middle class has almost disappeared.

The price of oil, the countrys main export and source of income, has fallen from a high of $112 per barrel in 2014, to less than $50 in 2016.

To survive in these harsh times, many middle and low-income families have had to sacrifice standards and luxuries for more affordable alternatives.

Gas cylinders have given way to kerosene stoves; movie nights have become an occasional luxury and, where packed shirts in sealed nylon were the norm, more people now bend down select.

The sale and use of second-hand clothes, Akube or Okrika, as it is also called, is not new by any interpretation of the word.

In the early years of Nigerias infancy, locally made clothes held a good share of the market. The establishment of Kaduna Textile Mill in 1956, Nigerian Textile Mill in 1962, followed by Aba Textile Mill and Bendel Mill Limited in Asaba meant that local production was capable of meeting the growing demand.

Cotton and other textile materials were sourced locally; so the prices were affordable, a key metric in the newly independent country struggling with growing pains.

Two related factors changed this; First, years of military rule and the attendant mismanagement of institutions. Second was the Nigerian Civil War and the massive reset in social conditions that it caused, especially in the East of the country.

By the end of the 1970s, the textile mills were almost dead, and fewer Nigerians could afford the foreign options that were slowly becoming popular.

The eyes of the world were also falling on so-called third world countries. In the 70s, governments in the West began to offer aid to Africa, even as concerned citizens donated clothes to charity for onward transmission to impoverished Africans.

More often than not, the charitable organizations who received these clothes would sell them to exporters who would pack them in bales and ship to Nigerias shores.

It continues to this day.

Shipments of used clothes are now delivered to Cotonou, arguably West Africas most porous port, and after bribes are paid to customs and border officials, the clothes enter Nigeria.

The import and sale of used clothes are illegal in Nigeria, but visit the major hubs of used clothes in Lagos; Kotangora, Yaba, Aswani on Monday or Friday, and you will see any ban only exists on year-old sheets of paper.

On a given day, a thrifty trader can sell a bale of used clothes, making up to tens of thousands of naira in sales. Kotangora has hundreds of such traders.

I like this business because when I sell, I can take money out to buy food, take care of everything and still buy new market to sell the next day, says Austin, an akube seller who has traded at Yaba and Oniru.

The reasons why Nigerians patronize second-hand clothes are not entirely financial.

Even after months or years of use, most people still perceive used clothes, particularly those from the west, as more durable than their Chinese or Aba-made alternatives.

There is also more variety available to the willing buyer. Among the stalls at Kotangora, it is not unusual to find a windbreaker, a hoodie, sweatshirts, a denim jacket and dress shirts in the same heap.

Its not always easy to find correct clothes but if you check well, you will see. If you bring 20,000 to this place, you will buy enough clothes of any kind, Kenneth, a regular patron of Kotangora says as he lifts his new jacket.

See this one. Small money. If I go to boutique now, na 7,000 them go call am.

In the last year or two, akube stalls have escalated into neighborhoods and inner streets while our eyes were turned in many other directions.

On any given day, you will find them on street corners, and at night markets in high-traffic areas like Ojota, Yaba and to some surprise, Lekki, hunched over their heap of clothes or screaming at would-be patrons from within small makeshift stalls.

Austin says he moved to Oniru after the Lagos state government cleared Tejuosho market.

I don dey sell this market for three years. I dey the other side before, he says, pointing to the "other side", beside Ozumba Mbadiwe, When I first come Oniru, people never many for here.

Now, there are about 6 akube traders on the same street as Austin.

In Ikeja, off the ever-busy Toyin Street, theres a used clothes store that appears every bit like the blue-hued boutiques where you might buy a pair of jeans for an emergency.

Unlike Kotangora, there are no heaps of clothes on the floor; the shirts and denim jackets that Isaac Mbah sells are neatly hanged or placed on mannequins.

Mbah started Akube Central in 2000; in the 17 years since then, he has built it into the shop where he sells his wares.

When I started in 2000, it (was) just hustling, you know, going here and there, putting one or two things together, Mbah says. You know, small small, money started coming before I now opened my shops.

Akube Central has Grade 1 denim, the highest quality of used clothes. Patrons buy denim jackets for as much as 12,000 naira, mostly over the phone.

I put my phone number everywhere. Most of my customers call me first, then I tell them what I have and the prices. They can order on the phone, then they come and pick it up. I dont do delivery yet, Mbah says.

Clearly, one can hardly deny the importance of akube to medium-and low-income earners, or its significance as an element of life for people in those groups, yet the risks that these old shirts and faded jeans pose puts them on shaky feet.

Like most of the cargo that crosses Nigerias almost non-existent borders, there is little or no standardization; so clothes of any and every condition can make their way from Mississippi to a stall in Oniru new market.

Secondhand clothes can carry scabies, dermatitis and many skin diseases, news that is more alarming because most clothes are not cleaned or sterilized to satisfaction.

People should not use second-hand panties, bras or any other clothes that are in close contact with the skin because you can catch human papillomavirus, HPV, which is a precursor to genital cancer. If the original owner had genital warts or herpes, you will surely catch the disease too. You can also catch scabies and fungi infections, Olufunmilayo Ajose, a consultant physician, and dermatologist in the Department of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH told TELL during an akube boom in 2013.

As gory as the thought of wearing used panties may appear, second-hand clothes do more damage to the textile industry that shrivels while it strengthens.

Global trade in used clothing runs into billions of dollars every year; Africa is a huge part of this, some estimates claim that up to 80% of the population wear used clothes.

Ludicrous as that may be, these cheaper alternatives have proved stiff competition for local brands hoping to claim a chunk of a sizeable market.

Making a full ensemble; shirt and trouser from local textiles can cost between 5000 to 7000, from buying the actual material to paying a tailor to sew it. A pair of Grade 1 second-hand jeans and shirt costs #3000 at Kotangora.
In a communique signed by the CLC after an emergency meeting it held in Kaduna State, the group stated that they had to raise the alarm following statements recently attributed to Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Abubakar Kyari and other northern leaders which are capable of escalating terrorism in the north eastern parts of Nigeria.

CLC averred that such statements could only have been inspired by the numerous benefits that they derive from any instability in the region

The group further observed that those in the position of influence in the state have been benefiting from the regional instability precipitated by Boko Haram as evidenced in the diversion of relief materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons [IDPs].

The communique jointly signed by the National Chairman of the CLC, Dr. Eugene Tarkema, Dr. Abel Awulu, and the National Secretary, Dr. Fagbemi Kolawole, called on the Nigerian government and the international community to clamp down on Boko Haram sponsors and financiers.

Part of the communique reads:

The tragedy of Boko Haram terror activities is being exploited by the political class in Borno State. And it is worrisome that highly placed persons in the state government and elders in the state are in on this unacceptable development.

Recent statements credited to Senator Ali Ndume, Senator Abubakar Kyari and their proxies are capable of escalating terrorism in the north east of Nigeria.

It is clear that such statements could only have been inspired by the numerous benefits that their purveyors derive from any instability in the region.

It has been proven that those in the position of influence in Borno State benefit from the regional instability precipitated by Boko Haram as evidenced in the diversion of relief materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

There are suggestions that part of the proceeds from diverted materials is channeled into funding Boko Haram.

Despite the victory against the insurgency by the Nigerian Military, Local Government Authorities in Borno State have refused to convey administrative procedures proceedings thereby diverting funds and sharing with State Government officials in Maiduguri who had earlier hand picked and stationed them for the purpose.

There is a need for the Borno State Government to come out clearly to render a full account to the people and what has happened to their resources in the most recent past.

The anti-graft agencies owe Nigerians answers to these questions for the world to know the nexus between local government funds and the operation of Boko Haram in the state.

We call on the country to note that these recent attacks in Borno State are not isolated events but part of a concerted effort by politicians to revive Boko Haram ahead of the 2019 general elections.

These politicians apparently have a control over the terrorists to an extent that they decide when to unleash them on the country or keep them subdued when it is desirable.
AFP reports that the lightning struck several parts of the country, reportedly killing 18 in Odisha state, and another three in Jharkhand state.

ALSO READ: Woman killed by lightning while sweeping church

According to the reports, 10 people most of whom were farmers working in their farms, were also injured by the widespread bolts.

State disaster management officials said that 213 people in the western state of Gujarat, were killed in weeks of flooding, which is almost twice the death toll after about 100 bodies were found when the water started receding.

West Bengals top disaster management official, Suresh Kumar, said 31 deaths were reported in a week of flooding in the state.

Heavy rains have caused massive damage in several districts, Kumar told AFP.

AFP also reports that landslides and flash floods in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam since April have left scores dead, while Jharkhand and Bihar have also suffered. Since May, almost 140 lightning deaths have been reported in Bihar.

ALSO READ: Families mourn as lightning kills two women during prayer session

According to the reports, death by lightning is not as rare as one would expect.
Lafiqul Islam Ahmed (30) died on the spot after he was shot in the chest at close range while he was visiting the Titaguri market.

By Indrajit Kundu: President of All Bodo Minority Students' Union (ABMSU) Lafiqul Islam Ahmed (30) was shot dead today in a crowded market of Titaguri by two motorcycle-borne masked men.

Ahmed died on the spot after he was shot in the chest at close range while he was visiting the market.

The area where the crime took place falls is a sensitive Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Council (BTAC) region and falls under the jurisdiction of the Kokrajhar police station.

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Soon after the incident, ABMSU supporters took to the streets raising slogans against the BJP government in the state and blocked roads.

Condemning the incident, Chief Minister Sarbanada Sonowal asked the Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay to reach Kokrajhar and oversee the police investigation. "I strongly condemn the killing of ABMSU president Lafikul Islam. Directed Assam police DGP to visit Kokrajhar and do a thorough investigation," the chief minister tweeted.

Himanta Biswasarma, Assam Finance Minister expressed his condolences to the kin of the deceased and tweeted, "I am deeply distressed to learn about the killing of ABMSU president Lafikul Islam and strongly condemn it. My condolences to the family."

While the ABMSU has called for an indefinite strike in the BTAC area, All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) has called for a 24-hour bandh.

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The rape and murder of the teenager is not the first and neither will it be the last as long as the government at all levels have taken the raging malaise with levity as the child rights laws have not been enforced to its stringent forms.

The growing rate of reported rape cases of minors in Nigeria is becoming alarming and quite unacceptable. What is more dreadful is that those involved in these gruesome activities are usually let off the hook or a slap on the wrist punishment whenever they were arrested and charged to courts.

Child rapists are on the prowl every other day, to the extent that toddlers are not spared. We have seen situations where grown men would rape and defile one-month old babies.

Rape is now a recurring decimal in our society, with recent statistics leaving many wondering if there will ever be an end to the menace.

This situation has put the lives of our children at great physical, emotional and psychological risk.

Most of us who are parents have continuously failed our children by not being there for them, often leaving them in the hands of strangers who end up being the predators, while we pursue material things.

At that level, they are not protected; they are left to fend for themselves, while their parents go in search of their daily bread.

These days, some parents are very comfortable leaving their young children in the hands of nannies and guardians, and at the end of the day, these children are closer to the helps rather than their parents and are reluctant in telling the parents anything that happened to them in their absence.

Most rape cases of minors go unreported and parents do have big roles to play if the silence is to be broken. Many children do not have confidence in their parents and so, prefer to bear the pain alone.

It is more worrisome that majority of rape cases involving children go unreported principally because parents want to protect their children from probable stigmatization.

But perhaps the main challenge is that most people also realize that the victims may not get justice if they report the cases to the law enforcement agencies, therefore, there is a need for the authorities to do more in protecting Nigerian children.

The environment where children are raised is also something to be considered as children from the less privileged background are exposed more than those from the so called privilege homes because most of them are left to fend for themselves at an early age.

They are sent out to the streets to hawk items to augment the family's finances and some of them easily fall preys to rapists who take advantage of them.

Rape is an offence, and in every criminal case, the evidence is needed with reasonable doubt. We live in a society where getting evidence is not so easy sometimes; victims dont want to talk for fear of retribution or punishment.

The government needs to take urgent actions to stem the tide of child rape in the bud instead of the lip service they keep paying to the child rights act at all levels.

We need to do a lot more to save our little children from the hands of these predators who are prowling all over the place looking for kids to defile.
What should she do because the memory of the incident is eating her up?

Read her story here:

"My name is Victoria, a 28-year-old woman. I work with a new generation bank in Lagos State and I have a sad story to tell.

I have been a victim of sexual harassment in my office as my boss raped me inside his office.

I got the job after searching for one for over three years and with the current situation in the country, I don't know if I will be lucky to get a new job if I leave this one.

It was in May when our branch manager sent for me and when I got to his office, he told me that he had a special assignment for me after closing hours. It was not a new thing for a staff to be told to stay back if there was something for him to do.

So I did not see anything sinister in the request, so after closing, I went to his office to let him know but he told me to wait for him at the reception hall.

I was to wait there for over three hours when he called me to come to his office. By now, almost all the staff members had gone home leaving only a handful of workers behind.

When I got to his office, my boss told me he was busy and that I should make myself comfortable while he rounded up. After like 30 minutes, he stood up, went and locked the door and came to sit beside me on the sofa.

I was shocked and asked him why he locked the door but he told me he did not want anyone to come to his office as the assignment he had for me demanded privacy.

I was still not convinced with his explanation but his next action took me by surprise as he suddenly held me and drew me closer to him. It was so sudden that before I could get my balance, he had placed his mouth over mine and pushed his tongue into my mouth.

I struggled to free myself and asked him if that was the assignment he told me he had for me and he answered by saying he had been wanting to sleep with me for a long time.

I told him I could not sleep with him as he was not only married but my boss but he was past caring as he suddenly grabbed me and threw me to the seat, tearing my top in the process.

I screamed as I fought him but he was too strong and had me pinned down and tore my clothes, leaving me almost naked.

When I knew I would not be able to fight him, I resorted to crying and begging him to let me go but he told me nothing would make him not to have his way with me.

He succeeded in raping me that night, after which he begged me to forgive him, that he did not know what came over me.

I was so mad at him that I did not care about what he was saying. While I tried to gather my clothes, he brought out a wad of money and gave me but I told him to keep his money and stormed out of his office, cursing him as I left.

It has been two months now and I am still hurt and bitter over the incident. I don't know if I should report him to the management or just let go. I know he will victimize me if I dare report him and the management of the bank may not take action against a senior manager.

I have not been able to tell anyone of the assault, not even my fiance or my parents but it is eating me up and my productivity has dwindled as a result.

Victoria."

The teaser for the day was:

What do you think Victoria should do after her boss raped her?

How Nigeria voted:

Victoria should report her boss to the bank management - 27%

Victoria should resign from the bank and look for another job - 2%

Victoria should avoid the man as much as she can - 17%

Victoria should report the incident to the police - 54%
It had been reported that the officers were standing guard at the building located in Gwarimpa, and carted away values while at it.

They were said to have admitted to selling some of the items in the house.

The items include expensive furniture, television sets, refrigerators, split air conditioners, bowler hats, designer suits and some Ijaw attire.

"The policemen who are supposed to be on guard duty at the house have been detained for questioning. Investigation to find out what actually happened is currently in progress," a statement issued by the Federal Capital Police Command said.

ALSO READ: Jonathan denies collecting cash from Malabu oil deal
According to reports, an aide of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari told Daily Trust that The information just reached me now from the wife of the president, that everything is set for the return of Mr President to Nigeria. Already, some of the presidents family members and security aides of madam (Aisha Buhari) have just returned from London.

The wife of the president may either leave London on Wednesday or decide to come home with the president anytime soon. We have been told to be on standby because Mr President is returning any time soon this week.

An anonymous source also told reporters that there was a directive to all staff to prepare for the Presidents return.

The source also said We were only instructed to be ready for the return of the president at any moment. No specific date has been mentioned to us.
The AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC ) led by Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Nigerias Permanent Representative to AU gave the assurance at a ministerial roundtable with Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama in Abuja

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation was on a Field Mission to the Countries of the Lake Chad Basin including Nigeria from July 30th to Aug. 1 .

Adeoye said the delegation was in Nigeria to have a firsthand knowledge of the security situation in the Lake Chad Basin region and the humanitarian crisis occasioned by the Boko Haram activities.

We have seen the havoc wreaked by the insurgents and we have seen the environmental degradation of the Lake Chad.

We have seen human beings whose livelihoods have been decimated by the atrocities of Boko Haram.

We are here to show solidarity with the government of Nigeria and offer our support in tackling the menace of terrorism in all its forms and ramifications, he said.

He said that the findings of the delegation were of great importance to the AU.

Adeoye commended Nigeria and other governments in the Lake Chad region in ensuring that peace returned to the crisis-ridden areas.

We thank the government of Nigeria and other governments in the Lake Chad for the work done in ensuring that peace is being returned in a significant manner.

We noticed that Maiduguri and other cities in the Lake Chad region are beginning to see law and order returning. Peace is returning, he said.

Onyeama commended AU for supporting the existential struggle against one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world.

The Minister said: terrorism is a global challenge that a lot of African countries are facing.

We are all in this together and we have to work together.

He said it is important that the regional body fully engage in the fight against terrorism.

He expressed hope that the findings of the delegation would help AU develop policies and strategies not only for the sub-region but also for the entire continent.

ALSO READ: Boko Haram releases video of kidnapped UNIMAID workers

Also, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Maihaja, drew the attention of the delegation to the humanitarian situation across the border of Nigeria and Cameroon.

What happen along the border affects our operations, on daily basis we see Nigerians crossing to Cameroon. We need to re-strategise with Cameroon to protect Nigerians and assist them in their return back home."

NAN reports that NEMA said, so far, 46, 000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) displaced by Boko Haram insurgency have returned to Borno.

The agency said that the IDPs fled to Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic at the peak of the insurgency.

According to reports, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo also met with the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC ).
Today marks 1190 days since the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group began their advocacy for the release of abducted Chibok girls.

Three years later, 113 Chibok girls are yet to be released.

On Tuesday, August 1, 2017, the BBOG group embarked on a march to the Presidential Villa.

This time, the group is also advocating for the release of the police women who were also abducted in June on their way to the burial of their colleague.

"Same way the then government remained silent about the Chibok girls in 2014, this present government is following the same pattern. This is a complete replay of what happened when our Chibok girls were abducted,"Oby Ezekwesili, convener of the BBOG said.

"There has been all kinds of denials, agreements and partial truth on the abduction of the police women."

The BBOG group is also advocating for the release of the lecturers from the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) who were kidnapped last week.

"We demand full disclosure on the abduction of the university lecturers kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorists.

"We can see a direct link with the abduction of the Chibok girls and others in the country. At what time will the federal government address this gap it has created?" Ezekwesili asked.
The governor has been one of the most outspoken critics against the ill president ever since he assumed office in 2015, and that has only gotten worse since Buhari flew to London over two months ago to resume treatment for an undisclosed illness.

The Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Governors' Forum has accused Buhari's administration of dealing dubiously with the Nigerian public, especially on the health of the president.

ALSO READ: Governor insists Buhari is breathing with machine

His unending stream of attacks against the president has earned the governor serious backlash from many quarters.

In a video that emerged on Monday, July 31, 2017, the governor tried to set the records straight, saying his criticisms against the President are valid, and beckoning on him to honourably step down from his position for the sake of the country's progress.

The governor's full statement read, "It is our duty as leaders to be held accountable to our electoral promises. It is our duty as leaders to be consistent. Whatever we say yesteryears should be able to match what is happening today.

"What I said about the president is very clear. I said that the President at a point before these visits was incapacitated and has been on a life support. I stand by it. I have no regrets for that statement.

"You recall that I said the handlers of the President should produce evidence to the contrary within 48 hours. After four weeks, they said they went to visit the president. Thank God the President is getting better now but there is no denying that what I said at the time was the truth.

"If you go by the statement of the governor of Ebonyi, he said the President's recovery is a miracle, it's divine which means something had gone the other way round before becoming a miracle. I read in another piece that the President came up like Lazarus from the dead.

"Well, that is another person saying that. All I'm saying is that I stand by what I have said. Not in the wish that the President must die. But don't forget, more importantly, the President owes it to us all to declare his state of health. The president's life should be an open book that should be read by everybody.

"The fact remains that the President is not strong again. When you see the pictures, the President is frail. It's not a must that we must hold on to power even when we don't have the strenght.

"Like I said, I have nothing against the President. Nigeria is more important. Nigeria is a country that needs help at this time. Nigeria is a country that needs all hands on to be able to get a better tomorrow. To have our economy fixed, to have things change in our favour.

"As it is, the President can equally come back and go home to rest. He needs all the rest. As it is now, the President has spent more time outside the country that on his seat in the (Presidential) Villa. It's not okay.

"That does not mean we want him dead, but we want the best for Nigerians. The lives of Nigerians is more important than the life of an individual.

"My advice is that the President should get well, we're praying for him. He has to take a decision; whether to tag on, whether to be a visiting president, whether to be a president in diaspora, whether to be a president that is taking care of Nigerians in the UK. One decision has to be taken.

"I love him but I'm saying that the President should take a back seat. One good thing you'll not take away is that this position of mine over time has equally put these people (his handlers) on the spot to bring the president to the fore.

"Otherwise, we were hearing nothing about the president since he left. We were prevented from knowing what was going on.

"So it was because of a few things that I said they want to do damage control, to at least do something to make sure they showcase the President.

"I wish him well but I tell you very expressly, health is wealth. Without strength you can't do much.

"If the President wants to be honorable, it is the best for the president to allow this country to move forward.

"Because if you say we should wait for when the doctors will ask him to come home, so if the president will be coming home a day to the expiration of his tenure, we should still wait? Then we'll keep waiting.

"The Lord God will deliver Nigeria."

In June, Fayose had alleged that the President had been on a life support machine and later threatened, weeks later, to release 11 pictures that proved the President's poor state of health.
The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes, was eventually passed after dropping an important Clause 3.

There was high drama in the Rajya Sabha on Monday evening. By the time the proceedings ended the government walked out in embarrassment, partially due to the absence of its ministers and MPs in the Upper House when the 123rd Constitution amendment bill on backward commission was being taken up.

The government's number is lesser than the Opposition's in the Upper House but due to the absence of the BJP and NDA ally MPs helped the Opposition to push through changes in the bill via amendments on the composition of the commission, which is a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

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According to top sources, PM Modi was livid when the Opposition forced amendments using its superior numbers. The NDA strength was lower than its numeric strength on paper despite PM's orders on several occasions that MPs need to be present and take their parliamentary duty seriously.

Some ministers could not enter the House as the voting process had already begun.

The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes, was eventually passed after dropping an important Clause 3.

The amended bill will now go back to the Lok Sabha which had passed it earlier. The Lower House will reject the changes created by the Opposition's amendments and come back to the Rajya Sabha to undo the changes.

The constitutional amendment to provide statutory status to the new commission needed two-third majority of the present and voting MPs in the 245-member House.

On Monday when the clauses of the bill were being put to vote, Congress members Digvijaya Singh, Hussain Dalvai and BK Hariprasad moved several amendments to Clause 3, one of them being for increase in the number of members of the proposed commission from three to five with quota for a member minority community member and another a women. Another amendment was about safeguarding the rights of states by making their recommendations binding.

Digvijay Singh spread panic among the treasury benches when he pressed for division of votes by saying that the government could not be trusted. The amendments were passed by 74 to 52 votes, while the ruling NDA including JD-U now has 89.

Stunned, the government tried to argue that the amendments would block people from some castes from joining as members of the commission. The ruling party benches erupted and a bitter war of words ensued as the government refused to accept the changes moved by the Congress MPs. But the damage was done as the the amendment had already been passed by superior numbers.

Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien ruled that the amendments can't be recalled.

Amidst high drama the Chair allowed the government and Opposition leaders to hold a conference to sort out the differences. But they couldn't have gone out as when proceedings for voting on a bill are on, the doors to the House are closed. Hence, the government and the Opposition big guns got into a huddle in the well of the house.

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Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad argued that the government should accept the changes. Countering the point, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the members of the commission could not be confined to any one community to ensure that exclusivity becomes part of the Constitution via the amendment bill.

After a lot of haggling the bill was put to vote and Clause 3 was dropped. The related bill to end the existing backward commission via the legislative route - The National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017 - could not be taken up.

"The backward classes have been demanding this for decades and the Opposition has let them down yet again," said Digvijay Singh.

ALSO READ |

Backward Classes Bill Rajya Sabha Amendments by Opposition BJP

Who gets to be OBC?

WATCH |

Government embarrassed in Rajya Sabha over Backward Classes Bill

--- ENDS ---

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The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu said while inspecting ongoing work at the Dangote refinery in Lekki, Laogs state.

Kachikwu also promised that the government will do everything possible to make sure that the project is completed.

According to Vanguard, the minister also said It is good to say that private sector is the answer to Nigerians problems with a project as big as this. The challenge I will give you today is that of time, I see your time for completion is 2019 December but I am sure you will understand my greed if I tell you that the refinery component of this project should come earlier than the set date.

I have made very firm commitment to Nigerians that I must stop the importation of petroleum products by 2019 and I am going to keep to it. It is absolutely important that we do this early and given the feat that we have achieved in terms of speed of construction, I urge you to do all within you to achieve its completion before the due date.

I am sure His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, will be absolutely enthused if he were to find himself, not only crystalizing the policy position we have taken so far but also coming here himself to open a facility as big as this before the end of his first term.

Whatever configurations your engineers have come up with, I urge that they go back to the drawing board and get me my refined products before your said date.

He said On the honourable ministers challenge, we are going to make it by the grace of God. I am sure the minister will support us to make sure that we meet his challenge.

What the minister is trying to do is the best so far for our country. His version is that Nigeria should not think of exporting crude. You know the problem we have in Africa is that we only export raw materials, not finished goods. So he is saying that, look, we should all do this by adding value and I pray that even at 2.5 million barrels, we should not export much, in terms of the crude.

We will go back and see what to do to make this happen by fast tracking our processes since the Minister has assured of governments cooperation and support.
The governor disclosed this while he was speaking to the press in Makurdi on Tuesday, August 1, 2017.

According to him, "When we met the president, he was in high spirit and is eager to return to Nigeria, God has shamed those who wanted the president dead, he chatted with us and we told him to take his time and recuperate well until his doctors find him fit to resume work."

Other governors on the delegation include: Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), and Kashim Shettima (Borno).

The meeting took place days after President Buhari had met with state governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Abuja House in London.

The governor also criticised the way the president's undisclosed ailment has been politicised in the country.

He said, "What he needs is our support and prayer, here in Benue we were the first state to start praying for the president because if the president is sick Nigerians are sick, God has put those who think that President Buhari would die to shame, my prayer for them (the critics) is that God should forgive them."
The IRA said this in reactions to calls by some youths in the North, for the IPOB leaders arrest.

The group, in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Jude Ndukwe and Secretary, Amaka Ekwo said the Northerners should stop intimidating other Nigerians.

The statement reads: The statement reads, Following the call last week by the Arewa Youth Assembly to the Acting President to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for what they termed threats to national security arising from his movements in parts of his country, we, the Igbo Renaissance Agenda, IRA, wish to state that such calls are not only hypocritical and callous but also prove that the real enemies of Nigeria are the several Arewa groups being used to achieve some sinister agenda by their elders.

We are alarmed that while the dreaded Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen terrorists designated as the most dangerous and fourth most dangerous terrorist groups in the world respectively are having a field day killing innocent Nigerians almost on a daily basis especially the latest one in Maiduguri where oil explorers, university lecturers, staff of NNPC and our security agents were mowed down in cold blood, some still missing while some others were kidnapped, the concern of Arewa groups is an Nnamdi Kanu who is non-violent, never kidnapped anyone, nor requested for ransom from anybody unlike terrorist groups from Arewas enclave.

While the Arewa controlled military and other security forces keep releasing dangerous terrorists into the society in the name of de-radicalisation, they also empower them by giving them huge sums of money in exchange for kidnap victims thereby compromising the general safety and well being of law abiding Nigerians.

The non-prosecution of a good number of these criminals and their funding by Arewa-led government agencies in the name of ransom payment have the unimaginable propensity to embolden the them to carry out the kind of brazen attacks they did in Maiduguri and other places in recent days. This should be the concern of any reasonable Arewa group.

Rather than face the cankerworm and work assiduously to tackle the menace of terrorism, abject poverty, illiteracy, disease, laziness (a vice that makes them threaten to acquire properties of Igbo by seizure) etc that ravage their region, they are so obsessed with the legendary Nnamdi Kanu who has always conducted himself peacefully everywhere he goes.

We know the main objectives of the Arewa youths and their elders. We know that their other target is Osinbajo. They are looking for ways of pushing Osinbajo into making monumental errors that are capable of imploding the nation so that they would turn around to say he lacks the capacity to lead thereby using that alibi to create chaos that could see him ousted and have any of their kinsmen replace him.

This is why they stated in their vexatious release that This level of lawlessness has left us with no option than to doubt the ability of our Acting President to successfully preside over the affairs of our country. We know where they are going but we shall stop them in their tracks.

They are trying to push Osinbajo into the kind of stark indiscretion deployed by Buhari in mishandling the agitations all over the country today. The Acting President surely would not fall for such cheap trap.

Our message to the Arewa youths and their elderly sponsors is simple: we dare anyone to touch Nnamdi Kanu and see if the nation would survive it even a minute longer.

The days of lording it over Nigerians and cowing the rest of the country into silence are long over. It is a new dawn and the earlier the misguided Arewa youths and their elders know this, the better for all of us!
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had accused former governors, who are now senators or ministers, of receiving double pay from government - pension from their jobs and salary in their new positions.

"No, Im not collecting pension; the moment I saw that allegation, I wrote to my state to stop my pension," Punch quoted the Senate President as saying.

"So, I speak for myself on that part; Im not doing that, I am not receiving pension from my state."

ALSO READ: Here's why FG lost its case against Saraki

Commenting on the other Senators involved in the issue, Saraki said the decision to stop receiving pension is up to them as it is not against any law.

He said, "I think I will leave everybody to their individual decision.

"Morally, if you have got another job, you should give it up until when you are truly a pensioner.

"Some of these oversights are not addressing the issues. What the states should do is to go and amend their laws to say that if you have another appointment then you are not entitled to that benefit.

"With this, we will just simplify the matter."

Also speaking on the role of Bank of Infrastructure in the country, Saraki said that the Senate has really had any interface with the bank.

"We are not engaging with them particularly. I think that they were part of those involved in the Lagos-Ibadan road. But, I dont think government should really put funds into that," he said.

"I have this strong view and I feel very strongly about it, that nowhere in the world has government funded infrastructure.

"Government cannot, and even if government can fund infrastructure projects, the social sector will suffer  health will suffer and education will suffer."
This is following a threat by some militants in the oil rich region to resume attacks on crude-oil pipelines.

Speaking further, the leader of the group, Chief Edwin Clark said I wish to urge the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the pronouncements made by the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, during his fact-finding visits to the Niger Delta region, and to set up, without delay, the Federal Government Dialogue Team to engage PANDEF, towards resolving the pending issues contained in the forums 16-point demand on behalf of the people of the Niger Delta region, by or before November 1, 2017 (one year anniversary of our meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari).

Human endurance has a limit beyond which one cannot predict what the outcome will be. We submitted a 16-point demand to Mr. President on November 1, 2016, and we had expected that by its next anniversary, the 16-point agenda would have been comprehensively sorted out.

If, at the expiration of the November 1, 2017 ultimatum, the Federal Government fails and/or refuses to accede to these lawful and legitimate demands of the Niger Delta people, PANDEF may consider pulling out of the ongoing peace process in the Niger Delta.
At the reception, Osinbajo also stated that the countries in the Lake Chad Basin had worked together very well dealing with the insurgency in the region and the consequent humanitarian crisis.

The delegation from the African Union Peace and Security Council had been visiting countries in the region on a fact-finding mission on the crisis as part of its mandate.

The Lake Chad Basin collaboration is one we are extremely proud of, where we as Africans are working together on our own issues.

I am pleased to say the countries have worked greatly together, the Acting President said.

He cited the progress already made by the Multi-National Joint Task Force set up to address the insurgency.

Osinbajo noted that unlike in the past when there were difficulties when the militaries of the four countries tried to work together, the MNJTF surmounted the challenges and had succeeded.

According to him, the Buhari administration is extremely pleased with what we have seen, and we like to see more, of such cooperation.

However, he observed that the humanitarian consequences of the insurgency were compounded by deep poverty, making the costs of dealing with the situation huge and enormous.

He noted that there existed no fewer than 2.4 million displaced persons, extensive destruction of property, infrastructure, schools, homes and farmlands in the North-East.

Osinbajo added that in some cases, the situation required the rebuilding of whole societies.

He expressed satisfaction with the work of the PSC of the AU.

I am extremely pleased and encouraged by the work of the PSC, the time and attention paid to this issue.

These are matters we must address now and in the future, he said.

The PSC delegation was led by its Chairperson for the month of July, Amb. Bankole Adeoye, who is also Nigerias Ambassador to Ethiopia and to the AU.

Adeoye told the Acting President that the PSC delegation had visited the four countries in the Lake Chad Basin in the past five weeks and had specifically visited seven cities in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

This visit is the high point of our mission, Adeoye stated, adding that Nigerias commitment to peace in Africa had been well demonstrated.

The PSC is the standing organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.
On Monday, July 31, 2017, the Biafran group's self-appointed President of Biafra, Benjamin Onwuka, announced that Biafra's secession from Nigeria will take effect from August 1, 2017 to mark their independence.

He went ahead to announce several key interim government positions, that included Prof. Utomi as Foreign Minister.

In an exclusive phone chat with Pulse Nigeria, Prof. Utomi laughed when asked for his reaction to the appointment before calling the act a distraction from real issues in the country.

According to him, "There are so many distractions in this country. Please, let's focus on important things."

While making the announcement yesterday, Onwuka declared, "I am the President of Biafra; we have formed an interim government that will be in place till the next 30 days.

"The interim government will take off tomorrow, August 1 and last till August 31, 2017, that is 30 days.

Other people that he named in the interim government include: Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, as the Governor of the Central Bank of Biafra, Prof. Jerry Gana as Minister of Transport, Labaran Maku as Minister of Aviation, and Mrs. Aruma Oteh as Minister of Finance.
The protesters turned violent when the police tried to disperse them by resorting to tear gas shelling and cane charge. Several protesters were also injured in the police action.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Protests over the rape of a schoolgirl by her teacher in Chamba turned violent as the locals started pelting stones on police officials, injuring 16.

The injured include Additional District Magistrate of Chamba, Additional Superintendent of Police and SHO of Tissa police station. Injured ASP was later taken to Government Medical College in Tanda, Kangra.

The minor girl was repeatedly assaulted by her teacher over a period of time in Tissa, Chamba. The case came to light last week, when the girl told her parents about the ordeal.

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The protesters, nearly 2000 in number gathered at Bhanjradu in Tissa and started marching towards the Khushnagri School where the accused teacher was posted. They turned violent when the police tried to disperse them by resorting to tear gas shelling and cane charge. Several protesters were also injured in the police action.

The administration has declared a holiday in the school.

The mob first attacked the building of a private industrial training institute and then started pelting stones. The teacher, who allegedly threatened the girl with dire consequences including failing her in her exams, was later arrested.

Despite the arrest, irate locals on Sunday allegedly manhandled the staff of the school where the rape occurred and set a rain shelter and two kiosks on fire. The protesters demanded arrest of the leader of a minority community involved in manhandling of school teachers on July 27 when a meeting between the school and parents was in progress on the issue.

"We are keeping an eye on the entire situation. Adequate police force has been deployed and the incident is being probed. Strict action will be taken against those who are trying to disturb peace," Chief Minister Virabhadra Singh said.

Slowly the incident started taking political colour also as CM Virabhadra Singh accused RSS of disturbing peace in the area.

Meanwhile, nearly 400 school teachers also protested outside Tissa police station on Monday and demanded arrest of people who had attacked the innocent school teachers despite the arrest of accused teacher.

Also read:

Himachal Pradesh: Violent protests in Chamba over school girl's rape by teacher

Shimla rape, murder threatens to topple Congress government months before polls

ALSO WATCH | Our press reports every incident of rape so it becomes 'top of the mind': Maneka Gandhi

--- ENDS ---
THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

Nigeria loses N9.74b to public holidays in one year

Nigeria lost at least N9.74 billion in 2016 as a result of multiple public holidays observed during the year. The Guardians investigation revealed that in 2016 alone, about 15 national public holidays were observed, excluding others declared in some states.

Reserve force underway as wars drain military budgets

Amid budgetary and human resource constraints, the Nigerian armed forces are fighting internal wars on many fronts and will have, by the end of 2017, spent about N700 billion in 24 months.

Niger Delta elders threaten to withdraw from peace talks with FG

Niger Delta Elders under the umbrella body of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has threatened to pull out of the peace talks with the Federal Government if it fails to comply with its demand by November 1, 2017.

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VANGUARD NEWSPAPER

3 policemen to face trial over looting of Jonathans Abuja home

Mobile policemen guarding the house of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in Abuja have allegedly burgled it, carting away expensive properties worth millions of naira.

IGBONLA SIX: Abductors threaten to strike again if not granted amnesty

ABDUCTORS of the six senior secondary school students of Lagos Model College, lgbonla, Epe, yesterday threatened to strike again if the Federal Government fails to include them in its Amnesty Programme.

PANDEF to FG: Well pull out if theres no dialogue

FORMER Minister of Information and Convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Senator (Chief) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, has warned that the group may pull out of further activities with the Federal Government on the Niger- Delta peace process, if governments intention was really not to dialogue with the body.

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THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Boko Haram attack: DHQ fingers informants, blames weather for killings

The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Monday, blamed the weather and informants as responsible for the recent Boko Haram killings, including the attacks on an oil exploration team, comprising the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation workers and University of Maiduguri lecturers.

Lagos-Ibadan road: Falae, Afenifere, YCE, others slam FG, National Assembly

The Yoruba Council of Elders, pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, and a youth organisation, Yoruba Socio-Cultural Association have blamed the executive arm of government and the National Assembly for the suspension of work on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Police nab 32 kidnap suspects in Kaduna

The police have apprehended 32 kidnap and armed robbery suspects terrorising commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

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THISDAY NEWSPAPER

Trouble Looms in NDelta as PANDEF Gives Ultimatum on 16-Point Agenda

Resurgence of hostilities in the Niger Delta became palpable Monday as the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), a coalition of elders and leaders of the region, asked the federal government to meet its 16-point agenda by November 1, 2017, or risk its withdrawal from ongoing negotiations that had calmed nerves in the oil-rich zone in the last one year.

Aluu Four: Court Sentences Ex-police Sergeant, 2 Others to Death

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced three persons to death for the murder of four undergraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt on October 5, 2012.

Again, CBN Intervenes in FX Market with $195m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monday intervened in the foreign exchange market with a total of $195 million.

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THE BUSINESSDAY NEWSPAPER

States to be ranked on attractiveness to investors

The World Bank ease of doing business ranking of Nigerian states, due by the first half of 2018 could make or mar the states investment appeal, amid a tussle to attract private capital to complement dwindling federal cash hand-outs.

Dangote Petrochemical Complex to boost electricity supply by 12,000MW
He stated this while addressing members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) advocacy group who had embarked on a peaceful march to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Tuesday, August 1, 2017.

Represented by Babafemi Ojudu, special assistant to the president on political matters, the Acting President reassured the group that the federal government would not rest its oars until the remaining girls are released.

The BBOG group also demanded full disclosure of the abducted female police officers abducted on their way to a colleagues burial as well as lecturers from the University of Maiduguri.

His words: I have been asked by the acting president to assure you of the support of the government concerning your agitation for the return of all the girls that were kidnapped by members of Boko Haram.

And the fact that we are not coming out to say what is being done is strategic and also for security reasons. He also said I should tell you that very soon, more of the girls - if not all of them - will be brought back home.

On the issue of the policewomen that are being held and even concerning the girls, on a daily basis, the acting president has been meeting with security chiefs and making contacts with negotiators across the world who have helped in the past to secure those that have been released.

He (Osinbajo) said he is fully with you, that he is recognizing what you are doing and he is hearing you loud and clear.

So we have not at any point forgotten these children who could be any of our children. The acting president has asked me to reassure you this afternoon, to tell you that he is with you and that your cries are his cries, he added.

ALSO READ: Service Chiefs land in Maiduguri on Acting President's orders

Speaking at the event, BBOG convener, Oby Ezekwesili expressed displeasure over governments inability to secure the return of the remaining 133 Chibok girls and other abductees since their abduction.

We were of the conviction that the government, which managed to secure the release of 82 of them will also secure the release of the remaining 113, she said.

We thought that the government has figured a way to get back our girls so we estimated that the remaining 113 will return in lesser time it took the 82 to come home.

We also took on the matter of the policewomen that were abducted on their way to a burial event. Concerning the police women, we are saddened by the fact that it is a complete replay of what happened when our Chibok girls were abducted.

Our Chibok girls were never acknowledged as ever abducted. It was the advocacy of our movement that forced the government to acknowledge that any citizen was missing. Is it not painful that three years after, we repeat exactly the same pattern?

"How can police officials who put their lives on the line be abducted by the enemy and the government refuses to acknowledge this?

"There have been all kinds of lies, falsehoods, denials and partials agreements that abduction happened. At what time is the federal government - led by the president  going to address Nigerians on the fate of the police women, she asked.
This is done with the aim of putting a stop to the recent spate of bold attacks by the terrorist group that culminated in the death of over 69 people last week when an oil exploration team was attacked in an ambush in the Mugumeri area of Borno.

ALSO READ: Defense Minister says Service Chiefs to move back to Command Centre

The directive was revealed by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, while he was fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed-door meeting with Osinbajo on Thursday, July 27.

The meeting was also attended by Admiral Ekwe Ite-Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS); Gen. Olonisakin,Lt.-Gen. Buratai, and Air Vice Marshal Abubakar.
He berated the ruling party, to which he belongs, over failure to organise statutory meetings for the organs of the party.

Atiku stated this while speaking at the 2nd Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) Annual Conference 2017 on Internal Party Democracy.

According to The Sun, the former vice-president specifically criticised the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Shaibu Lawal, who represented the partys National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

He was said to have told Lawal that he was referring to the governing party.

He was quoted as saying: "The issue of internal democracy in our political parties has been with us for a long time, indeed since the restoration of civilian rule in 1999. In long-established democracies those statements would seem trite. But I recognise that our democracy is young, and our parties are also rather young.

"As a result, they are still wrestling with issues of party building, party structures, internal democracy and the nature of the relationship between parties and members, parties and legislatures and parties and government as well as among parties themselves.

"We had a very long period of authoritarian rule in Nigeria, ending in 1999. The legacy of that period is still with us as can be seen in our various governance institutions. Indeed even elements of that authoritarian past still wield power and influence in our country as we try to transition from that legacy.

"Also the structure of our economy is such that the state remains the most important source of economic opportunity. This heightens the struggle for state power and helps to shape the relationship between parties and members, among parties and among the various arms of government.

"It is, therefore, a huge challenge to democratize governance and the political parties in our country. But, as the theme of this conference makes clear, internal democracy in our political parties is very important for the parties, their members and for the country.

"The absence of internal democracy in our parties is a major reason our democracy remains fragile and why the quality of leadership that we produce has not matched our expectations and the challenges facing us as a nation. It is also one of the reasons it has been very difficult to hold leaders to account. Internal party democracy is important enough that it was one of the areas addressed by the Electoral Reform Committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais many years ago.

"But we know that power wielders hardly voluntarily enlarge the democratic space. That is why Ive often opined that internal party democracy will only come with genuine electoral reforms in the country. Such reforms, broadly along the Justice Uwais Committee Recommendations, which will further strengthen the independence of INEC and ensure that votes count, will encourage parties to field popular candidates in elections.

"And that in turn will encourage parties to allow internal democracy so members have the freedom to choose and express their opinions. Thus the role of godfathers and executive intrusion in the affairs of parties and elections will be diminished.

"In my view, there is a close relationship between democracy within political parties and democracy within the nation. Put simply you cannot give what you dont have. You cannot build democracy on a substructure of dictatorship and intolerance. A political party that constricts the freedom of its members cannot really offer freedom to the citizens of the nation. Democracy is not just an idea; is a cultural practice.

"For a number of years now we have had political parties, even governing ones, which hardly hold meetings of their important organs, including those meant for the democratic selection of their leadership, or even constitute institutions prescribed in their Constitution.

"In the absence of those meetings and elections, their existing leadership, often under the direction of the Executive at the state or federal level, fill the void. Thats not party building but party bullying. And its certainly not a way to democratise parties and aggregate their members opinions, interests and aspirations.

"This means that efforts to deepen Nigerias democracy must include efforts at democratising our political parties. The institutionalisation of democracy in our internal party processes will help us deepen democracy in Nigeria. Leaders are more likely to tolerate opposition from citizens and other parties if they tolerate it within their own party.

"The lack of internal democracy in political parties is one of the reasons for the fraught relationships among parties and their elected representatives and the legislature and the executive. The loyalty of some in the legislature and executive lies not with the party but with a godfather who sponsored them, and the godfather may even be in a rival political party. Such anomalies will reduce if internal democracy flourishes in our political parties, and by extension the wider society.

"The selection of leaders in a democracy is a serious business because so many other things ride on it. Whenever we get it wrong the nation or a part thereof suffers. We must strive to get it right most of the time. And it is the voters who should freely make that determination. I therefore thank the IPAC for organising this conference and for inviting me to chair it"

ALSO READ: Atiku urges FG to scrap 36 state structure

Atiku, who is a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has recently given credence to the restructuring that many Nigerians, especially the opposition have been clamouring for.

However, his view is against that of the APC, which is currently not disposed to the idea of restructuring, which led the Senate to vote against the bill on devolution of power to states.

Last week, the PDP in Adamawa State said it is doing everything possible to woo Atiku back to the party, stating that the APC does not appreciate the politician's values.
He disclosed this on Monday, July 31, 2017, while discussing moves the party has been making to make sure aggrieved members that left the party return to it.

When asked about the former governor's possible return, Oye said, "I'm talking to you as the National Chairman of APGA. Obi is still our member. I have not seen any resignation letter to APGA from Obi.

"In the first place, he did not leave the party. I am the national chairman of the party and I did not receive any letter from him saying he was leaving. I hold him by his words because he had always said that he would never leave APGA until he quits politics.

"He is still in politics today, and that means he is still in APGA. He is a very important member of our party, and we are talking with him, and very soon, you will see him in APGA."

Former Governor Obi dumped the APGA for the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014 for reasons he said was his need to be a competitor and not a spectator in national affairs.

Questioned on whether Obi will support incumbent Governor Willie Obiano's re-election bid in the state's November 18 governorship election, Oye said he doesn't have a choice but to back him.

According to him, "Forget what you hear, this is politics. Obi laid the foundation of this state, and Obiano is building the super structures on that foundation. You cannot see the foundation, but you can see the structure, but the structure would not be there if the foundation was not laid, and that foundation was laid by Obi.

"He has no other option but to support the man who is building on a foundation he laid. So, Obi will support Obiano's re-election."
He made the call while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Abuja, after a closed-door meeting with National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

Sani, who represents Kaduna Central in the Senate, was in company with some APC members in Kaduna, including Sen. Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) to the meeting with the national chairman.

He condemned Saturdays local government elections in the state, saying that it did not hold.

Sani alleged that the delegates list for the election was doctored and did not follow due process.

They sat down in the palace of their gods to write names and send it down here for us to accept; that can never happen, he said.

He said that such practice contributed to the problems of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and warned that the APC could go the same way if its leadership failed to address the problem.

This was the seed of the destruction of the PDP, where individuals considered themselves as gods and any other person a slave; that will never happen in Kaduna state.

We are here to present our case and to appeal to the instrument of leadership of this party to intervene in the Kaduna issue before it becomes too late.

We are here to also state it to the partys national leadership that we are under siege in Kaduna

The use of thugs and violence by agents and close associates of the state government is one thing we cannot tolerate, Sani said.

He decried the recent raiding of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Kaduna by thugs during a press briefing after the councils election, during which journalists were injured.

He said that such was the trait of the APC, and urged its leadership to set up an investigation panel to bring the perpetrators of the disturbances.

The lawmaker alleged that the thugs were acting in concert with the police in the state.

If we continue on this part, where one person feels he is a god, I think we are simply repeating the very problem that destroyed the party we ejected out of power, he said.

He maintained that there was a need for APC to provide the vehicle for real change for the country to change and tasked members to change the manner they played politics.

Sani stressed that those who resolved to the use of violence or thugs to liquidate perceived political opponent were on the wrong side of history.

He said that members of his faction of the party in the state were not agents of violence but were loyal and peaceful.

He insisted that if the APC must win the 2019 election, it must apart from fulfilling its campaign promises, set an example for discipline, comradeship and a sense of belonging to all members.

Sani said that what was happening in the partys leadership in the state was unbecoming and should be addressed before it became late.

He appealed to those in authority to know that the God that brought the APC to power was still alive and will always listen to the cries of the oppressed and marginalised.
The atmosphere was filled with curiosity and expectation. Coworking Conference was set to show the best of tech, innovation, collaboration and connectivity. Participants came early and flying high from all over Nigeria to grace the occasion; and in the true spirit of coworking - eager to network and ready to collaborate.

The exhibition space was bustling with activities as service providers like wifi.com.ng, DIY Law, AutoGenius, Accounteer, and Fourth Canvas, displayed their solutions and services. (picture)

With the registration over, the Coworking Conference kicked off with a fantastic presentation by the Creator, Coworking Conference Nigeria and CEO of Venia Group, Kola Oyeneyin.

Kola spoke on the value chain and opportunities in the Coworking Industry. He broke down the Industry value chain and enlightened the audience on opportunities in the Coworking Industry for various stakeholders, emphasizing that Coworking is beyond just provision of shared space to work. The next session featured Franklin Ozekhome, a pop-culture strategist and trends spotter, who is familiar with coworking trends and its impact on work, creation and innovation. Franklin spoke on coworking trends especially in the Nigerian space, with an emphasis on the underlying theme of co-creation.

With everyones mind still ruminating on Franklins points, there was a brief remark from Tonye Cole, the CEO of Sahara Group, briefly before lunch. He challenged everyone to seek opportunities, take note of the little details, and think beyond country and beyond borders.

The energy went up another level after lunch, with four engaging segments and free Wi-Fi for all participants provided by wifi.com.ng. The panel of Coworking Industry players discussed the value proposition in coworking and their experiences in running one. They all agreed on the need to have some form of an alliance to support industry standardization and to push the SME agenda to the right stakeholders. Reinforcing the objective of the event to connect people and work across borders and continents, Leanne Beesley, the Cofounder of Coworker joined the conversation from Berlin, Germany. Leanne discussed the statistics and the factors driving the Coworking Sector. She also briefly stated statistics from Coworker.com where Nigeria ranks 5th in searches for coworking spaces in Africa, with Lagos being the primary search location.

The much anticipated Investor and funding panel session kicked off right after Leannes presentation. Filled with financial heavyweights including Ken Opara, Fidelity Bank GM, Managed SMEs; Segun Olukoya of Lagos Angel Network (LAN); and Akin Oyebode, Executive secretary LSETF; the panel shed light on sources of funds for coworking members and also discussed specific actions different stakeholders can take to partner with Coworking Operators to properly structure and fund viable businesses in coworking spaces.

The final session was a feature interview with the Cofounders of RED Africa, Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams, bringing home the theme of collaboration. Partners for over 14 years, Chude and Debola spoke on the power of collaboration, it's importance in the digital economy, and shared key lessons on building a successful partnership.

The Conference closed on a high note, with key announcements on the Coworking Industry report, Coworking Alliance and the date for Coworking Conference 2018. In his closing remarks, Kola Oyeneyin gave a special thanks to Fidelity Bank for supporting the conference; and also appreciated the global partners - coworker.com, coworking Europe, Deskmag, Open and Coworking Insight; the media partners - Pulse.ng, Ventures Africa and Business Day; and the official Service provider - DIY Law, Accounteer, Autogenius, the remarkable effort of wifi.com.ng for enabling high speed livestream and providing free Wi-Fi for participants; and Fourth Canvas for the global standard designs and branding they did for Coworking Conference Nigeria.

Theres no doubt that Venia Business Hub, sponsor of Coworking Conference, has heralded a new era of collaboration in Nigeria. We look forward to Coworking Conference 2018 to see how this collaboration evolves.
The couple are in the middle of a divorce process initiated by Tiny in December 2016, but that has not stopped them from remembering one of the best days of their lives - their wedding day, July 31, 2010.

TI posts a series of beautiful pictures from the big day on Monday and writes:

Happy 7th Anniversary Mrs. H. Looking at these pics, it seems like the time flew by. Never a dull moment Every day we LIT!!!! Stay making this family sh*t look sexy.

They aint never seen sh*t like us!!!! Cant expect nobody to understand this thing of ours it is unfathomable to most.

Through the good & bad we stay up, whether right or wrong we gon ride!!! That is all I can ask for. With all my love Mr.H.

Tiny responds with an anniversary message of her own:

"Still one of the Best most rememberable days of my life.

The day I walked down that aisle to marry the man to make all my dreams come true @troubleman31 because it was & still is wedding a girl could only dream for & still today very hard to top.

From @iamjamiefoxx singing me down the aisle to The Great #ElDebarge singing at reception to my cake coming down from the ceiling, to all our family & friends & super stars that showed up for our day.

I could go on & on! Thx a million Mr. Harris & Happy 7th Anniversary."
Fearing the threat, the victim remained silent for quite some time and the accused teacher kept raping her repeatedly.

By Manjeet Sehgal: The Tissa (Chamba) school girl rape incident has scarred the relationship between teacher and a student. The accused has been identified as the victim's school teacher, Tek Chand, a married man with two children.

The 15-year-old victim told the police and her family that, Tek Chand had threatened to fail her in the exam, if she revealed about the sexual assault to anyone.

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Fearing the threat, the victim remained silent for quite some time and the accused teacher kept raping her repeatedly. The truth came to the light on July 26, when the girl was found missing from home. The parents began a search, and later the girl was found lying unconscious in a field.

"We took her to the hospital. Her clothes were stained with mud, and it was torn from the shoulder. She later told everything, and we lodged a police complaint. The police took immediate action and arrested the rapist teacher," says Bazir Mohammad, victim's grand father.

The victim had migrated to another school earlier this year, but her sexual exploitation continued. The family sources said, Tek Chand had called the victim over phone on the night of July 26, and had asked her to meet in the field. They also fear the presence of other men as well. However, the victim has not named anybody except her science teacher.

THE INCIDENT ACQUIRES A COMMUNAL COLOUR

The victim belongs to the minority community and the accused is a member of the majority community. This resulted in a communal tension in the area.

As the accused was arrested on July 27, the school principal and Sub-Divisional Magistrate called a meeting of parents and teachers to discuss the issue. During the meeting, the members of the minority community stormed into the classes, singled out teachers of a particular community and roughed them up in the presence of principal and the SDM.

This incident enraged the majority community, who later attacked two shops and torched a rain shelter, in protest against the manhandling of school teachers.

A mob containing nearly two thousand people protested on Monday and later indulged in stone pelting. 16 people including 15 cops were injured in the incident. The protesters also attacked houses, shops and a private industrial training institute owned by the minority community.

"I was not at home when the protesters attacked. The children were inside when they smashed window panes with stones. They (children) had a narrow escape", says Fazal Mohammad who refuses to occupy the vandalised home.

There are allegations that the accused did not even spare the female teachers.

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"The allegations that RSS or BJP incited the mob are baseless. How will you identify them in the crowd. We want action against who thrashed innocent teachers who had no relation with the case", says Hans Raj, a local BJP MLA who accused the Congress of shielding the guilty.

The Chamba Superintendent of Police, Virender Tomar clarified that the protests were not triggered by the rape incident, but was result of the manhandling of teachers.

"The protests and stone pelting incidents were sparked by the manhandling of innocent teachers and has nothing to do with the rape case. We have already arrested the rape accused teacher and action is being taken against others responsible for disturbing the peace", says Tomar.

PARENTS NOT SENDING GIRLS TO SCHOOL

The Khushinagri school remained shut on Tuesday, as the parents of the minority community have refused to send their daughters, till the entire staff is transferred.

"There are some teachers whose record is doubtful. They had full knowledge about the wrongdoings of Tek Chand but they remained silent", says Yakub a school alumni.

SITUATION UNDER CONTROL CLAIMS LOCAL ADMINISTRATION

Heavy deployment of police force by the administration on Monday and Tuesday kept the protesters at bay.

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"Some people tried to create communal tensions but it was foiled. The situation is under control now. We are also speaking to the teachers. Our aim is to establish brotherhood and communal harmony", said Sudesh Mokta, Deputy Commissioner, Chamba.

Keeping in view the Assembly elections, the Opposition appear to be in a mood to exploit the situation. Be it the Shimla gangrape and murder case, or the Chamba rape incident. The opposition BJP led the protests everywhere. Now, what remains to be seen is how the ruling Congress handles the situation.

Also Read:

CBI's Shimla gangrape case probe enters last leg

CBI team looking at social media link to crack Shimla gangrape and murder case

Shimla rape case: CBI vows to crack case in 10 days as mystery deepens

Shimla gangrape: CBI sleuths reach crime spot, loopholes found in police theory

--- ENDS ---
Influential lawmaker Lindsey Graham, a foreign policy hawk, told NBC's Today Show: "There is a military option: To destroy North Korea's program and North Korea itself."

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un boasted that his country could now strike any target in the United States after carrying out its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test.

World powers have been trying to stifle Pyongyang's weapons program through United Nations-backed sanctions, but have failed to daunt the regime and Washington is growing frustrated.

Graham said that if diplomacy, and in particular pressure from the North's neighbor China, fails to halt the program then the United States will have no choice but to take devastating military action.

"They've kicked the can down the road for 20 years. There will be a war with North Korea over the missile program if they continue to try to hit America with an ICBM," he said, describing his discussions with Trump.

"He's told me that. I believe him. If I were China, I would believe him, too, and do something about it. You can stop North Korea, militarily or diplomatically.
"At Homeland, what he has done has been nothing short of miraculous," Trump said of Kelly.

"As you know, the border was a tremendous problem and they're close to 80 percent stoppage. And even the president of Mexico called me -- they said their southern border, very few people are coming because they know they're not going to get through our border, which is the ultimate compliment."

Pena Nieto's office rejected that account.

"President Enrique Pena Nieto has not recently communicated with President Donald Trump by phone," it said in a statement.

It said the two leaders had last discussed migration issues when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany on July 7.

At the time, it said, Pena Nieto shared Mexican figures showing that 31 percent fewer Mexicans had been deported from the United States in the first half of 2017 compared to the year before, and that 47 percent fewer migrants had entered Mexico from Central and South America.

The G20 sit-down was the first official meeting between the two presidents, whose relationship has been tense.

In January, Pena Nieto cancelled a trip to Washington in response to Trump's insistence that Mexico pay for his planned border wall -- plunging the countries' relations into their biggest crisis in decades.
The impoverished Southeast Asian nation has long been a destination for sex tourists, with minors often the victims of a flesh trade aided by endemic corruption.

A CNN report broadcast on 25 July featured three girls who were reportedly rescued from the sex trade by Agape International Missions (AIM), a charity founded by an American pastor which has been operating in the country since 1988.

The girls had first appeared in a 2013 documentary by CNN on Svay Pak, a poor suburb on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, before the network decided to pay them another visit this year and follow up on their fate.

Until a crackdown in the early 2000s Svay Pak hosted a huge red light district notorious for child sex slaves and the documentary showed the trade still existed a decade on.

The head of the charity, American pastor Don Brewster, was quoted in last week's report as saying that Svay Pak was "at one point the epicenter" of the child sex trade.

He said things had dramatically improved in recent years but that some trade in minors still occured behind closed doors.

But Hun Sen, one of the world's longest serving leaders, took exception to the report.

"I cannot accept the insult by an NGO that was broadcasted on CNN... that said in Cambodia mothers sold daughters to be prostitutes," he told a graduation ceremony.

"This is an insult that cannot be tolerated. At any cost, this organisation must leave Cambodia. We cannot let them stay anymore," he added.

AIM did not respond to requests for comment.

Hun Sen and nationalists seized on an early version of CNN's online report which described the girls as Cambodian, when in fact they either spoke Vietnamese or Khmer with a thick Vietnamese accent.

CNN later removed the word Cambodian from their headline.

The network did not respond to an AFP request for comment but told the Cambodia Daily it "stood by its reporting".

Many of Svay Pak's poorest and most vulnerable inhabitants are indeed Vietnamese migrants.

But police raids, court cases and efforts by charities show ample evidence over the years that children from impoverished Cambodian families are also at risk of sex trafficking.

Hun Sen has long jousted with local and international NGOs, which he accuses of meddling in Cambodian affairs.
The Palestinian suspect had entered a supermarket on a lively Hamburg high street on Friday, snatching from the shelves a 20 cm (eight-inch) knife which he used to slash at people around him. The assault left one dead and six wounded.

It was the first Islamist attack in Germany since Tunisian Anis Amri drove a truck into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market on December 19, killing 12 and injuring 48.

It also risks reopening a bitter debate over refugees two months before general elections, putting pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over her decision to open Germany's borders in 2015, letting more than a million asylum seekers in.

"It appears that there is a radical Islamist background to the act," prosecutors said.

The suspect had toyed with the extremist ideology for some time, and two days before he went on his rampage, he "finally decided to adopt a corresponding lifestyle," they said.

"On the day of the act, he resolved to commit an attack with the hope that he would die as a martyr," added prosecutors.

Investigators have however not found any indications suggesting that he was a member of jihadist groups like the Islamic State organisation.

'Carelessness'

Germany has been on high alert over the threat of a jihadist assault since Amri's rampage in Berlin, for which the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

Authorities had said earlier that Ahmad A. was deemed to be an "Islamist" but not believed to be dangerous enough to warrant being monitored by police.

Hamburg's interior minister Andy Grote had initially said that there could have been an Islamist motive for the attack, the suspect also suffered from "psychological instability".

Like Amri, Ahmad A. was due to have been deported after his asylum application was rejected by authorities, but the process was held up by a lack of identity documents.

As a clearer picture began to emerge over the suspect, accusations began flying that authorities may have been too complacent about the risk posed by such individuals.

Domestic security expert for Merkel's centre-right alliance, Stephan Mayer, hit out at Hamburg authorities for failing to apply more stringent criteria on rating the danger posed by Islamists.

Marcus Pretzell of the Islamophobic populist party AfD also leapt in, saying that Hamburg happened because of "carelessness on the state's part".

Meanwhile, Germany was celebrating a group of courageous passers-by who helped stop Ahmad A.

As he was fleeing the supermarket, bystanders gave chase, flinging chairs to stop him.
"In Kenya, people say the dead come back to vote, and then return to their graves," said George Morara, chairman of the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

The fraudulent inclusion of the deceased on the voters' register is just one way to cheat your way to victory in Kenya.

Chase, scare, buy

Recent months' violence which has displaced citizens in Laikipia and Baringo counties has worried observers who fear ostensible banditry and land struggles as masking efforts to push people from their place of registration.

Advocacy group Human Rights Watch in early July documented incidents of intimidation in the Naivasha region, a hotspot of violence in 2007-08.

Another strategy is to "rent" voters' identity cards during elections, essentially paying someone not to turn out. "When you have someone's ID, this is the guarantee he will not be able to vote," said Morara, adding that some in Kenya will sell their ID and therefore their vote for 1,000 shillings ($10; 8 euros).

Gerrymandering

Kenya's electoral law allows voters to choose where they register, opening up the possibility of manipulating the polls by bussing in supporters to stack the odds in a particular constituency.

"In some constituencies, we notice that the registration levels are higher than normal," said Kelly Lusuli of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). "We fear that some are paying others to come and register in a constituency in which they don't live so as to favour a candidate."

Dodgy technology

In 2013, Kenya introduced an electronic system that included biometric voter registration intended to ensure only those registered could vote.

It also provided for the electronic transmission of results from polling stations across the country to the national tally centre in the capital, reducing opportunities for tampering with result sheets en route.

But technology is neither fool-proof nor tamper-resistant with hackers able to modify results or render the entire system unuseable.

But simpler still, said Nic Cheeseman, a professor at Birmingham University and a Kenya expert, is finding a way not to use the electronic system.

"The head of the polling station can certainly find an excuse not to use the biometric kit, he could say it is dysfunctional or that its battery is empty," he said.

That happened in multiple cases in 2013 even before a major technical failure meant the election commission abandoned the electronic system altogether, reverting to manual tallying.

Even the dead can vote

With the electronic system out of commission, several illegal avenues open up to stuff ballot boxes.

Party loyalists can be tasked with casting ballots on behalf of the deceased whose names are still on the voters' register.

An audit of the current, new electoral register, by accounting firm KPMG, estimated there are over a million dead voters.

The last elections were close, with President Uhuru Kenyatta winning by a margin of less than that: around 800,000.

"It is also possible to cast a ballot for the people who did not show up to vote," said an African diplomat on condition of anonymity. "You wait until the end of the day, you look at the results of other polling stations and you adjust with subtlety depending on how many votes you need."

Observers say that in the past a still less sophisticated method was to stuff boxes with pre-ticked ballots, with little effort made to disguise the fraud. In recent weeks the opposition has accused the electoral commission of printing many more ballot papers than necessary.

Strongholds

The elections will be monitored by thousands of observers, local and foreign, but they cannot be present in each of the country's nearly 41,000 polling stations. "In the strongholds, there are polling stations where all the agents are in favour of a candidate or a party," said Lusuli.

As for the agents sent by the adverse parties to watch the elections in these bastions, they can be bought to be silent or intimidated. In 2013, Lusuli said, the turnout was over 100 percent in some areas.
The body of Chris Msando, an information technology manager at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), was identified at the city morgue.

"There was no doubt he was tortured and murdered," IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati told reporters.

"The only question in our mind is who (killed him) and why he was killed a few days to elections."

Msando was in charge of a system of electronic voter identification and ballot counting seen as crucial to avoid rigging. He was the number two in the commission's IT department.

All eyes are on the electronic system ahead of August 8 polls because its crash in 2013 led the opposition to accuse the election commission of rigging the election.

Msando's death follows a mysterious attack at the home of deputy president William Ruto on Saturday, northwest of Nairobi.

Police say a lone assailant killed one officer, wounded another, then held off security forces for nearly 24 hours before being killed.

Msando had helped seal loopholes that could be used to manipulate vote tallies, a source close to the IEBC told AFP.

Human Rights Watch called for his death to be urgently investigated.

"Msando's killing comes as the electoral management body was due to audit its systems, a week away from the election day," said the group's Africa researcher Otsieno Namwaya in a statement.

Chebukati announced the cancellation of that audit after Msando's killing.

'Death threats'

The Kenya section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) also called for an investigation.

"Prior to his death, Mr Msando reported death threats to the central police station and the police did not provide him detailed security," it said.

"ICJ Kenya is deeply concerned with the continued unexplained insecurity incidents across the country and the extrajudicial killings."

Msando was declared missing over the weekend.

In an earlier statement, Chebukati said Msando was last seen Friday night and had sent a text message to a colleague early Saturday suggesting "that he was conscious and fully aware of his itinerary for that day".

A mortuary employee said Msando's body was brought in by police on Saturday alongside that of a woman. Both were naked and appeared to have been tortured before their bodies were dumped in a forest in Kiambu outside Nairobi.

It was unclear why it took 48 hours for his body to be identified.

Msando acted as the head of the IEBC's IT department in May after its director was suspended for 30 days for failing to comply with government auditors.

He had recently appeared on television, explaining the voting system and assuring viewers that the polls would be successful.

'Heinous murder'

Tensions have risen in Kenya ahead of the presidential election, a bad-tempered and tight race between President Uhuru Kenyatta and longtime opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Both sides have accused the other of underhand tactics; the president says Odinga is trying to divide the nation and provoke violence, while the opposition leader claims Kenyatta plans to rig the poll.

Odinga's opposition alliance condemned the "heinous murder" of Msando, saying in a statement they were "gravely concerned" about its implications.

"That no effort was made to camouflage this killing as an accident shows the determination of the killers to send a chilling message that they will stop at nothing to ensure the outcome they desire," read the statement.

While 2013's polls were largely peaceful, Kenya remains traumatised by a disputed 2007 election, which Odinga claimed was rigged.
Forty-one of those held were marched into the court outside Ankara one-by-one in a long line in front of television cameras and the public, with each suspect held by two members of the Turkish gendarmerie and flanked by an armed soldier.

People chanted "we want the death penalty!" and some threw nooses towards the suspects. The death penalty has been abolished in Turkey since 2004.

There were also chants of "martyrs don't die, the nation won't be divided". Some people threw water bottles, an AFP reporter said.

Nazan Aytop, who came to court to make sure the blood of the 249 victims of the coup "was not given in vain" said she hoped the "accused will be given the sentence they deserve."

A total of 486 suspects have been indicted in the case and almost all -- a total of 461 -- are held in custody while seven are still on the run and the remainder charged but not in jail.

During the tense opening hearing, veterans and relatives of those killed on the night of the coup bid booed the suspects' lawyers, Dogan news agency reported.

Some lawyers hit tables to protest the "physical intervention" by some of the victims' families as they walked past them, the agency said.

'Order to bomb parliament'

The suspects are accused of running the coup bid from the Akinci air base northwest of the capital, which the authorities regard as the headquarters of the plotters where orders were sent out for fighter jets to bomb parliament.

They are charged with crimes ranging from murder, violating the constitution and attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

If convicted, they face life imprisonment.

Among the main suspects named in the indictment but still on the run is US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of ordering the attempted July 15, 2016 putsch.

Gulen, who is based in a secluded compound in the US state of Pennsylvania, strongly denies the charges.

Those held in custody include former air force chief Akin Ozturk who, like several suspects, is also on trial in another case related to the coup bid.

Another chief suspect is theology lecturer Adil Oksuz, whom Turkish officials accuse of being the so-called "imam" of the plot by coordinating the action on the ground in Turkey with Gulen.

Businessman Kemal Batmaz is meanwhile accused of assisting Oksuz.

Oksuz was detained following the coup's defeat, but was subsequently released and is now on the run. Batmaz is in custody in Sincan prison outside Ankara.

Batmaz led the line of suspects into court wearing a cream shirt with black trousers followed by Ozturk wearing a grey shirt and black trousers.

Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar and other senior commanders were held hostage at the base during the coup attempt before they were freed on the morning on July 16.

The base was seen as the coup bid headquarters where commands were given for the F-16 fighter jets to attack and fly them above the capital.

The Turkish parliament was bombed three times by F-16s.

Largest courtroom

The trial is taking place in Turkey's largest courtroom established inside a prison complex in Sincan to hear coup-related trials and has space for 1,558 people.

The courtroom has previously hosted mass trials related to the coup bid including one which opened in February of 330 suspects accused of murder or attempted murder.

And in May, 221 suspects were put on trial accused of being the ringleaders of the failed coup.

The attempted coup left 249 people dead, the Turkish presidency says, not including 24 coup-plotters killed on the night.

There was heavy security including 1,130 security personnel inside and outside the courtroom, according to state-run news agency Anadolu, as well as snipers, armoured security vehicles and a drone.

The trial is one of several held across Turkey judging coup suspects, in the largest legal process in the country's modern history.
Luisa Ortega told reporters that the Constituent Assembly elected on Sunday amid deadly protests "does not have legitimacy."

The official, who has kept her post despite breaking with Maduro four months ago over the new body, warned that the assembly would do away with the right to vote, to protest, and freedom of expression, in an effort by Maduro to "exercise power with no limits at all."

"All political rights are in peril," she said.

"This presidential Constituent Assembly does not have legitimacy. It is a sneer to the people and its sovereignty," Ortega added.

Maduro held Sunday's vote for the Constituent Assembly in the face of deadly street protests and international condemnation, hailing it as a huge "victory."

The electoral authority claimed more than 40 percent of Venezuela's 20 million voters had cast ballots, but the opposition said it was less than half that.

The new assembly, tasked with rewriting the constitution, has the power to dissolve the country's legislative National Assembly, which is controlled by the opposition.
Leopoldo Lopez

Leader of the radical wing of the opposition that believes in the necessity of street action, the 46-year-old economist was educated at Harvard.

He became one of the icons of the anti-Chavista movement (named after those opposed to the country's late leader Hugo Chavez) following his arrest in February 2014 when he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of inciting violence during protests that led to 43 deaths.

Photogenic and with an easy smile, the former mayor of the upscale Chacao district of the capital notably called for the protests that briefly ousted Chavez from power in April 2002.

His tangles with the government led to him being barred from contesting elections twice, including the presidential vote of 2012.

Married to former TV presenter Lilian Tintori who herself has become a senior figure in the opposition, the father-of-two is also known for his ambition and taste for confrontation.

After 3.5 years behind bars, he was sent to serve the remainder of his sentence at home on July 8 on medical grounds.

Antonio Ledezma

The mayor of Caracas, who is also a lawyer, was arrested and jailed in February 2015 after being accused of conspiring against the president and associating with criminals.

The balding, bespectacled 62-year-old was sent home in April to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest following surgery.

Ledezma is a veteran of the social democrat Democratic Action party, the country's most powerful political force until Chavez came to power in 1999.

He was a member of parliament (1984-1992), a governor (1992-1993), senator (1994-1996) and mayor for a district of Caracas (1996-2000).

Elected mayor of the capital in 2009 and re-elected in 2013, he was brutally arrested in 2015 in his offices by several dozen armed intelligence agents wearing balaclavas and bullet-proof vests.
As the influx of Chinese brands captured a dominant 51 per cent of the Indian smartphone market, the share of Indian brands has more than halved over a year-and-a half.

The first smartphones from Hong Kong-based Infinix are being teased on Flipkart.

The Chinese dragon is set to tighten its grip on the fast-growing Indian mobile phone market with two new smartphone brands, Comio and Infinix, set to make their debut in the coming days.

Comio from China's Topwise Communications will launch a smartphone on August 18, while the first smartphones from Hong Kong-based Infinix are being teased on Flipkart.

As the influx of Chinese brands together captured a dominant 51 per cent of the Indian smartphone market, the share of Indian brands has more than halved to around 15 per cent over a year-and-a half, according to data from Counterpoint and IDC.

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Chinese phone maker Xiaomi had the second largest pie of the market share in April-June quarter of 2017 with 15.5 per cent. Others in the top five bracket are Vivo with 12.7 per cent, Oppo with 9.6 per cent and Lenovo with 6.8 per cent, according to Counterpoint Research.

Chinese brand Gionee, which has been trying to break into the top five league, claimed they have amassed a 1.25 crore base over five years. "In India, we operate, make and sell products in the price band of Rs 8,000- Rs 25,000, a segment that is experiencing maximum growth over the years," said Gionee India director (business intelligence & planning) Alok Shrivastava.

He claimed their recently launched A1 model clocked 74,682 pre-orders worth Rs 150 crore in 10 days. The brand owns nearly six per cent of the market share, he added.

IDC senior market analyst Jaipal Singh said, "Indian vendors' response to 4G technology has been very slow. Even when Reliance came with 4G, Indian brands had a very heavy 3G portfolio. Chinese models have been quick with adopting the technology from the beginning."

Also, Chinese brands like Oppo and Vivo have a lot of cash to spend on marketing and distribution, which Indian brands don't, he explained.

"The third factor is the product itself. China's background in manufacturing gives their brands an edge in working with huge volumes. So, they are able to offer devices at competitive prices with effective quality," said Singh.

Gionee's Shrivastava said they have designed their phones focusing on the selfie camera feature and long battery lives. These are the needs of the Indian customer today, he summed up. The brand is planning to set up an assembling unit in Faridabad with a capacity of 30 million units.

Singh says the sheer size of India offers a huge opportunity for foreign brands.

Of the 1.2 billion population, only 300 million Indians are estimated to own smartphones. However, the country is expected to become the second largest smartphone market by the end of 2017.

"China's domestic market, on the other hand, is saturated as 90 per cent of their population already owns smartphones," says Singh. Every vendor wants to be here, he adds.

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Optiemus Infracom, the brand that will sell and distribute Canada's BlackBerry devices, is set to launch a new smartphone on August 1. HMD Global will also launch an Android-based Nokia smartphone on August 16, pivoting from the brand's Windows-based phones.

Korean brand Samsung is still India's top selling brand. However, its market share fell to 24.1 per cent in the June quarter of 2017 compared to 25.6 per cent year-on-year, according to Counterpoint.

ALSO READ |

Xiaomi is the second best smartphone brand Indians love after Samsung: Report

Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo retain top three spots in Indian market while Lenovo moves to number four, says Canalys

China takes 50 per cent of India's smartphone market

--- ENDS ---
1MDB and its founder Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak are battling allegations that billions were looted from the fund in complex overseas deals that are being investigated by authorities in several countries.

Both the fund and Najib have vehemently denied wrongdoing.

1MDB agreed in April to pay Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) about $1.2 billion to settle debts.

Half was due to be paid to the emirate's sovereign wealth fund at the end of July and the rest by the end of the year, IPIC said at the time of the agreement.

IPIC said in a statement to the London Stock Exchange Tuesday that it "has not received the payments of US$602,725,000 and US$26,024,509.59 that were due to be paid".

It said there was a five-day period for 1MDB to resolve the payment before becoming subject to additional obligations.

1MDB said in a statement that it was awaiting fresh funds and had written to IPIC pledging to make the payment in August.

1MDB and the Abu Dhabi fund had been involved in a dispute that extended to repayments on two sets of bonds issued by the Malaysian fund.

In April 2016 1MDB defaulted on $1.75 billion in bonds after missing an interest payment of $50 million.
Pence is currently on a tour of Eastern Europe aimed at reassuring US allies rattled over Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and backing for a bloody separatist rebellion in Ukraine.

Standing alongside Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Pence pledged firm US support for the tiny Caucasus nation and slammed Russia's military presence of its territory since a brief 2008 war.

"We are with you, we stand with you," Pence said, calling the ex-Soviet state a "key strategic partner" for Washington.

The vice president reiterated America's firm backing for Georgia's hope of joining military alliance NATO, a goal that has stirred fury in Moscow.

Georgia's tilt to the West set it on a collision course with Russia that exploded into a conflict over the breakaway region of South Ossetia in 2008.

Moscow officially recognised South Ossetia and another rebel province Abkhazia as independent after routing Georgia's forces and moved thousands of its troops into the regions.

In tough language Pence said the "US strongly condemns the occupation" that "sees Russian tanks parked on Georgian soil."

While in the country, Pence is set to review joint military drills that are being billed as the largest ever held between the US and Georgia.

Pence will then head to newest NATO member Montenegro on the Adriatic Sea for the last leg of his trip, in a show of support after its entrance into the alliance sparked bitter opposition from Moscow.

Pence also insisted again that Trump is gearing up to approve new punitive measures against Russia that have already pushed battered ties with Moscow still lower.

"President Trump will sign the sanctions bill soon," Pence told a press conference during a visit to the tiny US-ally on Russia's southern flank.

The US Senate on Thursday approved a package of tough additional sanctions against Russia over alleged meddling in last year's election and its annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.

The White House has said Trump will now approve the bill binding his hands on lifting the sanctions, but has not set a timeframe.
Currently staying in the US, Saakashvili -- once lauded in the West as the reformist president of his Caucasus homeland -- has effectively been left stateless after he was earlier forced to give up his Georgian citizenship.

"I plan to go to court, moreover, I seek the right to go and take part in this court," Saakashvili said in a press conference via Skype.

"I will fight for my right to return. I'll find a way home."

Charismatic Saakashvili, 49, moved to Ukraine in 2015 to work for the country's pro-Western authorities as governor of the key Odessa region on the Black Sea.

He quit in November 2016 amid a dramatic falling out with Poroshenko, accusing high-ranking officials of blocking his efforts to tackle rampant corruption.

Ukrainian-speaker Saakashvili was frequently accused of having political ambitions of his own that made him a political threat to Poroshenko.

Saakashvili is currently wanted in his homeland Georgia for alleged abuse of power during his tumultuous nine years as president that saw him fight and lose a brief war against Russia in 2008.

He insists the charges are politically motivated revenge masterminded by his billionaire foe Bidzina Ivanishvili, currently seen as the power behind the scenes of Georgia's government.

Saakashvili lost his Georgian citizenship when he was granted a Ukrainian passport, as the country bans dual citizenship.

The authorities in Georgia have said they will seek to get Saakashvili extradited from the US if he remains there to face trial in his homeland.
Timber logged in the impoverished Pacific nation is exported to manufacturing hubs, mostly in China, before being sent to other countries such as the United States as wooden flooring and other commercial products in a multi-billion dollar trade.

But Global Witness claimed about one-third of PNG timber in recent years came from land stolen from locals by the government and given to loggers. It said US firms could be violating American law if they fail to check the wood's legality.

"US consumers may be unwittingly fuelling what is one of the biggest land grabs in modern history," the NGO said in a statement after releasing its "Stained Trade" report based on a three-year investigation.

The activist group estimated that Chinese sales of wood products to the US were worth some $15 billion annually.

"The US Lacey Act bans the import of illegal wood. However, Global Witness found wood from PNG readily available on US markets in the form of flooring manufactured in China," it said.

Global Witness said US retail giant Home Depot's supplier Home Legend stopped selling hardwood flooring that contained PNG timber after they were informed of the findings.

It added that major Chinese flooring seller Nature Home was placing a "pause on new procurement" for the US market as it reviewed sourcing procedures.

But some of the other US companies which were contacted about the investigation did not respond, Global Witness said.

As part of its 2014-16 probe, the organisation interviewed dozens of people from local communities -- who rely on the forests as sources of food, water and medicine -- and who said they had lost their land to loggers.

"Tens of thousands of people have been affected," said campaign leader Rick Jacobsen, who claimed many who tried to speak out had been threatened, arrested or beaten.

Landowner-turned-activist Paul Pavol said such land was his community's "food and water, protein, building materials, medicines, beauty, warmth, and everything else", but that changed when logging machines were brought there in 2010.

"There were policemen on the barge... We were the first people to go up there and tell them, 'No, stop this!' When I see ships taking my logs away, I honestly cry.

"That's the reason we raise our voices. Something's got to be done to save our forest."
The Asian giant is also mired in several bitter border disputes with its neighbours, including an ongoing stand-off with India over territory on China's border with Bhutan.

"We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," Xi told an audience of Communist Party officials and army officials gathered at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," he said.

Since coming into office in 2012, Xi has centralised power and cracked down on critics of the ruling party, while taking a hard line on territorial disputes.

China has at the same time been engaged in a modernisation of the its once-backward armed forces, as it seeks military clout commensurate with its economic might.

While the country formerly followed a strategy of "hide your strength", it has begun to indulge in more frequent, pointed demonstrations of its power.

On Sunday it held a rare military parade in Inner Mongolia in which Xi stressed the need to build a world-class army loyal to the ruling Communist Party, and capable of "defeating all invading enemies".

In June in Hong Kong, where Beijing faces vocal resistance to its policies, Xi oversaw a military parade -- the largest in decades -- marking the 20th anniversary of the former British colony's handover to China.

In December, the country sailed its first aircraft carrier near Taiwan, where the ruling political party has angered Beijing by refusing to acknowledge that both sides are part of "one China".

The ship was on its way to the South China Sea, where Beijing has pursued claims on territory -- despite partial counter-claims from nations such as the Philippines and Vietnam -- by building military facilities and conducting naval exercises.

China is currently involved in a border row with India that has festered for more than a month as both sides refuse to back down in the distant but strategically key territory.
Democrat Eric Sorensen declared victory at around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the race for Illinois' 17th Congressional District against Republican Esther Joy King, but the margin of his lead was not large enough for either the Associated Press or New York Times to project him as the winner.
DAVENPORT -- A free app is now available for Davenport CitiBus passengers to track their rides on smartphones in real time.

TransLoc's Rider app, used by MetroLink since March, lets riders track bus locations and arrival times. People also can plan trips, receive notifications about route changes and report customer service issues.

"It makes the information very seamless," said Becky Passman, administrative and grants manager for CitiBus.

CitiBus made the app available Monday after about two months of work with TransLoc. Each bus is now outfitted with automatic vehicle location equipment to track its location.

Ms. Passman said the app has been on the CitiBus wishlist for a long time.

"It really takes us into the 21st century," she said. "It empowers riders and takes the guesswork out of things."

The app will let passengers access Davenport buses more conveniently, accurately and efficiently, Ms. Passman said.

"No more standing on the corner wondering, 'When is it coming?'" she said.

The greatest benefit of the app, she said, is both CitiBus and MetroLink now use it. This lets riders easily plan trips that span both the Illinois and Iowa Quad-Cities.

The app uses a smartphone's locator service to determine the closest bus stop. From there, it provides riders with an estimated time until arrival of each bus route that stops there. Riders also can also choose a different stop on the map to check its arrival times.

An "announcements" section warns riders of detours. Riders can add bus stops to their "favorites" list. The "trip planner" option shows riders the best route to a destination. Riders also can select which transit systems and bus routes they want to view.

TransLoc's Rider app is one of many recent changes to come to CitiBus, according to a news release from the city. Additionally, CitiBus has worked on route enhancements and introduced Smart Card, "which offers discounted fares and eliminates the need for having exact change when boarding the bus."

"A lot of things that have been planned for awhile are coming to fruition," Ms. Passman said.

Next for CitiBus will be the addition of five new buses to replace current ones "well beyond their expected life," according to Ms. Passman.

TransLoc's Rider app can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play. There's also a map offering live location data for CitiBus at davenportcitibus.transloc.com.
August 1, 2017 marks the 90th founding anniversary of China's People's Liberation Army. As the Chinese President supervises the largest-ever annual war games in Monoglia, here are 10 things you need to know about the country's military force.

By India Today Web Desk: Chinese President Xi Jinping, while presiding over a large-scale military parade of 12,000 troops, said that the Chinese Army has the capability of vanquishing "all invading enemies".

The parade kicked off to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) that falls on August 1.

Also read: Doklam border standoff: Will there be an India-China war?

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Today, the Chinese president, who also heads the PLA's Central Military Commission (CMC), will supervise the largest-ever annual war games. The event is a display of the army's strength. The war games will be conducted in Inner Mongolia's Zhurihe region.

A glimpse of the modern Chinese Air Force as the 90th founding anniversary of the PLA draws near #PLA90 pic.twitter.com/7y7kGDmTg8- People's Daily,China (@PDChina) July 29, 2017

Here are 10 things to know about the world's largest armed force:

1. China's 0.18 per cent population is a part of their military force. With a strength of 2,285,000 personnel, China flaunts the world's largest military force.

Photo: AP

2. There are five branches under PLA- the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, and the Strategic Support Force.

Photo: Reuters Photo: Reuters

3. People's Liberation Army was founded in 1927 and was called Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

Photo: Reuters

4. During the Nachang uprising, in 1927, the Communist soldiers seized the southern Jiangxi provincial town from Nationalist Party armies.

Photo: Reuters

5. The former CMC chairman Hu Jintao stated the missions of the PLA as: -

To consolidate the ruling status of the Communist Party

- To ensure China's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and domestic security to continue national development

- To safeguard China's national interests

- To help maintain world peace

Photo: Reuters

6. PLA is the armed wing of the Communist Part of China and aims at enforcing its rule. Many individual officers have asked to transform it into a national army but no change was initiated.

Photo: Reuters

7. The Chinese army has not fought a war since 1979. Its last war was with Vietnam in 1979 in which both sides claimed victory. After the 1962 war, the closest India-China got to a war was in 1986 when when General K. Sundarji heli-lifted a mountain brigade to face off against a PLA incursion which had built a road into Arunachal Pradesh. The Chinese troops remained there until 1993 then PM PV Narasimha Rao's visit to Beijing.

Photo: Reuters

8. President Xi's military reforms have focused on rapidly modernising, commissioning new arsenals and enabling greater integration through a newly set-up joint operations command system.

Photo: AP Photo: AP

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9. The recent PLA parade is the biggest since 2015 despite a reduction of military personnel by 3,00,000.

Photo: Reuters

10. China also boasts the second largest defence budget in the world. But, the US Department of Defense has often argued that China does not report its real military spending which according to them is higher than the official budget.

Photo: Reuters

Also read: India Today magazine cover goes viral in China, triggers Photoshop battle

How does the worlds largest military force train daily? Find out here! #PLA90 pic.twitter.com/NZm2hqdwSy- CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) July 27, 2017

--- ENDS ---
MORRISON -- The Whiteside County Sheriff's Office is rescinding an order issued last week that re-opened the Rock River to boaters, as long as they obeyed a "No Wake" rule.

On Monday, Sheriff Kelly Wilhelmi said boaters unfortunately did not abide by the "No Wake" rule, forcing him to again close the Rock River in Whiteside County to all boating. He added that river levels have not yet dropped below flood stage and stabilized to a level that allows for safe boating.

The Illinois Department of Conservation closed the Rock River to boaters last week as the Rock River rose. On Monday afternoon, the river was at 15.77 feet near Joslin, where flood level is 12 feet. At Como in Whiteside County, the Rock River was at 11.6 feet Monday afternoon; flood stage is 10 feet.
Today is Tuesday, Aug. 1, the 213th day of 2017. There are 152 days left in the year.

1867 -- 150 years ago: M. Mark, Deutscher advocate, attorney at law and notary public, has his office in the Post Office Block in Rock Island.

1892 -- 125 years ago: J. V. Nailey received a hip injury when he tripped on a broken sidewalk at Walnut Street.

1917 -- 100 years ago: Dr. Alfred Stocker received his commission in the medical officers reserve.

1942 -- 75 years ago: William Dowsett was elected treasurer and Wallace Hall was named secretary at the annual meeting of stockholders of Moline Iron Works.

1967 -- 50 years ago: Southwest Rock Island, located south and west of Milan, has the potential to double the citys population when more land is annexed and it is fully developed, says William Fitzsimmons, Rock Island city planner. The area has 221 homes that are occupied, with 17 more under construction. Most of the homes are in Shady Brook subdivision.

1992 -- 25 years ago: Tug teams from Port Byron and LeClaire square off from 1 to 3 p.m. today during the annual Great River Tug Fest. Following the tug trophy ceremony at 5 p.m., the country rock band Wildwood concludes the festivities with a concert.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP)  A former official who stole more than $250,000 from a New Jersey agency that provides education to underprivileged children and used the money to buy a Maserati and expensive fur coat is now headed to prison.

Federal prosecutors say Robert Mays received an 18-month sentence on Monday and must pay $257,418 in restitution. He had pleaded guilty in June 2016 to wire fraud.

Mays admitted raising his own salary without approval by nearly $60,000 after working for Jersey City Child Development Centers for two months. The 40-year-old Jersey City also created fake board of directors' minutes to make it look like his raise had been approved.

Prosecutors say he also admitted taking money from the company's bank account to pay for the car and coat and other expenses.
WASHINGTON -- Transparency, thy name is Trump, Donald Trump. No filter, no governor, no editor lies between his impulses and his public actions. He tweets, therefore he is.

Ronald Reagan was so self-contained and impenetrable that his official biographer was practically driven mad trying to figure him out. Donald Trump is penetrable, hourly.

Never more so than during his ongoing war on his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Trump has been privately blaming Sessions for the Russia cloud. But rather than calling him in to either work it out or demand his resignation, Trump has engaged in a series of deliberate public humiliations.

Day by day, he taunts Sessions, attacking him for everything from not firing the acting FBI director (which Trump could do himself in an instant) to not pursuing criminal charges against Hillary Clinton.

What makes the spectacle so excruciating is that the wounded Sessions plods on, refusing the obvious invitation to resign his dream job, the capstone of his career.

Trump relishes such a cat-and-mouse game and, by playing it so openly, reveals a deeply repellent vindictiveness in the service of a pathological need to display dominance.

Dominance is his game. Doesn't matter if you backed him, as did Chris Christie, cast out months ago. Or if you opposed him, as did Mitt Romney, before whom Trump ostentatiously dangled the State Department, only to snatch it away, leaving Romney looking the foolish supplicant.

Yet the Sessions affair is more than just a study in character. It carries political implications. It has caused the first crack in Trump's base. Not yet a split, mind you. The base is simply too solid for that. But amid his 35 to 40 percent core support, some are peeling off, both in Congress and in the pro-Trump commentariat.

The issue is less characterological than philosophical. As Stephen Hayes of The Weekly Standard put it, Sessions was the original Trumpist -- before Trump. Sessions championed hard-line trade, law enforcement and immigration policy long before Trump rode these ideas to the White House.

For many conservatives, Sessions' early endorsement of Trump served as an ideological touchstone. And Sessions has remained stalwart in carrying out Trumpist policies at Justice. That Trump could, out of personal pique, treat him so rudely now suggests to those conservatives how cynically expedient was Trump's adoption of Sessions' ideas in the first place.

But beyond character and ideology lies the most appalling aspect of the Sessions affair -- reviving the idea of prosecuting Clinton.

In the 2016 campaign, there was nothing more disturbing than crowds chanting "lock her up," often encouraged by Trump and his surrogates. After the election, Trump reconsidered.

Now under siege, Trump has jettisoned magnanimity. Maybe she should be locked up after all.

This is pure misdirection. Even if every charge against Clinton were true and she got 20 years in the clink, it would change not one iota of the truth -- or falsity -- of the charges of collusion being made against the Trump campaign.

Moreover, in America we don't lock up political adversaries. They do that in Turkey. They do it (and worse) in Russia. Part of American greatness is that we don't criminalize our politics.

Trump spoke at the commissioning of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. Ford was no giant. Nor did he leave a great policy legacy. But he is justly revered for his decency and honor. His great gesture was pardoning Richard Nixon, an act which cost him the 1976 election.

It was an act of political self-sacrifice, done for precisely the right reason. Nixon might indeed have committed crimes. But the spectacle of an ex-president on trial and perhaps even in jail was something Ford would not allow the country to go through.

In doing so, he vindicated the very purpose of the presidential pardon. On its face, it's perverse. It allows one person to overturn equal justice. But the Founders understood that there are times, rare but vital, when social peace and national reconciliation require contravening ordinary justice. Ulysses S. Grant amnestied (technically: paroled) Confederate soldiers and officers at Appomattox, even allowing them to keep a horse for the planting.

In Trump World, the better angels are not in evidence.

To be sure, Trump is indeed examining the pardon power. For himself and his cronies.
WASHINGTON -- The Court of Mad King Donald is not a presidency. It is an affliction, one that saps the life out of our democratic institutions, and it must be fiercely resisted if the nation as we know it is to survive.

I wish that were hyperbole. The problem is not just that President Trump is selfish, insecure, egotistical, ignorant and unserious. It is that he neither fully grasps nor minimally respects the concept of honor, without which our governing system falls apart. He believes "honorable" means "obsequious in the service of Trump." He believes everyone else's motives are as base as his.

The Trump administration is, indeed, like the court of some accidental monarch who is tragically unsuited for the duties of his throne. However long it persists, we must never allow ourselves to think of the Trump White House as anything but aberrant. We must fight for the norms of American governance lest we forget them in their absence.

It gets worse and worse. The past week has marked a succession of new lows.

Trump has started a sustained campaign to goad or humiliate Attorney General Jeff Sessions into resigning. Trump has blasted Sessions on Twitter, at a news conference, in newspaper interviews and at a campaign-style rally. He has called Sessions "beleaguered" and said repeatedly how "disappointed" he is in the attorney general.

Forget, for the moment, that Sessions was the first sitting U.S. senator to support Trump's campaign, giving him new credibility among conservatives. Forget also that Sessions is arguably having more success than any other Cabinet member in getting Trump's agenda implemented. Those things aside, what kind of leader treats a lieutenant with such passive-aggressive obnoxiousness? Trump is too namby-pamby to look Sessions in the eye and say, "You're fired."

That's what the president clearly is trying to summon the courage to do, however. The Washington Post reported that Trump has been "musing" with his courtiers about the possibility of firing Sessions and naming a replacement during the August congressional recess.

Trump has no respect for the rule of law. He is enraged that Sessions recused himself from the investigation of Russia's meddling in the election, and thus is not in a position to protect the House of Trump from special counsel Robert Mueller. According to The New York Times, "Sharing the president's frustration have been people in his family, some of whom have come under scrutiny in the Russia investigation." I'm guessing that means the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Who elected them, by the way?

Trump seeks to govern by whim and fiat. On Wednesday morning, he used Twitter to announce a ban on transgender people serving in the military, surprising his own top military leaders. Pentagon spokesmen told reporters to ask the White House for details; White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters to ask the Pentagon. Was Trump trying to reignite the culture wars? Would the thousands of transgender individuals now serving in the military be purged? Was this actual policy or just a fit of indigestion?

Inside the mad king's court, the internecine battles are becoming ever more brutal. Members of Trump's inner circle seek his favor by leaking negative information about their rivals. This administration is more hostile to the media than any in recent memory, but also more eager to whisper juicy dirt about the ambitious courtier down the hall.

Trump's new favorite, Anthony Scaramucci, struts around more like a chief of staff than a communications director, which is his nominal role. Late Wednesday night -- after dining with Trump and his head cheerleader, Sean Hannity -- Scaramucci took a metaphorical rapier to the actual chief of staff, Reince Priebus, by strongly hinting on Twitter that Priebus leaks to reporters. The next morning, Scaramucci told CNN that "if Reince wants to explain that he's not a leaker, let him do that."

Why bring in Scaramucci? Because, I fear, the mad king is girding for war. Trump is reckless enough to fire Mueller if he digs too deeply into the business dealings of the Trump Organization and the Kushner Companies.

What then? Will Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell draft and push through a new special prosecutor statute so that Mueller can quickly be reappointed? Will House Speaker Paul Ryan immediately open debate on articles of impeachment? Will we, the people, defend our democracy?

Do not become numb to the mad king's outrages. The worst is yet to come.
Id like to address the elephant in the room. That elephant being the Republican Party and their refusal to represent the majority of their constituents. Lets begin with stricter gun control (something that would help lessen the fears parents have when sending their children off to school), 53% of Americans favor this (Pew Research) yet the elephant in the room refuses to consider any such thing. Over 70% of Americans want stricter background checks yet again; the elephant in the room refuses to represent them. 61% of Americans say abortion should be legal. Again, the elephant in the room pushes laws that do the opposite. 74% of Americans do not want social security reduced in any way. But the elephant in the room pushes to do just the opposite, cut social security. 63% of Americans now prefer Medicare for all, but the elephant in the room fights it with all its might. 67% of Americans feel more needs to be done to reduce climate change, but not the elephant in the room. The elephant sides with the fossil fuel industry claiming its not a big concern. Given these few statistics (there are more like them) its obvious that the Republican Party is the party of minority rule, quite the opposite of what our founding fathers envisioned. The Republican Party has become a power cult, not a party that represents the majority of Americans. Remember this while you mark your ballot in this midterm election. Save Democracy! Vote Democratic!
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People's Liberation Army has the confidence to defeat all invasions, said China's President Xi Jinping on the army's 90th anniversary.

By Ananth Krishnan: China's President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) "has the confidence to defeat all invasions", as the army marked its 90th anniversary on Tuesday.

"We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions," Xi said at a ceremony to mark the PLA's 90th anniversary in Beijing.

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He added that China "will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form."

Chinese analysts have noted that the PLA's celebrations - and recent muscle-flexing through several exercises - comes amid both the stand-off with India in Doklam in the India-China-Bhutan trijunction, and China's rising concerns over tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

Xi did not mention any specific territorial dispute. Chinese leaders have in the past referred to "invasions" in the context of China's history and occupation by Japan.

On Tuesday, Xi said "no one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," indicating that China would respond strongly.

The President, who also heads the Central Military Commission, said China "will never compromise" on its sovereignty, security or development interests.

On Sunday, Xi presided over a rare Army Day parade in Zhurihe, a sprawling base that is Asia's largest in China's Inner Mongolia region.

Also Read:

Doklam: What China stands to lose if it goes to war with India

Doklam standoff: Did Chinese President Xi Jinping just call India an invading enemy?

WATCH | How China is trying to colonise PoK: India Today ground report from Gilgit

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Trainkos says the funding allocated by the Republic of Kosovo for the operation of passenger services on the Prishtina - Peja and Fushe Kosove - Hani i Elezit (Macedonian border) lines was exhausted in June. Trainkos has continued to operate these services in recent weeks using its own budget, but it says this is unsustainable.

With the elimination of these services, the only passenger services in Kosovo will be those linking the capital Prishtina with Skopje in Macedonia.

Trainkos says that under the Kosovo Railways Law, the contracting authority (the Ministry of Infrastructure) must cover the full cost of operating publicly-necessary but loss-making services, allowing the operator a modest profit margin.

However, Trainkos adds that since the reform of Kosovo Railways in 2011 the government has failed to meet its financial obligation to these services and losses have been covered by the operator. Trainkos claims it has been left to find 5m from its own budget since September 2011 to continue operation of these services.

We have addressed the issue of expenses with the competent authorities but we have not yet solved this problem, the company said in a statement. We expect the countrys government to deal with this issue and find sustainable solutions, as defined by the Kosovo Railways Law.
Initial works are taking place at the northern end of the eastern tube, where 200m of ballastless track has already been laid, with quality control checks now underway. When these checks have been completed, tracklaying will continue towards the southern portal at Vezia.

Tracklaying will be followed by the installation of catenary, power supplies, telecommunications, signalling, and tunnel safety systems.

A 60,000m2 facility with workshops and office space has been established at Camorino to act as a logistical base for the infrastructure works in the tunnel.

AlpTransit says that up to 200 people will be involved in the installation of infrastructure systems when this phase of the project reaches its peak.

AlpTransit will begin test operation in Spring 2020 before handing the tunnel over to Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) for trials and driver training. Commercial operations will begin in December 2020.
In its 76th year, the American Century seems headed for a premature end. Americans are reportedly tired of shouldering the burdens of world leadership, supporting democracy, promoting free trade, and defending their allies. From now on, the American president says, the indispensable nation is going to look out for No. 1, raise new barriers to trade and immigration, and renegotiateor possibly renege onrecent and longstanding commitments.

Europe's most influential leader, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has given voice to what is likely a wider sentiment: America's allies can no longer count on the U.S. and must take their fates into their own hands.

But America's tendency to draw inward is nothing new. The American Century was first proclaimed by Henry Luce, publisher of Time and Life magazines, in words that resonate today. We Americans are unhappy, he wrote in February 1941. We are not happy about America. We are not happy about ourselves in relation to America. We are nervousor gloomyor apathetic. As we look out at the rest of the world we are confused; we don't know what to do.

He continued: As we look toward the futureour own future and the future of other nationswe are filled with foreboding. The future doesn't seem to hold anything for us except conflict, disruption, war. While this may sound familiar, Luce was describing a nation still recovering from the Great Depression. Most Americans were disillusioned with the results of the First World War and determined to stay out of the Second.

Many of today's Americans still haven't recovered from the Great Recession that began in 2008. Nearly all are deeply disappointed with the results of the seemingly endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 1941 Luce argued that other nations can survive simply because they have endured so longsometimes with more and sometimes with less significance. But this nation, conceived in adventure and dedicated to the progress of manthis nation cannot truly endure unless there courses strongly through its veins from Maine to California the blood of purposes and enterprise and high resolve. He concluded: It is in this spirit that all of us are called, each to his own measure of capacity, and each in the widest horizon of his vision, to create the first great American Century.

Donald Trump is not the first president to want to reduce America's foreign commitments. In 1969, as America began to withdraw from Vietnam, President Richard Nixon established a doctrine that came to bear his name, warning that the U.S. would henceforth expect its allies to provide the manpower for their own defense. Presidents Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush and Barack Obama also entered office promising a restrained American role abroad.

Yet Mr. Carter went on to launch a covert war against the Soviet presence in Afghanistan and enunciated a doctrine of his own, declaring that any attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force. Mr. Bush pledged not to engage in nation building, yet ended up doing that in Afghanistan and Iraq. During his first term Mr. Obama announced a pivot to Asia, then the world's most peaceful region, but spent his second term boosting American military commitments in Europe and the Middle East instead.

Mr. Trump's election is a sign that American dissatisfaction with the existent global division of labor is widespread.

Isolationism is a recurring temptation of American foreign policy. Responding to new and unforeseen challenges, however, the U.S. has repeatedly resisted that temptation and risen to the demands of global leadership. Is it different this time? Certainly the official rhetoric from the Trump administration is more fervent. And Mr. Trump's election is a sign that American dissatisfaction with the existent global division of labor is widespread.

But we don't know how the country will respond to the next crisis. It took the surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, nine months after Luce's call to arms, to push the U.S. into World War II. It took the installation of Soviet puppet regimes throughout Eastern Europe to keep America engaged on the Continent for 40 years after the defeat of Nazi Germany. It took the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan for Mr. Carter to commit to defending the Persian Gulf. The 9/11 attacks turned Mr. Bush into a nation builder, and the rise of the Islamic State and the Russian invasion of Ukraine led Mr. Obama to recommit American forces to the Middle East and Europe.

Mr. Obama, like his predecessors, discovered that while Americans wanted a less costly foreign policy, they had difficulty accepting the diminished influence that went with it. Americans are unlikely to remain comfortable seeing their leaders heading a coalition of petro-state monarchs and illiberal strongmen while the democratic world marches to a different drum.

President Trump and his administration will be tested soon. The test could come in Syria or on the Korean Peninsula, or in some wholly unanticipated place and some entirely unexpected way. Then, when allies' support and international solidarity will be at a premium, Americans will find out whether their century of pre-eminence has ended.

James Dobbins is a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation, a former U.S. ambassador and assistant secretary of state, and the author of Foreign Service: Five Decades at the Forefront of American Diplomacy, just out from Brookings Institution Press.

This commentary originally appeared on The Wall Street Journal on July 2, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
This commentary originally appeared on realcleareducation.com on August 1, 2017.

Routine data collected by the federal government could help students choose a college and a majorand help them calculate how much they stand to make once they graduate. Although the information exists, a searchable national database that could help students and their families make more informed decisions about college does not.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act, passed in 2008, prevents the federal government from developing a database that would link information on students and colleges to outcomes, including post-college earnings and student loan repayment rates. But that could change. Some members of Congress are interested in overturning this ban. A bipartisan bill introduced in May would create a postsecondary student data system that would be national in scope, collecting data on individual students' college journeys and earnings after graduation. The data would be used only in aggregate and not to reveal personal details.

Ideally, such a database would connect pertinent information culled from colleges, the Department of Education, tax records and other sources while providing the necessary and critical security protections. In addition to aiding student decision-making, the data could also be used by colleges and federal and state governments to better allocate resources that end up helping students.

In the absence of a federal system that links students' college experience and later earnings, states and private companies have tried to fill the gap.

Texas, Virginia, Colorado and Tennessee are among the states that have linked individual government records of earnings with higher education enrollment and graduation records to produce detailed public guides on earnings after graduation. The federal government supported some of these state efforts with grant funding but mandated privacy protection for student information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Private companies have also tried compiling information about graduate earnings from their online users. LinkedIn briefly developed a set of college rankings using the career placements that members report but abandoned the effort after two years. Payscale, an online salary and benefits company, provides college rankings based on self-reported salaries. While it does not connect salaries to majors within college, Payscale does offer information on common job titles held by graduates and provides associated salaries.

A state system can only include earnings of students who graduated from colleges in the state and work in that state.

But these state and private efforts produce an incomplete picture. A state system can only include earnings of students who graduated from colleges in the state and work in that statea key downside given today's transitory work force. State reporting often lacks information about private colleges and universities. Commercial efforts depend on self-reporting from users, which is likely to present an incomplete and inaccurate picture.

The federal-level ban also impedes the ability of researchers like me and my colleagues, who play a key role in assessing educational strategies that could help improve the college experience for students but can't access data that might help us evaluate approaches to developmental education or determine what types of online courses benefit students most.

The main arguments against creating a national database are familiar ones: privacy and the risk of inappropriate data release. Because such a system would link information on students' higher education experiences and their later earnings, the information needs to be thoroughly protected. Otherwise, inappropriate and embarrassing disclosures about students' college experiences and earnings could occurand expose former students to identity fraud.

To address these legitimate concerns, the federal government could follow existing models for securing individual data in linked-data systems. For instance, the Census Bureau gives selected researchers access to individual data and allows them to report aggregated findingsbut not the individual data. Each researcher must undergo a personal background check before being allowed to access a data center, and each center has computers isolated from the internet to further isolate and protect the database. Once a researcher completes a task, a bureau committee reviews the results in an attempt to ensure the reporting of the results will not compromise anyone's privacy. A similar system would allow the Department of Education to link key information about student enrollment, graduation and career earnings, while managing security and privacy concerns.

Within a secure, protected national database, education analysts could use objective, standardized information on how students fare after college to compare the effect of many higher education practices. In turn, higher education leaders and policymakers would be able to make more informed investments that could help more students complete college and achieve higher earnings. The ability to accurately compare specific projections of earnings from different majors at different colleges could help students and their families make a crucial educationaland economicdecision.

Charles A. Goldman is a senior economist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School.

Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh quotes and inputs)

By K J M Varma

Beijing, Aug 1 (PTI) Talking tough, President Xi Jinping said today that China will not allow anyone to "split its territory", as he lauded the PLAs strong resolve to protect the countrys sovereignty and defeat "all invasions" amid Beijings territorial disputes with its neighbours.

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"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," Xi said as the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is engaged in a standoff with Indian troops at Doklam in the Sikkim section since mid-June.

Though there was no direct reference to the Sikkim standoff, Xi urged the PLA to focus on war preparedness to forge an elite and powerful force that is always "ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win".

"There are various means and choices to safeguard peace and security and prevent war, but military means should remain the final guarantee," he said.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the 2.3 million strong PLA, the worlds largest standing army.

He said China would never allow "any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form."

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions," Xi, 64, said at the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People attended by Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders of the ruling Communist Party and army officials.

This is the second time in three days that Xi spoke of the PLAs capability to thwart enemy invasions.

On July 30, Xi during a massive PLA parade had said, "I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies".

Unlike on Sunday where he wore a military fatigue, Xi today donned a Western suit.

His remarks came in the midst of a massive official media campaign and assertion by Chinas foreign and defence ministries accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory at Doklam.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NSAs meet here on July 27- 28 also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

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Both the countries are tight-lipped about the outcome of Doval-Yang talks.

China is also engaged in a number of maritime disputes with its neighbours like Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam in the East and South China seas. Beijing also threatens to use force against arch-rival Taiwan if negotiations fail to reunify the island with the mainland.

In his speech today, Xi called for new generation of "capable, brave and virtuous" army "with souls" in order to build a strong military.

He reiterated that the PLA should function under the CPC leadership, highlighting that its sole command is the party leadership not the government like elsewhere in the world.

The PLA should firmly safeguard the CPCs leadership and the socialist system, protect national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional and world peace, he said. "No matter how times develop and how circumstances change, this army of ours will always remain one of the Party and one of the people," Xi said. He ordered the PLA to firmly protect the authority of the CPC Central Committee. It must resolutely implement the fundamental principle and system of the CPCs absolute leadership over the army, and always follow the command of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, Xi said.

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The life of the military personnel lies in combat ability, he said, urging the PLA to strengthen its awareness of being prepared for any eventualities.

"All thoughts must be put on combat, and all work should focus on combat so the military can assemble, charge forward and win any time the party and the people need them to," he said.

The level of military training should be raised to actual combat standards, he said.

The army should accelerate development of strategic, frontier and disruptive technologies in order to allow science and technology to play a bigger role in the PLAs capacity building and the advancement of its military capability, Xi said.

The Chinese military which is modernising fast has defence budget of USD 152 billion.

China in March hiked military spending by about 7 per cent. Chinas announced defence budget remains smaller than that of the US. But many China observers say the real figure could be much higher. PTI KJV NSA AKJ AKJ

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Russian patent agency cancels registration of brand on request of General Electric

MOSCOW, August 1 (RAPSI)  A structure of the Russian patent agency Rospatent has granted an appeal of a major U.S. corporation General Electric Company seeking to cancel legal protection of a trademark containing GE element in the name, the agencys documents read on Tuesday.

Previously, the brand was registered in favor of the Russian legal center YurNadzor. According to Rospatent, the trademark in question and ones of General Electric are similar to the degree of confusion for three classes of goods.

On April 10, the Intellectual Property Court (IP court) ordered Rospatent to review the corporations appeal once more. Earlier, the agency registered the trademark containing combined element containing lexical components of Goodexpert, Legal center (in the Russian language) and GE. In the first review of the case Rospatent did not agree with General Electric and argued that the trademark may only be associated with Goodexpert word and is visually different from trademarks of the corporation.
Russian ombudsman urges to establish registry of pedophiles

MOSCOW, August 1 (RAPSI)  Russia's children's rights commissioner Anna Kuznetsova believes that the rising number of reported sexual crimes against children calls for urgent establishment of the so-called registry of pedophiles, the ombudsmans press service announced on Tuesday.

This list will include information on all citizens responsible for committing crimes against childrens sexual inviolability. These criminals will be put under administrative supervision for the rest of their lives.

Earlier, law enforcement officers arrested a tutor of a summer camp for children in the Moscow Region after he allegedly harassed 12-year-old teenagers. Investigators found out that the alleged perpetrator had all necessary documents to get the job.

Speaking about the incident, Kuznetsova noted that the process of hiring staff for such camps must be improved to ensure childrens safety. In particular, she pointed out that aside from documents, potential candidates must have necessary experience and motivation. Ombudsman added that final decision must also be based on results of their psychological evaluation in order to detect people with criminal and deviant inclinations.

According to the commissioners press service, the number of reported sexual crimes against children in Russia is on rise in the last five years. Last year, 12,353 child abuse cases were registered in Russia compared to 8,825 cases in 2012.
1TV, July 23, 2017

Taliban fighters opened fire on doctors and patients before they torched a hospital in Afghanistan's central-western province of Ghor on Sunday, police said.

The attack on the hospital happened as 800 Taliban fighters stormed Taywara district in the morning in bid to take control of it. The district eventually fell to militants.

During the attack, the insurgents torched the provincial governors office.

They also torched a nearby hospital after opening fire on doctors and patients, Iqbal Nizami, a spokesman for provincial police, said.

He said that the district came under Taliban control after Afghan forces retreated to avoid civilian casualties.

The official declined to detail on casualties from the assault.

In the meantime, the insurgents also launched attacks on Shahrak district in the same province of Ghor.

Nezami, however, said that the Afghan forces resisted and repelled the attacks.
NPR, July 31, 2017

By Scott Neuman

Attackers in the Afghan capital attempted to storm the Iraqi Embassy on Monday, setting off a bomb before gunmen rushed the compound's gate. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

NPR's Diaa Hadid, reporting from Islamabad, says the attack is likely in retaliation for Iraqi security forces routing ISIS fighters from their stronghold in Mosul, Iraq.

"The group is trying to assert itself  through violent attacks  to show its followers that it still has power, despite losing important battles in Iraq and Syria," she says.

Conflicting reports said the number of attackers was either three or four. Some reports said the initial blast was from a car bomb, others said one of the attackers, apparently wearing a suicide vest, detonated it, to begin the assault. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish put the number of attackers at three.

Witnesses reported several explosions following the initial blast and black smoke rising from the embassy building. The gun battle reportedly lasted four hours.

"Our forces are inside and a clearance operation is underway," Danish told The Associated Press, adding that embassy personnel were safe, although embassy guards and nearby civilians might have suffered casualties.

The Foreign Ministry in Baghdad says Iraq's charge d'affaires in Afghanistan was rescued from the gunbattle and taken to the Egyptian Embassy. Two other Iraqi staffers were reportedly being evacuated from the building, according to Reuters.

The AP quotes one witness, a store owner who goes by the name of Hafizullah, as saying that he saw the bodies of two policemen on the ground before armored personnel carriers and police arrived to cordon off the area.
The nearest great power rival of the Russian Empire in the early 20th century was the rickety Austro-Hungarian Empire. As part of this competition, Russia eagerly encouraged Slavic nationalist movements, especially in Serbia, which wanted to carve off a chunk of the Austrian flank with a large Serbian population. So when Serbian nationalist extremists assassinated the heir to the Austrian throne, Russia backed them to hilt, figuring in part that after an Austrian crack-up, there would be easy territorial pickings for Russia and its allies.
Moldova is a landlocked country, but unbeknownst to many, it has an international port on the Danube that is accessible to seagoing vessels. The Port of GiurgiuleE?ti (some 130 kilometers from the Black Sea) presents large economic opportunities as well as significant security vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities increase as the security situation in the region worsens. On July 17, after almost two decades of negotiations, Ukraine finally agreed to allow Moldovan customs and border police onto its checkpoints along the Transnistrian segment of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border (Europalibera.org, July 17). In response, Tiraspol threatened to escalate the conflict with Chisinau (Novostipmr.com, July 17). Subsequently, Moldovas government banned Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin from landing in Moldova on a military plane en route to Transnistria. Rogozin was further annoyed by the Moldovan parliaments almost traditional call for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the separatist region, prompting him to issue a veiled threat by comparing the current situation in Moldova to that of Georgia prior to the 2008 war (Timpul.md, July 21). All the while, Russian soldiers in Transnistria were practicing crossing the Nistru River, which divides the separatist region from Moldova proper (Mil.ru, July 20). Ironically, during the same time, Moldovan soldiers appear to have been barred yet again by their own government from taking part in a major international exercise, Sea Breeze 2017, which could have included a scenario of defending the GiurgiuleE?ti port from an enemy takeover.

The GiurgiuleE?ti port became possible following a 1999 land exchange agreement with Ukraine, which offered Moldova 430 meters of Danube shore. Following the opening of an oil terminal in 2006, the Moldovan government had high hopes for the port to help reduce the countrys energy dependence on Russia (BBC News, February 21, 2006). Yet, even after the opening of terminals for passengers, grain, vegetable oil and cargo, the ports economic output failed to meet expectations. Instead, it became a source of scandals beginning with the lease agreement of the ports general investor and operator ICS Danube Logistics LLC, the controversial practice of foreign vessels registration, including of Iranian vessels under international sanction, and strained relations with Ukraine as Moldovan-flagged vessels continued to anchor in annexed Crimea (Anticoruptie.md, April 1, 2016). Nonetheless, both the government and the private port operator continue to have grand plans for the port and the surrounding free economic zone. However, poor infrastructure connecting the port to the rest of the country, as well as the narrow shore strip and shallow waters in that portion of the Danube, make a future port extension project a tall order (Canal3.md, November 29, 2015).

Despite its strategic economic value, the port presents growing security vulnerabilities for Moldova. Following the annexation of Crimea, the security situation in the Black Sea region changed dramatically. Since Ukraine has moved S-300 missile systems to the Odessa region to better protect its airspace (Kyivpost.com, March 31, 2016), this also puts Russian aircraft, flying in and out of Transnistria, in danger of getting shot down. Furthermore, after Ukraine closed Russian resupply lines for its military contingent in Transnistria in 2015 and Moldova began arresting and deporting Russian military personnel en route to the separatist enclave (Publika.md, May 22, 2015; Prime.md, October 12, 2016), the GiurgiuleE?ti port remained a potential entry point for Russian soldiers trying to evade the higher scrutiny at Chisinau Airport. Yet, the port also represents a soft target for a full-scale Russian intervention. Authorities seem to be aware of the risk, as evidenced by the Strong Border 2017 joint exercise carried out by Moldovas Information and Security Service (SIS) and the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in the port of GiurgiuleE?ti (SIS.md, May 29). Nonetheless, Moldovan leadership is sending mixed messages when they repeatedly fail to meet their commitments by reneging on major joint exercises with NATO partners, including the most recent Sea Breeze 2017.

Undeniably, the Russian Black Sea Fleet poses a major threat to Ukraine (see EDM, July 13) as well as to Moldova. Therefore, it is all the more striking, given Moldovas modest defense capabilities, that it would back away from such a valuable opportunity to enhance the interoperability of its forces with NATO partners and strengthen maritime security in the region through multinational exercises such as Sea Breeze. The decision appears to be yet another concession by Moldovas nominally pro-western government to the countrys pro-Russian president, who, despite serving a largely ceremonial role, has been allowed to use red tape to repeatedly ban the army from participating in military exercises abroad (Deschide.md, April 26). With an outdated national defense strategy and failure to appoint a defense minister for seven months so far, it is another example of the perplexing reality of Moldovan politics, devoid of strategic vision and oblivious to the security risks facing the country.

Admittedly, in the still unlikely scenario that the Transnistrian army (5,0007,000 soldiers) and more than a thousand Russian troops in the separatist region would move against either Moldova or Ukraine, the support of potential little green men could be critical. Given the high risk of an air offensive, the port of GiurgiuleE?ti remains the only option, especially since this strategic asset is largely defenseless, apart from a couple of unarmed small patrol vessels. Only one motorized infantry brigade of about 600 active duty soldiers stationed in Cahul would stand in the way of a potential invasion. To make things worse, the supposed little green men would likely face little resistance from the mostly pro-Russian population of the Gagauz autonomous region. Finally, todays international context is even less conducive of any western support than it was in the 2008 war in Georgia. Given Moldovas lack of any bilateral or multilateral defense agreements, the careless attitude of Moldovas government toward its NATO partners and its cavalier attitude toward Russia are bewildering.
By PTI: Los Angeles, Aug 1 (PTI) Climate change has caused more than 59,000 farmer suicides in India over the last 30 years, a study has found, warning that suicide rate across the country will increase substantially as global temperatures rise.

The findings by researchers at University of California, Berkeley in the US suggest failing harvests that push farmers into poverty are likely the key culprits.

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Researchers found that temperature increase of just one degree for a day during the agricultural growing season leads to roughly 65 suicides across the country, whenever that days temperature is above 20 degrees Celsius.

Temperature rise of five degrees Celsius a day has five times that effect, researchers said.

"It was both shocking and heartbreaking to see that thousands of people face such bleak conditions that they are driven to harm themselves," said Tamma Carleton, researcher at UC Berkeley.

"But learning that the desperation is economic means that we can do something about this. The right policies could save thousands," said Carleton.

While high temperatures and low rainfall during the growing season substantially impact annual suicide rates, similar events have no effect on suicide rates during the off-season, when few crops are grown, implicating agriculture as the critical link.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps explain Indias evolving suicide epidemic, where suicide rates have nearly doubled since 1980 and claim more than 130,000 lives each year.

The results indicate that seven per cent of this upward trend can be attributed to warming that has been linked to human activity, they said.

More than 75 per cent of the worlds suicides are believed to occur in developing countries, with one-fifth of those in India alone, researchers said.

However, there has been little hard evidence to help explain why poor populations are so at risk.

The study demonstrates that warming - forecast to reach three degrees Celsius by 2050 - is already taking a toll on Indian society.

Researchers projected that the suicide rate will only rise as temperatures continue to warm.

Debate about solutions to the countrys high and rising suicide rate is contentious and has centred around lowering economic risks for farmers.

In response, the Indian government established a USD 1.3 billion crop insurance plan aimed at reducing the suicide rate but it is unknown if that will be sufficient or effective, researchers said.

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More than half of Indias working population is employed in rain-dependent agriculture, long known to be sensitive to climate fluctuations such as unpredictable monsoon rains, scorching heat waves, and drought. A third of Indias workers already earn below the international poverty line.

Carleton tested the links between climate change, crop yields and suicide by pairing the numbers for Indias reported suicides in each of its 32 states between 1967 and 2013, using data from the Indian National Crime Records Bureau, along with statistics on Indias crop yields, and high-resolution climate data.

To isolate the types of climate shocks that damage crops, Carleton focused on temperature and rainfall during June through September, a critical period for crop productivity that is based on the average arrival and departure dates of Indias summer monsoon. PTI MHN SAR AKJ MHN

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Property details:

Turtle Reef ClubJensen Beach, FLOwnership InformationNumber of Bed/Bath: 2/1Sleeps: 6Week: 21Unit: 203Building: NALockout: NoCheck in Day(s): SundayUsage Type: AnnualFirst Year of Usage: 2018Maintenance Amount: $750Maintenance Schedule: YearlyTotal Closing/Transfer Fees: $300 & $32 (Paid By Seller) The total cost of this property will be the winning bid only!**The winning bidder will receive a $100 VISA once the transfer is complete.***************************************************************...

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The 44 Gujarat Congress MLAs cloistered at the Bengaluru resort, are not very pleased with the arrangements. Here is what the MLAs are up to inside their golden cage.

By Nolan Pinto: Bored in confines of a sprawling resort in Bengaluru, the Congress flock of 44 MLAs is a frustrated lot now.

Following strict orders of the Karnataka Power Minister DK Shivakumar, the MLAs are not allowed to venture out in the city. While the minister is presently in New Delhi to seek further course of action, 30 MLAs have been put in-charge of the discipline.

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But few defiant MLAs did head out in the city for sightseeing, shopping, to visit temples, much to the dismay of those still under curbs.

The MLAs who were allowed to go out are supposedly those, the Congress is confident of not ditching the party.

To prevent the leaders from going out of the resort, an itinerary full of seminars and programmes has been planned. Today, Dr Suresh Sharma and Naushad Paramar of Jawaharalal Nehru leadership institute, conducted classes on various issues for the Congress legislators from Gujarat.

Bengaluru rural MP DK Suresh today spoke to India Today and said, "This morning an orientation programme was held by JNLI Professor Suresh Sharma. He delivered a lecture on the truth behind corruption charges against UPA. The evening session will be about Gujarat."

Among other subjects that the seminars are lined up for include, Congress' achievements in the past 60 years, transparency and accountability, team work and media truth.

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More and more the buck will stop at the board. Look no further than Infosys, says Amit Tendon.

IMAGE: Infosys's N R Narayana Murthy with CEO & MD Vishal Sikka .

Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI .

Institutional ownership of the S&P BSE 500 companies has been steadily increasing. But there is another discernible shift within, regarding governance of companies, that is taking place: The number of companies that are both institutionally owned and board-managed is starting to increase rapidly. This will have far-reaching consequences for the market.

Data on institutional ownership (foreign institutional investors, domestic institutional investors and other institutions), widely tracked, show institutional ownership at 37.9 per cent in March 2017, up from 31 per cent in March 2001 and a low of 29.2 per cent in December 2008.

The second set of companies -- board-managed companies (BMCs) -- have also seen an increase. Expect companies in this set to see the rapidest growth for a number of reasons, discussed below.

First, expect more of the existing board-managed companies to list their existing subsidiaries.

ICICI Bank has listed its life insurance subsidiary, and is working to list its general insurance arm. Larsen & Toubro listed two of its subsidiaries. Though promoted by ICICI and L&T, these better fit the board-managed category.

For those not convinced, I will go back a few decades: HDFC, promoted by ICICI, snapped its umbilical cord as they treaded on each other. The pace of change is faster now.

Two, market infrastructure companies like stock exchanges and depository companies are beginning to get listed.

Three, spin-offs such as Crompton Greaves carving out their consumer business and selling it to private equity (PE). Expect PE to steadily add to this number as they back professional teams -- the number of buyout funds and transactions today is a clear pointer.

When the scale of operations was small, they exited to other larger PE firms. But as PEs have put more and more capital to work, it's markets that provide the most viable exit. And though they may 'control' the business today, expect them to exit completely tomorrow, leaving these businesses to be run by boards.

Finally, while regulators still frown on promoter-less listings, they are no longer black swan sightings. There is a steady stream of such offerings in the market. Collectively, these will matter, particularly as they become part of the frontline indices -- which they will.

What should one expect when professionally-managed companies gain ground?

As more and more businesses are board-managed, boards will move centre stage, with the roles becoming more complex. The buck will stop at the board: Look no further than Infosys' board.

There are no 'promoters' to turn to for taking strategic decisions or to recapitalise if needed. The skill levels expected by the board are of a higher order as they achieve a balance between the appropriate amount of oversight and guidance. They will need to be familiar with the company's business, but will also have to bring some additional skills to the boardroom.

While all this no doubt is true today, for the majority of companies, there is a promoter -- whether a business family, a foreign parent or the government of India -- so boards are not being stretched.

In the future, though, the skills needed are set for a dramatic overhaul.

At present the fuss is all about related party transactions.

Are these abusive?

Are these being using to tunnel money?

Regulations are focused on protecting minority investors. Markets and regulations will need to evolve from defining board composition, with reference to promoter and non-promoters, to skill sets on the board and from liabilities of the promoters to dealing with boards that glad-hand CEOs.

This focus will also shift to compensation. We already see many 'promoters' disregarding performance-linked pay when voting for their own pay rise. Their membership of the remuneration committee makes this easy.

In professionally managed firms, we are already seeing senior management cornering a large portion of employee stock ownership plans (Esop) for themselves, and then doubling up on these by grabbing them from subsidiaries.

As boards come to rely more on CEOs to deliver, and CEOs drive decisions on board rewards, the risk of an unhealthy bond between them will only increase.

Compensation is difficult to regulate. So, institutional investors will need to evolve their approach. We are seeing some global investors routinely shoot down compensation if it is higher than the median pay rise. This will need to be more widespread if it needs to be effective.

Admitted, this change will not happen overnight, but the market does not have the luxury of taking a generational view either. It is, therefore, important that both regulators and investors develop a framework to deal with the coming shift.

And the best time to begin is now.

Amit Tendon is with Institutional Investor Advisory Services.
The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.

The Indian government has submitted the requisite "opening note" and paperwork related to Vijay Mallya's extradition case to the liquor baron's legal team within the UK court deadline, according to official sources.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, presiding at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London at the last hearing in the case on July 6, had set July 31 as the deadline for the Indian side - represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - to provide Mallya's defence team with a detailed opening note on the case.

The 61-year-old tycoon is sought by Indian authorities for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

"All matters are on track," official sources confirmed to PTI.

The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.

Mallya, who has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016, was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 and is currently out on bail.

The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government earlier this month, had told the court that they had "excellent cooperation" with the Indian authorities in the case and now had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines.

"We have completed a review of materials and I am happy to state that we have had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case.

We are ready and willing to proceed and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest, CPS barrister Mark Summers had said.

The judge agreed with the CPS to "progress with some rigour" and retained December 4 as the date for a final hearing in the case.

If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had recently indicated it was working fine.

"We are on the verge of extraditing an individual from India to the UK in the next week or 10 days. The extradition treaty is working just fine and there is no.

We have extraditions already successfully completed," Mehrishi had said during his UK visit last month.

So far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the India-UK extradition treaty - that of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel.

"He was extradited with the due process of law. We do understand that extradition does take time and there are multiple levels of appeal in either country and it is not the easiest of processes to complete.

But being a liberal democracy that we are, we have to allow for the law taking its own course," Mehrishi added.

Mallya's extradition is also believed to have featured during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last month.

Photograph: Reuters
Even as India goes green, lack of uniform standards for setting up charging stations is holding back companies. Alnoor Peermohamed reports.

IMAGE: The high cost of electric vehicles isn't the only thing hindering their sales.

Photograph: Courtesy Mahindra & Mahindra.

India's bullish plans to switch over completely to electric mobility by 2030 might have caught the eye of Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, but there are several issues that require the government's intervention if this pipe dream needs to turn into reality.

Retail sales of electric vehicles in India is almost negligible today, despite both the Centre and some state governments subsidising the cost of these vehicles. Delhi, for instance, offers 1.5 lakh additional subsidy over the Union government's FAME benefit, yet adoption in the city by consumers remains low.

The high cost of electric vehicles isn't the only thing hindering their sales. The infrastructure needed for charging these vehicles is inadequate, none of the large original equipment makers are currently present in the space save for Mahindra & Mahindra.

In the two-wheeler market, customers do have a few options, but the products are mostly substandard.

"A flat subsidy incentivises low-spec vehicle manufacturing disproportionately, since it makes the end-customer price for low-spec products very attractive. In a category that doesn't have high awareness and understanding amongst consumers, it creates the impression that electric vehicles are low end and compromise products," says Tarun Mehta, co-founder and CEO of Ather Energy.

While the government has been offering subsidies on electric vehicles from April 2015, it still has not introduced a standard for charging infrastructure. Work to define these standards, or Bharat Charging Standards as they have come to be known, is still on, with the government actively asking for the participation of the industry in defining them.

The reason it is important for charging standards to be set in stone is that all players -- original equipment makers, charging station providers -- will then be able to build on it and crystallise their plans.

Right now, the lack of any standards is holding back companies from making large investments in the space. They fear the infrastructure they set up right now might become redundant once the standards are introduced.

"A standardised charging unit allows the country to develop a robust, extensive and reliable infrastructure. At the same time, it allows people more variety of electric vehicles to choose from since all vehicles have a standard charging feature. Electric vehicle owners don't have to worry about charging infrastructure for each individual brand," says Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric.

IMAGE: The infrastructure needed for charging these vehicles is inadequate, none of the large original equipment makers is currently present in the space save for Mahindra & Mahindra.

Photograph: Courtesy Mahindra & Mahindra.

Industry players expect the new standards to be decided on quickly, going by the vigour they claim to see in the way the Union government is pushing for electric mobility.

Chetan Maini, the founder of India's first electric car company, Reva, believes that some of the government's bullishness comes from the fact that India has been able to crack the renewable power game.

Deals by states to buy energy produced through renewable sources have dropped to under 3 per unit. This low-cost, localised energy source if used to power vehicles could save the government billions that it today spends in import of oil for feeding the country's growing demand for petrol and diesel.

"India's plans to go fully electric by 2030 and its investments in solar energy are linked. Renewable energy will be brought into mobility and displace oil. Industries can be changed in ten years. Even if we achieve 90 or 80 per cent of this goal, it will have a huge impact. It's all about getting the country to move in the right direction," says Maini.

Even if India manages to put in place all the infrastructure and policies to support fully electric mobility by 2030, the feasibility of the plan hinges a lot on the cost of lithium ion batteries.

Today, batteries powering electric cars are the single most expensive part.

The trend of falling costs of lithium-ion batteries over the past few years, however, is lending optimism to the future of electric vehicles. A McKinsey study estimated that the cost of lithium ion batteries had fallen from over $1,000 per kWh to $227 per kWh in 2016. By the end of this decade, the cost of batteries could drop below $190 per kWh, and by 2030 could fall below $100 per kWh.

"The cost of batteries has come down by nearly 15 per cent year-on-year for the past three years and if you extrapolate that curve, it's quite amazing what's possible in the next few years. But don't just look at that. The cost of renewable energy in some of the recent deals has been fixed at 2.44 per unit, and that cost is locked for the next 10 years," adds Maini.
Senior living services, Tara Singh Vachani tells Anjuli Bhargava, could be a big business opportunity in India.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

What do you do when all possible choices in life are open before you?

You can choose to live a life of privilege and indulgence -- as many in similar situations have done -- or be like Tara Singh Vachani.

The 30-year-old third child of Max Group founder Analjit Singh has chosen a path not many in a similar situation would choose on their own accord -- hard work, punishing schedules and travelling at the drop of a hat are her forte now.

We are meeting at the Prez -- a restaurant at Hotel President in Dehradun where she spends most of her working weeks -- for lunch before she heads to the airport.

She orders a Talumein soup and I order a Caesar salad. We are both vegetarians and we decide to share a paneer steak.

When she was 15, Vachani left India to finish her A-level in the UK, took a gap year to learn French (at a language school in the South of France) and then went on to finish a double degree in politics and literature (with a minor in economics) at the National University of Singapore.

Back in India, she joined the corporate development team at Max. Twenty-three and wet behind her ears, she says, she was bored for a year -- she was like a fly on the wall -- even though she now realises the value of what she learned back then.

It was the time when the team was closely working on the launch of the health insurance business, Max Bupa, and also looking at a foray into the hospitality industry -- something Vachani herself was keen on.

"I got to learn how deals happen or don't happen and how investments are made or not made."

A chance meeting with the CEO of a company in Hong Kong the Max Group was looking to acquire turned Vachani's attention to the concept of senior living.

"Something just clicked in my mind and I said, why are we not looking at this in India?" she says.

Here's a country with 1.2 billion people, 112 million of whom are over the age of 60. A major chunk of this age cohort is in need of elderly care.

By 2030, this pie will grow to around 130 million.

That was the beginning of Antara, her 'North Star' and her Rs 550 crore (Rs 5.5 billion) baby -- one that has consumed her for the last six years.

In its initial stages (around 2010), Antara was incubated as a private family venture. However, group President Rahul Khosla, who had come on board by then, suggested that the synergies between the new venture and health care and insurance made it a perfect fit for the group and it would give her the platform to develop the concept.

So in 2012, Antara got board approval and came under the wing of the publicly listed Max India, and Dehradun became a logical choice of location.

Land prices were more affordable than in some of the metros, the family had a base there (her mother's family is from Dehradun), her brother had begun on Vana (the wellness retreat) there and a new Max hospital was coming up on the outskirts.

This worked for Vachani. Her only real exposure to business after completing postgraduation was three months of summer school at the London School of Economics.

And at 23, she needed a mentor -- who was not her father -- to guide her through the intricacies of a new venture.

She began to report to Khosla as she does even today.

"I couldn't have moved an inch -- forget a mile -- without his (Khosla's) guidance."

When we meet, Vachani has just opened Antara, which focuses on a holistic quality of life, to its residents and 20 families have moved in, with an average resident age of 63.

Holistic means that Antara attempts to touch all six elements of the quality of life -- physical, spiritual, occupational, environmental, emotional and intellectual.

The property will have its own wellness centre. It has an active engagement calendar for residents already.

I interrupt to say that this holistic living comes at quite a price, as those who have considered investing in Antara testify.

She is aware of that and in a way the price is being paid by the Max Group. She doesn't expect the first Antara to break even at any stage even if it is sold out (so far, 65 per cent of the 185 apartments have been sold).

The first project factors in the cost of incubation and learning. "I don't expect people to pay for the intangible benefits that I see but, perhaps, they don't."

She says she focused on putting the product together and the price at which it has been sold was determined with the costs for the product as originally envisaged.

But that's where the buck stops.

The next Antara being planned in the National Capital Region will need to break even and stand on its own.

Vachani says she will apply her learning from Antara Dehradun to the next one as "they cant -- as a publicly listed company -- live on love and fresh air."

She will re-incubate Antara for what she is calling "Inversion 2.0". NCR is the logical choice since people find it hard to move away from their ecosystems.

So the idea is that if one can't get Mohammed to the mountain, one gets the mountain to Mohammed.

Vachani now sits on the board of the parent company and is also deeply involved in the Leeu collection, a boutique luxury hotel chain started by her father in 2015 in South Africa. When we meet, they have just acquired two new properties, taking the total to five in South Africa, the UK and Europe.

Vachani has to fly every six weeks to Europe and South Africa to work on the Leeu (Lion in Afrikaans) collection for a week. She contributed mostly to the aesthetic and design aspects of the properties.

Seventy per cent of her time over the last five years or so -- she got married in 2013 and doesn't have children yet -- has been spent in Dehradun to micromanage Antara.

She spends most of her working week in Dehradun, trying to make it back to Delhi (Antara's head office and staff of 100 sit in Okhla) for the weekends, though not successfully most of the time.

Physically, she may be in the work environment for a certain number of hours in a day but mentally she is "always on".

I ask her what keeps her motivated. Is she ever tempted to take the easy option?

She says that is precisely why she doesn't relate to children of many highly successful parents. She has always been a bit of a busybody -- even at eight, Vachani was organising her parents' dinner parties.

She says she is almost "an OCD planner" and would like to know what she would be doing 12 months on. Her husband has been very patient and supportive and it helps that he's a workaholic himself.

"Men seem biologically conditioned to work and perform. I have to say that having a choice, as a woman, makes it harder in many ways."

When she's not working, which is rare, Vachani reads avidly, goes to the theatre and follows art passionately.

It helps to be surrounded by three "driven" men -- her father, her brother and her husband. "My father has always made the most of his time. He never sat back and let things go."

Vachani feels she takes after him in most ways: At the core, she is her father's daughter.
An A+++ category terrorist, Dujana had taken over the reins of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in the Kashmir Valley after the group's divisional commander Abu Qassim was killed in 2013.

It was about midnight when the phones of security officials buzzed. The information was clear and reliable -- Lashkar-e-Tayiba's Kashmir chief Abu Dujana was holed up inside a house in the vicinity.

The tip came from a trusted source and there was no time to lose, said officials, recapping the dramatic events of the nightlong operation that led to the killing of Dujana and an accomplice Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on Tuesday.

Crack teams of the Special Operations Group were quickly mobilised and moved towards Hakripura, adjacent to Neva, a bastion for LeT terrorists located 13 km from the district headquarters of Pulwama, they said.

Deputy Inspector General (South Kashmir) Swayam Prakash Pani lost no time in reaching the spot and personally supervised the operations in the village, where security forces faced stone pelting protesters and had to evacuate civilians inside the house.

Dujana, whose real identity was unknown, other than the fact that he was from Pakistan, had escaped the police dragnet more than 12 times earlier, officials who were part of the operation said on condition of anonymity.

Pulwama district police along with the SOG, army personnel from Victor Force and 182-182 battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force put in place an impregnable cordon, isolating the area where the operations were on, they said.

The first task was to clear the area of civilians as the house -- where Dujana had taken refuge along with another LeT militant, Arif Bhat -- was located inside a densely populated colony, officials said.

The next step was to safely evacuate those inside the house.

As terrorists inside opened fire, the first entry into the house was made by SOG personnel. Six people were rescued by providing cover fire, officials recounted.

Dujana and Bhat were killed in the exchange of fire that followed.

Soon, armed terrorists appeared in the crowd and began fired at security personnel engaged in the operations after realising that the two LeT leaders had been killed, they said.

The operation, which was conducted in the dead of the night, was over by about 6.30 am, with the first rays of sunlight.

While Dujana, who was staying in the house, had told the inmates of the house that he was from Karachi, Bhat was a local boy from Lellhar in Pulwama, the officials said.

An A+++ category terrorist, Dujana had taken over the reins of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba in the Kashmir Valley after the group's divisional commander Abu Qassim was killed in 2013. He also carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh.

Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com
The RJD supremo also said that Nitish should cover his body with saffron cloths and chant Jai Shri Ram.

M I Khan reports from Patna.

Continuing his attack on Nitish Kumar, Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday said that the Bihar chief minister along with the Bharatiya Janata Party hatched a conspiracy against him and his son Tejashwi Yadav.

"Nitish Kumar and some Union leaders asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to raid and file cases against us," Lalu said.

He also claimed that the CBI raids at his residence could not be conducted without prior permission of the chief minister.

"Tejashwi was deputy chief minister, a constitutional post. How the CBI raided without informing the chief minister, he wondered.

Nearly a week after Nitish Kumar resigned and dumped Lalus RJD and joined hands with the BJP to form new government, the RJD supremo called Nitish an "opportunist" and "Paltu Ram" (turncoat), who has neither principle nor ideology but only greed for power.

In a reply to Nitishs remarks on Monday that he did not need certificate of secularism from any one, Lalu said, Nitish Kumar is a communal. He has nothing to do with secularism.

Now Nitish Kumar should cover his body with saffron cloths and chant Jai Shri Ram, he added.

IMAGE: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav addresses a press conference at his residence in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo
At a time when over 30 BJP MPs were absent in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress stalled the bill by passing amendments.

By Ilma Hasan: The BJP today lashed out at the Congress party accusing them of stalling a bill to grant the OBC Commission constitutional status, in the Rajya Sabha.

At a time when over 30 BJP MPs were absent in the Rajya Sabha, the Congress stalled the bill by passing amendments.

The BJP is now calling it a ploy of the Congress to deceive the backward caste.

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Speaking to India Today, BJP General Secretary Bhupinder Yadav said, "Congress has betrayed OBCs yet again. They are stealing privileges that should be given to the community. We will not take this lying down, we will continue to fight for them"

"Congress is choosing minority vote bank politics over welfare of the OBCs and we will launch a campaign to set things right", he added.

CONGRESS SEIZED THE MOMENT

The Congress party in strength today in the upper house passed amendments in the bill including quota for a minority community member and a woman. Following which, both the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah were livid.

One of BJP's central OBC figure Hukumdev Narayan Yadav said, "While previous prime ministers did not act on their demands, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acted promptly. Such a status to the commission on the line of the SC and ST commissions will accord it vast executive and judicial powers to deal with the demands of the OBC castes."

When asked about why so many leaders were absent in the Parliament, Yadav chose to remain silent.

--- ENDS ---
A united opposition on Tuesday stalled the pre-noon proceedings in the Rajya Sabha protesting against the governments decision to hike the prices of domestic cooking gas by Rs 4 per cylinder every month to eliminate all subsidies by next March.

Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Left MPs stormed into the Well of the House shouting slogans seeking withdrawal of the decision, forcing Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to first adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes and then till noon.

The issue was raised by Derek OBrien of the TMC who gave a notice under rule 267 that seeks to set aside business of the day to discuss an important issue.

He said the government was not fulfilling its social commitment to provide cooking gas at subsidised rates. Oil prices have come down from $111 (Rs 7,112) per barrel to $48 (Rs 3,075) but the government is raising rates of cooking fuel, he said.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had on Monday told Lok Sabha that the government has doubled the monthly increase in LPG price to Rs 4 per cylinder from July 1 with a view to eliminate all subsidies by March 2018.

Whey they make promises, why not implement it, OBrien asked.

Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist said at the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people had voluntarily given up subsidies so that subsidised LPG can be provided to the poor and needy.

But the government has now decided to charge all the poor Rs 4 per cylinder more every month, he said. This is strongly condemnable. Government should withdraw (the decision).

Tapan Sen of the CPI-M said people are being cheated.

Naresh Agarwal of the Samajwadi Party said this is a government for profits.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the notice under rule 267 was being disallowed but a short duration debate can be permitted if a notice is given.

The opposition members rushed into the Well shouting slogans against the decision, forcing Kurien to adjourn the proceedings for 10 minutes.

When the House met again, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the people had voluntarily given up their subsidies in the hope that subsidised cooking gas will be given to the poor.

But the government is killing the poor, as within a year, the price of LPG would go up by Rs 48 per cylinder at a time when oil rates globally have slumped to a multi-year low. This is not acceptable, he said.

Clarifying the decision, Pradhan said the move flowed from a June 2010 decision under the previous United Progressive Alliance government to raise prices every month in small quantum to completely eliminate subsidies.

He read out from a document that listed the decision and those who endorsed it.

Pradhan said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government has in the last three years raised the LPG connections from 14 crore to 21 crore and given as many as 2.6 crore free connections to poor women household members.

Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United said when Parliament was in session, the decision should not have been announced outside.

Slogan-shouting members trooped into the Well raising slogans. The minister made his submission amid slogan shouting.

As members refused to relent and return to their seats, Kurien adjourned the proceedings.
At least 20 people have been killed in an explosion inside a Shiite Muslim mosque in western Afghanistan.

The Jawadia mosque, said to be the site of the blast, is in the Dehr Abad area in Herat city, the regional center of the Herat province, bordering Iran.

The mosque was attended by the members of the local Shiite minority.

Hospital authorities in Herat said all the dead and wounded were worshipping in the mosque when a suicide bomber blew himself up.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker, with a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and another who threw grenades at worshippers.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest attack to hit Afghanistan, which has seen more than 1,700 civilian deaths so far this year.

Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish initially said he thought it was a car bomb and tweeted that there was a possibility that it was a improvised explosive device.

The attack comes a day after an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, which was claimed by the Islamic State group, killed two people.

IMAGE: Afghan security forces leave the site of an attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 31. Photograph: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters
Top Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with several terror attacks, and his aide were gunned down on Tuesday by the security forces in an encounter in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

And what helped security forces to zero-in on this much wanted terrorist were Dujana's frequent visit to a particular village where he was believed to have married a girl, an official claimed on the condition of anonymity.

The two terrorists were gunned down in the encounter, however, some people gathered at the spot and pelted stones and the security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired a few rounds to disperse them. According to a police official one civilian died in the cross-firing.

Early Tuesday, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Hakripora area of Pulwama following information that Dujana and his local associate, Arif Nabi Dar, were present, an army official said.

An encounter broke out after the holed-up terrorists refused to surrender, he said.

During the firefight, both terrorists were killed, the official said. Their bodies were recovered and the operation called off, he added.

Pakistani national Dujana was wanted for many attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir. He was variously described as a category 'A' or 'A++' terrorist by army and police officials. Dujana carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, they said.

According to a police spokesman, the slain terrorists were involved in grenade attacks on security forces at Kakapora.

They were also involved in the killing of sarpanch Fayaz Ahmad Bhat earlier this year, he said.

Dujana was a very close associate of Abdul Rehman alias Abu Qasim, the spokesman said adding that both were involved in an attack on a Border Security Force convoy in Udhampur last year.

"Dujana was instrumental in recruiting local youth in LeT. He was involved in recruiting Reyaz Ahmad Dar alias Khalid, Dar and Ayoub Lone alias Hebtulla," he added.

He was also involved in the killing of two Central Reserve Police Force personnel at Sangam in Anantnag district and in an attack on a police party at Gallander in Pampore area in which two constables were killed, the spokesman claimed.

The other slain terrorist, Dar, also known as Arif Lilhaari, was involved in robbing J&K bank branches at Arihal, Ratnipora, Nehama and the Ellaquai Dehati Bank's Wahibugh branch, the police said.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter-terrorism operation, over 100 protesters resorted to stone pelting on them, a police official said.

The security forces used tear smoke shells, pellets and fired a few rounds to disperse them, which resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to a dozen others, he said.

"One person with fire-arm injuries was brought dead at the Pulwama district hospital," the police official said.

The deceased was identified as Firdous Ahmad, a resident of Begumbagh in Kakapora area.

According to the police spokesman, he was hit during cross firing between the terrorists and the security forces.

Meanwhile, mobile internet services were snapped across Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. The speed of broadband internet services in the valley also significantly reduced, locals said.

The authorities shutdown schools, colleges and universities soon after the killing of two terrorists as a precautionary measure, officials said.

Later speaking to reporters, IGP, Kashmir, Munir Khan said the security forces tried hard to make the terrorists surrender.

"Announcements were made from mosques and we tried to utilise the services of the house owner and the persons who came out of the house to impress upon them to surrender. But, because of Dujana's presence, the other fellow could also not surrender," Khan said.

Terming Dujana's killing as "good riddance", IGP Khan claimed he had become an eye-sore for everybody.

"He used to enter any house and do anything he wanted to do. Good riddance that way. I think people should relax, the girls, our sisters, they should relax now that no such person is there to harass them," Khan said.

Image: Army personnel takes position at the home where LeT terrorist Abu Dujana was holed up. Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Tuesday kicked up a row after he questioned the Election Commission's decision to introduce NOTA in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, in which he is one of the candidates, alleging that it was done "post notification".

However, the poll panel maintained that use of none of the above in Rajya Sabha polls was not a new move as it was introduced in 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2013 made it mandatory to have the NOTA option in EVMs.

Patel, the high-profile political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, also questioned the deferring of the Rajya Sabha elections by the poll panel earlier.

"First Rajya Sabha election was postponed. Second NOTA was permitted post notification. Reasons best known to the Election Commission," Patel posted on Twitter, a day after the election authorities announced that NOTA option can be used for Rajya Sabha polls.

The EC had earlier declared that RS polls for 10 seats in Gujarat, Goa and West Bengal will be held on June 8. However, on May 22, it announced postponement of the polls which were later rescheduled for August 8.

In Delhi, the Congress approached the Election Commission against the use of NOTA option in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, claiming it was violative of the Constitution and electoral laws, but the poll panel maintained that it was not a new direction and was introduced in 2014.

Senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Manish Tewari met the poll panel and demanded that the NOTA option be removed from use in the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls, in which it is facing a battle of prestige in Gujarat.

Officials in the Election Commission, who refused to be identified, however, said the directions to use NOTA in Rajya Sabha elections were enforced in January 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2013 made it mandatory to have the none of the above option in EVMs.

The BJP has fielded the party president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani on two Rajya Sabha seats and the former Congress leader Balwantsinh Rajput on the third seat against Patel from Gujarat.

In the 182-member Assembly, the strength of the Congress has gone down to 51 from 57 following defection of six of its MLAs.

Meanwhile, some legal experts said if the dissident MLAs of the Congress were to vote against the party candidate in RS polls they could invite disqualification.

However, they said if these MLAs were to exercise the NOTA option, they will not invite action under Anti-Defection Law.

As per the law, a member would incur disqualification when he/she voluntarily gives up the seat or when he/she votes or abstains from voting, contrary to the directives issued by his party.

Following defection of party MLAs, the rattled Congress tucked away 44 of the remaining flock to a Bengaluru resort to insulate them from alleged "poaching" attempts by the BJP.

According to sources in the Congress, the contest for Patel could become close if the rebel MLAs, three of whom have already joined the BJP, were to exercise the NOTA option.

It is for the first time in the last two decades that a contest will take place in a Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat as earlier candidates got elected unopposed.

Gujarat Assembly Secretary D M Patel had said the NOTA option will be printed on ballot papers to be used in the Rajya Sabha polls.

"This is for the first time that NOTA will be used in Gujarat Rajya Sabha Polls," the official said.

The Congress has also issued a whip to its MLAs to remain present on the day of the polling, failing which they will be debarred from the party for six years.

Senior party leader Arjun Modhwadia had said, "Voters will have to mark their preference on the ballot. For the BJP, there are three preferences, while for the Congress, we have only one, that is Ahmed Patel."

Rajya Sabha elections do not take place by secret ballot. The voter (MLA) has to show the marked ballot to the party's polling agent before putting it in the ballot box.

Meanwhile, the BJP state unit president Jitu Vaghani ridiculed Patel over his tweet.

"He is very senior leader, but he doesn't know that the decision to use NOTA was introduced in Rajya Sabha polls since 2013 in the country as per a ruling of the Supreme Court," Vaghani said.
By PTI: body

New Delhi, Jul 31 (PTI) With the deadline for mandatory registration of ongoing projects under real estate rules ending today, 23 states and UTs have either established permanent or interim regulatory authority for the purpose.

Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERDA), every state and UT must have its own regulator. Developers will not be able to market their projects, both ongoing or upcoming, till they register either with the permanent or interim regulator in states.

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For ongoing projects, where completion or occupancy certificate has not been given, the deadline for registration ends today.

Only 4 states -- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab -- have established permanent Real Estate Regulatory Authority, while 19 states/UTs have established interim authority, an official with the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said.

Till now, only 23 States/UTs have notified the rules under the Act, while six states have drafted the rules but have not yet notified.

A total of nine states/UTs have appointed interim Appellate Tribunal under the Real Estate Act, while only 7 states have started the online registration under the Act.

Maharashtra has received about 3,700 applications for project registration and 3,800 for agent registrations, while Gujarat got 110 applications for registration of projects and 80 for agents, the official said.

Madhya Pradesh got 700 applications for registration, both projects and agents, while Karnataka got about 160 applications for project registration and 54 for agent registrations, he added.

Rajasthan received about 196 applications for Project Registration and 143 for agent registrations, the official said. PTI MP TIR

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Army chief Gen. Bipin Rawat today left on a five-day visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan with an aim to bolster bilateral defence cooperation with the two central Asian countries.

Gen. Rawats first destination will be Kazakhstan, where he will meet the countrys defence minister, chairman of the national security Committee and vice minister of defence, the Army said.

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The Army chief is accompanied by a high-level military delegation.

During his three-day-long visit to Kazakhstan, Gen Rawat will also hold talks with the commander-in-chief of the countrys land forces and will interact with the top echelon of the Kazakh aerospace industry.

Gen. Rawat will be in Turkmenistan on August 4 and 5 during which he will be meeting the minister of defence and the secretary of the national security council on ways to ramp up defence ties between the two countries.

He will also meet the first deputy minister and the chief of general staff along with the commanders of land, naval, air and air defence forces of Turkmenistan, the Army said.

The delegation will also visit the prestigious military institute and the military academy of Turkmenistan.

"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the Army said in a statement.

Gen. Rawat will be the first Indian Army chief to visit Turkmenistan, it said. PTI MPB GVS

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: With additional information)

Ahmedabad, Aug 1 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel today kicked up a row after he questioned the Election Commissions decision to introduce NOTA in the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections, in which he is one of the candidates, alleging that it was done "post notification".

However, the poll panel maintained that use of None of The Above (NOTA) in Rajya Sabha polls was not a new move as it was introduced in 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2013 made it mandatory to have the NOTA option in EVMs.

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Patel, the high-profile political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, also questioned the deferring of the Rajya Sabha elections by the poll panel earlier.

"First Rajya Sabha election was postponed. Second NOTA was permitted post notification. Reasons best known to the Election Commission," Patel posted on Twitter, a day after the election authorities announced here that NOTA option can be used for Rajya Sabha polls.

The EC had earlier declared that RS polls for 10 seats in Gujarat, Goa and West Bengal will be held on June 8. However, on May 22, it announced postponement of the polls which were later rescheduled for August 8.

In Delhi, the Congress today approached the Election Commission against the use of NOTA option in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, claiming it was violative of the Constitution and electoral laws, but the poll panel maintained that it was not a new direction and was introduced in 2014.

Senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Manish Tewari met the poll panel and demanded that the NOTA option be removed from use in the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls, in which it is facing a battle of prestige in Gujarat.

Officials in the Election Commission, who refused to be identified, however, said the directions to use NOTA in Rajya Sabha elections were enforced in January 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2013 made it mandatory to have the None Of The Above option in EVMs.

The BJP has fielded the party president Amit Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani on two Rajya Sabha seats and the former Congress leader Balwantsinh Rajput on the third seat against Patel from Gujarat.

In the 182-member Assembly, the strength of the Congress has gone down to 51 from 57 following defection of six of its MLAs.

Meanwhile, some legal experts PTI spoke to here today said if the dissident MLAs of the Congress were to vote against the party candidate in RS polls they could invite disqualification.

However, they said if these MLAs were to exercise the NOTA option, they will not invite action under Anti-Defection Law.

As per the law, a member would incur disqualification when he/she voluntarily gives up the seat or when he/she votes or abstains from voting, contrary to the directives issued by his party.

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Following defection of party MLAs, the rattled Congress tucked away 44 of the remaining flock to a Bengaluru resort to insulate them from alleged "poaching" attempts by the BJP.

According to sources in the Congress, the contest for Patel could become close if the rebel MLAs, three of whom have already joined the BJP, were to exercise the NOTA option.

It is for the first time in the last two decades that a contest will take place in a Rajya Sabha election in Gujarat as earlier candidates got elected unopposed.

Gujarat Assembly Secretary D M Patel had said the NOTA option will be printed on ballot papers to be used in the Rajya Sabha polls.

"This is for the first time that NOTA will be used in Gujarat Rajya Sabha Polls," the official said.

The Congress has also issued a whip to its MLAs to remain present on the day of the polling, failing which they will be debarred from the party for six years.

advertisement

Senior party leader Arjun Modhwadia had said, "Voters will have to mark their preference on the ballot. For the BJP, there are three preferences, while for the Congress, we have only one, that is Ahmed Patel."

Rajya Sabha elections do not take place by secret ballot. The voter (MLA) has to show the marked ballot to the partys polling agent before putting it in the ballot box.

Meanwhile, the BJP state unit president Jitu Vaghani ridiculed Patel over his tweet.

"He is very senior leader, but he doesnt know that the decision to use NOTA was introduced in Rajya Sabha polls since 2013 in the country as per a ruling of the Supreme Court," Vaghani said. PTI KA PD GK NM NSK DIP

--- ENDS ---
Zhuhai, Guangdong -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/31/2017 --The China import and export fair commonly known as the Canton Fair opens a great door for business around the world. Running since 1957, the fair is one of the oldest and is held twice each year  spring and autumn in the city of Guangzhou, China.



The huge Canton Fair international trading event attracts traders from around the world and hosts a complete exhibit variety, the biggest buyer attendance, the broadest distribution of customers' source country and the highest business turnover in China. Some Key Numbers for the Canton Fair:



Trade Show Area: 1,000,000 M2 +

Booths: 60,000 +

International Buyers: 190,000  200,000

Exhibitors: 24,000  25,000



ODM, a leading marketing company for promotional products is sending more troops to the fair to maximize the experience. As their CEO, Conor O Donovan puts it. "10 eyes are better than 2. We need to really send staff for all 3 phases to help build out our brainstorming sessions. Renting an apartment there means we will essentially have a Guangzhou office for the month. Combine this with our full-time operations in Zhuhai, Yiwu & Ningbo, and this gives us a fierce advantage in the merchandising area."



Every year their team visits the fair and spends 10-20 working days at the Canton fair; this effort will represent more than 50 Man Days at the show. This is a significant investment, but ODM and the clients stand to gain a great insight into the latest marketing trends and innovations across an array of business sectors.



When attending a trade show, there are some key steps to ensure you follow. Firstly, you must make sure you've chosen the right trade show for what you're setting out to achieve. Secondly, you have to make sure to pack correctly. A notebook, name badge, business cards, camera and bag to carry samples you receive are all essentials to maximize the success of your trip.



Visiting the Canton fair allows ODM to take part in an industry leading event, source new products and discover new trends evolving with the industry. Further, they have the chance to build new relationships to enhance our reputation and product range. In China, business is all about relationships. In particular, they will be investigating and writing about the latest in these categories:



- POS displays

- FSDU

- Gift with purchase

- Technology displays

- New promotional ideas



The ODM Group has plenty of experience running promotions and designing and manufacturing promotional products. Our design team Mindsparkz is amongst the most creative in the industry. We are always visiting Trade Fairs to see what items are new and exciting in the Market. One of which we visit religiously every year is the Canton Fair as it often has some of the best Asia has to offer.



If you are looking for exciting promotional products and packaging for your company or wanting to start a new promo campaign, please check out: http://www.theodmgroup.com/.



Additionally, also contact us for great editorials from our fantastic blogging team.
North Richland Hill, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/01/2017 --The risk factor cannot be denied in the industrial belt, especially in the heavy industry where chances of injury are pretty high. This is why it is important that they are aware of these instances to get the job done without getting injured. OSHA 10 Hour and 30 Hour courses are not only focused on creating safe work environment they are also geared to make sure employers comply with the regulations. OSHA10hourtraining.com sponsored by OSHA-Pros USA is one of the most reputable, experienced safety organizations in the world.



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Calling Imran Khan characterless, Ayesha Gulalai accused him of sending lewd text messages to her and other women in the party.

Calling Imran Khan characterless, Ayesha Gulalai accused him of sending lewd text messages to her and other women in the party. (Photo: @PTIofficial)

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Ayesha Gulalai resigned from the party on Tuesday while levelling serious allegations on party chief Imran Khan.

Calling Khan characterless, Gulalai accused him of sending lewd text messages to her and other women in the party. She made the announcement moments before the election of the country's new prime minister.

Announcing to quit the party, she said, "My integrity matters to me the most" and "I cannot compromise when it comes to my honour and dignity."

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"Women workers are not respected in the PTI and a respectable woman worker cannot remain in the party," she told DawnNews.

PTI's chief whip Shireen Mazari, however, claimed that the allegations are false and baseless and Imran Khan respects all women workers. She said that Gulalai was disgruntled after being denied a party ticket in the upcoming General Election and hence launched personal attack against the party chief.

.@ShireenMazari1 with PTI Women Leaders Press Conference Islamabad (1.08.17) 1/9#PTIEmpowersWomen pic.twitter.com/E6mBynNMCy

Hours after resigning from the party, Gulalai addressed a press conference and rubbished Mazari's claims. Gulalai readily denied that she wanted a ticket to contest the General Election from NA-1 constituency.

She also leveled charges of corruption against PTI government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and its Chief Minister Pervez Khattak who she alleged was acting like "mafia boss".

Gulalai was elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), and has been a staunch and vocal supporter of the PTI and Khan. She resigned from both her party membership and NA seat.

ALSO READ |

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi elected as Pakistan's interim prime minister after Nawaz Sharif's exit

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi becomes Pakistan's interim prime minister: 10 things to know about him

--- ENDS ---
Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday ordered the expulsion of an American-led Christian organization that rescues child sex slaves, saying comments the founder made in a recent media report amounted to a serious insult against the country.



On July 25, CNN broadcast a follow up to a report it ran four years ago, interviewing three girls from Svay Paka suburb on the outskirts of the capital Phnom Penhwho had reportedly been sold into the sex trade by their mothers and later rescued by Agape International Missions (AIM), a charity operated in Cambodia by American pastor Don Brewster since 1988.



According to Brewster, Svay Pak had at one point been the center of child sex trafficking in Cambodia, but had improved dramatically in recent years. Child prostitution continues in the area, he said, although not as openly as it once did.



On Tuesday, while addressing a commencement ceremony at Koh Pich Island in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen said that AIMs contribution to a report which said that mothers in Cambodia had sold their daughters into prostitution was a serious insult against Cambodian women and ordered the organization closed.



This kind of organization will be investigated, he said.



I order the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs to scrutinize this case and promptly shut down [the organization]. Such an act cannot be tolerated.



Hun Sen also demanded that the U.S. embassy in Phnom Penh investigate AIMs activities, which he said would lead to the shutdown of other NGOs involved in this case.



Under Cambodias controversial Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO), pushed through parliament by the ruling party in 2015, authorities have the right to close down any group that poses a threat to national security or defames the countrys traditions and culture.



Hun Sens order followed a July 27 statement from president of the Union of Journalist Federations of Cambodia Huy Vannak to CNN that implied AIM had made efforts to inflate certain issues  to acquire funding from Western donors at the cost of [the] Cambodian image.



Huy Vannak, who is undersecretary of state for the Ministry of Interior and news chief for the government-aligned Cambodian Television Network (CTN) and Cambodian News Channel (CNC), also took issue with CNNs headline, The Cambodian Girls Sold For Sex by Their Mothers, saying the girls in the report were ethnic Vietnamese. CNN later removed the word Cambodian from the title.



CNN stood by its reporting, however, in a comment to the Phnom Penh Post on Monday, saying its stories revisit our original investigation from 2013 and clearly highlight the progress that has been made since by the authorities in Cambodia.



While many of the residents of Svay Pak are Vietnamese immigrants, reports by NGOs and arrest records suggest that the children of impoverished majority ethnic Khmer are also at risk of sex trafficking.



Ongoing investigation



On Tuesday, in response to Hun Sens order, secretary of state for the Ministry of the Interior Pol Lim refused to provide details about AIMs situation, saying an investigation into the organization is ongoing.



[I cant elaborate] until we review everythingwe must first look into the legality of [the organization], including whether they registered [as an NGO] or not, and second determine whether the organization has breached any law, he said.



Calls to Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Chum Sunry went unanswered Tuesday.



Representatives of AIM said Tuesday that they were unable to discuss the situation with RFAs Khmer Service, as the organization is awaiting the results of the Ministry of the Interiors investigation.



The U.S. embassys spokesperson in Phnom Penh, Arend Zwartjes, referred questions about AIMs activities to the organization.



He commended Cambodias impressive strides [in] countering child sex trafficking, citing recent reports by the U.S. Department of State, but acknowledged that challenges remain.



We believe that committed nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), working closely with the Government and the international community, are a very important part of the solution, he said.



Cambodia received a Tier 2 ranking in the U.S. State Departments 2017 Trafficking in Persons reporta classification assigned to governments of countries that do not fully meet the minimum standards [set by U.S. law to eliminate human trafficking] but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.



Am Sam Ath, the head of domestic civil society group LICADHOs investigations section, said Tuesday that his organization does not support any entity found to be in breach of the law, but urged the government to conduct its investigation of AIM independently and transparently.



He said that the public has the right to know whether AIM was involved in any illegal operations or if its activities affected Cambodias image, adding that shutting the organization down without presenting evidence could been seen as a threat to all NGOs in the country.



Our country abides by law and the expertise of the authorities, he said.



Nevertheless, there must be an investigation prior to any shutdown decision. There must be a proper investigation that produces evidence of any offenses committed or how the organization acted against the NGO law, so as to avoid confusing the domestic and international community.



Reported by Thai Tha for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Authorities in Cambodias Takeo province have arrested a man who falsely claimed on Facebook that Vietnamese men kidnapped Cambodian children and removed their organs, prompting Prime Minister Hun Sen to warn against using social media to spread rumors on Tuesday.



On Monday, police arrested Ly Chhaya after his claims that Vietnamese men had cut out the kidneys and eyeballs of a young girl in Khvav communes Svay Torng village, in Takeos Samraong district, went viral on social media, and charged him with falsifying documents and inciting unrest.



An investigation by authorities into Ly Chhayas allegations determined that his claims were false and on Tuesday, he was sent to the Takeo Provincial Court to face prosecution.



Takeo provincial deputy police commissioner Chhun Sareth told RFAs Khmer Service that an investigation is underway to determine who may have instructed Ly Chhaya to spread the rumors.



If there were people masterminding this act, [Ly Chhaya] did not admit to it, so we must investigate further, he said.



Similar claims have spread online in recent weeks, according to deputy police commissioner Kiet Chantharith, who told RFAs Khmer Service that other social media posts said Vietnamese men had been kidnapping children and harvesting their organs in 10 different provinces and cities, many of them including racist undertones.



On July 29, police arrested teacher and opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) activist Nay Sineng after he wrote online that three Vietnamese men had removed the kidneys and eyeballs of children in Prey Veng province, and that a mob had captured two of them.



Please be careful with your children since they are very wild, he wrote, according to a report by the Phnom Penh Post, adding the disclaimer that we are not racist, but we hate this activity that these guys have committed against innocent children.



The Post cited Kampong Thom police chief Ouk Kosal as saying that the captured menwho he said were from Prey Veng provinces Kampong Trabek districtwere not Vietnamese or kidnappers. He said monks had reported them as suspicious to police, who had begun to question them when they tried to flee and were beaten by an angry mob.



Nay Sineng was charged Sunday by Kampong Thom Provincial Court investigating Judge Heng Sokchea with the communication or disclosure of any false information with a view to inducing a belief that a destruction, defacement or damage dangerous to other persons will be carried out and sent to pre-trial detention.



Vietnam and Cambodia have had a fraught relationship for centuries, and much of the recent animosity in Cambodia stems from the 1979-89 Vietnamese occupation that ended the murderous rule of the Khmer Rouge and installed Hun Sen as prime minister.



Social media warning



During a commencement speech on Koh Pich Island in the capital Phnom Penh on Tuesday, Hun Sen urged Facebook users to refrain from posting fake news, calling such acts a form of social pollution. Earlier, authorities had warned that legal measures would be taken against anyone posting or sharing false reports online.



Hun Sen also warned the CNRP against spreading false claims about his death on social media and urged the partys leaders to better manage their activists and supporters.



[They have said that] Hun Sen is already dead as the result of a plane crash while he is traveling to Vietnam, he said.



Such cases always come from the opposition partys members. So if the opposition partys leaders fail to cope with it, they will be putting themselves in danger.



RFA was unable to reach CNRP spokesperson Yim Sovann Tuesday for comment in response to Hun Sens warning.



But the Phnom Penh Post quoted him as saying he hoped authorities would conduct an independent investigation into the case of Nay Sineng and distanced the opposition party from any racial rhetoric.



Authorities have arrested several people recently in connection with social media posts that insult or threaten the life of Hun Sen.



On June 25, a Facebook user calling himself Kamvithy Lob Lob Te Sabay (Stupid But Happy) posted a photo of a flaming airplane with a comment saying that Hun Sen had died in an air accident while traveling to Vietnam.



Late last month, a court in the capital charged two people in one week with making a death threat under Article 233 of Cambodias Criminal Code for allegedly threatening the life of Hun Sen on his Facebook page.



According to government-aligned media group Fresh News, Rom Chamroeurn had posted a photo of himself posing with a pistol alongside text that said, Hun Sen, somehow I will kill you and claiming that Cambodia would not have peace until the strongman was dead.



A week earlier, police in Sihanoukville detained a young man named Pich Ratha, also for allegedly threatening to kill Hun Sen in a comment posted to the prime ministers Facebook page.



Targeting others



Observers have warned against the erosion of freedom of speech online and suggested that the government refrain from broad threats of legal action.



Local political commentator Lao Mong Hay told RFA that clearer guidelines are needed to deal with the proliferation of false reports online.



A general law should be created to punish only those [involved in posting the fake news] or its dissemination, he said.



Such claims should not be used to target other [innocent persons]. A general order or regulation should be issued.



Yang Kim Eng, director of the Center for Civic Development and Peace, called for authorities to educate would-be fake news proliferators instead of dragging offenders to court.



The government or the General Commissioner of the National Police or the Minister of the Interior should warn [those who posted fake news on Facebook] so that these people can apologize in public, he said.



Other civil society groups have also accused the authorities of practicing a double standard by arresting those who have allegedly threatened members of Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), when several people who have made death threats against members of the CNRP remain at large.



Reported by Vanndeth Van and Moniroth Morm for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Chinese authorities in the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang have detained dozens of ethnic Kazakhs in recent weeks amid an ongoing security crackdown targeting anyone with ties beyond China's borders, sources told RFA.



Sources in China and neighboring Kazakhstan say that the China-based Kazakh ethnic minority, many of whom are Muslims, have recently been targeted in a similar manner to the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, with a campaign of detentions for anyone with overseas connections.



Guards patrolling the border between Xinjiang and neighboring Kazakhstan detained a Kazakh student who had access to the Quran on her smartphone, amid security checks in which travelers' phones are being searched for banned content before they can cross the border.



One source who witnessed the security checks at the Jimunai border checkpoint said border guards appeared to be targeting the mostly Muslim Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic minorities.



The phones are searched by computer to determine if they carry "terrorist propaganda" photos or videos, the source said.



A second source in the Altay district of Xinjiang's Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture said the student had been detained as she tried to cross the border.



"She was detained when customs were checking her mobile phone and found it had an e-book app called Library with the Quran in it," the source said. "She didn't know much about this software; she had just gotten it from a classmate, but she was detained for it nonetheless."



Elsewhere in the region, more than 30 people have been detained since the start of the year over conversations on the popular smartphone chat app WeChat after they shared information about emigrating to Kazakhstan, sources said.



Emigration chats lead to detentions

Police in Arishan (in Chinese, Wenquan) county of Xinjiang's Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture have detained local people including farmers, herders, students and government officials, a separate source told RFA.



Many of those in the WeChat groups had relatives living across the border in Kazakhstan, and were detained for the alleged offense of "discussion of how to emigrate to Kazakhstan on group chat."



Among them was an official from Arishan's county town, Nurdalit Ebrey, who was detained on to an unknown location by police, with no documentation.



Student Taiersezi Dawutihan was also detained in mid-May after repeatedly visiting friends and relatives in Kazakhstan, his friend told RFA.



Chinese authorities have lately issued orders for ethnic Kazakh Chinese nationals to hand in their passports and Kazakh green cards in some parts of Xinjiang, although sources said some local governments have since returned the documents to their owners.



A Kazakh source in Kazakhstan said his friend's wife, a Chinese national, had also been recently detained.



"My friend's wife was detained," the source said. "She is an ordinary woman, not very cultivated, and would be highly unlikely to be involved in any religious activities."



"But she often traveled to Kazakhstan to buy various specialty foods to bring back to China," he said.



'Forbidden comments'

Last month, 36-year-old Kazakh herder Sanat Arun Haj was detained at his home in Arishan county after being accused of "forbidden comments" on WeChat, local sources told RFA.



He was also reported to have had "frequent contact" with friends and relatives in Kazakhstan, they said.



Elsewhere in Xinjiang, Serek Yelsik, a Kazakh imam from Qorghas (Huocheng) county in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at a secret trial for "attempting to emigrate to Kazakhstan," a friend of his told RFA in a recent interview.



The sentence was handed down by the Qorghas County People's Court.



"The police suddenly showed up at his home and detained him, without giving any explanation whatsoever," the friend said. "They didn't give a reason, other than to say that he is a political prisoner."



A second local resident said the family's attempts to get more information about the accusations against Serek Yelsik have so far been in vain, however.



"His relatives told me that the verdict has already been sent to them, and that he has been jailed for five years," the resident said. "His wife went to the court, but they refused to tell her anything."



"She wanted to know exactly what the charges were against him, but the court said they wouldn't reveal such things."



Official figures show that there are around 1.5 million Kazakhs in China, mostly concentrated in and around the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture.



China has previously welcomed Kazakhs who wished to relocate from Kazakhstan, but now many Kazakhs with Chinese nationality are heading back in the other direction, with their numbers peaking at nearly 38,000 in 2006.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Friends and fellow activists expressed growing concern over the disappearance of Liu Xia, widow of Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died on July 13 of liver cancer in police custody.



Liu has been incommunicado since her husband's burial at sea, and friends say official reports of her statements can't be regarded as reliable.



She and her brother Liu Hui are believed to be under close surveillance by China's state security police at an unknown location, amid growing fears for Liu Xia's mental health.



Beijing-based activist Hu Jia, a friend of Liu Xia's, said there is currently no fresh news of her since unconfirmed reports emerged that she was taken by state security police on an enforced "vacation" in the southwestern province of Yunnan.



"There is absolutely no news now to indicate what pressure Liu Xia and [her brother] Liu Hui are under," Hu told RFA on Monday. "Our friends in Yunnan have given us a rather strange response, refusing to confirm or deny the story that she is there."



"We send someone around there every day, but so far nobody has seen the lights come on again in Liu Xia's apartment."



He said that Liu Xia is likely being prevented from contacting any friends or fellow activists in Yunnan, however.



"They want to keep her from having any contact with local people, and they also want to prevent her from attempting suicide or going on hunger strike," Hu said.



Germany-based writer Liao Yiwu said he is concerned for Liu Xia's mental health after reading a series of handwritten poems she penned while under house arrest in Beijing last year.



Weariness is a constant theme throughout the writings, Liao said, adding that the words 'I'm sick of it' are repeated more than 20 times in the poems he has seen.



They include the phrase 'I am so sick of it that I can only see the road that can't be traveled,' he added.



'Worse than fascism'



Yu Jie, the U.S.-based author of a book about China's president titled "Chinese Godfather Xi Jinping," hit out in a recent speech at the ruling Chinese Communist Party over its treatment of Liu Xia.



"The illegal house arrest of Liu Xia has been akin to a disappearance," Yu, who recently attended a memorial event for Liu Xiaobo in Taiwan, told RFA. "This is worse than fascism."



A dissident who asked to remain anonymous said Liu Xiaobo has already taken on the status of martyr in China's pro-democracy and human rights communities.



"In winning the Nobel Peace Prize and then dying, Liu Xiaobo has become a martyr, so now the authorities are terrified of his widow, and they don't know what to do with her," the dissident said. "If they let her go, they are afraid of what she might say."



But he said there is only a small window of opportunity to put pressure on Beijing to allow her to leave China.



"Liu Xia in particular wants to leave as soon as possible, while Liu Xiaobo's death is quite recent and the eyes of the world are still focusing on it," he said.



In Taiwan, Lee Ching-yu, wife of detained NGO worker Lee Ming-cheh, joined in the recent chorus of international voices calling on Beijing to release Liu Xia.



"Didn't the Chinese authorities say that Liu Xia was free?" Lee told RFA in a recent interview.



"Liu Xiaobo turned himself into a ray of light that shone on our cowardice and called to us all to be more courageous, when faced with this authoritarian system," Lee said. "Everybody must work together."



Reported by Xin Yu and Hwang Chun-mei for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Suvanh (R) and Vikhan (L), residents of Yeub village in southeastern Laos' Sekong province, were arrested in June 2012 for submitting a petition against a Vietnamese rubber company. The men, who appear here in an October 2011 photo, are believed to be among a group of villagers arrested in July 2017 for cutting down rubber trees on the company's property.

A dozen residents of a village in southeastern Laos Sekong province have been arrested for chopping down trees on land used by a Vietnamese rubber company, the latest development in the 11-year-old conflict over the terrain, a local police officer and villager said.

Villagers from Yeub in Thateng district have been fighting for alternative land and additional compensation since the government granted their land  in what is believed to have been a 50-year concession  to the Vietnamese company Cong Ty Cao Su Nghi Lao-Viet (LVF) in 2006 for rubber cultivation.

They have been arrested because they cut down rubber trees belonging to a Vietnamese rubber company on July 25 and they are now being detained at provincial security headquarters, said the provincial policeman on condition of anonymity on Monday.

The police have not publicly released the names of those detained, he said.

The conflict over the land has been going on since 2006 because the company had grabbed 121 hectares (300 acres) from 55 families, though its concession from authorities legally allowed it to take only 42 hectares (104 acres), said a resident of Yeub village who declined to be named.

Their land plots at the rubber plantation are being illegally occupied by Vietnamese LVF rubber company, he said.

He went on to say that in March 2017, the office of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith issued a notice directing Sekong province authorities to address the land dispute problem and assigned the ministries of natural resources and the environment, agriculture and forestry, and public security to take the lead in resolving it.

But the notice did not specify the timing, the villager said.

From 2011 to the present, villagers have been signing protest petitions against LVF and submitting them to the prime ministers office and the National Assembly, he said.

When provincial authorities were unable to resolve the problem, the villagers reoccupied their 121 hectares of lands on the rubber plantations, and they have not allowed the company to collect rubber since 2014 in hopes that they will be compensated with new land or a new resettlement plan, he said.

Provincial authorities are now patrolling Yeub village to prevent residents from felling trees on the rubber plantation, and checking all outsiders who come and go in the village, he said.

RFA called Soraseumsack Phongsanouvong, Sekong provinces vice attorney general, on Monday for information about the arrests in the ongoing land dispute, but he declined to comment.

The map shows Sekong province in southeastern Laos. Credit: RFA graphic Previous arrests

Much of Laoss economic growth is generated through land concessions for natural resources, including timber, agricultural products, minerals, and energy, even though they come at a cost for those who lose their land and may not receive proper compensation or adequate replacement farmland.

Land grabs and the appropriation of public property to turn over to foreign and domestic companies are commonplace in Laos, and villagers affected by them often refuse to speak out publicly because they fear retribution.

According to the villager, eight Yeub residents were arrested by provincial authorities for submitting a petition against LVF to the prime ministers office on May 1, 2012, because the provincial governor was not happy with their actions.

On May 25, the prime ministers office ordered Sekongs governor to rectify the situation, and authorities responded by arresting the villagers in June and July of that year, he said.

Eight of those arrested were named. They included men surnamed Sombath, Vikham, and Bounkhao, who were apprehended by Thateng district police on June 13. Men surnamed Somsawanh, Bounsou, Bounpiey, and Phonsawai were taken in two days later, the villager said.

A man named Suvanh who was arrested on July 26 was physically assaulted, given only eight meals during the 15 days he spent in jail, and was handcuffed, forcing him to urinate and defecate in place.

Authorities detained the others for almost two weeks, then released them, he said.

At the time, RFA reported that upon their release, authorities took into custody another man, a former soldier, who they said had organized the villagers to demand better compensation for their land and had helped them draft a petition sent to the central government, local sources said.

One of villagers who was arrested at the time told RFA prior to the new round of apprehensions that authorities told them to tell others they were merely being questioned.

Before releasing us, police told us not to say we were arrested, but rather to say that the police had invited us for questioning, he said.

Four-year suspension

Around the same time in June that most of the arrests took place, the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment announced a four-year suspension on new land concessions for rubber plantations and new mining licenses because of concerns about land encroachment. Calls by the National Assembly for a countrywide review of land concessions followed.

Four months later, the Lao government set up a task force to investigate the long-running dispute in Yeub, which villagers at the time said was in response to online conversations sparked by international media reports of the detentions.

In February 2013, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry told RFA that authorities in Laos had granted a parcel of 100 hectares (247 acres) of farmland to a group of Yeub villagers who demanded compensation for an area they said the government grabbed for the rubber plantation.

We believe that helping Yeub village at present is the right thing to do, said the official on condition of anonymity. We have cleared the rice fields for them and provided them with a livestock program and a water pump.

But he also said some residents remained unhappy with the settlement and claimed that the new parcel was not as fertile as the original one, even though the amount of land granted to the village was equal to the amount they had lost in the concession.

Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Officials in Thailand and Laos said Tuesday they had no information about a missing activist linked with the Thai pro-democracy Red Shirts, while Human Rights Watch called for a full investigation into his alleged abduction in Vientiane over the weekend.

Thai activist Wutthipong Kachathamkhun (alias Ko Tee), who was living in exile in Laos since 2014, was allegedly abducted after getting out of a car in the nations capital on Saturday.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported witnesses said they saw 10 armed men dressed in black clothes and balaclavas assault Ko Tee, his wife and a friend as they were about to enter Ko Tees house in Vientiane. The assailants hit and shocked them with stun guns, tied their hands with plastic handcuffs, covered their eyes and gagged their mouths before driving off with Ko Tee.

Wuthipongs shocking abduction by armed men in Vientiane needs to be fully investigated; it should not be treated with silence or swept under the rug, HRW Asia director Brad Adams said in a statement Tuesday.

The Lao government needs to move quickly to ascertain the facts and publicly report their findings, including an assessment of Wuthipongs whereabouts and who might be responsible for this crime that was so boldly carried out in its own capital city.

No details

On Tuesday, Thai officials maintained that they had no information on Ko Tees whereabouts. He is aligned with Red Shirt leaders former prime ministers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra, who were toppled in military coups in 2006 and 2014, respectively.

National Security Council Secretary-General Taweep Netniyom said Thai officials could not confirm whether Ko Tee was alive or still in Laos, the Bangkok Post reported.

He might have hid somewhere and sent a rumor or anything to spread among his network that the government did this, the newspaper quoted Taweep as saying.

We have been trying to coordinate with Laoss government all along in every way to arrest him. But Laos has not been able to confirm whether Ko Tee has been living in Laos, he added.

Reports surfaced on Monday that Ko Tees friends had filed a missing person report at a local police station.

Police in Vientiane said they had no information on Ko Tees status, according to Radio Free Asias Laos service, a sister entity of BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

Ko Tee has lived in Laos since June 2014 after he refused to obey a summons from the Thai junta for so-called attitude adjustment. Since taking power following a coup in May 2014, the regime of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha has summoned politicians and reporters who spoke out against the junta for attitude adjustment detention sessions.

HRW request

In addition to calling for an investigation into Ko Tees disappearance, HRW said the Lao government of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, who took office in April 2016, had repeatedly failed to respond to the countrys serious human rights problems.

In June 2016, Itthipol Sukpaen, an exiled Thai activist who broadcasted anti-monarchy radio programs, vanished in Vientiane. The Lao government failed to conduct a serious investigation, HRW said in a posting on its website.

The New York-based global rights watchdog also called on Laos to permit the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to open an office in Vientiane in order to provide protection for people fleeing political persecution in Thailand and elsewhere.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
The mutilated bodies of three residents of Nilinpaw village are found by a river in Chutpyin village, Rathedaung township, in western Myanmar's Rakhine province, Aug. 1, 2017.

Rathedaung township authorities are investigating the deaths of three villagers whose mutilated bodies were found by a river on Monday in the violence-ridden northern part of Myanmars Rakhine state, the office of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said.

The corpses of Iman Nusaw, 54, Nawra King, 18, and Nora Long, 15 were found decapitated or partially decapitated in Chutpyin village of Rathedaung township, the statement said.

Rathedaung, along with neighboring Maungdaw and Buithdaung townships, was placed under a security lockdown following deadly attacks on local border guard stations in October 2016 blamed on a group of Rohingya militants.

Some of the estimated 90,000 Rohingya who fled the area during the crackdown have accused security forces accused of committing atrocities against them.

The bodies of the three people, who were from Nilinpaw village, were sent to Rathedaung Public Hospital.

Also on Monday the State Counselors Office said authorities on July 27 arrested 25-year-old Anna Tula of Rathedaungs Ahtet Nanya village, a suspected militant who participated in military training activities on Mayu mountain range in the Maungdaw-Buthidaung township area a month ago.

On July 30, guards and villagers found five temporary camps along the Mayu mountain range thought to be used by terrorists, along with tents, rice, cooking oil, plates, pots, blankets, and high-energy biscuits provided by the World Food Programme to Muslims who live in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in religiously divided Rakhine state.

The tents and other items were discovered during a search for Than Htay, who went missing from Chutpyin village, the statement said.

Though the crackdown ended in February, authorities recently put government soldiers and border guard police patrolling the area on high alert in the wake of a series of disappearances, murders, and other attacks on security forces.

The government has said that Muslim militants have been targeting Muslim villagers in the tri-township area who worked with authorities during and after the crackdown.

At least 44 civilians have been killed and 27 have been kidnapped or gone missing in northern Rakhine in the past nine months, according to the government.

Reported and translated by RFAs Myanmar Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) India and Somalia today signed an agreement for transfer of sentenced prisoners after a meeting between their foreign ministers who discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including the issues of piracy and maritime security.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of Somalia Yusuf-Garaad Omar, who arrived here yesterday on a five-day visit, also held talks on regional issues pertaining to developments in Gulf region and Indias neighbourhood, a ministry release said.

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"An Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons between India and Somalia was also signed," it said.

Signing the agreement with Somalia will facilitate the Indian inmates imprisoned in Somalia or vice-versa to be near to their families, for serving remaining part of their sentence and shall facilitate their social rehabilitation.

Omar also held a meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar.

"The entire gamut of India-Somalia bilateral relations including issue of piracy and maritime security were discussed between the two sides during the meetings," the release added.

According to the MEA, the Indian Navy has been involved in anti-piracy patrolling in the Gulf of Aden since 2008. India is also a member of the UN Contact Group on Piracy off the coast of Somalia, it said.

Trade is also an important component of bilateral ties. During 2014-15, India-Somalia trade was USD 391.05 million showing more than 51 per cent increase over the figure of USD 257.27 million during 2013-14, according to the ministry data. PTI PYK ZMN

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Update: The event is now sold out.

Previous: Care to sample a spruce beer similar to what might have been brewed at Monticello? Want to sip a cider popular in Colonial times?

The BrewHaHa craft beer festival Aug. 5 at the Virginia Historical Society will give you that chance.

As a follow-up to its History on Tap series, which provided recipes from its archives to local fermenters, the VHS has opened its archives to local craft brewers to inspire them to create a taste of history.

Jamie O. Bosket, president and CEO of the VHS, hopes the event will connect with craft beer fans as well as lovers of Virginia history.

Learning about the ingredients and the brewing process, and how the brewers adapted these centuries-old recipes into something we can enjoy today, truly sparks the imagination and makes history present, Bosket said. All of the brews inspired by recipes found in the Virginia Historical Society collections are part-beverage, part-time machine.

Danny Fain, brewer at Ardent Craft Ales in Richmonds Scotts Addition, decided to brew Spruce Beer, inspired by a recipe in the third edition of Miss Beechers Domestic Receipt Book, published by Catharine Esther Beecher in 1858. Fain, who sourced the spruce locally, said its an unusual ingredient that Ardent had never worked with before.

The spruce tips we used in the boil were fresh-cut from a Norwegian spruce from Sneeds Nursery in Bon Air, he said.

Fain chose Norwegian spruce because it is more representative of the types of spruce trees found in this part of America 200 years ago.

I loosely based the recipe on ones that would have been brewed by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. After doing exhaustive research, I decided that using fresh-cut spruce tips in the boil, as opposed to a spruce extract, would give the beer a better flavor and a truer representation of how this beer would have been brewed historically, he said. I added a small amount of hops only to balance out the malty sweetness and to let the spruce shine through.

Trapezium Brewing Co. in Petersburg brewed a Superior Ginger Beer, an old British recipe that brewmaster James Frazer researched from the late 1800s, said Trapeziums sales director Kirk Candler. Its our take, using English yeast, bittered with heather flowers, with three ginger root additions, brown sugar and lime zest.

Ginger is the star in this beer, Frazer said. Its balanced with the heather, and the lime zest brings it all together. Its light-bodied and effervescent.

Center of the Universe Brewing Co. in Ashland and Virginia Beer Co. in Williamsburg collaborated on a beer aimed at beating the heat, a Persimmon Wheat Ale. The recipe is a little bit of old and new, said Chris Ray, an owner of COTU.

Persimmon and lemon were often used in brewing back in Colonial times, Ray said, so we took these two ingredients and included some malted two-row barley and wheat, commonly used back then.

The beer is about 4.5 percent ABV and has a nice, soft mouthfeel and gentle fruitiness to it, Ray said.

Given that it is a million degrees these days, Ray said, we decided to go in the direction of the persimmon and lemon, for a fruitier beer, light and refreshing.

The BrewHaHa is not just about beer. Blue Bee Cider, Buskey Cider and Black Heath Meadery, all located in Richmond, will also be at the festival.

Blue Bee is bringing its Harrison cider, which mimics what Colonial-era Americans were drinking as a table beverage, said its founder and owner, Courtney Mailey. Noted pomologist William Coxe wrote in 1817 of it being a high coloured, rich, and sweet cider of great strength, Mailey said.

Blue Bees Harrison is hazy in appearance, with a zesty apple aroma and notes of orange zest and golden raisin in the flavor profile, Mailey said.

Ardents Fain, likely speaking for all the brewers participating in BrewHaha, expressed gratitude for the new perspective he gained on his craft.

I think it is a rare and special thing to be able to look back in time and share this connection with our brewing forefathers, he said. Though the equipment may change throughout time, the passion and creativity remains constant in the brewing community.
On the private wish list she wrote for herself around Christmastime each year, Elaine Williams hoped for what thousands of schoolchildren in the Richmond region dont have:

A steady home.

During the seventh grade, Williams family was evicted from their East Highland Park residence. She went to live with a cousin, then her great-grandmother.

After her great-grandmother died during Williams junior year of high school, she moved in  for bursts of time  with her cousin, then her mother. She was living at her best friends house when she graduated from George Wythe High School in Richmond in 2012.

Reflecting over my childhood and looking at things in hindsight, I really believe that I faced unstable housing a lot growing up, Williams said on a recent morning. It was my normal.

They couch-surf, populate motels and, in the most extreme circumstances, are relegated to shelters or the streets. Homeless youth are a difficult population to fully identify, in part because they defy stereotypical conceptions of what it means to be homeless, advocates and experts say.

When you think of people who face unstable housing and homelessness, its someone standing on the corner begging for change or sleeping under the bridge, said Williams, who recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University. Youth facing unstable housing and homelessness are youth who go to work every single day, who are in college. These are your peers and people that are around you every single day.

The number of homeless children enrolled in Richmond schools has hovered above 1,500 in the past four academic years. Meanwhile, numbers in Chesterfield and Henrico counties increased in 2016-17 compared with recent years.

Both school systems have taken steps in recent months to augment the number of people tasked with carrying out the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the federal legislation that guarantees homeless students equal access to public education.

In Henrico, Deb Reed, the divisions McKinney-Vento liaison, said adding another employee became necessary as the number of recorded homeless students continued to grow. During the most recent academic year, that number swelled to 992  the highest in the past 16 years.

Of the divisions intervention coordinator, Reed said: She was running ragged to keep up with forms, identifying families, doing screenings. ... She was really just pushed beyond her limit.

Addressing the need

The growth in homeless students is likely driven in part by legislation enacted during former President Barack Obamas administration that broadened the scope of students who must be served under McKinney-Vento and the services they must receive, Reed said.

But the larger numbers also coincide with a growth in suburban poverty  53 percent of the regions poor lived in the counties in 2015, up from 41 percent in 2000, according to U.S. census data analyzed by University of Richmond researchers. The number of students who receive free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch, an indicator of economic strain, also rose in Henrico in the last decade. Last year, nearly 41 percent of students were eligible for the lower-cost meals.

Weve seen a lot more poverty, Reed said.

The vast majority of Henrico students  about 690  who were homeless last school year were doubled up, or living with extended family or friends. That was followed by 261 kids who lived in motels, 38 who were in shelters, and three who were without shelter and living in, for example, a tent or car.

Housing Families First, which operates a housing program and the only Henrico homeless shelter for families, served 150 children for the fiscal year that ended June 30. Of the 87 school-age children, 23 percent were in Henrico, said executive director Beth Vann-Turnbull.

Vann-Turnbull noted that the organization has long been at capacity and serves a narrower category of people that excludes many of those whom the school systems mark as homeless.

These are just the Henrico children and students we work with who actually have fallen into literal homelessness, she said from a conference room at the shelter, which is located across the street from the school districts offices on Nine Mile Road. While we cant necessarily serve them, we want to be a voice for the hundreds and really thousands more who are very unstably housed, are doubled up, are living in hotels.

In Chesterfield, where officials shared data for just the past three school years, the number of students who were homeless rose to 733 in 2016-17 from 609 in 2014-15.

In March, Lisa Simes became the first Chesterfield schools employee dedicated solely to identifying and serving McKinney-Vento students. Previously, those duties were grouped with others, such as overseeing social workers, Simes said.

Figures from Richmond have gone up and down in recent school years. The division recorded 1,556 homeless students last year, compared with 1,737 the year earlier. In 2012-13, the division tallied 1,393 homeless students before growing to 1,757 the year after  the highest number in the past six school years.

Homelessness is a silent societal issue that impacts students in schools, RPS spokeswoman Kenita Bowers said in an email. Data for RPS has fluctuated over the course of the past few years. Families who are experiencing transiency often move between school divisions, but all surrounding school divisions work together to support families.

Growing tide of awareness

When Alex Wagaman moved to Richmond, she was struck by the dearth of options for young people facing homelessness.

We didnt have a youth shelter or youth-specific crisis housing, dont have a specific drop-in center for young people experiencing a housing crisis or anything, said Wagaman, an assistant professor at VCU. In other communities where Ive worked, those have been pretty important to young people.

In tandem with St. Josephs Villa, Wagaman formed Advocates for Richmond Youth, a research-driven group that studies youth homelessness locally, about three years ago. The group, formed of young people, has spearheaded a homeless count specific to youth and conducted training for service providers.

The group is currently collecting data on student, teacher and school staff experiences and opinions toward homelessness in the areas school systems.

Natalie May, founder and director of Change the World RVA, said few resources exist for teenagers and young adults without homes. The organization, which serves high school and college students, revolves around a once-a-week after-school program and also provides other support such as cellphones and access to a food pantry. Students are referred to the program by school social workers, she said.

Recognition of youth homelessness as an issue has grown in the region, said May, adding that a coalition of more than 30 organizations committed to addressing youth homelessness recently formed.

Were on the cusp of making some change, she said.

Students who belong to Change the World have inadequate health care, and some havent seen a doctor since elementary school, May said. Most, if not all, face depression and anxiety.

Williams, the recent VCU graduate who was formerly homeless, was adopted by a couple she met through Change the World RVA at the end of her freshman year in college. Gone was the uncertainty that accompanies homelessness; faraway was the feeling of worthlessness and fear that dogged her after her family was evicted from their home.

It gives you a sense of hope, and it gives you a new normal, she said. Now, I can be on the back side ... advocating for change.

On Monday, Williams begins a new job at YWCA Richmond. She will focus on helping divert people who are three days or less away from homelessness.
John Murden, creator of the independent neighborhood news blog Church Hill Peoples News, is stepping down from the site in December, he announced recently on the website.

Murden started Church Hill Peoples News in 2004, before Twitter, before Facebook, before YouTube. Its been a great run, he said by phone.

He has run the site continuously since then, covering everything from local shootings to business, real estate, history and Church Hill happenings.

When Murden started the site, he was a teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Richmond, which he said greatly informed how I understood the neighborhood.

In the decade since, his life has grown and changed. He married restaurateur Kendra Feather, owner of Ipanema, The Roosevelt and Garnetts Cafe. They have a son, Calvin, 3.

Together, the couple has opened Laura Lees restaurant on the South Side and Garnetts Cafe at the Valentine. Murden is now manager of Garnetts at the Valentine.

Its gotten to a point where Id like to not be connected so much all the time, Murden said. Ive become connected in a way thats really exciting and informative, but it can be exhausting. I always have to be open. If I hear the sirens go by, I have to figure out where theyre going. I get the Facebook messages about gunshots. Theres always something going on. And there is no one on a second shift.

Murden said the only time hes been able to unplug since he started the site 13 years ago was for two weeks when he and Feather got married in Italy.

Church Hill Peoples News has been one of the more successful citizen journalism websites in Richmond. The site spun off to five to 10 different hyper-local websites covering different neighborhoods in Richmond.

Some of the websites, like Hills and Heights, were taken over by other bloggers, including Richard Hayes, in 2009.

Its a labor of love, Hayes said. He lives in Westover Hills and said he took over the site as a way to get to know the neighborhood. There is no tangible reward. Every now and then youll run into someone on the street who says, Thank you for doing that (story). There is no financial model for it.

Hayes continues to run Hills and Heights and launched RVAHub.com last year with Trevor Dickerson, after RVANews.com closed.

RVANews.com was a news-centric website that Ross Catrow and Scott Pharr started from their blog aggregator RVAblogs.com, covering local neighborhoods. It shut down in 2016, after an eight-year run.

Murden and Hayes both mentioned the rise of Facebook community groups and sites such as Reddit and Nextdoor, which have had an impact on hyper-local news blogs.

There are definitely different ways to get information now, like Reddit and Facebook, but the question is whether that information is factual and if anybody actually has taken the time to do the research and fact-check it, Hayes said.

Citizen journalism is still around in Richmond. It has a place and a value, Murden said. Its also very dependent on specific people stepping up and making it happen.

Hayes said, I hope somebody who lives in Church Hill steps in and takes over Church Hill Peoples News. Its a valuable Richmond resource. It would be a shame to see it go away completely.
The Major General (now Brigadier) of the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) has filed a case against the government and the army Headquarters for demoting him.

By Gaurav C Sawant: In a major embarrassment for the Indian Army, a major general has been demoted to the rank of a brigadier for being low medical category.

The Major General (now Brigadier) of the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) has filed a case against the government and the army Headquarters for demoting him, seeking restoration of rank, according to sources in the army headquarters.

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The officer's name was recommended for promotion to the rank of a major general by the Military Secretary (MS) branch in the Army Headquarters and approved by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

"When the promotion board was held, the officer was considered for the next rank. He was approved for major general subject to his being physically fit and not being under Discipline and Vigilance (DV) ban," sources said.

Army sources say the officer was approved for promotion based on an undertaking of being fit and not being under DV ban. However, subsequently the army headquarters learnt that all facts had not been correctly placed before them.

"The officer was 'P-2' in physical fitness but he was also category COPE-2. That would make him unfit for promotion to the next rank. This was initially not known to the Board," sources in the army headquarters told Mail Today.

This assertion is now being contested in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).

"The MS branch has access to all documents and records pertaining to an officer's career and fitness. They had his medical records too. Only when an officer is physically fit and not permanent low medical category is he recommended for the next rank. The officer claims he did not hide any medical condition. How could the army first approve him for promotion and then demote him,'' sources privy to the case told Mail Today.

The army chose not to comment on the issue, insisting that the matter is currently in the AFT hence subjudice.

But this move would automatically have a cascading effect on the promotion of other officers.

"Now this will open the army to criticism of overlooking physically fit officers for promotion. Also, how will the army fill the vacancy of a major general at this stage and will the vacancy benefit the next batch of officers awaiting promotions?'' sources said.

Last year the Armed Forces Tribunal had ordered the demotion of a Lieutenant General to the rank of a Brigadier on charges of `misrepresentation of facts' to the Selection Board. The three star General was also of the Army Ordnance Corps.

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The India Army is facing several challenges at various fronts of late, starting from shortages of ammunition, skirmishes at Indo-Pakistan border and also standoff with Chinese PLA in Sikkim.

ALSO READ |

Retired Army Chiefs can't judge officers, says Armed Forces Tribunal 'Face the heat,' army tells its 'chocolate soldiers'

Colonel dismissed from Indian embassy in Afghanistan, called back for possessing unauthorised pistols

IAF pilot fired, gets 2 years in jail for assaulting senior, refusing to eat food

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A Henrico County woman has been charged in the stabbing death of her 60-year-old father.

About 10:15 a.m. Sunday, police said they found the victim, Jerome Isiah Dixon, suffering from stab wounds in a vehicle that was sitting in a travel lane of Brook Road near Villa Park Drive.

Investigators arrested Mattie Therese Dixon, 27, who is now charged with second-degree murder.

Dixon, of the 5900 block of Shruberry Hill Road, was arraigned by video link at the Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on Monday. Judge Randall G. Johnson Jr. advised her not to comment about the allegations until she conferred with an attorney.

Johnson assigned Dixon a court-appointed attorney.

Dixon, whom police located at a business near where the victim was found, is being held at the Henrico County Jail West with no bond.

Henrico police Detective M.L. Rosser said Mattie Dixon did not want to discuss the stabbing with police.

Rosser said the woman did not have a criminal record.

On Monday, a man who was at the Shruberry Hill Road home listed as Dixons would not answer questions for a reporter who stopped by. Rosser said that, to his knowledge, the victim was living at the same house as his daughter.

Shannon Dillon, Dixons attorney, said she couldnt comment on the allegations against her client, noting that the proceedings are in the early stages.

A preliminary hearing in the case was set for Oct. 23.

Anyone with information is asked to call Henrico police at (804) 501-5000 or Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

You can also contact Crime Stoppers by going online to www.7801000.com or sending a text message to 274637, using the keyword iTip followed by the tip.
STAUNTON  After directing more than 125 productions in his 29 years with the American Shakespeare Center, artistic director and co-founder Jim Warren will step down as ASC's artistic director at the end of this year.

Warren directed the ASC's first show, Richard III, in 1988, and dozens more in the years since. Under his direction, the center has performed shows in 47 states, five countries and one United States territory.

Helping to lead the American Shakespeare Center for nearly 30 years has been my passion and calling, Warren said in a press release. The time has come for me to pursue other opportunities in theater, and Im looking forward to the next act in my career.

Along with Ralph Alan Cohen, Warren founded the ASC nearly three decades ago. ASC first started as Shenandoah Shakespeare Express and held its first show, Richard III, in 1988 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg.

In 1999, the theatrical company became Shenandoah Shakespeare and relocated to Staunton. Two years later, the Blackfriars Playhouse was opened. The playhouse is the world's only faithful recreation of Shakespeare's famed indoor theater, and has hosted scores of productions of works by both Shakespeare and his contemporaries, as well as more modern works from the past 400 years.

Im humbled that the vision Ralph and I dreamed up years ago has become Shakespeares American home, Warren said in a release. Im grateful to all of those who have dreamed the dream with us, from our amazing actors and staff to our donors and patrons of all ages from all over the world. I couldnt be more proud of how far weve come and the impact weve had on so many. Im excited for the path weve charted for the next 30 years.

The ASC is gathering a committee to launch an international search for a new artistic director.

Chris Little, chair of the board of trustees, spoke of Warrens time at the ASC.
The family of Mohammad Marwan, one of the 22 Kerala youngsters who are believed to have joined the Islamic State, has been killed in Afghanistan, according to a message received by his parents.

By India Today Web Desk: The parents of Mohammad Marwan receieved a mysterious Telegram message informing them of his death. Marwan was one of the 22 Kerala youth who joined the ISIS.

The family of Mohammad Marwan, one of the 22 Kerala youngsters who are believed to have joined the Islamic State, has been killed in Afghanistan, according to a message received by his parents.

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The message, sent by another of the 22 Kerala boys - Mohammed Ashfaq - was sent via Telegram, a WhatsApp-like mobile messaging app. The message does not mention the place and nature of Marwan's death. If true, Marwan's death would take the number of Kerala youth killed in Afghanistan to four.

The message, seen by India Today, was recieved by Marwan's father on Monday at 5.26 pm. The message reads as, "Yes Marwan has become a martyr of Islam, in sha allah".

Earlier on Sunday, Ashfaq had sent an audio clip to the Marwan's family, explaining their situation in Afghanistan. The audio clip, when transcribed, reads, "We are in Khilafath, all places under Khilafath are in trouble, The situation in Syria and Afghanistan is getting really worse. America and Saudi Coalition is focusing more on these areas these days."

ALSO READ |

How ISIS lures youth with women, meat, chocolates to recruit in Kerala. An India Today exclusive

At least 2 of 20 ISIS Kerala recruits feared dead in Afghanistan MOAB attack

ISIS failed in India despite country's large Muslim population: Rajnath Singh

ALSO WATCH | ISIS mass graves found near Badush prison site in Mosul

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The U.S. Justice Dept. still wants to question Culpeper County Attorney Bobbi Jo Alexis in the ongoing civil suit alleging the county religiously discriminated against the Islamic Center of Culpeper last year, bowing to anti-Muslim sentiment in the community, when it denied them a sewer permit to serve a planned mosque.

The Justice Dept. recently filed a 12-page motion opposing the countys motion from last month seeking a protective order to block the Feds from deposing Alexis.

The county argued in its earlier motion that the Justice Dept. should not question her due to attorney-client privilege and because the information that might be obtained from Alexis is irrelevant, privileged and not crucial to the presentation of the case.

The federal motion filed July 27 countered that Alexis is the only witness who possesses certain relevant and non-privileged information that could play an important role in the United States effort to prepare its case for trial on the issue of the countys disparate treatment of the Islamic Center of Culpeper.

The Justice Departments recent motion went on to say the county attorneys actions played a pivotal part in the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors denial of the pump and haul sewer permit, a month after Alexis requested that the matter be pulled from the agenda so she could have additional time to review the application.

Ms. Alexis and the Office of the County Attorney had not sought to review any other pump and haul applications, other than the Islamic Center of Culpepers, prior to the boards consideration of them in the past; as such, her actions and those of her office  constituted a departure from prior practice, said the Justice Dept. motion.

According to the Justice Dept., the county denied that the county attorney did not regularly review other pump and haul applications.

However, when asked by the press why she did not question a prior permit application, Ms. Alexis reportedly stated, Nobody asked me to check that one. When she was asked who wanted her to check the prayer house request, Ms. Alexis replied, No one, according to the Justice Dept. motion quoting an article in the Free-Lance Star.

In denying the countys first motion to dismiss the religious discrimination lawsuit, the Court stated the countys reason for delaying the sewer permit  because Alexis legitimately needed time to conduct a legal review, the Justice Dept. noted in its recent motion.

 the statement merely creates a factual dispute about whether the delay was pretextual or not, the Court said, according to the Justice Dept., adding, Based on the above allegations, which the United States sets out to prove in order to support its claim of intentional religious discrimination, the United States seeks to depose Ms. Alexis on a narrow and discrete set of factual topics, about which she only has first-hand knowledge.

According to the Justice Dept., they want to question Alexis about her reasons for reviewing the Islamic Centers sewer permit application, her actions in delaying the boards review of the application, her treatment of prior sewer permit applications and other nonprivileged communications between Alexis and others including citizens, state health officials and the Islamic Center of Culpeper.

The Justice Dept. further questioned the timing of the permit application delay and the role that community opposition may have played in such delay.

In other words, the Feds concluded, her actions, which delayed consideration of the Islamic Center of Culpepers pump and haul application which was then ultimately denied, support the United States claim that there was intentional discrimination.

Culpeper Countys second motion to dismiss the lawsuit heads to hearing August 19 in federal court in Charlottesville before U.S. District Court Norman Moon, who denied the first motion to dismiss back in March. The case remains on the federal docket for a bench trial starting Jan. 8, 2018.
FREDERICKSBURG  In 1932, Clara Smith  from whom many say the community of Ladysmith got its name  paid $1.28 for parts she ordered from a catalog for her Studebaker automobile.

Mrs. E. Bizzell, residing at the Pine Needles Camp in Ladysmith, ordered $7.05 worth of goods from Annes Dress Shop in Fredericksburg in March 1931, and B.E. Mitchell, principal of C.T. Smith High School, paid $7.16 for books for the school from the American Book Company in January 1931.

These and many more COD  or cash on delivery  receipts are part of a trove of almost 90-year-old postal archives recently recovered during remodeling at the Ladysmith Citgo, formerly known as Garland Allens Store.

The general store, which has been at the corner of Ladysmith Road and U.S. 1 since before World War II, used to serve as the post office for what was once a rural area.

The old post office window at the back of the store, with its 26 wooden mail slots  enough to serve the entire Ladysmith community in the 1930s and 40s  had been covered by a cigarette machine before new owners Hameed and Iqbal Gowani decided to remodel, store manager Laurie Leacock said.

Its now uncovered and on display.

Patsy Allen Acors, 79, spent lots of time behind that post office window. Shes Garland Allens daughter and the niece of the couple who originally built the store, and she worked as the postmistress in the store after her father retired in the 1960s. An old photo shows Allen delivering a letter to her through the window on the day he retired and she took over.

Acors, who said she started working at the store when she was 12, came to sift through the post office archives on a recent Tuesday.

CODs are what we did a lot of, she said.

Before the days of credit cards, when people ordered from a catalog, they paid at the post office where they picked up the items.

All product moved through the general store, Leacock said. Anything you needed, you had to get to the store.

Acors said her father would keep the store/post office open until 10 p.m. to accommodate as many people he possibly could. It was a place for news, gossip and companionship.

There was an old wood stove and people would huddle around it, Acors said.

She said that many people who came in couldnt read or write, so she and her father would write money orders for them and her father would even do their taxes and balance their checkbooks.

Before the bank came, Daddy was the bank, she said.

So much money came through the store that it was robbed five or six times, Acors said. She said her father would carry a large amount home with him each night for safekeeping.

Hed walk home and hed always carry a Pepsi-Cola bottle with him. He said if anyone bothered him for the money, he was going to hit them with the bottle, Acors laughed. You could almost trust everyone in those days.

Acors said she knew everyone who came into the post office and what time of day to expect them.

As the Ladysmith community grew, the 26 mail slots in Garland Allens general store could no longer accommodate everyone. The post office moved out of the store and into its own building. The mail slot system changed to a post office box system and became a little less personal, although Acors said she tried to keep up a connection with her customers.

People had a hard time remembering their keys, so Id have to open their boxes for them, Acors said. Im a people person  if anybody comes in, Im gonna talk to them.

Leacock said the stores history as a community center is important to the owners.

The new owners are about the community, she said. They want to keep all this stuff. They thought it was important, even though theyre not from Ladysmith.

She said she plans to frame some of the documents and display them around the window.
The establishment, a construct of Democrats and Republicans that rules in Washington no matter which party controls government, appears to be over its fainting spell following Donald Trumps election. It is now throwing everything at him from a daily  make that hourly, even minute by minute  onslaught of investigations to big medias equivalent of Molotov cocktails.

Washington, D.C., recently made assisted suicide legal. The president isnt helping his cause by committing unassisted political suicide. Changing his chief of staff may help, but significant change must come from the president himself.

Name-calling by the president and his critics accomplishes nothing, other than to make the name-caller feel good. In my experience, name-calling changes few minds.

Winning an argument is better than disparaging someone who holds a different view. The way to defeat your opponent is to present a better idea. In the case of the establishment, the president should not only talk specifically about its many failures  from health insurance to winning wars, or invading countries where we dont belong, but also present a list of alternatives he believes will work.

Hows this for a slogan, borrowed out of context from former president Obama: If you like your establishment, you can keep your establishment?

The problem today is that we have exchanged what was once common sense for nonsense. Look at what consumes our attention: transgender soldiers in the military, celebrities, leaks from the administration and gossip. It is junk food for the mind.

Heres a positive suggestion. Let the new White House chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan. Give them a list of programs and policies the president would like to pass (or repeal) and ask the two leaders to poll their members to see what they could vote for. Then let Kelly receive from the leaders what congressional Republicans could support and vote for. Somewhere in between is enough common ground to repeal legislation and programs that arent working and create new ones that will work, based on experience, not ideology. The president can then hit the road and sell an agenda he and his party, and maybe some Democrats, can agree on.

The president deserves credit for eliminating regulations that have been choking the economy. It is a major reason the economy is growing again and the stock market keeps hitting record highs. He should continue doing things his executive power allows him to do.

Calling Trump a narcissist and childish changes nothing. What is the goal of such language? Do the name-callers think he will become something other than what he is, absent a miraculous conversion?

Face the Nation host John Dickerson editorialized on his show last Sunday about a video that purports to show President Trump ignoring an 11-year-old boy in a wheelchair while greeting others who attended his health care speech last week. Trump haters claim the video proves how insensitive he is. Dickerson said the first thing the president did when entering the room was to bend down and speak to the child. About the mischaracterized video, Dickerson said: Were so ready for evidence to confirm the absolute worst about an opponent it snuffs out our charity.

Hes right  and when it suits them both left and right engage in this shameful practice.

Better build up this president and the good he can do, as he is the only president we have. North Korea and Iraq are becoming imminent threats. Throwing rhetorical bombs at our fellow citizens is not helpful. We are not one anothers enemy. There are many who wish to destroy us. Why are we helping them?
WAYNESBORO  A federal judge has approved the settlement for damages from DuPonts mercury contamination of the South River, but did not order that any of the $42 million be used for projects in Waynesboro, including a much-discussed trout grow-out facility.

Court documents say its the largest natural resources damages settlement in Virginia history.

U.S. District Judge Michael Urbanski did note in his Friday order, however, that those involved in the settlement have pledged to fully assess restoration activities directed at Waynesboro. And, he noted, officials with the city of Waynesboro have said they want the consent document approved  regardless of whether any specific settlement funding is allocated to the city.

Waynesboro Vice Mayor Terry Short said the city is continuing to discuss the settlement with the trustees who wrote up the agreement.

We are very pleased with how the city is positioned, Short said Monday, despite there being no guarantees that Waynesboro will get any of the millions of dollars included in the final settlement. We are excited to continue our work with them (trustees) as we navigate the waters of how the funds are dispersed and awarded.

Its unclear why Short is content, given the lack of any guaranteed funds for Waynesboro. City officials were at one time highly critical of the settlement draft for all but ignoring Waynesboro. But they changed their tune soon after informal talks began between some city officials and the trustees. Its not clear what those talks consisted of or whether the trustees have promised the city some kind of funding arrangement contingent upon the settlements approval.

Waynesboro was ground zero in the mercury contamination that occurred at the DuPont plant from 1929 to 1950. The mercury leeched into the South River and its banks.

While there are no funding guarantees for Waynesboro, the settlement does call for DuPont to spend millions on renovations to a Front Royal smallmouth bass fish hatchery to compensate for lost fishing there  despite the fact that Front Royal is more than 100 miles from the origin of the contamination. Millions more will go to projects well outside Waynesboros city limits, with some potential projects taking place as far away as Central America.

Nonetheless, in his opinion, Urbanski said he could not conclude that the $42 million-plus cash settlement from DuPont with the federal and Virginia governments is unfair, inadequate or unreasonable.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley told the Lok Sabha that the India Today investigation Hurriyat tapes show how separatists have changed their funding module.

By India Today Web Desk: India Today expose on how Pakistan is fomenting trouble in the Kashmir Valley by funding Kashmiri separatists has so far helped investigating agencies nail culprits and today Defence Minister Arun Jaitley also praised it during his speech in the Lok Sabha.

Mentioning India Today sting operation 'Operation Villains of the Valley' #Hurriyattruthtapes in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley said the sting showed how separatists have changed their funding module.

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He said demonetisation has led to squeezing of terror funds.

Going by the accounts of the stone-pelters in the last 6 months, they managed to assemble only 20 to 30 people for stone-pelting.

As demonetisation squeeze terror funding in the Valley, they adopted other modules like bank robbery to get money.

Operation Villains of Valley videos: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

In May, India Today had done a major expose in which several top Kashmiri separatists were caught on camera confessing to receiving funds from Pakistan. The money was used by separatists including the Hurriyat leaders to keep the unrest in Kashmir boiling.

Caught on camera were Hurriyat's provincial President (Geelani Faction) Naeem Khan, Tehreek-E-Hurriyat's leader Gazi Javed Baba and JKLF Chairman Farooq Ahmed Dar (Bitta Karate) .

After the sting was aired, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) jumped into action, Naeem Khan, Bitta Karate and 5 other separatists were arrested for taking hawala money from Pakistan.

Also read:

Caught on Camera: How Pakistan funds Kashmiri separatists to burn the Valley - India Today Exclusive

NIA gets 10-day custody of 7 Hurriyat leaders: 10 Developments

Also watch:

Abdul Basit to India Today: No truth to allegations of Pakistan funding Hurriyat for terrorism

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By PTI: govt scheme

(Eds: Adding reaction of District Collector)

Chennai, Aug 1 (PTI) Stepping up attack on the AIADMK (Amma) government over alleged corruption, actor Kamal Haasan today claimed his fans have "exposed" the supply of "rotten eggs" to daycare centres in Perambalur district in Tamil Nadu.

Haasans claim comes days after state Finance Minister D Jayakumars poser to the actor, who had levelled allegations of corruption against the Tamil Nadu government, on what welfare measure he had taken for the people of the state through his fan clubs.

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"Perambalur expose of rotten eggs given to children deserves praise. Pls consult our in house lawyers be4 exposing crime. Dont break laws (sic)," the national award-winning actor tweeted.

The actors fans had in July reportedly made visits to some anganwadi centres and found rotten eggs being supplied there.

Meanwhile, the district administration has said an inquiry will be conducted into the matter.

District Collector V Santha told PTI that strict quality control rules were in place for supply of eggs along with a replacement mechanism where it warranted.

Ever since Kamal Haasan had made allegations of corruption in the government, he has been targeted by the ruling dispensation, with Chief Minister K Palaniswami himself asking the national award winning actor to take the political plunge to get proper response.

Jayakumar, a senior leader in the AIADMK (Amma) camp, had on July 30 sought to know what welfare activities the actor had taken up for the people of the state during the 2004 tsunami tragedy and the devastating floods of 2015.

The actor had last month asked his fans to use social media to lodge complaints about corruption.

Local Administration Minister SP Velumani had sought proof of Haasans allegations and had asked if the actor was ready to furnish tax details of his films.

The opposition parties, including DMK, have backed Haasan and urged the government to respond to his charges of corruption rather than targeting him. PTI SA VS RT

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Hansal Mehta has rubbished all speculation that Kangana Ranaut has taken over the editing of his upcoming film Simran.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Director Hansal Mehta has trashed all speculation around the Kangana Ranaut-starrer Simran, saying that they are "false, malicious and totally fabricated".

Mehta dismissed the reports that Kangana had taken over editing of the trailer after being unhappy over the first cut.

"All this speculation is false, malicious and totally fabricated. I collaborate closely with my team and my actors are an integral part of that collaboration. It angers me that every time some malicious gossip has to be spread, people meaninglessly drag Kangana into their stupid machinations. She is a valued friend, actor and collaborator. Period," Mehta said in a statement.

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"I'm even more hurt that some malicious person chooses to drag my relationship with Vishal Bhardwaj into this malice. Vishal is one of my dearest friends and if I am making films today it is because of him. I would never say anything that could remotely even hurt or upset somebody I love so dearly and to whom I am so grateful," he added.

Co-producer Bhushan Kumar said he is saddened by the reports as they put the film in a negative light.

"We are very saddened with this news. Her (Kangana) sitting on the edit table is completely false. We all work as a team and her feedback on every promo and plan is crucial. At the end, the film is a director's vision and the film campaign will stay close to that only," Kumar said.

Simran is set to release on September 15.

ALSO READ: Kangana to turn editor with Hansal Mehta's Simran?

ALSO READ: All you need to know about the Simran-Kangana Ranaut-Manikarnika controversy, in 5 parts

ALSO WATCH: Kangana's Simran teaser wows all, Salman to make No Entry 2?

--- ENDS ---
Karnataka High Court today refused to return the passport of the promoter of the company S Kumar's who had borrowed Rs 6,500 crores from various banks.

By Rohini Swamy: Vijay Mallya's financial fraud and eventual escape from the law enforcement has invariably become a lesson for many.

Investors, today, will think thoroughly before investing their money as the courts have now taken cognizance of the gravity of such crimes and have began taking stern decisions to avoid similar frauds.

The Karnataka High Court today refused to give the passport of the promoters of S Kumar's a company owned by Nitin Shambhu Kumar Kasliwal.

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Promoter Kasliwal had borrowed an amount close to Rs 6,500 crore from various banks.

The banks that have sought recovery from Kasliwal include Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India, Central Bank, Jammu Kashmir Bank, Indian Bank and IDBI Bank.

Kasliwal appealed before the court to travel abroad, however, it seems the Mallya incident have influenced the decision making of the court which refused to handover the passport.

Kasliwal was declared a wilful defaulter by UCO bank and in December 2016, the Debts Recovery Tribunal had seized his passport after the notification.

The fear expressed by the prosecution was that of they let him to travel abroad, Kasliwal may escape like Mallya did and they will not be able to recover their debts.

According to the advocate representing the banks, Kasliwal owes Rs 6,494 crore as in July 2015.

NO RIGHT TO IMPOUND KASLIWAL

Kasliwal's advocate argued in court saying that the DRT had no right to impound the passport and that Kasliwal was allowed to travel abroad earlier too.

The advocate added that the DRT and their client had complied with all the conditions imposed on him.

S Kumar's has been a big clothing brand whose fabric was being produced in factories located in Mysuru in Karnataka and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.

The company ran into losses during the economic slowdown and the banks took the legal route to recover the debts that Kasliwal owed.

S Kumar's had introduced the famous Scottish fabric brand Reid and Taylor in India of which Amitabh Bachchan was the brand ambassador.

The courts have now ruled that Nitin Shambhu Kumar Kasliwal will have to stay in India till he repays the debt.

Also Read:

ED hopeful of favourable order in Vijay Mallya extradition case by mid-December

Vijay Mallya hits out at media a day after extradition hearing in London court

SC on Vijay Mallya: Proceedings can't move further unless he is produced in court

WATCH | Exclusive: How Vijay Mallya splurged public money on IPL team

--- ENDS ---

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By PTI: Patna, Aug 1 (PTI) In growing animosity post the break-up of Grand Alliance in Bihar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of "betrayal" for personal gains and alleged that the "match was fixed" between him and BJP to form a government together.

A combative Prasad hit back, and even made personnel comments against Kumar, who in a blistering attack against the RJD chief yesterday said he had no option but to walk out of the alliance as he did not want to "compromise with corruption".

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He charged Kumar with "betrayal" and held him responsible for the disintegration of the Grand Alliance of RJD, JD(U) and Congress for personal gains.

"Tejaswi Yadav was just an excuse ... Match was fixed between him and BJP to form a government together," Prasad told reporters at the 10, Circular Road official residence of his wife Rabri Devi, an MLC.

Tejashwi Yadav, Lalus son and former deputy chief minister, who is now the leader of opposition, was present.

"Even if Tejaswi had tendered his resignation he (Kumar) would have the JD(U) leader would have gone ahead with his plan to split the alliance. Accusing Kumar of being an "opportunist" politician, the RJD chief called him "Paltu Ram" (turncoat). "Everybody knows that in your (Nitishs) political career you took help of so many people and deserted many."

"Say truthfully isnt it a fact that you (Kumar) had come to my house with folded hands to join forces for the 2015 Bihar poll and pleaded that now we have grown old so give me (Kumar) one term ... But after he saw Tejashwi Yadav doing good work, he tried to make him a sacrificial goat to have several terms as CM," he said.

Barring Tejashwi, the rest failed to deliver in the coaltion government, Prasad claimed.

Nitish Kumar had resigned on July 26 after Tejashwi Yadav did not come clean on accusations of graft and refused to quit. After dumping the Grand Alliance he formed a coalition government with BJP a few hours later, saying it was "in the interest of Bihar."

On Kumars claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would face little challenge in the 2019 general elections, Prasad ridiculed him, saying "Keep chanting the name of Narendra Modi ... PM material (Nitish Kumar) has surrendered before him but we will give another face against him in 2019."

Continuing his tirade against Kumar, the RJD supremo called him a "lost case" for joining hands with BJP again. "Despite carrying their (BJP) baggage or a saffron robe on your shoulder you (Kumar) can be given a farewell by them (BJP) anytime." He accused Kumar of "conspiring" with the BJP to get a case instituted against him in connection with the land for hotels deal relating to the period when the RJD chief was railway minister under UPA 1.

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"Is a raid on the house of the deputy chief minister (Tejashwi) possible without the consent of the CM?"

Prasad accused Kumar of being "dishonest" to the Grand Alliance since its inception. "Giving 40 seats to Congress in the Bihar assembly polls leaving 101 seats each for JD(U) and RJD was his strategy to join hands with the Congress at some point of time after dumping us from the government."

Prasad also accused the chief minister of "undermining" senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav who, he said, contributed a lot to making Kumar a "big leader".

The RJD leader said he has offered Yadav to "come out from there (the JD-U) and join hands with secular parties to protect the country from communal forces". He, however, clairified that Yadav has not been requested to join the RJD but be part of a country-wide movement against communal forces. On Kumars statement that he was confusing "caste base" with "mass base" to claim he (Prasad) was merely a caste leader, the RJD chief shot back, saying "Tell me who participated in the Kurmi (a caste) sammelan? Have I ever participated in any function of the Yadav caste?"

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Prasad alleged that an MLC and a Rajya Sabha MP close to the chief minister had collected "huge" sums of money in his name.

The RJD chief was particularly critical of Kumar for his claim that he had helped him (Prasad) win the election for the post of president of Patna University students union. "When I became general secretary of Patna University students union in 1970-71, Nitish Kumar was not even visible in student politics. Besides students hailing from OBC, minorities and dalits, a large number of girls of Patna Womens college and Magadh Mahila college had voted for me," he said.

Prasad, a product of the 1974 Jayaprakash Narayan-led movement, said, "After JP authorised me to form a committee to continue the movement, leaders like Ravi Shankar Prasad (now Union minister) and others had objected and JP kicked them out of his house."

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The RJD chief said he became member of Parliament for the first time in 1977 after he got ticket to contest under instructions from JP. "But Kumar, who claims he is a machine that manufactures leaders, lost Assembly elections twice in 1977 and 1980 from his home constituency of Harnaut."

He claimed that it was only after he asked Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav to shift to Ara Lok Sabha seat and made his son an MLC that Kumar could enter Parliament from Barh. Prasad said he had agreed to Kumar becoming the Grand Alliances chief ministerial candidate following a request from the then Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"I knew he (Kumar) was a trecherous man but Mulayam Singh had asked me to agree. I had then said to keep communal and fascist forces away I am even prepared to consume poison," he said. PTI SNS KK SK

--- ENDS ---
On the night that Ralph Northam won the Democratic primary for governor, anti-pipeline demonstrators disrupted the event by storming the stage.

At the first debate between Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie, an anti-pipeline demonstrator tried to shout down the proceedings.

In between, Northam has been dogged by people upset over his position on the pipeline  which is basically to take no position on the grounds that its a federal issue. A writer on the liberal website Blue Virginia said she was seething angry about Northams non-position. The vice chair of the Waynesboro Democratic Party said she wouldnt vote for Northam unless he has a change of heart about this issue. Two Nelson County activists told a Richmond magazine they intend to write in no pipeline rather than vote for Northam. All this raises the obvious question: Just how big a problem is the pipeline for Northam?

Lets try to quantify the answer. First, though, lets pose a philosophical question: Why are some environmentalists so upset with Northam? Hes essentially stating the truth: This is mostly a federal issue. To the extent the state government is involved, he says hell let science determine whether the Department of Environmental Quality issues the relevant permits for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline and the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Thats assuming the decision even comes under the next governors watch; it could all be decided before then.

For pipeline activists to fixate on Northam seems to focus on the wrong problem. Of course, what those activists really want is a candidate who says he will politicize the process by dictating a particular outcome  their outcome. That might be good for this particular decision, but seems a dangerous precedent to set. Northams let science be the guide answer isnt the one they want, but Gillespie supports both pipelines outright  why arent pipeline opponents complaining about him? The answer, of course, is that environmentalists expect a Republican to support fossil fuels; they feel Northam represents a betrayal of Democratic values, or at least what they think Democratic values ought to be. They seem to have forgotten that one of the biggest proponents of natural gas in recent years was Barack Obama. By undermining a candidate who has a neutral position, they actually make it easier for a pipeline champion to win. How does that make sense?

In any case, none of that logic matters. The point is certain environmentalists are upset with Northam. How much will this cost him in November?

First, lets keep this number in mind: 56,435. Thats how many votes Democrat Terry McAuliffe won by four years ago  in the closest governors race weve had in nearly three decades. Every election starts from zero, but its useful to know what the closest margin has been.

Next, lets look at the map. The two pipelines go almost exclusively through counties that vote Republican  usually heavily so. If voters along the pipeline routes are upset, why wouldnt Gillespie suffer the most? The answer is that Republican voters arent particularly moved by environmental concerns; Democrats are. Still, the Democratic vote in some of these so counties is so slight  McAuliffe couldnt even win 25 percent of the vote in Augusta County last time  would it matter?

If Northam lost every Democratic vote in a county crossed by the Mountain Valley Pipeline or the main line of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, it would cost him 73,062 votes. That would wipe out McAuliffes margin from 2013, but not the winning margins of our two other most recent Democratic governors, Tim Kaine (113,615) or Mark Warner (96,943).

Since its unrealistic to imagine every Democrat in those pipeline counties deserting Northam, how big a deal are any pipeline defections? The sheer size of the electorate between the 2009 and 2013 governors races increased by 255,968 and will increase again this fall. Whats wrong with losing a few votes in some rural counties when there are even more votes to be had in, say, Northern Virginia, which is where Democrats roll up their votes anyway?

There are at least two possible answers to consider.

One, of course, is the election might be closer than it was in 2013. Just because Democrats now hold all our statewide offices doesnt mean theyre a lock to win this time. Mark Herring won the attorney generals race last time by just 165 votes. Every vote counts.

The other answer is that you dont have to live along the pipeline route to be concerned about the pipeline. Thats where things become more dangerous for Northam. His hands off position on the pipeline could de-incentivize a lot of environmental-minded votes across the state. We already know that Democrats have a hard time getting their voters to turn out in off-year elections; they tend to be more focused on national issues than state ones. (So much for think globally, act locally, eh?) This is one reason why Northam is spending so much time talking about President Trump.

So just how many environmental voters are there? The recent Monmouth University poll, which showed the race tied, asked respondents what their top two concerns were. Of those polled, 37 percent said health care, 25 percent said jobs, 20 percent said the economy, another 20 percent said schools. The environment didnt even make the top ten. It was ranked 11th, cited by just 5 percent of those survey. That doesnt sound like very much.

On the other hand, if those 5 percent are single-issue voters  and withheld their support from Northam  that would make a very big difference. In 2013, that would have been 112,053 votes. Take those away from McAuliffe and Ken Cuccinelli would be governor today. The bigger problem is that Northams above-the-fray position on the pipeline signals to certain Democrats that hes not a true progressive  as the most liberal party activists prefer to style themselves. Theyre not necessarily wrong. Northam voted for George W. Bush. Twice. Hes basically an old-school centrist Democrat who has had to move further left than he probably wants to accommodate his party. Thats reassuring to a lot of people in the business community. Northam is a governor they could do business with. But it doesnt fire up some party activists.

Northam is probably right on the policy here, but out of step on the politics.
Here is a blow-by-blow account of how top Lashkar terrorist was cornered and killed by the security forces in Kashmir after he was located in his wife's house.

By India Today Web Desk: After the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last year, the encounter of Lashkar-e-Taiba's top commander Abu Dujana in Kashmir Valley is being hailed as another feather in the cap of security forces in the trouble-torn Kashmir.

Dujana, a Pakistani terrorist and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)'s divisional commander in south Kashmir, was among the top 10 terrorists identified by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir.

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With a Rs 15 lakh bounty on his head, Dujana was labelled an 'A++' terrorist - the top grade which was also given to Burhan Wani.

Dujana had on earlier occasions escaped from the clutches of the security forces who had been after him for quite a while. But this time he wasn't lucky enough.

Security forces received inputs that during the last few days he was frequenting the houses of his wife Rukaiya and girlfriend Shazia. Police was keeping a watch on both the houses and at midnight it was confirmed he was present in his wife's house.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ABU DUJANA'S ENCOUNTER: Last evening, the security forces received intelligence inputs about the presence of Abu Dujana in Hakripora village near Pulwama. And after midnight, it was confirmed that the target was present in the house. At about 3 am, the troops started laying the cordon around the place and in no time, the joint team of Jammu and Kashmir police and Army's 55 Rashtriya Rifles had completed the task by 4 am. The inmates in the house, which included Dujana's wife and her parents, were told to leave. The family was then asked to persuade the Pakistani to surrender. He refused, triggering the gunbattle around 8.30 am. Dujana started firing at troops who retaliated in a heavy manner as the house was in an isolated location. The gunfire continued for some time but Dujana and his accomplice Arif Nabi Dar were killed by 9.30 am. Abu Dujana was a slippery character but helped the security forces indirectly in a big way when the police recovered his iPhone 7 in a car from which he had escaped a few months ago. Top sources said the terrorist was in frequent touch with local girls as per the technical intelligence provided by tech cells. This also revealed that he was in frequent touch with his handlers in Pakistan including Syed Salahuddin. Dujana had been appointed the head of LeT in Kashmir in October 2015. The police cracked the phone with the help of foreign firms and got hold of a lot of his contacts and used the numbers to follow them. The numbers were used to track down terrorists movement in Kashmir and one of them Bashir Lashkari was followed and killed in one such operation. The phone also gave away the contacts of overground workers helping the terrorist network of Lashkar in Kashmir.

(Inputs from Manjeet Negi and Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu)

Also read:

Abu Dujana killed: List of Kashmir's 10 most wanted terrorists

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Abu Dujana killed in Pulwama encounter

Also watch:

Abu Dujana encounter one of the biggest successes of security forces, says DG CRPF

--- ENDS ---
Police at the scene of the raid

A SUSCEPTIBLE getaway driver who was recruited by two career criminals to take part in an armed raid on a bank walked free from court after a judge praised him for helping to bring his accomplices to justice.

Jason Heppenstall (28) was handed a suspended two year jail term for robbery at Sheffield Crown Court this morning (Tuesday) after judge Julian Goose QC said it was appropriate to suspend the sentence.

Heppenstall, of Langdon Walk, Kimberworth Park, confessed to police in March 2016 about his involvement in the armed robbery two months earlier on the Yorkshire Bank in Parkgate because he felt guilty about the harm inflicted upon the victims.

Sheffield Crown Court heard Heppenstall named his girlfriends dad, Paul Smith (55), of The Coppice, Kimberworth, and Michael Lydon (53), of Fairview Avenue, Cleethorpes, as the balaclava-wearing armed robbers who stole 126,660 in the raid on January 29 last year.

Smith and Lydon, armed with crowbars and a fake handgun, rounded staff up as they opened up the Broad Street bank and emptied the cash machine and safe.

Driver Heppenstall, who was waiting outside, got cold feet and drove back to his home while the pair made their bungled escape which saw them threatening police officers and running over a woman as they stole her van.

Heppenstall returned to the area after calls from the armed robbers and picked them up in his own car at Wilsons Carpets car park in Parkgate  which led to police identifying him.

After Hepenstalls confession to police Smith admitted the offences, but Lydon denied seven offences and went on trial at Sheffield Crown Court where he was convicted last Friday and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years.

Smith was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 13 years for two charges of robbery, two of possession of an imitation firearm and one each of making use of an imitation firearm with intent, attempted robbery and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

But Heppenstall was handed a two-year jail term, suspended for two years, after Judge Goose said his evidence against Smith and Lydon gave substantial assistance to the prosecution which led to the conviction of Lydon and the plea of guilt by Smith.

See this weeks Advertiser for the full story.
Police at the scene on Broom Valley Road

A RENTED property was used to produce methamphetamine  a drug more harmful than heroin or cocaine, a court heard.

Nehdi Tajabidi (31), of Broom Valley Road, Rotherham, Mehdi Esmacpoor (38), of Farm Drive, Rawmarsh, Luliana Otaraseanu (30) of Manor Fields Close, Kimberworth, and Mohammed Chernarli (30) of Mary Hill Road, Glasgow, all deny conspiracy to produce the class A drug at a rented Broom property.

Opening their trial on Monday at Sheffield Crown Court, prosecutor Mr David Gordon said the four played different roles in the methamphetamine cooking operation, some greater and some lesser.

He said: They in fact produced the drug by a kind of chemical process which involved treating some base compound with further commercially available ingredients and so extracting the useful and wholly prohibited drug from the base compound by filtration and evaporation.

There is evidence that these four defendants over a period of several months in later 2015 and the first half of 2016 made repeated purchases of acetone and toluene  commercially available substances  from retail and wholesale outlets in Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire which they then took back to this rented address at 37, Broom Valley Road.

The production process was interrupted in May 2016 by the police who had had the defendants under surveillance for a significant period of time and had monitored, documented and indeed on a number of occasions, filmed and photographed their movements and activities.

Mr Gordon said methamphetamine was more harmful to users and nearby residents than heroin or cocaine because of its addictiveness and risks associated with its clandestine production.

Mr Gordon said: Potential physical harm related to this drug includes neurotoxic effects on the brain, damage to the lungs and teeth  known as meth mouth  as well as severe addiction.

Further harm can result from injecting the drug including transmission of HIV and hepatitis.

Police closed in on the operation on May 23, 2016 and arrested Esmacpoor, Chernarli and Otaraseanu as they were travelling south on the M6 in Cumbria.

Tajabidi was arrested the next day when police raided the Broom address where they found large quantities of chemicals and equipment such as plastic drums, large filters and sieves which contained methamphetamine.

The prosecutor said Esmacpoor and Chernarli made no comment upon their arrest, but Otaraseanu said: I lead normal life, I have done nothing wrong.

The trial continues.
A 41-year-old who was convicted of raping and murdering a three year old girl was publicly executed in Sanaa's Tahrir Square.

By Reuters: Muhammad al-Maghrabi, accused of raping and murdering a three-year old girl, was publicly executed on Monday in Sanaa's Tahrir Square in Yemen.

A policeman fired five bullets from an assault rifle into Muhammad al-Maghrabi, 41, as he lay with his hands handcuffed behind his back on a blanket on the ground in Sanaa's Tahrir Square, after a judge read out the death sentence.

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The execution drew an unusually large number of onlookers, some perched up telegraph poles and many watching from rooftops, because of the young age of Rana al-Matari, the victim.

Security was tight amid fears of a revenge attack on Maghrabi by armed tribesmen related to his victim. The police truck transporting Maghrabi to the square was escorted by five police patrol vehicles.

Yahya al-Matari, the father of the girl, told reporters after the execution that he felt as if he had been reborn. "This is the first day in my life," he said. "I am relieved now."

--- ENDS ---
The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations approved its FY2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which prioritizes funding for many transportation projects on July 27.

The bill provides more than $19.47 billion in discretionary appropriations for the U.S. Department of Transportation for FY2018, which is $978 million above the FY2017 enacted level. The legislation also preserves funding for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program; which received $550 million in the bill ($50 million above the FY2017 enacted level). The bill also provides $92.5 million for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grants program, of which $35.5 million is for initiation or restoration of passenger rail, $26 million for Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair grants and $5 million for Restoration and Enhancement grants.

The U.S. House version of the FY2018 THUD bill would eliminate the TIGER program and redirect the funds toward Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair grants.

The Senate THUD bill would fund the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) with $1.97 billion; $122 million above the FY2017 enacted level. Amtrak would also be funded at $1.6 billion for the Northeast Corridor and National Network, continuing service for all current routes. The bill also provides $250.1 million for FRA safety and operations, as well as research and development activities.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is appropriated $12.12 billion, $285 below FY2017 enacted levels with transit formula grants totaling $9.733 billion, consistent with the FAST Act. The bill provides a total of $2.133 billion for Capital Investment Grants (New Starts), fully funding all current Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) transit projects, which is $280 million below the FY2017 enacted level.

The bill also includes $272 million for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to help address safety concerns related to recent pipeline and crude oil by rail accidents.

Our economy and the well-being of the American people benefit from responsible investments in American infrastructure and community development. This bill continues federal funding to support these objectives, said Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.).

Our bill strikes the right balance between thoughtful investment and fiscal restraint, thereby setting the stage for future economic growth, said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairman of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. Our bill strikes the right balance between thoughtful investment and fiscal restraint, thereby setting the stage for future economic growth.
Taiwanese giant Foxconn's Technology Group, which assembles Apple Inc.'s iPhones, is nearing a decision to invest in Wisconsin for producing display panels, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The company is said to hold an event in Washington, D.C., as soon as this week to discuss U.S. investment plans.

In Wisconsin, the company is looking at producing display panels that can be used in large-screen televisions, the report said. Foxconn is also looking in the Detroit area for a possible plant.

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., was one of the first companies to announce plans to invest billions to help create jobs a month after Donald Trump was elected president. Foxconn was said to evaluate potential locations and discussing options with government officials in the United States.

As per the WSJ report, Foxconn, which makes the iPhone for Apple and Xbox for Microsoft, has said publicly that it is looking at seven states in the U.S., where it would invest a total of $10 billion or more to manufacture flat-panel screens and related equipment.

In June, a company executive reportedly identified the seven as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
(Agencia CMA Latam) - The governments of Mexico and Japan on Monday ratified a bilateral free trade agreement as part of the visit by the Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso to Japan.

Officials underscored the relevance of the bilateral economic relationship, which has surpassed US$ 21.5 billion, placing Japan as Mexico's third largest trading partner. Japan is the only country in Asia with which Mexico has a free trade agreement in force.

During the meeting, Caso and his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, highlighted as "excellent" the bilateral relations and the increase in direct investment in Mexico, which attracted more than a thousand Japanese companies to the country.

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Colombian businessman Enrique Ghisays was sentenced to seven years in prison for money laundering and illicit enrichment. He is the first person formally convicted in Colombia in the Odebrecht corruption case.

According to the court, Ghisays lent its bank accounts for the entry of US$ 6.5 million sent by Brazil's Odebrecht to secure the delivery of road contracts in the Ruta del Sol II project. This money was "collected" by Gabriel Garcia Morales, the National Institute of Concessions' director at the time. He is also a former-vice-minister of Transport.

According to the investigation by the Colombian Attorney General, both Enrique and his brother Eduardo Ghisays, also arrested, lent their company Lurion Trading to "legalize" the money received from the Brazilian firm. For this illegal act, the brothers Ghisays Manzur collected US$ 750,000.

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Shares of Direct Line Insurance Group PLC (DLG.L) were gaining around 6 percent in the morning trading in London after the company reported higher profit in its first half with increased premium. The company also lifted its dividend significantly, and reiterated outlook.

For the first half, profit before tax climbed 14.4 percent to 341.4 million pounds from last year's 298.5 million pounds. Profit after tax grew 16.8 percent to 275.5 million pounds.

Basic earnings per share improved 17.4 percent to 20.2 pence from 17.2 pence last year.

Gross written premium grew 5 percent to 1.69 billion pounds from 1.61 billion pounds last year. Net earned premium was 1.55 billion pounds, up 4.6 percent from 1.48 billion pounds a year ago.

Further, the company said its Board is rebasing the regular dividend up 38.8%, increasing the interim dividend to 6.8p3. In addition, the company expects to operate around the middle of its Solvency II capital coverage ratio range of 140% to180%, in the normal course of

The company also reiterated 93% to 95% combined operating ratio target for 2017 and also extend this ambition over the medium term.

In London, the shares were trading at 395.80 pence, up 5.66 percent.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The U.S. Government has announced sanctions against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in response to what the White House described as "Maduro regime's recent anti-democratic actions."

In a controversial election at the weekend, boycotted by the Opposition, a new Constituent Assembly was elected to draw up a new constitution that has the potential to fundamentally change the rules in favour of Maduro.

At least 10 people were killed when the security forces tried to suppress spiralling anti-government protests. Two opposition leaders were re-arrested charging them of inciting violence.

Monday, U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added Maduro to its list of specially-designated nationals.

In a news conference, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced that all assets of Maduro subject to U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, and U.S. persons are prohibited from dealing with him.

He warned that anyone who participates in the illegitimate National Constituent Assembly could be exposed to future U.S. sanctions for their role in undermining democratic process and institutions in Venezuela.

Calling Maduro "a dictator," U.S National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said the United States will work with its partners to hold accountable all those responsible for the escalating violence and ongoing human rights violations in Venezuela.

The Trump administration did not mention any restrictions on export of light crude oil to Venezuela or curbing oil imports from the major oil producing country. It could undermine Maduro's government, raise U.S. gas prices and deepen the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, a country that heavily depends on oil to survive.

Top Republican Senator Marco Rubio said the sanctions imposed on Maduro are warranted. He called on President Trump to keep his commitment to impose economic sanctions on the regime if they convene "the illegitimate Constituent Assembly."

Leaders across the Americas and Europe labelled the election, in which not even half of the voters took part, as illegitimate.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Citing unchecked corruption breeding in the university by not forming governing bodies in the 28 fully and partially funded colleges, Sisodia tweeted the guideline.

The deputy CM said the colleges did not form governing bodies as per norm.

By Mail Today Bureau: In a major blow to Delhi University (DU), deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia has decided to discontinue financial aid to 28 colleges, including prominent ones such as Gargi College, Kamala Nehru College, Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Shaheed Rajguru College, Maharaja Agrasen College and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College.

Citing unchecked corruption breeding in the university by not forming governing bodies in the 28 fully and partially funded colleges, Sisodia tweeted the guideline and said, "Have ordered finance department to stop funding for Delhi government funded 28 Delhi University colleges, as DU is not willing to form governing bodies for last 10 months."

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"I cannot allow unchecked corruption and irregularities to be sustained on Delhi government funds in the name of education," Sisodia tweeted, sending the varsity officials in a panic.

Calling the move political, DU dean of colleges Devesh Sinha said, "The university has been following guidelines to formulate the governing bodies with due caution. The governing bodies are scrutinised thoroughly by our executive council by including representatives from all cited fields like education, law, media and sports."

He added that the university has assured the Delhi government by writing to them and ensuring that governing bodies in the government-run colleges will be constituted by August.

The move is likely to have an impact on the long awaited appointment of permanent principals and faculty members. Currently, due to the absence of governing bodies, nearly 26 colleges of the varsity are being run by officiating or "acting principals".

The government funds 28 colleges of DU, out of which 12 are fully funded and include Maharaja Agrasen College, Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Shaheed Rajguru College, Maharaja Agrasen College and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College.

The government also partially funds 16 colleges by providing 5 per cent of the financial aid, which includes Gargi College, Kamala Nehru College, Institute of Home Economics, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College (morning and evening) and Sri Aurobindo College (morning and evening).

ALSO READ |

EC drive at DU to allow students without voter ID cards to apply Delhi BJP divided over DU reservation debate

Wanted: DU professor's picture with mother at temple is 'provocative' to some in West Bengal

--- ENDS ---
South Carolina Electric & Gas Co., principal subsidiary of SCANA Corp. (SCG), has announced its plans to stop construction of the two new nuclear projects at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, Sourth Carolina.

The company said it will promptly file a petition with the Public Service Commission of South Carolina seeking approval of its abandonment plan.

The utility company said it reached a conclusion it would not be in the best interest of its customers and other stakeholders to continue construction of the project.

This decision was reached by SCE&G after considering the additional costs to complete the units, the uncertainty regarding the availability of production tax credits for the project and the amount of anticipated guaranty settlement payments from Toshiba. The project has been plagued by billions of dollars in cost overruns, stagnant demand for electricity and competition from cheap natural gas plants and renewables.

The bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric, the lead contractor and the designer of the AP1000 reactor also affected the project.NuclearPower-080117.jpg

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Shares of FMCG player Marico today fell 2.5 per cent after the company reported an 11.92 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit for the first quarter ended June 30.

The scrip declined 2.50 per cent to settle at Rs 325.20 on BSE. During the day, it lost 4.99 per cent to Rs 316.90.

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At NSE, shares of the company slipped 2.49 per cent to close at Rs 326.35.

In volume terms, 6.67 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 52 lakh shares changed hands at NSE during the day.

Marico today reported an 11.92 per cent decline in its consolidated net profit to Rs 235.94 crore for the first quarter ended June 30 on account of reduction in sales due to transition to the GST regime.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 267.90 crore during the same period previous fiscal, Marico said in a BSE filing.

Total income from operations during the quarter under review stood at Rs 1,715.28 crore as against Rs 1,781.78 crore in the April-June quarter of 2016-17, down 3.73 per cent. PTI SUM ABM

--- ENDS ---
Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's house arrest has been extended by another two months.

By Press Trust of India: Authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province have extended the house arrest of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed for another two months to maintain public order.

Saeed, the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, has been under house arrest since January 31 this year. His detention had been extended for three more months in April.

On January 31, Saeed and his four close aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain) were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

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This time Saeed's house arrest has been extended under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order.

In a notification issued on July 28, the Punjab Government Home Department said on the recommendation of the federal interior ministry the detention of the activist - Saeed - has been extended for another 60 days. It said Saaed and others detention expired on July 27.

According to the notification, "The Counter Terrorism Department has reported that keeping in view the expected release of said activist (Saeed) and other leaders and workers of said organisations (JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat) they have planned to spread chaos in the country. They have planned to make demonstrations under the leadership of Saeed."

"He will be portrayed as a hero and his acts will be glorified. Abdul Rehman Makki who is the central leader of the JuD has been making preparations for the purpose and has launched a secret campaign to muster support of the workers," the notification said.

SAEED'S LIBERTY A CONTINUOUS THREAT

It said the "liberty" of Saeed is a continuous threat to the peace and tranquility in the country.

The notification further said that the District Intelligence Committee Lahore separately said that Saeed would create law and order situation upon his release.

Additional Home Secretary Azam Suleman believes that the activities of Saeed are "prejudicial to public safety and maintenance of public order".

"Thereby the Home Department in exercise of powers conferred under sub-section 1 of Section-3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance 1960 Hafiz Saeed is detained for a period of 60 days with effect from July 28, 2017."

A Lahore High Court bench headed by Justice Abdul Sami Khan, which was scheduled to announce the verdict today on the detention of Saeed and four others, deferred its verdict for an indefinite period.

The court had reserved the decision on June 7 after the Punjab government law officer submitted a reply and Saeed's counsel advocate A K Dogar completed his arguments.

Also Read:

Hafiz Saeed spreading terrorism in name of jihad, says Pakistan

Terrorism framework gets a revamp in PoK in a bid to foment trouble in India

Unfair to say China is colonising us: Outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit tells India Today

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Watch | Hafiz Saeed detention: Why India does not believe Pakistan?

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Ahmedabad, Aug 1 (PTI) Retired Gujarat IPS officer D G Vanzara, who was today discharged by a special court in the alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati, said truth has finally prevailed and the verdict has vindicated his stand that these encounters were genuine.

Expressing gratitude towards the judiciary for discharging him, Vanzara also said that he would also get "justice" in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case.

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"I have been saying since the beginning that all these encounters were genuine. They were not fake. Now, when I am finally discharged by the court, it is now established that I was framed in false cases. This judgement vindicated my stand about encounters," Vanzara told PTI.

He, however, refused to put the blame on the erstwhile central government or on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"Whatever happened in the past is now past. I do not want to say anything about it. I just want to say thanks to the judiciary, which had always been fair to me. Though justice is delayed, it is not denied," Vanzara, who spent nearly eight years behind the bars before being released on bail in 2015, said.

"It was indeed very painful to spend almost eight years behind bars. It was nothing short of torture. I lost eight golden years behind bars and also retired during my imprisonment. But, I have left everything behind now. Past is past. I take life positively," he said.

Earlier today, the special CBI court in Mumbai discharged Vanzara and Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh M N in the case of alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati.

He also exuded confidence that those who were still facing the charges in this case would eventually get "justice".

"I have a very high regard for judiciary, as I was given relief by it in the past too. I am sure that I would get similar justice in Ishrat case. I am also confident that other officers would get justice eventually," he said.

However, Vanzara is still facing murder charges in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case, as the trial is still pending.

Vanzara was arrested on April 24, 2007 by CID crime in connection with the 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, which was then handed over to CBI.

Vanzara was heading the Gujarat ATS when the alleged fake encounter took place.

In September 2014, the Mumbai court had given bail to Vanzara in the Soharabuddin Sheikh encounter case. Later in 2015, he was also granted bail in Ishrat case, following which, he came out of jail.

Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra.

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Sheikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005, after which his wife disappeared and was believed to have been done to death.

Prajapati, an aide of the gangster and an eyewitness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by police at Chapri village in Gujarats Banaskantha district in December 2006. Vanzara was the Deputy IG of Border Range when the alleged encounter took place.

The Sohrabuddin killing case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of CBI for a fair trial.

In 2013, the Supreme Court had clubbed the alleged fake encounter case of Prajapati with that of Sheikh. PTI PJT PD NP ARK

--- ENDS ---
By SA Commercial Prop News

The 2014 State of the Nation Address (SONA) by Jacob Zuma will be delivered in the context of the job creation and economic infrastructure development.



The 2014 State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Jacob Zuma will be delivered in the context of the job creation and economic infrastructure development.

Zuma will deliver his State of the Nation address in Parliament today live on television from 7pm.

The address will be his last as president of the current government, before the elections on 7 May this year.

This year's State of the Nation address will cost R2-million less than it did last year, Parliament's presiding officers announced on Tuesday.

The event, during which President Zuma is expected to outline the progress made by his administration over the past five years and indicated the government's service delivery plans for the coming year.

Analysts were widely expecting Zuma to focus on the ANC government's achievements in the 20 years since the country's first democratic elections in 1994.

Half of South African adults believe that President Zuma and his government are not doing their jobs well, market research company Ipsos said on Wednesday.

These were the results of face-to-face interviews with 3564 randomly selected adult South Africans who were interviewed in their homes and home languages, Ipsos SA's director of public affairs Mari Harris said in a statement.

The interviews were conducted in November last year. Fifty four percent of respondents said Zuma was not doing well.

Of the remaining 46 percent, 17 percent said Zuma was doing very well and 29 percent said he was doing fairly well.

Two State of the Nation addresses

Earlier, National Council of Provinces chairperson Mninwa Mahlangu said Parliament had "definitely taken into account what treasury said about tightening our belts".



He was referring to an announcement by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, made in his medium-term budget policy statement last year, of severe cuts to government perks.



Mahlangu said there would be two State of the Nation addresses this year.



"In a general election year, like this one, there are two State of the Nation addresses, one in February, and another one after the election and the establishment of a new Parliament."



The general election is set to take place on May 7.



Banquet 'cheaper' this year

Responding to a question, National Assembly speaker Max Sisulu said a date for the second address had not been set, but it would be shortly after the election.



Mahlangu stressed that Thursday's event was not the opening of Parliament because the institution had resumed work last month, with a constituency period and an "intense" committee programme.



Thursday's event will be a full ceremonial occasion. It will start at 4pm, with MPs, Cabinet ministers and guests arriving at Parliament's Poorthuys entrance.



As in previous years, there will be processions of dignitaries, including members of the judiciary and provincial premiers, up Parliament Street to the National Assembly.



Zuma's address

Zuma will arrive in time to take the national salute at 6.55pm from a podium in front of the building. This will include a 21-gun salute and a fly-past by aircraft of the South African Air Force. The president's address will be broadcast live.



On preparations at Parliament, Mahlangu said he could say with confidence that all was on track.
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Aug 1 (PTI) The basic principle of Nepals foreign policy is to maintain close and harmonious ties with both India and China with whom it has commercial and cultural relations, Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said today.

"We have extensive political, economic, commercial and cultural relations with both the neighbours," Mahara, who is also the foreign minister, said while talking to a team of National Defence College of Bangladesh at his office here.

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Nepals relations with its neighbouring countries (India and China) in south Asia have remained strong, warm and friendly, he said.

The visit of the Bangladeshi team is a reflection of the close and cordial relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh, which is marked by profound goodwill, cooperation and understanding, Mahara said.

"We do not compare our relations with one country with that of the other. Bases and factors determining friendship and cooperation are different for each country and each bilateral relation is unique," the deputy prime minister said.

Nepal has been working closely with its friendly neighbours in South Asia bilaterally, and within South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) framework in order to strengthening democratic values and socio-economic development of its people, Mahara added.

Recently, India has extended Nepalese Rupees 66.44 million as financial assistance for the construction of school buildings in Nepal.

Nepal and China last month signed an agreement to set up a border law enforcement centre to manage and curb border related crimes "while respecting each others sovereignty". PTI SBP CPS AKJ CPS

--- ENDS ---
Dear Editor

Re: U.S. Ambassador defends Trump, turns on China

Interesting to note that U.S. as the only nation to have contributed to the UN Green Fund.

U.S. gave $1Bn dollars. China zilch Russia zilch Germany zilch India zilch.etc

So I guess its easy to understand why Trump pulled out of the Paris Accord (not a Treaty which is binding).

Renegotiating so that it doesnt penalize America.

Some say it was illegal anyway as it did not go through Congress as it was constitutionally required.

The U.S. is ahead of targets set in Paris Accord. Samoa should through the US ambassador request climate change assistance.

Iona
A new tool facilitated by the World Bank will enable Pacific Island countries to map areas for solar power generation at the click of a button, and help investors and policymakers identify potential sites for this renewable energy.

Launched at the Pacific Power Association (P.P.A) Conference in Apia, Samoa, these solar maps are the most detailed of their kind and are available for free via the World Banks web-based tool Global Solar Atlas - http://globalsolaratlas.info/.

First launched in January 2017, the Global Solar Atlas displays the annual average for solar power potential, and has the capacity to zoom into areas in great detail (with a spatial resolution of 1 km, or 0.6 of a mile).

The tool also provides access to high resolution global and regional maps, as well as geographic information system (G.I.S) data, enabling users to print poster maps and utilize the data in other applications.

These maps, based on satellite atmospheric and meteorological data, provide investors and solar energy developers with an easily accessible and uniform platform that enables the comparison of resource potential between sites in one region or across multiple countries.

The World Bank is seeing greater interest from our clients in solar power, largely due to a dramatic drop in solar prices over the past few years. We hope that the Global Solar Atlas will help inform the crucial planning and investment decisions needed over the next decade to shift to more sustainable forms of energy, said Riccardo Puliti, Senior Director and Head of the World Banks Energy & Extractives Global Practice.

A number of Pacific island states have committed to significant increases in renewable energy use, and solar power is a growing source of energy in the region.

These maps support further growth of solar energy and provide critical data for governments and investors to make investment decisions. CEOs of energy utilities in the Pacific took part in a demonstration of the new Global Solar Atlas tool held at the PPA Conference.

This new tool provides an initial indication of solar resource potential before governments and investors carry out their own more detailed analysis and will likely make it easier for Pacific island countries to adopt solar power where appropriate, said Andrew Daka, Executive Director, Pacific Power Association.

The Global Solar Atlas was funded by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (E.S.M.A.P), a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank, and was commissioned in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (I.F.C). It was developed by Solargis, a leading commercial provider of solar resource data. ESMAP is undertaking similar work on wind maps which are expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

While the data powering the Global Solar Atlas are the most recent and most accurate currently available, it is not fully validated in many developing countries due to the lack of ground-based measurement data from high precision solar radiation sensors. As part of the Sustainable Energy Industry Development Project, E.S.M.A.P is supporting the efforts of the Pacific Power Association to reduce the uncertainty of the existing maps, through a two-year solar and wind measurement campaign that is expected to provide higher quality data and therefore increase the confidence of potential commercial developers.

All of the data will be made publicly available through the Energydata.info platform.
Digicel Samoa today announced the appointment of Farid Mohammed as its new Chief Executive Officer, in a move designed to accelerate the introduction of new technology and deliver amazing experiences for customers.

A proven leader in the business, Farid understands customers and knows the business very well, having served since 2006 in other Digicel Pacific markets, including Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. Farid has previously served as Digicel Samoas Chief Financial Officer in 2012 and until recently as its Chief Operating Officer.

With Farids passion for delivering the best customer experience, he is going to take Digicel Samoa to the next level. Farid has our full support in his mission to deliver faster network speeds, fresh innovation, powerful new products and simplified service options to the people of Samoa, as he leads this leg of our Digicel 2030 transformation journey, said Colin Stone, CEO of Digicel Pacific Hub.

Commenting on the new role, Farid shared, Its a great time to be leading our customer-focused team as we pull out all the stops to create an awesome experience that puts customers more in control of their relationship with us. All of us are committed to building a Digicel for the future.

Born and raised in Lautoka, Fiji, Farid has developed a track record in innovation and customer satisfaction. Farid has applied his people-centred leadership approach in the areas of finance and commercial operations across several Digicel these markets. He is a full member of CPA Australia and an alumna of Whartons International Executive Programme for Future Leaders.
As a father, your work is cut out for you.

It has everything to do with providing for your family, enabling your children to succeed and protecting them from harm.

For Samu Fatu; he admits that its a challenging role.

The 55-year-old from Sataoa and Saanapu was on his way back from the plantation when he was approached by the Village Voice team.

A father is the head of the family and thats why I work twice as hard to support my family, he tells the Village Voice. Im responsible for my family, Im accountable about how I bring them up and raise my family.

A farmer, he said he does his best to provide food and money.

I also love working because its not for anybody else but for my loved ones; when I have enough strength on other days I sell crops sometimes to earn money for family, church and village obligations.

When I earn more than I usually do from the plantation then I put some money aside to help my childrens education.

I have five children and one of them has a family of his own now.

He added Its true that the mother is responsible for keeping the family together, she also plays the role of being an advisor to the children and responsible for most of the things in our homes but the father is the one who has the strength to work hard to develop the life of his children and also the one who has to be strong when things go wrong.

A word to all the fathers out there, dont push all your family duties on your wives, it is your job to make things easier for your family.

Mr. Fatu also added that he enjoys raising his children in the rural village.

Not only its peaceful but I think its the perfect place for them to learn the proper Samoan ways especially being respectful of people.
A 41-year-old man from Lano Savaii and Saleimoa has a simple plea for the government.

Lefao Tasi Stowers wants better roads.

Eventhough there are a lot of other problems, the one thing we mostly want improvement on are our roads, he said.

The Village Voice spoke with Lefao when he was waiting for the bus on the main road.

The buses do not operate around where he resides due to the bad condition of the roads. Taking a taxi there costs twice as much as it normally would.

He noted the need for the government to prioritise the maintenance of the roads at Saleimoa.

A hardworking man, Lefao works for the greater good of his small family.

Everything is well, with the electricity and the village, except we have problems with our water, sometimes.

Lefao earns money by selling home made bread (faapapa).

I believe, from the little business my wife and I are doing, we are earning more money as opposed to working elsewhere

For one thing, the people who are working normal jobs only get their salaries by Friday or so.

It takes a whole week maybe, but for us, doing this little business of our own, we get to earn more everyday.

Both Lefao and his wife used to work.

But they have decided to concentrate on working from home as it provides more money and they have the freedom to do other things.

Weve realised that we earn more than what we received weekly when we were working normal jobs, he said.

Money for their family is spent on usual utilities like electricity, water and house goods.

Getting back to the road, Lefao is pleading with the government to pay attention.

Our road is full of holes, its dirty and the dust is unbearable, he said.

We need help please.

Lefao further spoke to the Samoa Observer about the high cost of living. He said many people need help because it is very expensive.
By PTI: By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Aug 1 (PTI) Nepals major political parties are gearing up for the third phase of the local-level polls to be held in the Madhesi province next month after it was postponed by the government.

The third phase of the local polls held in two decades is scheduled to take place in eight districts including in Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Dhanusha, Saptari and Siraha of southern Nepal under the Madhesi-stronghold province No 2 on September 18.

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Three major political parties Nepali Congress, CPN- UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) have focused their activities on Province 2 in view of the third phase of local level elections scheduled for September 18, deploying top leaders to prepare the ground for the election, local media reported.

The Madhes-based political parties have also started their electoral preparation in various districts of the province No 2 ahead of the third phase of local polls.

However, the newly-formed Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has not yet decided whether to take part in the polls or not as the party has stuck to its earlier demand of an amendment to the Constitution to address their major demands.

Millions of Nepalese voted on June 28 in the second phase of the countrys first local-level polls in two decades as the Himalayan nation took a crucial step towards cementing democracy amid political turmoil.

In the first round of polls held on May 14 in Provinces 3, 4 and 6, voter turn out was recorded at 71 per cent.

Earlier, the Nepal government had postponed the date of elections in the disputed Madhesi-stronghold Province 2 by nearly three months and added a third phase in the polls.

Local-level elections could not be held after 1997 largely as a result of the decade-long Maoist insurgency that claimed more than 16,000 lives in Nepal.

Nepal has been witnessing political instability. Some Madhes-centric parties opposed the elections on the ground that the new Constitution be amended to accommodate their views: more representation in the Parliament and redrawing of provincial boundaries.

The Nepal government has tabled a new Constitution amendment bill in the Parliament to address the demands of the agitating Madhesis.

Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, launched a prolonged agitation between September 2015 and February last year against the implementation of the new Constitution which they felt marginalised the Terai community. PTI SBP MRJ AKJ MRJ

--- ENDS ---
Driving through Vaitele yesterday next to that multi-million-tala building the government had once promised as a goldmine for farmers was a sad experience.

You could not help but feel for the men and women selling fruits, produces and goods on the footpath under what looks like a tent in the boiling sun.

To be honest, it was hard to ignore the look on their faces. One of downhearted-ness and a deep sense of sadness. Perhaps it was a bad day, maybe they were just unhappy or maybe its just the way they are.

But that doesnt make sense. This is Samoa the land of the smiling people.

Well obviously not at Vaitele.

At about 12:30midday, that place was anything but a goldmine. Having cost the government a cool $5.7million tala to build, the building has been handed to a Chinese businessman while the few vendors there have been forced outside.

One elderly man told this writer it was a slow day in terms of business. He was selling ripe bananas and he had made four sales of $2 each. So for all his effort, he didnt have much to show for it and the look on his face said it all.

Lets not forget that he wouldve had to pay for the space he had to use  even though it was on the footpath  and then he wouldve also had to pay for transport home. Depending on how far he travelled to get to town, he was unlikely to have made an awful lot by the end of yesterday  if any at all.

But he wasnt alone. Other farmers had similar stories to tell.

Down the road in front of a big supermarket there, a young girl approached the writer offering some ear buds and lighters. Asked why she wasnt at school, she said: Im here with my mother to earn some money. She couldnt be more than 10 years old. The sight was heartbreaking.

But this young girl is among a growing number of young boys and girls hawking goods at all hours of the day. Over the past few years, the number has slowly but surely increased.

At some nights, it breaks your heart when you are about to hop in your car to go home and yet these young children are still hawking around fagusea, koko Samoa and air fresheners. Some of them come so dangerously close to being run over as they now have a new thing of spraying your car tyres expecting you to give them some money.

Ladies and gentlemen, these stories are not new. The trouble is they are becoming all too common in this country. Why are the stories from these people important?

Its simple really, if you want to know the truth about the state of a countrys economy; its best to assess it by the living standards of its ordinary citizens.

And by that were talking about farmers, market vendors and ordinary people of this country we see everyday. Their struggles mirror that of many others in this country. All you have to do is read the Village Voice about those stories of perennial hardships and difficulties in accessing very basic things like food, water and money.

Now over the years, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has repeatedly reassured that Samoas economy is not doing too bad at all. He reminded that many international organisations have labelled Samoa as the shining star of the Pacific because of its economic reforms.

Well thats nice to know.

Tuilaepa is correct when you drive through Beach Road. You would see all those aid-funded multi-million-tala infrastructures, which your children and their children will slave away to pay in years to come.

In this country, only a small percentage of the population control all the wealth. All the others have little  or none at all.

Among many families in urban and rural areas, the standard of living has become unacceptably poor. Given the lack of money and jobs, they can hardly cope with the demands of everyday life, both financially and emotionally.

That is why you sense such sadness. It is why driving through areas such as what used to be the Vaitele market is always sad. Have a good Wednesday Samoa, God bless!
The Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China, Wang Xuefeng, paid a courtesy call on His Highness Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, the new Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa and forwarded to the latter the congratulatory message from the President of the Peoples Republic of China, Xi Jinping. The congratulatory message is below:

Your Highness,

As you take office as Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, I would like to express warm congratulations and best wishes to Your Highness on behalf of the Chinese Government and people, and in my own name.

Recent years have witnessed good momentum in the development of China-Samoa relations, as evidenced by frequent exchanges at high-level and all other levels, constantly deepening political mutual trust and fruitful interactions and cooperation across the board. China-Samoa relations have set an example for Chinas friendly and cooperative relations with Pacific Island countries.

I attach great importance to our bilateral ties and stand ready to work with you to push China-Samoa Strategic Partnership to a new high, so as to better benefit our two countries and peoples.

Yours sincerely,

Xi Jinping

President of the Peoples

Republic of China

Beijing
The trial of a suspended Police officer, Aiolupotea Laauli Talataina, is underway before District Court Judge Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma.

The matter is prosecuted by lawyer, Ofisa Tagaloa of the Attorney Generals Office while the accused is represented by Leiataualesa Komisi Koria.

Aiolupotea is facing 10 criminal charges, which he has pleaded not guilty to - including the discharging of a firearm.

Constable Lene Epa who is the complainant told the Court yesterday that on 01 January 2016, the Tactical Operational Unit held a training at Malololelei early morning.

There, Laauli was armed with a firearm. He was on the field when he saw Laauli aiming the firearm and discharging it towards where he was standing.

I was scared so I walked up to where Laauli was standing and asked him why was he shooting towards where I was standing, said Constable Lene.

Laauli didnt say anything he just smiled and then he started shooting at the birds.

Constable Lene also told the Court of the incident involving Vaioleti Telesia.

I remember this day. It was the 1st of January 2016, we came back from one of the incidents that we responded to on that day and we went straight to the Apia Headquarters and we went straight inside our office (T.O.S.)."

It was I, Koko Kema and Junior Fereti that were in the T.O.S. office to wait for our leader to give instructions."

Not long after we were in the office, Laauli walked in with a bag that had the gun inside."

He opened the bag and brought out the gun and he cocked the gun and then all of sudden Vaileti Telesia opened the door."

Laauli then walked towards Vaioleti and he pointed the gun at Vaioletis head and asked what she wants. He asked her if she wanted him to shoot her."

Inspector Koko Kema then told Laauli not to do such thing and Laauli responded that he was just playing."

Then Inspector Koko Kema told Laauli not play around with the gun and thats when he turned around put the gun in the bag and walked out.

During cross-examination Leiataualesa asked Constable Lene about his dismissal from the Police over making false reports.

Isnt it true if I say that what you are saying in the court as well as your statement are all lies?"

Isnt it true that you made all these allegations against Laauli because you are still holding a grudge against him because he is the reason for your dismissal?"

Because it was while you have already been dismissed from the police that you came and filed a complaint against Laauli.

The lawyer refuted the incident in the office.

According to Laauli he took out the gun because he was cleaning it and thats when one of yous asked him about a flash light that was attached to the gun."

Laauli said he was showing you guys the flash light and when he went to point the flash light attached to the gun towards the Fire Station to see how strong the flash is thats when Vaioleti walked up to where he was pointing the flash light.

But Constable Lene disagreed.

His action was deliberate, he said.

He broke the law and for any police officer we took an oath to uphold the law and if we break the law we have to pay the price."

Laauli broke the law and so he has to pay the price and I had to report the matter because if not then he would think that its okay to play around with guns."

So Im not lying and I did not make these allegations up.

The hearing continues.
A foreign businessman accused of stealing from a local A.T.M. has pleaded not guilty to 40 criminal charges.

Catalin Razvan Veveritas plea was entered through his lawyer, Leiataualesa Komisi Koria, during criminal mention in the District Court yesterday.

Prosecuting the case was Vaisala Afoa of the Attorney Generals office.

District Court Judge Talasa Lumepa Atoa Saaga is presiding.

Information pertaining to the charges was not discussed in Court.

But the defendant who is out on bail sought for the Courts approval to leave the country.

He has a business in Vanuatu that he needs to attend to and that is the ground, Leiataualesa said.

However we would make a written application and set a date within weeks time if that is suitable.

Judge Atoa-Saaga asked the lawyer to file the application.

Defence Counsel noted that in order to make the application they need some of the documents that the police may have confiscated from his client.

I understand that not all the items that were confiscated are relevant to the investigation. We are happy for the police to retain some of those items that are not of evidence so I hope they can return some of those items that are not relevant for evidence to my client.

Judge Talasa informed the Defence Counsel to discuss the matter with the Prosecution and then advice the court.

The matter has been adjourned 15 November 2017 for hearing.
This is a great week for the Palale family, Samoa College and the Vailele E.F.K.S. as they rejoiced in seeing Theresa Palale graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering (in computers) from Griffith University.

A former dux of Samoa College and scholarship student to Australia, she has capped off a remarkable decade of academic achievements by being conferred with this hard to come by degree.

She is the daughter of Samoa College stalwart, Gagaeolo Palale and Kalala Palale.

Gagaeolo is known as a strong disciplinarian and his motivational sermons have inspired generations. Therefore it was not surprising to see his daughter graduate from one of Australias premier universities.

Theresa acknowledges the prayers of her many family and friends and she is forever indebted to her parents who are her biggest supporters and motivating force behind her unqualified success.

Also pictured in the photo is Asonei Leauga and she graduated with a Bachelor of Environmental Management.

Asonei is the daughter of Ann Leauga, one of the founders of Samoa Primary School.
The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Meg Taylor, has called for an innovative approach to cheaper electricity for the Pacific region.

She was speaking at the Pacific Power Associations (P.P.A.) 26th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition opened yesterday.

Held at Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel in Apia, more than 200 delegates from around the world are attending the discussions based on the theme Affordable Electricity for All.

Globally and throughout the region, governments have made a policy priority, said Taylor. The success or failure of this priority rests with key implementers of energy investment decisions such as yourselves.

Taylor reminded the participants about their key role in the issue of energy affordability.

Energy security is fundamental in achieving our social and economic development aspirations and national development strategies, she said.

As leaders of the various public utilities your understanding of the national vision and the involvement in the implementation and vital to bring energy policies and implemented successfully."

You all here are no strangers to the pressures in trying to balance your management decisions with policy demands.

Taylor pointed out that from a policy makers view, to ensure energy security they must have several pillars in particular accessibility, reliability, affordability and sustainability.

It means that rethinking the ways that energy is sourced, generated, distributed, cost and used."

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi welcomed all the participants of the conference to Samoa.

We are happy to host every years conference if you will allow us to do so, he said.

In the light of this years theme of affordable electricity for all, I believe every country in our region is committed to ensuring that our people have access to not only affordable electricity but also sustainable electricity supply."

Electricity supply in the region, are amongst the highest in the world."

It is therefore important to explore all possible renewable resources available, on our islands to completely remove our dependency on fossil fuel.

The conference is hosted by the Electric Power Corporation (E.P.C.). It is the second time E.P.C. is hosting having hosted the 5th Annual Conference in 1996.

The conference is made possible by the assistance of Diamond Sponsors, Electropar and Pacific Energy S.W.P. Limited.
The new $20 million public library branch for Mission Hills and Hillcrest , in the works for nearly 20 years, kicked off construction Monday with features that are promised to delight both kids and their families.

When it opens in January 2019, the 14,376-square-foot, Craftsman-style building will include a childrens area akin to the Hobbit houses seen in the Lord of the Rings movies and plenty of wood and trellises that will make reading and surfing the Internet a patrons delight.

The interior design is actually quite nice, said project architect Manuel Oncina, one of the regions most prolific library designers. It will have some great colors, particularly in the kids and teen areas. In the main reading room, its going to have this grand old library feeling.

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The one-story building, with two underground parking levels with 85 spaces, is being constructed on the south side of Washington Street between Front Street and First Avenue  adjacent to Florence Elementary School on the south and seven blocks east of the current, 3,850-square-foot branch, which opened in 1961 and has nine parking spaces.

In the works for decades, the project was delayed by the citys financial woes and finally made possible by two $5 million grants from the Knox and Hervey families. The remaining $10 million comes from city infrastructure bond funds. The librarys friends support group is raising an additional $3 million.

Libraries are so much more than books theyre spaces where families gather, students learn and communities grow, said Mayor Kevin Faulconer at a ground breaking ceremony.

Oncina, who has designed nine libraries in the county since 1995, adapted the original design from the Mosher Drew Architects firm and is part of a design-build team led by C.W. Driver Companies, the general contractor. Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects also is part of the design team.

The new and improved space will add substantial value to the community and will provide enhanced community rooms, gathering spaces and more for local residents, teens and children, said Richard Freeark, C.W. Driver senior vice president for San Diego.

Oncina said the Hobbit motif reflects the literary work of J.R.R. Tolkien, the British author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Ring fantasy novels made into hit movies. The Hobbit houses were built into the earth, something not needed for the library, but the round front doors carry over into an arched entrance for the childrens area.

Theres no fireplace but when you look at the Hobbit house from the exterior, it will give you an idea that it looks like a chimney, Oncina said.

The 25-foot-high ceiling is relieved by a series of trusses and trellises and a skylight.

As soon as you enter into the library is a lofty space with detailed trusses, Oncina said.

The childrens area is on the north side of the building and the teen area, to the south, was enlarged by reducing the size of the circulation desk, he said.

He said fixtures and built-ins mix both Craftsman and contemporary design features and rooftop photovoltaic cells and other elements will make the building to a near-zero energy user.

To ward off vandalism and security issues related to the homeless, Oncina said there will be fences, anti-graffiti coating and other measures in place.

Phyllis Marion, a retired academic library and president of the branchs friends group, said the $3 million to be raised by the community will go for more books and computers and other technology items, such as 3-D printers that are not usually part of a library budget.

As for the homeless, she said community members expressed some concern.

Thats certainly a problem in Hillcrest like it is in the entire city, but I cant say its because of this library, she said. Libraries are for the community and the homeless are part of the community and somehow we have to deal with the problem, she said.

Business

roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
Fifteen companies are being named Tuesday in the third round of San Diegos goal to expand its foreign export footprint.

The World Trade Center, operated out of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp., will give $10,000 grants, funded by JPMorganChase, to product and software companies that will use the money to plan, market and ramp up production.

We really see this as a catalyst program to companies doing amazing things, selling quite well in the domestic market, said WTC director Lauren Lindner. We want them to start thinking outside our boundaries  Japan, the UK, where San Diego has a lot of international business going on.

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Since the first class of companies joined the program, MetroConnect, Lindner said the 30 companies have hired 50 more employees and generated $10.5 million in new export sales.

Between 70 and 120 companies typically apply each year for the grants but they have to show they are ready to export a product internationally. Winners typically employ 10 to 50 employees

The winners this year are: Coronado Brewing, CP Global Manufacturing, CureMatch, Del Mar Oceanographic, Dermala, Envision Solar International, FoxFury, Guru, Julian Hard Cider, Optimized Fuel Technologies, Performa Learning, Planck Aerosystems, Tioga Research, Tunnel Vision and Urban Translations.

Samantha Urban, who started Urban Translations in Pennsylvania in 2009 before returning to California in 2014, said her translation software, geared to hotel guests, is already set up in casinos and Las Vegas hotels. Clients buy the software package and hotel guests can use their cell phones, tablets and TV screens in their rooms to make reservations and sign up for services in any number of languages. The hotels send the content information to Urbans 12-member staff, translators turn it into English, program the choices, and then the material is retranslated into selected languages. The charge is about $1 per room per day after the initial software licensing fee.

She tried to break into the Brazilian market via a trade mission for the 2016 summer Olympics, but realized the rules and regulations hampered her drive to locate in many hotels in time. Now, she plans to use the grant to launch the service in Japan.

One big thing we learned from our trade mission in Brazil is you really need to have a good idea of different laws in different countries, she said.

Cody Russell, who recently set up his Tunnel Vision company at the Evo Nexus accelerator startup, sells virtual reality videos to wind tunnel skydiving attractions. Participants strap on a VR headset and feel like they are swooping over California, Hawaii, Dubai, the Grand Canyon and other landmarks around the world.

Russell, who has signed up Airborne San Diego, is expanding to Bahrain in September and hopes to add 20 more wind tunnel attractions in the next year. Companies pay $25,000 to set up the system and sign a licensing agreement that returns a percentage of every admission to Tunnel Vision. He started skydiving (out of real airplanes) five years ago and now has seven employees developing and marketing the VR content.

There are about 200 wind tunnels world wide and will see an average 75,000 people a year, he said. All in all in revenues, its about a billion-dollar industry.

He said he plans to use the MetroConnect money to demonstrate the service to wind tunnel attractions in Europe.

The human resources at the World Trade Center are going to be invaluable in how to do business abroad and (follow) best practices, Russell said.

Paul Thomas, founder of Julian Hard Cider a decade ago, already sells to restaurants and retailers in several countries, from Hong Kong to Australia, but now he wants MetroConnects help to break into Baja Mexico.

Weve got our eyes on about a half-dozen locations where we want to start building out a distribution network and hopefully are going to expand in the next 12 months to cover Northern Baja, Thomas said.

Business

roger.showley@sduniontribune.com; (619) 293-1286; Twitter: @rogershowley
SeaWorld is stepping up efforts to turn around the beleaguered company amid reports it has brought on an outside financial adviser that could be a precursor to a possible sale or reorganization.

The Orlando-based theme park company is said to have hired investment banking advisory firm, Evercore, according to sources cited Monday by Deal Reporter, a financial news service. Evercore is known as a firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, public offerings and private placements.

SeaWorld offered no comment on reports of the Evercore hiring. We dont comment on rumors or speculation, said SeaWorld spokeswoman Aimee Jeansonne Becka.

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The news comes ahead of SeaWorlds quarterly earnings report next week and a Tuesday announcement that the companys chief financial officer, Peter Crage, has resigned and is being replaced on an interim basis by Marc Swanson, currently the companys chief accounting officer. The company said Crage is leaving to leaving to assume a senior-level financial position at another company.

While its unclear what Evercores specific mission may be, theme park consultant Dennis Speigel is convinced that a sale or break-up of the company is in the offing.

This is a huge step and undertaking, said Speigel, president of Ohio-based International Theme Park Services. SeaWorlds investor groups have been putting pressure on them for some time, and this is saying that the investors want out.

Evercore is known as a specialist in investment banking that works with companies to sell property. Its like selling your house, theyre your Realtor.

Investment in SeaWorld has undergone recent changes, most notably the May purchase by Chinese investor Zhonghong Zhuoye Group Co. Ltd. of a 21 percent stake from Blackstone Group. Two Zhonghong executives are tabbed to join SeaWorlds board to replace two departing Blackstone executives.

SeaWorld stock traded at $14.32 a half hour before markets closed Monday when it leapt to a day-end price of $15.32. Tuesday, it reached $15.64 before falling to a closing price of $15.27.

The company has been struggling in recent years to reverse sliding revenues and attendance since the 2013 release of the anti-captivity documentary Blackfish.

Current CEO Joel Manby was hired more than two years ago to help shepherd a turnaround and early last year announced that SeaWorld would no longer breed its killer whales in captivity and that it was partnering with its longtime adversary, the Humane Society, on animal welfare initiatives.

SeaWorld also is phasing out its theatrical Shamu shows at its namesake parks, starting with San Diego where it debuted this year the new Orca Encounter, designed as an educational presentation.

In June, SeaWorld disclosed it was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Security and Exchange Commission. The investigations center around executives statements about the Blackfish documentarys impact and trading in the parks securities.

Theme park analyst Bob Boyd of Pacific Management Group said Tuesday its too early to jump to the conclusion that SeaWorld may be up for sale. There are a number of options Evercore could be exploring, he noted.

This was viewed as the year that things really had to turn around and that those earlier plans needed to bear fruit, Boyd said. Evercore does a whole bunch of things, so they could be looking at a range of things to enhance shareholder value.

And its hard to know who would even be looking to buy an asset like this. Perhaps a Universal, which has been actively looking for land in Orlando. but that gets complicated because youre talking about animals and animal welfare.

Business

lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisberg
The Rancho San Diego Sheriffs Station in Spring Valley is looking to add some East County personnel to its senior volunteer group.

Volunteers must be at least 50, a U.S. citizen or legal resident who has applied for citizenship, have a valid California drivers license and automobile insurance, and have medical insurance and good moral character with no felony convictions.

The group covers Spring Valley, Jamul, Rancho San Diego and unincorporated La Mesa and El Cajon.

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Tasks include:

Traffic control

Patrolling neighborhoods and schools

Foot patrols at shopping centers

Checking on the homes of residents who are on vacation

Checking on the welfare of seniors as part of the You are Not Alone program

Assisting crime prevention officers with public presentations

Volunteers must also pass a background check, attend a two-week volunteer patrol academy course in September and be physically able to perform the duties of the position.

Our volunteers are particularly fond of our YANA program, said volunteer administrator John Kline. This is where we call the elderly daily and visit them weekly. It offers piece of mind to those who have no friends or family nearby to check on them regularly. There are many instances where, under this program, volunteers have been credited with saving the lives of those elderly who live alone and have become sick or fallen.

Kline said there are now only 25 persons who regularly volunteer, and he is looking for at least 10 more.

For information on how to volunteer, call the Rancho San Diego station at (619) 660-7021.

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com
A military court reprimanded the Navy for allowing such nepotism and slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the Vice Admiral.

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: In a case wherein a father-in-law sabotaged the career of a nuclear submarine specialist officer to promote his son-in-law, a military court reprimanded the Navy for allowing such nepotism and slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the vice admiral who did this.

Officer commander SS Luthra was one of the 11 specialist officers trained in Russia for handling nuclear submarine reactors of INS Arihant and INS Chakra - the two strategic submarines in the Navy and had to quit facing discrimination.

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"This is manifest and clearly evident that vice-admiral Pradeep Chatterjee has interfered in a mala fide and unjustified manner in the confidential records of commander Luthra," the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Bench comprising Justice Virendra Singh and Lt Gen Sanjeev Langer said in its judgment.

"It is equally apparent to us that the profile of capt AV Agashe has been positively affected and enhanced in an unjustified manner by his father-in-law," the Bench added.

Luthra, in his plea, had alleged that Chatterjee was the senior reviewing officer (SRO) for officers serving in both INS Chakra and INS Arihant from 2010-12 as the inspector-general, nuclear safety - the officer in-charge for securing nuclear submarines and secret projects of the force. It was alleged that Chatterjee manipulated the naval system in such a way that he has been either reviewing officer or senior reviewing officer for his own son-in-law on various occasions. Due to this, other officers who were being considered in the same promotion board as his son-in-law stood at a disadvantage, the petition alleged.

Chatterjee retired from the Navy last year after commanding the Andaman and Nicobar Command and serving as deputy chief of the force.

The AFT took a strong view against the Navy's inactiveness in allowing the nepotism to grow saying, "It is disturbing and surprising that the Indian Navy does not have an in-built system to ensure such probable occurrence between relatives are addressed institutionally, so that such a situation, as occurred in this case, does not manifest."

The AFT "struck down" entries made by Chatterjee in Luthra's service record and asked the Navy to reconsider him for promotion to the rank of captain from the date when he was due to be considered for elevation.

The court said though Luthra has, of his own volition, already proceeded on premature retirement (PMR) and if he is approved for promotion, the officer will be granted his rank from the original date of his batch, and will be entitled to full pension and all terminal benefits in his enhanced rank.

On Luthra's exit from service, the court noted that the officer rather than serving superseded by others, has chosen to proceed on premature retirement.

Seeking to compensate the officer, the court slapped a cost on the vice-admiral, saying "He shall pay an amount of Rs 5 lakh as costs to the applicant, which is directed to be deposited with the principal registrar of this Tribunal within three months of the order."

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On Agashe, who benefitted as son-in-law of the vice-admiral, the court did not interfere in his promotion but asked the Navy to keep the inflated ACRs in mind while considering him for elevation to the next rank.

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--- ENDS ---
Ana Estevez sat in the front row of an Alhambra courtroom clutching a small white urn that held the remains of her 5-year-old son.

Within moments, the man just a few feet in front of her would plead guilty to the boys killing.

This was no stranger. It was the man she had once loved, the father of their child.

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Estevez as well as her family and friends wept Tuesday as a prosecutor read aloud the murder charge and mentioned the victim by name: Aramazd Andressian Jr.

Wearing yellow jail scrubs, his father, Aramazd Andressian Sr., pleaded guilty and answered yes to questions about whether he understood his rights and the consequences of his decision to change his plea. Andressian was barely audible, prompting Superior Court Judge Cathryn F. Brougham to ask him to speak up.

Before he was escorted from the courtroom, Andressian turned and glanced at his estranged wife and her family. He is scheduled to be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison when he returns to court Aug. 23.

The boys disappearance in April after leaving Disneyland with his father and two other relatives led to a frantic search that dragged on for more than two months and culminated in the discovery of the childs remains June 30 near Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County.

Outside the courthouse Tuesday, Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig Hum called the killing horribly tragic.

Every murder is a tragedy, but cases like this really, really tug at your heart, he said.

The boys family did not speak to reporters after the hearing.

Andressians attorney said his client had not planned the killing and was now taking responsibility for the awful crime. Andressian had told authorities where to find his sons body, which led to the discovery of the remains, attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez said.

He is beyond words in regretting having committed such an act, Rodriguez told reporters.

Andressian is accused of planning the killing to get back at his estranged wife during tumultuous divorce proceedings that began in April 2016.

In court records, Andressian alleged that Estevez spanked their son, used profanity and talked of taking their son to Cuba. He said he was concerned that Estevezs father practiced the religion of Santeria and once sacrificed a rooster in front of the child.

In 2016, Andressian made allegations that the child had been sexually abused by Omar the son of Estevezs new boyfriend, TJ, according to the court documents. Estevez told police at the time that she did not have a boyfriend, and that her child never complained of abuse. After a social worker questioned the child about the allegations, the child admitted to not telling the truth and said his father told him to lie, according to the court records.

Estevez, an elementary school principal, accused her husband of falsely saying he was a stay-at-home dad who was their sons primary caregiver, the records show. She said her mother and father took care of Aramazd Jr. when she was at work, she said.

She alleged her husband had a gambling problem and was addicted to prescription drugs, according to the court documents. She said he told her that if anything were to happen between them, he would take the child to Iran or Armenia.

 Aramazd Andressian Sr. defense attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez talks about his client pleading guilty to murder of his son Aramazd Andressian Jr. (Video by Al Seib/ Los Angeles Times)

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Estevez to pay her husband spousal and child support because he wasnt working. Both parents were awarded joint custody of their son.

The boy was last seen alive about 1 a.m. April 21 as he was leaving Disneyland with his father, aunt and grandmother. Estevez reported him missing the next day after Andressian failed to show up at a planned custody exchange.

Andressian was found unconscious in a South Pasadena park with his gray BMW doused with gasoline, and he said he didnt know what happened to his son. Authorities said he had tried to kill himself by taking prescription pills that were not his.

Andressian initially was detained, then released because of a lack of evidence. He told Los Angeles County sheriffs detectives that he had gone with his son to Cachuma Lake Recreation Area in Santa Barbara County.

As the search for her son continued, Estevez filed paperwork asking the divorce court to end the child and spousal support payments. Her husband, she declared, had lost our son while our son was in his custody.

She said she had provided hard evidence showing Andressians character, yet my evidence was ignored, she wrote. At the same time, she said, her husbands statements with no supporting documents was believed and relied upon by this court.

The detectives found evidence that Andressian was at the lake on the day the boy went missing, but there were no sightings of his son. Authorities suspect the child had been killed shortly after leaving Disneyland, before the father went to the lake.

Andressian was arrested June 23 in Las Vegas, where he had stayed on and off since his sons disappearance. Investigators said that he had lightened his hair, shaved his beard and appeared to be making plans to travel to a country where he could avoid extradition.

Authorities discovered the childs remains the same day that Andressian was flown back to California. Detectives have not released a cause of death.

Last month, hundreds attended a memorial service in South Pasadena for the boy, who was affectionately known as Piqui. In her eulogy, Estevez read a letter to her son, telling him she was living under an eternal shadow of devastation and emptiness without him by her side.

There is no denying you were an extraordinary boy, she said.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

nicole.santacruz@latimes.com

For more crime news, follow @nicolesantacruz on Twitter.

UPDATES:

8:25 p.m.: This article was updated with details about the divorce case.

12:25 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig Hum and Andressians attorney.

10:35 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details from the court hearing.

This article was originally published at 10:05 a.m.
A U.S. district judge Monday upheld the 15-year prison sentence of former celebrity private investigator Anthony Pellicano, who was charged with illegal wiretapping and running a criminal enterprise.

Pellicano faced resentencing because of a technical error during his original 2008 trial, when the judge gave erroneous jury instructions for charges of aiding and abetting computer fraud and unauthorized computer access.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated those two charges in 2015 and ordered a resentencing. But the appellate court upheld more serious charges against Pellicano for running a criminal enterprise that illegally obtained police records and wiretapped celebrities so his clients could outmaneuver them in litigation.

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At Mondays hearing, U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer called the 15-year punishment reasonable and sufficient, ruling that the vacated counts had a marginal impact on the original sentence.

Pellicano appeared at the hearing via a video conference from the Terminal Island correctional facility in San Pedro, where he is incarcerated, because he feared losing his jail cell. He is expected to be released in March 2019. Pellicano must also undergo three years of supervision following his release.

Sitting at a table with a guard seated behind him, Pellicano, who did not request his own attorney, was quiet during the hearing, speaking only to address the judge with affirmative yes, Maams when asked procedural questions.

After receiving his sentence, Pellicano said he would take no further action in court.

I have no intention of appealing anything, Pellicano said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Lally said the sentence was what prosecutors had sought. During his remarks, Lally accused Pellicano of subverting public institutions by obtaining confidential information through his racketeering enterprise.

Pellicano was originally convicted in 2008, after a widely watched trial gave a glimpse into the inner workings of Hollywood feuds.

Prosecutors said Pellicano bribed police officers to search law enforcement databases and phone companies to wiretap his clients opponents and listen to their most intimate conversations. According to prosecutors, Pellicanos rates for the confidential information were expensive.

His clients included big-name celebrities and businessmen.

At the hearing, two of Pellicanos victims, Jude Green and former Los Angeles Times reporter Anita Busch, implored the judge to uphold his 15-year sentence.

The investigation into Pellicano began in 2002, when Buschs car was vandalized in an alleged attempt to intimidate her into not pursuing stories about former Hollywood super agent Michael Ovitz. Her windshield was broken and a dead fish and a rose were discovered inside the car, along with a sign that read STOP.

He needs to stay in prison, said Green, whom Pellicanos agency spied on and threatened during a bitter divorce with her multi-millionaire husband, Leonard Green, in 2001, according to prosecutors.

When she spoke, Pellicano lifted his sunglasses and leaned forward, then raised his arms and turned to the guard behind him to ask her identity.

After the hearing, Green said she still feared Pellicano could retaliate and had taken a risk in coming to the federal courthouse in Los Angeles despite her sons urging that she stay away.

But Busch, whom Green had not met before Monday, said she convinced her to attend, and the two drove to court together sharing stories of their experience with Pellicano and how the private investigator had reshaped their lives.

In an interview, Busch said she lives in constant fear that Pellicano still could retaliate against her.

Its hard to live like this, she said.

megan.bernhard@latimes.com

@meg_bernhard

UPDATES:

4:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Busch.

This article was originally published at 1:40 p.m.
Sandy Vargo wandered into Patti McPhersons Country Town Antiques shop in Ramona to browse through the huge inventory of collectibles.

She suddenly stopped and pointed excitedly to a tiny figure in a small framed class photo from a Pennsylvania school.

Thats me, she exclaimed.

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Sure enough, it was. The picture was of the 1950 fourth-grade class of an elementary school in Fredericksburg, Pa. McPherson had acquired the photo in a Pennsylvania auction.

What are the chances, McPherson wonders, of both Sandy and the photo ending up 2,600 miles away in a small Southern California town 67 years later.

It was the first time Id ever been in the store, noted Vargo. She had eight million things in there. I spotted this old picture just sitting on a chair. The photo is now in her Ramona home.

Having sold antiques there for 18 years, McPherson remains passionate about helping people relive their past. For instance, a middle-aged woman last month stumbled across a bowl exactly like her mom had used to serve potato salad. She quickly bought the duplicate because her sister has the original family heirloom.

I never tire of hearing the Let me tell you about ... and My grandma had ... stories, says McPherson.

$1 million prize: Theyve come a long way. Husband-and-wife Carlsbad dance duo Keone & Mari have made it to the top two in the upper dance division of World of Dance, executive produced by Jennifer Lopez.

If they win the NBC TV competition that airs at 10 p.m. Tuesday, they will face off against the winner of the team division and junior (youth) division on Aug. 8. One of the three acts will dance away with the shows $1 million prize.

Keone and Mariel Madrid relayed their reaction to me via email as a mixture of gratefulness for making it to the top two and feeling a bit like we were destined to be there. We felt we put in too much work to not make it that far.

They plan to watch Tuesdays episode at their house with close family and friends.

Both have worked with Culture Shock San Diego and together have choreographed for numerous celebrities, including starring in Justin Biebers Love Yourself music video.

Win or lose on Aug. 1, they hope people will continue to support dance and recognize those who push the culture as artists. We are all still fighting uphill battles to elevate the value that dance deserves, the couple says.

Author Lynn Vincent, who lives in Carmel Valley, is shown here discussing writing with author friend, Don Hollins. (John Gastaldo / SDUT)

Catching up: Lynn Vincent co-authored Sarah Palins book, Going Rogue, and Heaven is for Real, the story of a Nebraska pastors toddler son who, after emergency surgery, spoke of visiting heaven.

Another of Vincents manuscripts is coming to the big screen with a crew of A-list actors.

Same Kind of Different as Me is the story of an unlikely friendship among a wealthy art dealer (played by Greg Kinnear), a homeless African-American (Djimon Hounsou) and the art dealers wife (Renee Zellwegger) whose prescient dreams unite them in an inspirational journey.

The movie was screened in San Diego in July before its Oct. 20 theater release.

Vincent has another book project on her mind, however. Sunday was the anniversary of the Japanese torpedoing of the Navy cruiser Indianapolis during World War II. The tragedy took the lives of 879 sailors, two-thirds of them as they struggled to stay alive awaiting rescue in the chilly, shark-infested waters.

Vincent and co-author Sara Vladic attended last weeks reunion of the survivors in Indiana. While there, they ceremoniously dispatched their finished manuscript, Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History, to their editor from the ships memorial.

diane.bell@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1518

Twitter: @dianebellSD

Facebook: dianebell.news
A federal judge Monday turned down a bid by Mexican businessman Jose Susumo Azano Matsura that challenged how federal agents seized a gun in a search of his Coronado mansion  the key evidence against him in an upcoming trial.

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Anello denied two motions by Azano that argued agents from the FBI illegally seized the firearm when searching his mansion on Buccaneer Way in January 2014.

Azano also said that the jury should not hear statements he made to investigators at the time because he was effectively in custody during the search, but was not given his Miranda warning against making incriminating statements when he spoke with the agents.

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Azano was convicted last year of conspiracy and making illegal campaign contributions in the 2012 San Diego mayors race. He was found guilty on 36 charges of conspiracy and illegal campaign contributions made by a foreign national. Prosecutors said he orchestrated and secretly funded a scheme to funnel about $600,000 in cash through a network of straw donors and independent committees into the campaigns of then-District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Bob Filner, a member of Congress at the time who went on to win the mayoral election.

The jury did not reach a decision on one charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a foreign national. A second trial on that charge is set for September.

Azano is a Mexican citizen who was in the U.S. on a temporary visa. Federal law prohibits foreign nationals without permanent legal status to contribute to campaign, or possess firearms.

The gun was found in a cabinet in an upstairs closet in Azanos bedroom. Agents, who had showed up to search the property, found it after asking Azano the standard question of whether there were guns in the house. Azano told them where it was.

Knut Johnson, his lawyer for the second trial, contended that the seizing the gun was wrong because the warrant authorizing the search did not specify agents were looking for a gun. The warrant, court records say, was issued in order to search for evidence of tax crimes.

But Anello rejected that argument, ruling the gun was seized during a valid search, and moreover it was in plain view of the agents. He noted that Azano was the one who told the agents where the gun was and essentially placed it in their view.

Azanos statements, including those telling the agents where the gun was, also can be heard by the jury, the judge decided. He noted that Azano was not in custody, and though there were as many as 16 agents executing the search, none were in uniform, drew weapons or otherwise detained him.

The retrial on the gun charges is set for Sept. 5. Azanos son Edward was also convicted of conspiracy and making illegal contributions and is set to be sentenced Nov. 6.

A third defendant, campaign services expert Ravneet Singh, is set to be sentenced on Aug. 31. He was convicted of conspiracy and falsifying campaign finance records. Singh provided social media and other services in the 2012 race for the campaigns of Bonnie Dumanis and Filner. Prosecutors said Azano secretly paid for them.

Lobbyist Marco Polo Cortes was acquitted of four charges, but the jury deadlocked on others, including a conspiracy charge. A retrial is set for December.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Selfie queen Kim Kardashian West is the latest to be embroiled in a patent infringement war over light-up cellphone cases designed to give users that Instagram-worthy glow.

In the latest lawsuit, filed Monday in Los Angeles federal court, San Marcos-based SnapLight claims it holds the original patent of the light-framing cellphone case and accuses competitor LuMee of bullying the small business out of the market. Kardashian Wests early endorsement of LuMee, which later turned into an official partnership with the brand, has magnified the damage to SnapLight, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit points to the reality stars more than $50 million annual earning potential and audience of more than 100 million followers on social media  making her a formidable trendsetter.

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The sheer size of her audience appeals to business brands and translates to Ms. Wests company, Kimsaprincess Inc., commanding hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions of dollars, per product endorsement, the lawsuit states. Simply being endorsed by an influencer like Ms. West leads to numerous sales regardless of whether or not the endorsed product infringes the intellectual property rights of others.

Perhaps one of the biggest boosts to LuMee came after Kardashian West took a selfie with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Months later, Clinton raved about the little, tiny, tiny lightbulbs and the flattering end result during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The LuMee also made it onto Oprah Winfreys coveted favorite things list in 2015.

SnapLight is seeking at least $100 million in lost profits.

Urban Outfitters, which was one of the first major retailers to sell LuMee cases, is also named in the lawsuit.

A representative for the Kardashians told TMZ the lawsuit is just another attempted shakedown and that Kardashian West has done absolutely nothing wrong.

A LuMee spokesperson echoed the statement, saying the lawsuit was disappointing. The lawsuit has no merit and Kim has done nothing wrong. LuMee is an innovator of illuminated cell phone cases and was the first to market. Between its patents, copyrights and trademarks, LuMee has developed substantial intellectual property rights surrounding its product line.

LuMee and SnapLight have been locked in a patent battle since November, when LuMee sued in Delaware federal court alleging it was the originator of the light-up case and the patent holder since Oct. 11, 2016.

SnapLight filed a counterclaim in March, alleging LuMees patents were invalid and that SnapLight was not infringing on them. The counterclaim says LuMees attorneys sent letters to retailers where SnapLight cases were being sold, including Neiman Marcus and the Home Shopping Network, threatening them with legal trouble if they didnt stop sales. A letter was also sent to SnapLights internet service provider, and the companys website was taken down for several days in response, including on Cyber Monday during the holiday shopping season, the counterclaim states.

LuMee has also sued other similar phone cases, including Ty-Lite (created by Beyonces stylist) and Case-Mate, according to court records.

Conflicting inception stories have emerged.

In a video on its website, cofounder Allan Shoemake, a professional photographer, said he came up with the idea while on a Skype call with his daughter. She said her father always complained because the screen was too dark.

Id see people posting images that were horrible: dark faces, grainy, you know, lots of noise, Shoemake said. He then holds up a board with white Christmas lights around the perimeter  his original prototype.

We created the company, started down that path of engineering and prototypes, he said. He said a friend sent him a picture of Kardashian West using the Lumee.

If Kims using it, were onto something, Shoemake said. Were creating something that really hasnt been done before.

Lumee announced in January 2016 that it was partnering with Kardashian West as an adviser.

SnapLight founder Bardia Rahim, a San Marcos entrepreneur, insists he also had the idea.

He said he and his business partner were in the darkened bathroom of a Las Vegas night club many years ago with a social media fitness celebrity, and fans were trying to take selfies with him and get autographs. And I said, Hey, what if we came up with something with lights on a cellphone case that illuminates to have perfect lighting, Rahim, 42, said in an interview Tuesday.

He said nothing like it was on the market, so SnapLight went ahead and made prototypes.

LuMee hit the market at one point, but Rahim said he didnt think it was an issue and continued moving forward with the business. SnapLight had some early success in stores, online and mall kiosks.

When LuMee sued SnapLight, an interesting thing happened: It was discovered that a Los Angeles area man, Hooshmand Harooni, had gotten a patent for an illuminating cellphone case in 2013. SnapLight obtained licensing rights to Haroonis patent earlier this year.

They opened up Pandoras box, Rahim said. He added: Theres a lot of money at stake here.

As for Harooni, he is also listed as a party to the lawsuit  as an involuntary participant.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
Trevor White, a 2017 graduate of Ramona High School, has received a $52,000 Deans Gold scholarship to attend Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

The merit scholarship is based on class rank and SAT/ACT scores. White will receive $6,500 per semester, or $13,000 a year, for four years beginning this fall.

Baylor, one of 10 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, ranks in the top 8 percent of colleges and universities participating in the National Merit Scholarship program.
Elected officials for Imperial Beach announced Tuesday that the city is preparing to take legal action against the federal government concerning the continued flow of polluted wastewater from Tijuana into San Diego County.

The city is targeting the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, a binational agency that oversees water treaties between the U.S. and Mexico. Imperial Beach officials allege that the agency has repeatedly failed to properly capture and treat sewage routinely flowing across the border through canyons and the Tijuana River.

Were hoping to force the U.S. government to address this issue and spend the money needed to stop the flow of toxic waste and sewage into the Tijuana River and under the border fence, said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, who also heads up the environmental group Wildcoast.

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Officials with the U.S. section of the IBWC denied allegations that they havent taken proper steps to safeguard the regions water quality.

Its important to acknowledge that we have taken and continue to take concrete actions to address conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border, said Sally Spener, spokeswoman for the IBWC. Weve been very responsive to the city of Imperial Beach and have taken concrete actions on some of their recommendations and the recommendations of other stakeholders. That includes studying infrastructure alternatives on the U.S. Side.

Imperial Beach has retained an outside law firm, Sher Edling, to prepare a 60-day notice required before it can sue the federal government for the alleged violations of the U.S. Clean Water Act.

The legal team is also representing the city in a potentially groundbreaking lawsuit against the worlds largest oil and coal companies for the local financial impacts of sea-level rise.

Long-held frustrations by South Bay communities came to a head in February, after millions of gallons of sewage poured into the Tijuana River south of the border and fouled beaches as far north as Coronado.

A binational investigation found that as much as 256 million gallons of raw sewage and wastewater went unaccounted for as a result of heavy rains that overwhelmed Tijuanas sewer system, cracking pipes that spilled directly into the river. It was the latest flash point for the cross-border water pollution issue, which has persisted for decades despite financial investments by Mexico and the U.S. to make various infrastructure improvements.

U.S. Border Patrol agents who work in region have come out in support of the legal action by Imperial Beach.

Officials with National Border Patrol Council Local 1613, the union representing agents stationed in the region, have said theyre considering filing their own lawsuit against the federal government to highlight what they said are hazardous work conditions.

In recent months, the local union has expressed concerns about respiratory problems, rashes and nausea that it said are linked to cross-border spills. While such unanticipated flows dont necessarily make it into the Tijuana River or open waters, they have regularly poured through culverts and canyons, according to records from the boundary and water commission.

Besides the accusations from the Border Patrol union, the agencys agents have filed dozens of reports documenting adverse reactions after they came into contact with the potentially hazardous sewage flows, including chemical burns, rashes, respiratory infections and breathing problems. Agents routinely track down illegal border crossers through mud contaminated with sewage, officials said.

A couple times a week, my guys are sending me pictures of the flows of polluted effluent, said Chris Harris, a border agent and secretary for the local union.

Dedina said hes hoping other cities in the region, particularly San Diego and Coronado, will join Imperial Beachs expected litigation or make their own similar filings. Those cities havent given any indication of what they might do.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
Underlying uncertainty about the ongoing health-care fight in Washington, D.C., has bled into the premiums that Obamacare consumers will pay in 2018, Californias health insurance exchange said Tuesday.

Peter Lee  executive director of Covered California, which currently has about 1.4 million enrollees, released his organizations 2018 rate guide for pricing regions from the Oregon border to San Diego County.

Next year, the average premium is expected to go up by 12.5 percent, about one percentage point lower than the rise for this year but still three times higher than the 4 percent premium increases experienced by Covered California members in 2015 and 2016.

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Lee said in every year after the exchange started selling plans in 2013, residents have been able to limit their own rate increases by searching for plans offering their desired features and charging lower prices.

Consumers in California shop and get the benefits of lower rates by shopping, Lee said during a Tuesday news conference in Sacramento.

For some residents, shopping will be a necessity rather than a choice.

Lee said Anthem Blue Cross, which currently offers policies in and outside of Covered California for all 19 of the health exchanges geographic rating areas, will pull back to only four areas in 2018. The other 10 companies offering insurance plans through Covered California intend to stay in their current markets.

Tuesdays announcement means many people will scramble this fall to find new options, said Craig Gussin, a San Diego health insurance broker and a member of the California Association of Health Underwriters board of directors.

Its not going to hit as bad as if it were a Kaiser or a Blue Shield, but still, its a big deal for an organization the size of Blue Cross to leave like this, Gussin said.

According to Covered Californias most recent enrollment snapshot  from March  Anthem covered about 252,560 Obamacare customers. Lee said about 153,000 of them live in regions where the carrier will pull out of the individual health insurance market. That includes 39,340 people in Los Angeles County, 19,490 in Orange County and 4,340 in San Diego County.

The 153,000 figure doesnt encompass customers who have bought Anthem plans outside of the Covered California exchange. A Covered California spokesman said 150,000 Anthem enrollees are estimated to be outside the exchange.

During Tuesdays news conference, Lee emphasized that the health-care discussion in the nations capital has made a clear impact on Covered Californias premiums for next year. All of the rates listed for 2018 include a special column that takes into account the possibility that President Donald Trump will follow through with his threat to eliminate an estimated $7 billion in subsidies for insurance companies.

Lee said increases in the cost of providing care are responsible for about 7 percent of the states 12.5 percent average rate increase in 2018. An additional three percentage points are linked to a one-time tax adjustment. And the rest had to do with the Affordable Care Act struggle in Washington, he said.

The expected increases wont be felt by most Covered California policyholders because more than 70 percent of them receive income-based subsidies for their premiums, Lee said. Generally speaking, as these enrollees premiums rise, so do their subsidies.

Beyond the average premium figure, the specific increases will vary by insurance plan.

In northeastern Los Angeles, for example, Blue Shield plans will go up between 7 percent and 20 percent, depending on the type of coverage purchased and the age of each enrollee. By comparison, Molina Healthcare customers would see a rate increase of 36 percent to 51 percent.

In San Diego County, which has 122,570 Covered California enrollees, premiums for Blue Shield HMO plans would shrink between 3 percent and 16 percent while Molinas rates would climb by 18 percent to 31 percent.

These increases, Gussin said, are likely to start a second round of the dance that started with last years double-digit premium increases. When premiums climb, he said, consumers start to question whether they want to keep their current doctor or health system so much that theyre willing to pay more.

The biggest thing right now is not to panic, but to take a deep breath and talk to your doctor about what other plans he or she is going to be in next year, Gussin said. Health insurance brokers also have the ability to look up your doctor and see what other plans theyre in.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson
A 22-year-old Guatemalan man who was arrested by Border Patrol and held in immigration detention was returned to his family after Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, intervened on his behalf.

Mario Figueroa spent most of his life in Fallbrook after he came to the U.S. with his family at age four to seek asylum. Members of the family had faced kidnappings, rape  and threats written in blood, according to Figueroas attorney. The family lost the case, but remained in the U.S., becoming unauthorized immigrants. His parents were deported years ago, Figueroa said.

Figueroa is married to a U.S. citizen. They have a 10-month-old daughter, born here, Adalyn.

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Figueroa has no memory of Guatemala, he said, and he doesnt want to be removed from the place he considers home.

Fallbrook is my town, Figueroa said. I cant picture myself leaving this place. Its done so much for me.

Figueroa was scheduled to be deported last week because of a standing deportation order from his familys failed asylum case. Under President Donald Trump, immigration officials have prioritized cases in which immigrants already have final orders from immigration judges because they can be deported more quickly than those who still have to go through the hearing process.

But after the congressmans office intervened, the deportation was averted, Figueroa said, pending his application for the deferred action for childhood arrivals, or DACA, program created under former President Barack Obama.

Figueroa said if given a second chance to make a life in the U.S., he will make the best of it. He knows that most in his situation would have been deported already under current enforcement priorities.

Another Guatemalan man who arrived in the U.S. as a child and had a visa application pending was recently deported from San Diego. That man, from El Cajon, also had a U.S. citizen baby. Because of that case, Figueroas attorney, Leah Chavarria, said she was worried that Figueroa would meet the same fate.

Hunters involvement is a break from the congressmans generally hard-line stance on immigration, which includes supporting the deportation of U.S.-born children of unauthorized immigrants rather than granting them citizenship.

Im really grateful to him, Figueroa said of Hunter. I was surprised by everyones help and support.

Joe Kasper, spokesman for Hunters office, confirmed that Hunters office had reached out to ICE on Figueroas behalf.

Whenever theres a valid reason and opportunity to intervene or to accelerate a petition on behalf of constituents or families needing help, Rep. Hunter is always willing to do the legwork and make a case to officials, Kasper said via email. And thats what happened in this instance. There was both reason and opportunity  and were glad a decision was made.

Figueroas wife, Celeste Figueroa, a California native, rallied community groups and created an online petition that garnered about 1,500 signatures to push for her husbands release. She said she contacted several members of Congress, including Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista. Hunter was the one who agreed to help.

We were doing everything we could, Celeste Figueroa said. He had no criminal record or anything. I didnt see why he had to be in there.

According to Figueroas attorney, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, both Democrats, have since jumped in to help expedite processing in Figueroas case.

Before he was arrested by Border Patrol as a passenger in his friends car in mid-July, Figueroa had already hired Chavarria to help him apply to stay in the U.S.

Chavarria submitted the application for him while he was detained, which, she said, aided in his release from detention. Depending on the outcome of his DACA application, as well as the future of the program  which is uncertain under Trump  Figueroa might be allowed to stay, or he might still get deported. If he were allowed to stay under DACA, he would still have a complex set of legal hurdles to jump before he would be able to get a green card through his wife.

Around 8 a.m. on July 11, Figueroa was riding in his friends car on the way to work in Temecula when a Border Patrol vehicle pulled them over on the highway. An agent asked if they were U.S. citizens.

Figueroas friend, the driver, responded that, yes, he was. Figueroa told the agent that he was not a citizen but had a lawyer working on his case.

While running Figueroas information, the agent learned that Figueroa was wanted by ICE because of the removal order.

Border Patrol turned Figueroa over to ICE, and he stayed in immigration detention in Otay Mesa for 10 days before officials released him on an ankle monitor.

Border Patrol confirmed that agents arrested Figueroa during a vehicle stop. Border Patrol spokesman Mark Endicott said that agents are authorized to conduct such stops under immigration law.

Reasonable suspicion is developed by an agent prior to conducting a vehicle stop, Endicott said via email.

Figueroa said he now worries about people thinking that he is a criminal because he has been outfitted with an ankle monitor as an alternative to detention.

I feel like they took so much from me, Figueroa said. I knew my status. I knew I didnt have the same rights as everybody else, but I felt like I fit in.

Figueroa said he has not been given permission to work while he waits for his case to process, so he decided to enroll at Palomar College starting this fall. He hopes to become a paramedic.

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Nitish Kumar is accused of killing a local Congress leader in Barh in 1991. The plea in the Supreme Court says he concealed the criminal case against him.

By Press Trust of India: The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a plea seeking cancellation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's membership of the state Legislative Council for allegedly concealing a pending criminal case against him.

A bench of Justices Justice Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar said it will look into the matter after petitioner advocate M L Sharma sought an urgent hearing of his plea.

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The bench said it would see when the matter could be listed for hearing.

The plea, which was filed on Monday, alleged that there was a criminal case against the JD(U) leader wherein he was accused of killing a local Congress leader Sitaram Singh, and injuring four others ahead of Lok Sabha by-election to the Barh constituency in 1991.

The petitioner has also sought a direction to the CBI to register an FIR against the Bihar CM in the case.

"Respondent number 2 (Election Commission), despite knowing facts about his (Kumar's) criminal case, did not cancel his membership of the house and respondent (Kumar) still enjoys constitutional office till date," he said.

The lawyer has sought cancellation of Kumar's membership as per the Election Commissions 2002 order stating it is mandatory for candidates to disclose criminal cases against them in their affidavits annexed to nomination papers.

He claimed the Bihar chief minister did not disclose the criminal case that was pending against him in affidavits since 2004, except for 2012.

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San Diego on Monday became the largest city in the nation to pass a law requiring city contractors and consultants to pay employees equally regardless of gender or ethnicity.

The City Council unanimously approved the new legislation, an equal pay ordinance that aims to help close persistent pay gaps for women and minorities performing the same work as white men.

To avoid overburdening local businesses, the legislation exempts public works contracts under $500,000 and all contractors with 12 or fewer full-time employees.

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The median annual salary for a male full-time worker in California is $50,359, compared to $42,486 for a female, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the National Partnership for Women and Families.

The analysis also found that for every $1 earned by white men, black women make 64 cents and Latinas make 44 cents.

Federal and state laws already require equal pay, but City Councilman Chris Ward said its crucial for San Diego to play a role in enforcing those laws.

Not only is it not fair on its own, it means that women have a harder time providing for themselves, achieving financial independence or planning a secure retirement, Ward told his colleagues on Monday.

Ward said the new law builds on the citys rich history of wage and equal opportunity laws, which includes legislation requiring a living wage, prevailing wages, equal benefits, a minimum wage and earned sick leave.

Council President Myrtle Cole became emotional before the councils vote.

The fact that discrimination still exists in the first place is appalling  whether its gender discrimination, race discrimination or wage discrimination, Cole said.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer also praised the legislation, calling the councils approval an important vote.

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce hasnt taken a position on the new law.

Councilman Scott Sherman said he planned to vote against the proposal before shifting gears and eventually casting a yes vote.

Sherman criticized the data presented by city staff, stressing that the disparities didnt account for differentials between men and women in seniority and experience.

He also called the legislation overkill and divisive.

We have a state law in place, its already on the books, every employer knows they have to comply with state law, said Sherman. Race and everything else, gender, religion, sexual orientation none of that should be brought to the table. I think if we keep trying to show that everybodys different, how do we come together?

But Shermans comments were out of step with the rest of the council and the audience, which included more than a dozen speakers in favor and none opposed.

Councilman David Alvarez said it was about time we talk about this in San Diego, and Councilwoman Barbara Bry said she experienced the gender pay gap during her career in business.

Ken Marlborough, a longtime southeastern San Diego community leader, said the legislation could help address the citys housing affordability crisis by boosting wages for women and minorities.

Rosalind Winstead, a board member of the recently formed Black Womens Institute for Leadership Development, praised the legislation but said more city effort is needed.

Two decades of failure by the city to commission a (wage) disparity study is a glaring missed opportunity, said Winstead, advocating for such an analysis. Political courage will be required to challenge the citys well-heeled and litigious good old boys establishment.

Ward said the city is in a particularly strong position to make a difference as the No. 1 employer of contractors and consultants in the region. Annual city contracts typically exceed $600 million per year.

Under the proposed law, contractors working with the city would be required to certify that they pay employees equally regardless of gender or ethnicity, and notify their employees of such a policy in writing.

But enforcement of the legislation will be complaint-driven and reactive instead of proactive.

Violators will get written notice and 30 days to fix any problems. Failures to comply could lead to cancellation, termination or suspension of a contract.

The law applies to all contracts awarded, entered into, or extended on or after Jan. 1, 2018.

Exemptions include public works contracts of $500,000 or less, contractors with 12 or fewer full-time employees, intellectual property licensing agreements, no-bid contracts and contracts where the city bids on services in conjunction with other government agencies.

San Francisco and San Jose have adopted similar laws, as have the states of Minnesota and New Mexico and the city of Tempe, Ariz.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
San Diego is boosting the qualifications for membership on its Ethics Commission, a seven-member watchdog panel that enforces the citys laws covering campaign finance, lobbying and governmental ethics.

The City Council this week approved four changes that aim to boost the experience and expertise of the commissions members, who are nominated by the mayor and then approved by the City Council.

And a fifth change with the same goal is scheduled for council consideration in September.

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The council on Monday increased from two to three the minimum number of attorneys that must serve on the panel, and increased from one to two the minimum number of people who must have held elective office, run for office or worked on a campaign.

The council also amended the commissions rules to say that priority consideration will be given to nominees familiar with campaign finance laws, government ethics, lobbying laws and conflict-of-interest regulations.

In addition, the council clarified that rules prohibiting commission members from seeking elective office in the city of San Diego dont extend to seeking other local offices, such as county supervisor or the state Legislature.

In September, the council is scheduled to consider amending a rule that prohibits anyone who ran for office against a current member of the council from being appointed to the commission. The rule also applies to people who worked on the campaigns of candidates who ran against current council members.

Councilman David Alvarez recommended that rule be softened to barring such people for five years after they ran for office against a current incumbent.

The goal is widening the pool of highly qualified candidates. The rule is in place to avoid conflicts of interest for commissioners, or the appearance of a potential conflict of interest.

Barret Tetlow, Councilman Scott Shermans chief of staff, said its possible the recommendation presented to the council in September will be for some other time limit than five years, explaining that a rationale for a specific number of years must be explored.

Tetlow said other major cities in California, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, dont require members of their ethics commissions to abide by such waiting periods.

The changes, which were spearheaded by Sherman and Alvarez, are in response to a County Grand Jury report that recommended changes to the commissions membership and other policies.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
To help people prepare natural disasters that may threaten their homes, offices or schools, the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services has a new website that provides geographic-specific advice.

The risk of each type of natural disaster varies from place to place  theres minimal chance of a tsunami in East Countys hills but fast-moving wildfires are a real threat, for example  so different precautions are required at different locations.

To that end, Emergency Services has launched launched Know Your Hazards website.

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We call on every San Diegan to know your hazards, Supervisor Dianne Jacob said. Know your hazards on your property where you live, know the hazards where you are doing business.

The tool, which is available in both English and Spanish, allows people to enter an address, and learn the extent of risk of wildfire, earthquake, major flooding, and tsunami at each location. It also gives them advice on how to prepare before a disaster happens, and what to do if one occurs.

The preparation that we have today is really unprecedented and it applies to any kind of an emergency, the kind of emergencies that were talking about in looking at this map, Jacob said.

The site relies on mapping technology and allows users to see which areas are most prone to various disasters. It includes details about the entirety of San Diego County, except for Camp Pendleton.

County emergency officials encourage residents to use the website as soon as possible to figure out the risks they face.

We recommend that every resident takes action to prepare themselves and their families for the hazards that we face here in San Diego county because almost all of our hazards are no-notice, said Holly Crawford, the Emergency Services director.

This year there is an unusually high risk of wildfires, said Tony Mecham, CalFire San Diego Union Chief and the head of the County Fire Authority.

Were coming out of six years of an extended drought, we had the rainfall this year which produced the (combustible fuels), he said. Were seeing significant fire activity around the state.

Besides the new website, the country also has SD Emergency App, a mobile application that sends alerts about natural disasters and can help people create emergency response plans.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Interim District Attorney Summer Stephan raised more than $200,000 since the start of the year for her campaign to become the countys permanent DA.

Stephan was appointed June 20 by the Board of Supervisors to fill the last 18 months of Bonnie Dumaniss term, who resigned and is contemplating a run for the board herself next year.

Stephans campaign contribution report showed she raised $202,454.99 through June 30. That included a $3,000 loan she made herself.

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The report shows she spent $40,000, so far for campaign consultants, fundraisers, campaign literature and office expenses, among other things. She had $21,000 in outstanding bills.

All told she had $161,751 in the bank heading into the next phase of the campaign.

Her only announced opponent, Deputy Public Defender Genevieve Jones-Wright, declared her candidacy in early July after the financial reporting period closed so she did not file a report.

Stephan, who was chief deputy DA, was tapped early on by Dumanis as her preferred successor. She has captured the endorsements of numerous law enforcement and prosecution labor groups and organizations, several of whom endorsed her before any other candidate had announced an intention to run in 2018.

She also has won backing from prominent political figures such as San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer Sheriff Bill Gore and others.

The report shows Stephan collected scores of contributions from a variety of professions, including many from attorneys and law firms. Among the contributors was Dumanis, who gave her $800 on June 30, and San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott who donated $150 on April 21.

Dumanis announced in January she would not seek a fifth term as DA. Stephan formally announced her candidacy days later, two days after getting the endorsement from the labor association representing prosecutors in the office.

Dumanis had made it clear that she wanted Stephan to succeed her, telling staff late last year that was her preferred plan. When Dumanis announced in April she planned to resign, Stephan and two others applied to be appointed interim DA.

Under county rules the supervisors are empowered to select the interim DA. The appointment process stirred controversy. Some individuals and groups such as the ACLU urged the board to condition any appointment on a promise that the person selected would not run in the 2018 election.

They said that serving as DA for a year and running with that title on the ballot gives someone a huge advantage in the race. But the board said it wanted the most qualified interim candidate and picked Stephan.

Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
A fire tore through the kitchen at a La Mesa Chinese food restaurant Tuesday, causing about $300,000 in damage, a fire official said.

Investigators said Wongs Golden Palace on University Avenue may need to stay closed for a month, while substantial repairs are made

An employee and the restaurant owner were in the kitchen when the fire sparked, Heartland Fire & Rescue spokesman Mark Casey said. The two workers tried to put out the blaze with a nearby fire extinguisher, but ultimately called 911 about 11:20 a.m.

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#Breaking: Fire crews are working to knock out a fire at Wong's Golden Palace restaurant in La Mesa: https://t.co/XRsjU77XRW pic.twitter.com/5f9bN4wxu8  #NBC7 San Diego (@nbcsandiego) August 1, 2017

Fire crews arrived about five minutes later and spotted smoke and fire coming from the roof. The employees were evacuated and the most of the fire was doused in about 20 minutes, Casey said.

The flames charred the kitchen and spread to the attic before the fire was doused. There was smoke damage throughout the restaurant.

The business was not set to open until 4 p.m., so no guests were there when the fire sparked. The cause is under investigation.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Police officers dont fight crime alone; they need help from their communities.

Thats partly why National Night Out is such a big deal to police agencies. The annual event is billed as an opportunity for officers and residents to build better relationships and bolster crime and drug prevention programs  together.

Law enforcement agencies across San Diego County will be celebrating the event with a variety of activities including car shows, food trucks, dance parties, demonstrations from police canine units, meet-and-greets with SWAT officers and activities for children.

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Neighborhood Watch programs, school groups, disaster preparation teams and a variety of businesses and service clubs also will be in attendance.

The San Diego Police Department, which will be hosting nine events across the city, also partnered with the Padres to hook-up residents who attend a gathering with discounted tickets.

The San Diego County Sheriffs Department will be hosting about a dozen events across the county. Details about each gathering have been posted to the departments website at sdsheriff.net.

National City, Chula Vista, Oceanside and Escondido also planned get-togethers. La Mesa, Carlsbad and El Cajon police officials said they plan to send officers to a variety of events hosted by neighborhood groups.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Welcome to Science in 60 Seconds

FLYING HIGH

NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik  a Marine pilot who was stationed at Miramar for many years  has arrived at the International Space Station. Hes scheduled to spend six months at the orbiting outpost. Bresnik will help with several scientific experiments, including one involving potential therapies for Parkinsons disease.

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This is Bresniks second trip into space. He earlier served on a space shuttle mission, and performed two spacewalks .

RIDE, SALLY, RIDE

The research vessel Sally Ride is leaving San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography this week to study the ecosystem of the California Current. The ship will be operating offshore, roughly between San Diego and Point Conception.

This is a return-to-service for the R/V Ride, which spent about three months undergoing repairs and upgrades.

The ship is named after former UC San Diego researcher Sally Ride, the first American woman to travel in space.

MONEY FLOWS TO SDSU

San Diego State University says that it raised more than $134 million in research funding during the fiscal year that ended on June 30. Thats one of the highest figures in campus history, but far from the $250 million it wishes to raise annually to evolve into one of Californias elite science centers.

The new money is being used for everything from heart studies to gauging the impact of smoking and air pollution in low income housing.

Science Playlist  On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds

Twitter: @grobbins

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
Manjhi's discontentment was not hidden when his party, despite being a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was denied a berth in the recent cabinet expansion.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today met Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence, fuelling speculations that his party Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) might secure a ministerial berth in the upcoming cabinet expansion.

Manjhi's discontentment was not hidden when his party, despite being a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was denied a berth in the recent cabinet expansion, where 27 ministers were sworn in.

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Manjhi suffered another blow when Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's younger brother and member of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Pashupati Kumar Paras was sworn in as minister.

According to sources close to Manjhi, he had suggested three names from his party for a ministerial berth which included senior leader Brishan Patel and Mahachander Prasad.

But more than them, Manjhi was intent on getting his son in the cabinet.

The ex-chief minister is believed to have apprised the BJP top leadership in Delhi of his angst over his party being left out during the recent cabinet rejig.

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These are fraught times for law enforcement. Cellphone videos have established that abusive police behavior is more prevalent than many people thought, vindicating African-Americans decades of complaints. But recent killings of police officers have triggered a backlash against Black Lives Matter and other police critics. America badly needs to find a common ground in which more police departments and police unions accept the need to be vigilant about codes of conduct and in which more police critics acknowledge that officers have an extraordinarily difficult job that is getting harder.

Given this backdrop, President Trumps de facto endorsement of roughing up detainees in comments to law enforcement officers in Suffolk County, New York, sent an awful message  even if it was a joke. Some officers cheers made the moment worse.

Thankfully, many law enforcement leaders dont agree with Trump at all. We believe in providing safety for all which means everyone without exception. Words matter, let all of us look for ways to unite, San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said in an email response to a request for her reaction to the presidents remarks. It is my expectation that the men and women of the San Diego County Sheriffs Department will treat the people we serve with dignity and respect at all times, county Sheriff Bill Gore said in an email.

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Thanks, chief. Thanks, sheriff. Trumps quip about detainees was not amusing or acceptable.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board (Pension ruling a setback for San Diego, July 31) is doubling down, as are city leaders, on support for Proposition B, which curtailed pensions for most new city of San Diego workers and mostly froze salaries for five years.

This unwise ballot measure could prove very costly to San Diego in the future if the Supreme Court overturns it, but it has already had very negative consequences. The pay freeze has hamstrung recruiting and retention of police officers, resulting in chronic understaffing.

It has also made San Diego less competitive in hiring of other workers, since just about every other local government in California offers this benefit. And it has seriously added to retirement insecurity for thousands, despite widespread American angst about this very issue.

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We need to find ways to ensure retirement security for everyone, in both the public and private sector, not scheme over ways to undermine it.

B. Chris Brewster

Pacific Beach

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.
U.S. relations with Russia went from bad to worse in July despite calls from both sides that the complicated relationship would improve in 2017.

President Donald Trump says hell approve sanctions passed with strong bipartisan support in Congress, and Russia President Vladimir Putin is already responding in kind.

Heres a look at three ways U.S. relations with Russia have deteriorated in just the past few weeks.

1. U.S. sanctions on Russia

On July 25, the House of Representatives passed the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act with a 419-3 vote. The Senate followed two days later with a 98-2 vote to send it to the presidents desk for his signature. The White House has said he will sign the legislation.

The bill imposed or extended sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea. It is intended to punish Russia for its interference in the 2016 election as well as for its aggression in Ukraine and Syria. Specifically, the sanctions target Russias ability to export weapons and attempt to make business more difficult for the countrys energy sector.

Read more about those here.

2. Russia already retaliated

Putin is calling for the U.S. to reduce its embassy and consulate staff by hundreds of employees by Sept. 1. The total number of diplomatic employees in the country would drop to 455.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that "recent events showed that U.S. policy was in the hands of Russophobic forces, pushing Washington to the path of confrontation."

The decision is also being seen as a retaliation for President Barack Obama imposing sanctions and ordering 35 Russian diplomats to leave the U.S. in December.

Russia has also pledged to take over two American diplomatic properties.

A similar move was made by Russia during the Cold War.

3. A pledge to defend against Russia

Vice President Mike Pence gave a speech in Estonia on Monday reaffirming the United States commitment to protect the Baltic states  as part of the North American Treaty Organization  from Russia.

At the heart of our alliance is a solemn promise that an attack on one is an attack on all, Pence said. Under President Trump, the United States will continue to hold Russia accountable for its actions.

Members of the U.S., French, British and Estonian militaries were present for the speech as well as the presidents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Pence used the speech to clear up the U.S. stance on Russia despite ongoing investigations into alleged ties between the country and Trumps 2016 campaign.

"The President and our Congress are unified in our message: A better relationship and the lifting of sanctions will require Russia to reverse the actions that caused the sanctions to be imposed in the first place," said.

Read Pences full remarks here.

For more recent coverage of the Trump administration from The Conversation, check out these links:

Scaramucci out as communications director. Is White House in chaos?

Trump's 'Please don't be too nice' joke didn't make these police chiefs, agencies laugh

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
President Donald Trump s newest nominee, Christopher Wray , received extensive bipartisan support from the Senate on Tuesday to be confirmed as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The vote was 92 to 5 in favor of Wray after his prior unanimous recommendedation from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He will fill a position that has been vacant since President Donald Trump fired James Comey earlier this year.

Want to get to know the man who is taking on a 10-year term with the bureau?

Heres what you should know about the longtime Justice Department employee turned private lawyer.

His Justice Department biography

Christopher Asher Wray was born in 1967. He graduated from Yale University in 1989 and received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1992.

He then clerked for Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In 1993, Wray started working in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1997, he joined the U.S. attorney's office for the northern district of Georgia. In 2001, he began working at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., known as Main Justice, as an associate deputy attorney general and, later, as principal associate deputy attorney general.

In 2003, Wray was nominated by President George W. Bush as assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division. He served in that position until 2005. Hes been a private attorney since the with the international firm King & Spalding and given legal advice to Wells Fargo, Johnson & Johnson and Credit Suisse Group. He earned $9.2 million last year as a partner in the firm, according to his financial disclosures.

His thoughts on working with Trump

During his confirmation hearings, Wray pledged to be independent from the White House.

"My commitment is to the rule of law, to the Constitution, to follow the facts wherever they may lead," Wray said. "And there isn't a person on this planet whose lobbying or influence could convince (me) to just drop or abandon a properly predicated and meritorious investigation."

RELATED: Four times FBI director nominee Chris Wray disagreed with Trump

He also said hes be willing to blow the whistle on any attempt by the White House to interfere in the special counsel led by Robert Mueller and its Russia investigation.

I would consider an effort to tamper with Director Muellers investigation to be unacceptable and inappropriate, he said.

His ties to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

Wray was retained in 2014 by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to represent him in the so-called Bridgegate investigation. Two of Christies former aides were found guilty of shutting down lanes at the George Washington Bridge in New Jersey in retaliation for a mayor in the state declining to endorse the governors re-election bid.

Wrays law firm has collected $2.1 million from New Jersey taxpayers since being hired by Christie, according to the Asbury Park Press.

What President Donald Trump says

Trump called Wray impeccably qualified when he first suggested Wray for the job.

I am proud to announce Christopher as my choice as the director of the FBI, Trump said when announcing the nomination. During his previous service at the Department of Justice, Christopher was the leader of major fraud investigations, and was a key part of the team overseeing the Justice Departments actions in the war on terrorism following the 9/11 attacks. He is an impeccably qualified individual, and I know that he will again serve his country as a fierce guardian of the law and model of integrity once the Senate confirms him to lead the FBI.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
WORK IN PROGRESSAn urban hiking trail through downtown Ramona sounds like a great idea to the Ramona Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee. New York City, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other well-known locales have them. Why not Ramona?

Crediting chamber past president and attorney Robert Krysak with introducing the idea, chamber director Stacy Bart said she, Krysak, and chamber vice president and EDC chair Paul Zawilenski walked the area recently and started mapping a short, a medium, and a long  or full  trail. The full hike will be about two-and-a-half miles.

The chamber will publish a map of the urban trail, highlighting places such as the museum, town hall, murals, and other points of interest Ramona offers. As people hike the trail, theyll naturally be welcome to stop in the shops and businesses along the route.

Residents and visitors will find the urban hike pleasant, since walking downtown is way easier than some of Ramonas more rural and sometimes strenuous trails, said Bart.

Once the map is completed, copies will be in the chamber office and also posted outside the chamber office at 960 Main St. This is a work in progress, so check with the chamber for updates  and watch for the completed product.

NEW LOGO, NEW OWNEROne Stop Equipment Rental & Sales at 254 Pine St./Highway 78 has a new owner and a new logo, and it soon will have a second location. Kevin D. Brown, a 15-year Ramona resident, said he saw an opportunity to purchase One Stop from its previous owner, John Souza. His first day as owner/president was April 17.

Brown, a contractor who remodeled some of Souzas homes, plans to open a second One Stop on the vacant lot in the Village Center in San Diego Country Estates  and hes thinking of opening a third in Julian.

A SPECIAL DAYMegan and Garrett Bartons special day is July 14. They met at the Ramona Junior Fairgrounds a few years ago on July 14. A member of Ramona Paisanos 4-H Club, she was Megan Storton then and attended Ramona High School. A Poway FFA member, Garrett attended Poway High School. One year later  on July 14  they had their first date. This July 14 they exchanged wedding vows. They chose the Ramona Outdoor Community Center Pavilion next to the Ramona Junior Fairgrounds for their wedding.

The next evening, they stood in front of a crowd of live auction bidders and each took a pie in the face from Debbie Huff, last years pie-in-the-face recipient. Debbie and her husband, Bert, paid $450 for Debbie to have the privilege. It was both couples way of supporting the Ramona Junior Fair that starts Saturday and continues through Sunday, Aug. 6. There arent many communities that can raise $19,923 in less than seven hours for a junior fair, but thats how its done in Ramona.

The Bartons live in Wyoming, where they attend the University of Wyoming. Megan majors in agricultural education. Garretts major is animal science.

70 YEARS STRONGPete Bakarich, a 35-year Ramona resident, celebrated his 70th birthday last week. The celebration started in Pamo Valley Winery Tasting Room. When friends suggested shifting to the outdoor patio at DCarlos restaurant for one more drink, Bakarich initially said no, he planned to have dinner with his wife, Donna, and didnt want to have too much to drink  but they insisted. Lucky for him they did. Thats where Donna was  with more friends waiting to give him what he admitted was a big surprise party.

Bakarich said he never thought hed make it to 70 years old, but he did and hes in good health. He stays active in the community. Hes the mastermind behind the all-you-can-eat rib fest held the past 12 years to benefit Ramona Senior Center, he has a reputation for making some of the best barbecue sauce in town, and he served as senior center board president for four years and is its current past president. In addition, he walks 12.8 miles a day. Its 3.2 miles from his home to the senior center. He makes the round trip twice a day.

How did he end up on DCarlos patio table? Stephanie (Norvell, one of the friends at the party) said, Pete, get up here. I said, Yes, maam.
Beijing, Jul 31 (PTI) Over 30,000 people were relocated in Chinas southwestern Sichuan Province following a month- long check of geological disaster threats, according to local authorities.

The check was conducted by more than 2,000 investigators in 176 counties, after a landslide left 83 people dead or missing in Maoxian county in June, according to a leading group for the work.

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The investigators examined about 38,000 existing sites with geological disaster threats and found over 4,000 new sites. The relocated residents came from 671 sites identified as having imminent dangers, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.

Suffering a 8-magnitude earthquake in 2008 and a 7- magnitude earthquake in 2013, Sichuan is vulnerable to geological disaster. PTI KJV ZH

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By PTI: Islamabad, Aug 1 (PTI) Pakistan is "indebted" to its all-weather ally China for its "unflinching support" to it on the Kashmir issue, the expansion of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said.

Describing China and Pakistan as "important strategic players in the region," Gen. Bajwa, who was the chief guest at a reception in Rawalpindi yesterday hosted by the Chinese Embassy, said, their bilateral ties have jointly benefitted both the countries.

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"It is a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and cooperation. In fact, this friendship is flourishing with every passing day, which encompasses every aspect of our life," he said at a function to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA).

Gen. Bajwa said the "professional collaboration between PLA and Pakistan Army, will continue to expand to bring peace to the region in general and China - Pakistan in particular."

Calling the 2.3-million-strong PLA, the worlds largest standing army, as "one of the finest military outfits in the world," he said the Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan take great pride in "our deep rooted brotherly relationship" with China.

He noted that both China and Pakistan are faced with similar challenges and opportunities. Both countries have assumed shared responsibility towards stability in the region and prosperity of their people, he said.

"This unity of purpose has led to the consolidation and has strengthened our resolve as determined nations, to brave all challenges and storms together," he was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

The Pakistan Army chief also pointed out that China and his country has expanded their cooperation to wider areas have launched strategic initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, defence collaboration in numerous joint projects and united diplomatic front, internationally.

"Pakistan is indebted to China for its unflinching support to our perspective at all international forums, may it be expansion of Nuclear Suppliers Group, Kashmir Issue, or Pakistans full membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," Gen. Bajwa said.

While China is blocking Indias membership bid in the NSG as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, Beijing is apparently seeking equal treatment to its ally Pakistan in the elite nuclear trading group. China, however, backed both India and Pakistan to become full members of the Beijing-based SCO.

China has also been blocking Indias move to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

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Gen. Bajwa also claimed that China had always provided "unconditional support" to Pakistans efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan.

"We are also actively cooperating in all fields against war on terror. Moreover, from diplomatic cooperation to security collaboration, we have stood by each other through thick and thin and shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, come rain or shine," he added. PTI AKJ AKJ

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Pakistan's Army chief said they are indebted to China for its unflinching support on a number of issues including the Kashmir issue.

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has thanked all-weather ally China for its "unflinching support" on the vexed Kashmir issue.

At a function to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), Bajwa said, Pakistan Army takes great pride in deep-rooted brotherly relationship with China.

Describing China and Pakistan as "important strategic players in the region," Gen. Bajwa, who was the chief guest at a reception in Rawalpindi yesterday hosted by the Chinese Embassy, said, their bilateral ties have jointly benefited both the countries.

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While China is blocking India's membership bid in the NSG as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Beijing is apparently seeking equal treatment to its ally Pakistan in the elite nuclear trading group. China, however, backed both India and Pakistan to become full members of the Beijing-based SCO.

China has also been blocking India's move to get Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar sanctioned by the UN Security Council.

WHAT THE PAKISTAN ARMY CHIEF SAID ON CHINA AND KASHMIR: "Pakistan is indebted to China for its unflinching support to our perspective at all international forums, may it be expansion of Nuclear Suppliers Group, Kashmir Issue, or Pakistan's full membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation," Bajwa said. As important strategic players in the region, our relations have jointly benefited both the countries, he said. "It is a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, understanding and cooperation. In fact, this friendship is flourishing with every passing day, which encompasses every aspect of our life." Today, this close collaboration spans over a wider canvas than ever before and ranges across strategic initiatives like China Pakistan Economic Corridor, defence collaboration in numerous joint projects and united diplomatic front, internationally, Bajwa said. "China has always provided unconditional support to Pakistan's efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan, especially at the platform of Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG)." The Army chief said the two neighbouring nations are also actively cooperating in all fields against war on terror. "Moreover, from diplomatic cooperation to security collaboration, we have stood by each other through thick and thin and shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder, come rain or shine," he said. "Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan take great pride in our deep rooted brotherly relationship with People's Republic of China. This enviable relationship finds no parallel in the World."

COAS Chief guest at #PLA90 reception. "Pak China Military to Military coop is pillar of our bilateral relationship" Chinese Amb.( 1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/tIC1qfMRom- Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) July 31, 2017

Also read:

Unfair to say China is colonising us: Outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit tells India Today

Pakistan China's new colony? Leaked papers reveal Beijing's stake in economy, key projects

ALSO WATCH

Doklam standoff: Will conflict with India be disastrous for China?

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Yesterday, Communications-Director-in-Waiting Anthony Scaramucci resigned before he had officially assumed his post, so it cant be said that he had the shortest tenure in the current White House  because he didnt have any tenure. General Michael Flynn, who announced in February that he was leaving his position of National Security Advisor, had served just 24 days.

Death and Illness

Two dozen days is a pretty short stay for a Cabinet member, but he does not hold the record for brevity of tenure. That honor goes to Thomas W. Gilmer, a Virginia congressman who was appointed Secretary of the Navy by President John Tyler. He assumed the office on February 19, 1844, and died 10 days later.

Death was also the culprit in the short term of office for President William Henry Harrison, who is still remembered for three things: winning the Battle of Tippecanoe, delivering the longest inaugural address, and dying 32 days after becoming president. His unexpected death is now attributed to typhoid, a common ailment at the time in Washington, which hadnt yet engineered a proper system for disposing of sewage.

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And while Elihu Washburne didnt die while serving as Secretary of State under Ulysses S. Grant, he became ill after his appointment on March 5, 1869, and resigned 11 days later.

A few of our vice presidents had short terms because the president under whom they served died unexpectedly. This was the case for John Tyler, who succeeded William Henry Harrison after his death from typhoid, making Tylers vice presidency the shortest on record, at 33 days. Andrew Johnson served as VP for only 43 days and became president after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Out of Time

Luckily, death was not a typical reason for a short period of service. More commonly, a presidents term would end and his staff would be replaced. When President James Buchanan left office, so did his recently appointed postmaster general, Horatio King, who served just 21 days.

Similarly, the first agriculture secretary served just 20 days. Previously the Commissioner of Agriculture, Norman J. Colman had pushed President Grover Cleveland to create a Department of Agriculture. He was named its first secretary on February 15, 1889. Unfortunately, President Cleveland left office 20 days later, and so did Colman.

And when President Lyndon Johnson left office, so did Treasury Secretary Joseph Barr, after only 21 days in the position. Because of his short tenure, Barrs signature appeared only on the one-dollar bill.

Politics and Drama

While these resignations occurred during peaceful transitions, several were the result of White House tensions. Edwin M. Stanton briefly served as Attorney General for the last days of President Buchanans term. Stanton perceived that Buchanan was too soft in his treatment of the South before the Civil War and resigned after 76 days. But he was recalled by President Lincoln to become Secretary of War, a post he held for six years.

More recently, Attorney General Elliot Richardson resigned on October 20, 1973, rather than comply with President Nixons orders to fire the special prosecutor looking into the Watergate scandal. He had lasted 150 days.

Donald Trumps former chief of staff, Reince Preibus, served 189 days  the shortest time anyone has served in this position. Preibus resigned, but many believe he was pushed out after a stormy six months in the White House.

Michael Dubke accepted the position of White House Communications Director in March 2017. Anticipating another staff shake-up, he submitted his resignation to President Trump 85 days later. He had replaced Sean Spicer  and was succeeded by him as well. Spicer served in the White House for 183 days as Communications Director, press secretary, or some combination of the two, before resigning in July rather than working with Scaramucci.

Not all short terms are accompanied by death or drama: Friends talked Congressman Thomas McKennan into becoming Interior Secretary for President Fillmore. He didnt think he would like the job. After 29 days, he was certain, and he left.

Shortest Stays in the White House

Person Position President Served Tenure Reason for Leaving Thomas W. Gilmer Secretary of the Navy John Tyler 10 days death Elihu Washburne Secretary of State Ulysses S. Grant 11 days illness/resignation Norman J. Colman Secretary of Agriculture Grover Cleveland 20 days end of the presidents term Horatio King Postmaster General James Buchanan 21 days end of the presidents term Michael Flynn National Security Advisor Donald Trump 24 days resignation Thomas McKennan Secretary of the Interior Millard Fillmore 29 days resignation Joseph Barr Secretary of the Treasury Lyndon Johnson 31 days resignation at end of the presidents term William Henry Harrison President William Henry Harrison 32 days death (typhoid) John Tyler Vice President William Henry Harrison 33 days became president Robert C. Wood Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Lyndon Johnson 34 days end of the presidents term Robert Bacon Secretary of State Theodore Roosevelt 38 days end of the presidents term Lawrence Eagleburger Secretary of State George H.W. Bush 43 days end of the presidents term Andrew Johnson Vice President Abraham Lincoln 43 days became president Jonathan Daniels Press Secretary Franklin D. Roosevelt 45 days left after FDRs death Edwin M. Stanton Attorney General James Buchanan 76 days resignation Michael Dubke Communications Director Donald Trump 85 days resignation Elliot Richardson Attorney General Richard Nixon 150 days resignation Sean Spicer Communications Director/press secretary Donald Trump 183 days resignation Reince Preibus Chief of Staff Donald Trump 189 days resignation

Featured image: Shutterstock
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The French New Wave actor known for cerebral performances in the films of Europes most acclaimed directors has passed away at the age of 89. In his written tribute to Moreaus craft and legacy, New Yorker writer Richard Brody said of the French actor, She was an artist raised and trained in traditions that she expanded without destroying; she embodied not the narrowly intellectual artist but the person of culture, and she also embodied the paradoxes of culture in an age when its own presumptions were being challenged. Moreaus complex artistry was a perfect fit for avant garde European cinema, demonstrated by her impressive list of cinematic collaborators: Luis Bunuel, Orson Welles, Francois Truffaut, and Jean-Luc Godard, among others.

In the 1965 Post profile, Jeanne Moreau: Death, Suffering, Love, C. Robert Jennings visits Moreaus Riviera estate to learn more about the already-accomplished actor. She talks about her lover, Pierre Cardin, her transparent nature, and even her familys attempt to escape from Nazi-occupied Paris in her childhood. At the time, Moreau was preparing to star in Viva Maria! alongside Brigitte Bardot: Men, she said, dont want to believe in friendship between women. But I need women to keep my equilibrium  and to laugh.

Jenningss story captured the sensitivity and intellect of Moreau at a time when American interest in her gritty films was mostly limited to metropolises and fringe groups. The profile suggests a delicate  but deep  artist following her instinct into cinema history.
Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/01/2017 -- Zion Market Research has published a new report titled "Subsea Valves Market (Subsea Gate Valves, Subsea Needle Valves, Subsea Ball Valves, Subsea Check Valves and Others): Global Market Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2016  2022". According to the report, global subsea valves market was valued at USD 302.50 million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD 334.50 million in 2022, growing at a CAGR of 3.7% between 2017 and 2022.



Subsea valve is the special component that controls and directs the flow of the liquid. These valves offer unique physical and mechanical properties such as waterproofing, leakage free and have the ability to withstand long-term corrosion effects from high salt content seawater, perform in high-temperature and high-pressure condition, etc. therefore, it finds broad range of applications including oil & gas industry, marine industry, offshore wind power, energy harvesting & production and underwater mining among others.



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Growing demand for energy is a prime factor that drives the market for subsea valves. Oil, coal, and gas are main sources of global primary energy consumption. Thus, the exploration and production process requires the subsea valve in oil and gas industry. Moreover, growing subsea and oil & gas projects is likely to fuel the demand for subsea valves in the near future. However, unstable crude oil may hamper the market growth. Nonetheless, advancement in technologies is likely to provide new avenues for the players of the market over the forthcoming years.



On the basis of type, the global subsea valves market is segmented into subsea ball valves, subsea gate valves, subsea needle valves, subsea check valves, and others. Subsea ball valve was the largest segment of the market in 2016 and it accounted for more than 30% share of the total market in 2016. It is also expected to be the fastest growing segment during the coming years. This growth is attributed to its numerous applications in subsea projects. In addition, subsea ball valves are expected to be in high demand from various offshore and subsea projects. Moreover, subsea check valves and gate valves are also projected to witness robust demand during the forecast period and thus provide attractive market opportunities for subsea valve manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers.



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Latin America led the global subsea valves market with more than 30% share in 2016. Furthermore, it is projected to experience the lucrative growth during the next five years owing to surging investments for offshore and subsea projects in the region. The Middle East & Africa is expected to be the fastest growing market of the subsea valve within the forecast period owing to numerous upcoming offshore and subsea projects in the region. Most of these offshore and subsea projects are expected to come online near West Africa. Countries such as Angola, Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia among others are expected to drive the offshore and subsea projects in this region during the forecast period.



The major players of global subsea valves include Perar S.p.A., Flowserve Corporation, BuTech, Oliver Valves Ltd., Cameron, L.B. Bentley Ltd, Cortec LLC, DAFRAM S.p.A., PetrolValves and amongst others.



This report segments the subsea valves market as follows:



Subsea Valves Market: Type Analysis



- Subsea Gate Valve

- Subsea Needle Valve

- Subsea Ball Valve

- Subsea Check Valve

- Others



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Subsea Valves Market: Region Analysis



- North America

- U.S.

- Europe

- UK

- France

- Germany

- Asia Pacific

- China

- Japan

- India

- Latin America

- Brazil

- The Middle East and Africa



About Zion Market Research

Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristically, cutting edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, a company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with Vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from Cardinal Industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.



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Grand Rapids, MI -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/01/2017 -- Michigan based restaurant giant, "Wing Heaven", gives individuals a chance to own their companies with its franchise expansion.



Wing Heaven has recently announced the plan to expand its franchise footprint, giving millennials and entrepreneurs wanting to get into the restaurant business, an easy and profitable opportunity to live their dreams. The franchise opportunity is described as a dream opportunity for entrepreneurs, as it provides an easy platform to be a part of one of the most trusted and reliable restaurant franchises in the United States.



Over the years, Wing Heaven has grown in leaps and bounds, dominating the restaurant business, especially with its unique and tasty collection of sauces. The franchise opportunity allows millennials and entrepreneurs benefit from the potentials of the business, especially with the growing restaurant business.



The restaurant business is growing by the day. However, only established and reliable businesses and brands have been able to benefit from this growth. The revenues of restaurants across the United States have been on the rise over the years, and with Wing Heaven bringing something different to the table with its unique style and taste, franchisees have the opportunity to treat existing and prospective customers to the best wings with 18 specialty sauces and an assortment of Kool-Aid flavors.



As a Franchisee with Wing Heaven, entrepreneurs get to profit from the goodwill of the Wing Heaven brand, and expertise that has made Wing Heaven one of the most sought after restaurants in Michigan, Maryland and other parts of the country.



Franchisees also get to benefit from proven operational concepts backed by support and training, guaranteeing their success and helping them make profits and stay ahead of the competition in the restaurant business.



Wing Heaven currently has twelve franchise restaurants spread across the United States with 5 pending in the next 8 months, providing mentorship, training, and working closely with each licensee to ensure profitability and success of each franchisee.



Wing Heaven's drive and passion for satisfying customers has ensured its success over the years, making the franchise opportunity a viable commercial venture for entrepreneurs. The company's unique specialty seasoning for wings and 18 delicious signature sauces have received accolades from customers across the nation, with testimonials from customers.



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"Wing Heaven is by far the best place I've ever worked. I love the friendly and outgoing atmosphere, and the food is great too!" said, K. Bullard from Grand Rapids, MI.



Glenn Davis of Grand Rapids, MI said, "Is it a SIN to say these wings are Heaven on Earth because I'm addicted!"



"The whiting fish from Wing Heaven is as much from Heaven as the wings. Their Hot BBQ wing sauce is "on point!" said, L. Davis - Fort Washington, MD.



Wing Heaven has 18 signature sauces including Honey BBQ, Lemon Pepper, Spicy Garlic, Honey Heaven, Honey Mustard, and Sweet Raspberry Pepper amongst others. Wing Heaven has been able to successfully dominate the "Wings" niche in the restaurant business.



According to the CEO of Wing Heaven, "Wing Heaven is always quality and health conscious." He further said, "With today's nutritional and health concerns being a top priority, we always fry trans fat free."



Wing Heaven was also selected as the "Best New Chicken Wing location in the area" by the local restaurant guide. The recent expansion of its franchise further reiterates the company's vision and desire to make Wing Heaven a great place for family and friends to meet for socialization while enjoying great chicken wings, and delicious seafood.



About Wing Heaven

Wing Heaven is a restaurant business owned by Thomas Walker, Tony Miller, Jesus Martinez and Donte Kelley. The company was founded in 2004 and has subsequently grown, having several franchisees, with plans for thousands of stores across the World. Wing Heaven features 18 specialty sauces and an assortment of Kool-Aid flavors.



Website: www.wingheavenusa.com



Press Contact: Jameelah Wilkerson

Email: wingheavenwings@gmail.com
The Indian government is trying to squeeze Terror Inc - ISI-backed businessmen who fund terrorists in the Kashmir Valley.

By Harmeet Shah Singh, Rahul Kanwal: India's intelligence establishment is moving swiftly to choke off every source of support to perpetrators of trouble in the Kashmir Valley, zeroing in on suspected conduits for terrorist funding, highly-placed officials said.

According to most-senior intelligence officials, the probe into the bankrolling of the unrest has widened following India Today's scathing expose of the Hurriyat's Pakistani financing. Seven separatist leaders have already been arrested.

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Under the radar now are various ISI-backed businesses funnelling funds to separatists and terrorists.

A Srinagar businessman, Zahoor Watali, tops the list of alleged financers of Kashmiri troublemakers, highest-ranking intelligence officials told India Today.

A mover and shaker of Kashmir's high society, Watali is resident of Srinagar's Baghat Barzulla neighbourhood. He's known for his proximity to political leaders across the spectrum, opposition and ruling parties alike.

Watali's business empire spans from Kashmir to the UAE to Europe, spread across real-estate and international trade.

HURRIYAT'S MONEYBAG

But intelligence officials disclosed to India Today they suspect his companies were a facade hiding money laundering and terror finance.

"The man's believed to be the Hurriyat's moneybag," said a top source. Intelligence officials, poring over Watali's every financial transaction, found he maintained an NRI account in 2004-05 at a leading bank in New Delhi without having spent the required 180 days overseas for the foreign-residency status.

For months, he received monthly inward remittances of Rs 2 lakh-Rs 2.6 lakh from Dubai into his FCNRE bank account in the national capital, the sources revealed.

Watali, intelligence officials said, also had an account at the UAE's RAK Bank, from where he transferred more than Rs 53.60 lakh from March to December in 2011.

Documents accessed by India Today showed the money was credited into his account at the J&K Bank's Air Cargo branch in Srinagar.

MYSTERIOUS TRANSACTIONS

The original source of these sums, according to intelligence sources, is a mystery.

Intelligence officials have found out Watali, however, never declared these inflows in his annual returns. Further, his bank statement from the period reveals large amounts were moved from his J&K bank account to his construction companies, his wife Sarwa Begum and to a medical college in Jammu.

Watali's properties were part of addresses the NIA raided in Kashmir and Delhi after India Today uncovered Hurriyat-Pakistan connections.

Investigators are now questioning him for his alleged links with the ISI.

According to intelligence officials, Watali's top-ranking friends in the rogue spy agency include Brig. Mir Hafiz Sohail, Brig (retired) Javeed Aziz Khan and Maj-Gen. (retired) Rashid Qureshi.

Watali also had ties with Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan and Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, the former prime ministers of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the sources disclosed.

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This businessman's police record, intelligence sources said, dates back to 1990, when he was first arrested for allegedly harbouring Kashmiri militants.

He was taken into custody again in 1994.

Once a car driver of Abdul Ghani Lone, the slain separatist leader, Watali is now believed to have penetrating connections in the ISI.

The NIA is examining his deals, local and global, bit by bit, top officials said.

India Today reporters reached his properties in Srinagar, but Watali was not available for comment.

Also read:

India Today expose on Hurriyat echoes in Lok Sabha, Jaitley says demonetisation squeezed terror funds

Caught on Camera: How Pakistan funds Kashmiri separatists to burn the Valley - India Today Exclusive

NIA gets 10-day custody of 7 Hurriyat leaders: 10 Developments

Also watch:

India Today's report from inside an LeT rally; Top Hurriyat financier unmasked; more

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Alibaba-backed Paytm will launch a messaging service to take on Facebooks WhatsApp by the end of the month, according to company sources.

Paytm - which counts Japanese conglomerate Softbank as one of its investors - will integrate a new feature on its platform that will allow users to chat and exchange audio, pictures and videos, two people aware of the development said.

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They did not want to be named as they are not authorised to comment on the matter.

When contacted, a Paytm spokesperson declined to comment.

One of the persons said the new feature has been in the works for about three months now and will help the company further increase user engagement on its platform.

Interestingly, the development comes at a time when WhatsApp itself is working on foraying into the digital payments space.

India is the largest market for WhatsApp with over 200 million monthly active users as of February 2017. Globally, one billion people use WhatsApp every day.

In February, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton had met IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to discuss ways in which the popular messaging app could contribute to Indias vision for digital commerce.

The other person familiar with Paytms plans said that once the service rolls out, it could be be bigger than WhatsApp as its current userbase itself is over 230 million.

Besides, homegrown messaging platform Hike -- which has over 100 million users -- is also rolling out an in-app electronic payments service to capitalise on the rising digital transactions in India.

E-payments in India surged after the country banned old high-value currency notes late last year.

Since then, firms like Paytm have rapidly increased their market share. Digital payments in India would jump nearly 10 times to USD 500 billion by 2020, according to a 2016 report by Boston Consulting Group. PTI SR MBI SBT

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Updating with fresh inputs)

Guwahati, Aug 1 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a total package of Rs 2,350 crore for all north eastern states hit by floods and immediate release of Rs 250 crore for flood-hit Assam, as he undertook a visit here to assess the situation in the region.

He also announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to floods in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said.

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The seriously injured people will get Rs 50,000 each, the PMO said.

Regarding Assam, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Sarma said the prime minister announced release of Rs 250 crore immediately to carry out relief and rehabilitation.

"The prime minister had released Rs 300 crore in June. The Rs 250 crore announced today was in addition to the amount released in June," he said.

"The problem in the north east is Indias problem and we should collectively concentrate on converting the problem in to power," Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta quoted the prime minister as saying.

Modi, during his day-long visit here, met chief ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland to take stock of the situation arising out of the floods.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla did not come but sent a representation on his behalf.

"The prime minister announced Rs 2,350 crore total flood package for the north eastern states,"Sarma told reporters here.

Giving a breakup, Sarma said, "The prime minister has announced a special package of Rs 2,000 crore for all the north eastern states for relief and rehabilitation of flood damage."

The exact share of different states will be worked out in coming days and will be announced accordingly, he added.

In addition to that, the prime minister announced a Rs 100 crore corpus for setting up a research project to study Brahmaputra river and its role in creating devastating flood, Sarma said.

The package will be for flood relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction measures for affected states of the northeast, the prime minister said later.

"The package will have a significant component devoted to infrastructure & improving water holding capacity of the Brahmaputra," he tweeted.

"We are exploring all possible means to enable proper management of the water resources of the northeast. This will help us immensely," Modi added.

Sarma said the research project to study Brahmaputra will have a high-power committee comprising scientists, researchers, engineers.

"They will study the river and suggest remedies to tackle floods. This will be long term project," the finance minister of Assam added.

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The prime minister said the Centre is always with Assam and the north eastern states and suggested adoption of short and long term measures to handle flood and erosion problems.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented Rs 3,888.09 crore loss due to the latest wave of flood in the state to Modi.

The Assam government, however, did not submit any memorandum but sought support in rebuilding infrastructure and other rehabilitation works, Mahanta said.

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang sought at least Rs 700 crore for damages caused by latest wave of floods but declined to say whether the prime minister had assured him of funds.

"We have assessed our damage and it is Rs 700 crore. So for rebuilding the infrastructure and other purposes, we need assistance beyond Rs 700 crore," Zeliang told reporters after meeting PM Modi here.

During this years flood in Nagaland, 18 people have lost their lives. Around six lakh people were affected and 6,000 villages were hit, he said.

"It was a big natural calamity this time. There were heavy floods and landslides at many places. The hardship of people still continues.

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"It is good and encouraging that the Prime Minister has come and met all the CMs of the north east. This is a good sign," Zeliang said.

Modi also promised help and support to Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who submitted a memorandum to him on the damages caused by the floods, in providing relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding infrastructure in the flood-affected hill state.

"The prime minister gave a patient hearing to our problems and promised help and support in relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding the infrastructure," Khandu said after the meeting. PTI TR/AKK KK AAR ARK

--- ENDS ---
Over 30 religious and jihadi groups have come together to form Daifa-e-Pakistan that has carried out rallies across Pakistan to step up terrorism in Kashmir.

Infrastructure projects are taking off in the region with a torrent of Chinese investment.

By Ashraf Wani: While infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is getting a facelift owing to a torrent of Chinese investment, the terrorism framework in the area too is getting revamped in a bid to foment trouble in India, an India Today TV investigation on ground zero has found.

Over 30 religious and jihadi groups have come together to form Daifa-e-Pakistan that has demonstrated and carried out rallies across Pakistan to step up terrorism in Kashmir.

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According to sources, the aim of the movement is to create a new force of terrorism and channel it against India. One such rally was organised by Daifa-e-Pakistan at Mall road in Lahore. The participants included the leaders of the banned terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hijbul Mujahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, etc.

They demonstrated against India and spelt out a negative propaganda allegedly after informing the government of Pakistan and its army.

According to sources, Pakistan is leaving no stone unturned to stoke the unrest in Kashmir caused after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani last year.

Though the US has declared Hafiz Saeed and Hijbul chief Syed Salahuddin global terrorists with rewards for their arrest, these two have been spreading venom against India in different cities of Pakistan.

Indian agencies are concerned that the Pakistan-funded terror groups are roping in youngsters for their mission. Much like Hafiz Saeed's son, former ISI chief Hamid Gul's son is also echoing anti-India propaganda by creating associations to mobilise the youth.

The number of infiltrators into the India this year has been the highest in the past decade, underscoring Pakistan's agenda. This has led to tension along the Line of Control and ceasefire violations.

In the last nine years, after a devastating earthquake in 2006 in PoK, the infrastructure has undergone radical change. Not only roads, but hydropower projects and other ventures are visible on the ground .The pace at which these developmental projects are coming up is worrying for India. China's "development" projects" in PoK and neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan that involve several thousand Chinese personnel belonging to the construction corps of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) point towards Beijing's expansionist geo-strategic agenda in the region.

Gilgit-Baltistan is part of the disputed territory of J&K occupied by Pakistan and is known as the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Some part of the Aksai Chin region was also gifted to China by Pakistan.

Many people living in Gilgit and Baltistan are unnerved by the increasing Chinese presence in the area and feel that their resources and land are being sold to China by Pakistan without compensating the actual stakeholders, India Today TV found. Some even believe that all environmental issues are being ignored to favour economic interests of Pakistan.

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Farman Ali, a well-known journalist from Gilgit, said, "People who raise their voices against Pakistan are either being jailed or harassed by Pakistani security agencies in Gilgit and Baltistan."

There are some in PoK who believe that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is going to help economic prosperity in the area but that will be clear only when the projects are completed and locals are engaged by Pakistan in economic activities.

So far, residents have not been employed in construction work, except some security personnel who have been engaged for protection of Chinese workers.

With the reported stationing of a unit of PLA soldiers near the Khunjerab Pass and Chinese military officials frequenting the field command office of Gilgit, which happens to be Pakistan's military headquarters in the region, a pervasive Chinese intent of establishing a military edge in India's northern sector cannot be negated, observers say.

ALSO READ |

Is China backing Pakistan's position on PoK projects under its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor plan?

Pakistan China's new colony? Leaked papers reveal Beijing's stake in economy, key projects

Unfair to say China is colonising us: Outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit tells India Today

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Pakistan playing ball with China. Common enemy India the reason?

ALSO WATCH | How China is trying to colonise PoK: India Today ground report from Gilgit

--- ENDS ---
MTCC-Latin America joins MTCCs in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean under the Global MTTC Network (GMN) project, funded by the European Union and implemented by IMO.

The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the IMO to help mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. Under the Global MTTC Network (GMN) project, UMIP will host MTCC-Latin America. The selection of UMIP followed a competitive international tendering process.

UMIP joins MTCCs in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. In February, IMO announced that Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) will host MTCC-Africa. In December 2016, IMO announced that Shanghai Maritime University in China will host MTCC-Asia, while the University of Trinidad and Tobago will host MTCC-Caribbean. One further MTCC will be established in the Pacific, to form a global network of five centres.

The regional MTCCs will deliver the agreed project milestones over a three-year period, making a significant contribution to IMOs continuing, widespread efforts to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the global energy-efficiency regulations for international shipping.

The MTCCs will receive allocations from the EUR10m European Union funding for the project. They will be established and resourced to become regional centres of excellence, providing leadership in promoting ship energy-efficiency technologies and operations, and the reduction of harmful emissions from ships.
The shipowner said that its subsidiary dAmico Tankers had signed Memorandum of Understanding with an undisclosed buyer to sell the 2014-built, 49,990 dwt MR tanker High Discovery for $28m along with a 10-year bareboat charter back contract.

The company said that the sale and leaseback would generate $10.7m in free cash and dAmico Tankers had the option to repurchase vessel from three years after the deal.

This transaction will generate a positive net cash effect of $10.7m for DIS in Q3 2017, strengthening our balance sheet and liquidity position in view of the completion of our newbuilding plan, said Marco Fiori, ceo of DIS.

At the same time, DIS will keep full control of this new eco ship through a 10-year bareboat charter contract and will have the option of repurchasing it starting from the third anniversary of its sale date at a competitive cost of funds.
By PTI: Nagpur, Aug 1 (PTI)The police today seized Rs 97.50 lakh in demonetised currency after raiding a flat in Koradi Road area of the city and took a 44-year-old man into custody.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Somnath Waghchoure said a police team raided the flat at around 5.30 pmand seized the cash in scrapped denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.

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Police suspect the invalid notes were brought for exchanging them with the legal tender by some businessmen.

The man taken into the custody is identified as Prasanna Paradhi.

Further investigation is on, the ACP added. PTI CLS NSK

--- ENDS ---
The apex court rejected plea of a Gujarat government lawyer that misuse of personal information could be dealt with on a "case-to-case basis" and said an all-embracing guideline was needed keeping in mind the size of the population of India.

The bench also referred to the fact that India was a signatory of a 1948 international convention which recognised privacy as a human right.

Referring to arguments put forward by the Maharashtra government on the issue, the court said, "Even if we accept it that the Constituent Assembly dealt with it (privacy issue) and decided against including it as a fundamental right, then how you will deal with the fact that India is a signatory to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights which recognises it."

The bench, which also comprised justices J Chelameswar, S A Bobde, R K Agrawal, R F Nariman, A M Sapre, D Y Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Abdul Nazeer, said that there has to be an "overarching" or all-embracing guideline to ensure that the private information of individuals, put in public domain, was used only for an intended purpose.

"If I give personal information like names, parents' name and telephone numbers for a particular purpose, then a reasonable expectation will be that it is used only for that particular purpose... (Otherwise) how we will deal with the violations?" it asked.

On the issue that a large number of people have put their personal information in public domain, the bench said, "When you have so many users, then you cannot decide on facts of each case. You have to have over-arching principles or guidelines to regulate."

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the Madhya Pradesh government, said that even the state cannot track the activities of an individual by using the Aadhaar number and moreover, there are enough safeguards provided in the Act to protect personal information.

"Privacy is inherently a vague and subjective concept which is incapable of any precise definition and its contours cannot be conferred with a status of a fundamental right," Mehta said.
AFRICA

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Expected Council Action

During August the Council expects to receive the Secretary-Generals report on progress in implementing the 31 December 2016 agreement on the electoral process and a transitional government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is also likely to receive the final report of the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee on the Committees Group of Experts. The deadline for the Group of Experts report was extended by two months in resolution 2360 on 21 June in recognition of the circumstances under which the experts were operating, including the murder of two experts in the Kasai region in March.

The Council will continue to watch the situation in the DRC closely, particularly the violence in the Kasai region, and a briefing may be requested based on developments.

The mandate of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) expires on 31 March 2018.

Key Recent Developments

On 11 July, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, briefed the Council on the lack of progress in implementing the 31 December 2016 agreement and the significant obstacles that now exist to an election being held in 2017 as stipulated by the agreement. Lacroix also briefed the Council on the unstable security situation across the DRC, including the violence in the Kasai region and an increase in attacks by Mayi-Mayi militia in North Kivu.

Lacroixs briefing followed discussions by Council members on the DRC under any other business on 6 July. During this closed session, Adama Dieng, the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, briefed the Council on the current conflict in the Kasai region, as did Virginia Gamba, the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. The briefing reportedly included disturbing descriptions of violence in the Kasai region, with atrocities being committed by both government forces and local militia. Dieng, who visited the Kasai region in late June, described increasing ethnically motivated violence and the use of scorched-earth tactics, including the complete destruction of villages and the murder of civilian populations.

The DRC government has been increasingly open about its unwillingness to hold elections in 2017. President Joseph Kabila has made statements that suggest he does not believe elections must occur this year. On 9 July, the president of the DRC electoral commission, Corneille Nangaa, said that logistical constraints would prevent an election from occurring this year. Opposition leaders have accused the government of obstructing efforts to organise the election and of using, and perpetuating, the violence in Kasai as a reason to avoid an election.

Investigations are continuing into the murder in March of two members of the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committees Group of Experts, Zaida Catalan and Michael Sharp, and their interpreter, Betu Tshintela.

On 26 July, the Council adopted a presidential statement expressing concern over the political, security and human rights situation in the DRC.

Human Rights-Related Developments

In July, the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC (UNJHRO) released its report on the human rights situation in the country between January and June 2017, noting an increase in the number of human rights violations committed since the beginning of 2016. UNJHRO said that most of the 42 mass graves in Kasai discovered during the period would have been dug by [Congolese army] elements following clashes with alleged militiamen. In a statement on 26 July, the High Commissioner for Human Rights announced the appointment of Bacre Ndiaye (Senegal, chairperson), Luc Cote (Canada), and Fatimata MBaye (Mauritania) as international experts to investigate human rights abuses in the Kasai region as mandated by Human Rights Council resolution 35/33.

Key Issues

The key issue for the Council is seeking to ensure that the 31 December 2016 agreement is implemented and that elections take place in 2017.

Another important issue is how to address the continued violence in the east and the emerging violence in Kasai, which remain a serious threat to peace and security.

Establishing facts and enforcing accountability for the murder of the two 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee experts is another important issue for Council members.

Options

One option is for the Council to adopt a resolution or a presidential statement that:

calls on stakeholders to cooperate and swiftly implement the 31 December 2016 agreement and resolve all outstanding issues in order to hold free and fair elections;

threatens the use of sanctions against those who act to impede a solution to the political crisis; and

condemns the mass violence in Kasai and elsewhere and calls for accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.

Another option is for the Council to establish clear consequences if elections are not held before the end of 2017. Such consequences could include targeted sanctions against those identified as having failed to implement the 31 December 2016 agreement. A resolution that includes benchmarks for implementation of the 31 December 2016 agreement is one option for setting out potential consequences for spoilers.

Council Dynamics

Council members are troubled by the increase in the scale and severity of violence in the Kasai region. Members have expressed deep concern at the reported human rights abuses occurring in Kasai and fear that the violence there could spread into other parts of the DRC and to neighbouring states.

Members remain concerned about the ongoing political crisis but are divided on the importance of holding elections in 2017 as stipulated by the 31 December 2016 agreement. Some members emphasise the need for full implementation of the agreement to move the DRC beyond the current crisis and fear potentially explosive ramifications if elections are not held this year. During the briefing on 11 July, several Council members made strong statements emphasising the need for the government to hold free, fair and inclusive elections by the end of the year. The US proposed that the Council consider targeted sanctions to reduce the violence in the [DRC] and help pressure all stakeholders to play a more constructive role in moving the country forward. Some other members see all stakeholders as jointly responsible for carrying out the elections and believe their timing is less important than insuring that they are peaceful and inclusive.

France is the penholder on the DRC, and Egypt chairs the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee.

UN DOCUMENTS ON THE DRC

This renewed the DRC sanctions regime and the mandate of the Group of Experts. The Council renewed MONUSCOs mandate until 31 March 2018. This was on the political, security and human rights situation in the DRC. This was on MONUSCO. This was a briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on the situation in the DRC.
Sen. Bam on the 8th death anniversary of former President Cory Aquino

We remember Tita Cory today as we commemorate her 8th death anniversary.

She is often referred to as the Mother of our Democracy, but to me, she was primarily a loving, thoughtful, humble and gracious aunt. She inspired a generation to continue the work of safeguarding our freedom and improving the lives of our countrymen.

She said, "I don't have any formula for ousting a dictator or building democracy. All I can suggest is to forget about yourself and just think of your people. It's always the people who make things happen."

She reminds us, to this day, that it is up to all of us, together, to move this country forward and create a better Philippines.

Salamat, Tita Cory!
Press Release

August 1, 2017 Sen. Bam's Sponsorship Speech for the Innovative Start-Up Act SENATE BILL NO. 1532 UNDER COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 142 AN ACT PROVIDING BENEFITS AND PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN, PROMOTE, AND DEVELOP THE PHILIPPINE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino IV

17th Congress, Senate of the Philippines

Sponsorship Speech, August 1, 2017 Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, good afternoon, magandang hapon po sa ating lahat. It is my honor and privilege to stand before you today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1532 under Committee Report No. 142 entitled An Act Providing Benefits and Programs to Strengthen, Promote, and Develop the Philippine Startup Ecosystem. It is difficult to launch a startup, Mr. President. And it is especially difficult in the Philippines. I experienced this firsthand when I co-founded two social enterprises- the Hapinoy Program and Rags2Riches (R2R) a couple of years agp, almost a decade ago, Mr. President. We experienced rejection, running out of capital and changes in our business model. We went through many of the hardships every entrepreneur experiences, which is why I have a very special place in my heart for Filipino startups. So when I became a legislator, Mr. President, I was determined to push for policies that empower our Filipino SMEs. . The first law I passed was the Go Negosyo Act and I am happy to report that there are now over 500 Negosyo Centers around the Philippines. We've also passed the Youth Entrepreneurship Act and other laws that support the development of our micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs. But, Mr. President, there is still much more we can do to encourage our start-ups, particularly our innovative and technology startups. They are businesses that provide unique and relevant solutions to our problems, from daily hassles, like finding a taxi during rush hour, to improving the delivery of healthcare, providing support for our farmers, and addressing unemployment. And today, Mr. President, I would like to share some of these solutions. The first is HealthBlocks. HealthBlocks focuses on the issue of complicated and extensive personal healthcare information. In countries like Australia and England, health records are centralized for better access to accurate health information about patients. HealthBlocks took this idea and created an application that can facilitate the centralization of health information in the Philippines, around Asia, and anywhere in the world. Imagine all your health records accessible at the touch of a button and easily and securely given to your doctors, healthcare providers, and even insurance companies. HealthBlocks will not only improve convenience but will allow for better diagnosis and treatment of patients, Mr. President. Another startup, Mr. President, is called Cropital. Cropital is attempting to solve the problem of many of our farmers, and this is the lack of access to loans with reasonable terms. This start-up allows anyone to sign up online and choose a local farming community to invest money in. They then manage the funds of each farm and ensure that your money goes to the right resources. After harvest season and the farmer's produce is sold, the investor gets his returns based on the agreed upon terms with the community. Through technology and the concept of crowdsourcing, Cropital is able to match our farmers with those with the means to invest, empowering farmers in their agribusiness. Another innovative solution, Mr. President! My third example, Mr. President, is Virtualahan. Virtualahan is attempting to solve the problem of unemployment. Virtualahan actually stands for "virtual eskwelahan", which provides digital skills training for persons with disabilities or PWDs, unemployed youth, and full time parents so they can be hired as virtual assistants for NGOs and social enterprises around the world. To solve the problem of unemployment, Virtualahan is using to the power of technology and the internet - which is why we must also work to improve the internet services in the country, Mr. President! But back to our innovative businesses, Mr. President, HealthBlocks, Cropital, Virtualahan are just 3 of over 200,000 start-ups in the Philippines with the potential to solve our country's problems and contribute to the lives of Filipinos through the products they create and the jobs they generate. This Innovative Startup Act aims to give these startups a better chance of succeeding by reducing barriers to their success. This policy seeks to support innovative startups, first, through financial subsidies like tax breaks and grants; second, through ease of doing business through their registration; and third, through technical assistance and training programs. Plus, there is a provision for an Innovative Startup Venture Fund of 1 billion pesos that startups can apply for. Through this measure, innovative startups will also be entitled to free use of equipment, facilities, and other services from government agencies, such as testing and fabrication facilities, and services for the patenting or licensing of their product with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. Mr. President, let's take this opportunity to empower our innovators and entrepreneurs with a heart for nation-building. Ipasa po natin ang Innovative Startup Act at himukin ang ating mga makabagong negosyante na lumikha ng mga solusyon para sa bayan! Maraming salamat po, Mr. President, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support Senate Bill 1532, under Committee Report No. 142, the Innovative Startup Act. Maraming Salamat, Mr. President.
Press Release

August 1, 2017 Sponsorship Speech

Senate Bill No. 1531 / Committee Report No. 141 AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION, ENHANCING THE EFFICIENT USE OF ENERGY, GRANTING INCENTIVES TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES August 1, 2017 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon

Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines Delivered by HON. WIN GATCHALIAN, Senator of the Republic: Mr. President, honorable peers in the Senate, a pleasant afternoon to you all. Usually, when we talk about energy and the economy, more is better. The focus is to meet the ever increasing power demands of a growing economy by increasing energy supply. In essence, the simple arithmatic of the matter is that the more electricity we have to consume, the more productivity we can squeeze out of the economy. Mr. President, the bill I am sponsoring on the Senate floor today, however, takes a different approach to addressing the perennial need for more energy. The empirical foundations of this piece of legislation shows that when it comes to energy consumption, less is actually more. The "less is more" theory stems from the two central concepts of this bill. The first is energy efficiency - the way of managing and restraining the growth in energy consumption resulting in the delivery of more services for the same energy input or the same services for less energy input. The second is energy conservation, which refers to the reduction of losses and wastages from energy production to energy consumption through the adoption of technologically-feasible, economically sound, environmentally-friendly, and socially affordable meaures. Mr. President, a simple example of energy efficiency and conservation at work is something that is becoming more and more common these days - the motion-sensitive LED lightbulb. Compared to conventional lightbulbs, the LED lightbulb requires less electricity to produce the same amount of light. This makes it more efficient. Meanwhile, the motion sensor makes sure that the LED lightbulb only turns on when there is someone within its vicinity. This embodies conservation, because it eliminates wastage and makes sure that the lightbulb only consumes power at times when we need the lights on. Now, Mr. President, obviously this is a simple example. Yet, employing these easy concepts in the big picture can make a fundamental change in Philippine energy policy. In the long run, by institutionalizing energy efficiency and conservation standards, we will be enhancing the stability, sustainability, and affordability of our energy supply while driving economic productivity to even greater heights. This is supported by three decades worth of experience of advanced countries with high levels of energy consumption. The 29-member International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency investments made by its member countries since 1990 saved their citizens 550 billion U.S. dollars in 2014 alone. Included in the saved energy costs is 80 billion U.S. dollars due to reduced fossil fuel imports. This decrease in fossil fuel use also had a significant effect on environmental sustainability, reducing carbon dioxide emission by 10 billion tonnes from 1990 to 2015. Meanwhile, further research from the International Energy Agency in a 2014 study titled "Capturing the Multiple Effects of Energy Efficiency" outlines even more direct and indirect impacts of energy efficiency policy on economic activity. For example, an analysis of GDP changes due to large-scale energy efficiency policies shows a positive effect on economic growth, ranging anywhere from 0.25% to 1.1% per year. Energy efficiency policies also positively impact employment opportunities, showing a potential for job creation ranging from 8 to 27 jobs per year per 1 million euro invested in energy efficiency measures. In addition, energy efficiency policies have been found to have a positive effect on the finances of government as well as that of private enterprises. The study points to lower government spending on energy, increased tax revenues due to more robust economic activities, and long-term savings on public energy subsidies and incentives. To synthesize, Mr. President, energy efficiency and conservation strategies cover all three fronts of the 3S vision for energy which has guided our legislative agenda for energy. First, these policies boost the stability of the energy supply by ensuring that we are able to maximize the existing power supply. The reduced need to generate additional power in turn enhances the sustainability of the energy supply by avoiding additional greenhouse gas emissions. Most importantly, the mix of efficiency and conservation outcomes leads to consumer savings in the long run. However, Mr. President, despite the clear empirical benefits of implementing a national energy efficiency policy framework, the Philippines remains to be the only ASEAN member-state without national legislation on the matter. And while there exists an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Roadmap under the Philippine Energy Plan 2016 to 2030 there remains a need to legislate this to institutionalize the country's energy efficiency policies, empower DOE to effectively implement them, and to mandate energy end-users to pursue energy efficiency. Mr. President, having outlined the benefits of instituting a comprehensive energy efficiency policy framework and underscored the need for legislative action, allow me finally to go through the salient points of Senate Bill No. 1531. At this point, I would like to thank the authors of the two bills which served as the basis for the committee report I am sponsoring today: Senate Bill No. 30, filed by our esteemed peer and my good friend, Senator Loren Legarda; and Senate Bill No. 525, filed by the honorable gentleman from the minority, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Mr. President, in essence, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 2017 lays down a solid foundation for a comprehensive energy efficiency policy framework in the following ways. First, the bill instructs all energy end-users to use energy resources efficiently and promote the development and utilization of new and alternative energy efficient technologies and systems. Second, it mandates the creation of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan, and the development and maintenance of a National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Database. Next, the bill integrates energy efficiency and conservation into local governance, empowering LGUs through the creation of a Local Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan, and the integration of the Guidelines on Energy Conserving Design on Buildings in the issuance of building permits. To bring these efficiency standards to life, the bill requires the development, implementation, and review of Minimum Energy Performance standards for first, energy-consuming products such as machinery, equipment, and appliances, and second, the commercial, industrial, and transport sectors. It also requires the creation of an energy efficiency rating and labeling system, guidelines on energy conserving design for buildings; and fuel economy performance labeling for transport vehicles. The bill will also identify Designated Establishments based on annual energy consumption. These energy-intensive establishments will have to meet certain obligations, such as the establishment of targets, plans, and methods for the implementation of energy efficiency and conservation projects; the employment either of a Certified Energy Conservation Officer or a Certified Energy Manager to meet these targets; the submission of an annual Energy Consumption and Conservation Report; and the conduct of a triennial Energy Audit. To encourage widespread compliance with the worthy goals and strict standards set by the measure, the bill will also provide incentives to establishments that will implement or are implementing energy efficient projects. These incentives will be in the form of fiscal incentives through the Board of Investment's annual investment priorities plan under the Omnibus Investment Code, non-fiscal incentives through awards and recognition, as well as technical assistance from government agencies and financial assistance from government financial institutions. The provisions of this Act will be implemented by the Department of Energy, which will be designated as the lead agency in planning, formulation, development, implementation, enforcement, and monitoring of energy management policies and other energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. To effectively execute its mandate, DOE is given the power to: examine and test energy-consuming products for verification of compliance with Minimum Energy Performance standards; visit and conduct on-site inspections of Designated Establishments; and impose fines and penalties for violations. Mr. President, to ensure that the government will lead by example in energy efficiency and conservation practices, this bill will also establish the Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee. The committee will be charged with approving Government Energy Efficiency Projects and implementing the Government Energy Management Program. Through this, all current and future government buildings will be required to meet the standards set by this Act. This includes, of course, the future Senate building. In sum, Mr. President, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act of 2017 will institute a comprehensive and detailed energy efficiency and conservation regime in the Philippines, aimed at enhancing the stability and sustainability of the Philippine energy supply, with resulting consumer savings. I am confident that the passage of this legislation will foster robust inclusive economic growth as we strive to meet the country's ambitious long-term socio-economic goals. This legislation has been a long time coming, and it is encouraging to see that the Philippines has come one step closer to meeting the international standard of energy efficiency. Thank you Mr. President.
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST CRIMINALITY MUST NOT ITSELF BECOME A CRIME

*Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on the bloody Ozamis incident

The testimony of a purported witness who survived a bloody encounter between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the men of Ozamis Mayor Parojinong is deeply disturbing.

Serious accusations are being leveled against the police who participated in the operation. If these prove true, then what happened in Ozamis was not a legitimate police operation but a state-sanctioned massacre. It would carry the elements and blueprint of the extrajudicial killing of Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

I call on my fellow senators to uncover the truth behind this bloody incident. It is vital that there be a fair and independent investigation.

It is possible that the Parojinogs are part of the country's despicable drug trade. It is possible that the claim of the Parojinogs being drug lords is true. But the government unequivocally must not disregard and sidestep the rule of law, especially the rights enshrined in the rule of law concerning the prosecution of criminals.

The government is the protector of the law and of its people. It is not a syndicate or a mafia. The campaign of the government against society's criminals must not itself become a crime.
During his visit to the state, Rahul would tour the flood-affected areas of Banaskantha and Patan. He would meet the people adversely affected by the flood.

By India Today Web Desk: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Gujarat this week ahead of the August 8 Rajya Sabha election. During his visit to the politically surcharged state, the Congress leader is also likely to tour the flood-affected areas of Banaskantha district.

According to sources, Rahul would be on a two-day visit to Gujarat. The details of the programme are in the last phase of finalisation, they said.

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During his visit to the state, Rahul would tour the flood-affected areas of Banaskantha and Patan. He would meet the people adversely affected by the flood.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already toured the flooded areas of the state. He took an aerial survey of the areas and held a meeting with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and senior officials. He asked them to expedite the relief and rescue operations. The PM also announced an aid of Rs 500 crore.

The sources said the Nehru-Gandhi scion would also appeal to the Congress MLAs to vote for Rajya Sabha candidate Ahmed Patel, political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi.

He is also likely to preside over a meeting of senior party leaders to prepare a strategy for Patel's victory.

Congress is on the back foot ever since six of its MLAs resigned from the party last week. This has weakened Patel's chances of a victory. Facing threats of more desertions, Congress was forced to airlift 40 of its 51 MLAs to Karnataka last week.

Also Read:

Rahul Gandhi's leadership in question as Congress continues to lose ground

As Gujarat Dangal nears, Shankersinh Vaghela quits Congress, may prove to be Haanikaarak Bapu for party

Rahul Gandhi says he knew about Nitish Kumar's plans to join hands with BJP, but what did he do?

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Press Release

August 1, 2017 Legarda Calls for Immediate Access to Green Climate Fund, Invites Banks to be Accredited Entities Senator Loren Legarda today said that the government, particularly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Climate Change Commission (CCC), should fast track the submission of project proposals for financing under the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committees on Finance, Climate Change and Foreign Relations, made the statement during the High-Level Roundtable and Multi-stakeholder Forum on Green Finance held at the Senate today, August 1, 2017. "Now that we have acceded to the Paris Agreement, we need to accelerate our transformational shift to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy through adaptation and mitigation programs. Although the GCF has funded USD 2.2 billion for 43 climate projects worldwide, there is none yet for the Philippines," she said. The Philippines lacks a National Implementing Entity (NIE), through which the fund can be accessed. The Landbank of the Philippines is still undergoing accreditation as the country's NIE. Legarda also encouraged private banks to apply as NIEs for the GCF. "I ask all banks to participate and undergo accreditation to be an NIE for the GCF. But while we await for an accredited NIE, this should not hinder us from preparing project proposals on climate resilience and sustainable development projects," she explained. According to Dr. Jerry Velasquez, Director for Mitigation and Adaptation Division of the GCF Secretariat, the GCF can provide zero interest loans payable for 40 years for sustainable development projects from the public sector. Even with the lack of an NIE, the Philippines can send proposals through multilateral accredited entities such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), among others. "The role of the DENR as the Philippines' National Designated Authority (NDA) is crucial here since all proposals submitted for GCF funding, whether through our NIE or multilateral accredited entities, must be endorsed by the NDA. We can send as many projects as needed as long as it is in line with the country plan," the Senator said. Legarda said she will strengthen the GCF secretariat under the DENR so that it can gather all the project proposals from the public and the private sector. She urged both the CCC and the DENR to start gathering proposals submitted for funding under the People's Survival Fund (PSF), Tier 2 and Tier 3 climate-related projects from various government agencies that were not included in the 2017 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and the proposed 2018 national budget, and projects of awardees and nominees of the 2016 Climate-Adaptive and Disaster-Resilient Awards for Cities and Municipalities (CLAD). These proposals can be considered for submission to the GCF. The GCF was established by the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to play a central role in mobilizing and channeling the financial resources required to enable a paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate resilient pathways in developing countries. The GCF aims to provide financing through financial instruments such as loans, equity, guarantees, and grants. Countries, especially developed nations, are expected to raise 100 billion dollars under the GCF to address mitigation and adaptation needs of developing nations.
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When artist Leah Rosenberg first walked up Natoma Street from New Montgomery, she saw high alcoves forming the alley wall with a smoker tucked into each to get out of the wind.

She knew she could improve these accommodations, so on Saturday five of those alcoves were painted in long and bold latex stripes, and each was outfitted with a built-in table and stools, ledges at elbow height for standing and leaning, and solar lighting in matching panels overhead

At least if they are going to smoke, it is going to be a pleasant experience, said Rosenberg at the grand opening of Local Color, a permanent work of public art on an alley that dead-ends into the Howard Street entrance of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It can be seen from the windows and patios on the museums east side  a rainbow on an otherwise dark and drab corridor.

Its not only beautiful, its surprisingly comfortable, said Jordan Kurland, the first person to try out a fabricated steel dinette, painted in violet, with a wall painted marigold serving as backrest.

The backrest comes courtesy of the Academy of Art University, which donated its side wall for that purpose. The artwork is courtesy of Sites Unseen, a refreshingly original and energetic two-woman nonprofit charged with commissioning public art for eight alleys in the Yerba Buena area.

It will take five years and cost $3 million to make these alleys places where people want to come spend time, and link all the cultural institutions in the neighborhood, said Dorka Keehn, founder of Sites Unseen and co-curator with project director Jess Shaefer.

Local Color is the second alley activation in the program, following a six-story kaleidoscope mural by Barry McGee, which opened last October on the exterior walls of the Moscone Center parking garage. A third installation is planned for October, when New York artist Hank Willis Thomas will light a building on Annie Alley in neon.

The eight artists were chosen from among 150 who submitted proposals. For her piece, Rosenberg was given a budget of $25,000 funded by the Bently Foundation, the Rainin Foundation and a Kickstarter fundraiser.

Leah is a hot local artist, said Keehn, a San Francisco Arts Commission member who noted that Rosenberg recently won a commission for a piece at San Francisco International Airport. She is also the overseeing artist for Color Factory, a pop-up group show that opened Tuesday, Aug. 1, in a two-story space on Sutter Street above Union Square.

For Sites Unseen, Rosenberg had her choice of alleys, and the one behind SFMOMA made sense because she used to work there as a pastry chef at Blue Bottle Coffee, in the museum cafe.

She advanced to the other side of the counter last April when she supplied a cake art installation to a Late Night Birthday Bash at SFMOMA. But she appears to have left that medium behind, because at Saturdays opening she was focused on mixing up bottles of sparkling water with food coloring to match the palette of her seating areas. These were served with small fruit tidbits.

You get to eat and drink the colors, explained Shaefer. Its a synesthetic experience. Thats the activation.

In the nomenclature of Sites Unseen, activation means everybody makes art. Keehn set the standard by pulling up in a black 4x4 pickup and springing the tailgate to unload supplies while wearing a dress with horizontal stripes to cross-hatch the vertical stripes on the wall.

I always work in a miniskirt, she said. Im matching the installation.

Rosenberg, 38, was more subdued, in a sweater and work boots, as befits the Canadian stereotype. She grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and came down in 2006 to attend California College of the Arts.

To serve her colored drinks, she set up a table painted like a bar code, and was cutting up fruit to go with it. A separate table was piled high in yarn for a Crochet Jam hosted by Ramekon OArwisters. A third table was stacked in glossy glamour magazines from the 1960s and 70s, to be cut up and remade as collage art by Fallen Fruit, an arts pair up from Los Angeles.

Theyre re-creating editorial and advertising for a new publication that we are all making together, said Fallen Fruit editor David Burns. The private patio of the historic Pacific Telephone Building was borrowed for the opening, and by midafternoon the first traces of fog were blowing in and bouncing off the skyscraper.

Making a collage in a wind tunnel is going to be funny, Burns said.

An hour after the opening, the public was using the art as if it had been there forever. Sitting at their violet or blue or red tables, activators could look up the alley to Chris Johansons multicolored question-mark sculpture on the museum patio and see the link.

What I hope happens is that people start to notice the colors in other parts of the neighborhood, said Rosenberg. The alcoves are open all hours and to anyone, so you can sit and have your meeting and eat your lunch, she said. She didnt want to make it too easy for smokers, so she stopped short of fabricating matching steel ashtrays for the tables and elbow rests.

Kurland, a Sites Unseen supporter and producer of the Noise Pop music festival, sat with his 9-year-old son, Theo, who had his head on the table to test its napping possibilities.

It feels like home, said Kurland, as he clinked the ice in his olive-green sparkling water. Its very European, sitting in an alleyway, sipping a drink.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Instagram: @sfchronicle_art

Videos

Leah Rosenberg describes Local Color: http://bit.ly/somacoloring.

Dorka Keehn describes Sites Unseen: http://bit.ly/2dXa6hb
Jalore district of Rajasthan continues to be affected by floods. Locals blame administrative apathy for their helpless plight.

By Dev Ankur Wadhawan: Jalore in Rajasthan continues to reel under unprecedented flood fury. Narmada's main canal in this region has been breached and its edifice has been destroyed at several points by flood waters.

The structure has been continuously deteriorating since July 23. Incidentally, this has wreaked havoc over the crops of hundreds of farmers in the region.

After an extensive reportage by India Today of the flood ravaged region, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje visited Jalore district.

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However, the chief minister visited those areas where flood waters were minimal. She left soon after a brief interaction with media persons there.

The chief minister's visit did not bring any respite to thousands of villagers who were stranded in water up to 10 feet.

"We will work to find a permanent solution to this problem so that such a situation can be tackled," the chief minister reportedly said in Jalore.

However, the chief minister's words failed to assuage those who have been left in the lurch with no one to care about them.

Damage to the main Narmada canal in Hemaguda area of Jalore began on July 23 and the situation has been worsening ever since.

At present, this massive canal lies damaged at various key junctions. The water that was meant for irrigation of farmlands in Jalore and Barmer has been destroying crops and ruining lives in the adjoining areas.

"Several people lost their crops after the main Narmada canal broke. They have no food and roadways have been blocked. Several farmers have suffered huge losses due to the damaged canal," a villager told India Today.

NO HELP FROM ADMINISTRATION

According to the locals, despite the grim situation no one from the district administration has come forward to inspect the canal. They alleged that no repair work has been carried out at the site in the past week.

"No representative from the administration has come here. Life has been completely disrupted for the last seven days. We have been facing a lot of trouble because of water," said another villager.

A similar situation persists in Cheetalwana region of the district. Villagers here are forced to be mere spectators, while their houses are being inundated by floodwaters.

Their livestock has been washed away, and most of them said that the situation remains unchanged for over a week.

"Our village has been severely affected by the floods. This is situation rises every year. The entire state is partially submerged. Recently, PM Modi did an aerial survey of Gujarat's Banaskantha which is so 40 kms from here. Nobody has visited our villages," said Sajjan Pal Singh, who claims to be a BJP youth leader.

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Singh added that he voted for PM Modi and that he supports BJP. "I did not give my vote so that PM Modi can give Rs 500 crore package to Gujarat and let Rajasthan suffer," he said.

Also Read:

Gujarat floods death toll mounts to 213, over 80,000 relocated

Rajasthan flood: Jodhpur-Ahmedabad railway track washed away, train movement hit

Gujarat floods claim 213 lives, Smriti Irani visits affected areas in Banaskantha

WATCH | Gujarat inundated: Over 70 killed in flooding due to incessant rainfall in parts of state

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The intensity on the field between the Giants and As was tame Monday night compared with the fisticuffs that took place in the upper deck of the Coliseum.

A video of the violence appears to show a security guard assaulting a fan, prompting the As to open an investigation.

The guard involved in the fight was employed by a sub-contractor, USSA, which was hired by Staff Pro, the company that handles security for As games, team spokeswoman Catherine Aker said.

USSA was taken off security duty for Tuesday nights Bay Bridge series game as the As mulled whether to use it at future games.

Were evaluating that right now  I cant confirm anything beyond tonights game, Aker said Tuesday.

In video of the incident, a female security guard appears to be trying to beat a woman in the third deck, but other security guards intervene and pull away their colleague.

Witnesses posted to social media that the attack appeared unprovoked and that the security guard was booed when she returned to the area.

In a statement Monday night, the As said they were investigating the incident.

Violence in any form is not acceptable. We take this incident seriously, the organization wrote on Twitter.

Aker later released a statement, saying, This individual will not return to work As games. Fan safety is our utmost concern.

The incident started when the security guards backpack was taken about 9 p.m., according to Officer Johnna Watson, a spokeswoman for the Oakland Police Department.

The backpack was located by another security guard in possession of a fan in another section. When that security officer confronted the fan, a fight ensued, Watson said in a statement.

Security members then escorted the fan from the stadium, according to Watson. The backpack was recovered, but some items were missing, she said. She added that the incident was under investigation and did not specify whether any arrests were made.

The security guard has been fired, according to a Staff Pro spokeswoman, who added that the woman worked for the company for a little less than a year and passed a drug test and background check before she was hired.

We regret that the actions of a rogue employee affected Oakland fans in a negative way, Sandra Gravanti, vice president of risk management for Staff Pro, said in a a statement.

Monday nights game, attended by 38,391 fans, was won by Oakland 8-5.

Chronicle staff writer Michael Bodley contributed to this report.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
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Sausalito is famous for many things, and being an industrial powerhouse is not one of them.

But Sausalito is spending the summer celebrating the 75th anniversary of Marinship, a wartime shipbuilding operation that historian and filmmaker Eric Torney calls the most amazing shipyard in the world.

The yard was built in only three months, ran day and night, employed more than 20,000 people, operated for just over three years, and built 93 ships. When it was running full blast, Marinship produced a fully equipped merchant ship once a week.

Marinship was a seminal part of Sausalito history, said Jerry Taylor, president of the Sausalito Historical Society.

It changed Sausalito forever, Torney said.

Marinship bought thousands of new residents to the Bay Area and had a pioneering role in the employment of women and minorities in the workforce, and a Marinship job discrimination case made civil rights history.

Marin City, built to house shipyard workers just outside Sausalitos city limits, was planned in three days, built in three weeks, and for a time was the second-largest town in Marin County.

Much of the shipyard is still there. It is the most intact of the remaining World War II shipyards, Torney said.

The shipyard was designed to be temporary, but more than 20 Marinship buildings still exist  from a tiny guard shack to large office buildings.

One of the old Marinship structures houses artists studios; another, a set of offices; and a third, once a huge warehouse, is the home of the noted San Francisco Bay Model and a Marinship museum. One Marinship building houses a painting contractors headquarters, and the old hiring hall is now an upscale food market.

When the shipyard closed in 1945, the whole northern waterfront of Sausalito was suddenly available. Many of the old docks and piers were taken over by artists and other free spirits. By the 1950s, an entire houseboat community had sprung up, and the waterfront developed a reputation for an alternative lifestyle that lasted for years.

Much of the old freewheeling spirit has vanished now, and even the towns houseboat community has become gentrified.

Photographer Unknown / The Chronicle

However, many of the original workers from Marinship still live in Marin  and they will be honored at an event on Sept. 8 called the People of Marinship.

We want to be telling their stories, about all the things that happened then, said Taylor, of the Sausalito Historical Society.

The first story might well be about the rapid birth of the shipyard. On March 2, 1942, in the darkest days of World War II, the W.A. Bechtel Co. in San Francisco got a telegram from the U.S. Maritime Commission in Washington, D.C. The war situation was dire. The Germans and Japanese were sinking Allied ships faster than they could be replaced.

The telegram was terse: Would Bechtel be interested in building a West Coast shipyard?

Bechtel had a site in mind on the shore of Richardson Bay in Sausalito. It had deep water and a railroad line, and days after the telegram, Bechtel representatives were in Washington, pitching their plan to government officials.

Ten minutes into their presentation, the government had heard enough, Torney said. They said, Build it!

Residents of a pretty little neighborhood called Pine Hill were evicted, and the hill was torn down and dumped into the bay as fill. There was no such thing as environmental impact reports in those days. By June, just over three months after the telegram to Bechtel, enough of the shipyard had been put together for work to be started on the first new ship.

By Thanksgiving, the first Marinship vessel, the Liberty Ship William Richardson, steamed out the Golden Gate carrying 7,600 tons of cargo for New Zealand and Australia. Now that, said Torney, is amazing.

Marinship built 15 fairly simple Liberty cargo ships, then switched to tankers, which were more complicated. For example, Torney said, a single tanker contained 12 miles of pipe. Marinship set a world record for tanker construction  a ship built every 43 days.

Finding workers for this new yard was a problem. The experienced shipyard workers all got jobs at the older yards around the Bay Area, Torney said. So Marinship had to recruit workers, mostly from the Midwest and the South.

Very few of the workers had shipyard experience. Some of them had never seen a ship. They had to be trained.

Marinship was a union operation, but many of the Bay Area unions excluded minorities. In 1944, African American workers brought suit against the Boilermakers Union and the Marinship Corp, alleging discrimination. Thurgood Marshall argued the case and won.

But there were tensions between the new people and the locals. A culture clash, Torney said. And after the war, minority residents found it difficult to find housing except in the wartime-created Marin City, a problem that persists to this day.

There were bigger shipyards in the Bay Area during World War II, but Marinship may be the most fondly remembered.

The Sausalito celebration concludes with a canteen dinner dance and costume party at the towns Portuguese Hall on Sept. 30, and a barbecue after the Veterans Day parade in Marin City on Nov. 11.

We are celebrating, Taylor said, and we are going to have a good time.

Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf

Marinship 75

For information on events: www.sausalitohistoricalsociety.com/marinship
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San Francisco this year made peace with Airbnb and HomeAway when the two vacation-rental companies agreed to ensure that all their local hosts abide by a requirement to register. Now the city is gearing up to pursue other home-stay companies, making sure that unregistered hosts dont simply migrate elsewhere to duck their obligations.

On Monday, San Francisco wrote to 11 companies, warning them that they will face steep fines and criminal sanctions if they arrange short-term stays in unregistered homes. They have 45 days to comply with the law, and several options to do so.

The onus is on the (companies) to determine how they want to comply and provide us with verifiable information, said Kevin Guy, director of the Office of Short-Term Rentals, who wrote the letter.

Besides jettisoning any unregistered listings, companies must provide monthly affidavits that they are complying, and they must be ready to provide the city up to three years of bookings records upon request.

San Francisco wants to rein in short-term rentals because it fears that the lucrative practice siphons away permanent housing. Airbnbs popularity exacerbated the issue, attracting thousands of local hosts. Airbnb says that most of its San Francisco hosts either rent out rooms to make ends meet, or rent out their whole place occasionally when they are out of town.

Regulations that took effect two years ago seek to ensure that only permanent residents rent to travelers. But the core requirement  that hosts register  has been largely ignored. Only about a quarter of an estimated 8,000 hosts signed up, making it difficult to enforce rules against illegal hotels in homes.

Last year the Board of Supervisors passed legislation imposing strict penalties on vacation-rental companies that arrange unregistered bookings. Airbnb, joined by Expedias HomeAway, sued to overturn the law. But a federal judge ordered the companies to work with San Francisco on a system to register their hosts. Airbnb and HomeAway will be phasing in the system over the next few months and after Jan. 4, 2018, they must remove all unregistered San Francisco listings from their websites.

Both companies will offer online registration, although San Francisco must still verify the hosts documentation. The city recently implemented its own online registration system. Critics had said its in-person method, which is still an option, was too cumbersome.

The companies sent the letter include two owned by giant travel conglomerates: TripAdvisors Flipkey, whose website shows 406 San Francisco listings, and Pricelines Booking.com, with 203 apartments and vacation homes in the city.

TripAdvisor said it had received the letter and will be reviewing it carefully before determining our next steps. Priceline did not respond to requests for comment.

Some small San Francisco operators said they had already switched to requiring 30-day minimum stays, which exempts properties from the vacation-rental law.

The monthly paperwork for each unit was too complicated, so we cater now to visiting nurses, corporate clients, parents visiting their new grandchildren, etc., said Annette Fajardo, owner of SF Holiday Rentals, which has about 40 local listings and received the letter.

Likewise, Jan Chernoff, president of Casa Buena Vista Vacation Rentals, said all but two of his 50 rentals are now for 30 days or more. The two exceptions have both registered with the city.

We always intended to be in compliance, he said. Casa Buena Vista started in 2004, several years before Airbnb. It wasnt until Airbnb that (vacation rentals) became an issue, Chernoff said. Before that, we werent a factor because not enough people were doing it.

Several other companies, many of them based overseas, were sent the letter, including Canada Stays; Frances MisterB&B, which caters to gay travelers; Germanys Wimdu and 9Flats, which have merged; and Londons One Fine Stay, which specializes in luxury properties. Other companies contacted were RedAwning and Overnight.

OneFineStay said it follows all applicable local regulations and advises its hosts to do the same. RedAwning said it already had begun taking steps to comply with the ordinance. The other companies did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

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San Franciscos law only affects companies that collect a fee to arrange rentals of unregistered homes. That means that pure listing services such as Craigslist are not covered. Craigslist now shows about 150 San Francisco vacation-rental listings, although some are duplicates and some are legal hotels.

But San Francisco also has strict rules for individual hosts. In fact, it has assessed $1.68 million in penalties against some 600 properties, and has collected about $713,000 of that. The remaining penalties are either being appealed or have been referred to the Bureau of Delinquent Revenue.

Even if Craigslist doesnt bear responsibility, hosts advertising there are still in violation if they offer a listing without being registered, said Guy of the Office of Short-Term Rentals. We will monitor sites like that closely over the coming months.

Going forward, Airbnb and HomeAway will play an active role in policing their sites as part of their agreement with the city.

Were entering a very different world in how we do our enforcement, working collaboratively with platforms, Guy said. It will be a much more efficient way of operating.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: CSaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
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In a turbulent time for retailers, Williams-Sonoma is one of the best-run companies in the sector. Its one of the few brick-and-mortar chains to have effectively integrated its digital operations with physical stores.

Now the San Francisco home furnishings company is trying a bold new kind of integration: Its tying together store brands like Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, and West Elm with a new home-design service. Instead of operating each brand separately, the company wants consumers to be able to easily buy whatever merchandise they want regardless of what store or website they frequent.

To do this, Williams-Sonoma has created a 500-employee unit called the Design Crew to offer consumers free consultations. Consumers can visit any store where Design Crew employees are posted to advise them on things like fabrics or floor plans, using merchandise across the companys brand portfolio. These employees can even make follow-up visits to the home. (Not all of Williams-Sonomas 629 stores will have consultants at the start.)

We think its a big game changer, CEO Laura Alber told me in an exclusive interview.

The initiative is sophisticated because it seeks to solve two of the biggest problems facing traditional brick-and-mortar chains: making physical stores relevant in the age of Amazon and lifting a general malaise in sales and traffic.

Alber didnt want to specifically talk about Amazon, but theres no doubt that the online giant in Seattle is weighing on retailers minds, including Williams-Sonoma.

Last month, Amazon upended the industry when the company said it would buy Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion. Having mastered e-commerce, Amazon now seems poised to go after its rivals defenses of brick and mortar.

It seems highly plausible that Amazon will eventually move beyond food and open stores in other categories like apparel, toys and, yes, furniture. The company recently released a home makeover show on YouTube.

There are a number ways of Amazon can attack competitors, said Carol Spieckerman, president of the Spieckerman Retail consulting firm. Now theyve landed on the physical earth with Whole Foods.

Design Crew is meant to drive people to Williams-Sonoma Inc. stores by giving them a reason to go: free help from a knowledgeable group of home experts.

One of our chief competitive advantages is our stores, Alber said. The stores are the ultimate convenience. We have real people who know what they are doing. With complex home projects, you want to get it right.

Retail consultant Brian Kelly said the key to the program is the authenticity of the person giving the advice.

You need highly trained people to validate the experience, said Kelly, a former chief marketing officer with Sears.com. You cant just hire a 15-year-old kid in high school.

But the more immediate challenge is boosting sales. Consumer spending has not recovered to the levels that preceded the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. Furniture and home goods are categories especially sensitive to shifts in economic mood.

Last year was not a good one for Williams-Sonoma. Annual revenue grew only 2.2 percent to $5.08 billion, compared with prior years where the company increased revenue by 6 to 8 percent. In 2016, comparable brand sales, a key measure of growth in the retail industry, were essentially flat.

Williams-Sonoma stock, after a great five-year run from 2010 to 2015, has slumped for the past two years.

So a rethink is needed. Just as retailers have traditionally operated e-commerce and physical stores separately, the same silo mentality also prevails for brands and categories. Few retailers have given serious attention to how to persuade consumers to buy products from different departments in a cohesive, thoughtful way.

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The home is a good example. To create a living room, you need multiple items that complement each other, both in functionality and aesthetics: lamps, couches, tables, TV stands. If cable companies can offer consumers Internet, phone and cable as an integrated package, Spieckerman pointed out, retailers need to look at the business as a portfolio of merchandise that can also be bundled in unique ways.

Williams-Sonoma has a point of view, Kelly said. The merchandise holds together well.

The strategy makes even more sense when you examine the uneven performance of Williams-Sonoma brands. Last year, comparable-brand sales for Pottery Barn fell 3.5 percent but jumped 12.8 percent for West Elm. Using Design Crew, the company could use the popularity of West Elm to help improve sales for Pottery Barn by encouraging consumers to pair products from the two chains.

Williams-Sonoma has no doubt done the math, Spieckerman said.

While offering free design services obviously costs money, Spieckerman said Design Crew could more than pay for itself with increased sales across its brand portfolio. In addition, Williams-Sonoma can also charge for add-on services and drive people to join its Key loyalty program.

Advice from Design Crew is free but consumers would need to pay for assembly and installation. However, Key members can get the service at no cost plus 3 percent back in rewards if they buy products from multiple brands.

Given its success in e-commerce and developing proprietary brands, Williams-Sonoma has got some room to move, Spieckerman said. The company has done a good job in their plans to differentiate so they can continue to stay ahead.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
A 17-year-old boy opened an emergency exit door of a Boeing 737, stepped out onto the wing and jumped to the runway after the plane landed at San Francisco International Airport Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

It was not immediately clear why the boy on a flight that originated in Panama City pushed open the weighted emergency exit door of the Copa Airlines flight, officials said.

The boy had been seated in an emergency exit row on Flight 208, according to the airline. He opened the door and slid down the wing to the tarmac just minutes after landing around 2:30 p.m., while the plane was still taxiing on the runway.

ALSO: Change coming for neighborhoods plagued by noisy SFO flight paths

Arnulfo Franco/AP

A flight crew member closed the exit door and the plane was able to pull into its gate, where passengers filed out without further incident, the airline said.

After jumping off the aircraft, the teenager was first apprehended by a construction crew on the airfield then detained by San Francisco police, Doug Yakel, a spokesman for SFO, said in a statement. The boy was later transferred to the custody of federal investigators.

ALSO READ: Adorable 2-year-old tries to fist-bump everyone on Southwest flight

The boys name was not immediately released, and it was not clear whether he was placed under arrest or what charges he might face as a result.

He is a U.S. citizen, Yakel said, adding that the boy was traveling alone.

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The surprise event did not cause delays or cancellations of flights on other airlines, officials said.

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: MBodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley
Michael Mina and Adam Sobels ode to coastal Italian cuisine via the Mina Test Kitchens recent Postcards from La Costeria will host its final dinner service on Saturday, Aug. 5, before pivoting into its new concept.

For what will be the seventh incarnation of the Cow Hollow restaurant, Mina partnered with renowned Houston chef Hugo Ortega to create Mi Almita, which the Mina camp says is essentially a journey throughout Mexico.

Mi Almita, which means my little soul in Spanish, will launch Aug. 23 with a $39, five-course tasting menu (additional courses available for a supplemental price.)

Early word is the menu will pay homage to the spirituality and tradition of Mexican cooking with dishes like huitlasquites corn soup; a ceviche trio sourced from the tidal pools of Fort Bragg; pozole verde with little neck clams, hominy and pumpkin seeds; and grilled octopus with sweet peppers and caramelized onions, served with chipotle tomatillo salsa and house-made tortillas, among other things.

The menu finishes with a tasting of house-made Mexican-style chocolate.

And similar to how La Costeria was born from Mina exploring the Italian coast, a recent trip to Houston, which included a chance visit to Ortegas restaurants (Hugos Restaurant, Backstreet Cafe, Caracol Restaurant, Origen) gave birth to MTKs new incarnation. Mina said he left the city infatuated with the chef.

On the beverage side, Mi Almita will have varieties of agave spirits featuring mezcal, Tequila, bacanora and raicilla. Mezcal flights will be offered, along with Tequilas paired with sangrita. House-made cocktails will focus on seasonal ingredients and the wine list will feature producers from Mexico, as well as California producers with Mexican roots.

For context, Ortega, the 2017 James Beard award winner for Best New Chef Southwest, has long been a key figure in Houstons food scene thanks to his landmark Mexican restaurants. And in a world where his concepts are lauded for their food and aesthetics, he actually spent the previous six years being named a finalist for the award.

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Furthermore, to understand Ortegas food, you have to understand his backstory. The chef, who was born in Mexico City and raised on his familys Puebla state rancho near Oaxaca, immigrated to Houston as a teenager in 1984. He couldnt speak English at the time, had no documentation and found work as a dishwasher. Over the years he became a U.S. citizen and established a reputation as one of Houstons premiere chefs after debuting his namesake Hugos in 2002. From there, Ortega opened the upscale Caracol, then Xochi in Houstons downtown Marriott Marquis and, finally, Origen in Oaxaca.

Mi Almita: debuts Aug. 23; open Wednesday through Saturday.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips
WASHINGTON - For two years, lobbyists for doctors and their insurers met regularly around a conference table a few blocks from the Capitol to draft an overhaul of the nation's medical malpractice laws. The resulting legislation proposed strict limits on damages for some plaintiffs and sharply lower fees for their attorneys.

Last month, with no public hearings and few modifications, the House voted to approve the measure - outraging victims' rights advocates, who accused lawmakers of acting in secret to slam the courtroom door on people who have been grievously injured by doctors.

It isn't unusual for industry stakeholders to draft legislation. But in this case, lobbyists were able to rapidly shepherd their bill to House passage with minimal input from the public or even members of Congress. Lobbyists then crowed about the achievement, boasting that the House-passed measure was nearly identical to one they provided to the House Judiciary Committee and that Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, introduced on Feb. 24.

"There wasn't a dramatic change in how we wrote it," said Mike Stinson, a lobbyist for the Physician Insurers Association of America. But, he added, "there are always some tweaks."

With Republicans in full control of Washington for the first time in 10 years, lobbyists for business and conservative causes are pushing aggressively for changes in laws and regulations long resisted by Democrats. After just six months, they have scored dozens of victories. In February, Trump signed a measure, championed by the National Rifle Association, that rolled back Obama-era rules making it harder for people with mental illnesses to buy guns. In April, Trump signed a bill, backed by large Internet providers, that killed rules blocking the companies from selling consumers' browsing histories to third parties.

Leaders of a coalition of doctors and their insurers say their odds of overhauling the nation's medical malpractice laws have also greatly improved. Trump's health secretary, Tom Price, is a former congressman and orthopedic surgeon who has long complained that frivolous lawsuits are driving up the cost of health care. And GOP leaders in both the House and Senate have cast medical malpractice reform as a key part of their strategy for making health care more affordable.

Since passing the House, the measure has stalled in the Senate, traditionally more hostile territory. However, doctors and their insurers held out hope that last week's collapse of a broader GOP campaign to overhaul the Affordable Care Act would persuade Senate leaders to look to the medical malpractice bill as a surer path to victory.

The failed Senate bill to rewrite the ACA was also drafted without public hearings. Norman J. Ornstein, a nonpartisan ethics scholar with the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said Republican lawmakers are becoming increasingly willing to act with little or no public debate. At the same time, Ornstein said, lobbyists are becoming increasingly vocal about claiming credit for their political victories.

"This is a reflection of the new Trump, in-your-face era," said Ornstein, who has written numerous books on Congress. "The way it's supposed to work is you meet with outside groups that would be affected by it. You hold hearings, but you write the bills."

Legal experts, former members of Congress and former Hill staffers say it is rare for a bill to move through a chamber virtually unchanged - and rarer still for a bill as complicated as tort reform to proceed with no public hearings, where victims' rights groups, trial lawyers and others would have had a chance to weigh in.

Democrats said the speed and secrecy of the process favors special interests.

"Large business groups are writing these bills," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "This has got to stop."

King, the lead sponsor of the medical malpractice bill, acknowledged that the industry provided a draft of the bill and helped craft the final version. But he said his "very talented staff" also played an important role.

As for the lack of hearings, King said Congress has scrutinized the medical malpractice system on dozens of occasions.

"I hear their complaints," King said of critics. But, he added: "I just don't want to have to ride that horse again. Let's get 'er done."

Some Republicans have long backed tort reform as a way to drive down medical costs. The measure that passed the House would make it more difficult for people to sue doctors and, in some cases, to collect large awards. The bill would set a federal cap of $250,000 for non-economic damages, which offer compensation for such things as pain and suffering, permanent disfigurement or other serious disabilities that may not interfere with ability to work.

The bill would force states to set caps, or submit to having the federal standard imposed on them - even in states where supreme courts have ruled caps on non-economic damagesunconstitutional.

"Some of these state supreme court rulings are bad rulings," King said, adding that his staff made changes to the legislation that added "important nuances" to address the rights of states.

Stinson, the lobbyist for the Physician Insurers Association of America, the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer, said the coalition presented the measure to the House Judiciary Committee shortly after Trump's inauguration. Weeks later, King introduced his bill.

Just four days later, on Feb. 28, the Judiciary Committee passed the measure.

And on June 28, the measure passed the House 218 to 210, with 19 Republicans and 191 Democrats voting no.

"We still had a few things we were tinkering with, but with this opportunity, obviously we couldn't delay anymore," Stinson said.

Added Katie Orrico, the coalition's vice chair and lobbyist for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons: "Ultimately, they ran with it. It moved fast."

In the days and weeks before the House vote, at least three members of the coalition took public credit for their role in drafting the legislation. On May 11, Brian Atchinson, chief executive of the group Stinson represents, said in a webinar that the bill was something his team had "in fact, helped Hill staff draft."

And in a June 23 newsletter to members, the Doctors Company - the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer - said its group and other members of the coalition "worked to draft new federal medical liability legislation."

Stanley Brand, a Washington-based lobbyist who served as general counsel to longtime Democratic House speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr., said such public pronouncements by lobbyists are relatively new.

"Look, when I worked for Tip O'Neill, the definition of a good lobbyist was like a German U-boat - they only come up at night for air," Brand said. "They didn't speak publicly about the role they played in a bill."

Members of the medical malpractice coalition defended their actions.

"I don't think any of us would want to live in a society where all laws are imposed by regulators, a judge, a congress, a president," said Richard E. Anderson, chairman and chief executive of the Doctors Company. "We want to live in a society where the laws meet the needs of those they are meant to govern. Ideally, it should be a collaborative process in the context of the overall national interest."

Stinson, who served for more than a decade as a Republican staffer on the Hill, said those who criticize the role of lobbyists don't understand how Washington works.

"Staff and members can't be fully versed on every single issue that is coming up," he said. "Interest groups approach them, and say here is a problem that needs to be resolved, here's the legislation that we think can take care of it. That's often how it happens."
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Christopher Wray as the next FBI director, filling the critical post that has remained vacant since President Donald Trump fired James Comey in May.

Trump's firing of Comey immediately led to accusations that he was trying to impede the bureau's Russia investigation and ultimately led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller III. Comey later testified that Trump asked him for a "loyalty" oath and to drop a probe of former national security adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with Russian officials.

Wray, a former senior Justice Department official known for his low-key demeanor, told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing that he would never pledge loyalty to the president and that if Trump ever pressured him to drop an investigation, he would push back or resign. This pledge appeared to gain him the confidence of Senate Judiciary Committee lawmakers, who unanimously approved his nomination and urged their colleagues to vote in favor of his confirmation.

The vote was 92 to 5 with five Democrats voting against his nomination.

"He told the committee that he won't condone tampering with investigations, and that he would resign rather than be unduly influenced in any manner. Mr. Wray's record of service, and his reputation, give us no reason to doubt him," committee chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said Tuesday. "He made no loyalty pledges then, and I expect him never to make such a pledge moving forward."

Trump's firing of Comey and his continued criticism of the Russia investigation have raised concerns in both parties about his respect for the historic independence of the bureau and its continuing counterintelligence probe of potential ties between his campaign and Kremlin officials.

Wray, 50, worked with Comey in Justice Department during the George W. Bush administration, running the criminal division at the same time Comey was serving as deputy attorney general. Mueller - the special counsel in charge of the Justice Department's probe of alleged links between the Trump operation and the Kremlin - was serving as FBI director at the time.

During his confirmation process, Wray refrained from commenting directly on the Russia investigation but did come to the defense of Mueller, who has been criticized by Trump and some of his supporters, saying he did not think he is on a "witch hunt," as the president has said.

Wray also refrained from commenting on Comey's tenure as FBI director but did offer him a nod of respect. He discussed the now famous 2004 episode during which Comey threatened to resign over the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program and said he was prepared to join him.

"Knowing those people, and that they were hardly shrinking violets in the war on terror, there was no hesitation in my standing with them," Wray said. He said he told Comey to let him know if they were about to resign, "and I'll resign with you."

But Wray was indirectly critical of Comey's handling of the Clinton email probe, telling senators that "I can't imagine a situation where, as FBI director, I would be giving a news conference on an uncharged individual, much less talking in detail about it."

Wray was also critical during his confirmation hearing of the Bush administration's reliance on enhanced interrogation techniques, which critics call torture, disavowing 2008 testimony from former legal counsel John Yoo that Wray would have reviewed the memos approving those techniques.

"I have no recollection of that, and I think it's the kind of thing remember," Wray said.

The clarification was critical in earning Wray the support of Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.).

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Video: Grassley: Wray has 'skills' and 'character' to be FBI director

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) said Aug. 1 that Christopher A. Wray, President Trump's nominee for FBI director, has the "skills" and "character" for the job.

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Stabbing irony in the heart, Union Minister Ramdas Athwale, during a workshop on Developing Modules for Sensitising Transgender People and Stakeholders, 'advised' transgenders to not wear sarees.

By India Today Web Desk: While 'fighting' for the Transgender Bill, Union Minister Ramdas Athwale said something that is raising questions as to whose side he is on.

Speaking at an event recently, Athwale 'advised' transgenders to not wear sarees.

What's wrong with that, you ask? Here's what he said:

"They are not men or women. Hence, they shouldn't wear sarees," an ANI report quotes Athwale.

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He went on to explain:

"Some kinnar (transgenders) should wear men's clothing as well. I am not forcing them, I just conveyed my feeling that all of them should not wear sarees... But if they want to wear sarees, they have the freedom. There is no problem," quotes a PTI report.

Ironically, Athwale made these comments while speaking at workshop on Developing Modules for Sensitising Transgender People and Stakeholders, organised at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD and PR).

TRANSGENDER BILL

Athawale, at the event, also confirmed that the Centre would make efforts to pass the Transgender Bill soon. The Bill aims to empower the community by providing them a separate identity.

Sometime around the saree comment, Athawale said that since men and women have theirs', transgenders should have their rights too.

"A bill had also come in 2016. It has been sent to the standing committee. Very soon, the government of India will pass that bill to give you your rights," said the minister.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, which seeks to define transgenders and prohibit discrimination against them, was introduced in the Lok Sabha last year.

Hope the bill clarifies to one and all that any human being, as long as it does not harm or kill someone, can wear anything they please.

ATHAWALE AND THE VANDE MATARAM CONTROVERSY

Ramdas Athawale offended one too many when he said that there was nothing wrong if one didn't recite the national song Vande Mataram.

"Everybody should recite Vande Mataram, but if it is not recited what will go wrong?" he asked, while addressing the Maharashtra Gramin Patrakar Sanghs 11th anniversary at Kalyan near here yesterday.

"If one does not recite Vande Mataram nothing is wrong in that," is what he said.

The Madras high court recently made singing Vande Mataram compulsory in all government schools, colleges and universities in Tamil Nadu at least once a week.

Thoughts, anybody?

For more on Ramdas Athwale...

Need quota for economically-backward sections: Athawale

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Govt to make efforts to pass Transgender Bill soon: Athawale

Nothing wrong if one doesnt recite Vande Mataram: Athawale

--- ENDS ---
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Tuesday introduced a bill to amend a law that protects the hosts of websites from liability for content posted by others, trying to narrowly tailor the changes to target sites such as Backpage.com, which have been criticized for facilitating child sex trafficking.

The legislation, along with a similar bill in the House, sets the stage for a battle between Congress and some of the Internet's most powerful players, including Google and various free-speech advocates, who believe that Congress shouldn't regulate Web content or try to force websites to police themselves more rigorously.

The bill, titled the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017, would amend the Communications Decency Act. It is sponsored by Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and 19 other senators from both parties, some of whom served on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which focused on Backpage.com in its probe of online sex trafficking. The subcommittee, chaired by Portman, issued a report in January saying that Backpage "knowingly facilitated the criminal sex trafficking of vulnerable women and young girls" by editing ads posted by pimps to remove offensive language.

Backpage has fended off many civil and criminal actions aimed at shutting down its sex-related ads by citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which states that no website "shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider." Backpage has argued that it merely hosts ads created by others and so has no liability. The Washington Post revealed earlier this month that Backpage uses a contractor in the Philippines to solicit sex ads from other websites and also posts sex ads on other sites to attract more customers.

After The Post published its articles, Portman and four other members of Congress called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to pursue a criminal investigation of Backpage. The Justice Department has not publicly responded to that request.

The proposed law would clarify that Section 230 does not preclude prosecution of state or federal criminal laws dealing with sex trafficking of children; does not prohibit civil suits related to sex trafficking; and ensures federal liability for publishing information designed to facilitate sex trafficking.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has reported an 846 percent increase in reports of suspected child trafficking between 2010 and 2015, which it found "directly correlated to the increased use of the Internet to sell children for sex." The center said that 73 percent of the 10,000 child sex trafficking reports it receives each year involve ads on Backpage. The Senate report said that more than 93 percent of Backpage's ad revenue in 2011 came from its adult section, reaping $135 million in gross revenue in 2014, with projected revenue of nearly $250 million by 2019.

"Stopping trafficking is one of the great humanitarian and human rights causes of the 21st century," Portman said in a statement introducing the bill. "For too long, courts around the country have ruled that Backpage can continue to facilitate illegal sex trafficking online with no repercussions. The Communications Decency Act is a well-intentioned law, but it was never intended to help protect sex traffickers who prey on the most innocent and vulnerable among us. This bipartisan, narrowly-crafted bill will help protect vulnerable women and young girls from these horrific crimes."

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.

Portman has been passionate about combating child sex trafficking, including hosting showings around Ohio of the documentary film "I Am Jane Doe," about the suspected role of Backpage in the problem. In a recent speech on the Senate floor, Portman said: "The survivors of human trafficking have told me, 'Rob this has moved from the street corner to the smartphone.' And the smartphone is where Backpage.com dominates."

Backpage has stated that it monitors and removes thousands of ads and helps law enforcement track down pimps and rescue trafficked children. Some say that targeting Backpage will only displace the sex ads to other websites, that Backpage is more responsive to police than other sites, and that closing Backpage's adult ads wouldn't address the underlying problem of adult male demand for underage commercial sex.

In April, Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., introduced a slightly broader bill in the House which now has 37 co-sponsors. In addition to amending the Communications Decency Act, it also seeks to amend the federal criminal code to say that any website provider who publishes information from anyone, "with reckless disregard that the information . . . is in furtherance of" sex trafficking of a person under 18 "shall be fined . . . or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both."

Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group that recently published a report on the Internet groups who oppose changing the decency act, issued a letter last month to the chairmen and ranking members of the committees considering Wagner's bill, calling on them to schedule hearings immediately. "Internet freedom," the group wrote, "must not come at the expense of children who are sex trafficked."
SACRAMENTO  Hundreds of students planning to attend UC Irvine this fall were told that their acceptance into the university had been withdrawn, prompting San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting on Monday to call on UC President Janet Napolitano to intervene.

Nearly 500 students had their admission withdrawn at the school when the UC Irvine admissions office began a stricter review of acceptances and informed students who had missed deadlines or failed to meet graduation requirements that their spots had been forfeited. Students are able to appeal the decision, as many have.

The review of student applications came as far more students indicated that they would attend the school than UC Irvine officials had planned for. Students are offered admission under the requirement that they maintain a 3.0 grade point average their senior year and submit their transcripts by July 1.

UC Irvines Associated Students representatives issued a statement with student testimonials, where some of the incoming freshman said their acceptances were withdrawn erroneously or for reasons outside their control. The student body leaders called on UC Irvine officials to apologize for inconveniences created by the admissions errors and ensure they dont happen again.

Napolitanos spokeswoman Dianne Klein said Monday that the university is addressing the issue, which the campus acknowledges was not properly handled. UC Irvine has brought in additional staff to help affected students. No appeals have been denied so far.

For cases in which the student is not at fault or there were mistakes, the campus is proactively reaching out and expediting the appeals process, Klein said in a statement.

Ting criticized UC officials for poorly communicating with the affected students, who were informed of their admissions withdrawals and rights to appeal through an email and notice that was posted on their private student portal.

Instead of taking the initiative to effectively communicate with students making life changing decisions, Irvine played a high stakes gotcha game with students, Ting said in a statement. Sadly, this fiasco is not an isolated incident.

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.

Two years ago, a similar incident at UC Santa Cruz resulted in hundreds of students being told their admission had been revoked. After lawmakers intervened, UC officials promised they would ensure it did not happen again.

Back then, university officials said they would pursue system-wide admissions reform so students would not be left alone to twist in the wind with their college aspirations on hold, Ting said. This repeat of history suggests nothing was done and students are paying the price. I urge President Janet Napolitano to intervene so all qualified students have a spot at Irvine and to adopt admissions reforms across all campuses. A world class university system does not nickel and dime students like this.

Klein said UC Irvine is thoroughly reviewing its admission processes to ensure similar incidents dont happen again.

Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@

sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez
On the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Germany last month, President Donald Trump's advisers discussed how to respond to a new revelation that Trump's oldest son had met with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign - a disclosure the advisers knew carried political and potentially legal peril.

The strategy, the advisers agreed, should be for Donald Trump Jr. to release a statement to get ahead of the story. They wanted to be truthful, so their account couldn't be repudiated later if the full details emerged.

But within hours, at the president's direction, the plan changed.

Flying home from Germany on July 8 aboard Air Force One, Trump personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children" when they met in June 2016, according to multiple people with knowledge of the deliberations. The statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared a story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was "not a campaign issue at the time."

The claims were later shown to be misleading.

Over the next three days, multiple accounts of the meeting were provided to the media as public pressure mounted, with Trump Jr. ultimately acknowledging that he had accepted the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign.

The extent of the president's personal intervention in his son's response, the details of which have not previously been reported, adds to a series of actions that Trump has taken that some advisers fear could place him and some members of his inner circle in legal jeopardy.

As Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigates potential obstruction of justice as part of his broader probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, these advisers worry that the president's direct involvement leaves him needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup.

"This was . . . unnecessary," said one of the president's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth."

Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia probe.

He fired FBI Director James Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the president asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBI's Russian investigation - a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Mueller's work.

Although misleading the public or the press is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told The Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller.

Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired.

"He refuses to sit still," the presidential adviser said. "He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself."

Trump has said that the Russia probe is "the greatest witch hunt in political history," calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain Clinton losing an election she should have won.

Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a coverup. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal.

The White House directed all questions for this story to the president's legal team.

One of Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of the president's actions and his role in crafting his son's statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from The Post.

"Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent," Sekulow's statement read.

Trump Jr. did not respond to requests for comment. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told The Post that he and his client "were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement" about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed.

Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, "I have no evidence to support that theory." He described the process of drafting a statement as "a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers."

Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump Jr.'s statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said.

"The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the president," Zeidenberg said. "They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem. . . . What they don't seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them."

The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organizations began to ask questions about it.

Kushner's legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the president's son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people.

Kushner's lawyers came across what they immediately recognized would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign - one he had failed to disclose. Trump Jr. had arranged it, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had also attended.

To compound what was, at best, a public relations fiasco, the emails, which had not yet surfaced publicly, showed Trump Jr. responding to the prospect of negative information on Clinton from Russia: "I love it."

Lawyers and advisers for Trump, his son and son-in-law gamed out various strategies for disclosing the information to try to minimize the fallout of these new links between the Trump family and Russia, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Hope Hicks, the White House director of strategic communications and one of the president's most trusted and loyal aides, and Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Kushner and Ivanka Trump, huddled with Kushner's lawyers, and they advocated for a more transparent approach, according to people with knowledge of the conversations.

In one scenario, these people said, Kushner's team talked about sharing everything, including the contents of the emails, with a mainstream news organization.

Hicks and Raffel declined to comment. Kushner lawyer Abbe Lowell also declined to comment.

The president's outside legal team, led by Marc Kasowitz, had suggested that the details be given to Circa, an online news organization the Kasowitz team thought would be friendly to Trump. Circa had inquired in previous days about the meeting, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The president's legal team planned to cast the June 2016 meeting as a potential setup by Democratic operatives hoping to entrap Trump Jr. and, by extension, the presumptive Republican nominee, according to people familiar with discussions.

Kasowitz declined to comment for this article, as did a Circa spokesman.

Circumstances changed when the New York Times began asking about the Trump Tower meeting, though advisers believed the paper knew few of the details. While the president, Kushner and Ivanka Trump were attending the G-20 summit, the Times asked for White House comment on the impetus and reason for the meeting.

During breaks away from the summit, Kushner and Ivanka Trump gathered with Hicks and Raffel to discuss Kushner's response to the inquiry, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. Kushner's legal team joined at times by phone.

Hicks also spoke by phone with Trump Jr. Again, say people familiar with the conversations, Kushner's team concluded that the best strategy would be to err on the side of transparency, because they believed the complete story would eventually emerge.

The discussions among President Trump's advisers consumed much of the day, and continued as they prepared to board Air Force One that evening for the flight home.

But before everyone boarded the plane, Trump had overruled the consensus, according to people with knowledge of the events.

It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.'s meeting.

The president directed that Trump Jr.'s statement to the Times describe the meeting as unimportant. He wanted the statement to say that the meeting had been initiated by the Russian lawyer and primarily was about her pet issue - the adoption of Russian children.

Air Force One took off from Germany shortly after 6 p.m., about noon in Washington. In a forward cabin, Trump was busy working on his son's statement, according to people with knowledge of events. The president dictated the statement to Hicks, who served as a go-between with Trump Jr., who was not on the plane, sharing edits between the two men, according to people with knowledge of the discussions.

In the early afternoon, Eastern time, Trump Jr.'s team put out the statement to the Times. It was four sentences long, describing the encounter as a "short, introductory meeting."

"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," the statement read.

Trump Jr. went on to say, "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."

Over the next hour, word spread through emails and calls to other Trump family advisers and lawyers about the statement that Trump Jr. had sent to The Times.

Some lawyers for the president and for Kushner were surprised and frustrated, advisers later learned. According to people briefed on the dispute, some lawyers tried to reach Futerfas and their clients and began asking why the president had been involved.

Also on the flight, Kushner worked with his team - including one of his lawyers, who called into the plane.

His lawyers have said that Kushner's initial omission of the meeting was an error, but that in an effort to be fully transparent, he had updated his government filing to include "this meeting with a Russian person, which he briefly attended at the request of his brother-in-law Donald Trump Jr." Kushner's legal team referred all questions about the meeting itself to Trump Jr.

The Times' story revealing the existence of the June 2016 meeting went online around 4 p.m. Eastern time. Roughly four hours later, Air Force One touched down at Joint Base Andrews. Trump's family members and advisers departed the plane, and they knew the problem they had once hoped to contain would soon grow bigger.

---

The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report.
By Reuters: Pakistani lawmakers on Tuesday elected former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country's new prime minister, replacing ousted veteran leader Nawaz Sharif.

Sharif's ruling PML-N party used its majority in the National Assembly to install Abbasi, after the Supreme Court last week ordered Nawaz Sharif disqualified from office over failure to disclose a source of income.

Abassi's tenure is expected to be short, as Sharif has earmarked his brother Shahbaz as the successor once he becomes eligible.

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Shahbaz, currently the chief minister of the vast Punjab province, needs to win a parliamentary by-election before other lawmakers can elect him as prime minister.

Pakistani ruling party lawmakers waved posters of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and chanted his name after electing a close ally to replace the leader removed in a Supreme Court ruling last week.

"Nawaz Sharif! ... Lion, lion Nawaz Sharif," shouted supporters of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party after voting in Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the country's new prime minister. Abbasi is a former petroleum minister.

Abbasi won 221 votes in the 342-seat National Assembly, in which Sharif's party retains a solid majority after winning elections in 2013.

Sharif's supporters have decried the Supreme Court's disqualification of the former leader over undisclosed income as overreach and part of a political conspiracy by opponents.

Also read:

WhatsApp enforcer: Brother of ousted Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif to bring new style

Nawaz Sharif was a liar, deserved to go: Pervez Musharraf to India Today

--- ENDS ---
Mirror mirror on the wall, whos the most dangerous White House official of them all?

The Mooch may be out of the running, but theres still a lot of competition.

Its not the guy in charge of our nuclear arsenal, who may or may not have realized that was the core of his job description before accepting the post (Rick Perry). Nor is it the woman meeting with mens rights advocates (Betsy DeVos).

And its not the guy who keeps adding financial assets and meetings with Russian officials to his federal disclosure forms (Jared Kushner).

Its neither of the guys rolling back climate change regulations and sidelining scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department (Scott Pruitt and Ryan Zinke, respectively).

Its not the guy who worries that homeless shelters are too comfortable (Ben Carson). Not the guy arguing to dismantle lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights (Jeff Sessions). Not the mastermind of the Bowling Green Massacre (Kellyanne Conway).

To be sure, all these aides and bureaucrats are doing damage. They are degrading norms, enacting bad policy and putting our country and planet at grave risk.

But right now the most dangerous title belongs  aside from the tweeter in chief, of course  to someone in a much less sexy job, with a much less scandalous background.

Its Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In terms of both immensity and immediacy, the threat Mulvaney presents is far greater than any of the slow-motion train wrecks happening elsewhere in the administration. Thats because he seems hell-bent on wreaking a global crisis within the next two months.

Not a century from now. Not a decade from now. In two months. Thats when the government will run out of money needed to pay bills Congress has already incurred, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, if Congress does not act to raise the debt limit.

What would follow? Just a constitutional, political and global financial crisis.

Arguably, the U.S. government would be in violation of the 14th Amendment (The validity of the public debt of the United States ... shall not be questioned). The governments ability to continue paying Social Security checks, interest on the debt and other basic obligations would likewise be at risk.

Most important, this would irrevocably destroy the United States sterling reputation as a borrower.

U.S. debt is considered the safest of safe assets, and as such, Treasury securities are the benchmark of the global financial system. Causing creditors to question whether theyll receive full and timely payments would trigger panic in markets throughout the world.

Technically, we already hit the debt ceiling in March. In the months since, Treasury has engaged in extraordinary accounting measures to avoid outright default. But come early fall, those measures will be exhausted. The United States will become a deadbeat.

The debt ceiling is a product of the misguided belief that limiting the official borrowing capacity of the government would force legislators into frugality. In reality, it has done nothing to curb financial profligacy. Its chief effect is to periodically offer some political faction  sometimes the minority party, sometimes the nuttier fringe of the majority party  the power to take a very valuable hostage.

Mnuchin has urged Congress to pass a debt-limit increase with no strings attached. The government would thereby dodge default with minimal drama and without spooking markets.

But Mulvaney has other plans.

During his six years in Congress, he voted against raising the debt limit four times. One might hope he was merely posturing, because he was able to cast such votes with the knowledge that his colleagues would ultimately pass the bills.

Unfortunately, as management and budget director, Mulvaney has continued to be breathtakingly irresponsible with the creditworthiness of the United States.

In May, he publicly contradicted Mnuchin by arguing that a debt-ceiling increase should be coupled with divisive spending cuts, which would inevitably complicate an already politically fraught process.

And on Sunday, he told CNNs Jake Tapper that Congress must not pass any legislation  not even a debt-ceiling increase  until the notoriously impossible Obamacare repeal is done. President Trump echoed this thinking on Twitter as well.

So long as Mulvaney still has the presidents ear, were all living dangerously.

 2017, Washington Post Writers Group

Email: crampell@washpost.com. Twitter: @crampell.
On Friday, North Korea launched its second intercontinental ballistic missile in July, its 14th for the year. Together with North Koreas expanding nuclear stockpile, such tests demonstrate the regimes leader, Kim Jong Un, is nearing his goal of developing a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the continental United States. When combined with Kims popular image as even less rational and more unpredictable than President Trump, the obvious question for Californians is: How worried should we be?

Before anyone rents a backhoe to begin work on a backyard bomb shelter, consider the actual security situation. As dangerous as North Korea has become, it remains vastly inferior militarily to the United States and its allies. Any preemptive attack by North Korea, whether on California or more likely Japan or South Korea, would unleash horrific damage. It also would trigger such a devastating counterresponse that the regime itself would be obliterated in a matter of weeks.

Todays situation resembles two scorpions in a bottle: Each has every incentive to avoid an attack on the other.

That conviction allows citizens of Seoul, only 35 miles from the North Korean border, to continue their daily activities without pause even as their northern neighbor launches another test or promises to turn the South into a sea of fire.

Despite his bombastic threats and bizarre haircut, Kim Jong Un is by no means irrational. He and the generals around him are fully aware of their regimes vulnerability. It is precisely that weakness that has motivated their nuclear and missile programs.

North Koreas most often cited lessons are Iraq and Libya. Saddam Hussein claimed to possess weapons of mass destruction, but his holsters proved empty when the United States launched its preemptive attack and destroyed his regime.

Likewise, under Western pressure Moammar Khadafy abandoned Libyas embryonic nuclear program only to suffer equally devastating consequences. Frequent and well-publicized nuclear and missile tests allow North Korea to bolster the technical sophistication of its weapons while showcasing to potential adversaries that it will not be as foolish as Iraq or Libya.

North Koreas burgeoning arsenal gives this scorpion its venom. Estimates are that North Korea now possesses enough fissile material to make 20 or more nuclear bombs while its missiles are advancing in range and sophistication. Miniaturization remains the only major impediment to a marriage of missile and nukes. Moreover, for a regime desperately short of cash and exportable goods, nuclear material and missile technology provide opportunities for cash. Finally, if neighboring countries such as Japan and South Korea become sufficiently anxious about North Korea and insufficiently confident of Americas commitment to their protection, they could opt to develop their own countervailing nuclear programs, triggering a catastrophic arms race across the region.

In response to those growing dangers, the United States has pushed for greater economic sanctions against the North along with secondary sanctions on foreign banks that ignore those sanctions. None is expected to eliminate North Koreas nuclear and missile programs; those are cards the North will not throw down even if it hesitates to play them.

The best hope now is to compel a freeze on missile tests along with regional agreements and incentives to North Korea that will help manage the problem while keeping mutual provocations to a minimum. And even that minimum will require steady and nuanced diplomacy.

It is here perhaps that Californians should begin to worry. The Trump administration, singing its America First hymn, has proven disdainful of diplomacy, demeaning of its allies and woefully lacking in East Asian, let alone North Korean, expertise.

Most Republican foreign policy experts refuse to serve in a Trump administration while the White House would not have them if they would. Dozens of top-level diplomatic posts remain vacant as the State Department confronts major budget cuts and a demoralized staff.

Americas greatest risk concerning North Korea may well come less from a rational Kim Jong Un and more from an ill-informed and easily provoked Donald Trump.
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Not all lost San Francisco monuments are worth remembering.

The Embarcadero Freeway once stood proud  well, maybe just stood  along San Franciscos waterfront, helping connect the Golden Gate Bridge with the Bay Bridge and creating an elevated, vista-blocking, smog-enveloped scar that many San Franciscans considered an abomination. Recently, while refiling packs of negatives in The Chronicles archive, I turned up photos that hadnt been seen in years showing the loathed freeways construction decades ago.

Calls for the Embarcadero Freeways demolition rang out before the first stretch opened in 1959. The Chronicle, for its part, was against the freeway from the beginning. An editorial from Nov. 22, 1955, included two photos of a huge roadway in Seattle to show San Franciscans what a double-decker freeway looks like, so that they can intelligently calculate the aesthetic price as they debate this and future freeway construction.

After its debut, the freeway, also known as State Route 480, was assailed in another Chronicle editorial, this one from Aug. 28, 1959. The headline: The boobery goes on and on. That gem provided a clear view of the pieces thrust: We oppose and have consistently opposed the hideous monstrosity which the State Highway Commission built along the Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building, obscuring the tower and the World Trade Center from view. ... Such an evil is the Embarcadero Freeway, which as we said last Friday and here repeat, should be demolished.

The Chronicles Editorial Board kept up the pressure, applauding in 1961 the introduction of a bill in the Legislature by Assemblyman Phillip Burton authorizing the use of gas-tax funds to demolish unwanted freeways in general, and the Embarcadero in particular.

The opposition, however, couldnt topple the giant eyesore along the citys edge.

The demolition of the freeway was put to a vote in 1986, but San Francisco voters defeated the two ballot propositions to start the tear-down. The measures lost by large margins and were major setbacks for both Mayor Dianne Feinstein and the citys environmental groups.

Feinstein called the defeat an anti-environmental vote and a victory for the automobile. The one-sided tallies surprised even Supervisor Richard Hongisto, who had been a leading opponent of the demolition.

I think what this shows is that the mayor is out of step with the public on these issues, he said then. She got in the ring with a gorilla in terms of these issues. And you know you cant beat a gorilla.

A gorilla, no matter how big, is no match for the full-on fury of Mother Nature.

On Oct. 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck, severely damaging the freeway. From the quakes destruction came an opportunity to start anew along the waterfront, but freeway defenders still nearly saved the elevated Embarcadero.

FREDERIC LARSON

On Jan. 10, 1990, engineers hired by the state said it would cost between $14 million and $15 million to make the structure sturdier than it was before the quake and that the work would take about four months  quicker than expected.

A heated discussion continued, until finally, on Jan. 2, 1991, state Department of Transportation engineers conceded what local leaders had been saying all along: fixing the Embarcadero Freeway would be nearly as expensive as rebuilding it from scratch.

This renewed assessment cleared the way for the demolition. A gigantic battering ram knocked loose a chunk of the freeway on Feb. 27, 1991, marking the beginning of the end for the massive, much-mocked behemoth.

Feb. 27 is D-Day for the Embarcadero Freeway, Mayor Art Agnos declared. Twenty-six years later, the battling and bulldozing are over and the city has an unobstructed view of the bay.

Bill Van Niekerken is the library director of The San Francisco Chronicle, where he has worked since 1985. In his weekly column, From the Archive, he explores the depths of The Chronicles vast photography archive in search of interesting historical tales related to the city by the bay.
Artist Jacqui Kenny is an explorer. Using her sensibilities to precisely frame her images, the 43-year-old Londoner is quickly gaining an online following keen to see her sparse and ethereal desert artwork each day. Her photos come from the furthest reaches of the globe, spanning from Mexico to Russia to Kyrgyzstan to Arizona.

One would expect Kenny to have several stamps in her passport, from the looks of her portfolio, but instead she is "traveling" the world via Google Street View  and is using it as a way to cope with her diagnosed agoraphobia. The condition limits Kenny's life in specific ways, at times causing anxiety or panic attacks as she leaves her apartment.

"Because it's so tricky for me to travel away from my comfort zones, it affects all aspects of my daily life," Kenny wrote in an email to SFGATE. "This includes activities such as shopping, walking the dog, work meetings, social gatherings, activities that most people don't even give a second thought.

"The smallest journey can feel like I'm climbing Mt. Everest and the further away from my comfort zones, the more anxious I feel," Kenny continued. "Planes, trains and traveling long distances are the most challenging for me."

SF IN INK: Inside City Hall, artist Jeremy Fish created 100 drawings of San Francisco in 100 days

Kenny's agoraphobia has limited her travel to other countries, but the photos have given the artist a way to still visit places outside her home. Beyond the images, the following that Kenny has earned online has also helped her create a "global community" of those who share the same affliction and connect with her on her Instagram @streetview.portraits.

Kenny talked about her artwork and condition  and how the two work together in her photos  in an email interview with SFGATE from London.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

SFGATE: What does exploring the world through Google Street View do for you and for your agoraphobia?

Kenny: At first I was concerned that staying home for long periods of time and searching through Google Street View would be unhealthy, but in fact it has had the reverse effect. It's really opened up my world in many ways. I'm now thinking about exhibition opportunities in different cities and even thinking about doing talks, which I would have never considered a year ago. Ironically, I'm actually going out more than I have in a long time.

I was also nervous about openly talking about my agoraphobia. Prior to this project, the only people who knew about my agoraphobia were my family and very close friends. There is so much stigma and discrimination attached to mental health and I assumed I would be judged for it. However, once I talked about it openly, I only found support and encouragement and I'm now connected to an amazing global community. The moment you start talking to people about it, it suddenly doesn't hold so much weight anymore and I have found that really liberating.

Your Instagram account has reached 37,000 followers (and counting). What do you think it is about your work that speaks to people?

K: I have been very surprised by the attention it has received. I think it is a combination of factors. It has connected me to people from all over the world who share similar struggles, which has been the highlight of the project for me. I love visual communication, so it has been the perfect way for me to talk about mental health. I've also connected with creatives from all over the world who want to talk about the imagery and its connection with technology. I often get asked about my thoughts on the future of both photography and travel, so it's got me thinking about areas that are new to me.

Do you have an arts or photography background? What drew you to creating these images for Instagram?

K: I don't, but I worked for a global film production company for many years. One of my main roles was to work with the film directors and help put together visual treatments and mood boards. I looked at tens of thousands of photos over the years and this really helped me work out what style of photography I enjoyed and what I considered to be a good photo. It was at this stage of my life where I discovered my love and appreciation for photography.

When the company closed in 2016 it was a very stressful time in my life and I really needed a creative project to keep my mind focused. I loved the unique perspective that the Google camera gave the images and I was really excited about the possibilities that comes with selecting and curating from billions of images that have been captured and frozen in time. I also thought it was an exciting challenge to try and find the art in a platform that was created for utility only. Of course I also loved the idea of exploring places that I probably would never get to in real life.

What does a day of looking through Google Street View entail? How do you choose a location to explore, and what are you looking for?

K: I love places that are close to the equator or places that are extremely far from the equator, where the light is either very low or very high. When I decide on a place that interests me (which is never a tourist destination), I keep searching, street by street, sometimes for days, until I find something I like. Like a photographer, you know that it's just a matter of time before you capture that special moment, you just have to keep at it and be a bit obsessive about it. Google Street View have taken billions of images, so of course it's going to be a painstaking process to find a good shot. It's such a good feeling when you find it though!

Light is the most important element for me and once I've found the perfect lighting conditions, I look for other elements that I'm interested in. I'm attracted to places that have vibrant colors in their architecture and fashion and this is especially true in South America and Africa. I often gravitate to dusty towns so that when the Google car kicks up some dust it helps give the image an otherworldly feel.

Courtesy Jacqui Kenny

I'm always more interested in smaller towns away from the city because I really like getting a sense of isolation across through the use of negative space. With busy cities there are too many objects that get in the way of a good image, mainly cars and people.

I think all of the above elements help me achieve the aesthetic I am interested in, which is slightly otherworldly, odd, isolated, colorful and hopeful.

The images are generally stark and people don't always figure into every photo. How do you decide to include people in your photos and what interests you about having them in your photos?

The shots with people are often my favorite but they are really hard to find. I'm very particular about a person's presence in an image, right down to their body language. You can't see their faces, so you have to find another way to convey emotion. Most of the time people just complicate the image. If there's more than one person, they all have to be in sync in some way. Most people view my screen shots from a phone, so it's important to me that I keep the images clean and simple, as well as still saying something.

Courtesy Jacqui Kenny

Are you doing anything to help deal with your agoraphobia?

I'm always trying to push through and face as many of my fears as possible. I use a lot of different tools to help manage my anxiety. I don't think I will ever be free of it, so managing it and even embracing it, works best for me. I have been doing cognitive behavioral therapy and have practiced mindfulness for many years. I have also found that being creative is a wonderful way to keep me focused, positive and it has been really good for my self-esteem. People who live with mental health problems often have a different perspective on the world and this can be a very valuable and positive thing.

Any new projects on the horizon?

I think I will stay with this for a while. I'm always thinking about ways to enhance the experience of my project and I would love to exhibit in Europe as well as some of the places I have visited in Google Street View. I would like to explore ideas that involve VR and possibly machine learning.

If I do exhibit, I would love to invite some of the Google Street View drivers along.
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An animal rights group has agreed to halt its weekly protests at a Berkeley butcher shop in exchange for the shop's display of a sign decrying animal slaughter.

The Local Butcher Shop, a purveyor of "seasonal, locally-sourced, sustainably-raised, fresh meat" at 1600 Shattuck Ave., offers a smattering of butchery classes for the public, ranging from sausage making to stock tastings. Since April, animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere has staged weekly protests outside the storefront during Sunday evening classes in an effort to "denormalize violence towards animals," according to Direct Action Everywhere spokesperson Matt Johnson.

Such protests typically lasted one to two hours, said Johnson, and involved short speeches from activists, call-and-response chants and sometimes singing. After approximately 15 gatherings, Johnson said the owners of The Local Butcher Shop reached out to the group and agreed to post the 15-by-15 inch sign in exchange for Direct Action limiting its curbside protests to once or twice a year.

"Our initial ask was an end to the violence, to sell veggie burgers or something like that," said Johnson, who emphasized that "this is not an agreement we intend to comply with forever" but rather "a temporary understanding." Johnson also called the negotiation "something of a historic first" for animal rights.

The sign, which was taped to the front window of the six-year-old shop this weekend, reads: "Attention: Animals' lives are their right. Killing them is violent and unjust, no matter how it's done."

Robert Weisberg, director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, told SFGATE that while the incident "might well look like extortion" it would only violate federal extortion law "if the protestors were demanding money or some sort of property from the store." Additionally, a possible extortion case would be weakened because the store acquiesced to the demand, rather than report it to police.

Since its 2013 founding in Berkeley, Direct Action Everywhere has undertaken a series of actions throughout the Bay Area, including a "die-in" at a Costco in San Francisco's SoMa district and a takeover of Berkeley's Chez Panisse restaurant last fall. In February, Direct Action Everywhere member Diane Gandee Sorbi was charged with theft, larceny and criminal mischief for removing an injured hen from a San Joaquin farm, according to the district attorney's office.

Local Butcher Shop owner Aaron Rocchio, a trained chef who previously worked at Chez Panisse and Le Bernadin in New York City, declined to comment on the sign, saying he does not "want to give [Direct Action Everywhere] any more attention than they've already gotten."

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
A fire damaged the roof of at least one building that was under repair at a San Rafael elementary school Monday evening, authorities said.

Crews from the Marinwood and San Rafael fire departments took about an hour to put out the blaze at Dixie Elementary School on Idylberry Road.
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A woman was blinded Sunday evening in a vicious bleach attack in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, officials said.

The 57-year-old woman was sitting on the sidewalk on Mason Street, between Turk and Eddy streets, about 7:30 p.m., when a man in his early 20s approached her and poured bleach on her face, police said.

She was sitting down when a man approached her and told her to get up and go away, and then he walked away, said Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesman. He returned back to her with a cup in his hand  she believed it was bleach  and poured it on her, causing her to lose vision.

The woman was rushed to a hospital, police said. No arrests have been made, and police did not specify whether the womans blindness was temporary or permanent.

The victim told police she did not know the attacker, Rueca said.

The womans address was not listed when police took the report, which could indicate that she is homeless or that she didnt have identification on her at the time of the attack and was in too much distress to provide the information, according to Officer Grace Gatpandan, a police department spokeswoman.

Police initially said the woman was in life-threatening condition, but on Tuesday afternoon Gatpandan said the victims life was not threatened.

The attack occurred about six blocks from the area where a San Francisco police officer suffered chemical burns after bleach was poured on him from an open window in 2016.

In that case, an officer was responding to a report of a dog-bite victim when the owner of the dog in question, Kim Thuphuoc Tran, allegedly poured bleach on the officer from the sixth-story window of a building on the 100 block of Hyde Street, police said.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
By PTI: (EDS: Updating with details of new PMs swearing-in)

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Aug 1 (PTI) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a die-hard loyalist of Nawaz Sharif, was today elected Prime Minister by Pakistans National Assembly and put up a strong defence of the ousted leader saying that he may have been disqualified by the Supreme Court but remains the "peoples premier".

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Abbasi, 58, was elected as Pakistans 18th premier after getting 221 votes in the House of 342, defeating his three rivals emphatically.

Naveed Qamar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) got 47 votes, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, an Awami Muslim League leader who was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs candidate, got 33 votes, while Jamaat-e-Islamis Sahibzada Tariqullah managed just four votes.

Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Abbasi, the former petroleum minister, as interim Prime Minister until Sharifs brother Shehbaz is elected as a National Assembly member.

"Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been declared as elected as the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan," National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced amid sloganeering.

Later in the evening, Abbasi was sworn-in as the new prime minister of the country. President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of office to him.

Top civil and military officials and foreign diplomats attended the ceremony held at the Presidents House.

Earlier, Abbasi, while addressing Parliament after the voting, said that his election was a victory for democracy.

He heavily criticised the Supreme Court judgement which disqualified Sharif.

"I am grateful to you all, for following the democratic process ? whether you voted for or against me. I am grateful to the people of Pakistan, and I am grateful to the peoples premier, Nawaz Sharif," Abbasi said in his acceptance speech.

"I am also grateful to the opposition and Imran Khan, for remembering us in their daily slandering," he said.

Describing the Supreme Court verdict last week disqualifying Sharif over the Panama Papers scandal as an "unprecedented decision", Abbasi hailed his party for its unity.

"Within four days, the democratic process is back on track. There were no defections. There was no dissension in our ranks," Abbasi said.

He praised Sharifs leadership and principles and criticised the opposition for accusing him of corruption.

"Justice demands that 1,000 guilty are set free than one innocent is convicted," Abbasi said.

"It is my firm belief that Nawaz Sharif will return to the seat of premiership," he said.

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Abbasi also promised that there would be no power shortage in the country after December.

"Whether I am in power for 45 days or 45 hours, I will work as the prime minister of the country and will not merely hold the post," he said.

After the voting and counting process, many of the PML-N National Assembly members entered the House with posters of Sharif. The National Assembly Speaker objected to this and asked them to put away the placards and posters.

Abbasi will be sworn-in later at a special ceremony at the Presidents House, where President Mamnoon Hussain will administer the oath to him.

He is a true loyalist of Sharif and stood with him when his government was toppled in 1999 by Musharraf. Abbasi was imprisoned after the coup and was kept in jail for two years.

The Supreme Court on Friday disqualified 67-year-old Prime Minister Sharif for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing him to resign.

According to a media report, Abbasi is facing a Rs 220 billion corruption inquiry by Pakistans National Accountability Bureau over an LNG contract.

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Abbasi will remain premier till Shehbaz is elected to the House to take over as prime minister and lead the government till next year when the general election will take place.

Pakistan has seen such arrangements in the past too.

During former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharrafs time, politician Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was appointed as an interim prime minister until Shaukat Aziz, who was nominated by Musharraf, got elected by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q).

Earlier in the day, the opposition parties meeting failed to result in agreement over a joint candidate.

Hours before the scheduled National Assembly session, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced to withdraw its candidate Kishwar Zehra in favour of Abbasi. The MQMs 24 MPs backed Abbasi.

Major political parties fielded their respective candidates for the premiers post.

The National Assemblys second biggest party in terms of numbers, the PPP, nominated Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah and Qamar. However, at the eleventh hour Shah withdrew from the election leaving Qamar as the sole PPP candidate.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf fielded Rashid as its nominee. Jamaat-e-Islami fielded Tariqullah as their candidate.

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The PML-N party holds 188 seats in the 342-member Parliament. PTI SH NSA ASK AKJ ASK

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Ron Chapple/Getty Image

A woman was blinded and sustained life-threatening injuries Sunday evening in a vicious bleach attack in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, officials said.

The 57-year-old woman was sitting on the sidewalk on Mason Street between Turk and Eddy streets about 7:30 p.m. when a man in his early 20s approached her and poured bleach on her face, police said.
Grounded in complex Asian mythology but played out in the familiar Bay Area, this debut young-adult novel stars 16-year-old Genie plus Quentin, a mysterious transfer student at her prep school. Turns out he is the Monkey King, and she is a legendary weapon, both reincarnated as tech-savvy kids. Genie reluctantly joins an Armageddon-like showdown with more than 100 demons. The action is both credible and incredible. Aiming for the Ivy League, Genie uses newly discovered superpowers to defeat old evil. One thing for sure: Writing a standout college essay just got easier for her! Here, a local author successfully weaves together disparate elements, layering in humor and social commentary. What drives kids to achieve beyond their parents? Is Genie pressured by a Tiger Mom culture? Some R-rated language makes for a PG epic that imaginatively unites East and West.

Once upon a time children had to read preachy poems and fables, plus religious texts and manuals full of restrictive rules. Then, according to this boisterous picture biography, along comes an 18th century disruptor  a bookseller and publisher of irresistible books to nurture, not punish, the young. John Newbery takes London by storm with A Little Pretty Pocket-Book and its stories, games, ABCs and proverbs. More than 100 titles follow, all anonymously created especially for the perspectives and enthusiasms of children. Perhaps most famous is The History of Goody Two-Shoes, the smash-hit novel about a poor but can-do orphan girl. Spirited pen-and-ink art perfectly captures period detail and changing attitudes toward child-rearing. The Newbery Award annually honors the most distinguished contribution to U.S. literature for kids and rightfully bears this Brits name.
Spotify is tiptoeing into new businesses again.

The top paid music streaming service has agreed to promote podcasts in its app and via ads on buses. In return, the hosts of Reply All, Pod Save America and The Bill Simmons Podcast agreed to talk up Spotify on social media and during their shows, which cover topics from Internet subculture and politics to sports.

Spotify is testing whether to devote more resources to areas other than music. Podcasts are a fast-growing field dominated by Apple.

By increasing its revenue from other media, Spotify could reduce the huge share of sales that goes to record labels. Royalties accounted for more than 75 percent of Spotifys costs last year and are based on the time users spend playing songs.

Investing

Fidelity cuts

fees on funds

Fidelity Investments is trying to beat Vanguard Group at its own game.

Fidelity has cut fees on 14 passive products, saying its stock and bond index mutual funds and sector exchange-traded funds now have net expenses lower than comparable Vanguard funds. The reductions, which apply to most share classes, will save investors about $18 million a year, the Boston firm said Monday.

Vanguard, the pioneer of low-cost investing, has been challenged by a growing number of rivals that have matched and sometimes undercut the price it charges on index funds and ETFs. BlackRock Inc. and Charles Schwab Corp. have also staked claims to territory Vanguard once had to itself.

Fidelity, best known for stock pickers like manager Peter Lynch, has been building up its passive business as investors dump active products in favor of those that track indexes. The firm had almost $300 billion in passive assets as of June 30, according to Morningstar, accounting for roughly 13 percent of its $2.3 trillion total.

Venture capital

Kleiner Perkins

shuts division

Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is shutting down a division created two years ago called Edge, which was designed to make the venture capital firm more competitive in the most lucrative, early-stage deals.

The three partners assigned to KPCB Edge departed in recent weeks, a spokeswoman for the firm said. The group is composed of Anjney Midha, Roneil Rumburg and Ruby Lee. They had been working alongside entrepreneurs in the fund, helping plan products or code software. The spokeswoman said all remaining partners will evaluate and invest in seed deals as part of their daily duties.

Venture capital funds are overflowing with cash, reaching levels not seen since the dot-com bubble. Kleiner Perkins raised $1.4 billion last year for its two main funds. Some VC firms have been shifting to more mature companies in need of larger investments.

But the strategy risks leaving young companies with few options for funding, and venture firms could miss out on early access to the next blockbuster deal.

Acquisitions

Discovery

to buy Scripps

Discovery Communications announced Monday an $11.9 billion deal to buy Scripps Networks Interactive, the owner of Food Network and HGTV.

The combined company would control about 20 percent of the advertising-supported pay-television audience in the United States, and it could create a force in television popular with female viewers, combining such Scripps and Discovery as Investigation Discovery, OWN and TLC.

The talks took place amid broad consolidation in the telecommunications industry.

For years, cable and broadband providers including Comcast, Charter, Verizon and AT&T have steadily increased their market. That has put pressure on TV companies like Discovery to grow in size as a way to gain leverage in negotiations with cable distributors.

The deal announced Monday had been in the works for a long time. The companies held talks to combine several times  most recently in 2014  although those discussions fell apart over a range of issues, including price.

In pursuing Scripps, Discovery also faced competition from its rival Viacom.

Charter wont

be Sprinting

Charter, one of the largest U.S. cable companies, says its not interested in buying wireless carrier Sprint.

Sprint, the fourth-largest carrier in the U.S., is unprofitable and has a lot of debt. According to published reports, Sprint had proposed an acquisition by Charter. Sprint didnt answer a request for comment.

Sprints CEO has also talked this year about the benefits of combining with T-Mobile, the No. 3 mobile carrier. The two walked away from doing a deal during the Obama administration because of regulatory opposition.

Telecom companies are eyeing one another as consumers are increasingly drawn to mobile video. Combining forces could help companies sell packages of cell phone, home Internet and video service. They could also save money on higher-speed networks.

Chronicle News Services
Wells Fargo & Co. customers accused the bank in a lawsuit of forcing them to pay for unnecessary auto insurance that drove some of them so far into a financial spiral that their vehicles were repossessed.

The complaint comes after a year of hand-wringing and internal changes brought on by earlier wrongdoing at Wells Fargo. The San Francisco banks workers opened up possibly 2.1 million checking and credit card accounts without customers permission over about half a decade, and the bank paid $185 million to regulators to settle.

Now it is accused of bilking millions of dollars from unsuspecting customers who were forced to pay for auto insurance they did not need or want, pushing almost 250,000 of them into delinquency and resulting in almost 25,000 vehicle repossessions, according to a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Sunday in San Francisco federal court.

Indianapolis consumer Paul Hancock claims in the lawsuit that Wells Fargo received kickbacks from National General Holdings Corp., which isnt named as a defendant, through shared commissions on the policies. The New York Times reported Wells Fargo stopped sharing in commissions from the insurance sales in February 2013.

The revelation of this latest breach of customer trust appears to fit right into the Wells Fargo playbook of dirty deeds, and sadly comes as no surprise, Roland Tellis, one of Hancocks lawyers, said last week when he announced his firm was investigating the bank. Keller Rohrback LLP, the law firm thats behind the class action over Wells Fargos retail-bank accounts scandal, also said its investigating the auto insurance issue.

When customers took out loans to purchase vehicles, Wells Fargo and the insurance company either didnt check whether clients already had coverage or ignored the information, according to the complaint. Collateral protection insurance policies were created for customers, and Wells Fargo then would add premium charges to customers auto loan bills, often without notifying them, according to the lawsuit.

Wells Fargo last week said it may have pushed thousands of car buyers into loan defaults and repossessions by charging them for the unwanted insurance. The bank said an internal review of its auto lending found more than 500,000 clients may have unwittingly paid for protection against vehicle loss or damage while making monthly loan payments, even though many drivers already had their own policies. The firm said it may pay as much as $80 million to affected clients  with extra money for as many as 20,000 who lost cars, as an expression of our regret.

The lender is still struggling to overcome the fake-accounts scandal in its community bank and said last week that the divisions new leader is cutting about 70 senior executive jobs. The accounts scandal led to the ouster last year of Wells Fargos long time Chief Executive Officer John Stumpf and has cost the bank at least $520 million in fines, remediation, consultants and civil litigation  including $142 million to customers who sued the bank over the accounts.

The bank said it was sorry for any inconvenience caused by the auto insurance program. Its in the process of making things right, Wells Fargo said in an email. The bank said it discontinued the insurance program in September 2016 after finding errors.

A representative of National General had no immediate comment.

Wells Fargo last week said it would start sending letters and refund checks next month to customers with policies placed from 2012 to 2017 that it determines were harmed, and expects the process will be complete by the end of the year. The lender also promised to work with credit bureaus to amend customers credit records.

Laura J. Keller and Margaret Cronin Fisk are Bloomberg writers. Email: lkeller22@bloomberg.net, mcfisk@bloomberg.net
Evan Sernoffsky

A former maintenance manager for Vallejo pleaded guilty on Tuesday to federal charges of soliciting bribes from city contractors in a scheme to steal thousands of dollars in community block grant funds, prosecutors said.

Donald Burton, 51, faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced on Nov. 7 in federal court in Sacramento, officials said.
Dear Abby: I am a Yale-trained pediatric nurse with a post-masters as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I respectfully ask that you retract your answer to First-Time Mom in New Jersey (June 21). Im concerned your response will encourage other mothers to buy into the incorrect assumption that its impolite to ask questions that ensure their childs safety. You should have encouraged and empowered First-Time Mom to politely ask about the presence of weapons in the other parents homes, and if so, how they are stored. Its important information for her to have. If she has every playdate at her house and refuses to go to another home because shes afraid to ask about gun safety, eventually the other mothers will pick up on the fact that she doesnt trust their child-rearing capabilities, but wont know why. If these potential friends dont have unsecured firearms, or if they do and they are properly and safely stored, your advice will prevent healthy, honest friendships from developing, which will socially isolate her. How will she ever ensure a break for herself by allowing and encouraging her child to socialize at another trusted mothers home she knows to be safe? Your advice will only isolate First-Time Mom further and put her and her toddler at great risk.

Colleen M. Sullivan, RN, MSN, CPNP



Dear Colleen: Of course you are right. The womans question wasnt about etiquette. It was about child safety. A large number of readers besides you agreed my perspective was off. I have heard all of you loud and clear, and I apologize. I should have advised: You are responsible for your childs welfare. Part of assuring her safety involves asking whether weapons are on the premises and, if so, what safety precautions have been taken. (The same is true for prescription drugs, swimming pools, caustic chemicals and foods to which your child is allergic.) You should also ask if the children will be under parental supervision at all times. If anyone feels concern for your childs safety is presumptuous, do not allow your child to play there. Suggest instead that the children play at your house. Read on for more perspectives:

Dear Abby: I am a pediatrician and a mother. Your advice to First-Time Mom about gun safety runs counter to the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as numerous gun violence protection groups. Research shows that guns are present in 1 in 3 homes, and that 1 in 3 of those guns is kept loaded and unlocked, posing a risk to children. This is why I routinely recommend that parents inquire about the presence of guns and storage methods at the homes their children visit. I also urge them to discuss with their child the importance of never touching a gun and immediately notifying an adult if they come across a gun or are shown one by another child.

Jessica Mowry, M.D.

Dear Abby: Probably the toughest call a cop has is a shooting where one child gets ahold of a loaded, unsecured gun and accidentally kills his sibling in childs play. As an adjunct professor in criminal justice, I ask my students how many of them know someone who was involved in a gun suicide, homicide, assault, accident or other crime. Typically, one-third of the hands go up. Parents should be able to politely ask whether a gun is in a house where their children regularly play. Sometimes the owners are not as responsible as they should be.

Chester J. Kulis, Illinois

Readers: More on this subject tomorrow. Its important, so stay tuned.
By India Today Web Desk: Not that we weren't already enamoured of this breath-taking destination, but Switzerland has given you another reason to set foot on its land.

According to Zermatt Tourism, the newly opened Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in Switzerland, has now been recorded as the world's longest pedestrian suspension bridge.

The bridge was inaugurated on July 29. Rising as high as 279 ft and spanning 1621 ft, the new bridge has been constructed along the valley between the towns of Zermatt and Grachen. It offers hikers views of the Matterhorn, Weisshorn and Bernese Alps.

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The suspension bridge has replaced an older one that was gradually being damaged by falling rocks, reported CNN.

The new bridge will also cut down the duration of journey across the valley from three to four hours to just 10 minutes, as claimed by Edith Zweifel, a spokesperson of the travel board.

Also Read:See it to believe it: China builds the highest bridge in the world

However, the bridge is not recommended for those who are afraid of heights or experience vertigo easily.

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The mega popular, Instagram-friendly Museum of Ice Cream, which most recently opened for temporary runs in Los Angeles and New York, is making its next stop in San Francisco.

A tab on the museum's official website titled "Visit" lists both Los Angeles and San Francisco, at first hinting that the Bay Area city will play next host to the sprinkle pool and obviously, lots of ice cream. The company behind the pop-up exhibit also looked to be seeking several workers for the museum, including a production assistant, a public relations associate, and an operations manager.
In the post-truth, fake-news age, you can't always trust what you read. Or where you get your fried family-style appetizers.

Australian-themed restaurant chain Outback Steakhouse was accused last week of concealing hidden ties to the Illuminati and other occult groups, after one astute Twitter user discovered the chain's franchises were arranged in a pentagram shape. Pentagrams, perhaps most commonly identified with Wiccanism, have also been popularly associated with the Illuminati, Satanism (including the homegrown San Francisco variety) and the occult in general.
When Hilary Nevis bought her house last year on 29th Street in Oakland's Hoover-Foster neighborhood, she remembers a single person sleeping under the freeway overpass a few dozen yards from her front door.

"It was a really small footprint. He didn't bother anyone. He very much felt like my neighbor," Nevis said.

Now the homeless encampment has grown to about a dozen tents  a sight familiar to many Oaklanders. Nevis feels like the city has become too lenient about responding to homelessness, and she's not alone. Complaints about homelessness grew 600 percent between 2011 and 2016. The city is planning to roll out relief for some tent encampments, but isn't planning to help them all.

We're Not in This Together

Oakland's unsheltered homeless population grew 37 percent over a two-year period and has become the city's most visible problem. Those with and without homes feel like the city hasn't done nearly enough to solve the crisis.

After Nevis moved into her house last year, she would come home and find people sitting on her porch and using her outside electrical outlets to charge cellphones and other electronics. She decided to let this go.

"That always just kind of made me feel uncomfortable and I know some of my neighbors agree with that," Nevis said.

Then, on a recent spring night, someone pounded on her door looking for a stolen phone, she said. Nevis can't confirm who the person was, but it flipped an emotional switch. She began trading stories with her neighbors about how bold homeless people in her neighborhood had become. Nevis went from believing she could live together with her homeless neighbors to feeling threatened by them.

"We were like, oh hey, we can be a community, like work together. And then one of those people tried to break into my house. I'm like, no, we're not in this together," said Nevis, who has aired her concerns on SeeClickFix, Oakland's citizen complaint website.

Nevis started calling Oakland's public works department and she eventually got Joe DeVries, an assistant city administrator who has overseen a lot of the city's homeless initiatives. DeVries discussed ways Nevis could better protect her home, and he requested that Oakland's police department enforce the "No Blocking Sidewalk/No Loitering" signs and asked police to "direct the encamped to leave."

Nevis also tried to superglue her outside outlets shut, but on a recent morning she found the plugs had been pried off. Since the incident, Nevis says she has become overly sensitive to the encampment; she wants to feel safe in her home, she said.

"I feel like the lines have not been drawn very clearly for the people who live under there," Nevis said.

Helping Some Encampments, Closing Others

Among those who feel Oakland has been slow to respond to its emerging homeless crisis are some at City Hall.

"Our response is slower than we'd like it to be and it's not as thorough as we would like it to be," DeVries said. "Hopefully with the new budget, that'll change. But it's not going to change as quickly as anyone would like."

The Oakland City Council got a lot of pressure from activists to allocate an additional $3 million a year for homelessness, but the adopted budget fell well short of that. The budget does include extra money for wash stations, portable toilets and garbage pickup at some encampments, but DeVries guesses only between 10 to 15 encampments will be served.

An encampment management team made up of staff from the public works, fire and police departments has been meeting to discuss which encampments will get the extra help, DeVries said. The decisions will be based on a number of factors, such as encampment size, ability to manage and location, he said. When asked whether a high number of neighbor complaints would play a role, DeVries said not necessarily.

"We have a responsibility to go out and evaluate each encampment compared to other encampments and then prioritize our work based on that evaluation, not based on 50 people complained and they used really colorful language or they jammed up my email," he said.

RELATED: Berkeley mayor explains new homeless plan

The city also allocated $450,000 to develop a "safe haven" site, where people could live in temporary structures while they get help finding housing. DeVries said that would likely be in West Oakland, where a concentration of encampments exists.

Along with efforts to keep some encampments operating in place, the city could also decide to close some encampments, DeVries said, adding that the encampment near Nevis' home would likely be considered.

"That particular encampment is so close to residential property and close to a school corridor where a lot of children walk. Those would be the ones that I personally think we need to evaluate for closure," he said.

Getting Neighborhood Buy-In Is Important

Closing a camp doesn't do much to solve homelessness unless there's a long-term plan for where people can go. A lot of attention will likely be paid to how Oakland works with sheltered and unsheltered residents to address encampments in neighborhoods; and the city isn't starting off with a great track record.

Activists protested in February when the city dismantled an encampment at 36th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way known as "The Village." Some neighbors in West Oakland were upset after the city promised to end a pilot project serving a homeless encampment earlier this year, only to have more people move into the space after the city's services stopped.

"I believe that this failure has damaged the city's credibility to the extent that they will have to demonstrate one or two successful sanctioned encampments before most neighborhoods would be willing to discuss supporting a proximate sanctioned encampment," said Ray Kidd, a member of the West Oakland Neighbors group.

Other neighborhood groups are asking the city for whatever services it can provide now. The Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland hosted a number of city and county officials this month to discuss a response to an encampment nearby known as the "Living Room." The city promised to provide bathrooms and washing stations as well as health services by Aug. 22, according to a church spokeswoman.

Under the freeway overpass on 29th Street, a man who calls himself "Akie" is sitting on a twin mattress reading a newspaper. Akie believes some encampments will probably be shut down, but he doesn't believe this one  on Hilary Nevis' street  should be on the list.

"[I] think this is one of the safest and one of the quietest and peaceful-est encampments around, and this one should not be shut down," he said.

Akie said what the encampment needs is clean water, bathrooms and garbage pickup. But that doesn't look like it's in the cards for this space.

Akie feels like people who live in this encampment would be responsive if homeowners approached them and talked about how to live together, but that hasn't happened. For now, everyone is talking through the city, which doesn't have a good response yet.
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In 2016, there were 71 reported cases of entangled whales off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NOAA says that's the highest annual number of entangled whales off the West Coast since the agency started keeping records in 1982. Of the 71 cases reported last year, 66 were off the coast of California.

Now, the Center for Biological Diversity is taking legal action. The environmental group filed a notice of intent to sue the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on June 28, claiming the state hasn't done enough to prevent Dungeness crab fishing nets from entangling whales and other marine animals.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife was not able to comment on the case, citing a policy not to discuss pending litigation.

NOAA confirmed 22 whales entangled last year were caught up in commercial crab fishing gear. That number doubled since 2015, according to the agency.

The Center for Biological Diversity says failing to prevent whales and sea turtles from entanglement constitutes a violation of the Endangered Species Act.

Most of the whales entangled last year were humpback whales (54, to be exact), which were largely removed from the endangered species list in 2015. Four gray whales and three blue whales were also found entangled. The population of grey whales found off the West Coast were removed from the endangered species list in 1994, while blue whales are still currently listed.

"Whales and sea turtles die slow, painful deaths from getting tangled up in crab gear. Skyrocketing entanglements off our coast aren't just tragic, they're also illegal, and it's time for the state to be held accountable," Kristen Monsell, an attorney with the Center, said in a press release.

Whales get trapped in crab fishing equipment because the marine mammals are often feeding in the same biologically rich areas the fisherman are targeting, the Orange County Register reports.

"There's a large overlap between where the fishermen are and where the whales and turtles come to feed," Catherine Kilduff, an attorney with the environmental group told the paper.

Several cases of entangled whales have made headlines recently. On July 19, a team of rescuers off the California coast freed a whale that was caught up in fishing anchors that were dragging it toward the ocean floor. On July 10, a Canadian man died trying to disentangle a whale in the North Atlantic.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.
WASHINGTON  Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House communications director after just 11 days on the job  and just hours after former Gen. John Kelly took over as President Trumps new chief of staff.

Hoping to turn the page on a tumultuous opening chapter to his presidency, Trump had insisted earlier Monday that there was no chaos in his White House as he swore in the retired Marine general as his second chief of staff.

Not long after, Scaramucci, who shocked many with a profane outburst last week against then-chief of staff Reince Priebus, was gone.

In the words of the White House announcement, he was leaving because he felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. The three-sentence release concluded, We wish him all the best.

The statement about Scaramuccis departure used the same clean slate language that departing press secretary Sean Spicer used to describe his reason for resigning July 21  the day Trump brought Scaramucci aboard.

Spicer was at the White House on Monday, saying he was assisting with the communications transitions.

As the Scaramucci news spread, Kelly was in the East Room smiling and taking pictures with guests who were gathering for a Medal of Honor presentation.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump felt that Scaramuccis profanity-laced comments against Priebus were inappropriate for a person in that position of White House communications director. The president had not publicly expressed disapproval of those comments in the days after they became public.

Sanders added that Kelly has the full authority to operate within the White House and that all staff will report to him, a change from Priebus tenure.

Earlier, in an Oval Office ceremony, Trump predicted Kelly, who previously served as Homeland Security chief, would do a spectacular job. And the president chose to highlight the rising stock market and positive jobs outlook rather than talk about how things might need to change in his White House under Kelly.

Trump on Friday ousted Priebus as chief of staff and turned to Kelly, who he hopes will bring military discipline to an administration weighed down by a stalled legislative agenda, infighting among West Wing aides and a stack of investigations.

Scaramuccis brief tenure shoved internal White House disputes into the open. In media interviews, he trashed Priebus as a leaker and senior White House aide Steve Bannon as a self-promoter. One of Scaramuccis first  and it turns out only  acts was to force out a communications aide seen as loyal to Priebus.

Spicer, Priebus and Bannon had all objected to Trumps decision to hire Scaramucci, who would have reported directly to the president.

While Trump is looking for a reset, he pushed back against criticism of his administration with this tweet: Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos!

In fact, economic growth averaged 2 percent in the first half of this year, a pace Trump railed against as a candidate and promised to lift to 3 percent. The stock market first hit a record under President Barack Obama and has kept growing. The unemployment rate, too, started to decline on Obamas watch. And wage gains have been weak.

Trump on Monday convened his first Cabinet meeting with Kelly at his side, telling his team it is doing incredibly well and starting from a really good base. On how he would deal with rising tensions with North Korea, Trump said only: It will be handled.

Seated across from Trump was Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has stayed on the job while Trump has publicly savaged him in interviews and on social media.

Kellys success in a chaotic White House will depend on how much authority he is granted and whether Trumps dueling aides will put aside their rivalries to work together. Also unclear is whether a new chief of staff will have any influence over the presidents social media histrionics.

Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who was ousted from the campaign in June 2016, said on NBCs Meet the Press that he expected Kelly would restore order to the staff but also stressed that Trump was unlikely to change his style.

I say you have to let Trump be Trump. That is what has made him successful over the last 30 years. That is what the American people voted for, Lewandowski said. And anybody who thinks theyre going to change Donald Trump doesnt know Donald Trump.

Kellys start follows a wild week, marked by the profane tirade by Scaramucci, the presidents continued criticism of his attorney general and the failed effort by Senate Republicans to overhaul the nations health care law.

In addition to the strains in the West Wing and with Congress, Kelly starts his new job as tensions escalate with North Korea. The United States flew two supersonic bombers over the Korean Peninsula on Sunday in a show of force against North Korea, following the countrys latest intercontinental ballistic missile test. The U.S. also said it conducted a successful test of a missile defense system located in Alaska.

Another diplomatic fissure opened Sunday when Russian President Vladimir Putin said the U.S. would have to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by several hundred under new sanctions from Moscow. In a television interview, Putin indicated the cutback was retaliation for new sanctions in a bill passed by Congress and sent to Trump.

Trump plans to sign the measure into law, the White House has said. After Putins remarks, the State Department deemed the cutbacks a regrettable and uncalled for act and said officials would assess the impact and how to respond to it.

Catherine Lucey is an Associated Press writer.
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A dozen inmates escaped from an Alabama jail by using peanut butter to change the numbers above a door and trick a new employee into opening another door that led outside, a sheriff said Monday.

The inmates changed the number above a cell to the number that identified the door leading outside the jail. So when an inmate asked a young, inexperienced jailer to let him into his cell, the jailer was fooled into opening the outside door instead.

The group then fled, throwing off their orange uniforms and using blankets to climb over a fence topped with razor wire on Sunday evening.

"It may sound crazy, but these people are crazy like a fox," Walker County Sheriff James Underwood said at a news conference in Jasper.

Story continues below ...

Inmates "scheme all the time to con us and our employees at the jail," Underwood added. "You have to stay on your toes. This is one time we slipped up. I'm not going to make any excuses."

The sheriff said the inmates "went off in every direction," but all but one were captured within eight hours, and the sheriff said he hoped the last prisoner would be back in custody by the end of the day Monday.

The 11 were arrested without violence, and the only person seriously hurt was an inmate who sliced his thumb climbing over the fence, the sheriff said.

The fugitives were between 18 and 30, facing charges ranging from disorderly conduct to attempted murder.

A manhunt continued for the last fugitive, Bradley Andrew Kilpatrick, 24, of Cordova, who had been jailed on charges of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia. That search was getting some airborne help from a state helicopter.

Underwood estimated that the inmates had cleared the barbed wire fence in less than 10 minutes.

"They took advantage of a young fellow that hadn't been here very long" and who had to monitor 150 inmates at a time, the sheriff said. They apparently saved peanut butter from food regularly served at the jail.

"They love peanut butter sandwiches," the sheriff said.
By India Today Web Desk: Last week, netizens were left awww-ing over li'l Taimur adorably nestled in daddy Saif Ali Khan's arms, as they, along with Kareena Kapoor Khan, set off for a Swiss vacation. It is no secret that Gstaad is Kareena's favourite holiday destination, and that she and Saif make it a point to visit the resort town in the Swiss Alps every year.

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This year, they are accompanied by their seven-month-old son, Taimur. This is the toddler's first international vacation. Several fan clubs have got their hands on pictures from the Khans' holiday and have been posting them online. Saif, Kareena and Taimur seem to be having a blast on their getaway.

Saif was recently in the eye of a storm, when his "Nepotism rocks" act at the IIFA Awards this year received a lot of flak from netizens. His open letter explaining the brouhaha only made things worse, with its mention of genetics and eugenics.

On the work front, Kareena will start shooting for Veere Di Wedding post her return from Switzerland, while Saif has films like Kaalakaandi, Chef and Bazaar lined up for release.

ALSO SEE: Saif and Kareena's li'l cutie Taimur is making our hearts melt

ALSO SEE: This photo of Kareena with her bundle of joy Taimur is breaking the internet

ALSO WATCH: Saif-Kareena become proud parents to a baby boy, Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi

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CARACAS, Venezuela  Two of Venezuelas leading opposition figures were seized at their homes by state security agents early Tuesday in the first moves by President Nicolas Maduros government against prominent enemies since a widely denounced vote granting the ruling party nearly unlimited powers.

The Venezuelan Supreme Court said Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma had violated the terms of their house arrest by criticizing the government in messages released on social media in recent days.

The court, which is controlled by Maduro allies, also said it had received reports from official intelligence sources that the two men had been planning to flee.

Relatives and allies of Lopez and former Caracas Mayor Ledezma earlier reported on social media that both had been detained. Lopezs wife posted what appeared to be video of him being taken from their home after midnight.

Theyve just taken Leopoldo from the house, Lilian Tintori tweeted. We dont know where he is or where theyre taking him.

Lopez had been released from a military prison July 8 after serving three years of a 13-year sentence for inciting violence at opposition rallies. Many human rights groups considered him a political prisoner.

Ledezma was also detained in 2015 and has been under house arrest. Both leaders recently posted videos online denouncing Maduros decision to hold a vote for a constitutional assembly with the power to overhaul the political system.

The United States said it holds Maduro personally responsible for the health and safety of the two.

They were being unjustly held by the Venezuelan government after its outrageous seizure of power through a sham election over the weekend, said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Maduro says he has no intention of deviating from his plans to rewrite the constitution and go after a string of enemies, from independent news channels to gunmen he claimed were sent by neighboring Colombia to disrupt the vote as part of an international conspiracy led by the man he calls Emperor Donald Trump.

Michael Weissenstein is an Associated Press writer.
It is believed the AIADMK (Amma) leader Sasikala has made it clear that under no circumstances should the government topple.

The option of merger is not ruled out in both EPS and OPS camps.

By Pramod Madhav: Meetings are on in full swing in both E Palaniswami (EPS) and O Panneerselvam camps as Sasikala's nephew TTV Dinakaran is expected to break his silence and announce his political plans on August 5.

AIADMK (Amma) leader TTV Dinakaran had taken a vow of political silence for 60 days after his release from jail in the alleged 'Twin Leaves' bribe scam in June.

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However, all this while TTV Dinakaran has been silently gathering MLAs on his side, with some putting the number to 37, which is more than what rival AIADMK camp led by O Panneerselvam could manage.

It is believed the AIADMK (Amma) leader Sasikala has made it clear that under no circumstances should the government topple--a probable reason why EPS continues as chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

TEAM EPS BATTLING WORRIES

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami seems to be surrounded with troubles of his own--Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu who allegedly guided EPS in troubled times could no longer be available for such consulations once he becomes the vice-president.

Team EPS also seems to getting mixed signals from the Centre.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the dais with EPS and Venkaiah Naidu at the inauguration of the APJ Kalam memorial in Rameshwaram recently, yet when Finance Minister Arun Jaitley visited Chennai recently no ministers from the EPS Cabinet were invited.

It was reported that state finance minister D Jayakumar voluntarily went to Jaya Memorial, met Arun Jaitley and accompanied him to the GST Conclave.

TEAM OPS NOT IN GREAT SHAPE

The rival camp led by O Panneerselvam also doesn't seem to be in great shape. OPS lost support of his own constituency, Theni, when villagers protested against the giant well constructed by his family and alleged that it was the cause of water scarcity in the area.

In the wake of protests, OPS decided to gift the well to the villagers provided they agree to buy his 40-acre coconut farm, a demand villagers agreed on.

The buzz in political corridors is that Aandipatti MLA Thangathamiz Chelvan, who is believed to be a staunch supporter of TTV Dinakaran, allegedly pulled the strings that caused OPS embarrassment.

With the support of a mere 11 MLAs, political analysts believe that OPS has not exactly proved to be a right bet for the BJP.

WILL DINAKARAN HAVE THE LAST SAY?

Simultaneously, TTV Dinakaran has ended his feud with aunt Sasikala's brother Divarakan, a development which is likely to weaken OPS' influence within his community, claimed AIADMK insiders.

"We are hoping for a merger soon for the sake of the party. But there is no confusion about Madam Sasikala being the general secretary and TTV Dinakaran holding the deputy general secretary post," said a member of Team EPS.

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Although OPS camp has said that it will agree to a merger only when Sasikala's family is ousted from the party, the present scenario shows that OPS is not in a position to negotiate much.

TTV Dinakaran, after his return from the prison, seems to have learnt the valuable political lesson of biding one's time before turning the tables to one's advantage.

ALSO READ:

Sasikala's nephew Dhinakaran, brother Dhivakaran patch up to tighten grip over AIADMK

Tamil Nadu: Ex-CM O Panneerselvam arm-twisted into selling giant well as village runs dry of water

Tamil Nadu: Why Dinakaran's meeting with 21 AIADMK MLAs spells trouble for EPS government

ALSO WATCH: Latecomer TTV Dinakaran not allowed to meet AIADMK Amma chief Sasikala in prison

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Two firms affiliated with the Dole Food Co. and another tied to Driscoll's, a major berry distributor, are under investigation in connection with a release of insecticides, fungicides and other chemicals believed to have sickened raspberry workers in Watsonville in late June.

A Santa Cruz County official released the names after a California Public Records Act request by KQED following several refusals by the county's agricultural commissioner to identify the firms tied to the June 29 incident near Highway 152, which caused some of the workers to vomit.

The agricultural commissioner is investigating Coastal Berry North, Garrett Farms, FMG Farm Contracting and Los Amigos Harvesting, according to Jason Hoppin, a Santa Cruz County spokesman, who stressed that the companies' inclusion in the investigation does not imply guilt.

Coastal Berry was bought by Dole in 2004 and operates under the name Dole Berry Co., according to Dole spokesman William Goldfield. Dole Berry uses FMG as a farm labor contractor, said Goldfield.

Garrett Farms does work for Driscoll's.

VIDEO: EPA chief Pruitt faces criticism over refusal to ban controversial pesticide

Word that major produce firms were tied to a local investigation into potential pesticide illnesses prompted a strong response from farmworker advocates.

"It's really concerning and it's really disappointing that large-scale growers put the health of farmworkers and even the communities surrounding agricultural fields at risk in order to grow the large amount of berries that they grow," said Lucia Calderon, an organizer for Safe Ag Safe Schools, a coalition of groups that aims to reduce the use of dangerous pesticides in the Monterey Bay area.

The owner of Garrett Farms, the firm that works for Driscoll's, was not happy his company's name was identified in connection with farmworker illnesses.

"We're disappointed in the decision to name Garrett Farms as part of this ongoing investigation, as formal conclusions have not been reached," Steve Garrett said in an email.

The company is cooperating with the investigation into the incident that took place in a field near his farm, Garrett said.

"We greatly respect all agricultural workers, and value their contribution to the Watsonville community. Our thoughts are with those workers involved in the incident, and we hope for their quick recovery," Garrett said. He added that the farm is family-owned and a long-standing member of the area's agricultural community that strives to make safety a "number one priority."

Driscoll's issued a similar statement.

"Our thoughts are with those farmworkers who became ill, and we hope for a quick recovery," the company said in an email.

"We do know that the incident occurred in a field near one of our independent growers. We have been in contact with the involved operations to understand the circumstances behind the incident and to provide any needed support," the statement reads. "Driscoll's is committed to working with independent growers who not only adhere to all applicable local laws but also strive to make safety a number one priority."

Goldfield, the Dole spokesman, said in an email Tuesday the six workers taken to the hospital all worked for FMG.

While the FMG workers were picking raspberries, Goldfield said, an employee from another company working on a neighboring block began to spray a pesticide mixture.

The Watsonville incident was one of two apparent chemical-drift cases in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties in June that sent a total of 24 agricultural employees to the hospital, alarming labor experts and advocates for farmworkers.

Monterey County's agricultural commissioner is investigating a release that may be responsible for sending 18 celery workers to the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System's emergency room after some of them became ill on June 22.

The county identified Tanimura & Antle as the company it's investigating in connection with that incident.

Santa Cruz County agricultural commissioner Juan Hidalgo refused to release the names in the Watsonville case several times.

Hidalgo initially said that the growers his agency would interview might not feel comfortable talking to investigators if they were publicly identified.

On July 5 Hidalgo said he would release the names after those interviews.

"We hope to conclude interviews late next week at which point I would be able to release the name of the operation under investigation," Hidalgo wrote in an email that day.

However, when asked to identify the growers close to two weeks later, he refused again. "The names of the companies involved as well as conclusions reached in this case will be available once the investigation is complete," he wrote on July 17.

When KQED reminded him of his email, suggesting he would release the names after interviews, Hildago again refused. "I feel it is essential to maintain the integrity of the investigation," he wrote July 18.

That lack of disclosure has bothered farmworker advocates.

"We believe that it's the public's right to know what growers are hurting our farmworkers and our communities," said Calderon from Safe Ag Safe Schools. "We are really concerned that it took so much effort just to get that simple information out. By not releasing the information of the growers, they were protecting identity of ... Driscoll's."
By India Today Web Desk: Comedy king and host of The Kapil Sharma Show, Kapil Sharma, has not been keeping well lately, and has been postponing shoots with various Bollywood actors due to his ill health. Finally, the real reason behind Kapil's failing health has been revealed by his team member Sumona Chakravarti.

Sumona recently told The Indian Express that Kapil has been under a lot of pressure due to The Kapil Sharma Show.

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"Yes, his (Kapil's) health has not been very good and the name of the show is Kapil Sharma. Unfortunately, he is under a lot of pressure and that's fair enough," Sumona told The Indian Express.

"We all have our ups and downs in terms of health. It happens, sometimes you can't even afford to fall sick but the body does take a toll so it's okay, and it is not like he kept anyone waiting and everybody understands when someone is sick, it's genuine," Sumona added.

Also read: Here's why TKSS' Sumona Chakravarti will never work with Krushna Abhishek

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Son of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader and his friends attacked a toll booth manager when he asked them for Rs 30 fare.

By Ashish Pandey: A drunk son of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader and his friends beat up and stabbed a toll plaza manager in Rangareddy district early today when he asked them to pay the toll fare.

The incident which took place at Kadthal toll plaza on Srisailam highway was caught on camera.

Manish Goud, son of Hyderabad's BN Reddy Nagar TRS corporator Laxmi Prasanna, attacked the toll gate staff with a knife for asking to pay the toll fee. Manish and his friends also attacked a few other toll gate staff members in which three were injured. They were later taken to a hospital.

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Onlookers told the police that the accused were in an inebriated condition and they attacked the toll staff for asking them to pay the fare of Rs 30.

A case under IPC 307 has been registered against Manish and others who created a ruckus at the toll gate.

Manish's belongs to a family of politicians. While his mother is a corporator in Greater Hydearabad Municipal Corporation, his father Ram Mohan Goud is TRS party in-charge of LB Nagar in the city.

ALSO READ:

Caught on camera: Bajrang Dal goons ransack toll plaza on Indore-Dewas border

WATCH: Rajasthan BJP MLA creates ruckus at toll plaza, gets 50 vehicles to pass without paying toll

WATCH:

Caught on camera: TRS leader's son stabs toll plaza manager over fare of Rs 30

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By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Aug 1 (PTI) The Trump administration has announced sanctions against President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, in retaliation for the latters threat against his opposition leaders and the elections which have been denounced by the international community as "illegitimate".

Notably, this is only the fourth time the US has imposed sanctions on a sitting head of state.

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"Sundays illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people. By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime and our support for the people of Venezuela who seek to return their country to a full and prosperous democracy," US Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin said yesterday.

"Anyone who participates in this illegitimate ANC could be exposed to future US sanctions for their role in undermining democratic processes and institutions in Venezuela," he said.

At a White House news conference, the National Security Adviser, Lt Gen H R McMaster said: "Since Trumps inauguration, the administration has called on Maduro regime to respect Venezuelas constitution, respect the role and authorities of the constitutionally established National Assembly, hold free and fair elections, address the humanitarian needs of the Venezuelan people, release political prisoners and stop oppressing its great people."

"The regime has refused to heed this call and its recent actions culminating in yesterdays outrageous seizure of absolute power through the sham election of the National Constituent Assembly represent a very serious blow to democracy in our hemisphere. Maduro is not just a bad leader, he is now a dictator," McMaster said.

"The United States stands with the people of Venezuela in the face of this oppression. We will work with our partners to hold accountable all those responsible for the escalating violence and ongoing human rights violations. The president promised strong and swift actions if the regime went forward with opposing the National Constituent Assembly on the Venezuelan people, and he will keep that promise," McMaster said.

The US is broadening its effort to address the ongoing assault on Venezuelas democratic institutions by the Maduro regime.

"As a result of todays sanctions, all assets of Maduro subject to US jurisdiction are frozen and US persons are prohibited from dealing with him," Mnuchin told reporters at the White House news conference.

Mnuchin said Sundays "illegitimate" elections confirm that Maduro is a "dictator" who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people.

"The National Constituent Assembly aspires illegitimately to usurp the constitutional role of democratically elected National Assembly, rewrite the constitution and impose an authoritarian regime on the people," he said.

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"As such, it represents a rupture in Venezuelas constitutional and Democratic order. By sanctioning Maduro, the United States makes clear our opposition to the policies of his regime and the support for the people of Venezuela, who strive to return their country to a full and prosperous democracy," said the Treasury Secretary.

Responding to questions, Mnuchin said the administration believes that sanctions do work.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and consider additional sanctions," he added.

According to McMaster, Trump has prioritised his concern for the Venezuelan people and therefore he is only considering those options which would directly benefit them.

Maduro was elected as the president of Venezuela on April 14, 2013, following the death of former President Hugo Chavez.

Maduro held previous roles in the Venezuelan government, including as Executive Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Washington has been a longstanding opponent of Maduros government and of his predecessor but yesterdays statement marks the first time that a senior official had publicly branded him a dictator.

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Under Maduro, the US alleged, the Venezuelan government has deliberately and repeatedly abused the rights of citizens through the use of violence, repression, and criminalisation of demonstrations.

Any member of the opposition or critic of the regime risks being detained, imprisoned, assaulted, tortured, and assassinated, the US alleged.

Top Republican Senator Marco Rubio termed the imposition of sanctions on Maduro as "warranted".

"However, I remain confident the president will keep his clear commitment to impose economic sanctions on the regime if they convene the illegitimate Constituent Assembly," Rubio said. PTI LKJ CK

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) BJP member Varun Gandhitoday questioned in the Lok Sabha a host of practices, including the lawmakers power to hike their own salaries and pass crucial bills like the Aadhaar legislation without much debate.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, he pitched for an external body to determine their renumeration and said it was "shameful" that the number of sittings in the Lok Sabha had dropped from 123 days a year in 1952 to 75 in 2016.

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The lawmakers had raised their salaries 400 per cent in the last decade, he said wondering whether they had "earned" this massive increment.

"The Winter Session, 2016, hit a low-point of 16 per cent. It is shameful. Taxation bills, as significant as Aadhaar, were passed within two weeks without being referred to a committee," he said.

Gandhis strong statement on the non-reference of the Aadhaar bill to a parliamentary committee is unlikely to go down well with the government, as the opposition parties too had accused it of ramming the bill through the House.

Hitting out at the practice of lawmakers to often raise the demand for a salary hike, he said the Jawaharlal Nehru cabinet at its first meeting had taken a collective decision not to avail salaries for six months in view of the peoples sufferings at the time. He also cited several other examples from the past.

"When matters regarding salary are raised recurrently, it makes me worry about the moral compass of the House. Nearly 18,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last one year. Where is our focus," he asked.

Arrogating to themselves the authority to increase their own fiscal compensation was not in line with the morals of democracy, the BJP member said.

He referred to the recent protests of Tamil Nadu farmers in the national capital and noted that they had drunk their urine and demonstrated with skulls of fellow farmers who had committed suicide, in order to strongly make their point.

Gandhi then noted that the Tamil Nadu assembly on July 19 doubled the salaries of its legislators, a move which sent a "broad message of insensitivity".

As compared to a 13 per cent rise in the UK, Indian lawmakers had raised their salaries by 400 per cent in the last decade. "Have we really earned this massive increment," he asked.

Citing the MPs "performance" over the last two decades, he said barely 50 per cent of the bills were passed after scrutiny from parliamentary committees.

"When bills are pass without serious deliberation, it defeats the purpose of having a Parliament. The House itself has been created to dissect, analyse and debate laws, and ensure that every law has a strong policy mechanism behind it. The rush to pass bills shows a priority for politics and not policy. 41 per cent of bills introduced have been passed without discussion," Gandhi said.

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He said the United Kingdom has an independent authority ? Review Body on Senior Salaries ? consisting of distinguished non-members, to advise the government on the pay and pensions of MPs.

Such a mechanism "sadly" does not exist in India, he said, adding that Indian parliamentary democracy is loosely derived from that of the UK.

"For the greater good of this nation, we must create an external body, independent of us members, to determine salaries. Or, if we self-regulate, considering the economic conditions of the last man in the society, we must empathetically forego our privileges, at least for the duration of this Parliament," he said.

Saugata Roy (TMC) supported him. PTI KR ARC

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A cunning, self-fashioned "email prankster" in the United Kingdom has tricked a handful of prominent and senior White House employees into in-fighting and revealing some of their personal information, CNN reports.

The prankster, who gave the emails to CNN after reportedly tweeting some of them out under the Twitter handle @SINON_REBORN, masqueraded as a number of individuals in conversations with Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert, ousted Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, Ambassador to Russia-designate Jon Huntsman Jr., and Eric Trump.

In conversation with the younger Trump brother, the prankster briefly assumed the online identity of elder brother Donald Trump, Jr., telling Eric that he had purchased a new hunting rifle. Eric quickly realized that he was not conversing with his brother, and replied, "I have sent this (chain) to law enforcement who will handle from here."

In another exchange, the prankster pretended to be Eric Trump, writing to the real Huntsman about his work with Russia. When Hunstman responded with his thanks for the "thoughtful note," the faux Eric Trump suggested, "Maybe we could have Dad sat (sic) on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin! He's in better shape than his suits suggest."

Bossert, on the other hand, was fooled by the trickster acting as Jared Kushner. "Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August," the prankster as Kushner wrote to Bossert at his official White House email address. "It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible (sic) quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening."

Bossert responded, saying "With a promise like that, I can't refuse." He also provided his personal email address, unprovoked, to the prankster.

The official who got the worst of it, perhaps, was Scaramucci. In two separate exchanges, Scaramucci was tricked by the emailer pretending to be Huntsman and in another by the prankster pretending to be former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus.

In the former, the fake Hunstman asks Scaramucci, "Who's (sic) head should roll first? Maybe I can help things along somewhat."

"Both of them," Scaramucci wrote back, referring to Priebus, who wasn't yet dismissed from his White House post, and senior adviser Steve Bannon.

Scaramucci was also fooled by a faux Priebus, in an email chain occurring the day after news of Priebus leaving the administration was made public.

"I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how; 'soon we will learn who in the media who has class, and who hasn't', has pushed me to this," wrote the prankster as Priebus. "That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that's even remotely classy, yet you believe that's the standard by which everyone should behave towards you? General Kelly will do a fine job. I'll even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don't expect a reply."

Scaramucci responded in turn, writing to the prankster he apparently believed to be Priebus. "You know what you did," the real Scaramucci wrote. "We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize."

However, despite his busy last few days fooling government officials, the prankster told CNN he doesn't have any sinister plans for the administration. "I try and keep it on the humorous side of things," he told CNN. "I'm not trying to get the keys to the vault or anything like that."

The White House has acknowledged the conversations initiated by the prankster, telling CNN that "We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further."

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.


AMMAN, Jordan  The lower house of Jordans parliament on Tuesday scrapped a provision in the kingdoms penal code that allowed a rapist to escape punishment if he married his victim.

Cheers and applause erupted from a packed spectators gallery as legislators voted for repeal, following an emotional debate in which some of the lawmakers jumped up and yelled at each other.

The vote was hailed as a major step forward for women in the conservative kingdom.

This is a victory for the womens movement and human rights movement in Jordan, said Salma Nims, the secretary general of the Jordanian National Commission for Women.

Despite the countrys pro-Western political orientation and cosmopolitan urban elites, many areas of Jordan remain socially conservative, with entrenched notions of family honor.

This includes the belief that having a rape victim in the family is shameful, and that such shame can be expunged through marriage.

In Tuesdays debate, some lawmakers had argued that an amended version of Article 308 was needed to protect rape victims against social stigma by giving them the marriage option.

In the end, lawmakers voted in line with the recommendations of the government and a royal committee on legal reforms. Prime Minister Hani Mulki addressed the plenum before the vote, saying the government backs repeal.

The decision must still be approved by parliaments appointed upper house, or Senate, and by King Abdullah II. After the expected final approval, Jordan would join Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt which have canceled their marry the rapist clauses over the years. The international rights group Human Rights Watch said Lebanons parliament is also considering repealing such a provision.

The clause remains on the books in several other countries in the Middle East and Latin America, as well as in the Philippines and Tajikistan, HRW said.

Dima Barakat, a leading activist, said that those forcing a girl to marry her rapist are killing this girl a thousand times a day, at least.

Alice Su is an Associated Press writer.
TBILISI, Georgia  Vice President Mike Pence said the U.S. strongly supports Georgias ambition of joining NATO, even as Russia remains hostile to the military alliance expanding its influence in Moscows former Soviet backyard.

We see Georgia as a key strategic partner and stand by your territorial integrity and your aspirations to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Pence said at talks with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, on Tuesday. President Trump asked me to extend greetings to you this morning and to say we are with you, Pence said.

The vice president is due to attend joint military exercises involving as many as 800 Georgian and 1,600 U.S. troops during his visit. The Noble Partner 2017 drills, which also include German, British, Turkish, Slovenian, Ukrainian and Armenian forces, are the largest in the Caucasus republic since Georgia fought a brief war with Russia in 2008 over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Pence arrived in Georgia on Monday after delivering a similar message in Estonia to leaders of Baltic nations facing the specter of aggression from Russia, which he called the greatest threat to their security as NATO members. Georgia wants to join NATO against opposition from Russia, whose annexation of Crimea and involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine has strained ties with the U.S. and Europe the most since the Cold War. Russia accuses NATO of seeking to undermine its security by expanding the alliances presence near its borders.

Pences visits to Estonia, Georgia and Montenegro are taking place amid spiraling tensions with Russia after President Vladimir Putin said the U.S. must slash staff at its diplomatic mission by 755, or nearly two-thirds, in retaliation for new sanctions approved by Congress.

Trump will sign the Russian sanctions bill soon, Pence said at a news conference later with Kvirikashvili. While the U.S. wants better relations, Russia has to change its behavior before this can be achieved, he said.

Kvirikashvili said Georgias facing daily provocations from Russia, which has encroached deeper into its territory in recent weeks by shifting the dividing lines with the breakaway regions established after the war. Russia has stationed thousands of troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia after recognizing them as independent republics.

Helena Bedwell is a Bloomberg News writer.
APD killed someone again

A man in Albuquerque was shot dead yesterday evening by an unnamed Albuquerque police officer during a traffic stop. The cop wasn't hurt. It happened near the center of town. Police have released few other details so far.

You can't park here

The city of Santa Fe has

it receives from on-street parking meters since it doubled rates last summer, rising from $1.41 million last fiscal year to $2.33 million this year. Visitors and businesses downtown are still sour over the higher fees, but at least the number of citations for parking violations has also declined.

She walks the line

Last Friday, after the US Senate rejected the latest attempt by Congressional Republicans to repeal Obamacare, Governor Susana Martinez issued a vague statement "urging Congress to keep trying to fix the Affordable Health Care Act." This distinguishes her from other Republican governors who accepted federal funding for Medicaid expansion and have criticized attempts at repeal. In New Mexico, 40 percent of residents are covered by Medicaid, which would be cut under recent plans to repeal Obamacare.

Lost in the mail

In the last five years, plutonium and other weapons-grade chemicals were

across the

country at least 25 times. Of those incidents, 11 times shipments either originated with the Los Alamos National Laboratory or passed through it. More recently in June, officials at the Los Alamos National Lab admitted theyd improperly shipped unstable, radioactive plutonium in three containers to two other government-owned labs via FedEx cargo planes."

Higher ed in New Mexico under examination

The New Mexico Higher Education Department is considering ways to reorganize its university system. The effort includes over 100 faculty members, lawmakers, and others spread across three committees examining higher education in other states and what it would take to bring change to New Mexico. The department's findings will be presented to the legislature at the end of the year.

Car wreck strains Espanola resources

A single drunk driving wreck in Espanola requiring 14 people be transported to a hospital exposed the lack of emergency dispatch services available in the town. Ambulances from Taos, Santa Fe and Rio Arriba County had to be called in for assistance. The Rio Grande Sun reports that the Presbyterian Espanola Hospital is only required to run one ambulance at a time for a county that is about the size of Connecticut.



Farmington judge charged

A judge from the Aztec Magistrate Court has been charged with 13 counts for recording telephone conversations. The criminal charges stem from six instances where suspended Judge Connie Johnston recorded telephone calls in nonpublic areas of the courthouse. They were filed following the disclosure of records by Johnston for a civil complaint (which Johnston may settle).

Federal concealed-carry bill under consideration

A federal bill would make it easier to transport guns by allowing states to recognize permits from other states. New Mexico has stricter requirement for background checks and firearms safety training than about 25 states, according to the group Americans for Responsible Solutions, which opposes the legislation. New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce is co-sponsoring the bill.

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Santa Fe Reporter
Welcome to Shakesville, a progressive feminist blog about politics, culture, social justice, cute things, and all that is in between. Please note that the commenting policy and the Feminism 101 section, conveniently linked at the top of the page, are required reading before commenting.
Investors will be keeping a close eye on the next opinion polls after news that Jacinda Ardern has replaced Andrew Little as the new leader of the opposition Labour Party.

Earlier Tuesday, Little announced he was stepping down after the latest poll results ahead of the Sept. 23 election. "As leader, I must take responsibility for these results. I do take responsibility and believe that Labour must have an opportunity to perform better under new leadership through to the election", he said.

The two most influential political polls were published Sunday and Monday and both showed support for the Labour Party falling to 24 percent, 1 percentage point below its 2014 election party vote. The Newshub-Reid Research poll broadcast Monday evening, showed National down 2.2 points at 45 percent, while the TVNZ Colmar-Brunton poll broadcast Sunday evening showed National steady at 47 percent.

The election is expected to be tight and while National is ahead, it may have to rely on opposition New Zealand First, led by Winston Peters, to form a government. Labour, which has an agreement with the Green Party, would also have to rely on Peters if they were able to garner enough votes. On Tuesday the Green Party said it is committed to working with Labour to change the government this September.

"I am really unsure how it will play out from here," said AMP Capital New Zealand managing director Grant Hassell. Overall, "it does look a little chaotic this close to an election," he said. He noted, however, there was no market reaction to Little's announcement. He said a key factor will be whether New Zealand First gains support.

Matthew Goodson, managing director at Salt Funds Management in Auckland, said the next polls will be key to gauging the impact and what "permutations and combinations we can see", in terms of which parties can form a government.

He said the market has paid little attention to the looming election. However, "if it does pay attention, it will pay attention in a hurry." He said the best outcome for markets would be a continuation of the current National-led coalition. He also noted that there has been experience in the past of New Zealand First being part of coalition where policy has continued on a relatively steady path.

However, if the polls point to a more unexpected combination of a Labour - NZ First - Green Party coalition then markets would start to get nervous, he said.

(BusinessDesk)

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The government's second offer to owners of uninsured property and bare land in Christchurch's 'red zone' was also unlawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled, although it wants to chew over more information before determining how to remedy the situation.

Justices Christine French, Forrest Miller, and Helen Winkelmann today ruled in favour of the 16 Christchurch property owners known as the Quake Outcasts, setting aside former Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee's second offer after the original was deemed to be unlawful in the Supreme Court.

The Quake Outcasts, originally 46 property owners, and developer Fowler Developments challenged the lawfulness of the Crown's offers, saying they weren't in accordance with the act and breached their human rights. At the heart of the dispute was that insured property owners were offered 100 percent of the 2007 value, something not open to bare land owners which can't be insured, or the uninsured property owners who fell outside the net for various reasons.

After the Supreme Court ruling in 2015, the Outcasts landowners all accepted the newer offer "saying they had no other option after all this time and seeking to reserve rights," the judgment said.

The appeal court bench deemed the second offer to be unreasonable in that "the insistence on making an area-wide offer limited the governments ability to discriminate among owners". That meant the minister couldn't rely on the moral hazard of creating an incentive not to insure by removing individual circumstances of each property owner, and was therefore unfair.

The judges ruled that relying on the cost to the Crown would overestimate the cost of discriminating, and that the extraordinary delays "may well have adversely affected owners ability to re-establish themselves".

"The government decisions to approve the recovery plan and make offers pursuant to it were unreasonable and so unlawful," the judgment said. "The majority of the Supreme Court established clear parameters for how a lawful decision to discriminate between landowners in the red zone could be made, and the minister has not stayed within those parameters when approving the recovery plan."

The Crown argued that because the legislation has been repealed the recovery plan can't be revisited. The judges invited further submissions on whether the court can and should make orders to reopen and reconsider the plan "with renewed offers being made to affected landowners should the reconsideration result in a decision that some payment should be offered for uninsured improvements".

(BusinessDesk)

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Airwork Holdings, the aircraft services business that's 75 percent-owned by China's Zhejiang Rifa Holding Group, has refinanced and increased its bank debt facility.

The new syndicated debt facility of US$195 million replaces the existing facilities of US$135 million, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. The new facility would allow Airwork to identify further business opportunities, it said.

The syndicate is made up of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, its existing funder, Bank of New Zealand, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Bank of China, who will provide multi-currency cash advances, overdraft, bank guarantee, and amortising facilities, with terms of up to four years.

The overall margins remain consistent with Airworks existing funding arrangements, it said, without giving details. In 2016, it paid 3.71 percent annual interest on its NZ dollar loans and 2.84 percent on its US dollar loans under its multi-currency cash advances facility.

Airwork shares last traded at $4.37 and have declined 2.9 percent in the past 12 months.

(BusinessDesk)

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[2017] SGCA 28 (Global Yellow Pages v Promedia) is an important decision in Singapore as the Singapore Court of Appeal (CA) has taken the opportunity to clarify how databases are to be protected in Singapore. The CA held that copyright protected the arrangement of a compilation, only if the compilation is one that is creative.Global Yellow Pages (GYP) had sued Promedia Directories Pte Ltd (Promedia) for infringing its copyright in GYPs Internet Yellow Pages (an online directory), and various editions of GYPs print directories. The High Court judge dismissed GYPs claim for copyright infringement. On appeal, GYP relied on facts showing that Promedia had photocopied or scanned pages from GYPs print directories, and had saved or printed web pages from GYPs online directory. Promedia asserted in reply that it then assessed the prominence of the listings, taking steps to verify and update the entries in the listings, and to understand each business to ascertain if the entry should be listed under multiple business types. As a result, it claimed, Promedias directories were visibly differently from GYPs corresponding directories.In relation to a compilation of facts, the CA opined that any copyright protection of such compilations would be thin (i.e., there can be infringement only if there was a wholesale reproduction). For such compilations to enjoy copyright protection, the court said that compilation must cross the threshold of creativity  i.e., there must be an authorial creation that is causally connected with the engagement of the human intellect.In other words, the court will consider the end-product of the work (i.e., the compilation of facts) and the amount of creativity that had been applied towards the formulation of the expression of the compilation. Prior to this decision, the law was still unclear as some previous Singapore decisions had adopted the sweat of the brow approach in determining whether copyright subsisted in a compilation. The CA in Global Yellow Pages v Promedia rejected this claim. The sweat of the brow focuses more on the effort and labour of the author rather than the creativity in the expression of the final product.Since the various online and print directories only involved the mere alphabetical arrangement of data, the CA found that they failed to cross the threshold of creativity. The CA also reiterated that copyright does not protect ideas, facts or data, but their expression. As, what Promedia took from GYP was mere data, it is non-copyrightable, and there was no infringement of copyright.GYP sought to persuade the CA to adopt a lower standard of creativity in the case of a compilation of facts, given that Singapore law does not recognise a sui generis database right. The objective of the EUs sui generis database right is to ensure protection of any investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of a database, where such investment may be in the form of deploying financial resources and/or the expending of time, effort and energy (Whereas Clause 40 of the Database Directive 96/9/EC ). Notably, creativity is not a criterion in the sui generis database right, since creativity is a concept belonging to copyright protection.The CA noted that prior to the introduction of the sui generis database right in the EU, copyright law in the UK had been stretched to protect the labour and expense invested in creating databases. However, the CA declined to provide a judicial remedy to fill in for the lack of a sui generis statutory database right in Singapore. It emphasised that the Singapore Parliament had consciously decided not to introduce the sui generis database right when the Copyright Act amendments were debated in 1998.Amicus curiae in Global Yellow Pages v Promedia, Professor David Llewelyn, observed that some protection may be achieved via contract law. What this means is that in the absence of a sui generis database right, database creators/owners can take it upon themselves to enter into enforceable contracts with users accessing the databases to limit their rights.In the context of telephone directories and similar databases, if they are accessible online, it is vital to ensure that the terms of use clearly limit the copying, saving, reproduction and/or taking of data. The creator/owner of the database can then seek to enforce the terms of use should there be any breach thereof. On the other hand, if the databases are physical copies, it may be possible to limit the copying, reproduction and/or taking of the data using a shrink wrap licence (a type of licence commonly used for software). However, the enforceability of such shrink wrap licences for physical books has yet to be tested in the courts, whether in Singapore or elsewhere.As it stands, any protection under contract law is likely to be more limited and trickier to enforce than a sui generis database right (a right which, as noted above, is absent in Singapore law).
Although the Trump administration has been unmistakably assertive in its Iran policy, it remains to be seen how far that assertiveness will reach or what specific forms it will take over the long term. But many analysts have suggested that ongoing changes could be pointing in the direction of explicit advocacy for regime change. The Washington Examiner piece contributed to this very discussion but also emphasized the fact that Mr. Trump is apparently wary of direct involvement oversees, which could lead to unmanageable entanglements reminiscent of the Iraq War.

The same article reconciles these two observations by pointing out that policies leading to regime change need not involve military action or any sort of direct involvement in the affairs of the target country. The author, Tom Rogan, presented this in the context of a rebuttal against a Washington Post article penned by two academics arguing against the prospect of regime change.

Rogan says that action is needed in response to the fact that Irans regime cannot be considered compatible with US interests while its policies directly harm US national security. But he recommends that this action take the form of economic and political pressures along the lines of those already implemented by both the Trump administration and the US Congress in the form of sanctions on the Iranian ballistic missile program and the terrorist activities of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Limiting Iranian Expectations

The White House claims to currently be engaged in a comprehensive review of its Iran policy, and it is not presently clear whether the recent pressures are being pursued explicitly for the sake of encouraging regime change. What is clear, however, is that tensions between the US and Iran are growing, and that this is having an adverse effect on the policies and long-term goals of the Islamic Republic.

This was the focus of an analysis published on Monday by the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. It called renewed attention to the long-sought oil field development deal signed by Iran, the French energy giant Total SA, and a Chinese partner. Iranian officials had proudly boasted the agreement would lead to many more of its kind, and that it would break the taboo of American sanctions that remained in place after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action led to the lifting of sanctions specifically targeting the Iranian nuclear program.

But however serious these expectation may have been at the time the Total deal was signed, they have certainly been much diminished by the subsequent passage of new executive sanctions and the expected passage of congressional sanctions in August. The AGSIW article pointed out that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged the potential for the Countering Americas Adversaries through Sanctions Act to diminish Irans economic prospects under the JCPOA.

Leading Iranian officials had already been complaining about supposed American obstruction of those benefits even before Mr. Trump took office. Nevertheless, many of those same officials maintained substantial expectations regarding the recovery of the Iranian oil industry and other aspects of the national economy. The country repeatedly indicated that it was pursuing at least 200 billion dollars worth of foreign investment. But that capital has proven very difficult to acquire, since international lending institutions are wary of dealing with Iranian entities, not just because of US sanctions but also because of the Iranian markets lack of transparency and its reputation for corruption.

Whats more, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh recently reiterated that the Islamic Republic expects to increase oil output from its current, apparent plateau of 3.8 million barrels per day to 4.7 million barrels per day by 2021. AGSIW identifies this figure as highly optimistic even under the best possible conditions. Newly instituted US sanctions would diminish those prospects even more, especially if the Trump administration succeeded in garnering European support for its assertive policies toward the Islamic Republic of Iran.

European Pushback

Unfortunately for the White House, the AGSIW report indicates that if Trump cancels the JCPOA unilaterally, as he would seemingly like to do, he would almost certainly face serious backlash from European allies. Additionally, LobeLog reported on Monday that the European Union and some member states already appear to be pushing back against Trumps plans to undermine the nuclear deal and diminish Western investment prospects in the Iranian market.

The report pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron had denounced aspects of the American sanctions bill that act upon entities based outside of the US. The French Foreign Ministry followed up by urging coordinated European action against supposed American overreach. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini has continued to pursue open dialogue with the Islamic Republic, and has underscored the friendly tone of those relations by announcing her plans to attend the August 5 ceremony in which Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will be inaugurated for a second term.

Rouhani was reelected on May 17 amidst renewed promises of reform in both domestic and foreign policies. Similar promises failed to actually materialize during Rouhanis first term, with the successful negotiation of a nuclear deal being the possible sole exception. Iranian reformists and dissident groups like the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran dismissed Rouhanis reelection campaign, branding him an imposter via illegal political banners and graffiti. The persistence of Irans foreign provocations and domestic crackdowns on free speech throughout Rouhanis first term has helped American pundits to justify Trumps efforts to move Iran policy back to sanctions-focused strategies.

Privilege for Existing Allies

The lack of internal moderation in the Iranian regime has also been used by Iran hawks in the West and by the PMOI and its parent organization the National Council of Resistance of Iran, in order to call for a policy of regime change. As the Trump White House has yet to explicitly endorse those calls, much less frame recent policy initiatives in terms of that ultimate goal, it remains to be seen how this position would influence the reactions of European allies.

At present, the EU may only see the White House as presenting a choice between either pursuing new business prospects in Iran or abandoning them for no clearly defined reason. And some analyses, such as that provided by AGSIW, additionally hint at possible European concerns about losing ground to the likes of Russia. After all, this is one area in which most European officials would apparently be interested in coordinating with the White House for greater pressure.

Yet, the trouble with trying the JCPOA to a broad-based confrontation with Moscow is that the Russian Federation also benefits from the nuclear agreement, and may continue to acquire more leverage than its European adversaries over the long term. AGSIW points out that Russia has gotten the largest share of post-JCPOA memoranda of understanding. And while it might be possible to attribute this discrepancy to American obstruction of Western investment, it should also be noted that Araghchi, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, recently declared that the continued expansion in relations with Moscow is a particular priority for the Islamic Republic.

Tehran Times noted that Araghchi made these remarks at the time of the signing of a 2.5 billion euro contract between Iranian and Russian firms. He also reportedly described the deal as a marker of expanding cooperation with a range of European and Asian countries. Even these broader remarks retained special emphasis on Moscow, however. And this phenomenon appears to be repeated elsewhere as Iranian officials and state-affiliated businesses keep their focus upon expanding relations with staunch allies before broadening relations to include neutral or adversarial nations.

In the first place, Payvand reported on Monday that Iran and Iraq had concluded an agreement for the construction of a pipeline to take Iraqi crude oil through Iran. The report went on to say that Iran was planning to increase its exports of natural gas to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad by a factor of five. On the other hand, pipeline and export discussions between Iran and India, which has long been a trading partner to the Islamic Republic despite also participating in US-led sanctions, have grown increasingly heated in recent weeks. According to India TV News, India has committed to an investment of 11 billion dollars in the development of the Farzad-B gas field. But the report goes on to say that Iran escalated a war of words between the two countries, taking issue with Indian demands for a reasonable return on the investment and warning that Iran is under no obligation to follow through on plans to award India the relevant contract.

Threats from an Emerging Eastern Bloc

Advocates of stepped-up sanctions  and particularly advocates of regime change  tend to recognize substantial danger underlying the possibility of this disparate treatment continuing after sanctions have been further reduced. If Western powers vigorously pursue investment opportunities only to be rebuffed when Iran sees fit, then Irans existing allies will see greater benefit from the JCPOA while also freely building closer connections with the Islamic Republic.

Apart from Russia, this situation also stands to benefit China, which is also a signatory to the JCPOA and which has been building not just economic but also military ties with Tehran over the years. On Monday, an editorial by Michael Rubin in Commentary Magazine pointed out that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had conducted artillery and paratrooper training in China with the assistance of Chinese Special Forces. The article emphasizes that any skills the IRGC learns from foreign militaries could in turn be passed along to IRGC-sponsored terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

Closer ties to China also stand to give the Islamic Republic a more direct line to another staunchly anti-American ally, the rogue state of North Korea. Congressman Ted Poe, writing in the National Interest, called renewed attention to the longstanding collaboration between Iran and North Korean over nuclear-capable missile systems. With this in mind, Poe urgently recommendation elaboration upon recent, sanctions-centered US policies, targeting North Korea directly, as well as the Iranian and Chinese banks that provide so much support to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

Naturally, it is expected that the implementation of such recommendations will be more effective if there is consensus among Western powers regarding strategies for confronting the traditionally anti-Western members of this growing alliance. But for the time being, major questions remain regarding the ability of the United States and the European Union to effectively coordinate their foreign policies under existing circumstances, at least where Iran is concerned.
The Iranian regime is at an extremely low point. In the days before the grand gathering, Foreign Minister of Iran Javad Zarif went to Paris to try to stop the event from taking place. He was unable to manage this.

Not long later, Supreme Leader Khamenei sent his adviser Kamal Kharrazi to the French capital to declare that the MEK/PMOI is a terrorist group that has been involved in the murder of thousands of ordinary citizens in Iran. This is clearly an attempt to smear the MEK/PMOIs solid reputation and to counter the increasing amount of support it is getting.

Kharrazi has been involved in activities that aim to badmouth the MEK/PMOI in the past. There was an alarming criminal conspiracy against the Resistance and the MEK/PMOI that resulted in the June 17, 2003 dossier that was a failure for the Iranian regime and its co-conspirators. The file was closed by the French authorities and the MEK/PMOIs reputation was enhanced as a result.

The MEK/PMOI has been calling for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be designated a foreign terror organisation. In retaliation, the Iranian regime has been fabricating files to use against the MEK/PMOI so that French authorities will change their opinion. Many other fabrications have taken place over the past ten years. It is the regimes attempt to wage psychological warfare against the MEK/PMOI.

In 2005, it was revealed by a French lawyer that the Iranian regime wanted to blame the MEK/PMOI for the Halabja chemical attack that killed and injured thousands of Kurds at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. The regime was allegedly prepared to pay $100 million so the MEK/PMOI was implicated.

The Iranian regime, despite numerous attacks on the MEK/PMOI, has been unable to keep it down. The 1988 massacre which resulted in the death of more than 30,000 MEK/PMOI members and other such atrocities, that continue to this day, have not been able to dissuade people from resisting. The people want justice, freedom and democracy and they will not be stopped.

The MEK/PMOI was once listed as a terrorist organisation, but was understandably removed when it was properly understood that it has no terrorist links. However, this does not stop the regime from repeating the nonsense. Numerous officials, time and time again, try to make out like the MEK/PMOI carries out terrorist activities.

The MEK/PMOI is gaining more and more support, and an increasing number of important political figures are speaking out against the Iranian regime. At the recent rally in Paris, Senator Joseph Lieberman highlighted that Raqqa is not the capital of Islamic extremism and terrorism  it is in Tehran with the mullahs regime.

It is imperative for the Iranian regime to be held accountable for the crimes against humanity it has committed, but it is even more imperative that Iran sees regime change soon. A democratic alternative, a viable alternative, exists  the MEK/PMOI.
Khaled Hardani was born in Ahvaz. He was was first sentenced to death, but this was then reduced to life in prison. He has been serving his sentence in Evin and Rajai Shahr prisons since 2000.

He underwent eight surgeries while in prison, but his treatment was ineffective because of the polluted environment in the prison. Prison doctors repeatedly requested that he be sent to specialized hospitals, which is confirmed by forensic experts. However, prison authorities refused. He is currently staging a hunger strike to protest the conditions endured by political prisoners.

In his letter, Khalid Hardani, wrote about the shooting of Asghar Nahvi. Inhumane and cruel treatment on the streets in the name of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice, and evil and negative treatment of agents of fire at will toward young girls and boys with the pretext of mal-veiling or mischief, is an insult to the Iranians intelligence, an insult to the will of the younger generation for freedom.

He continued, Ever growing poverty and social discontent and theoretical obstacles of the regime for exporting the revolution at the head and the collapse of the hegemony of the supreme leader (velayat-e-faqih) among the masses, mismanagement in the so-called government organs and banks, largely affiliated with the security forces and the IRGC and looting peoples deposits, the protest movement of workers, teachers and the rest of deprived community throughout the country show the real causes of the criminal death of Asghar Nahvi in the capital of the Islamic Republic, and that the burning anger of the people from injustice and tyranny is imposed on them.

Hardani added, Straight shooting to the heart of Asghar Nahvi by mercenaries of fire at will is undoubtedly a shooting into the heart of society protesting against the clerical regime, which has shown a full-length of the ugly and inhumane display of over 38 years of executions, torture and imprisonment in the world.

In his letter to UN Special Rapporteur, Hardani stated that the Iranian regime is floundering in systematic corruption, and he stressed the mismanagement in state organs and government, such as ransom, looting and stealing billions of dollars of national assets, inhumane interference in the region and stewardship in the killing of the people, along with the evil regime in the region (Bashar al-Assad) and participating in the mass killing of Syrian children and women, displacing more than 5 million people and supporting terrorist groups in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Bahrain.

He also addressed the implementation of unconventional and destructive programs, such as missile and nuclear weapons, and the imposition of billions of dollars in damage to the people, as well as the deepening of racial, religious, and political discrimination.

Hardani concluded his letter by saying, Evident injustice in the behavior of the judiciary under the Supreme Leader and continuation of executions, torture, imprisonment and kidnapping opponents and their families, journalists, human rights activists and religious and ethnic minorities, currently in prison two Christians named Ibrahim Firouzi and Amin Afshar Nadery are on hunger strike and prior to them Rassoul Hardani and Ismail Abdi and Athena Daemi were on hunger strike, as well as the widening gap between the layers of poor and rich (read mercenaries of the government) and the collapse of the main foundation of society, i.e. the family through drug injecting and forced poverty among young people, and various classes of the society, organized unemployment and  thousands of various sufferings inflicted on the people in the past 38 years.
North Korea and Iran have a lot in common. They are both rogue players that sponsor terrorism and are ambitious in the nuclear department. They also pose a very real threat to peace and security in the West.

Analysts believe that North Korea has been assisting Iran with its ballistic missile and nuclear programs and in fact the missiles Iran has have the same design as North Koreas missiles. They say that engineers from North Korea are giving Iranian experts help so that nuclear warheads can be carried on the missiles.

New information about Irans ballistic and nuclear programs was revealed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). The NCRI is the main opposition to the Iranian regime and it has been instrumental, on numerous occasions, about alerting governments to intelligence about Irans nefarious activities.

They released a report in June detailing how underground missile sites in Iran are based on North Korean designs and North Korean experts are working with the IRGC.

Like the 1994 deal with North Korea to curb its nuclear ambitions, the same is set to happen with the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. If, or when, it fails, Iran will be able to move quickly.

The missile testing carried out by North Korea last month is extremely concerning because they went better than expected and could reach numerous major American cities. Up until very recently, experts claimed that North Korea would not have this capability until at least 2020.

North Korea is undoubtedly helping Iran accelerate its ballistic missile program which will in turn elevate its threat to the rest of the region, and much further afield. However, this can all be avoided. The US needs to confront the North Korean and Iranian threat head on. The first step is to re-designate North Korea as a State Sponsor of Terror. It needs to urgently be put back on the list and some members of Congress are calling for this.

The next step should be to impose harsher restrictions on North Korea because of its missile testing. This will send a message to Iran that it would be an unwise and expensive mistake to progress towards the goal of its own missile program.

Sanctions should target major banks that are keeping the North Korean regime in place. These banks should be forced to make a decision whether to remain in the North Korean market, or the American market  not both.

It is important that North Korea faces the consequences of its actions and threats otherwise Iran will follow suit.
Twelve inmates escaped the Walker County Jail Sunday night after using peanut butter to cover a door number and trick a young jailer, Sheriff James Underwood said Monday.

Of the 12, all but one was back in custody by daybreak Monday. "I thank the Lord today we have 11 people back in the jail,'' the sheriff said.

Only Brady Andrew Kilpatrick, a Cordova man jailed for possession of a controlled substance,possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana, remains at large. Underwood said he doesn't believe Kilpatrick is dangerous.

The jail break happened about 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the county jail in Jasper. The jailer opened a door to the outside thinking it was a cell door, Underwood said, because the number had been covered with peanut butter.

"Changing numbers on doors with peanut butter -- It may sound crazy, but these kinds of people are crazy like a fox." Underwood told a news conference. "He thought he was opening the cell door for this man to go in his cell, but in fact he opened up the outside door."

The dozen inmates then scaled a 12-foot fence topped with razor wire after walking out. Some were cut and scraped, but none seriously injured. He said it probably took them about 10 minutes to clear the fence.

"Escapes happen," Underwood said. "We've got some evil people down here, and they scheme all the time to con us and our employees at the jail. You've got to stay on your toes. This is one time we slipped up. I'm not going to make any excuses."

There were about 140 inmates in the jail Sunday. A staff of seven jailers was on duty.

After making their break, all 12 of the inmates met up at an undisclosed location about four miles from the jail. Not all of the inmates in the cell that had contained the inmates who escaped left, and were cooperative with deputies. "They helped us considerably,'' the sheriff said.

Once the jailer realized the inmates were gone, they took a head count to determine who was missing. Acting on information quickly developed, lawmen went to the location where the group had planned to meet and recaptured six of the escapees within 90 minutes - John Richard Hunter, 26, Christopher Cole Spain, 18, Kristopher Keith Secrest, 20, Quadrekas Latoddrick Key, 21, Timothy Chaz Cooper, 28, and Steven Sanford Hartley, 27.

Over the next eight hours, with the help of multiple law enforcement agencies, five more escapees were taken into custody: Michael Adam MicGuff, 30, Steven Blake Lamb, 28, Christopher Michael Smith, 19, Larry Inman, 29, and Ethan Howard Pearl.

One of the inmates was recaptured in Townley, where the sheriff said a car was stolen. Two others were captured by deputies and Birmingham police at the Flying J off of Interstate 65.

Underwood said all 11 inmates captured were still wearing their prison garb.

Authorities had offered a $500 reward for information leading to the recapture of the inmates. Underwood was asked about what some perceived as a low reward amount, but he said he felt it was adequate. "That's a lot to some people,'' he said. "We're going to pay a few people for their help."

Reward money will be paid out to several tipsters, he said. Other may face criminal charges for helping the inmates remain at large. "They had some outside help,'' Underwood said. "We will get to the bottom of it."

Underwood said there are two cameras at the jail, and both were working when the escape happened. The locks also were in working order. Though the jail, built 19 years ago, has its deficiencies, they didn't contribute to the Sunday debacle.

"I said it was human error and he made a mistake," Underwood said. "He's a young guy, he hasn't been there that long. This young man was a weak link, and they knew it."

Asked if the jailer would face disciplinary action, the sheriff said, "We're going to take care of that matter,'' he said.

He said the incident remains under investigation by his own department. They are not bringing in any outside agency to assist in the probe.

Underwood said there hasn't been an escape at the Walker County Jail in three years. "You a run a jail, you're liable to have escapes,'' Underwood said. "It's the cost of doing business."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A return trip upstate might be in the cards for a repeat felon from Stapleton who, authorities allege, shot and wounded three people during a wild fracas last week in his community.

Khalil Curry, 40, of Irving Place, shot into a large crowd gathered outside 100 Irving Place, near the intersection of Vanderbilt Avenue, around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, said a criminal complaint.

Three victims were wounded about their legs and back, respectively, and required hospital treatment, the complaint said.

An 18-year-old woman also suffered a knife wound to the chest, the Advance previously reported.

A law enforcement source said a fight had apparently broken out in the crowd, although its cause was not immediately known.

Curry was arrested on Friday following an investigation.

He was charged in connection with the shootings, but not the stabbing.

The defendant was arraigned Saturday in Criminal Court on charges of assault, attempted assault, criminal weapon possession, reckless endangerment and criminal firearm possession.

He is being held in lieu of $150,000 bond or $100,000 cash bail.

The defendant was ordered to return to court on Thursday.

Curry has served three prior prison stints, according to online records of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

In 1996, he was sentenced to 18 months to three years behind bars for an attempted-robbery conviction on Staten Island.

Later, in 2001, he was sentenced in Brooklyn to up to eight years for criminal weapon possession.

More recently, Curry was convicted in 2009 of attempted narcotics possession on Staten Island and sentenced to 30 months in prison.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Staten Island native was killed in the Liberian capital after a car crash nearly two weeks ago.

Princess Yates, 19, was killed in Monrovia, the capital of the West African nation on July 21, according to a report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Spelman College, in Atlanta, where Yates attended university, released a statement about Yates, who was an environmental science, dual degree engineering major.

Her father, Prince, of Clifton, briefly spoke with the Advance, but would not comment on Yates' death, because of an "ongoing investigation."

A letter to the editor of Liberian newspaper Front Page Africa from a woman claiming to be Yates' godmother claims she was denied coverage at JFK hospital in Liberia because she "had no money."

"As a Liberian who presently lives in the America, I am so abhorred that such a thing can happen in a country that we thought was coming together after years of civil war," the letter, signed by Aimee Morris Wernicki, read.

"All I can say is JFK hospital has blood on their hands and this is not the end of this story. I will pursue it and expose them for who they are."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The borough will be getting a medical marijuana dispensary, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday, as it is doubling the number of companies allowed to grow the plant for its medical marijuana program and doubling the number of dispensaries in the state.

It's unclear yet where the Staten Island facility will be located, when it will open, or any other specifics about its operations.

Citiva Medical will manufacture the plant in Orange County, and have a dispensary on Staten Island, as well as in Brooklyn, and Dutchess and Chemung counties.

The drug is available in pill or oil form -- there is no legal smokeable form in New York state.

Those diagnosed with one of more than a dozen debilitating ailments, like cancer, AIDS, Parkinson's disease, ALS, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, are eligible for the treatment once they are approved by a doctor who has been trained in the treatment, and once the patient registers with the state and gets an ID card.

Insurance doesn't cover the drug, and purchasing it out of pocket creates a burden for patients.

When the Compassionate Care Act went into effect in New York in 2014, only five companies were selected to grow and dispense the plant, having four dispensaries each, for a total of 20 statewide.

Proponents of the medical marijuana program, like state Sen. Diane Savino, the bill's sponsor in the Senate, criticized that number as far too few for the state's almost 20 million population spread out over 54,000 square miles.

Since then, the program has been slowly expanding, adding chronic or severe pain to the list of approved ailments. A bill passed in the Legislature in June to add PTSD to the list, but has yet to be signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

While few doctors signed up to prescribe the drug, nurse practitioners and physician assistants were added to the program to certify patients for use. Home delivery also became permitted.

The announcement Tuesday means an additional five companies will produce the product, with four dispensaries each, doubling the availability of the treatment in New York.

"The New York State Department of Health is committed to growing the state's Medical Marijuana Program responsibly," Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement. "The addition of these registered organizations will make it easier for patients across the state to obtain medical marijuana, improve the affordability of medical marijuana products through the introduction of new competition, and increase the variety of medical marijuana products available to patients."

According to the state Health Department, as of Aug. 1, there are 25,736 certified patients and 1,139 registered practitioners participating in the program.

That includes a 72 percent increase (10,744 people) in certified patients since chronic pain was added in late March.

Citiva Medical, the company that will run the Staten Island dispensary and sell cannabinoids, has a deep connection to the Island.

Dr. Jack D'Angelo is the chief medical officer for Citiva, and is the medical director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Associates of Staten Island, focusing on chronic pain, musculoskeletal, neurological and functional rehabilitation issues.

He also co-founded Real Medicine for Real People, a physical medicine and rehabilitation wellness center in Charleston; and is also medical director of Forest Rehabilitation Medicine on Staten Island, a treatment center for the non-narcotic, non-invasive treatment for chronic pain.

D'Angelo is president of the Richmond County Medical Society and president of the Staten Island Heart Society.

Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) was instrumental in getting the Compassionate Care Act passed and has since pushed for an expansion.

"I think it's great that we're going to have one on Staten Island because a lot of patients on Staten Island have complained about having to travel off Staten Island," she said. "It's a hardship."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island teen who tragically died in Africa was funny, good-hearted and always ready to help, her friends told the Advance.

"She was always willing to be there for anyone," said Taj Ellis, 23, president of the Staten Island NAACP Youth Council. "She was reserved, but very out-spoken when she had something to say."

Ellis worked with Princess Yates, 19, at the youth council, where Yates served as the secretary. She was also one of the organization's four founders.

Yates, 19, was killed in a car crash two weeks ago while visiting family in Liberia. Yates was there celebrating her grandmother's 90th birthday, Ellis said.

"She was an awesome person," he added. "She was funny, and liked to sing and dance."

Ellis and Yates met last year while volunteering with the non-profit organization Young, Talented and Gifted, where the two friends assisted high school students with college applications and entrance essays.

The two also held events about civil rights awareness and worked with Curtis High School students to teach them about including others.

Yates was passionate about making changes on Staten Island, her friends said.

She spoke with Mayor Bill de Blasio during his town hall on Staten Island, and got the mayor to agree to meeting with the youth council, Ellis said.

"She was vital part of making Staten Island a place for all colors, especially the youth," he said.

Pryde Smith-Gilbert, 22, is the vice president of the youth council and also met Yates through their work at Young, Talented and Gifted.

"She was like a sister to me," Smith-Gilbert said. "She was a really good person at heart. She was funny and had charisma."

Yates was attending Spellman College in Atlanta and studying environmental science and engineering. She graduated from Gaynor McCown High School in New Springville.

Her father, Prince, of Clifton, briefly spoke with the Advance, but would not comment on Yates' death, because of an "ongoing investigation."
Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old boy seized from his parents by the British government, died on Friday at the children's hospice designated by his captors.



Shortly after his birth last August, Charlie was diagnosed with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome, an extremely rare disease that generally claims its victims' lives in early infancy. After his parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, refused a request from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to remove the child from a ventilator, the facility procured a court order allowing it to do so. Justice Nicholas Francis decreed that it was up to the government, not Charlie's parents, to decide what was best for the boy, and that he believed that the child should simply "die with dignity."



Charlie's parents had raised about $2 million in the hope of bringing their son to New York to undergo an experimental treatment that offered a chance, albeit slim, of improving his condition and saving his life. To facilitate their doing so, the U.S. Congress unanimously passed special legislation granting the boy permanent-residence status.



Judge Francis remained adamant, however, reiterating that the child was going nowhere unless he said so. Although eventually agreeing to hear testimony from Dr. Michio Hirano, a researcher in mitochondrial diseases at Columbia University, in support of treatment in the United States, Judge Francis had fiddled away so much time exerting the government's authority that the window of opportunity for treatment was lost.



Heart-breaking goodbye



While Charlie's devastated parents were thus forced to give up their fight to save him, they asked permission to finance private hospice care at home so that they could spend a few more days with their son. Proving conclusively that his arrogance was boundless, Judge Francis refused, declaring that the child be place in hospice of the hospital's choosing and extubated shortly thereafter.



Charlie Gard and Connie Yates released this heartbreaking good-bye to their little boy: "Mummy and Daddy love you so much, Charlie. We always have, and we always will -- and we are so sorry that we couldn't save you. We had the chance, but we weren't allowed to give you that chance. Sweet dreams, baby. Sleep tight, our beautiful baby boy".



Thus ends an outrage of hitherto unimaginable proportions from a country whose legal system inspired ours. It was an assault on parental rights so flagrant, so brazen, and so all-encompassing that it begs this question: Could what happened to Charlie Gard's parents in London, happen to similarly-situated parents in the United States? The frightening answer is yes. For in a startling irony, a ruling by the California Supreme Court, one week before Charlie's death, lays the groundwork for precisely that.



Governing law



The right of American parents to raise their children as they see fit is of constitutional dimension, a principle reiterated by the Supreme Court on numerous occasions in varying contexts. Like all constitutional rights, however, those inuring to parents qua parents are not absolute. Child protective laws governing abuse and neglect spring from that sensible proposition. In the overwhelming majority of cases, such allegations are sufficiently serious that, if true, they'd warrant some level of government intervention.



A tiny fraction of cases involve more complex issues of fact and law. Examples include a petition for an order allowing a hospital to give a blood transfusion to a child over his parents' religious objections, or an application to force parents to accord their cancer-stricken child conventional medical treatment instead of the alternative approach that they desire. The theory underlining these extraordinary petitions is that the child, as a citizen himself, has his own rights that the government, acting in loco parentis, may, and in some cases must, protect. Conversely, governments in this country may not interfere with parental judgments merely because they disagree with them. That, of course, is precisely what Britain did to Charlie Gard's parents, couching its meddling as being in the child's "best interests."



Radical ruling



And it's what can happen right now in California as a consequence of a July 20 decision by that state's Supreme Court. The ruling upheld the right of the government to take custody of a child even though her mother loved her dearly, had acted diligently on her behalf, and had done nothing legally or morally wrong. The case involved a teenage girl who had been running away from home, became pregnant twice, and falsely accused her mother of abusing her. While markedly different from the facts in the Gard case, the legal principle enunciated is sweeping. It's such a radical departure from existing precedent that the decision was prominently featured by the American Bar Association in its daily law reports.



So don't be seduced by the factual differences between the two cases. California has clearly opened the door to government seizure of children on a simple best-interest pretext. Since most states, including New York, have child-protective statutes similar to California's, that extraordinary, unprecedented assault on parental rights could easily spread across the nation. And that's a very scary prospect.

[Daniel Leddy's column appears each Tuesday on the Advance Editorial Page. His e-mail address is column@danielleddylaw.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/LegalHotShots.]
Eighty percent of Americans die in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices, and increasing numbers of them receive bedside care from specially trained volunteers as well as health professionals. Now a summer fellowship offered jointly by Skidmore and Union colleges helps qualified students participate in CARE (Community Action, Research and Education), an eight-week, full-time, structured program of community service and research that builds the emotional, intellectual, and hands-on skills to support people while they die.



CARE provides a stipend, enabling students to focus their summer energies on the program without juggling competing coursework or employment. The program was conceived by Union College's director of health professions, Carol Weisse, and was further developed by Skidmore social-work professor and associate dean of the faculty Crystal Moore. Both have deep experience and dedication to end-of-life care, and both are so moved by students' experiences that they oversee CARE as volunteers.



Prof. Crystal Moore reviews paperwork with Union College students Kristen St. Andrews and Sydney Keane, at the Mary's Haven home for the dying. (Photo by Erin Covey) Prof. Crystal Moore reviews paperwork with Union College students Kristen St. Andrews and Sydney Keane, at the Mary's Haven home for the dying. (Photo by Erin Covey)

Students can join CARE through the New York Six consortium, which includes Skidmore, Union and four other upstate colleges. In readings, journaling and meetings with professors and care-givers, the CARE syllabus addresses topics such as loss and grief, dignity at the end of life, the challenges and burdens of caregivers and working in an interdisciplinary team, but the centerpiece of the program is hands-on service. Students placed in end-of-life agencies take on the role of a surrogate family member, providing care from feeding and toileting to bathing and dressing. Sometimes they hold the hand of a person as he or she dies, or they talk with grieving family members.



"I'm a keen believer in caregiving and aiding others, and this provides a chance for me to develop characteristics such as attentiveness and patience," says Skidmore's Jason Bourdier '18, who is majoring in health and exercise sciences. "I want to be a positive figure or presence in the life of the residents, as well as learn valuable lessons."



One lesson that impressed him: "It is very difficult to accept the loss of strength that comes with illness and old age, especially in the presence of family and friends. People don't like that they are no longer capable of performing simple daily tasks. One resident was distraught when I brought her juice in a 'sippy cup' because she had trouble lifting a glass without spilling."



Weisse says, "Students' narratives about personal transformation are eye-opening," but valuable research is also conducted and shared. In one instance, Skidmore students were approached by a family member who saw food left over and said, "You're not feeding my mother." This prompted two nutrition majors to study eating at the end of life, including issues related to pain and appetite. As a result of their research, residents and families received helpful information, and a pamphlet was created for future use.



A care-home resident throws a party for program

fellows on their last day. A care-home resident throws a party for programfellows on their last day.

"CARE is academic and applied, but also spiritual," says Weisse. "Students meet with each other, with faculty, and with other professionals so they can share and process what they're learning." Moore has seen "students fall in love with working with patients at the end of life" and hopes they see the field as a fulfilling career option. "We get students interested in social welfare, nursing, psychology ... and they become passionate and motivated. It's not about medical issues, but about being present in the face of suffering and about compassion, problem-solving and ethics. Also, students learn how to normalize the experience of dying." She says, "It takes courage and steadfast presence, but it's a great service."



Catherine Adams, a physician on the palliative care team at Albany's St. Peter's Hospital, had "a wonderful experience meeting with the students." Palliative care is a new, team-based specialty providing "an extra layer of support to patients and families dealing with a serious illness such as cancer, dementia or heart failure. "Because it's so new, it's important to educate future health care professionals about palliative care and hospice services." She reports that when CARE students asked how she copes with end-of-life care every day, she told them, "It's because I accept that even if we cannot cure, there are many things we can do to relieve suffering. CARE students learn firsthand the importance of listening to the patient's fears and being present for the family."



Elisa Smith '18 makes a bed at the Joan Nicole Prince Home.

(Photo by Erin Covey) Elisa Smith '18 makes a bed at the Joan Nicole Prince Home.(Photo by Erin Covey)

Elisa Smith '18, studying social work and French, recently lost a friend to suicide and has a grandparent with dementia. She reflects, "Death is the ultimate unknown, so we are fascinated; however, we are simultaneously terrified of the physical and emotional pain it may bring. This summer program has been life-affirming and inspired me to want to care for people. I think I have touched residents in ways that heightened their ability to see beauty even while they are dying." In holding the hand of sleeping patient, she says she tried "to transfer my care through human touch and make him feel respected and valued." When an artist with brain cancer sketched her, "it felt special to contribute to his creativity and to empower his well-being and sense of dignity." Such moments have taught her "to value human touch and to remain in tune with all the senses."



Exercise science major and biology minor Astrid Rodriguez '18 intends to become a nurse practitioner and has volunteered at hospitals. As a CARE fellow last summer, she learned that "death is not a subject that people should steer away from ... everybody has to face it."



Union College biology major Matt Liquori says his understandings have grown more from "the emotional and social interactions I've witnessed than from the actual medical care I've seen delivered." In one "gut-wrenching" interaction, a resident was hallucinating and combative, and his wife was very upset until Liquori intervened and calmed her down, with the incident ending in a hug. Liquori says, "This really highlighted the emotional challenges families face coping with an impending loss." Helen Edelman '74
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"Under President Donald Trump, the United States of America rejects any attempt to use force, threats, intimidation or malign influence in the Baltic States or against any of our treaty allies," Pence said Monday morning, speaking alongside three Baltic leaders at the Estonian president's office here. "To be clear, we hope for better days, for better relations with Russia, but recent diplomatic action taken by Moscow will not deter the commitment of the United States of America to our security, the security of our allies, and the security of freedom loving nations around the world."
The Trump administration has declared that all options, including a targeted military strike, are on the table to block North Korea from carrying out threats against the United States and its allies in the region. But a pre-emptive attack isn't likely, U.S. officials have said, and the administration has been pursuing a strategy of pressuring Pyongyang through new unilateral sanctions and appealing to China to use its influence.
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Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Sodalisious in Provo, Monday, July 30, 2015. Rick Egan | Tribune file photo Swig in Lehi, Monday, July 30, 2015. Rick Egan | Tribune file photo Tammy Anderson stops at Sodalicious in Provo for her daily soda, Monday, July 30, 2015. Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Sodalisious in Provo, Monday, July 30, 2015.
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Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01645f0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02553b0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01645f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02553b0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0268df8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02553b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02553b0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e8e97c18)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0228e58)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0228e58)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f015bb08)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f020dc28)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f015bb08)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f020dc28)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f025b710)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f020dc28)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f020dc28)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e8e997b8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f02155f8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f02155f8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
At least 120 Canberra-based university students were sexually assaulted and almost 1000 sexually harassed including on campus or in residential colleges within the past two years.

The vast majority of sexual assault survivors were from the Australian National University, where 116 students reported being sexually assaulted in 2016.Almost half of those assaults were reported to have happened on campus.

ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt has seen his university's global research rank slide during his tenure. Credit:Rohan Thomson

About five students reported being sexually assaulted at the University of Canberra.

Four-hundred-and-sixty University of Canberra students and 1477 ANU students responded to the Human Rights Commission's survey into sexual assault in university communities.
A blaze at the Bega Court flats in Canberra's city centre has been extinguished.

Firefighters were called to the flats, on Cooyong Street near Akuna Street, just before 5.30pm on Tuesday, an ESA spokesman said.

Firefighters have extinguished a blaze at the Bega Court flats in Canberra's city centre. Credit:Rohan Thomson

Three pumpers, the Bronto aerial unit and the hazardous materials unit attended the fire, as well as the ACT Ambulance Service.

The flats were unoccupied at the time and no injuries have been reported.
The ACT estimates committee has blasted the evidence of public servants on the buy-up of farmland as "either strikingly ill-informed or deliberately misleading".

The committee highlighted what it said was inaccurate information about the farms that the Land Development Agency had been buying since mid 2015.

The Liberals' Andrew Wall, who chaired the parliamentary estimates committee, which has blasted the evidence of officials on land purchases as strikingly ill-informed or deliberately misleading.

The agency spent $20 million in the 2015-16 financial year alone, with more since, including $4.5 million for the Corkhill property that is now being developed as Ginninderry.

The estimates inquiry's report, tabled on Tuesday, said officials told the committee that the farm purchases were in line with the 2004 spatial plan which identified areas for urban growth. They were also consistent with the 2012 planning strategy.
Police have arrested a 23-year-old man who escaped from Canberra Hospital on Saturday night.

Jonathon Hogan was in custody for charges related to property offences and resisting police.

Jonathon Hogan was arrested after escaping from Canberra Hospital.

He had been taken to hospital after a court appearance and was last seen about 8.30pm on Saturday.

He was arrested by NSW Police in the farming town of Boorowa on Tuesday afternoon, about 110 kilometres north of Canberra.
ACT Greens leader Shane Rattenbury has used his parliamentary privilege to reveal an investigation was under way into suspect swabs from greyhounds which have raced in Canberra.

But a spokesman for the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club said the club had already been vindicated and Mr Rattenbury was using his parliamentary privilege to "mislead".

ACT Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury said he would not be intimidated by threats of legal action in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday afternoon. Credit:Rohan Thomson

In his adjournment speech on Tuesday, Mr Rattenbury hit back at the club, which last month began defamation action against him after he told Canberra radio station 2CC he had confirmed reports of cruelty within the local racing industry.

According to the club, Mr Rattenbury has until Friday to retract his comments and apologise.
Bank tellers will stop selling add-on insurance to customers when they are applying for credit cards, in a bid to prevent people being pressured into taking out a product with "poor consumer outcomes".

The shift comes after the corporate regulator examined banks' cross-selling practices to make sure local retail bank staff were not following in the footsteps of those at United States bank Wells Fargo, which set up millions of fake bank accounts.

While the watchdog found no evidence of such wholesale misconduct here, it said consumer credit insurance was an area in need of improvement.

When a customer signs up for a mortgage, personal loan or credit card, banks often promote a "consumer credit insurance (CCI)", which claims to help cover repayments if they lose their job, get sick or die.
Chief executive salaries of $600,000 and above are viewed as unethical by the majority of Australians, according to a new survey that highlights the yawning gap between public expectations and reality on executive pay.

The same survey also shows public concerns about ethical failings in finance have only marginally faded in the past year, despite banks' attempts to rebuild customer trust, and a series of government policy changes.

Politicians and even some business leaders have criticised the pay enjoyed by top executives in the past year, and a new survey sought the views of a broad spectrum of 1000 Australians on the issue.

The survey, from the Governance Institute of Australia, found 55 per cent of respondents thought a salary of $600,000 a year was unethical for a chief executive running a company with more than 1000 staff.
Insurer AAMI has been criticised after it sent an "ad" that resembled a bill to a woman in Sydney.

Natalie Tran, a video blogger who runs a popular YouTube channel, said the letter - which was about her partner's car - was sent to her.

In large print, it reads: "Compulsory third party personal injury insurance green slip certificate", with a policy number and a registration number.

A second section reads "policy notice", followed by the final paragraph giving payment options on an amount of $728.00, due on September 4.
Renewed turmoil at beleaguered dairy co-op Murray Goulburn could stall a move to swank new office space at Collins Square.

Murray Goulburn last year committed to the two top floors of tower four at Lang Walker's $2.5 billion office development at Docklands.

Some observers believe Murray Goulburn will sublease its Collins Square space. Credit:Jared G Marshall

It is understood a $10 million dollar fit-out has been completed at the 5200-square-metre space but management is poised for a backflip as part of its corporate restructure.

Market speculation is rife. Some parties say Murray Goulburn will stay at Freshwater Place, where it has sublet 4000 square metres for the past five years, and sublease the Collins Square space.
Two swim schools and a childcare centre in Melbourne's south-east have sold for a combined $12.4 million.

The Kingswim swim school centre in Narre Warren together with a Happy Days childcare centre, both leased to the YMCA on long 15-year leases with two 10-year options, sold to a Chinese investor for $7 million.

Kingswim school centre at 2 St Catherines Court in Mornington has sold to an investor.

Fitzroys' agent James Lockwood, who sold the property with David Bourke and Chris James, said the deal reflected a combined yield of 6 per cent.

Specialised assets with long-term leases were in high demand attracting between 70 and 100 inquiries, he said.
Can anyone help Richard Stewart of Pearl Beach? "Something which has bothered me for decades. Whatever is the source of the phrase used when an excited person is noted as 'going bananas'? C8 clarification needed."

It's not all positive on the junket front (C8): "Judy Jones would need the entirety of her mother's remaining tablets to make junket. Today's milk is so homogenised it won't respond properly to the rennet in junket tablets," says Christine Perrott of Armidale. She also thinks it likely "the eating of junket has become uncool". Graham Brisbane of Wollongong adds, "It's still available at supermarkets, but only in plain flavour. We used to get strawberry at least."

"As an enthusiastic crafter", writes Margaret Dix of Concord, "I eagerly went to a website called Freepatterns only to find that all patterns this week are up to 30 per cent off the listed prices. I used to think free meant at no cost, but it seems it isn't so on the web."

The map of Australia coat hanger aerial (called the Ko Tanga in New Zealand, according to Kristen Dibbs of Eastwood) is a clear winner in the Australian vehicle modification stakes (C8), but Warren Menteith of Bali has other ideas: "Working in Moree in '66-`67, loaded kangaroo scrotums (scrota?) wrapped around your bull bar." Well, it's definitely Australian. He also opines that "purple shagpile carpet, nodding dogs and giant fluffy dice possibly happened elsewhere, but teamed with a Valiant?"

The canvas bag gets a mention too. Ingo Weinberger of Campsie recalls "dust-covered water bags which disappeared in the late sixties. Always wondered about the taste. Like the aroma of the first shower after a prolonged drought? Or for topping up the radiator?"
Until now, universities might have pleaded ignorance to explain away their lack of action. That excuse disappears with the just-released report of the Human Rights Commission into sexual assault on campus based on a survey of 31,000 students. In a sign of the scale of the problem and the extent of concern about it, the commission received more submissions than to any other inquiry in its history, including more than 1800 accounts from students of their experience of sexual assault and harassment.

Too late, they are taking steps to address the sickening reality that in any lecture theatre of 100 students, at least one, and possibly two of them are likely to have been sexually assaulted in the past two years on campus, and more than one in five have been sexually harassed at university in the past year.

Too late, Australian universities are facing up to the shocking fact that their campuses are often not the safe and welcoming spaces they present to prospective international students in the glossy marketing brochures.

For years the Herald has been reporting on demeaning, sexist, brutalising behaviour at university residential colleges, particularly at Australia's oldest tertiary institution, the University of Sydney. For years, nothing was done, always with the excuse that the colleges are a law unto themselves, governed by their own councils, usually heavily dominated by alumni.

So we were cautiously optimistic in welcoming the appointment of former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to lead a university-wide review into college culture. We also thought it about time when St Paul's College, which had declined to join the review, belatedly sought to join after yet another degrading scandal involving misogynist behaviour.

The commission's recommendation of a sector-wide, independent investigation into residential colleges may encounter resistance but the time for excuses is over. The stories in the HRC report are all too familiar. Young women being raped in college after binge-drinking sessions. Repeat offenders  serial rapists, in fact  left unchallenged to assault again. Inadequate, inappropriate, even inhumane responses from university management to the minority who actually reported their assaults  87 per cent don't, according to the survey.

Universities Australia, the peak industry body, deserves some credit for commissioning the report. It has promised "strong and swift" action in response. That includes working with the colleges, more '"first responder" training for university staff, specialist training for university counsellors and education for students about sexual consent, and new guidelines for postgraduate-staff interaction after the survey found postgraduate students were more likely to be harassed or assaulted by a staff member than other students. Individual universities have promised to release data on sexual assaults, which may add a competitive incentive for them to stamp out unacceptable behaviours.

The great challenge lies in changing the culture across campuses and in colleges where unacceptable sexual behaviour has been tolerated as part of university life, to be preferably ignored or if necessary covered up. Survivor advocacy groups have reasonably objected that the universities' official response is silent about punishment and sanctions for perpetrators. The universities may argue that's up to the police and the courts. But when less than 20 per cent of sexual assault cases lead to criminal proceedings in NSW and Victoria  and there have been only six expulsions from 145 reports of rape at universities in the past five years  a muscular response to offenders is needed along with support for survivors.
One in 15 university students were sexually assaulted in either 2015 or 2016, according to a new report produced by the Australian Human Rights Commission. Of these, less than one in 10 officially reported to the university and only 1 in 50 sexual harassment survivors reported.

On Tuesday, Universities Australia (UA) released a 10-Point Plan that outlines how the university sector intends to prevent sexual assault and support survivors. This follows their commitment to fund a national 1800 hotline for student-survivors of sexual assault.

Earlier this year, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that students faced wait times of up to four weeks for counselling, and that university counsellors often lacked specialist trauma training. It is a relief that students can now access 24/7 quality counselling from trauma-specialists, no matter where they are, due to UA's new hotline, which went live on Monday.

But the elephant in the room that no one seems willing to discuss is whether or not universities will ever discipline offenders.
This eye-opening little special follows Prince Harry as he returns to Lesotho to visit the charity he set up after visiting the country on his gap year between school and the army in 2004. It's immediately clear that the tiny African country faces enormous challenges  as many as a third of its children are orphans, HIV/AIDS is a huge problem, and many of those infected refuse to take medication because of the stigma surrounding the disease. But it's also clear that Harry's charity, Sentebale  which he built in partnership with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho  is taking practical steps to help improve things. The picture of Harry that emerges is one of a humble but confident young man who is intent on honouring his mother's commitment to charity work in his own way. The commentary from Elton John and Coldplay's Chris Martin isn't entirely necessary. BN

It's about time Australian TV produced a medical drama  now if we can just get the networks to do something about lawyers, we'll really have a vibrant industry. The twist here is that the lead character, Frankie Bell, dodged death eight years ago, inspiring her to change her life and become a doctor to save the lives of others. This leads to ethical dilemmas, difficult relationships and frantic attempts to resuscitate patients followed by the angry tearing off of scrubs and deep soul-searching as the doctor ponders what it means to be human. It's not like every other medical show ever made  just most of them. BP

Warren Beatty plays a noble crime fighter in his 1990 film 'Dick Tracy'.

movie Dick Tracy (1990)

Action Movies (pay TV), 10.15pm

The great gift of Warren Beatty  last seen wreaking havoc at the Academy Awards  was to craft as a writer, producer and director parts that suited his standoffishness on screen, whether it was the impotent bank robber in Bonnie and Clyde or the passionate ideologue of Reds. In a career given over to social commentary interspersed with romantic comedies, Dick Tracy is the great curiosity. Adapted from Chester Gould's 1930s comic strip, it's a tribute to American iconography, including the gangster films of the original era and the pop art movement. Beatty directs and stars as the noble crime fighter, with Al Pacino, Madonna and Dustin Hoffman (as a henchman named Mumbles for his lack of diction) opposite him, but the true stars are legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro and production designer Richard Sylbert, who turn the flat panels of the source material into a bold metropolis. CM

Car Wars

Seven, 10.30pm

It's quite a popular trend in reality TV, the practice of giving a show an interesting name so as to save money and time on making an interesting show. Car Wars should obviously be a rip-off of either Mad Max, Transformers or The Fast and the Furious, but it is none of these. In fact, it's just another show about police officers doing police work, and not even the fun kind of police work: it tries to show "the real face of policing", which means there are no murder mysteries or CSI or slow-motion balletic shootouts. It's just cops bouncing dolefully around grim British streets in pursuit of incredibly uncharismatic villains. There's the occasional car chase, but it turns out even they aren't as much fun as the movies make them look. They kind of just look like when you're going somewhere you've never been before so you just say you'll follow your friends, but they show no consideration whatsoever. We also get a glimpse at the training of elite "car cops", which involves, like, driving and stuff. The most entertaining thing about the show is the adorable accent of the officers. BP
At the risk of proffering a reductio ad absurdum, universities have only one function: to turn out students deepened in knowledge but broadened in mind - people equipped with formal qualifications but also the confidence, curiosity, and optimism, required to go forth and contribute.

So, like a hospital that makes patients sick with infection, findings of the Human Rights Commission that 6.9 per cent of the university students surveyed had been sexually assaulted in the past two years, and that more than half reported being sexually harassed last year alone - many on campus - show these trusted institutions are failing.

The Human Rights Commission has branded that "unacceptable". Of course, it is worse than unacceptable, being a complete reversal of the university concept, and a betrayal of each institution's clear responsibility - or duty of care - to the individual student.

And as with adverse outcomes in the hospital system, it is the first response of universities to complaints of harassment or assault that is critical. Here the institutions have struggled.
Ever since the scene in Big Little Lies in which Zoe Kravitz's character dances in front of all the shell-shocked dadbods at a kid's birthday party it's been hard to shake our Zoe Kravitz obsession. I mean: talk about mesmerising. Zoe Kravitz for YSL. Credit:Elodie Daguin And it seems the worlds of beauty and luxury can't get enough of the starpower of Lenny Kravtiz and Lisa Bonet's daughter either, with the actress just appointed as the global ambassador for YSL Beauty. It follows Kravitz' appearance in campaigns for the likes of Calvin Klein and Tiffany & Co and her anointment from Vogue UK as 2017's best dressed woman. Proof that this is Kravitz' year and we're just living/ogling her in it. In a statement, YSL said Kravitz is "the perfect fit for YSL's own inventive, defiant and stylish heritage".

And Kravitz herself said she was delighted to be working with one of her "favourite brands." "Their ability to combine the chicest [sic] of style with a raw edge has always been to me one of the best ways to express yourself through fashion and beauty. Nothing is forced, nothing is fake but everything is bold, strong and unafraid." Kravitz's new gig will kick off in August with a campaign for the Tatouage Couture range. Earlier this year Kravitz opened up to Net-a-Porter's The Edit on the challenges that she still faces in casting. "When my name is brought up in a casting office, I'm sure the fact that I'm black comes up in discussions. I just read a script in which there were two couples, and one was written as black. When I talked to the directors, they said I should play the wife of the black guy. It's insane that they still think the black girl needs to be married to the black guy, and everyone else is white. Their thinking is so compartmentalised," she said.
When I was at school, sex education was pretty much non-existent. I graduated in 2010, and the main things I came away with, in order of how they were prioritised included: how not to get pregnant, how not to get an STI, and how to distinguish between mine and my male counterparts "private bits".

Seven years later, not much has changed. While some schools provide open and honest sexual education emphasising consent and respect, many others teach only anatomy and safety, or avoid the topic altogether. The ongoing prevalence of sexual assault is proof that a biological approach to sex education isn't cutting it.

While some schools provide open and honest sexual education emphasising consent and respect, many others teach only anatomy and safety, or avoid the topic altogether. Credit:Stocksy

So, I was happy to see a recent article in Teen Vogue titled: "Anal sex: what you need to know". The article's author, sex educator Gigi Engle described the piece as "anal 101 for teens, beginners, and all inquisitive folk", emphasising ideas around consent and pleasure in a gender non-binary way.

Unsurprisingly however, the article received loads of criticism online. On Twitter, many parents expressed their disgust and outrage that kids would be exposed to such "garbage", with one woman going as far as to post a video of her burning the copy of Teen Vogue with the hashtag #PullTeenVogue.
Nine reports of sexual assault and harassment at the University of NSW has been made in the past week, compared to a total of three sexual assaults being reported between 2011 and 2016.

The influx of reporting is through a new online portal introduced by UNSW ahead of Tuesday's release of a landmark report that found 94 per cent of sexual harassments and 87 per cent of sexual assaults that occurred at Australian universities were not reported.

Many of the country's 39 universities have released plans to improve facilities in place to prevent and respond to cases of sexual harassment and assault following the release of the Australian Human Rights Commission report.

The report, based on a survey of 31,000 students, found that 21 per cent experienced sexual harassment in a university setting last year.
Almost 70 per cent of year 9 students in NSW will need to sit an extra reading, writing or numeracy test to be eligible for their HSC, this year's NAPLAN data reveals.

This is the first year that the state government's new minimum literacy and numeracy standard will require year 9 students to achieve at least a NAPLAN band 8 in three areas - reading, writing and numeracy - or they will have to pass an online test in the following years to qualify for their HSC.

The preliminary results from NAPLAN, released on Wednesday, show NSW achieved some of its best results since the national tests began in 2008, topping the country in year 9 numeracy and was second for year 9 reading.
After $5 billion in cuts from functional reviews, the $3.8 billion in efficiency dividend and a longstanding hiring freeze, the May federal budget brought some of the first good news in years for Canberra's public service departments and agencies

A $500 million public service "modernisation fund" was created to splash some much needed cash for capital works and project budgets, prompting more than 160 applications from 63 government entities, worth about $1.5 billion.

Treasurer Scott Morrison and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. Credit:Andrew Meares

New Department of Finance figures show just how the money has been allocated.

The final package of spending includes the amalgamation of a number of applications reviewed by a special committee, with ideas combined to remove duplication and "enhance the transformative nature of projects".
One of four Sydney men arrested in connection with an alleged terrorist plot to bring down a plane will heavily scrutinise the actions of police after he was released without charge on Wednesday.

Abdul Merhi, 50, was taken into custody with three other family members on Saturday after international intelligence agencies became aware of an alleged elaborate plot to smuggle an improvised explosive device onto a flight from Sydney to Dubai.

Following his release at about 7pm on Tuesday, Mr Merhi said he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Years into a crippling habit that involved snorting three grams of cocaine a day, Waeil Rustom thought he found a new way to earn cash in 2015.

The father-of-four put himself at the helm of a cocaine supply syndicate that used drivers, including a taxi employee, to deliver bags of cocaine to party-goers around Sydney city and eastern suburbs.

Denial Sfeir (left) and Abdul Rustom (right, in blue shirt) at the Downing Centre District Court on Monday. Credit:Fairfax Media

Fairfax Media has been told the syndicate's client base ranged from high-profile sporting stars and young professionals to media identities.

But instead of getting rich Rustom's addiction to gambling, drugs and prostitutes only increased.
A Sydney man will remain behind bars after he allegedly pointed a handgun at his young daughter and pulled the trigger.

The 32-year-old's matter was mentioned at Burwood Local Court on Tuesday after police found footage allegedly showing him pulling the trigger and also allowing the four-year-old girl to play with the weapon.

NSW Police say the gun - a Colt .45 calibre pistol - did not discharge.

Officers seized two Colts, a .25 calibre Walther pistol and a Bentley 12-gauge shotgun from properties in Sydney's southwest as part of their investigation, NSW Police previously said in a statement.
The Electrical Trades Union has issued a work ban on the $200 million renovation of the Sydney Opera House, after asbestos was found in the structure last week.

Justin Page, the NSW assistant secretary for the ETU, said asbestos was discovered in service ducts where 25 electricians had been working on July 24.

A $200 million renovation is under way at the Sydney Opera House. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The union was notified several days later, after the substance tested positive.

Mr Page said the electricians, employed by contracting company Downer, were not issued the proper masks and overalls required to enter an area that had asbestos, and most did not have training on how to work safely with the toxic substance.
A man in a wheelchair has died after falling off a cliff at a beach in Sydney's east.

Paramedics were called to Steele Point Steps at Vaucluse about 10.40am on Tuesday following reports an elderly man had fallen about 10 metres.

The man died at the scene and NSW Police don't believe it was suspicious.

The man was believed to be in his 80s, a police spokesman said.
There could have been no better timing for the Queensland government to announce it was dumping the $3 billion ASF casino resort proposal on the Gold Coast's Spit.

It came just hours before Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers faced a rowdy town hall meeting at the Currumbin RSL, the largest held so far by the government.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk addresses the town hall meeting on Tuesday night.

But of course, nothing could keep the anti-Adani protesters away.

After mentioning the Spit decision to the crowd in her opening speech, all Ms Palaszczuk had to do was say: "That area is iconic" to whip the crowd into a frenzy.
Another anti-Adani mural has popped up in inner-Brisbane, with the latest creation depicting an article from popular satirical publication, The Betoota Advocate.

The man behind the mural was also responsible for a similar creation on the side of the Greens' office in New Farm two months ago, which illustrated Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk holding a gun to Nemo's head.

The Betoota Advocate inspired anti-Adani mural on Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley.

Both have attracted plenty of public attention, but Tuesday's painting also led to uniform police and detectives speaking to artist Scott Marsh, after they received several complaints.

Mr Marsh said the mural had taken five days and had been inspired by a Betoota Advocate article, which joked that Ms Palaszczuk said coral bleaching was low on her list of priorities after a rise of graffiti in Brisbane.
Vodafone's mobile fallback service will be available for up to 30 days at a time, offering maximum download speeds of 12 Mbps and 1 Mbps uploads  assuming customers have decent Vodafone coverage at their home. Many Fairfax readers cite the lack of decent mobile coverage at home as their main reason for reluctantly sticking with a fixed-line home phone service .

Set to sell NBN services later this year, Vodafone has unveiled its Wi-Fi Hub home broadband modem which has a built-in 4G SIM card  allowing homes to connect to Vodafone's mobile broadband network "in-between sign-up and service installation and where repairs need to be carried out by NBN".

While NBN chief Bill Morrow lambasts ISPs for skimping on bandwidth , the national rollout continues to leave homes with no home phone or fixed-line broadband for months at a time. With all parties refusing to accept responsibility for breaking this deadlock, Vodafone has stepped in to offer a mobile insurance policy for homes trapped in Australia's Catch 22 broadband limbo .

In another blow to NBN's reputation, Vodafone is using NBN installation disasters as a marketing tool to promote its upcoming home broadband service with 4G LTE failover.

The mobile fallback will offer a lifeline to homes which have signed up for the NBN but are left with no service as NBN resolves installation and activation issues. Often these customers are denied the option to return to their previous fixed-line service, even though the ACCC has expressly permitted telcos to do this when the NBN has left homes in the lurch.

Vodafone customers will not be charged for the mobile data used while waiting for an NBN installation, and the telco is prepared to extend this service beyond 30 days depending on individual circumstances.

It remains to be seen exactly how Vodafone will determine which homes are entitled to an extension on the 30-day deadline, although both Vodafone and NBN should expect another backlash if Vodafone starts cutting off homes while NBN still has them in the too-hard basket. There can be long delays between NBN installations and successful activations.

The announcement comes after Telstra unveiled its home Frontier Gateway earlier this year, which also offers 4G failover but isn't specifically marketed as catering to victims of NBN installation delays. Telstra limits speeds to 6 Mbps but has not placed a time limit on how long customers can use the mobile network while their fixed-line broadband is down.

While Telstra's 4G fallback is designed to automatically kick in, even during a brief fixed-line outage, Vodafone's 4G fallback is intended to "resolve a fault affecting an individual customer's fixed service" and ends "when your NBN service is activated or re-activated". After this it doesn't kick in automatically, Vodafone has confirmed that if there is a fixed-line dropout you need to call Vodafone so it can troubleshoot the problem before it considers re-activating the mobile service.
Defence contractor BAE Systems will build 225 combat vehicles at the old Holden factory in Melbourne if it wins a $5 billion contract.

The company is one of the two short-listed bidders for the AMV35 military vehicles, and BAE Systems has chosen Victoria as the state it wants to build them in if it wins the federal government deal.

A Patria AMV35 fires its cannon during a demonstration at Puckapunyal. Credit:Corporal Max Bree

"Victoria is the traditional home of vehicle manufacturing, and this project would create thousands of jobs at a time when our automotive sector is in transition," Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday.

The Bushmaster and Hawkei vehicles are already being manufactured for the armed forces in Bendigo.
The flight from Hobart that diverted. Credit:David H

This is what happens when a flight misses its approaches.

Reader David has sent me this flight-tracking screen showing how the flight that couldn't land at Melbourne Airport because of the fog has been looping around waiting for its second chance of a landing.

This appears to be the only flight that had trouble landing - Melbourne Airport says other flights have been taking off and landing there on schedule.
The rollout of new semi-automatic gun holsters to Victoria Police officers has been suspended over safety concerns after the first 300 were issued.

Victoria Police ordered 18,000 new holsters from a US supplier after repeated issues with previous holsters, but problems have now been identified with the new ones.

Victoria Police have identified safety problems in a new order of semi-automatic gun holsters. Credit:Paul Rovere

The holsters started being distributed last month as part of Operational Safety Tactics Training, Victoria Police said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Around 300 new gun holsters have been issued to frontline police officers," the statement reads.
Nearly one in three students at La Trobe University have been sexually harassed on campus and during their commute to and from university, new data reveals.

A survey of 947 students at La Trobe University showed 30 per cent were sexually harassed at university (including while travelling to and from La Trobe) and 24 per cent were harassed on campus grounds in 2016.

These figures are higher than those reported by every other Victorian university involved in the Australian Human Rights Commission's national survey on campus abuse.

The wide-ranging survey of 31,000 Australian students released on Tuesday morning, revealed that 26 per cent of students were sexually harassed at university (including during their commute) in 2016.
WA's next Police Commissioner will be "relentless in protecting the vulnerable" and ensuring the state's officers have the resources to do their job.

Chris Dawson, a former WA Police deputy commissioner, has been appointed to the role and will start in the role on August 16.

Chris Dawson, WA's new top cop.

Premier Mark McGowan made the announcement on Tuesday morning.

Mr Dawson has held the role of chief executive at the Australian Crime Commission since 2014, which was later renamed the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission in 2016.
Power has been restored to more than 14,000 homes in Perth's eastern suburbs on Tuesday morning after a fire at a power substation caused a brief blackout.

The fire at the Belgravia Street substation happened around 6am and was quickly put out by emergency service crews.

A fire at a power substation has blacked out homes east of Perth. Credit:Paul Jeffers

It's unknown at this stage what caused the blaze.

Power was restored to the suburbs of Belmont, Redcliffe and Ascot, Kewdale, Riverdale and Belmont just after 7.15am.
"We have zero tolerance to the practice of winding back odometers and will take swift action as soon as any cases are brought to our attention.

"There are a number of ways of finding out the true history of vehicles, so those who engage in this type of sham will quickly be caught out."

Motor vehicle buyers who believe they have been misled can lodge a complaint on the Consumer Protection website.

There are a number of ways of finding out the true history of vehicles, so those who engage in this type of sham will quickly be caught out.

Enquiries can be made by emailing consumer@dmirs.wa.gov.au or calling 1300 30 40 54.
Herat: A suicide attack on a Shiite mosque in the western Afghan city of Herat has killed more than 29 people and wounded more than 64.

Abdulhai Walizada, a local police spokesman, said there appeared to be more than one attacker on Tuesday, with witnesses describing a suicide bomber who detonated explosives and at least one other, a gunman who threw grenades at worshippers.

"Two attackers entered the mosque and started shooting and throwing grenades at people," said Mohammad Adi, a worshipper at the mosque who was injured in the attack and taken to hospital.

Mohammad Asif Rahimi, governor of Herat, said at least 29 people were killed and 64 wounded in the incident which came two months after an attack on a 12th century mosque known as the Jama Masjid in Herat, in which seven people died.
US President Donald Trump believes he is innocent. Credit:AP "This was ... unnecessary," said one of the President's advisers, who like most other people interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. "Now someone can claim he's the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the President is saying he doesn't want you to say the whole truth." Trump has already come under criticism for steps he has taken to challenge and undercut the Russia probe. Former FBI director Robert Mueller is the special counsel for the Russian investigation. Credit:AP He fired FBI director James Comey on May 9 after a private meeting in which Comey said the President asked him if he could end the investigation of ousted national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats told associates that Trump asked him in March if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on Flynn. In addition, Trump has repeatedly criticised Attorney-General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing the FBI's Russian investigation  a decision that was one factor leading to the appointment of Mueller. And he has privately discussed his power to issue pardons, including for himself, and explored potential avenues for undercutting Mueller's work. President Donald Trump arrives at Andrews Air Force Base on Air Force One. Credit:AP Although misleading the public or the press is not a crime, advisers to Trump and his family told The Washington Post that they fear any indication that Trump was seeking to hide information about contacts between his campaign and Russians almost inevitably would draw additional scrutiny from Mueller. Trump, they say, is increasingly acting as his own lawyer, strategist and publicist, often disregarding the recommendations of the professionals he has hired. Donald Trump jnr organised the meeting at Trup Tower in June 2016. Credit:AP

"He refuses to sit still," the presidential adviser said. "He doesn't think he's in any legal jeopardy, so he really views this as a political problem he is going to solve by himself." Trump has said that the Russia probe is "the greatest witch-hunt in political history," calling it an elaborate hoax created by Democrats to explain Hillary Clinton losing an election she should have won. Donald Trump jnr is at the centre of a storm surrounding his meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Credit:AP Because Trump believes he is innocent, some advisers explained, he therefore does not think he is at any legal risk for a cover-up. In his mind, they said, there is nothing to conceal. The White House directed all questions for this story to the President's legal team.

One of Trump's attorneys, Jay Sekulow, declined to discuss the specifics of Trump's actions and his role in crafting his son's statement about the Russian contact. Sekulow issued a one-sentence statement in response to a list of detailed questions from The Post. "Apart from being of no consequence, the characterisations are misinformed, inaccurate and not pertinent," Sekulow's statement read. Trump jnr did not respond to requests for comment. His lawyer, Alan Futerfas, told The Post that he and his client "were fully prepared and absolutely prepared to make a fulsome statement" about the meeting, what led up to it and what was discussed. Asked about Trump intervening, Futerfas said, "I have no evidence to support that theory". He described the process of drafting a statement as "a communal situation that involved communications people and various lawyers". Peter Zeidenberg, the deputy special prosecutor who investigated the George W. Bush administration's leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, said Mueller will have to dig into the crafting of Trump jnr's statement aboard Air Force One.

Prosecutors typically assume that any misleading statement is an effort to throw investigators off the track, Zeidenberg said. "The thing that really strikes me about this is the stupidity of involving the President," Zeidenberg said. "They are still treating this like a family-run business and they have a PR problem ... what they don't seem to understand is this is a criminal investigation involving all of them." The debate about how to deal with the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting began weeks before any news organisations began to ask questions about it. Kushner's legal team first learned about the meeting when doing research to respond to congressional requests for information. Congressional investigators wanted to know about any contacts the President's son-in-law and senior adviser had with Russian officials or business people. Kushner's lawyers came across what they immediately recognised would eventually become a problematic story. A string of emails showed Kushner attended a meeting with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower in the midst of the campaign  one he had failed to disclose. Trump jnr had arranged it, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort had also attended.
Brussels: Spanish and Finnish fighter jets were sent to intercept three Russian planes flying near Estonian air space on Tuesday, the NATO military alliance said in a statement.

The Russian airplanes were identified as two MiG-31 jets and one Antonov AN-26 transport aircraft, NATO said.

"Two Spanish F-18 jets assigned to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission scrambled from Estonia's Amari Air Base," NATO said.

"Finnish jets also scrambled to intercept the aircraft."
When firing the FBI director in May, Trump deployed one his most trusted and longest-serving aides to carry out the task: bodyguard-turned-security director- turned director of Oval Office operations Keith Schiller. Schiller was sent to the Justice Department to deliver a letter notifying Comey of his firing. But the director was in California and learned of his dismissal from TV. Corey Lewandowski Campaign manager Corey Lewandowski had guided the campaign with the motto, "Let Trump be Trump". Trump had stuck with Lewandowski even after he was accused of roughing up a female reporter. He agreed to pull the plug in June 2016 only after an intervention from his adult children and son-in-law. Lewandowski was unceremoniously escorted out of Trump Tower in Manhattan by security after being notified of his dismissal. Chris Christie New Jersey's governor spent months leading the president-elect's transition team, pulling together policy papers and coming up with lists of potential cabinet members. But Trump decided he no longer required Christie's services in the days after his November 8 election. According to The New York Times, Trump gave chief strategist Steve Bannon the chore of telling Christie he was out.

Paul Manafort Trump chose to fire his campaign chairman amid a steady stream of negative headlines about Manafort's foreign consulting work. He technically resigned from the position last August but Trump's son, Eric Trump, said in an interview his father was concerned that questions about Manafort's past were taking attention away from the billionaire's presidential bid. Michael Flynn Trump's campaign adviser-turned-national security adviser resigned in February following reports that he had misled Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russia. But Flynn's resignation wasn't voluntary. Trump later said that he'd fired Flynn, and blamed leaks from intelligence agencies and biased reporting from the "fake media" for forcing his hand. Preet Bharara

The former leading prosecutor claims he was sacked by Donald Trump in March after refusing an order from the attorney general to resign. Mr Bharara, a 48-year-old US attorney for the southern district of New York, made a name for himself taking on Wall Street corruption, terrorism and political malfeasance. Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, issued an order that all 46 Obama-appointed prosecutors resign immediately. Mr Bharara refused to resign and so was subsequently fired. Walter Shaub The head of the US Office of Government Ethics stepped down in July before his five-year term was to end. Mr Shaub, who also served during the administrations of Barack Obama and George W. Bush, had been an outspoken critic of Mr Trump over potential for conflicts of interest involving his business affairs.

He said: "In working with the current administration it has become clear to me that we need improvements to the existing ethics programme." Michael Dubke The founder of Crossroads Media resigned as White House communications director in May. "The reasons for my departure are personal, but it has been my great honor to serve President Trump and this administration," said Mr Dubke, in an email to friends, reported by Politico. Mr Dubke's resignation came amid criticism levelled at the White House over its communication strategy, in particular contradictions between the president and his press team. Sally Yates

The acting US attorney general was fired by Mr Trump in January after she ordered Justice Department lawyers not to enforce Mr Trump's controversial immigration ban. The president accused Ms Yates of having "betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States." Ms Yates, who was appointed by Barack Obama, said in an open letter that she is "not convinced that the executive order is lawful". Sam Nunberg Loading
POINTE BLANCHE:---- Port St. Maarten was chosen by cruisers as the number two port of call in Cruise Critic Cruisers Choice 2017 in the top-five rated Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda Destinations despite cruise industry challenges and market fluctuations.

One cruiser comment selected and profiled on the online website of Cruise Critic said: My favorite island  excellent shopping, multitude of things to do on the island, lots of beaches, restaurants, shops, etc. Very friendly locals, by kbielecki70.

Rankings are based on member review ratings for cruises taken in the last year. Awards are based on port reviews from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

On Wednesday, Cruise Critic announced the winners of its second annual Cruisers Choice Destination Awards, naming the worlds top cruise destinations, based entirely on consumer ratings submitted with reviews on CruiseCritic.com. The awards name the top cruise destinations across 15 regions worldwide.

Cruise Critic is the leading cruise reviews and information site which hosts the largest online cruise community in the world. The site receives more than 350,000 cruise reviews, covering approximately 500 cruise ships and over 300 worldwide ports, from first-time cruisers to avid cruise fans, who visit Cruise Critic to research and plan their cruises, connect with other cruisers and share their passion for cruising.

Cruise Critic was the first consumer cruise site on the internet, launched in October 1995 by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, Inc.

TripAdvisor, Inc. through its subsidiaries, manages and operates websites under 23 other travel media brands, whose sites make up the largest community in the world, reaching 390 million average unique monthly visitors in 49 markets worldwide, and offers advice from millions of travelers, with 465 million reviews and opinions covering seven million accommodations, restaurants and attractions.

Itineraries are incredibly important to todays cruisers who are more focused than ever on where theyre going and what they can do while theyre there, explains Colleen McDaniel, Senior Executive Editor of Cruise Critic.

Cruise lines have focused on expanding their offerings to quench that thirst for exploration  and this years list of winning destinations shows the wide array of adventures cruising offers, McDaniel added.

Port St. Maarten will continue with its strategic approach with the implementation of its strategic business plan 2019 and investment plan 2021 in order to maintain growth and continue to expand and maintain the cruise ports position in a global competitive environment, Port St. Maarten Management said on Monday.

Port St. Maarten Management added: The ports strategic approach also takes into consideration capacity versus quality and the emphasis is on improving shore excursions and experience rating numbers which every stakeholder within the cruise and tourism sectors have a role to play to maintain the countrys preferred top tier destination ranking.

No other single resource covers the world of cruising as thoroughly as Cruise Critic. Since its inception in 1995, Cruise Critic has earned the status of being the most influential cruise site on the Web, and an innovator of consumer-oriented cruise travel news.

The site was acquired by TripAdvisor in 2007, and is part of the largest travel community in the world.

Cruise Critic is the only cruise resource to deliver a complete package which offers: Authority as the market leader for consumer cruise information; The world's largest cruise community; Information and advice on all aspects of cruising; Professional and user-submitted cruise reviews; Cruise planning tools, cruise deals, special offers and more.
Pond Island - St. Maartens incumbent telecommunication provider, TelEm Group, has posted a profit for the year 2016. The actual figures have been presented to the companys Supervisory Board of Directors and the Government shareholder in recent weeks for their consideration and review and are not being made public at this time.

The announcement was made to TelEm Group personnel in a brief internal announcement Friday, in which Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Kendall Dupersoy, and Chief Financial officer (CFO) Mrs. Helma Etnel, praised management and staff for the positive financial returns for 2016 in the face of the trend of decreased revenues in the telecommunication industry generally.

Mr. Dupersoy said he has followed the companys financial progress as a former member of the Supervisory Board of Directors, and most recently, from the start of the year 2017, as the companys Chief Executive Officer and is pleased with the figures for 2016, considering the challenges that were faced.

He intends to continue to put things in place at TelEm Group to maintain the companys sustainability by rolling out exciting new products and services based on investments made in the past two years that will soon be coming to fruition.

The CEO informed staff that he will be meeting with them to outline the companys achievements in the past financial year and also to look ahead to what is taking place in the current financial year with projections for the year.

We are already making some fundamental changes in the way we have been doing business and the persons we have been doing business with and we are also forming new friendships and partnerships for the future, said Mr. Dupersoy, noting that amongst these new Friends is the MER Group from Israel, who will be starting work on the companys massive Fiber-To-The-Home roll out island-wide within the next few weeks.

Amongst the achievements outlined for the financial year 2016 are:

 The companys high standard of completing its financial statements for the year timely and its high ethical standards based on a 95% Corporate Governance compliance rating.

 New loan with more attractive financing terms

 Strategic decision-making, including the purchase of St. Maarten Cable TV and installation of new state of the art switch for international and local fixed services, new prepaid platform

 New international network infrastructures  for mobile voice and data and also a new Internet infrastructure.

 Final phases of soon to be introduces products and services included Fiber to the Home (FTTH), LTE/4G and IPTV.

The CEO is also pointing to other important developments for the community in the past year, including the laying of the groundwork for a Camera Surveillance Project in the Philipsburg area in collaboration with the Police and the Ministry of Justice, a Multi-million dollar project to provide redundant broadband capacity to St. Maarten in the event of damage to the companys main submarine fiber cable SMPR-1, and the upgrade of mobile cell sites to improve quality of service for customers.

TelEm Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mrs. Helma Etnel, said the Net profit made by TelEm Group for the financial year 2016, is evidence of the sound business practices and strategies that were put in place to counter decreased revenues resulting from new trends in the local telecommunication industry. She said traditional revenue streams for the past few years have been severely affected by free voice and data services including social media such as Skype, Whatsapp, Facebook, Messenger Etc, leaving TelEm Group to find new ways and means to sustain the company and ensure its survival in a competitively tough and oversaturated tiny local telecommunication market.

Our purchase of St. Maarten Cable TV, added to other strategic decisions we have taken in the area of a new fibre infrastructure for St. Maarten and the installation of a new internet platform and our investment into the soon-to-be launched LTE/4G mobile voice and data network have all put us in a great position to continue to ride what has been a very challenging wave for the past few years, said the CFO.

Mrs. Etnel thanked the Supervisory Board of Directors and the Shareholder Representative for their continued support of the company plans. She meantime reserved extreme high praise for the TelEm Group entire staff, the management team and her executive colleagues for their hard work and dedication and contribution in successfully completing the many ongoing projects, realizing a profit over the year 2016.

I am pleased that we were successful in building very solid foundation for the future of our Telecommunication company even though I would still remind that we are still left to take some crucial strategic decisions that are pending with the shareholder, at some time in the future, said Mrs. Etnel.

She said TelEm Group personnel have good cause to be proud of their achievements in the last financial year and counts on everyone for their continued support and commitment as the company continues to move forward.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on August 1, 2017. The Minister of Finance will be present.

The plenary public meeting has been set for Tuesday, August 1, 2017, at 14.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points are:

1. Incoming documents;

2. Approval Decision Lists Public meetings Parliamentary Year 2016-2017 no. OV 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16;

3. Draft national ordinance amending the national ordinance supervision of banking and credit, the national ordinance monitoring insurance business, the national ordinance monitoring stock exchanges, the national ordinance supervision of investment institutions and administrators, the national ordinance monitoring trust, and the national ordinance insurance broking business (National Ordinance monitoring, updating and harmonizing Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten);

4. Draft national ordinance regulating rules for the supervision of money transaction offices (National Ordinance Monitoring Money Transaction Offices).

This meeting started on Monday, July 31, 2017, but had to be adjourned at a given point due to a lack of quorum.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.sx and via www.sxmparliament.org.
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Claim: A shoplifter who stabbed a Marine collecting Toys for Tots was then whomped by other Marines. Rating: About this rating Mostly True

At about 1:15 p.m. on 26 November 2010 (which was the day after Thanksgiving, better known as "Black Friday"), those manning the surveillance cameras at a Best Buy in Augusta, Georgia, spotted a shopper cutting a Dell laptop computer from its packaging and stuffing it down his pants. According to police, store security personnel approached the suspect, 39-year-old Tracey Attaway of Waynesboro, Georgia, and asked him to return the merchandise. Attaway became angry, released the laptop, and ran out the front door, pulling a knife and knocking down a Best Buy employee in the process.

Outside the store's entrance were four Marines and seven volunteers collecting donations for Toys for Tots. One of the former group, Cpl. Phillip Duggan, clotheslined the running man, bringing him to the ground. The assailant regained his feet and swung his knife, stabbing Duggan, then was quickly tackled by several other Marines and members of the store's loss-prevention team, who held him in the parking lot until deputies arrived:

The injured Marine was taken to Eisenhower Army Medical Center and released after receiving three stitches. He was well enough the next day to drop off a toy for donation at a nearby WalMart store:

Cpl. Duggan's attacker, Tracey Attaway, was jailed and charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a knife in the commission of a crime, and in October 2011 he was sentenced to life in prison. (Attaway faced the maximum sentence on all assault and theft charges because he was a convicted felon with 30 prior arrests on his record.)

However, what makes this incident an enduring item of interest on the Internet is an account of the crime which was circulated via e-mail in December 2010 and presented as a 27 November Associated Press reporting of the incident:

November 27, 2010 Associated Press AUGUSTA, Ga. - A U.S. Marine reservist collecting toys for children was stabbed when he helped stop a suspected shoplifter in eastern Georgia. Best Buy sales manager Orvin Smith told The Augusta Chronicle that man was seen on surveillance cameras Friday putting a laptop under his jacket at the Augusta store. When confronted, the man became irate, knocked down an employee, pulled a knife and ran toward the door. Outside were four Marines collecting toys for the service branch's "Toys For Tots" program. Smith said the Marines stopped the man, but he stabbed one of them, Cpl. Phillip Duggan, in the back. The cut did not appear to be severe. The suspect was transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, a broken leg, possible broken ribs, assorted lacerations and bruises he obtained when he fell trying to run after stabbing the Marine. The suspect, whose name was not released, was held until police arrived. The Richmond County Sheriff's office said it is investigating.

Although that account was indeed based on an Associated Press (AP) news article, it contained a paragraph not found in the original report:

The suspect was transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, a broken leg, possible broken ribs, assorted lacerations and bruises he obtained when he fell trying to run after stabbing the Marine.

(The audience is supposed to read between the lines quoted above and conclude that the suspect did not fall, but rather was beaten by the other three Marines.)

None of the news accounts, police reports, or interviews about this incident indicated that Attaway was injured, either while being subdued or afterwards. That bit was pure invention on the part of some person who inserted the additional paragraph into the news account, thereby transforming it into a "Don't mess with the Marines" object lesson. A fake image representing a newspaper article was later created for this item, one which added the (apocryphal) statement that the fleeing suspect sustained multiple injuries "when he slipped and fell off the curb":
A.M. Best to Sponsor and Exhibit at 2017 Vermont Captive Insurance Association's Annual Conference, Managing Director to Speak

A.M. Best is a Platinum Sponsor of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association's (VCIA) Annual Conference, to be held Aug. 8-10 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center, Burlington, VT. A.M. Best will exhibit at booth 32, and representatives from A.M. Best's ratings, business development, industry relations, communications, advertising and sales teams will attend.

John Andre, managing director, will speak at a session, titled, "Benchmarking: Gathering Valuable Intel (News - Alert)," scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 8, at 1:15 p.m. (EDT). The session will take place at the Dudley H. Davis Center, located nearby at 590 Main Street.

A.M.BestTV will also be at the conference to provide video coverage. For details, visit http//www.ambest.tv and look for "VCIA" under the "Conferences 2017" tab during the show. Conference attendees who would like to be considered for an interview are encouraged to visit booth 108 or email Meg Green, senior associate editor, at [email protected].







A.M. Best is the leading credit rating organization dedicated to serving the global insurance industry, including the alternative risk transfer market. Best's Credit Ratings are a means of assessing the financial strength and creditworthiness of captives, risk retention groups, self-insurance pools and trusts, large-capacity facilities, protected cell companies and specialized reinsurers. Learn more about Best's Credit Ratings and read criteria reports explaining the rating system at http://www.ambest.com/ratings.

A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2017 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170731005553/en/
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[July 31, 2017] Resilience Capital Partners Expands UK Print Operations

U.S. private equity firm Resilience Capital Partners announced that its UK print specialist DG3 Group (Holdings) Limited is merging its offset print operations with London-based Leycol Printers Limited, which will expand its business and take advantage of the huge market potential in digital and print marketing. As part of the transaction, Leycol Printers is merging into DG3 (Diversified Global Graphics Group), a Resilience Capital Partners portfolio company and global provider of digital and print marketing document management services and compliance solutions. Founded in 1978, Leycol Printers is an independent provider of high-end offset and lithographic printing services to numerous clients in the financial and commercial print market. Gary Wilson, who privately owns Leycol Printers, will serve as Director in a client-focused capacity once the company becomes a division of DG3. Leycol Printers' main operation in Bromley by Bow in East London is in close proximity to DG3's own 149-person operation in London, one of the five operations centers the company maintains around the world in addition to its headquarters. This acquisition is the ninth in the past year and the 15th transaction in the past two years by Resilience Capital Partners, which manages in excess of $625 million. Funding for this investment will come from Resilience Fund IV, which closed in October 2015 with $350 million in investable capital. Financial terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. "Like DG3, Leycol Printers is a highly regarded digital and printing partner to some of the world's most admired companies. With this merger, the company is well positioned to take advantage of the huge opportunity, specifically in the rapidly growing digital solutions market," said Bassem Mansour, co-CEO of Resilience Capital Partners. Steven H. Rosen, co-CEO of Resilience Capital Partners, said, "The complementary strengths that DG3 and Leycol Printers bring to their new relationship will increase their competitiveness, diversify their markets andstrategically position them as digital printing processes become an increasingly important part of the landscape. There is tremendous upside in this market for a company with the reputation and capabilities that DG3 and Leycol Printers bring."



"Partnering with a worldwide leader such as DG3 is a great opportunity for our clients," said Gary Wilson, currently the Managing Director at Leycol Printers. "The combined business will position DG3 as one of the UK's largest financial, commercial and fine art printing companies. Together, as a one-stop shop offering digital print, mailing and cross-media capabilities, we will be able to continue meeting our clients' existing requirements and, at the same time, offer them an extensive range of new digital products and services." DG3 provides client-centric, globally integrated digital document and print solutions to organizations around the world. DG3 proprietary systems enable clients to improve workflow efficiencies, share digital data more securely across networks and platforms and meet compliance requirements from a host of regulators in different nations and different industries.

This transaction is the second printing industry acquisition by the Cleveland, Ohio-based private equity firm in just 13 months, following the acquisition of DG3 in June 2016. In April of this year, Resilience purchased certain assets from National Label, a 103-year-old leader in the labeling industry. With those assets, Resilience established Lux Global Label Company, one of the foremost producers of high quality, custom printed labels and other related products and a world leader in design and innovation. About Resilience Capital Partners Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Resilience invests in niche-oriented manufacturing, value added distribution and business service companies with sustainable market positions and a clear path to cash flow improvement. Resilience targets platform businesses with $25 million to $250 million in revenues across a broad range of industries where it can improve a company's operations, competitive positioning and profitability. Resilience manages in excess of $625 million for its global investor base which includes pension funds, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, fund of funds and family offices. For more information, please visit www.resiliencecapital.com. About the DG3 Group of Companies DG3 is a leader in environmental responsibility, providing visual communications solutions in strategic geographic markets including Boston, New York, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney and Manila. DG3 provides its comprehensive graphic and interactive solutions to corporate, financial services, and pharmaceutical firms worldwide. DG3 is a portfolio company of Resilience Capital Partners (www.resiliencecapital.com). For more information on DG3, please visit www.dg3.com. About Leycol Printers Ltd. Established nearly 40 years ago, Leycol Printers has evolved into one of the United Kingdom's leading printers, specializing in the best quality available to many market leaders and luxury brands. The company employs a team of highly motivated and skilled personnel, achieving the most demanding deadlines through flexible working practices. It regularly works with top design agencies, galleries, corporate and luxury brands, developing long-standing relationships. For more information, visit www.leycol.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170731006013/en/

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Everything you need to know about No. 20 Notre Dame's game vs. Navy Saturday in Baltimore
[July 31, 2017] Global Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market (2017-2023): Key Players are IBM Corporation, Huawei Technology, Intel Corporation, Juniper Network, Saguna Networks & Nokia Corporation - Research and Markets

The "Global Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) Market Insights, Opportunity, Analysis, Market Shares And Forecast 2017 - 2023" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. The Mobile Edge (News - Alert) Computing (MEC) market is expected to grow with a CAGR of around 50.2% during the forecast period 2016-2023. The rising data traffic is one of the major factor which is increasing the growth of global mobile edge computing market. In 2016, the global mobile data traffic is accounted at 8.9 exabytes which is expected to reach to 69 exabytes by the end of 2022. Hence, the rise in data traffic is rising the demand of mobile edge communication systems. In addition to driving factor there are factors such as regulatory & legal framework and privacy and security concern as one of the key restraining factor restricting the growth of mobile edge computing market. Geographically, North America held the highest revenue share in 2016 in mobile edge compting market. The growth in North American mobile edge computing market is majorly driven by the increasing adoption of smart devices such as smartphone, tablets, etc. The Asia pacific mobile edge computing market is expected to grow with an impressive CAGR during the forecast period 2016-2023. The growth of mobile edge computing market is mainly driven by proliferation of smartphones in countries such as India, China, etc. due to growing demand for real time access and social media growth. Furthermore, growing government initiative in Asian countries such as India, China, Japan, etc. is also contributing to growth in Asia Pacific mobile edge computing market.



Companies Mentioned Adlink Technology Inc.

Artesyn'S Embedded Technologies

Gigaspaces

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.

IBM (News - Alert) Corporation

Integrated Device Technology, Inc.

Intel Corporation

Juniper Networks, Inc.

Nokia (News - Alert) Corporation

Peerapp, Inc.

Quortus

Saguna Networks Ltd.

Spidercloud Wireless, Inc.

Vasona Networks

ZTE (News - Alert) Corporation

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction 2. Market Overview 3. Market Determinants 4. Market Segmentation 5. Competitive Landscape 6. Geographical Analysis 7. Company Profiles For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hm7lcf/global_mobile View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170731006303/en/

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[August 01, 2017] AvaTrade Reduces Spreads Across FX Pairs and Commodities

DUBLIN, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AvaTrade, the leading forex and CFD broker, has reduced the fixed, floating and options spreads by an average of 35% across the majors and as much as 50% on some FX pairs. This change sets AvaTrade as an industry-leading broker with some of the best trading conditions, including extra-low spreads, excellent bonuses and up to 400:1 leverage. On top of these reduced spreads, during 2017 AvaTrade has significantly increased its activity and portfolio. Entering the cryptocurrencies market, AvaTrade offers 24/7 trading on 5 top cryptocurrencies, both as pairs and individual assets. Regulated across the world, including under the Central Bank of Ireland, AvaTrade is one of the only fuly regulated brokers who offer bonuses on deposits and up to 400:1 leverage.



"We are always looking to improve our offering to our clients, and constantly thrive to stay one step ahead of the industry," says Mr. Daire Ferguson, CEO of AvaTrade. "Customers who want great conditions without compromising on regulation and security, can find the perfect combination of all with AvaTrade. We are working relentlessly to provide new and exciting features, tools and offers to our clients," concluded Ferguson. Find out more about AvaTrade at http://www.avatrade.com

About AvaTrade AvaTrade, the leading forex and CFD broker, was founded in 2006 and offers more than 250 financial instruments, top trading platforms, and a new cutting-edge mobile app, AvaTradeGO. Clients enjoy personal account managers and a 24-hour live customer service in 15 languages. AvaTrade accommodates to traders of all levels, and further ensures secured trading with advanced encryption and fully segregated accounts. AvaTrade is fully regulated in the EU, Japan, Australia, South Africa & BVI. Press Contact Orly Garini-Dil

Marcom Director

+1-646-335-0738 (Ext. 2125)

[email protected]

SOURCE AvaTrade

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[August 01, 2017] Evaluate: Japanese Pharmaceutical Market Set to Grow 3.3% (CAGR) Between 2017 and 2022, Significantly Lower than the Worldwide Outlook (6.5% CAGR)

According to life science commercial intelligence firm, Evaluate, the enforcement of a much more stringent pricing revision policy in Japan, both for new products as well as off-patent brands, is behind the decline of the products currently on the market which are forecast to drop about 2% annually in sales through 2022. The prices of Gilead's hepatitis C virus (HCV) blockbusters Sovaldi and Harvoni have been subject to significant price scrutiny and most recently the Japanese government has forced a price reduction of 50% on Opdivo, BMS' novel PD-1/PD-L1 agent. However, the sales decline of marketed products is counterbalanced by the optimism surrounding new therapies coming to market expected to account for 34% of sales in 2022, among the top ranking are Dupixent (Sanofi), Ibrance (Pfizer), Entresto (Novartis), Aducanumab (Biogen), and Emicizumab (Chugai). Evaluate recently launched consensus drug forecasts for the Japanese market revealing new insights on the future outlook of the country's Pharma & Biotech sector for benchmarking and market analysis. For more information and to download the topline marketed and R&D forecast to 2022 in Yen and USD visit: www.evaluate.com/JapanDrugForecasts.



### About Evaluate

Evaluate is the trusted provider of commercial intelligence including product sales and consensus forecasts to 2022 for commercial teams and their advisors within the global life science industry. We help our clients make high value decisions through superior quality, timely, must-have data and insights, combined with personalised, expert client support. Our online subscription services cover the pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech sectors. Our Custom Services group delivers project based analytical and data services. EP Vantage, our independent, award-winning editorial team, offers data-driven, forward-looking news, commentary and analysis on a daily basis. For more information, please visit: www.evaluategroup.com. On Twitter (News - Alert): @evaluatepharma, @evaluatemedtech, @evaluateJP, @epvantage. On Instagram: Evaluateltd. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801005900/en/

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SPIEGEL: Economic growth was down to about 3 percent between 2015 and 2016.

Simsek: 2016 was an exceptionally difficult year, if you recall what we went through. The refugee crisis, terror attacks, tensions with Russia, a failed coup -- events that would have tipped any other country into a serious recession. The Turkish economy actually grew. Borrowing is less than 2 percent. In this, we're in a better position than many EU countries.

SPIEGEL: The three leading credit ratings agencies have downgraded Turkey's credit rating to junk status.

Simsek: You're talking about 2016. I am optimistic that they will soon once again make a more realistic estimate.

SPIEGEL: Just a few years ago, Turkey was held up as a role model for other countries in the region and Erdogan was seen in the West as a democratic reformer. Today it's considered a rogue state. What went wrong?

Simsek: The Fethullah Gulen terror organization has done its best to make the Turkish government look bad. It made sure the Gezi Park protests in 2013 escalated, it spread the rumor that Turkey was supplying arms to Islamic extremists in Syria, it masterminded corruption inquiries targeting ministers.

SPIEGEL: So you are claiming that the problems of recent years are part of a plot devised by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen's movement, which you have recently been describing as a terror organization?

Simsek: That is right.

SPIEGEL: And you expect your partners in the West to believe this too?

Simsek: The terrorism practiced by the Gulen sect poses an existential threat to Turkey. We expect our allies in Europe and the United States to show solidarity and empathy with the Turkish people.

SPIEGEL: In the wake of the failed coup, your government dismissed some 140,000 civil servants and arrested around 55,000 people. With all due respect for the trauma caused by the events of July 15, 2016, this is an extreme response.

Simsek: Gulen's cadre have been infiltrating the state for years. They have installed themselves in many institutions. They controlled the police, the judiciary. Who can seriously expect a state to continue to employ its enemies?

SPIEGEL: What do the teachers, lawyers and journalists who have been arrested have to do with the rebels who carried out the coup on July 15, 2016?

Simsek: Purging the Turkish state of Gulen terrorists is our duty. We are not dismantling Turkish democracy, as many maintain. We are protecting the public from a criminal organization.

SPIEGEL: For years, President Erdogan and Fethullah Gulen worked together very closely. Why didn't the government clamp down earlier on these supposed enemies of the state?

Simsek: It was not only the Justice and Development Party that gave the Gulen sect its momentum. Fethullah Gulen was on excellent terms with most of Turkey's prime ministers. Had we been aware earlier of the dangers posed by his criminal network, we would have acted. But we were deceived by the Gulen sect.

SPIEGEL: In his book "The Imam's Army," journalist Ahmet Sik describes the Gulen cadre's infiltration of the state in detail -- and that was back in 2011.

Simsek: At that point all sorts of rumors about religious movements were circulating. We were only able to sprint into action in 2013 when we possessed specific evidence against Gulen.
SPIEGEL: How did it influence the Arab Spring?

Al Saud: The Egyptians were a protester nation -- they acted as catalysts. But young Tunisians and Syrians also used Facebook.

SPIEGEL: Saudi Arabia is undergoing an upheaval . What will the situation there be in five years?

Al Saud: The youth will become visible. Because the rulers in the royal family stand behind us. We can actively contribute to developments in art , the economy, medicine. But it only works if we do it together. The pious need to be taken along into this new era.
[August 01, 2017] Razer Launches The BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma V2 Keyboard For Competitive Gaming

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the launch of the Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition (TE) Chroma V2, the gaming keyboard of choice for esports players. The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 is the compact mechanical gaming keyboard built for competitive gamers looking for rapid reaction speeds. The new keyboard boasts Razer's new Instant Trigger Technology (ITT), enabling industry-leading response times within a gaming keyboard. Upon actuation of a single key, Razer's ITT cancels any delay between key actuations to provide rapid response from your keyboard to your system. The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 offers users the choice between Razer's multi-award winning mechanical Green, Orange or Yellow switches. Designed without a tactile bump or click, the Razer Yellow switches are silent and rapid to meet the demands of fast-paced first person shooter (FPS) and online multiplayer battle arena (MOBA) type games. With an unmatched response rate, Razer Yellow switches offer a 1.2mm actuation point, is 40 percent faster than standard mechanical key switches, and has been tested under the most intense gaming sessions to ensure a lifespan of up to 80 million keystrokes. "Gamers rely on their gear to react and respond as fast as they do no matter the situation, from landing a headshot to combining ultimate abilities as a team," says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder, and CEO. "Timing is critical. The BlackWidow TE Chroma V2's Instant Trigger Technology works hand-in-hand with our Yellow switches, setting the bar for the industry's fastest response rating on a keyboard with the ultimate combination of hardware and software." Designed for portability, the Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 keyboard includes a compact, tenkeyless layout, and detachable USB braided cable. A new magnetic ergonomic wrist rest is also offered for extreme comfort while gaming and is detachable for maximum portability. The Razer BlackWidow TE Chroma V2 features individually backlit keys that are powered by Razer Chroma technology, which unlocks customizable lihting features that can be synced across devices. Gamers can choose from 16.8 million colors and a variety of effects. Custom settings can be created using the Razer Synapse software platform and shared with millions of other Razer software users via the Razer Chroma Workshop. In-game Razer Chroma lighting profiles are also integrated into popular game titles, including "Overwatch" and "Call of Duty."



The Razer BlackWidow Chroma TE V2 is available for order now from RazerStore.com. For more information, please visit razerzone.com/gaming-keyboards-keypads/razer-blackwidow-tournament-edition-chroma-v2

Price: U.S. $139.99 / EU 149.99 Availability:

Razerzone.com  Available Now

Worldwide  August 2017 Product features: Razer Mechanical Switches with 50 g actuation force (Green)

Razer Mechanical Switches with 45 g actuation force (Orange / Yellow)

80 million keystroke life span

Detachable braided USB cable

Razer Chroma customizable backlighting with 16.8 million color options

Ergonomic magnetic and detachable wrist rest

New Instant Trigger Technology

Inter-device synchronization Images:

Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma V2 Images Video:

Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma V2 Launch Video ABOUT RAZER: Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The triple-headed snake logo trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized icons in the global gaming community, and the company has a fan base that spans every continent. Razer has designed and built the world's largest independent gamer ecosystem of hardware, software and services with over 35 million users. Razer's award-winning products include hardware such as high-performance gaming peripherals (for the PC and console platforms), the Razer Blade line of gaming laptops; software such as Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher); and services such as Razer zGold (a virtual credit service and payment engine for gamers). The company additionally provides audio-visual certification through its subsidiary THX Ltd. The company has a global footprint with 9 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading gaming brand in the US, Europe and China. Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer is backed by institutional investors such as IDG-Accel, Intel Capital, Digital Grid and Horizons Ventures. Press Contacts: Americas

Kevin Scarpati

[email protected] Stephen Huynh

[email protected] Europe/Africa

Jan Horak

[email protected] Asia Pacific

Nicholas Ferguson

[email protected] China

Evita Zhang

[email protected] Razer - For Gamers. By Gamers. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/razer-launches-the-blackwidow-tournament-edition-chroma-v2-keyboard-for-competitive-gaming-300497519.html SOURCE Razer

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A merger and acquisition (M&A) is not for the faint-hearted. Rather, it is a rigorous process with a required degree of detail that will make your head spin. A myriad of processes have to go right for this sort of business dealing to be successful.

Related: An M&A Wave Is Coming: 4 Ways to Determine Whether You Should Sell

But the good news is that successful M&As are not exclusive to Facebook-like acquisitions or Berkshire Hathaway buy-overs.

There are many reasons why top executives and business owners decide to do a merger. Some mergers are a way to kill competition by buying up rival companies. Other reasons may include the ability to easily gain new customers, boost business productivity, seamlessly penetrate a new market and even save a business from going under.

Whatever the reasons for a merger, the entire process starts and ends with strategy. You have to be willing to look at everything from culture fit, geographic location and product to the market, the industry and business perspectives. No one deliberately plans to enter a bad deal, but unfortunately, it does happen.

Here are a few tips that can help you keep your focus on the right things if you are about to execute an M&A.

1. Thoroughly evaluate your liquidity and financial capability.

While an M&A is not simply a financial transaction, you will be remiss to misinterpret the importance of financial stability while executing such a deal. If the recession taught businesses one thing, it is the importance of liquidity above profit-and-loss statements. Before embarking on a M&A, ascertain that your company has enough liquidity to make and sustain such an investment.

Also, keep an eye on your capital structure; you want to be sure that it can handle the added strain and responsibility. If each of these questions can't be answered in the affirmative, it may be a bad idea to go forward with your plan. Reason? Unless you can handle a sufficient amount of debt and access equity-capital funding strategies to provide you with the perfect balance sheet, you will need to hold off on that M&A.

2. Put together the perfect team.

Almost every company has these three divisions: finance, sales and marketing and operations. So, it makes sense to pull together a pool of experts that represent these areas of expertise. Depending on your unique situation, you may need to bring in external help in the form of legal counsel, valuation experts, investment bankers and accountants.

It is extremely important that the people who make up this team be able to work together; this is neither the place nor the time for maverick thinking. Everyone's eyes must be on the same objective, and these experts must think cohesively and communicate constantly.

They must also be willing to carry out their respective responsibilities within the limits of their authority as defined by the CEO or someone appointed by that person.

3. Establish your goals and measure for success.

Start by asking yourself some pertinent questions. Is your objective to boost your market share? Are you seeking to bring in new products, services and intellectual property under your corporate wing? Are you trying to break into new and contiguous markets? Are you trying to eliminate a competitor or to achieve vertical integration?

This introspection will definitely help you set goals for your business, and make decisions in the right direction, to keep you from veering off track.

4. Make sure information can be shared securely and efficiently.

In todays world, youll hardly hear of a company (buyer) sending over a team to the physical location of another company (the seller) to look at its books. We live in a digital world today that has eliminated the need for that hassle. However, this digitization brings its own hazards, especially in the form of security issues.

Related: My Post-Acquisition Report Card

For this reason, consider using a virtual room to help both parties look at each others business documents securely and efficiently. Virtual data rooms act as a neutral and secure off-site location where members of both teams can be free to share documents and collaborate effectively.

Virtual data rooms help expedite the M&A transaction process, not to mention that they significantly cut down costs such as transportation (if you were to fly in your executive team to physical data-room locations).

5. Get the best leadership team you can.

If youre planning to merge two separate entities, this means there will definitely be compatibility and integration issues, no matter how hard you've worked to reduce the risk of that happening.

Every transition requires the presence of strong leadership, whose members will be chosen to define the tone and set a precedent for the direction and efficiency of the new entity. Daniel J. Dewitt, a psychologist and partner with Shields Meneley Partners, a Chicago-based consultant, has suggested the right questions to ask, to avoid making the wrong leadership choices.

These include questions like, Is the executive a clear, quick thinker? and Does the executive have strong people skills?"

Importantly, these transition team leaders must be chosen from both sides of the deal.These people will already understand the workings and culture of their respective companies and understand their employees on a personal level; and those advantages trump the hiring of new executives.

Related: How to Retain Your Company Culture After Getting Acquired (And Why That's So Important)

In addition, these leaders will be able to set expectations and develop a well-defined transition and work plan while maintaining flexibility and adaptability as conditions continue to evolve.

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


While running a prestigious, 73-year-old company may sound like it'd come with a lot of pressure, Rick Wise has found a way to lead Lippincott while ensuring his employees have fun along the way. From a company-wide Emmy Awards spinoff party called the LEmmys to a company-curated art show -- Lippincott is not only creative in the work its staff does, but how they engage at the office too.

Related: Why This Co-Founder Keeps His Calendars Public to His Employees

I think a little bit of fun too like informal connections and our L'Emmys are an important part of making sure that we're enjoying ourselves along the journey, Wise told Entrepreneur.

Founded in 1943, Lippincott is one of the oldest companies in its space. The creative consulting agency helps major companies build brands, drive innovation and create cultures that spur growth. As a leader in the industry, its been the brains behind many iconic product designs such as the Campbells soup can, the Starbucks Siren and the Coca-Cola ribbon.

With more than 200 employees at offices in New York, Boston, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Paris, Wise manages teams from across the world. Hes been with Lippincott for 13 years now, with eight of those as the companys CEO. However, his experience as a leader goes beyond Lippincott. With more than 25 years of experience in consulting, Wise was a partner and head of strategy practice at a private equity firm before joining Lippincott in 2004.

From decision-making to hiring to team-building -- we spoke with Wise to learn more about how he successfully leads the 73-year-old company.

On the most important leadership traits:

The ability to be balanced in thinking about shorter and longer term. There's a tendency to want to focus on the day-to-day, so finding the time to step back and focus more broadly is a valuable trait.

[And] consistency and resiliency -- we're in a business that is very project-oriented [and] things go up and down, so living with that ambiguity and the fact that at times you're not quite sure what the future looks like.

Then I think there's an important dimension of knowing when to provide direction and when to step back and let people chart their own course within a looser set of guidelines and vision setting.

On leadership style:

I tend to focus on the bigger picture and the patterns. I try to be a bit of a cheerleader for everybody and almost view myself as a friendly helper at the center of the business.

We are a high-level consulting firm where we've got senior partners [who] are all very self-motivated and self-starting. So a key part for me is [giving] them the autonomy to do what they're here to do and to drive the business but to keep it integrated, focused and coherent.

On habits that help him lead:

I sit down at the beginning of every day and make a list of three things -- the operational things, the more tactical just do its and people to connect with and clients to reach out to, and the more strategic things I'm trying to advance that day in my set of meetings.

And it may be a little hokey but I actually write all that down as opposed to [putting] it in an electronic planner or iPhone. When you write notes somehow they just embed with you a little bit more.

On challenges:

The biggest challenge for me is [trying] to maintain that balance between the tactical minutiae and the emails and the little phone calls, and focusing on the bigger, more strategic things.

On the toughest business decision:

Clients that we decide we don't want to do work for for holistic and cultural reasons. Sometimes we get asked to work on brand projects for clients and it's a fine line because everybody [has] a different definition on what's right and where the line is. Sometimes there will be a client situation where we just say, Given the country of origin or the nature of the industry, we really want to step away.

Related: Why This CEO Plans Out Every Minute of His Day -- Even Time to Think

On the most important traits in a new hire:

The thing I'm most interested in a new hire is enthusiasm and initiative. That, to me, is the biggest intangible that drives success in a business and a business career for people. And that ability to be self-starting, to ask, What else could I be doing?

On recognizing employees:

We recognize achievements in a variety of ways. The most informal is we try to provide callouts on the fly to folks that are doing a great job.

We also have a more formal mechanism -- in our regular town halls, we give out Toucan Awards. The Toucan is a symbol going back in Lippincott's history to the '60s. We publish a magazine called Sense that we've published for decades, and at one point the Toucan was this icon or image in the Sense magazine. So we dusted him off and made him the centerpiece of our recognition program. We have little plush toy Toucans that we give out to people, sometimes we little plastic ones or Toucans erasers -- there's always a Toucan-themed thing that we're doing.

On team-building:

We have a big summer party and a big holiday party. Part of [the holiday party] is a separate recognition program that we call the LEmmys where we give out awards -- some of which are serious and some which are funny. We have a co-host and a whole scripted video -- it's fairly elaborate. That's a big centerpoint of our year.

Each of our offices also have their own little things they do, like our San Francisco team always does a wine tasting trip in the fall.

A couple of months ago we had an after hours Guggenheim museum tour for anybody who wanted to go. We also support a local charity called Creative Artworks, [where] we will do mural painting with them and help teach classes with kids at risk.

On unique office rituals:

At our annual holiday party, we do the L'Emmy Awards Show. And then quarterly we do something called L M N O P, which is a fun curated internal art gallery show that gets hosted in a cubicle and people submit their artwork and we have a cocktail party around it."

On managing meetings:

I try to set a clear agenda and a clear set of objectives, and then manage to that. Sometimes we succeed in that and sometimes we let things wander a bit because we're a very creative agency focused on strategic issues.

On scheduling:

What I typically do is lay in the critical meetings and then try to block the time around them for specific activities like financials or [reaching] out to clients. So I put in the major things and then fill in around them.

On office setup:

I've got a nice corner office and I sit right on the corner of 59th and Park in New York -- just looking out over Park Avenue. I've got a big round table that I work at facing Park Avenue. It's funny because 90 percent of the time I'm not even absorbing where I am or the view or anything because you're just doing your work and talking to people -- you're not focused on the surroundings.

The table is very informal and it's a space that's very collaborative, so I'm often meeting with people around it as opposed to just sitting there working. It's a space that allows for expansive thinking and collaboration.

On a strong company culture:

A really important aspect of a strong company culture is a shared sense of purpose. Having a clear sense of what you're trying to do, the role you're playing and in our case what you're doing for clients -- above and beyond the financial reason you're in business.

And then a sense of commitment to the people -- developing and advancing them and giving them a work environment where they can really succeed is also important. And a little bit of fun too -- making sure that we're enjoying ourselves along the journey.

On cultural mistakes:

If there's one thing I've learned its that as you are shifting what you're about and where you're focusing, you can't over-communicate and you can't overestimate how much you need to communicate. It may be really clear to you but you need to say it many times before people really internalize and register it.

On his biggest cultural win:

One of our biggest cultural wins was successfully bringing onboard our organizational engagement practice, which was an acquired company for us -- our first acquisition ever.

[Its] not an easy thing to integrate a new company into a company that has always grown organically and not through acquisition. [It] also [brought] a unique focus on culture, so that I think was both successful, energizing and a really nice enrichment of the culture.

Related: This Founder and CEO of a Unicorn Has a 'No Shoes' Policy

On his role models:

I don't necessarily look up to any one leader. I'm always drawn to examples of leaders who have managed to run and drive forward a complex organization with lots of different people and competing personalities and interests.

I've just been reading the history of the Pacific in World War II and a lot of emphasis on the leaders and the challenges. Adm. [Charles W.] Nimitz is an interesting character and an example of somebody who did a really nice job managing a very complex organization and interservice rivalry, [with] ambiguous objectives and not enough resources. [He] was bold at the right times, but also more hands off in general and so I think that's a great example of a leader I can relate to.

On his favorite leadership books:

One of the books that's been valuable for me is the one I wrote, [How to Grow When Markets Dont], because it's helped frame how I think about growth and strategy.

One that's been inspiring recently is [Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice] written by one of our partners Taddy Hall with Clay Christensen, who is the father of innovation. [Its] around competing against luck and a disciplined way to think about you grow and innovate successfully and consistently.

On where most leaders go wrong:

One place where leaders can go wrong is not recognizing when things have changed and the need to do things differently and recognizing that earlier rather than later.

Related:



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


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STAMFORD  Titan hung up his bulletproof harness this week.

The Stamford Police Department retired the 10-year-old German Shepherd after six and a half years on the job.

Titan, who has a custom-fit bulletproof harness, was an expert tracker for the department with his handler, Officer Mark Tymon.

Titan was an incredible tracking dog for a German Shepherd, K-9 Unit Sgt. Seth OBrien said. People often think the Bloodhound is the best tracking dog, but Titan could track as well as any dog I have had an opportunity to be around.

OBrien said police dogs often retire between 8 and 10 years old. OBrien retired his own dog, Cooper, in November after he turned 10.

At this point, we have come up with the demarcation line at 10. It would not be fair to subject him to a call that he might not be able to recover from, like jumping a tall fence or getting into a fight with a bad guy, OBrien said. If a dog is going to be that fortunate to make it to 10, that will be it.

The department now has eight working K-9s, including a Bloodhound, Labradors and German Shepherds. The department recenly added a young German Malinois named Axe, who is being handled by Officer Willie Guilford, to replace Titan.

OBrien said Titan has helped police track a bank robber in Greenwich, find a car thief in Darien and recently located a suicidal woman who wandered away.

Tymon, who has 20 years with the department, has taken Titan home with him to finish his life as a pet.

I think he is ready, OBrien said.

Jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com;
Almost one in three men said it was "not important at all" to have gender diversity in the workplace, according to a MSN poll for Business Insider. Almost one in four women said the same.



About one in five respondents  both men and women  said they prefer to work with men, far more than expressed a preference for working with women.



Two in five men think women are treated "very fairly" in the US workforce. Nearly one in five women said the same.



Women are facing an uphill battle in achieving equality at work.



Ivetta Starikova wanted to be a manager at a San Francisco Bay-area tech company. At 26, she was used to being one of the few women in a group. Before becoming an engineer, she studied math and computer science at University of California at Berkeley in a class that was heavily male.

Starikova's request to become a manager got rebuffed, and she said she was effectively fired. A mentor, an older man, advised her on the realities.

"Nobody will make you a manager because you're a girl and you're too young," Starikova recalled him saying.

The mentor had given her stellar recommendation letters in the past, and he was looking out for her, she said in an interview with Business Insider.

That was 14 years ago. She has since advanced in her career, now working as a product and project manager. But some perceptions about women at work haven't changed.

In a poll conducted earlier this month by Business Insider partner MSN, more than 90% of men and women said they were comfortable with having a boss of the opposite gender.

But their preferences tell a different story.

One in five men said they preferred working with men. Men with less education are more likely to say so. Among men who said they preferred working with their own gender, 24% had only a high-school diploma, 20% had some college, and 16% had a college degree or more.

The stats are about the same for women who prefer working with men, at 21%. Of those women, 24% had gone through high school, and 21% had gone through some college. Seventeen percent had college or more.

Other data backs this up. A Wall Street Journal poll last year found that both genders still preferred male bosses. The same percentage of men and women, 6%, said they preferred working with women, according to MSN's poll.

The data highlights how women are perceived at work, a domain largely unavailable to them until fairly recently. It also highlights that women are fighting an uphill battle. A large group of people, mostly men, don't want to work with them, don't think they should have to, and don't think there is a problem.

"Workplaces were created for men," said Katherine Zaleski, the cofounder of PowerToFly, which connects female engineers to jobs at startups.

"Women only came into the workplace around World War II. They were handed pink slips when the men came back. Then women started reentering the workforce in the '60s and '70s, where women were literally paid less, penalised for having children, and had no parental leave."

Three out of four men and women said they preferred to work with a mix of both men and women. But other data suggests perceptions of working women have a ways to go.

MSN polled more than 463,000 readers on its US homepage on Monday, July 17. It then used machine learning and big data, such as the census, to model how a representative sample of the US would have responded. It's nearly as accurate as a traditional scientific survey, MSN said.

Is gender diversity important? Not to a lot of people

Almost one in three men (31%) in MSN's poll said gender diversity at work was "not important at all." Women aren't far behind on that notion, with about one in four (24%) saying the same.

There could be many reasons for that. For example, we don't know what kind of workplace the respondents work in, so it's possible that these respondents work at companies that have already done well on that front. Or the data could mean simply that a lot of Americans don't think it's important.

"We have a lot of folks who are undeniably biased against women and don't think women can perform at the same levels," said Anna Auerbach, co-CEO of Werk, which matches employers to employees seeking flexibility.

"We still have a generation that was raised with a lot of stay-at-home moms. There's no judgement there, but you wouldn't think [gender diversity] was important unless you knew the data on how this was failing companies and was actually unfair."

Americans appeared split, in any case. On the other end of the spectrum, 28% of men and 41% of women in the MSN poll said gender diversity at work was "very important."

Some companies tout gender diversity as a way to boost their bottom lines, and there is some research that backs that up (here are examples from Harvard Business Review, Morgan Stanley, and McKinsey).

Some companies, like Paris-based Sodexo, have said that improving gender balance helped the firm's bottom line. Sodexo's CEO, writing for Harvard Business Review, said: "We found that our teams with gender-balanced management achieve operational, organisational, and performance benefits that include employee engagement, enhanced brand image, greater client and consumer satisfaction, increased organic growth, and an increase in generating profit and cash."

But some research challenges that gender correlates with company performance. For instance, a Wharton professor, in reviewing peer-reviewed academic research, found little correlation to gender diversity on boards and CEO gender on performance.

"Rigorous, peer-reviewed studies suggest that companies do not perform better when they have women on the board. Nor do they perform worse," the professor, Katherine Klein, wrote. "Depending on which meta-analysis you read, board gender diversity either has a very weak relationship with board performance or no relationship at all."

Klein added: "In sum, the research results suggest that there is no business case for  or against  appointing women to corporate boards. Women should be appointed to boards for reasons of gender equality, but not because gender diversity on boards leads to improvements in company performance."

That doesn't mean that some companies aren't forging ahead with finding ways to keep, and promote, their senior female talent.

"If you don't think gender diversity is important, then you won't have the best team you could possibly have," said Peter Riccio, founding partner at New York-based recruitment firm Atlas Search.

Riccio's recruiting company has created flexible schedules for all staffers so they can properly attend to children, family emergencies, and the like. That planning includes having junior staffers take up administrative tasks that would pile up for more senior workers if they leave work in the afternoon  which is expensive up front, but pays out in the long run, allowing him to keep on experienced talent and allowing them to use their time more efficiently while also attending to personal matters.

"Rather than you have to be at the job 9 to 5, you can work from home," Riccio said. "If theres someone who needs to leave at 4 every day to pick up kids from school, their hours don't necessarily change.

"On paper, in the beginning, it costs more money, but we get a lot more return on it," Riccio added. He said this method has allowed him keep on one of his star moneymakers, a recruiter who is also a mother, and that this method has also allowed her to more efficiently allocate her time at work.

A lot of men think women are treated 'very fairly' at work

Men and women diverge when it comes to perceptions of treatment of women at work. Forty percent of men think that women are treated "very fairly" in the US workforce, whereas 17% of women said the same, according to the MSN poll.

That's despite a heavily documented wage gap, in which women continue to be paid less across industries than men, some of which is related to opportunities for promotion. In a recent case, the BBC has drawn criticism for paying its star women significantly less than men. Even women who know they are being underpaid can be penalised for trying to negotiate a higher salary. If this survey is any indication, it will be some time before that gets easier.
A profit warning from cake decoration company Real Good Food left a bitter taste in the mouth today as the shares slumped.

Just a month ago, the AIM-listed company told investors that this year was done and dusted with solid revenues and profits, but today it had to tell them it had been too hasty.

The company, which owns Renshaw, the soft icing and marzipan-maker, and Haydens bakery, downgraded profits for the year ended March to around 2 million, having said at the end of June  alongside a 15 million fundraising earmarked for expansion plans  they would be at least 5 million.

It said two substantial historical claims against sugar suppliers it thought would have been settled last year have not yet materialised.

Worse still, a delay in the injection of funds has delayed Real Good Foods expansion plans.

That, combined with softer trading conditions in the first quarter, has forced it to slash forecasts for this year, with earnings now expected to be 2.3 million lower than before.

If that werent enough, it also revealed that payments for consultancy services totalling 1.9 million to directors, executive chairman Pieter Totte and non-executive director Peter Salter, had not been disclosed.

Salter resigned from the board with immediate effect today.

Unsurprisingly, the announcement put investors off the shares, which plunged 14p, or 40%, to 21p.

Away from the trials and tribulations of the junior market, the picture was much rosier among the blue-chips.

The FTSE 100 rallied 57.76 points, or 0.8%, to 7429.76, thanks to strong results from heavyweights such as BP and Rolls-Royce. The oil price rise  Brent climbed 13 cents to $52.85 a barrel  also lent a hand.

Its not one of the biggest Footsie constituents, but Intertek made a name for itself today, surging 409.54p, or 10%, to 4690p on the back of strong first-half numbers.

Taylor Wimpey, up 1.9p at 192.3p, was on firmer footing as it became the latest housebuilder to release strong first-half figures.

The company was also more upbeat about central London, which has been a concern for investors this year.

Shares in troubled Iraqi oil firm Genel fired up 6.75p to 108.25p as it managed to swing to a small half-year profit. Investors were also reassured that talks with potential funding partners for its gas business are ongoing, with an update due later in the year.

On AIM, UK Oil & Gas, the largest investor in the Gatwick Gusher oil discovery, recovered from falls last week as it put on 1.25p, or 21%, to 7.3p.

It came after an update following the market close yesterday, which revealed it had secured all the permits needed to flow-test its Broadford Bridge-1 well. It also revealed French oil firm SCDM Energy has taken a 5% stake.
S upermarkets giant Morrisons gave rival Sainsburys food for thought over its Nisa takeover today as it unveiled a supply deal thought to be worth 1 billion with McColls to bring back the Safeway brand.

Morrisons is to become the sole wholesale supplier for McColls, which has 1300 convenience stores and 350 newsagents across the UK, and will replace current suppliers Nisa and Palmer & Harvey.

Sainsburys is reported to be eyeing Nisa in a 130 million deal, but an end to Nisas 2 billion supply deal with McColls, its largest customer, could prompt Sainsburys to walk away from an offer.

However, a person familiar with the situation said Sainsburys proposal "was not conditional on Nisa retaining the McColls contract".

It comes as competition among the big players in the wholesale market hots up, with Tescos 3.7 billion takeover of Booker Group.

The competition watchdog launched an in-depth probe into the deal last month, highlighting concerns about the long-term stability of other wholesalers. Debt-laden cigarettes supplier Palmer & Harvey is seeking a cash injection.

Under chief executive David Potts, Morrisons has canned its convenience stores and become a wholesaler, reviving the Safeway brand 12 years after buying it.

McColls shares jumped 19p, or 8%, to 249p.
R olls-Royce chief executive Warren East counts playing the organ among his hobbies. But when he took the top job at the most famous name in British engineering two years ago, the company was hitting all the wrong notes.

The storied name had become a byword for corporate bureaucracy under former boss John Rishton, faced with spiralling costs, weak markets and a Serious Fraud Office probe to boot.

It was in the middle of a horrendous run of five profit warnings. Even worse, talk of a takeover or break-up abounded for the maker of Britains nuclear submarine reactors after activist investor ValueAct built a stake.

East would oversee two more profit warnings in 2015 but his medicine  targeting 200 million in cost savings over three years  is now hitting the spot.

Hes taken out the engineering bureaucracy which infected the rest of the business by stripping out management. Rolls is also getting better at making its key Trent XWB engines.

The firm loses money building the engines, but profits in the after-market servicing them.

Now Rolls is making almost twice as many engines as last year, so the costs are coming down, and there are more engines in the sky, so the servicing profits go up.

Added to that, Airbuss cheaper launch price period for its A350 aircraft to encourage airlines to buy them is coming to an end in another boost to revenues.

Even with Brexit on the horizon, the turnaround looks to be gathering pace. East, understandably cautious after Rolls recent history, says this is no time for complacency.

But the City has given its own verdict today  marking the shares up 7.9% after a near-trebling of underlying profits  which isnt usually the reaction when a company says its outlook for the full year is unchanged.

The mutter is that a profit upgrade might be coming before long: East  who fully deserves whatever bonus is heading his way in an era of generally overpaid executives  should be producing even sweeter music soon.

London homes hope

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpeys half-year profits  down 24% to 205 million  bear the scars of a 130 million hit to sort out leaseholders who bought homes saddled with doubling ground rents, making them virtually unsellable.

But the scandal shouldnt blind us to the more upbeat signs in its results for the London property scene. After two rough years, in which prices sank 5% in the capital, confidence has been improving and cooler land prices are providing opportunities, the firm says.

For a city which is beset by a housing shortage, that has to be good news.
H eres how many bankers are quitting the City in the wake of the Brexit vote, so we are led to believe: tens of thousands. Heres how many bankers have actually quit the City: zero.

OK, Im not certain about that zero  but I am sure that there have been more stories written about bankers moving to Frankfurt than there have been actual bankers moving to Frankfurt.

The conspiracy to pretend banks are desperate or even likely to zip off to Paris, Frankfurt or Zurich has many players.

Notably, newspapers that hate the Brexit vote like to imagine that the financial services industry they usually see as a source of greed and disaster is going south.

Youd think theyd be glad that a sector of the economy they despise is departing, but just for now it suits their purposes to pretend they think this will be bad, rather than what they have wanted all along.

Even on the published numbers, for which I am indebted to Bloomberg (see table below), this worst-case scenario doesnt look that bad.

So a few thousand from Deutsche Bank, which was in retreat long before Brexit. Less than 200 from Barclays. About the same from Citigroup. So what? These jobs might have shifted anyway.

These plans are just contingencies, remember. They are plan B, an insurance policy, not an ambition.

Banks havent actually got around to asking specific staff if they want to uproot their lives, take their kids out of school, and learn German. They may not like the answers when they do.

One banker who does know Frankfurt says one of the many things it lacks are English-speaking schools.

Thats an opportunity for someone, if they really believed that that city is going to seriously compete with London as a financial centre, but so far there hasnt been a rush of entrepreneurial educators heading to Germany.

David Buik at Panmure Gordon says that even if some banks do shift major operations, they will be back, because they always are.

He says: In the Eighties and Nineties, banks like Citi, JPMorgan, Deutsche, Barclays and HSBC had trading branches in every European city around the time of the euro/dollar market bonanza, the abolition of exchange controls in the UK [in 1980] and Big Bang in 1986.

"It was the perfect white elephant  a complete waste of money. Duplicating banking requirements in too many centres is very expensive.

Another banker tells me that, based on early polling of his staff, the only ones he could get to leave London will be the single or the mediocre.

Offered the prospect of a move overseas, one of his most talented hires, a 30-something woman, replied simply: I would rather die than live in Zurich.

Its also notable which banks are making the most noise on this issue, typically Wall Street giants with no loyalty to London in the first place.

Goldman Sachs might threaten to move  not for the first time  Barclays doesnt really want to be seen to be talking down London.

A report on Reuters the other day noted that France is hoping to lure Londons fintech sector, the future of banking.

Since fintech contributes about 7 billion to the economy and provides 60,000 jobs that would be a blow indeed.

Successes so far? None. Even French fintech firms want to stay here.

Theres another major problem with Frankfurt: it is boring. I asked a seen-it-all-before old-timer if he thought (m)any bankers would move there.

No, he says. Besides anything else, bankers like a night out on Thursday, and theres no nightlife in Frankfurt on Thursday.

How come? I ask. He looks over the top of his claret, deadly serious: Because thats the night she visits her mother.

Bankers on the wing

Moves reported UK staff JPMorgan 4000 16,000 Deutsche Bank 4000 9000 UBS 1500 5000 Goldman Sachs 1000 6000 HSBC 1000 5000 Morgan Stanley 1000 6000 SocGen 400 2000 Citigroup 250 9000 Barclays 150 10,000 Nomura 100 2300

Source: Bloomberg
I f Brexit were to be called off tomorrow, there would be dancing in the streets. The pound would strengthen, trade would increase and jobs would be created. Anyone who thinks Brexit will be good for the UK economy and society  short or long-term  is misinformed.

I do accept that the EU has a democratic deficit that needs to be addressed. Small countries such as Greece have been hit hard unfairly. I also accept that as the major English-speaking country in Europe, the UK is a magnet for migrant workers and that factor alone warrants some special consideration.

But there is no denying that overall the EU has contributed to one of the most sustained peaceful and productive periods in human civilisation. Let us build a better EU from within rather than moan from the outside.

I urge those who voted Leave and have since changed their minds to let their voices be heard. The same goes for young people, whatever their views, as this is their future that the Government is gambling with.

It is never too late to say sorry on both sides.

Peter Vlachos, principal lecturer, Department of Marketing, Events and Tourism, University of Greenwich



It is disingenuous for anyone to compare the prospect of Britains post-Brexit economy with that of either New Zealand or Singapore [July 28].

Both are small, prosperous economies, with a highly motivated and educated workforce, but above all both have seen their fortunes piggy-back upwards due to their association with their neighbours.

Ironically, Britain leaving the EU means that it loses that piggy-back, and the two factors mentioned above do not appear to apply to the UK.

Michael Rolfe



WITH the announcement from the Prime Ministers spokesman that the freedom of movement for EU citizens will end in March 2019, I wonder what plan Theresa May has in place to deal with the sudden exodus of EU citizens from our nation?

J M Cox



Not a day goes by that we dont hear one or more leading Remain supporters pontificating that uncertainty is bad for business. One does not need to be a professor of economics to understand that.

However, it is those who want to stay in the EU themselves who are responsible for creating uncertainty with their refusal to accept the result of the referendum and their determination to disrupt Brexit negotiations at every opportunity.

It is time they let the Prime Minister and our Brexit ministers get on with doing what the majority of people in this country voted for.

Robert Readman



New approach to solving poverty

A big mistake that governments often make is failing to tap into the skills, talents and abilities that lie just below the surface of peoples needs. They dont involve patients in the cure.

How do we help people out of poverty and prevent poverty happening in the first place? Isnt there something in the idea of turning governments into engines for spreading out fortune, and reducing inequality, so that we reach every part of society?

There is a lot of work to be done in the UK, and especially in London, where 27 per cent of the population lives in poverty after housing costs are accounted for. Our priority is to get the movers and shakers such as Theresa May and Sadiq Khan to realise that only a bottom-up, people-powered revolution in government delivery will help us solve poverty.

There will always be people who need a hand up, but seeing them as problems and ignoring their solutions is a mistake that we cannot make.

John Bird, House of Lords (Crossbench)



Double standards faced by women

Charles Saatchis column and its proximity to an article calling for women to speak up to ask for pay rises is a perfect example of the double standard women face [July 27].

Mr Saatchi references research on language acquisition in children and levels of the FOXP2 protein in the brain before quickly segueing into tips for women to speak less to avoid coming across as manic, indiscreet and off-putting.

This tired cliche of a gossipy, chatty woman who is overwhelming to men was all the more striking only a few pages after an article on gender pay disparities at the BBC, which included quotes from Sir Philip Hampton asserting that women do not speak up often enough.

This is a classic example of the mixed messages we send professional women. Should we take the lead and initiate difficult conversations more often, as Sir Philip suggests, or stick to simple nods of the head or mmm-hmmm, as Mr Saatchi advises?

Kirsten Parker

Join the conversation: #esnewsviews



E10 fuel will not reduce pollution

The idea that E10 fuel can provide an immediate air-quality fix is misleading. In fact, the Air Quality Expert Group said in its 2011 report to Defra on Road Transport Biofuels that, overall, low-strength blends of bioethanol reduce or have little effect on emissions of air quality pollutants with the exception of acetaldehyde, which shows a marked increase in emissions.

The claim that this could be the equivalent of taking 700,000 UK cars off the road is wrong, as this refers only to the carbon-dioxide emissions and not the air pollutants produced. This type of claim is counterproductive as these fuels will not lead to any noticeable reduction in pollutants such as NOx and will in turn introduce significant amounts of other noxious pollutants such as acetaldehyde.

Leon Di Marco FSK Technology Research



Your letters on E10 fuel miss an important point [Letters, July 28]. It is not the car that offends, only its engine.

It is possible to remove the engine and gearbox and replace them with a suitably specified electric motor, controller and batteries, consistent with the strength of the car and range needed.

The Government should certainly look at this if it wishes to reduce the number of petrol- or diesel-powered cars.

Peter Rutherford

Join the conversation: #escleancityviews



Spurs must bring in more players

As a Tottenham fan, I cannot express my frustration enough that after two extremely promising seasons in the Premier League, the club is refusing to buy any new players.

If chairman Daniel Levy is banking on Man City and Man United having another off-season after spending more than 150 million each, he is naive. Of course there is the new stadium to pay for but to sell Kyle Walker for 50 million and not spend that on new players is a huge gamble.

I fear that if manager Mauricio Pochettino isnt given the players he wants, he could soon leave  and who could blame him?

Adam Bateman

Join the conversation: #essportviews
A model who has advised girls not to follow in her footsteps says that a catwalk career is still the way women can make the most money.

Cameron Russell, 30, has appeared on the front cover of Vogue and Elle and taken to the catwalk for Chanel, Versace and Victorias Secret in a career spanning more than a decade.

But Russell, who has a degree in economics from Columbia University and is also an author and activist, has been an outspoken critic of the fashion industry.

In 2013 she gave a hit TED talk called looks arent everything, believe me, Im a model, in which she told girls not to aspire to become models.

She said it was shocking that she earned more than her mother Robin Chase, who is the chief executive and founder of car sharing company Zipcar. Russell, pictured, told Porter magazine: Theres not really another way for women to make that kind of money.

"I made more money than my mom was making and she was the co-founder of a transformative company. So I dont know if its regret, but its participating in a system that has problems.

Fashion is one of the few sectors where the pay gap favours women. Of the 10 highest-earning British models, nine are women. David Gandy is the only man on the list.

For the full interview see the fall 2017 issue out on Friday
There is nobody so irritating as somebody with less intelligence and more sense than we have. - Don Herold

Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane. - Phillip K. Dick

In the fight between you and the world, back the world.- Frank Zappa
Review at a glance









M atisse in the Studio is about the objects Matisse was surrounded by all the time, which found their way into his work. You see the real things  pots, chairs, patterned fabrics  and then the works of art they appear in or that became possible because of them.

The difference between them is significant because he was such an abstract inventor. An African mask is a great abstract visual invention, and so is a picture of a friend by Matisse. Masks are about power and religion, Matisses portraits are about  well, what? He was a great ruthless violator of normal appearances. Does the painting show his feelings, his emotions, joy at life, love of women? There is no absolute answer, but this exhibition causes you to enjoy all the questions.

There is a selection of 35 of these objects, matched to 65 of his paintings, sculptures, drawings and collages. The line-up is interesting. Roman torsos, medieval sculpted faces of saints, African fetishes, Islamic patterned objects, a fancy chocolate pot, an ordinary engraved pewter pot with a hinged lid, Moroccan fabrics, as well as contemporary photographs of nude women either Western or African and usually a bit dubiously sexy as well as respectably ethnographic or academic. Its hard to deny the pleasure in seeing a real thing and then, next to it, the artistic results it gave rise to.

It is interesting to contemplate a pot with a complicated handle, for example, and then the various visual inventions Matisse creates using it as a taking-off point. You are forced to see what extreme departures he makes from simple copying. The tie-ups are not all straightforward. The curators make a great job of balancing spelled-out connections: this object is right there in that painting, with subtle hints, this figure by Matisse is dramatically distorted, and so are those sculptures and masks from Mali.

Big influence: a Muyombo mask from Congo / Jean-Louis Losi

He was so dependent on his extensive collection of objects as idea-generators that whenever he moved to a different studio it had to be packed up and transported too, so he could still have the benefit of it. The shows richness lies partly in its exploration of the nature of that need. There is no ultimate rationale but it seems to be both psychological and formal (to do with shapes and colours in a pure design sense) and, in some roundabout way, spiritual.

The obvious use of objects, when it is indicated in the show, is never actually obvious in how they are treated. A little table and a pewter pot are reduced to simple signs. On the canvas or paper they might be brushy or linear in character, or flowing or awkwardly choppy. And they are part of a unity, a matter of colour-textures, patterns, structures and spaces that arises from all sorts of impulses : who knows what he was responding to, what subjective feeling? Hes manipulating your perception. In your mind, sign and the structure go together to make a picture.

Sometimes objects are matched up clearly with the artworks they appear in. But paintings of women Matisse knew, and whose appearance he distorted absolutely wildly in the service of his design ideas, are displayed in proximity to African masks and sculptures, and other sculptures from different cultures and times, not as direct source material but subtle influences.

Flower power: Matisses Safrano Roses at the Window, 1925 (partial) and below, the green glass vase that inspired it / Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

His female portraits in the 1910s are almost unrecognisable as human, so chopped and altered are their features, and mismatched anatomically  even partially erased, so a face is, effectively, just an empty hole. But these violations are in aid of colour effects that are so richly sensuous and beautiful, and the visual ideas are so compelling, that the women dont come across as monstrous. He convinces you they are real and their artistic transformation is about fresh beauty or new seeing.

Nearby tribal masks he owned, which the artist striped and dotted, causing them to resemble trees as much as people, or vegetables combined with animals, are sympathetic to those painted portraits. It is clear the visual imagination of unknown makers on the other side of the world was profoundly connected in Matisses mind with the forms he came up with in his pictures of women; he found them similarly marvellous, weird and delicious.

Influence: the green vase which inspired Matisse's Safrano Roses / Franasois Fernadez

A nude standing in the studio, painted between 1906 and 1907, turns out to be based surprisingly directly on a photo Matisse owned, taken by an anonymous photographer, but also on a tribal artefact from the Congo. A hundred years ago Matisse filled a vase with flowers so he had the basis for an elaborate design, and you can see the very vase, transparent green glass, next to the painting it appears in, where it is a lot of stains and washes of diluted oil paint, as if Matisses seeing and re-seeing, bit by bit, of the various aspects of the vase, is presented as a set of shuffled fragments.

A decorative background of a shimmering lattice structure, in a painting from 1926 showing well-dressed ladies in a modern room, comes from a Haitian patterned fabric sewn in the previous century. We see it along with several other objects, including a painted Moroccan table and a brass Ottoman pot complete with a little Islamic crescent moon. In a handful of incredibly intense, mostly small paintings, we see all those objects recurring, always entirely different in mood.

The show causes you to enjoy directness when its there. And it encourages you to use your imagination in something like the way Matisse used his. If he made a vase into a sign in a painting long ago, now you can compare the real vase with its distorted representation, or if he distorts a body and nearby, vaguely connecting, theres a representation of a distorted human form done for a religious purpose, either way you get a really good lesson in what makes a Matisse a Matisse.

Matisse in the Studio is at the Royal Academy, W1 (020 7300 8000; royalacademy.org.uk) from Sat to Nov 12
F or just three weeks this September, Tom Hiddleston will play Hamlet in a run at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts 160 seat Jerwood Vanbrugh theatre.

Hiddleston will be directed by Kenneth Branagh, who himself played the troubled Danish Prince on the RADA stage in 1981. It is a part that came to define Branaghs early career: besides that showing, the theatre giant took on the role in 1988 under Derek Jacobi, in 1992 for the Royal Shakespeare Company and again in 1996, when he directed and starred in the first unabridged film of the Shakespeare masterpiece.

The production, which will run from September 1  23, is being held as a fundraiser for RADA, who are hoping for 20 million to go towards regeneration works and their first on-site student accommodation. Both Hiddleston and Branagh, who previously worked together on Thor, are RADA graduates.

Tickets will only be available through a ballot which is now open and can be found here. The ballot will be open until 6pm on August 6, until 5pm on August 5 for those applying over the telephone (01223 357 851). Ballot winners will be selected at random and invited to book tickets, which are limited to two per person, from 10am on Wednesday August 9. Booking closes at 6pm on Thursday August 10. The majority of tickets will be 95, though 20 per cent will be 45 and another 20 percent will be 15, strictly for under-25s. Tickets can be collected an hour before the each performance begins.

Alongside Hiddleston will be Kathryn Wilder as Ophelia, whos previously worked with Branagh on his productions of Romeo and Juliet and The Winters Tale, and Born to Kill actress Lolita Chakrabarti, as Gertrude.

For more information, visit radahamlet.com.
W ant an all-natural way to lift your mood, improve your memory, and protect your brain against age-related cognitive decline?

Get moving.

A wealth of recent research, including a new study published this month, suggests that any type of exercise that raises your heart rate and gets you moving and sweating for a sustained period of time  known as aerobic exercise  has a significant, overwhelmingly beneficial impact on the brain.

"Aerobic exercise is the key for your head, just as it is for your heart," write the authors of an article in the Harvard Medical School blog "Mind and Mood."

While some of the benefits  like a lift in mood  can emerge as soon as a few minutes into a sweaty bike ride, others  like improved memory  might take several weeks to crop up. That means that the best type of fitness for your mind is any aerobic exercise that you can do regularly and consistently for at least 45 minutes at a time.

In the latest study to assess the benefits of aerobic workouts on the brain, researchers looked to hundreds of breast cancer survivors. They wanted to see if activities like walking and swimming could have any effect on "chemo brain," a commonly-reported side effect of breast cancer treatment that involves memory loss and difficulties focusing.

Since previous research had suggested that regular workouts could help protect against age-related cognitive decline, the researchers wanted to find out if those results would hold true for cancer survivors too.

They gave nearly 300 breast cancer survivors accelerometers to track their daily activity and access to a specially-designed iPad app called BrainBaseline outfitted with quizzes designed to measure their attention and memory. At the end of a week, people who'd done aerobic exercise every day were not only significantly less tired than those who did little to no exercise, but also did significantly better on the app's quizzes.

8 best gym bags for women 1 /12 8 best gym bags for women We've sourced the best gym bags so you don't have to. Take a look here... Ivy Park Logo Holdall Channel your inner Beyonce with this bold black gym bag by Ivy Park and use the image of her as motivation to get yourself to the gym. With handles and a long detachable strap this one is easy to carry around and is wipe clean too. 50, Topshop, Buy it now Adidas Stellasport Camo Team Bag Go commando (sort of) with this Stella McCartney tote. At 55cm long, its big enough to hold all your gym essentials and even has a side zipper for easier access. No more rummaging around for your gym pass in the bottom of your bag. 47.95, Adidas, Buy it now Lululemon All Day Duffel Luluemon has thought of everything with this duffel. There are extra straps for stowing your yoga mat and interior pockets with handy labels for keeping your gear seperate. It's also water repellent, glow in the dark and can be wiped clean, which will keep it protected from the steam and sweat in the changing room. Lovely. 158, Lululemon, Buy it now GymTote Sophia Tote Fed up of lugging two bags around? GymTote have come up with a solution. With all the features of a stylish handbag, this tote actually has separate sections for your gym kit and your personal belongings. 155, GymTote, Buy it now Sweaty Betty All Sport Neoprene Backpack Backpacks can sometimes make us feel like school children, but this one is sure to make you feel like the most elegant woman at the gym. It folds over, making it easy to pack and unpack and has feet so you can stand it up easily in the changing room. 158, Lululemon, Buy it now Oysho Cyber Tribe Bag The colour combo on this one is a little bit eighties, giving it a retro feel thats right on trend. Its exquisitely jazzy and therefore perfect for summer and comes with elastic straps for holding your yoga mat. Ashtanga in the park, anyone? 27.99, Oysho,Buy it now ASOS Slouchy Nylon Holdall The great thing about this ASOS holdall is that it looks more expensive than it is. The canvas exterior is reminiscent of Longchamp and its slouchy quality means it hangs well off the arm. 22, ASOS,Buy it now Adidas by Stella McCartney Bucket Bag There is something so playful about this Stella McCartney bucket bag that youll actually look forward to showing it off at the gym. The drawstrings are sturdy enough that you wont have to worry about things falling out and sky blue straps enhance its Space Age feel. 87.99, Zalando, Buy it now

"The message for cancer patients and survivors is, get active!" said Diane Ehlers, the lead author on the study and a professor of exercise psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, in a statement.

Given that the study was only a week long, more research on cancer patients in particular is needed. Still, the evidence that aerobic workouts have a wide range of potential beneficial impacts on the brain  from reducing the symptoms of depression to strengthening connections in parts of the brain linked with memory  is robust and growing.

A pilot study in people with severe depression found that just 30 minutes of treadmill walking for 10 consecutive days was "sufficient to produce a clinically relevant and statistically significant reduction in depression." Aerobic workouts can also help people who aren't suffering from clinical depression feel less stressed by helping to reduce levels of the body's natural stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, according to a recent study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science.

If you're over 50, a study in the British Medical Journal suggests the best results come from combining aerobic and resistance exercise, which could include anything from high-intensity interval training, like the 7-minute workout, to dynamic flow yoga, which intersperses strength-building poses like planks and push-ups with heart-pumping dance-like moves. Another study published in May provides some additional support to that research, finding that in adults aged 60-88, walking for 30 minutes four days a week for 12 weeks appeared to strengthen connectivity in a region of the brain where weakened connections have been linked with memory loss.

Researchers still aren't sure why this type of exercise appears to provide a boost to the brain, but studies suggest it has to do with increased blood flow, which provides our minds with fresh energy and oxygen. And one recent study in older women who displayed potential symptoms of dementia found that aerobic exercise was linked with an increase in the size of the hippocampus, a brain area involved in learning and memory.

Joe Northey, the lead author of the British study and an exercise scientist at the University of Canberra, said his research suggests that anyone in good health over age 50 should do 45 minutes to an hour of aerobic exercise "on as many days of the week as feasible."
T he best things in life may be free, but that doesn't mean they won't take time, sweat, and perseverance to acquire.

That's especially the case when it comes to learning important life skills.

To ascertain which talents are worth the investment, one Quora reader posed the question: "What are the hardest and most useful skills to learn?"

We've highlighted our favourite takeaways, as well as a few other skills we thought were important.

Empathy

"You can be the most disciplined, brilliant, and even wealthy individual in the world, but if you don't care for or empathise with other people, then you are basically nothing but a sociopath," writes Kamia Taylor.

Empathy, as business owner Jane Wurdwand explains, is a fundamental human ability that has too readily been forsworn by modern business.

"Empathy  the ability to feel what others feel  is what makes good sales and service people truly great. Empathy as in team spirit  esprit de corps  motivates people to try harder. Empathy drives employees to push beyond their own apathy, to go bigger, because they feel something bigger than just a paycheck," she writes.

Mastering your sleep

There are so many prescribed sleep hacks out there it's often hard to keep track. But regardless of what you choose, establishing a ritual can help ensure you have restful nights.

Numerous studies show that being consistent with your sleep schedule makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up, and it helps promote better sleep in general.

Time management

Effective time management is one of the most highly valued skills by employers. While there is no one right way, it's important to find a system that works for you and stick to it, Alina Grzegorzewska explains.

"The hardest thing to learn for me was how to plan," she writes. "Not to execute what I have planned, but to make so epic a to-do list and to schedule it so thoroughly that I'm really capable of completing all the tasks on the scheduled date."

Best self help books for 2017 - in pictures 1 /6 Best self help books for 2017 - in pictures Everything You Need Yo Have "Every one of these books needs a USP to stand out and Kites involves an awareness of the natural rhythms of our bodies as well as visualising the daily lurch from perky elation to tired narkiness as a swinging pendulum." - Jimi Famurewa The Book of You "On the advice of Nora Rosendahl, Nelli Lahteenmaki and Aleksi Hoffman, in the past few days Ive eaten a lot of fresh fruit (tip: fruit has loads of amazing nutritional benefits), read something new (tip: it can improve creativity), spent five minutes unsubscribing from pesky mailing lists (tip: searching for the word unsubscribe in your inbox can help you target unwanted subscriptions), and had several family meals (tip: sharing scrumptious food with the people you love is one of lifes great pleasures)" - Katie Law Better than Before "Rubins book is about liberating yourself from destructive habits" - Susannah Butter Super Better "Super Betters conceit is that you can resolve the world by approaching it as you would a game; its author, Jane McGonigal, is a scientist whose TED talks on games have been viewed more than 10 million times. " - Phoebe Luckhurst The Wisest One in the Room "This book is packed with interesting ideas. The premise is that you can harness insights about human behaviour to improve every sphere of your life." - Rosamund Urwin

Asking for help

"I once was told in a job interview, 'You can't have this job if you can't ask for help when you need it,'" Louise Christy writes. "Naturally, I said I could. Later, I found out that the previous person with that job had screwed up big-time because he was in over his head but couldn't admit it and didn't ask for help."

She explains that knowing when you need help and then asking for it is surprisingly difficult to learn and do because no one wants to be perceived as weak or incompetent.

But a recent study from the Harvard Business School suggests doing so makes you look more, not less, capable. According to the study authors, when you ask people for advice, you validate their intelligence or expertise, which makes you more likely to win them over.

Positive self-talk

"Ultimately it doesn't matter what others think of you," Shobhit Singhal writes, "but what you think of yourself certainly does, and it takes time to build that level of confidence and ability to believe in yourself when nobody else does."

On the other side of positive self-talk is negative self-talk, which Betsy Myers, founding director of The Center for Women and Business at Bentley University, believes can slowly chip away at your confidence.

Consistency

Whether you're trying a new exercise routine, studying for the LSATs, or working on an important project, Khaleel Syed writes, consistency is vital to maintaining any kind of success.

People often stop working hard when they reach the top, he says, but to maintain that top position, they have to work harder and be more consistent in their work.

Business role models 1 /10 Business role models Lord Sugar The business man and star of The Apprentice got 41% of the votes in the Young Enterprise survey to find top business role model BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Sir Richard Branson Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson came second in the poll with 27% of the votes Dave Benett Kim Kardashian Nine per cent of UK students picked celebrity entrepreneur Kim Kardashian as their top business role model Frederick M. Brown/Getty Karren Brady Baroness Karren Brady is vice-chairman of West Ham and got 5% of the votes Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images Tim Cook Apple boss Tim Cook was 4% of students' pick for top business role model Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Evan Spiegel Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel also got 4% of the votes AP Larry Page Google co-founder and chief executive of the search engine's parent company Alphabet is the top business role model for 4% of students AFP/Getty Images Marissa Mayer The Yahoo boss got 3% of the votes Getty Images

Minding your business

"It takes ages to learn and master this," Aarushi Sharma writes.

Sticking your nose into other people's work isn't helpful and wastes time and resources, she says. "You have no right to put forth your two or four cents, even if you are the last righteous person standing."

Listening

Along with shutting up comes listening, Richard Careaga says.

"Most of us in the workplace are so overwhelmed with things to do  instant messaging, phones ringing. I mean, our brain can only tolerate so much information before it snaps," Nicole Lipkin, author of "What Keeps Leaders Up At Night," previously told Business Insider.

One tip for active listening is repeating back what you heard to the other person. "It makes things so much easier when everyone is on the same page," she said.

Knowing when to shut up  and actually doing it

"You can't go around whining about every other thing that seems not-so-right to you in this world," writes Roshna Nazir. "Sometimes you just need to shut up."

There are many instances when keeping to yourself is the best course. "When we are angry, upset, agitated, or vexed," Anwesha Jana writes, "we blurt out anything and everything that comes to our mind." And later, you tend to regret it.

Keeping your mouth shut when you're agitated is one of the most valuable skills to learn, and of course, one of the most difficult.

Resisting gossip

"The most important thing in life to me is relationships," Jason T Widjaja writes. "And the most important thing about building and keeping good relationships is trust."

One of the easiest ways to lose trust, he says, is to gossip about people behind their back.

Widjaja says learning not to gossip was hard to do because it meant missing out on possibly important conversations, distancing himself from influential people, and awkwardly having to tell people, "Hey, sorry to interrupt but I really don't need to know that, could we talk about something else?"

"But press on and you will get your priceless reward. Trust," he writes.

Staying present in the moment

According to happiness researcher Matt Killingsworth, we tend not to be very good at staying present in the moment. He says that 47% of the time, people are thinking about something other than what they're currently doing. And this is hurting our happiness, he says:

"People are less happy when they're mind-wandering no matter what they're doing. For example, people don't really like commuting to work very much. It's one of their least enjoyable activities, and yet they are substantially happier when they're focused only on their commute than when their mind is going off to something else. It's amazing."

Shutterstock / Atsushi Hirao

Mastering your thoughts

To do what you want to do and accomplish what you want to accomplish, you need to consciously direct your thinking, Mark Givert writes.

"The challenge is that we are the product of our past experience and all of our thinking is the result of this," he says. "However, the past does not equal the future."

Learning a new language

This skill wont just open you up to new conversations and professional opportunities.

As native-Hungarian speaker and Metaphor English founder and CEO Balazs Csigi blogs, "Mastering English has been an incredible gift in my life. I received a new mindset, a new set of emotions, and a new way of thinking." The same could be said of learning any new language.

Csigi says the key to learning another language is to master every bit of the culture, no easy feat, but surely a worthwhile pursuit.

Speaking up

Speaking up in public can be so hard for many of us to do. Even the American business magnate Warren Buffett said that he was once so terrified of speaking in public that he would throw up. "In fact, I arranged my life so that I never had to get up in front of anybody," he told his biographer Alice Schroeder in "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life."

It took practicing giving speeches numerous times in front of his Dale Carnegie speaking course classmates to finally conquer his fear.

"Some of it is just practice  just doing it and practicing," Buffett said. "And it worked. That's the most important degree I have."

Honesty with others

Being completely honest with others can be awkward, but just because you don't have anything nice to say, that doesn't mean you shouldn't say it.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is a proponent for radical candor, which is feedback that lies at the intersection of caring about people personally and being willing to piss them off.

When practicing radical candor, use the acronym HHIPP to remember: Radical candor is humble, helpful, immediate, in person, and it doesn't personalize.

Shutterstock

Honesty with yourself

Admitting when you're wrong "is the toughest," writes Vishal Katyal on Quora.

Even CEOs of major companies admit to making mistakes.

"The worst mistakes to me, though, is you don't learn from your mistake," Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM, once told Forbes. "There is no greater sin than to not learn from it."
I f you think you've already witnessed the rise and fall of your peak self, researchers have news for you: As far as your intelligence is concerned, you likely have several new highs to look forward to. Some of them, like the ability to read others' emotions or do basic arithmetic, don't arrive until middle age or beyond.

"At almost any given age, most of us are getting better at some things and worse at others," Joshua Hartshorne, an MIT cognitive science researcher and the lead author of a study looking at how intelligence changes as we age, told Business Insider.

The team behind that study quizzed thousands of people aged 10-90 on their ability to do things like remember lists of words, recognize faces, learn names, and do math. Their results suggest that no matter your age, there's almost always a new peak on the horizon.

Overall brain processing power and detail memory peaks around age 18.

Scientists use a test called Digit Symbol Substitution to assess everything from dementia to brain damage. It requires people to use a number of cognitive skills at once  including processing speed, sustained attention, and visual skills. The tool, which typically involves pairing numbers with symbols, is also part of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, one of the most widely used measures of intelligence.

Hartshorne employed the test in his study of how intelligence changes over time and found that participants' performance generally peaked in their late teens.

The ability to learn unfamiliar names peaks at 22.

Most adults are bad at memorizing bits of information without context, a phenomenon that neuroscientists chock up to the Baker/Baker paradox. A classic example of this idea is that you'll have an easier time remembering a story about someone who bakes than a person with the last name Baker. Because there's no context that links the person to the name, it doesn't become firmly lodged in your memory.

30 places to visit before you turn 30 1 /41 30 places to visit before you turn 30 Click through our gallery to discover the places you should visit before you turn 30... Shutterstock 1. Bali Highland panoramas, scenic waterfalls, open blue skies, golden sunsets and awesome sunrises across the coastline. Theres a reason why people say that Bali stirs the soul.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Explore temples and palaces, go river rafting, sign up to a surf school, volunteer at an orangutan sanctuary, take a yoga class in the mountains and party all night. Best of all, its cheap - so youll be able to live like a king on a fortnights trip here. Stephan Stansfield/Flickr 2. Island hopping in Greece If youve never made it to Greece, then schedule in some time to discover its lesser-known islands by boat. Go to big-hitters Santorini, Crete and Rhodes and and discover little-known gems Astypalea and Tinos.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can explore whitewashed cubic houses, lie on white hot sands, take a dip in the bath water-warm Aegean. Shutterstock / Mikhail Gnatkovsk 3. Myanmar Until fairly recently, Myanmar was off limits to wanderlust Westerners. But after five decades of military rule, Asias formerly Junta-controlled diamond in the rough has finally opened its crystal shores to nirvana-seekers.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Unsullied beaches, ancient Pagan temples and incredibly cheap prices make Burma the perfect holiday spot for cash-strapped travellers in their 20s. Joe Connor 4. Ibiza No surprises here - the Island that never sleeps has long been one of the hottest places to play for people in their 20s. This hedonistic paradise is a lure for British clubbers drawn in by sun, sand and world-class DJs.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because nowhere does sunset chilling quite like Ibiza. Shutterstock / FP media 5. Croatia Ancient walled towns, dreamy deep-blue seascapes, an unrivaled festival scene and guaranteed good weather. Whats not to love about Croatia?



Why go here before you turn 30?



Visit festival and wellness island Obonjan, go fun-seeking at Sonus, take a Game of Thrones tour, go white-water rafting, stroll around the museums in Zagreb or simply spend your days enjoying cocktail after cocktail on the beach. Angus Webster 6.Toronto, Canada Forget Williamsburg, hipsters looking for a cultural injection should make a beeline for Canadas largest city for art, food and dive bars by the dozen.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Ethnic enclaves, a bustling food scene and cool designer stays - there are plenty of reasons to discover Toronto. Shutterstock / njene 7. Pammukale, Turkey Pamukkale is actually Turkish for cotton castle, which accurately sums up this amazing display of natural hot water pools in Denizli Province. The city is famous for its travertines - terraces of dazzling white carbonate minerals left by the flowing water that tourists can bathe in.



Why go here before you turn 30?



It'll make for one stunning Instagram. Shutterstock / Copycat37 8. Backpack through Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is one of the most accessible regions for the novice traveller - thanks to its mix of volcanoes, rainforests, rice fields, beaches and coral reefs. Some popular stops include Chiang Mai in Thailand, Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Laos, Hanoi in Vietnam.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Explore thousand-year-old Hindu ruins, rave on the beach, attend a Buddhist ceremony at dawn and hike through the jungle looking for wildlife. The possibilities are endless. Shutterstock / Lena Serditova 9. Costa Rica Theres plenty of time for gentle package holidays in your later years. This tiny Central American oasis is a twenty-somethings playground of wild beaches, rocky points, volcanoes, reefs, rare wildlife and spectacular rainforests.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can learn how to surf on the Nicoya peninsula, try truly amazing Costa Rican coffee, learn to speak Spanish, get lost on a hike in a rainforest, go white water rafting at Turrialba and see real life sloths, monkeys, crocodiles, ocelots and toucans. Autentico Adventures Costa Rica/Flickr 10. Tiger's Nest Monastery, Bhutan William and Kate put this remote kingdom on the map earlier this year, and a trip here isnt complete without paying a visit the the Tigers Nest Monastery. Believed to be the birthplace of Bhuddism, the Monastery has been a place of pilgrimage since it was built in 1692.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The temple complex clings to a cliff, a dizzying 3120 meters above the sea level on the side of the upper Paro valley. If you want to take in the stunning views of blue pines and rhododendrons youll need fearless stamina to hike to the top. Paula Bronstein/Getty Images 11. Songkran Festival, Thailand Songkran festival, or the Thai New Year, is three days of nonstop revelry. Its celebrated across the country, with locals and tourists gathering in the streets with super soakers, water balloons and buckets of water one almighty water fight.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because who doesnt love a water fight? AFP/Getty Images 12. Banff, Canada This resort town is one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations, known for its mountainous surroundings and hot springs. A visit here offers the chance to experience the spectacular Canadian Rocky Mountains and glacier-fed lakes, bull elk and brown bear sightings, and small-town charm like no other.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because its some of the finest mountain scenery youll find on the planet. Shutterstock / Songquan Deng 13. Norway Picturesque fjords, magical mountains, quaint coastal towns and the possibility of spotting the Northern Lights makes Norway a tempting trip for those on the hunt for natural beauty.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Visit trendy Oslo, discover magical lesser-known towns, stand on a gravity-defying boulder, sail around the fjords, stay in a fishermans cottage you may even spot a polar bear. Shutterstock / Carsten Pasternac 14. Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California Rising nearly 5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley and 8,800 feet above sea level, Half Dome is one of the greatest hiking challenges a traveller can undertake. This granite dome sits at the eastern end of one of Americas most spectacular national parks.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The terrain is dramatic, the scenery is amazing, and its probably the single most iconic thing you can do in California. Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images 15. Iceland This Nordic island nation isnt far from the UK, but packs in astonishing natural phenomena and take-your-breath-away landscapes.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Contemporary cuisine, Lord of the Rings-esque lands, stargazing, endless hours of daylight and geothermal springs. Its hard to narrow it down. Shutterstock / pranodhm 16. The Inca Trail, Peru The Inca Trail is by far the most famous trek in South America. In just 26 miles it manages to combine beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest, subtropical jungle and, of course, a stunning mix of Inca paving stones, ruins and tunnels.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because the final destination of the trail just cannot be beaten: Machu Picchu, the mysterious "Lost City of the Incas". Brent Stirton/Getty Images 17. Manchester, UK The capital of The North might not strike as the most exotic of travel destination, but its giving London a run for its money thanks to a wealth of music and art history, smart fine dining restaurants, hipster neighbourhoods and a swathe of cool new boutique hotels.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because it's only 2 hours away by train from the capital. Shutterstock / Tupungato 18. India The food alone is enough of a draw to India, but throw in palm-fringed beaches, one of the seven wonders of the world, forts, mosques, monuments and ancient ruins, and you have a holiday on that ticks all the boxes on your hands.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because youll want leave enough room to come back again and again over your lifetime. Shutterstock / LukaKikina 19. Berlin Edgy, cool and creative, Berlin is one of the worlds best cities for boutique shopping, brilliantly offbeat nights out and hipster hangouts.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because its one of Europes most exciting cities. Shutterstock / Claudio Divizia 20. Melbourne, Australia Whether youre looking to party, simply kick-back on a beach or sample some of the best brunch in the world, Melbourne offers it all to young travellers and backpackers.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Australias coolest capital holds all kinds of attractions for people in their 20s, from bars and boutiques to clubs and cafes. Shutterstock / GagliardiImages 21. New Zealand Undoubtedly one of the most spectacular places on earth, New Zealand is home to some incredibly unspoilt scenery. Make sure to take a decent camera, because stunning national parks and reserves make up a third of its land.



Why go here before you turn 30?



When else can you spend a whole month hiking its natural peaks and troughs? Gareth Richman 22. Carnival, Rio de Janeiro Forget Notting Hill carnival: once a year, several million travellers descend on Rio to enjoy four days of parades and partying at the beginning of Lent.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Who wouldnt want to be part of the biggest street party on the planet? Raphael Dias/Getty Images 23. The Great Wall of China As the famous Chinese saying goes, 'he who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man'. This great engineering marvel winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching across over 13,000 miles.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because your 20s arent just for partying and frolicking... AFP/Getty Images 24. Burning Man Festival, Nevada Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevadas Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary festival of art, hedonism and self-expression.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because its the most outrageous festival of all: alongside meditation and yoga theres spanking classes, orgies, and naked foam parties. Chances are, youll only want to get involved when youre young enough not to regret it. Duncan Rawlinson/Flickr 25. Antelope Canyon, Arizona Located just outside of Page, in the heart of Navajo Country, Antelope may just be the most photographed slot canyon in the world - thanks to its awe-inspiring, sandstone formations.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The celestial light beams in the canyon make this place completely unforgettable and unmissable. AFP/Getty Images 26. Pacific Coast Highway, California The PCH is a road trip-lovers dream, with its winding ribbon roads that meander alongside the crashing Cali coast from Carmel to Morro Bay. The 123-mile route takes in Big Sur and the much photographed Bixby Bridge, as well as five hours of cliff-hugging open road.



Why go here before you turn 30?



The all-American road has been voted one of the top motorcycle rides in the U.S - its basically the drive of a lifetime, but youll enjoy the freedom most on two wheels. Howard Ignatius/Flickr 27. Bosnia & Herzegovina Turquoise rivers, medieval castles and tumbling waterfalls. It sounds like something out of a fairytale, but the craggily beautiful lands of Bosnia and Herzegovina are real - and theyre one of Europes best kept secrets.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because there are few places in the world where you can enjoy hiking, beautiful countryside, rafting and swimming, inner-city bridge jumping and skiing all within one country. Shutterstock 28. Tokyo, Japan Japans busy capital shouldnt be overlooked - as well as providing endless Instagram opportunities, it manages to pack in both the ultramodern and the traditional - from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can sleep in a capsule, walk across the beautiful Tokyo bay, spend hours in an multi-storey arcade, slurp down some heavenly ramen and spend hours strolling through the brightly-lit streets. Shutterstock 29. Osea Island, Essex On Osea Island, they know how to throw a party. Located in the middle of Essexs Blackwater Estuary, the private island  which is only accessible by boat, helicopter or car at low tide  boasts four and a half miles of its own beaches and coastline perfect for social gatherings.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Because you can throw the most incredible weekend parties here. Alamy Stock Photo 30. Las Vegas, Nevada Live like a celebrity for amongst the glitz and glitter of one of the worlds most famous strips.



Why go here before you turn 30?



Win big at a casino, take in a cirque production, party all night, go four-wheeling in the surrounding national parks just make sure you dont accidentally get hitched. Shutterstock / Don Mammoser

Peak facial recognition ability occurs around 32.

The human brain has a remarkable capacity to recognize and identify faces, and scientists are just beginning to learn why. On average, we know that our ability to learn and remember new faces appears to peak shortly after our 30th birthday.

The first researchers to link peak face recognition with an age are now studying so-called "super-recognizers"  people with a rare, superior ability to recognize a familiar face. Not coincidentally, many of them are in their 30s.

Concentration abilities peak around age 43.

Having trouble focusing? A 2015 study from researchers at Harvard University and the Boston Attention and Learning Laboratory suggests that our ability to sustain attention improves with age, reaching its peak around age 43.

While younger adults may excel in the speed and flexibility of information processing, adults approaching their mid-years may have the greatest capacity to remain focused, Joe DeGutis, one of the study's lead authors, said in a statement.

We're the best at identifying others' emotions at 48.

Dating is tough. One of the reasons could be that we're generally bad at reading other people's emotions until we reach our late 40s. That's according to one component of Hartshorne's study, which involved showing thousands of people images of faces cropped tightly around the eye area. Participants were asked to describe the emotion the person in the photo was feeling. Performance peaked for people aged around 48.

Shutterstock / goodluz

The ability to do basic arithmetic peaks at age 50.

Many people believe that their math skills go down the drain after they leave school and stop practicing arithmetic. But the next time you try to split up a check, keep this in mind: your ability to do basic subtraction and division doesn't reach its apex until your 50th birthday.

In other words, "there may not be an age where you're the best at everything," Hartshorne said.

Peak ability to learn and understand new information also occurs around age 50.

Similar to the way your ability to do basic math peaks at age 50, your ability to learn and understand general information  like historical events and political ideas  doesn't reach its pinnacle until around the same age, according to Hartshorne's study.

Peak vocabulary skills happen around age 67.

Ever wonder why you always lose at Scrabble? Good news: Your best days may be ahead. According to people's scores on multiple-choice vocabulary tests, most of us don't reach our peak wordsmith-ing abilities until we're in our late 60s or early 70s.
S hops and restaurants across the UK will dim the lights and turn down the music for quiet hour in support of their autistic shoppers.

14 shopping centres in the UK will assist the National Autistic Societys awareness campaign by creating a more autism-friendly shopping experience.

Every retailer, restaurant and leisure operator at Intus centres will be asked to take part in the scheme, for an hour on Monday, October 2.

Lakeside in Essex and Trafford Centre in Manchester are amongst the stores participating, although Intus staff have already been trained to be aware of people with disabilities while offering autism-friendly guides.

Approximately 700,000 people in the UK are autistic, and people with spectrum disorder can find bright lights, loud music and pungent smells too much of a sensory overload, which can lead to extreme anxiety.

Intu aims to make their shopping experience more comfortable in response to the fact that an estimated two thirds of autistic people have said to avoid shopping altogether.

In the past, a number of retailers have worked to create beneficial environments for their autistic customers. Last year, Asda Living held a quiet hour at their Manchester branch.

Odeon and Cineworld cinemas are now offering autism-friendly performances, and a recent sell-out production of Oliver Twist at Regents Park Open Air Theatre is currently being adapted for people with autism.
A stunning photograph of an erupting volcano being stuck by a bolt of lightning has scooped the prestigious title of 2017 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year.

The perfectly timed image, titled The Power of Nature, was taken by Sergio Tapiro Velasco outside Colina, Mexico.

Velasco is a keen photographer, who has been snapping and studying the Volcan de Colima - one of the most active volcanos in Latin America - for over a decade.

He says he had no idea if hed actually captured the spectacular event until he reviewed the photos on his camera. At the time of shooting, he was standing just 12 kilometers away from the molten-hot crater.

Sergio Tapiro Velasco/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year

When I looked on the camera display, all I could do was stare, said Velasco. What I was watching was impossible to conceive, the image showed those amazing forces of nature interacting on a volcano, while the lightning brightened the whole scene. Its an impossible photograph and my once in a lifetime shot that shows the power of nature.

Velasco beat off stiff competition from over 15,000 entries from participants in more than 30 countries.

As well as the grand-prize winner, top photos were named in three other categories.

Norbert Fritz of Hungary took top honors in the Cities category for his photo titled Levels of Reading, while Worship by F. Dilek Uyar of Turkey won the People category.

Velascos photo was also chosen as the winner in the Nature category. The photographer will receive a 10-day trip for two to the Galapagos Archipelago, as well as a $2500 prize.

The quality of submissions in the 2017 Travel Photographer of the Year contest was wonderfully eclectic, said judge Molly Roberts. I was inspired by the variety of locations and creativity of the photographers in their quest to make compelling images."
A man is fighting for his life in hospital after a being shot in east London.

Police and paramedics were scrambled to the scene after gunshots were heard in Woodman Street, North Woolwich, on Monday night.

A 25-year-old man was rushed to hospital after suffering facial injuries and a gunshot wound to the torso in the attack at about 10.20pm.

Police believe the victim was shot by a suspect in a vehicle which then sped off, Scotland Yard has said.

The man remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital. No arrests have been made.

The shooting was the second in the capital in the space of 24 hours after a man was shot in Canning Town shortly after midnight on Monday.

Any witnesses, or anyone with any information, can contact the Trident and Area Crime Command witness line on 020 8217 7380 or 101, or via Twitter @MetCC.
T his is the moment a brave passer-by attempted to tackle a gun-toting robber during a bank hold-up in south west London.

Police released dramatic CCTV footage today which shows the member of the public wrestling with the armed robber after he pulled a weapon on terrified bank staff in Teddington.

Detectives from the Mets Flying Squad appealed for information about the incident that took place on a busy high street.

The suspect, aged between 30 and 40, approached the bank in Broad Street at around 2.30pm on March 10, first peering through the door.

Struggle: A passer-by trying to restrain the suspect. / Met Police

He returned a short time later with a balaclava over his face and approached the counter, pulling a gun from a blue plastic bag and demanding money.

The suspect pulled a gun from a blue bag. / Met Police

A Met spokesman said : The man was confronted by a member of the public who attempted to restrain him, but after a brief struggle the suspect managed to escape.

Detectives from the Met's Flying Squad are investigating the incident. / Met Police

The robber, who is thought to have travelled to the bank on an adult mountain bike and live in the local area, fled with over 150.

Detective Constable Mike Bunn said: This was a brazen robbery on a busy high street which left members of staff at the branch terrified.

The robber travelled to the bank on a mens mountain bike and it is possible that he may live locally. I am urging anyone who recognises the man in the footage to contact us.

Police said the suspect was wearing a grey hooded top with a cap, black gloves, a black satchel bag and dark trousers.

He also wore Nike trainers with what appears to be a red tick.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Mr Bunn by calling 101 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
T hugs on mopeds threw an unknown liquid into a man's face during a suspected attempted robbery near Harrods.

A 47-year-old man was rushed to hospital after being doused with liquid as he walked through Knightsbridge just after 8.30pm on Monday.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene in Walton Place, behind the world-famous department store, before being taken to a hospital in central London.

It is not yet known whether the liquid was a corrosive substance, Scotland Yard said.

The incident follows a recent spike in the number of acid attacks.

More than 400 were carried out in the six months up to April 2017, according to figures from 39 forces in England and Wales.

A Met Police spokesman said: Officers from Kensington and Chelsea Borough are investigating, and at this early stage it is believed the liquid was thrown at the victim during an attempted robbery."

The force said no arrests had been made at this stage and appealed for witnesses or anyone with any information to come forward.

The Met has said its response cars will now carry equipment that will help officers to better deal with calls to such attacks.

To give information anonymously, witnesses to Monday's attack are urged to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
P olice used force against suspects and individuals more than 100 times a day in London, according to data released for the first time today.

It showed the number of cases where officers used tactics ranging from handcuffs and physical restraint to Tasers and firearms.

In the three months to the end of June, individual officers recorded incidents of force 12,605 times, or an average of 138 cases a day.

Nearly half  5,397  were described as compliant handcuffing while other common tactics included the use of unarmed skills, restraint and tactical communications to defuse situations.

However, the data also showed that Taser stun guns were deployed on 1,102 occasions, although they were only fired 100 times.

CCTV of the moment Rashan Charles enters shop

Firearms officers aimed weapons on 281 occasions, police used batons 46 times and controversial spit guards were used 25 times.

The figures record armed police firing weapons on only two occasions, believed to be the incidents involving a raid on suspected terrorists in Willesden, when a woman was shot, and the terror attack in Borough Market when three extremists were shot dead.

The statistics record that force was used 10,925 times against men, 1,643 against women and 37 against transgender individuals.

Most incidents, 6,404, were against men aged between 18 and 34 years, although there were 17 children under the age of 10 who were subject to the use of force.

However, police say children could have been restrained by an officer for their own safety or to detain them, incidents which would have been recorded as force.

Rashan Charles died after being restrained by police / Twitter

The data revealed that 45 per cent of those who were subject to force were white, 36 per cent were black and 10 per cent from the Asian community.

Around 14 per cent were believed to have mental health issues.

Police dogs were deployed 24 times  and people were bitten by the dogs on 17 occasions. CS spray was drawn 87 times and used on violent suspects 68 times.

The figures were released after hundreds took to the streets in London to protest over the deaths of two black men after they were apprehended by police officers.

Rashan Charles, 20, died last month after being restrained by officers in Dalston, while Edson Da Costa, 25, from East Ham, died after contact with the police five weeks earlier.

The figures showed 655 suspects were injured, 11 seriously.

Commander Matt Twist said of the figures: Our officers face the most dangerous situations every day. The use of force techniques are there to stop violence and danger, protecting not only the officer making an arrest but the public at the scene, and the person being arrested.

It is important to recognise the type of force used with the most common being the use of compliant handcuffs.

These figures will ensure transparency to the public who will get a better idea of what officers face on a day-to-day basis.

He added: We can see from the data that on 643 occasions officers were injured in this period.

The figures include the first data on the use of spit guards after they were deployed to all custody suites across London.

Westminster officers recorded the most use of force followed by Lambeth, Croydon, Hackney and Wandsworth.

Commander Twist added: It is really important to note that this first three month period is very early data and not comparable against anything else.

It will take time for us to ensure officers comply with filling out this form after every use of force interaction becomes routine or second nature.

We know that there will be instances of force used in this period which have not been recorded, but having scrutinised the data we have already seen a steady increase in the number of online recording.

We have been training officers on the new form through officer safety training and briefings.

Officers are asked to record tactical communications as force to show where their attempt to defuse situations by talking failed and they had to resort to more robust tactics.
A married primary school teacher who watched a live stream of a six-year-old boy being raped has been jailed.

Wayne Brookes, 43, joined 45 other paedophiles online to watch the horrific abuse, which took place in the US.

He accessed the online chat room in which the rape was streamed after being given a 10-digit code by another paedophile.

Brookes, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, also used the site to watch a recording of a six-month-old baby being abused.

Bristol Crown Court heard Brookes, who had worked as a teacher for 10 years, lost his job once the offences came to light.

He is the second of four men to be sentenced following an investigation into the chat room by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Judge Martin Picton jailed Brookes, who admitted four charges of making indecent images of children, for 20 months.

"One of the pieces of footage depicted the live streaming of a rape of a little boy," the judge told a weeping Brookes.

"I do give you the benefit of doubt with the issue of whether you understood that you were watching a live event."

The judge said Brookes had kept his interest in young children a secret from his partner, viewing the indecent material "late at night".

His offences would have caused "alarm and distress" to fellow teachers, parents and children at the school where he worked, the judge added.

"There is no suggestion that you accessed any indecent images at work or that you offended against any of the children that were in your care at that time," he told Brookes.

The court heard Brookes was identified by officers after using a profile named Bear to access the chat room.

He was found to have downloaded more than 200 indecent images of children, included dozens at the highest category.

Brookes admitted his actions to officers following his arrest and his partner is standing by him, his barrister Virginia Cornwall said.

"He has demonstrated remorse and understanding for his criminality," Miss Cornwall added. "He is a broken man."

The rapist who broadcast the attack, William Chandler Augusta from Pennsylvania, was detected by Canadian authorities and arrested in the US in February.

He was jailed for up to 30 years for a range of offences. Police officers in the US identified his victim and protective measures were taken.

Last month, youth worker Darren Williams, 44, was jailed for 11 years for his part in the live stream of the rape.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Williams, of Blackwood, Newport, instructed the rapist to smack the victim and make him "say hi".

He admitted encouraging or assisting the rape of a child and six charges of encouraging or assisting the showing of indecent images of children.

Philip Crabtree, 35, of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, will be sentenced for 12 offences on a date to be set at Stoke Crown Court.

Christian Johnson Lueking, 36, of Raynes Park, London, admitted one offence of encouraging the showing of indecent images of children.

He will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on August 18.

Colin Radcliffe, operations manager at the NCA's child exploitation and online protection (CEOP) command, said: "These men thought they'd found a corner of the internet where they could avoid the consequences of participating in abuse."
A senior Met officer has appealed for calm after three men were stabbed and two others were shot in just four days in Newham.

Chief Superintendent Ade Adelekan has moved to reassure the community after a spate of violent attacks in the borough from Friday to Monday.

Scotland Yards Trident unit is investigating after a teenager and another young man were stabbed in the area in just a matter of hours on Friday night.

The young man, aged in his 20s, suffered non-life-threatening injuries after he was stabbed outside Maryland railway station at about 8.15pm.

Hours later at 11.20pm, a 17-year-old boy was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after he was stabbed in Barking Road.

Shortly before midnight on Sunday, a 41-year-old man was found suffering from two stab wounds to the thigh in Aldersbrook Lane. He was taken to hospital and has since been discharged.

In the early hours of Monday morning, police were called to reports of a shooting in Freemasons Road. A 26-year-old man was taken to hospital by LAS suffering from shotgun injuries at about 2am. His condition is not life-threatening.

Later that night at 10.20pm, a 25-year-old man was shot in Woodman Street. He was taken to hospital where he remained in a serious but stable condition on Tuesday.

Chief Supt Adelekan: Officers in Newham, with the assistance of the Trident and Area Crime Command are investigating a number of serious incidents that have occurred in recent days.

While it may seem that violence in the borough has suddenly increased, it should be understood that these are separate incidents that are not expected to form part of a continuing pattern.

I am mindful that these events may be of concern to local communities and I am urging any members of the public who may be worried or feel anxious to speak to patrolling officers or contact their local policing team.

As key partners I would ask you to assist our investigative process by remaining calm and joining us in reassuring local communities.

He said officers are not in a position to confirm that the incidents are gang-related but it does remain a possible line of enquiry.

Any witnesses are urged to contact police via 101, or via Twitter @MetCC or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
A warning has been issued over the use of painkiller fentanyl after it was revealed at least sixty people in the UK died from taking the drug.

The drug  which is 50 times more potent than heroin  has been used in hospitals as pain relief for decades.

But an illegal version has been created by dealers who are mixing it with heroin and other class A drugs to create a lethal substance.

The National Crime Agency warned that dealers are playing "Russian roulette" with lives after 60 people died in the last eight months.

The NCA and West Yorkshire Police raided a laboratory suspected of producing fentanyl and one of its analogues  chemical adaptation - carfentanyl in April.

The 60 victims, whose post mortem results indicated their drug-related deaths were known to be linked to fentanyl or one of its variants, were predominantly men and a range of ages, with none younger than 18, the NCA said.

The agency's deputy director Ian Cruxton said: "The NCA has been working with partners, both in the UK and overseas, to take action against those drug dealers who are playing Russian roulette with the lives of their customers by mixing synthetic opioids with heroin and other class A drugs."

While fentanyl can be legally prescribed as a painkiller, sometimes in the form of a patch or nasal spray, carfentanyl is only used as an anaesthetic for large animals including elephants, Mr Cruxton said.

"We believe the illicit supply from Chinese manufacturers and distributors constitutes a prime source for both synthetic opioids and the pre-cursor chemicals used to manufacture them," he added.

Recent NCA investigations have uncovered that fentanyl and its analogues are being both supplied in and exported from the UK, he said.

The April raid at a drug-mixing facility in Morley, Leeds, resulted in three people being charged with conspiracy to supply and export class A drugs.

The NCA said it had identified 443 customers of that "criminal enterprise" - 271 overseas, and 172 within the UK.

A fourth man was charged on Monday night, following a separate investigation in May, after police said they identified him using the so-called dark web to buy fentanyl or synthetic opioids.

Kyle Enos, of Maindee Parade in Gwent, is accused of importing, supplying and exporting class A drugs.

The 25-year-old is due in court in Cardiff at the end of the month.
B ank of England staff wore Mark Carney masks for their first strike in more than 50 years today.

Labours shadow chancellor John McDonnell joined members of the Unite union for the protest outside the Banks headquarters in the City of London.

Workers in maintenance and security are staging a three-day walkout over a pay row.

Mr McDonnell made a speech through a megaphone backing the staff against what the union called a derisory pay offer.

Landmark move: Bank of England staff strike for the first time in 50 years / EPA

Unite official Peter Kavanagh said: The governor of the Bank of England must take responsibility for the fact that his dedicated workforce is having to make their concerns heard from a picket line.

The result of the Banks failure to negotiate with staff is that the Bank of England now faces its first strike action in over 50 years.

A Bank of England spokesman said it has plans in place to ensure essential business will continue to operate as normal during the strike.

The spokesman said Unite balloted around two per cent of the workforce, and said the Bank remained ready to continue talks at any time.


A hospital said to be the most dilapidated in London gets so hot during the summer that patients are given sorbets to keep them cool.

Staff at St Helier distribute thousands of tubs during heatwaves  highlighting the difficulty of delivering healthcare in an 80-year-old building starved of investment and without air conditioning.

The shocking conditions were revealed as the Standard was given a behind-the- scenes tour of the hospital in Carshalton.

NHS bosses told how:

When lifts break down, patients needing surgery or diagnostic scans  including children and adults with kidney failure  have to be moved between departments by ambulance .

Beds have to be pushed away from walls when it rains because water leaks though brickwork,

The boiler room is at risk of flooding. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was said to be amazed when shown the ancient steam boilers during the general election campaign.

A total of 2,098 sorbets were distributed to patients during the June heatwave, the Standard was told.

High temperatures are also experienced at St Heliers sister hospital, Epsom, where some windows cannot be opened in case they fall out of their frames.

When lifts break down, patients needing surgery or diagnostic scans have to be moved between departments by ambulance

An interim 12 million repair scheme has begun at St Helier but Epsom and St Helier NHS trusts long-term vision is to centralise acute care in a proposed 300-400 million new hospital in nearby Sutton, alongside a planned 1 billion London Cancer Hub at the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Campaigners claim that moving A&E, inpatient paediatrics, maternity and high-dependency care from St Helier and Epsom would amount to a downgrading.

A total of 2,098 sorbets were distributed to patients during the June heatwave

Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary and MP for Epsom and Ewell, has raised profound concerns and called for Epsom and St Helier to divorce.

However other MPs, including Tories Paul Scully and Stephen Hammond and Lib-Dem Tom Brake, have written to Mr Hunt in support of the plans, which could alternatively see new acute facilities on either of the existing sites.

About 400 senior clinicians at the trust, including 160 consultants, also back the plans, which would keep both St Helier and Epsom open.

Starved of investment: the ancient steam boilers were said to have amazed Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on a visit during the general election

Bosses hope to win approval to proceed from NHS England and NHS Improvement by Christmas. Chief executive Daniel Elkeles, who has been hand-delivering leaflets urging residents to back the plans, said: The scale of the investment we are asking for is very ambitious, but we also think that the scale of the need is huge.

A view of the hospital's 1930s plant room

Its completely evident to everyone who works here that we cant carry on with the buildings we have in perpetuity. There isnt one functional building at St Helier. We think its the only hospital in the country where the entire site is a problem.

Despite its hospitals pre-dating the formation of the NHS and having an underlying 37 million deficit, the trust has delivered the best A&E performance in London, hitting the four-hour target for the last four months.

Bosses fear talented staff will leave if years of uncertainty about its future continue.

Mr Scully, MP for Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park, said the plans were the first not to involve the loss of A&E services to St Georges Hospital, Tooting.

Mr Scully added: My favourite site would be the collaboration with the Royal Marsden. At the moment, its about making sure we can get the investment into the trust, into one of the three sites.

"Eighty-five per cent of people will get treatment in exactly the same hospital as they do now.

The future of St Helier has been the subject of speculation for years, with its poor state of repair putting it at risk in reviews of emergency care in south- west London that have favoured St Georges, Kingston and Croydon hospitals.
T wo police officers were rushed to hospital after their marked car collided with another vehicle in north London.

The police car had to be cut open by firefighters in order to free the officers following the collision on Broadfields Avenue in Edgware at around 2.30pm.

The officers injuries were not believed to be serious, while the driver of the other car was not injured.

Dramatic pictures from the scene showed fire engines and an ambulance gathered around the crashed car, with the surrounding road cordoned off around. A later image showed the vehicle with its entire roof sawn off.

No arrests have been made and officers from the Mets Road and Transport Policing Command are investigating the incident.

Fire and ambulance crews were sent to the scene / @999London

A Met Police spokesperson said: On Tuesday, 1 August shortly before 14:35 hours officers in a marked police car were involved in a collision with another car.

The police car had its roof completely sawn off / @999London

The collision occurred at Broadfields Avenue junction with Hale Lane. Two male police officers have been taken to hospital for assessment. Their injuries are not believed to be serious.
S adiq Khan is seeking greater powers on renegotiating planning decisions where private developers dramatically cut the number of affordable homes.

The Mayor says he wants a strong role when developers and town halls thrash out for a second time how many should be built on a project.

It follows a decision by Wandsworth Council to approve a 40 per cent cut in affordable homes planned at the Battersea Power Station redevelopment.

The Mayor does have a role in setting affordable housing applications considered to have a strategic, London-wide impact  but not renegotiating major schemes at a more local level.

In a written mayoral answer, he said: Whilst it is unnecessary and inappropriate for me to be a signatory to every legal agreement ... I should have a strong role in any renegotiation when this relates to affordable housing on strategic applications, and be fully consulted on any such proposed amendments. I am seeking such powers from the Government.

Appeal to ministers: Sadiq Khan. The number of affordable homes planned for Batttersea Power Station has been slashed by 40%

The developer behind the Battersea scheme cut the number of affordable flats, targeted at locals, first-time buyers and renters, to just 386 last month. But it insists it is focused on eventually delivering an earlier agreement for 636  15 per cent of the 4,239 homes planned.

But BPS Development Group said the project could become financially unviable if it had to keep to the 2011 promise.

It said cost increases and economic uncertainty meant it could deliver only nine per cent affordable homes.

Mr Khan has accused Wandsworth of waving through the cut at the 9 billion scheme. Labours London Assembly housing spokesman Tom Copley, who asked the mayoral question, said: Lack of affordable housing is a London-wide issue that warrants City Halls involvement.

City Hall said the Mayor was holding discussions with the Government about planning and housing powers.

A spokesperson for Battersea Power Station said: Later this year we expect to start work on the first 386 affordable homes which will be ready for local people to move into in 2020, three years ahead of schedule. The team remains focused on delivering the full amount of 15 per cent of affordable homes which equates to 636 homes over the course of this project.
F ormer Conservative leader William Hague today gave Philip Hammond heavyweight backing for a Brexit deal that would keep close ties to the European Union for an extra three years.

Lord Hague intervened amid Cabinet tensions over the Chancellors push for a transitional deal to preserve free trade and open borders until 2022.

Speaking in Brazil, Mr Hammond said that the clock is ticking on negotiations and dismissed reports that Brussels chiefs were going to stall trade talks until December due to lack of progress on agreeing a cash settlement.

But at home, a Cabinet source was reported to have called on the Chancellor to put a sock in it, stop undermining the Prime Minister and get back to developing a sound economic plan.

Delay call: William Hague

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, are understood to be unhappy that Mr Hammond appears to want EU free movement to continue in all but name until 2022. Eurosceptic ministers are worried that a temporary arrangement could become permanent.

Philip Hammond: Transitional deal expected within three years of leaving EU

But Lord Hague praised the Chancellor for having come up with a proposal that would prevent a disaster. This is seen by longstanding advocates of leaving as a soft position or a climbdown, he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. But in reality it is a plan to rescue Brexit from an approaching disaster.

He said it would calm businesses who were wondering whether to move staff and production abroad, without compromising on a full Brexit. Although it involved paying into the EU budget in 2020 and 2021, that would help to resolve the deadlock about the cash settlement. It would also give time to make new customs arrangements.

This should, of course, be the plan of the whole Government, agreed in advance and relayed unanimously. But even in the absence of that, it is the most sensible and workable approach, said the peer, who is popular with grassroots Tories.

Yesterday the Prime Ministers spokesman insisted that free movement of EU citizens would end in 2019, but conceded that numbers would not instantly fall. Mr Hammond last night reiterated that the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice will also end in 2019, which would preclude free movement as it is currently enjoyed.
MATTOON (JG-TC) -- School registration for Mattoon students starts this week.

Registration for K-12 students will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at whichever school a student will attend this fall, according to a press release.

Preschool registration will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 10 at Hawthorne School and Riddle Elementary Preschool.

All district registration forms can be completed and printed prior to registration at "Registration Forms" on the Mattoon district website. Blank district forms will be available to complete at each registration site as well.

School officials ask that parents should bring their children's Social Security numbers and the name and telephone number of an adult to contact in case of an emergency during school hours.

Health-related requirements

Students will not be allowed to attend school without first showing proof of a valid physical and immunizations.

According to the release, all kindergarten, sixth-grade, ninth-grade, and out-of-district transfer students are required to have had a physical examination sometime in the past year, and to be properly immunized. The same goes also for any students in special education programs that will have turned or will be turning ages 5, 10, and 15.

Also, kindergarten, second-grade and sixth-grade students must present proof that they have been examined by a licensed dentist before May 15 of the current school year, the notice reads.

The notice continues that parents or guardians of children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years must provide a statement from a physician that their child was "risk assessed" or screened for lead poisoning in accordance with state law. First-time students who are enrolling in a school district in Illinois are required to have a vision exam.

The school nurse will be available during registration to check for compliance. According to the school officials, students who are not in compliance will not be allowed to attend school.

However, recent out-of-state transfer students who did not attend Mattoon schools the previous school year may request an extension of this deadline from the school nurse, the release reads.

In addition, an official copy of the child's birth certificate must be presented at the time of registration for a child enrolling for the first time in the district.

Residency

According to a press release, parents will be required to provide evidence that they reside in the school district by showing a valid driver's license or some other proof of residency. Parents or guardians will also be required to fill out a residency questionnaire.

Parents who are divorced and non-parent guardians must provide a copy of their divorce decree or court order granting them legal custody of the child, the release states.

Only resident students of the district may attend the Mattoon schools without tuition. The release noted that those who knowingly or willfully give any false information to a school district about the residency of a student in order to avoid tuition may be guilty of a misdemeanor offense.

Other school info at the sites

Transportation personnel at the district will be available to answer questions about bus routes, schedules, and assignments, the release states. Children who reside less than one-and-one-half miles from school are not eligible for bus transportation.

Pick-up and drop-off at a childcare provider are available only on established bus routes for eligible riders, the press release continues.

The school district allows a limited amount of student transfers between elementary attendance centers, the release states. Requests to transfer between elementary schools must be made in writing to the building principal.

According to the release, requests will be approved solely on the basis of class enrollment which, in some cases, will not be known until after school begins. Forms will be available at registration.

Also, students from families that meet certain income requirements are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Information on this eligibility will be available during registration.

Starting Monday, all school offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. School principals will be available to answer questions or provide information concerning educational matters.

The first official day for most students, first grade through 12th grade, is Aug. 16. Kindergartners' first day is the day after.
T he Proms was at the centre of a new Brexit row today after concertgoers at the Royal Albert Hall were ordered to put away their EU flags by staff.

Campaigners draped about half a dozen flags over the barrier separating the audience from the orchestra towards the end of Sundays performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, but were told to remove them.

The performance, with guest conductor Xian Zhang, featured a rousing rendition of Ode To Joy, the EUs official anthem.

The Proms in numbers

Concertgoer Fiona Swann claimed: Somebody came and told us we couldnt put them there. They just said its not allowed so I said, Thats strange because flags are such a tradition at the Proms, but he said, Not those flags. The 50-year-old from Sydenham, who attended the concert with other anti-Brexit campaigners, handed out flags and badges outside the Albert Hall before unfurling her flag inside.

She claimed another audience member who was sitting with an EU flag unfurled across his lap was also ordered to put it away.

EU flags are draped over the barrier at Sundays performance

This years Proms have already strayed into the Brexit row, with pianist Igor Levit performing Ode to Joy on the opening night this year wearing an EU badge. Daniel Barenboim ended his performance last month with a speech calling for European unity and warning against the dangers of nationalism and isolationist tendencies.

More than 2,500 EU flags were handed out to the audience by pro-EU music lovers ahead of 2016s Last Night of the Proms, months after the referendum. Anti-Brexit campaigner Peter Cook, a Kent-based business consultant, said there would be more of the same this year on September 9.

This years concert will feature Christine Rice

The last night  which this year will feature mezzo-soprano Christine Rice and Finnish conductor Sakari Oramo  traditionally finishes with patriotic British music and sees the audience waving the Union Flag.

He said: Traditionally there is flag-waving at the last night and I dont see why we should do any different. We may have lost the vote but I think we have to keep the issue on the table and the flags do that.

People have called me a Brexit bore but if someone could convince me there was a good plan for Brexit I might change my mind. But they havent so Im going to keep going.

A statement on behalf of the Albert Hall and the BBC, which organises the Proms, said: Flags are permitted, however our primary concern is the smooth running of the festival.

On this occasion a small number of people with large flags caused disruption to the audience and performers at the front of the arena. In line with standard event management, staff intervened as they would for any disturbance in the hall.
V oters see Labour as the "best bet" for maintaining close ties with the EU, according to new research.

The British Election Study (BES) said its data suggests Jeremy Corbyn's party won over "large numbers" of Remain backers from the Conservatives, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats in June's snap election.

More than 50 per cent of all voters who backed Remain at the 2016 EU referendum reportedly gave their support to Labour at this year's general election.

This compared with 25 per cent for the Tories and 15 per cent for the pro-EU Lib Dems, which had promised a second referendum under Tim Farron's leadership.

Professor Ed Fieldhouse and Chris Prosser, members of the BES team from the University of Manchester, wrote: "Despite an ambiguous position on the single market, Labour was seen as the best bet for those wanting to keep closer ties with our European neighbours."

Since the election, the confusion has continued with Mr Corbyn saying Britain would leave the single market on Brexit while other leading Labour figures - such as shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer - have said all options are on the table.

Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer implied remaining in the single market was an option / EPA

Prof Fieldhouse and Mr Prosser added: "One of the reasons Labour could do so well amongst Remainers is that by May 2017 the Brexit debate was not so much about whether or not to leave or remain, but about how to leave the EU."

They added: "The chart reveals a striking correlation between wanting to control immigration and voting Tory on one hand, and wanting access to the single market and voting Labour or Lib Dem on the other.

"For example, the Conservatives lead Labour by more than 40 percentage points amongst those most in support of full control of immigration, with Labour having a similar lead among those wanting complete access to the single market.

"So to put it another way, the Tories were the party of hard Brexit whilst Labour was the party of soft Brexit.

The BES's assessment of who Leave and Remain backers supported at the general election is based on a survey conducted by YouGov between June 9 and June 23, involving 31,196 respondents.

Prof Fieldhouse and Mr Prosser said respondents were asked whether it was more important for the UK Government to protect Britain's single market access or gain full control of immigration during Brexit talks.
B ritons attitudes to breastfeeding prevent mothers in the UK from nursing their babies for more than a few weeks, experts have said.

The UK has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the world, research by Unicef and the World Health Organisation shows.

Just one in three babies  34 per cent - are breastfed for the recommended six months in the UK compared to 71 per cent in Norway.

The shocking statistics sparked a call for Britons to change their attitudes to breastfeeding in a bid to improve babies mental and physical development.

Professor Neena Modi, RCPCH president, told the Guardian that many children in the UK found the practice yukky.

She added that society is ambivalent about womens bodies and called for schools to improve education about breastfeeding.

Some new mums also believe their partners would be uncomfortable if they breastfed.

Prof Modi said: Perhaps many men feel discomforted because they grow up to regard the breast as a sexual object.

She added: If someone was selling rich middle class parents some wonderful new whatever to improve their childrens intellectual ability, it would probably sell like hot cakes. And breast milk is absolutely just that.

The call to change the countrys attitudes to the topic comes on the 25th anniversary of National Breastfeeding Week.

On Monday the Kyrgyzstan Presidents daughter spoke out over and image of her feeding her son which sparked a worldwide debate on the issue.

Aliya Shagieva, 20, responded to critics after she faced a backlash for sharing an image of her breastfeeding in her underwear.

The intimate photograph of her and her one-month-old son Tagir was posted on Instagram in April with the caption: I will feed my child whenever and wherever he needs to be fed.

The image of the 20-year-old breastfeeding her son sparked a breastfeeding row / Aliya Shagieva, Instagram

But after she was attacked on social media and accused of sexualisation, she took the image down.

Her parents, President Almazbek Atambayev and his wife Raisa, disapproved.

They really didnt like it. And it is understandable because the younger generation is less conservative than their parents, she said.
B ritish Gas was accused of delivering the ultimate slap in the face to millions of families today as bosses ordered a huge hike in electricity prices.

The 12.5 per cent rise will add 76 pounds to the typical bill of its three million electricity customers and will come into effect on the 15th September.

The supplier - owned by the energy giant Centrica - said it had been forced into the difficult decision by rising costs and was its first for more than three years.

But the unjustifiable move sparked a wave of anger from customers and raised fears that other suppliers could follow suit at a time when household budgets are already been squeezed by rising prices triggered by Brexit.

Tariff switching firm the Big Deal said its own research suggested British Gas should be cutting bills as the overall costs for energy companies - including wholesale, network and policy costs - have fallen by nine per cent since December 2016.

Co-founder Will Hodson said: British Gas announcing a price rise as they make half a billion in profit is the ultimate slap in the face for families. Their standard tariff now costs 286 a year more than the cheapest deal on the market.

Ian Conn: CEO of British Gas owner Centrica

This price rise is completely unjustifiable. British Gas claim the rise is because of increased costs but Ofgem data shows that all their costs - wholesale, network and policy - have dropped by nine per cent since December 2016. They should be cutting prices not raising them.

This price rise unfairly hits millions of ordinary families in the pocket while British Gas makes hundreds of millions in profit and their executives take home millions in pay packages.

Top gas men Iain Conn Worked at BP for 29 years before stepping down from the board in 2014 to become CEO of British Gas owner Centrica. He faced criticism for collecting a 1 million pay rise last year  taking his total package to 4.15 million  as many customers struggled to pay fuel bills. Much of the increase came from a 1.4 million recruitment award  compensation for rewards he forfeited when he joined Centrica. Conn, 54, married with three children, could earn a maximum of nearly 6.5 million. In 2016, he also received 121,000 as a non-executive director of BT Group. Mark Hodges The British Gas CEO was Iain Conns first major appointment. The 51-year-old joined despite having no energy sector experience  having worked for insurer Aviva for 20 years. His total remuneration package last year was 1.9 million  although he could end up being paid as much as 4 million. He joined Norwich Union in 1991 and became managing director of Norwich Union General Insurance in 2005 and chief executive of Aviva UK Life a year later. In 2010 he was appointed UK CEO of Aviva. From 2011 to 2014 he was CEO of insurance broker Towergate.

Centrica also immediately waded into a bitter row with ministers by blaming Government policy for the increase.

Chief executive Ian Conn told the BBC Today programme: Governments have had to make some very difficult decisions about the future of the energy system and the way in which we currently pay for that is through the bill.

He said there had been a progressive increase in costs such as the administration of adding micro-generators to the national grid, which had overwhelmed the companys efforts to hold down prices through efficiency savings.

However, a spokesperson for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy dismissed the claim, saying: Government policy costs make up a relatively small proportion of household energy bills. Wholesale prices are the bigger portion of household bills and are coming down.

British Gas said it had delayed the rise until long after its rivals and insisted its total 1120 typical dual fuel bill will still be one of the cheapest on the market. It is giving a 76 credit to 200,000 vulnerable customers to cushion them from the rise and is holding gas prices at their current level.

Mark Hodges, chief executive, Centrica Consumer, said: We held off increasing prices for many months longer than most suppliers in order to protect our customers from rising costs, so it is a difficult decision to have to announce an increase in electricity prices.

"This rise reflects an underlying increase in policy and transmission costs.

Mark Hodges: British Gas CEO

We know that keeping energy prices as low as possible is vital, and our new standard tariff price has again been set at a level lower than most of the top ten suppliers. We are able to do this because we have managed our own cost base tightly.

Big Switch said Centrica made 489 million in profits on its domestic customers during the first half of 2017 and Mr Conn received a 40 per cent pay rise in 2016 making his total remuneration package worth 4.15 million.

Government sources reiterated Theresa Mays threat to hit the industry with price capping if charges kept on being hiked.

We rule nothing out, one told the Standard. We have gone to Ofgem and said we want action to safeguard tarrifs. The threat of legislation is stil there.

But Labours shadow energy minister Alan Whitehead said the whopping price increase was unjustified  and accused the Conservatives of breaking a manifesto pledge to impose a cap.

On the face of it, it does not appear to be justifiable at all from where the market is going, he said.

What we need  and what the Government should have done, because there was an agreement going into the election - is a price cap.

Unfortunately the Government has decided, despite having that in their manifesto, that they are not going to do that now.

The Conservative manifesto pledged a wide-ranging cap to protect 17 million customers from excessive rises, saving people an estimated 100 a year.

It stated: We will go further. We will introduce a safeguard tariff cap that will extend the price protection currently in place for some vulnerable customers to more customers on the poorest value tariffs  the safeguard tariff cap will protect customers who do not switch against abusive price increases.

After the election the plan did not appear in the Queens Speech and ministers said they were considering the best way to protect people on poor-value tariffs.

Martin Lewis founder of consumer website cheapenergyclub.com, which has over two million members, said: This is British Gas catch-up price hike.

"It was the only one of the big 6 firms not to raise prices at the start of the year, and now, as predicted, itll do it from September.

"And that means if, as is possible, we see another batch of rises this coming winter, its customers will feel like theyve been price-slapped twice in rapid succession.
S cientists are urging employers to stop forcing women into wearing high heels at work as a new study reveals they are damaging to their health.

After ministers rebuffed calls for a UK-wide ban earlier this year, scientists from the University of Aberdeen appealed to UK policymakers and Scottish MPs in particular to take action as a new study revealed that high heels are bad for health.

After a review of scientific studies, the researchers found that high heels make women more attractive to men, but uncovered a huge amount of evidence that the shoes raise the risk of injury and can cause musculoskeletal problems.

Earlier this year the UK Government rejected calls for a specific ban after a campaign by temp receptionist Nicola Thorp, who was sent home by receptionist outsourcing firm Portico on her first day at PwC after refusing to wear a two- to four-inch heel.

Nicola Thorp, who led a campaign to ban employers from forcing women to wear high heels / BBC

After the incident in December 2015, Ms Thorp collected more than 152,400 signatures on a petition calling for a law barring firms from forcing women to wear heels at work.

Dr Max Barnish, who led the research, said: We feel the UK Government should follow the lead of other authorities who have introduced specific laws to tackle this practice rather than simply relying on existing legislation, which has left the situation in this country uncertain and open to misinterpretation.

This matter has in the UK been so far addressed through UK-wide equality laws. However, there may be scope for the devolved nations of the UK such as Scotland to consider introducing further measures under devolved health legislative powers.

Dr Heather Morgan, a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, said: Of course we are not trying to tell anyone that they should or shouldn't wear high heels.

But we hope this review will inform wearers to help them weigh up the health risks with social benefits, as well as putting pressure on lawmakers to toughen up legislation so that no-one is forced against their will to wear them in the workplace or in licensed public social venues.

However, expectations are not always explicit and some may feel forced even if the law protects them.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said it was "unacceptable for anyone to suffer discrimination in the workplace" and added that the Scottish Government "taking action to ensure women's equality in the workplace".

She said: "Whilst there are restrictions on certain clothing due to health and safety legislation, our efforts should be focused on encouraging people to focus on how people do their job, not what they wear."

The Canadian province of British Columbia introduced a ban earlier this year on employers compelling women to wear heels at work.

But in April, British ministers rejected calls for them to follow suit, saying existing discrimination laws were adequate to address the issue.
T housands of British holidaymakers are facing hours of extra-long security queues because of tougher EU border checks.

Some passengers have missed their flights or been forced to queue for up to four hours while leaving or arriving for their holiday, Europes largest airline association has warned.

The problems are set to continue throughout the summer holiday season, delaying tourists travelling in and out of popular destination airports including Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Lisbon, Lyon, Paris-Orly, Milan and Brussels.

Photos taken in recent days show queues of weary travellers snaking around the airport.

Vanessa Raw shared a picture online of a queue in Spain. She wrote: Mayhem at Barcelona airport, security queue stretching round whole airport and out exit!

James Davies was stuck in a queue at Nice airport last week. He wrote on Twitter: Border queue at Nice airport Havent moved in 20 minutes and my flight takes off in 35. Help!

Airlines for Europe, the Brussels-based airline association made up of carriers including Ryanair, easyJet and Air France KLM, blamed the long queues on EU border controls which are significantly understaffed to comply with tightened immigration checks.

European regulations brought in tightened security checks following the Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks.

Thomas Reynaert, managing director of A4E, said: Member states need to take all necessary measures now to prevent such disruptions and deploy appropriate staff and resources in sufficient numbers to carry out the requested checks.

A4E has stressed the disproportionate waiting times and disrupted flow of traffic at external borders with the European Commission and calls for a swift solution on behalf of European passengers and airlines.

Especially during the peak season of the year, travellers face long lines and cant get on their flights.

He added: At some airports, flight delays have increased by 300 per cent compared to last year  member states must take the responsibility for this.

EU border staff are required to check passenger details against special databases recording stolen or lost travel documents.
S ix theme park rides in the UK have been forced to close after a teenager died on a similar ride in the US.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said five of the rides were re-inspected after the horrifying incident at Ohio State Fair on July 26.

They have temporarily been taken out of use.

A sixth ride at Lightwater Valley in North Yorkshire was closed immediately by its operator, independently of the HSE.

It comes after 18-year-old high school student Tyler Jarrell died when a swinging and spinning ride called Fire Ball broke apart.

Seven others were injured in the shocking incident, some critically.

Three of the closed rides are at Pleasurewood Hills theme park in Suffolk, Coney Beach Fair in Porthcawl, South Wales, and Brean Theme Park in Somerset, the HSE said.

A fourth is operated by Ryan Crow Amusements at funfairs in the North East, and a ride owned by a Joseph Manning in Hertfordshire has also been served with a prohibition enforcement notice.

Lightwater Valley said its Eagle's Claw ride was not running, telling visitors: "Due to circumstances beyond our control this ride is currently closed, apologies for any inconvenience this may cause."

The HSE said it was aware of the "tragic accident" involving the KMG Afterburner, which was themed as Fire Ball in Columbus, Ohio.

A spokeswoman said: "There are six machines of this version operating in the UK which were all thoroughly inspected within the last 12 months in line with agreed procedures.

"There is no verified information regarding the immediate cause of the US accident. Following the incident, HSE initiated a re-inspection of these machines.

The HSE said it understood a letter had been sent to operators of all similar machines operating in the UK and that some owners may have closed rides "as a precautionary measure.

It added: "HSE will ensure operators are kept abreast of information as it arrives and will take such action as is necessary to ensure the rides are inspected and tested as necessary to ensure safety."

Manning's Amusements said: "The safety of our customers is, of course, of paramount importance to us. We confirm that, as a precaution, the Afterburner ride that was being operated by us was immediately taken out of service pending a full investigation being carried out.

"We are liaising with the HSE and the ride will not re-open until all tests have been completed and we are fully satisfied that there is no risk to passengers."

A spokesman for Lightwater Valley said the theme park was "deeply saddened" to hear of the US incident.

He continued: "While there are fundamental and significant differences between our ride and the one involved in this terrible incident, we entirely support the HSE's decision to not operate these types of ride in Great Britain until all the facts are known and a comprehensive investigation has taken place.

The spokesman added: "We will, of course, notify the public when the ride is back in operation."
A suicide bomber has killed at least 29 people and wounded dozens more after blowing himself up in a Shiite mosque in Afghanistan.

The bomber entered the large mosque - in the countrys Herat province  on Tuesday night and opened fire on worshippers before detonating explosives.

As well as those killed in the attack, around 64 people were injured. Ten of those are in a critical condition.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of carnage at the mosque, where around 300 worshippers were attending evening prayers.

Bombing: People gather on the street following a suicide bomb attack at a Shiite mosque / AFP/Getty Images

Mehdi Hadid, a lawmaker from Herat, told The Associated Press that he estimated at least 100 had been killed and said he saw bodies scattered throughout the mosque.

He said the mosque was badly damaged, with windows blown out, walls peppered with shrapnel and blood everywhere.

It is not yet clear whether there was a second attacker but witnesses in the area reported hearing another explosion about 10 minutes after the initial bomber detonated his explosives.

Mosque: Afghan security personnel inspect the site of the suicide bomb attack / AFP/Getty Images

Some news agencies reported that one man acted as the suicide bomber whilst a second opened fire on worshippers in the predominantly Shiite region.

Shiites Muslims are a minority in Afghanistan and have been threatened by the Islamic State group that operates in the country's east.

Herat has previously been the scene of several smaller attacks on Shiites.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack.


B oris Johnson accused Venezuela's president of behaving like the "dictator of an evil regime" after two of the country's opposition leaders were seized from their homes at night by state security agents.

The Foreign Secretary attacked Nicolas Maduro after he appeared to crack down on his enemies following a widely disputed vote to give his ruling party nearly unlimited powers.

The country's National Electoral Council said more than eight million people voted to grant Mr Maduro's government the powers with a constitutional assembly.

But the turnout has been disputed by political opponents.

Controversial: President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro / EPA

On Tuesday relatives and allies of two of the country's leading opposition figures - Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma - reported on social media that they had been detained by the state.

Opposition: Leopoldo Lopez has reportedly been detained by the state / EPA

Both had recently posted videos online criticising Mr Maduro's decision to hold the vote for a constitutional assembly with the power to overhaul the country's political system.

Detained: Antonio Ledezma was also seized by officials overnight / EPA

Mr Johnson tweeted: "Maduro acting like a dictator of an evil regime and has destroyed Venezuelan economy, eroded human rights + imprisoned thousands".

In another post, he added: "Hundreds have died during protests against Maduro's actions. Political prisoners must be released + rights, freedoms + democracy respected."

Mr Maduro called the vote for a constitutional assembly in May after a month of protests against his government, which has overseen Venezuela's descent into a devastating crisis during its four years in power.

Plunging oil prices and widespread corruption have left the formerly prosperous nation struggling with widespread shortages of food and medicine.

Demonstration: A woman shouts during a protest held by Venezuelans in Spain against Venezuela's Constituent Assembly election / REUTERS

The winners among the 5,500 ruling-party candidates running for 545 seats in Mr Maduro's new constituent assembly will have the task of rewriting the country's constitution and will have powers above and beyond other state institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress.

The United States has reacted to the election by imposing financial sanctions on Mr Maduro, who Donald Trump's national security adviser H R McMaster also described as "a dictator".

Protest: Venezuelan citizens living in Colombia hold banners shaped as gravestones reading 'QEPD' (Lit. RIP, rest in peace) / EPA

But the Venezuelan president remained defiant, insisting on national television that the sanctions "don't intimidate me for a moment", adding: "I don't listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever".



Additional reporting from PA.
D onald Trump hailed a great day in the White House after sacking his communications chief Anthony Scaramucci just 10 days into his role.

The White House said he had been dismissed from the role to give the new chief of staff John Kelly a clean state.

Mr Scaramuccis sacking came just days after he had unleashed an expletive-laced tirade against senior staff including verbal attacks on then-chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon.

After the Wall Street financier was shown the door, the President tweeted: A great day in the White House!

Mr Scaramucci, 53, was named the White Houses Communications Director on July 21, taking over from Sean Spicer, who resigned from his role as White House Press Secretary because of the new appointment.

Mr Trumps then-chief of staff Reince Priebus also left his role after Mr Scaramucci was made communications chief.

The decision to sack Mr Scaramucci is believed to have been made by Mr Trumps new chief of staff, former US marine Mr Kelly.

Donald Trump said there was 'no chaos' in his administration / AP

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House communications director.

Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give chief of staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.

It followed a series of turbulent media appearances by the Wall Street financier including an interview with the New Yorker magazine in which he went on a profanity-laden tirade against two top officials.

Members of Trump's administration who got sacked

Talking about the US president's chief strategist he said: "Im not Steve Bannon, Im not trying to suck my own c***".

Im not trying to build my own brand off the f****** strength of the President. Im here to serve the country, he said.

He also labelled former chief of staff Reince Priebus a "f****** paranoid schizophrenic.

White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is removed from post

Earlier on Monday, the president insisted there was no chaos in his White House after a tumultuous week of infighting and political turmoil.

Mr Scaramucci rattled off a list of apparent successes in one of his signature Twitter outbursts in response to fears his administration is plagued with difficulty.

He wrote: "Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos!"
The real question of the 2016 presidential election isn't so much why did Donald Trump win, as why did he even get close?

After all, Trump was a totally unconventional candidate who broke all the rules and did things that would have destroyed anyone else running for president. So why did he break through?

Here's the answer: America is now divided along four lines, each one reinforcing the others. Call them the four Cs.

The first is capitalism. There was a time when the American economy moved in tandem with its middle class. As the economy grew, so did middle class employment and wages. But over the last few decades that link has been broken. The economy has been humming along, but it now enriches mostly those with education, training, and capital. The other Americans have been left behind.

The second divide is about culture. In recent decades, we've seen large scale immigration; African-Americans and Hispanics rising to a more central place in society; and gays being accorded equal rights. All of this has meant new cultures and narratives have received national attention. And it's worried a segment of the older, white population, which fears that the national culture they grew up with is fading. One comprehensive study found that after party loyalty, the second strongest predictor of a Trump voter was "fears of cultural displacement."

The third divide in America today is about class. The Trump vote is in large part an act of class rebellion, a working class revolt against know-it-all elites who run the country. These voters will stick with Donald Trump even as he flails, rather than vindicate the elite, urban view of him.

The final C in this story is communication. We have gone from an America where people watched three networks that provided a uniform view of the world to one where everyone can pick their own channel, message, and now even their own facts.

All these forces have been at work for decades, but in recent years, the Republican Party has been better able to exploit them and identify with those Americans who feel frustrated, anxious, angry -- even desperate about the direction that the country is headed in. Donald Trump capitalized on these trends even more thoroughly, speaking openly to people's economic anxieties, cultural fears, and class rebellion. He promised simple solutions, mostly aimed at others -- Mexicans, Muslims, Chinese people and, of course, the elites and the media.

It worked. He won. Whether his solutions are even enacted is another matter. But the real victory will come for this country when someone looks at these deep forces that are dividing it and tries to construct a politics that will bridge them. Rather than accept that America must remain a country split between two tribes -- each uncomprehending of the other, both bitter and hostile -- he or she would speak in a language that unites them.

That kind of leadership would win not just elections -- but a place of honor in American history.
P resident Trump personally dictated a misleading statement about his sons controversial meeting with a Russian lawyer who was allegedly offering him dirt on Hillary Clinton during last years election campaign, it was claimed today.

Rather than come clean about the real reason for the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, the president allegedly told Donald Jr. to say in his statement that they were discussing a Russian ban on US adoptions.

The Washington Post reported that Mr Trump intervened and told his son to claim he took the meeting innocently and declare it was not a campaign issue at the time.

The latest White House bombshell came amid investigations by the FBI under Special Counsel Robert Mueller and congressional committees into allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow in trying to influence the election result.

Russia link allegations: Donald Trump Jr / AP

Mr Trump allegedly drafted the statement for his son on Air Force One while flying back to the US from last months G20 Summit in Germany.

Later, Mr Trump Jr. was forced to admit he agreed to the meeting after receiving an email promising damaging information about Mrs Clinton. The message suggested the material was being offered as part of a Russian government effort to help his fathers campaign.

The Post claims the presidents interference has left administration advisers worried that Mr Trump and some of his inner circle could be in legal jeopardy over claims that he was party to a cover-up.

This was . . .unnecessary, the Post quoted a presidential aide as saying. Now someone can claim hes the one who attempted to mislead. Somebody can argue the president is saying he doesnt want you to say the whole truth.

Mr Trump is already facing claims that he tried to obstruct the course of justice by asking FBI Director James Comey to drop his investigation into ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynns Russian ties and then firing Mr Comey shortly afterwards.
A string of top White House figures including President Trumps sacked communications chief Anthony Scaramucci were apparently tricked into embarrassing email exchanges by an online hoaxer, it was revealed today.

The extraordinary online exchange is a parting humiliation for Mr Scaramucci - known as The Mooch - after his firing yesterday following just 10 tumultuous days in the job.

His tenure came to an end as it began - in a torrent of public indiscretion.

He appears to have compared the dismissal last Friday of Mr Priebus as White House chief-of-staff with Shakespeares Othello and told the email imposter: You know what you did.

White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is removed from post

Days before being fired himself, Mr Scaramucci also boasted he would thrive in his new role as the public face of the administration.

Heaping further ridicule on the Trump White House, the anonymous prankster, who is from the UK and who uses the name Sinon Reborn on a mail.com account, also claims to have posed as Jared Kushner, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., to fool other senior officials.

Screenshots of the alleged email conversations were posted on Twitter and, according to CNN, White House officials acknowledged the incidents and said they were taking the matter seriously.

Trump has lowest approval rating of modern US Presidents

We take all cyber related issues very seriously and are looking into these incidents further, said Mr Trumps Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The online prankster posing as Mr Priebus taunted Mr Scaramucci on Saturday, including a reference to John Kelly, the general named as the administrations new chief-of-staff.

At no stage have you acted in a way thats even remotely classy, yet you believe thats the standard by which everyone should behave towards you, wrote the prankster, pretending to be Mr Priebus.

General Kelly will do a fine job, he added. Ill even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I dont expect a reply.

But, according to CNN, he got a response anyway.

You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologise, wrote the very real Mooch, say reports.

Mr Scaramucci didnt explain what the former chief-of-staff did, although he has previously accused Mr Priebus of leaking information to the media.

I cant believe you are questioning my ethics! shot back the joker. The so called Mooch, who cant even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologise for.

The email exchanges... Scaramucci to fake Russia Ambassador Jon Huntsman Imposter: Whos (sic) head should roll first?Maybe I can help things along somewhat. Scaramucci: Both of them. Scaramucci: Are you in Moscow now? If not please visit. Imposter: Personally, Id get rid of dumb and dumber, the Trump sons. Seeing them posing with various bits of animal theyve shot is the biggest overcompensation for undeveloped testicles Ive ever had the misfortune to see. If they fell into a barrel of tits, theyd still come out sucking each others thumb. Jon Huntsman and fake Eric Trump Huntsman: Thanks for the thoughtful note. Russia will be a challenging but no doubt rewarding assignment. Imposter: Maybe we could have Dad sat (sic) on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin! Hes in better shape than his suits suggest. Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert and fake Jared Kushner Imposter: Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August. It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible quality to that which we ate in Iraq!Should be a great evening Bossert: Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I cant refuse. Also, if you ever need it, heres my personal email address. - Tom Fake Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump The prankster, posing as Donald Trump Jr., sent a link to a hunting rifle to Eric under the subject line just ordered one of these. Imposter: Primarily for hunting. Hunting witch-hunters, ha! Eric Trump: Did you send this? Imposter: Yes why? Eric Trump: Sorry it was so vague and I just dont open links for obvious reasons. This came at a perfect time as we have the meeting tonight. I am fighting hard to stop this nonsense. Imposter: Whats the plan? And its a beast - you will love it. Try not to worry - things will turn around Eric Trump (catching on to the hoax): I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here. Scaramucci and fake Reince Priebus Prankster: I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free, but after reading your tweet today which stated how soon we will learn who in the media has class, and who hasnt, has pushed me to this. That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way thats even remotely classy yet you believe thats the standard by which everyone should behave towards you? General Kelly will do a fine job. Ill even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I dont expect a reply. Scaramucci: You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize. Prankster: I cant believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called Mooch, who cant even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for. Scaramucci: Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there. My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.

The Mooch clearly wasnt amused, adding a cryptic threat involving Shakespeares classic tragedy about betrayal and deceit.

Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello, wrote Mr Scaramucci, according to the screenshots. You are right there. My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you do.

No more replies from me, he finished, still apparently unaware that he was being duped.

A day earlier, the prankster claimed he pulled a similar stunt on Mr Scaramucci, this time posing as former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, Mr Trumps pick as US Ambassador to Russia.

Referring to Mr Scaramuccis feuding with Mr Priebus and White House adviser Steve Bannon, the online troll, posing as Mr Huntsman, asked: Whos head should roll first? Maybe I can help things along somewhat.

Anthony Scaramucci was sacked after just 10 days in the job / AP

Both of them, came back the reply.

The joker also called Mr Trumps sons, Eric and Donald Jr. dumb and dumber in another email to Mr Scaramucci.

With the White House bounding from one controversial distraction to another, Mr Trump was said to be furious about the breakdown in cyber security.

The prankster also seems to have posed as the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner to get the private email address of a senior Homeland Security official.

'Tom, we are arranging a bit of a soiree towards the end of August, the fake Jared Kushner on an Outlook account wrote to the official White House email account of Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert. It would be great if you could make it, I promise food of at least comparible (sic) quality to that which we ate in Iraq. Should be a great evening, he added.

Mr Bossert appears to have written back: Thanks, Jared. With a promise like that, I cant refuse. Also, if you ever need it, my personal email is *******.

Mr Huntsman was himself also tricked, with the Briton pretending to be Eric Trump, the presidents son.

Thanks for the thoughtful note, Mr Huntsman wrote to the bogus Eric Trump. Russia will be a challenging but no doubt rewarding assignment.

The fake Eric Trump responded with this suggestion: Maybe we could have Dad sat (sic) on a horse, top off, giving the full Putin! Hes in better shape than his suits suggest.

Eric Trump, too, was similarly targetted by the trickster emailing as his older brother, Donald Trump Jr., and asking if he wanted to join him on a hunting trip.

He sent Eric Trump an email with the subject line just ordered one of these.

The email included a link to a hunting rifle. In the emails body, the prankster wrote: Primarily for hunting. Hunting witch-hunters, ha!

But Eric soon got wise and replied: I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle from here.

In the past, the prankster - reportedly a 39-year-old web designer from Manchester - has hoodwinked Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, Michael Corbat of Citigroup and Barclays CEO Jes Staley with fake emails.

I try and keep it on the humorous side of things, the unnamed imposter told CNN. Im not trying to get the keys to the vault or anything like that.
S cores of British tourists were stranded in total chaos on Zakynthos today after an easyJet plane was grounded for a second day.

The flight, EZY9746 to Gatwick, has been stuck on the tarmac on the Greek island, also known as Zante, since Sunday. EasyJet had to cancel a relief flight yesterday due to a curfew on night landings to protect endangered turtles.

George Trefgarne was booked on the three-and-a-half-hour Sunday flight with his wife Camilla and their two children, Alice, eight, and William, seven. He said the family were among a handful who managed to get out on a Thomson flight but only after spending nine hours at the airport with no information.

Mr Trefgarne said it was total chaos, with nobody from easyJet on hand to offer information or refreshments. Only cheese sandwiches were available in two cafes at Zakynthos airport and ground staff were overwhelmed.

There were lots of families with children but no easyJet reps and no offers of anything to eat or drink, he said. I feel so sorry for those left behind.

Those not placed on another plane were forced to stay in Zante and hope that the flight would leave at 2pm local time today. EasyJet said: Unfortunately easyJet was unable to operate the flight EZY8746 from Zante to London Gatwick on Sunday due to a technical fault with the aircraft.

Engineers were immediately dispatched to Zante and believed that the technical issue was rectified [on Monday], however it then re-occurred before boarding which meant the flight could not operate. The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority and we will only operate if it is safe to do so.

We do all possible to try to minimise delays and as such planned to send a replacement aircraft. Unfortunately, due to the night curfew rule at the airport, we were unable to get the aircraft into the airport on Monday. The flight is now due to depart on Tuesday afternoon.

EasyJet was unable to say how many passengers were involved, or what the fault with the plane was. It said: Around half of the passengers have travelled on flights with alternative carriers on [Monday]. The airline said passengers had been provided with hotel accommodation and expenses, adding: We are very sorry for the delay and thank customers for their understanding.

Under EU law, passengers on short-haul flights that experience delays of more than three hours are entitled to about 220 in compensation.

The average Londoner only visits the British seaside once every three years, according to research. A survey by Southeastern trains of 1,000 people living in the capital found 55 per cent of respondents had rarely or never gone to a beach in their own country.
E ven on summer holidays, the true Londoner suffers from FOMO. No one wants to be stuck on a sunlounger with a duff thriller, casting envious glances at their neighbours cracking literary find or impressively weighty analysis of the world.

So here, we have digested the ideal beach reads for all tastes, moods and holiday situations. Plus, weve supplied a classic alternative for those who dont want to be slaves to modernity.

For talking points

The Power by Naomi Alderman

Sure to galvanise debate among both sexes, Aldermans fourth novel imagines a world where girls develop the ability to generate and discharge electricity through their bodies. Suddenly the female of the species is deadlier than the male, with immediate consequences in America, Saudi Arabia, India, Moldova This brilliantly simple idea enables Alderman to examine gender issues in a snappy, smart story that carries a real charge (sorry).

6.99 | Waterstones | Buy it now

Do say: Im so enjoying this deft dystopian satire that upends gender imbalances.

Dont say: Is it a biography of darts player Phil Taylor?

Classic alternative: The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Best thing to read before its ruined on telly

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

Race, parenting, cultural appropriation and the sublime dance moves of forgotten black icons  theyre all here in Smiths tale of two mixed-race Willesden girls who pursue radically different paths. It has been bought by Steve Coogans Baby Cow, but if past TV adaptations of Smiths work are anything to go by, youll be better off savouring her crisp descriptions in print.

6.47 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Smith goes global in her beady analysis of the cultural melting pot.

Dont say: Who on earth were those musicians the Nicholas Brothers?

Classic alternative: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (which is being adapted for TV by the Call the Midwife team).

Completely unreadable novel to pose with

Phone by Will Self

The third part of Will Selfs trilogy is unashamedly demanding, a 617-page modernist riposte to the culture of listicles, tweets and soundbites, with radical punctuation and no paragraph breaks, that takes in altered mental states, drug dependency and war. Yeah, right: like youre really gonna read that when the pool and a second round of pina coladas are beckoning

14.44 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Im hanging up now.

Dont say: Ill call you back when Ive finished it.

Classic alternative: The Interrogative Mood: A Novel by Padgett Powell (which is written as a series of questions? With no full stops? Just lots of questions?).

Most mind-blowing idea-gasm

Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari

Yes, it was first published in 2015, but it will probably take the average reader at lEast two years even to partly digest this exhilarating extrapolation of humankinds probable future by the Israeli historian. Robots wars, human algorithms, the way we treat animals, and how lawns became a signifier of wealth are just some of the concepts with which Harari blows your cranium open.

4.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: One of the most exciting thinkers around.

Dont say: Homodeus? Isnt that the play about Mozart and Salieri?

Classic alternative: Hararis previous book, Sapiens .

The best books to read this summer - in pictures 1 /9 The best books to read this summer - in pictures The hottest new releases to delve into this summer The Marsh Kings Daughter by Karen Dionne When the news that notorious abductor the Marsh King has escaped prison reaches his daughter, Helena realises its just a matter of time before he comes for her. Although she has never told her husband or daughters that she was born in captivity to a kidnapped 17 year old mother, she knows shell have to do everything in her power to stop her father repeating his past crimes. In this riveting story, we learn of Helenas love for her father and consider the complex issue of Stockholm Syndrome. Against the backdrop of her meticulously curated life, the brutality of Helenas past is jarring to read. Although there are shades of Emma Donahues Room here, Dionne explores more thoroughly the relationship between captor and captive, the heavy anchoring of a familial bond and the exploitation of childhood innocence. 12.99, Little, Brown, Buy it now Selfie by Will Storr Its the 21st century and the village mentality is long gone. We now live in the world of the prolific individual and theres more pressure than ever to have the perfect body, the perfect partner, the perfect job - essentially, the perfect life. In a searing commentary on modern society, Will Storr explores the history of how this came to be and why, despite our natural cynicism, we find ourselves desperately trying to achieve the impossible. Storrs work sheds a harsh light on our almost holographic strive for both realism and perfection and the self-absorption that has insidiously crept upon us. 13.77, Wordery, Buy it now How To Stop Time by Matt Haig Theres something about Matt Haigs new book that makes you feel like its a story youve been longing to read. Protagonist Tom Hazard has been alive for centuries. Due to a rare condition, his body ages 15 times slower than everyone elses meaning hes lived through Elizabethan England, New Yorks industrial revolution and everything in between. By not falling in love, Tom has so far managed to survive the tragedy of the world decaying around him. But, as in any good story, his best laid plans are always scuppered, forcing him to realise that by so cautiously existing, hes really not been living at all. Haigs proficiency in writing for children has lent a gentleness that cuts to the very heart of this work and its readers. 9.99, Waterstones, Buy it now An Almond for a Parrot by Wray Delaney Set in the mid 18th century, An Almond for a Parrot follows a young girl with magical powers who finds her way into high class prostitution. Although on first glance the plotline seems somewhat off kilter and there is a substantial amount of romping, the waters of this story actually run deeper. In a world where womens lives were tied to those of their often cruel or useless husbands, Tully sets about finding a way to govern her own fate. Delaney sheds a harsh light on that period of history, in which honourable men were often lost amongst the wolves. 7.99, Amazon, Buy it now Why Im No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo- Lodge For many, the notion of racism brings to mind extreme, white supremacists rather than the average white person walking down the street. The idea that its actually still very much a part of society today is an uncomfortable one, but Reni Eddo Lodge tells it how it is. Stemming from the original blog post she penned back in 2014 in response to the lifetime of frustrating conversations she has attempted to participate in, Eddo Lodge decided to highlight the structural racism that we dont like to talk about, and certainly dont like to think still exists in Britain today. The fact that we live in a society that undoubtedly benefits white people at the cost of people of colour (the authors preferred term) hits the reader immediately and is a point that is so obviously true and yet so routinely overlooked. 8.99, Amazon,Buy it now The Power by Naomi Alderman Winner of this years Baileys Womens Prize for Fiction, Aldermans novel dares us to imagine what the world would be like if women were able to administer electric shocks from their fingers. Set in a not-too-distant Dystopia, women start discovering that their powers give them the leverage they need to rule over men. If you replace the allegory of magic powers with the real issue- equality and control- you can see the parallels to the modern day also begin to ponder what the world would be like if men no longer ruled the world. Ricocheting between the readers conscience and mind,. Alderman is able to combine killer story telling with her technological and scientific knowledge to create a story that is both unique and lingering. 5.84, Amazon,Buy it now I Cant Believe You Just Said That by Danny Wallace From the blatant bargers on the tube to the passive aggressive vigilantes on Twitter, Danny Wallace wonders when we all got so rude. In this hilarious anthropological observation, he trawls the globe for critics, psychologists, cab drivers and politicians to discover why, for some reason, we cant just all get along. Bringing his usual shrewd wit and casual sarcasm, the bestselling author of Yes Man once again delivers a light-hearted commentary on a behaviour that, particularly in London, weve accepted as a social norm. 6.49, Amazon,Buy it now -A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay Gay found this book so harrowing to write, the release date was pushed back by several months. Having written extensively on feminism and womanhood in her bestselling previous works, Bad Feminist and Difficult Women, Gay now turns her discerning eye even more inwardly to examine her own relationship with food and her body- delving into her childhood and adolescence and the moments that have signposted her current relationship with herself. In doing so, she casts her gaze more widely to the human struggle between want and need in a candid and often ruthless way. 9.79, Amazon,Buy it now

Best way to escape the liberal echo chamber

The Strange Death of Europe by Douglas Murray

If you are a left-leaning globalist this personal account of what he calls Europes suicide by gay, atheist, Right-wing commentator Murray will serve as a counterblast to your certainties. Murray theorises that by embracing multiculturalism and immigration the continent has sacrificed its own culture and values. Remain voters: see also David Goodharts The Road to Somewhere.

13.29 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Murray does the groundwork, and probably meets more refugees than the average bleeding-heart liberal.

Dont say: Fancy a shawarma, Dougie boy?

Classic alternative: The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich von Hayek.

Best for chin-stroking global-historical perspective

Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydidess Trap? by Graham Allison

Oh come on, you know about Thucydides Trap, dont you? Its a pattern of events whereby a rising power confronts a dominant one and war becomes likely if not inevitable. According to historian Allison, this pattern has recurred 16 times in the past 500 years and war was the result in 12 of them. Will Donald Trump and Xi Jinping make it an unlucky 13?

25.28 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are condemned to repeat them.

Dont say: Hey, Mr President, dya wanna read this?

Classic alternative: Nixon and Mao: The Week That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan.

Most valiant attempt to stop us going to hell in a handcart

Post-Truth: Why We Have Reached Peak Bullshit and What We Can Do About It by Evan Davis

Among a raft of books analysing the current trend towards alternate facts  lies  in all fields, from politics to the press to social media, the Newsnight presenters is by far the most larky and engaging. It even suggests strategies for sifting through what Davis rightly calls the bullshit.

16.87 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Facts are stubborn things but statistics are pliable  especially when written on the side of a bus.

Dont say: Evan Davis? Fake news! SAD!

Classic alternative: 1984 by George Orwell.

Best vicarious escape from urban life

The Seabirds Cry by Adam Nicolson

You may be walking in the Scottish Highlands or camping in the Sahara, but at holidays end you know you will have to return to the hectic grind of London life. This lovely book by the scion of the Bloomsbury literary dynasty will root you in a world of spume and plumage, evoking ocean-going birds through limpid prose and delightful illustrations by Kate Boxer.

16.99 | Waterstones | Buy it now

Do say: If we forget the natural world, we forget ourselves.

Dont say: Bet you I can hit that albatross from here!

Classic alternative: Nature Cure by Richard Mabey.

Best medical memento mori

Your Life in My Hands  a Junior Doctors Story by Rachel Clarke

A new and urgent entry into the burgeoning literary subgenre of the frontline medical memoir, this a heartfelt protest against the running-down of the NHS from a former documentarian who retrained in medicine at 29 and specialises in end-of-life care. Clarke also spearheaded opposition to Jeremy Hunts contract for junior doctors.

7.63 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: The NHS is on a burning platform.

Dont say: Take a spoonful of privatisation and call me in the morning.

Classic alternative: Do No Harm by Henry Marsh (yes, it was published in 2014 but its already a classic).

Best debut thriller from a country that hasnt had its crime fiction completely plundered yet

The Dry by Jane Harper

An award-winner in its native Australia, in this first book from journalist Harper a local cop investigates the murder of a family in a small town enduring the worst drought in 100 years. This could be the start of an Antipodean wave that will overtake Scandi noir.

6.47 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Its a brutal and uncompromising country, a perfect setting for thrillers.

Dont say: Id like to option it but can we change the location to Sydney?

Classic alternative: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B Traven.

Best cutting-edge non-thriller debut

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Aged 26 and already saddled with the rather glib label of Salinger for the Snapchat generation, Dubliner Rooney made an undeniable impact with this debut novel about a millennial would-be writer, her ex-girlfriend and the older couple with whom she becomes embroiled. A zingily written literary page-turner.

3.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

Do say: Its sort of a post-gender, post-monogamy take on Tender is the Night.

Dont say: Gosh, does that sort of thing REALLY go on in Dublin?

Classic alternative: Bonjour Tristesse , by Francoise Sagan.

The Booker novel with the most all-round kudos

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

Yes, Mike McCormacks Solar Bones is written as a single sentence, and yes Colson Whiteheads The Underground Railroad has already won a Pulitzer... but Arundhati Roy has come back 20 years after her debut novel won the Booker, with a big, bold, post-colonial saga featuring a transgender protagonist, and she has spent the intervening years fighting for ecological causes and independence for Kashmir, and publishing non-fiction. Plus, constant exposure to the cover on holiday will act as a check and a caution to those annoying friends of yours who insist on saying upmost.

18.99 | Waterstones | Buy it now

Do say: Its worth the wait.

Dont say: Why did it take her so long?
L ouis Tomlinson has criticised Justin Bieber for pulling out of his Purpose World Tour, saying he should have seen it through.

Bieber, 23, cancelled the remaining 14 planned dates across Asia and North America, telling fans he was in need of rest.

Tomlinson, 25, said although he can sympathise with the Canadian pop superstar, he believes he owed it to his legion of fans to complete the dates.

Obviously, you have to be in a good position mentally, but I also think, to a certain degree, when you're signing up to something, you should see it through, he told 92.3 AMP Radio.

Taking a break: Justin Bieber upset fans when he pulled the plug on his tour / PA

Tomlinson, who performed live on The X Factor just days after his mother died in December, said some stars forget how important their fans are in keeping them in the industry.

There's never enough that I can say or do for the fans, he said. Honestly I think people can forget that.

I get it the whole game is so exciting and crazy but at the end of the day, its the people who are buying the records that are putting you where you are.

Bieber performed more than 150 shows in six continents since kicking off his tour in March 2016.

Justin Bieber accidentally hits photographer with pickup truck

Speaking to reporters in Santa Monica about why he pulled the plug, he said: Yh Im fine. Just resting and getting some relaxation. We're gonna ride some bikes.

Asked if he has a message for his fans, he replied: I love you guys. I think you guys are awesome.

Sorry for anyone who feels disappointed or betrayed, its not like my heart or anything. Have a blessed day.

It was reported that he will take a hiatus from music to rededicate his life to Christ.
While spending a day in the company of a group of pre-school children might be a nightmare for some, a gaggle of four-year-olds could be the key to fighting loneliness among care-home residents.

New Channel 4 documentary, Old Peoples Home for Four Year Olds, sees pre-schoolers swap their nursery for a nursing home as they join a group of pensioners at St Monicas care home for six weeks.

And unsurprisingly the elderly residents wont be allowed to sit idly by, either by the children or the producers  theyll be sticking to the same timetable as the kids, joining them in their lessons.

While the format certainly has spades of heart-warming and tear-jerking potential, the results of the social experiment could also influence our approach to elderly care.

After all there arent many people who havent found themselves worrying about an elderly relative in a care home theyre unable to visit often.

Its reported that around 60 per cent of nursing home residents never receive visitors, and while that figure is disputed, its not hard to believe, especially as recent surveys have indicated that almost 75 per cent of older people in the UK feel lonely.

The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 1 /13 The biggest and best TV shows of 2017 Doctor Who The classic sci-fi show got a new lease of life with new companion Bill Potts BBC Line of Duty The BBC's acclaimed crime drama moved up to BBC One with more twists than ever before World Productions / BBC / Aidan Monaghan Broadchurch Chris Chibnall's mystery drama came to a close with a compelling final series ITV The Moorside Sheridan Smith puts in a stellar performance as she returns to TV in the BBC's Shannon Matthews drama Stuart Wood/ITV/BBC Apple Tree Yard Emily Watson starred in the BBC's gripping psychological thriller BBC/Kudos/Nick Briggs Fortitude, Series 2 Sky Atlantic's original Nordic noir-inspired chiller is back for more bloody mysteries Sky Atlantic Sherlock, Series 4 Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman return as Holmes and Watson in the BBC's mega hit PA Taboo Tom Hardy's dark thriller is unlike any period drama you've seen before FX Networks No Offence, Series 2 Paul Abbott's comedy-drama continues to walk a tonal tightrope with total ease Channel 4/Ian Derry The Voice A move to ITV has given singing contest The Voice a new lease of life ITV

Once the two-part series is over, the scientists running the experiment will have their own set of results. Experts are on hand throughout measuring and analysing the elderly participants physical and mental progress. Not that its really needed - the results become pretty clear pretty quickly.

The gaggle of energetic kids has the care home residents (even the more curmudgeonly among them) laughing, playing games and learning within a matter of minutes of arriving.

If youre in need of a spot of Tuesday night feel-good viewing, this is sure to provide plenty of cheer, plus no little food for thought.

Old Peoples Home for Four Year Olds airs on August 1 at 9pm on Channel 4.
P iers Morgan has threatened to quit Good Morning Britain after it was revealed that Love Island winners Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies are joining the team.

Responding to a Radio Times tweet announcing the pairs new gig, Morgan commented I quit.

Its not surprising the breakfast show host isnt impressed by his new colleagues - during this summers series of Love Island, Morgan made no secret of his disdain for the show

First he branded the contestants cretinous during an episode of GMB, he then grilled Daviess sister Jade during an interview on the show, asking her if watching [her] little sister romping on national television made her skin crawl.

Cetinay and Davies, or Kember as theyre affectionately known, appeared on the breakfast show earlier this week to confirm that theyll be filling in for showbiz presenter Richard Arnold during August.

Piers Morgan Hates Love Island

The Love Island 2017 king and queen made the most of the opportunity to mock Morgan, with Cetinay commenting: So basically, were going to be taking our best mate Piers job.

Morgan has been particularly critical of the Essex hairdresser, branding him Kem Cret-inay for making a grammatical error when speaking on the show.

Love Island 2017 Contestants return to UK - in pictures 1 /16 Love Island 2017 Contestants return to UK - in pictures Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt Rex Features Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies Rex Features Chris Hughes and Olivia Attwood Rex Features Chris Hughes, Olivia Attwood, Kem Cetinay, Amber Davies, Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt Rex Features Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville Rex Features Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies Rex Features Kem Cetinay surrounded by friends and family at Stanstead Airport Rex Features Rex Features Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes returning home Rex Features Chloe Crowhurst Rex Features Gabrielle Allen at Stanstead Airport Rex Features Gabrielle Allen and Ethan Allen Rex Features

When describing his relationship with Davies, Cetinay explained We was at it like rabbits. instead of the correct 'we were at it like rabbits', an error that Morgan was quick to capitalise on.

Im going to mention the grammar of Essex hairdresser Kem Cretin-ay who said we was at it like rabbits, he said.

I can just about deal with the fact that you are very famous for having lots of sex under a blow-up turtle but I cant handle you not speaking English properly."

Good Morning Britain continues weekdays at 6am on ITV.
Job Title: Lecturer of Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (Full time)

Functional Area: Teaching and Tuition

Essential Requirements: Masters degree in Accounting and Finance; PGCE or Certificate in Education

Industry: Education and Training

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Institution

The Regents International College (RIC) is a growing institution of higher education in Bangkok, Thailand, that offers Thai and foreign students the opportunity to study for internationally recognised qualifications. RIC is the only institution in Thailand to provide teaching support for two University of London International Programmes: Economics, Management, Finance and the Social Sciences (EMFSS) and the International Foundation Programme (IFP). RIC is also pleased to be the first institution in Thailand to offer Business BTEC qualifications.

Job Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen in RICs University of London International Programmes for a lecturer post in Accounting and Finance. The post holder will be required to teach extensively on undergraduate courses and modules to a diverse cohort of international students at our Bangkok campus. This position also requires the completion of one small research project and a minimum of two academic publications per year. Specific duties of the post include:

Preparation of lesson plans

Delivery of lectures

Designing tutorials and workshops

Participation in student activities and projects

Occasional attendance at relevant conferences and events

Requirements

Education: Post-graduate in Accounting and Finance from a reputable international university. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification preferred. Candidates should also hold a teaching qualification such as a PGCE or Certificate in Education. Please note that TEFL is not regarded by RIC as a suitable teaching qualification for this program. Computer Skills: Excellent MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) skills required. Presentation Skills: Public speaking, presentations, counselling abilities should be professionally polished. Languages: Native-speaker level of English proficiency is a must. Thai language skills beneficial but not required. Professional Experience: Besides teaching experience, work experience required in the subject related functional area of accounting (strongly preferred). Experience teaching in UK higher education programmes will be an added advantage.

How to Apply

To be considered for this opportunity, applications must include the following: (a) cover letter, (b) comprehensive curriculum vitae, (c) photocopies of all post-secondary transcripts, and (d) a list of at least three professional and academic references with contact information provided. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted and that reference checks will only be conducted for those who advance past the first round of selection.

If you would like to share your knowledge and experience through teaching, and your profile matches the above criteria, please send your application material to hejobs@ricbkk.com. Regents International College is committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our employees and students. We welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or age.

This job vacancy is an urgent requirement.
Pine Ridge Plaza LLC has filed a lawsuit alleging the owners of a gym at 1801 Pine Lake Road, now known as Genesis Health Club, owe nearly $300,000 in back rent and late charges.

In 2014, the Aspen Fitness Club became a Gold's Gym. Two years later, it became a Genesis Health Club.

A lawsuit filed Friday in Lancaster County District Court names all three, as well as Anthony Dahmen, a West Des Moines, Iowa, man.

Pine Ridge Plaza LLC is alleging they have defaulted their rental agreement and owe $292,918 in rent, common area charges and late fees.

In a news release, Genesis owner Rodney Steven II said the lawsuit came as a surprise and that the health club is current on its monthly rent.

We own most all of our properties across the Midwest and this landlord hasnt been the easiest to work with as we invest millions into our facilities," Steven said. "I am sure it has something to do with the struggles in retail real estate across the country. This development/building has a lot of vacancies; its just us and one other small operation.

Genesis operates 41 clubs in the Midwest, including two in Lincoln.

In the suit, Pine Ridge Plaza's attorney, Benjamin Wischnowski, is asking a judge to evict them if they don't pay.
The 8th Circuit Court has ruled in favor of a 15-year-old boy whose family sued the Nebraska State Patrol to keep him from being put on the state's sex offender registry for a juvenile case in Minnesota.

Attorney Joshua Weir, who represented the boy and his family, said Monday that common sense finally prevailed.

He said he didn't realize that the State Patrol was putting minors  whose cases were handled in juvenile court in other states and who later moved to Nebraska  on the public registry until this case came up.

It never made any sense, Weir said.

Nebraska's registry excludes juveniles prosecuted in Nebraska unless they were prosecuted criminally in adult court. Minnesota's juvenile registry isn't public.

From the start, the Nebraska Attorney General's office conceded that if the boy had done in Nebraska exactly what he did in Minnesota, he wouldn't have been required to register as a sex offender.

But the way the Nebraska law is written, all sex offenders who move here must register, regardless of age, Assistant Attorney General Ryan Post argued in May.

He said the State Patrol, which maintains the list, was just trying to apply the plain language of the law as written.

Post said the state was seeking review of a Nebraska federal district judge's ruling, which banned the state from putting the boy on the registry, because "we're not just talking about one juvenile."

There are 76 juveniles on the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry who were adjudicated as juveniles in other states.

Spokesman Cody Thomas said in an email that the State Patrol "has reviewed the ruling and has begun the process to remove affected individuals from the registry."

Later in the week, he said some of the 76 had reoffended as adults and will remain on the registry. But they were removing about 65 names.

The boy at issue in the lawsuit was 11 when he was adjudicated for criminal sexual conduct in juvenile court in Minnesota. A judge there ordered him to complete probation, counseling and community service, and his name went on a part of that state's predatory offender list that is visible only to police.

When he moved to Nebraska to live with relatives he registered with the State Patrol, which determined he should be on the public registry, by its reading of state law.

Weir sued before that happened. And, last year, Senior U.S. District Judge Richard G. Kopf banned the state from adding the boy's name to the registry, saying that it made no sense to believe Nebraska statutes were intended to be more punitive to juveniles adjudicated elsewhere than those that go through the system here.

The state appealed.

In Monday's decision, Judge C. Arlen Beam of Lincoln said the Attorney General's office argued, "rather perfunctorily," that the language of the state statute plainly and unambiguously supported its view that the boy should be on the registry.

But, he said, a juvenile court adjudication is not a conviction under Minnesota or Nebraska law, "and therefore falls outside the ordinary understanding of sex offender."

In a footnote, the judge said even if the appeals court had found the boy to be a sex offender, judges had serious constitutional concerns about Nebraska applying the sex offender registry and its public notification requirements differently to minors who go through juvenile court in Nebraska versus out of state.

A spokeswoman for the Attorney General's office declined to comment or say if it would seek further review.
A judge sentenced a 33-year-old Lincoln woman to county jail Tuesday for an illegal relationship she had with an inmate while she was working as a caseworker at the Nebraska State Penitentiary.

Erin Harris, who had almost exclusively traffic-related offenses before pleading no contest to unlawful acts by a corrections employee, a felony, said she was sincerely sorry.

Harris ended up charged after a Corrections intelligence officer found numerous, unauthorized phone calls and emails over a two-month period between Harris and a 30-year-old inmate serving time for burglary, according to court records.

She had used a pseudonym so she wouldnt be discovered.

Before she gave Harris 300 days in jail, Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson said the problem with putting her on probation is that Harris knew it was inappropriate and illegal and did it anyway.

All the while putting people at risk, she said.

Nelson called it a breach of trust that risked the safety and security of everyone in the prison. She said if Harris wanted to have a relationship with the inmate, she needed to resign her job.

With credit for good time, Harris will have to serve 158 days, followed by a year of post-release supervision. She is appealing the sentence.
LINCOLN  The beer stores in Whiteclay, Nebraska, should not have been closed because they enjoy a renewal privilege for their state liquor licenses, an attorney for the businesses argued Monday.

Scottsbluff lawyer Andrew Snyder, who represents the four beer-only liquor stores, asked the high court to overturn the state liquor commissions April decision to not renew the liquor licenses for the stores.

In written arguments submitted Monday, Snyder accused the commission of blatant disregard of state laws in its decision.

Those laws, he said, distinguish between an initial application for a liquor license and the renewal of a license, which the beer stores attempted this year.

One thing that is plainly clear from a review of the proceedings ... the commission far exceeded its authority in its zeal to terminate the existing licenses, Snyder wrote in a 30-page filing.

Absent some change of circumstance in the location or operation of a liquor outlet, Snyder said that the Supreme Court has ruled in the past that the stores enjoy the privilege of having their license automatically renewed.

The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, citing concern about the lack of law enforcement in Whiteclay, ordered the four stores to undergo a rigorous process to reapply for their liquor licenses.

The attorney for the beer stores argued that the adequacy of law enforcement can only be considered when issuing a new liquor license.

Even if it could be considered during a renewal, Snyder said there was no evidence that law enforcement had declined in Whiteclay.

The liquor board ultimately voted against renewing the licenses. State attorneys have argued that the commission has the right to shut down a liquor outlet at any time to protect the public.

The Supreme Court is taking written arguments ahead of hearing oral arguments in late August over whether the beer stores should remain closed.

The beer stores have generated nationwide publicity, and criticism, because the tiny town sold the equivalent of 3.5 million cans of beer a year  almost all to residents of the adjacent Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Alcohol is officially banned on the reservation, though alcohol-related problems are widespread.

Recent statistics on beer sales in the vicinity of Whiteclay show that sales have been reduced since the beer stores closed.

But those statistics do not take into account beer sales in South Dakota, or the sale of hard alcohol and wine in Nebraska near Whiteclay.
Brianna Little and Makinzie Gregory were titled Miss Scotts Bluff County and Miss Old West Balloon Fest, respectively, at the Scotts Bluff County Fair Pageant on Saturday, July 29 at the Gering High School.

The competition became real for the 17 contestants, nine in the Teen Division and eight in the Miss Division, on Sunday, July 23, during the opening ceremonies. On Monday, the girls began rehearsal for the big opening numbers and continued rehearsal throughout the rest of the week. On Wednesday, July 26, the little sisters joined the contestants to begin their rehearsals and they had the opportunity to bond on Thursday evening during a pizza party, contestants said.

While the week before the competition helped prepare the girls, most of them began preparing months before.

I have been constantly preparing for the pageant, but about two months before I started working on my talent and more specific things, said newly crowned Little.

Throughout the night of the competition, the contestants competed in talent, evening gown and on-stage questions. Those in the Teen Division also competed in fitness and lifestyle. Other categories, like paperwork and interview, were done throughout the week of rehearsals.

The winners were announced after a very heartfelt goodbye to last years queens, 2016 Miss Scotts Bluff County Nikki Catrina Anderson, 2016 Miss Scotts Bluff County Teen Haylee Umble, 2016 Miss Old West Balloon Fest Tristen Wecker and 2016 Miss Old West Balloon Fest Teen Sheridan Blanco.

The girls titled in the Teen Division include: Lexie Jackson as first attendant, Makenzie Middledorf as second attendant, Hope McCoy as Miss Old West Balloon Fest Outstanding Teen and Morgan Baird as Miss Scotts Bluff County Outstanding Teen.

Little took home the title of Miss Scotts Bluff County with Gregory as Miss Old West Balloon Fest. Alexis McGlone and Stephanie Connelly received first attendant and second attendant.

Now that the pageant is over, the court for Scotts Bluff County will have a full week at the Scotts Bluff County Fair, pageant coordinator Cheryl Engelhaupt said. The girls will attend their first event on Tuesday night at the National Night Out in Scottsbluff.

The Old West Balloon Fest court will be debuting at the Old West Balloon Fest activities over Labor Day weekend on Sept. 2-3.

Engelhaupt and Jodi Shaske will now work with winners to help prepare them for the state level Miss and Teen competitions.

Both Gregory and Little said they are excited to represent Scotts Bluff County, and most importantly, represent their selected platforms.

Little is not new to pageants. She won the title of Miss Old West Balloon Fest at the Scotts Bluff County Pageant two years ago and was most recently Miss Chadrons Outstanding.

This is Gregorys first year competing, but she said she was inspired by former Miss Scotts Bluff County Teen Carsyn Long, who is currently Miss Nebraskas Outstanding Teen.

I go to school with Carsyn and was looking for something new to try. I came and watched her compete in this pageant and decided itd be something to look into, said Gregory.
Funeral services for Harold Wayne Sellers, 95, will be held at 2 pm Monday, August 7, 2017 at the United Methodist Church with Reverend Jeff Wayland officiating. Burial with Masonic and Military honors will follow in the Valley View Cemetery. Wayne died July 31, 2017 at his home. In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to either the Torrington Senior Friendship Center or the United Methodist Church. The casket will be open for one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are by the Colyer Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to www.colyerfuneralhome.com.

Wayne was born July 12, 1922 in Torrington, Wyoming to William Grover and Mary Marie (Bartmess) Sellers. He attended Torrington public schools and graduated from Torrington High School in 1940. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wyoming for three years, then joined the US Navy and finished his Engineering degree through the V-12 Navy College Training Program at Iowa State University in Ames. He was an Engineering Officer on the USS Maloy in WWII.

He married Joyce Mae Edwards in Trinidad, Colorado on June 22, 1947. They moved to the farm in Torrington, where he farmed until 1969. He also joined the Masons and became a Past Master, was active in Gleaners Union, served three terms on the local school board, was a member of the Last Squad Club of WWII veterans, the Wyoming Historical Society, Sigma Tau Epsilon, Honorary Engineering Fraternity, the Kappa Sigma fraternity and an Air Force Academy host. He began working as an engineer for the Holly Sugar plant in Torrington in 1962, first during campaign and later year round. In 1969 Holly Sugar asked him to relocate to Hereford, Texas and then a year later to Brawley, California for five years, then to Tustin, California for sixteen years and eventually to Colorado Springs, Colorado where he worked at Holly Sugars Corporate Office until he retired in 1989. In 2000 Wayne and Joyce returned to Torrington to live on the farm. They have enjoyed these past seventeen years refurbishing their farm home and enjoying the company of long-term friends and neighbors.

Wayne is survived by his wife of seventy years, Joyce Mae Edwards Sellers of Torrington, Wyoming; five daughters, Jean Sellers of Laramie, Wyoming, Cathy (Ben) Murillo of Torrington, Becky (Don) Wyatt of Cave Creek, Arizona, Barbara (Jeanne) Sellers of Riverside, California, and Suzanne Chowla of Redwood City, California. He is also survived by his niece Zella (Phil) White of Dallas, Texas and two grandsons Chris (Carolyn) Murillo and great grandson Oscar Murillo all of New York City, New York and Alex (Leslie) Murillo of Redwood City, California. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother Laverne Sellers; and a sister Eileen Hubbard.
For too long, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strayed from its intended purpose and instead has become a red tape factory with little to no accountability. Thankfully, the Trump administration is working to reverse this harmful trend.

Farmers and ranchers have been hit especially hard by the endless onslaught of EPA regulations, even though they are careful stewards of our land and water. Their livelihood depends on responsible usage of these resources, and the Nebraskans I talk with take this responsibility seriously. We all want clean air and clean water, which can and should be combined with the goals of economic growth and competitiveness.

One of the clearest examples of the agencys new direction under the Trump administration is the proposal released by the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to repeal the Obama administrations Waters of the U.S. rule, or WOTUS. This rule was one of the most flagrant abuses of regulatory power in modern history and threatened the future of agriculture. It would have given the EPA sweeping jurisdiction to regulate everything from ditches to prairie potholes, even on private land.

When the Obama administration finalized WOTUS in 2015, I introduced the House resolution to block the rule using the Congressional Review Act, or CRA. The Senate version of my resolution passed both chambers of Congress but was unsurprisingly vetoed by President Obama.

Now, the Trump administrations proposal to repeal this rule is a welcome step toward certainty and relief for producers, landowners, and local communities. The formal proposal was released on July 27, and the public has until August 28, 2017, to submit comments to the agency at Regulations.gov.

The Clean Power Plan, another dangerous Obama administration regulation, threatened to force hundreds of coal-fired power plants to shut their doors, killing jobs and increasing the cost of energy. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order at the EPA to dismantle these federal regulations and empower states to move forward with responsible energy development.

To this point, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has worked to undo more regulations in his short tenure than any other administrator in the history of the agency. The regulations issued by the Obama administration threatened entire industries and defied the Constitution with costly legislating through the executive branch. In April, Administrator Pruitt announced his back-to-basics agenda of returning EPA to its core mission: protecting the environment by engaging with state, local, and tribal partners to create sensible regulations that enhance economic growth.

As Administrator Pruitt reins in the red tape, I am hopeful we can see the agency refocus on important projects which have been languishing. For example, Missouri residents have been waiting 27 years for an EPA decision on how to clean up a toxic waste site. Administrator Pruitt has stated his commitment to resolving this and other long-awaited cleanup efforts.

Standing against federal overreach has been a priority of mine for many years, and I appreciate the Trump administrations commitment to this effort. An EPA which prioritizes both protecting our resources and growing our economy is certainly a welcome change.
An injured Nebraska eagle whose wound initially baffled experts is scheduled for surgery this week.

The bird is set to undergo a skin graft Friday at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, about two months after he was found near Syracuse, Nebraska, with a scab-like mark on its head.

Dr. Coleen Stice, an Omaha plastic surgeon helping treat the eagle, examined the bird Monday and said he is still very sick, and the wound is still potentially deadly.

Stice said that during Fridays surgery she will remove feathered skin from the birds inner leg and attach it to his head. Without feathers, the bird would suffer dangerous sunburn.

But the new feathers will be brown, not white. Stice joked that it will look like hes wearing a hair piece.

Stice, a volunteer at Fontenelle Forest, is providing the medical care at no charge.

Raptor experts were initially puzzled over what caused the wound.

But Stice determined several weeks ago that the injury was caused by some type of electrical burn, which destroyed the soft tissue on top of the birds head, along with two layers of bone. There is now just one thin bone layer covering the eagles brain.

On July 16, Stice removed the scab, consisting of dead bone, during a 30-minute procedure at the zoo.

The bird was first cared for at Fontenelle Forests Rehabilitation Center near Elmwood. Molly Mullen, spokeswoman for Fontenelle Forest, said the zoo is better equipped to change the dressings on the eagles head and prepare him for surgery, so he was moved there.

She said it has cost about $600 to care for the bird since the rehabilitation center got the eagle two months ago. The figure would be much higher if Stice hadnt provide her expertise for free, Mullen said.

Fontenelle Forest Raptor Recovery is starting an online fundraising effort for the eagles continued care and for other injured raptors. Visit fontenelleforest.org to donate.
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.
The Iredell County Health Department is also wading through applications for a newly created health planner position which will be dedicated to substance abuse reduction. The position will act as a liasion among all county departments on the front lines of the issue. The starting salary for the position is $40,563.83.
By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Westover and Smith roads, on the far western edge of the county, will get paving priority for 2023. Country commissioners and Scott Schmieder, county road and bridge foreman, decided at last Thursdays commission meeting to go ahead and seal up that corner of the county. That way, graders will not have
The Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) meets at Cotroceni Palace on Tuesday, the agenda of the meeting featuring the presentation of the Romanian Armed Forces Endowment Plan for the 2017-2026 period.

The CSAT meeting, headed by President Klaus Iohannis, will be held at 15:00 hrs.

The head of state had a meeting at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace last week with the Minister of National Defence, Adrian Tutuianu, who presented him the Romanian Army endowment plan for 2017-2026 which provides for the compliance with and the implementation of the political commitment assumed in 2015 by all political parties to allocate 2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product to the Defence sector, for ten years starting with this year.

"The project, in its current revised form, will be the presentation topic at the next meeting of Romania's Supreme Defence Council meeting," was informing the Presidential Administration after the two dignitaries' meeting.

The 2017-2026 Romanian Army's endowment plan establishes the systems and the equipment planned for acquisition through the public acquisition annual programme of the National Defence Ministry regarding the endowment with weapons, combat technique and military-oriented material.

Last Wednesday, Minister of Defence Adrian Tutuianu was announcing that the Army endowment plan had been revised and would be presented in the CSAT upon President Klaus Iohannis's request.

"The endowment plan's withdrawal from the CSAT was made at my request, in order to give consistency both in terms of figures, and regarding whatever lies behind the figures of the 2 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) commitment until 2026. The document has been amended and whenever Romania's President Klaus Iohannis requests it, we will present to the CSAT the full document," Tutuianu said in a press conference, specifying that only part of the 2 percent of the GDP for Defence is destined for endowment.

The last meeting of the CSAT took place on July 4. At that time, the Army's Endowment Plan for 2017-2026 was withdrawn from the CSAT's agenda by the initiator so as to be reviewed in line with the political wish to allocate 2 percent of GDP for Defence, President Klaus Iohannis was saying.

agerpres.
The searches conducted by prosecutors and judicial police officers with the Bucharest office of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) of Bucharest in four offices at the Ministry for Relations with Parliament, headquartered in Victoria Palace, targeted competitions for the appointment of first counsellor and second counsellor, organised by the ministry on the same day, the Ministry for Relations with Parliament reported on Tuesday in a press statement.

"On Monday, July 31, prosecutors and judicial police officers with the with the Bucharest office of the National Ani-Corruption Directorate conducted searches under warrants issued by the Criminal Section of the Supreme Court of Justice at four offices of the Ministry of Relations with Parliament, which has its headquarters at Victoria Palace," the Ministry of Relations with Parliament said in a press statement.

The ministry said "the search took place between 15:00hrs and 19:00hrs and targeted the competitions for the appointment of first counsellor and second counsellor organised by the ministry on the same day." "People from the minister's office and the competition board were heard, photos and videos were taken during the search," the ministry said. Representatives of the ministry express their wish that "the investigation will take place as soon as possible and find out the truth so that we know if criminal offenses were committed."

"We express our confidence in the fairness of the actions undertaken by the state authorities, as well as in the competence and fairness of the Romanian justice system," the ministry added. The National Anti-Corruption Directorate says the searches on Monday at the Government headquarters regarded suspicions of crime related to corruption committed in July 2017.

"Following the obtainment of the legal authorisation from the relevant court, on July 31, 2017, between 15:00hrs and 19:00hrs, searches were carried out in five locations at the headquarters of a public institution in Bucharest, in a criminal case on the docks of the Anti-Corruption Department regarding suspicions of crimes related to corruption committed in July 2017," DNA said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Agerpres.
Constantin Preoteasa, Deputy Director General of the Anticorruption Directorate General (DGA) of Romania, and head of Ukraine's National Agency for Prevention of Corruption Natalya Korchak on Tuesday signed a cooperation protocol between the two institutions in the area of corruption prevention, according to a DGA statement.

The protocol was signed at the DGA headquarters, in the presence of Ukraine's ambassador to Romania Oleksandr Bankov. "This document was drafted following the DGA identifying, as part of its specific activities of corruption prevention and combat, the need to establish cooperation relations with similar institutions of the neighbouring countries, taking into account the concrete circumstances and cases, with effects on borders, both with the EU member states and with countries outside the EU," the statement reads.

Ukraine's National Agency for Prevention of Corruption was established under a national project, "Fight against Corruption in Ukraine", funded by a common effort of the Council of Europe and EU's Eastern Partnership. Its inception in 2015 was a prerequisite for the initiation of visa liberalisation between the EU and Ukraine, in order to create a space of security and stability in the area, DGA mentions.

"DGA was established in 2005, with the process of institutional development and the stages covered by the Anticorruption Directorate General being the best example to follow by the Ukrainian partners. At the moment, DGA can be an excellent supplier of expertise in the area of creating and implementing corruption prevention instruments, mainly in the sense and the spirit of the EU projects for enhancing anticorruption capacities at the external borders," says DGA.

Agerpres.
The Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) on Tuesday approved the Endowment Plan of Romania's Armed Forces for the period 2017 - 2026, according to a statement released by the Presidential Administration. The Presidential Administration mentions that the Endowment Plan of Romania's Armed Forces for 2017 - 2026 was withdrawn from the agenda of a CSAT meeting of 4 July, as it hadn't been adjusted for the provisions of the national political agreement to allot 2 percent of the GDP for defence spending, unanimously accepted in early 2015 by all political parties, at President Iohannis's initiative.

The revised plan, observing the agreement implementation, had been unveiled to President Klaus Iohannis by National Defence Minister Adrian Tutuianu on 26 July. "The Endowment Plan of Romania's Armed Forces for 2017 - 2026 is the document making a multiannual planning of the endowment programmes, in accordance with the provisions of the Strategy for the Endowment of Romania's Armed Forces and the programme for the transformation, development and endowment of Romania's Armed Forces by 2026 and afterwards. The endowment programmes represent the totality of activities conducted for the acquisition of ammunition, military hardware and military equipment for Romania's Armed Forces, grounded in the approval of a Requirement Supervision Council and including the conduct of the procedure of acquisition, testing and commissioning of the planned products, in the necessary amounts and up to quality requirements," the statement reads.

In May, Parliament approved the initiation of the procedures of granting the corresponding contracts to eight endowment programmes, in excess of 100 million euro each, and to complete these programmes, on planned multiannual funds worth 9.8 billion euro, taken into account will be the involvement of the national defence industry, which must modernise and develop proper military production capacities.

"Romania's Armed Forces must benefit from coherent and sustained allotment of resources, as defence underfunding could seriously affect the accomplishment of the basic missions and the military's operational capacity," the Presidential Administration also points out.

Agerpres.
Attorney General Doug Peterson on Tuesday outlined his opposition to DACA protections for immigrant youths in more detail in the wake of a letter from 20 state senators urging him to change his position.

"I pledged to take an oath to uphold the Constitution," Peterson wrote in a statement reaffirming his support for a request that the Trump administration reverse its decision to allow so-called DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival) youths to retain legal presence in the United States.

"The letter did not call for immediate removal of any DACA-affected persons," Peterson noted.

Rather, it challenged the DACA executive action taken by former President Barack Obama on the grounds that Congress has "the exclusive authority to establish uniform rules regarding immigration policy," the attorney general wrote.

Last month, Peterson joined nine other state attorneys general in requesting a phase-out of the current DACA program.

More than 3,000 young immigrants who were brought to this country as infants or children by parents or other adults when they entered the United States illegally live in Nebraska under DACA protection.

The 20 state senators who signed a letter to Peterson 10 days ago said the DACA youths are going to school, working hard and are needed in skilled fields in the workforce in Nebraska, the place they call home.

"The topic of immigration, particularly the DACA program, evokes strong feelings on both sides of the issue," Peterson stated.

"Persons of goodwill may disagree on the direction of immigration policy," he said.

But the Constitution directs that "determining policy direction lies with the legislative branch and not the president acting via executive order," he said.

President Donald Trump has at times been inconsistent in expressing his views about DACA, but most recently has sided with continued protection for the youths while expressing sympathy for the position they are in because of no fault of their own.

Responding to Peterson's latest statement, a coalition of more than a dozen Nebraska organizations described DACA as "lawful, constitutional and consistent with decades of actions taken by presidents of both parties."

"Until Congress takes the next critical step and allows (these) young Nebraskans to earn eventual citizenship, programs like DACA are essential for Nebraska to continue to benefit from the contributions of our immigrant youth and keep our families united," the organizations stated.

Included in the list were Nebraska Appleseed and ACLU of Nebraska.

Nebraska's Legislature has consistently supported DACA youths, overriding a series of gubernatorial vetoes to do so. Legislative action has granted them resident tuition rates at Nebraska colleges and universities, and the right to acquire Nebraska driver's licenses and earn professional and commercial licenses to work in the state.

Bipartisan bills have been introduced in both the Senate and the House to provide a pathway for DACA youths to obtain legal residence in the United States and ultimately work toward citizenship.

Asked for his position on the legislation, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry said Congress needs to deal with immigration policy in a more comprehensive way, dealing with border security, law enforcement, humanitarian considerations and foreign policy issues.

"There is significant policy action in each of these areas, which creates the conditions for the rightful discussion about how young people can remain within the law," the 1st District congressman said in a written statement.

"A proper immigration policy depends upon both order and justice," he said.

Both Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse declined comment in response to an earlier request for their views on the Senate bill.
Boone Hospital trustees unanimously voted to begin discussions with University of Missouri Health Care to determine if the two can agree to terms on MU Health running the county-owned hospital.

This is the next step in the trustees process of finding the best operator for the hospital but is not a done deal, a board spokesman told the Post-Dispatch.

However, if a deal ultimately is reached, it would result in the ouster of BJC HealthCare, which has operated Boone Hospital since 1988 through a lease agreement with Boone County. And it would mean BJC would lose a foothold in mid-Missouri.

BJC said it is supportive of the trustees decision Monday night.

Discussions with other potential operators will now be put on hold, according to a statement from the board. Other operators vying for the opportunity to run the hospital include Duke LifePoint, St. Lukes Health System and BJC.

Boone hospital and MU Health will start monthlong talks to see if they can come to some sort of deal. No specifics are being released.

If they reach an agreement, patients would have fewer choices, because MU Health would be the sole acute care hospital operator in the county. MU Health operates University Hospital in Columbia. (There are other hospitals in Boone County, but they cater to patients in rehabilitation and long-term care.)

BJC said it makes sense for the two to partner.

As we continually monitor changes in the health care industry, there is a growing trend for hospitals to join together with other hospitals located in the same region to better serve their communities, according to a statement from June Fowler, BJC spokeswoman.

BJC made a similar move in 2015 when it bought its only competitor in the Farmington area.
CHICAGO  A U.S. glut of fuel-grade ethanol has major producers, including Green Plains Inc. and industry pioneer Archer Daniels Midland Co., pursuing other markets and idling excess capacity in an effort to rebuild sagging margins.

ADM and Green Plains both said on Tuesday they are converting fuel-ethanol capacity into beverage and industrial alcohol production, as well as idling some mills. The announcements follow Pacific Ethanol's decision in June to buy a beverage-grade facility in Illinois, a diversification away from fuel ethanol.

The shifts are the latest moves by the once-booming corn-ethanol sector that has struggled with thin margins for the past two years amid industry overcapacity.

U.S. ethanol inventories hit a record 23.705 million barrels in April, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, as demand failed to keep up with growth in supplies.

"The ethanol crush margin has been on a constant downward trend. The industry is figuring out how to deal with it," said Tanner Ehmke, senior economist with CoBank, a lead lender to ethanol makers.

ADM said it was reconfiguring its Peoria, Ill., corn dry mill to produce more beverage and industrial alcohol. It will steer the plant's fuel to export markets, taking 100 million gallons of annual production out of the domestic market.

"That reconfiguration allows us to focus on the profitable products that we wanted to maintain," ADM Chief Executive Officer Juan Luciano told analysts on a conference call on Tuesday.

ADM has capacity to produce about 1.8 billion gallons of ethanol at its wet and dry corn mills, more than 10 percent of the 16 billion-gallon annual industry output. The company put its dry mills on the selling block last year but has yet to find a buyer.

Green Plains said it idled about 50 million gallons of capacity at nine plants during its second quarter.

The company said it was transitioning its plant in York, Neb., to industrial-grade ethanol that can be used in paint and cosmetic products and will eventually upgrade that facility to produce beverage ethanol.

Green Plains' profit margins in fuel ethanol in the second quarter averaged 7 cents per gallon, down from 15 cents per gallon in the same quarter last year. That ate in to returns, despite the company selling larger volumes of fuel in domestic and export markets.

"The ultimate weakness in the ethanol margin during the quarter was a result of too much ethanol being produced by the industry," GPRE Chief Executive Officer Todd Becker told analysts.
Updated at 12:40 p.m.

Rising sales of most key drugs, lower one-time charges and reduced manufacturing costs helped drive Pfizer's second-quarter profit up 50 percent.

The top U.S. drugmaker beat Wall Street profit forecasts, tweaked its own 2017 forecast, and predicted numerous lucrative drugs will be approved over the next half-decade. Still, cheaper generic competition continues to gnaw away at Pfizer's revenue, which fell short of analyst expectations.

Meanwhile, CEO Ian Read told analysts during a conference call Tuesday that Pfizer is avoiding any big acquisitions  long its chief growth strategy  as it waits for the administration and Congress to enact tax reform. He said that would affect the valuation of assets at Pfizer and potential purchase targets.

The Viagra maker, which employs about 450 people in the St. Louis area, reported quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or 51 cents per share, up from $2.05 billion, or 33 cents per share, a year earlier. Adjusted income of 67 cents per share beat analysts' average estimate by two cents.

The New York drugmaker posted revenue of $12.9 billion, down 2 percent and below forecasts for $13.02 billion.

Top sellers including new breast cancer drug Ibrance and blood thinner Eliquis produced higher sales, helping lift revenue from Pfizer's patented-protected drugs by 8 percent, to $7.67 billion. Pfizer's essential health segment, which sells older products that are mostly off patent, had sales drop 14 percent to $5.23 billion.

Their sales were led by Lipitor, the cholesterol-fighting pill that reigned as the world's top seller for a decade. Nearly six years after getting generic competition, Lipitor still ranks No. 7 in sales, at $445 million in the quarter, partly because a few newer drugs have produced lower-than-expected sales.

Some new medicines are coming, though. In May, Bavencio got U.S. approval for treating advanced bladder cancer, and Pfizer's drug for a type of leukemia could get approved this month. But new eczema treatment Eucrisa, approved in February, managed only $9 million in second-quarter sales.

Over the next five years, Pfizer expects to win approvals for up to 18 new drugs and a half-dozen "biosimilars," near-generic versions of complex injected drugs manufactured inside cells. However, Pfizer's first approved biosimilar  Inflectra, a near-copy of blockbuster immune disorder drug Remicade launched in November  had only $94 million in second-quarter sales. Pfizer executives said it only has a 2 percent market share as commercial insurers mainly are sticking with Remicade so far due to deals offered by its maker, Johnson & Johnson.

Sales at Pfizer's consumer health business edged up 1 percent, to $846 million.

Pfizer now expects adjusted full-year earnings of $2.54 to $2.60 per share, with the lower end up 4 cents from its May forecast. The company still expects 2017 revenue of $52 billion to $54 billion.

In afternoon trading, Pfizer shares were unchanged at $33.16.
ELLISVILLE  Lucky's Market on Monday announced that it would close its Ellisville store on Aug. 26.

In a note posted to the company website, Lucky's Market Founder and CEO Bo Sharon wrote, (W)e just did not experience the growth we needed to keep this store open.

Sharon said the company had "no intention" of closing the two other Missouri locations, in Rock Hill and Columbia, and just announced plans for a new store in Springfield, Mo.

The Colorado-based natural and specialty grocery opened the Ellisville location, at 15830 Fountain Plaza Drive, in 2014. It was expected to employ about 180 people.

Sharon wrote that employees will be paid severance and the company is paying for job placement services.

The Ellisville location had been vacant for years before Lucky's opened. A Straub's was there for less than a year, closing on Oct. 31, 2009, amid a troubled economy.
Paul Tudor Jones' investors are increasingly deserting him.

The billionaire macro manager who helped give rise to the hedge fund industry saw clients pull about 15 percent of their assets from his main fund in the second quarter, according to investors who asked not to be identified discussing private information. That's left client assets at about $3.6 billion, almost half the value a year ago.

The withdrawals are a blow to Jones  the Memphis, Tenn., native and former cotton trader who started Tudor Investment Corp. almost four decades ago  and exemplify the asset bleed hurting the biggest names in the business, including Alan Howard and John Paulson. As clients flee amid investment losses, Jones has taken steps to revive his firm, including reducing fees and headcount.

Jones' main BVI Global Fund is down 1.9 percent this year through July 21, according to a client document. The fund also manages money for Jones and his employees. Patrick Clifford, a spokesman for Tudor, declined to comment.

Jones, 62, and his brethren are experiencing a punishing shift. The old guard who shot to fame in the 1980s and 1990s are foundering, while a younger set of managers are making money, hiring and attracting new investments. The veterans are finding it's no easy feat to replicate stand-out profits of yesteryear, when markets were more opaque and less efficient.

Macro hedge funds have posted their worst first half since 2013, losing 0.7 percent, and on average returned about 1 percent annually in the past five years, according to Hedge Fund Research Inc.

Aside from BVI Global, Tudor also manages a fund tied to the performance of multiple teams of managers, an event-driven portfolio, and individual accounts. In total, the firm now has just under $8 billion in assets, compared with $14 billion in June 2015.

As revenue declines at Tudor, Jones last month sold the firm's 43-acre Greenwich, Connecticut, headquarters' property. Tudor said it plans to move to a location in lower Fairfield County that's more convenient to New York City, where the firm has offices. It also has outposts in London and Singapore.

Tudor employees have also defected along with clients. Global rates money manager Adam Grunfeld quit in May after nine years and is set to join Element Capital, the macro fund run by 42-year-old Jeff Talpins. Zorin Finkelsen and Dudley Hoskin left to join Balyasny Asset Management. Other departures have included risk-management chief Joanna Welsh, who departed for Ken Griffin's hedge fund Citadel last year.

Separately, money manager Dan Pelletier took a sabbatical to design quantitative tools for trading, people with knowledge of the firm said. Pelletier, who had worked at Tudor for nine years, couldn't be reached for comment.

Jones a year ago dismissed 15 percent of his employees, a rare move for the Tudor founder, who's known for his loyalty toward staff. He has told clients he will manage a larger chunk of their money and has encouraged his portfolio managers to take more risk. Jones has also leaned on quantitative tools to help with trading, including introducing technology that replicates the bets of his best managers.

After decades of being one of the most expensive hedge funds, Tudor has this year reduced its management fee to between 1.75 percent and 2.25 percent, while taking a 20 percent cut in profits. The firm had once charged management fees as high as 4 percent for some clients, and a performance fee of as much as 27 percent for others.

Well-liked by his employees and across the industry, Jones didn't amass the level of assets that macro rivals Ray Dalio and Howard did. But he was a trailblazer. Jones profited from the October stock market crash three decades ago and became one of the famed macro traders in the business.

Jones is also well known for his Robin Hood Foundation whose celebrity-studded charity gala in New York raises tens of millions of dollars for poverty-fighting charities. He's also founded a non-profit organization called JUST Capital. Last year, after living in Connecticut for decades, Jones moved to Florida which has no income tax.

Before the financial crisis, investors were more than happy to go along for the ride with Jones. His main BVI Global Fund produced average annual gains of about 26 percent from 1987 through 2007, according to investor documents. But from 2008 through last year, the annual average return has slid to about 4.7 percent.

Like many of his peers, Jones has banked on macro making a comeback. Last year he said central bank policies, which have suppressed volatility and encouraged more government debt, will backfire and macro strategies will profit when the debt bubble bursts. So far that hasn't materialized.

Still, it's not all doom and gloom for Jones. A new event-driven fund Tudor started last year, run by Emil Dabora, that wagers on mergers, spinoffs and other corporate changes has gained 9.3 percent in the first five months of the year.
ST. LOUIS  Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley on Tuesday released new documents and an audio recording that he says bolsters his office's allegation that Backpage.cm is engaged in promoting human trafficking in Missouri and elsewhere.

Hawley launched his high-profile investigation of the national classified ad website earlier this year. The site subsequently sued him in an attempt to stop it. In a news conference in downtown St. Louis Tuesday, Hawley released a motion he has filed to dismiss that suit.

The motion includes documents intended to show that Backpage.cm actively woos both sex traffickers and customers to conduct their transactions through the site. That's significant because the site claims it is merely a passive publisher with no active role in what customers post on its website.

In an audio clip Hawley played at the news conference, a woman who works for Backpage.cm is heard on a phone call speaking to a woman who has posted an ad elsewhere offering underaged sex. The Backpage employee tries to get her to post the ad on Backpage.

Human trafficking is generally defined as prostitution in which the women involved are brought in from other places and are being forced or coerced to participate, or are underaged.

"We're talking about commercial sexual exploitation," Hawley told reporters. "The proliferation of these online sites is causing an explosion in the number of customers, and we believe is also helping drive an increase in trafficking."

Last month, Hawley announced raids of more than a dozen Springfield, Mo., businesses advertising as massage parlors as part of a multi-state investigation into human trafficking. He said Tuesday some of those businesses had ads on Backpage.cm.
ST. LOUIS  The debate over police shootings of black men focuses on St. Louis this week as a former city police officer stands trial for the alleged premeditated murder of Anthony Lamar Smith nearly six years ago.

Jason Stockley, 36, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Dec. 20, 2011, shooting death of Smith following a police chase stemming from a suspected drug deal. Smith, who lived in the 4800 block of Page Boulevard, was 24 at the time and the father of a 1-year-old daughter.

The rarity of an ex-cop on trial for murder could draw national attention following recent acquittals elsewhere of white police officers charged with killing black men. Opening statements in Stockleys two-week trial begin Tuesday in front of St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson, who will decide the case because Stockley waived his right to a jury trial.

Self-defense issue

The main question for Wilson, a St. Louis circuit judge for 28 years, is whether Stockley feared for his life and justifiably defended himself by fatally shooting Smith.

This is not an easy case, Wilson wrote in his July 24 order granting a bench trial, which prosecutors opposed. Whatever the ultimate outcome, it likely will be melancholy.

Wilson, anticipating heightened public scrutiny of the trial, imposed a gag order on parties, lawyers and witnesses and also barred all cameras and electronics from the courtroom.

The case, reviewed by state and federal prosecutors in 2012, was dormant until last year when then-Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce charged Stockley, citing new evidence without identifying it but characterizing it as forensic evidence and witness statements. Joyce was in her 16th and final year as circuit attorney when she charged Stockley 21 months after the controversial police killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson and amid mounting public pressure from activists and Smiths supporters. In 2013, the St. Louis police board paid out a $900,000 civil settlement for Smiths daughter.

Evidence at trial will include dramatic police dashboard video during a chase and bystander cellphone video moments after the shooting. There will also be DNA evidence from a gun found in Smiths car, and testimony from police, witnesses and possibly Stockley himself.

A chase, crash, shooting

Stockley and his partner, Officer Brian Bianchi, spotted Smith in a suspected drug transaction in a Churchs Chicken parking lot at Thekla Avenue and Riverview Boulevard about 12:30 p.m. Smith led the officers on a mile-long chase at speeds that reached at least 87 mph through city neighborhoods before ending with a crash.

Police dashboard recordings and two videos from the restaurant show the officers pulled behind Smiths rented silver Buick. As they got out, Smith backed into the police SUV and sped from the lot past Stockley, nearly knocking an AK-47 rifle from his hands. The rifle was his own, which the department has said he was not authorized to carry on duty. Stockley fired several shots from his duty pistol before he and Bianchi chased Smith with two in-car cameras rolling.

Stockley reported shots being fired and shouted directions over the police radio. He also says something about shooting Smith, which court records reveal as Going to kill this (expletive), dont you know it.

At West Florissant and Acme avenues, Stockley was recorded telling Bianchi to ram the back of Smiths car, which Bianchi does, triggering the Buicks airbags. Both officers got out; Stockley carried both his AK-47 and department handgun. Stockley fired several pistol shots into the car, then put his rifle back into the police SUV.

According to police reports, Stockley has told Internal Affairs investigators and his sergeant, Colin Rumpsa, that he believed Smith was reaching for a revolver after being ordered to show him his hands. After shooting Smith, the videos showed Stockley return to the back seat and appear to dig through a duffel bag. He didnt appear to have anything in his hands when he got out of the SUV and returned to Smiths car. The video then stopped. Stockleys lawyer has said Stockley was looking for a clot pack to stop Smiths bleeding.

The video shows Stockley then climbing into the drivers seat of the Buick immediately after Smith is pulled out. Police reports say Stockleys DNA  but not Smiths  was on the .38-caliber Taurus revolver police said was found in Smiths car. Stockley told investigators he unloaded the revolver as a safety precaution after the shooting.

No jurors, one judge

Stockley served in the police department from Dec. 6, 2007, until he resigned Aug. 16, 2013. His home is in Houston but he has been free on bail and living with relatives in Illinois since shortly after he was charged in May 2016. The St. Louis Police Officers Association posted 10 percent of his $1 million bail.

Bianchi, who has served on the police force since May 6, 2010, has not been accused of a crime in Smiths death. He initially was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony, but later lost immunity. He is a potential witness, but could invoke his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. Statements he made to Internal Affairs will be part of the evidence.

Stockleys witness list includes Dr. Kris Mohandie, a former Los Angeles Police Department forensic psychologist who has participated in high-profile cases including the O.J. Simpson murder trial, to testify on the psycho-physiological reactions before and after high stress encounters including the effects of stress on perception and reaction.

Legal experts say jury and bench trials are similar except that bench trials tend to move faster because they eliminate the need to pick jurors, explain legal issues to them, escort them to and from court and provide them instructions of law. Bench trials can also eliminate the possibility of a hung jury.

Peter Joy, a Washington University law professor, said bench trials sometimes provide greater transparency because legal disputes are often argued in open court instead of away from jurors and spectators.

Bench trials inherently can be riskier for a defendant because the verdict is left for one person to decide. But Joy said Stockley must feel his chances of acquittal are better in the hands of an experienced judge, given the number of police shootings in St. Louis and the public attention given to them.

In some parts of the city, the relations between the police and the community not being great, Joy said, it may be a little difficult to get a fair hearing with a jury in this case, so a judge might be better for the defense.

Also unclear is whether Wilson will issue a verdict immediately at the close of evidence.
ST. LOUIS  Temporary air conditioning units delivered to the City Workhouse after protests over hot conditions are now making it too cold for some inmates, according to the mayors office.

There have been multiple complaints from inmates that the facility is too cold following the citys setting up of temporary air conditioning at the facility, said Koran Addo, Mayor Lyda Krewsons spokesman.

One inmate has been sent to administrative segregation after using a broom handle to try to damage a vent blowing cool air into the dormitories, Addo said.

The city spent more than $75,000 on temporary air conditioning units, which were delivered to the facility July 24.

Five units from TempAir, ranging from 25 to 50 tons, were installed in the older sections of the jail. The expectation was that the units would cool the temperature to about 78 degrees in the facility, more formally known as the St. Louis Medium Security Institution. Addo said the temperatures were in that range, but the air is constantly blowing, apparently irking some inmates.

Temperatures have been more mild after a week of extreme heat in July that sent the heat index over 110 degrees.

The citys medium-security jail has long been the subject of complaints and protests. In addition to its lack of air conditioning, residents have raised concerns about alleged abuse from guards and unsanitary conditions in the facility. It houses more than 760 inmates, most of whom have not been convicted and are awaiting trial.

A crowd of about 150 demonstrators gathered at the jail on July 21 to demand its closure. St. Louis police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Protesters damaged the exterior perimeter fence, and two officers were injured.

Addo said officials are looking into how to regulate the temperature with thermostats. He said the mayors office is still evaluating the best way to keep the place cool long term, but also is meeting with other agencies to try to reduce the jails population. Krewsons office arranged a meeting with judges, probation and parole officials, and state and city corrections.

A lot of these people are state prisoners, and we dont have any say in them being there, Addo said. But we can be a convener and bring people together to talk about the bail system and how best to handle cases where you have people on technical probation violations, like missing an appointment, who are not violent criminals, and ask, How can we work on a system thats better so people arent in there languishing because theyre poor and cant make bail?

Circuit Attorney Kim Gardners office was invited to the meetings, but scheduling conflicts have prevented her or anyone for her office from attending, Addo said. The circuit attorneys office issues charges against defendants and argues before judges to set bail.

Krewsons office is hoping to have a meeting with Gardners office sometime this week, Addo said.

A spokeswoman for Gardner said she was unavailable for comment Tuesday as she was attending the trial of a former police officer who has been charged with murder.

Missouri state Rep. Joshua Peters, D-St. Louis, who has pushed for the Legislature to examine the conditions of the jail, said the lack of air conditioning has been just one of several problems at the jail. Others, he said, include unsanitary conditions, with mold, insects and rodents.

"I think that anything that detracts from the real issue of the unsanitary and unsafe conditions of the City Workhouse wastes time," he said in a statement.

Peters cited a federal court order from 1990 that mandated changes, including speedy transfers to other detention centers, because of similar conditions at what was then the city jail.

"The poorest residents are still the ones disproportionately suffering because they cant make bail," Peters said. "Still today, there is a lack of speedy access to public defenders for inmates to use, so the inmates spend more time incarcerated than they should.

Peters said he believes the jail should be closed and "a workable alternative" found.
The Establishment, a construct of Democrats and Republicans that rules in Washington no matter which party controls government, appears to be over its fainting spell following Donald Trump's election.

It is now throwing everything at him from a daily -- make that hourly, even minute by minute -- onslaught of investigations to big media's equivalent of Molotov cocktails.

Washington, D.C., recently made assisted suicide legal. The president isn't helping his cause by committing unassisted political suicide. Changing his chief of staff may help, but significant change must come from the president himself.

Name-calling by the president and his critics accomplishes nothing, other than to make the name-caller feel good. In my experience, name-calling changes few minds.

Winning an argument is better than disparaging someone who holds a different view. The way to defeat your opponent is to present a better idea. In the case of the Establishment, the president should not only talk specifically about its many failures -- such as health insurance, winning wars or invading countries where we don't belong -- but also present a list of alternatives he believes will work.

How's this for a slogan, borrowed out of context from former president Obama: "If you like your Establishment, you can keep your Establishment?"

The problem today is that we have exchanged what was once common sense for nonsense. Look at what consumes our attention -- transgender soldiers in the military, celebrities, leaks from the administration and gossip. It is junk food for the mind.

Here's a positive suggestion. Let the new White House chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan. Give them a list of programs and policies the president would like to pass (or repeal) and ask the two leaders to poll their members to see what they could vote for.

Then, let Gen. Kelly receive from the leaders what congressional Republicans could support and vote for. Somewhere in between is enough common ground to repeal legislation and programs that aren't working and create new ones that will work, based on experience, not ideology. The president can then hit the road and sell an agenda he and his party, and maybe some Democrats, can agree on.

The president deserves credit for eliminating regulations that have been choking the economy. It is a major reason why the economy is growing again and the stock market keeps hitting record highs. He should continue doing things his executive power allows him to do.

Calling President Trump a narcissist and "childish" changes nothing. What is the goal of such language? Do the name-callers think he will become something other than what he is, absent a miraculous conversion?

"Face the Nation" host John Dickerson editorialized on his show last Sunday about a video that purports to show President Trump ignoring an 11-year-old boy in a wheelchair while greeting others who attended his health care speech last week.

Trump haters claim the video proves how insensitive he is. Dickerson said the first thing the president did when entering the room was to bend down and speak to the child. About the mischaracterized video, Dickerson said: "We're so ready for evidence to confirm the absolute worst about an opponent it snuffs out our charity."

He's right, and, when it suits them, both left and right engage in this shameful practice.

Better build up this president and the good he can do, as he is the only president we have. North Korea and Iraq are becoming imminent threats. Throwing rhetorical "bombs" at our fellow citizens is not helpful.

We are not each other's enemy. There are many who wish to destroy us. Why are we helping them?
The two people who could end up facing off in Missouris nationally watched U.S. Senate race next year are on the same page about at least one topic: Backpage.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., announced legislation Tuesday to make it easier to sue the classified ad website, which she and others have long alleged is engaged in promoting illegal sex trafficking of minors and others.

Hours earlier, in St. Louis, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, a Republican who is pursuing his own investigation of the site, released documents and an audio clip purporting to show more evidence supporting that allegation.

McCaskill will seek her third term in the Senate next year, and is widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable incumbent Democrats in the country. Hawley, who started his first term as attorney general this year, is being wooed by state and national GOP leaders to run against her, a campaign he hasnt ruled out.

In addition to announcing new legislation, McCaskill on Tuesday said the Senate passed a resolution to allow information gathered in its investigation of Backpage to be shared with state officials conducting their own investigations  including Hawley.

I welcome his effort, and I will certainly be forwarding to him information about the Backpage site, McCaskill said Tuesday.

McCaskill and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, have led a series of Senate hearings investigating the site for almost two years from their positions on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, where Portman is chairman and McCaskill is the ranking Democrat.

The new legislation, co-sponsored by both of them with additional bipartisan support, clarifies federal law to remove what McCaskill says is an unintentional haven for sites such as Backpage. Other co-sponsors include Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.

Currently, the site can claim no responsibility for what third parties post there. The new measure would allow plaintiffs to more easily hold the site liable.

It will prevent Backpage from inappropriately hiding behind a federal law, McCaskill told reporters in a conference call from Washington Tuesday.

Hawley launched his investigation of Backpage earlier this year. The site subsequently sued him in an attempt to stop it. In a news conference in downtown St. Louis on Tuesday morning, Hawley released a motion he has filed to dismiss that suit.

The motion includes documents intended to show that Backpage actively woos both sex traffickers and customers to conduct their transactions through the site. Thats significant because the site claims it is merely a passive publisher with no active role in what customers post on its website  the same claim McCaskills legislation seeks to invalidate as a defense.

In an audio clip Hawley played at the news conference, a woman who works for Backpage is heard on a phone call speaking to a woman who has posted an ad elsewhere offering underage sex. The Backpage employee tries to get her to post the ad on Backpage.

Were talking about commercial sexual exploitation, Hawley told reporters. The proliferation of these online sites is causing an explosion in the number of customers, and we believe is also helping drive an increase in trafficking.

Last month, Hawley announced raids of more than a dozen Springfield, Mo., businesses advertising as massage parlors as part of a multistate investigation into human trafficking. He said Tuesday some of those businesses had ads on Backpage.

A message emailed to the website asking for comment was not answered.
ST. LOUIS  Amid the national noise about potential cuts to Medicaid, some school administrators are trying to bring attention to one arguably lesser-known group that would be affected: their students.

Thats because public schools dont just provide education for children. As required by federal law, they also spend hundreds of millions on an array of expensive medical services for thousands of students with special needs, whether it be private-duty nursing, personal care attendants, physical therapy, speech therapy or occupational therapy.

Schools also use Medicaid to pay for school nurses and provide services for students from low-income families, including counseling, health screenings and asthma management.

Under the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, public schools are required to provide the services that are needed for students, regardless of disabilities, to come to school. A March U.S. Supreme Court decision reinforced that such educational services must be ambitious and of more than just bare-minimum quality.

For some schools, special education means supporting students who come to class on life support or hooked up to oxygen tanks, said Kimberly Ratcliffe, director of the Medicaid Consortium for the Missouri School Boards Association. Some students need to be tube-fed, have diapers changed or have medical procedures done at school.

Children have so many dreadful health conditions that they have to live with, Ratcliffe said. They shouldnt have more restrictions than their health is already imposing.

In recent weeks, Republicans in Congress had named Medicaid as a potential target for cuts as they repeatedly tried to repeal former President Barack Obamas signature health care law. The Senates latest attempt to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act failed early Friday, but broader bipartisan efforts at health care reform and possible Medicaid changes could come down the road.

Though Medicaid makes up a small fraction of federal money that public schools receive, its considered a vital funding supplement for schools to provide federally mandated special education services.

Thats because the federal government does not, nor has it ever, given states all the funding required for schools to provide mandated special education services.

Ratcliffe said studies show it costs twice as much to educate students with special needs than students without disabilities.

The money that were getting through Medicaid is helping to offset the cost, Ratcliffe said. They dont begin to cover the cost.

At least $20 million from Medicaid goes to Missouri school districts, which educate about 128,400 students from ages 3 to 21 who receive special services. The amount Missouri districts typically receive can be tens of thousands of dollars or as much as a few million.

The most goes to St. Louis Public Schools, which educates about 3,300 students with an Individualized Education Program, meaning they receive special education services. The district received $4.4 million in Medicaid during the 2015-2016 year.

About $2.4 million in Medicaid went to Special School District, which educates students with special needs and provides services for 22 St. Louis County districts. Special School District uses those Medicaid dollars to serve about 9,700 students across St. Louis County who are Medicaid-eligible, said Nancy Ide, district spokeswoman.

Nationwide, more than $4 billion in Medicaid goes to schools, or roughly 1 percent of all Medicaid.

Brent Ghan, deputy executive director for the Missouri School Boards Association, estimates about 350 of Missouris roughly 520 school districts receive Medicaid. That number doesnt include districts that have Medicaid-eligible children but dont file for the funding. Some school officials may think there are too few eligible children to be worth filling out paperwork, Ghan said.

That number also doesnt include charter schools, which also benefit from Medicaid. For example, Confluence Charter Schools, the largest charter school network in St. Louis, received about $262,000 in Medicaid in 2015.

Compared to children with special needs who dont receive Medicaid, children who do miss fewer school days due to illness or injury, perform better in school and are more likely to graduate high school and attend college, said Elisabeth Burak, senior program director of Georgetown Universitys Center for Children and Families. Meanwhile, sick children are more likely to miss school, drop out and have weak social skills.

Whenever theyre facing health issues that are not addressed, it has a definite negative impact on their ability to learn, Ghan said.
ST. LOUIS  Nickoletta Nicky Antoniou was an entrepreneur, a mother, a chef and a staple in St. Louis Greek Orthodox community. But, more than anything, she was an expert at bringing people together, family and friends say.

When you met Nicky, you werent strangers for long, said the Rev. Douglas Papulis, the head parish priest at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.

Mrs. Antoniou was known for the Greek Gourmet restaurant, which she co-owned and operated for more than 20 years; for her work with the annual St. Nicholas Greek Festival, which will celebrate its centennial over Labor Day weekend; and for helping St. Nicholas establish its Family Life Center in Town and Country.

After a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, Mrs. Antoniou died Saturday (July 29, 2017.) She was 71.

She was born in Perry, Iowa, on Aug. 6, 1945, the daughter of Sam and Bessie Conis. She lived in Denver as a teenager, then moved to St. Louis when she was about 21 after meeting her husband, Christos Antoniou. She and her husband then spent a little less than a year living in Karitsa, Greece, where Mrs. Antoniou picked up Greek recipes that she would later serve in her restaurant.

She didnt love Greece at first, daughter Vanessa Antoniou said. She hated it, to be honest.

The couple had moved there because Christos Antoniou, who was a doctor, had to serve in the Greek Army. Karitsa was a small town of about 200 people, and Mrs. Antoniou wasnt used to not having electricity and modern conveniences. When she wanted a taste of Greek restaurant food, she had to travel to a nearby city by wagon or donkey.

She was this beautiful girl dressed perfectly, Vanessa Antoniou said. She would sit on the donkey in her pretty clothes, and her mother-in-law would wrap her in a sheet so her clothes didnt get dirty on the way down.

It also didnt help that she didnt speak Greek.

But Mrs. Antoniou was a skilled diplomat and was able to convince the higher-ups, presumably in English, to allow her and her husband to go back to the United States, Vanessa Antoniou said. She avoided going back to Greece for several years.

But eventually Greece grew on Mrs. Antoniou, and she started visiting it every year.

In the early 1980s, Mrs. Antoniou and a close friend, Paula Exarhou, opened Greek Gourmet. The cafeteria-style restaurant at 721 North New Ballas Road included a bakery, deli and liquor store. It closed in 2002 after Exarhou left to pursue real estate and Mrs. Antoniou grew frustrated with the amount of time the business was taking away from her family and her other endeavors.

While it was open, their business was quite successful; long lines of people waiting to eat often went out the door.

Everybody in West County ate at the Greek cafe, Exarhou said. Stan the Man would come and play his harmonica.

The restaurant was partly staffed by inmates participating in a work-release program. Mrs. Antoniou and Exarhou helped the inmates, who were in prison for minor offenses, get reacclimated to the community.

We helped a lot of employees, Exarhou said. People would say, Where did you get these incredible employees? And I would say, If you only knew.

Mrs. Antoniou went to church every week, but never sat among the congregation, Papulis said. Instead, she was always behind the scenes managing people and answering questions. She also served on church boards and committees.

A funeral for Mrs. Antoniou will be at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 4967 Forest Park Avenue, at 10 a.m. Wednesday. A procession following the service will leave the church for interment at St. Matthew Cemetery, 4360 Bates Street.

Among the survivors, in addition to her daughter, are two other daughters, Bessie Conty of Denver and Pamela Brennan of Ladue; a son, Thomas Antoniou of St. Louis; seven siblings, Peter Conis, John Conis, Homer Conis, Tom Conis and Jeannie Kayne, all of Colorado, Elaine Palmer of Tarpon Springs, Fla., and Sam Conis of St. Louis; and six grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Nicholas Family Life Centers capital campaign.
WASHINGTON  Congress is considering major changes to the debt-laden National Flood Insurance Program that could jack up flood insurance rates for hundreds of thousands of homeowners under a bill that a Florida real estate group called devastating.

The proposal, part of a flood-insurance package with a Sept. 30 deadline, could prove costly to homeowners in flood-prone regions ranging from Florida to Texas to Californias Central Valley. It would primarily affect homeowners with low grandfathered rates based on flood maps that have changed since they bought their homes.

This could be devastating to so many people, said Maria Wells, president of the Florida Realtors trade group, which has 175,000 members statewide. People dont realize they could be remapped into a much more high-risk zone.

Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., who introduced the 21st Century Flood Reform Act, agreed that the change could deal a financial blow to some homeowners, over time. But the current practice, he argued, is unfair to households that live outside of flood plains. Through their tax dollars, they subsidize a relatively small number of homeowners who own property near the coasts, rivers and other waterways.

Duffy said he was open to amending his legislation to address affordability concerns  but not if it kept the current subsidy system in place.

We are not talking about the poorest people in the country, said Duffy, who represents a wide swath of northern Wisconsin. You have subsidies going to these wealthy homeowners on the coast.

Congress has until the end of September to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, otherwise the program will lapse, preventing people from buying flood insurance. When that impasse last happened for a month in 2010, an estimated 46,800 home sales transactions were interrupted or canceled, according to the National Realtors Association.

Last month, a key House committee approved seven pieces of legislation aimed at improving the solvency of the insurance program, which owes $25 billion to the U.S. Treasury.

The full House is expected to consolidate and vote on the whole package  including the part that would increase insurance rates  before the August recess, but affordability may hamper its passage. If the House and Senate cant pass and reconcile their two reauthorization bills, Congress could miss the Sept. 30 deadline, and the housing market could see a repeat of 2010.

Grandfathered premiums

At issue is the insurance programs practice of grandfathering premiums, which allows homeowners to continue paying relatively low insurance rates even when the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, changes its maps to account for newly discovered risks. The practice is based on the concept that people with homes built to the required codes at the time of purchase shouldnt be penalized when those codes change.

Under Duffys bill, as now written, no new grandfathering would be allowed after four years, and premiums on existing grandfathered policies would rise 8 percent yearly until they reach full-risk rates.

No one knows for sure how many households could be affected by the change, but Duffy said FEMA has told him it could number 500,000 or more. The increased premium costs could be sizable.

For example, FEMAs rate tables show that a home in an A Zone of Special Flood Hazard Area  typically near a lake, river or coastline  that now costs $3,000 a year in insurance premiums could rise to $5,000 a year if FEMA determined that expected flood elevations were two feet higher than previously mapped.

Wells, a real estate broker with offices in Florida and Pennsylvania, said one frequent criticism of the program  that rich people benefit disproportionately  is a myth. Under the program, flood damage claims are capped at $250,000, much less than full replacement for a wealthy persons home.

People talk about beachside mansions, but I can tell you, they dont use NFIP, she said. They use Lloyds of London.

Proponents of the legislation, however, say that construction of ever-more-valuable homes along the coast and on flood plains adds to the risks being covered by the taxpayer-subsidized flood insurance program.

Subsidies, they argue, encourage more people to build and buy homes on flood plains, perpetuating the programs debt.

We need to transition to sound actuarial rates, said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Tex., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, which approved the legislative package last month. Otherwise, we are putting more people in harms way.

After Katrina

Federal flood insurance has long been the subject of a congressional tug-of-war, especially after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In 2005, FEMA borrowed more than $17 billion from the U.S. Treasury to pay claims damages, and Hurricane Sandy triggered an additional $9 billion in borrowing.

As of late 2016, close to five million households nationwide held federal flood insurance policies, according to FEMA. Florida was the largest, with nearly 1.8 million policy holders, followed by Texas with 608,000, Louisiana with 472,000 and California with 295,000.

The issue is complicated by the fact that many U.S. cities were originally built along coastlines and rivers and are now deemed vulnerable to extreme flooding. Scientists say that with sea level rise and stronger storms expected from global climate change, the U.S. Treasury is sure to take future big hits from flood disasters.

To reduce the mounting debt, Congress passed in 2012 the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act, which was designed to allow premiums to rise to reflect the true risk of living in high-flood areas. But two years later, after an outcry from affected homeowners, Congress scaled back the premium rate increases.

After President Donald Trump took office, federal debt hawks saw a chance to revive provisions in the 2012 legislation, including ending grandfathering. That provision is part of the 21st Century Flood Reform Act introduced by Duffy.

Some of the House package has wide support from consumer, environmental and taxpayer groups. These include provisions aimed at removing obstacles for homeowners to buy private flood insurance, improving the FEMA claims process, discouraging new development in flood plains and helping communities mitigate existing risks, such as elevating structures above expected flood depths.

Theres also agreement that FEMA needs to update its process for revising flood maps, although that goal could be complicated by Trumps proposed 2018 budget, which calls for cuts to the agencys mapping program.

Better data needed

Officials with the National Realtors Association fear the House will approve legislation to phase out grandfathering with no solid information on how many households would be affected and at what cost.

We know for sure that homeowners will be hit hard if the NFIP is allowed to expire in September, but we need better data from FEMA before we can have a fully-informed discussion on flood insurance, William Brown, president of the National Realtors Association, said in a statement to McClatchy.

Without data, he added, determining costs and risks both for homeowners and for taxpayers (is) tremendously difficult.

Duffy, a former prosecutor and ESPN commentator, said his legislation is based on the principle that people should approach home purchases knowing that insurance conditions could change.

He likened it to a consumer buying car insurance, knowing that premiums could go up if a teenager is added to the policy.

But Duffy also said hes aware his bill faces opposition and hes working to address the concerns about grandfathering.

I am not a purist on this, he said. I want to get a bill that can pass.
Local and state government agencies from Oregon to Connecticut say they are using a Russian brand of security software despite the federal governments instructions to its own agencies not to buy the software over concerns about cyberespionage, records and interviews show.

The federal agency in charge of purchasing, the General Services Administration, removed Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab this month from its list of approved vendors. In doing so, the agencys statement suggested a vulnerability exists in Kaspersky that could give the Russian government backdoor access to the systems it protects, though they offered no explanation or evidence of it. Kaspersky has strongly denied coordinating with the Russian government and has offered to cooperate with federal investigators.

The GSAs move on July 11 has left state and local governments to speculate about the risks of sticking with the company or abandoning taxpayer-funded contracts, sometimes at great cost. The lack of information from the GSA underscores a disconnect between local officials and the federal government about cybersecurity.

Interviews suggest that concerns in recent months from Congress and intelligence professionals about Kaspersky are not widely known among state and local officials, who are most likely to consider buying the Russian software. Those systems, while not necessarily protecting critical infrastructure, can be targeted by hackers because they provide access to troves of sensitive information.

U.S. intelligence chiefs told a Senate panel in May that they wouldnt use the companys software, during a broader hearing investigating Russias alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election. It was not the first time Congress had heard that message: A former U.S. official told The Washington Post that congressional staff was advised by law enforcement in late 2015 to stop meeting with Kaspersky representatives over national security concerns.

The GSAs decision to no longer purchase Kaspersky comes amid an ongoing special counsel investigation into potential collusion between President Donald Trumps associates and Russian officials during last years presidential contest. This has complicated decisions for local government officials who are trying to evaluate potential security risks amid a heated political climate.

People need to know that they can trust software updates, said Joseph Lorenzo Hall, chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, a digital advocacy group. About the governments decision, he said: We need more public information.

In the weeks since Kasperskys delisting, The Post found that it continues to be used on government computers in jurisdictions ranging from Portland, Ore., to Fayetteville, Ga., where an official said they have a year-to-year contract.

Kaspersky also has been bought for use by the federal government in recent years, including the Bureau of Prisons and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Both agencies said last week that they needed additional time to determine whether the software is still in use.

To identify the agencies, The Post reviewed state, local and federal government websites to obtain documents that listed Kaspersky or its programs, including city council agendas, annual agency reports and government procurement records. Officials interviewed in nine jurisdictions all said they had bought or supported software made by Kaspersky within the past two years. Nearly all said they had no immediate plans to replace the software.

We use it, and I think it works well, said John Morrisson, systems manager for the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services. I dont have any problems, and we dont have any viruses. And its doing the job I require of it.

Morrisson said the concerns about Kaspersky were speculative, but he said he would consider jettisoning the Russian brand if specific vulnerabilities were identified.

In the District of Columbia, a spokesman for the citys chief technology officer said that most city agencies used anti-virus software made by McAfee, a Kaspersky competitor. But District employees who connect to the network remotely are allowed for now to use home computers equipped with Kaspersky.

In Picayune, Miss., Kaspersky is scheduled to be installed soon as the firewall on a new wireless system for all public schools. Network administrator Jason Wheat said he hadnt seen the news about the GSAs decision or received any warning from the state about not using Kaspersky. But he said he wasnt worried about the software because employee Social Security numbers were stored on a separate server maintained by the state.

In Oregon, Kaspersky is used with other anti-virus software by Portland city government to scan for malicious emails. Connecticuts public defender said as of early 2016 its office had hundreds of computers that ran Kaspersky. And San Marcos, Tex., last month approved a $92,744 contract for Kasperskys anti-virus protection; a spokeswoman said the city has held a contract with Kaspersky for many years and renewed the software in June before the delisting notice was issued by the U.S. government.

Eavesdropping

In announcing its decision, the GSA said that its mission was to ensure the integrity and security of U.S. government systems and networks and that Kaspersky was delisted after review and careful consideration. The action removed the company from the list of products approved for purchase on federal systems and at discounted prices for state governments.

The GSA included a reference to System of Operational-Investigative Measures, or SORM  a national Russian electronic eavesdropping network that the U.S. government publicly warned about in advance of Americans traveling to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

At the time, the State Department advised travelers to assume that cellphones could be turned into listening devices and laptops could be infiltrated if connected to Russian networks.

The GSA statement this month said applicability of SORM to Kaspersky supported GSAs decision to exercise the cancellation clause.

A former senior U.S. law enforcement official, who works in cybersecurity and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he thought that the reference to SORM indicated the GSA is saying there is some kind of vulnerability that gives the [Russian] government access.

Representatives for the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security referred questions about Kaspersky to the GSA, which declined to comment beyond the original statement.

Kaspersky officials declined interview requests, referring reporters to a statement denying wrongdoing that was issued after the GSAs announcement.

Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never helped, or will help, any government in the world with its cyber-espionage efforts, the company said. Kaspersky Lab, a private company, seems to be caught in the middle of a geopolitical fight where each side is attempting to use the company as a pawn in their political game.

Global success

Kaspersky Lab was founded in 1997 by Eugene Kaspersky, a decade after he had graduated from a KGB-supported cryptography school and had worked in Russian military intelligence agencies.

The company became an international success, sometimes promoting Kasperskys background in Russian intelligence. By 2010, it claimed to be the most widely used anti-virus software in Europe. In the United States, for example, Kaspersky was among the anti-virus software packaged with computers sold at Best Buy. Today, Kaspersky boasts 400 million users and 270,000 corporate clients worldwide.

Kaspersky has tried to advance the company into potentially lucrative government markets. The company created a subsidiary, Kaspersky Government Security Solutions, or KGSS, and began hosting an annual cybersecurity summit in Washington.

In 2015, the keynote address at the annual conference was delivered by Michael Flynn, then the recently departed head of the Defense Intelligence Agency who would go on to briefly become Trumps national security adviser. Flynn was paid more than $11,000 for the appearance, which he initially failed to disclose this year when he joined the White House.

The company never became a major player in U.S. government markets. Popular American firms, often with executives who had their own ties to U.S. intelligence agencies, routinely beat out Kaspersky for the largest federal contracts and defense work.

Three current and former defense contractors told The Post that they knew of no specific warnings circulated about Kaspersky in recent years, but it has become an unwritten rule at the Pentagon not to include Kaspersky as a potential vendor on new projects.

Another former U.S. official said that some congressional staffers were warned by federal law enforcement officials as early as November 2015 not to meet with employees from Kaspersky over concerns of electronic surveillance.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

Not on own computers

Skepticism of Kaspersky became public in May when a panel of U.S. intelligence community leaders testified before Congress that they wouldnt use the firms software on their own computers. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., noted the widespread use of the software and asked, Would any of you be comfortable with the Kaspersky Lab software on your computers?

A resounding no from me, said acting FBI director Andrew McCabe. CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats and National Security Agency Director Adm. Michael Rogers also said they would not use Kaspersky.

The governments unease about Kaspersky follows the conclusion by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russian President Vladimir Putin last year ordered a campaign of cyberattacks to undermine the election. The Justice Department has named a special counsel to investigate possible coordination between Trumps associates and Russian officials during the campaign.

James Lewis, a cybersecurity expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said its difficult, if not impossible for a company like Kaspersky to be headquartered in Moscow if you dont cooperate with the government and the intelligence services.

Kaspersky has worked to protect its image since the GSA decision. It said this month that it would be willing to turn over its software source code to federal investigators.

The Senate Armed Services Committee this month unanimously adopted an amendment by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., that would force the government to strip Kaspersky from any government systems connected to defense networks. In a statement, Shaheen said the Trump administration and Congress should go further and require all government systems to drop Kaspersky.

The ties between Kaspersky Lab and the Kremlin are very alarming, Shaheen said.
Japan announced Friday that frozen beef imports from the United States were subject to an emergency 50 percent tariff because they had exceeded quotas set by the island nation.

Few, if any states, could claim being more adversely affected by that announcement than Nebraska. Beef is obviously a major contributor to Nebraskas exports, chief of which are agricultural goods and manufactured products.

Its often said that Nebraskas agricultural bounty feeds the world, but its farmers and ranchers need market access to carry out that mission. Accordingly, Nebraska needs trade agreements with Japan  and other major buyers of products from this states industries  in place to reduce barriers to reach lucrative foreign markets.

While many other factors  including beef from Australia, American exporters largest competitor in Japan, and European Union nations  are in play, the result will likely be a decrease in sales of Nebraska beef to its largest overseas customer. Meanwhile, those other nations will benefit because they have a trade agreement in place with Japan that includes lower tariffs for participating countries imports.

Because of the rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership by President Donald Trump  a move that hurt the agricultural Midwest at a time when it could least afford such a move  American goods are at a competitive disadvantage in the most densely populated region on the planet.

The numbers and impact of playing from behind on trade are significant, as illustrated by the new tariffs.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday the Japanese market for beef products yielded $316 million in 2016 alone, making up about 5 percent of the states $7.2 billion beef industry, as reported by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. The United States Department of Agricultures Foreign Agricultural Service reports that $1.5 billion worth of American beef products were exported to Japan last year, meaning Nebraska beef composed roughly 21 percent of that market.

As a result, Japanese buyers are expected to purchase more fresh beef than frozen to avoid the emergency tariffs  until fresh beef imports reaches a level, forecast to be possibly later this year, that triggers the same 50 percent tariffs.

Its said that a rising tide lifts all boats, and in few places is that more true than Nebraska. In 2016, Nebraska imported about $3.6 billion worth of goods and exported nearly $6.4 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau  a nearly $2.8 billion trade surplus just last year.

Trade is the economic lifeblood for Nebraska, and overseas markets are an increasingly critical part of the future for so many of the states industries. Pacts that allow for market access continue to be vital for Nebraska.
Gov. Eric Greitens $4 million cut from the state education fund that allowed high school juniors to take the ACT test for free will make it tougher for students to take the major college exam most need to pursue higher education. It will also hurt school districts whose state performance ratings increased when more students took the test and scored well on it. And it will significantly undermine efforts to boost Missouris status as a business-friendly state with a college-educated, ready workforce.

How this fits with Greitens campaign pledges to bring more employers to Missouri is anyones guess. ACT test scores are a key barometer of student preparedness.

Some wealthier school districts where the need for financial aid is not as critical will be able to absorb the cost so it can remain free for students. But that wont happen in low-income districts where economically disadvantaged students need the most help scraping together the test fee, which can total $62.50 with the recommended optional writing portion.

State-paid testing for college students was a two-year effort that was neither state nor federally mandated, which made it easy to cut when Greitens sought ways to balance the budget. The state is mandated to administer other tests, such as the MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test and end-of-course exams, to all students.

The ACT was designed to predict students college readiness. Some colleges no longer make the SAT or ACT mandatory for admission, but most do. The results can also be highly influential for students who have low high school grade-point averages or are applying to competitive schools. ACT scores also can affect academic scholarship awards.

Erecting more financial barriers will reduce participation. Post-Dispatch reporter Kristen Taketa said Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education data show that in 2016, the year after Missouri began offering the free college entrance exam, the percentage of public school graduating seniors who took it increased to 93 percent from 67.6 percent.

As more students participated, however, the average composite score fell from 21.7 to 20.2. The slight loss was offset by the increase from 30.9 percent to 39.5 percent of Missouri graduates who tested at or above the national average.

Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches will be able to take the ACT for free if their districts request waivers from the national ACT organization.

Thats not the same as Missouri demonstrating with actions, not just campaign promises, that it has the most work-ready force possible, and that its ready to provide jobs so graduates arent lured to other states.

Encouraging industries that states want to attract, such as technology, finance, law and health, requires an educated population ready to meet employers qualifications. Missouri is letting down prospective businesses and students by eliminating free testing.
Maybe someone can tell me what is wrong with the following scenario:

Nov. 8: Donald Trump gets the electoral victory in the presidential elections.

Dec. 29: President Barack Obama adds sanctions against Russia because of significant malicious cyber-enabled activities and meddling in our democratic process  elections when Vladimir Putin manages to influence the results in favor of Donald Trump. Thirty-five Russian diplomats are ejected, and five Russian entities and two Russian compounds are closed.

December: Donald Trump, now the president-elect, sends his envoys, Michael Flynn and Jared Kushner, to Putin surrogates to assure Putin that since Trump is going to occupy the White House, there is no need to retaliate. Kushner has already met with the head of a bank sanctioned by Obama: Sergey Gorkov, a Putin appointee.

Dec. 30: Putin does not retaliate. The Twitter-in-chief posts: Great move on delay (by V. Putin)  I always knew he was very smart! (Previously, Putin was a strong leader.)

July 27: Congress sends new sanctions bill to Trump targeting Russia, Iran and North Korea. Trump, according to his communications chief, Anthony Scaramucci, might veto the bill although the Senate has passed the bill with a veto-proof majority of 98 to 2.

July 28: Putin retaliates against the United States (Russia orders cuts in U.S. diplomats in reaction to sanctions).

Apparently, Putin is not that smart after all.

Nand Lal Johari  St. Louis
It's Dunkirk, 1940. On the beaches, the British Expeditionary Force is making a desperate retreat, the horror of which can barely be imagined. Over the course of nine days, some 338,000 men will be returned to England. They will leave behind thousands of colleagues, torn down by the Luftwaffe.

The evacuation, featuring a flotilla of 'little ships', manned by civilians, is one of the most remarkable episodes in British military history. And Christopher Nolan's retelling of the incident, in a film simply named Dunkirk, has been widely held to have delivered an accurate and highly involving version of the events of those landmark few days.

Except that is by one critic. USA Today's Brian Truitt opined that "the fact that there are only a couple of women and no lead actors of colour may rub some the wrong way."

Truitt has, understandably, been held up to no small amount of ridicule. It is a little difficult to shoehorn women and ethnic minorities into a story which, put simply, featured few. Dunkirk is, after all, very much based on the battle  on air, land, and sea. There is no back story, no emotion-laden scenes of loved-ones left behind. There is no examination of the cultural mix of Britain at the time.

Truitt's utterance is little short of odd, akin to complaining there is a lack of Afro-Caribbeans in Alfred The Great, or commenting that it would have been better if a few women had made it out of Stalag Luft III in The Great Escape. If he wants women in the context of deep historical inaccuracy, he should perhaps tune into Raquel Welch in One Million Years BC.

But Truitt is not alone in expressing dissent at Dunkirk's modus operandi. Marie Claire critic Mehera Bonner declared that the film just screams 'men-only', claiming the only reason male critics liked it was because it allowed them to feel manly.

"To me, Dunkirk felt like an excuse for men to celebrate maleness," she wrote, "which apparently they don't get to do enough. Fine, great, go forth, but if Nolan's entire purpose is breaking the established war movie mould and doing something different, why not make a movie about women in World War II?"

But does Bonner's opinion reflect that of the average cinemagoer? Gemma and Ian Keith, of Newcastle, were on their way to see the movie at the town's Vue cinema.

"I heard about the critic complaining about the lack of women on the news," says Gemma, aged 25, of Clayton. "At first I thought it was a wind-up. I couldn't believe anyone could actually be that stupid. It's a war film. There's not going to be any women in it. If it was a film about the army now, you might expect to see a few women in it. But not then.

"It annoys me because it makes it sound like women are complaining about everything, and they're not. I want equality but I'm not expecting it in a film about World War Two. I don't want someone fighting a battle on my behalf, especially one that doesn't exist."

Ian is of similar opinion. "Why is a war film a celebration of maleness?" he asks. "As a man, I don't consider war something to celebrate. People aren't going to see this film to get a testosterone boost, they're going to remember the bravery of others. It's a stupid thing to say. Would that critic say visiting the war cemeteries of World War One was a celebration of maleness? Presumably she would.

"I think it's them who should take a look at themselves because all they are trying to do is make a name for themselves off the back of other people's deaths."

Peter Ingram has visited the beaches of Dunkirk. "It's an incredibly moving place to go," says the 57-year-old, of Thistleberry, "and from what I can see this film is respectful to the heroism of all involved. To start talking about the lack of women's roles is just silly. It's ignorant. This is a film based on fact. What are they going to do  change history?

"I don't even think it's political correctness. It's just plain stupidity."
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Leading children's doctors have said pupils should be taught about the importance of breastfeeding.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health(RCPCH) said "familiarity with breastfeeding" should be part of personal, health and social education in schools.

A new position paper on breastfeeding, released at the start of World Breastfeeding Week this week, also calls on ministers to legislate for breastfeeding breaks and facilities suitable in all workplaces for breastfeeding or expressing breast milk.

The College said Britain has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in Europe and criticised data collection surrounding breastfeeding.

It also said the UK has "little to celebrate" in terms of its record on breastfeeding.

The RCPCH called on the Government to reinstate the UK-wide Infant Feeding Survey, which was cancelled in 2015.

Data from 2010 show that only 34% of babies are receiving some breast milk at six months of age compared with 49% in the US and 71% in Norway.

At a year this figure fell to 0.5%.

Figures for England in 2015/16 show that while almost three-quarters of mothers started breastfeeding, this fell to 43.2% when babies were between six and eight weeks old.

The document suggests that social stigma is at heart of UK's low breastfeeding rate.

Societal attitudes may lead to women feeling uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public or in the presence of peers and family members.

Meanwhile, maternal concern about whether an infant is receiving sufficient milk may result in reinforcement from friends, family and health professionals, to "supplement" with formula which undermines maternal milk production, the RCPCH said.

New RCPCH guidance also highlights the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child, as well as the cost savings to families and health services.

The College advises that mothers should be encouraged and supported to breastfeed exclusively for up to six months and solid food should be introduced from six months, ideally alongside breastfeeding, to ensure the infant has adequate nutrition.

Meanwhile, mothers may experience practical problems in establishing breastfeeding, and fail to access or receive adequate practical support.

RCPCH president, Professor Neena Modi, said: "World Breastfeeding Week is 25 years old today, but the UK has little to celebrate in terms of its record.

"The health benefits of breastfeeding are beyond question, from reduced likelihood of intestinal, respiratory and ear infections to hospitalisation."
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A councillor who was found guilty of misconduct after making a 'sexual remark' about a woman dressed as an elf has been suspended from his group for 12 months.

Richard Broughan was formally reprimanded for breaching the Stoke-on-Trent City Council code of conduct at a Christmas event in his Abbey Hulton and Townsend ward in 2015.

Mr Broughan, who was also drinking in an alcohol exclusion zone during the event, has now been suspended from the City Independents group for a year by group leader Dave Conway.

This comes just a year after he joined the group following his resignation from Ukip.

Mr Conway, who is also council leader, took action after the findings of the council's hearings panel were reported to him.

He said: "When this was reported to me I told him he would be suspended for 12 months, which means he won't be able to sit on a committee and he won't be able to attend group meetings.

"When I found out what had happened I was very disappointed. He has got a brain, but there's no substitute for experience. He needs to learn that when you're a councillor you're in the public eye all the time."

Mr Broughan was first elected as a Ukip councillor in May 2015, but was suspended by the party later that year, after he had made a joke about the deaths of 71 migrants in Austria on Twitter.

He subsequently resigned from Ukip while still suspended, and in July 2016 he joined the City Independents, who run the council in coalition with the Conservatives.

In March 2016 he had to formally apologise to a member of the public after branding him 'intellectually challenged' on social media.

Mr Broughan, who does not sit on any committee, said he would continue to support the City Independents while suspended. In addition to his suspension, he has also been required to undertake additional training.

He said: "I am still councillor for the residents of Abbey Hulton and Townsend representing the City Independent group however I have been suspended from committee roles for 12 months following the recommendation from the standards panel.

"Councillor David Conway still has my loyal support and I will continue to be a representative of the best interests of our wonderful Stoke-on-Trent."

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Joy Garner, who was reprimanded after showing officers a confidential report on ex-chief executive John van de Laarschot's 230,000 redundancy package, has been removed from the council's human resources committee.

Mrs Garner, councillor for Burslem Park, was found to have broken the council's code of conduct by the hearings panel.

The panel recommended that Labour group leader Mohammed Pervez remove Mrs Garner from 'any or all' committees or sub-committees of the council.

While Mrs Garner has been removed from the human resources committee, she remains on several others, including the licensing and general purposes committee, which she still chairs.
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Four people have been arrested after armed officers were dispatched to a city centre street.

Staffordshire Police were called to Gilman Street, in Hanley, earlier this afternoon as part of a joint operation with two other forces.

The operation was carried out to arrest a man wanted in connection with violence offences in the West Yorkshire area.

Eyewitnesses also reported seeing armed officers near a property in Keary Street, Stoke, but it is unknown if the two incidents are connected.

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "An operation was conducted by Staffordshire Police, with the support of two other police forces, to effect the arrest of a male wanted in connection with violence offences in the West Yorkshire area.

"We attended a property in Gilman Street in an armed capacity and arrested four individuals, one of whom was the subject of the arrest warrant."

Video courtesy of Sentinel reader Jamie Dio.
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Melanie Cooke blames her weight gain partially on having to take steroids for a medical condition. But when she was sent for a second opinion, it was discovered that she did not need them and she was instead diagnosed with Moyamoya disease.

This rare brain condition constricts the arteries in the back of her head, causing a lack of blood flow to her brain.

Melanie, who lives in Meir with her husband Graham, her two children and their two cats, said: Doctors thought I had vasculitis of the brain so I was on high doses of steroids for around 12 months, which led me to put more weight on. They then realised that it was Moyamoya disease on both sides of my brain and I was told that one side could have been life threatening if they had not discovered it then.

I had brain surgery within a month, in March 2013, and was gradually taken off steroids over the next few months.

The surgery was to assist her flow of blood but in October 2016 Melanie had a mini stroke. Doctors decided that the other side also need an operation, which was done the following month.

The 31-year-old added: My condition is not cured but they expect that it should burn out by the time that Im 40  roll on that birthday, she laughs.

It was after my second brain surgery that I asked my neurosurgeon if it would be better for me to lose weight, as I knew Id put it on but was struggling to get it down. They said losing weight would be beneficial to anyone as theyre less likely to have other health issues but it would be even more beneficial with my condition.

It was a kick up the bum and the motivation that I needed to lose the weight.

Melanie joined Slimming World in January 2017, after recovering from her operation. She had tried it before but felt her head wasnt in it on those occasions. It was her friend that suggested she went to the group she attended, so she did.

She said: I knew I wouldnt go on my own, as I wasnt confident enough, so it was great to go with a friend. But when I joined the group the Slimming World consultant Louise Challinor was so welcoming and so too were the ladies and gentlemen that go.

In just six and a half months Melanie lost more than two stone.

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Melanie said: I lost the weight by eating lots of speed foods like fruits, vegetables and salads. With Slimming World you never go hungry if you eat your meals regularly and count your syns properly.

I used to eat white bread daily and chocolate and sweets most days, but now I have wholemeal bread and to satisfy my sweet tooth I love to eat digestive thins, chocolate fingers or chocolate covered rice cakes  all within my syns.

My favourite meal to have is a homemade Slimming World burger and Slimming World chips, theyre amazing, and its all free on the plan.

Thanks to the weight loss Melanie is now able to climb stairs without getting out of breath and also walks her kids to school.

She said: Walking helped me but Ive recently joined the gym to lightly tone up, where as before my confidence and weight issues would not allow me to.

Ive gone from a dress size 16 to a comfortable size 12  I havent been this size since before my children were born  and I like the fact that I can now buy skinny jeans and feel happy to wear them. My family has been brilliant  my mum, stepdad and husband have been so supportive. My mum has even rejoined a different Slimming World group and my husband eats most of the same meals as myself.

He says he is extremely proud of me on a regular basis, as does my mum who I ring after every weigh in day. She along with my husband are my rocks.

Husband Graham said: Mel has gone from not being very confident because of her weight to having a lot more confidence and self-belief. It has made a huge difference for us. We go out with the kids more, we both have more energy and Ive lost a stone as well.

Shes done so well considering what shes been through in the last five years. Im proud of how shes stuck to it and her determination.

Melanies Slimming World group meet at the United Reformed Church, Dresden at 9.30am on Monday. Other session are available on this day at 11:30am, 5pm and 7pm. For more information or to join contact Slimming World Consultant Louise Challinor on 07940542131.

Weight before - 13st 11.5 lbs

Weight after - 11st 6.5 lbs

Total loss - 2 stone 5lbs

Top tip - If you have a poor result and the scales or not as good as you would have liked dont lose faith, accept you could have done things a little bit different and move on to the next week. NEVER lose faith as you CAN achieve your goal!
I am confused by Sen. Ben Sasse's comments on the health care debate.

He stated the Senate's failure to vote to repeal as "a major disappointment to people who were promised full repeal" ("Sasse criticizes repeal's failure," July 27). I am not sure who that is, but it certainly appears to be a minority of U.S. citizens.

An April Gallup poll found 55 percent of the Americans surveyed approved of Obamacare. A June Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found Obamacare to be more popular at 41 percent than the House repeal-and-replace alternative at 16 percent. Only 12 percent liked the Senate version in a USA Today/Suffolk University poll.

So whom are we appealing to? It sounds like the minority of voters who voted for Trump, not the entire U.S. population. And as Trump did not win the popular vote, it appears to be the minority to whom we want to appeal. Additionally, his popularity keeps dropping and is about 38 percent. So it seems the senator is appealing to a minority of U.S. citizens.

That confuses me. There are issues with the ACA, and Democrats should not have passed it with no Republican support. However, it needs to be fixed, not repealed.

That would force Republicans and Democrats to work together, which is a novel idea. I am suggesting the Senate and Congress be honest when throwing ideas around that are not supported by facts.

Ronald R. Wall, Lincoln
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British Gas has announced it is to increase its electricity tariffs by 12.5% in September in a move which will affect thousands of people in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

The Big Six energy giant has confirmed the price rise will take effect on September 15. It was announced after a blunder on Monday saw the group mistakenly publish an incomplete statement about increasing electricity tariffs on its website.

In all, 3.1 million customers will be affected.

Centrica-owned British Gas said the price rise is its first for four years and the group has now pledged to help protect more than 200,000 vulnerable customers from the increase.

Details of the increase comes as British Gas owner Centrica posted half-year results revealing that earnings from its consumer business plunged by more than a quarter after it lost 377,000 UK customer accounts in the first half.

Underlying operating profits from its UK home energy supply arm tumbled 26% to 381 million as the group said it was also hit by warmer than normal temperatures and the pre-payment tariff cap.

Centrica's overall underlying operating profits were 4% lower at 816 million for the six months to June 30.

The group said it held off from the price rise a for "up to six months longer than some of our competitors".

The price hike will mean an average dual fuel bill for a typical annual household tariff will rise by 76 to 1,120 - a 7.3% increase, according to British Gas.

The group said it will give more than 200,000 customers receiving a warm home discount a 76 credit to offset the tariff increase.

British Gas is the last of the Big Six providers to increase prices after it promised in December last year to freeze tariffs until August.

The group insisted its overall electricity costs had increased by 16% since 2014.

But the move flies in the face of the Government, which made a pre-election pledge to introduce a price cap, although that has since been watered down to cover vulnerable households only.

Iain Conn, the chief executive of Centrica, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while the commodity price of electricity had come down, it was facing "significant cost pressure" on transmission and distribution, as well as costs associated with Government policy.

He added: "The net effect of both of these is an increase of about 62 on the average bill, and that is the main driver of the increase, combined with the fact that our electricity prices at British Gas have been some of the cheapest in the market, and actually we're now selling our electricity at a loss, which is clearly not sustainable."

Mr Conn went on to say the energy market "does need to be and could be reformed", but warned a price cap would reduce competition.
RACINE  Armenian Fest will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, at Paul P. Harris Rotary Park, 5 Fifth St. The festival, known as the largest Armenian festival in the Midwest, is sponsored by St. Mesrob Armenian Apostolic Church.

At 10 a.m. before the festival begins, the Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Church will be offered in the Green Room of Festival Hall. There will be Armenian music all day, out side under the big tent by the MidEast Beat for folk dancing.

Armenian food that will be available includes shish-kebab dinners, chicken kebabs, rice pilaf, sarma, lahmajoon and cheese boeregs, plus numerous Armenian pastries and breads.

A silent auction will be held from noon to 5 p.m. in Festival Hall. There will also be a cultural booth with books and gifts for sale and an Armenian marketplace. Various games and activities will be available for children. A raffle drawing will be held at 5 p.m. Prizes are: Grand prize, $1,000; second place, $300; third, $200; and fourth, $100.

There is no admission fee, however, donations will be accepted. Proceeds will go to a local charity.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Local officials continued closed-door discussions Monday as Foxconn prepares to enter the southeastern Wisconsin region.

The Mount Pleasant Village Board and Community Development Authority met Monday afternoon for about 90 minutes at Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive, to talk about an unspecified development project believed to be Foxconn.

They were joined in the closed session by other local officials, including from the county and Racine County Economic Development Corp.

Were continuing discussions with staff and legal counsel, Village President Dave DeGroot said after the board reconvened in open session.

He declined further comment afterward, saying, we were having some discussions and educating the board on some things that were working on.

State law allows governing bodies to discuss real estate negotiations in private, but any action must be taken in open session.

The Mount Pleasant meeting came five days after Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn announced at the White House it plans to spend $10 billion on a massive manufacturing campus in southeastern Wisconsin.

The plant, which will be built on more than 1,000 acres, will likely be located in Racine or Kenosha counties. Land along Highway 11 in Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant is believed to be a primary target.

Local officials have largely declined comment on the specifics of negotiations, including what incentives might be proposed.

Alfonso Gardner of Mount Pleasant told the board he hopes trustees ensure Foxconn jobs go to local taxpayers. The company says it will eventually create up to 13,000 direct jobs.

I believe that everybody who pays taxes should be able to get an opportunity, Gardner said during the public comment portion of a Village Board meeting Monday.

Theres a lot of building going on in Mount Pleasant and I dont see (anybody) who looks like me working on any of these projects, added Gardner, who is black.

Environmental standards scrutinized

Also on Monday, conservationists ripped plans to eliminate key environmental regulations as part of the states proposed $3 billion incentives package.

Gov. Scott Walkers incentives bill would exempt Foxconn from environmental impact statements and state permits for filling wetlands and building on lake beds.

Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Sarah Geers said Monday the bill would leave people in the dark about how the plant would affect the landscape and result in the loss of wetlands.

DNR spokesman Jim Dick countered that the bill is about streamlining the process, and since Foxconn hasnt said where the plant will be built, no one knows if any wetlands will be affected.
RACINE  A Sturtevant man is facing charges after police reportedly found child pornography on his laptop.

Josh Lucas, 34, of the 8400 block of Westbrook Drive, was charged Monday with five felony counts of child pornography.

On June 23, police conducted an investigation in which a video containing pornographic images of children was found, according to a criminal complaint. Police reportedly checked the IP address of a device that downloaded the material and obtained a search warrant for a home in the 8400 block of Westbrook Drive.

After checking the laptop of the resident, identified as Lucas, police reportedly found multiple videos and images of child pornography, according to the complaint. When police spoke with Lucas, he told them he has been viewing and downloading child pornography since he was 17 years old.

When police asked Lucas what should happen to people possessing child pornography, Lucas reportedly said thats a good question ... well obviously, you know they are breaking the law.

Lucas remained in jail as of Monday afternoon, court records showed. He has been assigned an Aug. 9 preliminary hearing in Racine County Circuit Court.
Embattled Labour Party leader Andrew Little has stepped down, endorsing deputy Jacinda Ardern as his replacement.

He made the announcement at a press conference at parliament this morning.

Theres no question the poll results from last week were disturbing, and very disappointing. In the end, as leader you have to take responsibility. I have and I do, says Andrew.

The results also follow other poll results over the last six weeks showing a gradual decline for Labour.

He says despite the poor poll showing, he is proud of their campaign manifesto with core Labour policies focusing on housing, education, jobs, and health.

These are things about building a nation and building a future, he says.

The campaign we will need to run will have to tough and determined. It will be a tough fight. I remain utterly determined to stay in that fight, because it matters to all New Zealand.

He believes a narrative was being built around the polls by media and others, which he takes responsibility for.

The party will be better served by a new leader. Its pretty clear we need to get our message out better than we have done.

Only one thing matters: that we change the government.

He says he expects to be here until the end of the present parliament, but would like to continue to serve as an MP after September 23.
UPDATED 12.25PM: New Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern has promised relentless positivity and a clear vision in her partys campaign to change the government.

She made the statement at a press conference early this afternoon, flanked by deputy Kelvin Davis and other Labour MPs.

She began by giving thanks to her predecessor Andrew Little.

His announcement and our situation is not what anyone expected or wanted. He is first and foremost loyal to Labour. I thank him for his support and incredible work  a sentiment expressed to him by caucus also.

The circumstances may not be what Labour has planned for this election, but it has not weakened my resolve or focus.

She says her and Kelvins nominations were unanimously accepted by their colleagues.

I find myself incredibly lucky to call myself leader, and to work alongside someone as committed and talented as Kelvin.

She says the party has huge aspirations for New Zealand.

Yes, we are an optimistic nation. But when you work at the coalface of politics and communities we do, we see every day we can do better than this. We can be better than this. At stake is a chance to build a New Zealand better than we found it, and a future to look forward to.

She plans to take the next 72 hours to take stock of the campaign plan and make any additional policy announcements.

Im privileged and honoured to be the leader of the Labour Party, says Jacinda.

We will be positive, organised, and ready. I absolutely believe Im up for the job.

Maori Party president Tukoroirangi Morgan has asked the new Labour Party leaders to work with them in the best interests of Aotearoa.

"Maori people throughout the country are telling me they want our party to work with Labour if its in a position to form a government after September 23, he says.

"Weve always said wed work with both sides, blue and red, but Andrew Little killed off any hope of that happening when he closed the door on us.

"Were hoping Jacinda and Kelvin wont be as closed minded and that theyll agree to work with kaupapa Maori.

However, Labours new leader says they intend to take all of the Maori seats, while her deputy has expressed scepticism of working with the minority party.

If the Maori Party are still standing after the election, they will have to up their game to work with us, says Kelvin.

EARLIER:

Andrew Littles former deputy Jacinda Ardern has been endorsed by her colleagues as the 17th leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.

The announcement was made after the partys caucus meeting today, following Andrews resignation at a press conference this morning.

Her deputy will be Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis.

Jacinda is only the second woman to lead the party after Helen Clark, who was the longest-serving Labour Party leader, and also the first Labour prime minister to win a third term.

At 37 years old, Jacinda is also the partys youngest leader since its inception in 1916.

She consistently ranked higher than Andrew as preferred prime minister in several political polls leading up to todays announcement.

If Labour is able to form a government and Jacinda becomes prime minister after September 23, she will be the second-youngest PM in the countrys history, after 19th-century politician Edward Stafford.
Does it matter where? Lets just get a museum happening for Tauranga.

That seems to be the consensus amongst some of the citys MPs and would-be MPs  including Simon Bridges, the man whos long been championing a new museum for Tauranga. But New Zealand First questions whether the time is right for a museum, whether the city has more urgent priorities.

Cliff Rd would be a more ambitious and exciting museum, says Simon Bridges. So whats wrong with ambition and excitement when planning a significant new facility for the city?

Well, more controversy and cost  so my point is lets just bleedin get one. The MP, the Minister of the Crown, believes the Willow St site for a new museum would be more achievable, and achievable more quickly than Cliff Rd. But theres a qualification Not at any cost, but a good museum.

The Weekend Sun went to the politicians after the Tauranga City Council consulted with ratepayers for three months and discovered significant community support for a new museum. It seems ratepayers want a museum to tell our story and learn about what has shaped the city.

Where the museum is located will depend on factors such as cultural significance, cost, time to build, suitability of land and impact on neighbourhoods.

But if it depended on Taurangas political hopefuls two months out from a general election it would probably be built in Willow St.

Jan Tinetti is excited and ambivalent at the same time. The Merivale Primary principal is number 14 on the Labour Party list and more or less guaranteed a free ride into parliament. Shes excited about the prospect of a museum and is looking forward to seeing the citys heritage being recognised and celebrated.

Cliff Rd is close to The Elms and connects with the citys heritage. But Willow St is in the CBD and close to the art gallery.

The MP for Bay of Plenty Todd Muller shares Simon Bridges want for something to happen.

But when it comes to the debate between iconic and functional, I lean towards functional, says Todd. Because the true museum experience is whats inside and the quality and frequency of the exhibitions.

Ranking 38 on the Labour list is Angie Warren-Clark. She will contest Todds seat and prefers the Cliff Rd option. The views across our beautiful inner harbour would be stunning, says Angie. It was a significant Maori community in the 1800s so I look forward to hearing whether iwi would support this site.

Another factor for her are the railway lines. They impact both sites. I look forward to a solution so we can enjoy our beautiful seafront without the trains.

A museum for New Zealands fastest growing city with the fifth largest population is a fantastic idea and makes sense for New Zealand First list MP Clayton Mitchell. But its a case of when.

An awesome and iconic building up near The Elms and looking out over the harbour would be brilliant. The MP believes there are more pressing needs.

We need to make sure our traffic and transport challenges are dealt with first. With limited money, I would prioritise public transport investment first and then look at a museum. Resource funding is limited and I would hate to see a burden put on council and ratepayers when we have so many urgent transport infrastructure challenges to deal with first.

The TCC transformation committee will receive a report on August 1 that provides information to support the shortlisting of options and locations for new cultural facilities like a museum and library.
YORKVILLE  A Racine man was arrested after he allegedly hit a woman attending a Saturday concert at the Racine County Fair.

Arturo Juarez, 42 of the 600 block of 7th Street, was charged Monday with disorderly conduct and two counts of bail jumping.

According to the criminal complaint:

A Racine County deputy assigned to the fairgrounds located at 19805 Durand Ave. (Highway 11) was called by a fair attendant after a report of a man striking a woman.

During the investigation, Juarez allegedly told the deputy that the couple was having an argument as they were leaving the grandstand at the concert. That's when she allegedly hit him in the head first.

The woman accused Juarez of hitting her in the face, knocking her glasses off.

The deputy tested Juarez with an intoximeter and reported a value of 0.16 blood alcohol content. At the time, Juarez was out on bond due to a previous OWI charge for which he was ordered to not engage in any criminal activity or consume alcohol as a condition of his bond.

Juarez remained in the Racine County Jail as of Monday afternoon on a $1,000 signature bond.

According to court records, Juarez has a history of battery and theft convictions dating back to 1996.

Juarez is scheduled for a pre-trial conference at 3:15 p.m. on Aug. 17.
Erin Atkinson is hoping her experiences of both vegetable and fruit growing may give her an edge, when she takes part in the 2017 NZ Young Fruit Grower and Young Grower of the Year events this month.

Erin, who won the 2017 Bay of Plenty Young Grower of the Year title, is a Technical Advisor for Apata Group Limited in Te Puke and will represent the Bay of Plenty at the young grower finals in Christchurch on August 17.

She is the first female to win the BOP competition and the only finalist representing the kiwifruit industry in the national competition.

Graduating from Massey University with a Bachelor of Horticultural Science and a degree in business studies, Erin worked high school and university holidays in a glasshouse operation. When Erin graduated at age 21, she was employed there full-time, with responsibility for 150 staff.

She later headed overseas working in England for a company growing microgreens, leafy vegetables, tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers.

When I returned to New Zealand I grew culinary herbs for a while, but knew I didnt want to be a grower. I wanted to be involved in the technical side of the industry, working with both people and plants.

With that in mind, Erin decided to look to other horticultural industries for a new challenge and, at the same time, resolved to live in the Bay of Plenty.

So, I packed up and moved to Tauranga where I knew only two or three people, and was lucky enough to get a job in the kiwifruit industry with Apata Group.

Today Erins role with Apata is varied and challenging. She will be calling on all her experiences when she goes up against five other contestants all vying for the national title. Ive been getting some advice from previous Bay of Plenty Young Grower winners Chris Clements and Craig Ward who both worked for Apata and represented the region at the nationals, says Erin.

NZKGI CEO Nikki Johnson says the kiwifruit industry is experiencing significant growth at the moment and requires bright, young talent.

"Growing kiwifruit no longer focuses just on picking and packing. The Young Grower competitions highlight the high levels of technical, commercial and scientific knowledge that is required in todays horticultural industry.

"Erin is the only competitor from the kiwifruit industry and we wish her the best of luck in the finals."

Competitors in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year are drawn from the winners of the countrys six horticultural competitions: Horticulture NZ (fruit and vegetable sectors), New Zealand Plant Producers Inc., NZ Winegrowers, Amenity Horticulture supported by NZ Recreation Association, NZ Flower Growers Inc. & FLONZI and Landscape Industries Association of NZ (Landscaping NZ).

To get to the national competition, each of the finalists had to win first place in one of the four regional Young Fruit Grower competitions or the NZ Young Vegetable Grower competition.

The competition involves four business and four practical activities as well as taking part in a panel on a leadership issue.

In all $12,000 worth of prizes are up for grab.

The winner goes on to compete for a share of $40,000 worth of prizes in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year competition.
The Me Vuelves Lorca theatre and music festival has just started its third year in the small village of Laroles in the Alpujarras.

The festival is the second phase of a project that Briton Anna Kemp, started around four years ago to try and create a catalyst for sustainable tourism in a little known part of the Alpujarra mountains.

The first stage was to restore an ancient, tumbledown corn-threshing circle in the village of Laroles and transform it into an amphitheatre, explains Anna.

She says that she was inspired by the Minack theatre in Cornwall, where she spent her summers as a child, as well as the figure of Rowena Cade, the woman who created it.

The work was carried out by the local community using local materials and traditional know-how. We inaugurated the theatre in 2014 and held the first edition of Me Vuelves Lorca, our new theatre festival, in 2015.

Anna explains that as the name suggests, the festival is inspired by Garcia Lorcas philosophy of breaking down the barriers to culture in rural areas.

To keep costs down, the village caters for the actors, as well as helping with lighting, sound and other aspects any festival needs. They recently raised 3,000 euros for a new stage as the old one had become too small. The money came from donations made by locals and festival supporters.

According to Anna, Me Vuelves Lorca has gained the support of many key figures in Spanish culture as well as tweets of support from Russell Crowe and Leonard Cohen. It has also won a host of Spanish awards, including an award for good practice in use of public spaces in Andalucia, awarded by the University of Seville in 2015 and sustainability awards.

Anna, 47, is originally from Bath in England and has lived in Spain for nearly 25 years. She first came to the Alpujarras when she worked on Fernando Colomos film Al sur de Granada about Gerald Brenan. She now runs the festival with the help of her friend Jana Sanchez.

This years festival started on the 28 July and runs until 12 August and offers a variety of performances, from improvised theatre to flamenco, comedy and music.

Although last years festival included Sudbury Dramatic Societys production of The Tempest in English to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeares death, this years performers are all Spanish. Anna says that the Sudbury Dramatic Society was their first foray into internationalism.

Friday 4 and Saturday 5 August are given over to music from Jorge Pardo and Juan Perro respectively. Last Friday the women of El Vacie presented Fuenteovejuna, one of the Spanish classics by Lope de Vega, about the fight against injustice and the abuse of power. This was the latest production by this award-winning group from the shanty towns of Seville.

On 12 August, internationally acclaimed flamenco dancer, Belen Maya will be performing Romnia, her latest choreography. The dance explores different facets of Roma culture and draws attention to the discrimination and suffering of the Roma people. Belen was born in the USA to Spanish parents.
STURTEVANT  A 21-year-old Milwaukee woman is accused of fraud after allegedly depositing thousands in worthless checks.

Macnesha N. Broadnax faces a felony charge of fraud against a financial institution after Educators Credit Union investigated an alleged fraud scheme in September 2015.

According to a criminal complaint, Broadnax deposited several checks into her bank account through a mobile application and then immediately withdrew funds from an ATM in Milwaukee.

She allegedly deposited four checks between $1,000 and $2,000 every day for four days, and on each day withdrew $500 from the ATM. Several days later, the checks came back to the credit union as worthless, according to the complaint.

The credit union's total loss from Broadnax depositing the alleged worthless checks was $1,794, the complaint states.

Broadnax faces up to three years in prison if convicted of the felony charge.
WASHINGTON - A system developed by SRC Inc. that detects and defeats small, low-flying drones is continuing to pay big dividends for the company based in Syracuse's northern suburbs.

The U.S. Army says it has awarded a new $11 million contract to SRC to rapidly develop and deploy the electronic warfare system that protects soldiers from small drones that have increasingly been used on the battlefield by insurgents in Iraq and Syria.

The new order follows the Army's decision to select SRC of Cicero in February for a $65 million contract to develop 15 of the counter-drone systems after the Pentagon declared the equipment an urgent operational need.

The initial contract was one of the 10 largest in the history of SRC, helping to create at least 50 new engineering jobs when combined with other new business at the not-for-profit company.

SRC spokeswoman Lisa Mondello said the new contract is the result of upgrades and additional work the company will perform to test, develop and deploy the anti-drone system for the Army.

Mondello said SRC now has more than 75 job openings across the company, with about half of those in Central New York. The company employs 1,100 people nationwide, and 750 at its offices in five buildings in Syracuse's suburbs.

The Army selected SRC to deal with one of the emerging technological threats on the battlefield - low-flying small drones that are difficult to detect and can evade radar. The Islamic State deployed small drones in its recent battles with the Iraqi army and the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria.

An unclassified Army report in October noted the increasing threat posed by such unmanned aerial systems, with more than 600 types now in use in more than 80 countries.

In addition to the drone contract, the Pentagon said Monday that it was awarding a $13 million contract to SRC for circuit card assembly related to its CREW Duke system that protects soldiers on the battlefield.

The vehicle-mounted, lightweight system can neutralize remote-controlled improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, giving U.S. troops a tactical advantage. The new contract specifies that SRC must complete the work by Feb. 29, 2020.

Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
LYSANDER, N.Y. -- A serious crash had shut down a Lysander road.

An accident was reported at 12:40 p.m. near the YMCA on River Road. Initial police reports indicated a pedestrian may have been struck.

The New York State Police have blocked off River Road between Patchett Road and Timber Banks Parkway. Firefighters are also on scene.
Many Thai food lovers often stick with favorites, like the pad thai or a pineapple fried rice topped with chicken or tofu. But the owner and employees of a new restaurant in Mattydale want to familiarize patrons with more authentic Thai dishes.

Thai Love NY is the latest venture from former AppeThaizing chain part-owner, Komkrit Ratanaphan.

Ratanaphan, who also goes by Kris, was one of the partners behind Khao Gaeng, the Thai-style street eats restaurant in downtown Syracuse, and several AppeThaizing locations. The AppeThaizing near Syracuse University closed earlier this year to make space for an eight-story apartment building near Marshall Street.

For Ratanaphan, the timing was perfect. He already had plans to open his own restaurant.

"I told my partner we going to separate (because) they're going to tear down the building," Ratanaphan said of the developers behind the new apartment building. This year he sold all his shares in his former restaurants to his business partner.

Now he's the sole owner of Thai Love NY, at 2822 Lemoyne Ave., Mattydale.

He loves food and the restaurant business, but has never really been able to fully explore his interests. "I like cooking, working with the food, decorations, have fun, but now I opened on my own because I've been working with partners a lot [and] I would like to do too much," Ratanaphan said.

At Thai Love NY, Ratanaphan has the freedom to explore different menu items, like the Kaw Soi, a northern Thailand dish made with braised chicken, ramen noodles, a turmeric-based curry and other ingredients. Ratanaphan and his team are serving more beyond the basic Thai dishes everyone knows, but more localized dishes native to certain parts of Thailand.

"It's not just the green curry, the red curry, pad thai - there's more than that and you don't have to travel all the way to Thailand. You can come here and try it, the real one," Naritsara Plochocki, manager at Thai Love NY, said.

Plochocki, who was also the manager at the AppeThaizing by the university, followed Ratanaphan to the new restaurant. The change means a longer commute for her, but it's worth it, she said. For Plochocki, Ratanaphan and the rest of her team, other employees who also followed from AppeThaizing, are like family.

Plochocki and Ratanaphan are both Thai immigrants. Plochocki's been in the United States for seven years, while Ratanaphan's been here more than 20 years.

Ratanaphan settled in Syracuse after becoming tired of traveling the country working for his family's restaurant chain. In Syracuse, he worked at local restaurants, first working as a head chef at his family's restaurant chain at Destiny USA, back when it was called Carousel Center. He also had stints at Erawan, Lemongrass, and an Italian restaurant. Ratanaphan and his partner first opened the AppeThaizing chain 12 years ago.

Thai Love NY first opened on July 7, because 7 is Ratanaphan's lucky number. While the restaurant has already opened, he has plans to offer patrons more than just food in the future. He says he may look into performing Thai-style music for those who come into celebrate their birthday, as well as exploring different cocktail options.

"That's what brought him here," Plochocki said of her boss, "not this business. He do what he really loves - it's cooking Thai food and making it authentic and when people come eat here, they feel like they're in Thailand."

Thai Love NY is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays; noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays; and noon to 8:30 p.m. Sundays.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Onondaga County Republican Committee for years has failed to identify employees paid from the party's housekeeping account, despite a state law requiring political committees to show the "name and address'' of any person they pay.

But GOP Chairman Tom Dadey said state election officials have never complained about how the committee reports wages on campaign finance disclosure statements, a practice that has not changed for years.

Dadey said he is the sole employee of the committee this year, and the disclosure statements filed by the party were not intended to hide that. All of the wages paid in 2017, approximately $16,800, were for Dadey, he said.

During busy campaign seasons, the committee sometimes adds more staff, he said.

John Niestemski, treasurer of the county GOP housekeeping account, said the committee for years has reported wages as being paid to Paychex, Inc., a payroll processor, rather than to specific employees.

"The Board of Elections has never said anything, other than, 'That's OK,' '' Niestemski said.

Syracuse.com reported Monday that Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney's campaign committee had paid roughly $60,000 in wages over the past year without disclosing who received the money. The committee reported the sums as being paid to Paychex.

Mahoney said she believed that was allowed, and she noted that the GOP committee did the same. She said she will discuss the issue with state election officials "to ensure our filings continue to be compliant in the future.''

Mahoney declined to identify her campaign staff.

A state Board of Elections official told Syracuse.com Friday that election law requires campaign committees to report the names and addresses of any persons who are paid from campaign accounts. Merely reporting the name of the payroll processor to whom the campaign's check was made out is insufficient, said John Conklin, speaking for the Board of Elections.

Conklin could not be reached to comment on the county Republican Committee filings.

The GOP housekeeping committee has a longstanding practice, which predates Dadey's chairmanship, of listing the payroll processing company as the recipient of payments for wages, Dadey said.

The state elections board has never told committee members to change the way they report the information, Dadey said. Party officials will ask for guidance and will amend their filings if necessary, he said.

A housekeeping account is used for general party purposes, such as maintaining a headquarters and staff, and does not provide direct support to specific candidates, according to state regulations.

The campaign committee for Laura Lavine, a Republican candidate for Syracuse mayor, also reported wages paid to Paychex, rather than a specific employee, in July disclosure filings. The committee also reported paying wages directly to Cassandra Hammond, Lavine's deputy campaign manager.

Hammond is the committee's only wage earner, said Danny Fitzpatrick, campaign manager. Fitzpatrick said he is paid through consulting fees to his firm, Paladin Political Consulting, which are also reported.

Niestemksi, the treasurer for Lavine's committee, said he changed the way the wages were reported when the committee started paying Hammond through Paychex. He said he reports the name and address of the party to whom the payment is made, whether it's the employee or a payroll firm.

"If the New York State Board of Elections tells us to do something differently, we will,'' he said.

Good government groups like Common Cause and the League of Women Voters say campaigns are required to disclose the names of people paid with campaign funds. Otherwise, the payments could potentially involve hidden conflicts of interest or other problems, the watchdogs say.

Contact reporter Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023
ELBRIDGE, N.Y. --New York State Department of Transportation has begun on a $1.3 million project to install left-turn lanes on Route 5 at Hamilton Road, just west of the village of Elbridge.

The project will install a dedicated left-turn lane in each direction of Route 5 at Hamilton Road. Signal upgrades and drainage improvements also are being made as part of the project. The new left-turn lanes will improve safety by separating the turning vehicles from through traffic on Route 5. Work is expected to be completed during this construction season.

Route 5 is a major east-west arterial road connecting the city of Syracuse with Auburn in adjacent Cayuga County. Traveling north on Hamilton Road leads to Jordan-Elbridge High School, while heading south leads to the village of Skaneateles.
BEATRICE  President Abraham Lincolns signature scrawled across the Homestead Act of 1862 drew 38,000 people to the national park dedicated to the federal land giveaway when the document went on display in 2012.

Those record-breaking figures at Homestead National Monument could soon be eclipsed  so to speak  by the total solar eclipse that will black out the skies on Aug. 21, potentially drawing tens of thousands of people to the Beatrice area.

Near the path of totality's center line, the total solar eclipse near Beatrice will span more than 2 minutes.

Theres a lot of excitement here, and the staff has been working very hard and very diligently to get the park ready, said Superintendent Mark Engler.

What to see

Events on Eclipse Weekend begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, with storyteller Ryan Paul, who will trace "Native American Starlore," or the stories tribes told to explain the constellations.

Since Homestead has been designated an official NASA viewing site, NASA scientists will be on hand to discuss the Solar Probe Plus spacecraft set to be launched in 2018, science laboratories in space, exoplanet studies and the GLOBE Observer, a citizen-scientist initiative to track climate change.

On Eclipse Day, activities begin at 8 a.m. with music by Chris Sayre and the String Beans before First Contact is announced at 11:30 a.m., prompting visitors to find their preferred viewing areas.

Bill Nye The Science Guy," the CEO of the Planetary Society, and Amy Mainzer of the PBS Kids show "Ready Jet Go!" will explain the phases of the eclipse before they announce glasses on at 1 p.m., just in time for the 1:02 p.m. beginning of totality.

NASA TV will be broadcasting live from a point near the Heritage Center throughout the day.

Hands-on activities will be available throughout the weekend at multiple sites throughout the park.

A complete list of events is available on the Homestead National Monuments website: nps.gov/home.

Watching the eclipse

Homestead National Monument intends to open up spaces to their maximum potential, Engler said.

Rangers will mark areas targeted for a controlled burn this fall where astronomers can set up telescopes and visitors can stake out a spot to watch the cosmic event.

Farming demonstration areas at the Education Center on the banks of Cub Creek on the parks west side and the Heritage Center overlooking the parks eastern border will also be cleared and made available for visitors.

Further west along Nebraska 4, at the one-room Freeman School, Engler said astronomers bringing larger telescopes can set up.

Engler said one amateur astronomer requested enough room for his telescope that requires the viewer to scale a 12-foot ladder.

Other space closer to Nebraska 4, which cuts through the park from the southeast to the northwest, may also serve as viewing grounds, Engler said. Homestead is working with the Nebraska Department of Transportation to open those areas.

When the moon moves in front of the sun, however, and the shadow approaches at 1,500 miles per hour, Engler said Homestead plans to let the spectacle speak for itself.

"Basically, we're going to go silent with our programming during totality," he said.

Getting to the park

A free shuttle service will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday of Eclipse Weekend between Homestead and three sites in Beatrice.

The shuttle will also operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Eclipse Day."

Park visitors who plan to use the shuttle should park near the Gage County Fairgrounds at 321 Logan St.; Aunt Marys Cafe at 111 S. Eighth St.; and Jims Carpet at 308 Court St. and follow signs and directions to the pick-up and drop-off points.

The pick-up and drop-off sites will expand to a number of area hotels, as well as the Beatrice Municipal Airport on Monday, Engler said.

Homestead will close the Heritage Center parking lot at 6 a.m. on Eclipse Day.

Parking will be available on the gravel roads surrounding Homestead: Southwest 75th Road, Southwest 89th Road and West Hoyt Road. Signs and staff will direct vehicles to the parking areas.

Engler said Homestead will be staffed 24 hours a day for Eclipse Weekend  a first for the park in his tenure  both to accommodate extended hours and to assist visitors.

Beatrice still open

Motorists backed up on U.S. 77 driving south into town might witness another rare event: Beatrice Municipal Airport is expecting as many as 200 planes to arrive for the event from all over the country.

People who arrive a few days early have a dwindling set of options.

Hotels in Beatrice have been sold-out for months for Eclipse Weekend, but city officials wont turn away those who dont mind roughing it.

Camping spots with hookups at Chautauqua Park and Riverside Park, both nestled along the Big Blue River, will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

But to accommodate an influx of people  outside estimates range wildly from 10,000 to 100,000 people expected to converge on the area  Beatrice will also open up other green space for dry camping free of charge.

"If someone wants to put a tent up in Chautauqua Park, were not going to chase them out, said Tobias Tempelmeyer, city administrator. We get to keep them in town, so thats the win we get.

Beatrice police and firefighters, as well as other city workers, will be posted at sites around the city of 12,500 people to answer questions and direct traffic.

Planning for the once-in-a-lifetime event lasting 2 minutes and 34 seconds began more than three years ago.

Lora Young, executive director of the Beatrice Area Chamber of Commerce, has traveled across the country promoting Beatrice's vantage point for the experience.

"It will be great weather, because that's what the Chamber of Commerce promises," she said.
Developers combing through the code for the Apple HomePod have found clues to what appear to be features in the next generation of iPhones, and they tweeted their discoveries on Sunday.

The firmware for HomePod, Apples US$349 smart speaker expected in December, apparently contains much of the codebase for future iPhones. One of the goodies in the HomePods code is a new biometric method for unlocking an iPhone.

I can confirm reports that HomePods firmware reveals the existence of upcoming iPhones infra-red face unlock in BiometricKit and elsewhere pic.twitter.com/yLsgCx7OTZ

 Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) July 31, 2017

Me too. New bezel-less form factor as well pic.twitter.com/Y0RrSOk2OO

 Guilherme Rambo (@_inside) July 31, 2017

The use of facial recognition to unlock a phone has been around in the Android world for more than a year, and reactions have been mixed.

Recent reviews of the face lock feature on Samsungs Galaxy S8 remarked on the slowness of the process, its ineffectiveness in full daylight, and that early iterations were easily fooled with simple photographs, noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

Interestingly, face lock cant be used to authenticate Samsung Pay purchases., he told TechNewsWorld.

Tough to Fool Camera

Facial recognition really hasnt taken off with Android, said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research.

Users appear content to use the fingerprint sensors found in most phones, but that may change, he explained.

With display aspect ratios changing, and room disappearing for front-mounted fingerprint sensors, some sensors have been moved to the back of the phone, which can make things trickier for users, Rubin told TechNewsWorld.

Because an infrared camera creates a 3D image of a face, it has advantages over face recognition performed with light-dependent cameras. For example, recognition can be achieved regardless of lighting conditions.

Whats more, the technology is more difficult to game than a conventional camera.

Things like a picture or mask of a face wont unlock a phone if the infrared is done right, observed Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research.

Facial recognition also can be faster than other unlock methods, he told TechNewsWorld.

If face unlock works, you dont have to use a pin or thumb reader to gain access, said Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies.

In theory, it is even more secure, he told TechNewsWorld, since it scans more data points from a face to make sure it is you that is accessing the iPhone.

Edge-to-Edge Evidence

The next iPhone may feature facial recognition for technical reasons, suggested Krewell.

Apple wanted to put the fingerprint sensor under the display, but they havent been able to get it to work yet, he pointed out.

Developers scrutinizing HomePods code found information about that display. An image in the firmware of the front of the phone appears to show an almost edge-to-edge display that extends around the speakers and sensors at the top of the device.

Rumors of an edge-to-edge OLED display in a special anniversary edition iPhone have been circulating for months, and these latest observations by developers are more evidence that those rumors have been on target.

Near edge-to-edge screens have become common fare in the Android market.

Ive used a phone with an edge-to-edge screen, and theyre pretty nice, said Bob ODonnell, chief analyst at Technalysis Research.

Once you get used to that complete sheet of glass with nothing around it, its hard to go back to screens with bezels around them, he told TechNewsWorld.

Buzz Reaching Crescendo

The iPhone 8  or whatever it is named  will be a premium product selling in the $1,000 to $1,400 price range, by all accounts. If thats the case, it would makes sense for it to have an edge-to-edge display.

Edge-to-edge is the path that premium phones are taking, Reticles Rubin noted. If youre not taking that approach now, its perceived that youre not at the leading edge of design, where Apple wants to be.

As the announcement window for the new iPhones shrinks and the rumors about them get stronger, the buzz is getting louder.

Apples launch strategy for the iPhone 8 is right on the money, said Andreas Scherer, managing partner with Salto Partners.

The expectations associated with its release are rising to a crescendo, he noted.

The buzz around the new iPhone 8 might take away some of the punch from the standard iPhone 7s models, Scherer told TechNewsWorld. Ultimately, though, as Steve Jobs correctly stated, if you dont cannibalize your own business someone else will.
A new study has revealed a 90 percent likelihood that global temperatures will rise anywhere from 2 degrees to 4.9 degrees Celsius by 2100, negating most optimism around climate change targets set by the worlds nations.

This increase, typically thought by climate experts as a tipping point, would lodge Earth in the mid-range warming scenarios detailed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations. In the worst-case scenario, temperatures are estimated to rise almost 6 degrees Celsius beyond pre-industrial times.

Study Findings

University of Washington researchers arrived at the projected temperature rise based on statistical projections of half a centurys worth of data in different countries, Newsweek reported. They saw that the planet has a mere 5 percent chance of warming by 2 degrees or less in the next 80 years, and that the chance of turning the 1.5-degree increase established by the 2016 Paris climate accord into a reality is at only 1 percent.

The 2-degree goal is likely a best-case scenario, said lead author and UW professor Adrian Raftery.

It is achievable, but only with major, sustained effort on all fronts over the next 80 years, he explained.

The study focused on three factors shaping future greenhouse gas emissions: total world population, gross domestic product per person, and carbon intensity, or the amount of carbon emitted for every dollar of economic activity.

Separate research, for instance, noted that Earth is likely to have 11 billion people by centurys end.

Raftery said that while their new analysis sits well with previous estimates, the most optimistic projections are not likely to occur, with the world being closer to the margin than believed.

Paris Climate Change Agreement

John Sterman of the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative dubbed the new research an urgent call to action. The United States must dramatically speed the deployment of renewable energy and especially energy efficiency, he stressed in a Guardian report.

In 2015, leaders from 195 nations reached the historic Paris climate deal to fight the effects of global warming. The agreement was to be in effect this 2020, with the United States committing to slash its emissions by 2025.

Back in June, however, President Donald Trump backed out of the agreement, abandoning earlier commitments amid criticisms from scientists such as Stephen Hawking, world leaders, and organizations.

Saying he is seeking to negotiate a better deal for the country, Trump referenced the accord as something that could hinder the United States from conducting its own domestic affairs and could hamper his administrations ability to shape its environmental laws to benefit Americans.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
What Criminals With Guns?

By Marc MacYoung. July 29th, 2017

Article Source

Ask yourself: What is the one element that is present in the supermajority of shootings by another person?

Not talking suicide by gun. (Which typically are three times more common than gun homicides and usually make up just over half of all suicides.*) Im talking about being killed or wounded by a firearm in the hands of another person. (Or hell, even shot at.)

Before I go on, let me point something out. Something that has a major influence on why theres an elephant in the room. An elephant that not only the Government isnt talking about, the cops know it, but dont make official statements or talk about it in court, and gun control advocates are mum about it too. Its called a bill of attainder. The US Constitution prohibits them as do the constitutions of all 50 states.

So what is a bill of, writ of, act of attainder? From the dictionary: Under English common law, the state of having lost one's legal and civil personhood, as through losing the legal capacity to own or pass on property. In plain English its when youre condemned by the state as a criminal (or traitor) without trial or specific charge. Youre -- literally -- declared an outlaw. Not in the romantic bad ass sense of the word, but meaning youre outside the protection of the law. Civil rights? You dont have any. Protection by the law? Nope. Sure they can shoot you down like a rabid dog on sight. But more than that they can put you in prison without trial and throw away the key. But the cashiers check about this is anything you own can be seized by the powers that be -- again, without trial or chance to defend yourself. Taking this a step further, its not necessarily a specific crime, its just that you are... you know ... a criminal and therefore deserve all this happening to you.

No bill of attainders allowed doesnt sound like a big thing, but quite frankly, you dont want the government to have the ability to write them up. Its been abused way too often in the past by the rich and powerful. They tell someone in the court, this guy pissed me off and Viola! youre a state certified outlaw -- and everything you own is seized.

As an individual in the US you can ONLY be charged with a specific crime. ** This nix on bill of attainders is why -- if you listen very carefully -- youll not hear cops, lawyers, law makers, etc, refer to someone as a criminal, (on the record) but more commonly refer to the person as involved in criminal activity. While you might hear someone referred to as a career criminal thats both dancing close to the line and still the person can only be charged for specific crimes. While career criminal acknowledge the individual is making his livelihood through criminal activities its not branding the individual as an outlaw for just breathing. It does however, have a lot to do with sentencing. (Habitual is another common term.)

Now to the average person this sounds stupid. Because we all know there are criminals. We know the cops and courts know there are criminals. If youve dealt with them you know its not just a career, its a way of life and mindset. .......

This very substantial opinion piece (read the rest) focusses in on various aspects of crime but in particular the often under rated gang aspect. It is this to a great extent which colors the opinions and efforts of those who promote 'gun control' and favor ever more laws, which only ever really penalizes the law abiding people. It is those who must have their legitimate Second Amendment means to defend against the criminals.

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On November 11, the EU announced the renewal, until November 14, 2023, of the sanctions against officials linked to the Administration of Nicolas Maduro. | Read More
13 years on, natl pride project still incomplete

Newly appointed Irrigation Minister Sanjaya Kumar Gautam visited the construction site of Sikta Irrigation Project, a national pride project which aims to irrigate 80 percent of the arable lands in Banke district, within a week of taking office and directed concerned authorities to expedite construction works.
As reconstruction began after the August floods, one of the most pressing tasks was determining which property owners, under federal flood insurance program rules, would have to elevate damaged homes.

After the flood, FEMA quickly sent in assessment teams that estimated the number of homes "substantially damaged." In Baton Rouge and the unincorporated parts of the parish, FEMA counted approximately 3,250 such properties.

Those estimates weren't binding, meant only to guide local authorities, who make the final determination.

Now, a year after the flood, the official city-parish count stands at 187 homes that must be raised or rebuilt higher.

There are reasons why a FEMA-flagged home may not end up being labeled substantially damaged by local governments. For example, while FEMA contractors focus their inspections on high-risk areas, they don't check if individual homes are already in compliance. Some houses always get knocked off the list if they're already elevated high enough.

Nevertheless, the low count by the city-parish  along with the corresponding small numbers in indicators like home elevations  has raised eyebrows.

"All you have to do is look at the numbers and see that something is askew," said Rod Scott, a Louisiana-based contractor and consultant for the International Association of Structural Movers.

The city-parish decided early on to intertwine its substantial damage inspections with its construction permitting process. Some have questioned the wisdom of that and worry problems in the post-flood rebuilding process will come back to haunt the city-parish in the form of safety issues and federal sanctions.

Running damage inspections through the permitting process is not ideal because when people realize they may have to jump through extra hoops to get back into their flooded homes, they might try to slip under the radar, said Tim Trautman, a Charlotte, North Carolina engineer and local floodplain manager of the year for the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

"You're essentially incentivizing people not to get a permit," he said.

And in East Baton Rouge  excluding Baker, Zachary and Central, which have their own procedures for post-flood rebuilding  those permits trigger the substantial damage inspection process.

People must get the appropriate permit if their repair work hits any of several benchmarks. They need a remodeling permit if they replace more than one entire wall of drywall, and need a separate electrical permit if the water rose above the meter or lowest socket. Other permits are required for changing water heaters and air conditioning units or doing work that touches gas or sewer lines.

At last count, 35,126 homes flooded in the city of Baton Rouge and unincorporated areas of the parish.

About 14,000 flood-related permits have been issued  which mainly breaks down to about 9,400 residential remodeling permits, 3,300 electrical permits and 1,000 commercial remodeling permits, according to the city-parish website. The fact that the total includes electrical and other permits makes it difficult to tell how many individual structures were involved, since one home could have multiple permits.

Getting one of those permits flagged a home for a substantial damage review by the city-parish.

Under FEMA rules, a house is considered substantially damaged if it is in a high-risk flood zone, took damage equal to at least half its value and is not already compliant with elevation standards. Homes that are substantially damaged must be elevated or knocked down and built higher to protect them from future floods.

City-parish Development Director Carey Chauvin said permit applications "were evaluated in some format for percentage of damage," though he did not specify the formats. Chauvin said the inspections division created a special flood permit application that property owners filled out. Information from that application and other sources was used in determining whether a house was "substantially damaged."

Metro Councilman Buddy Amoroso said there was general confusion on permits from the beginning. First, officials told the Metro Council that unless people were ripping out an entire wall's worth of drywall, they wouldn't need a permit. So that's the message they took back to their districts, where homeowners were frantically trying to put their houses in order, he said. But then the directive changed, and homes that took on 3 feet of water would need to be inspected for an electrical permit, Amoroso recalled.

"The process is broken. They have to do a better job getting these permits out," Amoroso said.

Capital Region Builders Association Chairwoman Carol Smith said that as she understood it, the city-parish didn't require a permit unless the structure of a building was being changed. For example, permits weren't required for people just pulling out drywall, doors or soggy cabinets. And while electrical permits were recommended in homes where wiring may have been damaged, that wasn't enforced, Smith said.

Councilman Matt Watson is worried about the inherent safety problems with non-permitted work, especially by unlicensed repairmen who may not know how to handle the aluminum-coated wiring in old Baton Rouge homes or properly clean electrical equipment exposed to floodwater.

"I am all for holding feet to the fire," he said.

Chauvin said building standards were no different after the flood than before. He said he knows people are doing off-the-books construction, but noted his office covers a huge and populous geographic area, and he doesn't have the staff to make house calls to everyone in the community like authorities did in Denham Springs or Central.

Some East Baton Rouge homeowners will need to raze or raise their home East Baton Rouge building official Justin Dupuy is bracing to tell a lot of people they're g

"We've had conversations with FEMA. It is not their expectation that we go knock on doors," Chauvin said.

It's still the responsibility of the homeowner to get required permits, he emphasized.

Following substantial damage rules is an essential requirement for communities that participate in the federal program that allows people to purchase flood insurance. Property owners in Baton Rouge qualify for flood insurance because the city-parish complies with federal floodplain management standards.

In the coming months, FEMA will conduct an audit to determine adherence to those standards. The agency has the ability to assess fines on policies  or in rare circumstances revoke coverage  if a locality doesn't hold up its end.

Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has met with FEMA officials, and no issues have been brought to the city-parish's attention, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Rowdy Gaudet said.

Trautman, the North Carolina stormwater engineer, said when FEMA does its audit, it will probably check on properties that were flagged by FEMA but not deemed substantially damaged by the city-parish.

The agency performs periodic audits of localities and can put them on probation if they find deficiencies in their procedures, during which time all policyholders have to pay an extra $50 fee on their premiums.

Though it is rare, a locality that does not adequately address the issues after a period of time can be suspended, meaning no one can buy National Flood Insurance Program insurance and the local government cannot receive federal disaster aid.

About 20 years ago that happened in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, where the city of Meridian is located, said county consulting engineer Terrell Temple.

The community had a floodplain ordinance but no real permitting office, so there wasn't paperwork to back up whether new houses were being built in the floodplain, and if they were, whether they met elevation standards, Temple said.

FEMA yanked the county's insurance while it spent a few months investigating. It turned out there were about 25 to 30 houses that needed to be checked, and all were built to the correct elevation.

"It was more a matter of documentation than anything else," Temple said.

FEMA spokeswoman Stephanie Moffett said that after any catastrophic flood, local governments might not have the capacity to enforce codes, so the agency offers assistance. That occurred after the August flood, she noted.

FEMA and the state government are still offering technical assistance and "intend to continue to monitor compliance," she said.
90th PLA day marked in Capital

The 90th anniversary of Chinese defence force Peoples Liberation of Army (PLA) was observed on Monday amid a ceremony in the Capital.
Louisiana children can bring sunscreen to school without a doctor's note, minors face tougher restrictions for getting an abortion and colleges can't ask unlimited questions about applying students' criminal histories, as new state laws take effect Tuesday.

More than 200 changes to state statutes hit the books with the start of August, passed in the regular legislative session that ended in June. Many provisions likely will draw little attention, but others affect traffic laws, criminal sentences, health care and school governance.

Littering fines are changing, free parking is required for disabled veterans at airports and school bus drivers are now called bus operators in Louisiana law.

EDUCATION CHANGES

Several new laws affect Louisiana's K-12 public schools.

Students no longer need permission from a doctor or their school to use sunscreen on campus, on a school bus or at a school function. If a student can't apply the sunblock, a school employee can do it, if a parent gives written consent.

While 38 of the state's 69 school districts allow schools to use corporal punishment, paddling will be outlawed for students with disabilities. Estimates are as many as one-fifth of students fit the law's description, including students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Students in grades kindergarten through five have to be taught litter prevention and awareness so they understand "the vital role they play in preserving the beauty of the state."

At Louisiana's colleges, a "ban the box" law restricts the questions that can be asked about criminal history to determine admission. Schools can ask about convictions for stalking, rape and sexual battery. After granting admission, they also can ask about convictions to decide if they'll limit participation in campus programs, financial aid and housing.

Ban the box for college applications heads to governor's desk Public colleges and universities cant ask most applicants about their criminal past under l

DRIVING LAWS

Starting Tuesday, cities and towns that use cameras to catch speeders will have to post signs notifying drivers about the monitoring, or they won't be able to use the images to ticket motorists.

Drivers-in-training can soon expect lessons on how to respond to police during a traffic stop, a law aimed at decreasing tensions between officers and motorists amid violent encounters around the country. In the driver education curriculum, Louisiana's public safety department has to add instruction on police procedures for traffic stops, demonstrations of "appropriate interactions with law enforcement" and training on "maintaining integrity and respect."

HEALTH CARE

Louisiana's regulations are getting tougher for unmarried girls under the age of 18 who are seeking an abortion. Previously, a notarized statement from a legal guardian was required before a doctor could perform an abortion on a minor. Under the changes, the guardian also must provide proof of identity, including a government-issued identification card such as a driver's license. The doctor will have to keep a copy of the ID information.

Can't see video below? Click here.

Terminally ill patients with permission from their doctors have expanded access to experimental treatments, under a broadening of Louisiana's Right to Try Act to include robotic devices that help people unable to talk or write. Insurers don't have to cover the costs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Pieces of Gov. John Bel Edwards' criminal justice overhaul take effect Tuesday, including sentencing law changes, a statute aimed at helping ex-offenders obtain occupational licenses and a provision to shrink fines and court fees if they cause financial hardship. Some inmates convicted of murder as teenagers will be eligible for a chance at parole after serving 25 years.

In response to domestic violence incidents involving a former state senator, Louisiana's domestic abuse laws have been widened to cover dating partners. New crimes include battery of a dating partner and aggravated assault upon a dating partner, with varying penalties.
Lets be real clear that the Louisiana Federation of Teachers has deep disagreements with John White, the state superintendent of education.

But heres one comment in a prominent national educational journal that shows where White is leading Louisiana toward common goals in quality, under the guidance of teachers at the local level: We had lots of buy-in, says Larry Carter, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. Theres some sense of stability to how education is being delivered to students.

Lest we think that the lion is lying down with the lamb, Carters comments were about the teacher leadership organized and promoted by the state department as Louisianas curriculum standards were overhauled. While a Louisiana version of the Common Core educational standards was the subject of often bitter political debates, the good that it can do depended all along on implementation.

The journal Education Next chronicles in depth the innovative ways that Whites department has made teacher evaluations the basis for choosing materials for use in the classrooms. While local school boards, principals and teachers choose how to teach, the department has made available evaluations of what are the best texts aligned to our semi-Common Core academic standards.

For textbooks and other materials rated in the top tier by the teacher-judges, the state has made it easier for local systems to purchase the higher-rated materials.

Broadly, the idea is to make academic standards and curriculum materials more effective for the teacher in the classroom. And if it is a concept that many states want to achieve, national researchers believe Louisiana is doing a better job than others.

A RAND Corp. study of the states efforts found that teachers in Louisiana had a better understanding of the new academic standards and were acting on their knowledge in the classroom, far better than the teachers sampled in other states.

Education Next also interviewed Joanne Weiss, the former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education under Secretary Arne Duncan. She has brought education officials from more than a dozen states to Louisiana, as a consultant to the Council of Chief State School Officers. "Local control is a central feature of American public education, but Louisianas reforms offer a glimpse of how to thread the needle, honoring community control while encouraging high-quality curriculum statewide," Education Next wrote.

The policy journal went into considerable detail about the ways that Whites department has worked with local schools and parish officials, rather than in confrontation with them. Teachers at Lake Pontchartain Elementary, in St. John Parish, were among those interviewed.

Its a positive that LFT has the intellectual honesty to approve of good things that happen under Whites watch, whatever disagreements exist on other issues. We believe that there is a great deal that can and should unite Louisiana officials in the realm of education reform.

While much of curriculum reform is below the radar, it appears to be a very solid positive for Louisiana under Whites leadership.
Former Gov. Bobby Jindal doesn't appear much on the public stage these days, but he's still casting a long shadow on Louisiana politics.

Although he wasn't a candidate, Jindal was still a factor in the election for governor in 2015. While there are many possible interpretations of Democrat John Bel Edwards' surprisingly decisive win, one way to read the result is as a referendum on the state's outgoing chief executive, with Jindal's old nemesis David Vitter, a fellow Ivy League conservative with a well-earned reputation for cynicism, as an ironic stand-in.

Past administration looms over current state treasurers race As candidates for state treasurer campaign, the main topic of conversation is one not in the

Jindal's fiscal policies have hung over the budget battles of the last year and half, too, mostly because he left a mess that lawmakers and Edwards are still trying to clean up.

Now, it seems, he's becoming a factor in this fall's special election for treasurer. As the Advocate's Mark Ballard explained recently, that's because two of the leading candidates, state Sen. Neil Riser and former state Rep. John Schroder, were heavily involved in budget matters on the legislative side during Jindal's tenure. A third, Angele Davis, was Jindal's top budget advisor in the early days of his first term.

Like Jindal, all three are Republicans. And like every candidate for governor back in 2015, Republican and Democrat alike, all are distancing themselves from the former governor and his unpopular policies, and painting themselves as having been independent voices.

It can't be fun to start out a campaign on the defensive. Still, the job these people are running for is pretty technical in nature, even if campaigns for the office tend to draw on much broader themes.

At least Jindal's record, and their responsibility for it or lack thereof, gives them something to talk about. From what I can tell, voters don't seem tired of the subject just yet.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr risks "boring the people of Canberra" if he pushes ahead with his idea of holding the city's first citizen's jury on the topic of compulsory third-party insurance, the Greens' Caroline Le Couteur says.

Calling on Mr Barr to find something more interesting, Ms Le Couteur said she suspected few people were passionately interested in insurance.

The Greens' Caroline Le Couteur says the government risks 'boring the people' with a citizen's jury on third-party insurance. Credit:Jay Cronan

She spoke as the ACT parliament's estimates committee tabled its report on Mr Barr's 2017-18 budget.

Among 159 recommendations, the cross-party committee (two Labor, two Liberal, one Green) asked the government to consult people on topics for its planned citizen's jury to find a topic that was "interesting and meaningful to the community" and good value, given it would cost $2.8 million.
Australian National University students gathered outside the campus Chancellery on Tuesday with a megaphone and a message: enough is enough.

Protesters taped their mouths shut, sexual assault survivors shared their stories and dozens more people joined both groups to demand immediate change in how the institution responds to sexual violence.

A protest was held at the ANU last month in response to a report into sexual harassment and assault at universities. Credit:Rohan Thomson

ANU student and National Union of Students welfare officer Jill Molloy told the crowd Tuesday's report and response was well overdue.

"The impact of these crimes can cause alcohol, drug abuse, anxiety, and I've seen many slip through the cracks and have to drop out," she said.
A man has pleaded guilty to a string of violent robberies against Asian students at Canberra's universities.

Darren Hubert Scott, 19, had been set to fight allegations he and a co-offender targeted students as they walked or cycled alone at night at the University of Canberra and the Australian National University.

He was arrested after a police investigation into students being assaulted and their belongings stolen in numerous on-campus attacks in late 2016.

Police said he committed four aggravated robberies over six days from October 22.

Scott will avoid trial after he switched his pleas in the ACT Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Bhutanese refugees rally for repatriation

Bhutanese refugees organised a protest in Beldangi, Jhapa, on Monday demanding a permanent solution to their problems. They also requested the Nepal government to take initiatives for solving their festering problem.
A woman who hurled a cup of water at a Canberra magistrate before yelling "F--- you, you hear me?" has been jailed for 21 days for contempt of court.

Tracey Organ, 38, screamed, "You don't know shit, dog", at Magistrate Peter Morrison before she was dragged back down to the cells after he refused her bail on drug and property crime charges last month.

Magistrate Peter Morrison accepted the woman's tirade wasn't directed at him personally, but rather the court as a whole. Credit:Melissa Adams

The usual water jug and pile of plastic cups were missing from the defendant's side of the bar table when Organ again appeared before Mr Morrison in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

She pleaded guilty to contempt, prompting Mr Morrison to jail Organ for her "spectacular, defiant and very public conduct".



Organ was charged after she had sworn as she stood up and pitched the plastic cup towards the magistrate before Corrections officers restrained her on July 17.



Three supporters in the public gallery who clashed with police and shouted at the magistrate were also removed from the court.



Mr Morrison, whose head and robes dripped with water, had wiped his face and said he would give reasons for his decision to refuse bail in the woman's absence.



"That is why we replaced the glasses on the bar table with plastic cups," he had said.
Head of the ACT public service Kathy Leigh has declined to answer questions about how public servants are handling the stoush between Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Clubs ACT.

Mr Barr has banned the Labor members of his Cabinet including gaming minister Gordon Ramsay from meeting with Clubs ACT, the industry group that represents almost three-quarters of Canberra's clubs. He has blackbanned the group after it ran a campaign against him at the last election, fighting his decision to allow poker machines in the casino.

Head of the ACT public service Kathy Leigh, who has declined to answer questions on how the public service is handling the chief minister's ban on Clubs ACT. Credit:Jay Cronan

The ban comes as the government is in the midst of consultation over significant changes to club taxes, poker machine numbers and other clubs policy.

On July 18, Fairfax Media put a series of question to Ms Leigh asking whether public servants were meeting Clubs ACT and how the public service was handling meeting requests, whether public servants were communicating or negotiating with Clubs ACT as policy was being developed and whether public servants were meeting the rival group preferred by Mr Barr, Canberra Community Clubs.
And while Mr Jeffery never held politicians in much stead either, he was remembered fondly by his ACT Legislative Assembly's colleagues on Tuesday as a man of "raw honesty".

Val Jeffery at the Tharwa General Store, which he ran for many years before his political career and where he returned after. Credit:Graham Tidy

When officials from the National Capital Development Commission came to the ACT village in 1981 with a plan to transform it, Mr Jeffery told them to scuttle the plan and asked them for the $20 fee for use of the hall to boot.

Liberal MLA Val Jeffrey with Giulia Jones after he gave his maiden speech on August 2, 2016. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

In telling that story, Canberra Liberals leader Alistair Coe said it summed up Mr Jeffery beautifully - a bloke who "put his community first, ahead of bureaucracy".

"No big wigs from Canberra were going to escape that $20 fee," Mr Jeffery said.

Mr Jeffery served in the ACT parliament for just two and a half months officially, but his former Liberal colleague Giulia Jones remembered him as "the only man [in this building] to pull off the polo shirt and elastic tie".

"A true believer in the power of the individual to act and make a difference, Val fought valiantly for what he thought was right and for common sense," Mrs Jones said.
Hawthorn launched an impassioned 'steel arms' defence at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night but it wasn't enough to get veteran Luke Hodge off a one-game suspension.

Hodge was charged by the match review panel with striking Sydney's Tom Papley during the second quarter of the Hawks' six-point win over the Swans at the MCG on Friday night.

Luke Hodge and his team arrive at the tribunal. Credit:AAP

But Hawks legal counsel Peter O'Farrell argued Hodge was simply moving to block Papley as he ran toward an open goal.

"We've got a saying - 'steel arms' - so if someone goes through you try to hold them or get a hand in to slow them down," Hodge told the tribunal.
Countless scandals and consequent official inquiries over many years illustrate the need to reform Australia's political donations system.

Individuals, businesses and organisations donate to political parties in a self-interested bid to influence decisions. There are many loopholes allowing disguised payments, and there is an unjustifiably long lag before a donation is publicly declared, if at all.

It is time for political donation rules to be cleaned up. Credit:Glen McCurtayne

The latest evidence of the need for fundamental change comes from a Fairfax Media investigation revealing that a director of a tobacco company that is suspected of smuggling cigarettes donated $400,000 to the Labor Party, quite possibly in contravention of NSW law and the ALP's 2004 ban on taking money from the tobacco industry. That report has spurred Greens leader Richard Di Natale to refer the matter to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten claims he knew nothing of this, and has asked for an internal investigation. Disgraced senator Sam Dastyari  who recently lost his shadow ministry role for accepting money from Chinese interests whose causes he then publicly supported  used a national TV appearance to call, without irony, for a total ban on donations.
Australian universities have been hammered by the results of the world's largest survey into sexual assault on campus after the Human Rights Commission labelled its findings "unacceptable".

In a warning to the sector, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins and the Education Minister Simon Birmingham said there would be repercussions if the multibillion-dollar university industry failed to act.

The Human Rights Commission data reveals that up to 20 per cent of students at some of the country's top universities including the University of Technology, Sydney; Deakin; and Flinders who said they had been harassed claim they were sexually harassed by staff, while the Australian National University, Charles Sturt University and the University of New England have the highest rates of sexual assault on campus in the country.
"A male friend bought her drinks all night and encouraged her to drink," she said. End Rape on Campus ambassador Nina Funnell said the decision to keep the individual college reports confidential was a "cop out". Credit:James Brickwood "When she began to feel unwell, he offered to take her back to her college dorm room but instead he took her to his room, she woke up to find him sexually assaulting her." Ms Jenkins said this was a story the Commission heard again and again and that reactions from university management had a devastating impact on victims.

One woman, who reported her sexual assault to her college, was asked about her drinking habits and what she would do in the future to make sure this didn't happen again. Another woman who experienced ongoing sexual harassment by a fellow student reported the behaviour to her supervisor, who told her to take it as a compliment. Investigation into residential colleges The report found women were four times more likely to have been sexually assaulted than men in a university residence, while post-graduate students were more likely to have to been harassed or assaulted by a staff member. Despite decades of reports of sexual assault on campus, many victims remain unaware of where to report their assault.

Only 6 per cent of students surveyed thought their university was doing enough to provide clear direction on sexual harassment procedures and support services. Of students who were sexually assaulted in a university setting, 87 per cent did not make a formal report. On Tuesday, Ms Jenkins released nine recommendations for reform, including establishing a sector-wide independent investigation into residential colleges. "We found that college settings are a particular area of concern, particularly for women who were four times as likely as men to have been sexually assaulted in this setting," she said. In February, universities were accused of "actively covering up sexual assaults" after it was revealed there had been just six expulsions in the past five years despite more than 500 official complaints, including college students referring to an oval as a "rape oval", calling cask wine "slut juice" and residential quarters "slut alley".

Universities Australia has also taken aim at colleges in its 10-point action plan, released on Tuesday, while developing new principles for postgraduate staff and student interaction in response to the new figures. Chief executive Belinda Robinson said the peak body would also be extending first responder training to frontline university staff. "We know that the way a disclosure of sexual assault is handled in the very first instance can make all the difference to the recovery of the victim or survivor," she said. "This work will help ensure that all students will receive a compassionate and supportive response if they choose to disclose their experience to a university staff member." What about the offenders?

But sexual assault advocates have condemned the peak body for failing to mention either perpetrators or disciplinary measures in its response. "Universities Australia's complete silence on offenders and disciplinary reform makes victim-survivors question just how committed they really are to taking firmer steps towards making campuses safe for students," said End Rape on Campus ambassador Nina Funnell. "Implementing trauma-informed reporting channels is all well and good but if universities have no intention of ever disciplining offenders there is little incentive to report." University administrators have been awaiting the survey's findings since the survey was launched in November. All 39 institutions are set to release their individual results on Tuesday morning following reports from Fairfax Media. Universities Australia and the Human Rights Commission had previously been accused of "unconscionable research" and "betraying" the students who participated in the survey because they would not release data on individual universities.

The figures are set to have an impact on Australia's third largest export, the $20 billon international student market. Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham put universities on notice following the release of the report. "To ensure our institutions lead the world in tackling these problems I have today written to each university to seek their response to the survey's findings and recommendations given their legal obligation to provide a safe learning environment," he said. Donaldson Law director Adair Donaldson said unless universities fundamentally changed their culture of dealing with sexual assault, a wave of victims could come forward seeking damages due to breaches of duty of care.
The controversial series 13 Reasons Why triggered an increase in Google searches for specific methods of suicide and suicide hotline queries, US researchers suggest.

The findings follow months of public speculation and stern warnings from youth mental health groups that the blockbuster Netflix show could cause more harm than good, especially among its target teenage audience.

Suicide-related searches were 19 per cent higher than expected in the days following the premiere, amounting to 900,000 to 1.5 million more searches, the researchers reported in a research letter in JAMA on Monday.

The researchers at San Diego State University used Google trends to compare the volume of US-based suicide-related Google searches in the weeks before and after the premiere of the show on March 31.
'Carcass disposal by dalits boycott' movement leader Baldev Ram passes away

National Land Rights Forum, Nepal former central member and Dalit leader, Baldev Ram, has passed away on Tuesday. He was 70.
A man spotted allegedly wheeling a large floor safe in a shopping trolley down a busy road in Sydney's inner west will face court on Wednesday morning charged over a pub robbery.

Police allege the 44-year-old man broke into Rozelle hotel early on Tuesday morning, taking cash, documents and a heavy floor safe.

The man was spotted allegedly wheeling the safe in a shopping trolley down Victoria Road. Credit:NSW Police Force

The man was arrested at 10.15am the same day while allegedly wheeling the safe, estimated to weigh a few hundred kilograms, in a shopping trolley along Victoria Road.

Police could not say how the man allegedly managed to get the safe into the trolley before making his getaway.
Bond University Topping the list for sexual assault and harassment on campus is Bond University. Thirty-six per cent of respondents said they had been sexually harassed at university in 2016, and 2.7 per cent said they had been sexually assaulted in a university setting in 2015 or 2016. Bond also tops the list for percentage of respondents who reported being sexually harassed by a staff member, at 5.1 per cent. Professor Brailsford said the university had initiatives in place supporting campus safety, but said the university needed to do more.

"We will also be undertaking a comprehensive review of our disciplinary processes and procedures to ensure that we have the power to deal with perpetrators quickly and effectively, including suspension and expulsion," he said. The university has also introduced "respect and consent sessions" to residential students, and will have an educational campaign for all students. James Cook University A quarter of responding students at James Cook University reported being sexually harassed at university in 2016, with 95 per cent of respondents saying the most recent instance of sexual harassment was from other university students. JCU vice-chancellor Professor Sandra Harding said the university has already taken steps to improve safety for students and staff, and has brought on former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to conduct a review of the university's policies.

""These results are confronting, and I understand they will be of great concern for staff and students at the university, as well as the wider community," she said. "I want to assure the JCU community, and the wider community, that we have taken, and are taking, steps to make the university safer." "We want staff and students to know that if you have been assaulted we will do all we can to support you." The university has worked on making a number of changes which including revising its harassment and bullying policy, reviewing campus security, training staff and working with residential colleges on standards of conduct. Queensland University of Technology

At QUT, 2 per cent of respondents said they had been sexually assaulted on campus in 2015 or 2016, and 22 per cent said they had been sexually harassed in 2016. QUT vice-chancellor Professor Peter Coaldrake said he recognised it was a serious issue within universities and the wider community. "This issue has a very real impact on students as they go about their lives both on and off campus," he said. "The only acceptable rate of sexual assault or sexual harassment is zero  anything above that means there's more work to do to prevent incidents and support those affected." He said the university was educating students on the acceptable standards of behaviour as well as the consequences of their actions, and the university was also working to raise awareness of its support services.

University of Queensland More than 1500 students from UQ responded to the survey. While the rate of sexual assault on campus was lower, at 1.1 per cent, 24 per cent of respondents said they had been sexually harassed at university. UQ vice-chancellor and president Professor Peter Hoj said an "unacceptable number" of students across Australia had experienced sexual harassment or assault. "As the report shows, this is a serious issue facing Australia's universities and society as a whole," Professor Hoj said. He said there should be zero instances of sexual assault on university campuses around Australia, but sexual harassment was also unacceptable.

"The incidence of sexual harassment, which encompasses a range of behaviours that can also have a devastating impact on the survivor, is disturbingly high and must also be eliminated," he said. "At UQ, our response will centre on providing enhanced support for survivors and taking a strong stance on prevention." Among other measures, he said the university was working on a number of measures including an awareness campaign, creating a specialist unit for student support and counselling, and an online training module on consent. CQUniversity CQUniversity had the lowest rates of campus sexual assault and sexual harassment among Queensland universities.

The percentage of campus sexual assaults was 0.5, according to respondents, while 12 per cent of respondents reported being sexually harassed in 2016. However CQUniversity vice-chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said the number was still concerning. "Universities should be safe and respectful places to learn and interact with others, and largely this is the case," he said. "That is why any instance of sexual harassment or assault, regardless of where it occurs, is completely unacceptable." Professor Bowman said the university had "long had" policies in place to address sexual assault and harassment, but they were committed to doing more.

"As a community and a university, we need to do much more to educate people and raise awareness around the seriousness of sexual harassment and assault, reinforce a zero-tolerance approach and help to build a culture of harmony and respect." Among a raft of measures, the university will will offer zer- tolerance and first responder training to all staff, and establish a student-led advisory group to help the university develop policies relating to student safety and wellbeing. University of Southern Queensland USQ also had a lower rate of campus sexual assault, at 0.8 per cent of respondents. Sixteen per cent of respondents said they had been sexually harassed in 2016. Vice-chancellor Professor Janet Verbyla said the data suggested more were likely to be sexually assaulted or harassed outside the university's campus.

"The survey results suggest, as do USQ's own reports, quite low rates of sexual harassment and even lower instances of sexual assault," she said. "Sexual harassment and assault is wrong at every level and in any location and USQ will continue to play its part in tackling head-on the circumstances and situations where such instances occur." She said USQ was "well known" for its student support, and would continue to give students who experienced assault or harassment any assistance they can. "We already have a number of comprehensive policies and procedures in place to ensure that any reported incidents of sexual harassment and assault within USQ are responded to fairly but firmly," Professor Verbyla said. University of the Sunshine Coast

At USC, 1 per cent of student respondents said they had been sexually assaulted on campus in 2015 or 2016, and 21 per cent said they had been sexually harassed last year. Of all responders, 3.24 per cent said they had been sexually harassed by a staff member. USC vice-chancellor Professor Greg Hill said the university would adopt the commission's recommendations, and further develop its codes of conduct for both staff and students. "Students who participated in the survey have been assured that the results will be used by universities to guide further improvements in how to better prevent and respond to sexual assault and harassment," Professor Hill said. Griffith University Griffith University students reported the same rate of sexual assault as those at JCU, but a slightly lower rate of sexual harassment on campus at 23 per cent.
A man who fled to India after killing a teenager while drink-driving in Melbourne is reportedly claiming Australia's justice system is racist in a bid to avoid facing justice.

Puneet Puneet had been on bail and was awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to culpable driving over the 2008 death of Gold Coast teenager Dean Hofstee when he fled Australia using a friend's passport in 2009. He was arrested four years later in India.

Mr Puneet was a 19-year-old learner driver when he hit and killed Mr Hofstee, 19, and seriously injured Clancy Coker, 20, in Southbank on October 1, 2008. Police estimated Mr Puneet was driving at 148km/h - more than double the legal limit in the area. He also tested positive for alcohol.

Mr Puneet is fighting extradition to Australia.
A Victorian real estate agent who posed as a young girl online and created "graphic and disturbing" sexual fantasies has been jailed for nine months.

Layne Richard Pearce, 38, was also found with more than 11,000 child porn files on several computers and devices, including "depraved" images, some featuring infant children, County Court of Victoria judge Mark Gamble said on Tuesday.

Layne Richard Pearce has been jailed for nine months in relation to the possession of 11,000 child porn images. Credit:Vince Caligiuri

Pearce earlier pleaded guilty to accessing, possessing and transmitting child pornography.

The court was told he created an online alias called "hurtmeplease" with an associated email address and profile images of a young girl in scant clothing.
Dramatic video footage has emerged of the moments after a man pulled out a knife and stabbed two passengers on a tram in Footscray on Friday night.

Footage filmed on a bystander's smartphone shows a man, who has been dragged from the stationary route 82 tram, lying in the middle of Geelong Road as a witness uses a piece of clothing to apply pressure to what is believed to be a stab wound.

A police siren can be heard blaring in the background before officers can be seen rushing to the man's aid.

A panicked witnesses can be heard asking one of the police officers if the offender was "still on the loose".
Organisers of WA's massive Diggers and Dealers mining conference have caved in to pressure to reinstate a Welcome to Country ceremony.

The traditional welcome was recently axed, with organisers blaming a tight schedule, but the decision has now been reversed after significant backlash.

The Diggers and Dealers mining forum in Kalgoorlie attracts the industry's most influential people. Credit:Ron D'Raine

Diggers and Dealer director John Langford said Aboriginal elder Trevor Donaldson would now open the conference after organisers approached him on Tuesday.

"It's shorter, between five to 10 minutes, and he has assured us he will not be using it as a platform for making any political statements," Mr Langford said.
Tertiary students in WA know little, to nothing about where to seek support about being sexually harassed, despite large numbers of students experiencing it at universities in the state.

WA's five universities joined campuses around Australia in collectively releasing survey data about sexual assault and sexual harassment of its students.

The individual data forms part of a new national survey and report released on Tuesday which found university students are experiencing "unacceptable" rates of sexual assault on campus.

The report, released by the Human Rights Commission, found 2100 students [6.9 per cent] were sexually assaulted during the past two years, while more than half of all university students were sexually harassed in 2016, with 21 per cent of those in a university setting.
Fears that children are being kidnapped across Cambodia to have their kidneys cut out and sold have sparked mob violence and cries by authorities of "fake news".

A mob of around 1000 trashed a police station in Kompong Thom province and beat-up two men wrongly suspected of the crime, who were being held there, after rumours swept social media.

Renal surgery. Credit:The Age

An opposition activist has been charged for posting on Facebook about "three Vietnamese people suspected of kidnapping children to cut out their kidneys and eyes," the Cambodia Daily reported.

If convicted he could face up to two years jail for "communication or disclosure of false information."
Washington: "You think this is bad? Wait until the Trump White House faces a real international crisis!" You've no doubt heard this warning.

Here's the problem with that  an extraordinary constellation of complex global crises is boiling over right now in real time  and they are being exacerbated by US President Donald Trump and his team.

The global situation may be more dangerous than it has been at any time since the height of the Cold War.

Of the myriad serious geopolitical problems in the world right now, five of them involve nuclear powers and two involve near nuclear powers. Several of these cases could test whether old notions of nuclear security, like deterrence, can work in the new global risk environment.
CIAA launches probe into NOCs land deals

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has initiated investigation into possible fraud by Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) while buying land for the construction of fuel storage facilities.
Dahal for alliance with Madhesi parties

Madhes-based parties have responded positively to the proposal of CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for an electoral alliance for the third phase of local level polls scheduled to be held in Province 2 on September 18.
House committee says HPE Bill top priority

A parliamentary committee reviewing the Health Profession Education (HPE) Bill has decided to expedite the process to endorse it to facilitate a government team, which is holding talks with Dr Govinda KC who has been on a hunger strike for the last eight days demanding its passage at the earliest.
SPECIAL REPORT: World Whiskies America

The finest products, companies and individuals were recognised at our Whisky Magazine Awards ceremony held at the Brandy Library, New York on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

Whisky Magazine's managing editor Rupert Wheeler hosted the presentations alongside senior master of whiskey and World Whiskies Awards (WWA) US chair of judges Steve Beal.

Guests made the journey from all across America to take part in the celebrations. During the event, three of the magazines top awards were presented including:

World Whiskies Awards, American Winners 2017

Icons of Whisky America 2017

Hall of Fame, American Inductees

Rupert Wheeler says: "As managing editor of Whisky Magazine, I am delighted that I have been able to present these awards at the Brandy Library in New York. Since taking over as editor three years ago, I have visited the US on several occasions and tasted a large number of superb whiskeys.

"We awarded the American categories of the WWA and I would like to congratulations all the winners. Our Icons awards recognise the enormous number of talented people working in the whisky industry and we ended the evening by inducting two titans of American whiskey into the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. On my very first visit to Kentucky, I was fortunate enough to visit Michter's and meet our latest inductee Willie Pratt who gave me a guided tour of the distillery. Congratulations to Willie and Julian Van Winkle on joining the Hall of Fame."

World Whiskies Awards - American Winners

World's Best Bourbon

John J Bowman, Single Barrel Bourbon

America's Best

Blended

Breckenridge, Port Cask Finish

Corn

Ironroot Republic, Hubris Corn

Flavoured

Sons of Liberty Seasonals, Gala Apple Flavored

Grain

Bainbridge, Yama

Kentucky Bourbon

Four Roses, 2016 Limited Edition Small Batch

Non Kentucky Bourbon

John J Bowman, Single Barrel Bourbon

Rye

A D Laws, Secale Straight Rye Bottled in Bond

Single Malt

Virginia Distillery Company, Virginia Highland Malt

Wheat

Bainbridge, Battle Point

Category Gold

American Rye

Hudson, Maple Cask Rye

McKenzie, Straight Rye

American Single Malt

Sons of Liberty, Battle Cry

Sons of Liberty, Uprising

Westland Distillery, Garryana

Breckenridge, Dark Arts

Kentucky Bourbon

1792, Full Proof

Stagg Jr, Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Eagle Rare, 17 Years Old

Non Kentucky Bourbon

Ironroot Republic, Harbinger Bourbon

Joseph Magnus Bourbon, Triple-Cask Finished

Sonoma County, West of Kentucky Bourbon No2

A D Laws, Four Grain

Balcones, Texas Blue Corn Bourbon

Category Silver

American Rye

Sazerac, Straight Kentucky Rye

A D Laws, 2nd Fill Oak Secale Rye Mash

American Single Malt

Westland Distillery, American Oak

Balcones, Rum Cask Finish

Kentucky Bourbon

Elijah Craig, Small Batch

Four Roses, Elliott's Select

Heaven Hill, Select Stock

Non Kentucky Bourbon

291, Colorodo Bourbon Aspen Stave Finished

Hudson, Baby Bourbon

Rock Town, Arkansas Bourbon

Category Bronze

American Rye

Thomas H Handy Sazerac, Uncut Unfiltered

Kentucky Bourbon

Elmer T Lee, Single Barrel Bourbon

Yellowstone, Bourbon

Non Kentucky Bourbon

291, Colorado Bourbon Aspen Stave Finished

Icons of Whisky America 2017:



Distiller, sponsored by Glencairn Crystal

Winner: Beam Suntory

Highly Commended: Heaven Hill Brands

Brand Innovator, sponsored by Multi Packaging Solutions

Winner: Maker's Mark Distillery

HC: Westland Distillery

Visitor Attraction, Sponsored by Christie's

Winner: Buffalo Trace Distillery

HC: Four Roses Distillery

Craft Producer, sponsored by Wade

Winner: Sons of Liberty Spirits Company

HC: Coppersea Distillery

Master Distillery / Master Blender

Winner: Jeff Arnett - Jack Daniel's

HC: Denny Potter - Heaven Hill Distillery

Distillery Manager, sponsored by Broxburn Properties

Winner: Victoria MacRae-Samuels - Maker's Mark Distillery

HC: Ryan Ashley - Four Roses Distillery

Visitor Attraction Manager

Winner: Kimberley Bennett - Beam Suntory

HC: Matt Higgins - Buffalo Trace Distillery

American Whiskey Brand Ambassador

Winner: Adam Harris - Beam Suntory

HC: Bernie Lubbers - Heaven Hill Brands

Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador

Winner: Tim Herlihy - Tullamore DEW

HC: Michael Egan - Beam Suntory

Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador, sponsored by Procurus

Winner: Martin Daraz - The Edrington Group

HC: David Laird - William Grant & Sons

World Whisky Brand Ambassador

Winner: Allison Patel - Brenne Whisky

HC: Raj Sabharwal - Purple Valley Imports

Multiple Outlets Retailer, sponsored by Amrut Distilleries

Winner: Binny's Beverage Depot

HC: Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods

Single Outlet Retailer

Winner: Astor Wines & Spirits

HC: Julio's Liquor

Online Retailer

Winner: Ace Spirits

HC: Binny's Beverage Depot

Travel Retailer

Sponsored by Steklarna Hrastnik

Winner: Duty Free Americas

HC: DFS Group

For full Icons of Whisky results including shortlists, go to www.iconsofwhisky.com

Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame



Hall of Fame, Inductee No39

Julian Van Winkle III, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery

Hall of Fame, Inductee No40

Willie Pratt, master distiller emeritus, Michter's Distillery





3 March 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor
Blinn College joins a growing number of institutions of higher education today as a state law allowing the concealed carry of firearms on campuses takes effect.

Under Senate Bill 11, passed by the Texas Legislature in May 2015, concealed firearms will be allowed in campus residential facilities, classrooms and faculty and staff offices of community colleges. Public four-year universities, such Texas A&M University, implemented the rules last August.

The rules apply to all four Blinn campuses -- Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg and Sealy.

Areas on Blinn's Bryan property where firearms will not be allowed include the second floor of the Health Science Center, sporting events and in formal hearing areas. Other areas, such as single-occupant offices, can be designated as gun-free zones upon successful completion of an appeals process. The legally required signs will be posted outside areas that have been designated as gun-free.

Open carry will continue to be banned on the college's campuses.

The college's policy was compiled by a more than 40-person task force made up of Blinn staff, faculty, students and community members. It was approved by the Blinn Board of Trustees in April.

Blinn officials said the policy was crafted to closely match the one implemented at Texas A&M -- in an effort to accommodate students who are co-enrolled in the two schools -- with the help of the university's Assistant Vice President for Safety and Security Chris Meyer.

For those interested in learning more about the rules and how they might impact members of the Blinn community, the college's campus carry task force and police department will host several public forums at both the Bryan and Brenham campuses.

In Bryan, the forums will held Aug. 8, Aug. 30 and Sept. 7 at noon in the student center. On the Brenham campus, the forums will be Aug. 9 at noon in the student center and Aug. 30 and Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. in the student center.

For more information on Blinn's campus carry rules, visit blinn.edu/campus-carry.
Police arrested three teens following an hours-long search Monday morning during which the area around Graham Road and Birmingham Drive in south College Station was shut down.

Frank Blanco, 18; Fernando Funes-Cruz, 18; and Felix Ponce, 17, all Bryan residents, have been charged with theft of a firearm and evading arrest, but the case remains open.

Authorities said officers first responded to the 200 block of Rugen Lane around 4 a.m. to investigate a reported vehicle burglary. Police said after fleeing the scene, the teens were spotted in their vehicle near Graham Road, where officers attempted to make a traffic stop.

After pulling into the entrance of the College Station Utilities Center, the teens ran into nearby woods, according to police. While one of the teens was caught immediately, police formed perimeter around the area to locate the other two.

Authorities said the second teen was located around 5:45 a.m., and the third was detained just after 8 a.m.

A total of four burglaries were reported Monday morning in the area of Rugen Lane, authorities said.

Police said several items from the burglaries were recovered, including two handguns. Officers are working to connect the recovered property to the crimes, authorities said.

College Station police said the Bryan Police Department's K-9 unit assisted in the arrests.
A bicyclist was injured in College Station after being struck by a vehicle Monday night.

College Station police said the bicyclist was leaving the Texas A&M campus just after 7 p.m., crossing University Drive to College Main, when a vehicle traveling west on University Drive ran the red light, hitting the cyclist in the intersection.

The woman riding the bike was being treated at CHI St. Joseph hospital in Bryan for abrasions, road rash, bruising and a black eye.

The case remained under investigation Monday night and anyone with information was asked to call police at 764-3600.
About $1.4 million in new federal grant funding the city of College Station's Community Development department plans on allocating next year is expected to be used for affordable housing, elimination of slum and blight and other opportunities to benefit the low- and moderate-income community.

The department will be asking the City Council this month for approval of its fiscal year 2018 budget and annual action plan describing projects and activities to be funded with community development grants. If OK'd by the council, both will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for approval.

Community services director Debbie Eller briefed the council during a workshop last week on the department's budget proposal and annual action plan. She said $994,211 in Community Development Block Grant funds and $372,260 in HOME Investment Partnership Grant funds are available to the city for fiscal year 2018. The CDBG funds may be used to meet local needs through different community development activities, but HOME funds can only be used for affordable housing.

A large portion of the total $2.6 million fiscal year budget proposal, which includes previously programmed but unspent CDBG and HOME grant funds, will be put toward affordable housing, including $324,805 for new construction or leveraged development, $100,967 for owner-occupied rehabilitation and $160,000 for homebuyer assistance. Another $483,500 is planned for land acquisition costs to help city partners purchase land to grow affordable housing opportunities.

Another chunk of the budget, $806,758, is planned for four public facility projects -- a bus shelter at the Lincoln Recreation Center, the northeast sewer trunkline improvements, upgrades to Georgie K. Fitch Park and sidewalks along Southwest Parkway. About $191,000 is budgeted for public service agencies including Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas, Brazos Maternal and Child Health Clinic and Project Unity.

Each one-year action plan the department creates must fit into its five-year consolidated plan, which identifies local community needs and sets goals, objectives and priorities for the five-year period. Main components include a housing and homeless needs assessment, a housing market analysis and strategic and action plans. The annual action plan addresses specific goals and activities for the upcoming year and is the city's official application to HUD.

"We try to create decent housing, suitable living environments and expand our economic opportunities," Eller said of the department's goals and objectives during her presentation Thursday. "The outcome is we try to provide availability and accessibility, ensure affordability and ensure sustainability."

The city also uses the federal funds for security deposit assistance, code enforcement, demolitions and other various programs and activities.

The department's application to HUD is due Aug. 16.
The police justified their actions by claiming the right to self defence, arguing throaty they feared physical harm from the villagers.

A fundamental requirement in claiming self defence is to show that the response was proportionate. It is disturbing that the police seem to use bullets against unarmed citizens with impunity.

Courageous forest officials

There are also examples of the state evicting local communities under the guise of environmental protection, such as the communities living in shanty towns at the border of Kaziranga National Park. There is a dispute over whether the communities are encroaching upon the territory of the park.

Last year, in Banderdubi village, the town witnessed several excavator machines accompanied by around two thousand police offers and several elephants, which had arrived to demolish the houses. Fakhruddin and Anjuma Khatun were shot and killed.

At the same time, several courageous forest officials, who protect the forests from poaching every day, have been murdered in the line of duty.

In Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, a forest official was crushed by a lorry carrying illegally mined sand along the Chambal river, as he attempted to stop the vehicle.

Sand mining is prohibited without environmental clearances under law, but the powerful sand mining mafia continue to engage in widespread illegal quarrying.

Prosecution and subsequent conviction

In Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Dadli Lazar and Sheik Baji Sahid, two forest guards on duty in the Nallamala forest were murdered by a gang of timber smugglers, after having caught them in the act.

Although the guards had called for backup, support arrived too late and the attackers had fled.

In the Chapra forests in Madhya Pradesh, Jagdish Binjwar was killed by locals felling trees in the forest, who killed him with an axe.

Prosecution and subsequent conviction in such cases has been low. However, last month the Gujarat High Court ordered the reopening and retrial of the criminal case against those accused of murdering environmental activist Amit Jethwa in 2010.

Jethwa had filed a public interest litigation in the Gujarat High Court against illegal mining around the Gir National Park, and was shot by hired sharp-shooters outside the courthouse a few days after filing the case.

Speaking up against powerful companies

The main accused are a former Member of Parliament and his nephew. The High Court ordered that a new judge be appointed to try the case, due to the former judge having failed to protect the witnesses from being threatened and the trial having been compromised by the political influence of the accused.

This might seem like a small victory in these trying times. But it is testament to the fact that the judiciary remains our last bastion in ensuring environmental justice.

It also reminds us that members of civil society can still contribute to legal non-profit organisations, in order to maintain the states accountability to its citizens.

However, speaking up against powerful companies can have dire consequences, as witnessed recently by the Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) threatened by a powerful energy and mining company against journalists who published investigative reports about tax evasion and improper windfalls by the company.

SLAPPs are lawsuits usually initiated by financially and politically powerful organisations, intended to prevent detractors from criticising them by intimidating them with high legal costs and damages for defamation and the possibility of jail time for criminal defamation.

Questioning environmental wrongdoings

To prevent the chilling effect of such SLAPPs, we must continue to financially and vocally support independent journalists, environmental activists, legal non-profits who by questioning environmental wrongdoings ensure that we have a functioning democracy.

Having witnessed such a horrifying year for environment related casualties and human rights violations, it is crucial for the Indian establishment to reflect and decide for itself the parameters of the development it seeks.

On one hand, we see marginalised communities being victimised by the state-corporate nexus, willing to even kill its citizens in extreme cases, with minimal conviction rates.

On the other hand, we see underpaid forest officials falling victim to criminal conflicts over our rapidly declining forest resources while the people who profit from such illegal activities remain largely unscathed.

For all our governments vision regarding Smart Cities and attracting foreign direct investment, sooner or later it will have to admit the simultaneous reality of sacrificing the rights of marginalised citizens in the trade-off.

The urban Indian elite

The urban Indian elite benefit most from Indias industrial growth while exerting most strain on Indias limited forest, mineral, water and energy sources.

They must therefore to recognise their privilege, and be willing to lend their voices to and in turn amplify the voices of the affected communities.

We cannot aspire to be a developed nation while allowing ourselves to also be the fourth deadliest country in the world in terms of environment-related killings.

This Author

Mrinalini Shinde is an environmental law researcher based in Cologne, Germany and has previously practised as an environmental lawyer at the National Green Tribunal in India. Along with legal practice, she has experience working in new media, non profits and start-ups. Mrinalini is Climate Tracker's legal adviser.
Illegal tenants to be evicted from industrial estate site

Industrial District Management Limited (IDML) has decided to evict people who have illegally occupied governments land in Mayurdhap of Hetauda where an industrial estate is being built.
Kulekhani 3 hydel misses deadline

The Kulekhani 3 Hydropower Project, which has been in construction since 2008, has missed its fourth completion deadline set for July as the Chinese contractor for the hydro and electro mechanical works has been taking its time.
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NORWALK  Datto installed a new chief financial officer who led one of the most successful initial public offerings of stock during the dot-com boom two decades back, raising the question of a possible IPO.

Under founder and CEO Austin McChord, Datto provides data backup and security services sold through other companies that install and manage commercial networks. The company, headquartered at 101 Merritt 7 in Norwalk, is among the fastest-growing in Connecticut.

Timothy Weller joins Datto as chief financial officer following the April departure of former CFO Michelle McComb to join New York City-based VTS. McComb helped Datto raise $75 million in November 2015 from Technology Crossover Ventures and other investors. At the time, the deal valued Datto in excess of $1 billion, the unicorn threshold in investment banking parlance for companies that are candidates to go public.

It has been a leap that McChord has said he is still coming to grips with as a first-time CEO right out of college. At RITs commencement ceremonies in May, McChord said that when he told an acquaintance of his selection as keynote speaker the response was, I wonder who canceled?

Is Datto on the cusp of its own big payday on Wall Street? The company did not make Weller or McChord available immediately to respond to a Hearst Connecticut Media query on its plans. At RIT this past spring, McChord described his experiences starting up Datto, including a seminal moment turning down a $100 million offer in 2013 from a would-be acquirer.

If I had taken the offer, I would have walked away with an enormous check for myself  and those that had put their blood, sweat and tears in, by my side, would have gotten nothing, McChord said in May. Afterwards, I made sure that everyone who works for me has shares in the company so that if the opportunity ever comes again, everyone would stand to benefit.

McChord  a digital tinkerer who created Datto in 2007 shortly after graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology  gets a CFO who has a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois and has experience as a software developer and video-game designer.

At age 35 in August 1999, Weller joined Akamai Technologies as CFO less than three months in advance of its IPO at the end of October. The company registered what at the time was the fourth-best, single-day gain in U.S. history, its shares gaining some 450 percent to best other Internet-era high fliers.

Akamai was created after a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor challenged his students to create a mathematical algorithm that would keep Internet sites up and running if flooded with intense web traffic.

Weller left Akamai at the close of 2002 to become an angel investor taking stakes in startups. He joined Enernoc as CFO, two years after the IPO of the Boston company whose systems help companies take advantage of incentives offered by Connecticut, Massachusetts and other states if they lower their electricity use during periods of peak demand such as heat waves.

Most recently, Weller was interim CEO and, before that, head of finance for Wonga, an online payday loan provider based in London.

 Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Michelle McComb.

Kaitlyn Krasselt contributed to this report.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; www.twitter.com/casoulman
HARTFORD  The state Senate on Monday narrowly approved a new round of labor concessions to help trim the states $5.1 billion deficit and move lawmakers a step closer to a new two-year budget.

The $1.57 billion package of givebacks required Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, a Democrat, to break an 18-18 tie vote between Democrats and Republican senators, and caused an afternoon of drama as three Democrats  including state Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford  withheld support until the last minute.

Republican senators adamantly argued against the union concessions, saying the package is not enough given the states huge deficit and represents business as usual by the Legislature.

I can imagine some national headlines after today: Historic vote to protect special interests for 10 years, said state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton. By voting for this package, the General Assembly will take an action that will reverberate for decades to come.

Democrats said the concessions package ratified by the State Employee Bargaining Agency Coalition are substantial givebacks that trim the state budget deficit and help avoid harmful cuts in state spending for municipalities, disabled residents and other services.

Ive heard its a sad day in Connecticut, and about lost homes and jobs and that this is a death knell, said Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven. We are talking about whats wrong with Connecticut when there is a lot right about Connecticut. What we are doing here is positive.

The SEBAC agreement, approved in a close vote earlier this month by the House of Representatives, provides a combination of wage freezes, furlough days, higher health insurance co-payments, a four year no layoff provision and extends union contracts from 2022 to 2027.

Other provisions increase pension contributions for most workers from 2 to 4 percent and create a defined pension contribution plan for future employees.

Today the state legislature ratified the largest state employee concession package in our states history, said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy following the vote. The savings during the current biennium that this concession package will produce are a key piece toward adopting a budget for our state.

Tough sell

The Senate vote was delayed for hours as Democratic leaders lobbied three of their own members  state Sens. Joan Hartley, D-Waterbury, Paul Doyle, D-Wethersfield and Slossberg  who were withholding support.

The loss of one Democratic vote meant Republicans could kill the deal and send everyone back to the drawing board. With the state operating under an executive order issued by Malloy, lawmakers are under enormous pressure to approve a new two-year budget before draconian, automatic budget cuts begin in September.

Slossberg said her delay in supporting the agreement was based on doing my homework on the concession package.

There are big savings in this and the bottom line is without this agreement we will have a $1.57 billion hole in our budget and we will lose the health and pension savings, Slossberg said.

For me, this process started with looking at our overall financial picture and the financial health of our state, Slossberg said. And there is no doubt we have very big and serious problems. Its not just a $5 billion deficit but we are projecting $2 billion deficits for every year after this.

Senate President Martin Looney said the union concessions will reduce costs for years to come, far beyond the immediate two-year state budget the General Assembly must pass.

The pension reform is far-reaching and the impact will be extraordinary, Looney said. This is significant long-term reform. We are moving in a productive way.

Doyle said he agreed to support the SEBAC agreement after making it clear he wants systemic changes in state government as the new budget is put together, such as spending and bonding caps and permanent commissions to oversee and recommend changes in how state retirement plans are operated.

Not enough

State Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, said the labor pact sends the wrong message.

I think the perception in the outside world is we are not doing the right thing, Hwang said. We are again kicking the can down the road. There are concessions but are they enough? I dont think so.

This, I believe, is bad policy, added state Sen. Scott Frantz, R-Greenwich. We are locking ourselves in and tying the hands of future lawmakers. In my neck of the woods, people have not been more concerned about any issue other than this issue. They know todays vote will determine what direction of the state goes.

State Sen. Carlo Leone, D-Stamford, said the savings from the SEBAC agreement is the best the governors office could achieve, and was supported by union members who did not have to give anything back.

This is just one leg of the stool for us to proceed, Leone said. This agreement give us $1.57 billion and counting and thats a huge number. We could be here facing $5 billion in real money that covers so many aspects of how this state runs.

State Sen. George Logan, R-Ansonia, said he voted against the concession deal because it did little for non-state employees.

This deal that union leaders have cut with the governor is unaffordable, the concessions deal is deeply flawed and will do nothing for Connecticut residents who are not unionized state employees, Logan said.

Sen Michael McLachlan, R-Danbury, said lawmakers are not listening to those who elected them.

I pull up to the gas station and people say, What the hell are you doing in the Legislature?  McLachlan said. That means the people on the street are saying, Cut it out, its not working anymore. Approving this deal is not what people are looking for.
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NORWALK  After a year of federal interim management, Norwalks embattled Head Start program will soon return to local control  at least, thats the plan.

The deadline for a competitive funding agreement, which would provide roughly $1.6 million in federal funds to run the program, ended Monday, though its unclear who  if anyone  is interested in taking it on.

Pat Fisher, spokesman for the federal Administration for Children and Families, declined to comment on who had applied for the funding, but said the next step in the process will be to evaluate all eligible applications.

We anticipate making an award for this service area in the winter, Fisher said. After receiving an award, a future grantee will begin their transition process to prepare to provide services to children and families.

Action for Bridgeport Community Development, Inc., which provides early childhood services in the Bridgeport area and once managed the Head Start program in Danbury on an interim basis, recently opened a satellite office in Norwalk.

Nonetheless, ABCD executive director William Bevacqua said the agency has no intention of taking on the Norwalk Head Start program. The Danbury Head Start program, Head Start of Northern Fairfield County, is currently sponsored by the Connecticut Institute for Communities, Inc., and serves more than 350 children throughout Danbury, Bethel, Brookfield, Newtown, New Fairfield, Redding, Ridgefield and Sherman.

Weve made it very clear that Head Start really belongs to a Norwalk-based entity, Bevacqua said. Were prepared to work in tandem with whoever gets designated. Right now, unless it doesnt come to pass that an agency is interested in it here or can meet the requirements, were not planning to take it on. Were really hoping that a Norwalk-area agency takes on those services.

More Information Norwalk Head Start cost: $2 million Federal grant available: $1.6 million Non-federal match required: $400,000 See More Collapse

The funding opportunity was open to applicants from public or private nonprofit organizations, including community-based and faith-based organizations, or for-profit organizations willing to provide Head Start and/or Early Head Start services to children and families residing in Norwalk, Weston, Westport, Wilton and New Canaan.

Head Start is a federal program designed to advance the school readiness of low-income children by providing comprehensive early childhood care and education, as well as family development services that include health, education, social services, and parent-community involvement.

Per the Head Start Act, any selected organization must use non-federal funds to match 20 percent  in this case, roughly $400,000  of the total approved program cost, which is nearly $2 million.

That cost, coupled with the required infrastructure and staffing required are whats making it so hard to find applicants, local officials said.

Local troubles

Control of the federal program in Norwalk has been tumultuous in recent years.

After more than a decade of managing the program, a federal audit of the nonprofit Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now found the organization had mismanaged Head Start funds provided by the federal government.

The Norwalk Housing Authority began running Head Start at Nathanial Ely School in February 2014, several months after the program was taken away from NEON, but the NHA also lost control of the program early in 2016.

The program  which currently takes place at Nathaniel Ely elementary and Benjamin Franklin middle schools  has been under federal interim management by Community Development Institute, a temporary agency contracted by the government to run the program until further notice. Colorado-based CDI has provided interim training, technical assistance, project management, and organizational development services to public and private agencies across the country for more than 40 years, and will aid in the transition once a local agency has been selected to take on the program.

Regardless, Bevacqua said ABCD plans to work closely with local schools to improve early learning programs and provide support to the selected Head Start provider. Officials from the Norwalk Housing Authority said earlier this spring they also had no intention of attempting to regain control of the program., citing the same challenges as Bevacqua and other local leaders.

It requires a lot to run Head Start, Bevacqua said. Yes, the federal government provides much of the funding, but we would need things like a kitchen to provide meals and additional staffing to meet their requirements and those are things we dont have here in Norwalk. Like I said, it would be best in a Norwalk-based entity.

KKrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt
NORWALK  The second of two suspects in a May burglary at an East Norwalk deli turned himself in to Norwalk police on Monday.

Yahteek Culver, 20 of N. Columbus Avenue, Mount Vernon, N.Y., was charged with second-degree criminal mischief, third-degree larceny, third-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, and conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary. His bond was set at $25,000 and he was given a court date of Aug. 9.

Police said that two men who broke into Jesus Deli and Grocery at 81 Winfield St. at 12:36 a.m. May 21.

Norwalk detectives investigated the break-in and obtained arrest warrants for Culver and Barry Turner.

Surveillance photos released by police in May showed one of the men wearing a white Nike hat with a metallic swoosh symbol and a green Boston Celtics jacket.

The second man was wearing a hat, hooded sweatshirt, shorts and black sneakers. He had sleeve tattoos on both arms and police said may have suffered an injury to his left wrist during the incident.

Police did not disclose what was taken in the burglary.

On June 19, Turner, of Norden Place, turned himself in at police headquarters upon learning of a warrant for his arrest. He was charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny.

Turners bond was set at $25,000. According to court records, he has since been released on a promise to appear and is due back in court Aug. 11.

llake@hearstmediact.com
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WILTON  Growing up in Wilton, Bill Lucey spent most of his time around Long Island Sound. He caught flounder in Rowayton, fished for blue snappers in the Saugatuck River and dug for clams in Stamford Harbor.

Those experiences sparked his career in biology and conservation, which has spanned 30 years and taken him across the nation and in Central America. And those memories convinced him to move from Hawaii back to the East Coast to help protect and preserve Long Island Sound as the new Soundkeeper.

For many years, reading about fish consumption advisories and polluted waters kept him from moving back. But the progress made by Soundkeeper, Inc., Save the Sound and other organizations dedicated to improving the Sound encouraged him to bring his expertise to the area, he said.

I guess I felt it was sort of my responsibility to come back and lend my shoulder to the collective push, because the Sound is getting better and we need to keep pushing where there is no fish consumption advisory and people dont have to worry about catching fish and feeding it to their children, said Lucey, former project manager with Kauai Invasive Species Committee at Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii.

My goal is to make sure that everybody is thinking about the whole picture, all the problems are addressed and we move forward to that nice clean Long Island Sound future.

Lucey will replace the late Terry Backer  a Norwalk native, third-generation fisherman and longtime state Representative who served as the first Soundkeeper in 1987 until his death in 2015.

More Information If you go Soundkeeper launch and boat christening Thursday, Aug. 3, relaunching open to public at 12 p.m. and reception exclusive to donors at 5:30 p.m. Brewer Stratford Marina at 605 Broad St., Stratford, CT 06615 For more information: http://tinyurl.com/launchSK See More Collapse

The position has been vacant since then. It is being relaunched as a result of an upcoming merger between Soundkeeper, Inc.  which Backer co-founded with Chris Staplefelt  and Save the Sound, a Connecticut Fund for the Environments state program.

Looking through Backers diverse accomplishments, Lucey said he is aware of the big shoes he needs to fill.

Terry did a tremendous job, he said.I look at it as carrying on that work and carrying it on to the next generation. And hopefully after me, someone else will pick the flag up and carry it on as well.

Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling said he is confident Luceys appointment is an indication of the same passion and dedication that Backer brought to the role.

Terry pretty much dedicated his entire life to improving Long Island Sound and the conversation efforts and making sure that the Sound is as clean and healthy as possible and that was his passion, Rilling said. So the Soundkeeper is very important because ... we all know what an important resource Long Island Sound is, not only for recreation and commerce but tourism and our economy overall.

Curt Johnson, executive director of Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Save the Sound, said he is thrilled to welcome Lucey back to Long Island Sound in relaunching the position.

He has the passion, experience, and technical know-how to continue Terrys legacy by patrolling bays and harbors around the entire Sound and by acting as the Sounds voice in Hartford and Albany, Johnson said.

As the new Soundkeeper, Lucey will focus on addressing water quality problems and ensuring polluters comply with the Clean Water Act and serve as an advocate for the Sound.

The former Soundkeeper office in Norwalk closed in 2015 and Lucey will work out of two offices in New Haven and Mamaroneck, N.Y. But he plans to spend a lot of time on the Soundkeeper boat, a 21-foot Mako named the Terry Backer. Lucey hasnt yet settled on a place to live.

Were here to try and solve problems, Lucey said. Its not necessarily to go after people. But we need to keep an eye on things because lots of things slips through the cracks and youll get chronic problems that people sort of sweep under the rug.

skim@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2568; @stephaniehnkim
Major parties gear up for Phase 3 poll

Three major political parties Nepali Congress, CPN- UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) have focussed their activities on Province 2 in view of the third phase of local level elections scheduled for September 18, deploying top leaders to prepare the ground for their electoral victory.
The Literacy Council of Grand Island will host a presentation on the 2017 total solar eclipse by University of Nebraska at Kearney astronomy professor Mariana Lazarova at 7 p.m. on Aug. 10 at the Literacy Councils office at 312 N. Elm St.

All members of the community are welcome to attend this free educational event.

We understand the importance of community and of education and we truly believe that the Grand Island community benefits tremendously when it unites and learns together. We hope to be able to provide ongoing educational programming that people find to be both interesting and informative, Executive Director Kurt Stoppkotte said.

While the Literacy Council of Grand Island has traditionally provided English literacy classes, it is now offering educational programming that will appeal to all members of the community.

We are so fortunate to have connected with Dr. Lazarova. Not only is she a renowned expert in her field, she is passionate about making astronomy accessible to the greater community, Stoppkotte said.

Originally from Bulgaria, Lazarova came to the United States for her university studies and is now an assistant professor for the UNK Physics and Astronomy Department, in addition to being the UNK planetarium director.

Stoppkotte said, We really see our mission as pro-community and pro-education. Events like this will help us to make our programming available to the greater community and we also hope that when new people come into our offices, they will in turn make connections with our more traditional students and that maybe they will even want to get involved and become a tutor.

The Literacy Council of Grand Island currently has 450 students and more than 100 volunteers who make it possible to provide its free English literacy programming. It is looking for more volunteers to serve as tutors, teachers, technology assistants or in other ways.

Glasses to safely view the upcoming total solar eclipse will also be provided to attendees.

To learn more about this event or the Literacy Council of Grand Island, go to giliteracy.org; email info@giliteracy.org or call (308) 385-5515.
Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court Michael Heavican and Nebraska Supreme Court Judge William Cassel visited and toured the Hall County Courthouse along with the District 9 Probation offices adjacent to the Hall County Courthouse Monday in Grand Island.

Heavican is spending the week touring and visiting with court and county officials in a number of Nebraska counties.

Members of the Hall County Board of Supervisors, along with other district and county judges, probation officials and their staffs and State Senator Dan Quick greeted Heavican and Cassel in District Court Judge Teresa Luthers newly renovated courtroom.

Heavican thanked the group gathered in Luthers courtroom.

The operation of all of our courts all around the state is a cooperative effort, he said. We pay the salaries of the probation officers, judges and most of the court staff, he said.

Operation costs, security and other expenses are paid for by the local county government.

Heavican was also impressed by the efforts of the Hall County Board of Supervisors in their efforts to renovate and improve Luthers courtroom.

I just want to comment, particularly on the good things you have done to preserve this beautiful Thomas Kimball building, he said. In Omaha, they would die to find Thomas Kimball architecture still in existence.

Thomas Rogers Kimball (April 19, 1862  September 7, 1934) was an American architect in Omaha. He designed the Hall County Courthouse.

This is fantastic in the fact that you have restored rather than covering up the building, he said.

Heavican said that District 9, which covers Hall and Buffalo Counties, is on the cutting edge of a lot of things, particularly here in Grand Island.

Heavican said the state and state lawmakers have tried to emphasize, in the last few years, the expansion of adult probation.

They have had to make tough choices in how to spend your tax dollars building a new prison and expanding community corrections, he said. In Nebraska, community corrections means adult probations.

Heavican said adult probation staffs have expanded greatly and we hope we are doing all kinds of great things in the community as fewer people are being incarcerated and more people are being rehabilitated and they are becoming positive additions to your community and the state as a whole.

He said juvenile justice in Nebraska is now done by probation officers.

He said the idea behind that takeover was that more kids would be treated and rehabilitated, be in their homes and involving their families. A few number of young people would be retained and we would get more positive results out of juvenile justice. I think we have really taken great steps in that direction.

Heavican said Grand Island has been a leader in drug courts and specialty courts, particularly Judge Luther, We would like to thank you for your good work you have done here.

Everybody who is saved in a drug court, and there are a lot of people who are, that is a family saved and an individual who is now a positive contributor to your communities, he said. That is terrific work on everybodys part, especially our drug courts and judges.

Along with the judges, Heavican also recognized the court interpreters in Grand Island.

You have more needs for interpreters services here than almost anywhere else in the state, he said. We are pleased with the way that system has worked positively here.

In finishing his words at Mondays ceremony, Heavican said he wanted to emphasize the cutting edge that is happening here in the Ninth District and particularly here in Grand Island.

Justice Cassel is the head of the Nebraska Supreme Courts Technology Committee.

He has spearheaded a lot of good things that we are doing in our courts, Heavican said.

He said that over the last 10 years great strides have been made to convert all the things courts do with paper into electronic data.

That is a big saving for the people who use the courts, it is a big saving for attorneys. It makes the legal profession and legal access easier and less expensive for everybody, Heavican said. It is less expensive for the county. There will be a day when you wont need all of the storage space that was needed for paper for decades.

He said that type of electronic access means people can access court documents any time of the day.

The court system in Grand Island is currently converting years of paper legal documents to electronic data that can be retrieved by the user by computer.

Heavican said the court system in Grand Island will also be one of the first courts in the state to become a reentry court.

Reentry courts are specialized courts that help reduce an offenders habitual relapse into crime and improves public safety through the use of judicial oversight.

One of the huge changes that have been made in the community corrections process is that people that go to prison with low rated felonies and when they come out and come back to the local community supervised by our probation officers who have to do all of this re-entry sort of thing, Heavican said. We have encouraged our judges to be involved with this because we know how well those problem-solving courts have worked and we see great potential in these folks coming out of incarceration.

He said the emphasis is to try to get people to become positive parts of our community so we know that the supervision is going to be good for these people and it will be good for your communities.

Supervision with judicial involvement is even better, Heavican said. So our judges are going to be picking up the most difficult cases that are coming out of the prison system of low-grade felons and they are going to be actively participating in the probation supervision of these individuals.

Heavican said reentry courts are a first for Nebraska and really quite cutting edge for the entire United States.

He said both Luther and District Court Judge Mark Young are volunteers in the implementation of the reentry courts in District 9.

Heavican said coming out to courthouses in Nebraska counties helps the justices give them a sense of place as many of the cases they hear in the Nebraska Supreme Court originate in the county courthouses.

What we want to do with this kind of tours is to get input about how things are working and we also want to meet and thank the county commissioners and all of the employees and the court staffs for the good work that they do, he said. With that kind of interaction with input from us and input from them, we get a better idea of how the court system ought to run and where we need to put resources.

Pam Lancaster, chairman of the Hall County Board of Supervisors, called Heavicans and Cassels visit to the Hall County Courthouse amazing.

He will get to see our new courtroom and all the things we have done to the courthouse, she said.
Hall County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Pam Lancaster told the board Monday morning to buckle up as this may not be the only year budget cuts will have to be made.

As for this year, it seemed as if the ride was just getting started as the county board agreed to make additional budget cuts at a special budget meeting Monday morning.

Last week, the county board told the Buildings and Grounds Department to cut between $10,000 and $15,000 from its budget; the Safety Committee, $500; the Roads Department, $300,000; and the Department of Corrections, $200,000.

Brad Fegley, a CPA with Lutz who is assisting the county with its budget, said with these cuts, the county potentially cuts $515,000 from its budget. According to an information sheet provided by Fegley, the county would need to cut $881,400 to equal last years levy of .35 based on a half-percent valuation increase estimate.

Hall County Sheriff Jerry Watson presented an overview of the Sheriffs Departments budget to the county board Monday. The official budget estimation for fiscal 2018 is $3.86 million, minus a $7,424 budget cut made by Watson. Last years adopted budget was $3.77 million.

Of this budget, $3.48 million would be devoted to personnel (up from last years budget of $3.4 million), and $199,650 to operating expenses (up from last years budget of $196,450).

In order to make $881,400 in cuts, the county board told Watson to cut an additional $20,000 from his departments fiscal 2018 budget.

I will do what you guys want, Watson said. But one thing I would like to point out is, out of this $3.8 million budget that were looking at, if we take out the grants, Ive got $224,350 to run the Hall County Sheriffs Department on. Of that, $65,000 is fuel. Thats not a lot of money.

He noted the department uses 30,000 gallons of fuel a year for its 35-vehicle fleet. The department has a contract to get fuel at $2 a gallon, which equals $60,000. The line item machinery and equipment fuel is budgeted with an official estimation of $65,000.

I think $20,000 (in cuts) is reasonable with the assurance that you have that unusual year for fuel prices being through the roof, Supervisor Scott Arnold told Watson.

The county board also agreed to cut $20,000 from Stuhr Museums budget. The official budget estimation for the museum for fiscal 2018 is $960,000, which is down from last years $970,000 adopted budget.

Supervisor Steve Schuppan said he would like to see the board take some out of Stuhr Museums budget to help the county meet its budget goals. He proposed cutting $50,000, much to Supervisor Jane Richardsons dismay. Richardson serves as the county boards liaison to the Stuhr Museum board.

I am with Steve in that no one is exempt from this (cuts), she said. I am not saying to cut zero ... but $50,000 is too high for me.

Richardson proposed the $20,000 amount, emphasizing that a 2010 Grand Island Chamber of Commerce industry impact study found Stuhr Museum has a $2.4 million impact on Hall Countys economy.

I know this is an unpopular thing, but I also know that they are pretty well funded out there and real fortunate things happen, Schuppan said. Plus, I know their foundation is well funded and I dont think taking $50,000 out of their budget is going to hurt them too bad.

Supervisor Karen Bredthauer said the board needs to be cautious in making drastic cuts to Stuhr Museums budget due to the museums task of preserving Nebraskas heritage and educating young children.

In Hall County, if we do not preserve our heritage, our kids will not know that the Native Americans were here, she said. They are not going to know how America survived and how it came to be. I really think we have to watch when we make cuts to museums. I think this is the only way we can educate children in Nebraska about their heritage.

After further discussion, Schuppan admitted he was not going to get his way and would settle for a $20,000 budget cut, upon which the entire board agreed.

The board also agreed Monday to cut $12,000 from the county clerks budget, $6,000 from the building inspector budget and $8,500 from the probation budget.

Also at Mondays special budget meeting, the county board got an in-depth look at the cuts the Roads and Buildings and Grounds departments will make.

As part of its cuts, the Roads Department plans to eliminate a line item to purchase a semi trailer for $100,000, cut $80,000 from the line item bituminous surfacing for a total official estimation of $920,000, and cut $50,000 from the line item gravel and barrow for a total official estimation of $300,000.

The cuts for Buildings and Grounds include $4,000 from a line item for contractual services, $2,000 for zoning/conditional use expenses and $2,000 for machinery and equipment fuel.
HASTINGS  Nebraska Childrens Home Society (NCHS) is hosting its 16th annual Weaving Families Together fundraising event on Saturday, Aug. 12, at the Lochland Country Club in Hastings.

The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a mix and mingle. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. followed by a short program.

This years program will honor Drs. David and Aileen Gruendel with the Randall Biart Philanthropy Award for their support of children and families served by NCHS.

In addition, Karen Authier will be recognized for 10 years of service as chief executive officer. Authier retires from NCHS on Sept. 30, 2017. A silent auction and giving opportunity will close out the evening.

All are welcome to come and learn about the NCHS mission to provide safe and loving care to children of all ages in Central Nebraska.

Tickets are $50 per person. Table sponsorships are $750. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nchs.org or by calling Leah Lindell at (402) 898-7783 or llindell@nchs.org.
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
Nepal, China trade set to normalise soon

Nepals trade with China via Rasuwagadhi and Kerung, which virtually came to a halt several days ago following Chinese customs clearing agents decision to raise cargo clearing-forwarding fee, will normalise soon, as the Chinese side has partially rolled back its previous decision to inflate the tariff.
Nepals policy is to maintain close ties with India, China: DPM Mahara

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara has noted that the cardinal principle of Nepals foreign policy is to maintain and develop close and harmonious relations with its immediate neighboursIndia and Chinaand to foster maximum goodwill and cooperation with them.
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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 08:21 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab03132 4 Editorial #Editorial,novel-baswedan,#novel,KPK,#KPK,corruption,#corruption,corruption-eradication-commission Free

After more than 100 days, the acid attack that seriously wounded the eyes of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator Novel Baswedan remains a mystery. There have been no solid clues as to who perpetrated the assault, which was apparently aimed at ending Novels illustrious career as one of the countrys toughest graft busters and, hence, undermining the national anticorruption drive.

For many, the police are looking to drag their feet and our patience as the ongoing probe has produced no significant progress. The only leap the police have made after more than three months of investigation was a sketch of a man whom investigators deem is a potential suspect of the attack.

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian unveiled the sketch after he met with President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Monday. The sketch was drawn with the help of, among others, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) based on the testimony of a key witness whose identity has been kept anonymous for security reasons.

Tito also said the police and KPK would form a joint investigation team to accelerate the probe into the attack.

Perhaps due to the slow progress of the investigation, President Jokowi summoned Tito to hear how far the probe had gone. Shortly after the April 11 incident, President Jokowi ordered Tito to thoroughly probe into the case and capture anyone behind what he called a brutal attack on someone who upholds his principles.

Civil society groups and the public at large have expressed their concern about the snails pace of the police investigation, and therefore urged the formation of an independent fact finding team, saying the police alone would be unable to solve the case.

On several occasions Novel, who was interviewed while undergoing treatment in Singapore, hinted at a split within the police force with regard to the probe into his attack. He told Tempo magazine that he suspected a police officer had stalked him and someone had attempted to bug him a few days prior to the attack. He also went as far as alleging that a police general had masterminded the assault against him.

As a seasoned investigator and an ex-cop himself, Novel is very familiar with the steps of an investigation. His allegations will not help the police uncover the culprits behind the acid attack unless he comes up with strong evidence. His grievances, however, represent the publics curiosity over whether the police are really serious about solving the case or are defying the Presidents orders.

Uncovering the perpetrators of the acid attack and their motive is by no means the interest of Novel as the victim of a crime. The attack is symbolic, given Novels prominent role in the KPKs success in revealing highprofile graft cases involving politicians, state high-ranking officials, as well as police generals. Novel was attacked as the court was hearing the e-ID card corruption scandal, the probe of which he led.

The terror may not stop at Novel. Failure to solve Novels case will further endanger the countrys bid to win its war on graft.
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Linkedin A. Kurniawan Ulung (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 08:57 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab03830 4 People theatre,theatrical-play,Rudolf-Puspa,artist,#artist,Indonesian-artists Free

You might not know Rudolf, but on the national theater scene, he is not a new kid on the block. He cofounded touring theater group Teater Keliling (Mobile Theater) in Jakarta in 1974. Since then, the group has performed at least 1,542 shows in over 500 cities at home and 10 countries abroad, breaking a record at the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) for having the highest number of performances in Indonesia.

In December 2016, the Indonesia Theater Federation granted the 70-year-old its Lifetime Achievement Award, naming him an Abdi Abadi (Lifelong Servant) for his life-long dedication to theater.

In Rudolfs latest work, he accompanied his students performing at the Galeri Indonesia Kaya (GIK) auditorium in Grand Indonesia, Central Jakarta.

For around 60 minutes, they staged a play titled Di Balik Topeng (Behind the Mask), which tells of conflicting views between the Grumpy, the Stubborn, the Coward and the Idiot about life.

The theme of the story was heavy, but the play was not boring and it successfully captured the audiences heart thanks to the witty performance of all cast members, who were mostly teenagers.

We are in Jakarta in the Ramadhan fasting month only, Rudolf said in June, which happened to be the holy month.

Although Teater Keliling is from Jakarta, it rarely stages a show in the capital city.

Rudolf Puspa (JP/A. Kurniawan Ulung)

Therefore, many Jakartans might not know about it, and if they are asked to name a legendary theater group, their answer might be Teater Koma (Koma Theater), which is two years younger than Rudolfs troupe.

Read also: Teater Koma presents new story 'Warisan' in August

Rudolf, however, does not mind if his group is not popular in its own birth place.

Teater Keliling rarely stays in Jakarta for a long time due to its tight schedule touring across the country. Every year, the troupe embarks on three tours, and in in each visits five to six cities for two to three weeks.

Prior to performing at GIK, the group had just completed its first 2017 tour in April, during which they performed in Tegal and Pati in Central Java, Kediri and Jember in East Java, and Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara.

Teater Keliling will start its second tour of the year in August, heading to Surabaya and Malang in East Java, Denpasar in Bali, Makassar in South Sulawesi and Lampung.

After August, we will prepare for a colossal show called Takdir Cinta Pangeran Diponegoro [Prince Diponegoro Love Destiny] in Jakarta, he said, adding that his group will perform the play in October next year.

Rudolf said he understands that as a result of constant touring, Teater Keliling remains relatively obscure in the capital city. However, popularity had never been a goal of the group.

Rudolf recalled chatting in 1974 with fellow performers Dery Syrna, Buyung Zasdar and Paul Pangemanan at the Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center in Cikini, Central Jakarta, about setting up Teater Keliling to develop theater outside of the capital.

Read also: Jakpost guide to Jl. Cikini Raya

We thought that there were many theater groups in Jakarta. Outside Jakarta, there were also theater groups, but it seemed that they were close to death. So, we decided to go around the country to thrill and excite them, he said.

Those four artists were also inspired by touring theater company Dardanella from Sidoarjo, East Java.

Established by Willy A. Piedro in 1926, Dardanella performed not only in cities across the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, but also abroad, including Singapore, India, Italy, Poland and the United states. This achievement crowned the troupe as the countrys first internationally acclaimed art group.

If [Dardanella] could travel to many countries during wartime, why couldnt we follow it in this modern era? We already felt that the era [the 1970s] was already modern, Rudolf said.

Touring is not the only item on Teater Keliling s busy schedule.

Because the troupe realizes that regeneration matters, it provides theater training as an extracurricular activity at schools, something that it has conducted since 1999.

Teater Keliling currently has 64 members, including 15 junior and senior high school students.

Today, he teaches 450 students at four junior high schools and 11 senior high schools in Jakarta. He always promises his students to bring them on tour as a way to boost their passion to learn.

Learning theater is useful for children because it will develop their character, he said.

They will be very open-minded because they are used to playing many characters on stage, said Rudolf, who found his passion in acting when he was a senior high school student in Surakarta, Central Java.

However, he sometimes faces challenges explaining about the benefits of performing to some parents who think that their children will have a bleak future if they ended up working in theater.

I have one student who decided to live with her grandmother because her parents had forbidden her to practice theater, he recalled.

Since 1974, Rudolf has experienced highs and lows performing shows across the archipelago.

During the authoritarian New Order regime, Teater Keliling could have at least 100 shows in a year. But, when the Reform Era started, that number dwindled to between 15 and 20.

He observed that after the regime changed, bureaucracy became a larger problem, especially in cities with self-governing authority. This made it difficulties for his troupe to get permission to perform.

[During the New Order era], after we had the central governments recommendation, we were always helped in every city we visited. [During the Reform Era], mayors and regents acted like small kings, Rudolf said.

However, he does not mean to say that the New Order was better than the Reform Era.

He added that after former president Soeharto stepped down, Teater Keliling enjoyed a greater freedom of expression, which included the opportunity to criticize the government.

During Soehartos era, we always felt anxious, because we could be interrogated for the things we said on stage. During our tours, we were always followed by intelligence agents, he said.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 13:03 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab12196 1 Art & Culture art,art-and-culture,painting-exhibition,Indonesian-artists,USA Free

Paintings by Yogyakarta-born Ratu Adil are currently being displayed at the Mansfield Art Center in Texas, the United States, marking the artist's first solo exhibition abroad.

Titled "Places I Call Home," the exhibition will run until Aug. 4 as part of the Mansfield Commission for the Arts program, which supports local artists in Texas.

"Home is more than just a building. For me, home is more about the sense of comfort and the memories built together with the people we love," Ratu said during the exhibitions opening on July 22 as quoted by a press statement.

Me n my muse... #paintingartist #art #fineart #artmodel #inspiration #oilpainting #artshow #texas #yogyakarta #mylife #ilovemyjob A post shared by Sang Ratu Tama Adil (@sangratu.adil) on Jul 26, 2017 at 4:36pm PDT

Ratu grew up in Yogyakarta, where her father owns an art studio. After first learning from artists who visited the studio, she continued her studies at the Texas Academy of Figurative Art in Fort Worth and also learned abstract impressionism from the Upstairs Gallery in Arlington.

The 34-year-old painter continues to include Javanese influences in her art throughout the eight years she has resided in the US.

Read also: Indonesian artist brings home to Rotterdam

JT Martin, the Upstairs Gallery owner, praised Ratu's consistency in inserting symbols that show her cultural roots.

Sylvia Shirley Malinton, a representative from the Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) in Texas, commended Ratu for helping to promote Indonesian culture and art to the Mansfield-Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) community.

"Ratu Adil brings us to the memories of the natural beauty, culture and life of cities in Indonesia and the city of Mansfield through her paintings," Sylvia said. (liz/kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 08:00 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab02996 1 Business Insurance-literacy-program,revenue,increase,life-insurance Free

The insurance literacy program conducted by the Financial Service Authority (OJK) has had a positive impact on the life insurance industry, with the total premium revenue of life insurance firms almost reaching Rp 50 trillion (US$3.75 billion) in the first half of 2017.

The benefits of the insurance literacy program, which involved representatives of the government and the industry, could be seen from the wider regions that had been reached by the insurance sector, said Indonesia Life Insurance Association (AAJI) chairman Hendrisman Rahim on Monday.

Life insurance is penetrating wider areas. Almost all companies have opened branches, not only in big cities. This means that insurance products are more accessible, he said.

He added that the electronic insurance program (e-insurance) implemented by insurance companies also made a significant contribution to the growth of their premium revenue.

The growth in revenue is expected to be over 20 percent by the end of this year, Hendrisman added. The number of insurance agents amounted to 566,356 by March 2017. (rdi/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 06:30 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab00971 1 Business Regulations,revision,ignasius-jonan,Jokowi,criticism Free

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan plans to revise Ministerial Decree No. 42/2017 on business activity supervision in the energy and mineral resources sector after President Joko Jokowi Widodo criticized him for issuing regulations that made doing business more complicated.

Representatives of the ministry have attended meetings with several stakeholders, including investors in the energy and mineral resource business to seek input for the revision of the regulation, said ministry secretary-general Teguh Pamudji on Monday.

He added that Minister Jonan had met with the President soon after he arrived in Jakarta on Friday after his trip to the United States. Teguh said Jokowi had conveyed his direction to Jonan about the regulation revision.

"Right now, we have finished revising the regulation and will report the revision to the minister. The revision will be announced in a day or two," he said.

The regulation was issued on July 14 and received wide criticism, particularly on the obligation for companies to seek approval from the ministry and related institutions if there is a change in in their top management and if there is partial or full transfer of their shares.

Teguh declined to explain about the revision, but stressed that there was a significant change in the revised regulation.

"Principally, we support investors. If the public wants to have a role in the revision, we will accommodate it as long as it is under our proper supervision and based on the existing regulation, he added. (dea/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 07:00 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab0239f 1 Business soekarno-hatta-airport,Flight-frequency-increase,Budi-Karya-Sumadi Free

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has said he wants to increase flight frequency at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to 120 takeoffs and landings per hour from the 81 currently.

I want to increase the frequency to 120 aircraft per hour in three to four years. This is reasonable, with the improvements in rapid-exit taxiways, overlay and the construction of a third runway, he said in Jakarta on Monday.

Budi said his ministry had consulted UK-based air traffic services consultant NATS, which advised Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom.

Heathrow operates with two runways and manages to handle up to 100 flights per hour. So it is possible to increase our traffic, he said, adding that the ministry was currently improving the standard operation procedures and necessary infrastructure to achieve the goal.

He questioned the complaints by the Indonesia Air Traffic Controllers Association (IATCA), which expressed concerns about safety linked to the frequency increase. He stressed that Indonesia had adequate human resources to achieve the target.

IATCA complained on Wednesday about the decision by state-run air navigation company AirNav to increase the flight frequency to 84 aircraft per hour from 72 per hour.

The excessive flight frequency will increase the chance of accidents, said the deputy chairman of IACTAs Jakarta branch, Andre Budi.

Soekarno-Hatta serves more than 1,200 flights every day. (dis/bbn)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 18:20 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab2239a 1 Business web-malware-isolation-system,Anabatic-group,Indonesia,distribution Free

PT Blue Power Technology (BPT), a sub-subsidiary of PT Anabatic Technologies, has made an agreement to distribute the ISLA Web Malware Isolation System in Indonesia.

BPT general manager Beng Santosa said ISLA hardware creates a virtual machine that isolates web browsing activity from other activities.

If malware attacked a system, it could only attack the virtual machine, which could be restored quickly.

"About 81 percent of malware attacks come from web browsers. So rather than using antivirus to detect malware, the isolation system is a better technology," Beng said at a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday.

ISLA was originally created by Branden Spikes, the former chief information officer at Elon Musk's companies Tesla and SpaceX.

Spikes left all Musk's companies and founded Spikes Securities in 2014.

In September 2016, Indian based Aurionpro Solutions Ltd acquired 80 percent of Spikes Securities, while Branden Spikes maintained ownership of the remaining 20 percent.

"We are pushing the sale of ISLA into the global market after the acquisition of Spikes Securities," Aurionpro CEO Samir Shah said. (bbn)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Beijing, China  Tue, August 1, 2017 18:00 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab20817 2 World China,military,Africa,defense,expansion,politics,cooperation Free

China has officially opened its first overseas naval base in Djibouti, state media said Tuesday, a major step for the country's expansion of its military presence abroad.

Chinese military personnel, officials and guests attended a flag-raising ceremony and military parade to mark the occasion, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The event was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of China's military, the People's Liberation Army, on August 1.

Officers and troops paraded for an audience that included Djibouti's defence minister, Xinhua said.

The logistics base is the first of its kind for Beijing, which will use it to support "naval escorts in Africa and southwest Asia, (UN) peacekeeping and for humanitarian support," according to a previous China defence ministry statement.

China sent its first deployment of troops to the facility on July 11, marking the occasion with a ceremony in the southern province of Guangdong.

China has described the base as "defensive in nature", saying it will provide support for naval escorts, UN peacekeeping, anti-piracy and evacuating Chinese nationals from the region in case of emergency.

The Chinese navy has long assisted anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden, as well as UN peacekeeping efforts throughout Africa.

China started building the base in February 2016 in the entrepot on the Horn of Africa, where it will be stationed just a few miles from Camp Lemonnier, the United States' only permanent base in Africa.

Beijing has made extensive infrastructure investments throughout the African continent as it seeks to gain access to natural resources and new markets.

Chinese banks have been major funders of at least 14 such projects in Djibouti, valued at 14.4 billion dollars in total, including a railway line that will halve transit times from Djibouti to Ethiopia's Addis Ababa.

Home to only around 800,000 people, Djibouti also hosts troops from France and Japan.

Topics : China military Africa defense expansion politics cooperation
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Linkedin Goh Sui Noi (Straits Times/ANN) Beijing  Tue, August 1, 2017 10:51 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab088df 2 World #China,#USA,#NorthKorea,#Trade,#NuclearEnergy,#bilateral,#trump Free

In a sign of widening differences, China has told the United States not to link trade to cooperation on resolving the North Korea nuclear issue.

This came after US President Donald Trump last Saturday accused the Chinese of not doing anything to restrain Pyongyang even as they had benefited from trade with the US.

"We believe that the North Korea nuclear issue and China-US trade are two issues that are in two completely different domains," Vice- Minister for Commerce Qian Keming told a press briefing Monday. They are not related and "should not be discussed together", he said.

Qian was also quoted as saying that China-US trade has been mutually beneficial, and both sides have gained a great deal from bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters, said that the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to resolve it.

Trump had said on Twitter: "I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do nothing for us with North Korea, just talk." He added: "We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!"

China's response to Trump came as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump spoke for 50 minutes on the phone Monday and agreed that more action was needed on North Korea.

Pyongyang test-fired its second intercontinental ballistic missile in a month last Friday night, with some analysts saying the missile could reach as far as Chicago in the American heartland.

Abe told reporters after the phone conversation that international society, "including Russia and China", needed to increase pressure on the North, noting that repeated efforts to find a peaceful solution thus far had not yet borne fruit.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference that "the role that China can play is extremely important".

But China has repeatedly said the North Korean issue is between the US and South Korea on one side, and North Korea on the other.

It has said that it would carry out fully the sanctions against North Korea under the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

It has also urged both sides to take a step back - with North Korea halting its nuclear and missile programmes and the US and South Korea suspending their military exercises - for talks to take place.

But US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday that the ball was now in China's court, and that it must decide whether to back stronger UN sanctions.

"An additional Security Council resolution that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value," she said.

However, Chinese analysts say China would not agree to severing trade ties with North Korea and that Trump's attempt to link Sino-US trade to the North Korean issue did not help matters.

The official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary Monday that China wants balanced trade with the US as well as lasting peace on the Korean peninsula.

"However, to realise these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one that piles blame on China for the United States' failures."

US expert Shi Yinhong of Renmin University warned that China's patience is not limitless.

Noting that it was a mistake for Trump to stake the broad and complicated Sino-US relationship on the intractable North Korean issue, he warned that the US could end up seriously damaging Sino-US ties.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 18:45 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab22f3d 1 City Semanggi-interchange,maintenance Free

The Jakarta administration will take over the maintenance of Simpang Susun Semanggi, or the Semanggi Interchange, after the handover of assets from the private company that built the facility.

When the handover is made with the private company, we will be the ones who will maintain the Semanggi interchange, specifically the Bina Marga road agency, said city secretary Saefullah on Tuesday, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

The interchange was constructed using compensation funds in return for a higher building-floor coefficient permit submitted by private company Mitra Panca Persada.

He added that the handover would be made on Aug. 17 during the interchanges inauguration and it would be recorded as the citys asset.

Saefullah, however, admitted that funding for the interchange maintenance had not been allocated in the citys budget because usually the contractor was responsible for the maintenance for six months after the handover.

At present, the city administration is conducting a trial of the interchange from July 28 to Aug. 10. The interchange is 1.6 kilometers long with two ramps: The first connects Slipi, West Jakarta, with Blok M in South Jakarta. The second connects Cawang, East Jakarta, and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. (wnd)
Police head constable gets life for murdering lover

The Jajarkot District Court has sentenced Nepal Police Head Costable Kamal Sunar to life imprisonment with confiscation of properties after he was found guilty of murder.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Probolinggo, East Java  Tue, August 1, 2017 16:02 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab1ccd7 1 National Dimas-Kanjeng,murder,murder-case Free

The Kraksaan District Court in Probolinggo, East Java, has sentenced cult leader Dimas Kanjeng Taat Pribadi to 18 years in prison for masterminding the murder of one of his followers, Abdul Ghani.

"The defendant has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to have encouraged the premeditated murder of the victim, presiding judge Basuki Wiyono said as quoted by Antara.

Taat, who made headlines when he claimed to have the ability to multiply banknotes last year, escaped life imprisonment as demanded by the prosecutors.

Lead prosecutor Usman said he would appeal the sentence, which he said was too light.

Taats lawyer, M. Soleh, said his client would challenge the verdict, insisting that he was innocent. "We want our client acquitted of all charges because none of the four witnesses who testified claimed that our client was involved in the murder.

Taat attracted hundreds of people after he claimed that he had the mystical ability to multiply banknotes. He has also been charged with fraud.

Two of his followers, Abdul Ghani and Ismail Hidayah, were reportedly murdered for trying to expose his fraudulent practices. (yon)
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Linkedin Andrew Beatty (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Tue, August 1, 2017 14:00 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab13eba 2 World US,trump,communication,scandal,White-House,spokesman Free

Foul-mouthed spin doctor Anthony Scaramucci was axed as White House communications director Monday, just 10 days after being named to the post and hours after Donald Trump installed a new chief of staff.

The 53-year-old New Yorker -- whose profanity-laden rant against colleagues gained him global notoriety -- was fired as four-star general John Kelly began his quest to impose order on an administration careening out of control.

During its first six months in office, Trump's White House has been beset by scandal, investigations, infighting, leaks, sackings, resignations, stinging legislative defeats and historically low approval ratings.

Scaramucci was brought in a little over a week ago to get the White House back on message, but quickly prompted negative headlines of his own.

He publicly called then colleague and chief of staff Reince Priebus -- who was forced out last week -- a "paranoid schizophrenic" and denounced chief White House strategist Steve Bannon in lurid sexual terms.

The White House refused to say whether it was Trump or Kelly who precipitated Scaramucci's shock departure, but it seems clear that both were unhappy with his presence.

"The president firmly felt that Anthony's comments were inappropriate for a person in that position," said White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Sanders added that everyone in the West Wing -- including Scaramucci -- reported to Kelly, a return to tradition for a White House that has been anything but.

"General Kelly has the full authority to operate within the White House, and all staff will report to him," said Sanders. "That includes everybody at the White House."
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Linkedin News Desk (The Statesman/ANN) New Delhi  Tue, August 1, 2017 11:25 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab0b1cd 2 World #India,#China,#BRICS,#summit Free

India on Monday sought to play down reports of the intrusion by Chinese border guards one kilometer into Indian territory at Barahoti in Uttarakhands Chamoli district on 25 July as National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval left for Beijing to attend the BRICS NSAs meeting.

Media is carrying reports about an intrusion in Barahoti. Incidents of similar nature have happened in the past but are normally sorted out locally and should not be given undue importance,"government sources said.

The clarification by New Delhi is being seen as an attempt to ensure that the reported intrusion was not blown out of proportion by either side against the backdrop of the ongoing tense stand-off at Doklam.

The India-China border has not been delineated and, therefore, such transgressions by troops from the two countries have taken place on several occasions in the past as well.

In the 25 July incident, Chinese troops are believed to have asked a group of shepherds to vacate the land.

However, significance is being attached to the timing of the transgression as it took place when India and China are involved in a war of nerves since the stand-off at Doklam came to light on June 16.

In July last year also, two Chinese soldiers entered 200 metres into the Barholi area of Uttarakhand. At that time, then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the border had not been demarcated and the two sides had different perceptions about it. Therefore, India called the incident one of transgression and not incursion.

Beijing cautioned: A premier Chinese daily on Monday cautioned Beijing that the protracted row over the Doklam incident could threaten its ambitious trade and infrastructure outreach plan: the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The South China Morning Post quoted Chinese experts as saying that Beijings hardball politics were pushing New Delhi further away and could end up making it an enemy.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Statesman newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin Newsdesk (JP) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 20:25 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab29655 2 Business Montara,MontaraOilSpill,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan Free

Maritime Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has contacted high-ranking Australian officials to speed up the legal process for the class action lawsuit against Thailand-based oil producer PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) Australasia.

The lawsuit was filed by Care for West Timor Foundation (YPTB)s advocacy team, which represents 13,000 East Nusa Tenggara seaweed farmers affected by the Montara oil spill, which occurred following the blowout of an oil rig operated by PTTEP Australasia.

I have tried to reach George Brandis [Australian Attorney General] to ask for his support in order to speed up this process, Luhut said on Tuesday in Jakarta.

While the Australian government has received compensation for the environmental damage caused by the oil spill, the Indonesian government is still pursuing similar compensation.

However, Luhut said he was yet to receive any response from the Australian government. At the same time, we also are also filing a case to the central court in Jakarta and well see what happens, he said.

In August 2009, an explosion rocked a rig operated by PTTEP Australasia, causing crude oil and gas to spill into the surrounding waters. The leak continued for 74 days before the company managed to pump mud into a relief well.

The Australian Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism estimated that more than 2,000 barrels of oil had leaked each day into the surrounding water before the company succeeded in capping the well three months later.

The leak reportedly destroyed seaweed crops in West Timor and killed fish populations for local fishermen. (dis/ags)
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Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam, Riau Islands  Tue, August 1 2017

Shaesta Waiz, 29, a refugee-turned-pilot who is on a three-month solo flight around the globe, visited Batam, Riau Islands, on a side-trip on Monday when she encouraged more Indonesian women to become pilots.

Waiz, an Afghan-American, who was born in a refugee camp, told more than 50 female high school students the story of her life, during which she managed to overcome all the limitations and challenges of being a refugee to become a pilot who has inspired people around the world.

The equality issue for me is no longer a challenge. To become the first female civilian pilot in Afghanistan was a struggle, she said, adding that being a pilot was not a matter of gender.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 18:17 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab213fc 1 Business Benoa,cruise-terminal,bali,docking-fee Free

The government plans to cut docking fees by 50 percent for cruise ships docking at the new Benoa cruise terminal in Bali.

Benoa cruise terminals docking fees  between US$40,000 and $50,000  had twice been compared with the fees at Indonesias marine tourism competitors Singapore, Malaysia and Australia, said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said on Tuesday.

We have to adjust it to $20,000 so we can compete with neighboring countries, he said after meeting with Maritime Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan in Jakarta.

He explained that last year, tourist arrivals by cruise ship reached only 200,000 people  less than 10 percent of the total potential of 3 million arrivals.

The government aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals by cruise ship to 400,000, next year, he said.

The development of the Benoa cruise terminal, set to be fully completed by 2018, is expected to boost the number of tourist arrivals by cruise ships.

Arief explained that each tourist that arrived by cruise ship spent an average of $1,200 per visit, generating $480 million in tourism revenue.

In addition to Benoa Port, the government is also planning to upgrade four other ports to cruise ship terminals  Belawan Port in North Sumatera, Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta, Tanjung Perak Port in East Java and Soekarno Hatta Port in South Sulawesi. (dis/bbn)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 14:17 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab16404 2 National cyberattacks,Chinese,police,Scam,bali,surabaya,Deportation Free

Indonesia will deport 153 Chinese nationals arrested for alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar cyber fraud ring targeting wealthy businessmen and politicians in China, police said Tuesday.

The syndicate, who ran their operation from abroad to avoid detection by Chinese officials but did not target any victims in their host country, made around six trillion rupiah ($450 million) since beginning operations at the end of 2016, Indonesia police said.

They were arrested following a tip-off from Chinese authorities.

"We are conducting an intensive investigation and currently coordinating with the Chinese police to deport them," said national police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name.

The group, based in several locations across Indonesia, contacted victims pretending to be Chinese police or law officials, promising to help resolve their legal cases in return for immediate cash transfers, Jakarta police said.

The criminal network included IT specialists who would retrieve information on victims and develop communications systems for contacting them, he said.

Chinese nationals were arrested in Jakarta, the city of Surabaya and on the resort island of Bali in separate raids over the weekend.

"The perpetrators and the victims are Chinese. It just happens that they operate from Indonesia," said Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono.

Police are investigating how several of the Chinese suspects were able to enter the archipelago without a valid passport.

Cyber criminals targeting victims in China have increasingly exploited technological advances to operate from abroad, spreading across Southeast Asia and beyond in recent years.

China has become increasingly assertive in extraditing suspects.

Topics : cyberattacks Chinese police Scam bali surabaya Deportation
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 14:55 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab19a54 1 National KPK,novel-baswedan,attack,police,investigation,acid-attack Free

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has declined a proposal from National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to set up a joint investigation team into the acid attack on KPK investigator Novel Baswedan, its spokesman has said.

KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said that the responsibility for investigating the case lay fully with the police. "This is a purely criminal case that falls under the purview of the National Police," Febri said as quoted by tempo.co on Tuesday.

He said that the KPK had jurisdiction only in handling corruption cases.

The anti-graft body, however, lauded the meeting between President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Tito on Monday, saying that it was a move in the right direction for the Novel case.

Following his meeting with President Jokowi on Monday, Tito proposed the establishment of a joint police-KPK investigative team.

"If our credibility is under doubt, then I think a KPK team would be more trusted by the public and hence [more] credible. So why not establish a joint team," Tito told reporters.

Tito, however, brushed off the idea of setting up a special and independent fact-finding team to investigate the acid attack on Novel, which took place in April this year.
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1 2017

The implementation of the General Planning for National Energy (RUEN) road map, particularly for the coal sector, is likely to be hindered by the weak governance that continues to plague the industry.

The RUEN, a road map for the governments energy and mining targets until 2050, stipulates a production cap of 400 million tons per year for coal starting in 2019.

It also stipulates that coal should not be exported after 2046.

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Tue, August 1, 2017 10:02 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab05693 2 World trump,Russia-meddling,Washington,Hillary-Clinton,politics,White-House,Jared-Kushner,Republican Free

President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election was focused on adoptions, The Washington Post reported Monday.

It later emerged that during that fateful June 2016 meeting, Trump's eldest son, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian government attorney who an intermediary claimed had incriminating information about Trump's rival Hillary Clinton.

The subject line of the email from Trump Jr inviting Kushner and Manafort to the meeting read "Russia - Clinton - private and confidential."

In his initial statement on the meeting, Trump Jr said the group "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children," and insisted that "it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no followup."

The Post said the president dictated the statement to his son while on a flight home from the G20 summit in Germany.

Trump Jr later sent shockwaves through Washington by releasing a series of emails that detailed how he had attended the meeting after being promised "very high level and sensitive information" that was "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr Trump."

Trump has rushed to his son's defense, and lambasted what he calls a political "witch hunt."

Citing people familiar with the discussions, the Post said the president's legal team planned to present the meeting as a potential setup by Democrats seeking to entrap Trump Jr and thus Trump himself, who at the time was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Pregnant rhino died of anthrax in CNP

A pregnant rhino was found dead at Amaltari in Kawasoti Municipality-17, Nawalparasi, on Monday.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 15:18 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab1b2ae 1 Business USA,investment,Regulations,Indonesia,government Free

Senior vice president and regional managing director of the US-ASEAN Business Council Michael W. Michalak has said that the United States was concerned about relations between the Indonesian government and the private sector.

He said US investors called on the Indonesian government to resolve several issues, including those related to investment barriers in the oil and gas sector, the payment sector and the digital economy.

We mainly talked about investment that, we think, really has good potential as long as we can resolve some regulatory issues, said Michalak after meeting with Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He praised Luhut, saying that the senior minister was very forthcoming when Luhut said he would welcome any discussions with the private sector on investment issues.

Michalak said the US considered ASEAN as one of the growth engines of the economy.

In April, US Vice President Mike Pence and his Indonesian counterpart Jusuf Kalla celebrated more than US$10 billion worth of trade and investment agreements, which they said demonstrated the strength of the US-Indonesia economic ties.

Indonesia pocketed Rp 165.8 trillion (US$12.5 billion) in investments in the first quarter of the year, or 24.4 percent of the 2017 investment target of Rp 678.8 trillion, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) announced in April.

The figure is a 13.2 percent increase from the Rp 146.5 trillion in investments recorded in the same quarter last year. (dis/bbn)

Topics : USA investment Regulations Indonesia government
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Linkedin Andrian Bagus Santoso (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 2 2017

Indonesia used to be the worlds biggest nickel ore exporter, prior to the implementation of a raw mineral export ban in 2014.

The ban took effect as the countrys nickel ore exports fell to 4 million tons from a high level of 64 million tons in 2013.

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Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 2 2017

As the city with the highest number of drug abuse cases, Jakarta aims to help former drug addicts overcome their addiction by providing post-rehabilitation activities that will help keep their minds productive and ease their return to society.

The city administration is cooperating with the National Narcotics Agencys (BNNP) Jakarta branch to conduct the program, with further support from the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Agency (UMKM), the Social Affairs Agency and the Manpower and Transmigration Agency.

BNNP Jakarta head Brig. Gen. Johny Pol Latupeirissa said on Monday that the post-rehabilitation activities would soon be conducted at the agencys mentoring house in Condet, East Jakarta.

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Linkedin Jawahir Gustav Rizal (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, August 2 2017

Adisty Nilasari works in a field that is highly affected by the advancement of information technology. As the media relation manager of PT Unilever Indonesia, her job requires her to keep in touch with many people, anytime and anywhere. She chooses gadgets that help her connect with people and receive information easily.

As her office adopts the concept of agile working, where the employees can work from anywhere, Adisty holds her two smartphones close at hand.

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Linkedin News Desk (Sin Chew Daily/ ANN) Kuala Lumpur  Tue, August 1, 2017 14:00 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab146ef 2 SE Asia #Malaysia,#ForestFire,#Indonesia,#Haze Free

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Malaysia is ready to send fire fighters and officers to help Indonesia put out forest fire.

After launching the smart tunnel run 2017 today, he told media that the government is viewing forest fire in Indonesia seriously as it may spark off haze and the government is ready to offer assistance.

Junaidi said he has discussed with Sahidan Kassim who is in charge of the Fire Department and the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart) and the latter assured him that assistance can be extended to Indonesia.

Junaidi would be meeting with Riau and Jambi governors and plan to discuss with Aceh governor on assistance extended to Indonesia. Based on the air pollution index (API) released by Department of Environment (DOE), air quality remains at healthy level at the moment. No sign of haze caused by forest fire in Indonesia at the moment.

Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Alui Bahari said wind in ASEAN would be blowing from south east or south west in the next few days. Wind direction does not have major changes at the moment.

In other words, haze would not deteriorate currently. Based on information from Meteorological department website, northern part of Peninsula Malaysia  areas in Kedah and Penang are expected to have heavy rainfall. The situation would remain till evening. It would have some form of impact to wipe out haze.

Up till 2 p.m., only API reading in Taiping, Perak remained at 56, which was slightly higher than safety level at reading of 50. In East Malaysia, API reading in Bintulu, Sarawak remained at medium level of 53.

API readings for 60 areas throughout Malaysia are safe as the reading remained lower than 50.

Earlier, Junaidi said if Malaysia were to experience haze, only northern states such as Penang, Kedah and Perlis would be affected.

Alui, in a phone interview with Sin Chew Daily, said the department looks after the weather forecast in the country while haze comes under DOE. He did not have more detailed forecast on haze situation in the country.

Alui believes that DOE has a set of procedures to counter haze.

Junaidi said forest fire in Sumatra and Kalimantan are not serious. Haze is not expected.

However, Sarawak may be affected due to direction of the wind as the state is a neighbor of Kalimantan, said Junaidi after attending a prayer session for the safe return of pilgrimage group to Sarawak.

He said five hotspots were detected in Sarawak earlier. However, fire had been put out. Hotspots were also detected in some areas in Johor and Kelantan.

Topics :

This article appeared on the Sin Chew Daily newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, August 1, 2017 17:03 1929 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ab1f8d9 1 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,traditional-fabric,exhibition,fashion,The-Hague,batik Free

An event promoting Indonesian fashion called Wastra (traditional fabric) Indonesia fashion show was recently held in Rond de Grote Kerk 12, The Hague from July 25 to 26.

Themed 'Indigo Batik from Yogya to the World' and 'Traces of Gianyar Hertiage City', the event invited 320 world representatives and attended by batik lovers, fashion experts, socialites, export-import entrepreneurs and others.

This Wastra Indonesia exhibition is the biggest in Europe in the last three years.

One of the visitors named Luca admired Indonesian batik because he thought it is unique and beautiful, My grandfather used to live in Indonesia and wear batik. I would like to know more about it, which is why I came here. [Batik] has so many different motifs and colors, said Luca.

Read also: Saving the planet with slow fashion

Another visitor, Lara Peteers, who works in batik export import business was also impressed by the wastra nusantara and it leads them to work with companies in Indonesia producing different kinds of wastra-based products such as clothing, bags, wallets with a design that fits the European taste.

I see the beautiful design of wastra Indonesia and I would like for batik and tenun ikat to be worn by the people of the world, said Lara.

Indonesian textile is not just from Yogya, there are also tenun ikat, songket from Padang, tenun Sumba, pinawatengan from Manado and others. These fabrics are what we are introducing to the world, said education and cultural attache at the Embassy of Republic of Indonesia in the Hague, Bambang Hari.

Apart from the exhibition, there was a fashion show themed Natural Indigo Batik for All Season showcasing the works of four Balinese designers such as Harry Rahmat Darajat (Ai Syarif), Tjokorda Gede Abinanda Sukawati, Pande Putu Wijana, and Bintang Miraafriningrum and two designers from Yogyakarta namely Mayasari Sekarlaranti and Goet Puspa.

Prior the event, a wastra seminar titled Indonesia Traditional Textile as a Key for Environmental Sustainable Fashion was held on July 24 at the Indonesian embassy in The Hague.

Read also: Kampung Laweyan develops green eco batik

The event was divided into two sessions, the first session tells the story about Indigo, a type of plant used as a natural dye for batik. The session was presented by Laretna T.Adishakti and Mayasari Sekarlaranti who also explained about Yogya as the worlds batik city and the process of making the natural blue color in batik.

The second session was called 'Traces of Gianyar Arts & Woven Fabric' which discussed Gianyar weaving and presented by Catrini Kubontubuh and Prof. I Wayan Dibia. The event also showcased endek (Balinese textile), songket and batik fashion show and a dance performance.

Delf, one of the attendees was lucky that they could participate in this event where they learned about different kinds of wastra, Theres a special motive that can only be worn by certain people and for a special ceremony, this is very interesting, said Delf. (asw)
Red panda conservation included in school texts

In an attempt to conserve red pandathe shy and charismatic endangered mammal species, among other birds and animalsconservation education has been included in school curriculum in Panchthar, Ilam and Taplejung districts from this academic session.
Shining light

Last week, an editorial of a leading newspaper devoted its column to the Nepali Congress, the countrys largest democratic party.
The Macron era

When Emmanuel Macron was elected as the youngest president of France in May 2017, we in Nepal were busy counting votes in a style reminiscent of the 20th century.
The Dorfmann Theatre is transformed into a lab where collisions are observed. These collisions are between particles for the scientists in the play - but for the audience they are between people.

Its 2008 and Alice (Olivia Williams) is working at CERN with the Large Hardon Collider (LHC), the biggest scientific instrument in the world. As the culmination of 11 years of work comes nearer, a tragic event makes her sister Jenny (Olivia Colman) travel to Geneva, and the collision between the two sisters threatens everything.

The audience is seated in the round, and the idea of being observers of an experiment comes to mind. The set designer Katrina Lindsay has created an impressing circular set, that manages to both give the sense of scientific sterility, but at the same time work as framework for engaging believable living room scenes.

Blank faced anonymous scientists drag furniture in and out as the scene changes. This makes a great jump between being totally engaged in the acting, and then suddenly thrown back out ready for a new scene, a new experiment.

Lucy Kirkwood has written a funny, but heart-breaking story about differences.

Olivia Colman delivers a magnificent performance as the stupid sister, Jenny, born into a family of scientific minded geniuses. With a mother Karen (Amanda Boxer), who is a known pioneer for female scientists, and a brilliant sister Alice (Olivia Williams) who is a highly skilled physicist, Colmans character has grown up always being told how stupid she is.

What arises in the audience is the question; if Jenny is as stupid as she acts, or if she has decided to act stupid, as a form of rebellion against her family?

The chemistry between the two Olivias, Colman and Williams, are strong, and there is never a moment doubting the love, and frustration between the sisters. They keep colliding in their opinions and world views. Smashing together in their differences, always stepping on each others feet in their attempt to understand and be understood.

In the middle of this is Luke (Joseph Quinn), the 17-year-old son of Alice, who is struggling with being English in a school filled with people speaking French. Though gifted with a brilliant mind, he is not the best at social interaction.

The scenes between Luke and Natalie (Sofia Barclay), the only other English person in the school, beautifully illustrates the fear of being different, that is so abundant in the adolescent, and makes the audience cringe and laugh in remembrance and recognition.

As a parallel to the family life, a scientist (Paul Hilton), lectures the audience on the universe in a deliberate condescending demeanour. This is also the man who seems to be orchestrating which collisions we see. When and where in the history of the characters we jump in.

The scientist (Paul Hilton), who is, though never said, the long lost mentally ill husband of Alice, goes to the extreme examples of talking about the possible ways the universe can end.

The audience is completely drawn in as this end of everything monologue is complemented by the beautiful light and circular video design by Fin Ross and Ian William Galloway.

This is an ambitious play that doesnt just focus on life as we know it, but on the overwhelming curiosity and need to understand and be understood that is part of being human.

As an audience member, you are taken down an emotional journey with the characters, and at the same time wondering about life and the universe.

As the play ends by jumping 100 years into the future, it touches on how one specific thought is necessary to give humans the will to survive: Next time I will do better. Though a high ambition, Rufus Norris has directed the wonderful actors in "Mosquitoes" in a way that touches, ticks all the boxes and lingers with you.
It has just been announced that Tom Hiddleston will take on the role of Hamlet, with Kenneth Branagh directing the production, to raise money for RADA.

RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), the London drama school, is teaming up with Kenneth Branaghs theatre company for the production of Hamlet to raise money for the school, including student accommodation.

RADAs website states: The production is in aid of the RADA Attenborough Campaign to support the transformation of RADAs Chenies Street site in London, further developing the Academy as a world-leader in dramatic arts training.

The play will run for three weeks only, from the 1st to the 23rd of September, at the schools Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, which holds only 160 seats.

Tickets are available via a ballot system, which is open as of today and will remain open until this Sunday, the 6th of August.

Submitted ballots are selected randomly and chosen applicants will be notified by the 8th of August. They will then have 48 hours to book their tickets, with 21 total performances to choose from throughout the three weeks of production.

There will be 15 tickets available for individuals under 25. The remaining tickets will be either 45 or 95.

Hiddleston, who graduated from RADA in 2005, spoke to The Stage about the upcoming production and expressed his excitement about exploring the almost unlimited possibilities for interpretation of the role.

He continued: Kenneth Branagh and I have long talked about working on the play together, and now felt like the right time, at the right place.

The performing arts exist to bring people together, not to break or keep them apart. I hope the funds raised by the production will help RADA continue to provide a wider field of equal opportunity to train actors, stage managers and technical theatre artists, from every background, to a standard of excellence and professionalism. We need to keep the doors open for everyone.

Branagh also attended RADA and took on the role of Hamlet himself while studying there in 1981.

Branagh told the Stage: Im not someone who gets particularly nostalgic, but there is definitely a moment in your life where you look back with a different clarity. This is one such moment, and doing Hamlet here feels like coming full circle. RADA gave me confidence, support and creative freedom.

The rest of the cast and the creative team will be made up of members from the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company and RADA.

To enter the ballot, visit RADAs website.
As Summer comes into full force (hopefully bringing some appropriately sunny weather with it!), Netflix has plenty more to offer for all your binge-watching needs .

We've rounded up some of the best films coming up in August, including several Oscar darlings and some creepy new original films. As always, remember to check out our TV update too!

Dallas Buyers Club - 1st August

Following this year's Pride Month comes the 2013 Oscar darling, Dallas Buyers Club. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, the film revolves around prejudiced, womanising cowboy Ron Woodroof, whose life is changed when he is diagnosed with AIDS. Mistrustful of damaging, FDA-approved drugs, Woodroof joins forces with a charismatic trans sufferer to offer better treatment to those with HIV in Texas.

The Beach - 1st August

Directed by Danny Boyle and based on the novel of the same name by Alex Garland, The Beach follows a young American (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who seeks adventure in Bangkok. Upon finding a pristine island in the gulf of Thailand, with a beautiful hidden beach, the young traveller thinks he has discovered paradise - only to find that the beach is far from perfect.

The Birdcage - 1st August

After a long absence, The Birdcage is making a welcome return to Netflix. Starring Robin Williams, Nathan Lane and Gene Hackman, this hilarious comedy centres on the meeting of two families; one is a strict, republican unit, the other an openly gay union. What follows is a funny, if eventful, collision of values.

Godzilla - 2nd August

Yes, yes. We know - but hear us out. It was this or Fan4stic (which is also coming to Netflix this month). Roland Emmerich's 1998 depiction of the Japanese monster is famously bad, but - provided you're not sharing your password with anyone - no-one need know that you secretly enjoy it anyway.

Love & Mercy - 4th August

Starring John Cusack and Paul Dano, this biopic follows two significant periods in the life of Brian Wilson - the multi-tasking leader and co-founder of The Beach Boys. Featuring Cusack and Dano as both the young and the middle-aged Wilson, the film also stars Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti.

Icarus - 4th August

Another film lifted straight from Netflix's Sundance deal, Icarus is an intriguing documentary following Bryan Fogel's investigation into the truth about doping. A chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his queries into a geopolitical thriller, exposing the biggest scandal in recent sporting history.

Death Note - 25th August

Loosely based on the famous manga series of the same name, Death Note is this month's big Netflix original film. When Light Turner (Nat Wolff) comes to possess the eponymous supernatural notebook - which grants him the power to kill any person simply by penning their name on the pages - he decides to use it to punish criminals, only to find that an enigmatic detective is on to him.

Boyz n The Hood - 30th August
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing 'Pinterest Queen' Rachel Phipps, the multiple award-nominated food blog graduate who has just released her first cookbook: Student Eats.

Even though she is still very young, Rachel has significant experience, with her online profile spanning over eight years worth of content - initially starting off as a fashion blog before moving onto food, alcohol and travel. Her varied and unique upbringing, which spans across England, France and the United States is the key catalyst behind her love of food.

"I was looking for a creative outlet, and I was seventeen, you don't quite know what that is going to be when you are seventeen" she explains

"The blog was just a place for me to share my writing and photos. It was during university where I started writing about food, then it became a full-on food website which I still run today."

Becoming a food website wasn't necessarily the intention from the off.

"A reader asked me when I'd made the decision to turn it from a fashion website to a food website and I didn't actually realise that I had until I was actually asked that question! It was completely unintentional- but it was a natural progression."

So what is it like to be a Pinterest queen?

Oh God! Rachel scoffs, clearly very humble about the title.

I was on the platform about the time I started the blog. I think the sheer follower number is that, and also because I have a very good relationship with the team at Pinterest. Ive done lots of work from the blogger perspective for Pinterest, but I take the number with a pinch of salt!

Shes very honoured to be nominated for the Good Housekeeping and Great British Food Awards Best Food Blog category, but is surprisingly pessimistic about it.

Ive seen the competition, Ive got some friends who put so much into their website, so I dont expect anything to come from it. It is nice to see people sitting, looking and recognising the website and whats on it.

Rachel isn't someone who has had extensive Michelin-star level culinary training She says:

"I come from a family where pretty much everything is made from scratch- everything was done like that. I was used to growing up watching my parents making meals, to helping my parents make meals to me making meals."

Her reaction to going to University is perhaps understandable:

"I began to panic - 'On a student budget can I do the same from-scratch cooking when everyone around me is living on packet meals?'"

It's from these humble concerns that some of the early recipes in the book began to take shape.

Student Eats is designed to encourage university students to cook, but too many students still shirk the issue. A mental block, time constraints or something else getting in the way?

Rachel says: "I think partly it is the mental block, it's also more of an education about food. I didn't understand until I got to university that my attitude to food and the way we cook was not normal for everyone else. It's educating that cooking from scratch can be enjoyable and good value. It's not hard and it is not going to take up more time than just putting something in the microwave."

Is there an undervalued cuisine or ingredient in Britain?

"I honestly don't know. The sheer amount of world cuisines [in London where Rachel lives] and ingredients you can get ahold of - it's a trend thing. Korean food was a big influence on me, due to my time in LA, but it is more about people not realising what they can actually get.

"It's not about individual ingredients or cuisine, it is about saying 'Look, you can actually get these things in supermarkets now, you don't have to buy something for one specific world cuisine recipe. Its about getting people to use these ingredients in everyday life."

One obvious issue that she is passionate about is changing the perception of student food being basic or simplistic. Too many recipe books market themselves in that manner.

Something Ive noticed in the market a lot is that most of the books are not written by recent graduates, they are written by what people believe students eat. A fair few students see food as sustenance rather than something enjoyable, but the vast majority of students lifestyle now goes into food - whether it is going to street-food festivals, out to restaurants, eating world cuisine. They want to replicate this at home. Some recipes are really simple, like the tuna pesto-rice, but it is quick, its easy and delicious."

But at the same time, Rachel is keen to emphasise both sides of the coin - balancing price with quality and sophistication to produce a great eating experience.

The recipes are certainly wallet-friendly too; vegetarian options cost 0.75 per serving, whereas meat options weigh in at around 1.50, sometimes cheaper. Student Eats contains an excellent section on making your own cocktails, as well as advice on essential utensils and equipment needed for a students university cupboard.

Rachel's favourite recipe from Student Eats?

The sausage Bolognese. It embodies my influences with food - sausage-meat from my American experience, I wanted a student cookbook to have a Bolognese recipe and couldnt use the family recipe. If I tweaked it, it never tasted quite right to me. Its [the sausage Bolognese] as good as my mothers Bolognese.

Finally, Rachel's number one piece of advice for student cooks?

Plan what meals you are going to eat at any given time. You know when your classes are, you know when youre going out. I have meal maps in the book to demonstrate this - you cant let food go to waste. I didnt plan anything on shopping days because I knew I had leftovers. Plan but leave leeway."

Student Eats by Rachel Phipps (Ebury Press, 9.99) is available on Amazon and Waitrose from 3rd August.
Bruno Mars writes or co-writes almost all of his own songs, but if that wasnt impressive enough, he has also written several hits for other artists.

In 2009 he established a production team called The Smeezingtons, which consists of himself, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine. The trio have composed various songs together, often working with other musicians too. Here are some of the most famous songs that you probably didnt know Mars had a hand in writing...

Cee Lo Green - Fuck You

Probably the best known song 'written but not sung' by Bruno Mars is Cee Lo Greens massive hit that shot him to fame back in 2010 - 'Fuck You' (or 'Forget You', if you prefer the clean version). The song was co-written by Cee Lo Green and Mars team The Smeezingtons, who also produced the song. Bruno and Ari played the instruments in the recording too.

Adele - All I Ask

Even though this song was never released as a single, it still became hugely popular since Adele sang it live on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. It was co-written by Adele and Bruno.

The Sugababes - Get Sexy

Mars was involved in writing five songs for the Sugababes seventh album Sweet 7. In the lead single 'Get Sexy', you can hear him singing hey and get sexy in the background. The chorus samples the infamously ridiculous 1992 song 'Im Too Sexy' by Right Said Fred.

Brandy - Long Distance

Mars contributed to both writing and producing the single 'Long Distance' from the album Human released in 2008. At 1:29 in the music video, you can see Bruno playing the piano alongside fellow Smeezington Philip Lawrence.

Adam Lambert - Never Close Our Eyes

This was the second single from Adam Lamberts album Trespassing and was written by the Smeezingtons, Dr. Luke and Cirkut. Brunos team produced it too.

Knaan - Bang Bang ft. Adam Levine

This song became famous thanks to featuring in the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid, starring Jaden Smith. It was written by Bruno, Philip and Knaan. Mars also co-wrote 'Wavin Flag' which is on the same album, and the duo worked again when Knaan helped write 'The Lazy Song' for Mars debut album.





Far East Movement - Girls on the Dance Floor

Far East Movement, most famous for 'Like a G6', have also taken advantage of Brunos talents. As well as this song, Mars helped write '3D', 'Go Ape' and 'If I Was You (OMG)'.

Mike Posner - Bow Chicka Wow Wow

The Smeezingtons rise again, writing this song alongside Posner, which was a single on the album 31 Minutes to Takeoff. Lil Wayne also added his own lyrics in the remix.

Flo Rida - Right Round

Another mega hit, Mars helped write 'Right Round' alongside Flo Rida and a few other rappers, and the song stayed at #1 for six consecutive weeks. Like 'Get Sexy', the chorus samples a much-covered song, 'You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)' by Dead or Alive. Bruno Mars claimed the following line when you go down, down, which he added, is referring to oral sex.

Alicia Keys - Tears Always Win

Bruno, Philip and Alicia wrote 'Tears Always Win' for her 2012 album Girl on Fire. Although it didnt get as much public recognition as his dirtier songs, the song was highly acclaimed by critics, and BET stated Mars added a nice doo-wop touch.

When you pay attention, you can hear a similar style in many of the songs that doesnt stray far from Brunos own albums. They might not all be genius lyrics, but you cant deny that the man is talented.
It has recently emerged that anti-grammar school Labour MP, Rosie Duffield, sent both of her sons to selective schools, sparking debate over her intentions.

Throughout her election campaign newly appointed Labour MP for Canterbury, Rosie Duffield, maintained an adamantly anti-grammar school stance . Indeed, the MP was recorded as claiming that grammar schools are not the way forward and that the 11+, the admissions test for these selective schools, is a horrible, divisive and stressful thing.

The MP furthered her criticism of the institutions by noting that the conservative plan to create more grammar schools was simply a vanity project which only promised to waste money.

However, as it has since emerged that both of Duffields sons were sent by the MP to Simon Langton Grammar School in Canterbury, she was clearly happy to put her own children through a horrible, devise and stressful experience so long as it had the potential to advance their academic careers.

Indeed, it seems that although Miss Duffield has claimed that creating grammar schools would be of little importance to the education of thousands of other peoples children, the so called vanity project was chosen for her own.

Such revelation has created much debate, with some claiming Miss Duffield was simply choosing the best school available within the current system while others have slammed the MP as both hypocritical and self-serving.

Ultimately, it is absolutely impossible to be anti-grammar schools in principle whilst exercising the right to send your children to the same establishments. Either grammar schools are too cruel and backwards to send any child too, or they represent an excellent opportunity for the most gifted and talented students to advance their academic careers and should subsequently be available to those qualified.

Interestingly, the Labour Party recently attempted to support Miss Duffields troublesome position in a statement claiming that although an individual cant opt out of the system they can still disagree with it, a statement which is neither true nor particularly useful.

If an individual is fundamentally against grammar schools, as Duffield repeatedly claimed to be during her election campaign, they are spectacularly easy to avoid sending your child to. For example, the 11+ exam is in no way mandatory, and as such those who know they wish to attend a non-selective secondary school are under no obligation to sit the examinations. Equally, in filling out their preferences for potential secondary schools no-one is forced to have a single grammar school on their list.

Personally, I am entirely in support of grammar schools as, unlike private schools, they provide excellent opportunities to stretch pupils based on talent, as opposed to bank balance. Indeed, I am acutely aware that many of the opportunities afforded to me have been due to my own grammar school education.

I am, of course, aware that grammar schools are, by their very nature, not for everyone. Indeed, even one of Duffields own children struggled with their place, having to be moved to another school after finding the institution too competitive whilst her elder son thrived.

However, separating or setting children based on academic ability occurs in every secondary school in the country, selective or otherwise, and is widely celebrated as a way of allowing children to work at a pace best suited to them, surrounded by those who think and work in the same way.

Indeed, we would never dream of suggesting that the less academically able students be denied extra help, yet stretching those at the other end of the spectrum through grammar schools is often denounced as elitist by the likes of Duffield.

Of course, it is highly likely that Miss Duffield is acutely aware of the true advantages of grammar schools and that is the reason both of her children found themselves attending, regardless of their suitability. It is this desire to put her own children above the children of those she supposedly represents which not only makes her a hypocrite but also demonstrates the clear value of grammar schools.
Manila, the coastal capital of the Philippines, is technically sixteen cities and one municipality covering a grand total of 636 square kilometres overall.

Like several Asian capitals, it is a concoction of frenzy and simplicity in a crafty intersection between extreme poverty and extreme luxury.

As a result, its a high-speed, 24 hours a day location, and cultural heritage is blended seamlessly as Filipino, Spanish, Chinese and American cultures mix up. In fact, although Manila actually bears little resemblance to the rest of the country, it is obviously iconic nonetheless.

Although the city is very vast and has a wide range of opportunities to offer, it can be said that the most notable key sights can be covered in a few days overall.

Visit Intramuros for a flavour of the ancient, ancestral Manila city. Being the old Spanish heart of the country, established in the 1570s and still of monumental importance, Intramuros is a small area and fort constituting of a city within a city bordered by ruined stone walls and overgrown weeds and greeneries. Visit the dungeons and learn the stories of the Filipino soldiers for a sense of historical value in the capital; It is the place where the occupying Japanese Imperial Army made their last stand against American soldiers and Filipino guerilla.

Go from history and into the future as you visit the Makati district: what once was a malarial swampland got renovated and revamped to grow into the countrys number one business and financial district, full to the brim with the fanciest of hotels, international restaurants of the highest standards, expensive condos and malls and shopping locations.

Yes, Manila is indeed well known for its shopping scene, especially luxury wise. The biggest mall, in fact, is in this area and its called Glorieta (it has five side halls). Filipinos tend to visit malls for the shopping just as much as they do to seek refuge from the scorching heat.

Aside from condos and hotels and business buildings, Manila is far from a classically architectural city, since very much of the original infrastructure was bombed in the second world war, and anything still standing was basically torn down to build shopping malls and condos.

Resembling Makati, but with more of a blend between natural and shiny, is Manila Bay, the Philippines capital harbour. Historically attributed as the gateway for socio-economic development, now its where you go to hit the streets and party hard, looking out on the Chinese sea in the typical, enchanting summer night ways.

The waterfront boasts several enticing attractions, from Manila Ocean World to several intriguing museums. Plus, the small restaurants and bars are buzzing here, and the hotels offer a luxurious view of the ocean for the most elegant of experiences.

Although the bay is said to be past its peak by now, there have been renovations leading towards a more eco-friendly city scope in the past couple of years. Back in 2015 the Philippines was the worlds third highest producer of plastic maritime waste but, after Typhoon Ondoy, the government passed laws banning plastic shopping bags in order to make a move in the direction of a greener city.

After visiting Intramuros, Makati and Manila Bay and seeing the three main areas of the touristy Manila, theres a possibility you might be interested in venturing to the original downtown Manila. A local would advise taking a sneak peek at Rizal Avenue, Recto Avenue and Escolta Street, constituting of a rather rough neighbourhood left to decay in fascinatingly natural ways; get ready to seek out bargains on the black market and get a feel of the underrated real and gritty Manila.

This contrast between the areas of Manila is in fact incredibly telling of the reality of the Manileno lifestyle. Overall Manila is a conglomerate of shanty towns which then sprout into shiny glorious skyscrapers with rarely any urbanistic pattern overall. The population mixes between complete opposing points of the spectrum. On one side, extreme poverty, young children lying asleep on the street on the scorching pavement piled one atop of the other whilst prostitutes make their way round corners. On the other side, there are enormous shopping malls stuffed with wealthy, fashionable, trendy, iPhone bearing businessmen and women.

Overall, the citys complete contrast and generous intrinsic soul is great for creative souls and curious minds. Manila might as well be one of the most underrated Asian capitals.

Sofia travelled to the Philippines with a direct flight from Heathrow to Manila with Philippine Airlines. She was hosted by the Philippines Tourism Board and travelled through the north of the archipelago. As it says on the website: it's more fun in the Philippines!
The Queens Justice neatly tied up and continued a few plot threads this week with a lot less blood shed than expected from a show as bloodthirsty as Game of Thrones.

The long-awaited meeting of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen finally occurred, with Jon and Davos arriving on Dragonstone, greeted at first by Tyrion and Missandei.

Tyrion and Jon warmly greet each other, with Tyrion mentioning that Stark men dont fare well when they travel South. These quick mentions set the tone of the episode, which focuses heavily on the idea that dead characters still drive the paths of the living.

This really shines through when Daenerys requests Jon not to judge a daughter for her fathers crimes  something he implored others not to do when it came to the children of rebellious and dead northern Lords on last weeks episode.

The entire scene between Jon and Daenerys is a power struggle, and arguably difficult to watch: viewers have watched both characters evolve and struggle with decisions throughout the course of the series and to witness them grappling with each other is both stressful and satisfying.

As Jon eventually reminds Daenerys though, the Targaryen Queen will be ruling over a graveyard unless they manage to stop the White Walkers. Varys walks to the throne room and quickly whispers to Daenerys. She quickly dismisses Davos and Jon, hiding any weakness she could show at the fact the Greyjoys and the Martells have been decimated by Euron and his barbaric fleet.

This brings us to Theon, who is rescued by a ship packed with Greyjoy men. Though he lies that he tried to save his sister, the Ironborn quickly dismiss this and leave him trembling on the floor of the ship.

Speaking of the Greyjoys, Euron has arrived back in King's Landing. He parades Yara, his captured niece, around on a leash as the captive Sandsnakes trail behind. I find Pilou Asbks performance phenomenal as the unhinged and charismatic pirate as he manages to terrify and amuse simultaneously, mocking Yara about her brother jumping overboard rather than saving her and insulting him.

After the procession passes through the unruly crowds in the capital, they arrive at the throne room. The camera pans in on Ellaria as she looks fearfully at the hulking, undead Clegane brother that stands at Cerseis side.

Cersei takes Tyene and Ellaria to the black cells, accompanied by Qyburn, her hand, and the Mountain. Heady and Varma are exceptional in this scene. Once again, the viewer cant help but be reminded of Cerseis harrowing imprisonment.

The Queen talks about Oberyn, Ellarias dead consort, killed by the Mountain, and then about Myrcella  Cerseis daughter, murdered by Ellaria as revenge.

The

Lannister Queen talks about the poison, the long farewell, and what Ellaria can expect to watch in the next few weeks. The scene is harrowing as the Dornish women try to desperately reach for each other as the Queen leaves, restricted by their chains.

The theme of the dead leaving a lasting impression is continued with the Iron Bank sending their envoy to talk with Cersei  her fathers daughter indeed.

We quickly go to Winterfell and see Sansa navigating the position of the Lady of Winterfell with ease. Again, the dead are mentioned, with a small mention to Maester Luwin, who died next to the weirwood tree within the keep.

However, what follows next is a tearful reunion between Sansa and Bran. The last time viewers saw them together was in the very first episode of the series. Later, Sansa visits him by the weirwood tree  and learns her brother is the three eyed raven. He demonstrates that ability by talking about her wedding night with Ramsay. Clearly unsettled by this awful reminder, Sansa walks away.

Elsewhere, Jorah is examined by the Archmaester. The Greyscale infection has completely gone thanks to Sams efforts. After Jorah leaves, Sam visits Ebrose in his study. Instead of being rewarded, Sam is treated to more mundane tasks with his reward being that he wasnt immediately expelled from the Citadel.

Back to Dragonstone, Varys, Tyrion, Missendei and Daenerys muse about their fallen allies, and how the Unsullied will take Casterly Rock.

Tywin Lannister,

another face we haven't seen for a while,

had

given Tyrion responsibility of the sewers, which is exactly how they will get in.

Once again, were reminded of the difference between the two opposing Queens. Cersei's army is fighting out of fear, while the Unsullied are fighting for Daenerys. As the screen flashes to Greyworm looking worried at the Lannister forces are, it pans and we see Eurons ship, The Silence, decimating the Targaryen fleet outside Casterly Rock.

The rest of the Lannisters are marching on House Tyrell, having defeated their army. Jaime meets Olenna  the only surviving family member of the house. Jaime defends Cersei when Olenna asks him if he knows his sister is a monster.

As he poisons her, she reveals that she poisoned Joffrey, a secret she's kept since season 4.

After such a dramatic turn of events, were left to wonder what will transpire next week. With three allies down, will Daenerys take Olennas parting words to her  Youre a dragon; be a dragon to heart? Will she look for a more dependable ally in Jon? More importantly, how will Cersei react when she learns Jaime offered one of their childrens killers a peaceful way out, as compared to how she treated Ellaria?

Whatever the answers, next weeks episode The Spoils of War, will have a lot to live up too.

Game of Thrones airs every Monday at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.
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Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets.
By Samuel Ssebuliba

If the elections were held today, National Super Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga would get 49% of Kenyans votes, while Jubilees candidate and incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta would garner 48% of the votes, this is according to a new Infotrak poll released on Tuesday.

The poll further shows that Tunza Coalition presidential candidate Abduda Dida would have 0.3%, while Third Way Alliances Ekuru Aukot would get 0.1%

Another 2% of the sampled population was undecided.

Meanwhile following the gruesome murder of IT manager of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Ugandan election observers have asked Kenyan leaders to embrace peace as the country counts down to Election Day.

Speaking to KFM, Crispy Kaheru the coordinator Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy condemned such acts that could culminate into chaos during and after the August 8th election.
By Benjamin Jumbe

The Somali National Army needs to be equipped with the necessary tactics to help them protect the sovereignty of their own country.

The statement has been made by the Commander of the US Army in Africa Maj Gen Joseph Harrington while meeting the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen David Muhoozi at the army headquarters Mbuya.

Maj Gen Harrington said this skilling should be done by all Troop Contributing Countries in Somalia, applauding and commending UPDFs role in the pacification of both Somalia and the Central Africa Republic (CAR).

He expressed his commitment and willingness to help UPDF fill its training gaps in both Maritime engagements and Air Defence.

Gen David Muhoozi, lauded the US Army for its enormous contributions towards the success of UPDF missions, saying that the building of capacity of UPDF soldiers would make the region more stable
Lake Neshonoc is once again open to the public this week after it was closed by La Crosse County in the aftermath of late Julys torrential rains.

Neshonoc Lake District Chair Jim Leicht warned lake-goers late last week that water levels would remain two-to-three feet lower than usual while maintenance workers from Eagle Creek, the company that owns the Neshonoc Hydroelectric Dam, can complete repairs.

Village administrator and backup dam operator for Eagle Creek Teresa Schnitzler said the replacement of the dams flashboards, which are used to artificially raise the water level to make more power, has been moved up and will be replaced this year, however, a date for the repairs has not yet been set.

She said Eagle Creek may wait until later this year when lake activity dies down before making the repairs.

I am pleasantly surprised they are keeping the lake up at its current levels, Leicht said. They have been able to overcome the break in the flashboards.

For now, the lake is standing at close to nine-feet in depth, which is normal for this time of year.

When they go to look at the flash boards theyll lower it 20-30 inches, she said.

Residents will be given notice when work on the dam is set to begin so they can take steps to prevent property damage. Once the replacement of the flashboards begins, the lake level will be slowly lowered over the course of a few days.

Schnitzler said the lake is not going to drop three feet overnight.

Leicht also warned boaters that in the aftermath of the flood, the lake has changed.

Boaters that are familiar with the lake should be aware that the lake has changed, Leicht said. Areas that were deeper may not be as deep.

There is just a tremendous amount of sand out there in the delta area, he said.

In some areas along the eastern shore as much as three feet of sand was deposited. There are also seven or eight large collections of debris floating around in the make and many more may be just below the surface.

One of them is the size of a big truck, Leicht said.

Leicht said on July 20 there more than 60 of these debris patches that were swept into the lake following that mornings torrential rain.

They will eventually break out in the wave action, he said and added that until they do, boaters should exercise caution.
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A new business concept being proposed for Holmen would provide budding entrepreneurs with an operating and storage unit all at one site.

Developer Mike Smith is hopes to build storage units that would have power, sewer and water as well as office space.

This is a hybrid system, said Holmen Village Administrator Scott Heinig. Light industrial users are looking for something like this. It could mean a number of new business start-ups. Its perfect for that location; its a creative in-fill project.

Smith intends to build two buildings on property he purchased at the corner of Northstar Road and Western Avenue that would have the hybrid units and a third building of strictly storage units without the amenities available in the other two buildings.

Smith decided to bring the concept to Holmen after seeing similar units in other towns.

Ive had a few people express interest (in leasing a unit), but nothing definite yet, said Smith.

He intends to start construction on the first building of 12 units sometime late this fall after its approved by the Holmen Village Board and the blueprints are finalized with the goal of beginning to lease the individual units sometime in the spring.

The Holmen Planning Commission voted at its July 25 meeting to recommend the project to the Holmen Village Board for approval with the stipulation the design be amended to include more stormwater retention on site.

Seven Bridges

The Holmen Planning Commission voted to send the developers agreement and final plat for the first phase of development in the Seven Bridges addition on to the Holmen Village Board for approval.

However, developer Jim Christiansen raised concerns about installing clustered mailboxes in the development, claiming the responsibility caught him by surprise.

The postal service has set a policy that new subdivisions must have clustered box units, or grouped mailboxes containing between 8, 12 or 16 individually locked mailboxes and parcel compartments mounted on pedestals or housed in an enclosed or wall structure.

With a 12-unit cluster, one-twelfth of the unit will belong to a resident, said Heinig. We talked to the postal service, but it didnt do any good. No one from our lobbies had any influence.

Since instituting the policy, postal carriers no longer deliver to homes or to personal mail boxes located at the curb in new subdivisions. The cluster mailboxes are to be located on private property.

The USPS advises developers to include the clustered mailboxes as part of any subdivisions design phase, and after the developers install the boxes, they are no longer responsible for their maintenance, and neither will the village.

According to Pete Nowacki, USPS spokesman in the Minnesota office, the use of clustered mailboxes began in 2002, but the delivery policy for new construction changed in April 2012.

The policy impacts new developments only and is in effect nationwide, said Nowacki. Centralized box units are not just an efficient means for delivering the mail, they also offer customers and communities several advantages.

The advantages Nowacki cites includes locked mail boxes for incoming and outgoing mail. Mail and packages stay secured even when residents are not able to retrieve their mail for several days. This eliminates the need to put a hold on their mail or arrange for someone to pick it up.

Mail carriers will be able to park at the clustered mailboxes and do multiple deliveries, reducing the number of stops. The grouped mailboxes will reduce the carriers need to pull in and out between cars parked along busy streets.

The clustered mailboxes also include large parcel compartment. Residents gain access to the large parcel compartments with a key left in their mail box.

Postal customers will still need to remove snow from around the clustered mailboxes. They can partner with neighbors to keep their shared clustered mailbox unit clear of snow instead of having to clear snow from around their individual mail boxes.

Holmen Public Works Department director Dean Olson has indicated the cluster mailboxes do have an advantage during street snow removal since the structures are located a few feet from the curb and less likely to be damaged by a snow plow.

Annexation petition

The Holmen Plan Commission also approved an annexation petition of 25-plus acres owned by Tim and Julie Lysaker in the town of Holland. Along with the Lysaker property, the annexation also includes the Hwy. 53 right-of-way.

The property is located north and east of the Hwy. 53 interchange in the Bluffview Court area. It is located in the area slated for village development as outlined in the town and village boundary agreement.

With the commissions approval, the petition will go to the Holmen Village Board for final approval.
Hamlin senior throws standout Gracelyn Leiseth headed to Florida

Hamlin's Gracelyn Leiseth to compete in women's track and field at the University of Florida.
The elk have been making their way across Jackson County for a few years ever since they were brought to the area in 2015. Ever since then, the DNR has been keeping track of their progress and right now there are about 63 to 65 elk in the county.

One of the ways the DNR has been doing this is by searching for and counting the elk calves born each year. On a cool July morning, the DNR and several volunteers headed out to some thick woods to search for one of the calves.

At the start of the spring calving season, DNR biologist Scott Roepke said there were about 50 elk left on the ground through the previous two releases, but they anticipate between 13 to 15 calves being born which put their estimate at 65 elk at most.

The DNR uses collars and tags on some of the elk to track them and gauge when an elk cow, the term for a female elk, is pregnant and likely to give birth.

When a cow is pregnant shell usually break away from the herd and find a place to bed down and give birth, Roepke said.

A homeowner spotted an elk cow that looked pregnant on his wildlife camera and alerted officials last week.

Thats exactly what this cow did before the DNR went out to search for the calf, finding a spot near Millston to settle down and give birth.

For the first week after birth, Roepke said calves dont move much so that is the ideal time for the DNR to go in and tag the calf.

When a birth has taken place, the cow beds down in the same spot every night and doesnt wander far during the day. Once there is a good indication that a birth has taken place, Roepke gets some DNR staff and volunteers together to go search for the calf.

Volunteers then line up in the forest and carefully make their way through the area scouring the land for any signs of elk or calves in the area.

Not every search is successful, since Roepke and the team didnt find the elk calf they were looking for Wednesday. Roepke is confident though that the calf is somewhere nearby, likely just out of where the DNR had permission to search.

Its hit or miss whether you find a calf or not, the calves can hide very well and its easy to walk right by it even if youre within a few feet of it, Roepke said.

If they do find the calf, DNR officials will weigh it, put a tag in its ear and give it an adjustable radio collar that will expand as the calf grows.

Roepke said putting the tags and collar on the calf doesnt hurt the young animal and the process is fairly quick and easy as elk calves dont fight too much.

Getting an accurate look at calf numbers and their well-being gives the DNR a good readout of how the herd as a whole is doing.

Monitoring the survival rates of the calves also lets the DNR know if they should look into their management policy and adjust it as needed.

You dont really see any herd growth for the first couple years, it takes them awhile to settle in and recognize the dangers in the area, Roepke said.

The herds that were brought in are transplants from Kentucky, so their relocation into Jackson County has presented them with new problems, such as terrain, weather and predators, that they might not regularly run into in Kentucky.

We saw some loss in the herd, but weve also began to see some good growth this spring so we anticipate as the years go on survival rates to go up, Roepke said.

That reintroduction has brought some new excitement throughout the county, not just in the DNR, as wildlife interest in the area has been on the rise.

We do get people who stop in asking about them, executive director of the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce Chris Hardie said. I think there is great potential.

Hardie said that it is still a bit early to gauge the tourism impact of the elk, but he has hopes to create viewing areas in the future for tourists.

If you have a wildlife camera or happen to see a pregnant elk, Roepke said the best action is to call the local DNR office at 715-284-1403 and let them know so they can investigate it.
A group of western Wisconsin landowners have lost a court battle to block a proposed frac sand mine using a novel legal approach.

La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne dismissed a case brought by three families who sued to stop AllEnergy Corp. of Des Moines from opening the $130 million project in the town of Hixton on the grounds it would be a nuisance.

Greg Krueger and his co-plaintiffs claimed the 750-acre mine, processing plant and rail terminal would generate air, water, noise and light pollution, destroy the landscape, deplete groundwater supplies and unreasonably interfere with their right to peaceful enjoyment of their land.

Jackson County landowners look to courts to block frac sand mining MERRILLAN, Wis.  Ron Baerbock had never heard of frac sand when he moved to Jackson County 

One of two such cases filed by attorney Thomas Lister on behalf of Jackson County residents, it was one of the first such efforts to apply the idea of private nuisance  that an owner cant use land in a way that harms neighboring property owners  to the industry, which began rapidly expanding in western Wisconsin during the past decade to supply fine-grained sand for use in oil and gas wells.

The lawsuit calls into question inherent tensions in land use decisions, Horne wrote in a ruling issued Monday. Moreover, this lawsuit raises the question of who should assess the risk to property owners and determine in advance of any actual harm that a proposed land use will create a nuisance that is definite and certain.

Horne noted that the towns mining ordinance and a developers agreement with AllEnergy should be sufficient to protect its residents and that courts should not interfere except in the clearest cases.

If an actual nuisance arises, Horne said, he would have the authority to order damages or a modification to the operating regulations.

In an effort to address that concern, the plaintiffs filed a dozen affidavits from people living near other sand operations who complained of dust that causes chronic coughs and prevents them from opening windows, light, noise and vibration that keeps them up at night, cracked walls and fouled well water  all in spite of similar ordinances and operating agreements.

There are some nuisance impacts that are inevitable, Lister added. You cant protect people against the destruction of the landscape and loss of property value.

Lister said he was pleased Horne recognized anticipatory nuisance as a legal doctrine but disappointed not to have the chance to argue it at trial. He anticipates Horne will dismiss a similar case in which another group of landowners are attempting to stop a 945-acre mine, processing and loading facility about six miles to the east between Black River Falls and Alma Center.

The plaintiffs are considering whether to appeal the dismissal, he said.

AllEnergy CEO Dean Sukowatey said he was elated by the decision and would be meeting with engineers and investors to determine a timeline to move ahead on the project. Sukowatey said he has the necessary construction permits in hand and a contract with one of the largest oil service companies in the world.

Were going to be racing to meet the contract, he said.

Judge Scott Horne dismissed a case brought by three families who sued to stop AllEnergy Corp. of Des Moines from opening the $130 million project in the town of Hixton.
Two 19-year-old men who engaged La Crescent police in a gunfight before fleeing at speeds up to 100 mph face assault and attempted murder charges when they appear in Houston County District Court.

Wyatt Helfrich of La Crosse is jailed in La Crosse County and likely will not fight extradition to Minnesota to face charges of felony assault and fleeing police when he returns to court Wednesday, his attorney said in court Tuesday.

His co-defendant is identified in court records as William Wallraff, who is jailed in Houston County for attempted murder.

Two La Crescent officers stopped their car about 1:30 a.m. Monday on Hwy. 16 for speeding and other driving infractions, according court records.

At least one of the men shot at an officer when he exited his squad car, according to court documents.

Police returned fire, and the men fled, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph while firing at pursuing officers. The chase ended when the suspects crashed into a bean field near Hwy. 44 and Sanden Road, according to court documents. They ran into the field and later surrendered.

One of the men told police they left a shotgun, a rifle and ammunition in the field.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is conducting the investigation, did not identify who was driving the car and who shot at police.

Helfrich was treated for a gunshot wound to the back of the neck. Wallraff was not injured.

Neither officer was injured, and both are on administrative leave.

La Crosse County prosecutors on May 11 charged Helfrich with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine as party to the crime after La Crosse police found 7.9 grams of meth inside a vehicle in which he was a passenger, according to the complaint. At the time of Mondays shooting, he was free on a signature bond with GPS monitoring and house arrest.

Wallraff does not have a criminal record in Wisconsin or Minnesota.
Vidyut Jammwal is looking forward to starting shooting for his next thriller Junglee which will be directed by American writer-filmmaker Chuck Russell. He feels fortunate to be part of a film with a message for the global audience.

Russell has joined hands with Junglee Pictures to helm an action-adventure about a man and an elephant. It will throw light on the issue of elephant poaching and ivory smuggling.

The film is set to go on floors in October, with a release targeted for the summer of 2018.

"Being trained in Kalaripayattu since the age of three and given my love for animals, I couldn't have asked for a better script to showcase my potential. I consider myself really fortunate to get a chance to be part of a film that has a message of global significance," Vidyut said in a statement.

The Commando star added: "Above all being directed by the legendary Chuck Russell is any actor's dream and I can't wait to begin the shoot."

Russell is known for films like A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Mask, Arnold Schwarzenegger-starrer Eraser and The Scorpion King.

Priti Shahani, President, Junglee Pictures, also said that Junglee will narrate a heart-warming story penned by Ritesh Shah.

"Chuck was our first choice and we reached out to him thinking may be the story would appeal to him given that it raises an issue of global significance. And to our delight Chuck agreed and he will be flying in next month to start the prep," Shahani added.

Talking about roping in Vidyut for the film, she said: "Kalaripayattu, a form of martial arts which originated in Kerala, also forms an integral part of the film. Vidyut is trained in the martial art form since childhood. We are very happy to have roped in Vidyut for this thriller."

The action-thriller will unfold in the jungles of Kerala, and is scheduled to be shot in an elephant reserve in the state.


The Karnataka government has transferred city police chief Praveen Sood, who had drawn flak from Kannada activists and writers during recent protests against Hindi signboards at some metro stations.

T Suneel Kumar has been appointed as the new Commissioner.

A government notification said yesterday that Sood has been transferred with immediate effect and posted until further orders as the Additional Director General of Police, Communication, Logistics & Modernisation.

Kumar was earlier the Additional Director General of Police & Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation Ltd.

Sood, who had taken charge as the city police chief on January 1, faced criticism from Kannada activists and writers over a police case under section 153A of IPC against activists for blackening Hindi signages at metro stations, recently.

The section relates to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
The Delhi High Court has formed a six-member committee to make recommendations to the court on "how court proceedings ought to be covered in the media in Delhi".

Setting up a committee, Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal gave three months time to it to come up with its recommending guidelines for media personnel and organisations to follow while reporting on court cases and proceedings.

"it is a participatory endeavour by which certain principles can be evolved which ought to guide media organisations in their coverage of court proceedings and cases," the order read.

The order further said that in recent past, media trials have "led to formation of populist views which in turn have threatened to prejudice the process of justice delivery, by influencing the judgment of the stakeholders (police officers, judge) involved by putting the onus of fulfilling public expectation on them".

"Media reports on court proceedings have actually exhibited a disproportionate influence on public opinion," the order issued by Justice Mittal said.

The committee will be chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ruma Pal, and Justice Manmohan of the Delhi High Court will be its convenor.

Retired Justice G. Raghuram, former IAS officer S.C. Panda, Arghya Sengupta of Vidhi Centre for legal policy, and senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and advocate Bharat Chugh are other members of the committee.

In the order, Justice Mittal said that "the current state of news reporting in India is such that often several news organisations succumb to the pressures to report in a manner that sensationalise news."

"There is growing tendency to selectively report isolated court observations without reference to context".

The order said that the intention behind the guidelines is that though remedy such as contempt of court is available for inaccurate or prejudicial coverage, they become available only after the media has already erred, and often, irreversible damage to the case done.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday described the killing of Pakistani militant Abu Dujana as "good riddance to a nuisance" and said operations against all guerrillas will continue irrespective of civilian protests.

Addressing the media with Lt Gen J.S. Sandhu, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's 15th Corps, Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said: "Dujana's killing is good riddance to a nuisance in the area."

Khan added: "Whether or not there are protests and disruptions by protesters during our operations against militants, the security forces will continue their operations."

He said the security forces tried to persuade the holed up militants in Hakripora village in Pulwama district on Tuesday to surrender. The local militant who died with Dujana was said to be Arif Lalihaari.

"The head of the family of the house where Dujana and Arif were hiding was used to persuade them to surrender. Perhaps because of the presence of Dujana, Arif, a local militant, could not surrender," the police officer said.

Both Khan and Lt Gen Sandhu said Dujana was now mostly indulging in "ayyashi" (debauchery) more than engaging himself in terrorist activities.

Khan said all the overground operatives who helped terrorists to carry out the attack on Amarnath pilgrims on July 10 in which eight people were killed had been arrested.

"They are with us and they are singing. We have also seized vehicles involved in the attack. The case has been cracked. It is now only the militants involved in the attack who are to be neutralized."

Asked about the next militant the security forces were targeting, Khan said: "Every militant active in the Kashmir Valley is our next target."
The Toronto International Film Festival has announced the return of the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival, where Instagram-made short films will be screened from 9 to 20 August, to encourage budding filmmakers worldwide.

TIFF remains committed to discovering and nurturing the talent of up-and-coming filmmakers, Piers Handling, director and CEO of TIFF, said in a statement.

Keeping the submissions deadline 30 July 2017, the TIFF stated that the participants can upload a 60-second-or-less film on Instagram with the hashtag #TIFFxInstagram and fill up the submission form at tiff.net/shortsfestival.

The TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival presents a unique opportunity for TIFF to engage with emerging talent on a global scale. This year, we hope TIFFxInstagram encourages, even more, talent internationally to create and submit films, highlighting perspectives and experiences from around the world, Handling added.

Entries must be submitted from an open Instagram account and remain public until 21 August. A panel of A-list film and industry professionals will select 30 finalists, whose work will be highlighted on TIFFs Instagram channel from August 9 to 20. Following that, the jury will name the 'Jurys Choice Award', presented by UNIQLO. Also, a Fan Favourite Award will be given to the participating film with the most number of likes on Instagram.

Head of global creative programs at Instagram, Charles Porch said: More than 700 million people come to Instagram to connect with a positive, highly engaged community where they can express their creativity, connect around shared interests and be inspired. Creators can build deep relationships with their followers, understand their engagement, and find new fans who love their work.

Through our collaboration with TIFF, well once again celebrate the craft of short filmmaking through the TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival, Porch added.

Indias star filmmaker Karan Johar will be among this years esteemed jury. Other members include French actress and Academy Award nominee Isabelle Huppert, Moonlight actor Ashton Sanders, Canadian music video director Director X and John C Jay, president of Global Creative, the parent company of UNIQLO.
BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday warned party MPs not to skip Parliament during the rest of the monsoon session, a day after the government suffered embarrassment when the opposition ensured passage of amendments to a Constitution amendment bill on backward classes due to lack of treasury bench numbers.

"In the (BJP Parliamentary Party) meeting, (Amit) Shah said that when the party issues a whip it must be followed by all the MPs. Party has taken a serious note of it and it has warned its members not to repeat their act," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said after the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here.

"He has asked all the members to remain present during the rest of monsoon session of Parliament," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting was chaired by Shah.

The minister's remarks came after the government on Monday suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of a bill to give constitutional status to the Backward Classes Commission, with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

The Minister also said the party will speak to those members who were not present at Tuesday's meeting.

"Shah will address a press conference later in the day and brief in detail," Kumar said.

Ananth Kumar also accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to not approve the bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission.

"It's a conspiracy of the Congress not to approve the amended Bill in the Rajya Sabha. All parties have recommended about the Bill in the select committee," he added.
The government on Monday suffered an embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when it could not ensure passage of a bill to confer constitutional status on the Backward Classes Commission with the opposition succeeding in amending an important provision.

The house took up the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha.

But after day-long discussion, Congress members Digvijaya Singh, B.K. Hariprasad and Hussain Dalwai moved an amendment to clause 3 of the bill seeking to provide for appointment of all the five members of the commission from the OBC community, including a woman and a person from the minority community.

This was objected to by the government's side. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said that what the Congress members were seeking could be looked into at the time of framing of rules under the law.

He said inclusion of such a provision barring entry of other community members in the commission could make the law unconstitutional as it may not stand judicial scrutiny.

As Congress members, including Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, P. Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal pressed for an immediate vote, Deputy Chairperson P.J. Kurien ordered a 10-minute suspension of proceedings for the two sides to sort out the matter.

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury suggested that in case the bill could not be passed in the original form, the government could rectify the defects in the Lok Sabha where the legislation has to go back because there has been no unanimity in the Rajya Sabha. The amended bill from the Lok Sabha can be adopted by the house later, he said.

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav said non-passage of the bill will give a wrong message to the country and suggested that the government and the main opposition Congress should sort out the issue and get the bill passed.

At the insistence of Congress members, the chair put their amendement to vote in a division which was carried with 75 voting for and 54 against, reflecting the lack of numbers on the government side.

When the amended Clasue 3 of the bill was put to vote, the BJP members voted against it. The result of the division was 69 ayes and 50 noes. A Constitution amendment bill can be passed only with the majority of the house present and two-thirds of those present voting in its favour.

The bill without Clause 3 that seeks to insert Article 330 8B was passed. The bill has to go back to the Lok Sabha where the govenment can amend it and get it passed as it has a majority.

After the fiasco for the government, both the sides traded charges. Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Congress will have to regret this "moment" against backward classes for centuries to come.

Azad accused the government of being insincere and failing to do its homework.
God provides, so they say. The adage holds true for Tamil Nadu farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar, who are receiving help from Gurus abode (Gurdwara) when authorities had turned their back on them.

Demanding loan waiver and drought-relief package, a group of farmers from Tamil Nadu have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for more than three months. To keep the farmers spirited for the fight, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has opened their kitchen to feed those who feed the fellow countrymen.

The caretakers of Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, situated in central Delhi, have taken the responsibility on their shoulder to not let the farmers go hungry.

The farmers have been putting up in a tent along the Jantar Mantar lane for more than three months now. The farming community of Indias southern state faced 60 per cent rainfall deficit this year, leading to crop failures.

The farmers are demanding a Rs.40,000-crore drought relief package, loan waiver and establishment of Cauvery Management Board to look after farmers concern and price regulation.
The Indian government has submitted the requisite "opening note" and paperwork related to Vijay Mallya's extradition case to the liquor baron's legal team within the UK court deadline on Monday.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, presiding at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London at the last hearing in the case on July 6, had set July 31 as the deadline for the Indian side represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to provide Mallya's defence team with a detailed opening note on the case.

The 61-year-old tycoon is sought by Indian authorities for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crores.

"All matters are on track," official sources confirmed on Monday.

The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates Court on September 14.

Mallya, who has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016, was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 and is currently out on bail.

The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government earlier this month, had told the court that they had "excellent cooperation" with the Indian authorities in the case and now had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines.

"We have completed a review of materials and I am happy to state that we have had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case. We are ready and willing to proceed and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest, CPS barrister Mark Summers had said.

The judge agreed with the CPS to "progress with some rigour" and retained December 4 as the date for a final hearing in the case.

If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had recently indicated it was working fine.

We are on the verge of extraditing an individual from India to the UK in the next week or 10 days. The extradition treaty is working just fine and there is no difficulty in the extradition treaty. We have extraditions already successfully completed," Mehrishi had said during his UK visit earlier this month.

So far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the India-UK extradition treaty that of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel.

"He was extradited with the due process of law. We do understand that extradition does take time and there are multiple levels of appeal in either country and it is not the easiest of processes to complete. But being a liberal democracy that we are, we have to allow for the law taking its own course," Mehrishi added.

Mallya's extradition is also believed to have featured during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany earlier this month.
The characters in Gary Evans first book are fictional, but the places and events will be eerily familiar to readers from La Crosse.
Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat will embark on a visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan starting from Tuesday with a high-level military delegation, an official statement said.

Gen Rawat will be the first head of the Indian Army to visit Turkmenistan.

Reaching Kazakhstan on Tuesday, he is slated to meet the Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry along with the Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces.

The delegation will also visit the elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University in capital Astana where he will inaugurate an Indian Military Art Room.

Gen Rawat will leave on Friday for Turkmenistan, where he will hold talks with the Minister of Defence and Secretary, the National Security Council, the First Deputy Minister, the Chief of General Staff and the commanders of Land, Naval and Air Defence forces.

The delegation will also visit the Military Institute and Military Academy of Turkmenistan.

"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the statement added.

Gen Rawat will conclude his two-nation visit on Sunday.
Kashmir's most wanted terrorist Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abu Dujana was on Tuesday gunned down in a fierce encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, sources said.

Acting on specific information, the security forces consisting of Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir police surrounded the Hakripora village at around 4 am.

The forces were fired upon by the militants resulting in a fierce gunbattle that went on for hours, police said.

LeT commander Dujana was trapped inside the village along with two to three other militants, the spokesman added.

Accoridng to sources, Dujana was a Pakistani national and had recently got married to a local Kashmiri woman which had created fissures between him and his handlers across the border.

Dujana was actively involved in anti-India activities since 2014.

(With inputs from agencies)
The UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Home Ministry have joined hands to combat human trafficking originating from the neighbouring countries.

UN Women and the UNODC also decided to collaborate to fight off the menace, while observing the World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

World Day against Trafficking in Persons was on July 30 and it was observed on Monday in the national capital.

"I am pleased to know that UNODC South Asia has decided to create a unique Trafficking in Persons Platform. From the perspective of law enforcement and rehabilitating," Lok Sabha MP Meenakshi Lekhi, said at the event.

Addressing representatives from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Lekhi said that trafficking deserved the severest punishment and that there was a need, firstly, to identify the zones from where the crime emerges.

"I, as a public representative, am very concerned about trafficking wherever it happens in the country," she said.

She said that regions hit by natural calamities like drought, flood, hurricane, and tsunami, are the breeding grounds for those who indulge in the trafficking business as they find many potential victims there.

The MP also said that people in such regions should be made aware of their "vulnerability". This can be done through informative short films, public discourse, community led activities like safe sleeping and safe bathrooms.

She said that to effectively tackle the problem, trafficking rings have to be broken, and the victims have to be rehabilitated through imparting meaningful vocational training which ensures sustenance.

Speaking on the occasion, UNODC South Asia representative Sergey Kapinos, said: "UNODC's latest report identifies more than 500 different forms of traffickingChildren make up for almost one-third of all victims worldwide. There is a need to act now to collectively address this issue.

"We can all benefit by strengthening regional mechanisms of sharing knowledge, information, intelligence and good practices. UNODC is committed to addressing human trafficking through four Ps: prosecution, protection, prevention and partnerships," he added.


With the unexpected removal of Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan has maintained its unenviable record of not permitting any Prime Minister to complete his or her term of office.

Sharif himself had been earlier removed from the PMs position on more than one occasion, only to regroup, return to the political arena, and reclaim the job. This time, however, nobody anticipates yet another turn of fate that would bring him back. He himself seems to have acknowledged that the curtain has fallen definitively on his political ascendancy.

And yet, in a twist that his opponents may not have anticipated, he has been able to pass the baton to his brother Shahbaz ~ he has to go through the process of being elected to the National Assembly, being at present member of the Punjab State Assembly, whereafter he can be expected to assume leadership of the PML (N), the ruling party in Islamabad, and take over as Prime Minister.

The judicial verdict that precipitated this series of events has not impressed some observers. They have said that the investigation of the wrongdoing attributed to the deposed Prime Minister had been less than thorough, and the judges had been unduly influenced by the media clamour. But despite the shortcomings there can be no disputing the outcome, for Sharif has been toppled and has had to yield the power that until just a few days ago was his to dispense.

With that have followed a number of consequences that may be relevant now and in the future, and although Sharif was a popular politician who enjoyed a strong position in his countrys Parliament, there is little sign of public dismay or agitation at the turn of events.

Within Parliament, there is no evidence of cracks in the ruling party that would encourage ambitions among aspiring successors; on the contrary, the PML (N) would appear to have retained its coherence so as to permit the former leader to nominate his successor. To that extent, notwithstanding the circumstances in which it was enforced, the transition has been a relatively smooth affair.

Yet questions at this way of proceeding are inevitable and will no doubt continue to trouble Pakistan. The role of the Supreme Court is very much in focus at the present.

On earlier occasions too it has been ready to intervene in the political domain, and its activism can create unanticipated situations with long-term consequences. Pakistan has from the start suffered from the stunted development of its instruments of democratic governance ~ starting from the same point at the same time as India, with a common heritage of institutions and practices, it has failed to keep pace with its neighbour, and on the contrary has suffered a series of setbacks that have blighted its democratic aspirations.

How far an activist Supreme Court can permit the other major instruments of state to function within their respective spheres remains to be seen, especially after the ousting of Sharif by legal fiat.

The part played by the army in this crisis cannot but be a matter of compelling interest. Its repeated interventions over the years and its historical success in carving out a position for itself above and beyond the rest of the official apparatus are overshadowing developments in Pakistans political sphere.

During these recent events the army has held its peace, deeming perhaps that there was nothing to be gained through intervention and it was wiser to let events take their course without drawing in the armed services. Even so, there is no shortage of conviction that such a decisive event could not have been possible without the sanction, or at least the acquiescence, of the army.

The role of the army has, inevitably, come under scrutiny, and even though direct evidence may be scanty, some commentators have expressed the view that the army has not been far removed from the recent events. During his time, Sharif had on occasion crossed swords with the army and had not been able to prevail in matters where his choice went against the wishes of the military establishment. Such episodes, it is believed, left a residue of doubt and ensured that Mr Sharif never became the favourite of the army.

By contrast, the new Pak PM-designate Shahbaz Sharif, is described as being closer to the army and to have developed better ties with them ~ having been Chief Minister of Punjab for so long, the main centre of military recruitment, he can be expected to have developed better links with the military brass.

This can only be a matter of speculation at this stage but such thoughts from some observers indicate that the new incumbent may come in with a favourable initial wind behind him. Nor is there any important opposition from major civilian leaders. Not so long ago, Imran Khan and his supporters, apparently with army backing, virtually shut down life in Islamabad to promote their political cause. But Khan has not been much in the picture at this present time of decision and change.

The insistent call for an end to corruption that brought him much public support and spread to the streets is not voiced in similar fashion now. Nor has the Supreme Courts decision sparked the public manifestations and demands for clean public life as were seen earlier. Seen from afar, the developments in Pakistan have been received more with resignation than anything else.

There have been many uncertainties in its domestic affairs even before the Supreme Court gave its judgment, and there can be little expectation that what has now happened can bring a halt to the many damaging issues of internal management that have taken such a toll in that country. Change of leadership by itself will not solve problems, and Mr Nawaz Sharif had been on the scene for so long that other leaders elsewhere may take a little time to adjust to his successor.

This is especially the case so far as India is concerned. Though relations between the two countries are greatly disturbed on account of Pakistani support for terrorism, a tenuous stability in the relationship has been maintained. At a minimum, India can hope for maintenance of this status quo, without having to deal with adventurous policies by new leaders in Islamabad. India has always considered that a democratic neighbour is better than a military-led one.

It is thus to be hoped that the new incumbent will quickly settle into his new responsibilities.

Though no significant change in relations can be anticipated, continued civilian rule may offer a better prospect for the improved ties that India has been seeking.

(The writer is India's former Foreign Secretary)
Stray Indian hopes raised by a dilution of the rhetoric over the stand-off at Doklam during the visit of the National Security Adviser to Beijing would appear to have been deflated. For when addressing the Peoples Liberation Army during a rare display of its military prowess, the Chinese President has emphasised a capability to vanquish all invading enemies.

Considerable significance has to be attached to the terminology favoured by Xi Jinping: though China has disputes with several neighbours over land and maritime frontiers, in recent days it has accused only Indian troops of physical transgression of the frontier. And Beijing has not stepped an inch back from its insisting on an Indian pull-back as a pre-condition for exploring possibilities of a diplomatic resolution of the logjam at the Sino-Indian-Bhutanese trijunction.

Strategic observers recall that after 1962 the Chinese had declared let those who first committed aggression first vacate it ~ reiterating the line points to the possibility of another long haul over the crisis that has developed since mid-June.

The Chinese have been consistent, not only on demanding an Indian withdrawal but also in not permitting multilateral meets under the BRICS umbrella to be hijacked by a bilateral problem. They have also shown much maturity in going ahead with the BRICS interaction, ceremonials included, yet retaining their stance on Doklam ~ a lesson for India which has tossed SAARC into the dustbin because New Delhi and Islamabad are going through a prolonged rough patch.

It is that stance which dared Beijing to ask Sushma Swaraj to authenticate her statement in Parliament that many countries supported India over Doklam: a challenge South Block has chosen to ignore. Yet a threat of which India does take quiet note.

True it was on the anniversary of the Kargil victory that the BJPs vice-presidential nominee was speaking, yet Mr M Venkaiah Nadus recalling 1971 but blacking-out the memory of 1962 (both wars were fought under Congress governments) does point to the Indian security effort being Pak-centric ~ despite cautions of the Chinese posing a more formidable threat.

Rightly has the Indian establishment declined to be drawn into the vicious war of words (or military posturing) unleashed by official and semi-official voices in Beijing, but there are few signs of vigorous diplomatic efforts to persuade the Chinese to open negotiations.

Have Indian envoys tried their persuasive skills in other countries? Surely China does not bat for itself, at least not according to Sushma Swaraj. In the midst of the tensions pulling Beijing and New Delhi in different directions, sight is being lost of the interests of Bhutan and its simple, peaceful folk: surely the global community has a duty towards them too? Already they find themselves on the fringes of the Gorkhaland agitation.
The Vice Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Sarath Chand, stated in a seminar a few days ago that Indian ordnance factories have not been able to keep pace with changing technologies as there is no competition whatsoever and it is an unsuccessful method of supporting our defence requirements. He went on to add that Pakistan probably has a better industrial base, as far as defence production is concerned, than our country. In fact, they export defence equipment abroad, definitely more than what we are doing. He was expressing his frustration with the functioning and quality of products of Indian ordnance factories. All who have dealt with our ordnance factories would more than agree with the Vice Chief.

Ordnance factories in India function under the Ordnance Factories Board (OFB), located in Kolkata. The OFB operates under the Ministry of Defence (MoD). There are over 40 ordnance factories in India, eighteen pre-independence and balance post- independence. Their range of products vary from guns and ammunition to clothing, tanks, vehicles, boots and parachutes. Almost all their products are manufactured for the military, hence they have no competition. Their profits and expenses flow from the products they supply to the military and are priced as per their requirements, with a willing MoD backing them. Costs are high as being government entities they have large overheads.

India has industries employing most modern technology, while OFB factories continue to function with outdated technology. The government seeks to encourage domestic industry, however the OFB remains the sole supplier to a large military market even for basic items, purchasing what it cannot produce itself to meet shortfalls. The quality of such goods is again doubtful. Items of far better quality and at cheaper rates are available in the market, but government orders compel the military to procure from the OFB, solely because they exist.

Most common use items including uniform material, boots, jerseys, blankets, socks and the like should be purchased on open tender, forcing the OFB to compete with civil suppliers, ensuring better quality. But that never happens in India. The quality is so poor that soldiers are compelled to purchase uniforms and accessories of right quality from the market.

With no competition and limited funds for modernisation, there is no desire for improvement. Ammunition accidents due to lack of quality checks and faulty production are frequent occurrences. There are regular reports of accidents during field firing linked to faulty fuses, resulting in loss of precious lives. The factories are never taken to task. In Devlali, post a firing accident in 2009-10 resulting in the death of a trainee officer, a special x-ray machine was brought in to screen all artillery fuses before firing. The numbers discovered to be faulty was beyond acceptable limits. How many such fuses exist in depots and are earmarked to be employed in war, remains unknown.

The incident at the Pulgaon ammunition depot last year, which claimed 20 lives including of two officers who died seeking to limit the blaze to few sheds thus saving lives, was a case of faulty ammunition and subsequent callousness of the concerned factory. The anti-tank mines were produced by Ammunition Factory Ambajhari, near Nagpur. Soon after their arrival in Pulgaon, they were observed to be leaking TNT. The mines were segregated into two sheds and the factory repeatedly approached to collect the faulty ammunition and rectify or destroy it. But the factory never responded.

This lackadaisical approach is common to most ordnance factories solely because they face no competition, are never accountable to the user and function directly under the MoD. The army has been approaching the MoD since the Pulgaon incident seeking action against those responsible for not collecting the faulty mines from the concerned factory, but the MoD refuses to move. Such accidents would continue to occur, unless the government acts and reconsiders its approach to ordnance factories.

The Vehicle Factory at Jabalpur (VFJ) collects Stallion vehicles manufactured by Ashok Leylands Hosur plant near Bengaluru in Completely Knocked Down (CKD) condition and transports these to Jabalpur for assembly. This adds to the cost as it involves unwarranted transportation solely for assembly. This is to ensure functioning of the factory. Increase in cost does not affect the MoD as it is a book transfer between different branches. Army objections are overridden. The government may enhance taxes for the public, but refuses to cut its own unnecessary costs.

Upgradation and overhaul of tanks and armoured vehicles at the Heavy Vehicle Factory, Avadi, is inordinately delayed. In many cases the cause has been listed as non-availability of spares. No action is ever taken to pull up those responsible and speed up delivery, while military preparedness bears the brunt. In the private sector, such delays would have meant heads rolling, but then, the private sector does not have a Godfather in the MoD.

These are only a few cases of low quality, poor management and wasteful expenditure. The OFB and its factories are in many cases the cause of the army having shortfalls. The CAG report on shortfall of ammunition blames the MoD. It is factories under them which need to produce (some ammunition may be imported, most is manufactured locally), but they are never pushed. With outdated technology, no desire to compete and no laid down targets, production levels are low. The factories could be compelled to increase production. But who will bell the cat?

It is surprising that the government could consider privatising Air India which still flies, but has never even considered privatizing or disposing the white elephant of the nation, its ordnance factories. I wonder if government inaction is because it fears the unions or is concerned with vote banks. An interesting line on the website of the OFB states, undoubtedly, we are the force behind the armed forces. The reality is just the opposite.

The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.
President Xi Jinping on Tuesday said China will never compromise on its sovereignty and security and its Army has the confidence to defeat all invasions.

We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form, Xi said addressing a special ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the 2.3 million strong People's Liberation Army (PLA), the world's largest standing army.

Xi's remarks came amid the Sino-India standoff in the Sikkim section.

The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions, Xi, 64, said.

No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests, he said at the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People attended by Premier Li Keqiang and other top leaders of the ruling Communist Party and army officials.

This is the second time in three days that Xi spoke of the PLA's capability to thwart invasions.

On July 30, Xi during a massive PLA parade had said, I firmly believe that our gallant military has both confidence and ability to defeat all invading enemies.

Like his earlier address, there was no direct reference in his speech to over a month-long India-China military standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim section.

His remarks came in the midst of massive official media campaign by the foreign and defence ministries here accusing Indian troops of trespassing into Chinese territory at Doklam.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval last month during the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa NSAs meet here on July 27-28 also held separate talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Both the countries are tight-lipped about the outcome of Doval-Yang talks.
There has been no decision by the Trump administration to review its Afghan policy yet, the Pentagon has said, refusing to give any time frame for such a development.

The response comes amid a media report suggesting that the Trump administration is exploring the option of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

We're contributing to a process that's being led by the White House that is looking across our instruments of national power, not just military, but diplomatic, financial, intelligence and information as well to lay out what our desired end state is, the Pentagon Press Secretary, Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters during an off-camera news conference at the Pentagon on Monday.

From that will be derived any follow-on decision about troops or anything else, Davis said when asked about the increase in troop numbers in Afghanistan.

Top leaders in the past have said that they are adopting a regional approach in finding a permanent solution to the decades old Afghan crisis. This includes India, Pakistan, China, Central Asian Republics and Russia.

The White House has already authorised Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan by a few thousands, he said, adding that Mattis would not take such a call unless the strategy is in place.

Mattis, he said, wants to get the strategy right first, before committing to increase in troops or drawdown.

In a statement, top Republican Senator John McCain rued that the country is still without an Afghan policy.

More than six months after President Trump's inauguration, there still is no strategy for success in Afghanistan. Eight years of a 'don't lose' strategy has cost us lives and treasure in Afghanistan. Our troops deserve better, said McCain, who is chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee.

When the Senate takes up the National Defence Authorisation Act in September, I will offer an amendment based on the advice of some our best military leaders that will provide a strategy for success in achieving America's national interests in Afghanistan, McCain said.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the Trump administration is also exploring the option of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.
Memorial ceremonies took place Polish capital on Monday as the country marked the 73rd anniversary of the outbreak of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the Germans during the World War II.

Polish President Andrzej Duda, Warsaw Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz and a large group of veterans were among those taking part in the ceremonies near the Warsaw Uprising Museum on Monday, according to Polish Press Agency, Xinhua reported

Although the 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the Germans did not end in a military victory for Poland, the heroism of the insurgents made it possible for the country to eventually regain full sovereignty, President Andrzej Duda said during Monday's ceremonies at Freedom Park near the Warsaw Uprising Museum.

The Polish president emphasised it was an important moment in the education of youth and, therefore, for the future of Poland.

"It's also important for me as the president of Poland, but first and foremost, as a citizen, a former boy scout, someone who was raised on the history and myth of the Warsaw Uprising, on the heroism of the insurgents", Duda added.

"I can say my willingness to serve the motherland was forged to a significant degree by those events and the way the young Polish people conducted themselves", the President said.

At the ceremony, Andrzej Duda presented state decorations to Warsaw insurgents and persons actively preserving the memory of the Warsaw Uprising

The 1944 Warsaw Uprising against the Germans was one last attempt to save Poland's independence during World War II, the director of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, Jan Oldakowski said during ceremonies.

After the insurgents surrendered and the remaining 500,000 residents were expelled from the city, the Germans methodically burned down and blew up Warsaw house by house. By January 1945, about 90 per cent of the buildings and city infrastructure were destroyed.


Qatar has filed a wide-ranging legal complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to challenge a trade boycott by the Saudi-led bloc, the media reported.

The complaint was filed by Qatar on Monday, Xinhua news agency repoted. Saudi Arabia, together with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, have cut ties with Qatar, accusing the latter of supporting terrorists and interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt issued a list of 13 demands to Qatar later last month, including closing Al-Jazeera TV station, stopping financing and supporting terrorism, and downgrading its ties with Iran, as major preconditions for ending their boycott.

The four countries vowed to take further political, economic and legal steps to tighten the screws on Doha after the latter refused to accept demands.

By formally "requesting consultations" with the three countries, the first step in a trade dispute, Qatar triggered a 60 day deadline for them to settle the complaint or face litigation at the WTO and potential retaliatory trade sanctions.
U.S. Rep. Ron Kind and La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat saluted Authenticom Monday for persevering in its legal battle against two rivals it contends are trying to drive it out of business, with kudos to CEO Steve Cottrell and his employees for toughing it out.

Kind, a La Crosse Democrat, and Kabat visited Authenticom on the third floor of the Doerflinger building downtown, chatting with many of them before speeches rallying the troops.

Spurring the encounter was Authenticoms legal victory Friday when Judge James Peterson of Madison entered the final form of his preliminary injunction in Authenticoms antitrust suit against CDK Global and The Reynolds and Reynolds Co.

The order confirmed Petersons July 17 ruling that CDK and Reynolds must stop blocking Authenticom from providing data services to dealers and vendors.

Kind praised Cottrell and the workers for being on the front lines of the legal face-off, squaring off against the two big dogs in the data management sector of the automobile industry, in which Authenticom is the only other players.

Kind expressed optimism that the home-grown company, which Cottrell founded in his sons bedroom in 2002, will get a fair shake from Peterson as the suit proceeds to a jury trial.

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.

Kind noted the fact that some Authenticoms employees did not have computer training when they started to work in the pleasant, spacious office with user-friendly colors and cubicles. The company has trained them and put them on a good career path, he said.

It proves that high-tech jobs are not just on (Massachusetts) Route 128 and in Silicon Valley, Kind said.

Route 128 has emerged as a major technological corridor rivaling traditional leader Silicon Valley in California.

Both Kind and Kabat cited fact that Cottrell has made it a point to keep his nearly 110 employees on the payroll despite the setbacks and legal morass in the antitrust suit.

Kabat cited Authenticoms role in helping revitalize downtown La Crosse through actions ranging from helping drive the Doerflingers resurrection as a major tenant covering the third floor and part of the fourth to financial donations and other contributions to community projects.

From our perspective, we are doubly blessed with natural resources and companies like Authenticom investing in the community, the mayor said.

Authenticom routinely makes Inc. Magazines annual list of the nations fastest-growing private companies, an accomplishment that President Barack Obama acknowledged when Obama delivered an economic speech at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on July 2, 2015.
Editor: Anthony S. Bakale, CPA





Anticipated tax reform is expected to significantly reduce the tax rates imposed on C corporations' taxable income. Such a reduction in rates would give closely held businesses a significant reason to consider converting their passthrough-entity structures (S corporations and partnership-type entities), which are taxed at the owner level, to C corporations.

Changing from a passthrough to a C corporation is typically uncomplicated, generally requiring revocation of an S election or, for a limited liability company (LLC) or other entity taxed as a partnership, filing Form 8832, Entity Classification Election. In most cases, this transformation is also tax-free, although care must be taken when converting an entity taxed as a partnership under Subchapter K. In these situations, the relief of liabilities upon conversion may exceed the owners' adjusted tax basis in the entity, which would result in a taxable event under Sec. 357(c). In many cases, however, this tax-free transition door swings just one way, so taxpayers should fully analyze both the potential benefits and pitfalls of changing the form of entity taxation, because conversion back to a passthrough structure could carry a significant tax cost.

Taxing a company as a C corporation has traditionally offered a short-term benefit where the entity earns a modest amount of income and the low C corporation tax brackets save significant tax over the marginal cost of including the income on the owner's personal tax return.

Example: A company has taxable income before owner's compensation of $300,000 and pays the owner a $200,000 salary. The $100,000 of company income remaining after owner's compensation would be taxed at a blended rate of roughly 22% to the C corporation. In the passthrough-entity regime the same $100,000 would most likely be taxed at the owner's individual marginal rate of 33%, depending on the owner's filing status and other tax attributes.

Further costs could include self-employment tax on partners and accelerated phaseouts from the increase in the owner's adjusted gross income. Beyond that, there may be an added state tax benefit if the company is doing business in a state such as Ohio that does not impose an income tax on C corporations. Some states, such as Florida, tax C corporations but not the income of passthrough entities. In either case, there may also be a significant compliance benefit when using a C corporation instead of a passthrough entity in cases where the company has nexus in several states and has several owners.

This is especially true where the passthrough entity's circumstances will not allow composite filing. Additional tax filings multiply quickly in the passthrough-entity environment, versus the "one and done" filing for C corporations. A simple example would be a family-owned business that has taxable operations in 15 states and, due to its specific circumstances, cannot file composite returns in 10 of the 15 states. Assume the business has multiple generations of owners, totaling 30 individual taxpayers. Under these circumstances, the state filing requirements could entail 305 or more separate returns (five state composite returns, plus 10 separate individual returns for each of 30 owners). In the C corporation environment, this is most likely reduced to 15 separate filings.

The downside of converting to a C corporation is primarily the double tax that ultimately will be paid on a liquidation of the C corporation or sale of its assets followed by a distribution of the net sales proceeds to its owner. Sec. 1202 (which allows a partial exclusion of gain from the sale of certain small business stock), if applicable, can mitigate this added expense. Additionally, it is not uncommon for businesses to be bifurcated, i.e., split into components, to use several types of entities to get favored tax treatment both currently and at sale or liquidation.

For example, "value assets" such as real estate, machinery, intellectual property, or business goodwill and other intangibles may be housed in a passthrough entity to provide for a single tax on their sale. Income assets such as receivables or inventory could be owned by a C corporation that conducts the actual business and pays rents and royalties to the passthrough entity as a cost of operations. There may be very little taxable gain on the sale of full-basis receivables and inventories in disposition, but the business can benefit from lower tax rates and more deductible fringes while in operation. In these situations, where a business is operated through multiple commonly owned entities, the taxpayer should be wary of the provisions of Sec. 482 and the need to have arm's-length pricing of goods and services transmitted between the related entities.

An interesting form of bifurcation arises when a business operating as a passthrough entity decides to form a wholly owned C corporation subsidiary with its income assets. Owners should take care to meet the rules of Sec. 351 and, specifically, the aforementioned Sec. 357(c) to ensure tax-free incorporation. They should also take care to properly create leases and licensing agreements between the parent and subsidiary as well as to properly assign any third-party contracts. Payroll tax filings may need to be shifted to the subsidiary, or the group may qualify for common paymaster status, depending on the underlying facts.

The taxpayer should also consider other nonincome-tax-related issues in the split of the business, such as worker's compensation and unemployment tax experience ratings, product liability exposure, insurance coverage, qualification to do business in various states, etc. Once established, however, the business could benefit from the current income tax treatment of C corporations with the long-term benefit of a passthrough entity, because the value assets remain in the passthrough entity holding company.

One scenario that warrants extra attention occurs when the subsidiary had previously been a C corporation but later made a qualified Subchapter S subsidiary (QSub) election and is currently a disregarded entity with an S corporation parent. This, of course, could not have been the case had the parent been an LLC, as the corporation would be deemed to have been liquidated in order to achieve status as disregarded (presumably, a single-member LLC).

With the QSub election, the subsidiary is deemed to be liquidated into the S corporation parent tax-free under Secs. 332 and 337. If the former C corporation subsidiary had accumulated earnings and profits (E&P) at the time of the QSub election, that E&P would have transferred to the parent by virtue of Sec. 381(a)(1). This should make the company more mindful of the distribution rules under Sec. 1368 as well as the passive investment income rules under Sec. 1375.

Now suppose, consistent with the thinking above, the owner desires to bifurcate the business to return the subsidiary to C corporation status. How is the E&P to now be split between the S corporation parent and the new C corporation subsidiary?

The Sec. 312 regulations govern the split. Regs. Sec. 1.312-11(a) provides:

In a transfer described in [Sec.] 381(a), the acquiring corporation, as defined in [Regs. Sec.] 1.381(a)-1(b)(2), and only that corporation, succeeds to the earnings and profits of the distributor or transferor corporation (within the meaning of [Regs. Sec.] 1.381(a)-1(a)).

The regulation adds:

Except as provided in [Regs. Sec.] 1.312-10, in all other cases in which property is transferred from one corporation to another, no allocation of the earnings and profits of the transferor is made to the transferee.

A QSub revocation is not treated as a reorganization under Sec. 368(a)(1)(A), (C), (D), (F), or (G), and the stock is not being distributed to the shareholders. Therefore, the transaction does not qualify under Sec. 381(a) or meet the requirements of Regs. Sec. 1.312-10; and none of the parent's E&P will be allocated to the subsidiary, even if the source of the E&P was clearly attributable to the subsidiary for the period prior to the revocation of the QSub election.

This unexpected consequence of this transaction has the odd effect of leaving E&P with the S corporation parent, and Sec. 1368 and 1375 concerns will continue. The Sec. 1375 concerns are particularly troubling if the combined balance sheet split left the value assets at the parent level. This could produce solely rental and royalty income to the parent S corporation, which could now be subject to the Sec. 1375 tax and could even jeopardize its S corporation status.

Tax reform, if enacted, could make C corporations far more attractive in closely held business settings than they have been in the past 30 years. However, as illustrated, many of the moves to consider are only tax-free in one direction or may have lingering unintended consequences.

EditorNotes

Anthony Bakale is with Cohen & Company Ltd. in Cleveland.

For additional information about these items, contact Mr. Bakale at 216-774-1147 or tbakale@cohencpa.com.

Unless otherwise noted, contributors are members of or associated with Cohen & Company Ltd.
The last days of the Newfie Pride

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This delta in north-western Botswana comprises permanent marshlands and seasonally flooded plains. The annual flooding occurs during the dry season, with the result that the native plants and animals have synchronized their biological cycles with these seasonal rains and floods. It is an exceptional example of the interaction between climatic, hydrological and biological processes. The Okavango Delta is home to some of the most endangered species of large mammal, such as the cheetah, white rhinoceros, black rhinoceros, African wild dog and lion.
But the tribe has a long way to go
Interglobe Aviation, the promoter of India's largest airline, just reported its highest ever quarterly profit for the three months ended June 30. The low cost airline's net profit jumped 37 per cent year-on-year to Rs 811 crore in the first quarter, much ahead of analysts expectations.

Indigo's revenue in April-June rose 26 per cent to Rs 5,955 crore.

Indigo's strong performance comes even as others have struggled. While, its listed peers, Jet Airways and SpiceJet, are yet to announce their quarterly numbers, earnings for the year, ended in March 2017, show Indigo's profit and revenue was far ahead of its rivals. In fact, its net profit was almost four times higher than that reported by SpiceJet and Jet Airways, even though Jet Airways reported slightly higher revenue.

Analysts say the airlines strong performance was predominantly driven by higher yields.

Passenger revenues increased driven by a 25.4 per cent in RPK (revenue passenger kilometers) and 1.9 per cent increase in passenger yields (measure of average fare paid per km per passenger), said Ashutosh Somani, analyst at JM Financial Institutional Securities.

Its RASK (revenue per available seat) also improved around 6 per cent, which boosted overall growth.

The airline's load factor rose by 470 bps to 88 per cent, which pushed up yields by 200 bps and does driving operational margins.

Acquiring newer A320neo planes, which are more fuel efficient has also helped.

Fuel cost per ASKM (available seat kilometers) increased 8 per cent (in Q1), as compared to the average aviation turbine fuel price hike of 16 per cent during the quarter. This was owing to savings from fuel-efficient A320neos and other sourcing benefits, said Vishal Rampuria of HDFC Securities.

IndiGo's strong performance is not just one-off. It has been one of the most consistent in terms of profitability in India's aviation sector over the years. One of the reasons is stringent cost management. The airline, for instance, operated just one type of aircraftthe Airbus A320, unlike multiple aircraft types that other airlines operate.

Also a majority of its aircraft were leased and not owned, which didn't pinch the pockets and also helped the airline get more technologically advanced aircraft in its fleet quickly.

Currently it operates 136 Airbus A320s and commands a market share of 41 per cent in the domestic market, up from 32 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal 2014-15.

Significantly adding more capacity has boosted its market share, which has come at the expense of rivals losing theirs. Jet Airways market share, for instance, dipped to little under 18 per cent from 21 per cent, state-owned Air India's share came down to 12.8 per cent from 17.4 per cent, according to analysts at Motilal Oswal. SpiceJet too has seen its market share come down slightly over the period.

CAPA, the global aviation consultants, note that IndiGo has the largest in-service fleet in India. Its order book is also largest of any airlines in the world, at 458 aircraft.

Its fleet could expand by up to 46 aircraft during this financial yeara net addition of almost one aircraft a week, it said recently.

The airline may have been flying high so far, there may be some headwinds ahead.

On Monday, in a post earnings analysts call, Rohit Phillip, Interglobe Aviation's chief financial officer, made a surprise announcement that it would slowly start buying and owning planes, unlike its focus so far on the sale and lease back model.

The airline has started getting deliveries of the new generation A320neo air craft, which while delivering 15 per cent more fuel efficiency, have lower risk of becoming technologically obsolete. So, these aircraft could be operated for a longer period than the average six year period it has so far used its planes, said Phillip, adding that buying planes over time would reduce ownership costs.

However, analysts say these will also put pressure on cash flows and so may be seen as RoE (return on equity) dilutive by investors.

Change in ownership model of aircrafts will be fair value neutral as and when implemented, though it may bring free cash flow/dividends under pressure going forward, said JM Financial's Somani.

Furthermore, the airline has also cut its capacity guidance (ASK) to 20 per cent from 25 per cent for the current fiscal year-ending March 31, 2018. This is because nine of its new A320 neos are grounded due to technical issues with the A320neo engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney. The engine issues are delaying deliveries of new planes to IndiGo as well as other airlines.

While we do get some compensation for the grounding, operational disruptions are quite challenging and we aren't happy with that situation, said Aditya Ghosh, president.

According to IndiGo, the engine issue is only expected to be resolved by late 2018 or early 2019 and in the interim, it is working to secure additional spare engines to reduce operational disruptions.

Due to the lower capacity addition guidance, analysts have cut earnings estimates on IndiGo by 2-3 per cent.

It is also diversifying its fleet. Earlier this year, the airline also announced plans to start regional operations by the end of this year, for which it will buy a fleet of 50 ATR aircraft, which CAPA says will only add to the complexity of its operations.

Despite IndiGo's market-leading performance to date, this scorching pace (new plane additions) will undoubtedly test the capabilities of its management team, increasing the risk of negative impact on the airline's profitability and operational performance, said CAPA.

Aviation industry earnings in FY 17
Security forces in Kashmir valley on Tuesday have claimed that Abu Dujana, Kashmir's Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, has been killed in a joint operation by the Jammu & Kashmir police, army and the CRPF. A Pakistani national, 26-year-old Dujana hailed from Gilgit Baltistan.

A joint intelligence based operation was launched by the three security forces at around 4am at Hakripora in Pulwama district of Kashmir. In the ensuing encounter and exchange of fire, Abu Dujana, who had planned and executed major terror actions in South Kashmir, and a local LeT cadre, suspected to be Arif Nabi Dar, lost their lives, top officials said.

"Dujana was lucky till now, but we got lucky this time," CRPF IG in Kashmir, Zulfikar Hassan, told THE WEEK, explaining how Musa had been evading arrest for last several months.

As security forces were hot on his trail, he was forced to go into hiding. He had changed locations rapidly, unsure of whether he had any friends left in the Lashkar. "It seems he had burnt his bridges with the Lashkar leadership," said a top official. Whether it was a tip off by his detractors and others who wanted to see him dead, or a quirk of fate, will probably remain unknown.

Security sources reveal that Dujana was not keen on fighting for his Pakistani bosses anymore. His idea of Jihad had evolved to transforming Kashmir into an Islamic State. Fast paced developments in Dujana's life had changed his course.

He was influenced by love, which he had found in the snowy and hilly terrains of Pulwama in south Kashmir where he met a local girl. He got married last year and was toying with idea of ISIS styled jihad propogated by rebel Hizbul commander and his friend, Zakir Musa.

When Musa floated his new outfit, Shariyat e Shahaadat in May this year, with allegiance to ISIS-styled jihad, Dujana was impressed. He had met Musa ten days ago to take the plan forward. But little did Dujana know that he would be undone by his own happiness so soon. He is survived by his wife who stays in Pulwama with other family members.

Dujana had replaced Abu Qasim as LeT head of operations in South Kashmir in 2015 when Qasim was killed. Active since 2013, undertaking major terror operations in the valley, he rose to be classified as an 'A' class terrorist. Dujana's end paves the way for Abu Ismail, who had already made his mark with the attack on the Amarnath Yatra last month.

Meanwhile, uncertainty prevails over the last rites of Dujana. His body may be handed over to Pakistan if Islamabad can help his family to be traced.
The news of fresh Chinese transgression into Indian territory twice last month in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand were downplayed by Indian officials saying these should not be given "undue importance".

Around 15-20 personnel of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) came 800 metres inside Indian territory in Chamoli district on the morning of July 25, officials said.

The incident took place just a day before National Security Adviser Ajit Doval left for Beijing to attend a meeting of NSAs of BRICS. It also comes amid the ongoing standoff between the armies of the two countries in Doklam at the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction.

The first transgression took place on July 15 and the other on July 25. In both instances Chinese soldiers numbering about 15-20 came into Indian territory, stayed there for a while and left, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) sources said.

On July 25, the PLA troops entered into the Indian territory and even threatened the shepherds grazing cattle in the Barahoti area during their two hours stay, officials in the know said on the condition of anonymity. The Chinese troops left after the Indian side protested.

However, official sources said incidents of similar nature have happened in the past but are normally sorted out locally and should not be given undue importance.

They said transgressions occur due to differing perceptions of Line of Actual Control (LAC) by the two sides.

"Soldiers of the Chinese army come into our area and leave after staying there for a while. It has been happening for decades. Though we can't call it routine it is not so unusual movement either," said a senior ITBP official on the condition of anonymity.

Expressing similar views, defence experts said this is a mere transgression and should not be linked with Doklam.

"This is a mere transgression. Here no military force is being used. So this is not an incursion. Therefore, it should be looked at in that way only. There should be no linking of this with Doklam. If we do that, it will look alarmist which it is not," said defence expert P.K. Sehgal.

He added that Uttarakhand's Barahoti has been under dispute since 1962 and thereafter annually, along the entire border of about 4,000 km, there have been 400-500 transgressions.

In the past, Chinese troops have been known to cross over and write 'China' on rocks in the Chamoli district.

This area has also seen aerial transgressions and infiltration by foot patrols in 2013 and 2014.

In July last year also, Chinese troops had transgressed into Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Barahoti, an 80 sq km sloping pasture about 140 km from the Uttarakhand capital Dehradun, is one of three border posts in what is known the 'middle sector', comprising Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

It is a "demilitarised zone" where Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans are not allowed to take their weapons, officials said.

In 1958, India and China listed Barahoti as a disputed area where neither side would send their troops. In the 1962 war, the PLA did not enter the middle sector and focused on the western (Ladakh) and eastern (Arunachal Pradesh) sectors.

After the war, ITBP jawans would patrol the area with weapons in a non-combative mannerwith the barrel of the gun facing down.

During negotiations on resolving the border dispute, the Indian side unilaterally agreed in June 2000 that ITBP troops would not carry arms in three posts, Barahoti and Kauril and Shipki in Himachal Pradesh.

ITBP men go patrolling in civil dress and the Barahoti pasture sees Indian shepherds from border villages tending their sheep and people from Tibet bringing their yaks for grazing.
Does the Doklim standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies have anything to do with the recent revamp of the Chinese military? There are only intelligent guesses being made in the South Block, but they know one thing for sureif at all the balloon goes up, the decision as to where to strike, from Ladakh in the west to Arunachal in the east, will be taken by one Chinese commander. In the case of India, the decision will have to be taken after consultation among six men sitting hundreds of miles apart from one another.

Chinese president Xi Jinping has been revamping the PLA, and among the several changes that he has effected has been to divide China's territories and their frontiers into five integrated military theatres. Thus the old Lanzhou military district, whose commander was in charge of the Ladakh region, and the Chengdu district which was taking care of the rest of the frontier with India upto Arunachal, have all been brought under a new western theatre command. Even the air squadrons that are available in the region are at his beck and call. In other words, he commands everything that is lethal and moves on the ground or flies in the air, and can be pressed into service to strike at India.

In the case of India, the decision will have to be taken after consultation with and among six men. If India decides to strike at the frontier facing Ladakh, the northern army commander will be the one in charge. If we are to strike from the Uttarakhand frontier, the central army commander will take the call. If the strike is to be in the Arunachal sector, the eastern army commander will decide.

Xi Jinping announced a total revamp plan of the PLA on November 26, 2015 and, as the chairman of the Central Military Commission, has been personally supervising the revamp.

Chinese territory and frontiers had earlier been under seven military regionsShenyang, Beijing, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Lanzhou. These have now been restructured into fivethe Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern and the Central Commands. Zhao Zongqi, a full four-star general who had been commanding the Jinan region earlier, is currently the head of western command, under which the entire Indian frontier from Ladakh to Arunachal falls. Gen. Zhao, incidentally, had made an official visit to Pakistan and India last December and met not only the then Indian army chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag, but also the present chief Gen Bipin Rawat who was then the vice-chief, and the eastern commander Lt-Gen. Praveen Bakshi.

Apparently, the western theatre which overlooks the Indian frontier, and the eastern theatre which is in charge of the South China Sea, will be the most active among China's new theatre commands, given the Chinese perception about the current live threats that exist in the regions. The India-facing western theatre is also geographically the largest among all the new five commands, and is the most trouble-pronethe troublespots of Tibet and Xinxiang fall under it. According to a paper by Maj-Gen B.K. Sharma and team of India's United Service Institution, This will be probably more efficient from a Chinese perspective as they can have better synergy and orchestrate interplay between application of forces on our Western and Eastern sectors. This particularly is of relevance as the Chinese are strategically on interior lines. India on the other hand, has limited strategic synergy between its Western and Eastern Sectors, being on exterior lines.

Gen Zhao Zongqui, the new western theatre commander, is an old Tibet hand, having served in Tibet as deputy chief of staff and chief of staff during 1984-2004, when large contingents of the PLA's rapid reaction forces were sent to quell riots in Tibet. His stance on Tibet is unlikely to be soft, observed the USI paper. Not only has he served in Tibet for nearly 20 years, but is also reputed to have combat experience. During the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese war, he is reported to have disguised as a Vietnamese peasant and wormed his way into Vietnam to gather intelligence.

Facing him on the Indian side will be three army commands, and their commanders, all of whom are three-star generals. In the west is the northern command, headed by a lieutenant-general sitting in Udhampur. His job is like that of Janusfacing the Pakistan front in Jamu and Kashmir, and the Chinese front in Ladakh. Then there are the central command and the eastern command, whose chiefs are based in Lucknow and Kolkata respectively. For air support, these gentlemen will have to seek the assistance of the western air commander sitting in Delhi, the northern air commander in Allahabad, and the eastern air commander in Shillong.

Several military thinkers and reformers, including the Kargil review committee headed by K. Subrahmaniam, have been urging the government to revamp the Indian military too on theatre command lines, but to no avail. An attempt was made to integrate the services at the headquarter level during the A.B. Vajpayee regime, but apart from creating a few star-studded posts there has been hardly any integration in actual planning or operational level.
A top Pakistani militant who carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head was killed along with a local associate in fighting with security forces on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police called the killing of Abu Dujana, whom they described as Lashkar-e-Taiba commander active in southern Kashmir since 2012, as a "huge achievement".

His local accomplice was identified as Arif Lalihaari. They were killed in Hakripora village. "(A) huge achievement for the police and security forces," the police tweeted.

Dujana, a resident of Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, was said to be responsible for a number of attacks on Indian security forces, including the August 2015 Udhampur strike that left two Border Security Force troopers dead and 12 injured.

An LeT terrorist was killed in that attack.

"The killing of Abu Dujana and Lalihaari is a big success for the security forces and a huge setback to terrorist activities in south Kashmir," a police official said.

Acting on information about the presence of Dujana and Lalihaari, the security forces surrounded the Hakripora village at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, triggering a gunfight.

"The operation ended after bodies of the two militants were recovered from the site and identified," the police officer said.

Two houses in the village were destroyed in the gunfight.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out between the security forces and stone-pelting protesters as news of Dujana's death spread.

Three protesters were admitted to hospitals with bullet injuries and several others sustained pellet injuries in the clashes.

Authorities have suspended Internet services in south Kashmir.

Train services between Bannihal town in Jammu region and Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley were also suspended.

The police, however, said Dujana had broken loose from the LeT in last few months after which he established close proximity with Zakir Musa, another Pakistani who was recently appointed the head of Al Qaeda terror outfit in the Kashmir Valley.

Dujana was replaced by Abu Muhammad Ismail as the Divisional Commander of the LeT, a Pakistan-based group that masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 Indians and foreigners.

Ismail had carried out the July 10 attack on an Amarnath Yatra bus in Anantnag district which killed eight pilgrims.
Farmers in Uttar Pradesh are facing problems due to land acquisition in several national highway projects in the state, including in Amethi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said in Lucknow on Tuesday.

Gandhi met farmers from Amethi whose land had been acquired for widening a national highway and assured them of all possible help in resolving their problems.

Besides the delegation of 90 farmers from his parliamentary constituency, Gandhi also met officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and submitted a memorandum.

"Issues related to land acquisition are being faced by farmers in six national highway projects in UP. In Amethi, too, procedures are not followed in issues related to acquiring land," Gandhi told reporters.

Work on widening NH 56 at Kathora Gram Sabha in Amethi's Jagdishpur block started a year ago. Three days ago, locals allege, NHAI began demolishing houses and shops in the area without compensating the affected farmers.

According to local Congress leaders, the farmers had already given land for widening the highway. However, NHAI was also constructing a bylane for parking trucks on both sides of the road in an area of around 200 m in Kathora, affecting about 100 families.

Gandhi, it is learnt, asked NHAI officials to adopt proper procedures to compensate those affected or shift the bylane.

Later, talking to reporters at the airport, Gandhi said due process had not been followed.

Referring to the farmers' agitation in the twin towns of Bhatta Parsaul in western Uttar Pradesh, he said, "I have been fighting for the cause of farmers' land since Bhatta Parsaul issue (in 2011).

"The previous UPA government had formed a law related to acquiring land and that was for protecting farmers' land... all the work (land acquisition) is done on its basis. I think NHAI will tackle the matter sensitively."

NHAI General Manager Rajiv Agarwal told PTI that compensation for land was not fixed by the Authority but decided by the government.

"I will get a technical probe done in the matter. In the next two-three days, the NHAI team and I will also visit there (Amethi) and prepare its report," Agarwal said.

Ayub, one of those who had come from Amethi to meet Gandhi, alleged that their land was being acquired and old houses demolished.

The farmers said Gandhi had assured them of all possible help and said he would visit Amethi soon.

"Majority of the affected are there since 1994 and have constructed shops etc on the lease given by UP Industrial Development Corporation. We want the process (of acquiring land) to stop immediately and compensation should be given to the affected people whose shops and houses were razed," stated the memorandum from the farmers handed over to the NHAI by Gandhi.
A special CBI Court in Mumbai, on August 1, discharged controversial former IPS officer D.G. Vanzara and Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh M.N. in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati fake encounter cases.

The officers have been discharged for want of evidence. The case was heard in the court of Justice Sunil Kumar Sharma.

Sheikh was killed in alleged fake encounter near Ahmedabad on November 26, 2005. After a few days, his wife Kauserbi was allegedly killed and her remains burnt.

The police had claimed that Sheikh had links with the LeT.

Believed to have knowledge of Sheikh's fake encounter, Tulsiram Prajapati, Sheikh's aide, was killed on December 28, 2006.

Vanzara, who was a DIG rank officer, was arrested on April 24, 2007. In 2014, Bombay High Court had granted conditional bail to Vanzara.

Later on, when the High Court made relaxations and allowed him to enter Gujarat, Vanzara had received a hero's welcome at the Gandhinagar Town Hall.

Vanzara told THE WEEK that he was happy with the judgment and said that it had further strengthened his faith in Indian judiciary.

Thanking the almighty for the discharge, Vanzara said, God is Great.

The former IPS officer recalled that he had to spend eight years of his life in the jail and had to retire in the jail. He said that had he not gone behind the bars, he would have utilized the time for anti-terror measures. Had I not been behind the bars, my work might have spread to other states of the country, Vanzara said.

On his return, Vanzara had said that he would remain active in public life. Replying to a question on his role in the assembly elections, later this year, he said, I will continue to work for the society. At the moment, I want to limit my reaction to the discharge. In what form I will work for the society, I will be able to say when the time comes.

Earlier, the court had already given a clean chit to BJP national president Amit Shah. Shah was Gujarat's minister of state for home when the encounters happened.
There has been no decision by the Trump administration to review its Afghan policy yet, the Pentagon has said, refusing to give any time frame for such a development.

The response comes amid a media report suggesting that the Trump administration is exploring the option of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

"We're contributing to a process that's being led by the White House that is looking across our instruments of national power, not just military, but diplomatic, financial, intelligence and information as well to lay out what our desired end state is," the Pentagon Press Secretary, Navy Captain Jeff Davis told reporters during an off-camera news conference at the Pentagon yesterday.

"From that will be derived any follow-on decision about troops or anything else," Davis said when asked about the increase in troop numbers in Afghanistan.

Top leaders in the past have said that they are adopting a regional approach in finding a permanent solution to the decades old Afghan crisis. This includes India, Pakistan, China, Central Asian Republics and Russia.

The White House has already authorised Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan by a few thousands, he said, adding that Mattis would not take such a call unless the strategy is in place.

Mattis, he said, "wants to get the strategy right first," before committing to increase in troops or drawdown.

In a statement, top Republican Senator John McCain rued that the country is still without an Afghan policy.

"More than six months after President Trump's inauguration, there still is no strategy for success in Afghanistan. Eight years of a 'don't lose' strategy has cost us lives and treasure in Afghanistan. Our troops deserve better," said McCain, who is chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee.

"When the Senate takes up the National Defence Authorisation Act in September, I will offer an amendment based on the advice of some our best military leaders that will provide a strategy for success in achieving America's national interests in Afghanistan," McCain said.

Meanwhile, media had reported yesterday that the Trump administration is also exploring the option of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

"Unable to agree on a plan to send up to 3,900 more American forces to help turn back Taliban advances in Afghanistan, the White House is taking a new look at what would happen if the US decided to scale back its military presence instead," the report quoted some current and former officials of the Trump administration as saying.

According to the report, a senior administration official said: "It's a macro question as to whether the US, this administration, and the president are committed to staying."

"It doesn't work unless we are there for a long time, and if we don't have the appetite to be there for a long time, we should just leave. It's an unanswered question," an official was quoted as saying.

The US state department had said last week that a military strategy may not "necessarily" yield results in Afghanistan and a permanent solution to the conflict can be found through peace talks with the Taliban and other parties involved.

Afghanistan has been battling insurgency for more than a decade. The Taliban offensive against the West-backed government in the country increased this summer. Much recently, a Taliban suicide bombing killed at least 26 people in Kabul.
The U.S. military said Monday it carried out a drone strike in Somalia that killed a member of the al-Shabab extremist group, while a Somali intelligence official said an al-Shabab leader was targeted but it was not clear whether he had been killed.

A statement from the U.S. Africa Command said the airstrike occurred Saturday near Tortoroow, an al-Shabab stronghold in Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia. The statement said no civilians were killed.

President Donald Trump earlier this year approved expanded military operations against al-Shabab, including more aggressive airstrikes and considering parts of southern Somalia areas of active hostilities.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab is the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa.

The U.S. statement said the airstrike was carried out in coordination with regional partners as a direct response to al-Shabab actions, including recent attacks on Somali forces.

The Somali intelligence official identified the targeted al-Shabab leader as Ali Mohamed Hussein, who has served as the extremist groups shadow governor for Mogadishu and has been one of the groups most outspoken officials.

The official said at least one missile struck a car in which the al-Shabab leader was travelling near Tortoroow. One person was killed, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

The U.S. military in early July said it carried out an airstrike against al-Shabab in Somalia and was assessing the results. The airstrike followed one in June that the U.S. said killed eight extremists at a rebel command and logistics camp in the south.

The Somalia-based al-Shabab earlier this month mocked Trump for the first time in a video that called him a brainless billionaire. The extremist group also has vowed to step up attacks in Somalia after the president elected in February declared a new offensive against al-Shabab, which continues to carry out deadly attacks in the capital, Mogadishu.

The extremist group also has carried out deadly attacks in neighboring countries, notably Kenya, calling it retribution for sending troops to Somalia to fight al-Shabab.

(AP)
After the Jordanian media released the name of the Israeli Embassy security agent who shot and killed two people, his family has been concerned for his safety.

The agent, Ziv Moiyal, is back in Israel and while Israel did not release his name for security reasons, the Jordanian media was not as accommodating, releasing his photo as well.

It is reported that he and his family have left their home in southern Israel and have moved in with relatives elsewhere.

Jordan demanded to question the agent but Israel would not him over to endure such an ordeal. Jordan is demanding a probe and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has been instructed to oversee a probe into the matter. In the interim, Jordan is not permitting the ambassador and his staff to return.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Holidaymakers could be unwittingly adding as much as 10 per cent to their costs by choosing to pay by card in pounds rather than the local currency.

When you pay in pounds, bars, restaurants and shops can set their own exchange rate rather than using your bank's. This Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) allows them to load the rate, typically adding an extra 6 per cent fee on top, and sometimes even more.

The fee is easily avoidable, but it ends up costing Britons a collective 500 million per year, according to research by FairFX.

Eye-watering fees: Make sure you always pay in the local currency to avoid extra fees

The simple way to avoid this extra charge is to always ask to pay in the local currency whenever possible. Watch out however, as merchants may be sneaky and automatically presume you want to pay in pounds, so always double check before you pay.

According to FairFX, if you are handed your bill in pounds you should refuse it. You should write DCC rejected on the receipt and then ask to be charged in the local currency instead.

Ian Strafford-Taylor, chief executive of FairFX, said: Too many consumers are being hoodwinked into parting with their hard-earned cash through DCC fees when they simply dont need to.

While DCC is a legitimate scheme, it is primarily a profit-generating exercise and nothing short of a rip off. The fact that were losing out to the tune of nearly 500 million is flabbergasting and, as a campaigner for price fairness and transparency in the holiday industry, were urging consumers to make a stand and say no to DCC fees. To avoid being duped, always pay in local currency when youre overseas and never ever pay in pounds.

Merchants in some countries are more likely to do this than in others. Travellers visiting the Netherlands are the most likely to get stung with DCC fees, with 56 per cent of total spends by families made in pounds.

Following close behind are Hungary (50 per cent), Malta (49 per cent), Thailand (40 per cent) and Cyprus (39 per cent).

Worst offenders: Top 20 places holidaymakers pay the most in pounds rather than in the local currency. Source: FairFX

Sidestep your bank's hefty fees

Remember even if you choose to pay in the local currency, overseas spending on your debit and credit cards can still be expensive. Most banks charge hefty fees unless you have a specialist deal.

Foreign transactions typically incur fees of around 2 to 3 per cent, while taking cash out of an ATM while abroad can add an extra 3 per cent.

A fifth of families will also end up falling in to the same currency trap when it comes to withdrawing cash from an ATM while abroad. According to the currency exchange specialist, a collective 6.02bn is taken out at ATMs abroad, and 1.2billion of this is subject to DCC fees.

Check your account terms and conditions to find out what you will be charged. Alternatively, This is Money has compiled a list of the most popular accounts and their charges here.

A handful of banks and credit card providers, however, do offer fee-free spending and withdrawals abroad.

If you have a Metro Bank debit card you wont pay anything to use your account while in Europe, and Virgin Moneys basic banking option  the Essentials Account  charges 1.50 for withdrawals but applies no foreign transaction fees to purchases.

If you are willing to try a start-up bank, app-only challenger Starling charges nothing to use your MasterCard debit card overseas.

Neither does rival Monzo, which currently offers a prepaid card but is also currently rolling out a new current account (money deposited is not currently covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme).

Creations Everyday card, Halifaxs Clarity card, and Santanders Zero card all charge no extra fees to use abroad.

Remember, if you do use your credit card abroad you will be charged interest on the amount immediately. You won't be given the usual grace period until your next statement, so make sure you clear the amount as quickly as possible.

Alternatively, a prepaid currency card will let you load cash when you like to take advantage of exchange rate fluctuations. You can then use the card to spend or withdraw cash as normal. They typically come with much lower fees and some waive charges altogether plus they offer near-perfect exchange rates.

You can read more about how to avoid a dud, and our pick of the best deals here.

FairFX currently offers This is Money readers an exclusive deal on its prepaid currency card. It will waive the 9.95 card fee, plus add 10 to your card when you top up your first 500. Find out more.
Rolls-Royce shares have steamed ahead today after a jump in large engine deliveries helped the firm swing to a half-year profit.

The aircraft engine giant booked a pre-tax profit of 1.94billion for the six months ending in June, up from a 2.15billion loss over the same period last year.

Revenues climbed 12 per cent to 7.57billion, as the FTSE 100 firm cheered a 27 per cent rise in large engine deliveries in the civil aerospace sector.

The FTSE 100 firm cheered a 27 per cent rise in large engine deliveries in the civil aerospace

The company had been looking to shore up its performance after reporting its largest ever loss and one of the biggest in UK corporate history earlier this year.

Back in February Rolls Royce posted a pre-tax loss of 4.64billion for 2016 after a 4.4billion writedown caused by the collapse of the pound since the Brexit vote, as well as a 671million penalty to settle bribery allegations.

But a cost-cutting plan and move to streamline Rolls' bloated manufacturing lines has started to pay off after swingeing cuts to management last November.

Chief executive Warren East said restructuring savings were ahead of schedule and it was on track to hit its profit targets.

East said: 'It's encouraging to see the effects of the transformation actually making a difference to the numbers and undoubtedly we are accelerating that transformation programme.

Chief executive Warren East said restructuring savings were ahead of schedule and it was on track to hit its profit targets

'Although we started it in 2016, the full effect is felt much more strongly now in 2017 as people started to operate with fewer individuals in certain job areas.'

He added: 'Together with a higher-than-expected benefit from long-term contract accounting adjustments, this resulted in a good set of results, with financial performance ahead of our expectations for the first half.

'Looking to the balance of the year, execution and delivery of a number of important milestones across our businesses will be key to achieving our full year expectations. Our outlook for full-year profit and cash remains unchanged.'

Shares this session have soared by 9 per cent, or 80.8p, at 974.0p. Yesterday investors dumped shares in engineer amid reported doubts over cash-flow targets.

Civil aerospace business was the stand-out performance, with half-year revenues rising 14%

Free cash flow - the measure of how much money the company generates after expenses and a key figure for Mr East - was negative 339million, meaning the company is spending more than it is making.

However, this was still an improvement on the figure a year ago, which was negative 414million.

East has repeatedly said that he wants Rolls to be generating 1billion of positive free cash flow by 2020.

The civil aerospace business was the stand-out performance, with half-year revenues rising 14 per cent to 3.68billion, helping to offset a 4 per cent drop in defence aerospace to 1.05billion.

Its nuclear arm also recorded a solid performance, with revenues rising 8 per cent to 391million for the half-year.

It said research and development spending rose to 411million over the six-month period, up from 378million last year.

The company revealed in June that it would safeguard more than 7,000 jobs by making its biggest single investment in the UK in over a decade.

The move will see it drive 150million over the next few years into new and existing civil aerospace facilities across the East Midlands, including creating a new facility at its historic site in Derby for the testing of large civil aero engines.

Michael van Dulken, at Accendo Markets, said: 'Investors are relieved at the implication that earnings will be better balanced this year, in other words slightly less skewed towards the second half.

'An upgrade of sorts that offers potential for a bullish revision to FY guidance later in the year and/or a surprise beat of FY guidance.

'More importantly it suggests the turnaround strategy is working and quashes some of yesterdays cash-flow concerns, although the CFO does caution that some first half benefits may not necessarily be repeated and that headwinds continue to blow.'
A view of the Inhaca Island where Vilane alleged Oliveira had been kept. The island is only accessible by boat or plane.

MANZINI  A Swazi prophet, who alleged he had a vision which led him to where kidnapped businessman Almor Oliveira was held captive, was arrested by the Mozambican police last week.



The prophet, Hebert Vilane (52), who is employed at the Kings Office, under the Border Restoration Department, left the country last Monday to allegedly get the kidnapped businessman, whom he claimed had been kept in a certain house situated at the Inhaca Island.

The Inhaca Island is a breathtaking natural heritage site situated in the south of Mozambique.



It is across Maputo Bay from the countrys capital, making it an ideal weekend destination for people working in Maputo or tourists who would like to experience both the urban and rural Mozambique.

To access the island, one has to use a boat or plane.



When interviewed prior to his visit to Mozambique, Vilane claimed that Oliveira was still alive and kept in a house by rich people, who made sure he was provided for with all his necessities.

Vilane approached the Royal Swaziland Police (RSP) for assistance and protection as he had alleged that the businessmans captors were armed and dangerous.



The prophet, whose church is called Synagogue Church of Christ (SCOC), also alleged that upon approaching the RSP, they denied to assist him and told him about protocol issues.



However, this publication reliably gathered that a team of four police officers left the country after Vilane had allegedly given them directions to the place where the kidnapped businessman was allegedly kept.
MBABANE  Could drink- drivers soon find themselves serving time?



If the National Commissioner of Police Isaac Magagula had it his way, perhaps the structures that be would consider giving out custodial sentences to people found to have committed this offence.



Magagula made this known during a press briefing yesterday.

He said the issue of drink- driving was showing no sign of abating besides all the warnings that have been issued and continue to flag about its hazards in the roads safety landscape.



Magagula noted that the police service had time and again pointed out that drink-driving was one of the major causes of both fatal and serious accidents and it was worrisome that motorists were persisting with such an untoward and dangerous practice.



To show the seriousness of the scourge, the national commissioner pointed out that from a total of 401 accidents which occurred in the country since January to date, more than 50 per cent were attributed to drink-driving and while the other half maybe traced to speeding and reckless driving which could also be linked to drink-driving as well.



Just over the past five weekends, 500 cases of drink-driving have been recorded by the Royal Swaziland Police.

The recent KaKhoza- Mhlaleni pile-up, which reincarnated the horrific Malagwane accident of 2014, was caused by a drink-driver.

This recent pile-up was terrible but at least no one died and given the stubbornness exhibited by motorists, perhaps it is now high time for the structures to consider custodial sentences for drinking-driving offenders, said Magagula, further expressing hope that the relevant stakeholders who were responsible for reviewing the fines proposed by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, will apply their minds fully on their decision and take into account and prioritise safety of citizens.



Speaking on ritual murder, Magagula said they were barbaric.

He noted the escalating issues of child abduction and mutilation. He spoke about the skull of a 14-year-old boy of Dumako in Hlathikhulu, which was found in the area and Sidwashinis Qiniso Mhlanga, who was abducted and found mutilated by the river.

He said investigations were being conducted on these issues.
MBABANE  Legislators take on legalising marijuana might just cost them a seat in Parliament, come 2018.



This comes after the League of Churches threatened not to vote for any parliamentarian in the 2018 National Elections who would support the legalisation of marijuana. In an interview yesterday, the denominations President Bishop Samson Hlajwako said legalising the herb would destroy the country.



Making reference to other members of the denomination, Hlajwako said; They said they would not re-elect into Parliament any MP who will support this (legalising dagga).



The man of the cloth related that he told the MPs that they should not appear to be destroying the country now that their term of office was running out. He bluntly stated that they did not support the intentions of the commission and had instructed that a letter be written to the Parliament Select Committee investigating the use of marijuana, informing it that the League of Churches did not support their course.



Asked on why they did not support the MPs in this endeavour that might give the country the much needed economic boost, the president said a number of young people were admitted to psychiatric hospitals because of the herb and legalising it would risk inflating the numbers.



Hlajwako said he was aware that the MPs only wanted the herb legalised for medicinal purposes but stressed that did not change their views on the matter. He opined that for as long as the herb would be farmed and managed by people, there was a possibility of it being misused. He made examples of some companies that give their staff packages of products they were producing and wondered if that would not be the case even for dagga farmers.
LOBAMBA  I love Their Majesties maybe more than the prime minister does.



This was one of the statements boldly made by Matsanjeni North Member of Parliament (MP) Phila Buthelezi yesterday, as he came face to face with the Prime Minister, Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, in the House of Assembly.



A quiet storm had been brewing since the PM last week Thursday issued a statement that he would fully respond to what he referred to as Buthelezis inflammatory utterances.

The MP, however stood his ground.



When the House convened yesterday afternoon, the Speaker Themba Msibi was quick to state that the PM had a statement to make before any other business in the House took place.



Using Standing Order No.68 which is titled Personal Explanation, the PM said, the sentiments attributed to by the MP were unfortunate, misleading and in complete disregard to the foundations that define our nation as a united and peaceful State.



He said they were presented in a manner that, put simply, confronted and attacked the countrys political system which was embedded in the countrys Constitution.



Dlamini said like all citizens of the country, MPs had a duty to defend and uphold the Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

Instead of confining himself to criticising the work and efficiency of the PM, the Hon. Member attacked the system appointing the PM, said Dlamini adding that the premier was appointed by His Majesty the King at Sibaya in accordance with the powers vested on him by the Constitution and endorsed by the Nation. Kusebentisa iPhalemende kuhlambalata inchubo yetembusave KaNgwane kuyindzelelo leyecile, lengenanhlonipho futsi lengamukeleki, he said in vernacular.
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ALBANY  A state Supreme Court justice offered a compromise Tuesday to have both Republican candidates run in an Independence Party Sept. 12 primary for Rensselaer County executive, but it was rejected.

"I had proposed that each would permit the other on the ballot so Independence voters could decide," Justice Roger D. McDonough said from the bench in Albany County Court.

Assemblyman Steven McLaughlin's attorney, James Walsh of Ballston Spa, was ready to accept the recommendation, but Deputy County Executive Christopher Meyer's lawyer, Peter Kehoe of Troy, turned down the compromise.

McDonough pushed several times for a compromise saying, "it's entirely appropriate to let the voters decide between two candidates" rather than a judge having to rule on the ballot issue.

It's been a contentious summer for the campaigns with Meyer attacking McLaughlin for sending out a mailer from the state Assembly about his accomplishments and McLaughlin slamming Meyer on social media.

The campaigns have each claimed the right to be on the Independence Party ballot. Meyer has received support from the county Independence Party Committee, which has strong local Republican ties, while McLaughlin turned to the state Independence Party for his endorsement.

The two Republican candidates required a Wilson-Pakula authorization for the Independence line. Under state law, a nonparty member must receive this authorization in order to appear on a party's line.

McDonough ruled in July that the state Independence Party had followed state elections law and its party rules in giving McLaughlin the authorization. The ruling resulted from a lawsuit filed by Meyer supporters. The state Independence Party met again to reauthorize McLaughlin and to strip the county committee of its ability to endorse nonparty candidates. This led Meyer back to court.

Kehoe renewed the argument that the state Independence Party had not followed its rules for a second time by failing to give at least notice of 10 days for a meeting held July 15 and did not provide the language of the proposed rules changes.

Walsh countered that there was no standing by the plaintiffs to file the lawsuit and McLaughlin just wanted his petitions validated.

McDonough commended Walsh and Kehoe for their knowledge of the Byzantine complexity of the state election law. The judge said that without an agreement on both candidates appearing on the ballot, he would have to rule on the technicalities.

McDonough is expected to rule in the near future.

Previously, the two campaigns had agreed to each appearing in the Conservative Party primary for county executive. In addition, they are running in the Republican primary.

There's also an "opportunity to ballot" in which voters may write in a candidate for the Reform Party line in which Meyer appears on the ballot and McLaughlin does not.

The Green Party also faces this situation where its candidate Wayne Foy is on the ballot.

Democrat Andrea Smyth has her party's line plus the Working Families and Women's Equality parties lines.




FORT ANN  A 13-year-old boy was injured Sunday after falling about 25 feet while hiking near Shelving Rock Falls, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.

Washington County 911 dispatchers called the DEC at 2:47 p.m. to report the child had suffered a leg and head injury at the falls about a mile from Lake George. A nurse hiking nearby gave the boy immediate medical attention until forest rangers and local fire crews arrived, the DEC said.
BETHLEHEM - There may be no Democratic primary for town council and highway superintendent this September.

An Albany County judge ruled on Tuesday that petitions for substitute candidates Giles Wagoner and Daniel Coffey, who were set to primary George Harder and Daniel Morin, were invalid.
ALBANY  Albany County and its communities could together save at least $6.8 million if the county goes ahead with proposals to share or consolidate services.

Albany was one of close to 50 counties across the state that submitted draft shared services plans to their policymaking bodies on Tuesday  the due date for executives to submit plans as required by a state initiative enacted earlier this year.

The plans outlined options municipalities and the county could take to save tax dollars. Last week, Saratoga County announced its plans to buy supplies in bulk and put all government retirees into one Medicare pool. Schenectady and Rensselaer counties also submitted plans.

Communities that participated this year can get matching money from the state. About a dozen counties intend to submit plans next year.

Proposals in Albany County ranged from consolidating the town of Bernes highway department with the county to save $151,000 annually to creating a health care consortium through pooled contracts to save possibly $1.3 million. The plan was crafted by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. A final draft must be submitted to the state budget office by Sept. 15.

Given the tight schedule we were given to conduct our work and to gather information, I am pleased with the draft plan weve put together, County Executive Daniel McCoy said in a news release. The work weve done together has demonstrated to me that an inclusive process works.

All municipal leaders in Albany County were part of the conversation, but highway superintendents at Monday's public hearing expressed frustration over being left out.

The county has two more hearings on the options, one at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 7 at The Crossings in Colonie and the other at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29 at Bethlehem Town Hall, Delmar.

Berne Highway Superintendent Randy Bashwinger is already displeased with the notion of consolidating his department with the county.

Berne highway employees are part of a different union than the county public works department and they know the roads, he said. He hasnt seen the numbers to correspond with the savings touted, he added.

Show us where its going to save. The problem is they cant show anything, Bashwinger said. They will do everything in their power to get rid of (Berne highway employees)  guarantee it.

Berne Supervisor Kevin Crosier said staffing wont be cut, and the consolidation could mean a 20 percent tax reduction for town residents.

Ive said this from day one, this is not about cutting jobs, he said. Its about making savings and efficiencies. For example, our health insurance will go down because county has larger plan. There are other things such as we wont need part-time help anymore.

Talk of consolidating the town highway department with the county has been a topic of conversation since at least the early 2000's when a feasibility study was done, but no action was taken, according to the plan.

Berne and the county have an "agreement in principle" to move forward with the proposal, while labor and other issues still must be worked out, the plan states.

Crosier said taxpayers currently are paying for county and town highway services when the two could merge to provide more efficient services.

It makes sense for the town to consolidate the two departments into one so that all roads are treated equally, he said.

The draft plan highlighted other options that have been discussed in the past by local leaders, including merging the city of Albanys records clerk positions with the county and consolidating 911 dispatch. Both proposals are ideas city officials have pursued or considered.

This is the first public deadline where something needs to be submitted, noted Mark Lavigne, deputy director at the New York State Association of Counties. "These are far from being final," he said.

Much of this work dated to 2014, when Cuomo put out another, similar plan in which taxpayers would get rebates if their home counties worked to develop plans to save money.

"A lot of municipalities had already embarked on consolidations within or shared services," he said.

As is the case now, there were lots of efforts to consolidate functions such as equipment purchases and back office functions. Under that plan, the state would reimburse taxpayers for the amount of annual tax increases in participating municipalities.

Lavigne stressed that the state needs to change some of its rules and regulations for further savings, such as those that would come with shared health insurance plans, to take effect.

"If the state really wants to reduce property taxes they have to have some skin in the game," he said.

Contributing: Rick Karlin

afries@timesunion.com - 518-454-5353 - @mandy_fries
New York

Sam Shepard, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Oscar-nominated actor and celebrated author whose plays chronicled the explosive fault lines of family and masculinity in the American West, has died. He was 73.

Family spokesman Chris Boneau said Monday that Shepard died Thursday at his home in Kentucky from complications related to Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The taciturn Shepard, who grew up on a California ranch, was a man of few words who nevertheless produced 44 plays and numerous books, memoirs and short stories. He was one of the most influential playwrights of his generation: a plain-spoken poet of the modern frontier, both lyrical and rugged.

In his 1971 one-act "Cowboy Mouth," which he wrote with his then-girlfriend, musician and poet Patti Smith, one character says, "People want a street angel. They want a saint but with a cowboy mouth"  a role the tall and handsome Shepard fulfilled for many.

"I was writing basically for actors," Shepard told The Associated Press in a 2011 interview. "And actors immediately seemed to have a handle on it, on the rhythm of it, the sound of it, the characters. I started to understand there was this possibility of conversation between actors and that's how it all started."

Shepard's Western drawl and laconic presence made him a reluctant movie star, too. He appeared in dozens of films  many of them Westerns  including Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven," "Steel Magnolias," "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" and 2012's "Mud." He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as pilot Chuck Yeager in 1983's "The Right Stuff." Among his most recent roles was the Florida Keys patriarch of the Netflix series "Bloodline."

But Shepard was best remembered for his influential plays and his prominent role in the Off-Off-Broadway movement. His 1979 play "Buried Child" won the Pulitzer for drama. Two other plays  "True West," about two warring brothers, and "Fool for Love," about a man who fears he's turning into his father  were nominated for the Pulitzers as well. All are frequently revived.

"I always felt like playwriting was the thread through all of it," Shepard said in 2011. "Theater really when you think about it contains everything. It can contain film. Film can't contain theater. Music. Dance. Painting. Acting. It's the whole deal. And it's the most ancient. It goes back to the Druids. It was way pre-Christ. It's the form that I feel most at home in, because of that, because of its ability to usurp everything."

Samuel Shepard Rogers VII was born in Fort Sheridan, Ill., in 1943. He grew up on an avocado ranch in Duarte, Calif. His father was an alcoholic schoolteacher and former Army pilot. Shepard would later write frequently of the damage done by drunks. He had his own struggles, too; long stretches of sobriety were interrupted by drunken driving arrests, in 2009 and 2015.

Shepard was married from 1969 to 1984 to actress O-Lan Jones, with whom he had son Jesse Mojo Shepard.

His connection to music was constant. He joined Bob Dylan on the 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour of 1975, and co-wrote the song "Brownsville Girl" with him. Shepard and Patti Smith were one-time lovers but lifetime friends. "We're just the same," Smith once said. "When Sam and I are together, it's like no particular time."

Shepard's movie career began in the late '70s. While making the 1982 Frances Farmer biopic "Frances," he met Jessica Lange and the two remained together for nearly 30 years. They had two children, Hannah Jane and Samuel Walker. They separated in 2009. Lange once said of Shepard: "No man I've ever met compares to Sam in terms of maleness."
SCHENECTADY - County Attorney Chris Gardner is confident that litigation filed to put aspiring Schenectady City Council candidate Damonni Farley back on the ballot will be dismissed.

He said Tuesday that his office, which is representing the Board of Elections, plans to soon file"some papers in regards to this petition and we expect that the petition will be dismissed."

Gardner is referring to the petition filed late Monday by Farley's attorney asking a judge to overturn a decision last week by county officials who ruled that 481 signatures on petitions Farley submitted were ineligible.

Former City Council President Margaret "Peggy" King, at the behest of the Schenectady Democrats, filed objections to 534 of the 1,149 signatures submitted by Farley.

As it stands, the Woodlawn Democrat only has 668 valid petitions.

He needs 752 to force a primary, which would become necessary because Farley would be the fourth Democrat vying for three open City Council seats.

The others, all incumbents who have been endorsed by the Schenectady Democrats, are Karen Zalewski-Wildzunas, John Mootooveren and Marion Porterfield.

The three other candidates vying for a City Council seat are Rima Cerrone, a Republican, Mohamed Hafez, a registered Democrat running on the GOP line, and Joseph Muno, who is collecting signatures for a bid as an independent candidate.

Many of the signatures that the bipartisan board of elections commissioners threw out last week were ruled ineligible because they belong to people who are registered Democrats, but live at addresses that do not match those on file with the Board of Elections. In other instances, those who signed the petitions were registered with another political party.

Attorney Daniel Smalls, who is representing Farley, said Tuesday that the Board of Elections erred in its interpretation of the law on what constitutes a valid signature.

"The law, and there's case law that supports this as well, that says that just because a person's address is not the same as what is registered with the Board of Elections, if that person has moved and is still within the proper jurisdiction of the Board of Elections, then that person's address can still be considered valid," Smalls argued.

He said if the judge accepts the petition filed in State Supreme Court in Schenectady County, the two sides will present their case in something of an "emergency proceeding" before a ruling is made.

Farley, 36, remained resolute.

"I knew when I started this journey there would be obstacles and this is just one of many and all the more reason to keep giving it all we got," he said. "There is a select few that fear change and will go to any length to maintain the status-quo."

The primary date is Sept. 12.
Editor's note: This story was originally published on Jan. 13, 1999.

In an effort to avoid a potentially huge tax bill, David Kaczynski on Monday said he would establish a special victims fund with $535,000 of the $1 million he received for turning in his brother, convicted Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski.

David Kaczynzki, a Schenectady resident who works for the Equinox social service agency in Albany, appeared at a news conference with his wife, Linda Patrik, a Union College philosophy professor, to unveil the new "Unabom Survivors Fund."

It will be managed by the 30-year-old Community Foundation for the Capital Region, which administers some $18 million in charitable funds for individuals, businesses, foundations and other nonprofits.

The Unabom fund is designed to satisfy Internal Revenue Service rules that would otherwise have forced Kaczynski to pay about a third of the reward in income taxes -- along with gift taxes each time he gave out donations of more than $20,000, attorneys said. The fund, according to the foundation, will be tax exempt and benefit victims of violent crimes committed by paranoid schizophrenics, but only in the seven states in which the Unabomber struck, and only over the years in which he was active -- 1978 to 1995.

If the foundation were set up so as to only benefit Unabomber's victims, it wouldn't be eligible for tax exempt status, Albany tax lawyer John Lavelle said. But the agency agreed to a broader proposal opening applications to victims of criminal paranoid schizophrenics in the seven states where the Unabomber struck  Connecticut, California, Utah, Illinois, Tennessee, Michigan and New Jersey  over 17 years.

While acknowledging there may be thousands of other eligible victims, Judy Lyons, executive director of The Community Foundation of the Capital Region, said the donors' wishes will be considered in the foundation board's decision on who to award money, and preference will be given to Unabomber victims or their survivors.

"It's a reasonable compromise between the objectives of the tax law and the desires of the donors,"Lavelle said.

The remaining $465,850 of the $1 million reward, Kaczynski said, will pay his brother's legal fees and taxes on the taxable portion of the reward.

Kaczynski and his wife still face legal bills of their own, and plan to pay them, they said Tuesday, from an anticipated book or movie based on their life story. Anything left over, they said, will also go to victims, but, she added without giving details, "It's much less than you would imagine."

Kaczynski and Patrik in 1996 became suspicious that his recluse brother, living then in a Montana cabin, was the Unabomber after his 35,000-word manifesto on the evils of technology was published in The Washington Post. Through a Washington attorney, Anthony Bisceglie, they approached the FBI, and Theodore Kaczynski, whose bombing spree claimed three lives and injured 29 others, is serving multiple life sentences.

"This has been a terrible tragedy," Kaczynski said of his brother's crimes. "We're one step closer to having some closure and resolution.'"

Insisting they never wanted to profit personally from the Unabomber's crimes, Kaczynski and Patrik last year worked with Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-New York, to insert a provision in a $500 million omnibus spending bill that would allow them to give the entire $1 million reward to victims, tax free.

"We always wanted as much money as possible to go to the victims," Patrik said. But their effort failed in October amid congressional turf battles over which House committee should have authored the idea. Left with only two months in the tax year, Kaczynski and Patrik worked with the Community Foundation and Lavelle on an alternative.

In a process that Lavelle said would normally have taken six months or more, Moynihan brought them together with IRS officials in Washington, D.C., who informally gave their OK to the new fund.

Patrik said she hopes the money in particular will go to the families of those who died  Thomas Mosser, a New Jersey public relations executive; Gilbert Murray, a California timber industry executive; and Hugh Scrutton, a California computer dealer.
Editor's note: The Discovery Channel dramatization of the case of the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, airs Tuesday. In 1996, Schenectady resident David Kaczynski helped lead authorities to his brother. Here is a review of "Manhunt: Unabomber."

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.  Its been more than two decades since the capture of the Unabomber, one of historys most elusive serial killers, who terrorized America for 17 years with his deadly mail bombs. Yet, when a package arrives at my door, I still hesitate before opening it, wondering if its safe. Im sure many others out there feel the same.

Considering the man within that infamous hoodie, Ted Kaczynski, killed three people, maimed dozens of others and sent the Los Angeles airport and FBI into panic mode when he threatened to blow up a commercial plane in flight, it seems almost impossible to feel any sort of empathy for this criminal.

However, Andrew Sodroski, the creator of Manhunt: Unabomber  Discovery Channels intricate eight-part drama series about the Harvard-educated Kaczynski and the FBI profiler who pursued him, James Fitz Fitzgerald  said his aim was to flesh out the human being behind these acts. And after viewing the nuanced two-hour premiere, I predict he just might realize that goal.

Its a super delicate balance, Sodroski told TV critics at a press session in the Beverly Hilton Hotel in late July.

He characterized his approach as a radical empathy where we really enter into the shoes of each of the characters. To do that with Ted is very difficult because you have to always bear in mind that this is a guy who mails bombs to people hes never met in the service of his philosophy, and that yet, at the same time, he himself is a victim, too, and that he was a little boy with a bright future ahead of him, and something happened.

Discovery begins unfurling the episodes at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

English actor Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) plays Kaczynski, changing himself physically to resemble the painfully skinny and scarily unkempt man who resided in an isolated, rustic cabin in the Montana woods to build his bombs and evade capture until the law finally caught up with him in 1996. He said that if this had been a two-hour movie, it would almost certainly become a thriller with dogged maverick cop chasing monster, right?

But having eight hours allows the freedom to look at the domestic life of Special Agent Fitzgerald and the toll it takes on his family and his wife and his children, and also allows you to spend some time with Ted Kaczynski and see what his domesticity was like and also what his childhood was like. I dont think that I or the show are trying to sort of engender any sympathy for Ted but certainly asking you to have empathy for this child. And what happened to that boy was very damaging.

Both Bettany and Sam Worthington (Avatar), who plays Fitzgerald, researched their characters in almost every way possible. Worthington said he avoided meeting special agent Fitz for as long as he could for several reasons.

Hes a profiler, Worthington explained. So he would have been trying to profile me at the same time as Im trying to profile the profiler. So we probably would have gotten nowhere, and you certainly wouldnt have gotten to the truth of what drove him and what kept him connected so intensely to that case.

Fitzgerald, like Kaczynski, is an interesting study as well. Fresh to the Unabomb Task Force, he faced an uphill battle  not only against one of this nations most brilliant criminals; Kaczynski has an IQ of 167  but also against the bureaucracy of the task force itself as his maverick ideas were dismissed by the system.

I figured out the way of telling that story through the lens of Jim Fitzgerald. Its this nugget where you have this man who is just an ordinary blue-collar cop who discovers a whole new field of forensics, Sodroski said.

Worthington started to fill out his character by reading Fitzgeralds books and listening to transcripts of dialogues with the series writers and directors. There were times when he would walk away, and forget that he was on mic that I started to discover who he really was, because there was no guard, he said.

When he finally did meet Fitz, the series already had begun filming and had decided how he wanted to play the profiler.

I said to him, Look, youve got to show your warts and all the good and bad. Thats the only way its going to work. And, hopefully, you appreciate this. And I think he just turned around and said, Well I was left-handed, not right-handed. So hes a very literal man.

Bettany even moved for a time into a cabin in the woods to get into the head of Kaczynski; it was nicer than his characters, but still remote. He turned off his phone and cut off contact with his family for three days. Its extraordinary. The amount of time there is in the day is extraordinary, he said.

He also was fascinated by the books that were among the things in the cabin that the FBI itemized after Kaczynski was arrested.

That was fascinating. The novels that he had chosen to keep quite literally around his head, you know, above his bed, were Joseph Conrads The Secret Agent, Fyodor Dostoyevskys Crime and Punishment  all novels about the outside, the man who feels like an alien in society and commits a crime that he cant come back from, and that was really useful for me.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Manhunt: Unabomber is Kaczynski's manifesto, Industrial Society and Its Future, which two major newspapers published and were critical to his capture. His brother (Mark Duplass) recognized Kaczynski's style of writing and beliefs and tipped off the FBI.

Its more true right now than it was when Ted published it, Sodroski said of the manifesto. Its about our relationship with our smartphones 20 years before a smartphone existed. Its about the way technology constrains us and defines our lives the way that when your phone dings, you answer it. It doesnt matter that you know its stupid and unimportant. It doesnt matter that theres a person in front of you that you are talking to. You obey.

Part of the tragedy of Ted is that the only way he could get people to read what he wrote was by bombing people, and when you bomb people, people dont take what you have to say seriously. He was trapped in a catch-22. He had something important to say. No one was listening. So he blew people up to get them to listen to it, and when you blow people up, they think you are crazy.

Jeanne Jakles column appears Thursdays and Sundays in mySA.





jjakle@express-news.net
A Roscrea teenager who brought the Gardai on a car chase around North Tipperary has been advised by a judge not to go to the UK to try and solve his problems.

The youth, who is underage, pleaded at an earlier court to dangerous driving through several townslands around Moneygall and Roscrea on February 8, 2017.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath had heard that the chase started at the Obama Plaza in Moneygall when a Garda patrol car pulled up behind the teenager, and three others who took off at speed and with no lights.

The pursuit went through Dunkerrin and Shinrone, with the driver crossing the continuous white line several times.

The four car occupants gave the Gardai the fingers during the chase, which ended in the Sheehan estate in Roscrea after the driver had gone through a stop sign.

The patrol car overtook the vehicle, but the driver did a handbrake turn.

The driver, who was disqualified at the time, initially told Gardai he had not been driving the vehicle.

The court had also been told that the teenager was involved in an incident at Chapel Lane in Roscrea on October 29, 2016, when he drove the wrong way along a one-way street.

He had no insurance or driving licence on that date and the vehicle was dangerously defective.

Gardai had to call assistance from Nenagh when they tried to seize the vehicle due to the level of abuse the defendant gave them.

The teenager's solicitor, Tim Breen, had told Judge MacGrath that his client intended to move to the UK to live with his sister.

Judge McaGrath had adjourned the case to July 27, for sentencing.

Last Thursday, she told the teenager she she didn't recommend him going to England.

Going to England is not going to solve the issues for you, she told him.

Judge MacGrath read a psychiatric report on the defendant and noted that he had tried treatment in Aiseiri twice but it had not worked out. The judge adjourned the matter to October 6 for a probation report and warned the teenager: If you are caught driving, you are going to jail.
[August 01, 2017] Indeed Reveals the Best Places to Work in Canada - As Rated by Employees

Indeed, Canada's number 1 job search site, debuted today the 25 Best Places to Work in Canada, curated from the site's hundreds of thousands of company reviews from employees. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801005129/en/ The 25 Best Places to Work in Canada according to Indeed. (Graphic: Business Wire) The list is topped by one of Canada's largest banks, RBC, and includes airline industry leaders WestJet (#6), the purpose-driven Hospital for Sick Children (#5) and tech giant IBM (News - Alert) (#21). Click here for the full report.



"Company reviews can greatly impact a job seeker's decision on where they apply," said Jodi Kasten, managing director at Indeed Canada. "The companies that made our Best Places to Work in Canada list offer an exemplary employee experience, receiving praise for their commitment to offering a great culture, work-life balance and great pay & benefits among many other factors." While a variety of industries are featured on the list, including finance, healthcare, energy, aviation, and manufacturing, there are similarities seen throughout their employee reviews that stand out. Many reviews applaud the commitment to nurturing a great corporate culture and cultivating an environment that's based on open communication, a team mentality and a sense of community.

"Increasingly we see that the modern workforce optimizes for happiness. Companies that are willing to evolve and invest in their workforce will continue to attract and retain top talent," said continued Kasten. "Our data also spotlights that while compensation and job security are always top of mind for employees, a positive company environment and good management are also key factors in making a company a great place to work." "Being recognized as one of Canada's best places to work based on the reviews of our employees is a great reminder of how important it is to invest in our people," said Jenny Poulos, Senior Vice President, Workforce Strategy and Employee Experience at RBC. "RBCers share the view that working here is about making a difference, knowing our contributions matter and feeling fulfilled by what we do for our clients, communities, and each other. Our purpose - helping clients thrive and communities prosper - is what inspires us to be our best, and a big part of why we continue to be recognized as a great place to work." About Indeed Best Places to Work Indeed has over 600,000 company reviews in Canada and over 15 million worldwide. The companies that made Indeed's Best Places to Work in Canada list are rated on the overall employee experience which includes work-life balance, pay & benefits, job security & advancement, management and culture. Ratings represent reviews left between June 2015 and May 2017. Companies must have at least 50 reviews to be eligible. More information about Indeed's Best Places to Work rankings can be found here. About Indeed More people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else. Indeed is the #1 job site in the world and allows job seekers to search millions of jobs on the web or mobile in over 60 countries and 28 languages. More than 200 million people each month search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies on Indeed, and Indeed is the #1 source of external hires for thousands of companies (sources: SilkRoad & iCIMS). For more information, visit ca.indeed.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801005129/en/

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[July 31, 2017] TEDxUCLASalon Hosted by UCLA Extension on July 31st

LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 31st, UCLA Extension will play host to an evening program themed around technology: TEDxUCLASalon on "Struggles to Success." Speakers for the TEDxUCLASalon include Megan Fillinich, Chief Technology Officer, Naval Surface Warfare Center; Kimberly Jo, Associate Chief Information Officer, County of Los Angeles, and John Carnahan, Chief Data Officer & EVP, Data Science and Engineering, Live Nation (Ticketmaster). The "Struggle to Success" TEDxUCLASalon will delve into topics of technology's effect on transforming culture within government, promoting female participation in male-oriented industries, and overcoming setbacks to succeed in business. The TEDxUCLASalon is moderated by Jeanne Holm, Assistant General Manager and Deputy CIO of the City of Los Angeles, and Bruce Huang, Founding Director of Silicon Beach Innovation Lab and Digital Technology at UCLA Extension. The fee to attend the July 31st program is $20, and light refreshments. Tickets can be purchased here. The event will be held at UCLA Extension Gayley Center, 1142 Gayley Ave (at Lindbrook) in Westwood. Hourly parking available in UCLA Parking Lots 32 and 36. For more information, please contact Digital Technology at [email protected] or visit http://sbilabucla.org/ .



About Digital Technology at UCLA Extension

Digital Technology certificate specializations are: Applications Programming, Applications Programming in C# .NET, Database Management, Data Science, Embedded Software, Full Stack Web Development Coding Boot Camp, Information Systems Security, Java, Linux/Unix, Mobile Application Development, Operating System Administration, and Systems Analysis. About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman. The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED's media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world get help translating their wishes into action; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities. Follow TED on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TED. Media Contact

Angela Jacob Bermudo

(213) 226-8929

[email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tedxuclasalon-hosted-by-ucla-extension-on-july-31st-300496968.html SOURCE UCLA Extension

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[July 31, 2017] Jerry Nickelsburg Named Director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast

LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- UCLA Anderson School of Management Adjunct Full Professor Jerry Nickelsburg has been named director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast, effective July 1, 2017. He succeeds Distinguished Professor Edward E. Leamer, who has led the Forecast since 2000. In addition to continuing to teach at UCLA Anderson, Leamer will lead a comprehensive study of the effects of the higher minimum wage enacted by Los Angeles in 2015. Nickelsburg joined the UCLA Anderson Forecast in 2006 as a senior economist, focusing on the California economy. He has played a key role in the Forecast team's economic modeling and forecasting of the U.S. and California economies, as well as those of Los Angeles, the Southern California region and the Bay Area. He has conducted studies on such topics as the aerospace industry and the future of manufacturing in Los Angeles, and is a frequent presenter at economic conferences. "The UCLA Anderson Forecast represents not just UCLA but the entire UC system in providing independent analyses and forecasts for the university, the region and the state," said Nickelsburg. "My goal is to continue the vision of Professor Leamer in expanding the breadth and scope of the Forecast while maintaining its high standard of quality." In addition to his role at the Forecast, Nickelsburg will continue to teach economics in UCLA Anderson's MBA and global immersion programs. He has published numerous research papers and written more than 100 articles on monetary economics, economic forecasts and analysis, labor economics, and industrial organization. He is also the author of two books on monetary economics and exchange rates. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Minnesota, specializing in monetary economics and econometrics, and was formerly a faculty member of the Department of Economics at the University of Southern California. Before joining UCLA Anderson, Nickelsburg spent 20 years working in private industry, including eight years at Mconnell Douglas. He also founded a consulting firm, Deep Blue Economics, and served as its managing principal.



After serving as assistant and associate professor at Harvard University, Leamer joined the UCLA faculty in 1975 as professor of economics. In 1990 he moved across campus to UCLA Anderson and was appointed to the Chauncey J. Medberry Chair in Management, which he continues to hold. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a fellow of the Econometric Society. He earned a B.A. in mathematics from Princeton University and an M.A. in mathematics and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan. Under Leamer's direction, the UCLA Anderson Forecast has become one of the most widely watched and respected economic outlooks for California and the nation. During his tenure, the Forecast uniquely predicted both the seriousness of the early 1990s downturn in California and the strength of the state's rebound since 1993. The Forecast was also credited as the first major U.S. economic forecasting group to predict the recession of 2001. In a special release on September 12, 2001, the Forecast correctly anticipated that the 9/11 attacks were unlikely to have a major effect on the evolution of the recession. In June 2002, Leamer began warning about a momentum-driven, overheated housing market that he said was certain to cause problems for the economy in the future.

About UCLA Anderson Forecast

UCLA Anderson Forecast is one of the most widely watched and often-cited economic outlooks for California and the nation, and was unique in predicting both the seriousness of the early-1990s downturn in California and the strength of the state's rebound since 1993. More recently, the Forecast was credited as the first major U.S. economic forecasting group to declare the recession of 2001. Visit UCLA Anderson Forecast at uclaforecast.com. About UCLA Anderson School of Management

UCLA Anderson School of Management is among the leading business schools in the world, with faculty members globally renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Located in Los Angeles, gateway to the growing economies of Latin America and Asia and a city that personifies innovation in a diverse range of endeavors, UCLA Anderson's MBA, Fully Employed MBA, Executive MBA, UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific, Master of Financial Engineering, Master of Science in Business Analytics, doctoral and executive education programs embody the school's Think in the Next ethos. Annually, some 1,800 students are trained to be global leaders seeking the business models and community solutions of tomorrow. Follow Us @UCLAAnderson

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

YouTube Contact :

Rebecca Trounson

UCLA Anderson School of Management

(310) 825-1348

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jerry-nickelsburg-named-director-of-the-ucla-anderson-forecast-300496979.html SOURCE UCLA Anderson School of Management

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[July 31, 2017] IP ServerOne Announces Its New Datacenter in Cyberjaya

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IP ServerOne, a leading web hosting provider in Malaysia, announced the launching of its own suite in CJ1, a new datacenter suite located in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. IP ServerOne aims to fulfill the increasing demand for security hosting infrastructure and technical efficiency covering various services, such as Public and Private Cloud, Disaster Recovery (DR), and Backup Solutions, as well as extensive data storage for local and regional corporates, e-government, insurance, medical, education, and oil and gas industries. It will complete IP ServerOne's four existing datacenters across Malaysia and Singapore, whereby the latest one is facilitated by intelligent Power Distribution Unit (iPDU), which is not provided by other datacenter suites in CJ1. As a Tier-3 certified datacenter, IP ServerOne provides a remote friendly fully redundant power which enables users to control the power remotely via built-in network from the iPDUs, along with enterprise-class hosting services, including Colocation, Dedicated Server, and Cloud Server in addition to complimentary value-added services. "Our network is also equipped with Anti-DDOS system deployed locally with up to Layer 7 protection to protect all customers hosted from DDoS attack. It will protect your brand and business, even during a DDoS attack, the legitimate traffic wll pass through without any service interruption." said Lee Cheung Loong, co-Founder of IP ServerOne.



All users will also enjoy low latency networks backed by multiple Tier1 IT and telecommunication providers, such as NTT, PCCW Global, and Telia, which can provide a reliable network to achieve optimal application and business performances. Thus, it allows real-time networking and high frequency trading between industries in major cities of Asia, in less than 100 milliseconds. To improve the cooling system efficiency, IP ServerOne has deployed the Cold Aisle Containment System for the 5,100 square feet datacenter. It works by separating the hot and cold air, so the IT equipments will be consistently cool, which results in a more efficient energy use thus cutting the cost for power wastage. Therefore, the datacenter can reduce the power utilization by up to 20%. It is also constructed with Top Roof Panel Fire Protection Opening Design to advance fire detection and automatic fire suppression system.

CJ1 operations are also monitored by a dedicated Network Operations Center. "Apart from biometric access system, we have highly experienced staff who works 24/7 to keep alert with all monitored endpoints and network security," added Lee Cheung Loong. As a commitment to address information security needs, IP ServerOne is in the progress of getting ISO/IEC 27001 and PCI DSS certification for the new datacenter. About IP ServerOne Established in 2003, IP ServerOne aims to provide a comprehensive range of hosting solutions for customers to accomplish operational success on the Internet. The company's key strength is demonstrated through its proven technical expertise in seamlessly integrated systems, networks and software applications as a complete solution for today's competitive environment. With over 3800 managed dedicated servers running simultaneously, IP ServerOne servers are now located in CJ1, AIMS, CX2, NTT Datacenters in Malaysia and Telstra in Singapore. Generally, the offered solutions are in these key areas: Dedicated Server Hosting, Cloud Hosting, Co-location, Email Hosting, Shared Hosting, DDoS Protection Solution, Managed Hosting Services and Domain Name Services. According to Hurricane Electric (a global Internet backbone operator), IP ServerOne is considered to have the best BGP network in Malaysia (source: http://bgp.he.net/country/MY). For more information, visit www.ipserverone.com. Media Contact:

ANGEL SAW

Marketing Executive

Tel: 603-2026-1688

Email: [email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170731/1909909-1 SOURCE IP ServerOne

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[July 31, 2017] Asian Data Roaming Startup Establishing Presence in 14 US Airport Stores

PERTH, Australia, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Affordable international data roaming is no longer a pipe dream for Americans, thanks to Southeast Asian based telecommunications startup Flexiroam. Their flagship product, Flexiroam X, was launched in 2016 and consists of an ultra-thin microchip that can be applied onto users' pre-existing SIM card and subsequently activated through a mobile app. It allows users to enjoy borderless data in over 100 countries, without ever having to change their SIM card. Flexiroam's roaming service provides one of the best balances between price and convenience compared to other roaming solutions in the market. Flexiroam X is already making waves in the Asian market, with over 130,000 subscribers as of June 017. Flexiroam has just signed a partnership deal with Bluwire Group LLC, the leading retailer of technology products in international airports throughout the United States. Flexiroam X will be sold in 14 airport stores, spread across 7 international airports located in New York, Newark, Houston, Dulles, Denver, Minneapolis and Atlanta. This partnership will see Flexiroam X becoming accessible to over 350 million people traveling through these airports, helping Flexiroam break into the US market. Flexiroam X will also be exclusively sold, making it the only data product sold in these retail stores.



Jef Ong, the Managing Director of Flexiroam, added "This is a landmark partnership for Flexiroam, as it provides our product access into the US market through some of the busiest airports in America. Frequent travellers would get to enjoy affordable, borderless connectivity without having to worry about changing SIM cards. Through this added visibility in American airports, we anticipate sales of Flexiroam X to increase in North America and our partners such as Bluwire benefiting from being early movers in this space." About Flexiroam





Founded in 2011, Flexiroam is an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: FRX) listed telecommunications company that provides borderless data roaming in over 100 countries with 4G speed in over 56 countries. Flexiroam has garnered over 580 network partnerships as well as high profile affiliates such as Korean Air, Grab, UnionPay and TripAdvisor . The company offers peace of mind to travellers, removing the worry of exorbitant data charges or the hassle of buying local SIM cards in every country, while maintaining an asset light business model. More Information: investor.flexiroam.com Contact Person:

Jason Khoo

VP Business & Investor Development

Phone Number: +6016-686-8965

Email: [email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170731/1909980-1 SOURCE Flexiroam

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[August 01, 2017] mobilcom-debitel Chooses boon by Wirecard for Contactless Payments

ASCHHEIM, Germany, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

From today on, mobilcom-debitel's Android smartphones will come with the mobile payment app boon preinstalled Wirecard, the leading supplier of digital payment solutions and internet technology, and mobilcom-debitel announce ground-breaking collaboration. From today onwards, all new Android smartphones sold by mobilcom-debitel will come with the preinstalled mobile payment app boon. With this, mobilcom-debitel is one of the first telecommunications providers in Europe to use host card emulation technology (HCE) for mobile payment solutions. The boon app can be used to make mobile payments at any NFC-enabled POS terminal which accepts Mastercard Contactless payments. The smartphone works like a contactless credit card and simply needs to be held up to the terminal. Another special feature is that users can also shop online with the digital prepaid Mastercard which forms the basis of boon. With this new digital lifestyle service solution, mobilcom-debitel, which is the largest network-independent German mobile service provider, offers its customers the freedom of being able to make payments all over the world without cash or cards thanks to Wirecard. The app also gives a fully transparent overview of the whole transaction process. Leaflets in product packaging and push notifications will keep consumers with the preinstalled boon app informed about the solution. They can register and get started in a matter of minutes by using bank transfer or credit card to load the account linked to the virtual creditcard provided to them by Wirecard Card Solutions. Security and data protection are crucial: Wirecard's HCE solution is certified and tested by Mastercard, while payment data is saved securely using Token security software.



Georg von Waldenfels, Executive Vice President, Consumer Solutions at Wirecard says, "We are particularly delighted about this collaboration, because we have found a new strategic partner in mobilcom-debitel with whom we can work with to boost contactless payments in Germany." Antonius Fromme, Managing Director Digital-Lifestyle-Services at mobilcom-debitel, adds: "We are glad to offer our customers together with boon an easy and simple way of mobile payments and with this to further build up our brand in the digital lifestyle segment."

For more information about boon visit: https://boonpayment.com/de/en/ Wirecard media contact:



Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363

Email: [email protected]

About Wirecard: Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on Twitter @wirecard. Mobilcom-debitel media contact:



freenet AG

Product Communication

Rudiger Kubald

Deelbogenkamp 4c

D- 22297 Hamburg

Tel.:040 / 513 06 777

Fax: 040 / 513 06 977

http://www.freenet-group.de

E-Mail: [email protected]

About mobilcom-debitel: With the brand mobilcom-debitel, the digital lifestyle provider freenet Group offers a large, diverse range of proprietary mobile communications and data offerings as well as services and other products to simplify everyday life using technical aids via the internet and/or smartphones. It also offers energy services and a range of accessories as well as mobile phone and data products from German network providers. In addition to having a broad-scale presence in retail, electronics and markets, the company offers independent, competent customer consultation and product selection through its shops, GRAVIS branches and customer service.



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[August 01, 2017] Geoswift, cross-border payment solutions provider accepted into Forbes Finance Council

Forbes Finance Council is an Invitation-Only Community for Executives in Accounting, Financial Planning, Wealth and Asset Management and Investment Firms HONG KONG, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Raymond Qu, CEO and Founder of Geoswift, a leading provider of cross-border payment solutions between China and the rest of the world, has been accepted into the Forbes Finance Council, an invitation-only community for executives in accounting, financial planning, wealth and asset management and investment firms. Raymond Qu joins other Forbes Finance Council members, who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including the opportunity to submit thought leadership articles and short tips on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com. Forbes Councils combines an innovative, high-touch approach to community management perfected by the team behind Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) with the extensive resources and global reach of Forbes. As a result, Forbes Council members get access to the people, benefits and expertise they need to grow their businesses -- and a dedicated member concierge who acts as an extension of their own team, providing personalized one-on-one support. "I am honored to represent Geoswift in joining the Forbes Finance Council. We've built a global cross border payments business across Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, London, Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco. We've expanded our team with senior appointments of industry specialists to meet the growing requirements of our international clients. We are at an exciting stage of growth and joining the Council will enable us to contribute further to the payents industry especially those turning to China for opportunities.



International players are often overwhelmed by the complex regulations introduced by People's Bank of China (PBOC). With new market entrants and regulatory developments, I can understand why. Our expertise lies in China and we work with global merchants to facilitate the collection and settlement of currencies into China. Our product infrastructure has also been built to adapt to changes in regulatory policies by the PBOC. We have great business insights on China and we are very positive on the potential it presents. Our membership with the Forbes Finance Council presents a fantastic opportunity for Geoswift to share our insights and expertise on China's business potential with the rest of the world." Raymond Qu, CEO and Founder of Geoswift.

Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, says, "We are honored to welcome Raymond Qu, into the community. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to curate successful professionals from every industry, creating a vetted, social capital-driven network that helps every member make an even greater impact on the business world." About Geoswift Geoswift is an innovative payment technology company connecting China and the rest of the world. The company comprises the world's leading payment technology experts that have a deep understanding of the industry, technology, and global and China monetary policy. Geoswift provides clients with customised one stop cross-border payment solutions to and from China. Geoswift is relied upon by the world's leading ecommerce companies, most prestigious universities and the largest brands in the travel industry to grow their businesses. Geoswift is an acquirer of UnionPay International in North America and a long-term partner of many other leading financial institutions. It also maintains numbers of currency exchange outlets throughout China. Geoswift is headquartered in Hong Kong with operating offices in Shanghai, Singapore, London, Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco for strategic and regulatory functions. For more information visit, please visit www.geoswift.com or send in your queries to [email protected] . About Forbes Councils Forbes partnered with the founders of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to launch Forbes Councils, invitation-only communities for world-class business professionals in a variety of industries. Members, who are hand-selected by each Council's community team, receive personalized introductions to each other based on their specific needs and gain access to a wide range of business benefits and services, including best-in-class concierge teams, personalized connections, peer-to-peer learning, a business services marketplace, and the opportunity to share thought leadership content on Forbes.com. For more information about Forbes Finance Council, visit https://forbesfinancecouncil.com/. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com. SOURCE Geoswift

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[August 01, 2017] SES Government Solutions Lands Additional MEO Beam Task Order with U.S. Department of Defense

SES (News - Alert) announced today that SES Government Solutions (SES GS), a wholly owned subsidiary of SES, signed a five-year task order with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Under the agreement, an additional satellite beam will enable access to real-time information for better-informed, life-saving decisions in the field for key U.S. Government end-users. The additional connectivity will be provided via SES's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) O3b fleet as part of a high throughput, low latency satellite communications solution SES GS is providing to the U.S. DoD. Operational benefits of the solution include the capability to transfer large files from remote locations in just minutes instead of hours. Cloud-based applications and information can be used anywhere in the service area. End-users will be able to view simultaneous High Definition videos providing situational awareness to commanders. "Last year we won the first MEO-enabled satellite connectivity contract for the DoD, and we've been supporting our U.S. Government mission partner every step of the way since," said Pete Hoene, President and CEO at SES Government Solutions. "The customer has been very pleased with the service our extended SES Networks team has provided, hence the desire to proceed with an additional beam." The solution includes an additional 432 MHz satellite beam operating at less than 200 milliseconds roundtrip, a full duplex link, gateway access, transportable 2.4m AvL terminals, terrestrial backhaul, installation services and 24/7/365 operations and maintenance activities. Follow us on: Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites & https://twitter.com/SES_Government



News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/SES.Satellites & https://www.facebook.com/SESGovernmentSolutions YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel & https://www.youtube.com/user/SESGovernment

SE GS Blog: https://www.ses.com/news/blogs & http://www.ses-gs.com/govsat SES white papers are available under https://www.ses.com/news/whitepapers SES GS materials available under http://ses-gs.com/govsat/category/resources/ About SES SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units: SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES's portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider, and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170731006388/en/

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[August 01, 2017] Ciao Group Engages East African Development Partners to Integrate Blockchain Solution for Planned ICO Targeting $530 Billion African Financial Markets

DALLAS, August 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ciao Group, Inc. (USOTC: CIAU) today announced engaging East African Development Partners, a subsidiary of Restance, Inc. (USOTC: ANCE) to integrate a Blockhain solution for Ciao's Initial Currency Offering (ICO). The planned ICO is an integral part of Ciao's Blockchain Frontier Markets Project now under development for over a year. The Project's specific initial target is to bring increased liquidity to USD$530 billion in African publicly traded company market capitalization. Ciao management is currently in Kenya meeting with East African Development Partners. Ciao recently announced a collaboration agreement with Hub Culture to pilot a secure digital financial products marketplace constructed on Hub Culture's digital asset service engine. Aubrey Brown, CEO of Ciao is targeting an ICO for later this year. Ciao Group's Refreshed Business Plan and Name Change to NuMelo Technology Ciao Group recently announced a refreshed business plan to concentate on developing locally sourced technology and telecommunication services within frontier and emerging economic markets. The Company is in the process of changing its name to NuMelo Technology as part of the business plan refresh.



Restance East African Development Partners Restance, through its subsidiary, East African Development Partners is pursuing several business lines in the growing economies of East Africa. The Company is developing opportunities in the region including initiatives in technology and systems integration services, utility support services, affordable housing and health products manufacturing. The Company owns a majority interest in manufacturing equipment being integrated into a health products manufacturing facility currently under development. The Company is also under contract with a Chinese real estate investment firm to develop real estate assets in East Africa.

Learn more about Ciao Group/NuMelo Technology on the Company's website and check back frequently to keep up with the Company's progress to include two acquisitions anticipated soon. Look for regular updates to the collaboration agreement announced today on the websites of both Ciao Group/NuMelo Technology and Hub Culture.

http://www.numelotechnology.com

http://www.otcciau.com Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur.



Contact:

NuMelo Technology

[email protected]

+1-866-294-9306



SOURCE Ciao Group, Inc. & Restance, Inc.

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[August 01, 2017] Huawei Media Cloud Enables Omni-media Opportunities for TF1

SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei provided the Huawei Media Cloud Solution, which enabled a private cloud IT platform for Television Francaise 1. The platform enables Omni-media content production and broadcasting anytime and anywhere. "Huawei's VDI technology enabled us to put workstation into the cloud and access it quickly. We can now operate the same application software in a convenient way, using a simple terminal. We have deployed a more efficient solution in the newsroom, allowing staff to work flexibly to drive a seamless Omni-media user-experience.? Guillaume Lemoine, Senior Broadcast Architect, TF1 group. Background Founded in 1935, Television Francaise 1 is the largest TV station in France and one of oldest operating TV stations globally. In 1975, it was rebranded TF1 and was privatized in 1987. With many specialized cable TV stations, TF1 enjoys a 24% audience rating, making it the number-one TV station in France and one of the most popular in Europe. It has implemented some of the most advanced technology in Europe to ensure smooth running operations.

Challenges TF1 uses digital and IP-based technology to produce and broadcast the news. Its network supports the production and broadcasting of news programs in high-definition (HD) or standard-definition. The traditional TV news and the Internet are mixing, while the traditional news production methods struggle to meet the requirements for a fast and seamless experience. TF1 was challenged in the following ways: Low utilization of media assets: Independent IT infrastructure for multiple channels stifled information sharing. If the news channel needed to use video resources from the sports channel, the user needed to utilize an additional server to copy the videos to the storage system. The process was time- and bandwidth-consuming. Frequent switchovers between office and production desktops affected efficiency: A journaist needed two desktops -- one for processing emails and Internet searches, the other for media editing, which was usually located in another area. Journalist needed to move between two areas, which impeded ability to deliver timely news productions. Low resource utilization resulted in long Time-to-Market (TTM) for services and channels: TF1's flexibility was hampered by existing infrastructure with isolated IT resources across major services, including ingestion, editing, broadcasting, media asset management, and content archiving. The delivery of new services was complex and delayed. The procurement of new hardware and software was lengthy.



Above all, TF1 was in urgent need of a converged platform that supported Omni-media services.

Solution In March, 2016, Huawei provided an end-to-end integrated media cloud solution that covers underlying servers, upper-layer cloud platforms, and desktop software and hardware. Huawei Media Cloud Solution enabled a private cloud IT platform for TF1 to support media-service-defined IT resource pooling, and service automation. The platform enables Omni-media content production and broadcasting anytime and anywhere, bringing a convenient experience. TF1 captured new opportunities: Distributed storage enables efficient content sharing: Huawei converged resource pool adopts a distributed architecture and contains all media materials, which means internal high-speed data copying will no longer occupy bandwidth. With global data sharing between multiple channels, free data flow within the resource pool replaces traditional data migration between multiple systems, which significantly improves data access efficiency. GPU + VDI unified OA platform for ingesting and editing, significantly improves news production efficiency: The desktop cloud system provides a solution with 80 GPUs and 160 VDIs. Each user is allocated two virtual desktops on the cloud, which not only satisfies the needs of email processing and HD news editing, but also ensures information security using DMZ security isolation technology. Hyper-converged architecture provides IT resource pools and supports service automation, significantly reducing time required for service rollout: E9000, a hyper-converged architecture blade server, is used to achieve on-demand resource allocation and automatic scaling based on ISV service template, which improves deployment efficiency for HD editing, media broadcasting, on the media cloud (such as Dalet, a news-editing software; and Adobe, an image-processing software). Benefits Within 4 months, TF1 built a converged news production platform based on Huawei Media Cloud Solution, which supported current service requirements while enabling future development: Access efficiency to shared media data has improved by 90%.

Full-time news production significantly improved efficiency by 50%.

TTM of news services has shortened by 50%. To know more about Huawei helping enterprises achieve digital transformation, please visit http://e.huawei.com/topic/leading-new-ict-en/index.html?utm_campaign=lni17-minisiteen&utm_medium=hwdc&utm_source=ebghome-en&source=eebghq175155l

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[August 01, 2017] Broadvoice Names Eric Dagg as Director of Solutions Architecture

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadvoice, an award-winning provider of hosted voice, unified communications (UC), and SIP trunking services for businesses, is further investing in its Channel Partner Program by significantly expanding its Solutions Architecture department. This focused growth illustrates Broadvoice's continued company initiative to deliver an amazing customer experience. Eric Dagg, recently brought on as the Director of Solutions Architecture at Broadvoice, takes the helm of the newly revamped Solutions Architecture team. Mr. Dagg and his department will lead the charge in supporting the company's rapid growth and mounting investment in its Channel Partner Program. These augmentation efforts will result in exceptional technical resources for internal sales support, including a Certified Installer Program, all of which allow for an unrivaled customer experience that prioritizes innovative projects, advanced technical materials, and more streamlined methods to benefit Channel Partners. "I am very excited to join the team at Broadvoice. The company has had big growth over the last couple years in the Channel, and their customer-centric approach is desirable to me," Mr. Dagg said. "The leadership team at Broadvoice has the company in a position to do great things. Exciting changes are coming, and I'm looking forward to being a part of the continued success." The vision of Broadvoice realizes the importance of a tailored communication solutions that meet the unique demands of each customer's business operation. In growing its eam of experienced Solutions Architects, Broadvoice can provide technical expertise to its partners and clients in each step of the sales process, thereby cementing an amazing customer experience.



"We consider our Solution Architects an extension of our Partner's team," said Broadvoice President, Sam Ghahremanpour. "Our goal is for this team to provide sales consultation, design the solution, and oversee the order implementation and training so that our Partners can move on to the next opportunity and see their business thrive." Before joining Broadvoice, Mr. Dagg was the Director of Sales Engineering at MegaPath, where he was responsible for essential technical sales resources for a nationwide sales organization. With over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology, Cloud, and Telecommunications space, Mr. Dagg has a strong track record of leadership among sales engineering teams working with complex communication products.

Mr. Dagg joins at a time of unprecedented growth for the company: Broadvoice has seen a 167% overall sales increase in the last three years with channel sales tripling over the preceding year. Broadvoice is ranked among the Inc. 500|5000, as one of the nation's fastest growing private companies. Broadvoice offers a flexible, smart portfolio of IP-based voice and data offerings, backed by its enterprise-class, geo-redundant IP telephony platform. For businesses, the technology contains a full UC suite and cloud PBX services, including unlimited voice calling plans throughout the continental United States and Canada. For more information on the Broadvoice Partner Program, please call 866-634-1394, or visit www.broadvoice.com/partners. About Broadvoice Headquartered in Los Angeles, Broadvoice is a premier provider of cloud phone service, contact center solutions, collaboration, and conferencing. Utilizing the latest cloud communications technology, Broadvoice helps businesses achieve higher call quality and faster internet speeds while reducing overall costs and improving efficiency. The company continuously delivers a full suite of secure, reliable, real-time communication solutions that help businesses connect with customers anywhere, anytime and with any device. Broadvoice is ranked in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. Visit Broadvoice.com to learn more. Media Contact: Broadvoice

Marisa Freeden

408-471-507

[email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/broadvoice-names-eric-dagg-as-director-of-solutions-architecture-300497184.html SOURCE Broadvoice

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IMPORTANT INVESTOR ALERT: Lundin Law PC Announces an Investigation of Flowserve Corporation and Advises Investors with Losses to Contact the Firm

Lundin Law PC, a shareholder rights firm, announces that it is investigating claims against Flowserve Corporation ("Flowserve" or the "Company") (NYSE: FLS) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.

To get more information about this investigation, please contact Brian Lundin, Esquire, of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or by email at [email protected].







On July 27, 2017, Flowserve announced disappointing Second Quarter 2017 Results. The Company announced that "certain immaterial accounting errors were identified in prior period financial statements for the period beginning in 2013 through the first quarter of 2017" Also, "the Company determined material weakness existed in its internal control structure at year-end 2016 and continued through the end of the 2017 second quarter." Upon release of this news, Flowserve's stock price fell.

Lundin Law PC was founded by Brian Lundin, a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding shareholders' rights.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801006304/en/
[August 01, 2017] Top 3 Trends Impacting the Global Clostridium Diagnostics Market Through 2021: Technavio

Technavio's latest market research report on the global clostridium diagnostics market provides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2017-2021. Technavio defines 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/20170801005883/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global clostridium diagnostics market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) The global Clostridium diagnostics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 15% during the forecast period. The emerging countries in Asia-Pacific such as India and China are expected to witness lucrative growth during the forecast period owing to the increasing healthcare infrastructure, rising healthcare expenditure, and growing prevalence of infectious diseases. According to Neha Noopur, a lead analyst at Technavio for in-vitro diagnostics research, "Clostridium diagnostics market also has a strong presence in North America and Europe, owing to the presence of technologically advanced systems, high healthcare expenditure, increased government funding, increasing expenditure on R&D programs, and high patient awareness levels." 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 clostridium diagnostics market according to Technavio research analysts are:



Technological advancements

Increasing focus on reducing nosocomial infections

Growing popularity of portable POCT 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.

Technological advancements The use of automation and robots in clinical laboratories has become more prevalent today. The pressure on the laboratories to produce faster results and reduce errors to improve patient care has increased. The current technologies in laboratory automation can automate specimen transportation, sorting, accessioning, and inspection. Over the decade, the pressure to reduce healthcare costs has increased, and hence, laboratories are relying on automation to maintain profitability. Currently, over 30% of laboratories in Japan, Europe, and North America has implemented a significant degree of laboratory automation. Laboratory automation is now becoming a well-accepted technology, which offers high-quality, efficient, and patient-centric operations with low operating costs. Automation can also be the foundation on which the Six Sigma program can be built and maintained. Technological advancements have led to several laboratory operations to be partially or fully automated. Increasing focus on reducing nosocomial infections It is estimated that across the globe 5%-10% of hospitalized patients experience hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) every year. Though preventable, health systems, providers, and patients spend large amounts each year to treat these infections. In the US, they affect 1 in 20 hospitalized patients. The responsible health authorities in the US have developed a national program to support hospitals in reducing the risk of nosocomial infections. The government in the US has increased its funding for these programs to eliminate HAIs. In March 2011, ASTHO and CDC jointly released the toolkit, Eliminating HAI. Different programs are being run by the government to increase awareness among people. Growing popularity of portable POCT products Fixed point-of-care testing (POCT) products are expensive and difficult to control at times because of slow data processing. On the other hand, portable POCT products are comparatively inexpensive, more hygienic and efficient, and backed by warranties. Advances in technology have aided manufacturers to develop innovative portable POCT products with licenses for single-owner use. "The POCT products are expected to replace the traditional coagulation devices due to their low cost and effectiveness. POCT is expected to play a vital role in developing nations in the future. The segment is likely to grow with many devices being developed, and released into the market during the forecast period," says Neha. Browse Related Reports: Global POC Diagnostics Market 2017-2021

Global High-density Multiplexed Diagnostic Assays Market 2017-2021

Global Vitamin D Testing 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/20170801005883/en/

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After spending nearly $4 million, the state has ended a contract meant to curb Medicaid personal care fraud just two months after the oversight began, saying the effort is no longer needed because the risk of fraud has been reduced.

In 2015, the Legislature approved a Department of Health Services plan to spend $8 million over two years on independent assessments of personal care, which involves assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting and other tasks for about 16,000 elderly or disabled patients a year.

Personal care agencies had been determining how much care clients need. The health department said that was a conflict of interest that encouraged fraud.

The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau questioned whether the independent assessments would achieve the health departments anticipated savings of $19 million over two years because personal care spending had dipped from $273 million in fiscal year 2014 to $268 million in fiscal year 2015.

In July 2016, the health department awarded a three-year, $16 million contract to Pennsylvania-based Liberty Healthcare Corp. to conduct the assessments. They were to begin last fall, but didnt start until June 1.

Late last week, the health department said it was ending the contract.

Julie Lund, health department spokeswoman, said Tuesday that personal care spending has continued to decline, to $255 million in fiscal year 2017. She said the departments plan for statewide implementation of Family Care, a Medicaid managed care program, and electronic verification requirements of a providers presence in a clients home under the new federal 21st Century Cures Act should reduce fraud.

Recognizing the immediate cost reduction, as well as the reduced risk, it was clear that ending the contract for independent assessments now is clearly the fiscally responsible approach, Lund said in a statement.

The department spent $3.8 million and didnt receive any information to determine if the assessments done since June 1 uncovered fraud or saved money, but the expenditure wasnt a waste, she said.

Reduced risk

We launched the program to address the obvious growth in (spending) in an area that we recognized was vulnerable for waste, fraud or abuse, Lund said. We reached the decision to end the contract at this point because we recognize the factors that led to reduced risk, and the environment has changed.

Kris Naidl, a spokeswoman for Liberty, said, We respect the states decision to return to assessments done by providers as the Family Care program goes statewide. ... Our staff are now working to ensure a seamless transition of those assessment services.

Darcy Knapp, president of the Wisconsin Personal Services Association, said the decision confirms what we have known for many years, that the personal care program is cost effective.

The health department should use the $12 million unspent in the $16 million contract to address the shortage of personal care workers, Knapp said.
ENVISION INVESTOR ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 Investing in Envision Healthcare Corp to Contact the Firm

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential securities fraud at Envision Healthcare Corp ("Envision" or the "Company") (NYSE:EVHC).

The investigation focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws. Specifically, on July 24, 2017, The New York Times reported on a study involving the billing practices of EmCare Holdings Inc ("EmCare"), the Company's subsidiary, conducted by researchers at Yale University. The study asserted that emergency rooms associated with EmCare were substantially more likely to engage in so-called "surprise billing," by assigning out-of-network doctors to treat patients and then charging higher rates than were expected.

Following this news, Envision's share price declined during intraday trading on July 24, 2017, causing harm to investors.

Ifyou invested in Envision stock or options and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here: www.faruqilaw.com/EVHC. There is no cost or obligation to you.







You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170801006748/en/
[August 01, 2017] SYNNEX Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Murai Recognized as one of CRN's Top 100 Executives

FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX), a leading Technology Solutions distributor, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named SYNNEX President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Murai to its 2017 list of Top 100 Executives. The annual list recognizes leaders from the technology industry who have played an integral role in shaping today's IT channel, whether by driving huge cultural shifts, creating rich new opportunities, or forging innovative routes to success. Murai is also named among the 25 Most Influential Executives for 2017. "I am honored to be named to CRN's Top 100 Executives listing. The award reflects our team's dedication to excellence and drive to stay ahead in the industry through meeting our partners' ever-evolving needs with competitive solutions and programs," said Kevin Murai, President and Chief Executive Officer, SYNNEX Corporation. Over the past year, Murai and his leadership team implemented a robust growth strategy. Achievements included strategic acquisitions that increased the company's footprint and new offerings in both technology solutions and business services. New and expanded relationships amplified SYNNEX' cloud business and strengthened its position with Internet of Things. The company also outpaced competitors to garner several superlative awards from industry partners across multiple product lines. Such successes helped SYNNEX advance 14 positions to #198 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. "Today's IT ecosystem is undergoing major changes, from a disruptie, technological innovation boom to the unprecedented shift to a services-driven market," said Robert Faletra, CEO of The Channel Company. "For both technology suppliers and solution providers, navigating these uncertain waters and maintaining a competitive edge requires strong leadership and vision. CRN's 2017 Top 100 Executives actively embody these qualities, providing the exemplary guidance their companies need to thrive in this new environment and move the IT channel forward."



The Top 100 Executives list will be featured in the August 2017 issue of CRN and online at www.crn.com/top100. For more information about SYNNEX, visit www.synnex.com. About SYNNEX

SYNNEX Corporation (NYSE: SNX) is a Fortune 500 corporation and a leading business process services company, providing a comprehensive range of distribution, logistics and integration services for the technology industry and providing outsourced services focused on customer engagement strategy to a broad range of enterprises. SYNNEX distributes a broad range of information technology systems and products, and also provides systems design and integration solutions. Concentrix, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SYNNEX Corporation, offers a portfolio of strategic solutions and end-to-end business services around customer engagement strategy, process optimization, technology innovation, front and back-office automation and business transformation to clients in ten identified industry verticals. Founded in 1980, SYNNEX Corporation operates in numerous countries throughout North and South America, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Additional information about SYNNEX may be found online at www.synnex.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 Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this release that are forward-looking involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance that may be suggested in this release. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release. Copyright 2017 SYNNEX Corporation. All rights reserved. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo, CONCENTRIX, and all other SYNNEX company, product and services names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of SYNNEX Corporation. SYNNEX, the SYNNEX Logo and CONCENTRIX Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off. Other names and marks are the property of their respective owners. The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. SNX-G View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synnex-corporation-president-and-chief-executive-officer-kevin-murai-recognized-as-one-of-crns-top-100-executives-300497904.html SOURCE SYNNEX Corporation

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Rex Early, longtime Republican leader in Indiana, has died

Rex Early was chairman of the Indiana Republican Party and led former president Donald Trump's campaign in Indiana in 2016.
Amgen stock hits high on earnings, prospects of obesity drug In one of the worst years for the stock market since the 2008 financial crisis, Thousand Oaksbased Amgen is showing no signs of weakness. As of Wednesdays market close, the...

Council approves rules to limit self-storage growth Future self-storage facilities in the city of Thousand Oaks will be excluded from prime commercial areas, according to a new ordinance adopted by the City Council this month. In a...

Dealership does Distinguished thing SPECIAL TRIPChildren from Boys & Girls clubs in Camarillo, Simi Valley and Moorpark, and Oxnard and Port Hueneme attended Misty Copelands Oct. 18 appearance in the Distinguished Speaker Series at...
U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Ron Wyden (D-WA), and Steve Daines (R-MT) have introduced the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2017, a new bill that seeks to ensure that IoT devices sold to the U.S. government meet security requirements.

Companies have been quick to graft internet connections onto everything from refrigerators and stuffed animals to security cameras and thermostats, but when it comes to securing those devices, progress has been halting at best. Compromised IoT products have powered attacks that took down some of the world's largest websites, endangered the privacy of children, and potentially threatened national security.

This is a known problem, yet companies seem to be making the same mistakes over and over again. Consider IoT cameras: Vulnerabilities were discovered in Edimax cameras in November 2016, D-Link cameras in January, and Shenzhen Neo Electronics cameras just last month. Three different manufacturers working in the same IoT device category have failed to make sure their security cameras are, well, secure.

The same story has repeated itself across IoT device categories. The Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2017 is supposed to change that...for the federal government. The bill doesn't focus on consumer devices--instead, it's targeted squarely at manufacturers who want to sell IoT products to government agencies. Sen. Warner explained the bill's purpose in a press release about its introduction:

While Im tremendously excited about the innovation and productivity that Internet-of-Things devices will unleash, I have long been concerned that too many Internet-connected devices are being sold without appropriate safeguards and protections in place, said Sen. Warner. This legislation would establish thorough, yet flexible, guidelines for Federal Government procurements [sic] of connected devices. My hope is that this legislation will remedy the obvious market failure that has occurred and encourage device manufacturers to compete on the security of their products.

It's disappointing that this bill won't extend to consumer products, but the Senators are unlikely to stop there. Warner asked three agencies--the FTC, FCC, and DHS--to investigate IoT security in October 2016. At the time, he said he wanted "a range of expert opinions and meaningful action on new and improved tools to better protect American consumers, manufacturers, retailers, Internet sites and service providers."

Warner has also expressed concerns about how the insecurity of IoT devices affects consumers. We suspect the Internet of Things Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2017's focus on the federal government is a starting point, not the ultimate goal, for the Senators' push to secure the IoT. Even if it doesn't, the ramifications of insecure devices within the government could be worse than the dangers posed by consumer devices.

Representatives from Cloudflare, Mozilla, and other security companies and rights groups have all endorsed this bill. You can learn more about its requirements via this fact sheet; the full bill can be found here (opens in new tab). The bill will now have to make its way through the bureaucratic process.


"While still working as a Major, the new KCPD Chief told a room full of high school students, their teachers and me, just a few months ago, that KCPD doesn't have any problems with race issues like those other departments. What actually happened was later, as he was talking, he casually said, "I don't know if any of you have ever been pulled over.. " and all the Black students raised their hands while most of the white students didn't. I don't think he meant for that to happen. It was obvious to us... I'm unsure if he noticed."
CHECK REPORTS OF URBAN CORE RAGE AFTER THE BODY OF A HOMICIDE VICTIM REMAINED ON A LOCAL STREET HOURS AFTER THE VICTIM WAS KILLED!!!

,

The tragic reality and procedures of a murder investigations confront the urban core and the scene are too much to handle for some Kansas City residents.To wit . . .To be fair to police . . . A comprehensive and crime scene investigation takes a lot longer than media and movies depict and it's clear, even from the photothat local authorities areand collecting evidence.Among social media denizens, there have been some, what we're seeing in images of this Kansas City murder sceneis that police areamid a tense situation and rising level of local murder.Developing . . .
Kansas City Airport Stays Winning WITHOUT New Single-Terminal

KCI adds nonstop service to Dominican Republic - Kansas City Business Journal The Kansas City Aviation Department on Monday announced new nonstop charter flights between Kansas City International Airport and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, The service, to be provided by Vacation Express, represents the third international route at KCI (Code: MCI) and its first nonstop link to Punta Cana.

Local Helping Hands

Community comes to the rescue of KCK couple who returned from vacation to find storm damage KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Help poured in for an elderly metro couple overwhelmed by last week's storm. The wind and rain caused a massive tree to collapse on their KCK home. There is good news for that couple tonight.

Double Disaster In Kansas

2 dead following plane crash at Billard Airport in Topeka Two people have died following a plane crash Monday evening in Topeka. The plane crashed at Billard Airport, our CBS affiliate WIBW reported Tuesday evening. This is a developing story. Stay tu...

Show-Me Student Loan Debt Loophole!!!

Mo. student loan defaulters might be off the hook due to missing or false paperwork If creditors are after you because you have defaulted on your student loan payments, this could be your lucky day. There's at least $5 billion in student loan debt that may never be collected because the documents proving who owns the debt are either missing or have been ruled fake, according to Independence Attorney Ken McClain.

Celebrate Golden Ghetto Discount

Proposed Johnson County budget includes property tax reduction JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. - Potential good news is on the horizon for Johnson County taxpayers. On Monday, the county commission will present a budget for fiscal year 2018 with cuts to property taxes. "They really wanted to do something for the citizens, so they went ahead and chose to propose a quarter mil reduction," Johnson County Assistant Budget Director Robin Symes explained.

Big Bucks For Inner Suburbs

Grandview says city sustained more than a million dollars in flood damage The City of Grandview now has an idea on the extend of damage done during last week's historic flooding. The Grandview Fire Department Fire Marshal said more than 30 homes and rental units on the south side of the Little Blue River flooded. Damage estimates are expected to stretch to more than a million dollars.

Kansas City Win Streak Conclusion

Royals can't muster enough offense in 2-1 loss to Orioles | FOX Sports BALTIMORE - Craig Gentry singled home the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Baltimore Orioles cooled off the Kansas City Royals with a 2-1 victory Monday night. Manny Machado had two hits and scored a run for the Orioles, who have won three straight.

Hottiestarts our morning on this Tuesday as we check Kansas City mainstream news and move forward.Take a look:is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . .
Kansas City Honors Inside The Loop

Downtown KC Urban Hero nominations due this Friday Do you know someone who is passionately working to make Downtown Kansas City a better place? You can show your appreciation by nominating them for an Urban Hero Award from the Downtown Council! And, you'll need to hurry. The nomination deadline is on Friday.

Watch The End Of The World

Solar eclipse watch parties: Celebrate in Kansas City-area with other sky-gazers The beginning of the solar eclipse will start at 11:40 a.m. It will reach totality at 1:06 p.m. We will have about 2 minutes and 19 seconds of total darkness. Obviously, it's a big event, especially because Kansas City is in the path of totality.

Kansas City Police Resolve Domestic Drama

Police standoff on Kansas City's east side ends peacefully A police standoff on Kansas City's east side ended peacefully early Tuesday. Kansas City police said officers were called at 11 p.m. to the 3000 block of Lister Avenue on a reported domestic violence assault. When police arrive, a woman told officers that her husband assaulted her and he was in the house with a handgun, authorities said.

Help Stop Neighborhood Crime

Police want citizens to develop '9 p.m. routine' to help stop thieves KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Police are urging citizens to help them keep thieves locked out of their homes and cars. In the Palestine neighborhood property owners say they've seen a surge in break-ins to their homes and cars. They like the idea that police are pushing of developing a so-called 9 p.m.

Local Ginger Slap Fight

Canada Dry Ginger Ale is ailing in the ginger department, alleges lawsuit filed in KC A Jackson County man is taking on one of the nation's largest beverage corporations over how much ginger is actually in Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Not much, according to a lawsuit recently filed in federal court in Kansas City by Arnold E. Webb Jr.

Crafty Cowtown Celebration

Indie craft, maker fair Strawberry Swing returning Sunday with KC One of the largest indie craft fairs in the Midwest is expected to draw thousands of Kansas Citians to discover local makers and creators. Strawberry Swing's summer event, set for Sunday at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art lawn, aims to showcase vendors from Kansas City, as well as parts of Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma and more.

KC Music Scene Coming Soon

Kesha is coming to the Uptown in October Perhaps no pop star in recent memory has been through the legal and personal ringer as much as Kesha, who has recently emerged from a long legal battle wit...

Hottiestill rules the Internets as we take a look at all of the important Kansas City mainstream media links for right now . . .And this is thefor right now . . .
WORD AROUND THE CAMPFIRE IS TALK OF THE FBI ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT NEW SINGLE-TERMINAL AIRPORT BIDDING HAS EVERYBODY @ 12TH & OAK FREAKED!!!

Word of tall white guys in bad suits scaring the Bejesus out of every middle-class lawyer/lobbyist in Downtown KCMO is kinda funny even if it's very serious business.

Notice that as soon as OUR KICK-ASS TKC BLOG COMMUNITY started talking about "bid-rigging" Mayor Sly has backed down on just about every challenge to this screwed up new airport bidding process because his bow-tie would go over horribly in the slammer. When push comes to shove Mayor Sly is a paper tiger on this no-bid vote because of so many obvious flaws favoring his corporate pals from the start.

THE POINT HERE IS THAT A SECRETIVE, RUSHED AND SKETCHY PROCESS INVOLVING BILLIONS WORTH OF REVENUE HAS EVOKED VERY REAL FEAR OF INVESTIGATION.

Here's the gossip around City Hall that "journalists" will report later whilst pretending that they don't get most of their news from ourTo wit . . .In fact, this little tidbit worked its way down to our filthy corner of the Internets because everybody is justifiably scared of getting "door-knocked" on this one.Don't get it twisted, TKC is alsoof the Feds as well even if the all of those free Cuban bacon sandwiches they feed the Muslims at Guantanamo Bay sound delicious. TKC doesn't want to sweat it out under the lights or anywhere else for that matter . . .And so we'll keep this report light, breezy and full of pr0n star cleavage so the "journalists" can comfort themselves with their integrity whilst Steve Vockrodt and Dave Helling talk about everything we've already discussedtwo weeks prior . . .But I digress . . .Only Burns & Mac lobbyist Mike Talboy remains fearless in his new airport advocacy and that might be because he disguised himself as a Latino long ago and if thisturns out badly . . . He could always hide in some South American country where they don't have extradition. Kidding . . . Talboy rarely leaves JoCo nowadays.Nevertheless . . .Unless you're Prez Trump, the FBI usually doesn't comment on their targets and it has been a couple of years since local, political suits had a good scare like this one.And so . . . Talk of the FBI, Men in Black, Mission Impossible orinvestigating a questionable deal in the making is bound to alarm Kansas City's wretched political elite who mostly operate with reckless abandon as if nobody was watching.You decide . . .
A photograph uploaded on her Instagram account shows the famous fashion designer couple along with Kris Jenner and friends in a speedboat

The latest celebrities enjoying a Grecian vacation this period - as social media will record - are Kris Jenner, in the company of the Hilfiger couple, Tommy and Dee Ocleppo.

A photograph uploaded on her Instagram account by the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" matriarch shows the famous fashion designer couple along with Kris Jenner and friends in a speedboat, touring the cosmopolitan isle of Hydra, located off the eastern coast of the Peloponnese.

British interior designer and reality show celebrity Martyn Bullard also appeared in the photograph, captioned "Love you Greece" by Jenner.

Scarlett Johansson was also spotted by paparazzi on the remote Cyclades island of Sifnos last week, even posing with the staff of a restaurant.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Herbert Ortner License: CC-BY-SA

Source: naftemporiki.gr
Greek hoteliers are trying to adapt to their demands and are offering Chinese food

Chinese tourists are currently invading Greece in large numbers. Last year, 150,000 Chinese travelers visited the country. Usually they travel in groups, but more and more individual travelers are also arriving to the country, where appreciation for its rich history is always high.

Most visitors from the Far East stay in Greece for one or two nights at most. However, their importance for the local hotel industry and the whole Greek tourism is undeniable.

In a local hotel in Athens, Chinese visitors represent a quarter of all guests. This amount is on the rise, despite some minor issues with the guests. These issues are connected to meals principally, as they prefer food from their own country.

Greek hoteliers are trying to adapt to their demands and are offering Chinese food. Many Chinese restaurants are opening in Athens, although admittedly, Chinese food in Europe is quite different from the original Far East cuisine.

The main target group from China are young travelers. Its easier for younger people to book flights and hotels, as they know how to do it online. So, it is convenient for them to pay a visit to Europe, a Chinese tourist in Athens said.

Other than actually visiting the country, Chinese visitors are also greatly boosting the Greek property market. This was confirmed by Lan Xiao Cheng, representative of Silk Road Travel, a travel company for Chinese tourists.

Many Chinese people are willing to invest in the country. They buy properties, renovate them and then rent them out. Reportedly more than a thousand families have invested necessary funds to obtain the so called Golden Visa. This visa is available to those, who invest at least 250,000 euros in Greece. This visa is in fact a five-year residence permit.

The Chinese are supporting the Greek economy. This, however, is perhaps only the beginning of a possible big tourist boom in the future. In September, direct flights from Beijing to Athens are expected to launch. Thus, if last years 150,000 visitors are any indication, 2017 is expected to be a record year for tourists from China.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Source: greekreporter.com
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Kenya have signed a cooperation agreement which provides a framework for cooperation to support financial innovation in each jurisdiction.



The agreement was signed by Paul Muthaura, chief executive, CMA Kenya and Richard Teng, chief executive officer, Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM.



The agreement expands both ADGM and CMAs FinTech cooperation network to growth markets with enormous potentials. It provides a framework for information sharing between the two Authorities to assist each other in keeping abreast of regulatory and relevant economic or commercial developments in the respective markets. Both Authorities are also looking forward to render support to innovative FinTech businesses in better understanding the regulatory regimes in each of their jurisdictions.



Muthaura said, we are committed to facilitating innovation in financial services, leveraging Kenyas positioning in the region as an innovation centre. This is central to the implementation of the Capital Markets 10-year Master Plan which identified Fintech as an area in which Kenya could emerge as a centre of excellence.



This however calls for us to assess lessons learned and to compare strategies to balance innovation and regulation with our peer regulators. The CMA has conducted public consultations on its strategy towards the establishment of a Regulatory Sandbox structure that is designed to encourage innovation in the capital markets. This emphasizes the CMA's commitment to facilitating the introduction of new fintech products in the capital markets area. This serves as a timely addition to the Fintech MOU already entered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.'



Teng said: This is our first FinTech bridge with an African regulatory counterpart. The African continent is providing a compelling story of how digital technology can be deployed to provide financial services to the unbanked and unserved populations. Kenya is particularly active on that front. Through closer collaboration, ADGM and CMA hope to harness the strength of each others innovation platform to encourage and support technology start-ups and innovators in advancing their creative solutions into new markets. ADGM will continue to work with more like-minded partners like the Kenya CMA to advocate robust financial inclusion and regulatory cooperation.



This new agreement establishes ADGMs fourth FinTech bridge with a global FinTech hub, following its recent collaborations with the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone (Qianhai Authority).



ADGM will continue to establish new initiatives and work closely local and global stakeholders to foster an open and inclusive global FinTech hub to serve Abu Dhabi and the greater MENA region. As part of its ecosystem-building commitment, ADGM has formed strategic partnerships with FinTech leaders and industry players in the Middle East and Africa region, India, Europe, USA, the United Kingdom and others.  TradeArabia News Service
Ooredoo Oman has launched its new Global M2M plan, designed to help enterprises keep track of their fleet vehicles or cargo at all times, as they travel by road or sea within Oman, the region, or beyond.



Available from February 2, the innovative Global M2M Plan is part of Ooredoos ongoing dedication to facilitating connectivity and communications of the Sultanates businesses.



Commenting on the affordable fixed price roaming plan, Sultan bin Ahmed Al Wahaibi said: We have developed the Ooredoo Global M2M plan to enable Omani enterprises of all sizes to take advantage of the important and increasingly popular machine-to-machine technology and devices.



It will help them to keep moving efficiently, cost-effectively and with confidence as they expand their operations not only within Oman but to the global market. Indeed, the real time information they receive, thanks to their Ooredoo Global M2M plan, will not only allow them to monitor their assets as they move across the world but also improve operational efficiency and minimise costs.



Opening up a world of opportunities to Omani businesses, the Ooredoo Global M2M plan offers value added data packages with prices for one SIM card at RO3 ($7.76) per month, offering free global roaming and 5MB monthly. Attractive rates of 500 Baizas per MB for additional consumption apply for customers who use the service internationally.



Bundles of one to over 500 SIM cards are available and the Global M2M plan can be used on any data compatible SIM card operated device.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabia will build a massive international tourism project covering more than 50 virgin islands in the Red Sea between the cities of Amlaj and Al-Jawh.



Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is also the chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), launched the Red Sea Project, which will be built in one of the world's most beautiful and diverse natural spots, in cooperation with the world's largest hotel companies to develop exceptional resorts, a Saudi Press Agency report said.



The foundation for the new project will be laid in the third quarter of 2019 and the first phase will be completed in the last quarter of 2022, a time by which the infrastructure, an airport, hotels and luxury residences, and transport services will be in place.



The PIF will inject the initial investments needed into the project and open partnerships with leading international companies, which will bring new and direct investments to the kingdom.



The project will attract the world's leading names in the tourism and hospitality sectors and harness their expertise, competencies and financial investments to enrich the tourism experiences.



The location is a few kilometers from one of the kingdom's protected reserves and inactive volcanoes in Harat Alrahat area.



A few minutes from the main beach, visitors will be able to discover hidden treasures in the Red Sea area, including a nature reserve to explore the diversity of flora and fauna in the area. Adventure enthusiasts will be able to navigate between the inactive volcanoes located next to the project area, and dive enthusiasts can explore the abundant coral reefs in the surrounding waters, said the report.



As tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Vision 2030, the Red Sea project will contribute to a qualitative shift in the concept of tourism and hospitality, it said.



Heritage sites will also be restored on a scientific basis to be ready for visitors. For example, a higher ceiling will be set for visitors to the region, in line with global best practices in tourism and archeology.



The new project aims to promote international tourism by opening the Red Sea gate to the world in order to identify its treasures and embark on new adventures that will attract tourists locally, regionally and internationally, it said.



The project will be a centre for recreation, health and relaxation and an integrated model for healthy and vital society.



In order to preserve the unique environmental character of the region, environmental sustainability laws and mechanisms will be developed, it added.



The Red Sea project will be developed as a private area where systems will be applied in accordance with international best practices and expertise to enable the achievement of the project objectives.
Oman Air has announced a codeshare agreement with Royal Jordanian (RJ) on flights between Muscat and Beirut via Amman.



Under the terms of the agreement, the flights will be operated by Royal Jordanian and marketed by both carriers.



This new agreement will further enhance the relationship between the two carriers and offer guests even more options when it comes to destinations and flight times.



With Oman Air having recently been named the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards 2017, customers of both airlines will now be able to enjoy the carriers commitment to providing their guests with quality, comfort and a seamless passenger experience.



Oman Air is based at Muscat International Airport and was founded in 1993. Since then, the airline has witnessed massive growth and played a major part in making Muscat an important hub in the Middle East. Its fleet of modern aircraft flies to destinations across the across the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa.



Oman Air is currently engaged in an expansion programme which will see the carrier operate 70 aircraft to around 75 destinations by 2023. On the other hand, Royal Jordanian has a vision To be the Airline of choice connecting Jordan and the Levant with the world. It reaches 56 direct destinations on four continents on its 27 young aircraft operated from Queen Alia International Airport. - TradeArabia News Service
The nomination confirms that even though the newly built Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa has been in operation for only two years, its 300 sq.m. Spa is already regarded as one of the best in Santorini



(TRAVPR.COM) GREECE - August 1st, 2017 - With a longstanding tradition in the hospitality sector as part of the Metaxas Group of Companies, the Spa of Santo Maris Oia Luxury and Suites & Spa has been nominated in the category Greeces Best Resort Spa for 2017 at the prestigious World Spa Awards.

Being shortlisted among the best Resort Spas in Greece is in itself an honorable distinction. At the same time, however, given that the awards program stands as a benchmark for excellence, the nomination is also a recognition and a reward for the high-quality services on offer and for the Spas remarkable facilities.

The nomination confirms that even though the newly built Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa has been in operation for only two years, its 300 sq.m. Spa is already regarded as one of the best in Santorini, thanks to the wide range and the unique quality of treatments, therapies and wellness services on offer.

The Spa of Santo Maris Oia reflects the hotels philosophy of personalized services rooted on the ideals of genuine Cretan hospitality and of the promotion of Greek concepts and products, as most of the treatments, techniques & ingredients are inspired by the Aegean Islands and Crete.

To vote for Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa click here: http://worldspaawards.com/vote/santo-maris-oia-luxury-spa-2017

About Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa:

The newly built Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, which opened its doors in 2016, is the newest addition to the Metaxas Group of Companies, which has been operating in the tourism sector since 1975. Located in a privileged setting at the edge of Oia, Santo Maris Oia offers seclusion and direct views to the renowned sunset of Oia. Accommodation is offered in 44 suites & private villas and facilities include four outdoor swimming pools, the 300 sq.m. Luxury Spa with indoor swimming pool and the Alios Ilios restaurant.

About the World Spa Awards

Inaugurated in 2015 by the World Travel Awards, recognized today as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence worldwide, the World Spa Awards aim to drive up standards within spa tourism by rewarding organizations that are leaders in the field. The World Spa Awards were developed in reaction to overwhelming demand from the spa industry for a program that was fair and transparent. Some of the programs categories at country level are the Best Hotel Spa, Best Resort Spa, Best Wellness Retreat and Best Safari Spa.

The voting methodology is simple: votes are cast by professionals working within the spa industry - senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators, agents and media - and by the public.

On the below link please find the picture of the nomination shield:

https://we.tl/dw01zW2DQN

On the below link please find high-resolution pictures of Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa:

https://we.tl/p3tufgA0NW

Contact Details: (for Media Representatives)

Calliope Tsiftsi, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa

Tel.: (+30) 28975 02159, Mob.: (+30) 697 266 4966

E-mail: marketing@santomaris.gr

###


Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : NEW CHALLENGER TO NO FRILLS TO TENERIFE & LANZAROTE Industry: Airlines

New Flight Operator launches to cater for School Holidays and stop rip-off prices



(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - August 1st, 2017 - FlyLolo.com has launched flights to Tenerife from Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester also Lanzarote from Manchester this Christmas, as a challenge to existing operators they are undercutting RyanAir & EasyJet and also have baggage prices at 15 per Bag. Paul Dendle the CEO who launched Avro in the 1980's selling to Monarch in 1995 says "No Frills airlines have a model where they use peak season dates to cross subsidise the low season, this has resulted in parents having to pay rip off prices for the school holidays. FlyLolo will only fly peak season and we plan to be cheaper. RyanAir must have been worried as they stated price matching us, but they realised that we only have 15000 seats, so have now decided to let us sell these to the lucky few." FlyLolo also are looking to launch for flights from Southampton in Summer 2019 to Greece, Croatia, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania & Spain. Paul Dendle went on "Gatwick as an airport is full, it takes you a couple of hours to navigate check-in, where as Southampton you can check-in within 20-30 Minutes, with the direct train link from London in an hour it's faster and more convenient to go via Southampton. ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release :



CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Paul Dendle Company: Loloflights.co.uk Ltd Phone: 00447725359841 Email: admin@loloflights.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS
John McCain. The Viet Cong couldn't kill him or break his spirit. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans could lasso, tie down and brand this maverick. No recent president has come close to possessing the honor that this man exudes. He is a statesman.

He actually thinks about and weighs the information that is presented to him. He doesn't scream at his opponents. He shows respect for them. He doesn't absentmindedly resort to the latest cute technology to get his point across. His crucial vote to move the health care debate forward while adamantly stating that he would not vote for the bill in its present form was music to my ears. Once again, he proved that he is willing to compromise for the good of all Americans. After hearing the speech he made on the floor of the Senate, I said to myself, "John McCain, please don't die."

In the primaries leading up to the 2000 general election, we had a golden opportunity. The Democrats could have nominated Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey. The Republicans could have nominated Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Both well-respected statesmen. Whoa, did we blow it. I would have had a real hard time deciding between those two gentlemen. But, at least, I would have had a decent choice.

I find myself left with only the hope that future generations of Americans will come to their senses and start electing men and women the caliber of John McCain. I am optimistic.

John McCue, Bangor
Chandigarh, August 1

A day after a city resident received an SMS from an unknown person demanding Rs 50 lakh as extortion, the UT police arrested the accused, Tarun Gupta, a native of Mau district in Uttar Pradesh who resides in Kajheri village, Sector 52, Chandigarh. The accused revealed that he got the idea to extort money from TV serial "CID".

Ramesh Sood, administrative head, Ashwani Automobiles Pvt Ltd, Phase II, Mohali, had complained that he received an SMS from an unknown person demanding Rs 50 lakh as extortion. The accused threatened him with dire consequences if he failed to pay the money.

The complainant gave the accused's mobile number to the police. The accused was identified as Tarun Gupta and he was arrested. The police said the accused got married around a year ago and moved to Chandigarh four months ago. He was in search of a job. However, when he failed to find one, he decided to extort money.  TNS
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 1

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asked the UT Administration to get in touch with the Israeli Embassy for the water purification technology pioneered by Israel at a water desalination unit.

The suggestion came during the hearing of the Save Sukhna case after the amicus curiae or the friend of the court, ML Sarin, referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Israel where he witnessed the water desalination technique. Sarin told the Bench that Modi not only viewed the demonstration but also tasted the purified water.

During the course of the hearing, the Bench of Justice Ajay Kumar Mittal and Justice Amit Rawal was also told that the flow of sewage from the Kaimbwala side had been taken care of. It was now flowing into the main sewer line along Madhya Marg.

Haryana, meanwhile, sought time for informing the Bench on the flow of sewage from the Saketri side.

Also appointed amicus curiae by the court, advocate Tanu Bedi said the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had approved a Rs 3.51-crore project for the conservation of Sukhna Lake.

Bedi also pointed at the UT Administrations official website, which talked of functions of its Department of Environment. The site mentioned that it included creation and spread of environment education and awareness among all sections of society and to frame policies and guidelines while issuing directions to prohibit the deterioration and degradation of environment and to preserve the natural resources in order to maintain ecological balance.

The UT counsel, on the other hand, said it would inform the Bench about the developments after seeking instructions. The UT Administration also told the Bench that weed and other growth had been removed from the regulatory end of the lake.

Taking note of the submissions, the Bench also asked the UT to carry out de-weeding work on a regular basis. It also asked the UT not to wait for the lake to dry up for de-silting. The Bench also asked the Administration to explore wet dredging, and called for adoption of requisite steps for blocking sewage into the lake.

The rain-fed lake at the foothills of the Himalayas was created way back in 1958 by damming the Sukhna choe, a seasonal stream coming down from the Shivalik Hills.
Tribune News Service

Mohali, August 1

The police had a tough time dealing with the members of the 6060 Master Cadre Union today.

They had blocked the road in front of the Punjab School Education Board, Phase VIII, in Mohali. The agitators gheraoed the DPI office and raised slogans against the government.

Earlier, some of the protestors, who had blocked the road around 8.30 am, were also holding bottles filled with fuel. They were seen threatening the police officials of committing self- immolation, if they intervened in their protest. DSP Alam Vijay Singh reached the spot and pacified the protestors. Union president Gurjinder Singh said their demand was to fill 6,060 master-cadre posts that were lying vacant for over two years now.

The president of the union said the agitation would be intensified if their demands were not met soon.
Vivek Katju

Vivek Katju

AS Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned on July 28 after the Supreme Court decision in the Panama Papers case, memories, two decades old, of his success in hounding out Sajjad Ali Shah from the office of Chief Justice of Pakistan would have come back. He may well have wondered what the world had come to when he had no alternative but bow to a decision based on one technical ground taken through a controversial judicial procedure.

Back in 1997, Nawaz Sharif exercised such control over the country that for the "insult" of the Chief Justice summoning him in person to answer charges of contempt of court he had allowed zealous supporters to storm its premises, split the Bench, which by majority declared that Shah's appointment, by then three years old, as illegal ab initio and sent their Chief packing. All through, the army Chief Ge. Jehangir Karamat had not stirred. But that was then. This time the bisaat was totally different, except in one aspect: if Sajjad Ali Shah was a "political" judge, the whiff of politics comes from the present judgment too.

The Panama Papers became public in April 2016. They revealed that Nawaz Sharif's children  daughter Maryam who is being groomed for politics and businessmen sons Hussain and Hassan who live outside Pakistan  owned off- shore companies and lucrative properties abroad. These included four apartments in London's posh Park Lane. For many in Pakistan, these revelations only established what was suspected all along, that Nawaz Sharif had sent abroad his ill-gotten wealth acquired from business and misuse of office. The Panama Papers provided the opposition, especially Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, an opportunity to corner Nawaz Sharif. Between April and August 2016, Nawaz Sharif's attempts to appoint commissions to investigate these charges failed. The government and the opposition could not agree on the terms of reference of a commission and Pakistan's Chief Justice also refused to nominate judges to any commission which in law would be "toothless". Finally, Imran Khan filed a case seeking the Supreme Court to declare Nawaz Sharif unfit to be a Member of the National Assembly ( hence, Prime Minister) as he did not meet the tests prescribed in Articles 62 and 63 of the constitution. Most constitutions and peoples' representation laws prescribe conditions relating to nationality, age, residence, health, absence of criminal convictions by courts, and in some cases that a person should not be in debt. Seldom do they venture into the domain of character. This was also the case with the Pakistan constitution till General Zia-ul-Haq amended Article 62 and introduced a character test. Art. 62 (1) (f) now requires Members of Parliament to be, "sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen". Pakistan's superior courts have commented many times on the difficulties in legally applying these ideals of conduct to concrete cases. However, as these qualities of leadership are rooted in the Islamic concept of righteous rulers no political party has taken the initiative to amend it. Gradually case law seems to be developing to apply them narrowly such as in cases of wrong declaration on nomination forms for elections. The courts refrain from entering into an MP's personal conduct.

Imran Khan asserted that the Panama Papers revealed that Nawaz Sharif owned properties abroad, including the Park Lane flats, and been dishonest to not disclose them in his nomination form. He further alleged that in his speeches to the nation and parliament after the Panama Leaks, he had prevaricated and contradicted himself, thus falling short of the qualities mentioned in Art. 62. The Court heard the matter for over two months. It decided, as noted by Justice Khosa who led the five-judge bench, "to focus mainly, but not exclusively, on the properties relevant to Respondent No.1 (Nawaz Sharif) and his children which were revealed in the Panama Papers". By a majority of 3-2, it decided that the Panama Papers did not conclusively establish that Nawaz Sharif was the owner of these properties and therefore a Supreme Court monitored probe was required through a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to establish facts.

Surprisingly, the JIT included ISI and MI officers thereby involving the army which assured the nation that it will fulfil the mandate conferred by the Court. Though the majority and the dissenting judges agreed that Nawaz Sharif and his children's claims were contradictory and deliberately confusing and incomplete,the two dissenting judges found these sufficient to disqualify him the majority three did not reach this conclusion. Strangely, the minority two inferred that while a person could be sent to jail after establishing his guilt through a regular trial, disqualification in terms of Art 62 could be done through a lower standard. The Supreme Court Chief Justice appointed a bench of three judges who had given the majority judgement to monitor the JIT probe. The JIT gave its report on July 10 and the three-judge bench heard arguments about its tenability for a week. In violation of procedural norms, the original five-judge bench met to pronounce the judgment. The dissenting two thus had no opportunity to hear arguments on the report and yet they considered it fit as obviously did the Chief Justice that in a matter relating to the Prime Minister standard procedure could be short-circuited.

Now comes the strangest part. On the issues in the Panama Papers on which the JIT extensively reported, the majority three did not obviously concur with the dissenting two and did not find the report sufficient to disqualify Nawaz Sharif. However, as the JIT found the family guilty of misrepresentation and fabricating documents, the five unanimously ordered the National Accountability Bureau to launch corruption cases against all. In a move which can only be called dubious, the five took note of Nawaz Sharif's chairmanship of FZE Capital, his son's company in Dubai (which did not figure in the Panama Papers) and held that while he did not draw any emoluments they were nevertheless his assets. This may be technically so. They held that as he had not declared them in his nomination form in the 2013 election, he was dishonest and fell short of the requirements of Art 62. No real opportunity was given to him to defend himself. The judges clearly forgot that justice has to be manifestly done. It brings no credit to the Supreme Court and can only spread speculation of bias and the unseen hand of the Generals.

The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.
Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda/Moga, July 31

More than 9,000 Punjabis, who entered the US illegally, are awaiting asylum or refugee status for the past five years.

This has been brought out in a query under the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act (FOIA/PA). North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal had sought the information from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Of the 3,36,155 applications filed by illegal immigrants for acquiring the refugee /asylum status between 2012 and 2016, 9,397 were Indians. And of them, 95 per cent were Punjabis.

Only 476 Indians (mostly Punjabis) were granted the refugee or asylum status between 2012 and 2016 out of 50,618 persons from across the world.

Every year, more than 10,000 Punjabis try their luck to settle abroad. Each one of them pays between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 30 lakh per person to travel agents.

Earlier, travel agents were confined mainly to the Doaba region and a few parts of the Malwa region (Moga, Jagraon, Ludhiana and Khanna) Now, they have started spreading their operations to rural areas of southern districts such as Bathinda, Sangrur, Mansa, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Muktsar and Fazilka.

The business of illegal human trafficking has acquired a whopping annual turnover of around Rs 12,000 crore. Several people, who have managed to sneak into the US over the past three decades, have not applied for the refugee status. They cannot raise their voice for the protection of their rights or for getting the minimum wages. They have to work in fields or stores of their relatives covertly. Most of the times, they are paid $7 to $10 per hour against the minimum wages fixed at $15, Tarlochan Sohal, Sheriff of Merced County in California, told The Tribune.

Satnam Singh Chahal has written to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for the strict implementation of the Punjab Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2010 (amended in 2012 and 2016).
Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 1

Faction fighting between factions owing allegiance to former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Ashok Tanwar came to the fore again today before senior party leader Madhu Sudan Mistry, who was here in connection with state organisational elections.

Heated exchanges were witnessed between the two factions at the PCC office here, where Mistry, AICC central election authority secretary, was taking feedback from 23 District Election Officers(DEOs) about the organisational elections in the state.

Mistry specially came to Chandigarh following complaints by leaders of the Hooda faction about alleged irregularities in the organisational election process, including disappearance of membership forms of certain leaders and bogus membership.

At todays meeting also, certain MLAs of the Hooda factionKaran Dalal, Kuldeep Sharma, Udai Bhan, Lalit Nagar and Jagbir Malik Shakuntala Khatakand former MLA BB Batrabrought to the notice of Mistry a large number of complaints pertaining to bogus membership. Hooda, was, however, conspicuous by his absence at the meeting which was attended by Tanwar and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Kiran Chaudhry.

However, these allegations were vehemently denied by Tanwar supporters who maintained that complete transparency was being observed in the organisational election process.

Tense moments were witnessed when Tanwar supporters raised slogans against Shakuntla Khatak, a Hooda loyalist, when she was talking to mediapersons.

Meanwhile, Harpal Thakur, a party leader from Madhya Pradesh, election in charge for the state organisational elections, said 63 complaints, including those pertaining to bogus membership, had been received till date. He said todays meeting was called to receive complaints and objections which would be resolved in the days to come.
Indian burial mounds might be postponing flood reimbursement, village officials said.

Readstown Clerk Susan Mueller said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has stalled on repaying the village for repair costs from floods in September. Mueller said she believes a historic burial site somewhere near Readstown Tourist Park might be the reason for delays.

FEMA couldnt be reached for comment by press time.

The park has flooded at least twice within a year, most recently in July. Officials said the village is still pursuing reimbursement from the September flood, when waters from the Kicakapoo River caused damage at Tourist Park.

During the late 1800s or early 1900s, a prolific researcher named T.H. Lewis recorded two Indian burial mounds near the modern-day park grounds. Lewis discovered so many of the burial mounds during his career that a picture of him hangs on the walls at the Wisconsin Historical Society, said John Broihahn, state archaeologist at the WHS.

He literally mapped hundreds of mound-groups and thousands of mounds in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Broihahn said.

He added that Native Americans began to bury their dead in mounds roughly 2,500 years ago and continued the practice up through contact with Europeans.

The precise location of the Readstown burial is unclear, Broihahn said. The records from Lewis dont pin down exactly where the mounds were located.

However, researchers from the Wisconsin Historical Society visited the area in 2005. In 2006, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse team studied the land.

We have a pretty good idea (the burial mounds) are not down in that floodplain, but up in the ridges around the plain, Broihahn said. People have gone back recently and according to our notes looked at Tourist Park, and were unable to find any indications of the site.

He added, This site is no longer mapped as being part of that park. It wasnt found in that area. In this case, Im guessing if there are problems (with FEMA) in the park, someone will check our records and see  we didnt find anything there.

If FEMA is aware that Tourist Park is clear of burial sites, other complications could still hold up the agencys reimbursement roll-outs, said Jim Draeger, WHSs historic preservation officer.

There are federal requirements, under federal law, that have to be taken, Draeger said.

Readstown suffered damage again during the July flooding this year. Sixteen homes were evacuated in the village and a state of emergency was declared throughout Vernon County. Tod Pritchard, spokesperson for Wisconsin Emergency Management, said Friday that damages sustained recently in the county were still being assessed.

On Wednesday, Pritchard contacted the Broadcaster and said burial mounds were not causing delays. He said it was a paperwork issue. An updated story is slated for next week's issue.
Tribune News Service

Chamba, August 1

Communal tension in Tissa, the remote tribal area of Chamba district eased out today, as the administration agreed to most of the demands of protesters.

The Deputy Commissioner, Suresh Kumar Mokhta, and Varinder Tomar, SP, Chamba, who had been camping in Tissa for the past two days, managed to bring protesters to the negotiating table.

A meeting was held between the protesters and the administration today at 11 am. The protesters were demanding that Dildar Ali Bhatt, the state president of the Hajj Committee of Himachal Pradesh, be removed. They were accusing him of instigating violence against teachers in Government School of the Kush Nagari area. The Deputy Commissioner assured them that he would forward their demand to the state government.

The teachers of Government School in Kush Nagari who were thrashed by some miscreants as a revenge of rape of a 16-year-old student from the school by their colleague, demanded they be transferred. The teachers said they did not want to teach in Government School, Kush Nagari. The district administration asked the teachers to move applications indicating their choice of postings and promised to transfer them soon. One of the major demands of the protesters was registration of a case and arrest of all those who attacked the teachers on Saturday. Sources here said the police had already arrested two accused and registered a case against others. After the meeting, residents of Tissa carried out a peace march.

Town has no history of communal strife

Tissa is small tribal town located at a distance of about 70 km from Chamba. The town also has a majority population of Muslims and Hindus, most of them being Gujjar or Gaddi tribals. But for the present incident, there was no history of communal tension in the area since Independence. Though Tissa was one of the most backward areas of Chamba but it had remained an example of communal harmony.

Issues resolved, claims DC

Chamba: The situation on the third day of Tissa unrest in the Churah subdivision of Chamba district became peaceful, said Sudesh Mokhta, Deputy Commissioner, Chamba here on Tuesday. After presiding over a joint meeting of the peace committee held at Tissa about 65 kilometres from the district headquarters town of Chamba today, the Deputy Commissioner informed that the issue which had had led to unrest, three days ago, was resolved. Mokhta said prominent persons of both the communities were present at the meeting and pledged to maintain peace and communal harmony in the area. A peace march was also taken out in the town. OC
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 1

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association today expelled Syeed Ali Shah Geelanis aide Devinder Singh Behl, who was detained by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday on the charges of terror funding.

Bar association president Bhupinder Singh Slathia announced the associations decision on expulsion of Behl from the primary membership at a press conference.

Slathia said anti-national elements, like Behl, would not be allowed to remain member of the association. He said the decision to expel him was taken unanimously by members.

The NIA had on Sunday conducted raids at the residence and the office of Behl, who is a small-time advocate and a member of the legal cell of the Hurriyat. Behl is a close associate of top Hurriyat leaders and regularly attends funerals of militants.

A frequent visitor to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, Behl was suspected to be involved in routing funds to the separatist leaders from their Pakistan-based handlers.

As soon as we came to know about his (Behls) activities, we verified our records and immediately decided to expel him without any notice from the primary membership of the association, Slathia said.

Ours is a nationalist association and we will not tolerate the presence of any anti-national element, whether associated with the Hurriyat or any other group, he said, adding that Behl had become a member in 2013 on the recommendation of two senior advocates.
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 1

The instructions given by the J&K Higher Education Department to the Government Degree Colleges for updating their respective websites regularly have failed to serve the purpose.

Pertinently, the state Higher Education Department had recently taken note that the colleges are not updating the official websites that often resulted in hardships to the students to find relevant information about the institution at the time of admission. A circular was also issued by the administrative department asking the colleges to update their websites.

Sources said what to talk of government colleges in far-flung districts of Jammu division, even the colleges in Jammu, too, had failed to update their websites. They added that of the five constituent colleges, which are under the newly created Cluster University of Jammu, two colleges had not updated their websites while the website of one college was not functioning properly.

The official websites of the Government SPMR College of Commerce and Government MAM College have the profile pictures of principals who have already been transferred by the Higher Education Department recently. The colleges are yet to upload the pictures of their new principals who have taken charge, sources claimed.

Though the Government College of Education claims that their website is updated, but there is a problem in opening the link, which reads The site cant be reached, sources said.

The admission of aspirants in the constituent colleges of the new Cluster University is being done online, but the colleges seem to be unaware of uploading pictures of new principals who have taken charge, which is a basic requirement, sources added.

The other two constituent colleges under the Cluster University of Jammu are GGM Science College and Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar.

It is imperative that updated college websites must provide all relevant information about the courses being offered, that could boost the career prospects and employability of students, an official maintained.

When contacted, Dr Jatinder Khajuria, Registrar, Cluster University of Jammu, told The Tribune: We are trying our best to ensure that websites of all constituent colleges are updated regularly, providing all necessary information to the aspirants. But if there is an issue regarding the websites not being updating by the colleges, it will be looked into.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 1

Abu Dujana, the longest surviving foreign militant, who masterminded series of Fidayeen attacks, was killed along with his associate, Arif Lalihaari, in a gunfight in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday.

WATCH: Army and J&K Police brief media after pulwama encounter #AbuDujana https://t.co/toUjvxUqHi  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

The encounter started at Hakripora village in Pulwama, nearly 25 kms from Srinagar, when forces cordoned the village after an input about the presence of militants in the area.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

I hope the security forces continue to do such good work so that there is peace and calm in the state: Farooq Abdullah on #AbuDujana killed pic.twitter.com/Pc6aUc938o  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

As a cordon was being laid around the suspected houses in the village, the militants opened fire with an aim to break the cordon. However, the forces maintained a tight cordon and did not allow the militants to escape.

#WATCH: Deferred visuals of Pulwama (J&K) encounter- Security forces gunned down two terrorists including LeT chief commander Abu Dujana. pic.twitter.com/bgyraekjzG  ANI (@ANI_news) August 1, 2017

"In the gunfight that followed , two militants, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Abu Dujana was killed," a senior police officer said.

J&K Police chief S P Vaid said that Dujana's killing was a huge success.

"He had spread a lot of terror and his killing is a huge success," Vaid told The Tribune.

Dujana, was active in Kashmir since last six years and was believed to be originally hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan.

The police said that Dujana had masterminded many Fidayeen attacks on security forces along the Srinagar-Anantnag national highway during the last two years that left over a dozen forces men dead.

Dujana name had also cropped during the investigation of Udhampur attack.

There were recent reports that Dujana had joined Zakir Musa-led new affiliate of Al-Qaeda.

READ: Abu Dujana was category A++ LeT terrorist, says GOC 15 Corps

Dujana carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh. Intense clashes broke near the encounter site as protesters tried to march towards Harkipora village. One persons was killed in the clashes.

In the wake of the killing of top militant commander, security forces have stepped-up vigilance in south and central Kashmir districts to ensure that people are not able to move towards Pulwama.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 1

On a day when top militant Abu Dujana was killed along with his associate, the J&K Police said the anti-militancy operations would continue irrespective of protests.

Stone-throwing or no stone-throwing, disruptions or no disruptions, our operations will continue, Kashmir Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan told reporters during a briefing about the encounter that left the Lashkar commander and his associate dead.

During todays gunfight at Pulwama in south Kashmir, protesters again tried to march towards the encounter site. Khan said that at the behest of militants, people tend to come towards the encounter site.

In spite of our warnings and requests, people at the behest of terrorists tend to come in between. That is how they get injured or killed, the IGP said.

Since last year, nearly 20 people have died at the encounters sites, indicating that the warnings by the police and Army are not bringing the desired results on the ground. During operations, frequent appeals are made to common people to stay away from the encounter sites.

There has hardly been any anti-militancy operation this year where the security forces have not faced resistance from stone-throwing protesters. There have been instances when locals have helped militants, including top commanders, escape the cordon by engaging the forces in stone-throwing.

A resident of south Kashmir said people had a reason to march towards the encounter sites. Those who go near such sites have a reason and it is to help militants, the resident said.

However, despite locals hampering operations, the security forces have been able to kill at least 112 militants, including some top commanders, in the region this year. The top commanders killed include Bashir Lashkari, Junaid Mattoo of the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Sabzar Bhat, a close aide of Burhan Wani.
Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 1

The killing of two militants  Abu Dujana and Arif Lelhari  in a gunfight in Pulwama district today sparked sporadic protests and shutdown across the Kashmir valley.

In an attempt to contain the fallout of the killing of the two militants, the state government ordered an immediate shutdown of mobile Internet services and also ordered a closure of all schools and colleges in the region.

The protests first erupted in Pulwama district where residents clashed with security forces near Harkipora village, the site of gunfight with militants.

A spontaneous shutdown was observed in several districts and public transport services also thinned out by midday.

Students also held protests at colleges in several districts, including at Srinagars Amar Singh College, Sri Pratab College, Islamia College and University of Kashmir. Outside Amar Singh College, the police had to fire teargas shells to disperse the protesters.

As protests appeared to escalate, the divisional administration ordered an immediate closure of schools and colleges in the Valley.

The authorities also ordered a shutdown of mobile Internet services across the Valley in an attempt to contain the situation from going out of control. In Pulwama district, violent clashes between residents and security forces continued till late into the day as several injured civilians were rushed to hospitals here.
Usha Albuquerque

With the US and President Trump pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, a gigantic chunk of the Antarctic peninsula breaking off, and global warming causing heat waves, droughts and floods across the world, there is discernable concern about the future of our existence. Over the past fifty years we have learnt with dismay that much of the development we need for human progress, mainly in industry and agriculture, takes a major toll of nature and the environment. Climate change, acid deposition and hazardous waste disposal has forced the world to take a closer look at how we interact with our environment. This requires the creation of a large pool of professionals who possess the skill-set to limit the damage of industrialisation and development on the worlds endangered and increasingly fragile environment and to invent newer technologies that are less of a burden on natural resources and therefore, more sustainable in the long run. This has spurred the demand for scientists, researchers, engineers and policy makers and others with a firm grounding in theoretical and practical aspects of environmental studies and who understand the issues at hand and can help manage them.

So, if you want to make a difference to the world we live in, you can also join the growing number of professionals committed to 'sustainable development'. Environmental problems are so complex and far reaching that many different careers related to the environment encompass the wide range of inter-disciplinary career fields.

These include :

Environment Science

An environmental scientists job is to utilise the knowledge of various principles and concepts of science, in order to protect and preserve environment. Environmental scientists conduct research studies in order to develop theories or methods of abating and controlling the sources of environmental pollution. Most of these disciplines require a background in science. While there are very few undergraduate courses in environment sciences, those interested in the scientific research aspect of work in this field can take up Environmental Science as an MSc. programme after a bachelors degree in any discipline of science. Most environment scientists work with NGOs, government and private organisations and international agencies.

Environmental Research

Environment-related research includes fields such as ecology, zoology, botany, fisheries, forestry, and wildlife management. It may involve testing the effects of chemicals or pollutants on organisms in a laboratory, or in the field studying the ecology of plants and animals.

An Environmental researcher requires a post-graduate degree in environmental science, biology, zoology, botany, life sciences, or related fields. There is scope for employment in academic institutions, government agencies, non-government organisations, or industries handling environment related products.

Environment / Resource Management

The study of how people interact with the environment and its influence on the environment requires not only an understanding of science and technology, but also economics and even sociology.

Currently, most companies have set up environmental monitoring cells (EMCs) to conduct assessments on a number of fronts, ranging from town, water, sound, displacement of people to damage done by blasting, construction etc, and so require a team of qualified environment scientists, and social scientists, to safeguard their interests and promote business activities. Government and environment management organisations also require policy makers and administrators to handle the various aspects of protection and conservation. There are a number of courses in environment management including MA/ MSc in Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management and Public Policy and sustainable development.

Environment engineers

Environment engineers study waste management of hazardous substances in order to analyse the risk, the treatment and the methods of containing such hazards. They also handle solid waste management, treatment and disposal of effluents, radiation protection and draft out regulations so as to prevent the occurrence of mishaps. Municipal water supply systems and industrial wastewater treatment systems are both designed by environmental engineers.

They are also in charge of conducting research on proposed projects for the benefit of the environment, analyzing scientific data, and performing quality control checks. Today it is mandatory for all developmental projects to have an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management plan (EMP) conducted by environment engineers before implementation.

Many institutes in India offer graduate and post-graduate courses in environmental engineering. Most environment engineers work with Central and State Government pollution control boards, municipality corporations, water supply boards, public sector industries and with firms that provide professional, scientific, and technical services. International firms related to environmental projects are also recruiting environment engineers offering lucrative pay packages.

Environmental Journalism & advocacy

Much of the work in the management of environment issues involves creating awareness of the hazards of environmental pollution and the developing strategies for conservation and implementation. Whether it is researching on water, air pollution, livelihood and industry related issues, or reporting on the environment, or disseminating information through film or print, the field of the environment requires skills in writing, speaking, research, analysis, teaching, training, negotiating and persuading. This is best handled by those adept at communication and involves environmental journalism, or corporate communications.

There are no specialised courses for environmental journalism, but those studying mass communication, journalism, public relations or corporate communications can specialize in this field. Apart from mainstream media such as newspapers and TV, environmental journalists can work for public relations or science communication, as well as with NGOs and international organizations working in the field of awareness and environmental protection.

Environmental Law

Environmental law deals with legislation concerned with protecting the environment and preventing degradation of natural resources. Environmental law also covers conservation of wildlife, protection of national parks and sanctuaries, and prohibiting or regulating damaging activities, assigning liability for environmental harms and providing adequate incentives for benign environmental activities. Environmental lawyers are employed in governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations. Industrial establishments also require environmental lawyers to help them deal with legal and governmental procedures related to the environment. There are LLM and PG diploma courses in Environmental law.

Course watch

There are several courses in Environment Studies.

B Sc Environment Sciences offered by a few universities  Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, Pune University, Rajasthan University, Dr Babsaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and a few others.

MSc. programmes after a bachelor's degree in any discipline of science at universities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and JNU, New Delhi.

Jawaharlal Nehru University, School of Environmental studies in New Delhi also offers M.Sc./M.Phil, and PhD programmes in Environmental Sciences.

The Indian Institute of Sciences at Bangalore offers a 4-year BSc degree programme where a student can specialise in Earth and Environment Sciences. The final two semesters are devoted exclusively to a research project.

BE/ BTech and ME/ MTech in environment engineering is offered at several of the IITs and engineering institutes such as Delhi Technological University, Chandigarh College of Engineering & Technology, Gujarat University, L.D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, Hindustan College of Science and technology, Chennai, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, and Thapar University, Patiala.

IIT has a specialized Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering(CESE) in Bombay to prepare individuals for careers as engineers and scientists in Environmental Quality & Pollution Control, while IIT Kanpur offers an Environmental Engineering and Management (EEM) Programme at the Department of Civil Engineering.

The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a constituent laboratory of CSIR also offers opportunities for research programmes.

Salim Ali School of Ecology, affiliated to the Pondicherry University, offers an M Sc and PhD in Ecology

Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun conducts a two-year Master's course from Saurashtra University in wildlife science, for graduates of life sciences, forestry, agriculture, veterinary science, and environmental science

The National Institute of Environment, Lucknow offers advanced diploma courses

Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment, New Delhi offer PG diplomas in environmental management, pollution management and in ecology and environment by correspondence.

The Indian Institute of Forestry Management, Bhopal offers a one-year post-graduate diploma in forest management.

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi offers two-year post-graduate degree courses in environmental management, MSc Environment Management, MSc Biodiversity and Conservation and MSc Natural Resource Management.

TERI University is the first of its kind in India to dedicate itself to the study of environment, energy and natural sciences for sustainable development. Master's programmes are offered in Public Policy & Sustainable Development, Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Environmental and Resource Economics, Climate Science and Policy, Renewable Energy Engineering and Management, Water Resources Management, Geoinformatics, Plant Biotechnology, Business Sustainability and in Infrastructure Management. TERI University has also launched an LLM programme for law graduates with specialisation in Environment and Natural Resources Law and Infrastructure and Business Law

The National Law School (NLS) in Bangalore, has started courses in environmental law.

Indian Institute of Environment Management, SIES, Mumbai offers PG diploma courses in environment management

Any career in the environment field requires a passion and a willingness to work hard, patiently and consistently. Effective communication skills  both written and verbal, and an active interest in outdoor activities is also a huge advantage in this field. Those who wish to join this field and without the requisite academic background, can help to get a foot in the door through volunteer work. There are many organisations that will take on volunteers, and non-government organisations (NGOs) are frequently looking for volunteer help, so try it out - the experience will not only prepare you for the career ahead, but stand you in good stead with prospective employers.
Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 31

Raksha Bandhan is falling on August 7 and social media is abuzz with anti-China messages asking people to boycott Chinese rakhis this time.

Reason: Continuous tension escalating between India and China.

Various social, religious organisations and individuals have started sending text messages through WhatsApp and posts on Facebook asking sisters not to buy Chinese rakhis.

A message on WhatsApp reads: Namaste my sister, no Chinese rakhi for me.This year only holy thread mouli for meI will be too happy with your showering of blessings and a simple red thread.

The sender, a college-going student, on being questioned why she had sent such a message, said: You still expect us to tie Chinese rakhi on our wrists? Have you not seen the videos how Chinese troops are harassing our Indian soldiers? At least let us start boycotting Chinese products.

Another such message posted on Facebook reads: The dragon has eaten us. Stay away from it. No Chinese rakhis this time.

Recently, a Shiv Sena outfit burnt the effigy of Chinese president, requesting people to boycott Chinese products as the country was posing a grave threat to India.

Meanwhile, shopkeepers have started displaying rakhis at their shops and counters. Many of them have kept Indian threads too, but Chinese rakhis are also seen. Rakesh Kumar, a shopkeeper, said: I agree Chinese rakhis should not be promoted. But these are attractive and small children ask their parents to buy these products only, as these have their favourite cartoon characters such as Chhota Bheem, Angry Birds, Spiderman on these. The sale hasnt picked up yet. The response will be seen in the next few days.

Manju Verma, a college going girl, said she always preferred traditional Indian rakhis over the Chinese ones. Rakhi is an Indian festival and we must celebrate it in Indian fervour. I buy rakhi for my brother with a red thread having rice or OM written on it. Are we going to learn about our festivals from China now? she asked.
R.S.Dalal

Master Bodh Raj was a much feared but highly respected teacher in the town. He was widely known for his skills in teaching English grammar and mathematics. My elder brother who studied under him was already showing sparks of brilliance in maths and English writing.

So I was taken out of a private public school, which had just about started sprouting then, and admitted to 8th class in 1964 under Master Bodh Raj's care and strict control. I was shaken up by the change in environment. Teachers in the public school were kind and pleasant and there were just twenty students in the class. Here, there were seventy of us and many from poor and very poor families. My benchmate only had a vest and a long underwear (kachha) to wear.

We were of many shades and temperaments. One group was of intelligent types that would occupy the front desks, and promptly raise hands to every question asked. Another set was of those who had no interest in studies and occupied the back benches. Some were timid and average in studies and lived in constant fear of master Bodh Raj, a domineering personality  tall, stocky build, with big hands and a thick resonating voice.

Master Bodh Raj firmly believed in the adage "Spare the rod and spoil the child". Corporal punishment came naturally to him. The back-benchers were his main target. One day he came to school before time and filled the huge blackboard with chalk-written active-passive and direct-indirect sentences. We knew, at once, looking at the blackboard that aaj shamat aa gayee. Obsessed with showing 100% pass result, he couldn't accept even a single failure  a diehard perfectionist!

The poor back-benchers had to bear the brunt of his obsession. He entered the class his hands having visible signs of chalk dust. He pointed to a boy at the back with his ruler and asked him to convert the first sentence from active to passive voice. And, as expected, he was clueless. He was brought before him. Then the spine chilling action started. He gave a tight slap with his heavy hand but our back-bencher friend ducked in a flash, leaving him furious. (The back-benchers had devised clever survival tactics.) He pulled him closer and gave him a harder one. Instantly his arms were up and clasped the face in a protective shield like a professional boxer dodging a heavy punch. Masterji was red with anger and tried pulling his arms down but again didn't succeed. Some students giggled. He couldnt take it anymore. He took the ruler and hit him hard and the ruler broke into two. He called aloud his favourite student and asked him to run and pluck a mulberry stick from the tree at the main gate. The green mulberry stick being flexible worked like a whip.

This was the most hated old full grown tree at the main school gate entry and everyday while coming in and going out, we kicked it hard. Now there was no escaping the lashes but the fourteen-year-old took the beating with fortitude and calmness, befitting a biblical hero. We held tightly to our benches with bated breath and fearful eyes. Finally, when his anger subsided, he said that since he loved us all, he wanted us to learn and do well in the exams. But I couldn't muster courage to go to school for days together.
Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 1

The defence pension disbursing system, which caters to 25 lakh beneficiaries at an annual cost of Rs 60,000 crore, is not only plagued with inefficient sanction and disbursal processes, but also suffers from control weaknesses which tend to reduce its efficiency and effectiveness.

Revealing this in its latest report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) observed that Rs 6,832 crore was lying in the suspense head of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) because of the inability of banks to furnish pension payment scrolls on the basis of which the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA) would book the total amount. This resulted in incorrect depiction of pension accounts with implications for the revenue deficit figures of the government.

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The defence pension management system rests primarily on four pillars comprising the militarys record offices that maintain the service records, pension sanctioning authorities (PSA), pension disbursing agencies (PDA) and the RBI, which manages the cash balances of the government and reimburses the pension disbursed by the banks to the pensioners.

The CAG observed that the process for authorisation of pension involved several players and multiple stages, often resulting in avoidable delays in issue of pension payment orders.

Transmission errors as well as other mistakes in the banks, which account for 75 per cent of disbursements, had resulted in numerous cases of underpayments and overpayments. A test audit for one month revealed 21,434 cases of underpayment amounting to Rs 106.17 crore and overpayment amounting to Rs 118.23 crore to 11,973 pensioners. There were also cases of double payment, release of pension without orders, delays in recovery and non-deduction of tax.
On Wednesday, July 12, the Westby High School class of 1949 met for lunch to celebrate the 68th anniversary of their graduation. Laughs and chuckles filled the dining room at the Westby House as the eight classmates and two guests reminisced with old stories and shared new experiences. Although most of the sixty-four graduates of that class could not attend, those present had a great time and made plans to meet again in July 2018.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 1

The Rajya Sabha today witnessed uproarious scenes and adjournments as the Opposition protested a notification by the Election Commission providing the None of the Above (NOTA) option in the voting slip for state legislatures to elect members to the Council of States.

The Opposition, led by the Congress, raised the issue by questioning the move. The protests came ahead of the August 8 election to three Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat where the BJP has fielded party chief Amit Shah, Union Minister Smriti Irani besides Balwant Rajput, and the Congress Ahmed Patel, political secretary to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

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Congress Deputy Leader Anand Sharma said the move vitiated the election since neither the Constitution nor the Representation of the People Act had been amended to introduce NOTA. Chairman Hamid Ansari suggested the matter be taken up with the EC but attempts to proceed with Question Hour did not succeed. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is the Leader of the House, said from what he understood, there was a Supreme Court judgment that provided for the NOTA option. Jaitley said the judgment came several years ago, even before this government came to power.

The EC had in pursuant to the judgment issued some notification under Article 324, which covers all polls in the country. However, Congress members continued to protest, with Sharma saying the elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President were related and the ballot paper for the former, too, should have had the NOTA option.

Calling it a very serious issue, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad sought to know whether there was a separate Constitution for Gujarat as compared to the rest of India. Sources in the EC say the provision to include NOTA was issued in January 2014 after the SC order the previous year. The EC, the sources said, also re-issued the order to all states/UTs following reports that the option was not found in some cases.

Meanwhile, the Congress petitioned to the EC against the use of NOTA, saying it violated provisions of the Constitution and electoral laws.

First Rajya Sabha election was postponed, second NOTA was permitted post notification. Reasons best known to the Election Commission.  Ahmed Patel, Congress Leader
New Delhi, August 1

BJP chief Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Congress of conspiring to derail the Constitution amendment bill on backward classes.

His remarks came a day after the Rajya Sabha passed opposition-backed amendments to the legislation in an embarrassment to the government.

Shah lashed out at the main opposition party at the BJP parliamentary party meeting, saying it had been conspiring to stop the bills passage in the Rajya Sabha despite all parties agreeing to its provisions in the select committee it was sent to, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.

The bill should have been passed by Parliament in the budget session as the Lok Sabha had passed it unanimously. But the Rajya Sabha sent it to a select committee. All parties made unanimous recommendations in the committee but the Congress again conspired to stop it, Shah told MPs.

The legislation has been projected by the BJP as a major political outreach to the politically crucial backward classes and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again highlighted it as a major effort of his government to address the communities concerns.

Though the government enjoys a strong majority in the Lower House, it is still short of a majority in the Upper House.

Shah also asked partys lawmakers and other members to participate in a big way in three exercises, including the weeklong event starting from August 9 to mark the 75th anniversary of Quit India movement.

The party has also asked its members to participate in August 15-30 sankalp yatra and then reach out to first-time voters in 2018. Modi has called them new-millennium voters. PTI
New Delhi, August 1

The courts cannot introduce right to privacy as a fundamental right under the Constitution and this can be done only by Parliament, the Maharashtra government told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

A nine-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar is hearing a plea to decide whether right to privacy is a fundamental right or not.

This is not the case of interpretation of the Constitution or the law. This is the case of introduction of a right as a fundamental right. This can be done only by Parliament, senior advocate CA Sundaram, appearing for the Maharashtra government, told the judges.

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The bench also comprises Justices J Chelameswar, SA Bobde, RK Agrawal, Rohinton Fali Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, DY Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Abdul Nazeer.

Sundaram said the term privacy is not a definite term and it cannot be conferred a separate status of a fundamental right under the Constitution.

Besides the government of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh has also opposed the contentions of the lawyers who are seeking that the right to privacy be included as a fundamental right.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, referred to various legislations, including the Income Tax Act, the Right to Information Act and the Indian Telegraph Act and said various aspects of privacy had been protected under several statutes.

Several legislations protect the aspect of privacy and being a common law right it need not be elevated in the category of the fundamental rights, Mehta argued.

He will resume arguments in the afternoon session. PTI
Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)

Two months ago, when LeT division commander Abu Dujana escaped the security forces (SF) dragnet in Pulwama, south Kashmir, many expressed dismay at their inability to neutralise the high-profile terrorist from Gilgit Baltistan.

Dujana, an A++ category terrorist with Rs 15 lakh on his head, operating initially in north Kashmir, later became active in south Kashmir. Branded a thinking and high-profile terrorist in the last seven years, he planned several successful operations against the security forces  the most marked being the targeting of the CRPF bus at Pampore (eight jawans killed) and the ambush at Udhampur (three BSF jawans killed).

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Anyone experienced in handling Kashmirs killing fields will tell you that the longer the terrorist survives, the more vulnerable he becomes. He acquires the idiosyncrasies of high-flying personalities. And each time he escapes, he develops scornful overconfidence. He starts to use the social media carelessly and spends time more than required at a single location. He frequents certain areas more often than he should and picks up a fondness (could be a woman), which the security forces are always on the lookout for.

There are hundreds of locals willing to give information for a handsome sum of money. This money is over and above what is promised by the police official information charts. This is what Intelligence games are all about. Once that information is available and you have a well-knit team ready to target a specific leader, you have a recipe for success. These days, what matters is the speed of response, the reliability of actionable intelligence and the ability to keep away interfering mobs of stone-throwers.

Dujana is not the first high-profile terrorist leader from Pakistan who has been killed, nor is he the last. But what is important in the current counter-terror operations is the sync which exists among different security forces at the tactical level. The J&K Police hasnt lost its effectiveness, the Rashtriya Rifles is sharp in response and the CRPF has achieved a quantum jump in its capability to handle mobs. However, many times this is contingent upon the degree of cooperation between the forces and specialised intelligence services, such as IB, R&AW, Military Intelligence and State CID. It cannot be personality-driven and must remain institutionalised.

At this juncture, a pragmatic professional will recall the basics. Killing terrorists alone does not kill terrorism. The current concept of operations demands continued pressure on terror groups to prevent them from regrouping once they are on the defensive. But nothing can be achieved without domination of the public order domain. We cannot hope to carry forward the effect of our successful counter-terrorist operations without reaching out to the people directly and activating positive grassroots politics. We come back to the age-old adage for such operations the blending of hard and soft power operations. Repeating this message ad nauseum must remain a resolve.
Mumbai, August 1

The special CBI court here today discharged former IPS officer from Gujarat DG Vanzara and Rajasthan-cadre IPS officer Dinesh MN in the case of alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati.

Vanzara, a DIG-rank officer, was arrested on April 24, 2007, in connection with the alleged fake encounter of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh, whom the Gujarat Police claimed had links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.

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The Bombay High Court had granted bail to Vanzara in 2014. Justice has finally been done, he reacted today.

Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly abducted by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra. Sheikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar in 2005, after which his wife disappeared and was believed to have been done to death.

Prajapati, an aide of the gangster and an eyewitness, was allegedly killed by cops in 2006. The Sohrabuddin case was transferred to Mumbai in 2012 on the CBIs request for a fair trial. In 2013, the Supreme Court clubbed the fake encounter case of Prajapati with that of Sheikh.  PTI
Mumbai, August 1

The special CBI court here on Tuesday discharged former IPS officer from Gujarat DG Vanzara and Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh MN in the case of alleged fake encounters of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati.

Special CBI Judge Sunilkumar J Sharma discharged Vanzara and Dinesh MN.

Vanzara, a DIG-rank officer, was arrested on April 24, 2007 in connection with the alleged fake encounter of gangster Sohrabuddin Sheikh, whom Gujarat Police claimed had links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The Bombay High Court had granted bail to Vanzara in September 2014.

Reacting to the courts order, Vanzara said, Justice has finally been done.

Sheikh and his wife Kausar Bi were allegedly kidnapped by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad from Hyderabad on their way to Sangli in Maharashtra.

Sheikh was killed in an alleged fake encounter near Gandhinagar in November 2005, after which his wife disappeared and was believed to have been done to death.

Prajapati, an aide of the gangster and an eyewitness to the encounter, was allegedly killed by police at Chapri village in Gujarats Banaskantha district in December 2006.

The Sohrabuddin killing case was transferred to Mumbai in September 2012 on the request of the CBI for a fair trial.

In 2013, the Supreme Court had clubbed the alleged fake encounter case of Prajapati with that of Sheikh. PTI
London, August 1

The Indian government has submitted the requisite opening note and paperwork related to Vijay Mallyas extradition case to the liquor barons legal team within the UK court deadline, according to official sources.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, presiding at Westminster Magistrates Court in London at the last hearing in the case on July 6, had set July 31 as the deadline for the Indian siderepresented by the UKs Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)to provide Mallyas defence team with a detailed opening note on the case.

The 61-year-old tycoon is sought by Indian authorities for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

All matters are on track, official sources confirmed to PTI here.

The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates Court on September 14.

Mallya, who has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016, was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 and is currently out on bail.

The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government earlier this month, had told the court that they had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in the case and now had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines.

We have completed a review of materials and I am happy to state that we have had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case. We are ready and willing to proceed and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest, CPS barrister Mark Summers had said.

The judge agreed with the CPS to progress with some rigour and retained December 4 as the date for a final hearing in the case.

If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallyas extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had recently indicated it was working fine.

We are on the verge of extraditing an individual from India to the UK in the next week or 10 days. The extradition treaty is working just fine and there is no difficulty in the extradition treaty. We have extraditions already successfully completed, Mehrishi had said during his UK visit last month.

So far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the India-UK extradition treatythat of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel.

He was extradited with the due process of law. We do understand that extradition does take time and there are multiple levels of appeal in either country and it is not the easiest of processes to complete. But being a liberal democracy that we are, we have to allow for the law taking its own course, Mehrishi added.

Mallyas extradition is also believed to have featured during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last month. PTI
Coimbatore, August 1

Protesting against the Tamil Nadu government seeking exemption to the state from NEET, Puthiya Tamizhakam on Tuesday staged a demonstration here, demanding that medical aspirants should be selected through the test.

Led by its founder-president Dr Krishnasamy, the agitators raised slogans against the government, saying students should be selected to the course through NEET score, which was an All India test.

The PT leader said state board students from rural areas would not face any setback, as made out by political parties but emerge successful in the test and get admissions in instituons in Tamil Nadu, which has adequate numbers.

It was not necessary for State ministers and the Chief Minister to go to Delhi frequently seeking exemption from NEET, he said.

Some 10 state board students who were successful in NEET and joined the demonstration, said they wanted the NEET score to be considered for admission to the medical courses.

Similar demonstrations were held at all district headquarters of the state, Krishnasamy said.

The AIADMK, DMK and other parties in the state have been opposing NEET, saying state board students, especially from rural areas, would find it difficult to compete with CBSE students. PTI
New Delhi, August 1

Niti Aayog vice-chairman Arvind Panagariya today said he will leave the government think-tank on August 31 and return to Columbia University.

The Indian-American, who joined as the first vice-chairman of Niti Aayog in January 2015, is the second high-profile academic-economist after former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to quit a top job to return to teaching in the US.

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Like Rajan, Panagariya was often outspoken on issues, including labour reforms, privatisation of Air India and sick PSUs, for which RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) had accused Niti Aayog of furthering the corporate lobbys agenda.

Professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia, he did not have a fixed term at the government think-tank. Going by convention, followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission which was replaced by Niti Aayog, the term was to be co-terminus with that of the PM, who is chairperson of the body.

Panagariya, 64, said the university was not giving him further extension. He said about two months ago he had expressed his desire to PM Narendra Modi to be relieved.

Panagariya said he had to make a choice as it would not be possible for him to get the job he had been doing at Columbia University. At US universities, one can teach as long as ones health permits.

On his tenure at Niti Aayog, Panagariya said it was tough initially, but once he got into the groove, it had been smooth sailing. He said he wanted to complete the Seven-Year Strategy Paper and 15-Year Vision Document, but it would have to be done by his successor. The papers were 80-85 per cent ready.

BMS Virjesh Upadhyay said: We were not against anybody. But we were against Aayog policies on labour laws, PSU disinvestment... it used to meet corporate lobbies, but not labour unions.  TNS/PTI
Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, August 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced a Rs 2,350-crore package for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and flood mitigation steps in the flood-affected North-Eastern states, including Assam, immediately after chairing high-level meetings.

The PM said a high-powered panel would be set up to find a solution to the problem of flood and erosion. The panel members will get in touch with those affected on the ground as only academic exercise wont help. The panel will also bring Assam and Bhutan in the ambit of the study as most of the rivers flowing to Assam valley come down from neighbouring hill states while the Brahmaputra has its source in Tibet, Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta said.

The Centre will also provide Rs 100 crore for carrying out the study by the high-powered panel to synergise efforts towards finding time-bound long-term solutions to recurrent floods in the region. Modi said the flood problem of Assam and N-E states was a problem of the country and underlined the need for a holistic approach among all N-E states for finding a permanent solution, Mahanta said.
Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, August 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Tuesday morning to take stock of the devastation caused in Assam by the recent floods.

Immediately on his arrival in the Assam Administrative Staff College (AASC) in the city, Modi held a meeting with the state council of ministers led by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior officials. The Assam government is making a detail presentation on the perennial flood problem besides the devastation caused by the recent floods.

The Prime Minister will spend about three hours in discussing the perennial flood and erosion problem of the state in an effort to find a permanent solution to the problem.

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State minister Himanta Bishwa Sarma said the Prime Minister in the meeting with the council of ministers would discuss the flood situation and focus on ways for a permanent solution to the problem.

The minister said the state government would request the Prime Minister to release Rs 1,225 crore due to Assam under the Flood Mitigation Programme (FPM) to enable the state to strengthen and restore river bank embankments.

He said the PM was not going for an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas as the flood water had almost receded in many parts of the state.

The Prime Minister will hold a meeting with the legislators of the BJP and its alliance partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF).

Meanwhile, official sources said the PM would hold separate meetings with chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur here on Wednesday before he left for New Delhi. Both these states have also witnessed devastation in floods and landslides this year.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 31

The Narendra Modi government today faced an unanticipated embarrassment with the Rajya Sabha passing the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill bestowing constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes, but incorporated an amendment.

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The result is that the law to set up the commission will have to wait till the amendment made to the Bill passed by the Lok Sabha in April is restored to its original shape and sent back to the Upper House for ratification.

On the Bill that got across-the-board support, the Parliamentary managers were caught on the wrong foot as Digvijay Singh (Congress) moved the amendment to a Clause seeking representation to minorities and women on the panel. To the governments embarrassment, the amendment was carried leading to charges from BJP and Congress sides against each other of trying to block the legislation.

Since it was a Constitutional amendment, the ruling coalition should have taken care to shore up its numbers.

The Bill has been a subject of political tug-of-war with the Opposition forcing its referral to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha during the Budget session.

Faced with a piquant situation, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot withdrew the accompanying Bill to repeal the existing National Commission for Backward Classes.

The Constitution Amendment Bill seeks to empower the OBC Commission, which will get powers similar to the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The government during the debate allayed Opposition concerns on diluting the federal structure and taking away some of the rights of the states which Gehlot said would remain intact.

As there was confusion following the amendment moved, Congress leader P Chidambaram and CPM

general secretary Sitaram Yechury made interventions on how to resolve the deadlock.
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, august 1

After suffering a major embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha yesterday when a united Opposition managed to push through an amendment in a politically critical Bill granting Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), an upset BJP chief Amit Shah today pulled up party MPs for being absent during Parliament sessions.

Taking note of missing MPs despite a party whip, Shah warned the absentees to be cautious in future and be present in the House till the end of the session. The absence from Parliament is not acceptable as attending the proceedings is a responsibility, both towards the party and the country, Shah said during a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting.

The party president has taken a serious note of it. It should not have happened and must not be repeated, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said after the meeting.

Meanwhile, sources say the 31 missing NDA members, including 13 from the BJP and also five ministers, have been called for a separate meeting on the issue.

Cong wants to deprive OBCs

Congress deliberately obstructed the passage of the (National Commission for Backward Classes) Bill in its true form by making a recommendation that was not in consonance with the Constitution. Its intention is clear. It wants to deprive the OBCs of their right by keeping the Bill pending . Bhupender Yadav, BJP Rajya Sabha MP
New Delhi, August 1

Syria has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014.

Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas, however, said that his country is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas yesterday said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

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"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said.

"We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.

However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city. PTI
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, August 1

Tightening the noose around gangsters and those sheltering them in the wake of the murder of Jaito trader Ravinder Kochhar, the Faridkot police have re-arrested 17 relatives of the key members of a gang from Bathinda, Faridkot and Moga districts.

They were earlier held under Sections 212/216 of the Indian Penal Code, but were bailed out. The police have now invoked Sections 107/151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to take them again in custody, alleging that they were a threat to the law and order.

The arrested relatives include Santokh Kaur, sister of Gurbax Singh, the mastermind of Ranjit Singh Sewewala gang. She was arrested from Budladhe Wala village of Bathinda. Denying them bail, the Jaito SDM ordered their judicial remand for seven days.

Accused issues threat on FB

A key member of the gang, who is also an accused in the killing of Kochhar, Harsimrandeep Singh alias Sema today posted a warning on the Facebook, asking the police not to harass their relatives. He also claimed that Kochhar was killed as he was working against the gang.

Dr Nanak Singh, SSP, Faridkot, said the cyber crime branch of the police was on the job of tracing the origin of this Facebook post. He claimed that all those arrested were providing shelter to the gangsters.
GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 31

Pathis (priests) working at the Golden Temple today protested against low wages in the presence of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who had organised an akhand path.

The pathis, supported by colleagues from Gurdwara Shahidan Sahib, Gurdwara Budha Sahib and Gurdwara Baba Bakala, refused to accept fresh akhand path bookings till their demands, including a wage hike and facilities on a par with regular employees of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), were accepted.

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The standoff ended only after their grievance was partially addressed in the evening. The SGPC agreed to raise their shift wage from Rs 600 per session to Rs 800, against the demand for Rs 1,000. They would also be entitled to benefits under the group medical insurance scheme. The SGPC has engaged around 8,000 pathis on a temporary basis for its gurdwaras across Punjab. Of these, 800 are working at the Golden Temple, 500 at Gurdwara Shahidan Sahib and nearly 150 each at Gurdwara Budha Sahib and Gurdwara Baba Bakala. They are paid on the basis of path shifts.

On an average, a pathi ends up getting Rs 9,000 a month. With the raise, each will get Rs 12,000 a month. Earlier, pathis Angrej Singh and Harpal Singh accused the SGPC of adopting double standards when it came to paying wages or offering medical and educational facilities to its employees.

Prior to the poll, the SGPC had given them a raise of just Rs 50 per shift at Sukhbirs insistence, they said. It was a meagre raise. We were forced to protest after the SGPC refused to hear us. A majority of the pathis have been associated with respective gurdwaras for the past three decades, but are not treated on a par with other employees. Neither can our children study in SGPC-run schools or institutes, nor can our families get free medical aid in its hospitals. We had approached successive SGPC presidents, but to no avail, they said.

Harsimrat condemned the protest, saying it was unbecoming of them to vitiate the spiritual environs by raising slogans. SGPCs executive member Ram Singh said: They could have approached us. But hampering the akhand path and raising slogans was uncalled for. A delegation of the Shiromani Akhand Pathi Welfare Society later met an SGPC panel.

As a result of the protest, only 17 of the 41 scheduled akhand paths were performed by the evening. The SGPC has on its payroll around 10,000 employees deputed in various gurdwaras and institutes run under its control. A sewadar (messenger) gets between Rs 10,000-15,000 per month, while a secretary-level official gets around Rs 70,000-75,000 per month. Other perks commensurate with those of semi-government institute employees.

Not appreciable: SGPC chief

The way they lodged their protest on the Golden Temple premises was not appreciable. We intend to revise wages and extend some other benefits. It was part of the agenda at last executive body meet. Kirpal Singh Badungar, SGPC Chief
Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, August 1

The police on Monday booked a local Akali leaders son for allegedly abducting a minor girl from a Moga village, police said here on Tuesday.

According to the details, Sadhu Singh, son of Akali leader Mall Singh, who is chairman of the Moga-2 Block Samiti, allegedly jumped over the boundary wall of a house at Ghal Kalan village and abducted the girl last week.

The girls mother, in her statement to the police, said the entire family had gone to sleep at night, but in the morning the girl was missing.

We tried to look for her at our relatives place in the village and at other locations, but could not find her,

she said.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

A couple of days later, the family came to know that the girl had been abducted by Sadhu and associates.

A complaint was filed with the police. Police station (rural) SHO Ramesh Pal and investigating officer Surinder Pal, during the preliminary findings, came to know that Sadhu had abducted the girl.

It came to light during the preliminary findings that Sadhu was married but had divorced his wife owing to a dispute. Sadhu allegedly wanted to marry the girl. Since, she was a minor, the family was against it.

The police have registered a case against Sadhu under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC and a hunt has been launched to nab him and trace the girl.
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 1

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has decided to sack 1,045 Home Guard personnel in order to cut costs, over a year after the Supreme Court increased their monthly remuneration almost three-fold.

The state Home Guards Department has sought the intervention of the Chief Ministers office. Till the CM takes a call, their services with the FCI would continue. The personnel get paid by the department they are deployed with.

Sources said the FCI and others, including the Punjab Police and Oil and Natural Gas Commission, had been seeking services of the Home Guard personnel for the past six years as their remuneration (about Rs12,000 per month) was far less than that of the police or guards of the Punjab Ex-servicemen Corporation.

However, the Supreme Court had in March 2016 ordered that monthly remuneration to Home Guard personnel be equivalent to the salary of a police constable, which was about Rs32,000. The FCI has told us that it is terminating the services of the personnel with immediate effect. However, we have asked them to put the termination on hold, said a senior official.

He said recruitment in the department was discontinued since the mid-1990s. From a strength of about 30,000 during the days of terrorism, only about 13,000 guards are left with the department now. But whenever there is a demand from any department and if we cant spare personnel working with the Police Department, we reabsorb those whose services were discontinued earlier, the official said.

Two ex-volunteers accuse officials of graft

Chandigarh: Two retired Home Guard personnel alleged at a press conference on Tuesday that some senior officials had reabsorbed former volunteers after taking bribe from them. Former guards Amarjit Singh and Mithu Singh have sought an inquiry. Additional Commandant General KS Ghuman refuted the allegations. The re-absorption was done at the district level. We carried out random enquiries and could not find any case fit for further action, he said. Senior officials said some insiders were trying to malign the Additional Commandant General. Officials said he was cleared for promotion to the post of Commandant General recently. No complaint has been made to us, they said. TNS
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 1

The Congress government has released Rs 224.7 crore to clear the backlog of pensions under various social welfare schemes for the months of February and March.

The money, released by the Finance Department on the directive of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, will be used by the Social Security Department for disbursement of pension to the elderly, disabled, destitute and widows, according to an official spokesperson.

The announcement of disbursal of these pending social security pensions comes after The Tribune highlighted the delay in release of the pension to 19 lakh beneficiaries and the adverse impact it was having on the lives of these marginalised beneficiaries.

The official said the verification of beneficiaries to ensure that only the genuine and deserving get the benefit was under process for payment from April onwards. The CM had ordered re-verification of the list of beneficiaries soon after taking over the reins of the government to weed out fake names.

The spokesperson said the CM was committed to ensuring timely release of social security pensions to the beneficiaries. The government would not tolerate any complacency or laxity in this regard.

He said: The Chief Secretary has been entrusted with the task of keeping tabs on the entire process to prevent any harassment or suffering to the underprivileged people due to official apathy in this regard.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 1

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat today accused the state BJP government of giving conflicting statements on alleged Chinese incursions in the Barahouti area of the state.

Addressing a press conference here today the former CM said, The matter is of serious nature. The state and district authorities have no clarity on the incident and are giving conflicting statements, he said.

Rawat described Trivendra Rawat as a captive CM. He said the CM had few days back stated during the BJP conclave that he needed more swatantrata, which amply revealed that he was a helpless CM. and more appropriately a captive chief minister. He said the BJP was bent on portraying RSS ideologues as freedom fighters whereas they had no role in the freedom struggle.
Washington: Our planet may see a temperature increase of 2 to 4.9C over the next 80 years, much higher than the target set by the 2016 Paris Agreement. A study using statistical tools shows only a 5 per cent chance that Earth will warm 2 degrees or less by the end of this century. pti

India, China home to 39% of young Net users

United Nations: India and China are home to 39 per cent of the 83 crore young people worldwide who use the Internet, according to a UN report. Of them, 32 crore, or 39 per cent, are in China and India. Data shows that youths (15-24 years old) are at the forefront of Internet adoption. pti

Australia: Migrants free to choose location

Canberra: The Australian government has said that while it aims to settle refugees in regional locations, migrants are free to move once settled. Last week, the Fairfield City Council in Sydney's west expressed concern that more than 6,000 Syrian migrants had settled within its limits over the last few months. ians

Beat that: Biggest heart ever on display

Toronto: The largest heart ever seen has gone on display at Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum. The organ belonged to one of two blue whales whose carcasses washed up three years ago. It measures 5 foot (1.5 m) x 4 foot x 4 foot and would have weighed at least 400 pounds (181kg) before removal. reuters
London, August 1

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has apologised for a series of tweets that falsely accused US President Donald Trump of refusing to shake the hand of a boy in a wheelchair during an event last week.

On Monday, Rowling said she deleted her July 28 tweets after she was informed that they were not a full or accurate representation of what happened at the July 24 event at the White House, reports CNN.

She also apologised on Twitter to the three-year-old Montgomery Weer and his family though she did not extend the same courtesy to Trump.

A spokesperson for Rowling did not say whether she would issue an apology to the President.

Rowling had tweeted a video which was edited in a way that suggested Trump ignored Weers outstretched hand, CNN reported.

The bestselling author wrote it was stunning and horrible that Trump cannot bring himself to shake the hand of a small boy who only wanted to touch the President.

The first in her series of seven tweets racked up more than 75,000 re-tweets by Monday.

The boys mother, Marjorie, wrote on Facebook that Trump didnt snub her son. IANS
Mexico City, August 1

Mexican journalist Luciano Rivera was shot dead in a bar in the northwestern state of Baja California, the media reported on Tuesday.

The murder took place on Monday in a bar in Rosarito, a city 16 km from the border town of Tijuana, Xinhua news agency cited a statement as saying.

The 33-year-old was an editor for the local channel CNR TV Noticias, and a reporter for a news website, the statement said.

A man, identified as Alfredo N, was arrested by police as he travelled in a taxi carrying a firearm.

According to police, Rivera was shot in the head. The suspect was arrested in the ongoing search.

A CNR TV Noticias report said Rivera had fallen victim to the climate of insecurity and permanent instability in Baja California.

The police have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Rivera is the eighth journalist killed in Mexico since March.

The Mexican government has vowed to improve protection for journalists in the country. IANS
Islamabad, August 1

The National Assembly of Pakistan will pick the country's 18th prime minister on Tuesday, following the July 28 landmark judgement in the Panama gate case, in which a five-judge Bench unanimously disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding any public office.

Major political parties have already fielded their respective candidates for the day.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has fielded Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as its candidate, whereas the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has nominated Khursheed Shah and Naveed Qamar.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Sheikh Rashid as it nominee.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and the Jamaat-e-Islami have named Kishwar Zehra and Sahibzada Tariqullah respectively for the coveted post.

As the rules of the National Assembly go, the speaker will announce the process for members to elect a new Leader of the House.

"The speaker will announce the name of every member one-by-one and in alphabetical order to receive his/her ballot paper. The members would mark the candidate of their choice with a tick on the ballot paper and put it in the ballot box," Geo News reports.

According to the Constitution, the process of the election will continue until a candidate achieves a clear majority, that is of 172 votes.

The speaker will then announce the result and the president-elect and those who contested the election will then be given a chance to address the House. The incumbent president will then administer oath to the new prime minister and also to members of the new cabinet. ANI
Bangkok, August 1

Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday said she is not corrupt ahead of a court appearance where she will defend her management of a rice subsidy that Thailands current military government says she grossly mishandled.

Hundreds of supporters outside the court shouted Prime Minister, fight, fight!

Yinglucks bank accounts were frozen after an administrative ruling held her responsible for about USD 1 billion in losses from the subsidy. The trial on a charge of criminal negligence is nearing an end, with Yingluck delivering her closing statement on Tuesday and a verdict coming later this month that could put her in prison for 10 years if she is convicted.

I will express to the court my confidence that I was not complicit in corruption and I confirm my innocence, Yingluck said before heading into the court.

Her supporters believe she is being persecuted by opponents of her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

Yingluck was banned from political office for five years after the national assembly appointed by the military government impeached her.

Thaksin, a telecommunications mogul, was ousted after being accused of corruption and insulting the monarchy. His ouster set off sometimes-violent battles for power between his supporters and opponents. He has been in self-imposed exile since 2008 to escape a prison sentence for corruption.

His supporters say the political establishment opposes him because his electoral popularity threatens their entrenched privileges. AP
Caracas, August 1

Venezuelas intelligence service took two prominent opposition leaders back to prison early today, authorities said, as embattled President Nicolas Maduro moved to shore up his power after an election widely denounced as a sham.

The action, carried out in the dead of night, came one day before a new assembly elected on Sunday takes office, superseding the opposition-controlled legislature.

In a statement, the Supreme Court said Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were sent back to prison because they had violated the terms of their house arrest by making political statements.

It said authorities acted with urgency because they had received intelligence that the pair had a plan to flee. The move was swiftly criticised as a step in the wrong direction by both the US and the European Union.

The men are two of Venezuelas most high profile opposition leaders. Both had called for a boycott of Sundays vote for a so-called and all-powerful constituent assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution.

They were picked up by the intelligence service known by its acronym Sebin, the wife of Lopez and children of Ledezma said separately.

Both of their families said they held Maduro, the driving force behind the vote, responsible for the opposition leaders lives.

They just took Leopoldo away. We do not know where he is or where they are taking him, Lopezs wife Lilian Tintori said on Twitter. The children of Ledezma  named Victor, Vanessa and Antonietta  also said on Twitter that the intelligence service had taken away their father.  AFP

"They dont intimidate me. The threats and sanctions of the empire dont intimidate me for a moment. I dont listen to orders from the empire, not now or ever ... Bring on more sanctions, Donald Trump."  Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelas president
The chief executive officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority is considering whether he will answer questions in a civil lawsuit regarding kickback allegations that appears to have expanded to a criminal probe.

The existence of the pending criminal investigation is mentioned in a judges order, filed in response to an oral request in July by EMSA President and CEO Stephen Williamson for a stay in proceedings related to a civil complaint filed by federal prosecutors in Texas.

The civil complaint, filed in January in federal court in the eastern district of Texas, claims that a Texas hospital and ambulance provider, Paramedics Plus LLC, entered into a kickback scheme to obtain and retain a lucrative public ambulance services contract awarded by Williamson and EMSA.

EMSA is a public trust that administers the ambulance service in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas. Both EMSA, Williamson and representatives for Paramedics Plus LLC have denied the allegations.

Prosecutors allege that the defendants created a slush fund controlled by the Texas hospital, East Texas Medical Center Regional Health Services Inc., and Paramedics Plus that was used to pay over $20 million in kickbacks, including at least $50,000 for Williamsons personal benefit as well as to pay political contributions, marketing expenses and direct payments to EMSAs contractors.

EMSA officials responded to media inquiries Monday about the criminal probe with a statement indicating that no officials associated with EMSA had been contacted by officials regarding a criminal probe.

EMSA has not been contacted regarding any pending criminal investigation, the statement said. EMSAs longstanding practice is to cooperate with requests from federal and state regulatory agencies, including law enforcement. We continue to work toward dismissal of the civil action.

Asked if the statement included Williamson, EMSA spokeswoman Kelli Bruer said the statement was issued on behalf of EMSA since Mr. Williamson has his own legal counsel.

An attorney for Williamson, Charles Meadows Jr., declined to comment on the existence of a criminal probe, other than to say we would rely on the statement that EMSA sent out.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys Office that is handling the civil lawsuit said she could not confirm whether or not there was a criminal investigation underway.

A federal judge mentions the pending criminal investigation in an order issued July 21 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The order was issued following a telephone conference with the judge that was held on July 20 at Williamsons request.

Defendant indicated that there is a pending criminal investigation in relation to this case, the order by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant states.

The order goes on to say that Williamson had requested a stay in the case in regards to responding to certain requests for admission and interrogatories until after a whistleblower in the case gives a deposition in September.

According to the judges order, Williamson indicated that he would be in a better position to decide whether he needed to plead the Fifth Amendment after the deposition and the courts ruling on pending motions by the defendants to dismiss the lawsuit.

Mazzant denied Williamsons request to halt proceedings in the civil case, but left open the door for Williamson to file a written motion, should the defendant find a new argument for the court to consider.

No other defendants in the case have filed a written request for a stay in the case.

In February, the state of Oklahoma joined federal prosecutors in the civil lawsuit.

The Oklahoma complaint, filed by the state Attorney Generals Office, alleges the Oklahoma Health Care Authority paid over $64 million to EMSA for false Medicaid claims submitted for services provided by Paramedics Plus under the EMSA contract.

A trial date in the federal civil case is scheduled for July 23, 2018.

A spokeswoman for Paramedics Plus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Officials with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority are watching how two issues will play out that could affect nearly $120 million in their current budget.

The authoritys fiscal year 2018 budget includes $70 million from funding that would be generated from the new cigarette fee approved by the Legislature earlier this year.

The constitutionality of the fee will be decided by the state Supreme Court, which will hear oral arguments Aug. 8. The $1.50 a pack fee is slated to take effect Aug. 24.

Uncertainty also exists about $49 million in funding through the federal Childrens Health Insurance Program.

We remain cautiously optimistic that we will be able to sustain our programs throughout this next year, said Becky Pasternik-Ikard, CEO of the Health Care Authority.

Pasternik-Ikard was in Tulsa on Monday to address members of the Tulsa Regional Chamber in a presentation called State of the Health Care Authority.

The cigarette fee, expected to generate $215 million for fiscal year 2018, originated in the Senate on the final day of the legislative session and obtained a simple majority in the House.

Revenue-raising measures are required to start in the House, not be passed in the last five days of session and pass by a supermajority in both legislative chambers.

If the fee is found unconstitutional, the likely next step would be for a special session to convene to address the loss of revenue.

The loss of the $70 million allocated to the Health Care Authority would amount to an 8 percent cut to Medicaid providers. However, officials said efforts would be made to ensure the impact of the cuts would be minimized by looking at other cost-saving measures.

Certainly as you look at those options, they impact peoples lives, Pasternik-Ikard said.

Funding for the Childrens Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, is federal money provided in addition to traditional Medicaid funding. The funds are authorized through 2019, but funding is only approved through September. If an extension is not approved, the state would lose out on funding that is already accounted for.

The Health Care Authority did receive a bump in its state appropriation over the previous year. Even with the increased funding  and if the cigarette fee and CHIP funding remain intact  the agency is facing a $34 million shortfall.

SoonerCare, the states Medicaid program, provides insurance coverage to nearly 814,000 people, two-thirds of them children.

The agency also provides insurance for pregnant women, the elderly and disabled people.
Morning showers in east Oklahoma are expected to continue through Tuesday morning before moving through the southeast.

The widespread showers are predicted to affect much of eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas through mid morning Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Tulsa. Thunderstorms are not likely throughout Tuesday.

However, the potential for thunderstorms is predicted to remain in the region through Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday for east Oklahoma. Tuesday's rain showers are expected to progress southeast, affecting southeast Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

Rainfall accumulations during Tuesday's showers are not expected to exceed a quarter inch, according to the weather service.

Chances for thunderstorms are weaker Wednesday, but still possible. The strongest possibilities for isolated thunderstorms is predicted for Thursday as a cold front moves through the area.

Temperatures are expected to remain below the low-to-mid 90s norm throughout the week.
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27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (4) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (4) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (4) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (3) Feb 10 (4) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (4) Jan 25 (3) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (3) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (4) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (5) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (2) Dec 29 (2) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (2) Dec 11 (6) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (6) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (4) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (4) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (5) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (2) Nov 19 (5) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (4) Nov 15 (6) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (3) Nov 07 (2) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (2) Oct 31 (3) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (2) Oct 24 (2) Oct 23 (2) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (2) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (4) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (4) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (7) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (5) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (5) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (7) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (4) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (2) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (5) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) May 18 (3) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (4) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (2) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (2) May 02 (3) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (7) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (7) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (5) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (6) Mar 18 (6) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (5) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (3) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (2) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (2) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (3) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (5) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (4) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (5) Jun 01 (3) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (3) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (4) May 23 (4) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (4) May 19 (3) May 18 (3) May 17 (4) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (1) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (4) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (4) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (5) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (4) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (3) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (3) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (3) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (3) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (3) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (3) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (3) Mar 12 (4) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (3) Mar 07 (3) Mar 06 (4) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (3) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (3) Mar 01 (3) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (3) Feb 25 (3) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (3) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (3) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (3) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (3) Feb 04 (4) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (3) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (5) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (4) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (3) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (3) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (3) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (4) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (4) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (2) Nov 05 (2) Nov 04 (3) Nov 03 (2) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (2) Oct 30 (6) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (5) Oct 26 (3) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (5) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (4) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (2) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (2) Oct 11 (2) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (2) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (3) Oct 04 (2) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (4) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (2) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (2) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (1) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (1) Sep 19 (1) Sep 18 (1) Sep 17 (2) Sep 16 (1) Sep 15 (2) Sep 14 (2) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 11 (2) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (1) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 12 (1) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 05 (1) Aug 04 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (5) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (4) Jul 11 (3) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (4) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (6) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (6) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 (5) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (4) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (5) Jun 03 (5) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (4) May 30 (4) May 29 (4) May 28 (5) May 27 (5) May 26 (5) May 25 (4) May 24 (5) May 23 (4) May 22 (4) May 21 (3) May 20 (6) May 19 (4) May 18 (4) May 17 (4) May 16 (5) May 15 (3) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (3) May 11 (3) May 10 (3) May 09 (3) May 08 (3) May 07 (3) May 06 (3) May 05 (3) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (3) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (3) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (4) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (5) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (4) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (4) Apr 04 (6) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (3) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (5) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 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Former Tulsa Police Officer Shannon Kepler will face his fourth murder trial in less than a year in the 2014 death of his daughters boyfriend since a judge has denied his request to dismiss the case over claims that the state presented insufficient evidence in the previous trials.

Tulsa County District Judge Sharon Holmes on Tuesday ordered trial proceedings for Kepler to begin Oct. 9 in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jeremey Lake outside Lakes aunts home in the 200 block of North Maybelle Avenue on Aug. 5, 2014. Lake was in a romantic relationship with Keplers estranged daughter, Lisa Kepler.

Shannon Kepler appears to be the first defendant in Tulsa County to have a first-degree murder case go before a jury four times, and only a handful of murder cases nationally have been tried three or more times.

Before setting the new trial date, Holmes denied a motion to dismiss, filed Monday, without hearing arguments in open court.

The motion asked Holmes to apply former jeopardy to his case, arguing that jurors in the third trial  who deadlocked 6-6  de facto found him not guilty when each individually told the judge on July 7 that they required more information and evidence to reach a verdict.

The jury deliberated for only about 2 hours before notifying Holmes that it couldnt come to a unanimous agreement either on first-degree murder or a lesser-included charge of first-degree manslaughter.

Jurors in Keplers trials in November and February were hung 11-1 and 10-2, respectively, in favor of guilt. Neither of those juries had the option of considering manslaughter. Each of those juries deliberated at least eight hours before indicating that they were deadlocked.

We thought the motion had legs, defense attorney Richard OCarroll told reporters after the hearing, saying he is considering whether to appeal Holmes rulings to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.

The Oct. 9 trial date appeared to be inconvenient timing for both Keplers defense and prosecutors, who said the proceedings have held up other murder cases in Tulsa County. OCarroll told the court another client of his, Sebastian Aguirre, has been in jail in a child-abuse murder case without the option of posting bond since September 2014 as he awaits a scheduled Oct. 2 trial before Holmes.

Likewise, First Assistant District Attorney Erik Grayless announced that the state has other homicide cases due for trial in the same month and requested that the case be scheduled for another day. Court records indicate that Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray, who has handled each of Keplers previous trials along with District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler, has an Oct. 30 murder trial scheduled for teenage co-defendants Emmitt Sam and Nathan Simmons.

Each of Keplers three trials has lasted about two weeks. Grayless said the states caseload is backed up due to the work involved in trying Keplers case three times in about nine months.

However, Holmes said of the states proposed dates, If theyre not in the fall, I wont entertain them.

I dont think theres a lot of new preparation that needs to be done (for trial), she said, calling the situation a highly unusual circumstance and saying she wants to set it for trial as soon as possible to help lessen the backlog for both sides.

OCarroll objected to the October day, saying theres no way he can represent Kepler and Aguirre in trials held back-to-back. Holmes responded that she did not expect him to do so and suggested that Aguirres case will be rescheduled.

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 on charges of reckless conduct with a firearm. OCarroll filed a brief in the appellate proceedings late Tuesday afternoon, which was the deadline for him to formally outline his allegations of error in the November trial.

The jury in that trial recommended that Kepler spend a year in jail for the gun crimes, and Holmes agreed Nov. 14.

Grayless declined to comment following Tuesday mornings hearing. OCarroll said the October trial setting affects Keplers and Aguirres constitutional rights.

After three attempts, three hung juries is a resolution, OCarroll said. I think the state should recognize this. Frankly, its unfortunate Im going to say this, (but) I think a fair deal of it is personal. Mr. Kunzweiler said when he first took office that (this case) was one of his three priorities, and for whatever reasons hes just like a dog with a bone.
A Bank of Oklahoma branch in north Tulsa was robbed Tuesday morning.

A man walked into the bank at 1604 N. Lewis Ave. at about 11 a.m., handed a teller a note implying that he had a gun and demanded money, police said. The teller complied, according to a report, and the robber then fled north on foot.

A liquor store surveillance camera captured images of the robber removing his shirt and getting into a gray vehicle, police said.

The robber was described as a white, in his 40s with a goatee, about 5-foot-6 and 170 pounds.

Anyone with information may contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 918-596-COPS (2677), online at p3tips.com/918 or through the Tulsa Tips app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play or iTunes stores.
PAWHUSKA  Osage County deputies arrested an Owasso firefighter on a sex-crimes complaint involving a child younger than 16, the Sheriffs Office announced Monday.

Casey Benjamin Roe, 33, is accused of molesting a teenage girl in southern Osage County late Friday.

A news release from the Sheriffs Office says a deputy interviewed several people, including the reported victim, and determined that Roe should be interviewed.

A deputy said Owasso police helped in finding Roe at his residence, and at that time Roe declined to speak about the allegation in favor of consulting with an attorney.

Roe was booked into the Osage County Jail early Saturday but has since been released on bond.

Tulsa World archives indicate that Roe has been a member of the Owasso Fire Department for five years.

 Samantha Vicent, Tulsa World
A fire that destroyed several historic Wagoner buildings and displaced four families was still burning a day after it ignited, and investigators had scant information about who or what started it.

A preliminary investigation indicated the fire started Sunday in the Auction House building and spread to other structures on the east side of Main Street near Cherokee Street. Owl Drug, which has been downtown for 115 years, and the Auction House were among the buildings that were destroyed. Smoke and water damaged the next-door buildings.

In all, five buildings were affected.

Though investigators still hadnt gone inside and found the blazes cause, the investigation seemed to gain traction at midday Monday when a witness told police a man was seen leaving the area about the time the fire started. Authorities named him a person of interest in the fire, but he was later released after being questioned, Wagoner Police Chief Bob Haley said.

At this point we have no evidence to indicate he was involved in the start of that fire, Haley said.

As of Monday evening, fire investigators had not determined whether foul play was involved, city officials said at a news conference, but they had not ruled out the possibility.

Youre still collecting all the evidence you can collect, and as we cool it down and start to dig through it, theyll look for more evidence in that area, Fire Chief Kelly Grooms said.

Mayor Albert Jones added that officials from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also investigating.

Many of the affected buildings were built in the early 1900s, said Janice Turney, president of Wagoner Switch District Main Street. She called the loss devastating.

Her group has been working to revitalize downtown Wagoner and fill unoccupied buildings in what she referred to as the heart of the city.

Were trying to rebuild downtown, and (the fire) just sets us back immensely, she said.

Officials will survey the buildings Tuesday and determine whether any parts of them can be saved, she said.

If possible, Jones said hed like to see business owners rebuild.

Throughout Monday, flames could still be seen inside the Owl Drug Store and Boutique building. Shelves that were once stocked with greeting cards, wind chimes, T-shirts and other knickknacks were reduced to smoldering, charred wood, mangled pieces of metal and gritty black soot.

Standing outside near the back of the drug store, co-owner Brittany Vallandry said she was frazzled as she and her husband, Matthew, had been awake many hours.

Since the fire, theyve found a new location to open a make-shift pharmacy. It should be open in about a week, she said.

The Vallandrys have owned the drugstore for a few years. They fill over 100 prescriptions a day, and recently they had been as busy as ever, she said.

At 115 years old, the store was a community staple, Vallandry said.

Its just kind of always been downtown, and thats kind of the hard part, she said. Most people would tell you, we know everybody who walks in the door, and we know their kids and their parents.

It was the buildings age that ultimately prevented firefighters from knocking down the blaze more quickly, Grooms said Sunday night.

The issue is once they get to burning, theyre hard to put out. Theyve got so much stuff in them. Theyre old; you cant send people (firefighters) into them because theyre just too dangerous, he said.

A firewall was all that prevented flames from spreading from the Auction House to the next-door Annies Antiques and Finery, owner Sharon Thoele said Monday.

She said she came to her store Sunday evening to retrieve an apple pie she had left there and noticed smoke coming through the windows in the upstairs lofts next door as she arrived. She left to alert the police and firefighters and came back to see smoke pouring out, Thoele said.

While her business still reeked of smoke Monday and footsteps made its water-soaked carpet squish, Thoele said she was lucky that she didnt lose more, because others did.

Four families living in apartments were displaced.

They all got out, and what they have today is what they had on their back. They lost everything, Thoele said.

Officials plan to set up a fund for apartment tenants who lost belongings in the fire, Turney said.
Critics and supporters of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt have found common ground in their shared belief that the former Oklahoma attorney general is operating with an efficiency and zeal beyond that of his predecessors.

Theres a tremendous amount of attention and a tremendous amount of focus thats going into our agenda, and the president has given us that charge, Pruitt said during an interview Thursday.

In February, Pruitt took over a federal agency that had, in his words, lost its moorings. He has compared disdain of the EPA to that directed at the Internal Revenue Service and told a conservative gathering that critics of the agency were justified in their scorn.
Republican Lauren Boebert is in a tight race in her bid for reelection to a U.S. House seat in Colorado against Democrat Adam Frisch, a businessman and former city councilman from the posh, mostly liberal ski town of Aspen. Boeberts contest in Colorados sprawling 3rd Congressional District is being watched nationally as Republicans try to flip control of the U.S. House in the midterm elections. The Donald Trump loyalist established herself as a partisan flashpoint in Washington, D.C., in her first term, and had been favored to win reelection after redistricting made the rural conservative district more Republican. Frisch criticizes what he calls Boebert's divisive brand of angertainment in Washington. Boebert vows: We will have this victory.
ABCs Ronny Chieng: International Student has been sold to BBC Three, to screen later this year.

Chiengs international status has been rising through his monologues on Americas The Daily Show.

Damian Kavanagh, Controller of BBC Three, says: Ronny Chieng is a welcome new addition to BBC Three. Hes a comedy genius and, in Ronny Chieng: International Student, he has the perfect vehicle for his talents. I couldnt be more excited to bring this series to the UK.

Sue Deeks, BBC Head of Programme Acquisition says: This series is laugh-out-loud funny and Ronny Chieng is such an exciting comedy talent  we are so looking forward to introducing the show to BBC Three viewers.

Jessica Ellis, Head of ABC Content Sales and Distribution, adds: Ronny Chieng continues to delight fans across the world with his unique brand of comedy. The sale of his latest series to the BBC is a testament to not only his immense talent, but also his growing international following and ability to entertain audiences globally.
A Congolese mother presents her ration card at a UNHCR desk in Mussungue reception centre where the Rapid Distribution Tool is in use.  UNHCR/A. Telo

DUNDO, Angola - A long queue snakes its way through Cacanda reception centre as people wait patiently to receive their monthly food rations of maize meal, cooking oil and beans. An average of 4,500 people queue daily to receive food and other items like blankets, mosquito nets, buckets and solar lamps.

The distribution usually takes a long time to end making people wait for hours. But things have recently changed as Katerina, one of the people queuing for food comes to discover. When she started off bright and early for the distribution centre to pick food for her 21-month old son, Jean, she had braced herself for a long queue and a longer wait. But what she found when she got there surprised her.

I came this morning at 8 a.m. thinking I would have to spend the whole day queuing, she says. But two hours later, I had received my food, knew how to cook it and was on my way.

I came this morning at 8 a.m. thinking I would have to spend the whole day queuing, but two hours later, I had received my food.

A young mother from the Democratic Republic of Congos Kasai-Oriental province, Katerina is currently staying in Dundo with her son and her four-year-old daughter, Valentine. Here in Angolas Lunda Norte province, there are two reception centres allocated by the Government to temporarily accommodate over 31,000 refugees who recently fled violence in the DRCs Kasai region.

Katerina has now stayed here for almost two months and is among other mothers of over 2,200 children aged between six and 23 months who are receiving monthly rations of SuperCerealPlus; a nutritious supplementary food that prevents malnutrition in children.





I learned about this distribution from other refugees and I also heard about it through the community radio, she says happily.

While previously they would have waited for long hours, they are now receiving the rations in record time; an achievement that has been made possible thanks to modern technology.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and World Food Programme (WFP) developed a Rapid Distribution Tool that uses simple bar code technology to ensure a quicker and safer distribution process, saving refugees long hours of waiting.

Refugees like Katerina have ration cards that are marked with a bar code which they present to UNHCR when picking food and other items. With a simple scan, UNHCR is able to verify the identity of the cardholder and the family against information already captured in its database. This ensures that each family is provided with its allocated rations during each distribution.

Prior to developing this system, we had to find each family from a printed list of all refugee families, explains Bertrand Blanc, the Head of UNHCRs Field Office in Dundo. This led to a higher number of errors and exposed the system to the risk of abuse.

The scan verifies essential refugee information ensuring a more effective, efficient and secure distribution process. If a refugees card is determined as invalid, he or she is referred to an arbitration desk where any disputes can be looked into and resolved.

Prior to developing this system, we had to find each family from a printed list of all refugee families.

A tailor-made version of the tool was recently developed for other partner agencies to use. In Angola, WFP is using it for the supplementary feeding programme to combat malnutrition among Congolese refugee children.

The tool helps us to identify acute cases of malnutrition, explains Diana Borges, WFPs Emergency Nutrition Officer. We enter the malnutrition level of each child into the database when the family collects the supplementary food. This way we can monitor the progress made in reducing malnutrition.

Such steps are vital to ensure that children like Jean who are prone to malnutrition are monitored. While such advances are ordinary in most cities, in a remote and harsh environment like Dundo, they are remarkable.

The simple technology that we are using makes the monthly distribution of rations easier for the refugees, for us and for our partners.

The simple technology that we are using makes the monthly distribution of rations easier for the refugees, for us and for our partners, says UNHCRs Bertand. It saves time and manpower and allows us to reduce fraud resulting from lost or stolen ration cards.

This technology represents an innovative approach to provide effective assistance and protection of refugees.

Edited by Catherine Wachiaya in Nairobi, Kenya.
Published: August 01, 2017

UT Student's Research Could Change How the World Drinks Water

A UT biochemistry student is studying new ways to use charcoal as a filter on a molecular level that could change the way the world drinks water.



Under a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program hosted by Princeton University, Regina Visconti 19 is researching interactions between micropollutants and graphene oxide.



Essentially, I am investigating the use of charcoal as a filter on the molecular level, she said. This research is to help give meaning to experiments investigating the same concepts, which could change water treatment plants internationally.



Visconti is conducting her cutting-edge research with a group of seven other students in the molecular biophysics REU at the Czech Academy of Sciences under Babak Minofar, a researcher at the University of South Bohemia. Their lab is located in an early 19th-century chateau in the Czech Republic, where Visconti is learning as much outside the chateau walls as she is inside.



I love being able to experience the culture here. It is so different from the U.S., said Visconti, citing a quieter people who appreciate the outdoors and each others company.



She has kept her weekends busy with trips to Linz and Vienna, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; Munich, Germany; and Rome, Italy. She plans to add Budapest, Hungary; Wroclaw, Poland; and Antwerp, Belgium; before the summer is over. There is an international summer school at the institute she is working, so she is meeting students from all over the world and attending nightly lectures by professionals from across Europe.



I have met so many interesting people in my travels and here at the institute, Visconti said. I love to hear the stories and wisdom they have to offer.



Visconti won the two-part internship last year. As a first-year student, she had gone home to Newington, CT, for winter break and was questioned by her aunt as to why she hadnt already applied to internship programs.



She said I should just apply for everything. So I had a panic attack and applied for a whole bunch of undergraduate research experiences, Visconti said. The great thing about the REU programs is that you can do them at different colleges and in different places. I applied to several in my area, but I applied to Princeton as well, and they were the one to call me back. Its not what I expected to happen. I was already applying to all the other ones, so I thought why not.



Last summer Visconti worked in a molecular biology lab on the Princeton campus researching fireflies and the toxins they produce.



It was pretty cool to analyze that and compare it to other species that produce a similar toxin, she said. I was also supposed to study monarch butterflies, but the milkweed we were taking care of didnt grow in time. But I got to take care of the milkweed, which was cool.



Visconti was active in Future Farmers of America (FFA) in high school, and professes a love of botany. She said a career in agriculture research would be a dream.



It might be fighting a pathogen resistance. It might be developing a pesticide thats narrower or less environmentally damaging, she said. It could be any of those things.



Science was always Viscontis first choice when choosing a major.



I wanted to be in science. I wanted to be in biology but not a biology major, and biochemistry sounded like the right fit, she said, and so far it has been.



While she is stretching her mind, Visconti, who is also a UT resident assistant and member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, is also stretching her physical limits, taking up gymnastics.



That was a whim thing, said Visconti about joining the UT gymnastics club. It was a terrible decision. Twenty year olds are not meant to start gymnastics. But Im going for it. I can almost hold a hand stand now. I can do a round off. Its so fun.



Visconti hopes her summer experience gives her an honest feel for what academic research is like. In the future, she hopes to intern for a commercial program that focuses on agriculture, to give her a feel for the different research fields she could pursue. In the meantime, she is soaking up the networking and professional development opportunities coming her way, and will continue her research on micropollutants during the school year.



Its a practice in professionalism. Its a practice to know how to perform and act in a lab, she said. This is a lot of what it would be like to do your own research, which is what Im excited about as well.





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UW Summer Camp Encourages Careers in Health Care

Parker Thompson (right), of Etna, and Andrew Albrandt (left), of Glenrock, work with a UW lab assistant in the microbiology lab during the recent Wyoming Area Health Education Center Health Care Careers Summer Camp. (UW Photo)

The University of Wyoming this summer welcomed 80 eighth- through 11th-grade students to campus to explore health care-related fields during the seventh annual Wyoming Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Health Care Careers Summer Camp.

During the camp, students participated in hands-on activities and attended presentations. They learned about career requirements and job opportunities for careers in fields such as medicine, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, radiography, speech-language pathology and dentistry.

AHEC Director Marivern Easton says rural states like Wyoming face a critical shortage of health care workers.

This health career exploration camp is part of the Wyoming Area Health Education Centers mission to improve the supply and distribution of the Wyoming health care workforce by providing this opportunity for high school students to learn about the numerous career options available in the health care field, she says. Current need and predicted shortages in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and a wide variety of ancillary medical positions require that we identify early and help support students interested in health care careers. Our future Wyoming health care workforce, particularly in the more rural parts of the state, will most likely be composed of persons who were born and/or educated in Wyoming. We hope that many of these campers will decide to pursue a health care career and return or remain in Wyoming.

Seventy-eight of the campers were from Wyoming.

Activities took place on the UW campus, at Laramies Ivinson Memorial Hospital, Snowy Range Vision Center and Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne. New to this years summer camp were Flight for Life paramedics, UW Assistive Technology and Laramie Dental Arts. Interactive lessons included studying anatomy in UWs human cadaver laboratory; using ultrasonography to view various images; making an insect repellent stick in a UW School of Pharmacy lab; and practicing suturing skills on chicken breasts at Ivinson Memorial Hospital.

For Cheyenne Central High School sophomore Emma Geringer, the visit to Ivinson Memorial Hospital was a highlight.

We got to really see different departments in the hospital and what they do during the day, she says. That was pretty cool to get more of the experience of what a hospital setting is like to work in.

Geringer hopes to one day become a nurse.

Seamus Malone, who soon will begin his freshman year at Natrona County High School in Casper, has always wanted a career in which he can help people. Hes leaning toward something surgical. Like Geringer, he says the hospital was a highlight, but he equally appreciated the anatomy studies in the cadaver lab.

I really felt like Ive learned more about different jobs and other careers I could go into, he says.

Kimberly Quintana, a sophomore at Thunder Basin High School in Gillette, has parents in the medical field and says the camp opened her eyes to different career options. She is leaning toward nursing and also gained a different perspective on pharmacy during the camp. Quintana appreciated how affordable the five-day experience was for students.

I got a lot out of it, she says. Im really thankful I was able to come here.

Funding for Wyoming AHEC comes largely from a Health Resources and Services Administration grant. Wyoming AHEC partners with the following entities: Ivinson Memorial Hospital, Laramie County Community College, Snowy Range Vision Center, UW College of Health Sciences, Donor Alliance and the Wyoming State Office of Rural Health.

For more information, email Easton at measton3@uwyo.edu or visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/ahec.

Students participating in the camp, listed by hometown, were:

Buffalo -- Brooklyn Durrant.

Casper -- Josh Ahrndt, Ian Byrnes, Taylor Maese, Seamus Malone, Bridger Myers, Harlee Tille.

Cheyenne -- Olivia Devine, Caley Galipeau, Emma Geringer, Madison Padilla, Royce Purdy.

Cody -- Emma Cook.

Cokeville -- Maddysyn Diers.

Diamondville -- Grace Bella.

Douglas -- Gavin Gates, Brianna Goodell, Mallory Owen, Emily Skeen.

Encampment -- Nina Jackson.

Etna -- Parker Thompson.

Fort Bridger -- Sierra Toomer.

Gillette -- Anthony Bonnell, Kasey Gladson, Kylie Kirkpatrick, Makenna McNay, Michaela O'Dell, Makayla Orr, Mahafrin Parekh, Kimberly Quintana, Emma Tystad, Jaden Yelenich.

Glenrock -- Andrew Albrandt.

Green River -- Caitlin Crawford, Samantha Hardin, Jessica Petri.

Hudson -- Kailee Coffee.

Kaycee -- Mary Cleveland.

Kemmerer -- Jami Roberts, Allison Walker.

LaBarge -- Cade Anderson.

Lander -- Shaylissa Bald Eagle, Vaishnavi Bhavsar, Kameron Brough, Liza Hermansky, Jaclyn Hudson, William Lawrence, Emily Polson, Tessa Rodgers, Chelsea West, Lanza White.

Laramie -- Kairi Fahlenkamp, Michaela Pooler, Jay Robinson, Tan Mimi, Morgan Williams, David Zhang.

Lonetree -- Torri Ann Walker.

Lovell -- Sable Angell.

Mountain View -- Maura Flake, Mikaela Williams.

Pinedale -- Rylee Helm, Trinity Hunt.

Rawlins -- Haili Shephard.

Riverton -- Adrianna Bush, Shelby Gray, Trysta Stingley, Mya Tate, Olivia Wright.

Rock Springs -- Margaret Jensen, Nasheil Vieira, Logan Young.

Saratoga -- Katelyn Bifano.

Sheridan -- Sophia Destefano, Bailey Dodge.

Ten Sleep -- Payton Casteel.

Thermopolis -- Jeremy Gibbel.

Worland -- Ella Stanek.

Out of state -- Cooper Morgan and Karibeth Noraas, from Live Oak, Calif.


Santas are coming back to town as Las Vegas favorite charity, Opportunity Village, has opened up its early bird registration for the 13th annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run. This event has become the largest gathering of Santa-clad runners in the world and will head back to Downtown Las Vegas on Saturday, December 2.

The early bird discount for this years fun run presents a limited-time offer for any Saint Nicks who register for the 5K or 1-mile Kris Kringle Jingle Walk now through September 4. The discounted price is $25, and free for children three and under. Paid registration includes a five-piece Santa suit, a commemorative medal and a goodie bag with items from a variety of event sponsors. Participants are also encouraged to bring their furry friends, who can join in on the fun for $10 and will receive a doggie bag full of canine treats. Registration is available on the Great Santa Run website.


McDonalds restaurants in Southern Nevada and members of local law enforcement teamed together to host the annual Coffee with a Cop event on July 25, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

There were six Southern Nevada McDonalds restaurants that participated in the event where community members were invited to sample a bold, rich small McCafe coffee. During the complimentary McCafe coffee promotion, the participating restaurants hosted officers from multiple Las Vegas valley jurisdictions who were available to meet customers and answer questions.

The annual event is intended to help connect members of the local police force with members of the community by encouraging patrons to join in on the coffee conversations. McDonalds is proud to provide patrons with an opportunity to discuss ideas and issues that affect our citizens, their families and neighborhoods.

For the latest local McDonalds news, promotions and contests follow us on Twitter at @McDonaldsVegas. You can also locate your favorite McDonalds restaurants on Facebook.
One among 10 sinkholes found near Ho Ho power plant.-Photo danviet.vn

The sinkholes appeared at a distance of 1km from the reservoir of the Ho Ho power plant in Huong Hoa Commune.

Each hole is some 50sq.m. wide, 2-6m deep and shaped like a cylinder.

These worried locals a lot. For a month now, they linked these holes to supernatural phenomenon, Nguyen Thi Thao, the communes chairwoman, said. Thao, therefore, wanted related agencies to study the cause to relieve locals worries.

The sinkholes run along the outlet stream of the reservoir and have been developing gradually since a month now.

Following an investigation trip to the area, Nguyen uc Ly, director of the local Department of Sciences and Technology said the sinkholes were created due to normal topographical movements.

This is normal phenomenon and has been recorded in other regions in Viet Nam. It is not unusual in the karst area at this locality, Ly said.

He warned that although the holes would take time to gradually sink, locals should avoid jumping inside them to avoid dangerous and swift sinking.

Ly told locals to fill the holes with soil to continue their cultivation.

However, he promised a detail report to the province authorities and asked them to install a fence around the holes to prevent unexpected accidents to locals and their cattle.

Also, according to Ly, there was no evidence to prove any link between the sinkholes and the Ho Ho power plant.
The local telecommunications market is the scene of fierce 3G competition

The prime minister last week gave in-principle approval to FPT Group and FPT Telecom being strategic investors of EVN Telecom.

EVN Telecom will this month announce its strategic investors after its negotiations with FPT and its affiliate FPT Telecom are finalised.

An EVN Telecom source revealed that the stake to be sold to FPT and FPT Telecom would be more than 50 per cent.

FPT Telecom was already licenced to be a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and is piloting LTE TDD technology.

Mobile business is what we want in our business portfolio and we are enthusiastic in our negotiations with partners. Our investment capital will be 10-times the amount we previously planned to invest in EVN Telecom, said FPT deputy general director Phan Duc Trung Trung.

FPT previously planned to invest VND400 billion ($21 million) in EVN Telecom as the former wanted to use the latters facility to provide mobile service.

The upcoming involvement of FPT and FPT Telecom in EVN Telecom means there would be no chance for foreign entities to be the mobile operators strategic partners.

Previously, EVN Telecom, which is expected to be the first mobile operator to be equitised in Vietnam, announced its plan to sell a 30 per cent stake to a foreign strategic investor. Details of the plan were not revealed then, except that the strategic investor would be a Singaporean or Malaysian firm.

EVN Telecom then also said the foreign strategic investors name would be made public after the company completed its equitisation process in September, this year.

Meanwhile, MobiFones long-awaited equitisation has seen many delays. The company was converted into a one-member company in early July and is still waiting for new government directions. The company planned to sell a 30 per cent stake to investors, including 15 per cent to strategic partners.

Viettel Telecom does not have a clear equitisation plan, as it is trying to complete a restructuring proposal by expanding into other business segments such as mobile handset production.

The long-awaited VinaPhone equitisation is still distant, as VNPT Groups restructuring proposal has not yet been approved by the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Aerial view of Da Nang City.  VNS Photo Thanh Hai

The flight, which will start on August 5 and be served by an Airbus A321, will take off at 12:10 pm from Da Nang International Airport in central Viet Nam and arrive at Zunyi Xinzhou Airport in the southwestern part of China at 3:55 pm local time.

Departure from Zunyi is on the same day at 4:55 pm, arriving in Da Nang at 7:00 pm.

Flights will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The route is the first international flight Zunyi has opened this year and is expected to help boost tourism, business and investment between the two cities.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Viet Nam welcomed more than 7.2 million international tourists in the first seven months of 2017.
Germany has been on high alert over the threat of a militant attack. (Photo: AFP/Markus Scholz)

Germany has been on high alert over the threat of a militant attack. (Photo: AFP/Markus Scholz)

The man, named as Ahmad A., had self-radicalised and had gone on the rampage "with the hope he would die as a martyr," added prosecutors.

The Palestinian suspect had entered a supermarket on a lively Hamburg high street on Friday, snatching from the shelves a 20cm (eight-inch) knife which he used to slash at people around him. The assault left one dead and six wounded.

It was the first militant attack in Germany since Tunisian Anis Amri drove a truck into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market on Dec 19, killing 12 and injuring 48.

It also risks reopening a bitter debate over refugees two months before general elections, putting pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel over her decision to open Germany's borders in 2015, letting more than a million asylum seekers in.

"It appears that there is a radical Islamist background to the act," prosecutors said.

The suspect had toyed with the extremist ideology for some time, and two days before he went on his rampage, he "finally decided to adopt a corresponding lifestyle," they said.

"On the day of the act, he resolved to commit an attack with the hope that he would die as a martyr," added prosecutors.

Investigators have however not found any indications suggesting that he was a member of militant groups like the Islamic State organisation.

'CARELESSNESS'

Germany has been on high alert over the threat of a militant assault since Amri's rampage in Berlin, for which the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

Authorities had said earlier that Ahmad A. was deemed to be an "Islamist" but not believed to be dangerous enough to warrant being monitored by police.

Hamburg's interior minister Andy Grote had initially said that there could have been an Islamist motive for the attack, the suspect also suffered from "psychological instability".

Like Amri, Ahmad A. was due to have been deported after his asylum application was rejected by authorities, but the process was held up by a lack of identity documents.

As a clearer picture began to emerge over the suspect, accusations began flying that authorities may have been too complacent about the risk posed by such individuals.

Domestic security expert for Merkel's centre-right alliance, Stephan Mayer, hit out at Hamburg authorities for failing to apply more stringent criteria on rating the danger posed by Islamists.

Marcus Pretzell of the Islamophobic populist party AfD also leapt in, saying that Hamburg happened because of "carelessness on the state's part".

Meanwhile, Germany was celebrating a group of courageous passers-by who helped stop Ahmad A.

As he was fleeing the supermarket, bystanders gave chase, flinging chairs to stop him. One of them, Toufiq Arab, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, told Bild daily: "I'm not a hero, I only did my duty."
A scene from Lhomme de Rio

Lhomme de Rio (France, 1964, 112) will be screened at the Institut Francais de Hanoi  LEspace, 24 Trang Tien Street on August 6 while "12 Monkeys" will be screened at the Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents, 51 Tran Hung Dao Street (4th floor) on August 4.

Lhomme de Rio by director Philippe de Broca, casting Jean-Paul Belmondo, Francoise Dorleac, and Jean Servais is a crazy adventure film for the whole family.

This fast-moving spoof of James Bond-type movies features striking location photography of Rio de Janeiro, Oscar Niemeyers nascent Brasilia, and Paris. At the 37th Academy Awards the film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay.

Language: French with Vietnamese subtitles. Tickets (VND60,000) are available at LEspace.

In August, a selection of movies with the best plot twists, including 12 Monkeys (1995), Primal Fear (1996), The Others (2001), The Usual Suspects (1995), Fight Club (1999), and Seven (1995) will be screened at the Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents. 12 Monkeys will be the first movie to be introduced.

12 Monkeys is a neo-noir science fiction film directed by Terry Gilliam, inspired by Chris Markers 1962 short film La Jetee, and starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and Brad Pitt, with Christopher Plummer and David Morse in supporting roles. After Universal Studios acquired the rights to remake La Jetee as a full-length film, David and Janet Peoples were hired to write the script.

Under Gilliams direction, Universal granted the filmmakers a $29.5 million budget, and filming lasted from February to May 1995. The film was shot mostly in Philadelphia and Baltimore, where the story was set.

The film was released to critical praise and grossed $168 million worldwide. Pitt was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and won a Golden Globe for his performance. The film also won and was nominated for various categories at the Saturn Awards.

Language: English with Vietnamese subtitles

The film screening is for educational purpose and fundraising for Young Cinema Fund of the Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents.

Donation (at the door): VND20,000 /audience. Doors open at 7 pm and close when the screening room is full. Seats are assigned on the first-come-first-served basis.
A migrant man carries a child as they disembark from the Italian rescue ship Vos Prudence run by NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) as it arrives in the early morning of Jul 14, 2017, in the port of Salerno. (Photo: AFP/Carlo Hermann)

"There were two sticking points that prevented us from signing the code," said Tommaso Fabbri, head of MSF's Italy mission, after the charity took part in a meeting in Rome between the interior ministry and non-governmental organisations. One was the obligation for rescue vessels to operate with an Italian police official on board, and the other was the ban on moving rescued migrants from one aid vessel to another at sea, which complicated missions, he said. "We are doctors, not policemen," Fabbri told AFP. "We will continue to carry out rescue operations without changing anything," he said, but added the organisation was "open to controls" by the Italian coastguard in the name of transparency. The code, created to address the biggest migrant phenomenon in Europe since World War II, lays down 13 rules Rome insists must be followed to prevent aid groups rescuing migrants from acting as a magnet for human traffickers. But the rules have been widely criticised by the NGOs as making it more difficult for them to save the lives of those attempting the perilous crossing from the shores of crisis-hit Libya to Europe. The interior ministry said those who "refuse to agree and sign are excluded from the system of sea rescues".

The German NGO Jugend Rettet, a privately-funded aid organisation which has been carrying out rescue operations in the central Mediterranean, also refused to sign.

"We would only sign if the new rules made our work more efficient and increased the security of our volunteers," spokesman Titus Molkenbur told journalists at the close of the meeting in Rome.

'RESTORE CLIMATE OF TRUST'

The new rules, which have been given a green light by Brussels, forbid NGOs from sailing into Libyan waters unless lives are at risk, or communicating with smugglers - including using lights that could attract traffickers.

Save the Children had signed up because its ship - the Vos Hestia - already operated according to most of the rules laid out in the code, the charity's director general Valerio Neri said in a statement.

He said the decision to agree to the code "was dictated by the desire to guarantee continuity for the rescue operations, in a transparent fashion, and restore a climate of trust and collaboration".

The charity said it would "constantly monitor" the code's application "to make sure it does not hinder the efficacy of search and rescue operations at sea by NGOs".

MOAS, the Maltese-based Migrant Offshore Aid Station, also rubber-stamped the rules "in solidarity with the government and the Italian people," said founder Christopher Catrambon.

"Our mission has always been to save as many lives as possible at sea, and this document allows us to continue to do just that," he said.

Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms sent a letter to Rome saying it was willing to sign the code, the ministry said.

Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one per cent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry.

The privately-funded aid boats performed 26 per cent of the rescues carried out in 2016, rising to 35 per cent so far this year.
During a working tour of Binh Dinh on July 7 to seek investment opportunities, Mr Chee Nam said CPG is one of the leading development professionals in the Asia-Pacific region, providing building and infrastructure development and management services.



CPG Vietnam is taking part in more than 100 infrastructure development projects and the design of some airports, hospitals and hotels.



CPG also wants to cooperate with Binh Dinh province in medical personnel training in order to develop Quy Nhon City into a destination for health tourism, said Mr Chee Nam.



For his part, Mr Thang appreciated the goodwill of CPG and believed that it will join some projects in the province, especially in urban development.



He pledged to create favourable conditions for the group to participate in local projects in an earliest time.
Scaramucci out as communications director as new White House chief of staff exerts control
Aedes aegypti mosquitoes float in a mosquito cage at a laboratory in Cucuta, Colombia, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016. The laboratory, run by the Health Institute of Norte de Santander, the Colombian state that's been hardest hit by the Zika virus, keeps samples of mosquitoes collected from different areas to study their resistance to insecticide and adjust the formula for fumigation campaigns. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the vector that transmits the Zika virus, and also dengue and chikunguna. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
ST. PAUL, Minn.  The proposed Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago intercity passenger rail service project reached a milestone this week with the release of its Purpose and Need Statement. The document is available at: www.mndot.gov/passengerrail/tc-mil-chi/docs/purpose-need-statement.pdf.

This marks the beginning of the public involvement and environmental processes for the project and strengthens the partnership between the Federal Railroad Administration, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois departments of transportation, the Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission, and La Crosse Area Planning Committee. The study also identifies issues within the corridor and defines how service will benefit travelers.

The proposed TCMC project is a response to projected population increases and economic growth within the rail corridor by providing a second daily roundtrip between the Twin Cities and Chicago. This complements the existing long-distance Amtrak Empire Builder service that operates between Portland, Seattle and Chicago.

The second daily train is projected to grow the market and provide greater reliability at conventional speed of 79 miles per hour, said Dan Krom, director of MnDOTs Passenger Rail Office, which is leading the planning efforts.

This service will provide flexibility and convenience, oriented towards shorter-distance, intercity travel within the TCMC corridor. The service will also connect travelers in cities along the corridor with regional destinations and provide schedule choices for existing and future travelers.

The first public information meetings for the TCMC project will be held Sept. 6 at the La Crosse County Administrative Center in Wisconsin, and Sept. 7, at St. Pauls Union Depot. Both meetings will begin at 5 p.m.

The next steps for the proposed project are to evaluate the alternatives for the project and the necessary infrastructure upgrades.

About the Project

The Minnesota Department of Transportation, Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Federal Railroad Administration, Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority, Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission, and La Crosse Area Planning Committee, are working cooperatively on the initial planning effort for the proposed TCMC Project.

The TCMC corridor is an approximately 418-mile rail corridor connecting major metropolitan regions of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Milwaukee, and Chicago and providing service to smaller cities of Red Wing and Winona in Minnesota; La Crosse, Tomah, Wisconsin Dells, Portage, Columbus and Milwaukee in Wisconsin; and Glenview in Illinois. Amtraks long-distance Empire Builder currently operates between Chicago, Ill., Seattle, Wash., and Portland, Ore. This service provides one trip per day in each direction. The TCMC Intercity Passenger Rail Service would add a second, shorter-distance train along this route between Union Depot in St. Paul and Union Station in Chicago.
What is happening today in Libya is the nub of a destabilization programme holding a myriad of complexities. So declared President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee, as he concluded an agreement that paves the way for peace and national reconciliation.

Macrons message is that terrorist movements are the single cause for the chaos in which Libya now finds itself; terrorist movements that exploit the political instability and the economic and financial resources that may exist in Libya to allow it to flourish. This why  he concludes  France will give Libya a helping hand to block the terrorists. [Mauvaise foi!] This statement by Macron is actually turning the situation on its head. France was in fact a manipulator in destabilizing Libya. And did she act alone? Hell no! Her accomplices were the United States, Nato and the Gulf Monarchies. The proof?

In 2010, the World Bank recorded that Libya enjoyed the number one ranking in the human indicators board in the whole of Africa: its high average per capita income, universal access to primary and secondary education and 46% access to tertiary education. About two million African immigrants were able to find work there.

Libya invested in setting up economic institutions that would stand independent of the African Union. The U.S.A. and France  as the Clinton e mails so prove  reached an agreement to block Gaddafis plan to establish an African currency, as an alternative to the US dollar and the Cfa franc (a currency that France imposes on its 14 former colonies, each one now an independent African state). So it was Clinton  as the New York Times reports  that made President Obama sign off a document authorizing a covert operation in Libya and the supply of arms to the rebels. Such rebels included groups that till that time had been classified as terrorists.

Soon after this, Nato, (after France had opened the door for it in 2011), driven by the US, undertakes military action to completely devastate the state of Libya; Nato special forces make it implode. This then triggers a social calamity that will ensnare more civilians, creating more victims, some of which will be forced to flee their homeland.

This is a story that our friend Macron is all too familiar: from 2008 to 2012, he had a stellar (as well as suspect) career at Rothschild Bank, the financial empire that controls the central banks in almost every country in the world. In 2011, Rothschild docks in Libya, while the war is still being fighted out. At the same time, the sharks circling the US and European banking world make the biggest robbery of the century, confiscating 150 billion dollars of Libyan sovereign funds. The four years that Macron trained at Rothschild provide him with an entree into the elite of global finance, where big moves such as the demolition of the Libyan State are planned. He then crosses over to politics, making for himself a stellar (as well as suspect) career, first as the Under Secretary General of the Elysee, then as the Finance Minister. In 2016, in just a few months, he creates his own party, En Marche!, an instant party supported and funded by powerful multinational, financial and media groups that clear his path to the presidency. But is it all about Macron? Behind his attention-seeking antics, lurk not just French national interests. The booty to share out in Libya is enormous: the biggest oil reserves in the whole of Africa and vast reserves of natural gas; the immense reserves of fossil water from the cloud stratum, the white gold in sight, more precious than black gold; the Libyan territory itself of primary geostrategic importance at the intersection between the Mediterranean, Africa and the Middle East.

It is the risk that France is exercising a strong hegemony over our former colony, warns the Analisi Difesa, emphasising the importance of an imminent Italian naval expedition to Libya. A call to the national pride of an Italy that is demanding its slice when the colonial powers of old divide up anew, a former Italian colony.
During this most recent edition of The Real Glitter Sprinklers of Fashion Island Mall, I made a shocking and scary observation. No, it was not Ryans behind the ear tattoo. No, it was not that Eddie Judge apparently shops at the same store as Cam on Modern Family. No, it was not that Peggys husband, Diko, has the same haircut as Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. While all of those things are true, the shocking and scary thing that I noticed is that Peggy and Diko own not one bichromatic sportscar, but two.

Yes. Along with the one that Lydia got a joy ride in last week, they have another car in their garage that looks exactly like those disappointing cookies you can buy in every New York City bodega. This has to be covered under the Geneva Conventions or something. Even if it is not an actual crime, it must be a crime of nature, right? Something that the J.D. Power award or Car and Driver would write mean editorials about. It has to be.

While that discovery is as horrendous as wearing one flip-flop on a subway platform while clipping your fingernails, I also noticed something else thats truly concerning: These women are so completely un-self-aware (self-un-aware?) that they cant really process reality. Its like theyre all colorblind, but the colors are their own emotions.

Let us first look at Kelly Dodd, the Helen Keller of personal blindness. She tells her husband Michael that she thinks she could be friends with Shannon, but Tamra is keeping them apart. I dont want to have conflict with people. I want to get along, she tells her husband, a Leggs container filled with nuclear waste. Kelly does not want to get along at all. She wants to have conflict with people. Duh. Shes going around telling everyone that Shannon freaked out at her, but what shes leaving out is that she provoked that reaction. Its like shooting a bear with a BB gun and then being like, That bear is crazy, when it takes a swipe for your head.

Kelly does this repeatedly. Apparently, Meghan asked her if she had a boyfriend because she heard that from someone on Twitter. (I mean, someone on Twitter told me is the I have a girlfriend in Canada of Housewives relations.) Kellys reaction is not just to say no and dismiss the source, its to tell Meghan that her husband is cheating on her. That is not a person who doesnt want conflict. That is a person who is so wounded by even the littlest criticism that she needs to fight back with vicious weapons. Its like bringing Russias nuclear arsenal to a knife fight.

(While were talking about Kelly, do we ever need to see vaginal rejuvenation on any of these shows ever again? Like all of Kellys jokes, getting the old under-chassis tightened isnt new and it isnt funny. Weve seen it on at least two other franchises and it always fails to give us anything. This time even a cooch full of smoke and the smell of burning flesh and it wasnt worth a chuckle or even a groan. It was just Housewives white noise, like Sheldon standing in a corner yelling Bazinga repeatedly into a dunce cap.)

Shannon is equally unaware of how she comes across, but at least in this episode it is much more comical. We see it illustrated most fully when she goes to take her daughter Sophie for a driving lesson. She says that she just wants her to be safe and isnt going to say anything, but then continues screeching like a flamingo that just had its leg broken by a hyena. Watch for that man! she shouts. Dont merge into that lane! she yells. For the love of Jesus, Mary, and My Feng Shui Expert Sophie, watch what youre doing!

Shannon has no clue that her yelling at her daughter and being so nervous is what makes her have these mistakes. She cant even feign calmness so that her daughter doesnt get alarmed. Its hard to do that in a moving vehicle, but if Shannon is going to trust her in the first place, she has to trust her not to mess it up too badly. Weirdly enough, according to Sophie, the affectless David Beador is an even worse driving instructor. Cant they just invite Heather Dubrow over to teach her how to drink champs and drive an Audi around the better malls of Orange County before she goes for her driving test? I feel like she would be an excellent instructor.

Vicki is just as bad as the rest of them. First of all, she thinks that she is always nice to the new girls, but thanks to the producers we got a montage of Vicki meeting the new cast members and squealing like a sow with a Roman candle stuck in her lady business. Shes only being nice to Peggy because no one else on the cast save Kelly wants to film with her. Vicki has been at it long enough to know that she needs allies to keep this going.

Still, when she meets Peggy (who we still cant judge for two more episodes because of the Eileen Davidson Accord), Peggy decides to disclose that shes had a mastectomy, mostly it seems so that people will know what shes going through and why she might be in the hospital soon. She does go a bit out of her way to mention it, but she makes it as low-key as possible. Vickis reaction is, I think we should keep medical things private because of everything I went through with Brooks and his cancer. Oh please. That is like comparing apples and oranges that only exist in an alternative dimension. Do we need to remind Vicki once again that his cancer was not real and that is why people went researching and insisting for his records? No one is going to try to look into Peggys operation because, if they do, she can just take her top off and show them the scars. Easy peasy, Brooks-is-a-liar squeezy.

Now that brings us to Tamra. Deep sigh. I dont quite know what to do with this. I feel awful that Tamras family has been broken up by divorce repeatedly. I feel like her marriage to Simon was awful and toxic and that he was a horrible and controlling person. (As we were reminded from that amazing clip of them fighting in a limo, he also has the same taste in shirts as Eddie Judge.) I hate that her daughter doesnt talk to her anymore and I just want everyone to get along and be happy and have healthy relationship and all that stuff.

However, doesnt she see the pattern both in her behavior and as it happens in her family. As the woman at the documentary gala says to her, if you were an alienated child, you are more likely to be an alienated parent. Doesnt Tamra see this keeps happening again and again? Has she really done the emotional work to make sure that it doesnt happen again? She says that shes talking with Simon now, so hopefully that is a step in the right direction. Maybe she is doing what it takes to make sure the divorce isnt as hard on her family as it needs to be, but Tamra is no saint. Weve seen her go after people with viciousness. Did Jesus change all that?

Lets just say that Im conflicted, but if what Tamra can make one family better then, hey, who am I to (Tamra) Judge? I was glad for what Ryan said about his time with Simon as a stepfather. Yes, his delivery was way off, but isnt growing older just an avalanche of realizations that our parents were right about so much along the way? Isnt that what maturity is all about, figuring out that your parents didnt hate you and really had your best interests in mind?

I think that was always the case for Lydia and her mother, a woman who has sex in various tiaras that she has lying around in an open kitchen cabinet. Lydias mom, Judy, who is totally over a 5-year-old beef with Vicki for soiling her couch with her dirty shoes, just wants to sprinkle fairy dust on everyone and make it better. Shimmer of hope. Glimmer of happiness. Shine of relief, Judy says while dusting Lydia with some glitter. People say that magic doesnt work, but in this instance, I think it does. Let someone shine light all over you. Let someone into your mind with their flim-flummery and make it all better. Let someone sully your favorite sweater with some glitter that will catch your eye at the oddest moment and remind you that there is kindness and innocence still in this world. Yes, its a pain in the ass to get out of your clothing and it will never go anywhere. But isnt that the point?
Sam Shepard. Photo: Ron Galella/WireImage

Last Thursday, we lost an artist as mythic in stature as the great tall tale heroes of the Old West. Sam Shepard  playwright, actor, Pulitzer Prizewinner, musician, and rancher, to name just a few of his identities  created a vision of America both gritty and dreamlike, rough-hewn and riddled with suffering and self-delusion, yet somehow divine. And he brought to life some of his most iconic plays  True West and Buried Child among them  with director Robert Woodruff. The collaborators met in San Francisco in 1974, where Woodruff had recently co-founded the Eureka Theatre. (The Eureka, which championed new plays and was the birthplace of Tony Kushners Angels in America, closed its doors on July 5 of this year.) Shepard was 30 and Woodruff was 27, and they were about to embark on a decade-long artistic partnership that would take them from the Eureka and the Magic Theatre in San Francisco to the Public in New York, redefining both their own careers and the face of the American theater. After news broke of Shepards death, Woodruff shared memories with Vulture of working with his old friend.

Theres only one place to start with all great partnerships: Tell me how you met.

We were doing a playwrights festival in San Francisco, and it was the first time I asked him if he had any plays that hadnt been produced. He had this little thing sitting in his drawer, which he had written for this bicentennial project [and] which they didnt use. It was called The Sad Lament of Pecos Bill on the Eve of Killing His Wife. And its a musical, about 30 minutes long. The piece is just a little shorter than the title. I remember it had a great stage direction: Shes dead, but sings anyway. Which I liked.

So we did that. And he never saw it  he was actually shooting Days of Heaven with Terry Malick, someplace in the north. But he heard good things about it. And then they were looking for a director for Curse of the Starving Class [at the Public Theater] in New York, and he told Joe Papp, Well, why dont you get this guy? He said, I like this guy. So Joe called me up. And I was working in a church basement  doing theater in a church basement in San Francisco  and, well, Joe Papp calls you up. So you go to New York.

You said he was coming from London. Do you know what brought him to San Francisco?

You know, Im not sure. I think he went to Nova Scotia in between. I know he wrote Action there, because its really about those four characters being in Nova Scotia, but Im not sure how he got to San Francisco. I know once he got there, he was living on a ranch with a whole bunch of horses that they were taking care of called the Flying Y. It was kind of a great environment.

So, you went to New York and did Curse of the Starving Class.

Yeah, we did Starving Class, and also, he didnt see that, because he didnt fly [and he was still on the ranch in San Francisco]. I think he started flying later, but he didnt fly then. So any place he couldnt get to in the truck, he didnt get to. So he didnt come out. But again, he heard good things. So then we did Buried Child [at the Magic Theatre] in San Francisco, and that was the first time we were in a room together.

What was it like encountering that script for the first time?

It was a great gift. I remember picking it up from the agent and just reading it, really slowly, as I was coming home. And I was walking up the stairs and still reading it, and reading and reading, and going up the stairs, and, page 108, Tilden takes the body of the dead child up the stairs at the end of the play. And I just thought it was breathtaking. And I had this great gift, thinking, Well, I get to make this  and it was kind of  those gifts dont arrive that often.

Then sometime in there we did Suicide in B Flat  that was in San Francisco, too.

This is the one where hed improvise on the drums during the show?

He wouldnt play every show, but he would just decide to sit in every once in a while. He was a drummer before he was a writer. Well, maybe that isnt true; maybe he was always a drummer and a writer. But so he would sit in and play percussion, and the whole piece was improvisation  a kind of musical, textual improvisation  so Sam would just sit in. And it really kind of juiced the whole production, it was really exciting.

Then we did True West [at the Magic Theatre] in San Francisco in 1980, another show we did together when he was in the room. And it was great to have his voice there. He and I would be in the audience and the actors would talk, he would talk, I would talk  it was a really great open dialogue. He loved actors; he always loved actors. He just knew the gift that actors were to his text. He knew that their investigations, their textures, would really make it alive. He knew the genius that an actor has to inform those words, and he just let them go. I think it was a great acknowledgment on his part: that he knew what they would bring to his material, and he wanted to give them room to explore. And he wasnt in a hurry about that. He was always very generous with time.

And your productions of True West and Buried Child were the world premieres for both of those now-canonical plays?

Yeah, those were premieres. And Starving Class  it had been in London, but ours [at the Public in 1978] was the first time it had been done in the states. I think he sold Suicide in B Flat as a premiere twice [laughs]. Sold it to Yale and sold it Princeton  both as world premieres! So by the time we got it we didnt care; we were just, Well, we did it.

Then we did True West in New York, and it was a fiasco. It was a really difficult experience for a lot of people, myself included. And for Tommy Lee Jones and Peter Boyle, it was very difficult for them too. So that was kind of a rough moment.

I worked with him on Tongues and Savage/Love  Im not sure where those fit in the timeline. It gets a little hazy in there. But Sam and Joe Chaikin were doing Tongues in San Francisco, and they wanted somebody to give them feedback, because they were both on the stage performing. So I just had a dialogue with them as they worked it out, and that was really inspirational for me. And then we made those two pieces at the Public Theater too, Tongues and Savage/Love, and eventually toured Europe with them. And getting to work with Joe  that was another great gift. He was kind of a shaman, and they had an amazing dialogue. They went back 20 years to the 60s, working at La MaMa together and Caffe Cino. So they were just reimagining their relationship and then performing together.

And that was mesmerizing.

Can you talk about the last time you and Sam worked together?

He directed A Lie of the Mind in New York [at the Promenade Theatre in 1985], and he asked me if Id come and look at some previews and help him figure out how to cut it, give him some notes on what was happening. So I did that. And then I did the production in Los Angeles of the play, and actually I inserted some of the scenes back in that I had cut. And I found out years later that he  well, that, this was a problem for him. But I didnt know it until years later. Because he was never precious, you know? I just thought I had carte blanche with the production because he was always, Yeah, just make it work. So we had a kind of parting of the ways on that, but I didnt know we were having a parting of the ways. I just thought we had run our race  and that wed had a great run. For me, it was kind of wonderful: I was going to see him out in L.A. [during my production of A Lie of the Mind], but he was playing polo in Palm Springs. So I got on my motorcycle to go see him to talk about the production, and the motorcycle broke down about halfway to Palm Springs, so I never made it. And then I didnt see him again for 20 years. Which kind of seemed like a perfect ending. It felt right.

It feels like a Sam Shepard play.

Yeah, exactly. Perfect.
Dredd, a 2012 comic-book adaptation.

From TV to books to movies, dystopian tales are in the air right now. All week long, Vulture is exploring how theyve been imagined in popular culture.

With the relish of provincial Victorian preachers, sci-fi filmmakers from Fritz Lang to Ridley Scott to Christopher Nolan have prophesied cities that are degraded, damaged, soul-crushing, and ungovernable in startlingly recognizable ways. They are reduced to rubble (like Berlin, Beirut, Grozny, and Aleppo) or else rear eerily out of flatlands (like Dubai), their outsize skyscrapers interlaced with floating highways. They dwarf the scrabbling hordes who have the misfortune to live there, and provide havens to psychopaths with pale eyes and terrible haircuts. Ads flicker and shout from every surface, crowds march through tunnels, and some essential piece of machinery is always about to fall apart or blow up. Their worlds are less different from ours than they might first appear to be. As I watch these movies heroes stagger from one underground horror to another, I keep wanting to yell at the screen: Okay, sure, but have you taken the F train lately?

Most of us can imagine only what we already know, and even the fantasies of visionary filmmakers can be astonishingly earthbound. The inventors of nonexistent cities dont have to worry about building codes, zoning, financing regulations, or even the need to make their structures stand up. Rather than use that freedom to unleash radical design or dream up darkly beautiful architecture, they simply recycle the present and make it bigger, and worse.

The story of urban dystopias in film generally opens with Langs Metropolis, from 1927, a mythological mash-up of Richard Wagners Der Ring des Nibelungen (with its callow, father-defying hero and subterranean workforce), Frankenstein (a bionic creature pursued by a mob), Genesis (the Tower of Babel tale), and Joan of Arcs life (a female firebrand who leads the people and is burned at the stake). These intertwined tales take place in a vertically segregated city, in which the wealthy live in high-rise towers and workers toil below. Private cars travel on one set of elevated roadways, workers march along another, and a train glides along a third. Planes weave among towers and fly under viaducts.

Metropolis was born from my first sight of the New York skyscrapers in October 1924, Lang said many years later. The buildings seemed to be a vertical veil, very light and scintillating, a luxurious backdrop suspended from the gray sky to dazzle, distract and hypnotize. The New York he saw on that visit was not the ethereal arrangement of cascading Art Deco towers that would emerge in the next few years. Instead, it was a city of thick-cut masses: Raymond Hoods broodingly Gothic American Radiator Building (1924); the Crown Building (1921) in midtown, stepping up like a stacked luggage set; the piled palazzi of the Standard Oil Building at 26 Broadway (1924); and the Equitable Building (1915), which rose so unbrokenly and loomed so oppressively that protests against it led to New Yorks first zoning code. Lang was also looking at New York through German eyes. A hexagonal glass tower stands out from the the films dense, high-rise cityscape, an apparent merger of Bruno Tauts 1913 Steel Pavilion in Leipzig and his Glass Pavilion, designed for the 1914 Werkbund Exhibition in Cologne. Walter Gropius and Adolf Meyers 1922 submission to the Tribune Tower Competition also makes a disguised cameo, with its blocks of multiple heights, relentless grid of windows, and protruding horizontal slabs.

Metropolis (left); Bruno Tauts 1913 Steel Pavilion (right). Photo: UFA

At the pinnacle of the factory towns corporate headquarters, a lone plutocrat in a penthouse office looks out over his domain. His aerie, like almost every other interior, is huge and inhumanly bare, the humans made puny by an immense scimitar-shaped desk and double-height doors. Far, far below, workers file through vaulted tunnels and into elevators that shuttle them from underground living quarters to factory floor and back. (Both the Berlin and New York, subways were newish and still growing in the 1920s.) The metropolis they inhabit is like the gargantuan gizmo that rules their lives, a vast machine that demands constant tending and a horde of laborers, but seems to produce nothing but its own existence. The system is rigid and therefore brittle: Like a nuclear reactor, it has a core, and in that vulnerable, pulsating center, even a moment of inattention can have cataclysmic consequences. Beneath this city of terrible order is one of caves and passions, an incubator of revolution.

Langs fantasy set the terms for decades of fear. Future cities in later films are almost invariably over-regimented or anarchic, and often both at once. Modernity is a battlefield, where mindless efficiency battles against mindless rage.

In William Cameron Menziess 1936 screen version of the H.G. Wells novel Things to Come, that conflict stretches out over decades. After years of war and technological attrition, the zombielike citizens of Everytown are plagued by the wandering disease and go stumbling off into the rubble, only to get picked off by snipers. An eminently reasonable technocrat (Raymond Massey) eventually brings lasting peace, and the city is rebuilt as a subterranean refuge: a climate-controlled world of high-gloss white walls and Lucite furniture. The film is tedious and often silly, but its walls and swooping horizontal bands do offer a distillation of Bauhaus drama and 1930s futurism  styles that were both contemporaneous and forward-looking. The combination of industrial sleekness and imperial grandeur, inhabited by technocrats in stiff-shouldered togas, has a distinctly Fascist look. UNESCO has just added to its list of World Heritage sites the Eritrean city of Asmara, built by Italian occupiers, which includes the 1938 Fiat Tagliero service station, and might practically be a chip off the set of Everytown in 2036.

The high walls and horizontal bands in Things to Come were inspired by Bauhaus drama and 1930s futurism. Photo: United Artists

Since the advanced styles of the 1930s later evolved into movements as different as brutalism, corporate modernism, and the swooping forms of architects like Zaha Hadid, the movie also offers a glimpse into various actual futures. Menzies, like Lang, lavishes long minutes on industrial work, only here it has a clear purpose: reconstruction. Giant white machines stamp out immense panels that cranes lift into place and workers clip to the facade of an indoor building. The scene reads like a vision of the Khrushchyovka, the prefabricated housing that ringed Soviet cities in the 1960s. And with its swooping balconies and see-through elevators, facing onto a soaring atrium, Everytown also resembles John Portman hotels like the 1982 Marriott Marquis in Atlanta.

These movies, like so many later ones, are haunted by size. The 20th century did not invent big buildings, but it did make them common. Even as architects and engineers thrilled to the technical possibilities of megastructures, filmmakers homed in on the contrast between their inhuman scale and the personal dramas playing out in their shadows. In real time, we are approaching 2019, when the Los Angeles of Ridley Scotts 1982 Blade Runner has been rebuilt as a high-rise megalopolis. (We are also approaching the October release of the films sequel: Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve.) Its a city at once profoundly disorienting  its always raining in L.A.!  and oddly familiar. The Tyrell Corporation occupies a mountainous pyramid that resembles a mutant Mayan temple; cops pilot flying cruisers among twinkling skyscrapers; stadium-size airships hover above the streets, blaring ads for an off-world colony  and the sidewalks are still touchingly equipped with phone booths. Much of the action takes place in the Bradbury Building, which is played by itself; in 1982, as in the movies 2019, many of the Art Deco lovelies of downtown L.A. were neglected, largely uninhabited shells.

The Bradbury Building in Blade Runner. Photo: Blade Runner/Warner Bros. Pictures

We often see the city from above, either in panoramic shots of flying craft and building spires, or medium-close views from a ledge onto a street that is alternately dimly lit and lurid. The films climactic chase scene involves no vehicles at all, just a man and a woman sprinting through crowded streets, which are flanked by antique 20th-century buildings and packed with noodle stands, columns, lampposts, and assorted urban junk. At ground level, the L.A. of tomorrow resembles the Bangkok of today. Except for the rampages and the perpetual monsoons, this nightmare city has a pleasantly lively, walkable downtown.

What Metropolis implied about the primal forces and raw violence taking over the dystopic city of the future, Blade Runner made explicit, and many movies since then have relied on its tropes. In Dark City, Alex Proyass 1998 thriller about manipulated memories, bald, vampiric aliens in long coats and fedoras have warehoused humanity in a dimly lit megalopolis. Its an unnamed 1940s noir town full of towers that grow on command, rickety scaffolding, and lugubriously shadowed streets. The architecture, as in Blade Runner, is less visionary than creepily nostalgic. Theres even a Hopperesque nighttime view through the window of a barber shop, an improvisation on the painting Nighthawks, with the red lettering on the storefront glass substituting for the womans red dress.

Here, too, the basic structure introduced by Metropolis repeats: The vertical city rests on a subterranean one. The fantasy of an army of uniformed mole-people rising up from below keeps recurring, decade after decade. In Metropolis, it was the proletariat; in Dark City, its memory-stealing extraterrestrials. In The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolans 2012 tour de force of Batman gloom, the basement-dwellers turn out to be a phalanx of good cops. Virtually the entire Gotham police force descends into a subway tunnel to hunt for Banes lair, and gets trapped by rubble. Eventually, the rescued officers emerge, grim-faced, shoulder to shoulder, and dressed in soot-stained blue.

The Dark Knight Rises takes place in a future so immediate and a world so familiar that One World Trade Center is still visibly under construction on the Gotham City skyline. Still, it has all the elements of a dystopia sneaking up on a citizenry made complacent by low crime and deceptive prosperity. Batman comes out of retirement when a populist gang of thugs roll into town in street-hogging armored cars, vowing to clear out corrupt politicians and return power where it belongs. The real-world echoes are uncanny, all the more so because they take place in a barely imaginary fusion of New York and Pittsburgh. The Steelers Heinz Field played the role of the Gotham City Rogues home, but as ground zero of Banes terrorist takeover, it also has echoes of the never-built stadium on New Yorks West Side that Mayor Bloomberg had hoped would host the 2012 Olympics.

Pittsburghs Heinz Field features heavily in The Dark Knight Rises. Photo: The Dark Knight Rises/Warner Bros. Pictures

Many of these conventions  prisonlike cities walled off from the surrounding regions, interior voids, oppressively modernist architecture that is at once immense and claustrophobic  converge in Dredd, Pete Traviss extra-gory, CGI-happy gloss on the Judge Dredd comic books, also from 2012. Eight hundred million people pack into the megacity, which stretches from Boston to Washington, D.C., sealed off from the apocalyptic desert by high concrete walls. The story takes place in one high-rise corner of this vast horizontal expanse: the fictional Peach Trees tower, a 200-story brutalist housing project with armored blast doors.

Dredds fictional Peach Trees tower (left); the atrium of the 1982 Marriott Marquis, located at the real Peachtree Center (right). Photo: Lionsgate

The filmmakers were looking back, rather than forward. Portmans Atlanta Marriott from the 1980s is located at, yes, the Peachtree Center, and its immense atrium surely inspired the movies Peach Trees towers interior shaft, perfect for dropping enemies into.

Elsewhere in Dredd, the Torre de David, a never-completed Caracas bank building that is famously occupied by squatters, supplied the images of families who have converted raw-concrete terraces into barely habitable apartments. The Ponte City apartments in Johannesburg and hulking public-housing projects like Tracey Towers in the Bronx may also have a place in the Peach Trees towers genealogy. Dredds world dramatizes an old and toxic stereotype of public housing as a set of derelict high-rises where drug dealers control their fiefdoms with firepower. The movie offers a blunt solution, workable only in an alternate reality: an invincible death squad, empowered to wipe out anyone who causes trouble  and to make lethal use of that Portmanesque atrium.

At a time when Manhattans towers seem to be growing of their own accord and its underground layers are turning Dantesque, when a ground cover of shanties crowd new luxury towers in Mumbai, and when real-life social-housing towers turn into horrific, nonfictional pyres, movie dystopias cut close to home. Their themes permeate fearmongering documentary videos, like the spittle-flecked gem from Infowars, Why Modern Architecture Sucks, which expresses its distaste for nearly a century of global design  with its dozens of movements, its geniuses and hacks  in candidly political terms: Its about using oppressive brutalism to exert authoritarian control over the population. The NRA, too, recently turned its sights on new urban architecture in an ad that checked off Frank Gehrys Disney Hall in Los Angeles, Anish Kapoors shiny kidney in Chicagos Millennium Park, and Renzo Pianos New York Times tower as symbols of liberal excess that has led directly to rioting in the streets. But leave it to the military to distill a panoply of worst-case and worse-than-that scenarios into an adrenaline-filled thriller. A 2016 Pentagon video, Megacities: Urban Future, the Emerging Complexity, shows an urban world ravaged by natural disaster, garbage fires, surging populations, poverty, unsupervised youth, gangs, unstable governments, inequality, religious and ethnic conflicts, stagnation, development, and climate change. This is the world of our future, the Dredd-like voice-over intones. It is one we are not prepared to effectively operate within. And it is unavoidable. Top that, Hollywood.
On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The AroundTown section of the Clipper-Herald is to notify the public of upcoming events and to publicize pertinent information from individuals, groups or organizations that are not for profit.

PEOPLE

The Ostendorf family reunion will be held Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017 at 1 p.m. at the Lafayette Park Pavilion in Gothenburg. Friends and family are welcome. Those attending are to bring a dish for a potluck, table service and an item for the white elephant auction.

HAPPENINGS

Miller Dances: All Dances start at 7 p.m. Bring finger food and snacks. Questions? Call 308-325-2909. Aug. 5: Curt Pfeil and Friends. Aug. 12: Ray Mullen. Aug. 19: No Dance - Firemens Barbecue. Aug. 26: "Diamonds and Dust," - Free Dance for Darlenes birthday.

2017 Nebraska Passports are available now at the Lexington Clipper-Herald office, located at 114 W. Fifth Street.

"Coffee Without Carol" Wednesday, Aug. 2 from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. at the Dawson County Historical Museum.

The Lexington Cross Country Team is sponsoring a 5K Run & Dog Walk, Saturday, Aug. 5 at 8 a.m. at the Lexington HS track, $20 per person-prizes/race token/pass to swim. Contact Sam Jilka for more info.

Plum Creek Healthcare Community will have a Free Lunch Aug. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Third Annual Tenneco Monroe Reunion will be held on Saturday, Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cozad Grand Generation Center, located at 410 W. 9th St. in Cozad. Event will include catered meal and drinks will be provided. Former employees welcome.

The Lexington Blood Drive will be Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017, 8:30 a.,m.-2:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church. To schedule an appointment call Mag Fagot, 308-320-3280.

An Open House will be held Thursday, Aug. 17, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Eastlawn Apartments. The public is invited to view the newly remodeled Wilma Buckley Hall and view the apartments. Refreshments will be served.

Lexington Area Christian Womens Connection will meet for a 9:30 a.m. brunch Tuesday, Aug. 22 at Kirks Restaurant, Lexington. "A Safe Place" is the theme and Special Feature will be Jill Vaughn, North Platte with "Deborahs Legacy," building hope one day at a time. Music will be by Ivy Zimmerman. Speaker will be Debra Lord, Indianola, Iowa, giving her speech titled "True Confessions of a Former Good Girl." Reservations and cancellations by noon Monday, Aug. 21. Call Sheri Giesbrecht, 308-320-0952 or Teresa Lanman, 308-324-8386.

The Callaway Kite Flight will be held Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2 - 3. The event will be held at U.S. Highway 40, just four miles southeast of Callaway. Flying begins at 10 a.m. each day. Admission cost is $3 per person per day.

The gates will be open,8:00 a.m.-noon, at the City Service Building for disposal of household waste on the 3rd Saturday of the following months: Aug. 19 and Sept. 16, 2017. There is a minimal fee for disposal of household waste, furniture, wood, appliances and misc. items. Paint, chemicals and construction debris will not be accepted. Call the Service Building at 324-5995 if there are any questions.

WIC Clinics for Dawson County are scheduled as follows: In Lexington, MNCA Building, 931 West 7th, Tuesday through Thursday the first full weeks for each month. Call 308-324-6212 for appointment. In Cozad, Parkview Building, 120 E. 9th, Monday, Aug. 14 and Sept. 18. In Gothenburg, American Lutheran Church, 1512 Ave. G Aug.7 and Sept. 11.

Events at the Lexington Grand Generation Center - Public Bingo on Mondays at 7 p.m. Must be 18 to play. For questions call 308-324-2498. Homemade Pretzel Baking on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. Cost to purchase pretzels is .50/pretzel, $6.00/dozen. Purchase and/or come help roll!

Love in Action Outreach, 907 West 8th St., Lexington, is open Monday through Thursday, 12:30  4 p.m. For assistance go to 909 West 8th St. Donations of clothes, furniture and other items any time back of store or contact 308-651-0925 for further assistance. Monetary donations are accepted as well.

Are you a person with compassion and good listening skills? Parent-Child Center would like to give you the opportunity to put those feelings and abilities into practice. The Parent-Child Center needs volunteers to answer our lines after office hours. If you are interested please call for more information at 308-324-2336.

If you visit the grave of a veteran and the flag holder is missing or damaged, please notify the Dawson County Veteran Service Office by calling 308-324-3041.

Volunteers needed for Adult Education ESL and GED classes offered through Central Community College. To volunteer contact Marge Bader, volunteer coordinator at 308-785-2111 or 324-8483 or email mbader57@msn.com.

Lexington Area Parkinsons Disease Support Group Meetings are held the second Thursday each month at 2 p.m. in the education room at the Community Health & Fitness Center (1600 W. 13th, Lexington) For more information contact Dixie Menke at 308-325-5350 or 308-784-4022 or Brenda Bierman at 308-324-2523 or 308-325-9216.

RYDE Transit - Public Transportation is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To schedule a ride in Dawson County or Lexington call 308-324-3670. Public Transportation is easy to ride and open to everyone.

YMCA EVENTS

Youth Art Class:Wednesdays, July 19-August 2, 1:30-2:30 pm for middle school students.

YMCA Summer Camp: Tuesday & Thursdays, July 11- August 3. Register weekly or for the entire camp.

Mini-Sprint Triathlon: Saturday, July 29, 8:00 a.m. at Camp Arrowhead. Register on line or call/stop by Orthman YMCA, 324-1970

MEETINGS

American Legion in Lexington meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles.

Bingo Night at Lexington Regional Health Center will resume in the fall.

Survivors of Suicide Support Group meets every second Monday of the month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 1616 W. 39th St., in Kearney. For more information contact Carol Rowedder at 308-237-2635.

LEXINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

Novel Stitchers meets on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. If you enjoy stitching--knitting, crocheting, quilting, cross stitch, needlepoint, or have another portable stitching project--join us at the library for two hours of stitching and visiting. We will meet on August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Lexington Public Library Board Room. We would love to have you join us.

ORGANIZATIONS

AA/NA: open meeting Friday nights at 7 p.m. at Plum Creek Mall at Two Bridges Counseling, 513 N. Grant St., Suite 3a, Lexington.

Westside Group: AA/NA open meeting on Monday and Wednesday nights at separate locations at 8 p.m. Monday night meetings at First Christian Church, 1206 N. Erie St. in Lexington. Wednesday nights at Community Health Center (west of hospital) 1600 W. 13th St. in Lexington.

AA Elwood: at 8 p.m. on Sundays at United Methodist Church, 601 Rush in Elwood. Contact: 785-3567 (Tom).

Al-Anon meets Mondays, 8 p.m. at the LexChristian Church, 13th & Erie; Wednesdays, 8 p.m. at Lexington Regional Health Center Board room, use east entrance; Thursdays, noon at Grace Lutheran Church, 105 E. 17th, use office door. For more information call 308-651-0143 or308-324-2288.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, non-smoking: at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at St. Anns Catholic Church basement, 301 E. Sixth St. Contact: 308-651-0143.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, non-smoking - Smithfield: At 8 p.m. on Thursdays at Hope Lutheran Church, 74098 Road 436 in Smithfield. Call 785-3567 or 472-3376.

Celebrate Recovery: a 12-step, anonymous program helping participants overcome any hurts, habits, addictions or hang-ups. Meets twice: 1) at 7 p.m. on Thursdays at Lexington Evangelical Free Church, 810 S. Washington Street. Contact: 308-324-3825 or 308-238-1298. 2) at 6:30 p.m. on Fridays at Parkview Baptist Churchs Y.A.C., 1105 Park St.. Contact: 308-324-4410.

The Compassionate Friends, Lexington Area Chapter (a support group for parents who have lost a child), meets the third Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m., at the Great Western Drive-In bank meeting room, corner of 6th and Lincoln. For more information call 308-320-1483.

Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska Public Immunization Clinic, 1st & 3rd Mondays every month: Open 10 a.m.-noon and 2-4 p.m. by appointment at 931 West 7th St., Lexington. Clinics serve ages 2 months - 18 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult, previous vaccination records required. Contact 308-865-1352 ext. 143.

Dawson/Gosper County CASA: seeking Volunteers. CASA Volunteers are everyday people from all walks of life, who advocate through the court system in the interests of children. Contact 324-7364 for more information.

Grupo Lexington AA (Spanish Speaking) open meeting Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 11 p.m., at 114 West 6th St. in Lexington.

Lexington Area Grief Support Group: meets at 4:30 p.m. on the first Mondays of each month at Fitness Center, 1600 W. 13th Street. Open to anyone experiencing the death of a loved one. Contact Lexington Regional Health Center Home Health office, 324-8300.

Lexington Optimist Club: meet at Kirks Nebraskaland Restaurant every Thursday at noon except the first Thursday of the month. If you need to get ahold of us you can email us at lexoptimist@gmail.com or you can send mail to Lexington Optimist Club, PO Box 355, Lexington, NE 68850.

Lexington Rotary Club: meets the first and third Wednesday of the month at Lexington Public Library from 12 to 1 p.m. For more information contact Kirsten Faessler at 308-324-8333.

Narcotics Anonymous: open meeting on Sundays at 12 p.m. at Two Bridges Counseling, 513 N. Grant St. Suite 3a in Lexington.
A Waco police officer was hospitalized after a suspected drug dealer ran the officer over with an SUV before the suspect was shot and killed by other officers Tuesday morning.

A Waco police drug enforcement unit and SWAT officers were attempting to serve a search warrant on the man in his vehicle near the intersection of North 23rd Street and Olive Avenue, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said. Shortly after 10:10 a.m., officers spotted the man in a white GMC Yukon and officers approached the suspects car.

The suspect accelerated his vehicle, running down our officer in the middle of the roadway, Swanton said. The officer was pinned under that vehicle and other officers assisting fired shots at the single occupant of the vehicle, which was the driver of that car, and the suspect was hit.

It took multiple officers at the scene to lift the vehicle off our injured officer.

Officers were able to lift the SUV off the injured officer and immediately began rendering first aid. Emergency medical personnel responded and took the officer and suspect to Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center for medical treatment.

The officer, who police declined to identify, remained in critical but stable condition late Tuesday afternoon following surgery. Swanton said the suspect, whose name was not released by police, died at the hospital.

There is an individual that made a choice this morning to intentionally run over a Waco police officer. That is an attempted capital murder, Swanton said. His hostile actions brought gunfire on himself.

To the family of that suspect, we are sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, that suspect this morning made the conscious choice to attempt to kill a Waco police officer.

Search warrant

Though the suspects immediate family was aware of his death, Swanton declined to release the suspects name, saying police did not believe sufficient time has passed for extended family to be made aware of the mans death.

But according to the search warrant affidavit issued by 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother, police were searching a home in the 3200 block of North 24th Street and a vehicle registered to Kerry Bradley, 37, of Waco. A law enforcement official confirmed it was Bradley who was killed Tuesday morning.

The search warrant also included the search of a 2009 Dodge Charger and a 2005 GMC Yukon.

Police had conducted surveillance near the suspects home and suspected Bradley of distributing heroin for the past two months, the affidavit states. Bradley would agree to meet at a predetermined place in Waco for drug transactions and had at least two vehicles to use to meet people who bought drugs from him.

Affiant has seen the suspect party driving both suspect vehicle #1 and suspect vehicle #2 during the course of this investigation, the affidavit states. Affiant knows through training and experience that drug dealers will drive multiple vehicles in an attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement officers.

Waco police crime scene technicians, detectives, uniformed officers and several other nearby agencies responded to the North Waco neighborhood shortly after Tuesdays incident in support of the wounded officer.

Positive direction

Officers cleared the area Tuesday afternoon as Waco Police Chief Ryan Holt met with the officer and his family at the hospital.

Ive been with the family and with the officer and we are moving in a positive direction from where we were, Holt said. He was very critically injured at the scene and thanks to the quick care by the officers on the ground, fire department, all the surrounding agencies, and East Texas Medical Center for transporting him here as quick as they could ... I think we are very lucky as a community to have the community relationships we have.

Holt said hed be remiss not to thank the staff at Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center, all the first responders who helped following the incident, and community leaders that have reached out and shown an outpouring of support.

He said the ongoing investigation will be conducted with the Texas Rangers and that the injured officer has a long road to recovery ahead of him.

Were going to make sure the family has all the resources they need, Holt said. Were reminded at a time like this what our officers do on a daily basis is a very dangerous job. They do it well and Im lucky to represent them.
Fred F. Lisenbe

May 8, 1930 - July 30, 2017

Fred Franklin Lisenbe, 87, of Waco, formally of San Diego, CA, passed away on Sunday, July 30, 2017. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 2, at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Drive, Waco, with Rev. Randy Scrivener officiating. Private burial will be held at a later time at Rosemound Cemetery, in Waco. The family will receive visitors from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, August 1, at the funeral home.

Fred was born May 8, 1930, in Surginer, AL, to Obie and Sula Bradford Lisenbe. He graduated from Bryan High School in 1947, and then entered the Army Signal Corps until 1949. In 1950, Fred joined the U.S. Air force and served during the Korean War. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1957 with a degree in Geophysics. He worked for General Dynamics, where he worked in the Orbital Analysis Group involved in the design of GPS systems. He remained there until his retirement in 1993.

In 1964, Fred married Mary Lou Trice and adopted her daughter Lori Jean Maxwell in 1965. They moved to Waco, in 2003. Although divorced in 1977, Fred and Mary remained close friends until his death. Fred volunteered with the El Cajon, CA, Police Department from 2001 to 2003, and with Meals on Wheels in Waco from 2012 to 2016.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings, Evelyn Herring, James Lisenbe, Bradford Lisenbe, and Lena Atchley.

Fred is survived by his lifelong friend, Mary Lou Trice; daughter, Lori Jean Maxwell; along with many nieces and nephews.Honorary pallbearers will be Steven Lisenbe, James Lisenbe, Larry Lisenbe, Glen Rodriguez, Hank Herring, Duncan Herring, Gary Webb, Cordel Rodriguez, John Chilton, Wayne Herring and Preston Herring.

Online guestbook www.pecangrovefuneral.com.
Raymond L. Rodriguez, 80, of Waco, passed away on Saturday, July 29, 2017. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m., Thursday, August 3, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2621 Bagby Ave, Waco, with the Rev. Benjamin Magnaye as Celebrant. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. A Rosary will be recited 6 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, with a visitation to follow until 8 p.m., at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Dr., Waco.
In another case of projection, President Trump routinely refers to the New York Times as failing. In reality the Times is seeing record subscription numbers. It is the White House that is failing.

Trump cant get the repeal of Obamacare, or any other legislative priority, through a Republican-controlled Congress. He has had no real achievements other than the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch. It turns out that a president with under-40 percent approval ratings cant strong-arm legislators into doing his will  and Trumps clumsy attempts to do so have predictably backfired.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke threatened to block federal projects in Alaska if Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski didnt back the Republican health-care plan. As chairwoman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Murkowski let her displeasure be known by stalling a nomination that Zinke wants, and then by voting against the health bill anyway. She can now make life miserable for Zinke for as long as she wants because her committee oversees his department. As the Washington Post noted, this is political malpractice of a high order, but it is typical of Trumps amateurish operation.

The health-care bill was only the second of two major legislative defeats Trump suffered last week. The other was the approval by veto-proof margins in both houses of sanctions against Russia, thus killing Trumps chances of delivering the rapprochement Mike Flynn evidently promised the Russian ambassador before the inauguration.

Yet another repudiation of the president came from his own Department of Defense. Trump tweeted an order banning transgendered individuals from military service without consulting Pentagon leaders in advance. The generals, in turn, let it be known they were not going to act on Trumps tweets till the White House delivers a formal order and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis  who was on vacation and thunderously silent  issues implementation instructions. So Trump cant even get my generals, as he refers to the leaders of Americas armed forces, to carry out his rash edicts.

Meanwhile, the world becomes an ever-more dangerous place, with both Iran and North Korea testing long-range missiles. Kim Jong-un either already has, or soon will have, the ability to incinerate Washington. But Trump can barely notice world crises because he is too preoccupied tending to his own self-created crises.

The president spent much of last week focused on his feud with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and  by proxy  with then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Preibus. The proxy in the latter case was, of course, Trumps foul-mouthed Mini-Me, Anthony Scaramucci, who appears to have wandered into Washington straight off the set of The Wolf of Wall Street  and now has been sent away, even though Trump reportedly loved the Moochs profanity-filled tirade so much he fired not Scaramucci but Priebus.

The new chief of staff is the retired Marine general John Kelly, till now Trumps Secretary of Homeland Security. No doubt Trump hopes the general can straighten out what ails the White House. It seems a vain hope because, to quote the Mooch, the fish stinks from the head. But Kellys role in then dispatching the Mooch offers at least some glimmer of hope. Then again, theres still that head-of-the-fish business.

Meanwhile, Trump spent a week publicly needling Sessions for recusing himself from the investigation into the Trump campaigns Russia ties. There is plenty one can criticize Sessions for, including his apparent lies about contacts with the Russians last year, but not for this. Having been involved in the Trump campaign, Sessions had no choice but to recuse himself.

Naturally, Trump is fine with Sessions convenient lapses of memory. He only objected when Sessions did the ethical and honest thing. For good measure, the president has been berating Sessions for taking a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!

Trying to use the criminal justice system to strike back at an enemy of the president is an impeachable offense. So is obstructing an investigation of the president and his aides. But the president appears so terrified of what Special Counsel Robert Mueller may uncover that he is willing to risk a constitutional crisis to stop the Kremlingate investigation. Yet Trump, a consummate bully, is too cowardly to either confront Sessions directly or to fire him; he prefers to make Sessions life such a living hell that he will resign, thereby allowing the appointment of a stooge who will fire Mueller.

Trumps mistreatment of Sessions  one of his earliest and most loyal followers  has elicited a backlash from Sessions friends in the Senate and in the nationalist-populist movement, including Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh and Tucker Carlson. Its interesting to see what constitutes a breaking point for the Trump crowd. They were fine with Trumps ignorance, inconsistency and mendacity; his crazy conspiracy theories and unhinged tweets; his vile attacks on women, war heroes and the press; his demonization of Mexicans and Muslims; his pussy-grabbing and general, all-around loutishness; his kowtowing to Vladimir Putin, Rodrigo Duterte and other loathsome dictators; his sons eagerness to collude with the Russian government; and his own attempts to obstruct justice by firing the FBI director. The Trumpites excused all of this inexcusable conduct on the grounds that at least he fights.

True, he fights. But what does he fight for? Not for conservative principles. He has no principles. Trump is not pursuing an America First policy. He is pursuing a me first policy. He will not fight for legislative priorities such as health-care reform  a subject he does not understand or even care about  but he will fight to obstruct an investigation into his own misconduct.

Trump disciples wanted someone to come in and shake up Washington. Well, they got what they wanted. Now we must all live with the calamitous consequences.
EAGLE  Erin Ball has spent enough time providing insurance to volunteer fire departments that she knows members sometimes dont receive recognition they may deserve.

Thats why the Ball Insurance employee organized the Cass County Volunteer Awards, set to take place Aug. 12 at the Cass County Fair. The event will take place in tandem with a barbecue contest.

Ball Insurance is located in Eagle.

As an appreciator of both barbecue and volunteers, Ball said it was a good way to show support to those who keep the community running.

I have a soft spot for those people, she said. Couldnt there be a way to marry the two?

The awards are open to all volunteers, not just fire and rescue members.

Thats just where my heart is, Ball said. I see a lot of people across the state of Nebraska working 40 hours a week and then putting in another 20 or so for their community, whether it be a school board or a city board or fire crew.

Anyone can nominate a volunteer they feel deserving of recognition. The deadline for entries is Aug. 6. Forms are available at ballinsurance.wordpress.com.

The only requirement for the awards is that the person resides in Cass County and that they are indeed a volunteer.

Ball hopes the event provides those that donate time to their communities with an opportunity to receive thanks from the residents they serve.

They usually hear more complaints about what theyre doing than they do thanks, she said. If we could just change the focus a little bit, than maybe people might be inspired step in.

Volunteers are typically the type to toot their own horn.

I think people feel humble, Ball said. Theyre really digging trenches. Theyre really, really working. Getting it done using their own resources and time.

The awards may inspire others to become involved as well.

Maybe it will inspire others, she said. Maybe they arent volunteering because they dont know they can. If there are more people to carry the burden, it would be a lot easier.

The contests $500 award will be split 50/50 between the winner and a Cass County charity of the winners choosing.

Those willing to volunteer their taste buds can also try their hand at judging the planned barbecue contest scheduled for the same time as the awards, Ball said.

The laidback contest will be a great fit for backyard cooks.

It might be intimidating for some people who feel like they shouldnt be in a contest to begin with, Ball said of more intense competitions. What I was hoping to do is just get families more involved. Its the Cass County fair, its not the state fair.

Entries for the barbecue competition are also due Aug. 6. There is a $50 fee, which includes the cost of meat. The contest is not restricted to just Cass County residents, so Waverly area chefs are welcome.

The contest features three categories: ribs, pulled pork and wings. First through third place awards will be given out in each category. First place winners take home $200, second place gets $150 and third place nabs $100.

Judging is peoples choice.

If you buy a plate, you can be a judge, Ball said. Plates will be $12.

The contest is more about camaraderie than winning, Ball said.

The backyard barbecuers will have fun rubbing elbows and interacting with other people who have in interest in that, she said.

Those interested in nominating a volunteer or entering the barbecue contest can contact Ball at 402-858-6611 for more information.

Come hungry and make sure to nominate your favorite volunteer, she added.
It's good to know that, with financial collapse looming, the political priorities of Paul Anderson's Network Ten were as incoherent as its TV programming.

The latest amendment to its political donations disclosure reveals that the failed broadcaster did not actually waste $25,000 in May last year donating to the Labor Party's federal division.

This disclosure was an administrative error, CBD was told.

And as Anderson made clear, one of the financial torpedoes that could (and did) sink the network, was the broadcast licence fees.
2. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh  One of Zappos' core values is to "create fun and a little weirdness", Tony Hsieh, CEO of the company, tells Business Insider. To make sure he hires candidates with the right fit, Hsieh typically asks the question: "On a scale of one to 10, how weird are you?" He says the number isn't too important, but it's more about how people answer the question. Nonetheless, if "you're a one, you probably are a little bit too straight-laced for the Zappos culture", he says. "If you're a 10, you might be too psychotic for us."

Another question Zappos usually asks candidates is: "On a scale of one to 10, how lucky are you in life?" Again, the number doesn't matter too much, but if you're a one, you don't know why bad things happen to you (and probably blame others a lot). And if you're a 10, you don't understand why good things always seem to happen to you (and probably lack confidence). 3. Facebook HR chief Lori Goler Business Insider previously spoke with Lori Goler, Facebook's president of people operations, about how the social media giant recruits top talent.

She asks: "On your very best day at work - the day you come home and think you have the best job in the world - what did you do that day?" That's what this question is all about - on a perfect day at work, what activities allowed you to "get in the zone" and do great work. She recommends that people interested in working for Facebook apply to roles that play to their strengths: "They should just apply," Goler told Business Insider. "We hire people every day who just apply to the website. We love meeting people that way. Jump right in." 4. Paypal co-founder and Clarium Capital President Peter Thiel

PayPal co-founder, managing partner of the Founders Fund, and president of Clarium Capital Peter Thiel always looks to hire people who aren't afraid to speak their minds, reports Business Insider's Aaron Taube. To do this, he always gives job candidates and the founders of companies seeking an investment this interview prompt: "Tell me something that's true, that almost nobody agrees with you on." In a 2012 interview with Forbes, Thiel said the reason he loves this question is: "It sort of tests for originality of thinking, and to some extent, it tests for your courage in speaking up in a difficult interview context." 5. Virgin Group founder Richard Branson

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson explains in his new book The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership, that he isn't a fan of the traditional job interview, reports Business Insider's Richard Feloni. "Obviously a good CV is important, but if you were going to hire by what they say about themselves on paper, you wouldn't need to waste time on an interview," Branson writes. That's why he likes to ask: What didn't you get a chance to include on your resume? 6. Dropbox founder Drew Houston

Drew Houston, the 33-year-old billionaire founder of Dropbox, tells Adam Bryant of The New York Times that he has five questions he always likes to ask job candidates: Who is the best in the world at what you do? Who are your influences? What have you learned in the last year? If you were able to sit yourself down 10 years ago, what advice would you give your younger self? What are the most important lessons you've taken away? As Business Insider previously reported, Houston explains that these questions help him discern if a candidate is passionate about constantly improving. "I'm drawn to people who really love their craft, and treat it like a craft, and are always trying to be better and are obsessed with what separates great from good," he tells Bryant. 7. Paramore founder and EVP Hannah Paramore

"How old were you when you had your first paying job?" Hannah Paramore, president of Paramore, a Nashville-based interactive advertising agency, told The New York Times' Adam Bryant that this is one of her favourite questions. "I'm looking for how deeply instilled their work ethic and independence are versus entitlement," she tells Business Insider. "If they worked part time in high school and college because they needed to, especially in jobs that were just hard work, that shows a huge level of personal responsibility. I love people who have to patch success together from a number of different angles." 8. Charlotte Russe president and CEO Jenny Ming

A good answer to the question "tell me about your failures" is important because it means that the candidate isn't afraid of taking risks and will admit when things don't work out, says Jenny Ming, president and CEO of clothing store Charlotte Russe and former chief executive of Old Navy. "It doesn't even have to be business; it could be life lessons," she says. "I think it's pretty telling. What did they do afterward? How did they overcome that? I always look for somebody who's very comfortable admitting when something didn't work out." People always like to tell you about their successes, she explains, but they don't always want to tell you what didn't work out so well for them.

9. Bluemercury CEO Marla Malcolm Beck As Business Insider previously reported, luxury beauty retailer Bluemercury CEO Marla Malcolm Beck's interviews tend to take only seven to 10 minutes. She has one query she likes to ask in particular, she previously told Adam Bryant of The New York Times. Her question for potential hires is: "What's the biggest impact you had at your past organisation?" "It's important that someone takes ownership of a project that they did, and you can tell based on how they talk about it whether they did it or whether it was just something that was going on at the organisation," she told Bryant.

10. Jigsaw head of research and development Yasmin Green Yasmin Green, head of research and development at Jigsaw, Alphabet's tech incubator formerly known as Google Ideas, wants to hire creative, independent thinkers, so she gets candidates to think on their feet by asking them how they'd manage an imaginary ice-cream stand: "How would you make money from an ice cream stand in Central Park?" "I'm curious to see how people deal with ambiguity and whether they can have fun while thinking on their feet," she says. Green says that to land a job at Google, you also need to "be prepared to challenge the premise of the question".
Doctors have criticised state and federal governments over their new drug policy blueprint, accusing them of putting too much emphasis on methamphetamine and not enough on a much more damaging and deadly substance: alcohol.

The Australian Medical Association says the recently released National Drug Strategy - which sets out the official approach to preventing and minimising drug harm over the next 10 years - focuses too much on the so-called "ice epidemic".

Ahead of the Wednesday release of a new AMA position paper on substance abuse and behavioural addictions, Michael Gannon, the president of the doctors' association, has described the government strategy as "disappointing"."[It] again lists methamphetamine as the highest priority substance for Australia, despite the strategy noting that only 1.4 per cent of Australians over the age of 14 had ever tried the drug," Dr Gannon said. "The strategy also notes that alcohol is associated with 5000 deaths and more than 150,000 hospitalisations each year - yet the strategy puts it as a lower priority than ice.

"The government must focus on those dependencies and addictions that cause the greatest harm, including alcohol, regardless of whether some substances are more socially acceptable than others," Dr Gannon said.
The ABC is under fire from a diverse group of politicians  including a Labor MP  who are accusing the public broadcaster of allowing a flagship current affairs program to promote a book designed to help the political rehabilitation of Labor senator Sam Dastyari.

Veteran Labor MP Michael Danby, Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson, government minister Zed Seselja, crossbencher Cory Bernardi and Liberal backbencher James Paterson all called for the ABC to explain Monday night's episode of Australian Story, which they described as a "puff piece", "propaganda", and an "infomercial".

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield has also told Fairfax Media he would ask ABC management about the program given the number of complaints he had received from colleagues.

Senator Dastyari is a prominent Labor figure who enjoyed a stunning rise in the media and Opposition as general secretary of the NSW Labor Party and then a Labor senator, until he was forced to resign from the Opposition frontbench following Fairfax Media's revelations he asked a Chinese donor to pay a personal debt.
The Turnbull government has vehemently denied that police were rushed into arresting four alleged plane bomb plotters by a British threat to issue a public travel warning about Australia.

As police held the suspects for a third day, more details of the alleged network emerged with confirmation two men are related to a hardened foreign fighter in Syria and reports that another has a brother believed to be a senior Islamic State figure.

Police raided five properties and arrested four men on Saturday and have claimed they planned to put a homemade bomb on a plane, though as of Tuesday night no charges had been laid.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways issued a statement on Tuesday saying it was helping Australian police with the investigation.
According to the site's vice-president of communications, Paul Keable, the security breach has not been bothering the 12,000 people in Australia who have been signing up every month which have created about 17,000 unique connections successful matches.

However, some things, according to Ashley Madison, haven't changed and that is Australians' love affair with extramarital affairs, even after the online dating service had its data hacked in 2015 where details of its 36 millions users were leaked.

We've lost Prince and Bowie and the world is now captivated by a few dystopian, theocratic nightmares like The Handmaid's Tale and whatever is happening in the White House.

"We've done search research and found the terms 'have an affair' having continued to peak in Australia over the last couple of years," Keable said.

A joint investigation by Australia's Privacy Commissioner and its Canadian counterpart, which found the site's parent company didn't have the "appropriate safeguards" in place to protect the sensitive and personal information of its clients, is now complete and the deadline for Ashley Madison to implement the report's recommendations was Monday.

It's something Keable is confident the company has achieved and wants to let Australians seeking an affair know Ashley Madison is back. However he was coy to point out what new security measures have been implemented to ensure there is no sequel to the hack of 2015. Keable also said users will see a range of new administration features and security checks when logging into their accounts.

"What we sell is discretion. I won't outline exactly what we've done because that'll give the bad guys more information," he said.

The investigation also found a series of bots were found to be operating out of Australia in 2015, which have also been eradicated after "years of sinking research into the business and technology while implementing new security measures", Keable said.
Today is a day of mixed emotions. For the first time ever, the Australian Human Rights Commission has released national data on the prevalence rates of sexual assault within university communities.

For some, the results will be shocking. For many others the results merely confirm what we've known for decades: that young women experience frightening levels of sexual violence, particularly in their university years.

We know that at times like these, emotions often run high and we expect there will be anger, sadness, fear and relief. These feelings and experiences are all valid.

Irrespective of what you hear in the public statements, news coverage and media releases, today belongs to the university sexual assault survivors, students, activists and their families. We didn't arrive here because of the "bravery" of universities, or the "courage" of vice-chancellors, as was suggested at the launch in August last year.
The son of a man arrested in Sydney over an alleged plot to bring down an aeroplane with a bomb or deadly gases studied aviation management and mixes with a network of pilots and airline workers, it can be revealed.

The revelation comes as sources confirmed to Fairfax Media that the Sydney cell behind the alleged plot were talking to foreign fighters in Syria in communications that were picked up by allied intelligence agencies.

It is understood that British and US spies fed the information to Australia, triggering police to bring forward a planned operation by launching dramatic raids in Surry Hills, Punchbowl, Wiley Park and Lakemba on Saturday evening.

Four men  two middle-aged fathers, one adult son and a relative in his 30s  remain in custody at the Sydney Police Centre on suspicion of attempting to build an improvised explosive device that they could smuggle onto a plane, believed to be a commercial flight to Dubai.
Dan Norris wants to turn the drinkers of his beers into investors in his brewery.

The co-founder of Black Hops Brewing is keen to use equity crowd-funding platform Birchal to raise further funds for his business.

Dan Norris is the co-founder of Black Hops Brewing.

"The sort of business we are in requires a lot of money to do what we do," he says. "Any sort of expansion to build a new brewery costs in the millions of dollars. As an entrepreneur I have always struggled to get people to invest in what I'm doing, the banks are really hard work and raising capital is really difficult, you often have to be an expert yourself."

Getting in early
If you had any doubts about Apple releasing a bezel-free iPhone in September, you can probably throw those out the window. The company just pushed out a version of the HomePod firmware, and not only does the code tell us more about how Apple's smart speaker will work, it also offers a few clues about the next iPhone.

Developer Steve Troughton-Smith spotted the release on Saturday and has been tweeting out his discoveries since then. Based on the firmware, the HomePod is essentially a big iPhone with no screen, Troughton-Smith says.

The device even shows up as an iPhone SE in the iTunes Store, although Troughton-Smith reveals, "there doesn't seem to be any kind of provision in the HomePod OS shell for installing apps or extensions." So don't expect any special HomePod apps right out of the gate.

There's also some code that describes a simple LED display on top of the HomePod, one that could show basic symbols like "+" and "-" and maybe weather icons.
Police have charged a man over an alleged one punch attack which has left a man in Royal Perth Hospital with severe head injuries.

Joondalup Detectives are seeking witnesses to the assault that occurred on July 22 outside the North Shore Tavern on Whitfords Avenue.

Police are searching for witnesses to the incident.

It will be alleged at approximately 12:15am police were called to a fight outside the venue.

When they arrived they found a 28-year-old man from Tapping severely injured.
A teenager has been killed after she was crushed to death by a bull on a farm near Esperance.

Police say the 19-year-old woman was found unconscious by a co-worker on a farm in Dalyup, around 680 kilometres south-east of Perth, on Monday morning.

A 19-year-old woman died after she was crushed by a bull on a farm near Esperance. Credit:St John Ambulance

It is understood she was herding the bull when she was struck into a fence railing by the animal at around 11.30am.

The woman was taken to Esperance Hospital but died a short time later.
Washington: US President Donald Trump hates leaks. He hired Anthony Scaramucci 10 days ago to very publicly root them out, and he has even attacked his attorney-general, Jeff Sessions, for not investigating them aggressively enough.

But often times with Trump, a leak isn't just a leak; it's an effort to save him from himself.

Such is the case with the Washington Post's big scoop that Trump personally dictated the highly misleading initial statement about Donald Trump jnr's meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016.

The administration on Tuesday said it stood by the Trump jnr statement, and that the President had weighed in on the statement "like any father would do".
Moscow: The US embassy in Moscow accused Russian authorities on Monday of barring diplomatic staff from a property on the outskirts of Moscow, after having earlier granted access until midday on Tuesday for them to retrieve belongings.

The Russian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The property, in a picturesque spot on a bend in the Moskva river north-west of the Russian capital, is leased by the US embassy for its staff to use for recreation.

Moscow has said it is taking it back as part of retaliatory measures after Washington approved a fresh round of sanctions against Russia.
London: Saddam Hussein's former army chief of staff has failed in a bid to prosecute former British prime minister Tony Blair over the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

General Abdulwaheed Shannan Al Rabbat's lawyers had argued that Mr Blair and former foreign secretary Jack Straw should be arrested for 'crimes of aggression'.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair. Credit:AP

Last year's Chilcot report, they said, established that Hussein had not posed an immediate threat to the UK, that the UK's intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction had been presented with "unwarranted certainty", and that the invasion had been unnecessary and without United Nations authority.

Mr Blair and Mr Straw "should be tried before a court so they could be held to account for their criminal breach of the law", the general's legal team argued.
Caracas: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has celebrated the election of a new legislative superbody that is expected to give the ruling Socialist Party sweeping powers and mocked US criticism that the vote was an affront to democracy.

At least 10 people were killed on Sunday in protests against the unpopular Maduro, who insists the new body known as the constituent assembly will bring peace after four months of protests that have killed more than 120 people.

Opposition parties sat out the election, saying it was rigged to increase Maduro's powers. They decried the vote as a fraud and called on supporters to protest again.

Countries across the Americas, as well as the European Union, denounced the creation of the assembly, which will have the power to rewrite the constitution.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 01, 2017 | 12:26 AM | PADUCAH, KY

Kentucky State Sen. Danny Carroll has received the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police Outstanding Legislative Service Award for his support of law enforcement during the 2017 Kentucky General Assembly regular session.

Carroll, a Paducah Republican and retired law enforcement officer, received the award during the KACP Annual Conference held July 24th through July 27th in Paducah.

Carroll was elected to the State Senate in 2014 and represents Kentucky's Second District, which covers Ballard, Carlisle, Marshall and McCracken counties.



"I am honored to have been selected to be recognized by the KACP," Sen. Carroll said. "As state legislators I believe it is crucial that we support our law enforcement leader's efforts to protect and serve the citizens of our great Commonwealth."

Bellevue Police Chief Wayne Turner, who serves as chairman of the KACP Legislative Committee, worked with Sen. Carroll closely during this year's legislative session on issues such as Senate Bill 31, which was related to training funding for first responders including law enforcement officers, and Senate Bill 226, which was pension reform legislation.

"Sen. Carroll is being honored by KACP for his outstanding legislative service to Kentucky's professional law enforcement community," Chief Turner said. "This recognition is well deserved and our way of saying 'thank you' for all that Sen. Carroll did on behalf of the Commonwealth's law enforcement officers during the 2017 legislative session."
Alec Baldwin sues to 'clear his name' in movie set death
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 25, 2017 | 12:03 AM | PADUCAH, KY

Paducah Mayor Brandi Harless will host a meeting for the public today at 5:30 pm at City Hall. Theevent will allow residents an opportunity to share ideas, ask questions, and get involved in the community. It will last for approximately one hour.

As an elected official, I believe it is important to listen to the community," Mayor Harless said. "Informed & Involved is modeled after similar events held by former Mayor Gerry Montgomery. Opportunities for face-to-face contact and open discussions are important for community growth.

This event is an experiment in trying a variety of ways to engage the public. I am planning to coordinate more of these events with the goal of improving the format each time, says Mayor Harless.

Harless, along with the assistance of three interns planned the event which will include interactive activities to launch discussions. There will be several ways the community can engage with Mayor Harless including an Instagram challenge, a question and answer session at the event, and public input opportunities by responding to questions posted around the atrium of City Hall. Citizens who are interested in future community involvement will be encouraged to provide their contact information to the interns at the event.

I have enjoyed working with these three bright interns," Harless said. "They have talked to various community members, researched topics, and coordinated activities. They are our future leaders. I also hope to continue these engagement events through the assistance of future interns. 

Claire Kelly, a freshman at Belmont University, and Alexia Tyler, a senior at Paducah Tilghman, also served as interns and helped plan and coordinate the event.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 01, 2017 | 06:34 AM | PADUCAH, KY

A Paducah man was arrested Monday after allegedly pointing a handgun at his girlfriend, then running from police.

According to the Paducah Police Department, officers were called to Fivestar at Hinkleville Road and Friedman Lane. April Byars told police she and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Kendal Boyd of Phipps Road, were arguing and, as she walked away from the car they were in, he pointed a handgun at her.

Byars told police that Boyd fled on foot when he saw a police car approaching. Boyd was found and arrested after a short foot chase.



Boyd told police he had thrown a backpack containing the handgun in a field that he ran through while fleeing officers. The backpack was found, and police said it also contained methamphetamine and digital scales.

Boyd was arrested and booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail. He's charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, wanton endangerment, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, fleeing and evading police and tampering with physical evidence.
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By The Associated Press

Jul. 31, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By The Associated Press Jul. 31, 2017 | 10:19 AM | PADUCAH, KY

A Paducah parade committee will hear an appeal from the Sons of Confederate Veterans after the city commission voted to limit participation in its Veterans Day parade to those representing the United States.



The Paducah Sun reports that the Veterans Day Parade Committee will hear the appeal for reinstatement on August 8. The Paducah City Commission had approved a resolution on May 16 affirming and accepting the committee's position that participation be limited to those representing the flag of the United States and veterans of the United States Armed Forces.



The Sons of Confederate Veterans has participated in the parade in years past.



Commissioner Sarah Stewart Holland, who supported efforts to limit the Confederate emblems' parade presence, said she plans on attending the meeting, as does local NAACP branch president J.W. Cleary.









Here is the Veterans Day Parade Purpose Resolution from May 16, 2017 City Commission meeting:



The Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a resolution supporting the Veterans Day Committee. The text of the resolution is as follows:



A Resolution affirming and accepting the position of the Paducah Veterans Day Committee that participants in the Veterans Day Parade be limited to those that represent the flag of the United States and the Veterans of the United States Armed Forces.



WHEREAS, in 1996 then Mayor Albert Jones formed the Paducah Veterans Day Committee for the purpose of recognizing Veterans of the United States Armed Forces; AND



WHEREAS, the Veterans Day Parade has run continuously since then under the direction of the City of Paducah Parks Services Department; AND



WHEREAS, the Veterans Day Committee has on April 20th of 2017 reaffirmed its statement of purpose for the parade to limit participation to only those groups who represent Veterans of the United States Armed Forces under the Flag of the United States.



NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Commissioners of the City of Paducah to accept and abide by the Resolution of the Veterans Day Committee to limit participation in the Veterans Day Parade to groups or individuals who represent, support and honor Veterans of the United States Armed Forces.



This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption.


By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 31, 2017 | 10:33 AM | PADUCAH, KY





With three weeks to go before the total solar eclipse, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials are urging anyone who plans to travel to western Kentucky to make plans now before making the trip.The appeal comes as traffic engineers and police agencies prepare for up to 500,000 visitors flocking to 10 Kentucky counties along center line of the eclipse corridor.We want visitors to come and take in this once-in-a-lifetime event, but we also want them to be prepared for issues that a mass migration of people may create, said Wade Clements, KYTC chief engineer.Listed among the nation's Top 10 eclipse viewing sites along the path, the Hopkinsville area already boasts visitors from 16 countries and 34 states on the guest list.Clements said the best approach for visitors is to come early, select a specific viewing area, be prepared to stay put, and be willing to hang around until the initial wave of departing traffic clears.Eclipse chasers are expected to start arriving in the area around Friday, Aug. 18, then continue to filter in with a final surge on the morning of the eclipse on the 21st. The partial eclipse will begin around noon, and the total solar eclipse, 1:20 p.m., will last about 2.5 minutes.We anticipate heavy traffic starting the Saturday before the eclipse, maybe sooner, said Clements. On the morning of the eclipse, we anticipate a surge of people driving in just for the day and another surge right after the eclipse as people who have driven in for the day head home. That departing traffic could last well into the evening hours. We also anticipate a final surge of traffic during the day on Tuesday, as visitors who are camping or staying the night in a hotel start to leave the area.Officials offer the following tips for eclipse visitors in preparation for their celestial experience:Be prepared for hot weather. Temps in mid-to-late August can be in the 90s.Bring plenty of water  about a gallon a day per person.Bring sun screen, insect repellant, and first aid items.Bring picnic or snack items. Restaurants and grocery stores may experience long lines.Pick a viewing location with rest rooms and easy access to restaurants or other source of food.Do not stop along highways. Vehicles on the shoulder hinder traffic flow and create a traffic hazard.Be prepared for long lines at fuel pumps. Access to fuel may be limited.Be aware that heavy traffic congestion may interfere with delivery of food, fuel and other supplies along the total eclipse corridor.Be careful  while local agencies are gearing up for large crowds, heavy traffic may hinder the ability of emergency agencies to respond.Bring a GPS-based navigation unit, as cell phone navigation may be sketchy due to heavy cell and data traffic.If your group is traveling in several vehicles, consider communicating with two-way radios as cell service may be limited due to heavy demand.Traffic along Interstate 24 and Interstate 69, as well as along the Pennyrile Parkway and the U.S. 68/KY 80 corridor, is expected to be especially congested before, during and after the eclipse.Clements noted that all of the agencies planning for the eclipse want visitors to have a safe and positive experience so theyll come back when the area isnt quite so crowded.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 31, 2017 | 07:08 PM | MAYFIELD, KY

A Mayfield man faces multiple charges after being pulled over by police on Saturday.

According to the Mayfield Police Department, officers stopped a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Elisio Felipe Gomez after he was seen disregarding a traffic light. Officers found several open alcohol containers in the vehicle, and Gomez was found in possession of identification documents that were not his.

According to police, Gomez was using the identity of another to obtain work and benefits. Gomez was placed under arrest and transported to the Graves County Jail.

He's charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, disregarding a traffic control device, possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle, criminal possession of a forged instrument and theft of identity of another without consent.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Jul. 31, 2017 | 07:44 PM | MAYFIELD, KY

Mayfield Independent Schools is updating its school calendar to allow students to be off for the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. The change comes after discussions regarding the potential danger to the eyes as well as attendance considerations.

Superintendent Joe Henderson, during the most recent Board of Education meeting, addressed the situation. He told the board that his first inclination was to remain in session and use the celestial event as a learning tool, even considering providing protective eyewear for each student. However, discussions with optometrists caused concern.



Additionally, the number of school districts in the region cancelling classes that day could negatively affect the Mayfield district's own attendance level. Therefore, the district has decided to trade a teacher workday scheduled for October 30 with August 21. While students will have the day off, educators will still report to work and no educational time will be lost.

We continue to put the safety of our students and families first, said Henderson. Although school will not be in session on August 21, we will work to inform families of the safety precautions that need to be taken during the eclipse.



Literature will be sent home with students and provided through the district website on precautions and ways to safely view the eclipse.
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By The Associated Press

Jul. 26, 2017 | FRANKFORT, KY

By The Associated Press Jul. 26, 2017 | 02:52 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

Former Gov. Julian Carroll says he won't resign his state Senate seat following a media report that a man alleged Carroll groped and propositioned him in 2005.



The Lexington Herald-Leader reports Carroll spoke to reporters as he left the Capitol Annex cafeteria Wednesday and declined to answer questions about the allegation. He has denied the accusation.



The 86-year-old Frankfort lawmaker said, "Absolutely no resignation, no resignation." Carroll said he's "doing just fine."



Spectrum News of Louisville reported Saturday the alleged incident happened at the then-30-year-old man's home. The man played a taped conversation of the meeting for state police. No charges were filed.



Kentucky's Senate Democratic Caucus on Sunday asked Carroll to resign immediately and removed him as minority whip.



Carroll was Kentucky's governor from 1974 to 1979, and is originally from McCracken County.



Senate Democratic leader Ray Jones of Pikeville said the decision is Carroll's to make.
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It is a moment etched in the mind of all cineastes. In it, a man wrongly accused of being a spy, Madison Avenue executive Roger O Thornhill (played in the movie by Cary Grant), is seen running through a field, a crop dusting plane in chase. Watching it on screen big or small, still feels, over 50 years later, an exhilarating reminder of what cinema at its peak can do. The stage version knows the iconic lore it is competing against and goes in for something equally as dazzling. We see the hero standing centre stage alone, the crop fields behind him. At the sides an actor manipulates a little model plane onto a camera that then projects this onto the backdrop. It is clever and provides a couple of chuckles but, perhaps inevitably, it does not cause the breath to catch indelibly imprinting the image into the brain.

Its a sequence that sums up Simon Phillips' smart and deliberately populist stage homage to Hitchcock. Another stage take on one of Hitch's films mined it for farce and played the West End for years in The 39 Steps. This is a different beast, a comedy thriller with its focus on the action. Like all classic adventure books from the '50s, its plot whisks us from one exotic location to another, introduces us to an icy blonde, includes fist fights and shoot outs and features enough good suits and splashes of scotch to satiate the appetite of anyone who misses Mad Men. It is refreshing to watch theatre that goes all in on telling a purely rollicking narrative adventure, and unquestionably its two hour and a bit stage time passes in a whirl of fun, but it also makes you compare mediums. The stage can't really compete with film in the stunning locations and thrilling action stakes.

Phillips knows this, which is why he tries to keep the tone light. Yet sometimes he ends up falling between two stools. The fights feel like they should be captioned by Adam West 'kapow' signs, so obviously pulled are the punches. Yet weirdly they seem to be played straight. As are the lines of dialogue; no arched eyebrows or 'ding-dong' moments here. Instead it is left to some invented and inventive Keystone cops to gain the first laughs. It also sets the night up for something that doesn't really materialise. It is much more of a straight homage than its original scene will have you believe.

Yet it's hard to be too critical. Phillips and co-designer Nick Schlieper immerse their audience into Hitchcock's world, played on a set featuring multiple bars which suggest a prison that ad man Thornhill has to break out from. It provides plenty of twisting fun and doesn't stop to draw breath until its villains have drawn their last. The ensemble provide a constant blur of energy, if little chance of character development, while Jonathan Watton as 'the wrong man' on the run and Olivia Fines as the cool, chic blonde knock back zingers like they would their scotch, while providing plenty of classy sex appeal.

If the night doesn't fully convince me that genre theatre can be as enticing as that on the screen there is still plenty here to enjoy. A success in its native Australia from where it has transferred, there is little doubt it should play well to a legion of film fans. A quantified thumbs up.

North by Northwest runs at Theatre Royal Bath until 12 August.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last week extended the public comment period for a dredged material management plan for a fourth time as opposition continues.

The comment period will now run through Aug. 25 as the Corps will continue to take written comments on the draft plan.

Since the plan was introduced May 11, the Corps first extended the comment period from June 9 to June 23, and then through July 14, and then to July 28 as local, state and federal officials all objected to the use of areas around Wabasha to hold material taken from the Mississippi River.

The city of Wabasha has taken steps to oppose the plan, potentially with legal action, citing a concern over the amount of traffic it could generate, particularly in their Southside Fitzgerald neighborhood.

The plan would increase truck traffic by an estimated 70 trucks per hour going in and out of the neighborhood during the hauling period each year, along with the additional air and noise pollution caused by the diesel trucks and large, remaining piles of sediment, the city said.

While the annual hauling period is 75 days, the Corps plan is expected to be in effect for the next 30 to 40 years.

Wabasha city administrator Chad Springer said the city is in talks with the Corps to see what can be changed.

They have told us they will be looking at all the options, Springer said. We are continuing dialogue with the Corps and have been in contact almost daily.

The plan outlines Corps requirement to remove and permanently place more than 10 million cubic yards of dredged material from the Mississippi Rivers Lower Pool 4 during the next 40 years.

The plan would use four on-shore placement and transfer sites with river access, which include two sites closer to Wabasha, a temporary site, and the Alma Marina.

That would require about 470 acres of farmland in Minnesota and Wisconsin to permanently store the sand, and there was potential for eminent domain to be used to seize the needed property.

The stretch of water to be dredged is between Wabasha and Buffalo, Wis., and the area accounts for about 40 percent of the dredging in that district.

Col. Sam Calkins, St. Paul District commander said when announcing that the deadline for public comment would be yet again pushed back that they wanted stakeholders and the public have enough time to provide comments.

After receiving requests from local stakeholders to extend the deadline earlier this week, I decided an extension would provide the opportunity to ensure we have a common understanding of the way forward to complete the plan collaboratively, Calkins said.

In addition to state and federal legislators from Minnesota and Wisconsin writing letters to the Corps, the city of Wabasha has formed a special group to lobby against the plans.

In mid-July the city has hired a team of people including Flaherty & Hood P.A., a law and government relations firm from Minneapolis which specializes in regulatory and environmental issues; Bolton & Menk, an engineering firm with offices throughout Minnesota and Iowa; and Dan McDougal, a dredging professional who started the company Dredge America.

They are requesting the Corps freeze plans to hold dredged material near the city, and to work with the city, state agencies, state and federal lawmakers and the public to select an alternative site.
A woman was killed Sunday afternoon on Interstate 90 near mile marker 2 when she was struck by a pickup truck, according to the Wisconsin Stat
Two men are in custody facing attempted murder charges after engaging in a gunfight with police and a high-speed chase through Houston County early Monday.

La Crescent police noticed two men acting suspiciously at a Kwik Trip and stopped their vehicle around 1:30 a.m. in Hokah, Minn., where the suspects exchanged gunfire with the officers, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

According to a recording of squad car radio posted on the website mnpoliceclips.com, the suspects drove at speeds of up to 100 mph while shooting at the pursuing officers on Hwy. 44. Officers from the Houston County Sheriffs Office, Caledonia Police Department and Minnesota State Patrol aided in the pursuit.

The chase ended when the suspects crashed and ran into a bean field near Caledonia, where they eventually surrendered, according to the BCA.

One of the men was treated for non-life threatening injuries at Gundersen Medical Center in La Crosse before being booked into the La Crosse County jail. According to squad radio, he was shot in the neck. The other suspect was booked into the Houston County jail.

Both are expected to be charged with attempted murder, according to the BCA, which did not name the suspects.

Neither officer was injured, and both are on administrative leave.

La Crescent police do not use body cameras, but the shooting was captured on squad car video, according to the BCA. That footage has not been released to the public.

An independent agency, the BCA investigates officer-involved shootings and presents findings to the county attorneys office for review.
Baraboo leaders are considering new taxes to help pay for necessary road work.

On Monday, the City Councils Public Safety Committee discussed implementing a vehicle registration tax. A wheel tax of $10-25 on top of the state vehicle registration fee has been adopted by an increasing number of municipalities as state transportation support has dwindled.

Mondays discussion expanded to address a special sales tax that can be enacted by communities whose economies depend on tourism. Aldermen asked Mayor Mike Palm to have the full council discuss taxing options at an upcoming meeting.

The committee has discussed a wheel tax for nearly two years. The full council determined in January that community feedback was needed, prompting Palm to solicit opinions through the city newsletter. He said responses were split evenly between supporters and critics.

A $20 fee would net the city nearly $275,000 per year. In recent years the city has borrowed $1.5 million every three years for road work, and has found that a half-million a year isnt enough to keep up.

Palm said the city has three choices: Continue borrowing and put the onus on property taxpayers, find an alternative revenue source or continue to fall behind.

An extra $20 a year, to a lot of people, is a lot of money, the mayor said. But we also hear, What are you going to do for the roads?

Its a way to raise revenue without putting it on borrowing.

A decision may be needed soon, as theres talk in Madison of the Legislature placing restrictions on municipalities collecting vehicle registration fees. Plus, it could take 90-120 days to enact the fee, and the city already is budgeting for 2018.

Alderman Mike Plautz said hes on the fence regarding the vehicle fee, and worries about burdening taxpayers. They already are funding Baraboo High School renovations and construction of a city Public Safety Building. He suggested starting with a $10 fee.

It seems like were adding a lot in a short time, Plautz said.

Alderman Phil Wedekind supported setting the fee at $20, rather than starting at $10 and increasing it later. If Im going to take grief, Ill take it once, he said.

Tourism tax

During Mondays committee meeting and last weeks council meeting, city leaders discussed enacting a sales tax to help fund road repair. They learned only communities reliant on tourism are eligible to collect the Premier Resort Area Tax. Forty percent of their land value must be used by tourism retailers.

Eligible communities can collect a half-percent sales tax, except for Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells, which get 1.25 percent. Rhinelander began collecting the tax Jan. 1, joining communities like Bayfield and Eagle River.

Its unknown whether Baraboo qualifies. City Administrator Ed Geick noted that Baraboos postal code stretches north into Lake Delton, and city emergency services respond to calls at Devils Lake State Park, the most popular destination in the state system.

Fire Chief Kevin Stieve estimated 5,000 to 7,000 visitors flock to the park on peak dates. Its a small city in and of itself, he said.

Determining Baraboos eligibility for the Premier Resort Area Tax would require help from number-crunchers at the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, support from local legislators and possibly a consultant study.

We dont have the capability to determine exactly what our tourism territory is, as a staff, Geick said.
Vandalism  Sunday at 2:39 p.m., someone in the 400 block of North Street told police there was damage to a fence.

Fight  Sunday at 3:55 p.m., someone in the 100 block of Lakecrest Drive reported a fight.

Intoxicated person  Sunday at 4:19 p.m., a woman in the 200 block of Webster Street told police that a woman driving hit another vehicle in a parking lot. The driver was later located and was cited for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Vandalism  Sunday at 4:37 p.m., three boys were seen throwing rocks at windows in the 200 block of La Crosse Street. Police located the boys and escorted them off the property.

Vandalism  Sunday at 5:45 p.m., someone reported that some children tipped over a soda machine in the 400 block of Madison Street.

Disorderly conduct  Sunday at 6:11 p.m., someone near Washington Elementary School, 600 Grove St., told police that children could be heard yelling and swearing.

Intoxicated person  Monday at 1:50 a.m., a traffic stop near the Prospect Avenue and McKinley Street intersection resulted in police arresting and citing the driver with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Break-in  Monday at 3:56 a.m., a man reported that three people were in his garage in the 600 block of DeClark Street. The three people later took off running.
What may be the best-traveled piano in the United States has found its forever home in the Portage Public Library. Its journey began in 1967 in Newport News, Virginia, and subsequently traveled with its military family to St. Louis; Fort Worth, Texas; Honolulu; Sparta, Wisconsin; and Dubuque, Iowa; before moving to its retirement home in Portage. Its retirement was cut short, however, and it is now back in tune at the citys library. Thanks to the generosity of Nan Rebholz, the Portage Library has added another dimension to the services offered to its patrons.

During the military career of Edward S. Ted Rebholz (U.S. Army), his family and the piano joined him in his tours of duty that took them to 11 states and Germany. Ted and Nan decided to replace the piano with more practical furniture and contacted David Yerke of Yerke Musical Services in Portage in the hope that he would have some thoughts about how and where the piano might serve others.

About the same time, Lawrence Gramer, the vice president of the Board of the Friends of the Portage Library, asked the group to consider purchasing a piano for the library, with the idea that the library would be a non-threatening environment for amateur musicians to perform before live audiences. When the board members gave their endorsement of his suggestion, Gramer also contacted Yerke.

When told that the Portage Library was interested in locating a piano, Nan Rebholz was thrilled. The library is a star in the community, and I would love to donate the piano to it.

The library staff is hoping to offer an open mic event enabling local musicians, music students and other performers to play for an audience, as well as local and regional music groups.
Portage is likely to get a new 60-room hotel located right off Interstate 39 on the citys north side.

Members of the citys Plan Commission learned Monday a 60-room GrandStay Hotel and Suites is the proposed anchor tenant for the Northside Business Park, for which the Plan Commission approved the concept earlier this month.

Members also learned during the special meeting that, if a tax increment district is created at the site, the citys projected $1.1 million investment in infrastructure  mainly a new road and utility extensions  could soon result in a development that would add about $16.8 million to Portages tax base.

The four commissioners present  Mayor Rick Dodd, Frank Miller, Mike Charles and Kevin Zarecki  voted unanimously in favor of the concept for what would be Tax Increment District No. 9.

In addition to about 16 acres of commercial development area just off Exit 92 of Interstate 39 (behind Tractor Supply Company at 3033 County Highway CX), the proposed TID would include about 17 adjacent acres, owned by the city, which would be designated for industrial development, resulting in a mixed-use TID.

David Gunderson, who is proposing to develop the GrandStay, said the hotel will more than likely be built, if enough investors are found and if the TID gains final approval.

Im not 100 percent certain, he said, but it looks very, very likely that they are coming to Portage.

Gunderson presented the Plan Commission with a four-page proposal from Leines Hotel Advisors, Inc., of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, which included a picture of a GrandStay hotel on the cover.

In the proposal, dated July 27, Ted Leines, president of Leines Hotel Advisors, described the facilitys amenities:

Each of the 60 guest rooms would have a flat-screen TV with at least one premium movie channel, a coffee maker and free high-speed internet service. Also, he wrote, Fully furnished kitchens are standard.

The hotel would have an indoor pool and whirlpool and an exercise room.

There would be a convenience store on the premises that would sell snacks and microwavable foods. Possibly, there might also be a small lounge offering wine and tap beer.

A business center, with a computer and printers, would be available around the clock, and there would be high-speed internet access throughout the hotel.

Complimentary breakfast would be available to guests.

James Mann, senior municipal adviser and director for Ehlers, an independent public financing advisory firm based in Waukesha, said he thinks the $16.8 million estimate for the citys tax base in the proposed TID is conservative.

However, he said, the hotel, by itself, could not carry the development. At least some of the smaller commercial lots would also have to be developed for the TID to be profitable, he said.

Gunderson said he thinks its likely that other commercial developments, such as restaurants, are likely to locate near a new hotel.

I would certainly hope to see something along those lines as well, he said.

One of the concerns expressed by Leines, according to Gunderson, was the finding that at most existing Portage lodging facilities, occupancy is typically higher in the winter than in the summer.

Gunderson said he sees that as an advantage, in that the ski resort Cascade Mountain attracts winter tourists, and bonspiels hosted at the Portage Curling Club also bring winter visitors to the city.

The next step, according to City Administrator Shawn Murphy, is to appoint a Joint Review Board to further analyze the feasibility of the TID. The board would be composed of one representative each from the city, Columbia County, the Portage Community School District and the Madison Area Technical College District, plus a fifth citizen member chosen by the other four.

A recent change in state law, Murphy said, requires the TID to get Common Council approval by Sept. 30 for the TID to take effect at the beginning of 2018. That means that the process  including a public hearing and deliberations by the Joint Review Board and the Common Council, will have to happen fairly quickly.

In response to a question from Charles, Murphy said the TID needs both industrial and commercial component to qualify as a mixed-use TID, with a maximum life of 20 years.

Zarecki asked whether Gunderson  who closed the construction component of his business in 2013  would be the builder. Not likely, Gunderson said.

This seems like a good opportunity for the city, Zarecki said, if all the assumptions are true.
AfricaArray advancing Geophysics in Africa

AfricaArray Field School upskills geophysical talent throughout Africa in response to the growing demand for highly trained geoscientists and researchers.

The School of Geosciences held the AfricaArray International Geophysics Field School (July 2-22) after successfully hosting the 12th annual AfricaArray workshop (June 29-30) at Wits.

Launched in July 2004, AfricaArray is a public-private partnership supporting training and research in earth, atmospheric and space sciences in Africa. Its core mandate is to create new geoscientific research and training programmes and rebuild existing ones in Africa, with Africans and for Africans. AfricaArray is a partnership between Wits, the Council for Geoscience (formerly the South African Geological Survey), and Pennsylvania State University.

The annual field school is a three-week programme designed to introduce the complete workow of a geophysical project whilst developing a wide-ranging network of geophysical talent throughout Africa. More than 30 participants from Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and the US were selected this year to participate in the field school. The group included honours students from the School of Geophysics (SoG) at Wits, and academics and students from across Africa and the US.

During the first week of the field school at Wits, participants were exposed to safety and planning geophysical surveys by, learning software, forward modelling, testing equipment, packing, planning and collecting background geological information., In the second week, the participants went out to the field to collect data at the Vredefort impact structure, the worlds largest and oldest impact structure, one hour south of Johannesburg.

The week-long data-collection phase ensures that participants are familiar with the operation of all equipment, including gravity, magnetics, differential GPS (global positioning system), resistivity, electromagnetic methods (including EM31 and EM34) and reection and refraction seismology, says Susan Webb, coordinator of the field school and Associate Professor in the SoG.

We break into separate groups and the participants apply all of the methods to address a scientific objective.

In the final week of the school back on campus, the participants interpreted and integrated their data to address their particular scientific objective. This was followed by presentations on their findings and interpretations.

Tamara Makhateng, a Master of Science in Geophysics student who returned as one of the instructors in years field school says that their role as instructors is important in facilitating the workflow of data planning, collection, and interpretation.

It is a technical aspect. You have to make sure that equipment works, and that you know how to process the data once you have collected it. You basically go through the full run down as an instructor as if you were the actual student; doing the measurements, processing the data and doing some sort of interpretation. That is the main thing, to know what you are doing when you get to the field, says Makhateng.

Makhateng, who was a student participant last year, says going to the field illuminated the subject of Geophysics for her.

I have learnt that you learn quite a lot when you come from the field. Geophysics made sense for me when I came back from the field. Everything that they talk about, you could actually see. You can see the results.

There is a growing demand for highly trained geoscientists and researchers, and capacity in geoscience fields is extremely limited in much of Africa.

The AfricaArray Field School is a response to this demand, by upskilling academics, students, government and industry employees who have been trained as geophysicists but lack signicant eld experience.

The value of the field school goes beyond geophysical training. It harnesses participants interpersonal skills who engage with diverse groups of people from various parts of the world and gives them a true sense of team work.

Although the field school presented challenges to some participants, these challenges were appreciated.

The field school is designed to challenge students and develop their problem solving skills in addition to their interpersonal skills.

It is good to experience difficulties and to see if people are able to cope with team work. Even if it might be difficult, at the end of the day, we were able to achieve our objectives. It was a really nice opportunity, said one of the participants.

The AfricaArray Field School is sponsored by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists , UNESCO, Council for Geoscience, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Geosoft, Spectrem, Red Dog Scientific Services and AfricaArray. The US participants are sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

For more information, feedback and photographs from the Field School, join their Facebook page; AfricaArray/Wits Geophysics Field School, where previous participants also post about their geophysical work.
China is betting that U.S. President Donald Trump wont make good on his threats of a military strike against North Korea, with Beijing continuing to provide a lifeline to Kim Jong Uns regime.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson singled out China and Russia as economic enablers of North Korea after Kim last week test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile for the second time in a matter of weeks. While Tillerson said the U.S. wants a peaceful resolution to the tensions, the top American general called his South Korean counterpart after the launch to discuss a potential military response.

China condemned the latest test while calling for restraint from all parties, a muted reaction to Pyongyangs progress on an ICBM capable of hitting the U.S. mainland. Despite Kims provocations, analysts said Beijing still sees the collapse of his regime as a more immediate strategic threat, and doubts Trump would pull the trigger given the risk of a war with North Korea that could kill millions.

The military option the Americans are threatening wont likely happen because the stakes will be too high, said Liu Ming, director of the Korean Peninsula Research Center at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Its a pretext and an excuse to pile up pressure on China. Its more like blackmail than a realistic option.

Relations between the worlds biggest economies have soured after an initial honeymoon between Trump and President Xi Jinping. The U.S. last month sanctioned a regional Chinese bank, a shipping company and two Chinese citizens over dealings with North Korea, which could be a precursor to greater economic and financial pressure on Beijing to rein in its errant neighbor.

Trump has expressed periodic public frustration with Beijing over the pace of its efforts to curtail Kim. Late Saturday he again linked Chinas actions to the broader U.S.-China trade relationship.

Hours later, Xi called on China to speed up its military modernization, telling troops at an army parade that the world isnt safe at this moment.

A strong army is needed now more than ever, he said, without specifically addressing North Korea or Trumps comments.

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the U.S. isnt seeking an emergency Security Council session today [Macau time]. Pyongyang already violates council resolutions with impunity, she said in a statement, and it sends the message to the North Korean dictator that the international community is unwilling to challenge him.

China must decide whether it is finally willing to take this vital step, Haley said. The time for talk is over. The danger the North Korean regime poses to international peace is now clear to all.

Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said she was very disappointed in Chinas response and that it wasnt firmer or more helpful.

The only solution is a diplomatic one, Feinstein said on CBSs Face the Nation on Sunday. She called North Koreas threat a clear and present danger to the U.S. and said she hoped new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, will be able to help negotiate to stop the nuclear program.

Chinas biggest fears related to North Korea remain a collapse of Kims regime that sparks a protracted refugee crisis, and a beefed-up U.S. military presence on its border.

It has repeatedly called for both sides to step back, proposing the U.S. halt military drills in the region and North Korea freeze weapons tests. The U.S. has dismissed that proposal, saying North Korea must first be willing to discuss rolling back its nuclear program. On Saturday, the U.S. announced that two Air Force B-1B bombers conducted bilateral exercises with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets in response to the ICBM test.

North Korea is probably correct in its view that it can survive sanctions long enough to build its arsenal to the point where the world has to accept it as a nuclear state, according to Andrew Gilholm, director of North Asia analysis at Control Risks Group. The U.S. is likely to make a dramatic move this year against China in a bid to stop that from happening, he said.

If the U.S. really loses patience and moves against major Chinese banks or firms it will certainly impact North Koreas financing, but I dont see Beijing making a radical policy change under that kind of pressure, Gilholm said from Seoul. Itll likely harden Chinas insistence that Washington has to deal with Pyongyang, not coerce China into strangling it.

Chinas relations with its neighbor and ally have become more fraught, though China still accounts for about 90 percent of North Koreas trade. North Korea warned China of grave consequences earlier this year after it banned coal imports, while Beijings Communist Party media stepped up criticism of Kims regime.

The latest ICBM test also risks boosting tensions between China and South Korea over a missile shield.

Seoul has partially installed the U.S.s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile shield despite Chinese protests. It had halted that roll out under the new administration of President Moon Jae-in, but after the ICBM test Moon called for talks with the U.S. on temporarily deploying more launchers. China warned on Saturday that Thaad would disrupt the regions strategic balance.

The U.S. carried out a test of Thaad yesterday [Macau time], the Pentagon said in a statement. A medium-range target ballistic missile was launched from a plane over the Pacific Ocean, then tracked and intercepted by a system located in Alaska.

Despite the disagreement over Thaad, on the whole China probably prefers Moon to the conservative government he replaced in May. Since taking office, Moon has sought to engage North Korea, calling for peace talks and saying hed meet Kim under the right conditions.

Moons dovish views on North Korea make it likely hell oppose a U.S. missile strike on North Korea. U.S. Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also warned in June that an armed conflict with North Korea would leave Seoul facing casualties unlike anything weve seen in 60 or 70 years.

As relations with the U.S. cool, China has boosted ties with Russia. The countries blocked U.S.-led efforts to expand penalties against North Korea in a draft UN Security Council resolution condemning its first ICBM test on July 4. Those ties are likely to strengthen after Trump said hed tighten sanctions on Russia for meddling in the U.S. election and aggression in Ukraine.

To placate Trump, China will likely take some moderate measures against North Korea without doing anything that could collapse the regime, said Gilholm from Control Risks.

China has a lot of room to step up pressure on Pyongyang while staying well short of a really destabilizing cut-off, he said. Personally I dont think North Korea is going to roll over and give up its nuclear survival card even under a life-threatening level of economic pressure. Bloomberg
W&M Law School receives $5.2M gift to support scholarships and other priorities

William & Mary Law School recently received a $5.2 million gift in honor of the late Judge R. William Arthur 38, LL.D. 40. The gift powered the law school closer to its goal of raising $75 million during the For the Bold campaign. Gifts and commitments to the school topped $66.2 million since the start of the campaign, with $10.5 million raised in fiscal year 2017 alone.

The gift, from the estate of William Arthurs wife, Dorothy Arthur, will support scholarships for William & Mary law students and other law school priorities. Dorothy Arthur previously gave more than $335,000 to establish a Loan Repayment Assistance Endowment at the law school in her husbands memory.

We are enormously grateful for this gift, said President Taylor Reveley. It will allow us to provide so many outstanding students with the opportunity to attend the first law school in the nation.

Married for 56 years, the Arthurs spent most of their lives in the town of Wytheville, a small community in southwest Virginia. The town is named after George Wythe, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, mentor to Thomas Jefferson and the first professor of law at William & Mary.

Dorothy Arthur earned degrees from Roanoke College and Simmons College in Boston and was an educator. William Arthur earned his undergraduate and law degrees at William & Mary and had a general law practice in Wytheville from 1940 until 1969. For seven years  from 1962 until 1969  he served as the towns attorney. He became a circuit court judge in 1969, a position he held until his retirement in 1985.

Throughout his life, William Arthur was deeply involved in the civic affairs of Wytheville and the state. From 1946 until 1950, he served as mayor of Wytheville, and during that time helped his community deal with one of the most serious polio outbreaks in the U.S. For several years, he served on the Virginia Higher Education Study Commission. During his tenure, the commission recommended the creation of Virginias state community college system.

This transformative gift will support the law school in extraordinary ways for years to come and will greatly enhance our ability to educate and train the next generation of citizen lawyers, said Davison M. Douglas, dean of William & Mary Law School.

William Arthur provided many years of service to William & Mary and its law school. He served as a member of the William & Mary Board of Visitors from 1954 until 1962, and again from 1966 until 1969. In 1965, he received the William & Mary Alumni Associations highest honor, the Alumni Medallion. The Arthurs gave to many causes including the Fund for William & Mary, the law schools annual fund, the Alumni House expansion in the mid-1990s and to the William H. Cabell Research Professorships.




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A legal battle over secret letters revealing what Queen Elizabeth II knew of her Australian representatives stunning plan to dismiss Australias government in 1975 opened in federal court yesterday, in a case that could finally solve a mystery behind the countrys most dramatic political crisis.

Historian Jenny Hocking is asking the Federal Court to force the National Archives of Australia to release the letters between the British monarch, who is also Australias constitutional head of state, and her former Australian representative, Governor-General Sir John Kerr. The Archives have classified the letters as personal, meaning they might never be made public.

The letters would reveal what, if anything, the queen knew about Kerrs plan to dismiss Prime Minister Gough Whitlams government in 1975 to resolve a deadlock in Parliament. It is the only time in Australian history that a democratically elected federal government was dismissed on the British monarchs authority. The dismissal stunned Australians and bolstered calls for the country to sever its colonial ties to Britain and become a republic.

Whitlams own son, lawyer Antony Whitlam, is arguing the case on behalf of Hocking, and took on the case free of charge.

Hocking, a Whitlam biographer, argues that Australians have a right to know the details of their history, and that the letters written in the months leading up to the unprecedented dismissal are key to unraveling the truth.

It needs to be settled once and for all, she said during a court recess. Theres a lot of uncertainty in this.

Antony Whitlam argued that the letters should be viewed as official, rather than personal, documents in part because the relationship between the governor-general and the Queen is an official one.

It couldnt seriously be suggested that there was a personal relationship between the Queen and John Kerr, he told the court.

If the letters lose their private and personal classification, they are free to be made public 30 years after they were written like other government documents held in the Archives. That means they could be available immediately.

Lawyer Tom Howe, who is representing the Archives, told the court that there was a distinction between the institution of the governor-general and the governor-general himself. The governor-general himself, Howe argued, is not a national institution, and thus his personal records are owned by him and are not subject to the Archives Act. The Act allows for the release of official records.

Questions and conspiracy theories still swirl about the motivations surrounding the prime ministers dismissal. Kerr, who died in 1991, said the decision to oust Whitlam was his alone. But some Australians believe the Queen had a hand in the decision.

One of the most spectacular theories is that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency ordered Whitlams dismissal because the agency feared his government would close a top-secret U.S. intelligence facility in the Australian Outback. Kerr rejected that theory as false.

Before 1975, few Australians realized the governor-general  whose role is largely ceremonial  had the power to fire a prime minister during a constitutional crisis.

That crisis began when the opposition party tried to force Whitlam to call general elections by blocking routine legislation in the Senate that allowed the government to pay public servant salaries and provide services. Whitlam refused to call an election, sparking a weeks-long constitutional impasse.

Kerr then fired Whitlam, called an election and appointed opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as prime minister. Weeks later, Frasers coalition won an overwhelming election victory.

Critics of Kerr dubbed his firing of Whitlam an ambush, and said the governor-general should have warned the prime minister that it was coming. Kerr said he was worried Whitlam would have fired him first if hed tipped him off ahead of time.

Yesterdays hearing was the only one scheduled in the case. Federal Court Justice John Griffiths is expected to issue a ruling at a later date. Kristen Gelineau, Sydney, AP
MHI agrees to take 19.5% stake in New NP

01 August 2017

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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has formally decided to invest in Areva's reactor operations and signed investment agreements with both Areva Group and EDF to take a 19.5% stake in New NP.

French utility EDF agreed in July 2015 to take a stake of between 51% and 75% in Areva SA's reactor unit in a government-backed plan to revitalise the country's nuclear power industry. The restructuring includes the government granting a capital injection of 4.5 billion ($5.1 billion) into Areva. The reactor operations to be sold have been transferred to a subsidiary wholly owned by Areva NP, referred to as 'New NP'. Contracts for the Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) EPR project in Finland and for resources required to complete that project, and some contracts relating to components forged in the Le Creusot plant, are not included in the sale. Those contracts will remain within Areva. The sale price for 100% of New NP's equity was confirmed at 2.5 billion.

MHI said it had been "mulling investment into Areva NP" since September 2015. Earlier this month, MHI and French nuclear engineering company Assystem signed binding agreements with EDF to take equity stakes in New NP. Subject to approval by its board, MHI was to take a stake of 15% - and potentially up to 19.5% - in New NP, while Assystem will take a 5% stake.

MHI announced yesterday it will take a 19.5% equity stake in New NP. The company said it will continue to coordinate with EDF and Areva toward closing the transaction, expected at the end of this year.

In January, MHI agreed to acquire a 5% stake in NewCo, which will combine Areva's nuclear fuel cycle activities, for 250 million.

MHI president and CEO Shunichi Miyanaga said, "For many years MHI has been a key player in cooperation bbetween Japan and France in the development of nuclear power generation technologies, and we have high hopes and expectations that this new structure will deepen and expand our ties of cooperation."

In 1991, MHI and Areva formed a joint venture in the nuclear fuel cycle business, and in 2006 they concluded an agreement on broader collaboration in the field of nuclear energy. That agreement led to the creation in 2007 of the Atmea 50-50 joint venture, set up to develop, market, license and sell the 1100 MWe Atmea-1 pressurised water reactor combining both companies' technologies. An informal agreement was concluded in 2013 for construction of a four-unit nuclear power plant in Sinop, Turkey, based on the Atmea-1.

In addition, in 2009 Areva and Mitsubishi agreed to establish a joint venture company in the nuclear fuel fabrication business. The new company was established by restructuring the existing Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel (MNF) company, with Areva NP taking a 30% stake in the new company.

Since 2005, the Japanese company has received orders for 15 replacement steam generators for French nuclear power plants operated by EDF. In June 2016, MHI and EDF signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in the field of nuclear energy. The MOU calls for EDF's marketing, technological and other support of Atmea's business, as well as broad-based cooperation in global markets making use of the two companies' technological capabilities and specialised strengths.

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by World Nuclear News

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US nuclear construction project to be abandoned

01 August 2017

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Scana Corporation subsidiary South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCG&E) yesterday announced its decision to cease construction of two AP1000 reactors at VC Summer. The announcement followed co-owner Santee Cooper's decision to suspend construction because of projected completion delays and cost overruns. Scana is to file for regulatory permission to abandon the project.

Summer unit 2, pictured on 9 June after placement of the unit's third and final containment ring (image: SCE&G)

Santee Cooper said its decision to suspend construction was based "in large part" on analysis of detailed schedule and cost data provided by project contractor Westinghouse and subcontractor Fluor Corporation after Westinghouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March. That data, which has now been analysed by Santee Cooper and SCE&G, shows unit 2 will not be completed until December 2022 and unit 3 not before March 2024 - four years after the most recent completion date provided by Westinghouse.

Santee Cooper and majority partner SCE&G's original contract with Westinghouse had provided for substantial completion of Summer unit 2 by 2016 and unit 3 by 2019. In 2015 the contract was amended, fixing Santee Cooper's share of the cost at $6.2 billion. This was approved by Santee Cooper's board in 2016.

Santee Cooper said its most recent analysis, which anticipates the rejection of that contract as part of Westinghouse's bankruptcy proceedings, found that completing the project would cost the company $8 billion plus about $3.4 billion in interest, with schedule delays contributing to the increased interest. It has already spent $4.7 billion on construction and interest to date for its 45% share of the project.

"After Westinghouse's bankruptcy and anticipated rejection of the fixed-price contract, the best case scenario shows this project would be several years late and [cost] 75% more than originally planned," Lonnie Carter, Santee Cooper president and CEO, said. "We simply cannot ask our customers to pay for a project that has become uneconomical."

Santee Cooper has directed its management to preserve and protect the site and related components and equipment. "During the wind-down, Santee Cooper will also continue investigating federal support and additional partners to see if we can make the project economical again," Carter said.

The operating Summer unit 1 - also co-owned by Santee Cooper and SCE&G - provides the lowest cost electricity of all Santee Cooper's base load generation, the company said. However, since the companies applied to build the new units in 2008, its load forecast has slowed, in part due to energy efficiency programs, while natural gas prices have fallen and "the current political landscape has reduced the urgency for emissions-free baseload generation".

Santee Cooper chairman Leighton Lord said that although the cost of completing the Summer units was "simply too much for our customers to bear", generation diversity remained important to the company, which was proud of its role in the effort to "restart" the US nuclear industry. "Nuclear power needs to remain part of the US energy mix," he said.

Prudent course of action

SCE&G had been evaluating options including: continuing with the construction of both units; focusing on the construction of one unit, and delaying the construction of the other; continuing with the construction of one and abandoning the other; and abandoning both units. Yesterday, it said its evaluation and analysis had concluded that completion of both units would be "prohibitively expensive". According to SCE&G's evaluation, the company would face a total cost of $9.9 billion to complete its 55% share of the project. Even taking into account a $1.1 guarantee payment it is to receive from Westinghouse parent company Toshiba, this would "materially exceed" prior estimates.

SCE&G's analysis also concluded that the units could not be brought on line before the 1 January 2021 deadline to qualify for production tax credits under current tax rules.



The company said it had considered the feasibility of completing the construction of unit 2 and abandoning unit 3 under the existing ownership structure and using natural gas generation to fulfill any remaining generation needs as a potential path forward.

Scana Chairman and CEO Kevin Marsh told investors after the announcement that this option would have resulted in a combined cost that was less than that previously approved by the South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC) under the fixed price option for completing the two nuclear units.

"Santee's decision to suspend construction of the project made further analysis of this alternative unnecessary as SCE&G concluded it would not be in the interests of its stakeholders and customers to continue construction of the project on its own," he said. The company had "reached out to other potential partners and pursued governmental support", but without success.

"Based on this evaluation and analysis, and Santee Cooper's decision, SCE&G has concluded that the only remaining prudent course of action will be to abandon the construction of both unit 2 and unit 3," the company said.

Marsh said the company had evaluated the project from "all perspectives" before reaching the "very difficult but necessary" decision.

"Many factors outside our control have changed since inception of this project. Chief among them, the bankruptcy of our primary construction contractor, Westinghouse, eliminated the benefits of the fixed-price contract to our customers, investors, and other stakeholders. Ultimately, our project co-owner Santee Cooper's decision to suspend construction made clear that proceeding on our own would not be economically feasible. Ceasing work on the project was our least desired option, but this is the right thing to do at this time," he said.

Normal construction activities at the site will cease immediately, Scana said. The company intends to formally brief the PSC of its decision today, after which it will initiate the abandonment proceeding. It is seeking an amortisation of the project costs over a period of 60 years.

Westinghouse progress

Westinghouse president and CEO Jose Emetrio Gutierrez said the company was disappointed that the project would no longer go forward.

"The South Carolina economy is sure to feel the negative impact of losing over five thousand high-paying, long-term jobs, as well as not having available the reliable, clean, safe and affordable energy these units would provide. Also, at a time when other nuclear plants are being retired, the US energy sector is sure to feel the stunting impact of walking away from these two nuclear units," he said.

Gutierrez made these comments as Westinghouse announced the submission of its five-year business plan, which it described as a critical milestone in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. The plan integrates the company's strategic initiatives, competitive landscape and market dynamics into a five-year financial forecast. Comprising strategic transformation initiatives resulting in savings of $205 million over the five-year term, the plan supports the operation of the company's core businesses as well as its New Projects Business. One component of these savings will be an "adjustment of the company's global headcount" of about 7% for the 2017 fiscal year.

Valiant effort

Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the US Nuclear Energy Institute, said Santee Cooper and SCE&G's decisions were disappointing developments for the US nuclear industry, but applauded the two companies for their "valiant and visionary" efforts to embark on a new US nuclear construction program for the first time in over 30 years.

"While many factors have changed since these two companies started construction of the new nuclear units, one thing has not changed, and that's the value of nuclear as a safe, reliable, clean source of energy," she said.

"As a first-of-a-kind nuclear construction project of this size and scope, the project understandably encountered many economic, regulatory and other challenges along the way. SCE&G and Santee Cooper, however, have always managed those challenges impressively. It is unfortunate that circumstances beyond their control have led to this outcome today. All the more now, we must impress upon our energy policy decision makers the vital role of nuclear energy in America's energy portfolio. As America's need for electricity continues to grow, which means hundreds of new generating facilities will need to be built, clean and reliable nuclear energy will be an essential part of America's energy security," she added.

Construction began on the first of four AP1000 reactors in the USA - Summer unit 2 and Vogtle unit 3 in Georgia - in March 2013, with work beginning on Summer 3 and Vogtle 4 in November of that year. Work is still continuing at the Vogtle project, for which Westinghouse recently negotiated a long-term services agreement with co-owner Southern Nuclear Co.

AP1000s under construction in China are unaffected by the Westinghouse bankruptcy filing. Wang Binghua, chairman of China's State Power Investment Corporation, recently vowed that his company will make sure its first two AP1000 plants at Sanmen and Haiyang will start producing electricity by end of 2017.

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Garona licence renewal denied

01 August 2017

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The Spanish government has denied the renewal of Nuclenor's operating licence for the Garona nuclear power plant. The decision means the reactor - which has been offline for more than four years - will now enter the decommissioning phase.

Garona (Image: Nuclenor)

The 446 MWe boiling water reactor began operations in 1971 and was deemed by the regulator - the Nuclear Safety Council (Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN) - to be suitable for operation until 2019 given certain technical upgrades.

However, in September 2012, operator Nuclenor - a joint venture of Endesa and Iberdrola - missed the deadline to submit an operating licence renewal application for Garona, meaning that it had to shut by the time its licence expired on 6 July 2013. However, the reactor was closed in mid-December 2012 to avoid a full year of retroactive tax charges for which Nuclenor would have been liable if it was operating on 1 January 2013.

In February 2014, the industry succeeded in lobbying for regulatory changes that made it possible for a reactor closed for reasons unrelated to safety or radiological protection to be granted a new operating licence within 12 months of its shutdown. Nuclenor submitted a licence renewal application for Garona to the Ministry of Energy, Tourism and the Digital Agenda in May 2014, requesting a licence for Garona to operate until 2031. The ministry subsequently forwarded this to CSN for evaluation.

In February, the CSN gave conditional approval for the restart and continued operation of Garona, but said Nuclenor would be required to make a number of safety upgrades. These upgrades were in line with requirements introduced for all Spanish nuclear power plants following the March 2011 accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant.

However, Energy Minister Alvaro Nadal today announced that the government had decided not to approve the renewal of Garona's operating licence. He said the decision was taken after the ministry had studied 17 opinions submitted by institutions, associations and companies involved in the process and had also taken into account the government's energy and climate plans.

Nadal noted that Garona - Spain's smallest and oldest nuclear generator - has not operated for more than four years and no significant impact had been found during this time on the country's electricity supply due to the lost production.

He said the ministry will now issue a decommissioning permit and, subsequently, the decommissioning declaration.

Nuclenor will be required to carry out a series of tasks during a "pre-dismantling period", including the removal of used fuel held in Garona's storage pool to an interim storage facility. It must also treat the waste that has been generated during the plant's operation.

Spanish decommissioning firm Enresa will need to request a dismantling permit, the ministry noted. In addition, it must also apply for ownership of the plant to be transferred. According to Enresa's estimates, dismantling of the plant will begin six years after its definitive closure and would take about ten years to complete.

Spain's nuclear industry forum Foronuclear said it considers the government's decision as "a specific, one-off decision" that does not affect the continued operation of Spain's other nuclear power plants, which "was confirmed by the minister himself".

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IAEA celebrates 60th anniversary

01 August 2017

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) celebrated its 60th anniversary on 29 July, the date in 1957 when it formally came into existence after 26 countries ratified its Statute. The Vienna-based agency now has 168 Member States.

The IAEA Statute, which was approved on 23 October 1956 at the headquarters of the United Nations, has been amended three times - in 1963, 1973 and 1989.

The IAEA Statute states that: "The Agency shall seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world. It shall ensure, so far as it is able, that assistance provided by it or at its request or under its supervision or control is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose."

Marking the anniversary, the IAEA's fifth and current director-general, Yukiya Amano, said: "The IAEA will remain an international organisation of excellence that delivers concrete results and makes a real difference to the lives of people all over the world."

With the motto Atoms for Peace and Development, Amano noted that the IAEA's broad mandate ranges from preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, to helping countries achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals through the safe and secure use of nuclear technology. It helps to improve the health and prosperity of millions of people by making nuclear science and technology available in health care, food and agriculture, industry and many other areas, he said.

Its work in verifying Iran's nuclear program was indispensable, he said, in paving the way for the diplomatic breakthrough achieved in 2015 in the form of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The IAEA is verifying and monitoring Irans implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA.

The agency helps countries that wish to use nuclear power to do so safely, securely and sustainably, and its role as the centre for international cooperation in nuclear safety and security has grown steadily, Amano said.

The IAEA has faced many challenges in the past 60 years, he said, but it has "proven to be flexible" and able to learn from experience, he added.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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IAEA completes external hazards review for Turkey

01 August 2017

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An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has concluded a five-day Site and External Events Design (SEED) mission to Turkey, which plans to build its first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu in Mersin Province. The first of four 1200 MWe Russian VVER units is scheduled to receive its operational licence in 2023.

The SEED team reviewed matters related to design protection against external hazards of the planned Akkuyu plant on Turkey's southern coast. Possible hazards reviewed included tsunamis, geotechnical hazards relating to the foundation and soil, earthquakes and aircraft crashes.

The Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) requested the mission, which followed up on a SEED review in 2015 of site parameters relevant to the plant's design protection against external hazards. The latest mission was completed on 28 July.

"The timing of this mission was important as TAEK is engaged in its regulatory review of the licensing documentation," said Shin Morita, head of the Vienna-based agency's External Events Safety Section. "The mission also provided insight into the application of IAEA's safety standards," he added, referring to a set of documents that reflect an international consensus on what is considered a high level of nuclear and radiation safety.

The SEED team was made up of two experts, from Germany and Spain, and two IAEA staff members. The team held talks in Ankara with TAEK President Zafer Alper as well as with safety experts at the regulatory authority, and technical experts with the future operator as well as other technical-support specialists.

Fatih Alim, director of the Nuclear Safety Department at TAEK, said the SEED mission had provided "very useful support" in strengthening TAEK's safety review capabilities needed for the ongoing licensing process for the Akkuyu plant.

Among good practice the team identified, the preliminary safety analysis report (PSAR) includes provisions, both for the design basis and beyond the design basis, needed for safety margins analysis, for earthquakes, tsunamis and aircraft-crash scenarios. It recommended that the PSAR be updated to reflect the latest revisions of the hazard studies and should clearly indicate the methodology for demonstrating safety margins.

In accordance with IAEA practice, the final mission report will be delivered to the Turkish government within three months.

Designed to assist IAEA Member States at different stages in the development of a nuclear power program, the SEED safety review service offers a choice of modules on which to focus the review, such as site selection and assessment, and the design of structures, systems and components against site external hazards.

Turkey, with a population of around 80 million people, has embarked on a nuclear power program to meet an increasing demand for electricity and to support economic development.

JSC Akkuyu NPP, the Russian-owned company responsible for the Akkuyu plant, has been awarded a 49-year electricity generation licence. The company received a preliminary licence, enabling it to start investment and permitting procedures for the project, in June 2015. Turkey's energy market regulatory authority (EPDK) said then that JSC Akkuyu NPP would receive a production licence - needed to start generating electricity from the plant - once it met the requirements outlined in that document. The production licence was awarded on 15 June.

The project to build four 1200 MWe Gidropress-designed AES-2006 VVER pressurized water reactors is being financed by Russia under a build-own-operate model, in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement Turkey and Russia signed in 2010. The plant is scheduled to start operations on 29 October, 2023 - the centenary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

According to Sputnik news agency, Russia's investments in the project will amount to $22 billion.

On 19 June, a consortium of Turkish companies signed an agreement with Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom on the main conditions for acquiring a 49% stake in JSC Akkuyu Nuclear. The agreement - signed by Cengiz Holding, Kolin Insaat Turizm Sanayi ve Ticaret AS and JSC "Kalyon Insaat" - was signed on the side lines of the IX AtomExpo International Forum that Rosatom hosted in Moscow. It sets out the main conditions for the companies to buy a 49% stake in JSC Akkuyu Nuclear, currently wholly owned by Rosatom subsidiary JSC Rusatom Energy International.

A French-Japanese consortium between Areva and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries plans to build Turkey's second nuclear power plant, in the northern Black Sea city of Sinop.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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No good deed goes unpunished, so the saying goes. While that may not always be the case, history has seen its share of beloved, influential world leaders tragically slain at the height of their prestige. Though several notable assassinations that might come to mind took place in the United States, other countries in the world have also witnessed the killing of respected leaders. Read on to learn more about 10 of the most famous world leaders who were assassinated.

1. Abraham Lincoln, United States

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th US President, serving from March 4, 1861 to April 15, 1865. He came into power at the time of the American Civil War. He is credited for having made great moral, political, and constitutional decisions that later paved the way for the abolition of slavery. John Booth planned to kill Lincoln after listening to his speech advocating for voting rights for Black Americans. He shot Lincoln on April 15, 1865, while the president was attending a play at the Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln had been seated beside him at the time.

2. Martin Luther King Jr., United States

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC. Image credit: April Sims/Shutterstock

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most important leaders of the American Civil Rights Movement. He famously delivered the speech "I Have a Dream" on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was responsible for strengthening the Civil Rights Movement and led to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, by James Ray at a motel in Memphis, Tennessee. When word of his death spread, riots broke out across the country. Prior to the incident, King had received several death threats.

3. John F. Kennedy, United States

Life Magazine covers from November 29 and December 6, 1963, showing John F. Kennedy and his family. Image credit: Teresa Otto/Shutterstock

John F. Kennedy was the 35th United States President from 1961 to 1963. He served during the time of the Cold War and spent much of his term tending to the country's relationship with the Soviet Union. On November 22, 1963, at 12:30 pm, John F. Kennedy was murdered in Dallas while riding in an open-top vehicle in front of a large crowd. His wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, was sitting next to him when the bullet struck his head. Lee Harvey Oswald was later arrested and ultimately killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby before prosecution.

4. King Faisal, Saudi Arabia

King Faisal was Saudi Arabias King from 1964 until 1975. He is remembered for having saved the country's economy with reforms and a policy of modernization. He successfully fought off many coups that were staged against him. Faisal was shot by Faisal bin Musaid (his half-brothers son) and died while undergoing treatment for his injuries.

5. Dedan Kimathi, Kenya

Editorial credit: Sopotnicki / Shutterstock.com.

Dedan Kimathi was a leader of the Mau Mau, a movement that fought against the British colonial rule in Kenya during the 1950s. He formed the Kenya Defense Council in 1953 immediately after sneaking out of British prison. Kimathi was captured by British colonial policeman Ian Henderson after a long time of uprising and sentenced to death by Chief Justice OConnor. On February 18, 1957, Kimathi was executed by hanging. He is remembered to this day for his determination in the fight for freedom for Kenyans.

6. Patrice Lumumba, Congo

The portrait of Patric Lumumba on a Guiean banknote.

Patrice Lumumba was the founder of the Mouvement National Congolais party. He went on to become the first democratically elected prime minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lumumba advocated for the Congo, as well as for government Africanization. When the new country faced political unrest, Belgian troops invaded under the guise of protecting Belgian nationals in the country, but in reality, hoping to gain the upper hand with the Congo in disorder. In an effort to fight back against the Belgians, Lumumba pleaded with both the United Nations and the United States for help in defeating the Belgian-backed troops, but he was denied help from both. He then went to the Soviet Union, and it was partly because of this that on September 14, 1960, army leader Colonel Joseph Mobutu staged a coup d'etat. After a long imprisonment, Lumumba was executed through the use of a firing squad on January 17, 1961.

7. Thomas Sankara, Burkina Faso

A poster of Thomas Sankara's face, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Image credit: Sputniktilt/Wikimedia Commons

Thomas Sankara was the President of Burkina Faso from 1983 until 1987. He took over power through a popular coup in the year 1983. Sankara was against imperialism and initiated many programs for economic and social changes. Despite the progress made, he was murdered by an armed group in coup detat staged by his colleague Blaise Compaore. Compaore then undid many of the policies that Sankara had enacted.

8. Marie Francois Sadi Carnot, France

Editorial credit: StockphotoVideo / Shutterstock.com.

Marie-Francois Sadi Carnot was the President of France from December 1887 until 1894. Though his presidency occurred during tumultuous times for France, Carnot managed to maintain his popularity throughout. On June 24, 1894, while giving a speech at Lyon, Carnot was stabbed by Italian anarchist Sante Geronimo Caserio in the liver. He died on June 25, 1894. Caserio was then himself executed as punishment.

9. Mahatma Gandhi, India

A monument of Gandhi in Moscow, Russia.

Mahatma Gandhi was the Indian Independence Movements leader fighting against the British colonial regime. In 1920, he took over the leadership of Congress and pushed for Indian freedom. On January 26, 1930, the Indian National Congress announced Indias independence. On January 30, 1948, at 5:17 pm, Nathuram Godse, a young Hindu fanatic, shot Gandhi three times in the chest, and Mahatma Gandhi died shortly afterward. The shooting happened during a prayer ceremony in New Delhi.

10. Aldo Moro, Italy

Aldo Moro, right. Image credit: Friedrich Magnussen

Aldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 38th country Prime Minister between 1963 and 1968 and again from 1974 to 1976. A militant left-wing group, the Red Brigades, kidnapped Moro and kept him detained for two months, hoping to arrange a trade. They would give up Moro if their captured comrades were released in exchange. The Italian government held ground and refused to heed the Red Brigades' demands. Moro was shot ten times on May 9, 1978.
Until recently, most people in the United States had never seen a bed bug. However, bed bug infestation was very common in the US during the World War II. Thanks to improved hygiene and adoption of DDT, the bed bugs had all but vanished. Over the past decade, the tiny, blood sucking nuisance have made a dramatic comeback in the country, increasingly infesting homes, hostels, health care facilities, public transportation, and dormitories. Sometimes they occur in movie theaters, laundries, and office buildings. The increased presence of bed bugs in the US is attributed to change in pest control practices, ineffective insecticides, and decreasing societal vigilance. But which cities in the US have it the worst?

10. San Francisco

Bed bugs are a major public health concern in big cities including San Francisco. The number of bed bug cases is on the rise in the city according to the officials at the Public Health Department. The observation by the health department is supported by the citys ranking in the list of top 50 bed bug cities by Orkin. San Francisco ranks number ten, having moved 4 places up from the previous ranking in 2016. The number of reported cases has jumped by over 25% over the last 2 years. Public Health officials warn that it may be a matter of time before San Francisco has a bigger problem with the pest.

9. Philadelphia

Philadelphia has moved 3 places down from position 6 to position 9 in the list top 50 cities with bed bugs in the US. Bed bugs are common in residential areas such as student hostels and residential apartments. The city launched a bed bug task force to help address the problem in some parts of the city. However, the cost of eradicating bed bugs in the city is relatively high, making it inaccessible to many.

8. Cincinnati

Bed bugs are a big problem in the Greater Cincinnati area. According to the survey conducted by the Cincinnati Health Survey, 14.5% of the residents of Cincinnati have experienced bed bugs in some capacity. The city was ranked number eight in the list of top 50 bed bug cities by Orkin, holding the same position for two years now. Self-treatment is common in Cincinnati, which might be the main reason for the spread of bed bugs. Most of the residents use over-the-counter prescriptions to treat the infestations rather than seeking professional help.

7. Detroit

Detroit was ranked number seven in the list of top 50 bed bug cities by Orkin, maintaining the same position in 2016 and 2017. Detroit has been actually moving down the last in the last four years. Just recently (2014) the city was ranked as the second most bed bug infested city in the US. The lower ranking comes as good news to hotel and motels looking to attract tourists visiting the Motor City. However, hotels will also have to work hard in order to convince travelers that they no longer play host to these menacing pests.

6. Los Angeles

Los Angeles ranks among the top ten cities in the US for bed bug infestation. L.A. was ranked number six by the Orkin, sliding four spots from 2016. Bed bug infestation is a big concern for the tenants of the residential apartment complexes around Los Angeles. In several instances, bed bug bites have resulted in hospitalization and mental anguish among the victims. Bed bug victims in L.A. have the right to compensation, with several law firms and bed bug lawyers at hand to assist the victims in filing a law suit.

5. Columbus

Prior to 2015, Columbus had registered a steady rise in ranks of the cities infested with bed bugs. However, in 2016, the city dropped two places down to number five, a position it maintained in 2017. The absence of public funding for bed bug awareness and eradication have hampered efforts to fight the pests in Columbus. Franklin County in Columbus leads with the number of bed bug infestation reports, making an area of focus in the city. To eradicate the pest, the City of Columbus has joined the Central Ohio Bed Bug Task whose aim is to prevent bed bug infestation.

4. New York

For years, New York, alongside Chicago, has been known as one of the Cities with the highest number of bed bug infestation. The presence of bed bugs in the city is no longer news to the residents and those who frequent the city. Today, going to the cinema at AMC Empire 25 in Times Tower, or AMC Theater in Harlem is like calling bed bugs to a feast. The invasion has also claimed some of the biggest names in the city including Niketown store on 57th street and also the Googles headquarters. New York maintained the fourth place it held in 2016 ranking of the Top 50 Bed Bug Cities.

3. Chicago

For the fifth year in a row, Chicago has been ranked among the top cities with bed bug problems. However, the city has surrendered the top spot that it had held for four consecutive years, and now ranks position three in the US. Bed bugs have been such a menace in the city such that in early 2017, a man sued one of the Chicago hotels, claiming he was attacked by bed bugs while using their facility. In 2013, Chicago passed a law requiring landlords to give tenants brochures on bed bugs to help curb the growing bed bug problem. With the recent ranking, it seems the effort is bearing fruit

2. Washington, D.C.

Nearby Washington, D.C. came in second place after Baltimore. The city moved up one place from position three in 2016, signifying an upward trend in the last three years. In 2015, DC was not even in the top ten "Bed Bug Cities", as it had ranked 14 on Orkins list. The city health officials reported cases of bed bug infestations in D.C. department buildings and government offices. Savoy Elementary school in Washington DC reported several cases of bed bugs and had to close the school for professional cleaning and treatment.

1. Baltimore

In 20016, the City of Baltimore received several accolades in different categories. The city was one of the best places for creativity and for viewing Christmas lights. It was also one of the hottest destinations in the US. However, the celebrations were short lived when the Orkin, a pest control company based in Atlanta released the list of the Top 50 Bed Bugs. For the first time, Baltimore topped the list and also featured in the top five for the first time in six years.
A mainland man attempted to commit suicide in front of a usury group inside a public restaurant earlier this month, the Judiciary Police (PJ) revealed yesterday in a police press conference.

The origin of this case dates back to the night of July 17, when the victim met the suspects  two mainland men, one of whom is surnamed Hong  in a casino located in the Zona de Aterros do Porto Exterior (ZAPE).

The victim borrowed HKD500,000 from the two suspects on the condition that the pair would collect 30 percent of the mans gambling winnings from every single play.

At 7 a.m. on July 18, the victim lost the whole sum that he had borrowed. This notwithstanding, during the victims gambling activities, the two usurers obtained a total of HKD500,000 from the mans plays.

On the afternoon of July 20, the two suspects took the victim and one of his friends to a restaurant where the pair of suspects asked the man to pay back all the money he had borrowed, before leaving the restaurant.

In an attempt to commit suicide, the victim then swallowed a large number of sleeping bills while the two suspects were not paying attention. They left the scene immediately upon finding out that the man had tried to kill himself and that his friend had already called the police.

The victim was then sent to the Centro Hospitalar Conde de Sao Januario (CHCSJ), where he was treated before leaving the hospital on the next day.

The suspect surnamed Hong was arrested last Friday morning, when he was crossing the Lotus border gate to Macau.

The second suspect is still at large.

Woman forced to pay huge interest rate

A mainland woman paid HKD80,000 for HKD10,000 she had borrowed from a usury group.

The woman met another person from the mainland, who she considered a friend, in mainland China in March of this year where the two agreed to come to Macau.

The woman and her friend eventually met another person, surnamed Yang, in a casino located in ZAPE, where they jointly borrowed HKD20,000 from Yang.

The woman and her friend separated the money into two HKD10,000 parcels and went gambling.

After losing all the money they had borrowed, the woman and her friend each paid HKD80,000 to Yang for the HKD20,000 Yang had lent them earlier.

Upon paying the HKD80,000 to Yang, the woman reported this to the Macaus police authority, claiming that she believes that her friend conspired against her and cooperated with the usury group.

Yang was arrested last Saturday while crossing a checkpoint in Macau. Yang refused to cooperate with the investigation conducted by the local polices authority.

According to the PJ, the bureau has sufficient evidence to charge Yang, who has been forwarded to the prosecution authority.
5. Early Life

Saparmurat Niyazov was born on February 19, 1940. His father is believed to have died while fighting the Nazis in World War II. His mother was called Gurbansoltan Eje. She is said to have been a member of a cult of personality. Niyazov was brought up in a Soviet orphanage and later put in the custody of a distant relative. He finished school in 1959 after which he became an instructor in the Turkmen trade-union exploratory committee. He then went to study electrical engineering at Leningrad Polytechnic Institute in 1967. He graduated with a diploma in electric engineering and proceeded on to further his studies in Russia. It seems like he did not complete his studies as he was expelled a few years later due to academic failure.

4. Career

Niyazovs political career started in 1962 when he joined the Communist Party. In 1985 he became the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR. This position was equivalent to that of the president. Niyazov supported the 1991 Soviet coup attempt which failed. He later persisted on trying to find ways of separating Turkmenistan from the Soviet Union rule. Consequently, Turkmenistan was declared independent in 1991 and Niyazov became the first president. He went on to be the first popularly elected president in Turkmenistan in June, 1992. In December, 1999, Niyazov was declared President for Life by the parliament. Niyazov served as president from 1991 to 2006 when he died.

3. Major Contributions

The first major contribution of Niyazov is that under his leadership, the government invested heavily in oil, plants, and machinery. The pipeline running from Korpedje field to Kortkoi in Iran was completed during his regime. Consequently, Turkmenistan became the second-largest oil reserve in the former Soviet Union. Niyazovs second achievement as president was free access to water, gas, and electricity by the Turkmenistani since 1991. Thirdly, a textile industry was founded in Turkmenistan during his presidency. Niyazov also founded National Revival Movement whose aim was to promote the Turkmen culture.

2. Challenges

During Niyazovs presidency, there was an alleged attempted assassination. This led to the arrest of thousands of suspects and their family members. The attempted assassination came at the height of both domestic and foreign political opposition to Niyazovs rule. The foreign media accused him of being a totalitarian dictator. Furthermore, Global Witness, an international NGO, accused Niyazov of amassing personal wealth to the tune of US$3 billion.

1. Death and Legacy

Niyazov died of a heart attack on December 21, 2006. His death was confirmed by the Turkmen Embassy in Moscow and he was greatly mourned by the ordinary citizens. He was then succeeded by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow as president. Some of Niyazovs legacy includes banning smoking in all public places in 1997. He also introduced a Latin-based Turkmen alphabet used in Turkmenistan today. Niyazov is also responsible for ordering the construction of the palace of ice situated near Turkmen State Medical University. With regards to foreign affairs, Niyazov promoted a strictly neutral foreign policy. As a result, Turkmenistan avoided membership in NATO or GUAM. The country has never engaged in any UN peacekeeping missions in as much as it is a member of Interpol. Most importantly, President Niyazov ensured that Turkmenistan had a strong, well developed economy.
Flags, Symbols, & Currencies of Japan

The national flag of Japan was adopted on January 26, 1870, and officially recognized on August 13, 1999, following the passage of the Act of National Flag and Anthem. The flag is officially named the Nisshoki, which means the sun-mark flag. This name refers to its appearance, which is a crimson circle set on a white background. A proper Japanese flag must have a height to length ratio of 2 to 3. Additionally, the circle must be placed precisely in the center of the white field and measure three-fifths of the length of the flag. The largest Japanese flag on record is located in the Shimane Prefecture, where it flies outside of the Izumo Shrine. Its measurements are 44.6 feet by 29.5 feet and is hung at an elevation of 154 feet. Symbolism The Japanese flag represents the sun, which has important religious and mythological significance in the country. Local beliefs suggest that Amaterasu, the sun goddess, is a direct ancestor of the Emperors of Japan. This relation between the sun goddess and the Emperor give legitimacy to those in power. In fact, the Emperor is often referred to as the Son of the Sun, and the country is often referred to as the Land of the Rising Sun. According to historical accounts, the first sun-themed flag was used in 701 AD, during the reign of Emperor Monmu. The use of this sun symbolism has continued throughout the history of Japan. Emperor Go-Reizei is said to have given the Unpo-ji Temple a sun flag during the 1000s, and during the 1800s the Japanese Empire began utilizing this sun-motif on its naval and merchant ships. The centered sun symbol (called Hinomaru) has been an important part of Japan's flag for thousands of years and is said to represent a prosperous future for Japan. The white background color symbolizes the purity, honesty, and integrity of the people of Japan. Use of the National Flag of Japan Previously, the citizens of Japan were required to display the national flag during holidays and other special celebrations. However, this has not been a requirement since the end of World War II. Additionally, the people here were once obligated to present the flag to the Emperor when he came near. The Japanese flag has long been used to invoke a nationalist and patriotic feeling. During World War II, for example, family and friends of military members would sign a flag and present it to soldiers before deployment. This tradition is still carried out today, but for athletes prior to important games. Most flags displayed in Japan can now be found on the outside of government buildings. Some individuals choose to display the flag during holidays and other celebrations. History of the Flag The origin of the national flag of Japan is unclear, but the sun at the center was a common symbol with meaning in the 7th century. In 607, a correspondence with the phrase "from the Emperor of the rising sun was sent to Emperor Yang (Chinese emperor). Japan has also been nicknamed "the land of the rising sun." Sun-shaped flags first appeared during the imperial rule in the 645. Some sources indicate that a flag with golden flag, known as flag of "Nissho" was first raised in 701 during New Year Day celebration. Other sources credit a Buddhist priest called Nichiren with the invention of the current flag in the 13th century during Japan's invasion by the Mongolians. However, the Hinomaru flag became more prominent in 1854 when it was a requirement for the Japanese vessels to hoist the flag to distinguish them from other vessels.

Symbols of Japan

Imperial Seal of Japan The Imperial Seal of Japan, also known as the Chrysanthemum Seal, is a crest used by the members of the Japanese Imperial family. It is an orange or yellow chrysanthemum with red or black outlines, with 16 fron petals surrounding a center disk and 16 rear petals half staggered and only visible at the flower's edge. The Japanese government, such as the prime minister, uses the Paulownia Seal.

National Anthem Anthem Title: Kimigayo (His Imperial Majesty's Reign)

Music composer: Yoshiisa Oku and Akimori Hayashi.

Lyricist: Waka Poem

Date of Adoption:1880 The Japanese national anthem, "Kimigayo," is one of the oldest and shortest of the world's national anthems. The original lyrics contain only 32 characters and were borrowed from waka poem, whose auther is still unknown. The waka poem dates back to the Heian Period (794-1185). The current melody was adopted in 1880, replacing the old melody com[osed by John William Fenton in 1869. The new melody was composed by Yoshiisa Oku and Akimori Hayashi. Kimigayo was the national anthem of the Empire of Japan from 1888 to 1845 and continued to be the anthem for the state of Japan formed after the Empire's dissolution at the end of World War II. It was finally recognized as the national and imperial anthem of Japan in 1999 following the adoption of the Act of National Flag and Anthem. Although Kim is a noun for "one's ruler" or "emperor," it debatable as to whether Kim in Kimigayo was originally used to refer to an emperor. The song was a popular festive song among the Samurais and a new year festive song among the people who lived in the later part of the Edo Period. However, during the Imperial Japan, people understood Kimigayo as long reign of the emperor. Kimigayo Kimigayo wa Chiyo ni yachiyo ni Sazare-ishi no Iwao to narite Koke no musu made His Imperial Majesty's Reign May your reign Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations, Until the tiny pebbles Grow into massive boulders Lush with moss

The Currency of Japan is the Japanese yen

The currency of Japan is the Japanese Yen, normally symbolized by . Yen is derived from the Japanese word "Yen" which means "round object" or "circle". The currency code for the Japanese Yen is JPY. The Osaka Mint Bureau is responsible for the minting, control, and circulation of the Japanese currency. Japanese Yen is the most heavily traded currency in Asia and among the most traded currencies in the worlds foreign exchange markets. This is attributed to the currencys relatively low-interest rates compared to other currencies like the Australian dollar and the US dollar. Banknotes and Denominations One Japanese Yen can be sub-divided into 100 Sen. The Japanese Yen coins are in denominations of 500, 100, 50, 5, and 1. The coins feature images such as flowers, temples, trees, and rice. They are made of nickel, cupro-nickel, bronze, aluminium, and brass except for the one yen coin which is entirely made of aluminum which enables it to float on water. Banknotes are in denominations of 1,000, 10,000, and 5,000. The 2,000 banknote exists but is rarely used by the public. Banknotes feature images of Mount Fuji, flowers, and animals such as mice, chicken, horses, and lions. These features have made the Japanese bank notes the worlds most difficult bill to counterfeit. Japanese yen Exchange Rate The dollar to yen currency exchange rate usually sits somewhere around 1 US dollar per = 99.3774 Japanese Yen. For travelers, it is crucial to know that currency exchange in Japan can be done at the airport, post office, or an authorized foreign exchange bank. Cash is more acceptable than plastic money. However, this may change in the future due to globalization.

Japanese yen Banknote Japanese 10000 yen Banknote Japanese yen Coin Japanese 100 yen coin
Nestled in Central Kentucky's Bluegrass region is Frankfort, the capital city of the US State of Commonwealth of Kentucky. Being the halfway point between Louisville and Lexington, Frankfort is a popular destination for a stopover. One must come and see the historic buildings that makeup Frankfort from the Kentucky State Capitol, Governor's Mansion, and even Daniel Boons Grave. Walk along the Kentucky River at Kentucky View Park or snap some photos of the jaw-dropping Cove Spring Park. With three distilleries in town, be sure to sample some of that fine Kentucky Bourbon. Frankfort has a lot to offer for everyone!

Geography And Climate Of Frankfort

Frankfort, Kentucky, town skyline on the Kentucky River at dusk.

Frankfort rests in Franklin County and is divided east and west by the 263-mile-long Kentucky River. Other nearby cities include Lexington, about 25 miles southeast; Lawrenceburg, about 15 miles south; Shelbyville, about 20 miles west and Williamstown, about 50 miles north. As for day trips, the Kentucky Horse Park is about 20 miles east, Mammoth Cave National Park is about 130 miles southwest, Bowling Green is about 150 miles southwest, Daniel Boone National Forest is about 120 miles south, and Indianapolis is 165 miles northwest.

According to the Koppen Climate Classification, Frankfort has a humid continental climate. It experiences summers that are warm and humid and winters that are freezing and wet. July is the warmest month that sees a high of 86.6 F and January is the coldest month that sees a low of 23.1 F. Of the 110.3 days that produce precipitation, there is an annual rainfall of 46.4 inches and snowfall of 8.2 inches. On average, 188 days comprise a UV index of 4.3.

History Of Frankfort

Old State Capitol, Frankfort, Kentucky. Image Credit: Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons

It is speculated that the name Frankfort came when Native Americans attacked European settlers. One of the colonists, Stephen Frank, was killed at the Kentucky River, and hereafter the area was referred to as "Frank's Ford" but, over time, suppressed to Frankfort. Jame Wilkinson purchased a large plot of land along the Kentucky River in 1786 and was an early contender for a state capital. Frankfort was one of many communities that competed for the designation of capital, and in 1792 five commissioners approved Frankfort for the honor. John Brown, an influential figure of Frankfort and Kentucky statehood, built Liberty Hall in 1796. After he became a US Senator, funds were given to make the Old Governor's Mansion, which is still in use today.

During the American Civil War, Fort Sill was constructed by the Union Army. The Confederate Army very briefly took it over, but it was short-lived as the Union reclaimed it. However, Frankfort is no stranger to political misfortunes. In 1900, William Goebel was assassinated when he tried to detest the results after losing as governor. Jumping forward to the 1960s, the economy and population boomed, which remained relatively consistent as of the present day.

The Population And Economy Of Frankfort

The latest US Census reported that Frankfort had a population of 28,602 residents. Expanding over 39.03 sq. km, the city has a population density of 747.67 people per sq. km. Frankfort has a median household income of $63117, while 17.93%of the population lives below the poverty line. As for the cultural or racial background: 74.11% were identified as white, 14.88% were African American, 4.70% were two or more races, 3.73% were of another race, 2.44% were Asian, and 0.13% were Native American.

Of the 13,300 employed in Frankfort, 2,518 worked in Public Administration, 1,379 worked in healthcare and social assistance, and 1,304 worked in manufacturing. The top-earning jobs include professional, scientific, and technical services, which made $56,607; utilities which made $54,118; and public administration, which made $43,409.

Attractions In And Around Frankfort

Kentucky State Capitol

Capitol Building in Frankfort, Kentucky.

The Kentucky State Capitol will leave the photographers and history buffs grinning ear to ear. One must explore the dome, rotunda, and picturesque main corridor and grounds. The guided tours will help one to learn about the significance of this building to all three branches of government.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Editorial credit: Irina Mos / Shutterstock.com

Really, no trip to the Bluegrass State would be complete without the mention of bourbon in some capacity. Queue in one of Frankforts finest offerings, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Partake in a historic walking tour and see the old neighborhoods. Or hop on board the Bourbon Boat and see the influence of the Kentucky River and its significance in the development of Frankfort. But above all, sample bourbon from Buffalo Trace Distillery, Castle and Key Distillery, Glenns Creek Distilling, and Three Boys Farm Distilling. Do not forget to check out the Rebecca Ruth Candy Tours and Museum.

Daniel Boone's Grave

Grave site of pioneer Daniel Boone and his wife at Frankfort Cemetery. Image Credit: Kaplansa, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Daniel Boone was an important influence in the earlier days of Kentucky. He was an early explorer and frontiersman who pushed passed the 13 colonies into the Native American hunting grounds of Kentucky today. Furthermore, he marked the Wilderness Road passed the Cumberland Gap and into Kentucky, where he founded Boonesborough. As a result, 200,000 had made the trek to Kentucky to settle by the 18th century.Take a tour and see the final resting place of Daniel Boone, a pride of Frankfort. The site is stunning, with a hillside that overlooks Frankfort below, and it is a very underrated attraction in Frankfort.

Frankfort is a moderate-sized city chock-full of history, from significant figures to walkable neighborhoods full of 18th and 19th-century architecture. This city is the image of what many imagine Kentucky to be, from the domed capitol building to the Kentucky bluegrass and, yes, even the bourbon. Everyone should come and see this magnificent city and capital of Kentucky at least once in a lifetime!
Antigua and Barbuda is a Caribbean island nation that has a population of around 91,295. These islands were originally inhabited by indigenous peoples, including the Arawak and the Carib, until the 17th century when British colonizers arrived. During this colonized period, English became the language of government, business, and education. When Antigua and Barbados gained its independence in 1981, it remained part of the Commonwealth of Nations and English remained its official language.

Antigua and Barbuda Creole English

As many of the residents in this country are descendants of African slaves, the common English spoken in this country has been influenced by African words and phrases. In fact, linguists consider the dialect spoken on these islands to be a type of Creole English, also known as Broken English, Leeward Caribbean Creole, and Patwa.

This dialect is spoken throughout the Leeward islands of the Caribbean and has around 150,000 native speakers. Speakers may choose to only speak in this creole variant or may switch between creole and Standard English mid-sentence. The use of Standard English is typically related to the socioeconomic status of the speaker. Those individuals of higher socioeconomic backgrounds have likely been educated in the formal school system and are more familiar with the grammar of the English language. Linguists believe Leeward Caribbean Creole first developed when African slaves attempted to imitate the language of their owners. Today, speakers may use words from British or American English in everyday communication. Additionally, with the increase of immigrants, this creole language is slowly being influenced by Guyanese Creole, Trinidadian Creole, Jamaican Creole, and Bajan Creole.

Immigrant Languages in Antigua and Barbuda

The most widely spoken immigrant language in Antigua and Barbuda is Spanish. Most Spanish speakers today are originally from the Dominican Republic and began coming to the country after 1981. Immigration records indicate that at least 1,200 Dominican Republicans are living in Antigua and Barbuda. Other records indicate that this population may be anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 if undocumented individuals are included. Evidence of their permanent presence in this country can be seen in Spanish-language signs throughout urban areas, as well as the increased number of Spanish-speaking churches. In response to this large population of Spanish speakers, the government has implemented some public services in this immigrant language. One example of this is the warnings and advisories issued by the National Office of Disaster Services. In 2001, the Ministry of Education also responded by implementing a Spanish language program in public schools that have a high percentage of Hispanic students.

A very small percentage of the population reports having a Portuguese ethnic identity. Most Portuguese immigrants began arriving in these islands in the mid-19th century. These individuals became involved in importing goods to sell throughout the islands and eventually became known as retailers. Today, research indicates a population size of approximately 1,200 Portuguese speakers live in Antigua and Barbuda.

Additionally, North Levantine Arabic is considered another immigrant language of Antigua and Barbuda. This language came with the arrival of immigrants from the Middle East during the 20th century. Today, approximately 400 individuals in the country speak North Levantine Arabic.
Official Languages of Chad

Chad is located in Central Africa and shares borders with Niger, Cameroon, Libya, Nigeria, and Sudan. It has a population of approximately 13.67 million. The country's population and culture have been influenced by indigenous inhabitants, Muslim empires, and French colonialism. These influence are reflected in the languages spoken here today.

The government of Chad recognizes French and Arabic as the country's two official languages. From 1900 until 1960, Chad was a French colony and all public services were carried out in the French language. This use of the language continues today. French is the language of both government and education. In fact, a larger percentage of the population in Chad speaks French than Arabic. Around 2 million individuals report French as their second language. Arabic is concentrated in the northern part of the country, where it is used in daily communication and by radio broadcasts.

The Lingua Franca of Chad

The lingua franca of Chad is a local dialect of Arabic, called Chadian Arabic. Over 1 million individuals consider this dialect their native language. The majority of native Chadian Arabic speakers (around 12% of the total population) are concentrated in the southern region of this country. In total, between 40 and 60% of the population of the country is fluent in this dialect. In fact, Chadian Arabic is the primary language of the capital of Chad, NDjamena. Additionally, the residents and business people of the cities of Am Timan, Mao, and Abeche use Chadian Arabic as the principal means of communication.

This dialect is believed to have originated among livestock herders during the 17th century, when the population of Arabic speakers grew within the historic nomadic territories of the region. By the early 20th century, some linguist scholars had published grammar rule books for the local dialects throughout Chad and neighboring countries, noting that the same dialect was used in several locations.

Indigenous Languages of Chad

Linguists report over 120 indigenous languages in Chad. These tongues are divided into three large language families: Afro-Asiatic, Niger-Congo, and Nilo-Saharan. The Afro-Asiatic language family is further divided into the following subgroups: Semitic languages (Chadian Arabic, for example) and Chadic languages. The Niger-Congo language family is made up of the Adamawa subgroup, which consists of 5 specific tongues. The Nilo-Saharan language family is further divided into the following subgroups: Saharan, Bongo-Bagirmi, Fur, Eastern Sudanic, Maban, and Sinyar. Each of these subgroups consists of several specific languages.

Of these indigenous languages, Sar (also known as Sara) is the most widely spoken. It belongs to the Bongo-Bagirmi language subgroup, which is made up of around 40 different languages. Approximately 183,471 individuals speak Sar as their native tongue. These native speakers belong to the Kirdi ethnic group, also referred to as Sara people. These people represent the largest ethnicity in Chad and are concentrated in the southern region of this country. Ngambay is the most widely spoken dialect of the Sar language and is used in the southern city of Sarh as the language of daily communication and business transactions.
The Republic of the Congo is located in Central Africa, bordering Gabon, Cameroon, Central Africa, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country is sparsely populated, with the majority of the people living in the southwestern portion of the country. The vast northern area is a tropical jungle, virtually uninhabited. Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, as about 70% of the countrys population lives in urban areas, including the capital, Brazzaville. The population of Congo is ethnically and linguistically diverse, with 62 languages divided into three groups.

Official Language of the Republic of the Congo

French is the official language of the Congo, while Kituba and Lingala are the country's national languages. About 30% of the Congolese population can fluently speak French. French is widely spoken in the European community and among African elites. However, the African elites rarely speak French in their homes. The majority of the French speakers in Congo (88%) live in the urban area of Brazzaville. French is used as the medium of instruction in schools and other educational facilities throughout the country. It is also taught as a subject as part of the school curriculum. French is also used as the language of communication by the government, as the government is patterned by the French system. While French remains highly prestigious, it appears that ethnic and trade languages of the country have a wider use than French.

Ethnic Languages

Kituba

Almost every ethnic and sub-ethnic group in Congo has retained their traditional languages. The largest ethnic language in the Republic of the Congo is Kituba. Kituba is mainly spoken as a primary language in the southern half of the country, in regions such as Kouilou, Niari, Pool, and Brazzaville. It is also a national language and is spoken by over 50.35% of the Congolese population. It is a language of regional administration and elementary education in some schools in these regions.

Lingala

Lingala is mainly spoken in the northern and eastern regions of the Congo. It was especially used as a means of communication between the European settlers and the African community living in the country. It is widely used in trade, administration, and educational training. The tone and structure of Lingala language spoken in the country exhibit a Bantu influence. It is based on some of the local languages including Bangi, Mango, and Losengo. The Lingala language spoken in Congo is divided into several dialects and variations. These include standard Lingala, which is used in educational and news broadcasting, and spoken Lingala, used in everyday activities. Lingala is considered the fastest growing language in the Republic of the Congo, with the majority of the ethnic groups choosing it as a second language.

Minority Languages

There are about 60 other distinct minor languages spoken in Congo. Some of the notable minor languages in the country include the Kiteke language, spoken mainly by the Bateke people. The Batekes accounts for about 18% of the Congos population, and mostly inhabit the Plateau Department. Kiteke belongs to the Bantu language family. Other languages include Akwa, Beembe, Koongo, Likuba, and Baganda. There are over 100 ethnic groups in Congo,and nearly every ethnic group speaks a language of their own.
The European Union says it is concerned about the future of democracy in Venezuela after the widely-criticized vote to elect a powerful constitutional assembly.

European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said yesterday that such an assembly elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances cannot be part of the solution.

Andreeva said the weekend poll, held amid protests in which 10 people were killed, has increased division and will further de-legitimize Venezuelas democratically elected institutions.

She said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is working on a joint response to developments from the 28-nation bloc but would not be drawn on whether that might involve sanctions.

Venezuelas National Electoral Council says more than 8 million people voted to grant President Nicolas Maduros ruling socialist party virtually unlimited powers with a constitutional assembly  a turnout more than double the estimates of both the governments political opponents and independent experts.

Council president Tibisay Lucena announced just before midnight that turnout in Sundays vote was 41.53 percent, or 8,089,320 people.

The count was met with mockery and anger from members of the opposition, who said they believed between 2 million and 3 million people voted. One well-respected independent analysis said 3.6 million appeared to have voted.

The electoral councils vote counts in the past have traditionally been seen as reliable and generally accurate, but Sundays announcement appeared certain to escalate the polarization and political conflict paralyzing the country.

The U.S. State Department is officially condemning Venezuela government for holding a vote to elect a powerful National Constituent Assembly, calling it a step toward authoritarian rule.

The new assembly would concentrate near-total power in the hands of socialist President Maduro and his supporters. In a statement released yesterday [Macau time], the State Department says the new body seems designed to undermine the Venezuelan peoples right to self-determination.

The U.S. had already joined Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Panama in saying it would not recognize the vote results. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tweeted that earlier that the vote was a sham election which takes Venezuela another step toward dictatorship.

The State Department says Washington will continue to take strong and swift actions against the architects of authoritarianism in Venezuela. MDT/AP
Yesterday, the Third- Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL) concluded its article-by-article analysis on the governments proposal to amend the citys rental laws. The AL president, Ho Iat Seng, said that the bill will be discussed in the AL plenary later this month.

The amendment of the citys rental bill mandates the extension by an additional year of the citys current minimum of two-year rental contracts. It also proposes a rental control mechanism, a rate based on a coefficient set by the Chief Executive according to factors like the consumer price index and housing market conditions.

The agreement was signed after the Third-Committee meeting yesterday, where the amendment was under discussion. It will now be forwarded to the wider legislature for its second reading, with Ho Iat Seng hopeful it can be approved before this assemblys term comes to an end on August 15.

Ho said yesterday that it was a good thing that the committee could sign the agreement and that it now awaits its final discussion in the AL.

The controversial bill has come under fire by real estate associations, which claim that the bill unfairly advantages tenants at the expense of owners. They have called for the government to reconsider the proposed law.

Other concerns centered on the capacity of public notary offices in Macau to service a rise in demand if, as the bill decrees, all contracts will need to be signed with an official witness.

According to public broadcaster TDM, Cheang Chi Keong, the head of the Legislative Assembly panel, said yesterday that some 57 private notaries in the city can also fulfill this requirement.
Coleg Cambria Plays Host to Prestigious Competition

This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Aug 1st, 2017

Learners from across the UK recently competed at Coleg Cambria for a place in the prestigious Worldskills UK final due to take place this autumn.

The colleges Deeside Campus played host to the regional finals, which saw students across a range of different beauty therapy competitions go head to head in rounds including media body, nail technologies, fashion and photographic, beauty body and beauty hands.

Held over two days, only the top eight highest scorers in the country will reach the overall final at the NEC in Birmingham in November.

Coleg Cambria students achieved half of the possible places.

Some of the winners include, Emily Watson, 19 from Mold, who was placed 1st in the Beauty Therapy Body competition which entailed giving a facial including evening makeup, red nail polish application to toes, French nail polish application to fingers.

Also achieving 1st place was Karolina WitKowska, 24 from Wrexham who competed in the Beauty Therapy Hands and Face. During the competition she had to perform a range of treatments that demonstrate their skills to a high standard that included facial, make up, manicure and nail art.

Other winners during the two-day competition included Stacy Oldfield, Marilyn Lowrie, Jade MaGarret, Sophie Quirk, Collette Morrison, Sian Ellis and Aleksandra Mazur.

Charlie Smith and Emma Bailey have also recently competed at the UK Hairdressing regional finals held in Manchester where they secured first and second place. Learners from all competitions now face a nervous wait to see if they have qualified in the top 8 to compete in the finals to be held at the NEC in November.

Coleg Cambrias Deputy Director in Hair & Beauty, Julie Guzzo said: It was a pleasure for Coleg Cambria to be able to host this prestigious competition and welcome others from throughout the UK.

The students from the college who competed did extremely well and we are very proud of everybody who took part.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded the United States cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755 people, underlining his displeasure with U.S. sanctions and heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow.

The U.S. State Department called Putins move a regrettable and uncalled-for act.

Putins announcement yesterday [Macau time] came three days after the U.S. Congress approved sanctions against Russia and just hours after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence landed in Estonia, which borders Russia, for talks with the country that holds the rotating European Union presidency.

Russians Foreign Ministry last week ordered a reduction by Sept. 1 in U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia to 455 people in response to a new package of American sanctions. The White House says President Donald Trump will sign those sanctions into law.

The sanctions, which also target Iran and North Korea, seek to punish Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and for its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria.

We had hoped that the situation will somehow change, but apparently if it changes, it wont be soon, Putin told Rossiya 1, explaining why Moscow decided to retaliate. I thought it was the time to show that were not going to leave it without an answer.

Russia is open to cooperating with the U.S. on various issues, including terrorism and cybercrime, but instead it only hears unfounded accusations of meddling in U.S. domestic affairs, he said.

Putin said more than 1,000 people are currently employed at the Moscow embassy and three U.S. consulates in Russia. They include both Americans and Russians hired to work in the diplomatic offices.

The Russian leader did not explain how the figure of 755 positions was calculated.

In a statement, the State Department said: This is a regrettable and uncalled-for act. We are assessing the impact of such a limitation and how we will respond to it. We have no further comment at this time.

The State Department declined to give an exact number of American diplomats or other U.S. officials in Russia, but the figure is believed to be about 400, some of whom have families accompanying them on diplomatic passports.

The vast majority of the more than 1,000 employees at the various U.S. diplomatic missions in Russia, including the embassy in Moscow and consulates in St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and Yekaterinburg, are local employees.

Asked about the potential for additional sanctions against Washington, Putin described the reduction in diplomatic staff as painful and said he currently opposes further measures.

We certainly have something to respond with and restrict those areas of joint cooperation that will be painful for the American side, but I dont think we need to do it, he said, adding that such steps could also harm Russian interests.

Putin mentioned space and energy as the main areas where Russia and the United States have successfully pursued projects together.

Along with the cap on the size of the U.S. diplomatic corps in Russia, the Russian foreign ministry on Friday said it also was closing down a U.S. recreational retreat on the outskirts of Moscow as well as warehouse facilities.

The diplomatic tit-for-tat started under former U.S. President Barack Obama. In response to reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian recreational retreats in the U.S. Nataliya Vasilyeva, Moscow , AP
Most people on earth have very difficult lives. Many face deprivation and even starvation. International capital in crisis has set about reorganizing social life to such an extreme degree of inequality and political instability that authoritarian forms of rule threaten to find a home not only in former colonial countries, but also in the erstwhile democratic centers of imperialism, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan and Australia.

In many places, the water is poisoned, schools are crumbling, apartment complexes go up in flames. War ravages country after country, region after region. Pensions, healthcare and social welfare evaporate at the hands of the authorities. The old organizations, trade unions, etc., do not lift a fingeron the contrary, they help preside over the general immiseration.

Artistic expression is perhaps beginning to catch up. A case in point is the recent version of Ibsens classic Enemy of the People adapted with the Flint water poisoning in mind. On television, Hulus new series The Handmaids Tale, based on the 1985 novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood (also made into a film released in 1990, with Natasha Richardson and directed by Volker Schlondorff), has received 13 Emmy nominations and stands out in several regards.

First, the program offers a palpable, realistic view of a theocratic dictatorship in the United States, set in the present. A Christian fundamentalist regime known as the Gilead has come to power through terror plots and suspensions of the constitution, always promised to be temporary.

The political group behind the Gilead is called the Sons of Jacob. From the background story of the protagonists paramour, Nick (Max Minghella), we learn that the Sons came to prominence in a time of high unemployment. His own family came from Michigan and never recovered from the closure of a steel mill. It is implied that the Sons of Jacob take advantage of economic decline to win followers, some of whom, like Nick, have few other prospects.

Dissidents, particularly women, flee to Canada. Fertile women are rare due to environmental degradation, and the Gilead rounds them up, forcing them to bear children for the elite officers of the regime in a highly ritualized, religiously sanctioned form of procreative concubinage.

The so-called handmaidsbased on a Bible passage where a handmaid of Jacobs barren wife, Rachel, bears children for the pairundergo extensive brainwashing and torture that seems consciously depicted to evoke the repressive environment of a Catholic school. A pompous nun figure named Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) breaks the womens spirits with cattle prods, even mutilation.

In the background, rifle-wielding soldiers are ever-present, the noise of radio chatter among them providing an eerie tone. People address one another in a Biblical (or 17th century New England) manner of speaking. Public hangings are normal, as are mass burnings of corpses.

The protagonist of The Handmaids Tale (the title is meant to bring Chaucer to mind) is herself a handmaid, Offred, formerly June, played with great skill by Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men). One particularly striking scene involves June being interrogated and shocked with a cattle prod inside her masters home (he is known as the Commander) about a fellow handmaid's homosexuality. The Commanders wife, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski), bursts into the room, telling the interrogators that June is pregnant, not to hurt her, and one of them replies, with utter sincerity, Congratulations on your miracle, as June quivers on the floor.

To the shows credit, much of this has a tangible realism to it. Scenes that depict the protagonist before and during the Gileads creation ring true. The phases of its conquestthe regime freezes womens bank accounts, then forbids them from working and eventually guns down protestersecho the process by which Adolf Hitlers Nazi party implemented its murderous treatment of Jews and other minorities.

Second, and this strengthens the first point about realism, the Gilead is riddled with contradictions. Unlike George Orwells Oceania (in Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949), with its inescapable regime of perfected domination, able to crush anyones spirit, the Gilead dictatorship stumbles from one crisis to another. Infighting among the officer caste breeds mistrust bordering on paralysis (one high-level officer has a hand sawed off as a punishment for illicit sexual acts with his handmaid).

The handmaids build a resistance movement with an elan reflecting a high level of consciousness about their critical role in society. Over the course of Season One, June develops from a pot-smoking college party kid, into a young professional, a dissident fleeing with her husband and daughter, a handmaid who again tries to flee, and finally, into a key node in a resistance network, as well as a visible symbol of defiance for the other handmaids.

Every step, every hindrance, every misstep, is believable and lifelike. She learns how to manipulate the Commander with whom she is forced to breed. She draws strength from an etching left on her closet wall by a prior handmaid that reads, Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum, a jocular corruption of the mock-Latin phrase, Illegitimi non carborundum, or Dont let the bastards grind you down. She leaves her own encouragement, You are not alone.

As her fighting spirit develops, June challenges those around her to resist the Gilead regime, turning their indifference, escapism and self-seeking into conscious opposition. She encourages her old college friend, Moira (Samira Wiley, who played Poussey in Orange is the New Black), to abandon her life of prostitution and drug addiction and to take up the cause against the Gilead. Most dramatically, June intercedes to prevent the stoning of fellow handmaid Janine, convicted of endangering her baby.

This is the strongest and most commendable aspect of The Handmaids Tale. By and through this dynamic content numerous actors excel, including Joseph Fiennes, the hypocritical, cruel and lonely Commander; Strahovski as Serena Joy; Minghella as Nick, the Commanders driver and Junes paramour; and Madeleine Brewer (also from Orange is the New Black) as the delicate but defiant handmaid, Janine. Dowd plays the dreaded Aunt Lydia, overseer of the handmaids, with success.

Thankfully, Season One of Handmaids Taledoes not stew for the most part in Atwoods limited political outlook, a Canadian nationalism of liberal and anticommunist coloration. The novel expressed opposition to the so-called Reagan revolution, the rise of the Moral Majority and Christian fundamentalism in the United States. That period of reaction truly deserves serious analysis and artistic reflection at the highest level.

For Atwood, however, the Gilead flows more or less naturally from the 17th-century Puritan roots that have always lain beneath the modern-day America we thought we knew. The deeply progressive and revolutionary content of the American Revolution and subsequent Civil War to abolish slavery elude Atwood and so many in the intelligentsia.

The purported Puritanical roots of the American Revolution do not make it into the show. To a limited extent, Atwoods somewhat obsessive hostility to women mistreating one another, such as slut shaming, as she calls it, finds expression. More significant and more problematic artistically is Canadian nationalism. When Moira eventually escapes, her treatment at a refugee camp in Ontario is unrealistically humane. She receives food, clothing, a pre-paid cell phone, a prescription drug card and a few hundred dollars in cash, courtesy of Canada. A large maple leaf flag hangs in the background, taking up most of the shot. Canada is the haven for the rebels and resisters, according to Atwood.

In the end, this doesnt derail the series, but a deeper understanding of the social dynamic, including the fact that it is social class, not nationality or gender or religion, that divides humanity and drives the threat of dictatorship would only have strengthened it. To the extent that Season Two fails to take this central truth of the modern era into account, to that extent can one safely predict its limitations.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has banned the Islamist organisation Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), using his presidential power to issue a regulation in lieu of law, known as Perppu.

The presidential edict issue on July 19 allows the arbitrary side-stepping of the 2013 law on associations, which provides for the banning of organisations but sets out procedures and leaves the final decision to a court. The change gives state officials the power to summarily remove the legal status of organisations. The regulation will be presented to the national parliament in six months but takes immediate effect.

The coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, Wiranto, a former Suharto-era army general and close political ally of Widodo, announced the regulation on July 12. He said it allowed the government to remove the permit of any organisation allegedly opposed to state ideology of Pancasila and the countrys 1945 constitution.

Foreshadowing a wide crackdown on political dissent, Wiranto said there were numbers of organisations existing that were a threat to Indonesia. The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) is one immediately in the governments crosshairs. Wiranto added disingenuously that the new procedure is merely aimed at maintaining national unity and safeguarding the nations existence. It is not an arbitrary act of government.

Hizbut Tahrir is an Islamist movement founded in 1953 in Jerusalem. It has operated in Indonesia since at least the 1980s.

It played a role in the Islamist campaign directed against the Widodo government during the recent Jakarta gubernatorial election. Widodos supporter and protege Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was ousted from his post as governor and jailed in May on frame-up blasphemy charges concocted originally by a number of right-wing Islamist groups.

HTI is based on a reactionary Pan-Islamist ideology that advocates a universal Muslim caliphate, an Islamic government and the imposition of Sharia law.

The organisation has not, however, been formally accused of or prosecuted for any criminal act. HTI is an easy target as it is banned in a number of European countries and by most Middle Eastern regimes. It is also opposed by Indonesias established Muslim parties and its banning has been endorsed by the countrys largest, Nahdlatul Ulama.

Any organisation deemed to be based on Marxist-Leninism is already prohibited, reflecting the fears of the entire ruling class of the emergence of a movement of the working class and rural poor. Working people were the real targets of the 1965 US-backed coup that toppled President Sukarno, installed the Suharto dictatorship regime and left at least 500,000 dead.

Last month Widodo ordered his ministers to pressure the parliaments lower house, the DPR, to restore a role for the countrys armed forces (TNI) in internal security and counter-terrorist measures. The DPR is revising the Eradication of Terrorism law.

Following the fall of the Suharto dictatorship, the National Police were removed from army control and given exclusive responsibility for domestic security. The TNI, notorious for murderous repression throughout the Suharto regime, were forced to step back, at least formally, from internal security operations.

The anti-democratic measures now being implemented by the Widodo administration reflect deep rifts and infighting in the countrys ruling elite in the lead up to the presidential and parliamentary elections due in 2019.

These divisions were exposed during the bitter conflict involved in the Jakarta election. Government opponents were able to mobilise hundreds of thousands to two anti-Basuki rallies in Jakarta in November and December. Arrests followed and twice this year Widodo has told the media he would clobber those who threatened national political stability, a term used by Suharto.

The Islamist groups allied with Widodos political enemies cynically exploited resentment over glaring social inequality and the association of both Basuki and Widodo with economic development that for decades has only benefited the rich.

The latest World Bank figures updated in April show 40 percent of the population is vulnerable to falling into poverty, while over 10 percent live below the Indonesian governments official poverty line of $US27 per month or 82 cents per day. One percent of the 250 million Indonesians own half of all national financial assets.

Widodos opponents include sections of the countrys political and financial elite, particularly associated with the Suharto regime and its corrupt system of patronage and economic protectionism. These layers deeply resent Widodos pro-market reforms that threaten their interests.

Widodos coalition represents sections of the ruling class, which were also spawned in the Suharto period, but are more oriented to foreign investors, seek to further open up the Indonesian economy and are critical of protectionist measures.

Suharto-era general Prabowo Subianto, Widodos opponent at the 2014 presidential election, has positioned himself as the leader of the governments opponents. His candidate, Anies Baswedan, won the Jakarta governorship.

Prabowo and Anies embraced the reactionary chauvinist campaign of the Islamic groups which included the FPI and the GNPF-MUI along with the HTI. They attacked Basuki, who is a Christian with a Chinese heritage, as unfit to rule over Muslims in a majority Muslim country.

The motives of the Islamist groups in exploiting the religious sentiments of the most oppressed layers have a class content. GNPF-MUI leader Bachtiar Nasir gave Reuters an interview in May in which he made clear the next target of his organisation would be ethnic Chinese and stopping the inflow of Chinese capital to Indonesia. He called for an affirmative action program for non-Chinese Indonesians.

The Islamist groups represent a layer of the ruling elite that was excluded from the largesse of the Suharto regime and now want to enhance their position at the expense of Indonesias ethnic Chinese minority. This meets up with the interests of those supporting Prabowo who resent ethnic Chinese, who while making up only five percent of the population, are strongly represented among business and financial interests.

The fear in ruling circles is that this infighting will open the way for a broader movement of workers and the rural poor that will threaten the interest of the capitalist class as a whole. That is what is driving the shedding of the democratic veneer of the post-Suharto period and the adoption of anti-democratic measures.
Newly released surveillance video shows two US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents encouraging a Mexican teenager to drink liquid methamphetamine at the US-Mexico border crossing in San Diego, California. After taking a total of four sips of the liquid at the behest of giggling border agents, the sophomore high school student died of a massive overdose. The video was only recently obtained by the media, despite the fact that the incident took place more than three years ago, on November 18, 2013.

Sixteen-year-old Cruz Marcelino Velazquez Acevedo was crossing the US-Mexico border at the San Ysidro port of entry when he was stopped and questioned by border agents. The agents found two bottled containers of an amber colored liquid which they suspected to be some form of liquid drug. The substance was later determined to be highly concentrated methamphetamine dissolved in liquid, with the contents of each bottle being 100 times stronger than a typical dose of methamphetamine.

The newly released video does not contain sound, but the interaction caught on camera between the two agents, Valerie Baird and Adrian Perallon, and Cruz, combined with court records, paints a very clear picture of the events.

In the opening scenes of the video, Baird pulls out two bottles from the boys bag. The officers later report that one was labeled as black tea and the other as lemonade. Velaquez, sweating and agitated from nerves, insisted to the officers that they contained just apple juice.

After exchanging words with her fellow agent, Baird places the larger bottle in front of the boy. She says something to Cruz during which she makes the universal gesture indicating he should drink the liquid, presumably to prove that it is not drugs. The boy obliges and takes his first sip at 7:04 pm. The other agent, Perallon, then motions for him to take another sip. Cruz then takes his second sip of the powerful drug. The footage shows the officers repeatedly exchanging smiles and laughing as the events unfold.

Baird gestures at Cruz to take a drink

This routine takes place twice more but this time with the other officer, Adrian Perallon, placing the bottle in front of Cruz and gesturing for him to drink. Cruz took a total of four swallows of the liquid meth. A few moments after the fourth swig, a drug-sniffing K-9 approaches the teenager and detects the drug.

At 7:38 p.m. Cruz is placed in handcuffs and escorted to the security office. Soon after ingesting the drug, Cruzs body temperature soared to 105 degrees Fahrenheit and his pulse reached a rate of 220 beats per minutes. Baird notices him sweating and motions for him to wipe his forehead. Surveillance video in the security office shows Cruz in visible distress, rocking and shaking while handcuffed. No medical help has been called for at this point.

Cruz continued sweating profusely. Clenching his fists and he begins to shout repeatedly Mi corazon! Mi corazon!, which translates to My heart! My heart! Cruz was experiencing all the typical signs of Methamphetamine overdose: increased heart rate, extreme rise in body temperature, and possibly a stroke.

Cruz, handcuffed and in custody, is unable to stand up straight

By the time paramedics arrived, Cruz could no longer stand on his own. Officers reported that his eyes were rolling and that he was thrashing so violently that they handcuffed the teenager to the guardrails. Cruz lost consciousness in the ambulance.

He was pronounced dead when they arrived at the hospital.

Thirty minutes elapsed between the time that Cruz took his first sip and when the officers decided to call for paramedics. The testimony from the two officers is contradictory, with Baird claiming that Pellaron had suggested that Cruz drink the liquid, saying that he does it all the time in other roles as CBP officer. Yet Pellaron stated under sworn testimony, I never asked him to [drink the liquid], he volunteered to, and I believe I gestured for him to go ahead.

Border agents have access to drug kits which allow them to safely test any substance they suspect to be illicit drugs. Neither officer bothered to retrieve any such field test kits. Instead they had the teenager test the substance on himself.

Baird explains that drug testing kits are readily available

In March, more than three years after his death, the Velasquez family was awarded $1 million after settling a wrongful death lawsuit against the US government and the two border officers. To this day no apology or any admission of wrongdoing has been issued. No punitive measure was ever brought against the officers and both remain employed by CBP in San Diego.

The familys lawyer, Eugene Iredale, told ABC News that the family believes Cruz was recruited as a drug mule, likely by members or associates of a drug cartel. Cases of people being paid to carry drugs across the border are quite common.

An immigrant recently deported by the US government told the WSWS that the cartels will target deportees who are dropped at bus stations just over the border. In these cases, the victims are beaten, tortured, and held for ransom before being turned into mules.

It is believed that this incident was Cruzs first experience carrying out such an operation, and that he was being paid a small sum of cash in return. Cruz clearly did not understand the potency or danger of the drugs he was carrying, or he presumably would not have agreed to drink the liquid. In all likelihood, the boy was convinced by drug smugglers that he would not be stopped, and was persuaded by the idea of earning money of his own. It is also very possible that he or his familys wellbeing was threatened if he did not agree to participate.

Cruz attended high school in Tijuana, Mexico, just over the US border. He worked, helping his grandmother run a small business that supported his family. Most days he looked after his younger sister, Reyna, who relied on him after their parents separated. He was kind of my dad, Reyna told reporters, because since I was little he always helped me with homework, teach me sports, and everything he could.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) obtained, through the Freedom of Information Act, files of 149 cases from 2011 to 2015 in which unaccompanied minors reported threats of, or actual physical abuse, including sexual abuse, by border officers. These cases, including the case of Cruz, took place under the Obama administration.

The vast immigration apparatus which has been built up over decades by both Republican and Democratic administrations has produced an army of border agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who, like the regular local police officers throughout the United States, torment and often kill poor and working class individuals with impunity on a regular basis.
Over the past week, the World Socialist Web Site has revealed that changes to Google's search algorithm aimed at censoring fake news have led the global traffic rankings of a broad range of left-wing, progressive, anti-war and democratic rights organizations to plummet.

World Socialist Web Site reporter Andre Damon spoke to RT America Monday about Google's censorship of political thought on the internet.

Andre Damon on RT America
Socialist Equality Party and International Youth and Students for Social Equality supporters in Sri Lanka have won significant support from Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) workers for the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) campaign to free the jailed Maruti Suzuki autoworkers in India. More than 25 workers signed the petition demanding the immediate release of framed-up Indian workers last week.

Four months ago, 13 workers at the Japanese-owned Maruti Suzuki car assembly plant in Manesar, in the northern Indian state of Haryana, were sentenced to life imprisonment on trumped-up murder charges. The decision was aimed at crushing all working-class opposition to low wages and sweatshop working conditions the Indian ruling elites have employed to attract foreign investors to the country. The state persecution of these workers was the outcome of a joint witch-hunt involving the Congress party, the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP), the company, police and judiciary.

The Katunayake FTZ, the oldest and largest free trade zone in Sri Lanka, currently employs about 40,000 workers who face similar working conditions to those in Indias Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt where Maruti Suzuki is located. Over the past decade, the number of permanent jobs in the trade zone has been reduced progressively and replaced by contract labor to secure super-profits for investors. The companies are driving up exploitation rates to match their global competitors.

In mid-2011, FTZ workers fought against state repression, which resulted in the police murder of 21-year-old worker Roshen Chanaka and the injury of more than 200 workers. The government of President Mahinda Rajapakse unleashed the police against the workers who struck and demonstrated to demand the withdrawal of the IMF-dictated pension reform. The results of an inquiry into the violence, prepared by a commission appointed by Rajapakse to contain anger and whitewash the role of the government, has just been made public after being suppressed by both Rajapakse government and current Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government.

SEP/IYSSE campaigners discussed the Maruti Suzuki frame-up and the significance of the ICFI campaign and the experience of FTZ workers struggle against state repression. Many workers responded enthusiastically, relating their own experiences of sweatshop working conditions.

Chamara, who works for a polytene bags factory, said, Exploitation is the same here. We have to work on Sunday also. Now very limited numbers of permanent workers are recruited. We [contract workers] are paid a totally insufficient wage after the man power company [labor contractor] deducts its payment from our checks. We are not allowed to form unions in our factory. But as you say I think we need to build a movement to fight for our rights. Maruti Suzuki workers also fought for that.

Explaining why rural youth come to work in free trade zones near Colombo, he said, I came from Galle [in southern Sri Lanka]. We were involved in paddy cultivation there and after the southern expressway was built our paddy fields were hit by frequent floods and it became difficult to continue cultivating them. Many rural youth like me had to give up their traditional occupations like farming and fishing and move to Colombo to find better jobs.

Jessy, a female Tamil worker from Batticaloa on the eastern coast of the island, explained, My husband went abroad seeking a better job opportunity a few months after we got married. After we had a baby I had to find a job at Katunayake FTZ to find more money for our needs. I had to leave my child with my parents and I am only able to visit them once a month. Our family has fallen apart because we have to struggle so hard to make a living. I know this is the situation of many workers all over the world. Im signing this petition because we should oppose this crime against poor workers like us.

Ruwan, from Rathnapura, about 100 km away from Katunayake, said, I came to FTZ just eight months ago with my wife. Before coming here I was doing odd jobs. Because our income was not enough we decided to come here.

He was very intereseted in signing the online petition demanding the release of the Maruti Suzuki workers. Im very happy to hear that the workers in India and all over the world see that workers from Sri Lanka support the fight to release Maruti Suzuki workers through your website. It will strengthen the unity of the workers. I have read about Lenin and how workers won power in Russia with his leadership. I agreed with your point that these kinds of campaigns will provide the start to such a movement.

Many Tamil workers, both from Hill Country plantation areas and war-torn northern and eastern provinces where successive governments waged a nearly three-decade long civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have recently moved to Katunayake FTZ. Working conditions on plantations have deteriorated badly, wages have stagnated or fallen and it is difficult to find traditional work after the devastation of war.

One young Tamil worker from a war-affected village in the east said, We were doing fishing before we ran away from our villages to save our lives during the war. But when we returned after the end of the war we realized we could no longer continue our jobs, as all our belongings had been destroyed.

Workers in the FTZ face hazardous conditions and many have been injured. Nadeesha, who was working in a glove manufacturing factory, got her hand stuck in a machine and was severely injured. The machine I was operating was damaged and I was not told about it. My hand was sandwiched between two hot plates for six seconds and was burnt badly. I wasnt paid a single rupee even though the company told us we were covered by insurance. I resigned and found another job.

She was very interested in the petition, saying, We must do something to create a better world for the workers. No authority or government will do that. We should help each other as workers. There must be more campaigns like this.

Another young female worker from Nikaweratiya, a remote area located 120 km away from Colombo, was severely injured when her hair was entangled in a washing machine at a textile factory. She said, My hair was pulled out by the roots with most of the skin on my skull and I was hospitalized for months. I have an occasional pain in my neck and head now but I have to keep working. She said the company tried to avoid paying her compensation because, they claimed, she wasnt wearing proper safety protection. Actually, we hadnt even been provided anything to protect us. Finally, I had to go to the court to get my compensation.

As you said, workers lead very bad lives. Whatever government rules the country it is not going to change. This campaign should be spread among thousands of workers, she said, as she signed the petition.
Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare (ACA) came to an end, at least temporarily, on Friday when the US Senate voted to reject the Health Care Freedom Act. The 49-51 vote to defeat the legislation was the third in as many days.

Three Republican senators voted against the measure: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John McCain of Arizona. McCain, who had made an unexpected return to Washington last Tuesday after a serious brain cancer diagnosis to cast the deciding vote allowing debate on the legislation to proceed, also provided the decisive vote to quash the bill put forward on Friday.

The House version of legislation passed in May, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), and Senates Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), along with their various versions, proposed to cut between $756 billion and $880 billion over a decade from Medicaid, the social insurance program for the poor, elderly and disabled, which is jointly administered by the states and federal government.

The House and Senate bills would also have thrown anywhere from 14 million to 19 million people off the Medicaid rolls. The legislation proposed huge cuts to taxes on the wealthy and corporations and would have raised premiums and cut services for those in the ACA marketplaces. Most importantly, however, it would have begun the process of ending Medicaid as a guaranteed benefit based on need through imposing block grants or per-capita caps on Medicaid funding to the states.

McCains no vote, however, reflected not his sympathy with the plight of Medicaid recipients and workers looking for affordable insurance, but his response to tremendous pressure from the insurance industry to oppose the legislation.

The final measure put to a vote, the so-called skinny repeal, would have rescinded the ACAs mandates that individuals without insurance purchase it under threat of penalty and that large employers provide insurance to their workers. It did not, however, offer an alternative to shore up the private insurers on the Obamacare marketplace.

As the leading trade group, Americas Health Insurance Plans, wrote: We would oppose an approach that eliminates the individual coverage requirement, does not offer alternative continuous coverage solutions, and does not include measures to immediately stabilize the individual market.

In the wake of Fridays collapse of the Senate legislation, President Trump tweeted: 3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch! Such a policy, which would be considered reckless by the private insurance industry from the standpoint of its profits, would also cause premiums to skyrocket and millions to lose their coverage.

The Trump administration, however, is not concerned about the plight of ordinary Americans under such a scenario. The Republicans have campaigned against Obamacare on a completely false premise: that they stand for patient choice and freedom in the health care market.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price appeared Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press peddling the same lies. Well I think what the president has explained and punctuates is his seriousness about this issue and his passion for turning the health care system in a direction that puts patients first, not government and not insurance companies, Price said.

Asked by moderator Chuck Todd whether the administration would work to sabotage the ACA, through cancelling television advertising for ACA enrollment, recalling contracts to help with enrollment, and discouraging further expansion of Medicaid, Price said, Our job is to follow the law of the land and we take that mission very, very seriously. And the role of the Health and Human Services department is to improve the health, safety and the well-being of the American people.

Prices statements aside, having been dealt a temporary setback, the Trump administration is already looking at ways it can undermine the Obamacare markets, as well as begin and deepen the attacks on Medicaid that were included in the failed Senate and House legislation.

Under one option, Trump HHS officials could engineer lower enrollment in Medicaid by approving applications from several Republican-controlled states looking to reduce their budgets for the program.

According to Kaiser Health News, Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Arizona and Wisconsin are seeking the Trump administrations permission to require adult Medicaid enrollees to work and submit to drug testing, as well as to demand that some of their poorest enrollees pay monthly premiums for services that have always been free.

Other states, including Maine, are expected to apply once these states get the go-ahead.

Many states had already received Medicaid waivers under the Obama administration. Officials in Iowa won authority to limit non-emergency transportation, and Indiana received approval to charge premiums and lock out enrollees with incomes above the poverty level if they fell behind on paying premiums.

In relation to the ACA marketplace, this past spring Trump threatened to withhold cost-sharing reduction payments that pay back health insurers for the increased cost of certain Obamacare plans. Without these payments, health insurers might stop offering plans, causing consumers to lose coverage, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

The health of the ACA market relies on signing up new enrollees, but enrollment is highly dependent on marketing and promotion of the exchanges. Spencer Perlman, director of health care research at Veda Partners, an investment consultancy, told MarketWatch: The [HHS] secretary can undermine the functioning of the ACA by refusing to encourage enrollment.

Congressional Democrats have responded to the Republicans temporary setback on repealing Obamacare, not by rallying popular support to extend access to affordable health care and to defend and expand Medicaid, but by offering to work with the Republicans to fix Obamacare.

In fact, it was Obamacare that laid the basis for Trump and the Republicans offensive against health care. It implemented the principle of partially subsidizing the purchase of insurance from private companies with government vouchersthe framework long advocated by Republicans seeking to privatize Medicare.

Basing itself on the for-profit capitalist market, the Obama legislation slashed health care costs for corporations and the government while increasing out-of-pocket costs for tens of millions of workers. In the process, it cut billions from Medicare, the health care program for the elderly and disabled. This opened the way for an assault on the social reforms of the 1930s and 1960s wrested from the ruling class as a consequence of great working class struggles.

The working class must advance its own independent strategy in opposition to the bipartisan conspiracy against the basic social right to high-quality, affordable health care. Human health must no longer be subordinated to corporate profit. The health care industry must be taken out of private ownership and placed under the democratic control of the working class, establishing socialized medicine.
Moscows expulsion of 750 American diplomats and contractors after the US Congress passed a bill imposing economic sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea marks a historical watershed. The neo-colonial wars launched by the United States and its imperialist allies in the last quarter century are producing a generalized breakdown of international trade and diplomatic relations, posing the danger of war between the major nuclear-armed powers.

The overwhelming passage of the Russian sanctions bill, with which the US Congress committed Trump to blocking Russian trade with Europe, staggered the Kremlin. Hoping for improved relations under Trump, Russia did not retaliate for Obamas expulsion of Russian diplomats last year, after Washington issued unfounded declarations that Russia hacked the US elections. In the half year since Trump's inauguration, however, the faction of the US ruling class demanding a confrontation with Russia has emerged as dominant in the media and state apparatus.

The bill, passed over protests from Germany and France, will also escalate tensions between Washington and its supposed NATO allies in Europe. Yesterday, US officials confirmed that the Pentagon is reviving plans, abandoned in 2015, to arm the far-right Ukrainian regime that emerged from the fascist-led coup in 2014. The aid would include anti-tank missiles and other lethal weaponry.

As a result, Moscow is planning for an extended armed stand-off with Washington, placing the military situation in Europe on a hair trigger. We waited quite a long time for something to maybe change, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address this weekend. But all things considered, if it changes, it wont be anytime soon.

As it threatens Russia, Washington is simultaneously escalating its campaign against China. After Fridays missile test by North Korea, which potentially put US cities including Los Angeles, Denver and Chicago in range of North Korean nuclear weapons, US officials confirmed that they are considering economic sanctions on China. I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, Trump wrote in two Twitter posts. We will no longer allow this to continue.

After last weeks statement in Australia by US Admiral Scott Swift that he would follow orders from Trump to launch nuclear strikes on China, the Wall Street Journal posted a comment titled The Regime Change Solution in North Korea, advocating a pro-US military coup in Pyongyang.

There is a political logic to this relentless intensification of commercial, diplomatic and military tensions between the major powers. It cannot continue very long without exploding into war.

The media is attempting to downplay the danger in the face of growing popular concern. Sanctions are often controversial, the New York Times wrote of the Russia sanctions on July 27. But they are a nonviolent tooland in this case a timely and appropriate onefor making clear when another countrys behavior has crossed a line and for applying pressure that could make its leaders reconsider course.

Who does the Times think it is kidding? In the last quarter century since the Stalinist bureaucracy dissolved the Soviet Union, sanctions were directed at countriesoften allied to Russia or Chinalike Iraq, Yugoslavia, Iran and North Korea, each of which Washington and the NATO alliance targeted for war or regime-change. Today, however, sanctions are being directly aimed at major, nuclear-armed powers central to the world capitalist economy.

The last time Washington sought to arm the far-right Kiev regime, in 2015, Berlin and Paris cut across the US initiative and negotiated a peace deal between Moscow and Kiev. Before the talks, then-French President Francois Hollande warned of the danger of total war, that is, nuclear war, between NATO and Russia. As Washington prepares a new escalation, all-out war is doubtless again being actively discussed in chancelleries, foreign offices and military headquarters worldwide, behind the backs of the worlds people.

The election of Trump was not the cause, but a symptom of a broad collapse of the imperialist system that threatens the world with catastrophe. The US sanctions bill against Russia has overwhelming bipartisan support, led by the Democratic Party. Great-power rivalries, including between the United States and its European imperialist allies, are rooted in objective conflicts lodged in the structure of world capitalism that twice in the previous century erupted into world war.

As the major powers fight over strategic positions and trillions of dollars in trade, it is ever clearer that the contradictions of capitalism identified by the great Marxists of the 20th century as the causes of war and social revolutionthe contradiction between global economy and the nation-state system, and between socialized production and private appropriation of profitare still operative today.

The key political question is the formation of a mass, anti-war and socialist movement of the international working class. A situation in which workers allow themselves to be swept behind the contending capitalist factions can lead only to disaster. While US imperialisms attempts to assert its rapidly-collapsing global hegemony must immediately raise the threat of war, its European imperialist rivals and the reactionary post-Soviet capitalist oligarchies in Russia and China are no less bankrupt.

Washingtons policy against Russia and China will doubtless accelerate ongoing moves by the European powers, led by Germany, to pour tens of billions of euros into their military forces and set up military machines independent from, that is, potentially hostile to, Washington. This imperialist policy, carried out in the profit interests of the European banks and corporations and financed by attacks on European workers, goes hand-in-hand with the rise of nationalistic and far-right political forces across the continent.

As for the Russian and Chinese oligarchies, they oscillate between attempts to work out a deal with the imperialist powers and moves to confront them militarily. This was graphically revealed by Chinese President Xi Jinpings appearance on Sunday at a massive military parade at Zhurihe. The world is not all at peace, and peace must be safeguarded, Xi said, telling Chinese troops: Always obey and follow the party. Go and fight wherever the party points.

Should the Chinese Stalinist regime, or the Kremlin, opt for a military confrontation with Washington, this could very rapidly lead the world to a nuclear conflagration.

The most urgent task is to mobilize the sentiment against war and social inequality that is growing among the working class all over the world. As the International Committee of the Fourth International explained in its statement, Socialism and the Fight Against War:

* The struggle against war must be based on the working class, the great revolutionary force in society, uniting behind it all progressive elements in the population.

* The new anti-war movement must be anti-capitalist and socialist, since there can be no serious struggle against war except in the fight to end the dictatorship of finance capital and put an end to the economic system that is the fundamental cause of militarism and war.

* The new anti-war movement must therefore, of necessity, be completely and unequivocally independent of, and hostile to, all political parties and organizations of the capitalist class.

* The new anti-war movement must, above all, be international, mobilizing the vast power of the working class in a unified global struggle against imperialism.
By February 2017, we concluded that there was not a single establishment that we inspected in England and Wales in which it was safe to hold children and young people.

This is the shocking conclusion made by Peter Clarke, Her Majestys Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales in his Annual Report 201617.

The report shows a drastic decline in conditions within the prison system. Describing conditions comparable to those in the United States, it details how working class criminals are incarcerated in filthy and dilapidated, vermin infested, overcrowded and violent facilities for sometimes the most minimal offences.

Decades of law and order policies by Labour and Conservative governments have made prisons a breeding ground for substance abuse, violence, illness, suicide and squalor.

More young people in England and Wales are imprisoned than in any other country in Western Europe. The age of criminal responsibility in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is just 10 years old, and in Scotland it is 8 years old.

The state of prisons for children and young inmates is especially bad. Vulnerable working class children endure conditions that cannot but traumatise them further. Any pretense of rehabilitation has long been discarded. The guiding principle is to control and punish young offenders, who are already victims of a society based on savage inequality.

Clarkes report paints a harrowing picture of the state of prisons in England and Wales, showing what life is like for prisoners on a day-to-day basis.

There have been startling increases in all types of violence the report finds. In the 12 months to December 2016, there were 26,000 assaults, up by 27 percent in just one year. Assaults on staff were up by a staggering 38 percent, to 6,844 in the same period.

?Self-inflicted deaths have more than doubled since 2013and in the 12 months to March 2017, 113 prisoners took their own lives.

Debt, bullying, and self-segregation by prisoners looking to escape the violence generated by the drugs trade are commonplace. This has all been compounded by staffing levels in many jails that are simply too low to keep order and at the same time run a decent regime that allows prisoners to be let out of their cells to get to training and education, and have access to basic facilities.

Shockingly, 30% of young adults (aged 18 to 21) being held in adult establishments told us that they spent less than two hours a day out of their cells, the Chief Inspector writes.

During the course of the year, I have often been appalled by the conditions in which we hold many prisoners. Far too often I have seen men sharing a cell in which they are locked up for as much as 23 hours a day, in which they are required to eat all their meals, and in which there is an unscreened lavatory. On several occasions prisoners have pointed out insect and vermin infestations to me. In many prisons, I have seen shower and lavatory facilities that are filthy and dilapidated, but with no credible or affordable plans for refurbishment. I have seen many prisoners who are obviously under the influence of drugs. I am frequently shown evidence of repeated self-harm, and in every prison I find far too many prisoners suffering from varying degrees of learning disability or mental impairment. I have personally witnessed violence between prisoners, and seen both the physical and psychologically traumatic impact.

These findings are borne out by the reports figures showing a dramatic rise in violence, self-harm and drug use over the past year, while education and employment classes in youth prisons declined to a seven-year low.

Mental illness among prisoners is widespread, with growing numbers driven to self-harm and suicide due to the degrading and hellish conditions.

Last months National Audit Office report, titled Mental Health in Prison found, Rates of self-inflicted deaths and self-harm have risen significantly in the last five years, suggesting that mental health and well-being in prison have declined.

The number of self-harm incidents rose by 73 percent between 2012 and 2016, the report found. Last year there were 40,161 incidents of self-harm in prisons and 120 self-inflicted deaths.

This was almost twice the number in 2012, and higher than any previous year on record. In 2016, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman found that 70% of prisoners who had taken their own life between 2012 and 2014 had been identified as having mental health needs.

According to the authors, some health workers believe up to 90 percent of the prison population suffers from mental illness.

Health workers and reform advocates have long warned about the negative impact of Britains prison system on inmates. But the situation has only worsened.

The chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, Frances Crook, explained Prisons are out of control. A prisoner dies by suicide every three days. Children are locked up with nothing to do for 23 hours a day.

Record levels of violence mean that men are too scared to leave their cells. Women are injuring themselves more and more. Staff fear for their lives. Conditions are filthy. Enough is enough.

She added, Prisons for children should be closed forthwith. For decades, children have been subjected to abuse and neglect by the state. Now the official watchdog has confirmed what the Howard League has been saying for yearsthere is not a single prison in the country where a child is safe.

Last night, initial reports were emerging of riot-trained prison staff being sent to Mount Prison, in Bovingdon village near Hemel Hempstead.

Last October, inmates at Her Majestys Prison (HMP) Lewes rioted for six hours against conditions that one refugee inmate described as worse than Syria.

In November, 200 inmates rioted at HMP Bedford, criticised for its abject failure to address overcrowding, rampant drug addiction and self-harm. The worst riot took place on December 19, when 600 inmates took over four wings at HMP Birmingham. This was the biggest prison riot since HMP Manchester in 1990 (known then as Strangeways).

G4S, the private firm which runs HMP Birmingham, sent in two initial Tornado riot control squads to quell the disturbance, with the prison services gold command sending in 11 more Tornado units. It took riot squads comprising 160 officers over 12 hours to bring the prison back under control, with one inmate hospitalised with a fractured jaw and broken eye socket.

The crisis in the prison system is a ticking time bomb that can only worsen given the current political climate. While funding for prisons is being gutted, the government is seizing on the current crisis to privatise more jails, selling them off to the highest bidders.

The UK already has the most privatised criminal justice system in Europe. As of 2015, 14 prisons (holding 17 percent of the prison population in England and Wales) were run by the private sector. This is an even higher proportion of private prisons than in the United States.
The WSWS urges railroad workers to contact us with any information.

Workers at CSX railroad are facing a ruthless new regime, backed by a hedge fund, that aims to boost the stock price of the company through the pillaging of the railroad's workforce and infrastructure.

In the months since CEO Hunter Harrison was installed, radical changes to working conditions have been imposed and service has plummeted. Meanwhile, one union representing engineers is pursuing talks with Harrison to formally ditch working rules in favor of higher hourly pay.

CSX, now with 25,000 employees and 21,000 miles of track, is the largest target yet of Harrison and his hedge fund backer Mantle Ridge. It stretches across the US East Coast and Midwest, stretching into eastern Canada, connecting cities as distant as Miami, New Orleans, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Montreal, and Boston. Traffic includes large amounts of coal, grain, finished automobiles, chemicals, industrial products, and intermodal (trucks and shipping containers carried by rail.)

While Harrison has been CEO of both Canadian major railroads, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific, his installation at CSX marks a turning point, as it signifies that whatever cuts are achieved will set the national pattern, with Wall Street demanding the same from workers at the other major US railroadsUnion Pacific, BNSF, and Norfolk Southern.

Harrison received $84 million upfront from CSXs Board of Directors and shareholders, with $300 million total promised over his four-year contract. His payment places him among the highest-paid CEOs in the country, and is premised on a massive increase in the share price, which has doubled with his installation.

The 72-year-old runs the railroad from his 9,200-square-foot mansion within the Palm Beach Polo & Country Club. Even as Harrison oversees major cuts at the company, CSX has announced the expenditure of $1.8 million to renovate the executive floor of the corporate headquarters which Harrison will not even occupy. When Harrison does leave the mansion, it is with a personal assistant carting an oxygen tank for his undisclosed health issues, and a personal security detail.

So far this year, 2,300 CSX employees have been laid off; 1,000 management staff prior to Harrisons imposition, and 1,300 management and labor since, and CSX has suggested another 700 layoffs are to come.

Shops that repair and maintain freight cars and locomotives have been closed, and major yards which sort traffic have been downsized. Service has gotten so poor that some shippers have had to stop production due to material shortages. Last week, the federal Surface Transportation Board sent a letter to CSX because of the poor service. Harrison smugly stated that anything going wrong at the company is push back by the troops.

On the ground, the changes are drastic. Taxi services that transport railroad crews to and from trains have been cut, and trainmasters, the lowest rung of management, have been told to take up the job using their own personal vehicles. Recently, trainmasters were told that all vacation days and off days were canceled, they are now expected to work continuously, often logging 16-hour days.

A safety directive issued to workers announced the ending of company-provided steel toe boots and other personal protective wear, cynically stating that purchasing the gear is part of workers shared responsibility to work safely. This violates an Occupational Safety and Health Administration mandate which requires employers to provide safety gear if the job requires it.

CSX has had a vicious attendance policy that makes taking time off for family or even sickness liable to discipline. A freight train generally has two crewmembers, an engineer and a conductor, who often do not have set schedules, and are expected to work 24/7 including on weekends and holidays. A shift is commonly 12 hours, but often longer if travel to and from the train is included. A majority of operating employees work 50, 60, or 70 hours a week, for years.

As an example of how unstable schedules are, if an off-duty engineer gets a call on their phone to go to work, according to their contract, just answering the call makes it mandatory to agree to the shift.

In this context, Harrison has eliminated the ability of operating crews to take naps on trains, which is a standard policy on railroads. The Wall Street Journal published an ignorant piece of lies and omissions on the change, accepting that rationale as good coin, and implying that workers were mooching by napping on the job. What went unmentioned is that operating crews commonly face hours of waiting on a shift for other traffic to clear. This is especially true under Harrison, whose changes have created service meltdowns where a crew might barely turn a wheel once on board.

In a job with no consistent schedule and 24/7 operation, fatigue is a major and deadly issue. If a crew is stuck in a siding waiting at 2 a.m., a short nap may provide the ability to fend off fatigue and resume operation when more alert.

The policy change on naps is effectively cementing fatigue, ensuring dangerous operating conditions. Presumably when a worker falls asleep and a tragic accident happens, Harrison will state that the rule book says employees are supposed to arrive well rested, and that is where the blame lies.

In this climate, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), which represents engineers, announced it was in discussion with company about agreeing to an hourly wage.

Currently, many workers earn pay that depends on the trip, get overtime after 8 hours, and have restrictions on what work they can do. The BLET and CSX are proposing a flat hourly wage, with overtime after 10 hours, and no restrictions on the use of crews. The proposal would give CSX free rein to use engineers however they wish, and is being sold by offering higher hourly pay.

This occurs while contracts for 13 railroad unions are in the third year of negotiation nationally, with the rail carriers pushing hard for fundamental revisions to job conditions, pay, and health care.

In response to the BLET proposal at CSX, rail workers have noted that in reality, for years their working conditions have been so eroded that the new proposal hardly sounds different, so they might as well take the high hourly pay. Indeed, for years, all of the major railroads have made changes to working conditions with little opposition from the unions. Harsher discipline, attendance policies, employee monitoring, and other issues are common across all carriers.

The unions, who funnel money to both the Democrats and Republicans, claim their hands are tied by the federal laws and processes that restrain strike action. Those laws exist because of the enormous role that railroad workers play in the economy, and the immediate political crisis that would follow any major job action. A national strike would immediately impact the large amount of power generation, industrial production, global trade, and agriculture that rely on the rail network. A work stoppage by railroad workers would have global ramifications.

Harrisons installation and cutbacks show that Wall Street is clamoring to profit off of even deeper cuts to railroad workers, even after decades of concessions agreed to by the unions. To combat this, a new strategy is need that unites rail workers across crafts in rank-and-file committees independent of both political parties.
Last Thursday, 18-year-old Pedro Hernandez was released from New Yorks Rikers Island prison, where he had been held for 13 months awaiting trial for a crime he did not commit.

The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization posted Hernandezs $100,000 bail just in time for the teenager to receive the full academic scholarship he earned from the Posse Foundation while in prison by completing his high school course work with honors at East River Academy, a school in the juvenile section of Rikers. Had he been released just one month later the scholarship would have been void.

Hernandez was arrested last July for his alleged connection with a shooting outside a Bronx bodega in 2015. The victim, who was shot in the leg, told authorities he was not sure who shot him, and eight witnesses came forward to say that Hernandez had nothing to do with the crime. A private investigator hired by Hernandezs mother said he had video evidence that Pedro was home in his mothers house at the time of the incident.

Nevertheless, charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, assault and reckless endangerment, and unable to post the initial $255,000 bail, Hernandez was sent to Rikers to await his trial.

As a result of institutional callousness and bureaucratic delays at Bronx Criminal Court, where recent budget cuts have prolonged the already long trial process, Hernandez waited 13 months and never received a trial. Hernandez refused several plea deals, vehemently maintaining his innocence.

Hernandez was arrested by Detective David Terrell, an officer with a reputation for harassing Bronx teenagers. In November 2016, three months after the Hernandez arrest, Terrell lost his badge and gun for playing craps in uniform with the friends of a man who was detained in the back of his squad car, allegedly accepting the challenge to gamble over the mans arrest. Terrell is also involved in several lawsuits including a 2012 beating of a Bronx teenager and an alleged charge in 2014 for solicitation of sex from a mother in exchange for her sons release from jail.

Hernandezs case is reminiscent of that of the late Kalief Browder. Browder was accused of stealing a backpack when he was 16. He was imprisoned at Rikers, where he was tortured, beaten by guards, and starved in solitary confinement. While in prison Browder attempted suicide several times and like Hernandez, he refused frequent plea deals in order to preserve his innocence. After three years Browders charges were dismissed, but Browders paranoia and depression remained, and two years after his release he hung himself from bed sheets in his bedroom.

Rikers Island, New York Citys main jail complex located in the East River between the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx, is composed of 10 jails, housing more than 12,000 inmates who are guarded by a corrections force of 9,000. Like Hernandez and Browder, a majority of inmates at Rikers have not been convicted of any crime and are forced to await trial in prison if they are unable to pay bail.

While New York States speedy trial law sets a target of 180 days for processing someone who has been accused of a crime, there are many ways for the limit to be stretched. Many processes such as court-scheduling delays, postponements for holidays or employee vacations pause the clock. Last year at Bronx Criminal Court, the median length of cases was 517 days from arrest to trial sentence.

In April an independent monitoring team, established as a part of a 2015 federal agreement to settle civil litigation over pervasive abuse and brutality at the prison, published its third report on the conditions of Rikers Island.

The report gathered data from August 1 to December 3, 2016, and marked the third cycle of a full year of monitoring. The monitors found that use of force incidents (UOF) continued at an alarming rate, with a significant portion of the violence occurring within the facilities housing young inmates. UOF incidents include the use of chemical agents, Tasers and hard impact force often in the form of head strikes.

The UOF policy states that chemical agents and hard impact force should only be used as a last-resort, never on passive inmates and always in view of security cameras. However, the report found 305 altercations that involved a strike to the head with no evidence to suggest that an inmate had made the first strike. In one case, an inmate in an intake facility surrounded by seven correction officers was struck so severely in the head that he sustained 10 discrete head injuries. Video footage shows that, even in the midst of the attack, the inmate never attempted to strike an officer. The report also found evidence of documents falsified by guards in order to mask incidents of abuse with self-defense claims.

In the Robert N. Davoren Center (RNDC), for males age 16-17, where both Hernandez and Browder were imprisoned, the rate of UOF was overwhelmingly higher than any other section of the complex. In the month of September, the rate of UOF per 100 inmates totaled 2.2 incidents for adults age 21 and higher, 8.1 incidents for 19-21-year-olds, 18.6 for 18-year-olds, and 46 for 16-17-year-olds; 20 times the rate faced by adults.

Another frequent element of abuse faced by adolescents and adults alike is solitary confinement. In January 2015, New York City officials claimed they would eliminate solitary confinement for all inmates under 22 years old, but a year and a half later, the administration of Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio has yet to fully end the practice.

While punitive segregation was abolished for 16-17-year-olds in December 2014 and for 18-year-olds in June 2016, it is not clear if these restrictionsmuch like the restrictions on UOFare properly enforced. Allegedly, Hernandez, 17 at the time of his arrest, spent many days in solitary over the course of his 13 months.

Just as there is political maneuvering about eliminating solitary confinement for young inmates, there are also proposals to shut down Rikers Island altogether. As revelations of brutality and corruption at the prison complex began to surface, the New York City Council put forward a plan to shut down the complex over 10 years.

De Blasio, New Yorks progressive mayor, opposed closing the prison for years, pushing it aside as impractical and expensive. Estimates for the proposal are expensive, running at $10 billion just to move inmates to five smaller prisons spread throughout each of New York Citys boroughs.

In any discussion of the Rikers closure by de Blasio, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo and the corporate media, the issue of the social conditions in New York City that created the prevalence of mass incarceration of the citys poorest layers of the working class is routinely ignored. It is the deteriorating social conditions in Americas largest city, increasingly divided between a poor working-class majority and a small minority of the super-rich and the merely rich, that is the root cause of the brutality at Rikers. The closure of the notorious institutionif it happenswill be a cosmetic change aimed at mollifying popular anger and do nothing to alleviate the suffering of inmates in smaller jails.

Hernandezs release is, of course, a cause to celebrate. However, he was not released because he was proved innocent after a fair trial, or because of a clear violation of his democratic right to a speedy trial, but through an act of philanthropy. Hernandez is only one example of the many mistreated inmates at Rikers, and Rikers is itself only one example of the national policy of mass incarceration in the United States, a product of a conscious strategy to criminalize the poor and slash opportunities, especially for youth, condemned to chronic unemployment and the misery of poverty.
TURKEY Nearly 500 suspects, including generals and military pilots, went on trial yesterday in Turkey accused of leading last years failed coup attempt and carrying out attacks from an air base in Ankara. Many of the suspects face life terms in prison for crimes that include violating the Constitution, murder, attempting to assassinate the president and attempting to overthrow the government.

CAMBODIAs prime minister yesterday ordered the ouster of an American-led Christian organization that seeks to rescue and rehabilitate women working in the sex trade, saying its comments in a TV report last week demeaned the country.

THAILAND Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra declared her innocence and asked for kindness from a court yesterday during her final statement in a criminal negligence trial that could land her in prison for 10 years if she is convicted.

AUSTRALIA A survey of more than 30,000 Australian university students released yesterday found that half the respondents had been sexually harassed and almost one in 50 had been sexually assaulted on campuses, but few made formal complaints.

PAKISTANs newly-elected Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been sworn in to his office at the presidency palace in the capital, Islamabad. Top leaders from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, diplomats, bureaucrats and senior military officials attended the ceremony, which was held hours after the lower house of the parliament elected Abbasi as the prime minister with 221 votes.

JORDAN The lower house of Jordans parliament yesterday scrapped a provision in the kingdoms penal code that allowed a rapist to escape punishment if he married his victim.

BULGARIA-MACEDONIA Macedonia and neighboring Bulgaria signed a landmark friendship agreement yesterday that is designed to dampen a historic rivalry in a section of the Balkans where many countries remain at odds over old ethnic and territorial disputes.

FINLAND Two Spanish NATO jet fighters briefly violated Finnish airspace while intercepting three Russian aircraft near Estonia yesterday, NATO said.

COLOMBIA The United Nations began removing containers holding more than 7,000 weapons from demobilization zones where the arms were handed over by former fighters for Colombias largest rebel group who are beginning life as civilians under a peace agreement.

BRAZIL A Brazilian baby who was shot while still inside his mothers womb a month ago has been buried in Rio de Janeiro, in a case that has become a symbol of surging violence in the citys slums.
The US Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on the personal assets of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday in response to Sundays constituent assembly election.

The move by the Trump administration marks a significant yet careful escalation of US imperialist involvement in the Venezuelan crisis. By limiting its sanctions to Maduros assets and by avoiding direct sanctions on Venezuelas state-run oil company PDVSA, the Trump administration is sending a message to potential dissidents in the military and in Maduros own United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) that the US is willing to do business with government insiders to force the fall of the administration.

The coincidence of ongoing demonstrations and the announcement of the sanctions point toward the heavy involvement of the CIA and other US-linked intelligence assets in backing the oppositions efforts to topple the government. The announcement of the sanctions are also aimed at inflaming tensions within the country, and the Trump administration knows Maduro will use the US sanctions to intensify state repression, a step which the US will then use to justify further intervention.

The US announced the sanctions only hours after Trump promoted John Kelly as his new chief of staff. Kelly, who recently led Trumps deportation force at the Department of Homeland Security, previously served as military leader of the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), in charge of overseeing US operations in Latin America. Kellys elevation and the move against Venezuela are a sign that the US intends to be more actively involved in the region in its efforts to pivot to Latin America and challenge Chinas influence.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchins announcement that the sanctions will freeze Maduros assets in the US and prohibit US citizens from doing business with him is the next step in a deliberate series of escalating measures against the Venezuelan government.

In February, the US took similar measures against the countrys Vice President Tareck El Aissami. In May, the US sanctioned eight members of the countrys supreme court. Last week, the US extended the sanctions to include 13 other top officials of the PSUV. Now, Mnuchin announced that all who participate in the newly elected constituent assembly are subject to these penalties.

The sanctions were accompanied with increased threats by the US. Mnuchin said all options are still being considered, including sanctions on the countrys oil resources. Sanctioning Venezuelan oil would limit the governments ability to pay back Wall Street and threaten to cut off its social programs and the payment of state employees, including the military. This would exacerbate social tensions in the country and lead to the death of thousands of workers and youth from an intensification of the violence and the lack of already scarce food and services.

Trumps national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, also spoke at the sanction rollout announcement, proclaiming that the decision by calling the constituent assembly was an outrageous seizure of absolute power that turns Maduro into a dictator.

Maduro joins a select blacklist of active heads-of-state with US sanctions, including Iraqs Saddam Hussein, Libyas Moammar Gaddafi, Syrias Bashar Al-Assad, North Koreas Kim Jong-Un, and Zimbabwes Robert Mugabe. Maduro will doubtless get the message: the US killed Hussein and Gaddafi, while Assad and Kim have been openly threatened with assassination.

In his post-election victory address Sunday, Maduro aggressively pushed forward his calls for the supreme court and new constituent assembly to remove parliamentary immunity from the leaders of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD). The right wing already has its prison cell waiting. All criminals will go to prison for the crimes theyve committed. Such threats, which will only be strengthened in response to US provocations, are not only aimed against the MUD, but all social opposition.

Following the United States, a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, have declared the constituent assembly as illegitimate. The Spanish Foreign Ministry is planning to discuss with the EU additional measures that can promote a return to democracy.

Prior to the White House announcement, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the escalation of US-led pressures, urging the US and other countries to renounce their destructive plans capable of deepening the divisions in society.

The freezing of assets and threats from Washington are coming in the context of a deepening economic crisis and escalating efforts by the PSUV government and the MUD-led opposition to sideline each other for control of the state. These have involved the creation of parallel governing bodies like the constituent assembly and the shadow Supreme Court sworn in two weeks ago by the MUD-controlled Congress.

On Sunday, the Bolivarian military oversaw the electoral process and violently repressed attempts by the opposition to bring the voting to a halt across the country by setting up barricades and occupying voting centers. The confrontations resulted in 10 deaths, bringing the total of those killed since the current wave of protests began in April to 121 with roughly 2,000 injured.

According to the pro-Maduro Electoral Council (CNE), 8 million people, or 41.5 percent of those registered, voted to elect the 545 members of the constituent assembly, which will convene on Thursday taking over the Federal Legislative Palace, where the unicameral MUD-led Congress met.

The opposition has responded by calling on its supporters to continue protesting; however, MUDs view is shifting toward the Trump administration, ready to become a fully subservient regime to the interests of the US corporate and financial oligarchy.
An extraordinary media and political campaign is underway in Australia to allege the guilt of four Sydney men detained by police on Saturday on vague and untested accusations of plotting to bring down a passenger flight.

To help create an atmosphere of terrorist emergency, the authorities yesterday threw airports around the country into chaos, as passengers waited for security checks in long queues that snaked out of terminals.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his ministers took to the airwaves to declare such measures were essential to ensure the safety of the Australian people, insisting this was their sole concern. Labor Party opposition leader Bill Shorten and his shadow ministers were also on the frontline, declaring their gratitude to the police and intelligence services for averting an atrocity.

Turnbull fanned the campaign by claiming that the plot was advanced and fuelled by an Islamist extremist motivation. He asserted: Police will allege they had the intent and were developing the capability.

As of this morning, however, no charges had been laid against the men. Instead, police were scouring their homes and rubbish bins and even digging up their yards, in an apparent search for evidence that could be used against them. Police said the searches could last another three days.

Yet the corporate media is awash with claims of a fanciful plan to take a metal kitchen meat grinder through airport security and onto a plane as a mechanism to either emit deadly fumes or explode a bomb.

Two of the men were reported to be related to notorious Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in Syria, which would indicate they have been under police or intelligence monitoring for months. In an apparent bid to bolster the media allegations, todays Australian reported: Travel documentation and handwritten notes were among items seized from the properties raided at the weekend, suggesting the men may have been preparing to book tickets.

If the men are ultimately charged with conspiracy or other terrorist-related offences, it will be virtually impossible for them to receive a fair trial. Their identities and photos have been splashed all over front pages and television screens, with prejudicial headlines, such as Tough terror laws thwart jihadis mass murder plot.

The police have admitted having no information about the exact nature of the alleged plot, its timing, location or targeting. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said yesterday: Until we finish our investigation, until we know which of our many working theories we have, and until we can put that information before the courts, its not helpful to keep speculating.

According to unsubstantiated media reports, the federal and state police felt compelled to detain the men after US and UK intelligence agencies intervened, with the British spy service apparently threatening to issue a travel alert for Australia unless the men were rounded up.

These reports, presumably based on leaks by sources in the police-intelligence apparatus, point to two possibilities. One is that the authority of the US-led Five Eyes global surveillance network is being invoked to lend credibility to the Australian allegations.

The other is that the American and British agencies triggered the dramatic police arrests and raids on five homes across Sydney as a means of bolstering the Five Eyes network, which links spy agencies in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. This enormous surveillance network has been publicly exposed by WikiLeaks' and Edward Snowden's revelations of its worldwide spying on millions of people.

The WSWS has no means of determining whether there is any truth in the media accusations. But we urge our readers to adhere to the fundamental legal and democratic principle of "innocent until proven guilty," which has been established through centuries of struggle against frame-ups and victimisations by absolutist regimes.

There is a clear political agenda behind this scare campaign, as there is with the entire war on terrorism mounted since 2001. This war has nothing to do with protecting the public from terrorism.

Instead, its focus is providing ongoing justifications for invading the resource-rich and strategically located Middle East. At the same time, it has been utilised domestically as the pretext for the development of unprecedented police and intelligence powers, which will ultimately be used to suppress growing social and political discontent in the working class and among young people.

The timing of the current terrorist outcry is particularly significant. It was launched amid preparations to dispatch more Australian military forces to the Middle East and the Philippines, on the pretext of combating ISIS. The Liberal-National government, backed by the Labor Party, is also currently boosting and restructuring the official apparatus of mass surveillance and police-state powers in the country.

This revamping, which is in line with moves by the US and its Five Eyes partners, includes:

* Legislation to compel social media companies to provide the security agencies with the tools to decrypt all communications.

* New laws to expedite powers to call out the military to suppress domestic unrest.

* A new Home Affairs super-ministry to centralise control of the federal police and intelligence forces, the immigration department and the anti-refugee Australian Border Force.

* A US-style Office of National Intelligence, headed by a Director-General of National Intelligence, located in the prime ministers office, to take control of an expanded network of internal and external surveillance agencies.

It is worth recalling the last time, a decade ago, that the federal police made prominent use of powers handed to them after 2001 to detain suspects for investigation for many days without charge. This is a basic violation of the principle of habeas corpusno detention without trial.

In 2007, the arrest of an Indian Muslim doctor, Mohamed Haneef, was surrounded by a similar blaze of media hysteria, including allegations that he planned to blow up a Gold Coast residential tower. After being held for 12 days without charge, he was eventually charged with providing support to a terrorist (unnamed) organisation. The charges collapsed within days, once his lawyers courageously leaked to reporters the flimsy details of the police accusations, forcing the Howard Liberal-National government to arrange for his release and rapid return to India.

The Haneef affair became a major embarrassment for the police and intelligence agencies, and for the Howard government, contributing to its landslide election defeat several months later. But the ensuing Labor governments of 2007 to 2013, and the subsequent Liberal-National governments of Tony Abbott and Turnbull, have only continued to expand the powers and resources of these agencies.

Even the official definition of terrorismalready broad enough to cover many forms of political protesthas been further widened, including to cover advocating or supporting acts that could be directed against Australian military operations overseas.

Last weeks release of the unclassified version of an intelligence review ordered by the Turnbull government, shed light on the real concerns that lie behind this security buildup. The report warned that the global strategic influence of the United States has declined in relative terms and that trajectory is set to continue," and the resulting international tensions and instabilities are exacerbating a growing sense of insecurity and alienation.

In the coming period, the methods of police raids, media witch-hunts and political insinuations will not be confined to alleged Islamic extremists. The precedents set by such operations will increasingly be utilised to suppress those opposing intensifying social inequality and the escalating drive to war.
General John Kelly took office Monday morning as the new White House chief of staff. He asserted his authority immediately by forcing out Anthony Scaramucci, named White House communications director only 11 days before by President Trump.

The dismissal of Scaramucci served as a public demonstration of Kellys supremacy at the White House on the day he was sworn in. It came at 9:30 am, only half an hour before Kelly presided over his first meeting with Trumps cabinet, devoted largely to discussing plans for a massive tax cut for US corporations and the wealthy.

Three top administration officialsNational Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House legislative director Marc Shortsaid that President Trump saw the tax cut plan as the centerpiece of legislative efforts going forward, in the wake of last weeks collapse of the planned repeal of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

Scaramuccis tenure as communications chief is even briefer than the 29 days in which retired General Michael Flynn served as national security adviser. In the course of those 11 days, Scaramucci provoked the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer and the firing of chief of staff Reince Priebus, before he was himself fired by Kelly.

The rapid-fire series of appointments and ousters testifies to the deepening crisis of the Trump administration, which is barely a half-year old but already on its second chief of staff, second deputy chief of staff, second national security adviser, second press secretary and third (soon to be fourth) communications chief.

The struggle for influence within the White House was so murky that on a Sunday television interview program, only hours before Kelly took office, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway refused repeatedly to say whether she and other top aides would continue to report directly to Trump or would now report to Kelly.

The next day, Kelly met with the White House staff and made it clear that everyone, including Conway, political counselor Steve Bannon, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump, would report to him. This directive was underscored by the firing of Scaramucci, who had repeatedly told reporters that he reported only to Trump, not to the chief of staff.

In welcoming his new military strongman, Trump gave gushing praise for Kellys performance as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He will do a spectacular job, I have no doubt, as chief of staff, Trump declared. What hes done in terms of Homeland Security is record-shattering.

Such comments underscore the deeply anti-democratic character of the Trump administration, which brings together retired military officers, billionaires and Trump family members and cronies in a noxious and reactionary cabal.

The most significant political fact of Kellys appointment is the support he has received from the Democratic Party. Democrats remained silent on Monday, while those who commented over the weekend, like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, praised Kelly as someone who could bring much-needed order to a chaotic presidency. Pelosi said on Sunday that she looked forward to working with Kelly.

In January, Kelly was confirmed 88-11 by the US Senate to his previous position. Vermont Senator and Democratic Party presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who voted for the confirmation, said that he hoped Kelly and Defense Secretary James Mattis, another retired general, would have a moderating influence on the Trump administration.

Kelly has spent the past six months spearheading the vicious persecution of immigrants and refugees. He vigorously enforced Trumps unconstitutional Muslim ban, repeatedly struck down by lower courts but largely restored by a 5-4 vote of the Supreme Court. He leaves the DHS as it is preparing the next stage of Trumps attack on democratic rights through the building of a network of immigrant detention camps.

Arrests of immigrants have risen by 40 percent over previous years, while the stepped-up brutality of the ICE and Border Patrol have created a widespread atmosphere of fear in immigrant communities.

Kelly rescinded previous policies of prioritizing the deportation of immigrants convicted of violent felonies in favor of targeting any undocumented immigrant encountered by DHS personnel. Any chargeable criminal offense became grounds for prioritization, including common civil infractions like using a false Social Security number or ignoring a deportation order.

Moreover, Kelly gave free rein to rank-and-file ICE agents and border patrolmen, authorizing them to pursue any immigrant who in the judgment of an immigration officer posed a risk to US national security. The result was a series of cases in which immigrants with longstanding ties to the United States, with citizen children and spouses, who had faithfully reported for years to ICE offices, were suddenly seized and deported.

Kelly also formally rescinded Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, also known as DAPA, under which parents of children who were either US citizens or eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) were given limited protection from deportation. DAPA was announced by Obama but never implemented because of court challenges.

DHS is now moving towards two even more drastic and sweeping actions: repeal of DACA itself, affecting 800,000 young people brought to the US as children; and the expansion of the program of expedited removal, under which recent immigrants apprehended within 100 miles of the border can be summarily deported without a trial. Under a draft plan now being considered, expedited removal would now be applied to any immigrant detained anywhere in the United States who cannot prove residence in the US for longer than 90 days.

Kellys elevation to the White House marks a further stage in the erosion of such democratic traditions as civilian control of the military. A veteran of 40 years in the Marine Corps, including years in the Pentagon and years in battlefield commands, will now be in charge of the staff of the civilian commander-in-chief.

While avowedly non-partisan, in the sense of preferring one bourgeois party to the otherhe told Foreign Policy magazine last year that he would be equally willing to serve in a Democratic or a Republican administrationKelly is hardly without politics, and those of the most reactionary type. He aggressively defended the Guantanamo Bay detention camp when the Obama administration sought to have it shut down. He said both Clinton and Trump were deceiving the American people by claiming it was possible to defeat ISIS without committing US combat troops to Iraq and Syria.

Kelly appeared with Trump recently at a Coast Guard graduation ceremony, offered him a ceremonial saber, and suggested that this would be an appropriate instrument to use against the presidents critics in the media. He also said, speaking of congressional complaints about his crackdown on immigrants, If lawmakers do not like the laws theyve passed and we are charged to enforce, then they should have the courage and skill to change the laws. Otherwise they should shut up and support the men and women on the front lines.
Doctors, researchers and community groups sponsored a meeting last week at Wayne State University to warn of an impending public health crisis in Detroit due to mass water shutoffs.

Preliminary data from the Henry Ford Global Health Initiative found that residents are 1.55 times more likely to be subject to water-borne illness if they live on a block where a water shutoff occurs. The research compared household-level data from blocks with high rates of water shutoffs in Detroit to hospital visits related to water-borne illnesses at Henry Ford Hospital.

The conference was called by We the People of Detroit, a research group, and the Detroit Equity Action Lab, a program at the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University. Peter Hammer, a professor at the university, introduced the panel of speakers from the public health community who outlined the health risks associated with water shutoffs.

One speaker, Dr. Wendy Johnson, director of La Familia Medical Center in New Mexico, condemned the shutoffs and spoke on the myriad of health problems associated with lack of access to safe water, including poor hygiene, contagious water-borne illnesses, dehydration, poor nutrition from the inability to cook at home, and mental health issues stemming from the physical complications.

Another speaker, Dr. Paul T. von Oeyen, a retired high-risk obstetrician at Beaumont Health Systems in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, told the meeting, I am appalled by the lack of empathy on the part of Mayor Duggan and the director of DWSD [Detroit Water and Sewerage Department], Gary Brownthat they would institute this policy of water shutoffs on this most vulnerable layer of the population, shutoffs on expectant mothers and their infants.

Von Oeyen outlined the grave health risks that face pregnant women who lack access to clean running water. Expectant mothers are especially vulnerable in the hot summer months with maternal overheating when water shutoffs are at their height, he said. He explained that pregnant women are at a much higher risk of heat stroke, which could kill the fetus, as well as possible diseases from higher risk of infection due to living in unsanitary conditions. He drew parallels between the water crisis in Flint and the associated spread of Legionnaires disease and the lack of access to safe drinking water due to shutoffs in Detroit.

Risks associated with the consumption of contaminated water include neural tube defects in the fetus. Two of the most common neural tube defects are spina bifida, a permanently disabling condition that occurs in the womb when the spinal column does not close all the way; and anencephaly, where a child is born without a large portion of the skull and brain. The life expectancy of the latter defect is anywhere from a few hours to a few days after birth.

Any reasonable person would expect that the city of Detroit would immediately issue a moratorium on shutoffs, said a researcher from the team responsible for the findings.

An estimated one in six homes in Detroit do not have running water. Since the beginning of the brutal shutoff policy in 2014 following the transfer of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) as a consequence of the Detroit bankruptcy settlement, over 80,000 households and buildings have lost access to running water due to nonpayment of bills.

Water is a basic human right, and the UN came to Detroit and said, You guys are violating a basic human right, said Johnson. He continued, Detroit is one of the few cities in the world which has these draconian measures to cut off water for so many people, this essential human right. It is evil. The people who are rich dont suffer, their debts get forgiven.

One speaker stated that, the map of water shutoffs is the map of poverty.

Other recent studies reveal the crisis-ridden state of US infrastructure, including water. The dilapidated infrastructure and irrational character of privatizing water for profit is leading directly toward disaster.

A study released last week by the Environmental Working Group stated that over 6 million Michigan residents have been potentially exposed to hexavalent chromium and/or trihalomethanes in their tap water, both of which can cause cancer. While most state water institutions are technically below the regulatory limit, that limit is often raised, in contradiction to public health guidelines. In other words, if the contaminant costs too much to remove from the water, state agencies will manipulate statutory limits at the expense of public health in order to sidestep removing the harmful contaminants.

Three years into the ongoing Flint water crisis, in which residents were poisoned with lead following the switch to polluted Flint River water from the DWSD, no viable solution has been put forward by any section of local, state or federal government.

Residents are now facing foreclosure for refusing to payor not being able to payfor poisoned water. Another study released in January of this year from Michigan State University estimates that one-third of American households will not be able to afford their water bills in the next five years.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, in conjunction with ex-police chief and now head of DWSD Gary Brown, have refused a moratorium on the water shutoffs and have instead insisted on residents getting on a payment plan in which the person at risk of losing service is forced to pay a large sum of the debt up front and then pay the balance on a month-to-month basis. The goal of the payment plan is not to prevent water shutoffs, but to squeeze the maximum revenue from hard-pressed Detroit residents.

Duggan is up for reelection this year and has the full support of the business establishment, including a Detroit Free Press endorsement. Meanwhile, Abdul El-Sayed, former director of public health in the city, is running for governor of Michigan. He has remained silent on the findings, along with the current director of public health, Dr. Joneigh S. Khaldun.

A senior researcher at Henry Ford, Marcus Zervos, accused the panel of using the preliminary findings for political gain, while simultaneously admitting that it is reasonable to conclude that there would be some impact to public health caused by water shutoffs. Henry Ford Health System has a large stake in Detroit real estate, as it makes plans to expand its operations throughout the city.

In organizing the conference, We the People of Detroit partnered with multiple sections of local Democratic Party-oriented activist and religious groups, including the Peoples Water Board, which, according to its website, contains 33 anti-poverty, social justice, environmental, conservation, faith-based groups. These include AFSCME Local 207, Moratorium NOW, the Boggs Center Detroit, the Detroit Greens, and the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization.

A list of demands posted on their web site simultaneously demands a moratorium on shutoffs while advocating the original Detroit Water Affordability Plan, that is based on the premise that by offering slightly lower water rates for low-income residents the DWSD would actually collect more overall revenue.

They have also promoted the illusion that the United Nations toothless commission for social development intervene to reverse the citys water shutoff policy.

The primary political function of these groups is to conceal the responsibility of the Democratic Party for the social crisis in Detroit, particularly during and following the citys exit from bankruptcy. Further, these groups promote the poison of racial politics, insisting that the root of the water shutoff crisis in Detroit, as well as the Flint water crisis, is racism, not the bankruptcy and failure of capitalism.

This has been the particular role of Hammer, who issued a paper last year insisting that the water crisis in Flint was the product of strategic and structural racism.

These groups, despite their occasional oppositional posturing, serve as an auxiliary prop of the corporate status quo. The claim that Democratic politicians can be pressured into implementing small, completely inadequate policy changes is aimed at preventing workers from drawing the larger conclusions on the nature of the crisis they confront.

The mass water shutoffs in Detroit are a crime of capitalism. Free access to safe clean drinking water for all can only be obtained through the independent mobilization of the working class in opposition to the Democrats as well as the Republicans.

The author recommends:

The politics of the Detroit Peoples Water Board

[31 July 2014]

Detroit professor advances structural racism theory of Flint water crisis

[1 September 2016]
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Canada

Ground workers strike Toronto airport

Seven-hundred ground workers at Torontos Pearson International AirportCanadas busiesthave been on strike since last Thursday after voting 95 percent in favor of job action the same day.

Members of the Teamsters Canada union, workers voted to reject the latest offer from Swissport, the company that provides staff for cleaning, cargo and baggage handling, and other services for a number of major airlines at Pearson. Union negotiators say they did not recommend the contract due to differences over scheduling and the use of untrained temporary workers.

The union has filed a complaint over the company hiring 250 replacement workers, warning the public that because they lack proper qualification there will be significant delays in service during the strike. The airport Authority has also assured the public that there are contingency plans being implemented but have not provided any further details.

Coca-Cola hit by strike in B.C.

Some 370 truck drivers and sales and production workers in the lower mainland of British Columbia went on strike against Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada last week after talks between the union and the company broke down over a wide range of issues.

The workers have been without a contract since April of this year, and according to negotiators for the Teamsters, the two sides are far apart over wages, pensions, and benefit provisions in a new contract. The local supply of a number of beverage products including Coke is threatened by the strike, and some suppliers have already turned to other facilities out of province to make up the shortfall.

Latin America

Costa Rican judicial workers strike over pension system

Some 13,000 Costa Rican judicial workers have been on strike since July 19 to protest changes in the nations pension system. Thousands of judicial workers marched on the legislative assembly building that day to protest the changes and the refusal of the lawmakers to consider suggestions by their union.

The unions proposal would have raised the retirement age and capped pension payments, though not as much as the one before the legislature.

Chilean Walmart workers vote to strike for pay raise

In a vote held by its union on July 28, workers for Walmart in Chile voted to strike for higher wages. The retail giant, which bought the Chilean hypermarket chain Lider in 2009, has 380 outlets.

The Lider Inter-enterprise Syndicate (SIL) represents more than 16,500 workers. Demonstrations in front of Walmart stores have not brought any results, leading to the strike vote.

According to a Reuters report, this week, either the union or the company may request government-mediated talks that would last five days to try to reach an agreement on a collective contract and avert the strike. Any negotiations would be the first under new labor legislation and could establish precedents for the industry.

Argentine sugar workers strike against layoffs, for better working conditions

Workers at the La Esperanza sugar processing plant in Argentinas Jujuy province began a strike July 26 to demand that some 300 laid-off sugar harvest workers be reinstated. About 600 workers gathered at the entrance to the plant and marched to demand higher payments for harvests during the six months in which grinding of sugar cane takes place.

The Jujuy government, which runs the plant, is in the process of selling it to an investor group. and laid off the workers as a cost-cutting measure. Government officials met with the workers union, but only to tell us to lift the strike, nothing more, said union secretary Sergio Juarez. He added that there would be an assembly this week to decide what further actions to take.

The United States

Instructors at Oklahoma college strike over drastic health care increases

Aerospace mechanics instructors at Spartan College in Tulsa, Oklahoma, went on strike July 24 after negotiators for the school demanded the union agree to a drastic increase in health care coverage before discussing other issues. The United Aerospace Workers Local 286 has been in negotiations with the college since the expiration of the old agreement for the 22 instructors back in March.

The hike in health care would mean teachers portion of coverage would increase from 35 percent to 50 percent, resulting in an additional cost to each worker of $3,000 per year. The increases center on family coverage while leaving individual coverage alone.

The union says the strike is ongoing until management submits a full contract proposal that can be voted on. Meanwhile, management has said it will bring certified instructors from its campuses in Los Angeles and Denver in order to resume classes. The college trains airplane pilots and technicians. Instruction for pilots is not affected.

Steelworkers announce deal with Goodyear

The United Steelworkers (USW) announced a settlement with Goodyear Tire and Rubber late Saturday night, apparently avoiding a strike at five plants. The contract covers some 7,000 workers at facilities in Fayetteville, North Carolina; Akron, Ohio; Danville, Virginia; Gadsen, Alabama; and Topeka, Kansas.

The USW said a vote would be set in the next few weeks. If a settlement had not been reached, the result could have been a strike, the first in 11 years at the company. No details of the agreement have been released, which is said to extend 5 years.
A lawyer for Melaleuca with past experience in several federal government jobs has been nominated as solicitor for the Department of the Interior.

Ryan Nelson, who oversees the legal and policy departments at the Idaho Falls company, will now be the chief attorney for the department and principal legal adviser to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. The new job includes overseeing 400 employees, including 300 other attorneys.

Nelson, who is from Idaho Falls, worked as a Justice Department lawyer before Melaleuca, serving as deputy assistant attorney general in the DOJ's Environment and Natural Resources division, managing the natural resources, wildlife and appellate sections, according to a news release from the White House. He also worked as deputy general counsel for the White House Office of Management and Budget, and as special counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee and as a law clerk for the Senate Legal Counsel.

The Interior Department put out a statement praising Nelson's nomination, including quotes from Idaho U.S. senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson and Frank VanderSloot, the Melaleuca CEO and major Republican donor.

Ryan has been a primary member of the management team and the chief legal adviser for Melaleuca, Inc. for nearly eight years," VanderSloot said. "I have personally come to trust and rely on his legal mind and deep commitment to the law, as he has effectively advised the company over the years. During his service, the company has nearly tripled in size and Ryan has built a strong legal team and worked tirelessly to successfully guide the companys growth. President Trump and Secretary Zinke have chosen the best possible candidate to lead the Department of the Interiors legal team. Ryan is a true patriot and I fully support his personal sacrifice in serving this country that he loves so much.

Ryan Nelsons background is a strong fit for the U.S. Department of Interior as he has worked on a wide-range of policy issues important to both Idaho and to the nation, Crapo said. Combined with his strong legal background, Ryan will bring a point of view to Interior that is critically important given the agencys jurisdiction over significant portions of the Western United States. I congratulate Ryan on his nomination and will work with my Senate colleagues to advance his confirmation.

Ryan Nelsons experience handling environmental and natural resources policy and his vast understanding of issues impacting Western states make him well-qualified for this position, said Risch, who is on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that will oversee the nomination. I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to swiftly confirm his nomination.

I am pleased to see an Idahoan nominated for such an important role at the Department of the Interior, Simpson said. I congratulate Ryan Nelson on his nomination to lead Interiors Office of the Solicitor and I look forward to his important work advising the Secretary on decisions which impact Idaho and the Western United States.
LAFAYETTE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Lafayette County's Senior Center being honored.

The Florida Public Service awarding the center this July with Helping Hands Recognition.

The center, located in Mayo, offers a wide variety of educational programs, support groups, and special events and recently helped the public service commission provide beneficial information to their clients.

Each month, the Public Service Commission highlights a partner agency or organization whose clients can benefit from learning how to reduce energy and water bills, how to protect themselves against utility-related scams, and how to apply for the federal lifeline program.
Police say a 3-year-old child was found dead and locked inside of a vehicle in South Georgia.

The incident occurred on July 28 in Reidsville, which is about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta.

According to a spokesperson with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the child's mother called 911 and reported the child missing from their home. After the Tattnall County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene, they found the child inside the locked vehicle.

EMS responded to give aid, but the GBI spokesperson says the child was pronounced dead at the scene.

The GBI spokesperson says an investigation is underway to determine what happened. An autopsy will be performed at the GBI Crime Lab in Savannah.

Copyright 2017 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
TWIN FALLS  Thirty-two projects were completed during this years Operation Facelift.

The Southern Idaho Economic Development initiative includes new business facades, clean-ups, community murals and updating crosswalks. Tim Coles of KMVT and Carleen Herring of Region IV Development served as this years judges.

The following top communities will be recognized with a plaque for their community improvement projects: Gold Award  city of Rupert, Silver Award  city of Heyburn and Bronze Award  city of Glenns Ferry. Amigo Auto Sales in Rupert was selected as the winner of "Most Improved Business." The business will receive $1,000 credit to run a television advertisement on KMVT-TV in Twin Falls.

By involving hundreds of people in the community, plus the varied projects, made Rupert the overall winner," said Tim Coles in a statement. "Rupert is the example other communities need to look to if they participate in this project."

The city of Heyburn was applauded for its crosswalk project and the passion of community members.

Councilman Anderson was the spark plug that made this happen and he should get special recognition for his efforts, Coles said.
Convicted of rape in 1996, acquitted in 2010, former Yakima man still trying to clear his name
YAKIMA, Wash. -- The first time Yakima firefighters saw Robert Hoss, it was in July next to the crumpled remains of his car.
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The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party.

We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste.

Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters.

Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month.
China's UN ambassador urged the international community on Monday to support President Xi Jinping's new four-point proposal to end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establish an independent Palestinian state.

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Liu Jieyi said at a news conference that China's future diplomatic efforts will focus on trying to move toward a negotiated solution based on the four proposals.

China's UN ambassador (Photo: Reuters)

Xi signaled China's stepped-up engagement in the Middle East when he met about two weeks ago in Beijing with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and outlined the plan.

The four points are:

1.) Advancing the two-state solution based on 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as the capital of a new Palestinian state.

2.) Upholding "the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security," immediately ending Israeli settlement building, taking immediate measures to prevent violence against civilians, and calling for an early resumption of peace talks.

3.) Coordinating international efforts to put forward "peace-promoting measures that entail joint participation at an early date."

4.) Promoting peace through development and cooperation between the Palestinians and Israel.

China views both Israel and the Palestinians as "important partners" in its "One Belt, One Road" initiative, a mammoth Chinese-funded push to develop transport routes including ports, railways and roads to expand trade in a vast arc of countries across Asia, Africa and Europe, the ambassador said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (Photo: AP)

China has also proposed launching a "China-Palestine-Israel tripartite dialogue mechanism in order to coordinate the implementation of major assistance programs in Palestine," he said.

But the gaps between Israeli and Palestinian leaders remain wide, preventing any meaningful talks since 2009.

Tensions escalated recently after Arab terrorists murdered two Israeli police officers at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on July 14, prompting Israel to install security devices that sparked Arab outrage and clashes.

Under intense pressure, Israel removed the metal detectors last week and prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque continued.

Liu said China plans to hold a seminar for Israeli and Palestinian "peace activists" this year, seeking "to contribute wisdom for the settlement of the Palestinian question."

He urged the international community to "respond positively to the proposals made by China because we believe these four proposals once fully implemented will really go a long way towards helping the issue to be solved through negotiations, and also contribute to stability of the relations between the two sides."
Saeb Erekat , chief Palestinian negotiator with Israel for the past 20 years who also serves as secretary-general of the PLO's executive committee, suffers from a very serious lung disease and is on the waiting list for a lung transplant in Israel or the United States.

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Erekat's temporary replacement has been announced as Palestinian intelligence chief Majid Faraj.

Saeb Erekat (Photo: Reuters)

Erekat, 62, suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, which is characterized by the development of scars in lung tissue which makes it difficult for them to function properly. The disease manifests itself in shortness of breath, coughing and loss of the ability of the lungs to transfer oxygen to the body. He was diagnosed more than a year ago.

So far, Erekat has been treated with drugs, but a few months ago, drugs stopped being effective and his condition worsened dramatically.

Erekat began medical treatment in one of Israel's hospitals in the center of the country, but doctors made it clear to him that he had to undergo a lung transplant in order to survive. Since then, he has been on the waiting list for a lung transplant.

Erekat's Israeli doctors are optimistic about his chances of recovery if he undergoes a transplant.

L to R: Faraj, Erekat and PM Netanyahu (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom)

In the meantime, Erekat has significantly reduced his public activity. He rarely holds daily work meetings, rarely interviews, and sometimes wears an oxygen mask that helps him breathe. He also has a hard time walking short distances and needs support even when he leaves the car at the entrance to the building where he works in Ramallah until he reaches the elevator.

Following Erekat's medical condition, PA President Mahmoud Abbas decided that Faraj would be appointed to replace him as head of the negotiating team from the moment he could no longer workwhether due to transplant surgery or further deterioration of his condition.

Faraj is known for his good relations with diplomatic officials in the West and in Arab countries. However, he suffers from an obvious disadvantage is that he is not fluent in English, unlike Erekat.

Meanwhile, Palestinian leadership is struggling with a wave of rumors about Abbas's medical condition after he spent a few hours on Saturday in a hospital in Ramallah.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: AFP)

According to Palestinian sources, Abbas underwent a routine check-up, which he usually does when visiting Amman, but decided this time to avoid security coordination with Israel regarding his departure for Jordan. Other sources claimed that this was not a routine check and that he was rushed to the hospital after complaining that he was not feeling well.

Abbas, 82, is a heavy smoker with a history of cancer and heart problems.
Armed Palestinian protestors arrived at Al-Razi Hospital in Jenin on Monday and began to riot and destroy equipment while shooting in the air inside the hospital.

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The incident was documented by hospital security cameras, and depicts one of the rioters threatening medical staff with a pistol, while several others destroyed the reception desk. The rioters were documented throwing chairs, vandalizing hospital equipment and attacking employees.

Security footage of riot at Al-Razi Hospital, Jenin

X

Much of the hospital equipment was severely damaged following the riot, as was an ambulance that was parked inside the medical facility. No one was injured in the incident.

Rioter pointing a gun at the hospital staff

The riot took place against the backdrop of a complaint filed by the rioters about negligent medical treatment given to one of the hospital's patients.

Following the incident, Palestinian police forces arrived and an investigation was opened. The local police announced that the identity of the rioters was known and that steps would be taken against them. No suspects have yet been arrested.
Bassem al-Hamarna, brother of Dr. Bashar al-Hamarnathe Jordanian landlord accidentally killed by an Israeli embassy guard during a stabbing in Amman spoke to Ynet, saying that the family was not interested in compensation, only punishment.

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"The important thing is that he is dead. It was a murder in cold blood, it was murder," said Bassem in an interview with Ynet Monday evening.

Dr. Bashar al-Hamarna

Funeral of Dr. Bashar al-Hamarna

X

Ziv Moyal, an Israeli embassy guard in Jordan, shot and killed 17-year-old Muhammad al-Jawawdeh after the young man stabbed Ziv with a screwdriver allegedly during a dispute.

Al-Hamarna, the landlord in the building where the stabbing took place, was killed after being struck with a stray bullet.

"Even if the young man who was killed with my brother attacked the guard with a screwdriver or with something else, this was security officer who could have acted more wisely and didn't need to use a weapon and kill someone.

"He is a security officer who is trained in karate, judo and god only knows what other skills he has. He could have handled the young man. He did what he did and shot my brother accidentally or not."

King Abdullah II visited the al-Hamarna family, Christians from the town of Madaba, south of Amman. According to Bassem, "They told us the government would follow the issues at all levels of government and speak with Israel."

King Abdullah II visiting the al-Hamarna family

Like the king and many others in the kingdom, Bassem was disappointed by images showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphatically welcoming Ziv back to Israel.

"Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed him back from Amman after he committed coldblooded murder. Netanyahu's welcoming was shameful. After a Jordanian soldier killed little girls at Naharayim, King Hussein went to console the families in Israel. The Jordanian soldier went to prison for 20 years and he wasn't welcomed back like a hero."

It is worth noting that Ahmad Daqamseh, the Jordanian soldier in question, did receive a hero's welcome after being released from prison in March 2017.

Regarding reports that the Israeli government will compensate the family, Bassem indicated that the family has received no such offer from neither the Israeli government nor the Jordanian government.

However, according to Bassem, "We do not want money. We don't even want a trial, he is guilty and he must receive at least two life sentences because I know that you do not have the death penalty.

Bashar al-Hamarna's funeral (Photo: AFP)

"This is not a matter of relations between two countries. This man did not murder on embassy grounds, but rather, he murdered by brother in a building close to the embassy, on Jordanian territory. Therefore, he should have been tried in Jordan, but he has immunity and he should be tried in Israel."

Meanwhile, Israel's State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan instructed the relevant authorities to hand over material relating to the incident, and at the end of the investigation the Jordanian authorities will be updated on the developments and findings.
The high tensions around the Temple Mount seem to be subsiding. If things go on like this, the discussion should be diverted from the metal detector issue to a wider look at the way decisions are made in Israel.

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Every decision on an important issue requires us to address three concepts: Assumptions, interests, alternatives.

Assumptions are assertions we make before discussing a certain question. The assumptions aim to describe reality, and we should start the discussion there.

Metal detectors at the Temple Mount. We have a tendency of giving up the examination of alternatives and reaching a decision right away (Photo: Reuters)

As for Jerusalem in general and the Temple Mount in particular, there is one long-standing assumption: The status quo doesnt reflect the Muslim aspiration, but rather a fragile acceptance of a reality that has been created, which is why Muslim groups will gladly use every opportunity they get to launch protests. They will, of course, accuse Israel of wanting to change the status quo, but the truth is the other way around: They are the ones who want to change it, and theyre just looking for an excuse to act accordingly.

So its not enough for us to claim something doesnt constitute a change in the status quo, as we did in 1996 with the opening of the Western Wall Tunnels, or as we did with Ariel Sharons visit to the Temple Mount in September 2000. As far as the other side is concernedthen and nowwhen we brought in the metal detectors, we violated the status quo. The truth isnt important. The important thing is not to give any strife monger an excuse.

A more important issue is the definition of interests. A national interest is neither a hearts desire nor a slogan. An interest is an important thing, and we must be prepared to pay a price to achieve it. Every discussion of every issue must begin with an attempt to agree on our interests, and if they contradict each othertrying to agree on which is the more important one.

Clashes in Bethlehem over the metal detectors on the Temple Mount. Muslim groups are just looking for excuses to launch protests (Photo: AFP)

Lets take Gaza, for example. In my opinion, Israel has no interests in regards to Gaza apart from a pure security interest. We have no economic interest there, we have no territorial interest and we have no political interest. There are some people, however, who argue we do have a political interest in Gazafor Hamas to be ousted and the Palestinian Authority to regain control of Gaza. Regardless of whos right, its clear we cant hold any practical discussion on Gaza before reaching agreements on the interests.

This third thing is an examination of the alternatives. We have a tendency of giving up this allegedly annoying stage and reaching a decision right away. Sometimes, a bad reality is created and someone offers to do something else to change it. That creates a dichotomic situation with two options: Continuing the current situation versus the proposal to change it. Who says this is the entire range of possibilities? Such a situation existed 13 years ago, for example, around the disengagement plan. The people were divided between supporters and opponents. Who said those were the only possible alternatives?

Back to the Temple Mount. Who said the range of possibilities two weeks ago was between placing metal detectors or not? There may have been other alternatives too, like using the 48 hours in which the Temple Mount was closed to send an emissary to Jordan who would return with an acceptable formula, thereby avoiding a situation of having 1.3 billion Muslims against us.

When discussing alternatives, the decision maker must have at his side an efficient body with no ego or interests, which will be tasked with preparing important topics for discussion through an objective presentation of the entire range of possibilities. With the absence of a National Security Council head for the past year and a half, there is no function creating the high-quality discussion that could lead to better decisions.
Six months after the IDF exposed Hamas's Facebook catfishing operation , it turns out that the Iranians are also working a similar scheme to obtain secret information from Israeli companies operating in sensitive fields.

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Mia Ash is a 29-year-old independent photographer and an attractive woman living in London who loves listening to indie music and "surfing on social media." She's been studying at the University of London and is a bit of a hipsterand she's looking for love. Oddly enough, she seems to be attracted mainly to older men in senior positions in the energy, aviation and information technology industries.

There is only one problemMia Ash doesn't exist. In fact, her profile is fake, designed to steal secret information.

Mia Ash

The investigators who uncovered the plot believe Mia was created by hackers linked to Iran. According to media reports, the scheme was partially successful and senior executives in sensitive industries in Israel, the United States, India and Saudi Arabia may have exposed confidential information to the same fake profile.

Mia also installed spyware on the computers of the companies from which it gathered information before it was discovered last February.

In the same month, a Middle East company whose name has not been revealed was approached by the US security company SecureWorks to investigate the espionage attempt.

An unnamed employee was flattered when Mia approached him on LinkedIn with questions related to photographya passion they share. Within a short time they became friends on Facebook, where they corresponded and talked about work and hobbies.

Mia's Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Blogger accounts have shown that many of her friends are photographers and that her relationship status is defined as "It's Complicated."

One day, she asked her new friend if he could do her a favor. She asked him for feedback on a photograph, which included downloading and filling out an Excel sheet. She claimed that this should be done on his work computer, otherwise technological problems would arise. The employee swallowed the bait and as soon as he downloaded the files, he introduced spyware into the system.

Fortunately, the company's cyber security detected this.

Her Facebook profile page, now deleted

The investigation found that Mia's profile had been created a year ago, and that those responsible for it had forged contacts with real photographers over the course of months to give the fictional character credibility. Mia's photos were taken from the profile of a Romanian student.

An Australian newspaper reported that investigators believe the profile was created by the "Cobalt Gypsy" hacker group, which is believed to be backed by Iran. The same group was linked to cyber attacks in the past that compromised thousands of computers in Saudi Arabia and cyber attacks on Israeli companies.

This is, of course, not the first case of a fictitious Facebook profile created for espionage purposes.

Six months ago, the IDF said that Hamas had stepped up its cyber espionage activity aimed at IDF soldiers in order to gather intelligence about the army's operations and its deployment on the Gaza border.

Several of the women Hamas has imitated (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Hamas operatives would pose as attractive, young Israeli women by assuming their identities and making contact with soldiers, mainly through Facebook. Following contact with soldiers, the Hamas operatives would attempt to engage in an intimate virtual relationship and convince soldiers to download an "application" that would allow for video chatting.

The "application" was a Trojan horse, which gave Hamas total control over the device and allowed the terrorist organization to activate the camera and microphone, access contacts, videos and photos, and even Whatsapp conversations and emailsall without the soldier being aware.

Moreover, Hamas also managed to delete the application from the devices, while simultaneously installing more sophisticated monitoring and control applications without leaving a trace.
Samaria Council Yossi Dagan and his family moved into the Machpelah House in Hebron on Tuesday, a little over a week after 120 settlers invaded the building in protest of delays in the purchasing process of the building and objections by the High Court of Justice and the Civil Administration to them moving in.

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"I call upon the prime minister to afford the people of Hebron their full rights to purchase and reside in their homes, just like every other citizen," he said.

"We're not barricading," Dagan stressed. "Everything is pleasant, calm and peaceful. According to all legal instances, this house was purchased at full-price and completely legally. For five and a half years, the dear people who have put down their hard earned money to buy this house have been strung along with quasi-legal excuses, when in reality it's just about politics."

Settlers in the Machpelah House

"I came here both out of solidarity with them as an Israeli citizen, who is moved by this injustice, and as an elected official who feels that the persecution and blatant discrimination faced by the Jews in Hebronwho are citizens of this country and have lived here for over half a centuryis also aimed at all of the country's citizens living in Samaria," Dagan added. "There's a grave injustice in place against more than half a million of the country's citizens living in Judea and Samaria whose rights are trampled time and time again.

"I hope the government will finally deign to put an end to this ordeal and call upon the prime minister to give the people of Hebron their rights, the same rights afforded to the people of the Gaza border communities, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem."

The IDF has declared the Hebron Machpelah House as a closed military zone after the settlers invaded it and barricaded themselves there last week. The decision was intended to prevent further people from entering the house and allow for its evacuation when the government decides to do so.

Settlers have been protesting the lag in examining the structure's purchasing documents. The invasion and barricading came two weeks after a report saying the Civil Administration has determined that the documents are not forged.

Large IDF and Border Police forces arrived to the area and effectively isolated last week, and several detectives came in to the complex to evaluate the house's different entry points.
A senior Palestinian official on Tuesday said silence in US President Donald Trump's administration over settlement growth and its failure to support the two-state solution encouraged "apartheid" Israeli policies.

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The criticism by chief negotiator Saeb Erekat came in a statement after the Palestinians had previously been careful not to antagonize the new US leader since his inauguration in January.

"The fact the US administration did not declare the final goal of the peace process is to achieve two states on the basis of the 1967 borders, and its silence regarding the intensification of Israeli colonial settlement activities, are interpreted by the Israeli government as an opportunity to destroy the two-state solution and replace it with one state with two systems," Erekat said.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat (Photo: EPA)

"That is what the Israeli government is doing on the ground through its policies," he said, adding that such a system was tantamount to "apartheid."

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen since 2014.

Trump's administration has sought to build trust for a new round of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

Erekat, who is also the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said the American administration's perceived silence was an "obstacle" to talks.

Settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem are among the most controversial issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel captured the areas in 1967 in a move never recognized by the international community, and more than 600,000 Israelis now live in settlements.

In December, the United Nations Security Council declared all such settlements to be illegal after outgoing President Barack Obama decided not to veto a resolution.

Since Trump came to power, however, Washington has remained largely quiet as Israel has announced thousands of new homes in settlements.

Trump has also moved away from decades of US support for the two-state solutionthe establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israelsaying in February he was happy with either a one-state or two-state solution if the parties favored it.

US negotiators have not publicly backed an independent Palestinian state in statements after meetings with the two sides.
Jordanian reporters have admitted on local social media the official diplomatic identity card of the embassy guard involved in last week's shooting, Ziv Moyal, came from the highest echelons of Jordanian government.

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"Jordan's security forces knew immediately the identity of the guard involved, but since Jordan respects international diplomatic codes of conduct it waited until the entire Israeli delegation, including the guard, was safely out of the kingdom before exposing his identity," said a high ranking Jordanian official. "We want Ziv Moyal to be compromised everywhere.

"The leak had dual purposes. Firstly, to break Israeli censorship on the affair and its attempt to harm the credibility of Jordanian reports. Secondly, to make sure Moyal never works as a guard in any embassy anywhere in the world. With his identity made public, he'll now be a security risk."

Diplomatic ID of guard Ziv Moyal, released by Jordanian paper Al-Rad

Israel was angered by Moyal's personal details being made public, after being blindsided by the publication. Government officials believe this will risk both Moyal's future career in embassy security and his life.

According to a top Israeli official, this is a hostile measure flying against what was agreed upon between the two countries to resolve this crisis quietly and convivially while getting to the truth of what happened.

Israeli officials say leaking Moyal's details attests to an internal squabble within the royal palace in Amman. The internal rift is being waged between those who believed this crisis should be managed quietly bilaterally with Israel and the position taken by King Abdullah himself, who was furious with the reception given to the security guard by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was exceedingly wary of the response by the Jordanian public.

Security officials contacted the State Attorney's Office to evaluate the legal ramifications of exposing Moyal's details and whether that would mean he'd be limited in traveling abroad and would be open to arrests there. The officials also asked to examine who would need to provide legal protection for him should he go abroad and find himself embroiled in something. Officially, Israel has remained completely silent following the release of Moyal's details, saying its relationship with Jordan is more important.

Prime Minister Netanyahu embraces Moyal upon his return to Israel (Photo: Haim Tzah, GPO)

Meanwhile, Moyal has been instructed by his superiors to lay low, his Facebook profile was taken down and his parents were instructed to not talk to the media.

He has yet to take on the services of a lawyer, but may be forced to do so now that his details have come to light. Nevertheless, if he is proven to be in the right in shooting a stabber who tried to carry out a terror attack, it seems Israel will have no choice but to take responsibility and provide him with legal protection against prosecution abroad. It will also have to supply him with employment, now that he's been called back to the country.

Earlier this week, Jordanian daily Al-Rad boasted its success in "breaking through" Israeli censors and releasing the full name and photo of Israeli security guard Ziv Moyal.

The paper went on to brag their expose forced Moyal's family to leave their home in a southern region moshav and hide with relatives, out of fear of Palestinians avenging the death of Mohammad Jawawdah, the young man killed in the incident.

Jawawdah's family is originally Palestinian, from one of the villages near Hebron.

Zekharia Jawawdah, the young man's father, said in an interview Monday he categorically denies Moyal's claims that he was attacked and was outraged by the reception the guard was given in Israel: "You welcomed a criminal with hugs for political reasons. For your own good, you should punish Netanyahu before the criminal himself. He welcomed a criminal with hugs, which makes him a criminal himself. It's a disgrace. You're dragging your country's good name through the mud. My demand is a legal one  hold my son's killer to a trial under the rules and norms of international law."
Iran believes new sanctions the United States has imposed on it breach the nuclear deal it agreed to in 2015 and has complained to the body that oversees the pact's implementation, a senior politician said Tuesday.

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Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed by the United States, Russia, China and three European powers, Iran curbed its nuclear work in return for the lifting of most sanctions.

However, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on six Iranian firms in late July for their role in the development of a ballistic missile program, after Tehran launched a rocket capable of putting a satellite into orbit.

President Trump and an Iranian ballistic missile test (Photo: Reuters)

The US Senate voted on the same day to impose new sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea. The sanctions in that bill also target Iran's missile programs as well as human rights abuses.

"Iran's JCPOA supervisory body assessed the new US sanctions and decided that they contradict parts of the nuclear deal," Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

"Iran has complained to the (JCPOA) Commission for the breach of the deal by America," he added, referring to the joint commission set up by the six world powers, Iran and the European Union to handle any complaints about the deal's implementation.

If the commission is unable to resolve a dispute, parties can take their grievances to the UN Security Council.

US President Donald Trump, who has called the agreementnegotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama"the worst deal ever" last week told Iran to adhere to the terms of the nuclear accord or face "big, big problems," although his administration has certified Iran as being in compliance with the it.

Iranian media said on Monday the government had agreed measures in response to the US sanctions and that President Hassan Rouhani would announce them soon to relevant ministries.

Iran has previously accused the United States of defying the spirit of the nuclear deal or "showing bad faith," but has not taken any formal action against Washington.
Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and senior advisor of US President Donald Trump, has expressed doubt the American administration could find a "unique" solution that would lead to peace between Israel and the Palestinians, according to an audio recording leaked to WIRED magazine.

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While speaking to congressional interns in Washington on Monday, Kushner was asked how he plans to negotiate peace between Israel and the Palestinians and how he plans to succeed where others have failed.

"What do we offer that's unique? I dont know," he responded. "I'm sure everyone that's tried this has been unique in some ways, but again we're trying to follow very logically. We're thinking about what the right end state is. And were trying to work with the parties very quietly to see if there's a solution."

Kushner talks to interns (Source: WIRED) (WIRED)

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He added that "there may be no solution, but it's one of the problem sets that the president asked us to focus on. So we're going to focus on it and try to come to the right conclusion in the near future."

Kushner also said that after doing research on the matter, he determined that "not a whole lot has been accomplished over the last 40 or 50 years we've been doing this."

He expressed his frustration at the fact that "everyone finds an issue, that, 'You have to understand what they did then,' and 'You have to understand that they did this.' But how does that help us get peace? Let's not focus on that ... Let's focus on how do you come up with a conclusion to the situation."

Jared Kushner (Photo: AP)

Kushner also addressed the crisis on the Temple Mount. "Look at what happened this past 10 daysa lot of seemingly logical measures taken ... (that) somehow became a little bit incendiary," he said, referring to the installation of metal detectors at the entrance to the Temple Mount after a terror attack at the holy site, a move that enraged Muslims and prompted protests and violent clashes.

"But we were able to calm it down by having a lot of really great dialogue between Jordan and the Palestinian authority and the Israelis," he added.
A resident of the Samaria region of the West Bank reported to the police he was accosted by a Palestinian while stopping his vehicle at the Yakir Gadol junction on the outskirts of route 505 on Tuesday.

The settler said he tried fighting his assailant off but the suspect got into the car and began driving wildly towards one of the nearby villages.

The car's driver sustained minor injuries and was treated onsite. Army and police forces deployed in the area began collecting evidence and searching for both the vehicle and the suspect.
A former deputy national security advisor, Atalya Rosenbaum, allegedly tried to convince Israel's ambassador to Germany to meet with state witness Miki Ganor , who mediated Israel's submarines purchase from ThyssenKrupp, Channel 10 News reported on Tuesday evening.

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According to the report, Rosenbaum told Ambassador Yoram Ben-Ze'ev, "You're about to retire. Miki Ganor has a lot of management and directorate positions (to offer)."

Rosenbaum was the deputy to National Security Council head Uzi Arad until July 2010, when Arad claimed she was untrustworthy and sought to oust her.

Atalya Rosenbaum (Photo courtesy of Channel 10)

According to the Channel 10 report, Rosenbaum has close ties with another former deputy national security advisor, Avriel Bar-Yosef , who is a main suspect in the submarines affair, as well as with Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Arad, according to the report, did not know about the ties between Rosenbaum and Ganor.

The Israel Police is currently investigating suspicions of corruption surrounding the procurement of submarines and patrol ships for the Israeli Navy from German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, represented in Israel by businessman Miki Ganor.

Ganor, a main suspect in the case, has recently reached an agreement to become a state witness. He will provide the police with all of the information he has pertaining to the case and in return will spend only a year in prison and pay a fine of NIS 10 million.

Ambassador Ben-Ze'ev was entrusted by the Israeli government to promote the sale of a sixth submarine for the Navy. Ganor tried to set up a meeting with Ben-Ze'ev, but the latter refused.

Miki Ganor (Photo: Raanan Ben Zur)

Rosenbaum then called the ambassador and recommended he met with Ganor. After hearing Ganor's proposals from Rosenbaum, Ben-Ze'ev responded with, "Do me a favor. Don't call me anymore."

Rosenbaum said in response, "It's true that I'm friendly with Ganor. I had work ties with Bar-Yosef, but I didn't deal with the sixth submarine. I didn't call Yoram Ben-Ze'ev and did not tell him what was claimed, nor did I have business ties with Ganor after leaving my position."

Earlier, the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court imposed a gag order on the details of testimony given by Ganor.

The order applies to every detail of the case pertaining, related to or stemming from Ganor's testimony or the proceedings coming before he signed the state's witness agreement, including investigative actions deriving from said testimony and every detail of future testimony in the case against him and/or other persons to be derived from his testimony.

The order will remain in force until September 17, 2017.
Elor Azaria's father Charlie said in an interview Monday his son would consider apologizing and expressing remorse for shooting dead a neutralized Palestinian terrorist only if a deal to reduce his sentence was offered.

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"If we get a real, concrete offer of a significant reduction of his sentence, I believe we'll reach a conclusion along with our defense team," Azaria said.

"We've yet to be contacted by the prime minister of the minister of defense," he added. "Should we receive any official word, we'll consider it."

Elor Azaria and his parents (Photo: Reuters)

"It's not just about Elor. It's about keeping the country unified and minimizing the damage caused to both the IDF and the Israeli public. We'll be ready to entertain any such notions only out of respect of minimizing the damages caused here," Azaria said.

"The end result of the incident may be lamentable," he admitted, "but we mustn't forget this wasn't a civilian scene, it wasn't a brawl or a stabbing. It was an operational situation with wounded victims."

The law determines the Supreme Court will accept an appeal request of this kind only in extreme cases and after a long, meticulous inquiry into the matter. The likelihood for an appeal request to be accepted in this particular case seems slim.

The IDF, for its part, has clarified it will not cave in to pressure to agree to a deal, despite the Azaria family's demands. The army plans to go forward as planned, with Azaria starting to serve his sentence next Wednesday, August 9, at Prison Four.

On September 7, the verdict will become peremptory and Azaria will be able to appeal to Chief of the General Staff Gadi Eisenkot within 60 days for a reduced sentence. However, for this request to be taken into serious consideration, Azaria would need to both express remorse for his actions and take responsibility for them, neither of which he has done thus far.

Regardless, if such a request is submitted, Eisenkot is obliged to consult with the Chief Military Advocate General, Brig. Gen. Sharon Afek, for a legal opinion first and only then may he respond.

Azaria's attorney, Yoram Sheftel, got into some hot water after he criticized Eisenkot's physical appearance on his radio show, later issuing an apology.

Sheftel said on his show last Thursday the chief of the general staff is a "miserable wretch" and that he "doesn't have a soldierly appearance, looking like a fat municipal clerk."

These words brought on serious backlash from both listeners and Sheftel's fellow radio hosts, who called for his removal from the station. Following the public outcry, 103 FM station chief Or Tzalkovnik ordered Sheftel to apologize, which he eventually did.
WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday neither he nor President Donald Trump is "very happy" about new sanctions on Russia that Congress has voted to put in place.

But he said the sanctions show Americans are frustrated by Moscow, even though they want the US to have a functional relationship with the nuclear-armed power.

Tillerson lamented the sour state of relations with Russia more than half a year into Trump's term. He said they've gotten worse and is pointing to Russia's move to kick out many US diplomats serving in Russia.

Still, Tillerson said the US has had some successes working with Russia on lowering violence in Syria.
York Police Department

 Friday at 9:53 a.m., report of a domestic dispute on S. Cowan Ave.

 Friday at 10:23 a.m., assisted a motorist on S. 35th St.

 Friday at 10:42 a.m., report of a theft on E. 12th St.

 Friday at 12:18 p.m., report of an accident on E. David Drive and S. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 1:40 p.m., report of a noise disturbance on E. 10th St.

 Friday at 2:32 p.m., 2:35 p.m., 2:48 p.m., 6:19 p.m., and 6:20 p.m., reports of garbage and other issues with properties.

 Friday at 3:31 p.m., report of an accident at W. 12th St. and Poplar Ave.

 Friday at 4:25 p.m., report of an accident on E. Sixth St.

 Friday at 6:47 p.m., report of a domestic dispute on N. Grant Ave.

 Friday at 10:03 p.m., report that someone was making terroristic threats.

 Friday at 11:10 p.m., report of a parking complaint on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 11:28 p.m., report of a domestic dispute on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 11:48 p.m., report of suspicious activity on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 7:27 a.m., report of a dog running loose on Eastridge Ave.

 Saturday at 10:39 a.m., report of a medical emergency on S. Hutchins Ave.

 Saturday at 10:55 a.m., report of a medical emergency on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 12:37 p.m., report that someone was receiving fraudulent phone calls.

 Saturday at 1 p.m., received information regarding controlled substances.

 Saturday at 1:10 p.m., report of a medical emergency on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 3:51 p.m., report that someone was drinking on public property.

 Saturday at 4:40 p.m., report of a fight on E. First St.

 Saturday at 4:47 p.m., report of a fight on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 11:36 p.m., report of a medical emergency on N. Blackburn Ave.

 Sunday at 12:13 a.m., report of criminal trespassing on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 2:47 a.m., report of suspicious activity on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 5:18 a.m., assisted the sheriffs department on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 9:42 a.m., report of a medical emergency on W. Fourth St.

 Sunday at 1:40 p.m., and 3:57 p.m. and 2:59 p.m., reports of medical emergencies.

 Sunday at 3:16 p.m., report that someone was drinking on public property.

 Sunday at 5:13 p.m., report of a theft on E. David Drive.

 Sunday at 5:36 p.m. and 6:28 p.m., reports of dogs running loose.

 Sunday at 11:18 p.m., assisted the sheriffs department.

 Monday at 12:29 a.m., report of criminal trespassing on N. Grant Ave.

 Monday at 3:11 a.m., report of suspicious activity on N. Platte Ave.

York County Sheriffs Department

 Monday at 10:40 a.m., transferred a patient from York to Lincoln.

 Monday at 10:36 p.m., responded to a medical emergency in the Benedict area.

 Tuesday at 4:34 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Tuesday at 12:55 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on E. 14th St.

 Tuesday at 5:14 p.m., responded to a medical emergency at the aquatic center.

 Tuesday at 6:05 p.m., transferred a patient from Henderson to Lincoln.

 Tuesday at 9:20 p.m., responded to a medical emergency in McCool.

 Wednesday at 9:26 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on E. 12th St.

 Wednesday at 11:12 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on N. Delaware Ave.

 Thursday at 7:03 a.m., provided lift assistance on E. Fourth St.

 Thursday at 12:44 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on Wall Street.

 Thursday at 1:16 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Thursday at 5:15 p.m., responded to a medical emergency at the prison.

 Thursday at 6:19 p.m., transferred a patient from York to Lincoln.

 Friday at 12:57 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Friday at 5:02 a.m., transferred a patient from York to Lincoln.

 Friday at 12:19 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on David Drive.

 Friday at 1:59 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on Burlington Ave.

 Friday at 3 p.m., transferred a patient from York to Lincoln.

 Friday at 7:18 p.m., responded to a medical emergency at the Hearthstone.

 Saturday at 10:36 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on S. Hutchins Ave.

 Saturday at 10:54 a.m., responded to a fire call on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 1:08 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Saturday at 3:54 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on E. 12th St.

 Saturday at 7:17 p.m., responded to a medical emergency in McCool.

 Saturday at 11:31 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on N. Blackburn Ave.

 Sunday at 9:41 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on W. Fourth St.

 Sunday at 11:41 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on Recharge Road.

 Sunday at 1:39 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on S. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 1:59 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on Meadow View Drive.

 Sunday at 2:33 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on N. Lincoln Ave.

 Sunday at 6:42 p.m., responded to a medical emergency on Interstate 80.

 Sunday at 9:23 p.m., transferred a patient from York to Lincoln.

 Monday at 2:36 a.m., responded to a medical emergency on Recharge Road.

 Monday at 5:55 a.m., transferred a patient from York to Lincoln.
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).
Washington: President Donald Trump personally dictated a misleading statement in which his son Donald Trump Jr said a meeting with a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election was focused on adoptions, The Washington Post reported Monday.



It later emerged that during that fateful June 2016 meeting, Trump`s eldest son, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian government attorney who an intermediary claimed had incriminating information about Trump`s rival Hillary Clinton.



The subject line of the e-mail from Trump Jr inviting Kushner and Manafort to the meeting read "Russia - Clinton - private and confidential."



In his initial statement on the meeting, Trump Jr said the group "primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children," and insisted that "it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow-up."



The Post said the president dictated the statement to his son while on a flight home from the G20 summit in Germany.



Trump Jr later sent shockwaves through Washington by releasing a series of emails that detailed how he had attended the meeting after being promised "very high level and sensitive information" that was "part of Russia and its government`s support for Mr Trump."



Trump has rushed to his son`s defence, and lambasted what he calls a political "witch hunt."





Citing people familiar with the discussions, the Post said the president`s legal team planned to present the meeting as a potential setup by Democrats seeking to entrap Trump Jr and thus Trump himself, who at the time was the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.



The meeting with lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya has thrust Trump Jr into the centre of a growing scandal over whether Trump`s associates colluded with Moscow to tilt the 2016 election in the Republican`s favour.



Former FBI director Robert Mueller is probing, in his capacity as special counsel, the Russia connection independently of the Senate panels.
Islamabad: Pakistan has extended by two months the house arrest of Hafiz Saeed, accused by the United States of masterminding 2008 attacks on the Indian financial capital of Mumbai that killed 166 people, a government document reviewed by Reuters showed.

Saeed was put under house arrest in January after years of living freely in Pakistan, one of the sore points in the country`s fraying relationship with the United States. His freedom had also infuriated Pakistan`s arch-foe, India.

In a document marked "secret", the government of Pakistan`s eastern province of Punjab said it was ordering the extension on the recommendations of the federal government and the interior ministry in Islamabad.

Yahya Mujahid, spokesman for Saeed`s Muslim charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), confirmed that Saeed was among five members of the charity given an extended term of house arrest.

The Counter Terrorism Department believes Saeed`s supporters plan to "spread chaos in the country" and stage demonstrations to project Saeed as a hero, Punjab`s home department said in the document.

A campaign is being waged by Abdul Rehman Makki, believed to be Saeed`s deputy at JuD, to drum up the the support of workers.

"Transport is being arranged, arms are also being collected for show of force and for use, and if need be, against the personnel of law enforcement agencies," the document added. "Funds are also being collected for the purpose."

Reuters` telephone calls to an official spokesman seeking comment on the document were not immediately answered.

The United States had offered $10 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Saeed, who heads JuD, which Washington says is a front for the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Reuters could not contact Saeed for comment, but he has always denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks of 2008 that brought the neighbours Pakistan and India to the brink of war.

In the attacks, 10 gunmen swarmed across targets including two luxury hotels, a Jewish center and a train station in a rampage that lasted several days.

India accused Pakistan of sponsoring the attacks through LeT, which Saeed founded in the 1990s. Pakistan has denied any state involvement and Saeed, who has distanced himself from LeT, has repeatedly denied responsibility.

Previous Pakistani announcements of action against anti-India militant groups have rarely resulted in serious punishment.

Western countries have for decades accused Pakistan of harbouring Islamist militant groups and using them as proxies against bigger neighbour India, with whom it has fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

Islamabad denies having such a policy.
Guwahati: Tension gripped parts of Assam after two unidentified assailants shot dead Lafikul Islam, President of the All Bodoland Minority Students` Union (ABMSU), on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said two motorcycle-riding assailants shot at Lafikul in Basugaon area in Kokrajhar district around 3.30 p.m. from a close range. He was immediately taken to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Two persons have been detained so far in this connection.

Later in the day, ABMSU supporters blocked roads by burning tyres and shouted slogans in Basugaon and other adjoining areas, protesting the killing.

Leader of Opposition in the Assam assembly Debabrata Saikia condemned the student leader`s murder and termed it "a failure on the part of the state government to maintain law and order".

"Late Islam boldly raised his voice against the injustice meted out to people living in Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts by the government as well as by a section of people," said Saikia while demanding action against the assailants.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a high-level meeting with civil and police administration at his office chamber in Janata Bhawan in the evening and asked the authorities to launch a manhunt to nab the culprits behind the killing.

He asked Director General of Police Mukesh Sahay to rush to Kokrajhar to review the situation and initiate investigations to nab the killers within 24 hours.

Sonowal also asked the Deputy Commissioner of Kokrajhar to maintain vigil on the situation, and to ensure peace and order in the district.

The Chief Minister also asked Special DGP Kula Saika to rush to Udalguri and assess the situation.
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review the damage caused by recent floods in Assam during his visit to the state on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister, who arrived at the Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here, was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

From the airport, he flew by helicopter to the Veterinary College Ground at Khanapara here.

The PM then drove to the nearby Assam Administrative Staff College where he is scheduled to hold three meetings, before returning to New Delhi in the afternoon.

He was received at the Staff College by the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior state government officials.

In the first meeting with the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues and senior state government officials, the prime minister would review the flood situation and infrastructural damage, official sources said.

The prime minister would address a meeting of ruling BJP and its alliance partners-- the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodo Peoples' Front.

Modi would also hold a meeting with Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland and Assam.

State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said yesterday that the prime minister's visit was mainly aimed at finding a permanent solution to the flood problem in Assam.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Tuesday visit Assam to review the situation of deluge prevailing in the entire north east.

Modi's visit comes a day after he announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Assam.

He also announced Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods in the state, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said.

During his visit, the PM will chair a series of high-level meetings to review the flood situation and relief operations in the North Eastern States, particularly in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur.

Chief Ministers and senior officials from these states are expected to be present at the meetings.

Earlier, the prime minister announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the floods in Rajasthan as well.

He also sanctioned Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured in the floods in Rajasthan.

(With Agency inputs)
Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday attacked his former ally and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who, he alleged, had switched his allegiance for the sake of power.

Speaking to reporters, the RJD chief said, '''Nitish is a power hungry man and knows no morals.''

He is a political turncoat. I've lost count of the number of times he has changed his stance and his loyalty for power, the veteran RJD leader alleged.

Nitish has probably forgotten what he was, where he came from. He had lost assembly elections twice in past. He also faced defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, he added.

Calling Nitish as someone who can't be trusted, Lalu said, ''I did not want Nitish to be projected as chief ministerial candidate as I did not trust him in the least. Then Mulayam ji convinced me otherwise."

The RJD chief further alleged that Nitish had used my sons as pawn to get back into the BJP fold.

The Former Bihar chief minister also slammed Nitish for calling Narendra Modi as invincible leader.

Lalu Prasad had earlier unleashed an offensive against Nitish Kumar, stating that he was charged in a murder case.

A defiant Lalu also accused the JD(U) leader of colluding with the BJP.

"Nitish Kumar knew that he is accused of section 302, one of India's CM is main accused in murder and arms case," Lalu had said this while addressing a press conference in Patna.

Citing PM Modi's tweet appreciating Nitish Kumar's stand on corruption, Lalu accused the former of being hand in gloves with the BJP and the RSS.

Clarifying on the crisis that started after CBI charged him and his son in a corruption case, Lalu said that he had told Nitish Kumar that the charges were false and politically motivated.

In his defence, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said that he had stepped down in the interest of the state after failing to resolve a crisis plaguing the ruling Grand Alliance.
New Delhi: In a likely setback to Bihar Chief Minister, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it would look into a petition seeking cancellation of Nitish Kumar's membership of the state Legislative Council for allegedly concealing a pending criminal case against him while filing his poll affidavit.

The order was passed by Supreme Court bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Amitava Roy and Justice AM Khanwilkar in response to the plea filed by advocate ML Sharma.

Sharma had sought cancellation of Kumar's membership to Bihar Legislative Council citing the 2002 order of the Election Commission which states that it is mandatory for candidates to disclose criminal cases against them in their affidavits annexed to nomination papers.

The petitioner also sought court's direction to the CBI to register an FIR against the JD-U leader in the case.

The petition said there was a criminal case against Nitish Kumar in which he was accused of killing a local Congress leader Sitaram Singh, and injuring four others ahead of a Lok Sabha by-election in Barh constituency in 1991.

Despite knowing about Kumar`s criminal case, the Election Commission did not cancel his membership of the House and he still enjoys constitutional office till date, Sharma said.

The petition sought cancellation of the Bihar Chief Minister`s membership as per the 2002 order of the Election Commission, which said it is mandatory for candidates to disclose criminal cases against them in their affidavits annexed to nomination papers.

With IANS inputs
Mumbai: Director Hansal Mehta has trashed all 'speculations' around the Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Simran', saying that they are "false, malicious and totally fabricated".

Mehta dismissed the reports that Kangana had taken over editing of the trailer after being unhappy over the first cut.

"All this speculation is false, malicious and totally fabricated. I collaborate closely with my team and my actors are an integral part of that collaboration. It angers me that every time some malicious gossip has to be spread people meaninglessly drag Kangana into their stupid machinations. She is a valued friend, actor and collaborator. Period," Mehta said in a statement.

"I`m even more hurt that some malicious person chooses to drag my relationship with Vishal Bhardwaj into this malice. Vishal is one of my dearest friends and if I am making films today it is because of him. I would never say anything that could remotely even hurt or upset somebody I love so dearly and to whom I am so grateful," he added.

Co-producer Bhushan Kumar said he is saddened by the reports as they put the film in a negative light.

"We are very saddened with this news. Her (Kangana) sitting on the edit table is completely false. We all work as a team and her feedback on every promo and plan is crucial. At the end, the film is a director`s vision and the film campaign will stay close to that only," Kumar said.
New Delhi: Apple Inc has asked the Indian government to extend tax breaks to its suppliers if India seeks to become a manufacturing hub for iPhones and its components.

Government officials say meeting this request would require a new policy that applies fairly to other device makers, too.

The U.S. tech giant has been in talks with Indian officials since May of last year, when CEO Tim Cook and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to set up a production base in the country that goes beyond just assembling the devices, as happens today.

The two sides have been discussing a list of "prerequisites" that Apple submitted in October, including duty exemption on raw materials for manufacturing components and capital equipment for 15 years for it to make iPhones from scratch in India.

The company has told the government it would be bringing in a host of these ancillary units when it sets up operations to cater to India, one of the world`s fastest growing smartphone markets, a top government official said.

"They want the same treatment to be given to the component manufacturers; the tax concessions, they want everything. But then some kind of policy will have to be evolved," the official said.

Apple declined to comment.

The demand could further delay Apple`s plans to penetrate the Indian market, the world`s third largest for smartphones behind the United States and China, but where it has only a 2 percent share.

The company is looking to India after sales in the Greater China region, once a major growth driver, slid 14 percent year-on-year to $10.7 billion in the three months ended April 1.

In May, Apple, working with Taiwanese contract manufacturer Winstron, began assembling the iPhone SE in Bengaluru.

The plan that Modi and Cook ordered the two sides to work on, however, envisages manufacturing a full range of iPhones for the domestic market, as well as for export.

ECOSYSTEM FOR HANDSETS

For India, which would only be the second iPhone production centre after China, such an investment would be a big win for Modi`s Make-in-India campaign.

It would also spawn a vast network of suppliers, in the way that India`s auto ancillary sector took off to feed Maruti Suzuki India`s production line over three decades ago.

Another official, who has led efforts to secure foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, said Apple`s proposal to build its phones in India was being examined favourably by the government.

"My view is that India needs to support Apple to create an ecosystem, which was done for Maruti. This helped to build the automobile and auto component industry in India," the official said, seeking anonymity in line with government policy.

"Initial support will pay rich dividends in the long run and facilitate innovation, design and manufacturing of electronics components in India," the official added.

Apple competitors such as South Korea`s Samsung Electronics and China`s Oppo could also benefit from a broader policy review as they, too, currently have predominantly assembly operations in India.

Another government official familiar with the matter said it would be difficult for India to agree to Apple`s request for a customs holiday for just its own operations in India.

Customs duties have already been slashed in order to make India a hub for handset assembly lines, the official said.

That move has encouraged phone makers to set up such facilities in India, and so the duty structure cannot be changed for one company, the official said.
London: The Indian government has submitted the requisite "opening note" and paperwork related to Vijay Mallya's extradition case to the liquor baron's legal team within the UK court deadline, according to official sources.

Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, presiding at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London at the last hearing in the case on July 6, had set July 31 as the deadline for the Indian side represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) ? to provide Mallya's defence team with a detailed opening note on the case.

The 61-year-old tycoon is sought by Indian authorities for allegedly defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore.

"All matters are on track," official sources confirmed to PTI here.

The next hearing to assess the progress in the case will be held at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.

Mallya, who has been in self-imposed exile in the UK since March 2016, was arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on April 18 and is currently out on bail.

The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government earlier this month, had told the court that they had "excellent cooperation" with the Indian authorities in the case and now had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for?the extradition of the former chief of erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines.

"We have?completed a review of materials?and I am happy to state that we have had?excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case. We are ready and willing to proceed?and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest,? CPS barrister Mark Summers had said.

The judge agreed with the CPS to "progress with some rigour" and retained December 4 as the date for a final hearing in the case.

If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK?home secretary must order? Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day.

However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion.

India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, and Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi had recently indicated it was working fine.

"We are on the verge of extraditing an individual from India to the UK in the next week or 10 days. The extradition treaty is working just fine and there is no difficulty in the extradition treaty. We have extraditions already successfully completed," Mehrishi had said during his UK visit last month.

So far only one extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the India-UK extradition treaty ? that of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel.

"He was extradited with the due process of law. We do understand that extradition does take time and there are multiple levels of appeal in either country and it is not the easiest of processes to complete. But being a liberal democracy that we are, we have to allow for the law taking its own course," Mehrishi added.

Mallya's extradition is also believed to have featured during bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Germany last month.
New Delhi: The success of Reliance Jio's thunderous entry into the telecom space has not only surprised the telecom market but has also straight away catapulted Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani to Asia's 2nd rich list spot.

Ambani piped Li Ka-shing to become Asia's second-richest man by adding a wealth of $12.1 billion (approximately around Rs. 77,000 crores) this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Addressing the 40th annual general meeting (AGM) of RIL, Ambani called the next ten years as a "golden decade" for RIL, which will be completing fifty years as a listed entity in 2027. He said the company will achieve more in this decade than what it has done in the last 40 years.

Mukesh had joined the company in 1981, while he was still pursuing MBA at Stanford, to help erect the company's biggest bet at that time -- a polyester plant at Patalganga on the outskirts of the financial capital.

RIL consolidated net profit went up by 28 percent during the first quarter (April-June) of 2017-18.

Consolidated net profit of the company stood at Rs 9,108 crore as against Rs 7,113 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The company clocked a revenue of Rs 90,537 crore, an increase of 26.7 per cent, as compared to Rs 71,451 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year.
New Delhi: Japanese conglomerate SoftBank is looking at investing about USD 2 billion in home-grown e- commerce major, Flipkart, according to industry sources.

SoftBank, through SoftBank Vision Fund, is in discussions with Flipkart to invest between USD 1.5-2 billion, two people aware of the development said.

They did not wish to be named as the discussions are still going on.

This assumes significance as SoftBank-backed Snapdeal on Tuesday called off merger talks with Flipkart. While Snapdeal did not name the Bengaluru-based company, the merger negotiations were widely reported over the last five months.

It was also reported that SoftBank was looking at picking up equity in Flipkart.

With the talks between Snapdeal and Flipkart collapsing, Softbank could now still go ahead and invest in Flipkart, the sources added.

SoftBank, which has investments in Indian start-ups like Snapdeal and cab aggregator Ola, had committed investments worth USD 10 billion in India in 2014. In May this year, SoftBank pumped in USD 1.4 billion (over Rs 9,079 crore) in Indian digital payments platform, Paytm.

When contacted, a SoftBank spokesperson said, "SoftBank Vision Fund independently evaluates each investment on its own merit." Flipkart did not respond to e-mailed queries.

SoftBank Vision Fund, founded by SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son, operates as a separate entity. It also has participants like Apple, Foxconn and Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement issued by SoftBank in May, the fund will target "meaningful, long-term" investments in companies that seek to enable the next age of innovation.

The fund, it said, would acquire minority and majority interests in both private and public companies, ranging from emerging technology businesses to established, multi-billion dollar companies that require substantial growth funding.

For Flipkart, the funding would provide it with more arsenal to compete with the US-based Amazon.

The two players have been locked in an intense battle for leadership in the Indian market and have been pumping in millions of dollars to strengthen infrastructure as well as bring more sellers and buyers online.

In April this year, Flipkart had raised USD 1.4 billion from Microsoft, eBay and Tencent at a valuation of USD 11.6 billion.

Amazon, on its part, has pumped in close to USD 600 million across various units in India since January this year.
New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Monday registered three cases in connection with alleged chopping off of some women's braid by unidentified persons.

The cases have been registered in southwest Delhi's Chhawla area.

Police said they have procured CCTV footage in which three men could be seen roaming in the area. They said the accused persons break into the houses of women, cut their hair and also steal items.

"The victims alleged that when the incident happened, they were present at home and their houses were locked from inside and when their hair was chopped off, they did not notice anybody," police said.

It is suspected that the accused administered a sedative so that the victims are not able to offer any resistance.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surender Kumar said three persons have been seen from a CCTV footage and the police have developed photographs of the accused and efforts are on to get a breakthrough in the case.

"There is no witchcraft angle in the case," he added.

"We are verifying the allegations of women. We have sent some samples for forensic examination," he said.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday ordered the framing of charges against Indian Mujahideen chief Yasin Bhatkal and several others in connection with the 2010 Jama Masjid blast case.

According to ANI, the court also acquitted three other co-accused due to lack of evidence.

Among those who were discharged are - Syed Ismail Affaque, Abdus Saboor and Riyaz Ahmad Sayeedi, who were named in the chargesheet by the Delhi Police.

Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma observed there wasnt enough evidence against them.

Two bike-borne assailants had fired on tourists on September 19, 2010 at the gate of Jama Masjid in Old Delhi.

The attack had injured two Taiwanese - Ku-Ze-Wei and Ko-Chiange - who sustained bullet injuries whereas a bomb was fitted in a car parked in the area.

The police had chargesheeted these suspected IM members, including its co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, in connection with the blast case and said these operatives had carried out the strike to dissuade foreign nations from participating in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

The police had added that the operatives had planned to randomly shoot foreign tourists near the Jama Masjid and execute a bomb blast for maximum casualty.

It had claimed that Bhatkal had prepared a pressure cooker IED, which was planted in the car parked outside Jama Masjid, where the explosion had taken place.

The court had on July 18 reserved its order on whether to put Bhatkal on trial in four separate terror cases, including the Jama Masjid blast case, after concluding the hearing of arguments on charges in the cases.

Bhatkal was awarded the death penalty by a Special NIA Court in December last year in a case related to the 2013 Hyderabad bomb blasts, which had claimed 18 lives.
New Delhi: The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) on Monday urged the Aam Aadmi Party government to withdraw its decision on freezing of funds to 28 colleges, saying it was "perturbed" by the move.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday directed the Finance Department to freeze the release of funds to 28 colleges funded by the Delhi government for "non-formation of the governing bodies".

"The teachers and students of the 28 colleges are perturbed at your decision. While we completely support your insistence that governing bodies in these colleges must be formed, we cannot accept such a harsh decision which penalises teachers and students for no fault of theirs," DUTA president Nandita Narain said in a statement issued here.

Roll back the decision and take up the matter with the vice chancellor directly, she added.

The teachers' body also urged the VC for the immediate formation of the governing bodies for all colleges.

"We find no justification in the frivolous EC decision to delay the process of constituting a committee for a purpose that could have been easily sorted out within a working week. Now, due to no fault of theirs, teachers and students of the 28 Delhi government-funded colleges are being forced to face a funds freeze," Narain said.
New Delhi: Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya resigned on Tuesday stating that he will return to academia. August 31 will be his last day in office.

Here is all you need to know about Arvind Panagariya

* The Indian-American Economist was professor at Columbia University. He holds a Ph.D degree in Economics from Princeton University.

* Panagariya has been on leave from Columbia University to work at the Niti Aayog.

* He was an ex-Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a professor of Economics and Co-Director of Center for International Economics, University of Maryland at College Park.

* He has worked with organisations such as World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in various capacities.

* He has authored more than ten books. His book - 'India: The Emerging Giant' which was published in March 2008 by the Oxford University Press, New York, was listed as a top pick of the year.

* Apart from writing monthly column in 'The Economic Times', Panagariya has also written guest columns in the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Hindu, India Today and Outlook.

* President of India had honored Panagariya with prestigious 'Padma Bhushan' award.
New Delhi: Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya on Tuesday said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to relieve him of his duties by August 31 as he was not getting extension of leave from Columbia University.

The Indian-American economist and Professor of Indian Political Economy at Columbia University, Panagariya had joined as the first Vice-Chairman of the Niti Aayog, which had replaced the Planning Commission, in January 2015.

Talking to reporters, he said the Columbia University was not giving him further extension and he would be leaving Niti Aayog on August 31.

He said that about two months ago he had expressed his desire to the Prime Minister, who is the Chairperson of NITI Aayog, to be relieved by August 31.

In March 2012, he was honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award of the country. He was previously Chief Economist at the Asian Development Bank.

There was no official comment by way of reaction but the development has come in the midst of speculation that there could be a reshuffle in the NITI Aayog where Bibek Debroy, who also is a staunch supporter of Modi and his economics, could be the likely successor.

Another name doing the rounds is that of Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, who may be shifted to the NITI Aayog. There have also been murmurs of dissatisfaction in the top government circles about the performance of the NITI Aayog under the leadership of Panagariya, sources said.

Before NITI Aayog, Panagariya served as the chief economist of the Asian Development Bank and has also worked with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in various capacities.

In the past, he has been a professor of economics at the University of Maryland at College Park. He has also worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He holds a Ph.D in economics from Princeton University.

With Agency Inputs
New Delhi: A Haryana-based teenager, who was 'repeatedly' raped by her two cousins, found herself eight months pregnant after visiting a doctor due to stomach ache.

A resident of Sonipat's Mahipur village, the 15-year-old alleged that her Chacha's (uncle) sons, one a minor and the other an 18-year-old threatened her that they would kill her parents if she informed the matter to anybody.

She told her mother that her cousins first raped her in December last year. She was alone at home and had gone to dry clothes on the terrace when the duo, Suraj and Ajeet, allegedly raped her, reported ndtv.com.

"They dragged me to a room. While one of them gagged me, the other one forced himself on me. Then they took turns to rape me. They threatened and continued to rape me," she alleged.

Reportedly, the doctors wonder how the victim's pregnancy was concealed this long. According to them, abortion at this stage is out of the question.

"Abortion at this stage is impossible and illegal. She will have to give birth to the child, and any pregnancy before 18 is dangerous," said Dr CP Arora, principal medical officer.

Following an FIR lodged by the victim's parents, the police, arrested the minor, however, the adult is still at large.

The minor was produced before a court on Monday and has been sent him to a juvenile home.
Chandigarh: In a suspected case of honour killing, a youth allegedly hacked his sister and friend to death in a village in Haryana's Sirsa district, police said on Tuesday.

The accused suspected that his sister was having an affair with the boy who lived in the neighbourhood and in a fit of rage committed the crime.

The deceased youth Sonu (22), who hailed from a village in Abohar in Punjab, was living with his aunt in the village in Sirsa for the past two years following his mother's demise, SHO of Bara Gudha police station, Inspector Kanwar Singh said.

Both Sonu and the accused Hardeep Singh (20) were friends, Singh added.

Sonu visited Hardeep's house today where the latter was not present at that time. Hardeep's sister, Suman (22), however, was at the house.

Both were having a conversation in a room when Hardeep saw them. This infuriated him.

"While Suman died at the spot, Sonu succumbed to his injuries later at a hospital," Singh said.

The accused is absconding and efforts were being made to nab him, he added.
New Delhi: Days after Nitish Kumar realigned with National Democratic Alliance, it has been reported that the AIADMK might become part of Modi-led NDA government soon.

As per the media reports, senior party leaders of AIADMK would hold a meeting on August 04 to make a final decision and the major announcement is also expected in the first of this month.

While talking to a leading portal, a senior Minister of the EPS government said, "Nothing is as such confirmed. We will discuss on Friday and decide. The proposal has been made (to us) but finally, it is the partys call." However, with this coalition, the ruling BJP is reportedly trying to increase its foothold in the Tamil Nadu, as it has only 2.5 per cent vote share in the state.

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that BJP wants to rope in AIADMK to make NDA stronger ahead of 2019 general elections.

AIADMK, which was part of NDA during 1998-99 and 2004-06 is the third largest party in Lok Sabha after BJP and Congress. It has 50 members in both Houses of Parliament.

According to the reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have reportedly assigned the job of wooing AIADMK to a senior BJP functionary who holds a constitutional post.
New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to Haryana beginning August 2 as part of his 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen the party.

On the first day of his visit, Shah will hold a meeting of the party's core group in the state at Rohtak. He will also meet all district presidents, and chairmen of all state boards and corporations, the party said in a statement.

The ruling party chief has chosen Rohtak to hold all the party programme. The town was the hotbed of violent Jat agitation for quota in the state last year.

Rohtak has also been a stronghold of former state Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

During his three-day visit, a series of meeting with has been scheduled including meeting with MLAs and MPs from the state, it said.

In 2014, the BJP for the first time formed government in Haryana on its own.
New Delhi: Taking a strong stance over party MPs absence in the Rajya Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supremo Amit Shah on Tuesday admonished its members and asked them 'to ensure it is not repeated'.

Till Parliament is on all members should be present, matter of members not present will be taken up seriously, Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said after BJP weekly meeting of Parliamentarians.

The party is likely to seek an explanation for the absence of lawmakers during the crucial proceeding in the Upper House of the Parliament, said sources.

"When the party issues a whip, members must be present in the House. The party president has taken a serious view of the absence of members. He said it should not have happened and must not be repeated," Ananth Kumar added.

Shah also pondered if the absentee MPs should be named as the party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has repeatedly stressed on the need for their presence in Parliament.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's had admonishing lawmakers for their continuous absence from the Parliament. He also pointed out towards members missing from house proceeding after lunch.

Despite the reprimand, nearly 30 NDA lawmakers, including 6 ministers, were absent from the proceedings of Rajya Sabha yesterday as the Opposition pushed forward amendments to a Bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.

Yesterday, the Opposition-backed amendments were passed by 74 to 52 votes.

Bills seeking to amend the Constitution need two-third majority votes of those present in the house. The amended bill will now be tabled in the Lok Sabha for approval.

The party chief also referred to the invalid votes cast during the presidential poll and asked all members present in the meeting to ensure votes are cast properly during the vice-presidential election.

PM Modi could not attend as he reviewing the flood crisis in Assam.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: A day after Mumbai teen Manpreet Sahans committed suicide reportedly after taking the deadly 50-day 'Blue Whale challenge', an old interview of 22-year-old Russian creator Philipp Budeikin is doing rounds.

Earlier in May, while talking to Saint Petersburg News, Budeikin had confessed to his crime.

Referring the victims or participants as biological waste, Budeikin had said, "There are people - and there is a biological waste. Those who do not represent any value for society. Who cause or will cause only harm to society. I was cleaning our society of such people."

However, he refuted the reports which claimed that he and his game were directly responsible for deaths of 130 people saying he had only influenced 17 deaths.

During the interview, the creator had also admitted that he is bipolar. Budeikin was arrested in November 2016 in Russia. A couple of months ago, Russian police arrested another person identified as Ilya Sidorov, who lives in Moscow and is believed to be the administrator of the horryfying game.

First Indian case of Blue Whale challenge

14-year-old Manpreet suicide could be first Indian case of Blue Whale suicide challenge, says report. The teenager allegedly killed himself by jumping off the terrace of his seven-floor Andheri building on Saturday.

The boy's neighbour, who witnessed the entire episode, narrated the whole incident saying, "The 14-year-old boy went to his buildings terrace at around 5 PM. He was walking on the parapet (a low protective wall along the edge of a roof) and capturing the whole video with the secondary camera of his mobile phone. He then jumped off suddenly and killed himself."

What is Blue Whale game?

Originated in Russia, the deadly Blue Whale game or Blue Whale Challenge gives players a series of 50 tasks which culminates in suicide by jumping off a terrace building. The participants are also asked to share evidence in the form of photographs of the dreaded challenges completed by them.

The tasks include watching horror movies, waking up at unusual hours and self-harming. If reports are to be believed, the task has claimed lives of hundreds of teenagers across several countries.
New Delhi: In a major breakthrough, Mumbai police on Monday reportedly confirmed that Manpreet Sahans, the 14-year-old teen committed suicide to win dreaded 'Blue Whale Challenge'.

As per the reports of leading portal India Today, initial investigations have revealed that two days before committing suicide, Sahans had search for ways to jump from the terrace on the internet. An insider had also informed the portal that, while leaving his school on Friday, the deceased teen had told his friends that he wouldn't come to school on Monday.

It has also been said that the boy's behaviour had changed completely, a week before the incident. His parents also had doubt but they did not have an idea that their son will take this extreme step and end his life. They are now in a state of shock, claims media reports.

Minutes before committing suicide, the Mumbai teen took a picture which shows him sitting on the terrace parapet. The picture features the boy's legs only and it was captioned, "Soon the only thing you would be left with is a picture of me."

India Today has quoted a police officer, who is part of the investigation saying, "A person from another building saw Manpreet sitting on the parapet and kept asking him to get down. Manpreet even took a selfie with the person from where he was sitting and posted it on the group. He told his friends that one person was stopping him from committing suicide and that he would jump once he goes down."

Issuing an advisory to all parents in the Mumbai Police said that Sahans' parents are in a state of shock. Two people watched boy jumping from terrace. We advise people to look after their children and keep a tab on their behaviour.

As per the reports, Sahans' neighbour who was witnessing the incident left from his terrace to save him but Sahans jumped down after watching the man coming his way. By the time he reached there, Sahan had already jumped. However, the man took him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

What is Blue Whale game?

Originated in Russia, the deadly Blue Whale game or Blue Whale Challenge gives players a series of 50 tasks which culminates in suicide by jumping off a terrace building. The participants are also asked to share evidence in the form of photographs of the dreaded challenges completed by them.

The tasks include watching horror movies, waking up at unusual hours and self-harming.

If reports are to be believed, the task has claimed lives of hundreds of teenagers across several countries. However, this suicide in Mumbai's Andheri would likely be the first such case in India.
New Delhi: In the wake of reports that the Chinese troops had entered Uttarakhand on July 25, defence expert P K Sehgal on Tuesday said that this is a mere transgression which should not be linked with Doklam.

"This is a mere transgression. Here no military force is being used. So this is not an incursion. Therefore, it should be looked at in that way only. There should be no linking of this with Doklam. If we do that, it will look alarmist which it is not," Sehgal told ANI.

He added that Uttarakhand`s Barahoti has been under dispute since 1962 and thereafter annually, along the entire border of about 4,000 km, there have been 400-500 transgressions.

Earlier, on July 25, in a fresh case of transgression, the People`s Liberation Army (PLA) from China crossed into Uttarakhand`s Barahoti in Chamoli district and came upto 200 metres on the other side of the border.

The soldiers reportedly came up to 800 m to 1 km into Indian territory.This incident comes amid severe tensions between India and China resulting from the Doklam stand-off.

In the past, Chinese troops have been known to cross over and write `China` on rocks in the Chamoli district.This area has also seen aerial transgressions and infiltration by foot patrols in 2013 and 2014.

The present standoff between India and China emerged after New Delhi expressed its apprehension over Beijing`s road construction in the Sikkim sector of the border.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will today continue the hearing on the Cauvery water issue involving Tamil Nadu and Karnataka state over water sharing dispute.

The apex court on July 11 commenced final hearing on the appeals filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala against the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) final award.A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, had earlier directed the Karnataka Government to provide 200 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till its further order.

The top court, earlier in January, dismissed the plea seeking compensation from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments for the loss of property during the Cauvery water related dispute between both the states.Siva Kumar, a Tamil Nadu based activist, had earlier filed the petition in the apex court on the same.

On January 9, the Tamil Nadu Government sought a compensation of Rs 2,480 crore from Karnataka for not releasing water to the state despite getting the Supreme Court directive to do so. A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justice Amitava Roy and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar, extended the interim order in the water issue, directing Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu.

The lawyer from the side of Tamil Nadu, Shekhar Naphade, urged the three-judge bench to bring the matter to a logical end for which there should be a continuous hearing.

On December 9 last year, the apex court upheld its constitutional power and right to hear appeals filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday approached the Election Commission against the use of NOTA option in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, claiming it was violative of the Constitution and electoral laws, but the poll panel maintained that it was not a new direction and was introduced in 2014.

Senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Manish Tewari met the Election Commission and demanded that the option of "None of the Above" (NOTA) be removed from use in the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls, where it is facing a battle of prestige in Gujarat.

"The use of NOTA in an indirect election is contrary to the mandate of the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, as well as conduct of election rules," the Congress memorandum said.

Sharma also said the use of NOTA should have been made applicable through amendment in laws and not by merely changing the rules.

When asked why the party was silent when the rules were made applicable by the Election Commission in January 2014 when the UPA was in power, Tewari said, "It missed the collective wisdom of Parliament".

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders claimed that the NOTA was allowed in the upcoming RS polls after issuance of notification.

Party leader Kapil Sibal tweeted, "Surprised by the timing of the Election Commission's decision mandating NOTA for Rajya Sabha elections. Nice (N) of (O) them (T) Amit Shah (A)."

Ahmed Patel, political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi, too made a similar allegation.

"First Rajya Sabha election was postponed. Second NOTA was permitted post notification. Reasons best known to the Election Commission," Patel, who is seeking another Rajya Sabha term from Gujarat, posted on Twitter.

A jittery Congress, facing desertions by MLAs in Gujarat, vociferously raised the issue in Rajya Sabha too. Members of Congress and other opposition parties forced adjournments of the proceedings as they questioned the NOTA provision for these elections.

The controversy has erupted when the high-profile battle for Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat is round the corner involving heavy-weights like BJP chief Amit Shah, Union minister Smriti Irani and Patel.

The Congress is alleging that the NOTA option has been brought with an aim of influencing the result of Gujarat RS poll.

Officials in the Election Commission, who refused to be identified, however, said the directions to use NOTA in Rajya Sabha elections were enforced in January 2014 after the Supreme Court in 2013 made it mandatory to have the 'None Of The Above' option in EVMs.

An EC spokesperson also circulated the directions issued in January 2014 in this regard.

"After the NOTA option was made mandatory in Rajya Sabha polls, several directions were issued to clarify about its usage in polls," an EC official said.

In Rajya Sabha polls, the MLAs have to show their ballot paper to an authorised party agent before putting it in ballot box.

If a voter (MLA) defies the party directive and votes for someone else or uses NOTA option, he cannot be disqualified as a legislator.

But the party is free to take disciplinary action including expulsion. The defiant voter can continue to be an MLA and his vote can also not be invalidated for defying party directions, the EC rules say.
New Delhi:India and Somalia on Tuesday signed a bilateral agreement for the transfer of sentenced persons, thus deepening humanitarian cooperation between the two countries.

The agreement was signed between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Yusuf Garaad Omar.

"An important step in deepening humanitarian cooperation,India and Somalia sign bilateral agreement for transfer of sentenced persons," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Yusuf Garaad Omar, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia.

"Furthering coopn with an imp. African partner. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Mr. Yusuf Garaad Omar, Min. of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia," Baglay tweeted.

Futhering coopn with an imp. African partner. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets Mr. Yusuf Garaad Omar, Min of Foreign Affairs & Intl Coopn of Somalia pic.twitter.com/THDcW5Tsl3  Gopal Baglay (@MEAIndia) August 1, 2017

Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia Yusuf-Garaad Omar arrived in New Delhi on Monday on a five-day visit at the invitation of Sushma Swaraj. This is his first visit to India since he assumed office earlier this year

Both the ministers discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest.
New Delhi: India has said that the US should continue to be engaged in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.



"Another area of growing convergence is the high priority being attached by both sides to countering terrorism," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday while inaugurating the inaugurating the first edition of the India-US Forum here.



"Both our countries have been direct victims of this scourge," she said.



"In India, we have been facing cross-border terrorism for many years now. This is now recognised as a larger regional -- even global -- challenge."



She referred to the joint message against terrorism issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump during the former`s visit to Washington in June which sent a "clear and unambiguous message" against terrorism "to be pursued with resolve by the international community".



"An important theatre of cooperation over the last decade and a half between India and US has been Afghanistan," Sushma Swaraj said.



"We deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by the US to preserve peace, security and democracy in Afghanistan. However, it is important that the international community, particularly the US, must remain engaged in Afghanistan so that the gains of the last 16 years are not frittered away."



The External Affairs Minister said that India has made its own contributions and remained committed to continue supporting the people and government of Afghanistan.



"We have pledged another $1 billion to the earlier $2 billion as a reflection of our continued commitment," she stated.



"During PM Modi`s visit to the US, our leaders have agreed to work together and with the government of Afghanistan to secure a democratic, peaceful, prosperous and stable Afghanistan."



India is among the biggest aid donors for the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan.
New Delhi: Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat will embark on a visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan starting from Tuesday with a high-level military delegation, an official statement said.



Gen Rawat will be the first head of the Indian Army to visit Turkmenistan.



Reaching Kazakhstan on Tuesday, he is slated to meet the Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry along with the Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces.



The delegation will also visit the elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University in capital Astana where he will inaugurate an Indian Military Art Room.



Gen Rawat will leave on Friday for Turkmenistan, where he will hold talks with the Minister of Defence and Secretary, the National Security Council, the First Deputy Minister, the Chief of General Staff and the commanders of Land, Naval and Air Defence forces.



The delegation will also visit the Military Institute and Military Academy of Turkmenistan.



"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the statement added.



Gen Rawat will conclude his two-nation visit on Sunday.
New Delhi: With the National Investigation Agency (NIA) stating that Devinder Singh Behl, a close aide of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was allegedly in touch with Islamabad, outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Tuesday stated that he had no idea who the former was, adding that India has made such allegations in the past without any proof.

Speaking to ANI here, Basit said, "I have never heard the name of this man. First, we have to understand that this is not a new problem. Jammu and Kashmir is an old issue since Pakistan got independence. So that problem has been there. Both the countries, people of Jammu and Kashmir have been struggling for their right to self determination. The fact of the matter is there struggle is justified, legitimate, under Universal declaration of human rights."

Claiming that India's allegations and accusations are not new, Basit added, "such allegations were made in the past as well but nothing can be proven. I am sure this time too you will not get anything."

The NIA on Monday raided the residence of the Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Social Peace Forum (JKSPF), Devinder Singh Behl, in connection with terror funding case in Nowshera.

The NIA interrogated Behl at his residence over his suspected connections with separatist elements.

The NIA also conducted searches at various premises of Behl, who is also a member of the legal cell of the Hurriyat.

He is a close associate of a top Hurriyat leader and regularly attends funerals of militants.

During the searches, the NIA team recovered four mobile phones, one tablet, other electronic devices, incriminating documents, financial papers and some other articles.

The NIA is investigating into his role as courier as he is suspected to be involved in routing funds to the separatist leaders from Pakistan based handlers.

Earlier on Wednesday, separatist leader and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman Shabir Shah, was sent to a seven-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody in connection with a terror-funding case.

On July 24, the NIA arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley.

All seven separatist leaders - Altaf Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Mehraj Kalwal, Shahid-ul-Islam, Naeem Khan and Bitta Karate - were later sent to 10-day NIA custody.

The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Six of them were arrested from Srinagar, while Bitta Karate was arrested from New Delhi.

The NIA is said to be probing all aspects of funding to separatist leaders and how they reportedly used these funds to fuel unrest in the Kashmir Valley.
New Delhi: Syria's Ambassador to India Riad Kamel Abbas on Monday said his country has no information about the 39 Indians who went missing in Iraq in 2014.

He, however, said Syria is "keen" to send them home if they are found in its territory.

Abbas said an Indian delegation has made several trips to Syria and Iraq in the past to seek information about them and the chief of the Intelligence Department of Syria has also visited New Delhi in this regard.

"The Indian delegation went to Syria many times and the chief of Syrian intelligence agency came to Delhi for it," the envoy said.

"We are very keen to bring them (missing Indians) home if they are in our territory, but there is no official confirmation about it," he added.

Early this month, Iraqi forces freed Mosul from the ISIS, a development that gave a ray of hope to the families of 39 Indians.

However, there was no information of the missing Indian nationals from the liberated city.
Aurangabad: Controversial Bangladesh-born author Taslima Nasreen on Monday wondered how the itinerary of her visit to Aurangabad was leaked.

Police are now probing how the travel plan of an international celebrity was leaked, giving rise to a potential law and order issue.

Nasreen, now a Swedish citizen, was virtually packed off from the Chikalthana Airport in Aurangabad at around 8 pm on Saturday after huge protests outside as well as near the Taj Hotel where she planned to stay during her three-day sojourn.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel led one of the protests. The party activists waving placards and banners shouted slogans, demanding that she goes back, even as police rushed to the protest spots. Jaleel said her writings have "hurt" the religious sentiments of Muslims across the world.

"We will not allow her to step on the soil of our city," he said.

An obviously peeved Nasreen made her displeasure known on Monday.

"Nobody, but the police in Aurangabad, was informed about my itinerary and hotel booking. I wonder how fanatics got to know everything?," she tweeted.

"I had a dream to visit Ellora and Ajanta Caves. Can't believe it was not possible in the largest democracy in the world," she said in another tweet.

After her flight from New Delhi landed in Aurangabad on July 29, top officials met her and explained to her the "sensitive situation outside the airport and the hotel".

The sources said protesters had very specific information in advance on all confidential details, including her flight's arrival timing and her hotel stay, besides her plans to go around various tourist hotspots in and around the world-renowned tourism city.

The author, who is accorded tight security globally, was granted the option to step out and continue with her trip or return, and she reluctantly opted to take the next flight to Mumbai.

The visit cancellation triggered a volley of reactions on the social media, which she countered by saying: "Can any of them tell what I wrote about the Prophet? They can't because they haven't read my books. They only use me for their political interests."

"I'm NOT an enemy, I'm a true friend of Muslims. Only friends and well-wishers want you to be educated and enlightened and your religion to be reformed."

Nasreen has been living in exile ever since she left Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups. The Indian Home Ministry had extended her visa for a year, with effect from July 23.

(With Agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition regarding wrong questions in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil services examinations.

The top court said the UPSC results have been already announced and we don't want to open a Pandora's box.

Earlier, a petitioner challenging the UPSC exam said that the question paper consisted few wrong problems, which has jeopardised the fate of lakhs of candidates. The petitioner requested the top court to direct the UPSC to release the answer key to the prelims examination and also set up an expert committee to examine this years papers and recommend required actions on ambiguous questions.
Srinagar: Authorities on Tuesday suspended class work in all educational institutions across Kashmir in the wake of protests after the killing of top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana in an encounter with security forces.

All schools, colleges and universities have been closed for the day, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan told PTI.

Khan said he issued the order for the closure of educational institutions as a precautionary measure in view of the prevailing situation.

Clashes broke out in many parts of the Valley following the killing of two LeT militants, including Dujana, in south Kashmir's Pulwama district this morning.

A civilian was killed and several others injured today as security forces opened fire on stone-pelting protestors near the encounter site where two militants were killed.

The authorities have also suspended mobile Internet services across the Valley.
Srinagar: Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, was on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir.

A local militant identified as Arif Lilhaari was also killed in the gunfight that took place in Hakripora village.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter-militancy operation, more than 100 protestors pelted stones on them, an Army official said.

Acting on specific information about the presence of Dujana and Lilhaari, a joint cordon and search operations (CASO) was launched by 182 Battalion, 183 Battalion, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 55 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operations Group (SOG) in Hakripora late last night.

An encounter broke out between the holed up militants and security forces early today.

During the ensuing firefight, both the militants were killed, the official said.

Bodies of the slain militants have been recovered, the official said adding the operation has now been called off.

Two houses in the village were destroyed in the gunfight, but no civilian casualties were reported.

Abu Dujana was wanted in many militancy-related attacks on security forces and political workers in south Kashmir.

He was category 'A' militant and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, a police official said.

As the counter-militancy operation was on, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, the official said.

One person was killed and several others injured as security forces opened fire on stone-pelting protesters, police said.

While there was no official word on the identity of the deceased, locals who had brought him to the hospital said his name was Firdous Ahmad, a police official said.

"One person with fire arm injuries was brought dead at Pulwama district hospital," the official said.

At least six other persons were injured in security forces' action against violent protesters near the encounter site.

Internet services have been snapped in south Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The speed of Internet services in other parts of the Valley have been significantly reduced following the killing of the two militants.

Dujana's killing in the encounter is said to be the biggest success for the security forces in their anti-militancy operations.
Srinagar: Top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana, a Pakistani national wanted in connection with many attacks on security forces, and his aide were on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of Kashmir.

As the security forces were engaged in the counter-militancy operation, over 100 protestors pelted stones on them, an Army official said. In a bid to disperse stone pelters, security forces opened fire, killing one person and injuring several others.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police described the killing of Dujana as "good riddance to a nuisance" and said operations against all militants will continue irrespective of civilian protests.

Addressing the media with Lt Gen JS Sandhu, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army`s 15th Corps, Inspector General of Police Munir Khan said: "Dujana`s killing is good riddance to a nuisance in the area."

Khan added: "Whether or not there are protests and disruptions by protesters during our operations against militants, the security forces will continue their operations."

Who is Abu Dujana and what his death means for Indian security forces?

He said the security forces tried to persuade the holed up militants in Hakripora village in Pulwama district on Tuesday to surrender. The local militant who died with Dujana was said to be Arif Lalihaari.

"The head of the family of the house where Dujana and Arif were hiding was used to persuade them to surrender. Perhaps because of the presence of Dujana, Arif, a local militant, could not surrender," the police officer said.

Both Khan and Lt Gen Sandhu said Dujana was now mostly indulging in "ayyashi" (debauchery) more than engaging himself in terrorist activities.

Khan said all the overground operatives who helped terrorists to carry out the attack on Amarnath pilgrims on July 10 in which eight people were killed had been arrested.

"They are with us and they are singing. We have also seized vehicles involved in the attack. The case has been cracked. It is now only the militants involved in the attack who are to be neutralized."

Asked about the next militant the security forces were targeting, Khan said: "Every militant active in the Kashmir Valley is our next target."
Srinagar: Mobile Internet services were on Tuesday suspended across Kashmir as a precautionary measure in the wake of clashes after the killing of top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abu Dujana in an encounter with security forces.

A police official said that mobile Internet has been suspended across the Valley to prevent miscreants from indulging in unnecessary propaganda.

He said the facility has been suspended across all service providers and platforms like 2G, 3G and 4G.

Although broadband Internet services on landlines were functional, the speed has been choked to prevent uploading of videos and large images.

The official said the suspension of mobile Internet services was a precautionary measure in view of protests following the killing of two LeT militants, including Dujana, in south Kashmir's Pulwama district this morning.
New Delhi: Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Abu Dujana was on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

A local militant identified as Arif Lilhaari was also killed in the gunfight that took place in Hakripora village.

In a statement, the Army confirmed that wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Abu Dujana was among two militants killed in the encounter in Pulwama. The operation has concluded.

Dujana's killing in the encounter is said to be the biggest success for the security forces in their anti-militancy operations.

Abu Dujana: Know more about top LeT commander

- Abu Dujana was Lashkar-e-Toiba's Kashmir chief.

- He was the most wanted militant commander in Jammu and Kashmir.

- The LeT militant carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh.

- He was wanted in more than three dozen attacks on security forces, including the 2015 Udhampur attack on a BSF convoy.

- Abu Dujana, the resident of Gilgit-Baltistan, joined LeT when he was 17.

- He infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2010.

- He made his first dramatic appearance at a funeral of local Lashkar-e-Toiba militant in 2014 in Kakpora area of Pulwama. Dujana also attended the funeral of Hizbul Commander Burhan wani in Tral area of south Kashmir in July 2016.

- After Abu Qasim's killing in October 2016, Abu Dujana was made the commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba unit in south Kashmir taking control of four districts.

- Abu Dujana had managed to escape from the security net five times in the past.
Kerala: A youth from Kerala, who had left home to join the Islamic State last year, has been killed, according to the message received by his family.

The youth has been identified as 23-year-old Marwan Ismail, a resident of Trikaripur.

The message reportedly had just one line which said Marwan was "martyred", in a drone attack along with a few others.Marwan`s family has said he left home to join the ISIS in May 2016 as part of a 21-member group.

He was suspected to be in Nangarhar, a province in Afghanistan partially controlled by the terrorist organisation. (ANI)
New Delhi: The CBI has constituted a special team of five officers headed by a Superintendent of Police to examine cases of extra judicial killings in Manipur.

The move of the agency came on the orders of Supreme Court on July 14.

The apex court had directed the CBI to constitute the team to examine records, file necessary FIRs and complete the investigation into the fake encounters by December 31.

Calling upon states to adhere to the NHRC guidelines, the bench had said "it is not as if the dignity of only living persons needs to be respected, even the dignity of the dead must be given due respect".

"Having considered the issues in their entirety, we are of opinion that it would be appropriate if the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is required to look into these fake encounters or use of excessive or retaliatory force," a bench of justices M B Lokur and U U Lalit had said.

The court, which was hearing a PIL seeking probe into 1,528 extra-judicial killings, had ordered registration of FIR in 81 cases including 32 cases probed by a Commission of Enquiry, 32 cases investigated by judicial enquiries and high courts, 11 cases in which compensation has been awarded by NHRC and six cases probed by the commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde.
Mumbai: Ajay Devgn and Kajol, who have been married for eighteen years now, make for a perfect Bollywood couple. The two are seldom spotted partying with their colleagues because they prefer keeping low key. And we all know that Ajay has always avoided award functions!

After about a couple of years, Kajol returned to the silverscreen with a Tamil film titled VIP 2 starring Dhanush. During one of the promotional events, Kajol apparently spoke about being blasted by husband Ajay every other day. Wondering why?

Well, according to a report in Hindustan Times, originally attributed to Mid-Day, Kajol said, Ajay blasts me every other day. I cant take diplomacy seriously even though it lands my husband in trouble with people in the industry. At parties, he chides me for saying things as is.

Last year, ahead the release of Shivaay, things turned bitter between Devgn and Karan Johar (who once happened to be Kajols best friend). Shivaay clashed by Johars multi-starrer Ae Dil Hai Mushkil on Diwali last year.
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Inder Kumar's sudden and untimely death left the Hindi film industry in an utter state of shock. The news of his death went viral within minutes on the social media space.

Kumar died of a massive cardiac arrest while he was at his residence. He suffered an attack at the wee hours of July 28, 2017, Friday morning. His fans and B-Town buddies expressed their grief and extended condolences to the family in this hour of need. He was 43 years old.

Kumar's prayer meet (Chautha) was held in Mumbai on July 31, 2017 and it was attended by many Bollywood celebrities including Ronit Roy, Vindu Dara Singh, Mukesh Rishi, Raza Murad to name a few.

PICS:





(PIC COURTESY: IANS)
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday warned Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal that his government will not tolerate "coercive tactics" against police and administrative officials.

His remarks comes a day after Sukhbir had reportedly said in Gurdaspur that his party was in the process of filing a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking action against police officials, who were "implicating his party's workers in false cases at the behest of the ruling party's MLAs."

The chief minister said his government did not believe in "victimisation or vindictive" action, but was following the democratic norms in every case.

Amarinder warned the former deputy chief minister to "desist" from engaging in "provocative" statements and deeds that could disturb and disrupt the state's peace and stability.

He made it clear that his government would come down heavily on individuals or organisations indulging in such activities.

Rejecting allegations that his government or its officers were filing false cases against the Akalis, the chief minister said it was the erstwhile Badal government which believed in filing false and baseless cases.

He said in fact the government is now getting all such cases probed by a duly constituted commission to ensure that justice is delivered to the innocent and the guilty are punished under the law.

"Even though it has enough evidence against several Akali leaders and workers, his government would wait for the inquiry commission to submit its report," the chief minister said.

Amarinder said they wanted to go by the book and not take any action without following the due process.

The chief minister hit out at Sukhbir on his 'Jabar Virodhi Lehar' campaign, alleging that the use of force had been a "way of functioning" for the Badal government.

The Congress believes in strictly upholding democratic principles and the rule of law, Amarinder said, adding that Sukhbir and other SAD leaders were spreading "disinformation" to save their own skin.

With their "misdeeds getting exposed", one by one, before the people of Punjab, they are now resorting to all kinds of "cheap" tactics, out of "sheer desperation" to divert public attention, the chief minister claimed.

SAD leaders had "victimised" people in all possible ways in the party's 10 years of misrule in the state. Now they are trying hard to wriggle out of the porbes against them by different commissions, Amarinder alleged.

The Congress leader warned Sukhbir to "stop indulging in low-level politics for his own interests.

The people of Punjab rejected the Akalis in the elections and are tired of their game plans. They will not think twice before throwing them out of the state's polity for good, if the SAD continues with such behavior, he claimed.

The chief minister has directed police and administrative officials to work without fear and assured them of the government's full support.
Kota: Rajasthan's Food and Supplies Minister Babu Lal Verma on late Monday night met with an accident in which his personal assistant died.

Verma's car collided with a buffalo on National Highway number 76 at around 1 am and overturned.

Badly injured Verma and his personal assistant Moti Lal were shifted to MBS Hospital where Moti Lal died during the treatment.
New Delhi: Telugu superstar Allu Arjun has a huge fan followingthanks to his amazing body of work and acting prowess. His last release 'Duvvada Jagannadham' broke many records and created a strong buzz amongst Allu Arjun fans.

Well, coming back to his personal life, Arjun tied the knot with Sneha Reddy on March 6, 2011, and has two kidsa boy named Ayaan and a daughter named Arha. Recently, he took to Twitter and shared a picture of his daughter.

Me And My Little Angel Allu Arha ! #studio pic a boo pic.twitter.com/GrQvNwXOzP  Allu Arjun (@alluarjun) July 31, 2017

The adorable picture went viral as soon as it was shared on Twitter. The gorgeous baby picture was captioned as: Me And My Little Angel Allu Arha ! #studio pic a boo.

Arjun will start shooting for his next Telugu venture, 'Naa Peru Surya'.
Chennai: An employees' federation of the Tamil film industry on Tuesday launched an indefinite stir on a wage revision issue, which had prompted the producers to work with their choice of staff.

The Film Employees' Federation of South India (FEFSI) went on strike after the Tamil Film Producers' Council (TFPC) refused to budge from its decision to hire workers of their choice and not source those owing allegiance to the former.

The strike partially affected the industry with shooting of some films including 'superstar' Rajinikanth's 'Kaala' being reportedly suspended.

However, the TFPC, whose president Vishal, also an actor, made it clear that it will not budge.

TFPC also uploaded a video on its Twitter page showing Vishal working on his latest film 'Thupparivalan' (Detective) at Chidambaram in Cuddalore district.

Earlier, FEFSI president and director RK Selvamani had announced embarking on the strike if the wages of the employees were not revised.

Recently, the shooting of a Tamil film was disrupted when FEFSI members reportedly sought a hike in their wages, prompting TFPC to declare that the producers were free to hire employees of their choice to carry on with their work.

It had also said wages should be paid according to scales fixed by the producers' council.

Irked by this, FEFSI had announced that only those registered with it should be employed by the producers.

Vishal had informed FEFSI that TFPC was not against the employees but made it clear that business will go on as usual.

He said in a statement that efforts were on to "regulate" certain wage structures and also expressed concern that production was not as remunerative as it was a few years ago.

Every time wage revision talks were on, problems arose between producers and FEFSI following "issues raised" by a technicians association part of FEFSI, Vishal said.

TFPC was prepared to work with FEFSI and workers in general, but not with the technicians' association, he added.

TFPC's decisions were taken in the interest of the producers only, he added.
Lucknow: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officer Rajiv Agrawal and handed over a memorandum over farmers' land issue in his constituency Amethi.

The Congress vice president reached NHAI office demanding compensation for farmers in his constituency Amethi's Jagdishpur in connection with the expansion of a highway towards Varanasi.

The highway is being widened at the Kathora Gram Sabha in Jagdishpur block. Work had begun in this regard a year ago.

"During our UPA regime, we had built a network of National Highways across the Uttar Pradesh. Around six national highways were developed in Amethi, Raebareli and Sultanpur region. But, in Amethi, this has come to light that people's lands are being acquired but proper procedures are not being followed. So, we raised this issue before the National Highways Authority. They said that they will look into the matter," Rahul told media.

He also demanded that proper procedure should be adopted to either compensate the affected people or the bylane is shifted.

Asserting that he has been fighting for farmer's right for a very long time, Rahul said Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to scrap the Land Acquisition Bill which is the backbone of the Congress.
Ankara: Nearly 500 people arrested in the crackdown following the failed July 15, 2016, coup in Turkey go on trial Tuesday accused of conspiring to oust the government from an air base seen as the plotters` hub.



A total of 486 suspects will go on trial in a purpose-built courtroom outside Ankara, charged with crimes ranging from murder, violating the constitution and attempting to kill President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state-run news agency Anadolu reported.



They are accused of running the coup bid from the Akinci air base northwest of the capital, which the authorities regard as the headquarters of the plotters where orders were sent out for fighter jets to bomb parliament.



Almost all the suspects -- a total of 461 individuals -- are held in custody while seven are still on the run and the remainder charged but not in jail.



Among the main suspects named in the indictment but still on the run is US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of ordering the attempted July 15 putsch.



Gulen, who is based in a secluded compound in the US state of Pennsylvania, strongly denies the charges.



Those held in custody include former air force chief Akin Ozturk who, like several suspects, is also on trial in another case related to the coup bid.Another chief suspect is theology lecturer Adil Oksuz, whom Turkish officials accuse of being the so-called "imam" of the plot by coordinating the action on the ground in Turkey with Gulen.



Businessman Kemal Batmaz is meanwhile accused of assisting Oksuz.



Oksuz was detained following the coup`s defeat, but was subsequently released and is now on the run. Batmaz is in custody in Sincan prison outside Ankara.



Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar and other senior commanders were held hostage at the base during the coup attempt before they were freed on the morning on July 16.



The base was seen as the coup bid headquarters where commands were given for the F-16 fighter jets to attack and fly them above the capital.



The Turkish parliament was bombed three times by F-16s.



The indictment refers to the suspects` alleged involvement in bombing Parliament, areas close to the presidential palace, the special forces` headquarters and the Ankara security headquarters.



The government has suggested the base could be turned into a memorial or park a few weeks after the failed putsch.The trial is taking place in Turkey`s largest courtroom established inside a prison complex in Sincan to hear coup-related trials and has space for 1,558 people.



The courtroom has previously hosted mass trials related to the coup bid including one which opened in February of 330 suspects accused of murder or attempted murder.



And in May, 221 suspects were put on trial accused of being the ringleaders of the failed coup.



The attempted coup left 249 people dead, the Turkish presidency says, not including 24 coup-plotters killed on the night.



Anadolu reported there would be heavy security including 1,130 security personnel inside and outside the courtroom as well as snipers, armoured security vehicles and a drone.



The trial is one of several held across Turkey judging coup suspects, in the largest legal process in the country`s modern history.



Over 50,000 people have been arrested over alleged links to Gulen in a widescale crackdown under the state of emergency imposed following the coup.
Lahore: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday announced September 17 as the date for holding election for NA-120 by-polls, which was left vacant after the disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court .

According to ECP, the candidates will be able to submit their nomination papers between August 10-12. The ECP will review nomination papers between August 15-17.

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dr Yasmeen Rashid who are expected to contest the election on tickets of PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf, respectively can file their nomination papers between August 10-12, according to the election schedule released by ECP.

The Supreme Court, in its verdict on the Panamagate case, had found Nawaz Sharif "unfit to hold office," following which the PML-N leader stepped down from his post. Shortly after, the ECP also issued a notification disqualifying Nawaz Sharif as a member of the National Assembly. .

Nawaz Sharif ,the former premier had won the election from this constituency in 2013, defeating Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's candidate Yasmeen Rashid with a margin of around 40,000 votes.
Beijing: China hit back on Monday after US President Donald Trump tweeted he was "very disappointed" in China following North Korea`s latest missile test, saying the problem did not arise in China and that all sides need to work for a solution.



China has become increasingly frustrated with American and Japanese criticism that it should do more to rein in Pyongyang. China is North Korea`s closest ally, but Beijing, too, is angry with its continued nuclear and missile tests.



North Korea said on Saturday it had conducted another successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile that proved its ability to strike the U.S. mainland, drawing a sharp warning from Trump and a rebuke from China.



Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke with Trump on Monday and agreed on the need for more action on North Korea just hours after the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations said Washington is "done talking about North Korea".



A White House statement after the phone call said the two leaders "agreed that North Korea poses a grave and growing direct threat to the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries near and far".



It said Trump "reaffirmed our ironclad commitment" to defend Japan and South Korea from any attack, "using the full range of United States capabilities".



Trump tweeted on Saturday after the missile test that he was "very disappointed" in China and that Beijing profits from U.S. trade but had done "nothing" for the United States with regards to North Korea, something he would not allow to continue.



Asked by a reporter on Monday how he plans to deal with Pyongyang, Trump said at the start of a Cabinet meeting: "We`ll handle North Korea... It will be handled."



China`s Foreign Ministry, in a statement sent to Reuters responding to Trump`s earlier tweets, said the North Korean nuclear issue did not arise because of China and that everyone needed to work together to seek a resolution.



Russia said on Monday the United States and other countries were trying "to shift responsibility for the situation to Russia and China" following the most recent missile test.



"We view as groundless attempts undertaken by the U.S. and a number of other countries to shift responsibility to Russia and China, almost blaming Moscow and Beijing for indulging the missile and nuclear ambitions of the DPRK (North Korea)," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.



At the United Nations in New York, China`s U.N. ambassador said on Monday it is primarily up to the United States and North Korea, not Beijing, to reduce tensions and work toward resuming talks to end Pyongyang`s nuclear weapon and missile programs.



The United States and North Korea "hold the primary responsibility to keep things moving, to start moving in the right direction, not China," China`s U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi told a news conference to mark the end of Beijing`s presidency of the U.N. Security Council in July.



"No matter how capable China is, China`s efforts will not yield practical results because it depends on the two principal parties," Liu said.



Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming told a news conference there was no link between the North Korea issue and China-U.S. trade.



"We think the North Korea nuclear issue and China-U.S. trade are issues that are in two completely different domains. They aren`t related. They should not be discussed together," Qian said.



China, with which North Korea does most of its trade, has repeatedly said it strictly follows U.N. resolutions on North Korea and has denounced unilateral U.S. sanctions as unhelpful.



Nikki Haley, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement China must decide if it is willing to back imposing stronger U.N. sanctions on North Korea over Friday night`s long-range missile test, the North`s second this month.



Any new U.N. Security Council resolution "that does not significantly increase the international pressure on North Korea is of no value", Haley said, adding that Japan and South Korea also needed to do more.



Abe told reporters after his conversation with Trump that repeated efforts by the international community to find a peaceful solution to the North Korean issue had yet to bear fruit in the face of Pyongyang`s unilateral "escalation".



"International society, including Russia and China, need to take this seriously and increase pressure," Abe said. He added Japan and the United States would take steps towards concrete action but did not give details.



Abe and Trump did not discuss military action against North Korea, nor what would constitute the crossing of a "red line" by Pyongyang, Deputy Chief Cabinet spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters.



"Pyongyang is determined to develop its nuclear and missile programme and does not care about military threats from the U.S. and South Korea," state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times said on Monday.



"How could Chinese sanctions change the situation?" said the paper, which is published by the ruling Communist Party`s official People`s Daily.



China wants both balanced trade with the United States and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, its official Xinhua news agency added in a commentary.



"However, to realise these goals, Beijing needs a more cooperative partner in the White House, not one who piles blame on China for the United States` failures," it added.



The United States flew two supersonic B-1B bombers over the Korean peninsula in a show of force on Sunday in response to the missile test and the July 3 launch of the "Hwasong-14" rocket, the Pentagon said. The bombers took off from a U.S. air base in Guam and were joined by Japanese and South Korean fighter jets during the exercise.



"North Korea remains the most urgent threat to regional stability," Pacific Air Forces commander General Terrence J. O`Shaughnessy said in a statement.



"If called upon, we are ready to respond with rapid, lethal, and overwhelming force at a time and place of our choosing."
Rome: The bodies of eight migrants have been found at sea off the coast of Libya by rescuers coming to the aid of four rubber dinghies, the Italian coastguard said on Tuesday.

Some 500 survivors in total were being pulled to safety, the coastguard told AFP. Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, which was taking part in the rescues, said the bodies had been recovered by the Santa Lucia merchant ship.

"We are here to stop more people drowning, today eight dead and four drifting boats" in distress, Proactiva's founder Oscar Champs said on Twitter.

The charity said there were 79 women and 39 minors - including four young children - among those rescued.

Nearly 95,000 people have been brought to safety in Italy this year, a rise of one percent on the same period last year, according to the interior ministry.

At least 2,385 migrants have died during the perilous crossing since January, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said.
London: Iran`s Revolutionary Guards have started using a new route across the Gulf to funnel covert arms shipments to their Houthi allies in Yemen`s civil war, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters.

In March, regional and Western sources told Reuters that Iran was shipping weapons and military advisers to the Houthis either directly to Yemen or via Somalia. This route however risked contact with international naval vessels on patrol in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

For the last six months the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has begun using waters further up the Gulf between Kuwait and Iran as it looks for new ways to beat an embargo on arms shipments to fellow Shi`ites in the Houthi movement, Western and Iranian sources say.

Using this new route, Iranian ships transfer equipment to smaller vessels at the top of the Gulf, where they face less scrutiny. The transhipments take place in Kuwaiti waters and in nearby international shipping lanes, the sources said.

"Parts of missiles, launchers and drugs are smuggled into Yemen via Kuwaiti waters," said a senior Iranian official. "The route sometimes is used for transferring cash as well."

The official added that "what is especially smuggled recently, or to be precise in the past six months, are parts of missiles that cannot be produced in Yemen".

Cash and drugs can be used to fund Houthi activities, the official said.

Yemen is more than two years into a civil war pitting the Houthis against the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition. More than 10,000 people have died in fighting and a cholera epidemic has infected more than 300,000 in a country on the brink of famine.

In backing the Houthis against a coalition led by its Sunni enemy Saudi Arabia, Iran is stepping up support for a Shi`ite ally in a war whose outcome could sway the balance of power in the Middle East.

MILITARY EQUIPMENT

Efforts to intercept military equipment by the coalition have had limited success, with no reported maritime seizures of weapons or ammunition during 2017 so far and only a few seizures on the main land route from the east of Yemen.

Independent U.N. investigators, who monitor Yemen sanctions, told the Security Council in their latest confidential report, which Reuters has seen, that they continue to investigate potential arms trafficking routes.

They said the United Arab Emirates - which is part of the coalition - had reported 11 attacks since September 2016 against its ground forces by Houthis using drones, or UAVs, armed with explosives.

"Although Houthi-aligned media announced that the Sanaa-based Ministry of Defence could manufacture the UAV, in reality they are assembled from components supplied by an outside source and shipped into Yemen," the report said.

The report added that the Houthis "will eventually deplete their limited stock of missiles." This would force the Houthis to end a campaign of missile attacks against Saudi territory unless they are resupplied from external sources.

An earlier UN report in January said the Houthis needed to replenish stocks of anti-tank guided weapons.

The arms smuggling operation may not turn the tide of the conflict, but it will allow the Houthis receive stable supplies of equipment that is otherwise hard to obtain.



SAFE ROUTE

"The volume of the activity, I don`t call it a trade, is not very large. But it is a safe route," a second senior Iranian official said.

"Smaller Iranian ports are being used for the activity as major ports might attract attention."

Asked if the IRGC was involved, the second official said: "No activity goes ahead in the Gulf without the IRGC being involved. This activity involves a huge amount of money as well as transferring equipment to Iranian-backed groups in their fight against their enemies."

A third senior Iranian official also confirmed the shipment activity and pointed to IRGC involvement.

The IRGC is Iran`s most powerful internal and external security force, with a sophisticated intelligence and surveillance network together with elite units which are playing a key role in the war in Syria in support of the government.

The IRGC declined to comment on the arms shipments and Iranian foreign ministry officials could not immediately be reached.

Houthi officials were also not immediately available for comment but in March a Houthi leader, who declined to be identified, said accusations that Iran was smuggling weapons into Yemen were an attempt to cover up Saudi Arabia`s failure to prevail in the war there.

Kuwaiti officials did not respond to questions. A U.S. Navy spokesman said he had no information on the matter.

"(The territorial waters of) Iran, Kuwait and Iraq in the northern Persian Gulf butt up against each other," said Gerry Northwood, of maritime security firm MAST and a former British Royal Navy captain who has commanded warships in the region.

"There is still plenty of room for smugglers to operate. In fact the whole Persian Gulf is a hive of small boat activity. And this is in an area where one man`s illegitimate trade is another`s legitimate trade."

Hundreds of ships sail through the Bab el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz every day - waterways which pass along the coasts of Yemen and Iran. Many are small dhows, which are hard to track.

Western shipping and security sources said that since March there had been an increase in suspicious activity involving Iranian-flagged ships in waters near Kuwait.

"Waters around Kuwait are being used by Iranians to funnel ... equipment to Yemen," said an international arms dealer based in the Mediterranean area with knowledge of the matter.

"Consignments are either transferred to other craft, such as small boats, or they are dropped near buoys to be picked up by passing ships."

The arms dealer, who declined to be identified, said there were many coves and deserted bays in neighbouring Iraq that also provided opportunities for this type of covert activity.

The Western sources said consignments were transported from smaller Iranian ports across the sea lanes near Kuwait, which is 100 nautical miles from Iran.

To avoid detection, the mainly Iranian-flagged vessels switch off their identification transponders, sometimes for days. They rendezvous with other ships or drop supplies close to buoys, so the consignments can be recovered for onward transport, the sources said.
Jerusalem: Thousands of Jews attended prayers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to observe the start of the Tisha B`av fasting day on Monday night, days after violence shook the city.



Prayer leaders read aloud from the Book of Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah`s biblical account of the destruction of the First Jewish Temple by invading Babylonians in 586 BC.



The Western Wall is a remnant of the Second Jewish Temple, built on the site of the first and destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.



The wall is at the foot of the Haram al-Sharif compound housing the Al-Aqsa mosque and the golden-topped Dome of the Rock in the heart of the Old City, the third holiest site in Islam.



It is the most sacred site for Jews, who refer to the site as the Temple Mount, believing it to be the location of their two former temples.



Tisha B`av commemorates the destruction of both temples, as well several other disasters in Jewish history.



The event comes after relative calm returned to Jerusalem following days of Palestinian protests over al-Aqsa.



Palestinians refused to enter the site for nearly two weeks over new security measures Israel imposed after three Israeli Arabs shot dead two policemen nearby on July 14.



That triggered protests which left six Palestinians dead. A Palestinian broke into a home in a Jewish settlement in the West Bank and stabbed four Israelis, killing three.



The crisis was ended when the authorities removed the newly installed measures, including metal detectors.



The site has frequently been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.



Under a decades-old agreement, only Muslims are allowed to pray inside the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, although anyone can visit, including Jews.



Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said in a statement that extra units were being deployed throughout the 24-hour period.



While many of the thousands of worshippers at the Western Wall on Monday evening were religious, recognisable by the men`s skullcaps and women`s long dresses, secular Jews also attended the ceremonies.



"I`m not really religious but it`s important for me to come here for this commemoration, this day of mourning," said 25-year-old Leora Kaufman.



"Tisha B`av is also a reminder of the need to stay united."
Amman: Dozens of activists have rallied outside Jordan's Parliament, calling on legislators to repeal a provision that allows a rapist to escape punishment if he marries his victim.

Parliament is to vote on the proposed change to the penal code today.

A royal reform committee has recommended repealing Article 308, but lawmakers have proposed amendments, including exempting from prosecution those who have consensual sex with a minor between the ages of 15 and 17, and then agree to marry the minor.

Human Rights Watch has called for repeal. It says Article 308 is "a blight on Jordan's human rights record."

Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt have scrapped similar clauses over the years.

The provision remains on the books in several countries in the Middle East, Latin America and Asia.
New Delhi: A Ohio-based man kept his girlfriends body in a refrigerator in assistance with another woman who assumed the identity of the dead girlfriend. The woman moved into the dead girl's home, used her credit cards and took care of her dog, authorities confirmed.

Following the discovery of the dead girlfriend's body from a home near Youngstown, the accused duo were booked and charged with corpse abuse.

A judge set a $1 million bond on Monday for Katrina Layton, 34, and Arturo Novoa, 31. The court records no attorneys for them and there was no telephone listing for Layton or Novoa. Layton, however, has asked for a court-appointed attorney, reported ndtv.com.

The dead body recovered is suspected to be of Shannon Graves' who went missing at the age of 28. The official identification and cause of death are yet to be investigated.

According to her family, Graves disappearance was unusual as she had never left home without her car, dog and phone.

As per a missing-persons report filed by her family in June, Graves had not been seen for months. Reportedly, she was last seen in February by her friends.
Brussels: Spanish and Finnish fighter jets were sent to intercept three Russian planes flying near Estonian air space on Tuesday, the NATO military alliance said in a statement.

The Russian airplanes were identified as two MiG-31 jets and one Antonov AN-26 transport aircraft, NATO said.

"Two Spanish F-18 jets assigned to NATOs Baltic Air Policing mission scrambled from Estonia`s Amari Air Base," NATO said. "Finnish jets also scrambled to intercept the aircraft."

Intercepts of Russian aircraft by NATO have increased in recent years amid heightened tensions between the West and Moscow over Russia`s involvement in the Ukraine crisis.
Punjab: Pakistan's Punjab government on Monday issued a notification to extend the house arrest of Hafiz Saeed, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and a US-designated terrorist, for two more months.

The government on January 30 had put Saeed and the four leaders under house arrest in Lahore for their alleged involvement in activities prejudicial to peace and security.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief and his four close aides - Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - had been placed under house arrest on January 31 for three months under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. Afterwards, their house arrest was extended for another 90 days.

This time Saeed's house arrest has been extended under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order.

In a notification issued on July 28, the Punjab Government Home Department said on the recommendation of the federal interior ministry the detention of the activist - Saeed - has been extended for another 60 days. It said Saeed and others' detention expired on July 27.

As per DawnNews, the notification reads that the Counter Terrorism Department has reported that "keeping in view the expected release of the said activist and other leaders of the said organisation, workers of the organisation have planned to spread chaos in the country."

The notification is signed by Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home) retired Major Azam Suleman.

It further reads that "on release, he (Saeed) is likely to glorify his activities for the said organisation and continuation of his activities are likely to create unrest in public."

It is believed that the Pakistan government had detained Saeed after the Trump administration, which had just taken over, had told Islamabad that it may face sanctions if it did not act against the JuD and its chief.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), the front group of the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba, and its sister organisation Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), had also been put under terror watch on the basis of a report sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Saeed was also put under house arrest after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, but he was freed by a court in 2009.

He has a bounty of USD 10 million on his head for his role in terror activities.
Islamabad: Pakistan`s lawmakers will on Tuesday elect a new prime minister following Nawaz Sharif`s disqualification by the Supreme Court in the Panamagate case.

Six candidates on Monday filed their nomination papers for the interim Prime Minister`s election.

Pakistan opposition members on Monday failed to arrive at a consensus on a single candidate for the interim Prime Minister.

The National Assembly of Parliament is the electoral college for the election of the Prime Minister.

Following are the six candidates who are in the race:

- Nawaz Sharif`s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party has nominated Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who submitted his papers with the National Assembly secretariat in Islamabad on Monday. Sharif has named his brother Shahbaz, 65, as long-term successor. He added that the plan is for former petroleum minister Abbasi to stay in power for less than two months until Shahbaz, who is the chief minister of the vast Punjab province, wins a by-election to the National Assembly and becomes eligible to be prime minister.

- Notably, Sharif`s PML-N party holds a majority with 188 seats in the 342-member Parliament, so it should be able to swiftly install its choice, barring any defections from its own ranks.

- Syed Khurshid Shah, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly who represents the major opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is among the opposition candidates. Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPP will be his covering candidate.

- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Sheikh Rashid Ahmad. He is the leader of Awami Muslim League, an ally of PTI.

- The Islamic party Jamaat-e Islami has nominated Sahibzada Tariqullah as its candidate.

- Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidate is Kishwar Zahra.

Meanwhile, Abassi on Monday stressed he would continue Sharif`s policies. His tenure is expected to last only about two months.

A quick handover could ease the political upheaval sparked by a Supreme Court decision on Friday to disqualify Sharif for not declaring a source of income. The court also ordered a criminal investigation into him and his family.

The SC also directed a separate criminal investigation into Sharif and his family in its ruling, which Sharif`s allies have portrayed as political meddling but opposition leader Imran Khan has hailed as a victory for the rule of law.

Over the weekend Sharif said he was shocked by the SC ruling disqualifying him over unreported income from a company owned by his son in Dubai. Sharif said the monthly salary - equivalent to $2,722 - was nominal and he never actually received any of it.

(With Agency inputs)
Islamabad: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan`s Opposition party, has staged a massive demonstration in front of the White House against enforced disappearances, paramilitary operation and extra judicial killings of its party members in Karachi, capital city of Sindh province, the Pajhwok Afghan News reported.

A statement issued by the MQM said the protestors called on the Pakistani establishment to "immediately stop the ongoing inhuman tactics of enforced disappearances of party chief Altaf Hussain`s relatives.

"They also urged the US to drag Pakistan into the court of justice for being "involved in human rights violations, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, ban on MQM activities and media blackout of Altaf Hussain.

"Hussain, while addressing the participants of the demonstration, emphasised on the US Government to play its role in putting an end to the genocide of Mohajirs and Balochs and condemned the role of the Pakistan Army in these barbaric acts.

"The military and civilian US aid to Pakistan must be made conditional on the human rights record of the country. Mohajirs are optimistic in U.S. President Trump administration to support them in their struggle for an autonomous province," he said.

"If the demand of a separate Mohajir province is not accepted, the Mohajir ethnicity would decide their future line of action," Hussain added, calling the country the epicenter of global terrorism.

MQM convenor Nadeem Nusrat, members of the coordination committee, office bearers, workers, supporters and members of the Pakistani diaspora were among the attendees of the protest. Nusrat also slammed Pakistan for oppression of liberal political forces in the country.
Islamabad: The Pakistani Taliban on Tuesday released the first edition of a magazine for women, apparently aiming to convince its target readership to join the militant group and take up jihad.

The first edition of "Sunnat E Khaula" - which translates as 'The Way of Khaula', referring to an early female follower of the Prophet Muhammad - published by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) features a picture of a women veiled from head to toe on its front cover.

Inside is an interview with the TTP`s leader`s wife, who is not named, in which she talks about being married to the head of the militant group, Fazlullah Khorasani, at the age of 14.

"I ask you why now everywhere there is hue and cry about underage marriages... We have to understand that mature boys and girls if left unmarried for too long can become a source of moral destruction of the society," the militant leader`s wife tells the interviewer.

"We want to provoke women of Islam to come forward and join the ranks of mujahideen e (holy warriors of) Islam," reads the opening editorial of the magazine, which includes an advice column for would-be lady jihadists.

"Organise secret gatherings at home and invite like-minded jihadi sisters," the column suggests.

"Distribute literature reflecting on the obligation of jihad, arrange physical training classes for sisters. Learn how to operate simple weapons. Learn the use of grenades."

The English-language magazine also includes an article written by a Pakistani female doctor describing her decision to shun her western education and embrace Islam, titled "My journey from ignorance to guidance".

At the height of the Taliban`s influence in Pakistan, the militant group regularly put out publications in Urdu and English, hoping to attract recruits to its ranks.

The militant group was also active on Facebook and Twitter, but most of its social media pages have now been closed.

Pakistan`s military launched an offensive against insurgent groups in the country`s northwest in late 2014 after the Taliban attacked a military-run school killing more than 150 people, mostly children.

Security has since improved, though the Taliban continues to sporadically launch attacks, including one last month on a market in Lahore that killed 26 people.


Tallinn: Two Spanish NATO jet fighters briefly violated Finnish airspace while intercepting three Russian aircraft near Estonia on Tuesday, NATO said.

The alliance said the fighter planes violated the airspace when they were in the process of asking Finland, which is not a NATO member, to take over the chase.

"In handing over the intercept to the Finnish jets, the Spanish jets accidentally entered Finnish airspace," NATO spokesman Dylan P. White said in a statement. "NATO's Air Command has explained the incident to the Finnish Air Operations Centre to improve future coordination."

Finland's defense ministry said the F-18 Super Hornets, part of NATO's air policing mission in the Baltics, flew into Finnish airspace southwest of Helsinki today for under a minute at around 9 a.M.

The aircraft are currently based in NATO's air base in Amari, Estonia.

The international air corridor over the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea is narrow and the Nordic country has experienced several air violations by military and civilian aircraft from neighboring Russia. However, violations by NATO planes are rare over non-alliance member Finland.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump dictated a statement, later shown to be misleading, in which his son Donald Trump Jr. said a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 was not related to his father`s presidential campaign, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

Trump Jr. released emails earlier in July that showed he eagerly agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow`s official support for his father.

The New York Times was first to report the meeting.

The Washington Post said Trump advisers discussed the new disclosure and agreed that Trump Jr. should issue a truthful account of the episode so that it "couldnt be repudiated later if the full details emerged."

The president, who was flying home from Germany on July 8, changed the plan and "personally dictated a statement in which Trump Jr. said he and the Russian lawyer had `primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children,`" the Post said, citing unnamed people with knowledge of the deliberations.

It said the statement, issued to the New York Times as it prepared to publish the story, emphasized that the subject of the meeting was not a campaign issue at the time.

An attorney for Trump, Jay Sekulow, issued a statement in response to the Post report: Apart from being of no consequence, the characterizations are misinformed, inaccurate, and not pertinent.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the Post story, nor did Trump Jr.`s attorney, Alan Futerfas.

US investigators are probing whether there was collusion between the Kremlin and Trumps Republican presidential campaign.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow sought to hurt Clinton and help Trump in the 2016 election. Russia denies any interference, and Trump has denied collusion with Russia.The president applauded his son`s "transparency" after he released the email exchanges on July 11.

"It remains unclear exactly how much the president knew at the time of the flight about Trump Jr.s meeting," the Washington Post said.

David Sklansky, a professor of criminal law at Stanford Law School, said that if Trump, as reported by the Post, helped craft a misleading public statement about the meeting, he may have bolstered a potential obstruction of justice case against himself.

To build a criminal obstruction of justice case, federal law requires prosecutors to show that a person acted with "corrupt" intent. A misleading public statement could be used as evidence of corrupt intent, Sklansky said.
Caracas: The Venezuelan intelligence service arrested two prominent opposition leaders early Tuesday, their relatives said, a day after a vote to choose a much-condemned assembly that supersedes parliament.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were both already under house arrest when they were picked up by the intelligence service known by its in acronym Sebin, the wife of Lopez and children of Ledezma said separately.

The two men are Venezuela`s most high profile opposition leaders. Both had called for a boycott of Sunday`s vote for a so-called and all-powerful constituent assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution.

Both of their families said they held President Nicolas Maduro, the driving force behind the vote, responsible for the leaders` lives.

"They just took Leopoldo away. We do not know where he is or where they are taking him," Lopez`s wife Lilian Tintori said on Twitter.

She released home security camera footage in which four uniformed police officers and three in civilian garb are seen putting her husband into a Sebin car and take off, with other cars escorting them.

The children of Ledezma -- named Victor, Vanessa and Antonietta -- also said on Twitter that the Sebin had taken away their father.

Opposition leaders and local media posted cellphone footage of Ledezma being taken away from his home forcibly while still wearing pajamas.

Lopez, 46, was transferred to house arrest in July of this year after serving three years and five months in prison as part of a 14-year term. He had been convicted of instigating violence during protests against Maduro in 2014 that left 43 people dead.

Ledezma, 62, was arrested in February 2015 on charges of conspiracy and racketeering and was placed under house arrest three months later for health reasons.

Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara said the arrests were aimed at "frightening us and demoralizing us."

Four months of street demonstrations against Maduro have left 120 people dead, including 10 over the weekend that included the election.

The opposition says the vote was a fraudulent ploy by Maduro to cling to power because, it argues, he is so unpopular he could not win an election. The next one is scheduled for 2018.

The new constituent assembly is to start working on Wednesday. It is made up only of members of Maduro`s Socialist party. The opposition has called a big rally for that day.

The United States hit Maduro with direct sanctions on Monday over the weekend vote, calling him a "dictator," while the leader refused to heed what he slammed as "imperial orders."

The measures were unusual in that they targeted a sitting head of state, but their reach was mostly symbolic, freezing any US assets Maduro might have and banning people under US jurisdiction from dealing with him.

"Yesterday`s illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters.

Maduro lashed out at the move, saying it smacked of American imperialism.

"I will not obey imperial orders," he said.

Colombia, Mexico, Peru and other nations joined the US in saying they did not recognize the results of Sunday`s election, which appointed a new "Constituent Assembly" superseding Venezuela`s legislative body, the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

Maduro`s own attorney general, Luisa Ortega -- who broke with him months ago over his policies -- also said she would not acknowledge the body, calling it part of the president`s "dictatorial ambition."

However, old allies Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia stood by Maduro, who shrugged off mass protests and a previous round of US sanctions on some of his officials to see through the election.

The National Electoral Council claimed more than 40 percent of Venezuela`s 20 million voters had cast ballots Sunday.

According to the opposition, voter turnout was closer to 12 percent, a figure more aligned with the lack of lines at many polling stations.

Surveys by polling firm Datanalisis showed more than 70 percent of Venezuelans opposed the new assembly.

Venezuela`s 30 million citizens are suffering through an acute economic crisis marked by shortages of basic goods.

Sanctions against the all-important oil sector would worsen their situation, but could also destabilize the government, which is frenziedly printing money and running out of foreign currency reserves.
Beijing:Reiterating that China will never compromise on its sovereignty, President Xi Jinping has warned that China will never allow anyone to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country amid the months long military standoff with India in the Sikkim sector.

"The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organisation or political party to split any part of Chinese territory out of the country at any time, in any form," said President Xi at the ceremony to mark the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army.

"No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests," China daily quoted Xi as saying.

President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while addressing a grand gathering in celebration of the PLA's 90th founding anniversary.

Xi said that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is moving rapidly toward "strong" informationised armed forces as PLA has transformed from a "millet plus rifles" to single-service force to one that has full-fledged services and has basically completed mechanisation.

The armies of both countries have been engaged in a standoff since June 16 in Sikkim section where India and China share a 220-km-long border.

China has maintained that there won't be a meaningful dialogue without the unconditional withdrawal of Indian troops.

Meanwhile, India maintains that the unilateral action by China to build a road in the area was altering the status quo and had serious security implications for India.
*First Published August 1, 2017. Updated April 4, 2018 to reflect new financing.

Plant-based burger maker Impossible Foods has added a $114 million convertible note to its ample coffers. The additional financing comes from existing investor Singapore state fund Temasek along with Chinese private equity firm Sailing Capital.

The company closed $75 million in Series E funding in August 2017, with Temasek leading the round. This marked the fourth agtech investment for the Singaporean state fund and the second investment in a company looking to replace animal products with no-slaughter alternatives.

The startup has now raised roughly $396 million in debt and equity in total, making it the best-funded alternative protein startup to date. Also participating in the August round were existing investors Open Philanthropy Project, Bill Gates, Khosla Ventures, and Horizons Ventures.

Impossible Foods makes a plant-based burger with synthesized heme, the non-protein part of hemoglobin in blood that carries oxygen. This compound ingredient helps Impossibles burgers cook, taste, and bleed like beef. It obtains heme by genetically modifying yeast and using fermentation to produce a heme protein naturally found in plants, called soy leghemoglobin.

In 2017, Impossible Foods received a patent for its use of leghemoglobin in plant-based meat. The 200-person startup says it has more than 100 additional patents pending.

Temasek has made various agrifood tech investments in recent years, investing in VoloAgri in 2016, a vegetable seed technology and breeding company, and Modern Meadow, the bio-fabricated leather manufacturer. It has also invested in StarAgri Warehousing and Collateral Management, an Indian agriculture logistics company.

At Temaseks 2017 review presentation on July 11, head of strategy Michael Buchanan said about the Impossible burger, Ive had a few of their burgers, and even as a very longstanding meat-lover, I can tell you they taste really good!

According to the funds website, 4% of Temasek $197 billion worth of investments are in the life sciences and agribusiness category.

The most direct competitor of Impossible Foods in the alternative protein space is Beyond Meat, another plant-based burger company, which like Impossible has received funding from Bill Gates. Beyond Meat has raised at least $72 million to date.

The only other alternative protein startup that has come close to Impossible Foods total funding is Hampton Creek, which has raised $220 million in six rounds to date. A recent walk-out from the entire board less founder Josh Tetrick, along with operating at major losses, led some to predict the company would run out of money early in 2018. In a departure from his core business of making food products with a pea-based egg replacement, Tetrick has claimed that he will have a cultured meat product on the market this year.

Impossible Foods has focused its marketing and distribution on high-end food service to date and celebrated chefs like David Chang and Brad Farmerie and a few others began serving the burger at their restaurants in 2017. More casual burger chain restaurants in New York, California, and Texas began serving the burger in the recent months  now totaling roughly 1000.

Chef Brad Farmerie, who has been serving the Impossible burger at his New York restaurant Saxon + Parole since February 2017 told AgFunderNews, To be honest, I just see the Impossible meat as a recipe. Its the same as if you bought a really amazing cured salami They decided the ratios of those ingredients. They decided how long to age it. And if you look at the Impossible Burger, youre looking at the same thing. They decided the ratios in it; they decided the amount of hemoglobin. They decide all of those things.

Impossible Foods began ramping up its first large-scale production facility in September 2017 and will soon be adding a second shift to keep up with demand. The Impossible burger will make its debut in Asia later in April 2018.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. George and Amal Clooney said on July 31 they plan to donate $2.25 million to open seven schools for 3000 Syrian refugee children in Lebanon, Armenpress reports citing the Clooney Foundation for Justice official website.

Thousands of young Syrian refugees are at risk -- the risk of never being a productive part of society. Formal education can help change that. Thats our goal with this initiative. We dont want to lose an entire generation because they had the bad luck of being born in the wrong place at the wrong time, said George and Amal Clooney.

The $2.25 million partnership, which includes a generous donation from Google.org, and a $1 million technology grant from HP, will support formal education for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The partnership with UNICEF will help seven public schools to provide critical education opportunities to nearly 3,000 currently out-of-school refugee students this school year, and will also support a pilot of technology tools in these schools to advance learning outcomes for refugee children and Lebanese youth.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. The Georgian side may request extradition of former President Mikheil Saakashvili from the United States, Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani said, Sputnik News reports.

Saakashvili was stripped of Ukrainian citizenship on Wednesday and is currently in the United States. He announced his intention to return to Ukraine at the earliest opportunity.

If its Ukraine, where he promised to return, we have exhausted all procedures in that direction. So if Ukraine obtains political will, the country will be able to decide on handing over Saakashvili. As for other countries, the United States for example, if the ex-president stays there, we will need legal consultations with the country, including talks and an agreement regarding extradition, Tsulukiani said, as broadcast by the Georgian Channel One.
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.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Iran best demonstrate the undeniable truth that peoples of different religions can live peacefully by developing the friendly relations and productive cooperation in all spheres that are beneficial for our countries and peoples, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview to Iranian Shargh daily.

Armenpress presents the interview.

-Your Excellency, what is your assessment on the Iran-Armenia relations?

-First of all I want to thank you and the Shargh daily for the opportunity to communicate with the friendly and brotherly people of Iran.

Coming to your question, I want to state that there are numerous prerequisites for further developing special relations between our two countries and peoples the origins of which go back to millenniums. The friendship between the two neighbor peoples is so firm that it is just necessary to further develop and deepen them by maintaining the commonalities uniting us for centuries. This is the reliable base and stronghold of our relations. Our countries are descendents of the regions ancient and rich civilizations.

In 2017 we mark the 25th anniversary of our day-to-day relations. Over the past century, since the independence of Armenia, the Armenian-Iranian relations have constantly developed including a wide range of different spheres, starting from high level political dialogue up to trade-economic close partnership, from human communications up to scientific-educational and cultural mutual cooperation.

-What impact do the Iran-Armenia deep relations have on establishing and expanding regional and world peace?

-Armenia and Iran are in the vicinity of the worlds most unstable and troubled regions: in some countries terrorism atrocities are increasing, large parts of these countries are under control of extremist structures, such as infamous Islamic State. From these countries terrorist tricks spread to other countries of the region, a painful example of which we have witnessed recently when our friendly Islamic Republic of Iran became a target of the actions of the abovementioned terrorist structure. In these circumstances it is important to unite the international communitys efforts to strengthen regional security and peace assuming an important role on fight against extremism. In fact, our two countries are not consumers of international security, but they are security creators whose partnership aims at ensuring a stable and peaceful regional coexistence. In my opinion, Armenia and Iran have an important commonality: our policy at international arena is based on the vision of reaching justice which is very important in terms of peaceful and thorough solution of many existing issues.

-During your meeting with Pope Francis last year, highly appreciating the Iran-Armenia brotherly ties, you mentioned that these relations between the Muslim and Christian countries are exemplary. In your opinion, in which spheres these relations are possible to expand?

-We can confidently state that Armenia and Iran best demonstrate the undeniable truth that peoples of different religions can live peacefully by developing the friendly ties and productive cooperation in all spheres without exception that are beneficial for our countries and peoples. I am convinced that the close ties, cultural commonalities and centuries-old friendship between the two peoples that are based on the dialogue of Christianity and Islam contribute to constantly increasing the relations between the two states to a new qualitative level. From this perspective, Armenia-Iran relations, without exaggeration, are exemplary and unique since on the way to strengthen them we manage to make the centuries-old traditional values in accordance with contemporary realities.

-What is Armenias stance on the spread of terrorism and extremism? What joint steps can Armenia and Iran take on this path?

-As I said, the terror threat is the most serious challenge in the whole world ever than before. In these circumstances the international community must make decisive efforts to strengthen internal security and stability by preventing the terrorist organizations to be settled in their territories. In line with this it is necessary to develop the inter-state cooperation on exchange of information, prevention of threats and demonstrate common will and commitment to fight against the evil of terrorism. The adoption of a truly intolerant stance against terrorism is a strict necessity for fight against that phenomenon. The international community should eradicate this phenomenon that threatens the civilized community, as well as the sources assisting and financing it. Unfortunately, some countries of our region, considering some dubious interests, cooperate with terrorists, provide them shelters and assistance. There must be a common intolerance against such behavior.

-We have witnessed elimination of visa requirements between the two countries aimed at developing the relations in tourism field: What achievements can the visa elimination bring between Iran and Armenia in the future? Is there any necessary infrastructure, including railway, land, air routes, hotels and other services for tourism development between Armenia and Iran?

-We attach importance to visa elimination between our two countries which has its positive effect on expanding the business ties, boosting economic and investment field, as well as tourism. As my dear colleague Mr. Hassan Rouhani said at one occasion, today it is necessary to build bridges instead of dams. I think the decision to eliminate visa requirements is a new friendship bridge between our peoples. According to our observations, a sharp increase in number of Iranian tourists has been recorded after the elimination of visa regime. Today tourism services are being formed in the market in accordance with the cultural preferences of Iranian visitors. We take huge steps to make our country attractive for tourists. In particular, steps are being taken aimed at creating additional and more comfortable infrastructures, increasing service quality, presenting our rich historical-cultural heritage, as well as increasing the number of flights to Armenia. Armenia has a remarkable culture, high level of security and hospitable and hard-working people which are among our countrys competitive advantages in tourism field.

-Your Excellency, what is your assessment on the Iran-Armenia energy cooperation, including electricity and gas exchanges? Why didnt the Iranian gas transit program to Europe via Armenia and Georgia succeed? Is it possible to hope that new steps will be taken on this path?

-The energy cooperation is one of the key components of the Armenian-Iranian ties. It is already 10 years we carry out gas for electricity mutually beneficial program with Iran. In this context, the construction of the Armenia-Iran 3rd transmission line is very important which will enable to significantly increase the exchange volumes.

As for the transit of gas from Iran to Europe, a large-scale project, it must be thoroughly observed, calculated, and if it is economically beneficial for all sides, why not? The question you asked is now at the discussion stage at the expert level. We in our turn have repeatedly stated that we are interested in taking part in major economic regional projects and are ready for cooperation.

-It is already half a year Armenia is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). What circumstances of this membership opportunities and challenges do you see for Iran-Armenia ties taking into account the experience acquired during that period?

-We have repeatedly stated that we are ready to contribute to the development of Iran-EAEU cooperation in all possible way. The Republic of Armenia has launched discussions on privileged trade regime with Iran within the EAEU, as a result of which, as you know, already talks are underway. I am confident that this cooperation can be beneficial for all sides by opening a market of 180 million population to the Iranian goods. In their turn the EAEU member states will have a chance to present their products at the Iranian market with privileged terms.

As for the Armenia-EU relations, it is important to state we do not consider them as contradictory to the relations with the EAEU. Armenia is the shortest and safest route for connecting Europe with Iran. Today Armenia has close partnering relations with the EU, we are ready to provide platform to the Iranian and European businessmen to carry out mutually beneficial activity. We have GSP+ privileged trade regime with the EU within the frames of which several thousand Armenian products can be exported to the EU by zero customs. This factor can also be an additional signal for Iranian investors to launch activity in Armenia.

-In line with deep and enlarged political, historical, civilized, cultural and linguistic ties between Armenia and Iran, unfortunately, the economic relations of the two countries have not recorded necessary and sufficient growth. Is there any specific program in the agenda for boosting Armenia-Iran economic ties and increasing the trade turnover volume?

-The development of economic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran is among our priorities. The regular activity of the Armenian-Iranian inter-governmental commission is aimed at increasing the bilateral economic cooperation and trade turnover volumes. The activity of Syunik free economic zone can contribute to this which will serve at best the Armenian and Iranian businessmen and will become an important component for strengthening the inter-state partnership. Armenia is ready with its opportunities to comprehensively assist the Iranian businessmen for carrying out activity in our country, and as I said, providing platform to enter other economic markets via Armenia. It is undeniable truth that in many cases the Armenian-Iranian joint economic initiatives can be much more competitive than each one separately.

-The joint capital investments between business, trade and industrial circles of Iran and Armenia as well do not reflect a favorable situation. Whether any specific program has been carried out for this purpose? Is there a special program on the Armenian Governments agenda to jointly produce industrial and economic products between the Iranian and Armenian sides? Under what conditions are Iran-Armenia banking relations?

-We carry out an open door policy for foreign investments. Armenia is a full member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which supposes that we do not put a difference between foreign and local companies in terms of doing business. Armenia carries out an industrial development policy on the sidelines of which we plan to intensify the cooperation with our neighbor states, especially with the businessmen of Iran.

As I said, we have great hopes over the development of Armenian-Iranian economic mutual partnership within the frames of the free economic zone to be created on Armenia-Iran border.

As a result of elimination of sanctions on Iran, there is also a positive progress in banking cooperation which will positively affect our mutual partnership in banking sphere. I believe in near future we will witness increase of cooperation on this direction.

-In the field of culture the relations of Iran and Armenia also have much more opportunities compared to present ties. Are there new programs for this purpose?

-Armenias cultural cooperation with Iran almost covers all spheres, such as cinematography, theatrical art, music, book publishing and etc. where numerous ambitious programs are being implemented.

For instance, in the film industry, an Armenian film week was held in Iran. Recently the 14th Golden Apricot international film festival ended in Yerevan.

In the music field, the sides are cooperating on exchanging musical and folk groups. There is also cooperation in the field of theatrical art, as well as between the museums.

The linguistic commonalities of our peoples are unique. Both Armenian and Persian are among those ancient languages through which it is possible to read 900-year-old literature with little difficulty. For centuries our peoples have maintained their mother tongue as a precious jewel, at the same time they have enriched the treasury of world literature by communication. Today many works of Ferdowsi, Saadi and other Iranian writers are translated into Armenian.

The list of our joint programs in the culture field can continue, however, I would like to sum up this in one assessment: we are actively cooperating on cultural exchanges and have repeatedly affirmed our mutual commitment to further intensify our partnership in this field by work.

-Another opportunity for the sides is the development of scientific and academic ties which as for now have not recorded significant progress. Is there any specific program implemented for this purpose?

-The scientific-cultural field in the Armenia-Iran relations is also noticeably developing, however, here as well there is huge potential which is still not utilized. I think our countries have all opportunities to closely cooperate especially in the field of higher education. Armenias universities are able to provide high quality education to Iranian students especially on such scientific branches that have strong positions in Armenia and established traditions. The implementation of joint research projects and exchange of experience can significantly contribute to establishing firm ties not only between the Armenian and Iranian scientists, but also in terms of transferring the results of this cooperation to practical field.

-Finally, I will be happy to convey the message of Your Excellency addressed to the people of Iran.

-I want to address both the people of Iran and Armenia: the Armenian-Iranian friendship has not been given from above, it has been formed, strengthened and received its todays form and content over years, centuries and millennia. I am confident that we, as two native peoples of the region, will continue the peaceful and stable course of our history towards new millennia by boosting and constantly developing our relations.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. 400.000 Armenians prefer to spend their summer holidays abroad, and 400.000 prefer to stay in Armenia, sociologist Aharon Adibekyan told reporters on August 1, reports Armenpress.

He said 1 billion people in the world prefer to organize their rest outside their home countries.

According to him, Armenians spend holidays for a short period of time or in more affordable places due to certain decline in incomes.

Russia is one of those countries, 250,000 people. People mainly spend their holidays with their relatives living or working in Russia. The second country preferred by Armenians is Georgia, 130-150.000 people since the seaside cottages are affordable there, they cook food for themselves, and most of the coastal areas are free of charge. The remaining people, mainly those with average and high income, prefer to spend holidays in the European countries, Spain, France, Cyprus, Greece and etc, Adibekyan said.

He added that 400.000 people also prefer to stay in Armenia for holidays, and most of them prefer to have a rest in provinces.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. High temperature is expected in Armenia from August 2 to 6, the Emergency Situations Ministry told Armenpress.

In the daytime up to 38...40 degrees above zero and a high risk of fire is expected in the valleys of Syunik province, in Yerevan and Ararat Valley.

The daily average air temperature will be 4-6 degrees higher than normal.

On August 2 the index of ultraviolet rays is predicted to reach 6, so its recommended to avoid direct sunrays from 11:00 to 17:00.

Air temperature will increase by 1-2 degrees on August 3-4.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Iran Artashes Tumanyan on August 1 met with Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, President of the Iran Trade Promotion Organization Mojtaba Khosrowtaj at the Tehran international exhibition center, press service of the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

The meeting was attended by representatives of several Iranian economic companies and associations. During the meeting a joint discussion was held on increasing the Armenia-Iran trade turnover volumes and developing the economic ties between the two countries.

The sides discussed issues relating to boosting bilateral trade, implementing joint economic programs, as well as exchanging information on economic affairs. They also touched upon issues on organization of exhibition of Iranian goods and services in Yerevan on September 21-25.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. According to the survey conducted by the Gallup International, 59% of the citizens of Armenia are satisfied with the works of Premier Karen Karapetyan and only 16.4% are dissatisfied.

Positive expectations had been formed among the public after the appointment of Karen Karapetyan to the post of the Premier. To the question to what extent those expectations were realized during the past 8 months, 49.2% answered that the expectations were realized to some extent, 23.7% think the expectations were not realized to some extent and 19% think the expectations were not realized at all, President of Armenian Marketing Association NGO Aram Navasardyan told the reporters.

Armenpress reports Navasardyan added that according to the respondents, Prime Minister Karapetyan should first of all concentrate on creating new jobs, economy and also curroption issues. 13.0% of the respondents fully trust Karen Karapetyan, 12.1% do not trust at all.

1104 people from different regions of Armenia participated in the face-to-face survey.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Government establishes Meghri free trade zone Closed Joint-Stock Company the mamangment of which will be under the Ministry of Economic Develoment and Investments of Armenia, Armenpress reports the draft on the establishment of the company is included in the agenda of the Cabinets August 3 meeting.

According to the justification, the goal of the creation of the company is to ensure the creation of the free trade zone in Meghri community of Syunik Province, its organization and development.

Its expected that Armenia, being an EEU member state, having a privileged trade regime with the EU and sharing a border with Iran, as well as having attractive investment and business environment affirmed by international rankings, can ba of great interest for establishing export oriented companies and using its trade and logistic capacities conditioned by Armenias geolocation in case of having a free trade zone on the border with Iran.

The construction works of Meghri free trade zone kicked off in 2017. The free trade zone will solve not only the social-economic issues of the Province, but also will promote the inflow of foreign capital to Armenia, foster regional development of Armenia, and strengthen economic relations with Iran.

Its expected that after the free trade zone is put into operation nearly 120 componies will be involved which will make 350-400 million USD investments, creating over 2500 new jobs, while average annual export will reach 80-100 million USD.
LAS VEGAS, Nev.Jason Sparks has brought on a new model for his Nationwide Bareback Road Trip. The new performer, Cade Maddox, is the latest to join the Road Trip, which is touring the East Coast in August.

Sparks has featured a number of models on JasonSparksLive.com who went on to successful careers. Among his finds have been Scott DeMarco, Ty Thomas, JJ Knight, Jack Hunter and FTM star Luke Hudson. And that next big thing, according to Sparks, is Cade Maddox.

Maddox is from Mississippi but has been living in Hawaii enjoying the nude beaches and the hot guys on the islands. "I'm excited about being on the tour and meeting guys across the country," he said. "I love to travel and fuck, so this seems like the perfect opportunity for me!"

When asked why he wanted to get into porn, Maddox replied, "I've been told I'm good at it."

"When we got pictures through of Cade we knew Jason had found yet another special model," said GunzBlazing President Robyn Way. "Watching his first scene with Spencer Daley was proof that he was not only hot but extremely talented."

A scene featuring Cade Maddox and Spencer Daley bareback in Cincinnati will be released August 2 on JasonSparksLive.com. And there will be more Cade Maddox scenes to come.

The current Jason Sparks Road Trip dates are as follows:

August 2Harrisburg

August 4Baltimore

August 6Washington, D.C.

August 8Richmond

August 10Norfolk

August 12Raleigh

August 14Charlotte

August 16Grenville

August 17Atlanta

Also on tour are Luke Hudson and Spencer Daley. Updated dates can be found at JasonSparksLive.com.

JasonSparksLive.com is part of the GunzBlazing network, which also includes other Jason Sparks sites: RawFuckBoys.com, DirtyBoySociety.com, ClubJasonSparks.com and JockPussy.com. With more than a decade of experience in gay affiliate marketing, GunzBlazing promises unique marketing programs, specialized content, solid payouts and attention to its affiliate partners. For more information, contact Andrew Brown at [email protected] or visit GunzBlazing.com.
INTERCOURSE, Pa.*May was National Masturbation Month, but July 31 is National Orgasm Dayand plenty of news "organs" have posted information about how to take advantage of the new "holiday" (even though you still have to go to work)and why faking it, even if you're as good at it as Meg Ryan, is a bad idea.

Our sources say that the first "National Orgasm Day" was actually the result of a law passed in Brazil, which termed it "International Female Orgasm Day," and was meant to encourage men to make sure their partners had orgasmsand they celebrate it there on Aug. 8. But for some reason, as if the answer weren't obvious enough, the first question asked by several of those who've written about the holiday (possibly rhetorically) is "Why orgasm?"as if anyone reading this has to ask! But according to Huffington Post UK, there are at least six reasons: Orgasms help you stay youthful, relieve stress; coming in contact with semen has "anti-depressant" qualities (not that a woman needs a cock for an orgasm); they boost the immune system and help get you to sleepand the more often you get off, the better it feels next time!

Some folks, however, may never have experienced an orgasm, so the UK's National Health Service has published a handy guide to let you know what one feels like: "An intense, pleasurable release of sexual tension [that] is accompanied by contractions of the genital muscles." Also good to know: "A woman may be able to experience more than one orgasm shortly after the first, if she continues to be stimulated," and, "A minority of women may ejaculate: a clear fluid spurts from glands close to the urethra during intense sexual excitement or during orgasm. The glands are called the Skene's glands."

But this isn't a woman-only holiday; guys can do it too!: "In men, muscle contractions cause semen containing sperm to spurt out of the penis (ejaculation). After this, a man cannot have another orgasm for a while. This recovery phase, in which the penis and testicles shrink back to their normal size, can last from a few minutes to a few hours."

Sadly, though, according to a 2015 Cosmopolitan mag survey on orgasms, only 57 percent of women were able to have an orgasm while having sex, though men were able to at least 95 percent of the time. As The Donald might say: "SAD!"

But there are several reasons why some women may have difficulty getting off. Among them, according to sexpert Tracey Cox, are: 1) Too busy, stressed or angry; 2) Lack of understanding of how your body works; 3) Lack of sexual confidence; 4) Inability to communicate desires; 5) Intercourse is painful; 6) Your partner is BORING! (or you've just lost interest in him); 7) Your partner's in a rush to Get It Done; or 8) You've had traumatic sexual experiences in the past.

Fortunately, Cox has a few suggested cures, including: 1) Use a vibrator; 2) When the pressure builds, go with it! (even if you don't know exactly what "it" is); and/or 3) Fantasize a bit, or even use porn (though she admits there are a few pitfalls to the latter).

Even Glamour magazine is getting into the act, having just published "8 Fun Facts About Orgasms for National Orgasm Day." For example, "People who smoke weed have more orgasms. Like, way more. Pot smokers surveyed were 109 percent more likely to have multiple orgasms." Also, be a redhead, a nerd (or fuck one), be politically active, and Do It in Miami, most of which sound reasonable ... except the last one: "Emoji flirting is good for your sex life. Women who use the lips and kissing emoji have more orgasms with their partners ... so it may be time to ramp up the sexting."

Finally, if you think you're the Orgasm Expert, Metro News (UK) has a little test for you.

But the point is, you've still got a few hours left in the day, so why not use them the best way?

Pictured: Sinn Sage, owner of one of the best orgasm faces in porn.

* Yes, there really is such a place. It's kinda near Lancaster... and just south of Blue Ball.
NEW YORK CITYHey, everyone: Remember when The Large Big Apple used to be a fun place? Yeah, Greenwich Village, but we're thinking mainly of Times Square, where there used to be multiple porno theaters on every blockone ran Deep Throat continuously for nearly 20 yearsand between them, sex shoppes featuring all the XXX videotapes, dildos and Candy Panties you could eat.

Of course, that was before Rudy "America's Mayor" Giuliani showed up and pushed a couple of "Clean Up Times Square" ordinances through the City Council, closing all the porno theaters and driving away nearly all the sex shoppes except the ones willing to hide the Good Stuff in a back room, and stock the front window with small replicas of the Statue of Liberty with a thermometer up her ass, "I Love New York" bumper stickers and pennants, and videos featuring the Lone Rangerall in an attempt to attract "family friendly" businesses like the Walt Disney Company, the M&M Museum, Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum, some mainstream movie theater chains, a few upscale restaurants and shops, and Barclay's Bank.

But even without the sex-related businesses, Times Square continues to be a major tourist attraction, and like similar famous areas of any major city, it has its share of panhandlers and street artistsincluding a group which has become known as "desnudas": Women nude from at least the waist up, with their tits (and possibly pussy) covered in body paint, apparently so as not to offend Ma and Pa Sessions from Selma.

As most know, it's completely legal to walk around topless in The City; just ask Scout Willis (Bruce's daughter), Bonnie Rotten or Holly Van Voast. But then again, this is Times Square we're talking about, and city officials tend to get a little pissy when a bunch of desnudas are on the strollso "liberal" Democratic-Socialist Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed a bill, which passed by "a resounding 42-1," through the City Council in April of 2016 creating eight taped-off "commercial areas," called Designated Activity Zones (DAZs), roughly 10 by 15 feet each, where all the desnudas, Minnie Mice, Spider-Men, Incredible Hulks and dozens of other costumed characterseven a Donald Trump or twowere supposed to stay, out of the way of crowds that just wanted to look at the (rapidly dwindling) sights and not be solicited for money.

But guess what? Those costumed folks and desnudas aren't out there for their health; they want money, so they go where that money is likely to beand it isn't inside those 150 square foot rectangles where they're supposed to stay ... and that made three reporters from the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post a little upset.

"Costumed characters in Times Square are giving the finger to attempts to rein them in, refusing to stay in designated areas and continuing to curse in front of kiddies and threaten passers-by for dough," wrote Stephanie Pagones, Kate Parker and Laura Italiano in Sunday's edition. "Foul-mouthed desnudas, grabby Hulks and tourist-terrorizing gangs of Minnie Mice are still brazenly holding the Crossroads of the World hostage even amid a heavy presence of NYPD cops, who act oblivious to their disturbing antics."

Fact is, most tourists don't give a shit where the desnudas stand and solicit, but Tim Tomkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, a non-profit group that promotes local (non-adult) businesses, was happy to give the Post's reporters an earful.

"Suddenly, theres three [Minnie Mice] in your picture," Tomkins said. "And a Batman, and a Spider-Man. And they all want cash. And theyre all outside the zone. Its a total fucking scam, and it happens thousands of times a weekIts those same three fucking Minnie Mouses." [Journalistic censorship removed]

Frankly, the desnudas have been a topic of controversy for several years now. Back in 2015, nearly a year before the DAZ law was passed, The New York Times called the concept an "overreaction," adding, "Times Square has an old reputation as a crossroads of bad behavior. But is it really being overrun again by vice? By pimps, prostitutes, muggers, drug dealers, bootleggers, pornographers or even card-game hustlers? Not even close. And yet The [New York Daily] News, horrified at the rampant shirtlessness, put these frightening women on Page 1 for four straight days. (Its usual spot for breasts is Page 3.) It called the city to arms to repel this 'dastardly' outrage. Predictably, distressingly, our leaders took the bait."

But this time it's the Post that's become obsessed enough with the desnudas to put them on the front pageand guess what? These same women who usually get tipped for allowing tourists to take their pictures are just a teensy bit upset that the Post's photographer was snapping away without donating.

"The reporter is instigation! Takes pictures, pictures, picturesthousand pictures, no pay!" said one "cheeky woman," according to the Post's story published on Monday.

But what gets the Post particularly bent out of shape is, here's all these nude and semi-nude women stepping outside the DAZs and the cops aren't arresting them!

"The worst of the disturbing behavior occurred before the usual groups of cops started milling about late morning," the Post reported. "Still, the Naked Cowgirl stepped out of a DAZ to solicit tourists and collect tips in front of a group of officerswithout being stopped. ... It was only after she stepped out of the DAZ a second timewith a Post reporter watchingthat a cop finally told her, 'Stay on the green!' referring to the zones painted pavement."

But right-wing asshole Todd Starnes has the situation nailed: "An NYPD spokesperson refuted that assertionnoting they have made a number of arrests and issued 'hundreds of summons.' Well, clearly whatever they are doing is not workingand I suspect it's because Mayor Bill de Blasio and the far lefties that run New York City have no intention of arresting an illegal alien. And now you see what happens when Democrats rule a city. They've turned Times Square into a third world National Geographic special. All we're missing is a cheetah chasing a gazelle down 42nd Street."

Fortunately (or not), the New York Post isn't quite as openly racist as Starnes, but it's always darkly humorous to see a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch giving someone shit for not being "family values" enough.
CYBERSPACEVickey Vette's VNA Network and Sara Jay's WydeSyde Productions have launched their second collaboratively produced site, RomeMajor.com. The partnership has previously released NinaKayy.com.

Rome Major's official site currently has a tour, promo video, and members area. It is 100 percent mobile friendly, and the member's area contains exclusive content including Major's best hardcore, interracial and group sex scenes. Major is planning on performing live shows for members.



VNA Girls Network members get free live daily cam shows, as well as 33 official VNA sites free. This includes the official sites of Penny Pax, Julia Ann, Angelina Castro, Nikki Benz, Jelena Jensen, Sara Jay, Vicky Vette, Sunny Lane and others.



For a limited time, members can join Rome's new site for $19.95 a month (usually $25.00-pluss) using this Grand Opening special code: ROMESALE

Originally from Jamaica, but raised in Philadelphia, Major currently calls Las Vegas home. He has shot with girls including Richelle Ryan, Tia Cyrus, Jenna Ivory, Rio Blaze, Harlow Harrison, Chanell Heart, Ashley Fires, Nina Hartley, Carmen Valentina, Alura Jenson, Sara Jay and many more. He has shot for several companies coast to coast, such as Score, Plumper Pass, WydeSyde, Dogfart, and CherokeeDass.com

Major says, "I am very excited to start a new chapter in my life, and it's awesome to have people behind me as I make a bigger push in adult. I am working closely with Sara Jay with my career and having a site with the VNA raises the bar. Expect big things and lots of #majorwork.''

Sara Jay notes, ''I've been working and shooting Rome for a number of months. My company, Wyde Syde, is expanding our internet presence in the coming months, and helping produce his new site made a lot of sense. He is an energetic, dedicated, and reliable performer. I look forward to watching his career and site grow."

Vette adds, "Rome somehow skipped being a private in the Vette Nation Army and is a Major. It's been a very big month for the VNA's new partnership with WydeSyde. We added websites for Rome, Nina Kayy, and are hard at work on a couple more projects with Sara Jay. The VNA is now up to 34 sites, and we have no plans of slowing down." Follow Rome Major on Twitter @RomeMajorXXX and Instagram @romemajor.

Performers interested in joining the VNA Network can reach Vicky Vette directly at [email protected]
Prominent attorney and legal scholar Maxine Lynn has announced that she will be presenting a Legal Update seminar at the QWEBEC Expo, which will take place August 3-6, 2017 in Montreal.

According to Lynn, 2017 has brought many changes in the laws affecting the adult industry. In the U.S., on June 19, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in the case of Matal vs. Tam, 582 U.S. __ (2017). There, the Court held that a provision in the law that prohibits trademark registrations for matter which may disparage  persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. With the ban on registering disparaging names having been held unconstitutional, players in the adult industry should now be able to register trademarks for sexual or otherwise offensive marks. For the full text of Maxine Lynn's article on this topic, click here.

Also in the U.S., non-practicing entities, or patent trolls, must now bring cases against defendants in the defendants state of incorporation only. This will prevent more cases like "The Teledildonics Patent" litigation where companies from all over the country were sued in a venue to which they had little connection. Ms. Lynn will be discussing this case at the Expo.

Ms. Lynn also publishes the Sex Tech Patent IndeXXX bulletin, with the latest issue covering April through June of 2017. This edition features a compilation of information relating U.S. utility patents that issued in the second quarter of 2017 that appear to fall under the general umbrella of Sex Tech. The bulletin includes patents on sex toys, sex furniture, condoms, and other technology meant to enhance sexual pleasure. The Sex Tech Patent IndeXXX bulletin can be found here.

Recently, on June 7, in the case of People Theatres of N.Y. v. City of New York, the New York State Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state, upheld a lower court ruling that the city of New York can, through zoning laws, legally restrict adult businesses from operating in particular parts of the city. The adult industry fought valiantly against the zoning ordinance for years, but ultimately, was unsuccessful. For the full text of Maxine Lynn's article on this topic, click here.

Hear about all this news and more at Maxine Lynn's Legal Update seminar at the QWEBEC Expo. Register now for QWEBEC Expo here.
Michael Liberty, market analyst at Mintec, on the background to todays soaring butter prices  and what the future might hold

Stories of French bakeries unable to make croissants and a shortage expected to hit our mince pies this Christmas have cast the public eye towards issues surrounding the dairy market at the moment, with butter sitting in the spotlight.

And so it should be, considering butter prices at the end of June hit a record high price at 5,475 per metric tonne (mt).

To put that into perspective, butter bottomed out in March 2016 at 1,825/mt, three times lower than current pricing.

To analyse the current market, its best to look back to where it all began, during the start of the new milk year in April 2015. At this point, the European Commission abolished the milk quotas, a previously subsidised legislation that limited each member states milk output. Since its removal, farmers were no longer bound by quotas, driving dairy output up and lowering prices over the next two years.

That brings us to the start of the 2016 milk year in April. After two years of oversupply and price cuts, profitability in the industry hit a low, resulting in many either reducing their cow herd or exiting the market altogether. This drove milk and dairy production down across Europe, limiting supplies of butter, cheese and milk powders.

This brings about the idea of the dairy boom and bust. However, this would be the wrong term for butter. Boom suggests there is currently a period of profitability surrounding butter churning, but even with prices at current highs, UK processors are still opting to process milk into cheese.

To understand this, we need to look at the co-product of butter churning  skimmed milk powder (SMP). Low prices of SMP, brought on by weak demand and high stocks, have reduced the overall profitability of churning butter.

Normally, when a commodity price triples in just over a year, we expect to see substitution in manufactured products. However, this hasnt been the case, as consumers are looking for butter in products following growing concerns over the health impacts of trans-fats in margarine.

So, simply put, there is currently high demand and low supply. But where does this leave the industry for the rest of the year?

I believe we have seen the peak in butter prices. The premium of butter prices between the EU and New Zealand, the largest exporter, suggests the two will eventually have to meet somewhere in the middle. However, supplies are likely to remain tight and we may have to wait until 2018 to start seeing prices fall in line with historical averages.
McVities-owned Pladis is to appear on the BBC Two series of Inside the Factory, broadcast from 8pm tonight (1 August).

During the third series of the show, co-presenters Gregg Wallace and Cherry Healey have gained access to some of the largest factories in the UK to reveal the secrets behind production.

In tonights episode, Wallace visits the McVities factory in London, which produces 80 million biscuits a day. He follows the production of McVities chocolate digestives, from the arrival of 28 tonnes of flour right through to dispatch.

He also discovers that the biscuits are shaped by a bronze roller, costing up to 10,000, and that the chocolate is added to the bottom not the top of the biscuits.

Healey visits Nottingham Universitys sensory lab to find scientific proof that dunking a biscuit in a cup of tea improves the flavour. She also visits the chocolate refinery in Manchester to witness how it is transported in heated lorries to stop it from solidifying on its way to the factory.

Meanwhile, historian Ruth Goodman investigates the link between biscuits and digestion, and discovers that, during the Victorian era, biscuits could cure everything from typhoid to scarlet fever.

Pladis is the third company to feature on the latest series, following on from tea producer Typhoo and pasta manufacturer Barilla.
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.
Grants helping convenience stores upgrade refrigeration may expand choices but there's no guarantee customers will buy fresh food

Black Rock Deli in Merry Hill

Stella's I in Elizabeth City

Tina's Country Cupboard in Kelly

Hwy 42 Grill in Elizabethtown

Food Mart in Jacksonville

One Stop Shop in Jacksonville

A new state grant program seeks to make fresh produce available in underserved communities, but research suggests the government's tactics won't make people healthier.The Healthy Food Small Retailer Program offers some stores up to $25,000 to buy refrigerators and other equipment to start selling produce. To be eligible, Small stores eligible to apply for the grants must be located in or near "food deserts."Food deserts are defined as zones where people live at least one mile from a full-service grocery store in urban areas, or 10 miles from one in rural areas.The stores must also have less than 3,000 heated square feet and limited food selections for sale, according to The News & Observer. These stores, which can vary from gas stations to produce stands, must also accept SNAP and WIC, aka food stamps.The General Assembly gave $500,000 to the Healthy Food Small Retailer Program in the 2016-2017 and 2018-2019 budget cycles. It's managed by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.The Agriculture Department reports that six stores have received grants as part of a 2017 pilot program in the eastern part of the state. They include:Local health departments and other grant programs assist the stores with sourcing food, marketing efforts, and consumer education.The state agriculture department website explains thatandIf making people healthier is the program goal, administrators may be disappointed by research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which found in 2016 that consumer proximity to supermarkets "has a limited impact on food choices."Further,Reason magazine reported. Reason declared government food market intrusion a failure during the Obama administration, based in part on the research.This year, researchers at N.C. State and Campbell universities discovered the price of fresh food, not its availability, most affected shopping decisions for residents of one Raleigh food desert.said Sarah Bowen, an associate professor of sociology and co-author of a paper describing the work.The researchers surveyed stores and interviewed residents in the neighborhood. Residents said they would drive, take a bus, or catch a taxi to supermarkets outside their neighborhood to buy food for less than they could at the corner store.Bowen says.The North Carolina Alliance for Health addressed food costs in a 2015 video promoting a similar pilot program. A Greenville convenience store owner said produce had a higher profit margin than some unhealthy foods. A Winston-Salem store owner said he would sometimes offer discounts on fruit to teenagers in want of snacks.The alliance says the state has 349 food deserts in 80 counties, home to 1.5 million residents.Its director, Morgan Wittman Gramann, praised the new state program in a press release.Gramman said.
If you lose electricity, keep refrigerators and freezers closed.

Food that has stayed cold in the refrigerator without electricity should be eaten while it is still fresh.

Throw away food that has been without refrigeration for longer than four hours.

Frozen food that stays frozen or that partially thaws while remaining cold can be eaten or refrozen when power returns.

Conserve water if your septic system floods.

Boil water for three to five minutes if your water system lost pressure or your private well flooded or lost electricity.

If your well flooded, it will need to be disinfected once flood waters recede. Contact your local health department for assistance.

Contact: Ford Porter

Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov

RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper today urged authorities to work quickly to restore power to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands following the major outage that occurred there yesterday afternoon.Governor Cooper said.Yesterday, Governor Cooper declared a State of Emergency and waived weight and hours of service restrictions in response to the power outages on Hatteras Island in Dare County and Ocracoke Island in Hyde County. The swift declaration enabled the rapid movement of portable generators into the affected areas. This helped ensure critical public safety power needs such as police, fire and EMS were met.The power outage is believed to have happened when a transmission line was cut during construction on the Bonner Bridge. If the contractor is found to have caused the power outage, then it would likely be responsible for any costs and damages related to the repair as determined by the electric company.North Carolina Emergency Management and Department of Transportation officials are working closely with local officials to address the emergency situation caused by the power outage.The electric cooperatives are assessing the damages to the power transmission line today and may possibly have a repair estimate available within the next day or so. The utilities and emergency management officials continue to stress the need for residents to conserve power.Officials in Hyde County ordered a mandatory evacuation for visitors on Ocracoke Island effective 5 p.m. Thursday. The evacuations have been ongoing since yesterday. Local officials have not issued evacuation orders for Hatteras Island as of Friday afternoon.The NC Department of Transportation has a fueling plan scheduled to transport fuel to Ocracoke for the generators being used there and is trying to coordinate for low usage times. The State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement are stationed in Hatteras, Cedar Island and Swan Quarter to oversee Ocracoke's reentry restrictions. As of late Friday afternoon, NCDOT's Ferry Division had transported 2,300 people and about 890 vehicles off the island.Dare County officials advise that all bridges and roads in Dare County are open to the public and that they have not restricted access to Hatteras Island and have not issued any evacuation orders. They add that while Hatteras has been impacted by the power outage, people should call their accommodation provider for guidance and the latest information. Authorities in Dare County are asking people not to use their air conditioning and to limit use of electricity.Gov. Cooper said.People with plans to visit the Outer Banks can call 1-800-Visit NC for updated information that may impact their plans. People who have rented vacation properties on the islands are encouraged to contact their rental agency. For information about their rights as vacation renters, they can call the North Carolina Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM within North Carolina or 919-716-6000 from out of state.People can also protect their own health and safety following a power outage. Take these steps to stay safe and healthy.
TWIN FALLS  Macys will be closing in the Magic Valley Mall next spring.

The company announced this week that it has reviewed its real estate portfolio across the U.S. and has decided not to renew the lease on its Twin Falls store. The 61,000 square-foot store will close at the end of March.

The store opened in Twin Falls in 1987.

The decision to close stores is always a difficult one, but Macys is delighted to have served this community over the years and we look forward to continuing to do so at Macys other stores and on-line at macys.com, Macys Inc. said in a statement.

Macys store associates were told of the decision on Monday. Regular, non-seasonal employees who do not take positions elsewhere in the company will be eligible for severance, including outplacement resources.

The Magic Valley Mall provided the following statement in response to the announcement: Magic Valley Mall has had a great partnership with Macys for over 30 years. With Macys departure, we look forward to the opportunity to introduce fresh retail, entertainment and restaurants to the community.

Macys announced about a year ago it would close 100 stores in the U.S. The one in Nampa was among 68 slated for closure this year.
A state of emergency in Dare and Hyde counties puts into effect a state law protecting people from price gouging,The law halts restrictions for truck drivers delivering supplies to the islands, and customers can get refunds if businesses take advantage of the emergency to inflate prices, the state Department of Justice says. Courts can fine price gougers up to $5,000 per violation.Gov. Roy Cooper declared the emergency Thursday.A spokesman for the attorney general said consumers should keep lease and insurance agreements in case of an investigation. Victims and witnesses of price gouging are encouraged to report suspected cases.A 2006 John Locke Foundation report by senior economist Dr. Roy Cordato said price-gouging laws hurt consumers and businesses in the affected areas.Cordato wrote. construction crew Thursday accidentally damaged cables supplying electricity to popular tourist destinations on the Outer Banks, local officials scrambled to handle the emergency. Two of three underground power lines were cut during the construction of a bridge connecting Hatteras to the mainland. Tourists were sent home on the old bridge or by ferry.Hyde County issued an evacuation order for Ocracoke Island tourists Thursday. Dare County issued its order Saturday.The temporary loss of tourists may prove costly to the full-time residents of Hatteras and Ocracoke who rely on their seasonal spending. Many of the restaurants and other businesses serving tourists are only open part of the year, and may have to wait weeks for guests to return.Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative says it has been working to provide power on Hatteras via generators, and it hopes to reintroduce tourists in stages as soon as possible.Hyde County reported that the Coast Guard and National Park Service were patrolling the waters off Ocracoke to keep non-residents from docking boats on the island.The state ferry service switched to a winter schedule, and only people with proof of residence or emergency service re-entry permits were allowed on board. Ocracoke was effectively quarantined.To the north, the NPS governs Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which includes a camping area. Following the blackout, even those visitors not using electricity were sent off the island.It could be a couple weeks before power is fully restored, according to reports.
Fifty-six retired U.S. generals, admirals and other senior officers today voiced opposition to President Donald Trump's proposed ban on transgender military service. Trump attempted to justify his bigotry on the bogus grounds it would be disruptive and harm readiness.

"Patriotic transgender Americans who are serving  and who want to serve  must not be dismissed, deprived of medically necessary health care, or forced to compromise their integrity or hide their identity," the former officers wrote.

Read their letter here.

Snip:

The Commander in Chief has tweeted a total ban of honorably serving transgender troops. This proposed ban, if implemented, would cause significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops who would be forced to live a lie, as well as non-transgender peers who would be forced to choose between reporting their comrades or disobeying policy. As a result, the proposed ban would degrade readiness even more than the failed 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. Patriotic transgender Americans who are servingand who want to servemust not be dismissed, deprived of medically necessary health care, or forced to compromise their integrity or hide their identity.

From Reuters:

The letter and comments were the latest push-back from retired or active military members after Trump said on Twitter he would ban transgender people from serving in the military "in any capacity", reviving a ban that had ended in 2016. Trump's announcement appealed to some in his conservative political base, but it created vast uncertainty for active-duty and reserve transgender service members, who say they number in the thousands. The retired officers said in their open letter that the ban "would cause significant disruptions" and deprive the military of talent or force members to live a lie. The retired officers said the move would "degrade readiness" even more than the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy implemented in 1994 under President Bill Clinton that lifted a ban on gay people serving in the military but called for them to be circumspect about their sexuality.

The letter was released by the Palm Center, a public policy think tank.

Also today, U.S. Coast Guard commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft voiced support for transgender Coast Guard service persons.
Infrastructure

NC Community College System Modernizes IT Infrastructure at 40 Campuses

The nation's third largest community college system, the 58-campus and 80,000-student North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS), recently modernized its IT infrastructure for 40 colleges in order to cut energy use in half and be more efficient.

For the overhaul, NCCCS worked with nearby IT consulting company Alphanumeric Systems to switch out older, rack mountable Sun Enterprise 450 and Sun Fire v890 servers from Sun Microsystems and other SPARC Enterprise servers, which had been in place for many years, according to information from Alphanumeric.

The M10-1 scales up to 16 cores and 1 TB of DDR3 memory. Image: Fujitsu.

With assistance from Alphanumeric  who sought a long-term solution for NCCCS  the community college system selected and implemented Fujitsu M10 SPARC-based servers running Ellucian higher education software to manage day-to-day campus business processes, admissions and registration, accounting, payroll and human resources.

As a result, NCCCS is now experiencing:

A 50 percent decrease in power consumption using energy efficient green technology;

Faster response times, higher availability and 24/7 uptime for critical campus applications; and

Lower operating costs with dynamic scaling that cuts space requirements by 75 percent.

Alphanumeric was responsible for the entire implementation process  from planning, to automating the solutions, to creating a disaster recovery solution to ensure campus processes arent disrupted by outside factors.

The colleges were looking for a solution that would provide increased performance, and help reduce operating expenses while improving service to the college's various users, the company said in a statement. The new infrastructure has brought improvements on several fronts.

Director of Information Services at the College of the Albemarle Wayman White described the Fujitsu M10-1 as a workhorse server that employs high-availability principles at all levels, from the processor chip to the system design, which helps deliver 24/7 uptime for critical campus applications."

Knock on wood, but with the Fujitsu M10, weve never had to place a service call, never had to replace a hard drive, said Dustin Howell, systems administrator at Mitchell Community College, in the statement.
Security

Ransomware Extorts $25 Million in Payments over 2 Years

A team of researchers from New York University (NYU), University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Google estimates that victims of ransomware have paid out more than $25 million over the last two years.

The team, which also included researchers from Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis firm, examined 300,000 files from more than 30 different kinds of ransomware and tracked blockchain payments to estimate the amount and scale of money paid by victims. Their findings were presented at the Black Hat USA 2017 conference.

Danny Yuxing Huang, a Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science and Engineering UCSD and one of the researchers on the project, tracked bitcoins as they moved from potential victims to ransomware operators and from ransomware operators to coin exchanges, perhaps for liquidation.

"By masquerading as a part of the ransomware infrastructure," said Huang in a prepared statement, "I also gathered statistics on infected computers, such as the number of infections over time, and the geographical distribution of infected machines."

Last year was the first year ransomware was a multi-million-dollar industry, according to the researchers, and it wasn't necessarily the most well known ransomware that accounted for that growth.

The WannaCry attack, for example, generated seemingly endless headlines as it froze hospitals and more than 10,000 other organizations out of their own records, but it only pulled in about $140,000, good for the 11th spot on the list of ransomware with the largest payouts.

The researchers also noted that WannaCry wasn't true ransomware, but wipeware, as victims were not able to retrieve their data even after paying the ransom.

Locky and Cerber grabbed fewer headlines than WannaCry, but they're raking in money at $7.8 million and $6.9 million, respectively, in paid ransoms to date.

Locky is also notable for being the first ransomware to generate more than $1 million in monthly payments.

"Locky's big advantage was the decoupling of the people who maintain the ransomware from the people who are infecting machines," said Damon McCoy, assistant professor of computer science at NYU, in a prepared statement. "Locky just focused on building the malware and support infrastructure. Then they had other botnets spread and distribute the malware, which were much better at that end of the business."
Equity

Requiring College Exams Boosts Enrollment

New research suggests a way to reverse some of the impact of the enrollment drop higher ed has experienced for the last five years: Require and pay for all public high school students to take a college entrance exam. The study found that for every 10 "poor students" who scored "college-ready" on the ACT or SAT exams, there were an additional five poor students who would score college ready but never took either test.

This isn't simply theoretical. Such requirements are already in place in 11 states. In those states, wrote author Joshua Hyman, an assistant professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of Connecticut, the students "induced by the policy" to attend college persist at about the same rate as their peers. And, he calculated, at less than $50 per student for states to implement the policy, it's "more cost-effective than traditional student aid at boosting postsecondary attainment."

In "ACT for All: The Effect of Mandatory College Entrance Exams on Postsecondary Attainment and Choice," published in the journal Education Finance and Policy, Hyman also suggested that policies inducing low-income students "to attend and persist at appropriately selective institutions could have substantial implications for reducing educational inequality."

Hyman's analysis focused on a dataset that had six complete cohorts of 11th graders in Michigan, a state that put its mandatory ACT policy in place in 2007, enabling him to study the before and after effects.

The mandatory testing differs from the optional test-taking in several ways, the author pointed out. Traditionally, the ACT and SAT are offered on Saturday mornings, cost students about $30 to $50 and require them to travel to a testing center, which may or may not be in their community, putting students with fewer resources at a disadvantage. While fee waivers are available for low-income students, "take-up is low," he stated, "perhaps because it requires paperwork on the part of the student and coordination with high school counselors." When the tests are mandated, however, they're usually given during the school day; there is no cost for the student; and the student doesn't have to get to a testing center other than his or her own school.

While taking the exam is just part of the process of applying to college, there are other aspects that encourage students to think beyond high school, Hyman pointed out. For example, in Michigan, most schools have some resources available to help students prepare for the tests, including entire classes devoted to the exam preparation. That sort of resource generates a "college-going culture" at schools, which, he added, "has been shown to be an important instrument in increasing the postsecondary attainment of disadvantaged students."

When the researcher compared changes in college-going rates pre- and post-policy, he found an increase of two percent in four-year enrollment. The effect was larger among boys (0.9 percentage points), poor students (1.0 point), students in the poorest high schools (1.3 points) and students less likely to take a college entrance exam in the absence of the policy (1.3 points). Although the increases may come across as small, Hyman emphasized, "relative to other educational interventions this policy is inexpensive and currently being implemented on a large scale."

The complete report is openly available on MIT Press Journals website here.
MONDAY, July 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- People in rural areas may be less likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than those in cities, Canadian researchers report.

"Our findings show that children, particularly those under the age of 10, experience a protective effect against IBD if they live in a rural household," said study author Dr. Eric Benchimol.

"This effect is particularly strong in children who are raised in a rural household in the first five years of life," said Benchimol, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa.

These are important findings, Benchimol said in a hospital news release, noting their previous work shows the number of very young children diagnosed with IBD has jumped in the past 20 years.

IBD -- which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis -- is a lifelong condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract, resulting in chronic diarrhea, blood in the stool, abdominal pains and weight loss.

The researchers looked at more than 45,500 IBD patients in Canada. More than 6,600 were from rural homes while almost 39,000 were living in urban areas. The reduced risk of IBD among rural residents was especially notable among children and teens, the researchers said.

"The findings also strengthen our understanding that environmental risk factors that predispose people to IBD may have a stronger effect in children than adults," Benchimol added.

The study only finds an association between country life and reduced IBD risk. Still, "we've known that in addition to genetic risk factors, environmental factors have been associated with the risk of developing IBD," Benchimol said.

The researchers said early life exposure to a rural environment may change the intestinal "microbiome," referring to the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that inhabit the human gut.

"But this new study demonstrates the importance of early life exposure in altering the risk of IBD, and that needs further study," Benchimol added.

The study was published recently in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

More information

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation has more on IBD.
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New York, July 31, 2017Venezuelan officials should stop harassing journalists and censoring media outlets amid unrest and violent protests in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Journalists covering yesterdays vote to elect representatives for a constituent assembly to reform the Venezuelan constitution were arbitrarily detained, attacked, and threatened.

At least four journalists were detained, protesters attacked two photographers and stole their equipment, and a soldier threatened journalists, according to local press freedom groups and news reports. Authorities also impeded journalists ability to cover voting and the president called for a television station to be investigated over its coverage of the vote and unrest, according to news reports.

The political crisis in Venezuela has created an environment in which harassment and physical violence are part of the daily routine for many journalists, and news outlets are blocked from reporting, said Carlos Lauria, CPJs senior program coordinator for the Americas. The Venezuelan people have a right to know about vital events, and authorities must ensure that media outlets are able to provide that information without facing restrictions or violence.

Police yesterday detained Felipe Royet, a photojournalist for Spanish weekly Cambio16, in Caracas, and Brigitte Gerdel and Daniel Rodriguez, from the news site Las Noticias de Cojedes, in San Carlos, according to the National Union of Press Workers. The national intelligence agency detained Venevision reporter Euclides Sotillo in Caracas. All four were later released without charge, the union reported.

Also yesterday, a video recorded by digital news outlet VivoPlay in the El Paraiso neighborhood of Caracas appeared to show a National Guard soldier threatening to break journalists equipment if they continued filming. Venezuelas National Guard did not immediately respond to CPJs emailed request for comment.

Separately, freelance photojournalist Fabiola Ferrero told CPJ that a group of at least 20 armed civiliansknown as colectivos threatened her and a fellow photographer and robbed them in Caracas. Ferrero said the group asked the journalists who they worked for, then forced them to hand over their vests, gas masks, helmets, camera equipment, and cell phones.

Colectivos have been responsible for several incidents of threats, harassment, and violence against journalists since protests began in late March, CPJ has found. Ferrero told CPJ that polarization in the country has increased the risk for journalists. Whoever sees a journalist sees us as a threat. It doesnt matter who they are or what group theyre part of, she said.

Authorities also imposed restrictions on journalists covering the vote. At a press conference on July 28, Tibisay Lucena, president of the National Electoral Council, the entity responsible for overseeing the voting process, announced that media outlets would be required to stay at least 500 meters (approx. 1,600ft) from voting centers.

The council also denied credentials to at least nine of the 15 media outlets that requested credentials to cover the July 30 vote, according to the Caracas-based Institute for Press and Society (IPYS Venezuela). Three employees at the National Electoral Council press office told CPJ they were not authorized to comment on press credentials.

The government has used visa restrictions to deny at least four international journalists entry to Venezuela to cover the constituent assembly vote, according to local press freedom groups and news reports.

Separately, President Nicolas Maduro called for the state telecommunications regulator Conatel to investigate the privately owned television network Televen for apologizing for crimes, according to news reports. The president made his comments during a television appearance broadcast at 12:30 a.m. today. Maduro criticized Televen for its coverage of the vote, saying the outlet instead preferred to show the fire in Altamirareferring to an explosion in a Caracas neighborhood that injured at least three police officers, according to reports.

Violent protests against the Maduro government and counter-protests have been held since late March. At least 10 people died yesterday in the deadliest day of unrest to date, bringing the number of people killed since protests began to more than 120, according to news reports. In a statement on July 28, Maduro blamed protesters for the violence and said they were trying to start a civil war, according to reports.
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New York, July 31, 2017The death of Khaled al-Khateb, a Syrian freelance correspondent for the Russian government-funded broadcaster RTs Arabic-language service, in Homs province yesterday is a tragic reminder of the risks journalists face covering Syrias conflict, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

RT Arabic reported that al-Khateb, 25, was traveling with a Syrian Army convoy through the village of Sukhna, in eastern Homs province, when he was killed by a rocket the broadcaster said was fired by fighters from the Islamic State group. An employee of RT Arabic, who asked that CPJ not use his name because he was not authorized to speak on behalf of the station, told CPJ that several Syrian soldiers were also killed in the attack, and that RT cameraman Muutaz Yaqoub was injured.

The death of Syrian journalist Khaled al-Khateb and the injury of Muutaz Yaqoub are grim reminders of the dangers journalists face covering the conflict there, CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour said. We call on all parties to the conflict to take all possible steps to protect the lives of all civilians, including journalists.

Al-Khateb began freelance work for RT Arabic in April, the broadcaster reported. The Russian-government-funded website Sputnik also reported that he had previously worked for its Arabic-language service and for the Syrian-government-funded broadcaster Al-Ikhbaria before beginning work with RT. His last piece for RT focused on civilian casualties from the U.S.-led coalitions bombing campaign in support of a rebel offensive to retake Raqqa from the Islamic State group.

RT head Margarita Simonyan said in a statement that al-Khatebs death was the first time that one of the networks journalists had been killed in a conflict zone.

At least 109 journalists have been killed in Syria since fighting began there in 2011, according CPJ research.
The fate of Mississippi's only female death row inmate, Lisa Jo Chamberlin, is in limbo two years after a federal court ruling granting her a new trial in a double homicide in Hattiesburg.





The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, with the exception of Judge James Graves who recused himself, recently agreed to decide whether to uphold the federal judge's ruling. That comes after a 3-judge panel of the court voted 2-1 to affirm the ruling.





Graves is a former justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court, which had previously upheld Chamberlin's death sentence.





On a motion by the Mississippi attorney general's office, the 5th Circuit agreed to hear the case. Oral arguments are scheduled for Sept. 18.





Special Assistant Attorney General Cameron Benton argued the 2 U.S. Court of Appeals judges put together unimpressive statistics and an incomplete comparative analysis to find the existence of discrimination in the striking of 2 black prospective jurors.





"There is ample proof in the record to suggest that the exercise of peremptory strikes was not motivated by racial animus," Benton said in court papers. "Given the dearth of proof and the deference owed to the State Court, the Majority opinion seems to have improperly substituted its judgment for that of the trial judge and appellate court."





In 2015, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ordered the state to grant Chamberlin a new trial within four months, saying prosecutors intentionally struck black potential jurors from her capital murder trial.





Chamberlin is white. She argued on appeal that her rights were violated by prosecutors striking some black potential jurors for non-racial neutral reasons. "The judge went over them carefully," said attorney Elizabeth Unger Carlyle of Kansas City, Missouri, one of Chamberlin's attorneys in the appeal. "We were clearly able to show discrimination in cases of two of the potential jurors. We hope the judge's decision will be affirmed on appeal."





Chamberlin and her boyfriend, Roger Lee Gillett, were convicted of 2 counts of capital murder in the March 2004 slayings of Gillet's cousin, Vernon Hulett, 34, and Hulett's girlfriend, Linda Heintzelman, 37, in Hattiesburg. Their bodies were transported to Kansas in a freezer.





Gillett and Chamberlin were arrested March 29, 2004, after Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents raided an abandoned farm house near Russell, Kansas, owned by Gillett's father, and found the dismembered bodies of Hulett and Heintzelman in a freezer.





KBI agents were investigating Gillett and Chamberlin for their possible connection to the manufacture of methamphetamine, according to published reports.





Gillett and Chamberlin were living with Hulett and Heintzelman in Hattiesburg at the time of the slayings.





Chamberlin, in a taped confession played at her trial, said the victims were killed because they wouldn't open a safe in Hulett's home.





Chamberlain was sentenced to death row in 2006, and Gillett was sentenced in 2007.





However, Gillett's death sentence was later overturned by the Mississippi Supreme Court. While in custody in Kansas, Gillett attempted to escape. That crime was 1 of the aggravating factors prosecutors presented jurors to support the death penalty.





In a 6-3 decision, the state Supreme Court said not every escape is considered a crime of violence under Kansas law. Therefore, the Kansas crime cannot be used to support a death sentence in Mississippi, the court ruled.





Chamberlin filed a post-conviction challenge to her conviction in 2011 in U.S. District Court after the state Supreme Court upheld her conviction and death sentence.





One of claims was that the prosecution improperly struck 7 African Americans from serving on her jury. The prosecutor said he struck 12 potential jurors - 7 black and 5 white. He denied any effort to strike potential jurors based upon race.





Reeves said federal law requires in death penalty cases that comparative analysis be done when black potential jurors are struck compared to white jurors allowed to remain in the jury pool.





"Some may wonder why constitutional error in the jury's selection necessitates a new trial, especially given the horrific murders committed in this case," Reeves said in his court order. "But the Supreme Court has many times explained that a discriminatory jury selection process is unforgivable

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: The Clarion-Ledger, August 1, 2017
The Maldives, famed for its crystalline waters and long tongues of white sand, lies at the centre of the Indian Ocean.





Holiday firms offering trips to the Maldives have been urged by human rights activists to condemn the expected execution of 3 men that will bring a brutal end to the country's 60-year moratorium on the death penalty.





Sir Richard Branson last week described the reported decision by Abdulla Yameen, the Maldivian president, to revive executions as "an awful political move that will send the country back to the Dark Ages of human rights".





In a blog post, the creator of the Virgin brand threatened to remove his holiday business from the Maldives and urged other tour operators, governments and businesses to follow suit if the executions went ahead





Richard Branson is asking other tourism operators to boycott the luxury location.





"It's been heart-breaking to watch what is happening on the beautiful island nation of the Maldives, a country for which I have long had such great affection and respect," he said,





Reprieve, the anti-death penalty campaign group, has issued a plea for Kuoni and Thomas Cook, travel companies who operate luxury holidays in the Maldives, to follow Branson's lead and urge President Yameen to halt the executions, believed to be imminent.





In a letter to the firms, Reprieve claimed that the sentenced men, Hussain Humaam Ahmed, Mohammed Nabeel and Ahmed Murrath, were convicted for murder after "seriously unfair" trials.





Their deaths would be an "irreparable miscarriage of justice" and would follow a pattern of human rights failings since President Yameen came to power in 2013, they said.





Of 20 convicts on death row, 5 were juveniles at the time of their arrest. Reprieve believes that lethal injections have already been found for the first 3 deaths, while a search is under way for an experienced executioner.





Maya Foa, Reprieve director, said the executions were "a naked attempt by President Yameen to suppress dissent and tighten his grip on power", calling on him to "start the democratic reforms needed to bring stability back".





Kuoni said: "We do not condone any abuse of human rights and are naturally concerned when news of this nature is brought to our attention. The people in the Maldives depend on a thriving tourism industry for their livelihood and we believe we bring positive change by supporting them."





Thomas Cook said: "We believe our influence is best exerted through responsible tourism."





Tourists see very little of the political turmoil or human rights abuses that have gripped the country in recent years. Last week the British Foreign Office updated its travel advice, urging tourists to avoid large gatherings in the capital, Male, which could turn violent.





Ibrahim Hussain Shahib, the president's international spokesman, said the government was implementing the law to protect its people.





"[They] have been charged and convicted of murder in the first degree, their cases were tried at all stages of appeal... due process was followed at all stages. There has been no doubt created in any of these cases as to whether the convicted had carried out the crimes," said Mr Shahib, adding that the constitution did not allow the head of state to grant clemency.





"This administration will not be deterred by a political opposition who seeks to exploit policies to score points back home and abroad while not even pretending to engage in positive political dialogue."

Maldives executions to start 'within days'

The Maldives is preparing to execute prisoners within days, according to fresh reports  breaking a moratorium that has lasted 60 years.





According to the Maldivian newspaper Vaguthu , Home Minister Azleen Ahmed has confirmed that the government will carry out executions in a few days time. While Mr Ahmed did not confirm the date on which executions would take place, he said efforts to initiate executions hadnt lost their fast pace.





International human rights organization Reprieve is concerned that three men who have had their death sentences confirmed by the Supreme Court could be the first to be executed.





A de facto moratorium on the death penalty has been in place in the Maldives for more than 60 years. However, after coming to power in 2013, President Abdullah Yameen enacted a regulation reintroducing the death penalty, bypassing the countrys Parliament after it rejected a proposed new death penalty law. Since then Mr Yameen has repeatedly threatened to carry out executions.





Forced confessions, politically-motivated charges, and other abuses are commonplace in the Maldives. Children and those suffering from mental illness have been sentenced to death, in violation of international law.





Todays reports come amid growing concerns about the governments plans. Maldivian experts including the Maldivian Democracy Network, Transparency Maldives, late liberal blogger Yameen Rasheed, and former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed have all warned against the move.





The UK government has also called on the Maldives to prevent executions, while earlier this week, Sir Richard Branson  an investor in the country  similarly urged President Yameen to back away from the damaging path he has chosen for his country.





Commenting, Director of Reprieve, Maya Foa said: To break a moratorium on executions that has held for half a century would be a wanton, destructive and futile act by a President seeking to distract from the turmoil in his own government. Resuming executions now will do nothing to make the Maldives safer  and amid serious fears over the fairness of trials and the independence of the courts, it could lead to grave miscarriages of justice. President Yameen must urgently heed the warnings from Maldivian experts and the countrys international friends, and halt these ill-advised executions.

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: stuff.co.nz, July 31, 2017: Reprieve, August 1, 2017
Young men are working less than they used to. For all levels of education, men ages 21-30 worked 203 fewer hours in 2015 than they did in 2000. For men with less than a college degree, the decline was an even larger 242 hours, from 1,801 in 2000 to 1,559 in 2015. Determining what has been behind this trend and whether it will persist or deteriorate further has important ramifications for the labor market and the long-term trajectories for the young men involved.

Since 2004, young men (ages 21 to 30) exhibited a larger decline in work hours over the last fifteen years than older men or women. In a recent NBER working paper, Princeton University professor Mark Aguiar, University of Rochester professor Mark Bils and University of Chicago professors Kerwin Kofi Charles and Erik Hurst suggest that improvements in leisure technology, especially video games, are a driving force in the decline in work hours for this group over this period.

The researchers focus on analyzing data on the cohort of young men from the American Time Use Survey. From 2004 to 2015, young men spent 1.4 more average hours per week playing video games, and an overall increase in total leisure activities of 2.3 hours. While average weekly leisure hours for this group increased over the period, hours of market work fell by 2.5 hours, and there were smaller reductions in home production and child care.

Their calculations suggest that innovations in gaming technology explain on the order of half the increase in leisure for younger men. The increase in leisure time dedicated to video games predicts a 1.5 to 3 percent decline in market hours. Other groups saw much smaller declines in work hours over the period, and the authors suggest developments in video games can explain between 38 to 79 percent of the difference in decline with older men.

The authors further decompose time use into young men with and without jobs. Young non-employed men are indeed increasing the average time they spend playing video games, by 2.5 hours per week. However, this group also increased average hours spent on job search and education by 4.7 hours, and reduced time spent on all leisure activities by 4.8 hours. The primary shift for this group has been the substitution of other forms of leisure for video games, along with an increase in studying and searching for work.

Change in Leisure Activities for Young Men (2004-2007 vs. 2012-2015), by Employment Status

Source: Aguiar et al., Leisure Luxuries and the Labor Supply of Young Men.

On the margin, video games play some role in decisions about labor supply and work hours. It does not appear that video games are uniquely able to explain the recent trends in work hours. As former Treasury Department economist Ernie Tedeschi wrote in an article at Quartz, average weekly hours worked by young U.S. men ages 21-30 have recovered to some extent in recent years. In January 2004 the average was 33 hours. In the wake of the recession this fell to a low point of 29 in January 2010, and have since risen back to 33 in May 2017.

Note: Y-axis is average hourly weeks worked for young men ages 21-30.

Source: Ernie Tedeschi, via Quartz.

If developments in video games were largely responsible for causing young men to reduce their working hours, to some degree a similar dynamic should be playing out in other developed countries where young men have access to, and play, these same video games.

Unless video games have gotten substantially worse in the past year, the trends in working hours for young men seem to belie video games being the main explanatory factor for changes in work hours. Looking at the four countries with the highest video game revenues per capita (Japan, United States, United Kingdom, and Republic of Korea), there is not a broad trend in the divergence in the trends in employment rates for young men compared to older men. The main argument in the Aguiar et al. paper is about hours worked, rather than employment rate, but they also examine employment rates. While Korea has seen a substantial divergence, this began in the early 1990s, long before the inflection point identified in the paper. The United Kingdom and Japan have not seen the same recent trend, as the difference in employment rates for young men (25-29) vs. older men (35-44) is about the same that it was in 2000.

Note: Y-axis is difference between employment rate for the two age groups, with that difference normalized to 0 for the year 2000. Older age group is different in this calculation than comparison age group in Aguiar et al.

Source: OECD, LFS by sex and age  indicators.

As a group, young men are playing more video games than they use to and working fewer hours. The lack of a similar uniform effect among other high video game revenue countries, and the recent recovery in hours worked for young men, suggest that video games are not uniquely able to explain a significant share of recent trends for young men in the United States. A strengthening labor market would help their average hours worked continue to recover, even if video games get even better.

Charles Hughes is a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute and author of the new report The Energy Bottleneck: Why America Needs More Pipelines. Follow him on twitter @CharlesHHughes.

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In Spains northeastern Basque Country, between Irun and the French city of Hendaye  in the middle of the Bidasoa river that separates the two countries  there is a territory with a peculiar status: Pheasant Island (Isla de los Faisanes in Spanish).

Pheasant Island seen from France. javier hernandez

Classified as a condominium (land shared under the joint ownership of two nations), it is both the smallest and oldest of its kind known to be in existence. Its 5,000 square meters belong to Spain for six months of the year and to France for the remaining six months. And today, it will peacefully transition to French hands, with that country managing it until the end of January 2018, before returning it to Spain again.

Though onlookers can see it from the shores of both countries  it is just 50 meters away from France and Spain  this small island is uninhabited and cannot be visited. Only members of the naval commands of San Sebastian and Bayonne can enter, as they are tasked with maintaining it while its under their respective jurisdictions.

Notably absent from Pheasant Island are pheasants themselves

It requires little attention, says Commander Rafael Preito, who was in charge of its administration until this past June. People are very respectful, no one tries to trespass, even though sometimes the tide is so low you can almost walk across to it. We typically enter every five days to carry out routine maintenance, he says.

There are no monuments on the island, except for a single monolith declaring its place in history. At this site, the Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed on November 7, 1659, ending a conflict initiated during the hugely destructive Thirty Years War. As the status of the landmass was previously undefined, one of the treatys clauses formally declared it a shared, neutral territory  symbolizing peace and cooperation between France and Spain. Since that time, several royal weddings and prisoner exchanges have taken place here.

The island has remained in relative peace for quite some time. The most recent disturbance occurred in 1974, when several members of the armed Basque-separatist group ETA, trying to cross the border, were caught near the island by the Civil Guard. The operation resulted in the death of an officer and one of the terrorists.

One of several information points dotted throughout the island. J.H.

Perhaps the greatest danger the island has faced is its possible disappearance. When the condominium was first established, the islands width had shrunk by half over the preceding two centuries because of erosion from the river. As a result, Spanish and French authorities agreed to do work to reinforce the island, and it paid off. Today, it is 215 by 38 meters in size, up from 80 by 5 meters at the time of the original agreement.

But notably absent from Pheasant Island are pheasants themselves, as French writer Victor Hugo complained during his visit to the site in 1843. At most, there was a cow and three ducks, probably rented to take on the role of pheasants for visitors. By some accounts, the original name was Paussan Island. By others, it was Faisant Island. Whatever it was, the current denomination is an adaptation to Spanish that is unreflective of reality. There are no pheasants here.

English version by Henry Hahn.
The bus was sprayed with the words Tourism kills the barrio.

Barcelonas business community has criticized the citys authorities for its slow and tepid response in dealing with an attack against a tourist bus in Barcelona last week by a radical group called Arran, which is linked to the tiny, radical-left CUP party, which plays a key role in the municipal and regional governments.

On Thursday, a group of masked individuals stopped an open-top tour bus packed with tourists close to the Camp Nou stadium, home to Barcelona FC, slashing one of its tires and then spraying Tourism kills neighborhoods on it.

When you dont criticize acts of vandalism, you are justifying them Former Barcelona mayor Xavier Trias

Barcelona City Hall did not respond to the incident until Sunday afternoon, when Mayor Ada Colau condemned the attack via Twitter. Interim mayor Jaume Collboni had been alone among council members in condemning the attack the day before.

On Monday, Barcelonas municipal transport company, which owns the vehicle, brought the incident before the courts, estimating the damage at more than 1,800.

Collboni, a member of the Socialist Party (PSC), said: These outbreaks of anti-tourist feeling are xenophobia. He called on the radical CUP party, which has links to the group that carried out the attack, to condemn the violence.

We have requested a report and we denounce the attack on the tourist bus. Protesting against tourism should never happen, nor should intimidating people or damaging equipment

Barcelona City Hall and the regional government of Catalonia have not criticized CUP over the incident. The anti-capitalist party is key to holding up the Catalan government as it pushes ahead with plans for an independence referendum on October 1, and it also holds the balance of power in Barcelona City Hall.

Collbonis message failed to calm the fears of Barcelonas tourism sector. There has been mounting resentment in some areas of the city toward rising visitor numbers, with locals saying they are being pushed out by rising prices and rents.

A month ago, the citys chamber of commerce and other business organizations criticized Colau for her handling of tourism in the city, issuing a manifesto that highlighted their fears about radical proposals. On Monday, other business representatives sent an open letter to City Hall outlining their concerns. They called on the mayor to make a firm, unequivocal, and active condemnation of the attack.

There are videos showing masked individuals puncturing bicycle tires and spray painting hostile messages on hotels.

Neighborhood business groups in Barcelona say that the attack against the tourist bus last week was not an isolated incident, as City Hall insists. News media have issued videos showing masked individuals puncturing the tires of bicycles in the city, as well as spray painting messages telling tourists to go home on hotels.

Business leaders say they are worried about the consequences of successive attacks and vandalism on tourism and the impact on the citys image as a major tourism destination.

Colau was accused of trying to cover up the incident by former Barcelona mayor Xavier Trias of the PDeCAT party, which is part of the pro-independence Junts pel Sis coalition that heads the regional government. When you dont criticize acts of vandalism, you are justifying them, he said on Monday.

The head of Barcelonas tourism department, Agusti Colom, was unable to explain why he was not informed of the attack on the tourist bus until midday on Friday, saying he would look into the matter.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Venezuelas Office of the Attorney General has released a report documenting deaths during protests against the administration of President Nicolas Maduro held between April 1 and July 27. While the death toll at the time of the reports release was 109, there have since been a further 12 victims, for a total of 121.

A young protester in Caracas on Sunday. CRISTIAN HERNANDEZ (EFE)

The study also shows that most of the victims are male, and aged 27 on average. But as many as 11 were underage.

Nearly all were killed as they stood on the frontlines of the opposition-led protests against the United Socialist Party (PSUV) government. They were part of a grassroots army of activists who call themselves La Resistencia and who face riot police with makeshift shields built with wood, cardboard or satellite dishes.

The best-known of these victims is Neomar Lander, who was hit in the chest with an object that caused fatal injuries. His colleagues accused the military police of shooting a tear-gas canister at him at close range.

A similar fate befell Pablo Pernalete, a 20-year-old accounting student who was brought in with a chest injury.

There are only seven women on the list, one of them hit by a frozen bottle that somebody hurled out of a building

Public opinion had long held that many of the fallen in combat were university students, and the new report appears to confirm this impression. Of the victims tallied to July 27, 26 of them were students. Others had just graduated: Adrian Jose Duque, a 23-year-old public accountant, was shot in the stomach as he was protesting in Maracaibo, the capital of the oil-rich state of Zulia.

Pernalete, Lander, the social communicator Miguel Castillo and the violin player Armando Canizalez  who used to play with the world-famous, state-funded Sistema de Orquestas Infantiles y Juveniles de Venezuela  are the victims that the opposition most identifies with.

But not all victims died during clashes with government forces. In Valencia, in the central state of Carabobo, and in El Valle, a parish in southwestern Caracas  a sector that Chavistas had always boasted about controlling until their defeat at parliamentary elections in December 2015  many people vented their anger at the chaotic living conditions that are the legacy of the late Hugo Chavezs economic model by looting businesses. In Valencia, looters destroyed an industrial sector that was supplying the central part of the country. And in El Valle, several individuals attempted to loot a bakery one night in April, resulting in eight of them being electrocuted as they tried to get at the food.

A protester at a march against the government held in Caracas on July 31. MIGUEL GUTIERREZ (EFE)

There are only seven women on the list of fatalities, and one of them is Almelina Carrillo Virguez, a 52-year-old waitress who was hit by a frozen bottle that somebody hurled out of a building as she was walking to work. Her death was used by the regime to decry the violent nature of the protests, and to persecute individuals who are perceived as instigators. The sociologist Tulio Hernandez, who now lives in exile in Spain, was targeted by official media outlets and by Maduro himself over that case.

Chavistas also made a banner out of Orlando Jose Figuera Esparragoza, a 22-year-old who was walking home from work when he ran into a man with whom hed had a knife fight over a job opening. The man was back for revenge. Figuera was wounded again, like he had been the first time. But then the attacker, according to the investigation, began screaming that Figuera was trying to steal from him. Other individuals  whom the government claims are involved in the violence against the riot police  ran to the scene, where they also stabbed Figuera, then doused him in gasoline and set him on fire. His horrible fate made daily headlines on pro-government media outlets from the day of the attack, May 20, until his death on June 4.

English version by Susana Urra.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

Trend:

The Training School project by Nar is for the integration of young people with disability to the society. The Training School in the regions, which was launched in Zaqatala, is conducted by experienced professionals and psychologists.

Within the frames of the project, 40 local residents will have two months to attend professional trainings in three different areas. The participants will be provided with trainings on smartphone repair, tailoring and cooking.

It is noteworthy that this project, being the first ever such an initiative held in the countrys regions, is supported by the local executive authorities, as well as the regional center of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs.

The first Training School was hold in Baku with the participation of 75 students. The main goal of these free training courses, initiated by Nar, is to increase the level of knowledge and skills of people with disability, contribute to their future careers and ensure their emancipation by providing moral support.

Therefore, the project is also enjoys support of organizations such as ASAN Konullulri (ASAN Volunteers) and Ugur Akademiyas (the Success Academy). Even after the trainings are over, the organizers support contact with the graduates of the Training School and help them in finding a job.

For more than 3 years now, Nar is taking various steps aimed at emancipation of the people with disability, within the frames of the operators Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. Setting a bright example for the business community of the country, Nar is currently employing 11 persons with people with disability. Nar is looking forward to continue expansion of social projects and support the similar initiatives in the future.

Visit nar.az for more detailed information about the CSR strategy of Nar.

Azerfon company started its operations on March 21, 2007, under the Nar Mobile brand name, and within a short period of time became one of the leading companies of the telecommunications and mobile communication industry of Azerbaijan. The Nar brand name was later selected as the symbol that resembles the cohesion of the rich cultural and historical heritage of Azerbaijan with the modern life.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

Trend:

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President-elect of India Ram Nath Kovind.

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on the occasion of your election as President of the Republic of India, said President Aliyev in his letter.

I believe that we will make joint efforts to ensure sustainable development and the strengthening of traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and India, he noted.

I wish you the best of health, happiness, and success in your future endeavours for the prosperity of the friendly people of India, added the Azerbaijani president.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

Trend:

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard on the occasion of the national holiday of the Swiss Confederation.

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the national holiday of the Swiss Confederation, said President Aliyev in his letter.

I believe that Azerbaijan-Switzerland ties, the relations of friendship and cooperation between our countries will continue to rapidly develop and expand in our best mutual interests, he noted.

On this remarkable day, I wish you the best of health, success in your activities, and the friendly people of Switzerland lasting peace and prosperity, added the Azerbaijani president.
KETCHUM  Blaine County sheriff's deputies have arrested a man who tried to steal from a neighbor's car, the department said.

Deputies from the Ketchum Police Division responded to Bald Mountain Road early Sunday morning, where a witness said she saw a man going through the jockey box of a friend's car. The man identified himself as "Kevin" and said he was a relative of the car's owner. Upon further questioning the man ran off, leaving his own vehicle parked nearby.

The vehicle's owner said nothing appeared to be missing but recognized the nearby vehicle as belonging to a neighbor. Police ran the vehicle's information and it came back to Kevin Cabrito, 19, of Hailey.

Officers waited for Cabrito to retrieve his vehicle and stopped him about 5 a.m. near Dollar Drive in Warm Springs. They arrested him for burglary, searched the vehicle and found a small amount of marijuana, three pipes and three digital scales. He is being charged with felony burglary and misdemeanors petit theft, possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia with intent to use.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

Trend:

Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree Aug. 1 appointing Vugar Abdullayev as the deputy executive director of the Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF).

Under the decree, until the appointment of the Funds executive director, Vugar Abdullayev will serve as its acting executive director.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

The third meeting of the intergovernmental commission for trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Jordan, scheduled for early August, has been postponed, the government told Trend Aug. 1.

The meeting was postponed due to technical reasons. The concrete dates of the meeting will be coordinated through diplomatic channels.

The Jordanian government offered in early May to intensify the intergovernmental commissions work after a 6-year break. The commissions last meeting was held in Baku in 2011.

It was planned to discuss during the intergovernmental commissions meeting the prospects of expanding economic and trade cooperation, creating joint ventures, as well as holding a business forum with the participation of businessmen of the two countries.

The two countries may develop cooperation in agriculture, tourism, ICT, pharmaceutics and other spheres. Jordanian companies intend to expand their participation in pharmaceutical and agrarian markets of Azerbaijan.

Today the products of more than 10 Jordanian companies, involved in food, pharmaceutical and other industries, are present in the Azerbaijani market.

More than 30 Azerbaijan-Jordan intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements have been concluded since 2006, covering a wide range of issues of interaction in various sectors.

According to Azerbaijans Customs Committee, the countrys trade turnover with Jordan amounted to $5.38 million in January-June 2017, increasing by 81.8 percent as compared to the same period of 2016.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Armenias President Serzh Sargsyan gave an interview to the Iranian newspaper Shargh on the eve of his visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, where he plans to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Irans president-elect, which is scheduled for August 5, the Armenian media outlets report.

It is noteworthy to mention that, having touched upon the possibility of transit of Iranian natural gas to Europe through Armenia, Sargsyan pointed out that Yerevan has already expressed its readiness to participate in big projects. He added that the project may be implemented if, following the results of relevant discussions, it is beneficial to all interested parties, the reports say.

Yerevans readiness is not surprising; however, the realization of this project is realistic as much as of the Great Armenia. Georgia is not going to confirm the mythical agreements between Iran and Armenia and has repeatedly, at the highest levels, denied the information on the conclusion of an agreement, according to which the test export of Iranian gas will be carried out to Georgia through Armenia. As follows, this is impossible, because there is no a trilateral agreement.

The fact that there can not be such an agreement in principle is clear even without mentioning Georgia. Neither Iran, the economy of which may face a second wave of recession [due to sanctions], nor Armenia has the finances. Europe will never put investments in the project, which envisages transportation of Iranian gas through the territory of the Russian outpost  through Russia to Europe. There are too many political risks, which make the proposal completely unprofitable. Moreover, the proposal wont contribute to the diversification of gas supplies to EU, but will create many opportunities for future blackmail of Europe, if the necessity should arise.

Furthermore, it is unlikely that Russia itself will be delighted with the emergence of another competitor on the EU gas market. In the context of consideration of Armenias total dependence on Russia, Moscow will unlikely enjoy the amplification of Armenia-Iran cooperation on one hand, and the possibility of sabotaging of its own interests on the EU market.

Therefore, Sargsyan can certainly travel to congratulate Hassan Rouhani, but it would be better for him to forget about his transit aspirations. It is obvious, that neither West nor Iran had ever seriously considered Armenia for the transit of natural gas to Europe and always relied upon the Azerbaijani-Turkish route of the Caspian gas.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 1

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend

An OSCE-organized training course on the detection of forged documents and imposters took place in Ashgabat, reads a press release of the OSCE Ashgabat office.

The course brought together representatives from Turkmenistans Interior and National Security Ministries, the State Border Service, and the State Migration Service.

Organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the OSCE Transnational Threats Departments Travel Document Security Program, the training course aimed to enhance the participants practical abilities to detect forged documents and imposters by providing in-depth knowledge and conducting hands-on exercises.



Protecting the integrity of government identity documents and identifying imposters lowers the opportunities for illegal border crossings and the spread of crime and terrorism, and assists in securing state borders, said Head of the OSCE Centre Natalya Drozd, addressing the course participants.

The issue of travel document security acquires special relevance as Turkmenistan prepares to host the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in September and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat is pleased provide support in this area, she added.



International experts from Austria elaborated on the types of counterfeit passports, visas and banknotes, as well as security and personalization printing techniques. Special attention was paid to the methods of identifying counterfeit techniques.



As part of the practical exercises, the participants examined the security features of passports, visas, plastic cards and banknotes common in the region and practiced identifying facial and behavioral indicators in imposters.



The training is part of a wider effort by the OSCE to support Turkmenistan in border security and management activities, and to improve co-ordination in successfully implementing security procedures and border controls, including becoming members of the International Civil Aviation Organizations Public Key Directory.
Tehran, Iran, Aug 1



By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Russian Transmashholding ompany would purchase Pars Wagon Company, based on an agreement signed on July 31, Mansour Moazami, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade & Chairman of the Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran told Trend.

According to Wagon Pars Companys official website, this firm is Irans biggest wagon-manufacturing company.

Irans Industrial Development & Renovation Organization (IDRO) signed an agreement with Transmashholding to establish a joint venture for manufacturing wagons for railroads on July 31.

Moazzami said that IDRO and Russian company would put 2.5 billion euro investment at 20/80 ratio to purchase Pars Wagon and develop that firm for producing 20,000 passenger wagons per year.

He also said that the mentioned investment amount would be invested gradually.

He added that the 20,000 figure is nominal capacity and depends on Irans domestic needs.

Iran plans to expand its railway grid from the current 11,000 km up to 25,000 km within the next five years, which explains the need for more equipment, including the wagons.

Transmashholding is the largest manufacturer of locomotives and rail equipment in Russia.

IDRO and Transmashholding finalized a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in production of railroad cars in March of 2017.



Iran possesses about 24,000 cargo and 2,000 passenger wagons, as well as 100 locomotives which are currently actively used.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Dalga Khatinoglu  Trend:

Iran has officially inaugurated a 170-km Damghan-Sari pipeline with 40 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of transit capacity, a source in Irans Oil Ministry told Trend.

Irans oil minister and top gas industry officials are in the event, he said, adding that the pipeline will cut dependence on Turkmen gas import in north-eastern regions.

The project is worth about $250 million. The entire amount is paid by local companies.

Turkmenistan stopped gas export to Iran in January 2017 due to Irans long-delayed $2 billion debt.

Iran imported about 5.86 bcm of gas from Turkmenistan during 2016, about 53 percent less than the previous year, according to an official document prepared by Iran's Oil Ministry and seen by Trend.

Iran has defined a project for building the 11th cross-country pipeline worth $4.3 billion, but it hasnt started the construction. The capacity of the pipeline is projected to be 110 mcm/d. It is meant to transit gas from South Pars field in Persian Gulf to Irans northeast regions. Irans gas production capacity in northeast regions stands at about 14 bcm/y, about 12 bcm/y less than the demand.

Irans gas consumption rises in winter due to the housing sectors increasing demand. In warm seasons, the country injects about 2 bcm/y of gas to Shourijeh and Sarajeh underground gas storage facilities, placed in northern regions, and re-extracts it during winter.

Iran plans to invest $3 billion to increase the underground gas storage capacity at five facilities from about 11.5 bcm by 2018. All of these storage facilities  Sarajeh, Shourijeh, Yurtesha, Nasrabad and Ghezel Tapeh  are in the north and northeast of Iran, according to an official document prepared by Irans Oil Ministry.
Tehran, Iran, Aug. 1

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Conservatives in Iran failed to challenge the governments recent deal with the French Total over the development of South Pars Phase 11 after a high-ranking body tasked with making a final judgment on it ratified the deal.

The deal was ratified by the Supreme Council on Oil Reserves in the Parliament, according to Kholamreza Tajgardoon, head of the Parliaments Planning and Budget Commission, SHANA news agency reported.

Government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said the approval came despite efforts to cast doubt on the deal.

He noted the council that approved the deal consisted of the general prosecutor, head of the Parliaments energy as well as planning and budget committees, head of the Planning and Budget Organization, head of the Central Bank of Iran, minister of economy, and minister of petroleum.

On July 3, Iran and a Total-led consortium signed a $5-billion contract for development of Phase 11 of South Pars gas field.

Under the deal, Total would operate the project with a 50.1 percent stake, China's CNPC would own 30 percent and Iran's Petropars would have 19.9 percent.

The contract is the first deal based on the Islamic Republics newly designed oil and gas agreement model, called Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC).

Conservatives accused the government of probably having failed to secure the countrys interests in the deal, demanding high-ranking investigation into it.
Tehran, Iran, August 1

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

Placing the server of the messaging app Telegram in Iran will offer no particular security boost for the user data, an expert told Trend August 1.

It is a false idea that anything can be safe on the internet, be it on a server inside or outside ones country, because once online, data is accessible to many entities, Said Aladpoosh, CEO of Donya Press Content Institute said.

The sole beneficiary of such a transfer would be the Iranian side, which would be able to access the server via Intranet (an Iran-wide network under development) with much bigger bandwidth, Aladpoosh noted.

There long have been talks about governments efforts to place Telegram server in Iran.

Last week ICT Minister Mahmoud Vaezi announced that the government has had at last managed to do so. Nonetheless, Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram, denied those claims. On August 1 Vaezi refuted his previous announcement by stating that Durov was correct.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Emil Ilgar  Trend:

Iran increased July oil exports by 45,000 barrels per day (b/d), bringing them to 2.2 mb/d month-to-month, Oil Ministrys news website Shana reported Aug.1.

According to the report, Irans oil exports to Asia increased by 0.1 mb/d to 1.4 mb/d.

The report didnt mention the exports volume for July 2016. It also didnt elaborate whether the volumes mentioned included gas condensate.

Nonetheless, according to Reuters calculation, Irans oil exports to Asia stood at 1,457,017 b/d, the lowest volume in last 14 months, including gas condensate.

Irans oil and gas condensate exports plunged from 2.5 mb/d in 2011 to about 1.2 mb/d in 2015, but the volume increased gradually after the implementation of the nuclear deal in January 2016.
TWIN FALLS  Twin Falls homeschoolers: You'll soon have access to free curriculum and online classes through the Twin Falls School District.

The district is launching a new partnership with Harmony Educational Services, based in Springville, Utah.

An informational meeting for interested families is slated for Tuesday at the Twin Falls Public Library. Families can enroll their kindergarten through eighth-graders in the program through mid-September.

The partnership essentially allows homeschoolers the flexibility to pick and choose their curriculum and online classes, and have support from the Twin Falls School District. And it allows the district to receive state funding for each student enrolled.

The school district recognizes that there are homeschooled families in the district that they are really not providing resources for, said Jon Funes, vice president of Harmony Educational Services. Its a flexible program that really focuses on homeschooled families and trying to meet their needs.

But not everyone has been pleased.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported in May 2014 that two Utah charter schools cut ties with Harmony.

One of the school leaders called the company predatory during a meeting with the Utah State Charter School Board, saying taxpayer money wasnt used wisely.

It came after a 2014 audit report from the Utah State Board of Education, scrutinizing distance learning and online programs in Utah schools.

It found about $10.5 million in state money that year went to Harmony Educational Services and My Tech High Inc., another Utah-based online learning provider.

The Better Business Bureau gives Harmony an A+ rating, although the company isnt BBB accredited.

The Idaho State Department of Education doesnt regulate or monitor homeschooling education. Its up to each parent to select the curriculum theyll use. And parents dont have to fill out any paperwork or register showing theyre homeschooling their child.

Magic Valley Junior School and Magic Valley Commonwealth School are among several organized local homeschooling groups. Other families meet informally for classes.

But some school districts  including Twin Falls  are looking at how to serve homeschooled students.

In June, the Twin Falls School District signed a one-year contract with Harmony, effective through June 30, 2018.

The district will pay $300 to the company for each student Harmony recruits to enroll for next school year, according to the contract.

Plus, for the curriculum, the district will pay Harmony $1,590 per year for each full-time kindergartner and $2,390 for each full-time first through sixth-grader. It will cost $250 per semester course for seventh and eighth-graders.

Full-time student mentoring and other services will cost $400 for kindergartners and $750 for first-through-eighth-graders.

School officials werent aware of Utah schools pulling out of their agreement with Harmony, Twin Falls School District spokeswoman Eva Craner said Monday.

But they spoke with other Idaho school districts whove contracted with the company, she said, and received positive responses.

After the first year, school officials will evaluate how the offering worked and will talk with participating families, Craner said.

Twin Falls parent Shawnee Zelenka, who homeschools five children, plans to enroll her four oldest through Harmonys program with the Twin Falls School District.

Her oldest, whos in high school, takes classes via iSucceed Virtual High School.

A homeschooling parent for 11 years, Zelenka said shes excited to have access to resources and curriculum through the partnership.

She used to be neighbors with a Twin Falls School District administrator, who reached out to her to let her know about the partnership with Harmony.

As a homeowner in Twin Falls, Zelenka's family is paying property taxes toward the public school system. With the new partnership, this kind of gives us an opportunity to similar resources available that we wouldnt normally have, she said.

Plus, she said her children will have to take state standardized tests, which will help her ensure theyre on track academically.

A benefit for the school district: Some homeschooled students end up transitioning into the district for middle or high school, Craner said.

By working with those families, she said, it will help with the transition and school officials know which classes students have taken.

Harmony identifies families and brings them back into the public education system, Funes said.

One of the reasons why parents choose to pull their children from public schools: Theyre looking for more class choices and say in how they're taught, he said.

Harmony offers a broad range of curriculum that aligns with Idaho standards, he said, and theres no one-size-fits-all approach.

The company contracts with dozens of different vendors so families can piece together class options that work best for their child, Funes said.

Harmony also hopes to provide on-site elective classes once a week in Twin Falls for participating students.

Another option: Homeschooling parents can use a flex program to utilize materials theyve already found to be successful with their child, Funes said.

Under that option, their child fills out a worksheet regularly to ensure theyre learning topics that align with Idaho standards.

The Oneida School District in Malad City in eastern Idaho partners with Harmony. The district provides the offering through its Idaho Home Learning Academy, open to kindergarten through eighth-grade homeschooled students across the state.

The partnership began at the beginning of last school year, said Terri Sorensen, principal of the Idaho Home Learning Academy. It has been a learning curve this year.

But overall, I do feel its beneficial for those homeschooled parents to get some good curriculum aligned to standards, she said.

Last school year, about 200 students participated in the partnership through the Oneida School District. Their work is overseen by teachers and school administrators.

Said Sorensen: Pretty much, theyre just students in our district.
Details added (first version posted at 11:45)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Dalga Khatinoglu  Trend:

Iran has officially inaugurated a 170-km Damghan-Sari pipeline with 40 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of transit capacity, a source in Irans Oil Ministry told Trend.

Irans oil minister and top gas industry officials are in the event, he said, adding that the pipeline will cut dependence on Turkmen gas import in north-eastern regions.

The project is worth about $250 million. The entire amount is paid by local companies.

Turkmenistan stopped gas export to Iran in January 2017 due to Irans long-delayed $2 billion debt.

Iran imported about 5.86 bcm of gas from Turkmenistan during 2016, about 53 percent less than the previous year, according to an official document prepared by Iran's Oil Ministry and seen by Trend.

Iran has defined a project for building the 11th cross-country pipeline worth $4.3 billion, but it hasnt started the construction. The capacity of the pipeline is projected to be 110 mcm/y. It is meant to transit gas from South Pars field in Persian Gulf to Irans northeast regions. Irans gas production capacity in northeast regions stands at about 14 bcm/y, about 12 bcm/y less than the demand.

Irans gas consumption rises in winter due to the housing sectors increasing demand. In warm seasons, the country injects about 2 bcm/y of gas to Shourijeh and Sarajeh underground gas storage facilities, placed in northern regions, and re-extracts it during winter.

Iran plans to invest $3 billion to increase the underground gas storage capacity at five facilities from about 11.5 bcm by 2018. All of these storage facilities  Sarajeh, Shourijeh, Yurtesha, Nasrabad and Ghezel Tapeh  are in the north and northeast of Iran, according to an official document prepared by Irans Oil Ministry.
Baku, Azerbaijan, July 31

By Emil Ilgar  Trend:

The new US sanctions on Iran is a bad news for everyone, including the JCPOA (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), Iran, the EU and others not involved in the nuclear deal, Hooshang Amirahmadi, president of the American Iranian Council (AIC), told Trend.

The US House of Representatives and Senate voted overwhelmingly last week to slap new sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea, but the bill, in order to become a law, needs to be signed by President Donald Trump.

Amirahmadi said that the new sanctions will loosen commitments to the deal, prevent Iran from fully benefiting from the JCPOA, and increase tension between the US and some of Irans major trading partners.

"It will especially worsen relations between the US and Iran and can potentially lead to a new spiral of conflict between the two, which may have far reaching regional consequences. The US intention is to make Iran leave the JCPOA, but I am sure Iran will stay with the deal."

Amirahamdi added that the Hassan Rouhani government will come under pressure to respond in ways that could escalate the tension.

"If further sanctions are imposed and more restrictions are placed on Irans trading partners, Tehran may even consider to leave the NPT [the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty], an option that it could exercise even if it stays with the JCPOA. The JCPOA largely exists outside the NPT framework," he added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Ahead of the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherinis upcoming visit to Tehran, the European Union says missile tests do not violate Irans nuclear deal, but the country should refrain from taking actions that feed tensions.

The EU has clearly expressed its concern with Iran's missile program and called upon Iran to refrain from actions that feed tensions such as launches using ballistic missile technology, an EU spokesperson told Trend.

The EU will keep its restrictions regarding ballistic missiles for eight years from Adoption Day or until the IAEA reached the broader conclusion that all nuclear material in Iran remains in peaceful use, whichever is earlier, the spokesperson added.

We consider ballistic missile tests to be inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the spokesperson said, adding, Iran's missile program was not covered by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA, aka nuclear deal], hence missile tests are not a violation to it.

Federica Mogherini is scheduled to attend President Hassan Rouhanis inauguration ceremony on August 5.

Earlier on July 27, the Iranian state media reported that Iran successfully tested a rocket that can deliver satellites to the Earths orbit.

Following the rocket launch, the US claimed that the test breached a UN Security Council resolution because of its potential use in ballistic missile development.
Tehran, Iran, August 1

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Eight presidents and vice presidents, as well as 19 heads of parliament will attend Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis inauguration into his second term on Saturday, according to Parviz Esmaili, director of communications and announcements department at Rouhanis office.

The foreign guests will include 92 high-ranking delegations, 25 from Asia-Pacific, 26 from Arab and African countries, and 30 more from Europe and the Americas, Esmaili said, the presidential website reported August 1.

Rouhani, first elected Irans president in 2013, re-ran for office in the May 2017 election. He garnered 57 percent of the votes in the election, which saw a turnout of 73 percent.

The secretary generals of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as Developing-8, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) will also attend the inauguration ceremony.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

While many inside Iran and abroad have expressed concerns over water crisis in the country, an Iranian lawmaker has rejected the opinions that suggest the issue may turn into a security threat.

It is a wrong interpretation to describe the water shortage issue as a security threat. However, this is a significant problem and requires a serious follow-up, Kazem Jalali, a member of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, told Trend.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the national security and foreign policy committee, had earlier warned that water crisis has escalated into a national security predicament, adding that the parliament had to launch a special committee to tackle the problem.

Boroujerdi had also criticized the countrys officials over their failure to consider the problem as a serious issue over the past decades, saying Iran has very limited water resources.

Water shortage has become a national security threat, he was quoted as saying by Iranian media in late June.

Iranian experts have already criticized agricultural sector for wasting water resources as the sector accounts for about 90 percent of water consumption in the country, blamed on irrigation methods that are highly inefficient.

Low cost of water, excessive construction of dams, substandard irrigating methods and systems as well as drought and climate change are among the main reasons escalating the water issue in the Middle Eastern state.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

Tehrans missile tests dont violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, aka nuclear deal), Dr. Ali Pishro, an expert in American and Canadian studies at the University of Birmingham, has told Trend.

He noted that Iran has put forward two arguments in explaining why its recent missile tests do not violate the 2015 nuclear deal.

According to the expert, the paragraph 3 of the annex to UN resolution 2231 states that Iran has been requested not to carry out any activities related to ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads, including rocket firing with the use of missile technology.

Firstly, since Iran does not have nuclear weapons, it is clear that its missiles are not designed for this purpose, Pishro said.

He also noted that the second and strongest argument of Iran is that the wording called upon has been used in this clause of the resolution.

This word is different from the terms like required or demanded which are used in the resolutions for obvious and explicit prohibitions, Pishro said.

Therefore, neither Iran's missile tests nor the new US sanctions are in violation of the JCPOA, according to the expert.

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.

The agreement puts limits on Irans nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 1

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

The recent Iranian missile test is not a violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015, since this agreement only refers to nuclear weapons, although it reflects some changes in Tehran's relations with the US, Associate Professor Gianluca Pastori, an expert in history of political relations in North America and Europe, told Trend.

However, it is a sign that something has changed  apparently, at least  between the country and the international community, most notably the United States, he said.

Under the Obama administration, US played a central role in making the agreement possible, committing to withdrawal of their sanctions against Iran in exchange for the Iranian compliancy with the provisions of the treaty, according to the expert.

He stressed that the rhetoric of the US President Donald Trump is different, more traditionally anti-Iranian and better fitting in the mood of the US Congress.

The Presidents tour in Saudi Arabia and his meetings with the leaders of several Sunni countries have been perceived as anti-Iranian moves. More importantly, these moves coincided with Hassan Rouhanis victory in the Iranian presidential elections of May 19, which somehow amplified the pragmatics and the moderates vis-a-vis the most hardliner elements of the countrys leadership, the expert said.

Pastori noted that the timing of the test might be seen as an answer to US and their regional allies, especially Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, the test was also viewed as a sort of a message, which was sent to their domestic counterparts by the several components of the Iranian elite, according to the expert.

In the eyes of the hardliners (both within and outside the Armed Forces), it is a proof of their permanent relevance within the countrys establishment. In the eyes of the pragmatics, it is a reassurance to their rivals, a way to affirm that  despite the signing of the JCPOA  Iran is not ready to renounce its ambitions, he said.

Pastori further talked about the possible consequences for the US-Iranian relations in connection with the missile test and JCPOA.

The approval of a new set of sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea by US Congress is a clear sign that the JCPOA still faces a strong opposition within the US establishment, the expert said, adding that at the same time the attitude of the Administration appears to be more nuanced.

Despite Trumps rhetoric outbursts, the White House repeatedly declared to remain committed to the implementation of the nuclear deal, he underlined.

Against this backdrop, the political impact of the missile test could be negligible, according to the expert.

It largely depends on the will of the US administration not to jeopardize a process that  if kept low-profiled  could benefit, in the long run, Washington as well as Tehran, he added.

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 Irans 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.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 1

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

The upcoming Presidential election in Kyrgyzstan is a remarkable event for Central Asian region, Bruce Pannier, US expert on Central Asia, told Trend August 1.

It is just a little more than two months until the election and it is unclear who will win. Current President Almazbek Atambayev is constitutionally barred from running for a second term, meaning Kyrgyzstan will have a new President before the end of this year, he said.

The expert noted that as of today, Kyrgyzstans Central Elections Commission (CEC) has registered 59 candidates as having expressed an intention to run for Presidency.

That number will be significantly lower by the election day. I would guess no more than 10 and probably closer to six or seven, he said.

Candidates still need to hand over signatures from the registered voters (which CEC must verify), then pay admissions fees and pass through several other checks before they are cleared to campaign, according to Pannier.

The expert noted that due to unpredictability of the election it is difficult to say how the countrys internal policies might change.

In theory, since Kyrgyzstan has a parliamentary-presidential system of governance, the President should not be able to make policy independently from the government. That has not always been the case with Atambayev, he added.

Talking about foreign policy of the Republic, Pannier stressed that, for sure, Russia will remain an important partner of Kyrgyzstan.

Whoever becomes the next President of Kyrgyzstan, that person will obligatorily have to keep close ties with Russia. Russia has great influence in Kyrgyzstan, as an economic and a security partner, since Russia has a military base at Kant, some 40 kilometers from Bishkek. Hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz citizens are working in Russia, he said.

The same can be said about China, which is also a leading economic partner of Kyrgyzstan, according to Pannier.

China is providing funds for many important infrastructure projects in Kyrgyzstan, most of them linked to the One Belt  One Road initiative, which promises to provide Kyrgyzstan with access to new markets, he noted.

The big question is what Kyrgyzstans relations with the West will be like, as for now it is difficult to predict if the future Presidents foreign policy courses towards the United States and Europe, according to the expert.

The next Presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan will be held on October 15, 2017.

A total of 59 candidates were nominated for participation in the forthcoming Presidential race, according to the information published on the Central Election Commissions website. As many as 49 candidates are self-nominated, while the rest of them were nominated by the political parties.

Countrys current President Almazbek Atambayev lacks the right of running in the upcoming election, as the Kyrgyz law prohibits the countrys citizen from being elected a President for two consecutive terms.

According to the Constitution, the President of the Kyrgyzstan may be elected for a six-year term.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Despite Turkey actively fights against members of the Fethullah Gulen movement, there are still sleeper cells of FETO (Fethullah Terrorist Organization) in the country, Ufuk Coskun, editor-in-chief of the Turkish Bolge Postasi newspaper, told Trend over phone.

Coskun, who is also Milat Gazetesi columnist, added that the intelligence agencies of such countries as the US, Germany, France, as well as Israel, are behind the Fethullah Gulen movement.

"FETO is a joint project of Western intelligence agencies and its activity is aimed at slowing Turkeys development, as well as confronting the Middle East policy of Ankara," he added.

The expert added that currently, the trials over the members of the movement were launched in almost all provinces and in particular, in Ankara and Izmir.

Coskun added that despite the trials are being conducted against FETO members in Turkey, this current still has a huge impact on the countrys judicial system.

The expert does not rule out the possibility that FETO members, who infiltrated into the Turkish judicial system and who have not been revealed yet, intend to impact on the trials launched against the members of this organization.

"Members of the FETO terrorist organization could also infiltrate into the Turkish banking system within 60 years," Coskun said.

The expert said that the FETO sleeper cells still want to create internal chaos in Turkey.

"Turkey is obliged to bring to the world communitys attention that FETO members are a serious threat to the country's security," he said.

A trial about seizing the Akinci air base during a military coup attempt was launched in Turkey Aug. 1.

A trial over 486 defendants in seizing the Akinci air base during a military coup attempt was launched in Ankara in July 2016.

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.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

A referendum on Erbils independence will solve the regions problems, the Iraqi media quoted Masoud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, as saying Aug. 1.

Barzani claims the central government of Iraq does not fulfill its commitments to the Kurdish autonomy.

The Iraqi government has suspended the provision of funds for the Peshmerga forces [Kurdish militia], he said. In the fight against the terrorists of the Islamic State, the Peshmerga forces were exposed to great risks, since the Iraqi government did not arm them.

Barzani also noted that nothing can prevent the independence referendum of the Kurdish administration.

He added that the referendum will be held on September 25.

Earlier, Barzani had said that opposition to the referendum would be met with a bloody war. Preparations for the referendum have been completed, he noted.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the Kurdish administration of Iraq will regret if it holds an independence referendum.

Iraqs integrity is a priority for Turkey, noted Erdogan, adding that a referendum on independence of the Kurdish autonomy means the beginning of Iraqs disintegration.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
TWIN FALLS  The City Council voted unanimously Monday to pursue plans to build new fire stations and revamp others.

The city will negotiate a contract and detailed scope of work with the firm Pivot North, with an eye toward developing a plan that will call for renovating two of the citys fire stations, rebuilding one in a different location and adding a fourth one as the city grows.

The plan, according to Deputy City Manager of Public Safety Brain Pike, calls for the remodel of Fire Station 1, on Second Avenue East near Jerome Street downtown, and of Fire Station 3, at Washington Street South and Orchard Drive. Fire Station 2, at Falls Avenue and Frontier Road, should be moved because it is in the future path of the expansion of Fillmore Street, Pike said. He said it could be moved to Washington Street and Chaney Drive, on the College of Southern Idaho campus. The future Fire Station 4, he said, would probably go in the Hankins Road area, to help protect the growing eastern side of town.

Pike wants to see community meeting rooms incorporated in the fire stations, and he also mentioned the possibility of putting a police substation in Fire Station 2, making it easier for police to work on that side of town without constantly having to return to the police station downtown.

The Council also held a lengthy discussion on whether to include any of the citys more than $2 million in foregone balance in next years property tax increase.

Cities and other taxing districts in Idaho are generally limited to raising the amount collected in taxes by 3 percent plus the value of new construction, but when a city raises taxes by less than the cap, the amount by which taxes werent raised goes into a foregone balance and the city can add this amount to the tax increase in future years.

The Council is scheduled to set the maximum 2018 budget on Aug. 14 and must, if it wants to leave open the possibility of collecting any foregone balance, include it in the maximum budget set then. The Council could choose to set a final budget lower than what it sets on Aug. 14 but it cant exceed whatever number is set at this meeting. Mondays discussion showed a divide on the Council, with Councilmen Greg Lanting and Christopher Reid and Mayor Shawn Bargiar supportive of including at least some of the foregone balance in next years tax increase while Vice Mayor Suzanne Hawkins and Councilman Chris Talkington are against raising taxes by any more than the 3 percent plus new construction cap.

Hawkins said she could see raising taxes by more if there were a true emergency, but that the projects theyve discussed dont warrant an additional tax increase.

At this point, I couldnt support taking any of the foregone balance, she said.

Barigar said the city has needs it hasnt been able to invest in since they have been playing catch-up with employee pay, and that developing things such as parks, bike paths and trails and focusing on downtown quality of life all help to draw people to live here and address issues such as the difficulty some employers are having in finding skilled employees. Reid said he would support adding $1.5 million of the foregone balance to the tax levy, saying maintaining infrastructure is a basic function of city government and Twin Falls has millions of dollars in road repair needs that wouldnt be paid for otherwise.

I think its manageable, he said.

Talkington said there will always be infrastructure needs to be funded, but that none of them rise to the level of an emergency. The public, he said, is growing tired with all the construction going on around town and wants the city to take a break. He said he opposes raising taxes for this perceived crisis that just aint there.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey and Iran discussed regional issues during the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted Aug. 1.

According to Cavusoglu, the two officials met on the margins of a meeting of foreign ministers of the Islamic Cooperation Organizations member countries.

Today Istanbul hosts a meeting of foreign ministers of OIC member countries.

The OIC previously told Trend that during the meeting, the OIC foreign ministers will discuss the recent clashes in Jerusalem between Israelis and Palestinians.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society earlier said that clashes took place between worshipers and the Israeli police at Bab al-Asbat near al-Aqsa Mosque.

The worshipers were attacked after performing evening prayer outside al-Aqsa Mosque in protest against the metal detectors installed by the Israeli authorities at the entrances of the Mosque.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 1

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey urges Muslim countries to recognize the independence of Palestine within the territories that existed before the war of 1967, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Cavusoglu made the remarks at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Aug. 1, the Turkish media reported.

He said that the issue of Palestine is a common issue of the Islamic world.

Cavusoglu also expressed the hope that the clash between Israelis and Palestinians will not occur in Jerusalem again.

Today Istanbul hosts a meeting of foreign ministers of OIC member countries.

The OIC previously told Trend that during the meeting, the OIC foreign ministers will discuss the recent clashes in Jerusalem between Israelis and Palestinians.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society earlier said that clashes took place between worshipers and the Israeli police at Bab al-Asbat near al-Aqsa Mosque.

The worshipers were attacked after performing evening prayer outside al-Aqsa Mosque in protest against the metal detectors installed by the Israeli authorities at the entrances of the Mosque.
Apple CEO Tim Cook. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday defended his companys decision to pull privacy apps from the Chinese App Store, saying the iPhone maker is simply abiding by the law of the country, just as it would in the U.S.

Cooks comments, which came during Apples Q3 2017 earnings call, follow the companys removal of virtual private network, or VPN, apps from the App Store over the weekend, drawing criticism from privacy advocates and app makers alike.

We would obviously rather not remove the apps, Cook said during the call, adding that Apple is simply following Chinese law.

VPNs allow users to circumvent Chinas Great Firewall, which it uses to monitor and block its internet users access to sites the government deems subversive to its thinking.

The impetus for the removal of the VPN apps, Cook explained, was the governments renewed effort to enforce regulations that banned VPNs that havent been licensed by the Chinese government.

Despite his stated displeasure with having to remove the apps from the App Store, Cook said that Apple believes in engaging with governments even with which we disagree.

Whats more, the CEO said that hes hopeful that such restrictions will be loosened over time since, as he put it, innovation really requires freedom to collaborate and communicate.

Cook then tried to make a distinction between the decision to remove the VPN apps in China and Apples legal showdown with the FBI, during which the tech giant refused to provide the agency with the ability to crack the encryption of an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

In the case of the U.S., the law in the U.S. supported us, it was very clear, he said. In the case of China the law is also very clear there.

That said, Cook explained that the company isnt afraid of telling governments it disagrees with how it feels. That doesnt mean that we dont state our point of view in the appropriate way, he said. We always do that.

More from Dan:

Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
Bemis Company, Inc. BMS reported second-quarter 2017 adjusted earnings per share of 48 cents, down 28% year over year. Earnings missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 56 cents. Results in the quarter were affected by challenging economic environment in Brazil due to political instability in the region.



Including one-time costs, earnings came in at 30 cents per share compared with 53 cents reported in the prior-year quarter.



Operational Update



Net sales decreased to $1,012 million from $1,021 million recorded in the year-ago quarter. Revenues also fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1,036 million.

Bemis Company, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Bemis Company, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Bemis Company, Inc. Quote

Cost of products sold went up 2.7% year over year to $826 million in the quarter. Gross profit dipped 14% to $185.9 million from $217 million in the prior-year quarter. Gross margin contracted 290 basis points (bps) to 18.4% in the quarter.



Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased to $97.6 million from $100.4 million incurred in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted operating income plunged 26% year over year to $80.3 million. Adjusted operating margin contracted 270 bps to 7.9% in the quarter.



Segment Performance



Net sales at the U.S. Packaging segment edged down 1.4% year over year to $661.5 million. The decline in net sales was due to mix of products sold and contractual selling-price reductions previously negotiated with customers to retain and secure some high-technology packaging business for the long term, partially offset by higher unit volumes. Segment operating profit was down 22.6% to $80.1 million from $103.5 million in the prior-year quarter.



Net sales at the Global Packaging segment remained flat year over year at $350.6 million. Currency translation had a negative impact of 0.6%, while acquisitions contributed 1.66%. The organic sales decline of 0.9% reflects decreased unit volumes of approximately 3%, partially offset by sales price and mix. Segment operating profit slumped 37% to $17.7 million from $28.1 million recorded in the year-ago quarter.



Financial Update



At the end of the second quarter, Bemis generated cash and cash equivalents of $55 million, which decreased from $74.2 million at the end of 2016. Cash flow from operations came in at $200.5 million during the six-month period ended Jun 30, 2017, compared with $153 million in the comparable period last year.



At the end of the reported quarter, Bemis total debt increased to $1.54 billion compared with $1.53 billion at the end of 2016.



Restructuring & Cost Savings



During June, Bemis announced details on its restructuring and cost savings plan to improve profitability primarily in the U.S. and Latin American businesses by reducing manufacturing and administrative cost structure. These efforts are likely to generate total cost savings of $55$60 million, with savings starting in 2017 and fully realized during 2019. It will help improve efficiency and margins, consequently paving the way for long-term growth. Estimated total costs to implement the plan are $100 to $120 million.



Per the plan, the company will close two manufacturing facilities and reduce approximately 300 administrative positions for a combined savings of approximately $30 million, when fully implemented.



Guidance



Bemis lowered its 2017 adjusted earnings per share guidance range to $2.35$2.50 from the prior range of $2.50$2.60 due to the impact of the sharp contraction and tough economic environment in Brazil.



The company also trimmed cash from operations guidance range to $400$425 million from the prior range of $415$455 million. Management expects capital expenditures for 2017 between $185 million and $200 million to support projects underway.



Share Price Performance



Bemis' shares have been underperforming its industry with respect to price performance. In the last one year, the stock has dropped 15.75%, while the industry recorded growth of 10.23%.

Story continues





Zacks Rank & Key Picks



Currently, Bemis carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Some better-ranked stocks in the sector include AGCO Corporation AGCO, Deere & Company DE and Apogee Enterprises, Inc. APOG. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



AGCO has expected long-term growth rate of 12.41%.



Deere has expected long-term growth rate of 9.17%.



Apogee has expected long-term growth rate of 12.50%.



More Stock News: 8 Companies Verge on Apple-Like Run



Did you miss Apple's 9X stock explosion after they launched their iPhone in 2007? Now 2017 looks to be a pivotal year to get in on another emerging technology expected to rock the market. Demand could soar from almost nothing to $42 billion by 2025. Reports suggest it could save 10 million lives per decade which could in turn save $200 billion in U.S. healthcare costs.



A bonus Zacks Special Report names this breakthrough and the 8 best stocks to exploit it. Like Apple in 2007, these companies are already strong and coiling for potential mega-gains. Click to see them right now >



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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
FILE PHOTO: The logo of U.S. mobile network operator Sprint Corp is seen at a Sprint store in San Marcos, California August 3, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

By Greg Roumeliotis and Liana B. Baker

(Reuters) - U.S. cable operator Charter Communications Inc said on Sunday it was not interested in acquiring U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp, leaving the latter's majority owner, SoftBank Group Corp, pondering how to orchestrate a merger.

A merger of Charter and Sprint would create a telecommunications powerhouse, providing a one-stop shop for customers looking for internet and mobile phone services, and giving the combined company a stronger footing in creating the infrastructure required for so-called 5G wireless technology.

SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son is considering making an acquisition offer for Charter, which has a market capitalization of $101 billion and another $60 billion in debt, as early as this week, a person familiar with the matter said on Sunday, in what would be by far the Japanese telecommunications conglomerate's biggest ever deal.

SoftBank remains interested in merging Sprint with T-Mobile US Inc, another U.S. wireless carrier controlled by Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG, with which Sprint held deal negotiations earlier this year, the source added.

The source asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. SoftBank declined to comment.

"We understand why a deal is attractive for SoftBank, but Charter has no interest in acquiring Sprint," a Charter spokesman said in an emailed statement on Sunday. He declined to comment on whether Charter would entertain a bid from SoftBank and at what price.

Sprint and T-Mobile could not be immediately reached for comment.

SoftBank's potential bid for Charter would follow the conclusion of two months of negotiations with Charter and larger cable peer Comcast Corp over Sprint potentially serving as their mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), allowing them to use its network to offer wireless services.

"We have a very good MVNO relationship with Verizon Communications Inc and intend to launch wireless services to cable customers next year," the Charter spokesman said.

Story continues

SoftBank's interest in Charter also shows it is looking for alternatives to strengthen its negotiating hand in Sprint's negotiations with T-Mobile, analysts said.

"This could be a way to gain leverage in a T-Mobile deal," Macquarie analyst Amy Yong said of Son's pursuit of Charter on Sunday.

To be sure, a bid for Charter by SoftBank, which has a market capitalization of 9.9 trillion yen ($90.3 billion), would be a stretch for its finances, given that it would likely be without the deployment of the $100 billion technology-focused investment fund called Vision Fund it raised this year.

Sprint's market capitalization is just $32.8 billion, and it has a similar amount in debt. A bid for Charter that would give SoftBank majority control in a deal would require raising tens of billions of dollars in new debt and could push SoftBank to leverage some of its other assets, including its 29.5 percent stake in Chinese internet giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and its 43 percent stake in Yahoo Japan Corp.

SoftBank shares were trading down 2.7 percent at 8,920 yen on Monday morning in Tokyo.

Another hurdle for SoftBank would be the price expectations of Charter's largest shareholder, John Malone's Liberty Broadband Corp. Charter's proxy statement to its shareholders in March showed that CEO Tom Rutledge has compensation incentives to take Charter's share price to more than $564. Charter shares ended trading on Friday at $370.26.

What is more, were Charter to agree to a merger with Sprint, it would need the blessing of Comcast. Charter and Comcast announced an agreement in May that bars either company from entering into a material transaction in wireless for a year without the other's consent.

IN NEED OF A DEAL

Verizon, the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier, also expressed interest in a takeover of Charter earlier this year, sources have said. Verizon, which has a healthier network than Sprint, has MVNO agreements in place with both Charter and Comcast, which are rolling out wireless plans for their customers using the Verizon partnership.

Three years ago, SoftBank abandoned talks to acquire T-Mobile for Sprint amid opposition from U.S. antitrust regulators. That deal would have put SoftBank in control of the merged company, with Deutsche Telekom becoming a minority shareholder.

T-Mobile was worth around $30 billion at the time, but its market value has since risen to more than $50 billion as it overtook Sprint as the No. 3 wireless carrier by subscribers.

While Sprint's customer base has also grown under CEO Marcelo Claure and financials have improved, the growth was primarily driven by heavy price discounts. Despite new investment, the company's network is still viewed by many consumers as weaker than its rivals.

Unless Sprint can clinch a merger with a peer, these investment requirements are set to become more pressing. Carriers will need to spend billions of dollars to upgrade to 5G networks that promise to be 10 times to 100 times faster than current speeds.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis in New York and Liana B. Baker in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo, Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengaluru and Anjali Athavaley in New York; editing by Christopher Cushing and Jason Neely)
BOISE  The Idaho Department of Insurance is seeking public comments on proposed 2018 health insurance premium rates  with increases anywhere from 6 to 81 percent.

The department reviews insurance carriers proposals to determine if rates are unreasonable, according to a statement Monday.

In past years, the department has successfully negotiated lower increases with carriers to avoid labeling them unreasonable.

Final rates will be publicly available by mid-September or early October.

I am deeply disappointed and frustrated to share these rates, department director Dean Cameron said in the statement. I understand how difficult it will be for Idahoans to afford reasonable coverage, especially those without a subsidy.

The department encourages consumers to carefully review options with a licensed insurance agent  whether purchasing insurance via the health insurance exchange Your Health Idaho or on their own.

In particular, proposed increases to silver level plans on the exchange are significantly higher this year, the department said.

Thats due to the potential refusal by the federal government to fund the Cost Share Reduction (CSR) mechanism, according to the statement. The CSR requires insurance carriers selling plans through Your Health Idaho to lower deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums on Silver plans for enrollees who earn below 250% of the federal poverty level.

For 2018, carrier participation across Idaho also dropped due to BridgeSpan Health Company withdrawing and a reduction in served by SelectHealth in eastern Idaho.

Here are preliminary 2018 average rate increases:

Statewide: 38 percent overall Bronze  21 percent

Silver  50 percent

Gold  18 percent

Blue Cross of Idaho Health Service: 28 percent overall Bronze  6 percent

Silver  40 percent

Gold  12 percent

BridgeSpan Health Company: N/A

Mountain Health CO-OP: 25 percent overall Bronze  8 percent

Silver  29 percent

Gold  6 percent

PacificSource Health Plans: 44 percent overall Bronze  8 percent

Silver  81 percent

Gold  15 percent

Regence BlueShield of Idaho: 51 percent overall Bronze  51 percent

Silver  51 percent

Gold  N/A

SelectHealth  48 percent overall Bronze  27 percent

Silver  69 percent

Gold  25 percent

Comments, questions or ideas can be submitted electronically or mailed to: 2018 Rate Comments, Idaho Department of Insurance, PO Box 83720, Boise ID 83720-0043, or ratecomments@doi.idaho.gov.

For questions, contact the Idaho Department of Insurance at 800-721-3272 or www.doi.idaho.gov.
Charter Communications says it has no interest in merging with Sprint, after the Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint had proposed a deal. The proposed merger would have combined Sprint and Charter into a new publicly traded entity controlled by SoftBank, which currently controls a majority stake in Sprint.

If it had come to fruition, the deal may have given Sprint more leverage in its ongoing merger discussions with T-Mobile. In an email to WSJ, however, Charter spokesman Alex Dudley said that Charter would hang onto its current mobile virtual network operator deal with Sprint rival Verizon.

We understand why a deal is attractive for SoftBank, but Charter has no interest in acquiring Sprint. We have a very good MVNO relationship with Verizon and intend to launch cable customers next year, Dudley wrote. (Disclosure: Verizon owns Oath, which in turn owns TechCrunch).

As one of the largest cable companies in the U.S., Charter is in demand as an acquisition target by telecom companies. Earlier this year it also reportedly turned down an offer from Verizon. TechCrunch has contacted Charter and Sprint for comment.
Michael Bloomberg

Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg took a shot at President Donald Trump's claims about his wealth during an interview with Germany's Der Spiegel.

Bloomberg touched on several topics during the interview, including his efforts to combat climate change after Trump pulled the US out of the landmark Paris climate pact, his take on the turbulent presidency so far, and possible 2020 presidential candidates.

When Der Spiegel asked whether he would run for president in the next national election, Bloomberg said he wouldn't and that he felt he could "change more" in his current position.

"Do you not find it ironic that it is two billionaires from New York who are now deciding America's climate policies?" interviewer Juliane von Mittelstaedt asked.

"I don't know if I would say it that way," Bloomberg replied. "Let me phrase this carefully so you get the message: I don't know how wealthy other people are."

"You mean that Trump may not be a billionaire?" von Mittelstaedt asked.

"I didn't say that," Bloomberg said. "You said that."

Trump made his wealth and business acumen key pillars of his 2016 presidential bid. He kicked off his campaign by saying he was "really rich" and worth $10 billion. As of February 2017, however, Forbes pegged Trump's net worth at around $3.5 billion, down $1 billion from last year.

Bloomberg's net worth, according to Forbes, is around $53 billion, making him the 10th richest person in the world. Trump's net worth didn't crack the top 500.

NOW WATCH: Donald Trumps net worth  according to someone who isnt Donald Trump





More From Business Insider


Hey, good morning!

Welcome to the new week. Over the weekend, we talked about our new robot friends, HTC's return to flagship smartphone form and fines for walking while texting -- if you're in Honolulu.

They only want your love (and occasionally some anonymized metadata.)

Who needs friends when robots are this sociable?

From social robots to military tools, where do you draw the line? How do you add personality to a robot, and why would you?

Don't let its style overshadow its substance.

HTC U11 review: more than just gimmicks

We know it's shiny, but don't let its looks distract you. After a few underwhelming phones, HTC refined its smartphone formula and pushed out the U11, a gimmick-laden flagship actually worth using. The pressure-sensitive Edge Sense turns the sides of the phone into a one big convenience key, which is handy but unimaginative. There are three virtual assistants to choose from, though most people will only ever use one. And that beautiful glass finish? Well, just be very careful with it. Despite all that, the U11 delivers true flagship-level performance, and an excellent camera experience, period, not just excellent for HTC. The build quality is generally fantastic, and HTC has finally made a handsome body that's also water-resistant. While this might sound like a mixed bag, the U11's strengths definitely outweigh its flaws.

It also requires you to link your phone number to chat apps.

Russia's censorship law bans proxies and VPNs

President Putin has signed a law that, as of November 1st, prohibits technology which lets you access banned websites, including virtual private networks and proxies. Internet providers will have to block websites hosting these tools. The measure is ostensibly meant to curb extremist content, but that's just pretext -- this is really about preventing Russians from seeing content that might be critical of Putin, not to mention communicating in secret.

Story continues

Accordingly, the president has signed another law requiring that chat apps identify users through their phone numbers after January 1st, 2018. Some messaging clients already encourage you to link an account to a phone number, but this law makes it mandatory -- Facebook and others can't reject the idea even if they want to offer some kind of anonymity. As a reminder, the next Russian elections are set to be held in March 2018.

It didn't have much choice, but freedom of speech will suffer.

Apple pulls VPN apps following China crackdown

In other VPN news, ExpressVPN, Star VPN and other developers report that Apple has pulled their apps from the App Store in China for allegedly including "content that is illegal" in the country. Some clients are still on other platforms (including ExpressVPN, for now) while others remain, so it's not a uniform cull at this point. However, this is still a big blow to attempts to circumvent China's mounting internet censorship through encrypted communication -- not to mention companies that may have been depending on those apps for remote-work connections. Apple has issued a statement noting that it pulled the apps in response to Chinese rules requiring that VPN developers obtain a government license.

You'll risk a fine if you can't focus on crossing the street.

Honolulu is the first big US city to ban phone use at crosswalks

Honolulu has officially drawn a line in the sand -- it's the first major US city to pass a law that fines you for crossing the street while using your phone. As of October 25th, the Hawaiian burg can ask you to pay between $15 to $99 if you're caught looking at a mobile device while you're strutting the crosswalk. How much you pay depends on whether or not you're a repeat offender.

But wait, there's more...




independence day movie original post 20th century fox

NASA is hiring a planetary protection officer with a salary of up to $187,000.

The job was created after the signing of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.

Planetary protection officers are tasked with making sure humans don't contaminate planets, moons, and other objects in space.

They're also supposed to help prevent any alien microbes from spreading to Earth.

US government scientists work hard to protect the public.

Some study infectious diseases and effective treatments. Others ensure that drugs, food, vehicles, or consumer products live up to their claims and don't harm anyone.

But the concerns at NASA's headquarters are, quite literally, extraterrestrial  which is why the space agency now has a job opening for "planetary protection officer."

The gig? Help defend Earth from alien contamination, and help Earth avoid contaminating alien worlds it's trying to explore.

The pay? A six-figure salary, from $124,406 to $187,000 a year, plus benefits.

A rare and cosmically important position

While many space agencies hire planetary protection officers, they're often shared or part-time roles.

In fact, only two such full-time roles exist in the world: one at NASA and the other at the European Space Agency.

That's according to Catharine Conley, NASA's only planetary protection officer since 2014. Business Insider interviewed Conley most recently in March.

"This new job ad is a result of relocating the position I currently hold to the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, which is an independent technical authority within NASA," Conley told Business Insider in an email on Tuesday. (She did not say whether she planned to reapply for the position, which is held for at least three years but may be extended to five years.)

catharine a conley planetary protection officer paul alers nasa

Story continues

The position was created after the US ratified the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, specifically to support Article IX of the document:

"States Parties to the Treaty shall pursue studies of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, and conduct exploration of them so as to avoid their harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from the introduction of extraterrestrial matter and, where necessary, shall adopt appropriate measures for this purpose."

Part of the international agreement is that any space mission must have a less than 1-in-10,000 chance of contaminating an alien world.

"It's a moderate level," Conley previously told Business Insider. "It's not extremely careful, but it's not extremely lax."

This is why NASA's planetary protection officer occasionally gets to travel to space centers around the world and analyze planet-bound robots. The officer helps ensure we don't accidentally contaminate a pristine world that a probe is landing on  or, more often, is zooming by and photographing.

Europa

For example, Congress and the president have given NASA the green light to explore Europa, an icy, ocean-hiding, and potentially habitable moon of Jupiter. The goal of the initial $2.7 billion Europa Clipper mission is not to land on the moon, though, but to map its surface and look for clues about its hidden ocean and habitability.

Still, there's a chance the robot could crash-land  so someone like Conley comes in to mitigate risk.

The concern also works the other way, most imminently for Mars.

mars water

The red planet is a frequent target for NASA because it's oddly similar to Earth. It may have once been covered in water and able to support life, which is why many scientists are pushing hard for a Mars sample return mission, ostensibly to seek out signs of aliens.

While the expectation is not to scoop up freeze-dried Martian microbes  only ancient, microscopic fossils  there's always the chance of contamination once those samples are in earthbound labs.

Again, this is where the planetary protection officer and their team come in. They help establish the equipment, protocols, and procedures to reduce such risks.

"The phrase that we use is 'Break the chain of contact with Mars,'" Conley previously said.

No one ever said defending Earth had to be glorious all the time, though  Conley said a typical week mostly involved a lot of emails and reading studies, proposals, and other materials.

Who qualifies as a candidate

An out-of-this-world job like Conley's requires some equally extraordinary qualifications.

A candidate must have at least one year of experience as a top-level civilian government employee, plus have "advanced knowledge" of planetary protection and all it entails.

europa

If you don't have "demonstrated experience planning, executing, or overseeing elements of space programs of national significance," you may be wasting your time by submitting an application.

The job involves a lot of international coordination  space exploration is expensive, and the costs are frequently shared by multiple nations  so NASA needs someone with "demonstrated skills in diplomacy that resulted in win-win solutions during extremely difficult and complex multilateral discussions."

Did we mention the advanced degree in physical science, engineering, or mathematics? You should have that on your resume, too.

The job comes with a "secret" security clearance, and noncitizens aren't technically allowed to apply. (That rule is thanks to an executive order signed by President Gerald Ford in 1976.)

NASA is accepting applications at USAJobs.gov from July 13 through August 14.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

Kelly Dickerson contributed reporting to this story.

NOW WATCH: Stephen Hawking warned us about contacting aliens, but this astronomer says it's 'too late'





More From Business Insider
U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark Brent crude oil reached a two-month high on Monday. The catalysts underpinning the market are a tightening U.S. crude market and the threat of sanctions against OPEC-member Venezuela.

At 0530 GMT, September WTI crude oil was trading $49.90, up $0.19 or +0.38% and October Brent crude oil was at $52.41, up $0.19 or 0.36%.

Daily September West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil

Todays early strength has put the entire WTI curve close to the psychological $50 per barrel level, with only September and October a notch below that level.

A higher close today will mark the sixth straight session of gains.

In other news, according to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, large speculators boosted their net positions in the WTI Crude Oil futures market last week. WTI speculative positions have risen for four consecutive weeks and by 96,150 contracts over that time frame. This puts the next position to its best level since April 18th.

Daily October Brent Crude

Forecast

With U.S. inventories showing massive drawdowns over the past four weeks and Saudi Arabia pledging to reduce exports in August, the crude oil market is strongly supported.

Traders will continue to watch the American Petroleum Institutes inventories report on Tuesday and the U.S. Energy Information Administrations inventories report on Wednesday for direction, however, the main market driver this week may be the impending sanctions on Venezuela. They are almost certain to be oil-price supportive. They may also launch a volatile reaction to the upside.

WTI chart-watchers are likely to maintain their long positions as long as the market holds above the Fibonacci support level at $48.52. The key support level for Brent traders is $51.30.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
Many candidates carry outdated assumptions into their job search. One of these is the fear that age discrimination is so ubiquitous as to be paralyzing. "No one will want to hire someone old like me," is a common excuse for inaction and defeatist procrastination. In fact, organizations throughout the economy are increasingly turning to older workers to address talent gaps and skills deficiencies. Far from being a debilitating limitation, extensive life and work experience can be competitive advantages in a job search when the seeker knows how to leverage and position them.

Every generation complains that the one that follows "doesn't get it." What most of these employers mean is that the younger workers have yet to attain the characteristics that more seasoned talent can offer. Recruiters and managers can take a chance that a young employee will grow on the job or they can shortcut the process by hiring for maturity in the first place. The older job seeker, therefore, needs to remind the recruiter or manager of these virtues during the contact and interview stages.

[See: The 25 Best Social Services Jobs for 2017.]

Maturity

Maturity has many connotations, but at its core refers to the ability of people to act correctly, effectively and ethically in a myriad of situations. Mature people understand the "big picture" and leverage their life and work experiences to intuit what is important and what is less so. Older workers have often quite literally "seen it all before" when it comes to scenarios with employees, customers and other constituents. While some younger people are wise beyond their years, most have not seen enough diverse circumstances to truly qualify as mature.

The older job seeker will model a centeredness and seriousness of purpose that a skilled interviewer will recognize immediately. During interviews, it is wise to offer illustrations of situations where your maturity was instrumental to achieving organizational goals. Experience, even in a seemingly unrelated field, breeds confidence and maturity in the older candidate.

Story continues

Reliability

An experienced job seeker can communicate in no uncertain terms that he or she will be at work early and among the last to leave; and that they understand that personal toughness is a virtue worthy of emulation. The older candidate will have prepared anecdotes from his or her career and life to emphasize their reliability under any circumstance.

[See: Tips for Surviving a Career Transition.]

Realism

Older workers rarely expect to be promoted within the first few weeks of a new job. They understand the importance of building credibility and paying dues. Mature individuals contribute first and seek reward after having proven themselves. This sense of realism extends to job tenure and compensation as well. When reminded, employers love the idea of workers who know the value of their work and are less likely to change jobs for a small raise or title change. Experienced workers have had truly bad bosses in the past and they know that a manager who is perceived as unreasonable by the young team members might be no big deal relative to other "true nightmare bosses" of the past. In addition, older workers know that having an exacting supervisor can be a prime opportunity to grow and improve on the job.

Mature job candidates should find ways to communicate that they understand and live by a code of "old-school values" like loyalty, appreciation and dedication. By being ready with anecdotes and supporting evidence for their value, these job seekers will shine in comparison to their younger colleagues.

[See: Famous CEOs and Executives Share Their Best Career Advice.]

Efficiency and Focus

Older workers tend to have less drama in their lives. They come to work to, well, work. Where there is sometimes a biased perception that older people lack energy and focus, these concerns are easily dispensed by the effective use of body language, eye contact, firm handshakes and insightful and observant conversation.

The job market can be intimidating for employees who are on the back half of their working lives. Our popular culture and major media can at times worship youthfulness to the apparent exclusion of the more mature. When one considers what organizations need to succeed, however, it is clear that employers and candidates alike need to retune their thinking.

With national unemployment at historical lows and yet workforce participation also low, it is time for older workers to rethink their assumptions and come back to work. American companies and other organizations will only be able to reach their goals if they think logically and with an open mind about their talent needs. It is left to seasoned talent to know their worth, sell their benefits and reap the rewards of their tenure.





More From US News & World Report


sarah huckabee sanders

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that President Donald Trump believed Anthony Scaramucci's vulgar rant to New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza last week was "inappropriate" for a White House communications director.

"The president felt Anthony's comments were inappropriate for a person in that position," Sanders said during Monday's press briefing, adding that Trump didn't want to "burden" his new chief of staff John Kelly.

Sanders declined to elaborate on what exactly Trump had found to be inappropriate about Scaramucci's comments.

Scaramucci was ousted from his position earlier on Monday, reportedly at the request of Kelly.

Last week, Scaramucci was incensed that news of his private dinner with Trump and conservative Fox News commentator Sean Hannity had been leaked to Lizza, and called him on the phone to try to get the reporter to reveal his source.

When Lizza refused to do so, Scaramucci threatened to fire everyone in the White House communications office and then pinned the blame on former chief of staff Reince Priebus, calling him "a f---ing paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac."

Scaramucci also went off on White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, implying that Bannon was only interested in getting attention from the media.

"Im not Steve Bannon, Im not trying to suck my own c--k," Scaramucci said to Lizza.

Kelly was reportedly put off by Scaramucci's attitude and felt he lacked discipline and squandered his credibility.

As a result, Kelly had a one-on-one conversation with Scaramucci immediately after being sworn in as the new chief of staff and informed him that he was being dismissed.

NOW WATCH: Watch the most bizarre moments from Trumps speech to the Boy Scouts of America





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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after John Kelly was sworn in as White House Chief of Staff in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

President Donald Trump personally "dictated" a misleading statement about his son Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with a Russian lawyer last year, The Washington Post reported Monday, a move experts say could put the White House at fresh legal risk.

The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, told reporters on Tuesday that "the president weighed in as any father would based on the limited information he had."

But Trump's lawyer, Jay Sekulow, told CNN in the days after the meeting became public that Trump did not play a role in crafting his son's initial statement. The statement, which said Trump Jr. and the Russian lawyer primarily "discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children," did not mention that Trump Jr. had been offered compromising information about Hillary Clinton in exchange for taking the meeting or that the lawyer had been accompanied by the Russian-American lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin.

While it is not illegal for a president to mislead the public or the press, legal experts say the episode will most likely be of interest to Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the FBI's investigation into Russia's election interference and whether the Trump campaign has sought to cover up any interactions it had with Russians last year.

"If the reports are accurate, Trump didn't just help write a false statement for his son to release  he also then allowed his personal lawyer to falsely deny that Trump was involved in the drafting of the statement," said David Sklansky, a professor of criminal law at Stanford Law School.

Sklansky said that lying, generally, isn't criminal, so the episode is unlikely to constitute the "act" of obstruction of justice under federal criminal law.

"But both could be relevant to whether other things Trump has done"  like firing James Comey as FBI director  "were done with corrupt intent," Sklansky said. CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said Monday that the episode would most likely signal "consciousness of guilt" to federal and congressional investigators.

Story continues

"Trump inserted himself into an effort to cover up the nature of his son's contact with Russia-affiliated people," said Andy Wright, a professor at Savannah Law School who served as associate counsel in the White House counsel's office under President Barack Obama.

If Trump was trying to throw congressional investigators or criminal prosecutors "off the scent" of his campaign's contacts with Russians, Wright said, then that could be construed as obstruction in the legal sense of the term.

But even if that was not the president's intent, Wright said he thought it was "clear he engaged in an act of political obstruction by trying to deceive the American people."

The political implications may be the most relevant given the debate surrounding whether a sitting president could be criminally indicted. As Sklansky said, "in an impeachment proceeding, Congress would be the sole judge of whether any lies by the president themselves constituted 'high crimes or misdemeanors.'''

According to The Post, Trump "overruled the consensus" of his advisers to be as transparent about his son's meeting as possible, which Wright said "demonstrates ill intent" on the president's part.

The episode "is relevant as a pattern of conduct designed to play down or even cover up any Russia-related conversations during the campaign and transition," said Jens Ohlin, a professor at Cornell Law School who specializes in criminal law.

"It certainly does little to buttress the administration's credibility or transparency on this issue."

NOW WATCH: Kellyanne Conway defended Donald Trump Jr.s meeting with a Russian lawyer using show-and-tell cards  and the internet went nuts





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FILE PHOTO - A 'House For Sale' sign is seen outside a single family house in Uniondale, New York, U.S. on May 23, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rebounded in June after three straight monthly declines, but the housing market remained constrained by a shortage of properties available for sale.

Other data on Monday showed that factory activity in the Midwest slowed this month after hitting a three-year high in June, with manufacturers reporting declining orders.

The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed last month, jumped 1.5 percent, more than double economists' expectations for a 0.7 percent increase. The rise, however, only partially unwound the prior three months' declines.

Pending home contracts become sales after a month or two. The NAR reported last week that existing home sales, which generally have been running ahead of the signed contracts, fell 1.8 percent in June.

"In the very near term, the June increase in pending sales suggests that existing home sales will likely increase soon," said Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan in New York. "But the June increase for the index undid only a portion of the decline reported over the prior few months."

Silver said he still expected the housing market recovery to continue over time despite recent weakness in some of the data, including homebuilder sentiment. The housing market has been stymied by a dearth of properties, which has pushed up prices and sidelined first-time homebuyers.

Housing contracted in the second quarter at its fastest pace in nearly seven years and was a drag on economic growth. Homebuilders have been unable to bridge the housing inventory gap, citing rising lumber costs and shortages of land and labor.

REGIONAL MANUFACTURING COOLING

Pending home sales increased 0.5 percent from a year ago. In June, contracts rose 0.7 percent in the Northeast and advanced 2.1 percent in the South. They shot up 2.9 percent in the West but fell 0.5 percent Midwest.

The PHLX housing index fell slightly after the data and the U.S. dollar hit a session low against a basket of currencies. U.S. stocks were trading mixed and prices of U.S. Treasuries were lower.

Story continues

In a separate report on Monday, the Institute for Supply Management Chicago said its MNI Chicago Business barometer fell to a three-month low of 58.9 in July from a reading of 65.7 in June. A reading above 50 indicates expansion in manufacturing in the Chicago area.

The report mirrored other regional manufacturing surveys that have shown softening in activity. Some of the moderation reflects the fading boost from the energy sector after a recent drop in crude oil prices. The Institute for Supply Management will publish its July survey of U.S. manufacturing on Tuesday.

"Regional manufacturing surveys suggest that activity in the factory sector remained solid in July, but growth moderated," said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics in New York.

"We look for a similar message in tomorrow's national ISM manufacturing survey."The drop in sentiment in the ISM-Chicago survey was broad-based this month. The survey's measure of new orders received by factories fell 11.6 points to a reading of 60.3, the lowest since February. The production index fell 6.9 points to 60.8.

A measure of order backlogs fell 4.9 points from June's 23-year high to a reading of 57.9 in July. Suppliers took slightly less time to deliver key inputs. In response to a special question on wages, over 70 percent of manufacturers said they had increased their workers' salaries over the past year.

A quarter of them said they had kept wages unchanged while 3 percent said they had cut their workers' paychecks.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao)
Still coping with the effects of fake accounts scandal, Wells Fargo & Company WFC recently disclosed that it is laying off about 70 senior executives, in a memo issued to its employees. The bank took this step to reduce the current management team, per a Bloomberg report.

The executives who have been removed from their positions will remain employees for another 60 days, until the bank decides on the next step.

The remaining executives will be given the title of region bank presidents with the responsibility of more employees under them.

The memo also revealed that the some of the executives have been able to retain their positions due to their interview results, performance, sales quality and tenure. Also, it said that some of the employees who have been laid off have chosen to retire whereas some did not prefer a new job.

After the restructuring, the retail bank will have 12 regional executives as was the case before the scandal. Only one of the executives, David Miree, is new. He is a former executive at Webster Bank.

However, troubles dont seem to end anytime soon for the bank, as news of Wells Fargos involvement in yet another scandal has hit the markets.

On Jul 27, Wells Fargo revealed that more than 500,000 customers have been overcharged for protection against vehicle loss or damage while making monthly loan payments. This led the clients to default on their loans and their vehicles were repossessed.

Thus, the bank will pay up to $80 million to the affected clients, which includes the extra compensation to be given to about 20,000 clients, who lost their cars in the process.

Shares of Wells Fargo dropped about 2.6% on Friday reflecting investors reaction to the news.

The bank has consistently taken measures to uplift its reputation since the fake accounts scandal. Also, it has gone through a lot of restructuring lately. However, its involvement in another scandal is likely to offset the related benefits.

Story continues

Wells Fargos shares have lost 3.3% year to date, underperforming the 5.1% growth for the industry it belongs to.

Currently, the stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some of the stocks in the financial space worth considering are include JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM, Hilltop Holding, Inc. HTH and Trustmark Corporation TRMK. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

JPMorgans Zacks Consensus Estimate witnessed an upward revision of nearly 2% for current-year earnings, over the past 60 days. Also, its share price has gained 43.1%, over the last one year.



Hilltop Holdings Zacks Consensus Estimates for the current-year earnings moved nearly 1% upward, over the past 60 days. Its share price has increased 19.1%, over the last one year.



Trustmarks current-year earnings estimates were revised 1.1% upward, over the past 60 days. Over the last one year, its share price has jumped 22.3%.

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RICHMOND, Va., July 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IPC is excited to announce to its customers that Mitel has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ShoreTel. Under the agreement, announced by the two companies today, Mitel will acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares of ShoreTel common stock in an all-cash transaction at a price of $7.50 per share. The combined entity will be headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and will operate as Mitel.

The transaction is expected to help Mitel accelerate its growth through strategic investment in cloud-based Unified-Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) technologies. ShoreTels Connect platform, which provides a seamless user experience across cloud and on-premises deployment models, is the ideal fit for Mitels strategy.

The two companies have complementary technology platforms, and a shared focused on cloud-based solutions and next-generation applications, said Jeff Andrews, Executive Vice President, IPC. Together, they will become the No. 2 player in the UCaaS market, representing 16 percent of the worldwide installed base. We believe that the combined strength of ShoreTel and Mitel will bring tremendous value to our customers.

On closing of the proposed transaction, the combined company will have approximately 4,200 employees and 3,200 channel partners. Mitel has a proven track record of success integrating acquired companies and driving substantial synergies through consolidation and supply chain efficiencies. Both Mitel and ShoreTel are committed to providing continued support and an attractive technology roadmap for both customers and partners.

We look forward to the opportunity of becoming a Mitel partner, and offering an expanded, industry-leading portfolio of communications and collaboration solutions backed by IPCs expertise, Andrews said. ShoreTels solutions will strengthen Mitels ability to provide enterprise-class solutions, whether cloud-based, on-premises or in mixed deployments. IPCs experienced team stands ready to deliver these solutions to customers.

About IPC

IPC delivers IT solutions that help organizations nationwide become more agile, productive and profitable. IPC specializes in award-winning IP communications, mobility and other key business-enabling technologies. IPC also delivers managed services, supplemental staffing and other services that maximize the efficiency of its customers operations. Founded in 1981, IPC is headquartered in Richmond, Va., and serves customers across the U.S. and around the world. IPC is a member of ShoreTels Champion Partner Circle of Excellence and has received numerous awards. For more information, call 1.877.9.IPCTEK or visit http://www.ipctech.com.
TORONTO, Aug. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Colombia Gold Corp. (TSX:GCM) announced today that its strategy to aggressively reduce its debt resulted in a US$3.6 million decrease in its Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2020 (the 2020 Debentures) (TSX:GCM.DB.V) in July 2017. As a result, the issued and outstanding principal amount of the 2020 Debentures is currently US$48,819,786.



Serafino Iacono, Executive Co-Chairman of Gran Colombia, said We have continued to make progress in our initiative to reduce our senior debt ahead of maturity. With the partial redemption and further open market repurchases we have completed in July, the US$3.6 million decrease in our senior convertible debt eliminates the potential dilution to our equity holders by approximately 1.9 million shares, equivalent to approximately 2% of total shares on a fully diluted basis (excluding stock options and warrants), and saves future interest costs of about US$530,000.

On July 31, 2017, the Company completed the previously announced partial redemption at par of US$3,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 2020 Debentures. This partial redemption represents approximately 5.8% of the total 2020 Debentures issued and outstanding. The Company paid a redemption amount of US$1.00 for each US$1.00 principal amount of 2020 Debentures being redeemed, equivalent to a pro-rata payment to holders of approximately US$0.05789 for each US$1.00 principal amount of 2020 Debentures issued and outstanding. Pursuant to the indenture, the partial redemption was not applicable to the Senior Secured Convertible Debentures due 2024.

The Company also announced today that it used funds available in the sinking fund for the 2020 Debentures in July 2017 to complete additional purchases at a discount in the open market under its normal course issuer bid (NCIB) totaling US$643,000 aggregate principal amount of 2020 Debentures, which were subsequently cancelled. This brings the cumulative aggregate principal amount of 2020 Debentures repurchased and cancelled under the Companys current and prior NCIB to US$4,518,648.

About Gran Colombia Gold Corp.

Gran Colombia is a Canadian-based gold and silver exploration, development and production company with its primary focus in Colombia. Gran Colombia is currently the largest underground gold and silver producer in Colombia with several underground mines in operation at its Segovia and Marmato Operations. Gran Colombia is continuing its expansion and modernization activities at its high-grade Segovia Operations.

Additional information on Gran Colombia can be found on its website at www.grancolombiagold.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:



This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the anticipated partial redemption of 2020 Debentures, production guidance and anticipated business plans or strategies. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Gran Colombia to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 30, 2017, which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Gran Colombia disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. 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, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
New York City/Sindhuli, Nepal, Aug. 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Two years after the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal and killed more than eight thousand people, CITTA is opening The Doctor Christopher Barley Hospital in Sindhuli. When I was here doing search and rescue work two years ago, I promised that we would not forget the people of Nepal and that we would be back, says NYC internist Dr. Christopher Barley. Now, I am pleased to say we are.

The new hospital in Sindhuli, approximately four hours from Katmandu, has 20 beds and will be the only hospital to serve an area of 50,000 people. Medical care is urgently needed across Nepal, but especially in the area affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and deadly aftershocks in 2015.

CITTA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing proper healthcare and educational opportunities to economically challenged, remote, and marginalized countries. CITTA recently raised $150,000 at its first Annual Winter Gala to assist the Sindhuli community. These donations help provide medical equipment and resources for The Doctor Christopher Barley Hospital. A donation of $500 funds a nurses salary for one month, a donation of $10,000 provides an ambulance, and a donation of $25,000 provides an X-Ray machine. We would like to thank each and every one of our donors for helping us change lives and provide necessary healthcare services for patients in need. If you would like to donate, please visit our website at the following link: https://citta.org/donate/

Dr. Christopher Barleys medical career has been dedicated to addressing both the concerns of his individual patients and, at the same time, the political issues and causes that impact medical care in our society and throughout the world.

Dr. Barley has built a highly respected internal medicine practice in New York City at which he treats some of New Yorks most influential citizens, as well as royalty. After attending medical school at George Washington University in the nations capital, he completed his residency in Internal Medicine in 1996 at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Barley is a Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine.

The Doctor Christopher Barley Hospital In Sindhuli  Opening Ceremony Overview:

August 5, 2017 at 10AM Nepal Local Time (12:15AM Eastern Standard Time).

Attendees include Present of CITTA, Dr. Barley, Executive Director of CITTA, Michael Daube, various local politicians, and patients who will benefit from the hospital.

The hospital was built with funds from CITTA, a New York State 501c3 charitable organization. To donate, please visit https://citta.org/donate/.

Contact Information:

Phone: (212) 758-3590

Email: citta@barleymd.com
Re: According to some estimates, over 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emi [ #permalink

1 Kudos

The conjunction while can be used to indicate contrast, but it can also be used to mean that two actions are parallel in time; thus, it is somewhat ambiguous as used in the original sentence. In addition, the non-underlined portion of the sentence sets up a comparison between the percentage of American carbon dioxide emissions that come from cars driven in the U.S. and the percentage of Japanese carbon dioxide emissions that come from cars driven in Japan. In the underlined portion of the original sentence, however, this comparison is lost because the phrase just over 10 percent of carbon dioxide does not clearly refer to the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted in Japan. Thus, you can eliminate Choice A. Since there is no 2/3 split, go through your remaining answer choices aiming to make your comparison parallel and logical. In addition, be on the lookout for a conjunction that is clearer than while.



In Choice B, the conjunction whereas clearly indicates a contrast, and the comparison mentioned above is parallel and logical, so keep choice B.



You can eliminate Choice C because the phrase compared to Japan renders the comparison set up in the non-underlined portion illogical and nonparallel. In addition, what the automobiles release is not specified. Choice D starts off well with the proper conjunction whereas, but the phrase just over 10 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted does not clearly refer to the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted in Japan. Thus, eliminate Choice D. Last, you can eliminate Choice E because the preposition with is an illogical connecting word and the phrase with the carbon dioxide from automobiles in Japan lacks a verb to parallel comes from in the non-underlined portion of the sentence, rendering the sentence's comparison nonparallel and illogical. In addition, the dependent clause where it is just over 10 percent does not clearly refer to the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted in Japan, so this clause does nothing to clarify the sentence's comparison. Furthermore, the pronoun it is ambiguous. Not three but four strikes against Choice E! That leaves you with Choice B, the correct answer.
Our students got a chance to refine their career focus. They got to branch out and start giving back to other students through their other work on campus. Most traveled overseas for leisure or for global business school experiences.



In fact, two of our five studentsAlejandro Bolivar-Cervoni (Washington University in St. Louis) and Tite Jean-Pierre (University of Rochester)met for the first time during an MBA exchange program in Germany.



Over the past year and a half, we had followed each others own professional growth without having met in person, Alejandro said. When we finally connected in Germany for class, it was as if I was connecting with a long-lost cousin.



With another Consortium Orientation Program just a few months away, and a fresh class of students about to begin business school, this is the last in our series of blog posts following five members of the class of 2018. They started at OP in St. Louis in June 2016. Weve been following Alejandro; Elva Garza (Indiana University-Bloomington); Tite; Tazia Middleton (University of California, Los Angeles); and Tobby Yi (Yale University), who was unable to participate in this last installment.



How was the first semester of your second and final year in business school? Was it more or less difficult than you expected? Why or why not?



Tazia Middleton (right) with classmates at UCLA Anderson.



Tazias response was not unlike what her fellow class members at other schools reported: The first semester of my second year was great because I could focus my energy in the areas that were most important to me. Having already completed a lot of my graduation requirements, I chose to take classes that aligned with my interests and dedicate my free time to leadership activities.



Alejandro took a part-time job at WashU, consulting in the career center by helping students with mock interviews and editing cover letters and resumes. Elva made sure she hit as many guest lectures as possible, taking advantage of being a student.



This was when I really started getting to work and had the opportunity to impact change with some of the organizations that I took leadership roles in, Tite said.



To what degree are you preoccupied at this point with finding a job after graduation? Have you already found one? Can you talk about it? If not, how are you feeling about where things stand right now?

Tite and Alejandro are in the process of weighing some opportunities. Meanwhile, Tazia and Elva (pictured at top) were offeredand have acceptedfull-time jobs at the places they worked over the summer as interns: Tazia at Boston Consulting Group and Elva at Starbucks.



I have identified key factors in my job-hunting process: coaching and mentorship; location in a large city; and career progression, Alejandro said. I have been very grateful to Olin alumni, who despite their busy schedules, have made time for me to chat with them about their day-to-day roles and about the corporate cultures across their companies and departments.



What has been the most rewarding part of your business school experience up to this point? Why?



Alejandro Bolivar-Cervoni (WashU) traveling in Lisbon, Portugal.



There is not enough space to talk about this, Elva said. I would have to say its the people I have met along the way, new lifetime friends, professional connections and inspiring industry leaders. Oh! And traveling!



Tite made note of the travel as well. Her program at Rochester gave her opportunities to visit Israel, South Africa and Germany. Likewise, Alejandro is spending his spring 2018 semester studying abroad at WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management in Dusseldorf, Germany. He also traveled to Moldova and Kazakhstan.



I was interested in studying abroad because in todays increasingly globalized environment, a deeper understanding of other business cultures is necessary, he said.



For Tazia, her experience was enriched by the chance to work directly in the diversity and inclusion space at UCLA as the vice president of diversity for the Anderson Student Association. It gave me the opportunity to be a key decision maker on issues impacting the entire student body, as well as plan and host a conference for 100+ diverse prospective students, she said.



Conversely, what do you wish you could do over now, with the benefit of hindsight?

At the same time, Tazia admits that she would have liked more time with her classmates. As graduation nears and we all prepare to go our separate ways, I find myself feeling sad that I wont be able to hang out with these amazing people on a regular basis anymore, she said. Im definitely trying to make the most of my time with them during the final stretch.



Tite may have come into business school too focused on where she thought she would be headed. If I could do over any aspect of this MBA journey, it would be in finding the balance between choosing, following, and pursuing a career pathwhile keeping an open mind and exploring different functions and industries, she said. Focus is great, but it is just as important to keep an open mind and dedicate some time to exploring unchartered territories.



Has The Consortium network been helpful in aiding your progress in business school? Why or why not?

Tite also recalls that it was a Consortium alumna who helped her move business school from thought to reality. While OP was an exciting opportunity, she hopes that The Consortium can continue increasing its link with students, extending career resources, after they start business school.



At the same time, the network has been invaluable. I recall many times when I reached out to a member or alumni of the network, at any member school, and received great responses and quick aid in my prompt, she said.



Elva concurred on the immense value of the networkstudents who supported her through class as well as alumni for helping me convert to a full-time offer at Starbucks.



The CGSM classmates were the people who I leaned on most when school got tough and recruiting seemed to be taking up all my time, Tazia said. We studied together, interview prepped together, and most importantly, let loose together.



Finally, for Alejandrowho has family members who have been affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Ricothe connection has been a source of emotional, as well as career support.



I have been honored to have been invited to speak twice at Consortium fundraisers in St. Louis, he said. I could not ask for a better forum to express my gratitude for how much The Consortium has transformed my life.



In case you missed our earlier installments, heres part one of the series as the students began business school (from Sept. 27, 2016); part two as they adjusted to the rigors of their programs (from Dec. 1, 2016); and part three as they were about to start their summer internships (on March 30, 2017). Finally, heres part four as they reflected on the experiences they had over the summerincluding their internships.



The post Following our 5 students: Opportunity, travel and gratitude appeared first on The Consortium.
orange

are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun but have never been sighted on

are visible as

have never been sighted

are visible as

never have been sighted

appear on the surface of the Sun as

never sighted

appear as

never having been sighted

appear as

have never been sighted

1. How they begin: visible as / appear as

2. Verb tense: have been sighted / sighted / having been sighted

Let's start with #1 on our list because it'll eliminate the most options to get us started!

Visible

Appear

visible

Therefore, we can eliminate options C, D, and E because they use the more vague "appear," rather than the clearer term "visible."

visible

but have never been sighted on

CORRECT

visible

that never have been sighted on the surface of the Sun

INCORRECT

can

they have never been sighted on the surface

There you go - option A is the correct choice! It uses clear terminology and makes logical sense!

Now, I'm sure you're wondering what would happen if we tackled #2 on the list instead. Here is how we could break down this question based on verb tenses:



have never been sighted on

CORRECT

that never have been sighted

INCORRECT

sighted

INCORRECT

having been sighted at

INCORRECT

appear

have never been sighted

INCORRECT

As you can see, starting your process with #2 on our list is much more complicated and doesn't help you eliminate large chunks of options easily. You can certainly answer a question this way, but it may take you MUCH longer to arrive at the correct answer!

Hello Everyone!Let's take a closer look at this question, one issue at a time, and narrow it down to the correct choice! Before we dive in, here is the original question, with any major differences between each option highlighted inSunspots, vortices of gas associated with strong electromagnetic activity,the Suns poles or equator.(A)dark spots on the surface of the Sun buton(B)dark spots thaton the surface of the Sun(C)dark spots althoughat(D)dark spots on the surface of the Sun, althoughat(E)dark spots on the Sun's surface, whichonAfter a quick glance over the options, a couple major differences jump out:It's always a good idea to start with any issue that will eliminate 2-3 options at once.While it may seem that appear and visible are interchangeable terms, they do mean slightly different things:= The object already exists, is not moving, and you are able to see it. (The stop sign is visible from a distance of 200 yards.)= The object is created as you're looking, or it moves into your path of vision. (My dog appears at my feet when he's ready to go for a walk.)It makes more sense in this context to say that sunspots areon the surface of the Sun. They already exist, and they aren't moving into your vision path - they are stationary. The sentence is merely stating that you are able to see them, not that they move around or are created in front of your very eyes.Now that we have it narrowed down to only 2 options, let's take a closer look at the remaining options:(A) areas dark spots on the surface of the SunThis option is! It uses the clear term "visible" to describe sunspots, and it makes logical sense to use "have never been sighted" to refer only to the poles and equator.(B) areas dark spotsThis isbecause it drastically changes the original meaning of the sentence! The original sentence states that wesee sunspots on the surface of the Sun, with the exception of the poles and equator. This sentence says, which isn't true!**************************************************************************************************************(A) are visible as dark spots on the surface of the Sun butThis isbecause it uses the correct verb tense (present perfect) to show that they weren't found in the past, and haven't been found in the present too.(B) are visible as dark spotson the surface of the SunWhile this sentence uses the correct verb tense, the location of the verb is wrong! In this case, it's referring to the surface of the Sun, which doesn't make sense - we CAN see sunspots on the surface! This isbecause it drastically changes the intended meaning, which is a big no-no on the GMAT!(C) appear on the surface of the Sun as dark spots although neveratThis isbecause it uses past tense to show that the sunspots were not visible in the past, but says nothing about the present. The original sentence suggests that the sunspots are still not visible on the poles or equator today, so we need to use present perfect tense to show that.(D) appear as dark spots on the surface of the Sun, although neverThis option isfor a couple reasons. First, it doesn't make sense to say that sunspots aren't visible AT the poles or equator - it's clearer to say they aren't visible ON those areas. Second, it uses the wrong verb tense (past perfect) in passive voice, which changes the meaning somewhat. This states that sunspots were not visible on the poles and equator in the past, but doesn't say anything about the present!(E)as dark spots on the Sun's surface, whichonThis option does use the correct verb tense, but it is stillbecause it uses the term "appear" rather than "visible," which is much clearer.Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it._________________
In recent times talented young Africans have been coming out to show off unique skills such as manufacturing cars, building aircraft among other things.

In Ghana, a talented young man identified as Okuoba Nana Akomeah shows off his skill as he unveiled an electronic bed proudly made by him.

On Tuesday, July 25, Adam Issahak took to his Facebook profile to post the pictures with the caption: Get your electronic bed made in Ghana by my master Okuoba Nana Akomeah director of O and p company Ltd. Throw your yam away and come get your electronic, we are now in tamale come now, call my master or WhatsApp him on this number 0244210992.

READ ALSO: Senator Dino Melaye takes time off to rest in London (photos)

See post below:

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When he was contacted Akomeah disclosed to Legit.ng that he makes the bed for 8,500 Ghana Cedis which is about N610,000 when converted to Naira and they are available for shipping outside Ghana.

It could be recalled that on Monday, July 31, a young man from Anambra state, Succeed Ani, took to his Facebook handle to disclose that he was the one who constructed the electronic bed.

See his post below:

Watch Legit.ng video below:

Source: Legit.ng
Leading Venezuelan opposition figures Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma have been taken from their homes, according to tweets from their families.

"They just took Leopoldo from the house. We do not know where he is or where he is being taken. Maduro is responsible if something happens to him," Lopez's wife Lilian Tintori tweeted early Tuesday morning, referring to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has cracked down on opposition leaders as tensions are once again ratcheted in the Latin American nation.

Lopez, who was released from military prison to house arrest in July, was taken from his home shortly after midnight, his wife said on social media. Tintori also posted video that she says shows her husband being taken away.

It's not confirmed who took him or where he was taken, but the video posted by Tintori shows Lopez being driven away in a car marked "SEBIN," an abbreviation for the Venezuelan intelligence service.

Two weeks ago he called for Venezuelans to keep up protests in a 15-minute video posted online. At the time he called Maduro and his supporters a "very clear threat," saying their goal is to undermine democracy and achieve the "absolute submission of the Venezuelan people."

Ledezma, the former mayor of Caracas and a prominent opposition figure, was also taken from his home by SEBIN, according to tweets from his wife and children.

His daughter, Oriette Ledezma, denounced the move, saying in a video statement: "He was taken from his home today, early this morning. He was in pajamas. We don't know where he was taken. A group of men came with their faces concealed and in camouflage and they took him. They have kidnapped him once again. We hold the regime responsible for his life and physical integrity."

CNN has reached out to the Ministry of Communications for comment.

Vocal opponents

Lopez' detention, which began in early 2014 over accusations of inciting anti-government protests, had been a rallying cry for anti-regime demonstrators. He's been under house arrest since early July.

Lopez has long been a vocal opponent of the socialists in power and was banned in 2008 from running for office on accusations of corruption.

He described the banning as political retribution. An international human rights court cleared him in 2011, but the Venezuelan Supreme Court upheld the ban.

In February 2014, at least three people were killed during an anti-government protest in the capital, and authorities blamed him for the violence. He turned himself in, and was sentenced in 2015 to nearly 14 years in prison.

The two men's removal from their homes come after a controversial election Sunday establishing a new legislative body made up entirely of Maduro supporters.

Fundamental shift

In that vote, Maduro declared a victory in a vote that much of the world -- and many of his own citizens -- have called a sham and an assault on democracy.

The election could replace the current legislative body, the National Assembly, with a new, 545-member Constituent Assembly, made up entirely of his supporters.

Venezuela's attorney general lambasted the election.

"This is the end of freedom of expression, and this freedom has been battered for some time now," Attorney General Luisa Ortega said Monday.

The new, pro-Maduro assembly will have the power to rewrite Venezuela's constitution.

"We have a Constituent Assembly. I said, come hell or high water -- and hell and high water came -- and the Constituent Assembly arrived from the hand of the people, from its conscience," Maduro said following the vote.

The voting followed weeks of violent street protests in which many people have been killed or injured.

On Sunday the death toll rose sharply with at least ten people -- including two teenagers -- killed at protests. A National Guard officer was also reported dead by the attorney general's office. So far, 125 people have been killed in the ongoing unrest since early April.

Sanctions

The US Treasury Department slapped sanctions on Maduro following the vote, sending a clear signal of President Donald Trump's administration's opposition to his regime.

"Yesterday's illegitimate elections confirm that Maduro is a dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement announcing the latest sanctions on the Latin American country.

Beginning on Monday, all of the Venezuelan's president's assets that are subject to US jurisdiction will be frozen. All US citizens are also barred from dealing with him, according to the Treasury.

CNN's Flora Charner reported from Caracas, Euan McKirdy wrote from Hong Kong. CNN's Sarah Faidell, Daniel Silva Fernandez, Julia Jones, Marilia Brocchetto, Natalie Gallon and Holly Yan, and CNN Money's Donna Borak and Patrick Gillespie, contributed to this report.
- Abimbola is a Nigerian photographer who discovered a girl with unique eye colour

- She went to Mile 12 market to invite Peace the girl with the eyes for professional studio session but was stopped

- The other marketers convinced the girls mum that Abimbola was a kidnapper

Legit.ng earlier reported the discovery of a Nigerian girl with coloured eyes by female photographer.

READ ALSO: Mercy Aigbes marriage woes allegedly take a new turn

The female photographer who found the unique eye-coloured girl shared details of her experience when she went back to Mile 12 market to ask the same girl for a photo shoot session.

According to the Abimbola, she wanted to give the girl a chance to become famous and successful by taking more shots of her which she believed the public would like following their reaction to the first one.

Source: Facebook, Abimbola

On reaching the market, Abimbola decided to explain her plans to the girl's mother. To her surprise other market women were jealous and convinced the woman to not let her daughter try her chance at possible success. Worst, Abimbola was tagged a kidnapper.

READ ALSO: JJC speaks on how his kids met Funke Akindele

She said: "I can't believe how ignorant and envious people can be... I went to meet peace where her mum sells Ugwu and I was almost eaten raw by the Ugwu sellers there... I was so disoriented! Peace' Mum didn't complain, I already spoke with her Dad and he was grateful but these women couldn't hide their jealousy, they made a scene and almost tagged me a kidnapper...people started gathering. The envious Ugwu women said they saw her pictures everywhere on the internet that she was too young, I asked them if she was too young to be successful? These women were trying to convince her mum not to allow me take her to the studio for professional photos. They even blamed her for allowing me to take the pictures in the first place. That's when it became so obvious that it was jealousy!"

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Watch Legit.ng video on a family of six children with four born blind:

Source: Legit.ng
Jul 31, 2017 12:00 AM

Author: Suzanne Young

Botox is a common go-to for people trying to combat the effects of aging. The injections are made of Botulinum toxins that can cause muscle paralysis when injected into skeletal muscles. In simpler terms, these toxins have the ability to reduce or stop a muscles ability to move, which decreases skin wrinkling.

Botox is most commonly used to reduce wrinkling caused by animation like frowning, smiling, squinting, and is a great anti-aging solution for many people. However, what about in people who arent seeing the effects of aging, like those in their teens or 20s? Could Botox benefit them? Or are there any risks in getting Botox too soon?

There is no risk to getting Botox too early, its just a waste of money, said Cori Agarwal, MD, a plastic surgeon at University of Utah Health, We dont know of any downside of starting too early, but also, no benefit.

Agarwal says that people do not need to start Botox until their skin starts to lose elasticity. One way to recognize a loss in elasticity is to notice if lines from facial reactions remain after youve stopped making that reaction, which typically occurs in your thirties.

Dr. Agarwal breaks down the pros and cons of Botox:

Pros

Wrinkle prevention

Eliminate existing wrinkles

Smooth out facial expressions

Low-risk

Cons

Expensive

ToleranceRequires more Botox as you get older to see the same effect

Short-lastingOne treatment lasts three months so patients are encouraged to get Botox 3-4 times a year for consistent results

Droopy eyeIf Botox is injected above the eyebrows or between the eyes, there is a low risk it can leak over the eye and cause a temporary droopy eye

Temporary bruising

Dr. Agarwal says Botox is a great solution to consider for both men and women. She counsels that whether to prevent aging, eliminate wrinkles, or create a friendlier countenance, its probably wise to wait until your thirties.
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
Did your head spin when Utahs Orrin Hatch, a true conservative and the Senates longest-serving Republican, emerged last week as the most eloquent spokesman for transgender rights? Credit the Trump boomerang effect. Much has been said about White House dysfunction and how little President Donald Trump has accomplished in his first six months. But thats not the whole story: In Washington and around the world, in some surprising ways, things are happeningbut they are precisely the opposite of what Trump wanted and predicted when he was sworn in.

The boomerang struck first in Europe. Following his election last November, and the British vote last June to leave the European Union, anti- immigrant nationalists were poised to sweep to power across the continent. In the wake of the electoral victories of the Brexit campaign and Donald Trump, right-wing populism in the rich world has appeared unstoppable, the Economist wrote. Russian President Vladimir Putin would gain allies, the European Union would fracture.

But European voters, sobered by the spectacle on view in Washington, moved the other way.

In March, the Netherlands rejected an anti- immigrant party in favor of a mainstream, conservative coalition. In May, French voters spurned the Putin- loving, immigrant-bashing Marine Le Pen in favor of centrist Emmanuel Macron, who went on to win an overwhelming majority in Parliament and began trying to strengthen, not weaken, the EU

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom Trump belittled for having allowed so many refugees into her country, has grown steadily more popular in advance of a September election.

Trumps win seemed certain to bring U.S.-Russian ties out of the deep freeze. Again, the opposite has happened. Congress, which cant agree on anything, came close to unanimity last week in endorsing tough, Trump-proof sanctions against the Putin regime. Russia is expelling diplomats and seizing U.S. diplomatic properties. The new Cold War is colder than ever.

The third sure thing, once Republicans took control, was the quick demise of Obamacare. We saw last week how that turned out. But heres the boomerang effect: Obamacare is not just hanging on but becoming more popular the more Trump tries to bury it. And if he now tries to mismanage Obamacare to its death, we may boomerang all the way to single-payer health insurance. This years debate showed that most Americans now believe everyone should have access to health care. If the private insurance market is made to seem undependable, the fallback wont be Trumpcare. It will be Medicare for all.

Once you start looking, you find the boomerang at work in many surprising places. Trumps flirting with a ban on Muslim immigration encouraged federal judges to encroach on executive power over visa policy. Firing FBI Director James Comey entrenched the Russia investigation far more deeply. Withdrawing from the Paris climate treaty spurred states from California to Virginia to toughen their policies on global warming. Threatening the research budget may have strengthened theNational Institutes of Healths hand in Washington. And so on.

The boomerang effect is no panacea. Trump can still do grave damage at home and abroad in the next 3 years. If he undermined Obamacare, millions of people would suffer before we got to single-payer. Nationalist governments ensconced in parts of Eastern Europe could still draw strength from Trump. The absence of U.S. leadership in the world leaves ample ground for others to cause trouble.

But Trumps policies are turning against him, and not only because his execution has been so ham-handed. The key factor is that so many of his policies run so counter to the grain of cherished values and ideals.

It turns out that Americans really dont like the idea of poor people not being able to see a doctor. We dont feel right cozying up to a dictator whose domestic opponents are rubbed out and whose neighboring countries are invaded and occupied.

And even if some Americans dont know all that much about transgender people, it turns out we are less comfortable treating anyone as a burden, as Trump said in his tweet, than in valuing every individuals service, a spirit that Hatch captured in his straightforward, humane response.

I dont think we should be discriminating against anyone, Hatch said. Transgender people are people, and deserve the best we can do for them.

And Americans arent unique. Millions of people in Europe and around the world are just as appalled by the scapegoating of minorities and the celebration of police brutality.

That has an effect. Maybe Newtons third law of motion doesnt translate perfectly into the political sphere, but a version of it applies: For every malignant or bigoted action, there will be an opposite reaction. And you can never be sure where it will begin.

Fred Hiatt is the editorial page editor of The Washington Post.
Chinese President Xi Jinping says his country will do everything possible to keep its territory from being taken by outside forces.

Xis comments came during a speech Tuesday marking the 90th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army, or PLA. He spoke to government officials and military leaders inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

We absolutely will not permit any person, any organization, any political party - at any time, in any form - to separate any piece of Chinese territory from China," Xi said.

He added: No one should expect us to swallow the bitter fruit of damage to our sovereignty, security and development interests.

Xi said the Chinese people are peaceful and the country does not seek to invade or expand. However, we have the confidence to conquer all forms of invasion," he added.

The Chinese leader did not name any conflicts or disputes during the speech.

China is currently involved in several territorial disputes. These include conflicting claims to areas of the South China Sea. China has ignored competing claims to the sea by five of its neighbors. In some areas, China has created man-made islands and built military bases on them. This has led to other governments in the area setting up their own bases.

In addition, China has a territorial dispute with Japan over islands in the East China Sea.

China has threatened to use force to retake Taiwan if necessary. China considers self-governing Taiwan a part of its territory and wants to eventually reunite the island with the mainland.

Also, China is currently in a dispute with India over a Chinese road-building project in the eastern Himalayas. The dispute is in an area claimed by both China and Bhutan, a close ally of India.

Xi serves as commander of the PLA. In his speech, he said the military's highest loyalty is to the ruling Communist Party.

The PLA has greatly increased its spending and modernization in recent years. China has sought to develop new high-technology fighter airplanes and navy ships, including aircraft carriers.

Xi said China was now closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than any other time in history. For this reason, he said now is the most important time to continue building a strong military.

Xis speech came after he oversaw a large military parade Sunday held at a military training base in China's Inner Mongolia region.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Xinhua news agency. Mario Ritter 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

bitter  adj. having a strong, sour or unpleasant taste

sovereignty  n. a countrys power to govern itself

confidence  n. feeling or belief that something is true or will happen

conquer  v. take control of or defeat in war

rejuvenation  n. giving new strength or energy

region - n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way
Kenya's national police force says it is investigating the killing of a top election official.

Christopher Msando was found dead Monday, a little more than a week before the country holds general elections.

The inspector general of the National Police Service, Joseph Boinnet, said in a statement that Msando's body had been discovered earlier but was identified Monday.

Boinnet said police are following important clues to the crime. The two-page statement does not explain the cause of death.

Msando was manager of technology operations for Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, or the IEBC. He is said to have had knowledge of the technology being used for the August 8 elections.

Wafula Chebukati is the chairman of the IEBC. He said Monday there is no doubt Msando was "tortured and killed." However, he said it is unclear why he was killed.

Chebukati asked the government to provide security for all IEBC workers so that Kenyans can have a free and fair election.

The statement from inspector general Boinnet said police will work with the IEBC to provide all employees security so they can carry out their duties.

In a statement Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec and British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey said their countries are "gravely concerned by the murder." They said both countries have offered to help with the investigation.

The diplomats said, "It is critical that Kenya has free, fair, credible and peaceful elections on August 8, and protection for IEBC staff is essential to achieving this goal."

Fears of violence have increased as the election nears. Opposition parties have accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of seeking to cheat during the vote. At the same time, Kenyatta has said his main opponent, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, is trying to divide the nations ethnic groups.

Odinga lost a disputed presidential election in 2007. More than 1,100 people died during violence that followed the vote.

Barasa Nyukuri is a Kenyan law and elections expert. He told VOA's Swahili Service that the killing may be an attempt to frighten the IEBC.

He also warned that Msando's death "could damage voters' confidence on the commission unless the IEBC leadership comes out strongly to reassure the people."

Im Jonathan Evans.

Jill Craig reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson 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

gravely - adv. very serious; requiring or causing serious thought or concern

critical adj. very important

essential adj. very important

achieve v. to get or to reach by effort

confidence n. a feeling that something can be done

reassure - v. to make someone feel less afraid, upset, or doubtful
U.S. President Donald Trump swore in a new chief of staff for the White House on Monday. Hours later, the communications director resigned after only ten days on the job.

Trump administration officials said in a statement that Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House Communications Director.

Scaramucci left just hours after Trump officially welcomed retired General John Kelly as his chief of staff. The White House statement read, Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team.

Scaramucci was named to the position on July 21. His appointment led to the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer on the same day. Scaramucci then accused chief of staff Reince Priebus of leaking information about him. He also threatened to fire the rest of the White House communications team.

In a late-night telephone call to reporter Ryan Lizza of The New Yorker, Scaramucci used profane language to talk about Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Trump announced that he would appoint John Kelly as his new chief of staff replacing Priebus last Friday.

On Monday, Trump tweeted No WH [White House] chaos before holding a Cabinet meeting with John Kelly at his side. Seated across from Trump was Attorney General Jeff Sessions who has remained in his position, although the president has criticized him.

Youre fired!

Before campaigning for the presidency, Trump was the host of The Apprentice, a reality television show. He was then known for saying the phrase, Youre fired! on the program.

As president, one of Trumps first appointments was retired General Michael Flynn. Trump named Flynn national security adviser in January. However, Flynn resigned 23 days later when it became known that he did not reveal his meeting with Russias ambassador to the U.S.

Trump removed Acting Attorney General Sally Yates on January 30. She had refused to enforce or defend an executive order. The order placed a travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Then on May 9, Trump dismissed Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation James Comey. Comeys firing led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller to oversee the investigation of Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 election and related matters.

Mike Dubke, the presidents first communications director, resigned later in May, after two months on the job. Then-press secretary Sean Spicer took over as acting communications director.

However, the position remained open for another two months before Scaramuccis appointment.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

clean slate idiom to make a fresh start

profane adj. to treat something (often sacred) with disrespect, something base or improper

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the election for a new constitutional assembly was a victory for his government. Opponents of the election called the voting a fraud.

Government officials said more than 8 million people voted in Sundays election to choose a new legislature to rewrite the constitution. This represented more than 41 percent of voters, according to Venezuela's National Electoral Council.

Maduro said the official results proved he has the popular support needed to carry out his political policies. In a speech to supporters, he called the election "the biggest vote the revolution has ever scored in its 18-year history." He was referring to when the late president Hugo Chavez came to power in 1999.

Opposition leaders estimated the actual number of voters at about 2.5 million. Polls had shown more than 70 percent of Venezuelans opposed the constitutional assembly. The opposition urged people to boycott the vote, saying it would be rigged for Maduros ruling socialist party.

Many nations had called on Maduro to cancel the election, fearing creation of the 545-member assembly would worsen the political situation and increase violence. Venezuelas opposition says the legislative body gives Maduro nearly unlimited powers and will result in a socialist dictatorship.

The U.S. government criticized the vote. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the flawed election took away the people's right to self-determination. She added that the U.S. would move forward with strong and swift economic actions against Maduros government.

A number of other governments also protested the election and said they would not recognize the results. These included Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and the European Union representing 28 nations.

During the voting, Venezuelan officials reported 10 deaths from clashes between protesters and police. Seven police officers were injured in an explosion that went off as they drove past a street blockade in eastern Caracas.

Anti-government unrest in the months leading up to the election has left more than 120 people dead and nearly 2,000 wounded.

Maduro has said a new constitution is the only way to end such violence. The new assembly is expected to begin governing within a week.

Opposition leaders have called for more street demonstrations to protest the results. Large protests held before the vote were not successful in pressuring the government to back down.

Political observers note that Maduro currently enjoys the loyalty of the countrys armed forces, making it more difficult for the opposition movement to cause real change.

Geoff Ramsey is a researcher at the Washington Office on Latin America. He told VOA the military support goes back many years to the previous Chavez government. He said army commanders have been given many benefits in exchange for their loyalty, in a system that continues today.

However, Ramsey added that this could change in the future if the level of Maduros repression creates a clear division within the armed forces.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for Learning English based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. 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

fraud  n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person

rigged  adj. influenced in a dishonest way to get a desired result

flawed  adj. having a mistake, fault or weakness

self-determination  n. right of people to choose the form of government they desire

swift  adj. quick, fast

benefit  n. something that helps or gives an advantage
(HealthDay)Some research has raised concerns about the safety of aspirin for heart failure patients. But a new study appears to offer some reassurance.

The study, of over 2,300 patients, found that those on daily aspirin were not at heightened risk of being hospitalized for, or dying from, heart failure.

That has been a concern because, in theory, aspirin could interfere with the benefits of certain heart failure drugs, explained Dr. Shunichi Homma, the senior researcher on the study.

Plus, two past studies have linked aspirin use to an increased risk of heart failure complications.

But the new study, which compared aspirin to warfarin, a blood thinner, was larger and longer-termfollowing patients in 168 centers in 11 countries over 10 years.

"I think this should allay fears that there might be a detrimental effect of prescribing aspirin," said Homma. He is deputy chief of cardiology at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, in New York City.

Homma and his colleagues reported the findings in the July 31 online issue of JACC: Heart Failure.

Dr. Christopher O'Connor is a cardiologist and editor-in-chief of the journal.

He agreed that the findings are reassuring. Compared with the earlier, smaller studies, O'Connor said, "this one is probably closer to the truth."

O'Connor said he thinks the results have "immediate implications" for heart failure care.

Close to 6 million Americans have heart failure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It's a chronic condition in which the heart muscle can no longer pump blood efficiently enough to meet the body's needs. That causes symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness and swelling in the limbs.

Often, heart failure is caused by damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack or coronary artery disease. And, in general, those patients should be on aspirin to limit the risk of a first-time or repeat heart attack, O'Connor said.

The trouble is, there have been concerns that aspirin could interfere with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)two drug classes that are key in managing heart failure. Those drugs boost compounds called prostaglandins in the blood, whereas aspirin reduces them.

For the new study, Homma's team analyzed data from a clinical trial in which heart failure patients were randomly assigned to take either aspirin or warfarin, which is used to prevent blood clots.

Patients in the aspirin group took 325 milligrams per day.

Over 10 years, just over 19 percent of aspirin patients were hospitalized for heart failure, or died of the disease. That compared with just under 23 percent of warfarin users, the findings showed.

Homma's team also accounted for other factors, including patients' age and heart disease severity. In the end, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in their risk of heart failure complications.

To O'Connor, the bottom line for heart failure patients is straightforward: "If you're on aspirin for a guideline-recommended indication," he said, "keep taking it."

Of course, aspirin is not without risks. It can cause bleeding in the digestive tract, or even contribute to a hemorrhagic (bleeding) stroke.

So patients should never take aspirin on their own, without a doctor's guidance, Homma said.

Dr. Susan Graham, a cardiologist who also worked on the study, made a broader point: Heart patientsand older adults, in generalare often taking many prescription drugs at any given time.

"That speaks to the importance of studying potential drug interactions," said Graham, a professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo, in New York.

"We have to stay on our toes to make sure that we're doing the right thing," she said.

Homma and some of his colleagues on the study reported receiving research funding or fees from the pharmaceutical industry.

More information: Shunichi Homma, M.D., deputy chief, cardiology, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York City; Susan Graham, M.D., professor, medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y.; Christopher O'Connor, M.D., editor-in-chief, JACC: Heart Failure; July 31, 2017, JACC: Heart Failure, online Shunichi Homma, M.D., deputy chief, cardiology, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York City; Susan Graham, M.D., professor, medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y.; Christopher O'Connor, M.D., editor-in-chief,; July 31, 2017,, online The American Heart Association has more on heart failure treatment.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Tobacco companies have stepped up efforts to minimise the impact of the open display ban on their products in convenience stores or 'corner shops' in Scotland, by offering retailers a new range of incentives to prioritise their brands, reveals research published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

Scotland banned all point of sale displays of tobacco products in supermarkets with more than 280 m2 of retail space in 2013, and in small shops from 2015 onwards.

But prompted by reports that tobacco companies were using financial incentives to try and minimise the impact of the ban in Canada and Australia, the researchers wanted to see if similar practices were going on in Scottish 'corner shops'/convenience stores.

They therefore interviewed 24 small independent high-street retailers selling tobacco in four Scottish communities in June-July 2015 and June-July 2016before the introduction of plain packaging regulations.

The retailers comprised grocery convenience stores; confectioners/tobacconists/newsagents; off-licences (liquor stores); petrol station/garage forecourt shops; and fast food outlets.

Retailers described being offered, and benefiting from, a range of financial and other incentives, usually via tobacco company sales reps, in return for a range of preferential practices.

These included retaining a tobacco unit (gantry); maintaining stock availability; positioning products according to specified layouts, known as planograms, to maximise eye level contact or prominence; a push on sales; trialling new stock; and particular brand promotions.

Incentives were often incorporated into existing 'partnership' or 'loyalty' schemes, with points redeemable against cash or gifts, including hospitality, iPads, and business equipment.

Some of the retailers received 'slotting fees'a cash bonus for keeping a gantry in their store.

And as part of one particular brand promotion, some retailers were told by the company rep that they would be visited by a 'mystery shopper' over the next few weeks who would ask for a rival brand. Retailers who instead recommended another that the company wanted to promote would be rewarded with a lump sum.

Most of the retailers (17/24) were given tobacco company assistance before the ban took effect to adapt their gantries to comply with the legislation, which requires tobacco products to be kept out of plain sight in units behind doors or roll down covers.

The researchers acknowledge that their sample was small, and not necessarily representative of retailers across Scotland.

But given that most of the retailers questioned had taken part in at least one practice, this suggests that "the strategies identified in our study are likely to be adopted in other countries with, or planning to implement, a display ban," they warn.

They point out that the practice of offering retailers 'rewards' to promote and sell tobacco products isn't new. But what is new is the way in which tobacco companies have adapted these practices "to work within the context of the display ban," coming up with a range of new marketing strategies and tools designed to maintain the visibility of tobacco.

"The rationale for bans on tobacco promotions and displays at point of sale is to reduce the ability of tobacco companies to exploit the retail environment in this way," they write. "However, this study demonstrates that display bans do not prevent [them] from attempting to exert influence on retailers via their sales reps."

This influence might be even more critical in the era of plain packaging, they suggest, adding that one way of putting a stop to this would be to explicitly ban company payments to retailers, along with reducing the number of shops selling tobacco in any given area, banning sales near schools, and offering retailers incentives to stop selling tobacco.

More information: Tobacco companies' use of retailer incentives after a ban on point-of-sale tobacco displays in Scotland, Tobacco Control, Journal information: Tobacco Control Tobacco companies' use of retailer incentives after a ban on point-of-sale tobacco displays in Scotland, DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-053274 , DOI: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2017-053724
(HealthDay)Reduced bacterial diversity in the upper and lower airways in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) is associated with use of prophylactic antibiotics and younger age at sampling, while less diversity in lavage samples is associated with lower inflammation, according to a study published online July 14 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Jessica E. Pittman, M.D., from Washington University in St. Louis, and colleagues enrolled infants with CF in a prospective, observational study to examine the bacterial microbiota and inflammatory profiles of the respiratory tract. Thirty-two infants underwent bronchoalveolar lavage and oropharyngeal sampling. The authors measured bacterial diversity and density (load), and analyzed lavage samples for inflammatory markers in the epithelial lining fluid.

The researchers observed a strong correlation in Shannon diversity between upper and lower airway samples from a given subject, although the community compositions differed. Younger subjects and those receiving daily anti-staphylococcal antibiotic prophylaxis had lower microbial diversity. Reduced diversity in lavage samples correlated with lower interleukin-8 concentration and absolute neutrophil count.

"Our findings suggest modification of the respiratory microbiome in infants with CF may influence airway inflammation," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to Eli Lilly.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: University of Copenhagen

More than 36 million people globally are affected by type 1 diabetes (T1D), a lifelong disorder where insulin producing cells are attacked and destroyed by the immune system resulting in deficient insulin production that requires daily blood glucose monitoring and administration of insulin. While successful outcomes from islet transplantations have been reported, very few patients can benefit from this therapeutic option due to limited access to cadaveric donor islets. Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSCs) could offer an unlimited and invariable source of insulin-producing beta cells for treatments of a larger population of T1D patients.

With the vision of providing a cell therapy for type 1 diabetes patients, scientists at the University of Copenhagen have identified a unique cell surface protein present on human pancreatic precursor cells providing for the first time a molecular handle to purify the cells whose fate is to become cells of the pancreas - including insulin producing cells. The work, outlined in a landmark study entitled 'Efficient generation of glucose-responsive beta cells from isolated GP2+ human pancreatic progenitors' has just been published in Cell Reports.

A biomarker to clearly separate cell populations is a holy grail of cell therapy research for the reasons of safety and end product consistency. By using this cell surface marker, the researchers have engineered a streamlined and simplified differentiation process to generate insulin-producing cells for future treatment of type 1 diabetes patients. The process enables cost-efficient manufacturing and exploits at its core an intermediate cell bank of purified pancreatic precursor cells.

The discovery of the new marker has also enabled the researchers to streamline and refine the process of producing hPSC-derived insulin cells.

"By starting with a purified population of pancreatic precursor cells instead of immature stem cells we eliminate the risk of having unwanted tumorigenic cells in the final cell preparation and thus generate a safer cell product for therapeutic purposes", explains Assistant Professor Jacqueline Ameri, first author on the paper.

Professor Henrik Semb, Managing Director of the Danish stem cell centre (DanStem) explains:

"Although significant progress has been made towards making insulin producing beta cells in vitro (in the lab), we are still exploring how to mass-produce mature beta cells to meet the future clinical needs. Our current study contributes with valuable knowledge on how to address key technical challenges such as safety, purity and cost-effective manufacturing, aspects that if not confronted early on, could hinder stem cell therapy from becoming a clinically and commercially viable treatment in diabetes."

Indeed, Semb's group is among the first to directly address not only the therapeutic concept but to incorporate very early the manufacturing considerations in their process to ensure that future commercialization will be possible.

To translate the current findings into a potential treatment of type 1 diabetes, Ameri and Semb aim to commercialize their recent patent pending innovations by establishing the spin out company PanCryos. PanCryos has assembled a team with experts in stem cell biology, islet transplantations, business and regulatory guidance and is currently funded by a KU POC grant and a pre-seed funding from Novo Seeds.

"In parallel with other groups in this field, we have been working on a cell therapy for type 1 diabetes for many years. What is unique about our approach is the simplification of our protocol which acknowledges that eventually the process will need to be scaled up for manufacturing. PanCryos is being established to ensure the development of the first scalable allogenic cell therapy for type 1 diabetes so we can offer the route to an affordable therapy by providing a product that will not be too expensive to produce, as has occurred too often in the developing cell therapy field", explains Jacqueline Ameri, co-founder and CEO for PanCryos.

More information: Jacqueline Ameri et al. Efficient Generation of Glucose-Responsive Beta Cells from Isolated GP2 + Human Pancreatic Progenitors, Cell Reports (2017). Journal information: Cell Reports Jacqueline Ameri et al. Efficient Generation of Glucose-Responsive Beta Cells from Isolated GP2 + Human Pancreatic Progenitors,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.032
Credit: George Hodan/Public Domain

Adolescent depression increases the risk of violence, suggests a study published in the August 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).

The study examined the longitudinal association between depression and subsequent violence from three representative samples in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Finland. Researchers for these three cohorts used complementary measures of depression, including self-report and clinical diagnoses, and different measurements of violence including informant reports of violence and official convictions for violent crimes.

The research team, led by Professor Seena Fazel, from the Forensic Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, found modest increases in risk of violence in depression. In absolute terms, for instance, in the Finnish sample, 7.1% of individuals with depression were convicted of one or more violent crimes, compared with 3.6% in the general population without depression.

In relative terms, across samples and measurements, the study shows a consistent pattern of increased relative risk of later violence. In the Dutch and UK samples, an increase in depressive symptoms was associated with a significant elevated risk of later violence. In the Finnish sample, the odds of violence in individuals with a diagnosis of depression were increased two-fold, compared to those without depression. These findings highlight the need for active and early treatment of depression in adolescents and young people. The mechanisms behind this link need further investigation, and may involve increased impulsivity, hostility and poor self-regulation.

"We know that high rates of depression have been reported among adolescents in juvenile detention and correctional facilities (e.g.,11% in boys and 29% in girls)," said Dr. Rongqin Yu, lead researcher at the Forensic Psychiatry Group at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. "However, the longitudinal link between depression and violence was unclear. Our longitudinal design allowed us to take into account previous violence, enabling us to test whether adolescent depression is associated with changes in violence over time. We found a consistent pattern of increased risk of later violence across samples. Both depression and violence are prevalent in adolescents and young adults; our findings indicate the importance of early detection and treatment of depression."

Professor Fazel said: "This research is important for two main reasons. First, it adds to the evidence of the many potential harms of untreated depression in young people. Second, it suggests that closer liaison between criminal justice and mental health might prevent violence in high-risk individuals."

More information: Rongqin Yu et al. Depression and Violence in Adolescence and Young Adults: Findings From Three Longitudinal Cohorts, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2017). Journal information: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Rongqin Yu et al. Depression and Violence in Adolescence and Young Adults: Findings From Three Longitudinal Cohorts,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.05.016
Dozens of poultry farms have been closed across The Netherlands after a toxic insecticide is believed to have contaminated hundreds of thousands of eggs, Dutch officials said Tuesday.

Since Wednesday "about 180 poultry farms have been shuttered due to the presence of the suspect substance fipronil" which had been found in samples taken from "eggs, droppings and meat," the Dutch food authority NVWA said.

About a million eggs being transported to Germany have also been recalled from the border with The Netherlands, it added.

The insecticide is commonly used in veterinary products to get rid of fleas, lice and ticks. But it is banned from being used to treat animals destined for human consumption such as chickens.

It is believed the substance was introduced by a Dutch business, named Chickfriend, which was called in to treat red lice, a nasty parasite in chickens.

"We are still estimating the number of farms which have been affected, and the analysis of 600 samples is still ongoing," a spokesman for the NWVA told AFP.

The Dutch news agency ANP said there were about 1,000 poultry farms around the country.

In large quantities, fipronil, is considered to be "moderately hazardous" according to the World Health Organisation, and can have dangerous affects on people's kidneys, liver and thyroid glands.

"Affected farms must have all eggs destroyed by a specialist firm and submit to the NWVA a plan to evacuate the birds' droppings to preserve the environment," the spokesman added.

Chickens can remain contaminated for between six to eight weeks.

Late Monday, the NWVA sent out a warning to consumers that eggs with the code X-EN-40155XX "had such elevated levels of fipronil that their consumption would present a serious public health risk."

The NWVA was Tuesday still ensuring that the contaminated eggs were being taken off supermarket shelves and has advised people who may have bought them "not to eat them and to throw them away."

Facing large losses, the poultry farmers say they were "cheated" by Chickfriend, which they blame for the incident.

The company appears to have "mixed the illegal substance with a legal one to improve its effectiveness," Erik Hubers from the Dutch agricultural and horticultural association told the NOS broadcaster.

Chickfriend could not be reached Tuesday, with all calls by AFP going through to an answering machine with a message saying it was closed "for professional reasons".

 2017 AFP
Although many physicians have objected to high certification fees of the American Board of Medical Specialties member boards, which are nonprofit organizations and have a fiduciary responsibility to match revenue and expenditures, most of these boards had overall revenue that greatly exceeded expenditures in 2013, according to a study published by JAMA.

The process of board certification has a central role in the self-regulation of physician quality standards. However, many physicians have objected to programs by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), particularly maintenance of certification (MOC), citing a lack of clinical relevance and evidence to support efficacy as well as high fees to participants. Brian C. Drolet, M.D., of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, and Vickram J. Tandon, M.D., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, investigated fees charged to physicians for certification examinations and finances of the 24 ABMS member boards.

In 2017, the average fee for an initial written examination was $1,846. In addition, 14 boards required an oral examination for initial certification at an average cost of $1,694. Nineteen boards offered subspecialty verification (e.g., hand surgery within orthopedic or plastic surgery) with an average cost of $2,060. Average fees for MOC were $257 annually.

In FY 2013, member boards reported $263 million in revenue and $239 million in expenses; a difference of $24 million in surplus. Examination fees accounted for 88 percent of revenue and 21 percent of expenditures, whereas officer and employee compensation and benefits accounted for 42 percent of expenses. Between 2003 and 2013, the change in net balance (i.e., difference of assets and liabilities) of the ABMS member boards grew from $237 million to $635 million.

This study is limited primarily by the data source, IRS Form 990, which does not contain complete and specific financial accounting for the ABMS member boards.

"Board certification should have value as a meaningful educational and quality improvement process. Although some evidence suggests board certification may improve performance and outcomes, the costs to physicians are substantial. More research is needed to assess the cost-benefit balance and to demonstrate value in board certification," the authors write.
University of Manchester researchers have co-ordinated a 'first of its kind' series, published today in the prestigious journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The series gives new insights into the breadth of fungal diseases and a call to action for world health bodies to prevent millions of infections each year.

Killing over 1.5 million and affecting over a billion people, fungal diseases have been the most neglected topic by public health authorities. However, most deaths from fungal diseases are avoidable.

Most serious fungal infections are 'hidden', occurring as a consequence of other health problems such as asthma, AIDS, cancer, organ transplant and corticosteroid therapies.

All require specialised testing for diagnosis, and delays or missed diagnosis often leads to death, serious chronic illness or blindness.

As a result the Journal has decided to signal an end to this neglect by commissioning an authoritative series of articles, coving almost all aspects of fungal diseases.

The series focuses on the global inequalities in treatment. Professors David Denning and Juan Luis Rodriguez Tudela from The University of Manchester and the Global Action Fund for Fungal Infections, co-ordinated the eight paper series commented:

Professor Denning said: "The massive advances in fungal disease and understanding over the last two decades should have resulted in much better outcomes  but sadly not in many countries.

Profesor Juan Luis Rodriguez Tudela said: "Improvements in patient outcomes require changes in all part of the health care 'ecosystem', notably clinical training, access to and resource for fungal diagnostics, access to affordable antifungal therapy. A major public health response is called for."

According to the researchers, there has been a complete absence of proposals or commentary on integration of fungal diseases into health care systems.

This is addressed by Professor Donald Cole of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto who calls for a 'combined health systems and public health approaches' and provides examples from Mozambique, Kenya, India, and South Africa.

Authors of the papers in the series have been brought together from six continents

They tackle fungal infections in AIDS, in cancer, after TB, in asthma, after transplantation and major abdominal surgery, in critical care in the rare patients with immunodeficiencies and notably the WHO 'neglected tropical fungal diseases' mycetoma and chromoblastomycosis.

Outbreaks of fungal diseases occur frequently and these are highlighted in one article.

Another addresses antifungal resistance  like anti-bacterial resistance an increasing problem requiring many radical solutions and new antifungal drugs.

Professor Denning added: "The evidence gathered in this article series shows not only the scale of the global problem but also that hundreds of thousands of deaths a year could be avoided.

"The expertise is available, now it just needs government and international action to make it a reality."

The series will be published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases on 31 July 2017.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Each week in his Bellevue counseling office, Bill Lennon sees 13 groups of eight men, all seeking help for compulsive sexual behavior. Such behavior can range from obsessively viewing pornography to answering Craigslist ads for minors selling themselves at cheap motels.

He said that none of the men are there voluntarily. Instead, they got busted in a police sting, or were caught by their wives or their employers and forced to confront their conduct.

And most, Lennon insists, are nice guys.

"These are doctors, lawyers, pastors, professional athletes, your neighbor. Sex is an equal-opportunity addiction," he said.

As many as 12 million Americans suffer from sex addiction, according to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Lennon and a growing number of sex-addiction therapists argue it is a highly treatable disease that affects the brain in ways similar to drug or alcohol addiction, etching in neural pathways a powerful drive for pleasure and an increasingly compromised ability to exert control.

These therapists say that the explosion of online pornography and internet sites for escorts and hookups has meant that men who would never have considered picking up a prostitute can now make a date for sex with ease and anonymity on their cellphone or computer.

"When you give people immediate access to highly stimulating, highly pleasurable content or experiences, the likelihood that addiction will appear goes up," said Rob Weiss, a California-based sex-addiction therapist and the author of "Always Turned On: Sex Addiction in the Digital Age."

Weiss divides sexual activity into three categories: casual, at-risk and addictive.

Addicted users, he said, compulsively seek non-intimate sexual encounters or experiences regardless of the consequences, often as an escape from their own problems. They are unable to quit and typically lead a double life, telling lies, keeping secrets and justifying the behavior to themselves.

"The people I work with get lost in the pursuit of sex," he said. "They lose their wives, their kids, their jobs and they keep doing it. They return to the same behavior again and again, expecting a dazzling new experience. But over time, it isn't that dazzling a new experience. It isn't fun to be caught in a prostitution sting."

Stefanie Carnes, president of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP), which trains and certifies addiction therapists, said the past few years have seen a surge in research on neuroscience and sex addiction. In one study, she said, the brain scans of sex addicts exposed to stimuli such as pornography mirrored the brain scans of cocaine addicts when shown a line of cocaine.

"There's a convergence of evidence that sex addiction looks like other addictions in the brain," she said.

Carnes said a very primitive part of the brain is triggered by basic drives, including mating and food. The area, known as the reward pathway, is activated with the anticipation of pleasure and accompanied by a release of dopamine, which creates an intense high.

"Orgasm is a powerful release of dopamine in the brain," she said, explaining why, biologically, sex can become addictive.

But over time, she said, the brain reduces the number of dopamine receptors, which makes it harder to experience pleasure. That accounts for the familiar pattern of addicts seeking more frequent or novel experiences and engaging in increasingly risky behavior to attain the same high.

At the same time, Carnes said, the brain's frontal lobes, which are responsible for judgment, decision making and impulse control, get sluggish and less effective.

"This is what we mean when we say the brain is hijacked by addiction," she said. "The reptilian part of the brain seeking these pleasurable responses is highly activated and the critical thinking part of the brain is not. And that's how you start having people make really bad decisions."

In King County, men convicted of soliciting or promoting prostitution are sent to a 10-week class on sexual exploitation that seeks to hold them accountable for the harm caused by the sex trade. Topics include how men are socialized toward women and sex, the relationship between power and violence against women and mutuality in relationships.

Peter Qualliotine, who teaches the class and co-founded the Seattle-based Organization for Prostitution Survivors, said that while the class is not treatment, it encourages self-reflection and critical analysis about the men's decision to buy sex. He sees patronizing prostitutes as part of a continuum of what he calls "toxic masculinity," behavior that includes sexual harassment, domestic violence and rape.

Lennon, the Bellevue sex-addiction therapist, says the diagnosis of addiction is an explanation, not an excuse. Many of his clients are educated professionals who have never talked about their compulsive sexual activity with anyone before seeking treatment.

Some tell him that online encounters or prostitutes are less trouble than real relationships, that they can be scheduled into busy and stressful work lives and that it's an activity between consenting adults.

"It's a lot more work to be in a relationship that's mutually, sexually satisfying," he said. "It's so much easier to use the internet."

2017 The Seattle Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A team of researchers has created the first genetically modified human embryos, the MIT Technology Review reported this week.

If the achievement is true - the scientists in question have neither confirmed nor disputed the account - it could mark a milestone in preventing transmission of genetic diseases instead of just treating them.

It would also rev up debate about the safety and ethics of genetically changing human beings, including what laws exist to safeguard patients and what constitutes a medically legitimate genetic modification.

The technology could be used to alter people for nonmedical purposes such as making them taller, giving them a specific eye shape or switching out their black hair for a shade of blonde - decisions that could be seen as fundamentally upending the definition of human nature.

The Technology Review story said the scientists harnessed the gene-editing method called CRISPR, a milestone in its own right, to modify one-celled embryos and allow them to develop for a few days. Other news organizations have published their own articles about this purported accomplishment, including the well-respected biomedical website Stat.

Prominent biologist Shoukhrat Mitalipov of Oregon Health & Science University was the lead researcher on the study, according to the Technology Review and Stat stories. Both reports said he declined to comment.

"Results of the peer-reviewed study are expected to be published soon in a scientific journal," Oregon Health & Science spokesman Erik Robinson said Thursday. He declined to specify what the study discovered.

The Technology Review story also said Jun Wu of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., took part in the research. On Thursday, the institute declined to discuss the study.

Mitalipov gained fame in 2013 for spearheading development of the first human embryonic stem cells genetically matched to specific living individuals. The method he and some colleagues employed, called somatic cell nuclear transfer, was originally used two decades ago to create Dolly the cloned sheep.

Those researchers had taken a nucleus from a donor cell in a sheep and transferred it into a sheep egg cell that had had its own nucleus removed. The combination cell acted like a normal fertilized egg, producing Dolly. That sheep had the DNA of the donor cell, so it was a nearly exact clone of the sheep where the donor cell was taken from.

Growing a creature in this way is called reproductive cloning, and the U.S. government bans such procedures on people. Mitalipov and colleagues performed what is called therapeutic cloning: They used the process to cultivate human embryonic stem cells, which are likewise genetically matched to the donor nucleus.

In theory, these stem cells could be grown into replacement tissues to repair disease or injury in the person with the matching DNA. Genetically matching the stem cells to a particular patient lowers the risk that tissue transplants would be rejected by the person's immune system.

Wu and other Salk researchers in the lab of Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte have collaborated with Mitalipov to explore somatic cell nuclear transfer as a therapy for mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondria are organelles that make most of the energy cells use and perform other vital functions. They carry their own DNA.

The scientists generated human stem cells in the lab, repaired mitochondrial defects and found that they were able to restore certain desired functions in cells.

They took human skin cells and inserted their nuclei into human egg cells with healthy mitochondria that had their own nuclei removed. Those manipulated egg cells were then grown until they produced embryonic stem cells, free of the defective mitochondria.

The United Kingdom has approved a method that resembles reproductive cloning to prevent inheritance of mitochondrial diseases. This process involves replacing the nucleus of an egg cell from a donor with healthy mitochondria with that from the egg cell of the mother-to-be with diseased mitochondria.

Whether the reports this week about genetically modified human embryos are true, the capability of genetically engineering human embryos is fast approaching, said a bioethicist and a stem cell researcher who have examined the issue.

But having the capability doesn't mean it should be done, said Michael Kalichman, co-founding director of the the Center for Ethics in Science and Technology at the University of California, San Diego.

Kalichman said society isn't ready for genetically modifying humans, and that it's time for the public to start paying attention to what has been considered a futuristic scientific issue.

The strongest argument for genetic modification is to stop diseases, he said. The strongest argument against the technology is that it might cause unanticipated problems.

Paul Knoepfler, a stem cell researcher at UC Davis, said no matter how much effort is spent to ensure patient safety, there are no guarantees.

"The bottom line is that we'll never really know until someone tries it," Knoepfler said. Potential harm might not emerge until adulthood or even until the genetically altered people have their own children, he added.

"The other big thing is, I am not really convinced we can draw a clear line between doing this for only medical purposes versus (cosmetic) traits," he said.

Finally, it's not clear why genetically editing human embryos would even be needed to prevent transmission of a genetic disease, Knoepfler said.

"We already have an existing technology which is basically embryo screening," he said. Multiple embryos can be generated through in vitro fertilization to find one that doesn't have the disease.

"That would be much safer than actually doing an edit," he said.

2017 The San Diego Union-Tribune

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A large protein aggregate (green) forms in a pancreatic islet (red) from a transgenic mouse injected with extract containing misfolded IAPP. Credit: Mukherjee et al., 2017

Researchers from McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have discovered that the symptoms of diabetes can be induced by a misfolded form of a pancreatic protein. The findings, which are reported in a paper to be published August 1 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, raise the possibility that type 2 diabetes can be transmitted by a mechanism similar to prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease).

More than 27 million Americans suffer from type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body is unable to regulate blood glucose levels using the hormone insulin. Though the disease has been linked to a variety of genetic and environmental risk factors, what causes type 2 diabetes is still not completely understood.

Over 90% of type 2 diabetes patients show abnormal protein deposits in their pancreatic islets that are mainly aggregates of a misfolded form of a protein called islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). The precise role of these IAPP aggregates in type 2 diabetes is unclear, but they may damage and kill the pancreatic  cells that secrete insulin in response to elevated blood glucose levels. In this respect, type 2 diabetes could be similar to other diseases caused by misfolded protein aggregates, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and prion disorders.

A key feature of these diseases is that a small number of misfolded protein aggregates can serve as "seeds" that induce the misfolding of additional proteins until they form large aggregates capable of damaging the cell. In the case of prion diseases, these seeds can even be transmitted from one individual to another.

Claudio Soto and colleagues at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston found that injecting small amounts of misfolded IAPP aggregates induced the formation of protein deposits in the pancreases of mice expressing human IAPP. Within weeks, these mice developed several symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, including a loss of pancreatic  cells and elevated blood glucose levels. Small amounts of misfolded IAPP could also induce the formation and accumulation of large IAPP aggregates in pancreatic islets isolated from healthy human donors.

Misfolded IAPP can therefore induce protein aggregation and disease similarly to infectious prion proteins, but Soto cautions that it is much too soon to conclude that type 2 diabetes can be transmitted between individuals. "Considering the experimental nature of the models and conditions utilized in this study, the results should not be extrapolated to conclude that type 2 diabetes is a transmissible disease in humans without additional studies," Soto says.

Although there is anecdotal evidence of patients developing diabetes after organ transplantation, no epidemiological studies have been done to assess whether type 2 diabetes is a transmissible disease, the researchers note.

"Until now, this concept has not been considered," Soto says. "Our data therefore opens up an entirely new area of research with profound implications for public health. Perhaps more important than a putative inter-individual transmission, the prion-like mechanism may play a key role in the spreading of the pathology from cell to cell or islet to islet during the progression of type 2 diabetes."
Germany withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty

Is Jordan country that has not supplied arms to Armenia?: 'The press usually has reliable information'

European Commission approves nationalization of Russian Gazprom's German subsidiary

Pashinyan: If the state interferes with the exchange rate unnecessarily, the economy will only suffer

U.S. to work with strategic coalition of Southeast Asian countries

Armenian PM: To reform army, it is necessary to make military service more attractive

Putin and Raisi discuss topical issues of the bilateral agenda

Blinken: Ukraine must decide on timing and content of any talks with Russia

Catholicos expresses hope that Russia efforts will contribute to ensuring free, safe life of Artsakh Armenians

More than 50 of poorest developing countries are on brink of bankruptcy, says UN official

Armenia ex-ombudsman: We are facing serious national security issues (PHOTOS)

Biden has no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince at G20 summit

EU offers natural gas price cap assurances amid disagreements with member countries

Scholz is against establishment of ceasefire in Ukraine on Kremlin's terms

Turkologist: Turkey does not support agenda of achieving peace with Armenians

Sweden to not permit deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory after joining NATO

Erdogan signs decree on appointing Turkey ambassador to Israel

Information security expert: Some Armenia officials received letter that they were victims of national hackers attack

Armenia FM meets with France minister of foreign trade

Foreign Policy: US to resume nuclear arms control talks with Russia

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
The Do's and Don'ts of Lab Coats

Use these tips for selecting the best protection for those in your laboratory.

It doesn't take muchjust a slip of the hand, an accidental spill, or a small equipment malfunctionfor an ordinary day in the laboratory to turn into a tragedy. On March 16, 2016, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii at Manoa lost her arm and suffered burn injuries and temporary hearing loss as a result of a hydrogen/oxygen explosion. This incident is far from isolated, and no laboratory is immune to an accident occurring.

In addition to creating the potential for severe injuries or even loss of life, laboratory accidents can be costly. According to the American Burn Association, hospital fees for burn injuries can range from $47,000 up to $1.2 million, depending on the length of stay. The association estimates that one day in the hospital is required for every 1 percent of the body affected by burn injuries. Regardless of the type of injuries involvedburns or otherwiselabs may face general liability costs, increases in insurance premiums, wage indemnity, lost productivity, potential OSHA fines, loss of research funding, and damage to their public image.

So how can you avoid having something like that happen to your lab? First and foremost, it is important to have a well-established safety culture and follow the proper work practices. However, even when you are diligently following proactive preventive measures, laboratory accidents can, and do, happen. That's why it is essential to ensure that the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)including lab coats that meet the specific, unique needs of your laboratoryis available, used consistently, and worn correctly.

In order to determine the right lab coats for your particular laboratory environment, there are five key things to consider.

1. Protection:

The first and most important consideration always should be protection. This means it is imperative to understand the hazards and safety standards that apply to your laboratory.

This article originally appeared in the August 2017 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.
HELP Committee Takes Up Several Nominations Today

Scheduled witnesses in the committees 2:30 p.m. hearing include nominees for surgeon general and some top HHS positions.

Members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee are scheduled to hear testimony Aug. 1 from several people nominated by President Donald J. Trump for key agency positions, including a nominee for surgeon general and others for top HHS positions. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C., and will be webcast on the committee's website.

The nominees who will testify, according to the list on the committee's site, including Dr. Brett Giroir of College Station, Texas, nominated to be assistant secretary for health, and Dr. Robert Kadlec of Alexandria, Va., nominated to be assistant secretary of Health and Human Services for Preparedness and Response. (Kadlec is currently deputy staff director for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and was a special assistant to the president for biodefense policy for President George W. Bush.)

Also on the list are Dr. Elinore F. McCance-Katz of Cranston, R.I., nominated to be assistant secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use at HHS (she is currently the chief medical officer for the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals and professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University's Alpert Medical School); and Dr. Jerome M. Adams of Fishers, Ind., nominated to be surgeon general.

The president announced Adams' nomination on June 29. He is currently the Indiana State Health Commissioner and previously served as a staff anesthesiologist and assistant professor of anesthesia at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
HHS Awards Money for Flint Exposure Registry

Michigan State University is getting $3.2 million to establish a registry of Flint, Mich., residents who were exposed to lead-contaminated water from the Flint water system during 2014-2015. The money is the first installment of a four-year, $14.4 million grant.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is giving Michigan State University $3.2 million to establish a registry of Flint, Mich., residents who were exposed to lead-contaminated water from the Flint water system during 2014-2015. The money is the first installment of a four-year, $14.4 million grant.

Michigan State will use the funds in partnership with the city of Flint leadership and other community organizations, clinical partners and educators, and stakeholders that serve Flint residents. They will address community health concerns related to lead exposures, monitor health outcomes among registrants, and expand efforts to reduce and eliminate lead in the community.

"This funding is a continuation of the Trump administration's commitment to support the affected or at-risk residents of Flint, Michigan, who have been exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water," said HHS Secretary Dr. Tom Price. "Flint residents will benefit from having their health monitored over time and from being readily connected to services that will help reduce the health effects of lead exposure. Information collected by the registry will guide important health decisions and recommendations for the city of Flint and the state of Michigan for years to come."

Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., CDC's director and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, said CDC is committed to supporting the Flint Lead Exposure Registry as part of ongoing efforts to reduce and prevent exposure to lead. "Using our experience with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention program, we will work hard to make sure that the Registry meets the needs of Flint residents affected by this crisis," she added.

The 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act authorized funding for the registry, which will collect baseline and follow-up information from eligible residents.
The James Beard Foundation has announced members of the inaugural class for the Womens Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) program, a new initiative that aims to assist female chefs and owners in growing their businesses by cultivating womens leadership in the culinary industry.

Among the 21 women who will participate in the program Sept. 10-15 at Babson College, is Milwaukees own Gina Gruenewald, owner of Wolf Peach and Supper.

Gruenewald is among just five participants from the Midwest and the only recipient from Wisconsin.

"I am looking forward to spending time outside of the Midwest to get a grasp on how other small business owners deal with the same challenges," notes Gruenewald of the opportunity. "I'm also looking forward to expanding my network in this industry with the hopes of developing some amazing alliances in this industry from a national perspective."

Developed in collaboration with Babson College, the curriculum addresses advanced business and finance concerns related to entrepreneurship and expansion, as well as providing gender-specific training and leadership development.

"It is imperative to have more women owning and operating thriving scalable businesses," adds Jodie W. McLean, an initiator of the WEL program and CEO of EDENS, one of the nations leading private retail real estate companies.

"The benefits to an entire organization and industry when women are in executive leadership roles and impact policy are significant. The culinary industry is not different than any other  gender equity isn't about fairness; its about good business."

JBFs Women in Entrepreneurial Leadership Program will also administer a group of mentors who agree to provide expertise and career development support to the participants on an ongoing basis once they leave the program, with the goal of growing the network of women leaders across the country.

The complete list of WEL recipients includes:

Bleu Adams (Black Sheep Cafe, Black Sheep @ Epic Brewing, Provo, Utah)

Kathleen Blake (The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, Florida); Women Chefs and Restaurateur Fellow

Amy Brandwein (Centrolina/Chef Amy B, LLC, Washington, D.C.)

Christine Cikowski (Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Sunday Dinner Club, Chicago)

Meredith Corey-Disch (Community Loaves, Jacksonville, Florida)

Kimi Eklund (Kimi's Chop & Oyster House, Salt Lake City)

Gina Gruenewald (Wolf Peach/ Supper, Milwaukee)

Liza Hinman (The Spinster Sisters, Healdsburg, California)

Alicia Hinze (The Buttered Tin, St. Paul, Minnesota)

Tanya Holland (Brown Sugar Kitchen, Oakland, California)

Sarah Huck (Kos Kaffe, Brooklyn)

Carolyn Johnson (80 Thoreau, Cambridge, Massachusetts)

Vivian Joiner (Sweet Potatoes-a restaurant, Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

Guisell Osorio (Sabores Del Sur, Walnut Creek, California)

Nicole Pederson (Found and The Barn, Evanston, Illinois); Women Chefs and Restaurateur

Fellow

Marian Romano (Nonna's Osteria, catering & Potato Palace, booth State Fair, Wasilla, Alaska)

Suzanne Simon (Chaia - Farm to Taco, Washington, D.C.)

Lien Ta (Here's Looking At You, Los Angeles)

Shannan Troncoso (Brookland's Finest Bar & Kitchen, Washington, D.C.)

Jan Wichayanuparp (Sweet Republic, Phoenix)

Elizabeth Wiley (Meadowlark Restaurant, Wheat Penny Oven and Bar, Dayton, Ohio)

WEL complements the Foundations existing Women in Culinary Leadership (WCL) program launched in 2012, which champions young women at the start of their careers. WCL is one of two JBF Womens Leadership Programs made possible with the founding support of Rohini Dey, EDENS, and WCR  Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.
Thanks to many dedicated people and businesses, Downtown is the heart of Milwaukee and the entire state of Wisconsin. This week, OnMilwaukee presents Milwaukee Downtown Week, sponsored, aptly, by Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21. For seven days, we will share stories, videos and photography profiling some of the neighborhood's best offerings and celebrating those who make it so great.

Milwaukee Downtown Employee Appreciation Week, by the way, runs July 31-Aug. 4.

Downtown Kitchen

777 E. Wisconsin Ave.

(414) 287-0303



Type of food: Burgers, subs and sandwiches, sushi, pizza, breakfast, custard, tacos ... pretty much anything and everything

Prices: Breakfast dishes run $2.50-6.95, while lunch dishes range around $3.75-$7 (save for The Quad, a four-patty burger that comes in at $11.95)

Vegetarian friendly? Yes, with veggie options available at almost every stand

Hours: Open Monday-Friday, 6:30-10 a.m. for breakfast, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and then open until 4 p.m. with grab-n-go options and Northpoint Custard

Why pick one place to grab a Downtown lunch on the cheap when you can pick pretty much five different places all at once?

That's the deal at Downtown Kitchen, the Bartolotta Restaurant Group's fabulous food court tucked away on the second floor in the U.S. Bank Center where you can grab anything from a Pizzeria Piccola pizza to a Northpoint Custard burger  plus the sweet dessert in the name  to ramen or pasta for wallet-pleasing prices. Seriously, I feared that this $7 Downtown lunch challenge was going to force me to scrape down to the bottom of an eatery's menu, but with Downtown Kitchen, finding a satisfying, filling lunch for less than a handful of dollars is no challenge at all.

Take, for instance, The "Q," a cheeseburger topped with barbecue sauce, a heap of sauteed onions and bacon  all for less than $6.

To quote the esteemed Jules Winnfield, "That is a tasty burger." The onions provide a pleasant sweetness, the bacon gives your palate that bonus addictive fatty, meaty flavor  with a little crispness to add to the texture  and the thick barbecue sauce brings it all together with that classic sweet and salty tang that you crave ... especially several hours into an already long and tiring day at the office, when a vending machine bag of Cheez-Its just won't do.

It's a lot of flavor and belly-filling meat for ... $5.75? Really? Ya'll must be crazy. You can add on fries and a drink to make a full meal out of the burger, but that'll take you over $7 (though the cashier told me that, if you bring your own cup into Downtown Kitchen, you get a discount on your drink, so just adding a drink to wash this tasty burger down might still creep under the $7 bar  or just over if you don't have some arbitrary dollar amount hanging over your lunch decisions).

If you're not in the mood for grilled meat patties, however, Downtown Kitchen has still got your back. Like I said, if you're craving it, the odds are good that it's at this sleek city cafeteria. There's pizza of all varieties  all under $7. There are regular subs and sandwiches  all under $7. There are build-your-own tacos  mostly under $7. Needing a sugar rush to get you through the day? Yep, under $7 too. And some of the daily specials from across each station and across the globe also land under $7  or at least land just a little above.

So no matter your cuisine of choice, it's probably available for lunch and available for cheap at Downtown Kitchen  complete with a warmly designed cafeteria eating area to relax in for a bit or watch a Brewers afternoon game (though that might not be that relaxing these days). It may be one of the most low-key options among the Bartolotta Group's portfolio, but it's also one of the lowest priced  with a high reward.
Weve got booze cruises and a paddle tavern, but the French always know how to take things to another level, dont they? Now, at least for a limited time, Milwaukees got the Veuve Clicquot Voyage.

Milwaukee will join cities like New York, Chicago and Austin, which have also hosted the cru-cruises.

Beginning on Friday, Aug. 4, Badger Liquor is bringing this hour-long experience to the Milwaukee River every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 4 and 6 p.m., through Sept. 23.

Theyre starting out as invite-only cruises.

The cruises  sponsored by Badger Liquor Wine and Spirits  will offer great views of Downtown and the Lake Michigan shore, enhanced by bubbly.

"Whats more summer in Wisconsin than taking the boat out on the water and having a drink with friends?" asks Badger Vice President of Sales, John Boulahanis. "We wanted to take this quintessential Wisconsin experience and elevate it."
Prior to last Tuesday, I hadnt been to the zoo in years. I went many times when my sons, now teens, were much younger, but then, like the childrens museum and drop-in playgroups, it fell off our radar as they aged.

When my almost-15-year-old son asked me if we could go to the zoo sometime, I was surprised and stoked. The zoo had invited me to "Body Worlds: Animals Inside Out," which was on my list to check out, and so the timing was leopard-spot-on.

I was really impressed with the zoo and had forgotten how well-maintained and peaceful it is. For me, all of the once-obvious animal stuff was pretty amazing because it had been so long since I got up close to so many species. Giraffes' necks are so long! Flamingos' legs are stick skinny and they sleep standing on only one! Monkey butts are gross and adorable!

I could, literally, watch the jellyfish for hours. And this guy, well, he's just freaky and beautiful:

Like most things, I realized I enjoyed the zoo more with teenagers than I did when they were younger. Back then, I was often tired and kinda bored, whereas the older they get, the more I enjoy hanging out with them. (A moment of mom honesty here.)

Hanging with teens at the zoo meant we spent time reading many of the information signs and really observing the animals and making commentary on their behavior. My son Snapchatted and made short videos in which he would record all different animals but marvel at each one for being so unique looking.

"Animals Inside Out" is a particularly good fit for teens because younger children probably wont understand  or could be fearful of  what animals, from a bull to an ostrich, look like without skin or feathers. The exhibit explores animal physiology, including skeletal foundations, muscle, the nervous system and how animals breathe, eat and reproduce.

We found it fascinating and pleasingly graphic. Reindeer lungs? Wow.





Plus, its super cool that The Milwaukee County Zoo is the first zoo in North America to host the exhibition. It runs though Sept. 4.

A trip to the zoo with teens is a hybrid of nostalgia and new experience. It's educational, energetic and provides plenty of time for chatting. I realized I had presumed my teens aren't interested in most excursions from their childhood, but have now realigned my thinking.

Here are a few helpful hints if you bring teens to the zoo:

Bring your own food. Carry-ins (not alcohol) are allowed into the zoo and there is a nice seating area for picnicking. The zoo food gets pricey if you have hungry, growing young adults with you. I do, however, recommend splurging on the Icee, which encourages the mixing of flavors. Mixing flavors on a fountain drink dispenser is, for some reason, a joy for kids of all ages (once they are, of course, permitted to drink soda)  and especially teens.









Carry-ins (not alcohol) are allowed into the zoo and there is a nice seating area for picnicking. The zoo food gets pricey if you have hungry, growing young adults with you. I do, however, recommend splurging on the Icee, which encourages the mixing of flavors. Mixing flavors on a fountain drink dispenser is, for some reason, a joy for kids of all ages (once they are, of course, permitted to drink soda)  and especially teens. Set aside more time than you think to explore. I thought 2-3 hours would be enough time, because thats about the amount of time that we spent there when they were little. However, going with teens means you move slower through everything because they appreciate more aspects of the experience than they did as short-attention-span kiddos.





I thought 2-3 hours would be enough time, because thats about the amount of time that we spent there when they were little. However, going with teens means you move slower through everything because they appreciate more aspects of the experience than they did as short-attention-span kiddos. Don't presume teens won't want to do something because of their age. One of the highpoints of our trip was feeding the goats and feeling their scratchy tongues on our palm.





One of the highpoints of our trip was feeding the goats and feeling their scratchy tongues on our palm. If your teen really digs the zoo, consider having him or her volunteer or work at the zoo.
Puff and lounge thermoregulation. American pikas can their moderate body temperature through posture (to some degree), squeezing into a fluffy ball, a body posture with minimum surface area, to hold in heat in winter (left), or stretching out the surface area of their bodies to cool down in summer (right). In recent years, pikas have been observed modifying their foraging habits in ways that may be behavioral adaptations to a changing climate. Credit: Credit, J. Jacobson, from figure 4 of EA Beever et al (2017) Front Ecol Environ doi: 10.1002/fee.1502.

As climate change brings new pressures to bear on wildlife, species must "move, adapt, acclimate, or die." Erik Beever and colleagues review the literature on acclimation through behavioral flexibility, identifying patterns in examples from invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and fishes, in the cover article for the August issue of the Ecological Society of America's (ESA) journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. The authors focus on the American pika (Ochotona princeps) as a case study in behavioral adaptation.

Beever will explore factors that define the pika's distribution on Tuesday, August 8 at the ESA's 2017 Annual Meeting, held this year in Portland, Oregon.

"Pikas inhabit a vast and diverse geographic range," said Beever, a researcher for the U.S. Geological Survey's Rocky Mountain Science Center in Bozeman, Montana. "However, they usually don't like to travel far."

American pikas typically live high on the damp, rocky slopes of North America's western mountains, from the dry peaks of Nevada and New Mexico to the wet coastal mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Yet pikas are homebodies, rarely traveling a kilometer from their rocky abode. As a consequence, pika populations are often inbred to an unusually high degree.

The combination of expansive range and frequently distinct populations makes the pika a good model species for the study of localized, idiosyncratic responses to diverse and changing environmental conditions, Beever said.

Behavioral responses, which can be rapid compared to shifts in range, may serve as early warnings of climate impacts on species. Shifting mating seasons or migrations are common behavioral adaptations to the temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, and other changes encompassed by climate change. Animals also adjust strategies for feeding, foraging, avoiding predators, and sheltering from inclement weather. Behavioral solutions, however, are limited by physiology, and sometimes incur costly trade-offs with other essential activities. An animal that spends the day in a rock crevice, sheltering from the sun, does not have enough time to forage. So changes in behavior alone are unlikely to be sufficient to adapt successfully to the predicted changes in climate over the next century.

The pika typically inhabits high alpine rock piles at the bases of cliffs or chutes, known as talus. Although it looks a bit like a hamster, the pika is most closely related to rabbits and hares. In the summer, this tiny, tailless mammal stocks its rock home with grasses and flowers, creating, and assiduously defending, a "haypile" to eat during the long winter. The pika can moderate its body temperature by squeezing into a fluffy ball to hold in heat, or stretching out to cool down. In California and Nevada, pikas often spend the hottest hours of a summer day resting beneath rocks, out of the sun.

In recent years, pikas have been observed caching haypiles in downed logs and dead snags, and visiting lake shores, more than 100 meters from their typical talus slopes. In the Columbia River Gorge, which lies at an unusually low altitude for the species, pikas make much greater use of the dense forest neighboring their talus patches than do their brethren higher on the slopes of nearby Mt. Hood. On hot days there, the pikas may prefer the refuge of the shady forest to the open talus slopes. Columbia residents also eat large amounts of moss, which is abundant year-round in the wet, relatively warm river gorge.

Pikas living in the Great Basin have not shown this level of flexibility in their habitat, which may be a factor in the observed shrinking distribution of the pika in that part of its range.

At the ESA's 2017 Annual Meeting, Beever will talk about factors that define the pika's distribution in different parts of its geographic range, which encompasses substantially different ecosystems. Local climate is an important constraint on where the pika can survive and thrive. The relative influence of different climatic factors in shaping species distributions and range edges, varies over small distances, such as the upper and lower altitude bounds of a species' niche. Beever and his colleagues are working to understand and model these localized effects on animals like the pika, with the aim of providing information on a fine-grained scale applicable to wildlife management.

More information: Erik A Beever et al, Behavioral flexibility as a mechanism for coping with climate change, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment (2017). DOI: 10.1002/fee.1502 Journal information: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
Under federal investigation for possibly violating U.S. sanctions against Iran, Amazon.com has admitted to selling consumer goods to at least one person on the government's list of people and entities associated with terrorism.

In its quarterly financial report filed this past week, Amazon revealed that it sold about $300 worth of consumer goods to someone designated under Executive Order 13224, which covers people and entities believed to be terrorists or supporters of terrorism. A February regulatory filing from Amazon noted another sale or group of sales to a person covered under that counterterrorism order, amounting to $1,300. It was unclear whether that customer was the same as the person mentioned in the latest filing, or whether the person or people named in the executive order have links to Iran.

Amazon's July 28 filing outlines other, higher-value sales that may have violated the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act or other U.S. sanctions and export-control laws. The company said the commerce and treasury departments are investigating the Iran-linked sales and those to the person or people named in the executive order, and may impose penalties against the firm.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

The company's disclosure said that between January 2012 and June 2017, Amazon sold "consumer products" valued at about $24,700 to an Iranian embassy in an undisclosed country, and about $8,100 in goods to people who may have bought them on behalf of five Iranian embassies. Other products were sold for about $600 to people who may have bought them for three entities owned or controlled by the Iranian government.

In the February filing, and another in April, Amazon revealed additional sales possibly violating sanctions against Iran, including about $6,000 in goods sold to six Iranian embassies and about $2,400 in products sold between 2012 and 2016 to an entity owned or controlled by Iran.

According to Amazon, the goods referred to in the filings included "books, other media, apparel, home and kitchen, jewelry, office, toys, health and beauty, consumer electronics, lawn and patio, automotive, and musical instruments."

The company said it was unable to accurately calculate the profit it made from the transactions.

However, Amazon suggested it was finished with the problematic Iran-linked customers. "We do not plan to continue selling to these accounts in the future," the company said in its filings.

2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Morten Christiansen. Credit: Cornell University

In a new opinion piece in a major publication, Morten Christiansen, professor of psychology, describes how the study of language has fragmented into many highly-specialized areas of study that tend not to talk to each other. He calls for a new era of integration in the paper, published July 31 in Nature Human Behaviour.

The crux of the problem is each area of study proceeds in isolation from each other, he said.

"For example, people working on language evolution often know little about how language develops and is processed," Christiansen said. "And researchers working on language acquisition are typically not aware of how the system they're studying works in adulthood and how it might have evolved in our species."

Similarly, researchers working on language processing in adults usually don't know much about how the language system develops and how it evolved. And other disciplines with a stake in language are often even further removed from one another, he said.

It's as if each subarea is trying to solve a crossword puzzle by treating each clue independently, and not referring to other clues for help, Christiansen said. "One subarea might focus on a few clues for 1-5 across, while ignoring all other clues  hoping that whatever clues intersect (such as 1-6 down) would come out by chance. Another area might focus on 1-6 down, hoping 1-5 across will fall into place," he said. "It's a strategy that is doomed to fail."

Because all the clues interconnect, Christiansen argues that only by working together across different areas of study can language scientists solve the puzzle. "We can only hope to understand the nature of language by taking an integrated approach," he said. "Indeed, in this way some of the final clues might even reveal themselves as a result."

The current fragmentation is rooted in the 1960s, when the ideas of linguist Noam Chomsky revolutionized the study of language. Chomsky proposed that humans have a genetic blueprint that allows us to learn and use language. It was later suggested that language is the product of biological evolution.

While trying to substantiate Chomsky's theories, the language sciences split up into subareas, each attempting to understand various aspects of language in isolation.

"Theoretical linguists, psycholinguists, child-language researchers, computational linguists, biologists interested in language, field linguists and more began to diverge, often to the point of mutual theoretical incomprehension," the authors write.

Over time, many researchers began to challenge Chomsky's theories for lack of evidence.

Instead, language scientists began to adopt a different approach: seeing language as the product of cultural, not biological, evolution. They realized they had been asking the wrong question, Christiansen said. "Instead of asking why the brain is so well-adapted for language, we needed to ask why language itself is so well-adapted to be learned by the human brain," he said. "Language has primarily changed to fit the human brain  not the other way around."

While mainstream theory in the field has changed, the fragmentation has not.

What's needed is integration, the authors say. The language sciences must follow the example of the biological and physical sciences, where interaction is ubiquitous. Embryologists work with geneticists; particle physicists work with cosmologists.

An integrated approach could lead to real-world applications, from helping people with language disorders to developing better machine-learning tools, Christiansen said. "As computational devices become ever more important in our everyday lives, we need to make sure they build on the latest developments in the language sciences so that our devices and technology can better understand what we actually mean, rather than being stumped by how we say it," he said.

The paper is a call to researchers to start working much more closely together across the different areas of the language sciences, Christiansen said. "Specialization is, of course, important but not at the expense of integration. Otherwise we end up each looking for answers where the nearest light is brightest but fail to see the big picture distributed across the many bright spots," he said.

Christiansen wrote the opinion piece, "Toward an Integrated Science of Language," with Nick Chater of the Warwick Business School at the University of Warwick, England.

More information: Towards an integrated science of language. Nature Human Behaviour (2017). www.nature.com/articles/s41562-017-0163 Journal information: Nature Human Behaviour
Changes in genetic expression affect the development of fly embryos as shown, with an unaltered embryo at top and mutant version below. Credit: Princeton University

Attaining independence from one's parents is an enduring theme in the lives of many organisms. Birds must fly the nest, just as mammals must wean off their mother's milk.

Now a study from Princeton researchers sheds light on a similar sort of separation drama that unfolds almost from the moment life begins, and long before an animal is born or hatches from an egg. During early stages of breakneck growth, a developing embryo must begin to make its own building blocks of DNA after it has exhausted a supply from its mother.

The study, published online July 25 in Developmental Cell, revealed that a mother fruit fly ultimately provides no more than half of the DNA building blocks needed by a rapidly dividing embryo. Those initial, maternal DNA precursors, the researchers further demonstrated, actually put the brakes on a vital enzyme that the embryo needs to crank out precursors all by itself. Thus, only after the mother's influence has waned, can the embryonic fruit fly transition to self-sufficiency.

Besides insights into a critical juncture in embryogenesis, the new study provides knowledge that could help in the development of drugs that involve the RNR enzyme, which is a key target chemotherapy.

"This study illustrates how all animals, including us, have to make this important material for DNA by ourselves right from the get-go in life," said paper lead author Yonghyun Song, a doctoral student at the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton. "How organisms compensate for the shortfall in DNA they need to keep growing in embryogenesis is an obvious thing to ask about, but it has never been addressed properly before."

"The reason we eat chicken eggs for breakfast is because they are loaded with sugars, fats and proteins deposited by the mother," said Stanislav Shvartsman, the principal researcher and a professor of chemical and biological engineering and the Lewis-Sigler Institute. "An individual egg cell, which gives rise to an embryo when fertilized, is similarly loaded. The question we are answering with this study is, at what point do you as an embryo stop relying on what your mother gave you?"

In conducting the research, Song collected fruit fly eggs at different times after fertilization in the lab. In just two hours, a fly embryo grows from a single, fertilized egg cell into more than 6,000 individual cellseach with a set of DNA-encoded, genetic instructions.

In the video clip below, two .5 mm fruit fly eggs develop over about 24 hours. The unaltered egg, at left, develops into a larva while the egg at right expresses a version of the RNR enzyme which prevents its normal development.

To measure the changes in the levels of DNA building blocks, which would suggest when an embryo kick-starts its own production, Song collaborated with the lab of paper co-author Joshua Rabinowitz. A professor of chemistry and integrative genomics at Princeton, Rabinowitz has an instrumenta mass spectrometerin his lab that identifies quantities of biochemicals in a sample. An analysis showed that hour-old embryos did not contain enough DNA building blocks to continue meeting the genetic demands of the many thousands of new cells that had yet to form.

A series of pharmacological and genetic engineering experiments then examined the role of the enzymenamed ribonucleotide reductase, or RNRknown to create the DNA building blocks. Embryos altered so they did not produce RNR could not developmentally progress beyond the point when they had depleted the mother's original stockpile. On the other hand, increased levels of RNR early in embryogenesis led to increased availability of DNA building blocks. Finally, the researchers engineered a form of RNR that could not be suppressed by the DNA precursors from the mother. Sure enough, when the embryo's RNR was given free rein in this manner, new, embryo-driven fabrication of DNA precursors exploded fivefold (which caused other developmental problems for the fly embryos).

From left: Professors Joshua Rabinowitz and Stanislav Shvartsman, postdoctoral researcher Robert Marmion, and graduate student Yonghyun Song are examining the steps by which embryos create DNA precursors independent of those supplied by their mothers. Credit: Frank Wojciechowski

The researchers further validated their results by looking to the scientific literature about other animals, including mammals, frogs and sea urchins. In all those cases, the offspring achieve their biological independence by soon taking over the task of forging new genetic building blocks.

Alex Mogilner, a professor of mathematics and biology at New York University's Courant Institute who was not involved with the study, described its results as an "exciting discovery."

"It was previously thought that there is enough DNA precursors 'from the mother' in early embryos to synthesize DNA in rapidly dividing and growing cells," Mogilner said. Not only did the study show this assumption to be false, but it illustrated how the new DNA precursors are synthesized on the go. "An important part of the discovery is that there is a simple, yet powerful feedback regulating this de novo synthesis: the catalytic enzyme RNR is regulated by the amount of DNA precursors themselves."

Future research will delve into the molecular mechanisms regulating the activity of RNR, which could point the way to new medicines.

"We have established a new and very powerful system in fruit flies for studying an embryonic biochemistry that is relevant for drug development," said Shvartsman. "And, even more fundamentally, we are gaining a better basic understanding of the first steps of life."

More information: Yonghyun Song et al. Dynamic Control of dNTP Synthesis in Early Embryos, Developmental Cell (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.06.013 Journal information: Developmental Cell
Tiny frogs and toads used to swarm over the Sierra Nevada. Now, the government says nearly 2 million acres of land needs to be preserved to prevent them from going extinct.

California ranchers and logging groups say those protections are hurting their ability to make a living. So another conflict over the Endangered Species Act is going to court.

The California Farm Bureau and two ranchers' associations sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Monday, challenging a year-old decision to designate more than 1.8 million acres of rural California as "critical habitat" for three species of frogs and toads that are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Loggers and ranchers who harvest timber or graze cattle on public lands worry the new restrictions on land use will eventually make it more difficult - if not impossible - to make a living in the Sierra, said Shaun Crook, a Tuolumne County cattle rancher whose family also owns a logging company.

"It has the economic impact of putting you out of business is what that reality could be," said Crook, president of the Tuolumne County Farm Bureau.

Even though the designation was made a year ago, Crook said federal officials haven't yet told him how the protections will affect his cattle, which graze on federal lands. But he said he and other ranchers worry that major tracts of land will be put off limits or they'll be required to install fencing around protected areas.

The case affects a wide swath of the Sierra Nevada region, from Lassen to Inyo counties. It includes portions of Placer and El Dorado counties. Most of the land is owned by the government and is in designated wilderness areas, where the "highest level of conservation protection" on federal land is required, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The critical habitat designation subjects farmers "to substantial regulatory burdens that impose, among other things, study costs, risk assessments, mitigation fees, operational changes, permit fees, and consulting expenses," said the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. "In some cases, these burdens put the rancher's livelihood at risk." The farm groups are represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a Sacramento nonprofit that fights for conservative and property-rights causes.

At issue is the fate of the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and mountain yellow-legged frog, named for the yellow on the undersides of their legs and abdomens. The third species is the Yosemite toad, named for the national park where it was first discovered.

All have been listed as "threatened" since 2014 under the Endangered Species Act. Designation of critical habitat is typically the final step in the process of officially listing an animal as endangered.

Farm groups also opposed the 2014 decision, but environmentalists have long-argued that the frogs need extra protections in order to survive.

"Other habitat management, like livestock grazing in some areas, has an impact, and of course climate change and drought can impact them as well," said Jenny Loda, a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. If land is overgrazed, the vegetation might not hide the frogs from predators, she said.

Loda called the farm groups' lawsuit "a mean-spirited attack against these really vulnerable frogs and the toad."

A spokeswoman for Fish and Wildlife couldn't be reached for comment.

Environmentalists say extra protections are critical for the frogs that have been hit with a one-two punch from nonnative predatory fish and the chytrid fungus, a disease that is devastating amphibians around the world.

In 2006, the Center for Biological Diversity sued the state, alleging the Sierra frog species are disappearing in large part because state fisheries managers have for decades been introducing hungry non-native trout for anglers to catch in the frogs' alpine lake habitat.

In response to the suit, the state began reviewing its stocking program and limiting hatchery releases in certain lakes. The environmental group had hoped to ban such stocking entirely in lakes where the frogs were present, but in 2015, a state appellate court ruled that the hatchery program could continue and that the state's environmental reviews were adequate.

Meanwhile, state officials are considering placing another frog species under protection. In June, the California Fish and Game Commission formally declared the foothill yellow-legged frog a candidate species for listing as threatened under the state's Endangered Species Act. The frogs live in lower elevations from Oregon to Los Angeles County. State biologists say the species has disappeared from more than half of its range in California and Oregon.

Crook, the Tuolumne rancher, said that his concern is that the restrictions on land use to protect the frogs may someday extend beyond public lands into private property.

"Every ranch has springs and has ponds and, when you look at that map, it basically takes all of the foothills, and makes it habitat," he said. "There's a huge fear there as well."

2017 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A fan worm projecting its fan-like array of feeding tentacles up out of its tube into the water column. Two enlarged tentacles are tipped with a pair of prominent compound eyes. Credit: Dr Michael Bok, University of Bristol

Scientists examining the multiple eyes found on the tentacles of fan worms have discovered they evolved independently from their other visual systems, specifically to support the needs of their lifestyle.

Fan worms live in tubes on the seafloor. From their heads, the worms extend feather-like tentacles up out of their tubes to sift the water for food particles and aid in respiration.

To protect themselves from predators, fan worms have evolved a variety of unusual compound eyes on their tentacles that act like shadow or motion detectors, alerting the worm to danger and triggering a rapid hiding response to encroaching objects in the water.

Superficially, some of these eyes resemble those of crustaceans or insects, but their photoreceptor cells are structurally and functionally distinct.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden used transcriptomic sequencing to examine the genes expressed in these eyes from a species of fan worm collected on the Great Barrier Reef, Megalomma interrupta.

This sequencing approach identifies nearly all gene transcripts expressed in a given piece of tissue. They identified a number of genes that produce light-sensitive cellular signalling components such as opsins and g-proteins in the fan worm's eyes, which they compared with others known from across the animal kingdom.

The findings were published last week in the journal Current Biology.

Lead author Dr Michael Bok, Senior Research Associate at the University of Bristol's Ecology of Vision Group  part of the School of Biological Sciences, said: "Surprisingly, we found an unusual set of light-sensing genes, previously only seen in simple photoreceptors in the brains of some invertebrates.

"It seems that the eyes on the tentacles of fan worms evolved independently from all other visual systems in order to support the needs of their unusual filter-feeding lifestyle.

"Many questions remain about the evolution and function of these eyes.

"Due to their unique evolutionary history and neural circuitry these eyes could offer many clues about the emergence of new sensory systems and how the first eyes may have arisen."

More information: Michael J. Bok et al. Phototransduction in fan worm radiolar eyes, Current Biology (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.093 Journal information: Current Biology
For the first time, researchers have used whole genome sequencing to identify the cause of a zoonotic infection that sparked a national epidemic. In a study published this week in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers describe their use of whole genome sequencing to determine the cause of a respiratory disease that ripped through a population of native horses in Iceland several years ago.

"Our study showed that you can use genomic sequencing to tell epidemic strains from endemic strains," said principal study investigator Andrew Waller, PhD, head of bacteriology, Animal Health Trust, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

The Icelandic horse population is geographically isolated, arising from animals introduced by settlers in the ninth and tenth centuries. Virtually no horses have been imported in the last thousand years. This isolation has kept Icelandic horses free from the most common contagious equine diseases. In 2010, a respiratory disease of unknown origin spread through almost the entire population of 77,000 native horses in Iceland. The disease involved coughing, nasal discharge, and high morbidity. "Iceland was so worried about what was causing it that they stopped exporting horses to the rest of the world," said Dr. Waller. "It had a big impact on their economy, as they breed and sell a lot of horses each year."

A team of scientists at the University of Reykjavik performed microbiological investigations and ruled out known viral agents, but identified the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus zooepidemicus from almost all of the nasal swabs taken from coughing horses and from the diseased tissues of occasional fatal cases. The bacteria is routinely isolated from healthy horses and widely considered to be commensal, but because it was so ubiquitous during the outbreak, the researchers began to think it could be the culprit.

Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute performed whole genome sequencing on 305 isolates of S. zooepidemicus: 257 from the epidemic including from 100 horses, two cats, one dog, and three people. They compared the recent isolates to ten archived Icelandic isolates of S. zooepidemicus from seven horses, two sheep and a dog to provide insight into the identity of historical isolates of S. zooepidemicus from Iceland, and to 38 isolates, which represented the wider population diversity of the bacteria beyond Iceland.

The majority of S. zooepidemicus isolates recovered during the epidemic fell into four distinct clades. "ST209 stood out as likely to be responsible for the epidemic," said Dr. Waller. The epidemic ST209 strain was also recovered from a cat and the blood sample of an Icelandic woman who had suffered a miscarriage.

Network analysis of affected farms identified a single common training yard as a primary center of transmission and demonstrated how a novel strain can spread rapidly through a susceptible population devoid of sufficient cross-protective immunity, despite a background of concomitant colonization with endemic strains. The most likely route of transmission of the epidemic strain at this yard, a water treadmill that horses used on a daily basis, did not contain disinfectant and was changed on a once- or twice-weekly basis. This provided ideal conditions for the transmission of S. zooepidemicus between visiting horses. Adding chlorine coupled with regular cleaning and disinfection of water treadmills may minimize or eliminate the transmission of S. zooepidemicus or other infectious agents via this route.

Previously, researchers have used whole genome sequencing to determine how germs spread through a hospital, but this is the first time the technology has been used to track the outbreak of a zoonotic disease. "This study enabled us to identify which strains were normally present in the Icelandic horse population and which was the epidemic strain that was causing the problem and that is very new," said Dr. Waller. "It was great to be able to show that this particular strain had spread so quickly through the whole population, and as far as we are aware, that has not been done before using whole genome sequencing."
A gold replica of a lunar landing module gifted to US astronaut Neil Armstrong by French jewlers has been pilfered from an Ohio museum, with security footage offering little help to police.

The artifact was stolen late Friday from the astronaut's namesake museum in his small hometown of Wapakoneta.

Local police are working with only a blurry image of the thief taken via security camera, which has not helped them identify the suspect.

The five-inch (13-centimeter) tall solid gold model of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module, which took the first humans to the Moon, was one of three made by Cartier.

They were given to Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins during their visit to Paris, as part of a celebratory world tour following their return from space in 1969.

Authorities were unable to give an estimated value for the object, but the museum said the loss could not be measured in dollars and cents.

"Theft from a museum is a theft from all of us," the Armstrong Air & Space Museum said in a Facebook post.

"For every day that an item is missing, we are all robbed of an opportunity to enjoy it and our history."

Wapakoneta police believed more than one person was involved in the burglary, but only one entered the museum by breaking in through the front entrance on Friday near midnight.

Along with the gold replica, other items in the same exhibit display were also taken, including award medals and presentation coins, police said.

The museum employed video surveillance, door alarms and other security measures, which it would not specify. Authorities did not say how the thief managed to best those measures.

"This is an ongoing criminal investigation," said Wapakoneta Police Chief Russel Hunlock in a statement.

"I will continue to release information as I can, but I will not tarnish the integrity of the investigation."

The theft occurred just days after the 48th anniversary of the first Lunar landing on July 20. The museum held a celebration featuring Aldrin to mark the occasion.

 2017 AFP
A tsunami can occur as ocean crust (brown area) dives under continental crust (orange), causing the ocean floor to suddenly move. In a region off Alaska, researchers have found a large fault and other evidence indicating that the leading edge of the continental crust has split off, creating a tsunami-prone area where the floor can move more efficiently. Credit: Anne Becel

Scientists probing under the seafloor off Alaska have mapped a geologic structure that they say signals potential for a major tsunami in an area that normally would be considered benign. They say the feature closely resembles one that produced the 2011 Tohoku tsunami off Japan, killing some 20,000 people and melting down three nuclear reactors. Such structures may lurk unrecognized in other areas of the world, say the scientists. The findings will be published tomorrow in the print edition of the journal Nature Geoscience.

The discovery "suggests this part of Alaska is particularly prone to tsunami generation," said seismologist Anne Becel of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who led the study. "The possibility that such features are widespread is of global significance." In addition to Alaska, she said, waves could hit more southerly North American coasts, Hawaii and other parts of the Pacific.

Tsunamis can occur as giant plates of ocean crust dive under adjoining continental crust, a process called subduction. Some plates get stuck for decades or centuries and tension builds, until they suddenly slip by each other. This produces a big earthquake, and the ocean floor may jump up or down like a released spring. That motion transfers to the overlying water, creating a surface wave.

The 2011 Japan tsunami was a surprise, because it came partly on a "creeping" segment of seafloor, where the plates move steadily, releasing tension in frequent small quakes that should prevent a big one from building. But researchers are now recognizing it may not always work that way. Off Japan, part of the leading edge of the overriding continental plate had become somewhat detached from the main mass. When a relatively modest quake dislodged this detached wedge, it jumped, unleashing a wave that topped 130 feet in places. The telltale sign of danger, in retrospect: a fault in the seafloor that demarcated the detached section's boundary landward of the "trench," the zone where the two plates initially meet. The fault had been known to exist, but no one had understood what it meant.

The discovery was made around the western end of the Alaska Peninsula and the eastern Aleutian Islands. Credit: Anne Becel

The researchers in the new study have now mapped a similar system in the Shumagin Gap, a creeping subduction zone near the end of the Alaska Peninsula some 600 miles from Anchorage. The segment is part of a subduction arc spanning the peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. Sailing on a specially equipped research vessel, the scientists used relatively new technology to penetrate deep into the seafloor with powerful sound pulses. By reading the echoes, they created CAT-scan-like maps of both the surface and what is underneath. The newly mapped fault lies between the trench and the coast, stretching perhaps 90 miles underwater more or less parallel to land. On the seafloor, it is marked by scarps about 15 feet high, indicating that the floor has dropped one side and risen on the other. The fault extends down more than 20 miles, all the way to where the two plates are moving against each other.

The team also analyzed small earthquakes in the region, and found a cluster of seismicity where the newly identified fault meets the plate boundary. This, they say, confirms that the fault may be active. Earthquake patterns also suggest that frictional properties on the seaward side of the fault differ from those on the landward side. These differences may have created the fault, slowly tearing the region off the main mass; or the fault may be the remains of a past sudden movement. Either way, it signals danger, said coauthor Donna Shillington, a Lamont-Doherty seismologist.

"With that big fault there, that outer part of the plate could move independently and make a tsunami a lot more effective," said Shillington. "You get a lot more vertical motion if the part that moves is close to the seafloor surface." A rough analogy: imagine snapping off a small piece of a dinner plate, laying the two pieces together on a table and pounding the table from below; the smaller piece will probably jump higher than if the plate were whole, because there is less holding it down.

Seafloor images were collected aboard the research vessel Marcus G. Langseth, the nations main ship for seismic research. Credit: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Other parts of the Aleutian subduction zone are already known to be dangerous. A 1946 quake and tsunami originating further west killed more than 160 people, most in Hawaii. In 1964, an offshore quake killed around 140 people with landslides and tsunamis, mainly in Alaska; 19 people died in Oregon and California, and waves were detected as far off as Papua New Guinea and even Antarctica. In July 2017, an offshore quake near the western tip of the Aleutians triggered a Pacific-wide tsunami warning, but luckily it produced just a six-inch local wave.

As for the Shumagin Gap, in 1788, Russian colonists then living on nearby Unga Island recorded a great quake and tsunami that wiped out coastal structures and killed many native Aleut people. The researchers say it may have originated at the Shumagin Gap, but there is no way to be sure. Rob Witter, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has scoured area coastlines for evidence of such a tsunami, but so far evidence has eluded him, he said. The potential danger "remains a puzzle here," he said. "We know so little about the hazards of subduction zones. Every little bit of new information we can glean about how they work is valuable, including the findings in this new paper."

The authors say that apart from Japan, such a fault structure has been well documented only off Russia's Kuril Islands, east of the Aleutians. But, Shillington said, "We don't have images from many places. If we were to look around the world, we would probably see a lot more." John Miller, a retired USGS scientist who has studied the Aleutians, said that his own work suggests other segments of the arc have other threatening features that resemble both those in the Shumagin and off Japan. "The dangers of areas like these are just now being widely recognized," he said.

In rural Alaska, infrastructure tends to cluster along the coast, making it vulnerable to tsunami. Here, a community on Kodiak Island. Waves generated in this region could reach to Hawaii and beyond. Credit: Matthias Delescluse

Lamont seismologists have been studying earthquakes in the Aleutians since the 1960s, but early studies were conducted mainly on land. In the 1980s, the USGS collected the same type of data used in the new study, but seismic equipment now able to produce far more detailed images deep under the sea floor made this latest discovery possible, said Becel. She and others conducted the imaging survey aboard the Marcus G. Langseth, the United States' flagship vessel for acoustic research. Owned by the U.S. National Science Foundation, it is operated by Lamont-Doherty on behalf the nation's universities and other research institutions.

More information: Anne Becel et al. Tsunamigenic structures in a creeping section of the Alaska subduction zone, Nature Geoscience (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ngeo2990 Journal information: Nature Geoscience
Hybrid nanoparticles as photoinitiators. a. Electron microscope image of hybrid nanocrystal. The inset shows a schematic of semiconductor nanorod with a metal tip. b. Bucky ball structure produced by rapid 3D printing in water using HNPs as photoinitiators. c. Spiral printed with HNPs by two photon printer providing high resolution features. Credit: Pawar et al

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology have developed a new type of photoinitiator for three-dimensional (3-D) printing in water. These novel nanoparticles could allow for the creation of bio-friendly 3-D printed structures, further the development of biomedical accessories and drive progress in traditional industries such as plastics.

3-D printing has become an important tool for fabricating different organic based materials for a variety of industries. However, printing structures in water has always been challenging due to a lack of water soluble molecules known as photoinitiatorsthe molecules that induce chemical reactions necessary to form solid printed material by light.

Now, writing in Nano Letters, Prof. Uri Banin and Prof. Shlomo Magdassi at the Hebrew University's Institute of Chemistry describe an efficient means of 3-D printing in water using semiconductor-metal hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) as the photoinitiators.

3-D printing in water opens exciting opportunities in the biomedical arena for tailored fabrication of medical devices and for printing scaffolds for tissue engineering. For example, the researchers envision personalized fabrication of joint replacements, bone plates, heart valves, artificial tendons and ligaments, and other artificial organ replacements.

3-D printing in water also offers an environmentally friendly approach to additive manufacturing, which could replace the current technology of printing in organic based inks.

Unlike regular photoinitiators, the novel hybrid nanoparticles developed by Prof. Banin and Prof. Magdassi present tunable properties, wide excitation window in the UV and visible range, high light sensitivity, and function by a unique photocatalytic mechanism that increases printing efficiency while reducing the amount of materials required to create the final product. The whole process can also be used in advanced polymerization modalities, such as two photon printers, which allows it to produce high resolution features

More information: Amol Ashok Pawar et al. Rapid Three-Dimensional Printing in Water Using SemiconductorMetal Hybrid Nanoparticles as Photoinitiators, Nano Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b01870 Journal information: Nano Letters
3D model of the ancestral flower reconstructed by the new study, showing both female (carpels) and male (stamens) parts, and multiple whorls (concentric cycles) of petal-like organs, in sets of threes. Credit: Herve Sauquet & Jurg Schonenberger.

The first flower to appear along the path of plant evolution, during the time of the dinosaurs, was a hermaphrodite with petal-like organs arranged in concentric circles, researchers said Monday.

The bloom had both male and female reproductive organs at the centre, surrounded by multiple layers or "whorls" of petal-like parts called tepals, arranged in sets of three per layer, they wrote in the journal Nature Communications.

The reconstruction, based on the largest dataset of flower traits ever assembledfrom 792 existing specieschallenges scientific assumptions that the ancestral flower would have had its sex organs and "petals" arranged in a spiral.

Most flowers today have four "whorls"the outer leaves or sepals, followed by the petals, which enclose the male organs called stamens, with the female organs or carpels at the centre.

The ancestral flower likely did not have separate sepals and petals, instead sporting tepalsa mix between the twoaround the sex organs at the centre.

Modern flowers with tepals rather than petals include tulips and lilies.

"The results are really exciting," said Maria von Balthazar, a floral morphology expert at the University of Vienna, who took part in the research.

"This is the first time that we have a clear vision for the early evolution of flowers across all angiosperms"the scientific term for flowering plants.

We still do not know the flower's colour, what it smelled like, or its sizepresumed to have been less than a centimetre (0.4 inches) in diameter.

Experts believe that land plants emerged from ancestral water plants about 470 million years agomore than three billion years after the first life is thought to have emerged when Earth was about a billion years old.

All living flowers ultimately derive from a single ancestor (pictured in the centre) that lived about 140 million years ago. To find out what this ancestral flower may have looked like and trace back the evolution of flowers since then, the new study used the evolutionary tree (here simplified) that connects all living species of flowering plants. Credit: Herve Sauquet & Jurg Schonenberger.

Tree or shrub

The first seed plantthe group that includes flowering plants and cone-bearing oneslikely emerged about 320 million years ago, when there were diverse animals on land and at sea, but not yet dinosaurs, mammals or birds.

The oldest-known fossils of flowering plants date from about 140 million years agoduring the age of the dinosaurs which went extinct some 66 million years ago.

Since then, the first flower has evolved into at least 300,0000 species that include almost all plant types used by people for food, medicine and other purposes, said the research team.

Flowering plants represent about 90 percent of all plants on Earth.

In 1879, evolutionary scientist Charles Darwin famously described the flower's rapid rise and diversification during the Cretaceous geological era as an "abominable mystery".

The team combined DNA data and a vast library of plant traits to compile a detailed evolutionary tree leading back to the last common ancestor.

"The flower grew (on) only one type of plant, the ancestral species of all living, flowering plants," co-author Herve Sauquet of the Universite Paris-Sud in France told AFP.

"Not many people have looked into the question of what kind of plant this was, but according to previous work it was probably a small tree or shrub."

The team stressed that although their reconstruction presents the closest picture of the ancestral flower yet, much remains to be uncovered by future research.

More information: Herve Sauquet et al. The ancestral flower of angiosperms and its early diversification, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ncomms16047 Journal information: Nature Communications

 2017 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Advanced algorithms shape and guide our every step in the online world. They are also increasingly penetrating everyday life as more sectors of society, from finance and health care to human resources and criminal justice, incorporate them into daily decision-making.

A polarizing debate is ongoing in response to these changes and little has been done to determine and track the effects of algorithmic tools in various professions, said Angele Christin, assistant professor of communication at Stanford.

Proponents of algorithms say computer programs can fix the inefficiency and bias of humans. Critics point to the opacity of algorithms and argue that they are not necessarily neutral.

"Technology changes things, but perhaps not always as much as we think," Christin said. "Social context matters a lot in shaping the actual effects of the technological tools.  So, it's important to understand that connection between humans and machines."

In a research paper recently published in Big Data & Society, Christin found a gap between the intended and actual uses of algorithms in the fields of web journalism and criminal justice. In addition, workers in both areas developed similar strategies to minimize the impact of algorithms on their daily work, she said.

"Whereas managers and executives frequently emphasize how 'data-driven,' modern, and rational their organization is, the actual uses of algorithmic techniques in web newsrooms and criminal courts reveal a more complicated picture," Christin wrote in the paper.

Algorithmic denial

Christin observed five newsrooms, three in Paris and two in New York, between 2011 and 2015. Since 2015, she has also been gathering information on four criminal courts, three in the United States and one in France. She interviewed reporters and editors as well as judges, defense attorneys, probation officers and others.

In spite of the many differences between the fields of web journalism and criminal justice, Christin found surprising similarities between newsrooms and courtrooms during her fieldwork.

In web journalism, real-time analytics software programs, such as Chartbeat, are used to measure the number of visitors to each article, the average time spent by readers on each piece and the number of likes and shares it gets on social media platforms.

These programs purport to revolutionize journalists' content strategies by providing this detailed data about their audience. Editorial managers order the programs installed on every employee's computer and encourage staff writers to track traffic on their stories.

But in some of the newsrooms she studied, staff writers and employees did not use these programs and some actively avoided them on principle, Christin said.

"I have access to something that shows all those stats," one writer told Christin. "I don't go there and obsessively look at the stats. I find it kind of stressful and I try not to get too wrapped up in that."

In criminal justice, a similar discrepancy exists. A lot of courts now use various predictive risk-assessment tools that rely on defendants' criminal history, socio-demographics and other variables to estimate an offender's risk of reoffending or failure to appear in court when on bail.

These algorithmic programs were often introduced as a result of a growing awareness that racial bias exists at every step of the criminal justice process in the United States, Christin said. The supporters of these tools believe they can reduce overcrowding in jails by reliably identifying low-risk offenders who could be released.

But many judges and prosecutors do not use those analytics, Christin said. Because some of these tools are created by for-profit companies, many employees in criminal justice question their reliability.

"I'd prefer to look at actual behaviors," one former prosecutor told Christin. "With these tools the output is only as good as the input. And the input is controversial."

Algorithms in perspective

The question of algorithms' reliability hits at the core of today's debate about them. Algorithms are inherently opaque; the code they're written in is often proprietary and difficult to understand.

Some experts propose algorithmic audits that would test the system periodically. Others say a governmental agency should be created with some oversight power, Christin said.

These solutions may address some of the issues relating to algorithmic opacity, but not all, she said.

"The problem of transparency is a real one, and I think there is no clear way to make algorithms completely transparent for now," Christin said.

But further qualitative research can help people understand how algorithms fit in the social system and how they can make sense of them, Christin said. In addition to conducting research on the uses and practices associated with algorithmic systems, humanists and social science scholars should encourage those who make algorithms to critically analyze them.

"People who design these tools do not always follow closely how they are being used in specific organizations," Christin said. "Sometimes people use technology in ways you want them, but sometimes they use it differently."

Aa part of that effort, Christin, who joined Stanford last year, taught a new class, The Politics of Algorithms, in spring quarter.

"It was one of the most rewarding things to me  to be able to talk to the students who often design algorithms and who will be working in Silicon Valley, and discuss the potential pitfalls and how we can address them," Christin said. "I learned just as much from them as they did from me."

More information: Angele Christin. Algorithms in practice: Comparing web journalism and criminal justice, Big Data & Society (2017). DOI: 10.1177/2053951717718855
Credit: University of Cambridge

As many as a half of all short-nosed dogs such as pugs, French bulldogs and bulldogs experience breathing difficulties related to their facial structure. However, research published today by the University of Cambridge suggests that there is no way to accurately predict from visible features whether an apparently healthy pug or French bulldog will go on to develop breathing difficulties.

The findings have implications for attempts to 'breed out' this potentially life-threatening condition.

Pugs and bulldogs have become popular breeds in recent years - the French bulldog is set to become the UK's most popular canine, according to the Kennel Club. However, a significant proportion are affected by a condition known as Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) related to their head structure.

Studies suggest that for over half of such dogs, BOAS may lead to health problems, causing not just snoring but also difficulty exercising and potentially overheating. It can even prove life-threating. But as symptoms often do not arise until after the dog has begun breeding, veterinary scientists have been searching for markers that can predict whether a dog is likely to develop breathing difficulties - and hence potentially help breed out the condition.

A study in 2015 led by researchers at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, working across many breeds suggested that dogs whose muzzles comprised less than half their cranial lengths and dogs with thicker neck girths were at increased risk of BOAS. However, a new study carried out by researchers at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, and published today in the journal PLOS ONE, suggests that these measures applied to individual breeds are not dependable for this purpose.

The Cambridge researchers took external measurements of features of head and neck shape, and of the external appearance of nostrils, together with measurements of body size and body condition score (an approximation to the degree of fatness/obesity) in just over 600 pugs, bulldogs and French bulldogs, the most numerous breeds that show this problem. Each of the dogs had also been graded objectively for respiratory function.

The team found that while the external head measurements did have some predictive value for respiratory function, the relationship was not strong, and the measurements that showed the best predictive relationship to BOAS differed between breeds. They were unable to reproduce conclusively the findings from the previous study by the Royal Veterinary College in any breed.

"It can be incredibly difficult to take measurements such as distance between eyes or length of nose accurately, even for experienced vets, as the dogs don't keep still," says Dr Jane Ladlow, joint lead author. "This may explain why it is so difficult to replicate the findings of the previous study or find any conclusive markers in our own."

Neck girth was a slightly more reproducible measurement, and larger neck girth in comparison to chest girth or neck length was associated with disease in the bulldogs and French bulldogs. In male bulldogs, neck girth showed a close enough association with disease to give moderately good predictive accuracy for the presence of clinically significant BOAS.

The best measure identified by the Cambridge team was the degree of nostril opening, which proved a moderately good predictor of the presence and severity of BOAS in pugs and French bulldogs, and was also a useful marker for disease in bulldogs.

Altogether the variables measured, when combined, gave an 80% accuracy in predicting whether or not dogs will have BOAS, the difficulty of taking some of the measurements accurately, and the need to make multiple measurements and combine them in order to produce a prediction means that the researchers would not recommend using them as a guide to breeding.

Dr Nai-Chieh Liu, first author of the study, says: "Breeding for open nostrils is probably the best simple way to improve these breeds. Dog breeders should also avoid using dogs with extremely short muzzles, wide faces, and thick necks. These traits are all associated with increased risk of having BOAS."

Joint lead author Dr David Sargan adds "At this moment there is no conclusive way of predicting whether any individual pug or bulldog will develop breathing difficulties, so we are now looking for genetic tests that may help breeders get rid of BOAS more rapidly.

"The best advice we can give to owners of short-nosed dogs is to make sure you get your dog checked annually for any potential difficulties in breathing, even if you have not yourself observed any in your dog, and to keep your dog fit and not let it get fat."
Shell researchers collected samples from oil wells in a North Sea oil field like this one. Credit: Berardo62, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0

Microbes are invisible to the naked eye, but play key roles in maintaining the planet's biogeochemical cycles. In the Earth's subsurface, microbes have adapted to thrive in the relatively stable extreme conditions. To learn more about how some of these populations respond to disruptions in their environment, researchers in the petroleum industry conducted a comparative genetic analysis of the microbial communities in multiple oil wells within an offshore oil field. The analysis utilized tools developed at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

While shifting toward more sustainable, alternative energy sources, people still rely on fossil fuels for energy and transportation fuels. Understanding how microbial communities in subsurface petroleum reservoirs are impacted by human activity, and how their responses can sour oil production, can influence oil industry practices. Harnessing capabilities made available through DOE JGI's publicly accessible data analysis system afforded industry researchers insights into the interactions between reservoir conditions and microbial community composition.

In the North Sea is an offshore petroleum reservoir managed by a joint venture of which Shell, one of the world's largest oil companies, is a partner. Over the past 15 years, 32 oil wells have been drilled, reaching depths over 2 kilometers below the seafloor to extract petroleum from this deep subsurface reservoir. Recovering gas and oil for energy and transportation fuels impacts the previously isolated microbial communities in the deep subsurface. For example, water injections introduce new microbes to the existing indigenous populations, which can lead to the production of the highly toxic and corrosive hydrogen sulfide, impacting oil well productivity and oil quality.

Schematic of Halfdan Oil Field. Credit: Nicolas Tsesmetzis

To learn more about the composition of these microbial communities, Shell researchers, in collaboration with DOE JGI and Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, analyzed samples from the 32 oil wells of the Halfdan North Sea oil field (owned by Denmark) and tracked the succession of microbial populations in multiple oil wells drilled at different times in an offshore, deep subsurface petroleum reservoir. They sequenced the samples and then analyzed the data to learn about community compositions, and how these compositions change over time the longer an oil well stays in production mode. During the analyses, tools developed at the DOE JGI and made available through the Integrated Microbial Genomes and Metagenomes (IMG/M) system were utilized. The data generated provides insights into just how deep subsurface microbial communities are perturbed by active oil wells injecting foreign substances into these previously isolated populations, and helps industry researchers develop new techniques for managing microbiological problems.

"For the first time, we are able to shed light into this remote and largely unexplored ecosystem" said study senior author Nicolas Tsesmetzis of Shell International Exploration and Production Inc. "The largely heterogeneous and highly diverse microbial communities recovered from the different oil wells of the same oil field was rather unexpected and brings about a paradigm shift in our standard microbial monitoring practices of petroleum systems." This work indicates that the microbial communities in these drill sites are more diverse and dynamic than was expected, as well as more responsive to drilling activities.

The work was reported in The ISME Journal.

More information: Adrien Vigneron et al. Succession in the petroleum reservoir microbiome through an oil field production lifecycle, The ISME Journal (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2017.78 Journal information: ISME Journal
In this Wednesday, March 29, 2017 file photo, Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd, arrives for a cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, London. Rudd is traveling to California to press Internet firms to stem the flow of extremist content online, Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

Britain's interior minister is traveling to California to press Internet firms including Facebook, Twitter and Google to stem the flow of extremist content online.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd wants the companies to do more to remove hate speech and terrorist propaganda.

Officials say she will tell the first meeting of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism in San Francisco on Tuesday that governments and industry must work together to start "turning the tide."

Rudd will also raise the issue of encryption in meetings with tech firms. The British government has been criticized for seeking to let its spies circumvent the end-to-end encryption used by WhatsApp and other messaging services.

Internet companies say that could weaken the security of online shopping, banking and many other activities that rely on encryption.

 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Most of these wildfires in this image are located in three general areas--in the Caribou Fire Centre located in the Fraser Plateau directly north of Vancouver, in the Kamloops Fire Centre in the Thomas Plateau, which is east of Whistler, and the Southeast Fire Centre which is east of Kamloops. Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

Like tourist season, wildfire season is also in full swing in British Columbia. Whereas tourists are welcomed to the Canadian province, wildfires are not. In British Columbia alone there are close to 500 wildfires active to date. Most of these wildfires are located in three general areasin the Caribou Fire Centre located in the Fraser Plateau directly north of Vancouver, in the Kamloops Fire Centre in the Thomas Plateau, which is east of Whistler, and the Southeast Fire Centre which is east of Kamloops. All current fires of note can be viewed on this interactive map: http://governmentofbc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a1e7b1ecb1514974a9ca00bdbfffa3b1 Wildfires in British Columbia are common at this time of year due to rising temperatures, however, this year is the third worst year in the region for forest fires. To date 840 fires have broken out since April 1 of this year. Although it started slow, 2017 is shaping up to be a record breaking fire season if not for numbers of fires, then for the sheer amount of hectares burned. In an area where rainfall is the norm, to have days and weeks without rainfall is unusual and helps to create a hot, dry environment with plenty of underbrush that fires use as fuel.

Firefighting costs for the 426,000 hectares (1,052,668 acres) that have burned this fire season have hit $172.5 million. Close to 4,000 personnel are working these fires across the province and ground crews are supported by 200 aircraft.

Besides the actual fire, smoke becomes an issue when so many fires are in the area. An information bulletin from the BC Wildfire Service is calling for smoky skies on the coast as the wind is expected to shift and these conditions could remain for a better part of this week. It has always been known that smoke can be hazardous to your health but a new study from researchers at Georgia Tech found that particle pollution from wildfires, long known for containing soot and other fine particles known to be dangerous to human health, is much worse than previously thought. Naturally burning timber and brush from wildfires release dangerous particles into the air at a rate three times as high as levels known by the EPA. The study also found wildfires spew methanol, benzene, ozone and other noxious chemicals.

NASA's Terra satellite collected this natural-color image with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, MODIS, instrument on July 31, 2017. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS's thermal bands, are outlined in red. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team, GSFC. Caption by Lynn Jenner with information from the BC Wildfire Service, and the Georgia Tech study.

This landscape photo shows the foggy haze imposed by the British Columbia fires. The mountains in the background are obscured by an opaque blur caused by smoke wafting towards the coast in this image taken on July 19, 2017. Credit: L. Jenner
Differentiation Leads the Pack for Hot 100 Fastest-Growing Retailers

WASHINGTON, August 1, 2017  Whether they sell through traditional stores, online or both, companies that provide unique offerings and experiences for consumers dominate the list of Hot 100 Retailers published today by the National Retail Federations STORES magazine.

The retail industry is getting better at addressing shifts in shopping behaviors and thinking differently, STORES Media Editor Susan Reda said. What matters most to consumers is a retailer differentiating itself in the marketplace, being innovative with merchandise and offering the right value to the right person, not whether a retailer is bricks or clicks. The mix of both traditional and digital retailers on this years list reflects that. The secret to sustained growth going forward is a symbiotic relationship between digital and physical retailing.

The Hot 100 list of fastest-growing retailers, compiled by research firm Kantar Retail and published in the August issue of STORES, is based on sales growth in 2016 over 2015 and ranks both public and privately held retail companies by U.S. domestic sales, with a $300 million threshold for inclusion.

Topping the list is subscription meal kit company Blue Apron, which has delivered more than 150 million meals since it was founded five years ago and saw annual sales grow a dramatic 133 percent to $795.4 million in 2016.

Second is online furniture and home decor seller Wayfair, where sales grew 54 percent to $2.9 billion as it expanded its offerings to include greater price and quality ranges. Coming in third is longtime traditional retailer Ascena Retail Group  parent company of Ann Taylor, Catherines, Dress Barn, Lane Bryant and Maurices  which has been aggressive with mergers and acquisitions in recent years and had 50 percent sales growth at $7 billion. Following at No. 4 is online pet food seller Chewy.com with 48 percent growth to $900 million, followed at No. 5 by online building supply company Build.com/Wolseley, which grew 38 percent to $911 million.

Also included are No. 6 convenience store operator CST Brands, up 29 percent at $2.1 billion; No. 7 subscription fashion retailer JustFab, up 29 percent at $572 million; No. 8 supermarket and department store chain Grupo Comercial Chedraui, up 27 percent at $1.5 billion; No. 9 supermarket chain Gelsons Markets, up 26 percent at $723 million; and No. 10 online giant Amazon.com, up 25 percent at $77 billion.

Online companies make up six of the top 10 companies, but the majority of retailers on the full Hot 100 list are either traditional retailers or retailers that sell both in-store and online. Fewer than 10 companies are pureplay ecommerce.

This years Hot 100 confirms once again that retail growth is coming from a number of places, including less traditional channels in the industry, Kantar Retail Chief Product Strategy and Marketing Officer Andrew Stockwell said. While a tremendous amount of volume is still generated from big boxes, retail channels such as online, discount, club, drug and convenience are powering accelerated growth.

Fourteen companies with Sustained Sizzle

Fourteen retailers are recognized as sustained sizzlers for having made the Hot 100 list each year since its inception in 2006. The list below includes their sales growth since 2011 and their 2017 ranking:

Amazon.com  192 percent (10) Aldi  42 percent (40) Dollar General  48 percent (47) Ross Stores  49 percent (52) OReilly Automotive  48 percent (51) Dicks Sporting Goods  52 percent (43) Tractor Supply Co.  60 percent (44) Academy Sports + Outdoor  156 percent (27) Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance  160 percent (11) Sprouts Farmers Market  251 percent (30) Caseys General Stores  67 percent (55) Grocery Outlet  197 percent (49) Sephora  44 percent (67) Lululemon Athletica  208 percent (38)

About Kantar Retail

We are the retail and shopper specialists. We help you sell more effectively and profitably. We are part of Kantar (kantar.com), the data investment management division of WPP (wpp.com) and one of the worlds leading insight, information and consultancy groups. Kantar Retail works with leading branded manufacturers and retailers to transform the purchase behavior of consumers and shoppers through the use of retail and shopper insights, purchase data tools and analytics, consulting solutions and retail virtual reality services. To learn more, visit us at kantarretail.com and download Kantar Retails Breakthrough Insights for a selection of our most impactful reports, forecasts and thought leadership.

About NRF

NRF is the worlds largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nations largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs  42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nations economy.



Other POS News:
Three British men went on trial in Singapore Tuesday accused of gang-raping a 23-year-old woman while visiting the city-state for a stag party. Khong Tam Thanh, 22, Le Michael, 24, and Vu Thai Son, 24, face up to 20 years in jail and a caning if found guilty of assaulting the Malaysian woman while she was drunk and unconscious at the end of the night out. All three, British citizens of Vietnamese descent, deny the allegations. In an opening statement, prosecutors said the defendants were in Singapore in September as part of a group of nine for a bachelor party, and attended an electronic music festival called Ultra Singapore. The groom, the brother of Khong, was also on the trip. They met the woman in a popular nightspot in the city-state, where she had been partying with a friend. After she had agreed to have sex with one of their friends, a British citizen of Vietnamese origin identified as Richard Ahn, he took her to his hotel room. After the pair had sex, Khong, Le and Vu took turns to enter the room and raped the woman as she lay drunk and unconscious, the court heard. "Having consented to having sexual intercourse with one individual, she was then raped by three other men," Deputy Public Prosector G. Kannan told the Singapore High Court. "Intoxicated and asleep, she was unaware of what was going on around her. She was taken advantage of and raped in quick succession by the three." The men took care to make as little noise as possible but the victim woke up as Le assaulted her, the court heard. They all face one count each of raping the alleged victim in the early hours of September 10 last year. Khong and Vu, who work as beauticians in Britain, face additional charges of sexual assault by digital penetration. Le is unemployed. Ahn, 24, absconded while under investigation. The alleged victim lives in Johor Bahru, the southern Malaysian city bordering Singapore. She cannot be named because of a court order protecting her identity. Rape is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and caning, a punishment which dates back to British colonial rule.
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba praised on Monday the election in Venezuela of a new legislative superbody and denounced what it called an international plot to suppress the will of the Venezuelan people in the wake of U.S. sanctions on its key ally. "Cuba denounces the initiation of a well-orchestrated international operation, directed in Washington ... to silence the voice of the Venezuelan people," the government said in a statement published by state-run media. The U.S. government slapped sanctions on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier on Monday in response to Sunday's election, which it called a "sham". Governments from Spain to Canada to Argentina and Peru joined Washington in denouncing the vote, which was boycotted by the opposition and widely seen as an affront to democracy. "We know well these interventionist practises," the Cuban government said. The United States imposed a devastating economic embargo on the Caribbean island after its 1959 revolution that Havana says has cost it more than $100 billion. "They think that they will manage to achieve the submission of the people to a puppet opposition that they financed," it said. Cuba said only the Venezuelan people could decide how to overcome their problems and reiterated its solidarity with them and their government. Venezuela and Cuba became close allies in the late 1990s under the respective leaderships of Fidel Castro and his younger disciple Hugo Chavez, both now deceased. Their close personal and political relationship resulted in extensive Venezuelan aid to the Caribbean island and a shared strategy for promoting Latin American unity against U.S. influence in the region. (Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Paul Tait)
By Jonathan Saul LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards have started using a new route across the Gulf to funnel covert arms shipments to their Houthi allies in Yemen's civil war, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters. In March, regional and Western sources told Reuters that Iran was shipping weapons and military advisers to the Houthis either directly to Yemen or via Somalia. This route however risked contact with international naval vessels on patrol in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. For the last six months the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has begun using waters further up the Gulf between Kuwait and Iran as it looks for new ways to beat an embargo on arms shipments to fellow Shi'ites in the Houthi movement, Western and Iranian sources say. Using this new route, Iranian ships transfer equipment to smaller vessels at the top of the Gulf, where they face less scrutiny. The transhipments take place in Kuwaiti waters and in nearby international shipping lanes, the sources said. "Parts of missiles, launchers and drugs are smuggled into Yemen via Kuwaiti waters," said a senior Iranian official. "The route sometimes is used for transferring cash as well." The official added that "what is especially smuggled recently, or to be precise in the past six months, are parts of missiles that cannot be produced in Yemen". Cash and drugs can be used to fund Houthi activities, the official said. Yemen is more than two years into a civil war pitting the Houthis against the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition. More than 10,000 people have died in fighting and a cholera epidemic has infected more than 300,000 in a country on the brink of famine. In backing the Houthis against a coalition led by its Sunni enemy Saudi Arabia, Iran is stepping up support for a Shi'ite ally in a war whose outcome could sway the balance of power in the Middle East. MILITARY EQUIPMENT Efforts to intercept military equipment by the coalition have had limited success, with no reported maritime seizures of weapons or ammunition during 2017 so far and only a few seizures on the main land route from the east of Yemen. Independent U.N. investigators, who monitor Yemen sanctions, told the Security Council in their latest confidential report, which Reuters has seen, that they continue to investigate potential arms trafficking routes. They said the United Arab Emirates - which is part of the coalition - had reported 11 attacks since September 2016 against its ground forces by Houthis using drones, or UAVs, armed with explosives. "Although Houthi-aligned media announced that the Sanaa-based Ministry of Defence could manufacture the UAV, in reality they are assembled from components supplied by an outside source and shipped into Yemen," the report said. The report added that the Houthis "will eventually deplete their limited stock of missiles." This would force the Houthis to end a campaign of missile attacks against Saudi territory unless they are resupplied from external sources. An earlier UN report in January said the Houthis needed to replenish stocks of anti-tank guided weapons. The arms smuggling operation may not turn the tide of the conflict, but it will allow the Houthis receive stable supplies of equipment that is otherwise hard to obtain. SAFE ROUTE "The volume of the activity, I don't call it a trade, is not very large. But it is a safe route," a second senior Iranian official said. "Smaller Iranian ports are being used for the activity as major ports might attract attention." Asked if the IRGC was involved, the second official said: "No activity goes ahead in the Gulf without the IRGC being involved. This activity involves a huge amount of money as well as transferring equipment to Iranian-backed groups in their fight against their enemies." A third senior Iranian official also confirmed the shipment activity and pointed to IRGC involvement. The IRGC is Iran's most powerful internal and external security force, with a sophisticated intelligence and surveillance network together with elite units which are playing a key role in the war in Syria in support of the government. The IRGC declined to comment on the arms shipments and Iranian foreign ministry officials could not immediately be reached. Houthi officials were also not immediately available for comment but in March a Houthi leader, who declined to be identified, said accusations that Iran was smuggling weapons into Yemen were an attempt to cover up Saudi Arabia's failure to prevail in the war there. Kuwaiti officials did not respond to questions. A U.S. Navy spokesman said he had no information on the matter. "(The territorial waters of) Iran, Kuwait and Iraq in the northern Persian Gulf butt up against each other," said Gerry Northwood, of maritime security firm MAST and a former British Royal Navy captain who has commanded warships in the region. "There is still plenty of room for smugglers to operate. In fact the whole Persian Gulf is a hive of small boat activity. And this is in an area where one man's illegitimate trade is another's legitimate trade." Hundreds of ships sail through the Bab el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz every day - waterways which pass along the coasts of Yemen and Iran. Many are small dhows, which are hard to track. Western shipping and security sources said that since March there had been an increase in suspicious activity involving Iranian-flagged ships in waters near Kuwait. "Waters around Kuwait are being used by Iranians to funnel ... equipment to Yemen," said an international arms dealer based in the Mediterranean area with knowledge of the matter. "Consignments are either transferred to other craft, such as small boats, or they are dropped near buoys to be picked up by passing ships." The arms dealer, who declined to be identified, said there were many coves and deserted bays in neighbouring Iraq that also provided opportunities for this type of covert activity. The Western sources said consignments were transported from smaller Iranian ports across the sea lanes near Kuwait, which is 100 nautical miles from Iran. To avoid detection, the mainly Iranian-flagged vessels switch off their identification transponders, sometimes for days. They rendezvous with other ships or drop supplies close to buoys, so the consignments can be recovered for onward transport, the sources said. (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York; editing by Giles Elgood)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The transfer of thousands of Syrian militants and refugees from a Lebanese border region into rebel territory in Syria stalled for a second day on Tuesday because Beirut rejected demands made by the militants, a Lebanese official told Reuters. A security source said those demands included the release of prisoners held in a Lebanese jail and safe passage out of the country for some people wanted by the Lebanese state including militants in the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp. The source also said on Tuesday evening that the coming hours would be "decisive". Last week, Lebanese militia Hezbollah took most of the mountainous border area, called Jroud Arsal, in a joint offensive with the Syrian army to drive Nusra Front militants from the area, which straddles the border. Hezbollah's role in Syria's conflict has been criticised by its Lebanese political opponents, including Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri. Hariri has said refugee returns from Lebanon to Syria should be coordinated only through the United Nations. The ceasefire deal reached on Thursday included the release of Hezbollah prisoners held by the Nusra Front in Syria and the transfer of thousands of refugees back into Syria. Convoys of buses had arrived from Syria on Monday and Tuesday to collect thousands of fighters, their relatives and refugees from northeast Lebanon as part of the deal, but they still had not begun to move as night fell on Tuesday. "(The Nusra Front's) demands regarding the exchange agreement have been rejected by us and we consider them an obstacle. It was this which delayed the implementation of the second phase of the agreement today," the official, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, head of Lebanon's General Security, said. About 9,000 people are expected to be transferred and go to Syria's rebel-held Idlib province, a Hezbollah media unit said. Lebanese television station al-Mayadeen said Nusra Front militants were demanding the release of a fifth prisoner being held by Beirut and accused of killing Lebanese soldiers. Beirut and Hezbollah had refused, Al-Mayadeen reported, citing sources. On Tuesday, Nusra Front's leader in the Syrian Qalamoun mountain region told the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai the deal includes the release of five of its Syrian members being held by Hezbollah and five more being held in a Lebanese prison. Abu Malek al-Talli told al-Rai implementation of the agreement was being held up by disagreements between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. The Nusra Front was al Qaeda's Syria branch until it severed ties last year. It now spearheads the Tahrir al-Sham Islamist alliance in the Syrian conflict. The Lebanese army, which receives considerable U.S. and British military support, did not take an active part in the Jroud Arsal operation, setting up defensive positions around the town of Arsal. Lebanon hosts nearly 1.5 million refugees - about a quarter of its population. Most live in severe poverty and several thousand are in makeshift camps east of Arsal in a barren mountainous region. The multi-sided Syrian conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven at least 11 million from their homes - about half Syria's pre-war population. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington and Laila Bassam; Editing by Louise Ireland)
The Pentagon on Monday criticized Turkey's plans to purchase a Russian air-defense system instead of investing in NATO technology. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in talks to get Russia to supply Ankara with its latest S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said the Pentagon had concerns over its NATO ally's purchase of the Russian technology because it might not work with other equipment used by the 29-nation alliance. "Generally speaking it's a good idea for allies to buy inter-operable equipment," Davis said. "With any ally, with any partner with whom we inter-operate ... we want them to buy things and invest in things that will further invest in our alliance." Turkish media have in recent days reported that the deal is being finalized with Russia. If it is completed, it would be a significant step after the two countries repaired relations damaged by Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane on the Syrian border in 2015. The S-400 system has a range of about 400 kilometers (250 miles) and is designed to shoot down enemy aircraft.
BANGKOK (Reuters) - An exiled Thai opposition activist and outspoken critic of Thailand's ruling junta has been abducted in Laos, a rights group said on Tuesday, calling on authorities in Thailand and Laos to investigate the disappearance. Wuthipong Kochathamakun, a member of the "red shirt" movement that has backed populist governments led by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has been in hiding in Laos since 2014, according to Thai authorities. Wuthipong said earlier this year he was training "civilian warriors" to oust Thailand's military government. He was assaulted on Saturday morning in Vientiane, Laos' capital, by a group of 10 armed men dressed in black, before he was put in a car and driven away, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Tuesday. His wife and friend, who were also hit and shocked with stun guns, were left at the scene, the group said. Human Rights Watch said it had interviewed multiple witnesses. Thai media, quoting their own sources, also reported that Wuthipong had been abducted. Reuters was unable to contact Wuthipong or his wife for comment. Authorities in Laos made no comment. "Wuthipong's shocking abduction by armed men in Vientiane needs to be fully investigated; it should not be treated with silence or swept under the rug," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Thailand's military government has denied any knowledge of Wuthipong's disappearance. Thailand has been pushing Laos to extradite Wuthipong since October, along with other suspects who live abroad and are accused of insulting the Thai monarchy. The junta accuses him of running a radio channel critical of the monarchy. In March, Wuthipong was accused by the military government of hiding a cache of weapons in Thailand and plotting to kill Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. He denied the accusation. Despite the military government denying any knowledge of his disappearance, Thawip Netniyom, chief of Thailand's National Security Council, told reporters on Tuesday that Wuthipong could be setting up his own disappearance to damage the junta's image. "His disappearance was likely aimed at creating a buzz," Thawip said. "Such news is designed to affect the government." Wuthipong is affiliated with the red shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship group, which supports Thaksin, overthrown in 2006, and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was toppled as prime minister in 2014. "I can't say for certain but there is a 60 percent chance that he was kidnapped," Thanawut Wichaidit, a spokesman for the group, told Reuters. He said it was unlikely that he had set up his own abduction. (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Additional reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak and Suphanida Thakral; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Neil Fullick)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia Aug. 5 to Aug. 9, the State Department said on Tuesday. Tillerson will participate in meetings of diplomats of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila, and discuss "denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, and counterterrorism," the State Department said. In Thailand, Tillerson will pay his respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016, and discuss the U.S.-Thai relationship with officials there. In Malaysia, he will discuss bilateral relations with officials. "Secretary Tillerson's travel reaffirms the Administration's commitment to further broaden and enhance U.S. economic and security interests in the Asia-Pacific region," the State Department said. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati)
Singapore Supreme Court building/Yahoo News Singapore file photo

She agreed to have sex with one man in a hotel room after they met at a club. But she was then raped by three of the mans friends who took turns to sexually assault her while she was intoxicated and lying unconscious.

The three Britons of Vietnamese descent, beauticians Khong Tam Thanh, 22 and Michael Le, 24, and Vu Thai Son, 24, unemployed, are accused of raping the 22-year-old Malaysian woman  who cannot be named due to a gag order  on 10 September 2016. They had arrived in Singapore on 9 September for Khongs brothers stag party and to attend the music festival Ultra Singapore.

All three, who are claiming trial, appeared in the dock for the first day of the trial at the High Court on Tuesday (1 August). Vu was dressed in a white prison shirt while the other two, who are on bail, were dressed in suits.

All three face one count of rape each, while Vu and Khong face one more count of sexual assault through digital penetration. Both the rape and the sexual assault charges each carry a maximum jail sentence of 20 years with fine or caning.

A fourth person, Ahn Viet Trinh, also known as Richard  the 24-year-old man whom the woman initially agreed to have sex with  absconded the country before investigations were completed even though his passport was impounded by the police. Richard, who is also a British citizen of Vietnamese descent, is still at large.

The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutors G. Kannan, Stella Tan, Raja Mohan and Tan Zhi Xiang, said at the opening of the trial that the woman, who works as a marketing and corporate communications officer in Malaysia, met Richard for the first time at Zouk nigtclub on the night of the incident. The two returned to Richards room at Carlton Hotel where they had consensual sex. After the woman fell asleep on the hotel bed, the three accused took turns to rape the woman in quick succession.

When Richard and the victim met, he was with several friends including the three accused. During their time at Zouk, the woman danced and spoke with Richard. At one point, the woman, who was drunk, suggested that they return to Richards room and Richard agreed.

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After taking a taxi to Carlton Hotel, Richard, who shared a room with his friends, told the woman that he would tell his friends not to enter the room. Richard and the woman engaged in several rounds of consensual sex from 2.30am onwards in room 1660 on the 16th floor. The victim then fell asleep in Richards arms in the room.

According to the prosecution, by the time Richard and the woman finished sexual intercourse in the room, the three accused were gathered in room 1652 on the same floor, with several other friends.

The prosecution described how one accused entered room 1660 after the other had finished his turn like clockwork beginning with Khong.

At about 4am, Richard allowed Khong to enter room 1660 while he left. Khong raped and digitally penetrated the unconscious woman. He left 25 minutes later. The next to enter was Vu, who did the same acts to the woman and also left another 25 minutes later.

The last person to enter the room was Le, who nonchalantly entered within a minute after Vus departure, undressed, got into bed where the woman was lying naked, and raped her. The woman woke up midway through the rape and confronted Le. They had an argument when Le allegedly told the woman that he was the person that she had come back with to Carlton Hotel that night. Le left the room at about 5.05am.

Richard returned to the room at 5.20 am and the woman confronted him as she suspected that he was involved in the incident. However, Richard denied having knowledge of what had happened. The woman left the hotel at 6.30am.

The prosecution said that it would produce CCTV recordings that capture the conduct of the three accused persons entering and leaving room 1660. The recordings are consistent with all three accused persons entering room 1660, expecting that (the woman) would not be awake at the material time.

The door is left ajar to avoid making any noise in opening and closing the door which may awaken the woman, said DPP Kannan.

The CCTV footage will show that Khong was seen rushing in a state of undress from Room 1660 to Room 1652 after he allegedly raped the woman. Vu was also seen rushing in the same manner from room 1660 to 1652. From this it can be inferred that Khong wanted Vu to have his turn before the woman awoke and similarly, Vu wanted Le to have his turn, said the prosecution.

The prosecution will also be submitting messages from a shared chat group that includes the three accused. In one message, Le said that he had sexual intercourse with the woman, which is a critical admission that corroborates the womans evidence to the act of penetration. The chat can also be relied upon to show that the woman was not awake when Le had sex with her, and that she only woke up midway through, said the prosecution.

The woman will testify that while she felt some sensations of sexual intercourse and digital penetration after she had fallen asleep, she thought that Richard was the one in the bed throughout.

Prosecution will call 24 witnesses including the womans two friends, whom she spoke to about the incident.

The trial is slated to run until 14 August before resuming at the end of August.

Each of the three accused is represented by a lawyer  Khong by Shashi Nathan, Vu by Kalidass Murugaiyan and Le by Ramesh Tiwary.
By Matthias Williams KIEV (Reuters) - When the chief of Microsoft Ukraine switched jobs to work for President Petro Poroshenko, he found that everyone in the office used the same login password. It wasn't the only symptom of lax IT security in a country suffering crippling cyber attacks. Sometimes pressing the spacebar was enough to open a PC, according to Dmytro Shymkiv, who became Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration with a reform brief in 2014. Today discipline is far tighter in the president's office. But Ukraine - regarded by some, despite Kremlin denials, as a guinea pig for Russian state-sponsored hacks - is fighting an uphill battle in turning pockets of protection into a national strategy to keep state institutions and systemic companies safe. As in many aspects of Ukrainian life, corruption is a problem. Most computers run on pirated software, and even when licensed programs are used, they can be years out of date and lack security patches to help keep the hackers at bay. Three years into the job, Shymkiv is leading the fight back. He has put together a team, led by a former Microsoft colleague, doing drills, sending out email bulletins to educate staff on new viruses and doing practice hacks offsite. In the early days, staff complacency and resistance to change were as much a problem as insecure equipment. "I remember the first weeks when we forced people to do a password change," Shymkiv told Reuters. "My team heard all kind of screams and disrespectful messages ... Over three years, it's a different organization." The team's small office has a screen with dials, charts and a green spider web showing activity on the network. If there is an attack, a voice shouts "major alarm!" in English, a recording the team downloaded from YouTube. Eliminating bad practices and introducing good ones is the reason, Shymkiv believes, why the presidential administration was immune to a June 27 virus that spread from Ukraine to cause disruption in companies as far away as India and Australia. But the country still has a long way to go. Since 2014 repeated cyber attacks have knocked out power supplies, frozen supermarket tills, affected radiation monitoring at the stricken Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and forced the authorities to prop up the hryvnia currency after banks' IT systems crashed. Even Poroshenko's election that year was compromised by a hack on the Central Election Commission's network, trying to proclaim victory for a far-right candidate -- a foretaste of alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Ukraine believes the attacks are part of Russia's "hybrid war" waged since protests in 2014 moved Ukraine away from Moscow's orbit and closer to the West. Moscow has denied running hacks on Ukraine. Shymkiv said the task is to "invest in my team, and upgrade them, and teach them, and connect them with other organizations who are doing the right things". "If you do nothing like this, you probably will be wiped out," he added. The head of Shymkiv's IT team, Roman Borodin, said the administration is hit by denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks around once every two weeks, and by viruses specifically designed to target it. The hackers seem mainly interested in stealing information from the defense and foreign relations departments, Borodin told Reuters in his first ever media interview. HONOR AT STAKE Bruised by past experiences, Ukraine is protecting itself better. Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk told Reuters his ministry overhauled security after a hack in November crashed 90 percent of its network at the height of budget preparations. Officials couldn't log into the system that manages budget transactions for 48 hours, something that played on Danylyuk's mind as he addressed the Verkhovna Rada or parliament. "Imagine that, knowing this, I went to the Verkhovna Rada to present the budget - the main financial document on which 45 million people live - and at the same time I was thinking about how to save not only the document itself, but also the honor of the ministry," he said. "I understood that if I showed even the slightest hint of our nervousness, the organizers of the attack would achieve their goal." Consultants uncovered familiar weaknesses: the budget system operated on a platform dating from 2000, and the version of the database management system should have been upgraded in 2006. The ministry is introducing new systems to detect anomalies and to improve data protection. "We're completely revising and restructuring the ministry's IT landscape," Danylyuk said. The ministry emerged unscathed from the June 27 attack. Others weren't so lucky: Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko tweeted a picture of a crashed computer in the cabinet office that same day. Ukraine is also benefiting from help from abroad. A cyber police force was set up in 2015 with British funding and training in a project coordinated by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). While Ukraine is not a NATO member, the Western alliance supplied equipment to help piece together who was behind the June attack and is helping the army set up a cyber defense unit. Ukraine shares intelligence with neighboring Moldova, another ex-Soviet state that has antagonized Moscow by moving closer to the West and complains of persistent Russian cyber attacks on its institutions. "At the beginning of this year we had attacks on state-owned enterprises. If it were not for cooperation with the guys from Moldova, we would not have identified these criminals," Serhiy Demedyuk, the head of the Ukrainian cyber police, told Reuters. Demedyuk said the attack had been staged by a Russian citizen using a server in Moldova, but declined to give further details. LAYING DOWN THE LAW While there has been progress in some areas, Ukraine is still fighting entrenched problems. No less than 82 percent of software is unlicensed, compared with 17 percent in the United States, according to a 2016 survey by the Business Software Alliance, a Washington-based industry group. Experts say pirated software was not the only factor in the June attack, which also hit up-to-date computers, but the use of unlicensed programs means security patches which could limit the rapid spread of such infections cannot be applied. Ukraine ranked 60 out of 63 economies in a 2017 survey on digital competitiveness by the International Institute for Management Development. The low ranking is tied to factors such as a weak regulatory framework. Another problem is that Ukraine has no single agency in charge of ensuring that state bodies and companies of national importance, such as banks, are protected. This surfaced on June 27, when the NotPetya virus penetrated the company that produces M.E.Doc, an accounting software used by around 80 percent of Ukrainian businesses. "Locally, the weak spot is accounting, but more generally it is the lack of cyber defenses at a government level. There aren't agencies analyzing risks at a government level," said Aleksey Kleschevnikov, the owner of internet provider Wnet, which hosted M.E.Doc's servers. Valentyn Petrov, head of the information security department at the National Security and Defence Council, said the state cannot interfere with companies' security. "It's a total disaster from our perspective," he told Reuters. "All state companies, including state banks, have suffered from attacks, and we really have no influence on them - neither on issuing regulations or checking how they fulfill these regulations." Poroshenko signed a decree in February to improve protection of critical institutions. This proposed legislation to spell out which body was in charge of coordinating cyber security and a unified methodology for assessing threats. The law failed to gather enough votes the day before parliament's summer recess in July, and MPs voted against extending the session. Shymkiv called that a "big disgrace". He added that in many ministries and firms, "we've seen very little attention to the IT infrastructures, and it's something that's been lagging behind for years". Attitudes can be slow to change. Borodin said a policy at the administration to lock computer screens after 15 minutes of inactivity was greeted with indignation. One staffer pointed out that their room was protected by an armed guard. The staffer said "'I have a guy with a weapon in my room. Who can steal information from this computer?'" Borodin recounted. (Additional reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Jack Stubbs, Natalia Zinets and Margaryta Chornokondratenko in Kiev, Eric Auchard in Frankfurt and David Mardiste in Tallinn; editing by David Stamp)
American consumers may be fuelling logging linked to illegal land grabs in Papua New Guinea which have devastated local communities and the world's third largest tropical rain forest, Global Witness said Tuesday. Timber logged in the impoverished Pacific nation is exported to manufacturing hubs, mostly in China, before being sent to other countries such as the United States as wooden flooring and other commercial products in a multi-billion dollar trade. But Global Witness claimed about one-third of PNG timber in recent years came from land stolen from locals by the government and given to loggers. It said US firms could be violating American law if they fail to check the wood's legality. "US consumers may be unwittingly fuelling what is one of the biggest land grabs in modern history," the NGO said in a statement after releasing its "Stained Trade" report based on a three-year investigation. The activist group estimated that Chinese sales of wood products to the US were worth some $15 billion annually. "The US Lacey Act bans the import of illegal wood. However, Global Witness found wood from PNG readily available on US markets in the form of flooring manufactured in China," it said. Global Witness said US retail giant Home Depot's supplier Home Legend stopped selling hardwood flooring that contained PNG timber after they were informed of the findings. It added that major Chinese flooring seller Nature Home was placing a "pause on new procurement" for the US market as it reviewed sourcing procedures. But some of the other US companies which were contacted about the investigation did not respond, Global Witness said. As part of its 2014-16 probe, the organisation interviewed dozens of people from local communities -- who rely on the forests as sources of food, water and medicine -- and who said they had lost their land to loggers. "Tens of thousands of people have been affected," said campaign leader Rick Jacobsen, who claimed many who tried to speak out had been threatened, arrested or beaten. Landowner-turned-activist Paul Pavol said such land was his community's "food and water, protein, building materials, medicines, beauty, warmth, and everything else", but that changed when logging machines were brought there in 2010. "There were policemen on the barge... We were the first people to go up there and tell them, 'No, stop this!' When I see ships taking my logs away, I honestly cry. "That's the reason we raise our voices. Something's got to be done to save our forest." The PNG government has rejected previous allegations that logging was taking place on illegally obtained land.
A US government watchdog has filed a secret report to Congress into allegations of child sex abuse by the Afghan security forces -- and the extent to which America holds them accountable. According to the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), which on Tuesday announced it had sent the classified findings to lawmakers, Afghan officials are failing to stop sexual exploitation. Primarily at issue is the entrenched custom of what is known in Afghanistan as "bacha bazi" -- or the sexual abuse of boys -- and whether the US is turning a blind eye. "Afghan officials remain complicit, especially in the sexual exploitation and recruitment of children by Afghan security forces," SIGAR said in a quarterly publication that described the outline of the Congressional report. It states that the Afghan government has failed to identify or help victims. In some cases, the Afghan government arrested and prosecuted trafficking victims as criminals. "Victim-protection efforts remained inadequate, as all but one government-run shelter for trafficking victims remained closed during the reporting period," SIGAR said. Neither the Pentagon nor the Afghan government immediately responded to requests for comment. Under US rules called the Leahy Laws, the Pentagon and the State Department are barred from providing assistance to any unit of a foreign nation's security forces if credible information exists that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights. NATO forces headed by the US provide training, equipment and other assistance across the Afghan security forces. - Impunity - Bacha bazi is not seen as homosexuality in Afghanistan, where gender segregation is rampant -- instead the possession of young boys decked out as pretty women symbolizes power and primacy. President Ashraf Ghani this year laid out stringent penalties against bacha bazi for the first time in a revised penal code, but the government has given no timeframe over when they will be enforced. The new rules came after AFP last year exposed how the Taliban exploit bacha bazi to infiltrate security ranks. The AFP story detailed how Taliban insurgents are using children to mount crippling insider attacks that have killed hundreds of police in southern Afghanistan over the previous two years. SIGAR said it had asked the Pentagon to declassify the report. - Stalemate - SIGAR's latest quarterly report comes as the Afghan security forces continue to struggle against a resurgent Taliban, and US generals have said the situation is at a stalemate at best. It lists a litany of shortcomings in Afghan governance and US oversight, and previous reports have found that billions of dollars in US reconstruction money are being poorly overseen and waste is rampant. In what spells trouble for the Pentagon, the report also found that Afghan security forces continued to be slain at a high rate between January 1 and May 8, with 2,531 killed in action and another 4,238 wounded. That toll continues a deadly trend from the start of 2015, when the Afghans succeeded NATO in providing security for the country. It means Afghan forces are on course to suffer a similar amount of fatalities as last year, when more than 6,785 were killed. After six months in office, President Donald Trump still hasn't announced whether he will send additional troops to Afghanistan to try to break the impasse with the Taliban. In further signs of a continued stalemate, the amount of land held by the Afghan government remained at 59.7 percent compared to land held by the Taliban or otherwise contested. That's the same ratio as during the previous quarter.
PARIS (Reuters) - WikiLeaks said on Monday it had published a searchable archive of what it said was more than 21,000 verified emails associated with key figures in the election campaign of French President Emmanuel Macron. The stolen data was originally dumped on the internet in May, on the eve of the run-off between Macron and far-right opponent Marine Le Pen. Within hours of the leak, Macron's staff had said it had been targeted by a "massive and coordinated" hacking operation. His Republic on the Move (LREM) party on Monday said the mails published by WikiLeaks seemed to be the same as the ones leaked on May 5 and warned that fake documents were mixed with authentic ones. "Republic on the Move calls for vigilance over these publications," it said in a statement. "Under the guise of novelty, WikiLeaks is taking over as its own the destabilisation operation from May." The document dump came too late in the campaign to have any direct influence on the election, in part because the electoral commission warned it was a crime to republish any details from the emails before the vote. French newspapers which have pored over the documents since then said they found nothing scandalous to report. By turning the dump into a database, WikiLeaks has made the documents easily searchable for any internet user. The hack drew comparisons with the 2016 U.S. election campaign, during which U.S. intelligence agencies alleged Russia had interfered to benefit Donald Trump. Russia denies that. Macron's team also blamed Russian interests in part for earlier attempts to interfere with his campaign. The Kremlin has denied it was behind any such actions. WikiLeaks said it was publishing the leaks now after verifying the authenticity of the email addresses. It did not say how the emails were obtained but cited a comment by a government cyber security official saying the data dump appeared to be the work of an "isolated individual", apparently playing down the theory a foreign state was involved. French law enforcement and intelligence officials have not accused anyone of the campaign attacks. WikiLeaks said it found 21,075 verified emails in an archive of 71,848 emails, along with 26,506 attached documents, which it also published. They date from March 2009 and April 2017, the month of the first round of the French election. Macron was an investment banker in 2009 and joined president Francois Hollande's government in 2012. He announced his bid to become president in November 2016. (Reporting by Richard Lough in Paris and Eric Auchard in Frankfurt; Additional reporting by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Alison Williams and Robin Pomeroy)
Underground magma triggered Earths worst mass extinction with greenhouse gases Posted on 1 August 2017 by howardlee Coincidence doesnt prove causality, as they say, but when the same two things happen together over and over again through the vast span of geological time, there must be a causal link. Of some 18 major and minor mass extinctions since the dawn of complex life, most happened at the same time as a rare, epic volcanic phenomenon called a Large Igneous Province (LIP). Many of those extinctions were also accompanied by abrupt climate warming, expansion of ocean dead zones and acidification, like today. Earths most severe mass extinction, the Great Dying, began 251.94 million years ago at the end of the Permian period, with the loss of more than 90% of marine species. Precise rock dates published in 2014 and 2015 proved that the extinction coincided with the Siberian Traps LIP, an epic outpouring of lava and intrusions of underground magma covering an area of northern Asia the size of Europe. But those rock dates presented science with a new puzzle: why was the mass extinction event much shorter than the eruptions? And why did the extinction happen some 300,000 years after the lava began to flow? Now in a new study published in Nature Communications, Seth Burgess of the US Geological Survey, along with James Muirhead of Syracuse University and Samuel Bowring of MIT, think they have the answer. As Burgess told me: Its clearly not the entirety of the LIP thats guilty. Theres a subinterval thats doing the work, and I set out to figure out which subinterval that was, and what makes it special. Burgess noticed that the beginning of the mass extinction, as well as a jolt to the carbon cycle and abrupt climate warming, coincided exactly with a switch in the style of volcanic activity in the Siberian Traps. During the initial 300,000 years of the eruptions, basalt lava poured over a vast area of Siberia building to several kilometers thick. In this time there was some stress to life in the Northern Hemisphere, but no mass extinction. Life only began to disappear across the globe at exactly the same time that lava stopped erupting above ground, and instead began to inject as sheets of magma underground. In Siberia you have got the Tunguska Basin which is a thick package of sediments that contain carbon-bearing rocks like limestone and coal. When you start intruding magma, [it] cooks those sediments and liberates the volatiles. So the deadly interval of magma in the entire Large Igneous Province is the first material to intrude and pond into the shallow crust In other words, it wasnt the lava, it was the underground magma that started the killing, by releasing greenhouse gases. Norwegian scientist Henrik Svensen had earlier identified hundreds of unusual volcanic vents called diatreme pipes all over Siberia that connected underground intrusions of magma (sills) to the atmosphere, showing signs of violent gas explosions. This new work emphasizes the importance of Svensens 2009 conclusions: The diatremes that have been mapped are the geologic representation of that gas escape on a catastrophic level. Our hypothesis is that the first sills to be intruded are the ones that really do the killing [by] large scale gas escape likely via these diatremes. Svensen, who was not involved in Burgess study, commented: The Burgess et al paper is a crucial step towards a new understanding of the role of volcanism in driving extinctions. Its not the spectacular volcanic eruptions that we should pay attention too - its their quiet relative, the sub-volcanic network of intrusions, that did the job. The new study shows convincingly that we are on the right track. Greenhouse gas as a killer While other scientists have proposed that an array of killers may have been involved in the end-Permian mass extinction, from mercury poisoning to ultraviolet rays and ozone collapse to acid rain, Burgess argues that it was principally greenhouse gas emissions triggered by magma intrusions that caused the extinction through abrupt global warming and ocean acidification. I asked him to outline the evidence for that. There are 3 primary lines of evidence that support that link. The first is: right before the onset of the mass extinction we have evidence for a massive input of isotopically light carbon into the marine system. He went on to explain various lines of evidence that point to the source of that carbon being methane and carbon dioxide resulting from magma intruding and cooking organic-rich sediments. He continued: Just prior to extinction and persisting after the mass extinction the sea surface temperature is thought to have gone up about 10C. You get that increase by pumping greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. So thats the second. And then the third line of evidence is a physiologic selectivity to the marine mass extinction. Organisms that make their shells out of calcium carbonate suffer much higher mortality than organisms that make their shells out of silica, for example, which suggests that the ocean was acidified, and you get that by pumping gases like CO2 into the atmosphere. Thats not to say that other factors had no role in ruining the environment: There is a cacophony of kill mechanisms, and I think that this first pulse of sills is the trigger for quite a few of those, sitting at the top, and beneath it are a cascade of negative effects from ocean acidification to climate warming and on down the line. A series of associated events Coincidentally, Joshua Davies of the University of Geneva and colleagues have just narrowed down the trigger for the end-Triassic mass extinction, another of Earths biggest mass extinctions, to the underground phase of its associated Large Igneous Province. The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) is another enormous igneous province which stretches from Maine to South America, and includes the Palisade Sill visible from Manhattan. They too used high precision rock dates on a vast sill that intruded organic rich sediments in the Amazon Basin, and found that this underground magma intrusion also coincided with the extinction. Like Burgess, Davies also argues that greenhouse gas baked from sediments drove climate change, which drove the mass extinction in a smaller repeat of the end-Permian events, this time 201.5 million years ago. I think CAMP is very similar to the Siberian Traps and thats the reason why theres an extinction at that time. Im not surprised that they got similar results, said Burgess. Diatreme pipes from magma intrusions have also been identified as a likely cause for a more recent global warming and very minor extinction event  the PaleoceneEocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) 56 million years ago. Again, prodigious quantities of greenhouse gases erupted from oil-rich deposits, although in that case its been hard to locate and date the smoking gun intrusions due to the fact that they are under the Atlantic Ocean. A predictive model Burgess insight makes a testable prediction: Click here to read the rest 0 0 Printable Version | Link to this page
Interior Ministry specified that it is not a new move but a commitment from the past.

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Slovakia will host 60 more refugees, the public-service broadcaster RTVS announced on Monday, July 31, citing the European Commission. The Interior Ministry specified that it is not a new commitment but a voluntarily adopted one from the past. In 2015 Slovakia had promised to provide shelter to 60 refugees to be relocated from Italy and 40 from Greece.

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Michaela Paulenova from the Interior Ministry added that of these relocations, 16 persons already arrived in Slovakia. Out of this number, five were mothers and 11 are children. Nine of those are still in Slovakia, while two mothers with children have escaped.

Slovakia keeps insisting during relocations that these must be vulnerable, and the most endangered persons are mothers with children, and that they must have valid documents, Paulenova wrote in a press release. She added that the ministry is working on the relocation of another 10 people, again mothers with children from Italy.

On Monday, RTVS reported that Slovakia is the only Visegrad Group (V4) country not facing legal proceedings over the failure to accept refugees. RTVS pointed out that migration was covered during Prime Minister Robert Ficos visit at the European Commission in Brussels last week. Although the entire V4 declares opposition to the admittance of refugees based on mandatory quotas, the European Commission only launched infringement proceedings against the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary.

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos noted on that occasion that Slovakia avoided the proceedings.

We would like to hail the attitudes of Slovakia and Austria, which have only recently pledged to act in the spirit of commitments and responsibility toward other member states, said Avramopoulos as cited by the SITA newswire.

Based on the latest information published by the EC, Slovakia promised to accept 60 more refugees. To date, 16 refugees have come to Slovakia, seven of whom came in February.

Last week, Prime Minister Robert Fico reiterated in Brussels that Slovakia still rejects the quotas. Slovakia and other V4 countries sent a letter to the Italian government, offering assistance to the country struggling with 200,000 refugees.
The car-maker registered some employees with the local social security provider late and sent people for a business trip before their contracts began.

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Labour inspectors have uncovered violations of the ban of illegal employment in the British car-maker Jaguar Land Rover that is building a new plant near Nitra. The car-maker now faces a fine of up to 200,000 and has been placed in the illegal employment register publicly accessible on the internet. The register lists private individuals and companies that have violated the illegal employment ban over the past five years.

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We are aware of the problems the labour inspectorate pointed out, and we are closely cooperating with it in order to understand all the details, Lisa Palmer, spokesperson of Jaguar Land Rover, wrote in response to the SITA newswire.

Labour inspectors uncovered illegal labourers at the firm during a check focusing on occupational safety, labour relations and illegal employment.

Judita Richterova from the National Labour Inspectorate explained that the individual violations have currently been assessed, and only after the whole proceeding is over can the inspectorate provide complex information.

As the TASR newswire reported, the car-maker sent three people on an official business trip to England on July 31, 2016, while their official job contract started only one day later. Robert Bulla from the labour inspectorate in Nitra reported that the car-maker also violated the ban when it did not register 10 employees with the social security provider Socialna Poistovna before their work began.
The booth is promoting a free offline Bratislava City app.

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More information about travelling in Slovakia

Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide

Domestic and foreign tourists will now find it easier to get around the Slovak capital of Bratislava thanks to a newly opened information booth on Hviezdoslavovo Square in the centre of the Old Town, the Bratislava Tourist Board (BTB) reported on July 31.

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The new information booth, which will be open daily between 10:00 and 18:30, provides tourists with information about the capital in nine languages. While an employee in the booth is able to communicate with tourists in the Slovak, English and German, leaflets, maps and various brochures will also be available in French, Hungarian, Russian, Italian, Spanish and Chinese.

Were responding to demand, as most visitors come from the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, England, the USA, Italy, Spain and Russia, said BTB spokesman Maros Plitko. BTB has offered the booth in cooperation with Bratislavas Old Town borough. The number of tourists from Hungary, which is our neighbouring country, is rising too. An increasing numbers of tourists are coming from China as well.

Furthermore, as part of the Smart&Green solutions, the new information booth also features a tablet with internet connection.

Its task is to show visitors how to download the free offline Bratislava City app, said Plitko. Thanks to this, tourists can have all the information, tips for trips and a map with them, without needing an internet connection.

The app is also available on the website www.visitbratislava.com.

More than 1.2 million people visited Bratislava in 2016, representing a 15-percent hike compared to 2015. In the first quarter of 2017 the city recorded another hike of 5 percent. Partly due to such increases, the capital decided to open a new information centre on Hviezdoslavovo Square, the eighth such centre in Bratislava.

Other information centres are located at entry points into the city, including the airport, rail and bus stations and the passenger port at the Danube River. The main information centre is located on Klobucnicka Street.
They perceive some of the proposed initiatives as protectionist

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While the European Commission is taking action on clean, competitive and connected mobility, Slovak road hauliers see its proposed road transport rules as protectionist measures of the established member countries of the European Union. The Slovak Transport Ministry points out that the latest initiatives have not been adopted yet and are just undergoing legislative proceedings, highlighting that more unified and clearer rules could contribute to enhanced competitiveness of road haulage companies, especially those observing the rules. But it admits that some measures may make the lives of Slovak hauliers in western Europe harder.

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From the package of proposed road transport initiatives, the Association of Road Transport Operators of the Slovak Republic (CESMAD) feels the significant influence of strong western European countries, which creates ideal conditions for the protection of their markets from other, mainly poorer, European countries.

We disagree with such a division of the single European market, and we will require significant changes in individual proposals, said Pavol Jancovic, president of CESMAD Slovakia.

Europe on the Move

On May 31, the European Union introduced a set of initiatives called Europe on the Move. It believes that this will make traffic safer, encourage fairer road surcharges, reduce CO2 emissions, air pollution and congestion, cut red-tape for businesses, fight illicit employment and ensure proper conditions and rest periods for workers.

We see the world of transport changing fundamentally, said EC Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic, as cited in the press release. Europe must seize this opportunity and shape the future of mobility.This is our unique chance to reinvent the wheel.

The first eight initiatives unveiled under Europe on the Move set target road transport to help the sector remain competitive and fair as it transitions toward clean energy and digitalisation. The EC promises that the proposals will improve the functioning of the road haulage market and help improve workers social and employment conditions. This will be done by stepping up enforcement, fighting illicit employment practices, cutting the administrative burden for companies and bringing more clarity to existing rules, e.g. concerning the application of national minimum wage laws, the EC wrote in its press release.

However, CESMAD said that while the EC considers the package of initiatives as fair, for Slovak hauliers it means a severe worsening of business conditions. In expert discussions it has identified the most problematic initiatives.

The posting of workers directive is considered one of the biggest problems in other European countries as well, Ivan Rusko, general secretary of CESMAD told The Slovak Spectator, adding that it is completely unfit for traditional road transport.

A significant negative intervention is also a change in the required rest time for truck drivers, within which the EC is considering a ban on drivers spending compulsory weekly rest periods in their truck cabins.

Experts consider these changes to be more protectionist measures of the so-called old member countries, said Rusko.

CESMAD points out that the market has not been prepared for such a ban, as there is insufficient accommodation capacities for truck drivers. Moreover, insurance policies actually ban drivers from leaving their loaded trucks unattended.

Its obvious that the aim of this measure is not that drivers rest in hotels but that they return home, said Jancovic, adding that sometimes the routes of the truck drives are too long to enable them to spend their regular weekly rest at home. The aim of this measure is thus limiting the capacities of eastern hauliers in the western market.

Additionally, while the EC through its latest initiatives wanted to target letterbox companies and so-called nomad drivers, it has missed its goal, according to CESMAD. Such companies register in a member state with a lower minimum working wage as a way of cutting costs and hiring cheaper labour. Their nomad drivers then often actually live in the cabin and even spend months in their trucks without a break outside the cabin.

Actually the EC only negatively interfered with the operation of classical hauliers carrying out regular transport, said Jancovic, adding that the proposed measures impose an impassable administrative and bureaucratic burden on hauliers.

Harder life of truckers

Even before the implementation of the changes proposed in the package of road transport rules, the life of Slovak truckers had already gotten harder. This is because several countries have already implemented regulations requiring the equal remuneration of truckers from other countries operating in the territory of the given country, or banning truck drivers from spending their weekly rest periods in truck cabins. After six days in a truck, a driver must take a compulsory 45-hour break.

CESMAD, even though it does not agree with the measures on minimum wage and sleeping in the cabin, recommends its members to observe all these regulations in order to prevent being fined.

Maybe because of this we dont have information about a Slovak company that would be fined due to these measures, said Rusko.

But Rusko recalled a recent police action in Belgium against truck drivers violating the regulation requiring them to spend the compulsory 45-hour weekly rest period outside of their cabins. The police checked about 200 vehicles in a parking lot near an important port and collected approximately 113,000 in fines.

Germany, France and Austria have adopted minimum wage laws that require foreign drivers to be paid according to the local minimum wage when making deliveries in their countries.

In the case of Austria, expert in tax and accounting Wilfried Serles, managing partner for Grant Thornton Slovensko, even points out that the duties brought about by an early 2017 Austrian law are actually unrealisable.

For example, it is required that Slovak hauliers keep [Austrian] collective agreements, said Serles. But for the transport sector there are four collective agreements. A Slovak haulier has no chance of meeting the requirements.

The Austrian law does not have any exceptions for short-term transport either. Thus it also affects those taxi and bus companies providing transport, for example, from Bratislava to the Viennaairport.

The taxi service and the owner of a bus going to the Vienna airport must fill in a form and remunerate the drivers according to the Austrian collective agreement for each 30-minute drive, said Serles.
Till this day, the trauma of destruction during First World War explains Belgiums existential attachment to the European Union, as the most successful peace project in modern history.

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It was a sunny July morning when the shelling began. A few weeks earlier, deep-mining detonations had shattered the enemys defences in what was the strongest explosion in the pre-nuclear era. Time mattered, as it was feared that an enemy sea blockade could cripple the war effort. On top of this, the possibility of a Russian withdrawal from the war would increase the enemys reserve strength dramatically.

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The year was 1917 and British forces in northern Belgium were about to launch an all-out offensive on German positions. Within a few days shelling churned the clay soil. Then the rains came. They were the heaviest in decades and turned the soil into a thick mud that clogged up rifles. It was so deep that men and horses drowned in it. When 100 days later the Allied forces reached the town of Passendale, 500,000 soldiers from both sides had perished, an unfathomable number, tantamount to the crashing of a passenger jet every hour for a hundred days. The territory conquered was five miles.

The First World War would change the face of the European continent. It would devastate Belgium, which at that time was the most industrialised part of the continent. Till this day, the trauma of destruction explains Belgiums existential attachment to the European Union, as the most successful peace project in modern history.

In spite of centennial celebrations, perspectives from the Great War seem very remote today. The EU is meanwhile established as an intricate law-making supranational entity. As such, new challenges have popped up. Geographically, the Union has much expanded and its citizenry is more diverse than ever. It is also more demanding. New generations of European politicians, also in Slovakia, are no longer afraid to ask hard questions, such as: what is in it for us?

Indeed, what is in it for Slovakia? What is in it for Slovak students, workers, pensioners? These are legitimate questions, even as Prime Minister Robert Fico, in my view rightly, professed that Slovakias rightful place is in the heart of the European integration process.

There are the obvious answers. Yes, there is the internal market, a force which helped Slovakia turn into a per capita powerhouse for car production  a position Belgium held till the mid-nineties. There is the EMU, which needs further deepening. Schengen in turn ensures the free flow of people. These are cornerstones of integration, though they rarely spark the imagination.

During its EU-Presidency Slovakia, in what is now called the Bratislava Process, pushed beyond the obvious. The European Council avoided institutional debates, pressing for concrete results in strategic directions: defence, climate treaty, digitalisation. Meanwhile, roaming costs within the EU have been abolished.

Also, we have much to learn from each other. I try and do my bit when I meet Slovak policy makers. Which best practices can we share? How do universities create spin-offs? How to reduce paperwork for companies? On some issues we are bound to disagree. In these cases we have a duty to genuinely understand our mutual positions.

After two years of engaging with Slovakia, I believe that this country is testimony to the benign influence of the EU. It has made good strides in using EU instruments to benefit its people. Good infrastructure has helped attract investment and jobs. Belgian companies, for example, employ some 10,000 people.

At the same time, Slovak decision makers, like their EU peers, do well to remind themselves that the Union does not have all the answers. The keys to prosperity, inclusivity and confidence-building overwhelmingly remain in the hands of national governments. It is they who foster education or design industrial policy. It is they who should work with disappointed youth. At the very least the EU construction relies as much upon sound national policies than the other way round.

A lot is at stake. The Passendale commemoration on July 30-31 draws thousands of people from many countries. As historians look back upon the Great War, it has become painfully clear that its protagonists, emperors and generals alike, were our contemporaries. They acted no less rational, nor were they less modern. They sleep-walked into war. What they lacked were reliable and overarching institutions.

True, today is a different world. External security concerns are of a different nature, and one of the many challenges. But the primacy of strong institutions is unassailable. As Jean Monnet elegantly said, Nothing is possible without men; nothing is lasting without institutions. Even as institutions seem rock-solid, they are supremely vulnerable. They are acts of faith, subject to our collective will. It remains upon us to protect and fine-tune them to the needs of our time.

Willem Van de Voorde is the Vienna-based Ambassador of Belgium to Slovakia
The investigation is still underway, but the driver was already charged with manslaughter.

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Members of the police corps in Malacky are investigating the circumstances of a July 31 accident in which a transport police officer died.

The 48-year-old police officer was hit by a driver while managing traffic close to the D2 highway section near Lozorno (Bratislava Region). The warning lights of his car were on, he was wearing a reflective vest and carrying a stop sign in his hand, spokesperson for the Regional Police Corps Headquarters in Bratislava Lucia Mihalikova told the TASR newswire.

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The driver, a woman from Malacky, hit him and subsequently crashed into the guardrails, TASR wrote.

The injured police officer was transported by the helicopter to one of the hospitals in Bratislava, but despite treatment he succumbed to his injuries.

The breath analysis test of the driver was negative, TASR wrote.

The police investigator launched a criminal prosecution and charged the 25-year-old driver Michaela from Malacky with manslaughter, Mihalikova said, as quoted by TASR.
What changes after the merger with Prima Banka?

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Slovakias branch of the Russian Sberbank definitely disappeared from the Slovak banking market. Its merger with Prima Banka, owned by financial group Penta, was definitely completed on August 1, the Hospodarske Noviny daily reported.

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Thanks to the merger, Prima Banka will move up in the bank rankings based on assets. While the two institutions occupied eighth and ninth place in the past, the merged bank will move to the seventh place.

Thanks to the merger, a bigger and stronger bank will be created, Maros Ovcarik, analyst with the Financny Kompas website, told Hospodarske Noviny. I expect this will be reflected also in product portfolio and competitiveness.

The main changes

Sberbank Slovakias clients will be able to continue using their old accounts with the same number and the same identification code, though the code is part of the account and is different for both banks. The data provided by the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), the countrys central bank, suggests that Sberbank Slovakias code can be used until August 2019.

In practice, however, it will last only a few months until the IT systems of both banks are merged.

The original account numbers will be kept, including the code and banks code, Prima Bankas spokesperson Eva Conkova told Hospodarske Noviny, the same will be applied for payment cards and internet banking access.

People will also be able to use the same payment cards. They will be replaced only after the validity of the current ones expire, experts say.

If somebody wants to exchange the payment card before its expiration, he/she will have to pay a fee for issuing a new card, Ovcarik told Hospodarske Noviny, adding that the charge is 10.

On the other hand, the clients of Sberbank Slovakia will lose the right to use their credit cards as Prima Banka does not offer this service, the daily informed.

As for the old loans taken at Sberbank, the clients will be able to keep them under the same conditions. This will change only after they decide to use some of the existing Prima Bankas products, Conkova said.

Regarding the branches, some of them started merging already this spring. This happened particularly in Bratislava where the offices of both banks were close to each other.

The former clients of Sberbank Slovakia, however, will have more possibilities after the merger, according to Conkova. While Sberbank Slovakia had 39 offices, Prima Banka has 113, Hospodarske Noviny reported.
In July 2017 the U.S. Army carried out two more interception tests of its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-missile system. Both tests (on the 11 th and 30 th ) were successful as were the other six such tests since 2010. There have been 28 test firings of THAAD since 1995 and 22 were successful. Many of the tests before 2005 did not involve attempting to actually intercept an incoming missile warhead. Many of the tests since 2008 were to verify that new features (like the ability to hit targets closer to the surface, and to share data with Patriot anti-missile systems) as well as verifying that the overall system worked. THAAD entered service in 2008 when the first THAAD anti-ballistic missile (ABM) battery was deployed. This followed a 2006 firing test that used regular army personnel and not developer technicians. In 2009 the second battery was formed. By 2012 there were five batteries with more on order by a growing list of export customers.

The most prominent foreign customer for THAAD is South Korea, which recently received a THAAD battery. While THAAD cannot intercept an ICBM warhead near its target, THAAD can intercept the ballistic missiles North Korea had been testing recently that could, in theory, be used as ICBMs. The two most recent North Korean tests of their Hwasong 14 missile landed less than a thousand kilometers distant and that flight profile is one THAAD could handle. The U.S., South Korea and Japan are discussing the usefulness of using current anti-missile systems (mainly Aegis and THAAD) available in or near South Korea to intercept further North Korean ballistic missile tests which are illegal and meant to be threatening. South Korea had the final say on this because North Korea had been threatening to invade again (as it did in 1950, as ordered by the Soviet Union). While North Korea would probably fail once more any new invasion would put much of South Koreas population and GDP at risk because the capital, Seoul, is within artillery range of North Korea. This has always been a factor when considering how to deal with North Korean threats and North Korea knows it. But North Korea seems determined to develop nuclear weapons carried by ballistic missiles it can use against the United States, Japan and South Korea.

Each THAAD battery has at least 24 missiles and three launchers plus and a fire control communications system. This includes an X-Band radar. The gear for each battery costs $310 million. The 6.2 meter (18 foot long) THAAD missiles are 340mm in diameter and weigh 900 kg (1,980 pounds). This is about the same size as the Patriot anti-aircraft missile, but twice the weight of the anti-missile version of the Patriot.

The range of THAAD is over 200 kilometers, max altitude is 150 kilometers, and move at a speed of 2.8 kilometers a second. THAAD is intended for short (like SCUD) or medium range (up to 2,000 kilometer) range ballistic missiles. THAAD has been in development since the late 1980s. Originally the army planned to buy at least 18 launchers, 1,400 missiles, and 18 radars. That goal has been adjusted as the number of export customers increases. THAAD is a step up from the Patriot PAC-3 anti-missile (which is an anti-aircraft missile adapted to take out incoming missiles). The PAC-3 works, but it has limited (35 kilometers) range.

The navy has also modified its AEGIS software and Standard anti-aircraft missile system to operate like the PAC-3. This system, the RIM-161A, also known as the Standard Missile 3 (or SM-3), has a longer range than THAAD (over 500 kilometers) and max altitude of 160 kilometers. The Standard 3 is based on the Standard 2, and costs over three million dollars each. The Standard 3 has four stages. The first two stages boost the interceptor out of the atmosphere. The third stage fires twice to boost the interceptor farther beyond the earth's atmosphere. Prior to each motor firing it takes a GPS reading to correct course for approaching the target. The fourth stage is the nine kg (20 pound) LEAP kill vehicle, which uses infrared sensors to close on the target and ram it.

Thus the U.S. has three anti-missile systems available in and around Korea, although one of them currently only operates from warships (cruisers and destroyers that have been equipped with the special software that enables the AEGIS radar system to detect and track incoming ballistic missiles.) AEGIS can also be operated from land bases, and the manufacturer is offering such a system to export customers and already has several orders. In addition there is GBI, a system specifically designed for ICBMs and only stationed in North America.
AP Resources

College Board and Khan Academy Partner on AP Courses, Test Prep

The College Board, which administers the SAT and Advanced Placement tests and programs, has teamed up with nonprofit Khan Academy to create preparatory materials and exercises for AP courses, to be available for free on Khan Academys website.

Khan Academy will offer free instructional videos, articles and practice exercises, which will include daily classroom activities, homework and independent learning, according to the academys website. Lessons will be offered in the following AP subjects:

Calculus AB;

Calculus BC;

Statistics;

U.S. History;

World History;

Art History;

Physics 1;

Physics 2;

Chemistry;

Biology;

Macroeconomics; and

Microeconomics.

Khan Academy will consult with former and current AP teachers, as well as members of the AP community, the organization said on its site. The academy is asking for feedback from current and former AP teachers and students.

Khan Academy aims to offer practice exercises for every AP course and make them available as soon as possible. Some exercises are already available for the AP Calculus courses.

In 2014, the College Board started a partnership with Khan Academy to provide free online resources and tutoring for the SAT college-entrance exam.

The free AP resources are expected to be available during the 2019-20 school year, the organizations announced Friday during an annual AP conference in Washington, D.C.

The partnership is part of an effort to make AP courses less elitist and more available to a broader range of students, regardless of academic background, according to College Board President David Coleman, who spoke with Education Week last week.

To learn more about the College Board-Khan Academy partnership, visit the Khan Academys blog. Theres also a video there of an AP teacher at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA who uses Khan Academy in the classroom.
Security

Ransomware Extorts $25 Million in Payments over 2 Years

A team of researchers from New York University (NYU), University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and Google estimates that victims of ransomware have paid out more than $25 million over the last two years.

The team, which also included researchers from Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis firm, examined 300,000 files from more than 30 different kinds of ransomware and tracked blockchain payments to estimate the amount and scale of money paid by victims. Their findings are being presented this week at the Black Hat USA 2017 conference.

Danny Yuxing Huang, a Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science and Engineering UCSD and one of the researchers on the project, tracked bitcoins as they moved from potential victims to ransomware operators and from ransomware operators to coin exchanges, perhaps for liquidation.

"By masquerading as a part of the ransomware infrastructure," said Huang in a prepared statement, "I also gathered statistics on infected computers, such as the number of infections over time, and the geographical distribution of infected machines."

Last year was the first year ransomware was a multi-million-dollar industry, according to the researchers, and it wasn't necessarily the most well known ransomware that accounted for that growth.

The WannaCry attack, for example, generated seemingly endless headlines as it froze hospitals and more than 10,000 other organizations out of their own records, but it only pulled in about $140,000, good for the 11th spot on the list of ransomware with the largest payouts.

The researchers also noted that WannaCry wasn't true ransomware, but wipeware, as victims were not able to retrieve their data even after paying the ransom.

Locky and Cerber grabbed fewer headlines than WannaCry, but they're raking in money at $7.8 million and $6.9 million, respectively, in paid ransoms to date.

Locky is also notable for being the first ransomware to generate more than $1 million in monthly payments.

"Locky's big advantage was the decoupling of the people who maintain the ransomware from the people who are infecting machines," said Damon McCoy, assistant professor of computer science at NYU, in a prepared statement. "Locky just focused on building the malware and support infrastructure. Then they had other botnets spread and distribute the malware, which were much better at that end of the business."
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At this point in time there is really a rather amazing amount of diverse -- in both style and content -- filmmakers who cover the GLBT territory internationally. Fromandtoand newcomer, the list keeps growing. To it we must now add, a Frenchman (France may very probably have the largest number of these, percentage-wise, at least) whose first narrative film,), has its U.S. theatrical release this week in New York City.France being the country that appears (in' estimation anyway) to most pride itself on philosophy and its discontents, it would make sense that M. Reybaud (shown at right) and his film would concern itself with this. And so it does, but in ways very different from any of this country's other movie-makers who cover the GLBT scene (think of the work of, filmmaking duo, or that of, to name four of many off the top of my head). Every moviemaker's "take" on humanity and homosexuality is different, as it should be, which makes so many of these movies varied and interesting.In M. Reybaud's tale, Pierre Thomas (whom I will refer to henceforth as PT), one of a pair of lovers (played by, above) makes his very early morning exit from the other (and perhaps from the relationship itself), setting off on what he hopes will be a kind of buffet of sexual experience around the country and countryside. When his mate, Paul (, below), awakens to find his PT missing, it is only when he notices the other's toothbrush gone as well that he realizes this is probably more than a mere night on the town.Though PT has taken off in the pair's white Alfa Romeo and has a good head start on Paul, the latter hightails it out after his love, and so the movie becomes a kind of "chase" film -- though of the most modulated variety you can imagine. Slow does not begin to describe this particular car chase.Along PT's route, the nearing-middle-age man discovers one after another woman who appears to need help (at least in Pierre Thomas' mind) and so his journey becomes anything but a sexual romp. The first of these is played by(above), whose car has broken down and who needs a lift to and from her work. Another is an old lady (played by the now-deceased, below) who turns out to be more interested in hawking god than receiving help.Not that our boy doesn't have a little hot sex along the way, with the Paris-smitten sweetie shown below. Don't worry: No full-frontal here, except via cell phone photo, the close-up shot of which sets off immediate recognition in Paul of his lover's genitalia (I'm not sure I could have done that with any one of my partners' packages over the years).Each of these tiny hook-ups (a couple sexual, most not -- Paul, evidently bisexual, even gets a blow-job from a randy waitress along the way) results in the very minor exploration of a wide variety of topics: old age, education, thievery, identity, theater, Italian automobile manufacturing, geography, passion, separation, religion, and even death.Since Paul is following PT via apps like Grinder, we get some technology tossed into the mix, too, as well as a little of the sort of inter-generational sex (below) found in the films of the great gay-bi filmmaker. Yet nothing is explored here in any depth. Instead Reybaud flits from one topic to another, with enough coincidence that you begin to imagine that happenstance is more the man's style than his content.Certainlywants to explore the gay (maybe it's just the male) urge to fuck around. It does this, but it also takes two hours and twenty-two minutes to do so. Finally it seems that our filmmaker is telling us little more than certain popular old chestnuts: Yes, "the Grass Is Always Greener," but isn't it probably best to be "Back in Your Own Backyard?"I'm pleased to have seen this film, and will now add Reybaud's name to my list of filmmaker's to watch. Recommending the movie to others, however, comes with the above caveats. (Did I mention that the film also features a nice turn by? That may be reason enough for some of you to view it.)From, in French with English subtitles, this gay "art film" opens Friday, August 4 in New York City at the. (There will be a Q&A with the director Jerome Reybaud on Friday, Aug. 4 & Saturday, Aug. 5, at the 6:40 shows.) In Los Angeles, the film will open August 11 at, with a limited national release to follow.
North Korean top leader Kim Jong Un has called the missile launch a stern warning to the US.

North Koreas intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) can reach most of the United States mainland, intelligence officials have said in a stark warning.

The country has accelerated its missile development programme since Kim Jong-un took power in 2011, recently testing long-range missiles, that it says are capable of reaching the West.

The US military is also monitoring highly unusual and unprecedented levels of activity by the North Korean submarine force.

Reports emerged today of three successful tests of submarine-launched ballistic missiles at the Sinpo Naval Shipyard in July alone.

Achieving a successful cold-launch ejection test, even from land-based tubes, is a critical step forward in making an operational missile, said Lance Gatling, a defence analyst and president of Tokyo-based Nexial Research Inc.

North Korea said it conducted another successful test of an ICBM on Friday.

The launch was supervised by Kim Jong Un, who called it a stern warning to the United States, according to state-run news in the secretive country.

Accompanied by South Korean and Japanese fighters, the US sent B-1B bombers over the Korean Peninsula last weekend in a symbolic response to the test.

Donald Trump said that he would handle North Korea.

Were going to be able to handle them. It will be handled. We handle everything, he said.

Can you believe Obama thought "strategic patience" was an actual policy to deal with North Korea? Political correctness at its finest.  The Trump Train (@The_Trump_Train) July 29, 2017

Following the missile tests, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said the the time for talk is over.

North Korea is already subject to numerous Security Council resolutions that they violate with impunity, she said, indicating that she believes UN diplomacy was not enough.

However, some analysis has suggested the missile launch on Friday was not a complete success.

Story continues

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Experts told the New York Times that the mock warhead on the missile shattered into pieces during its re-entry to earth, representing a significant, but not decisive, setback.

Two US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, also told Reuters that Kim wants to develop a nuclear-capable ICBM to deter any attack on his country, but does not intend to attack the US.

However, in March North Korea threatened to turn Washington and Seoul into flames and ashes, warning of a pre-emptive nuclear strike of justice.

The specifics of our assessment are classified for reasons I hope you understand, Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis told a news briefing, acknowledging only that the missile could fly at least 5,500 km (3,420 miles), the minimum range for what the Pentagon classifies as an ICBM.
By Clement Uwiringiyimana KIGALI (Reuters) - Rwandan President Paul Kagame, already in power for 17 years, predicted on Monday he would win overwhelming popular backing for a third term in elections this week, brushing off accusations of stifling political debate. Kagame is able to run for the third term only after constitutional changes were approved in a 2015 referendum by what the opposition and Western diplomats described as a suspiciously high 98 percent vote. Appearing in one of his last rallies before Friday's presidential elections, Kagame told hundreds of cheering supporters of his Rwanda Patriotic Front that victory would ensure economic growth in the tiny East African nation. "From August 4, we will have seven years to achieve more development," the 59-year old told the crowd gathered along the slopes of hills north of the capital Kigali. "Considering the might of the Rwanda Patriotic Front, combined with other political parties in the coalition, that is almost 100 percent (victory)," said Kagame. Kagame restored stability to Rwanda after its 1994 genocide, presiding over rapid economic growth and a relatively corruption-free government. However, accusations of foulplay have marred the run-up to the polls, which activists say will take place in a climate of fear. "Rwanda's history of political repression, attacks on opposition figures and dissenting voices ... stifles political debate and makes those who might speak out think twice before taking the risk," said Amnesty International's official for Africa, Muthoni Wanyeki, in a report earlier this month. The constitutional changes could technically allow Kagame to rule until 2034, when he would turn 76, but one supporter said he should be content with one more, seven-year term. "If elected, he should step down after this term instead of waiting until he is no longer popular. This could put our country back to war," said Ngerageze Anastase, a farmer attending the rally. "His predecessors clung on to power and it led to killings. He should avoid it." Kagame's critics believe economic progress has come at the expense of civil liberties and media freedoms. Some of his political opponents were killed after they fled abroad, in cases that remain unsolved. The government denies any involvement. Some people at the rally said they were coerced into attending. "The authorities woke us up at 3 a.m. and we had to come," Jean Pierre Ngarambe, a 52-year old farmer, told Reuters. "They warned us that whoever refused would be punished." (Writing by Aaron Maasho; Editing by David Stamp)
via www.shutterstock.com

For decades, researchers have linked a persons social mobility to their education. The more educated you are the more likely you are to be upwardly socially mobile. And if your parents attended university, you are more likely to do so too.

This link between the education level of parents and their children has been considered to be caused purely by the environment in which children were brought up. But as our new study shows, genes  passed down from parents to their children  do play a role. In fact, we found that genes explained half of differences in whether offspring are socially mobile or not.

We tested for genetic influence on social mobility in more than 6,000 families from the Twins Early Development Study, which is funded by the Medical Research Council. As the picture below shows, we measured genetic influence on four categories of social mobility: stably educated, stably uneducated, upwardly mobile and downwardly mobile.

We used two methods to test for genetic influence on social mobility: one measured the contribution of genetic factors by studying large samples of twins, while the other tested for actual DNA differences between unrelated people within the study.

Like with unlike

In the first method  the standard twin design test  we compared rates of social mobility between identical twins who share 100% of their genetic material, and non-identical fraternal twins, who share 50% of the genes that differ between people. If identical twins are more similar than non-identical twins on social mobility this indicates genetics is playing a role.

For example, we found that if one twin in an identical pair is upwardly mobile, the likelihood that their twin was also upwardly mobile was greater than if they were non-identical twins.

Overall, we found that almost 50% of differences in whether families were socially mobile or not are due to their genes. This means that across the population, inherited DNA differences contribute substantially to how socially mobile people in the UK are. This statistic cannot, however, be applied to an individual  so this does not mean that whether any given child is socially mobile or not is 50% due to their genes. This is because estimates from twin studies tell us about differences between individuals in a particular population at a particular time.

Story continues

Marks on your DNA

The second method we used was called polygenic scoring. To create a polygenic score we inspected the genome of 5,825 unrelated members of our study sample (one randomly selected twin from a pair). We looked at thousands of genetic variants that have previously been linked to educational attainment and added up the number of education-associated bits of DNA that each person has to create what we call a polygenic score.

We then compared the polygenic scores of children in each of our four categories of social mobility to see whether they differed in the number of education-related genetic variants they carried in their genome. We found that people who enrolled in higher education had higher polygenic scores  so more education-associated bits of DNA  even if they had come from families where neither parent had gone to university. Because polygenic scores are based on an individuals DNA, these results can be applied to an individual person. Our polygenic score findings indicate that a childs genetic propensity for education contributes to whether they will be socially mobile or not, irrespective of the social status of the family they were born into.

Reducing educational inequality

Our results indicate that both similarities and differences in educational attainment between parents and their offspring are influenced by genetic factors. As parents and their children are not genetically identical, our results show that children with a high genetic propensity for educational success who are born to parents without a university degree can surpass these constraints and reach higher education  in part due to their genes.

Knowing to what extent genetic differences contribute to social mobility can tell us how equal educational opportunities are in a society at a given time. This is because as environmental opportunities broaden in a society, for example as every child now has to attend school, the influence of genes becomes more apparent. Centuries ago, only the very rich were able to attend school. This made their genes, or inherent ability, less relevant to their success, and their environment  in this case wealth  more important.

In other words, if inequalities are reduced in a society, peoples differences  in educational attainment and elsewhere  will increasingly become a function of their genetic differences and less of inequalities in their environments. These results tell us that if we want to reduce educational inequalities, its important to understand childrens genetic propensity for educational achievement. They also suggest that a dialogue about improving social mobility needs to include genetics, as it is an important factor which contributes to educational outcomes.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.
By Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) - The number of North Koreans slipping illegally into Thailand has surged in recent months, according to immigration bureau officials, as tensions mount on the Korean peninsula because of Pyongyang's weapons programmes. Thailand is on a popular transit route for North Koreans defecting from the impoverished communist state. Hundreds flee each year to China and make it to Thailand after an overland journey, from where they are usually sent on to South Korea. In 2016, there were 535 North Korean arrivals in Thailand, but the first six months of this year saw 385 arrivals, according to data from Thailand's immigration bureau seen by Reuters, and more are arriving each week. "An average of 20 to 30 North Koreans arrive each week now in northern Thailand alone," said an immigration official who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The surge has come despite tighter controls by North Korea on its border with China. It coincides with rising tensions on the Korean peninsula over Pyongyang's stepped up nuclear and missile tests and warnings by the United States that it was losing patience with the isolated state. However, Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, a Seoul-based NGO, said the number of North Korean defectors coming to South Korea had not increased this year, implying that those coming through Thailand could be making up a higher proportion of the total. The South's Unification Ministry said 593 North Korean defectors had come to the South in the first six months, against 1,418 last year and 1,275 in 2015. Most North Koreans enter Thailand at its northernmost tip, near the Golden Triangle, from neighbouring Laos, the Thai immigration officials said, but new routes had also emerged further south. "We have seen many North Koreans entering the country in several northeastern provinces along the Mekong River in the last few years," said Captain Chonlathai Rattanaruang, a commander of the Mekong River Navy patrol. Another officer confirmed the trend. He told Reuters that groups of North Koreans have been entering Thailand through northeastern provinces bordering Laos including Nong Khai and Nakhon Phanom, where the Mekong forms the international frontier. UNOFFICIAL UNDERSTANDING Officially, Thailand treats North Koreans who enter the country as illegal migrants rather than refugees. Thailand has not signed the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees and has no specific law on refugees. Unofficially, arrangements are often made between Thai authorities, the South Korean government, and defectors on the ground. "The North Koreans come to Thailand to get arrested so they will get an asylum to South Korea," said Roongroj Tannawut, a district official of Chiang Khong district near the Golden Triangle. North Korean defectors who enter Thailand are arrested and prosecuted for illegal entry. They are then transferred to an immigration detention centre in Bangkok before being deported, usually to South Korea. "Since the South Korean constitution recognises all Koreans as its citizens, it is possible for Thailand to recognise South Korea as a legitimate destination to deport North Koreans," Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia Division, told Reuters. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees rarely processes North Korean defectors in Thailand because of the arrangement between Thailand and South Korea. "People fleeing North Korea don't usually approach UNHCR offices as they have other ways of seeking safety," Vivian Tan, spokeswoman for UNHCR Asia, told Reuters. The South Korean Embassy in Bangkok declined to comment on their role when contacted. (Additional reporting by Heekyong Yang in Seoul; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Boeing advanced super hornet f-18

Boeing

On June 18, a US Navy pilot shot down a Syrian fighter jet south of Tabqah after it dropped bombs near US-backed forces, also known as Syrian Democratic Forces, according to US Central Command.

It was the first time a US pilot made an air-to-air kill since the Kosovo conflict in 1999.

And now, for the first time since the incident, pilot Lt. Cmdr. Michael Tremel, explained to savetheroyalnavy.org exactly what happened that day.

"The whole incident lasted about eight minutes," Tremel told the site. "I did not directly communicate with the Syrian Jet but he was given several warnings by our supporting AWACS aircraft."

Central Command said that after pro-Syrian fighter jets bombed the SDF-held town of Ja'Din around 4:30 p.m., they called Russia on the 'de-confliction line' to get them to stop the air raids. At 6:43 p.m., a Syrian Su-22 dropped more ordnance, and in response, Tremel, flying an F/A-18E Super Hornet, shot the fighter jet down.

Here's the rest of Tremel's story:

"So yes, we released ordnance and yes it hit a target that was in the air, but it really just came back to defending those guys that were doing the hard job on the ground and taking that ground back from ISIS ... I didnt see the pilot eject but my wingman observed his parachute ... When you think about the shoot-down, in the grand scheme of things  we [our squadron] flew over 400 missions in support of friendly forces on the ground ... [Russia] behaved with great professionalism at all times.

Tremel also said that he first shot at the Su-22 with an infrared guided AIM-9X Sidewinder short range air-to-air missile, but the Syrian jet released decoy flares, and the missile missed.

He then fired a second radar-guided AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, which destroyed the Su-22.

Tremel made the call himself to shoot down the Su-22 in accordance with the rules of engagement, according to Military.com.

Story continues

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Change is coming to Gilmer County.

It is change in the form of an academic lifeline, for students who previously could only imagine an education beyond high school. In addition to creating opportunity for students, area leaders believe it will strengthen the communitys workforce and economy.

The University of North Georgia (UNG) and Gilmer County Charter Schools believe Upward Bound will change lives in Gilmer County.

"The University of North Georgia began a Regional Education and Economic Development  REED  initiative a couple of years ago to increase educational attainment and help strengthen our community and regional economies," UNG President Bonita Jacobs said at the July 27 signing event for the program. "In alignment with our goals, the Upward Bound program will open doors to college and career opportunities by providing a path to high school graduation and college access for first-generation students in Gilmer County."

The ceremony was held at the Administration & Technology Office at the Gilmer County Charter Schools offices in Ellijay, Georgia. Attending were officials and students from UNG, county school district representatives, members of the local chamber of commerce, and representatives from area businesses.

"We are excited to strengthen our partnership with the University of North Georgia's offer of support and post-secondary opportunity for some of our students," said Superintendent of Gilmer County Charter Schools Shanna Wilkes. "This grant will dramatically alter the future for some of our underserved students by providing needed additional services to help eligible students obtain a high school diploma and a college degree, and this will help break the cycle of poverty for deserving students in our district."

Upward Bound is a federally funded program designed to provide academic, cultural and social experiences for eligible students, enabling them to develop the skills, attitudes and motivation necessary to enter and succeed in college.

UNG has been awarded a total of $1.285 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Education to help promising low-income high school students in Gilmer County prepare for college. Sixty Gilmer high school students, grades 9-12, are enrolled in the program and will begin attending classes Sept. 1. Two full-time staff members will be on-site at Gilmer County High School during the academic year and work with the students during summer break.

"This was a wonderful collaboration between UNG and the school system," said Sandy Ott, director of the Blue Ridge Campus. "The resources and opportunities the Upward Bound grant provides will give these students a chance to see how a college campus culture can influence their lives."

UNG's Blue Ridge Campus opened in 2015, establishing a foothold in an area previously underserved by higher education.

By 2025, more than 60 percent of Georgia jobs will require some college education, whether an associate degree or bachelor's degree. Today, only 45 percent of the state's young adults qualify. In Gilmer County, 16.7 percent of the population has a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national average of 29.8 percent. Individuals who attain higher levels of education typically have greater lifetime earnings potential, too. According to a 2011 report by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, those who hold a bachelors degree earn 31 percent more than those with an associate degree and 84 percent more than those with just a high school diploma.

UNG offers a number of pathways for high school and incoming freshmen students, including dual enrollment and programs in high-demand area career opportunities for degree seekers. Courses are also available for adult learners either beginning their college career or returning to finish a degree, and a range of continuing and professional education programs for advancement in a career or personal growth. The Blue Ridge campus also offers eCore, where students can complete their first two years of college online.

Through Upward Bound, UNG will provide mentoring, parent engagement, state assessment preparation, career exploration, cultural experiences, and college visits to each high school participant of the program.

"This grant will have a huge impact in these students' lives," Ott said. "It has the chance to change the life of every student who participates."

The Upward Bound grant Gilmer County received from UNG was part of a larger $2.6 million, five-year grant to help underserved high school students in Gilmer and Hall counties prepare for college.
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KG, BorgWarner Engineering Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH, BorgWarner Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Europe Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Gateshead Limited, BorgWarner Germany Holding GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Holding Services GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REH GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REM GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, BorgWarner Global Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Heidelberg I RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg II RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg REH GmbH, BorgWarner Heidelberg REM GmbH, BorgWarner Holding Inc., BorgWarner Holdings Limited, BorgWarner Hungary Kft., BorgWarner IT Services Europe GmbH, BorgWarner India Holdings Inc., BorgWarner Investment Holding Inc., BorgWarner Ithaca LLC, BorgWarner Ketsch Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Ketsch REH GmbH, BorgWarner Ketsch REM GmbH, BorgWarner Kft., BorgWarner Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Korea Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Korea Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Korea LLC, BorgWarner Limited, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf REH GmbH, BorgWarner Markdorf REM GmbH, BorgWarner Massachusetts Inc., BorgWarner Mauritius Holdings Ltd., BorgWarner Mexico Holding BV, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings II LLC, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Morse Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Morse Systems Italy S.r.l., BorgWarner Morse Systems Japan K.K., BorgWarner Morse Systems Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Muggendorf RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner NW Inc., BorgWarner Netherlands Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Oroszlany Kft., BorgWarner PDS (Anderson) L.L.C., BorgWarner PDS (Changnyeong) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Indiana) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Livonia) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Ochang) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner PDS (USA) Inc., BorgWarner PDS Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., BorgWarner PDS Irapuato S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Technologies L.L.C., BorgWarner Poland Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Pyongtaek LLC, BorgWarner Romeo Power LLC, BorgWarner Rzeszow Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Shenglong (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner South Asia LLC, BorgWarner Southborough Inc., BorgWarner Spain Holding S.L.U, BorgWarner Sweden AB, BorgWarner Systems Lugo S.r.l., BorgWarner Thermal Systems Inc., BorgWarner Thermal Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Tralee Ltd., BorgWarner Transmission Products LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Arnstadt GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Korea LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Tulle S.A.S., BorgWarner Trustees Limited, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems France S.A.S., BorgWarner Turbo Systems Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems LLC, BorgWarner Turbo Systems Worldwide Headquarters GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Turbo and Emissions Systems de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner UK Financing Ltd., BorgWarner UK Holding and Services Ltd., BorgWarner US Holding LLC, BorgWarner USA Industries L.L.C., BorgWarner United Transmission Systems Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Waterloo Inc., BorgWarner Wrexham Limited, Cascadia Motion LLC, Creon Insurance Agency Limited, Delphi Technologies, Dytech ENSA, Gustav Wahler GmbH u. Co. KG, Haldex, Kuhlman LLC, Kysor Europe Limited, M. & M. Knopf Auto Parts L.L.C., NSK-Warner (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., NSK-Warner K.K., NSK-Warner Mexico S.A. de C.V, NSK-Warner U.S.A. Inc., New PDS Corp., Old Remco Holdings L.L.C., Old Remco International Holdings L.L.C., Remy International, SeohanWarner Turbo Systems LLC, Sevcon, Sevcon New Energy Technology (Hubei) Company Limited, and Transmission Systems AutoForm LLC.

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Valvoline Inc. manufactures, markets, and supplies, engine and automotive maintenance products and services. It operates through two segments, Retail Services and Global Products. The company offers lubricants for passenger car, light duty, and heavy duty; antifreeze/coolants for original equipment manufacturers; functional and maintenance chemicals, such as brake fluids and power steering fluids, as well as specialty coatings for automotive and industrial applications; and oil and air filters for light-duty vehicles. It also provides batteries, windshield wiper blades, light bulbs, serpentine belts, and drain plugs. In addition, the company operates Valvoline instant oil change service centers. As of September 30, 2021, it operated and franchised approximately 1,594 quick-lube locations under the Valvoline Instant Oil Change brand in the United States and the Great Canadian Oil Change brand in Canada. The company also serves car dealers, general repair shops, and third-party quick lube locations, as well as through distributors and licensees. It has operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank, National Association that provides retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, corporations, and institutions in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Consumer Banking and Commercial Banking. The Consumer Banking segment offers deposit products, mortgage and home equity lending products, credit cards, business loans, wealth management, and investment services; and auto, education, and point-of-sale finance loans, as well as digital deposit products. This segment serves its customers through telephone service centers, as well as through its online and mobile platforms. The Commercial Banking segment provides various financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, and interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as syndicated loans, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity capital markets services. This segment serves government banking, not-for-profit, healthcare, technology, professionals, oil and gas, asset finance, franchise finance, asset-based lending, commercial real estate, private equity, and sponsor finance industries. It operates approximately 1,200 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia; 114 retail and commercial non-branch offices in national markets; and approximately 3,300 automated teller machines. The company was formerly known as RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. and changed its name to Citizens Financial Group, Inc. in April 2014. Citizens Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1828 and is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island.
Haven Behavioral Hospital of Albuquerque is adding a new business line that could provide care to several hundred additional patients a year.

Havens intensive outpatient program will cater to those 25 and older who are in need of more rigorous treatment than weekly therapy but who dont require inpatient services.

This program covers the often overlooked, but essential middle ground between weekly outpatient visits and hospitalization and provides transition support between the two, said Sheila McDermott-Lord, Havens chief executive officer.

The program will be staffed by 20 therapists, social workers, technicians and nurses, most of them new hires, according to Lea Harrison, Havens director of business development. In addition to staffing up, Haven renovated a 4,000-square-foot space to accommodate the program on the third floor of the former Lovelace Hospital at Gibson Medical Center, 5400 Gibson SE.

We looked at the market needs of Albuquerque and there were a lack of resources for those who might benefit from intensive outpatient treatment, said Harrison. The program is targeting Haven clients as well as those referred by other behavioral health facilities and practitioners.

Not only does Havens intensive outpatient program focus on individuals who havent been successful with the conventional outpatient single weekly visit, it also targets those with substance abuse problems, who have completed detox (when necessary), residential and/or inpatient treatment but need additional support.

The Affordable Care Act broadened coverage for mental health and addiction treatments, requiring most health plans to provide coverage similar to medical care, and companies like Haven have expanded as a result.

Patients can continue to work or go to school while receiving treatment through the Haven intensive outpatient program, which typically lasts three hours per day three times per week and allows the clients to return to their homes, jobs and lives.

Albuquerque is the only one of Havens seven hospitals nationwide to offer the program. Its a new thing here in New Mexico. We hope it becomes an industry standard, said Harrison.

An open house will be held on Thursday, Aug. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the facility. The public is welcome.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP)  Another inmate was stabbed in a prison yard at Alabama's Elmore Correctional Facility, the third prisoner slain this year at the overcrowded and understaffed lockup, officials said Wednesday.

Timothy Robertson, 47, was fatally wounded Tuesday night. Another inmate, Jason Lee Jackson, 28, was being charged with murder, the Department of Corrections said.

Video surveillance and witnesses identified Jackson as a suspect after an officer found Robertson in distress in a prison yard, the statement said. Robertson was serving 35 years for rape. Jackson is serving five years for robbery.

Two other prisoners died in separate stabbings in February, and an officer was wounded in a stabbing in March at the medium-security lockup north of Montgomery.

Prison Commissioner Jeff Dunn said the agency is assessing all of its maximum- and medium-security facilities to determine where critical staffing is needed.

The safety of our officers and those in our custody is our utmost concern, and we will employ all available resources to prevent the escalation of violence in light of recent incidents, Dunn said in the statement.

In all this year, four homicides have happened in Alabama prisons, including one at nearby Staton Correctional Facility, and officers have been injured in six assaults, prison spokesman Bob Horton said in an email interview.

Officials don't know of any single reason Elmore has a higher homicide rate than other state prisons, but the facility is badly overcrowded and understaffed.

Elmore has only 72 of the 169 officers it is authorized to employ, yet the prison population is at 190 percent of its designed capacity with 1,145 inmates, Horton said. As a result, inmates are packed into huge dormitories with limited oversight.

The inmates are double-bunked and an officer's line of sight inside the dorms is limited, which can lead to a higher risk of violent activity, Horton said.

State lawmakers have refused proposals to construct new prisons, and administrators say low pay and dangerous working conditions make it difficult to hire and retain officers.

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